FedEx posts strong quarterly results

Cost cuts offset ongoing demand weakness

FedEx cost savings offset demand weakness (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

FedEx Corp. late Thursday reported adjusted earnings of $3.86 per diluted share in its fiscal 2024 third quarter, well above analysts’ estimates of $3.45 per share, sending shares up sharply in after-hours trading.

The company (NYSE: FDX) said cost cuts and efficiency improvements offset continued macroeconomic weakness. FedEx Express, the company’s air and international unit posted improved operating results despite lower revenue. FedEx Ground’s operating results increased due to lower structural costs and higher base yields. Cost per package was flat.

FedEx Freight, the company’s less-than-truckload unit, posted lower operating results due to lower fuel surcharges, less volume and reduced weight per shipment, the company said.

The company adjusted its full-year fiscal 2024 guidance, moving up the top and bottom ends of its range to $17.25 to $18.25 a share, from $17 to $18 per share. FedEx expects to hit its FY 2024 commitments of $1.8 billion in permanent cost reductions from its DRIVE transformation program.

The company said its board had authorized a new $5 billion share repurchase program, which is in addition to the $600 million in shares that remain available for purchase under a 2021 authorization program.

FedEx shares were up nearly 13% in after-hours trading after rising nearly 2% during the regular session.

Upcoming FreightWaves Events
Compliance

Brokerage Compliance Symposium

The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.

October 26, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
Awards

F3 Awards Dinner

The night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.

October 26, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
FreightTech

F3: Future of Freight Festival

Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.

October 27, 2026 – October 28, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
Compliance Brokerage Compliance Symposium Oct 26 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now
Awards F3 Awards Dinner Oct 26 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

The night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now
FreightTech F3: Future of Freight Festival Oct 27 – Oct 28 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now

Mark Solomon

Formerly the Executive Editor at DC Velocity, Mark Solomon joined FreightWaves as Managing Editor of Freight Markets. Solomon began his journalistic career in 1982 at Traffic World magazine, ran his own public relations firm (Media Based Solutions) from 1994 to 2008, and has been at DC Velocity since then. Over the course of his career, Solomon has covered nearly the whole gamut of the transportation and logistics industry, including trucking, railroads, maritime, 3PLs, and regulatory issues. Solomon witnessed and narrated the rise of Amazon and XPO Logistics and the shift of the U.S. Postal Service from a mail-focused service to parcel, as well as the exponential, e-commerce-driven growth of warehouse square footage and omnichannel fulfillment.