Chicago’s ‘Reader’ To Return To A Weekly Print Schedule (mediapost.com)

As part of “Delivering for America,” its 10-year plan to achieve financial sustainability and service excellence, the United States Postal Service filed notice today with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) requesting price changes to take effect Aug. 29, 2021 that are in accordance with approvals provided by the PRC last year. The proposed price changes would raise overall Market Dominant product and service prices by approximately 6.9 percent. First-Class Mail prices would increase by 6.8 percent to offset declining revenue due to First-Class Mail volume declines. In the past 10 years, mail volume has declined by 46 billion pieces, or 28 percent, and is continuing to decline. Over the same period, First-Class Mail volume has dropped 32 percent, and single piece First-Class Mail volume — including letters bearing postage stamps — has declined 47 percent.

Sales decreased 4% to $402.6 million, compared to $420.0 million during the same period last year. Sales were unfavorably impacted by $24.5 million due to a recall reserve adjustment. Sales and adjusted sales for the second quarter of 2023 include $12.5 million of sales related to gift card redemptions in connection with recall remedies. Our 2023 results have also been materially adversely impacted by the stop sale of the soft coolers included in the recalls initiated during the first quarter of 2023. Gross profit decreased 2% to $214.8 million, or 53.4% of sales, compared to $219.1 million, or 52.2% of sales, in the second quarter of 2022. Gross profit included a $19.4 million, or 150 basis points, unfavorable impact related to the recall reserve adjustment. Operating income decreased 26% to $50.3 million, or 12.5% of sales, compared to $68.3 million, or 16.3% of sales during the prior year quarter, and includes an $8.7 million unfavorable impact primarily from the recall reserve adjustment. Net income, which includes the unfavorable impact from the recall reserve adjustment, decreased 18% to $38.1 million, or 9.5% of sales, compared to $46.3 million, or 11.0% of sales in the prior year quarter.

The U.S. Postal Service today launched an online service performance dashboard, consistent with one of the operational reforms included in the Postal Service Reform Act. After prompting users to enter only a ZIP Code, the website provides customers with a variety of useful information, including the percentage of on-time delivery for specific mail and shipping products in each USPS district. This data, updated weekly, is based on scans collected when mail enters the network, during processing and at the point of delivery. The dashboard is available at https://about.usps.com/what/performance/service-performance/external-service-measurement.htm.