Federal Express

Viewed as an economic bellwether, shipping company Federal Express said its profit fell 3% in the third quarter due to higher fuel prices. But its shares rose more than 5% after the company said pricing gains in the fourth quarter will likely mean that it will beat most Wall Street expectations.

Now that the skies are clearing after the worst economic storm in modern history -- far more violent than the experts had predicted -- we face a surprising new roster of winners and losers, as Fortune's 2011 ranking of the World's Most Admired Companies makes clear.

Once a clearly defined term that meant "to use force to compel or control a physical thing," drive has become one of the most insidious and overused buzzwords in the business lexicon. What's being driven now is often intangible, and the mechanics of who or what's doing the driving are a mystery. Hey, let's drive some eyeballs to this story!

FedEx, the world's biggest air-cargo carrier, will boost shipping rates in January as it looks to offset the effects of rising fuel costs on its bottom line. The company will increase FedEx Express shipping rates for domestic and export services by an average of 3.9%.

FedEx (FDX), the world's second largest shipping company reported earnings Wednesday of $1.33 per diluted share for the fourth quarter ended May 31, narrowly beating estimates.

Faced with an estimated $7 billion shortfall in 2010, the United States Postal Service is contemplating radical cuts that would eliminate Saturday mail delivery and raise the cost of postage. But to really turn the USPS's problems around, it will either need to be directly funded by the government or it needs the freedom to set its own prices, policies, and hours.

In a move that surprised absolutely no one, FedEx (FDX) on Thursday announced that its shipping rates will rise in 2010. The only real shocker in the release is the amazing degree to which the hike echoes that of rival carrier UPS (UPS), which announced its increase in late November.

FedEx (FDX) and United Parcel Service (UPS) are gearing up for a busy holiday season with expectations of record-setting numbers of shipments. Their upbeat estimates fly in the face of tepid retail sales and expectations that recession-weary consumers will keep a tight rein on purchases this...

England's trusty mail carriers have plunged the country into uncertainty by staging a two-day strike last week, with three more mail-less days scheduled to begin on Thursday. In a country where locals used to set their watches by the clatter of the mail slipping through their letterboxes, often...

Facing a $7 billion shortfall, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has explored numerous strategies for reducing costs. In addition to getting rid of many of its traditional blue collection boxes, it has looked into raising rates and cutting hours. The latest proposal is to close up to 700...