Kayla Itsines' Sweat empire posts huge $10m loss - before the fitness queen buys the business back f

Posted by Larita Shotwell on Thursday, April 4, 2024

Australia's richest ex-couple Kayla Itsines and Tobi Pearce recently teamed up reacquire their Sweat fitness business they sold a few years ago. 

The pair, who sold Sweat to US fitness conglomerate iFIT for for hundreds of millions of dollars in 2021, retook control of the digital fitness brand for an undisclosed sum in November.

iFIT however struggled to maintain the Sweat brand's success after taking the reins, and posted an $80million write-down after its first year of ownership.

Now, financial reports filed with ASIC show that iFIT subscription revenue had slipped by a further 14 per cent in the 2022-2023 financial year, down to $61.4m. 

Previously subscription revenue had dropped by 16 per cent in the 2020-21 financial year, equating to a $9.5million loss.

Kayla Itsines and Tobi Pearce's (both pictured) fitness empire posted a huge $10.7m loss for the 2022-2023 financial year

Kayla Itsines and Tobi Pearce's (both pictured) fitness empire posted a huge $10.7m loss for the 2022-2023 financial year 

In the last financial year, iFIT also booked another $3.8m write-down to the value of Sweat and an after tax loss of $10.7m.

Itsines and Pearce founded the Body Guide fitness program in 2015, which later evolved into Sweat. 

The ex-couple sold the platform to iFIT for $400million in 2021, following a boom in home exercise when gyms and sports centres closed during the Covid pandemic.

Itsines and Pearce, who sold Sweat to US fitness conglomerate iFIT for for hundreds of millions of dollars in 2021, retook control of the digital fitness brand for an undisclosed sum in November

Itsines and Pearce, who sold Sweat to US fitness conglomerate iFIT for for hundreds of millions of dollars in 2021, retook control of the digital fitness brand for an undisclosed sum in November

But subscriptions, which cost $20 per month, started waning once gyms re-opened. 

Itsines and Pearce decided to re-enter their Sweat business together in November, with Itsines as the face and Mr Pearce as the brains. 

Itsines will go back to her role as the platform's head trainer and Pearce will focus on the company's longevity and growth strategy going forward. 

In November. iFIT however struggled to maintain the Sweat brand's success after taking the reins, and posted an $80million write-down after its first year of ownership

In November. iFIT however struggled to maintain the Sweat brand's success after taking the reins, and posted an $80million write-down after its first year of ownership 

In a statement, Itsines said that she had not regretted selling the business and that it had since come 'full circle'.   

'I am thrilled to be back as an owner of Sweat, a platform that has meant so much to me and to the millions of women it serves,' she said.

'The decision to regain ownership is about ensuring the best future for Sweat. We have always been a platform built for women, by women, providing a secure and encouraging space for them to share their transformation journeys. 

Financial reports filed with ASIC show that iFIT subscription revenue had slipped by a further 14 per cent in the 2022-2023 financial year, down to $61.4m

Financial reports filed with ASIC show that iFIT subscription revenue had slipped by a further 14 per cent in the 2022-2023 financial year, down to $61.4m

'Our commitment to this community remains unwavering.'

The business partners saw an opportunity to take back ownership of their company as iFIT shifted its focus towards fitness hardware products and away from Sweat. 

Ms Itsines and Mr Pearce now plan to continue growing the business out of Adelaide again where they once employed close to 100 people in 2019.

THE RISE, FALL AND RISE AGAIN OF KAYLA ITSINES AND TOBI PEARCE 

  • 2012: Kayla Itsines meets Tobi Pearce and they start dating
  • 2014: Ms Itsines and Mr Pearce create Bikini Body Guide (BBG), a 12-week program targeted towards women to achieve dramatic weight loss results
  • 2015: The Sweat with Kayla app launches, before being renamed Sweat two years later
  • 2016: Ms Itsines becomes the fourth-richest young woman in Australia in the BRW Young Rich List, with a combined wealth of $46 million between her and Mr Pearce
  • 2017: The couple rebrand their fitness workout app and name it Sweat, with Ms Itsines the face of the brand
  • 2017: Ms Itsines is named Forbes 'Top Fitness Influencer'
  • 2017: She is ranked 40th with Mr Pearce 41st in the 2017 AFR Rich List 
  • 2019: The couple are named joint tenth on the AFR's Young Rich List with a fortune of $486million
  • 2020: Ms Itsines and Mr Pearce announce their shock split
  • 2021: Ms Itsines and Mr Pearce sell Sweat to US fitness giant iFIT for $280 million AUD
  • 2022: iFIT posts an $80 million write-down for Sweat after its first year of ownership amid momentum struggles 
  • 2023: Ms Itsines and Mr Pearce resume their business relationship and re-acquire Sweat for an undisclosed sum
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READ MORE: Kayla Itsines' new husband Jae Woodruffe treats himself to $364,000 Mercedes Benz four-wheel drive after marrying millionaire Sweat founder

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