STEPAN (SCL)
Materials · Specialty Chemicals · NYSE
Stepan is a global producer of essential specialty chemicals and surfactants used in everything from household cleaning supplies to high-performance insulation.
What STEPAN does
Stepan Company is a manufacturer of specialty and intermediate chemicals used in a broad range of industries. The company operates through two primary segments: Surfactants, which are used in consumer and industrial cleaning and disinfection products, and Polymers, which are used in insulation and structural applications.
Themes: consumer cleaning products / hygiene, insulation / energy efficiency, specialty chemical manufacturing
Fundamentals
- Price$63.63 as of 2026-08-21 close
- Market cap$1.4B as of 2026-08-21
- 1-year return+27.8% 2025-08-21 close $49.80 → 2026-08-21 close $63.63
- P/E31.50 as of 2026-08-24
- Net margin-0.1% as of 2026-08-24
- Gross margin+11.8% as of 2026-08-24
- ROE-0.2% as of 2026-08-24
- Debt / equity0.53 as of 2026-08-24
- Revenue growth (YoY)+7.6% as of 2026-08-24
- Revenue CAGR (3y)-5.6% SEC XBRL
- Beta0.96 as of 2026-08-24
- Last reported earnings2026-07-29 SEC EDGAR Form 8-K (Item 2.02)
Dividend: yield +1.8%; at least 5 years of non-decreasing per-share dividends (SEC XBRL) — we do not hold the year before it, so the real streak may be longer.
How SCL compares in its sector
- price-to-earnings ratiomiddle range 94 covered Materials peers, as of 2026-08-24
- net profit marginmiddle range 142 covered Materials peers, as of 2026-08-24
- operating marginmiddle range 142 covered Materials peers, as of 2026-08-24
- gross marginbottom 25% 141 covered Materials peers, as of 2026-08-24
- return on equitymiddle range 151 covered Materials peers, as of 2026-08-24
- 3-year revenue CAGRmiddle range 127 covered Materials peers
- indicated dividend yieldmiddle range 95 covered Materials peers, as of 2026-08-24
- free cash flow (absolute dollars, latest fiscal year)middle range 124 covered Materials peers, as of FY2025
Position among covered Materials companies that report each metric (minimum 5 peers). A relative position within our covered catalog — not a valuation, quality, or investment judgment. A higher percentile is simply a higher value (for P/E, more expensive on earnings — never "better"). Informational only.
Dividend coverage (FY2025)
Exceeded at least one reported measure. In FY2025, SCL's dividend exceeded at least one reported measure of what it earned or generated (earnings payout 75%, free-cash-flow payout 138%). A payout above 100% in one year is not necessarily unsustainable, but it is not fully covered by that measure.
- Earnings payout75% dividends / net income
- Free-cash-flow payout138% dividends / (operating cash flow − capex)
Coverage derived from reported SEC EDGAR XBRL figures for FY2025 (dividends paid vs. net income and free cash flow, same fiscal year). This describes PAST coverage for one fiscal year — it does not predict whether a dividend will be maintained, raised, or cut, and a one-year payout ratio can be distorted by non-recurring items. Informational only — not financial advice.
How STEPAN looks technically
STEPAN (SCL) is trading 20.8% above its 200-day average, the long-term trend line — a longer-term uptrend. Its 50-day average crossed above its 200-day average about 68 trading days ago — a "golden cross", a bullish long-term signal. There is no clear trend right now — the price is choppy (ADX, a 0–100 trend-strength gauge, is 19, below the 25 that marks a real trend). Momentum is neutral — its 14-day RSI (a 0–100 momentum gauge) is 58, neither overbought (above 70) nor oversold (below 30). MACD, a trend-momentum gauge, turned bearish about 6 trading days ago (its momentum flipped negative). It made a new 20-day high about 18 trading days ago.
Trend
8
| Distance from the 200-day | it is trading 20.8% above its 200-day average, the long-term trend line — a longer-term uptrend | +20.8% |
|---|---|---|
| 50-day moving average | its average price over the last 50 trading days — a short-term trend line — is $59.10 | $59.10 |
| 200-day moving average | its average price over the last 200 trading days — the long-term trend line — is $52.66 | $52.66 |
| Swing structure | each recent peak has been higher than the one before it and each dip has been shallower — the pattern chart-watchers call an uptrend, which describes where price has already been and not where it goes next | higher highs and higher lows |
| Last swing turn | its last significant turn was a swing high 22 calendar days ago — the swings before that are what the structure reading is measured on | 22 sessions |
| Wave structure | its recent swings can be read as a completed five-part upward sequence — the pattern Elliott-wave chartists call an impulse — which on that reading would now be due a pullback rather than more of the same; the labelling fails if price closes above 66.6372. It is the only labelling that fits, though not with textbook proportions, and it describes the swings already printed, not what comes next. | possible five-wave upward sequence, complete (atypical proportions) |
| Since the 50/200 cross | its 50-day average crossed above its 200-day average about 68 trading days ago — a "golden cross", a bullish long-term signal | 68 sessions |
| Trend strength (14-day ADX) | there is no clear trend right now — the price is choppy (ADX, a 0–100 trend-strength gauge, is 19, below the 25 that marks a real trend) | 19.0 |
Momentum
3
| 14-day RSI | momentum is neutral — its 14-day RSI (a 0–100 momentum gauge) is 58, neither overbought (above 70) nor oversold (below 30) | 57.7 |
|---|---|---|
| Position in its 14-day range | it is trading in the lower half of its 14-day range ($62.92 to $65.91) — its "stochastic" reading is 24 out of 100, where 0 would mean closing exactly at the 14-session low and 100 exactly at the high. This measures WHERE the price sits inside its recent range, which is a different question from the RSI beside it: RSI is a momentum gauge, measuring how FAST the price has been moving, so a stock can drift quietly to the bottom of its range with an ordinary RSI, or fall sharply and still sit in the middle. It has been slipping within that range over the last few sessions. | 23.8 |
| Since the MACD crossed zero | MACD, a trend-momentum gauge, turned bearish about 6 trading days ago (its momentum flipped negative) | 6 sessions |
Range
12
| 52-week high | its highest closing price over the past year (about 252 trading days) was $68.00 | $68.00 |
|---|---|---|
| From the 52-week high | it is 6.4% below its 52-week high (its highest price of the past year) | -6.4% |
| Above the 52-week low | it is 52.2% above its 52-week low (its lowest price of the past year) | +52.1% |
| Below the 52-week high | it is 6.4% below its highest point of the past year | 6.4% |
| Since a 20-day breakout | it made a new 20-day high about 18 trading days ago | 18 sessions |
| Since a 55-day breakout | it made a new 55-day high about 18 trading days ago | 18 sessions |
| All-time high | its highest closing price on record is $139.30 (set on 2021-05-10) | $139.30 |
| Given back of the 52-week move | over the past year its closes ranged ($42.31 to $67.23), and it has given back only a small part of its rise from last year’s low — 14% of it. Chart-watchers call 61.8%-65% given back the "golden pocket" — for this company that is $51.03 to $51.83. It is watched widely enough that orders cluster there, which is the honest reason it matters; it is not a forecast. | 14.4% |
| From the all-time high | it is 54.3% below its all-time high | -54.3% |
| Nearest price level | it is trading 4.0% below a resistance level at $66.15 — a price it turned at three times since 2025-01-27, most recently on 2026-08-11. Since 2024-08-21 it has 12 such levels below the current price and 4 above. Levels like these describe where the price has reversed or paused before; they are not a forecast of where it will go. | +4.0% |
| All-time low | its lowest closing price on record is $11.40 (set on 2009-03-11) | $11.40 |
| Above the all-time low | it is 458.2% above its all-time low | +458.2% |
Volatility
5
| Band width vs its own 6 months | day-to-day price swings are about average versus its own recent 6-month history | 52nd percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Typical daily range | in a typical session it travels about $1.69 between its high and its low — about 2.7% of its price. That is its "average true range" over the last 14 sessions, which also counts the distance from the previous close, so a day that opens well away from yesterday counts as the large move it was | $1.69 |
| Bollinger bands (20-day, ±2σ) | most of its recent trading has stayed between about $59.54 and $68.09 — the "Bollinger bands", a range drawn two standard deviations either side of its 20-day average price, which widens when the stock gets more volatile and narrows when it settles | $59.54 – $63.82 – $68.09 |
| Typical daily range (% of price) | its price moves about 2.7% in a typical session — calmer than most companies we cover. This is the average gap between a session's high and low over the last 14 sessions, counting overnight moves, expressed against the current price so it can be compared with companies trading at any price | 2.6% |
| Stretch from the 200-day average | it is trading 6.5 daily ranges above its 200-day average price (20.8% above it in plain percentage terms) — a way of asking how far it has stretched from its own average in units of how far it normally moves in a day, so a calm company and a jumpy one can be compared on the same scale | 6.5 daily ranges above its 200-day average |
Volume
1
| Volume vs its 30-day average | trading volume is about normal versus its 30-day average | 0.87× |
|---|
Analyst
2
| Change in the average price target | analysts' average price target is unchanged from the prior reading | 0.0% |
|---|---|---|
| Change in the consensus rating | the analyst consensus rating is unchanged since the prior reading | unchanged |
Candlestick patterns
1
| Since a doji | 7 sessions ago it opened and closed at almost the same price after trading through a wider range — a "doji", the classic picture of buyers and sellers finishing the session level | 7 sessions ago |
|---|
Price gaps
2
| Gap at the open | it opened on 2026-08-21 0.9% above the previous session's close — an overnight gap, the part of the move that happened while the market was shut, and traded back through that level before the close | +0.9% |
|---|---|---|
| Open gap | it gapped 8.1% above the previous close 17 sessions ago and has not traded back through the level it left behind at 58.01 — an "unfilled gap", which describes a price range no trade has since crossed and is not a forecast that it will be crossed | +8.1% |
Price streaks
1
| Closing streak | it has closed lower 2 sessions in a row, a -0.39% move over the run — an unbroken run of down days, which describes what has already happened and says nothing about the next session | 2 sessions down |
|---|
Relative strength
4
| vs market, 1 month | over the past 1 month this stock beat the market by 6.3 percentage points (the stock gained 8.6% while the market gained 2.3%) | +6.3% |
|---|---|---|
| vs market, 3 months | over the past 3 months this stock beat the market by 20.7 percentage points (the stock gained 23.8% while the market gained 3.1%) | +20.7% |
| vs market, 6 months | over the past 6 months this stock lagged the market by 16.4 percentage points (the stock lost 5.4% while the market gained 11.1%) | -16.4% |
| vs market, 12 months | over the past 12 months this stock beat the market by 7.3 percentage points (the stock gained 27.8% while the market gained 20.5%) | +7.3% |
Signal agreement
2
| Bullish technical signals | 3 of the 9 technical signals we can compute for it are currently in a bullish state: a "golden cross" — its 50-day average is above its 200-day, trading above its 200-day average, trading above the Ichimoku cloud — these describe past price behaviour, not a forecast | 3 of 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Bearish technical signals | 2 of the 9 technical signals we can compute for it are currently in a bearish state: MACD momentum is negative, lagging the market over 6 months — these describe past price behaviour, not a forecast | 2 of 9 |
Trend (Ichimoku cloud)
1
| Vs the Ichimoku cloud | trading 13% above the Ichimoku cloud — a band drawn from where its own highs and lows sat up to 2026-07-16 and projected forward over today's price, the side traders read as an established uptrend, with the band below acting as the level that would have to give way. The band itself is moderate, spanning 3.2% of the share price. | +13.0% |
|---|
Volume-weighted price
2
| Vs this year’s average price paid | the price is 16% above the average price paid so far this year, so the typical buyer over that stretch is showing a gain. That average is $54.96 — a volume-weighted average of daily closes over 157 sessions, not a true tick-by-tick VWAP. | +15.8% |
|---|---|---|
| Vs the average paid since it last reported | the price is 2% below the average price paid since it last reported on 2026-07-29 (its 8-K), so the typical buyer over that stretch is under water. That average is $64.64 — a volume-weighted average of daily closes over 18 sessions, not a true tick-by-tick VWAP. | -1.6% |
Price levels it has turned at before
SCL last closed at $63.63 on 2026-08-21. Since 2024-08-21 it has turned at 12 prices below its last close and 4 above; the 3 nearest below and the 3 nearest above are listed, nearest first.
| Level | Side | Distance | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| $66.15 | Resistance | 4.0% above the last close | turned there three times · 2025-01-27 to 2026-08-11 |
| $60.74 | Support | 4.5% below the last close | turned there twice · 2025-02-03 to 2025-07-10 |
| $59.66 | Support | 6.2% below the last close | turned there four times · 2025-01-10 to 2026-07-16 |
| $58.24 | Support | 8.5% below the last close | turned there three times · 2025-05-12 to 2026-07-07 |
| $71.75 | Resistance | 12.8% above the last close | turned there twice · 2024-10-23 to 2024-11-01 |
| $73.31 | Resistance | 15.2% above the last close | turned there three times · 2024-10-10 to 2024-12-05 |
A level is a price this company reversed or paused at more than once — they describe past behaviour, not a forecast of where the price will go.
Wave structure
Its recent swings can be read as a five-part upward sequence — what Elliott-wave chartists call an impulse — now complete.
This labelling fails — stops being a possible reading at all — if it closes above $66.64.
It is the only labelling that fits these swings, though its proportions are not the textbook ones. It was chosen from 3 labellings that survived the rules, counting shorter readings of the same bars.
This labelling was already in place when we began recording count changes on 2026-08-12, so how long it has stood is not something we can say yet.
Read from daily closes as of 2026-08-21.
An Elliott-wave count describes the swings already printed and the level that would disprove it. It is not a forecast, a target, or advice.
Screens: Trading above the 200-day moving average · trendless / choppy (low ADX) · lagging the market · Stretched far above its 200-day average (6+ daily ranges) · Trading above the Ichimoku cloud · Completed Elliott five-wave sequences | Learn: moving average · golden cross · adx · rsi · macd · breakout
Based on daily closing prices as of 2026-08-21. Describes past price behavior only — informational, not financial advice.
Analyst consensus
- Mean price target$85.00 range $85.00 – $85.00
Analyst estimates, as of 2026-08-24. These are third-party analyst opinions and price targets, aggregated — not a recommendation, prediction, or advice from stocks-llm. Informational only.
Analyst EPS estimate for SCL
- Consensus EPS estimate$0.725 next reporting period, as of 2026-08-24
Change over time is not available yet: it needs two readings of the same reporting period at least 30 days apart, and we have been recording these estimates since 2026-08-04. An estimate for a DIFFERENT quarter is not a revision, so a reading from before the last report is never compared with one after it.
The consensus estimate for the next reporting period, and how it has moved between readings of that SAME period. A change is measured only between readings estimating one period — when a company reports, the consensus moves to the next quarter and the two numbers are not comparable. Informational only, not a forecast and not advice.
Key risks (from latest filing)
["Volatility of raw material, natural gas, and electricity costs","Significant environmental remediation liabilities and compliance costs (e.g., CERCLA)","Risks related to manufacturing facility accidents and unplanned production shutdowns"]
What changed in the latest 10-Q
AI-assisted comparison of SCL's 10-Q filed 2026-05-06 against the prior one filed 2025-11-05.
Management's Discussion & Analysis (MD&A)
The two filings could not be meaningfully compared for this section.
Risk Factors
- Added:
- Detailed risk factors list referencing 2025 Form 10-K, including accidents/production shutdowns, product reformulation risks, new product development, cost savings realization, environmental/health/safety compliance, M&A integration, competition, raw material/energy volatility, transportation disruptions, economic downturns, international business risks, litigation, intellectual property, tax consequences, credit ratings, conflicts/military/terrorism, capital project overruns, IT systems/data security, key personnel retention, and debt covenant limitations (filed 2026-05-06)
- Forward-looking statements disclaimer with specific language about dates of statements, no obligation to update, and conditions for updates (filed 2026-05-06)
- Definition of 'Company,' 'we,' 'our' or 'us' (filed 2026-05-06)
- Business overview describing three reportable segments: Surfactants (75% of Q1 2026 sales), Polymers (22%), and Specialty Products (3%) with detailed manufacturing locations (filed 2026-05-06)
- Project Catalyst announcement from February 2026 with details on Fieldsboro NJ shutdown, Elwood Illinois decommissioning, Stalybridge UK decommissioning, $65.4 million restructuring expense in Q1 2026, and reference to Note 16 (filed 2026-05-06)
- Detailed description of Surfactants segment products and manufacturing locations across US, Europe, Latin America, and Asia (filed 2026-05-06)
- Detailed description of Polymers segment products and manufacturing locations (filed 2026-05-06)
- Detailed description of Specialty Products segment and Maywood NJ manufacturing (filed 2026-05-06)
- Deferred Compensation Plans section beginning to discuss accounting impacts (filed 2026-05-06)
- Removed:
- Statement that 'There have been no material changes to the risk factors disclosed in the Company's 2024 Annual Report on Form 10-K' (filed 2025-11-05)
- Item 2 – Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds with share repurchase table for Q3 2025 (filed 2025-11-05)
- Item 3 – Defaults Upon Senior Securities stating 'None' (filed 2025-11-05)
- Item 4 – Mine Safety Disclosures stating 'Not applicable' (filed 2025-11-05)
- Item 5 – Other Information regarding Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangements (filed 2025-11-05)
- Item 6 – Exhibits table with certification exhibits and XBRL exhibits (filed 2025-11-05)
- Signatures section with filing date November 5, 2025 and Ruben Velasquez signature (filed 2025-11-05)
- Reworded:
- Section header changed from 'Item 1A – Risk Factors' to 'Item 1A. Risk Factors' (period vs dash)
- Notes:
- The newer filing excerpt is truncated mid-sentence in the Deferred Compensation Plans section, limiting full comparison of that section
- The older filing excerpt primarily shows Items 2-6 rather than complete Risk Factors section, making it a limited comparison of the actual Risk Factors content itself
AI-assisted comparison of two SEC filing sections. It describes wording and theme changes only, makes no materiality, legal, or investment judgement, and is not financial advice. Informational only — not financial advice.
Insider activity (SEC Form 4)
No open-market insider purchases or sales are on record for SCL — recent Form 4 activity was compensation-related (awards, option exercises, or tax withholding), not open-market buying or selling.
View full insider trading history → View SEC Form 3/4/5 filingsOnly open-market purchases (SEC code P) and sales (code S) are counted here. Option exercises, vesting/awards, gifts, and shares withheld for taxes are excluded — they are compensation or mechanical, not open-market conviction. Sales may be planned and non-discretionary (e.g. a Rule 10b5-1 plan) and are not necessarily bearish; open-market buying is not a recommendation to buy. Informational only — not financial advice.
Institutional ownership (13F)
5 institutional 13F filers reported holding SCL as of 2026-03-31 (quarter-end position, filed within 45 days).
- Distinct 13F filers 5
- Reported shares held 4,260,221
- Reported value $212,925,827
reported quarterly holdings change (2025-12-31 → 2026-03-31): 0 new, 1 increased, 4 decreased, 0 exited. Change counts cover only managers that filed 13F reports in BOTH quarters, derived between two quarter-end snapshots — not same-day trades; a single manager is never said to have "bought" or "sold".
Institutional holdings are quarter-end long positions reported on SEC Form 13F-HR, filed up to 45 days after the quarter ends — they are delayed, are not real-time trades, exclude short positions and most non-US securities, and are not investment advice. Any increase/decrease is a reported change between two quarterly snapshots, not a same-day purchase or sale. These are quarter-end snapshots from the 13F filings on SEC EDGAR, filed within 45 days — not real-time, and any change is a difference between two quarterly reports, not a same-day trade. Informational only — not financial advice.
Short interest (FINRA)
SCL had 591,427 shares of reported short interest as of the 2026-07-31 FINRA settlement date (delayed, bi-monthly; not real-time).
SCL had 2.60% of its shares outstanding sold short as of the 2026-07-31 FINRA settlement date (percent of FLOAT would be higher — float is not disclosed in the source). FINRA reported 3.52 days to cover at the same settlement.
- Reported short interest (shares) 591,427
- Short interest (% of shares outstanding) 2.60%
- Prior settlement (shares) 604,349
- Reported change -2.14%
- Days to cover (reported) 3.52
Reported to FINRA as of the 2026-07-31 settlement date. Short interest is reported to FINRA and published on a delayed, bi-monthly schedule (as of a settlement date, disseminated roughly eight business days later) — it is NOT real-time, does not cover every venue or all US trading, and is not a short-squeeze prediction or investment advice. Days-to-cover is the value FINRA reports; percent of float is not shown because the source file carries no share-count denominator — where a percent appears it is of shares OUTSTANDING, the larger base, and is therefore a floor on percent of float. Informational only — not financial advice.
Competitors & peers
- BASF (BASFY)
- Dow (DOW)
- Evonik Industries (EVK.DE)
- Solvay (SOLB.BR)
- Croda International (CRDA.L)
- Huntsman (HUN)
AI-enriched competitor set. Linked names are companies covered by stocks-llm; other named peers are shown for reference only.
Compare SCL vs…
Frequently asked questions
What does STEPAN (SCL) do?
Stepan Company is a manufacturer of specialty and intermediate chemicals used in a broad range of industries. The company operates through two primary segments: Surfactants, which are used in consumer and industrial cleaning and disinfection products, and Polymers, which are used in insulation and structural applications.
What sector is STEPAN (SCL) in?
STEPAN (SCL) is classified in the Materials sector. Its industry is Specialty Chemicals. It trades on NYSE.
Does SCL pay a dividend?
Yes — STEPAN (SCL) pays a dividend, with an indicated yield of about 1.83% and at least 5 years of non-decreasing per-share dividends (SEC EDGAR XBRL) — we do not hold the year before it, so the real streak may be longer (market data, as of 2026-08-24). Informational only — not financial advice.
Who are STEPAN's (SCL) competitors?
Notable peers of STEPAN (SCL) include BASF, Dow, Evonik Industries, Solvay and Croda International. This peer set is informational only — not financial advice.
Is STEPAN (SCL) overbought or oversold right now?
STEPAN (SCL) is currently neither overbought nor oversold — its 14-day RSI (a 0–100 momentum gauge) is 58, in the neutral middle (as of 2026-08-21). RSI describes recent price momentum, not a forecast — informational only, not financial advice.
Where does stocks-llm's data on SCL come from?
Fundamentals and prices come from market data, as of 2026-08-24; company filings and profile facts come from SEC EDGAR. All figures are delayed daily-close data shown with their as-of date — informational only, not financial advice.
Fundamentals: market data, as of 2026-08-24. Filings: SEC EDGAR. Prices are delayed daily-close data.
Last updated 2026-08-21.
Informational only — NOT financial advice. All figures are delayed daily-close data from SEC EDGAR & market data, shown with their as-of date.