---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0000950170-23-053921"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "SCL"
cik: "0000094049"
company_name: "STEPAN CO"
filed_at: "2023-10-18T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-09T22:19:19.930686+00:00"
event_type: "earnings"
sentiment: "negative"
materiality_score: 0.75
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.75
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Stepan Q3 net income falls 68% to $0.55 EPS; dividend raised to $0.375

## Summary
- Q3 reported net income $12.6M ($0.55 EPS) vs $39.4M ($1.71 EPS) YoY; adjusted net income $14.7M ($0.64 EPS) vs $46.3M ($2.01 EPS).
- Sales volume fell 9% YoY; Surfactant op income $15.4M (down 61%), Polymer $21.8M (down 32%), Specialty Products $2.4M (down 75%).
- EBITDA $45.1M vs $76.4M YoY; company expects $50M pre-tax cost savings in 2024 to offset inflation and new plant expenses.
- Board increased quarterly dividend to $0.375/share (2.7% increase), payable Dec 15 to record Nov 30; 56th consecutive annual increase.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0000950170-23-053921
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: SCL
- cik: 0000094049
- company_name: STEPAN CO
- filed_at: 2023-10-18T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: earnings
- sentiment: negative
- materiality_score: 0.75
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.75
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 2.02, 8.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/94049/000095017023053921/0000950170-23-053921-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/94049/000095017023053921/scl-20231018.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000950170-23-053921
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000950170-23-053921.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000950170-23-053921.txt

## Key facts
- Earnings Releases
  STEPAN CO reported financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2023.
  - Period: the quarter ended September 30, 2023
  - Result: reported results
  source text: On October 18, 2023, Stepan Company (“Stepan”) issued a press release providing its financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2023.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/94049/000095017023053921/0000950170-23-053921-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.