Algert Global LLC Makes New Investment in Stepan (NYSE:SCL)

Algert Global LLC acquired a new position in shares of Stepan (NYSE:SCL - Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund acquired 10,666 shares of the basic materials company's stock, valued at approximately $690,000.

Other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Barclays PLC raised its position in Stepan by 177.6% during the third quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 44,790 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $3,460,000 after acquiring an additional 28,655 shares during the period. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its position in Stepan by 19.8% during the third quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 142,790 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $11,031,000 after acquiring an additional 23,626 shares during the period. O Keefe Stevens Advisory Inc. raised its position in shares of Stepan by 2.9% in the fourth quarter. O Keefe Stevens Advisory Inc. now owns 62,486 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $4,043,000 after buying an additional 1,773 shares during the last quarter. Inspire Investing LLC raised its position in shares of Stepan by 16.0% in the fourth quarter. Inspire Investing LLC now owns 6,208 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $402,000 after buying an additional 857 shares during the last quarter. Finally, KBC Group NV raised its position in shares of Stepan by 40.8% in the fourth quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 1,315 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $85,000 after buying an additional 381 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 82.70% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, StockNews.com cut shares of Stepan from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, May 9th.

Insider Transactions at Stepan

In other Stepan news, Director Susan Lewis acquired 500 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 25th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $63.53 per share, for a total transaction of $31,765.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director now owns 1,896 shares in the company, valued at $120,452.88. This trade represents a 35.82% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 6.90% of the company's stock.

Stepan Trading Up 0.3%

Shares of Stepan stock traded up $0.14 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $55.42. The stock had a trading volume of 29,154 shares, compared to its average volume of 138,348. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $52.65 and a two-hundred day moving average of $62.54. The firm has a market cap of $1.25 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.08 and a beta of 1.00. The company has a quick ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 1.21 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.28. Stepan has a 12-month low of $44.23 and a 12-month high of $94.76.

Stepan (NYSE:SCL - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 29th. The basic materials company reported $0.84 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.51 by $0.33. The firm had revenue of $593.26 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $562.77 million. Stepan had a net margin of 2.31% and a return on equity of 4.21%. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 7.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.64 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Stepan will post 3.55 earnings per share for the current year.

Stepan Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 30th will be given a dividend of $0.385 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 30th. This represents a $1.54 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.78%. Stepan's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 62.60%.

About Stepan

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.