FedEx Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides transportation, e-commerce, and business services in the United States and internationally. It operates through FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Freight, and FedEx Services segments. The FedEx Express segment offers express transportation, small-package ground delivery, and freight transportation services; and time-critical transportation services. The FedEx Ground segment provides small-package ground delivery services. The FedEx Freight segment offers less-than-truckload freight transportation services. The FedEx Services segment provides sales, marketing, information technology, communications, customer service, technical support, billing and collection, and back-office support services. In addition, the company offers supply chain management solutions; and air and ocean freight forwarding and cargo transportation, specialty transportation, customs brokerage, third party logistics and supply chain, and document and business solutions, as well as provides trade management tools and data. The company was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee.

FedEx Corporation демонстрирует разнообразные фундаментальные метрики, которые в значительной степени определяют её текущее положение на рынке. Рентабельность компании по показателям ROE и ROA ниже медианы отрасли, что указывает на необходимость повышения эффективности использования капитала. Долговая нагрузка, выраженная через отношение долга к капиталу, превышает медиану, что может вызвать опасения у инвесторов относительно финансовой устойчивости. Дивидендная доходность отсутствует, что также может настораживать потенциальных акционеров, ожидающих регулярных выплат. Тем не менее, компания демонстрирует сильные результаты в отношении прибыли и выручки, что говорит о её способности генерировать доход. Мультипликаторы, особенно P/E и P/S, находятся ниже медианных значений, что может указывать на недооцененность акций. Таким образом, при оценке компании следует учитывать как её сильные, так и слабые стороны, что может привести к корректировке целевой цены с учетом текущих условий и динамики рынка.

FedEx Corporation

Key Points
FedEx's market cap has exceeded UPS's for the first time.
UPS has been working on a material business overhaul that is making it smaller.
Judging FedEx and UPS solely by market cap won't tell you which stock to buy.
Size can be important for many businesses because economies of scale are important in some industries. That is true in the parcel delivery business, where FedEx (NYSE: FDX) and United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS) are fierce rivals. It's notable that FedEx's market cap just surpassed UPS's, but that alone isn't enough to distinguish between these two industry leaders. Here's a closer look at which of these two stocks is the smarter buy in 2026.
FedEx and UPS are both industry giants
FedEx's market cap is around $83 billion. UPS' market cap is also around $83 billion. What's really notable here is that UPS' market cap has declined by 40% over the past five years while FedEx's market cap has increased by 15%. The divergence between these two industrial stocks is the real story, as Wall Street clearly believes that UPS isn't as valuable a business as it once was.
Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »
There's some truth in that statement, given that the company has undertaken a material business overhaul. The express goal is to become a smaller, leaner, and more nimble business. The turnaround effort has involved divesting older delivery assets, investing in new facilities and technology, and shedding employees. The company even decided to shift away from customers who ship large volumes but only offer UPS low profits on that business. FedEx has been making changes to its business, as well, but they haven't been nearly as dramatic.
Is FedEx or UPS the better buy?
UPS believes 2026 will be an inflection point in its turnaround effort, with the second half of the year stronger than the first. In 2025, there were early signs of progress as the company's revenue per piece rose in the U.S. market despite declining total revenues. That's basically what the company has been aiming for, as it refocuses on its most profitable customers and sheds assets that are less productive. If the company's financial performance continues to improve, Wall Street may be willing to afford it a higher valuation.
That brings up the discussion of valuation. FedEx currently has a price-to-sales ratio of 0.95x compared to a five-year average of 0.67x. Its price-to-earnings ratio is nearly 20x versus a five-year average of 15x. And its price-to-book ratio is 3x compared to a five-year average of 2.3x. It looks a bit expensive, historically speaking.
UPS, by comparison, looks historically cheap. Its P/S ratio is 0.97x compared to a five-year average of 1.35x. Its P/E ratio is 15x compared to a longer-term average of 17x. And its P/B ratio is 5.2x compared to a five-year average of 7.8x. While it makes sense that UPS appears relatively cheap, given the turnaround situation, that doesn't change the fact that value investors will likely find the stock more appealing than FedEx right now.
FedEx probably has more growth appeal
That said, for growth-oriented investors, buying what amounts to a turnaround stock probably doesn't make much sense. So, for some investors, FedEx is probably a more appropriate pick in 2026. Notably, FedEx just upped the low end of its guidance for fiscal 2026. That hints that the business is performing better than management had originally expected, which is clearly a good sign.
Given the massive, complex logistics networks FedEx and UPS have built, competition from outsiders isn't likely to be a major headwind. And continued growth in e-commerce should support both companies in the years ahead. Indeed, few companies can marshal the resources of an Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) to build out their own private parcel delivery services. So, in the end, both FedEx and UPS are interesting in 2026, but for different types of investors.
Should you buy stock in United Parcel Service right now?
Before you buy stock in United Parcel Service, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and United Parcel Service wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $514,000!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,105,029!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 930% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 187% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of March 14, 2026.
Reuben Gregg Brewer has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon and United Parcel Service. The Motley Fool recommends FedEx. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

FedEx Just Took UPS's Spot as the Biggest U.S. Parcel Firm. Which Stock is a Smarter Buy in 2026?

Universal Logistics (ULH) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.14 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $0.05 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.77 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.
This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +380.00%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this trucking and logistics company would post earnings of $0.18 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.24, delivering a surprise of +33.33%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times.
Universal Truckload, which belongs to the Zacks Transportation - Services industry, posted revenues of $385.43 million for the quarter ended December 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.48%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $465.13 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates just once over the last four quarters.
The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.
Universal Truckload shares have lost about 7.4% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's decline of 2.5%.
What's Next for Universal Truckload?
While Universal Truckload has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?
There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.
Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.
Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Universal Truckload was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.07 on $383.3 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $0.92 on $1.6 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.
Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Transportation - Services is currently in the bottom 16% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.
Another stock from the broader Zacks Transportation sector, FedEx (FDX), has yet to report results for the quarter ended February 2026. The results are expected to be released on March 19.
This package delivery company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $4.14 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -8.2%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 2.8% higher over the last 30 days to the current level.
FedEx's revenues are expected to be $23.58 billion, up 6.4% from the year-ago quarter.
Should You Invest in Universal Logistics Holdings, Inc. (ULH)?
Before you invest in Universal Logistics Holdings, Inc. (ULH), want to know the best stocks to buy for the next 30 days? Check out Zacks Investment Research for our free report on the 7 best stocks to buy.
Zacks Investment Research has been committed to providing investors with tools and independent research since 1978. For more than a quarter century, the Zacks Rank stock-rating system has more than doubled the S&P 500 with an average gain of +24.08% per year. (These returns cover a period from January 1, 1988 through May 6, 2024.)
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Universal Logistics (ULH) Q4 Earnings and Revenues Top Estimates

Comparing units outstanding versus one week ago at the coverage universe of ETFs at ETF Channel, the biggest inflow was seen in the BMNU ETF, which added 11,750,000 units, or a 9.2% increase week over week.
And on a percentage change basis, the ETF with the biggest increase in inflows was the U.S. Global Sea to Sky Cargo ETF, which added 300,000 units, for a 40.0% increase in outstanding units. Among the largest underlying components of SEA, in morning trading today Matson is down about 0.5%, and Fedex is lower by about 0.6%.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

BMNU, SEA: Big ETF Inflows

The market expects FedEx (FDX) to deliver a year-over-year decline in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended February 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook is important in assessing the company's earnings picture, but a powerful factor that might influence its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.
The earnings report, which is expected to be released on March 19, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.
While management's discussion of business conditions on theearnings callwill mostly determine the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations, it's worth having a handicapping insight into the odds of a positive EPS surprise.
Zacks Consensus Estimate
This package delivery company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $4.12 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -8.7%.
Revenues are expected to be $23.58 billion, up 6.4% from the year-ago quarter.
Estimate Revisions Trend
The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 1.47% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.
Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.
Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Earnings Whisper
Estimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. This insight is at the core of our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction).
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.
Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.
A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.
Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).
How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for FedEx?
For FedEx, the Most Accurate Estimate is higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of +2.84%.
On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3.
So, this combination indicates that FedEx will most likely beat the consensus EPS estimate.
Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?
While calculating estimates for a company's future earnings, analysts often consider to what extent it has been able to match past consensus estimates. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.
For the last reported quarter, it was expected that FedEx would post earnings of $4.07 per share when it actually produced earnings of $4.82, delivering a surprise of +18.43%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates three times.
Bottom Line
An earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.
That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
FedEx appears a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.
Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.
Should You Invest in FedEx Corporation (FDX)?
Before you invest in FedEx Corporation (FDX), want to know the best stocks to buy for the next 30 days? Check out Zacks Investment Research for our free report on the 7 best stocks to buy.
Zacks Investment Research has been committed to providing investors with tools and independent research since 1978. For more than a quarter century, the Zacks Rank stock-rating system has more than doubled the S&P 500 with an average gain of +24.08% per year. (These returns cover a period from January 1, 1988 through May 6, 2024.)
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

FedEx (FDX) Expected to Beat Earnings Estimates: Can the Stock Move Higher?

Navigator Holdings (NVGS) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.21 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.25 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.04 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.
This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of -16%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this transportaion company for the natural gas and and chemical industry would post earnings of $0.06 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.10, delivering a surprise of 66.67%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates just once.
Navigator Holdings, which belongs to the Zacks Transportation - Shipping industry, posted revenues of $107.52 million for the quarter ended December 2021, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 11.46%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $70.91 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates three times over the last four quarters.
The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.
Navigator Holdings shares have added about 26.7% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's decline of -10.3%.
What's Next for Navigator Holdings?
While Navigator Holdings has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?
There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.
Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.
Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Navigator Holdings: mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.28 on $99.77 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $1.38 on $403.13 million in revenues for the current fiscal year.
Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Transportation - Shipping is currently in the top 35% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.
Another stock from the same industry, Tsakos Energy (TNP), has yet to report results for the quarter ended December 2021.
This oil and gas shipping company is expected to post quarterly loss of $0.61 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +68.1%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.
Tsakos Energy's revenues are expected to be $99.63 million, up 8.6% from the year-ago quarter.
Just Released: Zacks' 7 Best Stocks for Today
Experts extracted 7 stocks from the list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys that has beaten the market more than 2X over with a stunning average gain of +25.4% per year.
These 7 were selected because of their superior potential for immediate breakout.
See these time-sensitive tickers now >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
Navigator Holdings Ltd. (NVGS): Free Stock Analysis Report
Tsakos Energy Navigation Ltd (TNP): Free Stock Analysis Report
To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
Zacks Investment Research
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Navigator Holdings (NVGS) Lags Q4 Earnings Estimates

Among the underlying components of the S&P 500 index, we saw noteworthy options trading volume today in Palantir Technologies Inc (Symbol: PLTR), where a total of 517,793 contracts have traded so far, representing approximately 51.8 million underlying shares. That amounts to about 89.4% of PLTR's average daily trading volume over the past month of 57.9 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $155 strike call option expiring March 06, 2026, with 55,645 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 5.6 million underlying shares of PLTR. Below is a chart showing PLTR's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $155 strike highlighted in orange:
Super Micro Computer Inc (Symbol: SMCI) options are showing a volume of 202,763 contracts thus far today. That number of contracts represents approximately 20.3 million underlying shares, working out to a sizeable 69.3% of SMCI's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 29.3 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $32.50 strike call option expiring March 13, 2026, with 21,194 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 2.1 million underlying shares of SMCI. Below is a chart showing SMCI's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $32.50 strike highlighted in orange:
And FedEx Corp (Symbol: FDX) options are showing a volume of 11,689 contracts thus far today. That number of contracts represents approximately 1.2 million underlying shares, working out to a sizeable 65.7% of FDX's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 1.8 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $180 strike call option expiring March 20, 2026, with 1,000 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 100,000 underlying shares of FDX. Below is a chart showing FDX's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $180 strike highlighted in orange:
For the various different available expirations for PLTR options, SMCI options, or FDX options, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.
Also see:
SCH Videos
MR Insider Buying
Funds Holding AJAX
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Noteworthy Friday Option Activity: PLTR, SMCI, FDX

Key Points
Sector tailwinds were one factor in boosting FedEx shares last month.
The stock is one of the top five holdings in two large transportations ETFs.
FedEx has four strategic priorities to meet 2029 financial goals.
FedEx (NYSE: FDX) shareholders have had a good last year. The stock has rocketed nearly 50% higher over the past 12 months. Much of that came just last month, though. There were both sector and company-specific reasons for the February move.
FedEx stock jumped 20.1% last month alone, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence.
Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »
Sector tailwinds
As investors shift their focus from technology stocks to industrials, names like FedEx benefit. The global courier delivery company's stock was among the top five holdings of two leading transportation sector exchange-traded funds (ETFs) as of February 2026. The ETFs, iShares U.S. Transportation ETF and SPDR S&P Transportation ETF, hold about $1.5 billion in combined assets under management.
Last month marked a period when investors began to sour on big tech names amid fears of overspending on artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. Investors moved money into FedEx as the company sought to recoup tariff-related costs after the Supreme Court ruled some of President Trump's tariffs were illegally implemented. FedEx was among thousands of companies petitioning the U.S. Court of International Trade in Manhattan for tariff refunds levied by President Donald Trump last year, according to Reuters.
FedEx has a plan
Another thing impacting FedEx stock last month was its Investor Day presentation held on Feb. 12. The company is focusing on achieving premium growth in high-margin sectors, enhancing its digital and AI capabilities, and continuing to transform its network, aiming to significantly boost profits and create value for shareholders. FedEx CEO Raj Subramaniam summed up his vision this way:
FedEx is now entering a new era as we build the most flexible, efficient, and intelligent network in history. Our vision is simple: to make supply chains smarter for everyone...What sets this moment apart is the role of digital intelligence. This is a true force multiplier that will support durable value with profitable growth, higher margins, stronger cash generation, and increased returns for our stockholders.
FedEx is taking a four-pronged approach. It will focus on higher margin commercial business, including "premium B2B and specialized B2C segments." The company will also work to advance its data and technology systems, focus on Europe as its most significant international opportunity, and continue to drive efficiency gains.
The company has already made progress, raising fiscal 2026 revenue and earnings guidance in December. It is also on track to spin off its FedEx Freight division on June 1, 2026. The Investor Day presentation also included a note for investors to expect its upcoming fiscal third-quarter earnings results to beat consensus expectations. It appears FedEx has the wind at its back right now, helping explain the stock's strong February trajectory.
Should you buy stock in FedEx right now?
Before you buy stock in FedEx, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and FedEx wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $523,599!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,118,640!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 951% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 194% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of March 3, 2026.
Howard Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends FedEx. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Why Did FedEx Stock Surge 20% in February?

Key Points
These stocks are deemed to have heavy assets and low obsolescence, aka HALO.
Coca-Cola and McDonald's are great examples of HALO stocks.
So are ExxonMobil and heavy equipment makers like Caterpillar and Deere.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is beginning to disrupt the economy -- and the stock market -- in a major way. There was a major sell-off in the market, and in tech stocks in particular, on Monday, Feb. 23, due to growing anxieties about the potential damage AI could do to individual companies and industries, and -- perhaps more concerning -- to the economy more broadly.
AI start-up Anthropic announced that its Claude Code tool could modernize COBOL coding language, which is a major asset of International Business Machines. That sent shares of IBM down 13% on the day, its worst single-day loss since 2000.
Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »
In addition, over the previous weekend Citrini Research issued a note about a possible scenario -- two years from now -- when AI's displacement of jobs has sent the unemployment rate above 10% and aggregate demand in the economy has begun to plummet.
If, like me, you read a lot of investing and macroeconomic commentary, you know the Citrini report was seemingly all anyone was writing about early in the week. The authors emphasized that what they described was a scenario, not a prediction, but it spooked markets nonetheless and the S&P 500 index fell 1% on the day.
Investors are seeking stocks not vulnerable to AI
As a result of growing concerns about the impact of AI, some investors have begun to seek out so-called HALO stocks. HALO stands for "heavy assets, low obsolescence," and it is a group of stocks deemed to be less vulnerable to disruption by AI. In fact, some of these companies may become more profitable thanks to AI.
So, what kinds of stocks are deemed to be HALO? Well, they range widely. Think of companies that can't immediately be replaced or diminished by AI, and you're thinking HALO stocks. Financial commentator and writer Josh Brown, who coined the acronym, says HALO companies are those that are "undisruptable companies from an AI standpoint."
He points to ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) as a great example, in addition to energy stocks more broadly. They have significant heavy assets that AI cannot replace or replicate, and they may even benefit from efficiencies AI can offer.
Some other potential HALO stocks mentioned in the media include fast food giant McDonald's (NYSE: MCD), delivery firm FedEx (NYSE: FDX), beverage behemoth Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO), construction and agriculture equipment makers Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT) and Deere (NYSE: DE). Those five stocks are among the best performers in the S&P 500 this year, while IBM is down 20% year to date, and stocks of software makers are plunging.
Of course, there are many more such companies that could be characterized as less vulnerable to displacement or obsolescence as a result of AI. They may be worth a look.
Should you buy stock in ExxonMobil right now?
Before you buy stock in ExxonMobil, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and ExxonMobil wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $519,015!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,086,211!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 941% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 194% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of February 28, 2026.
Matthew Benjamin has positions in Deere & Company and FedEx. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Caterpillar, Deere & Company , and International Business Machines. The Motley Fool recommends FedEx. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

What are HALO Stocks and Should You Invest in Them This Year?

What we’ve been seeing in the stock market, as of Feb. 10th, 2026, is the textbook definition of a "Great Rotation"—a shift in market leadership where the baton is being passed from the hyper-growth "Artificial Intelligence" stars to the broader, "real economy" sectors. Our Chief Equity Strategist and Economist, John Blank, is here now to he us understand this better.
1. Why has this been happening?
2. Have the tech stocks, especially the Mag 7, had their day in the sun?
3. There’s also a relationship here to the 10year Treasury yield. What’s that?
4. As I understand it, this divergence between the S&P 500 Value and Growth indices relative to their 50-day moving average, is a technical indicator correct? And what does it indicate regarding the market?
5. What’s the Bull case for this?
6. What’s the Bear case?
7. How long will this market trend remain in play
8. Published reports show the U.S. stock market currently underperforming global markets. How much of a concern is that?
9. What’s the bottom line for investors?
10. Three Value Stocks you’ve been watching include Barclays BCS, FedEx FDX and Tokio Marine TKOMY.
Our Chief Equity Strategist and Economist, John Blank, on the Great Rotation.
With John, I’m Terry Ruffolo.
Just Released: Zacks Top 10 Stocks for 2026
Hurry – you can still get in early on our 10 top tickers for 2026. Handpicked by Zacks Director of Research Sheraz Mian, this portfolio has been stunningly and consistently successful.
From inception in 2012 through November, 2025, the Zacks Top 10 Stocks gained +2,530.8%, more than QUADRUPLING the S&P 500’s +570.3%.
Sheraz has combed through 4,400 companies covered by the Zacks Rank and handpicked the best 10 to buy and hold in 2026. You can still be among the first to see these just-released stocks with enormous potential.
See New Top 10 Stocks >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
Barclays PLC (BCS) : Free Stock Analysis Report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

What is the "Great Rotation"?

Investors in FedEx Corp (Symbol: FDX) saw new options begin trading today, for the April 10th expiration. At Stock Options Channel, our YieldBoost formula has looked up and down the FDX options chain for the new April 10th contracts and identified one put and one call contract of particular interest.
The put contract at the $385.00 strike price has a current bid of $16.65. If an investor was to sell-to-open that put contract, they are committing to purchase the stock at $385.00, but will also collect the premium, putting the cost basis of the shares at $368.35 (before broker commissions). To an investor already interested in purchasing shares of FDX, that could represent an attractive alternative to paying $387.79/share today.
Because the $385.00 strike represents an approximate 1% discount to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the put contract would expire worthless. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 56%. Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change, publishing a chart of those numbers on our website under the contract detail page for this contract. Should the contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 4.32% return on the cash commitment, or 36.75% annualized — at Stock Options Channel we call this the YieldBoost.
Below is a chart showing the trailing twelve month trading history for FedEx Corp, and highlighting in green where the $385.00 strike is located relative to that history:
Turning to the calls side of the option chain, the call contract at the $390.00 strike price has a current bid of $17.50. If an investor was to purchase shares of FDX stock at the current price level of $387.79/share, and then sell-to-open that call contract as a "covered call," they are committing to sell the stock at $390.00. Considering the call seller will also collect the premium, that would drive a total return (excluding dividends, if any) of 5.08% if the stock gets called away at the April 10th expiration (before broker commissions). Of course, a lot of upside could potentially be left on the table if FDX shares really soar, which is why looking at the trailing twelve month trading history for FedEx Corp, as well as studying the business fundamentals becomes important. Below is a chart showing FDX's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $390.00 strike highlighted in red:
Considering the fact that the $390.00 strike represents an approximate 1% premium to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the covered call contract would expire worthless, in which case the investor would keep both their shares of stock and the premium collected. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 48%. On our website under the contract detail page for this contract, Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change and publish a chart of those numbers (the trading history of the option contract will also be charted). Should the covered call contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 4.51% boost of extra return to the investor, or 38.34% annualized, which we refer to as the YieldBoost.
The implied volatility in the put contract example is 38%, while the implied volatility in the call contract example is 37%.
Meanwhile, we calculate the actual trailing twelve month volatility (considering the last 251 trading day closing values as well as today's price of $387.79) to be 32%. For more put and call options contract ideas worth looking at, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.
Also see:
CLR Historical Stock Prices
Institutional Holders of HPAC
Funds Holding MATL
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

FedEx Corporation

Sign up and unlock all the capabilities of the AI-screener