Here's Why Investors Should Retain Hasbro Stock in Their Portfolio

Hasbro, Inc. HAS is likely to benefit from the strong performance of MAGIC: The Gathering, operational adjustments and licensing partnerships. Also, focus on accelerated cost reductions bodes well. However, an uncertain macro environment is a concern.Let us discuss the factors that suggest why investors should retain the stock for the time being.Hasbro’s Major Growth DriversHasbro’s early momentum in 2025 highlights the effectiveness of its Playing to Win strategy, which centers on high-growth categories and enhanced consumer engagement. Strong performances from MAGIC: The Gathering and the ongoing success of Monopoly Go! fueled significant gains in the Wizards of the Coast and Digital Gaming division.To support sales growth, the company is safeguarding key price points ($9.99 and $19.99) and collaborating closely with retailers to maintain shelf space amid the rollout of major new releases like Final Fantasy and Fantastic Four. Operational adjustments such as SKU rationalization and diversified sourcing aim to boost flexibility and mitigate trade-related risks.Hasbro is also prioritizing investments in its most promising franchises, such as MAGIC: THE GATHERING, Play-Doh and upcoming self-published games like Exodus, while optimizing profitability from lower-growth brands and reinventing the NERF business model. With a stable outlook for the toy sector and expected growth in video gaming, Hasbro is well-positioned to capture long-term opportunities.The company is also reinforcing its licensing strategy by expanding a long-standing partnership with Disney, securing broader rights across Marvel and Star Wars properties, along with added preschool and role-play categories like PLAY-DOH and action figures, supporting the focus on scaling intellectual property through collaborative partnerships. Looking ahead, Hasbro plans to introduce additional brand collaborations across toys, games and video games tailored to a wide demographic. Our model predicts 2025 revenues from Digital and Licensed Gaming to rise 11.2% year over year to $524.7 million.Hasbro is expediting its $1 billion cost savings initiative to cushion the impact of ongoing tariff challenges. The company continues to extract efficiencies from its broader transformation efforts, delivering strong financial results. In the fiscal first quarter, total adjusted EBITDA reached $274 million, a 59% year-over-year increase, driven in part by $22 million in gross savings from operational excellence initiatives that contributed to margin expansion.In light of the evolving macroeconomic landscape, Hasbro is now aiming for $175 million to $225 million in gross cost savings this year. The combined impact of Consumer Products mitigation, strong performance from the Wizards segment and accelerated cost reductions provides confidence in achieving its full-year financial targets.ConcernsImage Source: Zacks Investment ResearchShares of the company have gained 8.5% in the past year compared with the industry’s growth of 10.5%. The downside was caused by a challenging macro environment.Hasbro is navigating a challenging macroeconomic environment marked by escalating trade tensions. Rising tariff rates on imports from China, coupled with the potential for retaliatory duties from manufacturing hubs like Vietnam and India, have created a highly unpredictable backdrop. The company’s 2025 tariff projections account for a range of scenarios, estimating a gross financial impact between $100 million and $300 million, depending on policy developments.To counteract these pressures, Hasbro has implemented a variety of mitigation strategies, including diversifying its sourcing footprint, refining SKU assortments, enhancing promotional efforts and executing targeted pricing actions. Despite these efforts, the company anticipates a net profit impact ranging from $60 million to $180 million, influenced by trade policy shifts, retailer demand patterns and consumer behavior. While Hasbro’s robust games and licensing segments provide stability, persistent tariff-related costs pose ongoing risks to pricing, profitability and overall market predictability.HAS’ Zacks Rank and Stocks to ConsiderCurrently, Hasbro carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).Some better-ranked stocks from the Zacks Consumer-Discretionary sector are Fox Corporation FOX, Stride, Inc. LRN and Laureate Education, Inc. LAUR. Fox currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks Rank #1 stocks here. The company delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 30.9%, on average. The stock has gained 10.2% in the year-to-date period. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Fox’s fiscal 2025 sales and earnings per share (EPS) implies growth of 15.3% and 32.4%, respectively, from the year-ago levels. Stride currently sports a Zacks Rank #1. The company delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 94.7%, on average. The stock has gained 47.2% in the year-to-date period. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Stride’s fiscal 2025 sales and EPS indicates an increase of 16.7% and 51.2%, respectively, from the year-ago levels.Laureate Education presently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). The company delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 56.1%, on average. The stock has moved up 19.4% in the year-to-date period. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Laureate’s 2025 sales and EPS indicates growth of 0.3% and 23.7%, respectively, from the year-ago period’s levels.7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 DaysJust released: Experts distill 7 elite stocks from the current list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys. They deem these tickers "Most Likely for Early Price Pops."Since 1988, the full list has beaten the market more than 2X over with an average gain of +23.0% per year. So be sure to give these hand picked 7 your immediate attention. See them now >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Hasbro, Inc. (HAS): Free Stock Analysis Report Stride, Inc. (LRN): Free Stock Analysis Report Fox Corporation (FOX): Free Stock Analysis Report Laureate Education (LAUR): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks