HASBRO posted a smaller-than-expected drop in second-quarter sales on Thursday (Jul 25) as steady digital gaming demand offset a slump in toy sales, while cost-control strategies helped the toymaker beat profit expectations.
Shares of the company were up 6 per cent in premarket trading as Hasbro saw margins grow in the quarter to 21.3 per cent compared with a 15.6 per cent decline in margin a year earlier.
The Nerf toy gun maker’s turnaround strategy to limit expenses and maintain a tight inventory amid an industrywide slowdown in toy demand has helped boost its performance.
The company’s quarterly revenue dropped 18 per cent to US$995.3 million, smaller than a 22.02 per cent drop estimated by analysts, according to LSEG data.
On an adjusted basis, Hasbro earned US$1.22 per share in the second quarter, compared with estimates of 78 cents.
Hasbro now expects full-year revenue from its consumer products segment to be down 7 to 11 per cent, compared with its February forecast of a 7 to 12 per cent decline.
On Tuesday, Barbie maker Mattel topped Wall Street estimates for second-quarter profit, aided by a tight control on costs even as it posted a surprise drop in sales. REUTERS
