Matson(US:MATX) Prnewswire·2026-01-15 03:03Core Insights - Matson, Inc. reported preliminary fourth quarter financial results that exceeded expectations, driven by strong demand in its China service and a stable trading environment due to the U.S.-China trade deal [2][6] - The company anticipates consolidated operating income for full year 2026 to approach the level achieved in 2025, supported by solid U.S. consumer demand [2][6] Financial Performance - For the fourth quarter of 2025, Matson expects consolidated operating income to be between $135.0 million and $145.0 million [6] - Projected net income for the fourth quarter is estimated to be between $131.3 million and $146.3 million, with diluted EPS expected to range from $4.22 to $4.70, including a tax benefit of approximately $0.77 per share [6][9] - The effective tax rate for the fourth quarter 2025 is estimated to be between 3.9% and 7.7%, significantly lower than the previous year's rate of 22.0% [9] Volume and Demand - Hawaii container volume increased by 0.6% due to higher general demand, while Alaska container volume decreased by 3.3% due to one less northbound sailing [7] - China container volume decreased by 7.2%, while Guam container volume increased by 4.4% and other containers volume rose by 11.6% [7] Share Repurchase and Liquidity - Matson repurchased approximately 0.7 million shares in the fourth quarter of 2025 for a total cost of $78.1 million, with about 1.1 million shares remaining in its repurchase program [9] - As of December 31, 2025, the company's cash and cash equivalents were approximately $141.9 million, with total debt at $361.2 million [9] Upcoming Events - A conference call to discuss the fourth quarter results is scheduled for February 24, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. ET [10]