Hasbro (HAS)

HASBRO, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations

 (Thousands of Dollars and Shares Except Per Share Data)

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, including the following section entitled Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, contains forward-looking statements expressing management's current expectations, goals, objectives and similar matters. These forward-looking statements may include statements concerning the Company’s product plans, anticipated product performance, business opportunities and strategies, financial goals and expectations for achieving the Company’s objectives. See Item 1A, in Part II of this report, for a discussion of factors which may cause the Company's actual results or experience to differ materially from that anticipated in these forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise the forward-looking statements in this report after the date of the filing.

HASBRO, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations

 (Thousands of Dollars and Shares Except Per Share Data)

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, including the following section entitled Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, contains forward-looking statements expressing management's current expectations, goals, objectives and similar matters. These forward-looking statements may include statements concerning the Company’s product plans, anticipated product performance, business opportunities and strategies, financial goals and expectations for achieving the Company’s objectives. See Item 1A, in Part II of this report, for a discussion of factors which may cause the Company's actual results or experience to differ materially from these forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise the forward-looking statements in this report after the date of the filing.

HASBRO, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations

(Thousands of Dollars and Shares Except Per Share Data)

The Company’s focus remains on growing core owned and controlled brands, developing new and innovative products which respond to market insights and optimizing efficiencies within the Company to reduce costs, increase operating profits and strengthen its balance sheet.  While the Company believes it has achieved a more sustainable revenue base by developing and maintaining its core brands and avoiding reliance on licensed entertainment properties, it continues to opportunistically enter into or leverage existing strategic licenses which complement its brands and key strengths. In 2007 and the first six months of 2008, the Company had significant sales of products related to the Company's license with Marvel Entertainment, Inc. and Marvel Characters, Inc. (collectively "Marvel"), primarily due to the theatrical releases of SPIDER-MAN 3 in May 2007, IRON MAN in May 2008 and THE INCREDIBLE HULK in June 2008. In addition, the Company had significant sales in the first six months of 2008 of products related to the movie release of INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL in May 2008. During the remainder of 2008 the Company expects to continue to have significant revenues from entertainment-based licensed properties as well as products related to the theatrical release of STAR WARS: CLONE WARS and television programming based on TRANSFORMERS, SPIDER-MAN, and STAR WARS.

The Company's core brands represent Company-owned or Company-controlled brands, such as TRANSFORMERS, MY LITTLE PONY, MONOPOLY, MAGIC: THE GATHERING, PLAYSKOOL, G.I. JOE and TONKA, which have been successful over the long term.  The Company has a large portfolio of owned and controlled brands, which can be introduced in new formats and platforms over time.  These brands may also be further extended by pairing a licensed concept with a core brand. By focusing on core brands, the Company is working to build a more consistent revenue stream and basis for future growth. During the first six months of 2008 the Company had strong sales of core brand products, namely TRANSFORMERS, LITTLEST PET SHOP, MY LITTLE PONY, PLAYSKOOL, MONOPOLY and NERF.

In addition to its focus on core brands, the Company’s strategy also involves trying to meet ever-changing consumer preferences by identifying and offering innovative products based on market opportunities and insights. The Company believes its strategy of focusing on the development of its core brands and continuing to identify innovative new products will help to prevent the Company from being dependent on the success of any one product line.

The Company also seeks to drive product-related revenues by increasing the visibility of its core brands through entertainment-based theatrical venues. As an example of this, in July of 2007, the TRANSFORMERS motion picture was released and the Company developed and marketed products based on the motion picture. As a result of pairing this core brand with this type of entertainment, both the movie and the product line benefited. The Company expects to continue this strategy and anticipates the theatrical releases of both TRANFORMERS 2 and G.I. JOE motion pictures during 2009.  In addition, the Company has entered into a six-year strategic partnership with Universal Pictures to produce at least four motion pictures based on Hasbro’s core brands. The first movie is expected to be released in 2010 or 2011, followed by anticipated releases of at least one movie per year thereafter.  

HASBRO, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial

Condition and Results of Operations (continued)

(Thousands of Dollars and Shares Except Per Share Data)

While the Company's strategy has continued to focus on growing its core brands and developing innovative new products, it will continue to evaluate and enter into arrangements to license properties when the Company believes it is economically attractive. In 2006, the Company entered into a license agreement with Marvel to produce toys and games based on Marvel’s portfolio of characters.  The Company had significant sales of products related to this license during 2007, primarily due to the theatrical release of SPIDER-MAN 3 in May of 2007. The Company has also incurred royalty expenses on products based on the 2007 theatrical and DVD releases of TRANSFORMERS. While gross profits of theatrical entertainment-based products are generally higher than many of the Company's other products, sales from these products also incur royalty expenses payable to the licensor. Such royalties reduce the impact of these higher gross margins. In certain instances, such as with Lucasfilm's STAR WARS, the Company may also incur amortization expense on property right-based assets acquired from the licensor of such properties, further impacting profits earned on these products.

The Company's long-term strategy also focuses on extending its brands further into the digital world. As part of this strategy the Company entered into a multi-year strategic agreement with Electronic Arts Inc. ("EA"). The agreement gives EA the exclusive worldwide rights, subject to existing limitations on the Company's rights and certain other exclusions, to create digital games for all platforms, such as mobile phones, gaming consoles and personal computers, based on a broad spectrum of the Company's intellectual properties, including MONOPOLY, SCRABBLE, YAHTZEE, NERF, TONKA and LITTLEST PET SHOP. As part of this agreement, the Company has also obtained the rights to create toys and non-digital games based on EA's intellectual properties. The first major game releases under this agreement are expected to be launched by EA during the second half of 2008.

While the Company remains committed to investing in the growth of its business, it also continues to be focused on reducing fixed costs through efficiencies and on profit improvement. Over the last 5 years the Company has improved its full year operating margin from 7.8% in 2002 to 13.5% in 2007. The Company reviews its operations on an ongoing basis and seeks to reduce its cost structure to promote efficiency. The Company is also investing to grow its business in emerging markets and digital gaming and will continue to evaluate strategic alliances and acquisitions which may complement its current product offerings or allow it entry into an area which is adjacent to and complementary to the toy and game business. For example, in January of 2008, the Company acquired Cranium, Inc., a developer and marketer of CRANIUM branded games and related products. In the second quarter of 2008, the Company acquired the rights to Trivial Pursuit, a brand which the Company had licensed on a long-term basis. Ownership of the rights will allow the Company to further leverage the brand in different mediums. In 2008 the Company expects to leverage revenue to offset the impact of these investments on its operating margins.

HASBRO, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial

Condition and Results of Operations (continued)

(Thousands of Dollars and Shares Except Per Share Data)

In recent years, the Company has been seeking to return excess cash to its shareholders through share repurchases and dividends. As part of this initiative, over the last three years, the Company's Board of Directors (the "Board”) has adopted four repurchase authorizations with a cumulative authorized repurchase amount of $1,700,000. After fully exhausting the prior three authorizations, the fourth authorization was approved on February 7, 2008 for $500,000. For the quarter and six months ended June 29, 2008, the Company invested $51,616 and $207,590, respectively, in the repurchase of 1,646 and 7,733 shares of common stock, respectively, in the open market. At June 29, 2008, the Company had $402,243 remaining under the February 2008 authorization. For the years ended 2007, 2006 and 2005, the Company invested $587,004, $456,744 and $48,030, respectively, in the repurchase of 20,795, 22,767 and 2,386 shares, respectively, in the open market. Also, in 2007, the Company paid $200,000 in cash to repurchase exercisable warrants to purchase 15,750 shares of the Company's common stock. The Company intends to opportunistically repurchase shares in the future subject to market conditions. In addition, in February 2008, the Company announced an increase in its quarterly dividend to $0.20 per share. This was the fifth consecutive year that the Board has increased the dividend.

HASBRO, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations

(Thousands of Dollars and Shares Except Per Share Data)

The Company’s focus remains on growing core owned and controlled brands, developing new and innovative products which respond to market insights and optimizing efficiencies within the Company to reduce costs, increase operating profits and strengthen its balance sheet.  While the Company believes it has achieved a more sustainable revenue base by developing and maintaining its core brands and avoiding reliance on licensed entertainment properties, it continues to opportunistically enter into or leverage existing strategic licenses which complement its brands and key strengths. In 2007, the Company had significant sales of products related to the Company's license with Marvel Entertainment, Inc. and Marvel Characters, Inc. (collectively "Marvel"), primarily due to the theatrical release of SPIDERMAN-3 in May of 2007. In 2008 the Company expects to continue to have significant revenues from entertainment-based licensed properties with products related to the theatrical releases of IRON MAN, THE INCREDIBLE HULK, INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL and STAR WARS: CLONE WARS as well as television programming based on TRANSFORMERS, SPIDER-MAN, and STAR WARS.

The Company also seeks to drive product-related revenues by increasing the visibility of its core brands through entertainment-based theatrical venues. As an example of this, in July of 2007, the TRANSFORMERS motion picture was released and the Company developed and marketed products based on the motion picture. As a result of pairing this core brand with this type of entertainment, both the movie and the product line benefited. The Company expects to continue this strategy and anticipates the theatrical releases of both TRANFORMERS 2 and G.I. JOE motion pictures during 2009.  In addition, the Company has entered into a six-year strategic partnership with Universal Pictures to produce at least four motion pictures based on Hasbro’s core brands. The first movie is expected to be released in 2010 or 2011, followed by anticipated releases of at least one movie per year thereafter.  

The Company's core brands represent Company-owned or Company-controlled brands, such as TRANSFORMERS, MY LITTLE PONY, MONOPOLY, MAGIC: THE GATHERING, PLAYSKOOL, G.I. JOE and TONKA, which have been successful over the long term.  The Company has a large portfolio of owned and controlled brands, which can be introduced in new formats and platforms over time.  These brands may also be further extended by pairing a licensed concept with a core brand. By focusing on core brands, the Company is working to build a more consistent revenue stream and basis for future growth. During the first quarter of 2008 the Company had strong sales of core brand products, namely TRANSFORMERS, LITTLEST PET SHOP, MY LITTLE PONY, PLAYSKOOL, MONOPOLY and NERF.

In addition to its focus on core brands, the Company’s strategy also involves trying to meet ever-changing consumer preferences by identifying and offering innovative products based on market opportunities and insights. The Company believes its strategy of focusing on the development of its core brands and continuing to identify innovative new products will help to prevent the Company from being dependent on the success of any one product line.

HASBRO, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

HASBRO, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations

 (Thousands of Dollars and Shares Except Per Share Data)

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, including the following section entitled Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, contains forward-looking statements expressing management's current expectations, goals, objectives and similar matters. See Item 1A, in Part II of this report, for a discussion of factors which may cause the Company's actual results or experience to differ materially from these forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise the forward-looking statements in this report after the date of the filing.

HASBRO, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations

 (Thousands of Dollars and Shares Except Per Share Data)

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, including the following section entitled Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, contains forward-looking statements expressing management's current expectations, goals, objectives and similar matters. See Item 1A, in Part II of this report, for a discussion of factors which may cause the Company's actual results or experience to differ materially from these forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise the forward-looking statements in this report after the date of the filing.