IPC Global Postal Industry Report

Inflation remains a major challenge, driving up operational costs, especially for labour, fuel, and transportation. Across posts, average revenue growth was 1.5%. The average EBIT margin across posts improved to -0.4%, up from -1.6% in 2022. Stronger financial performance for some posts resulted in growth in operating cash flow. 

Revenues and EBIT margins were negative, on average, for mail units in 2023. On average, across the industry, mail revenue continued to decline in 2023, but showed a significant improvement compared to the decline seen in 2022. The average EBIT margin across the industry was slightly down, but better than the decline in average EBIT in 2022. 

The average growth for parcel division revenue increased slightly in 2023. Average operating margins rose, with posts offsetting higher costs through increased network efficiency and higher margin services. Posts continue to invest in alternative delivery networks and are leveraging their wide network of post offices. With growth rates outperforming those of traditional retail, the fast-increasing e-commerce business is a key factor in the global economy. 

Now in its sixteenth edition, this year’s IPC Global Postal Industry Report continues to take the pulse of the global postal industry. We analyse 53 posts from Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America and North America, as well as non-postal carriers FedEx and UPS. And we continue our broad analytical coverage, from detailed performance comparisons across posts to tracking key market and industry trends.