How did Mattel's revenue and expenses trend in Q4 2024?

Mattel's Q4 2024 financial performance showed a decline in revenue and a decrease in net income compared to the previous year.

1. Revenue Trend: Mattel's revenue for Q4 2024 was $1.84 billion, which represented a year-over-year decline of 3.9%. This decrease in revenue was slightly better than the consensus estimate of $1.86 billion. The decline in revenue can be attributed to various factors, including a slowdown in sales of some of its key brands.
2. Net Income Trend: The company reported an EPS of $1.14 for the quarter, which beat analysts' expectations of $0.95. However, this was still lower than the EPS of $1.08 reported in the same quarter the previous year. This indicates a decrease in net income, which can be inferred from the lower EPS figure.
3. Analyst Expectations: Analysts had reduced their Q4 2024 EPS estimates for Mattel to $0.22 per share, down from the previous estimate of $0.36. This reduction in estimates reflects the pessimistic outlook of Mattel's Q4 earnings, with concerns about demand and revenue growth.
4. Comparative Metrics: When compared to the same quarter the previous year, Mattel's revenue declined, but its gross billings for its top three power brands—Barbie, Fisher-Price, and Hot Wheels—showed mixed performance. While Barbie's and Fisher-Price's billings decreased by 17.3% and 16.3%, respectively, Hot Wheels' billings increased by 11.7%.

In conclusion, Mattel faced a challenging quarter with revenue and net income trending downwards. While there were some positive aspects, such as the better-than-expected EPS, the overall trend indicates a difficult period for the company.