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Side-by-side financial comparison of STEPAN CO (SCL) and Sotera Health Co (SHC). Click either name above to swap in a different company.
STEPAN CO is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($604.5M vs $303.4M, roughly 2.0× Sotera Health Co). Sotera Health Co runs the higher net margin — 11.5% vs 3.3%, a 8.2% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Sotera Health Co posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (4.6% vs 1.9%). Over the past eight quarters, Sotera Health Co's revenue compounded faster (10.6% CAGR vs 4.2%).
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.
Sotera Health Co is a global provider of end-to-end medical safety solutions. It offers sterilization services, analytical laboratory testing, and regulatory advisory support for medical device manufacturers, pharmaceutical firms, and food and consumer product companies, helping clients meet industry standards and ensure product safety for end users worldwide.
SCL vs SHC — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $604.5M | $303.4M |
| Net Profit | $19.7M | $34.8M |
| Gross Margin | 10.7% | 54.7% |
| Operating Margin | 4.7% | 23.2% |
| Net Margin | 3.3% | 11.5% |
| Revenue YoY | 1.9% | 4.6% |
| Net Profit YoY | — | 182.8% |
| EPS (diluted) | $0.86 | $0.12 |
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 | $604.5M | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $553.9M | $303.4M | ||
| Q3 25 | $590.3M | $311.3M | ||
| Q2 25 | $594.7M | $294.3M | ||
| Q1 25 | $593.3M | $254.5M | ||
| Q4 24 | $525.6M | $290.2M | ||
| Q3 24 | $546.8M | $285.5M | ||
| Q2 24 | $556.4M | $276.6M |
| Q1 26 | $19.7M | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $5.0M | $34.8M | ||
| Q3 25 | $10.8M | $48.4M | ||
| Q2 25 | $11.3M | $8.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $19.7M | $-13.3M | ||
| Q4 24 | $3.4M | $12.3M | ||
| Q3 24 | $23.6M | $17.0M | ||
| Q2 24 | $9.5M | $8.8M |
| Q1 26 | 10.7% | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 9.3% | 54.7% | ||
| Q3 25 | 12.0% | 57.0% | ||
| Q2 25 | 12.1% | 56.6% | ||
| Q1 25 | 12.7% | 53.2% | ||
| Q4 24 | 10.8% | 56.6% | ||
| Q3 24 | 13.8% | 55.4% | ||
| Q2 24 | 12.5% | 55.2% |
| Q1 26 | 4.7% | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 1.9% | 23.2% | ||
| Q3 25 | 3.7% | 23.4% | ||
| Q2 25 | 3.0% | 6.4% | ||
| Q1 25 | 4.8% | -5.8% | ||
| Q4 24 | 1.5% | 30.0% | ||
| Q3 24 | 4.4% | 28.2% | ||
| Q2 24 | 3.4% | 27.8% |
| Q1 26 | 3.3% | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 0.9% | 11.5% | ||
| Q3 25 | 1.8% | 15.5% | ||
| Q2 25 | 1.9% | 2.7% | ||
| Q1 25 | 3.3% | -5.2% | ||
| Q4 24 | 0.6% | 4.2% | ||
| Q3 24 | 4.3% | 6.0% | ||
| Q2 24 | 1.7% | 3.2% |
| Q1 26 | $0.86 | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $0.22 | $0.12 | ||
| Q3 25 | $0.47 | $0.17 | ||
| Q2 25 | $0.50 | $0.03 | ||
| Q1 25 | $0.86 | $-0.05 | ||
| Q4 24 | $0.14 | $0.05 | ||
| Q3 24 | $1.03 | $0.06 | ||
| Q2 24 | $0.42 | $0.03 |
Balance Sheet & Financial Strength
Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand | — | $344.6M |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | $328.4M | $2.1B |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | $1.2B | $606.0M |
| Total Assets | $2.3B | $3.3B |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | 0.28× | 3.53× |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $132.7M | $344.6M | ||
| Q3 25 | $118.5M | $299.2M | ||
| Q2 25 | $88.9M | $332.4M | ||
| Q1 25 | $107.5M | $304.4M | ||
| Q4 24 | $99.7M | $277.2M | ||
| Q3 24 | $147.3M | $306.7M | ||
| Q2 24 | $124.7M | $246.1M |
| Q1 26 | $328.4M | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $626.7M | $2.1B | ||
| Q3 25 | $655.5M | $2.1B | ||
| Q2 25 | $658.0M | $2.2B | ||
| Q1 25 | $659.3M | $2.2B | ||
| Q4 24 | $625.4M | $2.2B | ||
| Q3 24 | $688.5M | $2.2B | ||
| Q2 24 | $657.1M | $2.2B |
| Q1 26 | $1.2B | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $1.2B | $606.0M | ||
| Q3 25 | $1.2B | $550.5M | ||
| Q2 25 | $1.2B | $511.3M | ||
| Q1 25 | $1.2B | $414.1M | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.2B | $404.9M | ||
| Q3 24 | $1.2B | $470.2M | ||
| Q2 24 | $1.2B | $422.8M |
| Q1 26 | $2.3B | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $2.4B | $3.3B | ||
| Q3 25 | $2.4B | $3.2B | ||
| Q2 25 | $2.4B | $3.2B | ||
| Q1 25 | $2.4B | $3.1B | ||
| Q4 24 | $2.3B | $3.1B | ||
| Q3 24 | $2.4B | $3.1B | ||
| Q2 24 | $2.3B | $3.1B |
| Q1 26 | 0.28× | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 0.50× | 3.53× | ||
| Q3 25 | 0.53× | 3.89× | ||
| Q2 25 | 0.53× | 4.34× | ||
| Q1 25 | 0.55× | 5.36× | ||
| Q4 24 | 0.53× | 5.49× | ||
| Q3 24 | 0.56× | 4.73× | ||
| Q2 24 | 0.55× | 5.26× |
Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency
How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating Cash FlowLast quarter | — | $103.1M |
| Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex | — | $52.4M |
| FCF MarginFCF / Revenue | — | 17.3% |
| Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue | — | 16.7% |
| Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit | — | 2.96× |
| TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters | — | $149.2M |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $60.0M | $103.1M | ||
| Q3 25 | $69.8M | $71.2M | ||
| Q2 25 | $11.2M | $57.4M | ||
| Q1 25 | $6.9M | $55.5M | ||
| Q4 24 | $68.3M | $55.7M | ||
| Q3 24 | $22.7M | $97.5M | ||
| Q2 24 | $29.5M | $61.3M |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $25.4M | $52.4M | ||
| Q3 25 | $40.2M | $35.0M | ||
| Q2 25 | $-14.4M | $26.2M | ||
| Q1 25 | $-25.8M | $35.6M | ||
| Q4 24 | $32.1M | $-10.2M | ||
| Q3 24 | $-4.0M | $61.1M | ||
| Q2 24 | $-208.0K | $19.4M |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 4.6% | 17.3% | ||
| Q3 25 | 6.8% | 11.2% | ||
| Q2 25 | -2.4% | 8.9% | ||
| Q1 25 | -4.3% | 14.0% | ||
| Q4 24 | 6.1% | -3.5% | ||
| Q3 24 | -0.7% | 21.4% | ||
| Q2 24 | -0.0% | 7.0% |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 6.3% | 16.7% | ||
| Q3 25 | 5.0% | 11.6% | ||
| Q2 25 | 4.3% | 10.6% | ||
| Q1 25 | 5.5% | 7.8% | ||
| Q4 24 | 6.9% | 22.7% | ||
| Q3 24 | 4.9% | 12.7% | ||
| Q2 24 | 5.3% | 15.2% |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 11.99× | 2.96× | ||
| Q3 25 | 6.44× | 1.47× | ||
| Q2 25 | 0.99× | 7.21× | ||
| Q1 25 | 0.35× | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 20.38× | 4.52× | ||
| Q3 24 | 0.96× | 5.73× | ||
| Q2 24 | 3.10× | 7.00× |
Financial Flow Comparison
Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
SCL
| Surfactants | $453.7M | 75% |
| Polymers | $130.0M | 22% |
| Specialty Products | $20.8M | 3% |
SHC
| Transferred At Point In Time | $198.4M | 65% |
| Nelson Labs | $55.2M | 18% |
| Nordion | $49.8M | 16% |
