Funko names Josh Simon as new CEO
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Aug 12 2025
0mins
Should l Buy FNKO?
New CEO Appointment: Funko has appointed Josh Simon as Chief Executive Officer, effective September 1, 2025, succeeding Interim CEO Mike Lunsford.
Board Membership: Along with his CEO role, Simon will also join the Funko Board of Directors on the same date.
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Analyst Views on FNKO
Wall Street analysts forecast FNKO stock price to fall
2 Analyst Rating
1 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 4.380
Low
3.50
Averages
3.50
High
3.50
Current: 4.380
Low
3.50
Averages
3.50
High
3.50
About FNKO
Funko, Inc. operates as a pop culture lifestyle brand. The Company is engaged in selling a range of licensed pop culture consumer products featuring characters from a range of media and entertainment content, including movies, TV shows, video games, music and sports. Its products are principally figures, fashion accessories, apparel, plush products, accessories, homeware, NFTs, vinyl records and limited-edition posters. Its products combine its proprietary brands and distinct designs and aesthetic sensibilities into properties it licenses from content providers. In addition to offering multiple properties and product categories, it creates and sells a variety of brands that have their own look and feel. Its brand portfolio includes Core Collectible (which includes Pop! Vinyl, and other branded lines, such as Soda, Bitty Pop!, and Pop! Yourself), Loungefly (softlines, including bags, wallets, backpacks and apparel) and Other (which include brands, such as Digital Pop! and Mondo).
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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See More
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- Funko's Dismal Outlook: With a market cap of $180.2 million, Funko's annual revenue growth of only 6.8% over the past five years indicates a loss of competitive ground, and dwindling cash reserves may lead to shareholder dilution.
- Nabors Industries' Declining Performance: Nabors, valued at $1.17 billion, has seen a 1.9% annual revenue decline over the last decade, with high extraction costs and a low gross margin of 39.1% constraining its ability to self-fund growth.
- Graham Corporation's Growth Potential: Graham, with a market cap of $899.7 million, boasts a 15% annual revenue growth over the last two years and an impressive 83.3% compounded annual EPS growth, indicating a significant increase in market share.
- Risks in Small-Cap Market: While the Russell 2000 index offers opportunities to uncover hidden investment gems, the higher volatility and economic downturn risks associated with small-cap stocks necessitate careful evaluation by investors.
See More
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- Alternative Asset Surge: As collectors increasingly view 1990s and 2000s Pokémon cards as alternative assets, trading card indexes have surged during the pandemic and are expected to rise again in 2025, outperforming the S&P 500's average annual return of 10% to 12%.
- Scarcity Drives Prices: For instance, a rare Pikachu Illustrator card owned by Logan Paul sold for over $16 million in February, setting a record for the highest price ever paid for a trading card at auction, highlighting the scarcity and demand in the high-end market.
- Grading Impacts Value: The condition and grading of cards are critical to their value, with a perfect condition card potentially worth $100,000, but only fetching 1% to 2% of that value if in lower condition, indicating the significant premium for graded 10 cards in the Pokémon market.
- Market Risks and Volatility: While sales of non-sports trading cards surged 350% from 2020 to 2025, the prices are highly volatile and influenced by hype, lacking the stability of traditional markets, which necessitates caution for investors.
See More
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- Significant Revenue Growth: Pop Mart reported annual revenue of 37.1 billion yuan ($5.4 billion) for 2025, marking a 185% increase year-over-year, although slightly below LSEG's estimate of 38 billion yuan, indicating strong market performance but raising sustainability concerns.
- Dramatic Profit Increase: The company's net income surged more than fourfold to 12.8 billion yuan, slightly exceeding the forecast of 12.6 billion yuan; however, a notable slowdown in the fourth quarter heightened investor worries about the durability of its key IP's popularity.
- Underwhelming New Character Sales: While sales from Skullpanda more than doubled to 3.54 billion yuan, and Twinkle Twinkle and Hirono generated 2.06 billion yuan and 1.74 billion yuan respectively, Labubu and its family still accounted for 38% of total revenue, indicating insufficient market acceptance of new characters.
- Cautious Market Sentiment: Investors have expressed skepticism about Pop Mart's short-term appeal, with shares retreating about 50% from their August peak, reflecting a cautious sentiment towards the company's future growth, as the CEO acknowledged the need to diversify beyond Labubu to sustain growth.
See More
Pop Mart's Global Expansion and Challenges
- Revenue Growth and Stock Volatility: In 2025, Pop Mart's revenue and net income surged by 185% and 309%, respectively, yet the stock plummeted over 22% post-earnings release, indicating market concerns about sustaining growth momentum.
- Global Market Strategy: By 2025, international markets accounted for 44% of Pop Mart's revenue, with expectations for increased contributions from the U.S. and Europe, reflecting the company's proactive global expansion strategy.
- Diversified Product Strategy: Collaborations with Uniqlo and Parisian luxury brand Moynat have led Pop Mart into new sectors like jewelry, with some Labubu gold necklaces priced above $2,000, aiming to enhance brand influence and market competitiveness.
- Theme Park Ambitions: Pop Mart's Pop Land theme park in Beijing is undergoing reconstruction and expansion, aiming for a 360-degree immersive experience that combines live performances and storytelling to deepen consumer brand loyalty.
See More
Rise of China's Emotional Economy
- Shift in Consumer Trends: Data shows that during the 2025 Chinese New Year, spending on traditional food gifts significantly declined, while expenditures on travel and cosmetics surged, reflecting a growing emphasis on emotional resonance among consumers and indicating a shift towards more personalized and experiential spending.
- Growth of Emotional Economy: According to projections from the iiMedia Research Center, China's emotional economy is expected to exceed 4.5 trillion yuan ($655 billion) by 2029, nearly doubling its value from 2024, highlighting an increasing consumer demand for emotional fulfillment and spiritual satisfaction that is driving market expansion.
- Changes Among Young Consumers: Research indicates that younger Chinese consumers, facing economic pressures, are increasingly inclined to pursue purchases that bring joy and identity rather than traditional material accumulation, a shift that not only affects spending habits but also prompts businesses to reassess their value propositions.
- Policy Attention on Emotional Economy: The Chongqing city government highlighted the importance of the emotional economy for the first time in its 2026 work report, indicating that policymakers are beginning to recognize this emerging consumer trend, while businesses are actively adjusting strategies to meet the demand for emotion-driven spending.
See More
Pop Mart Partners with Sony for Labubu Film
- Film Development Partnership: Pop Mart is collaborating with Sony Pictures to develop a movie centered around the Labubu character, marking a significant step in expanding its popular toy IP to the big screen, which is expected to attract more consumer attention.
- Market Performance Analysis: According to data provided by Pop Mart, products from 'The Monsters' series accounted for 34.7% of the company's total revenue in the first half of 2025, highlighting the series' importance in the market, although analysts warn of potential growth slowdown in 2026.
- Brand Strategy Transformation: The Chief Operating Officer of Pop Mart stated that movies not only allow consumers to intuitively understand the characters' world but also generate a wealth of material for product and theme park design, reflecting the company's strategic thinking in brand expansion.
- Future Outlook: Despite analysts predicting a potential 11% to 13% decline in earnings for 2026, Pop Mart is seeking to maintain brand vitality through its film project, demonstrating its long-term planning in IP development.
See More
