Research Analysts Set Expectations for Kirby Q2 Earnings

Kirby Corporation (NYSE:KEX) – Analysts at Zacks Research cut their Q2 2026 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for Kirby in a note issued to investors on Thursday, February 12th. Zacks Research analyst Team now expects that the shipping company will post earnings per share of $1.71 for the quarter, down from their prior forecast of $1.76. Zacks Research currently has a “Strong Sell” rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for Kirby’s current full-year earnings is $6.57 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Kirby’s 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.

A number of other equities analysts have also recently commented on KEX. Evercore lifted their target price on Kirby from $109.00 to $122.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, October 30th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Kirby from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, November 1st. Citigroup lifted their price objective on shares of Kirby from $145.00 to $147.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 30th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Kirby in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Finally, Wolfe Research reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $136.00 price target on shares of Kirby in a research note on Friday, January 30th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $129.40.

Kirby Trading Up 2.9%

Shares of NYSE KEX opened at $124.87 on Friday. The business’s 50 day moving average is $118.76 and its two-hundred day moving average is $103.92. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31, a current ratio of 1.70 and a quick ratio of 1.08. Kirby has a 1-year low of $79.51 and a 1-year high of $132.18. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.77 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.73, a PEG ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 0.88.

Kirby (NYSE:KEX) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The shipping company reported $1.68 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.62 by $0.06. Kirby had a return on equity of 10.55% and a net margin of 10.54%.The company had revenue of $851.78 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $857.82 million. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.29 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.2% on a year-over-year basis.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, VP Ronald A. Dragg sold 5,429 shares of Kirby stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $122.00, for a total value of $662,338.00. Following the transaction, the vice president owned 10,399 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,268,678. The trade was a 34.30% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, VP Scott P. Miller sold 3,960 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $120.68, for a total transaction of $477,892.80. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president owned 3,565 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $430,224.20. This trade represents a 52.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold 63,898 shares of company stock valued at $7,081,741 over the last quarter. 0.90% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Kirby

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Maseco LLP purchased a new position in Kirby in the 4th quarter valued at about $27,000. IFP Advisors Inc acquired a new stake in Kirby during the second quarter worth about $29,000. Rothschild Investment LLC raised its position in shares of Kirby by 2,600.0% during the 4th quarter. Rothschild Investment LLC now owns 270 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 260 shares during the period. Bell Investment Advisors Inc raised its position in Kirby by 67.1% in the second quarter. Bell Investment Advisors Inc now owns 284 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 114 shares during the period. Finally, Smartleaf Asset Management LLC lifted its position in Kirby by 537.5% in the fourth quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 306 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $34,000 after buying an additional 258 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 96.15% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Kirby

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.