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Service Corp. International: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 29 October 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised, 1 lowered, 3 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue and gross profit both rose: Revenue was $1,058.1 million, up 4.4%, and gross profit was $265.5 million, up $12.9 million or 5%, compared with the third quarter of 2024. Source
  • Adjusted EPS grew 10%: Diluted EPS excluding special items was $0.87, against $0.79, helped by gross profit, lower corporate costs and a lower share count, offset partly by a higher tax rate. Diluted shares were 141.4 million, against 146.2 million. Source
  • Preneed cemetery production up 9.6%: Preneed cemetery sales production was $345.6 million, against $315.3 million. Total preneed and atneed production was $449.8 million, up 7.0%, with a 98.0% recognition rate against 98.3%. Source
  • Core funeral revenue slightly lower: Core funeral revenue fell 0.7%. Core funeral services performed fell 3.5%, partly offset by a 2.9% rise in core average revenue per service, while the core cremation rate rose to 57.3%. Source
  • Funeral margin fell on selling pay: Comparable funeral gross profit fell $9.5 million to $98.0 million, and its margin dropped 170 basis points to 17.5%. Management attributed most of this to higher selling compensation on insurance-funded preneed sales. Source
  • Core preneed production up 8.7%: Core preneed sales production rose $19.5 million, or 8.7%, as insurance production improved with the move to the new insurance provider. Source
  • Quarterly operating cash flow dipped: Operating cash flow was $252.3 million, against $263.8 million. Excluding an $11.1 million rise in cash taxes paid, it was $267.4 million, and excluding special items and cash taxes it rose $10.0 million to $283.0 million. Source

“We are proud to report adjusted earnings per share of $0.87 and net cash provided by operating activities of $252.3 million.”

Tom Ryan, the Company's Chairman and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Diluted EPS excluding special items Sourcefull year 2025$3.80 - $3.90Kept
Net cash provided by operating activities excluding special items Sourcefull year 2025$910 - $950Raised from $880 - $940
Net cash provided by operating activities excluding special items and cash taxes Sourcefull year 2025$1,045 - $1,085Raised from $1,025 - $1,085
Cash taxes expected Sourcefull year 2025$135Lowered from $145
Maintenance, cemetery development and other capital expenditures Sourcefull year 2025$315Kept
Diluted EPS growth at guidance midpoint Sourcelong-term growth framework8%-12%Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance kept: EPS guidance midpoint of $3.85 confirmed; range narrowed to $3.80 to $3.90 from $3.70 to $4.00. Source
  • Guidance raised: Operating cash flow excluding special items raised to $910 million to $950 million from $880 million to $940 million. Source
  • Guidance raised: Operating cash flow excluding special items and cash taxes low end raised to $1,045 million from $1,025 million. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Expected 2025 cash taxes reduced to $135 million from $145 million. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue and gross profit both rose: Revenue was $1,058.1 million, up 4.4%, and gross profit was $265.5 million, up $12.9 million or 5%, compared with the third quarter of 2024. Source
  • Adjusted EPS grew 10%: Diluted EPS excluding special items was $0.87, against $0.79, helped by gross profit, lower corporate costs and a lower share count, offset partly by a higher tax rate. Diluted shares were 141.4 million, against 146.2 million. Source
  • GAAP EPS modestly higher: GAAP diluted EPS was $0.83, against $0.81. Special items were $0.4 million of net losses on divestitures and impairments and $0.4 million of restructuring charges, against $3.5 million of net gains a year earlier. Source
  • Nine-month operating cash flow higher: Nine-month revenue was $3,197.7 million against $3,093.4 million, and diluted EPS was $2.68 against $2.50. Operating cash flow for the nine months was $729.9 million. Source

Cemetery segment

  • Preneed cemetery production up 9.6%: Preneed cemetery sales production was $345.6 million, against $315.3 million. Total preneed and atneed production was $449.8 million, up 7.0%, with a 98.0% recognition rate against 98.3%. Source
  • Cemetery revenue rose on recognition: Comparable cemetery revenue rose 6.9% to $478.6 million. Recognized preneed property revenue rose $21.3 million and recognized preneed merchandise and service revenue rose $6.0 million. Source
  • Cemetery gross margin up 1.6 points: Comparable cemetery gross profit rose $18.0 million, or 12.4%, to $162.8 million. The gross profit percentage rose to 34.0% from 32.4%, mainly on higher core revenue. Source

“An increase in our comparable core funeral average was offset by the anticipated decline in comparable core funeral services performed.”

Tom Ryan, the Company's Chairman and CEO

Funeral segment

  • Core funeral revenue slightly lower: Core funeral revenue fell 0.7%. Core funeral services performed fell 3.5%, partly offset by a 2.9% rise in core average revenue per service, while the core cremation rate rose to 57.3%. Source
  • Non-funeral home average rose 13.4%: Non-funeral home revenue rose $2.9 million, or 12.6%, as average revenue per service rose 13.4% and non-funeral services performed fell 0.7%. Source
  • Funeral margin fell on selling pay: Comparable funeral gross profit fell $9.5 million to $98.0 million, and its margin dropped 170 basis points to 17.5%. Management attributed most of this to higher selling compensation on insurance-funded preneed sales. Source
  • Comparable average revenue up 3.1%: Comparable funeral average revenue per service rose 3.1% to $5,852, while comparable funeral services performed fell 3.1% to 82,057. Source

Preneed sales and demand

  • Core preneed production up 8.7%: Core preneed sales production rose $19.5 million, or 8.7%, as insurance production improved with the move to the new insurance provider. Source
  • Non-funeral production fell 19.5%: Non-funeral home preneed sales production fell $13.8 million, or 19.5%, from the ongoing shift from trust to insurance-funded contracts, which the company expects to be temporary. Source
  • Insurance agency revenue rose: Core general agency and other revenue rose $3.1 million on higher preneed insurance production, with core production up 8.7%. Source

“Finally, our core funeral preneed sales production increased 9% with increases in both insurance and trust production.”

Tom Ryan, the Company's Chairman and CEO

Costs, tax and restructuring

  • Corporate G&A down on incentive timing: Corporate general and administrative expenses were $38.3 million, down $5.4 million, primarily on incentive compensation accrual timing versus the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Tax rate higher on prior-year return: The GAAP effective tax rate was 26.9%, against 21.1%, including a $4.5 million change in estimate for the finalized 2024 return. The adjusted rate was 24.1%, against 20.9%. Source
  • Restructuring payments tied to executives: Restructuring charge payments were $15.6 million in the quarter, and the quarter's restructuring charge was $0.4 million. Management said the payments were primarily associated with retired executives. Source

Operating cash flow and taxes

  • Quarterly operating cash flow dipped: Operating cash flow was $252.3 million, against $263.8 million. Excluding an $11.1 million rise in cash taxes paid, it was $267.4 million, and excluding special items and cash taxes it rose $10.0 million to $283.0 million. Source
  • Operating income and interest drove gain: Excluding special items and the cash tax rise, operating cash rose on $14.0 million higher operating income and $12.5 million lower cash interest, partly offset by $16.5 million of other working capital uses. Source
  • Nine-month cash taxes rose sharply: Cash taxes within operating cash flow excluding special items were $114.3 million for the nine months, against $15.8 million a year earlier. Source

Capital, trust funds and shareholder returns

  • Capex up on new funeral locations: Total capital expenditures were $101.6 million, against $96.5 million. Maintenance capital expenditures were $86.0 million, against $84.0 million, and growth spending on new funeral locations was $15.6 million. Source
  • Buybacks and dividends for nine months: Nine-month purchases of company common stock were $402.1 million and dividends were $136.0 million. Shares outstanding were 140,246,179 at September 30, 2025, against 144,694,887 at December 31, 2024. Source
  • Trust fund returns 4.8% in quarter: Combined trust fund returns were 4.8% for the quarter and 13.0% for nine months; preneed funeral returns were 4.7% and 12.7%. Source

Strategy, footprint and investment

  • Network of 1,487 funeral locations: At September 30, 2025 the company owned 1,487 funeral service locations and 499 cemeteries, against 1,485 and 498 at June 30, 2025, and cited 25,000 associates. Source
  • Digital and corporate capex: Digital investments and corporate capital expenditures were $6.1 million in the quarter, against $3.2 million a year earlier, and $16.0 million for nine months against $22.7 million. Source

Coming up, as management said on 29 October 2025

  • Insurance transition complete in 2026: Management expects the non-funeral home preneed production decline to be temporary, with the move to insurance-funded contracts complete in 2026. Source
  • Deferred urn revenue to be recognized: Urns on preneed contracts were deferred to time of need; deferred urn revenue from the backlog will be recognized as non-funeral home revenue at time of need. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Items excluded from 2025 guidance, including litigation charges, legal settlements and tax reserve adjustments, could materially affect EPS and operating cash flow. Source
  • External: Expenses net of insurance recoveries related to weather events and hurricanes are excluded from the 2025 guidance. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • On track: Management said its long-term growth strategy is on track as it grows revenue, leverages scale and allocates capital. Source
  • Met: Management said it experienced the expected improvement in insurance production as the sales force moved to the new provider over time. Source
  • Not stated: Management anticipates the transition from trust to insurance-funded contracts will be complete in 2026. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.