However, the negative impact of our stock selection overwhelmed the positive impact from our sector weightings. Toy manufacturer Mattel (NASDAQ:MAT), best known for its iconic brands including Barbie, Hot Wheels and Fisher-Price, was the Fund’s biggest loser this quarter. The stock dropped 28.1% from $21.53 to $15.48, reducing the Fund’s return by 80 basis points. The shares slumped after the company reported disappointing sales and lower gross margins. The stock fell further in September after Toys R Us, the largest U.S. toy store, filed for bankruptcy protection. While we recognize the near-term challenges facing Mattel, we added to our position because investors have become too pessimistic on the company’s prospects. We believe in new CEO Margaret Georgiadis’ plan to reinvigorate Mattel’s brands by creating online media content, shortening the product development cycle and strengthening the innovation pipeline, and we expect the upside to be significant when her efforts start to bear fruit.
From Jerome Dodson (Trades, Portfolio)'s Parnassus Fund third quarter 2017 commentary.
