<div id="subtitle">Hasbro inks deal to make Sesame Street toys and games, supplanting Mattel's Fisher-Price</div><div><p>Elmo is getting a new home — or his toys are, at least.</p><p>Toy maker Hasbro Inc. said Monday it will make and market toys and games based on well-known Sesame Street characters, such as Elmo, Big Bird and Cookie Monster.</p><p>The deal takes the license away from Hasbro rival Mattel Inc., which makes Sesame Street toys under its Fisher-Price brand under a deal lasting until 2010. Hasbro will start making the products in 2011.</p><p>The agreement covers all Sesame Street toys, but Julie Duffy, a representative for Hasbro, said it's "too early to tell" which toys it will continue making, including the popular Tickle Me Elmo toy.</p><p>"We now have the rights to Elmo, so anything is possible," she said.</p><p>Financial terms of the deal between Hasbro and Sesame Workshop were not disclosed.</p><p>NPD Group industry analyst Anita Frazier said it's a "significant" win for Hasbro because Sesame Workshop is a top toy brand for children under 5 — an age group representing nearly half of annual toy sales.</p><p>Frazier couldn't release specific sales figures for Sesame Workshop but said total toy revenue in this age range was about $10 billion in the year ending in October.</p><p>Brenda Andolina, a spokeswoman for Fisher-Price, said in a statement it was Sesame Workshop's decision to end the 15-year arrangement in which Fisher-Price made toys like Tickle Me Elmo, Hokey Pokey Elmo and Elmo Live.</p><p>Hasbro, the nation's second largest toy maker, is permitted to make the merchandise for 10 years.</p><p>"Sesame Workshop has an amazing portfolio of characters that children have enjoyed in a variety of forms for decades, and Sesame Street is a brand that parents trust," said Brian Goldner, Hasbro's president and CEO.</p><p>The products designed to entertain and educate young children will be in stores starting in 2011.</p><p>Hasbro Inc., based in Pawtucket, R.I., makes other toys, including Transformers and G.I. Joe products.</p><p>Sesame Workshop is a nonprofit educational organization that produces local Sesame Street programs seen in over 140 countries.</p><p>Shares of Hasbro rose 84 cents, or 2.8 percent, to $31.03 in morning trading. The stock earlier traded at a new year high of $31.18, topping a previous peak of $30.74.</p><p>Mattel shares added 13 cents to $20.02.</p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=64963404&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>

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