Matson (NYSE:MATX) Announces Quarterly Earnings Results

Matson (NYSE:MATX) posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday. The shipping company reported $4.27 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.79 by $0.48, Zacks reports. Matson had a return on equity of 17.01% and a net margin of 13.41%.The company had revenue of $969.40 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $893.91 million. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.92 EPS. Matson’s quarterly revenue was up 16.7% on a year-over-year basis.

Here are the key takeaways from Matson’s conference call:

• Matson raised its full-year 2026 outlook, expecting consolidated operating income, ocean transportation, and logistics operating income to exceed 2025 levels.
• China service volume increased 15.2% year over year in the second quarter, with CLX and MAX operating at or near capacity through peak season amid strong e-commerce, garment, and electronics demand and higher-than-expected freight rates.
• Management expects third-quarter ocean transportation operating income to rise approximately 45% year over year, driven by higher China-service volume and pricing, while resilient U.S. consumer demand and stable Trans-Pacific trade conditions support the outlook.
• Management expects fourth-quarter ocean transportation operating income to be modestly below the prior-year quarter because 2025 benefited from an unusually prolonged, tariff-related freight surge; SSAT’s 2026 contribution is also expected to fall below 2025’s $32.5 million.
• Matson reported consolidated operating income of $158.9 million, up $45.9 million year over year, and continues to generate strong cash flow while funding its Aloha Class vessel program; the first new vessel remains on schedule for delivery in the first quarter of 2027.

Matson Stock Up 2.7%

Shares of MATX opened at $213.13 on Wednesday. Matson has a 52-week low of $86.97 and a 52-week high of $230.74. The company has a quick ratio of 0.82, a current ratio of 0.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $200.26 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $178.44. The company has a market capitalization of $6.45 billion, a PE ratio of 15.66 and a beta of 1.27.

Matson Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 3rd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 6th will be paid a $0.38 dividend. This is a boost from Matson’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.36. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, August 6th. This represents a $1.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. Matson’s dividend payout ratio is 10.58%.

Insider Activity

In related news, SVP Christopher A. Scott sold 3,305 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $180.14, for a total value of $595,362.70. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president owned 11,228 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,022,611.92. This represents a 22.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, SVP John Warren Sullivan sold 3,331 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $180.14, for a total transaction of $600,046.34. Following the sale, the senior vice president owned 9,547 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,719,796.58. The trade was a 25.87% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 23,963 shares of company stock worth $4,349,268. Insiders own 2.51% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Matson

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in MATX. Summit Global Investments increased its stake in Matson by 23.8% during the fourth quarter. Summit Global Investments now owns 11,867 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $1,466,000 after acquiring an additional 2,278 shares during the last quarter. XTX Topco Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Matson in the 4th quarter valued at $760,000. Uniplan Investment Counsel Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Matson during the 4th quarter worth $201,000. Voloridge Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Matson during the 4th quarter worth about $1,725,000. Finally, SummitTX Capital L.P. purchased a new stake in Matson in the 4th quarter valued at about $6,303,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 84.76% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Zacks Research raised Matson to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 29th. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Matson in a report on Friday, May 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of Matson from $230.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, Stephens upped their target price on shares of Matson from $240.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Matson has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $232.33.

About Matson

Matson, Inc (NYSE: MATX) is a U.S.-based provider of ocean transportation and supply chain logistics services with a focus on Pacific trade lanes. The company operates a fleet of container ships that regularly service Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, Micronesia and other Pacific islands, as well as mainland U.S. ports. Matson’s ocean transportation segment offers scheduled liner services, expedited shipping options and specialized project cargo handling for industries ranging from retail to heavy machinery.

In addition to its core liner operations, Matson offers ocean transportation services between Asia and the U.S.