UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13G
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. __________)*
General Nutrition Companies Inc.
(Name of Issuer)
COMMON STOCK, $.01 PAR VALUE
(Title of Class of Securities)
37047F103
(CUSIP Number)
*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting
person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of
securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which
would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.
The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not
be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that
section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act
(however, see the Notes).
<PAGE>
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. or I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
Forstmann-Leff Associates Inc.
13-3131718
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
(a)
(b)
3 SEC USE ONLY
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
New York
5 SOLE VOTING POWER
NUMBER OF
SHARES 1,979,175 shares
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY 6 SHARED VOTING POWER
EACH
REPORTING 909,475 shares
PERSON
WITH
7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
2,288,375 shares
8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
1,878,925 shares
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
4,167,300 shares (includes shares beneficially owned by FLA Asset
Management, Inc., Forstmann-Leff Associates L.P. and FLA Advisers
L.L.C.)
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
5.1%
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
IA, CO
<PAGE>
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. or I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
FLA Asset Management, Inc.
13-29256626
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
(a)
(b)
3 SEC USE ONLY
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
Delaware
5 SOLE VOTING POWER
NUMBER OF
SHARES None
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY 6 SHARED VOTING POWER
EACH
REPORTING 297,300 shares
PERSON
WITH
7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
None
8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
1,266,750 shares
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
1,266,750 shares (includes shares beneficially owned by Forstmann-Leff
Associates L.P.)
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
1.6%
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
IA, CO
<PAGE>
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. or I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
Forstmann-Leff Associates L.P.
13-3717850
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
(a)
(b)
3 SEC USE ONLY
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
Delaware
5 SOLE VOTING POWER
NUMBER OF
SHARES None
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY 6 SHARED VOTING POWER
EACH
REPORTING 3,700 shares
PERSON
WITH
7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
None
8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
3,700 shares
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
3,700 shares
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
0.005%
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
IA, PN
<PAGE>
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. or I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
FLA Advisers L.L.C.
13-3942422
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
(a)
(b)
3 SEC USE ONLY
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
New York
5 SOLE VOTING POWER
NUMBER OF
SHARES None
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY 6 SHARED VOTING POWER
EACH
REPORTING 612,175 shares
PERSON
WITH
7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
None
8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
612,175 shares
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
612,175 shares
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
0.7%
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
IA, OO
<PAGE>
Item 1(a) NAME OF ISSUER:
General Nutrition Companies Inc.
Item 1(b) ADDRESS OF ISSUER'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES:
300 Sixth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Item 2(a) NAME OF PERSON FILING:
See Item 1 of the cover pages attached hereto
Item 2(b) Address of Principal Business Office, or if none, residence:
590 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10022
Item 2(c) CITIZENSHIP:
See Item 4 of the cover pages attached hereto
Item 2(d) TITLE OF CLASS OF SECURITIES:
Common Stock, par value $0.01
Item 2(e) CUSIP NUMBER:
37047F103
Item 3 Forstmann-Leff Associates Inc., a New York corporation, is a
registered investment adviser under Section 203 of the Investment
Advisers Act of 1940 (the "Act"). FLA Asset Management, Inc., a
Delaware corporation, is a registered investment adviser under the
Act and a subsidiary of Forstmann-Leff Associates Inc. Forstmann-
Leff Associates L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, is a
registered investment adviser under the Act. FLA Asset Management
Inc. is the general partner of Forstmann-Leff Associates L.P. FLA
Advisers L.L.C., a New York limited liability company, is a
registered investment adviser under the Act whose managing members
are principals of Forstmann-Leff Associates Inc.
Item 4 OWNERSHIP:
(a) Amount beneficially owned:
See Item 9 of the cover pages attached hereto
(b) Percent of Class:
See Item 11 of the cover pages attached hereto
(c) See Items 5 through 8 of the cover pages attached hereto
Item 5 OWNERSHIP OF FIVE PERCENT OR LESS OF A CLASS:
Not Applicable
Item 6 OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER PERSON:
Various clients of the reporting persons have the right to receive
or the power to direct the receipt of dividends from, or the
proceeds from the sale of, the Common Stock of General Nutrition
Companies, Inc. No one client's interest in the Common Stock of
General Nutrition Companies, Inc. is more than five percent of the
total outstanding Common Stock.
Item 7 IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE SUBSIDIARY WHICH
ACQUIRED THE SECURITY BEING REPORTED ON BY THE PARENT HOLDING
COMPANY:
Not Applicable
Item 8 IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP:
Not Applicable
Item 9 NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF GROUP:
Not Applicable
Item 10 CERTIFICATION:
By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
belief, the securities referred to above were acquired in the
ordinary course of business and were not acquired for the purpose
of and do not have the effect of changing or influencing the
control of the issuer of such securities and were not acquired in
connection with or as a participant in any transaction having such
purposes or effect.
<PAGE>
SIGNATURES
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete
and correct.
February 11, 1998
FORSTMANN-LEFF ASSOCIATES INC.
By: /s/ Peter A. Lusk
Peter A. Lusk
Executive Vice President
FLA ASSET MANAGEMENT, INC.
By: /s/ Peter A. Lusk
Peter A. Lusk
Executive Vice President
FORSTMANN-LEFF ASSOCIATES L.P.
By: FLA Asset Management, Inc.
General Partner
By: /s/ Peter A. Lusk
Peter A. Lusk
Executive Vice President
FLA ADVISERS L.L.C.
By: /s/ Peter A. Lusk
Peter A. Lusk
Managing Member
<PAGE>
Exhibit A
AGREEMENT
The undersigned, Forstmann-Leff Associates Inc., FLA Asset Management,
Inc., Forstmann-Leff Associates L.P. and FLA Advisers L.L.C., agree that the
statement to which this exhibit is appended is filed on behalf of each of
them.
February 11, 1998
FORSTMANN-LEFF ASSOCIATES INC.
By: /s/ Peter A. Lusk
Peter A. Lusk
Executive Vice President
FLA ASSET MANAGEMENT, INC.
By: /s/ Peter A. Lusk
Peter A. Lusk
Executive Vice President
FORSTMANN-LEFF ASSOCIATES L.P.
By: FLA Asset Management, Inc.
General Partner
By: /s/ Peter A. Lusk
Peter A. Lusk
Executive Vice President
FLA ADVISERS L.L.C.
By: /s/ Peter A. Lusk
Peter A. Lusk
Managing Member
