Mattel 2008 Annual Report Download - page 23

Earthquakes or other catastrophic events out of our control may damage Mattel’s facilities or those of its
contractors and harm Mattel’s results of operations.
Mattel has significant operations near major earthquake faults, including its corporate headquarters in
Southern California. A catastrophic event where Mattel has important operations, such as an earthquake, tsunami,
flood, typhoon, fire, or other natural or manmade disaster, could disrupt Mattel’s operations or those of its
contractors and impair production or distribution of its products, damage inventory, interrupt critical functions, or
otherwise affect its business negatively, harming Mattel’s results of operations.
The production and sale of private-label toys by Mattel’s retail customers may result in lower purchases of
Mattel-branded products by those retail customers.
In recent years, consumer goods companies generally, including those in the toy business, have experienced
the phenomenon of retail customers developing their own private-label products that directly compete with the
products of traditional manufacturers. Some retail chains that are customers of Mattel sell private-label toys
designed, manufactured and branded by the retailers themselves. These toys may be sold at prices lower than
comparable toys sold by Mattel and may result in lower purchases of Mattel-branded products by these retailers.
In some cases, retailers who sell these private-label toys are larger than Mattel and may have substantially more
resources than Mattel.
Mattel’s failure to successfully market or advertise its products could have a material adverse effect on
Mattel’s business, financial condition and results of operations.
Mattel’s products are marketed worldwide through a diverse spectrum of advertising and promotional
programs. Mattel’s ability to sell products is dependent in part upon the success of these programs. If Mattel does
not successfully market its products or if media or other advertising or promotional costs increase, these factors
could have a material adverse effect on Mattel’s business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Mattel depends on key personnel and may not be able to hire, retain and integrate sufficient qualified
personnel to maintain and expand its business.
Mattel’s future success depends partly on the continued contribution of key executives, designers, technical,
sales, marketing, manufacturing, and administrative personnel. The loss of services of any of Mattel’s key
personnel could harm Mattel’s business. Recruiting and retaining skilled personnel is costly and highly
competitive. If Mattel fails to retain, hire, train, and integrate qualified employees and contractors, Mattel may
not be able to maintain and expand its business.
Mattel may engage in acquisitions, mergers or dispositions, which may affect the profit, revenues, profit
margins, debt-to-capital ratio, capital expenditures or other aspects of Mattel’s business. In addition,
Mattel has certain anti-takeover provisions in its by-laws that may make it more difficult for a third party
to acquire Mattel without its consent, which may adversely affect Mattel’s stock price.
Mattel may engage in acquisitions, mergers or dispositions, which may affect the profit, revenues, profit
margins, debt-to-capital ratio, capital expenditures, or other aspects of Mattel’s business. There can be no
assurance that Mattel will be able to identify suitable acquisition targets or merger partners or that, if identified, it
will be able to acquire these targets on acceptable terms or agree to terms with merger partners. There can also be
no assurance that Mattel will be successful in integrating any acquired company into its overall operations, or
that any such acquired company will operate profitably or will not otherwise adversely impact Mattel’s results of
operations. Further, Mattel cannot be certain that key talented individuals at these acquired companies will
continue to work for Mattel after the acquisition or that they will continue to develop popular and profitable
products or services. In addition, Mattel has certain anti-takeover provisions in its bylaws that may make it more
difficult for a third party to acquire Mattel without its consent, which may adversely affect Mattel’s stock price.
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