Topic: Funeral Industry

Service Corporation International (SCI), a major funeral and cemetery provider, raised its 2021 earnings guidance due to higher-than-expected death volumes. The CEO attributed the growth to the Delta variant and "non-COVID excess deaths." The hosts suggest that financial reports from the death care industry are a more reliable metric of mortality trends than government data.

Adam Curry recounts his mother's death and her specific instructions for a 1950s-themed "Happy Days" party instead of a traditional funeral. He describes the persistent upselling attempts by the cremation and insurance industries during his time of grief. Despite the pressure to purchase premium services, Curry adhered to his mother's explicit wishes for a simple, pre-paid arrangement.