Hasbro to lose Star Wars license?

[proteus]

i think so dont you? their licence was till 2014- and with disney buying star wars- isnt mattel the disney toy manufacturer?

oh dear.

i can see it now- ken as luke- lol.

[spockoda]

That could be happening. That could explain the lack of product on the pegs right now.

[Toy Box Hero]

I'm really curious to hear what Hasbro has to say at this weekend's Toy Fair. Beyond their 'Rebels' line there's zero concrete information about their plans are for '14. Hopefully they'll address the empty pegs and spotty distrubution, and perhaps even the status of their licensing renewal talks. I'm sure they won't let it go without a fight. Particularly with new movies on the way.

[spockoda]

I would be curious as to what would happen to the 6 inch figures if the license went to Mattel.

[Toy Box Hero]

On the eve of the New York Toy Fair I came across an interesting article on Hasbro's 4Q sales for '13. Like many toy makers this past Christmas season, they were down substantially.

Hasbro’s revenue from boys’ lines fell 22 percent last year, to $1.2 billion, including a 16 percent decline in the fourth quarter, due to what Chief Executive Brian Goldner called “a nonmovie year” today on a conference call. He expects this year to be much better: “2014 is just the first year of an unprecedented era of new boys’ entertainment,” Goldner said, citing the expected release in June of Transformers: Age of Extinction and two new films from Walt Disney’s (DIS) Marvel Studios unit—a second installment of the Captain America franchise in April and Guardians of the Galaxy in August. The second film in the revamped The Amazing Spider-Man franchise opens in May. This fall Disney is also planning to release Star Wars Rebels, an animated television series, followed by a Star Wars motion picture reboot from director J.J. Abrams in December 2015.

It definitely looks like Hasbro plans to be in the Star Wars business for the foreseeable future. We'll know more later today when Hasbro has their presentation at Toy Fair.

Feb 14, 2014 23:20:25 GMT -6 spockoda said:

I would be curious as to what would happen to the 6 inch figures if the license went to Mattel.

It was announced just a few days ago that Medicom (under their MAFEX line) is going to be releasing highly articulated Star Wars figures in the 6" scale. Kinda odd timing with the Black Series just rolling out. I assume if Mattel ever landed the Star Wars license they would shift the 6" series to "Matty Collector". 

Speaking of Mattel, the same article mentioned that:
 

Last month, the largest toymaker, Mattel (MAT), disappointed investors with a sales shortfall blamed on a 13 percent decline in sales of Barbie dolls and a slightly smaller drop for Hot Wheels toys. The weak holiday sales season has sent stocks across the industry lower so far this year, with Mattel down 22 percent,

[sinneD]

I remember hearing that Disney was in talks with scooping up Hasbro last year, Not sure what ever happened with it but I think Disney tried

[figuremod73]

I googled around a little bit and found no newer news about Hasbro and Disney. Im guessing it must have fell thru.

[spockoda]

The toy companies in general have to be hurting. Think of the ton of lines that were out there in 1998, with stores like KBs around and other stores like Suncoast and then look at the toy selection now.

[Toy Box Hero]

I assume Hasbro had a Q&A this year, but I still haven't seen a transcript pop up on the usual websites (Rebelscum, Galactichunter). Their presentation definitely seemed to indicate that they're focusing on the 6" Black Series, with ambitious figures like Jabba the Hutt and a Biker Scout w/Speeder bike, and the upcoming Rebels animated series.

The Rebels stuff is mostly aimed at kids, with 5 points of articulation and lower price points, and the Black Series, particularly the 6", is aimed at collectors. Sort of a two-tiered approach. Rebels at least gives them something new to help break through the stagnation of the last few years.