Everything Owned by Mattel

Mattel has taken the world by a dazzling pink storm thanks to the success of its star-studded film Barbie. How much money has the Barbie movie made so far? Global Barbie box office numbers have surpassed an impressive $1.34 billion, shattering forecasts and records along the way. The vibrant, heartwarming film earned $22 million on opening day and $155 by the end of its opening weekend, making it the reigning champion of the summer 2023 movie season. With this jaw-dropping performance, director Greta Gerwig achieved the incredible milestone for biggest opening weekend earnings for a female filmmaker! While Mattel was portrayed as a comical “shady overlord” organization with hapless leadership in the film, it is actually one of the largest toy companies in the world. The biggest Mattel brands include Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, American Girl, and MEGA. The team at Playground Equipment has created a fun visual collection of everything owned by Mattel. Check it out:

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What brands does Mattel own? 

What brands are under Mattel and when did they acquire them? We revealed the toys owned by Mattel in the infographic, but let’s explore when Mattel acquired these iconic toy brands as well as a bit of the history behind the mergers and acquisitions. 

When did Mattel buy Barbie? 

Mattel purchased the copyright and patent rights for the Bild-Lilli doll, Barbie’s successor, from toy manufacturer Louis Marx and Company in 1964 for $21,600. The history of Barbie is unique, and one might argue that Barbie is an original Mattel toy creation. Ruth Handler, the inventor of Barbie, had something of an epiphany while watching her daughter play with paper dolls. At the time, most children’s toy dolls were representations of infants, so she believed there may be a promising gap in the market for adult-bodied dolls. She proposed the idea to her husband Elliot, co-founder of Mattel, who was skeptical of the idea (as were Mattel’s directors). On a trip to Europe in 1956 with her children Barbara and Kenneth, she came across a German toy doll named Bild Lilli. The adult-shaped doll was precisely what she had in mind, so she brought it back to the States and redesigned it with the help of local inventor-designer Jack Ryan. On March 9th, 1958, the doll, named after Handler’s daughter Barbara, made its debut at the American International Toy Fair in New York City. That date also became Barbie’s official birthday! Despite poor performance projections and early market research showing some parent’s concerns about Barbie’s adult body, 350,000 Barbie dolls were sold in her first year, far exceeding expectations. Louis Marx and Company sued Mattel in 1961, claiming that Mattel had infringed upon “Greiner & Hausser's patent for Bild-Lilli's hip joint" and that Barbie was a direct rip-off of the German doll. Mattel counter-claimed and the case was settled out of court in 1963 and purchased the copyright and patent in 1964. Since then, Barbie has become Mattel’s best-selling toy in history! 

When did Mattel buy Fisher-Price? 

Fisher-Price became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mattel in November 1993, joining the ranks of many other Mattel subsidiaries. When was Fisher-Price founded? Fisher-Price was established in 1930 during the Great Depression by Herman Fisher, Irving Price, Price’s illustrator-artist wife Margaret Evans Price, and Helen Schelle. Fisher-Price core toy-making principles focused on intrinsic play value, innovation and creativity, solid construction, good value, and action. These values helped Fisher-Price become a successful, well-respected toy icon. Herman Fisher retired in 1969, leading The Quaker Oats Company to purchase it. In 1991, Fisher-Price reclaimed independence and became a publicly traded company. Within the next two years, it was purchased by Mattel.

When did Mattel buy American Girl? 

American Girl became one of Mattel’s subsidiaries in 1998. What is the history of American Girl? After an inspirational trip to Colonial Williamsburg, American Girl founder Pleasant T. Rowland sought to unite her love of American history with her commitment to high-quality educational products by creating the American Girls Collection in 1986. Her goal was to integrate learning, play, and storytelling, leading her to fulfill a long-time dream of opening experiential retail stores where fans could completely immerse themselves in the world of American Girl. As popularity grew, major toy companies took note, and Mattel acquired the brand.

When did Mattel buy Matchbox?

Mattel bought Matchbox owner Tyco Toys in 1997, joining Hot Wheels and Matchbox under one roof. The history of Matchbox traces back to 1947 when English die casters Leslie Smith and Rodney Smith founded Lesney Products along with partner Jack Odell. By 1952, Odell was inspired by a rule at his daughter’s school allowing students to only bring toys that could fit in a matchbox. He scaled down a road roller toy made by Lesney, packaged it in a matchbox, and gave it to his daughter to bring to school. By 1960, 70 million tiny Matchbox vehicles were exported to America. Unfortunately, the 1968 debut of Hot Wheels drove Matchbox off the road, and despite his best efforts to innovate, Lesney went into bankruptcy. Who knew that these tiny car rivals would end up together in Mattel’s subsidiary garage? 

When did Mattel acquire UNO? 

When did Mattel buy UNO, the ultimate rage-inducing family game? Mattel acquired International Games, creators of UNO and Skip-Bo, on January 23, 1992. This marked Mattel’s debut into the gaming arena. When was UNO invented? UNO was originally developed in 1971 by Merle Robbins in a suburb of Cincinnati. His family and friends kept playing the game, so he spent $8,000 to have 5,000 copies made. He first sold it to his barbershop, and then local businesses got in on the craze. Robbins later sold the rights to UNO to funeral parlor owner Robert Tezak for $50,000 plus royalties of 10 cents per game. To market UNO, Tezak founded International Games, Inc. and ran it in offices behind his funeral parlor. 

How much is Mattel worth? 

The maker of Barbie is one of the biggest toy companies in the world! Mattel net worth reached around $6.5 billion at the end of November 2023. You could buy a whole lot of mojo dojo casa houses with that cash! How much money did Barbie make for Mattel? The delightful debut of the Barbie film has been a dream come true for Mattel’s profits. According to CNN Business, the major toy manufacturer reported a 9% increase in net sales to $1.92 billion in the third quarter of 2023. Worldwide gross billings (or the amount paid by customers) for Barbie dolls rose 27%, bringing a pretty pink treasure chest of $855 million to Mattel. 

We hope you enjoyed exploring this master list of everything owned by Mattel, both current and vintage! Did you recognize any of the brands from when you were growing up? Did any of the Mattel subsidiaries surprise you? We would love to hear from you! 

Everything Mattel Owns in One Chart

Est. 1945

Major Brands

Dolls and Action Figures

Vehicles + Building Sets

Infant and Toddler

Games + Misc. 

Vintage Brands (No longer sold by Mattel)

Partner Brands

Learn about the author: Ben Thompson