I’ve heard from people over the years that thought Matthews International was “too complicated” of a company. The company that started in 1850 and and produced its first-ever bronze memorial in 1927, according to this article on Matthews history, continued with ever-increasing products for Death Care but also entered other business segments over…
Read MoreWhile it certainly is speculation on their part, one research contributor at Seeking Alpha, Caffital Research, says this about publicly held funeral home and cemetery operator Carriage Services, “The company has been quiet on the M&A front to improve the financial position throughout 2024, but with debt levels reaching a more desirable level, 2025…
Read MoreOkay. . . I’m generally not one to toot my own horn, but I did promise my friend Charis Rethorford, Head of Partnerships and Marketing at Prelude, that I would appear on one of their Zoom webinars to discuss the state of the funeral profession, as I see it, with her. If you…
Read MoreWith one acquisition announced in December and another in January Newcomer Funeral Service, based in Topeka, Kansas, continues to grow. The Newcomer website states “Newcomer Funeral Service Group is an independent funeral home, crematory, and cemetery service provider based in Topeka, Kansas with operations in ten states.” According to this press releasefrom…
Read MoreIf you have read Funeral Director Daily for any length of time you will know that I am an advocate of “Permanent Memorialization” of loved ones. My reason for that belief is pretty simple. . . 1) It is just the way I was brought up and 2) I believe every life has…
Read MoreBUSINESS
Trump and Musk. . . .Can you learn from their cost efficiency mandate?
President Trump and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) leader Elon Musk are rapidly looking at costs that are currently in the government budget that may be able to be whittled out. It…
Funeral homes receive rare “Letters of Assurance” from public authorities
Every day I search out articles about Death Care services to provide me with information on topics of interest in our profession/industry. One of the things that has been extremely disappointing to this…
The Trump tariffs and Death Care
The International Trade Association defines tariffs as such: “A tariff or duty (the words are used interchangeably) is a tax levied by governments on the value including freight and insurance of imported products.…
FINANCE
Trump and Musk. . . .Can you learn from their cost efficiency mandate?
President Trump and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) leader Elon Musk are rapidly looking at costs that are currently in the government budget that may be able to be whittled out. It…
Death Care investments. . . . an interesting observation
There has been a lot written about the stock markets in the two weeks of the Presidency of Donald Trump. So much seems to depend on what the item of the day with…
Our opinion: Matthews sale of ‘brand solutions unit” consolidates company into “Death Care and Innovation”
I’ve heard from people over the years that thought Matthews International was “too complicated” of a company. The company that started in 1850 and and produced its first-ever bronze memorial in 1927, according…
REGULATIONS
Funeral homes receive rare “Letters of Assurance” from public authorities
Every day I search out articles about Death Care services to provide me with information on topics of interest in our profession/industry. One of the things that has been extremely disappointing to this…
North Carolina floods, Florida hurricanes, and L.A. wildfires: The tragedy of losing “kept at home” cremated remains
If you have read Funeral Director Daily for any length of time you will know that I am an advocate of “Permanent Memorialization” of loved ones. My reason for that belief is pretty…
CEMETERY
CREMATION
North Carolina floods, Florida hurricanes, and L.A. wildfires: The tragedy of losing “kept at home” cremated remains
If you have read Funeral Director Daily for any length of time you will know that I am an advocate of “Permanent Memorialization” of loved ones. My reason for that belief is pretty…
PRENEED
Does “Loneliness” affect funeral services, revenue?
Prior to Christmas this past month I listened to my pastor preach on “Loneliness”, and loneliness specifically as it relates to the Holiday Season. You see, she pointed out, that while many of us…
Funeral Directors Life adds 48th state of operation
Earlier this week we learned that Funeral Directors Life (FDL), based in Abilene, Texas, was approved to sell preneed insurance in the state of Virginia. As you can read from this press release,…
Anthem Partners, Premiere Preneed, NGL form strategic relationship
In what is becoming a growing trend among larger funeral home operators Anthem Partners announced in late September that they had formed a strategic alliance with Premier Preneed Marketing and National Guardian Life (NGL) that…
PRODUCTS
The Trump tariffs and Death Care
The International Trade Association defines tariffs as such: “A tariff or duty (the words are used interchangeably) is a tax levied by governments on the value including freight and insurance of imported products.…
North Carolina floods, Florida hurricanes, and L.A. wildfires: The tragedy of losing “kept at home” cremated remains
If you have read Funeral Director Daily for any length of time you will know that I am an advocate of “Permanent Memorialization” of loved ones. My reason for that belief is pretty…