Mattel is moving full steam ahead when it comes to growth in the toy industry, while Hasbro is taking a more cautious approach.

Mattel is moving full steam ahead when it comes to growth in the toy industry, while Hasbro is taking a more cautious approach. Coming off the heels of one of Barbie’s best years yet, Mattel says it expects net sales in 2022 to grow eight to 10% and expand at a high single-digit pace the following year. The toy giant recently won back the licensing rights to Disney’s princess dolls, which is expected to boost the company’s business portfolio, while Barbie, starring Margot Robbie, is set to premiere as the first film under the Mattel Films banner in 2023. Feature films based on OG childhood toys like Hot Wheels, Magic 8 Ball, Polly Pocket, and more are also in the works, but release dates have not been announced. Hasbro is entering the year a bit more cautious, understanding that consumers (i.e. Millennial parents) are cautious to spend money due to rising inflation rates, and it expects revenue to grow in the low single digits in 2022. The company’s new Transformers film has been delayed until 2023, and Hasbro is betting on more studio projects for its toys since acquiring Entertainment One: “Brands are holistic. Entertainment plus toys equals a bigger piece of business. And when you put that storytelling behind a toy brand, it lasts longer.” (CNBC)