Barbie maker Mattel faces investor pressure to consider a sale amid stagnating growth

Mattel is reportedly facing pressure from an investor to consider a sale amid struggling sales and growing buyer interest in the Barbie maker. American investment firm Ariel Investments, a major shareholder in the toymaker, said that as the struggling business seeks a turnaround, it should consider a sale to the right buyer, according to a letter from Chairman and Co-CEO John Rogers sent to Mattel's board of directors, seen by Reuters and the Wall Street Journal . "By our estimates, a strategic buyer would pay a significant premium to your current ​share price," Ariel's Rogers said in the letter, saying that the company would be attractive to prospective buyers including entertainment companies and private equity firms.