Lazard Asset Management LLC Buys 33,438 Shares of Kirby Corporation $KEX

Lazard Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Kirby Corporation (NYSE:KEX) by 430.5% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 41,205 shares of the shipping company’s stock after purchasing an additional 33,438 shares during the period. Lazard Asset Management LLC owned about 0.08% of Kirby worth $5,475,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Maseco LLP purchased a new stake in Kirby during the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Rothschild Investment LLC boosted its stake in shares of Kirby by 2,600.0% in the 4th quarter. Rothschild Investment LLC now owns 270 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 260 shares during the last quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Kirby by 537.5% in the fourth quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 306 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 258 shares during the period. Parallel Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Kirby by 50.0% in the fourth quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 402 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $44,000 after acquiring an additional 134 shares during the period. Finally, Root Financial Partners LLC increased its position in Kirby by 182.9% during the first quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC now owns 430 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $57,000 after acquiring an additional 278 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 96.15% of the company’s stock.

Kirby News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Kirby this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 revenue and earnings beat key estimates. Kirby reported second-quarter revenue of $922.4 million, up 7.8% year over year and well above the $870.4 million consensus estimate. EPS was $1.67, beating the $1.63 estimate cited by several analysts, although it was unchanged from the prior-year quarter. Kirby Corporation Announces Second Quarter 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Management raised its outlook within the existing range. Kirby said full-year EPS is expected to trend toward the upper end of its 5%–15% growth outlook, implying improving operating momentum. Reported FY 2026 EPS guidance of $7.28 is also above the roughly $7.01 consensus estimate. Kirby signals full-year EPS growth toward upper end of range
• Positive Sentiment: Business demand remains healthy. Marine transportation revenue rose 9% year over year on stronger customer demand and utilization, while distribution and services revenue increased 6%. The power-generation backlog reached approximately $1 billion–$1.5 billion, supporting future growth. Kirby Q2 2026 earnings call highlights
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support and capital returns are favorable. BTIG reaffirmed its Buy rating with a $170 price target, while Kirby repurchased $59.7 million of shares during the quarter and an additional $29.0 million in the following quarter to date. BTIG reiterates Buy rating on Kirby
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst consensus indicates approximately 27% upside, but historical research suggests price targets alone are unreliable; upward earnings-estimate revisions are the more important potential catalyst. Wall Street analysts predict upside in Kirby
• Negative Sentiment: EPS was flat year over year, and one estimate source characterized the $1.67 result as slightly below its $1.70 forecast. This may limit enthusiasm despite the revenue and broader consensus beat. Kirby Q2 earnings estimate comparison

Insider Activity

In other Kirby news, VP Amy D. Husted sold 4,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $145.43, for a total value of $581,720.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president directly owned 10,814 shares in the company, valued at $1,572,680.02. This represents a 27.00% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, COO Christian G. O’neil sold 11,287 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, May 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $145.93, for a total transaction of $1,647,111.91. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold 17,691 shares of company stock worth $2,579,036 over the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.80% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

KEX has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Citigroup boosted their price target on Kirby from $160.00 to $165.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, July 13th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Kirby from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Friday, July 17th. Bank of America raised their price objective on shares of Kirby from $169.00 to $182.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 8th. Evercore restated an “outperform” rating and set a $158.00 target price on shares of Kirby in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised shares of Kirby from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, June 13th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Kirby currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $162.20.

Kirby Stock Up 1.0%

NYSE KEX opened at $132.39 on Friday. Kirby Corporation has a 52 week low of $79.51 and a 52 week high of $157.69. The company has a quick ratio of 1.01, a current ratio of 1.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29. The company has a market capitalization of $7.08 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.37, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 0.83. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $140.86 and its 200-day moving average price is $136.29.

Kirby (NYSE:KEX) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 29th. The shipping company reported $1.67 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.63 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $922.40 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $870.38 million. Kirby had a return on equity of 10.49% and a net margin of 10.18%.The firm’s revenue was up 7.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.67 EPS. Kirby has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.280-7.280 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that Kirby Corporation will post 7.28 earnings per share for the current year.

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.