Hasbro Reports Q4 Earnings Beat, Raises Dividend

Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) reported its fourth quarter results early Monday morning. The company earned $1.39 per share in the quarter on revenue of $1.47 billion.

Wall Street analysts were expecting the company to earn $1.30 per share on revenue of $1.37 billion.

Hasbro noted that its revenue was hurt by a -$128.1 million impact from exchange rates and that its revenue would have risen 23 percent, rather than 13 percent, on a currency constant basis.

Net earnings for the quarter were $175.8 million, compared to $169.9 million in the same quarter a year ago.

Net revenue for the full fiscal year rose to $4.45 billion from $4.28 billion a year ago while net earnings for the full year rose to $451.8 million from $415.9 million in 2014.

"In 2015, the benefits of our Brand Blueprint strategy were evident in the strength of our financial results," said Deborah Thomas, Hasbro's Chief Financial Officer. "As we continue investing in differentiating capabilities, we are seeing new, higher levels of sustainable gross and operating margins. Consumers are recognizing and embracing the innovation our global teams are delivering while we are also improving the efficiency of our organization. Margin improvement and the associated cash flow are delivering enhanced shareholder value as we continue investing in the future potential of Hasbro."

Finally, Hasbro's Board of Directors approved a raise to the stock's quarterly dividend from $0.46 per share to $0.51 per share.