UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

For the fiscal year ended May 31, 2018.

OR

For the transition period from                      to                     .

Commission file number 1-15829

FEDEX CORPORATION

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (901) 818-7500

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☑ No ☐

Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Yes ☐ No ☑

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☑ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate website, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes ☑ No ☐

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§ 229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of Registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. ☑

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☑

The aggregate market value of the common stock held by non-affiliates of the Registrant, computed by reference to the closing price as of the last business day of the Registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, November 30, 2017, was approximately $57.3 billion. The Registrant has no non-voting stock.

As of July 12, 2018, 265,924,840 shares of the Registrant’s common stock were outstanding.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the Registrant’s definitive proxy statement to be delivered to stockholders in connection with the 2018 annual meeting of stockholders to be held on September 24, 2018 are incorporated by reference in response to Part III of this Report.

 

 

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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PART I

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 a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services through companies competing collectively, operating independently and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. These companies are included in the following reportable business segments:

Effective March 1, 2018, we realigned our specialty logistics and e-commerce solutions in a new organizational structure under FedEx Trade Networks, Inc. (“FedEx Trade Networks”). The realignment allows us to improve our ability to deliver the capabilities of our specialty services companies to customers by creating an organization focused on serving the unique needs of this important growth driver. The new organization provides customs brokerage and global ocean and air freight forwarding through FedEx Trade Networks Transport & Brokerage, Inc. (“FedEx Trade Networks Transport & Brokerage”); cross-border enablement and technology solutions and e-commerce transportation solutions through FedEx Cross Border Technologies, Inc. (“FedEx Cross Border”); integrated supply chain management solutions through FedEx Supply Chain Distribution System, Inc. (“FedEx Supply Chain”); time-critical shipment services through FedEx Custom Critical, Inc. (“FedEx Custom Critical”); and, effective September 1, 2018, critical inventory and service parts logistics, 3-D printing and technology repair through FedEx Forward Depots, Inc. (“FedEx Forward Depots”).

FedEx Trade Networks is an operating segment that is included in “Corporate, other and eliminations” in our segment reporting. For more information about FedEx Trade Networks, please see “FedEx Trade Networks Operating Segment.”

For more information about our reportable segments, please see “Business Segments.” For financial information concerning our reportable segments, refer to the accompanying financial section, which includes management’s discussion and analysis of results of operations and financial condition and our consolidated financial statements. Prior period segment results for all of our transportation segments have been recast to conform to the current year presentation for the organizational structure changes discussed above.

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Our website is located at fedex.com. Detailed information about our services, e-commerce tools and solutions, and citizenship efforts 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 amendments to such reports available, free of charge, through our website, as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The Investor Relations page of our website, http://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 our Investor Relations 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 on Form 10-K.

Except as otherwise specified, any reference to a year indicates our fiscal year ended May 31 of the year referenced. References to our transportation segments include, collectively, the FedEx Express segment, the FedEx Ground segment, and the FedEx Freight segment.

Strategy

FedEx has developed a unique business strategy whereby our companies compete collectively, operate independently and manage collaboratively, which allows us to provide a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services to our customers. Our companies compete collectively by standing as one brand worldwide and speaking with one voice; they operate independently by focusing on our independent networks to meet distinct customer needs; and they manage collaboratively by working together to sustain loyal relationships with our workforce, customers and investors.  

Our “compete collectively, operate independently, manage collaboratively” strategy allows us to manage our business as a portfolio, in the long-term best interest of the enterprise, not a particular operating company. As a result, we base decisions on capital investment, expansion of delivery, information technology and retail networks, and service additions or enhancements upon achieving the highest overall long-term return on capital for our business as a whole. For each FedEx company, we focus on making appropriate investments in the technology and assets necessary to optimize our long-term earnings performance and cash flow. Our business strategy also provides flexibility in sizing our operating companies to align with varying macroeconomic conditions and customer demand for the market segments in which they operate, allowing us to leverage and manage change. Volatility and uncertainty 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. To that end, we continue to modernize our aircraft fleet with more fuel efficient and lower-emission aircraft and expand and rationalize network capacity at FedEx Ground where we continue to see growing package volumes.

While our business strategy guides our operating companies to compete collectively and manage collaboratively, we continue to believe that operating independent networks, each focused on its own respective markets, results in optimal service quality and reliability from each business unit. Each FedEx company focuses exclusively on the market sectors in which it has the most expertise and can be independently enhanced and managed to provide outstanding service to our customers. Each company’s operations, cost structure and culture are designed to serve the unique customer demands of a particular market segment and as a result, we are able to adapt our networks in response to changing needs.

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Our business strategy allows us to respond to our current and potential customers’ evolving needs that are shaped by the following four key trends that are driving global commerce:

These trends have produced an unprecedented expansion of customer access — to goods, services and information. Through our global transportation, information technology and retail networks, we help to make this access possible. We believe it would be extremely difficult, costly and time-consuming to replicate our global network, which 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 companies to facilitate and capitalize on this access and to achieve stronger long-term growth, productivity and profitability. Three areas of focus that will allow us to accelerate performance going forward are:

In particular, in May 2016 we acquired TNT Express, which is the largest acquisition in FedEx history. This acquisition rapidly accelerates our European and global growth, substantially enhances our global footprint through TNT Express’s lower-cost road networks in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, and expands our capabilities and solutions for our customers. The benefits of the integration of the FedEx Express and TNT Express businesses are extensive. For instance, we are implementing new technology and processes and optimizing the location of our facilities and stations to deliver unmatched service. We will benefit from efficiencies, improved stop densities and economies of scale facilitated by integrated pickup-and-delivery operations. Additionally, we will operate one integrated global express network, allowing us to capitalize on technology and solutions to most efficiently route parcels and freight through our integrated hub, linehaul and intercontinental air network. We also will improve the efficiency of staff functions and processes with innovative information-technology solutions, streamlined support functions, and the realization of significant sourcing savings globally. Furthermore, we will grow revenue by offering a best-in-class portfolio of services through a single sales team, with a single online customer-facing tool, and through revenue management activities focused on improved market share, yield and profitability.

The integration of FedEx Express and TNT Express is expected to be substantially completed by the end of 2020, and significant progress towards that goal was made during 2018. The integration of the two businesses generally occurs at a country level, and our leadership teams, which were put in place in 2017 and are comprised of FedEx Express and former TNT Express executives, have identified and are using three different integration models: (1) direct serve to direct serve; (2) global service participant (FedEx Express model) or associate (TNT Express model) to direct serve; and (3) global service participant to associate or associate to global service participant. Using these models, we have begun successfully integrating the two businesses on a country-by-country basis. We will continue to refine our integration plans in response to future developments and changing conditions. For example, the integration was accelerated in light of the June 2017 cyberattack at TNT Express, and we have made additional investments to move TNT Express information technology, operations and commercial infrastructure to FedEx platforms. For further information about the cyberattack, see the section titled “Results of Operations and Outlook—Consolidated Results—Overview” included in Item 7 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition”).

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Operationally, we have begun a phased conversion of the intercontinental flights operated by ASL Airlines Belgium (formerly TNT Airways) to FedEx Express operations. In particular, in April 2017 we began operating a flight linking TNT Express’s European air hub in Liege, Belgium to the FedEx World Hub in Memphis, Tennessee, giving TNT Express customers direct access to the portfolio of FedEx services offered in the U.S. and Canada. We also have implemented operations information technology that is foundational to the integration, including technology that allows us to handle FedEx Express packages in the TNT Express network and TNT Express packages in the FedEx Express network, and technology that allows for the management of customer inquiries across both the FedEx Express and TNT Express customer service platforms. Additionally, in 2018 we advanced intra-European road and air integration and are planning for the soft launch of a single road network in September 2018.

While the TNT Express and FedEx Express integration was a primary area of focus in 2018, we also introduced additional innovative solutions and made other important investments that benefit our customers, including:

Reputation and Responsibility

By competing collectively under the FedEx brand, our operating companies benefit from one of the world’s most recognized brands. 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 2018, FedEx ranked 9^th in FORTUNE magazine’s “World’s Most Admired Companies” list — the 18^th consecutive year FedEx has ranked among the top 20 in the FORTUNE Most Admired Companies list, with 14 of those years ranking among the top 10. FedEx was also included on the Forbes/Reputation Institute 2018 “Global 100 Most Reputable Companies” list, which measures the reputations of thousands of the world’s most prestigious companies, and rose 19 spots on Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s “100 Best Corporate Citizens” list for 2018. Finally, in 2018 FedEx was named to Points of Light’s “Civic 50” list and received the NAB Education Foundation Corporate Leadership Award.

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FedEx is well recognized as a leader, not only in the transportation industry and for technological innovation, but also in global citizenship. We understand that a sustainable global business is tied to our global citizenship, and we are committed to connecting the world responsibly and resourcefully. Our latest published update to our global citizenship report is available at http://csr.fedex.com. These reports describe how we think about our responsibilities in the area of global citizenship and include important goals and metrics that demonstrate our commitment to fulfilling these responsibilities.

Our People

Along with a strong reputation among customers and the general public, FedEx is widely acknowledged as a great place to work. For example, in 2018 FedEx was named to FORTUNE magazine’s list of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in the U.S. FedEx was also included on FORTUNE magazine’s “100 Best Workplaces for Millennials” list for 2018. In 2018 we showed our commitment to FedEx team members by sharing the benefits of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“TCJA”) with them through more than $200 million in increased compensation by advancing 2018 annual pay increases for certain hourly team members and funding increases in performance-based incentive plans for salaried personnel. In addition, we made a voluntary contribution of $1.5 billion to our tax-qualified U.S. domestic pension plans to ensure our retirement program remains one of the best funded programs in the country.

FedEx also supports an inclusive workplace culture and is committed to the education, recruitment, development and advancement of diverse team members worldwide, and we are recognized for our commitment to those efforts. For instance, in 2018 FedEx was named one of Black Enterprise magazine’s “50 Best Companies for Diversity” as well as one of the “Best Workplaces for Diversity” by global research and consulting firm Great Place to Work and FORTUNE magazine, and also achieved a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index, designating it as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ equality. Additionally, in 2017 FedEx was named one of “America’s Top Corporations for Women’s Business Enterprises” by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council. A key driver of our commitment to diversity and inclusion is the FedEx Corporate Diversity Council, in which members collaborate across the enterprise to motivate and inspire each other, share best practices and support multicultural programs within the company and communities we serve.

At FedEx, it is our people — our greatest asset — that give us our strong reputation. In addition to superior physical and information networks, FedEx has an exemplary human network, with more than 425,000 team members who are focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards, and the needs of their customers and communities. Consistent with this philosophy, in 2018 FedEx Express announced the creation of Purple Runway—A FedEx Pathways Program, an industry-leading pilot-development program. Additionally, through our internal Purple Promise and Humanitarian Award programs, we recognize and reward employees who enhance customer service and promote human welfare. For additional information on our people-first philosophy and workplace initiatives, see http://csr.fedex.com.

Our Community

FedEx is committed to actively supporting the communities we serve worldwide through the strategic investment of our people, resources and network. We provide financial contributions, in-kind charitable shipping services and volunteer efforts by our team members to help a variety of non-profit organizations achieve their goals and make a measurable impact on the world. We have the following five core giving pillars:

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We also have the following two strategic giving areas:

In 2016, FedEx announced that it will invest $200 million in more than 200 global communities by 2020 through its global giving platform, FedEx Cares. FedEx invested over $46 million in 2016 and over $55 million in each of 2017 and 2018, respectively, in charitable contributions benefiting communities globally. FedEx also supports communities throughout the U.S. with an annual United Way employee giving campaign. Additionally, FedEx team members provided 111,200 volunteer hours during 2017. For additional information on our community involvement and our FedEx Cares strategy, see http://fedexcares.com.

The Environment

In furtherance of our commitment to protecting the environment, in 2017 we announced a new goal to increase FedEx Express vehicle fuel efficiency 50% from a 2005 baseline by calendar 2025, after achieving our previous goal of a 30% improvement five years early. We also continue with our goal to reduce aircraft emissions intensity by 30% from a 2005 baseline by calendar 2020, a goal that we increased from 20% in 2012. In 2017, we achieved a 22% reduction in aircraft emissions intensity since 2005 through a combination of our aircraft fleet modernization and operational programs. We have also established a goal of obtaining 30% of our jet fuel from alternative fuels by calendar 2030.

To reduce the cost of fuel use and associated greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions, we have implemented efficiencies in flight operations through our global FedEx Fuel Sense program, and we have replaced many of our older airplanes with more fuel-efficient models. These two initiatives saved more than 177 million gallons of jet fuel and avoided more than 1.7 million metric tons of CO₂e emissions in 2017, over 16% more emissions avoided than 2016. We have an impressive global alternative fuel fleet with more than 2,800 alternative fuel vehicles, including hybrid, electric, compressed or liquefied natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas and hydrogen fueled vehicles. Additionally, in 2018 we placed a reservation for 20 fully electric semi trucks, which are anticipated to begin production in calendar 2019 and will be operated by FedEx Freight.

Twenty of our facilities around the world now generate renewable energy, which collectively avoided more than 12,000 metric tons of CO₂ e emissions in 2017. In addition, fourteen FedEx Express facilities in the U.S. have received certification in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED^®), the U.S. Green Building Council’s system for rating the environmental performance of buildings. FedEx Express has made LEED certification the standard for newly built U.S. facilities. In addition, FedEx Express also has three LEED-certified facilities outside the U.S., while FedEx Office has one LEED-certified facility and FedEx Ground has six, all of which are in the U.S. The number of FedEx Express facilities certified to the ISO 14001 environmental management system standard grew to 649 in nearly 50 countries during 2017, primarily as a result of our acquisition of TNT Express.

We also continue to evaluate the environmental impacts of our packaging and copy and print services, and minimize waste generation through efforts that include recycling and the use of copy paper with recycled content, among other environmentally responsible available choices. In 2017, over 99% of paper purchased for use by FedEx Office was Forest Stewardship Council or other third-party-certified as sustainably sourced. We also use FedEx-branded cardboard packaging at FedEx Express and FedEx Ground, which is made from almost 60% recycled content. By working closely with our suppliers in 2017, we sourced almost 3,300 more metric tons of recycled packaging than in 2016. As our business grows to meet the accelerating demands of e-commerce and other shipping needs, our waste management strategies help ensure we recycle more. In 2017, 72% of the solid waste generated in our operations was sent to recyclers. One example of our environmentally-responsible activities is the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council, a U.S. nonprofit organization that supports and recognizes sustainable procurement of which we are a founding member. We continue to support the Council by participating in technical advisory groups and applying best practice guidance to our own supply chain sustainability initiatives. For additional information on the ways we are minimizing our impact on the environment, see http://csr.fedex.com.

Governance

FedEx has an independent Board of Directors committed to the highest quality corporate governance. The Board has taken significant steps to enhance its accountability to stockholders in recent years. For example, in March 2016, our Board of Directors adopted a proxy access bylaw that permits up to 20 stockholders owning 3% or more of FedEx’s outstanding voting stock continuously for at least three years to nominate and include in FedEx’s proxy materials director nominees constituting up to two individuals or 20% of the Board, whichever is greater, provided that the stockholder(s) and the nominee(s) satisfy the requirements specified in our Bylaws.

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Our Board of Directors periodically reviews all aspects of our governance policies and practices, including our Corporate Governance Guidelines and our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, 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, which apply to all of our directors, officers and employees, including our principal executive officer and senior financial officers, are available in the corporate governance section of the Investor Relations page of our website at http://investors.fedex.com. We will post in the Governance & Citizenship section of the Investor Relations page of our website information regarding any amendment to, or waiver from, the provisions of the Code to the extent such disclosure is required.

Business Segments

The following describes in more detail the operations of each of our principal operating segments:

FedEx Express Segment

Overview

FedEx Express invented express distribution over 45 years ago in 1973 and remains the industry leader, providing rapid, reliable, time-definite delivery of packages and freight to more than 220 countries and territories through an integrated global network. In May 2016, we acquired TNT Express, a leading international express transportation, small-package ground delivery and freight transportation company. In 2018, we reported FedEx Express and TNT Express as one segment. For further information, see the section titled “Overview of Financial Section—Description of Business” included in Item 7 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition”).

FedEx Express offers a wide range of U.S. domestic and international shipping services for delivery of packages and freight, connecting markets that generate more than 99% of the world’s gross domestic product through door-to-door, customs-cleared service, with a money-back guarantee. FedEx 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. FedEx Express employs approximately 227,000 employees (including approximately 49,000 employees at TNT Express) and has approximately 100,000 drop-off locations (including FedEx Office stores and FedEx OnSite locations, such as more than 7,500 Walgreens stores, and approximately 26,000 TNT Express drop-off locations), 670 aircraft and approximately 90,000 vehicles (including approximately 28,000 owner-operated vehicles that support TNT Express) in its integrated global network.

Services

FedEx Express offers a wide range of U.S. domestic and international shipping services for delivery of packages and freight. All FedEx Express services are backed by a money-back guarantee. FedEx 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. FedEx Express also offers U.S. express overnight and deferred freight services backed by a money-back guarantee to handle the needs of the time-definite freight market.

International express and deferred package delivery with a money-back guarantee is available to more than 220 countries and territories, with a variety of time-definite services to meet distinct customer needs. FedEx International Priority provides time-definite delivery typically within one, two or three business days. 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 20 key global markets, with delivery to select U.S. ZIP Codes as early as 8:00 a.m. from more than 90 countries in one or two business days, delivery by 10 a.m. in one business day to Canada and by 11:00 a.m. in one business day to Mexico. FedEx 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, FedEx Express offers comprehensive international express and deferred freight services, backed by a money-back guarantee, real-time tracking and advanced customs clearance.

We also provide FedEx Delivery Manager, which 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. By signing up at fedex.com, customers can receive notification of FedEx Express packages en route to their homes, and can choose various delivery options.

For information regarding FedEx Express e-shipping tools and solutions, see “FedEx Services Segment — FedEx Services — Customer-Driven Technology.”

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TNT Express provides two types of express services — Express and Economy Express. The Express services are day-definite and delivered next-day or fastest-by-air for distances for which next-day is not possible. The Economy Express services are also day-definite and are delivered fastest-by-road, except for intercontinental deliveries which depend on air. For both Express and Economy Express services, TNT Express has time-definite options for customers requiring delivery before a certain time. TNT Express also provides specialized or extremely urgent deliveries which include products such as same-day, value-added and non-standard freight services.

International Expansion

In May 2016, we acquired TNT Express, which has express delivery operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Asia-Pacific and South America. This acquisition rapidly accelerates our European and global growth, substantially enhances our global footprint through TNT Express’s lower-cost road networks in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, and expands our capabilities and solutions to our customers. We are in the process of integrating TNT Express operations with the FedEx Express network, which is expected to be substantially completed by the end of 2020. For more information regarding the progress we made on the integration during 2018, see “Strategy.”

In addition to the TNT Express acquisition, we made several global strategic acquisitions over the past several years, including in South Africa, Poland, Brazil and Mexico. These acquisitions give us more robust global transportation networks and added capabilities in important international markets. In recent years, we also have expanded our capabilities in the Asia-Pacific markets, including through the establishment of: our Asia-Pacific hub at the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in southern China, which began operations in 2009; our North Pacific regional hub at the Kansai International Airport in Osaka, Japan, which opened in April 2014 and serves as a consolidation point for shipments from northern Asia to the U.S.; and our new International Express and Cargo Hub in Shanghai, which opened in January 2018 at Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport. These hubs allow us to continue to better serve our global customers doing business in the Asia-Pacific markets.

To facilitate the use of our growing international network, we offer a full range of international trade consulting services and a variety of online tools that enable customers to more easily determine and comply with international shipping requirements.

U.S. Postal Service Agreement

In 2013, FedEx Express entered into a new seven-year agreement with the USPS under which FedEx Express provides airport-to-airport transportation of USPS First Class Mail, Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail within the United States. In February 2017, the parties entered into an amendment to the agreement whereby the initial renewal period provided in the agreement was exercised in part and the agreement’s period of performance was extended through September 29, 2024. FedEx Express also provides transportation and delivery for the USPS’s international delivery service called Global Express Guaranteed under a separate agreement. For more information about our relationship with the USPS, see Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Risk Factors”).

Pricing

FedEx Express periodically publishes list prices for the majority of its services in its Service Guides. In general, shipping rates are based on the service selected, destination zone, weight, size, any ancillary service charge and whether the customer charged the shipment to a FedEx account. As previously announced, effective January 1, 2018, FedEx Express implemented a 4.9% average list price increase for U.S. domestic, U.S. export and U.S. import services. Effective January 22, 2018, a third-party billing surcharge is applied to FedEx Express shipments that are billed to a third party, and applicable criteria and pricing changed for packages that require additional handling or are oversized. FedEx Express also applied holiday season surcharges from November 20, 2017 through December 24, 2017 for shipments that were oversized or required additional handling.

FedEx 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. FedEx Express fuel surcharges are adjusted on a weekly basis. The fuel surcharge is based on a weekly fuel price from two weeks prior to the week in which it is assessed. Some FedEx Express international fuel surcharges incorporate a timing lag of approximately six to eight weeks. The weighted-average U.S. domestic and outbound fuel surcharges for the past three years were: 2018 — 4.8%; 2017 — 2.5%; and 2016 — 1.8%. See the “Results of Operations and Outlook — Consolidated Results — Fuel” section of Item 7 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition”) for a description and discussion of the net impact of fuel on our operating results.

TNT Express periodically updates list prices for the majority of its services. In general, shipping rates are based on the selected service, destination zone, (volumetric) weight, and any ancillary service charge. TNT Express offers its customers discounted prices generally based on actual or potential volumes and/or revenue. TNT Express has an indexed fuel surcharge that varies by region or country and by product. The fuel surcharge percentage is subject to monthly adjustment based upon the price of a designated fuel type.

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If a customer has requirements that fall outside of TNT Express’s standard service levels, but are acceptable under its standard operating procedures, TNT Express will provide the service with an additional charge to cover the additional costs incurred. For instance, collections and deliveries in certain remote and less accessible locations will incur an out-of-area charge.

Operations

FedEx Express’s primary sorting facility, located in Memphis, serves as the center of the company’s multiple hub-and-spoke system. A second national hub facility is located in Indianapolis. Over multiple years, we will be investing over $1.5 billion to significantly expand the Indianapolis hub and over $1 billion to modernize the Memphis World Hub. In addition to these national hubs, FedEx Express operates regional hubs in Fort Worth, Newark, Oakland and Greensboro and major metropolitan sorting facilities in Chicago and Los Angeles.

Facilities in Anchorage, Paris, Cologne/Bonn, 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, Stansted Airport outside London and Pearson Airport in Toronto. The facilities in Paris, Cologne/Bonn, Guangzhou and Osaka are also designed to serve as regional hubs for their respective market areas. A facility in Miami — the Miami Gateway Hub — serves our South Florida, Latin American and Caribbean markets.

Throughout its worldwide network, FedEx 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. TNT Express also relies upon subcontractors and agents to conduct its pickup-and-delivery and linehaul operations. For more information about our sorting and handling facilities, see Part I, Item 2 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Properties”) under the caption “FedEx Express Segment.”

FedEx Office offers retail access to FedEx Express shipping services at all of its retail locations. FedEx Express also has alliances with certain other retailers to provide in-store drop-off sites, including at more than 7,500 Walgreens stores. Our unmanned FedEx Drop Boxes provide customers the opportunity to drop off packages in office buildings, shopping centers and corporate or industrial parks.

Services are delivered by TNT Express through a combination of physical infrastructures such as hubs, depots and vehicles, and electronic infrastructures such as track-and-trace systems. TNT Express operates road networks in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and South America. TNT Express’s unique European road network connects more than 40 countries through 19 road hubs and over 540 depots.

As a condition precedent to its acquisition by FedEx, TNT Express sold its two airlines, TNT Airways and Pan Air Líneas Aéreas, to ASL Aviation Group, as European regulations prohibit foreign ownership of European-based airlines. TNT Express and ASL Aviation Group entered into a multi-year service agreement to operate certain flights for the FedEx-TNT Express combination. The airline operates primarily out of TNT Express’s central air hub in Liege, Belgium. In April 2017, FedEx Express began operating a flight linking TNT Express’s European air hub in Liege, Belgium to the FedEx World Hub in Memphis, Tennessee, giving TNT Express customers direct access to the portfolio of FedEx services offered in the U.S. and Canada.

Fuel Supplies and Costs

During 2018, 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. Because of our indexed fuel surcharge, 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:

 

 

Most of FedEx Express’s vehicle fuel needs are satisfied by retail purchases with various discounts.

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Competition

As described in Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Risk Factors”), the express package and 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, capacity and speed of scheduled service, ability to track packages, extent of geographic coverage, reliability, 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. FedEx Express’s and TNT 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 and all-cargo airlines. We also compete 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 for deliveries, and may become competitors. Many of FedEx 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 FedEx Express.

Employees

David L. Cunningham, Jr. is the President and Chief Executive Officer of FedEx Express, which is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee. As of May 31, 2018, FedEx Express employed approximately 166,000 permanent full-time and approximately 61,000 permanent part-time employees (including approximately 41,000 permanent full-time employees and approximately 8,000 permanent part-time employees at TNT Express). Including the employees of TNT Express, FedEx Express’s international employees represent approximately 52% of all employees.

The pilots at FedEx 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 on November 2, 2015. The collective bargaining agreement is scheduled to become amendable in November 2021. In addition to our pilots at FedEx Express, certain of FedEx Express’s non-U.S. employees are unionized.

Attempts by other labor organizations to organize certain other groups of FedEx Express employees occur from time to time. Although these organizing attempts have not resulted in any certification of a U.S. domestic collective bargaining representative of FedEx Express employees (other than ALPA), we cannot predict the outcome of these labor activities or their effect, if any, on FedEx Express or its employees. FedEx Express believes its employee relations are excellent.

FedEx Ground Segment

Overview

By leveraging the FedEx brand, maintaining a low cost structure and efficiently using information technology and advanced automation systems, FedEx Ground continues to enhance its competitive position as a leading provider of business and residential money-back guaranteed ground package delivery services. FedEx Ground serves customers in the North American small-package market, focusing on business and residential delivery of packages weighing up to 150 pounds. Ground service is provided to 100% of the continental U.S. population and overnight service of up to 400 miles to nearly 100% of the continental U.S. population. Service is also provided to nearly 100% of the Canadian population. In addition, FedEx Ground offers service to Alaska and Hawaii through a ground and air network operation coordinated with other transportation providers.

FedEx Ground continues to improve the speed, reach and service capabilities of its network, by reducing transit time for many of its lanes and introducing or expanding overnight ground service in many metropolitan areas. FedEx Ground’s network expansion program has substantially increased the company’s daily pickup capacity through the addition of new hubs featuring the latest automated sorting technology, the expansion of existing hubs and the expansion or relocation of other existing facilities.

The company offers our FedEx Home Delivery service, which reaches 100% of U.S. residences. FedEx Home Delivery is dedicated to meeting the delivery needs of residential customers and provides routine Saturday and evening delivery and premium options such as day-specific, appointment and signature delivery. FedEx Home Delivery brings unmatched services to residential shippers and their customers and is the first residential ground package delivery service to have offered a money-back guarantee. The FedEx SmartPost service specializes in the consolidation and delivery of high volumes of low-weight, less time-sensitive business-to-consumer packages primarily using the USPS for final delivery to any residential address or PO Box in the U.S. and is an important component of our FedEx Ground service offerings.

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Additionally, 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. By signing up at fedex.com, customers can receive notification of FedEx Ground packages en route to their homes and can choose various delivery options.

Pricing

FedEx Ground periodically publishes list prices for the majority of its services in its Service Guide. In general, U.S. shipping rates are based on the service selected, destination zone, weight, size, any ancillary service charge and whether the customer charged the shipment to a FedEx account. As previously announced, effective January 1, 2018, FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery average list prices increased by an average of 4.9%. Effective January 22, 2018, (i) a third-party billing surcharge is applied to FedEx Ground shipments that are billed to a third party, (ii) applicable criteria and pricing changed for packages that require additional handling, are oversized, or are unauthorized, (iii) dimensional weight pricing applies to the majority of FedEx SmartPost shipments, and (iv) the dimension criteria for the FedEx SmartPost non-machinable surcharge changed. FedEx Ground also applied holiday season surcharges from November 20, 2017 through December 24, 2017 for shipments that were oversized, unauthorized, or required additional handling.

FedEx Ground has an indexed fuel surcharge, which is adjusted on a weekly basis. The fuel surcharge is based on a weekly fuel price from two weeks prior to the week in which it is assessed. See the “Results of Operations and Outlook — Consolidated Results —Fuel” section of Item 7 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition”) for a description and discussion of the net impact of fuel on our operating results.

Operations

FedEx Ground operates a multiple hub-and-spoke sorting and distribution system consisting of 601 facilities, including 37 hubs, in the U.S. and Canada. FedEx Ground conducts its operations primarily with approximately 62,000 owner-operated vehicles. To provide FedEx Home Delivery service and FedEx SmartPost Service, FedEx Ground leverages its pickup operation and hub and linehaul network.

Advanced automated sorting technology is used to streamline the handling of millions of packages daily. 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 terminals for local delivery. Software systems and internet-based applications are also deployed to offer customers new ways to connect internal package data with external delivery information. FedEx Ground provides shipment tracing and proof-of-delivery signature functionality through the FedEx website, fedex.com. For additional information regarding FedEx Ground e-shipping tools and solutions, see “FedEx Services Segment — FedEx Services — Customer-Driven Technology.”

FedEx Office offers retail access to FedEx Ground shipping services at all of its retail locations. FedEx Ground is also available as a service option at all FedEx Authorized ShipCenters and other FedEx OnSite locations, including at more than 7,500 Walgreens stores, located in the U.S.  

As of May 31, 2018, FedEx Ground employed approximately 26,000 permanent full-time and approximately 71,000 permanent part-time employees. In addition, FedEx Ground relies on independent small businesses to conduct its linehaul and pickup-and-delivery operations, as the use of independent contractors is well suited to the needs of the ground delivery business and its customers. Henry J. Maier is the President and Chief Executive Officer of FedEx Ground. FedEx Ground is headquartered in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area, and its primary competitors are UPS, the USPS and regional delivery carriers. We also compete 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 for deliveries, and may become competitors.

Independent Contractor Model

FedEx Ground is involved in lawsuits and administrative proceedings where the classification of its independent contractors is at issue. In addition, we are defending joint-employer cases where it is alleged that FedEx Ground should be treated as an employer of the drivers employed by owner-operators engaged by FedEx Ground. These cases are in varying stages of litigation. We will continue to vigorously defend ourselves in these proceedings and continue to believe that owner-operators engaged by FedEx Ground are properly classified as independent contractors and that FedEx Ground is not an employer or joint employer of the drivers of these independent contractors. For a description of these proceedings, see Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Risk Factors”) and Note 18 of the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

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FedEx Ground previously announced plans to implement the Independent Service Provider (“ISP”) model throughout its entire U.S. pickup-and-delivery network. The transition to the ISP model is being accomplished on a district-by-district basis and we are now targeting the transition to be completed during the second quarter of 2020. As of May 31, 2018, over 60% of FedEx Ground volume was being delivered by small businesses operating under the ISP model. The costs associated with these transitions will be recognized in the periods incurred and are not expected to be material to any future quarter.

FedEx Freight Segment

FedEx Freight is a leading U.S. 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 supply chain needs, and FedEx Freight Economy, when time can be traded for cost savings. 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, which has the fastest published transit times of any nationwide LTL service, offers a no-fee money-back guarantee on eligible shipments. 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 Canada and the U.S. In addition, FedEx Freight serves 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, FedEx Express and FedEx Ground. These solutions make freight shipping easier and provide customers easy access to their account information. The FedEx Freight Advance Notice feature available on FedEx Freight Priority shipments uses the company’s innovative technology systems to proactively notify FedEx Freight customers via the internet, e-mail or fax when a shipment may be delayed beyond its estimated delivery date, providing customers with greater visibility and control of their LTL freight shipments. Customers can also process 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 Ship Manager Server and FedEx Web Services. Additionally, FedEx Freight A.M. Delivery offers freight delivery by 10:30 a.m. within and between the U.S. and Canada, backed by a money-back guarantee.

In 2016, FedEx Freight introduced the FedEx Freight box, which makes transporting LTL shipments simple with improved flexibility, increased security, better shipment integrity and no freight classification. The FedEx Freight box comes in two sizes: a standard freight box that requires a pallet to ship and a smaller freight box with an integrated pallet. The ability to choose between freight boxes makes freight shipping accessible to any business. With a distance-based pricing structure, the FedEx Freight box allows customers to ship LTL with flat rates. The FedEx Freight box was initially introduced into selected markets during the second half of 2016, and was subsequently rolled out to customers nationwide in June 2016.

FedEx Freight has an indexed fuel surcharge, which is subject to weekly adjustment based on the national U.S. on-highway average price for a gallon of diesel fuel. As previously announced, effective January 1, 2018, FedEx Freight implemented a 4.9% average increase in certain U.S. and other shipping rates.

As of May 31, 2018, the FedEx Freight segment was operating approximately 27,000 vehicles from a network of 370 service centers and had approximately 44,000 employees. Michael L. Ducker is the President and Chief Executive Officer of FedEx Freight, which is based in Memphis, Tennessee. Mr. Ducker will retire effective August 15, 2018 and be succeeded by John A. Smith, who currently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer — Select at FedEx Freight. FedEx Freight’s primary competitors are YRC Worldwide Inc. (which includes YRC Regional Transportation and YRC Freight), XPO Logistics, Inc., UPS Freight, Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. and ABF Freight (an ArcBest company).

In 2014 and 2015, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (“Teamsters”) petitioned for National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) elections at sixteen FedEx Freight facilities. The Teamsters lost the vote or withdrew the petition prior to the election at twelve facilities and won the vote at four facilities. To date, at three of the four FedEx Freight facilities that originally voted for Teamster representation, the Teamsters have either been decertified by employee vote or voluntarily withdrawn as bargaining representative. We are currently bargaining with the union at the other facility. No new petitions for elections were filed in 2018.

FedEx Services Segment

FedEx Services

FedEx Services provides our other companies with sales, marketing, information technology, communications, customer service, technical support, billing and collection services, and certain other back-office support. Through FedEx Services, we provide a convenient single point of access for many customer support functions, enabling us to more effectively sell the entire portfolio of transportation services and to help ensure a consistent and outstanding experience for our customers.

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David J. Bronczek and Robert B. Carter each serve as the Co-President and Co-Chief Executive Officer of FedEx Services, which is based in Memphis, Tennessee. As of May 31, 2018, the FedEx Services segment had approximately 30,000 employees (including approximately 14,000 at FedEx Office).

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. In fact, in May 2016 FedEx ranked No. 1 in the first-ever InformationWeek Elite 100 Decade Award category, recognizing the 10 companies that have ranked the highest on average in the InformationWeek Elite 100, a compilation of the top business technology innovators in the U.S. over the prior 10 years. FedEx ranked No. 5 overall on the 2016 InformationWeek Elite 100 list. Additionally, FedEx was named a recipient of the 2017 CIO 100 Award from International Data Group’s CIO magazine. The annual award program recognizes organizations around the world that exemplify the highest level of operational and strategic excellence in information technology.

Innovation at FedEx is driven by our customers. We strive to build technology solutions that will solve our customers’ business problems with simplicity, convenience, speed and reliability. The focal point of our strategy is our award-winning website, together with our customer integrated solutions. The fedex.com website was launched nearly 25 years ago, and during that time, customers have shipped and tracked billions of packages at fedex.com. The fedex.com website is widely recognized for its speed, ease of use and customer-focused features. At fedex.com, our customers ship packages, determine international documentation requirements, track package status, pay invoices and access FedEx Office services. The advanced tracking capability within FedEx Tracking provides customers with a consolidated view of inbound and outbound shipments.

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, get quick rates and estimated delivery times, quickly find the nearest FedEx location and easily access FedEx Delivery Manager to customize home deliveries. It is available on Android™ and Apple devices. The FedEx mobile website has expanded to more than 193 countries and territories and 26 languages. FedEx Mobile allows customers to track packages, create shipping labels, view account-specific rate quotes and access drop-off location information. SMS Notifications allows customers to track or follow a package via text messaging, and it is currently available in five countries.

With FedEx Office Print Online and proprietary iPhone and Android mobile apps, customers can use their laptops or mobile devices, accessing 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. Accessing files using popular cloud providers Google Drive™, Dropbox, Box, Microsoft OneDrive® and from FedEx Office’s own My Online Documents is easy. If customers have their files on a mobile device or laptop, they can email them to printandgo@fedex.com and with the retrieval code they receive they can conveniently print the files at the self-serve kiosks in any FedEx Office location. FedEx Office provides options for customers to choose the best access method they need for quick service or more robust printing projects. FedEx also uses wireless data collection devices to scan bar codes on shipments, thereby enhancing and accelerating the package information available to our customers.

We stand at the nexus of virtual and physical networks, a crucial intersection for the success of e-commerce deliveries. We design our e-commerce tools and solutions to be easily integrated into our customers’ applications, as well as into third-party software developed by leading e-procurement, systems integration and enterprise resource planning companies. 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.

On October 13, 2017, we acquired Northwest Research, Inc. (“Northwest Research”), a leader in inventory research and management. Northwest Research’s proprietary technologies and capabilities complement and expand our portfolio of offerings important to the rapidly growing global e-commerce marketplace.

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Marketing

The FedEx brand name is symbolic of outstanding service, reliability and speed. Emphasis is 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:

Information Security

FedEx Services 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 — including, for example, the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, a set of comprehensive requirements for enhancing payment account data security developed by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council, as well as compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, which enforces the security and confidentiality of employee health information. For a description of risks related to information security, see Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Risk Factors”).

Global ISO 9001 Certification

FedEx Services provides our customers with a high level of service quality, as evidenced by our ISO 9001 certification for our global express and ground operations. ISO 9001 registration is required by thousands of customers around the world. FedEx’s global certification, encompassing the processes of FedEx Express, FedEx Ground and FedEx Services, enhances our single-point-of-access strategy and solidifies our reputation as the quality leader in the transportation industry. ISO 9001 is currently the most rigorous international standard for Quality Management and Assurance. ISO standards were developed by the International Organization for Standardization in Geneva, Switzerland to promote and facilitate international trade. More than 150 countries, including European Union (“EU”) members, the U.S. and Japan, recognize ISO standards.

FedEx Office

As of May 31, 2018, FedEx Office operated approximately 1,900 customer-facing stores, providing convenient access to printing and shipping expertise with reliable service. The FedEx Office network features retail stores, centralized production centers, corporate on-site print centers, and on-site business centers at colleges and universities, hotels, corporate campuses and health care campuses. 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 increased e-commerce parcel volumes. Services include copying and digital printing, professional finishing, document creation, direct mail, signs and graphics, computer rentals, free Wi-Fi and corporate print solutions. FedEx Office also provides customers convenient access to the full range of FedEx Express and FedEx Ground shipping services. Customers may have their FedEx Express and FedEx Ground packages delivered to any FedEx Office customer-facing location nationwide through the Hold at FedEx Location service, free of charge. Additionally, FedEx SameDay City is available in approximately 1,900 cities in 33 markets across the U.S., offering door-to-door residential and business delivery of time-sensitive parcels within hours by FedEx Office uniformed team members in branded FedEx Office delivery vehicles. Increasingly, industries such as health care, life sciences, manufacturing, finance, perishables, travel and automotive are relying on same-day services for critical delivery needs.

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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 using FedEx Ground day-definite shipping and time-definite global FedEx Express shipping services, FedEx Office offers a 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.  

During 2018 we entered into an agreement to place up to 500 new FedEx Office locations within select U.S. Walmart stores nationwide during 2019 and 2020. The agreement is part of the nationwide expansion of the FedEx retail channel, and we plan to open the first 50 new FedEx Office locations inside Walmart stores in time for the 2019 peak season.

FedEx Trade Networks Operating Segment

Effective March 1, 2018, we realigned our specialty logistics and e-commerce solutions in a new organizational structure under FedEx Trade Networks. The realignment allows us to improve our ability to deliver the capabilities of our specialty services companies to customers by creating an organization focused on serving the unique needs of this important growth driver. The new organization provides customs brokerage and global ocean and air freight forwarding through FedEx Trade Networks Transport & Brokerage; cross-border enablement and technology solutions and e-commerce transportation solutions through FedEx Cross Border; integrated supply chain management solutions through FedEx Supply Chain; time-critical shipment services through FedEx Custom Critical; and, effective September 1, 2018, critical inventory and service parts logistics, 3-D printing and technology repair through FedEx Forward Depots.

Additionally, FedEx Trade Networks provides international trade advisory services, including assistance with the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism program and, through WorldTariff, publishes customs duty and tax information for approximately 190 customs areas worldwide.

Richard W. Smith is the President and Chief Executive Officer of FedEx Trade Networks, which is based in Memphis, Tennessee. As of May 31, 2018, the FedEx Trade Networks organization had approximately 19,000 employees. FedEx Supply Chain has a small number of employees that are members of unions.

FedEx Trade Networks is an operating segment that is included in “Corporate, other and eliminations” in our segment reporting.

FedEx Trade Networks Transport & Brokerage

FedEx Trade Networks Transport & Brokerage provides international trade services, specializing in customs brokerage and global ocean and air freight forwarding. Additionally, FedEx Trade Networks Transport & Brokerage provides customs clearance services for FedEx Express at its major U.S. hub facilities.

As trade throughout the world grows, so does the FedEx Trade Networks Transport & Brokerage solutions portfolio. Value-added services of FedEx Trade Networks Transport & Brokerage include approximately 120 freight forwarding offices in 29 countries and Global Trade Data, an information tool that allows customers to track and manage imports. In total, FedEx Trade Networks Transport & Brokerage has approximately 140 offices in 120 service locations throughout North America and in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, India, Latin America and the Middle East. FedEx Trade Networks Transport & Brokerage 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 Cross Border

In 2015 we acquired Bongo International, LLC (“Bongo”), a leader in cross-border enablement and technology solutions. The Bongo acquisition filled a strategic gap in our global portfolio, allowing us to help retailers and e-tailers grow by reaching international e-commerce consumers. In 2016, we completed the integration of Bongo with FedEx Trade Networks, and in 2017 we rebranded Bongo as FedEx Cross Border. FedEx Cross Border is an e-commerce enabler that provides international technology solutions such as duty calculations, package tracking, international shipping costs and currency conversion calculations.

On March 23, 2018, we acquired P2P Mailing Limited (“P2P”), a leading provider of worldwide, low-cost e-commerce transportation solutions. P2P provides customers with unique low-cost delivery options, leveraging its relationships with private, postal, retail and clearance providers in over 200 countries and territories. Its industry-leading technology and processes provide plug-and-play options with carrier networks and customer systems.

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FedEx Supply Chain

On January 30, 2015, we acquired GENCO Distribution System, Inc. (“GENCO”), a leading North American third-party logistics provider, and during 2017 we rebranded GENCO as 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 more than 12,000 employees at approximately 110 facilities, 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.

In 2017, FedEx Supply Chain launched FedEx Fulfillment, 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.

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; White Glove Services, for shipments that require extra care in handling, temperature control or specialized security; and managed transportation. 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 Forward Depots

Effective September 1, 2018, FedEx Forward Depots will have responsibility for critical inventory and service parts logistics, 3-D printing and technology repair. FedEx Forward Depots will leverage innovative packing solutions, on-demand additive manufacturing and customer-driven design within the structure of FedEx Trade Networks.

Trademarks

The “FedEx” trademark, service mark and trade name are essential to our worldwide business. FedEx, FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Freight, FedEx Office, FedEx Services, FedEx Trade Networks, FedEx Trade Networks Transport & Brokerage, FedEx Cross Border, FedEx Supply Chain, FedEx Custom Critical, FedEx Forward Depots and TNT Express, among others, are trademarks, service marks and trade names of Federal Express Corporation or the respective companies for which registrations, or applications for registration, are on file, as applicable. We have authorized, through licensing arrangements, the use of certain of our trademarks, service marks and trade names by our contractors and Global Service Participants to support our business. In addition, we license the use of certain of our trademarks, service marks and trade names on promotional items for the primary purpose of enhancing brand awareness.

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 FedEx Express.

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 FedEx Express to operate its aircraft in the most efficient manner. FedEx 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 FedEx Express maintains its standards of safety and meets the operational requirements of the regulations.

In September 2010, the FAA proposed rules that would significantly reduce the maximum number of hours on duty and increase the minimum amount of rest time for our pilots, and thus require us to hire additional pilots and modify certain of our aircraft. When the FAA issued final regulations in December 2011, all-cargo carriers, including FedEx Express, were exempt from these new pilot fatigue requirements, and instead required to continue complying with previously enacted flight and duty time rules. In December 2012, the FAA reaffirmed the exclusion of us from the new rule. It is reasonably possible, however, that future security or flight safety requirements could impose material costs on us.

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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. FedEx Express holds various certificates issued by the DOT, authorizing FedEx Express to engage in U.S. and international air transportation of property and mail on a worldwide basis.

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 FedEx 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.

FedEx 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 FedEx Express’s wide-bodied aircraft in the event of a declared need, including a national emergency. FedEx 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, FedEx Express is entitled to bid on peacetime military cargo charter business. FedEx Express, together with a consortium of other carriers, currently contracts with the U.S. government for such charter flights.

Ground. The ground transportation performed by FedEx 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. FedEx Express is registered in those states that require registration.

The operations of FedEx Ground, FedEx Freight and FedEx Custom Critical in interstate commerce 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 and service in intrastate freight transportation.

Like other interstate motor carriers, our operations, including those at FedEx Express, 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. FedEx 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 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 FedEx 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 FedEx Express, are subject to current and potential additional aviation security regulation by foreign governments.

Our operations outside of the U.S., such as FedEx Express’s growing 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 FedEx Express to compete effectively in parts of the international domestic transportation and logistics market.

Communication. Because of the extensive use of radio and other communication facilities in its aircraft and ground transportation operations, FedEx Express is subject to the Federal Communications Commission Act of 1934, as amended. Additionally, the Federal Communications Commission regulates and licenses FedEx Express’s activities pertaining to satellite communications.

Environmental. 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. FedEx Express’s aircraft fleet is in compliance with current noise standards of the federal aviation regulations. In addition to federal regulation of aircraft noise, certain airport operators have local noise regulations, which limit aircraft operations by type of aircraft and time of day. These regulations have had a restrictive effect on FedEx Express’s aircraft operations in some of the localities where they apply but do not have a material effect on any of FedEx Express’s significant markets. Congress’s passage of the Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990 established a National Noise Policy, which enabled FedEx Express to plan for noise reduction and better respond to local noise constraints. FedEx Express’s international operations are also subject to noise regulations in certain of the countries in which it operates.

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Concern over climate change, including the impact of global warming, has led to significant U.S. and international legislative and regulatory efforts to limit GHG emissions, including our aircraft and diesel engine emissions. For example, in 2009, the European Commission approved the extension of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (“ETS”) for GHG emissions to the airline industry. Under this decision, all FedEx Express flights that are wholly within the EU are now covered by the ETS requirements, and each year we are required to purchase emission allowances in an amount equal to the carbon dioxide emissions from such flights. Also, in 2016, the International Civil Aviation Organization (“ICAO”) passed a resolution adopting the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (“CORSIA”), which is a global, market-based emissions offset program to encourage carbon-neutral growth beyond 2020. A pilot phase is scheduled to begin in 2021 in which countries may voluntarily participate, and full mandatory participation is scheduled to begin in 2027. ICAO continues to develop details regarding implementation, but compliance with CORSIA will increase our operating costs.

Additionally, in 2016, the EPA issued a finding that aircraft engine GHG emissions cause or contribute to air pollution that may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare. This finding is a regulatory prerequisite to the EPA’s adoption of a new certification standard for new aircraft emissions, expected in 2019 or 2020. For additional information on such efforts to regulate GHG emissions and their potential effect on our cost structure and operating results, see Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Risk Factors”).

We are subject to federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations relating to, among other things, the shipment of dangerous goods, contingency planning for spills of petroleum products, the disposal of waste oil and the disposal of toners and other products used in FedEx Office’s copy machines. Additionally, we are subject to numerous regulations dealing with underground fuel storage tanks, hazardous waste handling, vehicle and equipment emissions and noise and the discharge of effluents from our properties and equipment. We have environmental management programs designed to ensure compliance with these regulations.

Customs. Our activities, including customs brokerage and freight forwarding, are subject to regulation by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the TSA within the Department of Homeland Security (customs brokerage and security issues), the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (ocean freight forwarding) and the DOT (air freight forwarding). Our offshore operations are subject to similar regulation by the regulatory authorities of foreign jurisdictions.

Labor. All U.S. employees at FedEx 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 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 the dominant national transportation systems of today. As an air express carrier with an integrated air/ground network, FedEx Express and its employees have been covered by the RLA since the founding of the company in 1971. 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 FedEx 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 FedEx Express employees from the jurisdiction of the RLA, thereby exposing the FedEx Express network to sporadic labor disputes and the risk that small groups of employees could disrupt the entire air/ground network. In addition, federal and state governmental agencies, such as the National Mediation Board and the NLRB, have and may continue to take actions that could make it easier for our employees to organize under the RLA or NLRA. For a description of these potential labor law changes, see Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Risk Factors”).

Data Protection. Recently, there has been heightened regulatory and enforcement focus on data protection in the U.S. (at both the state and federal level) and abroad. For example, the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”), which became effective in May 2018, greatly increases the jurisdictional reach of EU law and adds a broad array of requirements related to personal data, including individual notice and opt-out preferences and the public disclosure of significant data breaches. Additionally, violations of the GDPR can result in fines of as much as 4% of a company’s annual revenue. Other governments have enacted or are enacting similar data protection laws, and are considering data localization laws that require data to stay within their borders. For more information regarding data protection regulation, see Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Risk Factors”).

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ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS

We present information about our risk factors on pages 84 through 91 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

None.

ITEM 2. PROPERTIES

FedEx Express Segment

FedEx Express’s principal owned and leased properties include its aircraft, vehicles, major sorting and handling facilities, administration buildings, FedEx Drop Boxes and data processing and telecommunications equipment.

Aircraft and Vehicles

As of May 31, 2018, FedEx Express’s aircraft fleet consisted of the following:

 

At May 31, 2018, FedEx Express operated approximately 90,000 vehicles (including approximately 28,000 owner-operated vehicles that support TNT Express) in its integrated global network.

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Aircraft Purchase Commitments

The following table is a summary of the number and type of aircraft we were committed to purchase as of May 31, 2018, with the year of expected delivery:

 

As of May 31, 2018, we had $1.2 billion in deposits and progress payments on aircraft purchases and other planned aircraft-related transactions. Also see Note 17 of the accompanying consolidated financial statements for more information about our purchase commitments.

On June 18, 2018, FedEx Express entered into agreements to purchase 12 incremental B777F aircraft and 12 incremental B767F aircraft. Six of the B777F and one of the B767F aircraft purchases are conditioned upon there being no event that causes FedEx Express or its employees not to be covered by the RLA (the RLA condition was removed from three previously ordered B777F aircraft). The B777F aircraft are expected to be delivered between 2021 and 2025. The B767F aircraft are expected to be delivered between 2020 and 2022. As part of these agreements, one B777F and one B767F aircraft delivery were accelerated from 2020 to 2019.

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Sorting and Handling Facilities

At May 31, 2018, FedEx Express operated the following major sorting and handling facilities:

 

FedEx Express’s primary sorting facility, which serves as the center of its multiple hub-and-spoke system, is located at the Memphis International Airport. FedEx Express’s facilities at the Memphis International Airport also include aircraft hangars, aircraft ramp areas, vehicle parking areas, flight training and fuel facilities, the FedEx Cold Chain Center, administrative offices and warehouse space.

FedEx Express leases these facilities from the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority (the “Authority”). The lease obligates FedEx Express to maintain and insure the leased property and to pay all related taxes, assessments and other charges. The lease is subordinate to, and FedEx Express’s rights thereunder could be affected by, any future lease or agreement between the Authority and the U.S. government.

FedEx Express has additional major international sorting-and-handling facilities located at Narita Airport in Tokyo, Stansted Airport outside London and Pearson Airport in Toronto. FedEx Express also has a substantial presence at airports in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Dubai and Miami.

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TNT Express operates a central air hub near Liege, Belgium and a central European road hub in Duiven, The Netherlands.

Administrative and Other Properties and Facilities

The World Headquarters of FedEx Express is located in southeastern Shelby County, Tennessee. FedEx Express international headquarters are located in Hoofddorp, The Netherlands. FedEx Express owns or leases 659 facilities for city station operations in the U.S. In addition, 566 city stations are owned or leased throughout FedEx Express’s international network. The majority of these leases are for terms of five to ten years. City stations serve as a sorting and distribution center for a particular city or region. We believe that suitable alternative facilities are available in each locale on satisfactory terms, if necessary.

As of May 31, 2018, TNT Express had over 1,000 facilities worldwide, including road hubs, air hubs, depots and office facilities. These facilities are strategically located to cover the geographic areas served by TNT Express.

As of May 31, 2018, FedEx Express had approximately 36,000 Drop Boxes. FedEx Express customers can also ship from approximately 28,000 staffed drop-off locations, including FedEx Office stores and FedEx Authorized ShipCenters. Internationally, FedEx Express had approximately 48,000 drop-off locations, including approximately 26,000 TNT Express drop-off locations.

FedEx Ground Segment

FedEx Ground’s corporate offices are located in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. As of May 31, 2018, FedEx Ground owned or leased 601 facilities, including 37 hubs. In addition, approximately 62,000 owner-operated vehicles support FedEx Ground’s business. Of the 411 facilities that support FedEx Home Delivery, 373 are co-located with existing FedEx Ground facilities. Leased facilities generally have terms of five years or less. The 37 hub facilities are strategically located to cover the geographic area served by FedEx Ground. The hub facilities average approximately 458,000 square feet and range in size from approximately 107,000 to 1,002,000 square feet.

FedEx Freight Segment

FedEx Freight’s corporate headquarters are located in Memphis, Tennessee, with some administrative offices in Harrison, Arkansas. As of May 31, 2018, FedEx Freight operated approximately 27,000 vehicles and 370 service centers, which are strategically located to provide service throughout North America. These facilities range in size from approximately 1,000 to 220,000 square feet of office and dock space.

FedEx Services Segment

FedEx Services’ corporate headquarters are located in Memphis, Tennessee. FedEx Services leases state-of-the-art technology centers in Collierville, Tennessee and Colorado Springs, Colorado. These facilities house personnel responsible for strategic software development and other functions that support FedEx’s technology and e-commerce solutions.

FedEx Office’s corporate headquarters are located in Plano, Texas in leased facilities. As of May 31, 2018, FedEx Office operated approximately 1,900 customer-facing stores and also operated 32 centralized production centers. Substantially all FedEx Office stores are leased, generally for terms of five to ten years with varying renewal options. FedEx Office stores are generally located in strip malls, office buildings or stand-alone structures and customer-facing stores average approximately 3,700 square feet in size.

FedEx Services has an agreement with Office Depot, Inc. to offer U.S. domestic and international FedEx Express and FedEx Ground shipping and drop-off services at Office Depot and OfficeMax retail locations (approximately 1,400 locations). Additionally, the FedEx Authorized ShipCenter program offers U.S. domestic and international FedEx Express and FedEx Ground shipping and drop-off services through a network of over 5,000 franchised and independent “pack and ship” retail locations.

During 2018 we entered into an agreement to place up to 500 new FedEx Office locations within select U.S. Walmart stores nationwide during 2019 and 2020.

FedEx Trade Networks

FedEx Trade Networks’ corporate headquarters are located in Memphis, Tennessee. In total, FedEx Trade Networks Transport & Brokerage has approximately 140 offices in 120 service locations throughout North America and in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, India, Latin America and the Middle East. In addition, FedEx Supply Chain has approximately 110 facilities through which it operates its supply chain logistics services, and FedEx Custom Critical operates approximately 150 ExpressCenters.

ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

FedEx and its subsidiaries are subject to legal proceedings and claims that arise in the ordinary course of their business. For a description of material pending legal proceedings, see Note 18 of the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

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ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

Not applicable.

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EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT

Information regarding executive officers and all persons chosen to become executive officers of FedEx is as follows (included herein pursuant to Instruction 3 to Item 401(b) of Regulation S-K and General Instruction G(3) of Form 10-K):

 

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Executive officers are elected by, and serve at the discretion of, the Board of Directors. There is no arrangement or understanding between any executive officer and any person, other than a director or executive officer of FedEx or of any of its subsidiaries acting in his or her official capacity, pursuant to which any executive officer was selected. There are no family relationships between any executive officer and any other executive officer or director of FedEx, or any person nominated or chosen to become a director or executive officer.

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PART II

ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

FedEx’s common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “FDX.” As of July 12, 2018, there were 12,052 holders of record of our common stock. The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, the high and low sale prices, as reported on the NYSE, and the cash dividends paid per share of common stock.

 

FedEx also paid a cash dividend on July 9, 2018 ($0.65 per share). We expect to continue to pay regular quarterly cash dividends, though each subsequent quarterly dividend is subject to review and approval by our Board of Directors. We evaluate the dividend payment amount on an annual basis at the end of each fiscal year. There are no material restrictions on our ability to declare dividends, nor are there any material restrictions on the ability of our subsidiaries to transfer funds to us in the form of cash dividends, loans or advances.

The following table provides information on FedEx’s repurchases of our common stock during the fourth quarter of 2018.

ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

 

The repurchases were made under the stock repurchase program approved by our Board of Directors and announced on January 26, 2016 and through which we are authorized to purchase, in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions, up to an aggregate of 25 million shares of our common stock. As of July 12, 2018, 10.6 million shares remained authorized for purchase under the January 2016 stock repurchase program, which is the only such program that currently exists. The program does not have an expiration date.

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ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

Selected financial data as of and for the five years ended May 31, 2018 is presented on pages 143-144 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL CONDITION

Management’s discussion and analysis of results of operations and financial condition is presented on pages 50 through 92 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

Quantitative and qualitative information about market risk is presented on page 142 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

FedEx’s consolidated financial statements, together with the notes thereto and the report of Ernst & Young LLP dated July 16, 2018 thereon, are presented on pages 96 through 141 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

None.

ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

Management’s Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

The management of FedEx, with the participation of our principal executive and financial officers, has evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures in ensuring that the information required to be disclosed in our filings under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms, including ensuring that such information is accumulated and communicated to FedEx management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Based on such evaluation, our principal executive and financial officers have concluded that such disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of May 31, 2018 (the end of the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K).

Assessment of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

Management’s report on our internal control over financial reporting is presented on page 93 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The report of Ernst & Young LLP with respect to our internal control over financial reporting is presented on page 94 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

During our fiscal quarter ended May 31, 2018, no change occurred in our internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION

None.  

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PART III

ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Information regarding members of the Board of Directors, compliance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, FedEx’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and certain other aspects of FedEx’s corporate governance (such as the procedures by which FedEx’s stockholders may recommend nominees to the Board of Directors and information about the Audit Committee, including its members and our “audit committee financial expert”) will be presented in FedEx’s definitive proxy statement for its 2018 annual meeting of stockholders, which will be held on September 24, 2018, and is incorporated herein by reference. Information regarding executive officers of FedEx is included above in Part I of this Annual Report on Form 10-K under the caption “Executive Officers of the Registrant” pursuant to Instruction 3 to Item 401(b) of Regulation S-K and General Instruction G(3) of Form 10-K. Information regarding FedEx’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is included above in Part I, Item 1 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K under the caption “Reputation and Responsibility — Governance.”

ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Information regarding director and executive compensation will be presented in FedEx’s definitive proxy statement for its 2018 annual meeting of stockholders, which will be held on September 24, 2018, and is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS

Information regarding security ownership of certain beneficial owners and management and related stockholder matters, as well as equity compensation plan information, will be presented in FedEx’s definitive proxy statement for its 2018 annual meeting of stockholders, which will be held on September 24, 2018, and is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE

Information regarding certain relationships and transactions with related persons (including FedEx’s policies and procedures for the review and preapproval of related person transactions) and director independence will be presented in FedEx’s definitive proxy statement for its 2018 annual meeting of stockholders, which will be held on September 24, 2018, and is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES

Information regarding the fees for services provided by Ernst & Young LLP during 2018 and 2017 and the Audit Committee’s administration of the engagement of Ernst & Young LLP, including the Committee’s preapproval policies and procedures (such as FedEx’s Policy on Engagement of Independent Auditor), will be presented in FedEx’s definitive proxy statement for its 2018 annual meeting of stockholders, which will be held on September 24, 2018, and is incorporated herein by reference.

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PART IV

ITEM 15. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES

(a)(1) and (2) Financial Statements; Financial Statement Schedules

FedEx’s consolidated financial statements, together with the notes thereto and the report of Ernst & Young LLP dated July 16, 2018 thereon, are listed on page 49 and presented on pages 96 through 141 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. FedEx’s “Schedule II — Valuation and Qualifying Accounts,” together with the report of Ernst & Young LLP dated July 16, 2018 thereon, is presented on pages 145 through 146 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. All other financial statement schedules have been omitted because they are not applicable or the required information is included in FedEx’s consolidated financial statements or the notes thereto.

(a)(3) Exhibits

 

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