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FedEx to add 50,000 seasonal jobs

By WTOP Staff

DAVID KOENIG
AP Business Writer

DALLAS (AP) — Growth in online shopping is boosting profit at FedEx, and the company plans to hire more than 50,000 extra workers to handle what is shaping up as another record year for holiday-season package deliveries.

That’s up from about 40,000 temporary holiday workers hired last year.

The hiring plan from FedEx Corp. came a day after rival UPS said it would hire up to 95,000 seasonal workers. Both companies are trying to avoid the problems that plagued them last year, when they were inundated by more holiday shipments than they expected and some packages didn’t arrive until after Christmas.

FedEx Corp. announced Wednesday that it earned $606 million in the June-through-August quarter, up 24 percent from the same period in 2013. The results beat expectations, and the stock rose more than 3 percent in afternoon trading.

CEO and Chairman Fred Smith said the company was helped by strength in the ground-shipping segment, solid volume and revenue increases at the freight division and growth in U.S. volumes for the core FedEx Express business.

“We expect continued revenue and earnings growth in fiscal year ’15,” which ends next May, “assuming moderate global economic growth and stable fuel prices,” Smith said on a conference call with investors.

The holidays are a crucial part of the year for FedEx, and the company will again be challenged by a compressed peak season. Thanksgiving, the traditional kickoff to the season, falls late again this year — Nov. 27. That will push so-called Cyber Monday, one of the biggest days for online shopping, back to Dec. 1.

Executive vice president Michael Glenn said FedEx expects another record season for delivery volumes, and that explains the plan to hire more temporary drivers, package handlers and other workers.

Both FedEx and UPS were caught short last holiday season. FedEx had announced it would hire 20,000 temporary workers, but wound up adding twice that number, a spokesman said Wednesday. United Parcel Service Inc. planned to add 55,000 seasonal workers but ended up hiring 85,000.

FedEx officials said they are talking with retailers about other steps to avoid a repeat of last year’s delivery problems, but they declined to detail those discussions.

Memphis, Tennessee-based FedEx said its fiscal first-quarter earnings equaled $2.10 per share, up from $1.53 per share a year ago. Analysts surveyed by FactSet expected $1.96 per share.

Revenue rose 6 percent to $11.68 billion, topping Wall Street’s forecast of $11.48 billion.

The ground-delivery segment accounted for about one-fourth of FedEx revenue but was more profitable than the much larger express-delivery business. Revenue rose in both businesses and at the smaller freight-shipping segment.

“It was another solid quarter for FedEx,” said Logan Purk, an analyst with Edward Jones who rates the stock a “hold.” The company is aided by growth in the economy and online shopping, “but what is really helping FedEx is their cost-reduction initiative for the express segment,” he said.

The company’s goal is to cut annual costs by $1.7 billion, mostly at the express unit and largely through voluntary buyouts to shed jobs. The plan is designed to offset a shift by customers from pricey air deliveries to slower but cheaper services.

Despite beating expectations in the quarter, FedEx did not change its forecast for the full fiscal year. It still expects to earn between $8.50 and $9 per share through May 2015. Analysts predict full-year earnings of $8.84 per share.

The earnings report came one day after FedEx announced that it will raise U.S. rates for express, ground and home-delivery shipments by an average of 4.9 percent on Jan. 5. It will also charge more for SmartPost, a service that uses the U.S. Postal Service for final delivery, and U.S. freight deliveries.

On the same day in January, FedEx will also begin charging more for bulky but light parcels that are shipped by ground by changing the pricing formula to increase the emphasis on package dimensions, not just weight. UPS is making a similar change. Big, lightweight packages take up more space in delivery trucks.

Shares of FedEx rose $4.85, or 3.1 percent, to $159.51in afternoon trading. They began the day up 8 percent in 2014.

____

AP Business Writer Michelle Chapman in New York contributed to this report.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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