Matthews International, parent company of Aurora Casket and Matthews Cremation, reported their 3rd Quarter 2023 results and 9-Month results for 2023 last week. I think the overriding take on that report is that Matthews International has continued their growing revenue spurt moved mostly by their recent entrance into the energy storage solutions business. …
The latest information we have out of Australia on the potential takeover of Australia’s largest death care provider, InvoCare, by United States private equity company TPG Capital is from a “Street Talk” column in Wednesday’s Australian Financial Review. Here’s a couple of exerpts from that article which is entitled “InvoCare talks turn…
For the most part, cemeteries are tranquil places where lot ownership, interments, and maintenance usually go off as planned and when they do people just don’t seem to notice all the good work and planning that has been done to accomplish that. But, as this recent print and video news story…
When you think of End-of-Life “Purpose” insurance there are two basic types. First, there is Pre-Need which is generally sold by funeral or cremation providers with the death benefit proceeds going directly to those providers to pay for services that have been pre-planned by the purchasers or their caretakers. Then there is…
Most of the news out of the South Pacific dealing with Death Care has been about the prolonged potential takeover of Australia’s largest funeral and cremation provider, InvoCare, by the United States based private equity firm TPG Global. However, while that potential marriage is still under consideration, Propel Funeral Partners, the 2nd…
BUSINESS
The election is over, Congress has changed. If I ran NFDA here’s what I would do.
Now that the television advertising has stopped, I know that the United States recent election cycle is over. And, whether your favorites won or lost it is time, or it will be come…
Chptr wins NFDA Innovation Award, launches ChptrOne
Includes an NFDA Convention Highlight Let’s begin with an announcement that came from last week’s National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. Here’s that announcement: Chptr, creator of the…
Another suburban Chicago funeral home sold
It was only ten days ago that Funeral Director Daily brought you this article about Park Lawn Corporation adding to its Illinois cluster by purchasing two funeral homes northwest of Chicago. We now…
FINANCE
Security National CEO on the 3rd Quarter 2026: “We had a rugged 3rd Quarter”
Security National Financial Corporation’s Chairman, President, and CEO Scott Quist made this comment in the opening remarks of the company’s 3rd Quarter Earnings Report earlier this week, “From the Income Statement point of…
Funeral homes in Kentucky, Indiana purchased by Landmark Funeral Group
We were notified in late October by this press release that Landmark Funeral Group had acquired the Funeral Excellence Group (FEG) that consisted of nine locations. All of the locations are located in…
Carriage Services 3Q26 Earnings Call: CEO explains comparable revenue drop
Carriage Services, one of three public funeral home and cemetery companies that are required to release finanical information to the public did so for their 3rd Quarter of 2026 last week. They also…
REGULATIONS
The election is over, Congress has changed. If I ran NFDA here’s what I would do.
Now that the television advertising has stopped, I know that the United States recent election cycle is over. And, whether your favorites won or lost it is time, or it will be come…
The Mid-term elections are a week away. Where do Death Care voters stand?
An NFDA Convention Discussion Topic The mid-term congressional and senatorial elections are right around the corner taking place one week from today. The direction and results of those elections will help America chart…
Can cemeteries be part of the “Battery Storage solution” and profit from it at the same time?
An NFDA Convention Discussion Issue One of the issues that we have in America right now is that utility companies need to “store electricity” to help meet peak demand periods. Here’s how a…
CEMETERY
Can cemeteries be part of the “Battery Storage solution” and profit from it at the same time?
An NFDA Convention Discussion Issue One of the issues that we have in America right now is that utility companies need to “store electricity” to help meet peak demand periods. Here’s how a…
The Start of Something Good
I learned of the advent of the upcoming first annual National Cremation Remembrance (or Placement) Day earlier this year from my friends at Crowne Vault. The company was one of the first to…
Will the dispersion of Natural Organic Reduction soil be an issue?
Back in August the Worcester (Maryland) County Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) approved Natural Organic Reduction (NOR) firm Earth Burial’s request to spread NOR soil on a 14-acre property in the county. According to…
CREMATION
The Start of Something Good
I learned of the advent of the upcoming first annual National Cremation Remembrance (or Placement) Day earlier this year from my friends at Crowne Vault. The company was one of the first to…
Not a Good Look: “Dysfunctional Death Care System” becoming an issue in Chicago mayor’s race
In August of this past summer (2026) 56 decomposed bodies were found improperly stored in a funeral home in Chicago. It’s not the first time or the first place something like this has…
Will the dispersion of Natural Organic Reduction soil be an issue?
Back in August the Worcester (Maryland) County Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) approved Natural Organic Reduction (NOR) firm Earth Burial’s request to spread NOR soil on a 14-acre property in the county. According to…
PRENEED
The election is over, Congress has changed. If I ran NFDA here’s what I would do.
Now that the television advertising has stopped, I know that the United States recent election cycle is over. And, whether your favorites won or lost it is time, or it will be come…
Wages, credit, inflation. . . . How are those factors coming together to influence revenue per case
“Revenue per Case” (RpC) is a very important metric in your funeral home to illustrate how much money comes into the your funeral home for every death call you care for. The goal,…
Preneed: Your funeral home’s reputation may be tied to your preneed provider
I came across an interesting article the other day that reminded me of the unease that I always had in selecting our funeral home’s preneed insurance partner. My unease had nothing to do…
PRODUCTS
Chptr wins NFDA Innovation Award, launches ChptrOne
Includes an NFDA Convention Highlight Let’s begin with an announcement that came from last week’s National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. Here’s that announcement: Chptr, creator of the…
Can cemeteries be part of the “Battery Storage solution” and profit from it at the same time?
An NFDA Convention Discussion Issue One of the issues that we have in America right now is that utility companies need to “store electricity” to help meet peak demand periods. Here’s how a…
ASD named one of America’s Most Innovative Companies
Today’s Article includes an NFDA Convention Preview Who says Death Care is not “innovative”? Just this week I learned that ASD – Answering Service for Directors was named to Fortune‘s 2026…
