KirbyKEX +5.68%84 Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 5.80% as of Mar. 2026, which is 68% above its 10-year median of 3.45. GuruFocus rates KEX with a GF Score™ of 84/100 and a GF Value™ of $119.40 (Modestly Overvalued). The stock has 2 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,008 Transportation companies, Kirby ranks better than 71.13% on this metric.
Return-on-Tangible-Asset is calculated as Net Income divided by its average total tangible assets. Total tangible assets equals to Total Assets minus Intangible Assets. Kirby's annualizedNet Income for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was $325 Mil. Kirby's average total tangible assets for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was $5,596 Mil. Therefore, Kirby's annualized Return-on-Tangible-Asset for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 5.80%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Kirby's Return-on-Tangible-Asset or its related term are showing as below:
KEX'
s Return-on-Tangible-Asset Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -5.39 Med: 3.45 Max: 8.28
Current: 6.44
During the past 13 years, Kirby's highest Return-on-Tangible-Asset was 8.28%. The lowest was -5.39%. And the median was 3.45%.
KEX's Return-on-Tangible-Asset is ranked better than 71.13% of 1008
companies
in the Transportation industry
Industry Median: 3.775
vs KEX: 6.44
Return-on-Tangible-Asset measures the rate of return on the average total tangible assets (total assets minus intangible assets). Tangible means physical in nature. Intangible Assets are assets that are not physical in nature, and typically "derive their value from legal or intellectual rights." Return-on-Tangible-Asset measures a firm's efficiency at generating profits from its tangible assets. It shows how well a company uses what it has to generate earnings. Return-on-Tangible-Assets can vary drastically across industries. Therefore, Return-on-Tangible-Asset should not be used to compare companies in different industries.
Be Aware
Like ROE and ROA, Return-on-Tangible-Asset is calculated with only 12 months data. Fluctuations in the companys earnings or business cycles can affect the ratio drastically. It is important to look at the ratio from a long term perspective. Return-on-Tangible-Asset can be affected by events such as stock buyback or issuance, and by a companys tax rate and its interest payment. Return-on-Tangible-Asset may not reflect the true earning power of the assets. A more accurate measurement is ROC % (ROC).
Many analysts argue the higher return the better. Buffett states that really high Return-on-Tangible-Asset may indicate vulnerability in the durability of the competitive advantage.
Kirby Return-on-Tangible-Asset Related Terms
Kirby Return-on-Tangible-Asset Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Kirby's Return-on-Tangible-Asset can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
KEX vs MATX, ZIM, SBLK: Return-on-Tangible-Asset Comparison
For the Marine Shipping subindustry, Kirby's Return-on-Tangible-Asset, along with its competitors' market caps and Return-on-Tangible-Asset data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Kirby Return-on-Tangible-Asset vs Transportation Industry
For the Transportation industry and Industrials sector, Kirby's Return-on-Tangible-Asset distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Kirby's Return-on-Tangible-Asset falls into.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
In the calculation of annual Return-on-Tangible-Asset, the net income of the last fiscal year and the average total tangible assets over the fiscal year are used. In calculating the quarterly data,
the Net Income data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) net income data.
What does a Return-on-Tangible-Asset of 5.80% mean?
Kirby (KEX) has a Return-on-Tangible-Asset of 5.80% as of Mar. 2026. Return on tangible assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period tangible assets. View historical data on Kirby and its competitors. This is 68% above median its historical median of 3.45. According to the industry distribution chart, Kirby ranks #291 out of 1008 companies in the Transportation industry, placing it in the top 28.9%.
Is Kirby's Return-on-Tangible-Asset too high?
Kirby's current Return-on-Tangible-Asset of 5.80% is 68% above median its 10-year median of 3.45. The Transportation industry median Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 3.78. Kirby's value of 5.80% is 53.6% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Kirby ranks #291 out of 1008 companies in the Transportation industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Kirby has a GF Score™ of 84/100 and is considered Modestly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Kirby's Return-on-Tangible-Asset compare to MATX and ZIM?
According to the Transportation industry distribution chart, Kirby ranks #291 out of 1008 companies for Return-on-Tangible-Asset. This puts Kirby in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 3.78. Kirby's value of 5.80% is 53.6% above this benchmark. While the company's 10-year median is 3.45 vs. the industry median of 3.78, Kirby has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Return-on-Tangible-Asset for a Transportation company?
The median Return-on-Tangible-Asset among Transportation companies is 3.78, based on 1,008 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Return-on-Tangible-Asset significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Return-on-Tangible-Asset should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Kirby's current Return-on-Tangible-Asset of 5.80% is 53.6% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Return-on-Tangible-Asset mean?
A high Return-on-Tangible-Asset can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Return on tangible assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period tangible assets. View historical data on Kirby and its competitors. For the Transportation industry, the median Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 3.78 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Kirby's current Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 5.80%, which is 68% above median its own 10-year median of 3.45. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Kirby stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Kirby (KEX) is currently considered Modestly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $119.40, compared to a current price of $141.51 — trading 18.5% above its estimated fair value. The current Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 5.80%, which is 68% above median its 10-year median of 3.45 and 53.6% above the Transportation industry median of 3.78. Kirby's overall GF Score™ is 84/100 with 2 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Return-on-Tangible-Asset calculated?
Return-on-Tangible-Asset is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Kirby (KEX), the current Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 5.80% as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Kirby (KEX) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Kirby stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $141.51 is trading 18.5% above its estimated GF Value™ of $119.40.
GuruFocus considers Kirby to be Modestly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for KEX:
Return-on-Tangible-Asset: 5.80% (68% above median its 10-year median of 3.45)
GF Value™: $119.40 vs. price of $141.51 (18.5% above fair value)
Industry Position: 53.6% above the Transportation median (#291 of 1008)
No single metric tells the full story. See the KEX stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Kirby Corp is a domestic tank barge operator, transporting bulk liquid products throughout three United States coasts. The Company transports petrochemicals, liquid cargoes, inland waterway systems, and dry bulk cargoes. The Company conducts operations in two reportable business segments: The Marine transportation segment which provides marine transportation services, operating tank barges and towing vessels transporting bulk liquid products, and the Distribution and services segment, which provides after-market service, and genuine replacement parts for engines, transmissions, reduction gears, and power generation equipment used in oil and gas and commercial and industrial applications. The company's majority revenue is generated from the Marine Transportation segment.
84GF Score
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