Bessemer Group Inc. Sells 147,818 Shares of Kirby Corporation $KEX

Bessemer Group Inc. decreased its holdings in shares of Kirby Corporation (NYSE:KEX) by 99.2% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 1,201 shares of the shipping company’s stock after selling 147,818 shares during the quarter. Bessemer Group Inc.’s holdings in Kirby were worth $100,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the business. IFP Advisors Inc bought a new position in Kirby in the 2nd quarter valued at $29,000. First Horizon Corp purchased a new stake in shares of Kirby during the third quarter valued at $30,000. Bell Investment Advisors Inc grew its holdings in shares of Kirby by 67.1% in the second quarter. Bell Investment Advisors Inc now owns 284 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 114 shares during the last quarter. True Wealth Design LLC increased its stake in Kirby by 466.7% in the 2nd quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 374 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $42,000 after buying an additional 308 shares during the period. Finally, Frazier Financial Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Kirby by 559.3% during the 3rd quarter. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC now owns 567 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $47,000 after buying an additional 481 shares in the last quarter. 96.15% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Kirby Price Performance

Shares of KEX stock opened at $124.87 on Friday. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $118.76 and its 200 day moving average is $104.03. Kirby Corporation has a 1-year low of $79.51 and a 1-year high of $132.18. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31, a current ratio of 1.70 and a quick ratio of 1.08. The company has a market cap of $6.77 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.73, a PEG ratio of 1.09 and a beta of 0.88.

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

Key Kirby News

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

Insider Buying and Selling at Kirby

In related news, VP Kurt A. Niemietz sold 1,500 shares of Kirby stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $114.12, for a total value of $171,180.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president directly owned 958 shares in the company, valued at $109,326.96. This trade represents a 61.03% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, VP Scott P. Miller sold 3,960 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $120.68, for a total transaction of $477,892.80. Following the sale, the vice president directly owned 3,565 shares in the company, valued at approximately $430,224.20. This represents a 52.62% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last three months, insiders have sold 63,898 shares of company stock valued at $7,081,741. Insiders own 0.90% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have commented on the stock. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Kirby in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. BTIG Research lowered their price target on Kirby from $140.00 to $135.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Kirby from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, November 1st. Evercore lifted their target price on Kirby from $109.00 to $122.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. Finally, Wolfe Research reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $136.00 price target on shares of Kirby in a research report on Friday, January 30th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Kirby has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $129.40.

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.