Kirby (NYSE:KEX) Releases FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

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

Kirby Stock Down 3.9%

NYSE:KEX traded down $4.76 on Friday, reaching $117.41. The stock had a trading volume of 1,477,096 shares, compared to its average volume of 963,170. The stock has a market cap of $6.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.78, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.10 and a beta of 0.88. Kirby has a 12-month low of $79.51 and a 12-month high of $132.18. 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.

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

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms recently weighed in on KEX. BTIG Research dropped their price objective on shares of Kirby from $140.00 to $135.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Kirby in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Citigroup increased their target price on shares of Kirby from $145.00 to $147.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday. Wolfe Research reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $136.00 price target on shares of Kirby in a research note on Friday. Finally, Evercore ISI upped their target price on Kirby from $109.00 to $122.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 30th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $130.33.

Insider Transactions at Kirby

In other news, VP Kurt A. Niemietz sold 1,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, December 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $114.12, for a total value of $171,180.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president owned 958 shares in the company, valued at approximately $109,326.96. This represents a 61.03% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, COO Christian G. O’neil sold 11,145 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $111.68, for a total transaction of $1,244,673.60. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer owned 14,835 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,656,772.80. This trade represents a 42.90% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 57,147 shares of company stock valued at $6,204,544. 0.90% of the stock is owned by insiders.

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

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of KEX. Alliancebernstein L.P. lifted its position in Kirby by 72.5% during the second quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 2,282,865 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $258,900,000 after purchasing an additional 959,209 shares during the period. Appian Way Asset Management LP raised its position in shares of Kirby by 335.8% in the third quarter. Appian Way Asset Management LP now owns 675,546 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $56,374,000 after purchasing an additional 520,535 shares during the period. Millennium Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Kirby by 108.4% in the 3rd quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 839,662 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $70,070,000 after acquiring an additional 436,735 shares in the last quarter. Select Equity Group L.P. boosted its stake in shares of Kirby by 10.8% in the 2nd quarter. Select Equity Group L.P. now owns 2,165,929 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $245,638,000 after purchasing an additional 211,231 shares in the last quarter. Finally, UBS Group AG grew its position in shares of Kirby by 214.7% in the 3rd quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 265,001 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $22,114,000 after buying an additional 180,794 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 96.15% of the company’s stock.

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.