SCL vs. CWT
SCL (Stepan Company) and CWT (California Water Service Group) are both stocks. SCL operates in Specialty Chemicals (Basic Materials), while CWT operates in Utilities - Regulated Water (Utilities). Over the past 10 years, SCL returned 0.58%/yr vs 5.57%/yr for CWT. At a 0.29 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
SCL vs. CWT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SCL achieves a 16.81% return, which is significantly higher than CWT's 6.79% return. Over the past 10 years, SCL has underperformed CWT with an annualized return of 0.58%, while CWT has yielded a comparatively higher 5.57% annualized return.
SCL
- 1D
- 2.50%
- 1M
- 8.46%
- YTD
- 16.81%
- 6M
- 15.27%
- 1Y
- 1.00%
- 3Y*
- -15.27%
- 5Y*
- -14.41%
- 10Y*
- 0.58%
CWT
- 1D
- 0.49%
- 1M
- 5.22%
- YTD
- 6.79%
- 6M
- 4.76%
- 1Y
- 0.41%
- 3Y*
- -3.04%
- 5Y*
- -2.91%
- 10Y*
- 5.57%
SCL vs. CWT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SCL Stepan Company | 16.81% | -24.60% | -30.29% | -9.74% | -12.91% | 5.24% | 17.75% | 39.96% | -5.21% | -2.06% |
CWT California Water Service Group | 6.79% | -1.81% | -10.64% | -12.83% | -14.13% | 35.05% | 6.68% | 9.85% | 7.06% | 36.39% |
Correlation
The correlation between SCL and CWT is 0.18, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.18 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.31 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.37 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.36 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 17, 1992 | 0.29 |
The correlation between SCL and CWT shifts across timeframes, from 0.18 (1 year) to 0.37 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
SCL:
$1.25B
CWT:
$2.72B
SCL:
-$0.62
CWT:
$1.99
SCL:
0.53
CWT:
2.69
SCL:
1.05
CWT:
1.52
SCL:
$2.34B
CWT:
$1.01B
SCL:
$259.28M
CWT:
$366.63M
SCL:
$96.49M
CWT:
$329.51M
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Return for Risk
SCL vs. CWT — Risk / Return Rank
SCL
CWT
SCL vs. CWT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Stepan Company (SCL) and California Water Service Group (CWT). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| SCL | CWT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.01 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.09 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.04 | 1.02 | +0.02 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.03 | 0.03 | 0.00 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.00 |
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Drawdowns
SCL vs. CWT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SCL drawdown since its inception was -66.78%, which is greater than CWT's maximum drawdown of -38.21%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SCL and CWT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SCL | CWT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -66.78% | -38.21% | -28.57% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -32.78% | -14.59% | -18.19% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -54.17% | -24.13% | -30.04% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -65.06% | -38.21% | -26.85% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -66.78% | -38.21% | -28.57% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -56.18% | -29.87% | -26.31% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -17.01% | -11.70% | -5.31% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 19.53% | 7.73% | +11.80% |
Volatility
SCL vs. CWT - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Stepan Company (SCL) is 6.94%, while California Water Service Group (CWT) has a volatility of 7.70%. This indicates that SCL experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than CWT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SCL | CWT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.94% | 7.70% | -0.76% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 30.89% | 18.76% | +12.13% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 36.52% | 24.20% | +12.32% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 30.34% | 24.30% | +6.04% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 31.61% | 27.74% | +3.87% |
Dividends
SCL vs. CWT - Dividend Comparison
SCL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.88%, more than CWT's 2.79% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CWT California Water Service Group | 2.79% | 2.86% | 2.47% | 2.01% | 1.65% | 1.28% | 1.57% | 1.53% | 1.57% | 1.59% | 2.04% | 2.88% |
SCL Stepan Company | 2.88% | 3.27% | 2.33% | 1.55% | 1.63% | 1.01% | 0.95% | 1.00% | 1.25% | 1.06% | 0.95% | 1.47% |
Financials
SCL vs. CWT - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Stepan Company and California Water Service Group. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
SCL vs. CWT - Profitability Comparison
SCL - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Stepan Company reported a gross profit of 64.85M and revenue of 604.51M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 10.7%.
CWT - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, California Water Service Group reported a gross profit of 0.00 and revenue of 214.57M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 0.0%.
SCL - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Stepan Company reported an operating income of -49.62M and revenue of 604.51M, resulting in an operating margin of -8.2%.
CWT - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, California Water Service Group reported an operating income of 18.16M and revenue of 214.57M, resulting in an operating margin of 8.5%.
SCL - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Stepan Company reported a net income of -41.41M and revenue of 604.51M, resulting in a net margin of -6.9%.
CWT - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, California Water Service Group reported a net income of 4.04M and revenue of 214.57M, resulting in a net margin of 1.9%.
Frequently Asked Questions
SCL and CWT have a correlation of 0.18, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
CWT has higher volatility (7.70%) compared to SCL (6.94%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SCL dropped -66.78% vs CWT's -38.21%.
SCL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.03 vs 0.02), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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