In the first quarter of this year, the toy manufacturer Mattel recorded a slight decline in sales by 1%, with total revenue falling to 809.5 million US dollars, thereby missing the analyst expectations of 833.5 million US dollars. This decline follows a period in which the company saw significant jumps in sales due to the cinema hit "Barbie."

The Doll Category in Particular, Mattel's Largest Segment by Gross Revenue, Which Measures Sales to Retailers Before Adjustments, Declined by 4%. This Decline Ends a Run of Two Consecutive Quarters with Double-Digit Increases in This Area. Gross Revenue for Barbie Remained Essentially Unchanged from the Previous Year.

CEO Ynon Kreiz told The Wall Street Journal that demand for dolls was positive in the quarter, but the decline in gross revenues was due to shifts in inventory. Mattel outperformed the industry overall, driven by the success of the "Barbie" movie, which expanded the brand's appeal. Kreiz predicted that the toy industry as a whole would experience another year of declining sales figures, with Mattel continuing to outperform the industry and gain market share.

In the three months leading up to March 31st, Mattel reduced its loss to $28.3 million, or 8 cents per share, compared with a loss of $106.5 million, or 30 cents per share, in the same period the previous year. Analysts had expected a loss of 14 cents per share. After adjusting for one-time items, the loss was 5 cents per share, which is also better than the 13 cents per share analysts had anticipated.

The improvement in margins for the quarter was partly due to lower inventory management costs and savings from previously announced cost-cutting measures. While gross revenues in the Vehicles segment increased by 5% thanks to the Hot Wheels brand, gross revenues in the Infant and Preschool category fell by 10%.