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The $11.7 billion U.S. funeral homes industry is a mature, low-growth and fragmented business comprised of nearly 22,000 mostly independent services. The late 1990s saw a wave of consolidation as large chains bought up hundreds of independents, piling on huge debt in the process. This binge is over, failing miserably, and profit margins are falling. As the price of the average funeral climbs to $6,130, more people are opting for less costly cremations (27% of all services and rising steadily). This study is Marketdata's 2nd edition investigation of the industry. It examines the industry's nature and structure, major trends, marketing innovations, pricing/profit margins, funeral home operating ratios from the Census Bureau and trade groups, demographics/death rates, and industry receipts from 1985-2001 actual, 2002-2003 estimated, 2007 forecasts. Contains results of phone surveys with the leading trade associations, brokerage firm analysts, etc. In-depth profiles of: Service Corp., Alderwoods Group, Stewart Enterprises, and Carriage Services. Includes 55 tables and charts. | 
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