<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001181431-12-050841.txt : 20120917
<SEC-HEADER>0001181431-12-050841.hdr.sgml : 20120917
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20120917175504
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001181431-12-050841
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20120914
FILED AS OF DATE:		20120917
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20120917

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			WOOD ROBERT JOHN
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001280011

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-04462
		FILM NUMBER:		121095743

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		22 W FRONTAGE RD
		STREET 2:		C/O STEPAN CO
		CITY:			NORTHFIRLD
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60093

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			STEPAN CO
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000094049
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SOAP, DETERGENT, CLEANING PREPARATIONS, PERFUMES, COSMETICS [2840]
		IRS NUMBER:				361823834
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		EDENS & WINNETKA ROAD
		CITY:			NORTHFIELD
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60093
		BUSINESS PHONE:		8474467500

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		EDENS & WINNETKA ROAD
		CITY:			NORTHFIELD
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60093

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	STEPAN CHEMICAL CO /DE/
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19840108
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd356324.xml
<DESCRIPTION>MIP 09/14/2012
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2012-09-14</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000094049</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>STEPAN CO</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SCL</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001280011</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WOOD ROBERT JOHN</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>22 W. FRONTAGE ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NORTHFIELD</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60093</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>V.P. &amp; General Manager</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Share Units</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-09-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>41.383</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>97.58</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>41.383</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>14463.586</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Share Units are acquired under the Management Incentive Plan Amended and Restated as of January 1, 2010 (&quot;MIP&quot;), a nonqualified deferred compensation plan which allows MIP participants to elect to defer all or a portion of their deferred compensation into accounts pursuant to MIP provisions.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Share Units convert on a one-for-one basis into Common Stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Reflects acquisition of Share Units pursuant to a dividend equivalent feature of the MIP, generally payable at end of employment, unless otherwise elected.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Price reported is the price of Common Stock on the date the dividend equivalents are payable pursuant to a dividend equivalent feature of the MIP.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Due to a mathematical error, Column 9 of Table II in the Reporting Person's Form 4 filed on March 19, 2012 and a subsequent Form 4 filed on June 19, 2012 underreported the total number of beneficially owned share units by 158.545.  This reported amount reflects an increase of the share units to account for the prior mathematical error.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Robert John Wood</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2012-09-17</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
