FedEx Corporation (FDX)
FedEx provides express, ground, and freight shipping along with logistics services worldwide.
FDX vs UPS: how the two businesses compare
- Similar size: FDX and UPS each brought in about $94.7B of yearly revenue.
- More cash from each sale: UPS turns 10 cents of each sales dollar into operating cash flow, against 9 cents at FDX.
From each company's latest annual SEC filing. Fiscal years can end on different dates.
FedEx (FDX) and United Parcel Service (UPS) reported similar revenue: $94.7B (fiscal year ended May 2026) versus $88.7B (fiscal year ended Dec 2025). The SEC classifies them differently (Air Courier Services; Trucking & Courier Services (No Air)); what connects them is shared exposure to the Economic trends research theme, not a common industry.
Figures come from each company's own SEC filings. This page compares the businesses; it is not a price target or a verdict.
- Industrials
- Different
- Separate classifications
- Different
- FDX May 31 · UPS December 31
- Jul 20, 2026
FDX vs UPS: quick comparison
| Company fact | FDX | UPS |
|---|---|---|
| Company | FedEx Corporation | United Parcel Service, Inc. |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Headquarters | — | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Founded | — | 1907 |
| SEC industry | Air Courier Services | Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) |
| Fiscal year-end | May 31 | December 31 |
| Latest annual filing | 10-K · 2026-07-20 | 10-K · 2026-02-17 |
FDX vs UPS: audited financials
- Scale: revenue is roughly in line ($94.7B for FDX versus $88.7B for UPS).
- Cash conversion: operating cash flow equalled FDX 9.4% of revenue; UPS 9.5% of revenue, or 1.52× net income. A ratio well above 1× usually reflects non-cash charges or working-capital release; well below 1× can reflect working-capital build or non-cash gains.
- Periods: the fiscal years end about 5 months apart (2026-05-31 for FDX, 2025-12-31 for UPS), so each figure reflects somewhat different demand and cost conditions.
| Metric | FDX | UPS |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $94.7B2025-06-01 to 2026-05-31 · SEC filing | $88.7B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing |
| Net income | — | $5.6B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing |
| Operating cash flow | $8.9B2025-06-01 to 2026-05-31 · SEC filing | $8.4B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing |
| Diluted EPS | $18.552025-06-01 to 2026-05-31 · SEC filing | $6.562025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing |
| Net margin | — | 6.3%2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing |
FDX: FY ending 2026-05-31 · UPS: FY ending 2025-12-31. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.
Where FDX and UPS overlap, and where they don't
Overlap
- Shared research theme: Economic trends.
Differences
- Different SEC industries: FDX files as Air Courier Services; UPS as Trucking & Courier Services (No Air).
- Offset fiscal calendars: FDX's year ends May 31 and UPS's December 31, about 5 months apart.
- Only UPS maps to Tariffs & trade.
Overlap is drawn from SEC classifications and Yield Theory research themes. It is not evidence that the companies sell to the same customers or compete product for product.
United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS)
UPS is a global package-delivery and supply-chain company whose volumes reflect the health of e-commerce and trade. It has emphasized higher-value shipments over sheer volume to protect margins.
What moves each company
Company-specific drivers maintained by Yield Theory. Use them to decide which filing deserves deeper work; they are not predictions.
What moves FDX
We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for FDX. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-07-20.
What moves UPS
We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for UPS. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-02-17.
The investment question
You now know how FDX and UPS are classified, when their fiscal years end, and where their exposures overlap. Those are the facts. The investment question is what each share price already assumes about their exposure to economic trends, and which evidence in the next filings would prove that assumption wrong.
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Read the full researchSEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence
Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable. FDX's fiscal year ends May 31, while UPS's ends December 31. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.
The current verified House and Senate snapshot contains 17 matched transaction rows for FDX and 50 matched transaction rows for UPS. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.
FDX primary filings
UPS primary filings
What this comparison cannot tell you
This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.
A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.
More comparisons involving FDX or UPS
FDX vs UPS FAQs
Are FDX and UPS direct competitors?
Not necessarily. FedEx files as Air Courier Services and United Parcel Service as Trucking & Courier Services (No Air). The pair is compared because both map to the Economic trends research theme, not because the filings show head-to-head competition.
Is FDX or UPS the bigger company by revenue?
FedEx (FDX) and United Parcel Service (UPS) reported similar revenue: $94.7B (fiscal year ended May 2026) versus $88.7B (fiscal year ended Dec 2025). The SEC classifies them differently (Air Courier Services; Trucking & Courier Services (No Air)); what connects them is shared exposure to the Economic trends research theme, not a common industry. Each figure is the annual amount tagged in the company's own SEC XBRL filing; market value depends on live prices, which this page does not publish.
Which is better, FDX or UPS?
There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.
Does this FDX vs UPS comparison include live prices?
No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. The financial figures on this page are the audited annual numbers FedEx Corporation and United Parcel Service, Inc. tagged in their SEC XBRL filings. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices and valuation multiples.
Where does the company information come from?
Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-11-09. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.
Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-11-09. Independent educational research; not investment advice.
Which business differences matter to the investment thesis?
FDX vs UPS compares reported results. The reports below show how we connect operating evidence to an investment thesis, its assumptions, catalysts, and risks. $39/month or $249/year.
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