AlphaQuest LLC Boosts Stake in Stepan Company $SCL

AlphaQuest LLC raised its position in Stepan Company (NYSE:SCL) by 475.5% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 27,075 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after buying an additional 22,370 shares during the period. AlphaQuest LLC’s holdings in Stepan were worth $1,282,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Stepan by 206.5% during the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 521 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 351 shares during the period. 1620 Investment Advisors Inc. raised its stake in shares of Stepan by 86.9% during the fourth quarter. 1620 Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 570 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 265 shares during the period. Quarry LP purchased a new stake in shares of Stepan during the third quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Danske Bank A S purchased a new stake in shares of Stepan during the third quarter worth about $43,000. Finally, Raymond James Financial Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Stepan during the second quarter worth about $100,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 82.70% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have recently commented on SCL shares. Zacks Research lowered Stepan from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Wednesday, March 4th. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Stepan from a “sell (d+)” rating to a “sell (d)” rating in a report on Monday, May 11th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Sell rating, Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Sell”.

Stepan Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:SCL opened at $54.02 on Friday. The business has a 50-day moving average of $50.57 and a two-hundred day moving average of $50.85. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.28, a current ratio of 1.26 and a quick ratio of 0.86. Stepan Company has a fifty-two week low of $41.82 and a fifty-two week high of $68.00. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.23 billion, a P/E ratio of -87.12 and a beta of 0.95.

Stepan (NYSE:SCL) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 28th. The basic materials company reported $0.45 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.39 by $0.06. Stepan had a negative net margin of 0.61% and a positive return on equity of 2.65%. The business had revenue of $604.51 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $612.25 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.84 earnings per share. Stepan’s revenue for the quarter was up 1.9% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts predict that Stepan Company will post 2.35 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Stepan Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 15th. Investors of record on Monday, June 1st will be paid a dividend of $0.395 per share. This represents a $1.58 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.9%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 1st. Stepan’s dividend payout ratio is presently -254.84%.

Stepan Company Profile

Stepan Company is a global manufacturer of specialty and intermediate chemicals, primarily known for its development and production of surfactants and related specialty products. The company’s portfolio includes a wide range of ingredients used to enhance the performance of consumer and industrial formulations, such as emulsifiers, foam control agents, odor control agents, antimicrobial products and performance additives. These products are integral components in cleaning solutions, personal care items, agrochemical formulations, coatings, oilfield treatments and polymer systems.

Serving a diverse set of end-markets, Stepan’s offerings address both consumer-facing and industrial applications.