We recently published a list of 10 Best Fitness and Gym Stocks to Buy Now. In this article, we are going to look at where BellRing Brands, Inc. (NYSE:BRBR) stands against other fitness and gym stocks to buy now.

Overview of the Fitness and Global Wellness Industries

The fitness and wellness industries are projected to be major global players in the coming decades with the world shifting to healthy modes of living. Estimates by McKinsey show that the global wellness market has reached around $1.8 trillion, and has touched $480 billion in the US alone. Around 82% of US consumers rank wellness as their top priority. Similar sentiments can be seen resonating across the globe, as around 73% and 87% of the consumers in the UK and China report the same, respectively.

According to the Health and Fitness Club Global Market Report 2024 released by the Business Research Company, the health and fitness club market has also grown exponentially in recent years. It is estimated to continue on this growth trajectory, going from $92.90 billion in 2023 to $101.46 billion in 2024. Much of this growth can be attributed to an increasing number of apartment complexes offering fitness and gym perks, rapid urbanization, the rising popularity of group fitness classes, government programs promoting fitness and health, and the corporatization of jobs.

Social media influencers also have a major role in this significant mind shift, with many users getting inspired to undertake fitness endeavors and gym memberships to attain the signature “fit body” image. In addition, growth in fitness franchises, personalized training programs, and training plans are also boosting a shift towards fitness and preventive healthcare.

The health and fitness club market size is anticipated to continue growing in the coming decade. The report estimates it to rise at a CAGR of 9.3%, reaching around $144.82 billion in 2028. Some of the significant trends in this forecast include using artificial intelligence for personalized workout recommendations, adopting smart gym equipment, and using AI-powered fitness and health apps.

Gen Z and Millennials in the Fitness Industry

The population aged 20-64 is the largest consumer niche in the industry that has grown exponentially in the past five years. According to Scott Max, gym memberships make up almost 50% of the fitness industry, and around 45% of these members are millennials. Gen Z makes up approximately 35% of this industry. Despite millennials taking the lead in numbers, gym and fitness brands are competing to capture the preferences of Gen Z.

They are altering their business strategies, focusing on contract-free and low-price memberships. According to NielsenIQ (NIQ) and World Data Lab (WDL), the global fitness spending by Gen Z is estimated to reach $12 trillion by 2030. Similarly, estimates by Les Mills show that around 36% of Gen Z is active, while 30% use fitness facilities. Around 82% of these facilities include gyms or studios. However, a significant number also take a hybrid approach, training both in and out of the gym.

The Global Online/Virtual Fitness Market

Owing to these trends, the global online/virtual fitness market is also growing. According to the Global Online/Virtual Fitness Market Report 2023, the industry grew at a CAGR of 39.4%, going from $15.65 billion in 2022 to $21.82 billion in 2023.  It is anticipated to continue on this growth trajectory, growing at a CAGR of 36.9% to reach $76.57 billion by 2027.

The primary driver of this growth is the increasing use of mobile phones and smart devices in the fitness industry. With users increasingly relying on their mobile phones and AI-enabled fitness apps to dictate their fitness and gym journeys, this growth trend is expected to persist.

Our Methodology

To compile our list, we sifted through ETFs and online rankings to compile a list of 15 fitness and gym stocks. We then selected the top 10 stocks most popular among elite hedge funds. We sourced the hedge fund data from Insider Monkey’s database. The stocks are arranged in ascending order of the number of hedge funds that have stakes in them as of Q3 2024.

At Insider Monkey, we are obsessed with the stocks that hedge funds pile into. The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).

BellRing Brands, Inc. (NYSE:BRBR)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 43

BellRing Brands, Inc. (NYSE:BRBR) is a consumer product holding company that provides ready-to-drink (RTD) protein shakes, powders, nutrition bars, and other RTD beverages. Its primary brands are Dymatize and Premier Protein. BellRing Brands, Inc. (NYSE:BRBR) operates through protein-based consumer goods.

The company’s net sales for fiscal Q4 2024 increased by 18% over the prior year, reaching $556 million. Its Premier Protein brand is increasingly resonating with its target audience, resulting in a 20% net sales growth that was primarily attributed to strong volume growth for both powders and RTD shakes. Its RTD shake sales also increased by 21%, boosted by distribution gains and organic growth. The overall consumption for October increased by 28%. This growth was attributed to the company’s Pumpkin Spice fall seasonal flavor, which resonated greatly with consumers.

The primary drivers of volume growth for the company’s Premier Protein brand include increased organic growth and promotional activities, expanded pack sizes and formats, distribution gains on existing and new products, and innovation. BellRing Brands, Inc.’s (NYSE:BRBR) Dymatize brand also drove growth. Net sales for the Dymatize international business segment grew by 30% in fiscal Q4 2024, delivering growth for the quarter. The company also introduced a new national marketing campaign for the brand with San Francisco All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey, which was launched on November 14 during NFL Thursday night football. In addition to advertising, BellRing Brands, Inc. (NYSE:BRBR) is launching its new product platforms in the first half of fiscal year 2025.

Wasatch Core Growth Fund stated the following regarding BellRing Brands, Inc. (NYSE:BRBR) in its fourth quarter 2023 investor letter:

“BellRing Brands, Inc. (NYSE:BRBR)) was also a significant contributor. BellRing’s offerings include nutritional shakes, powders, bars, and other products primarily marketed under the Premier Protein and Dymatize brands. We like the company’s asset-light operating model, which relies on outsourced production. Given the low cost of BellRing’s products and perceived value among a loyal and growing group of health-conscious consumers, we believe the company has a durable, economically resilient business. Moreover, we think the intellectual property associated with BellRing’s shelf-stable, good-tasting products is relatively difficult for competitors to replicate. Amid the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic, the company’s production capacity had been severely constrained, impacting revenues and earnings. In 2023, BellRing was able to add new outsourced production facilities—and even more will be added in 2024. Finally, the company and the stock benefited from the proliferation of GLP-1 agonists, such as Ozempic, being used for weight loss. Dieters often consume BellRing’s products in an effort to ingest enough nutrients. That said, the GLP-1 trend wasn’t part of our original investment thesis and isn’t why we continue to own the stock.”

Overall, BRBR ranks 3rd on our list of one of the best fitness and gym stocks to buy now. While we acknowledge the potential of BRBR to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than BRBR but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.