<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001127602-18-036640.txt : 20181218
<SEC-HEADER>0001127602-18-036640.hdr.sgml : 20181218
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20181218173610
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001127602-18-036640
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20181214
FILED AS OF DATE:		20181218
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20181218

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			Moriarty Sean Thomas
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001716333

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-04462
		FILM NUMBER:		181241500

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		22 WEST FRONTAGE ROAD
		CITY:			NORTHFIELD
		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>form4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2018-12-14</periodOfReport>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001716333</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Moriarty Sean Thomas</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>22 WEST FRONTAGE ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NORTHFIELD</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState></rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <officerTitle>VP &amp; GM Polymers</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3662.731</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By ESOP II Trust</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Share Units</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-12-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>17.114</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>77.25</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>17.114</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>5305.145</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Reflects ESOP II acquisitions that have occurred since the Reporting Person's last ownership report covering ESOP II holdings.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Share Units acquired under the Management Incentive Plan (As Amended and Restated Effective January 1, 2015) (&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="F3">Share Units convert on a one-for-one basis into Common Stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">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="F5">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>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Stephanie J. Pacitti, attorney-in-fact for Sean T. Moriarty</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2018-12-18</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-24
<SEQUENCE>2
<FILENAME>doc1.txt
<DESCRIPTION>POWER OF ATTORNEY (PUBLIC): POA - DECEMBER 2018
<TEXT>
POWER OF ATTORNEY

	KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned
hereby constitutes and appoints each of Brian William Bichkoff
and Stephanie Jane Pacitti, signing singly, as the undersigned?s
true and lawful authorized representatives and attorneys-in-fact
to:

(1)	execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the
undersigned?s capacity as an executive officer of Stepan Company
(?the Company?), Forms 3, 4 and 5, and any and all amendments
thereto, in accordance with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended (the ?1934 Act?), and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder;

(2)	do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the
undersigned which may be necessary or desirable to complete the
execution of any such form or schedule and the timely filing of
such form or schedule with the United States Securities and
Exchange Commission and any stock exchange or stock market or
other authority; and

(3)	take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection
with the foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorneys-in-fact,
may be of benefit to, in the best interest of, or legally required
by, the undersigned, it being understood that the documents
executed by such attorneys-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned
pursuant to this Power of Attorney shall be in such form and shall
contain such terms and conditions as such attorneys-in-fact may
approve in such attorneys-in-fact?s discretion.

	The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact
full power and authority to do and perform all and every act and
thing whatsoever requisite, necessary or proper to be done in the
exercise of any of the rights and powers herein granted, as fully
to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do if
personally present, with full power of substitution or revocation,
hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorneys-in-fact, or
such attorneys-in-fact?s substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue of this power of attorney and the
rights and powers herein granted.  The undersigned acknowledges that
the foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in serving in such capacity at
the request of the undersigned, are not assuming, nor is the Company
assuming any of the undersigned?s responsibilities to comply with
Section 16 or any other provision of the 1934 Act.

	This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect
until the undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 3, 4 and 5
with respect to the undersigned?s holdings of and transactions in
securities issued by the Company, unless earlier revoked by the
undersigned in a signed writing delivered to the foregoing attorneys-
in-fact.

	IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power
of Attorney to be executed as of this 10th day of December, 2018.


/s/ Sean T. Moriarty
Sean T. Moriarty
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
