Stepan (NYSE:SCL) Sets New 52-Week Low Following Weak Earnings

Stepan (NYSE:SCL)’s stock price reached a new 52-week low during trading on Wednesday following a dissappointing earnings announcement. The company traded as low as $59.55 and last traded at $63.53, with a volume of 11033 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $62.49.

The basic materials company reported $0.12 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.45 by ($0.33). The company had revenue of $525.60 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $520.97 million. Stepan had a net margin of 2.10% and a return on equity of 4.56%. The firm’s revenue was down 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.33 EPS.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, StockNews.com raised shares of Stepan from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, February 7th.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Stepan

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of SCL. Versant Capital Management Inc lifted its holdings in shares of Stepan by 110.6% during the 4th quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 457 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 240 shares during the last quarter. Sterling Capital Management LLC increased its position in Stepan by 781.4% during the 4th quarter. Sterling Capital Management LLC now owns 617 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $40,000 after buying an additional 547 shares in the last quarter. Copeland Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Stepan in the third quarter valued at about $48,000. KBC Group NV boosted its holdings in Stepan by 43.9% in the third quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 934 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $72,000 after acquiring an additional 285 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Point72 Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. purchased a new stake in shares of Stepan during the third quarter worth about $161,000. 82.70% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Stepan Trading Up 0.3 %

The stock has a market cap of $1.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.17 and a beta of 0.84. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 1.27 and a quick ratio of 0.86. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $64.41 and its 200-day moving average price is $71.44.

Stepan Company Profile

Stepan Company, together with its subsidiaries, produces and sells specialty and intermediate chemicals to other manufacturers for use in various end products worldwide. It operates through three segments: Surfactants, Polymers, and Specialty Products. The Surfactants segment offers surfactants that are used in consumer and industrial cleaning and disinfection products, including detergents for washing clothes, dishes, carpets, and floors and walls, as well as shampoos and body washes; and other applications, such as fabric softeners, germicidal quaternary compounds, disinfectants, and lubricating ingredients.