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Reconciliations of Equity - Reconciliations of Total Equity (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 3 Months Ended
--- | ---
Mar. 31, 2016 | Mar. 31, 2015
Reconciliations of total equity |  |  |
Beginning Balance |  | $ 558,384 | $ 536,944
Net income |  | 27,657 | 21,286
Dividends |  | (4,237) | (4,047)
Common stock purchases | [1] | (1,143) | (273)
Stock option exercises |  | 258 | 167
Defined benefit pension adjustments, net of tax |  | 564 | 749
Translation adjustments |  | 12,590 | (25,152)
Derivative instrument activity, net of tax |  | (21) | (42)
Other | [2] | 2,191 | 846
Ending Balance |  | 596,243 | 530,478
Stepan Company Equity [Member] |  |  |
Reconciliations of total equity |  |  |
Beginning Balance |  | 556,984 | 535,546
Net income |  | 27,654 | 21,270
Dividends |  | (4,237) | (4,047)
Common stock purchases | [1] | (1,143) | (273)
Stock option exercises |  | 258 | 167
Defined benefit pension adjustments, net of tax |  | 564 | 749
Translation adjustments |  | 12,579 | (25,137)
Derivative instrument activity, net of tax |  | (21) | (42)
Other | [2] | 2,191 | 846
Ending Balance |  | 594,829 | 529,079
Noncontrolling Interests' Equity [Member] |  |  |
Reconciliations of total equity |  |  |
Beginning Balance | [3] | 1,400 | 1,398
Net income | [3] | 3 | 16
Translation adjustments | [3] | 11 | (15)
Ending Balance | [3] | $ 1,414 | $ 1,399
[1] | Includes the value of Company shares purchased in the open market and the value of Company common shares tendered by employees to settle minimum statutory withholding taxes related to distributions of deferred performance awards and deferred incentive compensation.
[2] | Primarily comprised of activity related to stock-based compensation, deferred compensation and excess tax benefits.
[3] | Reflects the noncontrolling interest in the Company’s China joint venture.

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- Definition Amount of paid and unpaid cash, stock, and paid-in-kind (PIK) dividends declared, for example, but not limited to, common and preferred stock. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 405 -Section 45 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6957935&loc=d3e64057-112817 + Details
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