Brunswick Corporation reports flat operating earnings of $8.1 million for Life Fitness on a 3 percent top-line growth in sales to $149.2 million for its first quarter, ended March 29. This was despite a 30 percent decrease in sales of consumer equipment to U.S. specialty fitness retailers. Excluding sales of home fitness equipment to U.S. specialty retailers, which fell by 30 percent because of the economy, Life Fitness’ U.S. sales rose by 9 percent thanks to increases in the commercial equipment business. Bowling & Billiards – also part of the Brunswick – saw its operating margin fall by 7.6 percentage points to 0.8 percent on bad debt and the closure and the relocation of its Wisconsin bowling pin plant to Mexico. Sales rose by 7 percent to $113.6 million, thanks chiefly to a 9 percent improvement at retail bowling centers. During the quarter, Brunswick sold its 50 percent stake in NBK, its Japanese bowling joint venture, to Mitsui for around $40 million cash pre-tax.