Brian D. Goldner
Analyst · Drew Crum of Stifel, Nicolaus
Thank you, Debbie. Good morning, everyone, and thank you for joining us today. 2012 continues to develop in line with our expectations, as we shift more of our shipments to later in the year while improving profitability in the near term. While shipments are expected later in the year, through May, we have gained share in the United States. Given strong growth in our emerging markets, we're also confident that we're gaining share in these geographies as well. Innovation in Hasbro core brands and new initiatives, strong entertainment in both films and television and global expansion is driving our business this year and beyond. We remain steadfast in the execution of our branded play strategy for the long term and believe in the value it is creating for our shareholders. As we've stated, our 2012 plans calls for shifting 2% to 4% of our full year revenues into the second half of the year. We're on track with this plan, and we continue to expect to grow revenues and earnings per share, absent the impact of foreign exchange, for the full year 2012. We also expect that the fourth quarter will be greater than the third quarter in both revenues and earnings per share, similar to the historical trends in our International segment and Entertainment and Licensing segment. In the first and second quarters, in partnership with our retailers, we have restaged our retail presence, lowered overall inventory levels and focused on aligning our shipments with the strongest periods of consumer demand. As a result, it is not surprising to see our U.S. and Canada net revenues down through the first 6 months. However, we're very encouraged about the quality of our execution and the profitability improvements we are delivering. We remain committed and on track to returning to historical levels of operating profit in the U.S. and Canada segment. We have great innovative products launching over the next 2 quarters for all consumer groups and geographies. Entertainment is also driving incremental brand exposure and demand from both television and feature films. And our teams and retailers are supporting these fast-breaking initiatives. These include several new games, as well as our alliance with Zynga, through which we'll be launching Words With Friends, FarmVille and CityVille games this year. Across categories, we have new lines based on Hasbro core brands and a new 1D branded product line based on the incredibly popular band One Direction from the U.K., which is taking the world by storm. Internationally, our business grew 5% absent foreign exchange, although reported net revenues were down 4% as we faced a more challenging exchange rate environment. Our International revenues continue to benefit from our expansion into emerging markets, innovation in Hasbro brands, as well as global entertainment in both films and television programming. Year-to-date, all major geographic markets are up, excluding currency translation. In the second quarter, Latin America posted strong growth, up 15% and up nearly double that, absent foreign exchange. Excluding foreign exchange, Asia Pacific was up slightly, and Europe was down approximately 1%, given the challenging comparisons with Transformers and Beyblade last year. Through new markets and share expansion backed by innovative products and engaging marketing programs, we're in a position to grow off last year's strong performance despite facing a persistently challenging global economic environment. Our performance overall reflected the shipment timing and retail inventory reductions in the U.S. and Canada, as well as difficult comparisons versus Transformers and Beyblade last year. As a result, revenues in the Boys category declined 16%. Sales of Marvel properties, driven by tremendous performance at the box office, were very strong. Marvel's The Avengers is ahead of expectations, and The Amazing Spider-Man is just getting started. The strength in Marvel was offset by declines in Transformers and Beyblade within the Boys category. In the Games category, we are 1 year into the Gaming Center of Excellence as we reimagine, reinvent and reignite our entire Games business. To date, we've made very strong progress. Based on the faster pace of innovation and initial reactions to our new games, we have greater confidence today in our ability to stabilize this category in 2012 and grow it next year through newly created teams focused on specific demographics and psychographics and teams focused on technologies that span digital and analog play, ultimately marrying the 2 play patterns together. We are truly redefining what it means to play games for our consumers globally. Through our Boys Action Gaming lines, including Transformers Bot Shots, Star Wars Fighter Pods and MARVEL BONKAZONKS, we have created an entirely new gaming category, developed specifically for boys and their desire to battle and collect. Year-to-date, this new way to game has generated significant new revenues. In addition to our spring successes, this fall, we have new games including Twister Dance, MONOPOLY Millionaires, Lazer Tag, Where's My Water? and our new Zynga games. All of these initiatives will showcase our progress for gaming consumers. Our major U.S. retailers have aggressively lowered current game inventory, down 46% in the second quarter, putting themselves in a position to capitalize on these new innovations in the second half of this year. Moving to our Girls brands. We have several exciting new initiatives launching in the coming months, including Furby, which will be released in English-speaking markets in September and is already making retailers list of top 10 toys for Christmas; and our 1D line of products hitting shelves in August. Both of these initiatives are new in the category. In our core Girls brands, My Little Pony continued to leverage global television and grew shipments again this quarter and posted strong point of sale in major markets, including the U.S., U.K., Spain, Italy, Brazil and Russia. For the fall, Baby Butterscotch and BOUNCY, MY HAPPY TO SEE ME PUP are feature items in FurReal Friends. Baby Alive brings Baby Wanna Walk to the market, and for Littlest Pet Shop, our new television animation will be airing in U.S. this fall. A new line of LITTLEST PET SHOP Fairies will also be hitting shelves shortly. Finally, our Preschool category benefited from growth in Playskool Heroes, including Marvel and Transformers, our Sesame Street line and the initial introduction of our all-new, reimagined Koosh brand. Looking ahead in the year, we're excited about many new Preschool initiatives, including Koosh, our new PLAYSKOOL ROCTIVITY segment and Sesame Street. But our comparisons become more challenging later in the year as we anniversary last year's initial Sesame Street shipments. From an entertainment standpoint, our strategy is delivering growth within our Entertainment and Licensing segment and creating demand for our Hasbro brand’s innovative toys and games in global markets. Hasbro Studios shows are on every major market and country worldwide and driving positive point-of-sale trends. We are also distributing our award-winning shows via digital and home entertainment distribution channels. Our newest show, Kaijudo, recently premiered on The Hub, and this fall, Littlest Pet Shop television programming will air in the U.S. and begin airing internationally in 2013. In 2012, we continue to expect $300 million of television-backed revenues, about half of which we expect to be incremental. In the U.S., The Hub continues to make strong progress. The second quarter was The Hub's best quarter to date in the key demographic of kids 2 to 11 and June its biggest month. The network posted 54% growth in the second quarter versus a year ago and is outpacing growth at all major kids' networks. In respect to feature films, looking ahead to 2013, there are a number of films we're supporting. First, G.I. JOE: RETALIATION is expected in March 2013 in 3D with our partners at Paramount. In May, Iron Man 3 from Marvel is scheduled for release, as well as Star Trek from Paramount. Twentieth Century Fox is planning to release The Wolverine in July, and Marvel has scheduled Thor: The Dark World in November. Additionally, from Hasbro and Universal, Ouija is scheduled for release next year. Also in 2013, Hasbro is excited to again partner with Lucasfilm on their next 3D entertainment event. Hasbro will have a full line of merchandise supporting this venture. Lucasfilm will be announcing specific details on this topic, along with the actual 2013 timing of this news, at the upcoming Star Wars celebration taking place in Orlando on August 23 to 26. In summary, through the execution of our branded play strategy, we're in the early stages of unlocking the total potential of our brands. In the near term, the year is developing in line with our plan to improve profitability in the U.S. and Canada segment, stabilize the Games category and introduce new, innovative Hasbro core brand and entertainment-backed properties for the holidays. Over the longer term, we remain on our path toward delivering the full potential of Hasbro's and our partners' brands globally. Now I'd like to turn the call over to Deb. Deb?