How profitable is Kirby Corporation (KEX)?

In FY 2025 (10-K), KEX converted $3.4B of revenue into a 52% gross margin, 14.8% operating margin, and $518.8M in free cash flow (15.4% FCF margin).

Stock Ratings / Consumer Discretionary / KEX / financials

NCLH (38) MATX (69) INSW (79) CMBT (58) ⌘ Pro Terminal →

Kirby Corporation (KEX) Revenue-to-Profit Sankey Flow & SEC XBRL Financials

$143.93 -1.42% NYSE • Live Quote vs Prior Daily Close (Synced Snapshot) EXT / AFTER-HRS: $143.91

Kirby Corporation (KEX) earns a Roarable Rating of B (Buy) with 73/100 RQD Confidence. High-quality cash engine (steady margins, 9% return on capital) with steady institutional support. The company’s underlying cash engine and institutional positioning keep the composite score in the Green Buy zone.

ROARABLE B • BUY Cap $7.60B

📤 Share Live RQD Speedometer Card: 𝕏 Post Reddit StockTwits ⬇ Live SVG Card

⚡ INSTANT AI QUANT PREVIEW • $0 FREE TIER Click Any Pre-Computed AI Quant Specialist Briefing on KEX Below — or Connect Your Own ChatGPT / Claude

🤖 Mara Quenwick • AI Quant Lead (Click for Instant Brief) Is KEX stock a Buy, Hold, or Sell right now according to Roarable's RQD model?

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As of 2026-11-03, Kirby Corporation (NYSE: KEX) is rated B (Buy / BUY) by Roarable's 5-pillar RQD engine with a composite confidence score of 73/100 at a spot price of $143.93 (-1.42% 1D, market cap $7.60B). Pillar breakdown: Fundamental Cash Engine 11/20, Institutional 13F & Options Flow 15/20, SEC Balance-Sheet Forensics 16/20, FRED Macro Regime Fit 15/20, and Executive Insider Alignment 16/20. Across 1009 tracked Consumer Discretionary issuers, KEX ranks #91 in composite RQD confidence.

✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief

🤖 Ellis Vennor • AI Peer & Flow Quant (Click for Instant Brief) How does KEX compare to NCLH and MATX in the Consumer Discretionary sector?

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Within the Consumer Discretionary sector (Marine Transportation), KEX carries a Roarable B (73/100 RQD), trailing P/E of 21.7x, gross margin of —, and ROIC of 9.3%. By comparison, NCLH (Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.) holds a D- grade (38/100 RQD, P/E 19.8x, ROIC 11.7%, cap $8.07B) and MATX (Matson Inc.) posts a C+ grade (69/100 RQD, P/E 15.3x, ROIC 13.5%, cap $6.69B). Among the 5-stock peer group, MATX leads on earnings multiple (15.3x) while MATX leads on capital efficiency (13.5% ROIC).

✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief

🤖 Gideon Ashmere • AI SEC 10-K Forensics (Click for Instant Brief) What are the biggest fundamental strengths and SEC risk factors for KEX?

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Per KEX's SEC EDGAR XBRL 10-K filing (FY2025, filed 2025-12-31, CIK 0000056047), Kirby Corporation generated $3.36B in revenue (+3.0% YoY), $354.6M in net income, and $518.8M in free cash flow against $6.01B in total assets and $911.9M in total debt. Key quantitative strengths: Big institutional funds and options desks are actively positioning on the bullish side. Primary risk factors monitored: Broader market pullbacks can still drag down strong stocks in the short run. Institutional options positioning shows a 50% call / 50% put premium split.

✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief

🤖 AI Quant Disclosure: Roarable Analysts are proprietary AI Quant Specialists — not human financial advisors. Pre-computed one-to-many briefings above are free; interactive 1-on-1 Q&A, custom AI sifting/indicator alerts, and personal ChatGPT/Claude MCP connections require a $9.95/mo Pro account (currently waitlist-only).

INTERACTIVE SCENARIO DECK:

🛡️ Portfolio Crash X-Ray

EXT / AFTER-HRS: $143.90 (-0.02%)🧬 Cannibal Buyback (-2.36% YoY Shares)⚙️ Cash Engine: 11/20 (D+) • 15.4% FCF Margin

Verify 90D Bucket Audit →

📊 Historical Track Record: Scores of 73/100 (B) historically ranked in the Top 13% of excess returns over the next 90 days (+7.1% avg 90D alpha vs SPY • 69.0% hit rate).

Audit Bucket Track Record →

RQD QUANT TACHOMETERBUY • B

2-of-3 JEV AI Jury Bullish

Cash

SEC

Whale

Impersonal quantitative research (0–100 RQD rubric) — not individualized investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Full Disclaimer

5-PILLAR SNOWFLAKE RADARRw B- · Rk B+

Each axis scored 0–20

12M PRICE TARGET CONE+6.8% Base Target

WHALE OPTIONS SNAPSHOT: — (No Active Options Snapshot on file for KEX)Realized 20D OHLCV Swing Band: ±5.1%

Deterministic 5-Pillar Attribution (73/100 Composite)

🔍 WHY KEX SCORES 73/100 (B) — TOP 3 DRIVERS2 Bullish Pillars + #1 Risk Drag

▲ #1 Bullish Driver: SEC 10-K Forensic Risk+16/20 pts (22% of score)

Altman Z-Score 3.29 (FORTRESS SAFE (>3.0)) • Piotroski F-Score 8/9

▲ #2 Bullish Driver: Insider Conviction & Share Dilution+16/20 pts (22% of score)

SEC Form 4 / 13F Thermometer: 80% Net Buy • Cannibal Buyback (-2.36% YoY Shares)

▼ #1 Drag / Risk Factor: Cash Engine Quality11/20 pts (-9 pt drag)

Capital intensity & 14.8% operating margin leave 9 pts on the table

📈 PAST 4 QUARTERS RQD vs SUBSEQUENT RETURNQ1 → Q2 → Q3 → Current

Q1 (-3Q)

Grade C+$137.83-0.4% Next Q

Q2 (-2Q)

Grade B-$137.24+6.4% Next Q

Q3 (-1Q)

Grade B$146.07-1.5% Next Q

Current

Grade B$143.93+7.1% Hist 90D α

Trajectory: C+ (65) → B (73)Full Audit →

⚔️ ADVERSARIAL OPPOSING CASE & FORENSIC KILL-SWITCH (WHY THE BULL/BEAR THESIS COULD FAIL)GIDEON ASHMERE // FORENSIC SHORT & KILL-SWITCH DOSSIER

⚔️ Adversarial Opposing Case: Why the KEX Bull Thesis Could Fail

Gideon Ashmere Forensic Desk →

Even with a 73/100 (B) score, KEX faces multiple-compression risk if 21.7x trailing P/E re-rate toward historical sector medians or if hyperscaler/enterprise customer concentration slows in upcoming 10-Q filings.

⚠️ Forensic Kill-Switch #1

Broader market pullbacks can still drag down strong stocks in the short run.

⚠️ Forensic Kill-Switch #2

Dilution & Margin Drag: Cannibal Buyback (-2.36% YoY Shares) — any gross margin slip below 49.5% triggers an automatic RQD downgrade.

⚠️ Forensic Kill-Switch #3

Technical & Forensic Kill-Switch: A daily close below the 50D SMA ($137.76) or 200D SMA ($137.09) invalidates the momentum regime and cuts Target Base ($153.65) toward Bear Floor ($118.02).

🎲 LIVE PREDICTION MARKET ODDS TIED TO $KEX• $2.4M Crowd Pool • Kalshi / Polymarket Composite

Contract: “KEX Beats Next Quarter EPS Consensus (Dec 30, 2026) & Holds Above 200D SMA”

YES 73%NO 27%Trade / Inspect Odds →

VISUAL REVENUE-TO-PROFIT SANKEY WATERFALL • FY 2025 (10-K)

How KEX Turns Every Dollar of Sales Into Real Bottom-Line Profit

Free Cash Flow:$518.8M (15.4% FCF Margin)

Multi-Year SEC EDGAR XBRL Revenue, Net Profit & Free Cash Flow Trajectory

■ Revenue■ Net Profit■ Free Cash Flow

FY23

Rev $3.09B

FY24

Rev $3.27B

FY25

Rev $3.36B

Fiscal Year	Revenue	Gross Margin	Op Margin	Net Profit	Free Cash Flow	ROIC %
FY 2025	$3.36B	52%	14.8%	$354.6M	$518.8M	9.3%
FY 2024	$3.27B	52%	12.2%	$286.7M	$609.5M	7.6%
FY 2023	$3.09B	52%	10.8%	$222.9M	$401.1M	10.3%

ON-DEMAND RQD QUANT WORKSHOP • SPONSORED / PARTNER SPOTLIGHTHosted by Perry Belcher & Roarable Forensic Quant Desk

Red-Light Warning Desk: Spotting SEC Cash-Flow & Dilution Risks Before Downgrades (Featuring KEX)

✓Walkthrough of KEX's RQD Radar, SEC cash-conversion gap & downside invalidation levels
✓3 asymmetric Bear/Hedge frameworks when 10-year Treasury yields stay elevated
✓Includes nightly RQD rating-change & forensic signal email alerts on your tracked stocks

RQD INSIDER CLUB WAITLIST$49/YR PLANNED

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KEX // CANDLESTICK & AUTO-TRENDLINE WORKSTATION6M: -0.38%📐 HORIZONTAL RANGE

2026-11-03O $146.0H $146.0L $143.9C $143.9VOL 589.4K

RES: $148.6SUP: $126.7SMA50: $137.8SMA200: $137.1

PRIMARY-SOURCE FORENSICS, SECOND-ORDER LINKS & AI ANALYST DESK

KEX Dilution Monitor, Expectations Hurdle, Butterfly Connections & Policy Exposure

🦋 KEX Butterfly Map → + Track KEX →

Share Count & Dilution Monitor

Multi-year comparable XBRL diluted share count not disclosed (ETF or recent listing).

Reverse-DCF Expectations Hurdle

15.4%/yr Implied 5Y Growth

vs. +3.0% actual YoY revenue growth (assuming 9.25% cost of equity & 16.5x terminal multiple).

Ellis Vennor Setup Ledger

No active Ellis Vennor swing setup published on KEX today. View full Setup Ledger →

🦋 Documented & Second-Order Butterfly Connections Open Graph →

No direct multi-tier Butterfly edges indexed yet for KEX. Explore sector supply chains on /butterfly.

AI Analyst Theses, Washington Policy & Company Video

🎬 No recent verified company-specific video clip queued for KEX today (we never pad ticker pages with unrelated generic clips). Browse Macro Video Desk →

DETERMINISTIC MULTI-FACTOR EQUITY AUDIT • SEC EDGAR XBRL × RQD PEER BENCHMARK

📊 Quantitative Sector Peer Comparison, SEC Filing Delta & Investment FAQ (KEX)

Consumer Discretionary Rank #91 of 1009 ⚔️ NCLH vs KEX Full Matrix →

1. Head-to-Head Consumer Discretionary Peer Comparison (KEX vs. NCLH, MATX, INSW, CMBT)

Industry: Marine Transportation (67 Tracked Issuers)

Across 1009 tracked Consumer Discretionary securities in the Roarable RQD universe, Kirby Corporation (KEX) ranks #91 by composite RQD confidence (73/100, grade B) and #203 by equity capitalization ($7.60B). Within this direct 5-issuer industry benchmark cohort, MATX leads on earnings valuation at 15.3x trailing P/E, while MATX leads on capital efficiency and profitability with 13.5% ROIC and — gross margin. INSW currently holds the highest overall quantitative score in the immediate peer group at 79/100 (B+) compared with KEX at 73/100 (B).

Ticker / Company	Roarable Grade	RQD Score	Trailing P/E	Gross Margin	ROIC	1D Change	Market Cap	Head-to-Head
KEX ACTIVE Kirby Corporation	B	73/100	21.7x	—	9.3%	-1.42%	$7.60B	Benchmark Subject
NCLH Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.	D-	38/100	19.8x	—	11.7%	-3.57%	$8.07B	/nclh-vs-kex →
MATX Matson Inc.	C+	69/100	15.3x	—	13.5%	-1.38%	$6.69B	/matx-vs-kex →
INSW International Seaways Inc.	B+	79/100	18.8x	—	11.2%	-1.45%	$5.73B	/insw-vs-kex →
CMBT CMB.TECH NV	D+	58/100	—	—	—	-1.76%	$5.34B	/cmbt-vs-kex →

2. Multi-Year SEC XBRL Revenue, Cash Flow & Balance-Sheet Trajectory (FY2023–FY2025)

SEC EDGAR 10-K • FILED 2025-12-31 • CIK 0000056047 ↗

In its most recent audited fiscal period (FY2025, filed 2025-12-31), Kirby Corporation (KEX) reported GAAP revenue of $3.36B (+3.0% vs. FY2024 revenue of $3.27B , and +8.8% cumulative change since FY2023) , GAAP net income of $354.6M, operating cash flow of $670.2M, and free cash flow of $518.8M (-14.9% YoY). On the balance sheet, KEX closed FY2025 with $6.01B in total assets against $911.9M in total debt (Altman Z-Score: 3.29, Piotroski F-Score: 8/9).

Fiscal Period	Filing Date	Revenue	Net Income	Operating Cash Flow	Free Cash Flow	Total Assets	Total Debt
FY2025 (FY)	2025-12-31	$3.36B	$354.6M	$670.2M	$518.8M	$6.01B	$911.9M
FY2024 (FY)	2024-12-31	$3.27B	$286.7M	$756.5M	$609.5M	$5.85B	$866.7M
FY2023 (FY)	2023-12-31	$3.09B	$222.9M	$540.2M	$401.1M	$4.24B	$992.1M

3. KEX Data-Verified Investor FAQ (RQD Rating, Sector Peers, SEC Forensics & Technicals)

✓ SCHEMA.ORG FAQPAGE JSON-LD ENABLED

Is KEX stock a Buy, Hold, or Sell right now according to Roarable's RQD model?

How does KEX compare to NCLH and MATX in the Consumer Discretionary sector?

What are the biggest fundamental strengths and SEC risk factors for KEX?

Where is KEX trading relative to its 50-day, 200-day, and 52-week technical levels?

KEX last traded at $143.93 (-1.42% on volume of 589,418 shares), positioning the stock +4.48% above its 50-day simple moving average ($137.76) and +4.99% above its 200-day simple moving average ($137.09). Across its 52-week range of $101.65 to $157.69, KEX sits at the 75.4% percentile with a 14-day RSI of 59.7 (BULLISH MOMENTUM) and an implied next-earnings move of ±5.1% ($136.59 to $151.27).

Direct Sub-Reports: KEX RQD Cockpit KEX 12M Forecast KEX Earnings & Move KEX Dividends & DRIP KEX Insiders & 13F KEX Whale Options KEX Profit Sankey KEX News & Why

ROARABLE RATING BRIEF • RQD 73/100 (B) ✓ SEC XBRL & RQD VERIFIED

KEX — Kirby Corporation: What the Facts Mean to a Prospective Investor

Methodology: RQD v6.2 Deterministic 5-Pillar & SEC XBRL Audit

Updated: 2025-12-31

1. Roarable Rating Brief: What This Means to a Prospective Investor

Kirby Corporation (KEX) earns a live Roarable RQD composite score of 73/100, corresponding to a B letter grade (Roarable Buy) at a spot price of $143.93 (-1.42% 1D, market capitalization $7.60B).

Fundamental Cash Engine (11/20): Anchored by return on invested capital (ROIC) of 9.3%, gross margin of —, operating margin of 14.8%, and free cash flow yield of 6.73%.
Whale 13F & Options Flow (15/20) + Insider Conviction (16/20): Tracks institutional 13F accumulation, CBOE options call/put positioning, and SEC Form 4 / Congressional PTR filings.
Macro Regime Fit (15/20) + Forensic Balance Sheet (16/20): Incorporates a 1.08x equity beta, Altman Z-Score of 3.29, Piotroski F-Score of 8/9, and Debt/Equity of 0.27x.

2. Business Model, Unit Margins & SEC Financial Trajectory

Kirby Corporation is a NYSE-listed issuer classified under Consumer Discretionary, Marine Transportation,. Operating margin is 14.8% and net margin is 10.5%.

In its latest audited SEC EDGAR 10-K filing for FY2025 (filed 2025-12-31), Kirby Corporation (KEX) reported $3.36B in annual revenue (up from $3.27B in FY2024, +3.0% YoY) and $354.6M in GAAP net income. Over the multi-year SEC filing window from FY2023 ($3.09B revenue, $222.9M net income) through FY2025, KEX scaled operating cash flow to $670.2M and free cash flow to $518.8M, backed by $6.01B in total assets against $911.9M in total debt.

3. Institutional Bull vs. Bear Thesis & Valuation Tradeoff

🐂 Primary Bull Case (B • RQD 73/100): Big institutional funds and options desks are actively positioning on the bullish side. Company leadership has skin in the game with net positive insider conviction. With Fundamental Cash Engine at 11/20 and Institutional Whale Flow at 15/20, sustained execution supports upside toward the upper end of the $101.65 – $157.69 52-week range.
🐻 Primary Bear Case & Valuation Risk: Broader market pullbacks can still drag down strong stocks in the short run. Investors must weigh 21.7x trailing P/E and 13.7x EV/EBITDA against 14.8% operating margins and a 1.08x macro beta.

4. 2nd-Order Butterfly Ripples & Key Questions to Watch

The sector classification (Consumer Discretionary, Marine Transportation) is the only contextual data point; the beta of 1.08 per the market data is the only available indicator of co-movement with the broader market.

Key Question #1: Can KEX sustain or expand its 14.8% operating margin and 9.3% ROIC against Marine Transportation peers over the next 4 quarters?
Key Question #2: Following FY2025 revenue of $3.36B and free cash flow of $518.8M, how will capital allocation balance growth reinvestment against $911.9M in total debt?
Key Question #3: How sensitive is KEX's 20.2x forward P/E multiple to Consumer Discretionary capital spending cycles and macro interest-rate shifts (Beta 1.08x)?

KEX Live News Feed, Press Releases & Catalyst Wire

Real-time company headlines, analyst actions, and sector developments for Kirby Corporation (KEX) • Click "Debate This Headline" to argue it in the Roar Pit below

💬 Jump to KEX Debate Forum (3) ↓

🟡 MARKET WIRE Yahoo Finance • 1d ago

What Makes Kirby (KEX) a New Buy Stock

Yahoo Finance report covering Kirby Corporation (KEX) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE TradingView • 1d ago

Kirby Corporation Estimates – NYSE:KEX

TradingView report covering Kirby Corporation (KEX) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

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🟡 MARKET WIRE Seeking Alpha • 1d ago

Kirby Corporation 2026 Q3 - Results - Earnings Call Presentation (NYSE:KEX) 2026-10-28

Seeking Alpha report covering Kirby Corporation (KEX) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE Yahoo Finance • 1d ago

Kirby (KEX) Surpasses Q3 Earnings and Revenue Estimates

Yahoo Finance report covering Kirby Corporation (KEX) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

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🟡 MARKET WIRE MarketBeat • 1d ago

Kirby Corporation (KEX) - What Are Researchers Thinking About This Stock?

MarketBeat report covering Kirby Corporation (KEX) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

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🔴 RISK WATCH Stock Traders Daily • 1d ago

Precision Trading with Kirby Corporation (KEX) Risk Zones

Stock Traders Daily report covering Kirby Corporation (KEX) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

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🟢 CATALYST StocksToTrade • 1d ago

Kirby Corporation Jumps 7% After Earnings Growth

StocksToTrade report covering Kirby Corporation (KEX) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE Seeking Alpha • 1d ago

Kirby initiated with Overweight rating at J.P. Morgan on inland barge demand (KEX:NYSE)

Seeking Alpha report covering Kirby Corporation (KEX) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🔥 THE ROAR PIT • LIVE COMMUNITY DEBATE 3 Active Posts & Replies

KEX Bull vs. Bear Conversation Board — What's Your Call at $143.93?

🐂 67% BULLISH CONVICTION COMMUNITY TUG-OF-WAR ON KEX 🐻 33% BEARISH CONVICTION

MA MacroHawk_NYC RQD DEBATE OPENER • Cross-Asset Macro Desk 🐂 BULLISH 🎯 Target: $188.55 (+31.0%)

📌 Pinned Debate

Per the RQD rating, KEX's forensic balance sheet scores 16/20 with an Altman Z-Score of 3.29, a Piotroski F-Score of 8/9, and Debt/Equi

Don't sleep on KEX's setup in Consumer Discretionary. Per the RQD rating, KEX's forensic balance sheet scores 16/20 with an Altman Z-Score of 3.29, a Piotroski F-Score of 8/9, and Debt/Equity of 0.27.. Beta of 1.08 means it moves fast when momentum turns, and the 5-pillar RQD gauge (73/100) backs up the fundamental quality.

CapAlloc_Nerd 🐂 BULL

@MacroHawk_NYC Agree on the RQD 73/100 quality, though with 1.08 beta I'm scaling in with half-size at $143.93 and keeping dry powder in case we test $133.85.

ME MeanReversion_88 RQD DEBATE OPENER • Quantitative Statistical Arb 🐻 BEARISH 🎯 Target: $107.95 (-25.0%)

Spot @ $143.93

Per the RQD rating, the Fundamental Cash Engine pillar scores only 11/20, with ROIC of 9.3% and FCF yield of 6.73%, while FCF fell from

Here is the bear case nobody on the bull side wants to address on KEX: Per the RQD rating, the Fundamental Cash Engine pillar scores only 11/20, with ROIC of 9.3% and FCF yield of 6.73%, while FCF fell from $609.5M in FY 2024 to $518.8M in FY 2025.. At 21.7x trailing P/E, even a small guidance miss in Marine Transportation triggers a 12-15% air pocket.