EQT-Owned Fitness Passport Seeks A$500 Million Loan for Payout

Swedish private equity firm EQT-backed health and fitness membership program Fitness Passport is seeking a A$500 million ($322 million) syndicated loan, according to people familiar with the matter.

Proceeds of the loan will be for dividend recapitalization and refinancing purposes, said the people who asked not to be identified discussing private matters. A dozen banks, including BNP Paribas SA, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group and Standard Chartered Plc, have been appointed as underwriters on the six-year loan, they added.

A dividend recapitalization, where sponsors pile debt onto a portfolio company in order to fund a payout, is a ...