Financial Analysis of

United States Postal Service

Financial Results and 10-K Statement

Fiscal Year 2015

March 29, 2016

Postal Regulatory Commission

Submitted 3/29/2016 11:48:59 AM

Filing ID: 95486

Accepted 3/29/2016
Contents 

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

Financial Changes........................................................................................................................ 1

Other Highlights.................................................................................................................. 3

Chapter 2. Postal Service Financial Status .................................................................................... 5

Introduction................................................................................................................................. 5

Analysis of Statements of Operations......................................................................................... 6

Current Revenues Compared to Prior Fiscal Year............................................................... 7

Current Market Dominant Revenues Compared to Prior Fiscal Year..................... 7

Current Competitive Products Revenues Compared to Prior Fiscal Year............... 9

Expense Analysis Compared to Prior Year........................................................................ 10

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

Total Factor Productivity....................................................................................... 18

Non-Personnel Expenses ...................................................................................... 19

Comparison to the Postal Service Operating Plan............................................................ 20

Analysis of Balance Sheets........................................................................................................ 23

Assets................................................................................................................................ 26

Liabilities........................................................................................................................... 28

Analysis of Off-Balance Sheets Items........................................................................................ 30

CSRS and FERS Pensions ................................................................................................... 30

Retiree Health Benefits Fund............................................................................................ 31

Analysis of Statement of Cash Flows......................................................................................... 33

Chapter 3. Volume, Revenue, and Cost Trends........................................................................... 35

Overview.................................................................................................................................... 35

Overall Volume, Revenue, and Cost Trends.............................................................................. 35

Market Dominant Products and Services......................................................................... 35

Market Dominant Volume Trends.................................................................................... 37

Market Dominant Revenue and Cost Trends ................................................................... 37

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

Attributable and Institutional Cost Relationships ............................................................ 42

Market Dominant Volume, Revenue, and Cost Trends by Class............................................... 48

First-Class Mail .................................................................................................................. 48

First-Class Mail Letters Compared with FY 2014 .................................................. 48

Trends in First-Class Mail Letters.......................................................................... 49

First-Class Mail Flats Compared with FY 2014...................................................... 51

Trends in First-Class Mail Flats.............................................................................. 52

Other First-Class Mail Compared with FY 2014 .................................................... 54

Standard Mail.................................................................................................................... 55

Standard Mail Letters Compared with FY 2014.................................................... 56

Trends in Standard Mail Letters............................................................................ 57

Standard Mail Flats Compared with FY 2014........................................................ 58

Trends in Standard Mail Flats............................................................................... 59
Periodicals......................................................................................................................... 63

Periodicals Compared with FY 2014 ..................................................................... 63

Trends in Periodicals............................................................................................. 64

Package Services............................................................................................................... 66

Market Dominant Special Services................................................................................... 68

Competitive Volume, Revenue, and Cost by Product............................................................... 70

Trends in Competitive Products ....................................................................................... 72

Chapter 4. Sustainability, Liquidity, Activity, and Financial Solvency........................................ 75

Introduction............................................................................................................................... 75

Financial Sustainability Analysis................................................................................................ 77

Key Ratios.................................................................................................................................. 77

Debt Ratio ......................................................................................................................... 78

Fixed Asset to Net Worth Ratio ........................................................................................ 79

Current Liability Ratio ....................................................................................................... 79

Financial Liquidity Analysis........................................................................................................ 80

Current Ratio..................................................................................................................... 81

Quick Ratio........................................................................................................................ 81

Cash Ratio ......................................................................................................................... 81

Working Capital Analysis................................................................................................... 81

Financial Activity Analysis.......................................................................................................... 82

Trend Analysis................................................................................................................... 82

Financial Solvency Analysis ....................................................................................................... 84

Altman Z-Score.................................................................................................................. 84

Appendix A. FY 2015 Volume, Revenue, Cost, and Cost Coverage by Class, Current Classification 

(Products).................................................................................................................................. 87

Appendix B. Revenue Pieces Weight Report Adjustments........................................................... 90
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 1

Chapter I. Report Overview

Financial Changes

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

efficiency to ensure that expenses are better aligned with mail volumes. In FY 2015, the 

Postal Service generated its second consecutive operating income. Increases in Competitive 

product volume and revenue, in addition to the continued collection of the Market 

Dominant exigent rate surcharge, contributed significantly to achieving this year’s net 

operating income of $1.2 billion.

1

Figure I-1 shows the net income or loss for the last 10 years, both with and without Nonoperating Expenses (NOEs). The Postal Service considers non-cash workers’ compensation

costs, accrued payments to the Retiree Health Benefit Fund (RHBF), Federal Employees 

Retirement System (FERS) supplemental payments, and one-time adjustments to be NOEs.

2

Figure I-1

Postal Service Net Income (Loss) ($ in Millions)

In FY 2015, the exigent surcharge generated an additional $2.1 billion3 in revenue, greatly 

mitigating revenue losses resulting from a decline in Market Dominant product volume.

4

 

1

United States Postal Service, 2015 Report on Form 10-K, November 13, 2015, at 14 (Postal Service FY 2015 Form 10-K).

2

The Postal Service considers these NOEs as non-controllable factors and the net operating income (loss) as “controllable income (loss).” Id. 

3

Id. at 13. 

4

Id. at 16.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 2

Competitive product volume increased significantly in FY 2015,

5 generating more than $1 

billion in additional revenue.

Operating expenses, most notably in compensation and benefits, grew in FY 2015. The 

continued growth in parcel volume resulted in increased work hours and an increase in the 

Postal Service’s career employee complement.

6 This is the first time since FY 2005 that the 

Postal Service has increased the career employee complement. In addition, the Postal 

Service will have to invest in equipment and vehicles better suited to the handling and 

delivery of parcels in order to reduce work hours and improve productivity.

The Postal Service’s liquidity continues to improve from its nadir in FY 2013. Figure I-2 

illustrates the overall liquidity, along with cash and debt trends, since FY 2005. The Postal 

Service reached its statutory debt limit of $15 billion at the end of FY 2012.7 As a result, 

capital expenditures over the past few years have been limited to necessary safety, 

customer support, and initiatives with a high return on investment.8

Figure I-2

Postal Service Liquidity ($ in Millions)

However, the recent improvements in its cash balance have allowed the Postal Service to 

increase its capital investment plans. The FY 2015 Integrated Financial Plan (IFP) included 

a capital investment budget of $1.5 billion for mail processing equipment, vehicles, and 

 

5

Id. at 14.

6

Id. at 19.

7

Id. at 10.

8

Id. at 31.

Source-Postal Service Form 10-K and USPS Annual Report, FY 2005-2015.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 3

information technology. The FY 2016 IFP builds upon the FY 2015 investments in these 

assets by allocating an additional $1.4 billion.

9

Despite the slight improvement in liquidity, the Postal Service faces significant financial 

challenges. The net book value of the Postal Service’s assets remains significantly lower 

than its liabilities,

10 and the Postal Service has been unable to make the statutorily required 

payments to the RHBF since FY 2012.

11 There are also large unfunded pension and RHBF

liabilities that are not included on the Postal Service’s balance sheets.

12 Beginning in FY 

2017 and FY 2018, amortized payments to reduce these large unfunded liabilities will 

begin.13 Additionally, the Postal Service’s liquidity will be significantly affected by the 

expiration of the Market Dominant exigent surcharge that the Postal Service intends to 

remove on April 10, 2016.

14 According to the Postal Service, the removal of the exigent

surcharge will reduce revenue by at least $1 billion in FY 2016.

15

Other Highlights

Other highlights for FY 2015 include:

 Market Dominant revenue increased for the second consecutive year despite 

continuing declines in volumes.

 Competitive products volumes and revenues increased 14.8 percent and 

7.5 percent, respectively. 

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

costs. These products generated a total negative contribution of $1.2 billion in 

FY 2015.

 Total attributable costs increased for the first time since FY 2008.

 Average unit total costs continue to increase; however, for the first time since 

FY 2010, the average unit attributable cost also increased.

 The increase in attributable costs reduced the percentage of total costs that are 

considered institutional.

 

9

Total actual capital investments for mail processing equipment, vehicles, and information technology in FY 2015 were $0.4 billion less than 

planned. United States Postal Service Fiscal Year 2016 Integrated Financial Plan, November 20, 2015, at 5 (Postal Service 2016 Integrated 

Financial Plan).

10 Id. at 1.

11 Postal Service FY 2015 Form 10-K at 45. 

12 Id. at 23 and 26.

13 See 5 U.S.C. § 8348(h) and 5 U.S.C § 8909a(d)(2)(B).

14 Docket No. R2013-11, Notice of the United States Postal Service of Removal of the Exigent Surcharge, February 25, 2016, at 1.

15 Postal Service 2016 Integrated Financial Plan at 2.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 4

 The percentage of volume, revenue, attributable costs, and contribution to 

institutional costs from Competitive products continues to increase. 

 The Postal Service cash position is at the highest level since FY 2007, however 

significant balance sheet liabilities and off-balance sheet unfunded liabilities for 

pension and annuitant health benefits threaten the improvements in liquidity.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 5

Chapter 2. Postal Service Financial Status

Introduction

This chapter analyzes the Postal Service’s overall 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 Postal Service’s Form 10-K report for FY 2015 consists of the Statements of 

Operations, Balance Sheets, Statements of Changes in Net Deficiency, and Statements of 

Cash Flows. The Statements of Operations measure the Postal Service’s financial 

performance (profit and loss) over the fiscal year; the Balance Sheets summarize the Postal 

Service’s assets and liabilities; the Statements of Changes in Net Deficiency combine the 

accumulated net deficit from operations and initial capital contributions; and the 

Statements of Cash Flows measure the Postal Service’s intake and outflow of cash.

In this Chapter, the Commission reviews and analyzes the Postal Service’s financial 

statements for FY 2014 and FY 2015. The Commission examines various factors that affect 

the Postal Service’s financial position, and discusses its operational status and allocation of 

resources. To provide a basis for comparison, the Commission also examines key financial 

data from the past 10 fiscal years. The remainder of this chapter is broken into the 

following sections:

Analysis of Statements of Operations. This section begins by reviewing overall income and 

loss, and compares current revenues and expenses with those reported during the prior 

fiscal year. It also compares changes in Postal Service productivity between FY 2014 and 

FY 2015. Additionally, targets forecasted in the Postal Service’s FY 2015 Integrated 

Financial Plan (IFP) are compared to the FY 2015 financial statements.

Analysis of Balance Sheets. This section begins with a discussion of changes in the Postal 

Service’s net deficiency and the remainder of the section summarizes the Postal Service’s 

assets and liabilities as of September 30, 2015, the last day of the fiscal year. 

Analysis of Off-Balance Sheets Items. This section examines items that are effectively 

liabilities of the Postal Service, but that do not appear on its Balance Sheets. More 

specifically, these items are future net liabilities that will need to be funded by future 

revenue. The off-balance sheet items are found in Item 7, Management’s Discussion and 

Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in the Postal Service Form 10-K.16

 

16 Postal Service FY 2015 Form 10-K Statement, November 13, 2015, at 23–27 (Postal Service FY 2015 Form 10-K).
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 6

Analysis of Statement of Cash Flows. This section analyzes the Postal Service’s inflow and 

outflow of cash during the fiscal year. 

Analysis of Statements of Operations

To facilitate a detailed financial analysis of the Postal Service’s Statements of Operations, 

the Commission separately identifies certain non-cash elements of the reported operating 

revenues and operating expenses. The Commission adjusts operating expenses to exclude 

the payment to the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund (RHBF), the supplemental 

contribution to the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) annuity, and the noncash adjustments to the workers’ compensation liability. These adjustments are properly 

recognized as accrual entries in the Postal Service’s financial statements and have been 

disaggregated by the Commission to provide an in-depth analysis of the financial results for 

FY 2015. Table II-1 illustrates the Commission’s disaggregation of the Postal Service’s 

Statements of Operations.

Table II-1

Postal Service Statements of Operations Disaggregated to Facilitate Analysis FY 2015 and FY 2014

($ in Millions)

The Postal Service recorded total net operating income of almost $1.2 billion in FY 2015. 

This figure is $0.2 billion lower than the $1.4 billion net operating income reported in 

FY 2014. In FY 2015, total revenues increased by $1.1 billion while operating expenses 

increased by $0.6 billion. The increase in revenues was primarily due to the continuance of 

FY 2015 Variance 

FY 2015 FY 2014 Variance Plan from Plan

Operating Revenue as reported by the Postal Service $ 68,928 $ 67,831 $ 1,097 $ 69,707 $ (779)

Operating Expense as reported by the Postal Service 73,827 73,178 649 74,941 (1,114)

less: Statutory accrual into Retiree Health Benefit Fund (5,700) (5,700) - (5,700) -

 Suppl e me nta l Contri buti on to FERS Annui ty (241) (7) (234) - (241)

 Non-Ca s h Cha nge to Worke rs ' Compe ns a ti on Li a bi l i ty (307) (1,182) 875 (922) 615

Net Operating Expense $ 67,579 $ 66,296 $ 1,283 $ 68,319 $ (740)

Interest Income 23 24 (0) 25 (2)

Interest Expense 184 184 1 194 (10)

Net Income (Loss) from Operations $ 1,188 $ 1,357 $ (169) $ 1,348 $ (160)

Statutory accrual into Retiree Health Benefit Fund 5,700 5,700 - 5,700 -

Supplemental Contribution to FERS Annuity 241 7 234 - 241

Non-Cash Change to Workers' Compensation Liability 307 1,182 (875) 922 (615)

Net Loss $ (5,060) $ (5,507) $ 447 $ (5,403) $ 343

Source: Library References USPS-FY15-5, December 29, 2015, and USPS-FY14-5, December 29, 2014; FY 2015 Plan data from USPS Preliminary Financial 

Information (Unaudited), September 2015, November 13, 2015 (November 13, 2015, Preliminary Financial Information); file "2015.11.13 September FY 

2015 Report to the PRC--Report.pdf."

Decrease in revenue and expense is denoted by (). Increase in net loss is denoted by ().

Numbers may not add across due to rounding.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 7

the exigent surcharge on Market Dominant products,17 price increases for both Market 

Dominant and Competitive products implemented in May 2015,18 and increased volume of 

Competitive products. The increase in operating expenses was primarily the result of 

higher compensation outlays. 

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

the RHBF payment, the Postal Service had a total net loss of $5.1 billion in FY 2015. This 

amount is $0.4 billion less than the total net loss in FY 2014. The improved net loss figure is 

primarily the result of a lower non-cash adjustment to the workers’ compensation liability. 

Current Revenues Compared to Prior Fiscal Year

This section presents an overview of revenues for Market Dominant and Competitive 

products. A more detailed discussion of the revenues generated by Market Dominant and 

Competitive products appears in Chapter 3.

CURRENT MARKET DOMINANT REVENUES COMPARED TO PRIOR FISCAL YEAR

Table II-2 disaggregates FY 2015 and FY 2014 Market Dominant revenues by class.

Table II-2

Market Dominant Mail Class Revenue FY 2015 and FY 2014 ($ in Millions)

 

17 Docket No. R2013-11, Order Granting Exigent Price Increase, December 24, 2013 (Order No. 1926).

18 Docket No. R2015-4, Order on Revised Price Adjustments for Standard Mail, Periodicals, and Package Services Products and Related Mail 

Classification Changes, May 7, 2015 (Order No. 2472); Docket No. R2015-4, Order Amending Order Nos. 2365 and 2388, April 7, 2015 (Order 

No. 2426); Docket No. R2015-4, Order on Price Adjustments for Special Services Products and Related Mail Classification Changes, March 10, 

2015 (Order No. 2388); Docket No. R2015-4, Order on Price Adjustments for First-Class Products and Related Mail Classification Changes, 

February 24, 2015 (Order No. 2365); Docket No. CP2015-33, Order Approving Changes in Rates of General Applicability for Competitive 

Products, February 25, 2015 (Order No. 2366); Docket No. CP2015-33, Notice of New Implementation Date for Changes in Rates of General 

Applicability for Competitive Products, May 7, 2015 (Order No. 2473); Docket No. CP2015-33, Order Approving Additional Mail Classification 

Changes for Competitive Products, May 13, 2015 (Order No. 2481).

FY 2015

Orginal 

FY 2014 Variance

Adjusted 

FY 2014 Variance

First-Class Mail $ 29,597 $ 29,571 0.1% $ 29,637 (0.1%)

Standard Mail 17,711 17,497 1.2% 17,494 1.2%

Periodicals 1,589 1,625 (2.2%) 1,625 (2.2%)

Package Services 806 837 (3.7%) 831 (3.0%)

Ancillary and Special Services 1,925 2,041 (5.7%) 2,017 (4.6%)

Sub-Total Mail and Service Revenue $ 51,628 $ 51,572 0.1% $ 51,604 0.0%

Other 798 916 (12.9%) 1,162 (31.3%)

Total Market Dominant Mail $ 52,426 $ 52,488 (0.1%) $ 52,767 (0.6%)

Numbers may not add across due to rounding.

Decrease in revenue is denoted by (). 

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1, March 28, 2015; Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1, March 27, 2015 ; 

Library Reference USPS-FY15-42, December 29, 2015.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 8

Total FY 2015 Market Dominant revenues did not significantly change from FY 2014, 

despite a decline in volume. Continuance of the exigent surcharge on Market Dominant 

products, as well as the implementation of a consumer price index (CPI)-based rate 

increase, largely explains why FY 2015 revenues remained virtually unchanged from 

FY 2014. As shown in Figure II-1, the increase in revenue per piece was sufficient to offset 

the loss of revenue due to continued declines in Market Dominant product volumes in 

FY 2015 and FY 2014.19

Figure II-1

Change in Market Dominant Revenue Due to Changes

in Average Revenue per Piece and Total Mail Volumes

FY 2009 - 2015

 

19 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.

 Source: Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) derived from Postal Service Revenue, Pieces and Weight Report, FY 2009 - 2015.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 9

Table II-3 shows that in FY 2015, exigent surcharge revenues were $2.1 billion, without 

which there would not have been an increase in revenue for Market Dominant products. 

Table II-3

Disaggregation of Change in Market Dominant Revenue FY 2015 ($ in Millions)

CURRENT COMPETITIVE PRODUCTS REVENUES COMPARED TO PRIOR FISCAL YEAR

Table II-4 compares revenues for Competitive products between FY 2015 and FY 2014.

Table II-4

Competitive Product Revenue FY 2015 and FY 2014 ($ in Millions)

 

Change in 

Revenue from 

Average Change 

in Revenue Per 

Piece

Revenue from 

Exigent 

Surcharge

Change in 

Revenue from 

Extrinsic 

Changes in 

Revenue Per 

Piece

Change in 

Revenue from 

Changes in 

Volume

Net Change in 

Revenue

1 2 3=1-2 4 5=1+4

First-Class $ 740,930 $ 1,206,119 $ (465,189) $ (762,219) $ (21,289)

Standard Mail 315,554 730,876 (415,322) (92,098) 223,456

Periodicals 18,657 61,246 (42,589) (56,118) (37,461)

Package Services 210 33,779 (33,569) (25,308) (25,098)

Special Services (382,766) 85,917 (468,683) 290,906 (91,860)

Total Market Dominant $ 692,584 $ 2,117,937 $ (1,425,352) $ (644,836) $ 47,748

Decrease in revenue is denoted by (). 

Numbers may not add across due to rounding.

Source: PRC derived from Library Reference USPS-FY15-42; Docket No. R2013-11, Notice of the United States Postal Service of Filing Revenue Collection Report 

for Quarter 4 of Fiscal Year 2015, November 17, 2015.

FY 2015

Orginal 

FY 2014 Variance

 Adjusted 

FY 2014 Variance

Priority Mail $ 7,276 $ 6,884 5.7% $ 6,729 8.1%

Total Ground 3,925 3,160 24.2% 3,171 23.8%

First-Class Packages 1,689 1,462 15.5% 1,418 19.2%

Priority Mail Express 779 760 2.5% 760 2.5%

International 1,970 2,310 (14.7%) 2,211 (10.9%)

Ancillary and Special Services 786 703 11.7% 710 10.7%

Sub-Total Competitive Products $ 16,426 $ 15,279 7.5% $ 15,000 9.5%

Other Revenue 99 87 13.5% 88 12.4%

Total Competitive Products $ 16,525 $ 15,367 7.5% $ 15,088 9.5%

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1; Library Reference USPSFY15-42.

Decrease in revenue is denoted by (). 

Numbers may not add across due to rounding
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 10

Competitive products’ revenues continued to show significant growth in FY 2015, 

increasing by $1.2 billion (7.5 percent) over last year. While revenue increased for most 

Competitive products, Standard Post and Competitive International Mail revenues declined. 

The large decline in International Mail revenue was due to a reduction in the average 

revenue per piece for Outbound and Inbound International negotiated service agreements 

(NSAs) and International Priority Mail. Volume declined in FY 2015 for all Competitive 

International Mail products except Inbound International NSAs. The decline in Standard 

Post revenue was entirely due to a loss of volume. 

The overall revenue per piece for Priority Mail declined 16 cents over the prior year due to 

a change in rates implemented at the beginning of the fiscal year. Prices for Commercial 

Priority Mail products were reduced while prices for Retail Priority Mail increased.20 The 

resulting change in revenue per piece led to a revenue decline of $144 million. This decline 

was offset by additional revenue of $691 million from increased volume. 

Expense Analysis Compared to Prior Year

As shown in Table II-5, total expenses in FY 2015, including the adjustments for the 

payment into the RHBF, the non-cash adjustment to the workers’ compensation liability,21

and the supplemental contribution to FERS,22 increased 0.9 percent or $643 million. 

Personnel expenses increased 3 percent, but were offset by reductions in transportation, 

other expenses, and non-cash adjustments to workers’ compensation expenses, which are 

primarily driven by fluctuations in interest rates during the year. 

Personnel expenses include compensation, retirement, and health benefits. In addition, 

personnel expenses reflect certain system-wide benefits, such as the cash payment for 

workers’ compensation and the current year’s annuitant health benefit premiums. Total 

operating expenses, as shown in Table II-5, include compensation and benefit expenses,

transportation, and other expenses. Total personnel costs accounted for 70.2 percent of 

total operating expenses in FY 2015, 1.4 percent higher than in FY 2014. Non-operating 

personnel expenses23 accounted for 8.5 percent of total expenses. Total personnel expenses 

(including operating and non-operating) accounted for 78.7 percent of total operating 

expenses, an increase of 0.5 percentage points over FY 2014.

 

20 Docket No. CP2014-55, Order Approving Changes in Rates of General Applicability for Priority Mail, August 15, 2014, at 2 (Order No. 2156).

21 Non-cash adjustments are different from the non-cash adjustments to the workers’ compensation liability, which was referred to earlier. 

Non-cash adjustments to workers’ compensation liability include actuarial revaluations of existing cases and new workers’ compensation cases, 

the initial estimated cost of new workers’ compensation cases, and fluctuations in the discount rate used to estimate the amount of current 

funds needed to settle all claims in the current year.

22 In FY 2015 the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) notified the Postal Service that the retiree FERS account was underfunded by $3.6 

billion dollars. OPM directed the Postal Service to make additional payments to the FERS account of $241 million per year for 30 years 

beginning in 2015. Postal Service FY 2015 Form 10-K, at 22.

23 Non-operating personnel expenses are payments into RHBF, the non-cash adjustment to workers’ compensation, and the supplemental 

contribution to FERS.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 11

Table II-5

Total Expenses, FY 2015 and FY 2014 ($ in Millions)

 

Transportation expenses declined 0.1 percent from FY 2014. These expenses accounted for 

8.9 percent of total expenses. Other expenses include depreciation, rents and utilities, and 

supplies and services, which decreased by 2.1 percent over last year.

PERSONNEL EXPENSES

Figure II-2 illustrates the composition of FY 2015 personnel expenses. Compensation 

accounts for the largest portion of personnel expenses, representing 61.9 percent of total 

personnel costs. Retirement benefits are the next largest component, accounting for over 

26 percent of total personnel expenses.

Retirement related expenses include the current year retiree health benefits premiums, 

FERS supplemental payments, matching contributions to the Thrift Savings Plan, and Social 

Security costs. The current premiums for annuitant health benefits, along with the 

statutory prefunding RHBF payments, account for 15.2 percent of total retirement related 

expenses.

FY 2015 FY 2014 $ Variance % Variance

Compensation & Benefits Expenses:

 Salaries and Benefits $ 46,944 $ 45,674 $ 1,270 2.8%

 Workers' Compensation $1,452 1,372 $ 80 5.8%

 Annuitant Health Benefits-Current Payment $3,111 2,985 $ 126 4.2%

 Other Personnel Related $334 326 $ 8 2.6%

Subtotal Personnel Expenses $ 51,841 $ 50,357 $ 1,484 3.0%

Transportation $6,579 6,586 (7) (0.1%)

Other Expenses $9,158 9,353 (195) (2.1%)

Total Operating Expenses $ 67,579 $ 66,296 $ 1,283 1.9%

Systemwide Personnel Expenses:

Workers' Compensation Non-Cash Adjustments $308 1,182 (874) (74.0%)

Statutory Accrual into RHBF 5,700 5,700 - 0.0%

Supplemental Contrib. to FERS 241 7 234 3499.0%

Total Expenses $ 73,827 $ 73,184 $ 643 0.9%

Source: PRC derived from Postal Service National Trial Balance September 2015, November 13, 2015; Postal Service 

National Trial Balance September 2014, December 8, 2014.

Decrease in expenses is denoted by (). 

Numbers may not add across due to rounding.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 12

Figure II-2

Total Personnel Expenses, FY 2015

Table II-6 shows the total compensation and benefits expenses for FY 2015. Overall, total 

personnel expenses were $844 million higher than last year. Total operating personnel 

expenses increased $1.5 billion but were partially offset by a significant reduction in the 

non-cash adjustment to the workers’ compensation liability. Every category of personnel 

expenses, except for current employee health benefit premiums, rose in FY 2015. The most 

significant increases were in compensation and retirement benefits.

Table II-6

Total Personnel Expenses, FY 2015 and FY 2014 ($ in Millions)

Source: Postal Service FY 2015 Form 10-K at 20, 26, and 29.

FY 2015 FY 2014 $ Variance % Variance

Total Compensation $ 35,931 $ 35,113 $ 818 2.3%

Retirement 6,239 5,758 481 8.3%

Health Benefits-Current Employees 4,774 4,804 (30) (0.6%)

Workers' Compensation 1,452 1,372 80 5.8%

Retiree Health Benefits - Current Year Premiums 3,111 2,985 126 4.2%

Other Compensation 334 326 8 2.6%

Total Operating Personnel Expenses $ 51,841 $ 50,357 $ 1,483 2.9%

Statutory Accrual into Retiree Health Benefit Fund 5,700 5,700 - 0.0%

Non-Cash Change to Workers' Compensation Liability 308 1,182 (874) (73.9%)

Supplemental Contribution to FERS 241 7 234 3499.8%

Total Personnel Expenses $ 58,090 $ 57,246 $ 844 1.5%

Source: PRC derived from Postal Service National Trial Balance September 2015; Postal Service National Trial Balance September 

2014.

Decrease in expenses is denoted by (). 

Numbers may not add across due to rounding.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 13

Compensation includes the salaries of full-time career employees, salaries of part-time 

career and non-career employees, overtime, leave, and performance or arbitration awards. 

There are several cost drivers for compensation, including contractual pay increases, 

inflation used to calculate semi-annual Cost of Living Allowances (COLAs), work hours 

used, and the composition of the work force. Each component of compensation increased, 

with salaries and overtime costs accounting for over 75 percent of the total increase of 

$818 million. According to the Postal Service, this increase was primarily caused by 

obligated salary increases and additional work hours necessitated by the growing demand 

for shipping services. Shipping services are more labor intensive and thus, consume 

additional work hours. 

The Postal Service’s overall work force is composed of career employees and non-career 

employees, which include postal support employees, city carrier assistants, mailhandler 

assistants, and other non-career employees. Table II-7 shows the number of employees by 

type for FY 2013, FY 2014, and FY 2015. 

Table II-7

Postal Service Employee Complement, FY 2015 - FY 2013

Career employees include both full-time and part-time employees. From FY 1999 through 

FY 2014, the Postal Service reduced the number of career employees every year, resulting 

in a total reduction of almost 306,000 career employees. However, in FY 2015 the number 

of career employees increased by 3,564. This increase in total career employees was due to 

significant growth in Part-Time Flexible employees, primarily in the Clerk craft. The Postal 

Service attributes the increase to an arbitration award regarding the staffing of Post Offices 

under the Postal Service’s POStPlan re-organization strategy.24 Increases in career 

 

24 See Docket No. ACR2015, Responses of the United States Postal Service to Questions 1-6 of Chairman’s Information Request No. 9, February 

11, 2016, questions 3(b) and 4; See also National Arbitration Award, Case No. Q11c-4Q-C 12243899, 

FY 2015 FY 2014

Change FY 2015 

over FY 2014 FY 2013

Change FY 2014 

over FY 2013

Career Employees 491,863 488,299 3,564 491,016 (2,717)

Postal Support Employees (PSE) 29,312 24,781 4,531 28,795 (4,014)

City Carrier Assistants (CCA) 37,767 36,081 1,686 30,428 5,653

Mailhandler Assistants (MHA) 5,322 5,475 (153) 5,382 93

Other Non-Career 57,573 63,240 (5,667) 62,089 1,151

Total On-Roll Employees 621,837 617,876 3,961 617,710 166

Source: On-Roll and Paid Employee Statistics (OPRES) reports, September 2015, 2014, and 2013.

Decrease in amounts is denoted by (). 

Numbers may not add across due to rounding.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 14

employees also occurred in Supervisors, Rural Carriers, and Professional, Administrative, 

and Technical personnel. These increases were offset by reductions in the number of 

Postmasters/General Managers, Building and Equipment Maintenance employees, and City 

Carriers.

As shown in Figure II-3, FY 2015 also saw the first increase in the number of work hours

since FY 2005. 

Figure II-3

Change in Work Hours, FY 2000 - FY 2015

As shown in Table II-8, the largest increases in work hours were for delivery, and customer 

service and retail. The increase in work hours for these functions accounted for almost the 

entire increase in work hours in FY 2015. Of particular note, work hours for mail 

processing grew for the first time since FY 1999. The decline in work hours for the category 

“other” is attributable to the continuing reduction in postmaster positions.

 

http://www.apwu.org/sites/apwu/files/resource-files/POStPlan_Staffing_090514.pdf ; Memorandum of Understanding Between the United 

States Postal Service and the American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO, http://www.apwu.org/sites/apwu/files/resourcefiles/POStPlan_Staffing_MOU_092214.pdf.

Source: Postal Service Form 10-K and Annual Reports, FY 2004 - 2015.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 15

Table II-8

Work Hours by Function (Thousands of Work Hours), FY 2015 - FY 2013

The overtime ratio, which is the ratio of overtime work hours to total work hours, grew 

from 9.4 percent in FY 2014 to 9.9 percent in FY 2015.25Overall, the growth in work hours

accounted for approximately $455 million of the total growth in compensation expenses. 

An increase in the productive hourly wage rate for almost all crafts was responsible for the 

remaining growth in compensation expenses.

Growth in the productive hourly wage rates was primarily due to contractual increases that 

went into effect in November 2014, and COLA increases awarded in March and September 

of 2014. The increases in wage rates accounted for approximately $275 million of the total 

$818 million increase in compensation expenses. Table II-9 shows the productive hourly 

wage rates for FY 2013 through FY 2015.

 

25 Calculation based on the United States Postal Service National Payroll Hours Summary Report, Pay Period 20, FY 2015, October 2, 2015; 

United States Postal Service National Payroll Hours Summary Report, Pay Period 20, FY 2014, September 26, 2014.

FY 2015 FY 2014

% Variance 

FY 2015 over 

FY 2014 FY 2013

% Variance 

FY 2014 over 

FY 2013

Mail Processing 200,661 198,076 1.3% 202,607 (2.2%)

Customer Service and Retail 159,249 146,370 8.8% 147,169 (0.5%)

Delivery Service:

 City Delivery 403,983 394,123 2.5% 390,518 0.9%

 Rural Delivery 184,726 179,466 2.9% 176,697 1.6%

Maintenance:

 Plant & Equipment 66,741 65,227 2.3% 65,832 (0.9%)

 Vehicle 28,153 27,646 1.8% 26,779 3.2%

Other 84,886 95,996 (11.6%) 100,193 (4.2%)

Total Work Hours 1,128,399 1,106,903 1.9% 1,109,795 (0.3%)

Decrease in amounts is denoted by (). 

Numbers may not add across due to rounding.

Source: Postal Service National Workload Reporting System, September 2015 and 2014.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 16

Table II-9

Productive Hourly Wage Rates ($ per Work Hour), FY 2015 - FY 2013

Health benefits for current employees declined less than 1 percent in FY 2015, as 

contractual reductions in the Postal Service’s share of health benefit premiums were offset 

by increases in the number of career employees covered by the Federal Health Benefits 

Program (FHBP) and increases in premiums for the health plans. The cost of health benefits 

for Postal Service annuitants increased $125 million over FY 2014, as health premiums 

grew and the number of annuitants and survivors continued to increase.

Postal Service employees participate in either the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) 

or FERS. The Postal Service has not made contributions to CSRS since FY 2007, but will 

begin to make payments into CSRS if OPM estimates that there is an unfunded liability,

beginning in FY 2017.26 Less than 40,000 of the current 491,00027 career employees are 

eligible for CSRS. 

Most postal employees are covered by FERS, which includes an annuity component that the 

Postal Service contributes to at a rate established by OPM. This rate grew from 11.9 

 

26 5 U.S.C § 8348(h)(2)(C).

27 Postal Service FY 2015 Form 10-K at 54.

Segment/Subsegment FY 2015 FY 2014

% Change 

FY 2014 to 

FY 2015 FY 2013

% Change 

FY 2013 to 

FY 2014

Supervisors & Technicians $ 50.12 $ 49.39 1.5% $ 49.61 (0.4%)

Clerks 40.44 40.34 0.2% 39.68 1.7%

Mailhandlers 40.91 39.92 2.5% 40.23 (0.8%)

Clerks and Mailhandlers 40.55 40.23 0.8% 39.81 1.0%

City Delivery Carriers 41.32 41.26 0.1% 42.83 (3.7%)

Vehicle Drivers 43.34 42.51 1.9% 41.68 2.0%

Rural Carriers 36.21 35.85 1.0% 35.15 2.0%

Building Services 40.06 40.12 (0.2%) 39.74 1.0%

Operating Equipment 53.21 51.28 3.8% 49.62 3.3%

Building Equipment 49.07 47.59 3.1% 46.33 2.7%

Motor Vehicle Service 46.70 45.39 2.9% 44.94 1.0%

City and Rural Carriers 39.64 39.49 0.4% 40.41 (2.3%)

Headquarters 63.71 62.31 2.2% 63.83 (2.4%)

Decrease in amounts is denoted by (). 

Source: FY 2015 from Library Reference USPS-FY15-43, January 13, 2016; FY 2014 from Library Reference PRC-ACR2014/1, March 

27, 2015; FY 2013 from Library Reference USPS-FY13-43, January 13, 2014.

Numbers may not add across due to rounding
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 17

percent of base salary to 13.2 percent of base salary in FY 2015.

28 This change was the 

largest source of increase in total retirement expenses. The Postal Service’s FERS 

contribution expenses increased $377 million in FY 2015.29

Additionally, OPM’s reassessment of the actuarial valuation of the liability for the FERS 

annuity resulted in an unfunded liability of $3.6 billion. OPM directed the Postal Service to 

fund this supplemental liability with annual payments of $241 million for 30 years.30

Overall, total workers’ compensation costs declined by $794 million in FY 2015. Workers’ 

compensation expenses consist of a cash payment and a non-cash accrual expense. The 

cash payment is made to the U. S. Department of Labor to cover the current year cost of 

medical and compensation benefits and an administrative fee. This payment increased in 

FY 2015 by $56 million. Non-cash adjustments include actuarial revaluations of existing 

cases and new cases, the initial estimated cost of new cases, and fluctuations in the 

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

current year. In FY 2015, the actuarial revaluation resulted in a $1.1 billion reduction in the 

liability, significantly offsetting an increase in the liability resulting from reductions in the 

discount rate. The revision of the valuation model in the first quarter of FY 2015 accounted 

for $353 million of the $1.1 billion reduction in the workers’ compensation liability. Table 

II-10 disaggregates the components of the workers’ compensation liability for the past 2 

years.

Table II-10

Components of Workers’ Compensation Expense, FY 2015 - FY 2014

($ in Millions)

 

28 Id. at 21.

29 Postal Service National Trial Balance, September, 2015, November 13, 2015.

30 Postal Service FY 2015 Form 10-K at 22.

FY 2015 FY 2014 Variance Variance

Non-cash changes in the discount rate $ 809 $ 485 $ 324 66.8%

Cost of new cases 1,767 1,956 (189) (9.7%)

Actuarial valuation of new cases and revaluation of existing cases (886) 45 (931) (2068.9%)

Subtotal $ 1,690 $ 2,486 $ (796) (32.0%)

Administrative fee 70 68 2 2.9%

Total workers' compensation expense $ 1,760 $ 2,554 $ (794) (31.1%)

Less medical claims payments (1,429) (1,372) (57) 4.2%

Total non-cash workers' compensation expense $ 331 $ 1,182 $ (851) (72.0%)

Source: Postal Service FY 2015 Form 10-K at 56.

Decrease in expenses is denoted by (). 

Numbers may not add across due to rounding.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 18

TOTAL FACTOR PRODUCTIVITY

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 shows the growth in TFP since 1970. 

Figure II-4

Postal Service Total Factor Productivity, 1970 - 2015

The 0.1 percent growth in TFP in FY 2015 represents the sixth consecutive year of 

productivity growth. However, the FY 2015 increase is the smallest since FY 2006.

Total workload grew 0.7 percent, the first growth in workload since FY 2006. Increases in 

delivery points and weighted mail volume were the primary contributors. The growth in 

weighted mail volume was due to the increase in parcel volume, which requires more 

resources to process than letter- and flat-shaped mail. Capital inputs continued to decrease 
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 19

because of restrictions on capital investment resulting from the lack of liquidity. Materials 

usage continued to increase. For the first time since FY 2005, labor inputs increased, as 

work hours, employment levels, and the price of labor grew. Much of the increase in 

materials usage continues to be related to the increased costs for vehicle supplies and 

maintenance related to the upkeep of the Postal Service’s aging vehicle fleet. Overall, total 

resource usage grew for the first time since FY 2006. 

NON-PERSONNEL EXPENSES

A major component of non-personnel related expenses is transportation, which accounted 

for 41.8 percent of total costs. Table II-11 compares expenses for each transportation cost 

category from FY 2015 to expenses for each transportation cost category from FY 2014.

Table II-11

Transportation Cost by Category, FY 2015 - FY 2014 ($ in Millions)

The total transportation expense remained essentially unchanged from FY 2014. The 

increase in highway transportation was primarily due to higher costs for transportation 

between sectional center facilities (SCF). The increase in expenses for air transportation 

was primarily due to higher costs for air transportation provided by United Parcel Service 

(UPS). These increases were offset by a reduction in international and other transportation 

costs31 of $173 million.

Table II-12 disaggregates other non-personnel related expenses, which declined by $196 

million in FY 2015. Supplies and services was the only component that increased, primarily 

due to debit and credit card merchant fees and the implementation of new technology in 

 

31 Other transportation expenses include transporting empty mail containers, costs incurred while transporting mail between postal facilities 

(other than delivery costs), and contracted air, highway, and other contracted transportation costs. 

FY 2015 FY 2014 Variance Variance

Highway Transportation $ 3,638 $ 3,531 $ 107 3.0%

Air Transportation 2,151 2,092 5 9 2.8%

International Transportation 773 934 (162) (17.3%)

Other Transportation 1 8 2 9 (11) (39.4%)

Total Transportation $ 6,579 $ 6,586 $ (7) (0.1%)

Source: Postal Service FY 2015 Form 10-K at 28.

Decrease in expenses is denoted by (). 

Numbers may not add across due to rounding.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 20

retail operations.32 This increase was offset by a decline in every other component, 

including rent and utilities, maintenance services, and information technology.

For vehicle maintenance services, higher repair and maintenance expenses were offset by 

lower fuel costs in FY 2015. 

Table II-12

Other Non-Personnel Expenses, FY 2015 - FY 2014 ($ in Millions)

.

Comparison to the Postal Service Operating Plan

The Postal Service’s original FY 2015 Operating Plan, as outlined in its IFP, projected a net 

loss of $6.1 billion in FY 2015.33 The change in planned expenses, which was reported in the 

September 2015 Preliminary Financial Report showed a reduction of $674 million. This 

adjustment lowered the planned net loss from the original $6.1 billion to $5.4 billion.34

Compared with the Postal Service’s Operating Plan, the total net loss of $5.1 billion was 

$341 million less than the Postal Service’s estimated net loss. Table II-13 compares the 

actual results for FY 2015 with the estimated results in the Operating Plan. 

 

32 Postal Service FY 2015 Form 10-K at 29.

33 United States Postal Service Fiscal Year 2015 Integrated Financial Plan, August 10, 2015, at 1 (Postal Service 2015 Integrated Financial Plan). 

The Postal Service noted that planned expenses were adjusted to reflect savings from Tier 2 employees. USPS Preliminary Financial Information 

(Unaudited), June, 2015, August 10, 2015, at 1, n.c. 

34 USPS Preliminary Monthly Financial Report to the PRC, September, 2015, November 13, 2015 at 1, n. c. The following analysis of the Postal 

Service’s FY 2015 Operating Plan, versus its actual operating results, uses the original IFP estimates for volume and revenue, and the revised 

planned expense figures reported in the September 2015 Preliminary Financial Report.

FY 2015 FY 2014 Variance Variance

Supplies and Services $ 2,705 $ 2,550 $ 155 6.1%

Depreciation and Amortization 1,769 1,843 (74) (4.0%)

Rent and Utilities 1,613 1,613 - 0.0%

Vehicle Maintenance Services 1,053 1,108 (55) (5.0%)

Information Technology and Communications 784 791 (7) (0.9%)

Rural Carrier Equipment Maintenance 514 556 (42) (7.6%)

Miscellaneous Other 719 892 (173) (19.4%)

Total Other Expenses $ 9,157 $ 9,353 $ (196) (2.1%)

Decrease in expenses is denoted by (). 

Numbers may not add across due to rounding.

Source: Postal Service FY 2015 Form 10-K at 29.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 21

Table II-13

Actual and Operating Plan Statement of Operations, FY 2015 ($ in Billions)

Total revenues were $781 million less than the Operating Plan projected. As seen in Table 

II-14, revenue from First-Class Mail, Periodicals, and Competitive and Market Dominant 

parcels were higher than expected. The revenue shortfall was the result of lower than 

expected revenue from Standard Mail, International Mail, and Other Revenue, which 

consists mostly of Ancillary and Special Services.

Table II-14

Actual and Operating Plan Revenue by Class, FY 2015 ($ in Billions)

FY 2015 

Actual

FY 2015 

Operating 

Plan Variance

Total Revenue $ 69.0 $ 69.7 $ (0.8)

Total Operating Expense 67.8 68.5 (0.8)

Net Operating Income/(Loss) $ 1.2 $ 1.2 $ (0.0)

RHBF Payment 5.7 5.7 -

Workers' Comp. Adj. 0.3 0.9 (0.6)

FERS Supplemental 0.2 - 0.2

Total Net Income/(Loss) $ (5.1) $ (5.4) $ 0.3

Decrease in revenue and expense is denoted by (). Increase in net loss is denoted by ().

Numbers may not add across due to rounding.

Source: November 13, 2015, Preliminary Financial Information, file "2015.11.13 September 

FY 2015 Report to the PRC--Report.pdf." 

FY 2015 

Actual

FY 2015 

Operating 

Plan Variance

First-Class Mail $ 28.3 $ 27.5 $ 0.8

Periodicals 1.6 1.5 0.1

Standard Mail 17.6 18.2 (0.6)

Other 2.5 3.6 (1.1)

Competitive and Other Parcels 16.0 15.7 0.3

International 2.8 3.1 (0.3)

Total Mail Revenue $ 68.8 $ 69.6 $ (0.8)

Decrease in revenue is denoted by (). 

Numbers may not add across due to rounding.

Source: November 13, 2015, Preliminary Financial Information, file "2015.11.13 

September FY 2015 Report to the PRC--Report.pdf." 
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 22

Total volume was 900 million pieces higher than expected, primarily due to higher than 

planned volume for First-Class Mail. Standard Mail volumes did not meet expected levels, 

falling short by almost 1.3 billion pieces. Table II-15 compares the volume by class for 

FY 2015 with the volume projected in the Operating Plan.

Table II-15

Actual and Operating Plan Volume by Class, FY 2015 ($ in Billions)

Total expenses for FY 2015 were $1.1 billion less than the Operating Plan projected. Lower 

than planned non-personnel expenses and a smaller than forecasted non-cash adjustment 

to workers’ compensation liability offset higher expenses for compensation and benefits. 

As shown in Table II-16, the compensation and benefits expense was $200 million higher 

than expected, primarily due to higher work hours. Basic compensation and benefits was 

$304 million higher, but was offset by lower than budgeted current premiums for retiree 

health benefits and other compensation and benefits. 

Total non-personnel expenses were $952 million less than the Operating Plan projected, 

with the largest differences coming from transportation ($144 million), supplies and 

services ($187 million), and other expenses ($276 million). There were also significant 

differences between actual expenses and the Operating Plan for information technology 

($125 million) and depreciation ($91 million). Overall, all categories of non-personnel 

expenses were less than budgeted. The largest difference was for the non-cash workers’ 

compensation liability adjustment. The Postal Service forecasted a $922 million adjustment 

FY 2015 

Actual

FY 2015 

Operating 

Plan Variance

First-Class Mail 62.4 60.3 2.1

Periodicals 5.8 5.5 0.3

Standard Mail 80.0 81.3 (1.3)

Other 0.4 0.7 (0.3)

Competitive and Other Parcels 4.5 4.5 0.0

International 0.9 0.9 0.0

Total Mail Volume 154.1 153.2 0.9

Decrease in amounts is denoted by (). 

Numbers may not add across due to rounding.

Source: November 13, 2015, Preliminary Financial Information, file "2015.11.13 

September FY 2015 Report to the PRC--Report.pdf." 
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 23

to the workers’ compensation liability. The actual adjustment was $307 million, a 

difference of $615 million.

Table II-16

Actual and Operating Plan Expenses, FY 2015 ($ in Billions)

Analysis of Balance Sheets

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

Balance Sheets prepared according to the U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles 

(GAAP). The Balance Sheets compare two points in time, September 30, 2015 (FY 2015),

and September 30, 2014 (FY 2014).

The balance sheets have three components: assets, liabilities, and net position. The 

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

difference between current assets and current liabilities. The difference between total 

assets and total liabilities on a balance sheet is net worth, or equity. The amount of equity 

generally indicates the combination of borrowing (liability) and capital contributions 

and/or accumulated earnings from prior years used to finance the assets. Negative net 

worth (net deficiency) occurs when liabilities are greater than assets.

Table II-17 compares the Postal Service’s assets and liabilities for FY 2015 and FY 2014. 

This analysis is derived from the Postal Service’s balance sheets. Current assets are the sum 

of cash and cash equivalents, receivables and supplies, and prepayments. Current assets 

FY 2015 

Actual

FY 2015 

Operating 

Plan Variance

Compensation & Benefits $ 51.8 $ 51.6 $ 0.2

Transportation 6.6 6.7 (0.1)

Supplies & Services 2.7 2.9 (0.2)

Depreciation 1.8 1.9 (0.1)

Rent/Utilities/Other 4.7 5.2 (0.5)

Total Operating Expenses $ 67.6 $ 68.3 $ (0.7)

PSRHBF Payment 5.7 5.7 -

Workers' Compensation Adj. 0.3 0.9 (0.6)

FERS Supplemental 0.2 - 0.2

Total Expenses $ 73.8 $ 74.9 $ (1.1)

Decrease in expense is denoted by (). 

Numbers may not add across due to rounding.

Source: FY 2015 Plan data from USPS September 2015 Monthly Financial Report, 

filename "2015.11.13 September FY 2015 Report to the PRC--Report.pdf", 

November 13, 2015.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 24

can be easily converted to cash for financing operations. Non-current assets, mainly 

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, while 

non-current liabilities are long-term financial obligations.

Table II-17

Assets and Liabilities ($ in Millions)

Total assets were $24 billion at the end of FY 2015, a $1 billion increase over FY 2014. This 

increase is due to the growth of cash and cash equivalents. Revenues from the Market 

Dominant exigent rate surcharge and parcel volume growth contributed to the increase in 

cash and cash equivalents. 

FY 2015 FY 2014 $ Variance FY 2015 FY 2014

Assets

Cash and Cash Equivalents (includes Restricted 

Cash) $ 6,867 $ 5,152 $ 1,715 28.6% 22.4%

Receivables 930 930 0 3.9% 4.0%

Supplies and Prepayments 117 122 (4) 0.5% 0.5%

Total Current Assets $ 7,915 $ 6,204 $ 1,711 33.0% 27.0%

Net Property and Equipment 15,686 16,338 (652) 65.3% 71.2%

Other Assets 413 420 (7) 1.7% 1.8%

Total Assets $ 24,014 $ 22,962 $ 1,052 100.0% 100.0%

FY 2015 FY 2014 $ Variance FY 2015 FY 2014

Liabilities

Compensation and Benefits $ 1,899 $ 1,506 $ 393 2.6% 2.2%

Retiree Health Benefits 28,100 22,417 5,683 37.8% 32.8%

Workers' Compensation Costs 1,401 1,320 8 0 1.9% 1.9%

Payables and Accrued Expenses 1,853 2,023 (170) 2.5% 3.0%

Deferred Revenue-Prepaid Postage 3,304 3,064 239 4.4% 4.5%

Customer Deposit Accounts 1,202 1,191 1 1 1.6% 1.7%

Other Current Liabilities 1,053 1,221 (168) 1.4% 1.8%

Current Portion of Long-Term Debt 10,100 9,800 300 13.6% 14.3%

Total Current Liabilities $ 48,911 $ 42,542 $ 6,369 65.7% 62.3%

Workers' Compensation Costs, Noncurrent 17,410 17,102 307 23.4% 25.0%

Employees' Accumulated Leave, Noncurrent 1,951 1,982 (31) 2.6% 2.9%

Other Noncurrent Liabilities 1,233 1,467 (234) 1.7% 2.1%

Noncurrent Portion of Long-Term Debt 4,900 5,200 (300) 6.6% 7.6%

Total Liabilities $ 74,405 $ 68,293 $ 6,112 100.0% 100.0%

Source: Postal Service FY 2015 Form 10-K at 38; PRC derived from September 2015 National Trial Balance.

% of Total Assets

% of Total Liabilities

Decrease in amounts is denoted by (). 

Numbers may not add across due to rounding.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 25

Liabilities at the end of FY 2015 totaled $74.4 billion, $6.1 billion higher than FY 2014. This 

increase is largely due to the addition of $5.5 billion for the non-payment of the required 

FY 2015 payment into the RHBF. Current liabilities account for 62 percent of total 

liabilities. Current liabilities consist largely of prior years’ unpaid RHBF prefunding 

obligations and the current year payments due on long-term borrowing. The Postal Service 

continues to accrue the annual RHBF statutory prefunding obligation, which totaled $28.1 

billion at the end of FY 2015. This includes accruals from FY 2011 through FY 2015. This 

obligation is 57.5 percent of current liabilities. Net liabilities consist of the RHBF payments, 

workers’ compensation liability ($17.4 billion), and the total net debt owed to the Federal 

Financing Bank35 ($15 billion). 

At the end of FY 2015, the Postal Service’s total liabilities exceeded the total value of its 

assets by $50.4 billion. This results from several years of net operating losses starting in 

FY 2007. Although FY 2014 and FY 2015 had a net operating income, the slow replacement 

of fully depreciated capital assets and substantial personnel related liabilities also 

contributed to this high net deficiency. Highlights from the balance sheets include:

 Non-current assets comprise 67 percent of total assets, while non-current liabilities 

only comprise 33 percent of total liabilities. 

 Aging capital assets, such as vehicles and equipment, along with the Postal Service’s 

inability to invest in new capital, resulted in a $652 million decline in the value of its 

property, plant, and equipment.

 Total liabilities increased by $6.8 billion dollars, mainly due to the Postal Service’s 

non-payment of its RHBF statutory obligation and increases in workers’ 

compensation liability.

 Negative net worth indicates that the Postal Service has spent both its initial capital 

and the debt borrowed from the Federal Financing Bank. Simply put, its debts are no 

longer secured by its assets.

Because the Postal Service reached the limit of its borrowing authority, all current activity 

must be financed with internally generated cash.

36 This has severely limited the Postal 

Service’s ability to invest in much needed equipment and other productive assets.

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

 

35 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.

36 Internally generated cash is funding generated from or within the business itself.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 26

Figure II-5

Asset and Liability Structure as of September 30, 2015

Assets

During FY 2015, assets grew by $1 billion. This change reflects an increase in cash of $1.7 

billion and a decline in property, plant, and equipment value of $652 million. 

Although the Postal Service’s cash reserves are higher than they were in FY 2014, that 

growth is due in significant part to increased revenues from the Market Dominant exigent 

surcharge, which is expected to expire on April 10, 2016. Its inability to access debt has 

limited its ability to invest in much needed property and equipment. Moreover, despite the 

improved cash position, the Postal Service was again unable to make the statutory payment 

into the RHBF in FY 2015.

Figure II-6 illustrates the Postal Service’s FY 2015 asset structure.

Source: Postal Service FY 2015 Form 10-K at 38; PRC derived from September 2015 National Trial Balance.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 27

Figure II-6

Postal Service Asset Structure, September 30, 2015

Figure II-7 illustrates the Postal Service’s capital investment activity since FY 2006. The 

Postal Service has restricted capital investment since FY 2008. From FY 2008 to FY 2012 

capital investment continued to decline. The Postal Service has gradually increased 

planned capital investment since FY 2013 as there has been an improvement in available 

cash. 

Source: Postal Service FY 2015 Form 10-K at 38; PRC derived from September 2015 National Trial Balance, 

November 13, 2015.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 28

Figure II-7

Capital Investment Activity since FY 2006

Although the rate of reduction in capital assets has slowed over the past 2 years, the Postal 

Service continues to limit its capital expenditures to those required for safety, customer 

support, and projects with high returns “on investment and a short payback period.”37 To 

be competitive in today’s growing e-commerce market, the Postal Service will need to 

increase its capital expenditures to include new delivery vehicles and equipment. Its lack of 

working capital has hindered its ability to make these investments.

The Postal Service states that the increase in compensation expense is largely due to 

growing volumes from Competitive products and services, which consist mostly of 

parcels.38 In order to reap the full benefits of the increase in parcel volume, it is critical that 

the Postal Service invest in parcel sorting equipment that will eventually make parcel 

processing more efficient and reduce costs.

Liabilities

In FY 2015, total liabilities increased by $6.1 billion, primarily due to an increase in the 

accrual for the RHBF payment of $5.7 billion. Workers’ compensation and other short term 

debt increased by $381 million. 

In FY 2015, the long-term portion of the workers’ compensation liability increased by $300 

million. This increase was significantly less than the $1.2 billion increase in FY 2014. The

 

37 Postal Service FY 2015 Form 10-K at 31.

38 Id. at 19-20.

Source: Postal Service FY 2006 to 2015 Forms 10-K.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 29

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

inflation rates and to new and existing claims, and was the only long-term liability to 

increase over FY 2014. The Postal Service noted that a revision in the actuarial revaluation 

of current cases in FY 2015 decreased the total workers’ compensation liability from the 

prior year by $353 million.39

Figure II-8 shows the current breakdown of the Postal Service’s liabilities as of 

September 30, 2015.

Figure II-8

Postal Service Liabilities Structure, September 30, 2015

Source: Postal Service FY 2015 Form 10-K at 38; PRC derived from September 2015 National Trial Balance, November 13, 2015.

 

39 Id. at 56.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 30

Analysis of Off-Balance Sheet Items

In addition to the various liabilities recorded on the Postal Service’s Balance Sheets, there 

are other liabilities for pensions and retiree health benefits that are not recognized in the 

Postal Service’s financial statements. These liabilities are controlled and administered by 

OPM and relate to the assets and liabilities attributed to: (1) the Civil Service Retirement 

and Disability Fund (CSRDF); and (2) the RHBF. The CSRDF provides pension benefits to 

retired and disabled Federal employees, including Postal Service employees covered by 

CSRS and FERS. The Postal Service is required to make specified annual payments into the 

RHBF to prefund the retiree health benefit for its current and future retirees.40

In addition, the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA) requires the Postal 

Service to report certain disclosures provided by OPM regarding the funded status of the 

CSRDF, specifically for postal employees and the Postal Service RHBF.41 This information is 

then reported in the Postal Service Form 10-K statement. 

CSRS and FERS Pensions

Table II-18 shows the funded status of the Postal Service’s pension obligations.

Table 11-18: Funded Status of Postal Service Pension Obligations ($ in Billions)

 

40 5 U.S.C. § 8909a

41 39 U.S. C. § 3654

Fiscal Year Assets

Acturial 

Liabilities

Net CSRS 

Funded 

Status 

(Unfunded) Fiscal Year Assets

Actuarial 

Liabilities

Net FERS 

Funded 

Status 

(Unfunded) Fiscal Year Assets

Acturial 

Liabilities

Net CSRS 

and FERS 

Funded 

Status 

(Unfunded)

2006 * $ 210.8 $ 193.7 $ 17.1 2006 $ 95.3 $ 86.6 $ 8.7 2006 * $ 306.1 $ 280.3 $ 25.8 

2007 193.8 196.9 (3.1) 2007 63.5 55.1 8.4 2007 257.3 252.0 5.3

2008 195.1 204.1 (9.0) 2008 69.3 62.8 6.5 2008 264.4 266.9 (2.5)

2009 195.3 202.6 (7.3) 2009 75.2 68.3 6.9 2009 270.5 270.9 (0.4)

2010 194.6 193.0 1.6 2010 80.8 69.9 10.9 2010 275.4 262.9 12.5

2011 193.0 210.8 (17.8) 2011 86.6 84.0 2.6 2011 279.6 294.8 (15.2)

2012 190.7 209.5 (18.8) 2012 91.7 90.8 0.9 2012 282.4 300.3 (17.9)

2013 186.6 204.4 (17.8) 2013 96.5 96.6 (0.1) 2013 283.1 301.0 (17.9)

2014 182.1 201.5 (19.4) 2014 100.9 104.5 (3.6) 2014 283.0 306.0 (23.0)

Projected 2015 179.2 199.6 (20.4) Projected 2015 107.6 111.3 (3.7) Projected 2015 286.8 310.9 (24.1)

CSRS Funded Status FERS Funded Status Total USPS Pension Funded Status 

Source: Postal Service FY 2007 to FY 2015 Forms 10-K.

Assets include securities of the CSRDF. Although CSRDF is a single fund and does not maintain separate accounts for individual agencies, Pub. L. 109-435 requires the asset disclosures shown 

in this table as if the funds were separate.

Actuarial Liabilities are actual amounts for FY 2007-2013 and projected amounts for FY 2014 as of the end of each fiscal year. These data are prepared by OPM and represent the actuarial 

present value of the cost of future retiree pension benefits for which USPS is responsible and that are attributed to past service; this liability reflects all such projected future costs for current 

retirees and beneficiaries and a portion of such projected future costs for current workers.

Net Funded status equals assets minus liabilities.

* FY 2006 CSRS surplus of $17.1 billion transferred to the PSRHBF per PAEA.

Note: This table provides OPM's estimation of the funded status of the CSRS and FERS programs for United States Postal Service (USPS) as of the end of each fiscal year. Data 

are actual amounts for FY 2006-2014 and projected amounts for FY 2015.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 31

Both pension plans had unfunded liabilities in FY 2014. These unfunded liabilities are 

projected to increase in FY 2015. After the transfer of the FY 2006 CSRS surplus to the 

RHBF, CSRS has had an unfunded liability at the end of almost every fiscal year. In FY 2017, 

OPM must determine the funded status of CSRS and any surplus must be transferred to the 

RHBF. However, if there is an unfunded liability, which appears to be increasingly likely, 

OPM must develop a 30 year amortization of the unfunded liability, which the Postal 

Service will have to begin paying in FY 2017. If the current trend continues and there are 

no changes in the law governing the determination of the CSRS liability, the amortization 

payment for CSRS could be over $1 billion annually beginning in FY 2017.42

The FERS portion of the CSRDF generally had a funding surplus until FY 2013. FERS is 

funded by a percentage of basic pay that the Postal Service must pay and a statutorily set 

employee contribution. OPM raised the agency contribution from 11.9 percent of basic pay 

to 13.2 percent, beginning in FY 2015. The rate will increase further in FY 2016 to 13.7 

percent. 

Additionally, if there is an unfunded liability in the Postal Service’s portion of the FERS 

pension, OPM is required to develop a 30-year amortization schedule to fund the unfunded 

liability. In FY 2015, OPM notified the Postal Service of the unfunded FERS liability and 

directed the Postal Service to pay an additional $241 million per year for the next 30 years.

Retiree Health Benefits Fund

The PAEA established the RHBF in order to fund the long-term retiree health benefits for 

postal employees, retirees, and their survivors. This fund is administered by OPM. 

The initial funding for the RHBF was the transfer of CSRS pension benefit overfunding at 

the end of FY 2006, which OPM determined to be $17.1 billion, plus the retirement savings 

escrow held by the Postal Service. Additionally, the Postal Service is obligated to pay into 

the fund a series of annual payments, averaging $5.2 billion per year43 in addition to 

continuing to pay the annual government share of retiree health benefits premiums. 

In FY 2017, the funding mechanism for Postal Service retiree health benefits under current 

law will change. Each year since FY 2007, OPM has determined the increase in the retiree 

health benefit liability (referred to as the normal cost) and determined the funding status 

of the RHBF. This determination will continue in FY 2017 and beyond, as the Postal Service 

will be required to fund the RHBF with payments consisting of the normal cost, as 

determined by OPM, and any unfunded portion of the RHBF liability amortized over 40 

 

42 This assumes that the current FY 2015 estimate of the CSRS unfunded liability of $20.4 billion will be the same in FY 2017 and is amortized 

over 30 years at a discount rate of 5.25 percent.

43 The total payments over 10 years into the RHBF equal $51.8 billion and include the reduction of the original FY 2009 payment of $5.4 billion 

to $1.4 billion. See 5 U.S.C. 8909a(d)(3)(A).
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 32

years. The RHBF will then pay the government share of postal retiree health benefit 

premiums. With this change, the Postal Service will no longer be required to pay the annual 

government share of retiree health benefit premiums.

Table II-19 on the next page shows the funded status of the RHBF, including the assets and 

liabilities, as determined by OPM.

Table II-19

Retiree Health Benefit Fund Status ($ in Billions)

As the table above shows, the Postal Service had an unfunded liability of $54.8 billion at the 

end of FY 2015. Over the last 5 years, the Postal Service has not paid the statutorily 

scheduled payments into the RHBF. Through FY 2015, the Postal Service missed a total of 

$28.1 billion in payments. This sum is reported on the Postal Service’s Balance Sheets as a 

current liability, contributing significantly to its negative working capital. The statutory 

payment due for FY 2016 is $5.8 billion; however, the Postal Service represented that there 

will be no resources available to make that payment into the RHBF.44

 

44 Postal Service FY 2015 Form 10-K at 55.

Fiscal Year

Beginning 

of Year 

Assets

One-Time 

Transfer 

from CSRS 

Pension 

One-Time 

Transfer 

from USPS 

Escrow

USPS 

Prefunding 

Payment

Interest 

Earned

End of 

Year 

Assets

End of Year 

Actuarial 

Liabilities

End of Year 

Net Funded 

Status 

(Unfunded)

Missed 

USPS 

Prefunding 

Payments

2007 0.0 $ 17.1 $ 3.0 $ 5.4 $ 0.3 $ 25.7 $ 80.8 $ (55.0) 0.0

2008 25.7 5.6 1.3 32.6 86.1 (53.5) 0.0

2009 32.6 1.4 1.5 35.5 87.5 (52.0) 0.0

2010 35.5 5.5 1.5 42.5 91.1 (48.6) 0.0

2011 42.5 0.0 1.6 44.1 90.3 (46.2) 0.0

2012 44.1 0.0 1.6 45.7 93.6 (47.9) 11.1

2013 45.7 0.0 1.6 47.3 95.6 (48.3) 5.6

2014 47.3 0.0 1.5 48.9 97.7 (48.9) 5.7

2015 48.9 0.0 1.5 50.3 105.2 (54.8) 5.7

Subtotal 17.9 12.4 28.1

Source: Postal Service FY 2007 to FY 2015 Forms 10-K.

One-Time Transfer from USPS Escrow Fund: PAEA required USPS to transfer the escrow funds resulting from the Postal Civil Service Retirement System Funding Reform Act of 

2003 (Pub. L. 108-18), which reduced USPS's CSRS payments and required these reductions to be placed into escrow. 

USPS prefunding payments are statutory payments established by PAEA that are due from USPS to the PSRHBF. Subsequent congressional action reduced the 2009 

prefunding payment from $5.4 billion to $1.4 billion and delayed $5.5 billion from FY 2011 to FY 2012, resulting in a requirement to pay $11.1 billion in FY 2012. See 5 U.S.C 

8909a(d)(3)(A). 

Missed Prefunding Payments have not been made by USPS and remain as current liabilities on USPS's balance sheet. These amounts are reflected in this table through the 

lower asset total and higher net unfunded liability than would have occurred if the prefunding payments were made.

Note: This table provides OPM's estimation of the funded status of United States Postal Service (USPS) obligations for retiree health benefits. Data for assets, liabilities, and 

net funded status are actual amounts for FY 2007-2013 and projected amounts for FY 2014.

Assets include securities of the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund (PSRHBF), which is managed by OPM.

Actuarial Liabilities represent the actuarial present value of the cost of the portion of future retiree health premiums for which USPS is responsible and that are attributable 

to past service; this liability reflects all such projected future costs for current retirees and beneficiaries and a portion of such projected future costs for current workers..

Net funded status equals assets minus liabilities.

One-Time Transfer from CSRS Pension Fund: PAEA - Pub. L. 109-435, enacted Dec. 20, 2006 established the PSRHBF and directed OPM to determine any USPS surplus for CSRS 

obligations as of Sept. 30, 2006, and to transfer this amount from the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund (CSRDF) into the PSRHBF by June 30, 2007.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 33

Analysis of Statement of Cash Flows

At the end of FY 2015, the Postal Service’s cash and cash equivalents totaled $6.6 billion, 

$1.7 billion higher than in FY 2014. With an average daily cash requirement of $275 

million, this balance represents 24 days of operating cash,45 an increase of 5 days from the 

end of FY 2014. Table II-20 compares the Postal Service’s cash flow from FY 2007 to 

FY 2015.

Table II-20

Postal Service Cash Flow, FY 2015 - FY 2007 ($ in Millions)

The Postal Service reached its statutory borrowing limit in FY 2012. This includes a 

revolving credit line of $3.4 billion and an overnight line of $600 million.

As of September 30, 2015, the Postal Service’s fixed interest rate obligations consist of fixed 

rate borrowings from the Federal Financing Bank of $10.1 billion, which are due within 1 

year. Table II-21 illustrates the current liquidity position of the Postal Service. Since the 

Postal Service has depleted its statutory borrowing limit, its liquidity is limited to cash and 

cash equivalents.

 

45 The Commission calculated the days of operating cash by dividing the $275 million per day expense by the $6.6 billion of cash and cash 

equivalents.

FY FY FY FY FY FY FY FY FY

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Net income/(loss) $(5,142) $(2,806) $ (3,794) $ (8,505) $ (5,067) $(15,906) $ (4,977) $ (5,508) $ (5,060)

Non-cash items and other cash flows 2,539 2,367 5,367 5,213 5,561 15,474 5,912 8,822 7,939

Cash flows from investing activities:

 Decrease (increase) in restricted cash 2,958 (10) (28) (79) 66 13

 Purchase of property and equipment (2,715) (1,995) (1,839) (1,393) (1,190) (705) (667) (781) (1,222)

 Proceeds from sale of property and equipment 257 57 33 70 137 148 158 129 120

Net cash used in investing activities 500 (1,938) (1,806) (1,323) (1,063) (585) (588) (586) (1,089)

Cash flows from financing activities:

 Increase (decrease) in debt 2,100 3,000 3,000 1,800 1,000 2,000 - - -

 Payments for capital leases (19) (29) (46) (50) (51) (51) (59) (58) (62)

 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) (62)

Net increase/(decrease) in cash (98) 533 2,657 (2,928) 317 803 240 2,580 1,728

Cash balance beginning of year 997 899 1,432 4,089 966 1,283 2,086 2,326 4,906

Cash balance end of year $ 899 $ 1,432 $ 4,089 $ 1,161 $ 1,283 $ 2,086 $ 2,326 $ 4,906 $ 6,634

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

Decrease in amounts is denoted by (). 

Numbers may not add across due to rounding.

Source: Postal Service FY 2007 to FY 2015 Forms 10-K.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 34

Table II-21

Total Postal Service Liquidity

FY 2015 FY 2014

Cash and cash equivalents $ 6,634 $ 4,906

Current portion of debt 10,100 9,800

Long-term debt 4,900 5,200

Total debt $ 15,000 $ 15,000

Statutory debt limit 15,000 15,000

Available debt - -

Total liquidity (cash + available debt) $ 6,634 $ 4,906

Source: Postal Service FY 2015 Form 10-K at 38.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 35

Chapter 3. Volume, Revenue, and Cost 

Trends

Overview

This chapter provides an in-depth analysis of the volume, revenue, 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 cost to total cost, 

referred to as institutional cost share.

The second section provides a comparison of volume, revenue, and cost between FY 2014 

and FY 2015. It also includes a trend analysis that highlights changes in volume, revenue, 

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

reflects the mail reclassifications that resulted from the Postal Accountability and 

Enhancement Act of 2006 (PAEA). In cases where average unit attributable cost changed 

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

Overall Volume, Revenue, and Cost Trends

Market Dominant Products and Services 

As shown on the next page, Table III-1 compares total volume, revenue, attributable cost, 

and contribution to institutional cost for Market Dominant products and services between 

FY 2014 and FY 2015. As noted in Chapter II, both the originally reported FY 2014 volume 

and revenue and the adjusted FY 2014 volume and revenue46 are shown.

 

46 RPW methodology for Forever Stamp Usage, Stamp Breakage, and Postage in the Hands of the Public (PIHOP) was revised using the new 

methodology pursuant to Docket No. RM2015-9, Order on Analytical Principles Used in Periodic Reporting (Proposal One), September 24, 2015 

(Order No. 2728).
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 36

Table III-1

Market Dominant Volume, Revenue, and Cost 

Total Market Dominant revenue increased 0.1 percent in FY 2015, the second consecutive 

year of revenue growth. Total attributable cost for Market Dominant products was 0.3 

percent higher than in FY 2014. Increases in mail processing cost and changes in 

methodology for city carrier cost contributed to the increase in attributable cost for Market 

Dominant products.47 The total Market Dominant contribution to institutional cost declined 

by $35 million.

In FY 2015, Market Dominant products accounted for 97.4 percent of total mail volume, a 

drop of 1.1 percent from FY 2014. Revenue from these products as a percentage of total 

revenue fell from 76.1 percent to 74.9 percent. Market Dominant attributable cost as a 

percentage of total attributable cost fell from 71.9 percent in FY 2014 to 70.3 percent in 

FY 2015.

Several Market Dominant products failed to generate sufficient revenue to cover 

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

amounted to over $1.2 billion, which is more than $200 million worse than in FY 2014. 

Standard Mail Flats ($520 million), Standard Mail Parcels ($23.8 million), Periodicals ($512 

million), and Package Services Media Mail/Library Mail ($84.6 million) accounted for 92 

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

include First-Class Mail Inbound Letter Post and Special Services Stamp Fulfillment 

Services.

The Commission continues to encourage the Postal Service to reduce cost and to use the 

pricing flexibility afforded in the PAEA to improve these products’ cost coverage.48

 

47 See Docket No. RM2015-7, Order Approving Analytical Principles Used in Periodic Reporting (Proposal Thirteen), October 29, 2015 (Order No. 

2792). See also Docket No. RM2016-3, Order Approving Analytical Principles Used in Periodic Reporting (Proposal Twelve), December 22, 2015 

(Order No. 2915).

48 See FY 2014 ACD at 33-57; FY 2013 ACD at 5-61; FY 2012 ACD at 15-22, 88-96, 108-117; FY 2010 ACD at 90-94, 103-108, 116-118.

Original % Adjusted %

FY 2015 FY 2014 Variance FY 2014 Variance

Volume (Millions) 150,198 151,927 (1.1)% 152,136 (1.3)%

Revenue ($ Millions) 51,647 51,572 0.1 % 51,604 0.1 %

Attributable Cost ($ Millions) 28,283 28,205 0.3 % 28,205 0.3 %

Contribution to Institutional Cost ($ Millions) 23,364 23,367 (0.0)% 23,399 (0.2)%

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1; Library 

Reference USPS-FY15-42.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 37

Market Dominant Volume Trends

Figure III-1 shows the total volume for Market Dominant products over the last 8 years. 

Since FY 2007, volume has declined by 60.4 billion pieces.

Figure III-1

Market Dominant Volume, FY 2007 - FY 2015

First-Class Mail and Standard Mail accounted for 95.5 percent of total Market Dominant 

volume. First-Class Mail volume declined by 33 billion pieces since FY 2007. The rate of 

decline for First-Class Mail averaged 4.3 percent over the past 8 years. However, over the 

past 2 years, the decline in First-Class Mail volume averaged 1.8 percent. Although 

Standard Mail volume declined by 23 billion pieces since FY 2007, unlike First-Class Mail, 

Standard Mail experienced volume increases in 3 of the past 6 years. In FY 2014 and FY 

2015, Standard Mail volume remained relatively steady, declining both years at a rate of 

less than 1.0 percent.

Market Dominant Revenue and Cost Trends

Total Market Dominant revenue and attributable cost have declined since FY 2007. Total 

revenue declined by 18.2 percent and total attributable cost declined by 24.6 percent. 

Figure III-2 compares revenue and attributable cost since FY 2007.

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1; FY 

2007- FY 2013 ACD; Library Reference PRC-LR-1.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 38

Figure III-2

Market Dominant Revenue and Attributable Cost, FY 2007 - FY 2015

Total Market Dominant revenue declined significantly until FY 2014. The Market Dominant 

exigent surcharge added $1.4 billion in additional revenue in FY 2014 and $2.1 billion in 

additional revenue in FY 2015. This revenue offset much of the loss of revenue due to the 

declining Market Dominant volume. Except for FY 2015, Market Dominant attributable cost 

has steadily declined since FY 2007. In FY 2015, total Market Dominant attributable cost 

increased slightly compared to FY 2014.

As shown on the next page in Figure III-3, on a unit basis, average revenue and cost 

increased since FY 2007. Market Dominant average unit revenue increased 4.0 cents and 

Market Dominant average unit attributable cost increased 0.8 cents. While the unit 

attributable cost steadily declined since FY 2009, unit attributable cost increased 0.3 cents 

in FY 2015. Despite the increase, the FY 2015 unit attributable cost was almost 1 cent lower 

than in FY 2009. Comparatively, Market Dominant average total cost increased 3.1 cents 

since FY 2009.

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1; FY 

2007- FY 2013 ACD; Library Reference PRC-LR-1.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 39

Figure III-3

Market Dominant Average Unit Revenue and Cost, FY 2007 - FY 2015

Competitive Products and Services

Both volume and revenue for Competitive products increased in FY 2015. Table III-2 

compares the total volume, revenue, and cost of these products and services between FY 

2014 and FY 2015. As noted in Chapter II, both the originally reported FY 2014 volume and 

revenue and the adjusted FY 2014 volume and revenue49 are shown.

Table III-2

Competitive Volume, Revenue, and Cost

 

49 RPW methodology for Forever Stamp Usage, Stamp Breakage, and Postage in the Hands of the Public (PIHOP) was revised using the new 

methodology pursuant to Order No. 2728.

Source: The Postal Regulatory Commission derived from Postal Service Cost and Revenue Analysis (CRA) Reports, FY 2007 - FY 2015.

OrigInal % Adjusted %

FY 2015 FY 2014 Variance FY 2014 Variance

Volume (Millions) 3,959 3,448 14.8% 3,403 16.3%

Revenue ($ Millions) 16,428 15,280 7.5% 15,087 8.9%

Attributable Cost ($ Millions) 11,905 10,970 8.5% 10,970 8.5%

Contribution to Institutional Cost ($ Millions) 4,523 4,310 4.9% 4,117 9.9%

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014 Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1; Library Reference USPSFY15-42.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 40

Volume grew 14.8 percent in FY 2015. Total revenue growth was 7.5 percent in FY 2015, 

with over $1.0 billion in new revenue. Attributable cost and institutional cost contribution 

were also higher in FY 2015, growing 8.5 percent and 4.9 percent, respectively. As shown 

in Figure III-4, the Competitive products’ share of total Postal Service revenue, attributable 

cost, and contribution to institutional cost continues to grow with each more than doubling 

since FY 2007.

Figure III-4

Competitive Percentage Share of Total Postal Service Revenue, Cost, 

and Contribution to Institutional Cost, FY 2007 - FY 2015

Figure III-5 illustrates the changes in average unit revenue and cost from FY 2007 to 

FY 2015. Since FY 2007, average unit revenue for Competitive products and services 

exceeded both the average unit attributable cost and the required average unit institutional 

cost.50 The decline in average unit revenue in FY 2012 was the result of transfers of Market 

Dominant parcels from First-Class Mail51, Standard Mail52, and Package Services53 to the 

Competitive product list. After implementation of an average 2.4 percent price increase in 

 

50 The current minimum required contribution to institutional cost for Competitive products is 5.5 percent of total institutional cost. See 39 

U.S.C. § 3633(a)(3); 39 C.F.R. § 3015.7(c). The “required average unit institutional cost” is the minimum contribution divided by the total volume 

of Competitive products.

51 See Docket No. MC2011-22, Order No. 710, Order Adding Lightweight Commercial Parcels to the Competitive Product List, April 6, 2011.

52 See Docket No. MC2010-36, Order No. 689, Order Conditionally Granting Request to Transfer Commercial Standard Mail Parcels to the 

Competitive Product List, March 2, 2011.

53 See Docket No. MC2012-13, Order No. 1411, Order Conditionally Granting Request to Transfer Parcel Post to the Competitive Product List, 

July 19, 2012.

Source: Postal Service Cost and Revenue Analysis (CRA) Reports, FY 2007 - FY 2015.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 41

January 2014, the average unit revenue increased 0.2 percent. In FY 2015, the average unit 

revenue decreased again, declining 6.3 percent. The primary causes for the decline in the 

average revenue per piece were changes in the pricing structure of Priority Mail approved 

by the Commission in August 201454 and reductions in the average unit revenue from both 

Inbound and Outbound International NSAs. The Postal Service implemented an average 3.5 

percent price increase for Competitive products in May 2015.55

The average unit attributable cost declined 5.5 percent, and the average unit contribution 

declined 8.7 percent in FY 2015.

Figure III-5

Competitive Average Unit Revenue and Cost, FY 2007 - FY 2015

The significant increase in Competitive product volume has resulted in total attributable 

cost for Competitive products increasing in every cost segment, doubling since FY 2008. 

Total contribution to institutional cost from Competitive products continues to increase, 

exceeding the required contribution level of 5.5 percent each year. As shown in Figure III-6, 

Competitive products’ contribution has increased significantly over the past 4 years.

 

54 See Docket No. CP2014-55, Order Approving Changes in Rates of General Applicability for Priority Mail August 15, 2014 (Order No. 2156).

55 See Docket No. CP2015-33, Order No. 2366, Order Approving Changes in Rates of General Applicability for Competitive Products, February 25, 

2015; see also Docket No. CP2015-33, Order No. 2473, Notice of New Implementation Date for Changes in Rates of General Applicability for 

Competitive Products, May 7, 2015.

Source: Postal Service CRA Reports, FY 2007 - FY 2015.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 42

Figure III-6

Competitive Contribution to Institutional Cost, FY 2007 - FY 2015

Attributable and Institutional Cost Relationships

39 U.S.C. § 3622(c)(2) defines attributable cost as the “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[.]” Attributable cost includes volume-variable cost (which increase or 

decrease as volume increases or decreases) and product-specific cost (which are caused by 

a specific product but do not vary with volume). Institutional cost is the cost that remains 

after attributable cost is determined.

Attributable cost is distributed to products using distribution keys that reflect the 

underlying cost driver. The Postal Service calculates attributable cost for each product 

according to methodologies approved by the Commission. Changes to those methodologies 

are reviewed by the Commission, and members of the general public are encouraged to 

comment in such dockets.

In FY 2015, the Commission approved several changes to cost attribution. These changes 

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

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1; FY 

2007- FY 2013 ACD; Library Reference PRC-LR-1.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 43

described in Docket No. ACR2015, Library References USPS-FY15-31 and USPS-FY15-32.56

Approved changes in cost attribution methodology for FY 2015 include:

 Replacement of the Imputed and Booked versions of the International Cost and 

Revenue Analysis Report (ICRA) with a unified version of the ICRA. See Docket No. 

RM2015-10, Proposal Two, September 3, 2015 (Order No. 2695).

 Changes to the distribution of attributable costs to International Money Transfer 

Service – Outbound and Inbound products. See Docket No. RM2015-13, Proposal 

Five, November 19, 2015 (Order No. 2825).

 Changes to Cost Segment 6, City Delivery Carriers In-Office and Cost Segment 7, City 

Delivery Carriers Street. See Docket No. RM2015-7, Proposal Thirteen, October 29, 

2015 (Order No. 2792).

 Changes to Cost Segment 12, Motor Vehicle Service, and Cost Segment 20, 

Depreciation and Other Costs. The approved proposal changed the treatment of cost 

for vehicles used on city carrier letter routes to re-align the cost allocations with the 

city carrier cost changes approved in Docket No. RM2015-7. See Docket No. 

RM2016-3, Proposal Twelve, December 22, 2015 (Order No. 2915).

 Combination of Cost Segment 4, Clerks, CAG K-L, with Cost Segment 3, Clerks and 

Mail Handlers, CAG A-J. The approved proposal eliminated Cost Segment 4 and 

moved those costs to Cost Segment 3 Mail Processing and Window Service. See

Docket No. RM2015-19, Proposal Ten, November 24, 2015 (Order No. 2837).

Table III-3 illustrates the calculation of volume-variable and institutional costs. Total 

volume-variable cost is calculated by multiplying total cost by the volume variability 

ratio.57 Average unit attributable cost is calculated by adding the volume-variable cost to 

the product specific cost and dividing this total by total volume. Institutional cost is total 

cost minus total attributable cost.

 

56 The non-public versions of these library references are Library References USPS-FY15-13 and USPS-FY15-14.

57 The volume variability ratio and the method used to determine it varies depending on the cost segment and the cost drivers.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 44

Table III-3

Calculation of Attributable and Institutional Costs

Prior to FY 2015, mail processing cost, which is 94.0 percent volume-variable, had declined 

over 30 percent from FY 2006. The contributing factors to this decline included declining 

mail volume, increased presorted volume as a share of the mail mix, and cost reduction 

programs directed primarily at mail processing cost. However, mail processing cost 

increased in FY 2015, despite continuing declines in volume. Several factors contributed to 

this change. One factor was a methodological change mentioned above, where Cost 

Segment 4 clerk cost was combined into Cost Segment 3 mail processing and window 

service. Another factor was the continuing increase in the cost of processing flat mail. Also, 

total mail processing work hours increased for the first time since FY 2006. This increase 

was primarily due to the increase in Competitive product parcel volume, which, as the 

Postal Service noted, is more labor intensive to process and deliver.58

City carrier street time cost, which is 36.3 percent volume-variable, has increased 10.6 

percent since FY 2006. City carrier street time cost does not vary significantly with volume 

because carriers must travel the same delivery route regardless of the amount of mail they 

are carrying. Increases in delivery points were a significant driver of increased city carrier 

street cost. City carrier in-office cost is 84.1 percent volume-variable, and has decreased 

32.4 percent since FY 2006. This mostly represents cost related to time spent sorting mail 

for delivery, an activity more akin to mail processing than street delivery. This cost 

decreased due to the change in mail mix (as more mail was delivery-point sequenced and 

required less carrier time sorting) and the Postal Service’s emphasis on carriers spending 

 

58 Postal Service FY 2015 Form 10-K at 20.

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]

[2] x [3] [4] + [5] [6] / [1] [2] - [6]

Total 

Volume 

(000)

Total Cost 

($ in 000)

Percent 

Volume 

Variable

Volume 

Variable 

Cost 

($ in 000)

Product 

Specific Cost 

($ in 000)

Total 

Attributable 

Cost ($ in 000)

Attributable 

Cost per 

Piece 

(Cents)

Institutional 

Cost

Postmasters 154,156,980 1,681,615 17.6% 296,285 - 296,285 0.002 1,385,330

Supervision 154,156,980 3,182,463 53.9% 1,716,888 20 1,716,908 0.011 1,465,555

Mail Processing 154,156,980 10,927,649 93.9% 10,263,868 - 10,263,868 0.067 663,782

City Carrier In-Office 154,156,980 3,563,127 84.1% 2,995,397 - 2,995,397 0.019 567,730

City Carrier Street 154,156,980 12,007,514 36.3% 4,360,615 2,543 4,363,158 0.028 7,644,356

Rural Carriers 154,156,980 7,189,736 33.9% 2,440,884 - 2,440,884 0.016 4,748,852

Custodial and Maintenance 154,156,980 3,144,991 71.2% 2,240,595 - 2,240,595 0.015 904,396

Transportation 154,156,980 6,579,078 87.5% 5,755,460 - 5,755,460 0.037 823,618

Administration 154,156,980 12,492,338 25.2% 3,150,361 59,053 3,209,414 0.021 9,282,925

Other Segments 154,156,980 13,242,375 51.1% 6,772,339 205,401 6,977,740 0.045 6,264,635

Total 154,156,980 74,010,886 39,992,691 267,017 40,259,708 0.261 33,751,178

Source: Library Reference USPS-FY15-31.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 45

more time on the street delivering the mail. Figure III-7 shows mail preparation and 

delivery costs as a share of total cost.59 It shows that the proportion of mail processing cost 

to total cost has continued to decrease, despite the recent increase in costs for Segment 3 

mail processing, primarily due to reductions in city carrier in-office cost. The proportion of 

delivery cost to total cost continued to increase.

Figure III-7

Comparison of Mail Preparation and Delivery Costs to Total Costs, FY 2006 - FY 2015

Institutional cost cannot be attributed to a specific product or service. Sometimes referred 

to as “fixed cost,” it includes costs for carrier network travel time, the payment to the Postal 

Service Retirement Health Benefits Fund, and various administrative costs. Holding all else 

equal, a higher mail volume results in a lower institutional cost share and a lower mail 

volume results in a higher institutional cost share.

The Commission presented three examples in its FY 2014 Financial Analysis Report of how 

institutional cost share changes as volume increases and decreases.60 Also in the report, the 

Commission cited a Commission sponsored paper (Variability Paper), which reviewed 

 

59 For purposes of this analysis, mail preparation includes mail processing and city carrier in-office costs. Delivery includes city carrier street 

costs and rural carrier costs.

60 Postal Regulatory Commission Financial Analysis of United States Postal Service Financial Results and 10-K Statement, Fiscal Year 2014, April 

1, 2015, at 35-37 (FY 2014 Postal Regulatory Commission Financial Report).

Source: U.S. Postal Service Cost Segments and Components Reports, FY 2006 - FY 2015.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 46

changes in the ratio of attributable and institutional costs over time.61 According to the 

authors, several factors affect the attributable/institutional cost ratio and can be classified 

into either operational or non-operational factors. The “operational factors” include total 

volume, volume mix, and weighted volume, which is volume weighted by the average 

attributable cost of individual products. There were also “non-operational” factors, which 

are generally exogenous factors affecting costs. Non-operational factors include Generally 

Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) changes, changes in the law, and changes in 

Commission-approved cost methodologies.62

In FY 2015, total attributable cost increased despite continuing declines in total volume. As 

a result, institutional cost as a percent of total cost declined almost 1.0 percentage point, 

from 46.5 percent to 45.6 percent. This was a result of several of the factors noted in the 

FY 2014 Postal Regulatory Commission Financial Analysis Report and the Variability Paper. 

Table III-4 shows the change in attributable cost by major cost segment and component.

Table III-4

Changes in Attributable Cost by Segment and Component ($ in Millions)

Mail processing accounted for over 40.0 percent of the total increase in attributable cost for 

FY 2015. The overall average attributable mail processing cost per piece increased, 

primarily due to the change in the mix of mail. Parcel volume increased as letter and flat 

volume declined. As the Postal Service noted in the FY 2015 Form 10-K filing, parcel 

volume is more labor intensive.63

 

61 FY 2014 Postal Regulatory Commission Financial Report at 36 (citing “The Postal Service Variability Ratio and Some Implications” by Robert 

Cohen and John Waller, October 7, 2014).

62 FY 2014 Postal Regulatory Commission Financial Report, at 36-38.

63 Postal Service FY 2015 Form 10-K at 19.

FY 2015 FY 2014 Variance

Mail Processing 17,402 16,984 419

Window Service 1,336 1,240 97

City Carriers 10,004 9,829 175

Rural Carriers 3,097 2,960 137

Domestic Transportation 4,983 4,797 186

Other Segments 3,438 3,424 14

Total Attributable 40,260 39,234 1,026

Source: Library Reference USPS-FY15-24; Library Reference USPS-FY15-31; 

Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference USPS-FY14-24; Library Reference 

USPS-FY14-31.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 47

The majority of parcel products are classified Competitive. Table III-5 shows the change in 

total attributable mail processing cost, which includes both direct and indirect costs,64 for 

both Market Dominant and Competitive products in FY 2015. Market Dominant volumes 

and total attributable mail processing cost decreased while Competitive product volumes 

and total attributable mail processing cost increased. The volume growth in Competitive 

products outpaced the increase in mail processing cost, leading to a 3-cent reduction in unit 

attributable mail processing cost. For Market Dominant products, the volume and cost 

reductions cancelled each other out, leaving unit attributable mail processing cost 

unchanged from last year.

Table III-5

Mail Processing Attributable Cost ($ in Millions)

The increase in total attributable cost for Cost Segment 3 Window Service was due to 

methodology changes rather than volume increases or mail mix changes. The methodology 

changes stemmed from implementation of the Post Office Structure Plan (POStPlan).65 As 

part of that plan, the Postal Service offered retirement incentives to small post office 

postmasters and reduced hours of operation. A union agreement required staffing many of 

the POStPlan post offices with career or non-career clerks rather than postmasters.66 After 

the union agreement was finalized, the Postal Service proposed a change in cost 

methodology that combined Cost Segments 3 and 4 and increased work hours and costs for 

window service clerks.

 

64 Mail processing direct cost is the cost of clerks and mailhandlers in the mail processing function as shown in Cost Segment 3. The indirect 

costs include supervision, mail processing equipment maintenance and depreciation, building occupancy cost, and labor related benefits. See

Library Reference USPS-FY15-24.

65 POStPlan 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, August 23, 2012, at 2.

66 Memorandum of Understanding between the United States Postal Service and the American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO, Re: POStPlan: 

Staffing of Offices, Filling of Assignments, PSE Usage and Conversions, September 22, 2014.

Mail Processing: FY 2015 FY 2014 Variance

Market Dominant Cost 12,592 12,745 (154)

Competitive Cost 4,192 3,678 515

International Cost 619 561 58

Total Mail Processing 17,402 16,984 419

Source: Library Reference USPS-FY15-24; Docket No. ACR2014, Library 

Reference USPS-FY14-24.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 48

Market Dominant Volume, Revenue, and Cost 

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 

grouped into letters, flats, and “all others.”

FIRST-CLASS MAIL LETTERS COMPARED WITH FY 2014

Table III-6 summarizes the FY 2015 change in total volume and revenue for First-Class Mail 

letters. First-Class Mail letters volume continued to decline in FY 2015, although the rate of 

decline for presorted volume was the lowest since FY 2008. Overall, First-Class Mail letters 

revenue was about the same as last year.

Table III-6

First-Class Mail Letters Volume and Revenue

Table III-7 summarizes the FY 2015 change in total attributable cost for First-Class Mail 

letters. Total attributable cost for First-Class Mail letters declined in FY 2015. Continued 

volume losses contributed to an overall reduction in attributable cost and the overall unit 

attributable cost for letters declined slightly in FY 2015.

Increase or Percent Increase or Percent

FY 2015 FY 2014 Decrease Change FY 2015 FY 2014 Decrease Change

Single-Piece 19,737 20,599 (862) -4.2% 10,039 10,243 (204) -2.0%

Presorted 38,005 38,098 (93) -0.2% 15,035 14,691 344 2.3%

Total Letters 57,742 58,697 (955) -1.6% 25,074 24,934 140 0.6%

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1.

Mail Volume (Millions) Mail Revenue ($ in Millions)
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 49

Table III-7

First-Class Mail Letters Attributable Cost and Average Unit Attributable Cost

TRENDS IN FIRST-CLASS MAIL LETTERS

Changes in the use of postal services continued to erode First-Class Mail volume as 

consumers switched to electronic channels for banking and payment of services.67 Figure 

III-8 illustrates the rate of decline for First-Class Mail volume. The rate of decline for FirstClass Mail letters diminished since FY 2011. Over the last 2 years, the rate of decline for 

First-Class Mail Single-Piece Letters has remained the same, while the rate of decline for 

First-Class Mail Presorted Letters volume continues to improve. The improvement in FirstClass Mail Presorted Letters volume may be attributed to increased economic activity and 

employment.

Figure III-8

First-Class Letters Percentage Change in Volume, FY 2008 - FY 2015

Figure III-9 shows the change in the average unit attributable cost for First-Class Mail 

letters. The average unit attributable cost for all cost segments except window service in 

Cost Segment 3, motor vehicle service in Cost Segment 12, and credit and debit card service 

 

67 Postal Service FY 2015 Form 10-K at 16.

Increase or Percent Increase or Percent

FY 2015 FY 2014 Decrease Change FY 2015 FY 2014 Decrease Change

Single-Piece 5,304 5,710 (406) -7.1% 26.9 27.7 (0.8) -3.1%

Presorted 4,703 4,573 130 2.9% 12.4 12.0 0.4 3.1%

Total Letters 10,007 10,283 (276) -2.7% 17.3 17.5 (0.2) -1.1%

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1.

Attributable Cost ($ in Millions) Unit Attributable Cost (Cents per Piece)

Source: Postal Service Revenue, Pieces and Weight (RPW) Reports, FY 2008 - FY 2015.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 50

in Cost Segment 13, declined in FY 2015. There was a significant decline, almost 1 cent, in 

the average unit attributable city carrier cost (both in-office and street) as well as declines 

in the average unit attributable mail processing cost.

The FY 2014 Financial Analysis Report noted the erratic nature of the unit attributable cost 

for First-Class Mail Presorted Letters.68 The unit attributable cost has increased 3 of the last 

4 years, increasing 3.7 percent in FY 2012, 1.2 percent in FY 2014, and 3.1 percent in 

FY 2015. FY 2013 unit attributable cost declined 4.1 percent.

Figure III-9

First-Class Mail Letters Percentage Change in Average Unit Attributable Cost 

FY 2009 - FY 2015

Table III-8 compares the average unit attributable cost for presorted letters, by cost 

component or segment, for FY 2010 through FY 2015. In FY 2015, unit attributable cost for 

every category except for City Carrier street cost increased. Mail processing and 

transportation average unit attributable costs increased more than 5.0 percent over last 

year. FY 2015 was the second consecutive year of decreases in City Carrier street average 

unit attributable cost and the decline was twice as large as the previous year. 

 

68 FY 2014 Postal Regulatory Commission Financial Report at 43.

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1; FY 

2007- FY 2013 ACD; Library Reference PRC-LR-1.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 51

Table III-8

First-Class Mail Presorted Letters Unit Attributable Cost by Segment 

FY 2010 - FY 2015

FIRST-CLASS MAIL FLATS COMPARED WITH FY 2014

Table III-9 shows the total volume and revenue for First-Class Mail flats. Total flats volume 

has been declining every year; however, First-Class Mail Presorted Flats volume increased 

for the first time in several years. Total flats revenue declined as the rate increase and the 

Market Dominant exigent surcharge did not sufficiently offset First-Class Mail Single-Piece 

Flats’ revenue loss due to declines in volume.

Table III-9

First-Class Mail Flats Volume and Revenue

Table III-10 summarizes the FY 2015 change in attributable cost. Total attributable cost for 

First-Class Mail flats remained essentially unchanged from FY 2014 despite volume 

declines. As a result, the average unit attributable cost increased over 6.0 percent in FY 

2015.

2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011

Mail Processing 5.87 5.55 5.49 5.78 5.51 5.73 5.7% 1.2% -5.0% 4.9% -3.9%

City Carrier In-Office 1.63 1.52 1.40 1.48 1.51 1.55 7.2% 8.7% -5.6% -2.1% -2.6%

City Carrier Street 2.21 2.38 2.41 2.37 2.19 2.14 -7.2% -1.6% 2.1% 8.0% 2.5%

Rural Carriers 0.82 0.81 0.78 0.90 0.93 0.90 2.1% 4.1% -14.2% -2.7% 2.8%

Transportation 1.27 1.17 1.22 1.23 1.16 1.02 8.4% -4.3% -0.4% 6.0% 13.5%

All Other 0.45 0.49 0.53 0.62 0.62 0.64 -7.2% -7.2% -14.4% -0.1% -3.8%

Cost Segment or 

Component

Unit Attributable Cost Change in Unit Attributable Cost

Source: The Postal Regulatory Commission derived from Postal Service Cost Segment and Component Reports, FY 2010 to FY 2015.

Increase or Percent Increase or Percent

FY 2015 FY 2014 Decrease Change FY 2015 FY 2014 Decrease Change

Single-Piece 1,057 1,184 (127) -10.7% 1,736 1,905 (169) -8.9%

Presorted 611 599 13 2.1% 627 594 33 5.5%

Total Flats 1,669 1,783 (114) -6.4% 2,363 2,499 (136) -5.5%

Mail Volume (Millions) Mail Revenue ($ in Millions)

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 52

Table III-10

First-Class Mail Flats Attributable Costs and Average Unit Attributable Cost

TRENDS IN FIRST-CLASS MAIL FLATS

Figure III-10 compares the percentage change in First-Class Mail flats volume from FY 2008 

to FY 2015. While overall flats volume continues to decline, First-Class Mail Presorted Flats 

volume increased. This increase may be attributable to increased business activity and an 

improving economic climate.

Figure III-10

Percentage Change in First-Class Mail Flats Volume, FY 2008 - FY 2015

Figure III-11 compares the average unit attributable cost for both First-Class Mail SinglePiece and Presorted Flats since FY 2008. Beginning in FY 2010, the average unit 

attributable cost for First-Class Mail Single-Piece Flats has remained relatively steady. 

However, average unit attributable cost for First-Class Mail Presorted Flats has increased 

each year. The cost difference between First-Class Mail Single-Piece Flats and First-Class 

Increase or Percent Increase or Percent

FY 2015 FY 2014 Decrease Change FY 2015 FY 2014 Decrease Change

Single-Piece 1,000 1,053 (53) -5.1% 94.6 89.0 5.6 6.3%

Presorted 559 513 47 9.1% 91.5 85.7 5.8 6.8%

Total Flats 1,559 1,566 (7) -0.4% 93.4 87.9 5.6 6.4%

Attributable Cost ($ in Millions) Unit Attributable Cost (Cents per Piece)

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1.

Source: Postal Service RPW Reports, FY 2008 - FY 2015.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 53

Mail Presorted Flats was greatest in FY 2010 at 29.6 cents and shrunk to 3.1 cents in FY 

2015.

Figure III-11

First-Class Mail Flats Average Unit Attributable Cost, FY 2008 - FY 2015

Table III-11 compares the average unit attributable cost by cost segment or component of 

First-Class Mail Single-Piece Flats and First-Class Mail Presorted Flats for FY 2010 and FY 

2015. This unit attributable cost includes all of the indirect cost that is piggybacked to the 

direct cost.69 During this period, the largest increases in First-Class Mail Presorted Flats 

unit attributable cost has been in the mail processing, City Carrier In-Office, transportation, 

and All Other. The mail processing unit cost of First-Class Mail Presorted Flats rose 18.6 

cents, while the unit cost of First-Class Mail Single-Piece Flats declined 5.8 cents. The same 

type of changes in unit cost occurred in City Carrier In-Office cost.

Total unit attributable cost for First-Class Mail Single-Piece Flats remained relatively static 

between FY 2010 and FY 2015, while First-Class Mail Presorted Flats unit attributable cost 

rose 26.6 cents over the same period. This result is counter-intuitive, as the average unit 

attributable cost of First-Class Mail Presorted Flats should be lower than First-Class Mail 

Single-Piece Flats due to the reduced handling required for workshared mail. This is 

particularly true for mail processing cost.

 

69 In addition to the direct costs, there are other “indirect” costs associated with the direct costs component or cost segment. Some examples 

of these indirect costs are Cost Segment 3 Administrative Clerks, Cost Segment 12 Vehicle Service Costs, Cost Segment 15 Rents and Fuel and

Utilities, and Cost Segment 18 Servicewide Labor Costs (such as, workers’ compensation, etc.). These “indirect” costs are referred to as 

“piggybacked” costs and are developed in Library Reference USPS-FY15-24.

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1; FY 

2007- FY 2013 ACD; Library Reference PRC-LR-1.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 54

The Commission questioned the Postal Service about this anomaly and the Postal Service 

responded by noting that Presorted Flats’ mail processing cost are “unexpectedly higher 

than the corresponding Single[-]Piece cost.”70 The Postal Service also noted that the cost 

difference in mail processing (Cost Segment 3.1) is anomalous and that the Postal Service 

will be investigating the potential causes.71

Regarding City Carrier In-Office cost, the Postal Service notes that a higher proportion of 

First-Class Mail Presorted Flats volume than First-Class Mail Single-Piece Flats volume is 

delivered by city carriers; however, it notes that the magnitude of the difference is 

unexpectedly large and it will be investigating the reasons for the large difference.72

Table III-11

First-Class Mail Flats Unit Attributable Cost by Segment or Component, FY 2010 and FY 2015

OTHER FIRST-CLASS MAIL COMPARED WITH FY 2014

Table III-12 shows the volume and revenue for First-Class “all others” with the exception of 

Inbound Letter Post, volume in every category of First-Class Mail “all others” declined from 

last year. The largest declines were in First-Class Mail postcards and Parcels. Overall, total 

revenue increased over the last year, primarily due to increases in revenue for 

International First-Class Mail. The volume loss in First-Class Mail postcards and Parcels 

 

70 Responses of the United States Postal Service to Questions 1-4 of Chairman’s Information Request No. 16, February 29, 2016, question 4.a 

(Responses to CHIR No. 16).

71 Id.

72 Id.

SinglePiece Presort Diff.SinglePiece Presort Diff.

Mail Processing 57.1 37.8 19.3 51.3 56.4 (5.1)

City Carrier In-Office 11.5 11.4 0.2 8.6 15.4 (6.8)

City Carrrier Street 5.8 3.0 2.8 6.7 3.7 3.0

Rural carriers 2.2 2.4 (0.2) 3.5 2.8 0.7

Transportation 11.0 8.3 2.7 15.7 10.2 5.4

All Other 6.9 2.0 4.9 8.8 3.0 5.8

Total 94.5 64.9 29.6 94.6 91.5 3.1

Source: The Postal Regulatory Commission derived from Postal Service Cost Segment and Component Reports , FY 

2010 and FY 2015.

Cost Segment or 

Component

2010 2015
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 55

resulted in revenue declines despite the rate increase implemented in May 201573 and the 

Market Dominant exigent surcharge.

74

Table III-12

All Other First-Class Mail Volume and Revenue

Table III-13 presents the changes in total attributable cost and average unit attributable 

cost for “all others” First-Class Mail between FY 2014 and FY 2015. As seen in the table, 

First-Class Mail Parcels average unit attributable cost increased 10.2 cents over FY 2014. 

Inbound Letter Post and Inbound International NSAs costs also increased significantly. The 

average unit attributable cost for the class as a whole remained the same as in FY 2014.

Table III-13

Other First-Class Mail Attributable Cost and Average Unit Attributable Cost

Standard Mail

Standard Mail is comprised of seven products: Letters; Flats; Parcels; Carrier Route; High 

Density and Saturation Letters; High Density and Saturation Flats/Parcels; and Every Door 

 

73 Docket No. R2015-4, Order No. 2365, Order on Price Adjustments for First-Class Mail Products and Related Mail Classification Changes, 

February 24, 2015.

74 Docket No. R2013-11, Order No. 1926, Order Granting Exigent Price Increase, December 24, 2013.

Increase or Percent Increase or Percent

FY 2015 FY 2014 Decrease Change FY 2015 FY 2014 Decrease Change

Total Cards 3,008 3,123 (115) -3.7% 872 885 (12) -1.4%

Parcels 200 233 (33) -14.2% 546 593 (48) -8.0%

Outbound Single-Piece First-Class Mail International 212 216 (3) -1.6% 315 308 7 2.3%

Inbound Letter Post 318 242 76 31.4% 251 175 76 43.6%

Inbound International NSAs 155 159 (3) -2.0% 177 164 12 7.5%

Total Other First-Class Mail 3,894 3,973 (78) -2.0% 2,161 2,125 36 1.7%

Mail Volume (Millions) Mail Revenue ($ in Millions)

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1.

Increase or Percent Increase or Percent

FY 2015 FY 2014 Decrease Change FY 2015 FY 2014 Decrease Change

Total Cards 384 451 (67) -14.9% 12.8 14.4 (1.7) -11.7%

Parcels 486 543 (56) -10.4% 243.0 232.8 10.2 4.4%

Outbound Single-Piece First-Class Mail International 169 188 (19) -10.1% 79.8 87.4 (7.6) -8.7%

Inbound Letter Post 349 249 99 39.8% 109.6 102.9 6.6 6.4%

Inbound International NSAs 154 143 11 7.4% 98.8 90.2 8.6 9.5%

Total Other First-Class Mail 1,542 1,575 (33) -2.1% 39.6 39.6 (0.0) -0.1%

Attributable Cost ($ in Millions) Unit Attributable Cost (Cents per Piece)

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 56

Direct Mail-Retail. For comparison purposes, the products have been grouped into letters 

and flats.75

STANDARD MAIL LETTERS COMPARED WITH FY 2014

Table III-14 summarizes the FY 2015 change in volume and revenue of letter-shaped

Standard Mail. High Density and Saturation Letters volume increased in FY 2015, offsetting 

the decline in volume from Standard Mail Letters. Despite the decline in volume for 

Standard Mail Letters, revenue increased by 1.0 percent due to a May 201576 rate increase. 

In addition, there was one more quarter of Market Dominant exigent surcharge revenue 

collected in FY 2015 than in FY 2014. The increase in High Density and Saturation Letter 

volume was almost double the increase reported in FY 2014.

Table III-14

Standard Mail Letters Volume and Revenue

Table III-15 summarizes the FY 2015 change in attributable cost. Total attributable cost for 

letter-shaped Standard Mail increased 1.3 percent in FY 2015 after declining in FY 2014. 

The largest increase was for High Density and Saturation Letters. Increased volume led to 

higher total attributable cost for the mail processing, city delivery in-office and street time, 

and rural carriers. Additionally, the methodological change in city carrier costing, noted 

earlier, contributed significantly to the increase in High Density and Saturation Letters’ 

average unit attributable cost.

 

75 Since the majority of the former Standard Mail Parcels product was 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. See Docket No. MC2010-36, 

Order No. 689, Order Conditionally Granting Request to Transfer Commercial Standard Mail Parcels to the Competitive Product List, March 2, 

2011.

76 Docket No. R2015-4, Order No. 2472, Order on Revised Price Adjustments for Standard Mail, Periodicals, and Package Services Products and 

Related Mail Classification Changes, May 7, 2015.

Increase or Percent Increase or Percent

FY 2015 FY 2014 Decrease Change FY 2015 FY 2014 Decrease Change

Letters 47,721 48,072 (351) -0.7% 10,057 9,956 101 1.0%

High Density & Saturation Letters 6,478 5,970 508 8.5% 995 884 111 12.6%

 Total Letters 54,199 54,042 157 0.3% 11,052 10,840 212 2.0%

Mail Volume (Millions) Mail Revenue ($ in Millions)

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 57

Table III-15

Standard Mail Letters Attributable Cost and Average Unit Attributable Cost

TRENDS IN STANDARD MAIL LETTERS

As shown in Figure III-12, Standard Mail Letters volume declined in FY 2015 after 2 years 

of minimal growth. The rate of growth of High Density and Saturation Letters volume 

increased each year since FY 2012 and consistently exceeded the rate of growth of 

Standard Mail Letters.

Figure III-12

Standard Mail Letters Volume Percent Change

As shown in Figure III-13, the average unit attributable cost for Standard Mail Letters 

increased since FY 2008 but remained relatively stable since FY 2009. FY 2015 unit 

Increase or Percent Increase or Percent

FY 2015 FY 2014 Decrease Change FY 2015 FY 2014 Decrease Change

Letters 4,930 4,948 (17) -0.3% 10.3 10.3 0.0 0.4%

High Density & Saturation Letters 454 370 84 22.7% 7.0 6.2 0.8 13.1%

 Total Letters 5,384 5,317 67 1.3% 9.9 9.8 0.1 1.0%

Attributable Cost ($ in Millions) Unit Attributable Cost (Cents per Piece)

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1.

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1; FY 

2007- FY 2013 ACD; Library Reference PRC-LR-1.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 58

attributable cost for High Density and Saturation Letters rose significantly. As noted earlier, 

this increase is primarily driven by increases in delivery cost.

Figure III-13

Standard Mail Letters Unit Attributable Cost

STANDARD MAIL FLATS COMPARED WITH FY 2014

Table III-16 summarizes the FY 2015 changes in volume and revenue for flat-shaped 

Standard Mail. Volume declined for every category except for Flats, which increased 4.1 

percent over last year. The largest decline in volume was in Carrier Route Flats, which 

declined 7.1 percent. Total revenue for flat-shaped Standard Mail decreased in FY 2015 

despite the rate increase that was implemented in May 2015. The decrease in Carrier Route 

Flats volume accounted for the entirety of the flats revenue decline, more than offsetting 

slight increases in revenue from Standard Mail Flats and Standard Mail High Density and 

Saturation Flats/Parcels.

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1; FY 

2007- FY 2013 ACD; Library Reference PRC-LR-1.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 59

Table III-16

Standard Mail Flats Volume and Revenue

Total attributable cost for flat-shaped Standard Mail increased in FY 2015 after declining in 

the previous year. This increase was primarily due to methodological cost changes in city 

carrier street time, as well as increased maintenance cost for delivery vehicles. Table III-17 

compares the attributable cost and average unit attributable cost for flat-shaped Standard 

Mail between FY 2014 and FY 2015. The largest increases in attributable cost were for High 

Density and Saturation Flats/Parcels and Every Door Direct Mail-Retail, each increasing by 

more than 30 percent in FY 2015. Also, despite the overall decline in volume, total 

attributable cost increased for flat-shaped mail.

Table III-17

Standard Flats Attributable Cost and Average Unit Attributable Cost

TRENDS IN STANDARD MAIL FLATS

Total volume for flat-shaped Standard Mail continued to decline in FY 2015, decreasing by 

over 600 million pieces. As shown in Figure III-14, Flats increased in volume, growing 3.8 

percent in FY 2015. The volume of this product had been in decline since FY 2009, 

averaging volume losses of almost 10 percent per year over the last 4 years. All other 

categories of flat-shaped Standard Mail continued to lose volume in FY 2015.

Increase or Percent Increase or Percent

FY 2015 FY 2014 Decrease Change FY 2015 FY 2014 Decrease Change

High Density & Saturation Flats/Parcels 11,277 11,295 (18) -0.2% 2,049 2,013 35 1.8%

Carrier Route 8,389 9,030 (641) -7.1% 2,265 2,381 (116) -4.9%

Flats 5,260 5,054 206 4.1% 2,113 2,041 72 3.5%

Every Door Direct Mail - Retail 833 890 (58) -6.5% 149 149 (0) 0.0%

Total Flats & Parcels 25,758 26,270 (511) -1.9% 6,576 6,585 (9) -0.1%

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1.

Mail Volume (Millions) Mail Revenue ($ in Millions)

Increase or Percent Increase or Percent

FY 2015 FY 2014 Decrease Change FY 2015 FY 2014 Decrease Change

High Density & Saturation Flats/Parcels 1,181 886 295 33.3% 10.5 7.8 2.6 33.6%

Carrier Route 1,727 1,726 1 0.0% 20.6 19.1 1.5 7.7%

Flats 2,633 2,452 181 7.4% 50.1 48.5 1.5 3.2%

Every Door Direct Mail - Retail 52 39 12 31.1% 6.2 4.4 1.8 40.2%

Total Flats & Parcels 5,592 5,103 489 9.6% 21.7 19.4 2.3 11.8%

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1.

Attributable Cost ($ in Millions) Unit Attributable Cost (Cents per Piece)
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 60

Figure III-14

Standard Mail Flat Percent Change in Volume 

FY 2008 - FY 2015

The average unit attributable cost for all flat-shaped Standard Mail products increased 

significantly over the last 8 years. This growth in the unit attributable cost is illustrated in 

Figure III-15. Since FY 2008, the average unit attributable cost of Flats has increased 30.5 

percent, 34.6 percent for Carrier Route, and 70.1 percent for High Density and Saturation 

Flats. The average unit attributable cost for High Density and Saturation Flats increased 33 

percent in FY 2015 alone.

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1; FY 

2007- FY 2013 ACD; Library Reference PRC-LR-1.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 61

Figure III-15

Standard Mail Flats Percent Change in Average Unit Attributable Cost, FY 2009 - FY 2015

Table III-18 on the following page compares the change in the average unit attributable 

cost by cost segment or component for FY 2015 from FY 2014. Mail Processing unit cost for 

all flat-shaped Standard Mail declined in FY 2015, with Every Door Direct Mail-Retail 

(EDDM-R) experiencing the largest decrease. This was only the second year in which cost 

has been reported for EDDM-R, so the large decrease could be a result of more consistent 

capturing of In-office cost system (IOCS) tallies for this type of Standard Mail.

In FY 2015, the city carrier street average attributable unit cost for all flat-shaped Standard 

Mail increased significantly. This large increase was due to the change in cost methodology 

for city carrier street time and motor vehicle service costs. New cost pools were defined, 

and new variabilities were estimated for letters, flats, in-receptacle parcels, deviation 

parcels, collection, and accountables, to determine the amount of street time cost 

attributable to each shape. While the changes were focused on street time cost, a slight 

alteration of the split between in-office and street time affected the distribution of in-office 

time cost.

One of the main impacts of the methodology change was a decrease in cost attributed to 

letter-shaped mail and an increase in cost attributed to flat-shaped and parcel-shaped mail. 

The change in methodology affected the average unit attributable cost for High Density and 

Saturation Flats. In fact, the city carrier street time average unit attributable cost almost 

doubled for this product. The city carrier street average unit attributable cost for Flats 

increased 37.2 percent and 20.7 percent for Carrier Route Flats.

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1; FY 

2007- FY 2013 ACD; Library Reference PRC-LR-1.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 62

In Docket No. RM2015-7 (Proposal Thirteen) the Postal Service estimated the impact of the 

proposed change on unit costs as they had been reported for FY 2013. The estimates 

showed that Standard Mail would experience the largest increases in unit costs, 

particularly for High Density and Saturation Flats (2.2 cents per piece), Carrier Route (1 

cent per piece), and Flats (0.9 cents per piece).77 These increases did not take into account 

the related change in cost methodology for Cost Segment 12, Motor Vehicle Service, which 

was proposed later by the Postal Service in Docket No. RM2016-3 (Proposal Twelve).78 The 

actual increase in unit costs for Standard Mail for FY 2015, including the effects of 

implementation of both Proposal Thirteen and Proposal Twelve, were higher than 

estimated by the Postal Service. However, other cost-driving factors changed between 

FY 2013 and FY 2015, and therefore, this comparison does not perfectly isolate the impact 

of Proposals Thirteen and Twelve.

Table III-18

Change in Standard Flat-Shaped Mail Unit Attributable Cost by Cost Segment

 

77 Docket No. RM2015-7, Library Reference USPS-RM2015-7/4, June 11, 2015, “ChIR_No_4_Resp_Q2” folder, 

“Prop13.CHIR.No.4.Resp.Q2.Cost_Impacts.xlsx” file.

78 Order No. 2915.

High Density 

& Saturation

Carrier 

Route Flats EDDM

Mail Processing

FY 2015 1.1600 6.0814 27.9516 0.0357

FY 2014 1.1718 6.2403 28.0879 0.2184

% Change -1.0% -2.5% -0.5% -83.6%

City Carrier In-Office

FY 2015 1.3396 5.4662 10.0017 1.2814

FY 2014 1.0033 4.8687 9.8477 1.0087

% Change 33.5% 12.3% 1.6% 27.0%

City Carrier Street

FY 2015 4.4615 3.9730 4.8891 3.9724

FY 2014 2.2667 3.2912 3.5624 2.3404

% Change 96.8% 20.7% 37.2% 69.7%

Rural Carriers

FY 2015 2.7543 3.4649 2.9070 0.4640

FY 2014 2.7094 3.0990 3.0842 0.4390

% Change 1.7% 11.8% -5.7% 5.7%

Source: The Postal Regulatory Commission derived from Library Reference USPS-FY15-

24; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference USPS-FY14-24.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 63

Periodicals

The Periodicals class is comprised of 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 2014

Table III-19 summarizes the FY 2015 changes in volume and revenue for Periodicals. In 

FY 2015, Periodicals volume declined by 207 million pieces, or 3.4 percent, with most of 

the decrease occurring in Outside County publications. Total revenue for Periodicals 

declined 2.2 percent in FY 2015. The loss in revenue due to volume losses exceeded the 

increase in revenue due to increased unit revenues resulting from the May 2015 rate 

increase and the Market Dominant exigent surcharge.

Table III-19

Periodicals Volume and Revenue

Table III-20 compares Periodicals total attributable cost and average unit attributable cost 

for FY 2014 and FY 2015. As shown in the table, total Periodicals attributable cost declined 

by $33 million, or 1.6 percent. The entire reduction occurred in Outside County, as Within 

County cost increased slightly. The average unit attributable cost for Within County and 

Outside County grew 6.2 percent and 1.8 percent, respectively.

FY 2015 FY 2014

Increase or 

Decrease

Percent 

Change FY 2015 FY 2014

Increase or 

Decrease

Percent 

Change

Within County 571 586 (15) -2.6% 67 67 (0) -0.7%

Outside County 5,267 5,459 (191) -3.5% 1,522 1,558 (36) -2.3%

Total 5,838 6,045 (207) -3.4% 1,589 1,625 (36) -2.2%

Mail Volume (Millions) Mail Revenue ($ in Millions)

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 64

Table III-20

Periodicals Attributable and Average Unit Attributable Cost

TRENDS IN PERIODICALS

As shown in Figure III-16, the volume of Periodicals has continued to decline, in large part 

due to the availability of electronic alternatives. Additionally, advertising migrated from 

Periodicals to less costly electronic media, further depressing volume.79

Figure III-16

Periodicals Percent Change in Volume 

FY 2008 - FY 2015

The percentage change in the average unit attributable cost for Within County and Outside 

County Periodicals is shown in Figure III-17. Within County average unit attributable cost 

 

79 Postal Service FY 2015 Form 10-K at 18.

FY 2015 FY 2014

Increase or 

Decrease

Percent 

Change FY 2015 FY 2014

Increase or 

Decrease

Percent 

Change

Within County 89 86 3 3.4% 15.5 14.6 0.9 6.2%

Outside County 2,012 2,048 (36) -1.8% 38.2 37.5 0.7 1.8%

Total 2,101 2,134 (33) -1.6% 36.0 35.3 0.7 1.9%

Attributable Cost ($ in Millions) Unit Attributable Cost (Cents per Piece)

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1.

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1; FY 

2007- FY 2013 ACD; Library Reference PRC-LR-1.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 65

increased each of the past 2 years and 5 out of the last 8 years. The average unit 

attributable cost for Outside County has increased each year since FY 2008 except for FY 

2013.

Figure III-17

Periodicals Percent Change in Average Unit Attributable Cost, FY 2008 – FY 2015

Table III-21 disaggregates the average unit attributable cost for Outside County Periodicals 

for FY 2013 to FY 2015. As shown in the table, the unit cost for city carriers increased 

significantly in FY 2015, mostly due to the change in the cost methodology for city carrier 

street time. Transportation cost, primarily in highway transportation, increased for Outside 

County Periodicals in FY 2015 after declining the previous year. Changes in transportation 

schemes due to the second phase of the Network Realignment program may be part of the 

cause for the increase, as most of the increased cost are in Inter-SCF and Inter-NDC 

highway transportation costs.

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1; FY 

2007- FY 2013 ACD; Library Reference PRC-LR-1.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 66

Table III-21

Outside County Periodicals Average Unit Attributable Cost by Segment, FY 2013 - FY 2015

Package Services

The Package Services class consists of four products: Alaska Bypass Service; Bound Printed 

Matter (BPM) Flats; Bound Printed Matter (BPM) Parcels; and Media Mail/Library Mail. 

Inbound Surface Parcel Post (at Universal Postal Union (UPU) rates) was transferred to the 

Competitive product list in FY 2015.80

Table III-22 summarizes the FY 2015 changes in volume and revenue for Package Services. 

Overall, Package Services volume increased in FY 2015. Volumes of both BPM Flats and 

BPM Parcels increased and accounted for the total increase in volume. The volume of Media 

Mail/Library Mail continued to decline.

The increase in BPM Flats and BPM Parcels volume resulted in increased revenue for both 

products, but was not enough to offset the decrease in revenue for Media Mail/Library 

Mail. The transfer of Inbound Surface Parcel Post (at UPU rates) to the Competitive product 

list accounted for almost half of the total revenue loss.

 

80 See Docket No. MC2014-28, Order No. 2160, Order Approving Product List Transfer, August 19, 2014. While the transfer occurred at the end 

of FY 2014, the Postal Service’s accounting systems started accounting for the change in FY 2015.

Cost Segment 2013 2014 2015 2014 2015

Mail Processing 11.69 12.25 11.26 4.8% -8.1%

City Carrier In-Office 4.63 4.69 4.75 1.2% 1.4%

City Carrier Street 2.24 2.30 2.90 2.6% 26.1%

Rural Carriers 2.51 2.65 2.64 5.5% -0.3%

Transportation 3.52 3.46 4.31 -1.9% 24.5%

All Other 11.76 12.19 12.35 3.6% 1.3%

Average Unit Attributable 

Cost

Change in Average 

Unit Attributable 

Cost

Source: The Postal Regulatory Commission derived from Postal Service Cost Segment and 

Component Reports, FY 2010 to FY 2015.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 67

Table III-22

Package Services Volume and Revenue

As shown in Table III-23, attributable cost for Package Services grew 3.4 percent, or $25 

million, in FY 2015. The largest increase was for Media Mail/Library Mail, despite a 

decrease in volume. Alaska Bypass Service cost, which consists entirely of Cost Segment 14 

transportation, also increased significantly. This cost is determined by a new methodology 

instituted in FY 2014, which uses operational data from the Postal Service’s Surface Air 

Management System – Alaska and the Transportation Cost System to calculate the ratio of 

hypothetical highway cost to air cost for Alaska Air transportation.81 This ratio varies from 

year to year and increased in FY 2015. The large increase in Media/Library Mail was due to 

higher mail processing and transportation costs.

Table III-23

Package Services Attributable Costs and Average Unit Attributable Cost

Table III-24 shows the FY 2015 percent change in unit costs for selected cost segments. As 

shown in this table, increases in mail processing cost, transportation, and vehicle service 

drivers were the primary causes of the increase in Media Mail/Library Mail costs, although 

overall delivery cost declined. The transportation cost increase can be traced to higher 

 

81 FY 2014 Postal Regulatory Commission Financial Report at 57; see also Docket No. RM2013-6, Order No. 1983, Order on Analytical Principles 

Used in Periodic Reporting (Proposals One Through Five), February 4, 2014, at 4-6.

Increase or Percent Increase or Percent

FY 2015 FY 2014 Decrease Change FY 2015 FY 2014 Decrease Change

Alaska Bypass 1 1 (0) -0.6% 34 33 1 1.8%

Bound Printed Matter Flats 260 250 11 4.3% 213 203 10 5.0%

Bound Printed Matter Parcels 228 212 16 7.5% 284 273 11 4.0%

Media Mail/Library Mail 75 86 (11) -13.2% 274 308 (34) -11.0%

Inbound Surface Parcel Post (at UPU Rates) - 1 (1) -100.0% - 18 (18) -100.0%

Total 565 550 14 2.6% 806 836 (30) -3.6%

Mail Volume (Millions) Mail Revenue ($ in Millions)

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1.

Increase or % Increase or %

FY 2015 FY 2014 Decrease Change FY 2015 FY 2014 Decrease Change

Alaska Bypass 19 16 3 16.9% 1,493.5 1,269.8 223.7 17.6%

Bound Printed Matter Flats 151 134 17 12.5% 58.0 53.8 4.2 7.9%

Bound Printed Matter Parcels 239 251 (12) -4.9% 104.8 118.5 (13.7) -11.6%

Media/Library Mail 359 328 31 9.4% 479.5 380.2 99.3 26.1%

Inbound Surface Parcel Post (at UPU Rates) - 13 (13) -100.0% - 1,419.9 (1,419.9) -100.0%

Total 768 743 25 3.4% 136.0 135.0 1.1 0.8%

Attributable Cost ($ in Millions) Unit Attributable Cost (Cents per Piece)

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 68

intra- and inter-SCF highway transportation costs. BPM Flats and BPM Parcels’ mail 

processing unit cost declined from last year, but city carrier in-office cost increased 

significantly. The increase in delivery cost for BPM Flats and BPM Parcels was largely due 

to the change in the costing methodology for city carrier street time.

Table III-24

Package Services Percent Change in Unit Attributable Cost by Segment and Component

Market Dominant Special Services

The Special Services class consists of 12 products, including Ancillary Services, 8 domestic 

“stand-alone” products, and 3 international products. Although it comprises several 

services,82 Ancillary Services is classified as a single product.

Special Services include Certified Mail, Insurance, Money Orders, Post Office Box, and other 

services that enhance Market Dominant products. As shown in Table III-25, total revenue 

for Special Services declined $117 million in FY 2015, with the largest decreases occurring 

in Certified Mail, Post Office Box, and Other Ancillary Services.

 

82 Other Ancillary Services consists of USPS Tracking, Return Receipts, Restricted Delivery, Signature Confirmation, Bulk Parcel Return Service, 

and Special Handling.

BPM Flats BPM Parcels

Media Mail/ 

Library Mail

Mail Processing -0.2% -14.8% 31.8%

City Carrier In-Office 83.2% 24.0% -28.8%

City Carrier Street 4.0% -4.1% -5.6%

Vehicle Service Driv. 23.4% -18.7% 18.2%

Rural Carriers 2.3% -0.3% 5.8%

Motor Vehicle Service 18.2% 10.6% 8.6%

Transportation 5.2% -19.6% 31.9%

All Other 0.9% -7.6% 25.8%

Total Cost 7.9% -8.9% 26.1%

Source: The Postal Regulatory Commission derived from Library Reference USPSFY15-31; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference USPS-FY14-31.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 69

Table III-25

Market Dominant Special Services Revenue

Table III-26, shows that attributable cost for Special Services declined $148 million, or 11.1 

percent, in FY 2015. The reduction in cost reflected the continued reduction in demand for 

these services, especially for Certified Mail and Other Ancillary Services (mostly for USPS 

Tracking). Additional transfers of some categories of Market Dominant Post Office Box to 

the Competitive product list were the primary reason for the reduction in Post Office Box 

cost.

FY 2015 FY 2014

Increase or 

Decrease

Percent 

Change

Certified Mail 659 687 (28) -4.1%

COD 3 4 (0) -13.4%

Insurance 89 92 (2) -2.7%

Registered Mail 38 35 3 8.5%

Stamped Envelopes & Cards 12 12 1 7.2%

Other Ancillary Services 493 525 (32) -6.2%

Money Orders 161 165 (5) -2.9%

Post Office Box 311 365 (54) -14.9%

Other Services 177 175 2 1.1%

Total Services 1,943 2,060 (117) -5.7%

Revenue ($ in Millions)

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 70

Table III-26

Market Dominant Special Services Attributable Cost

Competitive Volume, Revenue, and Cost by 

Product

Competitive Products consist of both domestic and international products. Domestic 

Competitive products include Priority Mail Express; Priority Mail; Parcel Select; Parcel 

Return Service; First-Class Package Service; Retail Ground; Address Enhancement Services; 

Greeting Cards, Gift Cards and Stationery; Competitive Ancillary Services; Premium 

Forwarding Service; Post Office Box Service; and Shipping and Mailing Supplies. There 

were also a total of 200 Domestic Competitive NSA products in effect during FY 2015.

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 2015, there were also 250 International Outbound 

NSAs and 19 International Inbound NSAs.

To facilitate comparison, the products have been grouped into several broad categories. 

Table III-27 summarizes the FY 2015 changes in volume and revenue for Competitive 

products and services. Total volume for Competitive products increased almost 15 percent 

FY 2015 FY 2014

Increase or 

Decrease

Percent 

Change

Certified Mail 485 542 (57) -10.5%

COD 3 3 0 13.2%

Insurance 50 63 (13) -20.8%

Registered Mail 27 29 (1) -5.2%

Stamped Envelopes & Cards 8 8 (0) -3.4%

Other Ancillary Services 222 260 (37) -14.3%

Money Orders 105 100 5 5.5%

Post Office Box 228 282 (53) -19.0%

Other Services 54 45 9 20.0%

Total Services 1,184 1,331 (148) -11.1%

Attributable Cost ($ in Millions)

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 71

in FY 2015 as every category except Priority Mail Express and Competitive International 

mail experienced volume growth. The products with the two largest increases in volume 

were First-Class Package Service, which increased 11.6 percent, and ground parcels,83

which increased 25 percent. Priority Mail volume also increased 7.8 percent from the prior 

year.

Total Competitive product revenue increased 7.5 percent, or $1.1 billion, in FY 2015. Every 

Competitive category, except International, had increased revenue, with ground parcels, 

Priority Mail, and First-Class Package Service providing the bulk of the increased revenue. 

Increased volume was the primary reason for the significant increase in revenue. Changes 

in rates for Priority Mail, implemented at the beginning of FY 2015, lowered the revenue 

per piece,84 and resulted in a revenue decrease of approximately $144 million for Priority 

Mail. However, the volume increase in Priority Mail added approximately $692 million in 

revenue.

Table III-27

Competitive Volume and Revenue

Table III-28 summarizes the FY 2015 changes in attributable cost. Total attributable cost 

for Competitive products increased 8.5 percent, or $935 million, in FY 2015. The rapidly 

increasing volume resulted in higher total cost for almost every cost segment and 

component. The largest increases in attributable costs were in Priority Mail, ground 

parcels, and First-Class Package Service. The average unit attributable cost increased for 

every category except for ground parcels and International. After increasing for the past 2 

years, the average unit attributable cost for ground parcels declined almost 10 percent in 

FY 2015. Total attributable costs increased for ground parcels in every function except for 

Transportation.

 

83 Ground parcels include Standard Post, Parcel Select, and Parcel Return Service.

84 See Order No. 2156.

Increase or Percent Increase or Percent

FY 2015 FY 2014 Decrease Change FY 2015 FY 2014 Decrease Change

Priority Mail Express 36 36 (1) -1.5% 779 760 19 2.5%

First-Class Package Service 708 635 74 11.6% 1,689 1,462 227 15.5%

Priority Mail 992 920 72 7.8% 7,276 6,884 392 5.7%

Ground Parcels 1,969 1,576 393 25.0% 3,925 3,160 765 24.2%

International 254 281 (28) -9.8% 1,970 2,319 (349) -15.1%

Domestic Services 789 695 94 13.5%

Total Competitive 3,959 3,448 511 14.8% 16,428 15,280 1,148 7.5%

Mail Volume (Millions) Mail Revenue ($ in Millions)

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 72

Table III-28

Competitive Attributable Costs

Trends in Competitive Products

Competitive product volume growth has exceeded 10 percent each of the last 2 years. The 

growth in purchases of retail e-commerce has been the primary driver of volume increases 

for these products.85 The Postal Service’s marketing of Competitive products, especially 

Priority Mail, has also contributed to this growth. Figure III-18 highlights the growth in 

Competitive categories since FY 2007.

 

85 Postal Service FY 2015 Form 10-K at 17-18.

Increase or % Increase or %

FY 2015 FY 2014 Decrease Change FY 2015 FY 2014 Decrease Change

Priority Mail Express 364 366 (1.0) -0.3% 1,020.7 1,008.8 11.9 1.2%

First-Class Package Service 1,369 1,155 214.0 18.5% 193.2 182.0 11.2 6.2%

Priority Mail 5,766 5,234 531.6 10.2% 581.1 568.9 12.2 2.1%

Ground Parcels 2,783 2,472 310.7 12.6% 141.3 156.9 (15.6) -9.9%

International 1,195 1,385 (190.2) -13.7% 470.6 492.0 (21.4) -4.3%

Domestic Services 428 359 69.7 19.4%

Total Competitive 11,905 10,970 934.6 8.5% 300.7 318.2 (17.5) -5.5%

Attributable Cost ($ in Millions) Unit Attributable Cost (Cents per Piece)

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 73

Figure III-18

Competitive Volume by Product, FY 2007 - FY 2015

As the volume of Competitive products has grown, so has the attributable cost, which now 

comprises 30 percent of total attributable cost. This was double the percentage of total 

Competitive attributable cost in FY 2008. Figure III-19 shows the average unit attributable 

cost from FY 2009 to FY 2015. Average unit attributable cost remained relatively stable 

until the transfer of Standard Mail lightweight parcels to the Competitive ground parcels 

category, which significantly lowered the average unit attributable cost of that product. The 

growth of the average unit attributable cost for ground parcels in FY 2013 and FY 2014 was 

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

the Competitive Standard Post product. These pieces have a high unit attributable cost. 

After 2 consecutive years of growth in the average unit attributable cost of ground parcels, 

the average unit attributable cost declined significantly in FY 2015. This was due to 

declines in transportation cost for ground parcels. The average unit attributable cost for 

Priority Mail were fairly stable until FY 2013 when they began to decline due to a change in 

the volume mix of Priority Mail.

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1; FY 

2007- FY 2013 ACD; Library Reference PRC-LR-1.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 74

Figure III-19

Competitive Percent Change in Unit Attributable Cost by Category, FY 2009 - FY 2015

Source: Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2015/1; Docket No. ACR2014, Library Reference PRC-LR-ACR2014/1; FY 

2009- FY 2013 ACD; Library Reference PRC-LR-1.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 75

Chapter 4. Sustainability, Liquidity, 

Activity, and Financial Solvency

Introduction

This chapter analyzes the Postal Service’s financial status in terms of sustainability, 

liquidity, and performance using accounting ratios. 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 financial 

statements can provide the information needed to evaluate an entity’s financial condition.

The Commission acknowledges that financial analyses used in the private sector are not 

exactly the same for Federal Government entities because revenue streams, equity 

structures, and management incentives differ. Due to these and other ways Federal 

Government entities differ from the private sector, the standard measurements used to 

assess the financial health of private sector firms generally are not directly applicable to 

Federal Government entities. Additionally, in the private sector, stakeholders use financial 

analysis to make investment and credit decisions, and success is often measured by the 

company’s stock valuation. In contrast Federal Government entities are mission-oriented 

and measure success through the provision of service and do not have direct shareholders. 

Another useful part of a financial analysis for a Federal Government entity is financial 

performance. Although not a primary indicator of success, financial performance influences 

the ability of service-related entities, such as the Postal Service, to fulfill their missions and 

objectives.

The objectives of this chapter are:

 Compare and analyze the financial statements for the past 10 fiscal years, from 

FY 2006 to FY 2015

 Measure the sustainability and liquidity of the Postal Service

 Analyze the annual growth rate of the Postal Service’s income through trend 

analyses

 Analyze the Postal Service’s overall financial performance

The financial sustainability of the Postal Service is affected by a combination of 

environmental, economic, and organizational factors, including the decisions and actions of 

management and the Postal Service Board of Governors. For example, the expiration of the 
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 76

Market Dominant exigent surcharge is expected to result in a significant decline in revenue 

in FY 2016.86 Beginning in FY 2017, the Postal Service will be required to pay annually the 

actuarially determined cost for retiree health benefits for current employees into the 

PSRHBF and amortization payments of the unfunded obligation as set by OPM, while the 

annual "pay-as-you go" premiums for the Postal Service's annuitants and survivors will be 

paid out of the PSRHBF.87 In FY 2018 the Postal Service will also begin making amortized 

payments for any unfunded liability for CSRS pensions.88

Postal Service management’s response to these changes will affect the financial condition of

the Postal Service.

Financial ratios are used to interpret accounting information. Accounting information used 

in ratio analysis is not adjusted for inflation. Forecasts of an entity’s future revenue may 

not reflect its actual future revenues and cash flows because of changing demographics, 

industry dynamics, and Federal Government regulation unless these factors are explicitly 

accounted for in the development of the forecast.

The ratios provide an objective, quantitative measure of an entity’s financial health, and its 

ability to satisfy its financial obligations. Ratio analysis helps assess profitability and 

informs stakeholders of an entity’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 to meet its short-term 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.

Comparing ratios for the current fiscal year to previous years and historic averages also 

provides valuable insight when analyzing past performance and can help identify 

weaknesses and highlight improvements. 

The PAEA mandated fixed annual RHBF prefunding payments for FY 2007 to FY 2016. As 

shown in Table IV-1, as of FY 2015, the Postal Service has defaulted on $28.1 billion of 

prefunding RHBF payments. 

 

86 Postal Service 2016 Integrated Financial Plan at 2.

87 5 U.S.C §§ 8909a (3)(B) and 8906 (g)(2)(A).

88 5 U.S.C. § 8348 (2)(B).
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 77

Table IV-1

Statutory Prefunding RHBF Payments, FY 2007 - FY 2015 ($ in Billions)

In FY 2017, OPM is required to calculate the Postal Service’s total retiree health benefits 

obligation and set the annual payment amounts required to liquidate the unfunded portion 

by FY 2056.89 The missed RHBF payments recorded as current liabilities on the Postal 

Service’s Balance Sheet will be consolidated into the total retiree health benefit obligation. 

As of FY 2015, the defaulted RHBF payments constitute 57 percent of the Postal Service’s 

overall current liabilities. The inclusion of missed RHBF payments substantially impacts 

the results of the ratios. 

Beginning in FY 2017, the defaulted RHBF payments will not be categorized as current 

liabilities as the Postal Service will be required to pay the annual amortized portion of the 

unfunded retiree health benefits obligation set by OPM. To provide clarity, ratios affected 

by the defaulted RHBF payments are computed in this report both with and without the 

cumulative defaulted RHBF payments.

Financial Sustainability Analysis

Key Ratios

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. 

Table IV-2 shows three sustainability ratios calculated using the reported amounts on the 

Postal Service’s Balance Sheets, and compares them to the previous year’s value and the 

historical 10-year average. 

 

89 5 U.S.C § 8909(d)(2)(B)).

Fiscal Year

5 U.S.C § 

8909(d)(3)(A)) 

payments due 

($ in billions)

Paid 

($ in billions)

Defaulted 

($ in billions) Notes

2007 $ 5.4 $ 5.4 $ -

2008 5.6 5.6 -

2009 5.4 1.4 - FY 2009 payment $5.4 billion reduced to $1.4 billion (5 U.S.C § 8909a(d)(3)(A)(iii)).

2010 5.5 5.5 -

2011 5.5 - 5.5 FY 2011 payment due delayed to August 1, 2012 (5 U.S.C. § 8909a(d)(3)(A)(v)).

2012 5.6 - 5.6

2013 5.6 - 5.6

2014 5.7 - 5.7

2015 5.7 - 5.7

Subtotals $ 50.0 $ 17.9 $ 28.1

Source: Postal Service Form 10-K and USPS Annual Report, FY 2007-FY 2015; 5 U.S.C. § 8909(d)(3)(A).
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 78

Table IV-2

Sustainability Ratio Analysis of Postal Service Financial Statements

Table IV-3 shows two sustainability ratios calculated in the same manner as Table IV-2 

after excluding missed payments to the RHBF. This table isolates the impact of the accrual 

of missed payments to the RHBF on the Postal Service liabilities. The fixed assets to net 

worth ratio has not been included in Table IV-3 as this ratio is not affected by the accrual 

related to RHBF.

Table IV-3

Sustainability Ratio Analysis of Postal Service Financial Statements

Excluding Defaulted RHBF Payments

Debt Ratio

Debt ratio is the amount of debt the entity has on its balance sheets in comparison to its 

assets and is one of the primary ratios used to assess financial stability. The higher the 

ratio, the greater the risk that the entity's debt level may impede its ability to effectively 

respond to challenges and opportunities. A low debt ratio indicates assets are available to 

secure future financing, which allows for greater flexibility to take on additional debt in the 

future at no significant financial risk. 

The Postal Service’s debt ratio provides information about its ability to absorb reductions 

in asset value that may arise from the sale, disposition, or depreciation of assets. The ratio 

Ratios

9/30/2015 

Value

9/30/2014 

Value Change Description of ratio 

Postal Service Historic 10 

Year Average Value

Debt ratio (debt to assets ratio) 3.10 2.97 0.12

This ratio is 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. 1.78

Fixed assets to Net worth ratio (0.31) (0.36) 0.05

This ratio is calculated by dividing fixed assets by net worth. It 

shows how much of the entity's cash is frozen in the form of fixed 

assets, such as property, plant, and equipment. 0.58

Current liability ratio 0.66 0.62 0.03

This ratio is calculated by dividing current liabilities by total (i.e. 

current and noncurrent) liabilities. It shows the percentage of the 

entity's liabilities due within 1 year. 0.54

Source: Ratios computed from amounts reported on Postal Service FY 2015 Form 10-K at 38.

Negative amount is denoted by (). 

Numbers may not add across due to rounding.

Ratios

9/30/2015 

Value

9/30/2014 

Value Change Description of ratio 

Postal Service Historic 10 Year 

Average Value

Debt ratio (debt to assets ratio) 1.93 2.00 (0.07)

This ratio is 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. 1.47

Current liability ratio 0.45 0.44 0.01

This ratio is calculated by dividing current liabilities by total (i.e. 

current and noncurrent) liabilities. It shows the percentage of the 

entity's liabilities due within 1 year. 0.48

Negative amount is denoted by (). 

Source: Ratios computed from amounts reported on Postal Service FY 2015 Form 10-K at 38.

Numbers may not add across due to rounding.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 79

generally indicates the relationship between two main sources of capital: equity and 

borrowed capital. It generally calculates the relationship between liabilities and the overall 

capital (i.e., the sum of equity and liabilities).

As shown in Table IV-2, at the end of FY 2015, the debt ratio for the Postal Service rose to 

3.10, slightly higher than the debt ratio for FY 2014. The Postal Service’s FY 2015 debt ratio 

of 3.10 was nearly twice as high as the average 10-year value of 1.78. The ratio indicates 

that the Postal Service does not possess sufficient capital because it has maximized its 

statutory borrowing capacity to raise funds beyond basic earnings. 

The accruing nonpayment of the RHBF and the long-term workers’ compensation 

obligations artificially skew the Postal Service’s liabilities in relation to its assets. This can 

be seen in the comparatively lower debt ratio in Table VI-3, which shows a FY 2015 debt 

ratio of 1.93 when the missed payments into the RHBF are excluded. The debt ratio 

excluding the missed RHBF payments was also a 0.07 decrease from the prior year. 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 obligations. 

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. Net worth is the residual amount representing the excess of an entity’s 

assets over its liabilities. The Postal Service’s fixed assets consist primarily of buildings and 

equipment, which cannot be easily converted into cash. The Postal Service accumulated 

deficits in excess of its fixed assets, resulting in a negative fixed asset to net worth ratio. 

This signifies an inability to respond to financial emergencies rapidly or obtain cash easily 

for further investment and growth. As shown in Table IV-2, the ratio improved slightly over 

the prior year. This is the second consecutive year that this ratio improved.90

Current Liability Ratio

The current liability ratio indicates the amount of current debt required to be paid within 1 

year. As of September 30, 2015, the Postal Service’s short-term liabilities were 66.0 percent 

of total liabilities, an increase of 3.0 percent from the prior year. 

The accrual of the unpaid statutory RHBF prefunding payments is included in current 

obligations and accounts for the vast majority of the increase in current liabilities. Current 

liabilities include the $28.1 billion in statutory prefunding accruals to the RHBF and $10.1 

billion of the $15.0 billion in outstanding debt.

 

90 FY 2014 Financial Analysis Report at 65.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 80

Financial Liquidity Analysis

Liquidity-related ratios are one of the most widespread indicators of an entity’s solvency.91

There are three liquidity-related ratios: current ratio, quick ratio, and cash ratio. All three 

ratios for the Postal Service are calculated in Table IV-4.

Table IV-4

Liquidity Ratio Analysis of Postal Service Financial Statements

Table IV-5 calculates the three liquidity ratios in the same manner as Table IV-4, excluding 

missed payments to the RHBF. This table isolates the impact of the accrual of missed 

payments to the RHBF on the Postal Service’s liquidity.

Table IV-5

Liquidity Ratio Analysis of Postal Service Financial Statements 

Excluding Defaulted RHBF Payments

 

91 Jamie Pratt, Financial Accounting in an Economic Context Eighth Edition 246 part 3 (2011), states that “Dun & Bradstreet, a widely used 

service that rates the creditworthiness of a large number of U.S. businesses, includes both the current ratio and the quick ratio as solvency 

measures” and “Working capital, the current ratio and the quick ratio are also used by auditors. For example, an AICPA list of ‘red flags’ alerting 

auditors to possible management fraud includes ‘inadequate working capital.’”

Ratios

9/30/2015 

Value

9/30/2014 

Value Change Description of ratio 

Postal Service Historic 10 

Year Average Value

Current ratio 0.16 0.15 0.02

This ratio is calculated by dividing current assets by current 

liabilities. It shows how much of an entity's short term assets are 

available to cover its short term debt obligations. 0.16

Quick ratio 0.16 0.14 0.02

This ratio is calculated by dividing liquid assets (cash, cash 

equivalents, short term investments, current receivables) by current 

liabilities. It shows how much of an entity's current assets which 

can be immediately converted to cash are available to cover its 

short term obligations. 0.15

Cash ratio 0.14 0.12 0.02

This ratio is calculated by dividing cash and cash related assets 

current liabilities. It shows how much of an entity's cash or cash 

related assets are available to cover its short term liabilities. 0.10

Source -Ratios computed from amounts reported on Postal Service FY 2015 Form 10-K at 38.

Numbers may not add across due to rounding.

Ratios

9/30/2015 

Value

9/30/2014 

Value Change Description of ratio 

Postal Service Historic 10 Year 

Average Value

Current ratio 0.38 0.31 0.07

This ratio is calculated by dividing current assets by current 

liabilities. It shows how much of an entity's short term assets are 

available to cover its short term debt obligations. 0.21

Quick ratio 0.37 0.30 0.07

This ratio is calculated by dividing liquid assets (cash, cash 

equivalents, short term investments, current receivables) by 

current liabilities. It shows how much of an entity's current assets 

which can be immediately converted to cash are available to 

cover its short term obligations. 0.20

Cash ratio 0.33 0.26 0.07

This ratio is calculated by dividing cash and cash related assets 

current liabilities. It shows how much of an entity's cash or cash 

related assets are available to cover its short term liabilities. 0.14

Source -Ratios computed from amounts reported on Postal Service FY 2015 Form 10-K at 38.

Numbers may not add across due to rounding.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 81

Current Ratio

The current ratio indicates the degree to which current assets are meeting current 

liabilities. At the end of FY 2015, the current ratio was 0.16. That level is an improvement of 

0.02 from the end of the prior fiscal year and at the same level as the 10-year historic 

average. Accrual of the current fiscal year’s defaulted payment into the RHBF increased 

current liabilities by 15.0 percent. At the same time, the Postal Service’s current assets 

increased by 28.0 percent, primarily due to the growth of cash and cash equivalents.

Table IV-5 shows the higher current ratio of 0.38 when calculated excluding the missed 

payments into the RHBF. This was an improvement of 0.07 over the prior fiscal year, but 

remained lower than the historic 10-year average of 0.21.

Quick Ratio

The quick ratio is an indication of the liquidity of the entity in the near future and reflects 

whether sufficient funds are available to meet short term obligations to creditors. At the 

close of FY 2015, the quick ratio equaled 0.16, an increase of 0.02 from FY 2014 and 0.01 

above the 10-year historic average. This means that the Postal Service’s cash and accounts 

receivables grew at a faster rate than its current liabilities.

Cash Ratio

The cash ratio measures the amount of cash, cash equivalents, or short term investments 

available to cover current liabilities. The cash ratio is calculated by dividing total liquid 

assets by current liabilities. The FY 2015 cash ratio had a value of 0.14, an improvement 

over FY 2014, but like the two previous ratios, the cash ratio indicates that the Postal 

Service does not have enough cash and/or cash equivalents (the most liquid assets) to meet 

all current liabilities.

The improved liquidity-related ratios were largely a result of the increased amount of cash 

on hand held by the Postal Service. Along with the improvement in the Postal Service 

liquidity ratios, its working capital also improved. However, the decelerating erosion of the 

value of current assets was the result of assets reaching full depreciation rather than an 

indication of new capital investment. 

Working Capital Analysis

The Postal Service’s FY 2015 working capital was negative $40.9 billion. Working capital is 

the amount by which the value of current assets exceeds current liabilities and is a liquid 

financial cushion available for emergencies and other unplanned needs. The Postal Service 

had no working capital at the end of FY 2015. The net deterioration of $4.6 billion in 

working capital from the prior fiscal year was largely due to the growth in employee-
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 82

related liabilities, including the statutory accruals for payments into the RHBF. Working 

capital, excluding the missed payments into the RHBF, was negative $12.8 billion. This 

represents an improvement of $1.0 billion over the prior fiscal year.

Figure IV-1 highlights the increasing deficit in retained earnings that began in FY 2007. 

Available liquidity is calculated as a combination of working capital and remaining 

borrowing capacity.

Figure IV-1

Postal Service Liquidity and Retained Deficit Trends

Financial Activity Analysis

Trend Analysis

Trend analysis compares the Postal Service’s financial statements over a number of years 

to evaluate its performance and the changes over a period of time from a base year. 

FY 2006 is used as the base year as it is the first year within the past 10-year period in 

which the Postal Service reported a net operating income. Figure IV-2 shows the trends for 

assets and liabilities since the base year. For each fiscal year, the total change from the base 

year is expressed as a percentage.

Source: Postal Service Form 10-K and USPS Annual Report, FY 2005-FY 2015.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 83

Figure IV-2 shows that the Postal Service’s liabilities have risen steadily since the base year 

FY 2006 and far outweigh the Postal Service’s assets. The Postal Service’s liabilities in FY 

2015 more than tripled since the base year. Current assets (primarily cash and cash 

equivalents) increased from the base year as the safety net of available borrowing was 

depleted. After taking depreciation into account, FY 2015 net property, plant, and 

equipment values decreased 32.1 percent from the base year, primarily due to a lack of 

capital investments and fully depreciated assets that have not been replaced.

Figure IV-2

Change in Assets and Liabilities since FY 2006

Current and non-current liabilities trended upwards from the base year, largely due to 

increasing balances in employee-related liabilities such as mandatory RHBF payments and 

future workers’ compensation obligations. 

Figure IV-3 shows the trends for revenues and expenses from the base year FY 2006. 

Revenue decreased 5.1 percent from the base year while operating expenses increased 3.0 

percent from the base year. The FY 2015 percentages reflect an unfavorable impact on net 

income because operating expenses increased and revenue decreased when compared to 

the base year. However, total revenue has been increasing since FY 2012. The accrual of the 

RHBF payments contributed to the 438.2 percent increase in retiree health benefit 

expenses. Compensation and benefits decreased by 11.0 percent from the base year.

Source: Postal Service Form 10-K and USPS Annual Report, FY 2006-FY 2015.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 84

Figure IV-3

Change in Revenues and Expenses since FY 2006

Financial Solvency Analysis

Altman Z-Score

The financial strength of an entity can be evaluated 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. New York University Professor Edward Altman developed the Altman Z-Score in 

1968 as a tool to examine the likelihood that a company may file for bankruptcy. It has 

since become widely accepted by management accountants and auditors as a measure of an 

entity’s financial health and has also been used to analyze the financial health of state and 

local governments.92 Although the Postal Service has reached its borrowing limit, it is 

ineligible for Federal Government bankruptcy protection under current law.93

The Postal Service’s Altman Z-Score gives insight into the Postal Service’s financial health 

in light of the fact that the Postal Service has reached its maximum statutory borrowing 

limit of $15 billion accessed from the Federal Financing Bank, and cash generated from 

operations is the only source of income available to satisfy daily operating expenses and 

invest in capital assets. 

A quantitative model designed to predict the financial distress of a business, the Altman ZScore uses a blend of four traditional financial ratios and a statistical method known as 

 

92 The Postal Service, as a governmental unit, is not considered a “person” who may be a debtor under the Bankruptcy Code. See 11 U.S.C. 

§§109(d); 101(41). The Altman Z-Score is used as a metric that may be instructive in comparing the Postal Service with other business entities 

who may be subject to bankruptcy. Use of the Altman Z-Score does not suggest that the Postal Service has the potential to file for bankruptcy.

93 See 11 U.S.C. §§ 101(41), 109.

Source: Postal Service Form 10-K and USPS Annual Report, FY 2006-FY 2015.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 85

multiple discriminant analysis. The Altman Z-Score is interpreted against discrimination 

ranges, which provide context to what an individual Altman Z-Score means to an entity’s 

financial health. A lower Altman Z-Score reflects higher odds of bankruptcy and financial 

distress. In particular, the discrimination ranges divide Altman Z-Scores into three zones:

• 1.1 or Less = Distress Zone

• 1.1 to 2.6 = Grey Zone

• 2.6 or More = Safe Zone

As shown in Table IV-6, the Postal Service’s Altman Z-Score was negative 6.1 at the end of 

FY 2015. The Postal Service’s FY 2015 Altman Z-Score was slightly worse than the FY 2014 

score of negative 5.7.

Table IV-6

Altman Z-Score – FY 2015

In FY 2005, the Postal Service had a positive Altman Z-Score of 0.3 and positive scores for 

all ratio values except for the Working Capital/Total Assets ratio.

Ratio Calculation

Ratio value 

on 9/30/2015

Weighting 

factor

Product 

(col. 3 * col. 

4)

1 2 3 4 5

T1 Working Capital/Total Assets (1.7) 1.2 (2.0)

T2 Retained Earnings/Total Assets (2.1) 1.4 (2.9)

T3 Earnings/Total Assets (0.2) 3.3 (0.7)

T4 Capital/Total Liabilities (0.7) 0.6 (0.4)

Altman Z-score (6.1)

Negative amount is denoted by (). 

Numbers may not add across due to rounding.

Source: Ratios computed from amounts reported on Postal Service FY 2015 Form 10-K at 38.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 86

Table IV-7

Altman Z-Score – FY 2005

While all ratios declined from FY 2005 to FY 2015, the Retained Earnings/Total Asset and 

Working Capital/Total Assets ratios declined the most. The reduction in the Retained 

Earnings/Total Asset ratio was due to the erosion of retained earnings caused by 

consecutive net losses and the RHBF prefunding obligation. The decline in the Working 

Capital/Total Assets ratio was the result of constricted capital spending and the inability to 

add new investments to its almost fully depreciated existing assets. The significant drop in 

these two ratios was the most significant contributor to the decline in the Postal Service’s 

Altman Z-Score between FY 2005 and FY 2015.

Ratio Calculation

Ratio value 

on 9/30/2005

Weighting 

factor

Product 

(col. 3 * col. 

4)

1 2 3 4 5

T1 Working Capital/Total Assets (0.3) 1.2 (0.3)

T2 Retained Earnings/Total Assets 0.2 1.4 0.3

T3 Earnings/Total Assets 0.1 3.3 0.2

T4 Capital/Total Liabilities 0.3 0.6 0.2

Altman Z-score 0.3

Negative amount is denoted by (). 

Numbers may not add across due to rounding.

Source: Ratios computed from amounts reported on United States Postal Service Annual Report 2005 , at 42, 43.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 87

Appendix A. 

FY 2015 Volume, Revenue, Cost, and Cost Coverage 

by Class, Current Classification (Products)

This appendix presents Postal Service financial results for FY 2015 using the mail 

classification system in place since the passage of the PAEA. Prior to the PAEA, mail classes 

were subdivided into subclasses and the financial reports reflected that organization. The 

PAEA uses the term product, defined as “a postal service with a distinct cost or market 

characteristic for which a rate or rates are, or may reasonably be, applied.” 39 U.S.C. 

102(6). Within classes, the Postal Service reports data by product, not by subclass.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 88

Appendix A

Fiscal Year 2015 Volume, Revenue, Cost, and Cost Coverage by Class

Current Classification (Products)

Contribution to Contribution to

Attributable Institutional Institutional

Volume Revenue Cost Cost Rev./Pc. Cost/Pc. Cost/Pc. Cost

(000) ($ 000) ($ 000) ($ 000) (Cents) (Cents) (Cents) Coverage

COMPETITIVE MAIL

Priority Mail Express 35,705 779,067 364,456 414,612 2,181.954 1,020.740 1,161.214 213.8%

Priority Mail 992,190 7,276,239 5,765,951 1,510,287 733.352 581.134 152.218 126.2%

Ground Parcels 1,968,761 3,925,117 2,782,680 1,142,437 199.370 141.342 58.028 141.1%

First-Class Package Service 708,423 1,689,112 1,368,755 320,357 238.433 193.211 45.221 123.4%

Competitive International Mail 253,858 1,969,606 1,194,563 775,044 775.868 470.563 305.306 164.9%

Competitive Domestic Services 778,424 419,295 359,129 185.7%

Competitive International Services 10,252 8,902 1,349 115.2%

Total Competitive Mail and Services 3,958,937 16,427,817 11,904,603 4,523,214 414.955 300.702 114.253 138.0%

MARKET DOMINANT MAIL

First-Class Mail

Single-Piece Letters and Cards 20,576,128 10,338,880 5,514,455 4,824,425 50.247 26.800 23.447 187.5%

Presort Letters and Cards 40,174,244 15,607,770 4,876,363 10,731,407 38.850 12.138 26.712 320.1%

Flats 1,668,897 2,362,895 1,559,381 803,513 141.584 93.438 48.146 151.5%

Parcels 200,100 545,504 486,326 59,178 272.616 243.042 29.574 112.2%

Outbound Single-Piece Mail Intl 212,184 315,356 169,418 145,938 148.624 79.845 68.779 186.1%

Inbound Single-Piece Mail Intl 473,692 427,322 502,184 (74,862) 90.211 106.015 (15.804) 85.1%

Total First-Class Mail 63,305,244 29,597,726 13,108,127 16,489,599 46.754 20.706 26.048 225.8%

Standard Mail

High Density & Saturation Letters 6,478,281 994,697 453,730 540,968 15.354 7.004 8.350 219.2%

High Density & Saturation Flats & Parcels 11,276,702 2,048,542 1,180,754 867,788 18.166 10.471 7.695 173.5%

Carrier Route 8,461,441 2,283,195 1,741,801 541,395 26.984 20.585 6.398 131.1%

Letters 47,720,675 10,057,057 4,930,233 5,126,824 21.075 10.331 10.743 204.0%

Flats 5,260,186 2,113,331 2,633,377 (520,046) 40.176 50.062 (9.886) 80.3%

Parcels 60,420 65,638 89,402 (23,765) 108.636 147.968 (39.332) 73.4%

Every Door Direct Mail - Retail 832,566 148,926 51,542 97,384 17.888 6.191 11.697 288.9%

Inbound NSA Mail Intl 0 0 0 0

Total Standard Mail 80,090,273 17,711,387 11,080,838 6,630,549 22.114 13.835 8.279 159.8%

Periodicals

Within County 570,817 66,783 88,627 (21,844) 11.699 15.526 (3.827) 75.4%

Outside County 5,267,358 1,522,438 2,012,450 (490,012) 28.903 38.206 (9.303) 75.7%

Total Periodicals 5,838,175 1,589,220 2,101,077 (511,857) 27.221 35.989 (8.767) 75.6%

Package Services

Alaska Bypass 1,282 33,737 19,147 14,590 2,631.541 1,493.528 1,138.013 176.2%

Inbound Surface Parcel Post (at UPU Rates) 0 0 0 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.0%

Bound Printed Matter Flats 260,492 212,968 151,082 61,886 81.756 57.999 23.757 141.0%

Bound Printed Matter Parcels 227,911 284,350 238,770 45,581 124.764 104.764 19.999 119.1%

Media and Library Mail 74,890 274,471 359,083 (84,612) 366.497 479.477 (112.980) 76.4%

Total Package Services 564,576 805,527 768,082 37,445 142.678 136.046 6.632 104.9%

U.S. Postal Service Mail 354,628

Free Mail 45,135 41,294 (41,294) 91.490

Total Market Dominant Mail 150,198,030 49,703,860 27,099,418 22,604,442 33.092 18.042 15.050 183.4%
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 89

Appendix A

Fiscal Year 2015 Volume, Revenue, Cost, and Cost Coverage by Class

Current Classification (Products) (continued)

Contribution to Contribution to

Attributable Institutional Institutional

Volume Revenue Cost Cost Rev./Pc. Cost/Pc. Cost/Pc. Cost

(000) ($ 000) ($ 000) ($ 000) (Cents) (Cents) (Cents) Coverage

Market Dominant Services

Ancillary Services

Certified Mail 659,186 485,361 173,825 135.8%

COD 3,116 3,026 90 103.0%

Insurance 89,116 50,265 38,851 177.3%

Registered Mail 37,892 27,146 10,746 139.6%

Stamped Envelopes 11,233 7,267 3,966 154.6%

Stamped Cards 1,216 867 349 140.2%

Other Ancillary Services 492,829 222,433 270,396 221.6%

Money Orders 160,534 105,108 55,426 152.7%

Post Office Box Service 310,928 228,481 82,447 136.1%

Caller Service 98,788 27,256 71,532

Other Special Services 38,582 12,617 25,965

International Services 39,996 13,697 26,300 292.0%

Total Market Dominant Services 1,943,415 1,183,524 759,892

Other Income 790,132 790,132

Other International Mail Attributable 63,491

Total Mail and Services 154,156,967 68,865,224 40,251,035 28,677,679 44.672 26.110 18.603 171.1%

Institutional Costs 33,759,851

Appropriations: Revenue Forgone 62,600

Investment Income 23,358

Total Revenues 68,951,181

Total Costs 74,010,886

Net Income (Loss) (5,059,705)

Source: Library Reference PRC-ACR2015\NP1
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 90

Appendix B. 

Revenue, Pieces, Weight Report Adjustments

The Public reports filed by the Postal Service which include volumes and revenues usually 

contain data from the current year and the prior year for comparison purposes. The 

previous year’s data are sometimes revised to reflect corrections resulting from audits and 

reviews and are also restated due to methodological changes approved by the Commission 

and implemented by the Postal Service in the reporting year. 

In FY 2015, the Commission approved a methodological change requested by the Postal 

Service for the estimation of revenue, volume, and weight as reported in the quarterly and 

annual Revenue, Pieces, and Weight (RPW) report.94 The approved change allowed the 

Postal Service to use ODIS-RPW estimates for products bearing Forever Stamp data as 

census data instead of sampling estimates adjusted by the Book Revenue Adjustment 

Factor (BRAF). Additionally, a portion of the stamps sold will either never be used 

(referred to as breakage) or will be held for future use (Postage in the Hands of the Public 

or PIHOP). This portion used to be allocated back to the products using two distribution 

keys, stamped volume, and meter volume.95 The new methodology allocates breakage 

revenue to “Market Dominant Other Revenue” and does not allocate annual PIHOP 

adjustments. 

The result of this change on the comparative FY 2014 volume and revenue data shows 

significant changes in revenue for Market Dominant Other Revenue with additional 

adjustments for several products, notably, First-Class Single Piece Letters, Priority Mail, 

First-Class Package Services, and Competitive International Mail. Appendix B of this 

financial report shows a comparison of the adjusted FY 2014 volume and revenue by 

product as reported in the FY 2015 RPW report with the originally reported FY 2014 

volume and revenue.

For the purposes of this financial analysis report, the comparisons of volumes and revenues 

are based on the data reported in the FY 2015 RPW and the Postal Service’s FY 2015 Form 

10-K filing. The comparative figures, FY 2014, in those reports reflect the methodological 

change, as approved by the Commission, from the previous rear’s reporting subsequent to 

the issuance of the Commission’s FY 2014 Financial Analysis Report.96 This affects year-toyear comparisons because the revised FY 2014 RPW figures are not reflected in the FY 

 

94 Order No. 2728, Docket No. RM2015-9, September 24, 2015.

95 Order No. 816, Docket No. RM2011-11 (Proposal Three), August 19, 2011 at 3, 5.

96 Library Reference USPS-FY15-42, Filename “FY2015_RPWsummaryreport_Public.XLS”, fn. 4.
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 91

2014 financial report. For longer run comparisons, like the data presented in Chapter 3, the 

revised RPW figures are valid to use because the historic RPW data reflect any revisions 

based on corrections or methodological changes. Thus, for consistency, trend analyses in 

this report are based on the historic data with revisions. However, for the year-to-year 

revenue and volume comparisons the Commission cannot restate the figures in the 

previous financial report to reflect after-the-fact Postal Service revisions. Therefore, in 

Chapter 3, current year volume and revenue by product are compared to the data as 

originally reported in the FY 2014 financial report. Chapter 2 volume and revenue 

comparisons by class will include both the original FY 2014 report data and the adjusted FY 

2014 data. 
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 92

APPENDIX B. COMPARISON OF ADJUSTED FY 2014 VOLUME AND REVENUE WITH ORIGINAL REPORTED 

FY 2014 VOLUME AND REVENUE

Adj. 2014 Orig. 2014 Difference Adj. 2014 Orig. 2014 Difference

First-Class Mail:

 Single-Piece Letters 10,243,261 10,128,812 114,449 20,860,427 20,599,377 261,049

 Single-Piece Cards 318,654 319,123 (468) 923,418 924,941 (1,523)

 Total Single-Piece Letters and Cards 10,561,916 10,447,934 113,981 21,783,845 21,524,319 259,526

 Presort Letters 14,630,387 14,630,387 0 37,994,999 37,994,999 0

 Presort Cards 558,757 558,757 0 2,198,318 2,198,318 0

 Total Presort Letters and Cards 15,189,144 15,189,144 0 40,193,317 40,193,317 0

 Flats 2,452,575 2,491,587 (39,012) 1,758,477 1,782,673 (24,196)

 Parcels 584,647 590,871 (6,224) 230,525 233,115 (2,590)

 Domestic Negotiated Serv. Agreement Mail 38,975 38,975 0 103,014 103,014 0

 Outbound First-Class Mail International 305,318 307,871 (2,552) 214,128 215,536 (1,408)

 Inbound International Letter Post 173,710 173,710 0 242,539 242,539 0

 Inbound Intl. Negotiated Serv. Agreement Mail 163,929 163,929 0 157,961 157,961 0

 First-Class Mail Fees 166,717 167,255 (537) - - 

 First-Class Dom. NSA Mail Fees - - - - 

 Total First-Class Mail 29,636,932 29,571,276 65,656 64,683,808 64,452,475 231,332

Standard Mail:

 High Density and Saturation Letters 879,737 879,737 0 5,970,133 5,970,133 0

 High Density and Saturation Flats & Parcels 2,005,555 2,005,555 0 11,278,630 11,278,630 0

 Carrier Route 2,364,040 2,364,040 0 8,980,119 8,980,119 0

 Letters 9,811,478 9,811,478 0 47,571,876 47,571,876 0

 Flats 2,037,354 2,037,354 0 5,054,395 5,054,395 0

 Parcels 67,967 67,967 0 65,846 65,846 0

 Every Door Direct Mail Retail 147,089 149,000 (1,911) 886,857 890,148 (3,291)

 Domestic Negotiated Serv. Agreement Mail 124,454 124,454 0 566,251 566,251 0

 Inbound Intl. Negotiated Serv. Agreement Mail 8 3 8 3 0 154 154 0

 Standard Mail Fees 56,713 57,085 (372) - - 

 Standard Mail Dom. NSA Mail Fees - - - - 

 Total Standard Mail 17,494,470 17,496,754 (2,284) 80,374,260 80,377,552 (3,291)

Periodicals Mail:

 In-County 66,607 66,607 0 586,130 586,130 0

 Outside County 1,552,223 1,552,223 0 5,458,584 5,458,584 0

 Periodicals Mail Fees 6,496 6,511 (15) - - 

 Total Periodicals Mail 1,625,325 1,625,340 (15) 6,044,715 6,044,715 0

Revenue Volume
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 93

APPENDIX B. COMPARISON OF ADJUSTED FY 2014 VOLUME AND REVENUE WITH ORIGINAL REPORTED 

FY 2014 VOLUME AND REVENUE (continued)

Adj. 2014 Orig. 2014 Difference Adj. 2014 Orig. 2014 Difference

Package Services Mail:

 Parcel Post / Alaska Bypass 33,133 33,133 (1) 1,290 1,290 0

 Inbound Intl. Surface Parcel Post (at UPU Rates) 19,449 19,449 0 980 980 0

 Inbound Intl. Negotiated Service Agreement Mail 0 0 0 0 0 0

 Bound Printed Matter Flats 201,907 201,907 0 249,745 249,745 0

 Bound Printed Matter Parcels 272,313 272,314 (1) 211,977 211,977 0

 Media and Library Mail 301,612 307,788 (6,177) 84,478 86,304 (1,826)

 Package Services Mail Fees 2,661 2,672 (11) - -

 Total Package Services Mail 831,074 837,264 (6,189) 548,470 550,296 (1,826)

U.S. Postal Service Mail - - 438,643 454,258 (15,615)

Free Mail - - 45,989 47,386 (1,398)

 Total Market Dominant Mail 49,587,802 49,530,633 57,168 152,135,884 151,926,682 209,202

Ancillary Services:

 Certified Mail 672,455 687,317 (14,862) 207,795 212,519 (4,724)

 Collect on Delivery 3,595 3,598 (3) 364 364 (0)

 USPS Tracking 83,809 83,809 0 2,930,584 2,930,584 0

 Insurance 91,613 91,613 0 19,634 19,633 1

 Registered Mail 36,717 34,933 1,783 2,333 2,186 148

 Return Receipts 361,900 369,405 (7,504) 153,920 156,840 (2,920)

 Stamped Envelopes and Cards 11,608 11,608 0 - -

 Other Domestic Ancillary Services 70,636 72,016 (1,380) 26,935 27,447 (512)

 International Ancillary Services 40,570 40,577 (8) 24,925 24,926 (1)

 Total Ancilliary Services 1,372,903 1,394,876 (21,973) 3,366,489 3,374,498 (8,009)

Special Services:

 Money Orders 164,156 164,156 0 97,401 96,963 438

 Post Office Box Service 3/ 362,714 365,287 (2,572) 6,134 7,333 (1,199)

 Other Domestic Special Services 116,809 116,809 0 1,914 1,914 0

 Other International Special Services 9 9 0 871 871 0

 Total Additional Special Services 643,688 646,260 (2,572) 106,320 107,081 (761)

Total Market Dominant Services 2,016,591 2,041,136 (24,545) 3,472,809 3,481,579 (8,770)

Total Market Dominant Mail and Services 51,604,393 51,571,769 32,623

Other Market Dominant Revenue 1,162,137 916,012 246,125

 Total Market Dominant Revenue 52,766,529 52,487,781 278,748 152,135,884 151,926,682 209,202

Revenue Volume
FY 2015 Financial Analysis Report 94

APPENDIX B. COMPARISON OF ADJUSTED FY 2014 VOLUME AND REVENUE WITH ORIGINAL REPORTED 

FY 2014 VOLUME AND REVENUE (continued)

Adj. 2014 Orig. 2014 Difference Adj. 2014 Orig. 2014 Difference

Competitive Products:

 Domestic Priority Mail Express 759,843 759,843 0 36,231 36,231 0

 First-Class Package Service Mail 1,417,618 1,461,842 (44,223) 616,280 634,615 (18,335)

 Standard Post Mail 503,804 492,374 11,430 36,306 36,024 282

 Domestic Priority Mail 6,729,485 6,883,898 (154,413) 897,900 920,083 (22,183)

 Parcel Select 2,528,944 2,529,344 (400) 1,482,669 1,483,922 (1,253)

 Parcel Return Service Mail 138,619 138,619 0 55,650 55,650 0

International Mail:

 Outbound Priority Mail International 768,269 853,036 (84,767) 14,960 17,133 (2,172)

 Outbound International Expedited Services 291,341 290,495 847 4,834 4,815 1 9

 Other Outbound International Mail 937,149 952,050 (14,901) 244,022 245,684 (1,662)

 Inbound International 214,549 214,359 190 13,937 13,893 4 3

 International Mail Fees 5 1 5 1 (0)

Total International Mail 2,211,359 2,309,991 (98,631) 277,753 281,525 (3,772)

 Total Competitive Mail 14,289,673 14,575,911 (286,238) 3,402,788 3,448,050 (45,262)

Ancillary Services:

 Other Domestic Ancillary Services 1,822 1,886 (64) 334 347 (13)

 International Ancillary Services 7,113 7,121 (8) 1,456 1,457 (1)

 Total Ancilliary Services 8,935 9,007 (72) 1,790 1,804 (14)

Special Services:

 Premium Forwarding Service 24,284 24,284 0 1,311 1,311 0

 Intl. Money Orders & Money Transfer Service 1,124 1,124 0 170 156 1 4

 Other Domestic Special Services 675,676 668,927 6,749 89,957 86,852 3,104

 Other International Special Services - - 0 - - 

 Total Special Services 701,084 694,334 6,749 91,438 88,320 3,118

Total Competitive Services 710,018 703,341 6,677 93,228 90,124 3,104

Total Competitive Mail and Services 14,999,691 15,279,252 (279,561)

Other Competitive Revenue 87,287 88,100 (813)

Total Competitive Revenue 15,086,978 15,367,352 (280,374) 3,402,788 3,448,050 (45,262)

 Total Market Dominant and Competitive

 Total All Mail 63,877,475 64,106,544 (229,070) 155,538,672 155,374,732 163,940

 Total All Services 2,726,609 2,744,477 (17,868) 3,566,038 3,571,703 (5,666)

 Total All Mail and Services 66,604,084 66,851,022 (246,938)

 Total All Other Revenue 1,250,237 1,003,299 246,938

 Total All Revenue 67,854,320 67,854,320 (0)

Revenue Volume