Group 1 - Whatnot completed a $225 million Series F funding round, achieving a valuation of $11.5 billion [1] - Founded in 2019, Whatnot initially focused on live auctions for collectible trading cards, which helped it stand out in a market dominated by eBay for over two decades [1][3] - The platform has expanded its offerings to include clothing and sneakers, competing with Amazon Live, eBay Live, and TikTok Shop, and has extended its live auction business to Canada and Europe [3] Group 2 - Hasbro reported that the operating profit from the Magic: The Gathering IP accounts for nearly 90% of the entire group's net profit [5] - The success of Magic: The Gathering is attributed to its cross-brand collaborations, such as the recent partnership with Final Fantasy, which generated $200 million in a single day [5][7] - The annual MagicCon event saw a 29% increase in VIP badge sales, with participation and interest metrics at historical highs [7] Group 3 - The Japanese trading card market is seeing a shift towards a more diverse player base, with significant participation from women and younger demographics [10][11] - Approximately 30% of men aged 20-39 and about 20% of women in the same age group have purchased trading cards, indicating a growing market [11] - The market is characterized by a digital transformation and the influence of popular IPs attracting new players [11] Group 4 - Bandai's sales for the Mobile Suit Gundam card game increased by 66.27% year-on-year, making it the top-selling toy IP for the company [14][15] - The company has established a dedicated division for trading card games, focusing on brands like One Piece and Dragon Ball, with plans for future releases [15] - Bandai is actively promoting its card games through global events and tournaments, enhancing player engagement [17][18] Group 5 - Tomy reported a 1.91% year-on-year increase in sales, with a notable 14.68% growth in action toys, including trading cards [22] - The Duel Masters card game continues to perform well, supported by collaborations with popular VTubers and a focus on digital card gaming [24][26] - The Disney Lorcana card game has successfully attracted a diverse player base, particularly women, through its engaging promotional strategies [26] Group 6 - Bushiroad's TCG business saw a 33.07% year-on-year increase in sales, driven by strong performance in both domestic and international markets [31] - The Godzilla card game has been well-received, contributing to the company's growth through targeted promotional events [35] - The company is leveraging its IPs to attract new players and maintain stable popularity across its card game offerings [33] Group 7 - Konami's digital entertainment segment, including TCG, reported an 18.17% year-on-year increase in sales, with a significant boost from the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise [43] - The company is actively developing digital card games and has launched new services to enhance player engagement [49][50] - Yu-Gi-Oh! continues to attract a dedicated player base, supported by various tournaments and promotional events [47] Group 8 - The Pokémon Trading Card Game (PTCG) remains a market leader, with strong sales and a vibrant secondary market [53] - The recent Pokémon World Championships saw participation from over 2,400 players, highlighting the game's global appeal [59] - The PTCG is expanding its reach through various events and collaborations, including a partnership with Uniqlo for merchandise [57]

Core Insights - The report highlights the strong performance of overseas IP leaders, with significant revenue growth in the IP-related sector [2][3][4] - Disney's experience business showed resilience, with total revenue increasing by 2% year-on-year to $23.7 billion, and operating profit rising by 8% to $4.6 billion in Q3 FY25 [2] - Sanrio reported a remarkable 49% year-on-year revenue growth in Q1 FY26, with revenue from the China region doubling [3] - Bandai Namco achieved a steady revenue increase of 7.1% year-on-year in Q1 FY26, driven by strong performance from its IPs [3] - CyberAgent's media and IP business saw a 10.9% year-on-year revenue growth in Q3 FY25, with significant profit increases in both media/IP and gaming sectors [4] Company Summaries - **Disney**: In Q3 FY25, the entertainment segment generated $10.7 billion in revenue (up 1% year-on-year), while the experience segment saw an 8% increase to $9.1 billion [2] - **Sanrio**: For Q1 FY26, the company reported revenue of 43.1 billion yen (up 49% year-on-year) and a net profit of 14.19 billion yen (up 38%) [3] - **Bandai Namco**: The company recorded revenue of 300.43 billion yen in Q1 FY26, with a net profit of 38.33 billion yen, reflecting a 12.6% year-on-year increase [3] - **CyberAgent**: The company achieved revenue of 210.78 billion yen in Q3 FY25, with a net profit of 8.24 billion yen, marking a 46.6% year-on-year increase [4] - **Hasbro**: In Q2 FY25, Hasbro reported revenue of $981 million, a slight decline of 1% year-on-year, with the Wizards segment growing by 16% [5] - **Mattel**: The company generated $1.019 billion in revenue in Q2 FY25, down 6% year-on-year, with mixed performance across different product categories [6] - **DeNa**: In Q1 FY25, DeNa's revenue reached 41.7 billion yen, a 23% year-on-year increase, with a significant rise in gaming revenue [7]