SCL (Stepan Co) Moat Score: 5/10 (As of Jun. 30, 2026)


SCL Stepan Co SCL
79 GF Score
Price $54.65
GF Value $70.60
Valuation Modestly Undervalued
! 6 Warning Signs
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What is Stepan Co Moat Score?

Stepan Co SCL -1.90% 79 Moat Score is 5 as of Jun. 30, 2026. GuruFocus rates SCL with a GF Score™ of 79/100 and a GF Value™ of $70.60 (Modestly Undervalued). The stock has 6 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,624 Chemicals companies, Stepan Co ranks better than 96.12% on this metric.

Stepan Co has the Moat Score of 5, which implies that the company might have Narrow Moat - Solid narrow moat.

Stepan Co has Narrow Moat: Stepan Co benefits from economies of scale and a strong distribution network in the specialty chemicals industry. It has a solid market position but lacks significant customer switching costs or exclusive licenses to warrant a wider moat.

Moat Score is a ranking system developed by GuruFocus to assess a company's ability to sustain a competitive advantage, rated on a scale from 0 to 10. It takes into account key factors such as market leadership, cost advantages, network effects, customer switching costs, and more.

The company's Moat Score is based on these criteria:

1. Market leadership and sustainable market share
2. Network effects and significant customer switching costs
3. Valuable intellectual property and patents
4. Strong brand strength and deep customer loyalty
5. Durable cost advantages (e.g., economies of scale, proprietary technology)
6. Significant regulatory barriers and exclusive licenses
7. Superior distribution network
8. Strong and sustainable pricing power
9. Consistent and impactful innovation and R&D capabilities

Based on the research, GuruFocus believes Stepan Co might have Narrow Moat - Solid narrow moat.

Stepan Co  (NYSE:SCL) Moat Score Explanation

The Moat Score ranges from 0 to 10, with 10 as the highest. GuruFocus divided Moat Score into following 8 categories:

Moat Score Moat Level
10Wide Moat - Exceptionally dominant and durable wide moat
8 - 9Wide Moat - Clear and robust wide moat
7Wide Moat - Entry-level wide moat, clearly possessing durable advantages
6Narrow Moat - Strong narrow moat, clearly distinguishable but not wide
5Narrow Moat - Solid narrow moat
4Narrow Moat - Discernible but modest moat
1 - 3No Moat - Very weak/transient advantages
0No Moat - No discernible moat

Stepan Co Moat Score Related Terms

SCL vs LWLG, ECVT, ODC: Moat Score Comparison

For the Specialty Chemicals subindustry, Stepan Co's Moat Score, along with its competitors' market caps and Moat 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 Moat Score vs Chemicals Industry

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

* The bar in red indicates where Stepan Co's Moat Score falls into.


SCL
79GF Score
Stepan Co SCL
Moat Score is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about Moat Score →
What does a Moat Score of 5 mean?
Stepan Co (SCL) has a Moat Score of 5 as of Jun. 30, 2026. Moat Score is a ranking system developed by GuruFocus to assess a company's ability to sustain a competitive advantage, rated on a scale from 0 to 10. It takes into account key factors such as market leadership, cost advantages, network effects, customer switching costs, and more. According to the industry distribution chart, Stepan Co ranks #63 out of 1624 companies in the Chemicals industry, placing it in the top 3.9%.
Is Stepan Co's Moat Score too high?
Stepan Co's current Moat Score is 5. Based on the distribution chart, Stepan Co ranks #63 out of 1624 companies in the Chemicals industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Stepan Co has a GF Score™ of 79/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Stepan Co's Moat Score compare to LWLG and ECVT?
According to the Chemicals industry distribution chart, Stepan Co ranks #63 out of 1624 companies for Moat Score. This places Stepan Co in the top 4% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Moat Score for a Chemicals company?
A good Moat Score depends on the Chemicals industry context. However, Moat Score should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Moat Score mean?
A high Moat Score can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Moat Score is a ranking system developed by GuruFocus to assess a company's ability to sustain a competitive advantage, rated on a scale from 0 to 10. It takes into account key factors such as market leadership, cost advantages, network effects, customer switching costs, and more. Stepan Co's current Moat Score is 5. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Stepan Co stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Stepan Co (SCL) is currently considered Modestly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $70.60, compared to a current price of $54.65 — trading 22.6% below its estimated fair value. The current Moat Score is 5. Stepan Co's overall GF Score™ is 79/100 with 6 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Moat Score calculated?
Moat Score is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Stepan Co (SCL), the current Moat Score is 5 as of Jun. 30, 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.

Is Stepan Co (SCL) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Stepan Co stock appears to be undervalued. The current stock price of $54.65 is trading 22.6% below its estimated GF Value™ of $70.60. GuruFocus considers Stepan Co to be Modestly Undervalued.

Key valuation signals for SCL:

  • Moat Score: 5
  • GF Value™: $70.60 vs. price of $54.65 (22.6% below fair value)
  • GF Score™: 79/100 with 6 warning signs

No single metric tells the full story. See the SCL stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.

Stepan Co Business Description

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.
79GF Score

Get the complete analysis for SCL

Moat Score is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

$54.65
Price
$70.60
GF Value