Latest news with #Stepan
BBC News
a day ago
- Business
- BBC News
Santander Cycles: TfL pledges new app after user issues
Transport for London (TfL) has said it will roll out a "new and improved app" next year for hiring Santander follows complaints from users of the app, including that it logs customers out every time they open it, does not store payment details and routinely than half of total hires of the bicycles are done using the IT issue due to a software update earlier this month also led to cyclists being unable to hire the bikes through the app and docking stations - leaving more than 12,000 bikes out of use. 'The scheme is failing' Stepan, who has used the system for years to commute to work, told BBC London he feels "the scheme is failing" and "the service is worsening".He noted that when the e-bikes are faulty, "the only way to ask for a refund is to call or send an e-mail, which one hardly has time to do while on your way." Another user, who did not want to be named, agreed, telling BBC London that the app "hasn't worked properly for months" and "fundamentally doesn't work".He mentioned, for example, that neither the app nor the docking stations are compatible with Apple Pay, and that the app logs users out every time they open it, calling the user experience "awful".He said he would have stopped using the scheme if he had not purchased a key fob, rather than use the app, to unlock the experiencing issues with faulty bikes, he also said it was "near on impossible" to contact TfL to report them. In response, TfL said: "[We have] a call centre that operates seven days a week."Customers can also report broken bikes at our docking stations. Each dock has a red 'spanner' button which can be pressed to notify our operational teams that there is a fault with the bike."Once the button is activated the bike is locked in to prevent other users from hiring the bike. Our on-street teams are then sent out to triage the bike." Santander Cycles user Jacob Roberts, who works as a software developer, recently posted on X what he says is a fix to the app to BBC London, he praised the bikes as "the best way to get around London" but said "their technology has had some serious issues in the past four months or so" following a software noted that, as well as logging out users every time they open it, the app struggles to auto-fill passwords saved on head of cycle hire David Eddington has promised that the new app will be "more reliable" and said that they plan to introduce this next current app is rated 1.2 stars out of five on the Google Play Store and 3.7 out five on Apple's App Store, with reviewers and social media users on X and Reddit all experiencing similar issues. Despite the issues, most Santander Cycles users have continued to use the far in 2025, 58% of total Santander Cycles hires have been via the app, up 6% on the whole of 2023, according to TfL figures. The total number of hires has remained relatively consistent at around 4.4 million between January and June 2025, up from 4.1 million in the same period in this is still down 27% from the record highs of 2022, when over six million hires were recorded between January and June. TfL has also said it is carrying out a procurement process for the contract to operate Santander Cycles, which is currently held by have held the contract since the scheme was launched in 2010, and were fined £5m and issued with a "critical improvement plan" in 2011 after administrative errors led to users being overcharged.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Stepan (NYSE:SCL) shareholders have endured a 40% loss from investing in the stock three years ago
In order to justify the effort of selecting individual stocks, it's worth striving to beat the returns from a market index fund. But the risk of stock picking is that you will likely buy under-performing companies. We regret to report that long term Stepan Company (NYSE:SCL) shareholders have had that experience, with the share price dropping 44% in three years, versus a market return of about 64%. And more recent buyers are having a tough time too, with a drop of 34% in the last year. Since shareholders are down over the longer term, lets look at the underlying fundamentals over the that time and see if they've been consistent with returns. Trump has pledged to "unleash" American oil and gas and these 15 US stocks have developments that are poised to benefit. There is no denying that markets are sometimes efficient, but prices do not always reflect underlying business performance. One way to examine how market sentiment has changed over time is to look at the interaction between a company's share price and its earnings per share (EPS). During the three years that the share price fell, Stepan's earnings per share (EPS) dropped by 26% each year. This fall in the EPS is worse than the 17% compound annual share price fall. This suggests that the market retains some optimism around long term earnings stability, despite past EPS declines. The company's earnings per share (over time) is depicted in the image below (click to see the exact numbers). We like that insiders have been buying shares in the last twelve months. Having said that, most people consider earnings and revenue growth trends to be a more meaningful guide to the business. This free interactive report on Stepan's earnings, revenue and cash flow is a great place to start, if you want to investigate the stock further. It is important to consider the total shareholder return, as well as the share price return, for any given stock. The TSR incorporates the value of any spin-offs or discounted capital raisings, along with any dividends, based on the assumption that the dividends are reinvested. It's fair to say that the TSR gives a more complete picture for stocks that pay a dividend. In the case of Stepan, it has a TSR of -40% for the last 3 years. That exceeds its share price return that we previously mentioned. And there's no prize for guessing that the dividend payments largely explain the divergence! While the broader market gained around 13% in the last year, Stepan shareholders lost 33% (even including dividends). However, keep in mind that even the best stocks will sometimes underperform the market over a twelve month period. Unfortunately, last year's performance may indicate unresolved challenges, given that it was worse than the annualised loss of 6% over the last half decade. We realise that Baron Rothschild has said investors should "buy when there is blood on the streets", but we caution that investors should first be sure they are buying a high quality business. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Stepan better, we need to consider many other factors. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 2 warning signs with Stepan (at least 1 which is significant) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process. Stepan is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find lesser know companies this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket. Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on American exchanges. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
Fibre2Fashion
05-06-2025
- Business
- Fibre2Fashion
Stepan expands AOS output across US facilities
Stepan Company a global leader in specialty and intermediate chemicals, announced a significant increase in its production capacity for Alpha Olefin Sulfonates (AOS). Through strategic capital investments and process improvements, Stepan has expanded its AOS capacity by 25%. Stepan Company has increased its Alpha Olefin Sulfonates (AOS) production capacity by 25 per cent through capital investments and process upgrades at facilities in Illinois, California, and Georgia. AOS is a versatile, eco-friendly surfactant used in personal care and industrial products. The expansion boosts efficiency, reliability, and Stepan's ability to meet rising demand. With the broadest network of sites and plants producing AOS in North America, Stepan continues to expand its production capacity through strategic initiatives at its Millsdale, Illinois; Anaheim, California; and Winder, Georgia facilities. These efforts included targeted capital investments and process enhancements that have strengthened operational efficiency across multiple locations—delivering increased capacity, greater flexibility, and enhanced reliability for Stepan's customers. "We are excited to announce these enhancements to our AOS production capabilities," said Brandon Suttle, Asset Manager – Sulfonation BM - Product Management. "These improvements not only increase our capacity but also position us to better serve our customers with high-quality AOS products." Stepan's Alpha Olefin Sulfonates are versatile surfactants used in detergents, personal care products, cleaning and industrial applications. Known for their fat-dissolving power, foam stability, and gentle cleansing properties, AOS is ideal for green bathroom cleaners, daily shower cleaners, liquid dishwashing detergents, shampoos, body washes, and facial cleansers. With the rise in demand for sulfate-free products, AOS is a preferred choice for formulators. It offers environmental benefits and produces dense, stable foam, making it appealing for luxurious lather. AOS is also used in Oilfield, Agriculture, Construction, and Emulsion Polymerization industries. Adriano Galimberti, Vice President & Surfactants North America at Stepan, added, "Our commitment to continued improvement and operational excellence has enabled us to prioritize these investments to meet the growing demands of our customers." Stepan continues to explore additional improvements to further expand capacity, develop specialty AOS products, and enhance product quality. Note: The headline, insights, and image of this press release may have been refined by the Fibre2Fashion staff; the rest of the content remains unchanged. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (HU)
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
At US$48.61, Is It Time To Put Stepan Company (NYSE:SCL) On Your Watch List?
Stepan Company (NYSE:SCL), might not be a large cap stock, but it saw significant share price movement during recent months on the NYSE, rising to highs of US$65.59 and falling to the lows of US$45.26. Some share price movements can give investors a better opportunity to enter into the stock, and potentially buy at a lower price. A question to answer is whether Stepan's current trading price of US$48.61 reflective of the actual value of the small-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Let's take a look at Stepan's outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change. AI is about to change healthcare. These 20 stocks are working on everything from early diagnostics to drug discovery. The best part - they are all under $10bn in marketcap - there is still time to get in early. The share price seems sensible at the moment according to our price multiple model, where we compare the company's price-to-earnings ratio to the industry average. In this instance, we've used the price-to-earnings (PE) ratio given that there is not enough information to reliably forecast the stock's cash flows. We find that Stepan's ratio of 21.77x is trading slightly above its industry peers' ratio of 18.19x, which means if you buy Stepan today, you'd be paying a relatively reasonable price for it. And if you believe that Stepan should be trading at this level in the long run, then there should only be a fairly immaterial downside vs other industry peers. Furthermore, Stepan's share price also seems relatively stable compared to the rest of the market, as indicated by its low beta. This may mean it is less likely for the stock to fall lower from natural market volatility, which suggests less opportunities to buy moving forward. Check out our latest analysis for Stepan Future outlook is an important aspect when you're looking at buying a stock, especially if you are an investor looking for growth in your portfolio. Buying a great company with a robust outlook at a cheap price is always a good investment, so let's also take a look at the company's future expectations. Stepan's earnings over the next few years are expected to increase by 97%, indicating a highly optimistic future ahead. This should lead to more robust cash flows, feeding into a higher share value. Are you a shareholder? SCL's optimistic future growth appears to have been factored into the current share price, with shares trading around industry price multiples. However, there are also other important factors which we haven't considered today, such as the financial strength of the company. Have these factors changed since the last time you looked at SCL? Will you have enough confidence to invest in the company should the price drop below the industry PE ratio? Are you a potential investor? If you've been keeping an eye on SCL, now may not be the most optimal time to buy, given it is trading around industry price multiples. However, the optimistic forecast is encouraging for SCL, which means it's worth further examining other factors such as the strength of its balance sheet, in order to take advantage of the next price drop. Keep in mind, when it comes to analysing a stock it's worth noting the risks involved. While conducting our analysis, we found that Stepan has 1 warning sign and it would be unwise to ignore this. If you are no longer interested in Stepan, you can use our free platform to see our list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘This isn't Russia, never was, and never will be': Ukrainians living under occupation fear Trump's peace talks
Asked why she and other Ukrainian people choose to keep living under Russian occupation instead of fleeing, the woman paused for a moment. 'I don't know how to explain the feeling,' she said. 'It's like you just can't believe that evil could win. Even after three years, people can't believe that this is it. They still believe that the occupation will end. That's why they are still staying here and not running away.' The woman, a member of the all-female resistance group Zla Mavka, lives in a city in southeastern Ukraine that fell under Russian control just days after Moscow launched its full-scale, unprovoked invasion of the country in February 2022. Zla Mavka – which translates as Angry Mavka, Mavka being a female forest spirit in Ukrainian folklore – engages only in non-violent activities. But taking part in any form of protest and speaking to Western media is extremely dangerous, which is why CNN is not publishing the woman's name or location. She told CNN that life under Russian occupation is exhausting and incredibly scary. 'You can be arrested for anything. You have to worry about everything. You have to check your phone, you have to check what you have in your apartment, you have to hide a lot of things, you can't say what you're thinking and you cannot trust anyone,' she said. US President Donald Trump has made it clear that he wants the war in Ukraine to end, even if it means further territorial losses for Kyiv. Trump has said it was 'unlikely' Ukraine would get all of its pre-war territory back, saying: '(Russia) took a lot of land, and they fought for that land, and they lost a lot of soldiers.' This could include the Zla Mavka woman's hometown. 'People abroad always talk about territories, and they forget, maybe, that it's not only about territories. It's about people. And people here are still waiting. People have not moved, and they don't want to move. And why (should) they have to move from their homes?' the woman said. Russian forces currently occupy nearly a fifth of Ukraine's territory, home to about 6 million people, including 1 million children, who are living in what the United Nations has described as a 'bleak human rights situation.' Stepan, a 22-year-old Ukrainian man who recently escaped from an occupied area in southern Ukraine to Kherson, which is under Kyiv's control, has experienced firsthand what the occupying forces are capable of. Stepan and his parents were detained by Russian troops in summer 2022. He was held for two weeks and repeatedly beaten and tortured with electricity. His parents were held for several more months. None of the family was ever told why they were being detained. They have never been convicted or charged with any crimes. When Stepan was released, he was separated from the rest of his family. He ended up on the left bank of the Dnipro River, which is still occupied by Russia. His mother Olha managed to escape to a government-controlled area after she was released in spring 2023. 'I was very afraid,' Stepan said of his time living under occupation. 'Whenever I went outside, I looked around to see if they were there to take me away again or do something to me. I wouldn't leave the house if I didn't have to. It was like that every day,' he told CNN. Stepan was lucky – he managed to escape and was reunited with his family last month. He was brought back thanks to a 'coordinated effort' that involved the 'Angels,' a Ukrainian special forces unit that rescues vulnerable people from occupied territories, according to Roman Mrochko, the head of Kherson City Military Administration. Stepan and his family said they were not allowed to share details of the operation. Both Stepan and the Zla Mavka member said that even the slightest suspicion of being 'pro-Ukrainian' can have dire consequences for people living under occupation. 'My friends and acquaintances were often taken away because they did not want to get a Russian passport or for not registering for military service. They were taken away and brought back a week later with broken arms and legs, sometime heads. There were many, we are talking about dozens of people,' Stepan said. Human rights groups say that Moscow has intensified its campaign to 'Russify' occupied Ukraine in recent months, likely to stake claim to the areas in any future peace negotiation. 'They try to remove anything Ukrainian from our city, from the language to traditions,' the Zla Mavka woman said, adding that the group has made it one of its missions to keep Ukrainian culture alive under occupation. 'We are spreading Ukrainian poems and the works of Ukrainian authors, and (celebrating) Ukrainian holidays, the traditional ones, just to remind to everybody that this is not Russia, and never was, and never will be,' she said. She described living in the city like 'getting into a time machine and going back to the USSR.' 'There's propaganda and Soviet-style monuments, and Soviet holidays, and we are always waiting in lines, like in Soviet times, to get help, or to go to the doctor, or to get some documents, you have to wait in these long lines and there are no normal shops and no brands… just stuff you can get in the street markets and some strange Chinese products.' Russian authorities have been meticulously erasing Ukrainian national identity, religion and language in occupied Ukraine. They have staged sham referenda on joining Russia and have been forcing the local population to become Russian citizens. Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a new decree ordering Ukrainian citizens living in these areas to 'regulate their legal status' by adopting Russian citizenship. According to the decree, those who don't do so by September will become foreigners and will only be allowed to stay for limited time. But Moscow has already effectively coerced many Ukrainian people into accepting Russian passports because life is nearly impossible and very dangerous without them. Those who don't have Russian documents face the daily threat of arrest and deportation to Russia, have no right to work, no access to even the most basic health services or pensions and are barred from owning property. 'You can't even call an ambulance without (a Russian passport). If you don't have a Russian passport, the ambulance will not come,' the resistance woman said. Human rights watchdogs have repeatedly said that Moscow is breaking international law by forcing the Ukrainian population to adopt Russian passports. 'And then the big problem for men, the men who (were forced to get) Russian passports, they are now trying to mobilize them into the Russian Army. They want to force them to fight against their own people,' the woman added. Millions of Ukrainians are refusing to leave their homes in occupied territories – most because they still believe that Kyiv, with the help of its Western allies, will eventually liberate all its land. There are also some who sympathize with Russia and are happy with the new regime – although both the Zla Mavka woman and Stepan said they believe this is only a small minority. 'These are often people who did not have a very good life before. For example, they didn't have education and didn't have a good job, but now, if they cry out loud 'I love Russia,' they will get a job in the government, they will get help and money from Russia,' the Zla Mavka member said. SOS Donbas, a Ukrainian helpline for people living in occupied territories and combat zones, received more than 57,500 calls last year. Violeta Artemchuk, the director of the organization, said most people are asking for advice on how to leave safely, how to access help and what are the implications of staying and being forced to take a Russian passport. The Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly told people in occupied areas to do whatever they need to stay safe. 'If you need to get some documents, get them. This does not change your status,' Heorhii Tykhyi, a foreign ministry spokesperson, said after the decree requiring Ukrainians in occupied territories to become Russian citizens was announced. Tykhyi said that 'the best solution, if possible, is to leave for the controlled territory of Ukraine.' But for many, leaving is impossible because it's too dangerous, too expensive and too treacherous. 'Theoretically, it's possible to leave, but you have to go through filtration,' the Zla Mavka woman said, referring to a security screening process conducted by Russian forces on all exits from the occupied areas. 'They're checking everything there, so… let's say there is a woman whose husband was a soldier in 2014, and if they find out, she will have a huge problem, so for her, it is safer not to try. But this could be anything, like a comment on social media, something on your phone, they can just arrest you and deport you to Russia,' she said. Thousands of Ukrainian citizens have been illegally detained and sent to Russia, and CNN has documented cases of people who were picked up at Russian filtration points and subsequently sent to facilities thousands of miles away from Ukraine. It is impossible to cross directly from occupied Ukraine into government-controlled areas, which means that anyone wishing to flee must travel through Russia, get out of Russia and then travel through Europe back to Ukraine. 'It's not easy to leave everything and become a refugee. You can't sell your apartment, you cannot cross the border with a large amount of money, you can't take much… so it is possible, but not for everyone,' the woman said. So, for now, she and millions of others are staying and watching the news coming from the White House and elsewhere in horror. 'People are very nervous and they're very afraid to hear about a negotiation, and how our cities will become Russia, this is the biggest fear. But I can tell you that even if this happens, resistance won't stop.'
