Is KEX or MATX the better stock?

"Better" depends on your goal, and these two are not alike. KEX is the larger company by market cap ($7.49B vs $6.72B). MATX has been more active on our scanner (19 vs 7 alerts in 30 days). MATX has the smaller float (29.1M vs 52.7M), which tends to mean sharper, more volatile moves. Those are the measured differences, not a recommendation, and nothing here is investment advice.

What is the difference between KEX and MATX?

The differences that matter: they are similar in size ($7.49B vs $6.72B); they trade at very different share prices ($143.42 vs $222.35); KEX sits at 82% of its 52-week range against 94% for MATX; only MATX pays a dividend; our scanner flagged KEX 7 times in the last 30 days against 19 for MATX. Everything above is measured from the latest completed session and SEC filings.

Which of KEX and MATX is more active right now?

Right now KEX is at about 0.6x its normal volume and MATX is at about 1.1x, so MATX is the one drawing unusual attention today. Relative volume (RVOL) compares a stock's volume to its own recent average, so it reads the same way for a megacap and a microcap and is the quickest way to tell which of two similar names is actually in play.

Is this comparison data live?

Prices and % changes are anchored to the latest completed session and split-adjusted, so a reverse split never shows as a fake move. Float is estimated from SEC filings and refreshed as new filings publish.

Compare

KEX vs MATX

TheDesperateTrader.com· Side-by-side stock comparison

$KEX vs $MATX head to head: price, market cap, valuation, dividend, free float, relative volume and how actively each trades. The bigger value in the size rows is bolded. Tap either ticker for its live chart, full ownership breakdown and real-time alerts.

$KEXKirby Corporation

$MATXMatsons, Inc.

$143.42

Price

$222.36

+1.3%

Day change

+1.9%

$7.49B

Market cap

$6.72B

—

P/E ratio

—

Dividend yield

0.68%

52.7M

Free float

29.1M

99.9%

Institutional

99.33%

492K

Avg volume

276K

0.6x

Rel. volume

1.1x

82% of 52w

52-week range

94% of 52w

Scanner alerts 30d

WATER TRANSPORTATION

Sector

WATER TRANSPORTATION

KEX vs MATX: the quick read

·KEX is the larger company by market cap ($7.49B vs $6.72B).
·MATX has been more active on our scanner (19 vs 7 alerts in 30 days).
·MATX has the smaller float (29.1M vs 52.7M), which tends to mean sharper, more volatile moves.
·Both are water transportation names, so this is a like-for-like comparison and sector news tends to move them together.
·Both stay busy on our scanner, 19 and 7 unusual-volume alerts over 30 days, so neither is the quiet one here.
·They are closely matched in size, within 11% of each other on market cap, which makes the rest of this table the interesting part.
·Both are trading in the upper quarter of their 52-week range, so neither is a pullback candidate right now.
·MATX pays a dividend and KEX does not, which usually means one is being held for income and the other for the move.

Objective differences only. Not investment advice.

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Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know comparing KEX and MATX on TheDesperateTrader.

Is KEX or MATX the better stock?: "Better" depends on your goal, and these two are not alike. KEX is the larger company by market cap ($7.49B vs $6.72B). MATX has been more active on our scanner (19 vs 7 alerts in 30 days). MATX has the smaller float (29.1M vs 52.7M), which tends to mean sharper, more volatile moves. Those are the measured differences, not a recommendation, and nothing here is investment advice.
What is the difference between KEX and MATX?: The differences that matter: they are similar in size ($7.49B vs $6.72B); they trade at very different share prices ($143.42 vs $222.35); KEX sits at 82% of its 52-week range against 94% for MATX; only MATX pays a dividend; our scanner flagged KEX 7 times in the last 30 days against 19 for MATX. Everything above is measured from the latest completed session and SEC filings.
Which of KEX and MATX is more active right now?: Right now KEX is at about 0.6x its normal volume and MATX is at about 1.1x, so MATX is the one drawing unusual attention today. Relative volume (RVOL) compares a stock's volume to its own recent average, so it reads the same way for a megacap and a microcap and is the quickest way to tell which of two similar names is actually in play.
Is this comparison data live?: Prices and % changes are anchored to the latest completed session and split-adjusted, so a reverse split never shows as a fake move. Float is estimated from SEC filings and refreshed as new filings publish.

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