Kirby (NYSE:KEX) Downgraded by Zacks Research to “Strong Sell”

Zacks Research lowered shares of Kirby (NYSE:KEX) from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research note released on Thursday morning,Zacks.com reports. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Kirby’s Q2 2026 earnings at $1.71 EPS, Q3 2026 earnings at $1.74 EPS, Q4 2026 earnings at $1.87 EPS, FY2026 earnings at $6.75 EPS, Q1 2027 earnings at $1.84 EPS and FY2028 earnings at $9.14 EPS.

KEX has been the topic of several other research reports. Evercore boosted their price target on shares of Kirby from $109.00 to $122.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 30th. Citigroup lifted their target price on Kirby from $145.00 to $147.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 30th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Kirby in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Wall Street Zen upgraded Kirby from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, November 1st. Finally, BTIG Research decreased their price objective on Kirby from $140.00 to $135.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Kirby presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $129.40.

Kirby Trading Up 2.9%

Shares of KEX stock opened at $124.87 on Thursday. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $118.76 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $104.03. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.77 billion, a PE ratio of 19.73, a PEG ratio of 1.09 and a beta of 0.88. Kirby has a 52-week low of $79.51 and a 52-week high of $132.18. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31, a quick ratio of 1.08 and a current ratio of 1.70.

Kirby (NYSE:KEX) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The shipping company reported $1.68 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.62 by $0.06. Kirby had a return on equity of 10.55% and a net margin of 10.54%.The business had revenue of $851.78 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $857.82 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.29 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.2% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts predict that Kirby will post 6.57 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, VP Scott P. Miller sold 3,960 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $120.68, for a total value of $477,892.80. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president directly owned 3,565 shares in the company, valued at $430,224.20. This trade represents a 52.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, COO Christian G. O’neil sold 11,145 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on 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 transaction, the chief operating officer owned 14,835 shares in the company, 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 three months, insiders sold 63,898 shares of company stock worth $7,081,741. 0.90% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Kirby

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. raised its position in Kirby by 30.4% in the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 491,355 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $49,632,000 after purchasing an additional 114,618 shares during the period. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC grew its stake in shares of Kirby by 152.7% during the first quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 182,565 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $18,441,000 after buying an additional 110,320 shares during the last quarter. KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS raised its holdings in shares of Kirby by 72.7% in the second quarter. KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS now owns 5,700 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $646,000 after buying an additional 2,400 shares during the period. IFP Advisors Inc bought a new stake in shares of Kirby during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $29,000. Finally, Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Kirby during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $205,000. 96.15% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Kirby News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Kirby this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised its Q1 2027 EPS estimate for Kirby sharply (from $1.60 to $1.84) and projects stronger long‑run earnings (FY2028 EPS forecast of $9.14), which supports a higher near‑term valuation and helped push the stock up.
• Positive Sentiment: Market commentary highlights improving shareholder returns and favorable fundamentals following Kirby’s January quarter that beat EPS expectations — a boost for investor confidence. Returns At Kirby (NYSE:KEX) Are On The Way Up
• Neutral Sentiment: Background: Kirby reported a January quarter EPS beat and revenue growth; consensus and longer‑term analyst coverage remain mostly constructive (consensus FY2026 ~6.57 EPS, MarketBeat consensus “Moderate Buy”), which provides underlying support to the share price.
• Negative Sentiment: In the same Zacks note, analysts trimmed several 2026 quarterly EPS estimates and reduced FY2026 from $6.97 to $6.75 — these downward revisions introduce some short‑term uncertainty around near‑term earnings momentum.
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks added KEX to its Rank #5 (Strong Sell) list on Feb 13, which can trigger short‑term selling pressure from momentum or model‑driven funds. New Strong Sell Stocks for February 13th
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: Two Kirby VPs disclosed sizable sales (William Woodruff sold 2,000 shares; Scott P. Miller sold 3,960 shares). Large insider sells can be interpreted negatively by the market even if they’re routine. Insider Sales Filing

Kirby Company Profile

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.