It doesn't directly contradict what the NYTimes wrote, at all:

1. Fedex is bundling total tax expenditures (state taxes, employment taxes, who knows what, probably the whole kit) versus their federal income tax liability which is what NYTimes is discussing

2. Fedex has been in the 5-6B annual Capex range since FY 2015.

Further, someone could "spin" that 401k treatment, but this is an article about how Fedex rallied hard for specific tax treatments that had a specific effect. So if you wanna go out there and get some carve-out, expect to catch crap for it. If you're a normal person you'll go laughing to the bank with it, but if you're an especially hostile individual I guess you could, like, challenge people to a debate or whatever