Again, the 15th of the month leads us to re-issue our Top Read articles of the month for our readers —  just in case you missed one of them the first time.

This month two articles dealing with legal issues of Death Care appear as our Top Two articles and for the first-time ever an article has re-appeared on the list for a 2nd time.  The article “Funeral Women Lead is defining a path for the changing face of funeral service” first appeared in August 2025 and had enough readers to be on the August 15 Top Read list.

In what probably signals better SEO rankings for Funeral Director Daily, now – 60 days later — the article is reappearing as one of our Top 5 read articles between September 15 and October 14.  A first for Funeral Director Daily articles!!

Here’s the articles that our readers read most over the past 30 days just in case you missed one:

1. Indiana Court:  “Death Doula” does not need a funeral director license.
2. Arkansas lawsuit questions “Denials of Claims” with “Burial” policies.
3. “Funeral Women Lead” is defining a path for the changing face of funeral service.
4. Another acquisition by Park Lawn Corporation.
5. Titan Casket “Keeps on Keeping on”. . . and growing.

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“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

Another month has rolled on by and we continue to write varied articles that let those in the Death Care profession know what is going on around them.  Our articles vary in topic and it is a guess from month-to-month which articles might be of the most interest to readers.

That’s why on or about the 15th of each month we generate a list of our five most read articles from the past thirty days.  Since July 15 the most read article dealt with the changes going on at Foundation Partners Group. . . . and other top articles dealt with retail or supplier transactions, the growing Funeral Women Lead organization, and another movie with Death Care ramifications being filmed and expected to hit streaming sources in 2026.

In case you missed any of those articles, here they are:

1. Foundation Partners Group announces new ownership 
2. Williams’ expand reach by purchasing Wisconsin’s Brian Mark Funeral Homes
3. Funeral Women Lead is defining the path for the changing face of funeral service. 
4. Tukios, Batesville make a deal.  
5. Lucky us. . . .another Death Care profession movie being filmed.  

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“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

“Death Care” when I first heard the phrase, consisted of those businesses that offered funeral services, cremations, caskets, vaults, memorial products, prep room supplies, funeral home and cemetery supplies, and cemetery services.  While world-wide in scope. it was a pretty small circle of products and services that were deemed “Death Care”.

I recently read this article from investor oriented 24/7 Wall Street that is titled “U.S. Leads $147 billion global Deathcare industry as Private Equity bets on digital disruption”.

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

I get somewhat leery when I read articles from some financial sources because many times the article is slanted in trying to convince the reader to buy one stock or another.  However, I took the time to check on the author of this article, John Seetoo.  Mr. Seetoo appears to be an expert in the financial markets and writes under his own byline for various publications.  And, in reading the linked article, it appears to me to be a general article on “Death Care” companies more than any advertising or marketing material.  Although one can never be totally sure that there is no ulterior motive for the article.

I’m treating this article as one of general interest rather than one with a marketing bent to it.  And, I think it is an interesting piece of knowledge to know when you think of the expanding definition of “Death Care”.  For instance, many of the companies that Mr. Seetoo refers to in this article have nothing to do with the disposition of a human body — but are in the peripherals of that industry. . . .in effect expanding the definition of Death Care.

Part of the article deals with the public companies that we know in Death Care — Service Corporation International, Carriage Services, Matthews International, and Security National Financial Corporation.  But, in another part of the article, Mr. Seetoo hypothesizes on which companies may be the next in the “Greater Death Care” world to seek an initial public offering to go public.  In total, he describes about a dozen companies in Death Care. . . . some of which you may be aware of and some of which you may not be.

Some of those companies which you may not be familiar with include:

• PlotBox
• Freewill
• Empathy
• Remento
• Settld

Those are some of the author’s bets on companies that will grow in Death Care.  As I mentioned, none of them deals with the handling of deceased human remains.  And, in my opinion, he’s missing a lot of companies who should be right up their with those companies as companies that might be a public company in Death Care at some point in time.  Some of those companies are:

• Better Place Forests
• Sunset App
• Return Home
• Fireless Cremation
• Recompose
• Parting Stone
• Tukios

If nothing else, just naming all of those companies that will be pulling their revenue dollars out of clients who are or have dealt with a recent loss of life shows how big “Death Care” is becoming.  Just the existence of the companies makes a point that Death Care is changing, growing,  and adapting to the needs and wants of those who have suffered loss.

That change and adapting also makes note that just because what you have done to bring in revenue in “Death Care” in the past does not mean that you will continue to bring in that revenue without the services that clientele is looking for in the future.  There may need to be “Adaptation” and “Optionality” in your offerings to the public to stay on top of the game.

In any regards. . . .a good read and a good discussion starter on where “Death Care” is going.

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“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

An article was authored by Seeking Alpha contributor Daniel Jones last week about the largest funeral home and cemetery operator in North America — Service Corporation International (SCI).  As our headline mentions, the title of the article, that you can access here, is “SCI:  A stock to take to the grave”.

Jones uses some information and images from SCI’s 1st Quarter presentation, which you can see here, in giving his analysis and opinion.

As with almost all of the articles from another source that give stock information and suggestions, we will quote some of the thoughts from the article but leave the personal opinions of Funeral Director Daily out of the equation.

Here are some of the quotes Jones uses in making his decisions on SCI:

• “Service Corporation International remains a ‘buy’ due to its industry leadership, stable growth, and strong long-term demographic tailwinds.”
• “The company’s asset clustering strategy and fragmented market offer significant acquisition and cost-saving opportunities for continued expansion.”
• Transition to insurance-funded pre-need contracts should improve margins and sales growth, with management guiding for stronger performance in 2026.”
• Since I (Seeking Alpha author Jones) last wrote about the company in January of this year, in an article in which I reaffirmed the business as a ‘buy’ candidate, the stock is up only 3.8% compared to the 4.3% rise that the S&P 500 has enjoyed. But since I originally rated it a ‘buy’ over nine years ago in April 2016, the stock is up an astounding 248.4%. That comfortably outpaces the 188% rise enjoyed by the S&P 500 over the same window of time. 

A couple of different graphics are shared in the report from the SCI 1st Quarter presentation.  Those graphics make these statements:

• “SCI has 1,985 total locations in North America as of March 31, 2025

• “SCI has a 17% market share in North America with other consolidators listed as 9% in total, and independents have a 74% market share.”

Disclaimer — The author of this article for Funeral Director Daily is a stockholder of Service Corporation International

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“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

Enlightening and Honest NYT Article About Deathcare Draws Interesting Responses

These days, anytime a deathcare professional hears that the funeral service is the subject of a big news story, cringing with dread is usually the natural reaction. The profession’s (very) few bad actors seem to gather 99% of the spotlight. On May 15, though, The New York Times featured an article that shed an empathetic and fair light on the industry’s economic challenges, highlighting positive innovations and featuring some of deathcare’s brightest stars.

The NYT headline, “Profits Are Stagnant. But the Funeral Industry Is Not Dead Yet,” was followed by the subtitle, “As cremation rates rise and consumer preferences shift, funeral homes are innovating in surprisingly unconventional ways so they don’t die out.” The story, authored by Susan Shain, was an installment in the outlet’s Making It Work series about “small-business owners striving to endure hard times.”

Similar sentiments 

For the article, which requires a subscription for full access, Shain interviewed four funeral professionals, each of whom addressed deathcare’s current concerns (overwhelmingly, rising cremation rates and staffing shortages) and how they’re overcoming them. Lanae Strovers, funeral director at Hamilton’s Funeral Home in Des Moines, Iowa, shared examples of highly-customized services she’s created for families, citing the similarities to planning parties. 

“[..T]hose two lines are crossing over and we just need to open up our thought process and be there to help the families,” Strovers said. 

Walker Posey of Funeral Directors in North Augusta, South Carolina seconded Strovers, describing some of the highly personalized services he has conducted. Posey said that educating families that services like these aren’t just limited to traditional burials, but can accompany cremation as well. 

Sarah Smith, a funeral director at Einan’s at Sunset Funeral Home in Richland, Washington, and Faith Haug, chair of the mortuary science department at Arapahoe Community College in Littleton, Colorado, offered similar responses. Both advocated for evolving business models and complementary offerings, such as bright, all-purpose event spaces, low-cost cremations, and more eco-friendly options like green burial and natural organic reduction. 

And now … the comments

Unlike subscribers to some platforms, the majority of the NYT readers who commented on Shain’s article offered some profound responses and only a couple of truly derogatory replies. 

Many recommended preplanning and notifying family members of those plans, while others recommended body donation for medical study. Some expressed their personal plans or preferences and discussed specifics like the validity of headstones, whether or not public viewings should continue and how funeral home paperwork could be cut down. And of course, there were the obligatory few bemoaning “Big Death” and high carbon footprint disposition methods.

Overall optimism

In light of many recent deathcare-related headlines, this piece is refreshingly optimistic and honest. End-of-life preferences may be changing, but the profession remains ready to serve, whether that means hosting a cocktail hour and setting up a runway and mannequins for a service for a model and fashion designer (as Strovers has done) or hiring people wearing superhero costumes to greet visitors at the memorial for a child (thanks to Posey).

Haug closes out the piece on a hopeful note, predicting that even if some operations are forced to close their doors or sell to large corporations the deathcare profession will live on.

“Funeral service will exist until there are no people,” Ms. Haug said. “I mean, animals care for their dead — the profession is not going away. But it does look different than it used to, and it is going to continue to evolve.”

Wow!!  The middle of the month seems to have got here fast and with it comes our list of “Top Read” Funeral Director Daily articles over the past 30 days.

This month it looks like there is something for everybody’s interest.  Our top-rated articles cover subjects like revenue growth, potential casket tariffs, consumer perceptions on funeral pricing, the acquistion temperature, and even a story of cremated remains being held for ransom. . . .

If you missed these articles during the month, just click on them to catch up with the news. . . .and, thanks for reading Funeral Director Daily.  Thanks to you we continue to grow our readership and continue to offer the most timely business news and ideas in the profession. . . . Thanks again!!!!

BTW —- It will change minute by minute, but as I went to list the Top 5 read articles of the month (Wednesday), the top two were absolutely tied in monthly page views. . . .It is the first time I can remember that happening.  (Editor’s note:  By Thursday morning when I proof read the blogpost, the Trump Tariff article had jumped into the number one position with a 14 point advantage).

1. Trump’s tariffs and caskets.
2. A look at funeral industry revenues — some interesting observations
3. Acquisitions, mergers, and new owners seem to be the norm now in funeral services.
4. A perception that seems to be getting tougher to shake.
5. Cremated remains priceless?  These were ransomed for $2 million.

Funeral Director Daily publishes a minimum of 22 articles per month and receives between 17,000 and 20,000 page views (and growing) each month representing many industry leaders and local decision makers.  Thanks for reading!!!

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“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

As has become our custom when an article about one of the Death Care Index (DCI) companies is published in Seeking Alpha we bring that article to you.  Last week an article about Carriage Services was published titled “Carriage Services:  Strong gains look beckoning in 2025″.

You can access that article here.

As is also our custom with these types of articles, we present them to our readers with no opinion on our part.  Here are a couple of exerpts, however, from the article:

• “Carriage Services shows strong growth in Preneed cemetery sales, and free cash flow gains, and has revised guidance upward due to robust quarterly earnings beats.”

• “. . . . it wasn’t surprising to see the company report a strong earnings beat due to an 11% top-line gain over the same period of 12 months prior. Strong gains in both the top & bottom lines resulted in management bumping up full-year top-line guidance to approximately $400 million and adjusted free cash flow to approximately $60 million.”

• “Carriage’s fiscal 2024 trends demonstrate that momentum may be ramping up even further in the funeral & cemetery provider. Why do we state this? Considering that earnings growth is the prime driver of stocks on Wall Street, Carriage is projected to deliver over 21% growth in fiscal 2025.”

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“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

Parting Stone, the New Mexico based start-up that takes cremated ash remains and turns them into what they term “Solidified Remains” recently sent out this press release celebrating their 10,000th family served in their short business history.

In the press release the company says this about their achievement, “This milestone marks a significant achievement in the company’s mission to provide a comforting, tangible alternative to conventional cremated remains and highlights an important shift in the modern grief experience in America.”

The company calls their solid form of cremated remains, which results in 40-80 small stones “a complete alternative to conventional “ashes.”

Related Article — In a somewhat related article the New York Post published this article recently titled, “How innovative cremation services are giving a new spin to the end of life”.   The article features Parting Stone but also mentions about a dozen other alternatives for cremated remains.

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

The article intimates that with the high percentage of cremations taking place there is also a feeling that burial of cremated remains, niche placement, and even home urn placement are not the preferred ways that people want to memorialize their cremated loved ones.  According to the article, “They (consumers) want customized events paired with tactile experiences. Not surprisingly, a creative movement memorializing ashes is now happening.”

To that end, there are many opportunities, wide and varied in scope, coming to market for the these consumers looking for another option and the article mentions many of them with links to the processes.

I would suggest that you read the article and learn of the options available.  Many of them offer commissions or margins to funeral directors who facilitate the sale and, in a business looking for increased revenue, that revenue may come in handy.

The NY Post article states, “According to the Cremations Association of North America’s 2022 Cremation Memorialization Research, almost one in four US households, or approximately 22 million families, have human cremated remains in their homes.”

Disclosure:  The author of this article for Funeral Director Daily is a shareholder of Parting Stone.

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“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

While 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 could return Carriage Services’ M&A activity.”

The article which was dated January 15, 2024, can be found here. 

While Funeral Director Daily will refrain from giving our own comments on the company, here are a couple of quotes from the article:

 

• “In the most recently reported Q3 report, revenues grew 11.3% year-on-year through strategic pricing increases in funeral contracts, and more notably, rapid growth in sold preneed interment rights – revenues from preneeds continued to grow at a rapid 27.1% pace in the quarter after strong momentum in previous quarters as well.” 

 

• “Although Carriage Services’ strategy focuses on consolidating the highly fragmented industry through accretive M&A, the company stayed quiet on the M&A front for the entirety of 2024, even divesting some non-core assets.”

 

• “Carriage Services’ operations have shown solid momentum organically with good pricing increases and growing demand in cemetery preneeds, also carrying into underlying profitability.”

 

Disclaimer — The author of this article for Funeral Director Daily is a shareholder of Carriage Services.

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“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

An article that was about a pilot program in America’s Veterans Administration (VA) cemeteries proved to be the most read article in the past thirty days on Funeral Director Daily.

The article dealt with this press release sent out by the Veterans Administration in late November.  The press release noted “the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced it is now piloting interments in green burial sections at three VA national cemeteries. This pilot provides Veterans interment options that minimize environmental impact”.

Other articles that rated in Funeral Director Daily’s “Top 5” from December 15 to January 14 include articles on acquisitions, growing case volume, the death of a Minnesota funeral legend, and an opinion on the Federal Trade Commission “Funeral Rule” implementation.  If you missed those articles, here they are:

1. Veteran’s Affairs Cemeteries to offer “Green Burial” pilot programs.
2. Funeral home adds two locations, tweaks their brand.  
3. More case volume:  Organic growth vs. Acquisition
4. Minnesota loses a legend in Death Care
5. My Opinion:  Federal Trade Commission should suspend potential “Funeral Rule” changes

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“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”