SCL vs. KMB
SCL (Stepan Company) and KMB (Kimberly-Clark Corporation) are both stocks. SCL operates in Specialty Chemicals (Basic Materials), while KMB operates in Household & Personal Products (Consumer Defensive). Over the past 10 years, SCL returned 0.59%/yr vs 1.41%/yr for KMB. At a 0.20 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
SCL vs. KMB - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SCL achieves a 21.78% return, which is significantly higher than KMB's 12.08% return. Over the past 10 years, SCL has underperformed KMB with an annualized return of 0.59%, while KMB has yielded a comparatively higher 1.41% annualized return.
SCL
- 1D
- 0.41%
- 1M
- 4.26%
- 6M
- 11.06%
- YTD
- 21.78%
- 1Y
- -0.66%
- 3Y*
- -13.03%
- 5Y*
- -11.91%
- 10Y*
- 0.59%
KMB
- 1D
- -1.98%
- 1M
- 7.71%
- 6M
- 15.06%
- YTD
- 12.08%
- 1Y
- -10.67%
- 3Y*
- -2.73%
- 5Y*
- -0.27%
- 10Y*
- 1.41%
SCL vs. KMB - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SCL Stepan Company | 21.78% | -24.60% | -30.29% | -9.74% | -12.91% | 5.24% | 17.75% | 39.96% | -5.21% | -2.06% |
KMB Kimberly-Clark Corporation | 12.08% | -19.86% | 11.79% | -7.08% | -1.58% | 9.66% | 0.95% | 24.57% | -2.06% | 9.04% |
Correlation
The correlation between SCL and KMB is 0.25, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.25 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.20 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.23 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 17, 1992 | 0.20 |
Fundamentals
SCL:
$1.29B
KMB:
$36.57B
SCL:
-$0.62
KMB:
$5.93
SCL:
0.55
KMB:
2.22
SCL:
1.09
KMB:
20.44
SCL:
$2.34B
KMB:
$16.54B
SCL:
$259.28M
KMB:
$5.93B
SCL:
$96.49M
KMB:
$3.07B
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Return for Risk
SCL vs. KMB — Risk / Return Rank
SCL
KMB
SCL vs. KMB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Stepan Company (SCL) and Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB). 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 | KMB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.38 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.58 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.03 | 0.95 | +0.09 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.02 | -0.36 | +0.34 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.03 | -0.54 | +0.50 |
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Drawdowns
SCL vs. KMB - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SCL drawdown since its inception was -66.78%, which is greater than KMB's maximum drawdown of -36.97%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SCL and KMB.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SCL | KMB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -66.78% | -36.97% | -29.81% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -32.78% | -29.60% | -3.18% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -54.08% | -34.06% | -20.02% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -64.48% | -34.06% | -30.42% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -66.78% | -34.06% | -32.72% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -54.32% | -20.85% | -33.47% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -17.09% | -8.87% | -8.22% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 19.57% | 19.95% | -0.38% |
Volatility
SCL vs. KMB - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Stepan Company (SCL) is 7.41%, while Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) has a volatility of 8.57%. This indicates that SCL experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than KMB based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SCL | KMB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.41% | 8.57% | -1.16% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 30.99% | 18.18% | +12.81% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 36.20% | 26.79% | +9.41% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 30.38% | 20.52% | +9.86% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 31.56% | 21.19% | +10.37% |
Dividends
SCL vs. KMB - Dividend Comparison
SCL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.76%, less than KMB's 4.61% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
KMB Kimberly-Clark Corporation | 4.61% | 5.00% | 3.72% | 3.88% | 3.42% | 3.19% | 3.17% | 3.00% | 3.51% | 3.22% | 3.22% | 2.77% |
SCL Stepan Company | 2.76% | 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. KMB - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Stepan Company and Kimberly-Clark Corporation. 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. KMB - Profitability Comparison
SCL - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 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%.
KMB - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Kimberly-Clark Corporation reported a gross profit of 1.53B and revenue of 4.16B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 36.9%.
SCL - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Stepan Company reported an operating income of -49.62M and revenue of 604.51M, resulting in an operating margin of -8.2%.
KMB - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Kimberly-Clark Corporation reported an operating income of 753.00M and revenue of 4.16B, resulting in an operating margin of 18.1%.
SCL - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Stepan Company reported a net income of -41.41M and revenue of 604.51M, resulting in a net margin of -6.9%.
KMB - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Kimberly-Clark Corporation reported a net income of 521.00M and revenue of 4.16B, resulting in a net margin of 12.5%.
Frequently Asked Questions
SCL and KMB have a correlation of 0.25, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
KMB has higher volatility (8.57%) compared to SCL (7.41%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SCL dropped -66.78% vs KMB's -36.97%.
SCL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (-0.02 vs -0.40), 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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