MATTEL INC - intellectual property rights and Y2K??

greenspun.com : LUSENET : TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) : One Thread


Well this is interesting

 MATTEL INC /DE/ - Quarterly Report (SEC form 10-Q)

November 12, 1999

Year 2000 Compliance - Potential inability of computer systems or software products used by Mattel and/or its customers and suppliers to properly recognize and process date- sensitive information beyond January 1, 2000, which may result in an interruption in normal business operations of Mattel, its suppliers and customers Other Risks - Inability to achieve cost savings expected as part of restructuring activities, which may result in higher than expected costs following such restructurings - Inability to successfully complete licensing and e-commerce deals in a timely fashion, which may reduce Mattel's ability to realize the full value of its intellectual property rights - Development of new technologies, including the Internet, which may create new risks to Mattel's ability to protect its intellectual property rights - Changes in laws or regulations, both domestically and internationally, including those affecting consumer products, environmental activities or trade restrictions, which may lead to increased costs or interruption in normal business operations of Mattel - Current and future litigation, governmental proceedings or environmental matters, which may lead to increased costs or interruption in normal business operations of Mattel

-- Brian (imager@home.com), November 14, 1999

Answers

Mattel does not like the advancement of technology, it threatens their old way of doing things. They should stop whinging and accept the fact that technology is here to stay. If they don't want to grow with technology, they loose. Their choice. There is no law that states technology must stop advancing to accomidate Mattel.

So what if they go under? Do they expect to recieve business welfare?

-- Cherri (sams@brigadoon.com), November 14, 1999.


"So what if they go under"?! Is this what the polly position has come to?

-- Stupid (stupid@stu.pid), November 14, 1999.

Something is going wrong with Mattel. I've been waiting for a limited edition brunette Chatty Cathy for close to year. It was supposed to be at the doll shop in August and never arrived, what did finally arrive where the previous years 1960 blonde Chatty Cathy last month.

-- Paula (chowbabe@pacbell.net), November 14, 1999.

That one is a bit different twist on the usual SEC 10-Q statement.

Humm.

Think... jobs. An halted paychecks, et. al.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), November 14, 1999.


In an effort to join the online world, Mattel acquired The Learning Company this year.

Unfortunately, it now appears that TLC officials were less than honest with Mattel's top brass about expected profits during 3rd quarter 99. As a result of which, Mattel stock lost nearly 50% of its value over the last week end of September:

http://c nnfn.com/1999/10/21/companies/mattel/index.htm http://ww w.quicken.com/investments/charts/?symbol=MAT

What was suppose to be a 50 million dolar profit is now estimated at a 50-100 million dollar loss:

http://www.cn nfn.com/1999/10/04/companies/mattel/

As a result, Mattel CEO Jill Barad is feeling more than a little blind-sided:

http://cnnfn.com/ 1999/10/08/companies/mattel/

As you could imagine, shareholders are not happy campers and serveral class action lawsuits have been filed alleging misrepresentations, securities fraud, false financial statements and insider trading:

http://biz .yahoo.com/prnews/991112/ca_gold_la_1.html http://biz.yah oo.com/bw/991108/brodsky_sm_1.html http://biz.yah oo.com/bw/991021/ca_milberg_1.html http://biz .yahoo.com/prnews/991020/ny_pomeran_1.html http://biz .yahoo.com/prnews/991020/ar_steven__2.html http://biz .yahoo.com/prnews/991019/ca_gold_be_1.html http://biz.yah oo.com/bw/991019/ny_seeger__1.html http://biz .yahoo.com/prnews/991015/ny_entwist_1.html http://biz.yah oo.com/bw/991014/wa_cohen_m_2.html http://biz .yahoo.com/prnews/991014/ma_mattel__1.html

As a result, heads at TLC are now rolling:

http://c nnfn.com/news/technology/newsbytes/139226.html

All of which should lead stock holders to ask the question, if TLC has not exactly been forthcoming on issues as important as these, how does this bode for its Y2K perparedness?

-- Arnie Rimmer (Arnie_Rimmer@usa.net), November 14, 1999.



Diane

This is not a y2k disclosure, just a comment at the top of the 10 - Q that caught my eye. I have seen legal comments on others at the top so it isn't that unusual IMHO but in refferance to Y2K they are bringing up an interesting topic. Some of the legal stuff on the filings is very interesting and some corps. have some real legal challanges.

-- Brian (imager@home.com), November 14, 1999.


In an effort to join the online world, Mattel acquired The Learning Company this year. Unfortunately, it now appears that TLC officials were less than honest with Mattel's top brass about expected profits during 3rd quarter 99. As a result of which, Mattel stock lost nearly 50% of its value over the last week end of September:
http://c nnfn.com/1999/10/21/companies/mattel/index.htm
http://ww w.quicken.com/investments/charts/?symbol=MAT
What was suppose to be a 50 million dolar profit is now estimated at a 50-100 million dollar loss:
http://www.cn nfn.com/1999/10/04/companies/mattel/
As a result, Mattel CEO Jill Barad is feeling more than a little blind-sided:
http://cnnfn.com/ 1999/10/08/companies/mattel/
Sorry, im post above, the links for the lawsuit section was not formatted well. I'll try this again...
http://biz .yahoo.com/prnews/991112/ca_gold_la_1.html
http://biz.yah oo.com/bw/991108/brodsky_sm_1.html
http://biz.yah oo.com/bw/991021/ca_milberg_1.html
http://biz .yahoo.com/prnews/991020/ny_pomeran_1.html
http://biz .yahoo.com/prnews/991020/ar_steven__2.html
http://biz .yahoo.com/prnews/991019/ca_gold_be_1.html
http://biz.yah oo.com/bw/991019/ny_seeger__1.html
http://biz .yahoo.com/prnews/991015/ny_entwist_1.html
http://biz.yah oo.com/bw/991014/wa_cohen_m_2.html
http://biz .yahoo.com/prnews/991014/ma_mattel__1.html


-- Arnie Rimmer (Arnie_Rimmer@usa.net), November 14, 1999.

Sorry for the double post and the unclosed tags - bad hair day.

-- Arnie Rimmer (Arnie_Rimmer@usa.net), November 15, 1999.

Arnie

Mattel looks like it has seen better days eh? And don't worry about the links, I still blow them :o)

-- Brian (imager@home.com), November 15, 1999.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ