Final answer:
FedEx reaching US$1 billion in revenue without a merger or acquisition is true. This milestone was achieved in 1983 and marked a unique achievement of organic growth in American business history, unlike the frequent mergers seen in the U.S. airline industry.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that Federal Express (now known as FedEx) reached US$1 billion in revenue without a merger or acquisition is true. FedEx accomplished this milestone in 1983, just 10 years after its founding in 1973 by Frederick W. Smith. This achievement marked FedEx as the first American company to reach this level of revenue purely through organic growth rather than through merging with or acquiring other companies.
In contrast, the U.S. airline industry has seen a significant amount of consolidation, where mergers and acquisitions have raised concerns about competition. This is a different pattern from FedEx's growth strategy, which relied on innovative logistic solutions and expansion of services to rapidly gain market share and achieve significant revenue growth.