CSV

Interested in Carriage Services, Inc.? Here are five stocks we like better. Second-quarter results improved despite lower funeral volumes: Revenue rose 0.8% to $102.9 million, while adjusted EBITDA increased 3.1% to $33.3 million and adjusted EPS climbed 5.4% to $0.78. Pricing gains, higher insurance-funded preneed sales, financial revenue and cost controls offset a 3.5% decline in comparable funeral volume. Cash flow and leverage showed mixed trends: Operating cash flow increased to $22.5 million in the first half, but adjusted free cash flow fell to $13.8 million because of higher capital spending. The bank leverage ratio improved to 4.0 times, while overhead expenses declined as a share of revenue. Carriage lowered its 2026 outlook primarily because of acquisition timing and softer mortality trends: The company now expects $435 million-$445 million of revenue, $135 million-$140 million of adjusted EBITDA and $3.35-$3.55 of adjusted EPS. Management said acquisition activity remains active, with more contribution expected later in the year, and noted that funeral volume turned positive in July. Carriage Services (NYSE:CSV) reported higher second-quarter adjusted earnings and EBITDA despite lower funeral volumes, as the company cited pricing gains, growth in insurance-funded preneed contracts and cost discipline. Management also updated its 2026 outlook to reflect softer-than-expected mortality trends in the first half and later timing for anticipated acquisitions. Total revenue for the second quarter rose 0.8% from a year earlier to $102.9 million. Adjusted consolidated EBITDA increased 3.1% to $33.3 million, producing an adjusted EBITDA margin of 32.3%, up 70 basis points from the prior-year period. Adjusted diluted earnings per share rose 5.4% to $0.78. → Meta’s Earnings Drop Shows Wall Street Wants More Than Ad Growth Chief Executive Officer Carlos Quezada said mortality trends weakened across much of the country beginning in January and remained below the company’s historical expectations through the first half. Comparable funeral volume declined 3.5% in the second quarter and 4.7% for the six months ended June 30, both compared with the prior-year periods. Comparable funeral revenue declined 2.4% to $55.7 million, from $57 million a year earlier. Quezada said the lower volume reflected reduced mortality, a demand factor the company cannot control, but said operating initiatives helped mitigate much of the pressure. → Sandisk Just Delivered a Blowout Quarter—Here's Why the Stock Is Falling Funeral home comparable average revenue per contract increased 3.7% year over year. During the question-and-answer session, Quezada said the company’s cremation rate was 60.6% in the quarter, compared with 61.2% a year earlier, and that the full-year rate was essentially flat. He attributed the higher average revenue per contract to package offerings and a program designed to present direct-cremation families with additional merchandise and service options. Quezada said Florida represented the most significant state-level decline in volume. He noted that the state has a high cremation rate and a growing number of direct-cremation providers, while adding that the company does not believe it has lost market share. → 4 Oil and Gas ETF Plays as Prices Stay Sky-High Management said funeral volume turned positive in July, following year-over-year declines in each month from January through June. Quezada characterized July’s volume growth as “strong low single digit,” while cautioning that one month does not establish a longer-term trend. Comparable cemetery revenue was essentially flat at $33.2 million, compared with $33.3 million in the prior-year quarter. Consolidated preneed cemetery sales production increased 5%, helped by a 17.3% increase in the average price per preneed interment right sold. Management said the increase in sales production did not translate immediately into revenue and EBITDA because of the timing of preneed revenue recognition. Quezada said some production will be recognized in future periods. Financial revenue increased 14% year over year to $9.3 million. Chief Financial Officer John Enwright said financial income, including funeral trust income and commissions from pre-arranged funeral contracts, along with cost management, contributed about $2.1 million of EBITDA improvement. The volume decline at comparable funeral locations reduced EBITDA by approximately $1.4 million, he said. Insurance-funded preneed funeral contracts sold increased 21.1% during the quarter, according to Quezada. Cash from operating activities totaled $22.5 million in the first half, up from $21.9 million in the first half of 2025. Adjusted free cash flow declined to $13.8 million from $20.3 million, primarily because of $3.2 million in additional planned capital expenditures. Second-quarter capital expenditures totaled $5.3 million, up from $2.8 million a year earlier. Maintenance capital accounted for $2.1 million, while growth capital was $3.2 million. Enwright said the higher spending reflected cemetery development intended to support preneed growth and previously deferred maintenance projects. The company’s bank leverage ratio was 4.0 times at quarter-end, compared with 4.2 times at the end of the second quarter of 2025. Enwright said the lower leverage and an average credit-facility borrowing rate roughly 80 basis points below the prior-year period reduced interest expense by about $350,000. Overhead expenses declined to $12.1 million, or 11.8% of revenue, from $12.5 million, or 12.5% of revenue, a year earlier. Enwright cited cost management and adjustments to incentive-compensation accruals, while noting that certain costs are expected to shift into the third and fourth quarters. Carriage updated its full-year 2026 outlook, projecting: Revenue of $435 million to $445 million; Adjusted consolidated EBITDA of $135 million to $140 million; Adjusted EBITDA margin of 31% to 31.5%; Adjusted diluted EPS of $3.35 to $3.55; Adjusted free cash flow of $40 million to $50 million; and An ending leverage ratio of 3.9 times to 4.0 times. Enwright said the reduction in revenue expectations was primarily tied to the timing of acquisitions, with the company shifting its anticipated acquisition contribution from a prior range of $5 million to $10 million to a range of $0 million to $5 million. Management expects the fourth quarter to contribute more revenue than the third quarter, consistent with historical seasonality and potential acquisition-related revenue. President and Chief Operating Officer Steve Metzger said acquisition activity remains active, though discussions are focused on valuation and ensuring deals meet the company’s return and growth criteria. He said Carriage expects some current discussions to advance over the next five months. The company completed the McCammon acquisition in late May in the Knoxville, Tennessee, area. Metzger said the business handles just under 300 calls annually and that Carriage sees opportunities to increase pricing and market share in the growing Knoxville market. Enwright also said Carriage expanded the pilot of its Trinity initiative to 15 additional locations on July 1, bringing the pilot to 17 locations. The company is evaluating data from the pilot before determining the broader rollout approach. Carriage Services, Inc operates as a leading provider of funeral, cemetery and cremation services in the United States. The company owns and operates a network of funeral homes, cemeteries, crematories and related service facilities, offering a comprehensive suite of end-of-life services. Its portfolio encompasses traditional funeral services, memorials, graveside burials, mausoleum entombment and direct cremation options, alongside personalized tributes and reception arrangements. In addition to standard funeral and cemetery offerings, Carriage Services provides pre-arrangement planning and financing solutions designed to ease the administrative and financial burden on grieving families. This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected]. The article "Carriage Services Q2 Earnings Call Highlights" was originally published by MarketBeat. View MarketBeat's top stocks for August 2026.

Carriage Services (CSV) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.78 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.82 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.74 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of -4.88%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this provider of funeral and cemetary services and products would post earnings of $0.85 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.86, delivering a surprise of +1.18%. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times. Carriage Services, which belongs to the Zacks Funeral Services industry, posted revenues of $102.95 million for the quarter ended June 2026, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 5.59%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $102.15 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates two times over the last four quarters. The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call. Carriage Services shares have lost about 4.2% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 13%. While Carriage Services has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock? There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately. Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions. Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Carriage Services was favorable. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to outperform the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.87 on $112.6 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $3.47 on $442.85 million in revenues for the current fiscal year. Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Funeral Services is currently in the top 21% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1. Matthews International (MATW), another stock in the same industry, has yet to report results for the quarter ended June 2026. The results are expected to be released on August 6. This global provider of industrial technologies, memorialization products and brand solutions is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.41 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +46.4%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days. Matthews International's revenues are expected to be $264.54 million, down 24.3% from the year-ago quarter. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Carriage Services, Inc. (CSV) : Free Stock Analysis Report Matthews International Corporation (MATW) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

For the quarter ended June 2026, Carriage Services (CSV) reported revenue of $102.95 million, up 0.8% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $0.78, compared to $0.74 in the year-ago quarter. The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $109.05 million, representing a surprise of -5.59%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of -4.88%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $0.82. While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance. Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance. Here is how Carriage Services performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts: Revenue- Funeral operating revenue: $55.66 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $63.31 million. Revenue- Financial revenue: $9.34 million versus $8.5 million estimated by two analysts on average. Revenue- Ancillary revenue: $0.84 million versus $0.87 million estimated by two analysts on average. Revenue- Cemetery operating revenue: $33.17 million versus $34 million estimated by two analysts on average. EBITDA- Ancillary: $0.13 million versus $0.14 million estimated by two analysts on average. EBITDA- Financial: $8.71 million compared to the $7.87 million average estimate based on two analysts. EBITDA- Cemetery comparable: $14.77 million compared to the $14.77 million average estimate based on two analysts. EBITDA- Funeral comparable: $20.3 million versus $24.72 million estimated by two analysts on average. View all Key Company Metrics for Carriage Services here>>> Shares of Carriage Services have returned +3.9% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +3.5% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), indicating that it could outperform the broader market in the near term. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Carriage Services, Inc. (CSV) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Conference call on Thursday, August 6, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. Central Time HOUSTON, Aug. 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Carriage Services, Inc. (NYSE: CSV) today announced its financial results for the second quarter June 30, 2026. Company Highlights: Consolidated cemetery preneed sales production increased 5.0%; Consolidated average price per preneed interment right sold grew 17.3%; Consolidated insurance-funded preneed funeral contracts sold grew 21.1%; Funeral consolidated average revenue per contract grew 4.7%; Financial revenue grew 14.0% compared with the prior year quarter; GAAP Net Income grew 4.5% and operating income remained flat compared with the prior year quarter; Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA grew by 3.1% and adjusted consolidated EBITDA margin expanded 70 basis points to 32.3%; GAAP diluted EPS of $0.77 compared with $0.74 in the prior year quarter; Adjusted diluted EPS of $0.78 compared to $0.74 in the prior year quarter; and Completed the strategic acquisition of one funeral home while maintaining our leverage ratio at 4.0x. Carlos Quezada, Vice Chairman and CEO, stated, "We are pleased with our second-quarter performance. Against the backdrop of lower national mortality trends that emerged earlier this year, resulting in a 3.5% decline in our at-need volume compared with the second quarter of 2025, we delivered strong financial results. Comparable average revenue per contract increased 3.7% in funeral homes and 17.9% in preneed cemetery average revenue per interment, while total financial revenue grew 14.0%. Another positive during the second quarter was the continued growth in our preneed programs, a key driver of our long-term growth strategy, highlighted by 21.1% growth in insurance-funded preneed funeral contracts and 5.0% growth in consolidated cemetery preneed sales production. These accomplishments more than offset the volume impact, driving revenue to $102.9 million, an increase of 0.8% year over year. Disciplined cost management drove adjusted consolidated EBITDA of $32.3 million, up $1.0 million, or 3.1%, from the prior year period. Adjusted consolidated EBITDA margin expanded 70 basis points to 32.3%, reflecting the operating leverage created through disciplined execution. We are in advanced conversations with a number of owners of premier businesses about joining the Carriage Family, and as mentioned on our last call, we expect more activity around closings over the next two quarters and into 2027. We remain excited about the future growth potential through high-quality and strategic growth acquisitions. Looking ahead, July funeral volume trends are encouraging, and we remain focused on disciplined execution of our 2026 priorities as we continue advancing toward our 2030 Vision," concluded Mr. Quezada. FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS Total revenue for the three months ended June 30, 2026 increased $0.8 million compared to the three months ended June 30, 2025. In our cemetery segment, we experienced a 17.3% increase in the consolidated average price per preneed interment rights sold and a 14.0% decrease in the consolidated number of preneed interment rights (property) sold. Additionally, in our funeral segment, we experienced a 4.7% increase in the consolidated average revenue per funeral contract and a 4.0% decrease in consolidated funeral contract volume. Net income for the three months ended June 30, 2026 increased $0.5 million compared to the three months ended June 30, 2025. We experienced a $0.9 million decrease in gross profit contribution from our businesses partially offset by a $0.2 million decrease in income tax expense and a $0.4 million decrease in interest expense. Total revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2026 decreased $0.1 million compared to the six months ended June 30, 2025. In our cemetery segment, we experienced a 14.1% increase in the consolidated average price per preneed interment rights sold and an 8.9% decrease in the consolidated number of preneed interment rights (property) sold. Additionally, in our funeral segment, we experienced a 3.8% increase in the consolidated average revenue per funeral contract and a 6.0% decrease in consolidated funeral contract volume. Net income for the six months ended June 30, 2026 decreased $6.9 million compared to the six months ended June 30, 2025, primarily due to a prior year net gain on divestitures and sale of real property of $7.7 million partially offset by a $0.8 million decline in interest expense and $0.7 million decrease in income tax expense. OUTLOOK FOR 2026 We are updating our outlook to reflect changes in external demand assumptions, including the lower-than-anticipated mortality trends in the first half of the year and the revised timing of expected acquisitions. CALL AND INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT Carriage Services has scheduled a conference call for tomorrow, August 6, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. Central Time. To participate in the call, please dial 800-330-6710 (Conference ID - 9291372) or to listen live over the internet via webcast link. An audio archive of the call will be available on demand via the Company's website at www.carriageservices.com. Carriage Services is a leading provider of funeral and cemetery services and merchandise in the United States. Carriage operated 155 funeral homes in 24 states and 28 cemeteries in 9 states as of June 30, 2026. It is dedicated to delivering premier experiences through innovation, partnership, and elevated service. For more information, please email [email protected]. NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES This earnings release uses Non-GAAP financial measures to present the financial performance of the Company. Non-GAAP financial measures should be viewed in addition to, and not as an alternative for, the Company’s reported operating results or cash flow from operations or any other measure of performance as determined in accordance with GAAP. We believe the Non-GAAP results are useful to investors to compare our results to previous periods, to provide insight into the underlying long-term performance trends in our business and to provide the opportunity to differentiate ourselves as the best consolidation platform in the industry against the performance of other funeral and cemetery companies. Reconciliations of the Non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP measures are also provided in this earnings release. The Non-GAAP financial measures used in this earnings release and the definitions of them used by the Company for our internal management purposes in this earnings release are described below. Special items are defined as charges or credits included in our GAAP financial statements that can vary from period to period and are not reflective of costs incurred in the ordinary course of our operations. The tax adjustment related to certain discrete items is not tax effected, all other special items are taxed at the operating tax rate. Adjusted net income is defined as net income after adjustments for special items that we believe do not directly reflect our core operations and may not be indicative of our normal business operations. Adjusted net income margin is defined as adjusted net income as a percentage of total revenue. Consolidated EBITDA is defined as operating income, plus depreciation and amortization expense, non-cash stock compensation and net loss on divestitures, disposals, and impairment charges. Consolidated EBITDA margin is defined as consolidated EBITDA as a percentage of total revenue. Adjusted consolidated EBITDA is defined as consolidated EBITDA after adjustments for severance and separation costs and other special items. Adjusted consolidated EBITDA margin is defined as adjusted consolidated EBITDA as a percentage of total revenue. Adjusted free cash flow is defined as cash provided by operating activities, adjusted by special items as deemed necessary, less cash for capital expenditures, which include cemetery property development costs, facility repairs and improvements, equipment, furniture, and vehicle purchases. Adjusted free cash flow margin is defined as adjusted free cash flow as a percentage of total revenue. Funeral comparable EBITDA is defined as funeral gross profit, plus depreciation and amortization and regional and unallocated costs, less financial EBITDA, ancillary EBITDA, acquisition EBITDA, and divested EBITDA related to the funeral home segment. Funeral comparable EBITDA margin is defined as funeral comparable EBITDA as a percentage of funeral comparable revenue. Cemetery comparable EBITDA is defined as cemetery gross profit, plus depreciation and amortization and regional and unallocated costs, less financial EBITDA, acquisition EBITDA, and divested EBITDA related to the cemetery segment. Cemetery comparable EBITDA margin is defined as cemetery comparable EBITDA as a percentage of cemetery comparable revenue. Preneed cemetery sales is defined as cemetery property, merchandise, and services sold prior to death. Financial EBITDA is defined as financial revenue, less the related expenses. Financial revenue and the related expenses are presented within Other revenue and Other expenses, respectively, on the Consolidated Statement of Operations. Financial EBITDA margin is defined as financial EBITDA as a percentage of financial revenue. Ancillary revenue is defined as revenues from our ancillary businesses, which include a flower shop, a monument business, a pet cremation business and our online cremation businesses. Ancillary revenue and the related expenses are presented within Other revenue and Other expenses, respectively, on the Consolidated Statement of Operations. Ancillary EBITDA is defined as ancillary revenue, less expenses related to our ancillary businesses noted above. Ancillary EBITDA margin is defined as ancillary EBITDA as a percentage of ancillary revenue. Divested revenue is defined as revenues from certain funeral home and cemetery businesses that we have divested. Divested EBITDA is defined as divested revenue, less field level and financial expenses related to the divested businesses noted above. Divested EBITDA margin is defined as divested EBITDA as a percentage of divested revenue. Overhead expenses are defined as regional and unallocated funeral and cemetery costs and general, administrative, and other costs, excluding home office depreciation and non-cash stock compensation. Adjusted basic earnings per share (EPS) is defined as GAAP basic earnings per share, adjusted for special items. Adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) is defined as GAAP diluted earnings per share, adjusted for special items. Funeral Comparable EBITDA and Cemetery Comparable EBITDA Our operations are reported in two business segments: Funeral Home operations and Cemetery operations. Our operating level results highlight trends in volumes, revenue, operating EBITDA (the individual business’ cash earning power/locally controllable business profit), and operating EBITDA margin (the individual business’ controllable profit margin). Funeral comparable EBITDA and cemetery comparable EBITDA are defined above. Funeral and cemetery gross profit is defined as revenue less “field costs and expenses” — a line item encompassing these areas of costs: i) funeral and cemetery field costs, ii) field depreciation and amortization expense, and iii) regional and unallocated funeral and cemetery costs. Funeral and cemetery field costs include cost of service, funeral and cemetery merchandise costs, operating expenses, labor, and other related expenses incurred at the business level. Regional and unallocated funeral and cemetery costs presented in our GAAP statement consist primarily of salaries and benefits of our regional leadership, incentive compensation opportunity to our field employees, and other related costs for field infrastructure. These costs, while necessary to operate our businesses as currently operated within our unique, decentralized platform, are not controllable operating expenses at the field level as the composition, structure and function of these costs are determined by executive leadership in the Houston Support Center. These costs are components of our overall overhead platform presented within consolidated EBITDA and adjusted consolidated EBITDA. We do not directly or indirectly “push down” any of these expenses to the individual business’ field level margins. We believe that our “regional and unallocated funeral and cemetery costs” are necessary to support our decentralized, high performance culture operating framework, and as such, are included in consolidated EBITDA and adjusted consolidated EBITDA, which more accurately reflects the cash earning power of the Company as an operating and consolidation platform. Usefulness and Limitations of These Measures When used in conjunction with GAAP financial measures, our total EBITDA, consolidated EBITDA and adjusted consolidated EBITDA are supplemental measures of operating performance that we believe are useful measures to facilitate comparisons to our historical consolidated and business level performance and operating results. We believe our presentation of adjusted consolidated EBITDA, a key metric used internally by our management, provides investors with a supplemental view of our operating performance that facilitates analysis and comparisons of our ongoing business operations because it excludes items that may not be indicative of our ongoing operating performance. Our total field EBITDA, consolidated EBITDA and adjusted consolidated EBITDA are not necessarily comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies due to different methods of calculation. Our presentation is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for, or superior to, the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. Funeral comparable EBITDA, cemetery comparable EBITDA, financial EBITDA, ancillary EBITDA, acquisition EBITDA, and divested EBITDA are not consolidated measures of profitability. Our total field EBITDA excludes certain costs presented in our GAAP statement that we do not allocate to the individual business’ field level margins, as noted above. Consolidated EBITDA excludes certain items that we believe do not directly reflect our core operations and may not be indicative of our normal business operations. A reconciliation to operating income, the most directly comparable GAAP measure, is set forth below. Therefore, these measures may not provide a complete understanding of our performance and should be reviewed in conjunction with our GAAP financial measures. We strongly encourage investors to review the Company's consolidated financial statements and publicly filed reports in their entirety and not rely on any single financial measure. RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES The Non-GAAP financial measures are presented for additional information and are reconciled to their most comparable GAAP measures, all of which are reflected in the tables below. Reconciliation of Operating income to Consolidated EBITDA and Adjusted consolidated EBITDA (in thousands) and Operating income margin to Adjusted consolidated EBITDA margin for the three and six months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025: Special items affecting Adjusted net income (in thousands) for the three and six months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025: Reconciliation of GAAP diluted earnings per share to Adjusted diluted earnings per share for the three and six months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025: Computation of the diluted earnings per share for the three months and three and six months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025 (in thousands, except per share data): Reconciliation of Cash provided by operating activities to Adjusted free cash flow (in thousands) for the three and six months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025: CAUTIONARY STATEMENT ON FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This earnings release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and contains certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking statements within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements made herein or elsewhere by us, or on our behalf, other than statements of historical information, should be deemed to be forward-looking statements, which include, but are not limited to, statements regarding any projections of earnings, revenue, cash flow, adjusted EBITDA, investment returns, capital allocation, debt levels, equity performance, death rates, market share growth, cost inflation, overhead, preneed sales or other financial items; any statements of the plans, strategies, objectives and timing of management for future operations or financing activities, including, but not limited to, capital allocation, organizational performance, execution of our strategic objectives and growth strategy, planned acquisitions and divestitures, technology improvements, product development, the ability to obtain credit or financing, anticipated integration, performance and other benefits of recently completed and anticipated acquisitions, and cost management and debt reductions; any statements of the plans, timing and objectives of management for acquisition and divestiture activities; any statements regarding future economic conditions and market conditions or performance; any statements related to the ATM Program, potential future sales thereunder, and the expected use of proceeds thereof, including our ability to meet the expectations, timing and plans, if at all, related to the ATM Program; or any statements of belief; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing and are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effect on us. Words such as “may”, “will”, “estimate”, “intend”, “believe”, “expect”, “seek”, “project”, “forecast”, “foresee”, “should”, “would”, “could”, “plan”, “anticipate” and other similar words may be used to identify forward-looking statements; however, the absence of these words does not mean that the statements are not forward-looking. While we believe these assumptions concerning future events are reasonable as and when made, there can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be those that we anticipate. All comments concerning our expectations for future revenue and operating results are based on our forecasts for our existing operations and do not include the potential impact of any future acquisitions or divestitures, except where specifically noted. Our forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from our historical experience and our present expectations or projections. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include but are not limited to: our ability to find and retain skilled personnel; the effects of our talent recruitment efforts, incentive, and compensation plans and programs, including such effects on our Standards Operating Model and the Company’s operational and financial performance; our ability to execute our strategic objectives and growth strategy, if at all; our ability to meet the timing, objectives, and expectations related to our 2030 Vision, if at all; our ability to meet the timing, objectives, and expectations of our ATM Program, if at all, including the planned use of proceeds and the potentially dilutive effects to our stockholders of issuances of shares under the ATM Program; the potential adverse effects on the Company’s business, financial and equity performance if management fails to meet the expectations of its strategic objectives and growth plan; the execution of our Standards Operating and strategic acquisition frameworks; the effects of competition; changes in the number of deaths in our markets, which are not predictable from market to market or over the short term; changes in consumer preferences and our ability to adapt to or meet those changes; our ability to generate preneed sales, including implementing our cemetery portfolio sales strategy, product development, and optimization plans; the investment performance of our funeral and cemetery trust funds; fluctuations in interest rates, including, but not limited to, the effects of increased borrowing costs under our Credit Facility and our ability to minimize such costs, if at all; the effects of inflation on our operational and financial performance, including the increased overall costs for our goods and services, the impact on customer preferences as a result of changes in discretionary income, and our ability, if at all, to mitigate such effects; our ability to obtain debt or equity financing on satisfactory terms to fund additional acquisitions, expansion projects, working capital requirements and the repayment or refinancing of indebtedness; our ability to meet the timing, objectives and expectations related to our capital allocation framework, including our forecasted rates of return, planned uses of free cash flow and future capital allocation, including debt repayment plans, internal growth projects, potential strategic acquisitions, share repurchases, or dividend increases; our ability to meet the projected financial and performance guidance of our updated full year outlook, if at all; the timely and full payment of death benefits related to preneed funeral contracts funded through life insurance policies; the financial condition of third-party insurance companies that fund our preneed funeral contracts; increased or unanticipated costs, such as merchandise, goods, insurance or taxes, and our ability to mitigate or minimize such costs, if at all; our level of indebtedness and the cash required to service our indebtedness; changes in federal income tax laws and regulations and the implementation and interpretation of these laws and regulations by the Internal Revenue Service, including changes and potential impacts, if any, resulting from the recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act; effects of the application of other applicable laws and regulations, including changes in such regulations or the interpretation thereof; the potential impact of epidemics and pandemics, including any new or emerging public health threats, on customer preferences and on our business; government, social, business, and other actions that have been and will be taken in response to pandemics and epidemics, including potential responses to any new or emerging public health threats; effects and expense of litigation; consolidation in the funeral and cemetery industry; our ability to identify and consummate strategic acquisitions on commercially reasonable terms and on a timely basis, if at all, and successfully integrate acquired businesses with our existing businesses, including expected performance and financial improvements related thereto; our ability to successfully complete any non-core asset divestitures on commercially reasonable terms and on a timely basis, if at all, and the impact of any such divestitures on our Company, including any financial, operational, tax or other similar impacts related thereto; the effects of any additional imposition or changes in tariffs or trade agreements including, but not limited to, any potential disruptions in international trade, any increased inflationary pressures on the economy or costs for our goods, and our ability, if at all, to mitigate such effects; economic, financial, and stock market fluctuations; significant weather events, natural disasters, or catastrophic events; uncertainty around, and disruption from, new and emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (“AI”) and generative AI, and the failure to adapt or successfully incorporate such technologies into the Company's business; interruptions or security lapses of our information technology, including any cybersecurity or ransomware incidents; adverse developments affecting the financial services industry; military conflicts, acts of war or terrorists acts and the governmental or military response to such acts or conflicts; our failure to maintain effective control over financial reporting; and other factors and uncertainties inherent in the funeral and cemetery industry. For additional information regarding known material factors that could cause our actual results to differ from our projected results, please see “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, and in other filings with the SEC, available at www.carriageservices.com. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of the applicable communication and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements except to the extent required by applicable law.

Service Corporation International SCI posted results for the second quarter of 2026, wherein both top and bottom lines beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate and increased year over year. SCI reported adjusted earnings of 90 cents per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 89 cents. The metric increased 2.3% from adjusted earnings of 88 cents per share in the year-ago quarter. Service Corporation International price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Service Corporation International Quote Total revenues of $1,103.3 million increased 4% from $1,065.4 million in the year-ago quarter. Revenues beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1,081 million.Gross profit rose 0.8% to $273.5 million from $271.4 million last year. The gross margin increased 70 basis points to 24.8%.Corporate general and administrative expenses were $41.8 million compared with $49.5 million in the prior-year period. Operating income rose 3.2% to $231.6 million from $224.5 million in the year-ago quarter. Funeral: Total funeral revenues reached $604.8 million, up from $591.4 million in the second quarter of 2025. Gross profit decreased to $110.3 million from $116 million a year ago, while the gross margin was 18.2% compared with 19.6% in the prior-year quarter. SCI performed 87,347 funeral services, slightly higher than 87,014 services in the year-ago quarter. Average revenue per service increased 3.1% to $5,985 from $5,807.Comparable funeral revenues jumped 0.9% year over year to $592.9 million. Comparable core revenues rose 1.5%, supported by a 3.3% increase in core average revenue per service, partially offset by a 1.7% decline in core services performed.Comparable funeral gross profit decreased 5.8% to $109.8 million, and the gross margin contracted 130 basis points to 18.5%.Comparable preneed funeral sales production rose 6.6% to $323.3 million, reflecting an 8.3% increase in core preneed sales production.Cemetery: Total cemetery revenues were $498.5 million, up from $474.1 million in the second quarter of 2025. Gross profit increased 5% to $163.2 million from $155.5 million, while the gross margin decreased 10 basis points to 32.7%.Comparable cemetery revenues increased 4.8% to $496.9 million, driven by higher core revenues and higher other revenues. Comparable gross profit rose 4.3% to $162.2 million, and the gross margin decreased 20 basis points to 32.6%.Comparable preneed cemetery sales production increased 8% to $399.5 million, driven by a higher number of contracts sold, an increase in average sales value and greater contributions from large sales. The company ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $260.4 million, long-term debt of $5,108 million and total equity of $1,537.8 million.Net cash provided by operating activities was $238.7 million and adjusted cash provided by operating activities was $238.8 million in the second quarter. Total capital expenditure was $95.7 million, including $29.6 million for capital improvements at existing field locations, $44.5 million for the development of cemetery property, $6 million for digital investments and corporate initiatives, and $15.6 million for growth capital expenditure related to new funeral service locations. The company confirmed the mid-point of its 2026 earnings guidance and raised the cash flow outlook. The mid-point of earnings per share (EPS) guidance is $4.20, while the range has been narrowed to $4.10-$4.30 from the previously stated $4.05-$4.35. At the midpoint, the company expects adjusted earnings growth within its long-term target of 8-12%.The company’s cash flow guidance has been increased. Net cash provided by operating activities, excluding special items and cash taxes, is projected in the range of $1,175-$1,235 million, up slightly from the prior stated $1,125-$1,185 million. After accounting for cash taxes, net cash provided by operating activities, excluding special items, is expected between $1,055 million and $1,115 million, compared with the previously mentioned $1,005-$1,065 million.The company expects maintenance capital expenditures of approximately $335 million in 2026.This Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock has gained 7.4% in the past three months compared with the industry’s growth of 4.6%. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Carriage Services, Inc. CSV provides funeral and cemetery services, and merchandise in the United States. It currently has a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Carriage Services’ current fiscal-year sales and earnings implies growth of 6.1% and 8.4%, respectively, from the prior-year reported levels. CSV delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 0.5%, on average.Darling Ingredients Inc. DAR develops, produces and sells sustainable natural ingredients from edible and inedible bio-nutrients in North America, Europe, China, South America and internationally. At present, Darling Ingredients holds a Zacks Rank of 2. DAR delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 16.1%, on average.The consensus estimate for Darling Ingredients’ current fiscal-year sales and earnings implies growth of 13.2% and 642.7%, respectively, from the year-ago figures. US Foods Holding Corp. USFD engages in the marketing, sale and distribution of fresh, frozen and dry food and non-food products to foodservice customers in the United States. USFD currently carries a Zacks Rank #2. US Foods Holding delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 1.4%, on average.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for US Foods Holding’s current fiscal-year sales and earnings implies growth of 5.1% and 16.3%, respectively, from the year-ago figures. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Service Corporation International (SCI) : Free Stock Analysis Report Darling Ingredients Inc. (DAR) : Free Stock Analysis Report Carriage Services, Inc. (CSV) : Free Stock Analysis Report US Foods Holding Corp. (USFD) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Service Corp. (SCI) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.9 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.89 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.88 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +1.12%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this funeral home and cemetery operator would post earnings of $1 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.97, delivering a surprise of -3%. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times. Service Corp., which belongs to the Zacks Funeral Services industry, posted revenues of $1.1 billion for the quarter ended June 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.04%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $1.07 billion. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates three times over the last four quarters. The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call. Service Corp. shares have added about 9% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 8.5%. While Service Corp. has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock? There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately. Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions. Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Service Corp. was favorable. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to outperform the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.97 on $1.09 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $4.15 on $4.43 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year. Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Funeral Services is currently in the top 10% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1. Carriage Services (CSV), another stock in the same industry, has yet to report results for the quarter ended June 2026. The results are expected to be released on August 5. This provider of funeral and cemetary services and products is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.82 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +10.8%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days. Carriage Services' revenues are expected to be $109.05 million, up 6.8% from the year-ago quarter. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Service Corporation International (SCI) : Free Stock Analysis Report Carriage Services, Inc. (CSV) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Carriage Services (CSV) is expected to deliver a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended June 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook gives a good sense of the company's earnings picture, but how the actual results compare to these estimates is a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price. The earnings report, which is expected to be released on August 5, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower. While management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call will mostly determine the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations, it's worth having a handicapping insight into the odds of a positive EPS surprise. This provider of funeral and cemetary services and products is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.82 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +10.8%. Revenues are expected to be $109.05 million, up 6.8% from the year-ago quarter. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period. Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Estimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. This insight is at the core of our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction). The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only. A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP. Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell). For Carriage Services, the Most Accurate Estimate is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bearish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -0.30%. On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #2. So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Carriage Services will beat the consensus EPS estimate. While calculating estimates for a company's future earnings, analysts often consider to what extent it has been able to match past consensus estimates. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number. For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Carriage Services would post earnings of $0.85 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.86, delivering a surprise of +1.18%. Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates three times. An earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss. That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. Carriage Services doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release. Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Carriage Services, Inc. (CSV) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Earnings results often indicate what direction a company will take in the months ahead. With Q1 behind us, let’s have a look at Carriage Services (NYSE:CSV) and its peers. The Consumer Discretionary sector, by definition, is made up of companies selling non-essential goods and services. When economic conditions deteriorate or tastes shift, consumers can easily cut back or eliminate these purchases. For long-term investors with five-year holding periods, this creates a structural challenge: the sector is inherently hit-driven, with low switching costs and fickle customers. As a result, only a handful of companies can reliably grow demand and compound earnings over long periods, which is why our bar is high and High Quality ratings are rare. Some consumer discretionary companies don’t fall neatly into a category because their products or services are unique. Although their offerings may be niche, these companies have often found more efficient or technology-enabled ways of doing or selling something that has existed for a while. Technology can be a double-edged sword, though, as it may lower the barriers to entry for new competitors and allow them to do serve customers better. The 11 consumer discretionary - specialized consumer services stocks we track reported a mixed Q1. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 1.4% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was in line. In light of this news, share prices of the companies have held steady as they are up 2% on average since the latest earnings results. Established in 1991, Carriage Services (NYSE:CSV) is a provider of funeral and cemetery services in the United States. Carriage Services reported revenues of $106.1 million, flat year on year. This print fell short of analysts’ expectations by 4.7%. Overall, it was a slower quarter for the company with a significant miss of analysts’ revenue and EPS estimates. Carlos Quezada, Vice Chairman and CEO, stated, "We are pleased by our first-quarter performance, particularly against a strong prior-year comparison. Total revenue of $106.1 million declined modestly by $0.9 million, driven primarily by a 5.8% decrease in comparable funeral volume. However, our cemetery portfolio demonstrated solid growth, finishing the quarter at $34.4 million, representing a $2.0 million increase in consolidated cemetery revenue, partially offsetting the volume headwinds. Carriage Services achieved the highest full-year guidance raise but had the weakest performance against analyst estimates of the whole group. Still, the market seems discontent with the results. The stock is down 7% since reporting and currently trades at $41.27. Read our full report on Carriage Services here, it’s free. Originally a death care company, Matthews International (NASDAQ:MATW) is a diversified company offering ceremonial services, brand solutions and industrial technologies. Matthews reported revenues of $258.6 million, down 39.5% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 2%. The business had a very strong quarter with a beat of analysts’ EPS and adjusted operating income estimates. Although it had a fine quarter compared to its peers, the market seems unhappy with the results as the stock is down 7% since reporting. It currently trades at $26.54. Is now the time to buy Matthews? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free. Known by many for its old cable television commercials, WeightWatchers (NASDAQ:WW) is a wellness company offering a range of products and services promoting weight loss and healthy habits. WeightWatchers reported revenues of $168.3 million, down 9.8% year on year, exceeding analysts’ expectations by 6.1%. Still, it was a slower quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ EBITDA and EPS estimates. WeightWatchers delivered the biggest analyst estimate beat but had the weakest full-year guidance update in the group. Interestingly, the stock is up 39.4% since the results and currently trades at $16.46. Read our full analysis of WeightWatchers’s results here. Founded in 1874 and headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, ADT (NYSE:ADT) is a provider of security, automation, and smart home solutions, offering comprehensive services for home and business protection. ADT reported revenues of $1.28 billion, flat year on year. This result beat analysts’ expectations by 0.7%. It was a satisfactory quarter as it also logged a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates. The stock is down 6.1% since reporting and currently trades at $6.74. Read our full, actionable report on ADT here, it’s free. A global distributor of vehicle parts and accessories, LKQ (NASDAQ:LKQ) offers its customers a comprehensive selection of high-quality, affordably priced automobile products. LKQ reported revenues of $3.47 billion, up 4.3% year on year. This number topped analysts’ expectations by 2.5%. Overall, it was a strong quarter as it also put up an impressive beat of analysts’ adjusted operating income and revenue estimates. The stock is down 11.5% since reporting and currently trades at $27.12. Read our full, actionable report on LKQ here, it’s free. Late in 2025 into early 2026, there was hand-wringing around artificial intelligence. For software companies, the fear was that AI would erode pricing power and compress margins as new tools made it easier to replicate what once required expensive enterprise platforms. Crypto investors had their own version of the same anxiety: if AI agents could trade, allocate capital, and manage wallets autonomously, what exactly was the long-term value of today’s crypto infrastructure? These concerns triggered a noticeable rotation away from these sectors and into safer havens. But markets rarely dwell on one narrative for long. Spring 2026 came, and the focus shifted abruptly from technological disruption to geopolitical risk. The US’ conflict with Iran became the dominant driver of market psychology, and when geopolitics takes center stage, the script changes quickly. Investors stop debating growth rates and start worrying about oil supply, inflation, and global stability. Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our Hidden Gem Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate. StockStory’s analyst team — all seasoned professional investors — uses quantitative analysis and automation to deliver market-beating insights faster and with higher quality.