ITEM 1. BUSINESS

Overview

FedEx Corporation (“FedEx”) was incorporated in Delaware on October 2, 1997 to serve as the parent holding company and provide strategic direction to the FedEx portfolio of companies. FedEx provides a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services through companies competing collectively, operating independently and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. These companies are included in the following reportable business segments:

Additionally, the FedEx Logistics, Inc. (“FedEx Logistics” (formerly FedEx Trade Networks, Inc.)) operating segment provides customs brokerage and global ocean and air freight forwarding through FedEx Trade Networks Transport & Brokerage, Inc. (“FedEx Trade Networks Transport & Brokerage”); cross-border enablement and technology solutions and e-commerce transportation solutions through FedEx Cross Border Technologies, Inc. and its subsidiary P2P Mailing Limited (“FedEx Cross Border”); integrated supply chain management solutions through FedEx Supply Chain Distribution System, Inc. (“FedEx Supply Chain”); time-critical shipment services through FedEx Custom Critical, Inc. (“FedEx Custom Critical”); and critical inventory and service parts logistics, 3-D printing and technology repair through FedEx Forward Depots, Inc. (“FedEx Forward Depots”). FedEx Logistics is included in “Corporate, other and eliminations” in our segment reporting. For more information about FedEx Logistics, please see “FedEx Logistics Operating Segment.”

For more information about our reportable segments, please see “Business Segments.” For financial information concerning our reportable 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 website is located at fedex.com . Detailed information about our services, e-commerce tools and solutions, and citizenship efforts can be found on our website. In addition, we make our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and all amendments to such reports available, free of charge, through our website, as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The Investor Relations section of our website, http://investors.fedex.com, contains a significant amount of information about FedEx, including our SEC filings and financial and other information for investors. The information that we post on our Investor Relations website could be deemed to be material information. We encourage investors, the media and others interested in FedEx to visit this website from time to time, as information is updated and new information is posted. The information on our website, however, is not incorporated by reference in, and does not form part of, this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Except as otherwise specified, any reference to a year indicates our fiscal year ended May 31 of the year referenced. References to our transportation segments include, collectively, the FedEx Express segment, the FedEx Ground segment, and the FedEx Freight segment.

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Strategy

FedEx has developed a unique business strategy whereby our companies compete collectively, operate independently and manage collaboratively, which allows us to provide a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services to our customers. Our companies compete collectively by standing as one brand worldwide and speaking with one voice; they operate independently by focusing on our independent networks to meet distinct customer needs; and they manage collaboratively by working together to sustain loyal relationships with our workforce, customers and investors.  

Our “compete collectively, operate independently, manage collaboratively” strategy allows us to manage our business as a portfolio, in the long-term best interest of the enterprise, 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 upon 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 long-term earnings performance and cash flow. Our business strategy also provides flexibility in sizing our operating companies to align with varying macroeconomic conditions and customer demand for the market segments in which they operate, allowing us to leverage and manage change. Volatility, uncertainty and evolution have become the norms in the global transportation market, and we are able to use our flexibility to accommodate changing conditions in the global economy, including the continued growth of e-commerce. To that end, we continue to modernize our aircraft fleet with more fuel efficient and lower-emission aircraft, expand our operations at FedEx Ground where we continue to see growing package volumes, realign our systems and develop new innovative service offerings.

While our business strategy guides our operating companies to compete collectively and manage collaboratively, we continue to believe that operating independent networks, each focused on its own respective markets, enhances service quality and reliability from each business unit. Each FedEx company focuses exclusively on the market sectors in which it has the most expertise and can be independently enhanced and managed to provide outstanding service to our customers. Each company’s operations, cost structure and culture are designed to serve the unique customer demands of a particular market segment and as a result, we are able to adapt our networks in response to changing needs.

Our business strategy allows us to respond to our current and potential customers’ evolving needs that are shaped by the following four key trends that are driving global commerce:

These trends have produced an unprecedented expansion of customer access — to goods, services and information. Through our global transportation, information technology and retail networks, we help to make this access possible. We believe it would be extremely difficult, costly and time-consuming to replicate our global network, which includes the world’s largest all-cargo air fleet and connects more than 99% of the world’s gross domestic product. We continue to position our companies to facilitate and capitalize on this access and to achieve stronger long-term growth, productivity and profitability.

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During 2019, we introduced a number of innovative solutions , advanced important long-term business initiatives and made other important investments that benefit our customers , employees and communities , including:

Reputation and Responsibility

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 companies in the world, and the FedEx brand name is a powerful sales and marketing tool. Among the many reputation awards we received during 2019, FedEx ranked 10 ^th in FORTUNE magazine’s “World’s Most Admired Companies” list — the 19 ^th consecutive year FedEx has ranked among the top 20 in the FORTUNE Most Admired Companies list, with 15 of those years ranking among the top 10. FedEx was also included on the Forbes /Reputation Institute 2019 “World’s Most Reputable Companies” list, which measures the reputations of thousands of the world’s most prestigious companies, and was named to Forbes 2019 list of the “World’s Most Valuable Brands.” Additionally, FedEx was named one of America’s 2018 “Most JUST Companies” by JUST Capital and Forbes based on an evaluation of a variety of environmental, social and governance factors.

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FedEx is well recognized as a leader, not only in the transportation industry and for technological innovation, but also in global citizenship. We understand that a sustainable global business is tied to our global citizenship, and we are committed to connecting the world responsibly and resourcefully. Our latest published update to our global citizenship report is available at http://csr.fedex.com . This report describes how we think about our responsibilities in the area of global citizenship and includes important goals and metrics that demonstrate our commitment to fulfilling these responsibilities.

Our People

Along with a strong reputation among customers and the general public, FedEx is widely acknowledged as a great place to work. For example, FedEx was named to FORTUNE magazine’s list of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in the U.S. and listed as one of the “World’s Best Employers” by Forbes in their latest surveys. FedEx was also included on FORTUNE magazine’s “100 Best Workplaces for Millennials” list for 2018. During 2019 we made voluntary contributions totaling $1.0 billion to our tax-qualified U.S. domestic pension plans to ensure our retirement program remains one of the best funded programs in the country.

FedEx also supports an inclusive workplace culture and is committed to the education, recruitment, development and advancement of diverse team members worldwide, and we are recognized for our commitment to those efforts. For instance, in 2019 FedEx was named one of Black Enterprise magazine’s “50 Best Companies for Diversity,” one of the “Best Workplaces for Diversity” by global research and consulting firm Great Place to Work and FORTUNE magazine, and one of the “Best Employers for Diversity” in the U.S. by Forbes . Additionally, FedEx was named a 2019 “Best-of-the-Best Corporation for Inclusion” by the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and the National Business Inclusion Consortium. A key driver of our commitment to diversity and inclusion is the FedEx Corporate Diversity Council, in which members collaborate across the enterprise to motivate and inspire each other, share best practices and support multicultural programs within the company and communities we serve.

At FedEx, 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 450,000 team members who are focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards, and the needs of their customers and communities. Consistent with this philosophy, FedEx Express has created Purple Runway—A FedEx Pathways Program , an industry-leading pilot-development program, as well as a related aviation scholarship program. FedEx Express has also partnered with the University of Memphis to provide FedEx Express team members in Memphis, Indianapolis, Oakland, Los Angeles and Newark the chance to earn a tuition-free online degree. Additionally, through our internal Purple Promise and Humanitarian Award programs, we recognize and reward employees who enhance customer service and promote human welfare. For additional information on our people-first philosophy and workplace initiatives, see http://csr.fedex.com .

Our Community

FedEx is committed to actively supporting the communities we serve worldwide through the strategic investment of our people, resources and network. One way FedEx works to connect people and possibilities is through FedEx Cares, our global community engagement program. We provide financial contributions, in-kind charitable shipping services and volunteer efforts by our team members to help a variety of non-profit organizations achieve their goals and make a measurable impact on the world. We focus our effort in the following areas:

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Between 2016 and 2019, FedEx invested over $200 million in over 200 global communities through FedEx Cares. FedEx also supports communities throughout the U.S. with its annual FedEx Cares United Way giving campaign. Additionally, FedEx team members provided over 81,000 volunteer hours during 2018. For additional information on our community involvement and our FedEx Cares strategy, visit http://fedexcares.com .

The Environment

Our “Reduce, Replace, Revolutionize” approach to FedEx aircraft, vehicles, facilities and materials guides our environmental efforts to drive efficient use of resources and cost savings. In furtherance of our commitment to protecting the environment, in 2017 we announced a new goal to increase FedEx Express vehicle fuel efficiency 50% from a 2005 baseline by calendar 2025, after achieving our previous goal of a 30% improvement five years early. Through 2018, our efforts collectively resulted in a 40% improvement in FedEx Express vehicle fuel efficiency from our 2005 baseline. We also continue to work towards our goal to reduce aircraft emissions intensity by 30% from a 2005 baseline by calendar 2020, a goal that we increased from 20% in 2012. In 2018, we achieved a 23% reduction in aircraft emissions intensity since 2005 through a combination of our aircraft fleet modernization and operational programs. We have also established a goal of obtaining 30% of our jet fuel from alternative fuels by calendar 2030.

To reduce the cost of fuel use and associated greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions, we have implemented efficiencies in flight operations through our global FedEx Fuel Sense program, and we are replacing many of our older airplanes with more fuel-efficient models. These two initiatives saved more than 204 million gallons of jet fuel and avoided nearly 2.0 million metric tons of CO ₂ e emissions in 2018, over 15% more emissions avoided than 2017. We have an impressive global alternative fuel fleet with more than 3,800 alternative fuel vehicles, including hybrid, electric, compressed or liquefied natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. In 2018 we placed a reservation for 20 fully electric semi trucks which will be operated by FedEx Freight, and FedEx Express expects to add 1,000 Chanje V8100 electric delivery vehicles to its fleet by the end of 2020. Additionally, we expect the zero-emission, battery-powered FedEx SameDay Bot, which is discussed in more detail below under “FedEx Services Segment —FedEx Services — Customer-Driven Technology,” to be an environmentally friendly alternative to delivering small payloads in large vehicles.

Across the enterprise, we work to utilize the emission technology available in each market for our vehicles, which enables us to reduce emissions and minimize the impact of the remaining legacy vehicles in the fleet. Innovative approaches such as vehicle platooning offer the potential to increase truck fuel efficiency while enhancing safety.

Twenty-three of our facilities around the world now generate renewable energy, which collectively avoided more than 12,000 metric tons of CO ₂ e emissions in 2018. In addition, 19 FedEx Express facilities in the U.S. have received certification in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED ^® ), the U.S. Green Building Council’s system for rating the environmental performance of buildings. FedEx Express has made LEED certification the standard for newly built U.S. facilities. In addition, FedEx Express also has three LEED-certified facilities outside the U.S., while FedEx Ground has six LEED-certified facilities and FedEx Office has one, all of which are in the U.S. Over 560 FedEx Express facilities and three FedEx Logistics facilities are certified to the ISO 14001 environmental management system standard. In Europe, FedEx Express uses the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) as the standard for all new buildings. For offices, its minimum building standard is BREEAM Excellent, and for warehouses, its minimum standard is BREEAM Good.

We also continue to evaluate the environmental impacts of our packaging and copy and print services, and minimize waste generation through efforts that include recycling and the use of copy paper with recycled content, among other environmentally responsible available choices. In 2018, over 99% of paper purchased for use by FedEx Office was Forest Stewardship Council or other third-party-certified as sustainably sourced. We also use FedEx-branded cardboard packaging at FedEx Express and FedEx Ground, which is 100% recyclable and made from over 50% recycled content. The longstanding paper shredding and recycling service at FedEx Office allows customers to bring any documents, including sensitive items such as tax returns, to a FedEx Office location and have them securely and confidentially shredded, then recycled. During 2018, almost 9.9 million pounds of paper were shredded and recycled through the service.

As our business grows to meet the accelerating demands of e-commerce and other shipping needs, our waste management strategies help ensure we recycle more of our own waste and encourage customers to recycle our packaging. In 2018, 78% of the solid waste generated in our operations was sent to recyclers. One example of our environmentally-responsible activities is the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council, a U.S. nonprofit organization that supports and recognizes sustainable procurement of which we are a founding member. We continue to support the Council by participating in technical advisory groups and applying best practice guidance to our own supply chain sustainability initiatives. For additional information on the ways we are minimizing our impact on the environment, see http://csr.fedex.com .

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Governance

FedEx has an independent Board of Directors committed to the highest quality corporate governance and accountability to stockholders. Our Board of Directors periodically reviews all aspects of our governance policies and practices, including our Corporate Governance Guidelines and our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, in light of best practices and makes whatever changes it deems appropriate to further our longstanding commitment to the highest standards of corporate governance. The Guidelines and the Code, which apply to all of our directors, officers and employees, including our principal executive officer and senior financial officers, are available on the Governance & Citizenship page of the Investor Relations section of our website at http://investors.fedex.com . We will post on the Governance & Citizenship page of the Investor Relations section of our website information regarding any amendment to, or waiver from, the provisions of the Code to the extent such disclosure is required.

Business Segments

The following describes in more detail the operations of each of our principal operating segments:

FedEx Express Segment

Overview

FedEx Express invented express distribution over 45 years ago in 1973 and remains the industry leader, providing rapid, reliable, time-definite delivery of packages and freight to more than 220 countries and territories through an integrated global network. In May 2016, we acquired TNT Express, a leading international express transportation, small-package ground delivery and freight transportation company.

FedEx Express offers a wide range of U.S. domestic and international shipping services for delivery of packages and freight, connecting markets that generate more than 99% 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. As of May 31, 2019, FedEx Express employed approximately 239,000 employees (including approximately 47,000 employees at TNT Express) and had approximately 103,000 drop-off locations (including FedEx Office stores and FedEx OnSite locations, such as nearly 9,000 Walgreens stores, and approximately 27,000 TNT Express drop-off locations), 681 aircraft and approximately 91,000 vehicles (including approximately 27,000 owner-operated vehicles that support TNT Express) in its global network.

Services

FedEx Express offers a wide range of U.S. domestic and international shipping services for delivery of packages and freight. All FedEx Express services are backed by a money-back guarantee. FedEx Express offers three U.S. domestic overnight package delivery services: FedEx First Overnight, FedEx Priority Overnight and FedEx Standard Overnight. FedEx SameDay service is available 365 days a year throughout all 50 states for urgent shipments up to 150 pounds. FedEx Express also offers U.S. express overnight and deferred freight services backed by a money-back guarantee to handle the needs of the time-definite freight market.

International express and deferred package 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 International Priority provides time-definite delivery typically within one, two or three business days. FedEx International Economy provides time-definite delivery typically in two to five business days. FedEx International First provides time-definite delivery to select postal codes in 20 key global markets, with delivery to select U.S. ZIP Codes as early as 8:00 a.m. from more than 90 countries in one or two business days, delivery by 10:00 a.m. in one business day to Canada and by 11:00 a.m. in one business day to Mexico. FedEx Express also offers domestic pickup-and-delivery services within certain non-U.S. countries, including France, the United Kingdom, Australia, Brazil, Italy, Canada, Mexico, Poland, India, China and South Africa. In addition, FedEx Express offers comprehensive international express and deferred freight services, backed by a money-back guarantee, real-time tracking and advanced customs clearance.

We also provide FedEx Delivery Manager, which allows our U.S. residential customers to customize home deliveries to fit their schedule by providing a range of options to schedule dates, locations and times of delivery. By signing up at fedex.com , customers can receive notification of FedEx Express packages en route to their homes, and can choose various delivery options.

For information regarding FedEx Express e-shipping tools and solutions, see “FedEx Services Segment — FedEx Services — Customer-Driven Technology.”

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TNT Express provides two types of express services — Express and Economy Express. The Express services are day-definite and delivered next-day or fastest-by-air for distances for which next-day is not possible. The Economy Express services are also day-definite and are delivered fastest-by-road, except for intercontinental deliveries which depend on air. For both Express and Economy Express services, TNT Express has time-definite options for customers requiring delivery before a certain time. TNT Express also provides specialized or extremely urgent deliveries which include products such as same-day, value-added and non-standard freight services.

International Expansion

In 2016 we acquired TNT Express, which is the largest acquisition in FedEx history. This acquisition rapidly accelerates our European and global growth, substantially enhances our global footprint through TNT Express’s lower-cost road networks in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, and expands our capabilities and solutions for our customers. The integration of FedEx Express and TNT Express is complex as it spans over 200 countries and territories and involves combining our pickup-and-delivery operations at a local level, our global and regional air and ground networks, and our extensive operations, customs clearance, sales and back-office information technology systems.

Significant progress on the integration was made during 2019. We have completed the operational integration in the U.S., Canada and Middle East, and the sales forces are substantially integrated. The sales force integration allows both the FedEx Express and TNT Express sales teams to sell our full suite of services to customers. A significant milestone in the integration includes key projects that enable the injection of FedEx Express shipments into the TNT Express European road network. This integration milestone will allow FedEx Express customers to benefit from transit time improvements for their intra-European shipments. We began rolling out this service in Europe in February 2019 and completed the service improvement in June 2019. In addition, by the end of 2020, we expect to complete projects across our European hub and station locations that will allow interoperability between networks for both FedEx Express and TNT Express packages, which will further lower costs as the related FedEx Express linehaul operations are optimized. In 2019, we began the operational network integration process for the key countries in Europe, which represent a significant percentage of international revenue, workforces and facilities. Integration activities in Europe are complex and require consultations with works councils and employee representatives in a number of countries. While we expect to make significant progress on integration activities in 2020, particularly in Europe, integration work will continue thereafter. For more information about the integration, see Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Risk Factors”).

On May 1, 2019, we acquired the international express business of FC (Flying Cargo) Express Ltd., which was formerly a FedEx Express Global Service Participant, in Israel. These acquisitions give us more robust global transportation networks and added capabilities in important international markets. In recent years, we also have expanded our capabilities in the Asia-Pacific markets, including through the establishment of: our Asia-Pacific hub at the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in southern China, which began operations in 2009; our North Pacific regional hub at the Kansai International Airport in Osaka, Japan, which opened in 2014 and serves as a consolidation point for shipments from northern Asia to the U.S.; and our new International Express and Cargo Hub in Shanghai, which opened in 2018 at Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport. Additionally, during 2019 we introduced a new flight connecting the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi to our Asia-Pacific hub and increased the frequency of our flight from Memphis to Dubai. These developments allow us to continue to better serve our global customers doing business in the Asia-Pacific markets.

To facilitate the use of our growing international network, we offer a full range of international trade consulting services and a variety of online tools that enable customers to more easily determine and comply with international shipping requirements.

U.S. Postal Service Agreement

In 2013, FedEx Express entered into a new seven-year agreement with the USPS under which FedEx Express provides airport-to-airport transportation of USPS First Class Mail, Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail within the United States. In February 2017, the parties entered into an amendment to the agreement whereby the initial renewal period provided in the agreement was exercised in part and the agreement’s period of performance was extended through September 29, 2024. FedEx Express also provides transportation and delivery for the USPS’s international delivery service called Global Express Guaranteed under a separate agreement. For more information about our relationship with the USPS, see Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Risk Factors”).

Pricing

FedEx Express periodically publishes updates to the list prices for the majority of its services in its Service Guides. In general, shipping rates are based on the service selected, destination zone, weight, size, any ancillary service charge and whether the customer charged the shipment to a FedEx account. As previously announced, on January 7, 2019, FedEx Express implemented a 4.9% average list price increase for U.S. domestic, U.S. export and U.S. import services. FedEx Express also applied peak holiday season surcharges from November 19, 2018 through December 24, 2018 for shipments that were oversized or required additional handling and, effective September 3, 2018, made general changes to surcharges for certain packages requiring additional handling.

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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. FedEx Express fuel surcharges are adjusted on a weekly basis. The fuel surcharge is based on a weekly fuel price from two weeks prior to the week in which it is assessed. Some FedEx Express international fuel surcharges incorporate a timing lag of approximately six to eight weeks. On March 18, 2019, we updated the tables used to determine our fuel surcharges for FedEx Express U.S. domestic services. On September 10, 2018, we updated the tables used to determine our fuel surcharges at FedEx Express. The weighted-average U.S. domestic and outbound fuel surcharges for the past three years were: 2019 — 7.5%; 2018 — 4.8%; and 2017 — 2.5%. See the “Results of Operations and Outlook — Consolidated Results — Fuel” section of Item 7 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition”) for a description and discussion of the net impact of fuel on our operating results.

TNT Express periodically updates list prices for the majority of its services. In general, shipping rates are based on the selected service, destination zone, (volumetric) weight, and any ancillary service charge. TNT Express offers its customers discounted prices generally based on actual or potential volumes and/or revenue. TNT Express has an indexed fuel surcharge that varies by region or country and by product. The fuel surcharge percentage is subject to monthly adjustment based upon the price of a designated fuel type.

If a customer has requirements that fall outside of TNT Express’s standard service levels, but are acceptable under its standard operating procedures, TNT Express will provide the service with an additional charge to cover the additional costs incurred. For instance, collections and deliveries in certain remote and less accessible locations will incur an out-of-area charge.

Operations

FedEx Express’s primary sorting facility, located in Memphis, serves as the center of the company’s multiple hub-and-spoke system. A second national hub facility is located in Indianapolis. We are making investments over multiple years in our facilities of approximately $1.5 billion to significantly expand the Indianapolis hub and approximately $1.5 billion to modernize the Memphis World Hub. In addition to these national hubs, FedEx Express operates regional hubs in Fort Worth, Newark, Oakland and Greensboro and major metropolitan sorting facilities in Chicago and Los Angeles.

Facilities in Anchorage, Paris, Cologne, Guangzhou and Osaka 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 Paris, Cologne, Guangzhou and Osaka 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.

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. In some international areas, independent agents (“Global Service Participants”) have been selected to complete deliveries and to pick up packages. TNT Express also relies upon subcontractors and agents to conduct certain of its pickup-and-delivery and linehaul operations. For more information about our sorting and handling facilities, see Part I, Item 2 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Properties”) under the caption “FedEx Express Segment.”

FedEx Office offers retail access to FedEx Express shipping services at all of its retail locations. FedEx Express also has alliances with certain other retailers to provide in-store drop-off sites, including at nearly 9,000 Walgreens stores. Our unmanned FedEx Drop Boxes provide customers the opportunity to drop off packages in office buildings, shopping centers and corporate or industrial parks.

Services are delivered by TNT Express through a combination of physical infrastructures such as hubs, depots and vehicles, and electronic infrastructures such as track-and-trace systems. TNT Express operates road networks in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and South America. TNT Express’s unique European road network connects more than 40 countries through 19 road hubs and over 540 depots.

Fuel Supplies and Costs

During 2019, FedEx Express purchased jet fuel from various suppliers under contracts that vary in length and which provide for estimated amounts of fuel to be delivered. The fuel represented by these contracts is purchased at market prices. Because of our indexed fuel surcharge, we do not have any jet fuel hedging contracts. See “Pricing” above.

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The following table sets forth FedEx Express’s costs for jet fuel and its percentage of FedEx Corporation consolidated revenues for the last five fiscal years (amounts for 2017 to 2019 include TNT Express):

Most of FedEx Express’s vehicle fuel needs are satisfied by retail purchases with various discounts.

Competition

As described in Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Risk Factors”), the express package and freight markets are both highly competitive and sensitive to price and service, especially in periods of little or no macroeconomic growth. The ability to compete effectively depends upon price, frequency, capacity and speed of scheduled service, ability to track packages, extent of geographic coverage, reliability, innovative service offerings and the fit within the customer’s overall supply chain.

Competitors within the U.S. include other package delivery concerns, principally United Parcel Service, Inc. (“UPS”), passenger airlines offering express package services, regional delivery companies, air freight forwarders and the USPS. FedEx Express’s and TNT Express’s principal international competitors are DHL, UPS, DPD (a subsidiary of France’s La Poste’s GeoPost), General Logistics Systems (a Royal Mail-owned parcel delivery group), foreign postal authorities, passenger airlines, air freight forwarders, regional carriers, and all-cargo airlines. We also compete with startup companies that combine technology with crowdsourcing to focus on local market needs. In addition, some high volume package shippers, such as Amazon.com, are developing and implementing in-house delivery capabilities and utilizing independent contractors for deliveries, and may be considered competitors. For example, Amazon.com is investing significant capital to establish a network of hubs, aircraft and vehicles. Many of FedEx Express’s international competitors are government-owned, -controlled or -subsidized carriers, which may have greater resources, lower costs, less profit sensitivity and more favorable operating conditions than FedEx Express.

Employees

Donald F. Colleran is the President and Chief Executive Officer of FedEx Express, which is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee. As of May 31, 2019, FedEx Express employed approximately 177,000 permanent full-time and approximately 62,000 permanent part-time employees (including approximately 38,000 permanent full-time employees and approximately 8,000 permanent part-time employees at TNT Express). Including the employees of TNT Express, FedEx Express’s international employees represent approximately 53% of all employees.

The pilots of FedEx Express, who are a small number of its total employees, are represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, International (“ALPA”) and are employed under a collective bargaining agreement that took effect on November 2, 2015. The collective bargaining agreement is scheduled to become amendable in November 2021. In addition to our pilots at FedEx Express, certain of FedEx Express’s non-U.S. employees are unionized.

Attempts by other labor organizations to organize certain other groups of FedEx Express employees occur from time to time. Although these organizing attempts have not resulted in any certification of a U.S. domestic collective bargaining representative of FedEx Express employees (other than ALPA), we cannot predict the outcome of these labor activities or their effect, if any, on FedEx Express or its employees. For more information, see “Risk Factors” below. FedEx Express believes its employee relations are excellent.

FedEx Ground Segment

Overview

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 on business and residential delivery of packages weighing up to 150 pounds. Ground service is provided to 100% of the continental U.S. population and overnight service of up to 400 miles to nearly 100% of the continental U.S. population. Service is also provided to nearly 100% of the Canadian population. In addition, FedEx Ground offers service to Alaska and Hawaii through a ground and air network operation coordinated with other transportation providers.

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In January 2019, we expanded operations throughout the FedEx Ground U.S. network to six days per week year-round, and in January 2020, FedEx Ground will expand residential delivery operations to seven days per week year-round for the majority of the U.S. population.

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 and expanding overnight ground service in many metropolitan areas. FedEx Ground’s network expansion has substantially increased the company’s daily pickup capacity through the addition of new hubs featuring the latest automated sorting technology and the expansion or relocation of existing hubs and other facilities. FedEx Ground is also making significant operational enhancements to ensure safe and reliable handling of large and heavy items. These changes include designing new facilities, adding equipment to certain facilities and making other operational adjustments.

The company offers our FedEx Home Delivery service, which reaches 100% of U.S. residences. FedEx Home Delivery is dedicated 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 is the first residential ground package delivery service to have offered a money-back guarantee. The FedEx SmartPost service specializes in the consolidation and delivery of high volumes of low-weight, less time-sensitive business-to-consumer packages primarily using the USPS for final delivery to any residential address or PO Box in the U.S. In May 2019, we announced that FedEx SmartPost packages given to the USPS will be increasingly integrated into FedEx Ground standard operations.

Additionally, FedEx Delivery Manager allows our U.S. residential customers to customize home deliveries to fit their schedule by providing a range of options to schedule dates, locations and times of delivery. By signing up at fedex.com , customers can receive notification of FedEx Ground packages en route to their homes and can choose various delivery options.

Pricing

FedEx Ground periodically publishes updates to the list prices for the majority of its services in its Service Guide. In general, U.S. shipping rates are based on the service selected, destination zone, weight, size, any ancillary service charge and whether the customer charged the shipment to a FedEx account. As previously announced, on January 7, 2019, FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery average list prices increased by an average of 4.9%. FedEx SmartPost average list prices also increased. Additionally, FedEx Ground applied peak holiday season surcharges from November 19, 2018 through December 24, 2018 for shipments that were oversized, unauthorized, or required additional handling and, effective September 3, 2018, made general changes to surcharges on unauthorized shipments and for certain packages requiring additional handling.

FedEx Ground has an indexed fuel surcharge, which is adjusted on a weekly basis. The fuel surcharge is based on a weekly fuel price from two weeks prior to the week in which it is assessed. On March 18, 2019 and September 10, 2018, respectively, we updated the tables used to determine our fuel surcharges at FedEx Ground. See the “Results of Operations and Outlook — Consolidated Results —Fuel” section of Item 7 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition”) for a description and discussion of the net impact of fuel on our operating results.

Operations

FedEx Ground operates a multiple hub-and-spoke sorting and distribution system which consisted of 619 facilities, including 39 hubs, in the U.S. and Canada as of May 31, 2019. FedEx Ground conducts its operations primarily with approximately 69,000 vehicles owned or leased by separate service providers. To provide FedEx Home Delivery service and FedEx SmartPost Service, FedEx Ground leverages its pickup operation and hub and linehaul network.

Advanced automated unloading and sorting technology is used to streamline the handling of millions of packages daily. FedEx Ground yard management systems, which interact with GPS tags on each trailer and create geofences around FedEx Ground facilities, automatically notify the control center when a trailer arrives and departs. Using overhead laser and six-sided camera-based bar code scan technology, hub conveyors electronically guide packages to their appropriate destination chute, where they are loaded for transport to their respective destination stations for local delivery. Autonomous, driverless tugger technologies enable FedEx Ground to handle large, non-conveyable packages. 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 website, fedex.com . For additional information regarding FedEx Ground e-shipping tools and solutions, see “FedEx Services Segment — FedEx Services — Customer-Driven Technology.”

FedEx Office offers retail access to FedEx Ground shipping services at all of its retail locations. FedEx Ground is also available as a service option at all FedEx Authorized ShipCenters and other FedEx OnSite locations, including at nearly 9,000 Walgreens stores, located in the U.S.  

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As of May 31, 2019, FedEx Ground employed approximately 31,000 permanent full-time and approximately 79,000 permanent part-time employees. In addition, FedEx Ground relies on independent small businesses to conduct its linehaul and pickup-and-delivery operations, as the use of these service providers is well suited to the needs of the ground delivery business and its customers. Henry J. Maier is the President and Chief Executive Officer of FedEx Ground. FedEx Ground is headquartered in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area, and its primary competitors are UPS, the USPS and regional delivery carriers. We also compete with startup companies that combine technology with crowdsourcing to focus on local market needs. In addition, some high volume package shippers, such as Amazon.com, are developing and implementing in-house delivery capabilities and utilizing independent contractors for deliveries, and may be considered competitors. For example, Amazon.com is investing significant capital to establish a network of hubs and vehicles.

Independent Contractor and Independent Service Provider Models

FedEx Ground is involved in lawsuits and administrative proceedings claiming that owner-operators engaged under operating agreements no longer in place should have been treated as employees of FedEx Ground, rather than independent contractors. In addition, we are defending joint-employer cases where it is alleged that FedEx Ground should be treated as an employer of the drivers employed by owner-operators engaged by FedEx Ground. These cases are in varying stages of litigation. We will continue to vigorously defend ourselves in these proceedings and continue to believe that owner-operators engaged by FedEx Ground are properly classified as independent contractors and that FedEx Ground is not an employer or joint employer of the drivers of these independent contractors. For a description of these proceedings, see Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Risk Factors”) and Note 18 of the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

FedEx Ground previously announced plans to implement the Independent Service Provider (“ISP”) model throughout its entire U.S. pickup-and-delivery network. The transition to the ISP model is being accomplished on a district-by-district basis and we are now targeting the transition to be completed during the second quarter of 2020. As of May 31, 2019, over two-thirds of standard FedEx Ground volume (excluding FedEx SmartPost volume) was being delivered by small businesses operating under the ISP model. The costs associated with these transitions will be recognized in the periods incurred and are not expected to be material to any future quarter.

FedEx Freight Segment

FedEx Freight is a leading North American provider of LTL freight services, offering choice, simplicity and reliability to meet the needs of LTL shippers — FedEx Freight Priority, when speed is critical to meet supply chain needs, and FedEx Freight Economy, when time can be traded for cost savings. Through one comprehensive network of service centers and advanced information systems, FedEx Freight provides service to virtually every U.S. ZIP Code (including Alaska and Hawaii) with industry-leading transit times. FedEx Freight Priority, which has the fastest published transit times of any nationwide LTL service, offers a no-fee money-back guarantee on eligible shipments. Internationally, FedEx Freight Canada offers FedEx Freight Priority service, serving most points in Canada, as well as FedEx Freight Priority and FedEx Freight Economy service between Canada and the U.S. In addition, FedEx Freight serves Mexico, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands via alliances.

Through its many service offerings, FedEx Freight can match customers’ time-critical needs with industry-leading transit times. With the expansion of FedEx electronic solutions, LTL shippers have the convenience of a single shipping and tracking solution for FedEx Freight, FedEx Express and FedEx Ground. These solutions make freight shipping easier and provide customers easy access to their account information. The FedEx Freight Advance Notice feature available on FedEx Freight Priority shipments uses the company’s innovative technology systems to proactively notify FedEx Freight customers via the internet, e-mail 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. Customers can also process cross-border LTL shipments to and from Canada and Mexico, as well as intra-Canada and -Mexico shipments, through FedEx Ship Manager at fedex.com , FedEx Ship Manager Software, FedEx Ship Manager Server and FedEx Web Services. Additionally, FedEx Freight A.M. Delivery offers freight delivery by 10:30 a.m. within and between the U.S. and Canada, backed by a money-back guarantee.

FedEx Freight further simplifies LTL shipping with the FedEx Freight box, which offers improved flexibility, increased security, better shipment integrity and no freight classification. The FedEx Freight box comes in two sizes: a standard freight box that requires a pallet to ship and a smaller freight box with an integrated pallet. The ability to choose between freight boxes makes freight shipping accessible to any business. With a distance-based pricing structure, the FedEx Freight box allows customers to ship LTL with flat rates.

FedEx Freight also offers LTL Select, a free cloud-based, multi-carrier transportation management system that provides customers with visibility into all available carriers and their pricing in one location, as well as the ability to book service and make payments.

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As of May 31, 2019, the FedEx Freight segment was operating approximately 28,000 vehicles from a network of 373 service centers and had approximately 49,000 employees. John A. Smith is the President and Chief Executive Officer of FedEx Freight, which is based in Memphis, Tennessee. FedEx Freight’s primary competitors are YRC Worldwide Inc. (which includes YRC Regional Transportation and YRC Freight), XPO Logistics, Inc., UPS Freight, Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc., ABF Freight (an ArcBest company) and SAIA, Inc.

In 2014 and 2015, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (“Teamsters”) petitioned for National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) elections at sixteen FedEx Freight facilities. The Teamsters lost the vote or withdrew the petition prior to the election at twelve facilities and won the vote at four facilities. To date, at three of the four FedEx Freight facilities that originally voted for Teamster representation, the Teamsters have either been decertified by employee vote or voluntarily withdrawn as bargaining representative. We are currently bargaining with the union at the other facility. Additionally, a union has been certified to represent owner-drivers at a FedEx Freight Canada, Corp. facility.

FedEx Services Segment

FedEx Services

FedEx Services provides our other companies with sales, marketing, information technology, communications, customer service, technical support, billing and collection services, and certain other back-office support. Through FedEx Services, we provide a convenient single point of access for many customer support functions, enabling us to more effectively sell the entire portfolio of transportation services and to help ensure a consistent and outstanding experience for our customers.

Rajesh Subramaniam and Robert B. Carter each serve as the Co-President and Co-Chief Executive Officer of FedEx Services, which is based in Memphis, Tennessee. As of May 31, 2019, the FedEx Services segment had approximately 30,000 employees (including approximately 15,000 at FedEx Office).

Customer-Driven Technology

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. Innovation at FedEx is the foundation of our relations with customers. We strive to build technology solutions that will solve our customers’ business problems with simplicity, convenience, speed and reliability. Robert B. Carter, Executive Vice President — FedEx Information Services and Chief Information Officer of FedEx, won the 2019 Forbes CIO Innovation Award for the development of FedEx OnSite, our retail convenience network that utilizes third-party retailers such as Walgreens to receive and hold packages for FedEx customers. Additionally, during 2019 we significantly advanced a major information technology transition from traditional mainframe computing to cloud-based systems, which is delivering significant benefits in terms of flexibility, security, speed to market and resiliency.

The focal point of our strategy is our award-winning website, together with our customer integrated solutions. The fedex.com website was launched nearly 25 years ago , and during that time, customers have shipped and tracked billions of packages at fedex.com . The fedex.com website is widely recognized for its speed, ease of use and customer-focused features. The advanced tracking capability within FedEx Tracking provides customers with a consolidated view of inbound and outbound shipments. FedEx Virtual Assistant on fedex.com is an artificial-intelligence-enabled service that provides answers to customer shipping questions, allowing our customer service representatives and sales professionals to focus on higher-value customer interactions. International Shipping Assist on fedex.com uses artificial intelligence to continually improve the process of completing the complicated paperwork required for international shipping. Additionally, our state-of-the-art Packaging Lab designs innovative custom packaging solutions to keep shipments protected through transit, and SenseAware®, a FedEx innovation currently available in 26 markets worldwide, allows customers to stay connected to their critical shipments by providing real-time updates regarding current location, precise temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure readings, light exposure and shock events.

We stand at the nexus of virtual and physical networks, a crucial intersection for the success of e-commerce deliveries. We design our e-commerce tools and solutions to be easily integrated into our customers’ applications, as well as into third-party software developed by leading e-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 parcel and LTL shipping and associated processes. FedEx Returns Technology, a comprehensive solution for returns management, provides high-volume merchants and e-tailers complete visibility into returns, giving them an easy way to track shipments, manage inventory, analyze returns trends and make more informed decisions based on shoppers’ returns behaviors.

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In December 2018, we expanded e-commerce delivery options for retailers with FedEx Extra Hours, a service that enables participating retailers to fulfill e-commerce orders into the evening and receive late pickups by FedEx Express, with next-day local delivery and two-day shipping to any address in the continental United States. FedEx Extra Hours, which is currently available to select customers, allows retailers to extend evening order cutoff times by five to eight hours, with some as late as midnight, depending on their current order fulfillment process.

In February 2019, we announced the development through a partnership of the FedEx SameDay Bot, an autonomous delivery device designed to help retailers make same-day and last-mile deliveries to their customers. With the SameDay Bot, retailers will be able to accept orders from nearby customers and deliver them directly to homes or businesses the same day. We plan to begin testing the SameDay Bot in select markets in the summer of 2020 and are collaborating with companies such as AutoZone, Lowe’s, Pizza Hut, Target, Walgreens and Walmart to help assess retailers’ autonomous delivery needs.

FedEx Mobile is a suite of solutions including the FedEx mobile application, FedEx mobile website and SMS text messaging. The FedEx Mobile app provides convenience for recipients to track packages, get quick rates and estimated delivery times, quickly find the nearest FedEx location and easily access FedEx Delivery Manager to customize home deliveries. It is available on Android™ and Apple devices. The FedEx mobile website has expanded to more than 195 countries and territories and 35 languages. FedEx Mobile allows customers to track packages, create shipping labels, view account-specific rate quotes and access drop-off location information. SMS Notifications allows customers to track or follow a package via text messaging, and it is currently available in five countries.

With FedEx Office Print Online and proprietary iPhone and Android mobile apps, customers can use their laptops or mobile devices, accessing their personal cloud accounts, and print directly to any FedEx Office location in the U.S., or have their order delivered right to their door. Customers also have the flexibility of using FedEx Office’s Print & Go solutions to print at self-serve locations from USBs, the cloud or through email. Accessing files using popular cloud providers Google Drive™, Dropbox, Box, Microsoft OneDrive® and from FedEx Office’s own My Online Documents is easy. If customers have their files on a mobile device or laptop, they can email them to printandgo@fedex.com and with the retrieval code they receive they can conveniently print the files at the self-serve kiosks in any FedEx Office location. FedEx Office provides options for customers to choose the best access method they need for quick service or more robust printing projects. FedEx also uses wireless data collection devices to scan bar codes on shipments, thereby enhancing and accelerating the package information available to our customers.

During 2018, we joined the Blockchain in Transportation Alliance to explore this chain-of-custody technology within the logistics sector, which we believe can significantly improve worldwide supply chains and add value to our products, services and processes. By giving more visibility to everyone involved in the logistics process, we believe blockchain technology can reduce customer claims, increase customer satisfaction and reduce our costs.

Marketing

The FedEx brand name is symbolic of outstanding service, reliability and speed. Emphasis is placed on promoting and protecting the FedEx brand, one of our most important assets. As a result, FedEx is one of the most widely recognized brands in the world. In addition to television, print and digital advertising, we promote the FedEx brand through sponsorships and special events. For example, FedEx sponsors:

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Information Security

FedEx Services has a team of highly qualified professionals dedicated to securing information about our customers’ shipments and protecting our customers’, vendors’ and employees’ privacy, and we strive to provide a safe, secure online environment for our customers. We are committed to compliance with applicable information security laws, regulations and industry standards — including, for example, the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, a set of comprehensive requirements for enhancing payment account data security developed by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council, as well as compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, which enforces the security and confidentiality of employee health information. For a description of risks related to information security, see Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Risk Factors”).