Kirby (NYSE:KEX) Updates FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Kirby (NYSE:KEX) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Friday morning. The company provided EPS guidance of 6.330-7.090 for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of 6.580. The company issued revenue guidance of -.

Kirby Stock Down 3.9%

Shares of Kirby stock traded down $4.76 on Friday, reaching $117.41. 1,477,096 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 963,170. The company has a current ratio of 1.70, a quick ratio of 1.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31. The company has a 50-day moving average of $116.80 and a 200 day moving average of $103.69. The company has a market capitalization of $6.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.78, a PEG ratio of 1.10 and a beta of 0.88. Kirby has a one year low of $79.51 and a one year high of $132.18.

Kirby (NYSE:KEX) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The shipping company reported $1.68 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.62 by $0.06. The business had revenue of $851.78 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $857.82 million. Kirby had a net margin of 9.22% and a return on equity of 10.05%. The firm’s revenue was up 6.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.29 EPS. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Kirby will post 6.57 earnings per share for the current year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Kirby from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, November 1st. BTIG Research reduced their price target on Kirby from $140.00 to $135.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday. Wolfe Research reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $136.00 target price on shares of Kirby in a report on Friday. Evercore ISI upped their price target on shares of Kirby from $109.00 to $122.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. Finally, Citigroup boosted their price target on Kirby from $145.00 to $147.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $130.33.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, CEO David W. Grzebinski sold 29,451 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $107.41, for a total transaction of $3,163,331.91. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 79,709 shares in the company, valued at $8,561,543.69. This represents a 26.98% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, VP Ronald A. Dragg sold 2,715 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $110.29, for a total value of $299,437.35. Following the transaction, the vice president owned 10,325 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,138,744.25. This trade represents a 20.82% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold 57,147 shares of company stock valued at $6,204,544 in the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.90% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting Kirby

Here are the key news stories impacting Kirby this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 EPS beat expectations — Kirby reported $1.68 EPS vs. $1.62 consensus, confirming improved profitability (net margin ~9.2%). Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Company reported a record year: utilization improvement in inland marine, stronger coastal margins and a sequential +10% jump in power‑generation revenue; management also repurchased ~1.03M shares and paid down ~$130M of debt. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Power‑generation segment strength and marine pricing dynamics are driving the outlook, supporting upside if large project wins continue. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support: Citigroup raised its price target to $147 with a Buy rating, signaling continued upside from some institutional analysts. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Recent inflows reported into KEX suggest fund buying helped bid the stock higher earlier in the week. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: BTIG trimmed its target to $135 but kept a Buy rating — still implying upside, though slightly less optimistic than peers. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Full earnings materials and call transcripts are available (useful for modeling forward margins and backlog; see transcripts/slide deck). Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue slightly missed estimates ($851.8M vs. ~$857.8M expected), which may temper enthusiasm given the stretched valuation after a recent run. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation scrutiny — pieces asking whether KEX is “expensive for a reason” highlight investor concern that strong fundamentals must outpace a higher multiple to justify the price. Article Title

Institutional Trading of Kirby

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in KEX. Logan Capital Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Kirby by 4.3% during the third quarter. Logan Capital Management Inc. now owns 4,213 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $352,000 after buying an additional 173 shares during the last quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina lifted its stake in Kirby by 1.5% during the 2nd quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 26,440 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $2,999,000 after acquiring an additional 382 shares in the last quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC raised its position in shares of Kirby by 1.4% during the 2nd quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 31,660 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $3,591,000 after acquiring an additional 434 shares in the last quarter. Aristides Capital LLC increased its stake in Kirby by 23.1% in the third quarter. Aristides Capital LLC now owns 2,789 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $233,000 after purchasing an additional 524 shares during the period. Finally, Osaic Holdings Inc. lifted its position in Kirby by 39.3% in the second quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 4,496 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $510,000 after purchasing an additional 1,269 shares during the period. 96.15% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About Kirby

Kirby Corporation is a leading domestic maritime transporter of bulk liquid products in the United States. Through its Marine Transportation segment, the company operates one of North America’s largest fleets of inland tank barges and towing vessels. Kirby’s fleet moves petrochemicals, black oil, refined petroleum products and agricultural chemicals along coastal and inland waterways, providing critical logistical support to energy, chemical and agricultural producers.

In addition to its marine operations, Kirby’s Distribution and Services segment offers diesel engine and power generation services, along with aftermarket parts sales.