Dignity plc

Dignity plc (LSE: DTY) is one of the largest providers of funeral services and prepaid funeral plans in the United Kingdom. It is a British run company and is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Dignity plc
Public
Traded asLSE: DTY
IndustryFuneral services
Founded1994
HeadquartersSutton Coldfield, Birmingham, UK
Key people
Peter Hindley, Chairman
Mike McCollum, CEO
Revenue £315.6 million (2018)[1]
£66.3 million (2018)[1]
£31.5 million (2018)[1]
Websitewww.dignityfunerals.co.uk

In the year ending 28 December 2018, turnover was £315.6m (£324m 2017) and profit before tax was £40.5m (£71.2m 2017). Net debt stood at £506.8m (£516.9m 2017) with a £25.2m (£24m 2017) pension deficit at 28 December 2018. The shareholder dividend payment was 15.74p a share (15.74p 2017).[1]

History

The business was created in 1994 through the merger of Plantsbrook Group and Great Southern Group,[2] both of which companies had been acquired by Service Corporation International Inc earlier that year.[3] In 2002 the merged business was the subject of a management buy-out from Service Corporation International Inc.[4] The merger brought together a number of funeral service businesses including the following:[2]

  • George S Munn, Glasgow – 1812
  • Francis Chappell & Sons, London – 1840
  • J Rymer, York – 1848
  • Ginns & Gutteridge, Leicestershire – 1855
  • Lawrence Funeral Service, Halifax – 1857
  • E Finch & Sons, Aldershot – 1857
  • Beckenham Cemetery, Kent – 1876
  • J H Kenyon, London – 1880
  • Frederick W Paine, London – 1884
  • Perry Barr Crematorium, Birmingham – 1903
  • John Bardgett & Son, Newcastle upon Tyne – 1914
  • Jonathan Harvey, Glasgow – 1928
  • South London Crematorium – 1930
  • Seaford & Newhaven Funeral Service, East Sussex – 1950
  • Smiths, Funeral Directors, Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, Scotland.
  • Joseph Potts, Funeral Directors, Carluke and Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, Scotland.
  • Joseph Potts, Funeral Directors, Bellshill, North Lanarkshire, Scotland.
  • Henry Dorricott Funeral Service, Larkhall, Lesmahagow & Lanark, South Lanarkshire, Scotland

The company was first listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2004.[2]

Operations

The company is based in Sutton Coldfield operates 44 crematoria across the country.[5] In the UK, Dignity PLC accounts for 12.3% of all funeral services and 9.8% of Crematoria. The funeral division is their biggest division that accounts for 70% of total sales.[6]

References
  1. "Dignity plc Annual Report & Accounts 2018" (PDF). Dignity. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  2. "Dignity Caring Funeral Services - About us - History". dignityfunerals.co.uk. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  3. Competition Commission Archived July 25, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  4. Management buy-out funeral giant BBC, 11 February 2002
  5. "Dignity launches national direct cremation service". Funeral Service Times. 12 December 2016. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
  6. "10 important things to understand about Dignity plc". Walbrock Research. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
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