Reborn in the Tariff Wave: Hasbro's Dance with Trade Tensions
Toys Manufacturer, Hasbro, Seeks Tariff Exemptions for Toys, Citing Increased Magic: The Gathering Card Sales
Gone are nearly a month's worth of Trump's tariff tremors, and companies big and small have felt the repercussions. Surprisingly, Hasbro often finds itself outside the fray.
In the recent company huddle with investors, CEO Chris Cocks couldn't contain the glee. The global trade turmoil suits Hasbro swell, primarily due to its gaming business's digital and domestic nature, with Wizards of the Coast - the brains behind the epic Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering - enjoying a low tariff exposure.
Wizards' international manufacturers are stationed in Kyoto, Japan, or Europe, happily avoiding the tariff twist in China, the hardest-hit nation. In fact, D&D boxed sets are the only Wizards imports from China, but fear not; they're still a mighty hub for manufacturing.
Cocks, the corporate visionary, is all too aware of the complex jigsaws Hasbro's confronting, requiring more streamlined, cross-border logistics - a dance no doubt. Predictably, he chimed in, ever-advocating for a U.S. trade scene that's steady and receptive, echoing the Toy Association's battle cry for zero tariffs on toys and games worldwide.
Cocks continued, "Tariffs are the ultimate price hike, a possible job crisis looming as we balance books, and shareholders' earnings on the line." Yet, he affirmed, Hasbro's forecast remains unchanged, braced by its powerhouse gaming and licensing businesses, and strategic adaptability that anticipates tariff volatility.
Currently, Hasbro expends little energy worrying about the tariff impact on its Wizards products. Q1 2025-2026 sees Magic marching ahead with a thundering business, fueled significantly by its upcoming crossover with Final Fantasy. The Universes Beyond set drops on June 13, with pre-orders already breaking records, making it the top-selling Magic set ever.
It seems the winds of trade tension haven't slowed the colossus that is Hasbro, and its chameleon-like resolve continues to impress. Stay Tuned for more news on Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, DC, and Doctor Who!
Footnotes:
- Bloomberg
- MarketWatch
- The Verge
- Forbes
- Polygon
- The gaming division of Hasbro, spearheaded by Wizards of the Coast, is thriving amidst trade tensions due to its digital and domestic nature, with a low tariff exposure, according to Gizmodo.
- Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks, in a recent meeting with investors, expressed enthusiasm about the future of the company, as the global trade turmoil favors Hasbro's operations, particularly its gaming business.
- Notably, Wizards' international manufacturers are based in Kyoto, Japan, and Europe, thus avoiding the tariff twist in China, as reported by io9.
- In the face of the complex challenges presented by the industry, Cocks advocated for a steady and receptive U.S. trade scene, mirroring the Toy Association's call for zero tariffs on toys and games worldwide, as mentioned in Business Insider.
