LEGO Continues to Record Repeat Annual Sales Growth in U.S.

In a press release out of the American International Toy Fair this week, LEGO Systems, Inc. announced a seventh consecutive year of sales growth in the U.S. market. The company posted a 22% increase in sales reaching $1.33 billion in this country.

LEGO Systems’ American said that in addition to the sales growth for the year, the top ranked construction toy maker attained record sales and consumer market share for 2011.
A big part of the success for LEGO in recent years is attributed to successful product launches including LEGO CITY, LEGO Star Wars™ and the LEGO NINJAGO, all of which accounted for 36% of the overall Building Set category.

“Achieving another year of record growth in the U.S. is exciting and reflects our continuing strategy to deliver a wide range of products for builders of all ages and interests,” said Soren Torp Laursen, president, LEGO Systems. “Our sales growth last year stems from a reinforced core business of building sets, now complemented by expanded offerings to reach new children and a 360-degree brand experience that bridges physical and virtual play worlds to engage children’s imagination and compel them to keep building.”

At the toy fair this week in New York, LEGO Systems introduced its largest, most versatile collection of build-and-play toys ever with more than 200 new products for children of all ages.

While the company continues to build on a strong core business of evergreen favorites like LEGO CITY and LEGO Star Wars, new themes scheduled for release this year include LEGO Friends, DINO and Monster Fighters. Also coming up are lines inspired by DC Universe and Marvel Super Heroes, the LORD OF THE RINGS™ film trilogy, and THE HOBBIT™; and new DUPLO preschool products designed specifically for the U.S.

“Our recent year-on-year growth trend and our early reads already this year have us bullish about our ability to further develop the LEGO business in the U.S. in 2012,” Laursen said. “We will continue to apply the LEGO idea to relevant play patterns from other categories to draw new children into Building Sets while staying 100% true to the core DNA of LEGO play and the 360-degree experience that sets the LEGO brand apart.”