Matt Blackwell
on
When funeral home owners begin thinking about a sale, the focus often turns to valuation multiples and market timing. In reality, buyers start somewhere else. They start with risk.
Every buyer, whether a regional operator, public consolidator, or private equity backed group, is trying to mitigate downside. Red flags are simply indicators of risk. Not every issue will kill a transaction, but almost every red flag affects price, structure, or terms. More importantly, surprises during diligence damage credibility and shift leverage to the buyer.
Call volume quality is one of the first areas buyers analyze. Unexplained declines or volatility raise concerns about lost relationships, service quality, or competitive pressure. Market share trends matter. So does concentration risk. Heavy reliance on a single church, hospital, or municipality may inflate current performance but create meaningful downside if that relationship changes.
Revenue quality is equally critical. Buyers want to understand not just total revenue, but its composition. If revenue cannot be clearly broken down by service type, merchandise, cash advances, and discounts, uncertainty increases. Flat or declining average revenue per call without a defined strategy signals weak pricing discipline. Inconsistent recording of discounts or cash advances further muddies margins and invites skepticism.
Preneed exposure is another common friction point. A large preneed backlog dominated by low dollar contracts can create future margin compression when those contracts convert. Poor documentation, contract lists that do not reconcile to trust statements, and incomplete funding records increase diligence risk. Compliance issues such as prior trust deficiencies, late filings, or licensing gaps often result in escrows or purchase price holdbacks.
EBITDA quality ultimately drives valuation, but not all EBITDA is created equal. When personal expenses are not clearly separated from business operations, normalization becomes subjective. Buyers discount add backs they do not fully trust. Lean staffing models may temporarily inflate margins but create burnout risk and post close hiring needs. Deferred maintenance on facilities, vehicles, or cremation equipment may boost short term performance while shifting capital expenditures to the buyer.
Facilities and real estate risk also matter. Poorly maintained buildings, unclear parcel ownership, shared driveways, or zoning limitations can complicate underwriting and limit expansion. These issues often surface late in diligence and can materially affect structure.
Finally, operational and people risk should not be overlooked. Heavy reliance on an owner or key employee creates transition uncertainty. High turnover may signal cultural or compensation challenges. Community perception, while harder to quantify, directly influences referral stability and long term call volume.
Red flags do not disappear on their own. They are either identified early and managed proactively or discovered later under less favorable circumstances. The strongest transactions are not those without issues. They are the ones where risks are surfaced, quantified, and addressed before going to market.
For owners considering a sale in the next several years, evaluating these areas now is one of the most effective ways to protect value and preserve leverage when it matters most.