Matson Q4 Earnings Beat Expectations
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 1 hour ago
0mins
Should l Buy MATX?
Source: seekingalpha
- Earnings Performance: Matson reported a Q4 GAAP EPS of $4.60, beating expectations by $0.91, which demonstrates the company's resilience amid market fluctuations and boosts investor confidence.
- Slight Revenue Decline: The Q4 revenue of $851.9 million, down 4.3% year-over-year, still surpassed expectations by $4.6 million, indicating the company's ability to maintain relatively stable revenue levels in adversity.
- Cautious Future Outlook: The consolidated operating income for 2026 is expected to approach the levels achieved in 2025, although Q1 operating income is anticipated to decline year-over-year, reflecting uncertainties in the market environment.
- Strong Annual Performance: The net income and EBITDA for 2025 were $444.8 million and $704.7 million, respectively, showcasing the company's robust performance over the past year and laying a solid foundation for future growth.
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Analyst Views on MATX
Wall Street analysts forecast MATX stock price to rise
1 Analyst Rating
1 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 164.380
Low
167.00
Averages
167.00
High
167.00
Current: 164.380
Low
167.00
Averages
167.00
High
167.00
About MATX
Matson, Inc. is a provider of ocean transportation and logistics services. The Company's segments include Ocean Transportation and Logistics. The Ocean Transportation business is conducted through Matson Navigation Company, Inc. (MatNav), which provides a vital lifeline of ocean freight transportation services to the domestic non-contiguous economies of Hawaii, Alaska and Guam, and to other island economies in Micronesia. MatNav also operates premium, expedited services from China to Long Beach, California, provides services to Okinawa, Japan and various islands in the South Pacific, and operates an international export service from Alaska to Asia. The Logistics business is conducted through Matson Logistics, Inc. (Matson Logistics), a wholly owned subsidiary of MatNav. Matson Logistics provides a variety of logistics services to its customers, such as transportation brokerage services, freight forwarding services, warehousing services and supply chain management services.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Earnings Announcement Schedule: Matson (MATX) is set to release its Q4 earnings on February 24 after market close, with consensus EPS estimate at $3.69 and revenue at $847.3 million, reflecting a 4.8% year-over-year decline, indicating potential challenges in maintaining profitability amidst market pressures.
- Earnings Estimate Adjustments: Over the past three months, Matson's EPS estimates have seen two upward revisions with no downward changes, suggesting increased analyst confidence in the company's earnings potential, although revenue estimates have only seen one upward revision, indicating cautious sentiment regarding revenue growth.
- EPS Expectation Range: Matson anticipates Q4 EPS to be between $4.22 and $4.70, which exceeds market consensus, suggesting that the company may have made positive strides in cost control and operational efficiency.
- Quantitative Rating Analysis: Seeking Alpha's Quant Rating indicates a transition for Matson from mispricing to mature quality, reflecting investor recognition of its long-term value, which may attract more institutional investor interest.
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- Earnings Per Share Increase: Matson reported Q4 earnings of $4.60 per diluted share, up 21.05% from $3.80 a year earlier, indicating strong performance in the transportation and logistics sectors, which boosts investor confidence.
- Revenue Growth Indication: While specific revenue figures were not disclosed, the significant increase in earnings per share suggests positive advancements in market demand and operational efficiency, potentially attracting more investor interest in the company's future prospects.
- Positive Market Reaction: The increase in earnings per share has led to a positive market response, likely driving the stock price up, which could enhance the company's market capitalization and investment appeal.
- Optimistic Strategic Outlook: The ongoing growth and profitability in the transportation industry indicate that Matson possesses a stronger strategic advantage in future market competition, potentially delivering long-term returns for shareholders.
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- Earnings Performance: Matson reported a Q4 GAAP EPS of $4.60, beating expectations by $0.91, which demonstrates the company's resilience amid market fluctuations and boosts investor confidence.
- Slight Revenue Decline: The Q4 revenue of $851.9 million, down 4.3% year-over-year, still surpassed expectations by $4.6 million, indicating the company's ability to maintain relatively stable revenue levels in adversity.
- Cautious Future Outlook: The consolidated operating income for 2026 is expected to approach the levels achieved in 2025, although Q1 operating income is anticipated to decline year-over-year, reflecting uncertainties in the market environment.
- Strong Annual Performance: The net income and EBITDA for 2025 were $444.8 million and $704.7 million, respectively, showcasing the company's robust performance over the past year and laying a solid foundation for future growth.
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- Contract Cancellation: The Panamanian government announced the annulment of contracts held by CK Hutchison's subsidiary for the Balboa and Cristobal ports, ending over 20 years of operations and potentially leading to significant declines in market share and revenue for the company.
- Interim Operational Arrangement: Under a new decree, Danish shipping giant Maersk and Swiss-based Mediterranean Shipping Co. will temporarily operate the two ports, ensuring uninterrupted operations for the next 18 months, which will have a substantial impact on the global shipping network.
- Escalating Legal Dispute: CK Hutchison has initiated arbitration against Panama, asserting that any operations by Maersk or its subsidiaries without consent will lead to legal recourse, indicating strong opposition to the loss of control and potentially triggering broader legal and political conflicts.
- Geopolitical Implications: This ruling is seen as a significant victory for the U.S. in its efforts to curb Chinese influence in global trade, with the decision likely prompting Chinese state firms to halt new project negotiations in Panama, further escalating tensions between the U.S. and China.
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- Drug Lord Killed: The Mexican military, aided by U.S. intelligence, killed drug cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera, resulting in widespread violence across multiple states, which poses severe challenges to public safety and infrastructure.
- Trade Disruption Risk: Logistics companies warn that continued violence could dramatically impact trade between the U.S. and Mexico, particularly affecting freight operations on key transport routes, thereby straining economic relations between the two countries.
- Flight Cancellations Impact: Major U.S. airlines, including American Airlines and Southwest Airlines, canceled numerous flights due to the violence, affecting approximately 50% of air freight, which raises the risk of delays and increased costs for shipping.
- Port Operations Disrupted: The Port of Manzanillo, Mexico's busiest container port, has resumed normal operations, but ongoing road blockades due to violence continue to challenge cargo movement, impacting container traffic significantly.
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- Cargo Volume Decline: The Port of Los Angeles processed approximately 812,000 TEUs in January, reflecting a 12% year-over-year decline, indicating that unfulfilled commitments from the U.S.-China trade deal have severely impacted agricultural exports and overall port performance.
- Soybean Export Struggles: Exports of soybeans from the Port to China plummeted by 80% last year, and despite President Trump's announcement of potential additional purchases of 8 million metric tons, no improvements have been observed, highlighting the diminishing competitiveness of U.S. agricultural products in global markets.
- Falling Freight Rates: The decrease in container volumes has led to an 11.5% drop in ocean freight rates over the past month, with rates in the mid-low market segment falling by over 18%, prompting carriers to implement aggressive capacity management strategies, which may result in canceled sailings and further supply chain disruptions.
- Southeast Asia Import Growth: While imports from China have declined, containerized imports from Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia increased by 17.8%, 36.5%, and 18% respectively, indicating a diversification trend in U.S. import sources that partially offsets the decrease in Chinese imports.
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