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SCL (Stepan Co) Piotroski F-Score : 8 (As of Jun. 28, 2025)


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What is Stepan Co Piotroski F-Score?

Good Sign:

Piotroski F-Score is 8, indicates a very healthy situation.

The zones of discrimination were as such:

Good or high score = 7, 8, 9
Bad or low score = 0, 1, 2, 3

Stepan Co has an F-score of 8. It is a good or high score, which usually indicates a very healthy situation.

The historical rank and industry rank for Stepan Co's Piotroski F-Score or its related term are showing as below:

SCL' s Piotroski F-Score Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 4   Med: 6   Max: 8
Current: 8

During the past 13 years, the highest Piotroski F-Score of Stepan Co was 8. The lowest was 4. And the median was 6.


Stepan Co Piotroski F-Score Historical Data

The historical data trend for Stepan Co's Piotroski F-Score can be seen below:

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

* Premium members only.

Stepan Co Piotroski F-Score Chart

Stepan Co Annual Data
Trend Dec15 Dec16 Dec17 Dec18 Dec19 Dec20 Dec21 Dec22 Dec23 Dec24
Piotroski F-Score
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 6.00 4.00 5.00 5.00 7.00

Stepan Co Quarterly Data
Jun20 Sep20 Dec20 Mar21 Jun21 Sep21 Dec21 Mar22 Jun22 Sep22 Dec22 Mar23 Jun23 Sep23 Dec23 Mar24 Jun24 Sep24 Dec24 Mar25
Piotroski F-Score Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 5.00 5.00 6.00 7.00 8.00

Competitive Comparison of Stepan Co's Piotroski F-Score

For the Specialty Chemicals subindustry, Stepan Co's Piotroski F-Score, along with its competitors' market caps and Piotroski F-Score data, can be viewed below:

* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.


Stepan Co's Piotroski F-Score Distribution in the Chemicals Industry

For the Chemicals industry and Basic Materials sector, Stepan Co's Piotroski F-Score distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Stepan Co's Piotroski F-Score falls into.


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How is the Piotroski F-Score calculated?

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

This Year (Mar25) TTM:Last Year (Mar24) TTM:
Net Income was 9.521 + 23.606 + 3.35 + 19.711 = $56 Mil.
Cash Flow from Operations was 29.502 + 22.711 + 68.286 + 6.942 = $127 Mil.
Revenue was 556.405 + 546.842 + 525.609 + 593.255 = $2,222 Mil.
Gross Profit was 69.552 + 75.685 + 56.696 + 75.463 = $277 Mil.
Average Total Assets from the begining of this year (Mar24)
to the end of this year (Mar25) was
(2373.147 + 2348.59 + 2413.789 + 2304.648 + 2389.683) / 5 = $2365.9714 Mil.
Total Assets at the begining of this year (Mar24) was $2,373 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was $388 Mil.
Total Current Assets was $897 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was $739 Mil.
Net Income was 12.684 + 12.571 + -1.193 + 13.893 = $38 Mil.

Revenue was 579.975 + 562.226 + 532.131 + 551.418 = $2,226 Mil.
Gross Profit was 66.397 + 71.236 + 66.405 + 70.281 = $274 Mil.
Average Total Assets from the begining of last year (Mar23)
to the end of last year (Mar24) was
(2445.937 + 2430.818 + 2333.529 + 2363.354 + 2373.147) / 5 = $2389.357 Mil.
Total Assets at the begining of last year (Mar23) was $2,446 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was $459 Mil.
Total Current Assets was $870 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was $629 Mil.

*Note: If the latest quarterly/semi-annual/annual total assets data is 0, then we will use previous quarterly/semi-annual/annual data for all the items in the balance sheet.

Profitability

Question 1. Return on Assets (ROA)

Net income before extraordinary items for the year divided by Total Assets at the beginning of the year.

Score 1 if positive, 0 if negative.

Stepan Co's current Net Income (TTM) was 56. ==> Positive ==> Score 1.

Question 2. Cash Flow Return on Assets (CFROA)

Net cash flow from operating activities (operating cash flow) divided by Total Assets at the beginning of the year.

Score 1 if positive, 0 if negative.

Stepan Co's current Cash Flow from Operations (TTM) was 127. ==> Positive ==> Score 1.

Question 3. Change in Return on Assets

Compare this year's return on assets (1) to last year's return on assets.

Score 1 if it's higher, 0 if it's lower.

ROA (This Year)=Net Income/Total Assets (Mar24)
=56.188/2373.147
=0.02367658

ROA (Last Year)=Net Income/Total Assets (Mar23)
=37.955/2445.937
=0.01551757

Stepan Co's return on assets of this year was 0.02367658. Stepan Co's return on assets of last year was 0.01551757. ==> This year is higher. ==> Score 1.

Question 4. Quality of Earnings (Accrual)

Compare Cash flow return on assets (2) to return on assets (1)

Score 1 if CFROA > ROA, 0 if CFROA <= ROA.

Stepan Co's current Net Income (TTM) was 56. Stepan Co's current Cash Flow from Operations (TTM) was 127. ==> 127 > 56 ==> CFROA > ROA ==> Score 1.

Funding

Question 5. Change in Gearing or Leverage

Compare this year's gearing (long-term debt divided by average total assets) to last year's gearing.

Score 0 if this year's gearing is higher, 1 otherwise.

Gearing (This Year: Mar25)=Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation/Average Total Assets from Mar24 to Mar25
=387.759/2365.9714
=0.16388998

Gearing (Last Year: Mar24)=Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation/Average Total Assets from Mar23 to Mar24
=459.184/2389.357
=0.1921789

Stepan Co's gearing of this year was 0.16388998. Stepan Co's gearing of last year was 0.1921789. ==> This year is lower or equal to last year. ==> Score 1.

Question 6. Change in Working Capital (Liquidity)

Compare this year's current ratio (current assets divided by current liabilities) to last year's current ratio.

Score 1 if this year's current ratio is higher, 0 if it's lower

Current Ratio (This Year: Mar25)=Total Current Assets/Total Current Liabilities
=897.156/739.48
=1.21322551

Current Ratio (Last Year: Mar24)=Total Current Assets/Total Current Liabilities
=869.806/628.853
=1.38316268

Stepan Co's current ratio of this year was 1.21322551. Stepan Co's current ratio of last year was 1.38316268. ==> Last year's current ratio is higher ==> Score 0.

Question 7. Change in Shares in Issue

Compare the number of shares in issue this year, to the number in issue last year.

Score 0 if there is larger number of shares in issue this year, 1 otherwise.

Stepan Co's number of shares in issue this year was 22.89. Stepan Co's number of shares in issue last year was 22.948. ==> There is smaller number of shares in issue this year, or the same. ==> Score 1.

Efficiency

Question 8. Change in Gross Margin

Compare this year's gross margin (Gross Profit divided by sales) to last year's.

Score 1 if this year's gross margin is higher, 0 if it's lower.

Gross Margin (This Year: TTM)=Gross Profit/Revenue
=277.396/2222.111
=0.12483445

Gross Margin (Last Year: TTM)=Gross Profit/Revenue
=274.319/2225.75
=0.12324789

Stepan Co's gross margin of this year was 0.12483445. Stepan Co's gross margin of last year was 0.12324789. ==> This year's gross margin is higher. ==> Score 1.

Question 9. Change in asset turnover

Compare this year's asset turnover (total sales for the year divided by total assets at the beginning of the year) to last year's asset turnover ratio.

Score 1 if this year's asset turnover ratio is higher, 0 if it's lower

Asset Turnover (This Year)=Revenue/Total Assets at the Beginning of This Year (Mar24)
=2222.111/2373.147
=0.93635624

Asset Turnover (Last Year)=Revenue/Total Assets at the Beginning of Last Year (Mar23)
=2225.75/2445.937
=0.90997847

Stepan Co's asset turnover of this year was 0.93635624. Stepan Co's asset turnover of last year was 0.90997847. ==> This year's asset turnover is higher. ==> Score 1.

Evaluation

Piotroski F-Score= Que. 1+ Que. 2+ Que. 3+Que. 4+Que. 5+Que. 6+Que. 7+Que. 8+Que. 9
=1+1+1+1+1+0+1+1+1
=8

Good or high score = 7, 8, 9
Bad or low score = 0, 1, 2, 3

Stepan Co has an F-score of 8. It is a good or high score, which usually indicates a very healthy situation.

Stepan Co  (NYSE:SCL) Piotroski F-Score Explanation

The developer of the system is Joseph D. Piotroski is relatively unknown accounting professor who shuns publicity and rarely gives interviews.

He graduated from the University of Illinois with a B.S. in accounting in 1989, received an M.B.A. from Indiana University in 1994. Five years later, in 1999, after earning a Ph.D. in accounting from the University of Michigan, he became an associate professor of accounting at the University of Chicago.

In 2000, he wrote a research paper called "Value Investing: The Use of Historical Financial Statement Information to Separate Winners from Losers" (pdf).

He wanted to see if he can develop a system (using a simple nine-point scoring system) that can increase the returns of a strategy of investing in low price to book (referred to in the paper as high book to market) value companies.

What he found was something that exceeded his most optimistic expectations.

Buying only those companies that scored highest (8 or 9) on his nine-point scale, or F-Score as he called it, over the 20 year period from 1976 to 1996 led to an average out-performance over the market of 13.4%.

Even more impressive were the results of a strategy of investing in the highest F-Score companies (8 or 9) and shorting companies with the lowest F-Score (0 or 1).

Over the same period from 1976 to 1996 (20 years) this strategy led to an average yearly return of 23%, substantially outperforming the average S&P 500 index return of 15.83% over the same period.


Stepan Co Piotroski F-Score Related Terms

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Stepan Co Business Description

Traded in Other Exchanges
Address
1101 Skokie Boulevard, Suite 500, Northbrook, IL, USA, 60062
Stepan Co manufactures and sells a variety of chemicals and chemical-based products. The company organizes itself into three segments based on product type. The surfactants segment, which generates the majority of revenue, sells cleaning agents used in detergents, shampoos, body wash, fabric softeners, toothpastes, and other personal-care products. The polymers segment sells polyurethane used to manufacture rigid foam for thermal insulation, as well as phthalic anhydride used to make plastic components for the construction, automotive, and boating industries. The specialty products segment sells chemicals used in food and flavoring. The majority of Stepan's revenue comes from the United States, followed by France, Poland, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Mexico, and other countries.
Executives
David Kabbes officer: VP GC & Secretary C/O BUNGE LIMITED, 50 MAIN STREET, 6TH FLOOR, WHITE PLAINS NY 10606
Stepan F Quinn Jr director, officer: President and COO 22 W FRONTAGE ROAD, NORTHFIELD IL 60093
Scott R. Behrens officer: VP/GM Surfactants 22 WEST FRONTAGE ROAD, NORTHFIELD IL 60093
Luis Rojo officer: VP & Chief Financial Officer 22 WEST FRONTAGE ROAD, NORTHFIELD IL 60093
Sharon Purnell officer: VP & CHRO 1101 SKOKIE BLVD, SUITE 500, NORTHBROOK IL 60062
Randall S. Dearth director CALGON CARBON CORPORATION, P.O. BOX 717, PITTSBURGH X1 15230
Arthur W Mergner officer: VP & General Manager 22 WEST FRONTAGE ROAD, NORTHFIELD IL 60093
Robert Joseph Haire officer: EVP, Supply Chain 1101 SKOKIE BLVD, SUITE 500, NORTHBROOK IL 60062
Jason Scott Keiper officer: VP & Chief Tech & Sust Officer 22 WEST FRONTAGE ROAD, NORTHFIELD IL 60093
Gregory E Lawton director 4 TESSENEER DR, HIGHLAND HEIGHTS KY 41076
Debra Stefaniak officer: VP, Business Transformation 22 WEST FRONTAGE ROAD, NORTHFIELD IL 60093
Janet Anne Catlett officer: VP, CHRO 22 WEST FRONTAGE ROAD, NORTHFIELD IL 60093
Richard Finn Stepan officer: V.P. and Gen'l. Mgr., Polymers 22 WEST FRONTAGE ROAD, NORTHFIELD IL 60093
Edward J Wehmer director 454 BUENA ROAD, LAKE FOREST IL 60045
Lorinda Burgess director 22 WEST FRONTAG ROAD, NORTHBROOK IL 60093