FedEx 4Q profit rises on growth in ground shipping

Friday, June 13, 2014, Vol. 38, No. 24
The Associated Press

FedEx Corp. says its quarterly profit rose as growth in online shopping gave its ground-shipping business a lift.

The earnings of $2.46 per share beat Wall Street's forecast by a dime. Revenue also topped expectations.

The package-delivery company said Wednesday that it earned $730 million in its fiscal fourth quarter, which ended May 31, compared with $303 million a year ago, when write-downs weighed on the results.

Revenue rose 3.5 percent to $11.84 billion. Analysts expected $11.66 billion, according to FactSet.

Revenue in the ground-shipping business grew 8 percent, helped by gains in e-commerce. That helped offset slower growth in FedEx Express, which accounts for more than half the company's revenue.

Its shares rose 4 percent in premarket dealings.