Lego outpaces toy market with 13 per cent sales increase

Lego’s sales of its colourful plastic bricks outpaced the overall toy market in the first half of the year, driven by strong demand in Europe and North America, according to the Denmark-based toymaker.

The surge in Lego’s sales contrasts with a stagnating global toy market and tepid sales for rivals such as Barbie-maker Mattel (MAT.O) and Hasbro (HAS.O), the firm behind My Little Pony.

The family-owned Lego company said sales from January through June rose 13 per cent to 31 billion Danish crowns ($4.65 billion). By comparison, Lego increased first-half sales by 1 per cent last year and 17 per cent in 2022, year over year.

“We have performed significantly better than the overall toy market and have grabbed market share at a fairly high pace,” CEO Niels Christiansen told Reuters.

The global toy market has stagnated this year following a 7 per cent decline in sales last year, he said.

Lego’s operating profit rose 26 per cent to 8.1 billion crowns.

Following the strong start to the year, Christiansen now expects double-digit sales growth in 2024, compared with earlier guidance of single-digit growth.

The company plans to open around 100 stores this year, slightly fewer than in previous years, bringing the total number of stores above 1,100.

“We are opening slightly fewer stores in China right now because we see that consumers there are holding back a bit,” Christiansen said.

Instead, the company has shifted focus to Europe and North America, where it is seeing strong demand.

Lego Icons, which includes models of the Eiffel Tower and Titanic, was among the best-performing themes along with City, Technic and Star Wars. The company launched around 300 sets in the first half.

($1 = 6.6712 Danish crowns)