Stepan (NYSE:SCL) Stock Rating Lowered by StockNews.com

Stepan (NYSE:SCL - Get Free Report) was downgraded by research analysts at StockNews.com from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a note issued to investors on Saturday.

Stepan Stock Down 0.2 %

Shares of NYSE:SCL traded down $0.19 during trading on Friday, reaching $79.05. 94,229 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 92,890. Stepan has a 52-week low of $69.78 and a 52-week high of $96.68. The stock has a market cap of $1.78 billion, a P/E ratio of 39.33 and a beta of 0.81. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $75.04 and a two-hundred day moving average of $80.49. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a quick ratio of 0.92 and a current ratio of 1.27.

Stepan (NYSE:SCL - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 30th. The basic materials company reported $1.03 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.65 by $0.38. Stepan had a return on equity of 4.56% and a net margin of 2.10%. The firm had revenue of $546.84 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $577.23 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.64 earnings per share. The company's revenue was down 2.7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Stepan will post 2.09 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Stepan

In other news, VP David Kabbes purchased 1,056 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 14th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $71.39 per share, for a total transaction of $75,387.84. Following the purchase, the vice president now directly owns 1,056 shares in the company, valued at approximately $75,387.84. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. 6.90% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Stepan

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Stepan by 2.3% during the second quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 8,541 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $717,000 after buying an additional 192 shares during the last quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System lifted its position in Stepan by 1.9% during the second quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System now owns 10,700 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $898,000 after purchasing an additional 200 shares in the last quarter. Inspire Investing LLC grew its holdings in Stepan by 5.6% during the second quarter. Inspire Investing LLC now owns 4,210 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $353,000 after purchasing an additional 223 shares during the period. Texas Permanent School Fund Corp increased its position in Stepan by 1.3% in the first quarter. Texas Permanent School Fund Corp now owns 18,597 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $1,674,000 after buying an additional 242 shares in the last quarter. Finally, KBC Group NV raised its stake in shares of Stepan by 43.9% in the third quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 934 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $72,000 after buying an additional 285 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 82.70% of the company's stock.

Stepan Company Profile

Stepan Company, together with its subsidiaries, produces and sells specialty and intermediate chemicals to other manufacturers for use in various end products worldwide. It operates through three segments: Surfactants, Polymers, and Specialty Products. The Surfactants segment offers surfactants that are used in consumer and industrial cleaning and disinfection products, including detergents for washing clothes, dishes, carpets, and floors and walls, as well as shampoos and body washes; and other applications, such as fabric softeners, germicidal quaternary compounds, disinfectants, and lubricating ingredients.