FedEx (FDX) Risk Factors

We are subject to taxation in the U.S. and numerous foreign jurisdictions. From time to time, changes in tax laws or regulations may be enacted that could significantly affect our overall tax liabilities and our effective tax rate. U.S. and foreign governmental agencies maintain focus on the taxation of multinational companies, including statutory tax rates, digital taxes, global minimum taxes (such as the framework agreed to by members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development), and transactions between affiliated companies. Such changes may require new and complex computations to be performed, significant judgments, estimates, and calculations to be made, and the preparation and analysis of information not previously relevant or regularly produced. Standard-setting bodies could interpret or issue guidance on how provisions of certain tax laws and regulations will be applied or otherwise administered that is different from our interpretation, and we may be required to make adjustments to amounts that we have recorded that may adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition. See "Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition-Results of Operations and Outlook-Consolidated Results-Income Taxes" of this Annual Report for additional information regarding ongoing tax examinations and challenges. Additionally, see "Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition-Critical Accounting Estimates-Income Taxes" of this Annual Report for information regarding estimates and potential adjustments related to our tax positions.

While macroeconomic risks apply to most companies, we are particularly vulnerable. The transportation industry is highly cyclical and especially susceptible to trends in economic activity. Our primary business is to transport goods, so our business levels are directly tied to the purchase and production of goods and the rate of global trade growth - key macroeconomic measurements influenced by, among other things, inflation and deflation, supply chain disruptions, interest rates and currency exchange rates, labor costs and unemployment levels, fuel and energy prices, inventory levels, spending patterns (including shifts from goods to services and vice versa), disposable income, debt levels, credit availability, and public health crises. When individuals and companies purchase and produce fewer goods, we transport fewer goods, and as companies move manufacturing closer to consumer markets and expand the number of distribution centers, we transport goods shorter distances, which adversely affects our yields and results of operations. Certain manufacturers and retailers are making investments to produce and store goods in closer proximity to supply chains and consumers in connection with recent macroeconomic, geopolitical, and public health developments. Additionally, in 2024 we continued to see customer preference for slower, less costly shipping services and experienced lower fuel surcharges at all of our transportation segments and reduced demand surcharges at FedEx Express. We expect service mix to shift further toward deferred service offerings in 2025. Further, the scale of our operations and our relatively high fixed-cost structure, particularly with respect to our air network, make it difficult to quickly adjust to match shifting volume levels. For more information, see "Our businesses are capital intensive, and we must make capital decisions based upon projected volume levels." below. The decline in U.S. imports of consumer goods that started in late 2022, along with slowed global industrial production, has contributed to weakened economic conditions for the transportation industry. Consequently, this environment has led to lower freight and package volumes at FedEx Express and FedEx Freight, negatively affecting our results in 2024. We are experiencing a decline in demand for our transportation services as inflation and high interest rates are negatively affecting consumer and business spending. We expect inflation and high interest rates to continue to negatively affect our results in 2025. See Item 7. "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition" of this Annual Report for additional information. Moreover, given the nature of our business and our global operations, political, economic, and other conditions in foreign countries and regions, including international taxes, government-to-government relations, the typically more volatile economies of emerging markets, and geopolitical risks such as the ongoing conflicts between Russia and Ukraine and in the Middle East, may adversely affect our business and results of operations. We have suspended all services in Ukraine and Belarus. We also temporarily idled our operations in Russia and reduced our presence to the minimum required for purposes of maintaining a legal presence with active transport licenses. While these conflicts have not had, and we do not expect these conflicts to have, a direct material effect on our business or results of operations, the broader consequences of these conflicts, which may include further sanctions, embargoes, regional instability, and geopolitical shifts; airspace bans relating to certain routes, or strategic decisions to alter certain routes; potential retaliatory action by foreign governments and other groups against us; increased tensions between the United States and countries in which we operate; and the extent of the conflict's effect on our business and results of operations as well as the global economy, cannot be predicted. Geopolitical uncertainty negatively affected our results of operations in recent years. To the extent the continued conflicts between Russia and Ukraine and in the Middle East, or subsequent similar conflicts, adversely affect our business, they may also have the effect of heightening many other risks disclosed in this Annual Report, any of which could materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations. Such risks include, but are not limited to, disruptions to our global technology infrastructure, including through cyberattack or cyber-intrusion, ransomware attack, or malware attack; adverse changes in international trade policies; increased costs and unavailability of fuel; our ability to implement and execute our business strategy, particularly with regard to our international business; disruptions in global supply chains, which can limit the access of FedEx and our service providers to vehicles and other key capital resources and increase our costs and could affect our ability to achieve our goal of carbon neutrality for our global operations by calendar 2040; our ability to maintain our strong reputation and the value of the FedEx brand; terrorist activities targeting transportation infrastructure; our exposure to foreign currency fluctuations; and constraints, volatility, or disruption in the capital markets.

The U.S. government has taken certain actions that have negatively affected U.S. trade, including imposing tariffs on certain goods imported into the U.S. Additionally, several foreign governments have imposed tariffs on certain goods imported from the U.S. These actions contributed to weakness in the global economy that adversely affected our results of operations in recent years. Any further changes in U.S. or international trade policy, including tariffs, export controls, quotas, embargoes, or sanctions, could trigger additional retaliatory actions by affected countries, resulting in "trade wars" and further increased costs for goods transported globally, which may reduce customer demand for these products if the parties having to pay tariffs or other anti-trade measures increase their prices, or in trading partners limiting their trade with countries that impose such measures. Political uncertainty surrounding international trade and other disputes could also have a negative effect on business and consumer confidence and spending. Such conditions could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition, as well as on the price of our common stock. Additionally, the U.S. government has taken action to limit the ability of domestic companies to engage in commerce with certain foreign entities under certain circumstances, and foreign governments may investigate our compliance with these restrictions. Furthermore, given the nature of our business and our global recognizability, foreign governments may target FedEx by limiting the ability of foreign entities to do business with us in certain instances, imposing monetary or other penalties or taking other retaliatory action, which could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition, as well as on the price of our common stock.

Our ability to attract and retain customers, efficiently operate our businesses, execute our DRIVE transformation, and compete effectively increasingly depend in part upon the sophistication, security, and reliability of our technology network, including our ability to provide features of service that are important to our customers, to protect our confidential business information and the information provided by our customers, and to maintain customer confidence in our ability to protect our systems and to provide services consistent with their expectations. For example, we rely on information technology to receive shipment information in advance of physical receipt of packages, to track items that move through our delivery systems, to efficiently plan deliveries, to clear shipments through customs, to execute billing processes, and to track and report financial and operational data. We are subject to risks imposed by data breaches and operational disruptions, both random and targeted, including through cyberattack or cyber-intrusion, ransomware attack, malware attack, or denial of service attack by computer hackers, foreign governments and state-sponsored actors, cyber terrorists and hacktivists, cyber criminals, malicious employees or other insiders of FedEx or third-party service providers, and other groups and individuals. Data breaches and other technology disruptions of companies and governments continue to increase as the number, intensity, and sophistication of attempted attacks and intrusions from around the world have increased and we, our customers, and third parties increasingly store and transmit data by means of connected information technology systems. Additionally, risks such as code anomalies, "Acts of God," transitional challenges in migrating operating company functionality to our FedEx enterprise automation platforms, data leakage, cyber-fraud, and human error pose a direct threat to our products, services, systems, and data and could result in unauthorized or block legitimate access to sensitive or confidential data regarding our operations, customers, employees, and suppliers, including personal information. The technology infrastructure of acquired businesses, as well as their practices related to the use and maintenance of data, could also present issues that we were not able to identify prior to the acquisition. For example, ShopRunner, which we acquired in 2021, collects and stores certain personal data of its merchants and their buyers, its partners, consumers with whom it has a direct relationship, and users of its applications. Additionally, it uses third-party service providers and subprocessors to help deliver services to merchants and their buyers. These service providers and subprocessors may store or access personal data and/or other confidential information. The foregoing factors increase the risk of data incidents and the amount of potential exposure in the event of a data breach. We also depend on and interact with the technology and systems of third parties, including our customers and third-party service providers such as cloud service providers and delivery services. Certain third parties host, process, or have access to information we maintain about our company, customers, employees, and vendors and/or operate systems that are critical to our business operations and services. Like us, these third parties are subject to risks imposed by data breaches, cyberattacks, and other events or actions that could damage, disrupt, or close down their networks or systems. We have security processes, protocols, and standards in place, including contractual provisions requiring such security measures, that are applicable to such third parties and are designed to protect information that is held by them, or to which they have access, as a result of their engagements with us. A cyberattack has and may in the future defeat one or more of such third parties' security measures, allowing an attacker to obtain information about our company, customers, employees, and vendors or disrupt our operations. Certain third parties also have and may in the future experience operational disruptions or human error that could result in unauthorized access to sensitive or confidential data regarding our operations, customers, employees, and suppliers, including personal information. See "Failure of third-party service providers to perform as expected, or disruptions in our relationships with those providers or their provision of services to FedEx, could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations" under "Item 1A. Risk Factors" of our Annual Report for more information. The information systems of one of our third-party service providers recently experienced a security breach that resulted in unauthorized access to the third-party's cloud environment, including certain systems that contained our data. To date this incident has not had a material adverse effect on our business or results of operations. However, there can be no assurance that this incident or similar events will not have such an effect in the future. From time to time we experience disruptions to our complex, global technology infrastructure, including our computer systems and websites. Such events could result in the loss of confidential business or customer information; require substantial repairs or replacements, resulting in significant costs; and lead to the temporary or permanent transfer by customers of some or all of their business to our competitors. The foregoing could harm our reputation and adversely affect our business, customer service, and results of operations. Additionally, a security breach could require us to devote significant management resources to address the problems created. These types of adverse effects could also occur in the event the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of company and customer information was compromised due to a data loss by FedEx or a trusted third party. We or the third parties with which we share information may not discover any security breach and loss of information for a significant period of time after the security breach occurs. Even if we detect a cybersecurity incident, the nature and extent of the incident may not be immediately clear. It may also not be clear how best to contain and remediate any harm caused by the cybersecurity incident, and certain errors or actions could be repeated or compounded before they are discovered and remediated. Based on the sophistication of threat actors and the size and complexity of our information systems and network environment, among other factors, an investigation into a cybersecurity incident could take a significant amount of time to complete. In addition, while the investigation of a cybersecurity incident is ongoing, we may not know the full extent of the harm caused by a threat actor, and such harm may spread both internally and to certain customers, vendors, or other third parties. Additionally, our logging capabilities and the logging capabilities of third parties are not always complete or sufficiently detailed, which could affect our ability to fully investigate and understand the scope of security events. Given the age, size, and complexity of our computer systems and network environment, patches for certain vulnerabilities may not exist and, even where patches or other risk-mitigating activities are available, the development of patches or execution of risk-mitigating actions may not occur before an underlying vulnerability is exploited or results in the compromise of our information systems or data. A significant number of our employees as well as customers and others with whom we do business continue to work remotely or in hybrid models, which may heighten these risks. These risks may also be heightened by our DRIVE transformation, including Network 2.0 and our recently completed one FedEx consolidation. Furthermore, we are subject to an increasing number of cybersecurity compliance and reporting obligations in different jurisdictions that vary in their scope and application, creating conflicting reporting requirements. These factors and the time spent to comply may inhibit our ability to quickly provide complete and reliable information about the cybersecurity incident to customers, counterparties, and regulators, as well as the public. Any or all of these factors could further increase the costs and consequences of a cybersecurity incident on our business and results of operations. See "Our business is subject to complex and evolving U.S. and foreign laws and regulations regarding data protection." under "Item 1A. Risk Factors" of our Annual Report for additional information on risks related to legal and regulatory developments with respect to data protection. We have invested and continue to invest in technology security initiatives, information-technology risk management, business continuity, and disaster recovery plans, including investments to retire and replace end-of-life systems. The development and maintenance of these measures is costly and requires ongoing monitoring and updating as technologies change and efforts to overcome security measures become increasingly more frequent, intense, and sophisticated. Despite our efforts, we are not fully insulated from data breaches, technology disruptions, data loss, and cyber-fraud, which could adversely affect our competitiveness and results of operations. See "Item 1A. Risk Factors" of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended May 31, 2021 for information regarding the 2017 NotPetya cyberattack at TNT Express and immaterial cyber incidents we experienced in 2017 and 2018. Additionally, we and our third-party service providers, vendors, and suppliers have experienced repeated attempts by cyber criminals, some of which have been successful, to gain access to customer accounts for the purposes of fraudulently diverting and misappropriating items being transported in our network, fraudulently charging shipment fees to customer or franchisee accounts, and fraudulently sending e-mails to recipients purporting to be from FedEx. To date, none of these fraudulent cyber activities have caused a material disruption to our systems or resulted in any material costs to FedEx. Our security processes and initiatives may be unable to detect or prevent a breach or disruption in the future. Additionally, the rapid ongoing evolution and increased adoption of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning may make it more difficult to anticipate and implement protective measures to recognize, detect, and prevent the occurrence of any of the cyber events described above. While we have insurance coverage designed to address certain aspects of cyber risks in place, we cannot be certain that such coverage will be sufficient to cover claims, that we will continue to be able to obtain such coverage in amounts we deem sufficient, that our insurance carriers will pay on our insurance claims, or that we will not experience a claim for which coverage is not provided.

In the first quarter of 2023, FedEx announced our DRIVE transformation program to improve long-term profitability, including Network 2.0, the multi-year effort to improve the efficiency with which FedEx picks up, transports, and delivers packages in the U.S. and Canada. In the fourth quarter of 2023, we announced one FedEx, a consolidation plan to bring FedEx Ground and FedEx Services into Federal Express. Additionally, in 2024 we announced Tricolor, the redesign of the Federal Express international air network as part of the DRIVE program to improve efficiency and asset utilization. While the new legal structure was completed in June 2024, network integration and optimization are ongoing. See "Item 1. Business" and "Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition" of this Annual Report for more information. These entities historically operated as separate and independent businesses and networks. There can be no assurances that these businesses and networks can successfully be fully integrated as planned. It is possible that the integration process could result in higher than currently expected costs, less-than-expected savings, the loss of customers, the disruption of ongoing businesses, union organizing, litigation, government agency challenges, the loss of key employees or service providers, or other unexpected issues. It is also possible that the overall process will take longer than currently anticipated. Additionally, the following issues, among others, must be addressed in order to realize the anticipated timing and projected benefits of our DRIVE transformation: - our ability to maintain coverage of U.S. employees at Federal Express under the RLA and manage challenges to the employment status of drivers employed by service providers utilized in certain linehaul and pickup-and-delivery operations, in addition to other labor-related risks;- combining the Federal Express and legacy FedEx Ground physical networks and operations, including consolidating or optimizing pickup-and-delivery and linehaul operations;- integrating, consolidating, and implementing new administrative and back-office support functions, information-technology infrastructure, and computer systems of the respective companies;- integrating and unifying the offerings and services available to FedEx customers;- harmonizing certain operating practices; human resource management practices such as employee recruitment, development, and compensation programs; internal controls; and other policies, procedures, and processes;- maintaining existing agreements with customers and service providers and avoiding delays in entering into new agreements with prospective customers and service providers;- legal challenges by service providers or government agencies seeking to slow or stop plans related to Network 2.0;- addressing possible differences in business backgrounds, corporate cultures, and management philosophies;- addressing employee issues so as to promote retention and maintain efficient and effective labor and employee relations;- maintaining access to ports of call and railroads for intermodal support;- managing the movement of certain positions to different locations;- obtaining any required regulatory licenses, operating authority, or contractual consents; and - managing unforeseen increased expenses or delays associated with the integration process. We may be unable to achieve the expected operational efficiencies and network flexibility, alignment of our cost base with demand, cost savings and reductions to our permanent cost structure, and other benefits from our DRIVE transformation. The actual amount and timing of costs to be incurred and related cost savings and reductions to our permanent cost structure resulting from these initiatives and enhancements may differ from our current expectations and estimates. These initiatives and enhancements could also result in asset impairment charges and changes to our tax liabilities and deferred tax balances and subject us to litigation. If we are not able to successfully implement our DRIVE transformation our future financial results will suffer and we may not be able to achieve our financial performance goals. All of these factors could adversely affect FedEx's results of operations and negatively affect the price of our common stock. In addition, at times the attention of certain members of our management may be focused on the DRIVE transformation and diverted from day-to-day business operations, which may disrupt our business.

The transportation and business services markets are both highly competitive and sensitive to price and service, especially in periods of little or no macroeconomic growth. Some of our competitors have more financial resources and competitive advantages than we do, appear willing to operate at little or no margin to gain market share, or they are owned, controlled, or subsidized by foreign governments, which enables them to raise capital more easily. We also compete with regional transportation providers that operate smaller and less capital-intensive transportation networks and startup companies that combine technology with flexible labor solutions such as crowdsourcing to focus on local market needs. In addition, some high-volume package shippers are developing and implementing in-house delivery capabilities and utilizing independent contractors for deliveries, which could in turn adversely affect our results of operations. For example, Amazon.com has established a network of hubs, aircraft, and vehicles and has expressed an intention to offer its internal delivery capabilities broadly to third parties. See "Item 1. Business" of this Annual Report for additional information. We believe we compete effectively with these companies - for example, by providing more reliable service at compensatory prices. However, the existence of an irrational pricing environment could limit our ability to maintain or increase our prices (including our fuel surcharges in response to rising fuel costs), which could adversely affect our results of operations. While we believe we compete effectively through our current and planned service offerings, if our current competitors or potential future competitors offer a broader range of services or better service levels, more effectively bundle their services, or offer services at lower prices, it could adversely affect our results of operations. Continued transportation industry consolidation may further increase competition. Moreover, if high-volume package shippers further develop or expand internal capabilities for the services we provide, it may reduce our revenue and could negatively affect our financial condition and results of operations. These effects could be exacerbated if high-volume package shippers offer such capabilities to third parties. News regarding such developments or expansions could also negatively affect the price of our common stock. Our industry may be affected by changes in technology and our competitors may implement emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence applications, more quickly and more successfully than us, which could impair our ability to compete effectively and adversely affect our results of operations. Advancements in technology, such as advanced safety systems; automated package sorting, handling, and delivery; autonomous delivery; third-party supply chain insight and management; artificial intelligence; vehicle platooning; alternative fuel vehicles; and digitization of freight services, may necessitate that we increase investments in order to remain competitive, and our customers may not be willing to accept higher rates to cover the cost of these investments. See "We may be unable to achieve or demonstrate progress on our goal of carbon neutrality for our global operations by calendar 2040." below for additional information.

FedEx is one of the most widely recognized, trusted, and respected brands in the world, and the FedEx brand is one of our most important and valuable assets. The FedEx brand name symbolizes high-quality service, reliability, and speed. In addition, we have a strong reputation among customers, team members, and the general public for high standards of social and environmental responsibility and corporate governance and ethics. The FedEx brand name and our corporate reputation are powerful sales, marketing, and recruitment tools, and we devote significant resources to promoting and protecting them. Adverse publicity (whether or not justified) relating to activities by our team members or others with whom we do business, such as customer service mishaps, accidents, catastrophes, or incidents involving aircraft, vehicles, or facilities operated by us or our service providers; low safety or service levels; data breaches or technology infrastructure disruptions; utilization of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence; noncompliance with laws and allegations or claims that result in litigation; the shipment of certain items pursuant to our obligation as a common carrier operating under federal law; labor relations and workforce reductions; our advertising campaigns, sponsorship arrangements, or marketing programs; our ESG goals and related progress; our political activities and expenditures; or our executive compensation practices could tarnish our reputation and reduce the value of our brand and goodwill. With the increase in the use of artificial intelligence and social media outlets such as Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and other platforms, adverse publicity, whether warranted or not, can be disseminated quickly and broadly without context, making it increasingly difficult for us to effectively respond. Certain forms of technology such as artificial intelligence also allow users to alter images, videos, and other information relating to FedEx and present the information in a false or misleading manner. Further, our actual or perceived position, lack of position, or perceived lack of transparency on environmental, social, political, public policy, labor relations, or other sensitive issues could harm our reputation with certain groups, including our customers, stockholders, team members, advocacy groups, government representatives, and regulatory bodies. Expectations regarding these matters continue to evolve and are not uniform. Damage to our reputation and loss of brand equity could reduce demand for our services and/or create difficulties in retaining and recruiting employee talent, and thus have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations, as well as require additional resources to rebuild our reputation and restore the value of our brand and goodwill.