Kirby vs ZIM Integrated Shipping
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KIRA’s take AI analyst
I put Kirby and ZIM Integrated Shipping side by side, using each one’s latest annual report. Here is what stands out:
- ZIM Integrated Shipping is the larger business, with $6.9B of revenue in fiscal 2025 against $3.4B for Kirby, about 2.1 times as much.
- Kirby grew revenue faster (3.0%, against −18.1%).
- ZIM Integrated Shipping turned more of its sales into free cash flow (30.2% FCF margin, against 12.1%).
- ZIM Integrated Shipping earned a higher return on the capital invested in it (24.9%, against 8.9%).
Who comes out ahead
Of the 10 measures where higher (or lower) is clearly better, how many each company leads.
Kirby
KEX
5/10
Revenue growthOperating marginNet marginPiotroski F-scoreShare count change
ZIM Integrated Shipping
ZIM
5/10
5-year growthFCF marginReturn on capitalReturn on equityNet debt / EBITDA
Side by side
Best in the row
| Latest fiscal year | KEX FY25 | ZIM FY25 |
|---|---|---|
| Size | ||
| Market cap | $7.4B | $3.6B |
| Revenue | $3.4B | $6.9B |
| Free cash flow | $406M | $2.1B |
| Net income | $355M | $479M |
| Growth | ||
| Revenue growth | 3.0% | −18.1% |
| 5-year growth | 9.2% | 11.6% |
| Share count change | −4.0% | 0.0% |
| Profitability | ||
| Gross margin | — | 19.1% |
| Operating margin | 14.8% | 14.7% |
| Net margin | 10.5% | 6.9% |
| FCF margin | 12.1% | 30.2% |
| Return on capital | 8.9% | 24.9% |
| Return on equity | 10.5% | 11.9% |
| Balance sheet | ||
| Net debt | $841M | −$930M |
| Net debt / EBITDA | 1.1x | −0.4x |
| Dividends and buybacks | $354M | $516M |
| Valuation & quality | ||
| P/E | 21.1x | — |
| Piotroski F-score | 7 | 4 |
Ten years
Revenue
Operating margin
Free cash flow
Return on capital
Each company's latest fiscal year; fiscal years end in different months. The best value in each row is highlighted where higher (or lower) is clearly better. Not investment advice.