Mattel Gears Up for Q4 Earnings: What's in the Offing for the Stock?

Mattel, Inc. MAT is scheduled to report fourth-quarter 2024 results on Feb. 4, after the closing bell. In the last reported quarter, the company’s earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 21.3%.Stay up-to-date with all quarterly releases: See Zacks Earnings Calendar.Trend in MAT’s Estimate RevisionFor the quarter to be reported, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at 24 cents per share, down 17.2% year over year. In the past seven days, earnings estimates for the quarter have been revised upward by 1 cent per share.For revenues, the consensus mark is pegged at nearly $1.68 billion. The metric indicates a gain of 3.4% from the year-ago figure.Let us discuss the factors that are likely to be reflected in the quarter to be reported.Factors to Note Ahead of MAT’s Q4 ReleaseMattel's fourth-quarter 2024 top line is likely to have been aided by strong demand for Hot Wheels. This and initiatives toward capturing the full value of MAT’s IPs and transforming itself into a high-performing toy company bode well.Contributions from the IP-driven toy business, innovations across the toy portfolio and the expansion of entertainment offerings are tailwinds. Also, the focus on demand creation (in collaboration with retail partners) and licensing partnerships are likely to have aided the company’s performance in the to-be-reported quarter.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Worldwide gross billings by the top three Power Brands, Barbie, Fisher-Price and Hot Wheels is pegged at $419 million, $250 million and $467, respectively, down 11.4%, up 2% and 11.7%  year over year.On the other hand, the company’s bottom line is likely to have been hurt by higher input cost inflation, unfavorable fixed cost absorption and other supply-chain costs. Also, higher severance and restructuring expenses, incentive compensation and pay increases are likely to have negatively impacted the bottom line.What Our Model Predicts About MATOur proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Mattel this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. But that is not the case here.MAT’s Earnings ESP: Mattel currently has an Earnings ESP of -11.02%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.MAT’s Zacks Rank: Mattel has a Zacks Rank #3 at present.Mattel, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise Mattel, Inc. price-eps-surprise | Mattel, Inc. QuoteStocks Poised to Beat Earnings EstimatesHere are some stocks you may want to consider, as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this season.Life Time Group Holdings, Inc. LTH has an Earnings ESP of +14.29% and a Zacks Rank of 1 at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.LTH is expected to register a 5.3% increase in earnings for the to-be-reported quarter. It reported earnings beat in three of the trailing four quarters and missed on one occasion, with an average surprise of 46.2%.Trip.com Group Limited TCOM currently has an Earnings ESP of +0.97% and a Zacks Rank of 1.TCOM reported earnings beat in each of the trailing four quarters, with an average surprise of 42.8%. Its earnings for the to-be-reported quarter are expected to decrease 7.1%.Rush Street Interactive, Inc. RSI currently has an Earnings ESP of +22.22% and a Zacks Rank of 1.RSI’s earnings for the to-be-reported quarter are expected to increase 800%. It reported earnings beat in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 225%.5 Stocks Set to DoubleEach was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2024. While not all picks can be winners, previous recommendations have soared +143.0%, +175.9%, +498.3% and +673.0%.Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>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 Mattel, Inc. (MAT): Free Stock Analysis Report Trip.com Group Limited Sponsored ADR (TCOM): Free Stock Analysis Report Rush Street Interactive, Inc. (RSI): Free Stock Analysis Report Life Time Group Holdings, Inc. (LTH): Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks