Sales of licensed entertainment properties boosted sales for Hasbro, the nation’s number two toymaker, which posted a 13% increase in net revenues for the quarter when compared to the second quarter of 2007.  In a conference call with analysts Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner attributed the strong performance to sales of the company’s Marvel, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, and Transformers product lines as well as solid performances from other sectors.  The boys’ category, which is largely driven by theatrical movies, “was up 12.9 for the quarter.”

Game sales were also up 12% for the quarter led by Monopoly, which was the top performer in Hasbro’s game category with sales up 26%.  Other games cited as doing well included Trivial Pursuit, Twister, Operation, and The Game of Life.  The only mention of Wizards of the Coast in conference call was in reference to its Duel Masters TCG, which “is doing very well in Japan.”

Goldner noted that sales of Iron Man toys have surpassed expectations and admitted that Hasbro had run out of some key items, though he noted that there would be plenty of inventory available for the release of the Iron Man DVD in late September and for the subsequent holiday season.  Goldner was less enthused about the performance Hulk toys noting, “Hulk is about where we wanted it to be for our plan.”

Star Wars toys were up 82% for the quarter, and with the August release of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated feature and the subsequent airing of the Clone Wars TV series on the Cartoon Network, Hasbro is expecting continued sales from Star Wars. Transformers sales should also continue, aided by the airing of the Transformers animated series on the Cartoon Network, and should receive another big boost in 2009 from the release of a second live action Transformers film.