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FedEx Corp. Reports Higher Fourth Quarter Earnings, Record Year For Revenue and Earnings

Jun. 25, 2002

Balance Sheet and Free Cash Flow Measures Improve

MEMPHIS, Tenn., June 25, 2002 ... FedEx Corporation (NYSE: FDX) today reported earnings of $0.78 per diluted share for the quarter ended May 31, compared to $0.38 per diluted share reported last year. Last year's fourth quarter included charges associated with curtailing certain aircraft modification and development programs and reorganizing certain operations. Excluding these expenses, earnings for last year's fourth quarter were $0.64 per diluted share.

Fourth Quarter Results

FedEx Corp. reported the following consolidated results for the fourth quarter:

  • Revenue of $5.42 billion, up 6% from $5.12 billion the previous year
  • Operating income of $416 million, up 86% from $224 million a year ago
  • Net income of $236 million, up 109% from last year's $113 million

Full Year Results

For the full fiscal year, FedEx Corp. reported earnings before the cumulative effect of accounting changes of $2.39 per diluted share, up 20% from $1.99 per share last year. Net income for the year was $2.34 per diluted share including a non-cash charge from an accounting change of $0.05. Excluding last year's fourth quarter charges of $124 million, earnings for the previous year were $2.26 per diluted share. Additional consolidated results for the fiscal year were:

  • Revenue of $20.6 billion, up 5% from $19.6 billion the previous year
  • Operating income of $1.32 billion, up 23% from $1.07 billion a year ago
  • Income before the effect of the accounting change of $725 million, up 24% from last year's $584 million
  • Free cash flow of $616 million, compared to ($69) million last year

"FedEx achieved record earnings and generated significant free cash flow during the year," said Frederick W. Smith, chairman, president and chief executive officer. "Our FedEx Ground and FedEx Freight units are operating at record profit and service reliability levels. FedEx Express has significantly reduced capital spending levels and has also been able to achieve record levels of service reliability, even as volume has declined during a difficult economic environment."

"FedEx benefited in the quarter by offering customers a broad range of services in the express, ground, freight and supply chain solution areas," said Alan B. Graf, Jr., executive vice president and chief financial officer. "Total average daily package volume at FedEx Express and FedEx Ground grew a combined 5% year-over-year for the quarter. FedEx Ground performance was very strong, more than doubling its profit from a year ago on a 21% increase in average daily volume and a 27% increase in revenue.

"Our $1.6 billion of capital spending in fiscal 2002 was the lowest level in eight years, which was achieved by deferring or cancelling aircraft deliveries and modifications and by reducing or eliminating various other projects," Graf said. "Our improved profitability and reduced capital spending during the year generated $616 million of free cash flow, enabling us to reduce our debt levels by $315 million, increase cash levels by $210 million, repurchase 3.35 million shares of FedEx stock, increase our stock repurchase authorization by 5 million shares and announce the company's first-ever cash dividend.

"For the full year, operating margin improved to 6.4% from 5.5% despite the difficult economic environment," Graf said. "The company has taken significant steps to reduce overhead, increase productivity, and tightly focus its sales and marketing efforts. We expect our efforts, combined with an improving economy, should position us to increase revenue, profitability and return on invested capital and to continue to generate positive cash flow in the new fiscal year. Earnings are expected to be $0.40 to $0.50 per diluted share in the first quarter, compared to $0.41 per diluted share a year ago excluding the cumulative effect from an accounting change of $0.05 per share. Capital spending for fiscal 2003 is forecast to be about $1.9 billion, as the company is required to take delivery of 17 aircraft committed in prior years and is increasing its investment in information technology and the FedEx Ground network."

FedEx Express

For the fourth quarter, FedEx Express reported:

  • Revenue of $4.00 billion, up 4% from last year's $3.85 billion
  • Operating income of $236 million, up 49% from $158 million a year ago

Revenue growth came primarily from the strong growth in weight related to the U.S. Postal Service transportation agreement.

FedEx Express U.S. domestic average daily package volume declined 3% year-over-year for the fourth quarter, although U.S. domestic deferred package volume grew 3%. FedEx International Priority(R) volume grew 3%, led by strength in Asia and Europe. U.S. domestic express package yield for the quarter was down 2% year-over-year, as an increase in base rates was more than offset by declining weights and fuel surcharges. International Priority package yield grew 1% for the quarter, primarily due to higher weight per package and an improved regional mix.

FedEx Express operating income was negatively affected by approximately $60 million year-over-year, as the decline in fuel prices was exceeded by the decline in fuel surcharge revenue. Last year's results included a non-cash charge of $102 million to other operating expense to write off aircraft, aircraft engines, related parts, deposits and related costs. Fourth quarter operating income declined 9% year-over-year excluding the charge.

FedEx Ground

For the fourth quarter, FedEx Ground reported:

  • Revenue of $743 million, up 27% from last year's $583 million
  • Operating income of $128 million, up 125% from $57 million a year ago

FedEx Ground average daily package volume grew 21%, with about one-third of the growth coming from FedEx Home Delivery. Yield per package increased more than 3%. Operating margin was 17.2% for the quarter, compared to 9.8% a year ago. FedEx Ground benefited from one additional operating day in this year's fourth quarter.

FedEx Home Delivery incurred a pretax loss of $32 million in fiscal 2002, an improvement of $19 million year-over-year, as coverage for this network was expanded to about 90% of the U.S. population. FedEx Home Delivery volumes and financial results are expected to continue to improve in fiscal 2003 as it completes its build-out in September to reach nearly 100% of the U.S. population.

FedEx Freight

For the fourth quarter, FedEx Freight reported:

  • Revenue of $522 million, up 5% from last year's $498 million
  • Operating income of $51 million, up 38% from $37 million a year ago

FedEx Freight operating margin was 9.8% in the fourth quarter compared with 7.4% a year ago as the company benefited from productivity improvements and market share gains. FedEx Freight average daily shipments exceeded prior year levels in the latter portion of the quarter, offsetting lower shipment levels earlier in the quarter. Yield increased 6%.

In early June, FedEx Freight announced the integration of its operating companies' Web sites and a series of new premium service offerings in conjunction with the official kickoff of the FedEx Freight operating company rebranding. Expanded next-day reach up to 900 miles in selected lanes in the east, and optional money-back guaranteed transit times in the west, reinforce the company's commitment to providing customers with convenient shipping solutions for today's fast cycle supply chains.

Tax Rate

The company's effective tax rate was reduced to 36.4% for the fourth quarter and to 37.5% for the full year, due to a number of factors, none of which was individually significant. For fiscal 2003, the effective rate is expected to be approximately 38.0%.

Corporate Overview

With annual revenues of $21 billion, FedEx Corp. is the premier global provider of transportation, e-commerce and supply chain management services. The company offers integrated business solutions through a network of subsidiaries operating independently, including: FedEx Express, the world's largest express transportation company; FedEx Ground, North America's second largest provider of small-package ground delivery service; FedEx Freight, the largest U.S. provider of regional less- than-truckload freight services; FedEx Custom Critical, the world's largest provider of expedited time-critical shipments; and FedEx Trade Networks, a provider of customs clearance, international freight forwarding and trade facilitation.

Additional information and operating data are contained in the company's annual report, Form 10-K, Form 10-Qs and fourth quarter FY2002 Statistical Book. These materials, as well as a Webcast of the earnings release conference call to be held at 10:30 a.m. EDT on June 25, are available on the company's Web site at www.fedex.com/us/investorrelations. A replay of the conference call Webcast will be posted on our Web site following the call and will remain available for approximately two weeks.

Certain statements in this press release may be considered forward-looking statements, such as statements relating to management's views with respect to future events and financial performance. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from historical experience or from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, any impacts on the company's business resulting from the events that occurred on September 11, 2001 or any future threats or acts of terrorism, and the timing and amount of any money that FedEx is entitled to receive under the Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act, as well as general economic and competitive conditions in the markets we serve, matching capacity to volume levels and other factors which can be found in FedEx Corp.'s and its subsidiaries' press releases and filings with the SEC.

 

FEDEX CORP. FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

 

Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2002
(In millions, except earnings per share)

 

ThreeMonthsEnded YearEnded
May31
May311
(Unaudited)
2002 2001 2002 2001
Revenue:
FedEx Express $3,999 $3,852 $15,327 $15,534
FedEx Ground 743 583 2,711 2,237
FedEx Freight 522 498 1,960 835
Other 152 183 609 1,023
Total Revenue 5,416 5,116 20,607 19,629

OperatingExpenses:
Salaries and employee benefits 2,386 2,170 9,099 8,263
Purchased transportation 474 427 1,825 1,713
Rentals and landing fees 432 435 1,780 1,650
Depreciation and amortization 345 337 1,364 1,276
Fuel 283 278 1,100 1,143
Maintenance and repairs 330 312 1,240 1,170
Airline stabilization comp. -- -- (119) --
Other 750 933 2,997 3,343
TotalOperatingExpenses 5,000 4,892 19,286 18,558

OperatingIncome (Loss):
FedEx Express 236 158 811 847
FedEx Ground 128 57 337 175
FedEx Freight 51 37 168 55
Other 1 (28) 5 (6)
Total Operating Income 416 224 1,321 1,071

Other Income (Expense):
Interest, net (30) (42) (139) (144)
Other, net (15) (2) (22) --
TotalOtherIncome(Expense) (45) (44) (161) (144)

Pretax Income
371 180 1,160 927

Provision for Income Taxes
135 67 435 343

Income Before Goodwill Accounting Change
236 113 725 584

Net Income
$236 $113 $710 $584

Diluted Earnings Per Share
Income Before Accounting Change $0.78 $0.38 $2.39 $1.99
Cumulative Effect of Accounting Change -- -- (0.05) --
Diluted Earnings Per Share $0.78 $0.38 $2.34 $1.99

WeightedAverageCommonand CommonEquivalentShares
304 301 303 293

EBITDA2
$745 $559 $2,662 $2,347

Capital Expenditures
$314 $621 $1,615 $1,893

1 - FedEx Freight East was acquired in Q3 FY01. Prior year results include the operations of FedEx Freight West from December 1, 2000 and FedEx Freight East from January 1, 2001. Prior to December 1, 2000, FedEx Freight West results are included in Other.

2 - EBITDA is earnings before goodwill accounting change, interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.


FEDEX CORP. OPERATING HIGHLIGHTS

Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2002
(In thousands, except yield, weight and operating weekdays)

ThreeMonthsEnded YearEnded
May31
May31
(Unaudited)
2002 2001 2002 2001
FEDEX EXPRESS
Operating Weekdays 65 65 255 255
AVERAGEDAILYVOLUME/POUNDS
Average Daily Package Volume:
U.S. Overnight Box 1,179 1,222 1,170 1,264
U.S. Overnight Envelope 702 764 699 757
U.S. Deferred 859 837 868 899
Total U.S. Domestic Package 2,740 2,823 2,737 2,920
International Priority 357 346 340 346
Total Average Daily Packages 3,097 3,169 3,077 3,266
Average Daily Freight Pounds:
U.S. 9,145 4,032 7,736 4,337
International 2,138 2,121 2,082 2,208
Total Average Daily Freight Pounds 11,283 6,153 9,818 6,545
YIELD
Revenue Per Package:
U.S. Overnight Box $17.86 $18.15 $17.90 $18.09
U.S. Overnight Envelope 9.78 9.91 9.84 9.69
U.S. Deferred 10.89 11.06 10.77 10.87
Total U.S. Domestic Package 13.60 13.82 13.58 13.69
International Priority 44.24 43.87 44.16 44.70
Composite Package Yield $17.13 $17.10 $16.96 $16.97
Revenue Per Freight Pound:
U.S. $0.64 $0.59 $0.65 $0.59
International 0.70 0.75 0.72 0.75
Composite Freight Yield $0.65 $0.64 $0.66 $0.64

FEDEX GROUND
Operating Weekdays 64 63 253 254
Average Daily Package Volume 1,874 1,545 1,755 1,520
Yield $6.19 $5.99 $6.11 $5.79

FEDEX FREIGHT1
Operating Weekdays 65 65 253 107
Shipments Per Day 58 57 56 56
Weight Per Shipment (lbs) 1,116 1,133 1,114 1,132
Revenue/CWT $12.50 $11.84 $12.41 $11.83

FEDEX CORP.
Average Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 186 185 185 177

1 - Fiscal 2001 based on the portion of the year including both FedEx Freight East and FedEx Freight West (January 2001 through May 2001).


FEDEX CORP. CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED BALANCE SHEET

Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2002
(In millions)

May31
2002 2001
ASSETS
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents $331 $121
Other current assets 3,334 3,380
Total Current Assets 3,665 3,501
Net Property and Equipment 8,302 8,100
Other Assets 1,845 1,791
$13,812 $13,392
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS'INVESTMENT
Current Liabilities:
Current portion of long-term debt $6 $221
Other current liabilities 2,936 3,029
Total Current Liabilities 2,942 3,250
Long-Term Debt, Less Current Portion 1,800 1,900
Deferred Income Taxes and Other Liabilities 2,525 2,342
Total Common Stockholders' Investment 6,545 5,900
$13,812 $13,392

FEDEX CORP. CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2002
(In millions)

YearEnded
May31
2002 2001
Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities $2,228 $2,044

Investing Activities:
Purchases of property and equipment (1,615) (1,893)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired (35) (477)
Other, net 38 257
Net cash used in investing activities (1,612) (2,113)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities (406) 122

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents
210 53
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 121 68
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $331 $121

Free cash flow
$616 $(69)

Note: Free cash flow is defined as net cash provided by operating activities less net cash used in investing activities. Previously, the company had defined free cash flow as net cash provided by operating activities less purchases of property and equipment and other, net.

 


FEDEX EXPRESS FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2002
(In millions, except FTEs)

 

ThreeMonthsEnded YearEnded
May31
May31
(Unaudited)
2002 2001 2002 2001
Revenue $3,999 $3,852 $15,327 $15,534

OperatingExpenses:
Salaries and employee benefits 1,680 1,550 6,467 6,301
Purchased transportation 140 143 562 584
Rentals and landing fees 373 365 1,524 1,419
Depreciation and amortization 204 200 806 797
Fuel 261 247 1,009 1,063
Maintenance and repairs 262 246 980 968
Airline stabilization comp. -- -- (119) --
Intercompany charges 342 323 1,332 1,317
Other 501 620 1,955 2,238
TotalOperatingExpenses 3,763 3,694 14,516 14,687

OperatingIncome
$236 $158 $811 $847

EBITDA
$423 $357 $1,564 $1,641

Average Full-Time Equivalents (000s)
120 121 120 123

FEDEX GROUND FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2002
(In millions)

ThreeMonthsEnded YearEnded
May31
May31
(Unaudited)
2002 2001 2002 2001
Revenue $743 $583 $2,711 $2,237

OperatingExpenses:
Salaries and employee benefits 141 113 532 450
Purchased transportation 274 223 1,032 881
Rentals 16 18 71 67
Depreciation and amortization 34 31 132 111
Fuel 1 3 4 8
Maintenance and repairs 18 16 73 63
Intercompany charges 61 54 238 215
Other 70 68 292 267
TotalOperatingExpenses 615 526 2,374 2,062

OperatingIncome
$128 $57 $337 $175

EBITDA
$159 $87 $460 $283

FEDEX FREIGHT FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2002
(In millions)

ThreeMonthsEnded YearEnded
May31
May31
(Unaudited)
2002 2001 2002
Revenue $522 $498 $1,960

OperatingExpenses:
Salaries and employee benefits 308 291 1,170
Purchased transportation 16 14 57
Rentals 16 16 64
Depreciation and amortization 21 26 86
Fuel 18 23 72
Maintenance and repairs 25 24 90
Intercompany charges 2 -- 8
Other 65 67 245
TotalOperatingExpenses 471 461 1,792

OperatingIncome
$51 $37 $168

EBITDA
$69 $63 $248

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