Mattel, Inc. MAT is scheduled to report second-quarter 2024 results on Jul 23, after the closing bell. In the last reported quarter, the company delivered an earnings surprise of 58.3%.
How are Estimates Placed?
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter earnings per share (EPS) is pegged at 17 cents, indicating an improvement of 70% from 10 cents reported in the year-ago quarter.
For revenues, the consensus mark is pegged at nearly $1.1 billion. The metric suggests an improvement of 1.8% from the year-ago quarter’s figure.
Mattel, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise
Mattel, Inc. price-eps-surprise | Mattel, Inc. Quote
Let’s discuss the factors that are likely to be reflected in the quarter to be reported.
Factors to Note
Mattel’s second-quarter top line is likely to have increased year over year, courtesy of contributions from the IP-driven toy business, innovations across the toy portfolio and the expansion of entertainment offerings. This and the focus on demand creation (in collaboration with retail partners), licensing partnerships and advancements in terms of theatrical releases are likely to have aided the company’s performance in the to-be-reported quarter.
Strong gross billings in North America, backed by growth in dolls, vehicles, games and building sets and solid fan engagement across DTC channels, are likely to have aided the company’s performance in the second quarter.
Emphasis on the execution of the Optimizing for Growth program, ongoing advantages from cost reductions and increased production volumes are likely to have aided the company’s results in the to-be-reported quarter.
However, inflationary pressures (due to the wrapping up of the prior year's decline in ocean freight costs, owing to Red Sea challenges) alongside upward pressure on wage rates are likely to have negatively impacted the company’s operations in the second quarter. The year-over-year lap of Barbie movie success is likely to be reflected in the company’s second-quarter results.
What the Zacks Model Unveils
Our proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Mattel this time. A stock needs to have a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) to beat earnings. However, that's not the case here.
Earnings ESP: Mattel has an Earnings ESP of 0.00%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Zacks Rank: The company has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
Stocks Poised to Beat Earnings Estimates
Here are some stocks from the Zacks Consumer Discretionary sector that investors may consider, as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat.
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. HLT has an Earnings ESP of +0.47% and a Zacks Rank of 3 at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
HLT’s earnings for the to-be-reported quarter are expected to increase 13.5% year over year. It reported better-than-expected earnings in each of the trailing four quarters, with an earnings surprise of 5%, on average.
Planet Fitness, Inc. PLNT currently has an Earnings ESP of +1.24% and a Zacks Rank of 3.
PLNT’s earnings for the to-be-reported quarter are expected to inch up 1.5% year over year. It reported better-than-expected earnings in each of the trailing four quarters, with an earnings surprise of 9.8%, on average.
Choice Hotels International, Inc. CHH currently has an Earnings ESP of +3.52% and a Zacks Rank of 3.
CHH’s earnings for the to-be-reported quarter are expected to increase 6.9% year over year. It reported better-than-expected earnings in three of the trailing four quarters and missed on one occasion, the average surprise being 4.6%.
Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
