Hasbro Inc

Toy maker Hasbro Inc. was fined $7.7 million by British regulators for fixing prices. The maker of Mr. Potato Head and G.I. Joe broke British competition law when it told 10 distributors they couldn't sell toys and games below its list price without permission, the British Office of Fair Trading said. Pawtucket, R.I.-based Hasbro said it would appeal the ruling. Hasbro shares fell 26 cents to $12.82 on the NYSE. They have declined 21% this year.

Electronic Arts Inc., the maker of "Madden NFL" and "Nascar" video games, will create titles based on Hasbro Inc.'s Monopoly, Scrabble and Yahtzee board games to attract family-oriented consumers. Electronic Arts also bought exclusive rights to Hasbro brands including "Nerf" and "Tonka" for as many as 10 years, the company said. Financial terms were not disclosed. The Hasbro titles will be created by Electronic Arts' casual entertainment unit and go on sale next year.

Hasbro Inc. said it will buy software maker MicroProse Inc. of Alameda for about $70 million in cash, debt and preferred stock as the No. 2 toy maker expands its computer software production. The Pawtucket, R.I.-based maker of Parker Bros. games and Tiger electronic toys said it will pay $6 a share, or $34.5 million, for all of MicroProse's 5.75 million outstanding shares.

Hasbro Adopts Anti-Takeover Measures: Toy manufacturer Hasbro Inc. said it has adopted measures to stave off potentially hostile takeover bids after rumors the company might become a target. The measures do not prohibit sale of the company, but effectively give shareholders the right to buy Hasbro stock at a discount in the event of a hostile takeover bid. The move follows the hospitalization of Hasbro Chairman Stephen D. Hassenfeld, 47, for treatment of pneumonia, which has stirred rumors the company might be sold if he does not return to work.

Hasbro Inc., the world's No. 2 toy maker, recalled about 230,000 Super Soaker Monster Rockets because of injuries to users and bystanders. Hasbro received reports of three injuries to users of the 7-foot-tall inflatable Mylar rockets, including a slight concussion and a cut requiring stitches, and four injuries to children struck by descending rockets, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said. Consumers should stop using the rockets immediately and can contact Pawtucket, R.I.

Time Warner to Sell Hasbro Stake: The debt-laden entertainment concern plans to sell its 14% stake in toy maker Hasbro Inc. of Pawtucket, R.I. New York-based Time Warner Inc. said it does not plan to sell its Hasbro stock directly for tax reasons but will instead sell 12.1 million preferred exchangeable redemption cumulative securities, or PERCS, tied to its Hasbro holdings.