If you read Funeral Director Daily and listen to me when I have a chance to be a guest on an industry podcast you know that I believe that there is a great, and growing, potential market in what I call the “Cremation Aftermarket”. My take on the the “Cremation Aftermarket” is that…
In a press release from last week funeral home operator and consolidator Anthem Partners announced that they are “developing a strategic partnership” with Tribute Technology. And, according to this press release, “As the first step in this partnership, all websites for the Anthem Partners’ locations have been updated and moved to the Tribute Technology platform”.…
We didn’t quite make it through the week without being able to give you another article which again shows a “bullishness” in the greater Death Care profession and industry. As I’ve noticed several times recently, at the same time that many Death Care retail operators are “skittish” about the future of their business it…
Service Corporation International (SCI), the largest funeral home operator in North America, has grown its “Consolidated Funeral Revenue” 20.8% from 2019 (the latest year not affected by the pandemic) through 2024. Their annual financial report lists this number as $1.92 billion in the year 2019 and $2.32 billion in the most recent year of…
I awoke early Monday morning to hear of the death of Pope Francis. Pope Francis, who was 88 years of age at the time of his death, had served in his present position since 2013. There is no doubt that his death will bring immense publicity to his funeral wishes and the historic…
BUSINESS
Might this be a trend in small community cemetery financing?
Nobody really likes taxes. . . .But, then again, nobody wants their loved ones forgotten either. If you are in the Death Care business you know of the costs to operate cemeteries. And,…
New York’s Green-Wood Cemetery becomes more immersive
This recent article from the Smithsonian Magazine mentions that “Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery—a sprawling, hilly burial ground filled with tombstones from the 19th and 20th centuries—has long been a destination for more than the dead.…
Is there something to learn here?
I’ll admit that I’m not the most tech savvy person when it comes to knowing how the internet and artificial intelligence might benefit my funeral home. But, I’m also a business person who is…
FINANCE
Carriage Services Earnings Call: Look for an acquisition announcement . . . and back to the basics in building market share
Last week Carriage Services reported their 1st Quarter of 2026 Financial Results and also conducted their Earnings Call with stock analysts. You can read Funeral Director Daily’s article on the 1Q26 earnings here. Today,…
Matthews International Earnings Call: Memorialization business, more acquisitions such as the Dodge purchase in the works?
Funeral home and cemetery products supplier Matthews International reported their January thru March 2026 earnings on April 30. The next day company CEO Joseph Bartolacci and company CFO Daniel Stopar answered questions from stock analysts…
SCI Earnings Call: CEO Tom Ryan answers on Preneed and Managing
Service Corporation International reported on their 1st Quarter of 2026 about ten days ago and then followed that up with an Earnings Call with stock analysts that follow the company. As usual Funeral Director…
REGULATIONS
Might this be a trend in small community cemetery financing?
Nobody really likes taxes. . . .But, then again, nobody wants their loved ones forgotten either. If you are in the Death Care business you know of the costs to operate cemeteries. And,…
California county sees fit to restrict Natural Organic Reduction (NOR) remains
Over the last month or so we have followed a growing discontent in Fresno County, California, and specifically an area along the San Joaquin River about the process of Natural Organic Reduction (NOR) remains…
Harvard business professor: Time to pay funeral expenses of organ donors
According to this recent article authored by Alex Chan of the Harvard Business School and Kurt Sweat of The School of Public Health at the University of Texas Southwest Medical Center “In the U.S.,…
CEMETERY
Might this be a trend in small community cemetery financing?
Nobody really likes taxes. . . .But, then again, nobody wants their loved ones forgotten either. If you are in the Death Care business you know of the costs to operate cemeteries. And,…
New York’s Green-Wood Cemetery becomes more immersive
This recent article from the Smithsonian Magazine mentions that “Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery—a sprawling, hilly burial ground filled with tombstones from the 19th and 20th centuries—has long been a destination for more than the dead.…
SCI Earnings Call: CEO Tom Ryan answers on Preneed and Managing
Service Corporation International reported on their 1st Quarter of 2026 about ten days ago and then followed that up with an Earnings Call with stock analysts that follow the company. As usual Funeral Director…
CREMATION
Price: Calculated by Supply and Demand
I’m not an economics major but I know that the price I can charge for my goods or services is somewhat dictated by the supply and demand of those goods and services. Is that…
Are we asking the right question?
Over my years as an active funeral director I would be called to the place of death and eventually ask the family before I left, “Are you thinking about burial or cremation?” If you’re…
Heating homes with cremation emissions: An ethical question?
Energy transfer is not a new science. Yet I was surprised when I read this recent article published in The World – Public Radio that was titled “How cremations are helping to heat…
PRENEED
SCI Earnings Call: CEO Tom Ryan answers on Preneed and Managing
Service Corporation International reported on their 1st Quarter of 2026 about ten days ago and then followed that up with an Earnings Call with stock analysts that follow the company. As usual Funeral Director…
Survey finds continued growth in the Preneed market . . but, there are cracks in the armor
Preneed continues to grow. . . .but is the growth enough? That is a great question and, among other things, we will look at the percentage growth of preneed on a “revenue per preneed…
Park Lawn situation: In Substack article, author Russo opines on the events of last week
On Monday of this week Substack, under their “On Deathcare” platform released a very well researched article by author Tony Russo titled, “Why are we still pretending Homesteaders is ‘just’ a Park Lawn investor?”…
PRODUCTS
California county sees fit to restrict Natural Organic Reduction (NOR) remains
Over the last month or so we have followed a growing discontent in Fresno County, California, and specifically an area along the San Joaquin River about the process of Natural Organic Reduction (NOR) remains…
Parting Stone hires former customer and industry award recipient, continues march forward with funeral home partners
Parting Stone, the pioneer in solidified remains, announced last week in a press release that they have hired the 2025 recipient of the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) Inspiration Award, Katey Houston, “. .…
Batesville makes investment in Eterneva, will “leverage” client relationships
Last week Batesville announced in this press release that they had “made an equity investment in Eterneva and formed a strategic partnership with the company to expand access to custom memorial diamonds.” Batesville also…
