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KEXKEXIndustrials · Marine Shipping

KEX Stock Forecast: Kirby Corp. Price Predictions for 2026-2027

Last close, 18 Sept 2026
$138
−0.03% on the day

The 6 Wall Street analysts covering Kirby Corp. hold a median 12-month price target of $167 — +20.7% from the last close. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model, run across ~4,600 US stocks, ranks it 95 of 100 as at 19 Sept 2026 — among the strongest tenth. Here, the model and the Street point the same way.

Market cap
$7.3B
Ticker Nerd rank
95 / 100
Median analyst target
$167
Analysts covering
6
Revenue$922.4M+7.8% y/y
Operating income$121.6M
Net income$89.8M
Free cash flow$758K
Quarterly, 8 quarters to 30 June 2026 · latest quarter's figure shown
Total return, dividends reinvested
1W
−0.8%
1M
−1.0%
YTD
+25.6%
1Y
+64.6%
From 52W high
−9.3%
From 52W low
+73.0%
$80
$153
52-week range, adjusted closes · the dot is the last close
Ticker Nerd rank

KEX stock analysis: one number for the whole business

Consensus tells you what everyone already believes. The model scores Kirby Corp. on its factor families — the same systematic rank behind the Ticker Nerd portfolio.

Where the model ranks itAs at 19 Sept 2026
95 / 100

Percentile across ~4,600 US stocks on Ticker Nerd’s systematic factor model. Higher is better. How the model is built and tested

Issuance
96
Revisions
88
Momentum
83
Quality
82
Value
77
Volatility
76
Accruals
67
Growth
49
Size
18

Issuance (96): The share count has been shrinking and the company is not leaning on new borrowing.

Growth (49): Sales and profits are flat, shrinking, or growing more slowly than they were.

Size (18): Larger than most of the companies we track — more scrutinised, less often mispriced.

Built and run by Aslam Ghouse, an ex-Goldman Sachs quant trader with fourteen years in markets.

Wall Street

KEX stock forecast 2026-2027: analyst price targets & predictions

The bullish and bearish analyst opinions on KEX, reported as data — targets and ratings, the market's view beside the model's.

Share price and the analyst range, 12 monthsAdjusted close, US dollars
$80$100$120$140$160$180Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 26KEXHigh $175Median $167Low $158

Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

Data provided by Twelve Data

What Wall Street says6 analysts
6 Buy0 Hold0 Sell
Low $158Median $167High $175

The green dot is the last close — the median target sits +20.7% from it.

Recent analyst actionsNewest first

Of the 20 most recent actions, 3 moved their price target up and 0 moved it down.

DateFirmActionRatingTarget
31 July 2026CitigroupMaintainsBuy$165 → $170
29 July 2026BTIGReiteratesBuy$170
14 July 2026BTIGReiteratesBuy$170
14 July 2026BTIGReiteratesBuy—
13 July 2026CitigroupMaintainsBuy$160 → $165
13 July 2026CitigroupMaintainsBuy—
8 July 2026B of A SecuritiesMaintainsBuy$169 → $182
8 July 2026B of A SecuritiesMaintainsBuy—
1 May 2026Evercore ISI GroupMaintainsOutperform—
30 Apr 2026BTIGMaintainsBuy—
15 Apr 2026BTIGMaintainsBuy—
9 Apr 2026CitigroupMaintainsBuy—
30 Jan 2026CitigroupMaintainsBuy—
29 Jan 2026BTIGMaintainsBuy—
20 Jan 2026CitigroupMaintainsBuy—
15 Jan 2026BTIGMaintainsBuy—
19 Dec 2025CitigroupMaintainsBuy—
5 Nov 2025CitigroupUpgradeBuy—
30 Oct 2025CitigroupMaintainsNeutral—
30 Oct 2025Evercore ISI GroupMaintainsOutperform—

Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

Market Radar

This page is one stock. Monday covers all of them.

Computed off the Friday close and sent before the US open.

Market Radar reports the week’s largest rank changes across roughly 4,600 US stocks, the factor behind each one, and where the market went. KEX appears on the weeks it earns a place.

Free, every Monday. Unsubscribe any time.

Performance

KEX vs the S&P 500

Both lines are total return — dividends reinvested — so the comparison is honest on both sides.

Over the twelve months to 18 Sept 2026, Kirby Corp. returned +64.6% against +16.3% for the S&P 500, dividends included.

KEX vs S&P 500, last 12 monthsTotal return, rebased to 100
100120140160180Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 26KEXS&P 500

Download this chart as an image — free to reuse; link this page as the source.

Data provided by Twelve Data

Estimates

KEX analyst estimate revisions

Not the forecast itself — the direction analysts are revising it. Revision direction is one of the model's factor families.

Which way the estimates are movingNext fiscal year
EPS revision, 90 days
+1.1%
Analysts raising
5
Analysts cutting
1
Fundamentals

Kirby Corp. (KEX) financial data

A margin means little on its own. Each bar marks where the figure sits across the whole US universe we score.

Valuation
Trailing P/E
21.1×

Cheaper than 35% of US stocks

Price / sales
2.1×

Cheaper than 51% of US stocks

Price / book
2.1×

Cheaper than 43% of US stocks

EV / EBITDA
10.9×

Cheaper than 34% of US stocks

Growth & margins
Revenue growth (YoY)
7.8%

Higher than 46% of US stocks

Earnings growth (YoY)
−4.8%

Higher than 30% of US stocks

Gross margin
23.9%

Higher than 26% of US stocks

Operating margin
13.8%

Higher than 71% of US stocks

Net margin
10.2%

Higher than 70% of US stocks

Returns & dividend
Return on equity
10.4%

Higher than 64% of US stocks

Return on assets
5.1%

Higher than 77% of US stocks

Dividend yield
—

Bars mark the percentile across the ~4,600 US stocks Ticker Nerd covers, among those reporting the figure.

Key statistics

Kirby Corp. (KEX) statistics: revenue, profit & scale

The headline figures, each with its date. Every row carries its own link — cite it straight from here.

  • Kirby Corp. has a market value of $7.3B and an enterprise value of $8.5B.

  • Revenue in the twelve months to 30 June 2026: $3.5B. The latest quarter grew 7.8% year on year.

  • Net income over the same four quarters: $355.9M, a 10.2% net margin.

  • Diluted earnings per share, trailing twelve months: $6.50.

  • Free cash flow in the twelve months to 30 June 2026: $475.6M, after $234.1M of capital spending.

  • Kirby Corp. spent $333.9M on share buybacks in the twelve months to 30 June 2026.

  • Shares outstanding: 53.1M.

  • Trailing P/E: 21.1×; forward P/E: 16.5× — the forward figure prices analyst consensus estimates, not reported earnings.

  • Kirby Corp. employs 5,233 people — $667K of revenue per employee.

Statement figures: company filings via Twelve Data, four quarters to 30 June 2026 · market figures as at 18 Sept 2026

Data provided by Twelve Data

Peers

KEX vs competitors

The nearest names by industry and size, scored by the same model — like for like.

Its peer group, ranked by the same modelMarine Shipping
CompanyMarket capTKN rank
KEXKirby Corp.$7.3B
95
MATXMatson, Inc.$7.3B
95
HAFNHafnia Ltd.$5.1B
92
ZIMZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd.$3.6B
88
SBLKStar Bulk Carriers Corp.$3.6B
98
DACDanaos Corp.$2.9B
87
SFLSFL Corp. Ltd.$2.0B
95

Look up any of the roughly 4,600 stocks we score.

The rank is the raw material. Whether the rules would actually own Kirby Corp. — and when they’d sell — is the membership. See the Ticker Nerd 20 →

News

Latest KEX news & analysis

Kirby (KEX) Upgraded to Buy: Here's Why

Zacks Investment Research · 3 Sept 2026positive

Zacks Investment Research upgraded Kirby Corp. (KEX) to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), citing growing optimism about the company's earnings prospects. The upgrade reflects the possibility that this could drive the stock higher in the near term.

Why it matters — A Zacks upgrade to Buy signals increased analyst confidence in Kirby's earnings outlook, which a KEX watcher would note as a potentially favorable development for the stock.

Kirby EPS Estimates Northbound: Should Investors Buy the Stock?

Zacks Investment Research · 28 Aug 2026neutral

Zacks Investment Research published an item noting that Kirby Corp. (KEX) shares are moving north and assessing the stock's current positioning to determine whether it is a good investment at this juncture.

Why it matters — KEX watchers would care because the report evaluates whether the stock's recent upward movement makes it a worthwhile investment now.

Kirby (KEX) Up 5.7% Since Last Earnings Report: Can It Continue?

Zacks Investment Research · 28 Aug 2026positive

Kirby (KEX) reported earnings 30 days ago, and its stock has risen 5.7% since that report. The article examines what may come next for the stock following this earnings-driven gain.

Why it matters — A KEX watcher would track the stock's post-earnings momentum and what the outlook may hold after this reported gain.

Is Kirby (KEX) Stock Outpacing Its Transportation Peers This Year?

Zacks Investment Research · 28 Aug 2026neutral

The article compares the year-to-date performance of Kirby Corporation (KEX) against ZIM Integrated Shipping Services (ZIM) within the transportation sector.

Why it matters — KEX watchers monitor how the company's stock performance stacks up against both direct peers and the broader transportation sector over the course of the year.

Kirby: Structurally Still In A Good Spot Right Now

Seeking Alpha · 27 Aug 2026positive

Seeking Alpha describes Kirby Corp. as structurally well-positioned, citing its unique marine transportation of bulk liquids, inland pricing momentum, and constrained vessel supply as supporting strong revenue and EPS growth. Management guides for over 10% year-over-year EPS gains, with 2027 expected to benefit from the reset of 40% of inland contracts and a return toward historical 28% EBIT margins.

Why it matters — KEX watchers would care because the article points to favorable rate trends and contract resets that could drive a return to historical margin levels by 2027.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about KEX stock

What is the KEX stock price forecast for 2026-2027?

The 6 Wall Street analysts covering Kirby Corp. have a median 12-month price target of $167, with estimates ranging from $158 to $175. These are third-party analyst estimates, not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

Is KEX stock a buy right now?

Of the 6 analysts covering Kirby Corp., 6 rate it a Buy, 0 a Hold and 0 a Sell. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model ranks Kirby Corp. 95 out of 100 across roughly 4,600 US stocks as at 19 Sept 2026. None of this is personal advice — it does not consider your circumstances.

How does Ticker Nerd's model rank KEX?

As at 19 Sept 2026, Kirby Corp. ranks 95 out of 100 on Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model — a percentile across roughly 4,600 US stocks, built from its factor families. Its strongest factor family is Issuance (96 of 100).

Will KEX stock go up?

No one can know that. What the data says: the median 12-month target from 6 analysts implies +20.7% from the last close, and Ticker Nerd's factor model ranks Kirby Corp. 95 out of 100 as at 19 Sept 2026. Analyst targets are third-party estimates and frequently wrong; none of this is personal advice.

What is the KEX stock forecast for 2030?

No analyst covering Kirby Corp. publishes a 2030 price target — Wall Street targets run 12 to 18 months out. Sites quoting a 2030 price for KEX are extrapolating price history, which says nothing about the business. The furthest attributed numbers are the current analyst targets: $158 to $175 over the next 12 months.

How has KEX stock performed over the past year?

Kirby Corp. returned +64.6% over the 12 months to 18 Sept 2026, with dividends reinvested. Past performance does not indicate future returns.

What does Kirby Corp. do?

Kirby Corporation is a U.S. marine transportation and industrial services company that specializes in moving bulk liquid cargoes by tank barge and towing vessel.

What is the latest news on KEX?

The most recent item we track (Zacks Investment Research, 3 Sept 2026): "Kirby (KEX) Upgraded to Buy: Here's Why". Zacks Investment Research upgraded Kirby Corp. (KEX) to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), citing growing optimism about the company's earnings prospects. The upgrade reflects the possibility that this could drive the stock higher in the near term.

Company

About Kirby Corp.

Kirby Corporation is a U.S. marine transportation and industrial services company that specializes in moving bulk liquid cargoes by tank barge and towing vessel. Its marine transportation business carries petrochemicals, refined petroleum products, black oil, and agricultural chemicals through inland waterways and coastal routes, serving energy, chemical, and agricultural supply chains. The company also operates a distribution and services segment that supplies, rents, and services engines, transmissions, power generation equipment, electrical controls, and related industrial parts for oilfield, marine, on-highway, and power generation applications. Kirby Corporation plays a key role in supporting domestic logistics and equipment maintenance for industries that depend on reliable bulk transport and specialized industrial support services.

CEO Mr. David W. Grzebinski C.F.A. · 5,233 employees · United States · https://kirbycorp.com