Accounting Standards Codification (ASC). Codifies authoritative accounting literature and guidance into a single source and establishes two levels of U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, or GAAP — authoritative and nonauthoritative. ASC is the source of authoritative GAAP.
Accruals. Revenue and expenses that are recorded as they occur, even though they may not have actually been paid.
Amortize. To reduce the value of an asset through regular charges to income over time; or to write off expenses by prorating them over a period of time.
Appropriation. Public funds set aside by Congress for a specific purpose.
Asset. An economic resource that is expected to be of benefit in the future.
Cautionary Statements. Statements contained in Management’s Discussion and Analysis that represent our best estimate of the trends we know about, the trends we anticipate, and the trends we think are relevant to our future operations.
Capitalize. To treat an expenditure as an asset; or to compute the present value of a future payment that will be paid over a period of time.
Contribution. The difference between the revenue from a class of mail and that class’s volume-variable costs. For example, if a class of mail has revenue of $1.5 billion and volume-variable costs of $1 billion, its contribution is $500 million, which means that this class of mail covers its costs and contributes $500 million to the common costs of all mail services.
Contingent Liability. A potential liability that is contingent on a future event.
Delivery Confirmation. A special service that provides the date of delivery or attempted delivery for Priority Mail and Standard Mail parcels, Bound Printed Matter, and Library Mail.
Depreciate. To periodically reduce the estimated value of an asset over the course of its useful life.
Direct Mail. A form of advertising often employed by businesses to reach targeted groups of potential customers by mail.
Enhanced Carrier Route. A subclass of Standard Mail for mail pieces weighing less than 16 ounces and prepared in carrier route sequence.
Equity. The difference between the value of all assets less all liabilities.
Express Mail. The Postal Service’s premium delivery service, providing guaranteed overnight delivery for documents and packages weighing up to 70 pounds. Both domestic and international services are offered.
First-Class Mail. A class of mail including letters, postcards, and all matter sealed or otherwise closed against inspection. This service is required for personal correspondence, handwritten or typewritten letters, and bills or statements of account.
Fiscal Year. As used in the financial section of this report, the Postal Service fiscal year, which is the 12-month period during which the Postal Service keeps accounts, beginning Oct. 1 and closing Sept. 30.
Fixed Asset. Any tangible property such as buildings, machinery and equipment, furniture, and leasehold improvements.
Forever Stamp. A stamp that once purchased is good for mailing one-ounce First-Class Mail letters anytime in the future — regardless of price changes. It was introduced in 2007.
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). The rules and procedures of accepted accounting practice as defined by the Financial Accounting Standards Board.
Impaired Asset. When the market value of an economic resource has been permanently lowered below the recorded value of the asset.
Inspector General. The Inspector General is appointed by and reports directly to the Governors of the Postal Service and is independent of postal management. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) primarily investigates and evaluates programs and operations of the Postal Service to ensure the efficiency and integrity of the postal system.
Intelligent Mail. Products and services or a strategy used to describe products and services that use machine readable codes, such as barcodes, to uniquely identify mail. This enables large mailers to follow the progress of their mail through the many stages of processing all the way to delivery.
Leasehold. An asset that gives the Postal Service the right to use property under a lease.
Liability. Any debt or obligation that is owed by the Postal Service at some future period of time.
Mailing Services. Market-dominated products as defined by the PRC. These are products for which the Postal Service has market power to set prices substantially above costs without risk of losing business to others. The Mailing Services products include: First-Class Mail letters and sealed parcels; First-Class Mail cards; Periodicals; Standard Mail; single-piece Parcel Post; Media Mail; Bound Printed Matter; Library Mail; Special Services; and single-piece International Mail.
Operating Expense. Expenses that are incurred in providing our primary business services and products.
Operating Margin. A financial indication calculated by dividing income from operations by operating revenue.
Operating Revenue. Revenues that are earned from our primary business services and products.
OPM. Office of Personnel Management. The agency that manages and maintains the government retirement and health benefit plans.
Package Services. Mailing category offered for any merchandise or printed matter weighing up to 70 pounds. These services include Parcel Post, Bound Printed Matter, Library Mail, and Media Mail.
Payable. Money that is owed by the Postal Service.
Periodicals. A class of mail formerly called second-class mail that consists of magazines, newspapers, and other publications.
Postal Inspection Service. The investigative arm of the Postal Service responsible for investigating criminal acts involving the mail and misuse of the postal system.
Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) (formerly the Postal Rate Commission). An independent federal establishment with oversight responsibility for the Postal Service to review and approve prices, review financial data, and hear and rule on price and service complaints.
Prepaid. Payments made in advance of service being provided.
Present Value. The value today of a future payment that is discounted at a stated rate of compound interest. For example, the present value of $100 that will be paid to the Postal Service 10 years from now is about $38.55, if we discount that $100 at a rate equal to 10% interest compounded annually.
Priority Mail. Priority mail is a 1-3-day non-guaranteed delivery service.
Receivable. Money that is owed to the Postal Service.
Recognize. To record in Postal Service accounts as income or expense.
Shipping Services. Products that are not Mailing Services and are considered competitive products. The competitive product list includes: Priority Mail; Expedited Mail; Bulk Parcel Post; and Bulk International Mail.
Special Services. A category of services that add value to mail by providing added security, proof of delivery or loss recovery. These services include: Certified Mail, Registered Mail, Delivery Confirmation, Signature Confirmation, and insurance up to $1,000.
Standard Mail. Mailing service offered for any item, including advertisements and merchandise weighing less than 16 ounces that are not required to be sent using First-Class Mail. Standard Mail is typically used for bulk advertising to multiple delivery addresses.
U.S. Mail. Any mailable matter that is accepted for mail processing and delivery by the Postal Service.
Universal Service. The Postal Service’s mandate and commitment to the nation to provide mail delivery service at uniform and reasonable rates to everyone, everywhere.
Workshare. Tasks performed by mailers that otherwise would be done by the Postal Service, such as, preparing, sorting, barcoding, and transporting mail. Reduced postage rates are offered to these customers.
