Matson
Honolulu-based ocean carrier. A large share of the goods on store shelves in Hawaiʻi arrive on its ships.
- Founded
- 1882
- Headquarters
- Honolulu
- Industry
- Shipping
- Ticker
- MATX
$1,000 invested in Jan 2005 is worth $17k today, against $9,681 in the S&P 500.
- Growth per year
- +14.0%
- S&P 500 +11.0%
- Worst drop
- -64%
- Jul 2007 to Feb 2009
- Volatility
- 33%
- S&P 500 15%
- Worst year
- -50%
- 2008
Monthly prices with dividends reinvested, Jan 2005 to Oct 2026. Updated 2026-10-21.
How it makes money
- Ships containers between the U.S. West Coast and Hawaiʻi, Alaska and Guam, routes protected by the Jones Act.
- Runs a fast premium service from China to Long Beach that charges more for speed.
- Owns trucking and logistics businesses that move goods once they land.
What moves the stock
- Freight rates across the Pacific, which can swing wildly when supply chains clog.
- Fuel prices, one of a shipper's biggest costs.
- Consumer spending in Hawaiʻi and Alaska, which sets how many containers people need.
The Hawaiʻi connection
Hawaiʻi imports most of what it eats and uses, and a large share arrives on Matson ships into Honolulu Harbor. When shipping costs rise, island prices follow. Matson is also a central example in the debate over the Jones Act.
Moments that moved it
Sep 2008
Fewer goods moved as the economy slowed.
Mar 2020
Shipping looked weak at first, then demand for goods surged.
Jun 2021
Clogged ports sent trans-Pacific freight rates to records, and Matson's expedited China service earned far more than usual. The stock rose several times over.
Keep digging
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