Fedex versucht, sich mit massiven Kosteneinsparungen inklusive Stellenabbau gegen die schleppende Nachfrage nach Logistikleistungen zu stemmen. Im neuen Geschäftsjahr will der Logistiker 2,2 Milliarden Dollar (rund 2,1 Mrd Euro) weniger ausgeben. Ausserdem denkt Fedex über eine Abspaltung seines Frachtgeschäfts nach. Das Management prüfe die Rolle der Sparte im Portfolio. Laut Fedex-Chef Raj Subramaniam sei der Prozess in Gange, Details nannte er nicht.

Mit einer Abspaltung des Frachtgeschäfts könnte Fedex enormen Wert schöpfen, schrieb Barclays-Analyst Brandon Oglenski in einer ersten Reaktion. Das Segment sei nur mau gewachsen. Obendrein seien die Ergebnisse des vierten Geschäftsquartals so gut gewesen, wie man es sich nur wünschen konnte in einem nicht perfekten Konjunkturumfeld.

Im abgelaufenen Geschäftsjahr war der Konzernerlös von Fedex um knapp ein Prozent auf 22,1 Milliarden Dollar gestiegen. Der Gewinn sank allerdings trotz der Sparbemühungen um 4,5 Prozent auf 1,47 Milliarden Dollar. Im neuen Geschäftsjahr will Fedex eigene Aktien im Wert von 2,5 Milliarden Dollar zurückkaufen. Eine Erhöhung der jährlichen Dividende um 0,48 auf 5,52 Dollar je Aktie war bereits bekannt./he/niw/ngu ----- PM: https://s21.q4cdn.com/665674268/files/doc_financials/2024/q4/FedEx-Q4-FY24-Earnings-Release.pdf

(Bloomberg) -- FedEx Corp. forecast profit above Wall Street's expectations and said it would buy back $2.5 billion of its stock over the next year, lifting its shares on signs that a sweeping plan to reorganize and cut costs was taking hold.

Adjusted earnings in the 2025 fiscal year will be $20 to $22 a share, the company said Tuesday in a statement that also detailed results for fourth quarter. The midpoint topped the $20.85 average of analysts' estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Revenue will grow in the low-to-mid single-digit percentage for the period.

FedEx also hinted at a possible divestiture of its freight business, saying it's assessing the unit's place in the company's portfolio. Operating results at FedEx Freight increased in the fourth quarter because of higher yield and effective cost management, according to the statement. In a conference call with analysts Tuesday evening, Chief Executive Officer Raj Subramaniam declined to provide more detail on why it's reviewing the unit, adding that the process is already «well underway.»

The company could be looking to take advantage of value in the less-than-truckload market with a sale, according to Bloomberg Intelligence logistics analyst Lee Klaskow. Those carriers are trading at a «significant» premium compared to the parcel industry and overall market, he said. 

«It looks like they're just trying to unlock that value,» said Klaskow.

Subramaniam is in the process of consolidating the Express, Ground and Services units, a fundamental shift from the two-network system it has operated for decades. The Express segment has been particularly hard hit by slumping demand as inflation-stung customers opt to ship via ground instead of air.

Stock Surges

FedEx's shares jumped 14 Prozent as of 6:50 p.m. after regular trading in New York. If the gain holds into the regular trading session, it would be FedEx's biggest advance in about two years.

The Memphis-based courier has been working to reduce costs across the organization, including shrinking the workforce by tens of thousands of workers. The latest announcement came earlier this month when the company said it plans to reduce its headcount in Europe by as many as 2,000 jobs.

FedEx said Tuesday that it expects $2.2 billion of permanent cost reductions in this fiscal year.

«We are firmly on track to achieve our cost savings target,» Subramaniam said on a conference call with analysts.

Profit Beat

The company reported earnings per share of $5.41 for the quarter that ended May 31, which beat analyst expectations of $5.34. Revenue of $22.1 billion was in line with estimates.

The company's Ground segment reported a 1.2 Prozent uptick in average daily volume year over year, in line with estimates, indicating a slowdown in the decline of parcel shipping. Strengthening demand could signal a return to more balanced consumer spending that shifted heavily toward services and away from goods in the wake of pandemic restrictions.

Subramaniam said in the statement that the figures show its cost-cutting efforts are working, calling the results «unprecedented in this current environment.»

(AWP)