Mattel cuts forecast as Barbie sales stumble before holidays

· Retail & E-commerce · United States

Mattel lowered its full-year forecast ahead of the holiday season as its Barbie brand stumbles, the company disclosed on its latest earnings call. The update came on the first earnings call for CEO Roger Lynch, who took the top job recently and responded to a question about a mission statement with, "Oh give me a break, I just got here." The items do not detail the size of the forecast cut or brand-level figures. The warning lands as the toy industry enters its most important selling period, when retailers set holiday assortments and promotions, and it signals pressure on a flagship franchise that has driven Mattel's recent growth.

Why it matters：Barbie is one of the toy industry's biggest franchises, so a holiday-season downgrade from Mattel affects retailers' toy assortments and could spill over to rivals' holiday planning.

Key points

  • The forecast cut was announced on the company's latest earnings call.
  • It was CEO Roger Lynch's first earnings call in the role.
  • The company did not detail the size of the cut in the item.

Sources (original reporting)

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