MEMPHIS, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) is announcing today at its DRIVE Investor Event that it will consolidate its operating companies into one organization, creating efficiencies that will enhance the company's ability to meet the evolving needs of customers and ultimately build a stronger, more profitable enterprise.
This phased transition, with full implementation expected in June 2024, will ultimately bring FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Services, and other FedEx operating companies into Federal Express Corporation, becoming a single company operating a unified, fully integrated air-ground network under the respected FedEx brand. FedEx Freight will continue to provide less-than-truckload freight transportation services as a stand-alone company under Federal Express Corporation. Raj Subramaniam will serve as President and CEO of the combined organization.
“Over the last 50 years, we built networks that have created a differentiated and unmatched portfolio of services,” said Raj Subramaniam, president and CEO, FedEx Corporation. “This organizational evolution reflects how we represent ourselves in the marketplace – focused on flexibility, efficiency, and intelligence. As one FedEx team, we are well positioned to execute on our mission to help customers compete and win with the world’s smartest logistics network.”
Flexibility, Efficiency, Intelligence
This new structure will help facilitate the company’s DRIVE transformation, including Network 2.0, the multi-year effort to improve the efficiency with which FedEx picks up, transports, and delivers packages in the U.S. and Canada. In addition, the unified organization will bring distinct focus on the air network and international volume, as well as a more holistic approach to operations on the ground utilizing both FedEx employees and contracted service providers.
“We are building a simplified experience for our customers, who are at the center of everything we do, so they can adapt to the market,” continued Subramaniam. “This combination will allow us to provide customers with even greater value, offering the most advanced data-driven insights to help them make smarter decisions for their business.”
To aid in this smooth transition, effective April 16, 2023, John A. Smith will become President and CEO of U.S. and Canada Ground Operations at FedEx Express and assume leadership of surface operations across the FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, and FedEx Freight businesses. Richard W. Smith will serve as President and CEO, Airline and International at FedEx Express, overseeing all other regions and FedEx Logistics. During the transition period leading up to June 2024, there will be no change in financial reporting segments.
Additional updates from the DRIVE Investor Event:
Strong Progress on DRIVE Initiatives
The DRIVE transformation spans 14 domains across four major areas: Customer, Surface Network, Air Network & International, and General and Administrative (G&A). FedEx expects DRIVE to generate $4.0 billion of permanent cost reductions in fiscal 2025.
Each area is expected to generate savings in fiscal 2025 as follows:
- $1.2 billion in Surface Network
- $1.3 billion in Air Network & International
- $1.5 billion in General & Administrative
DRIVE is also enabling the implementation of Network 2.0, which is expected to generate an incremental $2 billion of savings in fiscal 2027.
FedEx continues to project costs of up to $2 billion by the end of fiscal 2025 to implement its business optimization initiatives including the DRIVE and Network 2.0 programs.
Fiscal 2024 Dividend Increase
The FedEx Board of Directors approved an increase in the annual dividend rate on its common stock of 10%, or $0.44 per share, to $5.04 per share for fiscal 2024. The Board today declared a quarterly cash dividend of $1.26 per share of FedEx common stock. The dividend is payable July 3, 2023 to stockholders of record at the close of business on June 12, 2023.
Executive Compensation Program
The Company also announced that its cash-based long-term incentive (LTI) plan for fiscal 2024 through fiscal 2026 will include a Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) performance metric that will replace the capital expenditures as percentage of revenue performance metric used in recent LTI plans. This change is designed to further align management compensation with stockholder value, with ROIC being a key metric by which to measure the long-term success of FedEx.
DRIVE Investor Event Materials
The DRIVE Investor Event will be webcast from the company’s website at investors.fedex.com beginning at 8:30 a.m. ET on April 5, 2023. Individuals may view the presentation and download the materials presented during the meeting. This release contains only a short summary of the information to be presented and should be read in conjunction with the management presentations and other materials, including the appendix of non-GAAP financial measures, made available on the Investor Relations website.
About FedEx Corp.
FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenue of $93 billion, the company offers integrated business solutions through operating companies competing collectively, operating collaboratively and innovating digitally as one FedEx. Consistently ranked among the world’s most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 530,000 employees to remain focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. FedEx is committed to connecting people and possibilities around the world responsibly and resourcefully, with a goal to achieve carbon-neutral operations by 2040. To learn more, please visit fedex.com/about.
Certain statements in this press release may be considered forward-looking statements, such as statements regarding expected cost savings, planned consolidation of operating companies, future financial targets, business strategies, management’s views with respect to future events and financial performance, and the assumptions underlying such expected cost savings, targets, strategies, and statements. Forward-looking statements include those preceded by, followed by or that include the words “will,” “may,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “believes,” “expects,” “forecasts,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “estimates,” “targets,” “projects,” “intends” or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from historical experience or from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, economic conditions in the global markets in which we operate; our ability to successfully implement our business strategy and global transformation program and consolidate our operating companies into one organization, effectively respond to changes in market dynamics, and achieve the anticipated benefits of such strategies and actions; our ability to achieve our cost-reduction initiatives and financial performance goals; damage to our reputation or loss of brand equity; changes in the business or financial soundness of the U.S. Postal Service or its relationship with FedEx, including strategic changes to its operations to reduce its reliance on the air network of FedEx Express; our ability to meet our labor and purchased transportation needs while controlling related costs; a significant data breach or other disruption to our technology infrastructure; the continuing effect of the COVID-19 pandemic; anti-trade measures and additional changes in international trade policies and relations; the effect of any international conflicts or terrorist activities, including as a result of the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine; changes in fuel prices or currency exchange rates, including significant increases in fuel prices as a result of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine and other geopolitical and regulatory developments; our ability to match capacity to shifting volume levels; the effect of intense competition; an increase in self-insurance accruals and expenses; failure to receive or collect expected insurance coverage; our ability to effectively operate, integrate, leverage, and grow acquired businesses and realize the anticipated benefits of acquisitions and other strategic transactions; noncash impairment charges related to our goodwill and certain deferred tax assets; the future rate of e-commerce growth and our ability to successfully expand our e-commerce services portfolio; the timeline for recovery of passenger airline cargo capacity; evolving or new U.S. domestic or international laws and government regulations, policies, and actions; future guidance, regulations, interpretations, challenges, or judicial decisions related to our tax positions; legal challenges or changes related to service providers engaged by FedEx Ground and the drivers providing services on their behalf and the coverage of U.S. employees at FedEx Express under the Railway Labor Act of 1926, as amended; our ability to quickly and effectively restore operations following adverse weather or a localized disaster or disturbance in a key geography; any liability resulting from and the costs of defending against litigation; our ability to achieve our goal of carbon-neutral operations by 2040; and other factors which can be found in FedEx Corp.’s and its subsidiaries’ press releases and FedEx Corp.’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made. We do not undertake or assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
