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The Toyark › General Toy News › After Low Q2 Sales, Mattel Cutting 2,200 Jobs

After Low Q2 Sales, Mattel Cutting 2,200 Jobs

Posted on July 26, 2018 at 7:32 am by Joe Moore under General Toy News

As expected, the loss of revenue from Toys R Us looks to be taking its toll on the toy world. Mattel has posted a 14% drop in sales for the Second Quarter of 2018, forcing the toy maker to further trim its workforce. They will be cutting over 2,200 non-manufacturing jobs as well as closing their manufacturing plants in Mexico. Overall, about 22% of Mattel’s work force will be eliminated. Last year they announced $650 million cost savings plan, which saw them close their New York City headquarters. While sales for brands like Barbie (up 12%), Hot Wheels (up 21%), and Jurassic World were strong, other high profile brands such as Monster High, Disney’s Cars, and American Girl all took major hits.

From CNN Money:
The vast majority of the layoffs are back-office and support roles, the company said. On a conference call with analysts, Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz said the company performed a comprehensive “bottom-up review” to preserve the company’s sales-generating and creative capabilities. He said he hopes the company can realign resources toward high-performing toys, improving online sales and developing better toy franchises for the future.

Discuss on the Toyark Forums› Views: 3211 › Credit: money.cnn.com

› Companies: Mattel

Discussion / Comments (Jump to this Thread on the Forum)

  1. Joe Moore's Avatar Joe Moore says

    07-26-2018, 04:32 AM

    After Low Q2 Sales, Mattel Cutting 2,200 Jobs

  2. Harbinger's Avatar Harbinger says

    07-26-2018, 04:55 AM

    Well if they could get their multiverse figures in stores they might actually have sales.

  3. VashTS has no avatar! VashTS says

    07-26-2018, 05:34 AM

    Well it was a long time coming, but......they do seem to be improving their products.

    I am shocked that their Barbie products did better while the American Girl didn't.

    Mmattel looks to be banking of their DCEU and investing in those figures instead. They look good, now does the public realize that....and willing to invest.

    I think I will....but that means less Marvel Legends.

  4. Mister D has no avatar! Mister D says

    07-26-2018, 06:32 AM

    Sad, but predictable.

  5. Joe Moore's Avatar Joe Moore says

    07-26-2018, 06:57 AM

    Removed political posts.

  6. BlackRazor's Avatar BlackRazor says

    07-26-2018, 07:17 AM

    Damn, what a terrible domino effect the TRU closing is having!

  7. Team Jetfire has no avatar! Team Jetfire says

    07-26-2018, 07:17 AM

    I can see a few of the those American Girl Doll stores closing in short order.

  8. Iconoclast has no avatar! Iconoclast says

    07-26-2018, 08:44 AM

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Nitelife View Post
    Well if they could get their multiverse figures in stores they might actually have sales.
    Please. DC figure sales aren't even a blip on their radar. Mattel has the #1 selling action figure line in the US and it's got nothing to do with comic books or movies.

  9. Comedian's Avatar Comedian says

    07-26-2018, 08:55 AM

    Hard to believe,Jurassic world sold great in my stores. Toysrus going under hurt a lot of companies. I think there will be more bad news on the smaller companies. Mattel can weather this storm.....I hope. Though,this makes a future hasbro bid a bit more real.

  10. Flux Convoy has no avatar! Flux Convoy says

    07-26-2018, 08:56 AM

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by BlackRazor View Post
    Damn, what a terrible domino effect the TRU closing is having!
    Maybe. On the flip side of this, Hasbro had a great year. To be a little more logical in all, it might too early to see what that effect is just yet.

  11. Boy Blunder's Avatar Boy Blunder says

    07-26-2018, 08:56 AM

    Quote:
    While sales for brands like Barbie (up 12%), Hot Wheels (up 21%), and Jurassic World were strong, other high profile brands such as Monster High, Disney’s Cars, and American Girl all took major hits.
    Well, maybe if they hadn't essentially killed off Monster High through their own poor decision-making, it would still be holding the fashion doll top slot. But no, they had to gut it just to appease a handful of over-concerned people and to un-dethrone their own Barbie line.

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Iconoclast View Post
    Please. DC figure sales aren't even a blip on their radar. Mattel has the #1 selling action figure line in the US and it's got nothing to do with comic books or movies.
    Which line is that, the Jurassic World line? Because I'm confused (not denying, just confused) how that'd be the #1 line, and I'm honestly drawing a blank at what other action figure lines Mattel does.

  12. Tim's Avatar Tim says

    07-26-2018, 09:05 AM

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Nitelife View Post
    Well if they could get their multiverse figures in stores they might actually have sales.
    No truer words ever spoken. I still haven’t seen that damn Batwoman wave in stores yet. I just thank goddess I found the king shark wave at Target.

  13. Iconoclast has no avatar! Iconoclast says

    07-26-2018, 09:13 AM

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Boy Blunder View Post
    Which line is that, the Jurassic World line? Because I'm confused (not denying, just confused) how that'd be the #1 line, and I'm honestly drawing a blank at what other action figure lines Mattel does.
    WWE. I can't post links but it's easily googled.

  14. Dolemite's Avatar Dolemite says

    07-26-2018, 09:16 AM

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Joe Moore View Post
    Removed political posts.
    How the hell were people putting a political spin on this?

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by BlackRazor View Post
    Damn, what a terrible domino effect the TRU closing is having!
    Seriously! a 14% drop in a single quarter is MASSIVE.

    At least Hasbro is still doing well, and NECA seems to be bouncing back with new retail deals. But Mattel got F'ed in the A.

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Boy Blunder View Post
    Well, maybe if they hadn't essentially killed off Monster High through their own poor decision-making, it would still be holding the fashion doll top slot. But no, they had to gut it just to appease a handful of over-concerned people and to un-dethrone their own Barbie line.
    MY girlfriend loves Monster High stuff. Please elaborate on what you meant by "over-concerned people" and why they would (as you seem to say) sabotage the MH line to not compete with Barbie?

  15. Zorn88's Avatar Zorn88 says

    07-26-2018, 09:35 AM

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Iconoclast View Post
    Please. DC figure sales aren't even a blip on their radar. Mattel has the #1 selling action figure line in the US and it's got nothing to do with comic books or movies.
    What an extremely naive comment.

    You cannot deny that Mattel has no idea how to properly distribute their products.

    Another Mattel line that exists but actually doesn't is Halo. Halo is a multi billion dollar brand and is even more poorly distributed than DC.

    I feel for all the people that lost their jobs and the dramatic decline of a major company, but I hope this shakes them into getting their sh** together.

  16. Iconoclast has no avatar! Iconoclast says

    07-26-2018, 09:52 AM

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Zorn88 View Post
    What an extremely naive comment.

    You cannot deny that Mattel has no idea how to properly distribute their products.

    Another Mattel line that exists but actually doesn't is Halo. Halo is a multi billion dollar brand and is even more poorly distributed than DC.

    I feel for all the people that lost their jobs and the dramatic decline of a major company, but I hope this shakes them into getting their sh** together.
    Never dried the distribution issues, just that the DC action figures have much of an impact on Matty's financials. WWE is the #1 selling action figure brand in America. And it's not even the leader for Mattel's boys toys. Hot Wheels is. And Hot Wheels numbers don't touch Mattel's girls' toys sales. So acting like an improvement on distribution for a low-impact niche line like DC Multiverse would make an ounce of difference to the financial health of the company is laughable. Action Figures are not a big deal.

  17. Boy Blunder's Avatar Boy Blunder says

    07-26-2018, 10:51 AM

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Iconoclast View Post
    WWE. I can't post links but it's easily googled.
    Thanks. WWE is so far out of my sphere of interests that I completely spaced that line, let alone that it was being done by Mattel.

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Dolemite View Post
    MY girlfriend loves Monster High stuff. Please elaborate on what you meant by "over-concerned people" and why they would (as you seem to say) sabotage the MH line to not compete with Barbie?
    Same with my wife, with Monster High as well as Ever After High and DC Super Hero Girls. As for what I said, mostly I was referring to the MH reboot from a couple years ago, where they redesigned everyone to have 'friendlier faces' that were less off-putting to potential consumers (read: parents who had an issue with the whole 'Monster' aspect, since until that point the line had sold like gangbusters regardless) and scaling back on the 'creepy' aspects of the clothing designs, also all-but nixing or replacing a number of popular-but-not-frontline characters in the process (Ghoulia, Spectra, a handful of others). This was also when they started pulling back on the number of dolls and lines being released, and started doing their 'budget' lines (fewer articulation points, more simplified outfits) which, while great for younger kids to get into the line with, also crowded out the style of dolls that had made the line into the smash-hit it was. Now, the budget dolls are most of what you can find on shelves, when you can even find MH product in the first place. Combined with the quiet killing of the Ever After High lines (which also went the budget route, and then just disappeared completely except for TRU and online stores), Mattel is more interested in keeping their flagship doll line as the top dog (especially after they lost the Disney license to Hasbro).

    It's especially prevalent as Garret Sander (creator of Monster High and one of the head line designers for most of its run) has left Mattel as of June of this year, after having been with the company for nearly fifteen years. Whether he left of his own volition or Mattel let him go, I don't know, but without him there any more (and a lot of the other design team members having moved on, either within the company or elsewhere), I doubt Mattel will do much to continue Monster High, at least in the immediate future. Their marketing of the line and its tie-in merchandise (particularly the animated films and the web series) has fallen flat to the point where it's nonexistent. Through poor decision making, they cut off one of their strongest lines at the knees.

    (I don't know what's going on with DC Super Hero Girls, since aside from the basic dolls, almost all of their new product is only found online for both the doll lines and the action figures, but I just today learned that they're already retooling the line with Lauren Faust at the helm, so I have no idea where that's gonna go)

  18. Snowflakian's Avatar Snowflakian says

    07-26-2018, 10:59 AM

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Iconoclast View Post
    Never dried the distribution issues, just that the DC action figures have much of an impact on Matty's financials. WWE is the #1 selling action figure brand in America. And it's not even the leader for Mattel's boys toys. Hot Wheels is. And Hot Wheels numbers don't touch Mattel's girls' toys sales. So acting like an improvement on distribution for a low-impact niche line like DC Multiverse would make an ounce of difference to the financial health of the company is laughable. Action Figures are not a big deal.
    Pretty much this. Though if Mattel had better worked on some of the DCEU stuff to fit within certain markets, they might be higher on the list.

    Looking at Jurassic World for example, the scale it's in and how well it's doing, it would be smart to consider doing a DCEU line and CW Series line that's comparative to that in cost too(especially because of cross play!). Part of the reason action figures aren't as dominant in the market is because of the cost.

    But it's no secret Hot Wheels and Barbie are what keep Mattel afloat. It's always been that way.

    And Halo is billion dollar brand, but the figures never really had much of a strong sales market outside of mega construx. The figure line does about as well as other collector game centered things, though the roleplay toys do a little better.

    The TRU hit is what's causing this mostly because of the order volume TRU did compared to other outlets. As well as the back debt of TRU not being able to pay the stuff it put on credit so to speak, and the money Mattel used to help bail TRU out now never going to get repaid.

  19. Zorn88's Avatar Zorn88 says

    07-26-2018, 11:01 AM

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Iconoclast View Post
    Never dried the distribution issues, just that the DC action figures have much of an impact on Matty's financials. WWE is the #1 selling action figure brand in America. And it's not even the leader for Mattel's boys toys. Hot Wheels is. And Hot Wheels numbers don't touch Mattel's girls' toys sales. So acting like an improvement on distribution for a low-impact niche line like DC Multiverse would make an ounce of difference to the financial health of the company is laughable. Action Figures are not a big deal.

  20. Zorn88's Avatar Zorn88 says

    07-26-2018, 11:05 AM

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Snowflakian View Post
    And Halo is a billion dollar brand, but the figures never really had much of a strong sales market outside of mega construx.
    And who's fault is that I wonder? Hint: not the multi demographic consumer.

  21. Tim's Avatar Tim says

    07-26-2018, 11:05 AM

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Zorn88 View Post
    Perfectly somes up my exact reaction to that idiotic and naive comment of his

  22. SpasticPlastic's Avatar SpasticPlastic says

    07-26-2018, 11:13 AM

    I bet this is why they started dabbling in MOTU again. If they are hurting that much, maybe they should sell the whole brand outright to NECA and also relinquish the DC master license while they are at it.

    A boy can dream.

  23. Tim's Avatar Tim says

    07-26-2018, 11:21 AM

    Exactly! The way the handle the Dc license is frustrating. It’s like they don’t give a shit about it unless they’re needing money. To be honest thou the recent reveals and Batwoman wave look great if you can find them

  24. Iconoclast has no avatar! Iconoclast says

    07-26-2018, 11:50 AM

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tim View Post
    Perfectly somes up my exact reaction to that idiotic and naive comment of his
    I have financial reports to support my "idiotic" comments. What do you have to support your position?

  25. Snowflakian's Avatar Snowflakian says

    07-26-2018, 11:52 AM

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpasticPlastic View Post
    I bet this is why they started dabbling in MOTU again. If they are hurting that much, maybe they should sell the whole brand outright to NECA and also relinquish the DC master license while they are at it.
    NECA sales numbers would be even smaller than Mattel. Their market isn't that strong, nor would they have the money for that kind of acquisition. (MOTU or DC.)

    MOTU is staying in house, it's one of those few things they can make with no licensing fees. Like Barbie, Max Steel, Matchbox, and Hot Wheels. MOTU will make a comeback though as new media develops. Right now She-Ra stuff is likely in the works as the new netflix toon is shaping up to be as big a hit as Legendary Defender is.

    The DC license is in a transitional state, but a new 4'' line may come out of it to go with Multiverse comic stuff now. Thanks to Jurassic World's line scale, the market data now supports trying that again in a better cost efficient way to keep figure cost down to boost volume sales.

    Multiverse 6'' is here to stay though and has made some massive strives forward to improve the figures. The new ones of those are looking awesome.

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Iconoclast View Post
    I have financial reports to support my "idiotic" comments. What do you have to support your position?
    Their local store and fan know-it-all conjecture!

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