Mattel Inc beats sales estimates as bored kids go back to Barbie

Mattel Inc beat quarterly sales expectations on Thursday, as North Americans stuck at home due to the Covid-19 pandemic splurged on Barbie dolls and Uno playing cards to keep their kids entertained.

The toymaker said it was expecting its sales to improve in the coming months, compared to the first half of the year, as concerns grow that schools in many parts of the United States would remain shut with

The reopening of toy stores is also helping sales, with Chief Executive Officer Ynon Kreiz telling Reuters that only 4 percent of retail outlets, which normally account for about 8 percent of the company's sales, were closed at the end of June. About 30 percent of Mattel's retail stores were shut at the end of March.

Mattel's gross sales in North America rose 3 percent in the second quarter, mainly driven by an increase in demand for the various avatars of the company's iconic Barbie dolls and playsets, Uno playing cards, as well as "Baby Yoda" plush toys.

Overall gross Barbie sales increased 7 percent to $199.3 million in the quarter.

However, Mattel's net sales fell nearly 15 percent to $732.1 million, as the economic fallout of the health crisis hammered demand in overseas markets.

That still beat analysts' average estimate of $678.5 million, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.

Net loss widened to $109.2 million in the quarter ended June 30, from $108 million a year earlier. On an adjusted basis, the company's loss was 26 cents per share.