Latest Trending
Last Updated, Sep 16, 2022, 3:08 PM
FedEx warning sets stock for worst day, deepens slowdown fears
Share This


Article content

FedEx Corp’s shares tracked their worst day on Friday after the delivery heavyweight pulled its forecast, feeding into fears of a global demand slowdown while piling more pressure on its new chief executive for a quick turnaround.

The preliminary results sent the stock tumbling 24% to about $155.95, with the company poised to shed about $12.5 billion in market capitalization.

Article content

The gloomy outlook comes amid investor anxiety that the U.S. Federal Reserve’s rapid pace of interest rate hikes to tame soaring inflation threatens to tip the economy into a recession.

Advertisement 2

Article content

“We suspect that headwinds from an inflation-fatigued U.S. economy, a resource-constrained European economy, and second-order effects from lockdowns in China proved too much to overcome,” Cowen analyst Helane Becker said.

The U.S. firm joins global logistics peers such as Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways and France-based transporter CMA CGM in signaling that consumers are saving for essentials such as gas and food ahead of the holiday season as surging prices discourage casual shopping.

Rival United Parcel Service shed 4.0%, XPO Logistics dropped 6.9% and e-commerce giant Amazon.com slipped 3.1%. The Dow Jones Transport index slipped nearly 5%., while the broader S&P 500 fell about 1%.

Across the Atlantic, Germany’s Deutsche Post shed 6.1%, London’s Royal Mail fell 7.5% and Copenhagen-based DSV dropped 6.4% after the news.

Advertisement 3

Article content

WORK CUT OUT

Analysts also blamed company-specific problems and missteps over the last few years for the woes, stepping up pressure on CEO Raj Subramaniam, who was appointed to the job in March, to do more to win back investor confidence.

“We have noted high levels of investor skepticism directed at management’s ability to reach its long-term targets. With earnings misses like this, that skepticism seems increasingly warranted,” Credit Suisse analysts said.

The results raise “uncomfortable questions regarding whether the organization may simply be too complex and too unwieldy to be capable of achieving satisfactory financial results over the long-term,” they added.

FedEx also faced activist investor demands after stiff competition and easing growth in parcel volume dented its profitability.

Advertisement 4

Article content

The Memphis-based company is also dealing with contractor unrest after it misjudged holiday season volume last year. One of its largest contractors, a Tennessee businessman, pressured FedEx last month to boost compensation. FedEx later cut ties and sued him.

FedEx on Friday declined to comment beyond the press release on its preliminary results.

Subramaniam warned on CNBC on Thursday that he believes a global downturn was impending.

In response to a question of whether the economy is “going into a worldwide recession,” Subramaniam said “I think so. But you know, these numbers, they don’t portend very well.”

The stock’s drop on Friday, if losses hold, will surpass its previous steepest one-day percentage decline of 16.4% on Black Monday in 1987.

(Reporting by Medha Singh, Bansari Mayur Kamdar in Bengaluru, additional reporting by Kannaki Deka; Editing by Devika Syamnath and Sriraj Kalluivila)

Advertisement

Comments

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.

24World Media does not take any responsibility of the information you see on this page. The content this page contains is from independent third-party content provider. If you have any concerns regarding the content, please free to write us here: contact@24worldmedia.com

Latest Post

4 Advantages of Owning Your Own Dump Truck

Last Updated,Oct 4, 2024

5 Characteristics of Truth and Consequences in NM

Last Updated,Sep 30, 2024

How To Make Your Wedding More Accessible

Last Updated,Sep 11, 2024

Ensure Large-Format Printing Success With These Tips

Last Updated,Sep 11, 2024

4 Reasons To Consider an Artificial Lawn

Last Updated,Sep 11, 2024

The Importance of Industrial Bearings in Manufacturing

Last Updated,Sep 11, 2024

5 Tips for Getting Your First Product Out the Door

Last Updated,Sep 11, 2024

Most Popular Metal Alloys for Industrial Applications

Last Updated,Sep 6, 2024

5 Errors To Avoid in Your Pharmaceutical Clinical Trial

Last Updated,Aug 20, 2024

Ways You Can Make Your Mining Operation Cleaner

Last Updated,Aug 12, 2024

Tips for Starting a New Part of Your Life

Last Updated,Jul 16, 2024

Easy Ways To Beautify Your Home’s Exterior

Last Updated,Jun 18, 2024