The $20 billion U.S. funeral homes industry is a mature, low-growth and fragmented business comprised of mostly independent services.
The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in a record 3.4 million deaths and a record 1.9 million cremations, and the industry benefitted from the increase in 2020 and 2021. However, as more consumers opted for cremation, and services shifted from in-person to virtual, the product mix changed, and top-line revenues were constrained.
As the price of the average funeral climbs to $7,848, more people are opting for less costly cremations (57% of all services now and rising steadily).
This U.S. Funeral Homes, Cemeteries & Crematories Industry study examines the industry's nature and structure, major trends and issues, factors affecting demand and growth, pricing/profit margins, funeral home operating ratios from the Census Bureau and trade groups, demographics/death rates, and industry receipts from 1985-2019 actual, 2020-2021 estimated, 2022 & 2025 forecasts. Separate analyses of funeral homes and cemeteries. Effects of the pandemic on growth and operations is included.
Contains results of surveys by government agencies, the leading trade associations and private sector organizations, brokerage firm analysts, etc. In-depth profiles of: Service Corp., Carriage Services, Park Lawn, StoneMor Corp., Matthews Intl., and Bates (Hillenbrand).
Key Topics Covered:
Introduction - Study Scope, Sources Used, Methodology
Executive Overview and Major Findings
Industry Nature/Definition: typical services provided by funeral homes, main characteristics of the business, no. of funeral homes, factors affecting demand
Factors affecting demand: Consumer Attitudes about funeral homes, cremation, pre- arrangements, death rate and life expectancy trends
Major industry trends: death rate/aging of population, green services, growth via acquisition, shift to more creations, pre-need programs become more popular, online competition in caskets, more personalization & customization, shift to virtual services
Industry size/growth/forecasts (1985-2019 actual, 2020-2021 estimated 2022 & 2025 forecast), factors affecting growth, effects of the pandemic, performance by large chains, analysts, long-term outlook for the industry
Industry Structure: Snapshots of the Funeral Homes industry, Cemeteries & Crematories industry (2007, 2012, 2017, 2020), major funeral home operating ratios based on U.S. Census surveys, historical (no. of establishments, avg. receipts & payroll per estab. and employee, mkt. share for top 50 firms)
The main competitors: 2019-2021 revenues for top 4 (Service Corp., Carriage Services, Park Lawn, StoneMor Inc.).
Nature & Profile of The Industry
Industry structure and evolution
Factors affecting demand for services
Major industry trends: discussion of increasing number of cremations, America's aging population, shift to more virtual services
Major industry metrics, as reported by the National Funeral Directors Association (prices, cremations, demand for green services, family ownership, no. of funeral homes, etc.)
Factors Affecting Demand
Discussion: Covid-19 pandemic's effect on historical mortality patterns
Discussion: Annual trends in mortality
Seasonality in deaths - discussion
Life expectancy - discussion
Cremation rates: discussion: regional and state differences
Consumer Attitudes Toward Funeral Homes: How The Pandemic Changed Them
Industry Size, Trends, Growth
Discussion of fragmented nature of the industry, no. of funeral homes, estimated share of large chains, barriers to entry, reasons why industry not much affected by business cycles
Major Industry Demand/Growth Factors: discussions of. 1) the death rate/aging population, 2) prices/avg. funeral costs, 3) change in no. of funeral homes, 4) product mix of services/more cremations, 5) health of the overall economy.
Industry Trends: Analysis of: total death rate and aging population, rising cremation rate, pre-need programs, new online competition, retail competition, environmentally conscious burials, holistic after death care, technological change, more customization and personalization, new products/services.
Revenue data sources: where growth comes from, estimates of no. of no. of U.S. funeral homes, sources of industry receipts data (Census Bureau, Service Annual Survey, County Business Patterns, competitors)
Effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on revenues and operations - views of NFDA, competitors
Analysis of top 4 chains' performance (sales for 2020, 2021, 2022 1st quarter)
Marketdata estimates of 2020 & 2021 receipts growth, discussion of recent price increases (avg. cost per funeral),
2022 & 2025 Forecasts & Rationale: Marketdata forecasted receipts growth, value of industry revenues, long-term outlook, positive & negative factors.
Economic Structure & Operating Ratios of the Industry (Census Bureau data)
Text/Discussion & analysis of 2020, 2017, 2012 - major Operating Performance ratios; the industry's structure at a glance, ratios by: Legal Form of Organization, by Single/Multi-Unit, by top 50 firms' Market Share (Concentration Ratios), by Receipts by Size of Firm, by Receipts by Size of Establishment, Geographic Analysis: Share of National Receipts and Average Receipts Per Establishment - by State.
Competitor Profiles
(For each company below: discussion & analysis of services offered, divisions, markets served; 3-year financial analysis (sales, net profits, 2019-2021, Q1 2022 performance); no. of homes and cemeteries operated, funerals performed, backlogs, history & recent developments/acquisitions, corporate strategies, headquarters.)
Service Corporation International (incl. Stewart Enterprises, Alderwoods)
