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KEXKirby CorporationHold5.6·$148.65-0.30%
HoldModerate Confidence
Investment thesis

A perfect four-quarter earnings beat streak and a maximum Piotroski financial health score of 9 out of 9 reflect a well-run business, but the stock is range-bound near its analyst price target with only 1.9% upside remaining and a risk/reward ratio of 0.41 that does not favor new entry at current levels.

Thesis pillars

  • Perfect Earnings Beat StreakStable
  • Near Target Thin Risk RewardDeteriorating
  • Maximum Financial Health ScoreStable
  • +1 more pillar — see the Why tab for full reasoning

Full reasoning →

Open full analysis

Kirby Corporation (KEX) Stock Analysis

HoldModerate Confidence

Industrials · Marine Shipping

Earnings in 3 days (2026-07-29). Expect elevated volatility around the report — consider waiting for post-earnings price action before new entries.

Hold if already holding. Not a fresh buy at $148.65, but acceptable to hold if already in. Reason: Analyst target reached - limited upside remaining.

Kirby Corporation is the nation's largest domestic tank barge operator, transporting petrochemicals, black oil, refined petroleum products, and agricultural chemicals via 1,105 inland tank barges and 28 coastal tank barges. KDS, its second segment, distributes and services... Read more

$148.65-0.4% A.UpsideScore 5.6/10#13 of 19 Marine Shipping
QualityF-score9 / 9FCF yield4.47%
Entry $130.50(support + ATR)Stop $124.72Target $148.49(resistance)A.R:R -0.0:1
Analyst target$170.17+14.5%6 analysts
$148.49our TP
$148.65price
$170.17mean
$182

Hold if already holding. Not a fresh buy at $148.65, but acceptable to hold if already in. Reason: Analyst target reached - limited upside remaining. Chart setup: No clear chart pattern; technical signals are mixed. Downgraded from BUY WAIT — price $148.65 has reached target $148.49. No upside to wait for. Score 5.6/10, moderate confidence.

Passes 6/8 gates (positive momentum, clean insider activity, no SEC red flags, news events none recent, semi cycle peak clear, materials cycle peak clear). Fails on favorable risk/reward ratio and earnings proximity 3d<=7d. Suitability: moderate.

news + 30-day 8-K events · 5-min refresh

Recent developments

updated 2026-07-26
TrendMatrix Research · upcoming catalyst calendar

Upcoming dated catalysts

Wed, Jul 29, 20263d to earnings· next earnings call

Thesis

Rewards
No bull case signals
Risks
Analyst target reached - limited upside remaining

Key Metrics

P/E (TTM)22.9
P/E (Fwd)18.0
Mkt Cap$7.9B
EV/EBITDA11.6
Profit Mgn10.5%
ROE10.7%
Rev Growth7.4%
Beta0.83
DividendNone
Rating analysts10

Quality Signals

Piotroski F9/9

Options Flow

P/C0.19bullish
IV55%elevated

Concentration Risks(10-K Item 1A)

  • MEDIUMProductpetrochemical transportation48%
    10-K Item 1: 'The transportation of petrochemical products represented 48% of the segment's 2025 revenues.'
  • MEDIUMProductblack oil transportation26%
    10-K Item 1: 'Black oil ... Such products represented 26% of the segment's 2025 revenues.'
  • LOWProductrefined petroleum products transportation23%
    10-K Item 1: 'Refined petroleum products ... represented 23% of the segment's 2025 revenues.'
  • LOWSupplierMTU, Allison, and Daimler12%
    10-K Item 1A: 'Sales and service of MTU, Allison, and Daimler products accounted for approximately 12% of the Company's revenues during 2025.'

Material Events(8-K, last 90d)

  • 2026-04-30Item 2.02LOW
    Kirby Corporation released Q1 2026 earnings results on April 30, 2026. Press release included EBITDA reconciliation and non-GAAP measures excluding one-time items.
    SEC filing →

Model-generated analysis — not investment advice. Not a registered investment advisor. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

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About TrendMatrix. TrendMatrix is a publisher of general securities research and market commentary. We publish on a regular schedule. All content is the same for every subscriber in a tier — we do not provide personalized investment advice and we do not take into account any individual subscriber's financial situation, investment objectives, risk tolerance, tax situation, or holdings.

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Conflicts and positions. The TrendMatrix editorial team frequently holds personal long-term positions in securities discussed. We disclose positions held at the time of publication on each piece. We maintain a trading-window policy: we do not initiate or close positions in the same direction as a TrendMatrix publication within 24 hours before or 72 hours after publication.

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Performance. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Performance figures reflect the published model only and do not reflect any individual subscriber's actual results.

Methodology · Editorial policy & full disclaimer

Rating Breakdown

10 dimensions · all in-band

GatesA.R:R -0.0=NEGATIVEEARNINGS PROXIMITY 3d<=7dMomentum 6.6>=5.5Insider activity: OKNo SEC red flagsNEWS EVENTS NONE RECENTSEMI CYCLE PEAK CLEARMATERIALS CYCLE PEAK CLEARSuitability: Moderate
RSI
81 · Overbought
20D MA 50D MA 200D MAGOLDEN CROSSSupport $128.58Resistance $151.52

Price Targets

$125
$131
$148
A.Upside-0.4%
A.R:R-0.0:1

Position Sizing

ConvictionNone
Suggested %0.5%
Max %1%
RegimeSteady

Risk Alerts

! Target reached (-0.4% upside)
! Earnings in 3 days - binary event risk
! Negative risk/reward — downside exceeds upside

Earnings

B
B
B
B
4/4 beats
Next Earnings2026-07-29 (3d)

Verdict History

reverse chrono — latest first
Loading history...
Verdicts are recorded on every nightly pipeline run. Rows capture transitions (verdict flips, score deltas ≥0.3, entry/TP/SL changes). Rows with a ▶ can be expanded to see the change reason. Aggregate cohort performance is tracked in the recommendation ledger.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is KEX stock a buy right now?

Hold if already holding. Not a fresh buy at $148.65, but acceptable to hold if already in. Reason: Analyst target reached - limited upside remaining. Chart setup: No clear chart pattern; technical signals are mixed. Downgraded from BUY WAIT — price $148.65 has reached target $148.49. No upside to wait for. Target $148.49 (-0.1%), stop $124.72 (−19.2%), A.R:R -0.0:1. Score 5.6/10, moderate confidence.

What is the KEX stock price target?

Take-profit target: $148.49 (-0.4% upside). Target $148.49 (-0.1%), stop $124.72 (−19.2%), A.R:R -0.0:1. Stop-loss: $124.72.

What are the risks of investing in KEX?

Analyst target reached - limited upside remaining.

Is KEX overvalued or undervalued?

Kirby Corporation trades at a P/E of 22.9 (forward 18.0). TrendMatrix value score: 5.8/10. Verdict: Hold.

What do analysts say about KEX?

10 analysts cover KEX with a consensus score of 4.5/5. Average price target: $170.

What does Kirby Corporation do?Kirby Corporation is the nation's largest domestic tank barge operator, transporting petrochemicals, black oil, refined...

Kirby Corporation is the nation's largest domestic tank barge operator, transporting petrochemicals, black oil, refined petroleum products, and agricultural chemicals via 1,105 inland tank barges and 28 coastal tank barges. KDS, its second segment, distributes and services engines, transmissions, and power generation equipment while manufacturing oilfield and electrical equipment for industrial customers.

Related stocks: HAFN (Hafnia Limited) · NMM (Navios Maritime Partners LP) · SBLK (Star Bulk Carriers Corp.) · ECO (Okeanis Eco Tankers Corp.) · DAC (Danaos Corporation)
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