OneRoom Appoints Justin Whatley as Chief Revenue Officer

Funeral industry leader brings 15 years’ experience to strengthen OneRoom’s support for homes across the US
Houston, Texas, October 22 – OneRoom, the trusted funeral streaming provider, has appointed Justin Whatley as Chief Revenue Officer.

With more than 15 years in the profession and a family legacy in funeral service, Whatley brings deep industry knowledge and senior leadership to OneRoom’s work with funeral homes throughout North America.

“Justin knows the profession, and a lot of the people in it,” said Brady Cox, CEO of OneRoom. “He’s respected and understands what matters to funeral homes. As our platform continues to evolve, having someone of his calibre leading in the US gives us the senior focus and direct support our customers deserve.”

“OneRoom offered me the opportunity to give something truly valuable back to families,” said Whatley. “It allows people to attend remotely, but more importantly, it offers families the ability to go back and hear the poignant moments that reflect a loved one’s life well lived. That’s transformative.”

Based in Colorado, Whatley will lead OneRoom’s work with funeral homes across the United States and Canada He’ll focus on helping funeral homes reduce operational workload and provide families with a high-quality record of the service. With tools that work and leadership grounded in the profession, OneRoom is here to back funeral homes in doing their best work.

“COVID created this space, and for better or worse, it left some funeral homes unsure about how streaming fits,” Whatley added. “OneRoom has made it their mission to take the complexity out of it. I hope to show homes that this can be simple to offer, meaningful to families, and genuinely profitable. Profitability and serviceability do not have to be mutually exclusive.”

About OneRoom

OneRoom is a hands-free funeral streaming platform used by homes across North America, Australia, and New Zealand. With zero-effort setup, automated scheduling, and full guest support, it removes the burden of streaming from funeral staff – while opening up new opportunities to grow.

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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The last 30 day period has been one of the best, in terms of page views, in Funeral Director Daily’s history.  As I write this on Wednesday afternoon Funeral Director Daily has compiled 20,085 page views over the latest rolling 30-day period.  That more than likely puts us as the #1 read daily Death Care business-oriented publication in North America. . . . .Thank you for your continued and growing interest.  I’m thankful for your loyalty.

As is our custom in the middle of the month we re-publish the top five read articles of the latest 30-day period.  This month that list includes an article on the average funeral home size in the United States, cemetery issues, cremation choices, and the idea of somehow bringing recurring revenue to the Death Care profession.  It also includes an almost monthly inclusion of an article dealing with an acquisition.

Here are those articles in order of popularity among readers:

1. Pennsylvania funeral home acquires “down and out” operator.
2. So, What’s the “Average size” funeral home in the United States.
3. Cemetery put in trustee’s hands.
4. Are we nearing the “Cremation peak”?
5. Will “Recurring Revenue” come to Death Care”?

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It’s a staple fact that “Death” only occurs once for each human being.  And, in the business world of “Death Care” that’s a fact we have had to live with.  A recurring or repeat client is defined by a returning “family” not by repeat business of one individual.

Does that mean that “Recurring Revenue” will never come to Death Care?

First let’s define “Recurring Revenue” as defined by Gemini Artificial Intelligence that states:

“Recurring Revenue is a business model where companies earn predictable income from ongoing customer payments for subscriptions, memberships, or usage-based services over scheduled intervals (monthly, quarterly, or yearly), rather than from one-time sales.  This model provides greater revenue predictability and stability, allowing for more accurate financial forecasting and growth planning, and is often measured using metrics like Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) and Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR).”

 

There are items that come to mind rather quickly that are mature forms of Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) such as insurance payments, credit card interest, and fitness club memberships.  And there are those companies that found a way to do Recurring Revenue in their line of business and reaped incredible benefits and profits from doing so.

Two of the latter that come to mind are Netflix and Microsoft.  If you go back a decade or so before streaming there was video or CD rental stores where you would rent a video or CD movie for a set fee for the night.  Upstart Netflix competed by offering these videos or CDs by mail for a flat monthly fee — for that fee you could access as many movies as you would like. . . . . And Microsoft, they moved from being paid a set fee by the computer company for each computer sold with Microsoft software installed to a subscription service where the purchaser paid an annual recurring fee for the use of Microsoft products via online installation.

Both Netflix and Microsoft profited handsomely and still continue to use Recurring Revenue methods for sales.  Even in the world of writing this newsletter blog I need to subscribe to two Monthly Recurring Revenue companies in order to allow for photo images (istock) and distribute the newsletter (Mailchimp).

I think that Netflix and Microsoft both realized that you can gain more revenue “over time” than you can for a one-time purchase and there are lots of other advantages of MRR, such as raising fees or adding amenities for a price, that are easier to do in small monthly increments than in a one-time larger cost application.

So, the question should be asked in Death Care.  “Can a funeral home or cremation provider gain more revenue “over time” than they can for a one-time services and merchandise purchase at the time of death?”

In funeral service there are funeral home “Software as a Service (SaaS)” providers that provide their services to funeral homes and cremation operators on a monthly recurring model.  However, outside of preneed insurance premiums, I’m not aware of any other MRR methods that traditional funeral homes and cremation providers offer to retail consumers.

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

I also think that funeral homes that can figure out a way to offer their services on a MRR model will reap great benefits when doing so.  About the only service that I can think of that would work in that fashion today is some type of grief, bereavement, or mental health benefit.  There are suppliers that offer such and many funeral homes offer them free of charge for a time period post-funeral.  How about figuring out a way to offer this type of service on a monthly recurring revenue model going forward?

Would families subscribe to it?  Are there other services that a funeral home could piggy-back off of — such as estate services that would consolidate a group of benefits consumers would pay monthly for?  I challenge you to think of the opportunities.

Or will a company outside the realm of funeral service offer some type of MRR model for funeral or cremation services?  I can envision an insurer of “supplemental” insurance coverage such as AFLAC offering a preneed “Direct Cremation Option” upon death for a certain fee per month.  And of course, like life insurance, the younger you are when you take the coverage, the less per month it would cost.  AFLAC would pocket the fees every month and pay so much, possibly a fixed amount, to a cremation provider upon a death.  And, they would probably create higher profits as clients “lapse” their coverage over time.

In any regard, monthly recurring revenue charges are here.  I would challenge you to see how many you have — cell phone, gym membership, streaming services, internet services, movie passes, print subscriptions, and the like.

And, I also believe that whoever finds a way to do so with Death Care services will profit from the ingenuity of doing so.

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Eulogize Memorials Can Enhance Both Family Healing and Your Direct Cremation Revenue

More and more families are choosing direct cremation for a variety of reasons, but simplicity, affordability, and flexibility certainly top the list. It’s estimated that about 40% of U.S. families opted for a simple and straightforward direct cremation with no memorial service in 2024. But because this disposition option bypasses traditional rituals, families can sometimes feel emotionally unanchored or as if something is missing in the grieving process. Creating a memorial or tribute, even weeks or months later, can offer meaningful benefits to families choosing direct cremation. By offering these families access to Eulogize’s innovative and easy-to-use self-service platform, your funeral home can help families to grieve on their own terms, while at the same time enhancing your direct cremation revenue.

A win-win for families and providers

Pairing Eulogize’s self-service tribute creation option with direct cremation services is a strategy that’s already being proven successful by direct cremation providers across the country, says Eulogize co-founder Nick Kelly. 

“Our direct cremation partners wanted to have a way of offering a tribute and memorialization process to families,” Kelly shared in a recent interview with DISRUPT Media’s Ryan Thogmartin. “Offering families a single email link to create keepsakes like video books or photo albums can make quite a difference in post-cremation revenue.” 

The Eulogize platform was designed to enable people with any level of technical or creative expertise to produce beautiful, high-quality results. Users can start with professionally designed templates and choose from a growing number of personalization and product options from stunning slideshows to lovely leather-bound video books.

“These are beautiful meaningful pieces — not the kind of stuff that will be thrown away,” Kelly adds. “They’re personalized and unique to each family, and they help to tell their story and continue that memory.”

Grief and healing have no timetable

Direct cremation doesn’t mean skipping grief, and it doesn’t have to mean skipping tribute. By decoupling the cremation from the memorial, families gain time, space, and creative freedom to honor their loved one in a way that feels right to them. In fact, grief experts have reached out to the Eulogize team to discuss the incredibly beneficial cathartic effects of families working together to memorialize a loved one.

Whether tribute creation happens immediately after a loss or continues for months, the therapeutic benefits are undeniable. When you give your direct cremation families self-service access to the Eulogize platform, you also give them: 

• Space for intentional grief and reflection, making room for emotions that might otherwise be overlooked when there’s no service;
• Opportunities reconnect with loved ones who may have missed the chance to say goodbye and share their stories;
• A way to shift focus from a person’s death to the value of their life by honoring their personality, values, and achievements;
• Freedom to design an authentic and comforting memorial to suit their loved one’s unique character or passions without the pressure or timeline of a traditional service;
• A ritual that marks an emotional transition and closure — something they may miss with direct cremation;
• Tangible digital and physical pieces that keep a loved one’s memory alive and supports long-term remembrance they can return to over time; and, perhaps most importantly, 
• A catalyst for healthy mourning that gives people permission to feel, remember, and speak openly about their loss.

“The process of going through those photos can be a beautiful moment,” Kelly says. “Families can look back on someone’s life and find the anecdotes and the quotes and things to include in the tributes. Without a platform like Eulogize, this could be a huge task, but we can make that process easy and simple so they can focus on telling their loved one’s story.”

Personalize what you provide

The limitations of direct cremation often leave deathcare professionals little opportunity to do what you do best — provide professional care and personalized service. The Eulogize platform allows you to extend the scope of your support well beyond disposition. Even though you’re giving families access to the Eulogize portal to work at their own pace, the Eulogize team and your own staff will be available to answer questions and provide oversight on their projects. If you prefer for your team to be more involved in the creation process, you can always turn off some of the self-service features.

“You personalize how you work with people,” Kelly says. “I believe that Eulogize is offering you another way to personalize your level of service, not just in a creative sense, but in an engagement and interaction sense.”

Best of all, because Eulogize can be hosted through your funeral home’s digital assets, anyone collaborating in the tribute creation process or viewing the finished product will be visiting your website and driving highly valuable traffic numbers and providing ongoing lead generation opportunities. 

It’s easy to add access to the Eulogize platform to both your direct cremation packages and your traditional deathcare services. To learn more about Eulogize, book a complimentary demo with the team or reach out via the Eulogize website. 

Going to CANA’s 107th Cremation Innovation Convention next week? Add Booth 49 to your agenda and stop by for a one-on-one chat with Nick Kelly and a Eulogize demo!

I read a this recent article about the Arlington Cemetery located in the City of Arlington within the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.  The article had to do with re-opening the cemetery for sales of lots after three decades of not selling any new lots.  It reminded me of a situation that we had when I served on the board of our community cemetery in my hometown.

As it turns out in the Arlington Cemetery situation lots have not been able to be sold because the cemetery was, in 1995, declared an abandoned cemetery and taken over by the City of Arlington.   State law did not allow for sales of lots in abandoned cemeteries.  As it turns out the law was changed in 2023 and the cemetery can again start selling new lots.

However, in the Arlington case, the city needs to know which lots are available for sale and who might have claim to other lots.  To complicate this case, many records of the cemetery have been lost between 1995 and now.

The city has given anybody who lays claim to a lot until August 31 to provide proof or it could be sold to somebody else.  According to Sarah Stubblefield, the Strategic Initiatves Manager of the city, “If the family doesn’t have any documentation, we will make our best effort to identify reasonable eveidnce for claims to plots”.

Reclaiming lots — The situation above is somewhat different that the situation we had while I served on the board of the Kinkead Cemetery in Alexandria, Minnesota.  Kinkead Cemetery was founded as a cemetery in Alexandria in 1879.  It is a classic large cemetery with tall trees matured over the last century and a half and large family and individual monuments on the grounds.

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

About 75 years ago an adjacent parcel of land was developed that is about the same size as Kinkead Cemetery.  While under the Kinkead Cemetery non-profit ownership it was given the name Sunset Memorial Park and had it’s own rules and regulations.  One of these rules was that only “flat” markers were allowed — no large monuments.  Ease of maintenance was the thought process back then.

Move up to the year 2000 and upright monuments were back in vogue.  So, most families wanted to be in the old Kinkead Cemetery and not the newer, flat-marker only Sunset Memorial Park.  The problem with Kinkead Cemetery was that over the course of 120 years grave space was limited.

In doing a census of the cemetery we found out that what were purchased as lots with 16 grave spaces only had two, three, or four family members actually interred in the plots.  As was common in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s families purchased lots for future graves so a family could be in proximity to one another and they expected children to live in the home community for their entire lives.  As it turns out, many of the children whom these lots were planned for left the community for metropolitan areas and never came back.

Our cemetery census indicated a great number of lots were owned by families for 70-100 years but never used.  The cemetery then went through the legal proceedings to “reclaim” those lots to be sold again.  I remember having to publish our intent, complete with the lot numbers and purchasing owners names, to do so in various newspapers around the county for a various period of time and while we received a few valid claims who wanted to keep the lots, it was not many.

We also did the area a service as some people, when they saw their genealogical relatives names in the paper, now realized that they had the right or claim to lot ownership that they didn’t know of beforehand.

At the end of the day, Kinkead Cemetery reclaimed hundreds of lots that have been, for the last quarter-century or so, available for sale to those in our community who prefer to be buried in that specific cemetery.

I think it just makes sense for older, established cemeteries to take a look at this process to make available inventory that not only would be available to the general public but also available to provide additional income to the cemetery.  If your state has a process for this I think it makes business and community sense.

One of my favorite monuments at Kinkead Cemetery, Alexandria, Minnesota. I had a little fun through the years telling young people that this cemetery was so old that “This guy is buried here!”

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We recently received a press release from OneRoom, a trusted leader in funeral streaming.  The press release made known that the company has launched its new “Rev Gen Bundle” – defined as a way to make every stream work harder for your funeral home. With Tribute Buttons and Pre-Need Pathways, funeral homes can now generate leads, boost eCommerce, and connect guests with their services through streaming.

According to OneRoom, every service streamed through OneRoom reaches an average of 30 guests, and one-third of them are local. The Rev Gen Bundle is a way to turn that reach into real opportunities, giving guests simple ways to interact with your services, and take the next step.

● Pre-Need Pathways gives guests a simple way to request a pre-planning guide at a time when they’re naturally open to thinking ahead. After nine months of refinement, it now sees around 2% of viewers taking that step – turning interest into warm leads.

 

● Tribute Buttons give guests meaningful ways to engage – like sending flowers, writing a message, or accessing grief support – using the funeral home’s existing suppliers and links. It’s a simple way to amplify what you’re already offering on your website, right when families need it.

These tools are made possible by OneRoom’s recently upgraded viewer, redesigned to support future innovation and to better reflect each funeral home’s brand. A warmer guest experience ensures that online services feel personal, and position the funeral home at the heart of it.

“We’ve built a platform that supports your brand and your growth,” said Brady Cox, CEO of OneRoom. “The Rev Gen Bundle is just the beginning of what streaming can unlock when it’s done right.”

Again, according to OneRoom, these features are the first in a series of upcoming releases aimed at helping funeral homes drive connection, conversation, and growth. With a stronger platform in place, OneRoom is positioned to roll out further enhancements throughout 2025.

About OneRoom
OneRoom is a hands-free funeral streaming platform used by funeral homes across North America, Australia, and New Zealand. With zero-effort setup, automated scheduling, and full guest support, it removes the burden of streaming from funeral staff – while opening up new opportunities to grow.

To learn more about how OneRoom can help you turn your streaming into Preneed leads click here.

Here is the website for OneRoom 

Funeral Director Daily take:  I’ve said before that Death Care is now at a nexus of Traditional vs. Technological.  This offering by OneRoom is another step in that movement.

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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 2024.

That math would then equate to an annual average rate of revenue growth for those five years of 4.16%.  In my opinion, that’s a pretty good rate for, as stock-picker Peter Lynch would say, a “slow-growth nickel at a time” industry.

Neptune Society

However, when you dive a little deeper into the SCI report on “Consolidated Funeral Revenue” you will find a listing for “Non-funeral home” revenue and when the math is done on that line item you will find that it has grown 81% or has an incredible annual growth rate of 16.2% over the past five years.  In 2019 SCI reported $52.2 million of “Non-funeral home” revenue and in 2024 the company reported $94.8 million in that same category.

Here’s how SCI defines “Non-funeral home” revenue in its report, “Non-funeral home revenue represents services sold on a preneed or atneed contract through one of our non-funeral home sales channels (e.g. SCI Direct). . ”

In a 2022 Investor Day presentation, that you can access here,  SCI intimates that this channel includes Neptune Society

A National Cremation Society location

and National Cremation Society operations.  That same presentation mentions that, at that time, they operated 109 locations of this type in 31 states.

Here’s some other information that is pointed out about SCI Direct in that presentation that are features of this segment of SCI which the company says benefits from an “Expanding market”:

• (It is an) Asset Light preneed model serving the direct cremation consumer
• (It is an) Incremental Channel to capture the price sensitive consumer
• (It offers) Simple product offerings and packaged pricing
• (It has) growing volume and average

That same 2022 Investor Day presentation claimed that SCI Direct brought home $37 million in gross profit for the year 2021.  And, if you check the 2021 annual report you will find that the “Non-funeral home” revenue was listed at $74.1 million estimating that the gross profit margin of SCI Direct could be as high as 50%.

That same year, the gross profit percent for the entire Consolidated Funeral Revenue of SCI was listed at 26.7%.

Here is the website for SCI’s National Cremation Service brand

Here is the website for SCI’s Neptune Society brand

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

Funeral Director Daily take: I started researching this because last week I took part in a Continuing Education seminar with a few other funeral directors.  A couple mentioned to me that they had seen their Direct Cremation with No Services case volume rise fairly rapidly in the last year or so.

I think that these statistics from SCI bear out that situation is happening.  While revenues for SCI’s funeral service overall increased at an annual rate of 4.16%, revenue for “Non-funeral” channels increased four times that percentage.  I think that is a pretty good indication that the funeral consumer is asking for “less”. . . . . Whatever “less” may be.

I also think that there is a lot to be optimistic about with these numbers.  In extrapolating the “ballpark” figures, SCI “Non-funeral” channels did $74.1 million of business in 2021 out of 109 locations.  That’s an average revenue of $679,816 per location.  And, if it truly had a 50% gross profit margin that would leave each location with about $340,00o to pay the bills.

When I look at those numbers a couple of things come to mind:

1. Margins of that nature can support this business model
2. Location overheads need to be less than historic traditional funeral home structures — both in physical structure and employee work schedule structures to make the expense side of the equation work.
3. Direct cremation is a volume business  —  high volume operations will do very well. . . . Low volume operations will struggle to survive.

I finally surmise that if this is the “Death Care” that the consumer wants, we will see more and more consolidation of the traditional funeral home operations in a necessary move to lower overhead cost per case by increasing case volume per location.

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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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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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