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Fly News Breaks for September 18, 2019
UPS, FDX
Sep 18, 2019 | 07:30 EDT
Morgan Stanley analyst Ravi Shanker previously believed it was too early to call a bottom for FedEx's (FDX) earnings, but he now thinks that its roughly 20% cut to its fiscal year guidance is big enough to finally call a potential bottom to earnings at the low end of the current outlook's range. However, there are still enough structural headwinds to keep earnings under pressure for a while and it is hard for him to see a path to a rebound, stating that "trough earnings alone is not a reason to buy the stock." Shanker, who is challenged to see a path to sustained growth in FY21+ for FedEx, keeps an Equal Weight rating on the stock and lowered his price target to $120 from $131. He also believes the read-across to UPS is negative given that the same cyclical pressures are at least partly applicable and he thinks the structural issues are more serious for UPS, on which Shanker keeps an Underweight rating.