(Reuters) - United Parcel Service Inc (NYSE:UPS) on Thursday blamed harsh winter weather in the United States as it reported a lower-than-expected first-quarter profit, sending the world's biggest package delivery company's shares down 1.2 percent before the bell.
UPS's operating profit in its U.S. domestic business, its biggest, fell 12 percent to $666 million in the first quarter ended March 31, as it included an $80 million hit due to weather-related disruptions.
Net income fell to $1.11 billion, or $1.28 per share, in the quarter, from $1.35 billion, or $1.55 per share, a year earlier.
Excluding a reduction of 7 cents per share due to severe storms in the U.S. Northeast and Midwest and other items, UPS earned $1.39 per share, missing analysts' average estimate of $1.41, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.
Revenue rose 0.3 percent to $17.16 billion, but was below expectations of $17.78 billion.