Funeral Director Daily

Death Care Index Slides in January

By Funeral Director Daily / February 1, 2018 /

The Funeral Director Daily Death Care Index (DCI) dropped roughly 2% for the month of January in contrast to the Dow Jones Industrial Average which recorded a 5.79% gain.  The DCI, a composite total of eight death care industry public stocks, stood at $290.78 at the close on January 31 in comparison to its mark…

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The National Cemetery of the Pacific

By Funeral Director Daily / February 1, 2018 /

I’ve mentioned before in this blog that Angie and I are in our first year as empty-nesters as our youngest headed off to college this year.  It is an interesting feeling, with no children in the house everyday, but it has been a time for the two of us to do some things that we…

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Matthews Earnings beats Consensus, Memorialization Sales Slip

By Funeral Director Daily / January 31, 2018 /

Matthews International Corporation reported earnings on January 25.  The consolidated company – which operates worldwide in three divisions which includes a division labeled “Memorialization” and includes Matthews Cremation Products and Aurora Casket among others – recorded an increase in sales of over $20 million system-wide for their fiscal year’s 1st Quarter.  They also produced non-GAAP…

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Iowa Firm Sues for Payment at Omaha National Cemetery

By Funeral Director Daily / January 30, 2018 /

An Associated Press article that you can read here indicates that  Seedorff Masonry, Inc. of Strawberry Point, Iowa, has sued a Chicago firm over what it says is a lower than contracted payment on work done at the Omaha National Cemetery in 2014. Seedorf, a subcontractor on the project, says it performed about $3.2 million…

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Pizza and Pre-Planning

By Funeral Director Daily / January 30, 2018 /

More than ever, in our transitionary society, funeral homes are depending on pre-arrangements, at a younger age,  to get families to choose their funeral home over a competitor.  People just don’t seem as loyal as years gone by and the thought is that the idea of getting some future business on the books can’t do…

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Carriage Services Announces Dividend

By Funeral Director Daily / January 29, 2018 /

Last week Carriage Services announced that they will continue with their quarterly dividend of 7.5 cents per share.  The dividend will be payable on March 1, 2018, to shareholders of record as of February 12, 2018.  This amount of $0.075 per quarter translates into a dividend yield for Carriage Services on an annual basis of…

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Gloryboats on the Market

By Funeral Director Daily / January 29, 2018 /

As you know I live in Greater Minnesota (that area that is not in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metroplex) in an area where fishing and duck hunting is very popular.  Just the other day I was introduced to a product in the funeral industry that maybe has some potential in my area.  That product is Gloryboat…

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Being Creative with New Employees

By Funeral Director Daily / January 26, 2018 /

We’ve written several times in this medium that funeral homes all over the country are having tough times attracting and retaining new young employees.  I came across an article published by ABC.net Australia that you can read here which points out maybe some of us older, set in our ways employers just need to be…

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West Virginia to Hear House Bill for Indigent Funerals

By Funeral Director Daily / January 25, 2018 /

An interesting bill that may have ramifications for beyond West Virginia was recently referred to the West Virginia House Finance Committee.  The bill, which should come up for debate and possible vote this session stems from the fact that the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources ran out of indigent burial funding last…

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Will There Be a National Brand in Funeral Service?

By Funeral Director Daily / January 24, 2018 /

There is no doubt that there is a tremendous value in establishing a national brand that can gain value by economies of scale, national reputation, and accessibility.  Think about companies like Dominos, Burger King, McDonalds, Waste Management, Macy’s, Kohls, and the like where you know the value and quality of what you are buying when…

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