Stepan Company SCL recently announced the completion of the sale of its subsidiary Stepan Philippines Quaternaries, Inc. (“SPQI”), manufacturing assets located in Bauan, Batangas, Philippines. The assets were sold to Masurf, Inc., a subsidiary of Musim Mas Holdings Pte. Ltd.

The transaction was arranged in line with SPQI’s previously announced Asset Transfer Agreement that outlined its commitment to strategic priorities. The closing also entails SPQI entering into a tolling agreement with Masurf for the continued service of SPQI customers in Southeast Asia.

The closing of the transaction enables Stepan to sharpen the focus on core operations, positioning it for higher success in the future. The new tolling transaction will complement its existing global manufacturing network by ensuring uninterrupted service and growth opportunities for customers in Southeast Asia.

Although the terms of the transaction have not been out, the company expressed its confidence in SPQI’s thriving performance under Masurf’s stewardship and through the dedicated contributions of the Philippines team.

SCL’s shares have plunged 40.7% over the past year compared with the industry’s 25.5% decline.

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SCL’s Zacks Rank & Key Picks

SCL currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some better-ranked stocks in the Basic Materials space areKinross Gold Corporation KGC, Fortuna Mining Corp. FSM and Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited HMY. At present, KGC sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), while FSM and HMY carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) each. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for KGC’s current-year earnings is pegged at $1.63 per share, indicating a rise of 139.71%. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters, with an average surprise of 17.37%. KGC’s shares have risen 162.7% in the past year.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for FSM’s current fiscal-year earnings stands at 83 cents per share.Its shares have surged 87.4% in the past year.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for HMY’s 2026 earnings is pegged at $2.66 per share, indicating a rise of 109.45% from year-ago levels. HMY’s shares have gained 93.6% in the past year.

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Stepan Company (SCL) : Free Stock Analysis Report

This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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