NYSE$SCL

Stepan Company · Q4 2022 earnings

Q4 2022 earnings · · Investor relations

Briefing

Reported net income decreased due to lower sales volume and higher expenses, while specialty product results improved due to margin improvement and customer mix.

Stepan Company reported a decrease in net income for the fourth quarter of 2022, primarily due to lower sales volumes in the Surfactant and Polymer segments, partially offset by improved performance in the Specialty Products segment. Customer destocking and lower demand in certain markets contributed to the decline. Full year earnings reached a record high.

  • Net income was $10.8 million, or $0.47 per diluted share, compared to $17.0 million, or $0.73 per diluted share, in the prior year.
  • Adjusted net income was $13.5 million, or $0.59 per diluted share versus $22.5 million, or $0.97 per diluted share, in the prior year.
  • Surfactant operating income decreased to $21.8 million due to a 15% decline in global sales volume.
  • Polymer operating income decreased to $3.0 million due to a 23% decline in global sales volume.

Headline financials

Total Revenue

$627M

Previous: $610M+2.8%
EPS (adj)

$0.59

Previous: $0.97-39.2%
Capital Expenditures

$96.2M

Previous: $74.9M+28.4%
Free Cash Flow

-$10.4M

Previous: -$24.2M+57.1%
Net Income

$10.8M

Previous: $17M-36.3%
Operating Income

$11.7M

Previous: $20M-41.5%
Gross Profit

$67.8M

Previous: $83.3M-18.6%
Cash & Equivalents

$174M

Previous: $159M+9.1%
Total Assets

$2.43B

Previous: $2.07B+17.8%
Stock-Based Comp

$3.84M

Previous: $3.65M+5.3%

Revenue & EPS history

Stepan · Revenue · Quarterly

$627M

Q4 2022+2.8%vs Q4 2021
Beat estimate in 9 of 15 quarters(60%)
ActualEstimate

Revenue by segment

Stepan · $627M total across 3 segments · Q4 2022

  • Surfactants
    $455M+8.2%
  • Polymers
    $148M-14.6%
  • Specialty Products
    $24.3M+49.9%

Forward guidance

Stepan Company anticipates challenges in 2023 due to elevated inflation, high interest rates, and potential negative impacts on consumer demand and construction-related activity. Higher costs associated with the new Pasadena site will also pose challenges to earnings growth.

Tailwinds

  • Focusing on productivity improvements.
  • Implementing pricing increases where possible.
  • Improving product and customer mix.
  • Committed to executing long-term growth strategy.
  • Delivered three consecutive years of record earnings (in 2022).

Headwinds

  • Continued elevated inflation.
  • High interest rates.
  • Potential negative impact on consumer demand.
  • Potential negative impact on construction-related activity.
  • Higher overall cost inflation and depreciation.

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 2022

Historical avgQ4 2022

-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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