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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 10-K/A
(Amendment No. 1)
     
þ
  ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003

Or

     
o
  TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from            to

Commission file number 1-6402-1


Service Corporation International
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
     
Texas
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  74-1488375
(I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
     
1929 Allen Parkway
Houston, Texas

(Address of principal executive offices)
  77019
(Zip code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: 713/522-5141


Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

     
Title of each class   Name of each exchange on which registered
     
Common Stock ($1 par value)
Preferred Share Purchase Rights
6 3/4% Convertible Subordinated Notes Due 2008
  New York Stock Exchange
New York Stock Exchange
New York Stock Exchange

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

     Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes þ No o

     Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. o

     Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Rule 12b-2). Yes þ No o

     The aggregate market value of the common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant (assuming that the registrant’s only affiliates are its officers and directors) was $1,142,008,087 based upon a closing market price of $3.87 on June 30, 2003 of a share of common stock as reported on the New York Stock Exchange — Composite Transactions Tape.

     The number of shares outstanding of the registrant’s common stock as of February 27, 2004 was 303,571,052 (net of treasury shares).

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the registrant’s Proxy Statement in connection with its 2004 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (Part III)

 
 

 


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Explanatory Note

     The Company is amending and restating in its entirety its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003, to reflect operations that have been classified as discontinued operations and to reflect certain accounting changes surrounding the Company’s insurance funded preneed funeral contracts. The Company is also including additional disclosures that were not provided in its original Form 10-K.

     In addition, the Company has changed its method of accounting for insurance funded preneed funeral contracts as the Company has concluded that its insurance funded preneed funeral contracts are not assets and liabilities as defined by Statement of Financial Accounting Concepts No. 6, “Elements in Financial Statements.” Therefore, the Company has removed from its consolidated balance sheet amounts relating to insurance funded preneed funeral contracts previously recorded in Preneed funeral contracts, net and Deferred preneed funeral revenues. The removal of these amounts did not have an impact on the Company’s consolidated shareholders’ equity, results of operations or cash flows.

Discontinued Operations

     In 1999, the Company began an initiative to identify and address non-strategic or underperforming businesses. As a result of this assessment, the Company committed to a plan in June 2004 to divest the existing funeral and cemetery operations in Argentina and Uruguay. The Company is actively marketing these operations and plans to have no continuing interest in these operations subsequent to the disposal of the Argentina and Uruguay businesses. As a result, the Company has classified these operations as discontinued operations for all periods presented.

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SERVICE CORPORATION INTERNATIONAL

INDEX

     
    Page
   
 
   
  4
  7
  7
  7
 
   
   
 
   
  10
  10
  11
  45
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
  46
  97
  97
 
   
   
 
   
  98
  98
  98
  98
  98
 
   
   
 
   
  100
 
   
  101
  102
 Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges
 Consent of Independent Accountants
 Certification of CEO pursuant to Section 302
 Certification of PFO pursuant to Section 302
 Certification of CEO pursuant to Section 906
 Certification of PFO pursuant to Section 906

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PART I

ITEM 1. Business.

(Dollars in millions)

     We restated our previously issued financial statements for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2002, 2001 and 2000, the interim quarters of 2002, 2001, 2000 and the first three quarters of 2003. All applicable amounts relating to these restatements have been reflected in this Form 10-K. See Item 7 Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and notes two and twenty-one to the consolidated financial statements in Item 8 of this Form 10-K for details of the restatement.

General

     Service Corporation International (SCI or the Company) is the world’s largest provider of funeral and cemetery services. At December 31, 2003, we operated 2,225 funeral service locations, 417 cemeteries and 183 crematoria located in eight countries. We also had a minority interest equity investment in funeral and cemetery operations in the United Kingdom and Australia. In the fourth quarter of 2003, we sold our minority interest equity investment in our Australia operations. We expect to sell our minority interest investment in the United Kingdom in the second quarter of 2004, pending a successful public offering transaction. On            March 11, 2004, we sold our funeral operations in France and subsequently purchased a 25% equity interest in the acquiring entity. The French operations consisted of 963 funeral service locations and 39 crematoria at December 31, 2003. For additional information regarding this transaction, see note twenty to the consolidated financial statements in Item 8 of this Form 10-K.

     Our funeral service and cemetery operations consist of funeral service locations, cemeteries, crematoria and related businesses. Personnel at the funeral service locations provide all professional services relating to funerals, including the use of funeral facilities, motor vehicles, and preparation and embalming services. Funeral related merchandise (including caskets, coffins, burial vaults, cremation receptacles, flowers and other ancillary products and services) is sold at funeral service locations. Certain funeral service locations contain crematoria. We sell prearranged funeral services whereby a customer contractually agrees to the terms of a funeral to be performed in the future. Our cemeteries provide cemetery property interment rights (including mausoleum spaces, lots and lawn crypts) and sell cemetery related merchandise (including stone and bronze memorials, burial vaults, casket and cremation memorialization products) and services (primarily merchandise installation fees and burial opening and closing fees). Cemetery items are sold on an atneed or preneed basis. Personnel at cemeteries perform interment services and provide management and maintenance of cemetery grounds. Certain cemeteries operate crematoria and certain cemeteries contain gardens specifically for the purpose of cremation memorialization. There are 185 combination locations that contain a funeral service location within or adjacent to an SCI owned cemetery.

     SCI was incorporated in Texas in July of 1962. Our principal corporate offices are located at 1929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas 77019 and our telephone number is (713) 522-5141. Our website is http://www.sci-corp.com. We make available free of charge, on or through our website, our annual, quarterly and current reports and any amendments to those reports, as soon as reasonably practicable after electronically filing such reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Information contained on our website is not part of this report.

Funeral and Cemetery Operations

General

     The funeral and cemetery operations consist of our funeral service locations, cemeteries, crematoria and related businesses. As of December 31, 2003, our operations were organized into a North America division, which represents the United States and Canada, a European division primarily consisting of operations in France and an Other Foreign division relating to operations managed in South America and Singapore. In March 2004, we joint ventured our funeral operations in France. (For additional information regarding this transaction, see note twenty to the consolidated financial statements in Item 8 of this Form 10-K.)

     During the fourth quarter of 2003, we realigned our funeral and cemetery operations in North America to better meet the needs of different market types. As a result, the funeral and cemetery operations in North America are organized into 32 major markets and 44 middle markets. Each market is led by a market director with responsibility for funeral and cemetery operations as well as preneed sales. Within each market, the operational facilities realize efficiencies by sharing common resources such as personnel, preparation services and vehicles. There are three market support centers in North America to assist market directors with financial,

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administrative and human resource needs. These support centers, commonly referred to as “hubs”, are located in Houston, New York and Los Angeles. The primary functions of the market support centers are to help facilitate the execution of corporate strategies, coordinate communication between the field and corporate offices and serve as liaisons for implementation of policies and procedures.

     The death care industry in North America is characterized by a large number of locally owned, independent operations. In order to be successful, we believe our funeral service locations and cemeteries must maintain good reputations and high professional standards in the industry, as well as offer attractive products and services at competitive prices. We believe we have an unparalleled network of funeral service locations and cemeteries that offer high quality products and services at prices that are competitive with local competing funeral homes, cemeteries and retail locations.

     We have multiple funeral service locations and cemeteries in a number of metropolitan areas. Within individual metropolitan areas, the funeral service locations and cemeteries operate under various names because most operations were acquired as existing businesses. Some of our international funeral service locations operate under certain brand names specific for a general area or country. We have branded our funeral operations in North America under the name Dignity Memorial®. A national brand name is unique to the death care industry in North America and we believe this gives us a strategic advantage in the industry. While this branding process is intended to emphasize our seamless national network of funeral service locations and cemeteries, the original names associated with acquired operations, and their inherent goodwill and heritage, will generally remain the same. For example, Geo. H. Lewis & Sons Funeral Directors is now Geo. H. Lewis & Sons Funeral Directors, a Dignity Memorial® provider.

     In the death care industry, there has been a growing trend in the number of cremations performed in North America as an alternative to traditional funeral service dispositions. The west coast of the United States, Florida and Arizona have the highest concentration of cremation consumers in North America. Cremations usually result in lower revenue and gross profit dollars than traditional funeral services. In North America during 2003, 39.0% of all funeral services we performed were cremation cases, compared to 37.9% performed in 2002. We have expanded our cremation memorialization products and services in several North America markets, which has resulted in higher average sales for cremation cases compared to historical levels. During 2003, we continued to expand our nationally branded cremation service locations called National Cremation® Service (NCS). At            December 31, 2003, NCS operated in eighteen states and Canada. NCS plans to expand its presence in existing states by adding locations where there is a business need.

     Historically, we focused on the acquisition and consolidation of independent funeral homes and cemeteries in the fragmented death care industry in North America. During the 1990’s, we also expanded our operations through acquisitions in Europe, Australia, South America and the Pacific Rim. At one time, our network consisted of more than 4,500 businesses in 20 countries on 5 continents. During the mid to late 1990’s, the acquisition market became extremely competitive resulting in increased prices for acquisitions and substantially reduced returns on invested capital. In 1999, we significantly reduced the level of acquisition activity and focused on identifying and addressing non-strategic or underperforming businesses. This focus resulted in the divestiture of several North America and international operations. During 2002 and 2001, we completed joint ventures of operations in Australia, United Kingdom, Spain and Portugal; and divested of operations in the Netherlands, Norway, Italy and Belgium. In 2003, we sold our equity investment in our operations in Australia, Spain and Portugal. During the first quarter of 2004, we completed a joint venture of our funeral operations in France. We expect to sell our minority interest equity investment in the United Kingdom in the second quarter of 2004, pending a successful public offering transaction. We will pursue discussions with various third parties concerning the sale or joint venture of our remaining international operations (primarily in South America) as we intend to focus our efforts on operating a core business of high quality funeral service locations and cemeteries in North America.

Funeral Service Locations

     Our 2,225 funeral service locations provide all professional services relating to funerals, including the use of funeral facilities, motor vehicles, and preparation and embalming services. Funeral service locations sell caskets, coffins, burial vaults, cremation receptacles, flowers, burial garments, and other ancillary products and services. Our funeral service locations generally experience a greater demand for services in the winter months primarily related to higher incidents of deaths from pneumonia and influenza.

     In addition to selling products and services to client families at the time of need, we also sell preneed funeral services in most of our service markets. A funeral preneed arrangement is a means through which a customer contractually agrees to the terms of a funeral to be performed in the future. All or a portion of the funds collected from preneed funeral contracts are placed into trust accounts, pursuant to applicable law. Alternatively, where allowed, customers may choose to purchase a life insurance or annuity policy from third party insurance companies to fund their preneed funeral. In certain situations and pursuant to applicable laws, we will post a surety bond as financial assurance for a certain amount of the preneed funeral contract in lieu of placing certain funds in

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trust accounts. See the Financial Assurances section included in Financial Condition, Liquidity and Capital Resources in Item 7 of this Form 10-K for further details on our practice of posting such surety bonds. For additional information regarding preneed funeral activities, see the Preneed Funeral and Cemetery Activities section in Financial Condition, Liquidity and Capital Resources in Item 7 and notes three, four and five to the consolidated financial statements in Item 8 of this Form 10-K.

Cemeteries

     Our cemeteries sell interment rights associated with cemetery property such as mausoleum spaces, lots and lawn crypts, and sell cemetery merchandise such as stone and bronze memorials, burial vaults, caskets and cremation memorialization products. Our cemeteries perform interment services and provide management and maintenance of cemetery grounds. Certain cemeteries operate crematoria and certain cemeteries contain gardens specifically for the purpose of cremation memorialization.

     Cemetery sales are often made on a preneed basis pursuant to installment contracts providing for monthly payments. A portion of the proceeds from cemetery contracts is generally required by law to be paid into perpetual care trust funds. Earnings from perpetual care trust funds are used to defray the maintenance costs of cemeteries. Additionally, all or a portion of the proceeds from the sale of preneed cemetery merchandise and services may be required by various state laws to be paid into merchandise and services trusts until the merchandise is delivered or the service is provided. In certain situations and pursuant to applicable laws, we will post a surety bond as financial assurance for a certain amount of the preneed cemetery contract in lieu of placing certain funds into trust accounts. See the Financial Assurances section included in Financial Condition, Liquidity and Capital Resources in Item 7 of this Form 10-K for further details on the practice of posting such surety bonds. For additional information regarding cemetery preneed activities, see the Prearranged Funeral and Cemetery Activities section in Financial Condition, Liquidity and Capital Resources in Item 7 of this Form 10-K and notes three, four and six to the consolidated financial statements in Item 8 of this Form 10-K.

Combined Funeral Service Locations and Cemeteries

     At December 31, 2003, we owned 185 funeral service/cemetery combination locations in which a funeral service location is physically located within or adjoining an SCI owned cemetery. Combination locations allow certain facility, personnel and equipment costs to be shared between the funeral service location and cemetery and typically have a higher gross margin than if the funeral and cemetery operations were operated separately. Combination locations also create synergies between funeral and cemetery sales force personnel and give consumers added convenience to purchase both funeral and cemetery products and services at a single location.

Employees

     At December 31, 2003, we employed 20,471 (13,461 in North America) individuals on a full time basis and 7,342 (6,788 in North America) individuals on a part time basis. Of the full time employees, 19,949 were employed in the funeral and cemetery operations and 522 were employed in corporate or other overhead activities and services. All eligible employees in the United States who so elect are covered by SCI’s group health and life insurance plans. Eligible employees in the United States are participants in retirement plans of SCI or various subsidiaries, while international employees are covered by other SCI (or SCI subsidiary) defined or government mandated benefit plans. Approximately 3% of our employees in North America are represented by unions. Although labor disputes are experienced from time to time, relations with employees are generally considered favorable.

Regulation

     Our operations are subject to regulations, supervision and licensing under numerous foreign, federal, state and local laws, ordinances and regulations, including extensive regulations concerning trust funds, preneed sales of funeral and cemetery products and services and various other aspects of our business. We comply in all material respects with the provisions of such laws, ordinances and regulations. Since 1984, we have operated in the United States under the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) comprehensive trade regulation rule for the funeral industry. The rule contains requirements for funeral industry practices, including extensive price and other affirmative disclosures and imposes mandatory itemization of funeral goods and services. From time to time in connection with our former strategy of growth through acquisitions, we entered into consent orders with the FTC that required us to dispose of certain operations in order to proceed with such acquisitions, or limited our ability to make acquisitions in specified areas. The trade regulation rule and the various consent orders have not had a material adverse effect on our operations.

     As previously mentioned, we sold our funeral operations in France in March 2004. The French funeral services industry has undergone significant regulatory change in recent years. Historically, the French funeral services industry had been controlled, as provided by national legislation, either (i) directly by municipalities through municipality-operated funeral establishments (Municipal

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Monopoly), or (ii) indirectly by the remaining municipalities that have contracted for funeral service activities with third party providers, such as our French funeral operations (Exclusive Municipal Authority). Legislation was passed that has generally ended municipal control of the French funeral service business and has allowed free competition among funeral service providers. Under such legislation, the Exclusive Municipal Authority was abolished in January 1996, and the Municipal Monopoly was eliminated in January 1998. Cemeteries in France are currently controlled by municipalities and religious organizations. We previously sold cemetery merchandise such as markers and monuments to consumers for use in these cemeteries.

ITEM 2. Properties.

     Our corporate headquarters are located at 1929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas 77019. A wholly-owned subsidiary of SCI owns an undivided one-half interest in the building and parking garage. The other undivided one-half interest is owned by an unrelated third party. We plan to acquire the other one-half interest in the building at the end of the lease in July 2005 for $2 million. The property consists of approximately 127,000 square feet of office space and 185,000 square feet of parking space. We lease all of the office space in the building for $59 thousand per month and pay all operating expenses. One half of the rent is paid to the wholly-owned subsidiary and the other half is paid to the owners of the remaining undivided one-half interest. We own and utilize two additional buildings located in Houston, Texas for corporate activities containing a total of approximately 207,000 square feet of office space.

     At December 31, 2003, we owned approximately 68% of the real estate and buildings used by our 2,225 funeral service locations, cemeteries and 183 crematoria, and 32% of such facilities are leased. In addition, we leased two aircraft pursuant to cancelable operating leases. At December 31, 2003, we operated 10,032 vehicles, of which 29% were owned and 71% were leased. For additional information regarding leases, see the Contractual, Commercial and Contingent Commitments section in Financial Condition, Liquidity and Capital Resources in Item 7 and note twelve to the consolidated financial statements in Item 8 of this Form 10-K.

     At December 31, 2003, our 417 cemeteries contained a total of approximately 28,254 acres, of which approximately 57% was developed.

     The specialized nature of our businesses requires that our facilities be well-maintained and kept in good condition and we believe that these standards are being met.

ITEM 3. Legal Proceedings.

     Information regarding legal proceedings is set forth in note twelve to the consolidated financial statements in Item 8 of this Form 10-K.

ITEM 4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

     None.

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EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE COMPANY

     Pursuant to General Instruction G to Form 10-K, the information regarding executive officers of the Company called for by Item 401 of Regulation S-K is hereby included in Part I of this report.

     The following table sets forth as of March 15, 2004 the name and age of each executive officer of the Company, the office held, and the date first elected an officer.

                     
                Year First
                Became
Officer Name   Age   Position   Officer(1)
R. L. Waltrip
    73     Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer     1962  
B. D. Hunter
    74     Vice Chairman of the Board     1986  
Thomas L. Ryan
    38     President and Chief Operating Officer     1999  
Michael R. Webb
    45     Executive Vice President     1998  
Jeffrey E. Curtiss
    55     Senior Vice President Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer     2000  
Stephen M. Mack
    52     Senior Vice President Middle Market Operations     1998  
James M. Shelger
    54     Senior Vice President General Counsel and Secretary     1987  
J. Daniel Garrison
    52     Vice President Operations Services     1998  
W. Cardon Gerner
    49     Vice President Accounting     1999  
Eric D. Tanzberger
    35     Vice President and Corporate Controller     2000  
Stephen J. Uthoff
    52     Vice President Chief Information Officer     2000  
Sumner J. Waring, III
    35     Vice President Major Market Operations     2002  


(1)   Indicates the year a person was first elected as an officer although there were subsequent periods when certain persons ceased being officers of the Company.

     Unless otherwise indicated below, the persons listed above have been executive officers or employees for more than five years.

     Mr. Waltrip is the founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and a licensed funeral director. He grew up in his family’s funeral business and assumed management of the firm in the 1950s after earning a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Houston. He began buying additional funeral homes in the 1960s, achieving cost efficiencies by pooling their resources. At the end of 2003, the network he began had grown to include more than 2,800 funeral service locations, cemeteries and crematoria in eight countries. Mr. Waltrip took the Company public in 1969. He has provided leadership to the Company for over 40 years.

     Mr. Hunter was appointed Vice Chairman of the Board in January 2000. For more than five years, prior to February 2002, Mr. Hunter had been the Chairman of Huntco, Inc., an intermediate steel processor, and was also its Chief Executive Officer prior to May 2000. In February 2002, Huntco, Inc., filed a petition for bankruptcy under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code during a severe downturn in the steel industry. Mr. Hunter has been a director since 1986 and also served as Vice Chairman of the Board from September 1986 to May 1989. He is a graduate of Truman State University, formerly known as Northeast Missouri State University, in Kirksville, Missouri.

     Mr. Ryan joined the Company in June 1996 and served in a variety of financial management roles within the Company. In February 1999, Mr. Ryan was promoted to Vice President International Finance. In November 2000, he was promoted to Chief Executive Officer of European Operations based in Paris, France. In July 2002, Mr. Ryan was appointed President and Chief Operating Officer. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Ryan was a certified public accountant with Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P. for more than five years. Mr. Ryan holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Texas-Austin.

     Mr. Webb joined the Company in 1991 when it acquired Arlington Corporation, a regional funeral and cemetery consolidator, where he was then Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining Arlington Corporation, Mr. Webb held various executive financial and development roles at Days Inns of America and Telemundo Group, Inc. In 1993, Mr. Webb joined the Company’s corporate development group, which he later led on a global basis before accepting operational responsibility for the Company’s Australian and Hispanic businesses. Most recently, Mr. Webb has led the efforts to reduce overhead costs and improve business and financial processes. Mr. Webb was named Executive Vice President in July 2002. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree.

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     Mr. Curtiss joined the Company as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in January 2000. In August 2002, Mr. Curtiss’ responsibilities changed to include the responsibilities of Treasurer of the Company. From January 1992 until July 1999, Mr. Curtiss served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Browning-Ferris Industries, a waste services company. Mr. Curtiss attended the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, where he earned Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Doctor of Jurisprudence degrees. He also holds a Master of Legal Letters degree in taxation from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

     Mr. Mack joined the Company in 1973 as a resident director after graduating from Farmingdale State University of New York. He became Vice President of the Eastern Region in 1987 and Regional President in 1992. Mr. Mack was appointed Corporate Vice President in 1998 and then promoted to Senior Vice President in 2002. Mr. Mack was promoted to Senior Vice President Eastern Operations in August 2002 and assumed the office of Senior Vice President Middle Market Operations in November 2003.

     Mr. Shelger joined the Company in 1981 when it acquired IFS Industries, a regional funeral and cemetery consolidator, where he was then General Counsel. Mr. Shelger subsequently served as counsel for the Cemetery Division until 1991, when he was appointed General Counsel. Mr. Shelger earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and a Juris Doctor from the California Western School of Law in San Diego.

     Mr. Garrison joined the Company in 1978 and worked in a series of management positions until he was promoted to President of the Southeastern Region in 1992. In 1998, Mr. Garrison was promoted to Corporate Vice President in charge of operations outside North America. In 2000, Mr. Garrison was promoted to Vice President North American Cemetery Operations. He served in this position until assuming his current position as Vice President Operations Services in August 2002. Mr. Garrison is an Administrative Management graduate of Clemson University.

     Mr. Gerner joined the Company in January 1999 in connection with the acquisition of Equity Corporation International (ECI) and in March 1999 was promoted to Vice President Corporate Controller. In August 2002, Mr. Gerner’s responsibilities and position changed to Vice President Accounting. Before the acquisition, Mr. Gerner had been Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of ECI since March 1995. Prior thereto, Mr. Gerner was a partner with Ernst & Young LLP. Mr. Gerner graduated with honors from the University of Texas-Austin, with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting.

     Mr. Tanzberger joined the Company in August 1996 as Manager of Budgets & Financial Analysis. Since then, Mr. Tanzberger has served as Vice President of Operations/Western Division, Director of Investor Relations and Assistant Corporate Controller. Mr. Tanzberger was promoted to Vice President Investor Relations and Assistant Corporate Controller in January 2000, and to Corporate Controller in August 2002. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Tanzberger was Assistant Corporate Controller at Kirby Marine Transportation Corporation, an inland waterway barge and tanker company, from January through August 1996. Prior thereto, he was a certified public accountant with Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P. for more than five years. Mr. Tanzberger is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree.

     Mr. Uthoff joined the Company as Vice President Chief Information Officer in January 2000. From June 1994 through July 1999, Mr. Uthoff served as Vice President – Planning & Analysis of Browning-Ferris Industries, a waste services company. Mr. Uthoff attended Oklahoma State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering and a Master of Science degree in Accounting.

     Mr. Waring, a licensed funeral director, joined the Company as an Area Vice President in 1996 when the Company merged with his family’s funeral business. Mr. Waring was appointed Regional President of the Northeast Region in 1999 and was promoted to Regional President of the Pacific Region in September 2001. Mr. Waring was promoted to Vice President Western Operations in August 2002 and assumed the office of Vice President Major Market Operations in November 2003. Mr. Waring holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Stetson University in Deland, Florida, a degree in Mortuary Science from Mt. Ida College and a Masters of Business Administration degree from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

     Each officer of the Company is elected by the Board of Directors and holds his office until his successor is elected and qualified or until his earlier death, resignation or removal in the manner prescribed in the Bylaws of the Company. Each officer of a subsidiary of the Company is elected by the subsidiary’s board of directors and holds his office until his successor is elected and qualified or until his earlier death, resignation or removal in the manner prescribed in the bylaws of the subsidiary.

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PART II

ITEM 5. Market for the Company’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.

     The Company’s common stock has been traded on the New York Stock Exchange since May 14, 1974. On December 31, 2003, there were 6,609 holders of record of the Company’s common stock.

     In October 1999, the Company suspended payment of regular quarterly cash dividends on its outstanding common stock in order to focus on improving cash flow and reducing existing debt. Under the Company’s bank credit agreement, the Company is restricted from paying dividends and making other distributions.

     The table below shows the Company’s quarterly high and low common stock prices for the two years ended December 31, 2003:

                                 
    2003     2002  
    High     Low     High     Low  
First quarter.
  $ 3.82     $ 2.78     $ 5.50     $ 4.55  
Second quarter
    4.24       2.67       5.15       3.60  
Third quarter.
    4.95       3.75       4.64       2.25  
Fourth quarter
    5.58       4.45       3.71       2.42  

     SRV is the New York Stock Exchange ticker symbol for the common stock of the Company. Options in the Company’s common stock are traded on the Philadelphia Stock Exchange under the symbol SRV.

     For equity compensation plan information, see Part III of this report on page 99.

ITEM 6. Selected Financial Data.

     The following selected consolidated financial data for the years ended December 31, 1999 through December 31, 2003 is derived from our audited consolidated financial statements as restated. The operating data includes reclassifications to conform to current period presentations with no impact on net income. In the second quarter of 2004, we committed to a plan to divest our existing funeral and cemetery operations in Argentina and Uruguay. Therefore, these operations are classified as discontinued for all periods presented. In the first quarter of 2004, we changed our method of accounting for insurance funded preneed contracts as we have concluded that our insurance funded preneed funeral contracts are not assets and liabilities as defined by Statement of Financial Accounting Concepts No. 6, “Elements in Financial Statements”. Therefore, we have removed from our balance sheet amounts relating to insurance funded preneed funeral contracts for periods presented. The data set forth should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements included in this Form 10-K. The historical information is not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected in the future.

     The financial statements for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2002, 2001 and 2000, the interim quarters of 2002, 2001, 2000 and the first three quarters of 2003 have been restated. All applicable amounts relating to these restatements have been reflected in the following selected financial data.

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SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

                                         
(Dollars in millions except per      
share amounts)   Year ended December 31,  
    2003     2002     2001     2000     1999  
            (Restated)     (Restated)     (Restated)          
Selected Consolidated Statement of Operations Data:
                                       
 
                                       
Revenue
  $ 2,328.4     $ 2,312.4     $ 2,489.0     $ 2,569.5     $ 2,979.0  
Income (loss) from continuing operations before cumulative effects of accounting changes
  $ 82.6     $ (82.2 )   $ (464.0 )   $ (388.4 )   $ (55.8 )
Net income (loss)
  $ 85.1     $ (232.5 )   $ (623.4 )   $ (1,294.1 )   $ (32.4 )
 
                                       
Earnings per share:
                                       
Income (loss) from continuing operations before cumulative effects of accounting changes
                                       
Basic
  $ 0.28     $ (0.28 )   $ (1.63 )   $ (1.43 )   $ (0.21 )
Diluted
  $ 0.28     $ (0.28 )   $ (1.63 )   $ (1.43 )   $ (0.21 )
Net income (loss)
                                       
Basic
  $ 0.28     $ (0.79 )   $ (2.19 )   $ (4.75 )   $ (0.12 )
Diluted
  $ 0.28     $ (0.79 )   $ (2.19 )   $ (4.75 )   $ (0.12 )
 
                                       
Dividends per share
                          $ 0.27  
 
                                       
Selected Consolidated Balance Sheet Data:
                                       
 
                                       
Total assets
  $ 7,725.2     $ 7,798.2     $ 9,025.0     $ 10,525.0     $ 10,779.7  
Long-term debt, less current maturities
  $ 1,519.2     $ 1,874.1     $ 2,301.4     $ 3,078.7     $ 3,622.2  
Stockholders’ equity
  $ 1,527.0     $ 1,326.7     $ 1,456.4     $ 2,025.0     $ 3,495.3  

ITEM 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
(Dollars in millions, except average sales prices and per share data)

Restatement of Historical Financial Statements

     We restated our previously issued financial statements for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2002, 2001 and 2000, the interim quarters of 2002, 2001 and 2000, and the first three quarters of 2003, primarily related to adjustments to Deferred preneed cemetery contract revenues. All applicable amounts relating to these restatements have been reflected in the consolidated financial statements and notes to the consolidated financial statements.

     Prior to the implementation of Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 101, “Revenue Recognition in Financial Statements” (“SAB 101”), the Company recorded revenues for cemetery merchandise or services at the time the contract was signed by the customer. The estimated costs to deliver merchandise and perform services were charged to expense at the time the contract was signed and a corresponding liability was recorded on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet. This liability was periodically adjusted to reflect changes in the estimated costs of merchandise and services. When the Company delivered merchandise or performed services under a customer’s cemetery contract, our policy required cemetery personnel to record such delivery or performance into the accounting system. This entry reduced the corresponding liability as the obligation was satisfied.

     Effective January 1, 2000, we adopted SAB 101. We determined that the accounting policy for recognition of preneed cemetery merchandise or service revenue should be changed from the time of sale to the time of delivery or performance. Undelivered merchandise and services would be recorded as deferred revenue at the contract sale price and revenue from such merchandise and services would be recognized when delivered or performed.

     In the latter part of 2001, we identified preneed cemetery merchandise and services that had been previously delivered, but the delivery had not been input into our accounting system in a timely manner. When identified, these items were recognized as revenues and disclosed as changes in estimates in the period identified. Deliveries made in a period other than when they were ultimately recognized as a change in estimate are referred to as “out-of-period deliveries”.

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     During 2000 through September 2003, we identified approximately $109.4 million of preneed cemetery contract items that were out-of-period deliveries, which means that these items had been delivered or performed, but the revenue had not been recognized in the appropriate period of delivery. These items were originally recognized as revenues and disclosed as changes in estimates in the periods from 2000 through 2003. Offsetting the $109.4 million, we recorded $43.6 million of cemetery revenue from 2000 through September 2003, which represents the effects of subsequent years being restated into the appropriate earlier period as detailed in the table below.

                                         
                            First Three        
                            Quarters        
(Dollars in millions)   2000     2001     2002     of 2003     Total  
Reductions in cemetery revenues for out-of-period deliveries
  $ (12.8 )   $ (68.5 )   $ (23.4 )   $ (4.7 )   $ (109.4 )
 
                                       
Effects of subsequent years being restated into the appropriate period
  $ 27.7     $ 11.0     $ 4.9     $     $ 43.6  
 
                             
 
                                       
Net restatement of cemetery revenues for out-of-period deliveries
  $ 14.9     $ (57.5 )   $ (18.5 )   $ (4.7 )   $ (65.8 )
 
                             

     Additionally, during the fourth quarter of 2003, we recorded adjustments to prior periods totaling $40.7 million to report additional cemetery merchandise and service revenue in the period that such items were delivered or performed. The difference between the $40.7 million and the $109.4 million described above is that the cemetery contract items within the $109.4 million were previously identified by the Company and were recognized as revenue and disclosed as a change in estimate in the period identified. The cemetery contract items within the $40.7 million were not previously identified or recognized as revenue by the Company prior to the fourth quarter of 2003. The distribution of the $40.7 million was restated as follows:

                                         
(Dollars in millions)   2000     2001     2002     2003     Total  
Increased revenues for items for which delivery or performance occurred, but no revenue was recognized
  $ 4.9     $ 8.3     $ 8.7     $ 8.7     $ 30.6  
 
                                       
Cumulative effect (pretax)
  $ 10.1     $     $     $     $ 10.1  
 
                             
 
                                       
Total revenues for items for which delivery or performance occurred, but no revenue was recognized.
  $ 15.0     $ 8.3     $ 8.7     $ 8.7     $ 40.7  
 
                             

     We also reviewed our accounting policy for amortizing preneed funeral deferred selling costs and have changed the methodology for amortizing these costs from a straight line basis to a method more in proportion to when the associated revenues are recognized. We included this change in amortization in our restated results.

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     The effect of the restatement of our previously reported consolidated statement of operations and consolidated balance sheet for the periods described above is as follows:

                                                 
    Year ended December 31,     Year ended December 31,     Year ended December 31  
    2002     2001     2000  
 
  As reported   As Restated   As Reported   As Restated   As Reported   As Restated
 
                                   
Selected consolidated statement of operations data:
                                               
Revenues
  $ 2,322.2     $ 2,312.4     $ 2,538.1     $ 2,489.0     $ 2,549.8     $ 2,569.5  
Costs and expenses
  $ (1,959.3 )   $ (1,950.4 )   $ (2,173.5 )   $ (2,166.2 )   $ (2,216.4 )   $ (2,226.5 )
Gross profits
  $ 362.9     $ 362.0     $ 364.6     $ 322.8     $ 333.4     $ 343.0  
Operating income (loss)
  $ 16.8     $ 15.8     $ (189.0 )   $ (230.9 )   $ (247.2 )   $ (237.5 )
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes and cumulative effects of accounting changes
  $ (118.9 )   $ (119.9 )   $ (376.7 )   $ (418.6 )   $ (475.6 )   $ (465.9 )
Benefit (provision) for income taxes
  $ 37.3     $ 37.7     $ (61.6 )   $ (45.3 )   $ 81.3     $ 77.6  
Cumulative effects of accounting changes (net of income taxes)
  $ (135.6 )   $ (135.6 )   $ (7.6 )   $ (7.6 )   $ (913.6 )   $ (870.4 )
Net loss
  $ (231.9 )   $ (232.5 )   $ (597.8 )   $ (623.4 )   $ (1,343.3 )   $ (1,294.1 )
Basic and diluted earnings per share:
                                               
Loss from continuing operations before cumulative effects of accounting changes
  $ (.28 )   $ (.28 )   $ (1.54 )   $ (1.63 )   $ (1.45 )   $ (1.43 )
Net loss
  $ (.79 )   $ (.79 )   $ (2.10 )   $ (2.19 )   $ (4.93 )   $ (4.75 )

(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)

                 
    As of December 31, 2002  
    As Reported     As Restated  
Selected consolidated balance sheet data:
               
Inventories
  $ 135,263     $ 136,666  
Total current assets
  $ 612,874     $ 614,277  
Deferred charges and other assets
  $ 719,180     $ 712,030  
Total assets
  $ 8,253,993     $ 7,798,246  
Deferred cemetery contract revenues, net
  $ 1,672,661     $ 1,629,540  
Deferred income taxes
  $ 420,658     $ 435,148  
Accumulated deficit
  $ (1,046,029 )   $ (1,023,145 )
Total stockholders’ equity
  $ 1,303,771     $ 1,326,655  
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity
  $ 8,253,993     $ 7,798,246  

     See note twenty-one to the consolidated financial statements for the effect of the restatement upon quarterly unaudited financial data.

      We have changed our method of accounting for insurance funded preneed contracts as we have concluded that our insurance funded preneed funeral contracts are not assets and liabilities as defined by Statement of Financial Accounting Concepts No. 6, “Elements in Financial Statements.” Therefore, we have removed from our consolidated balance sheet amounts relating to insurance funded preneed funeral contracts previously recorded in Preneed funeral receivables and trust investments and Deferred preneed funeral revenues, which at December 31, 2003 and 2002, were $3,505,094 and $2,948,100, respectively. The removal of these amounts did not have an impact on our consolidated stockholders’ equity, results of operations or cash flows.

Overview

     Service Corporation International (SCI), headquartered in Houston, Texas, is the world’s largest funeral and cemetery company. At December 31, 2003, we operated 2,225 funeral service locations, 417 cemeteries, and 183 crematoria in eight countries. North America operations represented 56% of funeral service locations, 97% of cemeteries and 77% of crematoria owned at December 31, 2003, and approximately 73% of consolidated revenues and 79% of consolidated gross profits.

North America Operations

     To meet the needs of different markets, the funeral and cemetery operations in North America are organized into 32 major markets and 44 middle markets. Each market is led by a market director with responsibility for both funeral and cemetery operations as well as preneed sales in their particular market. Within each market, the businesses realize efficiencies by sharing common resources such as personnel, preparation services, and vehicles. To assist market directors with financial and administrative needs as well as human resource issues, there are three market support centers in North America. These support centers, commonly referred to as “hubs” are located in Houston, New York and Los Angeles. The market support centers help to facilitate the execution of corporate strategies, coordinate the communication between corporate office and the field, and act as liaisons for implementation of policies and procedures.

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International Operations

     On March 11, 2004, we sold our funeral operations in France and then purchased a 25% equity interest in the acquiring company. We also have a minority interest equity investment in the United Kingdom. Remaining international operations outside of North America consist of funeral businesses in Singapore and primarily cemetery businesses in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay. It is our intention to exit these remaining international businesses when market values and economic conditions are conducive to a sale or joint venture. At this time, we believe our focus is best spent in North America where significant opportunities for growth exist. Subsequent to December 31, 2003, management committed to a plan to sell its Argentina and Uruguay operations. For additional information, see note nineteen to the consolidated financial statements included in this Form 10-K.

Strengths and Challenges

     SCI is the dominant industry leader in North America. While there are three other publicly-traded companies that operate in our industry, we have more physical locations and serve more consumers than the rest of the public peer group combined. With that said, the industry remains highly fragmented with these three public companies and SCI combined representing approximately 20% of the total industry, and the other 80% of the industry is represented by independent funeral and cemetery operators. In 2000, we launched the first national branding strategy in the funeral service industry in North America under the name Dignity Memorial®. While this branding process is intended to emphasize our seamless national network of funeral service locations and cemeteries, the original names associated with acquired locations generally remain the same. For example, Geo. H. Lewis & Sons Funeral Directors is now Geo. H. Lewis & Sons Funeral Directors, a Dignity Memorial® provider. We believe SCI is the only company in our industry to successfully implement a national brand. We believe that a national brand gives us a competitive advantage and is discussed further in our strategies for growth described below.

     Our core business can be characterized as stable, reflective of favorable demographics and relatively predictable revenue and cash flow streams that are further enhanced by more than $3,100 million of deferred revenues associated with North America preneed funeral and cemetery sales. This backlog of future revenues is primarily supported by investments in trust funds or third party insurance policies.

     We and others in the industry face certain challenges in growing revenues. The primary external factors impacting revenue growth are a lack of near-term growth in the number of deaths and an increasing trend toward cremation. Although the United States Census Bureau projects that the numbers of deaths will grow between 0.7% and 0.8% annually through 2010, modern advances in medicine and healthier lifestyles could reduce the numbers of deaths during this time. Our comparable (same store) funeral services performed declined 1.6% in 2003 which we believe is consistent with, or in certain instances less than, the declines experienced by other companies in the funeral service and casket manufacturing industries as well as mortality data reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Preliminary mortality statistics reported by the CDC reflect a decline in the number of deaths in the United States of more than 2.0% in 2003 versus 2002.

     In North America, social trends, religious changes, environmental issues and cultural preferences are driving an increasing preference for cremation. SCI is the largest provider of cremation services in North America where approximately 39% of the total funeral services we perform are cremation services as compared to the national average of approximately 30%. Our cremation mix is greater due to the high concentration of properties we own along the west coast of the United States, Florida, and Arizona where cremation rates exceed 45%. The rate of cremation in North America has been increasing approximately 100 to 150 basis points each year and we expect this trend to continue in the near term. A cremation service historically has generated less revenues and gross profit dollars than a traditional funeral service. Additionally, the cremation consumer may choose not to purchase cemetery property or merchandise. We believe we are well positioned to address this growing trend and have experienced initial success through the use of contemporary marketing strategies and unique product and service offerings that specifically appeal to cremation consumers. See further information regarding initiatives to address cremation as part of our overall revenue growth strategy described below.

The Path to Growth

     With the significant progress made in reducing debt and increasing cash flow since 1999, we believe our current capital structure affords us improved financial flexibility. Our primary focus has shifted to initiatives that will grow revenues and earnings. In the near term, we believe that cost reduction efforts will be the main means to improve earnings. We believe strategies centered on our national brand, Dignity Memorial®, and other revenue growth initiatives will provide the framework that will drive sustainable growth over the longer term.

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Improving the Infrastructure

     We have historically had an infrastructure that did not fully realize the inherent efficiencies in our large organization. As a result, we did not fully capitalize on the benefits of standardization, technology, process improvement and outsourcing programs. Some of the key actions taken to improve the infrastructure while reducing costs include redesigning our sales organization, improving business and financial processes, implementing new information systems, and changing the management structure.

     In late 2002 and early 2003, we made significant changes to the structure and processes of the sales organization. These changes included eliminating certain lead generation programs, incentive travel programs and other inefficient sales activities and shifting to a sales model based on personal referrals and standardized professional certification, redesigning sales management compensation programs to profit-based measures from revenue-based measures and reducing sales management positions. We are also in the final stages of shifting to a compensation model for sales counselors that is variable and directly related to the production of new business. Historically, sales counselors’ compensation was based solely on commissions. These changes made to the sales organization were a significant driver of improved cemetery margins in 2003.

     In 2003, we began to focus on improving business and financial processes and systems that support our North American funeral and cemetery operations. The information systems used by us in the field were proprietary systems developed by us internally. There were three separate systems (funeral, cemetery and trust administration) and the systems operated independent of each other. These systems were costly to maintain. In 2003, we began to implement a new information system in the field that would replace the three separate contract entry systems and integrate these functions into one system. In addition, process improvement reviews resulted in our decision to outsource certain accounting functions, including accounts payable and payroll, and to change outsourcers for trust administration.

     Having simplified our sales approach and redesigned our financial, technical and administrative infrastructure, we were able to make significant changes to the field management structure in late 2003. The old management structure consisted of multiple layers and two organizations (sales and operations). The new management structure is based on a major market and middle market concept with the understanding that our markets and businesses are not all the same and can benefit from different management approaches. We eliminated the dual management organizations and now have one person responsible for each market who has the ability to lead in a multi-segment environment, who is focused on growing our business and who is committed to the Dignity Memorial® standards and brand. This single line management structure is expected to increase accountability and execution, improve communication and reduce overhead costs. To assist market directors with financial and administrative needs as well as human resource issues, there are three market support centers, commonly referred to as “hubs”. The market support centers help facilitate the execution of corporate strategies, coordinate the communication between the corporate office and our operating locations, and act as liaisons for implementation of policies and procedures, including monitoring and enhancing our internal control policies and procedures.

Building the Brand

     SCI has implemented the first national brand in the funeral service industry called Dignity Memorial®. Internally, we are focused on ensuring that we have consistency in service standards and processes across our network of businesses. We want every customer interaction to be the standard “Dignity” interaction, which is based upon values of integrity, respect, enduring relationships and service excellence. All of our employees who interact with consumers must complete a Dignity certification process. Additionally, we are developing a comprehensive training program under the name “Dignity University” that incorporates required specific curriculum for each job type within SCI using a combination of traditional classroom, web-based courses, virtual classroom and on-the-job training for the more than 20,000 individuals that we employ in North America.

     Externally, we continue to enhance signage and local advertising efforts using the Dignity® name and logo. Through our national brand we are the sponsor of several nationally recognized community programs including Dignity Memorial Escape School® (www.escapeschool.com), which provides parents and their children with critical abduction prevention and escape techniques, Dignity Memorial Smart and Safe Seniors® (www.smartandsafe.com), which educates seniors about consumer fraud, cons and scams, home break-ins, travel safety and other topics, and The Vietnam Wall Experience (www.vietnamwallexperience.com), which is a traveling, three-quarter-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. We are also currently testing new television, radio and print advertising, which if successful, will be launched on a national basis. This new media advertising focuses on the unique products and services exclusive to Dignity Memorial® providers.

     It is our belief that today’s funeral consumers’ preferences are changing. The focus in this industry historically has been on selling caskets, flowers and interment rights. Based on our market studies, we believe customers are less interested in buying products and

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more interested in creating a meaningful experience and receiving professional help to deal with the aspects of what occurs when a loved one dies. Through our Dignity® brand we are developing more contemporary and comprehensive products and services that we believe will help the consumer through the entire experience. Some of the exclusive items offered through Dignity providers include grief counseling services through a 24-hour Compassion Helpline, legal services membership, internet memorial archive capabilities through Making Everlasting Memories (www.mem.com) and the Aftercare® Planner — a comprehensive organizing system that helps families manage the many business details that arise after a death occurs. Dignity benefits also include the Bereavement Travel Program, a unique feature through which customers can obtain special rates on airfare, car rentals and hotel accommodations for family and friends who must travel from out of town to attend memorial services. Depending on the number of visitors and the cities from which their travel originates, the cumulative savings in connection with one funeral can be in the hundreds — even thousands — of dollars. Importantly, these products and services appeal to both burial and cremation consumers. We are also focusing on programs that offer consumers new ways to personalize funeral services and create meaning in the experience.

Growing Our Revenues

     As described earlier, we believe improvements in our cost structure will drive near term earnings growth; however, we realize to achieve sustainable long-term growth that we must grow our revenues. We believe we can be successful in this regard by developing the Dignity brand, listening to our consumers and developing an approach that takes our Company to new levels.

Enhancing Sales Opportunities

     We believe we can grow core revenues by utilizing technology and contemporary marketing strategies to enhance our sales opportunities and strengthen the competitive advantage of our national brand, Dignity Memorial®. In this regard, particular focus is being placed on selling Dignity Memorial® packaged funeral and cremation plans, developing product differentiation within our cemeteries, and enhancing our cremation strategies.

     Our national brand name, Dignity Memorial®, also represents a unique set of packaged funeral and cremation plans offered exclusively through our network on an atneed and preneed basis. These packages are designed to simplify customer decision-making and include the unique value-added products and services described earlier which have traditionally been unavailable through funeral service locations. Our customer satisfaction index, as measured by independent surveys completed by consumers three weeks following a funeral, continues to reach record levels which we believe is largely attributable to the value and savings consumers receive when they select a Dignity package. When Dignity packages are sold, it results in significant incremental revenue and gross profit margin per funeral service compared to non-Dignity sales due to the comprehensive product and service offerings they provide. On a burial funeral, Dignity packaged sales generate on average approximately $2,800 more than non-Dignity sales. On a cremation service, Dignity packaged sales generate approximately $1,700 more than non-Dignity sales. In 2003, approximately 16% of the total funeral consumers we served selected a Dignity package. On a preneed basis, approximately 20% of funeral prearrangement contracts sold were Dignity plans. A key initiative to help drive increases in the selection rate of Dignity packaged plans is through improved merchandising techniques. In a limited number of test locations, modifications are being made to casket selection rooms that will place less emphasis on traditional funeral merchandise and more focus on the comprehensive product and service offerings unique to Dignity Memorial providers. These new displays and other presentation models also offer a special emphasis on personalization options. We will continue to enhance and make modifications to these new displays in the test locations in early 2004. As we finalize a model of what works best, these new modifications will be launched nationally in late 2004 and 2005.

     We are also beginning to use more contemporary marketing strategies within our cemetery segment. Initiatives are underway to employ a tiered-product strategy that emphasizes a wide range of product offerings versus only grave spaces. Special emphasis is being placed on the development of high-end cemetery property projects such as private family estates. As of December 31, 2003, this tiered-product strategy had been implemented in less than 15% of the more than 400 cemeteries that we own and we believe this initiative will be a key driver of cemetery revenue growth in 2004 and 2005.

     To grow core revenues and profits, we believe we must address the growing trend toward cremation. We believe a successful cremation strategy is built on product differentiation, personalization and simplicity. The sale of Dignity Memorial® cremation plans can have a meaningful impact in the near term as these sales on average result in more than $1,700 of incremental revenue per service to us compared to non-Dignity cremation sales. We are also developing new displays to be used in the arrangement process that clearly explain the products and services available to cremation consumers. Within the cemetery segment, we are promoting cremation gardens, which are separate sections located within certain of our cemeteries where cremated remains can be permanently placed and that contain other unique memorialization products. We continue to develop and expand our national brand, National Cremation®, which targets the direct cremation consumer. And finally, comprehensive training programs are being developed to

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support and drive these key initiatives, as well as to focus on creating a personal and meaningful experience for the cremation consumer.

Increasing Market Share

     We believe that SCI has unique opportunities to grow market share due to its size and geographic diversity. We believe that a national brand will provide us access to new customers over the long term due to an increasingly mobile society in North America. We think consumers today are less likely to know a funeral director personally or live in the same area as past generations who may have used funeral home services before. A favorable experience with Dignity Memorial® through one of our community outreach programs, attending a funeral service at a Dignity location, or through previous use of a Dignity provider may influence a consumer to choose one of our funeral homes. Our centralized marketing effort will utilize information from our broad customer databases to determine geographic, demographic and lifestyle information about our consumers in order to promote awareness of the Dignity Memorial® brand name, our local names, and our provider network in the most efficient and effective manner. In addition, we will continue to capitalize on our nationwide network of providers to develop affinity relationships with large groups of individuals to whom we could market our products and services including employers, social organizations and insurance companies. Our most strategic affinity partnership today is with the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Ladies Auxiliary whose membership exceeds two million. Over the longer term, we believe these types of groups can be key influencers in the funeral home selection process.

     In addition to reducing costs, our new management structure is intended to have our strongest business leaders driving results in each of our markets. Under the new structure, many of the administrative and financial functions are now handled by support centers and the geographical scope of responsibility and accountability for business leaders has been narrowed. We believe this allows our market leaders to have a greater focus on developing people, growing market share and improving profitability in their respective markets. In addition, we continue to use market action plans as a measurement tool to drive accountability and improved results. Market leaders identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of their local area and develop supporting action plans in response that include measurable objectives, necessary resources and a timetable for completion.

     We are also targeting expansion through acquisition or construction in the top 150 markets in North America where probable investment returns will exceed our cost of capital. We will focus future growth capital deployment in the major metropolitan markets where there are large population bases and where multiple businesses are more conducive to clustering and contemporary marketing strategies and it is easier to attract quality management. Over the longer term, the potential for a franchise opportunity exists for further expansion in the smaller markets. In a franchise relationship we could recruit independent funeral providers to join the Dignity Memorial® network and earn fees for a comprehensive range of services that we could provide to the franchisee – all at very little or no capital cost to us.

Outlook for Fiscal 2004

     Our outlook for 2004 demonstrates continued strength in cash flows and further improvements to the capital structure. We expect growth in operating margins in 2004 largely as a result of infrastructure improvements and cost reduction programs that began in 2003. As discussed earlier in this section, initiatives centered on our Dignity Memorial® brand are being further developed to increase revenues and profits while addressing the consumers’ increasing preference for value-added products and services that assist them through the entire experience when a death occurs. In 2004, we anticipate increases in the selection rate of Dignity Memorial packaged funeral and cremation plans. We are continuing to focus on the development of strategic high-end cemetery inventory and implementation of a tiered-product approach and standard pricing model in each of our cemeteries.

     The outlook below provides ranges for certain operating measures on the income statement that could be used to calculate a broad range of expected diluted earnings per share; however, we believe it is more appropriate to use the range of expected diluted earnings per share provided because of the uncertainty of developments described below.

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Highlights of Fiscal 2004 Outlook
(In millions)
       
Operating Measures
       
North America Comparable Operations Funeral Revenues
  $ 1,120 - $1,170  
Funeral Gross Margin Percentage
    20% - 24 %
Cemetery Revenues
  $ 500 - $550  
Cemetery Gross Margin Percentage
    13% - 17 %
General and Administrative Expense
  $ 65 - $70  
Interest Expense
  $ 127 - $130  
Consolidated Effective Tax Rate
    15% - 18 %
Diluted Earnings Per Share
  $ .42 - $.50  
 
       
Cash Flow and Other Measures
       
Cash Flows from Operating Activities
  $ 270 - $310  
Capital Expenditures
  $ 100 - $120  
Depreciation and Amortization
  $ 125 - $135  

Diluted earnings per share guidance and all other outlook provided above specifically exclude the following:

§   Any impact from the implementation of Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Interpretation No. 46, “Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities, an Interpretation of Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB) 51”. This standard was originally required to be implemented in the third quarter of 2003. In December 2003, the FASB issued a revision (FIN 46R) which allows companies to defer implementation. We will implement FIN 46R as of March 31, 2004. For a complete discussion of the effect that the implementation of FIN 46R could have on our financial statements, see Critical Accounting Policies, New Accounting Pronouncements and Accounting Changes within this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and note four to the consolidated financial statements included in this Form 10-K.
 
§   The recognition of a charge of approximately $55 million (pretax) for the cumulative effect of an accounting change associated with pension plan accounting. Effective January 1, 2004, we changed the accounting for gains and losses on our pension plan assets and obligations to recognize these gains and losses as they occur. In our outlook for 2004, we anticipate this change will reduce pension expenses in 2004 compared to 2003; however, because gains and losses will be recognized currently, market conditions could cause an adverse affect on results of operations as these gains and losses will be recognized currently. See note four to the consolidated financial statements included in this Form 10-K.
 
§   Any impact from potential changes to our accounting for insurance funded preneed funeral contracts and other accounting changes.
 
§   The recognition of costs associated with settlements of litigation and the recognition of receivables for insurance recoveries associated with litigation.
 
§   The possibility of gains or losses associated with early extinguishments of debt.
 
§   The possibility of gains or losses associated with asset dispositions or joint ventures.
 
§   The possibility of changes in the capital structure, including new debt issuances and new credit facility.
 
§   The possibility of the recognition of a cumulative effect of an accounting change under generally accepted accounting principles (other than FIN 46R and the change in pension accounting described above).

The following commentary describes our assumptions, estimates and beliefs supporting our 2004 outlook:

Operating Measures

§   Comparable financial information as used in our 2004 outlook is intended to be reflective of “same store” results and excludes the effects of acquisition or construction as well as divestitures or joint ventures.
 
§   The outlook for North America comparable funeral revenues assumes the number of funeral services performed will be flat to slightly down with an increase in cremation services performed offset by a 1% to 3% increase in the overall average revenue per funeral service compared to 2003 levels.

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§   North America comparable cemetery revenues are expected to be lower than 2003 levels due to a decline in cemetery construction revenues to more normalized levels. Revenues associated with cemetery property development projects in 2003 were approximately $60 million. Normalized levels of construction revenues in 2004 are expected to be $25 to $30 million. Offsetting this decline in revenues are anticipated increases in preneed sales as our sales structure becomes more stabilized following the significant changes that occurred in late 2002 and 2003.
 
§   North America funeral and cemetery gross margin percentages are expected to improve in 2004 compared to 2003 primarily due to the recent business process and operating management structure changes and expected reductions in pension plan expenses.
 
§   General and administrative expenses in 2003 were $178.1 million and included $95.2 million of net costs associated with various litigation-related matters. Also included in 2003 were accelerated systems amortization costs of $13.8 million that ceased in the third quarter of 2003. Excluding these litigation expenses and accelerated system amortization costs, general and administrative expenses in 2003 would have been $69.1 million. For 2004, we are estimating general and administrative expenses to be $65 to $70 million (excluding the possibility of the recognition of costs associated with settlements of litigation or receivables for insurance recoveries). Reductions in system costs will be somewhat offset by increased expenses associated with Sarbanes-Oxley compliance and compensation programs.
 
§   Interest expense is expected to decrease $13 to $16 million in 2004 compared to 2003 as a result of retiring debt that is scheduled to mature in 2004. Interest expense expected in 2004 of $127 to $130 million includes approximately $10 million associated with amortization of deferred loan costs. The outlook for interest expense does not take into consideration any additional debt reduction that could occur with proceeds from asset sales or joint ventures or from cash flows from operating activities.
 
§   The consolidated effective tax rate is expected to be 15% to 18% in 2004 compared to 25.6% in 2003. These unusually low rates are attributable to tax benefits received from certain international transactions. The 2004 expected effective tax rate on an annual basis for 2004 includes approximately $30 million of tax benefits associated with the joint venture of our France operations which will be realized in first quarter of 2004. The consolidated effective tax rate in the remaining quarterly periods is expected to be 32% to 35%.
 
§   The range for expected diluted earnings per share assumes dilution from shares associated with the 6.75% convertible notes due 2008.

International Operations

§   On March 11, 2004, we sold our funeral operations in France. In addition to maintaining a 25% share of the total equity capital of the newly formed entity, we received net cash proceeds of approximately $300 million and a note receivable in the amount of 10 million euros. As a result of the transaction, we expect to recognize a pretax gain on the sale of approximately $10 to $20 million in the first quarter of 2004. We also anticipate receiving tax benefits of approximately $30 million in 2004 related to the transaction. Our consolidated reported results for the year 2003 included $584.6 million in revenues and $68.3 million in gross profits that were associated with France.
 
§   Remaining international operations consist primarily of cemetery businesses in South America, where we anticipate modest improvement, net of currency fluctuations.
 
§   We own a 20% minority equity investment in funeral and cemetery operations in the United Kingdom. Pending a successful public offering transaction, we expect to receive proceeds of approximately $50 to $60 million in the second quarter of 2004 associated with the sale of our holdings in stock and notes in these operations.

Cash Flow and Other Measures

§   Cash flows from operating activities in 2003 were $374.1 million and included a tax refund of $94.5 million and payments of $27.1 million, net of insurance recoveries, made during 2003 to resolve certain litigation matters. Had we not received the tax refund or incurred these net litigation payments, cash flows from operating activities in 2003 would have been $306.7 million. Cash flows from operating activities are expected to be $270 to $310 million. This amount includes our ownership of France through March 11, 2004, and excludes the $100 million payment related to the proposed settlement of certain Florida litigation and any possible payments that could be made associated with other litigation matters. It also excludes any receipts from insurance recoveries related to litigation matters and any cash contributions to our frozen pension plan as discussed below.
 
    Anticipated improvements in North America funeral and cemetery margins and reduced interest expense are expected to offset the loss of cash flows from operating activities in 2004 due to the sale of our funeral operations in France, the discontinued use of surety bonding in Florida as discussed below.

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§   Excluded from our 2004 outlook for cash flows from operating activities are payments made related to litigation matters. In February 2004, we paid $100 million into escrow to settle certain litigation matters in Florida. We expect this payment to be partially offset by the receipt of $25 million in recoveries under the first layer of our insurance coverage in 2004.
 
§   On March 11, 2004, we completed the joint venture of our funeral operations in France. In 2003, cash flows from operating activities were approximately $33 million associated with these businesses in France.
 
§   In the first quarter of 2004, we made a voluntary cash contribution of $20 million to our frozen pension plan to increase the fair value of the plan assets. This contribution is excluded from our 2004 outlook for cash flows from operating activities.
 
§   In February 2004, we discontinued the use of surety bonding as a means to provide financial assurance to customers for the prospective sale of preneed contracts in Florida. Beginning with contracts written in early 2004, we have elected to deposit customer receipts from the sale of preneed contracts into trust funds in accordance with state requirements. As a result of this change, our cash flows from operating activities will decline by $15 to $20 million, net of prospective trust receipts, in 2004 over 2003 levels. In subsequent periods, the impact to cash flows is expected to be immaterial. Not included in the outlook for 2004 are other potential changes regarding the use of surety bonding. We are currently evaluating our surety bonding program and may elect to discontinue the use of bonding in other states or cancel certain outstanding bonds and replace with funds in trusts in accordance with state regulations.
 
§   Payments on restructuring charges are expected to increase by approximately $7 million in 2004 compared to 2003 primarily due to severance costs associated with the reorganization of our operating management structure in the fourth quarter of 2003.
 
§   Similar to 2003, we do not expect to pay U.S. federal income taxes in 2004 due to significant tax loss carry-forwards. Because of these tax loss carry-forwards, we believe we will not pay cash taxes until 2006. In 2004, we expect to pay approximately $5 million for various state and Canadian province taxes.
 
§   Capital expenditures in 2004 are expected to be $100 to $120 million compared to $116 million in 2003. Increases in North America capital spending will be offset by reductions related to the joint venture of France. In 2003, $34.3 million of our total capital expenditures were associated with operations in France. Of the total projected capital expenditures in 2004, we expect to spend approximately $65 to $70 million on capital improvements that we believe are necessary to maintain our existing facilities in a condition consistent with company standards and extend their useful lives. This includes approximately $5 million related to our partial year ownership of France in 2004. Growth-oriented capital spending in North America is expected to increase due to investments in new funeral service facilities, Dignity® product displays in our funeral homes, and in developing strategic high-end cemetery property inventory.
 
§   Depreciation and amortization expense is expected to decline in 2004 compared to 2003 primarily due to the elimination of accelerated systems amortization costs and a reduction in cemetery deferred selling amortization costs due to expected lower levels of preneed revenues in 2004.

Critical Accounting Policies, New Accounting Pronouncements and Accounting Changes

     Our consolidated financial statements are impacted by the accounting policies used and the estimates and assumptions made by management during their preparation. The following is a discussion of our critical accounting policies pertaining to revenue recognition, the impairment or disposal of long-lived assets, and the use of estimates.

Revenue Recognition

     Funeral revenue is recognized when funeral services are performed. Our trade receivables primarily consist of amounts due for funeral services already performed. We sell price guaranteed preneed funeral contracts through various programs providing for future funeral services at prices prevailing when the agreements are signed. Revenues associated with sales of preneed funeral contracts, including accumulated trust earnings, are deferred until such time that the funeral services are performed (see notes three and five to the consolidated financial statements included in this Form 10-K).

     Revenue associated with cemetery merchandise and services is recognized when the service is performed or merchandise is delivered. Revenue associated with preneed cemetery property interment rights is recognized in accordance with the retail land sales provision of SFAS No. 66, “Accounting for the Sales of Real Estate” (SFAS 66). Under SFAS 66, revenue from constructed cemetery property is not recognized until a minimum percentage (10%) of the sales price has been collected. Revenue related to the preneed sale of unconstructed cemetery property is deferred until it is constructed and 10% of the sales price is collected. Revenue associated with sales of preneed merchandise and services is not recognized until the merchandise is delivered or the services are performed (see notes three and six to the consolidated financial statements included in this Form 10-K).

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Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets

     We test for impairment of goodwill using a two-step approach as prescribed in SFAS No. 142, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets” (SFAS 142). The first step of our goodwill impairment test compares the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount, including goodwill. We do not record an impairment of goodwill in instances where the fair value of a reporting unit exceeds its carrying amount. The second step of our goodwill impairment test is required only in situations where the carrying amount of the reporting unit exceeds its fair value as determined in the first step. In such instances, we compare the implied fair value of goodwill (as defined in SFAS 142) to its carrying amount of goodwill. If the carrying amount of reporting unit goodwill exceeds the implied fair value of that goodwill, an impairment loss is recognized in an amount equal to that excess. Fair market value of a reporting unit is determined using a calculation based on multiples of revenue and multiples of EBITDA of both SCI and its competitors.

     We apply the requirements of SFAS No. 60 “Accounting and Reporting by Insurance Enterprises” (SFAS 60) to test for impairment of our deferred selling costs as prescribed by the AICPA Industry Guide, “Life and Health Insurance Entities”. Accordingly, when circumstances indicate that actual experience for a portfolio of contracts, regardless of the year of origin, may result in losses, we assess whether the expected gross contract revenues for each portfolio of preneed funeral contracts or preneed cemetery contracts less all related expected contract costs is sufficient to cover the current unamortized deferred selling costs associated with each portfolio. For purposes of applying this policy, a portfolio of preneed funeral contracts or preneed cemetery contracts is comprised of all such contracts executed within a given market (i.e. an area of operation). If deferred selling costs for a portfolio of contracts exceeds the related gross contract revenue less expected contract costs, the excess is charged to expense. We believe this is the most appropriate way to evaluate impairment because it is consistent with the manner in which we acquire, service, and measure the profitability of our preneed funeral and cemetery contracts. Our sales organization is organized by market, and the selling costs incurred and deferred specifically related to the preneed funeral and cemetery deferred revenues recorded in the operating market. The Company is addressing loss contracts in its impairment review of deferred selling costs because we are including all related expected costs in the contract analysis. The application of the requirements under SFAS No. 5 “Accounting for Contingencies” is comparable with the Company’s current application of the requirements under SFAS 60.

     Our systems do not allow us to track cash flow at the individual contract level for preneed funeral and cemetery contracts. Further, we do not believe that evaluation for impairment at the individual contract level is required by SFAS 60 or SFAS 5. We believe the lowest level of identifiable cash flows associated with our preneed funeral and cemetery activities is at our market level of operations. The contracts are homogenous at this level. Therefore, the assumptions at this level would be the same as on an individual contract level.

     We review our remaining long-lived assets for impairment when changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the asset may not be recoverable, in accordance with SFAS No. 144, “Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets” (SFAS 144). SFAS 144 requires that long-lived assets to be held and used be reported at the lower of their carrying amount or fair value. Assets to be disposed of and assets not expected to provide any future service potential to us are recorded at the lower of their carrying amount or fair value less estimated cost to sell.

Use of Estimates

     The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions. These estimates and assumptions affect the carrying values of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the balance sheet date. Actual results could differ from such estimates due to uncertainties associated with the methods and assumptions underlying our critical accounting measurements. Key estimates used by management, among others, include:

Allowances — We provide various allowances and/or cancellation reserves for our funeral and cemetery preneed and atneed receivables, our preneed funeral and preneed cemetery deferred revenues, as well as for our funeral and cemetery deferred selling costs. These allowances are based on an analysis of historical trends and include, where applicable, collection and cancellation activity. These estimates are impacted by a number of factors, including changes in economy, relocation, and demographic or competitive changes in our areas of operation.

Depreciation of long-lived assets — We depreciate our long-lived assets over their estimated useful lives. These estimates of useful lives may be affected by such factors as changing market conditions or changes in regulatory requirements. In 2002, we changed the estimated useful life of our existing information technology systems as a result of the decision to implement a

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new North America point of sale system and an upgraded general ledger system. We recognized approximately $13.8 and $13.5 million of additional amortization expense related to this change in estimate in 2003 and 2002, respectively.

Deferred Selling Costs – Our policy is to defer selling costs that vary with and are primarily related to the acquisition of preneed funeral (trust funded only) and preneed cemetery contracts, and to expense such costs in proportion to the revenue recognized. This deferral, which is calculated based on deferral rates discussed below, and amortization model follows the provisions of SFAS 60, “Accounting and Reporting by Insurance Enterprises” (“SFAS 60”). The selling costs subject to deferral are the pool of compensation expense and related fringe costs incurred by the Company’s sales counselors and sales managers. Other selling costs associated with the sales and marketing of preneed funeral and cemetery contracts (e.g., lead procurement costs, brochures and marketing materials, advertising and general administrative costs) are expensed as incurred.

Deferral rates are determined for the following:

  •   Preneed funeral contracts
 
  •   Preneed cemetery contract items:

  •   interment rights (burial property)
 
  •   merchandise
 
  •   services

These deferral rates are based on the ratio of the selling compensation and fringe costs to preneed funeral and cemetery production (in dollars) weighted accordingly in the manner for which the counselor is compensated (with interment rights, or burial property, being the highest and preneed cemetery services being the lowest compensation to the counselor). In developing the deferral rates, the Company reviews various rate scenarios to ensure the finalized rates, when applied to forecasted production dollars, are reasonable compared to forecasted selling compensation. Additionally, the developed deferral rates are reviewed annually for reasonableness compared to current and historical commission rates used by the Company.

Taxes – Our ability to realize the benefit of deferred tax assets requires us to achieve certain future earnings levels. We have established a valuation allowance against a portion of deferred tax assets and could be required to further adjust that valuation allowance if market conditions change materially and future earnings are, or are projected to be, significantly different from current estimates. We intend to permanently reinvest the unremitted earnings of certain of our foreign subsidiaries in those businesses outside the United States and, therefore, have not provided for deferred federal income taxes on such unremitted foreign earnings.

Pension cost – Our pension costs and liabilities are actuarially determined based on certain assumptions, including expected long-term rates of return on plan assets and the discount rate used to compute future benefit obligations. It is our policy to use a discount rate comparable to rates of return on high-quality fixed income investments available and expected to be available during the period to maturity of the Company’s pension benefits. In 2003 and in prior years, actuarial gains and losses resulting from changes in the assumptions, or experience differences from those assumptions, are amortized over the remaining service period of active employees expected to receive benefits under the plans.

Since 2002, we have used a 9.0% assumed rate of return on plan assets as a result of a high allocation of equity securities within the plan assets. At December 31, 2003, 74% of the plan assets were equity securities with the remaining 26% of plan assets being represented by fixed income securities. As of December 31, 2003, the equity securities were invested approximately 40% in U.S. “Large Cap” investments, 15% in international equities, 10% in U.S. “Small Cap” investments and 9% in the Company’s stock. Our actuaries estimate the expected performance over a ten year period of each class of security. The 9.0% rate of return on plan assets was determined by allocating these expected long-term returns to the different components of the assets.

Pursuant to the previously mentioned $20 million infusion of funds into the plan in early 2004, we expect to rebalance the plan assets to have a lower percentage invested in traditional equity securities and fixed income securities and instead

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incorporate investments in hedge funds. We believe that this reallocation will reduce the volatility with limited reduction of returns.

Furthermore, we are changing our method of accounting for gains and losses on pension assets and obligations in 2004 to recognize such gains and losses during the year in which they occur. In addition to the change in our investment strategy described above, we expect to record net pension expense reflecting estimated returns on plan assets and obligations for our interim financial statements. Under the new accounting policy, upon completion of our annual remeasurement during the fourth quarter, we will recognize actual gains and losses on plan assets and obligations. Therefore, pension expense during the fourth quarter could be different than amounts recorded in interim periods. Additionally, the rate of return on pension plan assets could be lower in 2004 due to the accounting change to immediately recognize gains and losses and due to the reallocation of plan assets as discussed above. See accounting changes and note four to the consolidated financial statements in Item 8 of this Form 10-K for details of this accounting change.

Insurance loss reserves – We purchase comprehensive general liability, morticians and cemetery professional liability, automobile liability and workers compensation insurance coverages structured with high deductibles. This high deductible insurance program results in the Company being primarily self-insured for claims and associated costs and losses covered by these policies. Historical insurance industry experience indicates a high degree of inherent variability in assessing the ultimate amount of losses associated with casualty insurance claims. This is especially true with respect to liability and workers compensation exposures due to the extended period of time that transpires between when the claim might occur and the full settlement of such claim, often many years. We continually evaluate loss estimates associated with claims and losses related to these insurance coverages and falling within the deductible of each coverage through the use of qualified and independent actuaries. A variety of actuarial methodologies are applied to the underlying loss data by the actuary in arriving at an estimate of the “reasonably possible” loss range. Assumptions based on factors such as claim settlement patterns, claim development trends, claim frequency and severity patterns, inflationary trends and data reasonableness will generally effect the analysis and determination of the “best estimate” of the projected ultimate claim losses. The results of these actuarial evaluations are used to both analyze and adjust our insurance loss reserves.

Our independent actuaries used five actuarial methods generally accepted by the Casualty Actuarial Society to arrive at an estimate of a range that we refer to as “reasonably possible”. The Actuarial Standard of Practice No. 36 (ASOP 36 published by the American Academy of Actuaries) states: “A range of reasonable estimates is a range of estimates that could be produced by appropriate actuarial methods or alternative sets of assumptions that the actuary judges to be reasonable.” Methods used to determine the Company’s reasonably possible range are: paid and incurred loss development methods; frequency-severity methods; and paid and incurred Bornhuetter-Ferguson methods. All of these methods were used to determine the Company’s reasonably possible range of insurance loss reserves for the years ended December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001.

The Company has not changed its methodologies for determining the reasonably possible range; however, there are changes made to the assumptions as the loss development factors are updated. These loss development factors are determined based on the Company’s historical loss development data(1) and are updated annually as new data becomes available. As a result, the loss development factors used in the December 31, 2002 analysis could be different from the loss development factors used in the December 31, 2003 analysis. The Company considers these changes in loss development factors synonymous to “changes in assumptions”. The final loss estimate is not determined by weighting the methodologies, but instead is subjectively arrived at by our independent actuary considering the relative merits of the various methods and the truncated average of the various methods.

For each loss type (workers compensation, general liability, and auto liability) “loss triangles” are generated, which show the cumulative valuation of each loss period over time. The loss components evaluated include incurred losses, paid losses, reported claim counts, and average incurred loss. The actuarial analysis of losses uses this data to estimate future loss development or settlement value of the losses. Since these loss development factors are an estimate about future loss development, the calculation of ultimate losses is also an estimate. The actual ultimate loss value may not be known for many years, and may differ significantly from the estimated value of the ultimate losses.

As of December 31, 2003, reported losses within the Company’s retention for workers compensation, general liability and auto liability incurred during the period May 1, 1987 through December 31, 2003 were approximately $167 million. The selected fully developed ultimate settlement value estimated by our independent actuary was $199.4 million. Paid losses were $155.1 million indicating a reserve requirement of $44.3 million. After considering matters discussed between our independent actuary, related to this calculation, the Company estimated the reserve to be $46.8 million as of December 31, 2003.

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At December 31, 2003 and 2002, the balances in the reserve and the related activity were as follows:

         
(Dollars in millions)        
Balance at December 31, 2001
  $ (42.6 )
Additions
    (22.7 )
Payments
    26.3  
 
     
Balance at December 31, 2002
  $ (39.0 )
Additions
    (31.6 )
Payments
    23.8  
 
     
Balance at December 31, 2003
  $ (46.8 )
 
     

Our independent actuary performed a sensitivity analysis that was modeled to assess the impact of changes to the reserve pertaining to workers compensation, general liability, and auto liability. The sensitivity analysis assumes an instantaneous 10% adverse change to the loss development factors as summarized below.

         
(Dollars in   Sensitivity  
millions)   Analysis  
Workers Compensation
  $ 2.3  
General Liability
  $ 0.4  
Auto Liability
  $ 1.6  
 
     
Total Sensitivity
  $ 4.3  
 
     


(1)   The loss development factors used in the December 31, 2003 calculation are based on the Company’s actual claim history by policy year for the period beginning May 1, 1991 — May 1, 2003.

New Accounting Pronouncements

     In January 2003, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued FASB Interpretation No. 46, “Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities, an Interpretation of Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB) No. 51”. This interpretation clarifies the application of ARB 51, “Consolidated Financial Statements”, to certain entities in which equity investors do not have the characteristics of a controlling financial interest or do not have sufficient equity and risk for the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support from other parties. In December 2003, the FASB revised FASB Interpretation No. 46 (FIN 46R) which allows companies with certain types of variable interest entities to defer implementation until March 31, 2004.

     We are currently in discussions with the Staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission related to our implementation of            FIN 46R. The discussion relates to (i) the consolidation under FIN 46R of our preneed funeral and preneed cemetery merchandise and service trusts; (ii) the potential consolidation of our cemetery perpetual care trust funds; and (iii) the policies of recognition of the associated investment earnings of the trust funds.

     We believe, at this time, that we will consolidate the preneed funeral and preneed cemetery merchandise and service trust funds upon implementation of FIN 46R. Upon consolidation, the large majority of the trust assets will be recorded at fair value. We are unclear at this time whether we will consolidate the cemetery perpetual care trust funds upon implementation of FIN 46R. Currently, the perpetual care trust funds are not recognized on our consolidated balance sheet. If the cemetery perpetual care trust funds are consolidated, we believe we will recognize an asset and a corresponding liability in our consolidated balance sheet of approximately $650 million. The large majority of the assets of cemetery perpetual care trust funds will be recorded at fair value.

     Currently, we defer investment earnings associated with preneed funeral and preneed cemetery merchandise and service trust funds until the corresponding merchandise is delivered or the service is performed. It is unclear at this time whether this revenue recognition policy will continue upon implementation of FIN 46R, or if we will have to recognize these trust fund earnings in a revised manner, such as at the time the trusts funds themselves earn such investment earnings.

     Realized investment earnings from cemetery perpetual care trust funds are recognized in current cemetery revenues as they are intended to defray cemetery maintenance costs. We expect to continue recognizing these investment earnings under this new accounting policy.

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     We believe the consolidation of the preneed funeral and preneed cemetery merchandise and service trust funds (and possibly the cemetery perpetual care trust funds) will have an effect on certain components within our consolidated statement of cash flows. Upon such consolidation, proceeds from sales of trust fund investments and disbursements for purchases of trust fund investments will be shown as separate components of cash flows from investing activities. Currently, the cash flows described above are reported within cash flows from operations as they are receivables collected from third parties.

     In addition to potentially consolidating our trust funds, we also believe we will consolidate certain cemeteries managed by us upon implementation of FIN 46R. We expect to recognize a charge of approximately $10 to $20 million, representing the cumulative effect of an accounting change, as a result of consolidating these cemeteries as of March 31, 2004. The results of operations and cash flows of these cemeteries will be included in our consolidated financial statements upon implementation of FIN 46R, although no material impact is anticipated.

     We have changed our method of accounting for insurance funded preneed contracts as we have concluded that our insurance funded preneed funeral contracts are not assets and liabilities as defined by Statement of Financial Accounting Concepts No. 6, “Elements in Financial Statements”. Therefore, we have removed from our consolidated balance sheets amounts relating to insurance funded preneed funeral contracts previously recorded in Preneed funeral contracts, net and Deferred preneed funeral revenues for all periods presented. The amounts relating to insurance contracts removed were approximately $3.5 billion and $2.9 billion at December 31, 2003 and December 31, 2002, respectively. The removal of these amounts did not have an impact on our consolidated stockholders’ equity, results of operations or cash flows. See note five to the consolidated financial statements included in this Form 10-K for additional information on insurance related preneed funeral balances.

     Effective January 1, 2004, we changed the accounting for gains and losses on our pension plan assets and liabilities. We will recognize such gains and losses in our consolidated statement of operations as such gains and losses are incurred under pension accounting. Prior to January 1, 2004, we amortized the difference between actual and expected investment returns and actuarial gains and losses over seven years (except to the extent that settlements with employees required earlier recognition). We believe the change is preferable as the new method of accounting better reflects the economic nature of our pension plan and recognizes gains and losses on the pension plan assets and liabilities in the year the gains and losses occur. As a result of this accounting change, we expect to recognize a charge for the cumulative effect of an accounting change of approximately $55 million (on a pretax basis) as of January 1, 2004. This amount represents accumulated unrecognized net losses related to the pension plan assets and liabilities.

Results of Operations

     Our results for the fiscal years ended 2002 and 2001 and the first three quarters of 2003 have been restated. The financial data below reflects the effects of the restatement for all periods affected. For details relating to this restatement, see notes two and twenty-one to the consolidated financial statements.

     Additionally, we have reclassified certain prior year amounts to conform to the current period financial presentation with no effect on previously reported net income, financial condition or cash flows.

     Net income in 2003 totaled $85.1 million compared to net losses in 2002 and 2001 of $232.5 million and $623.4 million, respectively. Net income in 2003 included a pretax gain on the sale of our equity investment in Australia and the collection of an associated note receivable of $45.7 million. Net income in 2003 was negatively impacted by litigation related expenses, net of estimated insurance recoveries, of $95.2 million. Included in these net litigation expenses was the recognition of a $25 million receivable during the fourth quarter of 2003 for expected insurance recoveries under the first layer of our insurance coverage related to the previously announced $100 million proposed settlement of certain Florida litigation. Net losses reported in 2002 and 2001 were impacted by impairment losses on dispositions, expenses related to market value adjustments of certain options associated with our 6.3% notes due in 2003, severance costs of former employees and expenses related to the termination of certain consulting and non-compete contractual obligations.

     Total consolidated revenues were $2,328.4 million in 2003 compared to $2,312.4 million in 2002 and $2,489.0 million in 2001. The growth in revenues in 2003 over 2002 is largely attributable to increases in our funeral operations in France which benefited from positive currency fluctuations. The decrease in revenues in 2002 compared to 2001 is primarily the result of the sale of several foreign businesses, including our funeral and cemetery operations in the United Kingdom in February 2002 which previously generated annual revenues of approximately $165 million, and several businesses in North America. Although revenues have declined from 2001 levels, gross profits improved to $362.0 million in 2003 and 2002, which in turn were 12.2% higher than 2001. The gross profit margin was 15.5% in 2003 and 15.7% in 2002, which was substantially above 12.6% in 2001 largely as a result of successful ongoing cost reduction initiatives.

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General and Administrative Expenses

     General and administrative expenses in 2003 were $178.1 million compared to $89.8 million in 2002. This increase of $88.3 million is primarily a result of an increase in litigation expenses of $85.2 million. We recognized expenses, net of estimated insurance recoveries, of $95.2 million in 2003 compared to $10 million in 2002. These expenses were primarily associated with litigation matters in Florida. Excluding these litigation related expenses in 2003 and 2002, general and administrative expenses increased $3.1 million. Decreases in technology and other overhead costs were offset by $6.0 million of accrued expenses associated with our long-term incentive compensation program. This new plan is based upon our total shareholder return (share price appreciation including reinvested dividends) during the period 2003 to 2005 relative to a peer group of companies. This new compensation plan is expensed currently in contrast to our historical stock option plan in 2002 that was not expensed. Amounts accrued in 2003 related to this compensation plan are not expected to be paid until 2006 and only if earned.

     General and administrative expenses increased $19.4 million in 2002 compared to 2001. Included in 2002 is $10 million of expenses associated with litigation related matters and $13.5 million of accelerated non-cash amortization expense related to our decision to implement new information systems that was not included in 2001. In 2002, we made the decision to implement new information systems and, therefore, accelerated the existing systems amortization costs which ceased in the third quarter of 2003.

     In addition to general and administrative expenses, there are two other components of overhead costs in North America: home office overhead and field overhead. These overhead costs are allocated to funeral and cemetery operations in North America. Home office and field overhead costs totaled $152.7 million in 2003 compared to $162.9 million in 2002 representing a decline of more than $10 million or 6.3%. This decline is primarily attributable to reductions in preneed sales overhead costs as a result of significant changes made to our sales organization in late 2002 and early 2003.

Other

     In 2003, we recognized a net pretax gain of $49.4 million in gains and impairment (losses) on dispositions, net, primarily related to the sale of certain equity investments during the year. In December 2003, we sold our equity investment in Australia and collected an associated note receivable that generated a gain and net cash proceeds of $45.7 million. During the second quarter of 2003, we sold our equity investment in Spain for net cash proceeds of $26.0 million and recognized a gain of $8.1 million. These gains helped to offset net losses related to sales of various North America businesses. In 2002, we recognized net gains and impairment losses on dispositions of $161.5 million primarily related to an impairment charge for several funeral and cemetery operations held for sale in North America. In 2001, we recognized a net loss of $482.5 million primarily related to the loss on joint venturing our Australian operations, losses from the disposition of operations in the Netherlands, Norway and Belgium and the impairment of certain international operations held for sale.

     Other operating expenses of $9.0 million recognized in 2003 are largely due to severance costs associated with the reorganization of our operating management structure in the fourth quarter of 2003. In November 2003, we moved to a major market and middle market concept with the understanding that our markets and businesses are not all the same and require different management approaches. We eliminated the dual management organizations of sales and operations and now have one leader responsible for each market that has the ability to lead in a multi-segment environment, who is focused on growing our business and who is committed to the Dignity Memorial® standards and brand. Other operating expenses recognized in 2002 of $94.9 million related to market value adjustments of certain options associated with our 6.3% notes due 2003, severance costs of former employees, and expenses related to the termination of certain consulting and non-compete contractual obligations.

     Interest expense decreased to $142.7 million in 2003 compared to $160.9 million and $210.9 million in 2002 and 2001, respectively. The decrease in interest expense reflects the success we have had in reducing outstanding debt.

     Other income, net was $29.7 million in 2003 compared to $25.2 million in 2002 and $23.2 million in 2001. Other income, net primarily consists of income from various notes receivable and cash investments, gains from early extinguishments of debt, equity earnings of investments in certain companies and cash overrides associated with preneed funeral sales with third party insurance companies. Other income, net increased in 2003 over 2002 and 2001 primarily associated with increases in interest income and transactional foreign currency exchange gains which helped to offset declines in gains from early extinguishments of debt and lower levels of cash overrides received from third party insurance companies associated with the sale of preneed funeral contracts.

     In the twelve months ended December 31, 2002, we recognized an after tax charge of $135.6 million as a result of the adoption of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 142, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets". This standard required goodwill to no longer be amortized, but instead tested for impairment annually. This charge related to impairment of goodwill in our North America cemetery segment.

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     The effective tax rate was 25.8% in 2003 compared to 31.4% in 2002. The decline in the effective tax rate is due primarily to income tax benefits associated with certain international transactions. We expect the annual effective tax rate in 2004 to be 15% to 18% due to income tax benefits of approximately $30 million related to our joint venture of France which will be realized in the first quarter of 2004.

Actual Versus Comparable Results of Operations – Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001

     The table below reconciles our actual results to our comparable or “same store” results for the periods ended December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001. We regard “same store” results of operations as analogous to our comparable results of operations. We consider comparable operations as operations that were not acquired or constructed after January 1, 2001 or divested prior to December 31, 2003. Therefore, in the following three-year presentation, we are providing results of operations for the same funeral and cemetery locations in each of the three year periods presented.

     In 2002, we ceased amortization of goodwill as required by SFAS 142; changed the allocation methodology of overhead costs in North America to be based on funeral and cemetery reporting unit revenues; began recognizing revenues associated with delivered caskets previously preneed on cemetery contracts as part of funeral operations instead of cemetery operations; and ceased depreciation of operating assets held for sale during 2002. In 2002, we determined transactions to sell or joint venture certain assets would be delayed until after 2002. As a result, we resumed normal depreciation of those assets held in France and Chile in the third quarter of 2002. In January 2003, the Company once again ceased depreciation of France operating assets held for sale. For purposes of the following discussion, we have presented the financial information for 2001 on a pro forma basis as if these changes had been implemented as of January 1, 2001.

                                         
            Activity                    
            Associated                    
            with     Activity              
            Acquisition /     Associated              
            New     with              
(Dollars in thousands)   Actual     Construction     Dispositions     Comparable     % Variance  
2003
                                       
 
                                       
North America
                                       
Funeral Revenue
  $ 1,145,016     $ 3,807     $ 8,427     $ 1,132,782       1.1 %
Cemetery Revenue
    561,397             4,421       556,976       0.8 %
 
                             
 
  $ 1,706,413     $ 3,807     $ 12,848     $ 1,689,758       1.0 %
 
                                       
Other Foreign
                                       
Funeral Revenue
  $ 595,938     $     $ 1     $ 595,937       0.0 %
Cemetery Revenue
    26,074                   26,074       0.0 %
 
                             
 
  $ 622,012     $     $ 1     $ 622,011       0.0 %
 
                             
Total Revenues
  $ 2,328,425     $ 3,807     $ 12,849     $ 2,311,769       0.8 %
 
                             
 
                                       
North America
                                       
Funeral Gross Profits
  $ 210,708     $ 895     $ (4,582 )   $ 214,395       -1.7 %
Cemetery Gross Profits
    74,262             (1,005 )     75,267       -1.4 %
 
                             
 
  $ 284,970     $ 895     $ (5,587 )   $ 289,662       -1.6 %
 
                                       
Other Foreign
                                       
Funeral Gross Profits
  $ 71,167     $     $ 2     $ 71,165       0.0 %
Cemetery Gross Profits
    5,828             (1 )     5,829       0.0 %
 
                             
 
  $ 76,995     $     $ 1     $ 76,994       0.00 %
 
                             
Total Gross Profit
  $ 361,965     $ 895     $ (5,586 )   $ 366,656       1.30 %
 
                             

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            Activity                    
            Associated                    
            with     Activity              
            Acquisition /     Associated              
            New     with              
    Actual     Construction     Dispositions     Comparable     % Variance  
2002
                                       
 
                                       
North America
                                       
Funeral Revenue
  $ 1,181,425     $ 3,761     $ 38,680     $ 1,138,984       3.6 %
Cemetery Revenue
    611,153             18,866       592,287       3.1 %
 
                             
 
  $ 1,792,578     $ 3,761     $ 57,546     $ 1,731,271       3.4 %
 
                                       
Other Foreign
                                       
Funeral Revenue
  $ 498,670     $     $ 14,282     $ 484,388       2.9 %
Cemetery Revenue
    21,191             2,191       19,000       10.3 %
 
                             
 
  $ 519,861     $     $ 16,473     $ 503,388       3.2 %
 
                             
Total Revenues
  $ 2,312,439     $ 3,761     $ 74,019     $ 2,234,659       3.4 %
 
                             
 
                                       
North America
                                       
Funeral Gross Profits
  $ 231,089     $ 1,662     $ (3,205 )   $ 232,632       -0.7 %
Cemetery Gross Profits
    72,779             2,421       70,358       3.3 %
 
                             
 
  $ 303,868     $ 1,662     $ (784 )   $ 302,990       0.3 %
 
                                       
Other Foreign
                                       
Funeral Gross Profits
  $ 52,954     $     $ 3,356     $ 49,598       6.3 %
Cemetery Gross Profits
    5,187             1,785       3,402       34.4 %
 
                             
 
  $ 58,141     $     $ 5,141     $ 53,000       8.8 %
 
                             
Total Gross Profit
  $ 362,009     $ 1,662     $ 4,357     $ 355,990       1.7 %
 
                             
                                         
            Activity                    
            Associated                    
            with     Activity              
            Acquisition /     Associated              
            New     with              
    Actual     Construction     Dispositions     Comparable     % Variance  
2001
                                       
 
                                       
North America
                                       
Funeral Revenue
  $ 1,217,840     $ 127     $ 103,027     $ 1,114,686       8.5 %
Cemetery Revenue
    571,270             31,653       539,617       5.5 %
 
                             
 
  $ 1,789,110     $ 127     $ 134,680     $ 1,654,303       7.5 %
 
                                       
Other Foreign Funeral Revenue
  $ 640,180     $     $ 204,310     $ 435,870       31.9 %
Cemetery Revenue
    59,715             32,354       27,361       54.2 %
 
                             
 
  $ 699,895     $     $ 236,664     $ 463,231       33.8 %
 
                               
Total Revenues
  $ 2,489,005     $ 127     $ 371,344     $ 2,117,534       14.9 %
 
                             
 
                                       
North America
                                       
Funeral Gross Profits.
  $ 214,751     $ 105     $ (24,172 )   $ 238,818       -11.2 %
Cemetery Gross Profits
    37,854             (11,357 )     49,211       -30.0 %
 
                             
 
  $ 252,605     $ 105     $ (35,529 )   $ 288,029       -14.0 %
 
                                       
Other Foreign
                                       
Funeral Gross Profits.
  $ 48,571     $     $ 2,706     $ 45,865       5.6 %
Cemetery Gross Profits
    21,609             10,946       10,663       50.7 %
 
                             
 
  $ 70,180     $     $ 13,652     $ 56,528       19.5 %
 
                             
Total Gross Profit
  $ 322,785     $ 105     $ (21,877 )   $ 344,557       6.7 %
 
                             

     The following table provides the components to calculate our comparable average revenue per funeral service in North America for the periods ended December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001. We calculate average revenue per funeral service as adjusted comparable North America funeral revenue divided by the comparable number of funeral services performed in North America during the applicable period. In the calculation of average revenue per funeral service, General Agency (GA) revenues and Kenyon revenues are excluded from comparable North America funeral revenue to avoid distorting our averages of normal funeral case volume.

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(Dollars in thousands)   2003     2002     2001  
Comparable North America funeral revenue
  $ 1,132,782     $ 1,138,984     $ 1,114,686  
Less: GA revenues (1)
    27,995       46,256       42,770  
Kenyon revenue (2)
    11,945       4,996       5,269  
 
                 
Adjusted comparable North America funeral revenue
  $ 1,092,842     $ 1,087,732     $ 1,066,647  
 
                       
Comparable North America funeral services performed
    263,952       268,326       268,197  
 
                       
Average North America revenue per funeral service
  $ 4,140     $ 4,054     $ 3,977  


(1)   General Agency (GA) revenues are commissions we receive from third party insurance companies when customers purchase insurance contracts from such third-party insurance companies to fund funeral services and merchandise at a future date.
 
(2)   Kenyon International Emergency Services is our disaster response subsidiary that engages in mass fatality and emergency response services.

Consolidated Funeral Segment Analysis

Consolidated funeral revenues increased $60.9 million in 2003 compared to 2002 as a result of a $97.3 million increase in foreign revenues, partially offset by a decline of $36.4 million in North America funeral revenues. The increase in foreign revenues is predominantly related to our French operations and is due to increases in funeral services performed and in the average revenue per funeral, as well as favorable currency effects. North America funeral revenues declined primarily as a result of divestitures and declines in GA revenues. GA revenues are commissions we receive from third-party insurance companies when customers purchase insurance contracts from such third-party insurance companies to fund funeral services and merchandise at a future date.

     Consolidated funeral gross profits declined $2.2 million in 2003 compared to 2002. Declines in North America funeral operations due to decreased revenues described above and increases in employee benefit and insurance costs were partially offset by improvements in French funeral operations which benefited from increased revenues described above and reduced depreciation expense.

     Consolidated funeral revenues decreased $177.9 million in 2002 compared to 2001 mainly due to a decrease of $141.5 million in foreign funeral revenues primarily as a result of the sale of our funeral operations in the United Kingdom in February 2002. In 2002, funeral operations in the United Kingdom generated $13.2 million of revenues compared to $140.4 million in 2001. The remaining decrease in foreign funeral revenues is primarily due other foreign divestitures which was partially offset by increased revenues from funeral operations in France. North America funeral revenues declined $36.4 million due to dispositions.

     Despite the decline in revenues in 2002, consolidated funeral gross profits increased $20.7 million in 2002 compared to 2001. North America funeral gross profits increased $16.3 million primarily due to the sale of certain underperforming businesses. Foreign funeral gross profits improved $4.4 million primarily due to improvements in French funeral operations which benefited from increased revenues, positive currency effects, and reduced depreciation expense. These increases in funeral operations in France helped to offset the loss of gross profits from the sale of certain foreign operations, including funeral operations in the United Kingdom. In 2002, gross profits from funeral operations in the United Kingdom were $3.3 million compared to $14.1 million in 2001.

Comparable Funeral Segment Analysis

     Comparable North America funeral revenues in 2003 were $1,132.8 million and on the upper end of our guidance range of $1,090 million to $1,150 million. Comparable North America funeral revenues decreased slightly in 2003 from 2002. A decline of 1.6% in the number of funeral services performed and lower levels of general agency revenues associated with the sale of insurance funded preneed funeral contracts were partially offset by an increase of 2.1% in the average revenue per funeral service. We believe the declines in funeral services performed are consistent with, and in certain instances less than, the declines reported by others in the funeral service and casket manufacturing industries. We also track weekly mortality data published by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). We believe that the decline in our funeral services performed in 2003 is less than the declines in numbers of deaths reported

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by the CDC. General agency revenues declined in 2003 versus 2002 due to the anticipated decrease in sales of insurance funded preneed funeral contracts as a result of the significant changes made to the sales organization. Comparable North America funeral revenues increased 2.2% in 2002 compared to 2001 led by a slight increase in comparable funeral services performed and a 1.9% increase in the average revenue per funeral service.

     The average revenue per funeral service increased 2.1% in 2003 over 2002 and increased 1.9% in 2002 over 2001. The fourth quarter of 2003 represents the fourteenth consecutive quarter in which we have increased our average revenue per funeral service. This consistent growth in average revenue is largely a result of the success of the nationally branded Dignity Memorial® packaged funeral and cremation plan initiative. Dignity Memorial packaged plans are designed to simplify the customer decision-making process, provide savings and enhance the value to consumers through unique products and services which have traditionally been unavailable through funeral service locations. In addition to improving customer satisfaction levels as measured by independent surveys, Dignity Memorial burial and cremation packaged plans generate significant incremental revenue per funeral service compared to non-Dignity sales due to the comprehensive product and service offerings they provide. On a burial funeral, Dignity Memorial packaged sales generate on average approximately $2,800 more than non-Dignity sales. On a cremation service, Dignity Memorial packaged sales generate approximately $1,700 more than non-Dignity sales. During 2003, approximately 16% of the total funeral consumers served selected a Dignity packaged plan compared to approximately 14% in 2002 and approximately 7% in 2001. On a preneed basis, approximately 20% of funeral preneed arrangements contracts sold in 2003 were Dignity plans compared to approximately 18% in 2002 and approximately 7% in 2001.

     We achieved increases in average revenue during 2001 through 2003 despite an increase in cremation services. In the death care industry, there has been a growing trend in the number of cremations performed in North America as an alternative to traditional funeral service dispositions. While cremations performed by us in North America typically have higher gross profit margins than traditional funeral services, cremations usually result in lower revenue and gross profit dollars compared to traditional burial funeral services. Of the total comparable funeral services performed in North America during 2003, 39.0% were cremation services compared to 37.9% in 2002 and 36.7% in 2001. Our ability to offer the cremation consumer a broad array of products and services through Dignity packaged plans resulted in increases in the average revenue per cremation service in 2003 compared to 2002.

     The North America funeral gross margin percentage for the twelve months ended December 31, 2003 was 18.9% and on the lower end of our targeted range of 18% to 22%. The North America funeral gross profits and gross margin percentage declined in 2003 compared to 2002 and 2001 primarily due to volume declines experienced by us and others in the industry and increased employee benefit costs and insurance costs. These increases in employee benefit and insurance costs were somewhat offset by reductions in selling and other overhead costs.

     Comparable foreign funeral revenues and gross profits, which predominantly are associated with our businesses in France, increased in 2003 compared to 2002 and 2001. Subsequent to December 31, 2003, these businesses were sold in a joint venture transaction on March 11, 2004 and we retained a 25% minority equity interest. In 2003, France’s reported revenues and gross profits were $584.6 million and $68.3 million, respectively. Included in 2003 results are positive effects of foreign currency translation of $93.2 million in revenues and $9.2 million in gross profits compared to 2002. Excluding favorable currency effects, France’s revenues grew 3.1% and the gross margin percentage improved to 11.7% compared to 9.9%. These improved results were driven by a 2.6% increase in funeral services performed and a 4.5% increase in the average revenue per funeral service. Also, 2002 results included $8.9 million of depreciation expense that was not included in 2003 under accounting rules once we began to actively pursue a joint venture with respect to the French funeral operations. Revenues and gross profits for France also improved in 2002 over 2001 despite a 0.5% decline in funeral services. The effect of foreign currency translations positively benefited 2002 revenues by $24.9 million and gross profits by $2.5 million. Included in results for 2001 is approximately $10 million more of depreciation expense as discussed above. Excluding favorable currency effects and the impact of depreciation expense, France’s revenues grew by 5.5% and gross profits improved by approximately $10 million. These improved results were due to a 4.3% increase in the average revenue per funeral and increases in burial monument sales, along with successful cost reduction initiatives.

Consolidated Cemetery Segment Analysis

     Consolidated cemetery revenues declined $44.9 million in 2003 compared to 2002 primarily as a result of a $49.8 million decrease in North America cemetery revenues, partially offset by improvements in foreign cemetery revenues. This decline in North America cemetery revenues was due to divestitures and also due to the significant changes made to the sales organization in 2003. Although we expected cemetery revenues to decline in 2003 from these strategic changes, we also anticipated, and realized, higher gross margins as a result. Cemetery gross profits in 2003 improved $2.1 million from 2002 due primarily to reductions in preneed selling costs from a number of changes made to the sales organization to increase our effectiveness.

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     Consolidated cemetery revenues improved $1.4 million in 2002 compared to 2001. Increased revenues in North America of $39.9 million due primarily to increases in completed cemetery property development projects helped to offset a decline in foreign cemetery revenues of $38.5 million as a result of the sale of certain foreign cemetery operations, including cemetery operations in the United Kingdom in February 2002, and unfavorable currency effects in South America cemetery operations. In 2002, cemetery operations in the United Kingdom generated $2.2 million of revenues compared to $24.4 in 2001. Consolidated cemetery gross profits grew $18.5 million in 2002 compared to 2001. Improvements in North America cemetery operations of $34.9 million due to increases in revenue described above helped to offset a decline of $16.4 million in foreign cemetery gross profits due to the sale of certain foreign cemetery businesses, including businesses in the United Kingdom, and unfavorable currency effects in South America cemetery operations. In 2002, gross profits from cemetery operations in the United Kingdom were $0.7 million compared to $7.7 million in 2001.

Comparable Cemetery Segment Analysis

     Comparable North America cemetery revenues for the twelve months ended December 31, 2003 were $557.0 million. Comparable North America cemetery revenues decreased in 2003 compared to 2002 associated with the anticipated decrease in preneed revenues due to significant changes in the sales organization and lower levels of revenues associated with completed cemetery property development projects. As a result of redesigning sales compensation programs, eliminating certain lead generation programs, incentive travel programs and other sales activities and shifting to a sales model based on personal referrals, we expected revenues in 2003 to be negatively impacted. We also expected, and realized, higher gross margins as a result of these strategic changes. Comparable North America cemetery revenues increased in 2002 compared to 2001 as a result of increases in completed cemetery property development projects and increases in the amount of cash receipts and down payments received from preneed property sales. Preneed cemetery property revenues are recognized when development of the property is completed and customer payments are at least 10% of the total contract amount.

     The comparable North America cemetery gross margin percentage for the twelve months ended December 31, 2003 was 13.5%, which exceeded the 2002 gross margin percentage of 11.9%. A significant decline in preneed selling costs as described above helped to overcome increased employee benefit and insurance costs and increased maintenance expenses to bring certain cemeteries in line with Company standards. Comparable North America cemetery gross profit and margin percentage increased in 2002 compared to 2001 primarily as a result of increases in completed cemetery property development projects.

     Comparable foreign cemetery operations represent our businesses in Chile and Uruguay. In 2003, revenues from these operations were $26.1 million compared to $19.0 million in 2002 and $27.4 million in 2001. Gross profits from these operations were $5.8 million in 2003 compared to $3.4 million in 2002 and $10.7 million in 2001. The increase in revenues and gross profits in 2003 compared to 2002 is reflective of an improved economy following a difficult year in 2002. Revenues and gross profits declined in 2002 compared to 2001 primarily as a result of unfavorable currency effects.

Financial Condition, Liquidity and Capital Resources

     Our primary financial objectives are to continue to improve our financial flexibility by generating strong cash flows, completing remaining asset sales or joint ventures, and further reducing debt. We have a goal of achieving specific ratings with the credit rating agencies. At December 31, 2003, our long-term debt was rated “BB-” by Standard and Poor’s and “B1” by Moody’s Investors Service. Our targeted rating from Standard and Poor’s is “BB” and from Moody’s Investors Service a “Ba2”. Our balance sheet continues to improve. We have made significant progress in reducing debt since 2001.

                         
    December 31,  
    2003     2002     2001  
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 239.4     $ 200.6     $ 29.3  
Total debt
  $ 1,701.9     $ 1,974.4     $ 2,522.0  
 
                 
Net debt (total debt less cash)
  $ 1,462.5     $ 1,773.8     $ 2,492.7  
 
                 

     Cash and cash equivalents were $239.4 million at the end of 2003 as compared with $200.6 million at the end of 2002 and $29.3 million at the end of 2001. Total debt less cash and cash equivalents at December 31, 2003, was $1,462.5 million, representing the lowest levels in our company since 1994. Total debt has been reduced by $820.1 million or 32.5% since December 31, 2001. This reduction since December 31, 2001, is a result of strong cash flows from operating activities including the receipt of tax refunds of approximately $152 million and a successful asset divestiture and joint venture program that produced more than $500 million of net cash proceeds.

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Cash Flow

     We believe our ability to generate cash from operations to reinvest in our business is one of our fundamental financial strengths. Cash flows from operating activities were $374.1 million in 2003 and included payments of $27.1 million, net of insurance recoveries, to resolve certain litigation matters. Excluding these litigation payments, cash flows from operating activities were $401.2 million, ahead of our guidance range of $350 to $400 million (our target range specifically excluded any potential impact from litigation matters). Also included in our actual and projected 2003 amounts and our 2003 guidance range was the receipt of a $94.5 million tax refund. Cash flows from operating activities in 2002 were $352.2 million and included a $57.1 million tax refund and a $10.1 million escrow receipt from the sale of our French insurance company. Had we not incurred these net litigation payments or received the tax refunds and escrow receipt, cash flows from operating activities in 2003 would have been $306.7 million compared to $285.0 million in 2002, representing an increase of $21.7 million or 7.6%. The increase is primarily attributable to reductions in cash interest paid. We also had improvements in working capital in North America associated with reduced preneed selling costs which helped to offset reduced operating cash flows from our French operations.

     Our investing activities resulted in a net cash outflow of $37.4 million in 2003 compared to a net cash inflow of $326.9 million in 2002. The change is primarily due to a reduction in proceeds from asset sales and joint ventures, increases in capital expenditures and additional deposits to restricted cash as we decided to replace certain letters of credit with cash collateral.

     Net cash used in financing activities was $300.1 million in 2003 compared to $505.5 million in 2002. The net cash used in both periods is primarily due to our continued focus on debt reduction. Repayments of long term debt were $291.3 million in 2003 and $383.1 million in 2002. Included in 2002 was a use of cash of $57 million related to the final settlement of certain options associated with our 6.3% notes due 2003.

     Cash flows from operating activities in 2004 are expected to be $270 to $310 million, excluding the $100 million payment related to the proposed settlement of certain Florida litigation matters in February 2004 and the possibility of payments that could be made associated with other litigation related matters. It also excludes any receipts from insurance recoveries related to litigation matters and any cash contributions to our frozen pension plan. Anticipated improvements in North America funeral and cemetery margins and reduced interest expense are expected to offset the loss of cash flows from operating activities in 2004 as a result of the joint venture of France, the discontinued use of surety bonding in Florida prospectively.

Capital Expenditures

     For 2003, capital expenditures totaled $115.6 million compared to $99.9 million in 2002 and $74.9 million in 2001. Of the total capital expenditures in 2003, $34.3 million was associated with our funeral operations in France, which was divested in a joint venture on March 11, 2004. Capital spending for items that we believe are necessary to maintain our existing facilities in a condition consistent with Company standards and extend their useful lives amounted to $87.2 million in 2003 as compared to $72.9 million in 2002 and $74.0 million in 2001. The increase in capital improvement spending at our existing facilities in 2003 was planned as we continue to focus on the quality of our facilities to ensure that they are consistent with standards that we have established related to our national branding strategy and that we are competitive in our respective markets. Capital spending associated with new growth initiatives was $29.2 million in 2003 compared to $27.1 million in 2002. Included in these amounts are approximately $10 million in 2003 and 2002 associated with your operations in France. These expenditures are intended to grow revenues and profits and are primarily related to the construction of cemetery property inventory and the construction of funeral home facilities on SCI-owned cemeteries.

     Total capital expenditures in 2004 are expected to be $100 million to $120 million. Of the total projected capital expenditures in 2004, we expect to spend approximately $65 to $70 million on capital improvements to maintain our existing facilities. Growth-oriented capital spending in North America is expected to increase due to investments in new funeral home facilities, Dignity ® product displays in our funeral homes, and in developing strategic high-end cemetery property.

Liquidity

     We believe we have sufficient liquidity and that our financial position is sound. As of December 31, 2003, we had a cash balance of approximately $240 million plus approximately $115 million of availability under a $185 million bank credit facility. We have no cash borrowings under this credit facility, but we have issued approximately $70 million of letters of credit under the facility. In February 2004, we paid $100 million into escrow to settle certain litigation matters in Florida. We expect this payment to be partially offset by the receipt of $25 million from recoveries under the first layer of our insurance coverage in 2004. On March 11, 2004, we

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successfully completed a joint venture of our funeral operations in France and received approximately $300 million in net cash proceeds while retaining a 25% minority interest in the acquiring company. In the first quarter of 2004, we made a voluntary cash contribution of $20 million to our frozen pension plan to increase the fair value of plan assets. For further details regarding this pension plan, see note fourteen to the consolidated financial statements in Item 8 of this Form 10-K. Beginning in early 2004, we discontinued the use of surety bonding for the prospective sale of preneed cemetery contracts in the state of Florida and have elected to deposit customer receipts from the sale of preneed contracts into trust funds. As a result of this change, we expect our cash flows from operations to decline by $15 to $20 million in 2004. Pending a successful public offering transaction, we expect to receive proceeds of approximately $50 to $60 million in the second quarter of 2004 associated with the sale of our holdings in stock and notes in operations in the United Kingdom.

     At December 31, 2003, the maturity schedule for outstanding public notes due in the near and intermediate term was as follows:

         
    Outstanding at  
    December 31, 2003  
7.375% notes due April 2004
  $ 111.2  
8.375% notes due December 2004
  $ 50.8  
6.0% notes due December 2005
  $ 272.5  
7.2% notes due June 2006
  $ 150.0  

     Based on our cash balance and credit availability, expectations of future cash flows from operating activities and asset sales, and proceeds received from the joint venture of France, we believe that we have adequate means to meet the near and intermediate term debt obligations as well as our operating needs.

Contractual, Commercial and Contingent Commitments

     We have assumed various financial obligations and commitments in the ordinary course of conducting our business. We have contractual obligations requiring future cash payments under existing contractual arrangements, such as management, consulting and non-competition agreements. We also have commercial and contingent obligations which result in cash payments only if certain contingent events occur requiring our performance pursuant to a funding commitment.

     The following table details our known future cash payments (on an undiscounted basis) related to various contractual obligations as of December 31, 2003.

                                         
    Payments Due By Period  
Contractual Obligations   2004     2005 – 2006     2007 - 2008     Thereafter     Total  
Current maturities of long-term debt (1)
  $ 182,682     $     $     $     $ 182,682  
Long-term debt (1)
          477,958       668,376       422,449       1,568,783  
Interest payments on long-term debt
    110,537       150,937       109,995       41,248       412,717  
Casket purchase agreement (2)
    100,000       187,000                   287,000  
Operating lease agreements (3)
    50,138       65,978       29,873       27,986       173,975  
Contingent purchase obligation (4)
          53,000                   53,000  
Management, consulting and non-competition agreements (5)
    50,110       43,889       13,597       7,361       114,957  
 
                             
Total contractual obligations
  $ 493,467     $ 978,762     $ 821,841     $ 499,044     $ 2,793,114  
 
                             


(1)   Our outstanding indebtedness contains standard provisions, such as payment delinquency default clauses and change of control clauses. In addition, our bank credit agreement contains a maximum leverage ratio and a minimum interest coverage ratio. Our outstanding indebtedness includes $25.4 million principal balance of capital lease obligations of which $24.2 million was associated with capital leases of our French operations. For further information see note nine to the consolidated financial statements included in this Form 10-K.
 
(2)   We have executed a purchase agreement with a major casket manufacturer for our North America operations with an original minimum commitment of $750 million, covering a six-year period, which will expire in 2004. The agreement contains provisions for annual price adjustments and provides for a one-year extension to December 31, 2005 in which we are allowed to satisfy any remaining commitment that exists at the end of the original term. At December 31, 2003, our remaining maximum commitment under the purchase agreement was $287 million. Based on our historical purchases, we expect to exercise our option to extend the terms of the agreement for one year and expect to fulfill our commitment without any economic loss.

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(3)   The majority of our operating leases contain options to (i) purchase the property at fair value on the exercise date, (ii) purchase the property for a value determined at the inception of the leases, or (iii) renew for the fair rental value at the end of the primary lease term. Our operating leases primarily relate to funeral service locations, automobiles, limousines, hearses, cemetery operating and maintenance equipment and two aircraft. Approximately $28 million of our operating leases are associated with facilities in our France operations. We have residual value exposures related to certain operating leases of approximately $7.6 million. We believe it is unlikely that we will have to make future cash payments related to these residual value exposures.
 
(4)   In connection with certain acquisitions related to our South America operations, we entered into contingent purchase obligations with certain former owners of those businesses, which require us to pay additional consideration in any one year between 2003 and 2005, at the option of the former owners, based on the results of operations, as defined. The additional consideration may be partially paid in common stock at the discretion of the former owners. Presently, we expect the former owners to request the additional consideration in 2005 and estimate it to be a $53 million liability, which is recorded in Other liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet.
 
(5)   We have entered into management employment, consulting and non-competition agreements which contractually require us to make cash payments over the contractual period. The agreements have been primarily entered into with certain officers and employees of the Company and former owners of businesses acquired. The contractual obligation amounts pertain to the total commitment outstanding under these agreements and may not be indicative of future expenses to be incurred related to these agreements due to cost rationalization programs completed by the Company.

     We have not included amounts in this table for payments of pension contributions and payments for various postretirement welfare plans and postemployment benefit plans, as such amounts have not been determined beyond 2004. Furthermore, we have not presented the amounts associated with these obligations for 2004 since we are not required to make any payments to the plans. Still, as previously disclosed, we have voluntarily elected to contribute $20 million to our frozen pension plans in the first quarter of 2004.

     The following table details our known potential or possible future cash payments (on an undiscounted basis) related to various commercial and contingent obligations as of December 31, 2003.

                                         
    Expiration By Period  
Commercial and Contingent Obligations   2004     2005 - 2006     2007 - 2008     Thereafter     Total  
Surety obligations (1)
  $ 241,856     $     $     $     $ 241,856  
Letters of credit (2)
    69,815                         69,815  
Representations and warranties (3)
    7,194       13,543             18,386       39,123  
 
                             
Total commercial and contingent obligations
  $ 318,865     $ 13,543     $     $ 18,386     $ 350,794  
 
                             


(1)   To support our operations, we have engaged certain surety companies to issue surety bonds on behalf of the Company for customer financial assurance or as required by state and local regulations. The surety bonds are primarily obtained to provide assurance for our preneed funeral and cemetery obligations, which are appropriately presented as liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet as Deferred preneed funeral contract revenues and Deferred cemetery contract revenues. The total outstanding surety bonds at December 31, 2003, were $333 million. Of this amount, $310 million was related to preneed funeral and preneed cemetery obligations. When we obtain surety bonds, we are required to obtain 100% of our liability amount to perform the services. When we deposit funds into state-mandated trust funds, however, we are often not required to deposit 100% of the liability amount. Therefore, in the event all of the surety companies canceled or did not renew our outstanding surety bonds, which are generally renewed for twelve-month periods, we would be required to either obtain replacement assurance or fund approximately $242 million, as of December 31, 2003, primarily into state-mandated trust accounts. At this time, we do not believe we will be required to fund material future amounts related to these surety bonds. We are currently evaluating our surety bonding program and may elect to discontinue the use of bonding in other states or cancel certain outstanding bonds and replace with funds in trusts in accordance with state regulations.
 
(2)   We are occasionally required to post letters of credit, issued by a financial institution, to secure certain insurance programs or other obligations. Letters of credit generally authorize the financial institution to make a payment to the beneficiary upon the satisfaction of a certain event or the failure to satisfy an obligation. The letters of credit are generally posted for 1-year terms and are usually automatically renewed upon maturity until such time as we have satisfied the commitment secured by the letter of credit. We are obligated to reimburse the issuer only if the beneficiary collects on the letter of credit. We believe that it is unlikely we will be required to fund a claim under our outstanding letters of credit. In 2003, the full amount of the letters of credit

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    were supported by our credit facility which expires July 2005.
 
(3)   In addition to the letters of credit described above, we currently have contingent obligations of $39.1 million related to our asset sale and joint venture transactions. We have agreed to guarantee certain representations and warranties associated with such disposition transactions with letters of credit or interest bearing cash investments. We have interest bearing cash investments of $13.8 million included in Deferred charges and other assets pledged as collateral for certain of these contingent obligations. We do not believe we will ultimately be required to fund to third parties any claims against these representations and warranties.
 
    Subsequent to December 31, 2003, we agreed to certain representations and warranties associated with the disposition of our investment in France. The undiscounted amount of the representations and warranties associated with the sale is approximately $36 million and includes indemnifications related to taxes and other obligations. This amount will be recorded in Other liabilities in our consolidated balance sheet.

Preneed Funeral and Cemetery Activities

     In addition to selling our products and services to client families at the time of need, we believe an active funeral and cemetery preneed arrangement program, which complements our framework for long-term growth, can increase future market share in our service markets. Preneed arrangement is a means through which a customer contractually agrees to the terms of a funeral service, cremation service, and/or cemetery burial interment right, merchandise or cemetery service to be performed or provided in the future (that is, in advance of when needed or “preneed”).

Preneed Funeral Activities

     When customers contractually prearrange their funeral services, we record an asset, Preneed funeral contracts, net, and a corresponding liability, Deferred preneed funeral contract revenues, net in our consolidated balance sheet for the contract price. The funeral revenues are deferred and will not be recognized in the consolidated statement of operations until the funeral services are performed or the merchandise is delivered. While some customers may pay for their contract in a single payment, most preneed funerals are sold on an installment basis over a period of one to seven years. On these installment contracts, we receive on average a down payment at the time of sale of approximately 11%. Historically, the majority of our preneed funeral trust contracts have not included a finance charge. Because the services or merchandise will not be provided until some time in the future, most states and provinces require that all or a portion of the funds collected from customers on preneed funeral contracts be protected for the benefit of the customer pursuant to applicable law. Some or all of the funds may be required to be placed into trust accounts, or a surety bond may be posted in lieu of trusting (collectively “trust funded preneed funeral contracts”). Alternatively, where allowed, customers may choose to purchase a life insurance or annuity policy from third party insurance companies to fund their preneed funeral (“insurance funded preneed funeral contract”). Only certain of these customer funding options may be applicable in any given market we serve.

     Trust Funded Preneed Funeral Contracts: Where the applicable law requires that all or a portion of the funds collected from preneed funeral contracts be placed in trust accounts, the funds deposited into trust are invested by the independent trustees in accordance with the investment guidelines established by statute or, where the prudent investor rule is applicable, the guidelines established by our Investment Committee. The trustees utilize professional investment advisors to select and monitor the money managers that make the individual investment decisions in accordance with the guidelines. We retain any funds above the amounts required to be deposited into trust accounts and use them for working capital purposes, generally to offset the selling and administrative costs of the prearrangement programs. Applicable law governs the timing of the required deposits into the trust accounts, which generally ranges from five to 45 days after receipt of the funds from the customer.

     The trust investments are expected to generate earnings sufficient to offset the inflationary costs of providing the preneed funeral services and merchandise in the future for the prices that were guaranteed at the time of sale. We believe the market value of the preneed funeral trust investments at December 31, 2003 exceeds the expected cost of meeting our obligations to provide funeral services and merchandise for the unperformed preneed funeral contracts. Investment earnings on funds placed into trust accounts are generally accumulated and deferred until each preneed contract is either utilized upon the death of, or cancelled by, the customer. However, in certain states, the trusts are allowed to distribute a portion of the investment earnings to us prior to that date. Until the preneed contract is utilized or cancelled, any investment earnings are attributed to the individual preneed funeral contract. These attributed investment earnings (whether distributed or undistributed) are recognized in our consolidated statement of operations when the merchandise is delivered and the services are performed following the death of the customer or when the contract is canceled and we are entitled to retain these earnings. Recognition of the investment earnings is independent of the timing of the receipt of the related cash flows.

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     Direct selling costs incurred pursuant to the sales of trust funded preneed funeral contracts are deferred and included in Deferred charges and other assets in the consolidated balance sheet. The deferred selling costs are expensed in proportion to the corresponding trust funded preneed funeral contract revenues when recognized. Other selling costs associated with the sales and marketing of preneed funeral contracts (e.g., lead procurements costs, brochures and marketing materials, advertising and administrative costs) are expensed as incurred. An allowance for cancellation is recorded for trust funded preneed funeral contract deferred selling costs based on historical contract cancellation experience.

     If a customer cancels the trust funded preneed funeral contract, applicable law determines the amount of the refund owed to the customer, including in certain situations the amount of the attributed investment earnings. Upon cancellation, we receive the amount of principal deposited to trust and previously undistributed net investment earnings and pay the customer the required refund. We retain any excess funds and recognize the attributed investment earnings (net of any investment earnings payable to the customer) in our consolidated statement of operations. In certain jurisdictions, we may be obligated to fund any shortfall if the amounts deposited by the customer exceed the funds in trust. As a result, when realized or unrealized losses of a trust result in trust funded preneed funeral contracts being under-funded, we will assess those contracts to determine whether a loss provision should be recorded. We have not been required to recognize any loss amounts.

     The cash flow activity over the life of a trust funded preneed funeral contract from the date of sale to its death maturity or cancellation is captured in the line item Net effect of preneed funeral production and maturities in the consolidated statement of cash flows. While the contract is outstanding, cash flow is provided by the amount retained from funds collected from the customer and any distributed investment earnings. This is reduced by the payment of trust funded preneed funeral deferred selling costs. The effect of amortizing trust funded preneed funeral deferred selling costs is reflected in Depreciation and amortization in the consolidated statement of cash flows. At the time of death maturity, we receive the principal and undistributed investment earnings from the trust and any remaining receivable due from the customer. This cash flow at the time of service is generally less than the revenue recognized, thus creating a negative effect on working capital cash flow from operating activities.

     In certain situations pursuant to applicable laws, we can post a surety bond as financial assurance for an amount that would otherwise be required to be deposited in trust accounts for trust funded preneed funeral contracts. See the Financial Assurances section within this Financial Condition, Liquidity and Capital Resources section for further details on our practice of posting such surety bonds. We believe the deferred revenues associated with preneed funeral bonded contracts exceed the expected cost of meeting our obligations to provide funeral services and merchandise for the outstanding preneed funeral bonded contracts, and our future operating cash flows will be sufficient to fulfill these contracts without use of the surety bonds.

     If a customer cancels the trust funded preneed funeral contract that has been bonded prior to death maturity, applicable law determines the amount of the refund owed to the customer. Because the funds have not been held in trust, there are no earnings to be refunded to the customer or us. We pay the customer refund out of our operating funds, which reduces working capital cash flow from operating activities.

     The cash flow activity over the life of a trust funded preneed funeral contract that has been bonded from the date of sale to its death maturity or cancellation is captured in the line item Net effect of preneed funeral production and maturities in the consolidated statement of cash flows. The payments received from our customers for their trust funded preneed funeral contracts that have been bonded are a source of working capital cash flow from operating activities until the contracts mature. This is reduced by the payment of deferred selling costs, the premiums to the surety companies for the bond coverage, and refunds on customer cancellations of contracts. When a trust funded preneed funeral contract that has been bonded matures upon the death of the beneficiary, there is no additional cash flow to us unless the customer owed an outstanding balance.

     Insurance Funded Preneed Funeral Contracts: Where permitted, customers prearrange their funeral contract by purchasing a life insurance or annuity policy from third party insurance companies, for which we earn a commission for being the general agent for the insurance company. The policy amount of the insurance contract between the customer and the third party insurance company generally equals the amount of the preneed funeral contract. However, we do not reflect the unfulfilled insurance funded preneed funeral contract amounts in our consolidated balance sheet.

     The third party insurance company collects funds related to the insurance contract directly from the customer. The life insurance contracts include increasing death benefit provisions, which are expected to offset the inflationary costs of providing the preneed funeral services and merchandise in the future for the prices that were guaranteed at the time of the preneed sale. Increasing insurance benefits or death benefits payable by third party insurance companies increase annually pursuant to the terms of the life insurance policies purchased in advance of need by our customers to fund their funerals. The customer/policy holder assigns the policy benefits

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to our funeral home to pay for the preneed funeral contract at the time of need. Approximately 63% of our 2003 North America preneed funeral production was insurance funded preneed funeral contracts.

     The commission we earn for being the general agent on behalf of the third party insurance companies is based on a percentage per contract sold. These general agency (GA) revenues are recognized as funeral revenues when the insurance purchase transaction between the customer and third party insurance provider is completed. Prior to January 1, 2003, we recognized these GA revenues as reductions to selling expenses in the consolidated statement of operations. In 2003, we began recognizing these amounts as funeral revenues. We have reclassified the prior year amounts to conform to the current period presentation with no effect on previously reported results of operations, financial condition, or cash flows. Direct selling costs incurred pursuant to the sale of insurance funded preneed funeral contracts are expensed as incurred. GA revenues recognized by us totaled approximately $27.7 million, $47.1 million and $43.3 million, and direct selling costs expensed by us totaled approximately $23.9 million, $34.1 million and $37.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively, in connection with sales of insurance funded preneed funeral contracts.

     Additionally, we may receive cash overrides based on achieving certain dollar volume targets of life insurance policies sold as a result of marketing agreements entered into in connection with the sale of our insurance subsidiaries in 2000. These overrides are recorded in Other income, net, in the consolidated statement of operations.

     If a customer cancels the insurance funded preneed funeral contract prior to death maturity, the insurance company pays the cash surrender value under the insurance policy directly to the customer. If the contract was outstanding for less than one year, the insurance company charges back the GA revenues and overrides we received on the contract. An allowance for these chargebacks is included in the consolidated balance sheet based on our historical chargeback experience.

     The cash flow activity over the life of an insurance funded preneed funeral contract from the date of sale to its death maturity or cancellation is captured in the consolidated statement of cash flows as cash flows from operating activities within our funeral segment. While the unfulfilled insurance funded preneed funeral contracts are not included in the consolidated balance sheet, they are included in funeral trade accounts receivable and funeral revenues when the funeral service is performed. Proceeds from the life insurance policies are used to satisfy the receivables due. The cash flow activity associated with these contracts generally occurs at the time of sale, where the GA revenues received net of the direct selling costs provide a net source of cash flow, and at death maturity, where the insurance proceeds (including increasing death benefit) less the funds used to provide the funeral goods and services provide a net source of cash flow. If the cancellation occurs within the one year following the date of sale, our cash flow is reduced by the charge-back of GA revenues and overrides.

     An allowance for cancellation, based on historical experience, is provided in Preneed funeral contracts, net, and Deferred preneed funeral contract revenues, net, in the consolidated balance sheet.

     The table below details the North America results of trust and insurance funded preneed funeral production for the years ended December 31, 2003 and 2002 and the related deferred selling costs incurred to obtain the trust funded preneed arrangements. Additionally, the table reflects revenues and previously deferred trust funded preneed funeral contract selling costs recognized in the consolidated statement of operations associated with death maturities of preneed funeral contracts for the years ended December 31, 2003 and 2002.

                 
    North America  
(In millions)   Funeral  
    2003     2002  
            (Restated)  
Preneed Production:
               
Trust
  $ 99.7     $ 146.4  
Insurance (1)
    237.7       290.2  
 
           
Total
  $ 337.4     $ 436.6  
 
           
 
               
Trust funded preneed funeral deferred selling costs
  $ 13.4     $ 17.0  
 
           
 
               
Death Maturity:
               
Previous preneed production included in current period revenues
  $ 173.7     $ 147.6  
Insurance
    165.8       202.6  
 
           
 
  $ 339.5     $ 350.2  
 
           
Amortization/recognition of trust funded preneed funeral deferred selling costs in current period
  $ 9.2     $ 9.4  
 
           

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(1)   Amounts are not included in the consolidated balance sheet.

     The following table reflects the total North America backlog of deferred preneed funeral contract revenues included in our consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2003 and 2002. Additionally, we have reflected the North American backlog of unfulfilled insurance funded contracts (not included in our consolidated balance sheet) and total North American backlog of deferred preneed funeral contract revenues at December 31, 2003 and 2002. The backlog amounts presented are reduced by an amount that we believe will cancel before maturity. The preneed funeral deferred selling costs associated with trust funded contracts (net of an estimated allowance for cancellations) are included with preneed cemetery deferred selling costs as a component of Deferred charges and other assets.

                 
    North America  
(In millions)   Funeral  
    2003     2002  
            (Restated)  
Backlog of trust funded preneed funeral revenues (1)
  $ 1,501.6     $ 1,633.6  
Backlog of insurance funded preneed funeral revenues (2)
    2,018.4       2,004.7  
 
           
Total backlog of preneed funeral revenues (total of (1) and (2))
  $ 3,520.0     $ 3,638.3  
 
           
Deferred selling costs associated with trust funded deferred preneed funeral revenues
  $ 95.4     $ 91.1  
 
           


(1)   Net of estimated cancellation reserve.
 
(2)   Net of estimated cancellation reserve. Insurance funded preneed funeral contracts are not included in the consolidated balance sheet.

Preneed Cemetery Activities

     When purchasing cemetery property interment rights, merchandise, and services on a preneed basis, approximately 30% of our consumers choose to pay 100% of the contract at the time of sale. The remaining customers choose to pay for their contracts on an installment basis generally over a period of one to seven years. On these installment contracts, we receive an average down payment at the time of sale of approximately 14%. Historically, the installment contracts have included a finance charge ranging from 3.5% to 15.7% depending on the date sold, the payment period selected, state laws and the payment method (i.e., monthly statement billing or automated bank draft). Unlike preneed funeral contracts, where the entire purchase price is deferred and the revenue is recognized as one event at the time of death maturity, the revenues associated with a preneed cemetery contract can be recognized as different contract events occur. Preneed sales of cemetery interment rights (cemetery burial property) are recognized when a minimum of 10% of the sales price has been collected and the property has been constructed. With the customer’s direction, which is generally obtained at the time of sale, we can choose to order, store, and transfer title to the customer of their personalized marker merchandise. Upon the earlier of vendor storage of these items or delivery in our cemetery, we recognize the associated revenues and record the cost of sale. For services, personalized marker merchandise where the customer chooses not to elect vendor storage or early delivery to our cemetery, and non-personalized merchandise (such as vaults), we defer the revenues until the services are performed and the merchandise is delivered.

     Because the services or merchandise will not be provided until some time in the future, all or a portion of the proceeds from the sale of preneed cemetery merchandise and services may be required by law to be paid into merchandise and services trusts until the merchandise is delivered or the service is provided. As with trust funded preneed funeral contracts, the funds deposited into trust are invested by the independent trustees in accordance with the investment guidelines established by statute or, where the prudent investor rule is applicable, the guidelines as established by our Investment Committee. The trustees utilize professional investment advisors to select and monitor the money managers that make the investment decisions in accordance with the guidelines. We retain any funds above the amounts required to be deposited into trust accounts and use them for working capital purposes, generally to defray the selling costs of obtaining the contracts. Applicable law governs the timing of the required deposits into the trust accounts, which generally ranges from five to 45 days after receipt of the funds from the customer. In certain situations pursuant to applicable laws, we post a surety bond as financial assurance for a certain amount of the preneed cemetery contract in lieu of placing funds into trust accounts. See the Financial Assurances section within this Financial Condition, Liquidity and Capital Resources section for further details on our practice of posting such surety bonds.

     The trust investments are expected to generate earnings sufficient to offset the inflationary costs of providing the preneed cemetery services and merchandise in the future for the prices that were guaranteed at the time of sale. We believe the current market value of the preneed cemetery trust investments at December 31, 2003 exceeds the expected cost of meeting our obligations to provide

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the cemetery services and merchandise for the outstanding preneed cemetery contracts. Investment earnings on funds placed into trust accounts are generally accumulated and deferred until the delivery of each preneed contract item. However, in certain states, the trustees are allowed to distribute a portion of the investment earnings to us before the preneed cemetery service or merchandise item is delivered (“distributable states”). Until delivered, any investment earnings are attributed to the individual contract items. Upon delivery, these attributed investment earnings (whether distributed or undistributed) are recognized in our consolidated statement of operations along with the revenues associated with the related contract item. Recognition of the net investment earnings is independent of the timing of the receipt of the related cash flows, but generally will be the same in states that are not distributable states.

     We are generally required by law to deposit a portion of the proceeds from the sale of cemetery property interment rights (burial property) into perpetual care trust funds. Earnings, and in some cases realized capital gains, from these perpetual care trust funds are used to defray the maintenance costs of our cemeteries.

     Direct selling costs incurred pursuant to the sales of preneed cemetery contracts are deferred and included in Deferred charges and other assets in the consolidated balance sheet. The deferred selling costs are expensed in proportion to the corresponding revenues when recognized. Other selling costs associated with the sales and marketing of preneed cemetery contracts (e.g., lead procurements costs, brochures and marketing materials, advertising and administrative costs) are expensed as incurred. An allowance for cancellation is recorded for cemetery deferred selling costs based on historical contract cancellation experience.

     If a preneed cemetery contract is canceled prior to delivery, applicable law determines the amount of the refund owed to the customer, if any, including the amount of the attributed investment earnings. Upon cancellation, we receive the amount of principal deposited to trust and previously undistributed investment earnings and, where required, issue a refund to the customer. We retain any excess funds and recognize the attributed investment earnings (net of any investment earnings payable to the customer) in our consolidated statement of operations. Based on our historical experience, we have included an allowance for cancellation for preneed cemetery contracts in Preneed cemetery contracts, net, and Deferred cemetery contract revenues, net, in our consolidated balance sheet.

     As the preneed cemetery contract merchandise and service items for which we were required to deposit funds to trust are delivered and recognized as revenues, we receive the principal and previously undistributed investment earnings from the trust. There is generally no remaining receivable due from the customer, as our policy is to deliver preneed cemetery merchandise and service items only upon payment of the contract balance in full. This cash flow at delivery is generally less than the revenue recognized, thus creating a negative effect on working capital cash flow from operating activities, especially if we posted a surety bond in lieu of trusting for the preneed cemetery contract merchandise and service items, as there are no funds in trust available for withdrawal.

     The cash flow activity from the date of sale of a preneed cemetery contract (origination) to the date of the recognition of the deferred revenue upon its delivery or cancellation (maturity) is reported in the Net effect of preneed cemetery production and deliveries line item in the consolidated statement of cash flows. Net effect of preneed cemetery production and deliveries is affected by cash flows provided by the amount retained from funds collected from the customer and distributed trust earnings, reduced by the use of funds for the payment of deferred selling costs when the preneed cemetery contracts are originated. The amortization of the cemetery deferred selling costs is included in Depreciation and amortization in the consolidated statement of cash flows.

     The table below details the North America results of preneed cemetery production which has been deferred for the years ended December 31, 2003 and 2002 and the related deferred selling costs incurred to obtain the contract items. Additionally, the table reflects previously deferred revenues and previously deferred selling costs recognized in the consolidated statements of operations associated with deliveries of cemetery contract items for the years ended December 31, 2003 and 2002.

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    North America  
(In millions)   Cemetery  
    2003     2002  
            (Restated)  
Origination:
               
Revenue which has been deferred
  $ 215.7     $ 303.2  
 
           
 
               
Deferred selling costs, net
  $ 42.0     $ 44.2  
 
           
 
               
Recognition:
               
Previous deferred revenue included in current period revenues
  $ 217.8     $ 288.8  
 
           
 
               
Amortization/recognition of deferred selling costs in current period
  $ 35.9     $ 42.2  
 
           

     The following table reflects the total North America backlog of deferred cemetery contract revenues and the related preneed cemetery contract assets included in our consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2003. Deferred cemetery contract revenues are greater than the related preneed cemetery contract assets primarily due to cash collections allowed to be retained by us in accordance with applicable laws, partially offset by contract amounts where the revenue can be recognized at the date of sale (contracts which include constructed cemetery interment rights where we received at least 10% of the sale price).

                 
    North America  
(In millions)   Cemetery  
    2003     2002  
            (Restated)  
Deferred cemetery contract revenues, net
  $ 1,574.2     $ 1,628.5  
 
           
 
               
Deferred selling costs, net
  $ 204.9     $ 197.7  
 
           
 
               
Preneed cemetery contracts, net
  $ 1,059.2     $ 1,129.4  
 
           

     Deferred preneed cemetery contract revenues, net, and Preneed cemetery contracts, net (which consist of amounts due from trusts and customer receivables, net), are reflected separately in the consolidated balance sheet. The preneed cemetery deferred selling costs (net of an estimated allowance for cancellation) are included with preneed funeral deferred selling costs as a component of Deferred charges and other assets.

Financial Assurances

     In support of operations, we have entered into arrangements with certain surety companies whereby such companies agree to issue surety bonds on our behalf as financial assurance and/or as required by existing state and local regulations. The surety bonds are used for various business purposes; however, the majority of the surety bonds issued and outstanding have been used to support our preneed funeral and preneed cemetery sales activities. The underlying obligations these surety bonds assure are recorded on the consolidated balance sheet as Deferred preneed funeral contract revenues, net and Deferred preneed cemetery contract revenues, net (see notes five and six to the consolidated financial statements and Preneed Funeral and Cemetery Activities within Financial Condition, Liquidity and Capital Resources of this Form 10-K for further details regarding our preneed funeral and cemetery activities). The breakdown of bonds between funeral and cemetery preneed arrangements, as well as surety bonds for other activities, is as follows:

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(In millions)   December 31, 2003  
Preneed funeral
  $ 125.6  
Preneed cemetery:
       
Merchandise and services
    179.6  
Preconstruction
    18.1  
 
     
Bonds supporting preneed funeral and cemetery obligations
    323.3  
Bonds supporting preneed business permits
    4.8  
Other bonds
    4.7  
 
     
Total bonds outstanding
  $ 332.8  
 
     

     When selling preneed funeral contract and preneed cemetery contracts, we intend to post surety bonds where allowed by applicable law, except as noted below for Florida. We post the surety bonds in lieu of trusting a certain amount of funds received from the customer. The amount of the bond posted is determined by the total amount of the preneed contract that would otherwise be required to be trusted, in accordance with applicable state law. During 2003 and 2002, we recorded $90.8 million and $95.5 million, respectively, in cash receipts attributable to bonded sales. These amounts do not consider reductions associated with taxes, selling costs or other costs.

     Surety bond premiums are paid annually and are automatically renewable until maturity of the underlying preneed contracts, unless we are given prior notice of cancellation. Except for cemetery preconstruction bonds (which are irrevocable), the surety companies generally have the right to cancel the surety bonds at any time with appropriate notice. In the event a surety company was to cancel the surety bond, we are required to obtain replacement assurance from another surety company or fund a trust for an amount generally less than the posted bond amount. A quantitative detail of this subject is discussed in the Contractual, Commercial and Contingent Commitments section included within Financial Condition, Liquidity and Capital Resources. We do not believe we will be required to fund any material future amounts related to these surety bonds.

     The applicable Florida law that allows posting of surety bonds for preneed contracts expires December 31, 2004; however, it allows for preneed contracts entered into prior to December 31, 2004 to continue to be bonded for the remaining life of those contracts. Thus, we are required to change from bonding to either trust or insurance funding for new preneed funeral and cemetery contracts in Florida by December 31, 2004. We have elected to change to trust funding as of February 1, 2004. Of the total bonding contract proceeds we received from customers for 2003 and 2002, approximately $67.1 million and $70.3 million, respectively, were attributable to Florida contracts. Assuming our preneed funeral and cemetery sales in Florida in 2004 is consistent with production for the full year of 2003, we forecast a negative impact on our cash flow from operations of approximately $15 to $20 million, net of trust receipts in 2004.

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Statements

     The statements in this Form 10-K that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements made in reliance on the safe harbor protections provided under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be accompanied by words such as “believe”, “estimate”, “project”, “expect”, “anticipate”, or “predict” that indicate the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. These statements are based on assumptions that we believe are reasonable: however, many important factors could cause our actual consolidated results in the future to differ materially from the forward-looking statements made herein and in any other documents or oral presentations made by, or on behalf of, the Company. These factors are discussed below. We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements made herein or any other forward-looking statements made by the Company, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Our ability to execute our strategic plan depends on many factors, many of which are beyond our control.

     Our strategic plan is focused on reducing overhead costs, increasing cash flow, asset redeployment, and reducing debt while at the same time developing key revenue initiatives designed to generate future internal growth in our core funeral and cemetery operations without the outlay of significant additional capital. Many of the factors necessary for the execution of our strategic plan are beyond our control. We cannot give assurance that we will be able to execute any or all of our strategic plan. Failure to execute any or all of the strategic plan could have a material adverse effect on us, our financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows.

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Our indebtedness limits funds available for our operations.

     As of December 31, 2003, we had approximately $1.7 billion in indebtedness. Our indebtedness may limit our ability to obtain additional financing and require the dedication of more cash flow to service our debt than we desire. Furthermore, it may require sale of assets or limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our markets. Our ability to satisfy our indebtedness in a timely manner will be dependent on the successful execution of our long-term strategic plan and the resulting improvements in our operating performance.

Our existing credit agreements and indentures contain covenants that may prevent us from engaging in certain transactions.

     Our existing credit agreements and indentures contain, among other things, various affirmative and negative covenants that may prevent us from engaging in certain transactions that might otherwise be considered beneficial to us. These covenants limit, among other things, our and our subsidiaries’ ability to:

  § Borrow money;
 
  § Pay dividends or make distributions;
 
  § Purchase or redeem stock;
 
  § Make investments;
 
  § Engage in transactions with affiliates;
 
  § Engage in sale-leaseback transactions; and
 
  § Consummate certain liens on assets.

     The credit agreement also requires us to maintain certain financial ratios and satisfy other financial condition tests. Although the maturity of our bank credit agreement brings an end to the restrictions created by it, any future credit agreements or indentures may contain terms and conditions that are more or less restrictive than those of the existing bank credit agreement and indentures.

If we lost the ability to use surety bonding to support our prearranged funeral and preneed cemetery activities, we could have to make material cash payments to fund certain trust funds.

     We have entered into arrangements with certain surety companies whereby such companies agree to issue surety bonds on our behalf, as financial assurance and/or as required by existing state and local regulations. The surety bonds are used for various business purpose; however, the majority of the surety bonds issued and outstanding have been issued to support our preneed funeral and preneed cemetery activities. The applicable Florida law that allows posting of surety bonds for preneed contracts will expire December 31, 2004. Thus, we are required to change from bonding to either trust or insurance funding for new preneed funeral and cemetery contracts in Florida by December 31, 2004. We have elected to change to trust funding as of February 1, 2004. Of the total bonding contract proceeds we received from customers for 2003 and 2002, approximately $67.1 million and $70.3 million, respectively, were attributable to Florida contracts. Assuming our preneed funeral and cemetery sales in Florida in 2004 is consistent with production for the full year of 2003, we forecast a negative impact on our cash flow from operations of approximately $15 to $20 million, net of prospective trust receipts in 2004. In subsequent years, we do not expect the impact on cash flows from operations to be material. Furthermore, our future cash flows could be materially affected if we lost access to using surety bonds for financial assurance in our normal course of business. We are currently evaluating our surety bonding program and may elect to discontinue the use of bonding in other states or cancel certain outstanding bonds and replace with funds in trusts in accordance with state regulations.

The funeral home and cemetery industry is becoming increasingly competitive.

     In North America and most international markets in which we operate, the funeral and cemetery industry is characterized by a large number of locally owned, independent operations. To compete successfully, our funeral service locations and cemeteries must maintain good reputations and high professional standards in the industry, as well as offer attractive products and services at competitive prices. In addition, we must market our company in such a manner as to distinguish us from our competitors. If we are unable to successfully compete, our company, our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be materially adversely affected.

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Our affiliated funeral and cemetery trust funds own investments in equity securities and mutual funds, which are affected by financial market conditions that are beyond our control.

     In connection with our preneed funeral operations and preneed cemetery merchandise and service sales, affiliated funeral and cemetery trust funds own investments in equity securities and mutual funds. Our earnings and investment gains and losses on these equity securities and mutual funds are affected by financial market conditions that are beyond our control. If our earnings from our trust funds decline, we would likely experience a decline in future revenues. In addition, if the trust funds experienced significant investment losses, there would likely be insufficient funds in the trusts to cover the costs of delivering services and merchandise or maintaining cemeteries in the future. We would have to cover any such shortfall with cash flows, which could have a material adverse effect on us, our financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows.

     As of December 31, 2003, net unrealized appreciation in the preneed funeral and cemetery merchandise and services trust funds amounted to $18.8 million and $48.7 million, respectively. The perpetual care trust funds had net unrealized appreciation of $24.8 million as of December 31, 2003. The following table summarizes the investment returns excluding fees on our trust funds for the last three years.

                         
    2003     2002     2001  
Prearranged funeral trust funds
    17.9 %     (7.6 )%     1.7 %
Cemetery merchandise services trust funds
    17.1 %     (5.5 )%     1.0 %
Perpetual care trust funds
    12.6 %     5.3 %     4.3 %

Increasing insurance benefits related to preneed funeral contracts funded through life insurance or annuity contracts may not cover future increases in the cost of providing a price guaranteed funeral service.

     We sell price guaranteed preneed funeral contracts through various programs providing for future funeral services at prices prevailing when the agreements are signed. For preneed funeral contracts funded through life insurance or annuity contracts, we receive in cash a general agency commission of approximately 14% of the total sale from the third party insurance company. Additionally, we accrue an increasing insurance benefit associated with the contract of approximately 1% per year to be received in cash by us at the time the funeral is performed. There is no guarantee that the increasing insurance benefit will cover future increases in the cost of providing a price guaranteed funeral service, which could materially adversely affect our future cash flows, revenues and profit margins.

We may not be able to joint venture or sell our international operations on acceptable terms or at all.

     Our long-term strategic plan includes the joint venture or sale of our remaining international operations outside of North America in order to create cash proceeds to reduce debt. On March 11, 2004, we completed the joint venture of our funeral operations in France having received approximately $300 million in net cash proceeds. However, if we are unable to joint venture or sell our South America or other international operations on acceptable terms or otherwise, it could adversely affect our ability to achieve our strategic plan.

Our foreign operations and investments involve special risks.

     Our activities in areas outside the United States are subject to risks inherent in foreign operations, including the following:

  § Loss of revenue, property and equipment as a result of hazards such as expropriation, nationalization, wars, insurrection and other political risks;
 
  § The effects of currency fluctuations and exchange controls, such as devaluation of foreign currencies and other economic problems; and
 
  § Changes in laws, regulations, and policies of foreign governments, including those associated with changes in the governing parties.

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We are the subject of lawsuits in Florida that, if not settled in accordance with the agreement in principle with respect thereto, could have a negative effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows and we may be subject to additional class action or other significant lawsuits in the future.

     On December 2, 2003, we announced that we entered into an agreement in principle to settle the class action lawsuit and all individual related lawsuits pending against us involving Florida’s Menorah Gardens and Funeral Chapels (the “Florida litigation”), with the exception of two lawsuits pending in Palm Beach County, Florida. All claims under the Florida litigation would be dismissed if final court approval of the settlement is obtained.

     The terms of the proposed settlement call for us to make payments totaling approximately $100 million in settlement of these claims. As of December 31, 2003, we have recorded reserves of $100 million related to the Florida litigation. In the fourth quarter of 2003, we recognized a receivable of $25 million for expected recoveries under one primary layer of the Company’s insurance coverage related to this litigation. We have a substantial face amount of insurance coverage remaining, although there are various unresolved insurance coverage disputes.

     If the settlement is not approved by the court, the proceedings and litigation will continue. We cannot assure you that the results of any such continued proceedings and litigation would be on terms as favorable as those of the current settlement agreement.

     In addition, on May 21, 2003, the Special Assistant State Attorney for Palm Beach County, Florida, filed criminal charges against the Company, a Florida subsidiary and certain individuals. The criminal charges involve allegations of misconduct by the Company and its Florida subsidiary, including allegations similar to those in the Florida litigation. In February 2004, the Company negotiated a plea arrangement with the Special Assistant State Attorney for Palm Beach County to resolve the criminal charges; however, the court rejected the plea arrangement.

     In addition, we are involved in other litigation proceedings in the ordinary course of business. There is a risk that one of the lawsuits that we do not view as significant at the moment, or an additional lawsuit brought in the future, could have a material adverse effect on us, our financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows.

We are the subject of securities fraud class action lawsuits that, if decided against us, could have a negative effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

     In January 1999, numerous putative class-action lawsuits were filed in the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of Texas, on behalf of persons and entities who (1) acquired shares of our common stock in the merger with Equity Corporation International (ECI); (2) purchased shares of our common stock in the open market during the period from July 17, 1998 through January 1999 (referred herein as the class period); (3) purchased call options in the open market during the class period; (4) sold put options in the open market during the class period; (5) held employee stock options in ECI that became options to acquire our stock pursuant to the ECI merger; and (6) held employee stock options to purchase our common stock under a plan during the class period. These actions have been consolidated into one lawsuit in the federal court in Houston, Texas. The consolidated complaint alleges that we and three of our current or former executive officers and directors violated federal securities laws by making false and misleading statements and failing to disclose material information concerning our prearranged funeral business and other financial matters, including in connection with the ECI merger. Plaintiffs allege damages based on the market loss, during the class period, of the outstanding shares, including those exchanged in the ECI merger. In October 1999, we filed a motion to dismiss the consolidated complaint that has not been ruled on by the court. The parties have met on at least two occasions to discuss a possible resolution of this case, but no progress has been made. We anticipate that another meeting will be held in mid-April 2004 to discuss a possible resolution of this matter.

     The ultimate outcome of the stockholder class-action cannot be determined at this time. The class-action lawsuit seeks to recover an unspecified amount of monetary damages. Certain insurance policies held by us may limit our cash outflows in the event of a decision adverse to us in these matters. If the legal costs or the damages awarded against us exceed the insurance coverage, if the insurance coverage is determined not to apply to these amounts, or if an insurance carrier is unable to pay, we would have to pay them out of our own funds, which could have a material adverse effect on us, our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

If the number of deaths in our markets declines, our cash flows and revenues may decrease.

     The United States Bureau of the Census estimates that the number of deaths in the United States will increase up to one percent per year from 2000 to 2010. However, longer life spans could reduce the number of deaths. If the number of deaths declines, the number

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of funeral services and interments performed by us will decrease and our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows may be materially adversely effected.

The growing trend in the number of cremations performed in North America could result in lower revenue and gross profit dollars.

     In the death care industry, there has been a growing trend in the number of cremations performed in North America as an alternative to traditional funeral service dispositions. In North America during 2003, 39.0% of the comparable funeral services performed by us were cremation cases compared to 37.9% and 36.7% performed in 2002 and 2001, respectively. In recent years we have continued to expand our cremation memorialization products and services which has resulted in higher average sales for cremation services. If we are unable to successfully expand our cremation memorialization products and services, we, our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows could be materially adversely affected.

The funeral home and cemetery businesses are high fixed-cost businesses.

     The majority of our operations throughout the world are managed in groups called “markets”. Markets are geographical groups of funeral service locations and cemeteries that share common resources such as operating personnel, preparation services, clerical staff, motor vehicles and preneed sales personnel. Personnel costs, the largest of the operating expenses for the company, are the cost components most beneficially affected by this grouping. We must incur many of these costs regardless of the number of funeral services or interments performed. Because we cannot necessarily decrease these costs when we experience lower sales volumes, the sales decline may cause margins, profits and cash flows to decline at a greater rate than the decline in revenues.

The funeral home and cemetery industry is highly regulated.

     Our operations are subject to regulation, supervision, and licensing under numerous foreign, federal, state and local laws, ordinances and regulations, including extensive regulations concerning trust funds, preneed sales of funeral and cemetery products and services, and various other aspects of our business. The impact of such regulations varies depending on the location of our funeral and cemetery operations. Violations of applicable laws could result in fines or their sanctions to us.

     In addition, from time to time, governments and agencies propose to amend or add regulations, which would increase costs and decrease cash flows. For example, foreign, federal, state, local and other regulatory agencies have considered and may enact additional legislation or regulations that could affect the death care industry. Some states and regulatory agencies have considered or are considering regulations that could require more liberal refund and cancellation policies for preneed sales of products and services, limit or eliminate our ability to use surety bonding, increase trust requirements and prohibit the common ownership of funeral homes and cemeteries in the same market. If adopted by the regulatory authorities of the jurisdictions in which we operate, these and other possible proposals could have a material adverse effect on us, our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

ITEM 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.

     The information presented below should be read in conjunction with notes eight and nine to the consolidated financial statements in Item 8 of this Form 10-K.

     We have historically used derivatives primarily in the form of interest rate swaps, cross-currency interest rate swaps, and forward exchange contracts in combination with local currency borrowings in order to manage our mix of fixed and floating rate debt and to hedge our net investment in foreign assets. We generally do not participate in derivative transactions that are leveraged or considered speculative in nature. We were not a party to any derivative transactions at December 31, 2003. Subsequent to December 31, 2003, we executed certain forward exchange contracts to hedge our net foreign investment in our France operations.

     At December 31, 2003 and 2002, 99% of our total debt consisted of fixed rate debt at a weighted average rate of 6.95% and 6.87%, respectively.

     Approximately 13% of our net investment and 55% of our operating income, excluding Gains impairment (losses) on dispositions, net, and other operating expenses, are denominated in foreign currencies, primarily the euro, at December 31, 2003. At December 31, 2002, approximately 8% of our net investment and 27% of our operating income excluding Gains and impairment (losses) on dispositions, net, and Other operating expenses were denominated in foreign currencies. We do not have a significant investment in foreign operations that are in highly inflationary economies.

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Marketable Equity and Debt Securities — Price Risk

     In connection with our preneed funeral operations and preneed cemetery merchandise and service sales, the related funeral and cemetery trust funds own investments in equity securities and mutual funds, which are sensitive to current market prices. Cost and market values as of December 31, 2003 and 2002 are presented in notes four and five to the consolidated financial statements in Item 8 of this Form 10-K.

Market-Rate Sensitive Instruments — Interest Rate and Currency Risk

     We perform a sensitivity analysis to assess the impact of interest rate and exchange rate risks on earnings. This analysis determines the effect of a hypothetical 10% adverse change in market rates. In actuality, market rate volatility is dependent on many factors that are impossible to forecast. Therefore, the adverse changes described below could differ substantially from the hypothetical 10% change.

     A sensitivity analysis of debt instruments with variable interest rate components was modeled to assess the impact that changing interest rates could have on pretax earnings. The sensitivity analysis assumes an instantaneous 10% adverse change to the then prevailing interest rates with all other variables held constant. Given this model, our pretax earnings, on an annual basis, would not change at either December 31, 2003 or 2002. The fair market value of our debt was approximately $127.2 million more than its carrying value at December 31, 2003.

     A similar model was used to assess the impact of changes in exchange rates for foreign currencies on interest expense. At December 31, 2003 and 2002, our debt exposure was primarily associated with the euro. A 10% adverse change in the strength of the U.S. dollar would have negatively affected our interest expense, on an annual basis, by approximately $0.2 million on December 31, 2003 and 2002, respectively.

Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND RELATED SCHEDULE

      Page  
Financial Statements:
       
      47  
      48  
      49  
      50  
      51  
      52  
Financial Statement Schedule:
        
      97  

     All other schedules have been omitted because the required information is not applicable or is not present in amounts sufficient to require submission or because the information required is included in the consolidated financial statements or the related notes thereto.

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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Stockholders and Board of Directors of
Service Corporation International

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements listed in the accompanying index present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Service Corporation International and its subsidiaries at December 31, 2003 and December 31, 2002, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2003 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. In addition, in our opinion, the financial statement schedule listed in the accompanying index presents fairly, in all material respects, the information set forth therein when read in conjunction with the related consolidated financial statements. These financial statements and financial statement schedule are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and financial statement schedule based on our audits. We conducted our audits of these statements in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

As discussed in note four to the consolidated financial statements, the Company changed its method for accounting for insurance-funded preneed funeral contracts, changed its method of accounting for goodwill on January 1, 2002, and changed its method for accounting for derivative financial instruments and hedging activities on January 1, 2001.

As discussed in note two to the consolidated financial statements, the Company restated its previously issued consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2002 and 2001.

As discussed in note nineteen to the consolidated financial statements, the Company classified its operations in Argentina and Uruguay as discontinued operations.

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Houston, Texas
March 15, 2004, except as to note nineteen, for which the date is August 27, 2004

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SERVICE CORPORATION INTERNATIONAL

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
(In thousands, except per share amounts)

                         
    Years ended December 31,  
    2003     2002     2001  
            (Restated)     (Restated)  
            note 2     note 2  
Revenues
  $ 2,328,425     $ 2,312,439     $ 2,489,005  
Costs and expenses
    (1,966,460 )     (1,950,430 )     (2,166,220 )
 
                 
Gross profits
    361,965       362,009       322,785  
 
                       
General and administrative expenses
    (178,105 )     (89,752 )     (70,309 )
Gains and impairment (losses) on dispositions, net
    49,366       (161,510 )     (482,466 )
Other operating expenses
    (9,004 )     (94,910 )     (931 )
 
                 
Operating income (loss)
    224,222       15,837       (230,921 )
 
                       
Interest expense
    (142,735 )     (160,872 )     (210,857 )
Other income, net
    29,732       25,185       23,161  
 
                 
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and cumulative effects of accounting changes
    111,219       (119,850 )     (418,617 )
(Provision) benefit for income taxes
    (28,666 )     37,692       (45,333 )
 
                 
 
                       
Income (loss) from continuing operations before cumulative effects of accounting changes
    82,553       (82,158 )     (463,950 )
Income (loss) from discontinued operations (net of income tax benefit (expense) of $585, $448 and ($1,717), respectively)
    2,529       (14,768 )     (151,889 )
Cumulative effects of accounting changes (net of income tax benefit of $11,234 and $5,318, respectively)
          (135,560 )     (7,601 )
 
                 
Net income (loss)
  $ 85,082     $ (232,486 )   $ (623,440 )
 
                 
 
                       
Basic earnings (loss) per share:
                       
Income (loss) from continuing operations before cumulative effects of accounting changes
  $ .28     $ (.28 )   $ (1.63 )
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax
          (.05 )     (.53 )
Cumulative effects of accounting changes, net of tax
          (.46 )     (.03 )
 
                 
Net income (loss)
  $ .28     $ (.79 )   $ (2.19 )
 
                 
Basic weighted average shares outstanding
    299,801       294,533       285,127  
 
                 
 
                       
Diluted earnings (loss) per share:
                       
Income (loss) from continuing operations before cumulative effects of accounting changes
  $ .28     $ (.28 )   $ (1.63 )
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax
          (.05 )     (.53 )
Cumulative effects of accounting changes, net of tax
          (.46 )     (.03 )
 
                 
Net income (loss)
  $ .28     $ (.79 )   $ (2.19 )
 
                 
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding
    300,790       294,533       285,127  
 
                 

(See notes to consolidated financial statements)

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SERVICE CORPORATION INTERNATIONAL

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
(In thousands, except share amounts)

                 
    December 31,  
    2003     2002  
ASSETS
               
 
               
Current assets:
               
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 239,431     $ 200,625  
Receivables, net
    229,839       150,783  
Inventories
    136,807       136,666  
Other
    61,146       126,203  
 
           
Total current assets
    667,223       614,277  
 
           
 
               
Preneed funeral contracts, net
    1,229,765       1,333,673  
Preneed cemetery contracts, net
    1,083,035       1,163,457  
Cemetery property, at cost
    1,524,847       1,567,716  
Property, plant and equipment, at cost, net
    1,277,583       1,215,750  
Assets of discontinued operations
    9,318       7,165  
Deferred charges and other assets
    738,011       712,030  
Goodwill
    1,195,422       1,184,178  
 
           
 
               
 
  $ 7,725,204     $ 7,798,246  
 
           
LIABILITIES & STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
               
 
               
Current liabilities:
               
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
  $ 449,497     $ 356,437  
Current maturities of long-term debt
    182,682       100,330  
Income taxes
    29,576       1,225  
 
           
Total current liabilities
    661,755       457,992  
 
           
 
               
Long-term debt
    1,519,189       1,874,093  
Deferred preneed funeral revenues
    1,612,347       1,711,894  
Deferred preneed cemetery revenues
    1,575,352       1,629,540  
Deferred income taxes
    418,375       435,148  
Liabilities of discontinued operations
    61,530       57,388  
Other liabilities
    349,698       305,536  
 
               
Commitments and contingencies (note 12)
               
 
               
Stockholders’ equity:
               
Common stock, $1 per share par value, 500,000,000 shares authorized, 302,039,871 and 297,010,237 issued and outstanding (net of 2,469,445 and 2,516,396 treasury shares at par)
    302,040       297,010  
Capital in excess of par value
    2,274,664       2,259,936  
Accumulated deficit
    (938,063 )     (1,023,145 )
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
    (111,683 )     (207,146 )
 
           
Total stockholders’ equity
    1,526,958       1,326,655  
 
           
 
  $ 7,725,204     $ 7,798,246  
 
           

(See notes to consolidated financial statements)

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SERVICE CORPORATION INTERNATIONAL

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
(In thousands)

                         
    Years ended December 31,  
    2003     2002     2001  
            (Restated)     (Restated)  
            note 2     note 2  
Cash flows from operating activities:
                       
 
                       
Net income (loss)
  $ 85,082     $ (232,486 )   $ (623,440 )
 
                       
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
                       
(Income) loss from discontinued operations, net of tax
    (2,529 )     14,768       151,889  
Gains on early extinguishments of debt
    (1,315 )     (6,660 )     (7,755 )
Cumulative effects of accounting changes, net of tax
          135,560       7,601  
Depreciation and amortization
    161,058       179,731       236,344  
Provision for deferred income taxes
    4,084       106,841       55,116  
(Gains) and impairment losses on dispositions, net
    (49,385 )     161,511       475,221  
Other operating expenses
    9,004       94,910       931  
Payments on restructuring charges
    (14,155 )     (12,806 )     (22,794 )
Change in assets and liabilities, net of effects from acquisitions and dispositions:
                       
(Increase) decrease in receivables
    (53,630 )     3,022       27,451  
Decrease (increase) in other assets
    67,726       (31,920 )     89,906  
Increase (decrease) in payables and other liabilities
    163,321       (82,670 )     (104,773 )
Net effect of preneed funeral production and maturities
    4,061       26,743       48,329  
Net effect of cemetery production and deliveries
    986       (7,827 )     21,223  
Other
    (3,163 )     2,619       17,755  
 
                 
Net cash provided by continuing operations
    371,145       351,336       373,004  
Net cash provided by discontinued operations
    2,963       836       10,331  
 
                 
Net cash provided by operating activities
    374,108       352,172       383,335  
 
                       
Cash flows from investing activities:
                       
Capital expenditures
    (115,563 )     (99,875 )     (74,931 )
Proceeds from divestitures and sales of property and equipment
    76,577       76,292       126,686  
Proceeds and distributions from joint ventures and equity investments, net of cash retained
    73,940       291,794       285,656  
Net (deposits) withdrawals of restricted funds and other
    (71,939 )     58,883       (12,874 )
 
                 
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities from continuing operations
    (36,985 )     327,094       324,537  
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities from discontinued operations
    (437 )     (169 )     873  
 
                 
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities
    (37,422 )     326,925       325,410  
 
                       
Cash flows from financing activities:
                       
Net decrease in borrowings under credit agreements
          (29,061 )     (734,187 )
Payments of debt
    (90,980 )     (74,234 )     (166,292 )
Proceeds from long-term debt issued
                345,000  
Early extinguishments of debt
    (200,349 )     (307,232 )     (155,545 )
Settlement of debt-related options
          (57,000 )      
Bank overdrafts and other
    (8,820 )     (36,332 )     (16,445 )
 
                 
Net cash used in financing activities from continuing operations
    (300,149 )     (503,859 )     (727,469 )
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities from discontinued operations
          (1,623 )     31  
 
                 
Net cash used in financing activities
    (300,149 )     (505,482 )     (727,438 )
Effect of foreign currency
    2,269       (2,282 )     76  
 
                 
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
    38,806       171,333       (18,617 )
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period
    200,625       29,292       47,909  
 
                 
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period
  $ 239,431     $ 200,625     $ 29,292  
 
                 

(See notes to consolidated financial statements)

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SERVICE CORPORATION INTERNATIONAL

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
(In thousands)

                                         
                            Accumulated        
            Capital in             other        
    Common     excess of     Accumulated     comprehensive        
    stock     par value     deficit     income (loss)     Total  
                    (Restated)             (Restated)  
                    note 2             note 2  
Balance at December 31, 2000 as previously reported
  $ 272,507     $ 2,156,824     $ (216,353 )   $ (237,157 )   $ 1,975,821  
Restatement (note 2)
                    49,134               49,134  
 
                             
Balance at December 31, 2000, as restated
  $ 272,507     $ 2,156,824     $ (167,219 )   $ (237,157 )   $ 2,024,955  
Comprehensive loss:
                                       
Net loss
                    (623,440 )             (623,440 )
Other comprehensive loss:
                                       
Foreign currency translation
                            (76,403 )     (76,403 )
Minimum pension liability adjustment, net
                            (16,629 )     (16,629 )
Reclassification adjustment for realized loss on foreign currency translation
                            38,990       38,990  
 
                                     
Total other comprehensive loss
                                    (54,042 )
 
                                     
Total comprehensive loss:
                                    (677,482 )
Common Stock issued:
                                       
Stock option exercises and stock grants
    627       2,367                       2,994  
Contributions to employee 401(k) and cash balance plan
    3,576       15,559                       19,135  
Debenture conversions
    244       5,284                       5,528  
Debenture extinguished using common stock
    15,200       66,021                       81,221  
 
                             
Balance at December 31, 2001
    292,154       2,246,055       (790,659 )     (291,199 )     1,456,351  
Comprehensive loss:
                                       
Net loss
                    (232,486 )             (232,486 )
Other comprehensive income:
                                       
Foreign currency translation
                            43,776       43,776  
Minimum pension liability adjustment, net
                            (7,202 )     (7,202 )
Reclassification adjustment for realized loss on foreign currency translation
                            47,479       47,479  
 
                                     
Total other comprehensive income
                                    84,053  
 
                                     
Total comprehensive loss
                                    (148,433 )
Common Stock issued:
                                       
Stock option exercises and stock grants
    173       414                       587  
Contributions to employee 401(k)
    4,683       13,467                       18,150  
 
                             
Balance at December 31, 2002
    297,010       2,259,936       (1,023,145 )     (207,146 )     1,326,655  
Comprehensive income:
                                       
Net income
                    85,082               85,082  
Other comprehensive income:
                                       
Foreign currency translation
                            92,507       92,507  
Minimum pension liability adjustment, net
                            2,956       2,956  
 
                                     
Total other comprehensive income
                                    95,463  
 
                                     
Total comprehensive income
                                    180,545  
Common stock issued:
                                       
Stock option exercises and other
    471       1,909                       2,380  
Contributions to employee 401(k)
    4,559       12,819                       17,378  
 
                             
Balance at December 31, 2003
  $ 302,040     $ 2,274,664     $ (938,063 )   $ (111,683 )   $ 1,526,958  
 
                             

(See notes to consolidated financial statements)

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SERVICE CORPORATION INTERNATIONAL

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

NOTE ONE

Nature of Operations

     Service Corporation International (SCI or the Company) is the world’s largest provider of funeral and cemetery services. At December 31, 2003, the Company operated 2,225 funeral service locations, 417 cemeteries and 183 crematoria located in eight countries (unaudited). Of these locations, seven funeral homes, five cemeteries and two crematoria were classified as discontinued at December 31, 2003 (unaudited). The Company also had minority interest equity investments in funeral and cemetery operations in the United Kingdom and Australia. In the fourth quarter of 2003, the Company sold its minority interest equity investment in Australia. Subsequent to December 31, 2003, the Company sold its funeral operations in France to a joint venture on March 11, 2004. The French operations consisted of 963 funeral service locations and 39 crematoria at December 31, 2003 (unaudited).

     The funeral service and cemetery operations consist of funeral service locations, cemeteries, crematoria and related businesses. Personnel at the funeral service locations provide all professional services relating to funerals, including the use of funeral facilities and motor vehicles, and preparation and embalming services. Funeral related merchandise (including caskets, coffins, burial vaults, cremation receptacles, flowers and other ancillary products and services) is sold at funeral service locations. Certain funeral service locations contain crematoria. The Company sells preneed funeral services whereby a customer contractually agrees to the terms of a funeral to be performed in the future. The Company’s cemeteries provide cemetery property interment rights (including mausoleum spaces, lots and lawn crypts) and sell cemetery related merchandise (including stone and bronze memorials, burial vaults, casket and cremation memorialization products) and services (primarily merchandise installation fees and burial opening and closing fees). Cemetery items are sold on an atneed or preneed basis. Personnel at cemeteries perform interment services and provide management and maintenance of cemetery grounds. Certain cemeteries operate crematoria, and certain cemeteries contain gardens specifically for the purpose of cremation memorialization. At December 31, 2003, there were 185 combination locations that contained a funeral service location within a Company owned cemetery (unaudited).

NOTE TWO

Restatement of Financial Statements

     The Company restated its previously issued financial statements for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2002, 2001 and 2000, the interim quarters of 2002, 2001 and 2000, and the first three quarters of 2003, primarily due to adjustments to Deferred preneed cemetery contract revenues. All applicable amounts relating to these restatements have been reflected in the consolidated financial statements and notes to the consolidated financial statements.

     Prior to the implementation of Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 101, “Revenue Recognition in Financial Statements” (“SAB 101”), the Company recorded revenues for cemetery merchandise or services at the time the contract was signed by the customer. The estimated costs to deliver merchandise and perform services were charged to expense at the time the contract was signed and a corresponding liability was recorded on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet. This liability was periodically adjusted to reflect changes in the estimated costs of merchandise and services. When the Company delivered merchandise or performed services under a customer’s cemetery contract, our policy required cemetery personnel to record such delivery or performance into the accounting system. This entry reduced the corresponding liability as the obligation was satisfied.

     Effective January 1, 2000, we adopted SAB 101. The Company determined that the accounting policy for recognition of preneed cemetery merchandise or service revenue should be changed from the time of sale to the time of delivery or performance. Undelivered merchandise and services would be recorded as deferred revenue at the contract sale price and revenue from such merchandise and services would be recognized when delivered or performed.

     In the latter part of 2001, the Company identified preneed cemetery merchandise and services that had been previously delivered, but the delivery had not been input into our accounting system in a timely manner. When identified, these items were recognized as revenues and disclosed as changes in estimates in the period identified. Deliveries made in a period other than when they were ultimately recognized as a change in estimate are referred to as “out-of-period deliveries”.

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     During 2000 through September 2003, the Company identified approximately $109,399 of preneed cemetery contract items were out-of-period deliveries, which means that these items had been delivered or performed, but the revenue had not been recognized in the appropriate period of delivery. These items were originally recognized as revenues and disclosed as changes in estimates in the periods from 2000 through 2003. Offsetting the $109,399, the Company recorded $43,671 of cemetery revenue from 2000 through September 2003, which represents the effects of subsequent years being restated into the appropriate earlier period as detailed in the table below.

                                         
                            First        
                            Three        
                            Quarters        
    2000     2001     2002     of 2003     Total  
Reductions in cemetery revenues for out-of-period deliveries
  $ (12,773 )   $ (68,515 )   $ (23,425 )   $ (4,686 )   $ (109,399 )
 
                                       
Effects of subsequent years being restated into the appropriate period
  $ 27,682     $ 11,054     $ 4,935     $     $ 43,671  
 
                             
 
                                       
Net restatement of cemetery revenues for out-of-period deliveries
  $ 14,909     $ (57,461 )   $ (18,490 )   $ (4,686 )   $ (65,728 )
 
                             

     Additionally, during the fourth quarter of 2003, the Company recorded adjustments to prior periods totaling $40,697 to report additional cemetery merchandise and service revenue in the period that such items were delivered or performed. The difference between the $40,697 and the $109,399 described above is that the cemetery contract items within the $109,399 were previously identified by the Company and were recognized as revenue and disclosed as a change in estimate in the period identified. The cemetery contract items within the $40,697 were not previously identified or recognized as revenue by the Company prior to the fourth quarter of 2003. The distribution of the $40.7 million was restated as follows:

                                         
    2000     2001     2002     2003     Total  
Increased revenues for items for which delivery or performance occurred, but no revenue was recognized
  $ 4,874     $ 8,318     $ 8,680     $ 8,662     $ 30,534  
 
                                       
Cumulative effect (pretax)
  $ 10,163     $     $     $     $ 10,163  
 
                             
 
                                       
Total revenues for items for which delivery or performance occurred, but no revenue was recognized
  $ 15,037     $ 8,318     $ 8,680     $ 8,662     $ 40,697  
 
                             

     The Company also reviewed its accounting policy for amortizing preneed funeral deferred selling costs and has changed the methodology for amortizing these costs from a straight line basis to a method more in proportion to when the associated revenues are recognized. The Company has included this change in amortization in its restated results.

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     The effect of the restatement on the Company’s previously reported consolidated statement of operations and consolidated balance sheet for the periods described above is as follows:

                                                 
    Year ended December 31,     Year ended December 31,     Year ended December 31,  
    2002     2001     2000  
(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)   As reported     As Restated     As Reported     As Restated     As Reported     As Restated  
Selected consolidated statement of operations data:
                                               
Revenues
  $ 2,322,249     $ 2,312,439     $ 2,538,148     $ 2,489,005     $ 2,549,755     $ 2,569,538  
Costs and expenses
  $ (1,959,250 )   $ (1,950,430 )   $ (2,173,482 )   $ (2,166,220 )   $ (2,216,388 )   $ (2,226,530 )
Gross profits
  $ 362,999     $ 362,009     $ 364,666     $ 322,785     $ 333,367     $ 343,008  
Operating income (loss)
  $ 16,827     $ 15,837     $ (189,040 )   $ (230,921 )   $ (247,165 )   $ (237,524 )
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes and cumulative effects of accounting changes
  $ (118,860 )   $ (119,850 )   $ (376,736 )   $ (418,617 )   $ (475,574 )   $ (465,933 )
Benefit (provision) for income taxes
  $ 37,308     $ 37,692     $ (61,570 )   $ (45,333 )   $ 81,290     $ 77,552  
Cumulative effects of accounting changes (net of income taxes)
  $ (135,560 )   $ (135,560 )   $ (7,601 )   $ (7,601 )   $ (913,599 )   $ (870,368 )
Net loss
  $ (231,880 )   $ (232,486 )   $ (597,796 )   $ (623,440 )   $ (1,343,251 )   $ (1,294,117 )
Basic and diluted earnings per share:
                                               
Loss from continuing operations before cumulative effects of accounting changes
  $ (.28 )   $ (.28 )   $ (1.54 )   $ (1.63 )   $ (1.45 )   $ (1.43 )
Net loss
  $ (.79 )   $ (.79 )   $ (2.10 )   $ (2.19 )   $ (4.93 )   $ (4.75 )
                 
    As of December 31, 2002  
    As Reported     As Restated  
Selected consolidated balance sheet data:
               
Inventories
  $ 135,263     $ 136,666  
Total current assets
  $ 612,874     $ 614,277  
Deferred charges and other assets
  $ 719,180     $ 712,030  
Total assets
  $ 8,253,993     $ 7,798,246  
Deferred cemetery contract revenues, net
  $ 1,672,661     $ 1,629,540  
Deferred income taxes
  $ 420,658     $ 435,148  
Accumulated deficit
  $ (1,046,029 )   $ (1,023,145 )
Total stockholders’ equity
  $ 1,303,771     $ 1,326,655  
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity
  $ 8,253,993     $ 7,798,246  

     See note twenty-one to the consolidated financial statements for the effect of the restatement upon quarterly unaudited financial data.

     The Company has changed its method of accounting for insurance funded preneed contracts as it has concluded that its insurance funded preneed funeral contracts are not assets and liabilities as defined by Statement of Financial Accounting Concepts No. 6, “Elements in Financial Statements.” Therefore, the Company has removed from its consolidated balance sheet amounts relating to insurance funded preneed funeral contracts previously recorded in Preneed funeral receivables and trust investments and Deferred preneed funeral revenues, which at December 31, 2003 and 2002, were $3,505,094 and $2,948,100, respectively. The removal of these amounts did not have an impact on the Company’s consolidated stockholders’ equity, results of operations or cash flows.

NOTE THREE

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Presentation

     The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of SCI and all majority-owned subsidiaries. Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

     The Company has classified gains and losses associated with early extinguishments of debt as Other income, net in the consolidated statement of operations. Previously, these gains and losses were classified as extraordinary items. Additionally, the Company has classified gains from dispositions within Gains and impairment (losses) on dispositions, net in the consolidated

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statement of operations. Previously, gains from dispositions were presented separately after Operating income in the consolidated statement of operations. The reclassifications have been made for all years presented in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 145, “Revision of FASB Statements No. 4, 44 and 64, Amendment of FASB Statement No. 13, and Technical Corrections”.

     The Company has reported general agency (GA) revenues as funeral revenues for all periods presented. Previously, the Company reported these GA revenues as a reduction to selling expense in the consolidated statement of operations. See note five to the consolidated financial statements for further discussion of GA revenues. Additionally, certain other reclassifications have been made to prior years to conform to current period presentation with no effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Use of Estimates in the Preparation of Financial Statements

     The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that may affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period. As a result, actual results could differ from these estimates.

     In 2002, the Company changed its allocation methodology of overhead costs in North America to be based on funeral and cemetery reporting unit revenues. The change in overhead allocation has not impacted the Company’s reported results of operations, financial position or cash flows.

     During the second quarter of 2002, the Company decided to implement new information technology systems, including a new North America point of sale system and an upgraded general ledger system. As a result of this decision, the Company accelerated amortization of its existing capitalized systems costs beginning in the second quarter of 2002 to reflect the remaining estimated useful lives of these systems. These existing systems were fully amortized by the conclusion of the third quarter of 2003. The Company capitalized application development stage costs associated with new system implementation in accordance with SOP 98-1, “Accounting for the Costs of Computer software Developed or Obtained for Internal Use” (SOP 98-1). The Company began amortizing such costs upon implementation of this new system in the fourth quarter of 2003 at which time the old systems were fully amortized. The Company recognized additional amortization related to this change in estimate of approximately $13,800 and $13,500 in the years ended December 31, 2003 and 2002, respectively. This change in estimate impacted net income by approximately $8,694, or diluted income per share of $.03 in 2003 and impacted net loss by approximately $8,500, or diluted loss per share $.03 in 2002.

Cash Equivalents

     The Company considers all highly liquid investments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.

Inventories and Cemetery Property

     Funeral merchandise and cemetery burial property and merchandise are stated at the lower of average cost or market.

Property, Plant and Equipment, net

     Property, plant and equipment, net are recorded at cost. Maintenance and repairs are charged to expense whereas renewals and major replacements that extend the assets useful lives are capitalized. Depreciation is provided using the straight line method over the estimated useful lives of the various classes of assets. Property and plant are depreciated over a period ranging from seven to forty years, equipment is depreciated over a period from three to eight years and leasehold improvements are depreciated over the shorter of the lease term or ten years. When property is sold or retired, the cost and related accumulated depreciation are removed from the consolidated balance sheet; resulting gains and losses are included in the consolidated statement of operations.

Goodwill

     The excess of purchase price over the fair value of identifiable net assets acquired in business combinations accounted for as purchases is recorded as goodwill. Prior to 2002, goodwill was amortized over its estimated life. Since then, goodwill is no longer amortized but is tested annually for impairment by assessing the fair value of each of the Company’s reporting units (which is

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generally one level below the Company’s reportable segments). As of December 31, 2003, the Company’s funeral segment reporting units are North America, France, Germany and Singapore. The Company’s cemetery segment reporting units are North America and Chile.

     The Company’s policy is to test for impairment of goodwill in accordance with SFAS 142 “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets” (SFAS 142) annually as of September 30 each year. For the current year, the Company performed such test on September 30, 2003.

     The Company tests for impairment of its goodwill using a two-step approach as prescribed in SFAS 142. The first step of the Company’s goodwill impairment test compares the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount, including goodwill. The Company does not record an impairment of goodwill in instances where the fair value of a reporting unit exceeds its carrying amount. The second step of the Company’s goodwill impairment test is required only in situations where the carrying amount of the reporting unit exceeds its fair value as determined in the first step. In such instances, the Company compares the implied fair value of goodwill (as defined in SFAS 142) to its carrying amount of goodwill. If the carrying amount of reporting unit goodwill exceeds the implied fair value of that goodwill, an impairment loss is recognized in an amount equal to that excess. Fair market value of a reporting unit is determined using a calculation based on multiples of revenue and multiples of EBITDA of both the Company and its competitors. Based on our test at September 30, 2003, the Company concluded that there was no impairment of goodwill in accordance with SFAS 142.

Deferred Selling Costs

     The Company defers selling costs that vary with and are primarily related to the acquisition of preneed funeral (trust funded only) and preneed cemetery contracts, and to expense such costs in proportion to the revenue recognized. The deferral, which is calculated based on deferral rates discussed below, and amortization model follows the provisions of SFAS 60, “Accounting and Reporting by Insurance Enterprises” (“SFAS 60”). The selling costs subject to deferral are the pool of compensation expense and related fringe costs incurred by the Company’s sales counselors and sales managers. Other selling costs associated with the sales and marketing of preneed funeral and cemetery contracts (e.g., lead procurement costs, brochures and marketing materials, advertising and general administrative costs) are expensed as incurred.

     Deferral rates are determined for the following:

  •   Preneed funeral contracts
 
  •   Preneed cemetery contract items:

  •   interment rights (burial property)
 
  •   merchandise
 
  •   services

     These deferral rates are based on the ratio of the selling compensation and fringe costs to preneed funeral and cemetery production (in dollars) weighted accordingly in the manner for which the counselor is compensated (with interment rights, or burial property, being the highest and preneed cemetery services being the lowest compensation to the counselor). In developing the deferral rates, the Company reviews various rate scenarios to ensure the finalized rates, when applied to forecasted production dollars, are reasonable compared to forecasted selling compensation. Additionally, the developed deferral rates are reviewed annually for reasonableness compared to current and historical commission rates used by the Company.

     As preneed funeral and cemetery contracts are processed, the rates are applied systematically to the production dollars and the resulting amount is deferred. As a result, the funeral and cemetery deferred selling costs are only generated when preneed funeral and cewmetery contract production is recorded. Therefore, these deferred selling costs vary with and relate primarily to the production of the preneed cemetery merchandise, and preneed cemetery services. The deferred preneed funeral and cemetery revenue accounts are recorded similarly.

     Periodically, the selling costs deferred are compared to the actual costs incurred to ensure there is not a significant variance between the two.

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     The deferred selling costs are expensed in proportion to the revenue when recognized (“proportionate method”). This is determined annually by the ratio of the unamortized deferred selling costs (funeral, cemetery interment rights, cemetery merchandise and cemetery services) to the associated deferred revenue, and systematically applying this ratio against the deferred selling cost accounts as the applicable revenues are recognized.

     The Company does not attribute deferred selling costs to each individual contract (or each item in the case of cemetery deferred selling costs) because our systems do not currently have the complete functionality to defer and amortize the costs and the Company has no other cost effective means by which to do so. The Company believes using the proportionate method of amortization and the homogenous nature of the 430,000 preneed funereal contracts and 3.6 million of preneed cemetery contract items (as separated by interment rights, merchandise and services) allows for a systematic match of costs with related revenues.

     The Company applies the requirements of SFAS No. 60 “Accounting and Reporting by Insurance Enterprises” (“SFAS 60) to test for impairment of our deferred selling costs as prescribed by the AICPA Industry Guide, “Life and Health Insurance Entities.” Accordingly, when circumstances indicate that actual experience for a portfolio of contracts, regardless of the year of origin may result in losses, the Company assesses whether the expected gross contract revenues for each portfolio of preneed funeral contracts or preneed cemetery contracts less all related expected contract costs is sufficient to cover the current unamortized deferred selling costs associated with each portfolio. For purposes of applying this policy, a portfolio of preneed funeral contracts or preneed cemetery contracts is comprised of all such contracts executed within a given market (i.e., an area of operation). If deferred selling costs for a portfolio of contracts exceeds the related gross contract revenue less expected contract costs, the excess is charged to expense. The Company believes this is the most appropriate way to evaluate impairment because it is consistent with the manner in which it acquires services and measures the profitability of its preneed funeral and preneed cemetery contracts. The sales organization is organized by market, and the selling costs incurred and deferred specifically relate to the preneed funeral and cemetery deferred revenues recorded in the operating market.

     An allowance is provided against the deferred selling costs associated with contract cancellations, with a corresponding charge to the consolidated statement of operations. The allowance for cancellations is determined from the Company’s historical experience and is based on the amount of unrecoverable deferred selling costs in relation to the associated deferred revenue.

     The following table depicts the activity in the allowance for deferred selling costs for the years ended December 31, 2003 and 2002.

                                 
    Beginning     Change in     Change for     Ending  
(Dollars in thousands)   Balance     Allowance     Divestitures     Balance  
2003
                               
Allowance for funeral deferred selling costs
  $ (8,911 )   $ 83     $ 86     $ (8,742 )
Allowance for cemetery deferred selling costs
    (14,020 )     (1,135 )     111       (15,044 )
 
                               
2002
                               
Allowance for funeral deferred selling costs
  $ (8,950 )   $ 4     $ 35     $ (8,911 )
Allowance for cemetery deferred selling costs
    (14,299 )     279             (14,020 )

     The change in the allowance account relates to 1) the periodic adjustment based on the Company’s historical cancellations and 2) reductions associated with the effects of divestitures.

Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets

     Except as noted for Goodwill and deferred selling costs, the Company reviews its long-lived assets for impairment when changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the asset may not be recoverable in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 144, “Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets” (SFAS 144). SFAS 144 requires that long-lived assets to be held and used be reported at the lower of carrying amount or fair value. Assets to be disposed of and assets not expected to provide any future service potential to the Company are recorded at the lower of carrying amount or fair value less estimated cost to sell.

     In January 2002, the Company ceased depreciation of certain operating assets held for sale (which primarily included France and Chile). The Company later determined transactions to sell or joint venture these assets would be delayed. As a result, the Company resumed normal depreciation of those assets held in France and Chile in the third quarter of 2002. In January 2003, the Company

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once again classified the France operating assets held for sale and ceased depreciation. In March 2004, the Company sold 100% of its funeral operations in France and then purchased a 25% equity interest in the acquiring company.

Stock Options

     The Company accounts for employee stock-based compensation expense under the intrinsic value method. Under the intrinsic value method, no compensation expense is recognized on stock options if the grant price equals the market value on the date of grant. All of the Company stock option grants have been at market value on the dates of each grant.

     If the Company had elected to recognize compensation expense for its stock option plans, based on the fair value of awards at their grant dates, net income (loss) and earnings (loss) per share would have changed for the years ended December 31 to the following pro forma amounts:

                         
    2003     2002     2001  
            (Restated)     (Restated)  
            note 2     note 2  
Net income (loss)
  $ 85,082     $ (232,486 )   $ (623,440 )
Deduct: Total stock-based employee compensation expense determined under fair value based method for all awards, net of related tax expense
    (6,720 )     (13,537 )     (17,680 )
 
                 
Pro forma net income (loss)
  $ 78,362     $ (246,023 )   $ (641,120 )
 
                 
 
                       
Basic and diluted net earnings (loss) per share
  $ .28     $ (.79 )   $ (2.19 )
Deduct: Total stock-based employee compensation expense determined under fair value based method for all awards, net of related tax expense
    (.02 )     (.04 )     (0.06 )
Pro forma basic and diluted net earnings (loss) per share
  $ .26     $ (.83 )   $ (2.25 )
 
                 

     The fair values of the Company’s stock options used to calculate the pro forma net income (loss) and earnings (loss) per share disclosures are calculated as of the grant date using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the following weighted average assumptions:

                         
Assumptions   2003     2002     2001  
Dividend yield
    n/a       0.0 %     0.0 %
Expected volatility
    n/a       66.3 %     62.0 %
Risk-free interest rate
    n/a       3.6 %     5.1 %
Expected holding period
    n/a       6.1 years      7.1 years 
Weighted average fair value
    n/a     $ 2.90     $ 2.68  

     The assumptions are not applicable for 2003, since the Company did not issue stock options during the year.

     The Black-Scholes option-pricing model is generally intended for use in estimating the fair value of traded options, which have no vesting restrictions and are fully transferable. Furthermore, option-pricing models require highly subjective variable assumptions, such as the expected stock price volatility. Therefore, the fair values of the Company’s stock options presented in the pro forma calculations are not necessarily representations of the actual fair values of those stock options since the granted options have characteristics significantly different from those of traded options, and the variables used, under alternative assumptions, could cause the calculations to vary from those presented.

Foreign Currency Translation

     All assets and liabilities of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries are translated into U.S. dollars at exchange rates in effect as of the end of the reporting period. Revenue and expense items are translated at the average exchange rates for the reporting period. The resulting translation adjustments are included in stockholders’ equity as a component of Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) in the consolidated statement of stockholders’ equity.

     The functional currency of the Company and its subsidiaries is the local currency. The transactional currency gains and losses that arise from transactions denominated in currencies other than the functional currencies of our operations are recorded in Other income, net in the consolidated statement of operations. The Company does not operate in countries which would be considered to have hyperinflationary economies.

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Funeral Operations

     Revenue is recognized when the funeral services are performed. The Company’s funeral trade receivables consist of amounts due for services already performed. An allowance for doubtful accounts has been provided based on historical experience. The Company sells price guaranteed preneed funeral contracts through various programs providing for future funeral services at prices prevailing when the agreements are signed. Revenues associated with sales of preneed funeral contracts are deferred until such time that the funeral services are performed. Allowances for customer cancellations are based upon historical experience. See note five to the consolidated financial statements regarding preneed funeral activities.

Cemetery Operations

     Revenue associated with sales of cemetery merchandise and services is recognized when the service is performed or merchandise is delivered. The Company’s cemetery trade receivables consist of amounts due for services already performed and merchandise already delivered. An allowance for doubtful accounts has been provided based on historical experience. Revenue associated with sales of preneed cemetery interment rights is recognized in accordance with the retail land sales provisions of SFAS No. 66, “Accounting for the Sales of Real Estate” (SFAS 66). Under SFAS 66, revenue from constructed cemetery property is not recognized until a minimum percentage (10%) of the sales price has been collected. Revenue related to the preneed sale of unconstructed cemetery property is deferred until it is constructed and 10% of the sales price is collected. Revenue associated with sales of preneed merchandise and services is not recognized until the merchandise is delivered or the services are performed. Allowances for customer cancellations for preneed cemetery contracts are based upon historical experience.

     Costs related to the sales of property interment rights include the property and development costs specifically identified by project. At the completion of the project, costs are charged to operations as revenue is recognized. Costs related to sales of merchandise and services are based on actual costs incurred.

     Pursuant to state or provincial law, all or a portion of the proceeds from cemetery merchandise or services sold on a preneed basis may be required to be paid into trust funds. The Company defers investment earnings related to these merchandise and services trusts until the associated merchandise is delivered or services are performed.

     A portion of the proceeds from the sale of cemetery property interment rights is required by state or provincial law to be paid into perpetual care trust funds. Investment earnings from these trusts are distributed regularly, are recognized in current cemetery revenues and are intended to defray cemetery maintenance costs, which are expensed as incurred. The principal of such perpetual care trust funds generally cannot be withdrawn by the Company and therefore is not included in the consolidated balance sheet.

     See note six to the consolidated financial statements regarding preneed cemetery activities.

Derivatives

     Derivative instruments are recognized in the consolidated balance sheet at their fair values. For derivatives that qualify and are designated as hedges of future cash flows or net foreign investments, the changes in fair values are recorded in Other comprehensive income (loss) in the consolidated statement of stockholders’ equity. For derivatives that qualify and are designated as fair value hedges, the changes in fair values are recorded in earnings, offset by the recognition of the changes in fair values of the underlying hedged asset or liability. The changes in fair values of derivatives that do not qualify for hedge accounting and the ineffective portion of derivatives that do qualify for hedge accounting are recorded in earnings.

Income Taxes

     The Company calculates taxes on a consolidated basis. Deferred income taxes are computed using the liability method and are provided on all temporary differences between the financial basis and the tax basis of assets and liabilities. The Company records a valuation allowance to reduce its deferred tax assets when uncertainty regarding their realization exists. The Company intends to permanently reinvest the unremitted earnings of certain of its foreign subsidiaries in those businesses outside the United States and, therefore, has not provided for deferred federal income taxes on such unremitted foreign earnings. See note eight to the consolidated financial statements.

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Equity Investments

     The Company maintains certain equity interests in international operations as a result of our strategy to dispose of all or a majority interest of all our international operations outside of North America. At December 31, 2003, the Company had a minority interest equity investment in operations in the United Kingdom and at December 31, 2002 had minority interest equity investments in operations in the United Kingdom, Australia and Spain. The Company accounts for its minority interest equity investments in accordance with Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 18, “The Equity Method of Accounting for Investments in Common Stock”. The Company has not presented summarized financial information of the investees as they are not material to the Company’s financial position or results of operations or cash flow.

     The names of the Company’s investees and the percentage of ownership are set forth in the table below.

                     
                Investment    
        Ownership   Method    
    Investee Name   Percentage   Accounting   Date Sold
Investments held at 12/31/2003
                   
United Kingdom
  Dignity Limited     20 %   Equity    
 
                   
Investments held at 12/31/2002
                   
United Kingdom
  Dignity Limited     20 %   Equity    
Australia
  SCIA Holdings Pty Limited     20 %   Equity   December 2003
Spain
  SCI Spain, S.L.     15 %   Cost   May 2003
 
                   
Investments held at 12/31/2001
                   
Australia
  SCIA Holdings Pty Limited     20 %   Equity   December 2003
Spain
  SCI Spain, S.L.     15 %   Cost   May 2003

NOTE FOUR

New Accounting Pronouncements and Accounting Changes

     In April 2003, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued SFAS No. 149, “Amendment of Statement 133 on Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities” (SFAS 149). This statement amends and clarifies financial accounting and reporting for derivative instruments, including certain derivative instruments embedded in other contracts (collectively referred to as derivatives) and for hedging activities under SFAS No. 133, “Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities” (SFAS 133). This statement is effective for contracts entered into or modified after June 30, 2003 and for hedging relationships designated after June 30, 2003. In addition, all provisions of this statement should be applied prospectively. The provisions of this statement that relate to SFAS 133 implementation issues that have been effective for fiscal quarters that began prior to June 15, 2003, should continue to be applied in accordance with their respective effective dates. The adoption of SFAS No. 149 had no impact on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

     In May 2003, the FASB issued SFAS No. 150, “Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Characteristics of both Liabilities and Equity” (SFAS 150). This statement establishes standards for the classification and measurement of certain financial instruments with characteristics of both liabilities and equity. It requires that an issuer classify a financial instrument that is within its scope as a liability (or an asset in some circumstances). Many of those instruments were previously classified as equity. This statement is effective for financial instruments entered into or modified after May 31, 2003 and otherwise is effective at the beginning of the first interim period beginning after June 15, 2003. These effective dates are not applicable to the provisions of paragraphs 9 and 10 of SFAS 150 as they apply to mandatorily redeemable noncontrolling interests, as the FASB has delayed these provisions indefinitely. The adoption of SFAS 150 had no impact on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

     In accordance with SFAS No. 142, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets” (SFAS 142), the Company, effective January 1, 2002, recognized a charge reflected as a cumulative effect of an accounting change of $135,560 (net of applicable taxes) or $.46 per diluted share related to the impairment of goodwill in its North America cemetery reporting unit.

     In accordance with the accounting proscribed by SFAS No. 133, “Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities”, and SFAS No. 138, “Accounting for Certain Derivative Transactions and Certain Hedging Activities, an amendment to FASB

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Statement No. 133”, the Company, effective January 1, 2001, recognized a charge reflected as a cumulative effect of an accounting change of $7,601 (net of applicable taxes) or $0.03 per diluted share.

     In December 2003, the FASB revised SFAS No. 132, “Employers’ Disclosures about Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits” (SFAS 132). The revised SFAS 132 requires additional disclosures about the assets, obligations, cash flows and net periodic benefit cost of defined benefit pension plans and other defined benefit postretirement plans, of which certain disclosures are not required until 2004. The Company has adopted the disclosure requirements that were effective for 2003.

     In January 2003, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued FASB Interpretation No. 46, “Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities, an Interpretation of Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB) No. 51”. This interpretation clarifies the application of ARB No. 51, “Consolidated Financial Statements”, to certain entities in which equity investors do not have the characteristics of a controlling financial interest or do not have sufficient equity at risk for the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support from other parties. In December 2003, the FASB revised FASB Interpretation No. 46 (FIN 46R) which allowed companies with certain types of variable interest entities to defer implementation until March 31, 2004.

     The Company is in discussions with the Staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission related to the implementation of            FIN 46R. The discussion relates to (i) the consolidation under FIN 46R of our preneed funeral and preneed cemetery merchandise and service trusts; (ii) the potential consolidation of our cemetery perpetual care trust funds; and (iii) the policies of recognition of the associated investment earnings of the trust funds.

     The Company believes, at this time, that it will consolidate the preneed funeral and cemetery merchandise and service trust funds upon implementation of FIN 46R. Upon consolidation, the large majority of the trust assets will be recorded at fair value. It is unclear at this time whether the Company will consolidate the cemetery perpetual care trust funds upon implementation of FIN 46R. Currently, the cemetery perpetual care trust funds are not recognized on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet. If the cemetery perpetual care trust funds are consolidated, the Company believes it will recognize an asset and a corresponding liability in its consolidated balance sheet of approximately $650,000. The large majority of the assets of cemetery perpetual care trust funds will be recorded at fair value.

     Currently, the Company defers investment earnings associated with preneed funeral and preneed cemetery merchandise and service trust funds until the corresponding merchandise is delivered or the service is performed. It is unclear at this time whether this revenue recognition policy will continue upon implementation of FIN 46R, or if the Company will have to recognize these trust fund earnings in a revised manner, such as at the time the trust funds themselves earn such investment earnings.

     Realized investment earnings from cemetery perpetual care trust funds are recognized in current cemetery revenues as they are intended to defray cemetery maintenance costs. The Company expects to continue recognizing these investment earnings under this new accounting policy.

     The Company believes the consolidation of the preneed funeral and cemetery merchandise and service trust funds (and possibly the cemetery perpetual care trust funds) will have an effect on certain components within its consolidated statement of cash flows. Upon such consolidation, proceeds from sales of trust fund investments and disbursements for purchases of trust fund investments will be shown as separate components of cash flows from investing activities. Currently, the cash flows described above are reported within cash flows from operations as they are receivables collected from third parties.

     In addition to potentially consolidating these trust funds, the Company also believes it will consolidate certain cemeteries managed by the Company, upon implementation of FIN 46R. The Company expects to recognize a charge of approximately $10,000 to $20,000, representing the cumulative effect of an accounting change, as a result of consolidating these cemeteries managed by the Company as of March 31, 2004. The results of operations and cash flows of these cemeteries will be included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements upon implementation of FIN 46R, although no material impact is anticipated.

     The Company has changed its method of accounting for insurance funded preneed contracts as it has concluded that its insurance funded preneed funeral contracts are not assets and liabilities as defined by Statement of Financial Accounting Concepts No. 6, “Elements in Financial Statements”. Therefore, the Company has removed from its consolidated balance sheets amounts relating to insurance funded preneed funeral contracts previously recorded in Preneed funeral contracts, net and Deferred preneed funeral revenues for all periods presented. The amounts relating to insurance contracts removed were approximately $3,505,094 and $2,948,100 at December 31, 2003 and December 31, 2002, respectively. The removal of these amounts did not have an impact on the

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Company’s consolidated stockholders’ equity, results of operations or cash flows. See note five to the consolidated financial statements for additional information on insurance related preneed funeral balances.

     In July 2003, the Emerging Issues Task Force of the FASB issued Issue No. 00-21, “Revenue Arrangements with Multiple Deliverables” (Issue 00-21). Issue 00-21 addresses certain aspects of the accounting by a vendor for arrangements under which it will perform multiple revenue generating activities. The provisions of Issue 00-21 were effective July 1, 2003 and have been applied prospectively by the Company. Issue 00-21 did not have an impact on the Company’s results of operations, financial position or cash flows, as the Company’s revenue recognition policy is consistent with the provisions of Issue 00-21.

     Effective January 1, 2004, the Company changed the accounting for gains and losses on its pension plan assets and liabilities. The Company will recognize such gains and losses in its consolidated statement of operations as such gains and losses are incurred under pension accounting. Prior to January 1, 2004, the Company amortized the difference between actual and expected investment returns and actuarial gains and losses over seven years (except to the extent that settlements with employees required earlier recognition). The Company believes the change is preferable as the new method of accounting better reflects the economic nature of the Company’s pension plans and recognizes gains and losses on the pension plan assets and liabilities in the year the gains or losses occur. As a result of this accounting change, the Company expects to recognize a charge for the cumulative effect of an accounting charge of approximately $55,000 (on a pretax basis) as of January 1, 2004. This amount represents accumulated unrecognized net losses related to the pension plan assets and liabilities.

NOTE FIVE

Preneed Funeral Activities

     The Company sells price-guaranteed preneed funeral contracts through various programs. Because the services or merchandise will not be provided until the future, most states and provinces require that all or a portion of the customer payments under these contracts be protected for the benefit of the customers pursuant to applicable law. Some or all of the funds may be required to be placed into trust accounts, or a surety bond may be posted in lieu of trusting (collectively “trust funded preneed funeral contracts”). Alternatively, where allowed, customers purchase a life insurance or annuity policy from third party insurance companies to fund their preneed funeral (“insurance funded preneed funeral contracts”). The insurance policy proceeds, which include increasing insurance benefits, will be used to pay for the funeral goods and services selected at the time of contract origination. Under either customer funding option, the Company enters into a preneed funeral contract with the customer to provide funeral services in the future. The contract amounts associated with unfulfilled insurance funded preneed funeral contracts are not reflected on the consolidated balance sheet. However, when the trust funded preneed funeral contract is consummated, the Company records an asset (included in Preneed funeral contracts, net) and corresponding liability (included in Deferred preneed funeral contract revenues, net) for the contract price.

     Funeral revenues are recognized in the consolidated statement of operations on preneed funeral contracts at the time the funeral service is performed. Trust investment earnings, net of taxes and certain other expenses paid by the trust are accrued and deferred until the services are performed, at which time these funds are also recognized in funeral revenues. These amounts are intended to cover future increases in the cost of providing a price-guaranteed funeral service.

     Direct selling costs incurred pursuant to the sales of trust funded preneed funeral contracts are deferred and included in Deferred charges and other assets in the consolidated balance sheet. The deferred selling costs are expensed in proportion to the corresponding trust funded preneed funeral contract revenue when recognized. Deferred selling costs associated with trust funded preneed funeral contracts were $100,317 and $105,057 at December 31, 2003 and 2002, respectively. Direct selling costs incurred pursuant to the sales of insurance funded preneed funeral contracts are expensed as incurred. In connection with insurance funded preneed funeral contract sales, the customer purchases a life insurance policy and the Company earns a commission as the agent in the transaction between the customer and the third party insurance company. Such general agency (GA) revenues are based on a percentage per insurance policy sold and are recognized when the insurance purchase transaction between the customer and the third party insurance company is complete. GA revenues recognized by the Company totaled $27,700, $47,100 and $43,300, and direct selling costs expensed by the Company totaled $23,900, $34,100, and $37,300 for the years ended December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively, in connection with sales of insurance funded preneed funeral contracts.

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Preneed Funeral Contracts, Net

     Preneed funeral contracts, net of allowance for cancellation, represents amounts due from trust funds and customer receivables related to unperformed, price-guaranteed preneed funeral contracts. The components of preneed funeral contracts, net in the consolidated balance sheet at December 31 are as follows:

                 
    2003     2002  
Trust funded preneed funeral contracts:
               
Receivables due from trust assets
  $ 1,201,059     $ 1,254,854  
Receivables from customers
    190,332       228,522  
 
           
Trust funded preneed funeral contracts
    1,391,391       1,483,376  
 
           
 
               
Allowance for cancellation
    (161,626 )     (149,703 )
 
           
 
               
Preneed funeral contracts, net
  $ 1,229,765     $ 1,333,673  
 
           

     An allowance for contract cancellation is provided based on historical experience. An allowance is no longer provided on insurance funded preneed funeral contracts that were removed from the Company’s consolidated balance sheet as a result of our change in accounting.

     Upon cancellation of a trust funded preneed funeral contract, a customer is generally entitled to receive a refund of the funds held in trust. In many jurisdictions, the Company may be obligated to fund any shortfall if the amounts deposited by the customer exceeds the funds in trust. As a result, when realized or unrealized losses of a trust result in trust funded preneed funeral contracts being under-funded, the Company assesses those contracts to determine whether a loss provision should be recorded. No loss amounts have been required to be recognized as of December 31, 2003.

     Accumulated investment earnings from trust funds have been included to the extent that they have been accrued through December 31, 2003 and 2002, respectively. The trust-related assets above have been reduced by the trust investment earnings the Company has been allowed to withdraw prior to death maturity and amounts received from customers that were not required to be deposited into trust pursuant to various state laws.

     The activity in preneed funeral contracts, net for the years ended December 31 is as follows:

                 
    2003     2002  
Beginning balance – Preneed funeral contracts, net
  $ 1,333,673     $ 1,542,989  
Net sales, net of receipts on bonded contracts and amounts retained by the Company on trust funded contracts
    37,217       63,438  
Dispositions of businesses
    (15,823 )     (234,191 )
Net undistributed investment losses
    (16,206 )     (1,894 )
Maturities and distributed earnings
    (150,383 )     (130,820 )
Change in cancellation allowance
    (11,923 )     25,567  
Effect of foreign currency
    11,753       (5,218 )
Other
    41,457       73,802  
 
           
Ending balance – Preneed funeral contracts, net
  $ 1,229,765     $ 1,333,673  
 
           

     The cost and market value of the assets held in the trust funds underlying the Company’s trust funded preneed funeral contracts at December 31 are detailed below. The Company believes the unrealized losses related to certain of the assets held in trust funds are temporary in nature.

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    2003     2002  
    Cost     Market     Cost     Market  
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 65,354     $ 65,354     $ 75,551     $ 75,551  
 
                               
Fixed income securities:
                               
U.S. Treasury
    226,098       224,316       85,242       89,204  
Foreign government
    74,340       74,016       53,222       54,268  
Corporate
    6,483       6,456       11,392       12,030  
Mortgage-backed
    91,438       87,767       100,521       101,752  
Asset-backed
    9,042       8,782       2,636       2,734  
Insurance backed
    266,763       266,763       302,497       302,497  
Municipal and other
    1,096       1,014       438       444  
 
                               
Equity securities:
                               
Common stock
    315,725       345,807       458,338       398,569  
 
                               
Mutual funds:
                               
Equity
    54,046       59,358       57,612       48,297  
Fixed income
    46,021       47,116       52,917       54,433  
 
                               
Private equity and other
    44,653       33,064       54,488       46,331  
 
                       
Receivables due from trust assets
  $ 1,201,059     $ 1,219,813     $ 1,254,854     $ 1,186,110  
 
                       
Market value as of a percentage of cost
            101.6 %             94.5 %
 
                           

Deferred Preneed Funeral Contract Revenues, Net

     Deferred preneed funeral contract revenues, net of allowance for cancellation, represent the original contract price plus the net trust investment earnings associated with unperformed preneed funeral contracts. The following table summarizes the activity in Deferred preneed funeral contract revenues, net for the years ended December 31:

                 
    2003     2002  
Beginning balance – Deferred preneed funeral contract revenues, net
  $ 1,711,894     $ 2,029,910  
Net sales
    71,354       108,741  
Dispositions of businesses
    (19,960 )     (301,308 )
Net investment earnings
    (15,975 )     (1,804 )
Maturities
    (173,739 )     (147,628 )
Change in cancellation allowance
    (11,923 )     25,567  
Effect of foreign currency
    12,221       (7,018 )
Other
    38,475       5,434  
 
           
Ending balance – Deferred preneed funeral contract revenues, net
  $ 1,612,347     $ 1,711,894  
 
           

NOTE SIX

Preneed Cemetery Activities

     The Company sells price-guaranteed preneed cemetery contracts providing for future property interment rights, merchandise or services at prices prevailing when the agreements are signed. Some or all of the funds received under these contracts for merchandise or services may be required to be placed into trust accounts, or a surety bond may be posted in lieu of trusting, pursuant to applicable law.

     Direct selling costs incurred pursuant to the sales of preneed cemetery contracts are deferred and included in Deferred charges and other assets in the consolidated balance sheet. The deferred selling costs are expensed in proportion to the corresponding revenue when recognized. Deferred selling costs related to preneed cemetery contracts were $211,025 and $200,478 as of December 31, 2003 and 2002, respectively.

Preneed Cemetery Contracts, Net

     Preneed cemetery contracts, net of allowance for cancellation, represents amounts due from trust funds and customer receivables (net of unearned finance charges) for contracts sold in advance of when the property interment rights, merchandise or services are needed. The components of Preneed cemetery contracts, net in the consolidated balance sheet at December 31 are as follows:

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    2003     2002  
Receivables due from trust assets
  $ 862,265     $ 859,338  
Receivables due from customers
    522,079       614,571  
Unearned finance charges
    (75,785 )     (102,394 )
 
           
 
    1,308,559       1,371,515  
Allowance for cancellation
    (225,524 )     (208,058 )
 
           
 
  $ 1,083,035     $ 1,163,457  
 
           

     Interest rates on cemetery contracts range from 3.5% to 15.7%. The average term of a financed preneed cemetery contract is approximately 4.6 years.

     The activity in preneed cemetery contracts, net for the years ended December 31 is as follows:

                 
    2003     2002  
Beginning balance – Preneed cemetery contracts, net
  $ 1,163,457     $ 1,287,676  
Net sales including deferred and recognized revenues
    364,913       447,950  
Dispositions of businesses
    (10,806 )     (18,194 )
Net undistributed investment earnings (losses)
    5,468       (30,799 )
Cash receipts from customers, net of refunds
    (455,043 )     (496,165 )
Deposits to trust
    127,249       145,003  
Maturities, deliveries and associated earnings
    (117,605 )     (142,805 )
Change in cancellation allowance
    (17,466 )     (2,380 )
Effect of foreign currency
    10,353       (12,049 )
Other
    12,515       (14,780 )
 
           
Ending balance – Preneed cemetery contracts, net
  $ 1,083,035     $ 1,163,457  
 
           

     The change in cancellation allowance includes amounts related to receivables due from customer for recognized revenues, as well as deferred revenues.

Merchandise and Services Trusts

     Amounts paid into cemetery merchandise and services trusts are included in Preneed cemetery contracts, net, at cost, in the consolidated balance sheet. The cost and market values associated with the assets held in the cemetery merchandise and services trust funds underlying these receivables at December 31 are detailed below. The Company believes the unrealized losses related to certain of the assets held in trust funds are temporary in nature.

                                 
    2003     2002  
    Cost     Market     Cost     Market  
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 65,737     $ 65,737     $ 85,526     $ 85,526  
 
                               
Fixed income securities:
                               
U.S. Treasury
    115,208       116,763       120,140       131,133  
Foreign government
    14,671       15,200       11,096       11,096  
Corporate
    6,135       6,374       4,464       4,867  
Mortgage-backed
    202,096       205,010       150,007       156,891  
Asset-backed
    12,731       13,306       1,549       1,657  
Municipal and other
    2,121       2,321       4,188       4,340  
 
                               
Equity securities:
                               
Common stock
    298,830       337,351       320,116       273,937  
 
                               
Mutual funds:
                               
Equity
    79,370       90,655       88,609       70,794  
Fixed income
    32,450       33,125       41,807       42,273  
 
                               
Private equity and other
    32,916       25,125       31,836       26,702  
 
                       
Receivables due from trust assets
  $ 862,265     $ 910,967     $ 859,338     $ 809,216  
 
                       
Market value as a percentage of cost
            105.6 %             94.2 %
 
                           

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     All investment earnings related to these cemetery merchandise and services trust funds are deferred until the associated merchandise is delivered or service is performed. The investment earnings recognized in the consolidated statement of operations related to these cemetery merchandise and services trust funds were $9,094, $8,165, and $8,379, for the years ended December 31, 2003, 2002, and 2001, respectively.

Deferred Cemetery Contract Revenues, Net

     Deferred preneed cemetery contract revenues, net of allowance for cancellation, represent the original contract price for the preneed cemetery items deferred plus net investment earnings associated with the deferred items. The following table summarizes the activity in Deferred preneed cemetery contract revenues, net for the years ended December 31 is as follows:

                 
    2003     2002  
            (Restated)  
            note 2  
Beginning balance – Deferred preneed cemetery contract revenues, net
  $ 1,629,540     $ 1,703,110  
Net sales
    215,660       302,691  
Dispositions of businesses
    (43,106 )     (45,312 )
Net investment earnings (losses)
    14,688       (28,364 )
Maturities, deliveries and associated earnings
    (220,119 )     (289,326 )
Change in cancellation allowance
    (18,718 )     3,149  
Effect of foreign currency
    5,904       3,032  
Other
    (8,497 )     (19,440 )
 
           
Ending balance – Deferred preneed cemetery contract revenues, net
  $ 1,575,352     $ 1,629,540  
 
           

Perpetual Care Trusts

     The Company is required by state or provincial law to pay into perpetual care trust funds a portion of the proceeds from the sale of cemetery property interment rights. The principal of such perpetual care trust funds generally cannot be withdrawn by the Company and therefore is not included in the consolidated balance sheet. The cost and market values associated with the assets held in perpetual care trust funds at December 31 are detailed below.

                                 
    2003     2002  
    Cost     Market     Cost     Market  
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 54,292     $ 54,292     $ 63,932     $ 63,932  
 
                               
Fixed income securities:
                               
U.S. Treasury
    18,201       18,871       64,473       67,226  
Foreign government
    27,774       28,765       20,978       21,726  
Corporate
    78,667       82,463       57,488       60,470  
Mortgage-backed
    94,995       94,926       94,996       98,359  
Asset-backed
    61,456       60,787       18,052       19,588  
Municipal and other
    13,942       14,505       2,731       3,295  
 
                               
Equity securities:
                               
Preferred stock
    15,486       15,857       13,906       12,632  
Common stock
    76,033       81,265       25,428       23,717  
 
                               
Mutual funds:
                               
Equity
    32,734       36,741       29,311       28,470  
Fixed income
    121,426       128,621       142,086       136,281  
 
                               
Private equity and other
    33,040       35,707       30,896       35,563  
 
                       
Perpetual care trust assets
  $ 628,046     $ 652,800     $ 564,277     $ 571,259  
 
                       
Market value as a percentage of cost
            103.9 %             101.2 %
 
                           

     Investment earnings from these perpetual care trust funds are distributed regularly, are recognized in current cemetery revenues and are used to defray cemetery maintenance costs, which are expensed as incurred. The investment earnings related to these perpetual care trust funds were $31,018, $24,676, and $29,926 for the years ended December 31, 2003, 2002, and 2001, respectively.

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NOTE SEVEN

Goodwill

     The changes in the carrying amounts of goodwill for the Company’s two segments are as follows:

                         
    Funeral     Cemetery        
    Segment     Segment     Total  
Balance as of December 31, 2001
  $ 1,246,273     $ 163,036     $ 1,409,309  
Impairment loss recorded upon adoption of SFAS No. 142
          (146,794 )     (146,794 )
Goodwill reduction related to disposition programs
    (68,078 )     (14,220 )     (82,298 )
Effect of foreign currency and other
    4,076       (115 )     3,961  
 
                 
Balance as of December 31, 2002
    1,182,271       1,907       1,184,178  
Goodwill reduction related to disposition programs
    (11,663 )           (11,663 )
Effect of foreign currency and other
    22,530       377       22,907  
 
                 
Balance as of December 31, 2003
  $ 1,193,138     $ 2,284     $ 1,195,422  
 
                 

     In accordance with SFAS No. 142, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets” (SFAS 142), the Company, effective January 1, 2002, recognized a charge reflected as a cumulative effect of an accounting change of $135,560 (net of applicable taxes) or $.46 per diluted share related to the impairment of goodwill in its North America cemetery reporting unit.

     The following table shows the 2001 historical results compared to unaudited pro forma effects of SFAS 142 had goodwill not been amortized during that period.

         
    2001  
    (Restated)  
    note 2  
Loss from continuing operations before cumulative effects of accounting changes
  $ (617,540 )
Add back: Goodwill amortization, net of taxes
    47,455  
 
     
 
       
Pro forma loss from continuing operations before cumulative effects of accounting changes
  $ (570,085 )
 
     
Net loss
  $ (623,440 )
Add back: Goodwill amortization, net of taxes
    47,455  
 
     
Pro forma net loss
  $ (575,985 )
 
     
 
       
Basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share from continuing operations before cumulative effects of accounting changes
  $ (2.17 )
Add back: Goodwill amortization, net of taxes
    .17  
 
     
Pro forma basic and diluted loss per share from continuing operations before cumulative effects of accounting changes
  $ (2.00 )
 
     
 
       
Basic and diluted net loss per share
  $ (2.19 )
Add back: Goodwill amortization, net of taxes
    .17  
 
     
Pro forma basic and diluted net loss per share
  $ (2.02 )
 
     

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NOTE EIGHT

Income Taxes

     The provision or benefit for income taxes includes United States federal income taxes, determined on a consolidated return basis, foreign, state and local income taxes.

     Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and cumulative effects of accounting changes for the years ended December 31 is as follows:

                         
    2003     2002     2001  
            (Restated)     (Restated)  
            note 2     note 2  
United States
  $ 5,765     $ (192,157 )   $ (604,150 )
Foreign
    105,454       72,307       185,533  
 
                 
 
  $ 111,219     $ (119,850 )   $ (418,617 )
 
                 

     Income tax provision (benefit) for the years ended December 31 consisted of the following:

                         
    2003     2002     2001  
            (Restated)     (Restated)  
            note 2     note 2  
Current:
                       
United States
  $ 2,050     $ (127,426 )   $ (25,432 )
Foreign
    18,243       (15,161 )     9,366  
State and local
    4,306       (1,498 )     4,001  
 
                 
 
  $ 24,599     $ (144,085 )   $ (12,065 )
 
                       
Deferred:
                       
United States
  $ 1,237     $ 86,576     $ 55,054  
Foreign
    7,880       21,759       772  
State and local
    (5,050 )     (1,942 )     1,572  
 
                 
 
  $ 4,067     $ 106,393     $ 57,398  
 
                 
 
  $ 28,666     $ (37,692 )   $ 45,333  
 
                 

     The Company made income tax payments on continuing operations of approximately $14,462, $8,920 and $20,916 excluding income tax refunds of $97,724, $63,547 and $122,522 for the years ended December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively. Net tax refunds of $83,262, $54,627 and $100,099 include one time refunds of approximately $950, $21,962 and $116,300 related to losses on sales of investments and one time refunds of approximately $93,569, 35,306 and $0 related to approval of a change in tax accounting method for years 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively.

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     The differences between the U.S. federal statutory income tax rate and the Company’s effective tax rate for the years ended December 31 were as follows:

                         
    2003     2002     2001  
            (Restated)     (Restated)  
            note 2     note 2  
Computed tax provision (benefit) at the applicable federal statutory income tax rate
  $ 38,927     $ (41,948 )   $ (146,516 )
State and local taxes, net of federal income tax benefits
    (484 )     (2,236 )     3,623  
Dividends received deduction and tax exempt interest
    (471 )     (638 )     (1,668 )
Amortization of goodwill
                9,619  
Foreign jurisdiction tax rate difference
    (5,893 )     (8,333 )     (10,689 )
Foreign net operating loss utilization
          (9,811 )      
Write down of assets and other losses with no tax benefit
    119       28,554       111,984  
Tax benefit associated with dispositions
    (3,350 )            
Accounting for asset impairment
                79,551  
Other
    (182 )     (3,280 )     (571 )
 
                 
Provision (benefit) for income taxes
  $ 28,666     $ (37,692 )   $ 45,333  
 
                 
Total effective tax rate
    25.8 %     31.4 %     (10.8 )%
 
                 

     Deferred taxes are determined based on differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and are measured using the enacted marginal tax rates. The tax effects of temporary differences and carry-forwards that give rise to significant portions of deferred tax assets and liabilities as of December 31 consisted of the following:

                 
    2003     2002  
            (Restated)  
            note 2  
Inventories and cemetery property, principally due to purchase accounting adjustments
  $ 426,685     $ 445,474  
Property, plant and equipment, principally due to depreciation and to purchase accounting adjustments
    96,674       152,802  
Other
    97,210       100,432  
 
           
Deferred tax liabilities
    620,569       698,708  
 
           
 
               
Receivables, principally due to sales of cemetery interment rights and related products
    (4,895 )     (50,980 )
Deferred revenue on preneed funeral and cemetery contracts, principally due to earnings from trust funds
    (108,702 )     (13,682 )
Accrued liabilities
    (58,525 )     (91,621 )
Loss and tax credit carry-forwards
    (99,284 )     (281,267 )
 
           
Deferred tax assets
    (271,406 )     (437,550 )
 
           
Valuation allowance
    35,859       156,372  
 
           
Net deferred income taxes from continuing operations
  $ 385,022     $ 417,530  
 
           

     Current refundable income taxes and current deferred tax assets are included in Other current assets, while long-term deferred tax assets are included in Deferred charges and other assets in the consolidated balance sheet. Current taxes payable and current deferred tax liabilities are reflected as Income taxes in the consolidated balance sheet and long-term tax liabilities are included in Other liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet. The Company had a tax receivable of $92,445 at December 31, 2002, which was subsequently received in February 2003. The Company joint ventured its French subsidiary in March 2004. The current tax liability of the French subsidiary is $17,376 at December 31, 2003.

     During 2003, as a result of the restructuring of debt and equity of certain foreign subsidiaries, the Company incurred $1,619 of foreign withholding taxes and provided $9,009 of additional United States income taxes. At December 31, 2003 and 2002, United States income taxes had not been provided on $147,720 and $73,852, respectively, of the remaining undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries since it is the Company’s intent not to remit these earnings. The Company intends to permanently reinvest these

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undistributed foreign earnings in those businesses outside the United States and, therefore, has not provided for U.S. income taxes on such earnings. The unremitted earnings of the Company’s French subsidiary at December 31, 2003 were $102,864.

     The Company maintains accruals for tax liabilities which relate to uncertain potential tax matters. If these tax matters are unfavorably resolved, the Company will make any required payments to tax authorities. If these tax matters are favorably resolved, the accruals maintained by the Company will no longer be required and these amounts will be reversed through the tax provision at the time of resolution.

     Amounts related to the prior year’s writedown of assets held for sale, categorized as U.S. Capital loss carry-forwards and reduced by a full valuation allowance, have been reclassified to Other deferred tax liabilities in the current period with no change to Net deferred income taxes. This reclassification is a result of changes to the expected tax effect of disposition of these assets.

     Various subsidiaries have international, federal and state carry-forwards of $794,820 with expiration dates through 2022. The Company believes that some uncertainty exists with respect to future realization of certain state and international loss carry-forwards, therefore a valuation allowance has been established for those carry-forwards where uncertainty exists. The valuation allowance is primarily attributable to state net operating losses and is due to complexities of the various state laws restricting state net operating loss utilization.

     The loss carry-forwards will expire as follows:

         
2004
  $ 18,318  
2005
    24,491  
2006
    28,043  
2007
    16,975  
2008
    1,613  
Thereafter
    705,380  
 
     
Total
  $ 794,820  
 
     

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NOTE NINE

Debt

     Debt as of December 31 was as follows:

                 
    2003     2002  
6.3% notes due 2003
  $     $ 84,801  
7.375% notes due April 2004
    111,190       111,190  
8.375% notes due December 2004
    50,797       50,797  
6.0% notes due 2005
    272,451       387,241  
7.2% notes due 2006
    150,000       150,000  
6.875% notes due 2007
    143,475       150,000  
6.5% notes due 2008
    195,000       200,000  
6.75% convertible subordinated notes due 2008, conversion price of $6.92 per share
    312,694       328,005  
7.7% notes due 2009
    358,266       371,183  
6.95% amortizing notes due 2010
    3,557       42,106  
7.875% debentures due 2013
    55,627       55,627  
Convertible debentures, maturities through 2013, fixed interest rates from 4.75% to 5.5%, conversion prices from $13.02 to $50.00 per share
    38,368       39,531  
Mortgage notes and other debt, maturities through 2050
    60,040       66,343  
Deferred charges
    (49,594 )     (62,401 )
 
           
Total debt
    1,701,871       1,974,423  
Less current maturities
    (182,682 )     (100,330 )
 
           
Total long-term debt
  $ 1,519,189     $ 1,874,093  
 
           

     The aggregate maturities of debt for the five years subsequent to December 31, 2003, are as follows:

         
2004
  $ 182,682  
2005
    300,307  
2006
    177,651  
2007
    154,641  
2008
    513,735  
2009 and thereafter
    422,449  
 
     
Total
  $ 1,751,465  
 
     

Bank Credit Agreements

     The Company’s bank credit agreement, which matures in July 2005, provides a total lending commitment of $185,000, including a sublimit of $125,000 for letters of credit. The credit facility is secured by the stock, inventory and receivables of certain of the Company’s domestic subsidiaries and these domestic subsidiaries have guaranteed the Company’s debt obligation associated with this facility. The subsidiary guaranty is a guaranty of payment of the amount outstanding out of the total lending commitment. It covers the term of the agreement, including extensions, and amounted to a maximum potential amount of $69,815 at December 31, 2003. The bank credit agreement contains certain financial covenants, including a minimum interest coverage ratio, a maximum leverage ratio, and limits on capital expenditures. Additionally, the Company is restricted from paying dividends and making other distributions. The Company had no borrowings under the bank credit agreement at either December 31, 2003 or December 31, 2002; however, the Company used the credit agreement sublimit to issue letters of credit, in the amounts of $69,815 and $85,845 at December 31, 2003, and December 31, 2002, respectively. Interest rates for the outstanding borrowings are based on various indices as determined by the Company. The Company also pays a quarterly fee on the unused commitment, which ranges from 0.50% to

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0.75% based on the percentage of the facility used, and was 0.625% at December 31, 2003 and December 31, 2002.

Debt Issuances and Exchanges

     In September 2002, the Company issued $172,183 of unregistered 7.70% notes due 2009 in connection with an exchange offer to holders of an equivalent principal amount of its existing 6.00% notes due 2005. Upon settlement of the exchange offer, the Company paid approximately $11,480 in closing fees, incentive payments and accrued interest. In January 2003, the Company exchanged substantially all of the unregistered notes issued in September 2002 for an equivalent principal amount of registered 7.70% notes due 2009 with substantially identical terms.

Debt Settlements and Extinguishments

     During the year ended December 31, 2003, the Company purchased the following notes in the open market: $8,528 of the 6.3% notes due 2003; $114,790 of the 6.0% notes due 2005; $6,525 of the 6.875% notes due 2007; $5,000 of the 6.5% notes due 2008; $15,311 of the 6.75% convertible subordinated notes due 2008; $12,917 of the 7.7% notes due 2009; $37,213 of the 6.95% amortizing notes due 2010; and the remaining $25 of the 7.0% notes due 2015. As a result of these transactions, the Company recognized a net gain for the year ended December 31, 2003, of $1,315, recorded in Other income, net, in the consolidated statement of operations.

     On March 15, 2003, as required by the terms of the agreement, the Company repaid the remaining $76,273 due on the 6.3% notes due 2003.

     Aside from the $172,183 of 6.00% notes due 2005 that were extinguished in the previously mentioned exchange offer, the Company also purchased the following notes in the open market during the year ending December 31, 2002: $2,850 of the 7.00% notes due 2015 (putable 2002); $166,483 of the 6.30% notes due 2003; $116,810 of the 7.375% notes due April 2004; $1,043 of the 8.375% notes due December 2004; $22,126 of the 6.00% notes due 2005; $16,995 of the notes due 2008; $1,000 of the 7.70% notes due 2009; and $15,618 of mortgage notes and other debt. As a result of these transactions, the Company recognized gains on early extinguishments of debt totaling $7,783, recorded in Other income, net, in the consolidated statement of operations.

     In May 2002, the Company’s French subsidiary satisfied $113,500 of debt associated with the financial restructuring of the Company’s French subsidiary with non-cash French financial assets. On June 1, 2002, substantially all of the holders of the 7.00% notes due 2015 (putable 2002) presented the notes for payment pursuant to the terms of the embedded put options. The Company paid the holders in accordance with the terms of the agreement.

Additional Debt Disclosures

     The Company’s consolidated debt had a weighted average interest rate of 6.95% at December 31, 2003, compared to 6.87% at December 31, 2002. Approximately 99% of the total debt had a fixed interest rate at December 31, 2003 and 2002.

     Cash interest payments for the three years ended December 31, 2003, were as follows:

         
2003
  $ 136,691  
2002
    158,585  
2001
    218,429  

     At December 31, 2003 and 2002, respectively, the Company had deposited $95,325 and $23,592 in restricted interest-bearing accounts that were held as security for various credit instruments, which were included in Deferred charges and other assets in the consolidated balance sheet. In addition, the Company had assets of approximately $35,205 and $40,845 pledged as collateral for the mortgage notes and other debt at December 31, 2003 and 2002, respectively. Included in mortgage notes and other debt, the Company had capital lease obligations totaling $25,438 and $26,822 at December 31, 2003, and 2002. Approximately $24,194 of the capital lease obligations reported at December 31, 2003, was related to vehicles in the Company’s France operations.

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NOTE TEN

Derivatives

     The Company occasionally participates in hedging activities using a variety of derivative instruments, including interest rate swap agreements, cross-currency swap agreements, and forward exchange contracts. These instruments are used to hedge exposure to risk in the interest rate and foreign exchange rate markets. The Company has documented policies and procedures to monitor and control the use of derivative instruments and executes transactions with a limited group of creditworthy financial institutions. The Company generally does not engage in derivative transactions for speculative or trading purposes, nor is it a party to leveraged derivatives.

     The Company was not a party to any derivative transactions during the year ended December 31, 2003. Subsequent to December 31, 2003, the Company executed certain forward exchange contracts to hedge its net foreign investment in France. The derivative transactions have an aggregate notional value of EUR 240,000 with a corresponding aggregate notional value of $301,719.

     During the year ended December 31, 2002, in connection with the purchase of the 6.30% notes due 2020 (putable 2003), the Company terminated options embedded in the extinguished securities by exchanging them for new options with economically equivalent terms. The initial liability of $16,213 was recorded with the early extinguishment of debt in Accounts payable and accrued liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet and subsequently the Company recognized a charge of $40,787 in Other operating expenses in the consolidated statement of operations. In October 2002, the Company paid $57,000 in full settlement of the options associated with the 6.30% notes due 2020 (putable 2003), thereafter presented as the 6.30% notes due 2003.

     During 2002, the Company hedged a portion of its net foreign investments in the United Kingdom and Europe by engaging in certain forward exchange contracts, having aggregate notional values of GBP 70,000 and EUR 100,000 and a corresponding aggregate notional value of $188,662. These forward exchange contracts were settled during 2002 at a loss of $11,836, which was recorded in the Other comprehensive income (loss) in the consolidated statement of stockholders’ equity.

     In accordance with the accounting proscribed by SFAS No. 133, “Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities”, and SFAS No. 138, “Accounting for Certain Derivative Transactions and Certain Hedging Activities, an amendment to FASB Statement No. 133”, the Company, effective January 1, 2001, recognized a charge reflected as a cumulative effect of an accounting change of $7,601 (net of applicable taxes) or $0.03 per diluted share.

NOTE ELEVEN

Credit Risk and Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Fair Value Estimates

     The fair value estimates of the following financial instruments have been determined using available market information and appropriate valuation methodologies. The carrying values of cash and cash equivalents, trade receivables and trade payables accurately represent the fair values of those instruments due to the short-term nature of the instruments. The fair values of receivables on preneed funeral contracts and cemetery contracts, excluding preneed funeral trust funds and cemetery merchandise and services trust funds (see notes five and six to the consolidated financial statements, respectively) are impracticable to estimate because of the lack of a trading market and the diverse number of individual contracts with varying terms. The carrying value of other notes receivable approximates the fair value, as the Company regularly reviews the loans for impairment. At December 31, 2003 and 2002, other notes receivable, net, included in Other current assets and Deferred charges and other assets in the consolidated balance sheet, totaled $50,546 and $79,724, respectively. In addition, the Company had $0 and $9,615 in outstanding undrawn commitments at December 31, 2003 and 2002, respectively.

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     The fair values of the Company’s debt at December 31 were as follows:

                 
    2003     2002  
6.3% notes due 2003
  $     $ 83,953  
7.375% notes due April 2004
    112,858       110,773  
8.375% notes due December 2004
    52,194       50,797  
6.0% notes due 2005
    277,900       364,007  
7.2% notes due 2006
    157,125       142,500  
6.875% notes due 2007
    149,573       137,250  
6.5% notes due 2008
    202,800       179,000  
6.75% convertible subordinated notes due 2008, conversion price of $6.92
    329,892       302,995  
7.7% notes due 2009
    387,823       348,912  
6.95% amortizing notes due 2010
    3,577       39,087  
7.875% debentures due 2013
    57,157       49,578  
Convertible debentures, maturities through 2013, fixed interest rates from 4.75% to 5.5%, conversion prices from $13.02 to $50.00 per share
    38,176       34,728  
Mortgage notes and other debt, maturities through 2050
    60,040       66,341  
 
           
Total fair value of debt
  $ 1,829,115     $ 1,909,921  
 
           

     The fair values of the Company’s long-term, fixed rate and convertible debt securities were estimated using market conditions for those securities or for other securities having similar terms and maturities. Mortgage notes and other debt have been reported at face value because of the diverse terms and conditions and non-trading nature of these notes.

Credit Risk Exposure

     The Company’s cash deposits, some of which exceed insured limits, were distributed among various regional and national banks in the jurisdictions in which the Company operates. In addition, the Company regularly invests excess cash in financial instruments, which are not insured, such as money-market funds and Eurodollar time deposits that are offered by a variety of reputable financial institutions and commercial paper that is offered by corporations with high quality credit ratings. The Company believes that the credit risk associated with such instruments is minimal.

     The Company grants credit in the normal course of business. The credit risk associated with funeral, cemetery and preneed funeral and preneed cemetery receivables due from customers is generally considered minimal because of the diversification of the customers served. Furthermore, bad debts have not been significant relative to the volume of deferred revenues. Customer payments on preneed funeral or preneed cemetery contracts that are either placed into state regulated trusts or used to pay premiums on life insurance contracts generally do not subject the Company to collection risk. Insurance funded contracts are subject to supervision by state insurance departments and are protected in the majority of states by insurance guaranty acts.

NOTE TWELVE

Commitments and Contingencies

Leases

     The Company’s leases principally relate to funeral home facilities, transportation equipment and two aircraft. The majority of the Company’s operating leases contain options to (i) purchase the property at fair value on the exercise date, (ii) purchase the property for a value determined at the inception of the leases, or (iii) renew for the fair rental value at the end of the primary lease term. Rental expense for these leases was $77,133, $89,291, and $92,895 for the years ended December 31, 2003, 2002, and 2001, respectively. In 2002, the Company entered into certain capital leases primarily related to vehicles in its France operations, which constituted approximately $27,748 of the Company’s future minimum lease payments for capital lease obligations at December 31, 2003. The Company also has future minimum lease payments related to operating leases in its France operations of approximately $28,248. As of December 31, 2003, future minimum lease payments for operating and capital leases exceeding one year are as follows:

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    Operating     Capital  
2004
  $ 50,138     $ 7,429  
2005
    38,932       8,348  
2006
    27,046       5,462  
2007
    18,575       2,611  
2008
    11,298       2,195  
2009 and thereafter
    27,986       3,011  
 
           
Subtotal
    173,975       29,056  
Less: Subleases
    (3,287 )      
 
           
Total
  $ 170,688       29,056  
 
           
Less: interest on capital leases
            (3,618 )
 
             
Total principal payable on capital leases
          $ 25,438  
 
             

Purchase Commitments

     The Company has a purchase agreement for its North America operations with a major casket manufacturer, having an original minimum commitment of $750,000 for a six-year period expiring at the end of 2004. The agreement contains provisions for annual price adjustments and provides for a one-year extension period to December 31, 2005 in which the Company is allowed to satisfy any remaining commitment that exists at the end of the original term. During 2003, the Company made minimum purchases of approximately $95,000 under this purchase agreement, and at December 31, 2003, the remaining commitment was for $287,000.

Management, Consulting and Non-Competition Agreements

     The Company has entered into management, employment, consulting and non-competition agreements, generally for five to ten years, with certain officers and employees of the Company and former owners of businesses acquired. The Company has modified several of the above agreements as part of cost rationalization programs (see note eighteen to the consolidated financial statements). During the years ended December 2003, 2002, and 2001, the Company recognized expense of $45,459, $56,571, and $69,802, respectively, related to these agreements. At December 31, 2003, the maximum estimated future cash commitment under agreements with remaining commitment terms was as follows:

         
2004
  $ 50,110  
2005
    25,400  
2006
    18,489  
2007
    9,778  
2008
    3,819  
2009 and thereafter
    7,361  
 
     
Total
  $ 114,957  
 
     

Contingent Purchase Obligations

     In connection with certain acquisitions made by the Company’s South America operations, the Company entered into contingent purchase obligations with certain former owners of those businesses. According to the agreements, the Company is required to pay additional consideration between 2003 and 2005, based on the results of operations, as defined. The additional consideration may be paid partially in the Company’s common stock at the discretion of the former owners and is currently estimated to be $53,000, recorded in Other liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet. The Company currently expects to pay amounts related to this contingency in 2005.

Representations and Warranties

     The Company has contingent obligations of $39,123 resulting from the Company’s international asset sales and joint venture transactions. In some cases, the Company has agreed to guarantee certain representations and warranties with such disposition transactions with letters of credit or interest bearing cash investments. The Company has interest bearing cash investments of $13,830 included in Deferred charges and other assets collateralizing these contingent obligations. The Company does not believe it will ultimately be required to fund to third parties any claims against these representations and warranties.

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     Subsequent to December 31, 2003, the Company agreed to certain representations and warranties associated with the disposition of its investment in France. The undiscounted amount of the representations and warranties associated with the sale is approximately $36 million and includes indemnifications related to taxes and other obligations.

     The Company also has entered into other representations and warranties associated with North America asset sales that it does not believe are material in nature.

Litigation

     The Company is a party to various litigation matters, investigations and proceedings. For each of its outstanding legal matters, the Company evaluates the merits of the case, its exposure to the matter, possible legal or settlement strategies and the likelihood of an unfavorable outcome. If the Company determines that an unfavorable outcome is probable and can be estimated, it establishes the necessary accruals. Certain insurance policies held by the Company may reduce cash outflows with respect to an adverse outcome of these litigation matters. The Company accrues such insurance recoveries when they become probable of being paid and can be reasonably estimated. The following discussion describes certain litigation and proceedings as of March 12, 2004.

     In Re Service Corporation International; Cause No. H-99-0280; In the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division (the Consolidated Lawsuit). The Consolidated Lawsuit was filed in January 1999 and includes numerous separate lawsuits that were filed in various United States District Courts in Texas. The Consolidated Lawsuit has been certified as a class action and names as defendants the Company and three of the Company’s current or former executive officers or directors (the Individual Defendants).

     The Consolidated Lawsuit has been brought on behalf of all persons and entities who (i) acquired shares of Company common stock in the merger of a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company into Equity Corporation International (ECI); (ii) purchased shares of Company common stock in the open market during the period from July 17, 1998 through January 26, 1999 (the Class Period); (iii) purchased Company call options in the open market during the Class Period; (iv) sold Company put options in the open market during the Class Period; (v) held employee stock options in ECI that became options to purchase Company common stock pursuant to the merger; and (vi) held Company employee stock options to purchase Company common stock under a stock plan during the Class Period. Excluded from the class definition categories are the Individual Defendants, the members of their immediate families and all other persons who were directors or executive officers of the Company or its affiliated entities at any time during the Class Period.

     The plaintiffs in the Consolidated Lawsuit allege that defendants violated federal securities laws by making materially false and misleading statements and failing to disclose material information concerning the Company’s preneed funeral business and other financial matters, including in connection with the ECI merger. The Consolidated Lawsuit seeks to recover an unspecified amount of monetary damages. A Motion to Dismiss the Consolidated Lawsuit filed by the Company and the Individual Defendants is pending before the Court. The parties have met on at least two occasions to discuss a possible resolution of this case, but no progress was made. The Company anticipates that another meeting will be held in mid-April 2004 to discuss a possible resolution of this matter. The ultimate outcome of the Consolidated Lawsuit cannot be determined at this time and the Company cannot predict the outcome of any efforts to resolve the case. To the extent the Consolidated Lawsuit is not settled, the Company intends to aggressively defend this lawsuit.

     Several other lawsuits have been filed against the Company, the Individual Defendants and other defendants, including, in the first lawsuit listed below, the Company’s independent auditors, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, in Texas state courts by former ECI shareholders, officers and directors. These lawsuits include the following matters:

     No. 2000-63917; Jack T. Hammer v. Service Corporation International, et al.; In the 165th Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas, filed December 15, 2000 (Hammer matter);

     No. 31820-99-2; Charles Fredrick, Individually, and as a Representative of the Class v. Service Corp. International; In the District Court of Angelina County, Texas, filed February 16, 1999 (Frederick matter).

     These lawsuits allege, among other things, violations of Texas securities law and statutory and common law fraud, and seek unspecified compensatory and exemplary damages. The Hammer matter has been ordered to arbitration; however, the Company is engaged in negotiations to resolve this matter. To the extent these lawsuits are not settled, the Company intends to aggressively defend these lawsuits.

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     Thomas G. Conway et al v. Service Corporation International, et al; Cause No. CV-02-2818; In the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, filed May 10, 2002 and Demand for Arbitration, No. 13 168 02061 02, before the American Arbitration Association (AAA) (Conway action). The Conway action was filed against the Company and two former officers of the Company who were also former officers of ECI, James P. Hunter III (Hunter) and Jack D. Rottman (Rottman). On August 28, 2002, the Conway plaintiffs filed a Demand for Arbitration and Statement of Claim against the Company, ECI and SCI Delaware Funeral Services, Inc., a subsidiary of the Company (SCI Delaware), in New York City. The American Arbitration Association ruled that the arbitration would be conducted in Houston, Texas. The Conway plaintiffs have indicated that they will refuse to recognize the transfer on the grounds that they contend it is improper to conduct the arbitration in Houston, Texas. The Company, ECI and SCI Delaware have initiated an action in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas (the District Court) to compel the Conway plaintiffs to arbitrate their claims in Houston, Texas. The District Court recently entered an order compelling the Conway plaintiffs to arbitrate their claims in Houston, Texas.

     The plaintiffs in the Conway action owned funeral homes in Queens County and Suffolk County, New York, which were sold and merged into a subsidiary of ECI in July 1998. The plaintiffs are also included in the definition of class members in the Consolidated Lawsuit described above. In the Conway action, plaintiffs assert that ECI failed to disclose that ECI was negotiating the merger with the Company in breach of covenants in the agreements between ECI and the plaintiffs. ECI purchased the plaintiffs’ funeral homes with ECI stock and cash, and the plaintiffs’ ECI stock was exchanged for stock in the Company in the merger of January 1999. Plaintiffs allege damages from the loss in value of the Company’s stock from 1999 to the present. The plaintiffs seek to recover compensatory damages alleged at a minimum of $8 million and punitive damages alleged at a minimum of $14 million. The plaintiffs allege that SCI and SCI Delaware are liable as the alleged “successor” entities to ECI. The Company and its subsidiaries believe that the allegations in the Conway action do not provide a basis for recovery of damages on several legal grounds. The Company and its subsidiaries intend to aggressively defend this lawsuit.

     Shareholder Derivative Demand; The Company received a letter dated January 14, 2002, addressed to the Board of Directors, from a law firm stating that it represented a shareholder of the Company. The letter asserts a shareholder derivative demand that the Company take legal action against its directors and officers based upon alleged conduct that is the subject of:

     (1) a putative class action lawsuit filed on December 19, 2001, in Broward County, Florida against the Company and one of its subsidiaries;

     (2) a lawsuit filed against the Company by former employees of the Company in Atlanta, Georgia; and

     (3) certain events described in newspaper articles referred to in the plaintiffs’ consolidated complaint in the Consolidated Lawsuit (described above).

     The Board of Directors responded to the letter by forming a committee of certain independent directors to conduct an inquiry into the allegations in the letter. The committee retained independent counsel to assist it in its inquiry. The letter does not seek a specified amount of legal damages. Based on its investigation, the Committee determined that a lawsuit or derivative proceeding against the directors or officers of SCI is not in the best interest of SCI. The Committee reported its decision to the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors on September 11, 2002.

     Maurice Levie, Derivatively on behalf of Nominal Defendant, Service Corporation International v. R. L. Waltrip, et al and Service Corporation International; No. 2002-42417; In the 164th Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas, filed August 20, 2002 (Levie action). The Levie action was filed against the Company and the members of its Board of Directors individually as a result of the Shareholder Derivative Demand of January 14, 2002, described above. In response to the filing of the lawsuit, the Company and the individual directors filed an answer denying the allegations in the lawsuit and a motion to dismiss based on the results of the investigation and determination of the Committee in response to the shareholder demand letter. This motion is currently pending before the trial court. The Company and the individual directors intend to aggressively defend this lawsuit.

     Joan Light, Shirley Eisenbert and Carol Prisco v. SCI Funeral Services of Florida, Inc. d/b/a Menorah Gardens & Funeral Chapels, and Service Corporation International; Case No. 01-21376 CA 08; In the Circuit Court of the 17th Judicial Circuit in and for Broward County, Florida, General Jurisdiction Division (Consumer Lawsuit). The Consumer Lawsuit was filed December 19, 2001 and named the Company, a subsidiary and other related entities as defendants. On August 19, 2003, the Court certified a class comprising all persons with burial plots or family members buried at Menorah Gardens & Funeral Chapels in Florida. Excluded from the class definition were persons whose claims had been reduced to judgment or had been settled as of the date of class certification. The defendants appealed the trial court’s order regarding class certification.

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     The plaintiffs alleged that defendants had failed to exercise reasonable care in handling remains by secretly: (i) dumping remains in a wooded area; (ii) burying remains in locations other than the ones purchased; (iii) crushing vaults to make room for other vaults; (iv) burying remains on top of the other or head to foot rather than side-by-side; (v) moving remains; and (vi) co-mingling remains.

     The plaintiffs in the Consumer Lawsuit alleged that the above conduct constituted negligence, tortious interference with the handling of dead bodies, infliction of emotional distress, and violation of industry specific state statutes, as well as the state’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. The plaintiffs sought an unspecified amount of compensatory and punitive damages. The Court granted plaintiffs’ motion for leave to amend their complaint to include punitive damages. Plaintiffs also sought equitable/injunctive relief in the form of a permanent injunction requiring defendants to fund a court supervised program that provides for monitoring and studying of the cemetery and any disturbed remains to insure their proper disposition.

     Counsel for plaintiffs in the Consumer Lawsuit also represented individuals who filed numerous separate lawsuits setting forth individual claims similar to those in the Consumer Lawsuit. These lawsuits include Sheldon Cohen, surviving son of Hymen Cohen, deceased v. SCI Funeral Services of Florida, Inc., d/b/a Menorah Gardens & Funeral Chapels and Service Corporation International; Case No. 02014679; In the Circuit Court of the 17th Judicial Circuit in and for Broward County, Florida, and Marian Novins, surviving daughter of Harold Wells deceased v. SCI Funeral Services of Florida, Inc. d/b/a/ Menorah Gardens & Funeral Chapels, and Service Corporation International; Case No. 0307886; In the Circuit Court of the 17th Judicial Circuit, in and for Broward County, Florida, General Jurisdiction Division.

     Based on consultation with legal counsel, as of September 30, 2003, the Company had accrued approximately $23 million related to these claims. In December 2003, based on developments in the Consumer Lawsuit after the filing of our Form 10-Q for the third quarter of 2003, the Company entered into an agreement in principle to settle the Consumer Lawsuit and the above individual related lawsuits. A settlement agreement pertaining specifically to the Consumer Lawsuit was filed with the court on March 2, 2004 and a motion for preliminary court approval of the settlement agreement was filed on March 3, 2004. A court hearing on this motion is scheduled for March 17, 2004. All claims under the Consumer Lawsuit will be dismissed if final court approval of the settlement is obtained. The terms of the proposed settlement call for the Company to make payments totaling approximately $100 million in settlement of these claims. As of December 31, 2003, the Company had recorded reserves of $100 million relating to this matter. In the fourth quarter of 2003, the Company recognized a receivable of $25 million for expected recoveries under one primary layer of the Company’s insurance coverage related to the litigation.

     On April 21, 2002, additional plaintiffs filed a lawsuit styled Sol Guralnick, Linda Weinr, Joan Nix, Gilda Schwartz, Paul Schwartz, Ann Ferrante, Steve Schwartz, Nancy Backlund, Jamie Osit, Corey King, Marc King, Barbara Feinberg Clark v. SCI Funeral Services of Florida, Inc. d/b/a Menorah Gardens and Funeral Chapels and Service Corporation International; In the Circuit Court in the 15th Judicial Circuit, Palm Beach County, Florida; Case number CA024815AE (Guralnick Lawsuit), making essentially the same allegations as the Consumer Lawsuit with the exception that it does not contain class allegations. In addition to the Guralnick Lawsuit, counsel filed a lawsuit containing cemetery mismanagement allegations styled Diane Wolff, Arlene Benowitz, Michael Wolff, Randee Wolff Blumstein, and Martha Freedberg v. SCI, Funeral Services of Florida, Inc. a Florida corporation d/b/a Menorah Gardens & Funeral Chapels, Service Corporation International, a Texas Corporation, Menorah Partnership, a Florida General Partnership, and Sharon Gardens Limited Partnership, a Florida Limited Partnership; In the Circuit Court in the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit in and for Palm Beach County, Florida, Case No. 2003CA013025 (Wolff Lawsuit).

     The Company intends to continue its investigation and to aggressively defend itself in the Guralnick and Wolff Lawsuits, as well as continue to cooperate with state officials in resolving the issues presented.

     In addition, on May 21, 2003, the Special Assistant State Attorney for Palm Beach County, Florida, filed criminal charges against the Company, a Florida subsidiary and certain individuals. The criminal charges involve allegations of misconduct by the Company and its Florida subsidiary, including allegations similar to those in the Florida litigation. In February 2004, the Company negotiated a plea arrangement with the Special Assistant State Attorney for Palm Beach County to resolve the criminal charges; however, the court rejected the plea arrangement. The Company intends to continue to seek a resolution to this matter and, to the extent it is not settled, the Company will vigorously defend its interests in this matter.

     Edgar Neufeld v. Service Corporation International, et.al,; Cause No. CV-S-03-1561-HDM-PAL; In the United States District Court for the District of Nevada, filed December 12, 2003; and Rujira Srisythemp v. Service Corporation International, et. al.; Cause No. CV-S-03-1392-LDG-LRL; In the United States District for the District of Nevada, filed November 10, 2003, (collectively, the Nevada actions). The Nevada actions were filed in connection with the circumstances surrounding the Consumer Lawsuit. The plaintiffs in the Nevada actions allege that the Company failed to disclose, or falsely stated, material information relating to the

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circumstances surrounding the Consumer Lawsuit. Since the Nevada actions are in their preliminary stages, no discovery has occurred, and the Company cannot quantify its ultimate liability, if any, for the payment of damages. The Company intends to aggressively defend itself in the Nevada actions.

     Joshua Ackerman v. Service Corporation International, et. al.; Cause No. 04-CV-20114; In the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida court, filed January 15, 2004 (Miami action). The Miami action was filed in connection with the circumstances surrounding the Consumer Lawsuit and is similar to the Nevada actions. The plaintiffs in the Miami action allege that the Company failed to disclose, or falsely stated, material information relating to the circumstances surrounding the Consumer Lawsuit. Since the Miami action is in its preliminary stages, no discovery has occurred, and the Company cannot quantify its ultimate liability, if any, for the payment of damages. The Company intends to aggressively defend itself in the Miami action.

     The Company has substantial face amount of insurance coverage which it believes is applicable to these litigation related matters. There are various unresolved coverage issues relative to such insurance, and the Company is currently involved in litigation with certain of its insurance carriers regarding these matters. For that reason, the Company has not accrued an estimated receivable for insurance recoveries other than the $25 million receivable recorded in the fourth quarter of 2003 as described above. Such receivables are recorded when they are probable of being paid and can be reasonably estimated.

     No assurance can be given regarding the ultimate outcome of these proceedings. Certain insurance policies held by the Company may reduce cash outflows with respect to an adverse outcome of these litigation related matters. If an adverse decision in these matters exceeds the insurance coverage or if the insurance coverage is deemed not to apply to these matters or if an insurance carrier is unable to pay, an adverse decision could have a material adverse effect on the Company, its financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

NOTE THIRTEEN

Stockholders’ Equity

Share Authorization

     The Company is authorized to issue 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $1 per share par value. No preferred shares were issued as of December 31, 2003 and 2002. At December 31, 2003 and 2002, respectively, 500,000,000 common shares of $1 par value were authorized. The Company had 302,039,871 and 297,010,237 shares issued and outstanding, net of 2,469,445 and 2,516,396 shares held in treasury at par.

Share Purchase Rights Plan

     The Board of Directors has adopted a preferred share purchase rights plan and has declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right for each share of common stock outstanding. The rights are exercisable in the event certain investors attempt to acquire 20% or more of the common stock of the Company and entitle the rights holders to purchase certain securities of the Company or the acquiring company. The rights, which are redeemable by the Company for $.01 per right, expire in July 2008 unless extended.

Stock Benefit Plans

     The Company has benefit plans whereby shares of the Company’s common stock may be issued pursuant to the exercise of stock options granted to officers and key employees. The Company’s Amended 1996 Incentive Plan reserves 24,000,000 shares of common stock for outstanding and future awards of stock options, restricted stock and other stock based awards to officers and key employees of the Company. The Company’s 1996 Non-qualified Incentive Plan reserves 8,700,000 shares of common stock for outstanding and future awards of nonqualified stock options to employees who are not officers of the Company.

     The benefit plans allow for options to be granted as either non-qualified or incentive stock options. The options are granted with an exercise price equal to the then current market price of the Company’s common stock. The options are generally exercisable at a rate of 33 1/3% each year unless alternative vesting methods are approved by the Company’s Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors.

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     At December 31, 2003 and 2002, respectively, 4,434,123 and 5,005,623 options were outstanding with alternative vesting methods. Under the alternative vesting methods, partial or full accelerated vesting will occur when the price of Company common stock reaches pre-determined prices. If the pre-determined stock prices are not met in the required time period, the options will fully vest in periods ranging from eight to ten years from grant date. At December 31, 2003 and 2002, 7,407,502 and 6,168,833, respectively, were reserved for future option grants under all stock option plans.

     The following tables set forth certain stock option information:

                 
            Weighted average  
    Options     exercise price  
Outstanding at December 31, 2000
    25,293,793     $ 17.92  
Granted
    9,083,100       3.98  
Exercised
    (136,414 )     4.32  
Canceled
    (4,291,215 )     21.94  
 
           
Outstanding at December 31, 2001
    29,949,264       13.18  
Granted
    5,699,100       4.32  
Exercised
    (42,633 )     4.38  
Canceled
    (5,604,481 )     12.51  
 
           
Outstanding at December 31, 2002
    30,001,250       11.63  
Granted
    0       0  
Exercised
    (382,295 )     3.70  
Canceled
    (1,303,735 )     25.67  
 
           
Outstanding at December 31, 2003
    28,315,220     $ 10.77  
 
           
Exercisable at December 31, 2001
    12,824,879     $ 18.72  
 
           
Exercisable at December 31, 2002
    16,194,767     $ 14.81  
 
           
Exercisable at December 31, 2003
    20,845,928     $ 10.76  
 
           
                                         
        Options outstanding     Options exercisable  
        Number     Weighted-average           Number        
Range of     outstanding at     remaining   Weighted-average     Exercisable at     Weighted-average  
Exercise price     December 31, 2003     contractual life   Exercise price     December 31, 2003     Exercise price  
$ 0.00—4.00       8,190,329    
4.8
  $ 3.35       5,449,359     $ 3.34  
  4.00—5.00       3,937,347    
2.2
    4.40       3,072,331       4.39  
  5.00—10.00       5,765,400    
5.1
    5.79       3,716,594       6.19  
  10.00—20.00       6,513,447    
2.9
    16.07       6,483,947       16.07  
  20.00—38.00       3,908,697    
1.9
    31.24       2,123,697       30.84  
           
 
                 
$ 0.00—38.00       28,315,220    
3.7
  $ 10.77       20,845,928     $ 10.76  
           
 
                 

     Since all of the Company’s option grants have been at market value on the dates of each grant, the Company has not recognized compensation expense on stock options under its accounting policy using the intrinsic value method.

     Under the Company’s 2001 Stock Plan for Non-Employee Directors, non-employee directors may elect to receive an award of restricted stock annually through the year 2005. The annual award cannot exceed 15,000 shares of common stock per director and vests after one year of service. No shares were issued under this stock plan in 2003. In 2002 and 2001, each non-employee director was awarded 10,000 shares of common stock.

     The Company’s Director Fee Plan allows for compensation to non-employee directors to be partially paid in common stock. In 2003, 2002, and 2001, respectively, 155,560; 45,108; and 36,784 shares of common stock were granted under the Director Fee Plan. Certain directors, as permitted in the plan agreement, have elected to defer the issuance of stock granted under this plan. In 2003, 2002, and 2001, respectively, 60,614; 21,724; and 6,688 shares were reserved for future issuance under this plan.

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Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

     The Company’s components of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) at December 31 are as follows:

                         
    Foreign              
    currency     Minimum     Accumulated other  
    translation     pension liability     comprehensive income  
    adjustment     adjustment     (loss)  
Balance at December 31, 2000
  $ (224,433 )   $ (12,724 )   $ (237,157 )
Activity in 2001
    (76,403 )     (16,629 )     (93,032 )
Reclassification adjustment for realized loss on foreign currency translation
    38,990             38,990  
 
                 
Balance at December 31, 2001
    (261,846 )     (29,353 )     (291,199 )
Activity in 2002
    43,776       (7,202 )     36,574  
Reclassification adjustment for realized loss on foreign currency translation
    47,479             47,479  
 
                 
Balance at December 31, 2002
  $ (170,591 )   $ (36,555 )   $ (207,146 )
Activity in 2003
    92,507       2,956       95,463  
 
                 
Balance at December 31, 2003
  $ (78,084 )   $ (33,599 )   $ (111,683 )
 
                 

     Included in Foreign currency translation adjustment are net gains of $59,877 and an associated deferred tax asset of $59,662 related to the Company’s France operations that were held for sale at December 31, 2003.

     The minimum pension liability adjustment of $33,599 at December 31, 2003 is net of deferred taxes of $21,274.

NOTE FOURTEEN

Retirement Plans

     The Company has a non-contributory, defined benefit pension plan covering approximately 40% of United States employees (US Pension Plan), a supplemental retirement plan for certain current and former key employees (SERP), a supplemental retirement plan for officers and certain key employees (Senior SERP), and a retirement plan for certain non-employee directors (Directors’ Plan). The Company also has established a 401(k) employee savings plan.

     Effective January 1, 2001, the Company curtailed its US Pension Plan, SERP, Senior SERP and Directors’ Plan and recognized a curtailment loss of $3,572 in 2001. As these plans have been frozen, the participants do not earn additional benefit from additional years of service and the Company does not incur new service cost subsequent to 2000.

     Retirement benefits for the US Pension Plan are generally based on years of service and compensation. This contribution is an actuarially determined amount consistent with the funding requirements of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. Assets of the pension plan consist primarily of fixed income investments and marketable equity securities.

     Retirement benefits under the SERP are based on years of service and average monthly compensation, reduced by benefits under the pension plan and Social Security. The Senior SERP provides retirement benefits based on years of service and position. The Directors’ Plan provides for an annual benefit to directors following their retirement, based on a vesting schedule.

     Most foreign employees are covered by their respective foreign government mandated or defined contribution plans which are adequately funded and are not considered significant to the financial condition or results of operations of the Company. The plans’ liabilities and their related costs are computed in accordance with the laws of the individual countries and appropriate actuarial practices.

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     The components of net periodic benefit cost for the years ended December 31 were as follows:

                         
    2003     2002     2001  
Service cost — benefits earned during the period
  $     $     $ 5,081  
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation
    9,897       9,824       14,474  
Return on plan assets
    (6,808 )     (8,539 )     (13,569 )
Settlement/curtailment charge
    352             3,572  
Amortization of unrecognized transition asset
                (418 )
Amortization of prior service cost
    183       197       114  
Recognized net loss
    7,586       4,834       2,826  
 
                 
 
  $ 11,210     $ 6,316     $ 12,080  
 
                 

     The plans’ funded status at December 31 were as follows (based on valuations as of September 30):

                 
    2003     2002  
Change in Benefit Obligation:
               
Benefit obligation at beginning of year
  $ 142,842     $ 193,325  
Interest cost
    9,897       9,824  
Settlement charge
    (16,145 )     (13,325 )
Actuarial loss
    14,796       3,642  
Benefits paid
    (6,977 )     (6,683 )
Effects of dispositions
          (43,941 )
 
           
Benefit obligation at end of year
  $ 144,413     $ 142,842  
 
           
 
               
Change in Plan Assets:
               
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year
  $ 77,461     $ 147,075  
Actual return on plan assets
    13,263       (10,528 )
Employer contributions
    6,989       3,214  
Settlement charge
    (12,692 )     (13,325 )
Benefits paid
    (10,712 )     (7,299 )
Effects of dispositions
          (41,676 )
 
           
Fair value of plan assets at end of year
  $ 74,309     $ 77,461  
 
           
 
               
Funded status of plan
  $ (70,105 )   $ (65,381 )
Unrecognized actuarial loss
    54,873       59,701  
Unrecognized prior service cost
    1,173       1,357  
 
           
Net amount recognized
  $ (14,059 )   $ (4,323 )
 
           
 
               
Funding Summary:
               
Projected benefit obligation
  $ 144,413     $ 142,842  
Accumulated benefit obligation
    144,413     $ 142,842  
Fair value of plan assets
  $ 74,309     $ 77,461  
 
               
Amounts recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheet:
               
Prepaid benefit cost
  $     $  
Accrued benefit liability
    (70,105 )     (65,381 )
Intangible asset
    1,173       1,357  
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
    54,873       59,701  
 
           
Net amount recognized
  $ (14,059 )   $ (4,323 )
 
           

     The retirement benefits under the SERP, Senior SERP and Directors’ Plan are unfunded obligations of the Company. As of December 31, 2003, the benefit obligation of the SERP, Senior SERP and Directors’ Plan is $33,764; however, the Company purchased various life insurance policies on the participants in the Senior SERP with the intent to use the proceeds or any cash value buildup from such policies to assist in meeting, at least to the extent of such assets, the plan’s funding requirements. The cash surrender value of these insurance policies is $21,952 as of December 31, 2003.

     The change in minimum liability included in Accumulated other comprehensive loss was a decrease of $4,828 in 2003, and an increase of $11,762 in 2002.

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     The plans’ weighted-average assumptions used to determine the benefit obligation and net benefit cost were as follows. Due to the curtailment of the plans, the assumed rate of compensation increase is zero.

                 
    2003     2002  
Discount rate used to determine obligations
    6.25 %     7.00 %
Assumed rate of return on plan assets
    9.00 %     9.00 %

     The plans weighted-average asset allocations at December 31 by asset category are as follows:

                 
    2003     2002  
Fixed income investments
    26 %     23 %
Equity securities
    74 %     77 %
             
Total
    100 %     100 %

     Equity securities include shares of Company common stock in the amounts of $7,138 (9 percent of plan assets) and $4,394 (6 percent of plan assets) at December 31, 2003 and 2002, respectively. The 9.0% assumed rate of return on plan assets is a result of a high allocation of equity securities within the plan assets.

     The primary investment objective of the plan is to achieve a rate of investment return over time that will allow the plan to achieve a fully funded status, while maintaining prudent investment return volatility levels. The investment manager of the Company recommends an asset allocation strategy of 65% equity and 35% fixed income. Allocations within the equity asset class are divided among large capitalization domestic equity (value and growth styles), small capitalization domestic equity (value and growth styles) and international equity. The large capitalization domestic equity may be further diversified between active and passive (index) management styles. The fixed income allocation is divided between cash and an intermediate-term investment grade bond portfolio. The investment strategy is managed within ranges that are centered at specific allocation targets. The specific allocations within the strategy, as well as the individual asset class ranges are as follows:

         
    Ranges  
Large cap equity (value and growth)
    35% - 45 %
Small gap growth
    5% - 15 %
International equity
    10% - 20 %
Fixed income
       
Core bond
    20% - 40 %
High yield
    0% - 10 %
SCI stock
    0% - 10 %
Money market
    0% - 5 %

     Benefit payments are expected to be paid by the plan as follows:

         
2004
  $ 4,120  
2005
    4,405  
2006
    4,700  
2007
    5,108  
2008
    5,569  
Years 2009 thru 2013
  $ 33,709  

     The 2001 balances included a defined benefit pension plan for the Company’s United Kingdom operations (UK Plan). In 2002, the Company joint ventured the United Kingdom operations and as such, retirement plans included in 2002 are for U.S. employees only. Discount rates for the U.S. plans were 6.25% and 7.00% in 2003 and 2002, respectively. All plans subject to this disclosure were curtailed effective January 1, 2001.

     Effective January 1, 2004, the Company changed the accounting for gains and losses on its pension plan assets and obligations. The Company will recognize such gains and losses in our consolidated statement of operations in the year such gains and losses are incurred. Prior to January 1, 2004, the Company amortized the difference between actual and expected investment returns and actuarial gains and losses over seven years (except to the extent that settlements with employees required earlier recognition). The

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Company believes this change in accounting is preferable as the new method of accounting better reflects the economic nature of the Company’s pension plans and recognizes gains and losses on the pension plan assets and obligations in the year the gains and losses occur. As a result of this accounting change, the Company expects to recognize a charge for the cumulative effect of an accounting change of approximately $55,000 (on a pretax basis) as of January 1, 2004. This amount represents accumulated unrecognized net losses related to the pension plan assets and obligations.

     Pursuant to this accounting change and the infusion of approximately $20,000 to the U.S. pension plan in 2004, the Company intends to rebalance the assets of the plan to reduce the percent invested in equity and fixed income securities and incorporate investments in hedge funds.

     The Company has an employee savings plan that qualifies under section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code for the exclusive benefit of its United States employees. Under the plan, participating employees may contribute a portion of their pretax and/or after tax income in accordance with specified guidelines up to a maximum of 50%. The Company then matches a percentage of the employee contributions through contributions of the Company’s common stock. For 2003 and 2002, the Company match was based upon the following:

     
Years of vesting service   Percentage of deferred compensation
0 – 5 years
  75% of the first 6% of deferred compensation
6 – 10 years
  110% of the first 6% of deferred compensation
11 or more years
  135% of the first 6% of deferred compensation

     The amount of Company matched common stock contributions in 2003, 2002 and 2001 was $17,378, $18,150 and $12,635, respectively.

NOTE FIFTEEN

Segment Reporting

     The Company’s operations are product based and geographically based, and the reportable operating segments presented below include funeral and cemetery operations. The Company’s geographic segments include North America, Europe and Other Foreign. The Company conducts funeral and cemetery operations in its North America and Other foreign segments and conducts funeral operations in its European segment. In the first quarter of 2002, the Company completed a joint venture of its United Kingdom operations, which conducted both funeral and cemetery operations in this European segment.

     In 2002, the Company changed its allocation methodology of overhead costs in North America to be based on funeral and cemetery reporting unit revenues. The change in overhead allocation has not impacted the Company’s consolidated results of operations, financial position or cash flows.

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The Company’s reportable segment information is as follows:

                         
                    Reportable  
    Funeral     Cemetery     Segments  
2003
                       
Revenues from external customers
  $ 1,740,954     $ 587,471     $ 2,328,425  
Depreciation and amortization
    84,292       64,879       149,171  
Gross profit
    281,875       80,090       361,965  
Total assets
    3,873,722       3,443,104       7,316,826  
Capital expenditures
  $ 69,622     $ 43,964     $ 113,586  
Operating locations at year end (unaudited)
    2,356       469       2,825  
                         
            (Restated)          
    note 2  
2002
                       
Revenues from external customers
  $ 1,680,095     $ 632,344     $ 2,312,439  
Depreciation and amortization
    70,642       74,377       145,019  
Gross profit
    284,043       77,966       362,009  
Total assets
    4,036,344       3,337,681       7,374,025  
Capital expenditures
  $ 69,940     $ 17,011     $ 86,951  
Operating locations at year end (unaudited)
    2,526       507       3,033  
                         
            (Restated)          
    note 2  
2001
                       
Revenues from external customers
  $ 1,858,020     $ 630,985     $ 2,489,005  
Depreciation and amortization
    142,888       79,326       222,214  
Gross profit
    263,322       59,463       322,785  
Total assets
    4,555,396       3,994,814       8,550,210  
Capital expenditures
  $ 56,824     $ 15,533     $ 72,357  
Operating locations at year end (unaudited)
    3,210       541       3,751  

The following table reconciles certain reportable segment amounts to the Company’s corresponding consolidated amounts:

                         
    Reportable              
    Segments     Corporate     Consolidated  
2003
                       
Revenue from external customers
  $ 2,328,425     $     $ 2,328,425  
Depreciation and amortization
    149,171       11,887       161,058  
Total assets
    7,316,826       408,378       7,725,204  
Capital expenditures (1)
    113,586       1,977       115,563  
                         
            (Restated)          
    note 2  
2002
                       
Revenue from external customers
  $ 2,312,439     $     $ 2,312,439  
Depreciation and amortization
    145,019       34,712       179,731  
Total assets
    7,374,025       424,221       7,798,246  
Capital expenditures (1)
    86,951       12,924       99,875  
                         
            (Restated)          
    note 2  
2001
                       
Revenue from external customers
  $ 2,489,005     $     $ 2,489,005  
Depreciation and amortization
    222,214       19,426       241,640  
Total assets
    8,550,210       474,744       9,024,954  
Capital expenditures (1)
    72,357       2,574       74,931  

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(1)   Consolidated capital expenditures include $0, $27,090 and $11,830 for the years ended December 31, 2003, 2002, and 2001, respectively, for capital leases and purchases of property, plant and equipment, cemetery property, and goodwill of acquired businesses. The 2001 amount relates to assets previously held by the Company’s lending subsidiary exchanged for collateral in bankruptcy proceedings. Excluding these capital expenditures related to acquired businesses the Company had consolidated capital expenditures of $115,563, $72,785 and $63,101 for the years ended December 31, 2003, 2002, and 2001, respectively.

     The following table reconciles gross profits from reportable segments shown above to the Company’s consolidated income (loss) before income taxes and cumulative effects of accounting changes:

                         
    2003     2002     2001  
            (Restated)     (Restated)  
            note 2     note 2  
Gross profit from reportable segments
  $ 361,965     $ 362,009     $ 322,785  
General and administrative expenses
    (178,105 )     (89,752 )     (70,309 )
Gains and impairment (losses) on dispositions, net
    49,366       (161,510 )     (482,466 )
Other operating expenses
    (9,004 )     (94,910 )     (931 )
 
                 
Operating income (loss)
    224,222       15,837       (230,921 )
Interest expense
    (142,735 )     (160,872 )     (210,857 )
Other income
    29,732       25,185       23,161  
 
                 
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and cumulative effects of accounting changes
  $ 111,219     $ (119,850 )   $ (418,617 )
 
                 

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The Company’s geographic segment information was as follows:

                                 
    North             Other        
    America     Europe     Foreign     Total  
2003
                               
Revenues from external customers
  $ 1,706,413     $ 591,704     $ 30,308     $ 2,328,425  
Depreciation and amortization
    160,358       170       530       161,058  
Operating income (loss)
    147,569       69,858       6,795       224,222  
Gains and impairment (losses) on dispositions, net
    51,050       (734 )     (950 )     49,366  
Other operating expenses
    (9,004 )                 (9,004 )
Long-lived assets
    4,278,981       367,405       89,477       4,735,863  
Operating locations at year end (unaudited)
    1,786       1,016       23       2,825  
                                 
    (Restated)                     (Restated)  
    note 2                     note 2  
2002
                               
Revenues from external customers
  $ 1,792,578     $ 496,409     $ 23,452     $ 2,312,439  
Depreciation and amortization
    170,245       8,943       543       179,731  
Operating income (loss)
    (43,424 )     52,206       7,055       15,837  
Gains and impairment (losses) on dispositions, net
    (162,870 )     941       419       (161,510 )
Other operating expenses
    (94,910 )                 (94,910 )
Long-lived assets
    4,351,458       255,096       73,120       4,679,674  
Operating locations at year end (unaudited)
    1,866       1,143       24       3,033  
                                 
    (Restated)                     (Restated)  
    note 2                     note 2  
2001
                               
Revenues from external customers
  $ 1,789,110     $ 647,714     $ 52,181     $ 2,489,005  
Depreciation and amortization
    192,284       40,614       8,742       241,640  
Operating income (loss)
    179,289       (317,856 )     (92,354 )     (230,921 )
Gains and impairment (losses) on dispositions, net
    (4,805 )     (370,775 )     (106,886 )     (482,466 )
Other operating expenses
    (931 )                 (931 )
Long-lived assets
    5,034,613       718,405       (350,647 )     5,402,371  
Operating locations at year end (unaudited)
    1,999       1,726       26       3,751  

Included in the North American figures above are the following United States amounts:

                         
    2003     2002     2001  
            (Restated)     (Restated)  
            note 2     note 2  
Revenues from external customers
  $ 1,623,437     $ 1,716,264     $ 1,709,501  
Operating income (loss) (1)
    130,325       (56,986 )     157,508  
Long-lived assets
    4,120,455       4,232,672       4,911,741  
Operating locations at year end (unaudited)
    1,632       1,714       1,842  

Included in the European figures above are the following French amounts:

                         
    2003     2002     2001  
Revenues from external customers
  $ 584,636     $ 473,643     $ 425,129  
Operating income (loss) (1)
    68,884       49,207       (100,580 )
Long-lived assets
    364,570       265,415       317,190  
Operating locations at year end (unaudited)
    1,002       1,125       1,139  


(1)   Operating income (loss) includes $41,036, ($257,907) and ($15,049) in Gains and impairment (losses) on dispositions, net and other operating expenses in the United States and ($734), $2,347 and ($124,844) in France for the years ended December 31, 2003, 2002, and 2001, respectively.

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     In March 2004, the Company completed a joint venture transaction of its funeral operations in France and retained a 25% minority interest equity investment in the acquiring entity. The Company will account for its 25% ownership of France using the equity method of accounting in 2004.

     During 2003 and 2002, the Company divested of certain North America and international funeral service locations and cemeteries not considered part of its core operations. These divested operations do not qualify as discontinued operations under SFAS 144 because either the divested operations were held for sale in accordance with previous accounting pronouncements related to dispositions or they do not meet the criteria as defined in SFAS 144. Summary operating results of the Company’s divested operations are as follows.

                                 
    North America     Europe  
    2003     2002     2003     2002  
            (Restated)                  
            note 2                  
Revenues:
                               
Funeral
  $ 12,234     $ 42,441     $     $ 14,284  
Cemetery
    4,421       18,867             2,190  
 
                       
 
  $ 16,655     $ 61,308     $     $ 16,474  
 
                       
 
                               
Gross profits (loss):
                               
Funeral
  $ (3,686 )   $ (1,544 )   $     $ 3,358  
Cemetery
    (1,005 )     2,422             740  
 
                       
 
  $ (4,691 )   $ 878     $     $ 4,098  
 
                       
                 
    Total  
    2003     2002  
            (Restated)  
            note 2  
Revenues:
               
Funeral
  $ 12,234     $ 56,725  
Cemetery
  4,421     21,057  
 
           
 
  $ 16,655     $ 77,782  
 
           
 
               
Gross profits (loss):
               
Funeral
  $ (3,686 )   $ 1,814  
Cemetery
    (1,005 )     3,162  
 
           
 
  $ (4,691 )   $ 4,976  
 
           

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NOTE SIXTEEN

Supplementary Information

     The detail of certain balance sheet accounts was as follows:

                 
    December 31,  
    2003     2002  
Cash and cash equivalents:
               
Cash
  $ 41,153     $ 35,338  
Commercial paper and temporary investments
    198,278       165,287  
 
           
 
  $ 239,431     $ 200,625  
 
           
 
               
Other current assets:
               
Deferred tax asset and income tax receivable
  $ 37,200     $ 113,981  
Prepaid insurance
    14,983       7,019  
Other
    8,963       5,203  
 
           
 
  $ 61,146     $ 126,203  
 
           
                 
    December 31,  
    2003     2002  
            (Restated)  
 
          note 2
Inventories:
               
Caskets, vaults, urns, markers and bases
  $ 95,452     $ 93,369  
Developed land, lawn crypts and mausoleums
    41,355       43,297  
 
           
 
  $ 136,807     $ 136,666  
 
           
 
               
Cemetery property:
               
Undeveloped land
  $ 1,267,053     $ 1,299,034  
Developed land, lawn crypts and mausoleums
    257,794       268,682  
 
           
 
  $ 1,524,847     $ 1,567,716  
 
           
 
               
Property, plant and equipment:
               
Land
  $ 305,756     $ 271,056  
Buildings and improvements
    1,232,109       1,176,957  
Operating equipment
    410,190       378,599  
Leasehold improvements
    21,278       23,422  
 
           
 
    1,969,333       1,850,034  
Less: accumulated depreciation
    (691,750 )     (634,284 )
 
           
 
  $ 1,277,583     $ 1,215,750  
 
           
 
               
Deferred charges and other assets:
               
Covenants-not-to-compete, net
  $ 79,150     $ 83,343  
Cemetery deferred selling expense, net
    211,025       200,299  
Funeral deferred selling expense, net
    100,317       105,057  
Investments, net
    21,872       17,226  
Restricted cash
    95,325       23,592  
Notes receivable, net
    50,712       79,724  
Other
    179,610       202,789  
 
           
 
  $ 738,011     $ 712,030  
 
           

Included in receivables, net is our funeral and cemetery atneed allowances for doubtful accounts of approximately $15,348 and $22,697 at December 31, 2003 and 2002, respectively.

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     Included in Notes receivable, net in the consolidated balance sheet is $0 and $3,977 of notes with officers and directors of the Company, and $179 and $1,189 of notes with employees, former officers of the Company, and other related parties at December 31, 2003 and 2002, respectively. Interest rates on notes receivable range from 5% to 15% as of December 31, 2003 and 2002.

                 
    December 31,  
    2003     2002  
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities:
               
Accounts payable
  $ 117,500     $ 129,185  
Accrued payroll
    63,763       91,836  
Special litigation matters
    103,150       10,000  
Restructuring liability
    15,641       27,611  
Other accrued liabilities
    149,443       97,805  
 
           
 
  $ 449,497     $ 356,437  
 
           

     The detail of certain income statement accounts is as follows for the years ended December 31,

                         
    2003     2002     2001  
            (Restated)     (Restated)  
            Note 2     Note 2  
North America Revenues, Net
                       
Goods
                       
Funeral
  $ 489,523     $ 507,571     $ 531,669  
Cemetery
    373,615       389,561       385,355  
 
                 
Total Goods
    863,138       897,132       917,024  
 
                       
North America Services
                       
Funeral
    627,177       626,170       639,892  
Cemetery
    143,516       145,499       145,904  
 
                 
Total Services
    770,693       771,669       785,796  
 
                       
International Revenues
    622,012       519,861       699,895  
 
                       
Other Revenues
    72,582       123,777       86,290  
 
                       
Total Revenues, Net
  $ 2,328,425     $ 2,312,439     $ 2,489,005  
 
                 
 
                       
Cost of North America Revenues
                       
Goods
                       
Funeral
  $ 292,937     $ 297,210     $ 330,422  
Cemetery
    166,689       211,222       177,168  
 
                 
Total Cost of Goods
    459,626       508,432       507,590  
 
                       
Services
                       
Funeral
    253,349       261,176       268,194  
Cemetery
    105,448       112,534       109,257  
 
                 
Total Cost of Services
    358,797       373,710       377,451  
 
                       
International Costs
    545,019       461,720       629,680  
 
                       
Facility, G&A, Overhead and Other
    603,018       606,568       651,499  
 
                       
Total Cost of Revenues
  $ 1,966,460     $ 1,950,430     $ 2,166,220  
 
                 

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Non-Cash Transactions

                         
    Years ended December 31,  
    2003     2002     2001  
Minimum liability under retirement plans
  $ (2,956 )   $ (7,202 )   $ (16,629 )
Debenture conversions to common stock
                5,528  
Debt extinguished using common stock
                81,221  
Common stock contributions to employee 401(k)
    17,378       18,150       12,635  
Common stock contributions to cash balance plan
                6,500  

NOTE SEVENTEEN

Earnings Per Share

     Basic earnings (loss) per common share (EPS) excludes dilution and is computed by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted EPS reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other obligations to issue common stock were exercised or converted into common stock or resulted in the issuance of common stock that then shared in our earnings (losses). Because we reported net loses in 2002 and 2001, all potentially dilutive securities were antidilutive and basic and diluted weighted average number of common shares outstanding were the same in those years.

     A reconciliation of the numerators and denominators of the basic and diluted EPS for the three years ended December 31 is presented below:

                         
    2003     2002     2001  
    (In thousands, except per share amounts)  
            (Restated)     (Restated)  
            note 2     note 2  
Income (loss) (numerator):
                       
Income (loss) from continuing operations before cumulative effects of accounting changes – basic and diluted
  $ 82,553     $ (82,158 )   $ (463,950 )
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax
    2,529       (14,768 )     (151,889 )
Cumulative effects of accounting changes, net of tax
          (135,560 )     (7,601 )
 
                 
Net income (loss) – basic and diluted
  $ 85,082     $ (232,486 )   $ (623,440 )
 
Shares (denominator):
                       
Shares – basic
    299,801       294,533       285,127  
Stock options
    989              
 
                 
Shares – diluted
    300,790       294,533       285,127  
 
Income (loss) per share from continuing operations before cumulative effects of accounting changes:
                       
Basic
  $ .28     $ (.28 )   $ (1.63 )
Diluted
    .28       (.28 )     (1.63 )
 
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax:
                       
Basic
  $ .00     $ (.05 )   $ (.53 )
Diluted
    .00       (.05 )     (.53 )
 
Cumulative effects of accounting changes, net of tax:
                       
Basic
  $     $ (.46 )   $ (.03 )
Diluted
          (.46 )     (.03 )
 
Net income (loss) per share:
                       
Basic
  $ .28     $ (.79 )   $ (2.19 )
Diluted
    .28       (.79 )     (2.19 )

     The computation of diluted earnings per share excludes outstanding stock options and convertible debt in certain periods in which the inclusion of such options and debt would be antidilutive in the periods presented. Total options and convertible debentures that could impact dilutive earnings per share are as follows:

                         
    2003     2002     2001  
Antidilutive options
    22,097       30,001       29,949  
Antidilutive convertible debentures
    47,096       51,408       51,763  
 
                 
Total common stock equivalents excluded from computation
    69,193       81,409       81,712  
 
                 

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NOTE EIGHTEEN

Gains and Impairment (Losses) on Dispositions, Net and Other Operating Expenses

     The Company has incurred various charges related to impairment losses and other operating expenses from 1999 through 2002. Charges included in Gains and impairment (losses) on dispositions, net consists of losses associated with planned divestitures of certain North America and international funeral service and cemetery businesses and reductions in the carrying values of equity investments. As dispositions occur in the normal course of business, gains or losses on the sale of such businesses are recognized in this line item. Additionally, as dispositions occur related to the Company’s ongoing asset sale programs, adjustments are made through this line item to reflect the difference between actual proceeds received from the sale compared to the original estimates.

     Gains and impairments (losses) on dispositions, net consists of the following for the years ended December 31:

                         
    2003     2002     2001  
Gains on dispositions
  $ 73,751     $ 16,396     $ 52,865  
Impairment losses for assets held for sale
    (38,447 )     (198,069 )     (662,579 )
Changes to previously estimated impairment losses
    14,062       20,163       127,248  
 
                 
 
  $ 49,366     $ (161,510 )   $ (482,466 )
 
                 

     The most significant items in 2003 related to the Company selling its equity investments in Australia and Spain for gains of $45,776 and $8,090, respectively. The $161,510 net loss reported in 2002 primarily related to an impairment charge for several funeral and cemetery operations held for sale in North America. The $482,466 net loss reported in 2001 primarily related to foreign impairment charges associated with international businesses held for sale.

     Charges included in Other operating expenses consists of severance costs related to cost rationalization programs and terminated contractual relationships of former employees and executive officers, market value adjustments for certain options associated with the Company’s debt and relieving certain individuals from their consulting and/or covenants-not-to-compete contractual obligations.

     For the year ended December 31, 2003, the Company recorded Other operating expenses of $9,004, primarily consisting of $6,859 of severance costs for former employees. The charges related to 350 employees involuntarily terminated in North America were in accordance with the Company’s post employment severance policies. Any amounts remaining to be paid at December 31, 2003 will be paid in 2004. For the year ended December 31, 2002, the Company recorded $94,910 of Other operating expenses, primarily related to the termination of certain consulting and covenants-not-to-compete contractual obligations and market value adjustments of certain options associated with the Company’s 6.3% notes due 2003. For the year ended December 31, 2001, Other operating expenses of $931 related primarily to the termination of certain covenants-not-to-compete contractual obligations.

     The reserve activity for the years ended December 31, 2003 and 2002 related to the original charge amounts generating the impairment losses and other operating expenses are as follows:

2003 Activity

                                         
                    Utilization for twelve months        
    Original     Balance at     ended December 31, 2003     Balance at  
    charge amount     December 31, 2002     Cash     Non-cash     December 31, 2003  
First Quarter 1999 Charge.
  $ 89,884     $ 564     $ 434     $ 130     $  
Fourth Quarter 1999 Charge
    272,544       48,254       7,606       22,366       18,282  
2000 Charges
    434,415                          
2001 Charges
    663,548       3,385       392       (109 )     3,102  
2002 Charges
    292,979       27,990       5,723       (2,128 )     24,395  
 
                             
 
  $ 1,753,370     $ 80,193     $ 14,155     $ 20,259     $ 45,779  
 
                             

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2002 Activity

                                         
                    Utilization for twelve months        
    Original     Balance at     ended December 31, 2002     Balance at  
    charge amount     December 31, 2001     Cash     Non-cash     December 31, 2002  
First Quarter 1999 Charge.
  $ 89,884     $ 2,743     $ 1,326     $ 853     $ 564  
Fourth Quarter 1999 Charge
    272,544       67,517       7,308       11,955       48,254  
2000 Charges
    434,415       19,011       175       18,836        
2001 Charges
    663,548       15,959       1,682       10,892       3,385  
2002 Charges
    292,979             2,315       262,674       27,990  
 
                             
 
  $ 1,753,370     $ 105,230     $ 12,806     $ 305,210     $ 80,193  
 
                             

     The majority of the remaining balance at December 31, 2003 of these original charge amounts related to actions already taken by the Company associated with severance costs and terminated consulting and/or covenant-not-to-compete contractual obligations, which will be paid by 2012. Of the $45,779 remaining liability at December 31, 2003, $16,298 is included in Accounts payable and accrued liabilities and $29,481 is included in Other liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet based on the expected timing of payments.

NOTE NINETEEN

Discontinued Operations

Insurance Operations

     In the fourth quarter of 2001, the Company recognized in income from discounted operations the partial release of a contingent liability associated with the 2000 sale of its insurance operations.

     Summary operating results of discontinued operations for insurance operations:

         
    Twelve months ended  
    December 31,  
    2001  
Revenues
  $  
Cost and expenses
    2,637  
 
     
Income from discontinued operations before income taxes
    2,637  
 
       
Provision for income taxes
    (936 )
 
     
Income from discontinued operations
  $ 1,701  
 
     

Argentina and Uruguay Operations

     In 1999, the Company began an initiative to identify and address non-strategic or underperforming businesses. As a result of the assessment, the Company committed to a plan during the second quarter of 2004, to divest the existing funeral and cemetery operations in Argentina and Uruguay. The Company is actively marketing these operations. The Company plans to have no continuing interest in these operations subsequent to disposal of the Argentina and Uruguay businesses. Therefore, these operations are classified as discontinued operations for all periods presented.

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     The results of the Company’s discontinued operations for the years ended December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively, were as follows:

                         
    Years ended December 31,  
    2003     2002     2001  
Revenues
  $ 13,226     $ 11,180     $ 29,289  
Gains and impairment (losses) on dispositions, net
    984       (16,233 )     (144,526 )
Other costs and expenses
    (11,096 )     (9,267 )     (35,700 )
 
                 
Income (loss) from discontinued operations before income taxes
    3,114       (14,320 )     (150,937 )
Provision for income taxes
    585       448       2,653  
 
                 
Income (loss) from discontinued operations
  $ 2,529     $ (14,768 )   $ (153,590 )
 
                 

     Net liabilities of discontinued operations at December 31, 2003 and 2002 were as follows:

                 
    December 31,  
    2003     2002  
Assets:
               
Receivables, net of allowances
  $ 4,096     $ 3,604  
Other current assets
    2,005       1,043  
Preneed cemetery receivables and trust investments
    1,601       2,365  
Property, plant and equipment, at cost, net
    376       99  
Deferred charges and other assets
    1,240       54  
 
           
Total assets
    9,318       7,165  
 
           
 
               
Liabilities:
               
Accounts payable
    1,107       1,037  
Accrued liabilities and other current liabilities
    6,493       5,254  
Long-term debt
    9,694       10,415  
Deferred income taxes
    13,026       9,210  
Other liabilities and deferred credits
    31,210       31,472  
 
           
Total liabilities
    61,530       57,388  
 
           
Net liabilities of discontinued operations
    (52,212 )     (50,223 )
Foreign currency translation
    71,001       69,233  
 
           
 
  $ 18,789     $ 19,010  
 
           

NOTE TWENTY

Subsequent Events

     During 2004, the Company sold 100% of the stock of its French subsidiary to a newly formed company (NEWCO). In connection with this sale, the Company acquired a 25% share of the total equity capital of the newly formed entity, received net cash proceeds of $281,667, net of transaction costs, and received a note receivable in the amount of EUR 10,000. The Company accounted for the sale of its French subsidiary in accordance with the guidance set forth in EITF 01-2, “Interpretations of APB Opinion No. 29”, Issues 8(a) and 8(b). Consequently, the Company deferred approximately 25% of the gain associated with the sale of its French subsidiary representing the economic interest it retained in that subsidiary through its ownership of approximately 25% of NEWCO. The sale of stock of its French subsidiary in March 2004, resulted in a pretax gain of $12,639 and a non-cash tax benefit of $24,929 resulting in an after tax gain of $37,568.

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     At December 31, 2003, the net assets of France were as follows:

         
Current assets
  $ 170,348  
Non-current assets
    1,890,260  
 
     
Total assets
    2,060,608  
 
     
 
       
Total current liabilities
    137,317  
Long term liabilities
    1,607,365  
 
     
Total liabilities
    1,744,682  
 
     
 
       
Net assets
  $ 315,926  
 
     

     On June 22, 2004, the Company committed to a plan to dispose of its operations in Argentina and Uruguay. As a result, these operations have been classified as discontinued operations for all periods presented. For additional information, see note nineteen.

NOTE TWENTY-ONE

Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited)

     The Company restated its previously issued financial statements for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2000, 2001 and 2002, the interim quarters of 2000, 2001 and 2002, and the first three quarters of 2003. All applicable amounts relating to these restatements have been reflected in the consolidated financial statements and these notes to the consolidated financial statements. See note two to the consolidated financial statements for further information relating to the restatements.

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    First Quarter     Second Quarter     Third Quarter     Fourth Quarter  
            As             As             As             As  
    As     Restated     As     Restated     As     Restated     As     Restated  
    Reported     (note 2)     Reported     (note 2)     Reported     (note 2)     Reported     (note 2)  
2003
                                                               
Revenues
  $ 577,411     $ 578,826     $ 582,694     $ 584,050     $ 567,357     $ 566,461     $ 599,088     $  
Costs and expenses
    465,422       463,868       489,579       489,418       499,789       497,515       515,659        
Gross profits
    111,989       114,958       93,115       94,632       67,568       68,946       83,429        
Operating income (loss)
    99,911       102,881       52,654       54,171       13,341       14,719       52,451        
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and cumulative effects of accounting changes
    67,143       70,112       19,565       21,082       (10,100 )     (8,722 )     28,747        
Provision (benefit) for income taxes
    24,986       26,138       6,420       7,008       (3,865 )     (3,331 )     (1,149 )      
Net income (loss)
    42,269       44,086       14,379       15,308       (5,576 )     (4,732 )     30,420        
Earning per share:
                                                               
Basic – EPS
    .14       .15       .05       .05       (.02 )     (.02 )     .10        
Diluted — EPS
    .13       .14       .05       .05       (.02 )     (.02 )     .10        
 
                                                               
 
 
                                                               
2002
                                                               
Revenues
  $ 597,811     $ 596,940     $ 580,703     $ 580,374     $ 558,022     $ 551,120     $ 585,713     $ 584,005  
Costs and expenses
    478,726       476,161       489,822       487,951       482,850       479,997       507,852       506,321  
Gross profits
    119,085       120,779       90,881       92,423       75,172       71,123       77,861       77,684  
Operating income (loss)
    100,442       102,136       (140,989 )     (139,447 )     27,467       23,418       29,907       29,730  
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and cumulative effects of accounting changes
    64,133       65,827       (184,475 )     (182,933 )     6,660       2,611       (5,178 )     (5,355 )
Provision (benefit) for income taxes
    18,138       18,795       (52,931 )     (52,333 )     2,479       909       (4,994 )     (5,063 )
Net (loss) income
    (88,711 )     (87,674 )     (143,015 )     (142,071 )     4,061       1,582       (4,215 )     (4,323 )
Earning per share:
                                                               
Basic – EPS
    (.30 )     (.30 )     (.49 )     (.48 )     .01       .01       (.01 )     (.01 )
Diluted – EPS
    (.25 )     (.24 )     (.49 )     (.48 )     .01       .01       (.01 )     (.01 )
 
                                                               
 
2001
                                                               
Revenues
  $ 673,758     $ 667,634     $ 614,851     $ 607,029     $ 578,566     $ 551,821     $ 670,973     $ 662,521  
Costs and expenses
    562,500       561,308       527,304       525,621       510,228       505,925       573,450       573,366  
Gross profits
    111,258       106,326       87,547       81,408       68,338       45,896       97,523       89,155  
Operating income (loss)
    67,750       62,818       49,445       43,306       50,647       28,205       (356,882 )     (365,250 )
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and cumulative effects of accounting changes
    18,039       13,107       (143 )     (6,282 )     6,525       (15,917 )     (401,157 )     (409,525 )
Provision (benefit) for income taxes
    9,678       7,766       9,424       7,044       1,090       (7,611 )     41,378       38,134  
Net income (loss)
    265       (2,755 )     (10,585 )     (14,344 )     4,281       (9,460 )     (591,757 )     (596,881 )
Earning per share:
                                                               
Basic – EPS
    .00       (.01 )     (.04 )     (.05 )     .01       (.03 )     (2.03 )     (2.05 )
Diluted – EPS
    .00       (.01 )     (.04 )     (.05 )     .01       (.03 )     (2.03 )     (2.05 )
 
                                                               
 
 
                                                               
2000
                                                               
Revenues
  $ 678,489     $ 686,560     $ 630,419     $ 635,499     $ 609,148     $ 614,774     $ 631,699     $ 632,705  
Costs and expenses
    561,693       564,274       559,639       562,077       538,419       541,113       556,637       559,066  
Gross profits
    116,796       122,286       70,780       73,422       70,729       73,661       75,062       73,639  
Operating income (loss)
    96,683       102,173       37,765       40,407       50,688       53,620       (432,301 )     (433,724 )
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and cumulative effects of accounting changes
    41,974       47,464       (3,655 )     (1,013 )     (16,640 )     (13,708 )     (497,253 )     (498,676 )
Provision (benefit) for income taxes
    14,299       16,428       (1,315 )     (291 )     (4,252 )     (3,115 )     (90,022 )     (90,574 )
Cumulative effect of accounting change
    (913,599 )     (870,368 )                                    
Net income (loss)
    (876,641 )     (830,049 )     4,556       6,174       (49,626 )     (47,831 )     (421,540 )     (422,411 )
Earning per share:
                                                               
Basic – EPS
    (3.22 )     (3.05 )     .02       .02       (.18 )     (.18 )     (1.55 )     (1.55 )
Diluted — EPS
    (3.21 )     (3.03 )     .02       .02       (.18 )     (.18 )     (1.55 )     (1.55 )

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SERVICE CORPORATION INTERNATIONAL

SCHEDULE II — VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS

Three Years Ended December 31, 2003
                                         
            Charged                      
            (credited)     Charged                
    Balance at     to Costs     (credited)             Balance  
    beginning     and     to other             at end of  
Description   of period     Expenses     accounts(2)     Write Offs(1)     Period  
Current Provision:
                                       
Allowance for doubtful accounts:
                                       
Year ended December 31, 2003
  $ 22,697     $ 7,627     $ (720 )   $ (14,256 )   $ 15,348  
Year ended December 31, 2002
    42,439       2,710       (2,179 )     (20,273 )     22,697  
Year ended December 31, 2001
    66,591       (7,931 )     2,774       (18,995 )     42,439  
 
                                       
Due After One Year:
                                       
Allowance for contract cancellation and doubtful accounts:
                                       
Year ended December 31, 2003
  $ 29,030     $ 1,813     $ 24,675     $ (489 )   $ 55,029  
Year ended December 31, 2002
    (21,984 )     45,901       7,311       (2,198 )     29,030  
Year ended December 31, 2001
    (45,573 )     16,584       9,509       (2,504 )     (21,984 )
 
                                       
Preneed Funeral and Preneed Cemetery Asset:
                                       
Allowance for contract cancellation and doubtful accounts:
                                       
Year ended December 31, 2003
  $ 357,761     $ 17,466     $ 11,923     $     $ 387,150  
Year ended December 31, 2002
    423,630       (36,253 )     (29,616 )           357,761  
Year ended December 31, 2001
    434,877       (1,884 )     (9,363 )           423,630  
 
                                       
Deferred Preneed Funeral and Cemetery Revenue:
                                       
Allowance for contract cancellations:
                                       
Year ended December 31, 2003
  $ (339,339 )   $     $ (30,641 )   $     $ (369,980 )
Year ended December 31, 2002 (as restated, note 2)
    (368,955 )           29,616             (339,339 )
Year ended December 31, 2001 (as restated, note 2)
    (373,524 )           4,569             (368,955 )
 
                                       
Deferred Tax Valuation Allowance:
                                       
Year ended December 31, 2003
  $ 156,372     $ 2,966     $ (123,479 )   $     $ 35,859  
Year ended December 31, 2002
    163,044       (6,672 )                 156,372  
Year ended December 31, 2001
    63,715       99,329                   163,044  


(1)   Uncollected receivables written off, net of recoveries.
 
(2)   Primarily relates to cumulative effect of accounting change and acquisitions and dispositions of operations. 2003 deferred tax valuation allowance was reclassified to other deferred tax liabilities with no change to net deferred income taxes.

ITEM 9. Changes In and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure

     None.

ITEM 9A. Controls and Procedures

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

     As required by Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Securities Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), Robert L. Waltrip, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, and Jeffrey E. Curtiss, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, have evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d – 15(e) under the Exchange Act) as of the end of the Company’s fourth fiscal quarter of 2003 (the “Evaluation Date”). Based on such evaluation, such officers have concluded that, as of the Evaluation Date, the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures are effective in alerting them on a timely basis to material information relating to the Company (including its consolidated subsidiaries) required to be included in the Company’s periodic filings under the Exchange Act.

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     Management has determined that as of December 31, 2003, there was a deficiency in the Company’s internal controls and procedures. This deficiency related to revenue recognition transactions specifically associated with the timely recording of the delivery and performance of cemetery goods and services sold on a preneed basis. The Company has improved its controls and procedures with respect to these matters since the adoption of SAB 101 effective January 1, 2000, and will continue to enhance these controls and procedures.

Change in Internal Controls

     There were no changes in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting during the quarter ended December 31, 2003 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect its internal controls over financial reporting.

PART III

ITEM 10. Directors and Executive Officers of the Company

ITEM 11. Executive Compensation

ITEM 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters

ITEM 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions

ITEM 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services

     Information called for by PART III (Items 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14) has been omitted as the Company intends to file with the Commission not later than 120 days after the close of its fiscal year a definitive Proxy Statement pursuant to Regulation 14A. Such information is set forth in such Proxy Statement (i) with respect to Item 10 under the captions “Election of Directors” and “Other Matters — Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance,” (ii) with respect to Items 11 and 13 under the captions “Certain Information with Respect to Officers and Directors,” “Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation” and “Certain Transactions” and (iii) with respect to Item 12 under the caption “Voting Securities and Principal Holders”, and (iv) with respect of Item 14 under the caption “Proposal to Approve the Selection of Independent Accountants – Audit Fees and All Other Fees”. The information as specified in the preceding sentence is incorporated herein by reference; provided however, notwithstanding anything set forth in this Form 10-K, the information under the captions “Compensation Committee Report on Executive Compensation” and “Performance Graph” in such Proxy Statement, and the information in the paragraphs under the caption “Report of the Audit Committee” in such Proxy Statement, are not incorporated by reference into this Form 10-K.

     The information regarding the Company’s executive officers called for by Item 401 of Regulation S-K has been included in PART I of this report.

     The information regarding the Company’s equity compensation plan information called for by Item 201(d) of Regulation S-K is set forth below.

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     Equity Compensation Plan Information at December 31, 2003:

                         
                    Number of securities remaining  
    Number of securities to be     Weighted-average     available for future issuance  
    issued upon exercise of     exercise price of     under equity compensation  
    outstanding options,     outstanding options,     plans (excluding securities  
    warrants and rights     warrants and rights     reflected in column (a))  
Plan Category   (a)     (b)     (c)  
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders
    21,697,873     $ 12.08       5,581,351  
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders(1)
    6,617,347       6.48       4,569,906 (2)
 
                 
 
                       
Total
    28,315,220     $ 10.77       10,151,257  
 
                 


(1)   Includes options outstanding under the Equity Corporation International 1994 Long-Term Incentive Plan which became exercisable to acquire Company common stock when the Company acquired Equity Corporation International in January 1999. The outstanding options cover an aggregate of 327,650 shares at a weighted-average exercise price of $22.41 per share. No shares of Company common stock are available for any future grants under this plan.
 
    Also includes options outstanding under the 1996 Nonqualified Incentive Plan under which nonqualified stock options may be granted to employees who are not officers or directors. The exercise price of an option may not be less than the fair market value of the underlying stock on the date of grant and no option may have a term of more than ten years. The terms of the options, including vesting, are set by a committee appointed by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may amend, terminate or suspend the plan in its discretion. The Company has 6,289,697 total options outstanding under the 1996 Non-qualified Incentive Plan. The Company has options available for future issuance under the 1996 Nonqualified Incentive Plan of 1,826,151. See note thirteen to the consolidated financial statements in Item 8 of this Form 10-K for a further description of 1996 Nonqualified Incentive Plan. These plans have not been submitted for shareholder approval.
 
(2)   Includes an estimated 2,743,755 shares available under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Under such plan, a dollar value of shares (not an amount of shares) are registered. The above estimate was determined by dividing (i) the remaining unissued dollar value of registered shares at December 31, 2003, which was $14,788,841, by (ii) the closing price of $5.39 per share of common stock at December 31, 2003.

     The Employee Stock Purchase Plan enables Company employees in North America to invest via payroll deductions up to $500 (or $600 Canadian) per month in Company common stock. Contributions are utilized to purchase the stock in the open market. With respect to Canadian employees who meet certain requirements, the Company will provide annually a match equal to 25% of the amount of the employee’s contribution subject to a maximum contribution per participant of $1,800 Canadian. This plan has not been submitted for shareholder approval.

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PART IV

ITEM 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules and Reports on Form 8-K

(a)(1)-(2) Financial Statements and Schedule:

     The financial statements and schedule are listed in the accompanying Index to Financial Statements and Related Schedule on page 46 of this report.

(3) Exhibits:

The exhibits listed on the accompanying Exhibit Index on pages 102 — 106 are filed as part of this report.

(b) Reports on Form 8-K

During the quarter ended December 31, 2003, the Company furnished a report on Form 8-K dated November 5, 2003 reporting (i) under “Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits” that attached as an exhibit was a press release dated November 5, 2003, and (ii) under “Item 12. Results of Operations and Financial Condition” that the Company issued the press release which disclosed financial results for the third quarter of 2003. The Company furnished a report on Form 8-K dated December 2, 2003 reporting (i) under “Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits” that attached as exhibits were a press release dated December 2, 2003 and Merrill Lynch Health Services Conference presentation slides, dated December 3, 2003, and (ii) under “Item 9. Regulation FD Disclosure” that the Company issued the press release which disclosed its intention to participate in the Merrill Lynch Health Services Equity Conference on December 3, 2003. In addition, the Company furnished a report on Form 8-K dated            December 8, 2003 reporting (i) under “Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits” that attached as an exhibit was a press release dated December 2, 2003, and (ii) under “Item 9. Regulation FD Disclosure” that the Company issued the press release which announced the Company had entered into an agreement in principle to settle the class action lawsuit and related lawsuits against the Company involving two cemeteries owned in Florida.

(c) Included in (a) above.

(d) Included in (a) above.

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SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant, Service Corporation International, has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

         
    SERVICE CORPORATION INTERNATIONAL
 
       
  By:   /s/ JAMES M. SHELGER
       
      (James M. Shelger,
Senior Vice President, General
Counsel and Secretary)

Dated: May 12, 2005

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant and in the capacities and on the date indicated.

         
Signature   Title   Date
 
       
R. L. WALTRIP*
  Chairman of the Board   May 12, 2005

     
(R. L. Waltrip)
     
 
       
Thomas L. Ryan
  President,Chief Executive   May 12, 2005

  Officer and Director (Principal    
(Thomas L. Ryan)
  Executive Officer)    
 
       
 
       
JEFFREY E. CURTISS*
  Senior Vice President Chief   May 12, 2005

  Financial Officer and Treasurer (Principal    
(Jeffrey E. Curtiss)
  Financial Officer)    
 
       
ERIC D. TANZBERGER*
  Vice President Corporate Controller   May 12, 2005

       
(Eric D. Tanzberger)
       
 
       
ALAN R. BUCKWALTER, III*
  Director   May 12, 2005

       
(Alan R. Buckwalter, III)
       
 
       
ANTHONY L. COELHO*
  Director   May 12, 2005

       
(Anthony L. Coelho)
       
 
       
A. J. FOYT, JR.*
  Director   May 12, 2005

       
(A. J. Foyt, Jr.)
       
 
       
VICTOR L. LUND*
  Director   May 12, 2005

       
(Victor L. Lund)
       
 
       
JOHN W. MECOM, JR.*
  Director   May 12, 2005

       
(John W. Mecom, Jr.)
       
 
       
CLIFTON H. MORRIS, JR.*
  Director   May 12, 2005

       
(Clifton H. Morris, Jr.)
       
 
       
W. BLAIR WALTRIP*
  Director   May 12, 2005

       
(W. Blair Waltrip)
       
 
       
EDWARD E. WILLIAMS*
  Director   May 12, 2005

       
(Edward E. Williams)
       
 
       
*By /s/ JAMES M. SHELGER
       

       
(James M. Shelger, as Attorney-In-Fact
       
For each of the Persons indicated)
       

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EXHIBIT INDEX

PURSUANT TO ITEM 601 OF REG. S-K

         
Exhibit      
Number     Description
3.1
    Restated Articles of Incorporation. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Registration Statement No. 333-10867 on Form S-3).
 
       
3.2
    Articles of Amendment to Restated Articles of Incorporation. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 1996).
 
       
3.3
    Statement of Resolution Establishing Series of Shares of Series D Junior Participating Preferred Stock, dated July 27, 1998. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 1998).
 
       
3.4
    Bylaws, as amended. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 1999).
 
       
4.1
    Rights Agreement dated as of May 14, 1998 between the Company and Harris Trust and Savings Bank. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.1 to Form 8-K dated May 14, 1998).
 
       
4.2
    Agreement Appointing a Successor Rights Agent Under Rights Agreement, dated June 1, 1999, by the Company, Harris Trust and Savings Bank and The Bank of New York. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 1999).
 
       
10.1
    Retirement Plan For Non-Employee Directors. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1991).
 
       
10.2
    First Amendment to Retirement Plan For Non-Employee Directors. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2000).
 
       
10.3
    Agreement dated May 14, 1992 between the Company, R. L. Waltrip and related parties relating to life insurance. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1992).
 
       
10.4
    Employment Agreement, dated January 1, 1998, between SCI Executive Services, Inc. and R. L. Waltrip. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1998).
 
       
10.5
    First Amendment to Employment Agreement, dated February 25, 2003, between SCI Executive Services, Inc. and R. L. Waltrip. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002).
 
       
10.6
    Non-Competition Agreement and Amendment to Employment Agreement, dated November 11, 1991, among the Company, R. L. Waltrip and Claire Waltrip. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.9 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1992).
 
       
10.7
    Separation and Release Agreement, dated January 18, 2000, among the Company, SCI Executive Services, Inc. and W. Blair Waltrip. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.6 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999).

 


Table of Contents

         
Exhibit      
Number     Description
10.8
    Employment and Noncompetition Agreement, dated January 1, 2004, between SCI Executive Services, Inc. and B. D. Hunter (previously filed as Exhibit 10.8 to our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003).
 
       
10.9
    Employment and Noncompetition Agreement, dated January 1, 2004, between SCI Executive Services, Inc. and Thomas L. Ryan (previously filed as Exhibit 10.9 to our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003).
 
       
10.10
    Employment and Noncompetition Agreement, dated January 1, 2004, between SCI Executive Services, Inc. and Michael R. Webb (previously filed as Exhibit 10.10 to our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003).
 
       
10.11
    Employment and Noncompetition Agreement, dated January 1, 2004, between SCI Executive Services, Inc. and Jeffrey E. Curtiss (previously filed as Exhibit 10.11 to our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003).
 
       
10.12
    Form of Employment and Noncompetition Agreement pertaining to non-senior officers (previously filed as Exhibit 10.12 to our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003).
 
       
10.13
    1993 Long-Term Incentive Stock Option Plan. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.12 to Registration Statement No. 333-00179 on Form S-8).
 
       
10.14
    Amendment to 1993 Long-Term Incentive Stock Option Plan, dated February 12, 1997. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.15 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996).
 
       
10.15
    Amendment to 1993 Long-Term Incentive Stock Option Plan, dated November 13, 1997. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.17 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1997).
 
       
10.16
    1995 Incentive Equity Plan. (Incorporated by reference to Annex B to Proxy Statement dated April 17, 1995).
 
       
10.17
    Amendment to 1995 Incentive Equity Plan, dated February 12, 1997. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.18 to form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996).
 
       
10.18
    Amendment to 1995 Incentive Equity Plan, dated November 13, 1997. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.21 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1997).
 
       
10.19
    Amended 1996 Incentive Plan. (Incorporated by reference to Annex A to Proxy Statement dated April 13, 1999).
 
       
10.20
    Split Dollar Life Insurance Plan. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.36 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1995).
 
       
10.21
    Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan for Senior Officers (as Amended and Restated Effective as of January 1, 1998). (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.28 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1998).
 
       
10.22
    First Amendment to Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan for Senior Officers. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.28 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2000).
 
       
10.23
    SCI 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.7 to Form S-8 filed as of June 1, 2000, Registration Statement No. 333-38310).
 
       
10.24
    First Amendment to SCI 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.31 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2000).

 


Table of Contents

         
Exhibit      
Number     Description
10.25
    SCI 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan as Amended and Restated. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.9 to Registration Statement No. 333-91046).
 
       
10.26
    2001 Stock Plan for Non-Employee Directors. (Incorporated by reference to Annex A to Proxy Statement dated April 13, 2001).
 
       
10.27
    First Amendment to 2001 Stock Plan for Non-Employee Directors dated May 8, 2003. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2003).
 
       
10.28
    Director Fee Plan. (Incorporated by reference to Annex B to Proxy Statement dated April 13, 2001).
 
       
10.29
    First Amendment, dated November 13, 2002, to Director Fee Plan. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.33 to form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002).
 
       
10.30
    Second Amendment to Director Fee Plan dated May 8, 2003. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2003).
 
       
10.31
    1996 Nonqualified Incentive Plan. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.1 to Registration Statement No. 333-33101).
 
       
10.32
    Amendment to 1996 Nonqualified Incentive Plan dated November 13, 1997. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.2 to Registration Statement No. 333-50084).
 
       
10.33
    Amendment to 1996 Nonqualified Incentive Plan dated November 11, 1999. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.3 to Registration Statement No. 333-50084).
 
       
10.34
    Amendment to 1996 Nonqualified Incentive Plan dated February 14, 2001. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.4 to Registration Statement No. 333-67800).
 
       
10.35
    Employee Stock Purchase Plan. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1.1 to Registration Statement No. 2-62484 on Form S-8).
 
       
10.36
    Amendment No. 1 to the Employee Stock Purchase Plan. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 15.1 to Registration Statement No. 2-62484 on Form S-8).
 
       
10.37
    Amendment No. 2 to the Employee Stock Purchase Plan. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 28.3 to Registration Statement No. 33-25061 on Form S-8).
 
       
10.38
    Amendment No. 3 to the Employee Stock Purchase Plan. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 28.4 to Registration Statement No. 33-35708 on Form S-8).
 
       
10.39
    Amendment No. 4 to the Employee Stock Purchase Plan. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Current Report on Form 8-K dated December 21, 1993).
 
       
10.40
    Amendment No. 5 to the Employee Stock Purchase Plan. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.31 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999).
 
       
10.41
    Amendment No. 6 to the Employee Stock Purchase Plan. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.44 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002).
 
       
10.42
    Amendment No. 7 to the Employee Stock Purchase Plan. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.45 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002).
 
       
10.43
    Agreement between Merrill Lynch Canada Inc. and Service Corporation International. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 28.5 to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement No. 33-8907 on Form S-8).

 


Table of Contents

         
Exhibit      
Number     Description
10.44
    First Amendment to Agreement between Merrill Lynch Canada Inc. and Service Corporation International. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to Current Report on Form 8-K dated December 21, 1993).
 
       
10.45
    Employee Stock Purchase Plan Administration Agreement dated July 25, 2001 between Service Corporation International (Canada) Limited and Fastrak Systems Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.48 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002).
 
       
12.1
    Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.
 
       
21.1
    Subsidiaries of the Company (previously filed as Exhibit 21.1 to our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003).
 
       
23.1
    Consent of Independent Accountants (PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP).
 
       
24.1
    Powers of Attorney (previously filed as Exhibit 24.1 to our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003).
 
       
31.1
    Certification of Thomas L. Ryan as Chief Executive Officer in satisfaction of Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
 
       
31.2
    Certification of Jeffrey E. Curtiss as Principal Financial Officer in satisfaction of Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
 
       
32.1
    Certification of Periodic Financial Reports by Thomas L. Ryan as Chief Executive Officer in satisfaction of Section 906 of the Sarbanes- Oxley Act of 2002.
 
       
32.2
    Certification of Periodic Financial Reports by Jeffrey E. Curtiss as Principal Financial Officer in satisfaction of Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
 
       
99.1
    Consolidated Class Action Complaint filed September 3, 1999 in Civil Action No. H-99-280, In re Service Corporation International. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.1 to Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 1999).
 
       
99.2
    Defendants’ Answer to the Consolidated Class Action Complaint filed September 17, 1999 in Civil Action No. H-99-280, In re Service Corporation International. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.2 to Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 1999).
 
       
99.3
    Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss the Consolidated Class Action Complaint filed October 8, 1999 in Civil Action No. H-99-280, In re Service Corporation International. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.3 to Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 1999).
 
       
99.4
    Plaintiffs’ Opposition to Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss the Consolidated Class Action Complaint filed November 5, 1999 in Civil Action No. H-99-280, In Re Service Corporation International. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.4 to Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 1999).
 
       
99.5
    Defendants’ Reply to Plaintiffs’ Opposition to Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss the Consolidated Class Action Complaint Filed November 24, 1999 in Civil Action No. H-99-280, In re Service Corporation International. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.12 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year Ended December 31, 1999).

 


Table of Contents

         
Exhibit      
Number     Description
99.6
    Plaintiff’s Original Petition filed December 15, 2000, in Cause No. 2000-63917, Jack T. Hammer v. Service Corporation International, Robert L. Waltrip, L. William Heiligbrodt, George R. Champagne, W. Blair Waltrip, James M. Shelger, Wesley T. McRae and PricewaterhouseCoopers, L.L.P.; in the 165th Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.18 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2000).
 
       
99.7
    Defendants’ Original Answer to the Original Petition referred to in Exhibit 99.6. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.19 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2000).
 
       
99.8
    Credit Agreement dated as of July 24, 2002 among the Company, as Borrower, the Lenders Party thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, as Administrative Agent, Bank of America, N.A., as Syndicated Agent, and Credit Lyonnais, Lehman Commercial Paper Inc. and Merrill Lynch Capital Corporation, as Co-Documentation Agents, J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., and Banc of America Securities LLC, as Joint Bookrunners and Joint Lead Arrangers. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.2 to Form 8-K dated July 25, 2002).
 
       
99.9
    Amendment No. 1 dated as of December 6, 2002 to the Credit Agreement referred to in Exhibit 99.8. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.14 to Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002).
 
       
99.10
    Amendment No. 2 dated as of September 29, 2003 to the Credit Agreement referred to in Exhibit 8. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.8 to Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2003).

     In the above list, the management contracts or compensatory plans or arrangements are set forth in Exhibits 10.1 through 10.45.

     Pursuant to Item 601(b)(4) of Regulation S-K, there are not filed as exhibits to this report certain instruments with respect to long-term debt under which the total amount of securities authorized thereunder does not exceed 10 percent of the total assets of Registrant and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis. Registrant agrees to furnish a copy of any such instrument to the Commission upon request.