Dimensional Fund Advisors LP Has $251.31 Million Position in Kirby Co. (NYSE:KEX)

Dimensional Fund Advisors LP decreased its holdings in shares of Kirby Co. (NYSE:KEX - Free Report) by 3.9% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 2,375,319 shares of the shipping company's stock after selling 96,607 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP owned 4.14% of Kirby worth $251,310,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Kirby during the 4th quarter worth approximately $74,293,000. First Trust Advisors LP boosted its stake in Kirby by 69.7% during the fourth quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 876,292 shares of the shipping company's stock worth $92,712,000 after acquiring an additional 359,770 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. grew its holdings in Kirby by 848.5% in the fourth quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 393,647 shares of the shipping company's stock worth $41,648,000 after purchasing an additional 352,144 shares during the period. Artemis Investment Management LLP increased its stake in Kirby by 112.0% in the fourth quarter. Artemis Investment Management LLP now owns 382,835 shares of the shipping company's stock valued at $40,504,000 after purchasing an additional 202,272 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Raymond James Financial Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Kirby during the fourth quarter valued at about $18,749,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 96.15% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on KEX shares. StockNews.com downgraded Kirby from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Thursday, January 9th. Stifel Nicolaus cut their target price on Kirby from $136.00 to $135.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 31st. Finally, Bank of America dropped their price objective on shares of Kirby from $133.00 to $123.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, March 28th.

Kirby Stock Down 2.5 %

KEX opened at $92.94 on Tuesday. Kirby Co. has a fifty-two week low of $83.94 and a fifty-two week high of $132.21. The firm has a market capitalization of $5.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.93, a PEG ratio of 0.88 and a beta of 0.99. The company's 50-day moving average is $99.18 and its 200 day moving average is $110.14. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26, a current ratio of 1.45 and a quick ratio of 1.05.

Kirby (NYSE:KEX - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The shipping company reported $1.29 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.30 by ($0.01). Kirby had a return on equity of 9.71% and a net margin of 8.78%. Research analysts expect that Kirby Co. will post 6.57 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, VP Scott P. Miller sold 1,244 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $107.61, for a total transaction of $133,866.84. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 5,545 shares in the company, valued at $596,697.45. This trade represents a 18.32 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.90% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Kirby Company Profile

Kirby Corporation operates domestic tank barges in the United States. Its Marine Transportation segment provides marine transportation service and towing vessel transporting bulk liquid product, as well as operates tank barge throughout the Mississippi River System, on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, coastwise along three United States coasts, and in Alaska and Hawaii.

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding KEX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Kirby Co. (NYSE:KEX - Free Report).

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest and most accurate reporting. This story was reviewed by MarketBeat's editorial team prior to publication. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.