KEX vs. SAIA
KEX (Kirby Corporation) and SAIA (Saia, Inc.) are both stocks. Both are in the Industrials sector — KEX in Marine Shipping, SAIA in Trucking. Over the past 10 years, KEX returned 9.59%/yr vs 28.28%/yr for SAIA. Their 0.41 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship.
Performance
KEX vs. SAIA - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, KEX achieves a 19.02% return, which is significantly higher than SAIA's 6.47% return. Over the past 10 years, KEX has underperformed SAIA with an annualized return of 9.59%, while SAIA has yielded a comparatively higher 28.28% annualized return.
KEX
- 1D
- -0.91%
- 1M
- 1.00%
- 6M
- 11.46%
- YTD
- 19.02%
- 1Y
- 37.32%
- 3Y*
- 17.22%
- 5Y*
- 17.76%
- 10Y*
- 9.59%
- ALL TIME*
- 7.05%
SAIA
- 1D
- -0.86%
- 1M
- -16.57%
- 6M
- 3.81%
- YTD
- 6.47%
- 1Y
- 18.61%
- 3Y*
- -6.52%
- 5Y*
- 8.99%
- 10Y*
- 28.28%
- ALL TIME*
- 16.18%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $81.47M | $91.24M | $86.63M | |
SAIA Saia, Inc. | $206.79M | $192.75M | $185.37M |
KEX vs. SAIA - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
KEX Kirby Corporation | 19.02% | 4.14% | 34.81% | 21.96% | 8.30% | 14.64% | -42.11% | 32.91% | 0.84% | 0.45% |
SAIA Saia, Inc. | 6.47% | -28.35% | 4.00% | 108.99% | -37.79% | 86.41% | 94.16% | 66.82% | -21.10% | 60.25% |
Correlation
The correlation between KEX and SAIA is 0.38, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.38 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.43 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.41 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.42 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 12, 2002 | 0.41 |
Fundamentals
KEX:
$7.02B
SAIA:
$9.27B
KEX:
$6.56
SAIA:
$10.37
KEX:
19.99
SAIA:
33.52
KEX:
0.61
SAIA:
12.09
KEX:
2.10
SAIA:
2.75
KEX:
$3.42B
SAIA:
$3.39B
KEX:
$891.16M
SAIA:
$1.37B
KEX:
$790.45M
SAIA:
$632.34M
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Return for Risk
KEX vs. SAIA — Risk / Return Rank
KEX
SAIA
KEX vs. SAIA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Kirby Corporation (KEX) and Saia, Inc. (SAIA). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| KEX | SAIA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.92 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.08 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.25 | 1.10 | +0.16 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.74 | 0.53 | +1.21 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.64 | 1.53 | +3.12 |
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Drawdowns
KEX vs. SAIA - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum KEX drawdown since its inception was -75.42%, smaller than the maximum SAIA drawdown of -80.35%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for KEX and SAIA.
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Drawdown Indicators
| KEX | SAIA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -75.42% | -80.35% | +4.93% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -21.74% | -28.64% | +6.90% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -38.76% | -60.94% | +22.18% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -38.76% | -60.94% | +22.18% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -63.34% | -60.94% | -2.40% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -14.06% | -42.63% | +28.57% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -28.54% | -28.96% | +0.42% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 8.12% | 9.87% | -1.75% |
Volatility
KEX vs. SAIA - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Kirby Corporation (KEX) is 13.42%, while Saia, Inc. (SAIA) has a volatility of 14.55%. This indicates that KEX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SAIA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| KEX | SAIA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 13.42% | 14.55% | -1.13% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 20.48% | 37.05% | -16.57% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 37.01% | 48.48% | -11.47% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 32.15% | 51.63% | -19.48% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 35.84% | 45.73% | -9.89% |
Dividends
KEX vs. SAIA - Dividend Comparison
Neither KEX nor SAIA has paid dividends to shareholders.
Financials
KEX vs. SAIA - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Kirby Corporation and Saia, Inc.. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
KEX vs. SAIA - Profitability Comparison
KEX - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Kirby Corporation reported a gross profit of 217.33M and revenue of 844.10M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 25.8%.
SAIA - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Saia, Inc. reported a gross profit of 871.51M and revenue of 956.49M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 91.1%.
KEX - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Kirby Corporation reported an operating income of 106.22M and revenue of 844.10M, resulting in an operating margin of 12.6%.
SAIA - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Saia, Inc. reported an operating income of 125.21M and revenue of 956.49M, resulting in an operating margin of 13.1%.
KEX - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Kirby Corporation reported a net income of 81.20M and revenue of 844.10M, resulting in a net margin of 9.6%.
SAIA - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Saia, Inc. reported a net income of 94.26M and revenue of 956.49M, resulting in a net margin of 9.9%.
Frequently Asked Questions
KEX and SAIA have a correlation of 0.38, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SAIA has higher volatility (14.55%) compared to KEX (13.42%). In terms of maximum drawdown, KEX dropped -75.42% vs SAIA's -80.35%.
KEX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.23 vs 0.31), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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