NYSE$SCL

Stepan Company · Q4 2019 earnings

Q4 2019 earnings · · Investor relations

Briefing

Stepan's Q4 2019 earnings were reported, with net income decreasing but adjusted net income increasing.

Stepan Company reported a decrease in net income but an increase in adjusted net income for Q4 2019. Surfactant earnings improved due to insurance recovery and margin improvements, while the Polymer business benefited from rigid polyol growth. Specialty Products income saw a slight decrease due to order timing.

  • Reported net income was $22.0 million, or $0.95 per diluted share, compared to $24.0 million, or $1.03 per diluted share, in the prior year.
  • Adjusted net income was $25.7 million, or $1.10 per diluted share, versus $19.5 million, or $0.84 per diluted share, in the prior year.
  • Surfactant operating income increased to $33.9 million, driven by insurance recovery and margin improvements.
  • Polymer operating income rose to $11.4 million, attributed to higher volume and improved margins.

Headline financials

Total Revenue

$445M

Previous: $467M-4.6%
EPS (adj)

$0.90

Previous: $1.02-11.8%
Surfactant Operating Income

$33.9M

Previous: $29.1M+16.2%
Polymer Operating Income

$11.4M

Previous: $9.51M+20.1%
Specialty Product Op Income

$5.04M

Previous: $5.12M-1.5%
Corporate Expenses

$21.8M

Previous: $8.33M+162.3%
Capital Expenditures

$34.7M

Previous: $23.8M+46.3%
Free Cash Flow

$51M

Previous: $51.2M-0.3%
Net Income

$22M

Previous: $26.9M-18.2%
Operating Income

$28.5M

Previous: $39.4M-27.7%
Gross Profit

$84.7M

Previous: $78.5M+7.9%
Cash & Equivalents

$315M

Previous: $300M+5.1%
Total Assets

$1.58B

Previous: $1.51B+4.3%
Stock-Based Comp

$1.83M

Previous: $115K+1488.7%

Revenue & EPS history

Stepan · Revenue · Quarterly

$445M

Q4 2019-4.6%vs Q4 2018
Beat estimate in 11 of 16 quarters(69%)
ActualEstimate

Revenue by segment

Stepan · $445M total across 3 segments · Q4 2019

  • Surfactants
    $310M-4.1%
  • Polymers
    $116M-5.3%
  • Specialty Products
    $18.6M-9.2%

Forward guidance

The company anticipates a challenging first quarter but expects benefits from end market diversification, customer focus, and cost-out activities. Energy conservation should support the Polymer business, and Specialty Products are expected to approximate 2019 results. Headwinds include potential Coronavirus impact and higher raw material costs.

Tailwinds

  • Continued focus on end market diversification should benefit the Surfactant business.
  • Targeting Tier 2 and Tier 3 customers to drive growth.
  • Cost-out activities are expected to improve profitability.
  • Energy conservation efforts around the world will support the Polymer business.
  • Polymer volume should continue to grow.

Headwinds

  • Anticipate a very challenging first quarter.
  • Potential negative impact of Coronavirus in China.
  • Higher raw material sourcing costs due to Illinois River lock closures scheduled during the second half of 2020.
  • Millsdale plant incident creates a challenge for us in 2020.
  • Operational issues impacted the site’s waste water treatment plant (WWTP) and forced us to stop production at the site.

Historical earnings impact

How earnings announcements have historically affected this stock's price.

Avg. return before/after earnings

Based on 20 quarterly earnings reports · overlaid with Q4 2019

Historical avgQ4 2019

-0.5%

Avg return

Earnings day

-1.1%

Avg return

5 days after

-0.7%

Avg return

30 days after

43%

28 / 65 earnings

Positive

+12.4%

Q1 2015

Best reaction

-20.4%

Q4 2025

Worst reaction

Earnings price reactions
QuarterReport dateReaction (Day 0)+5 days+30 days
Q1 2026+1.1%-0.7%-2.7%
Q4 2025-20.4%-24.3%-25.2%
Q3 2025-0.4%-4.1%+2.2%
Q1 2025+7.1%+13.8%+15.2%
Q4 2024+0.1%-0.0%-7.3%
Q3 2024-0.8%-0.2%+5.4%
Q2 2024-11.0%-18.9%-13.8%
Q1 2024-0.6%+1.4%+0.2%
Q4 2023-2.5%-2.3%-3.2%
Q3 2023+7.9%+9.1%+18.7%
Q2 2023-3.8%-0.6%-10.1%
Q1 2023-10.2%-7.2%-5.8%
Q4 2022-2.4%-4.5%-13.3%
Q3 2022-2.9%-0.3%+10.5%
Q2 2022+8.6%+5.4%+2.0%
Q1 2022+4.9%+3.9%+11.7%
Q4 2021-3.5%-5.6%-9.7%
Q3 2021+2.4%+1.2%+1.9%
Q2 2021-0.1%+0.2%-1.0%
Q1 2021-0.7%-0.8%+2.1%
Q4 2020-2.9%-2.1%+4.7%
Q3 2020-0.5%+2.0%+7.0%
Q2 2020+7.5%+7.6%+12.8%
Q1 2020-1.9%-0.3%+4.8%
Q4 2019-1.6%-8.3%-26.6%
Q3 2019+0.1%+3.6%+1.4%
Q2 2019+3.7%+3.2%-2.0%
Q1 2019-0.2%-0.2%-6.2%
Q4 2018+1.5%+0.9%-7.7%
Q3 2018+3.0%+1.0%-2.1%
Q2 2018+5.3%+6.4%+8.8%
Q1 2018-17.2%-18.5%-20.0%
Q4 2017+5.8%+10.3%+11.3%
Q3 2017-7.0%-7.3%-4.3%
Q2 2017-7.2%-10.2%-15.9%
Q1 2017+9.7%+4.8%+7.4%
Q4 2016-10.3%-5.9%-0.7%
Q3 2016+6.6%+2.9%+11.9%
Q2 2016+4.2%+2.4%+11.6%
Q1 2016+6.6%
Q4 2015+12.0%
Q3 2015+8.8%
Q2 2015-10.6%
Q1 2015+12.4%
Q4 2014-0.6%
Q3 2014-5.2%
Q2 2014-1.5%
Q1 2014-1.7%
Q4 2013-5.1%
Q3 2013+0.6%
Q2 2013+0.7%
Q1 2013-11.4%
Q2 2010-0.5%
Q4 2012-0.1%
Q3 2012-3.8%
Q2 2012-8.0%
Q1 2011+3.6%
Q1 2012+3.9%
Q4 2009+4.7%
Q4 2011+4.7%
Q3 2011-4.5%
Q3 2010-4.5%
Q4 2010-2.0%
Q2 2011-2.0%
Q1 2010+1.7%

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