FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * HURLBUTT JAMES E   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol STEPAN CO [SCL] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) V.P. & Chief Financial Officer (Last) (First) (Middle) 22 W. FRONTAGE ROAD 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 02/22/2012 (Street) NORTHFIELD, IL 60093 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 02/22/2012   M   1,500 (1) A (1) 7,632.588 D   Common Stock 02/22/2012   A   1,500 (1) A (1) 9,132.588 D   Common Stock 02/22/2012   F   944 (1) D (1) 8,188.588 D   Common Stock               94.772 (3) I By ESOP II Trust Common Stock 02/23/2012   J   27,331 D (4) 309,917 I Member of Plan Committee of Stepan Company

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Performance Shares

(2)

02/22/2012

M

1,500

(2)

(2)

Common Stock

1,500

(2)

0

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
HURLBUTT JAMES E 22 W. FRONTAGE ROAD NORTHFIELD, IL 60093			V.P. & Chief Financial Officer

Signatures

James E. Hurlbutt		02/24/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Amount reported reflects vesting of 1,500 performance shares on Table II. Upon vesting, total shares delivered to reporting person also includes an additional 1,500 shares due to achievement of certain financial targets by December 31, 2011. Also, 944 shares were disposed of for taxes as allowed under the plan.
(2)	The performance shares vested upon Stepan Company achieving certain financial targets by December 31, 2011.
(3)	The amount reported for ESOP II in column five also includes 77.911 shares of company stock acquired pursuant to a Stepan Company contribution under ESOP II.
(4)	On February 23, 2012, 27,331 shares of Stepan Company Common Stock were transferred from the Stepan Company Pension Plan to the ESOP II established by Stepan Company. The reporting person is a member of the Plan Committee of Stepan Company which has oversight responsibility over investments of funds for employee benefit programs.

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