Earnings Per Share Growth
Adjusted earnings per share increased to $0.96 from $0.89 in the prior year, representing a growth driven by strong funeral revenue and gross profit.
Funeral Revenue Increase
Total comparable funeral revenue increased by over $23 million, or about 4%, due to strong core revenue and general agency revenue growth.
Funeral Gross Profit Increase
Funeral gross profit increased by about $21 million, with gross profit percentage rising by 240 basis points to over 24%.
Solid Cash Flow
Generated adjusted operating cash flow of $316 million, exceeding expectations and improving by over $90 million from the prior year.
Capital Return to Shareholders
Returned $176 million of capital to shareholders, including $46 million in dividends and $130 million in share repurchases.