Assenagon Asset Management S.A. Grows Position in Hasbro, Inc. $HAS

Key Points

• Assenagon Asset Management increased its Hasbro stake by 454.3% in the first quarter, ending with 727,407 shares worth about $68.1 million.
• Hasbro reported stronger-than-expected quarterly results, posting $1.47 EPS versus the $1.20 estimate and $1.0 billion in revenue, up 12.7% year over year.
• Recent headlines were mixed: Hasbro faces backlash over alleged AI voice-rights contracts tied to Peppa Pig, while analysts remain generally constructive, with BNP Paribas highlighting upside in Magic: The Gathering.

Assenagon Asset Management S.A. raised its holdings in Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ:HAS - Free Report) by 454.3% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 727,407 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 596,167 shares during the quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. owned 0.52% of Hasbro worth $68,085,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in HAS. Brighton Jones LLC acquired a new position in Hasbro during the fourth quarter worth about $317,000. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. boosted its stake in shares of Hasbro by 11.8% during the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 16,563 shares of the company's stock worth $1,018,000 after acquiring an additional 1,753 shares in the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC boosted its stake in shares of Hasbro by 95.8% during the 1st quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 13,187 shares of the company's stock worth $811,000 after acquiring an additional 6,451 shares in the last quarter. Woodline Partners LP boosted its stake in shares of Hasbro by 40.7% during the 1st quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 11,078 shares of the company's stock worth $681,000 after acquiring an additional 3,203 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Focus Partners Wealth acquired a new stake in shares of Hasbro in the 1st quarter worth approximately $292,000. 91.83% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Hasbro News

Here are the key news stories impacting Hasbro this week:

• Negative Sentiment: Multiple reports say Hasbro faced backlash after allegedly asking child actors to sign contracts giving the company rights to use their voices for AI, sparking criticism online and in entertainment media. Peppa Pig Owner Demands Child Actors Sign Away Voice Rights to AI
• Negative Sentiment: An open letter and follow-up coverage amplified concerns that a “major studio” was pushing children to give voice rights to AI, which could pressure Hasbro’s brand image and attract scrutiny from parents, talent groups, and regulators. Open Letter Alleges ‘Major Studio' Demands Children Give Voices to AI
• Negative Sentiment: Additional articles framed the controversy as a broader backlash against AI use in entertainment, suggesting the issue could become a longer-running reputational overhang for Hasbro’s Peppa Pig and family-entertainment operations. Peppa Pig Contract Backlash Is the Latest Over the Use of AI in Entertainment
• Neutral Sentiment: Separately, a court update in Hasbro’s intellectual-property fight over Peppa Pig sound recordings reinforces that the brand remains protected, but this appears more like a legal maintenance item than a major new stock catalyst. Hasbro v Sconnect: High Court grants summary judgment over Wolfoo's copying of Peppa Pig sound recordings
• Positive Sentiment: On the brighter side, BNP Paribas reiterated a bullish view on Hasbro, saying investors may be underestimating the growth and profitability of Magic: The Gathering and implying meaningful upside potential. Hasbro’s Magic Has Unlocked A 41% Stock Upside — But The Market Still Doesn’t Get It
• Positive Sentiment: Hasbro also has fresh product-related buzz with the announcement of Hasbro Games Junior Collection for multiple gaming platforms, which supports its broader licensed-content and games strategy. Hasbro Games Junior Collection announced for PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, PS4, Switch, and PC

Hasbro Stock Performance

NASDAQ HAS opened at $84.88 on Friday. Hasbro, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $69.50 and a fifty-two week high of $106.98. The stock has a market cap of $12.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -51.13, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.04 and a beta of 0.48. The business has a fifty day moving average of $89.75 and a 200-day moving average of $90.42. The company has a quick ratio of 1.49, a current ratio of 1.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.59.

Hasbro (NASDAQ:HAS - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 13th. The company reported $1.47 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.20 by $0.27. The business had revenue of $1 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $969.20 million. Hasbro had a positive return on equity of 174.64% and a negative net margin of 4.62%.The business's revenue was up 12.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.04 earnings per share. As a group, analysts predict that Hasbro, Inc. will post 6.01 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hasbro Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, June 11th. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 1st were issued a $0.70 dividend. This represents a $2.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.3%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, June 1st. Hasbro's dividend payout ratio is -168.67%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

HAS has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on Hasbro from $92.00 to $85.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, June 9th. Zacks Research raised Hasbro from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, May 27th. Argus set a $105.00 price target on Hasbro in a research report on Friday, March 13th. Citigroup cut their price target on Hasbro from $118.00 to $114.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, May 21st. Finally, DA Davidson reiterated a "neutral" rating and issued a $100.00 price objective on shares of Hasbro in a research report on Thursday, May 21st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating, two have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $113.14.

About Hasbro

Hasbro, Inc is a global play and entertainment company, known for designing, manufacturing and marketing a diverse portfolio of toys, games and consumer products. Founded in 1923 as Hassenfeld Brothers and headquartered in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, the company has grown into one of the foremost names in the toy industry, with a presence in retail, digital and entertainment channels worldwide.

The company's brand portfolio features iconic properties such as Monopoly, Play-Doh, Nerf, My Little Pony and Transformers.

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