FedEx downplays U.S.-China trade spat's impact on its business

FILE- In this April 10, 2017, file photo, a FedEx envelope is placed into a dropbox in North Andover, Mass. FedEx Corp. reports earnings Tuesday, March 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)
FILE- In this April 10, 2017, file photo, a FedEx envelope is placed into a dropbox in North Andover, Mass. FedEx Corp. reports earnings Tuesday, March 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)

FedEx Corp. leaders tried to assure investors Monday that a widening trade war between the U.S. and China will have little direct effect on the company, but CEO Fred Smith renewed his criticism of tariffs, which he said hurt economic growth.

The company said that just 2 percent of its revenue comes from shipments between the U.S. and China, and tariffs announced so far covered less than 10 percent of those goods. Tariffs that the Trump administration was considering on another $200 billion in Chinese imports would raise that to one-fourth of the 2 percent.

The potential for more tariffs, however, "is affecting the market, and we are beginning to see some of the economic activity in China starting to moderate as a result," Executive Vice President Rajesh Subramaniam said on a conference call to discuss FedEx's latest financial results.

Smith called the trade dispute worrisome.

"History is very, very clear that countries that pursue the most open market are the ones that prosper the most and whose citizens' income increases the most," he said. "History shows that people want to travel and trade."

The comments came as FedEx reported a $835 million profit in the quarter that ended Aug. 31, a 40 percent increase from a year ago. The Memphis, Tennessee-based company was boosted by the growing economy, lower taxes and changing habits of American shoppers, who buy more of their goods online than ever before.

Still, the results fell short of Wall Street expectations, and FedEx shares fell in after-hours trading.

FedEx and rival United Parcel Service Inc. are benefiting from strong pricing power as online shopping continues to boom. Some analysts predict that growing global demand, along with consumers' expectations for speedy delivery of their online purchases, will help the company heading into the crucial Christmas shopping season.

Adjust earnings were $3.46 a share, excluding the cost of combining Dutch acquisition TNT Express into its own business - significant costs that FedEx expects will continue "over the next few years."

Analysts were expecting adjusted earnings of $3.78 per share, according to a Zacks Investment Research survey of 11 analysts.

Daniel Sherman, an analyst for Edward Jones, said Wall Street underestimated FedEx's increased spending on employee compensation after passage of the law that cut corporate income tax rates.

"You end up with really solid underlying earnings growth," Sherman said. "The business is still quite solid."

FedEx reported a benefit of 50 cents per share from the lower corporate tax rates that President Donald Trump signed into law in December.

Revenue was $17.05 billion, topping the Zacks survey forecast of $16.88 billion.

The company raised its forecast of earnings for the fiscal year that runs through next May by 20 cents per share, to between $17.20 and $17.80 per share. Before the report, analysts surveyed by FactSet had expected $17.38.

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