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☆ Got an Idea for a Toy? Toymakers Want to Hear From You.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-04 | by ( Isaac Aronow | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“I spent two very intense weeks working on it, every night, every weekend, all the time that I had,” he said. Mr. Bolt was hoping to create the design for Lego Ideas, a program the toymaker started in 2008 to solicit ideas online directly from fans. Typically, designers post their concept on the platform, and if a design gets 10,000 votes, the company considers it for production. This case was different, though: It was the first time the company had given fans a concept to work with. A panel of judges selected his set and four others for a shortlist, and in a vote fans chose his set as their favorite.

Persons: Lucas Bolt, “, ”, Bolt Organizations: & Locations: Amsterdam

☆ Parents bought way fewer toys last year — except for 1 classic
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Geoff Weiss | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Despite the "most negative toy market in 15 years," Lego said consumer sales grew 4% last year. The Danish toy icon outperformed competitors like Mattel and Hasbro. Toys are cheaper than ever, much to the chagrin of millennial parents. It's a brutal climate for toymakers, but Lego said it outpaced the market in 2023, with consumer sales growing 4%. "We are pleased with our performance given that 2023 was the most negative toy market in more than 15 years," Niels B. Christiansen, CEO of the Danish toy icon, said in a statement.

Persons: —, Niels B, Christiansen Organizations: Mattel, Hasbro, Service, Business Locations: Danish

☆ Squishmallow and Build-a-Bear head into legal battle over ‘knock-offs’
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Build-a-Bear fired back with its own legal complaint, claiming “Skoosherz” is its own version of a popular toy style. The lawsuit claims Build-A-Bear has been trying to “trick” customers with such obvious knock-offs, stealing potential customers and sales from Squishmallows. Build-A-Bear claims it has sold pre-made stuffed animals on its site and on Amazon. It claims Skoosherz designs match its original stuffed animals, such as the Strawberry Cow and Spring Green Frog. “If each aspect of the claimed trade dress were in fact protected trade dress, it would be virtually impossible for competitors to create alternative designs,” the lawsuit claimed.

Persons: Bear, “, Jazwares, Kelly Toys, Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway, Skoosherz, Kawaii, “ Squishmallows, Moez Organizations: New, New York CNN, Warren, Central, ‘, CNN Locations: New York, Squishmallow, U.S, Central District, California, Missouri, St, Louis

Elsewhere, Goldman Sachs reiterated a buy rating on Nvidia and raised its price target on the high-flying semiconductor maker. Yet his price target sits at $225, implying an upside of 19.7% as he sees opportunity elsewhere. "Anyone pulling up a chart of UBER share price performance in 2023 will think, 'That's a scary chart. Analyst Sarah James upgraded the insurer to overweight from neutral and hiked her price target o $372 from $334. — Alex Harring 5:42 a.m.: Goldman hikes Nvidia price target Things continue to look up for Nvidia , according to Goldman Sachs.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Piper Sandler, Alexander Potter, Potter, Tesla, Alex Harring, Bernstein, Uber, Nikhil Devnani, Devnani, — Alex Harring, Keith Horowitz, Horowitz, Cantor Fitzgerald Cigna, Cantor Fitzgerald, Sarah James, James, Ben Hendrix, Hendrix, Christopher Horvers, Horvers, Barbie, Goldman, FY4Q, Toshiya Hari, Fred Imbert Organizations: CNBC, JPMorgan, Mattel, Nvidia, Citi, Investors, Citizens, Financial, New York Community Bancorp, Aozora, T Bank, RBC Capital, Warner Bros, Golden Globes, Microsoft Locations: California, New, Friday's

☆ Activist pushes Mattel to fix American Girl, Fisher-Price brands or sell them off
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Rohan Goswami | In Rohangoswamicnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Activist investor Barington Capital is pushing Mattel to consider selling off its American Girl and Fisher-Price brands, citing underperformance within the divisions. Mattel shares were up around 3% in premarket trading Friday following a letter sent to Mattel Thursday, which was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. American Girl and Fisher-Price, two iconic brands, are among the most popular in their respective markets. Mitarotonda said that if Mattel cannot stymie continued erosion in both Fisher-Price and American Girl, which has suffered similar declines, the company "may not be the right owner of these brands." "We believe that these brands are now detracting from the success at Mattel's other segments and hurting shareholder value," Mitarotonda said in a release.

Persons: Barbie, Barington, Price, Fisher, Barington's James Mitarotonda, Ynon Kreiz, Mitarotonda, Mattel, Kreiz, Michael Dolan, Dolan Organizations: Mattel Inc, Mattel, American, Price, Wall Street, Fisher, Bacardi, IMG, Young, Body Works, Darden Locations: El Segundo , California

☆ MGA Entertainment CEO: Toy industry will be down 8-10% by the end of this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailMGA Entertainment CEO: Toy industry will be down 8-10% by the end of this yearIsaac Larian, MGA Entertainment founder and CEO, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss his thoughts on a slowdown in toy spending this holiday season, the issues for the toymakers, and more.

Persons: Isaac Larian Organizations: MGA Entertainment

The holiday season, which begins with Black Friday at the end of November and lasts roughly until the end of December, is expected to be especially tough for retailers selling discretionary items, executives say. "We are seeing some early Black Friday sales start just now," Barbie maker Mattel's (MAT.O) president and chief commercial officer, Steve Totzke, told Reuters on Monday. "The market for toys has been declining for the whole year," said Florian Sieber, CEO of German toy maker Simba. "We are expecting a good holiday season for Mattel," Totzke said. "We expect to continue to gain share throughout the holiday season."

Persons: Peter Nicholls, Larian, Santa Claus, Barbie, Loo, Isaac Larian, Toymakers, Nic Aldridge, Aldridge, Mattel's, Steve Totzke, Florian Sieber, Simba, Sieber, Totzke, Frédérique Tutt, Jerry Storch, Richa Naidu, Matt Scuffham Organizations: REUTERS, Hasbro, Mattel, Consumers, Euromonitor, MGA Entertainment, Toymakers Hasbro, Reuters, Bandai, P, Global, Storch Advisors, Hudson's, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Europe, Santa, United States, Loo Wee, U.S

"We are seeing some early Black Friday sales start just now," Barbie maker Mattel's (MAT.O) president and chief commercial officer, Steve Totzke, told Reuters on Monday. "The market for toys has been declining for the whole year," said Florian Sieber, CEO of German toy maker Simba. "We are expecting a good holiday season for Mattel," Totzke said. "We expect to continue to gain share throughout the holiday season." "But it's a reality that there won't be as many toys sold this year as last year."

☆ Hasbro, Mattel shares plunge as toymakers forecast a lackluster holiday season
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Drew Richardson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Shares of Hasbro and Mattel sank on Thursday, as both toymakers suggested sales will slow in the fourth quarter. The companies face challenges entering the critical fourth quarter, they said as they separately reported third-quarter earnings. Toys and games, products both Hasbro and Mattel are known for, could be on the chopping block this season as consumers watch their spending. Mattel's implied fourth quarter guidance on toy sales offered Wednesday also spooked Wall Street, despite its strong third-quarter results. Hasbro's revenue fell 10% for the quarter compared to the year-ago period, largely driven by decreases in its consumer and entertainment segments.

Persons: Chris Cocks, Mattel's Organizations: Hasbro, Mattel, Citi Research, LSEG, Lionsgate

☆ Barbie’s a boss but not a business model
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Lauren Silva Laughlin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

NEW YORK, Sept 5 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Warner Bros Discovery (WBD.O) boss David Zaslav is playing too much with Barbie. Mattel (MAT.O), the $8 billion company behind the brand, has increased its market value 20% since late May, growing three times as fast as the S&P 500 Index (.SPX). Lego partnered with Warner Bros in 2014 to produce a movie featuring its renowned plastic bricks. Unlike Disney and its superheroes, Warner Bros doesn’t own the blonde bombshell. Barbie may be this year’s boss, but she and her nostalgic ilk are unlikely to become business models.

Persons: David Zaslav, Barbie, Margot Robbie, Harry Potter, Polly, Cuties, Walt Disney’s, Bob Iger, Warner, oligopolistic, Davidson, Jeffrey Goldfarb, Sharon Lam Organizations: Reuters, Warner Bros Discovery, Mattel, Warner Bros, Marvel, Disney, McKinsey, Harley, Thomson

☆ Furby, the bug-eyed, gibberish-talking ’90s toy phenomenon, has been revived — again
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Furby, the ’90s toy phenomenon that divided kids and parents into opposing camps when it first hit stores and quickly became a craze, is making yet another comeback. The latest iteration of the animatronic toy launched on Amazon Thursday and rolls into stores nationwide on July 15 after a nearly 10-year gap. Still, Hasbro said it sold more than 40 million Furby toys globally in the first three years after they launched. In 2016, Hasbro launched Furby Connect, a version of the toy that incorporated Bluetooth for content upgrades via an app and an off button. “There’s a saying in the toy industry that what’s old is new again,” he said.

Persons: New York CNN —, Furby, pats, ”, Kristin McKay, Gen Alpha, —, Jim Silver, “ Furby, Silver, “, Barney Organizations: New, New York CNN, Hasbro, Amazon, Alpha, Hasbro Hasbro, Furby Locations: New York

☆ Hasbro, Mattel shares rise as toymakers announce multiyear licensing agreement, increased IP focus
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Natasha Piñon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Barbie maker Mattel posted first-quarter results after markets closed on Wednesday that beat revenue expectations but fell short of expectations on the bottom line. Other toy stocks, including Hasbro competitor Mattel and pop culture consumer company Funko , also jumped on Thursday. Toymaker stocks rallied Thursday after rivals Hasbro and Mattel posted quarterly results and offered optimistic comments about how their intellectual property will boost their businesses. Amid the challenging toy and game market, both Hasbro and Mattel are eyeing a future increasingly focused on intellectual property. Hasbro's "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts" from Paramount is slated for a June 9 release, while Mattel's much-hyped "Barbie" movie from Warner Bros. is scheduled for a July 21 release.

☆ Hasbro revenue beats as gaming boost offsets slowing demand for toys
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] The Hasbro, Inc. logo is seen on a toy for sale in a store in Manhattan, New York, U.S., November 16, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew KellyApril 27 (Reuters) - Hasbro Inc (HAS.O) topped Wall Street expectations for quarterly revenue on Thursday as players snapped up its "Magic: The Gathering" game sets, helping counter slowing demand for its toys and action figures. Hasbro is also banking on the August release of "Baldur's Gate 3" video game to boost gaming revenue in the third quarter. In contrast, rival Mattel Inc (MAT.O) on Wednesday posted a bigger-than-expected quarterly loss, pinched by retailers trimming orders for its Barbie and Hot Wheels toys. Hasbro reported net revenue of $1.00 billion in the first quarter, down 14% from a year earlier, but better than analysts' estimates of $878.4 million, according to Refinitiv IBES data.

☆ Hasbro 2023 forecasts disappoint as inflation hits toy demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Deborah Mary Sophia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] The Hasbro, Inc. logo is seen on the Star Wars Galactic Snackin Grogu toy in the FAO Schwarz toy store in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., November 24, 2021. The overall revenue is projected to be down low-single digits, while Wall Street analysts were expecting a 2.5% increase to $6 billion. "It's a cautious outlook...(but) what I'm most concerned about is that Hasbro doesn't lose sight of the consumer products segment," said James Zahn, Editor-in-Chief of trade magazine "The Toy Book". "Consumer products is what Hasbro is rooted in as a business." Hasbro expects 2023 adjusted per-share earnings in the range of $4.45 to $4.55 compared with estimates of $4.88 per share.

☆ Hasbro 2023 profit forecast disappoints as toy demand drops sharply
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] The Hasbro, Inc. logo is seen on the Star Wars Galactic Snackin Grogu toy in the FAO Schwarz toy store in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., November 24, 2021. Toy demand has typically remained resistant to economic uncertainties, but it fell sharply in the holiday season, with Hasbro rival Mattel Inc (MAT.O) earlier this month projecting 2023 profit below expectations. For Hasbro, Walmart accounted for around 13% of sales, while Target made up for roughly 8% of sales in 2021. The toymaker said it will take a nearly $300 million hit to 2023 revenue from the licenses and brands that it exited. Hasbro said it expects 2023 adjusted earnings in the range of $4.45 to $4.55 per share, well below analysts' average estimate of $4.88 per share, according to Refinitiv data.

Or they feature commercial characters from media juggernauts, imbued with predetermined personalities and storylines that encourage children to copy, not create. Yet bestselling toys — as distinct from best — are too often those that are most advertised to kids; digitally enhanced or linked to popular media characters; or both. Companies that profit hugely from licensed characters have a vested interest in preventing children’s creative play — and stifling their creativity. Toys that promote creativity are less likely to be huge moneymakers because they can be used repeatedly in lots of different ways. These toys seem to be made with a kind of planned obsolescence, so new ones will soon be needed.

Shares of the California-based toymaker fell about 4% in extended trade, after it also missed quarterly sales estimates for the first time since March 2020. Earlier this month, Hasbro Inc (HAS.O) tempered its full-year revenue outlook and warned that demand was starting to slip ahead of the festive season. Mattel, meanwhile, expects demand to accelerate during the crucial holiday shopping season, but said it would conduct more promotions to remain competitive. Kreiz said in an earnings call Mattel has not seen any "meaningful impact" on consumer demand for its toys from the price increases it has undertaken. Reporting by Uday Sampath and Ananya Mariam Rajesh in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika SyamnathOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Shares of the California-based toymaker fell about 4% in extended trade, after it also missed quarterly sales estimates for the first time since March 2020. Earlier this month, Hasbro Inc (HAS.O) tempered its full-year revenue outlook and warned that demand was starting to slip ahead of the festive season. Mattel, meanwhile, expects demand to accelerate during the crucial holiday shopping season, but said it would conduct more promotions to remain competitive. However, excluding items, the company earned 82 cents per share, beating estimates of 74 cents. Reporting by Uday Sampath and Ananya Mariam Rajesh in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika SyamnathOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Toymaker Mattel cuts annual profit forecast as inflation drags demand
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The Mattel sign is pictured at the Nuremberg International Toy Fair, Jan. 29, 2014, in Nuremberg, Germany. Mattel Inc cut its annual profit forecast on Tuesday and said it would ramp up promotions heading into the busy holiday season, as price hikes discourage inflation-hit Americans from spending on its Barbie dolls and action figures. Mattel, meanwhile, expects demand to accelerate during the crucial holiday shopping season, but said it would conduct more promotions to remain competitive. Mattel reduced its 2022 adjusted profit forecast to between $1.32 and $1.42 per share from $1.42 to $1.48 earlier, but its raised prices helped the toymaker post adjusted gross margin of 48.3% in the third quarter, compared with last year's 47.8%. The Fisher-Price toys maker reiterated its forecast for full-year sales.

☆ Hasbro defines discretionary
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW YORK, Oct 18 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Hasbro (HAS.O) toys are absolutely, positively not essential. Chief Executive Chris Cocks partly attributed the decline to over-ordering in the second quarter. Take the gains in that quarter and move them to the third quarter, and sales would’ve still fallen 14% year-over-year. Meantime prices are rising dramatically, and though Hasbro tried to pass on some of those costs, people in the market for Magic: The Gathering and Play-Doh pulled back spending. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

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