Item 1. BUSINESS
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Item 1. BUSINESS
Overview
FedEx Corporation (“FedEx”) was incorporated in Delaware on October 2, 1997 to serve as the parent holding company and provide strategic direction to the FedEx portfolio of companies. FedEx provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce, and business services, offering integrated business solutions utilizing its flexible, efficient, and intelligent global network.
Our website is located at fedex.com. Detailed information about our services, e-commerce tools and solutions, and environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) initiatives can be found on our website. In addition, we make our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and all exhibits and amendments to such reports available, free of charge, through our website, as soon as reasonably practicable on the day they are filed with or furnished to the SEC. The Investor Relations page of our website, investors.fedex.com, contains a significant amount of information about FedEx, including our SEC filings and financial and other information for investors. The information that we post on the Investor Relations page of our website could be deemed to be material information. We encourage investors, the media, and others interested in FedEx to visit this website from time to time, as information is updated and new information is posted. The information on our website, however, is not incorporated by reference in, and does not form part of, this Annual Report. Except as otherwise specified, any reference to a year in this Annual Report indicates our fiscal year ended May 31 of the year referenced.
One FedEx Consolidation and New Reportable Segments
In the fourth quarter of 2023, we announced one FedEx, a consolidation plan to bring FedEx Ground Package System, Inc. (“FedEx Ground”) and FedEx Corporate Services, Inc. (“FedEx Services”) into Federal Express Corporation (“Federal Express”), becoming a single company operating a unified, fully integrated air-ground express network under the respected FedEx brand. On June 1, 2024, FedEx Ground and FedEx Services were merged into Federal Express. FedEx Freight, Inc. (“FedEx Freight”) continues to provide less-than-truckload (“LTL”) freight transportation services as a separate subsidiary. Beginning in the first quarter of 2025, Federal Express and FedEx Freight will represent our major service lines and constitute our reportable segments. FedEx Custom Critical, Inc. (“FedEx Custom Critical”) will be included in the FedEx Freight segment instead of the Federal Express segment beginning in 2025.
Additionally, the FedEx Dataworks, Inc. (“FedEx Dataworks”) operating segment is focused on creating solutions to transform the digital and physical experiences of our customers and team members. The FedEx Office and Print Services, Inc. (“FedEx Office”) operating segment provides document and business services and retail access to our package transportation businesses and the FedEx Logistics, Inc. (“FedEx Logistics”) operating segment provides customs brokerage and global ocean and air freight forwarding, as well as integrated supply chain management solutions through FedEx Supply Chain Distribution System, Inc. (“FedEx Supply Chain”). FedEx Dataworks, FedEx Office, and FedEx Logistics are included in “Corporate, other, and eliminations” in our segment reporting. There will be no changes to “Corporate, other, and eliminations” in 2025 following the one FedEx consolidation. For more information about FedEx Dataworks, FedEx Office, and FedEx Logistics, please see “FedEx Dataworks Operating Segment,” “FedEx Office Operating Segment,” and “FedEx Logistics Operating Segment” under “Business Segments” below. For more information about our new reportable segments beginning in the first quarter of 2025, please see “Business Segments” below.
During 2024 and 2023, our reportable segments were FedEx Express, the world’s largest express transportation company; FedEx Ground, a leading North American provider of small-package ground delivery services; FedEx Freight Corporation, a leading North American provider of LTL freight transportation services; and FedEx Services, which provided sales, marketing, information technology, communications, customer service, technical support, billing and collection services, and certain back-office functions that supported our operating segments. For financial information concerning our reportable segments in place during 2024 and 2023, refer to “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition” and “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this Annual Report. Part I of this Annual Report contains certain references to the financial and operational performance of our reportable segments in place during 2024 and 2023. Additional information regarding our reportable segments in place during 2024 and 2023 can be found in “Item 1. Business” and “Item 2. Properties” of our Annual Report for the year ended May 31, 2023. Certain statistical information in Part I of this Annual Report is presented as of June 7, 2024, the earliest practicable date following the one FedEx consolidation.
Strategy
The collective FedEx brand gives us our competitive edge. Further, our strategy allows us to manage our business as a portfolio, in the long-term best interest of the enterprise. As a result, we base decisions on capital investment and service additions or enhancements upon achieving the highest overall long-term return on invested capital for our business as a whole. We focus on making appropriate
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investments in the technology and assets necessary to optimize our long-term earnings performance and cash flow. Our business strategy also provides flexibility in structuring our network to align with varying macroeconomic conditions and customer demand for the market segments in which the customer operates, allowing us to leverage and manage change. Volatility, uncertainty, and innovation have become the norms in the global transportation market, and we are able to use our flexibility to accommodate changing conditions in the global economy.
For more than 50 years, we built networks that have created a differentiated and unmatched portfolio of services while continuously evolving to meet the changing needs of our customers and the market. With the recent significant growth of e-commerce and as our service mix continues to shift to deferred services, we are continuing to evolve to improve our operational efficiency and enhance profitability through one FedEx, Network 2.0 (our multi-year effort to improve the efficiency with which FedEx picks up, transports, and delivers packages in the U.S. and Canada), and DRIVE (our comprehensive program to improve long-term profitability). We are building a simplified experience to better serve our customers with enhanced capabilities and transforming to operate with more flexibility, efficiency, and intelligence.
We have implemented Network 2.0 in more than 50 locations in the U.S. and began the phased transition of all legacy FedEx Ground operations and personnel in Canada to Federal Express surface operations in April 2024. As we optimize our network under Network 2.0, Federal Express will continue to utilize both employee couriers and contracted service providers in U.S. surface operations using a market-by-market approach. Additionally, in 2024 we announced Tricolor, the redesign of the Federal Express international air network as part of the DRIVE program to improve efficiency and asset utilization. See “Business Segments” below, “Item 1A. Risk Factors,” and “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition” of this Annual Report for more information on one FedEx, Network 2.0, and DRIVE. One FedEx and Network 2.0 will leverage the strength of our networks, people, and assets in more efficient ways, enabling a distinct focus on air and international volume while facilitating a more holistic approach to how we move packages on the ground.
Innovation inspired our start at FedEx over 50 years ago, and it is fueling our future as we combine logistics with digital intelligence. Leveraging the capabilities of FedEx Dataworks, developments in data and technology, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, are facilitating the execution of our DRIVE transformation by creating new opportunities to improve our operational efficiency. See “Business Segments” below for more information. The size and scale of our global network gives us key insights into global supply chains and trends. This foundation provides an immense amount of data we can use to build better insights, improve the customer experience, and differentiate our service offerings. To fully harness the power of this data, FedEx Dataworks is focused on putting our data into context and using it to enhance the efficiency of the FedEx network and the end-to-end experience of our customers by making supply chains smarter for everyone.
In January 2024, we announced fdx, a fully integrated data-driven commerce platform that connects the entire customer journey. See “Federal Express Segment — Customer-Driven Technology — E-Commerce and Digital Solutions” below for more information. In early 2025 we formed a new enterprise-wide Data & Technology team, which is focused on initiatives to streamline the technology used during the package delivery lifecycle; establish global standards across pickup-and-delivery, linehaul, sort, and clearance operations; and improve digital products and experiences for the FedEx enterprise and our customers.
“Safety Above All” is the first and foremost value in every aspect of our business. We are committed to making our workplaces and communities safer for our team members, customers, and the public. This philosophy is embedded in our day-to-day work through rigorous policies, continual education and engagement, and investments in technology designed to prevent accidents.
Through our global transportation, information technology, and retail networks, we help to facilitate an ongoing and unprecedented expansion of customer access — to goods, services, and information. We believe it would be extremely difficult, costly, and time-consuming to replicate our global network, which reflects decades of investment, innovation, and expertise, includes the world’s largest all-cargo air fleet, and connects more than 99% of the world’s gross domestic product. We continue to position our company and team members to facilitate and capitalize on this access and to achieve stronger long-term growth, productivity, and profitability.
During 2024 and early 2025, we introduced and expanded a number of innovative solutions, advanced important long-term business initiatives, and made other important investments that benefit our customers, team members, communities, and other stakeholders, including:
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Completing our one FedEx consolidation plan to bring FedEx Ground and FedEx Services into Federal Express, becoming a single company operating a unified, fully integrated air-ground express network.
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Continuing DRIVE, our comprehensive program to improve our long-term profitability.
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Implementing Network 2.0 in more than 50 locations in the U.S. and beginning the phased implementation in Canada.
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Announcing Tricolor, the redesign of the Federal Express international air network to improve efficiency and asset utilization of the entire FedEx system.
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Introducing fdx, a fully integrated data-driven commerce platform that connects the entire customer journey.
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Opening our first Advanced Capability Community in India, which will create employment opportunities and help meet the technological and digital requirements of FedEx operations worldwide.
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Further strengthening our customer offerings through digital and data-driven solutions, such as enhancements to our healthcare services with more powerful capabilities to prioritize critical shipments and provide monitoring and intervention.
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Leveraging the power of our digital insights and predictive capabilities through FedEx Dataworks to proactively divert storm-bound volumes across our networks during severe winter weather in the third quarter of 2024.
In June 2024, we announced that FedEx’s management and Board of Directors are conducting an assessment of the role of FedEx Freight in the company’s portfolio structure.
Business Segments
The following describes in more detail the operations of each of our principal operating segments beginning in the first quarter of 2025:
Federal Express Segment
Overview
Federal Express pioneered the express transportation industry over 50 years ago in 1973 and remains the industry leader today, providing a range of rapid, reliable, time- and day-definite delivery services to more than 220 countries and territories through an integrated air-ground express network. In connection with our one FedEx consolidation, on June 1, 2024 FedEx Ground and FedEx Services were merged into Federal Express.
As of June 7, 2024, Federal Express employed approximately 430,000 employees and had approximately 64,000 drop-off locations (including FedEx Office stores and FedEx OnSite locations, such as nearly 17,000 Walgreens, Dollar General, and Albertsons stores), nearly 700 aircraft, and over 175,000 motorized vehicles in its global network. Federal Express contracts with approximately 6,000 independent small businesses to conduct certain linehaul and pickup-and-delivery operations. See “Operations” below for information regarding the consolidation of these operations into the surface operations of Federal Express. Federal Express also provides cross-border enablement and technology solutions and e-commerce transportation solutions.
U.S. and Canadian Services
Federal Express offers a wide range of U.S. domestic and Canadian shipping services for delivery of packages and freight. Federal Express offers three U.S. domestic overnight package delivery services: FedEx First Overnight, FedEx Priority Overnight, and FedEx Standard Overnight. FedEx SameDay service is available 365 days a year throughout all 50 states for urgent shipments up to 150 pounds. Federal Express also offers U.S. express overnight and deferred freight services to handle the needs of the time-definite freight market.
Federal Express is also a leading provider of day-definite business and residential package delivery services for packages weighing up to 150 pounds. Federal Express service reaches 100% of the continental U.S. population and nearly 100% of the Canadian population. Federal Express offers residential delivery service to 99% of the U.S. population on Saturdays and more than half of the U.S. population on Sundays. Federal Express also offers an economy service that is available for the consolidation and delivery of high volumes of low-weight, less time-sensitive business-to-consumer packages to any residential address or P.O. Box in the U.S.
International Services
Federal Express offers a wide range of international shipping services for delivery of packages and freight, connecting markets that generate more than 99% of the world’s gross domestic product. FedEx international package services include a money-back guarantee. Federal Express’s unmatched air route authorities and extensive transportation infrastructure, combined with leading-edge information technologies, make it the world’s largest express transportation company.
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International express and deferred package delivery is available to more than 220 countries and territories, with a variety of time-definite services to meet distinct customer needs. FedEx International Economy provides time-definite delivery typically in two to five business days. FedEx International First provides time-definite delivery to select postal codes in more than 25 countries and territories, with delivery to select U.S. ZIP Codes as early as 8:00 a.m. from more than 90 countries and Caribbean islands in one or two business days, delivery by 10:00 a.m. in one business day from the U.S. to Canada, and by 11:00 a.m. in one business day from the U.S. to Mexico. Federal Express also offers domestic pickup-and-delivery services within certain non-U.S. countries, including France, the United Kingdom, Australia, Brazil, Italy, Canada, Mexico, Poland, India, China, and South Africa. In addition, Federal Express offers comprehensive international express and deferred freight services, real-time tracking, and advanced customs clearance.
Our FedEx International Priority service provides end-of-day time-definite delivery in one to three business days to more than 220 countries and territories, and our FedEx International Priority Express service provides midday time-definite delivery in one to three business days to more than 25 countries and territories. Additionally, FedEx International Connect Plus, a contractual e-commerce service currently available from nearly 60 origin countries to over 190 destination countries, provides day-definite delivery typically within two to five business days.
Operations
Federal Express’s largest sorting facility, located in Memphis, serves as the center of the company’s multiple hub-and-spoke system and worldwide air network. A second national air hub facility is located in Indianapolis. We are making investments over multiple years in our facilities to expand and modernize our Indianapolis hub and modernize our Memphis hub. See the “Financial Condition — Liquidity Outlook” section of “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition” of this Annual Report for more information. In addition to these national air hubs, Federal Express operates regional air hubs in Fort Worth, Newark, Oakland, and Greensboro and major metropolitan sorting facilities at airports in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Atlanta.
Facilities at airports in Anchorage, Paris, Cologne, Guangzhou, and Osaka serve as sorting facilities for express package and freight traffic moving to and from Asia, Europe, and North America. Additional major sorting and freight handling facilities are located at Narita Airport in Tokyo and Stansted Airport outside London. The facilities in Paris, Cologne, Guangzhou, and Osaka are also designed to serve as regional air hubs for their respective market areas. A facility in Miami serves our South Florida, Latin American, and Caribbean markets. A central air hub near Liege, Belgium connects specific large European markets. In addition to its worldwide air network, Federal Express operates road networks in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, and South America. Federal Express’s unique European road network connects more than 45 countries and territories through 28 transit hubs and more than 600 stations.
With the recent significant growth of e-commerce and as our service mix continues to shift to deferred services, we are fundamentally redesigning our international air network in connection with our DRIVE transformation program. The redesigned network will continue to deploy FedEx-owned aircraft in the delivery of International Priority parcel shipments using our existing hub-and-spoke model. Additionally, a portion of our owned aircraft fleet will be retimed to operate off-cycle, allowing us to build density, decongest hubs, and connect our global surface networks. Finally, we will continue to leverage our global partner network as an adaptive capacity layer, particularly on imbalanced trade lanes, to move e-commerce and deferred volumes.
Throughout its worldwide network, Federal Express operates city stations and employs a staff of customer service agents, cargo handlers, and couriers who pick up and deliver shipments in the station’s service area. In some international areas, independent agents (“Global Service Participants”) have been selected to complete deliveries and to pick up packages. For more information about our sorting and handling facilities, see “Item 2. Properties” of this Annual Report under the caption “Federal Express Segment.”
Federal Express also operates a highly flexible surface network of over 700 legacy FedEx Ground sortation and distribution facilities, including 165 fully automated stations, as of June 7, 2024. Federal Express conducts these operations in the U.S. primarily with more than 95,000 motorized vehicles owned or leased by independent service providers. Through Network 2.0, the multi-year effort to improve the efficiency with which we pick up, transport, and deliver packages in the U.S. and Canada, these operations are being consolidated into the surface operations of Federal Express. We have implemented Network 2.0 in more than 50 locations in the U.S. and began the phased transition of all legacy FedEx Ground operations and personnel in Canada to Federal Express surface operations in April 2024. Under Network 2.0, Federal Express will continue to utilize both its employee couriers and contracted service providers in U.S. surface operations using a market-by-market approach. See “Item 1A. Risk Factors” and “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition” of this Annual Report for more information on Network 2.0.
Federal Express continues to maximize the use of existing U.S. surface facilities through Network 2.0. Many of these facilities utilize advanced automated unloading and sorting technology to streamline the handling of millions of packages daily. This technology includes a yard management system in many facilities which interacts with GPS tags on trailers to automatically notify the control
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center when a trailer arrives and departs. Using overhead laser and six-sided camera-based bar code scan technology, hub conveyors electronically guide packages to their appropriate destination chute where they are loaded for transport to their respective destination stations for local delivery.
Through collaboration with FedEx Dataworks, Federal Express is also implementing dynamic scheduling tools at many U.S. surface facilities to match sort staffing with volumes and is introducing capabilities to allow certain packages to bypass station sortation and proceed directly to vehicles, which helps to maximize station capacity. In addition, dock modernization efforts enabled by FedEx Dataworks, including a network operating plan that uses machine learning and algorithms to develop more detailed and accurate volume forecasts, are enhancing productivity at these facilities in furtherance of our DRIVE initiatives. Federal Express is also testing autonomous, driverless technologies in the handling of large, non-conveyable packages, as well as artificial intelligence-enabled robotic product sortation systems to sort small packages. During the third quarter of 2024, Federal Express leveraged the power of our digital insights and predictive capabilities through FedEx Dataworks to proactively divert storm-bound volumes during severe winter weather.
Federal Express offers service providers advanced route optimization technology supported by the capabilities of FedEx Dataworks that includes near real-time data that service providers may use to plan efficient delivery routes and vehicle mix. To promote safe operations, service providers contracting with Federal Express agree to use certain safety-related vehicle technologies and satisfy certain driver standards. Additionally, software systems and internet-based applications are deployed to offer customers new ways to connect internal package data with external delivery information. In 2024 we introduced a new tool to Federal Express service providers to track and drive improvement across key operating metrics tied to demand, safety, service, and productivity. Federal Express provides shipment tracing and proof-of-delivery signature functionality through the FedEx website, fedex.com. For additional information regarding FedEx e-commerce tools and solutions, including FedEx Delivery Manager and FedEx Returns, see “Customer-Driven Technology — E-Commerce Solutions” below.
Pricing
Federal Express periodically publishes updates to the list prices for the majority of its services in its Service Guides. In general, shipping rates are based on the service selected, origin, destination, weight, size, any ancillary service charge, and whether the customer charged the shipment to a FedEx account. On January 1, 2024, a 5.9% average list price increase was implemented in the U.S. for domestic and international services. List prices also increased for contractual services and in international markets at this time.
Federal Express implements and adjusts demand surcharges (previously known as peak surcharges) from time to time based on assessments of shipment volume and capacity in our network. For U.S. domestic services, demand surcharges historically have applied to shipments that are oversized, unauthorized, or require additional handling; to residential packages for customers meeting a certain volume threshold; and to FedEx Ground Economy shipments. Demand surcharges on U.S. domestic services initially implemented beginning in 2020 remained in effect for the first half of 2024. Higher surcharges were applied during the 2024 holiday shipping season, after which time the U.S. domestic demand surcharges were reduced or suspended. Demand surcharges on international services initially implemented beginning in 2020 were reduced for select lanes in September 2023, October 2023, and January 2024 and remained in effect for the Middle East, Indian Subcontinent, and African region until June 3, 2024, and for all other international markets until April 29, 2024.
Federal Express has an indexed fuel surcharge for U.S. domestic and U.S. outbound shipments and for shipments originating internationally, where legally and contractually possible, which is adjusted on a weekly basis. The fuel surcharge is based on a weekly fuel price from roughly two weeks prior to the week in which it is assessed. Effective December 11, 2023 and May 6, 2024, the tables used to determine fuel surcharges for U.S. domestic services were updated. The tables used to determine fuel surcharges for international services were updated in November 2023. See the “Results of Operations and Outlook — Consolidated Results — Fuel” section of “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition” of this Annual Report for more information.
Retail Access Network
FedEx Office offers retail access to Federal Express shipping services at all of its retail locations. Federal Express also has alliances with certain other retailers to provide in-store drop-off sites, including at more than 19,000 Walgreens, Dollar General, and Albertsons stores. Our unstaffed FedEx Drop Boxes provide customers the opportunity to drop off packages in office buildings, shopping centers, and corporate or industrial parks. In total, Federal Express has approximately 64,000 drop-off locations.
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U.S. Postal Service Agreement
Federal Express’s agreement with the U.S. Postal Service (“USPS”) to provide airport-to-airport transportation of USPS First Class Mail, Priority Mail Express, and Priority Mail within the U.S will expire by its terms on September 29, 2024. Federal Express will continue to provide air transportation services domestically and to Puerto Rico through the contract’s expiration. Federal Express also provides transportation and delivery for the USPS’s international delivery service called Global Express Guaranteed under a separate agreement. For more information, see “Item 1A. Risk Factors” and “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition” of this Annual Report.
Fuel Supplies and Costs
During 2024, FedEx Express purchased jet fuel from various suppliers under contracts that vary in length and which provide for estimated amounts of fuel to be delivered. The fuel represented by these contracts is purchased at market prices. We do not have any jet fuel hedging contracts. See “Pricing” above.
The following table sets forth FedEx Express’s costs for jet fuel and its percentage of FedEx Corporation consolidated revenues for the last five fiscal years:
| Fiscal Year | Total Jet Fuel Cost (in millions) | Percentage of Consolidated Revenue | ||||||
| 2024 | $ | 3,598 | 4.1 | % | ||||
| 2023 | 4,515 | 5.0 | ||||||
| 2022 | 3,867 | 4.1 | ||||||
| 2021 | 2,065 | 2.5 | ||||||
| 2020 | 2,265 | 3.3 |
Most of Federal Express’s vehicle fuel needs are satisfied by retail purchases with various discounts.
Competition
As described in “Item 1A. Risk Factors” of this Annual Report, the U.S. domestic and international package and the U.S. domestic freight and international freight markets are both highly competitive and sensitive to price and service, especially in periods of little or no macroeconomic growth. The ability to compete effectively depends upon price, frequency, reliability, capacity and speed of scheduled service, ability to track packages, extent of geographic coverage, innovative service offerings, and the fit within the customer’s overall supply chain.
Competitors within the U.S. include other package delivery concerns, principally United Parcel Service, Inc. (“UPS”), passenger airlines offering express package services, regional delivery companies, air freight forwarders, and the USPS. Federal Express’s principal international competitors are DHL, UPS, DPD (a subsidiary of France’s La Poste’s GeoPost), General Logistics Systems (a Royal Mail-owned parcel delivery group), foreign postal authorities, passenger airlines, air freight forwarders, regional carriers, and all-cargo airlines. Federal Express also competes with startup companies that combine technology with crowdsourcing to focus on local market needs. In addition, some high-volume package shippers, such as Amazon.com, are developing and implementing in-house delivery capabilities and utilizing independent contractors and delivery service providers for deliveries, and may be considered competitors. For example, Amazon.com has established a network of hubs, aircraft, and vehicles and has expressed an intention to offer its internal delivery capabilities broadly to third parties. Many of Federal Express’s international competitors are government-owned, -controlled, or -subsidized carriers, which may have greater resources, lower costs, less profit sensitivity, and more favorable operating conditions than Federal Express. For more information, see “Item 1A. Risk Factors” of this Annual Report.
Employees and Service Providers
Rajesh Subramaniam is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Federal Express, John A. Smith is the Chief Operating Officer – United States and Canada, and Richard W. Smith is the Chief Operating Officer – International and Chief Executive Officer – Airline. As of June 7, 2024, Federal Express employed approximately 241,000 permanent full-time and approximately 189,000 permanent part-time employees. In addition, Federal Express contracts with approximately 6,000 independent small businesses to conduct certain linehaul and pickup-and-delivery operations.
The pilots at Federal Express, who are a small number of its total employees, are represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, International (“ALPA”) and are employed under a collective bargaining agreement that took effect in November 2015. The collective bargaining agreement became amendable in November 2021. Bargaining for a successor agreement began in May 2021, and in
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November 2022 the National Mediation Board (“NMB”) began actively mediating the negotiations. In July 2023, Federal Express’s pilots failed to ratify the tentative successor agreement that was approved by ALPA’s FedEx Master Executive Council the prior month. Bargaining for a successor agreement continues. In April 2024, the NMB rejected ALPA’s request for a proffer of arbitration. FedEx will continue to bargain in good faith and the ongoing bargaining process has no effect on our operations. In addition to our pilots, certain of FedEx’s non-U.S. employees are unionized. FedEx believes its employee relations are excellent. See “Item 1A. Risk Factors” of this Annual Report for more information.
Federal Express, as successor to FedEx Ground, is defending against lawsuits in which it is alleged that Federal Express should be treated as an employer or joint employer of drivers employed by service providers engaged by Federal Express. We continue to believe that Federal Express is not an employer or joint employer of the drivers of these independent businesses. The status of the drivers employed by these service providers could be further challenged in connection with the recent one FedEx consolidation and Network 2.0. For information regarding these proceedings, see “Item 1A. Risk Factors” and “Item 3. Legal Proceedings” of this Annual Report and Note 20 of the consolidated financial statements included in “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this Annual Report.
Customer-Driven Technology
FedEx is a world leader in technology, and FedEx founder Frederick W. Smith’s vision that “the information about a package is as important as the delivery of the package itself” remains at the core of our comprehensive technology strategy. We strive to build technology solutions that will solve our customers’ business problems with simplicity, convenience, speed, and reliability. Additionally, FedEx stands at the nexus of digital and physical networks, a crucial intersection for the success of e-commerce deliveries. We continue to expand our e-commerce convenience network and explore innovative alternatives to help customers and businesses deliver. During 2024 we continued to advance a major information technology transition from traditional mainframe computing to cloud-based systems, which is delivering significant benefits in terms of flexibility, security, speed to market, and resiliency. See “FedEx Dataworks Operating Segment” below for more information on the solutions we are creating to enhance the end-to-end experience of our customers by making supply chains smarter for everyone.
Shipping Management and Precision Tracking
The fedex.com website is widely recognized for its speed, ease of use, and customer-focused features. The advanced tracking capability within FedEx Tracking provides customers with a consolidated view of inbound and outbound shipments. Additionally, an advanced machine learning and artificial intelligence model developed by FedEx Dataworks has enhanced tracking capabilities on fedex.com, delivering greater estimated delivery date accuracy, including updates for early or delayed shipments. FedEx Virtual Assistant on fedex.com is an artificial-intelligence-enabled service that provides answers to customer shipping questions, allowing our customer service representatives and sales professionals to focus on higher-value customer interactions.
SenseAware Mobile, a FedEx innovation currently available in over 130 countries worldwide, allows customers to stay connected to their critical shipments by providing real-time updates regarding current location, precise temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure readings, light exposure, shock events, tilt beyond a certain angle, and healthcare subsampling. Additionally, FedEx SenseAware ID is a lightweight sensor-based logistics device that delivers a new level of precision tracking. The enhanced location visibility provided by FedEx SenseAware ID is creating opportunities for FedEx customers to reimagine their supply chains through real-time updates on a package’s location within the Federal Express network. FedEx is currently expanding access to FedEx SenseAware ID and plans to eventually make FedEx SenseAware ID available for a broad range of premium Federal Express services.
FedEx Mobile is a suite of solutions including the FedEx mobile application, FedEx mobile website, and SMS text messaging. The FedEx Mobile app provides convenience for recipients to track packages and access FedEx Delivery Manager to customize home deliveries. Shippers can easily get rates and estimated delivery times and swiftly create a shipping label. All users can quickly find the nearest FedEx location for Hold at Location or drop-off. It is available on Android™ and Apple devices. The FedEx Mobile app has expanded to more than 220 countries and territories and 40 languages.
FedEx Surround Select is a visibility platform that allows customers to view and manage shipments in one place. The tool provides global visibility into shipments with package-level insights in near real-time. Advanced features include predictive delay notifications, weather advisories, and customizable views and reports.
In 2023, FedEx announced the launch of Picture Proof of Delivery for express and ground residential deliveries in the U.S. and Canada that are released without a signature. The capability has since expanded to 60 countries globally.
Additionally, our FedEx Ship Manager suite of solutions offers a wide range of options to help our customers manage their parcel and LTL shipping and associated processes.
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E-Commerce and Digital Solutions
FedEx Delivery Manager allows our U.S. residential customers to customize home deliveries to fit their schedule by providing a range of options to schedule dates, locations, and times of delivery. Additionally, FedEx Returns Technology, a comprehensive solution for returns management, provides high-volume merchants and e-tailers complete visibility into returns and an easy way to track shipments, manage inventory, analyze returns trends, and make more informed decisions based on shoppers’ returns behaviors. In 2023 we launched FedEx Consolidated Returns in the U.S., a low-priced, easy e-commerce solution for low-weight returns facilitated through supply chain services offered by FedEx Supply Chain and FedEx Office. Through FedEx Consolidated Returns, shoppers who purchased from participating merchants can drop off the items they wish to return with no box or label required at approximately 2,000 FedEx Office locations. The returned items will then be consolidated with other returns and processed through FedEx Supply Chain and sent back to the merchants via an LTL option.
The FedEx retail convenience network also utilizes third-party retailers to receive and hold packages for FedEx customers. The U.S. retail convenience network has grown to include nearly 17,000 Walgreens, Dollar General, and Albertsons stores in addition to our approximately 2,000 FedEx Office locations and over 600 FedEx Ship Centers. In addition to allowing for an easy returns and drop-off experience for shoppers, the retail convenience network is well positioned to serve as a “buy online, pickup in store” network for small and medium merchants without brick-and-mortar locations. We have also added FedEx Returns Technology at Walgreens locations, which allows for in-store printing of return shipping labels and eliminates the need to include a return label in every package. Additionally, FedEx offers drop off and sold shipping services at nearly 1,000 Office Depot and Office Max locations and over 4,000 FedEx Authorized Ship Centers.
We have expanded e-commerce delivery options for retailers with FedEx Extra Hours, a service that enables participating retailers to fulfill e-commerce orders into the evening and receive late pickups by Federal Express, with next-day local delivery and two-day shipping to any address in the continental U.S. FedEx Extra Hours, which is currently available to select customers, allows retailers to extend evening order cutoff times by five to eight hours, with some as late as midnight, depending on their current order fulfillment process.
In January 2024, FedEx announced fdx, a fully integrated data-driven commerce platform that connects the entire customer journey. Enabled by FedEx Dataworks and by providing data and insights that improve visibility and connected capabilities across the customer journey, fdx will help merchants make more strategic logistics decisions from point of demand to delivery and returns. The fdx platform is currently available as a private preview upon request, with the official launch planned for the second quarter of 2025.
My FedEx Rewards allows businesses in the U.S. to earn rewards for their loyalty in shipping and printing with FedEx.
Through innovative partnerships, FedEx Dataworks seeks to open pathways to e-commerce and empower customers with differentiated insights and tools. In 2022, we announced a multi-year partnership with Salesforce that integrates Salesforce Commerce Cloud and Salesforce Order Management with innovative capabilities from FedEx and ShopRunner. We will leverage our relationship with Salesforce to pursue additional innovations and provide customers a more informed, efficient, and personalized FedEx experience. Additionally, in 2023 FedEx and FourKites announced a strategic alliance to provide businesses with new, more robust real-time supply chain visibility capabilities. In 2023, we also announced a strategic alliance with Cart.com to create integrated solutions that help address some of the biggest e-commerce challenges.
ShopRunner is a consumer membership program that provides benefits such as easy order tracking at hundreds of retailers, free two-day shipping and returns, and other benefits.
See “The Environment” below for information about our FedEx® Sustainability Insights tool, which gives customers and suppliers access to estimated CO2e emission data associated with FedEx shipments.
Autonomous Solutions
FedEx is exploring the use of autonomous delivery technology within its operations. In 2022, we announced a multi-year, multi-phase agreement to test Nuro’s next-generation autonomous delivery vehicle within FedEx operations. The collaboration with Nuro will explore various use cases for on-road autonomous vehicle logistics such as multi-stop and appointment-based deliveries.
In 2022, we began a pilot program with Aurora Innovation, Inc. (“Aurora”) and PACCAR Inc. (“PACCAR”) to test Aurora’s autonomous driving technology in PACCAR autonomous vehicle platform-equipped trucks within FedEx linehaul operations. Additionally, Federal Express is developing plans to test Elroy Air’s autonomous air cargo system within the company’s middle-mile logistics operations, moving shipments between sortation locations.
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Marketing
The FedEx brand name symbolizes outstanding service, reliability, and speed. Emphasis is continually placed on promoting and protecting the FedEx brand, one of our most important assets. As a result, FedEx is one of the most widely recognized brands in the world. In addition to television, print, and digital advertising, we promote the FedEx brand through sponsorships and special events. For example, FedEx sponsors:
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The UEFA Champions League, which is broadcast in over 200 countries and territories worldwide.
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The season-long FedExCup competition on the PGA Tour, and the FedEx St. Jude Championship, a PGA Tour event that has raised millions of dollars for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and is one of three annual FedExCup playoff events.
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The #11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry driven by Denny Hamlin in the NASCAR Cup Series.
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FedExForum in Memphis, the arena in which the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies and the University of Memphis men’s basketball team play their respective home games.
Additionally, FedEx is the “Official Delivery Service Sponsor” and “Official Office Services Provider” of the NFL, through which we conduct events and other activities to promote the FedEx brand, such as the “FedEx Air & Ground” NFL Players of the Week and Players of the Year Awards.
Information Security
FedEx has a team of highly qualified professionals dedicated to securing information about our customers’ shipments and protecting our customers’, vendors’, and employees’ privacy, and we strive to provide a safe, secure online environment for our customers. We are committed to compliance with applicable information security laws, regulations, and industry standards. For more information, see “Item 1A. Risk Factors” and “Item 1C. Cybersecurity” of this Annual Report.
FedEx Freight Segment
Overview
FedEx Freight is a leading North American provider of LTL freight services, offering choice, simplicity, and reliability to meet the needs of LTL shippers — FedEx Freight Priority, when speed is critical to meet a customer’s supply chain needs; FedEx Freight Economy, when a customer can trade time for cost savings; and FedEx Freight Direct, a service to meet the needs of the growing e-commerce market for delivery of big and bulky products to or through the door for residences and businesses. Through one comprehensive network of service centers and advanced information systems, FedEx Freight provides service to virtually every U.S. ZIP Code (including Alaska and Hawaii) with industry-leading transit times. FedEx Freight Priority has the fastest published transit times of any nationwide LTL service.
Internationally, FedEx Freight Canada offers FedEx Freight Priority service, serving most points in Canada, as well as FedEx Freight Priority and FedEx Freight Economy service between the U.S. and Canada. Additionally, FedEx Freight A.M. Delivery offers freight delivery by 10:30 a.m. within and between the U.S. and Canada. FedEx Freight Mexico offers FedEx Freight Priority to deliver cross-border and intra-Mexico LTL shipments door-to-door. Customers receive support from the FedEx Freight International Services team to monitor LTL freight shipments, review customer paperwork, and follow up to avoid shipping delays when shipments are crossing borders. FedEx Freight provides additional service to Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands via alliances.
Through its many service offerings, FedEx Freight can match customers’ time-critical needs with industry-leading transit times. With the expansion of FedEx electronic solutions, LTL shippers have the convenience of a single shipping and tracking solution for FedEx Freight and Federal Express. These solutions make freight shipping easier and provide customers easy access to their account information. Customers can also process domestic and cross-border LTL shipments to and from Canada and Mexico, as well as intra-Canada and -Mexico shipments, through FedEx Ship Manager at fedex.com, FedEx Ship Manager Software, FedEx Web Services, FedEx API, and LTL Select. LTL Select is a free cloud-based, multi-carrier transportation management system that provides customers with visibility into all available carriers and their pricing in one location, as well as the ability to book service and make payments. FedEx Freight uses radio frequency identification technology and customized software to improve shipment visibility on its docks and enhance custodial control at the handling unit level.
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FedEx Freight Direct addresses the growing e-commerce market for big and bulky products. It has four delivery service levels to meet customer needs, with basic and basic by appointment to-the-door services and standard through-the-door service available to nearly 100% of the U.S. population. Premium through-the-door service with packaging removal is available to 90% of the continental U.S. population. The services include flexible delivery windows, end-to-end visibility, proactive notifications, and returns services with flexible pickup windows and label-less options.
As of June 7, 2024, the FedEx Freight segment was operating nearly 30,000 motorized vehicles from a network of approximately 360 service centers and had approximately 40,000 employees. Lance D. Moll is the President of FedEx Freight, which is based in Memphis, Tennessee. FedEx Freight’s primary competitors are XPO Logistics, Inc., Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc., ABF Freight (an ArcBest company), SAIA, Inc., and TFI International Inc. In connection with the one FedEx consolidation, FedEx Freight Corporation merged into FedEx Freight on June 1, 2024. We are currently bargaining with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters at one FedEx Freight facility.
In June 2024, we announced that FedEx’s management and Board of Directors are conducting an assessment of the role of FedEx Freight in the company’s portfolio structure. See “Item 1A. Risk Factors — Strategic Risks — Our ongoing assessment of the role of FedEx Freight in our portfolio structure may not result in any consummated transaction or other outcome and could adversely affect our business, and there is no guarantee that any transaction resulting from the assessment will ultimately benefit our stockholders” for more information.
Pricing
FedEx Freight periodically publishes updates to the list prices for the majority of its services in its 100 Rules Tariff. In general, shipping rates are based on the service selected, origin, destination, weight, class, any ancillary service charge, and whether the customer charged the shipment to a FedEx account. On January 1, 2024, FedEx Freight implemented a 5.9% average list price increase for customers who use FXF PZONE and FXF EZONE rates and a 6.9% average list price increase for customers who use FXF 1000 and FXF 501. These increases apply for shipments within the U.S. and between the contiguous U.S. and Canada.
FedEx Freight implements and adjusts demand surcharges from time-to-time based on assessments of shipment volume and capacity in our network. Beginning in July 2021 FedEx Freight implemented a demand peak surcharge applying to specific delivery points within the U.S. The demand peak surcharge has been adjusted periodically since implementation. Effective November 15, 2021, FedEx Freight increased applicable length surcharges. Effective January 17, 2022, FedEx Freight added a surcharge that applies when a pickup is performed and no shipment is tendered to the carrier. Effective January 16, 2023, FedEx Freight changed the extreme length surcharge to a tier-based length structure. The company continues to explore ways to modernize freight pricing including through dimension-in-motion technology, which more accurately captures freight profile and improves its ability to cost and price shipments.
FedEx Freight has an indexed fuel surcharge, which is adjusted on a weekly basis. The fuel surcharge is based on a weekly fuel price from two days prior to the day in which it is assessed. Effective July 1, 2024, the tables used to determine fuel surcharges at FedEx Freight were updated. See the “Results of Operations and Outlook — Consolidated Results — Fuel” section of “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition” for more information.
FedEx Custom Critical
FedEx Custom Critical provides a range of expedited, time-specific freight-shipping services throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Among its services are Surface Expedite, providing exclusive-use shipping and time-definite services; Air Expedite, offering an array of expedited air solutions to meet customers’ critical delivery times; and White Glove Services, for shipments that require extra care in handling, temperature control, or specialized security. Service from FedEx Custom Critical is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. FedEx Custom Critical continuously monitors shipments through an integrated proprietary shipment-control system, including two-way satellite communications on exclusive-use shipments.
FedEx Dataworks Operating Segment
The FedEx Dataworks operating segment is focused on putting our data into context and using it to enhance the efficiency of the FedEx network and our customers’ supply chains, as well as the end-to-end experience of our customers. The size and scale of our global network gives us a bird’s-eye view of global supply chains and trends and provides an immense amount of data. As the digital twin of our physical network and a key enabler of our DRIVE transformation, FedEx Dataworks leverages this information to allow us to work differently through a more technology-enabled, data-driven approach. See “Federal Express Segment — Operations” above for information regarding how FedEx Dataworks is enabling the transformation of our physical network.
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FedEx Dataworks is working to centralize data onto a single enterprise platform. By adopting this single platform — where machine learning models are reusable and self-learning — we are able to solve problems and deliver value to stakeholders at speed, scale, and with the right economics. This enterprise data platform serves as the foundation for our data science and machine learning practice and houses a common set of models and insights that can be reused across different use cases. Focusing on design principles that embrace simplification, our teams are working to enhance efficiencies and value across our operational portfolio. As we move forward as one FedEx, FedEx Dataworks is playing a critical role in creating data-driven solutions.
For more information regarding FedEx Dataworks’ e-commerce partnerships, tools, and solutions, see “Federal Express Segment — Customer-Driven Technology — E-Commerce and Digital Solutions.”
Sriram Krishnasamy is the Chief Executive Officer of FedEx Dataworks, which is based in Memphis, Tennessee. As of June 7, 2024, FedEx Dataworks had approximately 600 employees. FedEx Dataworks is an operating segment that is included in “Corporate, other, and eliminations” in our segment reporting.
FedEx Office Operating Segment
As of June 7, 2024, FedEx Office operated approximately 2,000 customer-facing stores and manages the relationship and strategy for all on-site, owned, and third-party retail channel locations, providing convenient access to printing and shipping expertise with reliable service.
The FedEx Office brick-and-mortar network features retail stores, FedEx Office locations inside Walmart stores, manufacturing plants, corporate on-site print centers, and on-site business centers at colleges and universities, hotels, convention centers, corporate campuses, and healthcare campuses. Many of these locations are open later in the evenings to accommodate urgent printing projects and delivery drop-offs. FedEx Office has designed a suite of printing and shipping management solutions that are flexible and scalable, allowing customers to meet their unique printing and shipping needs. The network provides an adaptable cost model helping to save time, labor, and overhead by freeing up resources and avoiding fixed costs associated with large-scale printing and e-commerce parcel volumes. This is especially valuable to our enterprise customers looking to outsource their print supply chain. Services include digital printing, professional finishing, document creation, design services, direct mail, signs and graphics, custom-printed boxes, copying, computer rental, free Wi-Fi, corporate print solutions, expedited U.S. passport processing and renewal through a collaboration with a registered U.S. passport agency, and fully digital notarization services through FedEx Office Online Notary.
With the FedEx Office Print On Demand solution, customers can use their laptops or mobile devices to design their print needs or access their personal cloud accounts, and print directly to any FedEx Office location in the U.S., or have their order delivered right to their door. Customers also have the flexibility of using FedEx Office’s Print & Go solutions to print at self-serve locations from USBs, the cloud, or through email. Print & Go solutions allow customers to access files using popular cloud providers Google Drive™, Box, Microsoft OneDrive®, and from FedEx Office’s own My Online Documents, making printing easy.
FedEx Office has prioritized e-commerce and digital offerings as a growth opportunity for the enterprise/large, medium, and small business customers we serve. FedEx Office has partnered with a content and creative design platform to form a digital design-to-print marketplace offering millions of images and illustrations, an extensive library of templates, and a simple drag-and-drop interface to create custom business materials from fedex.com on any device, with next-day printing on many requests available at FedEx Office stores. Additionally, FedEx Office has partnered with a leading marketing solutions company to introduce an online branded promotional products marketplace that allows businesses to customize and purchase high-quality promotional products. FedEx Office has also made investments in new machines and technology, enhancing capabilities in narrow format color, grand format, large format, color management, enhanced finishing, and other technologies.
FedEx Office provides customers convenient access to the full range of Federal Express shipping services. Customers may have their Federal Express packages delivered to any FedEx Office customer-facing location nationwide through the Hold at FedEx Location service, free of charge, and may redirect packages to these locations through Redirect to Hold or AutoRedirect to Hold services. FedEx Office offers the Ship and Go kiosk, a convenient self-serve shipping kiosk in approximately 1,300 locations. The Ship and Go kiosk allows customers to generate a label via a mobile label or QR code and drop off packages in a secure drop bin for a seamless and efficient customer experience. FedEx Office facilitates e-commerce and returns through FedEx Returns Technology, which allows for in-store printing of return shipping labels. Through FedEx Consolidated Returns, shoppers who purchased from participating merchants can drop off the items they wish to return with no box or label required at a FedEx Office location. For information regarding FedEx Consolidated Returns, see “Federal Express Segment — Customer-Driven Technology — E-Commerce and Digital Solutions.”
FedEx Office also offers packing services, and packing supplies and boxes are included in its retail offerings. By allowing customers to have items professionally packed by specially trained FedEx Office team members and then shipped, FedEx Office offers a
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complete “pack-and-ship” solution. FedEx Office also offers FedEx Pack Plus, which includes custom box building capabilities and techniques; a robust assortment of specialty boxes; and additional packing supplies, equipment, and tools to serve our customers’ needs.
Almost all FedEx Office locations provide local pickup-and-delivery service for print jobs completed by FedEx Office. A FedEx courier picks up a customer’s print job at the customer’s location and then returns the finished product to the customer. Options and services vary by location.
Brian D. Philips is the President of FedEx Office, which is based in Plano, Texas. As of June 7, 2024, FedEx Office had approximately 13,000 employees. FedEx Office is an operating segment that is included in “Corporate, other, and eliminations” in our segment reporting.
FedEx Logistics Operating Segment
The FedEx Logistics operating segment plays a key role within the FedEx portfolio with a comprehensive suite of integrated logistics solutions, providing air and ocean cargo transportation, specialty transportation, customs brokerage, and trade management tools and data, as well as third party logistics and supply chain solutions through FedEx Supply Chain. FedEx Logistics has the unique ability to leverage the power of the FedEx transportation networks as well as its global network of service providers. Additionally, FedEx Logistics provides international trade advisory services.
Patrick Moebel is the President of FedEx Logistics, which is based in Memphis, Tennessee. Scott M. Temple is the President of FedEx Supply Chain, which is based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As of June 7, 2024, the FedEx Logistics organization (including FedEx Supply Chain) had more than 18,000 employees. FedEx Supply Chain has a small number of employees who are members of unions. FedEx Logistics is an operating segment that is included in “Corporate, other, and eliminations” in our segment reporting.
FedEx Logistics provides international trade services, specializing in customs brokerage, global ocean and air freight forwarding, and managed transportation. Additionally, FedEx Logistics provides customs clearance services at its major U.S. air hub facilities and border customs clearance for U.S. surface operations, and FedEx Logistics also offers global door-to-door air charter solutions collaborating with Federal Express and U.S. import door-to-door less-than-container-load ocean solutions collaborating with FedEx Freight.
As trade throughout the world grows, so does the FedEx Logistics solutions portfolio. As of June 7, 2024, FedEx Logistics operated approximately 115 offices and facilities in 34 countries and territories throughout North America and in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, India, Latin America, the Middle East, and Australia/New Zealand. FedEx Logistics maintains a network of air and ocean freight-forwarding service providers and has entered into strategic alliances to provide services in certain countries in which it does not have owned offices.
FedEx Logistics offers customized trade solutions that enable improved compliance practices through FedEx Trade Solutions.
FedEx Supply Chain
FedEx Supply Chain is a supply chain solutions provider specializing in Product Lifecycle Logistics® for technology, retail, consumer and industrial goods, and healthcare industries. With approximately 13,000 employees at nearly 80 facilities as of June 7, 2024, FedEx Supply Chain provides a comprehensive range of integrated logistics services to enable growth, minimize cost, mitigate supply chain risk, and improve customer services. Service offerings include inbound logistics, warehousing and distribution, fulfillment, contract packaging and product configuration, systems integration, returns process and disposition, test, repair, refurbishment, and product liquidation.
FedEx Fulfillment is an e-commerce solution that helps small and medium-sized businesses fulfill orders from multiple channels, including websites and online marketplaces, and manage inventory for their retail stores. The FedEx Fulfillment platform is designed to be an easy-to-use and all-in-one logistics solution through which customers have complete visibility into their products, giving them an easy way to track items, manage inventory, analyze trends, and make more informed decisions by better understanding shoppers’ spending behaviors.
Seasonality
For information on the seasonality of our business, see the “Results of Operations and Outlook — Consolidated Results — Seasonality of Business” section of “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition” of this Annual Report.
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Trademarks
Federal Express owns numerous trademarks and intellectual property rights relating to the “FedEx” trademark. Those trademarks, service marks, and trade names are essential to our worldwide business, and include FedEx, FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Freight, FedEx Services, FedEx Office, FedEx Logistics, FedEx Dataworks, FedEx Trade Networks Transport & Brokerage, FedEx Supply Chain, FedEx Custom Critical, and ShopRunner. Federal Express licenses the use of certain trademarks to support our business, and takes active measures to enforce its intellectual property rights where appropriate.
Regulation
Air. Under the Federal Aviation Act of 1958, as amended (the “Federal Aviation Act”), both the U.S. Department of Transportation (“DOT”) and the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) exercise regulatory authority over Federal Express’s air operations.
The FAA’s regulatory authority relates primarily to operational aspects of air transportation, including aircraft standards and maintenance, as well as personnel and ground facilities, which may from time to time affect the ability of Federal Express to operate its aircraft in the most efficient manner. Federal Express holds an air carrier certificate granted by the FAA pursuant to Part 119 of the federal aviation regulations. This certificate is of unlimited duration and remains in effect so long as Federal Express maintains its standards of safety and meets the operational requirements of the regulations.
The DOT’s authority relates primarily to economic aspects of air transportation. The DOT’s jurisdiction extends to aviation route authority and to other regulatory matters, including the transfer of route authority between carriers. Federal Express holds various certificates issued by the DOT authorizing the company to engage in U.S. and international air transportation of property and mail on a worldwide basis. These certificates remain in effect as we maintain our economic fitness to perform all-cargo services following the one FedEx consolidation.
Under the Aviation and Transportation Security Act of 2001, as amended, the Transportation Security Administration (“TSA”), an agency within the Department of Homeland Security, has responsibility for aviation security. The TSA requires Federal Express to comply with a Full All-Cargo Aircraft Operator Standard Security Plan, which contains evolving and strict security requirements. These requirements are not static, but change periodically as the result of regulatory and legislative requirements, imposing additional security costs and creating a level of uncertainty for our operations. It is reasonably possible that these rules or other future security requirements could impose material costs on us.
Federal Express participates in the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (“CRAF”) program. Under this program, the U.S. Department of Defense may requisition for military use certain of Federal Express’s wide-bodied aircraft in the event of a declared need, including a national emergency. Federal Express is compensated for the operation of any aircraft requisitioned under the CRAF program at standard contract rates established each year in the normal course of awarding contracts. Through its participation in the CRAF program, Federal Express is entitled to bid on peacetime military cargo charter business. Federal Express, together with a consortium of other carriers, currently contracts with the U.S. government for such charter flights.
See “Item 1A. Risk Factors” of this Annual Report for discussion of regulations related to pilots, including the proposed pilot flight and duty time regulations, that could affect our business.
Ground. The ground transportation performed by employees of Federal Express is integral to its air transportation services. The enactment of the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act of 1994 abrogated the authority of states to regulate the rates, routes, or services of intermodal all-cargo air carriers and most motor carriers. States may now only exercise jurisdiction over safety and insurance. Federal Express is registered in those states that require registration.
The interstate operations of Federal Express that utilize contracted service providers to conduct certain linehaul operations, as well as the interstate operations of FedEx Freight and FedEx Custom Critical, are currently regulated by the DOT and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which retain limited oversight authority over motor carriers. Federal legislation preempts regulation by the states of rates, routes, and services in interstate freight transportation.
Like other interstate motor carriers, our operations are subject to certain DOT safety requirements governing interstate operations. In addition, vehicle weight and dimensions remain subject to both federal and state regulations.
International. Federal Express’s international authority permits it to carry cargo and mail from points in its U.S. route system to numerous points throughout the world. The DOT regulates international routes and practices and is authorized to investigate and take action against discriminatory treatment of U.S. air carriers abroad. The right of a U.S. carrier to serve foreign points is subject to the
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DOT’s approval and generally requires a bilateral agreement between the U.S. and the foreign government. In addition, the carrier must then be granted the permission of such foreign government to provide specific flights and services. The regulatory environment for global aviation rights may from time to time impair the ability of Federal Express to operate its air network in the most efficient manner, and efficient operations often utilize open skies provisions of aviation agreements. Additionally, global air cargo carriers, such as Federal Express, are subject to current and potential additional aviation security regulation by U.S. and foreign governments.
Our operations outside of the U.S., such as Federal Express’s international domestic operations, are also subject to current and potential regulations, including certain postal regulations and licensing requirements, that restrict, make difficult, and sometimes prohibit, the ability of foreign-owned companies such as Federal Express to compete effectively in parts of the international domestic transportation and logistics market.
Environmental.
Noise: Pursuant to the Federal Aviation Act, the FAA, with the assistance of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”), is authorized to establish standards governing aircraft noise. Federal Express’s aircraft fleet is in compliance with current FAA noise standards. Although the Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990 established a National Noise Policy that enables certain airport operators to implement noise abatement programs, it created an opportunity for Federal Express to plan for noise reduction and better respond to local noise constraints. Additionally, certain U.S. airport operators have implemented local noise regulations, and certain foreign jurisdictions impose noise-based limitations on airline operations. Neither the National Noise Policy nor any domestic or foreign local noise regulations have a material effect in any of Federal Express’s significant markets.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Concern over climate change, including the effect of global warming, has led to significant U.S. and international legislative and regulatory efforts to limit greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions, including our aircraft and vehicle engine emissions. Increasingly, state and local governments are also considering GHG regulatory requirements. Compliance with such regulation and the associated potential cost is complicated by the fact that various countries and regions are following different approaches to the regulation of climate change. In 2016, the International Civil Aviation Organization (“ICAO”) formally adopted a global, market-based emissions offset program known as the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (“CORSIA”). This program established a goal for the aviation industry to achieve carbon neutral growth in international aviation beginning in calendar 2021. Any growth above a global industry emissions baseline would need to be addressed using either eligible carbon offset credits or qualifying sustainable aviation fuel purchases. The baseline was originally set as an average of calendar 2019 and calendar 2020 emissions. In 2023, due to the effects of COVID-19 on the airline industry, the ICAO adopted a new baseline of 85% of calendar 2019 emissions. The U.S. has not fully implemented CORSIA to date. In the interim, we continue to voluntarily report our emissions data to the FAA.
Other ICAO member states are moving forward with implementing CORSIA and have taken additional action to reduce aircraft GHG emissions. For example, both the EU and the United Kingdom have implemented regulations to include aviation in the Emissions Trading Scheme (“ETS”). For the EU, under these regulations any airline with flights originating or landing in the European Economic Area (“EEA”) is subject to the ETS. Beginning in calendar 2012, airlines including Federal Express were required to purchase emissions allowances or, alternatively, purchase qualifying sustainable aviation fuel if they exceeded the number of free allowances allocated under the ETS. While the current scope of ETS has been limited to apply only to flights within the EEA through calendar 2026, the EU adopted legislation in 2023 requiring that a study be conducted in July 2026 reassessing whether the European Commission should propose to expand the scope of ETS to include international flights from the EEA based on CORSIA implementation and performance.
We expect compliance with CORSIA and the ETS to increase FedEx operating expenses. The amount of such increase will ultimately depend on a number of factors, including the number of our flights subject to CORSIA and the ETS, the fuel efficiency of our fleet, the average growth of the aviation sector, our ability to utilize sustainable aviation fuels in the future and the price of such fuels, the availability of free allowances (which will be eliminated entirely by the end of calendar 2026), and the price of eligible emission units, offsets, or allowances required to be purchased by FedEx.
Additionally, in 2017, ICAO adopted new carbon dioxide emissions standards that would apply not only to new aircraft types as of calendar 2020, but also to new deliveries of currently in-production aircraft types from calendar 2023. ICAO established a production cutoff date of January 1, 2028 for aircraft that do not comply with these standards. The standards are considered to be especially stringent for larger aircraft weighing over 60 tons. In 2021, the EPA adopted its own aircraft and aircraft engine GHG emissions standards, which are aligned with the 2017 ICAO emissions standards, and the FAA finalized its own conforming rulemaking to implement the standards through its aircraft certification process which went into effect on April 16, 2024. In the past, the U.S. Congress has also considered bills that would regulate GHG emissions, and some form of federal climate change legislation is possible in the future. In 2021 the U.S. reentered the Paris climate accord, an agreement among 197 countries to reduce GHG emissions. The effect of the reentry on future U.S. policy regarding GHG emissions and on other GHG regulation is uncertain.
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Additionally, the extent to which other countries implement that agreement could have an adverse direct or indirect effect on our business.
See “Item 1A. Risk Factors — Environmental, Climate, and Weather Risks — We may be affected by global climate change or by legal, regulatory, or market responses to such change” for information on disclosure requirements regarding GHG emissions and other environmental matters.
Sustainable Aviation Fuels: On October 18, 2023, the EU adopted its Refuel EU regulation requiring fuel producers at certain EU airports to supply a minimum percentage of blended sustainable aviation fuel to aircraft operators beginning January 1, 2025. The mandate requires that, beginning in calendar 2025, two percent of the jet fuel supplied in certain EU airports must qualify as sustainable aviation fuel, and the percentage increases incrementally to 70% in calendar 2050. Fuel suppliers have incorporated a sustainable aviation fee into future uptake agreements for their compliance costs related to the Refuel EU regulation. A similar mandate is expected to go into effect in the United Kingdom on January 1, 2025.
Hazardous Substances: Although a petition for review was filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in June 2024, the EPA rule designating certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”) as “hazardous substances” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (“CERCLA”) became effective July 8, 2024. Numerous U.S. states have adopted additional regulations governing these substances. PFAS are used in a wide variety of consumer and industrial products, including the firefighting foams approved for use by the FAA to extinguish fuel-based fires at airports and refineries. The EPA rule could subject airlines and refineries to potential liability for cleanup of historical PFAS contamination. We could incur remediation costs for currently and formerly operated facilities. While the impact of this rulemaking on our business and results of operations cannot currently be predicted, we remain committed to transitioning to PFAS-free materials for fire suppression in accordance with the framework outlined by the FAA in May 2023.
Vehicle Emissions Regulations: In October 2023, the California Air Resources Board’s (“CARB”) Advanced Clean Fleets (“ACF”) rule requiring subject companies to adopt an increasing percentage of medium and heavy duty zero emission trucks (“ZEVs”) became effective. While the rule is currently subject to litigation, FedEx selected the ZEV milestones option to meet its compliance obligation under the rule. This option requires that we continuously meet or exceed certain scheduled ZEV fleet milestone percentage requirements, as outlined in the regulation. The ZEV milestones option ultimately requires fleets to transition to 100% ZEVs by a target date according to vehicle type. While the ACF rule may permit companies to seek exemptions or relief in certain instances, there are no assurances that relief from the regulation will be obtained. At this point, there are virtually no ZEVs widely available that are suitable replacements for vehicles currently used, and there does not appear to be sufficient infrastructure in place to support an electric vehicle fleet operation throughout our current terminal network. Further, additional states have adopted rules similar to CARB’s ACF rule with more expected to follow. To address these regulatory requirements, FedEx has made investments in capital equipment, vehicles, and infrastructure.
We are also subject to other U.S. and international environmental laws and regulations relating to, among other things, the shipment of dangerous goods, the management of underground storage tanks, the discharge of effluents from our properties and equipment, and contingency planning for spills of petroleum products. Additionally, certain contractual and lease agreements governing regulated substances could trigger investigation and remediation obligations if sites become affected. Federal Express has an environmental management system based on International Standardization 14001 designed to maintain compliance with these regulations and minimize our operational environmental footprint and certified all U.S. airport locations in 2022.
Export Controls*.* In recent years, the U.S. government has increased the number of companies and persons subject to U.S. export control regulations. Such regulations can restrict the types of items that FedEx customers are permitted to ship to certain entities, and in some instances may prohibit FedEx from serving certain entities altogether. Violations of these regulations can result in significant monetary and other penalties. For example, the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (the “ECRA”) and its implementing regulations, the Export Administration Regulations (the “EARs”), hold carriers such as FedEx strictly liable for shipments that may violate the EARs without requiring evidence that the carriers had knowledge of any violations. Violations of the ECRA can result in criminal penalties of up to $1 million and civil penalties up to $365,000 (or twice the value of the transaction) per individual violation. FedEx continues to invest in improvements and updates to its export control compliance programs. However, the heightened focus on export controls by the U.S. government increases FedEx’s exposure to potential regulatory penalties and could result in higher compliance costs.
Customs Clearance, Customs Brokerage, and Freight Forwarding*.* Our customs clearance activities, including customs brokerage, are subject to regulation by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and other partner government agencies (for example, the Food and Drug Administration) that regulate the importation and exportation of specific products. Our freight forwarding activities are regulated by the Transportation Security Administration within the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (ocean freight forwarding), and the Department of Transportation (air freight forwarding). Our offshore operations are subject to similar regulation by the regulatory authorities of foreign jurisdictions.
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Labor*.* All U.S. employees at Federal Express are covered by the Railway Labor Act of 1926, as amended (the “RLA”), while labor relations within the U.S. at our other companies are governed by the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, as amended (the “NLRA”). Under the RLA, groups that wish to unionize must do so across nationwide classes of employees. The RLA also requires mandatory government-led mediation of contract disputes supervised by the National Mediation Board (“NMB”) before a union can strike or an employer can replace employees or impose contract terms. This part of the RLA helps minimize the risk of strikes that would shut down large portions of the economy. Under the NLRA, employees can unionize in small localized groups, and government-led mediation is not a required step in the negotiation process.
The RLA was originally passed to govern railroad and express carrier labor negotiations. As transportation systems evolved, the law expanded to cover airlines, which are now the dominant national transportation systems. As an air express carrier with an integrated air/ground network, Federal Express and its employees have been covered by the RLA since the founding of the company. The purpose of the RLA is to offer employees a process by which to unionize (if they choose) and engage in collective bargaining while also protecting global commerce from damaging work stoppages and delays. Specifically, the RLA ensures that an entire transportation system, such as at Federal Express, cannot be shut down by the actions of a local segment of the network.
The U.S. Congress has, in the past, considered adopting changes in labor laws that would make it easier for unions to organize units of our employees. For example, there is always a possibility that Congress could remove most Federal Express employees from the jurisdiction of the RLA, thereby exposing the Federal Express network to sporadic labor disputes and the risk that small groups of employees could disrupt the entire air/ground express network. This jurisdiction could be challenged in connection with our one FedEx consolidation and Network 2.0. In addition, the NMB and the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) have and may continue to take actions that could make it easier for our employees, and employees of service providers contracting with Federal Express to conduct certain linehaul and pickup-and-delivery operations, to organize under the RLA or NLRA. For a description of these and other potential labor law changes, see “Item 1A. Risk Factors” of this Annual Report.
Data Protection. There has recently been heightened regulatory and enforcement focus relating to the collection, use, retention, transfer, and processing of personal data in the U.S. (at both the state and federal level) and internationally. For more information, see “Item 1A. Risk Factors” of this Annual Report.
Reputation and Responsibility
FedEx is one of the most trusted and respected companies in the world, and the FedEx brand name is a powerful sales and marketing tool. Among the many reputation awards we received during 2024, FedEx ranked 17th in FORTUNE magazine’s “World’s Most Admired Companies” list — the 24th consecutive year FedEx has ranked among the top 20 in the FORTUNE Most Admired Companies list, with 15 of those years ranking among the top 10. We also retained our position as the highest ranked delivery company on the “World’s Most Admired Companies” list. Additionally, in 2024 Ethisphere, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, named FedEx as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies® for the second year in a row. Along with a strong reputation among customers and the general public, FedEx is widely acknowledged as a great place to work. For example, in 2023 FedEx was named the 21st best workplace overall in FORTUNE magazine’s list of the “World’s Best Workplaces.”
The success of our efforts is built on our sound ESG practices, which are aligned with our strategic focus. Our 2024 ESG Report is available at fedex.com/en-us/sustainability/reports.html. This report details progress toward our ESG strategies, goals, and initiatives and our approach toward industry leadership in ESG to support our strategy and values. Information in our ESG Report is not incorporated by reference in, and does not form part of, this Annual Report.
We remain committed to helping lift local economies by investing in people and communities where we live and work. In the U.S., this includes seeking diverse suppliers and strengthening our supply chain by sourcing from small, minority-, and women-owned businesses. We have a history of supporting diverse and inclusive nonprofit and community empowerment organizations to create greater economic opportunity, help amplify diverse voices, and provide access to leadership, educational, and employment opportunities that inspire people to succeed.
Human Resource Management
Our Culture
At FedEx, our people are at the heart of our success and are the foundation of our strong reputation. Our exceptional human network shapes our identity, reputation, and the type of business we strive to be. Ultimately, our success depends on the talent, dedication, and well-being of our people—our greatest asset. As we continue to grow globally, we remain dedicated to continuously recruiting, retaining, nurturing, and providing unwavering support to our team members and making FedEx an inclusive, equitable, and
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growth-focused workplace. We also conduct periodic audits of our labor practices to assess compliance with regulatory requirements. The Compensation and Human Resources Committee of our Board of Directors reviews and discusses with management our key human resource management strategies and programs, including company culture and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Opportunity (“DEI&O”).
For over 50 years, our culture has not only served as a unifying force across our entire company, but also enabled us to drive progress and uphold our principles. Our five culture values—take care of each other, commit to do good, drive business results, own outstanding, and create what’s next—unify our enterprise and empower us to support our strategy and values. These values are grounded in our People–Service–Profit philosophy, the Purple Promise to make every FedEx experience outstanding, and our Quality Driven Management approach, which we bring to life by:
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Prioritizing safety.
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Taking care of our team members.
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Embracing DEI&O so everyone feels appreciated and valued.
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Delivering excellence and value for our customers and stockholders.
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Acting with integrity in all that we do.
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Supporting our communities.
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Helping shape a better world.
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Growing profitably to reinvest in our team members and business.
Health and Safety
Upholding the health, safety, and well-being of our team members and contractors is a foundational value in every aspect of our business. Our commitment is rooted in our culture of “Safety Above All.” At FedEx, we integrate safety into everything we do to protect our workforce, business partners, and the communities we serve. Our detailed safety policies, education, and technology investments are embedded into our day-to-day work and help us follow through on our commitment to make our workplaces and communities safer for our team members, customers, and communities. The Governance, Safety, and Public Policy Committee of our Board of Directors oversees our safety strategies, policies, programs, developments, and practices.
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| Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Creates Opportunity As a company operating in over 220 countries and territories, we understand the strengths that come from fostering a global culture of DEI&O. It is a foundational value that fuels collaboration; enables us to attract, retain, and nurture a skilled workforce; and drives our business performance and sustainability. We foster diverse perspectives in leadership and decision-making, which is reflected in our business strategies. Opportunity is at the forefront of our commitment to excellence. We are committed to maintaining an inclusive culture where everyone is treated with respect and has an opportunity for advancement and promotion. At every level of the enterprise, everyone plays a role in building a more inclusive and equitable FedEx. This commitment is conveyed through our DEI&O framework, supported by four strategic pillars: Opportunities for Our People; Opportunities for Education and Engagement; Opportunities for Our Communities, Customers, and Suppliers; and Opportunities to Tell Our Story. We continue to roll out programs to ensure our people are engaged and can develop at FedEx. FedEx has successfully launched a program in 14 U.S. markets to make our hiring process more inclusive for Spanish-speaking candidates, and we provide team members with English as a Second Language courses through this program. Additionally, FedEx has a dedicated recruitment plan for U.S. military veterans transitioning to the private sector. To further our transparency efforts regarding our workforce composition, we report the prior year’s gender, racial, and ethnic composition of our U.S. workforce by EEO-1 job category, as set forth in the consolidated EEO-1 Reports filed by FedEx and its operating subsidiaries with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. These reports can be found at fedex.com/en-us/about.html. Quality of Life Our integrated benefits offerings are designed to invest in the health, well-being, and productivity of our people to allow them to lead fulfilling lives, both inside and outside of work. We provide all eligible full- and part-time team members with a comprehensive set of competitive benefits, including healthcare, wellness initiatives, flexible paid time off (for sick leave and other absences), and other benefits. To help ensure our benefits and compensation packages remain competitive, we routinely conduct peer benchmarking and internal pay equity analyses. | ![]() |
In the U.S., we cover approximately 70% of the total eligible health, wellness, and disability costs at the plan level for approximately 215,000 participating employees as of January 2024. Our health benefits package offers flexibility in medical, behavioral, dental, vision, and pharmacy coverage, coupled with enhanced member support services. Our time-off benefits are thoughtfully tailored based on input from our team members, helping ensure they meet the needs of individuals. We also provide dedicated paid sick and parental leave to eligible full- and part-time employees. Recognizing the importance of supporting the mental health of our team members, we offer 24/7 confidential counseling services through our Employee Assistance Program, which is accessible to team members and their household members. We frequently communicate with employees on how to access these resources to promote their use across the enterprise.
At FedEx, we are dedicated to nurturing the growth and career development of our team members, which enables them to better deliver on the Purple Promise. Our recently completed one FedEx consolidation will make it easier for FedEx team members to manage their careers. To align with emerging trends, we adapt our learning frameworks to cover existing competencies and any future capabilities we may need. Our suite of learning and development opportunities is designed to enhance team member engagement, improve retention, and strengthen our employee value proposition. All new employees complete our Core New Employee Orientation, which is tailored to the specific responsibilities of team members within their local workplaces. This comprehensive onboarding experience encompasses key topics such as safety, security, compliance, sustainability, and DEI&O. After orientation, we implement a range of programs and initiatives across our global operations to foster an environment of continuous learning and career development. Team members can access the FedEx Learning Center, a vast library of nearly 16,000 online courses that deliver an efficient and convenient learning experience.
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We are committed to supporting team members who wish to pursue higher education in a variety of ways. The Learning inspired by FedEx (LiFE) program—a collaborative initiative between the company and The University of Memphis—offers tuition-free, fully online degree options spanning 30 associate’s and bachelor’s programs to eligible FedEx employees. FedEx maintains a robust performance management process to support ongoing dialogue and career growth for our team members.
Talent Acquisition, Engagement, and Turnover
We shape our recruitment practices to build a highly skilled workforce that mirrors the diverse communities we serve. We are focused on intentional, effective recruitment strategies that enable us to simplify the application process and hire quality candidates. We strive to retain team members through engagement, competitive wages, enhanced benefits, flexible scheduling, and career development programs. Our team members’ feedback is integral to understanding engagement and our human resource management approach and strategy. We provide a range of avenues for engagement, including annual surveys, employee networks, and direct channels for feedback. These methods allow us to better understand employee concerns and expectations, and results from these engagements inform our future strategies. Annually, we conduct an engagement survey to measure employee insights on our culture, engagement, and inclusion.
We continually monitor and adjust our workplace strategy by incorporating current best practices and using survey data at the local, national, and enterprise levels to guide our approach. We also encourage meaningful in-person work, including important team meetings, planning sessions, and engaging office events.
Globally, in 2024, we hired over 487,000 full- and part-time team members. Turnover for part-time team members, primarily package handlers at our sorting locations, was 195%, while full-time team member turnover was 26%, in 2024. Turnover rates among part-time frontline workers in a number of industries are historically higher than among other employee groups. Within the ground transportation industry, many part-time workers pursue temporary employment opportunities that allow them to exit and re-enter the workforce more frequently based on their needs. These traditionally higher rates have recently been further exacerbated by elevated hiring volumes.
Other Information
As of May 31, 2024, FedEx employed approximately 306,000 permanent full-time and approximately 199,000 permanent part-time employees and utilized approximately 6,000 contracted service providers to conduct certain linehaul and pickup-and-delivery operations.
See “Business Segments — Federal Express Segment — Employees and Service Providers” for information regarding our continued bargaining efforts to reach an agreement with the union representing our pilots. A small number of our other employees are members of unions. For additional information, see “Business Segments” and “Regulation” and “Item 1A. Risk Factors.”
Our Community
FedEx is committed to actively supporting the communities we serve worldwide through the strategic investment of our people, resources, and network. Through FedEx Cares, our global community engagement program, we support non-profit organizations working to solve social challenges relevant to our business, customers, and team members. We pair donations with charitable shipping and access to our global network, team member volunteers, subject matter expertise, influence, and connections to meet social and business goals. We make our biggest investments in areas where we can address significant issues and apply our unique business capabilities. Real change takes significant investment, authentic support for communities, and a commitment to continuous learning. FedEx Cares focuses on three major giving pillars:
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Delivering for Good: Mobilizing FedEx’s passionate team members, global network, and best-in-class logistics expertise to support humanitarian relief, respond to disasters, and help non-profit organizations make complex shipments to benefit our communities.
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Global Entrepreneurship: Equipping entrepreneurs from all backgrounds with the training, connections, and other resources they need to compete in the global marketplace more effectively, expand their customer base, generate new jobs, and create a better life for themselves and their communities.
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Sustainable Logistics: To help deliver a better future, we support sustainable transportation in cities, research and technology to scale climate solutions, and conservation in local communities.
Additionally, our commitments to DEI&O and team member volunteerism are foundational to FedEx Cares. In response to our “Drive Forward. Give Back.” call to action, team members around the world volunteer and provide acts of caring throughout the year.
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Together, we multiply our impact to improve the communities where we live and work. FedEx Cares manages the FedEx Founder’s Fund — a philanthropic endowment honoring Frederick W. Smith and his legacy as a business leader and changemaker in communities around the world. Additionally, FedEx supports communities throughout the U.S. with its FedEx Cares Employee Giving program.
We believe the investments we make in our communities today, combined with team member engagement, set the stage for a brighter tomorrow. For additional information on our community involvement and our FedEx Cares strategy, visit fedexcares.com.
The Environment
At FedEx, managing our environmental impact to create meaningful change requires strategic investment and action. Building on many years of sustainability progress, in 2024 we evolved and broadened our strategic approach of Reduce, Replace, Revolutionize to focus on the principles of Decarbonize what’s possible, Co-create with purpose, and Neutralize what’s left, which cover the comprehensive actions needed to not only achieve carbon neutrality in our own operations, but also to support the transition of the transportation and logistics industry as a whole. Our philosophy of Practical Sustainability drives us toward responsible business stewardship, innovation for products and operational solutions, and transparency for our stakeholders.
We align our assessment and reporting approach with the recommendations from the Global Reporting Initiative, Sustainability Accounting Standards Board, and the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures. Evaluation of climate-related physical and transition risk is integrated into our enterprise risk management process, which identifies and reports top enterprise risks in the short-, medium-, and long-term through industry research, surveys, and workshops with business leaders. Based on the risks identified, specific contingency plans and strategies are formulated to minimize potential adverse effects on our business.
In 2021 we announced our goal to achieve carbon neutrality by calendar 2040 across our global operations’ Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions and our Scope 3 contracted transportation emissions. To help reach this goal, we designated $2.0 billion of initial investment towards vehicle electrification, sustainable energy, and carbon sequestration, including a pledge of $100 million to Yale University to help establish the Yale Center for Natural Carbon Capture. In addition, we continue to leverage other approaches to reduce aircraft and vehicle emissions, such as increased interline usage and intermodal rail usage across Federal Express.
Our investment in and pursuit of a more efficient network and operations, including Network 2.0 and our ongoing air network redesign, support our efforts to create a more connected and sustainable future. For over 50 years, we have demonstrated our capabilities to reduce environmental impacts by achieving operational synergies such as improving the efficiency of our fleet, reducing miles driven, and minimizing route redundancies.
Vehicle Electrification
Across FedEx, we aim to create an efficient and sustainable fleet tailored to our operational needs. Our global fleet comprises over 200,000 motorized vehicles, across various vehicle classes, including pickup-and-delivery vehicles, long-haul trucks, forklifts, airport ground services equipment, and other off-road vehicles. Electrifying each class of vehicles brings unique opportunities and challenges driven by performance and operational requirements, as well as supply chain, infrastructure, and availability considerations. We also recognize the need for further technological advances, such as commercial use electric vehicles, battery enhancements, and smart charging software, to enable large-scale fleet electrification.
We plan to transition the entire FedEx parcel pickup-and-delivery fleet to zero tailpipe emissions electric vehicles by calendar 2040, using a phased approach to replace existing vehicles. Network 2.0 and one FedEx will require a significantly altered pickup-and-delivery vehicle mix to meet the operational needs of the new network service model. Accordingly, we may not be able to achieve our previously disclosed goal of 50% of owned Federal Express pickup-and-delivery fleet purchases being electric by calendar 2025. However, we remain committed to our goal of 100% of owned Federal Express pickup-and-delivery fleet purchases being electric by 2030. We continue to review our owned Federal Express pickup-and-delivery purchase goals to determine our best path towards carbon neutral operations in calendar 2040.
As we work to transition our entire pickup-and-delivery fleet to zero-tailpipe emission vehicles, we are collaborating with local equipment manufacturers to introduce electric vehicles into new markets while deploying additional electric vehicles in existing markets. In 2023, we expanded our use of electric vehicles to make deliveries in Malaysia, Chile, Mexico, India, and the United Arab Emirates, and conducted electric vehicle trials in Singapore. We are working with strategic regional manufacturers to expand electric vehicle deployment to new markets across our global operations as part of our phased pickup-and-delivery electrification approach.
As we work toward electrifying our vehicle fleet, making sure we can have adequate charging infrastructure available at our facilities is a priority. Our vehicles and facilities teams are working with power utilities, government officials at all levels, and regulatory
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agencies to plot a path forward. We have already built over 1,000 charging stations across our global facilities to support the electrification of our own pickup-and-delivery fleet and the electric vehicle transition of contracted service providers. Additionally, we are crafting a comprehensive strategy to expedite the transition to electric vehicles for contracted service providers while rolling out essential infrastructure at our facilities to meet their charging needs. To implement the large-scale charging infrastructure required for our operations, we are collaborating closely with local utility companies and regulators to strategically plan for and meet the additional grid capacity challenges.
The electrification of our long-haul fleet poses unique challenges since these vehicles travel long distances and need to be recharged at our centers and potentially in multiple locations along a route, which can require a significant amount of time and energy at facility charging stations.
Federal Express has established a goal to increase vehicle fleet efficiency by 50% from a 2005 baseline by calendar 2025. Through 2023, our efforts collectively resulted in a 38% improvement in Federal Express vehicle fleet efficiency from our 2005 baseline.
Sustainable Fuels
We maintain a global fleet of 9,800 alternative fuel and electric vehicles, including hybrid, electric, and natural gas- and liquified petroleum gas-powered vehicles. To drive widespread alternative fuel production, we are collaborating with government agencies, academic institutions, and suppliers, and are a vocal advocate for policies to support the commercial deployment of alternative fuel vehicles. Our commitment to exploring alternative fuels extends to vehicles that are not easily electrified. For example, heavyweight transportation poses unique challenges due to mileage requirements and the need for timely refueling or recharging. While the technologies and infrastructure needed to shift heavy goods vehicles away from fossil fuels are still developing, we are dedicated to piloting alternative fuels and solutions that can achieve more immediate reductions in the emissions of heavy goods transport. Additionally, we implement fuel-saving measures within our current fleet to help reduce our environmental impact.
The majority of our emissions footprint is associated with FedEx jet fuel usage, and we have established a goal of obtaining 30% of our annual jet fuel usage from blends of alternative fuel by calendar 2030. While FedEx works extensively to conserve jet fuel and modernize our air fleet, our carbon neutral ambition relies on reducing emissions with sustainable aviation fuel and carbon sequestration to remove and store excess carbon. Advancing these nascent technologies and markets requires extensive collaboration with industry, academia, non-governmental organizations, and governments.
To accelerate sustainable aviation fuel solutions, we are proud members of the Aviation Sector working group of the First Movers Coalition, a global initiative dedicated to decarbonizing challenging industrial sectors, including the aviation industry. We also advocate for responsible policies and incentives to advance alternative fuel technologies, expedite global sustainable aviation fuel production, and enhance the availability and affordability of low-carbon fuel. We acknowledge the complexities faced by the aviation industry in achieving large-scale sustainable aviation fuel deployment and recognize the potential need for additional solutions to enhance efficiency and reduce emissions.
Aircraft Fuel Conservation and Aircraft Fleet Modernization
At FedEx, we are working to minimize the environmental footprint of our aircraft fleet through fuel conservation, airline route optimization, and the exploration of more sustainable or efficient transportation options within our extensive network. Since 2005, we reduced our overall aircraft emissions intensity by 29%, primarily due to our ongoing FedEx Fuel Sense and aircraft modernization initiatives. Overall, in 2023, the Fuel Sense program achieved savings of over 11 million gallons of jet fuel and our modernization initiatives resulted in savings of 136 million gallons of jet fuel.
We are dedicated to modernizing our fleet of nearly 700 aircraft to reduce costs, enhance reliability and operational adaptability, improve fuel efficiency, and minimize emissions. We continue to replace older aircraft with more fuel-efficient models to reduce GHG emissions, air pollution, and local noise pollution. We are currently scheduled to take delivery of two Boeing 777F, 14 Boeing 767F, 10 ATR-72 600F, and 31 Cessna 408 aircraft by the end of 2026. Delays could impact these timelines. We plan to retire our entire MD-11 fleet by the end of 2028. Additionally, in 2024 we made the decision to permanently retire from service 22 Boeing 757-200 aircraft and seven related engines to align with the plans of Federal Express to modernize its aircraft fleet, improve its global network, and better align air network capacity to match current and anticipated shipment volumes. For more information about our expected future aircraft deliveries, see “Item 2. Properties” of this Annual Report under the caption “Federal Express Segment” and Note 18 of the accompanying consolidated financial statements.
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Facilities
We work to support the long-term health and well-being of our business, the planet, and the communities in which we operate through the sustainable operations of our more than 5,000 air and ground hubs, local stations, freight service centers, and retail locations.
As we support electric vehicle deployment and charging infrastructure, our energy demand will increase. In response to this challenge, we are intensifying our efforts to responsibly manage our facility energy use and procure off-site renewable energy. Our approach to innovating operations involves continued investments in energy efficiency and management, renewable energy procurement, facility resiliency, environmental compliance and waste reduction, among other initiatives. For new facilities, we integrate energy efficiency specifications and explore on-site renewable energy generation options into the design. We adopt the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (“LEED”) standard in the U.S. and the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (“BREEAM”) in Europe as guiding principles for designing efficient facilities when appropriate. In total FedEx has 46 LEED-certified facilities and 13 BREEAM-certified facilities across our global operations.
FedEx invests in both on-site renewable energy generation and external procurement of renewable energy, which enables us to execute larger projects. Given the complexity of grid systems, different real estate models, utility markets, and a varied regulatory landscape, the viability of on-site renewable energy differs by facility.
The importance of facility resiliency is increasing due to the physical risks of climate change and the strain of electrification on the grid. FedEx is conducting pilot tests of various technologies to provide backup power to our facilities. Natural gas generators, combined heat and power systems, and fuel cell technologies can be used to create microgrids that support building resiliency.
We strive to reduce the waste we generate and recycle waste when possible, and we enforce standardized waste and recycling management processes throughout the U.S.
Sustainable Customer Solutions
We recognize that transporting goods for our customers can lead to environmental impacts through emissions and waste generation. Our more sustainable packaging choices, such as a Reusable Pak, give our customers more choice and control in reducing the waste associated with their shipping, while still offering the protection and performance they expect from FedEx supplied packaging. FedEx-branded cardboard packaging is almost 100% recyclable and composed of 9% to 23% recycled content. During 2023, 45% of FedEx-branded packaging was third-party certified, and 99% of all paper purchased by FedEx Office was from vendors with responsible forest-management practices.
Our FedEx® Sustainability Insights (“FSI”) tool gives our customers and suppliers access to estimated CO2e emissions data associated with their FedEx shipments, from the individual package to account levels, enabling them to understand their environmental impact and drive informed supply chain decisions. Internally, we use this data to assess progress and identify improvement areas. FSI is third-party verified to adhere to the GHG Protocol and Global Logistics Emissions Council framework. In 2024, FSI launched globally and is currently available in over 100 markets and translated in 34 languages. Additionally, U.S.-based customers can now forecast future emissions using FSI through a new commercialized portal. This enables customers to estimate their potential CO2e emissions through predictive modeling capabilities and helps inform customers about their carbon footprint so they can make more sustainable choices.
For additional information on the ways we are minimizing our impact on the environment, see fedex.com/en-us/sustainability.html. For additional information regarding environmental, climate, and weather-related regulation and risks, see “Regulation” above and “Item 1A. Risk Factors” under “Environmental, Climate, and Weather Risks.”
Governance
The FedEx Board of Directors is comprised of a majority of independent directors and is committed to the highest quality corporate governance and accountability to stockholders. Our Board of Directors periodically reviews all aspects of our governance policies and practices, including our Corporate Governance Guidelines (the “Guidelines”) and our Code of Conduct, in light of best practices and makes whatever changes it deems appropriate to further our longstanding commitment to the highest standards of corporate governance. The Guidelines and the Code of Conduct, which apply to all of our directors, officers, and employees, including our principal executive officer and senior financial officers, are available under the ESG heading under “Governance” on the Investor Relations page of our website at investors.fedex.com. We will post under the ESG heading on the Investor Relations page of our website information regarding any amendment to, or waiver from, the provisions of the Code of Conduct to the extent such disclosure is required.
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