Mattel, the largest toymaker in the US, has released its Q3 financial results, revealing worldwide net sales grew 2% versus a year ago to US$1.83 billion. Gross sales increased by 3%in the US and by 2% in international markets, while operating income for the quarter rang in at $358.6 million, compared to US$336.5 million last year.

In Mattel’s Girls and Boys Brands division, worldwide gross sales were up 8% to US$1.17 billion. Worldwide gross sales for the Barbie brand grew by 6% and sales in Other Girls Brands were up 7%, driven primarily by strong performance of the Disney Princess doll line and the introduction of the Monster High dolls. Global gross sales for the Entertainment business, which includes Radica and Games and Puzzles, increased by 23% for the quarter, mostly attributable to growth in the Toy Story 3 and World Wrestling Entertainment properties.

Sales for the Wheels category, however, which includes the Hot Wheels, Matchbox and Tyco R/C brands, were down 5%, and quarterly sales for the Fisher-Price Brands business unit (Fisher-Price Core, Fisher-Price Friends and Power Wheels brands) also dropped 5%, primarily due to declines in Fisher-Price Core and Power Wheels sales. It is still undetermined how the recent recall of more than 11 million Fisher-Price products will affect future results within this division.