Hasbro to lay off more workers amid toy sales slump
Hasbro Inc. is cutting about 900 jobs as the company is facing a slump in toy and game sales after a boom during the pandemic.
The cost-saving plan will result in “the reallocation of people and resources,” including early retirement for some employees and layoffs over the next two years, Hasbro
HAS,
said in a filing late Monday.
The Wall Street Journal reported the layoff plans earlier Monday, citing a memo it had viewed.
The maker of My Little Pony and Monopoly launched the plan in January, and at the time announced the layoffs of about 15% of its workforce.
It has booked about $94 million in expenses related to severance, stock compensation and employee benefits, and expects to book an additional $40 million, the company said in the filing Monday.
Hasbro in October missed third-quarter earnings expectations and slashed its full-year outlook, citing a “softer toy outlook.”
Shares of Hasbro and rival Mattel Inc.
MAT,
fell about 4% and 3%, respectively, in the extended session Monday, as the Wall Street Journal report also cited “early data points to another weak year” for the toy industry following the a boom during the pandemic.
Mattel in October reported a better-than-expected third quarter, thanks in part to its wildly successful Barbie movie.
Shares of Mattel have gained 6% this year, which contrasts with a 20% drop for Hasbro stock. Both stocks, however, have underperformed in relation to the S&P 500 index
SPX,
which is up about 20% in 2023.
In a February filing, Hasbro said it had about 6,500 employees worldwide as of the end of 2022.
About The Author
