UPS plans 100,000 US seasonal hires after $22.9 billion quarter

UPS plans to hire 100,000 seasonal workers in the United States for the holiday shipping period after reporting third-quarter 2026 revenue of $22.9 billion. The company expects daily US package volume to rise about 25% from the third to the fourth quarter. The hiring figure is a target, not a count of jobs already filled.

Revenue exceeded the $22.29 billion analysts had expected. UPS also reported $1.7 billion in operating profit and diluted earnings of $1.37 per share. Its adjusted figures, which use different accounting measures, were $2.1 billion and $1.69 per share.

Growth among customers UPS has prioritized

UPS has been scaling back lower-return deliveries, including volume from its longstanding partnership with Amazon, to focus on other customers. In an October 28 Fortune account, chief financial officer Brian Dykes said third-quarter US shipping volume from small and midsize businesses grew 3.7%, while volume from larger business customers grew about 1%. High-tech and health-care shipments helped the quarter’s performance.

UPS raised its full-year revenue, profit and free-cash-flow forecasts for the second consecutive quarter. Free cash flow is cash left after operating expenses and spending on assets such as equipment.

Analysis

A November hiring push for holiday packages

UPS expects the seasonal workers to help handle an additional four million packages a day. Dykes said the company would try to hire at least 40,000 people during its November 6–7 hiring weekend so they could start work during the holidays.

Dykes said UPS expects to need fewer rented aircraft, trailers and trucks during the holiday surge because it is carrying less lower-return online-shopping volume. Its next test is whether hiring and shipping capacity meet the holiday increase UPS expects.