FedEx (FEDEX) has just revealed that it is facing some major “headwinds” as it battles a “softer demand environment” in the industrial economy as consumers tighten their spending.
In FedEx’s first-quarter earnings report for 2024, the shipping carrier revealed that it earned a revenue of $21.6 billion during the quarter, which is a decline from the $21.7 billion it earned during the same time period in 2023.
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The company also reported a roughly 23% year-over-year decrease in its net income, while it earned an adjusted $3.60 per share during the quarter, which is almost a 21% decrease from the $4.55 per share it earned during the same period the year before.
In the report, FedEx revealed that its earnings were “negatively affected by a mix shift,” which includes a “reduced demand for priority services,” and a “increased demand for deferred services.”
During an earnings call on Sept. 19, which discussed the report, FedEx CEO Rajesh Subramaniam claimed that the U.S. domestic package market faced “weaker” demand than previously expected, as the company faced a “slightly lower” average daily package volume.
A worker for an independent contractor to FedEx Corp. delivers packages in San Francisco on Aug. 3, 2023.
“Weakness in the industrial economy pressured our B2B (business-to-business) volumes, particularly in the U.S.,” said Subramaniam during the call. “We saw increasing demand for our lower-yielding services, and some of this demand increase was driven by a shift in customer preference worldwide from priority to deferred services.”
FedEx also revealed that it is adjusting its fiscal 2025 revenue expectations after observing the concerning change in consumer behavior. It now predicts a “low single-digit percentage revenue growth rate” year-over-year, compared to the “low-to-mid single digit percentage increase” it previously expected.
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Shortly after FedEx released its latest earnings report, its shares declined by about 15%.
FedEx faces challenges as small businesses struggle with inflation
The weakness in FedEx’s business-to-business shipment volumes and preference for cheaper shipping options comes as small businesses are grappling with inflation.
According to a recent survey from the National Federation of Independent Business, 25% of small business owners revealed that inflation was their “single most important problem in operating their business.”
“Despite this increase in optimism, the road ahead remains tough for the nation’s small business owners,” said NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg in the report. “Cost pressures, especially labor costs, continue to plague small business operations, impacting their bottom line. Owners are heading towards unpredictable months ahead, not knowing how future economic conditions or government policies will impact them.”
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