<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2006-05-18</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000095301</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SEQUA CORP /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SQAA</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001015725</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ALEXANDER NORMAN E/</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>200 PARK AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10166</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Executive Chairman</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-05-18</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value>E</value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>49690</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>51742</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2046050</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnote 3.</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">These shares were transferred from a trust of which Mr. Alexander, his wife and his estate and/or issue are beneficiaries to Mr. Alexander and were, therefore, previously reported as indirectly owned.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes 2,052 shares held in 401(k) Plan for Mr. Alexander's account as of April 30, 2006.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Indirect ownership by Fifty Broad Street, Inc. (14,297 shares), Forfed Corporation (1,743,143 shares), 42 New Street Inc. (45,000 shares) and YOUANDI Corp. (30,000 shares), all of which are controlled by Mr. Alexander as well as 110,415 shares held by the Norman E. Alexander Family Foundation and 103,195 shares held by a trust of which Mr. Alexander, his wife and his estate and/or issue are beneficiaries.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Diane C. Bunt, as attorney-in-fact for Norman E. Alexander</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2006-05-22</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0202
4
2006-05-18
0
0000095301
SEQUA CORP /DE/
SQAA
0001015725
ALEXANDER NORMAN E/
200 PARK AVENUE
NEW YORK
NY
10166
1
1
1
0
Executive Chairman
Class A Common
2006-05-18
5
J
0
E
49690
0
A
51742
D
Class A Common
2046050
I
See footnote 3.
These shares were transferred from a trust of which Mr. Alexander, his wife and his estate and/or issue are beneficiaries to Mr. Alexander and were, therefore, previously reported as indirectly owned.
Includes 2,052 shares held in 401(k) Plan for Mr. Alexander's account as of April 30, 2006.
Indirect ownership by Fifty Broad Street, Inc. (14,297 shares), Forfed Corporation (1,743,143 shares), 42 New Street Inc. (45,000 shares) and YOUANDI Corp. (30,000 shares), all of which are controlled by Mr. Alexander as well as 110,415 shares held by the Norman E. Alexander Family Foundation and 103,195 shares held by a trust of which Mr. Alexander, his wife and his estate and/or issue are beneficiaries.
/s/Diane C. Bunt, as attorney-in-fact for Norman E. Alexander
2006-05-22