Mattel disappoints in holiday quarter on U.S. weakness

Reuters

(Deletes third paragraph, which referred to earnings excluding a litigation charge that did not occur in latest quarter)

By Dhanya Skariachan

NEW YORK, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Mattel Inc missed Wall Street's profit estimates for the fourth quarter on weak demand in the United States during the all-important holiday selling season.

The world's largest toy company said on Friday that its net income was $369.2 million, or $1.07 a share, compared with $306.5 million, or 87 cents a share, a year earlier.

Analysts on average were expecting a profit of $1.20 a share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

(Reporting by Dhanya Skariachan; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)