One might have to ask if the “human composting” company Return Home wanted a deal when they went on Shark Tank and were featured last Friday. The company, that calls its brand of Natural Organic Reduction (NOR) “Terramation” left the popular show without a deal. Did they want a deal? We will…
The 3rd Quarter of 2023 ended with the end of September and we thought it would be a good time to take a look at how the public companies in Death Care have held up over the course of the past quarter and past nine months. From our point of view it looks like…
According to this article from the Seattle Times of Thursday, October 5, terramation company Return Home will present its company and product on the television show Shark Tank tonight, October 6. The article states that the company will be looking for an investment of $2 million for a 5% equity stake in the…
On Wednesday Funeral Director Daily told you of the Tuesday, October 2, press release of Park Lawn Corporation stating that it was withdrawing its all-cash offer to purchase all of the outstanding stock of Carriage Services. It also mentioned that it had declined to participate any further in Carriage Services’ “Review of Strategic…
Those of us who walked the convention halls at NFDA in Las Vegas recently heard lots of reasons why many in the death care profession were not too optimistic about the immediate future of our businesses. There was lots of talk about inflation causing rising expenses and interest rates taking a bigger chunk…
BUSINESS
Matthews International reports Fiscal Year ’25 and 4th Quarter ’25 results
Matthews International is a company that in 2025 received over 50% of its revenue from what they call their “Memorialization” segment. That segment consists of Aurora Casket, Matthews cremation products, and a complete…
Happy Thanksgiving — Enjoy, food, family, and football!!!
This year for my evening devotions I am using a book of daily notes by Billy Graham titled, “Wisdom for Each Day“. It was in the back of my mind to write something for…
62 Years ago this week. . . . the story of the Kennedy casket
Imagine it is lunch time at the funeral home you work at when you get a call from the hospital two miles away that you need to immediately bring the best casket you have…
FINANCE
Security National Financial’s 3rd Quarter: Cemeteries/Mortuaries are the bright spot
Security National Financial Corporation, the Utah-based public company with parts of its operation in the Death Care segment, reported their 3rd Quarter 2025 financials last week. When the President of the company,…
Wealth generation, private equity, funeral homes — Will this period last forever?
The Wall Street Journal in this recent article (you may find a paywall here) estimates that over the past 5 years Americans have gained a total of $63 trillion in personal wealth. And, this…
Seeking Alpha author says “Carriage Services is coming back to life”
Seeking Alpha author Daniel Jones made the following comment in this opinion article titled “Carriage Services is coming back to life” published last week about the company: “. . . I believe…
REGULATIONS
Subject of iconic “Homecoming” photo died on Veterans Day
This is Thanksgiving weekend — a time to reflect and give thanks for the lives we are living. Those of you who are old enough will remember back in 1973 a time when our…
Happy Thanksgiving — Enjoy, food, family, and football!!!
This year for my evening devotions I am using a book of daily notes by Billy Graham titled, “Wisdom for Each Day“. It was in the back of my mind to write something for…
Turning golf courses into cemeteries. . .here’s a city that wants to do just that
Golf courses, in this day and age, are incredibly expensive to build. It’s not only the land acquisition costs but you have the costs involved in shaping the fairways and the greens, building a…
CEMETERY
62 Years ago this week. . . . the story of the Kennedy casket
Imagine it is lunch time at the funeral home you work at when you get a call from the hospital two miles away that you need to immediately bring the best casket you have…
Turning golf courses into cemeteries. . .here’s a city that wants to do just that
Golf courses, in this day and age, are incredibly expensive to build. It’s not only the land acquisition costs but you have the costs involved in shaping the fairways and the greens, building a…
Socialism in NYC and Death Care
The election of Democrat Socialist Zohran Mamdani as Mayor of the city that many refer to as the “World’s Financial Center” has brought about questions on what might change. Most of those questions deal…
CREMATION
Does KFC have a template for Death Care?
Alex Fasciano, an analyst for CFRA Research suggests that quick service restaurant player KFC’s (formerly Kentucky Fried Chicken) strategy is “. .centered on driving growth through brand relevance, marketing innovation, (and) operational excellence. .…
Cremation Air: A new service to help funeral homes
Funeral Director Daily learned last week that one of the best known names in Death Care was branching out to continue to help funeral directors. The Czachor family, founders of the leading funeral home…
Socialism in NYC and Death Care
The election of Democrat Socialist Zohran Mamdani as Mayor of the city that many refer to as the “World’s Financial Center” has brought about questions on what might change. Most of those questions deal…
PRENEED
Preneed companies emerge as funeral home lending sources
Morgan Stanley, a global financial services firm that provides a wide range of products and services, including investment banking, wealth management, consumer banking, and brokerage services, recently made this comment in an article, “Life…
Co-op Funeralcare increases “Funeral Plan” sales over 17% despite cyberattack
An April cyberattack which you can read about here probably cost the parent company of Great Britain’s largest funeral home operator, Co-op Funeralcare, about a US$ 107 million profit swing but didn’t seem to…
Acquiring client families — “Any Which Way You Can”
As so often happens in my world I’ve had some real life and/or businesses experiences or discussions in the last week or ten days that has made me think about Death Care. And,…
PRODUCTS
Matthews International reports Fiscal Year ’25 and 4th Quarter ’25 results
Matthews International is a company that in 2025 received over 50% of its revenue from what they call their “Memorialization” segment. That segment consists of Aurora Casket, Matthews cremation products, and a complete…
Transformation continues — You can’t afford to be left behind
Simply as a member of a community I was again reminded this past week that transformation, and especially technology transformation, continues to happen at a rapid pace in the Death Care profession. Last week…
Cremation Air: A new service to help funeral homes
Funeral Director Daily learned last week that one of the best known names in Death Care was branching out to continue to help funeral directors. The Czachor family, founders of the leading funeral home…
