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United Parcel Service Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 28 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 new, 6 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue of $21.2 billion: Consolidated revenue for the first quarter of 2026 was $21.2 billion, as stated in the press release filed with the 8-K. Source
  • GAAP operating margin of 6.0%: Operating profit was $1,267 million, a 6.0% GAAP margin, against 7.7% a year earlier. Non-GAAP adjusted operating margin was 6.2%, against 8.2% a year earlier. Source
  • Diluted EPS of $1.02: Diluted EPS was $1.02 on a GAAP basis and $1.07 non-GAAP adjusted. GAAP results included after-tax transformation charges of $42 million, or $0.05 per share. Source
  • Full-year targets reaffirmed: The company reaffirmed full-year 2026 consolidated revenue of about $89.7 billion and non-GAAP adjusted operating margin of about 9.6%. Source
  • U.S. Domestic revenue down 2.3%: U.S. Domestic revenue was $14,125 million, down 2.3%, mainly from an expected volume decline. Operating margin was 3.6%, or 4.0% non-GAAP adjusted, against 7.0% adjusted a year earlier. Source
  • International revenue up 3.8%: International revenue was $4,540 million, up 3.8%, on a 10.7% rise in revenue per piece. Operating margin was 12.0%, or 12.1% non-GAAP adjusted. Source
  • U.S. Domestic daily volume lower: Average daily U.S. Domestic package volume was 16,040 thousand pieces in the first quarter, against 17,443 thousand a year earlier, over 62 operating days in each period. Source
  • Free cash flow of $1,280 million: Non-GAAP free cash flow was $1,280 million, against $1,487 million a year earlier. Source

“The first quarter of 2026 marked a critical transition period for UPS in which we needed to flawlessly execute several major strategic actions and we delivered.”

Carol Tomé, UPS chief executive officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Consolidated revenue SourceFull year 2026approximately $89.7 billionKept
Non-GAAP adjusted operating margin SourceFull year 2026approximately 9.6%Kept
Capital expenditures SourceFull year 2026about $3.0 billionKept
Dividend payments SourceFull year 2026around $5.4 billion, subject to board approvalKept
Effective tax rate SourceFull year 2026approximately 23.0%Kept
Network reconfiguration cost savings SourceFull year 2026, year over yearapproximately $3 billionKept
Program costs excluded from non-GAAP adjusted operating expense Source2026between $1.3 and $1.5 billionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance kept: Full-year 2026 consolidated targets, capital expenditure, dividend payments and effective tax rate were reaffirmed without change from the prior release. Source
  • New guidance: A 2026 figure for program costs excluded from non-GAAP adjusted operating expense was given. The prior release had said those expenses could not be reasonably estimated. Source
  • New: Of the expected 2026 excluded program costs, $1.2 billion is stated to relate to the Driver Choice Program, a program not named in the prior release. Source

Consolidated results and targets

  • Revenue of $21.2 billion: Consolidated revenue for the first quarter of 2026 was $21.2 billion, as stated in the press release filed with the 8-K. Source
  • GAAP operating margin of 6.0%: Operating profit was $1,267 million, a 6.0% GAAP margin, against 7.7% a year earlier. Non-GAAP adjusted operating margin was 6.2%, against 8.2% a year earlier. Source
  • Diluted EPS of $1.02: Diluted EPS was $1.02 on a GAAP basis and $1.07 non-GAAP adjusted. GAAP results included after-tax transformation charges of $42 million, or $0.05 per share. Source
  • Full-year targets reaffirmed: The company reaffirmed full-year 2026 consolidated revenue of about $89.7 billion and non-GAAP adjusted operating margin of about 9.6%. Source

Segment revenue and margins

  • U.S. Domestic revenue down 2.3%: U.S. Domestic revenue was $14,125 million, down 2.3%, mainly from an expected volume decline. Operating margin was 3.6%, or 4.0% non-GAAP adjusted, against 7.0% adjusted a year earlier. Source
  • International revenue up 3.8%: International revenue was $4,540 million, up 3.8%, on a 10.7% rise in revenue per piece. Operating margin was 12.0%, or 12.1% non-GAAP adjusted. Source
  • Supply Chain Solutions revenue down 6.5%: Supply Chain Solutions, a group of non-reportable operating segments, had revenue of $2,537 million, down 6.5%. Operating profit was $205 million, against $46 million, and non-GAAP adjusted operating margin was 8.1%. Source

“I want to thank UPSers around the world for their hard work and efforts, and for pushing our transformation forward,”

Carol Tomé, UPS chief executive officer

Volume and revenue per piece

  • U.S. Domestic daily volume lower: Average daily U.S. Domestic package volume was 16,040 thousand pieces in the first quarter, against 17,443 thousand a year earlier, over 62 operating days in each period. Source
  • Volume diversions cited as background: The transformation background lists volume diversions attributed to the 2023 labor negotiations among the circumstances behind the programs. Source
  • Planned volume decline from largest customer: Management described the U.S. Domestic revenue decline as an expected, planned volume decline tied to the largest customer, which began the Network Reconfiguration initiative. Source

Costs and transformation savings

  • Program cost savings of $600 million: The company says it achieved about $600 million of program cost savings in the first three months of 2026. Program costs to date were $599 million, including $55 million in 2026. Source
  • Transformation costs $55 million: Transformation strategy costs were $55 million in the quarter, against $58 million a year earlier. The prior-year quarter also included a $39 million goodwill and asset impairment charge. Source
  • U.S. Domestic cost per piece higher: U.S. Domestic cost per piece was $13.40 on a GAAP basis, up 9.7% from $12.22. Non-GAAP adjusted cost per piece was $13.35, up 9.5% from $12.19. Source

Cash flow and capital spending

  • Free cash flow of $1,280 million: Non-GAAP free cash flow was $1,280 million, against $1,487 million a year earlier. Source
  • Capital expenditure rose to $1,031 million: Capital expenditures were $1,031 million, against $876 million a year earlier. Proceeds from disposals of property, plant and equipment were $82 million, against $65 million. Source
  • Operating cash flow of $2,224 million: Cash flows from operating activities were $2,224 million in the first quarter, against $2,318 million a year earlier. Source

Program status and completed initiatives

  • Transformation 2.0 completed in 2025: Transformation 2.0 consisted of workforce compensation and benefit costs and consultant fees, and was completed in 2025. It recorded no charge in the first quarter of 2026. Source
  • Fit to Serve completed in 2025: Fit to Serve was aimed at a leaner operating model through a workforce reduction mainly in management. It was completed in 2025 and recorded no first-quarter 2026 charge. Source
  • Workforce and buildings reduced: Through the Network Reconfiguration and Efficiency Reimagined programs, the company reduced its operational workforce and closed some daily operations at leased and owned buildings. Source

Coming up, as management said on 28 April 2026

  • Return to growth in second quarter: Management expects consolidated revenue and operating profit growth, and adjusted operating margin expansion, in the second quarter of 2026. Source
  • Program work to conclude by 2027: The Network Reconfiguration and Efficiency Reimagined programs are expected to conclude by 2027. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Average daily U.S. Domestic package volume (thousands) Source16,040 (first quarter 2025: 17,443)
Revenue per piece, U.S. Domestic Sourceup 6.5%
Revenue per piece, International Sourceup 10.7%

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Network reconfiguration may bring further reductions in facilities, vehicles, aircraft and workforce as volumes change. Source
  • Demand: Expected volume changes in the integrated air and ground network are still under review, which may lead to more workforce reductions and building closures. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management said it needed to execute several major strategic actions in the quarter and that it delivered them. Source
  • Not stated: Consolidated targets from the January 2026 release were reaffirmed. The release gives no status on progress against them. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.