Skip to main content

STEPAN CO

For the period ended Sep 30, 2024. Filed Nov 6, 2024.

View on SEC.gov

About this filing

A company's report for each of its first three quarters. The financial statements are not audited. It shows how the business has moved since the last annual report, and what management says changed.

Sep 30, 2024 · Filed Nov 6, 2024

SCL$68.09+1.7%Stored close · as of Nov 9, 2026

Extracted filing text, with the paragraph anchors used by the comparison.

See the whole filing, with its images and exhibits

Item 1. Financial Statements

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

(In thousands, except per share amounts)Three Months EndedSeptember 30,Nine Months EndedSeptember 30,
2024202320242023
Net Sales$546,842$562,226$1,654,665$1,793,637
Cost of Sales471,157490,9901,439,1471,582,444
Gross Profit75,68571,236215,518211,193
Operating Expenses:
Selling11,39411,81134,61035,987
Administrative26,25422,90473,51368,132
Research, development and technical services13,53214,47741,88143,720
Deferred compensation expense (income)556(3,101)2,729(856)
51,73646,091152,733146,983
Business restructuring expense (Note 18)—5,628—5,827
Operating Income23,94919,51762,78558,383
Other Income (Expense):
Interest, net(3,621)(2,987)(9,353)(9,674)
Other, net (Note 15)989(690)4,5513,348
(2,632)(3,677)(4,802)(6,326)
Income Before Provision for Income Taxes21,31715,84057,98352,057
Provision for Income Taxes(2,289)3,26910,96310,660
Net Income23,60612,57147,02041,397
Net Income Per Common Share (Note 10):
Basic$1.03$0.55$2.06$1.82
Diluted$1.03$0.55$2.05$1.80
Shares Used to Compute Net Income Per Common Share (Note 10):
Basic22,83622,78622,82922,770
Diluted22,92322,93022,93622,956

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(In thousands)Three Months EndedSeptember 30,Nine Months EndedSeptember 30,
2024202320242023
Net Income$23,606$12,571$47,020$41,397
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustments (Note 11)12,880(19,578)(19,082)15,342
Defined benefit pension adjustments, net of tax (Note 11)6061175179
Derivative instrument activity, net of tax (Note 11)(2,762)562(2,213)666
Total Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)10,178(18,955)(21,120)16,187
Comprehensive Income (Loss)$33,784$(6,384)$25,900$57,584

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(Dollars in thousands)September 30, 2024December 31, 2023
Assets
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents$147,280$129,823
Receivables, net434,146422,050
Inventories (Note 6)296,704265,558
Other current assets40,02834,452
Total current assets918,158851,883
Property, Plant and Equipment:
Cost2,651,9602,585,058
Less: Accumulated depreciation(1,450,014)(1,378,393)
Property, plant and equipment, net1,201,9461,206,665
Goodwill, net95,89397,442
Other intangible assets, net46,37752,571
Long-term investments (Note 3)25,12126,804
Operating lease assets (Note 7)69,14770,646
Other non-current assets57,14757,343
Total assets$2,413,789$2,363,354
Liabilities and Equity
Current Liabilities:
Current maturities of debt (Note 14)$339,846$252,898
Accounts payable257,067233,031
Accrued liabilities124,380121,941
Total current liabilities721,293607,870
Deferred income taxes10,67610,373
Long-term debt, less current maturities (Note 14)348,670401,248
Non-current operating lease liabilities (Note 7)55,93458,026
Other non-current liabilities57,85169,347
Commitments and Contingencies (Note 8)
Equity:
Common stock, $1 par value; authorized 60,000,000 shares; 27,148,640 issued shares in 2024 and 27,005,852 issued shares in 202327,14927,006
Additional paid-in capital252,675247,032
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (Note 11)(151,722)(130,602)
Retained earnings1,279,1971,257,466
Less: Common treasury stock, at cost, 4,654,091 shares in 2024 and 4,628,072 shares in 2023(187,934)(184,412)
Total equity1,219,3651,216,490
Total liabilities and equity$2,413,789$2,363,354

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(In thousands)Nine Months Ended September 30,
20242023
Cash Flows From Operating Activities
Net income$47,020$41,397
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization83,67678,315
Deferred compensation2,729(856)
Realized and unrealized gains on long-term investments(3,740)(2,598)
Stock-based compensation4,4803,677
Deferred income taxes(363)12,636
Other non-cash items1,7561,132
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Receivables, net(21,688)25,838
Inventories(39,003)122,714
Other current assets(5,995)(10,239)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities27,455(152,096)
Pension liabilities(1,355)(1,474)
Environmental and legal liabilities818(10,817)
Deferred revenues(2,023)(1,730)
Net Cash Provided By Operating Activities93,767105,899
Cash Flows From Investing Activities
Expenditures for property, plant and equipment(86,572)(213,597)
Other, net5,8311,669
Net Cash Used In Investing Activities(80,741)(211,928)
Cash Flows From Financing Activities
Revolving debt and bank overdrafts, net (Note 14)83,00491,003
Other debt repayments (Note 14)(48,571)(28,572)
Dividends paid(25,289)(24,479)
Stock option exercises1,0232,386
Other, net(3,238)(3,701)
Net Cash Provided By Financing Activities6,92936,637
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash(2,498)1,150
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents17,457(68,242)
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period129,823173,750
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period$147,280$105,508
Supplemental Cash Flow Information
Cash payments of income taxes, net of refunds$8,482$26,526
Cash payments of interest$21,513$20,929

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

September 30, 2024

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The condensed consolidated financial statements included herein have been prepared by Stepan Company (the Company), without audit, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations, although management believes that the disclosures are adequate and make the information presented not misleading. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring accruals, necessary to present fairly the Company’s financial position as of September 30, 2024, its results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 and cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, have been included. These financial statements and related footnotes should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and related footnotes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 (2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K).

RECONCILIATIONS OF EQUITY

Below are reconciliations of total equity for thethree and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023:

(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)TotalCommonStockAdditionalPaid-inCapitalCommonTreasuryStockAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncome (Loss)RetainedEarnings
Balance, June 30, 2024$1,192,436$27,142$250,945$(187,778)$(161,900)$1,264,027
Issuance of 1,037 shares of common stock under incentive compensation plan57156———
Stock-based and deferred compensation1,52461,674(156)——
Net income23,606————23,606
Other comprehensive income10,178———10,178—
Cash dividends paid:
Common stock ($0.375 per share)(8,436)————(8,436)
Balance, September 30, 2024$1,219,365$27,149$252,675$(187,934)$(151,722)$1,279,197
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)TotalCommonStockAdditionalPaid-inCapitalCommonTreasuryStockAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncome (Loss)RetainedEarnings
Balance, December 31, 2023$1,216,490$27,006$247,032$(184,412)$(130,602)$1,257,466
Issuance of 24,161 shares of common stock under incentive compensation plan1,02324999———
Stock-based and deferred compensation1,2411194,644(3,522)——
Net income47,020————47,020
Other comprehensive (loss)(21,120)———(21,120)—
Cash dividends paid:
Common stock ($1.125 per share)(25,289)————(25,289)
Balance, September 30, 2024$1,219,365$27,149$252,675$(187,934)$(151,722)$1,279,197
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)TotalCommonStockAdditionalPaid-inCapitalCommonTreasuryStockAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncome (Loss)RetainedEarnings
Balance, June 30, 2023$1,215,097$26,978$242,215$(184,365)$(132,370)$1,262,639
Issuance of 10,730 shares of common stock under incentive compensation plan47011459———
Stock-based and deferred compensation1,750—1,757(7)——
Net income12,571————12,571
Other comprehensive (loss)(18,955)———(18,955)—
Cash dividends paid:
Common stock ($0.365 per share)(8,162)————(8,162)
Balance, September 30, 2023$1,202,771$26,989$244,431$(184,372)$(151,325)$1,267,048
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)TotalCommonStockAdditionalPaid-inCapitalCommonTreasuryStockAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncome (Loss)RetainedEarnings
Balance, December 31, 2022$1,166,065$26,841$237,202$(180,596)$(167,512)$1,250,130
Issuance of 43,502 shares of common stock under incentive compensation plan2,386442,342———
Stock-based and deferred compensation1,2151044,887(3,776)——
Net income41,397————41,397
Other comprehensive income16,187———16,187—
Cash dividends paid:
Common stock ($1.095 per share)(24,479)————(24,479)
Balance, September 30, 2023$1,202,771$26,989$244,431$(184,372)$(151,325)$1,267,048

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

Derivative assets and liabilities include the foreign currency exchange and interest rate swap contracts discussed in Note 4, Derivative Instruments, of the notes to the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements (included in Item 1 of this Form 10-Q). Fair value and carrying value were the same because the contracts were recorded at fair value. The fair values of the foreign currency contracts were calculated as the difference between the applicable forward foreign exchange rates at the reporting date and the contracted foreign exchange rates multiplied by the contracted notional amounts. The fair value of the interest rate swap was calculated as the difference between the contracted swap rate and the floating interest rate multiplied by the present value of the notional amount of the contract.

At September 30, 2024, and December 31, 2023, the fair values and related carrying values of debt, including current maturities, were as follows (the fair value and carrying value amounts are presented without regard to unamortized debt issuance costs of $527,000 and $895,000 as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively):

(In thousands)September 30,2024December 31,2023
Fair value$667,357$627,695
Carrying value689,043655,041

The following tables present financial assets and liabilities, excluding cash and cash equivalents, measured on a recurring basis at fair value as of September 30, 2024, and December 31, 2023, and the level within the fair value hierarchy in which the fair value measurements fall:

(In thousands)September 30,2024Level 1Level 2Level 3
Mutual fund assets$25,121$25,121$—$—
Derivative assets:
Interest rate contracts3,977—3,977—
Foreign currency contracts1,243—1,243—
Total assets at fair value$30,341$25,121$5,220$—
Derivative liabilities:
Foreign currency contracts$768$—$768$—
(In thousands)December 31,2023Level 1Level 2Level 3
Mutual fund assets$26,804$26,804$—$—
Derivative assets:
Interest rate contracts6,183—6,183—
Foreign currency contracts1,018—1,018—
Total assets at fair value$34,005$26,804$7,201$—
Derivative liabilities:
Foreign currency contracts$928$—$928$—

DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS

At September 30, 2024, and December 31, 2023, the Company had open forward foreign currency exchange contracts to buy or sell foreign currencies with U.S. dollar equivalent amounts of $120,814,000 and $106,561,000, respectively. All forward foreign exchange contracts at September 30, 2024, had durations ofone month tothree months.

The Company is currently exposed to volatility in short-term interest rates and has mitigated certain portions of that risk by using an interest rate swap. The interest rate swap is recognized on the balance sheet as either an asset or a liability measured at fair value. At September 30, 2024, the Company held an interest rate swap contract with a notional value of $100,000,000 that was designated as a cash flow hedge. Period-to-period changes in the fair value of the interest rate swap are initially recognized as gains or losses in other comprehensive income. As the interest rate swap contract is settled, the corresponding gain or loss is reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) into earnings. The maturity date of the current interest swap contract is March 10, 2027, which is closely aligned with the June 24, 2027, maturity of the Company's revolving credit facility.

The fair values of the derivative instruments held by the Company on September 30, 2024, and December 31, 2023, are disclosed in Note 3, Fair Value Measurements, of the notes to the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements (included in Item 1 of this Form 10-Q). Derivative instrument gains and losses for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, were immaterial. For amounts reclassified out of AOCI into earnings for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, see Note 11, Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), of the notes to the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements (included in Item 1 of this Form 10-Q).

STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

Compensation expense recorded for all stock options, performance shares, time-based restricted stock units (RSUs) and stock appreciation rights (SARs) was as follows:

(In thousands)
Three Months EndedSeptember 30, · Nine Months EndedSeptember 30,
2024202320242023
$1,551$1,520$4,480$3,677

Unrecognized compensation costs for stock options, performance shares, RSUs and SARs were as follows:

(In thousands)September 30,2024December 31,2023
Stock options$150$127
Performance shares and RSUs4,0493,761
SARs3,7533,648

The change in unrecognized compensation costs for stock options, performance shares, RSUs and SARs is due to new grants issued in 2024.

The Company granted the following awards in the first nine months of 2024:

Shares
Stock options3,356
Performance shares (at target) and RSUs106,045
SARs90,201

The unrecognized compensation costs at September 30, 2024, are expected to be recognized over weighted-average periods of 1.9 years for stock options, performance shares and RSUs and 1.8 years for SARs.

INVENTORIES

The composition of inventories at September 30, 2024, and December 31, 2023, was as follows:

(In thousands)September 30,2024December 31,2023
Finished goods$204,757$184,828
Raw materials91,94780,730
Total inventories$296,704$265,558

LEASES

Lease cost is recognized in both the Cost of Sales and Operating Expenses sections of the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income.

(In thousands)Three Months EndedSeptember 30,Nine Months EndedSeptember 30,
2024202320242023
Lease Cost
Operating lease cost$4,612$4,448$13,573$13,255
Short-term lease cost2,7182,6978,6548,215
Variable lease cost4476741,3121,834
Total lease cost$7,777$7,819$23,539$23,304
Other Information
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities:
Operating cash flow from operating leases$4,624$4,447$13,589$13,276
Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for new operating lease liabilities2,3539163,9018,336

The following table outlines the maturities of lease liabilities as of September 30, 2024.

(In thousands)
Undiscounted Cash Flows:
2024 (excluding the nine months ended September 30, 2024)$4,750
202515,434
202611,299
20278,152
20287,071
Subsequent to 202835,713
Total Undiscounted Cash Flows$82,419
Less: Imputed interest(12,173)
Present value$70,246
Current operating lease liabilities (1)14,312
Non-current operating lease liabilities55,934
Total lease liabilities$70,246

(1)

This item is included in the Accrued liabilities line on the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet.

Weighted-average remaining lease term-operating leases8 Years
Weighted-average discount rate-operating leases4.0%

As of September 30, 2024, the Company had a railcar lease, valued at approximately $370,000, that had not commenced. The lease will commence during the fourth quarter of 2024 with a lease term offive years.

CONTINGENCIES

There are a variety of legal proceedings pending or threatened against the Company that occur in the normal course of the Company’s business, the majority of which relate to environmental assessment, protection and remediation matters. Some of these proceedings may result in fines, penalties, judgments or costs being assessed against the Company at some future time. The Company’s operations are subject to extensive local, state and federal regulations, including the U.S. Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) and the Superfund amendments of 1986 (Superfund) as well as comparable regulations applicable to the Company’s foreign locations. Over the years, the Company has received requests for information related to or has been named by government authorities as a potentially responsible party at a number of sites where cleanup costs have been or may be incurred by the Company under CERCLA and similar state statutes. In addition, the Company is from time to time involved in routine legal proceedings incidental to the conduct of its business, including personal injury, property damage, tax, trade and labor matters. The Company believes that it has made adequate provisions for the costs it is likely to incur with respect to these claims.

In determining the appropriate level of environmental reserves, the Company considers several factors such as information obtained from investigatory studies; changes in the scope of remediation; the interpretation, application and enforcement of laws and regulations; changes in the costs of remediation programs; the development of alternative cleanup technologies and methods; and the relative level of the Company’s involvement at various sites for which the Company is allegedly associated. The level of annual expenditures for remedial, monitoring and investigatory activities will change in the future as major components of planned remediation activities are completed and the scope, timing and costs of existing activities are changed. As of September 30, 2024, the Company estimated a range of possible environmental losses and legal losses of $21,463,000 to $48,894,000. Within the range of possible environmental losses and legal losses, management has currently concluded that no single amount is more likely to occur than any other amounts in the range and, thus, has accrued at the lower end of the range. These accruals totaled $21,463,000 at September 30, 2024, and $20,646,000 at December 31, 2023. Although the Company believes that its estimated range of possible environmental losses and legal losses and its reserves are adequate for contingencies, it is possible, due to uncertainties including those noted above, that additional reserves could be required in the future. Cash expenditures related to environmental remediation and certain other legal matters approximated $2,243,000 and $11,384,000 for thenine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

For certain sites, the Company has responded to information requests made by federal, state or local government agencies but has received no response confirming or denying the Company’s stated positions. As such, estimates of the total costs, or range of possible costs, of remediation, if any, or the Company’s share of such costs, if any, cannot be determined with respect to these sites. Consequently, the Company is unable to predict the effect thereof on the Company’s financial position, cash flows and results of operations. Based on the Company’s present knowledge with respect to its involvement at these sites, the possibility of other viable entities’ responsibilities for cleanup, and the extended period over which any costs would be incurred, management believes that the Company has no material liability at these sites and that these matters, individually and in the aggregate, will not have a material effect on the Company’s financial position. However, in the event of one or more adverse determinations with respect to such sites in any annual or interim period, the effect on the Company’s cash flows and results of operations for those periods could be material.

Following are summaries of the Company’s major contingencies at September 30, 2024:

Maywood, New Jersey Site

The Company’s property in Maywood, New Jersey, property formerly owned by the Company adjacent to its current site and other nearby properties (collectively, the Maywood site) were listed on the National Priorities List in September 1993 pursuant to the provisions of CERCLA because of alleged chemical and radiological contamination. Pursuant to (i) a September 21, 1987 Administrative Order on Consent entered into between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the Company for property formerly owned by the Company at the Maywood site and (ii) the issuance of an order on May 2, 1991 by the USEPA to the Company for property currently owned by the Company at the Maywood site, the Company has completed various Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Studies of soil and groundwater at the Maywood site. On September 24, 2014, the USEPA issued its Record of Decision (ROD) for chemically-contaminated soil at the Maywood site. The ROD was amended pursuant to an Explanation of Significant Differences in January 2021. On February 29, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey entered a consent decree among the Company, the United States, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and the New Jersey Spill Compensation Fund Administrator that requires the Company to take certain actions and to pay certain past costs of the United States and NJDEP. The USEPA has not yet issued a ROD for chemically-contaminated groundwater at the Maywood site. Based on the most current information available, the Company believes its recorded liability is reasonable having considered the range of estimated costs of remediation for the Maywood site. The estimate of the cost of remediation for the Maywood site could change again as the Company continues to hold discussions with the USEPA, as the design of the remedial action is finalized, if a groundwater ROD is issued or if other potentially responsible parties are identified. The ultimate amount for which the Company is liable could differ materially from the Company’s current recorded liability.

D’Imperio Property Site

During the mid-1970’s, Jerome Lightman and the Lightman Drum Company disposed of hazardous substances generated by the Company at several sites in New Jersey, including the D’Imperio site. The Company was named as a potentially responsible party in an October 2, 1998 lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey that involved the D’Imperio Site. The Company is cooperating with other potentially responsible parties to implement the selected remedy. Based on current information, the Company believes that its recorded liability is reasonable having considered the range of estimated cost of remediation for the D’Imperio site. Depending on the ultimate cost of the remediation at this site, the amount for which the Company is liable could differ materially from the Company’s current recorded liability.

Wilmington Site

Property formerly owned and operated by the Company in Wilmington, Massachusetts was listed on the National Priorities List in 2006. The Company, together with the current site owner and another potentially responsible party, entered into an Administrative Order on Consent in July 2007 to undertake a Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study. A ROD was issued by the USEPA on March 30, 2021. The Company and three other potentially responsible parties entered into a consent decree, dated September 28, 2023, with USEPA and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that requires the remedial design and remedial action of the remedy selected in the ROD for two operable units and an interim remedy for another operable unit. Remediation at this site is being managed by its current owner, to whom the Company sold the property in 1980. The Company is contractually obligated to contribute up tofive percent of the environmental response costs incurred by the current owner, with no limitation on the ultimate amount of contributions. The Company has paid the current owner $3,914,000 for the Company’s portion of environmental response costs at the Wilmington site through September 30, 2024. The Company has recorded a liability for its portion of the estimated remediation costs for the site. Depending on the ultimate cost of the remediation at this site, the amount for which the Company is liable could differ materially from the current recorded liability.

On July 29, 2022, the Company and other potentially responsible parties were notified of a possible joint claim by federal and state trustees for alleged natural resource damages related to the Wilmington site. The alleged damages may result in a range of possible penalties and the Company recorded a liability for this matter during the first quarter of 2024. Depending on the ultimate resolution of this matter, the amount for which the Company is liable could differ materially from the current recorded liability.

Millsdale Site

On March 26, 2024, the Company received a Notice and Finding of Violation from the USEPA alleging violations of air regulations at the Company’s Elwood, Illinois (Millsdale) facility. The notice alleges violations related to operating parameters and air emission requirements. The notice does not state whether the USEPA intends to pursue financial penalties or operational remedies. The alleged violations may result in a range of possible penalties; however, at this stage of the matter, the Company is unable to predict the ultimate outcome or what impact, if any, the outcome might have on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Other U.S. Sites

Through the regular environmental monitoring of its plant production sites, the Company discovered levels of chemical contamination that were above thresholds allowed by law at its Millsdale and Fieldsboro, New Jersey plants. The Company voluntarily reported its results to the applicable state environmental agencies. As a result, the Company is required to perform self-remediation of the affected areas. Based on current information, the Company believes that its recorded liability for the remediation of the affected areas is appropriate based on an estimate of expected costs. However, actual costs could differ materially from the current recorded liability.

POSTRETIREMENT BENEFIT PLANS

Defined Benefit Pension Plans

The Company sponsors various funded qualified and unfunded non-qualified defined benefit pension plans, the most significant of which cover employees in the U.S. and U.K. locations. The U.S. and U.K. defined benefit pension plans are frozen and service benefits are no longer being accrued.

Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost

UNITED STATES
(In thousands)Three Months EndedSeptember 30,Nine Months EndedSeptember 30,
2024202320242023
Interest cost$1,651$1,731$4,954$5,193
Expected return on plan assets(2,120)(2,133)(6,360)(6,399)
Amortization of net actuarial (gain)(3)(6)(9)(18)
Net periodic benefit cost$(472)$(408)$(1,415)$(1,224)
UNITED KINGDOM
(In thousands)Three Months EndedSeptember 30,Nine Months EndedSeptember 30,
2024202320242023
Interest cost$165$171$486$504
Expected return on plan assets(187)(177)(552)(522)
Amortization of net actuarial loss8285242250
Net periodic benefit cost$60$79$176$232

Employer Contributions

U.S. Plans

As a result of pension funding relief provisions included in the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2014, the Company is not required to make contributions to its funded U.S. qualified defined benefit plans. Approximately $238,000 is expected to be paid to the unfunded non-qualified plans in 2024. Of such amount, $210,000 had been paid to the non-qualified plans as of September 30, 2024.

U.K. Plan

The Company’s U.K. subsidiary does not expect to contribute to its defined benefit pension plan in 2024.

Defined Contribution Plans

The Company sponsors retirement defined contribution plans that cover eligible U.S. and U.K. employees. The Company’s U.S. retirement plans include two qualified plans, one of which is a 401(k) plan and one of which is an employee stock ownership plan (profit sharing plan), and one non-qualified supplemental executive plan. In the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, the Company made contributions into the qualified retirement plans for U.S. employees and for certain non-U.S. employees. Profit sharing contributions were determined using a formula applied to Company earnings. Approximately 85 percent of union and non-union employees are eligible for either the Company's sponsored or statutory profit sharing contributions and 100 percent of U.S. based union and non-union employees are eligible for the Company's sponsored profit sharing contributions. In 2023 and 2024, profit sharing contributions for U.S. employees were made to the employee stock ownership plan. Profit sharing contributions are allocated to participant accounts based on participant base earnings.

Defined contribution plan expenses for the Company’s qualified contribution plans were as follows:

(In thousands)Three Months EndedSeptember 30,Nine Months EndedSeptember 30,
2024202320242023
Retirement savings contributions$2,106$2,101$6,526$6,319
Profit sharing contributions6916732,2231,543
Total defined contribution plan expenses$2,797$2,774$8,749$7,862

The Company has a rabbi trust to fund the obligations of its non-qualified supplemental executive defined contribution plans (supplemental plans). The trust is comprised of various mutual fund investments selected by the participants of the supplemental plans. In accordance with the accounting guidance for rabbi trust arrangements, the assets of the trust and the obligations of the supplemental plans are reported on the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheets. The Company elected the fair value option for the mutual fund investment assets so that offsetting changes in the mutual fund values and defined contribution plan obligations would be recorded in earnings in the same period. Therefore, the mutual funds are reported at fair value with any subsequent changes in fair value recorded in the condensed consolidated statements of income. The liabilities related to the supplemental plans increase (i.e., supplemental plan expense is recognized) when the value of the trust assets appreciate and decrease when the value of the trust assets decline (i.e., supplemental plan income is recognized). At September 30, 2024, the balance of the trust assets was $479,000, which equaled the balance of the supplemental plan liabilities. See the long-term investments section in Note 3, Fair Value Measurements, of the notes to the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements (included in Item 1 of this Form 10-Q) for further information regarding the Company’s mutual fund assets.

EARNINGS PER SHARE

Below are the computations of basic and diluted earnings per share for thethree and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023:

(In thousands, except per share amounts)Three Months EndedSeptember 30,Nine Months EndedSeptember 30,
2024202320242023
Computation of Basic Earnings per Share
Net income attributable to Stepan Company$23,606$12,571$47,020$41,397
Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding22,83622,78622,82922,770
Basic earnings per share$1.03$0.55$2.06$1.82
Computation of Diluted Earnings per Share
Net income attributable to Stepan Company$23,606$12,571$47,020$41,397
Weighted-average number of shares outstanding22,83622,78622,82922,770
Add weighted-average net shares from assumed exercise of options (under treasury stock method)(1)25543675
Add weighted-average net shares related to unvested stock awards (under treasury stock method)9372
Add weighted-average net shares from assumed exercise of SARs (under treasury stock method)(1)28534278
Add weighted-average contingently issuable net shares related to performance stock awards (under treasury stock method)25342231
Weighted-average shares applicable to diluted earnings22,92322,93022,93622,956
Diluted earnings per share$1.03$0.55$2.05$1.80

(1)

883,188 and 860,788 options/SARs to acquire shares of the Company's common stock were excluded from the computation of dilutive earnings per share for thethree and nine months ended September 30, 2024, respectively. The options/SARs' exercise prices were greater than the average market price for the Company's common stock and inclusion of the instruments would have had an antidilutive effect on the computations of the earnings per share.822,271 and 623,648 options/SARs to acquire shares of the Company's common stock were excluded from the computation of dilutive earnings per share for thethree and nine months ended September 30, 2023, respectively.

ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

Below is the change in the Company’s accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (AOCI) balance by component (net of income taxes) for thethree and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023:

(In thousands)ForeignCurrencyTranslationAdjustmentsDefinedBenefitPension PlanAdjustmentsCash FlowHedgeAdjustmentsTotal
Balance at June 30, 2023$(121,915)$(18,961)$8,506$(132,370)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications(19,578)—564(19,014)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI—61(2)59
Net current-period other comprehensive income (loss)(19,578)61562(18,955)
Balance at September 30, 2023$(141,493)$(18,900)$9,068$(151,325)
Balance at June 30, 2024$(148,374)$(20,293)$6,767$(161,900)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications12,880—(2,760)10,120
Amounts reclassified from AOCI—60(2)58
Net current-period other comprehensive income (loss)12,88060(2,762)10,178
Balance at September 30, 2024$(135,494)$(20,233)$4,005$(151,722)
Balance at December 31, 2022$(156,835)$(19,079)$8,402$(167,512)
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications15,342—67316,015
Amounts reclassified from AOCI—179(7)172
Net current-period other comprehensive income15,34217966616,187
Balance at September 30, 2023$(141,493)$(18,900)$9,068$(151,325)
Balance at December 31, 2023$(116,412)$(20,408)$6,218$(130,602)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications(19,082)—(2,207)(21,289)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI—175(6)169
Net current-period other comprehensive income (loss)(19,082)175(2,213)(21,120)
Balance at September 30, 2024$(135,494)$(20,233)$4,005$(151,722)

Information regarding the reclassifications out of AOCI for thethree and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, is displayed below:

(In thousands)Amount Reclassified from AOCI (1)
AOCI Components · Three Months EndedSeptember 30, · Nine Months EndedSeptember 30, · Affected Line Item in Condensed ConsolidatedStatements of Income
2024 · 2023 · 2024 · 2023
Amortization of defined benefit pension actuarial (gains)$(79)$(79)$(233)$(232)(2)
19185853Tax benefit
$(60)$(61)$(175)$(179)Net of tax
Gains and losses on cash flow hedges:
Foreign exchange contracts2267Cost of sales
2267Total before tax
————Tax benefit
$2$2$6$7Net of tax
Total reclassifications for the period$(58)$(59)$(169)$(172)Net of tax

(1)

Amounts in parentheses denote expense to the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income.

(2)

This component of accumulated other comprehensive income is included in the computation of net periodic benefit cost. See Note 9, Postretirement Benefit Plans, of the notes to the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements (included in Item 1 of this Form 10-Q) for additional details.

SEGMENT REPORTING

The Company hasthree reportable segments: Surfactants, Polymers and Specialty Products. Net sales by segment for thethree and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, were as follows:

(In thousands)Three Months EndedSeptember 30,Nine Months EndedSeptember 30,
2024202320242023
Segment Net Sales
Surfactants$382,724$373,836$1,153,339$1,233,351
Polymers149,796169,559455,061495,200
Specialty Products14,32218,83146,26565,086
Total$546,842$562,226$1,654,665$1,793,637

Segment operating income and reconciliations of segment operating income to income before provision for income taxes for thethree and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, are summarized below:

(In thousands)Three Months EndedSeptember 30,Nine Months EndedSeptember 30,
2024202320242023
Segment Operating Income
Surfactants$26,303$15,373$69,445$57,570
Polymers15,24821,81337,22748,137
Specialty Products3,7272,40215,3148,704
Segment operating income45,27839,588121,986114,411
Business restructuring expense—(5,628)—(5,827)
Unallocated corporate expenses (1)(21,329)(14,443)(59,201)(50,201)
Total operating income23,94919,51762,78558,383
Other Income (Expense)
Interest, net(3,621)(2,987)(9,353)(9,674)
Other, net989(690)4,5513,348
Income before provision for income taxes$21,317$15,840$57,983$52,057

(1)

Unallocated corporate expenses are primarily comprised of corporate administrative expenses (e.g., corporate finance, legal, human resources, information systems, deferred compensation and environmental remediation) that are not included in segment operating income and are not used to evaluate segment performance. Unallocated corporate expenses for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2024 also include expenses related to acriminal social engineering scheme that impacted one of the Company's subsidiaries in Asia. The social engineering expenses recognized for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2024 were $3,300,000 and $6,800,000, respectively. See Note 17, Other Matter, below for detailed information about the charge.

REVENUE FROM CONTRACTS WITH CUSTOMERS

As of September 30, 2024, the Company had $271,000 of contract liabilities andno contract assets. A contract liability would typically arise when an advance or deposit is received from a customer before the Company recognizes revenue. In practice, this is rare as it would require a customer to make a payment prior to a performance obligation being satisfied. When such situations do arise, the Company maintains a deferred revenue liability until the time a performance obligation has been satisfied. The Company recognized $688,000 of revenue in the first nine months of 2024 from pre-existing contract liabilities at December 31, 2023.

In addition, during 2020, the Company recorded $10,709,000 of long-term deferred revenue associated with a payment received to defray the cost of capital expenditures necessary to service a customer’s future product needs. At September 30, 2024, $4,985,000 was classified as long-term and $2,216,000 was classified as short-term. This deferred revenue is being recognized over the period of the contract and $3,508,000 of revenue has been recognized from the beginning of the contract term through September 30, 2024.

The tables below provide a geographic disaggregation of net sales for thethree and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023. The Company’s business disaggregation by geographic region most effectively captures the nature and economic characteristics of the Company’s revenue streams impacted by economic factors.

(In thousands)For the Three Months Ended September 30, 2024
Geographic MarketSurfactantsPolymersSpecialtyTotal
North America$217,809$73,999$12,072$303,880
Europe66,38763,6322,119132,138
Latin America84,60934613185,086
Asia13,91911,819—25,738
Total$382,724$149,796$14,322$546,842
(In thousands)For the Three Months Ended September 30, 2023
Geographic MarketSurfactantsPolymersSpecialtyTotal
North America$223,912$90,521$15,455$329,888
Europe60,12666,7523,268130,146
Latin America76,46941210876,989
Asia13,32911,874—25,203
Total$373,836$169,559$18,831$562,226
(In thousands)For the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2024
Geographic MarketSurfactantsPolymersSpecialtyTotal
North America$667,919$223,636$40,713$932,268
Europe200,625194,9105,276400,811
Latin America246,0461,089276247,411
Asia38,74935,426—74,175
Total$1,153,339$455,061$46,265$1,654,665
(In thousands)For the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2023
Geographic MarketSurfactantsPolymersSpecialtyTotal
North America$732,530$259,839$53,552$1,045,921
Europe219,988201,70511,314433,007
Latin America235,7841,470220237,474
Asia45,04932,186—77,235
Total$1,233,351$495,200$65,086$1,793,637

DEBT

At September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, debt was comprised of the following:

(In thousands)Maturity DatesSeptember 30,2024December 31,2023
Senior unsecured notes
3.95% (net of unamortized debt issuance cost of $122 and $191 for 2024 and 2023, respectively)2024-2027$42,736$56,952
3.86% (net of unamortized debt issuance cost of $37 and $105 for 2024 and 2023, respectively)2024-202514,24828,466
2.30% (net of unamortized debt issuance cost of $94 and $142 for 2024 and 2023, respectively)2024-202839,90649,858
2.37% (net of unamortized debt issuance cost of $99 and $148 for 2024 and 2023, respectively)2024-202839,90149,852
2.73% (net of unamortized debt issuance cost of $96 and $175 for 2024 and 2023, respectively)2025-203199,90499,825
2.83% (net of unamortized debt issuance cost of $79 and $134 for 2024 and 2023, respectively)2026-203274,92174,866
Revolving credit facility and term loan borrowing2024370,000283,000
Debt of foreign subsidiaries
Unsecured bank debt, foreign currency20246,90011,327
Total debt$688,516$654,146
Less current maturities339,846252,898
Long-term debt$348,670$401,248

The Company's long-term debt financing is comprised of certain senior unsecured notes issued to insurance companies in private placement transactions pursuant to note purchase agreements (the Note Purchase Agreements), totaling $311,616,000 as of September 30, 2024. These notes are denominated in U.S. dollars and have fixed interest rates ranging from 2.30 percent to 3.95 percent. The notes had original maturities ofseven to 12 years with mandatory principal payments beginning four, five and six years after issuance. The Company will be required to make principal payments on the currently outstanding notes from 2024 to 2032. On August 27, 2024, the Company entered into amendments totwo of its note purchase agreements to increase the available facility amounts and extend the end date of the issuance period to August 27, 2027.

The Company's credit agreement (the Credit Agreement) with a syndicate of banks provides for credit facilities in an initial aggregate principal amount of $450,000,000, consisting of (a) a $350,000,000 multi-currency revolving credit facility and (b) a $100,000,000 delayed draw term loan credit facility, each of which matures on June 24, 2027. The Company's credit agreement with Credit Industriel et Commercial NY (the CIC Credit Agreement) provides for a credit facility in an aggregate principal amount of $8,700,000. The facility is for the sole purpose of the issuance of standby letters of credit. The Company maintains import and export letters of credit, and standby letters of credit under its workers’ compensation insurance agreements and for other purposes, as needed from time to time, which are issued under the Credit Agreement and under the CIC Credit Agreement. As of September 30, 2024, the Company had outstanding letters of credit totaling $11,375,000 and $370,000,000 of outstanding borrowings under the Credit Agreement, inclusive of a $91,250,000 delayed draw term loan ($8,750,000 of the term loan principal has been permanently repaid as scheduled). There was $59,875,000 available under the Credit Agreement as of September 30, 2024. As of September 30, 2024, the Company had an outstanding letter of credit of $8,694,000 under the CIC Credit Agreement.

The Company’s material debt agreements contain provisions which, among other covenants, require maintenance of certain financial ratios and place limitations on additional debt, investments and payment of dividends. Based on the loan agreement provisions that place limitations on dividend payments, unrestricted retained earnings (i.e., retained earnings available for dividend distribution) were $257,153,000 and $234,399,000 at September 30, 2024, and December 31, 2023, respectively.

OTHER, NET

Other, net in the condensed consolidated statements of income included the following:

(In thousands)Three Months EndedSeptember 30,Nine Months EndedSeptember 30,
2024202320242023
Foreign exchange gains (losses)$(470)$(623)$(872)$(541)
Investment income25385444299
Realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments794(481)3,7402,598
Net periodic benefit cost4123291,239992
Other, net$989$(690)$4,551$3,348

NONCASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES

Noncash investing activities included liabilities (accounts payable) incurred for property, plant and equipment expenditures of approximately $12,877,000 and $15,715,000 that were unpaid at September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Noncash financing activities included the issuance of 118,627 shares of the Company’s common stock (valued at $10,617,000) and 97,774 shares of the Company’s common stock (valued at $10,480,000) under the Company’s equity incentive compensation plan during the period ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

OTHER MATTER

On July 18, 2024, the Company determined that one of its subsidiaries in Asia had been the victim of a criminal social engineering scheme which resulted in fraudulently induced outbound payments. The Company immediately launched an investigation, led by outside counsel, to determine the full extent of the fraud scheme and related potential exposure. The Company initiated contact with its banks and law enforcement authorities in an effort to, among other things, recover the transferred funds. To date, the Company has not found any evidence of additional fraudulent activity. The investigation is now closed and the Company has confirmed this was an isolated and contained event. This incident did not result in any unauthorized access to the Company's information systems or any confidential customer information or other data that the Company maintains. The Company recognized pre-tax charges of $3,300,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and $6,800,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024. The charges were recorded on the Administrative Expenses line on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income for the three months periods ended June 30, 2024 and September 30, 2024, respectively. These charges were not allocated to any of the Company's three reportable segments. This incident did not have a material impact on the Company's business, financial position, results of operations and cash flow.

  1. BUSINESS RESTRUCTURING

2023 Restructuring

During the third quarter of 2023, the Company recorded a $5,530,000 restructuring expense associated with a voluntary early retirement program. The program was offered to eligible employees, primarily located at the Company's corporate headquarters, to reduce costs.

The remainder of the business restructuring expenses incurred during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023, were not material, and relate to ongoing decommissioning expenses associated with the Company's 2016 Canadian plant closure.

RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848) Facilitation of the Effect of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting. This update provides optional guidance for a limited period of time to ease the burden of implementing the usage of new reference rates. The amendments apply to contract modifications that replace a reference rate affected by reference rate reform and contemporaneous modifications of other contract terms related to the replacement of the reference rate. If elected, the optional expedients to contract modifications must be applied consistently for all eligible contracts or eligible transactions. The original timeframe for electing optional expedients to contract modifications was between March 12, 2020 and December 31, 2022. In December 2022, the FASB issued ASU No. 2022-06 deferring the sunset date of Topic 848 from December 31, 2022, to December 31, 2024. The guidance should be applied prospectively. Other than electing select expedients associated with an interest rate swap, the Company has not currently utilized any of the optional expedients of exceptions available under this ASU. The Company will continue to assess whether this ASU is applicable throughout the effective period.

In October 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-06, Disclosure Improvements, Codification Amendments in Response to the SEC’s Disclosure Update and Simplification Initiative. The amendments in this update represent changes to clarify or improve disclosures and presentation requirements of a variety of topics, including Statement of Cash Flows-Overall (disclosures in annual periods where cash flows associated with derivative instruments and their related gains and losses are presented), Earnings Per Share-Overall (disclosures of the methods used in the diluted earnings-per-share computation for each dilutive security), and Debt-Overall (disclosures of amounts and terms of unused lines of credit and unfunded commitments and the weighted-average interest rate on outstanding short-term borrowings). The amendments in this update are effective two years after the SEC removes related disclosure requirements from Regulation S-X or Regulation S-K. The implementation of ASU No. 2023-06 will not have an impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flow, but will impact the Company’s interim and annual disclosures related to the relevant subtopics in this update.

In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280) Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures. This update requires more enhanced and detailed interim and annual disclosures regarding significant segment expenses and other segment items that are regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker (CODM). These items include the difference between segment revenue less the segment expenses that have been already disclosed under the significant expense principle and each reported measure of segment profit and loss. Also, this update requires additional disclosures about significant segments' expenses regularly provided to CODM, disclosures of the CODM's title and position as well as an explanation of how the CODM uses the reported measures in assessing segment performance and deciding how to allocate resources. These requirements are in addition to the disclosures that are currently required by Topic 280, Segment reporting. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024 and should be applied retrospectively to all periods presented in the financial statements. The implementation of ASU No. 2023-07 will not have an impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flow, but will impact the Company’s interim and annual segment reporting disclosures.

In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-09, Income taxes (Topic 740) Improvement to Income Tax Disclosures. This update requires that public entities on an annual basis disclose specific categories in the rate reconciliation and provide additional information for reconciling items that meet a quantitative threshold. In addition, the amendments in this update require the disclosure on an annual basis of the amount of income taxes paid (net of refund received) disaggregated by federal, state and foreign taxes and the amount of income taxes paid (net of refunds received) disaggregated by individual jurisdictions in which income taxes paid is equal or greater than five percent of total income taxes paid (net of refunds received). This update requires all entities to disclose income (or loss) from continuing operations before income tax expense (or benefit) disaggregated between domestic and foreign and income tax expense (or benefit) from continuing operations disaggregated by federal, state, and foreign. The amendments in this update are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024, and should be applied on a prospective basis. The implementation of ASU No. 2023-09 will not have an impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flow, but will impact the Company’s annual income tax disclosures.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) proposed a global minimum tax of 15 percent on reported profits (entitled “Pillar Two”) that has been agreed upon in principle by over 100 countries. During 2023, many countries took steps to incorporate Pillar Two into their domestic laws. Although the OECD’s model provides a framework for applying the minimum tax, countries may enact Pillar Two rules that vary slightly from the model, can adopt a different timeline, and may adjust local tax incentives in response to Pillar Two. While it is uncertain whether the U.S. will enact legislation to adopt Pillar Two, certain countries in which the Company operates have enacted such legislation, and other countries are in the process of introducing legislation to implement Pillar Two. The Company does not expect Pillar Two to have a material impact on its financial position, results of operations, cash flow and effective tax rate.

ContentsView on SEC.gov

The text of this filing, as the company filed it with the SEC, without its images or exhibits. This is not investment advice.