However, Enwright noted results were partially offset by an unanticipated employee benefit expense of approximately $1.2 million , driven by “a few high-cost claimants” and a higher volume of medical claims filed in December versus prior years. He said the expense reduced Q4 adjusted diluted EPS by about $0.05 to $0.06 . In Q&A, management characterized the large-claim event as a one-off versus the prior couple of years and said the 2026 guide incorporates an updated view of expected employee benefit expens ...

Core Viewpoint - Service Corp. reported quarterly earnings of $1.14 per share, matching the Zacks Consensus Estimate, and showing an increase from $1.06 per share a year ago, with a slight earnings surprise of -0.18% [1] Financial Performance - The company posted revenues of $1.11 billion for the quarter ended December 2025, which was below the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.69%, and a slight increase from $1.09 billion year-over-year [2] - Over the last four quarters, Service Corp. has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times and topped consensus revenue estimates three times as well [2] Stock Performance - Service Corp. shares have increased approximately 7% since the beginning of the year, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 1.4% [3] - The current Zacks Rank for Service Corp. is 3 (Hold), indicating that the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future [6] Earnings Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $1.05 on revenues of $1.11 billion, while for the current fiscal year, the estimate is $4.25 on revenues of $4.47 billion [7] - The trend of earnings estimate revisions for Service Corp. was mixed ahead of the earnings release, which could change following the recent report [6] Industry Context - The Funeral Services industry, to which Service Corp. belongs, is currently ranked in the bottom 7% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating potential challenges ahead [8] - Carriage Services, another company in the same industry, is expected to report quarterly earnings of $0.80 per share, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 29% [9]

Core Viewpoint - Matthews International reported a quarterly loss of $0.19 per share, significantly missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.05, compared to earnings of $0.14 per share a year ago [1] Financial Performance - The company experienced an earnings surprise of -522.22%, having previously expected earnings of $0.22 per share but only achieving $0.05, which is a surprise of +127.27% from the prior quarter [2] - Revenues for the quarter were $284.76 million, slightly missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.08%, and down from $401.84 million year-over-year [3] Stock Performance and Outlook - Matthews International shares have increased by approximately 2% since the beginning of the year, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 1.9% [4] - The company's earnings outlook is mixed, with current consensus EPS estimates at $0.35 for the upcoming quarter and $1.14 for the current fiscal year, with revenues expected to be $290.2 million and $1.14 billion respectively [8] Industry Context - The Funeral Services industry, to which Matthews International belongs, is currently ranked in the top 40% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating a favorable outlook compared to the bottom 50% [9] - Another company in the same industry, Carriage Services, is expected to report quarterly earnings of $0.80 per share, reflecting a year-over-year increase of +29% [10]

Core Insights - Carriage Services reported Q3 CY2025 revenue of $102.7 million, exceeding analyst expectations of $101.4 million, representing a 2% year-on-year growth [1][6] - The company’s non-GAAP profit was $0.75 per share, surpassing the consensus estimate of $0.73 by 3% [1][6] - Management reaffirmed full-year revenue guidance of approximately $415 million, aligning with analyst estimates [1][6] Performance Highlights - The third quarter performance was driven by strong preneed cemetery sales and an increase in insurance-funded prearranged funeral sales, despite weaker funeral home volumes in July and August [3][5] - CEO Carlos Quezada noted a mid-single-digit decline in funeral home volumes before a rebound in September, indicating broad-based industry softness affecting both consolidators and independent operators [3][4] - Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $32.98 million, with a margin of 32.1%, exceeding analyst estimates of $31.74 million [6] Future Outlook - The company is focusing on technology investments and expanding cemetery and preneed sales, projecting stable funeral volumes supported by demographic trends [4] - Management highlighted the potential for growth through new AI-enabled sales tools and partnerships with insurance providers, aiming for sustainable preneed sales growth through 2026 [4][5] - Full-year Adjusted EPS guidance was slightly raised to $3.28 at the midpoint, while EBITDA guidance for the full year is set at $131 million, below analyst estimates of $132.3 million [6]

Core Viewpoint - Service Corp. (SCI) reported quarterly earnings of $0.87 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.83 per share, and showing an increase from $0.79 per share a year ago, indicating a positive earnings surprise of +4.82% [1][2] Financial Performance - The company achieved revenues of $1.06 billion for the quarter ended September 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.60% and up from $1.01 billion year-over-year [2] - Over the last four quarters, Service Corp. has consistently exceeded consensus EPS estimates [2] Stock Performance and Outlook - Service Corp. shares have increased approximately 1.3% since the beginning of the year, in contrast to the S&P 500's gain of 17.2% [3] - The company's earnings outlook is crucial for investors, as it reflects current consensus earnings expectations for upcoming quarters [4] Earnings Estimate Revisions - The trend for earnings estimate revisions for Service Corp. was favorable prior to the earnings release, resulting in a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) for the stock, suggesting expected outperformance in the near future [6] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $1.17 on revenues of $1.12 billion, and for the current fiscal year, it is $3.84 on revenues of $4.3 billion [7] Industry Context - The Funeral Services industry, to which Service Corp. belongs, is currently ranked in the top 12% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating a favorable outlook for the sector [8]

Group 1 - Celsius Holdings Inc. is currently ranked 16 in the Zacks Sector Rank among 184 companies in the Consumer Staples group [2] - The Zacks Rank for Celsius Holdings Inc. is 1 (Strong Buy), indicating strong analyst sentiment and an improving earnings outlook with a 32.8% increase in the full-year earnings estimate over the past quarter [3] - Year-to-date, Celsius Holdings Inc. has increased by 118.3%, significantly outperforming the average gain of 0.6% in the Consumer Staples group [4] Group 2 - Celsius Holdings Inc. is part of the Food - Miscellaneous industry, which consists of 42 stocks and currently ranks 202 in the Zacks Industry Rank, with this industry experiencing a decline of 6.6% year-to-date [5] - Another outperforming stock in the Consumer Staples sector is Carriage Services, which has gained 11.3% year-to-date and has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [4][6] - The Funeral Services industry, to which Carriage Services belongs, is ranked 8 and has seen a year-to-date increase of 2.7% [6]

Group 1 - Carriage Services, Inc. has acquired substantially all the assets of Faith Chapel Funeral Homes & Crematory, which includes two funeral homes and a crematory in the Pensacola, Florida market [1][2] - Faith Chapel has a 60-year history of serving the Pensacola community, and the acquisition is seen as a continuation of their legacy with Carriage Services due to its strong reputation and dedication to service [2] - Carriage Services operates 164 funeral homes across 24 states and 28 cemeteries in 9 states, focusing on delivering premier experiences through innovation and elevated service [3] Group 2 - The acquisition allows Carriage Services to serve approximately 700 families a year in the Pensacola area, enhancing its presence in Florida [2] - The leadership of Carriage Services expresses enthusiasm for continuing their acquisition strategy to create long-term value and accelerate growth towards their 2030 Vision [2]

Economic Overview - U.S. consumer confidence dropped to 97.4 in August from 98.7 in July, indicating a decline of 1.3 points, with short-term expectations for income, business conditions, and employment also falling to 74.8 [4][5] - Concerns about the economy have been exacerbated by tariffs imposed by President Trump, which have raised inflation fears and impacted consumer confidence [5][6] - A weak labor market, characterized by slow job additions, has further fueled recession fears, despite low layoffs and unemployment rates [7] Investment Recommendations - Given the economic uncertainty, it is advisable to invest in low-beta defensive stocks from the utility and consumer staples sectors, which include Atmos Energy Corporation (ATO), Fortis, Inc. (FTS), Northwest Natural Holding Company (NWN), Ingredion Incorporated (INGR), and Carriage Services, Inc. (CSV) [2][10] - These stocks are characterized by a beta greater than 0 but less than 1, indicating lower volatility, and they also offer high dividend yields [3] Company Profiles - **Atmos Energy Corporation (ATO)**: Engaged in regulated natural gas distribution and storage, serving approximately 3.3 million customers across eight states. Expected earnings growth rate is 7.2% for the current year, with a beta of 0.75 and a dividend yield of 2.09% [8][9] - **Fortis, Inc. (FTS)**: Operates in the electric and gas utility sector, primarily in Canada and the Caribbean. Expected earnings growth rate is 4.6% for the current year, with a beta of 0.48 and a dividend yield of 3.57% [10][11] - **Northwest Natural Holding Company (NWN)**: Focuses on natural gas distribution systems and pipeline projects, serving residential, commercial, and industrial customers. Expected earnings growth rate is 25.3% for the current year, with a beta of 0.59 and a dividend yield of 4.72% [12][13] - **Ingredion Incorporated (INGR)**: Provides ingredient solutions specializing in nature-based sweeteners and starches, serving various sectors. Expected earnings growth rate is 6.7% for the current year, with a beta of 0.77 and a dividend yield of 2.47% [14] - **Carriage Services, Inc. (CSV)**: A leading provider of death care services in the U.S., offering a range of funeral and burial services. Expected earnings growth rate is 23.4% for the current year, with a beta of 0.86 and a dividend yield of 1.03% [15][16]

Core Viewpoint - Matthews International (MATW) reported quarterly earnings of $0.28 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.33 per share, and down from $0.56 per share a year ago [1][2] Financial Performance - The earnings surprise for the quarter was -15.15%, with the company previously expected to post earnings of $0.36 per share but actually reporting $0.34 per share, resulting in a -5.56% surprise [2] - Revenues for the quarter ended June 2025 were $349.38 million, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 7.73%, but down from $427.83 million year-over-year [3] - Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus revenue estimates two times [3] Stock Performance - Matthews International shares have declined approximately 16.3% since the beginning of the year, contrasting with the S&P 500's gain of 7.6% [4] - The current Zacks Rank for the stock is 3 (Hold), indicating expected performance in line with the market in the near future [7] Future Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $0.42 on revenues of $290 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is $1.22 on revenues of $1.44 billion [8] - The outlook for the Funeral Services industry, where Matthews operates, is currently in the top 16% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting a favorable environment for performance [9] Competitor Insights - Carriage Services (CSV), another company in the Funeral Services industry, is expected to report quarterly earnings of $0.72 per share, reflecting a year-over-year increase of +14.3% [10] - Carriage Services' anticipated revenues are $100.47 million, which is a decrease of 1.8% from the previous year [11]

Core Viewpoint - Service Corp. (SCI) reported quarterly earnings of $0.88 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.84 per share, and showing an increase from $0.79 per share a year ago, representing an earnings surprise of +4.76% [1][2] Financial Performance - The company posted revenues of $1.07 billion for the quarter ended June 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.48%, compared to $1.03 billion in the same quarter last year [2] - Over the last four quarters, Service Corp. has exceeded consensus EPS estimates three times and topped consensus revenue estimates four times [2] Stock Performance and Outlook - Service Corp. shares have declined approximately 4.7% since the beginning of the year, while the S&P 500 has gained 8.3% [3] - The company's current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $0.83 on revenues of $1.04 billion, and for the current fiscal year, it is $3.77 on revenues of $4.28 billion [7] Industry Context - The Funeral Services industry, to which Service Corp. belongs, is currently ranked in the top 37% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating a favorable outlook compared to the bottom 50% [8] - Empirical research suggests a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions, which can impact Service Corp.'s stock performance [5][6]