Hasbro(US:HAS) Benzinga·2025-09-19 18:03Group 1: Trading Card Market Dynamics - Hasbro Inc. and Target Corporation are experiencing a surge in trading-card demand, particularly for Magic: The Gathering, which is expected to drive growth into late 2025 [1][2] - Retailers are increasing shelf space for trading cards and collectibles, with Target reporting a 70% year-to-date sales increase, projected to exceed $1 billion in 2025 [4] - The Wizards Play Network store count has grown by approximately 1,500 locations since year-end 2024, indicating a 20% growth in distribution [5] Group 2: Consumer Engagement and Market Trends - The U.S. population aged 0–12 peaked in 2016 and is expected to decline through 2036, prompting retailers to focus on higher-engagement categories like trading cards [6] - Unique players in the trading card ecosystem increased by about 40% year-over-year in the first half of 2025, with event attendance at MagicCon rising over 25% from the previous year [5] Group 3: Financial Outlook and Revenue Projections - Bank of America analyst Alexander Perry has adjusted Mattel's third-quarter EPS forecast to $1.02, down from $1.08, while expecting a holiday rebound [7] - For Hasbro, consumer products revenue is projected to decline by 3.5% in the third quarter but improve to approximately +1.0% in the fourth quarter [7] - Global video-game spending has been growing at a high-single-digit pace since 2010, contrasting with low-single-digit growth for traditional toys, highlighting a shift in consumer spending [8]