Via Businessinsider.com:
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has generated over $2 billion in box office revenue and it’s helping buoy financial fortunes even outside the theater.
According to Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner, the franchise generated revenues “very similar to 2005, the last movie year.”
Based on Hasbro’s annual report from that year, the company brought in $494 million in “Star Wars”-related sales.
Not only did the company bring in a huge haul in 2015, but with the release of “Star Wars: Rogue One,” Goldner said they are expecting the same next year.
“So what we talked about was that in 2015 Star Wars performed like a movie year, like other movie years, so it was very strong for us,” said Goldner in the company’s earnings call Monday.
“And we also believed that Star Wars can be equal in 2016 obviously rolling through the Force Awakens home entertainment window and then in to Rogue One. So we believe similar revenues.”
According to Goldner, “nearly half” of that half-a-billion dollar haul came during the fourth quarter around the release of the movie and the holiday shopping season.
This caps a huge year for the toy-maker as they not only generated revenue from Star Wars, but also toys related to other billion dollar movies: “Jurassic World” and the second “Avengers” movie.
In all, the company increased profits 9% in 2015 compared to the year before, to $451.8 million from $415.9 million. Revenues jumped 4% to $4.45 billion from $4.28 billion, with a $345 million drag from foreign exchange.
According to Goldner of all of those products Hasbro sells, even homegrown toys such as NERF products and “Transformers,” “Star Wars” is the largest brand in their portfolio.