Mattel beats profit estimates on cost controls but trims annual sales forecast
Mattel beats Q3 profit estimate on margin boost
Raises cost savings target to $75 million for 2024
Shares up more than 4% in after-hours trade
Adds analysts' comments in paragraph 7,8
By Savyata Mishra
Oct 23 (Reuters) -Mattel MAT.O topped Wall Street estimates for quarterly profit as the Barbie parent kept a tight leash on costs but lowered its annual sales forecast heading into the crucial holiday shopping season against the backdrop of muted demand for toys.
Its shares were up more than 4% in extended trading on Wednesday. Rival Hasbro HAS.O, set to report results before markets open on Thursday, rose 2%.
Mattel expects to generate cost savings of about $75 million this year, after surpassing an earlier goal of $60 million within the first nine months.
"Mattel is hitting its marks at a challenging time for the toy industry," said Emarketer analyst Zak Stambor.
The Hot Wheels parent has turned to tighter cost controls to ride out sluggish demand, with sales falling for the third straight quarter this year. It has set a target of $200 million in savings by 2026 through efforts such as streamlining its supply chain and trimming its product lines.
It now expects 2024 net sales to be in the range of flat to down slightly from last year's $5.44 billion, compared with its prior estimate of flat on a constant currency basis.
"Aggressive pricing and markdowns at retail could impact sales heading into the holiday season and I believe the company is being cautious of that," said James Zahn, Editor in Chief at The Toy Book magazine.
Meanwhile, Mattel raised its annual adjusted gross margin expectation to 50% from a prior range of 48.5% to 49%.
Net sales declined 4% to $1.84 billion, missing expectations of $1.86 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG.
Worldwide gross billings for its Dolls category slumped 14%, primarily driven by weaker Barbie sales as a boost from last year's "Barbie" movie release tapered off.
Mattel, which is focusing on intellectual property partnerships for its popular brands, earned $1.14 per share on an adjusted basis, beating estimates of 95 cents.
Reporting by Savyata Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila
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