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☆ Big Tech earnings are on deck this week. Why that matters
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —With Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon and Meta Platforms all slated to report earnings this coming week, investors are turning their attention away from bank earnings to Big Tech. Another major theme for tech earnings is the race toward artificial intelligence. Earnings reports from Meta Platforms (META), Boeing (BA) and ServiceNow (NOW). Earnings reports from Amazon (AMZN), MasterCard (MA), T-Mobile (TMUS), Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) and Capital One (COF). Earnings reports from Exxon Mobil (XOM), Chevron (CVX), Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and New York Community Bancorp (NYCB).

☆ Big Tech earnings, crucial inflation call — here comes the biggest week of earnings season
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Stocks stuck to a holding pattern this week as investors brace for an incoming wave of Big Tech earnings and the Fed's favorite inflation reading. Earnings reports have generally been better than expected so far this first quarter. Humana (HUM) reports before the bell Wednesday; Meta Platforms and Pioneer Natural Resources (PXD) report after the bell Wednesday. ET: Personal Spending & Income (includes PCE Price Index) Club trades this week Just one trade: We added 150 shares of Coterra Energy (CTRA) on Wednesday. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade.

REUTERS/Aude GuerrucciLOS ANGELES, April 17 (Reuters) - United Parcel Service (UPS.N) and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union will on Monday start U.S. private sector labor contract talks covering roughly 340,000 U.S. drivers, package handlers and loaders at the global delivery firm. The powerful Teamsters union wants an agreement that shares billions of dollars in UPS pandemic profits with workers, exerts leverage over other negotiations and helps to recruit new members - including Amazon warehouse workers. UPS, the world's biggest parcel delivery firm and No. "Failure is not an option," Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien told a rally on an April 2 in Boston. These are the first labor talks for both O'Brien and UPS CEO Carol Tomé.

☆ Amazon CEO Andy Jassy needs to take a page out of Mark Zuckerberg's cost-cutting playbook at Meta
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Paulina Likos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Andy Jassy, CEO of Club holding Amazon (AMZN), said Thursday he's committed to investing in overall growth while creating cost efficiencies throughout the enterprise. Jim has said that Amazon needs to cut another 200,000 jobs or more to even approach pre-pandemic staffing of around 798,000 in Q4 of 2019. For example, Amazon has stopped physical store expansion, shuttered Amazon Care and Amazon Fabric, and it's letting go of devices that won't provide solid returns. Jassy also addressed Amazon's stock price during CNBC's interview. AMZN .SPX mountain 2020-04-09 Amazon vs. S & P 500 since April 2020 Bottom line Amazon needs to make additional moves to further reduce its headcount.

The Teamsters said that only 10 of 40 supplements to the national contract have been resolved since those regional talks started in January. "We have clearly stated our intentions to UPS from the beginning that there would be no national negotiations until these regional contracts are completed," Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien said in the statement. Those contracts define provisions not included in the national agreement, including paid time off, overtime, work hours, seniority and discipline language. UPS said discussions around national negotiations and supplemental agreements often take place at the same time. "We are committed to reaching an agreement that provides wins for our employees, the Teamsters, UPS and our customers," UPS said.

☆ Morning Bid: Weary markets wary of recession
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Asian stocks sagged, while the dollar was on the front foot as investors kept their risk-off hat ahead of the long weekend. Oil prices eased after the shock at the start of the week from OPEC+ to cut production. Futures hint at a muted open in Europe, with the pan-European STOXX 600 index aiming to break its losing streak this week. European equities had a stellar start to the year but the March madness due to the banking turmoil has weighed. Meanwhile, UBS executives sought to assure investors on Wednesday that Switzerland's largest bank can make its shotgun takeover of Swiss rival Credit Suisse work.

The move to integrate FedEx Ground, its outsourced package delivery arm, with the FedEx Express overnight air delivery business was announced almost a year after activist investor D.E. FedEx Express is already handling FedEx Ground's pickup and deliveries in Alaska and Hawaii - fueling concerns that Ground contractors in the lower 48 states could be let go. John Smith will become president and CEO of U.S. and Canada ground operations at FedEx Express and assume leadership of surface operations across the FedEx Express, FedEx Ground and FedEx Freight businesses from April 16. FedEx Freight will continue to provide freight transportation services as a standalone company under the Federal Express Corp banner, the company added. Shares in FedEx, which also announced a 10% dividend boost on Wednesday, were up about 2% in mid-morning trade.

☆ FedEx to fold operating divisions into one organization in cost-cutting push
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

FedEx had come under criticism from investors last year for its subpar performance compared to UPS, which has a unionized workforce. In response, FedEx outlined extensive plans to cut costs, including parking planes and reducing headcount. The phased transition announced Wednesday will ultimately bring FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Services and other FedEx operating companies into Federal Express Corporation and will be headed by present Chief Executive Officer Raj Subramaniam, the company said. John Smith will become president and CEO of U.S. and Canada Ground Operations at FedEx Express and assume leadership of surface operations across the FedEx Express, FedEx Ground and FedEx Freight businesses, effective April 16. FedEx Freight will continue to provide freight transportation services as a stand-alone company under the Federal Express Corp banner, the company added.

☆ FedEx to outline plans for fiscal 2024, 2025 cost reductions
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LOS ANGELES, April 5 (Reuters) - FedEx Corp (FDX.N) on Wednesday will lay out the next steps in its plan to slash $4 billion in permanent costs by the end of fiscal 2025. Executives at the Memphis, Tennessee-based package delivery company last month said they were on track to hit $1 billion in permanent cost cuts this fiscal year ending May 31 - putting FedEx well on its way toward its 2025 goal. Most of those cost savings have come from FedEx's Express division that offers next-day delivery and contributes the largest share of company revenue. Among other things, FedEx has parked Express planes, retired older MD-11 aircraft and laid off 10% of officers and directors to reduce costs. Reporting by Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles; Editing by Himani SarkarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Amazon, other retailers revamp 'free' shipping as costs soar
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Lisa Baertlein | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

REUTERS/Alyssa PointerLOS ANGELES, March 24 (Reuters) - There is no such thing as free shipping. "The days of free delivery are numbered," Ken Morris, managing partner at Cambridge Retail Advisors, said of the fast-changing retail marketing tool. It is an open secret that most retailers raise product prices to subsidize free shipping. Postal Service hitting record levels, the industry where nearly three-quarters of e-commerce companies offer some sort of free shipping is rethinking the financial cost of habituating shoppers to free shipping. While retailers like Amazon and fashion purveyor Asos Plc (ASOS.L) have raised thresholds for fast shipping, others are dropping free shipping altogether or taking product prices up again.

Fedex has been wringing costs from its bloated operations by shuttering offices, cutting jobs, reducing flights, grounding airplanes and canceling profit-sapping Sunday deliveries in far-flung areas. "Our cost actions are taking hold, driving an improved outlook for the current fiscal year," Chief Executive Raj Subramaniam said in a statement. Adjusted income for the fiscal third quarter ended Feb. 28 came in at $865 million, or $3.41 per share. Earnings per share were down $1.18 from the year earlier, but 68 cents higher than analysts' average estimate. FedEx shares jumped 11.3% to $227.12 in after hours trade.

March 16 (Reuters) - FedEx Corp (FDX.N) on Thursday raised its fiscal 2023 profit forecast and reported progress on its plan to shave $3.7 billion in costs from its global delivery business, and its shares jumped 12%. Fedex has been wringing costs from its bloated operations by shuttering offices, cutting jobs, grounding airplanes and canceling profit-sapping Sunday deliveries in far-flung areas. On Thursday, FedEx forecast fiscal 2023 adjusted profit of $13.80 to $14.40 per share, up from its previous projection of $12.50 to $13.50. Adjusted income for the fiscal third quarter ended Feb. 28 came in at $865 million, or $3.41 per share. At the close of the regular trading session on Thursday, FedEx shares were up about 18% year-to-date, versus the 8% gain in shares of more profitable rival United Parcel Service (UPS.N).

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves after hours: FedEx, First Republic Bank and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Hakyung Kim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A worker sorts packages at a FedEx Express facility on Cyber Monday in Garden City, New York, US, on Monday, Nov. 28, 2022. FedEx reported adjusted earnings of $3.41 per share, topping analysts' estimates of $2.73 per share, according to Refinitiv. Meanwhile, the company's revenue fell below expectations. FedEx posted $22.17 billion in revenue, while analysts had estimated $22.74 billion. First Republic Bank — The bank's shares were down 15% during after-hours trading.

"We do not believe the optimism is yet justified," Morgan Stanley analyst Ravi Shanker wrote in a recent note. Those plans helped FedEx report better-than-expected fiscal second-quarter results on Dec. 20, sparking a stock rally that offset a swoon in mid-September, when the company retracted financial forecasts issued just three months earlier and blamed a swift pullback by customers. Analysts are skeptical that FedEx can deliver a repeat performance in the fiscal third quarter that ended on Feb. 28, as demand from e-commerce and other sectors remains soft. He expects FedEx to report adjusted earnings of $2.52 per share for the quarter - about 20 cents less than analysts' average estimate complied by Refinitiv IBES. Reporting by Kannaki Deka in Bengaluru and Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles; Editing by Bill BerkrotOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Exclusive: C.H. Robinson in advanced talks to name Barber as new CEO
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Svea Herbst-Bayliss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Barber, who spent nearly 35 years working at package delivery company UPS before retiring in early 2020, joined the C.H. Robinson board as a director late last year. A spokesperson for the company said there is "no update" on the search, noting "the CEO role at C.H. The Board is committed to conducting, and is underway on, an open and inclusive search to find our next CEO." Last year Reuters reported that Danish transport and logistics company DSV A/S (DSV.CO) was interested in buying C.H.

☆ Why Some Investors Are Still Waiting for Discounts on Corporate Bonds
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( Matt Grossman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

New bonds from corporate stalwarts such as United Parcel Service contributed to nearly $150 billion in high-grade sales last month. Corporate-debt yields are near decade-plus highs and the economy is humming. Some investors still think bonds from America’s blue-chip companies are a bad bet. Their caution stems from the relatively scant premium offered by corporate bonds relative to ultrasafe U.S. government debt, which is also paying some of its most generous yields of the past 15 years. The 5.7% yield on investment-grade corporate bonds—among the highest since 2009 in Intercontinental Exchange index data—looks less appealing next to yields above 5% on some Treasury debt, several investors said.

☆ Wells Fargo hikes its UPS price target, says delivery giant could see big earnings growth
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

United Parcel Service ' earnings growth potential is underappreciated by investors, Wells Fargo said. Analyst Allison Poliniak-Cusic reiterated the package delivery stock as overweight while raising her target share price to $221 from $195. "In 2024 not only should those investment headwinds fade, but they should generate incremental profit." And despite earnings growth largely being a 2024 story for the company, Poliniak-Cusic said the company could see upside earlier. But she also noted that productivity improve can generate downside support and create operating leverage, which can help accelerate profit growth in a period of recovery.

☆ These dependable dividend increasers are beating the market
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

While recent dividend cuts may make investors concerned about what's to come next, there are still many stocks that have dependable dividend increases. Last week, Intel slashed its dividend by more than 65% , following VF Corp.'s dividend cut and Hanesbrands elimination of its dividend last month. The exchange operator has increased its payout four of the last five years and has a one-year dividend-per-share growth of 24.1%. United Parcel Service has the highest one-year dividend-per-share growth at 49% on our list. Finally, Target has a 2.7% dividend yield and has a one-year dividend-per-share growth of 22.5%.

☆ USPS Contracted Trucks Frequently Violate Safety Rules. Crashes Killed 79 People Since 2020.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Christopher Weaver | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

For years, the U.S. Postal Service has faced competition from the likes of United Parcel Service Inc. and FedEx Corp. To fight them off, it hired outside trucking companies at cut-rate prices, required them to meet aggressive schedules and then looked the other way when they ran afoul of highway safety rules, a Wall Street Journal investigation found. The result has been deadly. Postal contractors have been involved in at least 68 fatal crashes that killed 79 people in the past three years, according to police crash and inspection records.

☆ TFI Stake in Trucker ArcBest Sparks Acquisition Speculation
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Liz Young | Paul Berger | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +4 min

TFI in 2021 became one of the top carriers in the U.S. less-than-truckload sector when it bought United Parcel Service Inc.’s freight business for $800 million. TFI CEO and President Alain Bédard said on the Feb. 6 earnings call that TFI is looking for opportunities to work with ArcBest. TFI executives said they see ways to save money working together with ArcBest, analysts at Cowen wrote in a Feb. 14 note summarizing a meeting they had with TFI management. The Cowen analysts wrote TFI is well placed to take over ArcBest’s unionized workforce because it already works with the Teamsters union at TForce Freight. ArcBest shares are up about 14% since TFI disclosed its stake.

☆ Generative AI Helping Boost Productivity of Some Software Developers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Belle Lin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +6 min

The technology, known as generative AI, has been pioneered by OpenAI, the lab behind the ChatGPT writing system and the Dall-E visual illustration generator. Copilot, as well as other tools from Amazon.com Inc., International Business Machines Corp. , and startups like Tabnine Inc. and Magic AI Inc., have quickly found a receptive audience among developers seeking a productivity boost. The AI model behind Copilot is trained on data from GitHub, which houses a popular open-source community where developers contribute and share code. Newsletter Sign-up WSJ | CIO Journal The Morning Download delivers daily insights and news on business technology from the CIO Journal team. And, with a tightening economy in mind, Hyland Software is holding back on spending for any new tools or technologies.

☆ UPS's Coyote freight brokerage lays off workers as demand falls
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LOS ANGELES, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Coyote Logistics, United Parcel Service's (UPS.N) nonunion freight brokerage subsidiary, on Friday said it was laying off workers as rising interest rates, inflation and a resumption of pre-pandemic consumer spending patterns weaken demand for trucking services. A Feb. 16 report from transportation news provider FreightWaves said 200 jobs would be eliminated. That demand slowed when restaurant dining reopened, travel resumed and global economies started flashing recession warnings, and now those same companies are slashing jobs. UPS is also cut union jobs in its mainstay delivery service. Affected unionized workers with seniority have the option of leaving the company or taking a different role, which could mean that employees with less seniority lose their positions.

☆ UPS cutting back on some jobs as Teamster labor talks loom
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Lisa Baertlein | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

With the move, UPS joins rival FedEx (FDX.N) and other major transportation companies in trimming jobs as the early pandemic's e-commerce shipping boom fizzles. But the stakes are higher at UPS, which is preparing for the largest North American private sector union contract negotiations later this year that will pit the world's largest package delivery firm against the powerful Teamsters union. The contract covering roughly 350,000 Teamsters-represented drivers, loaders, package sorters and other UPS workers expires on July 31. "This is not nationwide, but only in select parts of the country, in response to uneven demand," UPS said. According to the UPS labor contract, reassigned full-time workers could opt to leave or take another job.

☆ UPS and the Teamsters prepare for high-stakes talks with union contract set to expire
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

But Tomé's optimism comes as the Teamsters union, which represents more than 340,000 UPS workers, amps up pressure on the delivery giant. "Whether there is a strike of UPS workers is up to UPS," said Kara Deniz, a spokesperson for the Teamsters. The talks start in April, with the current national contract set to expire on July 31. In the fourth quarter of 2022, UPS workers delivered a global average of 28 million packages per day, according to the company's website. For the first time, Teamsters Union President Sean O'Brien and the union's secretary of the treasury will have seats at the bargaining table and be directly involved in negotiating the terms of the new contract.

☆ FedEx to cut senior jobs as part of larger staff reduction
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Lisa Baertlein | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

FedEx did not say how many positions would be affected by the new layoffs. In mid-September, FedEx pulled its profit forecast and shares swooned more than 20% - the largest single-day drop in the company's 50-year history. But those numbers only tell part of the story because they exclude roughly FedEx 6,000 contractors and their workers, who handle most of the FedEx Ground's home delivery business. FedEx already has temporarily furloughed workers at its trucking division FedEx Freight as the pandemic-fueled e-commerce delivery bubble deflates and recession threatens, joining transportation-focused companies ranging from delivery upstart Amazon.com (AMZN.O) and trucking company C.H. Robinson Worldwide (CHRW.O) to freight broker Uber Freight and freight forwarding startup Flexport in announcing layoffs.

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