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UPS says last-minute online shopping hurt 4Q profit

DALLAS — UPS may be forced to change the way it plans for the holiday season after December shipping problems took a bite out of fourth-quarter earnings.

The company said Friday that it took ‘‘extraordinary’’ steps to meet holiday demand, including hiring 85,000 seasonal employees — 30,000 more than planned.

But the company’s network of trucks and planes was overwhelmed by what it termed ‘‘an unprecedented level’’ of online shopping including ‘‘a surge of last-minute orders.’’ Bad weather and a shorter shopping season were also factors, it said in a news release.

Analysts said the company will make changes including higher last-minute prices to smooth out the peak caused by the final rush of shopping just before Christmas.

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Online shopping is good for UPS. But volumes were so high last month that hundreds of thousands of packages didn’t get to their destinations before Christmas — UPS hasn’t disclosed the exact number. Amazon.com offered shipping charge refunds and a $20 credit for some customers affected by UPS delays.

On Friday, UPS said that it delivered a record 31 million packages on Dec. 23. That peak, however, came six days later than UPS had planned, and it was 7.5 percent more packages than the company had expected on the busiest day of the season.

Jim Corridore, an analyst with S&P Capital IQ, suggested the company learned a lesson.

‘‘We think UPS did a poor job forecasting the holiday season, but we expect improved readiness this year as online shopping continues to grow,’’ he said in a note to clients.

Associated Press