Price as of close on Nov 3, 2026 · Financials updated Sep 30, 2026
Basics
Sector
Basic Materials
Industry
Specialty Chemicals
Country
United States
Market cap
1.6B USD
Enterprise value
1.9B USD
Full-time employees
2,328
Overall health
Drawback:less profitable than most peersless profitable than peers
Drawback:growing more slowly than most peersgrowing more slowly than peers
Drawback:its shares are priced higher than most peers relative to what it earnspriced higher than peers for its earnings
Drawback:higher risk than most peers: its share price swings more than most peers’ (beta 0.94 vs a peer median of 0.69), though less than the overall market and less short-term liquidity (current ratio 1.15 vs a peer median of 1.76)higher risk: bigger price swings (beta 0.94 vs peers 0.69) and less liquidity (current ratio 1.15 vs peers 1.76)
Ranks #1,034 of 1,217 basic materials companies (bottom 16%)
Earnings slid into a loss. Loss per share this year after a profit last year.
Stepan made a loss per share in its latest year after a profit the year before.
Valuation signals disagree. Cheaper than 48% of peers on free cash flow, but only 0% on earnings.
Relative to its free cash flow, Stepan looks cheaper than 48% of peers; relative to its earnings, cheaper than only 0%. The valuation score blends the two, so look at which measure fits this business best.
Sales growing faster than profits. Since 2022: revenue −16%, operating profit −62%.
Since 2022, Stepan's revenue changed −16% while operating profit fell 62%: costs rose faster than sales.
Loss over 12 months, profit last quarter. Lost money in the 12 months to June 2026, but made a $23M profit in the quarter to June 2026.
Stepan reported a net loss over the last twelve months, but its most recent quarter was profitable ($23M). One quarter isn't a trend, but it's closer to profitability than the 12-month figure suggests.
Since last quarter: No major changeValuation also moves with the share price every day.
Why it changed since the Oct 27, 2026 close: Score 38 → 37
Share price +5.3%-1
Each step re-scores the company against its peers as they were on Oct 28, 2026; the parts add up to the change. Price effects on EBITDA yield are approximate.
Sector-normalized EBITDA, earnings, and free cash flow yields.
Earnings yield-0.2%
SEC filings · 12 months to Jun 2026Negative (a loss or cash outflow), so it counts as zero whatever the share price30% base weight · Z-score -1.00Sector median: 0.0364 · MAD: 0.0364
EBITDA yield7.1%
SEC filings · 12 months to Jun 2026Reported value50% base weight · Z-score -0.27Sector median: 0.0854 · MAD: 0.0520
Free cash flow yield2.3%
SEC filings · 12 months to Jun 2026 · operating cash flow − capital spendingReported value20% base weight · Z-score -0.10Sector median: 0.0261 · MAD: 0.0261
Valuation, growth and profitability scores: higher is better. Risk: 0 is lower, 2 is higher. Risk is a relative proxy, not a bankruptcy probability. Scores depend on available sector peers.
Questions investors ask about Stepan
Is Stepan getting weaker?
Its latest SEC filing (Aug 5, 2026) showed no major changes. Its overall score is unchanged at 29/100 since Oct 28, 2026.
How is Stepan valued vs its peers?
Priced higher than most peers relative to what it earns. Valuation scores 37/100 against 1,371 basic materials peers.Earnings yield -0.2% vs a peer median of 3.6% (weaker than 100% of peers).Earnings yield -0.2% vs peers 3.6% (weaker than 100% of peers).
Is Stepan growing?
More slowly than most of its peers. Growth scores 33/100 against 1,371 basic materials peers.Revenue growth 7.6% vs a peer median of 3.4% (stronger than 62% of peers).Revenue growth 7.6% vs peers 3.4% (stronger than 62% of peers).
How profitable is Stepan?
Less profitable than most of its peers. Profitability scores 20/100 against 1,371 basic materials peers.Operating margin 0.8% vs a peer median of 7.6% (weaker than 79% of peers).Operating margin 0.8% vs peers 7.6% (weaker than 79% of peers).
How risky is Stepan?
Higher risk relative to 1,371 basic materials peers, judged on debt, liquidity and share-price swings.Current ratio 1.15× vs a peer median of 1.76× (weaker than 77% of peers).Current ratio 1.15× vs peers 1.76× (weaker than 77% of peers). A relative measure, not a bankruptcy probability.
Latest filing: what changed
Quarter ended Jun 30, 2026 · filed Aug 5, 2026 · compared with the quarter ended Mar 31, 2026
No major changes
Previous quarter
Latest quarter
Change
Revenue (12 months)
2.3B USD
2.4B USD
+3.8%
Net income (12 months)
−14.2M USD
−2.7M USD
−81.4%
Operating margin
0.0%
0.8%
+0.8 pts
Free cash flow (12 months)
37.2M USD
36.6M USD
−1.7%
Debt
651.7M USD
647.4M USD
−0.7%
Cash
140.8M USD
113.7M USD
−19.2%
Shares outstanding
22.7M
22.7M
+0.1%
From the company’s own SEC filings, as filed. Twelve-month figures roll forward one quarter at a time.
Industry valuation context
Industry: Specialty Chemicals · 32 companies
Valuations in Specialty Chemicals are above their usual range since 2016.
74% of months since 2016 were valued lower than now.
17% of companies are in the most expensive fifth of their own price-to-sales history.
Over 24 months, company values −8% and earnings +13% (medians): earnings grew faster than prices.
Median price-to-sales is −36% vs the whole market, against a usual −31%.
2016Shaded: most expensive fifth of its range2026
This is a cyclical group: after a downturn, trailing earnings and sales fall faster than prices, which can make valuations look high near a cycle's low.
Describes valuations since 2016; it does not predict prices. US companies worth $1B+, from SEC filings and month-end prices, as of Aug 2026. Today's companies and industry labels are used throughout. Measured on earnings, EBITDA, sales and free cash flow yields. How this works
Financials
Fiscal years from SEC annual filings · change vs the prior year
Key ratios
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Change
Gross margin
16.9%
15.4%
11.9%
12.5%
11.6%
▼ 0.9 pts
Operating margin
7.3%
7.5%
2.5%
3.2%
3.4%
▲ 0.1 pts
Net margin
5.9%
5.3%
1.7%
2.3%
2.0%
▼ 0.3 pts
Return on assets (ROA)
6.7%
6.0%
1.7%
2.2%
2.0%
▼ 0.2 pts
Return on equity (ROE)
12.8%
12.6%
3.3%
4.3%
3.8%
▼ 0.5 pts
Free cash flow margin
-5.2%
-5.1%
-3.7%
1.8%
1.1%
▼ 0.7 pts
Current ratio
1.82×
1.56×
1.40×
1.21×
1.29×
▲ 6.4%
Quick ratio
1.21×
0.96×
0.96×
0.78×
0.84×
▲ 7.8%
Debt to equity
0.34×
0.50×
0.54×
0.53×
0.50×
▼ 5.8%
Interest coverage
16.83×
11.61×
2.00×
2.13×
2.55×
▲ 20%
SCL price history
Price history is added with the daily price update and will appear after the next one.