Stepan Co (SCL): Hedge Fund Ownership & Smart Money Signals (Q1 2026)

Q: Is it too late to buy Stepan Co (SCL) following the 2026 Q1 hedge fund 13F filings?

As of today, SCL has moved +9.8% since the 2026 Q1 13F filing date (May 15, 2026), compared to +2.0% for the SPY sector ETF — an outperformance of +7.8%. Since the quarter end (March 31, 2026), SCL gained +8.1% vs +15.9% for SPY. The stock is tracking its sector benchmark closely. The signal remains fresh and the entry point is still near the fund's implied reference.

Stepan Co (SCL)

220 + Investors. Track Smart Money conviction in SCL. See who's accumulating, reducing, or initiating positions.

Smart Money Signals — SCL

Based on 221 hedge funds · latest filing: 2026 Q1 · updated quarterly

📈

Buying streak — 2 quarters in a row

last 6Q

For 2 consecutive quarters, more hedge funds added SCL than sold it. That's a consistent pattern of professional buying — not a one-time trade. When institutions keep buying quarter after quarter, it usually means they see a multi-year opportunity, not just a short-term momentum flip.

🏔️

At the ownership peak (100% of max)

100% of all-time peak

221 hedge funds hold SCL right now — the highest count in 3.0 years. When ownership is this concentrated, any bad news can trigger a chain reaction: one big fund sells, others follow. This is a classic 'crowded trade' — high popularity doesn't equal safety.

📶

Steady growth — +12% more funds vs a year ago

fund count last 6Q

+23 new funds entered over the past year (+12% YoY). Gradual, steady growth in institutional ownership is generally a healthy signal — not a speculative rush, but consistent conviction.

🟢

More buyers than sellers — 62% buying

134 buying81 selling

Last quarter: 134 funds were net buyers (39 opened a brand new position + 95 added to an existing one). Only 81 were sellers (57 trimmed + 24 sold completely). A clear majority buying is a strong confirmation signal.

➡️

Steady new buyers — ~39 new funds per quarter

new funds entering per quarter

Funds opening this position for the first time: 33 → 28 → 34 → 39. A stable flow of new institutional buyers suggests ongoing interest without signs of either acceleration or slowdown.

🔒

67% of holders stayed for 2+ years

■ 67% conviction (2yr+) ■ 13% medium ■ 20% new

147 out of 221 hedge funds have held SCL for over 2 years without selling. Long-term investors are generally harder to shake out during market stress, creating a stable ownership base that limits the risk of sudden capitulation.

📈

Growing discovery — still being found

26 → 33 → 28 → 34 → 39 new funds/Q

New funds entering each quarter: 33 → 28 → 34 → 39. A growing number of institutions are discovering SCL each quarter. The narrative is still spreading — leaving room for ongoing capital accumulation.

🏛️

Veteran-anchored — 71% veterans vs 20% newcomers

■ 71% veterans ■ 9% 1-2yr ■ 20% new

Entry-cohort mix of 225 holders: 159 (71%) are 2+ year veterans, 20 entered 1–2 years ago, and 46 (20%) joined within the past year. A veteran-weighted cap table skews toward institutional memory over fresh momentum.

✅

Strong quality — 33% AUM from major funds

33% from top-100 AUM funds

45 of 221 holders rank in the top 100 by AUM, accounting for 33% of total institutional value held. A meaningful share of the ownership value comes from the most well-resourced institutions.

3.7

out of 10

Low Exit Risk

Exit risk score 3.7/10 — low institutional crowding. Ownership is below peak levels, holder base is relatively sticky, and buying momentum is positive.

Methodology note: these Smart Money cards use consecutive 13F disclosure snapshots, not trade-by-trade execution data. "Buying", "selling", "new holders", and "trimmed" refer to quarter-over-quarter changes in reported holders, aggregate shares, or disclosed position values between filings. They are useful for ownership regime analysis and crowding, but they do not imply exact trade timing on the filing date.

Metric	All 13F Filers (2026 Q1)	Prior (2025 Q4)	Change
Funds Holding	220	206	6.8%
13F Shares	20M	19M	1.81%
Total Value	$963M	$920M	4.65%
New Positions	38	34	+4
Increased Positions	93	78	+15
Closed Positions	24	24	-
Reduced Positions	56	73	-17
Total Calls	3	3	-
Total Puts	1	1	-
PUT/CALL Ratio	0.33	0.33	Bullish

Metric

All 13F Filers (2026 Q1)

Prior (2025 Q4)

Change

Funds Holding

220

206

6.8%

13F Shares

20M

19M

1.81%

Total Value

$963M

$920M

4.65%

New Positions

Increased Positions

+15

Closed Positions

Reduced Positions

-17

Total Calls

Total Puts

PUT/CALL Ratio

0.33

Bullish

Institutional Holders (2026 Q1)

220 + investors

Explore institutional interest and hedge fund ownership dynamics. Analyze portfolio weights, new positions, and conviction trends in SCL. Verified SEC 13F-HR filings.

QUARTER:

FILTER:All New Added To Reduced No Change | Overweight >5%

Top 25 SCL holders by conviction (% of portfolio weight) — 2026 Q1 · Source: SEC Form 13F
#	Investor	% of Portfolio	Shares	Mkt Value
1	Southernsun Asset Management, LLC	2.74%	378,799	$18.9M
2	Towle & Co	2.06%	105,940	$5.3M
3	Grace & White Inc /Ny	1.23%	139,013	$6.9M
4	Dean Capital Management	1.19%	57,248	$2.9M
5	O'Keefe Stevens Advisory, Inc.	1.05%	85,021	$4.2M
6	Pullen Investment Management, LLC	1.01%	40,285	$2.0M
7	Deprince Race & Zollo Inc	0.89%	947,452	$47.4M
8	Dean Investment Associates, LLC	0.58%	81,749	$4.1M
9	SummerHaven Investment Management, LLC	0.36%	11,860	$593K
10	VARCOV Co.	0.29%	15,670	$783K
11	Numerai GP LLC	0.26%	52,674	$2.6M
12	CenterBook Partners LP	0.17%	64,908	$3.2M
13	PDT Partners, LLC	0.16%	54,115	$2.7M
14	Penn Capital Management Company, LLC	0.15%	39,656	$2.0M
15	Bridgeway Capital Management, LLC	0.15%	152,579	$7.6M
16	Legato Capital Management LLC	0.14%	29,855	$1.5M
17	Romano Brothers and Company	0.13%	22,585	$1.1M
18	Greenfield Seitz Capital Management, LLC	0.12%	8,018	$401K
19	Gendell Jeffrey L	0.11%	165,520	$8.3M
20	Dark Forest Capital Management LP	0.10%	22,077	$1.1M
21	HighTower Advisors, LLC	0.08%	1,590,065	$79.5M
22	AlphaQuest LLC	0.07%	27,075	$1.3M
23	Wellington Shields Capital Management, LLC	0.06%	7,500	$375K
24	Empowered Funds, LLC	0.06%	174,376	$8.7M
25	Virtus Investment Advisers, LLC	0.06%	4,000	$200K

Investor	Ownership History	% of Portfolio	Prev %	Rank	Conviction	Avg Buy Price	13F Score™ 3Y / 7Y	Sell Timing	Shares	Mkt Value	Change	Change %	Source	Quarter	Filed

Frequently Asked Questions — Stepan Co (SCL)

What does the Smart Money Trend signal show for SCL?

Buying streak — 2 quarters in a row: For 2 consecutive quarters, more hedge funds added SCL than sold it. That's a consistent pattern of professional buying — not a one-time trade. When institutions keep buying quarter after quarter, it usually means they see a multi-year opportunity, not just a short-term momentum flip.

What is the institutional breadth score for SCL?

More buyers than sellers — 62% buying: Last quarter: 134 funds were net buyers (39 opened a brand new position + 95 added to an existing one). Only 81 were sellers (57 trimmed + 24 sold completely). A clear majority buying is a strong confirmation signal.

What is the fund quality score for SCL holders?

Strong quality — 33% AUM from major funds: 45 of 221 holders rank in the top 100 by AUM, accounting for 33% of total institutional value held. A meaningful share of the ownership value comes from the most well-resourced institutions.

How long have hedge funds held SCL?

67% of holders stayed for 2+ years: 147 out of 221 hedge funds have held SCL for over 2 years without selling. Long-term investors are generally harder to shake out during market stress, creating a stable ownership base that limits the risk of sudden capitulation.

Is it too late to buy Stepan Co (SCL) following the 2026 Q1 hedge fund 13F filings?

As of today, SCL has moved +9.8% since the 2026 Q1 13F filing date (May 15, 2026), compared to +2.0% for the SPY sector ETF — an outperformance of +7.8%. Since the quarter end (March 31, 2026), SCL has gained +8.1% vs +15.9% for SPY. The stock is tracking its sector benchmark closely. The signal remains fresh and the entry point is still near the fund's implied reference.

Where does this institutional ownership data come from?

All holdings data is sourced from SEC Form 13F filings, which institutional investment managers with over $100 million in assets are required to submit quarterly. Data is parsed directly from SEC EDGAR.

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Stepan Co (SCL)

Smart Money Signals — SCL

Buying streak — 2 quarters in a row

At the ownership peak (100% of max)

Steady growth — +12% more funds vs a year ago

More buyers than sellers — 62% buying

Steady new buyers — ~39 new funds per quarter

67% of holders stayed for 2+ years

Growing discovery — still being found

Veteran-anchored — 71% veterans vs 20% newcomers

Strong quality — 33% AUM from major funds

Institutional Sentiment Summary — SCL

Hedge Fund Ownership: SCL

Market Analysis: SCL

Analyst Price Targets

Analyst Recommendations

Stock Performance

Company Profile: SCL

Is It Too Late to Buy Stepan Co (SCL) Based on Hedge Fund 13F Filings?

Hedge Fund Positioning: SCL

Statistics: SCL

Valuation Measures Data as of: --

Financial Highlights

Institutional Holders (2026 Q1)

Frequently Asked Questions — Stepan Co (SCL)

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