Latest Ratios: P/E Ratio 27.2x · EV/EBITDA 9.3x · ROE 3.9%. (1996–2025 historical series)
Price-based multiples — how expensive the stock is relative to earnings, sales, book value, and cash flow
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Cap | $1.3B | $1.1B | $1.5B | $2.2B | $2.5B | $2.9B | $2.8B | $2.4B | $1.7B | $1.8B | $1.9B |
| Enterprise Value | $1.8B | $1.6B | $2.1B | $2.8B | $2.9B | $3.2B | $2.7B | $2.3B | $1.7B | $1.8B | $1.9B |
| P/E Ratio → | 27.18 | 23.10 | 29.41 | 54.03 | 16.69 | 20.99 | 21.89 | 23.18 | 15.32 | 18.32 | 21.84 |
| P/S Ratio | 0.54 | 0.46 | 0.68 | 0.93 | 0.89 | 1.23 | 1.48 | 1.29 | 0.87 | 0.96 | 1.07 |
| P/B Ratio | 1.03 | 0.87 | 1.27 | 1.78 | 2.11 | 2.69 | 2.81 | 2.68 | 2.20 | 2.49 | 2.96 |
| P/FCF | 49.88 | 42.73 | 37.77 | — | — | — | 25.36 | 21.16 | 20.43 | 15.35 | 17.25 |
| P/OCF | 8.56 | 7.33 | 9.16 | 12.41 | 15.27 | 40.12 | 11.80 | 10.93 | 10.09 | 9.28 | 8.87 |
P/E links to full P/E history page with 30-year chart
Enterprise-value multiples — capital-structure-neutral measures of total business value
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EV / Revenue | — | 0.70 | 0.95 | 1.18 | 1.05 | 1.35 | 1.43 | 1.26 | 0.84 | 0.94 | 1.10 |
| EV / EBITDA | 9.33 | 8.40 | 11.31 | 16.78 | 9.67 | 12.06 | 10.56 | 11.33 | 7.16 | 7.76 | 9.67 |
| EV / EBIT | 26.29 | 19.07 | 25.87 | 42.77 | 14.63 | 17.57 | 14.97 | 16.97 | 11.05 | 11.32 | 15.16 |
| EV / FCF | — | 64.74 | 52.62 | — | — | — | 24.45 | 20.68 | 19.71 | 15.10 | 17.83 |
Margins and return-on-capital ratios measuring operating efficiency
Full margin charts and quarterly trend are on the Earnings History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | 11.6% | 11.6% | 12.5% | 11.9% | 15.4% | 16.9% | 20.5% | 18.3% | 17.1% | 17.6% | 19.2% |
| Operating Margin | 3.0% | 3.0% | 3.2% | 2.5% | 7.5% | 7.3% | 9.2% | 6.8% | 7.6% | 8.0% | 7.1% |
| Net Profit Margin | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.3% | 1.7% | 5.3% | 5.9% | 6.8% | 5.5% | 5.7% | 4.8% | 4.9% |
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE | 3.9% | 3.9% | 4.2% | 3.4% | 13.1% | 13.4% | 13.5% | 12.3% | 14.8% | 13.3% | 14.4% |
| ROA | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.2% | 1.7% | 6.5% | 7.2% | 7.6% | 6.7% | 7.6% | 6.5% | 6.6% |
| ROIC | 2.9% | 2.9% | 3.0% | 2.6% | 10.5% | 11.5% | 14.9% | 11.9% | 15.2% | 15.9% | 13.1% |
| ROCE | 4.2% | 4.2% | 4.2% | 3.3% | 12.5% | 11.8% | 13.3% | 10.7% | 13.2% | 14.0% | 12.3% |
Solvency and debt-coverage ratios — lower is generally safer
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debt / Equity | 0.56 | 0.56 | 0.58 | 0.59 | 0.55 | 0.39 | 0.25 | 0.29 | 0.35 | 0.39 | 0.50 |
| Debt / EBITDA | 3.54 | 3.54 | 3.74 | 4.34 | 2.11 | 1.61 | 0.99 | 1.26 | 1.19 | 1.24 | 1.58 |
| Net Debt / Equity | — | 0.45 | 0.50 | 0.48 | 0.40 | 0.24 | -0.10 | -0.06 | -0.08 | -0.04 | 0.10 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 2.86 | 2.86 | 3.19 | 3.55 | 1.54 | 1.00 | -0.39 | -0.27 | -0.26 | -0.13 | 0.31 |
| Debt / FCF | — | 22.01 | 14.85 | — | — | — | -0.91 | -0.49 | -0.72 | -0.25 | 0.58 |
| Interest Coverage | 3.28 | 3.28 | 4.11 | 4.03 | 18.33 | 25.62 | 23.57 | 11.81 | 11.96 | 11.86 | 8.88 |
Short-term solvency ratios and asset-utilisation metrics
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio | 1.29 | 1.29 | 1.21 | 1.40 | 1.56 | 1.82 | 2.17 | 2.41 | 2.37 | 2.46 | 2.31 |
| Quick Ratio | 0.84 | 0.84 | 0.78 | 0.96 | 0.96 | 1.21 | 1.65 | 1.81 | 1.78 | 1.92 | 1.72 |
| Cash Ratio | 0.20 | 0.20 | 0.15 | 0.21 | 0.26 | 0.32 | 0.84 | 0.93 | 0.89 | 0.93 | 0.76 |
| Asset Turnover | — | 0.99 | 0.95 | 0.98 | 1.14 | 1.14 | 1.07 | 1.18 | 1.34 | 1.31 | 1.30 |
| Inventory Turnover | 6.90 | 6.90 | 6.61 | 7.71 | 5.83 | 6.38 | 6.79 | 7.46 | 8.25 | 9.19 | 8.22 |
| Days Sales Outstanding | — | 60.72 | 64.96 | 66.24 | 57.50 | 65.28 | 58.82 | 54.36 | 51.26 | 55.66 | 54.44 |
Earnings, FCF, buyback, and dividend yields — total returns to shareholders
Full dividend history and growth charts are on the Dividend History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield | 2.7% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 1.5% | 1.2% | 1.0% | 0.9% | 1.0% | 1.2% | 1.0% | 0.9% |
| Payout Ratio | 74.7% | 74.7% | 67.4% | 81.8% | 20.8% | 20.4% | 20.0% | 22.4% | 18.5% | 20.6% | 20.1% |
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earnings Yield | 3.7% | 4.3% | 3.4% | 1.9% | 6.0% | 4.8% | 4.6% | 4.3% | 6.5% | 5.5% | 4.6% |
| FCF Yield | 2.0% | 2.3% | 2.6% | — | — | — | 3.9% | 4.7% | 4.9% | 6.5% | 5.8% |
| Buyback Yield | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1.0% | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.6% | 0.9% | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Total Shareholder Yield | 2.7% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 1.5% | 2.3% | 1.6% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 2.1% | 1.3% | 1.0% |
| Shares Outstanding | — | $23M | $23M | $23M | $23M | $23M | $23M | $23M | $23M | $23M | $23M |
Feedstock cost volatility
According to current market data, Stepan trades at a trailing P/E of 27.18, which appears disconnected from its strained profitability and suggests investors are pricing in a recovery that is not yet supported by the company's recent 10.7% gross margin performance in 2026Q1.
The valuation premium relative to peers like AdvanSix suggests the market may be misclassifying Stepan as a high-growth specialty player rather than a commodity-sensitive processor. Investors should monitor whether the forward P/E of 21.98 reflects realistic earnings expectations or an over-reliance on the historical stability of the surfactant segment.
Based on reported financial figures, Stepan's ROIC has struggled to maintain positive momentum, hovering near 0.7% as of 2026Q1, which indicates that the company is failing to generate returns that exceed its cost of capital in the current high-volatility environment.
The persistent decay in ROIC suggests that the company's heavy investment in fixed assets is not yielding commensurate returns, likely due to the inability to pass through feedstock inflation. This trend warrants further investigation into whether management's capital allocation strategy is prioritizing maintenance over high-margin growth initiatives.
As reported in recent SEC filings, the cash conversion cycle has remained elevated, reaching 65 days in 2026Q1, which highlights the company's ongoing struggle to optimize inventory and receivables management amidst fluctuating demand in its core surfactant and polymer segments.
The reliance on LIFO accounting in a volatile commodity environment likely distorts these efficiency metrics, making it difficult to discern true operational improvements from accounting adjustments. The extended cycle suggests that Stepan lacks the leverage to dictate terms to its large CPG customers, forcing it to carry the burden of working capital.
Based on reported figures, Stepan maintains a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60, which, according to historical data, reflects a highly conservative capital structure that provides a necessary, albeit underutilized, buffer against the inherent volatility of the specialty chemicals industry and the company's thin operating margins.
While the low leverage is a sign of financial health, it may also indicate a lack of aggressive investment in R&D or strategic M&A that could improve the company's competitive positioning. Investors should monitor whether this balance sheet strength is eventually deployed to pivot the business model toward higher-margin specialty products.
The P/E ratio is frequently misapplied to Stepan, as it obscures the company's extreme sensitivity to feedstock price volatility and the cyclical nature of its polymer segment, which often leads to earnings distortions that make the stock appear cheaper or more expensive than its underlying cash flow suggests.
Analysts should instead prioritize EV/EBITDA and free cash flow yield to better account for the company's capital-intensive nature and the impact of non-cash items on reported net income. Relying on P/E in a business with such thin operating margins may lead to a fundamental misunderstanding of the firm's true earning power.
Includes 30+ ratios · 30 years · Updated daily
DCF models, multiple analysis, and analyst estimates.
10-year return with dividends reinvested.
See how regular investing compounds over time.
Compare growth, multiples, and margins vs sector.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying SCL stock.
Stepan Company's current P/E ratio is 27.2x. The historical average is 20.8x. This places it at the 87th percentile of its historical range.
Stepan Company's current EV/EBITDA is 9.3x. This enterprise value multiple compares the company's total value (equity + debt - cash) to its EBITDA. The historical average is 7.5x.
Stepan Company's return on equity (ROE) is 3.9%. The historical average is 12.3%.
Based on historical data, Stepan Company is trading at a P/E of 27.2x. This is at the 87th percentile of its historical P/E range. Compare with industry peers and growth rates for a complete picture.
Stepan Company's current dividend yield is 2.75% with a payout ratio of 74.7%.
Stepan Company has 11.6% gross margin and 3.0% operating margin.
Stepan Company's Debt/EBITDA ratio is 3.5x, indicating high leverage. A ratio between 2-4x is manageable but warrants monitoring.