Transformers Company News on Seibertron.com

Walmart's Handling of the Legacy Star Raiders Line Release is Causing Confusion and Frustration

Date: Monday, September 9th 2024 10:42pm CDT
Categories: Toy News, Company News, Editorials
Posted by: william-james88

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Views: 30,023

Simple question to start us off: Have you seen the Star Raiders line at your local US Walmart? I ask because the answers given to that question so far have been nothing but frustrating or confusing. While Walmart has gotten its stock for distribution, they've only used it so far to fulfill online orders. And there's a lot of stock online with both Road Pig and the Thundertron leader set still available for purchase.

That last bit is a rarity as Walmart will sell out of exclusives online, with the bulk of stock going to stores instead. However, these toys have been available and shipping from their website but they have yet to be found in stores... or have they?

With the toys shipping from the Walmart website, fans got excited to find these exclusives in stores. But that lead to frustration since the hunt resulted next to no sightings. What was found was confusing and has lead to some misinformation being spread by other news sites. The few toys from the Star Raiders capsule that were found were never found with casemates, but as single examples, and often times discounted too. Like the sighting below which just so happens to have the 2 products that have finally been shipping from Walmart.com.

It most likely means that these are returns and them being discounted is due to Walmart not having these skus on the planogram (no designated space on the shelf). We tend to see that with older releases which no longer have a designated space on the shelf, but it's the same cause regardless. And that is extra confusing and frustrating since it means that as of right now there is no plan to have these toys on shelves.

That also means that any sighting being shared online is not legitimate as it does not indicate that this line is being distributed to stores. It instead simply means that fans are returning toys they purchased online. So in the end, there is no concrete evidence that this line is being distributed to stores right now. We have no real sighting of this Star Raiders line in US Walmarts so far.

Let us know how your experience has been with this exclusive subline and if you have found it in a decent amount in your area (if you are in the US). Who knows, maybe one of you has a sighting of a non returned item to share.



Pictured above: returns and false hope
Photo by Red Snarl

60% of Hasbro's Revenu Now Comes from Teen and Adult Consumers (through gaming)

Date: Friday, August 16th 2024 12:32pm CDT
Category: Company News
Posted by: william-james88

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Views: 47,112

While we may think of Hasbro as a toy company, they have been trying to evolve into an IP driven company with a lot of digital content for gaming. And the recent Q2 earnings call (from end of July) showed that the company is finally in that space, with kids' toys almost becoming secondary in nature.

The bulk of increase in revenu came from the gaming and digital spaces, as indicated below:

Revenue increase of 20% driven by the launch of MAGIC'S Modern Horizons 3 set and continued strength in Licensed and Digital Gaming revenue behind Monopoly Go!, Baldur's Gate 3 and a benefit from an international publishing deal.
Tabletop revenue increased 3% behind growth in MAGIC: THE GATHERING.
Operating profit increased 74% and operating profit margin of 54.7% due to higher digital licensing revenue mix of revenues and lower royalty expense.

The Transformers brand was also talked about favorably. However, check how they refer to Transformers not in terms of toys, but in terms of entertainment. This is because a bulk of revenue will be coming from the upcoming Transformers 1 movie and its merchandise.

FURBY, PLAY-DOH and G.I. JOE performed well in the quarter; momentum building for 2H innovation in Beyblade and TRANSFORMERS entertainment.

So yes, adults (and teens) are now the main demographic using products that give Hasbro money. However, it's not mainly due to them spending money on toys but more on gaming and digital experiences. As you'll see below, when it comes to physical toys, Hasbro is still more focused on kids, which matches data of physical toy consumption from PYMNTS Intelligence.

“It’s about skating to where the puck is going as opposed to where the puck has been,” CEO Chris Cocks said. “I think physical products kids will always be important. But when you look at what the mega trends are inside of the business of play, play is aging up, play is going more international, it’s going more digital, it’s going more direct.”

The company generates over 60% of its revenue from consumers aged 13 and older, a group described as “kidults,” indicating a strong following among teenagers and adults. This demographic’s engagement is driven by a mix of digital innovation and strategic licensing partnerships. Hasbro’s ability to cater to this audience through products like Magic: The Gathering and digital platforms like D&D Beyond shows its adeptness at tapping into the interests of older consumers.

Still, PYMNTS Intelligence research finds that parents are hobby goods companies’ best customers. The study “The Last Transaction: Family Spending Habits Reveal Merchant Opportunities in Retail and Travel” found that 16% of those who are married with children in the household cited books, music or hobby goods as their most recent non-grocery retail purchase. This share was considerably higher than the 3% of those who are single and living with children, the 6% of those who are married and not living with children and the 10% of those who are single without children at home who said the same. Still, it is notable that the final group represents the second-greatest engagement.

Source from Hasbro: https://investor.hasbro.com/news-releas ... al-results

Analysis by PYMNTS Intelligence: https://www.pymnts.com/earnings/2024/ha ... e-digital/

Hasbro Says Transformers is one of the Brightest Spots for Growth / Sales in their Entire Toy Portfolio

Date: Wednesday, February 14th 2024 1:00pm CST
Categories: Toy News, Company News
Posted by: william-james88

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According to Hasbro's 4th quarter earning call, of all the brands and toys being sold by Hasbro, Transformers has the most enviable growth. Of course, this is due to more toys out during a movie year (with Rise of the Beasts getting its own line) but what's important is the toys sold. We had seen and heard from Hasbro in the past that franchises like Star Wars may not sell well (or be profitable for a toy maker) during a movie year. But it isn't the case for Transformers, which had a 35% growth and shows that it can still be a brand that sells toys.

Below are the quotes from Hasbro regarding the specific brand from their 2023 Q4 Earnings call:

In the back half of 2023, we started to see the first evidence of our new team and products working. Take FURBY, for example. This was a product we took our time testing and iterating based on consumer insights. It paid off as FURBY was one of the top new toy introductions in 2023. We continued the FURBY craze in December with the launch of Furblets, another hit introduction, and we’re excited to continue building this franchise in 2024. 2023 was also a strong year for our TRANSFORMERS franchise. On the back of the hit movie, Transformers Rise of the Beasts from our partners in Paramount, driving point of sale growth of 35%. We have some exciting activations planned as we celebrate the brand’s 40th anniversary in 2024, as well as the star-studded animated movie, Transformers One, coming this summer along with fresh merchandise.

As far as our financial participation goes for revenue and profit, it’s like having the equivalent of $1 billion movie supporting Monopoly, except every year, with the impact growing sequentially as the game works through our minimum guarantees and marketing allowances. Baldur’s Gate III from our partners of Larian continues to win awards around the world and is one of the highest rated video games of all time. We expect a long tail into 2024 and beyond for this mega hit. Last but not least, we have a compelling new lineup of adventures, core rulebooks, and new digital first offerings for D&D as we celebrate this iconic brand’s 50th anniversary. We’ll launch the biggest update to fifth edition since its introduction in 2014, reinventing everything from the artwork of our iconic monsters, to new classes, to new mechanics, to bold new ways to bring to life the world of D &D digitally.

All of this will add up to more and more impressive product as the year goes on, leading into an even brighter 2025. We look forward to sharing more about 2025. All new brands, entertainment collaborations, and a chance to really show what this team is capable of later this year. Wrapping up, 2023 was a challenging year, but not without significant wins. Wins we believe augur the Hasbro to come. A company rededicated to play, innovation, and fun for fans of all ages. Last year, we launched a top toy with FURBY. We won a Game of the Year award with Twister Air. And we wowed tens of millions with Monopoly Go! Transformers Rise of the Beast, Baldur’s Gate III, and Magic Lord of the Rings, all while cleaning up the business, selling eOne, paying down debt, and clearing excess inventory, which makes for a healthier, stronger Hasbro to start 2024.

Adjusting for the exit of brands and markets, revenue would have declined by 15%. And despite the tougher category backdrop, we delivered some bright spots within our toy portfolio, including Transformers, Twister Air, Furby, and GI Joe. On a reported basis, the Entertainment segment revenue declined by 31% as the writers’ and actors’ strikes impacted content deliveries. Family Brands revenue grew 6% from streaming deals of animated content in support of Hasbro’s brands. Total Hasbro Inc. 2023 adjusted operating profit was $477 million, down 48% versus last year, primarily driven by the nonrecurring expenses, as well as lower revenues. 2023 adjusted net earnings of $349 million, or $2.51 per diluted share, was down 44% versus last year. Besides the charges for inventory, earnings were negatively impacted by content impairments and higher royalty expense, partially offset by our cost savings program and a one-time tax benefit.

Saudi Arabia Partners with Hasbro to Become Global Hub for Transformers Themed Attractions

Date: Thursday, May 11th 2023 3:11pm CDT
Category: Company News
Posted by: william-james88

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Views: 37,960

Transformers are a HUGE brand. While the Transformers name proper originated from the US, we saw that the brand resonates with people from across the world, as is made evident with global box office for past films, the new Ark Café in China and now a major project underway in Saudi Arabia.

The project is a partnership between Hasbro and Saudi Entertainment Ventures (called Seven for short) who will make Transformers-themed indoor entertainment centres. These will be 10,000-square-metre facilities dedicated to that will feature state-of-the-art rides, immersive environments, as well as branded retail and exclusive merchandise, and themed food and beverages.

We have concept art for the rides which all use the evergreen designs. SEVEN already partnered with Hasbro to make Play D'Oh themed attractions in Saudi Arabia.

Here is what Abdullah Al-Dawood, chairman of Seven, said about this announcement:

“We continue to cement our position as the national champion of the kingdom’s entertainment sector, strengthening the entertainment ecosystem with our strategic partnerships to bring a wide range of attractions for the people of Saudi Arabia to enjoy.”

And here is what Matt Proulx, Hasbro’s VP of location-based entertainment (LBE), said:

“By partnering with Seven in the kingdom, we can bring even more truly unique experiences to fans of Transformers and Play-Doh. We’re sure that these new immersive attractions will entertain and delight generations of fans and families for many years to come.”

Hasbro to Invest More into the Transformers Brand

Date: Thursday, November 17th 2022 3:03pm CST
Category: Company News
Posted by: william-james88

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Views: 37,053

We have a Deadline article detailing Hasbro potentially selling off some of it's EOne assets. The part that is transformers related though is that the sale will provide funds to further invest in brands and the Transformers brand is distinctively pointed out. You can read the exerpt of the article below. One important thing, when it comes to brand, the idea here is IP. So this is not about putting more money in toys, it's about financing more projects with the Transformers IP and growing that brand. It can mean basically anything. But the point is, Transformers is seen as a strong brand that Hasbro only wants to expand upon and make stronger.

The announcement today said Hasbro plans to significantly increase strategic investment in key brands with a focus on gaming, direct to consumer, franchise brands and licensing.

Priority brands for investment include Peppa Pig, Transformers, Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, My Little Pony, Power Rangers, Play-Doh and board games including Monopoly and Clue.

Hasbro Answers Some Burning Questions from Fans: AOE Dinobots, DJD, Packaging Changes, and More

Date: Thursday, October 20th 2022 7:32pm CDT
Categories: Toy News, Company News, Interviews
Posted by: william-james88

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The Seibertron site assisted a round table discussion today with Evan Brooks (designer), Marc Maher (designer), Delaney Norris (marketting) and Ben MacCrae (marketting) from Hasbro, answering questions related to the recent Legacy reveals. There would be no answers to any questions related to the Rise of the Beasts line (so I would not expect reveals of that any time soon).

Q: When will Shadowstrip and Crasher be formally announced?
A: It’s up to Walmart. Hasbro thought they would be revealed and made available by Walmart at the same time as Galaxy Shuttle but it doesn’t seem to be the case. They are waiting to hear back from Walmart.

Q (my question): Legacy/Studio Series toys are made with which primary audience/market in mind? And which demographic buys the majority of toys from those lines?
A: While the targets are “fans”, that is an internal name for the 8-12 year old market. These would be kids who are fans of Transformers toys since they grew up with the simpler ones in other lines and are ready for a more challenging conversion. While there are characters older fans are more likely to recognize, they are all still designed more with children in mind and the freedom with Legacy lets them bring other characters. Also, that demographic (8-12 year olds) is who these toys are bought for most.
Vehicle form factor is key, and kids gravitate towards the idea of a robot to vehicle conversion so there is no need to have a character that young kids know. The goal is giving 8 year olds the STEM feature of play with legacy and Studio Series. Nothing has changed since John Warden said that toys are designed with kids in mind. They are trying to make toys for kids that older fans also like. They are currently undergoing market research to see the percentage of sales from different demographics.

Q: Will there be more new characters like Scraphook?
A: Scraphook as a new character was easy since he is part of the Junkions who already have a theme/play pattern in the lore. Hasbro is constantly looking for ways to integrate new characters. Junkions are an easy place to mine for new characters and there will be more to come in the new year. Every time we have a chance to do something new, we try it though with Studio Series, that line is linked to pre-existing characters.

Q: Has the plastic type changed?
A: The main plastic types used for toys have not changed since the 80s, and the plastic used now is the same used in the previous Transformers lines (like WFC trilogy, ect). They are aware of the yellowing issue and if you have a product with that issue (or any issue) please contact the customer support team.

Q: Tarn is great, what took so long and how do we get the rest of the team?
A: Tarn is an amazing character, from a fantastic storyline. The Hasbro team are big fans of that. They had to bring him to life after seeing Tarn show up in so many other places. It was obviously the time for Tarn, but the rest of the DJD are a design challenge (not Nickel though, could be a core release). They are looking into it, and finishing off “mini collections” is still something Hasbro wishes to do. They try to have more synergy between comics and toys, hence why Knockout in the comics looks like the Legacy toy. His design (and others) were given to IDW from Hasbro. Legacy finally gave an outlet for freedom of having characters from anywhere, that’s why characters from IDW specifically are being integrated into the line. Just don’t expect the same alt modes.
***Seibertron user William-James88 suggested a Robotic scorpion which can be fan made into an electric chair for Kaon.***
Alex Milne and James Roberts will get a copy of the Tarn toy.

Q: Can you acknowledge the existence of the Legacy Minerva toy?
A: Yes, they can personally acknowledge that it exists. They have not heard from Walgreens as to their plan for releasing it yet. The official date of release would have been October 1st. Hasbro will do their best to continue releasing the Japanese characters, like Galaxy Shuttle and Victory Sabr. Mark apologises for Minerva not being a headmaster, but he wanted to release it in the line. Also, Minerva was chosen as a Walgreens exclusive due to the medical theme.

Q: Core class combining Dinobots, what challenges were there?
A: Lots of Challenges, Sludge is taking the biggest hit with the thunderous thighs needed for combiner mode. Not sure if they could do it at first, but it felt like it could be possible, so they didn’t wish to say “no”. They made it happen at Core class. They added a sixth Dinobot for the proportions to work without it having a deluxe torso.
Bringing them to core class was so that you could have the whole team on the shelf at the same year, harkening back to the G1 era. These toys are perfect for kids. Core class is meant to be well known characters that sell, at a lower price points.
***The Dinobots were not the first intent from the designer (ie. Monstructor/Dinokinginstead), but they were used for an easy sell to marketing.***

Q: Can you give more info on Override being a new mold in a line of redecos?
A: When Takara gets to design a character they have a lot of love for, you can sit back and see the wonder. (Lots of mold mathematics discussion which personally stumped your dear news editor.) Stuff like the Cyberkey hole for Override are design easter eggs made for fans who remember the older toy even though it is still made to sell to kids.

Q: Are there more female characters coming to Legacy and Studio Series?
A: Of course! So many awesome female bots, we will never say no. The female audience for transformers is immense, far bigger than most fans may think.

Q: Can we ever expect proper Pretenders?
A: Classic style pretenders shells are very hard to do (and sell to corporate) since the shells themselves become a mold of their own. Core class Bombusrt can fit into his G1 pretender shell but that is a happy coincidence.
*** Evan then proceeded to more heavily hint to the alternate use of those core class Dinobot molds (ie. Monstructor/Dinoking though nothing officially is said and we do not know how or when they will ever be made and available).***

Q: What criteria goes into choosing a Gobots character in a Transformers line?
A: The goal is to sell to kids so alt mode and colour come into play with the choice. It’s a group conversation to decide if it’s the right move or not. Gobots is still a tricky licence since another company owns what was originally GoBots. So it’s a very muddy situation. Always thinking 3 years ahead, it can take that long to get a toy associated to a toy from another “mini collection”.

Q: Any answers about the woes with Cosmos’ distribution?
A: No news on if we’ll see more cosmos at retail, everything is up to Walmart in terms of case allocation, nothing can be forced from Hasbro. The team was unaware of the solid cases in the UK since the marketing team was trying to get a solid box for the designers to have their own but was told that wasn’t a thing.

Q: Do all molds have second heads just sitting there for the future?
A: Been going on for a long time. It’s weird when there isn’t an alt head in a mold.
***The alt head for Titans Return Seaspray was a merman head from the G1 episode. Ben is a HUGE fan of Seaspray and would want another release before he retires.***

Q: Transformers boxes, can they go full closed box like other Hasbro lines?
A: Unlike Marvel and Star Wars, the Transformers brand skews younger, so seeing the robot inside does bring in more sales than a closed box with the image of the character. Transformers is not as character focused line like Marvel, it isn’t the character itself that sells the toys, it’s how the bot looks. There have been studies done and open windows are best for their target audience of 8 year olds seeing the robots on shelves. The leader class toys are higher priced and thus not likely an impulse purchase by parents, so they can look more like a toy aimed at collectors. Looking into all different boxing options, but right now open box for lower priced toys is the best for Transformers brand.

Q: Will there be more Japanese Beast Wars Characters aside from Leo Prime?
A: Leo Prime was an easy sell to corporate since he is a leader called Prime and a lion, both attributes familiar and appealing to kids. They keep testing the market and audience. The term Convoy is a trademarked name in Japan, so that name cannot be used on packaging by Hasbro.

Q: Is that Lockdown looking car in the poster a hint that we are getting Lockdown?
A: There is no comment on it being Lockdown or not but Hasbro is aware of the thirst for the Transformers animated universe (note from Editor: the toy on the poster is not Lockdown, it’s a deluxe Junkion toy like Scraphook)


And now, dear readers, here is an example of how to ask the same type of “are we getting this” type of question, but to get a better answer. One question was “is Slipstream coming any time soon”, and the answer from Hasbro was “Anything is possible”, obviously. BUT I found another way around that:
Q: Have there been any obstacles to getting the rest of the Age of Extinction Dinobots, since we got none after Grimlock.
A: There may have been at the time if the same characters were available in the Platinum line (not a certainty, memory is foggy on that), but as of right now there is no obstacle, no reason for them not to eventually show up, nothing stopping Hasbro from making them. However, G1 Grimlock appearing in the SS line did put the possible release of Bayverse Dinobots on hold.

The next reveals will be happening on the Premium member exclusive stream happening October 27th. Also, Hasbro is hyped for Eathspark and they hope you feel that too.

Hasbro Share Hits 5 year Low After Revealing that their Sales are Down Because of Price Increases

Date: Tuesday, October 18th 2022 2:56pm CDT
Category: Company News
Posted by: william-james88 | Credit(s): CNBC

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Hasbro is in quite a bit of trouble right now, in terms of their stock price. It is now around the $65 mark and has not been this low in over 5 year's time. Just to give you an idea of how big a deal this may be for investors, the company was worth 12.37 Billion in May of this year and has now dropped to being worth 9.07 Billion, losing 3 Billion dollars in 5 month's time. For those not in the know, while the falling stock price does not change a company's internal workings overnight, it does affect how much it can borrow and how much it can grow, hence why aim for a constantly higher stock price.

All that finance mumbo jumbo aside, this decrease has hit the news because it was directly impacted by what was said at the latest shareholder meeting for the 3rd quarter, which just closed. Hasbro reported that sales were down due to "increasing price sensitivity for the average consumer". Basically it means that due to higher prices than last year, people bought less than they did last year.

Also, with people buying less, both Hasbro and retailers are beginning to have quite the inventory surplus issue. As a result, Hasbro says we should expect sales in the future.

Interestingly enough, Hasbro mentioned Transformers Earthspark as one of their main hopes to bouncing back. It will be a new show premiering in the 4th quarter, with a bunch of new toys on shelves, also coinciding with the holiday season.

Here are the full quotes below taken from the following CNBC article: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/18/hasbro- ... nings.html

And the graph below which no company wished they had was taken from Yahoo Finance today.

Hasbro reported third-quarter earnings Tuesday morning that fell short of analysts’ expectations as inflation weighed on consumers and the company contended with high levels of inventory.
...

“As expected, the third quarter is our most difficult comparison and was further impacted by increasing price sensitivity for the average consumer,” CEO Chris Cocks said in an earnings release.

He expanded on this point in a conference call Tuesday morning, saying that promotions “have become increasingly important” in driving product sales. The company reported high inventory, which is currently afflicting retailers across the board. Hasbro said in an investor presentation that its inventory should help it meet holiday demand.

Shares were down more than 2% Tuesday morning, hitting a new 52-week low.
...

Revenue for the period fell 15% compared to last year, dragged down by a 35% decrease in entertainment revenue. Its Wizards of the Coast unit, which includes “Dungeons & Dragons” and “Magic: The Gathering,” saw revenues decline 16%.

As prices for goods and supplies surge, the toy and game giant has increased prices for products like Nerf Blasters and My Little Pony figures.

...

The company also pointed to several upcoming releases, including Marvel’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” and the company’s own “Transformers: EarthSpark,” which the company will produce merchandise for during the fourth quarter and beyond.

With the holidays approaching, the toymaker said it plans to “sell through inventory” in the fourth quarter as it seeks to stick to its plan of focusing on fewer, bigger brands and more licensing.

One Year Graph



Five Year Graph

Hasbro Memo From 1986 Asks to Replace Shockwave in the Cartoon and Add More Predaking

Date: Thursday, March 31st 2022 11:19pm CDT
Categories: Cartoon News, Company News
Posted by: william-james88

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The theme today is definitely about a behind the scenes look at all things Transformers. While we had a rare look at early stages of recent toy development earlier today, we now share with you a memo from Hasbro that really shows how prominent the idea of selling toys was in the 80s and how single minded they were with the G1 show just being a commercial. And in this case, to the detriment of good story telling and lore.

It's just one memo about Five Faces of Darkness part III but it speaks volumes. As fans may recall, there is a scene where Blitzwing does not accept the deal proposed by the Quintessons because he seems to know not to trust them. This never really comes back and feels rather random, especially for a character that was not prominent within the Deception ranks. Well, it turns out Flint Dille initially intended it to be Shockwave who was weary since he was older and more aware of the Quintessons than his fellow Decepticons. It definitely ties into the greater lore of Shockwave being ancient which has been revisited in Transformers fiction. As you can see from the memo, it was asked that Shockwave be replaced since his toy was no longer on the market. So Flint Dile chose Blitzwing as a replacement.

The memo is pretty epic for other reasons. Check out that note in response to Hasbro stating that the events of the 86 movie will be recounted in a vague way with no images so as not to spoil the movie. Plus, there is a really big push for Predaking so if you ever felt he seemed shoehorned in, well now you know why. And if he doesn't feel shoehorned, then that's just a testament to Flint Dile being and agile writer.

Below is the original outline with Shockwave there followed by the memo along with links to all resources pertaining to the Five Faces of Darkness.

We thank fellow Seibertronian Sabrblade for bringing this to our attention and to Greebtron for providing links on the matter.

Sabrblade wrote:Digging deeper into the links Greebtron provided on the matter, here's the direct links to all of the FFOD material from the Sunbow Marvel Archive:

Five Faces of Darkness

Flint Dille's outline of Parts 3-5

Memo re: changes/requests from Hasbro

Model sheets

Part 1 dialogue script
Part 1 full script

Part 2 dialogue script
Part 2 full script

Part 3 dialogue script
Part 3 full script

Part 4 dialogue script
Part 4 full script

Part 5 call sheet and dialogue script
Part 5 full script

Hasbro Reports Strong Revenue, Operating Profit and Earnings Growth for the Full-Year 2021

Date: Tuesday, February 8th 2022 8:28pm CST
Categories: Press Releases, Company News
Posted by: D-Maximal_Primal | Credit(s): Hasbro

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PAWTUCKET, R.I.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 7, 2022-- Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS), a global play and entertainment company, today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full-year 2021.

"The Hasbro team finished the year strong and delivered an exceptional full-year 2021, including another record revenue year for Wizards of the Coast; strong revenue growth for consumer products; and a robust, progressively more Hasbro brand-led, content slate to return to 2019 levels of deliveries for entertainment," said Rich Stoddart, Hasbro interim chief executive officer. "Fans and consumers are increasingly interacting with brands in more ways than ever—our unique set of strategic assets across toys and games, entertainment, digital gaming and licensing provide the foundation for maximizing the value of both our existing franchises and new IP.

"It has been an honor to lead this talented team over the past several months and I am confident that Chris Cocks will bring tremendous vision and passion while accelerating our performance-driven culture as he takes over as CEO on February 25th," continued Stoddart.

"Throughout 2021, and finishing with focused execution in the fourth quarter, the Hasbro team did an excellent job in unprecedented circumstances," said Deborah Thomas, Hasbro chief financial officer. "We delivered strong results, including 17% revenue growth for the year, higher operating profit margins and $818 million in operating cash flow, while successfully navigating supply chain challenges, including higher fourth quarter input and freight costs across our business. This enabled us to continue investing in growth initiatives, pay off $1.08 billion in long-term debt in 2021 and continue supporting our dividend which the Board increased 3% today.

"Long-term investments in our brands and capabilities have built a differentiated business with diversified capabilities to drive long-term profitable growth and enhance shareholder value," continued Thomas.

Full-Year 2021

• Net revenues increased 17% to $6.42 billion
  Wizards of the Coast and Digital Gaming segment revenues up 42%
  • Entertainment segment revenues up 27%
  • Consumer Products segment revenues up 9%
• Operating profit of $763.3 million, or 11.9% of revenue, up from 9.2% of revenue in 2020
• Adjusted operating profit up 20% to $995.2 million, or 15.5% of revenue, an expansion of 40 basis points year-over-year
• Net earnings increased 93% to $428.7 million, or $3.10 per diluted share
• Adjusted net earnings increased 41% to $723.4 million, or $5.23 per diluted share
• EBITDA up 32% to $1.04 billion
• Adjusted EBITDA up 23% to $1.31 billion
• Year-end cash of $1.02 billion; Generated $817.9 million in operating cash flow for the full-year 2021 and paid down $1.08 billion in long-term debt
  Paid $374.5 million in dividends to shareholders during the year

Fourth Quarter 2021

• Net revenues increased 17% to $2.01 billion
  Entertainment segment revenues up 54%
  • Wizards of the Coast and Digital Gaming segment revenues up 18%
  • Consumer Products segment revenues up 9%
• Operating profit for the fourth quarter of $171.5 million, or 8.5% of revenues
• Adjusted operating profit of $219.9 million, or 10.9% of revenues
• Net earnings for the fourth quarter of $82.2 million, or $0.59 per diluted share
• Adjusted net earnings of $168.4 million, or $1.21 per diluted share
• EBITDA of $203.9 million
• Adjusted EBITDA of $306.5 million

An Update on John Warden's Latest Mecha Endeavours at Hasbro

Date: Friday, December 31st 2021 8:41pm CST
Categories: People News, Company News, Editorials
Posted by: william-james88

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2021 was a big year for Hasbro's mecha toylines. The ever growing Transformers toylines gave us a lot of product (Kingdom, Studio Series, Cyberverse, MP, MPM, Shaterred Glass, Netflix, Buzzworthy Bumblebee, Rescue Bots, Generations Selects, Crossover) and Hasbro finally released the first Power Rangers zords developed under John Warden, the man who got the Transformers brand where it is now. For those curious as to how Hasbro's other transforming/combining robot themed toyline went, we have an update.

For a quick recap of the Power Ranges toyline, when it first got to North American shores, the toys were based on the same toys previously sold in Japan and as time went on, there were more and more differences between the Japanese version of toys (done by Bandai) and the American version (done by Bandai of America). It wasn't like with Transformers where the Takara version would have a slightly different deco, it was far more extensive. For the past 10 years at least, the toys in Japan for the same mecha were bigger and had electronics. To sell at a lower price point, Bandai of America would literally make a new mold, usually smaller and with less parts. There was even one time in Power Rangers Samurai, where the Japanese version of the 5 animal combiner had 3 modes (limb mode, animal mode, and geometric shape mode) and the American version scrapped the shape mode for 4/5 animals, which made it look ridiculous (Japanese on the left, American on the right).





Now when Hasbro bought the brand, they would do the same, remake new molds for their Power Ranger toyline and hired John Warden as the head of the design team to make these new molds. The first toyline fully developed under John Warden was Dino Fury and fans finally got to experience the zords in the later half of 2021.

And it turns out that for the first time in the history of the brand, the American versions are on par with the Japanese version, or even preferred by fans. While still a toyline for kids, Hasbro went for a more collector oriented mindset in what they favoured. It did not have electronics, and the zords are slightly smaller, but they have more articulation than their Japanese counterparts and the main zord has better proportions, a more detailed sculpt and greater show accuracy. Yes, the American version of the toy is more show accurate. It is also more dynamic and works well as a mecha action figure rather than being a brick (which all Power Ranger/Super Sentai mecha were in the past). So congrats to John Warden and his team on that, it is no small feat (Hasbro on the left, Bandai on the right).



Of course, it does help that Hasbro's mecha came out well after the original series aired in Japan, so they could replicate any show detail the original Japanese toys didn't have. Also, Hasbro's combining system for the zords is not as kid friendly as the Japanese version since it requires more force to connect and disconnect. The original Japanese toys had ports similar to lego bricks with similar ease of building but that also means connections on the Hasbro versions are tighter and less likely to undo while posing the figure (something the Japanese toys never had to worry about). So far, 5 zords have been released with more on the way in 2022, and all can combine together in various ways. Below is an example of combining 4 of them together along with using an extra head that comes with the villain action figure.



What does have to do with both is Hasbro upcoming collector oriented Megazord line. This is the stuff of dreams. It's basically Hasbro creating a Masterpiece Megazord line (something similar to Soul of Chogokin) in the west. The price is along those MP level prices of course, being $165 USD for the original Dino Megazord.



This has a lot of fans excited, not just for this release but for what they will do next. Although the fan enthusiasm for the black repaint was not great, since that purchase was behind an NFT wall.

And now you are all caught up.