Summary of significant accounting policies (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2018

The accompanying unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP) for interim financial information and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Accordingly, these interim financial statements do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) necessary for a fair presentation of the results of operations, financial position and cash flows for the periods presented have been reflected. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

The condensed consolidated financial statements as of and for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017 are unaudited. The condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2017 has been derived from the audited financial statements at that date but does not include all of the disclosures required by U.S. GAAP. These interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 (the “Annual Report”) filed with the SEC on March 1, 2018. Operating results for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year.

As discussed in Note 1, as a result of the recapitalization transactions, Planet Fitness, Inc. consolidates Pla-Fit Holdings. The Company also consolidates entities in which it has a controlling financial interest, the usual condition of which is ownership of a majority voting interest. The Company also considers for consolidation certain interests where the controlling financial interest may be achieved through arrangements that do not involve voting interests. Such an entity, known as a variable interest entity (“VIE”), is required to be consolidated by its primary beneficiary. The primary beneficiary of a VIE is considered to possess the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact its economic performance and has the obligation to absorb losses or the rights to receive benefits from the VIE that are significant to it. The principal entities in which the Company possesses a variable interest include franchise entities and certain other entities. The Company is not deemed to be the primary beneficiary for Planet Fitness franchise entities. Therefore, these entities are not consolidated.

The results of the Company have been consolidated with Matthew Michael Realty LLC (“MMR”) and PF Melville LLC (“PF Melville”) based on the determination that the Company is the primary beneficiary with respect to these VIEs. These entities are real estate holding companies that derive a majority of their financial support from the Company through lease agreements for corporate stores. See Note 3 for further information related to the Company’s VIEs.

Use of estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Although these estimates are based on management’s knowledge of current events and actions it may undertake in the future, they may ultimately differ from actual results. Significant areas where estimates and judgments are relied upon by management in the preparation of the consolidated financial statements include revenue recognition, valuation of assets and liabilities in connection with acquisitions, valuation of equity-based compensation awards, the evaluation of the recoverability of goodwill and long-lived assets, including intangible assets, income taxes, including deferred tax assets and liabilities and reserves for unrecognized tax benefits, and the liability for the Company’s tax benefit arrangements.

Fair Value

ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, establishes a three-level valuation hierarchy for disclosure of fair value measurements. The valuation hierarchy is based upon the transparency of inputs to the valuation of an asset or liability as of the measurement date. Categorization within the valuation hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The three levels are defined as follows:

Level 1—Inputs to the valuation methodology are quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities in active markets.

Level 2—Inputs to the valuation methodology include quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, and inputs that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the financial instrument.

Level 3—Inputs to the valuation methodology are unobservable and significant to the fair value measurement.

The table below presents information about the Company’s assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of June 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017:



	Total fair value at June 30, 2018		Quoted prices in active markets (Level 1)		Significant other observable inputs (Level 2)		Significant unobservable inputs (Level 3)
Interest rate caps	$	404	$	—	$	404	$	—
	Total fair value at December 31, 2017		Quoted prices in active markets (Level 1)		Significant other observable inputs (Level 2)		Significant unobservable inputs (Level 3)
Interest rate caps	$	340	$	—	$	340	$	—

Recent accounting pronouncements

The FASB issued ASU No. 2014-9, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, in September 2014. This guidance requires that an entity recognize revenue to depict the transfer of a promised good or service to its customers in an amount that reflects consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for such transfer. This guidance also specifies accounting for certain costs incurred by an entity to obtain or fulfill a contract with a customer and provides for enhancements to revenue specific disclosures intended to allow users of the financial statements to clearly understand the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from an entity’s contracts with its customers. The Company has adopted the guidance as of January 1, 2018 on a modified retrospective basis. See Note 15 for details about the effect of adoption.

The FASB issued ASU No. 2016-2, Leases, in February 2016. This guidance is intended to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years for public companies. Early application of the amendments in this update is permitted for all entities. The Company anticipates that adoption of this guidance will bring all current operating leases onto the statement of financial position as a right of use asset and related rent liability, and is currently evaluating the effect that implementation of this guidance will have on its consolidated statement of operations.

The FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments, in August 2016. This guidance is intended to reduce diversity in practice of the classification of certain cash receipts and cash payments. This guidance will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within that year. The Company has adopted the guidance as of January 1, 2018 on a prospective basis, noting no material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

The FASB issued ASU No. 2017-4, Intangibles–Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment, in January 2017. This guidance eliminates the requirement to calculate the implied fair value, essentially eliminating step two from the goodwill impairment test. The new standard requires goodwill impairment to be based upon the results of step one of the impairment test, which is defined as the excess of the carrying value of a reporting unit over its fair value. The impairment charge will be limited to the amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. This guidance will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within that year. This new guidance is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

The FASB issued ASU No. 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities, in August 2017. The guidance simplifies the application of hedge accounting in certain situations and amends the hedge accounting model to enable entities to better portray the economics of their risk management activities in the financial statements. This guidance will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within that year. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this guidance on its consolidated financial statements.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue from Contracts with Customers

We transitioned to FASB Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 606, Revenue From Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”), from ASC Topic 605, Revenue Recognition and ASC Subtopic 952-605, Franchisors - Revenue Recognition (together, the “Previous Standards”) on January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective transition method. Our Financial Statements reflect the application of ASC 606 guidance beginning in 2018, while our consolidated financial statements for prior periods were prepared under the guidance of Previous Standards. The $9,192 cumulative effect of our transition to ASC 606 is reflected as an adjustment to January 1, 2018 stockholders' deficit.

Our transition to ASC 606 represents a change in accounting principle. ASC 606 eliminates industry-specific guidance and provides a single revenue recognition model for recognizing revenue from contracts with customers. The core principle of ASC 606 is that a reporting entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the reporting entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services.

Revenue Recognition Significant Accounting Policies under ASC 606

The Company's revenues are comprised of franchise revenue, equipment revenue, and corporate-owned stores revenue.

Franchise revenue

Franchise revenues consist primarily of royalties, national advertising fund contributions, initial and renewal franchise fees and upfront fees from area development agreements ("ADAs"), transfer fees, equipment placement revenue, other fees and commission income.

The Company's primary performance obligation under the franchise license is granting certain rights to use the Company's intellectual property, and all other services the Company provides under the ADA and franchise agreement are highly interrelated, not distinct within the contract, and therefore accounted for under ASC 606 as a single performance obligation, which is satisfied by granting certain rights to use our intellectual property over the term of each franchise agreement.

Royalties, including franchisee contributions to national advertising funds, are calculated as a percentage of franchise sales over the term of the franchise agreement. Under our franchise agreements, advertising contributions paid by franchisees must be spent on advertising, marketing and related activities. Initial and renewal franchise fees are payable by the franchisee upon signing a new franchise agreement or renewal of an existing franchise agreement, and transfer fees are paid to the Company when one franchisee transfers a franchise agreement to a different franchisee. Our franchise royalties, as well as our advertising fund contributions, represent sales-based royalties that are related entirely to our performance obligation under the franchise agreement and are recognized as franchise sales occur.

Additionally, under ASC 606, initial and renewal franchise fees as well as transfer fees are recognized as revenue on a straight-line basis over the term of the respective franchise agreement. Under the Previous Standards, initial franchise fees were recognized as revenue when the related franchisees signed a lease and completed the Company's new franchisee training. Renewal franchise fees and transfer fees were recognized as revenue upon execution of a new franchise agreement. Our performance obligation under area development agreements generally consists of an obligation to grant geographic exclusive area development rights. These development rights are not distinct from franchise agreements, so upfront fees paid by franchisees for exclusive development rights are deferred and apportioned to each franchise agreement signed by the franchisee. The pro-rata amount apportioned to each franchise agreement is accounted for identically to the initial franchise fee.

The Company is generally responsible for assembly and placement of equipment it sells to U.S. based franchisee-owned stores. Placement revenue is recognized upon completion and acceptance of the services at the franchise location.

The Company recognizes commission income from certain of its franchisees’ use of certain preferred vendor arrangements. Commissions are recognized when amounts have been earned and collectability from the vendor is reasonably assured.

Online member join fees are paid to the Company by franchisees for processing new membership transactions when a new member signs up for a membership to a franchisee-owned store through the Company’s website. These fees are recognized as revenue as each transaction occurs.

Billing transaction fees are paid to the Company by certain of its franchisees for the processing of franchisee membership dues and annual fees through the Company’s third-party hosted point-of-sale system and are recognized as revenue as they are earned.

Equipment revenue

The Company sells and delivers equipment purchased from third-party equipment manufacturers to U.S. based franchisee-owned stores. Revenue is recognized upon transfer of control of ordered items, generally upon delivery to the customer, which is when the customer obtains physical possession of the goods, legal title is transferred, the customer has all risks and rewards of ownership and an obligation to pay for the goods is created. Franchisees are charged for all freight costs incurred for the delivery of equipment. Freight revenue is recorded within equipment revenue and freight costs are recorded within cost of revenue. The Company recognizes revenue on a gross basis in these transactions as management has determined the Company to be the principal in these transactions. Management determined the Company to be the principal in the transaction because the Company controls the equipment prior to delivery to the final customer as evidenced by its pricing discretion over the goods, inventory transfer of title and risk of loss while the inventory is in transit, and having the primary responsibility to fulfill the customer order and direct the third-party vendor.

Corporate-owned stores revenue

The following revenues are generated from stores owned and operated by the Company.

Customers are offered multiple membership choices varying in length. Membership dues are earned and recognized over the membership term on a straight-line basis.

Enrollment fee revenue

Enrollment fees are charged to new members at the commencement of their membership. The Company recognizes enrollment fees ratably over the estimated duration of the membership life, which is generally two years.

Annual membership fee revenue

Annual membership fees are annual fees charged to members in addition to and in order to maintain low monthly membership dues. The Company recognizes annual membership fees ratably over the 12-month membership period.

Retail sales

The Company sells Planet Fitness branded apparel, food, beverages, and other accessories. The revenue for these items is recognized at the point of sale.