Thread regarding Mattel Inc. layoffs

Mattel doesn't do tech well.

Period.

They overpromise and underdeliver on every front. Aristotle and Thingmaker died before production. That's arguably better than shipping more skus with defects and security flaws. Hello Barbie (now where are those gurus from Toy Talk?), her Dreamhouse, and yes even FPs bear were fundamentally flawed. https://www.google.com/amp/amp.timeinc.net/fortune/2016/02/02/fisher-price-smart-toy-bear-data-leak/%3fsource=dam. There's nothing wrong with selling low tech plastic items (historically the only thing we do well). But it must be good product, the right product, quality product at the right price. That requires toy experience. What a pity Mattel let all their experienced people go in wave after desperate wave of layoffs. The house of Mattel is populated with green millennials and long time yes men. Hardly the disruptive, entrepreneurial archetypes to drive Mattel back to profitability. NASA's talent scattered after Apollo was cancelled, and they lost the ability to go back to the moon. In similar short-sighted fashion, Mattel has crippled itself by looking only at dollars without any sense.

Fuhu, which makes Nabi, was an absolute dumpster fire when Mattel bought out of bankruptcy. Not surprising.

You want to know why the stock dropped so suddenly yesterday after the TRU bankruptcy announcement? It's the typical "I'll put all my eggs in one basket" Mattel rule of business:

Hasbro - $5B company - stock dropped $1 to $93 per share - TRU owes them $59M

Mattel - $5B company - stock dropped $1+ to $14.87 per share - TRU owes them $135M (!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

It's a pretty sad state to be so attached to one retailer and not have the foresight to spread your distribution better, especially with a known risk like TRU. After the debacle that was the Toy Box show and the dreadful product it spawned and the fact it didn't sell and is on closeout, do you think anyone in ES had a brain to say, "Hmmmm, maybe we shouldn't be so dependent on TRU?".

Mattel vaporware. Some of these nonexistent products helped bump up the stock price when they were announced. It makes you wonder if any SEC regulations were violated....

There is not a management team that is more of a disaster than this crew. Stockton was like Bezos compared to the clowns we have on 15 in ES.

The Rockwell Automation Encabulator guy has presentation skills equal to the "Shamwow" info-Commercial guy. That is impressive and humorous . We recognize that humor. Sham wow product created more sales and profit than did the Mattel tech products that started this thread. Stock at $14.96....and dropping. Exec management, you are failing !!

Watch for the key change and try to keep up, they already said CUL8R to CBS. So much upper level turnover these days, it's like a parade of incompetents. Margaret's already hit several worthy high level targets, but no one can take Mattel seriously until Duckson & Down are kicked to the curb. THIS YEAR. Keep swinging that hatchet, Margaret, you ain't done yet. We'll invite you to the party after you flush those pompous hacks and the healing & rebuilding can begin in earnest.

We have had such bad choices leading the future of the company, GWalker tech Cmon are you kidding. CBS with content. Train Wreck. And many others. It's no surprise nothing gets done and at $15 a share. It all comes down to the poor decisions made by the millions of dollar man RD. Just not a leader.

Doesn't this chain illustrate the mess the CEO inherited from the Exec Chrmn. former 2 year CEO, former 18 year board member with all the answers and COO/Pres./maybe Highest Paid Barbie Brand Manager ever? Not sure all the facts but in my opinion makes make one question judgement of the leaders. Best of luck to all involved. What does the board do exactly?

Is it ethical for a publicly traded company to state that their flagship product is being delayed a year to really dial in the functionality when in reality they were actually scrapping the project altogether?

Thanks for the update, I actually did buy a bunch of Mattel at around $26 figuring that these three holiday items, combined with the new CEO's Silicon Valley roots and recent acquisitions of Nabi and Sprouting would set a good foundation for the company to move into more tech based product categories.

But not I'm extremely frustrated, since cutting the dividend Mattel leadership has gone radio silent and the stock value has fallen dramatically. I know I am not alone in this frustration, and to now hear that the three key items they touted at Toy Fair as their big news for Q4 are in trouble, makes me even less hopeful.

Speaking of which, I didn't metnion this before but what about the Sproutling wearable? That seems like a perfect fit for the Fisher-Price brand.

Mattel has never been a tech company, we lack the discipline and patience required. But upper mismanagement needed TF headlines and now we're a laughing stock of failed promises. The jig is up, we're a bunch of hacks. Can't wait to see the new Rainbow Hover Laser Wifi AI Unicorn for 2018. It's another industry first from the genius of Mattel!

All three if these items were all hype and ended with poor execution. Thing maker dropped weeks before porduction and never revived. Haligram product late and small quota, will be a mess and only proved fodder at toy fair. This is the typical pattern at Mattel. Poor direction by executive management, no tangible results and grossly rewarded for this crap. This is a continued narrative at Mattel. If you have stock or influence with an institutional investor, dump this stock to punish the executives.