STEPAN CO: directors' dealings · United States · SEC (Form 4)

About STEPAN CO

Stepan Co. (ticker: SCL) is a U.S.-based specialty chemicals company listed on the NYSE, headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1932 by Alfred C. Stepan Jr., the company evolved from a niche chemical distributor into a global manufacturer of intermediate and specialty chemical solutions serving consumer, industrial, agricultural, construction, oilfield and healthcare-related applications. Its business model is built around technical formulation know-how, customer collaboration and a geographically diversified manufacturing footprint. Stepan’s operations are organized into three main segments: Surfactants, Polymers and Specialty Products. Surfactants are the company’s core legacy business and one of the key pillars of its market position. These ingredients are widely used in detergents, shampoos, body wash, hard-surface cleaners, disinfectants and a range of industrial formulations. They also support agricultural and oilfield applications. The Polymers segment includes polyester polyols, specialty polyols for coatings, adhesives, sealants and elastomers (CASE), and phthalic anhydride. Specialty Products is a smaller but strategically important portfolio covering emulsifiers, solubilizers, ingredients for food and flavor applications, and products used in nutritional and pharmaceutical end markets. From a competitive standpoint, Stepan is one of the world’s leading merchant producers of surfactants, which gives it scale in a business where supply reliability, formulation expertise and regulatory compliance matter materially. The company serves a broad customer base across household and personal care, agriculture, industrial cleaning, construction, and specialty end markets. Its operating base is internationally diversified, with manufacturing and R&D assets across North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia. The company’s 2025 annual report references sites in the United States, France, Mexico, China, Brazil, the Netherlands, Singapore and Colombia, reinforcing the global nature of its supply chain and commercial reach. Recent developments have centered on capacity expansion, operational execution and sustainability. In 2025, Stepan started production at its new alkoxylation hub in Pasadena, Texas, a major capital project described by the company as the largest investment in its history. Management said the site should improve supply reliability and flexibility while adding ethoxylation and propoxylation capabilities. In 2026, the company continued to highlight site-level performance, safety, quality and sustainability initiatives. For investors, Stepan looks like a globally diversified industrial chemicals business with strong formulation depth, recurring end-market exposure and ongoing efforts to improve efficiency and margin resilience.