Kirby Will See A Challenging 2017, But Better Days May Be Coming

Say what you will about Kirby (NYSE:KEX) and its historically robust valuation metrics, but the shares have at least held up despite operating conditions getting even worse and estimates heading down. Since my last update, the shares are more or less flat despite ongoing industry-wide weakness in barge utilization and pricing, and there may be some tentative signs of bottoming out in two of its key markets.

The Street has historically rewarded Kirby's significant scale and respectable operating history with rich multiples, but there could still be some upside here if 2017-2018 does indeed mark a low point in the cycle. Although Kirby doesn't have as much leverage to potential chemical capex expansion as you might hope, the company should nevertheless benefit from volume growth, while an expanded DES business seems poised to benefit from a recovery in U.S. onshore oil/gas activity.

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Kirby Will See A Challenging 2017, But Better Days May Be Coming