(By Balachander) United Parcel Service Inc. (NYSE: UPS) posted a decline in earnings and revenue for the third quarter as operating expenses rose, and the package-delivery giant updated its 2012 forecast.
On an adjusted basis, earnings per share (EPS) fell 2.8 percent to $1.06. Net income plunged 56 percent to $469 million for the third quarter.
UPS recorded an after-tax, non-cash charge of $559 million during the quarter after the company decided to restructure pension liabilities for certain employees.
Revenue declined 0.7 percent to $13.07 billion.
Wall Street analysts, on average, expected EPS of $1.06 a share on revenue growth of 1 percent to $13.30 billion.
Operating margin contracted to 5.9 percent from 12.7 percent. On an adjusted basis, operating margin was flat with the year-ago quarter.
Consolidated volume gained 1.3 percent, with around 978 million packages delivered.
Segment wise, revenue at U.S. Domestic Package gained 1.2 percent, while International Package and Supply Chain & Freight revenue fell 3.7 percent and 3.2 percent, respectively.
Operating profit at the company's U.S. Domestic Package tumbled nearly 88 percent.
Total operating expenses increased 7 percent to $12.30 billion.
Looking ahead for 2012, UPS now sees EPS in the range of $4.55 to $4.65, from $4.50 to $4.70 projected earlier, while analysts expect $4.56.
The stock, which has been trading in the 52-week range between $66.46 and $81.79, closed Monday's regular trading at $71.56.