Service International(SCI) - 2025 Q3 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.87 for Q3 2025, a more than 10% increase from $0.79 in the prior year period [4] - Total comparable funeral revenue declined by almost $2 million, or less than 1%, compared to the prior year quarter [5] - Comparable core funeral revenue decreased by $3 million, or just under 1%, primarily due to a 3.5% decrease in core funeral services performed [6] - Cemetery revenue increased by $31 million or almost 7%, driven by higher core revenue [11] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Funeral gross profit decreased by $9.5 million, with the gross profit percentage declining by 170 basis points to about 18% [9] - Non-funeral home revenue increased by $3 million, primarily due to a 13.4% increase in the average revenue per service [7] - Comparable cemetery revenue increased by $27.5 million or 7% over the prior year quarter, primarily due to a $27 million increase in total recognized preneed revenue [12] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Preneed funeral sales production increased by $6 million or about 2% over Q3 2024, while core preneed funeral sales production increased by $20 million or 9% [10] - Non-funeral home preneed sales revenue decreased by $4.6 million due to the decision to stop delivering preneed merchandise at the time of sale [8] - The core cremation rate increased modestly by 50 basis points to 57.3% [6] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company confirmed the midpoint of its normalized EPS guidance for 2025, narrowing the range to $3.80 to $3.90 [13] - The company expects modest funeral revenue and gross profit growth compared to Q4 2024, with low to mid single-digit cemetery preneed sales production growth anticipated [14] - The company aims to achieve EPS growth within its long-term growth framework of 8% to 12% [15] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the momentum heading into 2026, expecting favorable trends in funeral volume and cemetery sales [15] - The company anticipates that the pull forward effect on funeral volumes will be negligible going forward, with demographics and a strong preneed backlog expected to drive future growth [13][70] - Management highlighted the importance of educating consumers about cremation options to drive sales growth [44] Other Important Information - The company generated adjusted operating cash flow of $268 million in the quarter, an increase of $10 million from the prior year [17] - Capital investments totaled $140 million in the quarter, with $123 million returned to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases [19][20] - The company ended the quarter with liquidity of just under $1.5 billion and a leverage ratio of 3.6 times net debt to EBITDA [23] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you discuss cemetery preneed sales production trends? - Management noted strong velocity in cemetery preneed sales, with large sales up almost 18% and a focus on flexible financing plans contributing to growth [26][29] Question: What is the confidence level in achieving the 8% to 12% EPS growth target for next year? - Management expressed an 85% to 90% assurance in achieving the target, citing historical growth rates and the importance of revenue growth [31][32] Question: How does the company plan to educate consumers about cremation options? - Management emphasized the need for better visibility and education regarding cremation products, noting that many consumers are unaware of available options [57] Question: What is the outlook for SCI Direct sales production post-transition? - Management expects growth off the new base in 2026 but does not anticipate returning to pre-transition levels for a couple of years [75]