NGL Matching Funds Propel Selected Educational Trust to $50,000 in Contributions

LINCOLNSHIRE, IL — December 9, 2025 — Thanks in part to a generous donation match challenge issued by National Guardian Life Insurance Company (NGL), the Selected Educational Trust raised more than $40,000 in donations from Selected member firms, individuals, and supporting organizations between September 15 and October 31. With NGL’s commitment to match donations dollar for dollar up to $10,000, total contributions surpassed $50,000.

“The future of funeral service depends on engaged funeral home owners and staff, supportive vendors and organizations that offer robust resources for education and growth,” said Leigh Klemencic, Assistant Vice President – Marketing Communications. “The Selected Independent Funeral Homes Educational Trust is one such organization, and NGL is delighted to participate in this gift match. As a member of the Board of Trustees, I’ve had the honor of seeing firsthand the incredible work this organization does and know these funds will go to very good use.”

“We are sincerely grateful to NGL for championing this effort and to every donor who answered the call,” said Stefanie Favia, Executive Director of the Selected Educational Trust. “This match challenge inspired remarkable generosity across our community and directly strengthens the resources we can offer to independent funeral service professionals. By working together, we are advancing education, supporting career development, and investing in the future of our profession.”

With these funds, the Selected Educational Trust will continue its important work of empowering funeral service professionals to thrive in their careers and better serve their communities. This includes connecting independent funeral homes with the next generation of the profession and providing scholarships and progressive skill-building opportunities for funeral service professionals at all stages of their careers.

For more information about the Selected Educational Trust, visit www.selectedtrust.org or contact Stefanie Favia at stefanie@selectedtrust.org.

About the Selected Educational Trust

The mission of the Selected Educational Trust (www.selectedtrust.org) is to provide the best educational opportunities for the advancement and support of all who work within the independent funeral service profession. To fulfill this mission, the Trust provides programs which offer scholarships to mortuary science students and funeral service professionals, online education through its Institute for Exceptional Funeral Service powered by National Guardian Life Insurance Company (www.funeral-institute.org) and networking and employment opportunities through its Workforce Development Centers.

About NGL

Established in 1909 National Guardian Life Insurance Company (NGL) is an insurance company headquartered in Madison, Wis. Licensed to do business in 49 states and the District of Columbia, NGL markets preneed and individual life and annuities, as well as group markets products. Information about NGL can be found at www.nglic.com; Facebook: Facebook.com/NGLIC and LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-guardian-life-insurance-company.

National Guardian Life Insurance Company is not affiliated with The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America a/k/a The Guardian or Guardian Life.

Public funeral home operator Propel Funeral Partners released their Fiscal Year 2025 results recently and the results which cover the period of July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, show higher revenue and higher net profits for the company.  On the downside, however, Propel Funeral Partners (PFP) showed a contraction in funeral volumes among “comparable” funeral homes for the year.

As for the revenue and profits for the largest public Death Care company in Australia and New Zealand, the company recorded Revenue of US$ 148.74 million for FY25 as compared to US$137.81 million in FY24 — that’s an increase of about 7.9%.  PFP posted an increase in “Net Profit Before Taxes” of US$ 20.09 million in FY25 as compared to US$ 19.7 million in FY24 — that’s an increase of right at 2.0%.

Propel Funeral Partners did a funeral volume of 22,602 cases in FY25 which is actually 4.4% higher than the previous year.  However, not including new acquisitions and only “comparable” businesses the company reported a decline of 1% of voume in those funeral homes.  And according to their 2025 Full-Year Announcement, that you can access here, that’s on top of a contraction of 6% of “comparable” funeral volumes in FY24.

Again, according to that announcement, PFP added, via acquisition during FY25, three businesses that “focus on their core strategy of acquiring assets and social infrastructure which operate in the Death Care industry in Australia and New Zealand”.  Those businesses included two funeral home operators and a supplier of headstones and monuments.  All acquisitions in FY 25 came in the country of New Zealand where it appears that 65 of Propel’s 205 operating units are located.

In terms of the company’s outlook in their Full-Year Announcement the company made the following comments about what they will benefit from:

•  Favorable demographics in Australia and New Zealand
• PFP’s strong funding position
• Acquisitions to date and other potential future acquisitions

The company also noted that the 2026 fiscal year has started strongly by:

• Record monthly revenue in July 2025 — Monthly revenue of US$ 14.08 million
• Average Revenue Per Funeral growth of 2.7%
• Contributions from recent acquisitions

Click here for the Propel Funeral Partner’s FY 2025 Results Presentation.

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

Funeral Director Daily take:  I strongly suggest taking a look at the company’s Results Presentation.  I’ve always thought that comparing what the “Big Boys” are doing with the results of my own operations was a good exercise.

I found two items that would concern me about Propel’s financial operations.  First of all, nobody likes a decline in volume . . . and I believe that the larger operation one operates the more that is a concern.  I say that because a 100-call funeral operation can easily have a 10% increase or reduction simply by the highs or lows of deaths in the area.

However, when you operate 205 facilities in two different countries the numbers are greater and should balance out between one community doing an increase in a year and other operations doing a decrease in services a year.  Simply speaking, you are not just looking at the 12-month results of a 100-call funeral home.  That being said, the 1% decrease in “comparable” services is within a range of potential variances, but I would keep a watch on the number to find out if it becomes a trend.

Secondly, and an issue that many in the retail Death Care business have right now is the “Revenue per service” number.  First of all, an increase in cremation services tends to drive that revenue average down, but the inflationary price pressures funeral homes face means that we cannot allow that number to go down too far.

Propel Funeral Partners mentions that their FY25 Revenue per service US$ 4,427. . . .an increase of 2.3% over FY24.  Propel’s report says that is “in line with inflation”.

Proving my point about comparing data with the public companies —  The following was written in the NFDA Memorial Business Journal and recieved in my Inbox as I was writing this article:

“When it comes to running any type of business, data is worth more than its weight in gold. According to research by McKinsey & Company, companies that make extensive use of their analytics data are nearly three times likelier to have a higher ROI (Return on Investment) than their competition. They’re also 23 times likelier to acquire more customers than their competition and nine times likelier to retain more customers.”

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Tukios Acquires Batesville’s Funeral Home Website Hosting Services to Propel Websites to the Next Level

Ogden, UT and Batesville, IN – July 17, 2025 – Tukios, a leading provider of website technology solutions for the funeral profession, announced today that it has acquired the funeral home website hosting services from Batesville, a trusted leader in the North American deathcare industry. Effective immediately, the acquisition includes Batesville’s Website Hosting Services, Floral Select, AI Obit writer, and sympathy tree offerings.

Renowned for its cutting-edge technology and exceptional customer service, Tukios is excited to unify the two web hosting platforms and create the most robust solution possible. As a result of the transition, funeral home customers will benefit from a dedicated technology customized to meet the unique needs of funeral professionals.  

“We are laser-focused on creating the best website platform in the funeral profession, and we are honored to carry that mission forward with Batesville’s website hosting services,” said Curtis Funk, Founder and CEO of Tukios. “Our team is dedicated to providing a seamless transition and an exceptional level of customer service. We have long admired Batesville and are proud to work alongside a company that shares our commitment to serving funeral professionals.”

For Batesville, this transition is about sharpening its focus on delivering greater value for funeral home customers. 

“Through targeted investments, we are strengthening our leadership position in Burial products, broadening our Cremation portfolio, and delivering integrated Technology Solutions that simplify operations and enhance the planning experience for families,” said Chris Trainor, CEO of Batesville. “Our goal is to equip funeral professionals with the tools and resources to support their business and help position them for long-term success.” 

Both companies are working closely together to ensure a seamless experience for customers, with no disruption in service. Funeral homes will continue to receive the same high level of service and features. As part of the transition, customers will have the option to take advantage of the Tukios platform at their own pace and will not be required to make any immediate changes.

For more information about Tukios, visit www.Tukios.com. To learn more about Batesville’s burial, cremation, and technology solutions, visit www.Batesville.com. 

About Tukios
Tukios builds software to improve funerals. Their innovative tech platform is revolutionizing the profession. Their tribute video software is the industry standard, and they have the fastest-growing website product in deathcare. Tukios’ reputation for stellar customer service continues to create raving fans. To learn more, please call 801.682.4391 or email Sales@Tukios.com 

About Batesville Services
Batesville is a recognized leader in the death care industry in North America, offering a comprehensive portfolio of burial and cremation products, memorialization options and innovative technology solutions. For more than 125 years, Batesville has supported licensed funeral professionals in helping families honor the lives of those they love^®. A history of manufacturing excellence, product innovation, superior customer service, and reliable delivery helped Batesville become – and remain – a trusted leader in the death care industry. To learn more, please call 812.931.5084 or email Media.Inquiries@Batesville.com 

According to this February article from Sharecafe of Australia, public funeral home consolidator and operator Propel Funeral Partners recently has executed agreements on the purchase of two historical funeral homes in New Zealand.  According to the article it brings the company’s operations up to 198 facilities which includes 38 cremation facilities and 9 cemeteries.

According to the same article, Propel has entered into these agreements with:

• Twentyman’s Funeral Services and Thames Crematory which has operated since 1867 and includes a pet services division also.
• Richmond Funeral Home and Claremond crematorium, a Death Care provider since 1887.

The article from Sharecafe also makes this statement, “Together, these businesses conducted approximately 600 funerals last year, generating $AUS 3.7 million in revenue  ($US 2.34 million). They operate across seven locations, with Propel acquiring three properties outright and leasing the remaining four, with purchase options available on three of them.”

The article and this article on the subject transaction from Grafa lists the total potential acquisition cost once metrics are met as $AUS 7.3 million ($US 4.62 million).

Related —  Propel Funeral Partners website

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

Funeral Director Daily take:  I like to find these type of “transaction” articles because it helps me in looking at the valuations in the Death Care business.  I’m no expert on funeral home transactions and current prices but I do try to look at the numbers to keep somewhat abreast of what I can learn about funeral home values.

First of all, you can tell that the properties are more than likely highly cremation facilities because the revenues listed are US $ 2.34 million.  We are also given the data of about 600 services annually between the acquired firms.  That would make their Revenue per Case come out to a number near US$ 3,900.  In my opinion, that number would be a number indicating a high number of cremation services.

Secondly, when you look at the purchase price of US $ 4.62 million for an annual revenue of US$ 2.34 million it comes out to a purchase number that is roughly twice the annual revenue (1.97x).

Again, we don’t know the value of the property included in the sale, but it does give us a data point to look at.

If, and when, you decide to either sell your funeral home and/or purchase an additional funeral home, the more data points that you have knowledge of is helpful.  However, it is impossible to get a great handle on these sale numbers if you don’t know the total equation  — that is real estate value, average case sale, etc.

That’s why having an experienced team in your corner that does mergers, sales, and acquisitions every day is so valuable.  If you are ever looking for that type of help look no further than my friends at Johnson Consulting Group.

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Propel Funeral Partners (PNP) which I believe is the 2nd largest Death Care provider in Australia and New Zealand and the largest “publicly traded” Death Care company in those countries reported their year-end results in late August.  Propel’s fiscal year covers the time period of July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024.

For that Fiscal Year 2024, the company’s revenue was up to AUS $209.2 million (US $ 140.92 million) which is a 24% increase over the prior year and the company’s Net Profit After Tax (NPAT) was AUS $23.4 million (US $ 15.8 Million) which is up 12.2% over the same period for Fiscal Year 2023.

It should be noted, however, that those numbers include part-year operations from eleven acquisitions completed during FY2024.

Management made the following comments in their press release of August 27, 2024, which you can access from this website.  You also can access a very well done Power Point presentation about the company from that same link.

• “FY 2024 was another record year for Propel”

• “The Company experienced material growth in key operating and financial metrics, despite the higher inflationary and interest rate environment and a contraction in industry death volumes, which is expected to be temporary.”

• “Total funeral volumes were 21,655 — up approximately 20% over the previous year”

• “Comparable funeral volumes contracted 6%”

• “Average Revenue per funeral was AUS $6,635 (US $ 4,469) — which was up 4% over FY2023

• “Comparable Average Revenue per funeral was up 5.5% over FY2023”

Here is the Propel Funeral Partners website

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

Funeral Director Daily take:  I’m not a stockholder, but I like Propel Funeral Partners.  I like companies that exhibit growth over a period of time and have the ability to coninually do that as compared to companies with staggered growth and lagging patterns to them.  In my opinion, continual gradual improvement, in many metrics, over time is the cornerstone of a highly functioning company.

Take a look on Slides 10 and 11 of the Investor Presentation of which I have provided a link.  You will see the graphs going in all the right directions over the past decade in all of the following categories:

• Funeral Volume
• Operating EBITDA
• Total Revenues
• Operating Net Profit
• Average Revenue Per Funeral

In addition you will see the potential of the company as the projected demographics of the number of deaths in Australia and New Zealand are presented and show great opportunity to Death Care companies.

Thirdly, although I’d like to know where the statistics come from, there is a pie-chart showing Propel’s market share of deaths growing to 9% at the same time that the largest provider in Australia and New Zealand, InvoCare, has dropped 4% of market share.

Finally, the presentation points out that Propel Funeral Partners has “Founder led management with significant ownership and industry experience” that has built the company from 1 to 198 locations.

Compare that to InvoCare that was just taken private by one of the biggest private equity companies in the world. . . . They will have resources, but do they have “operational feel” to make use of those resources in the right places?  In my opinon, that is a question that bears watching.

On the down-side, I would like more information as to why “Comparable funeral volumes” contracted 6%.  Management mentioned a “temporary contraction in industry death rates”.  But, is that the only reason?

In conclusion, Propel Funeral Partners seems to be doing things right and is a company to watch in our profession.

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The growth of Propel Funeral Partners of Australia and New Zealand is apparent when you look at the company’s financial report covering the 1st-Half of 2024, ending on December 31, 2023.  In looking at the report you will see that, what is now believed to be the South Pacific’s largest “publicly-held” death care operating company, shows an increase in gross revenue of almost AUS $ 103 million as compared to AUS $ 83.8 million for the Prior Corresponding Period (PCP).  That’s an increase of over 23% in revenue.

Operating EBITDA is also up over 18% compared to the Prior Corresponding Period. . . and funeral case volume is also up over 17%.  You can find that information from this visual power point presentation about the 1st-Half results.

However, as good as those aspects of the report look. . . in looking a little deeper you will see that much of that increase comes from recently acquired businesses as the company comments that while “total funeral volumes were 10,637, up 17.4% on the PCP, comparable funeral volumes contracted by 9.8% on the PCP.”

Propel does illuminate a little about the contraction and say going forward they look to the contraction being temporary because:

• Prior period declines have rebounded quickly;
• The unusually benign winter flu season; and
• The growing and ageing populations in Australia and New Zealand.

On a more positive note, I noticed that Propel’s Average Revenue per Funeral (ARF) had moved up 4.5% overall and 6.0% on a comparative basis. . which seems to indicate that the companies existing funeral homes have been able to increase their prices.  In countries where the cremation rate is 70% (Australia) and 75% (New Zealand) the ability to increase the ARF in cremation cases, where many now are in the Direct Cremation category, is impressive.  It gives hope to cremation providers that the right approach to consumers may be more financially rewarding than many think.

From the power-point presentation data, it appears that Average Revenue per Funeral has been increased by over 10% since 2021.

Other items we learned from the power-point presentation:

• The population of Australia and New Zealand is aging much like the United States demographics.  Death volumes in Australia are expected to increase 2.9% from 2030 to 2040.  In New Zealand they are expected to increase in the same time period by 2.1

• Australian/New Zealand death care providers are consolidating.  Independents are believed to have a 70% market share, down from a 74% market share in 2015.  In the same time period, Propel Funeral Partners believes that they have went from 1% to 9% and they believe the recently taken private largest provider of death care in Australia/New Zealand, InvoCare has dropped from 25% to 21% market share.

• Propel Funeral Partners operates 187 locations in Australia and New Zealand.

• If Propel Funeral Partners would have the same amount of revenue in the 2nd half of 2024 as they did in the first half they would total approximately AUS $ 206 million in annual revenue.  With exchange rates taken into consideration, that would put Propel at about 1/3 the size, based on revenue, of the Carriage Services and Park Lawn Corporation organizations.

Here is the Propel Funeral Partners website from where you can glean more information.

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