LEIFRAS Co., Ltd. (NASDAQ: LFS) has appointed Forvis Mazars Japan Audit LLC as its independent registered public accounting firm, replacing its previous dual-audit structure.
The move follows approval by the company’s audit and supervisory committee on July 13 and its board of directors on August 14. The transition will take effect after the completion of the third-quarter review for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026, by the current auditor.
LEIFRAS operates children’s sports schools and events in Japan and was recognized by Tokyo Shoko Research as of December 31, 2025, as one of the country’s largest operators in the sector by membership and facilities. The company cited governance strengthening, regulatory compliance streamlining, and improved audit coordination as key reasons for consolidating its audit functions under a single global organization.
The shift aligns with LEIFRAS’s previously announced plans for a potential dual listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. By reducing its reliance on separate auditors for U.S. PCAOB and Japanese statutory audits, the company expects to optimize audit-related costs over the medium to long term and reinvest savings into governance and accounting infrastructure improvements.
LEIFRAS’s ADR (LFS) last closed at $2.27, down $0.13, or 5.42%, as of August 24.
