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Side-by-side financial comparison of AAR CORP (AIR) and STEPAN CO (SCL). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

AAR CORP is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($795.3M vs $604.5M, roughly 1.3× STEPAN CO). AAR CORP runs the higher net margin — 4.4% vs 3.3%, a 1.1% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, AAR CORP posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (15.9% vs 1.9%).

AAR Corp. is an American provider of aircraft maintenance services to commercial and government customers worldwide. The company is headquartered in Wood Dale, Illinois, a Chicago suburb. The company employs about 6,000 people, operating in about 30 different countries. John Holmes is the current CEO.

Stepan Company is an American manufacturer of specialty chemicals headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois. The company was founded in 1932 by Alfred C. Stepan, Jr., and has approximately 2,000 employees. It is currently run by his grandson, F. Quinn Stepan, Jr. The company describes itself as the largest global merchant manufacturer of anionic surfactants, which are used to enhance the foaming and cleaning capabilities of detergents, shampoos, toothpastes, and cosmetics.

AIR vs SCL — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
AIR
AIR
1.3× larger
AIR
$795.3M
$604.5M
SCL
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
AIR
AIR
+14.0% gap
AIR
15.9%
1.9%
SCL
Higher net margin
AIR
AIR
1.1% more per $
AIR
4.4%
3.3%
SCL

Income Statement — Q2 FY2026 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
AIR
AIR
SCL
SCL
Revenue
$795.3M
$604.5M
Net Profit
$34.6M
$19.7M
Gross Margin
19.7%
10.7%
Operating Margin
6.0%
4.7%
Net Margin
4.4%
3.3%
Revenue YoY
15.9%
1.9%
Net Profit YoY
213.1%
EPS (diluted)
$0.90
$0.86

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
AIR
AIR
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
$604.5M
Q4 25
$795.3M
$553.9M
Q3 25
$739.6M
$590.3M
Q2 25
$594.7M
Q1 25
$593.3M
Q4 24
$525.6M
Q3 24
$546.8M
Q2 24
$556.4M
Net Profit
AIR
AIR
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
$19.7M
Q4 25
$34.6M
$5.0M
Q3 25
$34.4M
$10.8M
Q2 25
$11.3M
Q1 25
$19.7M
Q4 24
$3.4M
Q3 24
$23.6M
Q2 24
$9.5M
Gross Margin
AIR
AIR
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
10.7%
Q4 25
19.7%
9.3%
Q3 25
18.1%
12.0%
Q2 25
12.1%
Q1 25
12.7%
Q4 24
10.8%
Q3 24
13.8%
Q2 24
12.5%
Operating Margin
AIR
AIR
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
4.7%
Q4 25
6.0%
1.9%
Q3 25
6.4%
3.7%
Q2 25
3.0%
Q1 25
4.8%
Q4 24
1.5%
Q3 24
4.4%
Q2 24
3.4%
Net Margin
AIR
AIR
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
3.3%
Q4 25
4.4%
0.9%
Q3 25
4.7%
1.8%
Q2 25
1.9%
Q1 25
3.3%
Q4 24
0.6%
Q3 24
4.3%
Q2 24
1.7%
EPS (diluted)
AIR
AIR
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
$0.86
Q4 25
$0.90
$0.22
Q3 25
$0.95
$0.47
Q2 25
$0.50
Q1 25
$0.86
Q4 24
$0.14
Q3 24
$1.03
Q2 24
$0.42

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
AIR
AIR
SCL
SCL
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$75.6M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$952.7M
$328.4M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.6B
$1.2B
Total Assets
$3.2B
$2.3B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.61×
0.28×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
AIR
AIR
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
Q4 25
$75.6M
$132.7M
Q3 25
$80.0M
$118.5M
Q2 25
$88.9M
Q1 25
$107.5M
Q4 24
$99.7M
Q3 24
$147.3M
Q2 24
$124.7M
Total Debt
AIR
AIR
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
$328.4M
Q4 25
$952.7M
$626.7M
Q3 25
$1.0B
$655.5M
Q2 25
$658.0M
Q1 25
$659.3M
Q4 24
$625.4M
Q3 24
$688.5M
Q2 24
$657.1M
Stockholders' Equity
AIR
AIR
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
$1.2B
Q4 25
$1.6B
$1.2B
Q3 25
$1.2B
$1.2B
Q2 25
$1.2B
Q1 25
$1.2B
Q4 24
$1.2B
Q3 24
$1.2B
Q2 24
$1.2B
Total Assets
AIR
AIR
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
$2.3B
Q4 25
$3.2B
$2.4B
Q3 25
$2.9B
$2.4B
Q2 25
$2.4B
Q1 25
$2.4B
Q4 24
$2.3B
Q3 24
$2.4B
Q2 24
$2.3B
Debt / Equity
AIR
AIR
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
0.28×
Q4 25
0.61×
0.50×
Q3 25
0.82×
0.53×
Q2 25
0.53×
Q1 25
0.55×
Q4 24
0.53×
Q3 24
0.56×
Q2 24
0.55×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
AIR
AIR
SCL
SCL
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$13.6M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$6.2M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
0.8%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
0.9%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
0.39×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
AIR
AIR
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
Q4 25
$13.6M
$60.0M
Q3 25
$-44.9M
$69.8M
Q2 25
$11.2M
Q1 25
$6.9M
Q4 24
$68.3M
Q3 24
$22.7M
Q2 24
$29.5M
Free Cash Flow
AIR
AIR
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
Q4 25
$6.2M
$25.4M
Q3 25
$-53.6M
$40.2M
Q2 25
$-14.4M
Q1 25
$-25.8M
Q4 24
$32.1M
Q3 24
$-4.0M
Q2 24
$-208.0K
FCF Margin
AIR
AIR
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
Q4 25
0.8%
4.6%
Q3 25
-7.2%
6.8%
Q2 25
-2.4%
Q1 25
-4.3%
Q4 24
6.1%
Q3 24
-0.7%
Q2 24
-0.0%
Capex Intensity
AIR
AIR
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
Q4 25
0.9%
6.3%
Q3 25
1.2%
5.0%
Q2 25
4.3%
Q1 25
5.5%
Q4 24
6.9%
Q3 24
4.9%
Q2 24
5.3%
Cash Conversion
AIR
AIR
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
Q4 25
0.39×
11.99×
Q3 25
-1.31×
6.44×
Q2 25
0.99×
Q1 25
0.35×
Q4 24
20.38×
Q3 24
0.96×
Q2 24
3.10×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

AIR
AIR

Commercial Customer$268.1M34%
Repair And Engineering$244.5M31%
Integrated Solutions$175.8M22%
Government And Defense Customer$85.5M11%
Expeditionary Services$21.4M3%

SCL
SCL

Surfactants$453.7M75%
Polymers$130.0M22%
Specialty Products$20.8M3%

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