Life Fitness, Hammer Strength 2Q sales up slightly for parent Brunswick

Life Fitness and Hammer Strength saw their sales uptick slightly in the second quarter 2012 as strong U.S. sales were offset by weakness in Europe.

The Brunswick (NYSE: BC) owned fitness equipment brands reported revenue up 1 percent to $143.3 million, compared to a year ago. The group’s quarterly operating income improved to $19.9 million versus $19.1 million a year ago. Officials called described the fitness market as holding up with “steady fundamentals.”

The results outperformed fitness equipment peer Cybex, which reported earlier this week that its second quarter sales fell 5.5 percent.

Despite the small gain in fitness for Life Fitness and Hammer Strength, Brunswick’s companywide results (it also sells billiards and boats) fell 2.7 percent to about $1.07 billion for the quarter. Company-wide earnings, however, improved to $83.6 million, or 90 cents per diluted share, versus a net income of $69.3 million, or 75 cents per diluted share, a year ago.

–Compiled by David Clucas