Hasbro (NASDAQ:HAS) Upgraded by Argus to "Strong-Buy" Rating

Key Points

• Argus upgraded Hasbro to a "strong-buy" and several other firms raised price targets, leaving a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" with a $113.07 average target.
• Earnings beat: Hasbro reported $1.51 EPS vs. $0.99 expected and revenue of $1.45B (up 31.3% YoY), with analysts projecting about $4.33 EPS for the year.
• Financial and governance risks: the company has a high debt-to-equity ratio (4.89) and completed a $400M senior notes offering, while insiders sold sizable stakes (413,342 shares recently), and local job-cut uncertainty in Pawtucket adds near-term risk.

Hasbro (NASDAQ:HAS - Get Free Report) was upgraded by research analysts at Argus to a "strong-buy" rating in a note issued to investors on Friday,Zacks.com reports.

A number of other equities analysts also recently weighed in on HAS. Citigroup increased their price target on shares of Hasbro from $97.00 to $118.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of Hasbro from $94.00 to $115.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on Hasbro in a report on Wednesday. They set an "equal weight" rating and a $98.00 price objective for the company. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on Hasbro from $103.00 to $119.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 11th. Finally, DA Davidson lifted their target price on Hasbro from $80.00 to $110.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Wednesday, February 11th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $113.07.

Hasbro Stock Down 1.8%

HAS opened at $93.40 on Friday. Hasbro has a 12 month low of $49.00 and a 12 month high of $106.98. The business has a 50-day moving average of $94.03 and a two-hundred day moving average of $83.82. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.89, a current ratio of 1.38 and a quick ratio of 1.24. The stock has a market capitalization of $13.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -39.74 and a beta of 0.54.

Hasbro (NASDAQ:HAS - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 10th. The company reported $1.51 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.99 by $0.52. Hasbro had a negative net margin of 6.86% and a positive return on equity of 127.21%. The business had revenue of $1.45 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.26 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.46 EPS. The company's revenue was up 31.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts expect that Hasbro will post 4.33 earnings per share for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, insider Timothy J. Kilpin sold 7,773 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Friday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $103.00, for a total value of $800,619.00. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 36,528 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,762,384. This represents a 17.55% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, CEO Christian P. Cocks sold 196,411 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $100.33, for a total transaction of $19,705,915.63. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 303,310 shares in the company, valued at $30,431,092.30. This trade represents a 39.30% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold a total of 413,342 shares of company stock valued at $42,241,679 in the last three months. 0.85% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Hasbro

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. University of Texas Texas AM Investment Management Co. acquired a new position in Hasbro in the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC acquired a new stake in Hasbro during the second quarter valued at approximately $25,000. First Horizon Corp acquired a new stake in Hasbro during the third quarter valued at approximately $29,000. MUFG Securities EMEA plc acquired a new position in shares of Hasbro in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Finally, Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Hasbro in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $34,000. Institutional investors own 91.83% of the company's stock.

Key Hasbro News

Here are the key news stories impacting Hasbro this week:

• Positive Sentiment: CEO pledge to avoid generative AI in Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons preserves brand integrity and reduces risk of community backlash or IP/legal issues — a defensive move that may protect long-term franchise value. Hasbro’s CEO Says ‘Magic: The Gathering’ and ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ Will Never Use Generative AI
• Positive Sentiment: Product pipeline update: Hasbro revealed a new Transformers “Grimlock” Studio Series Titan-class figure — incremental merchandising and collector product news that supports toy/IP revenue streams. Transformers: Age of Extinction Grimlock Studio Series figure revealed by Hasbro
• Neutral Sentiment: Wells Fargo initiated coverage of HAS — initiations can move stock depending on the published rating and price target; investors should check the note for guidance. Wells Fargo & Company Initiates Coverage on Hasbro
• Neutral Sentiment: CEO’s public response to anti–Harry Potter activists signals management’s willingness to defend key franchises — relevant to brand reputation but unlikely to move fundamentals materially. Hasbro CEO tells anti-Harry Potter activists to kick rocks!
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary: recent write-ups note HAS is down since the earnings report — useful context for momentum traders but not a new company development. Hasbro (HAS) Down 11% Since Last Earnings Report
• Negative Sentiment: Pawtucket job fair signals uncertainty and potential layoffs tied to Hasbro’s departure — raises near-term restructuring risk, local costs and employee-impact headlines that can pressure sentiment. Pawtucket to hold job fair for Hasbro workers, despite not knowing how many jobs will be lost
• Negative Sentiment: Completed $400M senior notes offering increases net debt and leverage at a time when Hasbro already shows high debt-to-equity — could weigh on credit metrics, interest expense and investor risk premium. Hasbro Completes $400 Million Senior Notes Offering

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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