Financial Analysis of

United States Postal Service

Financial Results and 10-K Statement

Fiscal Year 2014

April 1, 2015

Contents

Purpose of this Report ........................................................................................................................................1

Financial Facts at a Glance.................................................................................................................................2

Chapter 1. Report Overview .............................................................................................................................3

Financial Changes.............................................................................................................................................3

Other Highlights................................................................................................................................................5

Chapter 2. Postal Service Financial Status ..................................................................................................6

Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................6

Income Statement Analysis ..........................................................................................................................6

Revenues Compared with Prior Year..............................................................................................8

Expense Analysis Compared with Prior Year ........................................................................... 10

Personnel Expenses ............................................................................................................................ 11

Non-Personnel Expenses.................................................................................................................. 17

Comparison to the Postal Service Operating Plan .................................................................. 19

Balance Sheet Analysis................................................................................................................................ 19

Assets........................................................................................................................................................ 23

Liabilities................................................................................................................................................. 24

Debt and Cash Flow Analysis.................................................................................................................... 25

Chapter 3. Volumes, Revenues, and Cost Trends................................................................................... 28

Overview........................................................................................................................................................... 28

Overall Volume, Revenue, and Costs Trends ...................................................................................... 28

Market Dominant Products and Services................................................................................... 28

Market Dominant Volume Trends................................................................................................. 29

Market Dominant Revenue and Cost Trends ............................................................................ 30

Attributable Costs................................................................................................................................ 31

Institutional Costs................................................................................................................................ 34

Competitive Products and Services .............................................................................................. 39

Market Dominant Volume, Revenue, and Costs Trends by Class ............................................... 41

First-Class Mail ..................................................................................................................................... 41
First-Class Mail Letters Compared with FY 2013 ................................................................... 41

First-Class Mail Flats Compared with FY 2013........................................................................ 44

Standard Mail ........................................................................................................................................ 47

Standard Mail Letters Compared with FY 2013 ...................................................................... 48

Standard Mail Flats Compared with FY 2013........................................................................... 50

Periodicals .............................................................................................................................................. 53

Periodicals Compared with FY 2013............................................................................................ 53

Package Services .................................................................................................................................. 56

Market Dominant Services............................................................................................................... 58

Competitive Volume, Revenue, and Costs by Product .................................................................... 59

Chapter 4. Profitability, Solvency, Activity, and Financial Stability................................................ 63

Introduction .................................................................................................................................................... 63

Ratio Analysis........................................................................................................................................ 63

Key Ratios ............................................................................................................................................... 63

Altman Z-Score ..................................................................................................................................... 67

Trend Analysis ...................................................................................................................................... 69

Working Capital Analysis.................................................................................................................. 71

Liquidity Ratios .................................................................................................................................... 71

Appendix A. FY 2014 Volume, Revenue, Cost, and Cost Coverage by Class, Current 

Classification (Products)................................................................................................................................. 73

Appendix B. Acronyms..................................................................................................................................... 76
1 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

Purpose of this Report

Prior to Fiscal Year (FY) 2013, the Postal Regulatory Commission’s Annual Compliance

Determination (ACD) included a chapter on the overall financial health of the Postal Service.

In the ACD, the Commission analyzed data, including total volumes, revenues, costs, and

contribution to institutional costs by product, and reviewed the Postal Service’s financial

highlights and challenges. However, the report did not include an analysis of relevant

financial data provided in the Postal Service’s Form 10-K1 filing and Annual Compliance

Report (ACR). As a result, the Commission developed a separate Financial Analysis report to

include components needed to provide greater clarity, transparency, and accountability.

The Financial Analysis provides a review of the Postal Service’s FY 2014 financial and

operating results. It primarily uses information gathered from the FY 2014 Form 10-K and

measures it against FY 2013 and the FY 2014 Integrated Financial Plan. The Cost and

Revenue Analysis report, the Cost Segments and Components report, and the Revenue, Pieces,

and Weight report are also used to develop and analyze the FY 2014 financial results. In

addition, the Commission’s analysis of reports filed under its Periodic Data Reporting rules

(Title 39 of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 3050.28) provide a broad

understanding of the Postal Service’s FY 2014 financial statements.

Appendix A of this report includes the volumes, revenues, attributable costs, and

contribution to institutional costs for FY 2014 by product. It is available in two library

references: a public version, Library Reference PRC–LR–ACR2014/1, and a non-public

version, Library Reference PRC–LR–ACR2014/NP1. Additionally, Library Reference PRC–

LR–ACR2014/2 details the data and calculations used to prepare the financial ratios

highlighted in Chapter 4.

 

1

The Form 10-K consists of the Income Statement, the Balance Sheet, Changes in Net Deficiency, and Cash Flow Statement.
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 2

Financial Facts at a Glance

 In FY 2014, the Postal Service recorded its eighth consecutive financial loss, bringing

the total net deficit since FY 2007 to $51.7 billion. This growing net deficit has

negatively affected liquidity, depleted available borrowing capacity, and resulted in

net liabilities far exceeding net assets. The Postal Service’s total net loss of $5.5

billion in FY 2014 exceeded the net loss recorded in FY 2013 by $500 million. This is

primarily due to increases in workers’ compensation costs and Retiree Health

Benefit Fund (RHBF) payments.

 In FY 2014, the Postal Service also recorded a $1.4 billion net operating income, its 

first since FY 2008. The net operating income reflects the financial results of total

revenues without any prior period adjustments and without any non-operational

expenses, such as retiree health benefits and workers’ compensation.

 First-Class revenue was $29.6 billion, a 0.5 percent increase over FY 2013. Standard

Mail revenue was $17.5 billion, a 3 percent increase over FY 2013. Consumer price 

index (CPI) cap rate increases and the Market Dominant exigent rate surcharge

resulted in higher revenues. The rate increases and surcharges were implemented

in the second quarter of FY 2014 and were the primary reasons for the

improvement in the net operating income. Reductions in work hours and average

hourly compensation rates lowered operating costs and also contributed to the

improved net operating income.

 The volume and revenue of Competitive products both increased by more than 10

percent in FY 2014. The contribution to institutional costs from Competitive

products was $4.3 billion, $0.5 billion higher than in FY 2013. However, Competitive

products constitute only 2 percent of total volumes and generate a lower markup

than First-Class Mail. Although operating net income improved and Standard Mail

volume increased in 3 of the last 5 years, the steady decline in volume from FirstClass Mail—the Postal Service’s most profitable product—continues to affect overall

revenue and jeopardizes the Postal Service's ability to cover total costs.

Using a qualitative assessment of the Postal Service’s finances, the Commission has

determined that:

 Postal Service liquidity is insufficient to significantly improve operational efficiency.

 Liquid assets (current assets) are insufficient to meet the payment of current

liabilities.

 The Postal Service has no further access to borrowing under current law.
3 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

Chapter 1. Report Overview

Financial Changes

The Postal Service has made significant efforts to reduce operating expenses and improve

efficiency to ensure expenses are better aligned with mail volumes. Operating losses have

declined since FY 2011, resulting in the first operating income since FY 2008. Lower than

expected declines in First-Class Mail volume, coupled with implementation of the Market

Dominant CPI cap rate increase and the exigent rate surcharge, contributed significantly to

FY 2014 net operating income.

Figure I-1 shows the net income or loss results for the last 10 years, both with and without

non-operating expenses. The Commission considers the non-cash adjustments to workers’

compensation and the payment to the RHBF as non-operating expenses.

2

Figure I-1

Postal Service Net Income/Loss ($ Millions)

Note: Non-operating expenses include all non-cash workers’ compensation costs and the accrued payment to the RHBF.

Source: Postal Service Forms 10-K and Postal Service Annual Reports.

Continuing losses have eroded the Postal Service’s liquidity significantly. The Postal Service

reached its $15 billion statutory borrowing limit in FY 2012. The net book value of its 

assets remains significantly lower than its liabilities, and it has been unable to make the

statutorily required payments to the RHBF for the last 4 years. Capital spending on assets is

constrained to those expenditures considered essential for the continuance of operations.

 

2

The Postal Service refers to these non-operational expenses as “non-controllable factors” and the net operating income/(loss) as a 

“controllable income/(loss).” Postal Service Form 10-K at 14.
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 4

The Postal Service has implemented several cost reduction programs in an effort to

conserve or increase liquidity. These cost reductions include reducing work hours and the

number of career employees by closing and consolidating mail processing facilities under

the Postal Service’s Network Rationalization Initiative, which is also associated with

revisions to Market Dominant products service standards. The Postal Service also has

reduced post office hours, reduced the number of delivery routes, and consolidated

delivery offices.3 Other cost reductions include, where feasible, the substitution of highway

transportation for air transportation.4

Figure I-2 compares the percentage change in volume with the percentage change in

attributable costs. In FY 2013, the percentage decline in attributable costs5 exceeded the

percentage decline in mail volume. In all years except FY 2013, the percentage decline in

mail volume exceeds the change in attributable costs. In FY 2014, total attributable costs

remained nearly the same as in FY 2013. However, mail volume continued to decline.

Figure I-2

Mail Volume and Attributable Cost Percentage Change from Prior Year

Source: Postal Service Cost and Revenue Analysis, FY 2004-FY 2014.

 

3

Postal Service FY 2014 Form 10-K at 31.

4

Id. at 29.

5

Attributable costs are direct and indirect Postal Service costs that can be clearly associated with a particular mail product. It is the sum of 

volume-variable cost plus product-specific cost. United States Postal Service Glossary of Postal Terms at 19.
5 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

Other Highlights

Other highlights for FY 2014 include:

 The volume of First-Class Mail continues to decline steadily while the volume

declines in Standard Mail appear to have stabilized.

 Total Market Dominant products’ revenue increased 0.6 percent.

 Total Competitive products’ revenue increased 11.2 percent.

 For the seventh consecutive year, certain products did not cover their attributable

costs and generated a total negative contribution of $1.1 billion.

 Total expenses increased $1.1 billion, although total attributable costs decreased.

 The average unit attributable costs have declined over the past 5 years, while the

average unit total costs have increased.

 The percentage of total costs that are considered institutional costs is increasing.

 Volume, revenue, and contribution to institutional costs from Competitive products

have doubled since FY 2007.
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 6

Chapter 2. Postal Service Financial Status

Introduction

This chapter analyzes the Postal Service’s financial status. It evaluates relationships

between the essential components of the Postal Service’s financial statements in order to

obtain a better understanding of the Postal Service’s viability, stability, and profitability.

The chapter begins with an overview of the Postal Service’s Form 10-K report for FY 2014.

As noted above, Form 10-K consists of the Income Statement, the Balance Sheet, Changes in

Net Deficiency, and Cash Flow Statement. The Income Statement measures the Postal

Service’s financial performance (profit and loss) over a 1-year period; the Balance Sheet

summarizes the Postal Service’s assets and liabilities at the end of each fiscal year; the

Changes in Net Deficiency Statement combines the accumulated net deficit from operations

and initial capital contributions; and the Cash Flow Statement measures the Postal

Service’s intake and outflow of cash during the fiscal year.

The Commission’s review of the Postal Service’s accounting information in this report

involves an analysis of the financial statements for FY 2013 and FY 2014. The Commission

examines various factors that affect the Postal Service’s financial status, and discusses

operational status and allocation of resources. To provide a basis for comparison, the

Commission has selected key financial data from past fiscal years.

The Income Statement analysis reviews overall income and loss, and compares revenues

and expenses to those reported last year. Additionally, the Postal Service’s FY 2014

Operating Plan is assessed against FY 2014 Net Operating Income to ascertain whether its 

targets have been met.

The Balance Sheet analysis begins with a discussion of the changes in the total net

deficiency, which occurs because Postal Service liabilities exceed assets. The remainder of

the section summarizes the Postal Service’s assets and liabilities at the end of the fiscal

year.

The Debt and Cash Flow section analyzes the Postal Service’s intake and outflow of cash

during the year.

Income Statement Analysis

To conduct a detailed financial analysis of the Postal Service’s Income Statement, the

Commission separately identifies elements of the reported operating revenues and

operating expenses. In FY 2013, the Postal Service made a $1.3 billion adjustment to total

Market Dominant revenue to recognize revenue omitted from a recalculation of the usage

of Forever stamps included in Postage in the Hands of the Public during the past years.
7 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

There was no similar extraordinary adjustment in FY 2014. For comparison purposes, in

the FY 2013 column in Table II-1 below, this $1.3 billion adjustment is subtracted from

operating revenue and added back after the Net Income (Loss) from Operations to

reconcile the Net Loss reported in the Postal Service FY 2014 Form 10-K. Operating

expenses are adjusted to exclude the payment to the RHBF and the non-cash adjustments

to the workers’ compensation liability. However, those adjustments and expenses are

properly recognized as accounting entries; they are broken out to show an in-depth

analysis of the financial results for FY 2014. Table II-1 represents the Commission’s Income 

Statement breakdown.

Table II-1

Postal Service Income Statement Restated to Facilitate Analysis, FY 2014 and FY 2013

($ Millions)

FY 2014 FY 2013 Variance FY 2014

Plan

Variance

from Plan

Operating revenue as reported by the Postal

Service $67,831 $67,318 $513 $67,980 $(149)

Less: Adjustment for postage related to

Forever stamps

– (1,316) 1,316 –

Net Operating Revenue 67,831 66,002 1,829 67,980 (149)

Operating expense as reported by the Postal

Service 73,178 72,128 1,050 72,362 816

Less: statutory accrual into RHBF (5,700) (5,600) (100) (5,700) –

Non-cash change to workers’ compensation

liability (1,182) 311 (1,493) - (1,182)

Net Operating Expense 66,296 66,839 (543) 66,662 (366)

Interest income 24 24 (0) 23 1

Interest expense 184 191 (7) 194 (10)

Net Income (Loss) from Operations 1,375 (1,004) 2,379 1,147 228

Adjustment for postage related to Forever

stamps

– 1,316 (1,316) – –

Statutory accrual into RHBF 5,700 5,600 100 5,700 –

Non-cash change to workers’ compensation

liability 1,182 (311) 1,493 – 1,182

Net Loss $(5,507) $(4,977) $(530) $(4,553) $(954)

Source: Postal Service National Trial Balance, September 2014, November 24, 2014; Postal Service National Trial Balance, September 2013, 

November 15, 2013; Postal Service FY 2014 Integrated Financial Plan, November 25, 2013.

The Postal Service recorded a net operating income of almost $1.4 billion in FY 2014. This

is $2.4 billion higher than the operating loss of $1 billion recorded in FY 2013. Revenue

increases of $1.8 billion resulted from the Market Dominant6 and Competitive products

price7 increases in addition to an exigent rate surcharge8 on Market Dominant prices.

 

6

Docket No. R2013-10, Order Approving Amendments to Notice of Market Dominant Price Adjustment, December 11, 2013 (Order No. 1902).

7

Docket No. CP2014-5, Order Approving Changes in Rates in General Applicability for Competitive Products, December 12, 2013 (Order No. 

1903).

8

Docket No. R2013-11, Order Granting Exigent Price Increase, December 24, 2013 (Order No. 1926).
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 8

Operating expenses were lower by $0.5 billion in FY 2014, primarily driven by a decrease

in costs for compensation and benefits.

After accounting for the non-cash adjustment to the workers’ compensation liability and

the RHBF payment, the $1.4 billion net operating income becomes a total net loss of $5.5

billion. This figure is $0.5 billion greater than the total net loss in FY 2013. The increase in

the total net loss is driven primarily by the decrease in the workers’ compensation discount

rate in FY 2014. This resulted in a $1.5 billion increase in the non-cash adjustment to the

workers’ compensation liability.

Revenues Compared with Prior Year

This section discusses overall revenue by class for Market Dominant and Competitive Mail.

Chapter 3 presents a more detailed discussion of revenues by class.

Table II-2 reflects FY 2014 and FY 2013 revenue by mail class.

Table II-2

Revenue by Market Dominant Mail Class, FY 2014 and FY 2013 ($ Millions)

FY 2014 FY 2013 $ Variance % Variance

First-Class Mail $29,568 $29,428 $140 0.5%

Standard Mail 17,497 16,985 511 3.0%

Periodicals 1,625 1,658 (33) -2.0%

Package Services 836 1,136 (299) -26.3%

Other 2,060 2,046 (5) -0.2%

Total Market Dominant Mail 51,586 51,254 333 0.6%

Change in estimate of prepaid postage – 1,316 (1,316) -100.0%

Total Adjusted Market Dominant Revenue $51,586 $52,569 $(983) -1.9%

Source: Library Reference PRC–LR–ACR2014/1, Postal Service Revenue, Pieces and Weight Report, FY 2013.

Total Market Dominant revenues from operations increased 0.6 percent from FY 2013. The

large decline in Package Services revenue, which affected the total revenue for Market

Dominant products, is due to the transfer of Single-Piece Parcel Post from the Market

Dominant product list to the Competitive product list in FY 2012, effective as of January 27,

2013.9 Total revenue increased for both First-Class and Standard Mail despite the

reduction in mail volume. The increases in revenue stem mainly from the CPI-based rate

increases and the additional exigent rate surcharge, which became effective on January 26,

2014.

 

9

Docket No. MC2012-13, Order Conditionally Granting Request to Transfer Parcel Post to the Competitive Product List, July 20, 2012 (Order No. 

1411).
9 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

As shown in Figure II-1, the average revenue per piece10 in FY 2014 grew significantly and

covered the loss in revenue due to declines in mail volume. In the 5 years previous to FY

2014, the change in revenue per piece was not sufficient to offset the loss of revenue due to

volume declines.

Figure II-1

Change in Revenue Due to Changes

in Average Revenue per Piece and Total Mail Volumes

Note: Change in revenues does not include fees assigned to each class or other Market Dominant revenue.

Source: Postal Regulatory Commission derived from Postal Service Revenue, Pieces and Weight Reports, FY 2009-2014.

The exigent rate surcharge significantly increased revenue over FY 2013. Table II-3 (next 

page) shows a total of $2 billion in additional revenue generated from increases in average

revenue per piece. The exigent rate surcharge accounted for almost $1.3 billion of the

increase.

Table II-4 on the next page compares revenues for Competitive products between FY 2014 

and FY 2013. Overall, Competitive products’ revenue increased $1.5 billion from FY 2013, a 

11.2 percent increase. Both increasing volume and the Competitive product price increase 

(effective January 27, 2014) contributed to the higher revenue. Of the total $1.5 billion of 

increased revenue, slightly less than $1 billion resulted from increased Competitive 

product volume. The revenue of only two products, Priority Mail Express (formerly Express 

Mail) and Competitive International Mail, declined due to volume losses. Total revenue 

increased for every other Competitive product.

 

10 The change in revenue per piece can be affected by more than just rate changes. Changes in mail mix, average weight per piece, and, in the 

case of Periodicals, changes in the editorial/advertising content, can influence the overall average revenue per piece. Generally, however, rate 

changes are the predominant factor affecting changes in revenue per piece.
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 10

Table II-3

Disaggregation of Change in Market Dominant Revenue ($ Millions)

Increase in

Revenue from

Revenue/Piece

Revenue

from Exigent

Surcharge

Increase in

Revenue from

Other Change

Revenue/Piece

Decrease in

Revenue from

Volume

Change in

Revenue

First-Class Mail $1,120,980 $745,944 $375,037 $(1,008,881) $112,099

Standard Mail 745,837 481,746 264,090 (235,201) 511,469

Periodicals 51,056 42,437 8,619 (83,739) (32,824)

Package Services 41,430 22,367 19,063 (339,783) (298,574)

Total $1,959,302 $1,292,494 $666,809 $(1,667,603) $292,170

Note: Revenue change figures do not include revenue changes for Ancillary and Special Services.

Source: Library Reference PRC–LR–ACR2014/1, Notice of the United States Postal Service of Filing Revenue Collection Report for Quarter 4 of

Fiscal Year 2014, November 18, 2014, file ExigSrchgRevCUMULATIVE(2Q+3Q+4Q14).xls, tab Summary Total through Quarter 4 FY 2014.

Table II-4

Revenue for Competitive Products ($ Millions)

FY 2014 FY 2013 $ Variance % Variance

Priority Mail $6,884 $6,374 $510 8.0%

Total Ground 3,160 2,469 691 28.0%

First-Class Packages 1,462 1,192 270 22.7%

Priority Mail Express 760 794 (34) -4.3%

International 2,319 2,222 96 4.3%

Other 695 689 6 0.9%

Total $15,280 $13,741 $1,539 11.2%

Source: Library Reference PRC–LR–ACR2014/1, Postal Service Revenue, Pieces and Weight Report, FY 2013.

Expense Analysis Compared with Prior Year

As shown in Table II-5 on the next page, total expenses, including the non-operational

expense for the payment to the RHBF and the non-cash adjustments to the workers’

compensation liability, increased 1.5 percent, or $1.1 billion, in FY 2014 over FY 2013. The

primary driver for the increase was the non-cash adjustment to workers’ compensation

liability. Actuarial adjustments to past cases and fluctuations in interest rates are the 

primary cause of the increases or decreases in the liability. A reduction in interest rates 

over 2014 resulted in most of the increase in the liability adjustment, and accounted for the 

entire increase in total workers’ compensation expenses.

11

Personnel expenses include workers’ compensation, retirement, and health benefit 

expenses. In addition, personnel expenses reflect certain system-wide benefit expenses, 

such as the cash payment for workers’ compensation and the current year’s annuitant 

health benefit premiums. These account for 68.8 percent of all expenses. Total personnel 

 

11 Postal Service FY 2014 Form 10-K at 29.
11 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

and personnel-related expenses, including the non-operating personnel expenses of the 

RHBF payment and the non-cash adjustment to the workers’ compensation liability, 

account for 78.2 percent of total operating expenses.

Table II-5

Total Expenses, FY 2014 and FY 2013 ($ Millions)

FY 2014 FY 2013 $ Variance % Variance

Compensation and Benefits Expenses

Salaries and benefits $45,674 $46,327 $(653) -1.4%

Workers’ compensation 1,372 1,372 – 0.0%

Annuitant health benefits—current payment 2,985 2,850 136 4.8%

Other personnel-related 326 380 (55) -14.3%

Subtotal of Personnel Expenses 50,357 50,929 (572) -1.1%

Transportation 6,586 6,735 (149) -2.2%

Other expenses 9,353 9,174 179 1.9%

Total Operating Expenses 66,296 66,838 (542) -0.8%

System-Wide Personnel Expenses

Workers’ compensation non-cash adjustments 1,182 (311) 1,493 -480.1%

Statutory accrual into RHBF 5,700 5,600 100 1.8%

Total Expenses $73,178 $72,127 $1,051 1.5%

Source: Postal Service National Trial Balance, September 2014, November 24, 2014; Postal Service National Trial Balance, September 2013, 

November 15, 2013.

Purchased transportation expenses, which declined almost $0.2 billion, account for 9

percent of total expenses and decreased 2.2 percent from last year. The remaining 12.8

percent of expenses is attributable to other expenses, which include depreciation, rents and

utilities, and supplies and services. This final category rose $179 million, 1.9 percent more 

than last year.

PERSONNEL EXPENSES

Figure II-2 (next page) shows the composition of various elements of personnel costs.

Compensation accounts for the largest portion of personnel expenses, representing 61.3

percent of total personnel costs. Retirement benefits are the next largest component, at

25.2 percent of total personnel expenses.

Expenses related to retirement, exclusive of retiree health benefits, comprise 10.1 percent 

of total personnel expenses and include costs for the Federal Employees Retirement 

System, the Civil Service Retirement System, and Social Security.

Retiree health benefit expenses consisting of the current year premiums for annuitant 

health benefits and the statutory RHBF payments are the second largest subcategory, 

accounting for 15.1 percent of total personnel expenses.
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 12

Figure II-2

Personnel Expenses, FY 2014 and FY 2013

Source: Postal Service National Trial Balance, September 2014, November 24, 2014.

Table II-6 shows that total compensation for FY 2014 was $526 million lower than in FY

2013. Employee separation incentives totaling $336 million were paid in FY 2013 and

constitute 63.9 percent of the reduction in compensation expenses in FY 2014. The

remaining $190 million difference results from a decrease of approximately 2.3 million

work hours and the increasing use of non-career employees.

Table II-6

Breakdown of Total Personnel Expenses ($ Millions)

FY 2014 FY 2013 $ Variance % Variance

Total compensation $35,113 $35,639 $(526) -1.5%

Retirement 5,758 5,738 20 0.3%

Health benefits—current employees 4,804 4,951 (147) -3.0%

Workers’ compensation 1,372 1,372 – 0.0%

Retiree health benefits—current year premiums 2,985 2,850 136 4.8%

Other compensation 326 379 (54) -14.2%

Total Personnel Expenses 50,357 50,929 (572) -1.1%

Less: Statutory accrual into RHBF 5,700 5,600 100 1.8%

Non-cash change to workers’ compensation liability 1,182 (311) 1,493 -480.1%

Subtotal Personnel Expenses (Table II-5) $57,239 $56,218 $1,021 1.8%

Source: Postal Service National Trial Balance, September 2014, November 24, 2014; Postal Service National Trial Balance, September 2013,

November 15, 2013.
13 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

The number of lower-paid non-career employees has increased substantially over the last 2 

years; the number of career full- and part-time employees continues to decline, but at a 

slower pace than last year. Increased demand for parcels and increased maintenance needs 

have contributed to the smaller reductions in employee levels. As shown in Table II-7, the 

significant reduction in career employees in FY 2013 was caused in large part by a 

separation incentive offered to employees represented by the American Postal Workers 

Union. The incentive did not extend into FY 2014. While implementation of the Post Office 

Structure Plan12 resulted in a separation incentive for Postmasters in FY 2014, the rate of 

reduction in career employees over the past few years slowed significantly in FY 2014.

Table II-7

Postal Service Employee Complement, FY 2012-FY 2014

FY 2014 FY 2013

Change

2014 over

2013

FY 2012

Change

2013 over

2012

Career employees 488,299 491,016 (2,717) 528,458 (37,442)

Postal support employees 24,781 28,795 (4,014) 20,281 8,514

City carrier assistants 36,081 30,428 5,653 – 30,428

Mailhandler assistants 5,475 5,382 93 – 5,382

Other non-career 63,240 62,089 1,151 80,289 (18,200)

Total On-Roll Employees 617,876 617,710 166 629,028 (11,318)

Source: On-Roll and Paid Employee Statistics reports, September 2014 and 2013.

The reduction in career employees and the increase in lower-paid non-career employees

have affected the Productive Hourly Wage Rate. Table II-8 shows that this rate for

mailhandlers and city carriers declined, respectively, 3.6 percent and 5.4 percent over the

last 2 years. The Productive Hourly Wage Rate for all cost segments has declined over this

period, except for rural carriers and the maintenance crafts.

Table II-8

Productive Hourly Wage Rates ($ per Work Hour)

Segment/Subsegment FY 2014 FY 2013 FY 2012 % Change

2012 to 2014

Supervisors and technicians $49.39 $49.61 $50.03 -1.3%

Clerks, CAGaA-J 40.34 39.68 41.00 -1.6%

Mailhandlers 39.92 40.23 41.39 -3.6%

Clerks and Mailhandlers, CAG A-J 40.23 39.81 41.10 -2.1%

City delivery carriers 41.26 42.83 43.61 -5.4%

Vehicle drivers 42.51 41.68 43.21 -1.6%

Rural carriers 35.85 35.15 34.69 3.2%

Building services 40.12 39.74 40.99 -2.1%

Operating equipment 51.28 49.62 48.82 5.1%

 

12 The Post Office Structure Plan matches Post Office retail hours with workload. It is intended to achieve cost savings with limited reductions in 

access and service. See Docket No. N2012-2, Advisory Opinion on Post Office Structure Plan at 2, August 23, 2012.
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 14

Segment/Subsegment FY 2014 FY 2013 FY 2012 % Change

2012 to 2014

Building equipment 47.59 46.33 45.59 4.5%

Motor vehicle service 45.39 44.94 45.16 0.5%

City and rural carriers 39.49 40.41 40.69 -3.0%

Headquarters 62.31 63.83 63.02 -1.2%

a

Cost Ascertainment Group (CAG) is a method that classifies Post Offices according to volume of revenue generated.

Source: Library Reference PRC–LR–ACR2014/1.

The Postal Service’s reduction of work hours in FY 2014 is the smallest rate of decline since

FY 2006. Figure II-3 shows the change in work hours since FY 2000. The Postal Service has

implemented numerous savings initiatives over the past 14 years that have translated into

reductions in overall work hours, but thus far have affected only certain crafts.

Figure II-3

Change in Work Hours, FY 2000 to FY 2014

Source: Postal Service Form 10-K and Annual Reports, FY 2004-FY 2014.

The Post Office Structure Plan and the closing and/or consolidation of processing facilities

have reduced work hours for Postmasters, clerks, mailhandlers, and equipment

maintenance personnel. However, other areas required more work hours.

Growth in Shipping and Packages, where handling is more labor intensive, resulted in

increases of approximately 6.4 million delivery hours from FY 2013 (see Table II-9, next 

page). Vehicle maintenance was another area of work hour growth. Lack of capital

investment in prior years combined with an aging vehicle fleet has increased the need for

maintenance and repairs.
15 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

Table II-9

Work Hours by Function (Thousands of Work Hours)

FY 2014 FY 2013 FY 2012

Mail processing 198,076 202,607 209,188

Delivery Service

City delivery 394,123 390,518 388,035

Rural delivery 179,466 176,697 177,715

Maintenance

Plant and equipment 65,227 65,832 68,022

Vehicle 27,646 26,779 25,925

Other 242,366 247,362 253,246

Total 1,106,903 1,109,795 1,122,132

Source: Postal Service National Workload Reporting System, September 2014 and 2013.

Health benefits for current employees declined by 3 percent in FY 2014, primarily due to a

decrease in the number of career employees and contractual reductions in the Postal

Service’s share of health benefits premiums.

Almost all of the accounts for pension-related retirement costs declined with the drop in

the number of career employees. However, the increase in the number of non-career

employees, who are not eligible to participate in the Federal Employees Retirement 

System, is greater than the decline in the number of career employees, and is the primary

reason for the increase in the Social Security portion of total retirement costs.

The cost of health benefits for Postal Service annuitants increased by $136 million from FY

2013. This was because the number of annuitants and survivors increased from FY 2013

and the cost of premium health benefits continued to increase.

The largest increase in cost was in workers’ compensation. This expense consists of a cash

payment to the U. S. Department of Labor for the current year cost of medical and

compensation benefits. This payment remained constant between FY 2013 and FY 2014.

Changes to the valuation of the liability for workers’ compensation, which do not require

cash payments, are expensed each year changes occur. These changes include actuarial revaluations of existing cases and new cases, initial costs of new cases for the year, and any

changes in the discount rate used to estimate the amount of current funds needed to settle

all claims in the current year. Changes in these non-cash adjustments to the workers’

compensation liability accounted for all of the increase in cost. Therefore, the Postal

Service’s cash payment to the Department of Labor for FY 2014 remained the same as FY

2013. Table II-10 (next page) shows the non-cash changes to workers’ compensation

liability for the past 2 years, as well as the other components factoring into the workers’

compensation expense.
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 16

Table II-10

Components of Workers’ Compensation Expense, FY 2014 and FY 2013

($ Millions)

FY 2014 FY 2013 $ Variance % Variance

Non-cash changes in the discount rate $485 $(1,745) $2,230 -127.8%

Cost of new cases 1,956 1,789 167 9.3%

Actuarial valuation of new cases and revaluation of

existing cases

45 949 (904) -95.3%

Subtotal 2,486 993 1,493 150.4%

Administrative fee 68 68 – 0.0%

Total Workers’ Compensation Expense 2,554 1,061 1,493 140.7%

Less medical claims payments (1,372) (1,372) – 0.0%

Total Non-cash Workers’ Compensation Expense 1,182 (311) 1,493 480.1%

Source: Postal Service FY 2014 Form 10-K at 29.

As the Postal Service stated in its FY 2014 Form 10-K, future estimates of cash payments

are discounted to present-day dollars by applying current interest rates to the workers’

compensation liability. As shown in Table II-11, these rates have fluctuated significantly

over the past 4 years.

Table II-11

Impact of Change in Discount Rate on Workers’ Compensation Expense, FY 2008-FY 2014

FY 2008 FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 2014

Discount rate (%) 5.6 4.9 2.9 2.3 2.1 3.0 2.8

Impact of discount rate changes

($ millions)

154 718 2,010 978 346 (1,745) 485

Source: Postal Service FY 14 Form 10-K at 62, FY 13 Form 10-K at 40, and FY 10 Form 10-K at 24.

In general, as interest rates rise—as they did in FY 2013—the amount of current funds

needed to settle all current workers’ compensation claims declines. When interest rates

decline—as they did during most of FY 2014—the amount of current funds needed to settle

the same claims increases.

Total factor productivity (TFP) measures the change in the relationship between outputs

(weighted workload) and inputs (resources used) over a period of time. Total workload is

calculated using weighted mail volumes, miscellaneous output, and the change in delivery

points. Resources consist of labor, materials (including purchased transportation), and

deployed capital assets. Workload growth less growth in resources used equals TFP

growth. Figure II-4 on the next page shows the growth in TFP since 1970.
17 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

Figure II-4

Postal Service Total Factor Productivity, 1970-2014

Source: Postal Service annual TFP tables, FY 2014.

The 0.4 percent growth in TFP in FY 2014 is the fifth consecutive year of productivity

growth, but the smallest since FY 2006.

Total workload declined 1.2 percent more than in FY 2013. Capital and labor inputs

continued to decrease as the Postal Service reduced work hours and average wage rates.

Capital usage continues to drop because of restrictions in capital investment resulting from

lack of liquidity. Correspondingly, the growth rate in materials usage has increased for the

second consecutive year. Much of this growth is related to increased costs for vehicle

supplies and maintenance for the upkeep of the aging postal vehicle fleet, as well as an

increase in advertising and other supplies. The increase in materials usage was not enough

to offset the decrease in capital and labor usage inputs. Overall total resource usage

continued to decline, though at a slower rate than previous years.

NON-PERSONNEL EXPENSES

Transportation costs accounted for 41.3 percent of non-personnel costs in FY 2014. Table

II-12 (next page) compares total transportation costs by category for FY 2014 and FY 2013.

Total transportation expenses declined by $149 million. A renegotiated air transportation 

contract and the move to comparatively cheaper highway transportation significantly 

reduced air transportation cost from that of FY 2013. The new air transportation contract 

lowered the transportation rates the Postal Service paid, and also allowed the carrier to 
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 18

pass on the savings from lower jet fuel prices. The lower fuel prices enabled the Postal 

Service to save approximately $150 million in FY 2014.13

Table II-12

Transportation Cost by Category, FY 2014 and FY 2013 ($ Millions)

Category of Transportation FY 2014 FY 2013 $ Variance % Variance

Highway $3,523 $3,409 $114 3.3%

Air 2,092 2,378 (287) -12.1%

International 934 905 29 3.2%

Other 37 42 (5) -11.8%

Total Transportation $6,586 $6,735 $(149) -2.2%

Source: Postal Service FY 2014 Form 10-K at 30.

As the Postal Service used more ground transportation, highway transportation costs grew

by $114 million from last year, offsetting some of the decline in air transportation costs.

Table II-13 shows that other non-personnel expenses increased by $179 million. The bulk

of the increase was in supplies and services, mainly due to increases in advertising ($34

million), Competitive product supplies, and a change in the accounting for fees from a

contract with eBay, Inc.

Table II-13

Other Non-Personnel Expenses, FY 2014 and FY 2013 ($ Millions)

FY 2014 FY 2013 $ Variance % Variance

Supplies and services $2,550 $2,400 $150 6.3%

Depreciation and amortization 1,843 1,901 (58) -3.1%

Rent and utilities 1,613 1,582 31 2.0%

Vehicle maintenance services 1,108 1,040 68 6.5%

Information technology and communications 791 720 71 9.9%

Rural carrier equipment maintenance 556 558 (2) -0.4%

Miscellaneous other 892 973 (81) -8.3%

Total Other Expenses $9,353 $9,174 $179 2.0%

Source: Postal Service FY 2014 Form 10-K at 30.

The cost of maintaining the Postal Service’s aging vehicle fleet has increased substantially

and now constitutes most of the increase in total maintenance service. Additionally,

expanding use of mobile communications and improved information technology increased

those expenses 9.9 percent, which is $71 million greater than FY 2013.

 

13 Postal Service FY 2014 Form 10-K at 29.
19 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

Comparison to the Postal Service Operating Plan

Compared with the Postal Service’s FY 2014 Operating Plan, actual net operating income 

was slightly higher than the estimated figure for FY 2014. The improvement over the

Operating Plan was almost entirely due to lower-than-expected non-personnel expenses,

which were $556 million lower than budgeted. These amounts offset lower-than-expected

revenue and higher personnel costs than those initially forecast by the Postal Service.

While Market Dominant volumes were 1 percent higher than forecast, Competitive product

volumes were almost 1.7 percent lower. (Competitive products have higher average

revenues per piece than Market Dominant products.) This drove revenues $149 million 

lower than forecast. Personnel costs were $180 million higher than the Operating Plan

because the Postal Service did not meet work hour reduction forecasts across all labor

categories.

Except for First-Class Mail, revenues for all Market Dominant classes were below the

Operating Plan targets. During FY 2014, First-Class Mail volumes were more than 3.2

percent—more than 2 billion pieces higher—than estimated. Standard Mail volumes were

0.6 percent less than forecast. The revenue from the higher First-Class Mail volumes was

enough to offset the lower revenues from Standard Mail, Periodicals, and Package Services.

The higher First-Class Mail volume and revenue correspond to a stronger economy than

forecast in the Operating Plan, especially in retail sales and employment.

Total FY 2014 operating expenses were $366 million, 0.5 percent below the amount

forecast in the Operating Plan.

Table II-14 (next page) illustrates that compensation and benefits were $328 million higher

than predicted in the Operating Plan. The fiscal year Operating Plan included contractual

wage increases and cost of living adjustments negotiated between the Postal Service and its

employee bargaining unions. Higher-than-planned work hours across all functional

categories of labor increased compensation costs by $328 million over the amount

budgeted in the Operating Plan.

Balance Sheet Analysis

This section analyzes the Postal Service’s financial situation and use of resources based on 

Balance Sheet data prepared according to standards of the U.S. Generally Accepted 

Accounting Principles. The data compares two points in time, September 30, 2014 (FY 

2014) and September 30, 2013 (FY 2013).
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 20

Table II-14

FY 2014 Expenses Compared with Operating Plan ($ Millions)

FY 2014 FY 2014 Plan $ Variance % Variance

Compensation and Benefits Expenses

Salaries and benefits $45,867 $45,539 $328 0.7%

Workers’ compensation 1,372 1,394 (22) -1.6%

Annuitant health benefits—current payment 2,985 3,091 (106) -3.4%

Other personnel related 133 154 (21) -13.4%

Subtotal of Personnel Expenses 50,357 50,178 179 0.4%

Transportation 6,586 6,759 (173) -2.6%

Other expenses 9,353 9,725 (372) -3.8%

Total Operating Expenses 66,296 66,662 (366) -0.5%

System-wide Personnel Expenses

Workers’ compensation non-cash adjustments 1,182 – 1,182 0.0%

Annuitant health benefits—RHBF 5,700 5,700 – 0.0%

Total Expenses $73,178 $72,362 $816 1.1%

Source: Postal Service Monthly Financial Statement, September, 2014, December 5, 2014.

A balance sheet has three components: assets, liabilities, and net assets. The difference

between assets and liabilities is net assets. Working capital is the difference between

current assets and current liabilities. The bottom line of a balance sheet always represents

the difference between total assets and total liabilities. This indicates whether assets were

financed by borrowing (liability) or by capital contributions and accumulated earnings

from prior years. Negative net worth (capital deficiency) occurs when liabilities are greater

than assets.

Table II-15 (next page) compares the Postal Service’s asset and liability structure for FY

2014 and FY 2013. This analysis is derived from the Postal Service’s Balance Sheet. Current

assets, which can be easily converted to cash for financing operations, are the sum of cash

and cash equivalents, receivables and supplies, and prepayments. Non-current assets,

mainly depreciating buildings and equipment (capital assets), are more difficult to convert

to cash in the short term. Likewise, current liabilities are obligations that will come due

within 1 year and non-current liabilities are long-term financial obligations.

Table II-15 shows that the majority of the Postal Service’s assets are non-current assets; 

they comprise 73 percent of total assets. This high percentage reflects the nature of postal

operations, which, for routine operations, rely on a vast delivery network of retail and

processing facilities and a sizeable vehicle fleet. The current assets of $6.2 billion as a

percentage of total assets increased almost 10 percent from FY 2013 due to an increase in

cash on hand. Because the Postal Service exhausted its statutory borrowing limit in FY 

2012, it now relies on revenues to fund capital expenditures. The Postal Service holds more

cash on hand than in previous years, but its working capital has decreased.
21 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

Table II-15

Structure of Assets and Liabilities ($ Millions)

Indicator

Value Change for the Period

Analyzed

$ Millions % of the Balance Total

$ Millions

Variance

%

9/30/2014 9/30/2013 Variance

End of the

Period

Analyzed

Beginning

of the

Period

Analyzed

9/30/2014 9/30/2013

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

Assets

Cash, cash equivalents and

short-term investments $5,152 $2,638 22.4% 12.2% $2,514 95.3%

Receivables 930 984 4.1% 4.5% (54) -5.5%

Supplies and prepayments 122 122 0.5% 0.6% 0 0.0%

1. Current assets, total 6,204 3,744 27.0% 17.3% 2,460 65.7%

2. Non-current assets 16,758 17,897 73.0% 82.7% (1,139) -6.4%

3. Total Assets 22,962 21,641 100.0% 100.0% 1,321 6.1%

Liabilities and Equity

Workers’ compensation 1,320 1,322 1.9% 2.2% (2) -0.2%

Retiree health benefits 22,417 16,766 32.8% 27.3% 5,651 33.7%

Short-term portion of debt 9,800 9,800 14.3% 15.9% 0 0.0%

1. Current liabilities 42,542 36,683 62.3% 59.7% 5,859 16.0%

Workers’ compensation 17,102 15,918 25.0% 25.9% 1,184 7.4%

Long-term portion of debt 5,200 5,200 7.6% 8.5% 0 0.0%

2. Non-current Liabilities 25,751 24,781 37.7% 40.3% 970 3.9%

3. Total liabilities 68,293 61,464 100.0% 100.0% 6,829 11.1%

4. Capital deficiency (45,331) (39,823) -197.4% -184.0% (5,508) 13.8%

Assets; Liabilities and Equity 22,962 21,641 100.0% 100.0% 1,321 6.1%

Source: Postal Service FY 2014 and FY 2013 Form 10-K.

Current liabilities, consisting largely of RHBF obligations and short-term borrowing,

contributed to a larger portion of total liabilities (62.3 percent) than non-current liabilities

(37.7 percent). The Postal Service has not yet paid RHBF statutory prefunding obligations

for FY 2011 through FY 2014, which total $22.4 billion and comprise 52.7 percent of

current liabilities. The bulk of net liabilities consist of the RHBF payments, workers’

compensation liability ($18.4 billion), and the total net debt the Postal Service owes to the

Federal Financing Bank14 ($15 billion).

In FY 2014, the Postal Service’s total liabilities exceeded the total value of assets by $45.3

billion. This large net deficiency results from annual net operating losses since FY 2006, the

slow replacement of fully depreciated capital assets, and the high amount of employeerelated liabilities.

 

14 The Federal Financing Bank is a government corporation created by Congress in 1973 to centralize and reduce the cost of federal borrowing 

and federally assisted borrowing from the public.
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 22

All current activity is financed with internally generated cash, which severely limits the

Postal Service’s capability to invest in productive assets. The initial capital contributions,

coupled with small surpluses in the years prior to FY 2006, are not sufficient to fund all the

Postal Service’s current obligations. Figure II-5 shows the Postal Service’s asset and liability

structure as of September 30, 2014.

Figure II-5

Asset and Liability Structure as of September 30, 2014

Source: Postal Service FY 2014 Form 10-K.

According to the data in Figure II-5, non-current assets comprised about two-thirds (73 

percent) of the Postal Service’s total assets; current assets comprised about one-third. In FY 

2014, assets increased to almost $23 billion, $1.3 billion higher than in FY 2013.

The Commission did not analyze accumulated earnings either at the beginning or at the end 

of the period. The value of net assets on September 30, 2014, was negative $45.3 billion. 

This is the amount by which Postal Service’s total obligations exceed the book value of 

assets.

Significant growth was also seen in “equity and liabilities” on the Postal Service’s Balance 

Sheet. The difference in the percentage of the increase in total equity and liabilities is 

shown in brackets:

 Employee-related liabilities, current: $5.6 billion [79.9 percent]

 Employee-related liabilities, non-current: $1.1 billion [16.6 percent]

Net property, plant, and equipment assets decreased by almost $1.2 billion compared with 

the Balance Sheet for September 30, 2013. Accumulated deficit decreased by $5.5 billion.

During the period analyzed, current receivables (receivables from the U.S. Government and

foreign countries) decreased by $54 million.
23 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

Under current accounting rules, the Postal Service does not record goodwill or other

intangible assets. Thus, amounts of net worth and net tangible assets are equal on the last

day of the period analyzed. Net tangible assets were negative $45.3 billion, declining by

$5.5 billion from FY 2013.

Negative net worth (net assets) indicates that the Postal Service not only reached its

statutory borrowing limit, but also spent all of its initial capital. Its debts are therefore no

longer secured by its assets. The net worth (net assets) value is one tool to estimate an 

entity’s value; it is a key value in the estimation of the Postal Service’s financial condition.

Assets

During the last year, assets grew by $1.3 billion, a 6.1 percent increase, to $22.9 billion. The

$2.5 billion increase in cash and cash equivalents represent 98.6 percent of increases in

total assets.

Decreases of $1.2 billion in property, plant, and equipment represent 95.6 percent of the

decrease in total assets. The decrease in the net value of property, plant, and equipment is

mainly due to the capital constraints the Postal Service has experienced for the past few

years. Although current operations can be maintained with existing assets, the Postal

Service will need to start reinvesting in new equipment and vehicles and replacing its

current assets to remain viable in the long term.

As seen in Figure II-6, the Postal Service has undertaken only limited capital investments in

the last 4 years due to its lack of available working capital. This has hindered growth and

productivity enhancements in key infrastructure assets required for primary postal

operations. The Postal Service experienced a negative 6.7 percent growth in capital assets.

Figure II-6

Growth in Capital Assets

Source: Postal Service FY 2006-FY 2014 Forms 10-K.
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 24

Capital investments in physical resources are necessary to increase and maintain

productivity. For the Postal Service to effectively compete in the e-commerce market, it will

need to make capital investments in suitable delivery vehicles. It also needs to replace its

existing aging vehicles to accommodate the shift in mail mix toward a larger share of

packages relative to letter- and flat-shaped pieces of mail. The Postal Service must also

invest in new and efficient mail processing technologies and equipment. However, its

ability to make these investments is diminished by the lack of available working capital.

Figure II-7 shows the structure of the Postal Service assets as of September 30, 2014.

Figure II-7

Postal Service Asset Structure, September 30, 2014

Source: Postal Service FY 2014 Form 10-K.

Liabilities

In FY 2014, total liabilities increased by $6.8 billion. The majority of the increase occurred

in current liabilities. The RHBF increased by $5.6 billion, accounting for 79 percent of the

increase in total liabilities.

The long-term portion of workers’ compensation liability is highly sensitive to discount and

inflation rates in actuarial estimation, and to new and existing claims. Lower discount rates

during FY 2014 increased the long-term workers’ compensation liability. Total workers’

compensation liability increased by $1.2 billion, accounting for a 16.6 percent increase in

total liabilities. Figure II-8 (next page) shows the structure of Postal Service liabilities as of

September 30, 2014.
25 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

Figure II-8

Postal Service Liabilities Structure, September 30, 2014

Source: Postal Service FY 2014 Form 10-K.

Debt and Cash Flow Analysis

At the end of FY 2014, the Postal Service cash and cash equivalents totaled $4.9 billion,

almost $2.6 billion higher than FY 2013. This is higher than the $4.5 billion cash forecast in

the Operating Plan and double the end-of-year FY 2013 cash balance. The total cash

available represents approximately 19 days of operating expenses at an average daily

expense rate of $250 million. Table II-16 on the next page compares the Postal Service’s

cash flow from FY 2007 to FY 2014.

The Postal Service’s cash and cash equivalents represent the total liquidity available. The 

Postal Service reached its statutory borrowing limit in FY 2012 and is no longer able to 

finance operations or capital with debt financing. In the past 4 years, because of low levels 

of liquidity, the Postal Service has been unable to make the payments on the RHBF 

obligations. As a result of the increased revenues generated by the exigent surcharge on 

Market Dominant products, the cash and cash equivalents balance is at its highest level in 4 

years. Its fixed interest rate debt as of September 30, 2014, consists of short-term 

borrowings from the Federal Financing Bank of $5.8 billion due within 1 year and an 

additional $5.2 billion due after May 2, 2016. In addition to fixed-rate notes, the Postal 

Service has two revolving floating interest rate short-term credit lines; these expire at the 

end of April 2016. Other note provisions expire at the end of the next fiscal year allowing 

for borrowing with 2 days’ prior notice. These two revolving credit lines were fully drawn 

on September 30, 2014. 
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 26

Table II-16

Postal Service Cash Flow FY 2007 to 2014 ($ Millions)

FY

2007

FY

2008

FY

2009

FY

2010

FY

2011

FY

2012

FY

2013

FY

2014

Net income/(loss) (5,142) (2,806) (3,794) (8,505) (5,067) (15,906) (4,977) (5,508)

Non-cash items and other

cash flows 2,539 2,367 5,367 5,213 5,561 15,474 5,912 8,822

Cash Flows from Investing Activities

Decrease (increase) in

restricted cash 2,958 (10) (28) (79) 66

Purchase of property

and equipment (2,715) (1,995) (1,839) (1,393) (1,190) (705) (667) (781)

Proceeds from sale of

property and

equipment

257 57 33 70 137 148 158 129

Net cash used in

investing activities 500 (1,938) (1,806) (1,323) (1,063) (585) (588) (586)

Cash Flows from Financing Activities

Increase (decrease) in

debt 2,100 3,000 3,000 1,800 1,000 2,000 0 0

Payments for capital

leases (19) (29) (46) (50) (51) (51) (59) (58)

U.S. Government

appropriations—

expensed

(76) (61) (64) (63) (63) (129) (48) (90)

Net cash (used)

provided by financing

activities

2,005 2,910 2,890 1,687 886 1,820 (107) (148)

Net increase/

(decrease) in cash (98) 533 2,657 (2,928) 317 803 240 2,580

Cash balance (end of 

year) 997 899 1,432 4,089 966 1,283 2,086 2,326

Cash Balance End of Year 899 1,432 4,089 1,161 1,283 2,086 2,326 4,906

Debt outstanding 4,200 7,200 10,200 12,000 13,000 15,000 15,000 15,000

Source: Postal Service FY 2007-FY 2014 Forms 10-K.

Table II-17 (next page) compares the total liquidity available to the Postal Service in FY

2014 and FY 2013. Because the Postal Service had maximized the entire statutory limit of

available debt by FY 2012, its total liquidity is limited to the available cash and cash

equivalents. It ended FY 2014 with $9.8 billion in principal debt payments due within a

year.
27 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

Table II-17

Total Postal Service Liquidity End of FY 2014 Compared with FY 2013

($ Millions)

FY 2014 FY 2013

Cash and cash equivalents $4,906 $2,326

Current portion of debt 9,800 9,800

Long-term debt 5,200 5,200

Total Debt 15,000 15,000

Statutory debt limit 15,000 15,000

Available debt – – 

Total Liquidity (Cash + Available Debt) 4,906 2,326

Source: Postal Service FY 2014 Form 10-K Statement at 43.
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 28

Chapter 3. Volumes, Revenues, and Cost

Trends

Overview

This chapter provides an in-depth analysis of the volumes, revenues, and cost trends for

each class of mail. The first section focuses on the overall trends for Market Dominant and

Competitive products and services. It also describes the calculation of attributable and

institutional costs and discusses changes in the percentage of institutional costs to total

costs (institutional cost share).

The second section provides a comparison of volume, revenue, and costs between FY 2013

and FY 2014. It also includes a trend analysis that highlights changes in volumes, revenues,

and costs that have occurred since FY 2008. FY 2007 is used as the base year because it

reflects mail reclassifications after the passage of the Postal Accountability and 

Enhancement Act in 2006. In cases where average unit attributable cost changed

significantly, the Commission provides an analysis by cost segment and/or component.

Overall Volume, Revenue, and Costs Trends

Market Dominant Products and Services

Table III-1 compares total Market Dominant volumes, revenues, attributable costs, and

contribution to institutional costs for FY 2014 and FY 2013.

Table III-1

Market Dominant Volume, Revenue, and Costs ($ Millions)

FY 2014 FY 2013 Difference % Change

Volume 151,927 155,195 (3,268) -2.1%

Revenue 51,586 51,255 331 0.6 %

Attributable cost 28,205 29,289 (1,084) -3.7%

Contribution to institutional cost 23,381 21,966 1,415 6.4 %

Source: FY 2014 and FY 2013 Postal Regulatory Commission Financial Report, Appendix A.

Total Market Dominant revenue increased in FY 2014 despite a decline of more than 3 

billion pieces in total Market Dominant volume. As noted in Chapter 2, all of the increase in

revenue was driven by the exigent rate surcharge implemented in January of 2014. Total 

attributable cost of Market Dominant products was $1 billion lower in FY 2014 than in FY

2013. Cost reductions related to mail processing personnel were the primary reason for the
29 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

decrease in overall attributable costs. The total Market Dominant contribution to 

institutional costs increased by $1.4 billion.

In FY 2014, Market Dominant products accounted for 97.8 percent of total mail volume, a

slight drop from FY 2013. Revenue from these products as a percentage of total revenue

fell from 77.6 percent to 76 percent. Market Dominant attributable costs as a percentage of

total attributable costs fell from 74.7 percent in FY 2013 to 72 percent in FY 2014.

Several Market Dominant products failed to generate sufficient revenue to cover

attributable costs. The total negative contribution to institutional costs from these products

amounted to almost $1.1 billion. Standard Mail Regular Flats ($411 million), Standard Mail

Regular Parcels ($30.5 million), and Periodicals ($508.8 million) accounted for 88 percent

of the negative contribution. Other products that did not cover attributable costs include

First-Class Mail Inbound Single-Piece Letter Post, Package Services, Media Mail/Library

Mail, and Special Services Stamp Fulfillment Service.

The Commission has paid particular attention to these products in past ACDs, encouraging

the Postal Service to reduce their costs and use the pricing flexibility afforded in the Postal 

Accountability and Enhancement Act to improve the products’ finances.15

Market Dominant Volume Trends

Figure III-1 (next page) shows the total volume loss for Market Dominant products over the

last 7 years. Since FY 2007, volumes declined by 58.7 billion pieces. The greatest singleyear decline in total Market Dominant volumes, 12.7 percent, was in FY 2009. The rate of

decline has since fluctuated, ranging from 1.4 percent to 5.5 percent. In FY 2014, total

Market Dominant volumes fell 2.1 percent.

In FY 2014, First-Class Mail volumes declined by 32 billion pieces and Standard Mail

volumes declined by 23 billion pieces. Between FY 2007 and FY 2014, First-Class Mail

volume declined steadily at an average annual rate of 4.7 percent. In Standard Mail, the

volume decline was more pronounced in certain years, less pronounced in others. Standard

Mail volume fell 20.3 percent between FY 2007 and FY 2009 and 2.6 percent between FY

2009 and FY 2014. Total Standard Mail volume has increased in 3 of the last 5 years.

 

15 See FY 2013 ACD at 5-61; FY 2012 ACD at 15-22, 88-96, 108-117; FY 2011 ACD at 103-106, 113-120, 131-32; FY 2010 ACD at 90-94, 103-08, 

116-118.
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 30

Figure III-1

Market Dominant Volumes, FY 2007 to FY 2014

Source: FY 2014 and FY 2013 Postal Regulatory Commission Financial Report, Appendix A; Postal Regulatory

Commission Library Reference PRC–LR–1, FY 2007-FY 2012 ACD.

Market Dominant Revenue and Cost Trends

Total Market Dominant revenues and attributable costs have declined significantly since FY

2007. Total revenues have declined by 18.3 percent and total attributable costs have

declined by 24.8 percent. See Figure III-2.

Figure III-2

Market Dominant Revenue and Attributable Costs, FY 2007-FY 2014

Source: FY 2014 and FY 2013 Postal Regulatory Commission Financial Report, Appendix A; Postal Regulatory

Commission Library Reference PRC–LR–1, FY 2007-FY 2012 ACD.
31 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

As shown in Figure III-3, on a unit basis, average revenue and cost have increased. From FY

2007 to FY 2014, Market Dominant average unit revenue increased 4 cents while the

Market Dominant average unit attributable cost increased less than 1 cent. Since FY 2009, 

however, the Market Dominant average unit attributable cost has steadily declined; it is

almost 1.2 cents lower in FY 2014 than in FY 2009. Comparatively, Market Dominant

average unit total cost has increased 3.3 cents since FY 2009.

Figure III-3

Market Dominant Average Unit Revenue and Cost, FY 2007-FY 2014

Source: Postal Regulatory Commission derived from Postal Service FY 2007-FY 2014 Cost and Revenue Analysis Reports.

Attributable Costs

Attributable costs are “direct and indirect postal costs attributable to each class or type of

mail service through reliably identified causal relationships plus that portion of all other

costs of the Postal Service reasonably assignable to such class or type[.]” See Title 39 of the 

United States Code, section 3622(c)(2). Attributable costs include volume-variable costs

(costs that increase or decrease to some extent as volume increases or decreases) and

product-specific costs (costs that are caused by a specific product, but do not vary with

volume). Institutional or fixed costs are the costs that remain after attributable costs are

calculated. Table III-2 (next page) illustrates the calculation of volume-variable and fixed

costs, assuming no product-specific costs. Total attributable costs are calculated by

multiplying total costs by the volume variability ratio.16 Average unit attributable costs are

calculated by dividing total attributable costs by total volume. Institutional costs are total

costs minus total attributable costs.

 

16 The volume variability ratio, and the method used to determine it, varies depending on the cost segment and the cost drivers.
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 32

Table III-2

Calculation of Attributable and Institutional Costs

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

[2] x [3] [4] / [1] [2] - [4]

Total Volume

(000)

Total Cost

($ in 000)

Volume

Variable

Attributable

(Vol. Variable)

Costs ($ in 000)

Attributable

(Vol. Variable)

Cost per Piece

(Cents)

Total

Institutional

(Fixed) Costs

($ in 000)

Postmasters 155,374,884 $1,938,772 17.7% $343,750 0.002 $1,595,022

Supervision 155,374,884 3,123,479 54.5% 1,701,804 0.011 1,421,675

Mail processing 155,374,884 10,558,536 94.0% 9,927,679 0.064 630,858

City carrier inoffice 155,374,884 3,556,057 84.7% 3,013,212 0.019 542,845

City carrier street 155,374,884 11,655,178 37.5% 4,373,861 0.028 7,281,317

Rural carriers 155,374,884 6,980,733 33.6% 2,345,458 0.015 4,635,275

Custodial and

maintenance 155,374,884 3,061,791 71.0% 2,172,539 0.014 889,252

Transportation 155,374,884 6,586,090 87.0% 5,731,356 0.037 854,734

Administration 155,374,884 13,098,595 23.5% 3,010,493 0.019 10,088,102

Other segments 155,374,884 12,802,688 49.3% 6,310,428 0.041 6,492,260

Total 155,374,884 $73,361,920 $38,930,580 0.251 $34,431,340

Source: Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference USPS–FY14–31.

Mail processing costs have declined more than 30 percent since FY 2006. These costs are

94 percent volume-variable. Consequently, the decline in total mail volume has contributed

significantly to the reduction in total mail processing costs. The change in mail mix, with

the share of workshared mail growing, has also reduced mail processing costs because 

workshared mail requires less handling by Postal Service employees. In addition, the Postal

Service has introduced several cost-saving initiatives aimed at lowering these costs.

In contrast, city carrier street time costs have increased 7.3 percent since FY 2006. These

costs are 37.5 percent volume-variable. The city carrier street time costs do not vary

significantly with volume because carriers must travel the same delivery route regardless

of the amount of mail they are carrying. City carrier in-office costs are the carrier costs

related to time spent sorting mail. These costs are 84.7 percent volume-variable. That

portion of city delivery costs has decreased 8.5 percent since FY 2006. Figure III-4 (next 

page) shows that the proportion of mail processing costs to total costs has been decreasing

while the proportion of delivery costs to total costs has been increasing.

Attributable costs are distributed to products using distribution keys that reflect the 

underlying cost driver. The Postal Service calculates attributable costs according to 

methodologies approved by the Commission. Those methodologies are reviewed by the 

Commission, and members of the general public are encouraged to comment in such 

dockets.
33 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

Figure III-4

Comparison of Mail Processing and Delivery Costs to Total Costs

Source: U.S. Postal Service Cost Segments and Components Reports, FY 2006-FY 2014.

In FY 2014, the Commission approved several changes to cost attribution. These changes

are reflected in the costs allocated to products in the Cost and Revenue Analysis model

described in Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference USPS–FY14–32 and USPS–FY14–31.17

The changes include Postal Service proposals that are either pending before the

Commission or concluded in FY 2014, data sources used to develop attributable costs, and

corrections of previous years’ errors.

Changes in attributable costs for FY 2014 include:

 The Commission approved using scans to assign clerk labor costs, city carrier inoffice costs, and rural carrier costs of delivery directly to the host product rather

than through an adjustment within the Cost and Revenue Analysis “D” Report. See

Docket No. RM2014-6, Proposal Eight, September 10, 2014 (Order No. 2180).

 The Postal Service reallocated a portion of the costs from Miscellaneous Postal

Supplies and Services to Miscellaneous Operating Costs—Federal Reserve and

Commercial Banks. The Commission approved a new attribution and distribution

methodology assigning these costs to products. See Docket No. RM2015-4, Proposal

Eleven, February 9, 2015 (Order No. 2350).

 

17 The non-public version of these library references is USPS–FY14–14 and USPS–FY14–13.
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 34

 The Commission approved new quarterly distribution factors developed from

census data. These new factors were used to assign FedEx Night Turn

transportation costs to products. See Docket No. RM2014-4, Proposal Two, June 25,

2014 (Order No. 2101).

 The Commission approved updates to Cost Segment 14, Highway Transportation,

cost variabilities. See Docket No. RM2014-6, Proposal Six, September 10, 2014

(Order No. 2180).

 The Postal Service proposed a new cost attribution methodology related to

Customer Care Centers. The centers, which had been staffed by a contractor, are

now staffed by Postal Service clerks. Cost Segment 3 now includes a new cost

component (Component 424) with the new cost distribution to products. See Docket

No. RM2015-5, Proposal Twelve, November 7, 2014 (Order No. 2246). (Commission

decision pending.)

 The Postal Service corrected cost distributions for Cost Segment 12, Motor Vehicle

Service, Vehicle Hire. It found that, prior to FY 2014, the allocation of vehicle hire

costs to various categories were inadvertently hard-coded and the allocations costs

were maintained in the same proportion as prior years. The Postal Service has

corrected the error to allow the proportions to change each year with the change in

vehicle usage. The largest impact of these changes was on vehicle hire costs for rural

carriers.

 The Postal Service developed a new equipment distribution key for the Passive

Adaptive Scanner System and the Delivery Sortation System. Additionally,

distribution factors were developed for both systems for Cost Segment 11,

Equipment Maintenance Labor; Cost Segment 16, Equipment Parts and Supplies;

and Cost Segment 20, Equipment Depreciation.

 Every Door Direct Mail–Retail was introduced as a product in FY 2013. It is similar

to Standard Mail High Density and Saturation Flats/Parcels. The Postal Service

discovered that many of these products were mismarked or misidentified in the City

Carrier Cost System and Rural Carrier Cost System. A correction was devised

whereby Every Door Direct Mail–Retail and High Density and Saturation 

Flats/Parcel tallies were aggregated and assigned to each product based on

Revenues, Pieces, and Weight proportions.

Institutional Costs

Institutional costs cannot be attributed to a specific product or service. Often referred to as

“fixed costs,” they include costs for the postmaster general’s salary, delivery route time, and

the payment for the RHBF. When mail volumes are growing, the institutional cost share will

decrease unless the average unit attributable cost is falling or total fixed costs are

increasing. The opposite occurs when mail volumes are declining. The institutional cost
35 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

share will increase unless average unit attributable costs are increasing or total fixed costs

are decreasing.

All the examples in Tables III-3, III-4, and III-5 assume that there are no product-specific

costs. Table III-3 presents two examples of how the institutional cost share changes as

volume increases or decreases, assuming average unit attributable costs and total fixed

costs remain constant. In these examples, hypothetical volumes are multiplied by the

average unit attributable cost (from column [5] of Table III-2) to calculate the total

attributable costs. Total institutional costs are taken from column [6] of Table III-2. Total

costs are equal to total attributable costs plus total institutional costs. The institutional cost

share is the ratio of total institutional cost to total costs. As seen in the examples, the ratio

of institutional costs to total costs decreases when volume is increasing and increases when

volume is decreasing.

Table III-3

Changes in Institutional Cost Share, Examples One and Two

Example 1: Increasing Volume, Attributable Cost per Piece, and Total Institutional Costs Held Constant

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

[1] x [2] [3] + [4] [4] / [5]

Hypothetical

Volume

Attributable

(VolumeVariable) Cost

per Piece

Hypothetical

Total

Attributable

(VolumeVariable) Costs

Total

Institutional

(Fixed) Costs

Hypothetical

Total Costs

Hypothetical %

Institutional

(Fixed)

100,000,000 0.251 25,055,903 34,431,340 59,487,242 57.9%

150,000,000 0.251 37,583,854 34,431,340 72,015,194 47.8%

225,000,000 0.251 56,375,781 34,431,340 90,807,121 37.9%

Example 2: Decreasing Volume, Attributable Cost per Piece, and Total Institutional Costs Held Constant

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

[1] x [2] [3] + [4] [4] / [5]

Hypothetical

Volume

Attributable 

(VolumeVariable) Cost 

per Piece

Hypothetical 

Total 

Attributable 

(VolumeVariable) Costs

Total

Institutional

(Fixed) Costs

Hypothetical

Total Costs

Hypothetical %

Institutional

(Fixed)

100,000,000 0.251 25,055,903 34,431,340 59,487,242 57.9%

50,000,000 0.251 12,527,951 34,431,340 46,959,291 73.3%

25,000,000 0.251 6,263,976 34,431,340 40,695,315 84.6%

Sources: [2] & [4] Table II-2; [3] = [1] x [2]; [5] = [3] + [4]; [6] = [4] /[5].

The next two examples, shown in Table III-4 on the next page, demonstrate that, given

stable total fixed costs, the average unit attributable cost must change in order for the

institutional cost share to remain constant as volume changes. In these examples, total

institutional costs are held constant. Therefore, in order for the institutional cost share to

remain constant, total attributable costs must also remain the same. Unit attributable cost
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 36

is calculated by dividing total attributable costs by total volume. In the examples, note that

average unit attributable cost decreases as volume increases and increases as volume

decreases.

Table III-4

Changes in Institutional Cost Share, Examples Three and Four

Example 3: Increasing Volume, Total Institutional Costs, and Institutional Cost Percentage Held Constant

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

[1] x [2] From Table III-2 [3] + [4] [4] / [5]

Hypothetical

Volume

Hypothetical

Attributable

(Volume-Variable)

Cost per Piece

Hypothetical

Total

Attributable

(VolumeVariable) Costs

Total

Institutional

(Fixed) Costs

Hypothetical

Total Costs

Hypothetical %

Institutional

(Fixed)

 100,000,000 0.251 25,055,903 34,431,340 59,487,242 57.9%

 150,000,000 0.167 25,055,903 34,431,340 59,487,242 57.9%

 225,000,000 0.111 25,055,903 34,431,340 59,487,242 57.9%

Example 4: Decreasing Volume, Total Institutional Costs, and Institutional Cost Percentage Held Constant

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

[1] x [2] [3] + [4] [4] / [5]

Hypothetical 

Volume

Hypothetical 

Attributable 

(Volume-Variable) 

Cost per Piece

Hypothetical 

Total 

Attributable 

(VolumeVariable) Costs

Total 

Institutional 

(Fixed) Costs

Hypothetical 

Total Costs

Hypothetical % 

Institutional 

(Fixed)

 100,000,000 0.251 25,055,903 34,431,340 59,487,242 57.9%

 50,000,000 0.501 25,055,903 34,431,340 59,487,242 57.9%

 25,000,000 1.002 25,055,903 34,431,340 59,487,242 57.9%

Sources: [4] Table III-2; [2] = ([5] x (1 - [6]))/[1]; [3] = [5] - [4]; [5] = [4]/[6].

The final two examples, shown in Table III-5 on the next page, show what occurs when

average unit attributable cost and the institutional cost share are held constant. Total

institutional costs increase as volume increases and declines as volume declines.

A recent paper sponsored by the Commission reviewed the ratio of attributable and 

institutional costs to total costs over time.18 The paper noted several factors, categorized as 

“operational factors” and “non-operational factors,” that could affect the variability ratio. 

The operational factors were volume, volume mix, and weighted volume, which is volume 

weighted by the average unit attributable cost. Non-operational factors included exogenous 

factors (accounting changes and changes in the law) and changes in cost methodology.

 

18 “The Postal Service Variability Ratio and Some Implications” by Robert Cohen and John Waller, October 7, 2014.
37 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

Table III-5

Example of Changes in Institutional Cost Share, Examples Five and Six

Example 5: Increasing Volume, Attributable Cost per Piece, and Institutional Percentage Held Constant

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

[1] x [2] [3] + [4] [4] / [5]

Hypothetical

Volume

Attributable

(VolumeVariable) Cost per

Piece

Hypothetical

Total

Attributable

(VolumeVariable) Costs

Hypothetical

Total

Institutional

(Fixed) Costs

Hypothetical

Total Costs

Hypothetical %

Institutional

(Fixed)

100,000,000 0.251 25,398,587 33,898,939 59,297,526 57.2%

150,000,000 0.251 38,097,881 50,848,408 88,946,289 57.2%

225,000,000 0.251 57,146,821 76,272,612 133,419,433 57.2%

Example 6: Decreasing Volume, Attributable Cost per Piece, and Institutional Percentage Held Constant

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

[1] x [2] [3] + [4] [4] / [5]

Hypothetical 

Volume

Attributable 

(VolumeVariable) Cost per 

Piece

Hypothetical 

Total 

Attributable 

(VolumeVariable) Costs

Hypothetical 

Total 

Institutional 

(Fixed) Costs

Hypothetical 

Total Costs

Hypothetical % 

Institutional 

(Fixed)

 100,000,000 0.251 25,398,587 33,898,939 59,297,526 57.2%

 50,000,000 0.251 12,699,294 16,949,469 29,648,763 57.2%

 25,000,000 0.251 6,349,647 8,474,735 14,824,381 57.2%

Sources: [2] Table III-2; [3] = [1] x [2]; [4] = [3]/(1 - [6]); [5] = [3] + [4].

The paper found that, overall, the variability ratio has remained stable over the past 23 

years, deviating only 4 percent from the median value over the period examined. However, 

it noted two distinct trends, one lasting from FY 1980 to FY 2000, and the other beginning 

in FY 2001. 

During the first trend, the institutional cost share decreased less than 4 percent, even 

though volume increased by 90 percent. The Commission’s review of the underlying data 

shows that during this time frame the average unit attributable cost, adjusted for inflation, 

declined 17.7 percent while total institutional costs, also adjusted for inflation, increased 

46 percent. The decline in average unit attributable cost was largely due to an increase in 

workshared mail; the increase in institutional costs was due to several changes in the law 

that increased retirement-related costs.

During the second trend, total volume began to level off and eventually declined in FY 

2007. Total volume in FY 2014 was 25 percent lower than in FY 2000. The institutional cost 

share was 28 percent lower than in FY 2000. The Commission’s review of the underlying 

data shows that during this time frame the average unit attributable cost, adjusted for 

inflation, declined 7.9 percent. Total institutional costs, also adjusted for inflation, 
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 38

increased 4.9 percent. The decline in average unit attributable cost was due, in part, to the 

significant decline in First-Class Mail Single-Piece Letters/Postcards volume, which has

considerably more work content per piece than First-Class Mail Presorted

Letters/Postcards or Standard Mail. Consequently, declines in the product’s volume lower 

average unit attributable cost.

Figure III-5 illustrates both of these trends.

Figure III-5

Trends in Institutional Cost Share

Source: Postal Service Cost and Revenue Analysis Reports, FY 1980-FY 2014.

A significant portion of the increase in total institutional costs is related to the Postal 

Accountability and Enhancement Act requirement that the Postal Service fund the liability

for retiree health benefits under a 10-year schedule that averages almost $5.6 billion per

year. The Postal Service proposed the attribution methodology for these benefits; the

Commission accepted it in FY 2007.19

The total costs of retiree health benefits are the statutory payment into the RHBF and the

current year’s premium costs for the benefits.

20 The component costs are divided into a

“current year” amount, which has the same variability as total labor costs, and a “prior

 

19 See FY 2007 ACD, Appendix B. See also Docket No. ACR2007, Supplement to Library Reference USPS–FY07–2; Docket No. ACR2009, 

Supplement to Library Reference USPS–FY09–2.

20 Estimated costs of additional pension obligations are also included for current employees covered by the Civil Service Retirement System.
39 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

year” institutional cost. The current year amount is estimated by determining the present

value of the benefits earned during the fiscal year by current employees for retiree health

benefits. The dollar value of the earned retiree health benefits is estimated by the Office of

Personnel Management and reported as “normal costs” of retiree health benefits. In FY

2014, the $3.2 billion in current year costs were allocated to products on the basis of total

labor costs. The $5.5 billion in prior year costs were institutional.21

Competitive Products and Services

Volume and revenue for Competitive products increased in FY 2014. Table III-6 compares

the total volume, revenue, and cost of these products and services between FY 2013 and FY

2014. Volume was 10.9 percent greater in FY 2014, with concurrent increases in revenue,

costs, and contribution to institutional costs. Total revenue grew by 11 percent, and total

attributable costs and total contribution to institutional costs grew by 11 percent and 11.6

percent, respectively.

Table III-6

Total Competitive Products’ Volume, Revenue, and Cost ($ Millions)

FY 2014 FY 2013 Difference % Change

Volume 3,448 3,108 340 10.9%

Revenue 15,280 13,741 1,539 11.2%

Attributable cost 10,970 9,881 1,089 11.0%

Contribution to institutional cost 4,310 3,860 450 11.7%

Source: FY 2014 and FY 2013 Postal Regulatory Commission Financial Reports, Appendix A.

As seen in Figure III-6 on the next page, the Competitive products’ share of total Postal

Service revenues, attributable costs, and contribution to institutional costs has doubled

since FY 2007.

Figure III-7, also on the next page, illustrates the changes in average unit revenue and cost 

from FY 2007 to FY 2014. Since FY 2009, average unit revenue for Competitive products 

and services has exceeded both the average unit attributable cost and the required average 

unit institutional cost. The decrease in average unit revenue in FY 2011 is the result of 

transfers of Market Dominant Parcels from First-Class Mail, Standard Mail, and Package 

Services to the Competitive product list. The average unit revenue of the transferred 

products, even after price increases, was lower than that of most other Competitive 

products.

After 2 years of declines, the average unit revenue of Competitive products and services 

increased 0.2 percent, or almost 1 cent, in FY 2014. The Postal Service implemented an 

average price increase of 2.4 percent in January 2014.

 

21 Id.
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 40

Figure III-6

Competitive Products’ Percentage Share of Total Postal Service

Revenue, Costs, and Contribution to Institutional Costs

Source: U.S. Postal Service Cost and Revenue Analysis Reports, FY 2007-FY 2014.

Figure III-7

Competitive Average Unit Revenue and Cost, FY 2007-FY 2014

Source: Postal Regulatory Commission derived from U. S. Postal Service Cost and Revenue Analysis Reports, FY 2007-FY 2014.

The total average unit attributable cost increased 0.1 percent, yielding a decrease of 0.3 

percent in average unit contribution for FY 2014. Attributable costs for Competitive 
41 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

products have increased in most cost segments, including mail processing, delivery, 

transportation and administration, and area operations.

Total contribution to institutional costs from Competitive products has grown since FY

2007, exceeding the required contribution level of 5.5 percent each year. As shown in

Figure III-8, the products’ contribution has increased significantly over the last 3 years.

Figure III-8

Competitive Products’ Contribution to Institutional Cost

Source: FY 2014 and FY 2013 Postal Regulatory Commission Financial Report, Appendix A; Postal Regulatory Commission

Library Reference PRC–LR–1, FY 2007-FY 2012 ACD.

Market Dominant Volume, Revenue, and Costs

Trends by Class

First-Class Mail

Six products are assigned to First-Class Mail: Single-Piece Letters/Postcards; Presorted

Letters/Postcards; Flats; Parcels; Outbound Single-Piece First-Class Mail International; and

Inbound Letter Post. For comparison purposes in this report, the products have been

disaggregated into letters, flats, and “all others.”

FIRST-CLASS MAIL LETTERS COMPARED WITH FY 2013

Table III-7 on the next page summarizes the FY 2014 change in total volume and revenue

for First-Class Mail letters. Although volume continued to decline, total revenue increased

by $342 million in FY 2014. The higher revenue was the result of rate increases going into

effect during this fiscal year. First-Class Mail presorted letters accounted for $310 million of

the increase.
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 42

Table III-7

First-Class Mail Letters Volume and Revenue

Mail Volume (Millions) Mail Revenue ($ Millions)

FY 2014 FY 2013 Increase or

Decrease Change FY 2014 FY 2013 Increase orDecrease Change

Single-Piece 20,599 21,452 (853) -4.0% 10,253 10,222 31 0.3%

Presorted 38,098 38,725 (627) -1.6% 14,691 14,346 345 2.4%

Total Letters 58,697 60,177 (1,480) -2.5% 24,944 24,568 376 1.5%

Source: Library Reference PRC–LR–ACR2014/1, PRC–FinRpt13–LR1.

Table III-8 summarizes the FY 2014 change in total attributable costs for First-Class Mail 

letters. Attributable costs remained relatively unchanged this fiscal year. Reductions in

attributable costs for mail processing and city delivery were partially offset by increases in

the attributable costs for rural delivery. Additionally, a new costing methodology for

attributing credit and debit card fees increased attributable costs for First-Class Mail

Single-Piece Letters/Postcards.22 The average unit attributable cost increased slightly in FY

2014 for all First-Class Mail letters.

Table III-8

Attributable Cost and Average Unit Attributable Cost, First-Class Mail Letters

Attributable Cost ($ Millions) Unit Attributable Costs (Cents per Piece)

FY 2014 FY 2013 Increase or

Decrease Change FY 2014 FY 2013 Increase orDecrease Change

Single-Piece 5,710 5,905 (195) -3.3% 27.7 27.5 0.2 0.7%

Presorted 4,573 4,605 (32) -0.7% 12.0 11.8 0.1 1.2%

Total Letters 10,283 10,510 (227) -2.2% 17.5 17.5 0.1 0.3%

Source: Library Reference PRC–LR–ACR2014/1, PRC–FinRpt13–LR1.

Trends in First-Class Mail Letters

The primary driver of the volume declines for First-Class Mail letters is the increased use of

electronic media (i.e., Internet diversion), although decreased business and consumer

activity also plays a role.23 As Figure III-9 (next page) illustrates, the rate of decline for

First-Class Mail letter volume has diminished since FY 2010. This may be due to increasing

business activity, employment, and consumer sales activity or less Internet diversion—or a

combination of all factors.

 

22 Docket No. RM2015-4, Order Approving Analytical Principle Used in Periodic Reporting (Proposal Eleven), February 9, 2015 (Order No. 2350).

23 Postal Service FY 2014 Form 10-K at 8.
43 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

Figure III-9

Percentage Change in Volume for First-Class Mail Letters, FY 2008-FY 2014

Source: Postal Service Revenue, Pieces, and Weight Reports, FY 2008-FY 2014.

As shown in Figure III-10, the percentage change in the average unit attributable cost of

First-Class Mail letters has fluctuated over time. The change for First-Class Mail presorted 

letters has been particularly erratic. In FY 2011, the average unit attributable cost

increased 3.7 percent. It declined 4.1 percent the following year.

Figure III-10

Percentage Change in Average Unit Attributable Cost, First-Class Mail Letters

Source: FY 2014 and FY 2013 Postal Regulatory Commission Financial Reports, Appendix A; Postal Regulatory Commission

Library Reference PRC–LR–1, FY 2007-FY 2012 ACD.
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 44

Table III-9 compares the average unit attributable cost, by cost segment, for FY 2010

through FY 2014. In FY 2012, the average unit costs in all cost segments, except city carrier

in-office and rural carriers, increased. City carrier street cost increased 8.3 percent. In FY

2013, the average unit attributable cost declined for all cost segments, except city carrier

street cost. In FY 2014, the average total unit attributable cost for First-Class Mail

presorted letters increased 1 percent. Increases in city carrier in-office and rural carriers

were offset by decreases in city carrier street and transportation.

Table III-9

First-Class Mail Presorted Letters Unit Attributable Cost by Segment,

FY 2012-FY 2014

Unit Attributable Cost Change in Unit Attributable Cost

Cost Segment 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2011 2012 2013 2014

Mail processing 3.48 3.38 3.51 3.35 3.34 -2.8% 3.9% -4.8% -0.1%

City carrier in-office 1.11 1.10 1.07 1.01 1.10 -1.5% -2.2% -5.5% 8.3%

City carrrier street 1.62 1.62 1.81 1.84 1.80 0.0% 11.8% 2.0% -2.5%

Rural carriers 0.72 0.74 0.72 0.62 0.64 2.7% -2.1% -14.4% 3.8%

Transportation 0.99 1.12 1.19 1.18 1.13 13.3% 6.1% -0.3% -4.1%

All other 4.01 3.94 4.10 3.88 3.99 -1.7% 3.9% -5.2% 2.8%

Source: Postal Regulatory Commission derived from Postal Service Cost Segment and Component Reports, FY 2010-FY 2014.

FIRST-CLASS MAIL FLATS COMPARED WITH FY 2013

As shown in Table III-10, total volume and total revenue for First-Class Mail flats continued

to decline. Although rate increases implemented in FY 2014 resulted in an increase in

revenue for First-Class Mail presorted flats, the increase was not enough to offset the total

revenue lost due to volume declines in First-Class Mail single-piece flats.

Table III-10

First Class Mail Flats Volume and Revenue

Mail Volume (Millions) Mail Revenue ($ Millions)

FY 2014 FY 2013 Increase or

Decrease Change FY 2014 FY 2013 Increase orDecrease Change

Single-piece 1,184 1,269 (85) -6.7% 1,905 1,940 (35) -1.8%

Presorted 599 626 (27) -4.3% 594 580 15 2.6%

Total Flats 1,783 1,894 (112) -5.9% 2,499 2,519 (20) -0.8%

Source: Library Reference PRC–LR–ACR2014/1, PRC–FinRpt13–LR1.

Table III-11 on the next page summarizes the FY 2014 change in attributable costs. Total

attributable costs for First-Class Mail flats were less than in FY 2013, despite increases in

costs for First-Class Mail presorted flats.
45 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

Table III-11

First-Class Mail Flats Attributable Costs and Average Unit Attributable Cost

Attributable Cost ($ Millions) Unit Attributable Costs (Cents per Piece)

FY 2014 FY 2013 Increase or

Decrease Change FY 2014 FY 2013 Increase orDecrease Change

Single-Piece 1,053 1,192 (139) -11.6% 89.0 93.9 (5.0) -5.3%

Presorted 513 494 19 3.9% 85.7 78.9 6.8 8.6%

Total Flats 1,566 1,686 (120) -7.1% 87.9 89.0 (1.1) -1.3%

Source: Library Reference PRC–LR–ACR2014/1, PRC–FinRpt13–LR1.

Trends in First-Class Mail Flats

Figure III-11 compares the percentage change in First-Class Mail flats volume from FY 2008

to FY 2014. First-Class Mail single-piece flat volumes continued to decline in FY 2014.

However, like First-Class Mail letters, the rate of decline is less than previous years. In

contrast, the rate of decline for presorted flats has accelerated since FY 2012.

Figure III-11

Percentage Change in First-Class Mail Flat Volume

Source: Postal Service Revenue, Pieces, and Weight Reports, FY 2008-FY 2014.

As seen in Figure III-12 (next page), the average unit attributable cost for First-Class Mail

single-piece flats in FY 2010 was 29.9 cents higher than the average unit attributable cost

for First-Class Mail presorted flats. In FY 2014, this difference had shrunk to 3.3 cents.
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 46

Figure III-12

First-Class Mail Flats Average Unit Attributable Cost

Source: FY 2014 and FY 2013 Postal Regulatory Commission Financial Report, Appendix A; Postal Regulatory Commission

Library Reference PRC–LR–1, FY 2007-FY 2012 ACD.

Table III-12 compares the average unit attributable cost by cost segment of First-Class Mail

single-piece and presorted flats. In FY 2010, the cost of mail processing was 11.2 cents

higher for single-piece flats than for presorted flats; in FY 2014, the cost for single-piece

flats was 2.1 cents lower than for presorted flats. This seemingly anomalous relationship is

the result of a decline in the average unit attributable cost of mail processing for singlepiece flats and an increase for presorted flats. In FY 2010, the average unit attributable city 

carrier in-office cost was virtually the same for both types of flats; in FY 2014, the cost for

single-piece flats was 6.1 cents lower than presorted flats.

Table III-12

First-Class Mail Presort Flats Unit Attributable Cost by Segment, FY 2012-FY 2014

2010 2014

Cost Segment Single-Piece Presort Diff. Single-Piece Presort Diff.

Mail processing 37.2 23.7 13.6 33.2 32.9 0.4

City carrier in-office 8.7 8.6 0.1 6.4 12.5 (6.1)

City carrrier street 4.4 2.3 2.1 5.8 2.5 3.2

Rural carriers 1.7 1.9 (0.1) 2.5 2.1 0.3

Transportation 11.0 8.3 2.7 13.1 9.0 4.1

All other 31.4 20.1 11.3 28.0 26.7 1.3

Total 94.5 64.9 29.6 89.0 85.7 3.3

Source: Postal Regulatory Commission, derived from Postal Service Cost Segment and Component Reports, FY 2010-FY 2014.
47 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

Other First-Class Mail Compared with FY 2013

As Table III-13 shows, every other category of First-Class Mail volume, with the exception

of Inbound Letter Post, declined in FY 2014. Total revenue also declined due to reductions

in Postcards and Outbound Single-Piece First-Class Mail International. The significant

decline for the latter could be related to a large decline in weight per piece, which could be

related to a significant change in the mix of the mail. The increase in revenue for Parcels

can be fully attributed to the rate increases implemented in January 2014.

Table III-13

All Other First-Class Mail Volume and Revenue

Mail Volume (Millions) Mail Revenue ($ Millions)

FY 2014 FY 2013

Increase

or

Decrease

Change FY 2014 FY 2013

Increase

or

Decrease

Change

Total Postcards 3,123 3,468 (345) -10.0% 885 944 (59) -6.3%

Parcels 233 247 (14) -5.7% 593 580 13 2.2%

Outbound SinglePiece First-Class Mail

International

216 231 (16) -6.9% 308 458 (149) -32.6%

Inbound Letter Post 242 223 19 8.4% 175 145 30 20.5%

Inbound

International NSAsa 159 164 (6) -3.5% 164 137 28 20.2%

Total Other FirstClass Mail 3,973 4,335 (362) -8.4% 2,125 2,263 (139) -6.1%

a

Negotiated service agreements

Source: Library Reference PRC–LR–ACR2014/1, PRC–FinRpt13–LR1.

As shown in Table III-14 on the next page, total attributable costs declined for all other

First-Class Mail categories except for Inbound Letter Post. The average unit attributable

cost increased for three of the five categories. The average unit attributable cost of

Outbound Single-Piece First-Class Mail International declined by 35.9 percent. A review of

the costs indicates that, much like the revenue decline, a significant drop in the weight per

piece has caused a decline in the costs of processing and transportation of this mail. The

Commission will continue to monitor this development during FY 2015.

Standard Mail

Standard Mail is a Market Dominant class that consists of seven products: Letters; Flats;

Parcels; Carrier Route; High Density and Saturation Letters; High Density and Saturation

Flats/Parcels; and Every Door Direct Mail–Retail. For comparison purposes, the products

have been disaggregated into letters and flats.

24

 

24 Since Standard Mail Parcels has moved to the Competitive product list, the remaining parcel volume comprises only 0.1 percent of total

Standard Mail volume. Consequently, that volume is not discussed separately.
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 48

Table III-14

Other First-Class Mail Attributable Costs and Average Unit Attributable Cost

Attributable Cost ($ Millions) Unit Attributable Costs (Cents per Piece)

FY 2014 FY 2013

Increase

or

Decrease

Change FY 2014 FY 2013

Increase

or

Decrease

Change

Total Postcards 451 487 (36) -7.4% 14.4 14.0 0.4 2.8%

Parcels 543 583 (40) -6.9% 232.8 235.9 (3.0) -1.3%

Outbound SinglePiece First-Class Mail

International

188 316 (127) -40.3% 87.4 136.4 (48.9) -35.9%

Inbound Letter Post 249 228 21 9.4% 102.9 102.0 0.9 0.9%

Inbound

International NSAs 143 148 (5) -3.3% 90.2 90.1 0.2 0.2%

Total 1,575 1,761 (187) -10.6% 39.6 40.6 (1.0) -2.5%

Source: Library Reference PRC–LR–ACR2014/1, PRC–FinRpt13–LR1.

STANDARD MAIL LETTERS COMPARED WITH FY 2013

Table III-15 summarizes the FY 2014 change in volume and revenue for Standard letters.

Volumes for both Standard letter products continued to increase and were the only 

Standard Mail products that showed any volume growth. Revenues also increased in FY

2014.

Table III-15

Standard Mail Letter Volume and Revenue, FY 2014 and FY 2013

Mail Volume (Millions) Mail Revenue ($ Millions)

FY 2014 FY 2013

Increase

or

Decrease

Change FY 2014 FY 2013

Increase

or

Decrease

Change

Letters 48,072 47,791 281 0.6% 9,956 9,478 478 5.0%

High Density and

Saturation Letters 5,970 5,712 258 4.5% 884 809 75 9.3%

Total Letters 54,042 53,502 539 1.0% 10,840 10,287 553 5.4%

Source: Library Reference PRC–LR–ACR2014/1, PRC–FinRpt13–LR1.

Table III-16 (next page) summarizes the FY 2014 change in attributable costs. Overall total

attributable costs for Standard letters decreased. High Density and Saturation Letters

product’s costs increased, as volume growth led to higher mail processing, city delivery 

street time, and related indirect costs. These increases were offset by reductions in the 

costs for the Letters product, which makes up a larger portion of total Standard letters .

The overall average unit attributable cost for Standard letters declined slightly.
49 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

Table III-16

Standard Mail Letter Attributable Costs and Average Unit Attributable Cost

Attributable Cost ($ Millions) Unit Attributable Costs (Cents per Piece)

FY 2014 FY 2013

Increase

or

Decrease

Change FY 2014 FY 2013

Increase

or

Decrease

Change

Letters 4,948 4,996 (48) -1.0% 10.3 10.5 (0.2) -1.5%

High Density and

Saturation Letters 370 341 28 8.3% 6.2 6.0 0.2 3.6%

Total Letters 5,317 5,337 (20) -0.4% 9.8 10.0 (0.1) -1.4%

Source: Library Reference PRC–LR–ACR2014/1, PRC–FinRpt13–LR1.

Trends in Standard Mail Letters

As seen in Figure III-13, Standard letter volumes have grown each year except for FY 2009

and FY 2012.

Figure III-13

Standard Mail Letter Volumes Percentage Change

Source: FY 2014 and FY 2013 Postal Regulatory Commission Financial Reports, Appendix A; Postal Regulatory Commission

Library Reference PRC–LR–1, FY 2007-FY 2012 ACD.

The average unit attributable cost for both categories of Standard letters has increased

since FY 2008. Figure III-14 on the next page illustrates this increase.
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 50

Figure III-14

Percentage Change in Standard Mail Letter Unit Attributable Cost

Source: FY 2014 and FY 2013 Postal Regulatory Commission Financial Reports, Appendix A; Postal Regulatory

Commission Library Reference PRC–LR–1, FY 2007-FY 2012 ACD.

STANDARD MAIL FLATS COMPARED WITH FY 2013

Table III-17 summarizes the FY 2014 change in volume and revenue for Standard flats.

Almost 90 percent of the volume decline occurred in Carrier Route and Flats.

25 Total

revenue also declined, as the reduction in volume of Carrier Route and Flats offset much of

the increase in prices from the CPI cap rate increases and the exigent rate surcharge.

Table III-17

Standard Mail Flat Volume and Revenue

Mail Volume (Millions) Mail Revenue ($ Millions)

FY 2014 FY 2013

Increase

or

Decrease

Change FY 2014 FY 2013

Increase

or

Decrease

Change

High Density and

Saturation

Flats/Parcels

11,295 11,338 (43) -0.4% 2,013 1,934 80 4.1%

Carrier Route 9,030 9,508 (478) -5.0% 2,381 2,378 3 0.1%

Flats 5,054 5,568 (514) -9.2% 2,041 2,138 (97) -4.5%

Every Door Direct

Mail–Retail 890 975 (85) -8.7% 149 138 11 7.6%

Total Flats & Parcels 26,270 27,388 (1,119) -4.1% 6,585 6,588 (4) -0.1%

Source: Library Reference PRC–LR–ACR2014/1, PRC–FinRpt13–LR1.

 

25 The volume and revenue data in Table III-17 include a very small amount of Parcels in High Density and Saturation and Carrier Route. Most of

the volume transferred to the Competitive product Lightweight Parcel Select in FY 2012. The total volume of Parcels in High Density and

Saturation and Carrier Route Flat Mail is less than 0.1 percent.
51 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

As shown in Table III-18, total attributable costs for Standard flats declined slightly,

primarily due to the declining volume of Carrier Route and Flats. The average unit

attributable cost for all categories of Standard flats increased more than 20 percent in FY

2014.

Table III-18

Standard Flats Attributable Costs and Average Unit Attributable Cost

Attributable Cost ($ Millions) Unit Attributable Costs (Cents per Piece)

FY 2014 FY 2013

Increase

or

Decrease

Change FY 2014 FY 2013

Increase

or

Decrease

Change

High Density and

Saturation Flats/

Parcels

887 843 38 4.6% 7.9 7.4 0.4 5.7%

Carrier Route 1,735 1,779 (93) -5.2% 19.2 18.7 0.5 2.7%

Flats 2,452 2,514 (24) -0.9% 48.5 45.2 3.4 7.5%

Every Door Direct

Mail–Retail 39 38 1 2.2% 4.4 3.9 0.5 11.9%

Total Flats & Parcels 5,114 5,174 (78) -1.5% 19.5 18.9 0.6 3.1%

Source: Library Reference PRC–LR–ACR2014/1, PRC–FinRpt13–LR1.

Trends in Standard Mail Flats

The total volume of Standard flats declined by more than 1 billion pieces in FY 2014. As

seen in Figure III-15, there was a significant decline in Standard Flats—which has been

declining since FY 2009, with an average annual decline of almost 10 percent over the past

four years. The decline in volume for the other flat categories has not been as severe. In FY

2011 and FY 2012, these volumes slightly increased.

Figure III-15

Percentage Change in Standard Mail Flats Volumes

Source: FY 2014 and FY 2013 Postal Regulatory Commission Financial Report, Appendix A; Postal Regulatory 

Commission Library Reference PRC–LR–1, FY 2007-FY 2012 ACD.
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 52

As seen in Figure III-16, the average unit attributable cost for all Standard flats products

has grown over the past 6 years. Since FY 2008, the cost has grown 25 percent, with the

largest growth in Standard Mail Flats. The average unit attributable cost for all Standard

flats products has increased more than 20 percent since FY 2008. The unit cost increase for 

Flats is 27.1 percent, 24.9 percent for Carrier Route, and 26.1 percent for High Density and

Saturation Flats.

Figure III-16

Percentage Change in Standard Mail Flats Average Unit Attributable Cost

FY 2009 to FY 2014

Source: FY 2014 and FY 2013 Postal Regulatory Commission Financial Reports, Appendix A; Postal Regulatory Commission

Library Reference PRC-LR-1, FY 2007-FY 2012 ACD.

Table III-19 on the next page compares the change in the average unit attributable cost by

cost segment for FY 2009 and FY 2014. It presents these years because they represent the 2

years with the largest increases in average unit attributable cost. All Standard flats 

products experienced double-digit increases in city carrier costs in FY 2009. The average

unit attributable cost increased more than 12 percent in every cost segment for Standard

flats. City carrier in-office average unit cost increased 21.5 percent for Flats, 21.6 percent

for Carrier Route, and 15.5 percent for High Density and Saturation Flats. City carrier street

average unit cost also increased significantly for all three products.

In FY 2014, the average unit attributable cost for mail processing, city carrier in-office, and

rural carriers increased more than 5 percent for both Flats and High Density and Saturation

Flats. The average unit transportation cost increased more than 10 percent for all three

products. Although the average unit transportation cost increased 25.5 percent for High

Density and Saturation Flats, it constitutes less than 2 percent of the overall average unit

attributable cost for that product.
53 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

Table III-19

Change in Standard Mail Flats Unit Attributable Cost by Cost Segment,

FY 2009 and FY 2014

FY 2009 FY 2014

Flats Carrier

Route

High Density &

Saturation Flats CarrierRoute

High Density &

Saturation

Mail processing 12.6% -2.4% -2.6% 8.0% -1.9% 9.6%

City carrier in-office 21.5% 21.6% 15.5% 8.1% -0.6% 5.8%

City carrrier street 19.9% 15.2% 18.5% 5.7% 0.7% -3.5%

Rural carriers 12.1% 5.3% -1.8% 7.2% 2.5% 9.4%

Transportation 14.3% -26.5% 40.4% 15.8% 11.2% 25.5%

All other 15.5% 5.2% 6.3% 11.4% -0.2% 8.3%

Source: Postal Regulatory Commission, derived from Postal Service Cost Segment and Component Reports FY 2010 to FY 2014.

PERIODICALS

The Periodicals class comprises two products: Within County and Outside County. Within

County is typically used by newspapers with smaller weekly circulations for distribution

within the county of publication. Outside County consists of publications with a wide

variety of circulation sizes, distribution patterns, and frequencies.

PERIODICALS COMPARED WITH FY 2013

Table III-20 summarizes the FY 2014 change in volume and revenue for Periodicals. In FY

2014, volume declined by 314 million pieces, or 4.9 percent, primarily in Outside County

Periodicals. As a share of total volume, Periodicals declined slightly in FY 2014 and now

constitutes 3.9 percent of total volume.

Revenue for Periodicals declined 2 percent in FY 2014. While the January 2014 CPI cap and

exigent rate surcharge price change increased revenue from Within County publications,

the decline in revenue due to lower volume in Outside County publications more than

offset the increase in revenue caused by the rate increase. The drop in Periodicals revenue

has reduced its share of total revenue by 0.1 percent to 2.4 percent of total revenue.

Table III-20

Periodicals Volume and Revenue

Mail Volume (Millions) Mail Revenue ($ Millions)

FY 2014 FY 2013

Increase

or

Decrease

Change FY 2014 FY 2013

Increase

or

Decrease

Change

Within County 586 603 (17) -2.8% 67 66 1 1.9%

Outside County 5,459 5,756 (297) -5.2% 1,558 1,592 (34) -2.1%

Total 6,045 6,359 (314) -4.9% 1,625 1,658 (33) -2.0%

Source: Library Reference PRC–LR–ACR2014/1, PRC–FinRpt13–LR1.
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 54

As shown in Table III-21, Periodicals’ total attributable costs declined in FY 2014.

Reductions in volume were the primary cause. The average unit attributable cost increased

3 percent.

Table III-21

Periodicals Attributable and Average Unit Attributable Cost

Attributable Cost ($ Millions) Unit Attributable Costs (Cents per Piece)

FY 2014 FY 2013

Increase

or

Decrease

Change FY 2014 FY 2013

Increase

or

Decrease

Change

Within County 86 87 (1) -1.5% 14.6 14.4 0.2 1.4%

Outside County 2,048 2,092 (44) -2.1% 37.5 36.3 1.2 3.2%

Total 2,134 2,179 (45) -2.1% 35.3 34.3 1.0 3.0%

Source: Library Reference PRC–LR–ACR2014/1, PRC–FinRpt13–LR1.

Trends in Periodicals

As seen in Figure III-17, the volume of Periodicals continued to decline due in large part to

the availability of electronic alternatives. Advertising has migrated from Periodicals to less

costly electronic media, further depressing volumes.

26

Figure III-17

Percentage Change in Periodicals Volumes, FY 2008-FY 2014

Source: Postal Service Revenue, Pieces, and Weight Reports, FY 2008-FY 2014.

 

26 Postal Service FY 2014 Form 10-K at 19.
55 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

Figure III-18 tracks the percentage change in the average unit attributable cost for Within

County and Outside County Periodicals over the past 7 years. The Within County average

unit attributable cost does not present a clear trend over time. This could be due to the

small amount of volume and the inability of the Postal Service’s cost systems to accurately

estimate the cost for these publications. Outside County Periodicals shows a consistent

increase in average unit cost over time, with FY 2013 as the only exception. The decrease in

FY 2013 resulted from the lower productive hourly wage rates discussed in Chapter 2.

Figure III-18

Percentage Change in Periodicals Average Unit Attributable Cost

Source: FY 2014 and FY 2013 Postal Regulatory Commission Financial Reports, Appendix A; Postal Regulatory Commission

Library Reference PRC–LR–1, FY 2007-FY 2012 ACD.

Table III-22 disaggregates the average unit attributable cost for Outside County Periodicals

for FY 2012 to FY 2014.

Table III-22

Periodicals Average Unit Attributable Cost by Segment, FY 2012-FY 2013

Average Unit Attributable Cost Change in Avg. Unit Attributable Cost

2012 2013 2014 2013 2014

Mail processing 12.41 11.69 12.25 -5.8% 4.8%

City carrier in-office 4.86 4.63 4.69 -4.7% 1.2%

City carrrier street 2.20 2.24 2.30 1.6% 2.6%

Rural carriers 2.50 2.51 2.65 0.2% 5.5%

Transportation 3.53 3.52 3.46 -0.3% -1.9%

All other 12.23 11.76 12.19 -3.9% 3.6%

Source: Postal Regulatory Commission derived from Postal Service Cost Segment and Component Reports, FY 2010-FY 2014.
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 56

Package Services

The Package Services class consists of five products: Alaska Bypass Service, Bound Printed

Matter (BPM) Flats, BPM Parcels, Media Mail/Library Mail, and Inbound Surface Parcel

Post [at Universal Postal Union (UPU) rates].

Table III-23 summarizes the FY 2014 change in volume and revenue for Package Services.

The transfer of Single-Piece Parcel Post Mail to the Competitive product list27 accounted for

the bulk of declines in volumes and revenues in FY 2014. BPM Flats increased by 20 million

pieces over the prior year’s volume, while the volumes of BPM Parcels and Media/Library

Mail continued to decline.

Table III-23

Package Services Volume and Revenue

Mail Volume (Millions) Mail Revenue ($Millions)

FY 2014 FY 2013

Increase

or

Decrease

Change FY 2014 FY 2013

Increase

or

Decrease

Change

Alaska Bypass 1 1 (0) -0.4% 33 32 2 5.1%

Single-Piece

Parcel Post – 28 (28) -100.0% – 308 (308) -100.0%

BPM Flats 250 230 20 8.8% 203 186 17 9.0%

BPM Parcels 212 216 (4) -2.0% 273 276 (2) -0.8%

Media Mail/

Library Mail 86 95 (8) -8.7% 308 317 (8) -2.6%

Inbound Surface

Parcel Post (at

UPU Rates)

1 1 (0) 0.0% 18 18 0 0.8%

Total 550 571 (21) -3.6% 836 1,136 (300) -26.4%

Source: Library Reference PRC–LR–ACR2014/1, PRC–FinRpt13–LR1.

When the loss in revenue from the transfer of Single-Piece Parcel Post is not considered, 

total revenue for Package Services increased compared with last year. All of the increase in 

revenue occurred in BPM Flats. The CPI cap rate increase and the exigent rate surcharge

increased revenue by $41 million, while revenue lost due to the decline in volumes totaled 

$20 million. BPM Flats and Inbound Surface Parcel Post (at UPU rates) gained revenue from 

additional volume—almost $17 million for the former and approximately $0.2 million for 

the latter.

As shown in Table III-24 (next page), attributable costs for Package Services declined from

the prior year by almost $45 million, not including the $331 million lost from the transfer

 

27 Docket No. MC2012-13, Order Conditionally Granting Request to Transfer Parcel Post to the Competitive Product List, Order No. 1411, July 

20, 2012 (Order No. 1411).
57 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

of Single-Piece Parcel Post Mail to the Competitive products list. The largest reduction in

costs was in Media Mail/Library Mail.

Table III-24

Package Services Attributable Costs and Average Unit Attributable Cost,

FY 2013 and FY 2014

Attributable Cost ($ Millions) Unit Attributable Costs (Cents per Piece)

FY 2014 FY 2013

Increase

or

Decrease

Change FY 2014 FY 2013

Increase

or

Decrease

Change

Alaska Bypass

Service 16 10 6 59.0% 1,269.8 795.9 474.0 59.6%

Single-Piece

Parcel Post – 331 (331) -100.0% – 1,182.1 (1,182) -100.0%

BPM Flats 134 130 4 3.0% 53.8 56.8 (3.0) -5.3%

BPM Parcels 251 263 (12) -4.6% 118.5 121.6 (3.1) -2.6%

Media Mail/

Library Mail 328 372 (44) -11.9% 380.2 394.0 (13.8) -3.5%

Inbound Surface

Parcel Post (at

UPU Rates)

13 11 2 19.6% 1,419.9 1,187.3 232.6 19.6%

Total 743 1,118 (375) -33.5% 135.0 195.8 (60.7) -31.0%

Source: Library Reference PRC–LR–ACR2014/1, PRC–FinRpt13–LR1.

A change in the development of the Alaska Bypass Service cost adjustment was responsible 

for the significant change in its attributable costs. Prior to FY 2014, the computation of the 

ratio of hypothetical highway cost to air cost for Alaska Air transportation was based on 

U.S. Department of Transportation data, surface densities, linehaul, and terminal handling 

cost. The new methodology uses operational data from the Postal Service’s Surface Air 

Management System–Alaska and the Transportation Cost System to compute the same 

ratio. This methodology increases the adjustment factor significantly and assigns a greater 

amount of attributable air transportation costs to Alaska Bypass Service.

28

On an average unit attributable cost basis, only Alaska Bypass Service and Inbound Surface 

Parcel Post (at UPU rates) increased over the prior period. The increase in Alaska Bypass

Service is due to the change in the computation of the Alaska Air adjustment factor

described above. The average unit attributable cost of all other Package Services products

declined across most cost segments.

 

28 See Docket No. RM2013-6 at 4-6, Order No. 1983.
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 58

Market Dominant Services

The Special Services class consists of 12 products, including Ancillary Services, eight

domestic “stand-alone” products, and three international products. Although it comprises

several services, Ancillary Services is classified as a single product.

Special Services include Certified Mail, Insurance, Money Orders, Post Office Box Service,

and other products that enhance Market Dominant products. As shown in Table III-25, total

revenue increased almost $11 million in FY 2014. Most of the increases were in Other

Ancillary Services (USPS Tracking, Return Receipts, and Restricted Delivery), Money

Orders, and Other Special Services.

Table III-25

Market Dominant Ancillary and Special Services Revenue

Ancillary and Special Services Revenue ($ Millions)

FY 2014 FY 2013 Increase or Decrease Change

Certified Mail 687 715 (28) -3.9%

Collect on Delivery 4 4 (1) -18.8%

Insurance 92 108 (17) -15.5%

Registered Mail 35 35 (1) -1.5%

Stamped Envelopes & Cards 12 12 (1) -5.6%

Other Ancillary Services 525 515 10 2.0%

Money Orders 165 155 10 6.6%

Post Office Box Service 365 359 7 1.9%

Other services 175 146 30 20.5%

Total Services 2,060 2,049 11 0.5%

Source: Library Reference PRC–LR–ACR2014/1, PRC–FinRpt13–LR1.

Table III-26 shows that attributable costs for Special Services declined by $4 million in FY

2014. This slight reduction stems mostly from continued declines in demand for services

such as Insurance and Collect on Delivery. Also, additional transfers of PO Boxes from the

Market Dominant product list to the Competitive product list have reduced the Market

Dominant portion of PO Box cost. Some services have experienced cost increases. Although

Certified Mail transactions and revenues have declined, a change in costing methodology

has increased the amount attributed to the product. Other Ancillary Services’ attributable

costs have increased due to higher use of the service.

Table III-26

Market Dominant Services Attributable Cost

Ancillary and Special Services Attributable Cost ($ Millions)

FY 2014 FY 2013 Increase or Decrease Change

Certified Mail 542 535 7 1.3%

Collect on Delivery 3 4 (1) -27.8%

Insurance 63 76 (12) -16.3%

Registered Mail 29 28 1 2.3%
59 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

Ancillary and Special Services Attributable Cost ($ Millions)

FY 2014 FY 2013 Increase or Decrease Change

Stamped Envelopes & Cards 8 7 1 21.5%

Other Ancillary Services 260 243 17 7.0%

Money Orders 100 103 (4) -3.5%

Post Office Box Service 282 294 (12) -4.1%

Other services 45 33 12 34.8%

Total Services 1,331 1,323 9 0.7%

Source: Library Reference PRC–LR–ACR2014/1, PRC–FinRpt13–LR1.

Competitive Volume, Revenue, and Costs by

Product

Competitive Products consist of both domestic and international products. In FY 2014,

domestic Competitive products include Priority Mail Express; Priority Mail; Parcel Select;

Parcel Return Service; First-Class Package Service; Standard Post; Address Enhancement

Services; Greeting Cards and Stationery; Competitive Ancillary Services; Premium

Forwarding Service; Post Office Box Service; and Shipping and Mailing Supplies. There are

also a total of 136 Domestic Competitive negotiated service agreement (NSA) products.

International Competitive products include Outbound International Expedited Services;

Outbound Priority Mail International; Inbound Air Parcel Post (at UPU rates); Outbound

Single-Piece First-Class Package International Service; International Surface Air Lift;

International Priority Airmail; International Direct Sacks—M-Bags; International Money

Transfer Service—Outbound; International Money Transfer Service—Inbound; and

International Ancillary Services. In FY 2014, there were also 262 International Outbound

NSA products and 20 International Inbound NSA products.

To facilitate comparison, the products have been grouped into several broad categories.

Table III-27 (next page) summarizes the FY 2014 change in volume and revenue for

Competitive products and services. Total Competitive products’ volume increased almost

10 percent in FY 2014, as volume for every product except Priority Mail Express and

international mail increased. The largest volume growth occurred in First-Class Mail

Package Service and Ground Parcels, increasing almost 17 percent and 15 percent,

respectively. Priority Mail volume also increased 5.6 percent over FY 2013.

Total Competitive product revenue increased more than 11 percent, or $1.5 billion, in FY

2014. First-Class Mail Package Service, Priority Mail, and Ground Parcels are the largest

contributors to this growth in revenue. The Competitive product price increases

implemented in January 2014 increased revenues by $541 million. The increase in volumes

accounted for the bulk of the total revenue growth, creating $990 million of additional

revenue.
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 60

Table III-27

Competitive Products Volume and Revenue

Mail Volume (Millions) Mail Revenue ($ Millions)

FY 2014 FY 2013

Increase

or

Decrease

Change FY 2014 FY 2013

Increase

or

Decrease

Change

Priority Mail

Express 36 39 (3) -7.4% 760 794 (34) -4.3%

First-Class

Package Service 635 544 90 16.6% 1,462 1,192 270 22.7%

Priority Mail 920 871 49 5.6% 6,884 6,374 510 8.0%

Ground Parcels 1,576 1,371 205 14.9% 3,160 2,469 691 28.0%

International 281 282 (1) -0.3% 2,319 2,222 96 4.3%

Domestic

Services 695 689 6 0.9%

Total 3,448 3,108 340 10.9% 15,280 13,741 1,539 11.2%

Note: Ground Parcels consist of Parcel Select, Parcel Return Service, and Standard Post.

Source: Library Reference PRC–LR–ACR2014/1, PRC–FinRpt13–LR1.

Table III-28 summarizes the FY 2014 change in attributable costs. In FY 2014, total

attributable costs for Competitive products have increased more than 11 percent, or more

than $1 billion, with significant increases in virtually every cost segment and component.

Table III-28

Competitive Products Attributable Cost

Attributable Cost ($ Millions) Unit Attributable Costs (Cents per Piece)

FY 2014 FY 2013

Increase

or

Decrease

Change FY 2014 FY 2013

Increase

or

Decrease

Change

Priority Mail

Express 366 420 (54) -12.9% 1,008.8 1,072.9 (64.0) -6.0%

First-Class

Package Service 1,155 1,002 153 15.3% 182.0 184.0 (2.1) -1.1%

Priority Mail 5,234 4,861 373 7.7% 568.9 557.9 11.0 2.0%

Ground Parcels 2,472 1,985 487 24.6% 156.9 144.8 12.1 8.4%

International 1,385 1,271 114 8.9% 492.0 450.4 41.5 9.2%

Domestic

Services 359 343 16 4.5%

Total 10,970 9,881 1,089 11.0% 318.2 317.9 0.2 0.1%

Source: Library Reference PRC–LR–ACR2014/1, PRC–FinRpt13–LR1.

As shown in Table III-28, total attributable costs for every Competitive product except 

Priority Mail Express increased in FY 2014. The largest increases were in Priority Mail and 

Ground Parcels, where total attributable costs grew almost 8 percent and 25 percent, 

respectively. In addition to increased costs due to higher volumes, Priority Mail costs for 
61 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

advertising increased $40 million in FY 2014, and accounted for the entire increase in total 

advertising costs for the year.

Average unit attributable costs declined slightly for Competitive products, largely due to 

declines in Priority Mail Express and First-Class Package Service. Average unit attributable 

cost for Ground Parcels increased 8.4 percent, while the average unit attributable cost of 

the International category increased 9.2 percent. Together, these categories account for 

53.9 percent of all Competitive volume.

Trends in Competitive Products

As shown in Figure III-19, the growth in Competitive product volume has been primarily

driven by the significant increases in the volume of Ground Parcels and First-Class Package

Service. The FY 2012 transfer of Standard Mail lightweight parcels to Parcel Select more

than doubled Parcel Select volume. The transfer of First-Class commercial parcels to the

Competitive product list, also in FY 2012, contributed to the growth in Competitive product

volumes as well. Since FY 2012, the bulk of the volume growth for Competitive products

has been in Ground Parcels and First-Class Package Service.

Figure III-19

Competitive Product Volume by Product, FY 2007-FY 2014

Source: Postal Service Revenue, Pieces and Weight Reports, FY 2007-FY 2014.

Attributable costs of Competitive products have grown and now comprise 28 percent of

total attributable costs, compared with 11.5 percent in FY 2008. As shown in Figure III-20

on the next page, unit attributable costs remained fairly stagnant until FY 2012, as there

were significant reductions in the unit attributable cost of Ground Parcels. This is due to

the transfer of Standard Mail lightweight parcels, which had a much lower unit attributable

cost, to the Parcel Select product in FY 2012. The Ground Parcel unit attributable cost grew
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 62

significantly in both FY 2013 and FY 2014, as the transfer of Single-Piece Parcel Post to the

Competitive product Standard Post, which has a high unit attributable cost, began in FY

2013. The higher unit attributable cost is primarily due to the higher transportation costs

for Standard Post.

Figure III-20

Percentage Change in Competitive Product Unit Attributable Cost by Product

FY 2009-FY 2014

Source: FY 2014 and FY 2013 Postal Regulatory Commission Financial Report, Appendix A; Postal Regulatory Commission

Library Reference PRC–LR–1, FY 2007-FY 2012 ACD.
63 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

Chapter 4. Profitability, Solvency,

Activity, and Financial Stability

Introduction

This chapter analyzes the Postal Service’s financial status in terms of profitability, solvency,

activity, and financial stability using accounting ratios. It explains the meaning of key ratios,

debt ratio, fixed asset to net worth ratio, and current liability ratio.

A financial analysis evaluating an agency’s financial strength, defined as the Altman ZScore, is also used to calculate the possibility of bankruptcy.

The objectives of this chapter are:

 Compare and analyze the financial statements for the past 10 fiscal years, from FY

2004 to FY 2014

 Measure the profitability, solvency, and financial stability position of the Postal

Service

 Forecast the annual growth rate of income of the Postal Service with the help of

trend analysis

 Analyze the Postal Service’s overall financial performance

RATIO ANALYSIS

Ratio analysis is used to conduct a quantitative analysis of information in a financial

statement. Ratios are calculated from current fiscal year numbers and are then compared

with previous years and historic averages to determine the Postal Service’s financial

performance.

KEY RATIOS

Financial analysis used in the private sector may not be directly relevant to government

agencies because revenue streams, equity structures, and management incentives differ. It

is also difficult to determine a single measurement that signifies financial health for a

government agency. Financial performance, although not a primary indicator of success,

influences the fulfillment of missions and objectives for government agencies with a

service-related mission, such as the Postal Service.

The users, stakeholders, and the business environment vary between the Federal

Government and the private sector. Stakeholders of private-sector entities use financial

analysis to make investment and credit decisions, and success is often measured by the

company’s stock valuation. In contrast, Federal agencies are mission-oriented and measure
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 64

success through the provision of service. Furthermore, unlike private-sector firms, Federal 

agencies do not have direct shareholders whose income and wealth is affected by

management decisions.

Financial analysis can be useful in both the Federal Government and the private sector. It

can be used as a strategic management tool that provides the public with a concise and

systematic way to organize the data in financial statements (e.g., balance sheets, income

statements, and statements of cash flows) into meaningful information. The information

derived from these indicators would provide the data needed to evaluate an agency’s 

financial condition, which is vital if the agency is to be able to provide services on a

continuous basis.

Financial viability is affected by a combination of environmental, economic, and

organizational factors, including the decisions and actions of management and the

governing board. For example, the decline in volume of high-contribution margin FirstClass Mail (a negative environmental trend) can lead to the erosion of a healthy cost

coverage base. However, Postal Service management’s response to this decline and

constraints on management flexibility also affect financial condition.

Financial ratios are used to interpret accounting information. The ratios explain an

agency’s financial health and ability to satisfy its financial obligations. Ratio analysis helps

assess profitability and informs stakeholders of an agency’s performance based on its

current earnings. For example, computing a solvency ratio, such as debt ratio, reveals the

correlation between assets and liabilities. Both the ability of an agency to meet its shortterm financial obligation (liquidity) and the ability to meet its long-term financial

obligations (solvency) are critical in evaluating the Postal Service’s current financial

situation.

Ratio analysis also provides valuable insight when analyzing an agency’s past performance,

and can help identify weaknesses and highlight improvements. At present, many agencies

use ratio analysis to estimate future trends and as the foundation of budget planning to

guide growth and development. This section focuses on three key financial ratios to analyze

the Postal Service’s overall financial health: debt ratio, fixed asset to net worth ratio, and 

current liability ratio.

Financial data used in ratio analysis are derived from accounting information not adjusted

for inflation. Forecasts of an agency’s future revenue may not reflect its actual future

revenues and cash flows because of changing demographics, industry dynamics, and

government regulation.

Debt Ratio

The debt ratio indicates the proportion of an agency’s debt to its total assets. It gives

stakeholders a quick measure of the amount of debt compared with assets that the agency

has on its balance sheets. It is one of the main measures describing financial stability. The
65 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

higher the ratio, the greater the risk associated with the agency’s operation. A low debt

ratio indicates conservative financing with an opportunity to borrow in the future at no

significant financial risk.

The debt ratio provides information about the Postal Service’s ability to absorb asset

reductions arising from losses. It indicates the relationship between two main sources of

capital: equity and borrowed capital. It calculates the relationship between liabilities to the

overall capital (i.e., the sum of equity and liabilities). Table IV-1 shows that at the end of FY

2014, the debt ratio for the Postal Service was 2.97, slightly higher than FY 2013.

Table IV-1

Ratio Analysis of Postal Service Financial Statements

Ratios

Value

Description of Ratio

Postal Service 

Historic 10-Year 

Avg. Value 9/30/14 9/30/13 Change

Debt ratio (debt 

to assets ratio) 2.97 2.84 0.13

Calculated by dividing total liabilities (i.e.,

long-term and short-term liabilities) by 

total assets. It shows how much the 

company relies on debt to finance assets 

(similar to debt-to-equity ratio).

1.50

Fixed assets to 

net worth -0.36 -0.44 0.08

Indicates the extent to which the entity’s 

cash is frozen in the form of fixed assets, 

such as property, plant, and equipment.

1.87

Current liability 

ratio 0.62 0.60 0.03

Calculated by dividing current liabilities by 

total (i.e., current and noncurrent) 

liabilities.

0.53

Source: Postal Service Forms 10-K and Postal Service Annual Reports.

The Postal Service’s FY 2014 debt ratio has a critical value approximately twice as high as

the average 10-year value of 1.50. This ratio indicates that the Postal Service does not

possess sufficient capital (equity) and cannot raise investment funds beyond basic earnings

or borrowing. The accruing nonpayment of the RHBF and the long-term workers’

compensation obligations have skewed the Postal Service’s liabilities in relation to its

assets. To reduce its debt ratio to historic averages, the Postal Service would have to

increase its current cash position or investments in capital assets and reduce its obligation

to the RHBF and workers’ compensation.

Fixed Asset to Net Worth Ratio

The fixed asset to net worth ratio analyzes fixed assets as a percentage of net worth to

determine liquidity and the profitability of operations. Net worth is the residual amount

representing the excess of an agency’s assets over its liabilities. The Postal Service’s fixed

assets consist primarily of buildings and equipment, which cannot be easily converted into

cash. A high fixed asset to net worth ratio signifies an inability to respond to financial

emergencies rapidly or obtain cash easily for further investment and growth. The Postal
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 66

Service has accumulated deficits in excess of its fixed assets, resulting in negative fixed

assets to net worth ratio.

It is a common rule that non-current investments should be made with the help of the most

stable source of financing (i.e., an agency’s equity). The non-current asset to net worth ratio

indicates whether or not this rule is followed. A positive ratio indicates that the principle is

being followed; a negative ratio indicates it is not. In this case, as shown in Table IV-1, the

FY 2014 ratio is a slight improvement over FY 2013, but still remains at negative 0.36

because the Postal Service did not have a net surplus on the last day of the period analyzed.

Current Liability Ratio

This current liability ratio indicates the amount of current debt payments required to be 

paid within 1 year. For the Postal Service, it reflects that the share of short-term liabilities

to total liabilities is 62 percent, an increase of 3 percent from the start of FY 2014.

The accrual of the unpaid statutory RHBF prefunding payments is included in current

obligations, accounting for the increase in current liabilities. The increase in workers’

compensation liability resulting from lower discount rates increased long-term obligations

comparative to the start of the year. Understanding the Postal Service’s liabilities is critical,

especially if the cash flows generated from operations render the Postal Service unable to

meet its current debt. This inability to finance current debt requirements is the core of the

Postal Service’s liquidity issues.

The current liability ratio equaled 0.62 on September 30, 2014. This means that short-term

and long-term liabilities are 62 percent and 38 percent, respectively, in the structure of the

Postal Service’s liabilities.

The main financial state indicator values and Postal Service activity results are classified by

qualitative assessment according to the results of the analysis for the year.

The following Postal Service’s financial characteristics are causes for concern:

 The cash ratio is equal to 0.12 on September 30, 2014, the last day of the period

analyzed (a low cash on hand for current payments).

 FY 2014 net loss from financial and operational activities was $5.5 billion.

 The current ratio (0.15) is significantly lower than the standard value 2.

 Liquid assets (current assets) are not enough to meet current liabilities (quick

ratio29 is equal to 0.14), while the acceptable value is 1.

 Critical return on assets30 is -24.7 percent during FY 2013 to FY 2014.

 The Postal Service has negative net worth (no equity on the last day of the period

analyzed).

 There is not enough long-term resources for financing activity (no working capital).

 

29 The “quick ratio” is defined in Table IV-5, below.

30 Return on assets is a measure of an entity’s profitability in generating revenue from existing assets.
67 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

The majority of the FY 2014 financial ratios deviate greatly from the average of the last 10

years.

ALTMAN Z-SCORE

The Altman Z-Score was calculated to predict the probability of the Postal Service running

out of cash to pay its creditors.

Financial analysis evaluates the financial strength of an agency through the use of a variety

of metrics. In conjunction with financial ratios, these metrics are used to gauge an entity’s

long-term viability. However, sometimes the agency’s ratios reflect conflicting views. To

help eliminate confusion, New York University Professor Edward Altman developed the ZScore in 1968 as a tool to explicitly address the likelihood that a company could go

bankrupt.

A quantitative model designed to predict the financial distress of a business, the Altman ZScore uses a blend of the traditional financial ratios and a statistical method known as

multiple discriminant analysis. The formula has achieved general acceptance by 

management accountants and auditors.

The Altman Z-Score is applied here to predict the probability of bankruptcy of an entity

with the attributes of the Postal Service. A factor model for a private non-manufacturer is

used to evaluate the Postal Service’s financial stability:

Altman Z-Score = T1+T2+T3+T4 as denoted in Tables IV-2 through IV-4.

The Postal Service’s Altman Z-Score was -5.7 on September 30, 2014. That means that

there is a high probability that the Postal Service will go into financial distress.

Table IV-2

Altman Z-Score, FY 2014

Ratio Calculation Ratio Value 

on 9/30/2014 Weighting Factor Product[3]+[4]

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

T1 Working Capital/Total Assets (1.6) 1.2 (1.9)

T2 Retained Earnings/Total Assets (2.0) 1.4 (2.8)

T3 Earnings/Total Assets (0.2) 3.3 (0.7)

T4 Capital/Total Liabilities (0.7) 0.6 (0.4)

Altman Z-Score (5.7)

Source: Postal Service FY 2014 Form 10-K.
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 68

Table IV-3

Altman Z-Score, FY 2007

Ratio Calculation Ratio Value 

on 9/30/2007 Weighting Factor Product[3]+[4]

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

T1 Working Capital/Total Assets (0.5) 1.2 (0.6)

T2 Retained Earnings/Total Assets 0.0 1.4 0.1 

T3 Earnings/Total Assets (0.2) 3.3 (0.7)

T4 Capital/Total Liabilities 0.0 0.6 0.0 

Altman Z-Score (1.1)

Source: Postal Service FY 2007 Form 10-K.

Table IV-4

Altman Z-Score, FY 2004

Ratio Calculation Ratio Value 

on 9/30/2004 Weighting Factor Product[3]+[4]

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

T1 Working Capital/Total Assets (0.4) 1.2 (0.4)

T2 Retained Earnings/Total Assets 0.2 1.4 0.2 

T3 Earnings/Total Assets 0.1 3.3 0.3 

T4 Capital/Total Liabilities 0.2 0.6 0.1 

Altman Z-Score 0.2

Source: Postal Service FY 2004 Form 10-K.

Discrimination Ranges

• 1.1 or less: Distress Zone

• 1.1 to 2.6: Grey Zone

• 2.6 or more: Safe Zone

Most commonly, a lower Altman Z-Score reflects higher odds of bankruptcy. The four

performance ratios in the calculation are combined into a single score by weighting. The

coefficients are estimated from a set of entities that have previously declared bankruptcy. A

matched sample of entities is collected and matched by industry and estimated assets.

According to calculations shown in Tables IV-2, IV-3, and IV-4, on September 30, 2014, the

Altman Z-Score equaled -5.7 for the Postal Service. This is a slight setback from the FY 2013

score of -5.5, but a significant deterioration from the FY 2007 score of -1.1 and the FY 2004

score of -0.2.

The deterioration in the Postal Service’s viability relates to the erosion of retained earnings 

caused by consecutive net losses, the statutory obligation to prefund RHBF benefits, and 

decreasing retained earnings/Total Asset ratio.
69 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

A comparatively lower Working Capital/Total Assets ratio results from a constriction in

capital spending to add new investments to its almost fully depreciated existing assets. The

significant drop in these two measures causes the negative fluctuation to the Postal Service

Altman Z-Score when comparing FY 2014 with FY 2004 or even FY 2007.

TREND ANALYSIS

Trend analysis is used for comparing the Postal Service’s financial statements over a

number of years to evaluate the performance of key items. Trend analysis involves the

calculation of the percentage relationship of each item in the financial statement to the

same item in the base year.

FY 2004 was selected as a base year because it is the first year within the past 10-year

period in which the Postal Service reported a net operating income. In Figure IV-1, FY 2004

is the base year, so its percentages are all 100. The percentages in the other fiscal years

were calculated by dividing each amount in a particular year by the corresponding amount

in the base year and multiplying by 100.

A trend percentage less than 100 indicates the balance has decreased from the base year 

level in that particular year. A trend percentage greater than 100 means that the balance in 

that year has increased over the base year. A negative trend represents a negative number.

Figure IV-1 on the next page shows that the Postal Service’s assets declined in FY 2010 

from the base year and that the trend has continued through the current fiscal year. 

Moreover, liabilities have risen steadily. The Postal Service’s liabilities in the current fiscal 

year have more than doubled from the base year amount. Current assets (primarily cash 

and cash equivalents) have increased from the base year as the safety net of available 

borrowing has been depleted. FY 2014 property, plant, and equipment net of depreciation 

has decreased 27.4 percent from the base year, primarily due to capital investments and 

fully depreciated assets that have not been replaced.

Current and non-current liabilities have trended upward from the base year, largely due to 

increasing balances in employee-related liabilities such as mandatory RHBF payments and 

future workers’ compensation obligations that remain unpaid. Total liabilities have risen to 

more than twice the amount from the base year.

Figure IV-2, also on the next page, shows revenue has decreased 1.7 percent over the 10-

year period while operating expenses increased 11.1 percent. These FY 2014 trend 

percentages reflect an unfavorable impact on net income because the percent increase in 

operating expenses is higher than the percent decrease in revenue compared with the base 

year. However, the trend in total revenue is up from FY 2012, as the loss in revenue is 

slowing down. The accrual of mandatory statutory RHBF payments has contributed to the 

roughly 561.5 percent increase in the RHBF expense. Fluctuations in discount rates 

affecting workers’ compensation have doubled the amount in the current year from the 

base year. Compensation has decreased by 7.2 percent from the base year.
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 70

Figure IV-1

Index of Assets and Liabilities, FY 2004-2014

Source: Postal Service Forms 10-K and Postal Service Annual Reports.

Figure IV-2

Index of Revenues and Expenses, FY 2004-2014

Source: Postal Service Forms 10-K and Postal Service Annual Reports.
71 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

WORKING CAPITAL ANALYSIS

Working capital is the amount by which the value of an agency's current assets exceeds its 

current liabilities. The Postal Service has no working capital as of September 30, 2014. Its

current obligations exceed current assets by $36.3 billion. The net increase of $3.4 billion 

from the start of the fiscal year is largely due to the growth in employee-related liabilities, 

including the statutory accruals for payments into the RHBF.

Working capital serves as a liquid reserve; it indicates an agency’s short-term solvency and 

determines if it can pay its current liabilities when due.

Figure IV-3 highlights the deficit, starting in FY 2007 and growing to its current cumulative 

balance of $48.5 billion. Available liquidity is calculated as a combination of working capital 

and remaining borrowing capacity.

Figure IV-3

Postal Service Liquidity and Retained Deficit Trends

Source: Postal Service Forms 10-K and Postal Service Annual Reports.

LIQUIDITY RATIOS

Liquidity-related ratios are one of the most widespread indicators of an agency’s solvency. 

There are three liquidity-related ratios: 

 Current ratio: One of the most commonly used liquidity ratios, current ratio shows

to what degree an agency’s current assets are meeting current liabilities.

 Quick ratio: This ratio describes an agency’s solvency in the near future. The quick 

ratio reflects whether sufficient funds are available to meet short-term obligations

to creditors.
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 72

 Cash ratio: Cash ratio is calculated by dividing absolute liquid assets by current

liabilities.

All three ratios for the Postal Service are calculated in Table IV-5.

Table IV-5

Ratio Analysis of Postal Service Financial Statements

Ratios

Value

Description of Ratio

Postal Service 

Historic 10-Year 

Avg. Value 9/30/14 9/30/13 Change

Current ratio 0.15 0.1 0.04

Calculated by dividing current assets by 

current liabilities. Indicates ability to meet 

short-term debt obligations.

0.18

Quick ratio 0.14 0.10 0.04

Calculated by dividing liquid assets (cash, 

cash equivalents and short-term 

investments, current receivables) by 

current liabilities. Indicates ability to meet 

short-term obligations using most liquid 

assets (near cash or quick assets). 

0.17

Cash ratio 0.12 0.07 0.05

Calculated by dividing absolute liquid 

assets (cash, cash equivalents and shortterm investments) by current liabilities.0.11

Source: Postal Service Forms 10-K and Postal Service Annual Reports.

At the end of the period analyzed, the current ratio amounted to 0.15. This is an

improvement of 0.04 from September 30, 2013, but slightly lower than the 10-year historic

average level. Additionally, the quick ratio totaled to 0.14, an improvement of 0.04 over the

prior year, but is slightly lower than the 10-year historic average level.

Similarly, the cash ratio had a value of 0.12 on September 30, 2014, an improvement, but

still indicating a deficit of the most liquid assets (cash and cash equivalents) to meet all

current liabilities.

The improved liquidity-related ratios are largely a result of the Postal Service’s increased

cash on hand after it exhausted its borrowing capacity. Along with the improvement in the

liquidity ratios, the Postal Service’s working capital also shows slight positive signs. The

decelerating erosion of its current assets could be a result of the assets reaching full

depreciation, as opposed to an indicator of new capital investment.
73 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

Appendix A. FY 2014 Volume, Revenue, Cost, and Cost 

Coverage by Class, Current Classification (Products)

Volume

(000)

Revenue

($ 000)

Attributable

Cost

($ 000)

Contribution:

Institutional

Cost

($ 000)

Revenue/Piece

(Cents)

Cost/Piece

(Cents)

Contribution: 

Institutional

Cost/Piece

(Cents)

Cost

Coverage

COMPETITIVE MAIL

Priority Mail Express 36,231 759,843 365,505 394,338 2,097.246 1,008.833 1,088.413 207.9%

Priority Mail 920,083 6,883,898 5,234,390 1,649,508 748.182 568.904 179.278 131.5%

Total Ground 1,575,596 3,160,337 2,472,029 688,308 200.580 156.895 43.686 127.8%

First-Class Package Service 634,615 1,461,842 1,154,758 307,083 230.351 181.962 48.389 126.6%

Competitive International 

Mail 281,480 2,310,543 1,380,635 929,908 820.854 490.491 330.363 167.4%

Competitive Domestic 

Services 695,096 358,522 336,575 193.9%

Competitive International 

Services 8,355 4,121 4,234 202.7%

Total Competitive Mail and 

Services 3,448,005 15,279,914 10,969,960 4,309,953 443.152 318.154 124.998 139.3%

MARKET DOMINANT MAIL

First-Class Mail

Single-Piece Letters and 

Cards 21,524,331 10,577,441 5,976,836 4,600,605 49.142 27.768 21.374 177.0%

Presort Letters and Cards 40,296,319 15,251,275 4,756,722 10,494,553 37.848 11.804 26.043 320.6%

Flats 1,782,673 2,499,132 1,566,097 933,035 140.190 87.851 52.339 159.6%

Parcels 233,115 593,028 542,759 50,269 254.393 232.828 21.564 109.3%

Outbound Single-Piece Mail 

International 215,536 308,384 188,415 119,969 143.078 87.417 55.661 163.7%

Inbound Single-Piece Mail 

International 400,772 338,754 392,372 (53,618) 84.525 97.904 (13.379) 86.3%

Total First-Class Mail 64,452,747 29,568,013 13,423,200 16,144,813 45.875 20.826 25.049 220.3%
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 74

Volume

(000)

Revenue

($ 000)

Attributable

Cost

($ 000)

Contribution:

Institutional

Cost

($ 000)

Revenue/Piece

(Cents)

Cost/Piece

(Cents)

Contribution: 

Institutional

Cost/Piece

(Cents)

Cost

Coverage

STANDARD MAIL

High Density and Saturation 

Letters 5,970,133 883,644 369,706 513,938 14.801 6.193 8.608 239.0%

High Density and Saturation 

Flats/Parcels 11,295,026 2,013,262 887,226 1,126,036 17.824 7.855 9.969 226.9%

Carrier Route 9,030,124 2,381,176 1,735,280 645,896 26.369 19.217 7.153 137.2%

Letters 48,071,726 9,956,164 4,947,532 5,008,632 20.711 10.292 10.419 201.2%

Flats 5,054,395 2,041,417 2,452,431 (411,014) 40.389 48.521 (8.132) 83.2%

Not Flat-Machinables and 

Parcels 65,846 72,008 102,539 (30,532) 109.358 155.726 (46.368) 70.2%

Every Door Direct Mail 890,148 149,000 39,302 109,698 16.739 4.415 12.324 379.1%

Inbound NSA Mail 

International 154 83 - 83 

Total Standard Mail 80,377,552 17,496,754 10,534,016 6,962,738 21.768 13.106 8.663 166.1%

PERIODICALS

Within County 586,130 67,238 85,689 (18,452) 11.471 14.620 (3.148) 78.5%

Outside County 5,458,584 1,558,102 2,048,483 (490,381) 28.544 37.528 (8.984) 76.1%

Total Periodicals 6,044,715 1,625,340 2,134,172 (508,832) 26.889 35.306 (8.418) 76.2%

PACKAGE SERVICES

Alaska Bypass 1,290 33,133 16,380 16,754 2,568.678 1,269.844 1,298.834 202.3%

Inbound Surface Parcel Post 

(at UPU Rates) 906 18,076 12,861 5,216 1,995.758 1,419.904 575.855 140.6%

Bound Printed Matter Flats 249,745 202,860 134,279 68,581 81.227 53.767 27.460 151.1%

Bound Printed Matter 

Parcels 211,977 273,492 251,151 22,341 129.020 118.480 10.539 108.9%

Media Mail/Library Mail 86,304 308,330 328,095 (19,766) 357.258 380.160 (22.902) 94.0%

Total Package Services 550,222 835,891 742,766 93,125 151.919 134.994 16.925 112.5%

U.S. Postal Service Mail 454,258 

Free Mail 47,386 39,504 (39,504) 83.367 

Total Market Dominant 

Mail 151,926,879 49,525,998 26,873,659 22,652,339 32.599 17.689 14.910 184.3%
75 FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

Volume

(000)

Revenue

($ 000)

Attributable

Cost

($ 000)

Contribution:

Institutional

Cost

($ 000)

Revenue/Piece

(Cents)

Cost/Piece

(Cents)

Contribution: 

Institutional

Cost/Piece

(Cents)

Cost

Coverage

MARKET DOMINANT SERVICES

Ancillary Services

Certified Mail 687,317 542,238 145,079 126.8%

Collect on Delivery 3,598 2,673 925 134.6%

Insurance 91,613 63,451 28,161 144.4%

Registered Mail 34,933 28,625 6,308 122.0%

Stamped Envelopes 9,928 7,841 2,086 126.6%

Stamped Cards 1,681 576 1,105 291.8%

Other Ancillary Services 525,230 259,635 265,595 202.3%

Money Orders 165,264 99,651 65,613 165.8%

Post Office Box Service 365,287 281,913 83,373 129.6%

Caller Service 97,902 21,930 75,971 446.4%

Other Special Services 36,449 9,932 26,517 367.0%

International Services 41,099 12,774 28,325 321.7%

Total Market Dominant 

Services 2,060,300 1,331,241 729,059 

Other Income 911,950 59,331 852,619 

Total Mail and Services 155,374,884 67,778,162 39,234,191 28,543,970 43.622 25.251 18.371 172.8%

Institutional Costs 34,127,728 

Appropriations: Revenue 

Forgone 52,457 

Investment Income 23,702 

Total Revenues 67,854,321 

Total Costs 73,361,920 

Net Income (Loss) (5,507,599)

Source: Library Reference PRC–FinRpt14–NP1.
FY 2014 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT 76

Appendix B. Acronyms

Acronym Meaning

ACD Annual Compliance Determination

ACR Annual Compliance Report

BPM Bound Printed Matter

CPI consumer price index

FY Fiscal Year

NSA negotiated service agreement

RHBF Retiree Health Benefit Fund

TFP total factor productivity

UPU Universal Postal Union