Is Mattel a good stock for Barbie?

The fashionable doll makes her big-screen debut this week. Mattel ( MAT -1.30%), which has marketed Barbie since 1959, is enjoying the hype over the new Barbie movie. And the toymaker's stock could be on track for its best performance in several years. Are Barbie dollars driving Mattel stock higher?

How much is Barbie worth?

Directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie, Barbie has already sold $356.3 million in theater tickets globally. Mattel shares climbed 1.8% on the news Monday, capping a run of Barbie buzz that’s lifted the El Segundo, California-based company’s market valuation by more than a third since a recent low in March.

Why were Barbie sales down in the first quarter?

Barbie sales were down year over year in the first quarter, but that was due to overall lower doll sales. Barbie remains the No. 1 doll in the world, and it captured market share in the quarter. Management continues to update the doll with new looks, figures, and jobs, and it released the first-ever Barbie with Down syndrome in April.