Question 1

What is Stepan's P/FCF ratio?

Accepted Answer

Stepan (SCL) P/FCF ratio is 36.1× as of February 25, 2026. The ratio is calculated by dividing market capitalisation by trailing twelve-month free cash flow, using USD-normalised financials (IAS 21 exchange-rate translation for non-USD reporters).

Question 2

How is the P/FCF ratio calculated?

Accepted Answer

P/FCF = Market Capitalisation ÷ Trailing Twelve-Month (TTM) Free Cash Flow, where Free Cash Flow = Operating Cash Flow − Capital Expenditures. All inputs are sourced from audited GAAP/IFRS filings and translated to USD using period-end exchange rates so the multiple is comparable across companies and currencies.

Question 3

What is the P/FCF ratio?

Accepted Answer

The price-to-free-cash-flow (P/FCF) ratio compares a company's market capitalisation to its trailing twelve-month (TTM) free cash flow. It is calculated as market cap ÷ TTM free cash flow, where free cash flow = operating cash flow − capital expenditures. Because FCF cannot be inflated by non-cash accounting items, P/FCF is often considered a cleaner measure of "earnings-power valuation" than P/E — especially for capital-intensive businesses where depreciation diverges from real cash outflows.

Question 4

What is a good P/FCF ratio for Stepan?

Accepted Answer

Mature companies that consistently convert profit into cash often trade at 15–25× P/FCF; capital-intensive businesses with lumpy capex typically trade lower. Compare against sector peers and against the company's own multi-year average — single-year P/FCF can be distorted by working-capital swings. For Stepan specifically, the relevant sector benchmark is the current sector median of 27.1×.

Question 5

Is Stepan's P/FCF ratio high or low?

Accepted Answer

Stepan's P/FCF ratio of 36.1× is above its own 5-year average of 25.3× and above the sector median of 27.1×. That places the current reading at the 83th percentile of its 10-year history. A higher multiple usually reflects stronger expected growth, lower perceived risk, or higher returns on capital; a lower multiple reflects the opposite.

Question 6

What is Stepan's historical P/FCF ratio range?

Accepted Answer

In the available daily series, Stepan (SCL) P/FCF ratio has ranged from a low of 5.2× in 2010 to a high of 423.7× in 2005. The 5-year average is 25.3× and the 5-year median is 19.6×.

Question 7

What was Stepan's P/FCF ratio in 2024?

Accepted Answer

Stepan (SCL) P/FCF ratio at the end of 2024 was 11.7×. Annual values reflect the multiple on the last trading day of each calendar year, using the trailing twelve-month free cash flow figure available at that date.

Question 8

Why does Stepan's P/FCF ratio change over time?

Accepted Answer

Valuation multiples move with two inputs: the numerator (market capitalisation, which tracks the share price) and the denominator (free cash flow). Share-price changes — driven by interest rates, earnings expectations, risk appetite, and broader market sentiment — typically dominate short-term moves, while changes in the underlying fundamental drive the longer-term trend. As a result, the ratio can rise during stock-price rallies even if the business itself has not become more valuable, and fall during sell-offs even when fundamentals are improving.


2025	$1.08B	−$31.11M	—	—	Dec 31, 2025
2024	$1.48B	$125.85M	11.7×	—	Dec 31, 2024
2023	$2.16B	−$85.46M	—	—	Dec 31, 2023
2022	$2.42B	−$140.79M	—	—	Dec 31, 2022
2021	$2.84B	−$122.35M	—	—	Dec 31, 2021
2020	$2.74B	$109.42M	25.0×	+4.1×	Dec 31, 2020
2019	$2.36B	$112.86M	20.9×	+0.7×	Dec 31, 2019
2018	$1.70B	$84.48M	20.1×	+5.1×	Dec 31, 2018
2017	$1.81B	$120.25M	15.1×	-2.0×	Dec 31, 2017
2016	$1.86B	$109.09M	17.1×	-0.6×	Dec 31, 2016
2015	$1.13B	$63.92M	17.7×	—	Dec 31, 2015
2014	$909.98M	−$19.86M	—	—	Dec 31, 2014
2013	$1.49B	$57.45M	26.0×	-20.9×	Dec 31, 2013
2012	$1.21B	$25.81M	46.9×	—	Dec 31, 2012
2011	$835.03M	−$5.79M	—	—	Dec 31, 2011
2010	$778.21M	−$7.62M	—	—	Dec 31, 2010
2009	$650.47M	$123.81M	5.3×	—	Dec 31, 2009
2008	$455.95M	−$20.65M	—	—	Dec 31, 2008
2007	$304.12M	$7.26M	41.9×	—	Dec 31, 2007
2006	$291.23M	−$7.14M	—	—	Dec 31, 2006
2005	$242.80M	$573.00K	423.7×	+402.0×	Dec 31, 2005
2004	$218.95M	$10.10M	21.7×	+3.7×	Dec 31, 2004
2003	$228.30M	$12.70M	18.0×	-4.4×	Dec 31, 2003
2002	$221.97M	$9.93M	22.3×	+11.3×	Dec 31, 2002
2001	$214.20M	$19.41M	11.0×	—	Dec 31, 2001


Air Products and Chemicals (APD)	58.4×
International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF)	46.4×
Linde (LIN)	45.1×
Ecolab (ECL)	40.1×
Steel Dynamics (STLD)	39.2×
Albemarle (ALB)	36.7×
Martin Marietta Materials (MLM)	34.3×
Weyerhaeuser (WY)	34.1×
Southern Copper (SCCO)	33.1×
Vulcan Materials (VMC)	32.2×
Corteva (CTVA)	27.5×
Sherwin-Williams (SHW)	27.1×
RPM International (RPM)	25.2×
H.B. Fuller (FUL)	24.7×
CRH (CRH)	24.4×
Agnico Eagle Mines (AEM)	22.3×
PPG Industries (PPG)	19.5×
Eastman Chemical (EMN)	17.5×
DuPont de Nemours (DD)	17.0×
Avient (AVNT)	16.2×
Freeport-McMoRan (FCX)	13.6×
CF Industries Holdings (CF)	12.4×
Newmont (NEM)	9.6×
LyondellBasell (LYB)	9.3×
Ashland (ASH)	7.6×

P/FCF Ratio for Stepan (SCL)

P/FCF Ratio daily chart for Stepan (SCL)

Historical P/FCF Ratio for Stepan (SCL) from 2001 to 2025

About P/FCF Ratio at Stepan (SCL)

Stepan P/FCF Ratio by Year

Stepan P/FCF Ratio 2024: 11.7×

Stepan P/FCF Ratio 2020: 25.0×

Stepan P/FCF Ratio 2019: 20.9×

Stepan P/FCF Ratio 2018: 20.1×

Stepan P/FCF Ratio 2017: 15.1×

Sector peers by P/FCF Ratio — chart

Sector peers by P/FCF Ratio — table

Frequently asked questions

Stepan (SCL) Key Financials

P/FCF Ratio daily chart for Stepan (SCL)

Historical P/FCF Ratio for Stepan (SCL) from 2001 to 2025

About P/FCF Ratio at Stepan (SCL)

Stepan P/FCF Ratio by Year

Stepan P/FCF Ratio 2024: 11.7×

Stepan P/FCF Ratio 2020: 25.0×

Stepan P/FCF Ratio 2019: 20.9×

Stepan P/FCF Ratio 2018: 20.1×

Stepan P/FCF Ratio 2017: 15.1×

Sector peers by P/FCF Ratio — chart

Sector peers by P/FCF Ratio — table

Frequently asked questions

+What is Stepan's P/FCF ratio?

+How is the P/FCF ratio calculated?

+What is the P/FCF ratio?

+What is a good P/FCF ratio for Stepan?

+Is Stepan's P/FCF ratio high or low?

+What is Stepan's historical P/FCF ratio range?

+What was Stepan's P/FCF ratio in 2024?

+Why does Stepan's P/FCF ratio change over time?

Stepan (SCL) Key Financials