SCL (Stepan Co) Dividend Payout Ratio: 0.88 (As of Mar. 2026) — 340% Above Median

What is Stepan Co Dividend Payout Ratio?

Stepan Co SCL +4.36% 79 Dividend Payout Ratio is 0.88 as of Mar. 2026, which is 340% above its 10-year median of 0.20. GuruFocus rates SCL with a GF Score™ of 79/100 and a GF Value™ of $70.58 (Modestly Undervalued). The stock has 6 warning signs investors should review. Among 908 Chemicals companies, Stepan Co ranks worse than 89.32% on this metric.

The Dividend Payout Ratio is the measure of dividends paid out to shareholders relative to the company's net income. It is calculated as the Dividends per Share divided by the Earnings per Share (Diluted) during the same time period. Stepan Co's Dividend Payout Ratio for the months ended in Mar. 2026 was 0.88.

Warning Sign:

If a company's dividend payout ratio is too high, its dividend may not be sustainable. The dividend payout ratio of Stepan Co is 1.09, which seems too high.

The historical rank and industry rank for Stepan Co's Dividend Payout Ratio or its related term are showing as below:

SCL' s Dividend Payout Ratio Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 0.17 Med: 0.2 Max: 1.09
Current: 1.09

During the past 13 years, the highest Dividend Payout Ratio of Stepan Co was 1.09. The lowest was 0.17. And the median was 0.20.

SCL's Dividend Payout Ratio is ranked worse than
89.32% of 908 companies
in the Chemicals industry
Industry Median: 0.36 vs SCL: 1.09

As of today (2026-06-25), the Dividend Yield % of Stepan Co is 2.83%.

During the past 13 years, the highest Trailing Annual Dividend Yield of Stepan Co was 3.55%. The lowest was 0.84%. And the median was 1.14%.

Stepan Co's Dividends per Share for the months ended in Mar. 2026 was $0.40.

During the past 12 months, Stepan Co's average Dividends Per Share Growth Rate was 2.60% per year. During the past 3 years, the average Dividends Per Share Growth Rate was 4.20% per year. During the past 5 years, the average Dividends Per Share Growth Rate was 6.50% per year. During the past 10 years, the average Dividends Per Share Growth Rate was 8.60% per year.

During the past 13 years, the highest 3-Year average Dividends Per Share Growth Rate of Stepan Co was 12.70% per year. The lowest was 1.90% per year. And the median was 8.00% per year.

The growth rate is calculated with least square regression.

For more information regarding to dividend, please check our Dividend Page.

* Please note that "special dividend" is not included in the calculation of dividend per share and related fields.

Stepan Co (NYSE:SCL) Dividend Payout Ratio Explanation

In dividends investing, Dividend Payout Ratio and Dividend Growth Rate are the two most important variables for consideration. A lower payout ratio may indicate that the company has more room to increase its dividends.

Stepan Co Dividend Payout Ratio Related Terms

Stepan Co Dividend Payout Ratio Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Stepan Co's Dividend Payout Ratio 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.

Stepan Co Dividend Payout Ratio Chart

Stepan Co Annual Data

Trend

Dec16

Dec17

Dec18

Dec19

Dec20

Dec21

Dec22

Dec23

Dec24

Dec25

Dividend Payout Ratio

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0.20

0.21

0.67

0.69

0.85

Stepan Co Quarterly Data
	Jun21	Sep21	Dec21	Mar22	Jun22	Sep22	Dec22	Mar23	Jun23	Sep23	Dec23	Mar24	Jun24	Sep24	Dec24	Mar25	Jun25	Sep25	Dec25	Mar26
Dividend Payout Ratio	Get a 7-Day Free Trial															0.46	0.74	0.80	1.80	0.88

SCL vs ODC, ECVT, KRO: Dividend Payout Ratio Comparison

For the Specialty Chemicals subindustry, Stepan Co's Dividend Payout Ratio, along with its competitors' market caps and Dividend Payout Ratio 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 Dividend Payout Ratio vs Chemicals Industry

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

* The bar in red indicates where Stepan Co's Dividend Payout Ratio falls into.

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79GF Score

Stepan Co SCL

Dividend Payout Ratio is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.

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Stepan Co Dividend Payout Ratio Calculation

Stepan Co's Dividend Payout Ratio for the fiscal year that ended in Dec. 2025 is calculated as

Dividend Payout Ratio	=	Dividends per Share (A: Dec. 2025 )	/	EPS without NRI (A: Dec. 2025 )
	=	1.55	/	1.82
	=	0.85

Stepan Co's Dividend Payout Ratio for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 is calculated as

Dividend Payout Ratio	=	Dividends per Share (Q: Mar. 2026 )	/	EPS without NRI (Q: Mar. 2026 )
	=	0.395	/	0.45
	=	0.88

Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about Dividend Payout Ratio →

What does a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0.88 mean?

Stepan Co (SCL) has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0.88 as of Mar. 2026. Dividend payout ratio is the percent of company earnings paid out as dividends. View historical data on Stepan Co and its competitors. This is 340% above median its historical median of 0.20. Over the past decade, Stepan Co's Dividend Payout Ratio has ranged from 0.17 to 1.09. According to the industry distribution chart, Stepan Co ranks #811 out of 908 companies in the Chemicals industry, placing it in the top 89.3%.

Is Stepan Co's Dividend Payout Ratio too high?

Stepan Co's current Dividend Payout Ratio of 0.88 is 340% above median its 10-year median of 0.20. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 0.17 to a high of 1.09. The Chemicals industry median Dividend Payout Ratio is 0.36. Stepan Co's value of 0.88 is 144.4% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Stepan Co ranks #811 out of 908 companies in the Chemicals industry, which is in the bottom quartile 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 Dividend Payout Ratio compare to ODC and ECVT?

According to the Chemicals industry distribution chart, Stepan Co ranks #811 out of 908 companies for Dividend Payout Ratio. This places Stepan Co in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Dividend Payout Ratio is 0.36. Stepan Co's value of 0.88 is 144.4% above this benchmark. Historically, Stepan Co's own Dividend Payout Ratio has ranged from 0.17 to 1.09 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 0.20 vs. the industry median of 0.36, Stepan Co has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.

What is a good Dividend Payout Ratio for a Chemicals company?

The median Dividend Payout Ratio among Chemicals companies is 0.36, based on 908 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Dividend Payout Ratio significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Dividend Payout Ratio should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Stepan Co's current Dividend Payout Ratio of 0.88 is 144.4% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.

What does a high Dividend Payout Ratio mean?

A high Dividend Payout Ratio can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Dividend payout ratio is the percent of company earnings paid out as dividends. View historical data on Stepan Co and its competitors. For the Chemicals industry, the median Dividend Payout Ratio is 0.36 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Stepan Co's current Dividend Payout Ratio is 0.88, which is 340% above median its own 10-year median of 0.20. 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 $70.58, compared to a current price of $55.05 — trading 22% below its estimated fair value. The current Dividend Payout Ratio is 0.88, which is 340% above median its 10-year median of 0.20 and 144.4% above the Chemicals industry median of 0.36. 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 Dividend Payout Ratio calculated?

Dividend Payout Ratio is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Stepan Co (SCL), the current Dividend Payout Ratio is 0.88 as of Mar. 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 $55.05 is trading 22% below its estimated GF Value™ of $70.58. GuruFocus considers Stepan Co to be Modestly Undervalued.

Key valuation signals for SCL:

Dividend Payout Ratio: 0.88 (340% above median its 10-year median of 0.20)
GF Value™: $70.58 vs. price of $55.05 (22% below fair value)
GF Score™: 79/100 with 6 warning signs
Industry Position: 144.4% above the Chemicals median (#811 of 908)

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

Industry Basic Materials Chemicals

Comparable Companies ODC ECVT KRO KOP LWLG MATV GEVO OEC ALTO IOSP LIN XPAR:AI SHW ECL APD XSWX:GIVN SHSE:600309 XSWX:SIKA SZSE:002466 OCSE:NSIS B

Address 1101 Skokie Boulevard, Suite 500, Northbrook, IL, USA, 60062

Website https://www.stepan.com

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

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

$55.05

Price

$70.58

GF Value

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