NMM vs KEX vs MATX vs SBLK

For growth investors, Kirby Corporation (KEX) is the stronger pick with 3.

0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -17. 6% for Star Bulk Carriers Corp. (SBLK). Navios Maritime Partners L. P. (NMM) offers the better valuation at 6. 0x trailing P/E (4. 8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Kirby Corporation (KEX) a "Buy" — based on 29 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Navios Maritime Partners L.

P. (NMM) is the cheapest at 6. 0x versus Star Bulk Carriers Corp. at 36. 7x. On forward P/E, Navios Maritime Partners L. P. is actually cheaper at 4. 8x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Star Bulk Carriers Corp. wins at 0. 16x versus Matson, Inc. 's 0. 52x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Matson, Inc.

(MATX) delivered a total return of +181. 0%, compared to +79. 1% for Star Bulk Carriers Corp. (SBLK). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SBLK returned +977. 3% versus KEX's +123. 3%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Navios Maritime Partners L.

P. (NMM) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 72β versus Matson, Inc. 's 1. 76β — meaning MATX is approximately 142% more volatile than NMM relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Matson, Inc. (MATX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 26% versus 46% for Navios Maritime Partners L. P. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Kirby Corporation (KEX) is pulling ahead at 3.

0% versus -17. 6% for Star Bulk Carriers Corp. (SBLK). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Kirby Corporation grew EPS 28. 9% year-over-year, compared to -73. 9% for Star Bulk Carriers Corp.. Over a 3-year CAGR, NMM leads at 23. 2% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Navios Maritime Partners L.

P. (NMM) is the more profitable company, earning 27. 5% net margin versus 8. 1% for Star Bulk Carriers Corp. — meaning it keeps 27. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NMM leads at 33. 6% versus 13. 5% for SBLK. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — NMM leads at 66. 1%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Star Bulk Carriers Corp. (SBLK) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 16x versus Matson, Inc. 's 0. 52x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Navios Maritime Partners L. P. (NMM) trades at 4. 8x forward P/E versus 20. 8x for Kirby Corporation — 16. 0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for NMM: 18. 8% to $85. 00.

In this comparison, SBLK (1.

1% yield), MATX (0. 8% yield), NMM (0. 3% yield) pay a dividend. KEX does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Star Bulk Carriers Corp.

(SBLK) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 73), 1. 1% yield, +977. 3% 10Y return). Matson, Inc. (MATX) carries a higher beta of 1. 76 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (SBLK: +977. 3%, MATX: +476. 1%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Industrials sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: NMM is a small-cap deep-value stock; KEX is a small-cap quality compounder stock; MATX is a small-cap deep-value stock; SBLK is a small-cap quality compounder stock. MATX, SBLK pay a dividend while NMM, KEX do not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.