For Kenkou Corp., slimmer waistlines mean fatter profits.
The health and fitness company seeks to almost triple profit this year and shift its stock listing to Tokyo from Sapporo as it expands abroad, founder and president Takeshi Seto said.
Shares of Kenkou jumped more than five times in the past year after it began publicizing its ownership of its Rizap gyms and boosted advertisements touting their ability to get fat people to reshape their bodies and slim down in a matter of months. Deutsche Bank AG bought ¥7.6 billion ($64 million) in Kenkou stock options in March, providing funding that the fitness company plans to use for its expansion.