UPS Expects Holiday Deliveries To Rise To a Record Of Over 700 Million Packages

United Parcel Service Inc. said Tuesday it expects record deliveries this holiday season, with over 700 million packaged expected to be delivered between Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve. The company expects the peak holiday delivery volume to rise more than 14% from the same period in 2015, with two more operating days this year. UPS expects a record 13 of the 21 days before Christmas to have deliveries of more than 30 million packages, compared with about 18 million package deliveries during typical non-peak periods. "Online and mobile commerce is simultaneously creating new opportunities and challenges for the retail industry, yet a constant remains: the holiday season is the most important time of the year for retailers," said Kate Gutman, senior vice president of sales and solution. The stock, which was still inactive in premarket trade, has run up 17% year to date, while the S&P 500 has gained 5.9%.