CS
CARRIAGE SERVICES INC (CSV)·Q3 2025 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Q3 2025 delivered modest topline growth and strong non-GAAP profitability: revenue rose 2.0% YoY to $102.74M, adjusted diluted EPS increased 17.2% YoY to $0.75, and adjusted EBITDA margin expanded to 32.1% (from 30.5%) .
- GAAP diluted EPS fell to $0.41 (from $0.63) on higher losses from divestitures/impairments; management emphasized the underlying operating strength and margin expansion on an adjusted basis .
- Guidance ranges were narrowed with the midpoint reaffirmed/raised for EPS and FCF; overhead targeted at 13–13.5% of revenue and leverage expected to end 2025 near ~4.0x–4.1x .
- Strategic portfolio actions remained a catalyst: divestiture of non-core assets (proceeds >$19M; ~$9M revenue and ~$2.4M EBITDA removed) and acquisition in Orlando (Osceola, >$15M revenue last year), plus rollouts of Sales Edge 2.0 CRM and Titan (AI sales agent) to accelerate preneed sales .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- Cemetery operating revenue up 12.6% YoY and preneed cemetery sales up 21.4%; average price per preneed interment right sold increased 15.1% YoY, supporting margin expansion .
- Financial revenue rose 27.2% YoY driven by 27.9% growth in preneed insurance contracts and general agency commission revenue; CEO: “Adjusted diluted EPS of $0.75…underscoring our commitment to disciplined execution and purposeful growth” .
- Adjusted consolidated EBITDA grew to $32.98M with margin of 32.1% (+160 bps YoY); overhead efficiency improved to 13.4% of revenue (vs. 14.1% YoY) .
What Went Wrong
- Funeral contract volume declined 5.5% YoY in Q3; management cited lower volumes in July/August before normalization in September/October .
- GAAP results were pressured by a $6.6M net loss on divestitures and impairment charges, driving GAAP diluted EPS down to $0.41 (from $0.63) .
- Operating income margin compressed to 17.0% from 22.7% YoY; cemetery revenue recognition timing and fixed-cost leverage in funeral contributed to quarterly margin dynamics .
Financial Results
Multi-Quarter Trend (Q1 → Q3 2025)
YoY and Estimates (Q3 2025 vs Q3 2024; Consensus)
Values with asterisks retrieved from S&P Global.
Segment Breakdown (Revenue and EBITDA Margin)
KPIs
Guidance Changes
Non-GAAP outlook excludes divestiture gains/losses, acquisition costs, severance, impairments, special items; GAAP reconciliations are not available forward-looking .
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- CEO: “Total operating revenue grew 5.2% year-over-year, driven by 21.4% growth in cemetery preneed sales combined with financial revenue growth of 27.2%… Purposeful Growth in Action - Building Momentum Toward Our 2030 Vision” .
- CFO: “Adjusted EPS increased to $0.75 from $0.64… GAAP performance was negatively impacted by a loss on divestitures and impairment of long-lived assets… leverage ratio improved to 4.1x… interest expense fell by $1.1M” .
- CEO on technology: “We will introduce Titan, our AI-powered sales agent… Sales Edge 2.0 and Titan represent a significant step forward… to accelerate sales growth” .
Q&A Highlights
- Funeral volume: Mid-single-digit declines in July/August; normalization in September and positive October; baseline 2026 funeral volume modeled at low single-digit growth .
- Cemetery performance: Q3 benefited from recognition of sales delayed by permitting/sinkhole; expectation to maintain a 10–20% preneed sales growth range .
- Insurance-funded preneed: Fully rolled out; September set all-time high >$7M; partners adding CRM and AI tools; seen as mid-innings with room to grow .
- Trinity system implementation: Costs persist into 2026; full network benefits expected in 2027 due to phased rollout and parallel systems for accuracy .
- M&A: Expect activity in Q1 2026; typical multiples 7–8x, high single digits for premium assets; divested Q3 businesses were ~$9M revenue, ~$2.4M EBITDA; proceeds >$19M .
Estimates Context
- EPS: Adjusted diluted EPS $0.75 vs consensus $0.728 → bold beat driven by cemetery preneed growth and overhead efficiency .
- Revenue: $102.74M vs consensus $101.43M → bold beat; financial revenue tailwinds from insurance-funded preneed .
- EBITDA: S&P Global’s EBITDA actual of ~$30.84M vs consensus ~$31.74M suggests a miss under their definition, while company-reported consolidated EBITDA was $32.58M and adjusted EBITDA $32.98M; differences reflect methodology/definition .
Values with asterisks retrieved from S&P Global.
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Adjusted profitability is improving despite GAAP noise from divestiture/impairment; margin expansion and overhead discipline are supporting EPS growth .
- Cemetery preneed momentum and insurance-funded preneed commissions are key drivers; technology rollouts (Sales Edge 2.0, Titan AI) should enhance lead generation and conversion into 2026 .
- Guidance tightened with raised EPS/FCF midpoints; overhead and leverage targets increase confidence in 2025 exit and set a base for 2026 .
- Near-term trading: narrative skew positive on adjusted results and guidance narrowing; watch Q4 funeral volume normalization and execution of tech-enabled sales to sustain topline/margin .
- Medium-term thesis: M&A pipeline (Q1 timing), disciplined multiples, and portfolio optimization (divest non-core, acquire premier assets) underpin revenue mix quality and deleveraging .
- Monitor EBITDA definition vs consensus when evaluating “beats”; use company-adjusted EBITDA for internal trend analysis and S&P consensus for market expectations .
- Dividend remains consistent ($0.1125 per share); supports total return while company continues to invest in growth and balance sheet strength .