Acquisitions - Summary of Pro Forma Financial Information (Detail) - Bayer Material Science [Member] $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($) $ / shares
Business Acquisition Pro Forma Information [Line Items]
Net Sales \| $	$ 1,907,607
Net Income Attributable to Stepan Company \| $	$ 73,609
Net Income Per Common Share Attributable to Stepan Company:
Basic \| $ / shares	$ 3.25
Diluted \| $ / shares	$ 3.21

Business acquisition pro forma information.

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- Definition

The pro forma basic net income per share for a period as if the business combination or combinations had been completed at the beginning of a period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(2)-(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56956515&loc=d3e1392-128463

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The pro forma diluted net income per share for a period as if the business combination or combinations had been completed at the beginning of a period.

+ References

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The pro forma net Income or Loss for the period as if the business combination or combinations had been completed at the beginning of a period.

+ References

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The pro forma revenue for a period as if the business combination or combinations had been completed at the beginning of the period.

+ References

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- References

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