Stepan Co (NYSE:SCL)

Q1 2026 Stepan Co Earnings Call Transcript

Apr 28, 2026 / 12:00 PM GMT

Release Date Price: $49.33 (-6.32%)

Transcript 10-Q8-K

Key Points

Positve

Stepan Co (SCL) achieved the strongest safety performance on record during the first quarter of 2026.
Organic net sales increased by 4% year-over-year, with double-digit growth in crop productivity, oil field, industrial cleaning, and Tier 2 and Tier 3 customer bases.
Polymers segment delivered an 8% increase in adjusted EBITDA, driven by 5% volume growth in North America and global margin improvement.
Specialty products saw a 30% volume growth, reflecting strong demand and new business with the MCT product line.
The company remains committed to shareholder returns, paying $8.9 million in dividends and declaring a quarterly cash dividend of $0.39.5 per share.

Negative

Adjusted EBITDA decreased by 14% to $50 million, primarily due to lower surfactant results and higher interest expenses.
Reported a net loss of $41.4 million for the quarter, impacted by a $65.4 million pre-tax restructuring charge related to site closures.
Surfactant earnings were negatively affected by lower absorption and production timing issues in Asia, competitive pressures in Mexico, and higher raw material costs.
Free cash flow was negative $14 million, driven by higher working capital requirements typical for the first quarter.
The European market continues to face softness, particularly in the polymers segment, due to ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty and a depressed construction market.

Refinitiv StreetEvents Event Transcript
E D I T E D V E R S I O N

SCL.N - Stepan Co
Q1 2026 Stepan Co Earnings Call
Apr 28, 2026 / 12:00PM GMT

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Presentation
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Unidentified_1 [1]
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Good morning and welcome to the Stephens Company First Quarter 2026 Earnings Conference Call. During the presentation, all participants will be in a listen-only mode. Afterward, we will conduct a question-and-answer session. To ask a question during the session, you will need to press *11 on your telephone. You will then hear an automated message advising your hand is raised. To withdraw your question, please press *11 again. As a reminder, this call is being recorded on Tuesday, April 28. It is now my pleasure to turn the call over to Mr. Ruben Velasquez, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Steppen Company. Mr. Velasquez, please go ahead.

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Unidentified_2

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