Advantage Alpha Capital Partners LP Raises Holdings in Kirby Co. (NYSE:KEX)

Advantage Alpha Capital Partners LP lifted its stake in Kirby Co. (NYSE:KEX - Free Report) by 47.5% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 71,811 shares of the shipping company's stock after purchasing an additional 23,118 shares during the quarter. Kirby accounts for about 1.8% of Advantage Alpha Capital Partners LP's investment portfolio, making the stock its 4th largest holding. Advantage Alpha Capital Partners LP owned 0.13% of Kirby worth $7,598,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Empowered Funds LLC acquired a new position in shares of Kirby in the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. Brooklyn Investment Group purchased a new stake in shares of Kirby in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $42,000. R Squared Ltd acquired a new position in Kirby in the 4th quarter worth approximately $76,000. Virtus Fund Advisers LLC grew its position in Kirby by 38.8% during the 3rd quarter. Virtus Fund Advisers LLC now owns 833 shares of the shipping company's stock worth $102,000 after purchasing an additional 233 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Hilltop Holdings Inc. acquired a new stake in Kirby during the 3rd quarter valued at $202,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 96.15% of the company's stock.

Kirby Stock Down 2.1 %

Shares of NYSE:KEX traded down $2.12 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $100.77. 481,984 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 530,639. The company has a market capitalization of $5.73 billion, a PE ratio of 20.52, a P/E/G ratio of 0.88 and a beta of 1.18. Kirby Co. has a 52-week low of $93.63 and a 52-week high of $132.21. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26, a quick ratio of 1.05 and a current ratio of 1.45. The business's fifty day simple moving average is $104.15 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $113.63.

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Kirby (NYSE:KEX - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly 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%. As a group, research analysts predict that Kirby Co. will post 6.57 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have recently commented on the company. StockNews.com cut Kirby from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Thursday, January 9th. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price objective on Kirby from $136.00 to $135.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 31st. Finally, Bank of America lowered their target price on Kirby from $133.00 to $123.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $124.75.

Insider Activity at Kirby

In other news, VP Scott P. Miller sold 1,244 shares of the stock in a transaction 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 transaction, the vice president now owns 5,545 shares in the company, valued at $596,697.45. This represents a 18.32 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.90% of the company's stock.

Kirby 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.