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Side-by-side financial comparison of GREIF, INC (GEF) and STEPAN CO (SCL). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

GREIF, INC is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($994.8M vs $604.5M, roughly 1.6× STEPAN CO). GREIF, INC runs the higher net margin — 17.6% vs 3.3%, a 14.3% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, STEPAN CO posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (1.9% vs -21.4%). Over the past eight quarters, STEPAN CO's revenue compounded faster (4.2% CAGR vs -9.2%).

Greif, Inc. is a global leader in industrial packaging products and services based in Delaware, Ohio. Originally a manufacturer of barrels, the company is now focused on producing steel, fiber and plastic drums, IBCs, jerrycans, plastic bottles, closures, containerboard, corrugated products and adhesives. In 2018, the company ranked 617 on the Fortune 1000.

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.

GEF vs SCL — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
GEF
GEF
1.6× larger
GEF
$994.8M
$604.5M
SCL
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
SCL
SCL
+23.3% gap
SCL
1.9%
-21.4%
GEF
Higher net margin
GEF
GEF
14.3% more per $
GEF
17.6%
3.3%
SCL
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
SCL
SCL
Annualised
SCL
4.2%
-9.2%
GEF

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
GEF
GEF
SCL
SCL
Revenue
$994.8M
$604.5M
Net Profit
$174.6M
$19.7M
Gross Margin
20.4%
10.7%
Operating Margin
25.8%
4.7%
Net Margin
17.6%
3.3%
Revenue YoY
-21.4%
1.9%
Net Profit YoY
1930.2%
EPS (diluted)
$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
GEF
GEF
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
$604.5M
Q4 25
$994.8M
$553.9M
Q3 25
$1.1B
$590.3M
Q2 25
$1.4B
$594.7M
Q1 25
$1.3B
$593.3M
Q4 24
$1.4B
$525.6M
Q3 24
$1.5B
$546.8M
Q2 24
$1.4B
$556.4M
Net Profit
GEF
GEF
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
$19.7M
Q4 25
$174.6M
$5.0M
Q3 25
$64.0M
$10.8M
Q2 25
$47.3M
$11.3M
Q1 25
$8.6M
$19.7M
Q4 24
$70.1M
$3.4M
Q3 24
$87.1M
$23.6M
Q2 24
$44.4M
$9.5M
Gross Margin
GEF
GEF
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
10.7%
Q4 25
20.4%
9.3%
Q3 25
22.7%
12.0%
Q2 25
23.1%
12.1%
Q1 25
19.4%
12.7%
Q4 24
20.4%
10.8%
Q3 24
20.0%
13.8%
Q2 24
19.7%
12.5%
Operating Margin
GEF
GEF
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
4.7%
Q4 25
25.8%
1.9%
Q3 25
6.4%
3.7%
Q2 25
8.6%
3.0%
Q1 25
4.7%
4.8%
Q4 24
8.9%
1.5%
Q3 24
11.8%
4.4%
Q2 24
7.2%
3.4%
Net Margin
GEF
GEF
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
3.3%
Q4 25
17.6%
0.9%
Q3 25
5.6%
1.8%
Q2 25
3.4%
1.9%
Q1 25
0.7%
3.3%
Q4 24
4.9%
0.6%
Q3 24
6.0%
4.3%
Q2 24
3.2%
1.7%
EPS (diluted)
GEF
GEF
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
$0.86
Q4 25
$0.22
Q3 25
$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
GEF
GEF
SCL
SCL
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$243.5M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$655.1M
$328.4M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$2.9B
$1.2B
Total Assets
$5.5B
$2.3B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.22×
0.28×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
GEF
GEF
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
Q4 25
$243.5M
$132.7M
Q3 25
$285.2M
$118.5M
Q2 25
$252.7M
$88.9M
Q1 25
$201.1M
$107.5M
Q4 24
$197.7M
$99.7M
Q3 24
$194.2M
$147.3M
Q2 24
$196.0M
$124.7M
Total Debt
GEF
GEF
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
$328.4M
Q4 25
$655.1M
$626.7M
Q3 25
$2.3B
$655.5M
Q2 25
$2.4B
$658.0M
Q1 25
$2.5B
$659.3M
Q4 24
$2.7B
$625.4M
Q3 24
$2.9B
$688.5M
Q2 24
$2.9B
$657.1M
Stockholders' Equity
GEF
GEF
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
$1.2B
Q4 25
$2.9B
$1.2B
Q3 25
$2.2B
$1.2B
Q2 25
$2.1B
$1.2B
Q1 25
$2.0B
$1.2B
Q4 24
$2.1B
$1.2B
Q3 24
$2.1B
$1.2B
Q2 24
$2.0B
$1.2B
Total Assets
GEF
GEF
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
$2.3B
Q4 25
$5.5B
$2.4B
Q3 25
$6.7B
$2.4B
Q2 25
$6.8B
$2.4B
Q1 25
$6.6B
$2.4B
Q4 24
$6.6B
$2.3B
Q3 24
$6.8B
$2.4B
Q2 24
$6.8B
$2.3B
Debt / Equity
GEF
GEF
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
0.28×
Q4 25
0.22×
0.50×
Q3 25
1.06×
0.53×
Q2 25
1.12×
0.53×
Q1 25
1.24×
0.55×
Q4 24
1.31×
0.53×
Q3 24
1.41×
0.56×
Q2 24
1.44×
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
GEF
GEF
SCL
SCL
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$-24.4M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
-0.14×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
GEF
GEF
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
Q4 25
$-24.4M
$60.0M
Q3 25
$197.7M
$69.8M
Q2 25
$136.4M
$11.2M
Q1 25
$-30.8M
$6.9M
Q4 24
$187.2M
$68.3M
Q3 24
$76.8M
$22.7M
Q2 24
$87.5M
$29.5M
Free Cash Flow
GEF
GEF
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
Q4 25
$25.4M
Q3 25
$40.2M
Q2 25
$-14.4M
Q1 25
$-25.8M
Q4 24
$32.1M
Q3 24
$-4.0M
Q2 24
$-208.0K
FCF Margin
GEF
GEF
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
Q4 25
4.6%
Q3 25
6.8%
Q2 25
-2.4%
Q1 25
-4.3%
Q4 24
6.1%
Q3 24
-0.7%
Q2 24
-0.0%
Capex Intensity
GEF
GEF
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
Q4 25
6.3%
Q3 25
5.0%
Q2 25
4.3%
Q1 25
5.5%
Q4 24
6.9%
Q3 24
4.9%
Q2 24
5.3%
Cash Conversion
GEF
GEF
SCL
SCL
Q1 26
Q4 25
-0.14×
11.99×
Q3 25
3.09×
6.44×
Q2 25
2.88×
0.99×
Q1 25
-3.58×
0.35×
Q4 24
2.67×
20.38×
Q3 24
0.88×
0.96×
Q2 24
1.97×
3.10×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

GEF
GEF

Other$501.0M50%
Sustainable Fiber Solutions Segment$300.4M30%
Customized Polymer Solutions Segment$124.8M13%
Durable Metal Solutions Segment$62.5M6%
Innovative Closure Solutions Segment$6.1M1%

SCL
SCL

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

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