Stepan (NYSE:SCL) Upgraded to Buy at StockNews.com

Stepan (NYSE:SCL - Get Free Report) was upgraded by investment analysts at StockNews.com from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note issued to investors on Saturday.

Stepan Stock Performance

Shares of SCL stock opened at $56.12 on Friday. The business's 50 day simple moving average is $52.59 and its 200 day simple moving average is $62.42. Stepan has a one year low of $44.23 and a one year high of $94.77. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.27 billion, a PE ratio of 25.39 and a beta of 1.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.28, a current ratio of 1.21 and a quick ratio of 0.86.

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

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, Director Susan Lewis bought 500 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred 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 acquisition, the director now directly owns 1,896 shares in the company, valued at approximately $120,452.88. This trade represents a 35.82% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Company insiders own 6.90% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Stepan

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Sterling Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Stepan by 781.4% in the 4th quarter. Sterling Capital Management LLC now owns 617 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $40,000 after purchasing an additional 547 shares in the last quarter. State of Wyoming bought a new position in Stepan during the 1st quarter valued at $50,000. Versant Capital Management Inc lifted its stake in Stepan by 124.3% during the 1st quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 1,025 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $56,000 after acquiring an additional 568 shares in the last quarter. Copeland Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in Stepan by 67.9% during the 1st quarter. Copeland Capital Management LLC now owns 1,048 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $58,000 after acquiring an additional 424 shares in the last quarter. Finally, KBC Group NV lifted its stake in Stepan by 40.8% during the 4th quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 1,315 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $85,000 after acquiring an additional 381 shares in the last quarter. 82.70% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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.

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