Skylands Capital Invests Heavily in Kirby Corp. (KEX) With a 46,750 Share Purchase
Key Points
Skylands Capital added 46,750 shares; net position change estimated at $2.15 million
The transaction represented 0.65% of Skylands Capital’s 13F reportable assets under management
Post-trade stake is 105,150 shares valued at $8.77 million
Position accounts for 1.21% of fund AUM, which places it outside the fund's top five holdings
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What happened
According to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission dated November 6, 2025, Skylands Capital, LLC increased its position in Kirby Corporation (NYSE:KEX) by 46,750 shares. The stake was valued at $8.77 million, with an estimated change of $2.15 million based on quarterly average prices.
What else to know
This was a buy; the position now represents 1.21% of Skylands Capital’s 13F assets under management
Top holdings after the filing:
UNP: $53.03 million (7.3% of AUM)
GOOGL: $46.97 million (6.5% of AUM) as of September 30, 2025
GM: $29.31 million (4.1% of AUM) as of September 30, 2025
DBD: $27.75 million (3.8% of AUM) as of September 30, 2025
AAPL: $27.39 million (3.8% of AUM) as of September 30, 2025
As of November 5, 2025, shares of Kirby Corporation were priced at $106.25, down 9.2% over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500 by 26.8 percentage points
Company overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Revenue (TTM) | $3.31 billion |
| Net income (TTM) | $305.58 million |
| Price (as of market close November 5, 2025) | $106.25 |
| One-year price change | (9.2%) |
Company snapshot
Kirby Corp. focuses on marine transportation and diesel engine services
Operates a business model centered on transporting bulk liquid products and providing engine maintenance
Serves major petrochemical, refining, and agricultural companies, primarily in the United States
Kirby Corporation is a leading provider of marine transportation and diesel engine services, leveraging a diversified fleet and technical expertise to serve industrial customers requiring reliable bulk liquid transport and equipment maintenance.
Foolish take
Skylands Capital's increased investment in Kirby during the three months ended Sep. 30, 2025, probably worked out well for the firm and its investors. On Nov. 7, 2025, the stock was up by 29% from its price at the end of September.
Skylands Capital's bet on Kirby was a significant one, but it isn't a major component of its portfolio yet. Despite raising its Kirby stake by 80% in the third quarter, it was the firm's 23rd largest holding out of 163 in total.
A global trade environment hampered by new tariffs hasn't stopped Kirby's business from growing at a pace that investors appreciate. Third-quarter sales rose $40 million year over year, allowing its bottom line to expand. Earnings per share rose by 6% year over year.
Market fundamentals aren't helping its coastal marine segment outperform, but providing power to data centers has been a strong growth driver. In the third quarter, power generation revenue soared 56% year over year.
Glossary
Stake: The ownership interest or investment a fund or individual holds in a particular company.
13F reportable assets: Assets that investment managers must disclose quarterly to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission if they manage over $100 million.
Assets under management (AUM): The total market value of investments managed by a fund or investment firm.
Top holdings: The largest investments in a fund's portfolio, usually by market value.
TTM: The 12-month period ending with the most recent quarterly report.
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Cory Renauer has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet and Apple. The Motley Fool recommends General Motors and Union Pacific. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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