vs
Side-by-side financial comparison of MediaAlpha, Inc. (MAX) and STEPAN CO (SCL). Click either name above to swap in a different company.
STEPAN CO is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($604.5M vs $310.0M, roughly 2.0× MediaAlpha, Inc.). MediaAlpha, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 4.5% vs 3.3%, a 1.3% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, MediaAlpha, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (17.3% vs 1.9%). Over the past eight quarters, MediaAlpha, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (31.9% CAGR vs 4.2%).
Alpha Group Co., Ltd. is a Chinese multinational conglomerate with animation, toy, mass media asset and entertainment company headquartered created by Cai Dongqing in 1993. In 2016, it changed its name from Alpha Animation. The company has a Chinese webcomics site, U17, and also an American film company, Alpha Pictures, and has announced the creation of an animation division also based in the United States.
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.
MAX vs SCL — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q1 FY2026
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $310.0M | $604.5M |
| Net Profit | $14.0M | $19.7M |
| Gross Margin | 15.1% | 10.7% |
| Operating Margin | 7.2% | 4.7% |
| Net Margin | 4.5% | 3.3% |
| Revenue YoY | 17.3% | 1.9% |
| Net Profit YoY | 701.8% | — |
| 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.
| Q1 26 | $310.0M | $604.5M | ||
| Q4 25 | $291.2M | $553.9M | ||
| Q3 25 | $306.5M | $590.3M | ||
| Q2 25 | $251.6M | $594.7M | ||
| Q1 25 | $264.3M | $593.3M | ||
| Q4 24 | $300.6M | $525.6M | ||
| Q3 24 | $259.1M | $546.8M | ||
| Q2 24 | $178.3M | $556.4M |
| Q1 26 | $14.0M | $19.7M | ||
| Q4 25 | $31.4M | $5.0M | ||
| Q3 25 | $14.9M | $10.8M | ||
| Q2 25 | $-18.7M | $11.3M | ||
| Q1 25 | $-1.9M | $19.7M | ||
| Q4 24 | $4.6M | $3.4M | ||
| Q3 24 | $9.5M | $23.6M | ||
| Q2 24 | $3.6M | $9.5M |
| Q1 26 | 15.1% | 10.7% | ||
| Q4 25 | 15.4% | 9.3% | ||
| Q3 25 | 14.2% | 12.0% | ||
| Q2 25 | 15.0% | 12.1% | ||
| Q1 25 | 15.8% | 12.7% | ||
| Q4 24 | 16.3% | 10.8% | ||
| Q3 24 | 15.1% | 13.8% | ||
| Q2 24 | 17.8% | 12.5% |
| Q1 26 | 7.2% | 4.7% | ||
| Q4 25 | 7.7% | 1.9% | ||
| Q3 25 | 6.4% | 3.7% | ||
| Q2 25 | -8.0% | 3.0% | ||
| Q1 25 | 0.0% | 4.8% | ||
| Q4 24 | 6.1% | 1.5% | ||
| Q3 24 | 6.0% | 4.4% | ||
| Q2 24 | 3.6% | 3.4% |
| Q1 26 | 4.5% | 3.3% | ||
| Q4 25 | 10.8% | 0.9% | ||
| Q3 25 | 4.9% | 1.8% | ||
| Q2 25 | -7.4% | 1.9% | ||
| Q1 25 | -0.7% | 3.3% | ||
| Q4 24 | 1.5% | 0.6% | ||
| Q3 24 | 3.7% | 4.3% | ||
| Q2 24 | 2.0% | 1.7% |
| Q1 26 | — | $0.86 | ||
| Q4 25 | $0.50 | $0.22 | ||
| Q3 25 | $0.26 | $0.47 | ||
| Q2 25 | $-0.33 | $0.50 | ||
| Q1 25 | $-0.04 | $0.86 | ||
| Q4 24 | $0.09 | $0.14 | ||
| Q3 24 | $0.17 | $1.03 | ||
| Q2 24 | $0.07 | $0.42 |
Balance Sheet & Financial Strength
Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand | $26.1M | — |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | $163.5M | $328.4M |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | — | $1.2B |
| Total Assets | $367.7M | $2.3B |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | — | 0.28× |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q1 26 | $26.1M | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $46.9M | $132.7M | ||
| Q3 25 | $38.8M | $118.5M | ||
| Q2 25 | $85.4M | $88.9M | ||
| Q1 25 | $63.6M | $107.5M | ||
| Q4 24 | $43.3M | $99.7M | ||
| Q3 24 | $32.3M | $147.3M | ||
| Q2 24 | $28.7M | $124.7M |
| Q1 26 | $163.5M | $328.4M | ||
| Q4 25 | $153.4M | $626.7M | ||
| Q3 25 | $155.7M | $655.5M | ||
| Q2 25 | $158.0M | $658.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $160.2M | $659.3M | ||
| Q4 24 | $162.4M | $625.4M | ||
| Q3 24 | $164.7M | $688.5M | ||
| Q2 24 | $166.9M | $657.1M |
| Q1 26 | — | $1.2B | ||
| Q4 25 | $4.2M | $1.2B | ||
| Q3 25 | $-29.8M | $1.2B | ||
| Q2 25 | $-3.8M | $1.2B | ||
| Q1 25 | $7.9M | $1.2B | ||
| Q4 24 | $2.4M | $1.2B | ||
| Q3 24 | $-8.4M | $1.2B | ||
| Q2 24 | $-24.4M | $1.2B |
| Q1 26 | $367.7M | $2.3B | ||
| Q4 25 | $383.8M | $2.4B | ||
| Q3 25 | $266.2M | $2.4B | ||
| Q2 25 | $249.4M | $2.4B | ||
| Q1 25 | $240.0M | $2.4B | ||
| Q4 24 | $262.4M | $2.3B | ||
| Q3 24 | $236.1M | $2.4B | ||
| Q2 24 | $198.2M | $2.3B |
| Q1 26 | — | 0.28× | ||
| Q4 25 | 36.88× | 0.50× | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 0.53× | ||
| Q2 25 | — | 0.53× | ||
| Q1 25 | 20.23× | 0.55× | ||
| Q4 24 | 68.31× | 0.53× | ||
| Q3 24 | — | 0.56× | ||
| Q2 24 | — | 0.55× |
Financial Flow Comparison
Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
MAX
Segment breakdown not available.
SCL
| Surfactants | $453.7M | 75% |
| Polymers | $130.0M | 22% |
| Specialty Products | $20.8M | 3% |
