Third Quarter Highlights

• Worldwide net sales up 9 percent;
• Domestic gross sales up 6 percent and international gross sales up 13 percent;
• Worldwide gross sales for core brands: Barbie® up 17 percent; Hot Wheels® up 6 percent; Core Fisher-Price® up 5 percent and American Girl® brands up 4 percent;
• Gross margin decreased 330 basis points of net sales; SG&A decreased 370 basis points of net sales;
• Operating income of $397.6 million compared to operating income of $358.6 million in the third quarter of 2010; and
• Earnings per share of $0.86 vs. prior year earnings per share of $0.77 (which included a tax benefit of $0.05).

Capital Deployment

• Board declares fourth quarter cash dividend of $0.23 per share, reflecting an annualized dividend of $0.92 per share, which represents an 11 percent increase to last year's annual dividend;
• The company repurchased 6.6 million shares of its common stock at a cost of approximately $173 million; and
• Board authorizes the company to increase its previously announced share repurchase program by $500 million.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- October 14, 2011 -- Mattel, Inc. today reported 2011 third quarter financial results. For the quarter, the company reported net income of $300.8 million, or $0.86 per share, compared to last year's third quarter net income of $283.3 million, or $0.77 per share.

"We continue to be pleased with our performance across our portfolio of brands in all of the regions of the world. Not only have we continued to benefit from the strength of our core brands, but this year's big entertainment property, CARS 2®, is also fueling momentum," said Robert A. Eckert, chairman and chief executive officer of Mattel. "As we enter into the all-important holiday season, we remain keenly focused on execution and delivering growth in our core brands, working to expand and leverage our international footprint, optimizing our entertainment portfolio, and building our newest franchise, Monster High."

Financial Overview

For the quarter, net sales were $2.0 billion, up 9 percent compared to $1.83 billion last year, including favorable changes in currency exchange rates of 2 percentage points. On a regional basis, third quarter gross sales increased 6 percent in the U.S. and increased 13 percent in international markets, including favorable changes in currency exchange rates of 5 percentage points. Operating income for the quarter was $397.6 million, compared to prior year's operating income for the quarter of $358.6 million.

The company's debt-to-total-capital ratio was 33.0 percent. Consistent with the seasonality of the business, net cash flows used for operating activities were approximately $322 million in the first nine months of 2011, a decrease of $106 million, compared with a use of approximately $428 million in the same period in 2010.

Cash flows used for financing and other activities were $586 million in the first nine months of 2011, compared to cash flows from financing and other activities of approximately $361 million in the same period in 2010, primarily reflecting increased debt repayments consistent with scheduled maturities, dividend payments and increased share repurchases in 2011, as well as the issuance of $500 million of senior unsecured notes in the third quarter of 2010.

During the third quarter of 2011, the company repurchased approximately 6.6 million shares of its common stock at a cost of approximately $173 million.

Sales by Business Unit

Mattel Girls and Boys Brands

For the third quarter, worldwide gross sales for the Mattel Girls & Boys Brands business unit were $1.34 billion, up 15 percent versus a year ago. Worldwide gross sales for the Barbie® brand were up 17 percent. Worldwide gross sales for Other Girls Brands were up 32 percent, driven by the Monster High® and Disney Princess™ doll lines. Worldwide gross sales for the Wheels business, which includes the Hot Wheels®, Matchbox® and Tyco R/C® brands, were up 2 percent. Worldwide gross sales for the Entertainment business, which includes Radica® and Games and Puzzles, were up 14 percent for the quarter, primarily driven by growth in the CARS 2® property.

Fisher-Price Brands

Third quarter worldwide gross sales for the Fisher-Price® Brands business unit, which includes the Fisher-Price® Core, Fisher-Price® Friends and Power Wheels® brands, were $748.9 million, up 1 percent versus the prior year, primarily driven by sales of Infant products.

American Girl Brands

Third quarter gross sales for the American Girl® Brands business unit, which offers American Girl® branded products directly to consumers, were $87.6 million, up 4 percent versus last year, primarily reflecting sales of products related to Kanani™, the 2011 Girl of the Year®.

Quarterly Dividend

Additionally, the company announced today that its Board of Directors declared a fourth quarter cash dividend of $0.23 per share on the Company's common stock. The dividend will be payable on December 16, 2011 to stockholders of record on November 30, 2011. The dividend is the fourth of four quarterly dividends the Company will pay this year, reflecting an annualized dividend of $0.92 per share, which represents an increase of $0.09 per share, or 11 percent, versus last year's annual dividend of $0.83 per share.

Increase in Share Repurchase Program

The Mattel Board of Directors authorized the company to increase its previously announced share repurchase program by $500 million. Repurchases will take place from time to time, depending on market conditions.

The share repurchase program is one component of the company's capital and investment framework which was announced in February 2003. Under the program, Mattel has repurchased approximately 144.7 million shares of its common stock for an aggregate of approximately $3.0 billion.

About Mattel

Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAT) (www.mattel.com) is the worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of toys and family products. The Mattel family comprises such best-selling brands as Barbie®, the most popular fashion doll ever introduced, Hot Wheels®, Matchbox®, American Girl®, Radica® and Tyco R/C®, as well as Fisher-Price® brands, including Little People®, Power Wheels® and a wide array of entertainment-inspired toy lines. In 2011, Mattel was named as one of FORTUNE Magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work For" for the fourth year in a row, and was also ranked among Corporate Responsibility Magazine's "100 Best Corporate Citizens." With worldwide headquarters in El Segundo, Calif., Mattel employs approximately 31,000 people in 43 countries and territories and sells products in more than 150 nations. At Mattel, we are "Creating the Future of Play." Follow Mattel on Facebook: www.facebook.com/mattel