Why Is Matson Stock Gaining Thursday?

Matson, Inc. (NYSE:MATX) stock rose Thursday following the company’s announcement of preliminary fourth-quarter results and a positive outlook for 2026.

The stock’s movement comes as broader markets experienced gains, with the S&P 500 rising 0.36% and the Nasdaq gaining 0.82%, suggesting a favorable environment for the shipping and logistics sector.

MATX Q4 Earnings: Strong Outlook for 2026

The company expects its fourth-quarter consolidated operating income to range between $135 million and $145 million, with net income and diluted EPS projected to be between $131.3 million and $146.3 million, and between $4.22 and $4.70, respectively. This includes a benefit of approximately $0.77 per share from positive income tax adjustments.

Looking ahead, Matson anticipates that its full-year 2026 consolidated operating income will approach the level achieved in 2025, driven by strong U.S. consumer demand and a stable trading environment in the Transpacific tradelane.

Fourth-quarter FEU volumes rose 0.6% in Hawaii, fell 3.3% in Alaska and 7.2% in China, increased 4.4% in Guam, and climbed 11.6% in other tradelanes.

CEO Matt Cox stated, “Matson had a solid finish to the year with consolidated fourth quarter results that exceeded our expectations. During the quarter, our China service saw higher than expected freight rates and volume driven by strong e-commerce and e-goods demand. Our China service benefited from strong freight demand in our key customer segments as well as a more stable trading environment in the Transpacific tradelane as a result of the U.S.-China trade and economic deal announced on October 30, 2025, which reduced uncertainty regarding tariffs, port entry fees, global trade and other geopolitical factors.”

MATX Earnings Forecast and Analyst Ratings

Investors are looking ahead to the next earnings report on February 24, 2026.

• EPS Estimate: $2.60 (Down from $3.80 YoY)
• Revenue Estimate: $799.80 million (Down from $890.30 million YoY)
• Valuation: P/E of 10.1x (Indicates value opportunity)

Analyst Consensus & Recent Actions:

The stock carries a Buy Rating with an average price target of $125.89. Recent analyst moves include:

• Wolfe Research: Upgraded to Outperform (Target $142.00) (Nov. 7, 2025)
• Stephens & Co.: Overweight (Raised Target to $180.00) (Nov. 5, 2025)
• Jefferies: Hold (Target $115.00) (Aug. 1, 2025)

Valuation Insight: While the stock trades at a value P/E multiple, the strong consensus and 32% expected earnings decline suggest analysts view this growth as justification for the current valuation.

Benzinga Edge Ranks MATX High on Value

Below is the Benzinga Edge scorecard for Matson, Inc. (MATX), highlighting its strengths and weaknesses compared to the broader market:

• Value: Strong (Score: 90.98) — The stock is considered undervalued relative to peers.
• Quality: Solid (Score: 81.97) — The company’s financial health appears robust.
• Momentum: Moderate (Score: 44.65) — The stock is showing mixed trends in price action.

The Verdict: Matson, Inc.’s Benzinga Edge signal reveals a solid value proposition with strong fundamentals. While the Value score indicates potential upside, the moderate Momentum score suggests that investors should monitor price action closely for any shifts.

ETFs Heavily Invested in MATX

• Proshares Russell 2000 Dividend Growers ETF (BATS:SMDV): 1.02% Weight
• State Street SPDR S&P Transportation ETF (ARCA :XTN): 2.69% Weight
• SPDR S&P Transportation ETF (ARCA :XTN): 2.89% Weight

Significance: Because MATX carries significant weight in these funds, any significant inflows or outflows for these ETFs will likely force automatic buying or selling of the stock.

MATX Premarket Surge: Up 2.33%

MATX Price Action: Matson shares were up 2.33% at $135.00 during premarket trading on Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro data.

Photo by Sheila Fitzgerald via Shutterstock