Hasbro To Acquire Peppa Pig, PJ Masks In eOne Purchase

PAWTUCKET, RI — Two much-loved preschool brands will soon join the ranks of Mr. Potato Head and friends. On Thursday, Rhode Island-based toy giant Hasbro announced that it will be acquiring entertainment company eOne.

As part of the merger, Hasbro will now own both Peppa Pig and PJ masks, two wildly popular brands with the under-five set with global appeal. Other children's brands now under the Hasbro umbrella include Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom, Ricky Zoom and Cupcake and Dino.

"The acquisition of eOne adds beloved story-led global family brands that deliver strong operating returns to Hasbro's portfolio and provides a pipeline of new brand creation driven by family-oriented storytelling, which will now include Hasbro's IP," said Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner. "We are excited to welcome eOne’s talented employees from around the world into the Hasbro family."

eOne is a family-focused entertainment companywith a variety of brands and divisions including television, film and music.

"Hasbro’s portfolio of integrated toy, game and consumer products, will further fuel the tremendous success we’ve achieved at eOne," said eOne's CEO, Darren Throop. "There’s a strong cultural fit between our two companies; eOne’s stated mission is to unlock the power and value of creativity which aligns with Hasbro’s corporate objectives. eOne teams will continue to do what they do best, bolstered by the access to Hasbro’s extensive portfolio of richly creative IP and merchandising strength."

The acquisition offers Hasbro a stronger foothold in the international market, with PJ Masks currently rolling out in China and Ricky Zoom coming to Nickelodeon in the U.S. and other international networks starting next month.

"By combining two profitable and financially disciplined companies we expect to unlock value in the short- and long-term for our stakeholders," said Deborah Thomas, Hasbro's chief financial officer. "eOne’s brands and TV and film expertise, together with Hasbro's brands, toy and game innovation and licensing capabilities, positions us to more quickly drive revenue and profit over the medium-term."