Small spike in revenues at funerals plc Dignity

REVENUES and underlying profits have increased slightly at Dignity, the UK’s only listed funeral services company.

IN a Q3 interim management statement today, the Sutton Coldfield-based firm said revenues in the 39-week period ended 30 September 2011m, year-on-year revenues were up 7.3% from £145.2m to £155.8m.

Underlying profit rose by 7.6% from £45m to £48.4m.

It said it had acquired three new funeral locations and seven new satellite locations since the end of July, bringing the plc’s acquisition totals to 10 and 18 respectively since the start of 2011.

It said today it remained on track to open its crematorium in Worcestershire in Q4 2011 and a new crematorium in Essex in Q2 2012.

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The group has also been announced as the preferred bidder to operate one crematorium and three cemeteries on behalf of Haringey Council, expected to be effective during the first quarter of 2012.

Chief executive Mike McCollum said: “This is a good performance by the group. I am pleased that we continue to increase the number of funeral and crematoria locations we operate and that pre-arranged funeral plan sales continue to be strong.

“Our outlook remains positive and our full year expectations are unchanged.”