Meant to post this earlier. From Saturday's NY Times:

Lego Builds an Empire, Brick by Brick

The Lego Group

Thanks for posting.

Interesting read. I wonder if LEGO will ever go public (from being a privately owned company)?

This really makes me wish they would re-launch LEGO Universe!  Maybe instead of memberships just offer in app purchases and level upgrades like so many other games!  

This part caught my attention:

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Analysts and experts still consider Lego a success on many fronts. Profit surged 35 percent to a record 5.61 billion kroner ($993 million) in 2012, thanks in part to growth in its Friends line.

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Hmmm...seems girl products ARE a big chunk of LEGOs strategy. Does this change anyone's opinion of the Friends line? (Or did the Dolphin Cruiser madness of Xmas 2013 already do that?) :)

This part caught my attention:

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Analysts and experts still consider Lego a success on many fronts. Profit surged 35 percent to a record 5.61 billion kroner ($993 million) in 2012, thanks in part to growth in its Friends line.

==

Hmmm...seems girl products ARE a big chunk of LEGOs strategy. Does this change anyone's opinion of the Friends line? (Or did the Dolphin Cruiser madness of Xmas 2013 already do that?)

No. My opinion of the Friends line is that they are great investments. And it still is.

Good article. I find it odd that they wrote "Over the years, Lego has built a strong stable of brands, including Bionicle, Ninjago, Legends of Chima, and Mixels"

Really Mixels, part of a long stable Lego brand over the years...it hasn't even been released yet! Lol

This was also interesting..."The company admits to making missteps along the way, including giving its popular Ninjago brand too short a life cycle to make way for its successor, Legends of Chima.