FedEx - 10-K annual report

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:

 

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

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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 þ     No o

 

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 ofRegulation 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 thisForm 10-Kor any amendment to thisForm 10-K.  þ

 

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of “accelerated filer and large accelerated filer” inRule 12b-2of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

Large accelerated filer  þ     Accelerated filer  o     Non-accelerated filer  o

 

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a shell company (as defined inRule 12b-2of the Exchange Act).  Yes o     No þ

 

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, 2006, was approximately $33.1 billion. The Registrant has no non-voting stock.

 

As of July 9, 2007, 308,769,004 shares of the Registrant’s common stock were outstanding.

 

 

Portions of the Registrant’s definitive proxy statement to be delivered to stockholders in connection with the 2007 annual meeting of stockholders to be held on September 24, 2007 are incorporated by reference in response to Part III of this Report.

 

 

 

 

 

FedEx Corporation (“FedEx”) provides a broad portfolio of transportation,e-commerceand business services through companies that compete collectively, operate independently and manage collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. These companies are included in four reportable business segments:

 

 

For financial information concerning our reportable business 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.

 

Our Web site is located at fedex.com. Detailed information about our services and oure-commercetools and solutions can be found on our Web site. In addition, we make our Annual Reports onForm 10-K,Quarterly Reports onForm 10-Q,Current Reports onForm 8-Kand all amendments to such reports available, free of charge, through our Web site, as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed with or furnished to the SEC. These and other SEC filings are available through the Investor Relations page of our Web site, the address of which ishttp://www.fedex.com/us/investorrelations. The information on our Web site, however, is not incorporated by reference in, and does not form part of, this Annual Report onForm 10-K.

 

Except as otherwise specified, any reference to a year indicates our fiscal year ended May 31 of the year referenced.

 

 

FedEx was incorporated in Delaware on October 2, 1997 to serve as the parent holding company of FedEx Express and each of our other operating companies. Through our holding company and FedEx Corporate Services, Inc. (“FedEx Services”), we provide strategic direction to, and coordination of, the FedEx portfolio

of companies. We intend to continue leveraging and extending the FedEx brand and providing our customers with convenient, seamless access to our entire portfolio of integrated business solutions.

 

We are pursuing a number of initiatives to continue to enhance the FedEx customer experience. For instance, we are expanding our transportation and retail networks (as described below) to accommodate future volume growth and increase customer convenience. In addition, we are broadening and more effectively bundling our portfolio of services in response to the needs and desires of our customers, such as through our recent acquisitions in the long-haul LTL freight and international domestic express transportation markets (as described below) and our new and improved service offerings — for example, FedEx Kinko’s Print Online (see “FedEx Kinko’s Segment” below).

 

We believe that sales and marketing activities, as well as the information systems that support the extensive automation of our package delivery services, are functions that are best coordinated across operating companies. Through the use of advanced information systems that connect the FedEx companies, we make it convenient for customers to use the full range of FedEx services. We believe that seamless information integration is critical to obtain business synergies from multiple operating units. For example, our Web site, fedex.com, provides a single point of contact for our customers to access FedEx Express, FedEx Ground and FedEx Freight shipment tracking, customer service and invoicing information and FedEx Kinko’s office and print services. Similarly, by making one call to the new FedEx Expedited Freight Services, our customers can quickly and easily evaluate surface and air freight shipping options available from FedEx Express, FedEx Freight and FedEx Custom Critical in order to select the best service meeting their needs. Through this one point of contact, customers can select from a broad range of freight services, based on their pickup and delivery requirements, time sensitivity and the characteristics of the products being shipped.

 

We manage our business as a portfolio — in the long-term best interest of FedEx as a whole, 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 on 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 earnings performance and cash flow. As an example of our commitment to managing collaboratively, most of our management incentive compensation programs are tied to the performance of FedEx as a whole.

 

While we have increased our emphasis on competing collectively and managing collaboratively, we continue to believe that operating independent networks, each focused on its own respective markets, results in optimal service quality, reliability and profitability from each business unit. Each FedEx company focuses exclusively on the market sectors in which it has the most expertise. Each company’s operations, cost structure and culture are designed to serve the unique customer needs of a particular market segment.

 

Our “compete collectively, operate independently, manage collaboratively” strategy also provides flexibility in sizing our various operating companies to align with varying macro-economic conditions and customer demand for the market segments in which they operate. For example:

 

 

We believe the following four trends continue to drive world commerce and shape the global marketplace:

 

 

 

These trends have produced an unprecedented expansion of customer access — to goods, services and information. This access is fueling a remarkable transformation of the world’s economy, helping businesses and nations flourish, and empowering individuals with greater choices and opportunities. Through our global transportation, information technology and retail networks, we help to make this access possible. We continue to position our companies to facilitate and capitalize on this access and move toward even stronger long-term growth, productivity and profitability by:

 

 

During 2007, we made several strategic acquisitions, each of which is expected to provide important contributions to our long-term growth, productivity and profitability.

 

 

 

 

In sum, our overall long-term goal is to continue to:

 

 

 

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 brands in the world, and the FedEx brand name is a powerful sales and marketing tool. Among the many reputation awards we received during 2007:

 

 

FedEx is well recognized as a leader, not only in the transportation industry and technological innovation, but also in social and environmental responsibility and corporate governance. Along with a strong reputation among customers and the general public, FedEx is widely acknowledged as a great place to work. 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 280,000 employees and contractors who are “absolutely, positively” focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards, and the needs of their customers and communities. Through our internal Purple Promise and Humanitarian Award programs, we recognize and reward employees who enhance customer service and promote human welfare.

 

 

We are committed to causes that help improve the communities where we live and work, all around the world. As an example, we routinely donate our transportation capabilities and services to deliver aid to disaster sites and to support charitable causes. We support and promote diversity and ethnic outreach by, among other things, making contributions to various non-profit organizations that serve theAfrican-Americanand Hispanic communities, such as the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, the National Council of La Raza, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), INROADS, the Trumpet Awards and the Little Rock Nine Foundation. In addition to corporate philanthropy and employee volunteerism, we develop strategic relationships with certain charitable organizations that share our values, including:

 

 

 

 

We are committed to protecting the environment. FedEx evaluates the environmental impacts of FedEx packaging and minimizes waste generation through efforts that include recycling and pollution prevention. FedEx Kinko’s history also includes a longstanding dedication to protecting the environment, such as through the use of copy paper with a high recycled content.

 

FedEx is actively involved in efforts to promote cleaner air by reducing emissions through efficient route planning and the use of clean, alternative and renewable energy sources. For example, the FedEx Express OptiFleet E700 hybrid electric vehicle decreases particulate emissions by over 90 percent and greenhouse gas emissions by over 25 percent and increases fuel economy by over 40 percent. FedEx Express operates 93 hybrid vehicles in North America, with more than 1 million miles in revenue service. In August 2005, we opened California’s then largest corporate solar electric rooftop system atop the FedEx Express regional hub in Oakland. To date, this solar electric system has provided approximately 2 billion watt hours of renewable energy generated by sunlight. We are also modernizing our aircraft fleet. For example, we are retiring and replacing older Boeing 727s with more fuel-efficient and quieter Boeing 757s. The use of newer and more fuel efficient aircraft will have the effect of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and airport noise and increasing our jet fuel efficiency.

 

 

FedEx has an independent Board of Directors committed to the highest quality corporate governance. Reflecting this commitment, we have embraced the spirit of corporate governance reform rather than merely meeting the minimum compliance standards set forth in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the New York Stock Exchange’s corporate governance listing standards. We have implemented many governance enhancements that go well beyond those legal requirements. For example, in March 2007, our Board of Directors adopted a majority-voting standard in uncontested director elections and a resignation requirement for directors who fail to receive the required majority vote. The Board is prohibited from changing back to a plurality-voting standard without the approval of our stockholders.

In addition, we have made compliance with the reporting requirements of Section 404 of theSarbanes-OxleyAct of 2002 one of our highest priorities, and we have leveraged this expensive andtime-consumingeffort to further improve our already rigorous disclosure controls and procedures and effective internal control over financial reporting. Our goal has been not only to comply with the law, but also to build upon a process that will further enhance a strong controls mindset across FedEx today and in the future.

 

Our Board of Directors reviews all aspects of our governance policies and practices, including our Corporate Governance Guidelines and our Code of Business Conduct & Ethics, at least annually in light of best practices and makes whatever changes are necessary to further our longstanding commitment to the highest standards of corporate governance. The Guidelines and the Code, which applies 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 Web site athttp://www.fedex.com/us/investorrelations. We will post in the corporate governance section of the Investor Relations page of our Web site information regarding any amendment to, or waiver from, the provisions of the Code to the extent such disclosure is required. The information on our Web site, however, does not form part of this Report.

 

 

The following describes in more detail the operations of each of our business segments, as well as FedEx Services:

 

 

 

 

FedEx Express invented express distribution in 1973 and remains the industry leader, providing rapid, reliable, time-definite delivery of packages and freight to more than 220 countries and territories. FedEx Express offers time-certain delivery within one to three business days, serving markets that generate more than 90% 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 more than 143,000 employees and has approximately 53,500 drop-off locations (including at FedEx Kinko’s centers), 669 aircraft and 53,000 vehicles and trailers in its integrated global network.

 

 

FedEx Express offers a wide range of shipping services for delivery of packages and freight. Overnight package services are backed by money-back guarantees and extend to virtually the entire United States population. FedEx Express offers three U.S. overnight delivery services: FedEx First Overnight, FedEx Priority Overnight and FedEx Standard Overnight. FedEx SameDay service is available for urgent shipments up to 70 pounds to virtually any U.S. destination. FedEx Express also offers express freight services backed bymoney-backguarantees to handle the needs of the time-definite global freight market.

 

International express 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 Express also offers a comprehensive international freight service, backed by a money-back guarantee, real-time tracking and advanced customs clearance. During 2007, FedEx Express significantly increased the reach of its FedEx International Priority Freight service to cover more than 130 countries.

 

For information regarding FedEx Expresse-shippingtools and solutions, see “FedEx Services — Technology.”

 

 

FedEx Express is focused on further expanding its international presence, especially in key markets such as China and India. China and India are the two fastest growing major economies in the world, consistently

recording gross domestic product growth rates of over 7% a year. China is already the third largest trading country in the world, behind the United States and Germany, with total foreign trade exceeding $1.7 trillion in calendar 2006.

 

We began serving China in 1984, and since that time, we have expanded our service to cover more than 200 cities and counties across the country — with plans to add 100 additional cities and counties over the next few years. We now employ approximately 6,000 workers in China. We have recently taken several important actions that increase our presence in China and India and bolster our leadership in the global air cargo industry. For example, during 2007, we completed the DTW Group and PAFEX acquisitions (see “Strategy”) and initiated a next-business-day, time-definite domestic express delivery service in China, which is available to more than 30 cities and counties throughout the country. The new China domestic express service is supported by a money-back guarantee and real-time package status tracking. Our China domestic express network relies on ahub-and-spokesystem centered at the Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport, located in East China’s Zhejiang Province. Other recent actions in China and India include:

 

 

In support of our international expansion, we have agreed to purchase 15 Boeing 777 Freighter (“B777F”) aircraft, a new high-capacity, long-range airplane, with deliveries beginning in calendar 2009. We also hold an option to purchase an additional 15 B777F aircraft. To facilitate the use of our growing international network, we offer strong international trade consulting services and a variety of online tools that enable customers to more easily determine and comply with international shipping requirements.

 

 

Under a July 2006 agreement with the U.S. Postal Service that runs through September 2013, FedEx Express provides domestic air transportation services to the U.S. Postal Service, including for itsFirst-Class,Priority and Express Mail. FedEx Express also has approximately 5,000 drop boxes at U.S. Post Offices in approximately 340 metropolitan areas and provides transportation and delivery for the U.S. Postal Service’s international delivery service called Global Express Guaranteed (GXG).

 

 

FedEx Express periodically publishes list prices in its Service Guides for the majority of its services. In general, during 2007, U.S. shipping rates were based on the service selected, destination zone, weight, size, any ancillary service charge and whether the shipment was picked up by a FedEx Express courier or dropped off by the customer at a FedEx Express, FedEx Kinko’s or FedEx Authorized ShipCenter location. International rates are based on the type of service provided and vary with size, weight, destination and,

whenever applicable, whether the shipment was picked up by a FedEx Express courier or dropped off by the customer at a FedEx Express, FedEx Kinko’s or FedEx Authorized ShipCenter location. FedEx Express offers its customers discounts generally based on actual or potential average daily revenue produced.

 

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. The surcharge percentage is subject to monthly adjustment based on the spot price for jet fuel. For example, the fuel surcharge for June 2007 was based on the spot price for jet fuel published for April 2007. Changes to the FedEx Express fuel surcharge, when calculated according to the spot price for jet fuel and FedEx Express trigger points, are applied effective from the first Monday of the month. These trigger points may change from time to time, but information on the fuel surcharge for each month is available at fedex.comapproximately two weeks before the surcharge is applicable.

 

 

FedEx Express’s primary sorting facility, located in Memphis, serves as the center of the company’s multiplehub-and-spokesystem. A second national hub facility, which we are significantly expanding, is located in Indianapolis. In addition to these national hubs, FedEx Express operates regional hubs in Newark, Oakland, and Fort Worth and major metropolitan sorting facilities in Los Angeles and Chicago. FedEx Express is building a new regional hub in Greensboro, North Carolina, which is scheduled to begin operations in calendar 2009.

 

Facilities in Anchorage, Paris and Subic Bay, Philippines, 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 Subic Bay and Paris 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. In 2006, we broke ground on a new Asia-Pacific hub at the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in Southern China. The new Asia-Pacific hub is expected to assume and expand the current activities of our existing hub in Subic Bay, Philippines, beginning in 2009.

 

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. For more information about our sorting and handling facilities, see Part I, Item 2 of this Annual Report onForm 10-Kunder the caption “FedEx Express Segment.” In some international areas, independent agents (Global Service Participants) have been selected to complete deliveries and to pick up packages.

 

FedEx Kinko’s offers retail access to FedEx Express shipping services at all of its U.S. locations and is adding FedEx Express shipping services at its international locations. FedEx Express also has alliances with certain other retailers to provide in-store drop-off sites. Our unmanned FedEx Drop Boxes provide customers the opportunity to drop off packages in office buildings, shopping centers, corporate or industrial parks and outside U.S. Post Offices.

 

 

During 2007, FedEx Express purchased jet fuel from various suppliers under contracts that vary in length and which provide for specific amounts of fuel to be delivered. The fuel represented by these contracts is purchased at market prices that may fluctuate daily. Because of our indexed fuel surcharge, we do not have any jet fuel hedging contracts. See “FedEx Express — Pricing.”

The following table sets forth FedEx Express’s costs for jet fuel and its percentage of total revenues for the last five fiscal years:

 

 

Approximately 10% of FedEx Express’s requirement for vehicle fuel is purchased in bulk. The remainder of FedEx Express’s requirement is satisfied by retail purchases with various discounts.

 

 

The express package and freight markets are both highly competitive and sensitive to price and service. The ability to compete effectively depends upon price, frequency and capacity of scheduled service, ability to track packages, extent of geographic coverage, reliability and innovative service offerings. Competitors in these markets include other package delivery concerns, principally United Parcel Service, Inc. (“UPS”), DHL, passenger airlines offering express package services, regional express delivery concerns, airfreight forwarders and the U.S. Postal Service.

 

FedEx Express’s principal competitors in the international market are DHL, UPS, foreign postal authorities such as Deutsche Post and TNT N.V., freight forwarders, passenger airlines and all-cargo airlines. Many of FedEx Express’s competitors in the international market are government-owned, -controlled or-subsidizedcarriers, which may have greater resources, lower costs, less profit sensitivity and more favorable operating conditions than FedEx Express.

 

 

David J. Bronczek is the President and Chief Executive Officer of FedEx Express, which is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee. As of May 31, 2007, FedEx Express employed approximately 93,000 permanentfull-timeand 50,000 permanent part-time employees, of which approximately 16% are employed in the Memphis area. FedEx Express’s international employees in the aggregate represent approximately 25% of all employees. FedEx Express believes its relationship with its employees is excellent.

 

The pilots of FedEx Express are represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, International (“ALPA”), and are employed under a four-year collective bargaining agreement that took effect on October 30, 2006. Attempts by other labor organizations to organize certain other groups of employees occur from time to time. Although these organizing attempts have not resulted in any certification of a U.S. domestic collective bargaining representative (other than ALPA), we cannot predict the outcome of these labor activities or their effect, if any, on FedEx Express or its employees.

 

 

FedEx Trade Networks is a leading provider of international trade services, specializing in customs brokerage and global cargo distribution. Its value-added services include Global Trade Data, an information tool that allows customers to track and manage imports. FedEx Trade Networks provides international trade advisory services, including assistance with the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program, and through its WorldTariff subsidiary, FedEx Trade Networks publishes customs duty and tax information for over 100 customs areas worldwide. FedEx Trade Networks has approximately 3,500 employees and 100 offices in 70 service locations throughout North America. Offices are also maintained in major Asian and European markets through dedicated agents.

 

 

 

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 primarily on business and residential delivery of packages weighing up to 150 pounds. Ground service is provided to 100% of the United States population and overnight service up to 400 miles to nearly 100% of the United States population. Service is also provided to nearly 100% of the Canadian population. In addition, FedEx Ground offers service to Puerto Rico, 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. In addition, to meet growing customer demand for its services, FedEx Ground is in the midst of a major network capacity expansion program, which is expected to increase its dailypick-upcapacity to approximately five million packages by 2012. The multi-phase plan includes the addition of nine new hubs, the expansion of existing hubs and the expansion or relocation of other existing facilities. Each of the new hubs will feature the latest automated sorting technology.

 

In addition to the continuing success of FedEx Ground’s business-to-business service, the increasing popularity of FedEx Home Delivery, which reaches nearly 100% of U.S. residences, has driven growth in the company’s package volumes and financial results. FedEx Home Delivery is dedicated exclusively 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 also offers a money-back guarantee.

 

FedEx SmartPost (a subsidiary of FedEx Ground) is a leading national small-parcel consolidator, which specializes in the consolidation and delivery of high volumes of low-weight, less time-sensitive business-to-consumer packages, using the U.S. Postal Service for final delivery to residences. The company picks up shipments from customers (includinge-tailersand catalog companies), provides sorting and linehaul services and then delivers the packages to a U.S. Postal Service facility for final delivery by a postal carrier. Through its network of 20 distribution hubs and approximately 1,680 employees, FedEx SmartPost provides delivery Monday through Saturday to all residential addresses in the U.S., including P.O. Boxes and military destinations.

 

 

FedEx Ground periodically publishes list prices for the majority of its services in its Service Guide. In general, during 2007, U.S. shipping rates were based on the service selected, destination zone, weight, size, any ancillary service charge and whether the shipment was picked up by a FedEx Ground contractor or dropped off by the customer at a FedEx Kinko’s or FedEx Authorized ShipCenter.

 

FedEx Ground has an indexed fuel surcharge, which applies to all shipments. The surcharge percentage is subject to monthly adjustment based on a rounded average of the national U.S. on-highway average price for a gallon of diesel fuel as published monthly by the U.S. Department of Energy. For example, the fuel surcharge for June 2007 was based on the average diesel fuel price published for April 2007. Changes to the FedEx Ground fuel surcharge, when calculated according to the rounded index average and FedEx Ground trigger points, are applied effective from the first Monday of the month. These trigger points may change from time to time, but information on the fuel surcharge for each month is available at fedex.comapproximately two weeks before the surcharge is applicable.

 

FedEx Ground operates a multiplehub-and-spokesorting and distribution system consisting of approximately 500 facilities, including 29 hubs, in the U.S. and Canada. FedEx Ground conducts its operations primarily with approximately 20,600 owner-operated vehicles and 25,800 company-owned trailers. To provide FedEx Home Delivery service, FedEx Ground leverages its existing pickup operation and hub and linehaul network. FedEx Home Delivery’s operations are often co-located with existing FedEx Ground facilities to achieve further cost efficiencies.

 

Advanced automated sorting technology is used to streamline the handling of over 3.1 million packages daily. Using overhead laser and six-sided charge-coupled device (CCD) scan technologies, 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 Web site, fedex.com. For additional information regarding FedEx Grounde-shippingtools and solutions, see “FedEx Services — Technology.”

 

FedEx Kinko’s offers retail access to FedEx Ground shipping services at all of its U.S. locations. FedEx Ground is also available as a service option at many FedEx Authorized ShipCenters in the U.S.

 

As of May 31, 2007, FedEx Ground had approximately 44,000 employees and 13,800 independent contractors. Although FedEx Ground believes its relationship with its employees and independent contractors is excellent, the company is involved in numerous purportedclass-actionlawsuits and other proceedings that claim that the company’s owner-operators should be treated as employees, rather than independent contractors. For a description of these proceedings, see Item 1A of this Annual Report onForm 10-K(“Risk Factors”) and Note 17 of the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

 

David F. Rebholz is the President and Chief Executive Officer of FedEx Ground. FedEx Ground is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and its primary competitors are UPS, DHL and the U.S. Postal Service.

 

 

 

FedEx Freight Corporation provides a full range of LTL freight services through its FedEx Freight business (regionalnext-day andsecond-dayand interregional LTL freight services), its FedEx National LTL business (long-haul LTL freight services) and its FedEx Freight Canada business, and is known for its exceptional service, reliability and on-time performance. Through a comprehensive network of service centers and advanced information systems, FedEx Freight provides service to virtually all U.S. ZIP Codes (including Alaska and Hawaii) with industry-leading transit times. FedEx Freight’s regional and interregional LTL freight services are supported by a no-fee money-back guarantee on eligible shipments. Internationally, FedEx Freight serves Mexico, Puerto Rico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia via alliances and purchased transportation. FedEx Freight and FedEx National LTL have an indexed fuel surcharge, which is subject to weekly adjustment based on a rounded average of the national U.S. on-highway average price for a gallon of diesel fuel.

 

We are focused on expanding the FedEx Freight network — opening new service centers and increasing capacity at a number of key locations — to better meet customer demand. For example, in 2007, FedEx Freight opened seven new service centers and expanded eight others. In 2007, FedEx Freight Corporation also added a long-haul LTL freight business and Canadian operations by acquiring the U.S. and Canadian LTL freight operations of Watkins Motor Lines and certain affiliates, now known as FedEx National LTL and FedEx Freight Canada. See “Strategy.”

 

FedEx Freight specializes in fast-cycle distribution and provides tailored shipping solutions to help shippers meet tight deadlines. Through its many service offerings, FedEx Freight can match customers’time-critical

needs with reduced transit times,after-hourspickup or delivery, orsame-daydelivery. FedEx Freight’s fully integrated Web site and othere-tools,including a bill of lading generator ande-maildelivery notification, make freight shipping easier and bring customers closer to their own account information. The FedEx Freight Advance Notice service feature uses the company’s innovative technology systems to proactively notify FedEx Freight customers via the Internet 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.

 

FedEx Freight Corporation has leveraged its relationships with other FedEx operating companies to meet the increasingly global needs of customers. For example, the FedEx Freight Corporation sales force sells FedEx Express freight services, and FedEx Services sales representatives share LTL leads with their counterparts at FedEx Freight Corporation. The sales effort is one phase of a broad initiative aimed at leveraging FedEx’s competitive advantage in U.S. domestic freight services.

 

FedEx Freight Corporation subsidiary Caribbean Transportation Services, Inc. (“CTS”) is the leading provider of airfreight forwarding services between the United States and Puerto Rico, specializing in arranging the shipment of heavyweight and oversized cargo. CTS, which also serves the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica and the Caribbean Islands, provides several delivery options for door-to-door or airport-to-airport airfreight forwarder services, principally to the medical, pharmaceutical and technology sectors.

 

As of May 31, 2007, FedEx Freight Corporation had approximately 37,000 employees operating approximately 59,000 vehicles and trailers from a network of approximately 470 service centers. Douglas G. Duncan is the President and Chief Executive Officer of FedEx Freight Corporation, which is based in Memphis, Tennessee. FedEx Freight’s primary multiregional LTL freight competitors are Con-Way Freight, a subsidiary of Con-way Inc., YRC Regional Transportation (which comprises the USF regional companies), a division of YRC Worldwide Inc., and UPS Freight. FedEx National LTL’s primary long-haul LTL freight competitors are YRC National Transportation (which comprises Yellow Transportation and Roadway), a division of YRC Worldwide Inc., and ABF Freight System, Inc.

 

 

FedEx Custom Critical provides a range of expedited, time-specific freight-shipping services throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. Among its divisions are Surface Expedite, for exclusive-use and FedEx Freight network-based transport of critical shipments and expedited LTL shipments; Air Expedite, which offers an array of air solutions to meet customers’ critical delivery times; and White Glove Services, for shipments that require extra care in handling, temperature control or specialized security. Service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including weekends and holidays at no extra cost. FedEx Custom Critical continuously monitors shipments through an integrated proprietary shipment-control system, including two-way satellite communications on exclusive-use shipments. Through the Shipping Toolkit, located at customcritical.fedex.com, customers can quote, ship, track and map shipments; view and print out copies of a shipment’s bill of lading, proof of delivery and invoice; and manage their online accounts. FedEx Custom Critical utilizes approximately 1,400 vehicles, operated by owner-operators and their drivers, which are dispatched out of approximately 150 geographically-based staging areas. FedEx Custom Critical also provides door-to-door vehicle transport through its Passport Auto Transport subsidiary.

 

 

FedEx Kinko’s is a leader in the document and business services market, offering a wide array of innovative solutions, including retail access to the full range of FedEx day-definite ground shipping andtime-definiteglobal express shipping services. We are focused on expanding the FedEx Kinko’s retail network, which will substantially increase customer access to FedEx Express and FedEx Ground services and provide growth opportunities ine-commerceand other business services. FedEx Kinko’s opened 226 new centers in 2007 and plans to open approximately 300 new centers in 2008. The new lower-cost centers, which are approximately one-third the size of a traditional center, are based on a new format designed to enhance customer service and convenience. As an example, the new centers include enhancedpack-and-shipstations and offer twice as many office products as traditional centers.

As of May 31, 2007, FedEx Kinko’s operations included approximately 1,500 FedEx Kinko’s Office & Print Centers and Ship Centers in the United States and approximately 160 additional locations in 10 other countries, as well as 35 commercial production centers. These locations create an unmatched global network of state-of-the-art printing and copying technology, which FedEx Kinko’s leverages to provide highly differentiated, innovative solutions to its customers. FedEx Kinko’s World Production Center, which is located near the FedEx Express hub in Memphis, is a 28,500 square foot facility featuring state-of-the-art, commercial-grade printing equipment. The World Production Center allows FedEx Kinko’s to easily handle complex, large-scale orders from commercial customers and quickly distribute the resulting documents anywhere in the world.

 

FedEx Kinko’s specifically focuses on key customer segments that are important to the other FedEx companies. To small- and medium-sized business customers, FedEx Kinko’s provides complete document management services and meets basic office needs. To the rapidly growing “mobile professional” market segment, which includes business travelers and mobile salespeople, FedEx Kinko’s provides a comprehensive “office on the road,” including Internet access, videoconferencing and presentation support.

 

During 2007, we launched FedEx Kinko’s Direct Mail Services, a new offering designed to help small- and medium-sized businesses easily communicate to target audiences, and FedEx Kinko’s Print Online, a new Web-based,print-on-demandapplication. Services available through FedEx Kinko’s Direct Mail Services include design, production, professional finishing, address cleansing and verification and mail processing. Print Online enables customers to digitally send documents to FedEx Kinko’s Office and Print Centers for printing. With the new Print Online application, customers may select from extensive printing and finishing options, track order status, reuse saved print jobs and review order history. In June 2007, we extended the application to users of the popular Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat software applications, both of which will now feature a FedEx Kinko’s Print Online connection for sending documents directly to a FedEx Kinko’s Office and Print Center for printing.

 

FedEx Kinko’s offers a full range ofblack-and-white,color and custom printing, copying and binding services and an increasingly broad array of other business services, including, among others, high-speed Internet access and computer rental, videoconferencing, signs and graphics production services and direct mail services. FedEx Kinko’s has capitalized on the trend towarde-business,offering many Web-based services, including Print Online (described above); File, Print FedEx Kinko’s, a free software tool that works over the Web to connect Microsoft Windows desktop users to copying and printing services at FedEx Kinko’s Office and Print Centers; and DocStore, an online ordering solution for digitalprint-on-demand.FedEx Kinko’s also offers retail products, such as specialty papers, greeting cards, printer cartridges, stationery and office supplies.

 

FedEx Kinko’s offers the full range of FedEx Express and FedEx Ground services at virtually all U.S. locations and is adding FedEx shipping services at its international locations. In addition, FedEx Kinko’s offers packing services at virtually all U.S. Office and Print Centers, and packing supplies and boxes are included in FedEx Kinko’s retail product assortment. By allowing customers to have unpackaged items professionally packed by specially trained FedEx Kinko’s team members and then shipped using any of the full range of FedEx day-definite ground shipping and time-definite global express shipping services, FedEx Kinko’s provides a complete“pack-and-ship”solution.

 

FedEx Kinko’s is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Kenneth A. May is the President and Chief Executive Officer of FedEx Kinko’s, which has approximately 22,600 employees. FedEx Kinko’s competitors include locally owned or franchised quick printers, office-supply superstores, such as Staples, Inc., OfficeMax Incorporated and Office Depot, Inc., pack and ship chains, such as The UPS Store, and small local and regional copy and pack and ship shops.

 

 

FedEx Services provides sales, marketing, information technology and customer service support for FedEx Express, FedEx Ground and FedEx Kinko’s. Through FedEx Services and its subsidiary FedEx Customer Information Services, Inc., we provide a convenient single point of access for many customer support

functions, enabling us to more effectively sell the entire portfolio of express and ground services and to help ensure a consistent and outstanding experience for our customers.

 

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 members, the United States and Japan, recognize ISO standards.

 

T. Michael Glenn is the President and Chief Executive Officer of FedEx Services, which is based in Memphis, Tennessee. As of May 31, 2007, FedEx Services had approximately 15,000 employees.

 

 

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.

 

Our technology strategy is driven by our desire for customer satisfaction. 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 Web site, together with our customer integrated solutions.

 

The fedex.com Web site was launched over ten years ago, and during that time, customers have shipped and tracked billions of packages at fedex.com. The fedex.comWeb site 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 Kinko’s office and printing services. Our FedEx Insight application provides customers with visibility and package status of their inbound and outbound express, ground and freight shipments. Our FedEx Global Trade Manager resource enables customers to more easily navigate the complexities of international commerce by helping them identify the documents they need in order to ship to and from specific countries. FedEx Global Trade Manager also offers a currency converter, profiles of regulatory information by country, a customs regulation guide and, through its “Estimate Duties and Taxes” features, customers can estimate applicable governmental charges, duties and fees. FedEx Billing Online provides customers real-time access to their accounts, invoices and paid shipment details.

 

We have extended the reach of the fedex.com Web site to be accessible from most wireless devices, making it faster and easier for U.S. and Canadian customers to access real-time package status tracking information, rates and drop-off location data for FedEx Express and FedEx Ground shipments. Our wireless service is available through Web-enabled devices, such as mobile telephones, personal digital assistants and Research In Motion (RIM) devices (such as the BlackBerry). FedEx also uses wireless data collection devices to scan bar codes on shipments. Our data collection device, the FedEx PowerPad, uses Bluetooth wireless technology to give our couriers wireless access to the FedEx network, thereby enhancing and accelerating the package information available to our customers.

 

We design oure-commercetools and solutions to be easily integrated into our customers’ applications, as well as into third-party software being developed by leadinge-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 shipping and associated processes.

 

 

The FedEx brand name is a symbol for high-quality service, reliability and speed. FedEx is one of the most widely recognized brands in the world. Special emphasis is placed on promoting and protecting the FedEx

brand, one of our most important assets. In addition to traditional print and broadcast advertising, we promote the FedEx brand through corporate sponsorships and special events. For example, FedEx sponsors:

 

 

 

FedEx Services offers a range of supply chain solutions, including critical inventory logistics, transportation management, fulfillment and fleet services, through its FedEx Global Supply Chain Services subsidiary. FedEx Global Supply Chain Services focuses on information technology-sensitive business to meet the needs of its customers and to drive transportation business to other FedEx operating companies. FedEx Global Supply Chain Services’ service offerings use advanced electronic data interchanges to speed communications between customers and their suppliers, resulting in more cost-effective solutions and enhanced levels of customer service.

 

 

The “FedEx” trademark, service mark and trade name is essential to our worldwide business. FedEx, FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Freight, FedEx Kinko’s, FedEx Services, FedEx Global Supply Chain Services, FedEx Customer Information Services, FedEx National LTL, FedEx Trade Networks, FedEx SmartPost and FedEx Custom Critical, among others, are trademarks, service marks and trade names of Federal Express Corporation for which registrations, or applications for registration, are on file. 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.

 

 

Air.  Under the Federal Aviation Act of 1958, as amended, 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, maintenance and corrosion control, 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.

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. 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 United States air carriers abroad. The right of a United States carrier to serve foreign points is subject to the DOT’s approval and generally requires a bilateral agreement between the United States and the foreign government. 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.

 

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. In May 2006, the TSA adopted new rules enhancing many of the security requirements for air cargo on both passenger and all-cargo aircraft, and in May 2007, the TSA issued a revised model all-cargo aircraft security program for implementing the new rules. Together with other all-cargo aircraft operators, we have filed comments with the TSA requesting clarification regarding several provisions in the revised model program. Until the requirements for our security program under the new rules are finalized, we cannot determine the effect that these new rules will have on our cost structure or our operating results. It is reasonably possible, however, that these rules or other future security requirements for air cargo carriers 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 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, FedEx National LTL 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 are subject to certain DOT safety requirements governing interstate operations. In addition, vehicle weight and dimensions remain subject to both federal and state regulations.

 

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, 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. FedEx Express’s aircraft are also subject to, and are in compliance with, the regulations governing engine emissions. 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.

 

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

 

Customs.  Our activities, including customs brokerage and freight forwarding, are subject to regulation by the Bureau of 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 (airfreight forwarding). Our offshore operations are subject to similar regulation by the regulatory authorities of foreign jurisdictions.

 

We present information about our risk factors on pages 62 through 65 of this Annual Report onForm 10-K.

 

None.

 

 

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

 

As of May 31, 2007, FedEx Express’s aircraft fleet consisted of the following:

 

 

 

 

 

An inventory of spare engines and parts is maintained for each aircraft type.

 

In addition, FedEx Express “wet leases” approximately 45 smaller piston-engine and turbo-prop aircraft, which feed packages to and from airports served by FedEx Express’s larger jet aircraft. The wet lease agreements call for the owner-lessor to provide the aircraft, flight crews, insurance and maintenance, as well as fuel and other supplies required to operate the aircraft. FedEx Express’s wet lease agreements are for terms not exceeding one year and are generally cancelable upon 30 days’ notice.

 

At May 31, 2007, FedEx Express operated approximately 53,000 ground transport vehicles, including pickup and delivery vans, larger trucks called container transport vehicles and over-the-road tractors and trailers.

 

 

The following table is a summary of the number and type of aircraft we were committed to purchase as of May 31, 2007, with the year of expected delivery:

 

 

Deposits and progress payments of $109 million have been made toward aircraft purchases, options to purchase additional aircraft and other planned aircraft-related transactions. Also see Note 16 of the accompanying consolidated financial statements for more information about our purchase commitments.

 

At May 31, 2007, FedEx Express operated the following sorting and handling facilities:

 

 

 

 

FedEx Express’s primary sorting facility, which serves as the center of its multiplehub-and-spokesystem, 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, 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 international sorting and freight handling facilities located at Narita Airport in Tokyo, Japan, Stansted Airport outside London, England and Pearson Airport in Toronto, Canada. FedEx Express also has a substantial presence at airports in Hong Kong; Taiwan; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Frankfurt, Germany; and Miami.

 

 

The World Headquarters of FedEx Express is located in southeastern Shelby County, Tennessee. The headquarters campus, which comprises eight separate buildings with approximately 1.1 million square feet of

space, houses approximately 1,800 employees. FedEx Express also leases approximately 30 facilities in the Memphis area for administrative offices and warehouses. FedEx Express and FedEx Services lease state-of-the-art technology centers in Collierville, Tennessee, Irving, Texas, Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Orlando, Florida. These facilities house personnel responsible for strategic software development and other functions that support FedEx’s technology ande-commercesolutions.

 

FedEx Express owns or leases approximately 665 facilities for city station operations in the United States. In addition, approximately 740 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, 2007, FedEx Express had approximately 42,500 Drop Boxes, including 5,000 Drop Boxes outside U.S. Post Offices. As of May 31, 2007, FedEx Express also had approximately 10,500 FedEx Authorized ShipCenters and FedEx ShipSites, which are drop-off locations situated within certain retailers, such as FedEx Kinko’s, OfficeMax and Staples. Internationally, FedEx Express has approximately 2,000drop-offlocations.

 

 

FedEx Ground’s corporate offices and information and data centers are located in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, area in an approximately 500,000 square-foot building owned by FedEx Ground. As of May 31, 2007, FedEx Ground had approximately 25,800 company-owned trailers and owned or leased approximately 500 facilities, including 29 hubs. In addition, approximately 20,600 owner-operated vehicles support FedEx Ground’s business. Of the approximately 300 facilities that support FedEx Home Delivery, more than 200 are co-located with existing FedEx Ground facilities. Leased facilities generally have terms of five years or less. The 29 hub facilities are strategically located to cover the geographic area served by FedEx Ground. The hub facilities average 252,000 square feet and range in size from 31,000 to 488,000 square feet.

 

 

FedEx Freight Corporation’s corporate headquarters are located in Memphis, Tennessee. FedEx Freight Corporation also has administrative offices located in Harrison, Arkansas, San Jose, California and Lakeland, Florida. As of May 31, 2007, FedEx Freight Corporation operated approximately 59,000 vehicles and trailers and 470 service centers, which are strategically located to provide service to virtually all U.S. ZIP Codes. These facilities range in size from 950 to 220,400 square feet of office and dock space. CTS’s headquarters are located in Greensboro, North Carolina, and FedEx Custom Critical’s headquarters are located in Green, Ohio.

 

 

FedEx Kinko’s corporate headquarters are located in Dallas, Texas in leased facilities. As of May 31, 2007, FedEx Kinko’s operated approximately 1,700 locations, including approximately 160 locations in ten foreign countries and 35 commercial production centers. Substantially all FedEx Kinko’s Office and Print Centers and Ship Centers are leased, generally for terms of five to ten years with varying renewal options. FedEx Kinko’s Office and Print Centers and Ship Centers are generally located in strip malls, office buildings or stand-alone structures and average approximately 5,500 square feet in size.

 

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 17 of the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

 

In June 2006, we received a grand jury subpoena for the production of documents in connection with an ongoing criminal investigation by the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) into

possible anti-competitive behavior in the air freight transportation industry. In December 2006, we received a formal request for certain information and documents in connection with an ongoing civil investigation by the Directorate General for Competition of the European Commission (“EC”) into possible anti-competitive behavior relating to air freight transportation services in Europe. In July 2007, we received a notice from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (“ACCC”) requiring us to provide certain information and documents in connection with the ACCC’s investigation into possible anti-competitive behavior relating to air cargo transportation services in Australia. We do not believe that we have engaged in any anti-competitive activities, and we are cooperating with these investigations.

 

There were no matters submitted to a vote of security holders during the fourth quarter of 2007.

 

Information regarding executive officers of FedEx is as follows (included herein pursuant to Instruction 3 to Item 401(b) ofRegulation S-Kand General Instruction G(3) ofForm 10-K):

 

 

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 of any of its subsidiaries.

 

FedEx’s common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “FDX.” As of July 9, 2007, there were 20,165 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 2, 2007 ($0.10 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 intend to 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. FedEx did not repurchase any of its common stock during the fourth quarter of 2007.

 

Selected financial data as of and for the five years ended May 31, 2007 is presented on page 113 of this Annual Report onForm 10-K.

 

Management’s discussion and analysis of results of operations and financial condition is presented on pages 33 through 65 of this Annual Report onForm 10-K.

 

Quantitative and qualitative information about market risk is presented on page 112 of this Annual Report onForm 10-K.

 

FedEx’s consolidated financial statements, together with the notes thereto and the report of Ernst & Young LLP dated July 9, 2007 thereon, are presented on pages 68 through 111 of this Annual Report onForm 10-K.

 

None.

 

 

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, 2007 (the end of the period covered by this Annual Report onForm 10-K).

 

 

Management’s report on our internal control over financial reporting is presented on page 66 of this Annual Report onForm 10-K.The report of Ernst & Young LLP with respect to management’s assessment of internal control over financial reporting is presented on page 67 of this Annual Report onForm 10-K.

 

 

During our fiscal quarter ended May 31, 2007, 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.

 

None.

 

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 & 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 2007 annual meeting of stockholders, which will be held on September 24, 2007, and is incorporated herein by reference. Information regarding executive officers of FedEx is included above in Part I of this Annual Report onForm 10-Kunder the caption “Executive Officers of the Registrant” pursuant to Instruction 3 to Item 401(b) ofRegulation S-Kand General Instruction G(3) ofForm 10-K.Information regarding FedEx’s Code of Business Conduct & Ethics is included above in Part I, Item 1 of this Annual Report onForm 10-Kunder the caption “Reputation and Responsibility — Governance.”

 

Information regarding director and executive compensation will be presented in FedEx’s definitive proxy statement for its 2007 annual meeting of stockholders, which will be held on September 24, 2007, and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

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 2007 annual meeting of stockholders, which will be held on September 24, 2007, and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

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 2007 annual meeting of stockholders, which will be held on September 24, 2007, and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Information regarding the fees for services provided by Ernst & Young LLP during 2007 and 2006 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 2007 annual meeting of stockholders, which will be held on September 24, 2007, and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

 

FedEx’s consolidated financial statements, together with the notes thereto and the report of Ernst & Young LLP dated July 9, 2007 thereon, are listed on page 32 and presented on pages 68 through 111 of this Annual Report onForm 10-K.FedEx’s “Schedule II — Valuation and Qualifying Accounts,” together with the report of Ernst & Young LLP dated July 9, 2007 thereon, is presented on pages 114 through 115 of this Annual Report onForm 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.

 

 

See the Exhibit Index on pagesE-1 throughE-4 for a list of the exhibits being filed or furnished with or incorporated by reference into this Annual Report onForm 10-K.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Dated: July 12, 2007

 

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, this Report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

 

 

The financial section of the FedEx Corporation (“FedEx”) Annual Report onForm 10-K(“Annual Report”) consists of the following Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition (“MD&A”), the Consolidated Financial Statements and the notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements, and Other Financial Information, all of which include information about our significant accounting policies, practices and the transactions that underlie our financial results. The following MD&A describes the principal factors affecting the results of operations, liquidity, capital resources, contractual cash obligations and the critical accounting estimates of FedEx. The discussion in the financial section should be read in conjunction with the other sections of this Annual Report, particularly “Item 1: Business” and our detailed discussion of risk factors included in this MD&A.

 

 

Our MD&A is comprised of three major sections: Results of Operations, Financial Condition and Critical Accounting Estimates. These sections include the following information:

 

 

 

FedEx provides a broad portfolio of transportation,e-commerceand business services through companies competing collectively, operating independently and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. These operating companies are primarily represented by FedEx Express, the world’s largest express transportation company; FedEx Ground, a leading provider of small-package ground delivery services; FedEx Freight Corporation, a leading U.S. provider of less-than-truckload (“LTL”) freight services; and FedEx Kinko’s, a leading provider of document solutions and business services. These companies represent our major service lines and form the core of our reportable segments. See “Reportable Segments” for further discussion and refer to “Item 1: Business” for a more detailed description of each of our operating companies.

 

The key indicators necessary to understand our operating results include:

 

 

 

Except as otherwise specified, references to years indicate our fiscal year ended May 31, 2007 or ended May 31 of the year referenced and comparisons are to the prior year. References to our transportation segments mean, collectively, our FedEx Express, FedEx Ground and FedEx Freight segments.

 

 

The following table compares revenues, operating income, operating margin, net income and diluted earnings per share (dollars in millions, except per share amounts) for the years ended May 31:

 

 

 

 

The following table shows changes in revenues and operating income by reportable segment for 2007 compared to 2006, and 2006 compared to 2005 (in millions):

 

 

 

 

The following graphs for FedEx Express, FedEx Ground and the FedEx Freight LTL Group show selected operating statistics (in thousands, except yield amounts) for the years ended May 31:

 

 

Overall results for 2007 were solid in spite of several challenges, as we continued to execute our business strategy during a time of slower economic growth and expanded our service offerings through key acquisitions. Operating results moderated during 2007, reflecting the impact of weaker volumes in the second half of our fiscal year in our FedEx Express and FedEx Freight segments due to the slowing economic environment. The year-over-year negative impact from the timing lag in our fuel surcharges and a $143 million charge associated with upfront compensation and benefits under the new contract with our pilots also negatively impacted 2007 operating results.

 

Revenue growth in 2007 was due to strong FedEx Ground package volume growth and continued growth in FedEx Express International Priority (“IP”) services, as we continued to focus on expanding these service offerings. Our 2007 revenues also reflected the acquisition of FedEx National LTL (formerly known as Watkins Motor Lines), which added approximately $760 million to 2007 revenue. Revenue growth in 2007 was slightly offset by declines in copy product revenues at FedEx Kinko’s.

 

Operating income increased in 2007, as revenue growth at FedEx Express and FedEx Ground more than offset reduced profitability at the FedEx Freight segment and FedEx Kinko’s. Operating margin was flat in 2007 due to slower economic growth, the negative impact of higher salaries and benefits primarily as a result of the new labor contract with our pilots and the timing of adjustments to our fuel surcharges at FedEx Express (described below), as well as operating losses at FedEx National LTL. Softening volumes in the LTL sector and ongoing expenses to integrate the FedEx National LTL network negatively impacted the performance of the FedEx Freight segment in 2007.

Salaries and employee benefits increased in 2007 as a result of the new labor contract for the pilots of FedEx Express and the FedEx National LTL acquisition. The impacts of expensing stock options commencing in 2007 and higher retirement plan costs were largely offset by lower incentive compensation accruals. Purchased transportation costs increased in 2007 due to FedEx Ground volume growth, the FedEx National LTL acquisition and IP package volume growth.

 

The pilots of FedEx Express, who represent a small number of our total employees, are employed under a collective bargaining agreement. In October 2006, the pilots ratified a new four-year labor contract that included signing bonuses and other upfront compensation of approximately $143 million, as well as pay increases and other benefit enhancements. These costs were partially mitigated by reductions in variable incentive compensation. The effect of this new agreement on second quarter 2007 net income was approximately $78 million net of tax, or $0.25 per diluted share.

 

The timing and amount of fluctuations in fuel prices and our ability to recover incremental fuel costs through our various fuel surcharges continue to impact our results. Fuel costs increased during 2007 due to an increase in the average price per gallon of fuel and an increase in gallons consumed. Because of the timing lag that exists between when we purchase fuel and when our fuel surcharges are automatically adjusted at FedEx Express, fuel surcharges were not sufficient to offset the effect of changes in fuel costs on our operating results for 2007. Though fluctuations in fuel surcharge rates can be significant from period to period, fuel surcharges represent one of the many individual components of our pricing structure that impact our overall revenue and yield. Additional components include the mix of services purchased, the base price and other extra service fees we obtain for these services and the level of pricing discounts offered. In order to provide information about the impact of fuel surcharges on the trend in revenue and yield growth, we have included the comparative fuel surcharge rates in effect for 2007, 2006 and 2005 in the accompanying discussions of each of our transportation segments.

 

Our 2006 results benefited from strong growth in the global economy. During 2006, revenue growth was primarily attributable to yield improvement across our transportation segments, package volume growth in our IP services at FedEx Express and volume growth at FedEx Ground and FedEx Freight. Yields improved principally due to incremental fuel surcharges and base rate increases.

 

Operating income increased during 2006 primarily due to revenue growth and improved margins across all our transportation segments. Yield and cost management activities, combined with productivity gains across all transportation segments, contributed to our margin growth. Operating income improvement was partially offset by higher costs at FedEx Express to support international volume growth, expansion costs at FedEx Ground and reduced operating profit at FedEx Kinko’s.

 

While fuel costs increased substantially in 2006, fuel surcharges more than offset the effect of these higher fuel costs. Salaries and employee benefits increased in 2006 due largely to increases in wage rates, pension and medical expenses. Pension expense increased $64 million in 2006 due primarily to a reduction in the discount rate. Purchased transportation increased in 2006 due primarily to the continued increase in the use of contract carriers to support increasing volumes at FedEx Ground, increased IP volumes at FedEx Express and higher fuel surcharges from third-party transportation providers, including our independent contractors.

 

 

Net interest expense decreased $51 million during 2007 primarily due to increased interest income earned on higher cash balances. Net interest expense decreased $35 million during 2006 due primarily to the reduction in the level of outstanding debt and capital leases as a result of scheduled payments, increased interest income due to higher cash balances and interest rates, and higher capitalized interest related to modification of certain aircraft at FedEx Express.

 

 

Our effective tax rate was 37.3% in 2007, 37.7% in 2006 and 37.4% in 2005. Our 2007 tax rate was favorably impacted by the conclusion of various state and federal tax audits and appeals. This favorable impact was

partially offset by tax charges incurred as a result of a reorganization in Asia associated with our acquisition in China (described below). The 37.4% effective tax rate in 2005 was favorably impacted by the reduction of a valuation allowance on foreign tax credits arising from certain of our international operations as a result of the passage of the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 and by a lower effective state tax rate. For 2008, we expect our effective tax rate to be between 37.5% and 38%. The actual rate, however, will depend on a number of factors, including the amount and source of operating income.

 

 

On September 3, 2006, we acquired the assets and assumed certain obligations of the LTL operations of Watkins Motor Lines, a privately held company, and certain affiliates for $787 million in cash. Watkins, a leading provider of long-haul LTL services, was renamed FedEx National LTL and meaningfully extends our leadership position in the heavyweight LTL freight sector. The financial results of FedEx National LTL are included in the FedEx Freight segment from the date of acquisition.

 

On December 16, 2006, we acquired all of the outstanding capital stock of ANC Holdings Ltd. (“ANC”), a United Kingdom domestic express transportation company, for $241 million, predominantly in cash. This acquisition allows FedEx Express to better serve the United Kingdom domestic market, which we previously served primarily through independent agents.

 

On March 1, 2007, FedEx Express acquired Tianjin Datian W. Group Co., Ltd.’s (“DTW Group”) 50% share of the FedEx-DTW International Priority express joint venture and assets relating to DTW Group’s domestic express network in China for $427 million in cash. This acquisition converts our joint venture with DTW Group into a wholly owned subsidiary and increases our presence in China in the international and domestic express businesses. Prior to the fourth quarter of 2007, we accounted for our investment in the joint venture under the equity method.

 

The financial results of the ANC and DTW Group acquisitions, as well as other immaterial business acquisitions during 2007, are included in the FedEx Express segment from the date of acquisition. These acquisitions were not material to our results of operations or financial condition.

 

We paid the purchase price for these acquisitions from available cash balances, which included the net proceeds from our $1 billion senior unsecured debt offering completed during 2007. See Note 6 of the accompanying consolidated financial statements for further discussion of this debt offering.

 

See Note 3 of the accompanying consolidated financial statements for further information about these acquisitions.

 

 

Our results for 2006 included a noncash charge of $79 million ($49 million net of tax, or $0.16 per diluted share) to adjust the accounting for certain facility leases, predominantly at FedEx Express. The charge, which included the impact on prior years, related primarily to rent escalations in on-airport facility leases that were not being recognized appropriately.

 

 

In 2005, the United States Department of Transportation (“DOT”) issued a final order in its administrative review of the FedEx Express claim for compensation under the Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act. As a result, we recorded a charge of $48 million in 2005 ($31 million net of tax, or $0.10 per diluted share), representing the DOT’s repayment demand of $29 million and the write-off of a $19 million receivable.

 

 

Our outlook for 2008 reflects continued investment in several major, long-term initiatives in a soft but stable U.S. economy. Outside the United States, economic activity is expected to continue to expand, but at a more

moderate pace than in 2007. As a result, we expect our revenue trends to moderate in 2008, with growth driven by increased shipments at FedEx Ground, the full-year benefit of the FedEx National LTL business and expansion of international business at FedEx Express (both IP and international domestic services).

 

We expect our earnings in 2008 to be below our long-term goal of 10% to 15% annual earnings growth due to the softening U.S. economy and planned investments in our businesses, which are critical to ourlong-termstrategy. We remain optimistic about the long-term prospects for all of our business segments.

 

We expect to make significant investments to expand our global networks, in part through the continued integration and expansion of the businesses we acquired in 2007. Our planned investments for 2008 are focused on the following three key opportunities:

 

 

FedEx Kinko’s will continue to focus on key strategies related to adding new locations, improving customer service and increasing investments in employee development and training. We expect these strategies to continue to adversely affect profitability in 2008. FedEx Kinko’s plans to open approximately 300 new centers in the coming year, which will bring the total number of centers to approximately 2,000 by the end of 2008.

 

All of our transportation businesses operate in a competitive pricing environment, exacerbated by continuing volatile fuel prices. Historically, our fuel surcharges have generally been sufficient to offset incremental fuel costs; however, volatility in fuel costs may impact earnings because adjustments to our fuel surcharges lag changes in actual fuel prices paid. Therefore, the trailing impact of adjustments to our fuel surcharges can affect our earnings.

 

See “Risk Factors” for a discussion of these and other potential risks and uncertainties that could materially affect our future performance.

 

 

Our businesses are seasonal in nature. Seasonal fluctuations affect volumes, revenues and earnings. Historically, the U.S. express package business experiences an increase in volumes in late November and December. International business, particularly in the Asia-to-U.S. market, peaks in October and November in advance of the U.S. holiday sales season. Our first and third fiscal quarters, because they are summer vacation and post winter-holiday seasons, have historically experienced lower volumes relative to other periods. Normally, the fall is the busiest shipping period for FedEx Ground, while late December, June and July are the slowest periods. For the FedEx Freight LTL Group, the spring and fall are the busiest periods and the latter part of December, January and February are the slowest periods. For FedEx Kinko’s, the summer months are normally the slowest periods. Shipment levels, operating costs and earnings for each of our companies can also be adversely affected by inclement weather, particularly in our third fiscal quarter. In addition, the transportation and business services industries are directly affected by the state of the overall global economy.

 

New accounting rules and disclosure requirements can significantly impact the comparability of our financial statements. We believe the following new accounting pronouncements, which were issued or became effective for us during 2007, are relevant to the readers of our financial statements.

 

On June 1, 2006, we adopted the provisions of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) 123R, “Share-Based Payment,” which requires recognition of compensation expense for stock-based awards using a fair value method. The adoption of SFAS 123R reduced earnings for 2007 by $0.17 per diluted share. For

additional information on the impact of the adoption of SFAS 123R, refer to Note 1 to the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

 

On May 31, 2007, we adopted SFAS 158, “Employers’ Accounting for Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans,” which requires recognition in the balance sheet of the funded status of defined benefit pension and other postretirement benefit plans, and the recognition in accumulated other comprehensive income of unrecognized gains or losses, prior service costs or credits and transition assets or obligations existing at the time of adoption. Additionally, SFAS 158 requires the measurement date for plan assets and liabilities to coincide with the sponsor’s year-end. We currently use a February 28 measurement date for our plans; therefore, this standard will require us to change our measurement date to May 31 (beginning in 2009).

 

The funded status recognition and disclosure provisions of SFAS 158 were effective for FedEx as of May 31, 2007. The requirement to measure plan assets and benefit obligations as of our fiscal year-end is effective for FedEx no later than 2009.

 

The adoption of SFAS 158 resulted in a $982 million charge to shareholders’ equity at May 31, 2007 through accumulated other comprehensive income. Under SFAS 158, we were required to write off our prepaid pension asset of $1.4 billion and increase our pension and other postretirement benefit liabilities by $120 million. These adjustments, net of deferred taxes of $582 million, were required to recognize the unfunded projected benefit obligation in our balance sheet. SFAS 158 has no impact on the determination of expense for our pension or other postretirement benefit plans.

 

In February 2007, we announced changes to modernize certain of our retirement programs over the next two fiscal years. Effective January 1, 2008, we will increase the annual company matching contribution under the largest of our 401(k) plans covering most employees from $500 to a maximum of 3.5% of eligible compensation. Effective May 31, 2008, benefits previously accrued under our primary pension plans using a traditional pension benefit formula will be capped for most employees, and those benefits will be payable beginning at retirement. Beginning June 1, 2008, future pension benefits for most employees will be accrued under a cash balance formula we call the Portable Pension Account. These changes will not affect the benefits of current retirees. For additional information on the adoption of SFAS 158 and these changes, see Note 12 to the accompanying audited financial statements and the Critical Accounting Estimates section of this MD&A.

 

In July 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued FASB Interpretation No. (“FIN”) 48, “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes.” This interpretation establishes new standards for the financial statement recognition, measurement and disclosure of uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken in income tax returns. The new rules will be effective for FedEx in the first quarter of 2008. The adoption of this interpretation will not have a material effect on our financial statements.

 

In September 2006, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) issued Staff Accounting Bulletin (“SAB”) 108, “Considering the Effects of Prior Year Misstatements when Quantifying Misstatements in Current Year Financial Statements,” which eliminates the diversity in practice surrounding the quantification and evaluation of financial statement errors. The guidance outlined in SAB 108 was effective for FedEx in the fourth quarter of 2007 and is consistent with our historical practices for assessing such matters when circumstances have required such an evaluation.

 

FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Freight and FedEx Kinko’s represent our major service lines and form the core of our reportable segments. (For further discussion of our operating companies, refer to “Item 1: Business.”) As of May 31, 2007, our reportable segments included the following businesses:

 

 

FedEx Express (express transportation)
FedEx Trade Networks (global trade services)

 

 

 

FedEx Ground (small-package ground delivery)
FedEx SmartPost (small-parcel consolidator)

 

 

FedEx Freight LTL Group:
  FedEx Freight (regional LTL freight transportation)
  FedEx National LTL (long-haul LTL freight transportation)
FedEx Custom Critical (time-critical transportation)
Caribbean Transportation Services (airfreight forwarding)

 

 

FedEx Kinko’s (document solutions and business services)

 

 

FedEx Services provides customer-facing sales, marketing and information technology support, primarily for FedEx Express and FedEx Ground. The costs for these activities are allocated based on metrics such as relative revenues or estimated services provided. We believe these allocations approximate the cost of providing these functions.

 

The operating expenses line item “Intercompany charges” on the accompanying unaudited financial summaries of our reportable segments includes the allocations from FedEx Services to the respective segments. The “Intercompany charges” caption also includes allocations for administrative services provided between operating companies and certain other costs such as corporate management fees related to services received for general corporate oversight, including executive officers and certain legal and finance functions. Management evaluates segment financial performance based on operating income.

 

Effective June 1, 2006, we moved the credit, collections and customer service functions with responsibility for FedEx Express U.S. and FedEx Ground customer information from FedEx Express into a new subsidiary of FedEx Services named FedEx Customer Information Services, Inc. (“FCIS”). Also, effective June 1, 2006, we moved FedEx Supply Chain Services, Inc., the results of which were previously reported in the FedEx Ground segment, into a new subsidiary of FedEx Services named FedEx Global Supply Chain Services, Inc. The costs of providing these customer service functions and the net operating costs of FedEx Global Supply Chain Services are allocated back to the FedEx Express and FedEx Ground segments. Prior year amounts have not been reclassified to conform to the current year segment presentation, as the financial results are materially comparable.

 

Certain FedEx operating companies provide transportation and related services for other FedEx companies outside their reportable segment. Billings for such services are based on negotiated rates that we believe approximate fair value and are reflected as revenues of the billing segment. These rates are adjusted from time to time based on market conditions. FedEx Kinko’s segment revenues include package acceptance revenue, which represents the fee received by FedEx Kinko’s from FedEx Express and FedEx Ground for accepting and handling packages at FedEx Kinko’s locations on behalf of these operating companies. Package acceptance

revenue does not include the external revenue associated with the actual shipments. Such intersegment revenues and expenses are eliminated in the consolidated results and are not separately identified in the following segment information, as the amounts are not material.

 

The following table compares revenues, operating expenses, operating income and operating margin (dollars in millions) for the years ended May 31:

 

 

 

 

The following table compares selected statistics (in thousands, except yield amounts) for the years ended May 31:

 

 

 

 

 

Solid yield growth primarily due to pricing discipline contributed to revenue growth in 2007, despite flat package volume growth. Package revenue growth in 2007 was driven by IP revenues, which grew 9% on yield growth of 5% as a result of yield improvements across all regions and a 5% increase in volumes due to IP volume growth in U.S. outbound, Asia and Europe, as we continued to focus on expanding this service. Also contributing to revenue growth in 2007 were increases in other revenues primarily due to our acquisition of ANC and increases in freight revenues due to higher U.S. and international priority freight volumes. U.S. domestic package revenues increased 1% as a result of yield improvements, partially offset by a decrease in volumes.

 

IP yield increased during 2007 as a result of favorable exchange rates, higher package weights and an increase in the average rate per pound. U.S. domestic composite yield increases in 2007 were due to an increase in the

average rate per pound, partially offset by changes in product mix and lower package weights. U.S. freight yield increased in 2007 due to an increase in the average rate per pound and higher fuel surcharges.

 

IP volume growth in 2007 was primarily due to increased demand in the U.S. outbound, Asia and Europe markets. U.S. domestic package volumes decreased during 2007 primarily due to the moderating growth rate of the U.S. economy.

 

FedEx Express segment revenues increased in 2006 due to yield improvements and volume growth in IP services (particularly in Asia, U.S. outbound and Europe). U.S. domestic package and U.S. freight revenue growth also contributed to the revenue increase for 2006. U.S. volumes were flat compared to the prior year, as growth in our U.S. domestic overnight services was offset by declines in deferred volumes that resulted from yield management actions.

 

IP yield increased during 2006 due to higher fuel surcharges and increases in international average weight per package and average rate per pound. U.S. domestic composite yield increases were due to higher fuel surcharges and improved yields on U.S. domestic deferred packages. Improvements in U.S. domestic deferred yield resulted from our continued efforts to improve the profitability of this service. U.S. freight yield increases were due to an increase in average rate per pound and higher fuel surcharges.

 

Our fuel surcharges are indexed to the spot price for jet fuel. Using this index, the U.S. domestic and outbound fuel surcharge and the international fuel surcharges ranged as follows for the years ended May 31:

 

 

 

Despite slower overall revenue growth, operating income and operating margin increased in 2007. Increases in operating income and margin in 2007 resulted from growth in IP services and were partially offset by costs associated with the ratification of a new labor contract with our pilots in October 2006. These costs included signing bonuses and other upfront compensation of $143 million, as well as pay increases and other benefit enhancements, which were mitigated by reductions in variable incentive compensation. Year-over-year results in 2007 were positively affected by a $75 million charge in 2006 to adjust the accounting for certain facility leases.

 

Fuel costs increased during 2007 due to an increase in the average price per gallon of fuel. Fuel surcharges did not offset the effect of higher fuel costs on our year-over-year operating results for 2007, due to the timing lag that exists between when we purchase fuel and when our fuel surcharges are adjusted, based on a static analysis of the year-over-year changes in fuel prices compared to changes in fuel surcharges.

 

Salaries and employee benefits increased in 2007 primarily as a result of the new labor contract with our pilots. Purchased transportation costs increased 13% in 2007 due to IP volume growth, which required a higher utilization of contract pickup and delivery services and an increase in the cost of purchased transportation. We use purchased transportation in markets where we do not have a direct presence or to meet short-term capacity needs. Maintenance and repairs increased 7% in 2007 primarily due to higher aircraft maintenance expenses for various airframes and Airbus A300 engines. The 5% decrease in rentals and landing fees in 2007 was attributable to the one-time adjustment for leases in 2006 described above. Intercompany charges increased 35% in 2007 due to allocations as a result of moving the FCIS organization from FedEx