If investors have learned anything over the past decade, it's that the business world can sometimes be ruthless and unforgiving. For the toys and games sector over the past few months, we've learned that not only is it not a Barbie world, but Hello Kitty can mean goodbye profits!
With all major toy companies having reported their holiday results, I can undoubtedly say that they were nothing short of dismal.
JAKKS Pacific
Weakness in the toys sector isn't confined to JAKKS, even though it has the worst fundamentals of the bunch. Hasbro
For Hasbro, "do not pass Go, do not collect $200" took the form of a revenue miss in the fourth quarter. The maker of Monopoly and Nerf products did grow revenue by 7%, but still ceded market share to Mattel during the quarter. As for Mattel, higher raw material, labor, and transportation costs (the triple whammy) zapped its holiday profits.
Is there any growth left in the toys and games sector? I think so, but you have to look with a discerning eye.
LeapFrog Enterprises
I happen to also still like Hasbro despite its sales miss. The company's dividend has grown tenfold since early 2004 and it has grown EPS in 11 consecutive years. Although sales growth might not be extravagant, Hasbro is obviously doing something right.
Finding success in the toys and games sector is no longer as easy as connecting the dots, but that doesn't mean there aren't values still floating around in the sector.
Do you have a particular plan to "play" the toys sector? Share it in the comments section below with your fellow Fools and consider adding these names to your free and personalized watchlist using the links below.
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- Add JAKKS Pacific to My Watchlist.
- Add Hasbro to My Watchlist.
- Add Mattel to My Watchlist.
- Add LeapFrog Enterprises to My Watchlist.