Service Corporation International (SCI) 10-K18 Feb 202019 FY Annual reportFinancial data

Company Profile

Document and Entity Information

Document and Entity Information Document - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
Document and Entity Information Document - USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019	Feb. 14, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019
Document Information [Line Items]
Entity Registrant Name	SERVICE CORPORATION INTERNATIONAL
Entity Central Index Key	0000089089
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Document Type	10-K
Document Period End Date	Dec. 31, 2019
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2019
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Entity Shell Company	false
Amendment Flag	false
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		180,778,030
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	Yes
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Public Float			$ 8,302,629,479

Consolidated Statement of Opera

Consolidated Statement of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Product Information [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 3,230,785	$ 3,190,174	$ 3,095,031
Costs of revenue	(2,470,205)	(2,429,852)	(2,372,252)
Gross profit	760,580	760,322	722,779
Corporate general and administrative expenses	(126,886)	(145,596)	(158,651)
Gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net	32,919	15,933	7,015
Operating income	666,613	630,659	571,143
Interest expense	(185,843)	(181,556)	(169,125)
Losses on early extinguishment of debt, net	(16,637)	(10,131)	(274)
Other income (expense), net	299	2,760	(1,486)
Income before income taxes	464,432	441,732	400,258
(Provision for) benefit from income taxes	(94,661)	5,826	146,589
Net income	369,771	447,558	546,847
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(175)	(350)	(184)
Net income attributable to common stockholders	$ 369,596	$ 447,208	$ 546,663
Basic earnings per share:
Net income attributable to common stockholders, basic	$ 2.03	$ 2.45	$ 2.91
Basic weighted average number of shares	182,246	182,447	187,630
Diluted earnings per share:
Net income attributable to common stockholders, diluted	$ 1.99	$ 2.39	$ 2.84
Diluted weighted average number of shares	185,523	186,972	192,246
Dividends declared per share	$ 0.68	$ 0.58
Product [Member]
Product Information [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 1,610,158	$ 1,584,242	$ 1,525,747
Costs of revenue	(829,158)	(811,574)	(794,725)
Service [Member]
Product Information [Line Items]
Revenue	1,379,001	1,374,380	1,356,665
Costs of revenue	(769,119)	(752,488)	(729,204)
Product and Service, Other [Member]
Product Information [Line Items]
Revenue	241,626	231,552	212,619
Costs of revenue	$ (871,928)	$ (865,790)	$ (848,323)

Consolidated Statement of Compr

Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Net income	$ 369,771	$ 447,558	$ 546,847
Foreign currency translation adjustments	16,470	(28,478)	25,462
Total comprehensive income	386,241	419,080	572,309
Total comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(176)	(191)	(195)
Total comprehensive income attributable to common stockholders	$ 386,065	$ 418,889	$ 572,114

Consolidated Balance Sheet

Consolidated Balance Sheet - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 186,276	$ 198,850
Receivables, net	81,671	73,825
Inventories	25,118	24,950
Other	80,488	33,607
Total current assets	373,553	331,232
Preneed receivables, net and trust investments	4,789,562	4,271,392
Cemetery property	1,873,602	1,837,464
Property and equipment, net	2,065,433	1,977,364
Goodwill	1,864,223	1,863,842
Deferred charges and other assets	1,029,908	934,151
Cemetery perpetual care trust investments	1,681,149	1,477,798
Total assets	13,677,430	12,693,243
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	478,545	479,768
Current maturities of long-term debt	69,821	69,896
Income taxes payable	8,353	5,936
Total current liabilities	556,719	555,600
Long-term debt	3,513,530	3,532,182
Deferred preneed revenue	1,467,103	1,418,814
Deferred tax liability	421,482	404,627
Other liabilities	378,074	297,302
Deferred receipts held in trust	3,839,376	3,371,738
Care trusts’ corpus	1,677,891	1,471,165
Commitments and contingencies (Note 8)
Equity:
Common stock, $1 per share par value, 500,000,000 shares authorized, 185,100,789 and 184,720,582 shares issued, respectively, and 181,184,963 and 181,470,582 shares outstanding, respectively	181,185	181,471
Capital in excess of par value	1,010,361	972,710
Accumulated deficit	601,903	474,327
Accumulated other comprehensive income	29,864	13,395
Total common stockholders’ equity	1,823,313	1,641,903
Noncontrolling interests	(58)	(88)
Total equity	1,823,255	1,641,815
Total liabilities and equity	$ 13,677,430	$ 12,693,243

Consolidated Balance Sheet (Par

Consolidated Balance Sheet (Parentheticals) - $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Statement of Financial Position [Abstract]
Common stock, par or stated value per share	$ 1	$ 1
Common stock, shares authorized	500,000,000	500,000,000
Common stock, shares, issued	185,100,789	184,720,582
Common stock, shares outstanding	181,184,963	181,470,582

Consolidated Statement of Cash

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2019USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017USD ($)
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
Net income	$ 369,771	$ 447,558	$ 546,847
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Losses on early extinguishment of debt, net	16,637	10,131	274
Depreciation and amortization	151,000	153,650	153,141
Amortization of intangibles	25,649	26,195	27,650
Amortization of cemetery property	70,330	68,640	68,102
Amortization of loan costs	5,681	6,059	5,859
Provision for doubtful accounts	9,146	8,372	9,980
Provision for (benefits from) deferred income taxes	23,030	(41,479)	(317,838)
Gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net	(32,919)	(15,933)	(7,015)
Gain (Loss) on Sale of Investments	0	(2,636)	0
Share-based compensation	15,029	15,626	14,788
Change in assets and liabilities, net of effects from acquisitions and divestitures:
Increase (decrease) in receivables	12,711	8,052	(9,740)
Increase in other assets	23,018	(4,814)	(14,353)
Increase (decrease) in payables and other liabilities	1,788	(16,699)	81,763
Effect of preneed funeral production and maturities:
Increase in preneed receivables, net and trust investments	16,144	(55,607)	(63,994)
Increase in deferred revenue, net	(67,792)	28,005	31,182
Decrease in deferred receipts held in trust	42,306	(19,290)	(23,274)
Net cash provided by operating activities	628,755	615,830	503,372
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(239,957)	(235,545)	(214,501)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(55,644)	(176,252)	(64,652)
Payments for (Proceeds from) Deposits on Real Estate Acquisitions	(51,373)	(18,572)	(11,519)
Proceeds from divestitures and sales of property and equipment	77,074	37,309	52,381
Payments for (Proceeds from) Other Investing Activities	(415)	14,525	(175)
Proceeds from Sale, Maturity and Collection of Investments	0	2,900	0
Payment to Acquire Life Insurance Policy, Investing Activities	(9,026)	(14,760)	(7,360)
Proceeds from Life Insurance Policy	0	4,824	2,592
Net cash used in investing activities	(278,511)	(414,621)	(242,884)
Cash flows from financing activities
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt	1,149,263	396,349	1,787,500
Debt issuance costs	(15,539)	0	(12,939)
Scheduled payments of debt	(25,471)	(34,134)	(468,973)
Early payments of debt	(1,164,978)	(259,590)	(1,117,512)
Principal payments on finance leases	(42,627)	(39,686)	(51,106)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	40,922	24,517	33,611
Purchase of Company common stock	(129,589)	(277,611)	(199,637)
Payments of dividends	(131,402)	(123,849)	(108,750)
Purchase of noncontrolling interest	0	0	(4,580)
PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesIncludiing1031ExchangeFunds	107,000	62,800	76,200
Bank overdrafts and other	328	(15,177)	5,959
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(319,093)	(329,181)	(136,427)
Effect of foreign currency	3,885	(5,045)	5,034
Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash	35,036	(133,017)	129,095
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of period	198,850
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of period	186,276	198,850
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents	$ 242,620	$ 207,584	$ 340,601

Consolidated Statement of Equit

Consolidated Statement of Equity - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock	Treasury Stock	Capital in Excess of Par Value	Accumulated Deficit(1)	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	Noncontrolling Interest
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 1,095,247	$ 195,403	$ (5,998)	$ 990,203	$ (103,387)	$ 16,492	$ 2,534
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest [Roll Forward]
Comprehensive income	572,309	0	0	0	546,663	25,451	195
Dividends declared on common stock	(108,750)	0	0	(37,011)	(71,739)	0	0
Stock option exercises	33,611	2,759	0	30,852	0	0	0
Restricted stock awards, net of forfeitures	0	209	(2)	(207)	0	0	0
Employee share-based compensation earned	14,788		0
Purchase of Company common stock	(199,637)	0		14,788	0	0	0
Purchase of noncontrolling interest	(4,580)	0	(6,211)	(32,253)	(161,173)	0	0
Acquisition		0	0	(2,258)	0	0	(2,322)
Noncontrolling interest payments	$ (360)	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ (360)
Retirement of treasury shares	0	(6,890)	(6,890)	0	0	0	0
Other	$ 6,809	$ 455	$ 0	$ 6,354	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Balance at end of period at Dec. 31, 2017	1,409,437	191,936	(5,321)	970,468	210,364	41,943	47
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest [Roll Forward]
Comprehensive income	419,080	0	0	0	447,208	(28,319)	191
Dividends declared on common stock	(123,849)	0	0	0	(123,849)	0	0
Stock option exercises	24,517	1,802	0	22,715	0	0	0
Restricted stock awards, net of forfeitures	0	178	0	(178)	0	0	0
Employee share-based compensation earned	15,626	0	0	15,626	0	0	0
Purchase of Company common stock	(277,611)	0	(7,348)	(38,404)	(231,859)	0	0
Noncontrolling interest payments	$ (326)	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ (326)
Retirement of treasury shares	0	(9,419)	(9,419)	0	0	0	0
Other	$ 2,709	$ 224	$ 0	$ 2,483	$ 2	$ 0	$ 0
Balance at end of period at Dec. 31, 2018	1,641,815	184,721	(3,250)	972,710	474,327	13,395	(88)
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest [Roll Forward]
Cumulative Effect of New Accounting Principle in Period of Adoption	172,232	0	0	0	172,461	(229)	0
Comprehensive income	386,241	0	0	0	369,596	16,469	176
Dividends declared on common stock	(131,402)	0	0	0	(131,402)	0	0
Stock option exercises	40,922	2,394	0	38,528	0	0	0
Restricted stock awards, net of forfeitures	0	126	0	(126)	0	0	0
Employee share-based compensation earned	15,029	0	0	15,029	0	0	0
Purchase of Company common stock	(129,589)	0	(2,909)	(16,062)	(110,618)	0	0
Noncontrolling interest payments	$ (146)	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 146
Retirement of treasury shares	0	(2,243)	(2,243)	0	0	0	0
Other	$ 385	$ 103	$ 0	$ 282	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Balance at end of period at Dec. 31, 2019	$ 1,823,255	$ 185,101	$ (3,916)	$ 1,010,361	$ 601,903	$ 29,864	$ (58)

Consolidated Statement of Equ_2

Consolidated Statement of Equity (Parentheticals) - $ / shares	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Statement of Stockholders' Equity [Abstract]
Dividends declared per share	$ 0.51	$ 0.68	$ 0.58

Nature of Operations Level 1 (N

Nature of Operations Level 1 (Notes)	12 Months Ended
Nature of Operations Level 1 (Notes)	Dec. 31, 2019
Nature of Operations [Abstract]
Nature of Operations [Text Block]	Nature of Operations We are North America’s largest provider of deathcare products and services, with a network of funeral service locations and cemeteries operating in the United States and Canada. Our funeral service and cemetery operations consist of funeral service locations, cemeteries, funeral service/cemetery combination locations, crematoria, and other related businesses, which enable us to serve a wide array of customer needs. We sell cemetery property and funeral and cemetery merchandise and services at the time of need and on a preneed basis. Funeral service locations provide all professional services relating to funerals and cremations, including the use of funeral facilities and motor vehicles, arranging and directing services, removal, preparation, embalming, cremations, memorialization, travel protection, and catering. Funeral merchandise, including burial caskets and related accessories, urns and other cremation receptacles, outer burial containers, flowers, online and video tributes, stationery products, casket and cremation memorialization products, and other ancillary merchandise, is sold at funeral service locations. Our cemeteries provide cemetery property interment rights, including developed lots, lawn crypts, mausoleum spaces, niches, and other cremation memorialization and interment options. Cemetery merchandise and services, including memorial markers and bases, outer burial containers, flowers and floral placement, other ancillary merchandise, graveside services, merchandise installation, and interments, are sold at our cemeteries.

Summary of Significant Accounti

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Level 1 (Notes)	12 Months Ended
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Level 1 (Notes)	Dec. 31, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]	Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Presentation Our consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Service Corporation International (SCI) and all subsidiaries in which we hold a controlling financial interest. Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Our consolidated financial statements also include the accounts of the merchandise and service trusts and cemetery perpetual care trusts in which we have a variable interest and are the primary beneficiary. We have retained the specialized industry accounting principles when consolidating the trusts. Our trusts are variable interest entities, for which we have determined that we are the primary beneficiary as we absorb a majority of the losses and returns associated with these trusts. Although we consolidate the trusts, it does not change the legal relationships among the trusts, us, or our customers. The customers are the legal beneficiaries of these trusts; therefore, their interests in these trusts represent a liability to us. Reclassifications to Prior Period Financial Statements and Adjustments Certain reclassifications have been made to prior period amounts to conform to the current period financial statement presentation with no effect on our previously reported results of operations, consolidated financial position, or cash flows except as described below under "Accounting Standards Adopted in 2019 " . 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 revenue and expenses during the reporting period. As a result, actual results could differ from these estimates. Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash We consider all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. The carrying amounts of our cash and cash equivalents approximate fair value due to the short-term nature of these instruments. The components of cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash were as follows: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 (In thousands) Cash and cash equivalents $ 186,276 $ 198,850 Restricted cash (1) : Included in Other current assets 54,293 7,007 Included in Deferred charges and other assets 2,051 1,727 Total restricted cash 56,344 8,734 Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash $ 242,620 $ 207,584 (1) Restricted cash in both periods primarily consists of proceeds from divestitures deposited into escrow accounts under IRS code section 1031 and collateralized obligations under certain insurance policies. Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts Our trade receivables primarily consist of amounts due for funeral services already performed. We provide various allowances and cancellation reserves for our receivables. These allowances are based on an analysis of historical trends of collection and cancellation activity. Atneed receivables are considered past due after thirty days. Collections are generally managed by the locations or third party agencies acting on behalf of the locations, until a receivable is one hundred eighty days delinquent, at which time it is fully reserved and sent to a collection agency. These estimates are impacted by a number of factors, including changes in the economy, and demographic or competitive changes in our areas of operation. Inventories and Cemetery Property Funeral and cemetery merchandise are stated at the lower of average cost or net realizable value. Cemetery property is recorded at cost. Inventory costs and cemetery property are relieved using specific identification in fulfillment of performance obligations on our contracts. Cemetery property amortization was $70.3 million , $68.6 million , and $68.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 , respectively. Property and Equipment, Net Property and equipment are recorded at cost. Maintenance and repairs are charged to expense, whereas renewals and major replacements that extend the useful lives of the assets are capitalized. Depreciation is recognized ratably over the estimated useful lives of the various classes of assets. Buildings and improvements are depreciated over a period ranging from ten years to forty years , equipment is depreciated over a period from three years to twelve years , and leasehold improvements are depreciated over the shorter of the lease term or twelve years . Depreciation and amortization expense related to property and equipment was $151.0 million , $153.7 million , and $153.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 , respectively. During the fourth quarter of 2018, based on a review of our historical usage patterns for similar assets, we increased our estimate of the remaining useful life of certain building improvements and equipment by one to three years. These changes in useful life, which were made prospectively, reduced depreciation expense by $ 12.1 million ( $0.07 per basic and diluted share) in 2019 and $4.3 million ( $0.02 per basic and diluted share) in 2018. When property or equipment 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 in the period of sale or disposal. Leases We have operating and finance leases. Our operating leases primarily include funeral service real estate and office equipment for funeral service locations, cemetery locations, and administrative offices. Our finance leases primarily include transportation equipment but also include real estate and office equipment. Lease terms related to real estate generally range from one year to forty years with options to renew at varying terms. Lease terms related to office and transportation equipment generally range from one year to nine years with options to renew at varying terms. We determine whether an arrangement is or contains a lease at the inception of the arrangement based on the unique facts and circumstances present. Right-of-use (ROU) assets represent our right to use an underlying asset for the lease term, and lease liabilities represent our obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Leases with a term greater than one year are recognized on the balance sheet as ROU assets and lease liabilities. We have elected not to recognize on the balance sheet leases with terms of one year or less. Lease liabilities and their corresponding ROU assets are recorded at commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the expected lease term. For transportation equipment, we use the rate implicit in each lease to calculate the present value. For real estate and non-transportation equipment leases, the interest rate implicit in lease contracts is typically not readily determinable. Therefore, we use the appropriate collateralized incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at commencement date in determining the present value of future payments for real estate and non-transportation equipment leases. Certain adjustments to the ROU asset may be required for items such as initial direct costs paid or incentives received. For a lessee, the discount rate for the lease is defined as the rate implicit in the lease unless that rate cannot be readily determined. In that case, the lessee is required to use its incremental borrowing rate, which is the rate of interest that a lessee would have to pay to borrow on a collateralized basis over a similar term an amount equal to the lease payments in a similar economic environment. We use the rate implicit in each lease for vehicles and other transportation equipment, which represent 70% of our total lease liability as of December 31, 2019 and which are all finance leases. For leases of real estate and non-transportation equipment, which are primarily operating leases, we use our incremental borrowing rate since the rate implicit in these leases cannot be readily determined. To establish the incremental borrowing rate we utilize the yield to worst of our publicly traded debt securities, adjusted for the appropriate duration. A final additional adjustment is then applied based on our credit quality spread to notch the rate to secured. As an accounting policy election, we include reasonably certain renewal periods when determining the rate to use as the incremental borrowing rate for each lease. We calculate operating lease expense ratably over the lease term plus any reasonably assured renewal periods. We consider reasonably assured renewal options and fixed escalation provisions in our calculation. Generally, our leases do not include options to terminate the lease prior to the contractual lease expiration date, but future renewal periods are generally cancelable. The majority of our contractually available renewal periods for leases of buildings and land are considered reasonably certain of being exercised. This determination is made by our real estate team based on facts and circumstances surrounding each property. Leases with a term of 12 months or less are not recorded on the balance sheet. The majority of our lease arrangements 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 lease, or (iii) renew the lease for the fair rental value at the end of the primary lease term. The depreciable life of assets and leasehold improvements are generally limited by the expected lease term. Certain of our lease agreements include variable rental payments based on a percentage of sales over base contractual levels and others include rental payments adjusted periodically for inflation. Our lease agreements do not contain any material residual value guarantees or material restrictive covenants. We generally do not have sublease arrangements, sale-leaseback arrangements, or leveraged leases. We have lease agreements with lease and non-lease components, which are generally accounted for separately. For leases commencing before January 1, 2019, we have elected the practical expedient to not separate lease and non-lease components on certain equipment leases, such as copiers where the cost-per-copy maintenance charges are included in the lease charge. On these leases, we have elected to account for the lease and non-lease components as a single component. For leases commencing on or after January 1, 2019, we account for the maintenance charges (non-lease components) separately from the lease components. For more information related to leases, see Note 8. Goodwill The excess of purchase price over the fair value of identifiable net assets acquired in business combinations is recorded as goodwill. Goodwill is tested annually during the fourth quarter for impairment by assessing the fair value of each of our reporting units. Our goodwill impairment test involves estimates and management judgment. In order to perform our goodwill impairment test, we compare the fair value of a reporting unit to its carrying amount, including goodwill. We determine fair value of each reporting unit using both a market and income approach. The income approach, which is a discounted cash flow method, uses projections of future cash flows and includes assumptions concerning future operating performance and economic conditions that may differ from actual future cash flows. We do not record an impairment of goodwill in instances where the fair value of a reporting unit exceeds its carrying amount. If the aggregate fair value is less than the related carrying amount for a reporting unit, we compare the implied fair value of goodwill to the 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. For our most recent annual impairment test performed in the fourth quarter, we used a 6.75% discount rate, revenue growth rates ranging from 1.0% to 3.7% over a seven-year period, plus a terminal value determined using the constant growth method in projecting our future cash flows. Our terminal value was calculated using a long-term revenue growth rate of 1.0% and 2.4% for our funeral and cemetery reporting units, respectively. Additionally, we used a ratio of expenses to revenue ranging from 72.2% to 80.0% and growth rates for other assumptions in our model ranging from 1.0% to 3.7% . Fair value was calculated as the sum of the projected discounted cash flows of our reporting units over the next seven years plus terminal value at the end of those seven years. In addition to our annual review, we assess the impairment of goodwill whenever certain events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may be greater than fair value. Factors that could trigger an interim impairment review include, but are not limited to, significant underperformance relative to historical or projected future operating results and significant negative industry or economic trends. No interim goodwill impairment reviews were required in 2019 or 2018 . For more information related to goodwill, see Note 4. Other Intangible Assets Our intangible assets include covenants-not-to-compete, customer relationships, trademarks and tradenames, and other intangible assets primarily resulting from acquisitions. Certain of our trademark and tradenames and other intangible assets are considered to have an indefinite life and are not subject to amortization. We test for impairment of indefinite-lived intangible assets annually during the fourth quarter. Our intangible asset impairment tests involve estimates and management judgment. For trademark and tradenames, our test uses the relief from royalty method whereby we determine the fair value of the assets by discounting the cash flows that represent a savings over having to pay a royalty fee for use of the trademark and tradenames. The discounted cash flow valuation uses projections of future cash flows and includes assumptions concerning future operating performance and economic conditions that may differ from actual future cash flows. For our most recent annual impairment test performed in the fourth quarter, we estimated that the pre-tax savings would range from 2.0% to 5.0% of the revenue associated with the trademark and tradenames, based primarily on our research of intellectual property valuation and licensing databases. We also assumed a terminal growth rate of 1.0% and 2.4% for our funeral and cemetery segments, respectively, and discounted the cash flows at a 6.95% discount rate based on the relative risk of these assets to our overall business. In addition to our annual review, we assess the impairment of intangible assets whenever certain events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may be greater than the fair value. Factors that could trigger an interim impairment review include, but are not limited to, significant under-performance relative to historical or projected future operating results and significant negative industry or economic trends. No interim intangible impairment reviews were required in 2019 or 2018 . Certain of our intangible assets associated with prior acquisitions are relieved using specific identification in fulfillment of performance obligations on our contracts. We amortize all other finite-lived intangible assets on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives, which range from two years to eighty-nine years . For more information related to intangible assets, see Note 4. Fair Value Measurements We measure the securities held by our funeral merchandise and service, cemetery merchandise and service, and cemetery perpetual care trusts at fair value on a recurring basis. Fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. We utilize a three-level valuation hierarchy for disclosure of fair value measurements. The valuation hierarchy is based upon the transparency of inputs to the valuation of an asset or liability as of the measurement date. The three levels are defined as follows: • Where quoted prices are available in an active market, securities held by the trusts are classified as Level 1 investments. • Where quoted market prices are not available for the specific security, fair values are estimated by using either quoted prices of securities with similar characteristics or an income approach fair value model with observable inputs that include a combination of interest rates, yield curves, credit risks, prepayment speeds, ratings, and tax-exempt status. These securities are classified as Level 2 investments. • The valuation of other investments requires management judgment due to the absence of quoted market prices, inherent lack of liquidity, and the long-term nature of such assets. These securities are classified as Level 3 investments. An asset’s or liability’s categorization within the valuation hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Fixed income commingled funds, money market funds, and private equity investments are measured at net asset value. Fixed income commingled funds and money market funds are redeemable for net asset value with two weeks' notice and immediately, respectively. Our private equity investments include several funds that invest in limited partnerships, distressed debt, real estate, and mezzanine financing. These investments can never be redeemed by the funds. Instead, due to the nature of the investments in this category, distributions are received through the liquidation of the underlying assets of the funds. We estimate that the underlying assets will be liquidated over the next two to ten years. Valuation policies and procedures are determined by our Trust Services department, which reports to our Chief Financial Officer. Additionally, valuations are reviewed quarterly by the Investment Committee of the Board of Directors. We assess our investments in fixed income instruments for other-than-temporary declines in fair value on a quarterly basis. Prior to our adoption of the new guidance on financial instruments discussed below in "Accounting Standards Adopted in 2019 ", we also assessed our investments in equity instruments for other-than temporary declines in fair value on a quarterly basis. Impairment charges resulting from these assessments are recognized as investment losses in Other income (expense), net . These investment losses, if any, are offset by the corresponding reclassification in Other income (expense), net , related to Deferred receipts held in trust , for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 . We recorded no impairment charge for other-than-temporary declines in fair value related to fixed income investments for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 . Treasury Stock We make treasury stock purchases in the open market or through privately negotiated transactions subject to market conditions and normal trading restrictions. We account for the repurchase of our common stock under the par value method. We canceled 2.2 million , 9.4 million , and 6.9 million shares of common stock held in our treasury in 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 , respectively. These retired treasury shares were changed to authorized but unissued status. Foreign Currency Translation All assets and liabilities of Canadian 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 as a component of Accumulated other comprehensive income in the Consolidated Statement of Equity and Consolidated Balance Sheet. The functional currency of SCI and its subsidiaries is the respective 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 (expense), net in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. We do not have any investments in foreign operations considered to be in highly inflationary economies. Funeral and Cemetery Operations Revenue is recognized when control of the merchandise or services is transferred to the customer. Our performance obligations include the delivery of funeral and cemetery merchandise and services and cemetery property interment rights. Control transfers when merchandise is delivered or services are performed. For cemetery property interment rights, control transfers to the customer when the property is developed and the interment right has been sold and can no longer be marketed or sold to another customer. Sales taxes collected are recognized on a net basis in our consolidated financial statements. On our atneed contracts, we generally deliver the merchandise and perform the services at the time of need. Personalized marker merchandise and marker installation services sold on atneed contracts are recognized when control is transferred to the customer, generally when the marker is delivered and installed in the cemetery. We also sell price-guaranteed preneed contracts through various programs providing for future merchandise and services at prices prevailing when the agreements are signed. Revenue associated with sales of preneed contracts is deferred until control of the merchandise or the services is transferred to the customer, which is upon delivery of the merchandise or as services are performed, generally at the time of need. On certain preneed contracts, we sell memorialization merchandise, which consists of urns and urn-related products, that we deliver to the customer at the time of sale. Revenue is recognized at the time of delivery when control of the memorialization merchandise is transferred. For personalized marker merchandise sold on a preneed contract, we will: • purchase the merchandise from vendors, • personalize such merchandise in accordance with the customer's specific written instructions, • either store the merchandise at a third-party bonded storage facility or install the merchandise, based on the customer's instructions, and • transfer title to the customer. We recognize revenue and record the cost of sales when control is transferred for the merchandise, which occurs upon delivery to the third-party storage facility or installation of the merchandise at the cemetery. There is no general right of return for delivered items. We also sell travel protection as an agent of a third party. Travel protection is a service that provides shipment of remains to the servicing funeral home or cemetery of choice if the purchaser passes away outside of a certain radius of their residence, without any additional expense to the family. We do not provide travel protection services, and we are not primarily obligated to provide such services under these arrangements. Therefore, we record revenues, net of amounts due to the third-party, at the time of sale. Total consideration received for price-guaranteed preneed and for atneed contracts with customers represents the stated amount of the contract excluding any amounts collected on behalf of third parties, such as sales taxes. Additionally, pursuant to state or provincial law, all or a portion of the proceeds from merchandise or services sold on a preneed basis may be required to be deposited into trust funds. Earnings on these trust funds, which are specifically identifiable for each performance obligation, are also included in total consideration. The total consideration received for contracts with customers is allocated to each performance obligation based on relative selling price. Relative selling prices are determined by either the amount we sell the performance obligation for on a stand-alone basis or our best estimate of the amount we would sell it for based on an adjusted market assessment approach that is consistent with our historical pricing practices. Payment on atneed contracts is generally due at the time the merchandise is delivered or the services are performed. For preneed contracts, payment generally occurs prior to our fulfillment of the performance obligations. Our preneed contracts may also have extended payment terms with associated financing charges. We do not accrue interest on preneed receivables if they are not paid in accordance with the contractual payment terms given the nature of our merchandise and services, the nature of our contracts with customers, and the timing of the delivery of our services. We do not consider preneed receivables to be past due until the merchandise or services are required to be delivered at which time the preneed receivable is paid or reclassified as a trade receivable with payment terms of less than thirty days. For unfulfilled performance obligations on cancelable preneed contracts, our Consolidated Balance Sheet reflects the net contract liability, which represents the amount we have collected from customers, in Deferred revenue, net . Pursuant to state or provincial law, all or a portion of the proceeds from merchandise or services sold on a preneed basis may be required to be deposited into trust funds. When we receive payments from the customer, we deposit the amount required by law into the merchandise and service trusts and reclassify the corresponding amount from Deferred revenue, net into Deferred receipts held in trust . Amounts are withdrawn from the merchandise and service trusts when we fulfill the performance obligations. Earnings on these trust funds, which are specifically identifiable for each performance obligation, are also included in total consideration. We defer these investment earnings related to the merchandise and service trusts until the associated merchandise is delivered or services are performed. Fees charged by our wholly-owned registered investment advisor are also included in revenue in the period in which they are earned. If a preneed contract is canceled prior to delivery, state or provincial 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 the trust and previously undistributed net investment earnings and, where required, issue a refund to the customer. In addition, we are entitled to retain, in certain jurisdictions, a portion of collected customer payments when a customer cancels a preneed contract. We recognize these retained funds, if any, and the attributed investment earnings (net of any investment earnings payable to the customer) as revenue in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. In certain jurisdictions, we may be obligated to fund any shortfall if the amount refundable to the customer exceeds the funds in trust. 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 by us to maintain the cemetery. This portion of the proceeds is not recognized as revenue. Investment earnings from these trusts are distributed to us regularly and recognized in current cemetery revenue. These distributions are intended to defray cemetery maintenance costs incurred by us for our cemetery properties, which are expensed as incurred. The principal of such perpetual care trust funds generally cannot be withdrawn; however, in lieu of the distribution of realized income, certain states allow a total return distribution which may contain elements of income, capital appreciation, and principal. Costs related to delivery or performance of merchandise and services are charged to expense when merchandise is delivered or services are performed. Costs related to property interment rights include the property and construction costs specifically identified by each project. Property and construction costs are charged to expense when the revenue is recognized by specific identification in the fulfillment of the performance obligation. Incremental direct selling costs are deferred until fulfillment of the performance obligations. These deferred costs are classified as long-term on our Consolidated Balance sheet because we do not control the timing of the delivery of the merchandise or performance of the services as they are generally provided at the time of need. For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, we recognized $ 174.7 million and $ 180.1 million , respectively, of incremental selling costs. All other selling costs are expensed as incurred. The components of Cost of revenue in our Consolidated Statement of Operations are: • Cost of property and merchandise , which includes cemetery property amortization, the direct cost of merchandise, labor-related costs for merchandise handling and delivery, cemetery maintenance expenses and depreciation, and selling costs; • Cost of services , which includes the direct cost of providing the services (including labor-related costs), cemetery maintenance expenses and depreciation, vehicle operating costs and depreciation, and selling costs; and • Overhead and other expenses , which includes labor-related costs, facility expenses and depreciation, and other general and administrative expenses incurred in our funeral and cemetery operations. Corporate general and administrative expenses include labor-related costs, corporate asset depreciation and amortization, public company costs, and other general and administrative expenses incurred by our corporate functions. Insurance-Funded Preneed Contracts Where permitted by state or provincial law, we may sell a life insurance or annuity policy from third-party insurance companies, for which we earn a commission as general sales agent for the insurance company. These general agency commissions (GA revenue) are based on a percentage per contract sold and are recognized as funeral revenue when the insurance purchase transaction between the preneed purchaser and third-party insurance provider is completed. All selling costs incurred pursuant to the sale of insurance-funded preneed contracts are expensed as incurred. GA revenue recognized in 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 was $139.7 million , $134.1 million , and $121.0 million , respectively. We do not reflect the unfulfilled insurance-funded preneed contract amounts in our Consolidated Balance Sheet. The policy amount of the insurance contract between the customer and the third-party insurance company generally equals the amount of the preneed contract. The policyholder has made a revocable commitment to assign the proceeds from the policy to us at the time of need. The proceeds of the life insurance policies or annuity contracts will be reflected in funeral revenue as we perform these funerals. Income Taxes We compute income taxes using the liability method. Our ability to realize the benefit of our deferred tax assets requires us to achieve certain future earnings levels. We have established a valuation allowance against a portion of our deferred tax assets. We could be required to further adjust that valuation allowance in the near term if market conditions change materially and future earnings are, or are projected to be, significantly different than our current estimates. An increase in the valuation allowance would result in additional income tax expense in such period. All deferred tax assets and liabilities, along with any related valuation allowances are classified as non-current on our Consolidated Balance Sheet. On December 22, 2017, the U.S. government enacted comprehensive tax legislation commonly referred to as the Tax Act. The Tax Act made broad and complex changes to the U.S. tax code by, among other things, reducing the federal corporate income tax rate, requiring payment of a one-time transition tax on unrepatriated earnings of foreign subsidiaries, generally eliminating U.S. federal income taxes on dividends from foreign subsidiaries, creating a new limitation on deductible interest expense, creating a bonus depreciation that will allow for full expensing on qualified property, and imposing a limitation

Preneed Activities Level 1 (Not

Preneed Activities Level 1 (Notes)	12 Months Ended
Preneed Activities Level 1 (Notes)	Dec. 31, 2019
Preneed Activities [Abstract]
Preneed Activities Text Block	3. Preneed Activities Preneed receivables, net and trust investments The components of Preneed receivables, net and trust investments in our Consolidated Balance Sheet were as follows: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 (In thousands) Preneed funeral receivables $ 130,971 $ 107,612 Preneed cemetery receivables 922,171 883,432 Preneed receivables from customers 1,053,142 991,044 Unearned finance charge (50,570 ) (44,981 ) Allowance for cancellation (55,340 ) (48,380 ) Preneed receivables, net 947,232 897,683 Trust investments, at market 5,258,319 4,585,720 Insurance-backed fixed income securities and other 265,160 265,787 Trust investments 5,523,479 4,851,507 Less: Cemetery perpetual care trust investments (1,681,149 ) (1,477,798 ) Preneed trust investments 3,842,330 3,373,709 Preneed receivables, net and trust investments $ 4,789,562 $ 4,271,392 The table below sets forth certain investment-related activities associated with our trusts: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 (In thousands) Deposits $ 421,460 $ 393,523 $ 371,234 Withdrawals $ 435,344 $ 432,822 $ 415,283 Purchases of securities $ 1,596,698 $ 1,540,093 $ 2,057,348 Sales of securities $ 1,495,733 $ 1,564,968 $ 1,999,918 Realized gains from sales of securities (1) $ 241,661 $ 305,595 $ 256,413 Realized losses from sales of securities (1) $ (121,272 ) $ (77,996 ) $ (76,963 ) (1) All realized gains and losses are recognized in Other income (expense), net for our trust investments and are offset by a corresponding reclassification in Other income (expense), net to Deferred receipts held in trust and Care trusts’ corpus. The activity in Preneed receivables, net and trust investments was as follows: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 (In thousands) Beginning balance - Preneed receivables, net and trust investments $ 4,271,392 $ 4,778,842 $ 4,305,165 Net preneed contract sales 1,372,705 1,325,134 1,257,288 Cash receipts from customers, net of refunds (1,280,468 ) (1,185,717 ) (1,109,380 ) Deposits to trust 372,644 347,601 328,241 Acquisitions of businesses, net 11,751 134,729 8,153 Net undistributed investment earnings (losses) (1) 489,577 (191,611 ) 384,512 Maturities and distributed earnings (442,507 ) (433,036 ) (411,452 ) Change in cancellation allowance (2,006 ) 62,131 (528 ) Change in amounts due on unfulfilled performance obligations (10,223 ) (546,554 ) — Effect of foreign currency and other 6,697 (20,127 ) 16,843 Ending balance - Preneed receivables, net and trust investments $ 4,789,562 $ 4,271,392 $ 4,778,842 (1) Includes both realized and unrealized investment earnings (losses). The cost and market values associated with trust investments recorded at market value at December 31, 2019 and 2018 are detailed below. Cost reflects the investment (net of redemptions) of control holders in the trusts. Fair value represents the value of the underlying securities held by the trusts. December 31, 2019 Fair Value Hierarchy Level Cost Unrealized Gains Unrealized Losses Value (In thousands) Fixed income securities: U.S. Treasury 2 $ 49,728 $ 752 $ (130 ) $ 50,350 Canadian government 2 41,093 76 (850 ) 40,319 Corporate 2 9,694 28 (172 ) 9,550 Residential mortgage-backed 2 3,210 59 (1 ) 3,268 Asset-backed 2 129 3 (4 ) 128 Equity securities: Preferred stock 2 6,338 804 (115 ) 7,027 Common stock: United States 1 1,349,828 303,766 (36,507 ) 1,617,087 Canada 1 43,866 12,369 (2,075 ) 54,160 Other international 1 95,257 18,227 (522 ) 112,962 Mutual funds: Equity 1 746,581 31,511 (54,020 ) 724,072 Fixed income 1 1,247,930 16,424 (32,587 ) 1,231,767 Other 3 7,034 1,184 — 8,218 Trust investments, at fair value 3,600,688 385,203 (126,983 ) 3,858,908 Commingled funds Fixed income 444,744 5,077 (1,731 ) 448,090 Equity 249,980 47,631 — 297,611 Money market funds 397,461 — — 397,461 Private equity 176,388 80,283 (422 ) 256,249 Trust investments, at net asset value 1,268,573 132,991 (2,153 ) 1,399,411 Trust investments, at market $ 4,869,261 $ 518,194 $ (129,136 ) $ 5,258,319 December 31, 2018 Fair Value Hierarchy Level Cost Unrealized Gains Unrealized Losses Value (In thousands) Fixed income securities: U.S. Treasury 2 $ 49,187 $ 153 $ (448 ) $ 48,892 Canadian government 2 56,343 23 (1,797 ) 54,569 Corporate 2 19,869 13 (516 ) 19,366 Residential mortgage-backed 2 3,611 10 (50 ) 3,571 Asset-backed 2 142 2 (11 ) 133 Equity securities: Preferred stock 2 9,058 180 (412 ) 8,826 Common stock: United States 1 1,236,513 149,233 (138,141 ) 1,247,605 Canada 1 34,821 9,082 (3,026 ) 40,877 Other international 1 77,676 6,057 (10,275 ) 73,458 Mutual funds: Equity 1 760,887 7,104 (151,853 ) 616,138 Fixed income 1 1,180,325 800 (89,179 ) 1,091,946 Other 3 6,548 3,210 (3 ) 9,755 Trust investments, at fair value 3,434,980 175,867 (395,711 ) 3,215,136 Commingled funds Fixed income 419,206 2,419 (18,981 ) 402,644 Equity 205,789 19,567 (11,723 ) 213,633 Money market funds 466,429 — — 466,429 Private equity 215,618 72,897 (637 ) 287,878 Trust investments, at net asset value 1,307,042 94,883 (31,341 ) 1,370,584 Trust investments, at market $ 4,742,022 $ 270,750 $ (427,052 ) $ 4,585,720 As of December 31, 2019 , our unfunded commitment for our private equity investments was $134.9 million which, if called, would be funded by the assets of the trusts. The change in our market-based trust investments with significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) is as follows: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 (In thousands) Fair value, beginning balance at January 1 $ 9,755 $ 9,067 $ 7,163 Net realized and unrealized (losses) gains included in Other income (expense), net (1) (761 ) (697 ) 912 Purchases 1,006 66 1,945 Sales (1,782 ) (26 ) (953 ) Acquisitions, net — 1,345 — Fair value, ending balance at December 31 $ 8,218 $ 9,755 $ 9,067 (1) All net realized and unrealized (losses) gains recognized in Other income (expense), net for our trust investments are offset by a corresponding reclassification in Other income (expense), net to Deferred receipts held in trust and Care trusts' corpus . Maturity dates of our fixed income securities range from 2020 to 2040 . Maturities of fixed income securities (excluding mutual funds) at December 31, 2019 are estimated as follows: Fair Value (In thousands) Due in one year or less $ 58,452 Due in one to five years 36,994 Due in five to ten years 8,038 Thereafter 131 Total estimated maturities of fixed income securities $ 103,615 Recognized trust fund income (realized and unrealized) related to our preneed trust investments was $119.0 million , $121.7 million , and $112.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 , respectively. Recognized trust fund income (realized and unrealized) related to our cemetery perpetual care trust investments was $77.5 million , $74.7 million , and $62.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 , respectively. We have determined that the unrealized losses in our fixed income trust investments are considered temporary in nature, as the unrealized losses were due to temporary fluctuations in interest rates. The investments are diversified across multiple industry segments using a balanced allocation strategy to minimize long-term risk. We believe that none of the securities are other-than-temporarily impaired based on our analysis of the investments. Our analysis included a review of the portfolio holdings and discussions with the individual money managers as to the credit ratings and the severity and duration of the unrealized losses. Our fixed income investment unrealized losses, their associated fair values, and the duration of unrealized losses for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 , are shown in the following tables: December 31, 2019 In Loss Position Less Than 12 Months In Loss Position Greater Than 12 Months Total Fair Market Value Unrealized Losses Fair Market Value Unrealized Losses Fair Market Value Unrealized Losses (In thousands) Fixed income securities: U.S. Treasury $ 3,023 $ (36 ) $ 1,947 $ (94 ) $ 4,970 $ (130 ) Canadian government — — 13,804 (850 ) 13,804 (850 ) Corporate 30 — 4,826 (172 ) 4,856 (172 ) Residential mortgage-backed — — 51 (1 ) 51 (1 ) Asset-backed — — 28 (4 ) 28 (4 ) Total fixed income temporarily impaired securities $ 3,053 $ (36 ) $ 20,656 $ (1,121 ) $ 23,709 $ (1,157 ) December 31, 2018 In Loss Position Less Than 12 Months In Loss Position Greater Than 12 Months Total Fair Market Value Unrealized Losses Fair Market Value Unrealized Losses Fair Market Value Unrealized Losses (In thousands) Fixed income securities: U.S. Treasury $ 6,899 $ (226 ) $ 16,374 $ (222 ) $ 23,273 $ (448 ) Canadian government 2,254 (9 ) 25,330 (1,788 ) 27,584 (1,797 ) Corporate 11,579 (206 ) 6,563 (310 ) 18,142 (516 ) Residential mortgage-backed 351 (4 ) 3,010 (46 ) 3,361 (50 ) Asset-backed — — 79 (11 ) 79 (11 ) Total fixed income temporarily impaired securities $ 21,083 $ (445 ) $ 51,356 $ (2,377 ) $ 72,439 $ (2,822 ) Deferred revenue, net At December 31, 2019 and 2018 , Deferred revenue, net represents future revenue, including distributed trust investment earnings associated with unperformed trust-funded preneed contracts that are not held in trust accounts. Future revenue and net trust investment earnings that are held in trust accounts are included in Deferred receipts held in trust . The components of Deferred revenue, net in our Consolidated Balance Sheet were as follows: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 (In thousands) Deferred revenue $ 2,046,000 $ 1,989,232 Amounts due from customers for unfulfilled performance obligations on cancelable preneed contracts (1) (578,897 ) (570,418 ) Deferred revenue, net $ 1,467,103 $ 1,418,814 (1) Prior to adoption of "Revenue from Contracts with Customers" on January 1, 2018, amounts due from customers for unfulfilled performance obligations on cancelable preneed contracts were included in Preneed receivables, net and trust investments . The following table summarizes the activity for our contract liabilities, which are reflected in Deferred revenue, net and Deferred receipts held in trust : Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 (In thousands) Beginning balance — Deferred revenue, net and Deferred receipts held in trust $ 4,790,552 $ 5,265,206 Cumulative effect of accounting changes — 37,991 Net preneed contract sales 984,575 977,378 (Dispositions) acquisitions of businesses, net (12,741 ) 159,560 Net investment gains (losses) (1) 484,577 (195,051 ) Recognized revenue from backlog (2) (368,908 ) (381,041 ) Recognized revenue from current period sales (573,804 ) (572,428 ) Change in amounts due on unfulfilled performance obligations (10,223 ) (546,554 ) Change in cancellation reserve 1,066 65,817 Effect of foreign currency and other 11,385 (20,326 ) Ending balance — Deferred revenue, net and Deferred receipts held in trust $ 5,306,479 $ 4,790,552 (1) Includes both realized and unrealized investment gains (losses). (2) Includes current year trust fund income through the date of performance. The following table summarizes the activity in Deferred revenue, net : Year Ended December 31, 2017 (In thousands) Beginning balance — Deferred revenue, net $ 1,731,417 Net preneed contract sales 900,037 Acquisitions of businesses, net 10,488 Net investment earnings (1) 381,436 Recognized revenue (876,857 ) Change in cancellation allowance (165 ) Change in deferred receipts held in trust (361,499 ) Effect of foreign currency and other 4,919 Ending balance — Deferred revenue, net $ 1,789,776 (1) Includes both realized and unrealized investment earnings.

Goodwill and Intangible Assets

Goodwill and Intangible Assets	12 Months Ended
Goodwill and Intangible Assets	Dec. 31, 2019
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Goodwill Disclosure [Text Block]	Goodwill and Intangible Assets The changes in the carrying amounts of goodwill for our funeral and cemetery reporting units are as follows: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 Funeral Cemetery Total Funeral Cemetery Total (In thousands) Beginning balance — Goodwill $ 1,528,407 $ 335,435 $ 1,863,842 $ 1,499,741 $ 306,240 $ 1,805,981 Increase (decrease) in goodwill related to acquisitions (1) 7,458 (6,003 ) 1,455 38,976 29,219 68,195 Reduction of goodwill related to divestitures (5,003 ) (487 ) (5,490 ) (2,183 ) (24 ) (2,207 ) Effect of foreign currency 4,416 — 4,416 (8,127 ) — (8,127 ) Activity 6,871 (6,490 ) 381 28,666 29,195 57,861 Ending balance — Goodwill $ 1,535,278 $ 328,945 $ 1,864,223 $ 1,528,407 $ 335,435 $ 1,863,842 (1) Also includes adjustments within the remeasurement period related to acquisitions. The components of intangible assets at December 31 were as follows: Useful Life Minimum Maximum 2019 2018 (Years) (In thousands) Amortizing intangibles: Covenants-not-to-compete 2 - 20 $ 216,646 $ 215,424 Customer relationships 10 - 20 149,479 158,347 Tradenames 5 - 89 7,000 16,150 Other 5 - 89 26,927 25,103 400,052 415,024 Less: accumulated amortization: Covenants-not-to-compete 198,610 195,536 Customer relationships 83,047 75,199 Tradenames 123 9,194 Other 8,067 5,504 289,847 285,433 Amortizing intangibles, net 110,205 129,591 Non-amortizing intangibles: Tradenames Indefinite 310,197 293,474 Other Indefinite 10,765 10,765 Non-amortizing intangibles 320,962 304,239 Intangible assets, net — included in Deferred charges and other assets $ 431,167 $ 433,830 As part of our annual recoverability testing process during 2019, we recognized $3.4 million of impairment on tradenames. Amortization expense for intangible assets was $25.6 million , $26.2 million , and $27.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 , respectively. The following is estimated amortization expense, excluding certain intangibles for which we are unable to provide an estimate because they are amortized based on specific identification in the fulfillment of performance obligation on our preneed contracts, for the five years subsequent to December 31, 2019 (in thousands): 2020 $ 7,239 2021 7,140 2022 5,975 2023 5,584 2024 5,439 Total estimated amortization expense $ 31,377

Income Taxes Level 1 (Notes)

Income Taxes Level 1 (Notes)	12 Months Ended
Income Taxes Level 1 (Notes)	Dec. 31, 2019
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Tax Disclosure [Text Block]	Income Taxes The provision or benefit for income taxes includes U.S. federal income taxes (determined on a consolidated return basis), foreign income taxes, and state income taxes. On December 22, 2017, the U.S. government enacted comprehensive tax legislation commonly referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ("the Tax Act”). The Tax Act made broad and complex changes to the U.S. tax code by, among other things, reducing the federal corporate income tax rate, requiring payment of a one-time transition tax on unrepatriated earnings of foreign subsidiaries, generally eliminating U.S. federal income taxes on dividends from foreign subsidiaries, creating a new limitation on deductible interest expense, creating a bonus depreciation that will allow for full expensing on qualified property, and imposing limitation on deductibility of certain executive compensation. The Tax Act reduced the U.S. corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21% effective January 1, 2018. In accordance with SAB 118, we recognized a provisional $146.2 million net tax benefit related to deemed repatriated earnings and the remeasurement of deferred tax assets and liabilities in our consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2017. During 2018, we recognized a net $16.1 million discrete tax benefit for adjustments to the provisional tax amounts allowed under SAB 118. The accounting for the income tax effects of the Tax Act was finalized in the fourth quarter of 2018 based on the regulatory guidance, interpretations, and data available as of December 31, 2018. As of December 31, 2019 , foreign withholding taxes have not been provided on the estimated $259.8 million of undistributed earnings and profits (E&P) of our foreign subsidiaries as we intend to permanently reinvest these foreign E&P in those businesses outside the U.S. However, if we were to repatriate such foreign E&P, the foreign withholding tax liability is estimated to be $13.4 million . Beginning in 2018, the Tax Act includes a new U.S. tax base erosion provision designed to tax global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”). We made a policy election to account for GILTI as a period cost. However, the tax impacts of GILTI provisions are not material to our consolidated financial statements. Income before income taxes was composed of the following components: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 (In thousands) United States $ 441,579 $ 399,123 $ 347,680 Foreign 22,853 42,609 52,578 $ 464,432 $ 441,732 $ 400,258 Income tax provision (benefit) consisted of the following: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 (In thousands) Current: United States $ 51,664 $ 18,138 $ 154,128 Foreign 7,059 10,541 12,187 State 12,908 6,974 4,934 Total current income taxes 71,631 35,653 171,249 Deferred: United States $ 12,973 $ (48,565 ) $ (314,389 ) Foreign (571 ) 386 618 State 10,628 6,700 (4,067 ) Total deferred income taxes 23,030 (41,479 ) (317,838 ) Total income taxes $ 94,661 $ (5,826 ) $ (146,589 ) We made income tax payments of $70.6 million , $65.4 million , and $170.2 million in 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 , respectively, and received refunds of $4.7 million , $11.4 million , and $3.4 million , respectively. The income tax payments for 2017 include $34.2 million in settlement payments to the IRS. The differences between the U.S. federal statutory income tax rate and our effective tax rate were as follows: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 (In thousands) Computed tax provision at the applicable federal statutory income tax rate $ 97,531 $ 92,764 $ 140,090 State and local taxes, net of federal income tax benefits 20,081 10,146 8,216 Foreign jurisdiction differences 1,646 2,377 (6,782 ) Permanent differences associated with divestitures 1,288 790 1,925 Changes in uncertain tax positions and audit settlements (9,842 ) (88,687 ) (105,821 ) Foreign valuation allowance, net of federal income tax benefits 43 (431 ) 1,186 Enactment of U.S. Tax Act — (16,105 ) (146,160 ) Excess tax benefit from share-based compensation (13,868 ) (11,159 ) (18,521 ) Other (2,218 ) 4,479 (20,722 ) Provision (benefit from) for income taxes $ 94,661 $ (5,826 ) $ (146,589 ) Total consolidated effective tax rate 20.4 % (1.3 )% (36.6 )% The effective tax rate for the twelve months ended December 31, 2019 was lower than the federal statutory tax rate of 21% primarily due to the reduction in tax liability as a result of the expiration of statute of limitations and higher excess tax benefits on the increased exercises of stock options, The effective tax rate for the twelve months ended December 31, 2018 was lower than the federal statutory tax rate of 21% primarily due to the reduction in uncertain tax positions as a result of the expiration of statutes of limitations. The lower effective tax rate for the twelve months ended December 31, 2017 was primarily due to the effects of the Tax Act discussed above and the IRS audit settlement. Deferred taxes are determined based on differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and are measured using the enacted tax rates. The tax effects of temporary differences and carryforwards that give rise to significant portions of deferred tax assets and liabilities consisted of the following: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 (In thousands) Inventories and cemetery property $ (212,498 ) $ (220,537 ) Deferred incremental direct selling costs (76,692 ) (73,696 ) Property and equipment (139,548 ) (122,281 ) Intangibles (199,906 ) (197,815 ) Other (1,893 ) — Deferred tax liabilities (630,537 ) (614,329 ) Loss and tax credit carryforwards 143,391 153,688 Deferred revenue on preneed funeral and cemetery contracts 113,171 113,970 Accrued liabilities 67,489 63,558 Other — 90 Deferred tax assets 324,051 331,306 Less: valuation allowance (114,331 ) (120,931 ) Net deferred income tax liability $ (420,817 ) $ (403,954 ) Deferred tax assets and deferred income tax liabilities are recognized in our Consolidated Balance Sheet as follows: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 (In thousands) Non-current deferred tax assets $ 665 $ 673 Non-current deferred tax liabilities (421,482 ) (404,627 ) Net deferred income tax liability $ (420,817 ) $ (403,954 ) The following table summarizes the activity related to our gross unrecognized tax benefits from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2019 (in thousands): Federal, State, and Foreign Tax (In thousands) Balance at December 31, 2016 $ 178,326 Reductions to tax positions as a result of audit settlement (30,333 ) Reductions to tax positions related to prior years (68,538 ) Balance at December 31, 2017 $ 79,455 Additions to tax positions related to prior years 1,348 Reduction to tax positions due to expiration of statutes of limitations (79,455 ) Balance at December 31, 2018 $ 1,348 Reductions to tax positions related to prior years — Balance at December 31, 2019 $ 1,348 Our total unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect our effective tax rates were $1.4 million as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 and $79.5 million as of December 31, 2017 . We include potential accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits within our income tax provision account. We have accrued $0.6 million , $0.5 million , and $11.1 million for the payment of interest, net of tax benefits, and penalties as of December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 , respectively. We recorded an increase of $0.1 million interest and penalties and a decrease of $10.6 million and $46.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 , respectively. To the extent interest and penalties are not assessed with respect to uncertain tax positions or the uncertainty of deductions in the future, amounts accrued will be reduced and reflected as a reduction of the overall income tax provision. We file income tax returns, including tax returns for our subsidiaries, with federal, state, local, and foreign jurisdictions. We consider the United States to be our most significant jurisdiction; however, all tax returns are subject to routine compliance review by the taxing authorities in the jurisdictions in which we file tax returns in the ordinary course of business. In March 2017, we received from the IRS Office of Appeals the fully executed Form 870-AD for the years 1999-2005, which effectively settled the issues under audit for those years. As a result of this resolution, we recognized a reduction in our unrecognized tax benefits and associated interest of $143.0 million . In 2017, we made $34.2 million in settlement payments to the IRS and subsequently in 2018 and 2019 received federal and state refunds totaling $5.6 million and $2.0 million , respectively. The federal statutes of limitations have expired for all tax years prior to 2016, and we are not currently under audit by the IRS. Various state jurisdictions are auditing years 2013 through 2017. There are currently no federal or provincial audits in Canada; however, years subsequent to 2014 remain open and could be subject to examination. It is reasonably possible that the amount of unrecognized tax benefits may change within the next twelve months. However, given the number of years that remain subject to examination and the number of matters being examined, an estimate of the range of the possible increase or decrease cannot be made. Various subsidiaries have federal, state and foreign loss carryforwards in the aggregate of $2.5 billion with expiration dates through 2038 . Such loss carryforwards will expire as follows: Federal State Foreign Total (In thousands) 2020 $ — $ 172,219 $ — $ 172,219 2021 — 150,106 — 150,106 2022 — 78,589 — 78,589 2023 — 228,210 — 228,210 Thereafter 1,211 1,828,046 11,147 1,840,404 Total $ 1,211 $ 2,457,170 $ 11,147 $ 2,469,528 In assessing the usefulness of deferred tax assets, we consider whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the net deferred tax assets will not be realized. The ultimate realization of net deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible. During 2018, we recorded a net $6.6 million decrease in our state valuation allowance due primarily to the legislative change in Iowa and increased activity in Indiana as a result of the Gibraltar acquisition. We also recorded a $43 thousand increase in our foreign valuation allowance due primarily to continuing cumulative operating losses in the Netherlands. The valuation allowances can be affected in future periods by changes to tax laws, changes to statutory tax rates, and changes in estimates of future taxable income. At December 31, 2019 , our loss and tax credit carryforward deferred tax assets and related valuation allowances by jurisdiction are as follows (presented net of federal benefit): Federal State Foreign Total (In thousands) Loss and tax credit carryforwards $ 254 $ 136,133 $ 7,004 $ 143,391 Valuation allowance $ — $ 93,982 $ 20,349 $ 114,331

Debt Level 1 (Notes)

Debt Level 1 (Notes)	12 Months Ended
Debt Level 1 (Notes)	Dec. 31, 2019
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Debt Disclosure [Text Block]	Debt Debt was as follows: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 (In thousands) 4.5% Senior Notes due November 2020 $ — $ 200,000 8.0% Senior Notes due November 2021 150,000 150,000 5.375% Senior Notes due January 2022 — 425,000 5.375% Senior Notes due May 2024 850,000 850,000 7.5% Senior Notes due April 2027 153,465 200,000 4.625% Senior Notes due December 2027 550,000 550,000 5.125% Senior Notes due June 2029 750,000 — Term Loan due December 2022 — 641,250 Term Loan due May 2024 633,750 — Bank Credit Facility due December 2022 — 395,000 Bank Credit Facility due May 2024 295,000 — Obligations under finance leases 185,252 211,952 Mortgage notes and other debt, maturities through 2050 45,104 4,076 Unamortized premiums and discounts, net 5,634 6,562 Unamortized debt issuance costs (34,854 ) (31,762 ) Total debt 3,583,351 3,602,078 Less: Current maturities of long-term debt (69,821 ) (69,896 ) Total long-term debt $ 3,513,530 $ 3,532,182 Current maturities of debt at December 31, 2019 include amounts due under our term loan, mortgage notes and other debt, and finance leases within the next year as well as the portion of unamortized premiums and discounts and debt issuance costs expected to be recognized in the next twelve months. Our consolidated debt had a weighted average interest rate of 4.72% and 4.99% at December 31, 2019 and 2018 , respectively. Approximately 69% and 66% of our total debt had a fixed interest rate at December 31, 2019 and 2018 , respectively. The following table summarizes the aggregate maturities of our debt for the five years subsequent to December 31, 2019 and thereafter, excluding unamortized premiums and debt issuance costs (in thousands): 2020 $ 73,912 2021 244,931 2022 60,322 2023 69,898 2024 1,659,084 2025 and thereafter 1,504,424 Total debt maturities $ 3,612,571 Bank Credit Agreement The bank credit agreement provides us with flexibility for working capital, if needed, and is guaranteed by a majority of our domestic subsidiaries. The subsidiary guaranty is a guaranty of payment of the outstanding amount of the total lending commitment, including letters of credit. The bank credit agreement contains certain financial covenants, including a minimum interest coverage ratio, a maximum leverage ratio, and certain dividend and share repurchase restrictions. As of December 31, 2019 , we are in compliance with all of our debt covenants. We issued $34.0 million of letters of credit and pay a quarterly fee on the unused commitment, which was 0.20% at December 31, 2019 . As of December 31, 2019 , we have $671.0 million in borrowing capacity under the facility. As of December 31, 2018 , we issued $32.9 million of letters of credit. Debt Issuances and Additions During the year ended December 31, 2019 , we issued $1.1 billion of debt including: • $750.0 million unsecured 5.125% Senior Notes due June 2029; • $55.0 million on our Bank Credit Facility due December 2022; • $ 295.0 million on our Bank Credit Facility due May 2024; and • $49.3 million in additional proceeds from certain members of the syndicate of banks in our Bank Credit Facility. Newly issued debt was used to pay off our Bank Credit Facility due December 2022, to redeem our 5.375% Senior Notes due January 2022, to redeem our 4.5% Senior Notes due November 2020, to fund acquisition activity, and for general corporate purposes. These transactions resulted in additional debt issuance costs of $15.5 million . During the year ended December 31, 2018 , we drew $ 395.0 million on our Bank Credit Facility to fund acquisition activity, to fund the redemption of senior notes, to make required payments on our Term Loan due December 2022, and for general corporate purposes. Debt Extinguishments and Reductions During the year ended December 31, 2019 , we made aggregate debt payments of $1.2 billion for scheduled and early extinguishment payments including: • $450.0 million in aggregate principal of our Bank Credit Facility due December 2022; • $8.5 million in aggregate principal of our Term Loan due December 2022; • $32.1 million in aggregate principal payments to other members of our Term Loan due December 2022; • $16.3 million in aggregate principal of our Term Loan due May 2024; • $425.0 million in aggregate principal of 5.375% Senior Notes due January 2022; • $200.0 million in aggregate principal of 4.5% Senior Notes due November 2020; • $46.5 million in aggregate principal of 7.5% Senior Notes due April 2027; • $11.5 million of premiums paid on early extinguishment; and • $0.3 million in other debt. Certain of the above transactions resulted in the recognition of a loss of $16.6 million recorded in Losses on early extinguishment of debt, net in our Consolidated Statement of Operations for the year ended December 31, 2019 . During the year ended December 31, 2018 , we made aggregate debt payments of $ 293.7 million for scheduled and early extinguishment payments including: • $250.0 million in aggregate principal of our 7.625% Senior Notes due October 2018; • $9.6 million in call premium for redemption of the 7.625% Senior Notes due October 2018; • $33.8 million in aggregate principal of our Term Loan due December 2022; and • $0.3 million in other debt. Certain of the above transactions resulted in the recognition of a loss of $10.1 million recorded in Losses on early extinguishment of debt, net in our Consolidated Statement of Operations for the year ended December 31, 2018 . Additional Debt Disclosures At December 31, 2019 and 2018 , we had deposits of $2.7 million and $3.8 million , respectively, in restricted, interest-bearing accounts that were pledged as collateral for various credit instruments and commercial commitments. These deposits are included in Other current assets and Deferred charges and other assets in our Consolidated Balance Sheet. We had assets of approximately $0.6 million and $1.1 million pledged as collateral for the mortgage notes and other debt at December 31, 2019 and 2018 , respectively. Cash interest payments for the three years ended December 31 were as follows (in thousands): Payments in 2019 $ 190,672 Payments in 2018 $ 179,865 Payments in 2017 $ 160,843 Expected cash interest payments for the five years subsequent to December 31, 2019 and thereafter are as follows (in thousands): Payments in 2020 $ 169,519 Payments in 2021 166,382 Payments in 2022 154,506 Payments in 2023 153,727 Payments in 2024 108,640 Payments in 2025 and thereafter 274,871 Total expected cash interest payments $ 1,027,645

Credit Risk and Fair Value of F

Credit Risk and Fair Value of Financial Instruments Level 1 (Notes)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Credit Risk and Fair Value of Financial Instruments [Abstract]
Credit Risk and Fair Value of Financial Instruments [Text Block]	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 approximate the fair values of those instruments due to the short-term nature of the instruments. The carrying values of receivables on preneed funeral and cemetery contracts approximate fair value due to the diverse number of individual contracts with varying terms. The fair value of our debt instruments was as follows: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 (In thousands) 4.5% Senior Notes due November 2020 $ — $ 198,930 8.0% Senior Notes due November 2021 165,375 160,800 5.375% Senior Notes due January 2022 — 428,188 5.375% Senior Notes due May 2024 879,606 851,275 7.5% Notes due April 2027 188,381 214,940 4.625% Senior Notes due December 2027 577,500 517,077 5.125% Senior Notes due June 2029 798,525 — Term Loan due December 2022 — 629,579 Term Loan due May 2024 633,750 — Bank Credit Facility due December 2022 — 387,061 Bank Credit Facility due May 2024 295,000 — Mortgage notes and other debt, maturities through 2050 45,104 4,076 Total fair value of debt instruments $ 3,583,241 $ 3,391,926 The fair values of our long-term, fixed rate loans were estimated using market prices for those loans, and therefore they are classified within Level 2 of the fair value measurements hierarchy. The Term Loan, Bank Credit Facility agreement, and the mortgage and other debt are classified within Level 3 of the fair value measurements hierarchy. The fair values of these instruments have been estimated using discounted cash flow analysis based on our incremental borrowing rate for similar borrowing arrangements. An increase (decrease) in the inputs results in a directionally opposite change in the fair value of the instruments. Credit Risk Exposure Our cash deposits, some of which exceed insured limits, are distributed among various market and national banks in the jurisdictions in which we operate. In addition, we regularly invest excess cash in financial instruments that are not insured, such as commercial paper that is offered by corporations with quality credit ratings and money market funds and Eurodollar time deposits that are offered by a variety of reputable financial institutions. We believe that the credit risk associated with such instruments is minimal. We grant credit to customers in the normal course of business. The credit risk associated with our 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 revenue. 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 us 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.

Leases (Notes)

Leases (Notes)	12 Months Ended
Leases (Notes)	Dec. 31, 2019
Leases [Abstract]
Lessee, Finance Leases [Text Block]	Leases Our leases principally relate to office, maintenance, and transportation equipment and funeral service real estate. The majority of our lease arrangements 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 lease, or (iii) renew the lease for the fair rental value at the end of the primary lease term. Future lease payments for non-cancelable operating and finance leases as of December 31, 2019 were as follows: Operating Finance Total (In thousands) 2020 $ 11,098 $ 45,182 $ 56,280 2021 10,253 63,840 74,093 2022 8,703 27,764 36,467 2023 6,394 20,317 26,711 2024 5,366 24,774 30,140 2025 and thereafter 40,364 24,594 64,958 Total lease payments $ 82,178 $ 206,471 $ 288,649 Less: Interest (21,549 ) (21,219 ) (42,768 ) Present value of lease liabilities $ 60,629 $ 185,252 $ 245,881 The components of lease cost as of December 31, 2019 were as follows (in thousands): Amortization of leased assets $ 42,147 Interest on lease liabilities 6,882 Total finance lease cost 49,029 Operating lease cost 12,502 Variable lease cost 1,089 Total lease cost $ 62,620 We paid variable lease costs of $1.1 million , representing amounts that were not fixed at the commencement of our lease agreements and were therefore expensed as incurred, during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019. Approximately 70% of our variable lease costs are based upon changes in published indices, while approximately 30% of our variable lease costs are based on percentage rental of the net revenue generated by leased locations. Supplemental balance sheet information related to leases were as follows: Lease Type Balance Sheet Classification December 31, 2019 (In thousands) Operating lease right-of-use assets (1) Deferred charges and other assets $ 58,101 Finance lease right-of-use assets (1) Property and equipment, net 179,538 Total right-of-use assets (1) $ 237,639 Operating Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 8,538 Finance Current maturities of long-term debt 39,428 Total current lease liabilities 47,966 Operating Other liabilities 52,091 Finance Long-term debt 145,824 Total non-current lease liabilities 197,915 Total lease liabilities $ 245,881 (1) Right-of-use assets are presented net of accumulated amortization. The weighted-average life remaining and discount rates of our leases as of December 31, 2019 were as follows: Operating Finance Weighted-average remaining lease term (years) 12.4 4.9 Weighted-average discount rate 4.6% 3.5% Supplemental cash flow information related to leases for the year ended December 31, 2019 , were as follows (in thousands): Cash paid for amounts in the measurement of lease liabilities Operating cash flows for operating leases $ 12,568 Operating cash flows for finance leases 7,472 Financing cash flows for finance leases 42,627 Total cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities $ 62,667 Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for finance lease liabilities $ 48,233 Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for operating lease liabilities $ 10,925 The right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for lease liabilities of 48.2 million for finance leases and 10.9 million for operating leases include increases related to lease renewals and extensions of $4.4 million and $8.0 million , respectively. Additionally, we recorded modifications of $5.7 million that reduced the right-of-use assets and lease liabilities through remeasurement and reassessment of certain leases, which are excluded from the numbers shown above. We have 65 operating leases where we are the lessor and the non-cancelable term is greater than one year, resulting in $0.5 million and $2.5 million in lease income for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2019 , respectively. We lease office space and excess land, and we are party to cellular agreements and land easements. We generally do not have sales-type leases, direct financing leases, or lease receivables. The adoption of ASC 842 did not have an impact on our accounting for lessor leases. Future undiscounted lease income from operating leases as of December 31, 2019 were as follows (in thousands): 2020 $ 1,744 2021 1,428 2022 1,053 2023 436 2024 77 Thereafter 139 Total expected cash receipts $ 4,877 As of December 31, 2018, we disclosed the following future lease payments for non-cancelable operating and capital leases exceeding one year: Operating (1) Capital (1) (In thousands) 2019 $ 11,295 $ 46,998 2020 9,550 51,943 2021 8,251 57,881 2022 7,282 21,842 2023 5,397 15,587 2024 and thereafter 37,841 40,447 Total $ 79,616 $ 234,698 Less: Interest on capital leases (22,746 ) Total principal payable on capital leases $ 211,952 (1) These results have not been adjusted for the impact of our adoption of "Leases" on January 1, 2019. Rental expense for operating leases was $27.4 million and $30.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

Commitments and Contingencies L

Commitments and Contingencies Level 1 (Notes)	12 Months Ended
Commitments and Contingencies Level 1 (Notes)	Dec. 31, 2019
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]	Commitments and Contingencies Employment and Management, Consulting, and Non-Competition Agreements We have entered into employment and management, consulting, and non-competition agreements, generally for five years to ten years , with certain officers and associates and former owners of businesses that we acquired. At December 31, 2019 , the maximum estimated future cash commitments under agreements with remaining commitment terms, and with original terms of more than one year, were as follows: Employment and Management Consulting Non-Competition Total (In thousands) 2020 $ 1,968 $ 1,020 $ 5,172 $ 8,160 2021 1,296 603 4,289 6,188 2022 399 444 3,363 4,206 2023 123 165 2,461 2,749 2024 8 48 1,983 2,039 2025 and thereafter — 171 4,702 4,873 Total $ 3,794 $ 2,451 $ 21,970 $ 28,215 Insurance Loss Reserves We purchase comprehensive general liability, morticians and cemetery professional liability, automobile liability, and workers’ compensation insurance coverage structured with high deductibles. The high-deductible insurance program means we are primarily self-insured for claims and associated costs and losses covered by these policies. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018 , we have self-insurance reserves of $84.3 million and $80.1 million , respectively. Litigation and Regulatory Matters We are a party to various litigation and regulatory matters, investigations, and proceedings. Some of the more frequent routine litigations incidental to our business are based on burial practices claims and employment-related matters, including discrimination, harassment, and wage and hour laws and regulations. For each of our outstanding legal matters, we evaluate the merits of the case, our exposure to the matter, possible legal or settlement strategies, and the likelihood of an unfavorable outcome. We intend to vigorously defend ourselves in the matters described herein; however, if we determine that an unfavorable outcome is probable and can be reasonably estimated, we establish the necessary accruals. We hold certain insurance policies that may reduce cash outflows with respect to an adverse outcome of certain of these matters. We accrue such insurance recoveries when they become probable of being paid and can be reasonably estimated. Wage and Hour Claims . We are named as a defendant in various lawsuits alleging violations of federal and state laws regulating wage and hour pay, including but not limited to the Samborsky, Vasquez, Fredeen, Horton, Quismundo, Kallweit, Dorian, and Karpiak lawsuits described below. Given the nature of these lawsuits, except for those lawsuits where a settlement is referenced, we are unable to reasonably estimate the possible loss or ranges of loss, if any. Charles Samborsky, et al, individually and on behalf of those persons similarly situated, v. SCI California Funeral Services, Inc., et al ; Case No. BC544180; in the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Los Angeles, Central District-Central Civil West Courthouse. This lawsuit was filed in April 2014 against an SCI subsidiary and purports to have been brought on behalf of employees who worked as family service counselors in California since April 2010. The plaintiffs allege causes of action for various violations of state laws regulating wage and hour pay. In addition, this lawsuit also asserts claims under the California Private Attorney General Act (PAGA) provisions on behalf of other similarly situated California persons. The plaintiffs seek unpaid wages, compensatory and punitive damages, attorneys’ fees and costs, interest, and injunctive relief. The claims have been sent to arbitration. In July 2017, the arbitrator entered an award rejecting the plaintiffs' claims, ruling that they did not sue the correct party. Plaintiffs continue to assert claims under PAGA that are not subject to arbitration. The parties reached a settlement of this lawsuit in September 2019. The court approved the settlement in January 2020. The financial terms of the settlement call for SCI California Funeral Services, Inc. to pay an immaterial amount. Adrian Mercedes Vasquez, an individual and on behalf of others similarly situated, v. California Cemetery and Funeral Services, LLC, et al; Case No. BC58837; in the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Los Angeles. This lawsuit was filed in July 2015 against SCI subsidiaries and purports to be brought on behalf of the defendants' current and former non-exempt California employees during the four years preceding the filing of the complaint. The plaintiff alleges numerous causes of action for alleged wage and hour pay violations. The plaintiff seeks unpaid wages, compensatory and punitive damages, civil penalties, attorneys’ fees and costs, interest, and injunctive relief. The claims were ordered to arbitration, and the arbitrator determined that the claims would proceed as a bilateral proceeding. In May 2019, the arbitrator issued an opinion rejecting the plaintiff’s claims in total. In addition, the plaintiff filed an unfair labor practice charge against defendants with the National Labor Relations Board alleging that by enforcing a mandatory arbitration provision, defendants allegedly violated the National Labor Relations Act. The National Labor Relations Act claim was finally resolved with an immaterial, non-monetary accommodation. Lisa Fredeen, an aggrieved employee and on behalf of other aggrieved employees v. California Cemetery and Funeral Services, LLC, et al; Case No. BC706930; in the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Los Angeles. This lawsuit was filed against SCI subsidiaries on May 18, 2018, by the same law firm that filed the Vasquez case described above. This lawsuit asserts claims for violations of the California Labor Code and PAGA, based on alleged facts similar to those alleged in the Vasquez case described above. The plaintiff seeks civil penalties, interest, and attorneys’ fees. Nicole Romano, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated v. SCI Direct, Inc., et al; Case No. BC656654; in the Superior Court of California for the County of Los Angeles. This lawsuit was filed in April 2017 against SCI subsidiaries and purports to have been brought on behalf of persons who worked as independent sales representatives in the U.S. during the four years preceding the filing of the complaint. In addition, this lawsuit also asserts claims under PAGA provisions on behalf of other similarly situated California persons. The plaintiff alleges numerous causes of action for alleged wage and hour pay violations, including misclassifying the independent sales representatives as independent contractors instead of employees. The plaintiff seeks unpaid wages, compensatory and punitive damages, attorneys’ fees and costs, interest, and injunctive relief. The parties reached a settlement of this lawsuit and the Doyle lawsuit referenced below in November 2018. The court approved the settlement in November 2019. The financial terms of the settlement call for SCI Direct to pay an immaterial amount in relation to both the Romano and Doyle lawsuits. James Doyle, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated v. SCI Direct, Inc., et al; Case No. 2:18-cv-05859 in the United States District Court Central District of California, removed from Case No. BC705666; in the Superior Court of California for the County of Los Angeles. This lawsuit was filed in May 2018, against an SCI subsidiary, by the same attorneys who filed the Romano case described above, and alleges causes of action and seeks damages and relief similar to those in the Romano case. The parties reached a settlement of this lawsuit and the Romano lawsuit referenced above in November 2018. On December 26, 2018, this matter was consolidated into the Romano lawsuit. The settlement agreement, noted above, was approved by the court in November 2019. The financial terms of the settlement call for SCI Direct to pay an immaterial amount collectively for the Romano and Doyle lawsuits. Felicia Horton, an individual and on behalf of other aggrieved employees v. SCI Direct, Inc., et al; Case No. 37-2016-00039356-CU-OE-CTL; in the Superior Court of California for the County of San Diego. This lawsuit was filed in November 2016, against SCI subsidiaries, on behalf of the plaintiff who worked as an independent sales representative of our subsidiary in California. In addition, this lawsuit asserts claims under PAGA on behalf of other similarly situated California persons. The lawsuit alleges causes of action and seeks damages and relief similar to those in the Romano case described above. The attorneys in the Horton case have also filed an additional lawsuit, against SCI subsidiaries, alleging individual and PAGA claims similar to those alleged in the Horton case. The additional individual and PAGA claim lawsuits are styled Jandy Quismundo v. SCI Direct, Inc., et al; Case No. 37-2017-00031825-CU-OE-CTL ; in the Superior Court of California for the County of San Diego, and Jaime Kallweit v. SCI Direct, Inc., et al; Case No. 37-2017-00037186-CU-OE-CTL ; in the Superior Court for the State of California for the County of San Diego. Sandra Dorian v. SCI Direct, Inc., et al; Case No 37-2018-0061985-CU-OE-CTL ; in the Superior Court of California for the County of San Diego, and Holly Karpiak v. SCI Direct, Inc., et al; Case No. 37-2019-00031328-CU-OE-CTL , in the Superior Court of California for the County of San Diego. In addition to the wage and hour and PAGA claims described above, Horton alleges claims for sexual harassment and wrongful discharge. After a trial, the court issued a preliminary statement of decision in April 2019, awarding an immaterial amount related to the aforementioned claims. The court further issued an award of attorneys’ fees, in an immaterial amount, in December 2019. Claims Regarding Acquisition of Stewart Enterprises . We are involved in the following lawsuit. Karen Moulton, Individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated v. Stewart Enterprises, Inc., Service Corporation International and others ; Case No. 2013-5636; in the Civil District Court Parish of New Orleans, Louisiana. This case was filed as a class action in June 2013 against an SCI subsidiary in connection with SCI's acquisition of Stewart Enterprises, Inc. The plaintiffs allege that SCI aided and abetted breaches of fiduciary duties by Stewart Enterprises and its board of directors in negotiating the combination of Stewart Enterprises with a subsidiary of SCI. The plaintiffs seek damages concerning the combination. We filed exceptions to the plaintiffs’ complaint that were granted in June 2014. Thus, subject to appeals, SCI will no longer be party to the suit. The case has continued against our subsidiary Stewart Enterprises and its former individual directors. However, in October 2016, the court entered a judgment dismissing all of plaintiffs’ claims. Plaintiffs have appealed the dismissal. Given the nature of this lawsuit, we are unable to reasonably estimate the possible loss or ranges of loss, if any. Operational Claims . We are named a defendant in various lawsuits alleging operational claims, including but not limited to the Bernstein lawsuit described below. Caroline Bernstein, on behalf of herself and Marla Urofsky on behalf of Rhea Schwartz, and both on behalf of all others similarly situated v. SCI Pennsylvania Funeral Services, Inc. and Service Corporation International, Case No. 2:17-cv-04960-GAM; in the United States District Court Eastern District of Pennsylvania. This case was filed in November 2017 as a purported national or alternatively as a Pennsylvania class action regarding our Forest Hills/Shalom Memorial Park in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania and our Roosevelt Memorial Park Cemetery in Trevose, Pennsylvania. Plaintiffs allege wrongful burial and sales practices. Plaintiffs seek compensatory, consequential and punitive damages, attorneys’ fees and costs, interest, and injunctive relief. The court granted our motion for summary judgment on the named plaintiff’s individual claims in January 2020. Given the nature of this lawsuit, we are unable to reasonably estimate the possible loss or ranges of loss, if any. Unclaimed Property Audit We received notices from a third party auditor representing the unclaimed property departments of certain states regarding preneed funeral and cemetery contracts that were not funded by the purchase and assignment of the proceeds of insurance policies. The auditor claims that we are subject to the laws of those states concerning escheatment of unclaimed funds. The auditor seeks escheatment of funds from the portion of such contracts for which it claims that we will probably not be required to provide services or merchandise in the future. No actual audits have commenced at this time. Given the nature of this matter, we are unable to reasonably estimate the possible loss or ranges of loss, if any. Other Potential Contingencies In October 2018, we received a letter from the Illinois Office of the Comptroller claiming that our subsidiary improperly withdrew a total of $13.6 million from perpetual care trusts covering 24 of our cemeteries in Illinois. We believe these withdrawals were entirely proper for the ongoing care of those cemeteries under Illinois law. In July 2019, we received a letter from the Attorney General, State of California, Department of Justice (“CAAG") alleging that the allocation of prices among certain of our cremation service contracts and cremation merchandise contracts, and the related preneed trust funding, violates section 7735 of the California Business and Professions Code and that provisions of these same contracts constitute false advertising and deceptive sales practices in violation of California consumer protection laws. On November 21, 2019, we filed a complaint, S.E. Combined Services of California, Inc., a California Corporation dba Neptune Society of Northern California, Neptune Management Corp. a California Corporation, and Trident Society, Inc. v. Xavier Becerra, Attorney General of the State of California, and Does 1-50, Case No. 34-2019-00269617; in the Sacramento County Superior Court seeking declaratory relief holding, in general, that our practices, methods and documentation utilized in the sale of pre-need funeral goods and services are in all respects compliant with California law. On December 2, 2019, the CAAG filed the complaint, The People of the State of California v. Service Corporation International, a Texas corporation, SCI Direct, Inc. a Florida Corporation, S.E. Acquisition of California, Inc., a California corporation dba Neptune Society of Northern California, Neptune Management Corp., a California corporation, Trident Society, Inc. a California corporation, and Does 1 through 100, inclusive, Case No. RG 19045103; in the Superior Court of the State of California in and for the County of Alameda, seeking permanent injunction from making false statements and engaging in unfair competition, a placement of funds into preneed trusts, civil penalties, customer refunds, attorneys’ fees, and costs. We believe our contracts comply with applicable laws. Given the nature of this matter, we are unable to reasonably estimate the possible loss or ranges of loss, if any. We intend to vigorously defend all of the above matters; however, an adverse decision in one or more of such matters could have a material effect on us, our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

Equity Level 1 (Notes)

Equity Level 1 (Notes)	12 Months Ended
Equity Level 1 (Notes)	Dec. 31, 2019
Equity [Abstract]
Stockholders' Equity Note Disclosure [Text Block]	Equity (All shares reported in whole numbers) Share Authorization We are authorized to issue 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $1 per share par value. No preferred shares were issued as of December 31, 2019 or 2018 . At December 31, 2019 and 2018 , 500,000,000 common shares of $1 par value were authorized. We had 185,100,789 and 184,720,582 shares issued and 181,184,963 and 181,470,582 outstanding at par at December 31, 2019 and 2018 , respectively. Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income The assets and liabilities of foreign operations are translated into U.S. dollars using the current exchange rate. The U.S. dollar amount that arises from such translation, as well as exchange gains and losses on intercompany balances of a long-term investment nature, are included in the cumulative currency translation adjustments in Accumulated other comprehensive income . Share Repurchase Program Subject to market conditions, normal trading restrictions, and limitations in our debt covenants, we may make purchases in the open market or through privately negotiated transactions under our share repurchase program. In 2019 , we repurchased 2,908,850 shares of common stock at an aggregate cost of $129.6 million , which is an average cost per share of $44.55 . During 2018 , we repurchased 7,347,838 shares of common stock at an aggregate cost of $ 277.6 million , which is an average cost per share of $37.78 . During August 2019 , our Board of Directors increased our share repurchase authorization to $400.0 million . After these repurchases and increase in authorization, the remaining dollar value of shares authorized to be purchased under the share repurchase program was $312.0 million at December 31, 2019 . Subsequent to December 31, 2019 , we repurchased 475,476 shares for $22.2 million at an average cost per share of $46.69

Share-Based Compensation Level

Share-Based Compensation Level 1 (Notes)	12 Months Ended
Share-Based Compensation Level 1 (Notes)	Dec. 31, 2019
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Noncash Expense [Abstract]
Share-based Payment Arrangement [Text Block]	Share-Based Compensation Stock Benefit Plans We maintain benefit plans whereby shares of our common stock may be issued pursuant to the exercise of stock options or restricted stock granted to officers and key employees. Our Amended and Restated Incentive Plan reserves 44,000,000 shares of common stock for outstanding and future awards of stock options, restricted stock, and other share-based awards to officers and key associates. In May 2017, our shareholders approved the amended 2016 Equity Incentive Plan that reserves 13,404,404 shares of common stock for outstanding and future awards of stock options, restricted stock, and other awards to officers and key associates. On August 25, 2017, we issued 340,510 deferred common stock equivalents, or units, pursuant to provisions regarding our 2016 Equity Incentive Plan. The 63,894 remaining shares left available under grant from the Director Fee Plan were merged into the 2016 Equity Incentive Plan. Our benefit plans allow for options to be granted as either non-qualified or incentive stock options. The options historically have been granted annually, or upon hire, as approved by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors. The options are granted with an exercise price equal to the market price of our common stock on the date of the grant, as approved by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors. The options are generally exercisable at a rate of 33 1 / 3 % each year unless alternative vesting methods are approved by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors. Outstanding options will expire, if not exercised or forfeited, within eight years from the date of grant. Restricted shares are generally expensed ratably over the period during which the restrictions lapse, which is typically 33 1 / 3 % each year. At December 31, 2019 and 2018 , 7,148,871 and 8,287,804 shares, respectively, were reserved for future option and restricted share grants under our stock benefit plans. We utilize the Black-Scholes option valuation model for estimating the fair value of our stock options. This model allows the use of a range of assumptions related to volatility, risk-free interest rate, expected holding period, and dividend yield. The expected volatility utilized in the valuation model is based on the historical volatility of our stock price. The dividend yield and expected holding period are based on historical experience and management’s estimate of future events. The risk-free interest rate is derived from the U.S. Treasury yield curve based on the expected life of the option in effect at the time of grant. The fair values of our stock options are calculated using the following weighted average assumptions, based on the methods described above: Years Ended December 31, Assumptions 2019 2018 2017 Dividend yield 1.7% 1.8% 2.0% Expected volatility 19.8% 18.5% 19.0% Risk-free interest rate 2.5% 2.4% 1.6% Expected holding period (years) 4.0 4.0 4.0 The following table summarizes certain information with respect to stock option and restricted share compensation included in our Consolidated Statement of Operations: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 (In thousands) Total pretax employee share-based compensation expense included in net income $ 15,029 $ 15,626 $ 14,788 Income tax benefit related to share-based compensation included in net income $ 3,842 $ 3,998 $ 5,416 Stock Options The following table sets forth stock option activity for the year ended December 31, 2019 (shares reported in whole numbers): Options Weighted-Average Exercise Price Outstanding at December 31, 2018 8,917,943 $ 23.40 Granted 785,150 $ 42.63 Exercised (2,393,647 ) $ 17.10 Outstanding at December 31, 2019 7,309,446 $ 27.53 Exercisable at December 31, 2019 5,397,573 $ 23.90 The aggregate intrinsic value for stock options outstanding and exercisable was $135.3 million and $119.4 million , respectively, at December 31, 2019 . Set forth below is certain information related to stock options outstanding and exercisable at December 31, 2019 (shares reported in whole numbers): Options Outstanding Options Exercisable Range of Exercise Price Number Outstanding at December 31, 2019 Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Life (in years) Weighted- Average Exercise Price Number Exercisable at December 31, 2019 Weighted- Average Exercise Price $10.00 — 20.00 1,239,011 1.8 $ 16.77 1,239,011 $ 16.77 $20.01 — 30.00 4,096,760 4.2 $ 24.99 3,666,044 $ 24.49 $30.01 — 40.00 1,188,525 6.1 $ 37.50 492,518 $ 37.50 $40.01 — 50.00 785,150 7.1 $ 42.63 — $ — $0.00 — 50.00 7,309,446 4.4 $ 27.53 5,397,573 $ 23.90 Other information pertaining to stock options was as follows (in thousands, except weighted-average grant date fair value): Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 Weighted average grant-date fair value of stock options granted $ 6.86 $ 5.52 $ 3.90 Total fair value of stock options vested $ 7,250 $ 6,857 $ 7,425 Total intrinsic value of stock options exercised $ 65,023 $ 48,643 $ 56,946 Cash received from the exercise of stock options $ 40,922 $ 24,517 $ 33,611 Recognized compensation expense $ 6,314 $ 6,648 $ 6,909 As of December 31, 2019 , the unrecognized compensation expense related to stock options of $6.1 million is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 1.7 years. Restricted Shares The fair value of our restricted share awards and units, as determined on the grant date, is being amortized and charged to income (with an offsetting credit to Capital in excess of par value ) generally over the average period during which the restrictions lapse. Restricted share award activity was as follows (share awards reported in whole numbers): Restricted Share Awards Weighted-Average Grant-Date Fair Value Nonvested restricted share awards at December 31, 2018 389,245 $ 31.67 Granted 125,546 $ 42.73 Vested (226,726 ) $ 29.63 Nonvested restricted share awards at December 31, 2019 288,065 $ 38.09 Other information pertaining to restricted share awards was as follows (in thousands, except weighted-average grant date fair value): Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 Recognized compensation expense related to restricted share awards $ 6,000 $ 6,063 $ 5,564 Weighted-average grant date fair value for nonvested restricted stock granted $ 42.73 $ 37.50 $ 29.28 Total fair market value of restricted share awards vested $ 6,718 $ 5,702 $ 5,463 Aggregate intrinsic value of restricted share awards vested $ 3,724 $ 3,578 $ 4,454 At December 31, 2019 , unrecognized compensation expense of $6.3 million related to restricted share awards is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 1.7 years.

Retirement Plans

Retirement Plans	12 Months Ended
Retirement Plans	Dec. 31, 2019
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Disclosure [Text Block]	Retirement Plans We currently have a supplemental retirement plan for certain current and former key employees (SERP), a supplemental retirement plan for officers and certain key employees (Senior SERP), a retirement plan for certain non-employee directors (Directors’ Plan), a Retirement Plan for Rose Hills ® Trustees, a Rose Hills ® Supplemental Retirement Plan, and a Stewart Supplemental Retirement Plan (collectively, the “Plans”). All of our Plans have a measurement date of December 31 . The Plans are frozen; therefore, the participants do not earn incremental benefits from additional years of service, and we do not incur any additional service cost. Retirement benefits under the SERP are based on years of service and average monthly compensation, reduced by benefits under 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 retirement, based on a vesting schedule. We recognize pension related gains and losses in Other income (expense), net on our Consolidated Statement of Operations in the year such gains and losses are incurred. The components of the Plans’ net periodic benefit cost were as follows: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 (In thousands) Interest cost on projected benefit obligation $ 956 $ 923 $ 1,067 Recognized net actuarial losses (gains) 2,886 (1,127 ) 879 Total net periodic benefit cost $ 3,842 $ (204 ) $ 1,946 The Plans’ funded status was as follows: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 (In thousands) Change in Benefit Obligation: Benefit obligation at beginning of year $ 24,707 $ 28,681 Interest cost 956 923 Actuarial loss (gain) 2,886 (1,127 ) Benefits paid (3,588 ) (3,770 ) Benefit obligation at end of year $ 24,961 $ 24,707 Change in Plan Assets: Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year $ — $ — Employer contributions 3,588 3,770 Benefits paid, including expenses (3,588 ) (3,770 ) Fair value of plan assets at end of year $ — $ — Funded status of plan $ (24,961 ) $ (24,707 ) Funding Summary: Projected benefit obligations $ 24,961 $ 24,707 Accumulated benefit obligation $ 24,961 $ 24,707 Amounts Recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheet: Included in Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ (2,708 ) $ (3,175 ) Included in Other liabilities (22,253 ) (21,532 ) Total accrued benefit liability $ (24,961 ) $ (24,707 ) The retirement benefits under the Plans are unfunded obligations of the Company. We have purchased various life insurance policies on the participants in the Plans with the intent to use the proceeds or any cash value buildup from these policies to assist in meeting, at least to the extent of such assets, the Plans' funding requirements. The face value of these insurance policies at December 31, 2019 and 2018 was $47.7 million and $47.1 million , respectively, and the cash surrender value was $38.0 million and $37.2 million , respectively. The outstanding loans against the policies are minimal and there are no restrictions in the policies regarding loans. The Plans’ weighted-average assumptions used to determine the benefit obligation and net periodic benefit cost are as follows: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 Weighted-average discount rate used to determine obligations 2.95 % 4.13 % 3.41 % Weighted-average discount rate used to determine net periodic benefit cost 4.15 % 3.26 % 3.86 % We base our discount rate used to compute future benefit obligations using an analysis of expected future benefit payments. The reasonableness of our discount rate is verified by comparing the rate to the rate earned on high-quality fixed income investments, such as the Moody’s Aa index, plus 50 basis points. The assumed rate of return on plan assets was not applicable as we pay plan benefits as they come due. As all Plans are frozen, the assumed rate of compensation increase is zero . The following benefit payments are expected to be paid in the next ten years related to our Plans (in thousands): 2020 $ 2,742 2021 2,410 2022 2,337 2023 2,095 2024 1,902 Years 2025 through 2029 8,335 Total expected benefit payments $ 19,821 We also have an employee savings plan that qualifies under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code for the exclusive benefit of our 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% . During 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 , we matched a percentage of the employee contributions through contributions of cash. For these years, our matching contribution 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 100% of the first 6% of deferred compensation 11 or more years 125% of the first 6% of deferred compensation The amount of our matched contributions in 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 was $39.7 million , $36.8 million , and $33.2 million , respectively.

Segment Reporting Level 1 (Note

Segment Reporting Level 1 (Notes)	12 Months Ended
Segment Reporting Level 1 (Notes)	Dec. 31, 2019
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Segment Reporting Disclosure [Text Block]	Segment Reporting Our operations are both product-based and geographically-based, and the reportable operating segments presented below include our funeral and cemetery operations. Our geographic areas include the United States and Canada, where we conduct both funeral and cemetery operations. Our reportable segment, including disaggregated revenue, information was as follows and includes a reconciliation of gross profit to our consolidated income before income taxes. Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 (In thousands) Revenue from customers: Funeral revenue: Atneed revenue $ 996,643 $ 998,464 $ 1,011,214 Matured preneed revenue 605,237 600,944 574,235 Core funeral revenue 1,601,880 1,599,408 1,585,449 Non-funeral home revenue 52,211 49,671 46,513 Recognized preneed revenue 139,525 125,144 117,352 Other revenue 130,286 123,769 118,838 Total funeral revenue 1,923,902 1,897,992 1,868,152 Cemetery revenue: Atneed revenue 326,230 323,162 319,899 Recognized preneed property revenue 581,724 572,955 538,314 Recognized preneed merchandise and services revenue 287,589 288,282 274,885 Core cemetery revenue 1,195,543 1,184,399 1,133,098 Other revenue 111,340 107,783 93,781 Total cemetery revenue 1,306,883 1,292,182 1,226,879 Total revenue from customers $ 3,230,785 $ 3,190,174 $ 3,095,031 Gross profit: Funeral gross profit $ 372,638 $ 369,613 $ 371,853 Cemetery gross profit 387,942 390,709 350,926 Gross profit from reportable segments 760,580 760,322 722,779 Corporate general and administrative expenses (126,886 ) (145,596 ) (158,651 ) Gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net 32,919 15,933 7,015 Operating income 666,613 630,659 571,143 Interest expense (185,843 ) (181,556 ) (169,125 ) Losses on early extinguishment of debt, net (16,637 ) (10,131 ) (274 ) Other income (expense), net 299 2,760 (1,486 ) Income before income taxes $ 464,432 $ 441,732 $ 400,258 Other reportable segment information for the year ended December 31 was as follows: Reportable Segments Funeral Cemetery Corporate Consolidated (In thousands) 2019 Interest expense $ 4,026 $ 659 $ 181,158 $ 185,843 Depreciation and amortization $ 106,982 $ 33,323 $ 10,695 $ 151,000 Amortization of intangibles $ 15,343 $ 10,297 $ 9 $ 25,649 Amortization of cemetery property $ — $ 70,330 $ — $ 70,330 Capital expenditures $ 112,090 $ 125,365 $ 2,502 $ 239,957 Total assets $ 5,821,408 $ 7,483,713 $ 372,309 $ 13,677,430 2018 Interest expense $ 3,634 $ 469 $ 177,453 $ 181,556 Depreciation and amortization $ 108,891 $ 33,183 $ 11,576 $ 153,650 Amortization of intangibles $ 17,515 $ 8,619 $ 61 $ 26,195 Amortization of cemetery property $ — $ 68,640 $ — $ 68,640 Capital expenditures $ 99,008 $ 125,131 $ 11,406 $ 235,545 Total assets $ 5,411,178 $ 6,913,132 $ 368,933 $ 12,693,243 2017 Interest expense $ 3,986 $ 401 $ 164,738 $ 169,125 Depreciation and amortization $ 109,965 $ 32,815 $ 10,361 $ 153,141 Amortization of intangibles $ 17,871 $ 9,696 $ 83 $ 27,650 Amortization of cemetery property $ — $ 68,102 $ — $ 68,102 Capital expenditures $ 83,241 $ 118,699 $ 12,561 $ 214,501 Our geographic area information for the year ended December 31 was as follows: United States Canada Total (In thousands) 2019 Revenue from external customers $ 3,052,101 $ 178,684 $ 3,230,785 Interest expense $ 185,512 $ 331 $ 185,843 Depreciation and amortization $ 142,550 $ 8,450 $ 151,000 Amortization of intangibles $ 25,079 $ 570 $ 25,649 Amortization of cemetery property $ 66,552 $ 3,778 $ 70,330 Operating income $ 628,204 $ 38,409 $ 666,613 Gains (losses) on divestitures and impairment charges, net $ 33,200 $ (281 ) $ 32,919 Long-lived assets $ 6,531,705 $ 301,461 $ 6,833,166 2018 Revenue from external customers $ 2,991,617 $ 198,557 $ 3,190,174 Interest expense $ 181,266 $ 290 $ 181,556 Depreciation and amortization $ 144,877 $ 8,773 $ 153,650 Amortization of intangibles $ 25,664 $ 531 $ 26,195 Amortization of cemetery property $ 63,709 $ 4,931 $ 68,640 Operating income $ 568,446 $ 62,213 $ 630,659 Gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net $ 8,419 $ 7,514 $ 15,933 Long-lived assets $ 6,334,924 $ 277,897 $ 6,612,821 2017 Revenue from external customers $ 2,889,463 $ 205,568 $ 3,095,031 Interest expense $ 168,956 $ 169 $ 169,125 Depreciation and amortization $ 143,932 $ 9,209 $ 153,141 Amortization of intangibles $ 27,092 $ 558 $ 27,650 Amortization of cemetery property $ 61,307 $ 6,795 $ 68,102 Operating income $ 502,865 $ 68,278 $ 571,143 Gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net $ 61 $ 6,954 $ 7,015

Supplementary Information Level

Supplementary Information Level 1 (Notes)	12 Months Ended
Supplementary Information Level 1 (Notes)	Dec. 31, 2019
Supplementary Information [Abstract]
Additional Financial Information Disclosure [Text Block]	Supplementary Information The detail of certain balance sheet accounts is as follows: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 (In thousands) Cash and cash equivalents: Cash $ 149,981 $ 177,338 Commercial paper and temporary investments 36,295 21,512 $ 186,276 $ 198,850 Receivables, net: Notes receivable $ 1,765 $ 1,781 Atneed funeral receivables, net of allowances of $1,884 and $1,412, respectively 39,471 39,709 Atneed cemetery receivables, net of allowances of $346 and $166, respectively 21,131 15,277 Other 19,304 17,058 $ 81,671 $ 73,825 Other current assets: Income tax receivable $ 5,905 $ 8,333 Prepaid insurance 4,451 5,047 Restricted Cash 54,293 7,007 Other 15,839 13,220 $ 80,488 $ 33,607 Cemetery property: Undeveloped land $ 1,233,363 $ 1,209,109 Developed lots, lawn crypts, mausoleum spaces, cremation niches, and cremation memorialization property 640,239 628,355 $ 1,873,602 $ 1,837,464 Property and equipment, net: Land $ 642,168 $ 631,679 Buildings and improvements 2,221,758 2,107,300 Operating equipment 499,700 609,658 Leasehold improvements 40,879 34,755 Finance leases 350,626 263,940 3,755,131 3,647,332 Less: Accumulated depreciation (1,518,610 ) (1,525,059 ) Less: Accumulated amortization of finance leases (171,088 ) (144,909 ) $ 2,065,433 $ 1,977,364 Deferred charges and other assets: Intangible assets, net $ 431,167 $ 433,830 Restricted cash (1) 2,051 1,727 Deferred tax assets 665 673 Notes receivable, net of allowances of $8,374 and $10,814, respectively 6,623 8,651 Cash surrender value of insurance policies 176,126 145,981 Deferred incremental direct selling costs 293,125 282,283 Operating leases 58,101 — Other 62,050 61,006 $ 1,029,908 $ 934,151 Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 (In thousands) Accounts payable and accrued liabilities: Accounts payable $ 174,494 $ 173,361 Accrued benefits 99,396 90,303 Accrued interest 15,390 25,976 Accrued property taxes 16,402 18,512 Self-insurance reserves 84,290 80,114 Bank overdrafts 16,694 16,221 Operating leases 8,538 — Other accrued liabilities 63,341 75,281 $ 478,545 $ 479,768 Other liabilities: Accrued benefit costs $ 22,253 $ 21,532 Deferred compensation 152,119 126,891 Customer refund obligation reserve 46,958 48,000 Tax liability 2,004 1,873 Payable to perpetual care trust 93,053 88,784 Operating leases 52,091 — Other 9,596 10,222 $ 378,074 $ 297,302 (1) Restricted cash in both periods primarily consists of proceeds from divestitures deposited into escrow accounts under IRS code section 1031 and collateralized obligations under certain insurance policies.

Earnings Per Share Level 1 (Not

Earnings Per Share Level 1 (Notes)	12 Months Ended
Earnings Per Share Level 1 (Notes)	Dec. 31, 2019
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Earnings Per Share [Text Block]	Earnings Per Share Basic earnings per common share (EPS) excludes dilution and is computed by dividing Net income attributable to common stockholders 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 shared in our earnings. A reconciliation of the numerators and denominators of basic and diluted EPS is presented below: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 (In thousands, except per share amounts) Amounts attributable to common stockholders: Net income — basic $ 369,596 $ 447,208 $ 546,663 After tax interest on convertible debt — — 52 Net income — diluted $ 369,596 $ 447,208 $ 546,715 Weighted average shares: Weighted average shares — basic 182,246 182,447 187,630 Stock options 3,223 4,339 4,396 Restricted share units 54 186 99 Convertible debt — — 121 Weighted average shares — diluted 185,523 186,972 192,246 Amounts attributable to common stockholders: Net income per share: Basic $ 2.03 $ 2.45 $ 2.91 Diluted $ 1.99 $ 2.39 $ 2.84

Acquisition Level 1 (Notes)

Acquisition Level 1 (Notes)	12 Months Ended
Acquisition Level 1 (Notes)	Dec. 31, 2019
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Business Combination Disclosure [Text Block]	Acquisitions In June 2018, we acquired fifteen funeral homes and seven cemeteries in four states (the “acquired businesses”) for $82.2 million in cash. Additionally, we paid $49.8 million of the acquired businesses' existing debt in conjunction with the closing of the acquisition. The primary reasons for the merger and the principal factors that contributed to the recognition of goodwill in this acquisition were: • the acquisition enhances our network footprint, enabling us to serve a number of new, complementary areas and • the acquisition of the preneed backlog of deferred revenues enhances our long-term stability. The following table summarizes the adjusted fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed in the acquisition (in thousands): Other current assets $ 3,388 Cemetery property 32,266 Property and equipment 25,896 Preneed receivables, net and trust investments 107,444 Finite-lived intangible assets 32,371 Indefinite-lived intangible assets 18,000 Deferred charges and other assets 1,717 Cemetery perpetual care trust investments 52,747 Goodwill 37,908 Total assets acquired $ 311,737 Current liabilities 7,666 Deferred revenue and deferred receipts held in trust 113,173 Deferred income taxes 4,704 Other liabilities 1,439 Care trusts' corpus 52,747 Total liabilities assumed 179,729 Net assets acquired $ 132,008 Included in preneed receivables, net and trust investments are receivables under preneed contracts with a fair value of $8.4 million . The gross amount due under the contracts is $8.9 million , of which $0.5 million is not expected to be collected. We have completed our purchase price allocation. During the twelve months of 2019, we made the following adjustments to our estimates of the fair value of assets and liabilities (in thousands): Increase in the fair value of other current assets $ (67 ) Increase in the fair value of cemetery property (3,583 ) Increase in property and equipment, net (179 ) Increase in the fair value of preneed receivables, net and trust investments (4,910 ) Decrease in the fair value of finite-lived intangible assets 10,428 Increase in the fair value of current liabilities 3,075 Decrease in the fair value of deferred revenue and deferred receipts held in trust (7,349 ) Decrease in the fair value of deferred income taxes (7,026 ) Increase in the fair value of other liabilities 1,439 Total adjustment to goodwill $ (8,172 ) Goodwill, land, and certain identifiable intangible assets recorded in the acquisition are not subject to amortization; however, the goodwill and intangible assets will be tested periodically for impairment. Of the $37.9 million in goodwill recognized, $21.2 million was allocated to our cemetery segment and $16.7 million was allocated to our funeral segment. $23.7 million of this goodwill is deductible for tax purposes. The identified intangible assets comprise the following: Useful life Minimum Maximum Fair Value (Years) (In thousands) Other preneed customer relationships 10 20 $ 9,347 Selling and management agreements 89 89 13,176 Operating leases 89 89 2,848 Tradenames 89 89 7,000 Tradenames Indefinite 18,000 Total intangible assets $ 50,371 Included in our results of operations for the twelve months ended December 31, 2018 is revenue of $17.9 million and net income of $1.7 million for the period from the acquisition date (June 8, 2018) through December 31, 2018. The following unaudited pro forma summary presents financial information as if the acquisition had occurred on January 1, 2017: 2018 2017 (In thousands) (unaudited) Revenue $ 32,434 $ 29,193 Net income $ 4,669 $ 2,531 Excluding the June 2018 acquisition described above, we spent $107.0 million , $62.8 million , and $76.2 million for real estate, funeral service locations, and cemeteries for the three years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017, respectively. These amounts include the use of $13.6 million , $5.9 million , and $26.2 million in 1031 exchange funds for the three years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017, respectively. Divestiture-Related Activities As divestitures occur in the normal course of business, gains or losses on the sale of such locations are recognized in the income statement line item Gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net , which consist of the following: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 (In thousands) Gains on divestitures, net $ 41,835 $ 20,340 $ 29,053 Impairment losses (8,916 ) (4,407 ) (22,038 ) Gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net $ 32,919 $ 15,933 $ 7,015

Quarterly Financial Data

Quarterly Financial Data	12 Months Ended
Quarterly Financial Data	Dec. 31, 2019
Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) [Abstract]
Quarterly Financial Information [Text Block]	Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) Quarterly financial data for 2019 and 2018 is as follows: First Quarter Second Quarter Third Quarter Fourth Quarter (In thousands, except per share amounts) 2019 Revenue $ 798,212 $ 812,572 $ 769,241 $ 850,760 Costs of revenue $ (606,378 ) $ (621,426 ) $ (609,509 ) $ (632,892 ) Gross profit $ 191,834 $ 191,146 $ 159,732 $ 217,868 Operating income $ 146,978 $ 150,105 $ 128,585 $ 240,945 Income before income taxes (1) $ 100,308 $ 96,083 $ 72,869 $ 195,172 Provision for income taxes $ (21,095 ) $ (23,570 ) $ (1,997 ) $ (47,999 ) Net income $ 79,213 $ 72,513 $ 70,872 $ 147,173 Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests $ 110 $ (184 ) $ (80 ) $ (21 ) Net income attributable to common stockholders $ 79,323 $ 72,329 $ 70,792 $ 147,152 Net income attributable to common stockholders per share (2) : Basic — EPS $ 0.44 $ 0.40 $ 0.39 $ 0.81 Diluted — EPS $ 0.43 $ 0.39 $ 0.38 $ 0.79 2018 Revenue $ 794,482 $ 796,092 $ 778,786 $ 820,814 Costs of revenue $ (598,720 ) $ (607,965 ) $ (612,616 ) $ (610,551 ) Gross profit $ 195,762 $ 188,127 $ 166,170 $ 210,263 Operating income $ 163,692 $ 161,954 $ 132,303 $ 172,710 Income before income taxes (1) $ 110,369 $ 119,315 $ 86,036 $ 126,012 (Provision for) benefit from income taxes $ (28,321 ) $ (16,034 ) $ (17,043 ) $ 67,224 Net income $ 82,048 $ 103,281 $ 68,993 $ 193,236 Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests $ (60 ) $ (42 ) $ (58 ) $ (190 ) Net income attributable to common stockholders $ 81,988 $ 103,239 $ 68,935 $ 193,046 Net income attributable to common stockholders per share (2) : Basic — EPS $ 0.44 $ 0.57 $ 0.38 $ 1.07 Diluted — EPS $ 0.43 $ 0.55 $ 0.37 $ 1.04 (1) Includes Gains (losses) on divestitures and impairment charges, net , as described in Note 16. (2) Net income per share is computed independently for each of the quarters presented. Therefore, the sum of the quarters’ net income per share may not equal the total computed for the year.

Schedule II Valuation and Quali

Schedule II Valuation and Qualifying Account	12 Months Ended
Schedule II Valuation and Qualifying Account	Dec. 31, 2019
SEC Schedule, 12-09, Valuation and Qualifying Accounts [Abstract]
SEC Schedule, 12-09, Schedule of Valuation and Qualifying Accounts Disclosure [Text Block]	Description Balance at Beginning of Period Charged (Credited) to Costs and Expenses Charged (Credited) to Write-offs & Other Accounts Balance at End of Period Current Provision: Allowance For Doubtful Accounts: Year Ended December 31, 2019 $ 1,578 $ 9,146 $ (8,494 ) $ 2,230 Year Ended December 31, 2018 $ 2,090 $ 8,372 $ (8,884 ) $ 1,578 Year Ended December 31, 2017 $ 3,395 $ 9,980 $ (11,285 ) $ 2,090 Due After One Year: Allowance For Doubtful Accounts: Year Ended December 31, 2019 $ 10,814 $ — $ (2,440 ) $ 8,374 Year Ended December 31, 2018 $ 10,946 $ — $ (132 ) $ 10,814 Year Ended December 31, 2017 $ 11,334 $ — $ (388 ) $ 10,946 Preneed Receivables, Net Asset Allowance For Cancellation: Year Ended December 31, 2019 $ 48,380 $ 1,617 $ 5,343 $ 55,340 Year Ended December 31, 2018 $ 107,749 $ (69 ) $ (59,300 ) $ 48,380 Year Ended December 31, 2017 $ 104,740 $ 1,105 $ 1,904 $ 107,749 Deferred Revenue Revenue Allowance For Cancellation: (1) Year Ended December 31, 2019 $ — $ — $ — $ — Year Ended December 31, 2018 $ (118,099 ) $ — $ 118,099 $ — Year Ended December 31, 2017 $ (116,913 ) $ — $ (1,186 ) $ (118,099 ) Deferred Tax Valuation Allowance: Year Ended December 31, 2019 $ 120,931 $ (6,604 ) $ 4 $ 114,331 Year Ended December 31, 2018 $ 141,154 $ (20,219 ) $ (4 ) $ 120,931 Year Ended December 31, 2017 $ 132,500 $ 8,035 $ 619 $ 141,154 (1) Upon adoption of "Revenue from Contracts with Customers" on January 1, 2018, we reclassified amounts due from customers for unfulfilled performance obligations on cancelable preneed contracts as a reduction in Deferred revenue, net . As a result of this reclassification, we eliminated the allowance for cancellation on these performance obligations.

Summary of Significant Accoun_2

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Level 2 (Policies)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Consolidation, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Presentation Our consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Service Corporation International (SCI) and all subsidiaries in which we hold a controlling financial interest. Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
Reclassification, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Reclassifications to Prior Period Financial Statements and Adjustments Certain reclassifications have been made to prior period amounts to conform to the current period financial statement presentation with no effect on our previously reported results of operations, consolidated financial position, or cash flows except as described below under "Accounting Standards Adopted in 2019 " .
Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block]	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 revenue and expenses during the reporting period. As a result, actual results could differ from these estimates.
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash We consider all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. The carrying amounts of our cash and cash equivalents approximate fair value due to the short-term nature of these instruments.
Accounts Receivable [Policy Text Block]	Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts Our trade receivables primarily consist of amounts due for funeral services already performed. We provide various allowances and cancellation reserves for our receivables. These allowances are based on an analysis of historical trends of collection and cancellation activity. Atneed receivables are considered past due after thirty days. Collections are generally managed by the locations or third party agencies acting on behalf of the locations, until a receivable is one hundred eighty days delinquent, at which time it is fully reserved and sent to a collection agency. These estimates are impacted by a number of factors, including changes in the economy, and demographic or competitive changes in our areas of operation.
Inventory, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Inventories and Cemetery Property
Property, Plant and Equipment, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Property and Equipment, Net Property and equipment are recorded at cost. Maintenance and repairs are charged to expense, whereas renewals and major replacements that extend the useful lives of the assets are capitalized. Depreciation is recognized ratably over the estimated useful lives of the various classes of assets. Buildings and improvements are depreciated over a period ranging from ten years to forty years , equipment is depreciated over a period from three years to twelve years , and leasehold improvements are depreciated over the shorter of the lease term or twelve years . Depreciation and amortization expense related to property and equipment was $151.0 million , $153.7 million , and $153.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 , respectively. During the fourth quarter of 2018, based on a review of our historical usage patterns for similar assets, we increased our estimate of the remaining useful life of certain building improvements and equipment by one to three years. These changes in useful life, which were made prospectively, reduced depreciation expense by $ 12.1 million ( $0.07 per basic and diluted share) in 2019 and $4.3 million ( $0.02 per basic and diluted share) in 2018. When property or equipment 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 in the period of sale or disposal.
Lease, Policy [Policy Text Block] (Deprecated 2017-01-31)	Leases We have operating and finance leases. Our operating leases primarily include funeral service real estate and office equipment for funeral service locations, cemetery locations, and administrative offices. Our finance leases primarily include transportation equipment but also include real estate and office equipment. Lease terms related to real estate generally range from one year to forty years with options to renew at varying terms. Lease terms related to office and transportation equipment generally range from one year to nine years with options to renew at varying terms. We determine whether an arrangement is or contains a lease at the inception of the arrangement based on the unique facts and circumstances present. Right-of-use (ROU) assets represent our right to use an underlying asset for the lease term, and lease liabilities represent our obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Leases with a term greater than one year are recognized on the balance sheet as ROU assets and lease liabilities. We have elected not to recognize on the balance sheet leases with terms of one year or less. Lease liabilities and their corresponding ROU assets are recorded at commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the expected lease term. For transportation equipment, we use the rate implicit in each lease to calculate the present value. For real estate and non-transportation equipment leases, the interest rate implicit in lease contracts is typically not readily determinable. Therefore, we use the appropriate collateralized incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at commencement date in determining the present value of future payments for real estate and non-transportation equipment leases. Certain adjustments to the ROU asset may be required for items such as initial direct costs paid or incentives received. For a lessee, the discount rate for the lease is defined as the rate implicit in the lease unless that rate cannot be readily determined. In that case, the lessee is required to use its incremental borrowing rate, which is the rate of interest that a lessee would have to pay to borrow on a collateralized basis over a similar term an amount equal to the lease payments in a similar economic environment. We use the rate implicit in each lease for vehicles and other transportation equipment, which represent 70% of our total lease liability as of December 31, 2019 and which are all finance leases. For leases of real estate and non-transportation equipment, which are primarily operating leases, we use our incremental borrowing rate since the rate implicit in these leases cannot be readily determined. To establish the incremental borrowing rate we utilize the yield to worst of our publicly traded debt securities, adjusted for the appropriate duration. A final additional adjustment is then applied based on our credit quality spread to notch the rate to secured. As an accounting policy election, we include reasonably certain renewal periods when determining the rate to use as the incremental borrowing rate for each lease. We calculate operating lease expense ratably over the lease term plus any reasonably assured renewal periods. We consider reasonably assured renewal options and fixed escalation provisions in our calculation. Generally, our leases do not include options to terminate the lease prior to the contractual lease expiration date, but future renewal periods are generally cancelable. The majority of our contractually available renewal periods for leases of buildings and land are considered reasonably certain of being exercised. This determination is made by our real estate team based on facts and circumstances surrounding each property. Leases with a term of 12 months or less are not recorded on the balance sheet. The majority of our lease arrangements 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 lease, or (iii) renew the lease for the fair rental value at the end of the primary lease term. The depreciable life of assets and leasehold improvements are generally limited by the expected lease term. Certain of our lease agreements include variable rental payments based on a percentage of sales over base contractual levels and others include rental payments adjusted periodically for inflation. Our lease agreements do not contain any material residual value guarantees or material restrictive covenants. We generally do not have sublease arrangements, sale-leaseback arrangements, or leveraged leases. We have lease agreements with lease and non-lease components, which are generally accounted for separately. For leases commencing before January 1, 2019, we have elected the practical expedient to not separate lease and non-lease components on certain equipment leases, such as copiers where the cost-per-copy maintenance charges are included in the lease charge. On these leases, we have elected to account for the lease and non-lease components as a single component. For leases commencing on or after January 1, 2019, we account for the maintenance charges (non-lease components) separately from the lease components. For more information related to leases, see Note 8.
Goodwill and Intangible Assets, Goodwill, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Goodwill The excess of purchase price over the fair value of identifiable net assets acquired in business combinations is recorded as goodwill. Goodwill is tested annually during the fourth quarter for impairment by assessing the fair value of each of our reporting units. Our goodwill impairment test involves estimates and management judgment. In order to perform our goodwill impairment test, we compare the fair value of a reporting unit to its carrying amount, including goodwill. We determine fair value of each reporting unit using both a market and income approach. The income approach, which is a discounted cash flow method, uses projections of future cash flows and includes assumptions concerning future operating performance and economic conditions that may differ from actual future cash flows. We do not record an impairment of goodwill in instances where the fair value of a reporting unit exceeds its carrying amount. If the aggregate fair value is less than the related carrying amount for a reporting unit, we compare the implied fair value of goodwill to the 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. For our most recent annual impairment test performed in the fourth quarter, we used a 6.75% discount rate, revenue growth rates ranging from 1.0% to 3.7% over a seven-year period, plus a terminal value determined using the constant growth method in projecting our future cash flows. Our terminal value was calculated using a long-term revenue growth rate of 1.0% and 2.4% for our funeral and cemetery reporting units, respectively. Additionally, we used a ratio of expenses to revenue ranging from 72.2% to 80.0% and growth rates for other assumptions in our model ranging from 1.0% to 3.7% . Fair value was calculated as the sum of the projected discounted cash flows of our reporting units over the next seven years plus terminal value at the end of those seven years. In addition to our annual review, we assess the impairment of goodwill whenever certain events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may be greater than fair value. Factors that could trigger an interim impairment review include, but are not limited to, significant underperformance relative to historical or projected future operating results and significant negative industry or economic trends. No interim goodwill impairment reviews were required in 2019 or 2018
Goodwill and Intangible Assets, Intangible Assets, Indefinite-Lived, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Other Intangible Assets Our intangible assets include covenants-not-to-compete, customer relationships, trademarks and tradenames, and other intangible assets primarily resulting from acquisitions. Certain of our trademark and tradenames and other intangible assets are considered to have an indefinite life and are not subject to amortization. We test for impairment of indefinite-lived intangible assets annually during the fourth quarter. Our intangible asset impairment tests involve estimates and management judgment. For trademark and tradenames, our test uses the relief from royalty method whereby we determine the fair value of the assets by discounting the cash flows that represent a savings over having to pay a royalty fee for use of the trademark and tradenames. The discounted cash flow valuation uses projections of future cash flows and includes assumptions concerning future operating performance and economic conditions that may differ from actual future cash flows. For our most recent annual impairment test performed in the fourth quarter, we estimated that the pre-tax savings would range from 2.0% to 5.0% of the revenue associated with the trademark and tradenames, based primarily on our research of intellectual property valuation and licensing databases. We also assumed a terminal growth rate of 1.0% and 2.4% for our funeral and cemetery segments, respectively, and discounted the cash flows at a 6.95% discount rate based on the relative risk of these assets to our overall business. In addition to our annual review, we assess the impairment of intangible assets whenever certain events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may be greater than the fair value. Factors that could trigger an interim impairment review include, but are not limited to, significant under-performance relative to historical or projected future operating results and significant negative industry or economic trends. No interim intangible impairment reviews were required in 2019 or 2018 . Certain of our intangible assets associated with prior acquisitions are relieved using specific identification in fulfillment of performance obligations on our contracts. We amortize all other finite-lived intangible assets on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives, which range from two years to eighty-nine years
Stockholders' Equity, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Treasury Stock We make treasury stock purchases in the open market or through privately negotiated transactions subject to market conditions and normal trading restrictions. We account for the repurchase of our common stock under the par value method. We canceled 2.2 million , 9.4 million , and 6.9 million shares of common stock held in our treasury in 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 , respectively. These retired treasury shares were changed to authorized but unissued status.
Foreign Currency Transactions and Translations Policy [Policy Text Block]	Foreign Currency Translation All assets and liabilities of Canadian 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 as a component of Accumulated other comprehensive income in the Consolidated Statement of Equity and Consolidated Balance Sheet. The functional currency of SCI and its subsidiaries is the respective 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 (expense), net in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. We do not have any investments in foreign operations considered to be in highly inflationary economies.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Fair Value Measurements We measure the securities held by our funeral merchandise and service, cemetery merchandise and service, and cemetery perpetual care trusts at fair value on a recurring basis. Fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. We utilize a three-level valuation hierarchy for disclosure of fair value measurements. The valuation hierarchy is based upon the transparency of inputs to the valuation of an asset or liability as of the measurement date. The three levels are defined as follows: • Where quoted prices are available in an active market, securities held by the trusts are classified as Level 1 investments. • Where quoted market prices are not available for the specific security, fair values are estimated by using either quoted prices of securities with similar characteristics or an income approach fair value model with observable inputs that include a combination of interest rates, yield curves, credit risks, prepayment speeds, ratings, and tax-exempt status. These securities are classified as Level 2 investments. • The valuation of other investments requires management judgment due to the absence of quoted market prices, inherent lack of liquidity, and the long-term nature of such assets. These securities are classified as Level 3 investments. An asset’s or liability’s categorization within the valuation hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Fixed income commingled funds, money market funds, and private equity investments are measured at net asset value. Fixed income commingled funds and money market funds are redeemable for net asset value with two weeks' notice and immediately, respectively. Our private equity investments include several funds that invest in limited partnerships, distressed debt, real estate, and mezzanine financing. These investments can never be redeemed by the funds. Instead, due to the nature of the investments in this category, distributions are received through the liquidation of the underlying assets of the funds. We estimate that the underlying assets will be liquidated over the next two to ten years. Valuation policies and procedures are determined by our Trust Services department, which reports to our Chief Financial Officer. Additionally, valuations are reviewed quarterly by the Investment Committee of the Board of Directors. We assess our investments in fixed income instruments for other-than-temporary declines in fair value on a quarterly basis. Prior to our adoption of the new guidance on financial instruments discussed below in "Accounting Standards Adopted in 2019 ", we also assessed our investments in equity instruments for other-than temporary declines in fair value on a quarterly basis. Impairment charges resulting from these assessments are recognized as investment losses in Other income (expense), net . These investment losses, if any, are offset by the corresponding reclassification in Other income (expense), net , related to Deferred receipts held in trust , for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 . We recorded no impairment charge for other-than-temporary declines in fair value related to fixed income investments for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 .
Revenue [Policy Text Block]	Revenue is recognized when control of the merchandise or services is transferred to the customer. Our performance obligations include the delivery of funeral and cemetery merchandise and services and cemetery property interment rights. Control transfers when merchandise is delivered or services are performed. For cemetery property interment rights, control transfers to the customer when the property is developed and the interment right has been sold and can no longer be marketed or sold to another customer. Sales taxes collected are recognized on a net basis in our consolidated financial statements. On our atneed contracts, we generally deliver the merchandise and perform the services at the time of need. Personalized marker merchandise and marker installation services sold on atneed contracts are recognized when control is transferred to the customer, generally when the marker is delivered and installed in the cemetery. We also sell price-guaranteed preneed contracts through various programs providing for future merchandise and services at prices prevailing when the agreements are signed. Revenue associated with sales of preneed contracts is deferred until control of the merchandise or the services is transferred to the customer, which is upon delivery of the merchandise or as services are performed, generally at the time of need. On certain preneed contracts, we sell memorialization merchandise, which consists of urns and urn-related products, that we deliver to the customer at the time of sale. Revenue is recognized at the time of delivery when control of the memorialization merchandise is transferred. For personalized marker merchandise sold on a preneed contract, we will: • purchase the merchandise from vendors, • personalize such merchandise in accordance with the customer's specific written instructions, • either store the merchandise at a third-party bonded storage facility or install the merchandise, based on the customer's instructions, and • transfer title to the customer. We recognize revenue and record the cost of sales when control is transferred for the merchandise, which occurs upon delivery to the third-party storage facility or installation of the merchandise at the cemetery. There is no general right of return for delivered items. We also sell travel protection as an agent of a third party. Travel protection is a service that provides shipment of remains to the servicing funeral home or cemetery of choice if the purchaser passes away outside of a certain radius of their residence, without any additional expense to the family. We do not provide travel protection services, and we are not primarily obligated to provide such services under these arrangements. Therefore, we record revenues, net of amounts due to the third-party, at the time of sale. Total consideration received for price-guaranteed preneed and for atneed contracts with customers represents the stated amount of the contract excluding any amounts collected on behalf of third parties, such as sales taxes. Additionally, pursuant to state or provincial law, all or a portion of the proceeds from merchandise or services sold on a preneed basis may be required to be deposited into trust funds. Earnings on these trust funds, which are specifically identifiable for each performance obligation, are also included in total consideration. The total consideration received for contracts with customers is allocated to each performance obligation based on relative selling price. Relative selling prices are determined by either the amount we sell the performance obligation for on a stand-alone basis or our best estimate of the amount we would sell it for based on an adjusted market assessment approach that is consistent with our historical pricing practices. Payment on atneed contracts is generally due at the time the merchandise is delivered or the services are performed. For preneed contracts, payment generally occurs prior to our fulfillment of the performance obligations. Our preneed contracts may also have extended payment terms with associated financing charges. We do not accrue interest on preneed receivables if they are not paid in accordance with the contractual payment terms given the nature of our merchandise and services, the nature of our contracts with customers, and the timing of the delivery of our services. We do not consider preneed receivables to be past due until the merchandise or services are required to be delivered at which time the preneed receivable is paid or reclassified as a trade receivable with payment terms of less than thirty days. For unfulfilled performance obligations on cancelable preneed contracts, our Consolidated Balance Sheet reflects the net contract liability, which represents the amount we have collected from customers, in Deferred revenue, net . Pursuant to state or provincial law, all or a portion of the proceeds from merchandise or services sold on a preneed basis may be required to be deposited into trust funds. When we receive payments from the customer, we deposit the amount required by law into the merchandise and service trusts and reclassify the corresponding amount from Deferred revenue, net into Deferred receipts held in trust . Amounts are withdrawn from the merchandise and service trusts when we fulfill the performance obligations. Earnings on these trust funds, which are specifically identifiable for each performance obligation, are also included in total consideration. We defer these investment earnings related to the merchandise and service trusts until the associated merchandise is delivered or services are performed. Fees charged by our wholly-owned registered investment advisor are also included in revenue in the period in which they are earned. If a preneed contract is canceled prior to delivery, state or provincial 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 the trust and previously undistributed net investment earnings and, where required, issue a refund to the customer. In addition, we are entitled to retain, in certain jurisdictions, a portion of collected customer payments when a customer cancels a preneed contract. We recognize these retained funds, if any, and the attributed investment earnings (net of any investment earnings payable to the customer) as revenue in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. In certain jurisdictions, we may be obligated to fund any shortfall if the amount refundable to the customer exceeds the funds in trust. 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 by us to maintain the cemetery. This portion of the proceeds is not recognized as revenue. Investment earnings from these trusts are distributed to us regularly and recognized in current cemetery revenue. These distributions are intended to defray cemetery maintenance costs incurred by us for our cemetery properties, which are expensed as incurred. The principal of such perpetual care trust funds generally cannot be withdrawn; however, in lieu of the distribution of realized income, certain states allow a total return distribution which may contain elements of income, capital appreciation, and principal. Costs related to delivery or performance of merchandise and services are charged to expense when merchandise is delivered or services are performed. Costs related to property interment rights include the property and construction costs specifically identified by each project. Property and construction costs are charged to expense when the revenue is recognized by specific identification in the fulfillment of the performance obligation. Incremental direct selling costs are deferred until fulfillment of the performance obligations. These deferred costs are classified as long-term on our Consolidated Balance sheet because we do not control the timing of the delivery of the merchandise or performance of the services as they are generally provided at the time of need. For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, we recognized $ 174.7 million and $ 180.1 million , respectively, of incremental selling costs. All other selling costs are expensed as incurred.
Financing Receivable [Policy Text Block]	Insurance-Funded Preneed Contracts Where permitted by state or provincial law, we may sell a life insurance or annuity policy from third-party insurance companies, for which we earn a commission as general sales agent for the insurance company. These general agency commissions (GA revenue) are based on a percentage per contract sold and are recognized as funeral revenue when the insurance purchase transaction between the preneed purchaser and third-party insurance provider is completed. All selling costs incurred pursuant to the sale of insurance-funded preneed contracts are expensed as incurred. GA revenue recognized in 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 was $139.7 million , $134.1 million , and $121.0 million , respectively. We do not reflect the unfulfilled insurance-funded preneed contract amounts in our Consolidated Balance Sheet. The policy amount of the insurance contract between the customer and the third-party insurance company generally equals the amount of the preneed contract. The policyholder has made a revocable commitment to assign the proceeds from the policy to us at the time of need. The proceeds of the life insurance policies or annuity contracts will be reflected in funeral revenue as we perform these funerals.
Income Tax, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Income Taxes We compute income taxes using the liability method. Our ability to realize the benefit of our deferred tax assets requires us to achieve certain future earnings levels. We have established a valuation allowance against a portion of our deferred tax assets. We could be required to further adjust that valuation allowance in the near term if market conditions change materially and future earnings are, or are projected to be, significantly different than our current estimates. An increase in the valuation allowance would result in additional income tax expense in such period. All deferred tax assets and liabilities, along with any related valuation allowances are classified as non-current on our Consolidated Balance Sheet. On December 22, 2017, the U.S. government enacted comprehensive tax legislation commonly referred to as the Tax Act. The Tax Act made broad and complex changes to the U.S. tax code by, among other things, reducing the federal corporate income tax rate, requiring payment of a one-time transition tax on unrepatriated earnings of foreign subsidiaries, generally eliminating U.S. federal income taxes on dividends from foreign subsidiaries, creating a new limitation on deductible interest expense, creating a bonus depreciation that will allow for full expensing on qualified property, and imposing a limitation on deductibility of certain executive compensation. On December 22, 2017, the SEC staff issued Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118 (“SAB 118”) to address the application of U.S. GAAP in situations when a registrant does not have the necessary information available, prepared, or analyzed (including computations) in reasonable detail to complete the accounting for certain income tax effects of the Tax Act. SAB 118 provided a measurement period of up to one year from the Tax Act enactment date for companies to complete the accounting for the income tax effects of certain elements of the Tax Act. In accordance with SAB 118, we have recognized the provisional tax impacts related to deemed repatriated earnings and the remeasurement of deferred tax assets and liabilities and included these amounts in our consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2017. During 2018, we identified and recorded discrete adjustments to the provisional amounts allowed under SAB 118. The accounting for the income tax effects of the Tax Act was completed in the fourth quarter of 2018. For further information on the impacts of the Tax Act, see Note 5 in Part II, Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data. In assessing the usefulness of deferred tax assets, we consider whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the net deferred tax assets will not be realized. The ultimate realization of net deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible. During 2018, we recorded a net $6.6 million decrease in our state valuation allowance due primarily to the legislative change in Iowa and increased activity in Indiana as a result of the Gibraltar acquisition. We also recorded a $43 thousand
Pension and Other Postretirement Plans, Policy [Policy Text Block]	We currently have a supplemental retirement plan for certain current and former key employees (SERP), a supplemental retirement plan for officers and certain key employees (Senior SERP), a retirement plan for certain non-employee directors (Directors’ Plan), a Retirement Plan for Rose Hills ® Trustees, a Rose Hills ® Supplemental Retirement Plan, and a Stewart Supplemental Retirement Plan (collectively, the “Plans”). All of our Plans have a measurement date of December 31 . The Plans are frozen; therefore, the participants do not earn incremental benefits from additional years of service, and we do not incur any additional service cost. Retirement benefits under the SERP are based on years of service and average monthly compensation, reduced by benefits under 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 retirement, based on a vesting schedule. The Plans’ weighted-average assumptions used to determine the benefit obligation and net periodic benefit cost are as follows:
Consolidation, Variable Interest Entity, Policy [Policy Text Block]	We also have an employee savings plan that qualifies under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code for the exclusive benefit of our 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% . During 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 , we matched a percentage of the employee contributions through contributions of cash. For these years, our matching contribution 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 100% of the first 6% of deferred compensation 11 or more years 125% of the first 6% of deferred compensation
Funeral and Cemetery cash flow [Policy Text Block]
Revenue Recognition, Deferred Revenue [Policy Text Block]
Marketable Securities, Policy [Policy Text Block]
Share-based Payment Arrangement [Policy Text Block]	We utilize the Black-Scholes option valuation model for estimating the fair value of our stock options.
Income Tax Uncertainties, Policy [Policy Text Block]	e include potential accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits within our income tax provision account.
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Accounting Standards Adopted in 2019 Leases In February 2016 and in January, July, and December 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued and amended new guidance on "Leases" to increase transparency and comparability among organizations. Under the new guidance, we are required to recognize right-of-use (ROU) lease assets and liabilities on our balance sheet and disclose key information about leasing arrangements. In addition, the new guidance offers specific accounting considerations for lessees, lessors, and sale and leaseback transactions. Lessees and lessors are required to disclose qualitative and quantitative information about leasing arrangements to enable a user of the financial statements to assess the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. We adopted the new guidance on January 1, 2019 using the modified retrospective transition method. As a result of the adoption, we recorded: • a $ 0.7 million reclass from Other current assets to Accounts payable and accrued liabilities for prepaid operating lease expenses, • a $2.7 million reclass from Accounts payable and accrued liabilities to Deferred charges and other assets for accrued operating lease expenses, • a $62.6 million increase to Deferred charges and other assets for operating lease right-of-use assets, and • a $9.4 million and $53.2 million increase to Accounts payable and accrued liabilities and Other liabilities , respectively, for operating lease liabilities. The modified retrospective transition method includes a number of optional practical expedients and accounting policy elections: 1. We elected a package of practical expedients to not reassess: • whether a contract is or contains a lease, • lease classification, or • initial direct costs. 2. We did not elect a practical expedient to use hindsight when determining lease term. 3. We elected the short-term lease recognition exemption. 4. The remaining practical expedients do not apply or do not have a material impact. We established a project team to implement the new guidance. We implemented a new enterprise-wide lease management system in the form of a pre-configured cloud-based application to support the adoption and ongoing lease requirements under the new guidance. This system serves as a lease database to manage our lease inventory centrally and ensure completeness of our lease inventory. The system also produces accounting entries and financial reporting disclosures required under the new guidance and provides lease activity business intelligence reporting. We thoroughly tested the new system to ensure it produces accurate data to prepare the required accounting entries and disclosures under the new guidance upon adoption and on an ongoing basis. We evaluated and implemented additional changes to our processes and internal controls to facilitate adoption on January 1, 2019 and to meet the standard’s ongoing reporting and disclosure requirements. Our current operating lease portfolio is primarily composed of real estate and equipment. As a result of the adoption, we recognized ROU assets and lease liabilities related to substantially all operating lease arrangements. The adoption of "Leases " did not have an impact on our consolidated results of operations or cash flows. We made the required enhanced lease-related disclosures above and in Note 8 of this Form 10-K. Internal Use Software In August 2018, the FASB amended "Internal Use Software" to align the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement for software-as-a-service with the requirements for capitalizing those costs in a hosting arrangement that includes a software license. Costs for implementation activities in the application development stage are capitalized, depending on the nature of the costs, while costs incurred during the preliminary project and post-implementation stages are expensed. Any capitalized costs are amortized over the term of the hosting arrangement. Cash payments for the implementation costs, whether capitalized or not, are presented as operating outflows as that is consistent with the presentation of the fees in the hosting arrangement. We adopted the new guidance on a prospective basis to implementation costs incurred after January 1, 2019 with an immaterial impact on our consolidated results of operations and consolidated financial position and no impact on cash flows. Recently Issued Accounting Standards Financial Instruments In June 2016, the FASB amended "Financial Instruments" to provide financial statement users with more decision-useful information about the expected credit losses on debt instruments and other commitments to extend credit held by a reporting entity at each reporting date. During November 2018 and April 2019, the FASB made amendments to the new standard that clarified guidance on several matters, including accrued interest, recoveries, and various codification improvements. The new standard, as amended, replaces the incurred loss impairment methodology in the current standard with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to support credit loss estimates. We established an implementation team and began analyzing the impact on our current policies and procedures to identify potential differences that would result from applying the requirements of the new standard. The implementation team reported findings and progress of the project to management on a frequent basis. Through this process, we have identified appropriate changes to our processes, systems, and controls to support recognition and disclosure under the new standard. During 2019, we evaluated the potential changes from adopting the new standard on our future reporting and disclosures. We made changes to our methodology, data/input gathering, and validation to accommodate recognition and disclosure requirements under the new standard. Finally, we identified and designed additional controls around new processes resulting from the new standard. The new standard is effective for us in the first quarter of 2020 and we will adopt it using a modified retrospective approach, except for investments in debt securities, which will utilize a prospective approach. We are still evaluating the impact of the new standard on our consolidated results of operations, consolidated financial position, and cash flows. Goodwill In January 2017, the FASB amended "Goodwill" to simplify the subsequent measurement of goodwill. The amended guidance eliminates Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. Instead, impairment is defined as the amount by which the carrying value of the reporting unit exceeds its fair value, up to the total amount of goodwill of the reporting unit. The new standard is effective for us in the first quarter of 2020 and is not expected to have an impact on our consolidated results of operations, consolidated financial position, and cash flows. Fair Value Measurements In August 2018, the FASB amended "Fair Value Measurements" to modify the disclosure requirements related to fair value. The amendment removes requirements to disclose (1) the amount of and reasons for transfers between levels 1 and 2 of the fair value hierarchy, (2) our policy related to the timing of transfers between levels, and (3) the valuation processes used in level 3 measurements. It clarifies that, for investments measured at net asset value, disclosure of liquidation timing is only required if the investee has communicated the timing either to us or publicly. It also clarifies that the narrative disclosure of the effect of changes in level 3 inputs should be based on changes that could occur at the reporting date. The amendment adds a requirement to disclose the range and weighted average of significant unobservable inputs used in level 3 measurements. The guidance is effective for us with our quarterly filing for the period ended March 31, 2020, and we will make the required disclosure changes in that filing. Adoption will not have an impact on our consolidated results of operations, consolidated financial position, and cash flows. Retirement Plans In August 2018, the FASB amended "Retirement Plans" to modify the disclosure requirements for defined benefit plans. For us, the amendment requires the disclosure of the weighted average interest crediting rate used for cash balance plans and an explanation of the reasons for significant gains and losses related to changes in the benefit obligation for the period. It removes the requirement to disclose the approximate amount of future benefits covered by insurance contracts. The guidance is effective for us with our annual filing for the year ended December 31, 2020, and we will make the required disclosure changes in that filing. Adoption will not have an impact on our consolidated results of operations, consolidated financial position, and cash flows.

Preneed Activities Level 3 (Tab

Preneed Activities Level 3 (Tables)	12 Months Ended
Preneed Activities Level 3 (Tables)	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Preneed Activities [Abstract]
Investment related activities [Table Text Block]	Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 (In thousands) Deposits $ 421,460 $ 393,523 $ 371,234 Withdrawals $ 435,344 $ 432,822 $ 415,283 Purchases of securities $ 1,596,698 $ 1,540,093 $ 2,057,348 Sales of securities $ 1,495,733 $ 1,564,968 $ 1,999,918 Realized gains from sales of securities (1) $ 241,661 $ 305,595 $ 256,413 Realized losses from sales of securities (1) $ (121,272 ) $ (77,996 ) $ (76,963 )
Long-term receivable and investment components [Table Text Block]	Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 (In thousands) Preneed funeral receivables $ 130,971 $ 107,612 Preneed cemetery receivables 922,171 883,432 Preneed receivables from customers 1,053,142 991,044 Unearned finance charge (50,570 ) (44,981 ) Allowance for cancellation (55,340 ) (48,380 ) Preneed receivables, net 947,232 897,683 Trust investments, at market 5,258,319 4,585,720 Insurance-backed fixed income securities and other 265,160 265,787 Trust investments 5,523,479 4,851,507 Less: Cemetery perpetual care trust investments (1,681,149 ) (1,477,798 ) Preneed trust investments 3,842,330 3,373,709 Preneed receivables, net and trust investments $ 4,789,562 $ 4,271,392
Preneed Funeral Receivables, Net and Trust Investments [Table Text Block]	Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 (In thousands) Beginning balance - Preneed receivables, net and trust investments $ 4,271,392 $ 4,778,842 $ 4,305,165 Net preneed contract sales 1,372,705 1,325,134 1,257,288 Cash receipts from customers, net of refunds (1,280,468 ) (1,185,717 ) (1,109,380 ) Deposits to trust 372,644 347,601 328,241 Acquisitions of businesses, net 11,751 134,729 8,153 Net undistributed investment earnings (losses) (1) 489,577 (191,611 ) 384,512 Maturities and distributed earnings (442,507 ) (433,036 ) (411,452 ) Change in cancellation allowance (2,006 ) 62,131 (528 ) Change in amounts due on unfulfilled performance obligations (10,223 ) (546,554 ) — Effect of foreign currency and other 6,697 (20,127 ) 16,843 Ending balance - Preneed receivables, net and trust investments $ 4,789,562 $ 4,271,392 $ 4,778,842 (1) Includes both realized and unrealized investment earnings (losses).
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities Reconciliation [Table Text Block]	December 31, 2019 Fair Value Hierarchy Level Cost Unrealized Gains Unrealized Losses Value (In thousands) Fixed income securities: U.S. Treasury 2 $ 49,728 $ 752 $ (130 ) $ 50,350 Canadian government 2 41,093 76 (850 ) 40,319 Corporate 2 9,694 28 (172 ) 9,550 Residential mortgage-backed 2 3,210 59 (1 ) 3,268 Asset-backed 2 129 3 (4 ) 128 Equity securities: Preferred stock 2 6,338 804 (115 ) 7,027 Common stock: United States 1 1,349,828 303,766 (36,507 ) 1,617,087 Canada 1 43,866 12,369 (2,075 ) 54,160 Other international 1 95,257 18,227 (522 ) 112,962 Mutual funds: Equity 1 746,581 31,511 (54,020 ) 724,072 Fixed income 1 1,247,930 16,424 (32,587 ) 1,231,767 Other 3 7,034 1,184 — 8,218 Trust investments, at fair value 3,600,688 385,203 (126,983 ) 3,858,908 Commingled funds Fixed income 444,744 5,077 (1,731 ) 448,090 Equity 249,980 47,631 — 297,611 Money market funds 397,461 — — 397,461 Private equity 176,388 80,283 (422 ) 256,249 Trust investments, at net asset value 1,268,573 132,991 (2,153 ) 1,399,411 Trust investments, at market $ 4,869,261 $ 518,194 $ (129,136 ) $ 5,258,319	December 31, 2018 Fair Value Hierarchy Level Cost Unrealized Gains Unrealized Losses Value (In thousands) Fixed income securities: U.S. Treasury 2 $ 49,187 $ 153 $ (448 ) $ 48,892 Canadian government 2 56,343 23 (1,797 ) 54,569 Corporate 2 19,869 13 (516 ) 19,366 Residential mortgage-backed 2 3,611 10 (50 ) 3,571 Asset-backed 2 142 2 (11 ) 133 Equity securities: Preferred stock 2 9,058 180 (412 ) 8,826 Common stock: United States 1 1,236,513 149,233 (138,141 ) 1,247,605 Canada 1 34,821 9,082 (3,026 ) 40,877 Other international 1 77,676 6,057 (10,275 ) 73,458 Mutual funds: Equity 1 760,887 7,104 (151,853 ) 616,138 Fixed income 1 1,180,325 800 (89,179 ) 1,091,946 Other 3 6,548 3,210 (3 ) 9,755 Trust investments, at fair value 3,434,980 175,867 (395,711 ) 3,215,136 Commingled funds Fixed income 419,206 2,419 (18,981 ) 402,644 Equity 205,789 19,567 (11,723 ) 213,633 Money market funds 466,429 — — 466,429 Private equity 215,618 72,897 (637 ) 287,878 Trust investments, at net asset value 1,307,042 94,883 (31,341 ) 1,370,584 Trust investments, at market $ 4,742,022 $ 270,750 $ (427,052 ) $ 4,585,720
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Table Text Block]	The change in our market-based trust investments with significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) is as follows: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 (In thousands) Fair value, beginning balance at January 1 $ 9,755 $ 9,067 $ 7,163 Net realized and unrealized (losses) gains included in Other income (expense), net (1) (761 ) (697 ) 912 Purchases 1,006 66 1,945 Sales (1,782 ) (26 ) (953 ) Acquisitions, net — 1,345 — Fair value, ending balance at December 31 $ 8,218 $ 9,755 $ 9,067 (1) All net realized and unrealized (losses) gains recognized in Other income (expense), net for our trust investments are offset by a corresponding reclassification in Other income (expense), net to Deferred receipts held in trust and Care trusts' corpus .
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Table Text Block]	Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 (In thousands) Fair value, beginning balance at January 1 $ 9,755 $ 9,067 $ 7,163 Net realized and unrealized (losses) gains included in Other income (expense), net (1) (761 ) (697 ) 912 Purchases 1,006 66 1,945 Sales (1,782 ) (26 ) (953 ) Acquisitions, net — 1,345 — Fair value, ending balance at December 31 $ 8,218 $ 9,755 $ 9,067
Preneed Activities Text Block	3. Preneed Activities Preneed receivables, net and trust investments The components of Preneed receivables, net and trust investments in our Consolidated Balance Sheet were as follows: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 (In thousands) Preneed funeral receivables $ 130,971 $ 107,612 Preneed cemetery receivables 922,171 883,432 Preneed receivables from customers 1,053,142 991,044 Unearned finance charge (50,570 ) (44,981 ) Allowance for cancellation (55,340 ) (48,380 ) Preneed receivables, net 947,232 897,683 Trust investments, at market 5,258,319 4,585,720 Insurance-backed fixed income securities and other 265,160 265,787 Trust investments 5,523,479 4,851,507 Less: Cemetery perpetual care trust investments (1,681,149 ) (1,477,798 ) Preneed trust investments 3,842,330 3,373,709 Preneed receivables, net and trust investments $ 4,789,562 $ 4,271,392 The table below sets forth certain investment-related activities associated with our trusts: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 (In thousands) Deposits $ 421,460 $ 393,523 $ 371,234 Withdrawals $ 435,344 $ 432,822 $ 415,283 Purchases of securities $ 1,596,698 $ 1,540,093 $ 2,057,348 Sales of securities $ 1,495,733 $ 1,564,968 $ 1,999,918 Realized gains from sales of securities (1) $ 241,661 $ 305,595 $ 256,413 Realized losses from sales of securities (1) $ (121,272 ) $ (77,996 ) $ (76,963 ) (1) All realized gains and losses are recognized in Other income (expense), net for our trust investments and are offset by a corresponding reclassification in Other income (expense), net to Deferred receipts held in trust and Care trusts’ corpus. The activity in Preneed receivables, net and trust investments was as follows: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 (In thousands) Beginning balance - Preneed receivables, net and trust investments $ 4,271,392 $ 4,778,842 $ 4,305,165 Net preneed contract sales 1,372,705 1,325,134 1,257,288 Cash receipts from customers, net of refunds (1,280,468 ) (1,185,717 ) (1,109,380 ) Deposits to trust 372,644 347,601 328,241 Acquisitions of businesses, net 11,751 134,729 8,153 Net undistributed investment earnings (losses) (1) 489,577 (191,611 ) 384,512 Maturities and distributed earnings (442,507 ) (433,036 ) (411,452 ) Change in cancellation allowance (2,006 ) 62,131 (528 ) Change in amounts due on unfulfilled performance obligations (10,223 ) (546,554 ) — Effect of foreign currency and other 6,697 (20,127 ) 16,843 Ending balance - Preneed receivables, net and trust investments $ 4,789,562 $ 4,271,392 $ 4,778,842 (1) Includes both realized and unrealized investment earnings (losses). The cost and market values associated with trust investments recorded at market value at December 31, 2019 and 2018 are detailed below. Cost reflects the investment (net of redemptions) of control holders in the trusts. Fair value represents the value of the underlying securities held by the trusts. December 31, 2019 Fair Value Hierarchy Level Cost Unrealized Gains Unrealized Losses Value (In thousands) Fixed income securities: U.S. Treasury 2 $ 49,728 $ 752 $ (130 ) $ 50,350 Canadian government 2 41,093 76 (850 ) 40,319 Corporate 2 9,694 28 (172 ) 9,550 Residential mortgage-backed 2 3,210 59 (1 ) 3,268 Asset-backed 2 129 3 (4 ) 128 Equity securities: Preferred stock 2 6,338 804 (115 ) 7,027 Common stock: United States 1 1,349,828 303,766 (36,507 ) 1,617,087 Canada 1 43,866 12,369 (2,075 ) 54,160 Other international 1 95,257 18,227 (522 ) 112,962 Mutual funds: Equity 1 746,581 31,511 (54,020 ) 724,072 Fixed income 1 1,247,930 16,424 (32,587 ) 1,231,767 Other 3 7,034 1,184 — 8,218 Trust investments, at fair value 3,600,688 385,203 (126,983 ) 3,858,908 Commingled funds Fixed income 444,744 5,077 (1,731 ) 448,090 Equity 249,980 47,631 — 297,611 Money market funds 397,461 — — 397,461 Private equity 176,388 80,283 (422 ) 256,249 Trust investments, at net asset value 1,268,573 132,991 (2,153 ) 1,399,411 Trust investments, at market $ 4,869,261 $ 518,194 $ (129,136 ) $ 5,258,319 December 31, 2018 Fair Value Hierarchy Level Cost Unrealized Gains Unrealized Losses Value (In thousands) Fixed income securities: U.S. Treasury 2 $ 49,187 $ 153 $ (448 ) $ 48,892 Canadian government 2 56,343 23 (1,797 ) 54,569 Corporate 2 19,869 13 (516 ) 19,366 Residential mortgage-backed 2 3,611 10 (50 ) 3,571 Asset-backed 2 142 2 (11 ) 133 Equity securities: Preferred stock 2 9,058 180 (412 ) 8,826 Common stock: United States 1 1,236,513 149,233 (138,141 ) 1,247,605 Canada 1 34,821 9,082 (3,026 ) 40,877 Other international 1 77,676 6,057 (10,275 ) 73,458 Mutual funds: Equity 1 760,887 7,104 (151,853 ) 616,138 Fixed income 1 1,180,325 800 (89,179 ) 1,091,946 Other 3 6,548 3,210 (3 ) 9,755 Trust investments, at fair value 3,434,980 175,867 (395,711 ) 3,215,136 Commingled funds Fixed income 419,206 2,419 (18,981 ) 402,644 Equity 205,789 19,567 (11,723 ) 213,633 Money market funds 466,429 — — 466,429 Private equity 215,618 72,897 (637 ) 287,878 Trust investments, at net asset value 1,307,042 94,883 (31,341 ) 1,370,584 Trust investments, at market $ 4,742,022 $ 270,750 $ (427,052 ) $ 4,585,720 As of December 31, 2019 , our unfunded commitment for our private equity investments was $134.9 million which, if called, would be funded by the assets of the trusts. The change in our market-based trust investments with significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) is as follows: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 (In thousands) Fair value, beginning balance at January 1 $ 9,755 $ 9,067 $ 7,163 Net realized and unrealized (losses) gains included in Other income (expense), net (1) (761 ) (697 ) 912 Purchases 1,006 66 1,945 Sales (1,782 ) (26 ) (953 ) Acquisitions, net — 1,345 — Fair value, ending balance at December 31 $ 8,218 $ 9,755 $ 9,067 (1) All net realized and unrealized (losses) gains recognized in Other income (expense), net for our trust investments are offset by a corresponding reclassification in Other income (expense), net to Deferred receipts held in trust and Care trusts' corpus . Maturity dates of our fixed income securities range from 2020 to 2040 . Maturities of fixed income securities (excluding mutual funds) at December 31, 2019 are estimated as follows: Fair Value (In thousands) Due in one year or less $ 58,452 Due in one to five years 36,994 Due in five to ten years 8,038 Thereafter 131 Total estimated maturities of fixed income securities $ 103,615 Recognized trust fund income (realized and unrealized) related to our preneed trust investments was $119.0 million , $121.7 million , and $112.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 , respectively. Recognized trust fund income (realized and unrealized) related to our cemetery perpetual care trust investments was $77.5 million , $74.7 million , and $62.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 , respectively. We have determined that the unrealized losses in our fixed income trust investments are considered temporary in nature, as the unrealized losses were due to temporary fluctuations in interest rates. The investments are diversified across multiple industry segments using a balanced allocation strategy to minimize long-term risk. We believe that none of the securities are other-than-temporarily impaired based on our analysis of the investments. Our analysis included a review of the portfolio holdings and discussions with the individual money managers as to the credit ratings and the severity and duration of the unrealized losses. Our fixed income investment unrealized losses, their associated fair values, and the duration of unrealized losses for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 , are shown in the following tables: December 31, 2019 In Loss Position Less Than 12 Months In Loss Position Greater Than 12 Months Total Fair Market Value Unrealized Losses Fair Market Value Unrealized Losses Fair Market Value Unrealized Losses (In thousands) Fixed income securities: U.S. Treasury $ 3,023 $ (36 ) $ 1,947 $ (94 ) $ 4,970 $ (130 ) Canadian government — — 13,804 (850 ) 13,804 (850 ) Corporate 30 — 4,826 (172 ) 4,856 (172 ) Residential mortgage-backed — — 51 (1 ) 51 (1 ) Asset-backed — — 28 (4 ) 28 (4 ) Total fixed income temporarily impaired securities $ 3,053 $ (36 ) $ 20,656 $ (1,121 ) $ 23,709 $ (1,157 ) December 31, 2018 In Loss Position Less Than 12 Months In Loss Position Greater Than 12 Months Total Fair Market Value Unrealized Losses Fair Market Value Unrealized Losses Fair Market Value Unrealized Losses (In thousands) Fixed income securities: U.S. Treasury $ 6,899 $ (226 ) $ 16,374 $ (222 ) $ 23,273 $ (448 ) Canadian government 2,254 (9 ) 25,330 (1,788 ) 27,584 (1,797 ) Corporate 11,579 (206 ) 6,563 (310 ) 18,142 (516 ) Residential mortgage-backed 351 (4 ) 3,010 (46 ) 3,361 (50 ) Asset-backed — — 79 (11 ) 79 (11 ) Total fixed income temporarily impaired securities $ 21,083 $ (445 ) $ 51,356 $ (2,377 ) $ 72,439 $ (2,822 ) Deferred revenue, net At December 31, 2019 and 2018 , Deferred revenue, net represents future revenue, including distributed trust investment earnings associated with unperformed trust-funded preneed contracts that are not held in trust accounts. Future revenue and net trust investment earnings that are held in trust accounts are included in Deferred receipts held in trust . The components of Deferred revenue, net in our Consolidated Balance Sheet were as follows: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 (In thousands) Deferred revenue $ 2,046,000 $ 1,989,232 Amounts due from customers for unfulfilled performance obligations on cancelable preneed contracts (1) (578,897 ) (570,418 ) Deferred revenue, net $ 1,467,103 $ 1,418,814 (1) Prior to adoption of "Revenue from Contracts with Customers" on January 1, 2018, amounts due from customers for unfulfilled performance obligations on cancelable preneed contracts were included in Preneed receivables, net and trust investments . The following table summarizes the activity for our contract liabilities, which are reflected in Deferred revenue, net and Deferred receipts held in trust : Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 (In thousands) Beginning balance — Deferred revenue, net and Deferred receipts held in trust $ 4,790,552 $ 5,265,206 Cumulative effect of accounting changes — 37,991 Net preneed contract sales 984,575 977,378 (Dispositions) acquisitions of businesses, net (12,741 ) 159,560 Net investment gains (losses) (1) 484,577 (195,051 ) Recognized revenue from backlog (2) (368,908 ) (381,041 ) Recognized revenue from current period sales (573,804 ) (572,428 ) Change in amounts due on unfulfilled performance obligations (10,223 ) (546,554 ) Change in cancellation reserve 1,066 65,817 Effect of foreign currency and other 11,385 (20,326 ) Ending balance — Deferred revenue, net and Deferred receipts held in trust $ 5,306,479 $ 4,790,552 (1) Includes both realized and unrealized investment gains (losses). (2) Includes current year trust fund income through the date of performance. The following table summarizes the activity in Deferred revenue, net : Year Ended December 31, 2017 (In thousands) Beginning balance — Deferred revenue, net $ 1,731,417 Net preneed contract sales 900,037 Acquisitions of businesses, net 10,488 Net investment earnings (1) 381,436 Recognized revenue (876,857 ) Change in cancellation allowance (165 ) Change in deferred receipts held in trust (361,499 ) Effect of foreign currency and other 4,919 Ending balance — Deferred revenue, net $ 1,789,776 (1) Includes both realized and unrealized investment earnings.
Investments Classified by Contractual Maturity Date [Table Text Block]	Maturity dates of our fixed income securities range from 2020 to 2040 . Maturities of fixed income securities (excluding mutual funds) at December 31, 2019 are estimated as follows: Fair Value (In thousands) Due in one year or less $ 58,452 Due in one to five years 36,994 Due in five to ten years 8,038 Thereafter 131 Total estimated maturities of fixed income securities $ 103,615
Schedule of Unrealized Loss on Investments [Table Text Block]	December 31, 2019 In Loss Position Less Than 12 Months In Loss Position Greater Than 12 Months Total Fair Market Value Unrealized Losses Fair Market Value Unrealized Losses Fair Market Value Unrealized Losses (In thousands) Fixed income securities: U.S. Treasury $ 3,023 $ (36 ) $ 1,947 $ (94 ) $ 4,970 $ (130 ) Canadian government — — 13,804 (850 ) 13,804 (850 ) Corporate 30 — 4,826 (172 ) 4,856 (172 ) Residential mortgage-backed — — 51 (1 ) 51 (1 ) Asset-backed — — 28 (4 ) 28 (4 ) Total fixed income temporarily impaired securities $ 3,053 $ (36 ) $ 20,656 $ (1,121 ) $ 23,709 $ (1,157 )	Our fixed income investment unrealized losses, their associated fair values, and the duration of unrealized losses for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 , are shown in the following tables: December 31, 2019 In Loss Position Less Than 12 Months In Loss Position Greater Than 12 Months Total Fair Market Value Unrealized Losses Fair Market Value Unrealized Losses Fair Market Value Unrealized Losses (In thousands) Fixed income securities: U.S. Treasury $ 3,023 $ (36 ) $ 1,947 $ (94 ) $ 4,970 $ (130 ) Canadian government — — 13,804 (850 ) 13,804 (850 ) Corporate 30 — 4,826 (172 ) 4,856 (172 ) Residential mortgage-backed — — 51 (1 ) 51 (1 ) Asset-backed — — 28 (4 ) 28 (4 ) Total fixed income temporarily impaired securities $ 3,053 $ (36 ) $ 20,656 $ (1,121 ) $ 23,709 $ (1,157 ) December 31, 2018 In Loss Position Less Than 12 Months In Loss Position Greater Than 12 Months Total Fair Market Value Unrealized Losses Fair Market Value Unrealized Losses Fair Market Value Unrealized Losses (In thousands) Fixed income securities: U.S. Treasury $ 6,899 $ (226 ) $ 16,374 $ (222 ) $ 23,273 $ (448 ) Canadian government 2,254 (9 ) 25,330 (1,788 ) 27,584 (1,797 ) Corporate 11,579 (206 ) 6,563 (310 ) 18,142 (516 ) Residential mortgage-backed 351 (4 ) 3,010 (46 ) 3,361 (50 ) Asset-backed — — 79 (11 ) 79 (11 ) Total fixed income temporarily impaired securities $ 21,083 $ (445 ) $ 51,356 $ (2,377 ) $ 72,439 $ (2,822 )
Deferred Preneed Funeral Revenues [Table Text Block]	The following table summarizes the activity for our contract liabilities, which are reflected in Deferred revenue, net and Deferred receipts held in trust : Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 (In thousands) Beginning balance — Deferred revenue, net and Deferred receipts held in trust $ 4,790,552 $ 5,265,206 Cumulative effect of accounting changes — 37,991 Net preneed contract sales 984,575 977,378 (Dispositions) acquisitions of businesses, net (12,741 ) 159,560 Net investment gains (losses) (1) 484,577 (195,051 ) Recognized revenue from backlog (2) (368,908 ) (381,041 ) Recognized revenue from current period sales (573,804 ) (572,428 ) Change in amounts due on unfulfilled performance obligations (10,223 ) (546,554 ) Change in cancellation reserve 1,066 65,817 Effect of foreign currency and other 11,385 (20,326 ) Ending balance — Deferred revenue, net and Deferred receipts held in trust $ 5,306,479 $ 4,790,552 (1) Includes both realized and unrealized investment gains (losses).

Goodwill and Intangible Assets

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Goodwill and Intangible Assets Level 3 (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Goodwill [Table Text Block]	The changes in the carrying amounts of goodwill for our funeral and cemetery reporting units are as follows: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 Funeral Cemetery Total Funeral Cemetery Total (In thousands) Beginning balance — Goodwill $ 1,528,407 $ 335,435 $ 1,863,842 $ 1,499,741 $ 306,240 $ 1,805,981 Increase (decrease) in goodwill related to acquisitions (1) 7,458 (6,003 ) 1,455 38,976 29,219 68,195 Reduction of goodwill related to divestitures (5,003 ) (487 ) (5,490 ) (2,183 ) (24 ) (2,207 ) Effect of foreign currency 4,416 — 4,416 (8,127 ) — (8,127 ) Activity 6,871 (6,490 ) 381 28,666 29,195 57,861 Ending balance — Goodwill $ 1,535,278 $ 328,945 $ 1,864,223 $ 1,528,407 $ 335,435 $ 1,863,842
Schedule of Intangible Assets [Table Text Block]	The components of intangible assets at December 31 were as follows: Useful Life Minimum Maximum 2019 2018 (Years) (In thousands) Amortizing intangibles: Covenants-not-to-compete 2 - 20 $ 216,646 $ 215,424 Customer relationships 10 - 20 149,479 158,347 Tradenames 5 - 89 7,000 16,150 Other 5 - 89 26,927 25,103 400,052 415,024 Less: accumulated amortization: Covenants-not-to-compete 198,610 195,536 Customer relationships 83,047 75,199 Tradenames 123 9,194 Other 8,067 5,504 289,847 285,433 Amortizing intangibles, net 110,205 129,591 Non-amortizing intangibles: Tradenames Indefinite 310,197 293,474 Other Indefinite 10,765 10,765 Non-amortizing intangibles 320,962 304,239 Intangible assets, net — included in Deferred charges and other assets $ 431,167 $ 433,830
Schedule of Expected Amortization Expense [Table Text Block]	The following is estimated amortization expense, excluding certain intangibles for which we are unable to provide an estimate because they are amortized based on specific identification in the fulfillment of performance obligation on our preneed contracts, for the five years subsequent to December 31, 2019 (in thousands): 2020 $ 7,239 2021 7,140 2022 5,975 2023 5,584 2024 5,439 Total estimated amortization expense $ 31,377

Income Taxes Level 3 (Tables)

Income Taxes Level 3 (Tables)	12 Months Ended
Income Taxes Level 3 (Tables)	Dec. 31, 2019
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Income before Income Tax, Domestic and Foreign [Table Text Block]	Income before income taxes was composed of the following components: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 (In thousands) United States $ 441,579 $ 399,123 $ 347,680 Foreign 22,853 42,609 52,578 $ 464,432 $ 441,732 $ 400,258
Schedule of Components of Income Tax Expense (Benefit) [Table Text Block]	Income tax provision (benefit) consisted of the following: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 (In thousands) Current: United States $ 51,664 $ 18,138 $ 154,128 Foreign 7,059 10,541 12,187 State 12,908 6,974 4,934 Total current income taxes 71,631 35,653 171,249 Deferred: United States $ 12,973 $ (48,565 ) $ (314,389 ) Foreign (571 ) 386 618 State 10,628 6,700 (4,067 ) Total deferred income taxes 23,030 (41,479 ) (317,838 ) Total income taxes $ 94,661 $ (5,826 ) $ (146,589 )
Schedule of Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation [Table Text Block]	The differences between the U.S. federal statutory income tax rate and our effective tax rate were as follows: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 (In thousands) Computed tax provision at the applicable federal statutory income tax rate $ 97,531 $ 92,764 $ 140,090 State and local taxes, net of federal income tax benefits 20,081 10,146 8,216 Foreign jurisdiction differences 1,646 2,377 (6,782 ) Permanent differences associated with divestitures 1,288 790 1,925 Changes in uncertain tax positions and audit settlements (9,842 ) (88,687 ) (105,821 ) Foreign valuation allowance, net of federal income tax benefits 43 (431 ) 1,186 Enactment of U.S. Tax Act — (16,105 ) (146,160 ) Excess tax benefit from share-based compensation (13,868 ) (11,159 ) (18,521 ) Other (2,218 ) 4,479 (20,722 ) Provision (benefit from) for income taxes $ 94,661 $ (5,826 ) $ (146,589 ) Total consolidated effective tax rate 20.4 % (1.3 )% (36.6 )%
Schedule of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities [Table Text Block]	The tax effects of temporary differences and carryforwards that give rise to significant portions of deferred tax assets and liabilities consisted of the following: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 (In thousands) Inventories and cemetery property $ (212,498 ) $ (220,537 ) Deferred incremental direct selling costs (76,692 ) (73,696 ) Property and equipment (139,548 ) (122,281 ) Intangibles (199,906 ) (197,815 ) Other (1,893 ) — Deferred tax liabilities (630,537 ) (614,329 ) Loss and tax credit carryforwards 143,391 153,688 Deferred revenue on preneed funeral and cemetery contracts 113,171 113,970 Accrued liabilities 67,489 63,558 Other — 90 Deferred tax assets 324,051 331,306 Less: valuation allowance (114,331 ) (120,931 ) Net deferred income tax liability $ (420,817 ) $ (403,954 )
Schedule of Deferred Taxes Classification [Table Text Block]	Deferred tax assets and deferred income tax liabilities are recognized in our Consolidated Balance Sheet as follows: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 (In thousands) Non-current deferred tax assets $ 665 $ 673 Non-current deferred tax liabilities (421,482 ) (404,627 ) Net deferred income tax liability $ (420,817 ) $ (403,954 )
Summary of Income Tax Contingencies [Table Text Block]	The following table summarizes the activity related to our gross unrecognized tax benefits from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2019 (in thousands): Federal, State, and Foreign Tax (In thousands) Balance at December 31, 2016 $ 178,326 Reductions to tax positions as a result of audit settlement (30,333 ) Reductions to tax positions related to prior years (68,538 ) Balance at December 31, 2017 $ 79,455 Additions to tax positions related to prior years 1,348 Reduction to tax positions due to expiration of statutes of limitations (79,455 ) Balance at December 31, 2018 $ 1,348 Reductions to tax positions related to prior years — Balance at December 31, 2019 $ 1,348
Summary of Operating Loss Carryforwards [Table Text Block]	Such loss carryforwards will expire as follows: Federal State Foreign Total (In thousands) 2020 $ — $ 172,219 $ — $ 172,219 2021 — 150,106 — 150,106 2022 — 78,589 — 78,589 2023 — 228,210 — 228,210 Thereafter 1,211 1,828,046 11,147 1,840,404 Total $ 1,211 $ 2,457,170 $ 11,147 $ 2,469,528
Summary of Valuation Allowance [Table Text Block]	At December 31, 2019 , our loss and tax credit carryforward deferred tax assets and related valuation allowances by jurisdiction are as follows (presented net of federal benefit): Federal State Foreign Total (In thousands) Loss and tax credit carryforwards $ 254 $ 136,133 $ 7,004 $ 143,391 Valuation allowance $ — $ 93,982 $ 20,349 $ 114,331

Debt Level 3 (Tables)

Debt Level 3 (Tables)	12 Months Ended
Debt Level 3 (Tables)	Dec. 31, 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Schedule of Debt [Table Text Block]	Debt was as follows: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 (In thousands) 4.5% Senior Notes due November 2020 $ — $ 200,000 8.0% Senior Notes due November 2021 150,000 150,000 5.375% Senior Notes due January 2022 — 425,000 5.375% Senior Notes due May 2024 850,000 850,000 7.5% Senior Notes due April 2027 153,465 200,000 4.625% Senior Notes due December 2027 550,000 550,000 5.125% Senior Notes due June 2029 750,000 — Term Loan due December 2022 — 641,250 Term Loan due May 2024 633,750 — Bank Credit Facility due December 2022 — 395,000 Bank Credit Facility due May 2024 295,000 — Obligations under finance leases 185,252 211,952 Mortgage notes and other debt, maturities through 2050 45,104 4,076 Unamortized premiums and discounts, net 5,634 6,562 Unamortized debt issuance costs (34,854 ) (31,762 ) Total debt 3,583,351 3,602,078 Less: Current maturities of long-term debt (69,821 ) (69,896 ) Total long-term debt $ 3,513,530 $ 3,532,182
Schedule of Maturities of Long-term Debt [Table Text Block]	The following table summarizes the aggregate maturities of our debt for the five years subsequent to December 31, 2019 and thereafter, excluding unamortized premiums and debt issuance costs (in thousands): 2020 $ 73,912 2021 244,931 2022 60,322 2023 69,898 2024 1,659,084 2025 and thereafter 1,504,424 Total debt maturities $ 3,612,571
Schedule of Cash Flow, Supplemental Disclosures [Table Text Block]	Cash interest payments for the three years ended December 31 were as follows (in thousands): Payments in 2019 $ 190,672 Payments in 2018 $ 179,865 Payments in 2017 $ 160,843
Schedule of future cash interest payments [Table Text Block]	ash interest payments for the five years subsequent to December 31, 2019 and thereafter are as follows (in thousands): Payments in 2020 $ 169,519 Payments in 2021 166,382 Payments in 2022 154,506 Payments in 2023 153,727 Payments in 2024 108,640 Payments in 2025 and thereafter 274,871 Total expected cash interest payments $ 1,027,645

Credit Risk and Fair Value of_2

Credit Risk and Fair Value of Financial Instruments Level 3 (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Credit Risk and Fair Value of Financial Instruments [Abstract]
Fair Value, Measurement Inputs, Disclosure [Table Text Block]	The fair value of our debt instruments was as follows: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 (In thousands) 4.5% Senior Notes due November 2020 $ — $ 198,930 8.0% Senior Notes due November 2021 165,375 160,800 5.375% Senior Notes due January 2022 — 428,188 5.375% Senior Notes due May 2024 879,606 851,275 7.5% Notes due April 2027 188,381 214,940 4.625% Senior Notes due December 2027 577,500 517,077 5.125% Senior Notes due June 2029 798,525 — Term Loan due December 2022 — 629,579 Term Loan due May 2024 633,750 — Bank Credit Facility due December 2022 — 387,061 Bank Credit Facility due May 2024 295,000 — Mortgage notes and other debt, maturities through 2050 45,104 4,076 Total fair value of debt instruments $ 3,583,241 $ 3,391,926

Leases (Tables)

Leases (Tables)	12 Months Ended
Leases (Tables)	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Leases [Abstract]
Lessor, Operating Lease, Payments to be Received, Maturity [Table Text Block]	Future undiscounted lease income from operating leases as of December 31, 2019 were as follows (in thousands): 2020 $ 1,744 2021 1,428 2022 1,053 2023 436 2024 77 Thereafter 139 Total expected cash receipts $ 4,877
Contractual Obligation, Fiscal Year Maturity [Table Text Block]	Future lease payments for non-cancelable operating and finance leases as of December 31, 2019 were as follows: Operating Finance Total (In thousands) 2020 $ 11,098 $ 45,182 $ 56,280 2021 10,253 63,840 74,093 2022 8,703 27,764 36,467 2023 6,394 20,317 26,711 2024 5,366 24,774 30,140 2025 and thereafter 40,364 24,594 64,958 Total lease payments $ 82,178 $ 206,471 $ 288,649 Less: Interest (21,549 ) (21,219 ) (42,768 ) Present value of lease liabilities $ 60,629 $ 185,252 $ 245,881	As of December 31, 2018, we disclosed the following future lease payments for non-cancelable operating and capital leases exceeding one year: Operating (1) Capital (1) (In thousands) 2019 $ 11,295 $ 46,998 2020 9,550 51,943 2021 8,251 57,881 2022 7,282 21,842 2023 5,397 15,587 2024 and thereafter 37,841 40,447 Total $ 79,616 $ 234,698 Less: Interest on capital leases (22,746 ) Total principal payable on capital leases $ 211,952
Condensed Balance Sheet [Table Text Block]	Supplemental balance sheet information related to leases were as follows: Lease Type Balance Sheet Classification December 31, 2019 (In thousands) Operating lease right-of-use assets (1) Deferred charges and other assets $ 58,101 Finance lease right-of-use assets (1) Property and equipment, net 179,538 Total right-of-use assets (1) $ 237,639 Operating Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 8,538 Finance Current maturities of long-term debt 39,428 Total current lease liabilities 47,966 Operating Other liabilities 52,091 Finance Long-term debt 145,824 Total non-current lease liabilities 197,915 Total lease liabilities $ 245,881
Supplemental Information related to Leases [Table Text Block]	The weighted-average life remaining and discount rates of our leases as of December 31, 2019 were as follows: Operating Finance Weighted-average remaining lease term (years) 12.4 4.9 Weighted-average discount rate 4.6% 3.5%

Commitments and Contingencies_2

Commitments and Contingencies Level 3 (Tables)	12 Months Ended
Commitments and Contingencies Level 3 (Tables)	Dec. 31, 2019
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Future Minimum Rental Payments for Operating Leases [Table Text Block]
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Table Text Block]	At December 31, 2019 , the maximum estimated future cash commitments under agreements with remaining commitment terms, and with original terms of more than one year, were as follows: Employment and Management Consulting Non-Competition Total (In thousands) 2020 $ 1,968 $ 1,020 $ 5,172 $ 8,160 2021 1,296 603 4,289 6,188 2022 399 444 3,363 4,206 2023 123 165 2,461 2,749 2024 8 48 1,983 2,039 2025 and thereafter — 171 4,702 4,873 Total $ 3,794 $ 2,451 $ 21,970 $ 28,215

Share-Based Compensation Leve_2

Share-Based Compensation Level 3 (Tables)	12 Months Ended
Share-Based Compensation Level 3 (Tables)	Dec. 31, 2019
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Noncash Expense [Abstract]
Schedule of Share-based Payment Award, Stock Options, Valuation Assumptions [Table Text Block]	The fair values of our stock options are calculated using the following weighted average assumptions, based on the methods described above: Years Ended December 31, Assumptions 2019 2018 2017 Dividend yield 1.7% 1.8% 2.0% Expected volatility 19.8% 18.5% 19.0% Risk-free interest rate 2.5% 2.4% 1.6% Expected holding period (years) 4.0 4.0 4.0
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Expensed and Capitalized, Amount [Table Text Block]	The following table summarizes certain information with respect to stock option and restricted share compensation included in our Consolidated Statement of Operations: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 (In thousands) Total pretax employee share-based compensation expense included in net income $ 15,029 $ 15,626 $ 14,788 Income tax benefit related to share-based compensation included in net income $ 3,842 $ 3,998 $ 5,416
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Activity [Table Text Block]	The following table sets forth stock option activity for the year ended December 31, 2019 (shares reported in whole numbers): Options Weighted-Average Exercise Price Outstanding at December 31, 2018 8,917,943 $ 23.40 Granted 785,150 $ 42.63 Exercised (2,393,647 ) $ 17.10 Outstanding at December 31, 2019 7,309,446 $ 27.53 Exercisable at December 31, 2019 5,397,573 $ 23.90
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding and Exercisable [Table Text Block]	Set forth below is certain information related to stock options outstanding and exercisable at December 31, 2019 (shares reported in whole numbers): Options Outstanding Options Exercisable Range of Exercise Price Number Outstanding at December 31, 2019 Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Life (in years) Weighted- Average Exercise Price Number Exercisable at December 31, 2019 Weighted- Average Exercise Price $10.00 — 20.00 1,239,011 1.8 $ 16.77 1,239,011 $ 16.77 $20.01 — 30.00 4,096,760 4.2 $ 24.99 3,666,044 $ 24.49 $30.01 — 40.00 1,188,525 6.1 $ 37.50 492,518 $ 37.50 $40.01 — 50.00 785,150 7.1 $ 42.63 — $ — $0.00 — 50.00 7,309,446 4.4 $ 27.53 5,397,573 $ 23.90
Other Information Pertaining to Stock Option Activity [Table Text Block]	Other information pertaining to stock options was as follows (in thousands, except weighted-average grant date fair value): Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 Weighted average grant-date fair value of stock options granted $ 6.86 $ 5.52 $ 3.90 Total fair value of stock options vested $ 7,250 $ 6,857 $ 7,425 Total intrinsic value of stock options exercised $ 65,023 $ 48,643 $ 56,946 Cash received from the exercise of stock options $ 40,922 $ 24,517 $ 33,611 Recognized compensation expense $ 6,314 $ 6,648 $ 6,909
Schedule of Nonvested Restricted Stock Units Activity [Table Text Block]	Restricted share award activity was as follows (share awards reported in whole numbers): Restricted Share Awards Weighted-Average Grant-Date Fair Value Nonvested restricted share awards at December 31, 2018 389,245 $ 31.67 Granted 125,546 $ 42.73 Vested (226,726 ) $ 29.63 Nonvested restricted share awards at December 31, 2019 288,065 $ 38.09
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Restricted Stock Unit, Activity [Table Text Block]	Restricted Share Units Weighted-Average Grant-Date Fair Value Nonvested restricted share units at December 31, 2018 175,301 $ 31.17 Granted 72,067 $ 40.91 Vested (95,459 ) $ 29.62 Forfeited and other (457 ) $ 27.94 Nonvested restricted share units at December 31, 2019 151,452 $ 36.79

Retirement Plans Retirement Pla

Retirement Plans Retirement Plans Level 3 (Tables)	12 Months Ended
Retirement Plans Retirement Plans Level 3 (Tables)	Dec. 31, 2019
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]
Schedule of Net Benefit Costs [Table Text Block]	The components of the Plans’ net periodic benefit cost were as follows: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 (In thousands) Interest cost on projected benefit obligation $ 956 $ 923 $ 1,067 Recognized net actuarial losses (gains) 2,886 (1,127 ) 879 Total net periodic benefit cost $ 3,842 $ (204 ) $ 1,946
Schedule of Net Funded Status [Table Text Block]	The Plans’ funded status was as follows: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 (In thousands) Change in Benefit Obligation: Benefit obligation at beginning of year $ 24,707 $ 28,681 Interest cost 956 923 Actuarial loss (gain) 2,886 (1,127 ) Benefits paid (3,588 ) (3,770 ) Benefit obligation at end of year $ 24,961 $ 24,707 Change in Plan Assets: Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year $ — $ — Employer contributions 3,588 3,770 Benefits paid, including expenses (3,588 ) (3,770 ) Fair value of plan assets at end of year $ — $ — Funded status of plan $ (24,961 ) $ (24,707 ) Funding Summary: Projected benefit obligations $ 24,961 $ 24,707 Accumulated benefit obligation $ 24,961 $ 24,707 Amounts Recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheet: Included in Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ (2,708 ) $ (3,175 ) Included in Other liabilities (22,253 ) (21,532 ) Total accrued benefit liability $ (24,961 ) $ (24,707 )
Defined Benefit Plan, Assumptions [Table Text Block]	The Plans’ weighted-average assumptions used to determine the benefit obligation and net periodic benefit cost are as follows: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 Weighted-average discount rate used to determine obligations 2.95 % 4.13 % 3.41 % Weighted-average discount rate used to determine net periodic benefit cost 4.15 % 3.26 % 3.86 %
Schedule of Expected Benefit Payments [Table Text Block]	The following benefit payments are expected to be paid in the next ten years related to our Plans (in thousands): 2020 $ 2,742 2021 2,410 2022 2,337 2023 2,095 2024 1,902 Years 2025 through 2029 8,335 Total expected benefit payments $ 19,821

Segment Reporting Level 3 (Tabl

Segment Reporting Level 3 (Tables)	12 Months Ended
Segment Reporting Level 3 (Tables)	Dec. 31, 2019
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment [Table Text Block]	Other reportable segment information for the year ended December 31 was as follows: Reportable Segments Funeral Cemetery Corporate Consolidated (In thousands) 2019 Interest expense $ 4,026 $ 659 $ 181,158 $ 185,843 Depreciation and amortization $ 106,982 $ 33,323 $ 10,695 $ 151,000 Amortization of intangibles $ 15,343 $ 10,297 $ 9 $ 25,649 Amortization of cemetery property $ — $ 70,330 $ — $ 70,330 Capital expenditures $ 112,090 $ 125,365 $ 2,502 $ 239,957 Total assets $ 5,821,408 $ 7,483,713 $ 372,309 $ 13,677,430 2018 Interest expense $ 3,634 $ 469 $ 177,453 $ 181,556 Depreciation and amortization $ 108,891 $ 33,183 $ 11,576 $ 153,650 Amortization of intangibles $ 17,515 $ 8,619 $ 61 $ 26,195 Amortization of cemetery property $ — $ 68,640 $ — $ 68,640 Capital expenditures $ 99,008 $ 125,131 $ 11,406 $ 235,545 Total assets $ 5,411,178 $ 6,913,132 $ 368,933 $ 12,693,243 2017 Interest expense $ 3,986 $ 401 $ 164,738 $ 169,125 Depreciation and amortization $ 109,965 $ 32,815 $ 10,361 $ 153,141 Amortization of intangibles $ 17,871 $ 9,696 $ 83 $ 27,650 Amortization of cemetery property $ — $ 68,102 $ — $ 68,102 Capital expenditures $ 83,241 $ 118,699 $ 12,561 $ 214,501
Schedule of Significant Reportable Items from Segments to Consolidated [Table Text Block]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Table Text Block]	Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 (In thousands) Revenue from customers: Funeral revenue: Atneed revenue $ 996,643 $ 998,464 $ 1,011,214 Matured preneed revenue 605,237 600,944 574,235 Core funeral revenue 1,601,880 1,599,408 1,585,449 Non-funeral home revenue 52,211 49,671 46,513 Recognized preneed revenue 139,525 125,144 117,352 Other revenue 130,286 123,769 118,838 Total funeral revenue 1,923,902 1,897,992 1,868,152 Cemetery revenue: Atneed revenue 326,230 323,162 319,899 Recognized preneed property revenue 581,724 572,955 538,314 Recognized preneed merchandise and services revenue 287,589 288,282 274,885 Core cemetery revenue 1,195,543 1,184,399 1,133,098 Other revenue 111,340 107,783 93,781 Total cemetery revenue 1,306,883 1,292,182 1,226,879 Total revenue from customers $ 3,230,785 $ 3,190,174 $ 3,095,031 Gross profit: Funeral gross profit $ 372,638 $ 369,613 $ 371,853 Cemetery gross profit 387,942 390,709 350,926 Gross profit from reportable segments 760,580 760,322 722,779 Corporate general and administrative expenses (126,886 ) (145,596 ) (158,651 ) Gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net 32,919 15,933 7,015 Operating income 666,613 630,659 571,143 Interest expense (185,843 ) (181,556 ) (169,125 ) Losses on early extinguishment of debt, net (16,637 ) (10,131 ) (274 ) Other income (expense), net 299 2,760 (1,486 ) Income before income taxes $ 464,432 $ 441,732 $ 400,258
Schedule of Disclosure on Geographic Areas, Long-Lived Assets in Individual Foreign Countries by Country [Table Text Block]	Our geographic area information for the year ended December 31 was as follows: United States Canada Total (In thousands) 2019 Revenue from external customers $ 3,052,101 $ 178,684 $ 3,230,785 Interest expense $ 185,512 $ 331 $ 185,843 Depreciation and amortization $ 142,550 $ 8,450 $ 151,000 Amortization of intangibles $ 25,079 $ 570 $ 25,649 Amortization of cemetery property $ 66,552 $ 3,778 $ 70,330 Operating income $ 628,204 $ 38,409 $ 666,613 Gains (losses) on divestitures and impairment charges, net $ 33,200 $ (281 ) $ 32,919 Long-lived assets $ 6,531,705 $ 301,461 $ 6,833,166 2018 Revenue from external customers $ 2,991,617 $ 198,557 $ 3,190,174 Interest expense $ 181,266 $ 290 $ 181,556 Depreciation and amortization $ 144,877 $ 8,773 $ 153,650 Amortization of intangibles $ 25,664 $ 531 $ 26,195 Amortization of cemetery property $ 63,709 $ 4,931 $ 68,640 Operating income $ 568,446 $ 62,213 $ 630,659 Gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net $ 8,419 $ 7,514 $ 15,933 Long-lived assets $ 6,334,924 $ 277,897 $ 6,612,821 2017 Revenue from external customers $ 2,889,463 $ 205,568 $ 3,095,031 Interest expense $ 168,956 $ 169 $ 169,125 Depreciation and amortization $ 143,932 $ 9,209 $ 153,141 Amortization of intangibles $ 27,092 $ 558 $ 27,650 Amortization of cemetery property $ 61,307 $ 6,795 $ 68,102 Operating income $ 502,865 $ 68,278 $ 571,143 Gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net $ 61 $ 6,954 $ 7,015

Supplementary Information Lev_2

Supplementary Information Level 3 (Tables)	12 Months Ended
Supplementary Information Level 3 (Tables)	Dec. 31, 2019
Supplementary Information [Abstract]
Schedule of Balance Sheet, Supplemental Disclosures	The detail of certain balance sheet accounts is as follows: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 (In thousands) Cash and cash equivalents: Cash $ 149,981 $ 177,338 Commercial paper and temporary investments 36,295 21,512 $ 186,276 $ 198,850 Receivables, net: Notes receivable $ 1,765 $ 1,781 Atneed funeral receivables, net of allowances of $1,884 and $1,412, respectively 39,471 39,709 Atneed cemetery receivables, net of allowances of $346 and $166, respectively 21,131 15,277 Other 19,304 17,058 $ 81,671 $ 73,825 Other current assets: Income tax receivable $ 5,905 $ 8,333 Prepaid insurance 4,451 5,047 Restricted Cash 54,293 7,007 Other 15,839 13,220 $ 80,488 $ 33,607 Cemetery property: Undeveloped land $ 1,233,363 $ 1,209,109 Developed lots, lawn crypts, mausoleum spaces, cremation niches, and cremation memorialization property 640,239 628,355 $ 1,873,602 $ 1,837,464 Property and equipment, net: Land $ 642,168 $ 631,679 Buildings and improvements 2,221,758 2,107,300 Operating equipment 499,700 609,658 Leasehold improvements 40,879 34,755 Finance leases 350,626 263,940 3,755,131 3,647,332 Less: Accumulated depreciation (1,518,610 ) (1,525,059 ) Less: Accumulated amortization of finance leases (171,088 ) (144,909 ) $ 2,065,433 $ 1,977,364 Deferred charges and other assets: Intangible assets, net $ 431,167 $ 433,830 Restricted cash (1) 2,051 1,727 Deferred tax assets 665 673 Notes receivable, net of allowances of $8,374 and $10,814, respectively 6,623 8,651 Cash surrender value of insurance policies 176,126 145,981 Deferred incremental direct selling costs 293,125 282,283 Operating leases 58,101 — Other 62,050 61,006 $ 1,029,908 $ 934,151 Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 (In thousands) Accounts payable and accrued liabilities: Accounts payable $ 174,494 $ 173,361 Accrued benefits 99,396 90,303 Accrued interest 15,390 25,976 Accrued property taxes 16,402 18,512 Self-insurance reserves 84,290 80,114 Bank overdrafts 16,694 16,221 Operating leases 8,538 — Other accrued liabilities 63,341 75,281 $ 478,545 $ 479,768 Other liabilities: Accrued benefit costs $ 22,253 $ 21,532 Deferred compensation 152,119 126,891 Customer refund obligation reserve 46,958 48,000 Tax liability 2,004 1,873 Payable to perpetual care trust 93,053 88,784 Operating leases 52,091 — Other 9,596 10,222 $ 378,074 $ 297,302
Schedule of Cash Flow, Supplemental Disclosures [Table Text Block]	Cash interest payments for the three years ended December 31 were as follows (in thousands): Payments in 2019 $ 190,672 Payments in 2018 $ 179,865 Payments in 2017 $ 160,843

Supplementary Information Sched

Supplementary Information Schedule Of Cash Flow Supplementa lDisclosures (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Supplemental Cash Flow Elements [Abstract]
Schedule of Cash Flow, Supplemental Disclosures [Table Text Block]	Cash interest payments for the three years ended December 31 were as follows (in thousands): Payments in 2019 $ 190,672 Payments in 2018 $ 179,865 Payments in 2017 $ 160,843

Earnings Per Share Level 3 (Tab

Earnings Per Share Level 3 (Tables)	12 Months Ended
Earnings Per Share Level 3 (Tables)	Dec. 31, 2019
Earnings Per Share, Diluted, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]
Schedule of Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Table Text Block]	A reconciliation of the numerators and denominators of basic and diluted EPS is presented below: Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 (In thousands, except per share amounts) Amounts attributable to common stockholders: Net income — basic $ 369,596 $ 447,208 $ 546,663 After tax interest on convertible debt — — 52 Net income — diluted $ 369,596 $ 447,208 $ 546,715 Weighted average shares: Weighted average shares — basic 182,246 182,447 187,630 Stock options 3,223 4,339 4,396 Restricted share units 54 186 99 Convertible debt — — 121 Weighted average shares — diluted 185,523 186,972 192,246 Amounts attributable to common stockholders: Net income per share: Basic $ 2.03 $ 2.45 $ 2.91 Diluted $ 1.99 $ 2.39 $ 2.84
Schedule of Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Table Text Block]	Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 (In thousands) Antidilutive options 678 1,035 911

Acquisition Level 3 (Tables)

Acquisition Level 3 (Tables)	12 Months Ended
Acquisition Level 3 (Tables)	Dec. 31, 2019
Business Combination, Separately Recognized Transactions [Line Items]
Business Combination, Separately Recognized Transactions [Table Text Block]	The following table summarizes the adjusted fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed in the acquisition (in thousands): Other current assets $ 3,388 Cemetery property 32,266 Property and equipment 25,896 Preneed receivables, net and trust investments 107,444 Finite-lived intangible assets 32,371 Indefinite-lived intangible assets 18,000 Deferred charges and other assets 1,717 Cemetery perpetual care trust investments 52,747 Goodwill 37,908 Total assets acquired $ 311,737 Current liabilities 7,666 Deferred revenue and deferred receipts held in trust 113,173 Deferred income taxes 4,704 Other liabilities 1,439 Care trusts' corpus 52,747 Total liabilities assumed 179,729 Net assets acquired $ 132,008
Gains (Losses) on Divestitures and Impairment Charges [Table Text Block]	Years Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 (In thousands) Gains on divestitures, net $ 41,835 $ 20,340 $ 29,053 Impairment losses (8,916 ) (4,407 ) (22,038 ) Gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net $ 32,919 $ 15,933 $ 7,015

Quarterly Financial Data Quarte

Quarterly Financial Data Quarterly Financial Data Level 3 (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) [Abstract]
Schedule of Quarterly Financial Information [Table Text Block]	Quarterly financial data for 2019 and 2018 is as follows: First Quarter Second Quarter Third Quarter Fourth Quarter (In thousands, except per share amounts) 2019 Revenue $ 798,212 $ 812,572 $ 769,241 $ 850,760 Costs of revenue $ (606,378 ) $ (621,426 ) $ (609,509 ) $ (632,892 ) Gross profit $ 191,834 $ 191,146 $ 159,732 $ 217,868 Operating income $ 146,978 $ 150,105 $ 128,585 $ 240,945 Income before income taxes (1) $ 100,308 $ 96,083 $ 72,869 $ 195,172 Provision for income taxes $ (21,095 ) $ (23,570 ) $ (1,997 ) $ (47,999 ) Net income $ 79,213 $ 72,513 $ 70,872 $ 147,173 Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests $ 110 $ (184 ) $ (80 ) $ (21 ) Net income attributable to common stockholders $ 79,323 $ 72,329 $ 70,792 $ 147,152 Net income attributable to common stockholders per share (2) : Basic — EPS $ 0.44 $ 0.40 $ 0.39 $ 0.81 Diluted — EPS $ 0.43 $ 0.39 $ 0.38 $ 0.79 2018 Revenue $ 794,482 $ 796,092 $ 778,786 $ 820,814 Costs of revenue $ (598,720 ) $ (607,965 ) $ (612,616 ) $ (610,551 ) Gross profit $ 195,762 $ 188,127 $ 166,170 $ 210,263 Operating income $ 163,692 $ 161,954 $ 132,303 $ 172,710 Income before income taxes (1) $ 110,369 $ 119,315 $ 86,036 $ 126,012 (Provision for) benefit from income taxes $ (28,321 ) $ (16,034 ) $ (17,043 ) $ 67,224 Net income $ 82,048 $ 103,281 $ 68,993 $ 193,236 Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests $ (60 ) $ (42 ) $ (58 ) $ (190 ) Net income attributable to common stockholders $ 81,988 $ 103,239 $ 68,935 $ 193,046 Net income attributable to common stockholders per share (2) : Basic — EPS $ 0.44 $ 0.57 $ 0.38 $ 1.07 Diluted — EPS $ 0.43 $ 0.55 $ 0.37 $ 1.04 (1) Includes Gains (losses) on divestitures and impairment charges, net , as described in Note 16. (2) Net income per share is computed independently for each of the quarters presented. Therefore, the sum of the quarters’ net income per share may not equal the total computed for the year.

Cover Page (Details)

Cover Page (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
Cover Page (Details) - USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019
Document Information [Line Items]
Document Type	10-K
Document Annual Report	true
Document Transition Report	false
Document Period End Date	Dec. 31, 2019
Entity File Number	1-6402-1
Entity Registrant Name	SERVICE CORPORATION INTERNATIONAL
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	TX
Entity Tax Identification Number	74-1488375
Entity Address, Address Line One	1929 Allen Parkway
Entity Address, City or Town	Houston
Entity Address, State or Province	TX
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	77019
City Area Code	(713)
Local Phone Number	522-5141
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock ($1 par value)
Trading Symbol	SCI
Security Exchange Name	NYSE
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	Yes
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Public Float		$ 8,302,629,479

Summary of Significant Accoun_3

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, Textuals (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	$ 8,734		$ 56,344	$ 8,734
Restricted Cash, Current	7,007		$ 54,293	7,007
Intangible Fair Value Inputs, Royalty Savings Rate, Low			0.020
Amortization of cemetery property			$ 70,330	68,640	$ 68,102
Depreciation			$ 151,000	$ 153,650	$ 153,141
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Growth Rate, Low End of the Range			1.00%
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Growth Rate, High End of the Range			3.70%
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate			6.75%
Intangible Fair Value Inputs, Royalty Savings Rate			0.050
Intangibles Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate			6.95%
Retirement of treasury shares			0	0	0
General Agency Revenue		$ 121,000	$ 139,700	$ 134,100
Deferred incremental selling costs	282,283		293,125	282,283
Impact From Change in Depreciable Lives	$ 4,300		$ 12,100
New Accounting Pronouncement or Change in Accounting Principle, Effect of Change on Basic Earnings Per Share	$ 0.02		$ 0.07
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Expense to Revenue Ratio, Low end range			72.20%
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Expense to Revenue Ratio, High end range			80.00%
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Growth Rate Other, Low end range			1.00%
GoodwillReportingUnitFairValueInputsGrowthRateOtherHighendrange			3.70%
Other Assets, Current	$ 33,607		$ 80,488	33,607
Other Liabilities	$ 10,222		9,596	10,222
Accounting Standards Update 2018-09 [Member]
Other Assets, Current			700
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities			2,700
Other Assets			62,600
Other Liabilities			53,200
Accrued Liabilities			9,400
Funeral [Member]
Amortization of cemetery property			0	0	$ 0
Depreciation			$ 106,982	108,891	109,965
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Terminal Growth Rate			1.00%
Intangibles Fair Value Inputs, Terminal Growth Rate			1.00%
Cemetery [Member]
Amortization of cemetery property			$ 70,330	68,640	68,102
Depreciation			$ 33,323	$ 33,183	$ 32,815
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Terminal Growth Rate			2.40%
Intangibles Fair Value Inputs, Terminal Growth Rate			2.40%
Treasury Stock [Member]
Retirement of treasury shares			2,243	9,419	6,890
Minimum [Member]
Funeral home lease life			1 year
Transportation equipment lease life			1 year
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life			2 years
Minimum [Member] \| Building and Building Improvements [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives			P10Y
Minimum [Member] \| Equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives			P3Y
Maximum [Member]
Funeral home lease life			40 years
Transportation equipment lease life			9 years
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life			89 years
Maximum [Member] \| Building and Building Improvements [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives			P40Y
Maximum [Member] \| Equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives			P12Y
Maximum [Member] \| Leasehold Improvements [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives			P12Y
Noncompete Agreements [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life			2 years
Noncompete Agreements [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life			20 years
Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606 [Member]
Incremental Selling Costs			$ 174,700	$ 180,100

Summary of Significant Accoun_4

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, Revenue Recognition (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019		Sep. 30, 2019		Jun. 30, 2019		Mar. 31, 2019		Dec. 31, 2018		Sep. 30, 2018		Jun. 30, 2018		Mar. 31, 2018		Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 850,760		$ 769,241		$ 812,572		$ 798,212		$ 820,814		$ 778,786		$ 796,092		$ 794,482		$ 3,230,785	$ 3,190,174	$ 3,095,031
Gross profit	217,868		159,732		191,146		191,834		210,263		166,170		188,127		195,762		760,580	760,322	722,779
Costs of revenue	(632,892)		(609,509)		(621,426)		(606,378)		(610,551)		(612,616)		(607,965)		(598,720)		(2,470,205)	(2,429,852)	(2,372,252)
Corporate general and administrative expenses																	(126,886)	(145,596)	(158,651)
Gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net																	32,919	15,933	7,015
Operating income	240,945		128,585		150,105		146,978		172,710		132,303		161,954		163,692		666,613	630,659	571,143
Interest expense																	(185,843)	(181,556)	(169,125)
Losses on early extinguishment of debt, net																	16,637	10,131	274
Nonoperating Income (Expense)																	299	2,760	(1,486)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	195,172	[1]	72,869	[1]	96,083	[1]	100,308	[1]	126,012	[1]	86,036	[1]	119,315	[1]	110,369	[1]	464,432	441,732	400,258
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	47,999		1,997		23,570		21,095		(67,224)		17,043		16,034		28,321		(94,661)	5,826	146,589
Net income	147,173		70,872		72,513		79,213		193,236		68,993		103,281		82,048		369,771	447,558	546,847
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(21)		(80)		(184)		110		(190)		(58)		(42)		(60)		(175)	(350)	(184)
Net income attributable to common stockholders	$ 147,152		$ 70,792		$ 72,329		$ 79,323		$ 193,046		$ 68,935		$ 103,239		$ 81,988		$ 369,596	$ 447,208	$ 546,663
Net income attributable to common stockholders, basic	$ 0.81	[2]	$ 0.39	[2]	$ 0.40	[2]	$ 0.44	[2]	$ 1.07	[2]	$ 0.38	[2]	$ 0.57	[2]	$ 0.44	[2]	$ 2.03	$ 2.45	$ 2.91
Net income attributable to common stockholders, diluted	$ 0.79	[2]	$ 0.38	[2]	$ 0.39	[2]	$ 0.43	[2]	$ 1.04	[2]	$ 0.37	[2]	$ 0.55	[2]	$ 0.43	[2]	$ 1.99	$ 2.39	$ 2.84
Change in amounts due for unfulfilled performance obligations																	$ (10,223)	$ (546,554)	$ 0

[1]	Includes Gains (losses) on divestitures and impairment charges, net , as described in Note 16.
[2]	Net income per share is computed independently for each of the quarters presented. Therefore, the sum of the quarters’ net income per share may not equal the total computed for the year.

Summary of Significant Accoun_5

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, Cash Flow (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Net cash provided by operating activities		$ 628,755	$ 615,830	$ 503,372
Capital expenditures		(239,957)	(235,545)	(214,501)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired		(55,644)	(176,252)	(64,652)
Proceeds from divestitures and sales of property and equipment		77,074	37,309	52,381
Payment to Acquire Life Insurance Policy, Investing Activities		(9,026)	(14,760)	(7,360)
Proceeds from Life Insurance Policy		0	4,824	2,592
Payments for (Proceeds from) Other Investing Activities		415	(14,525)	175
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities		(278,511)	(414,621)	(242,884)
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt		1,149,263	396,349	1,787,500
Debt issuance costs		(15,539)	0	(12,939)
Scheduled payments of debt		(25,471)	(34,134)	(468,973)
Principal payments on finance leases		(42,627)	(39,686)	(51,106)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options		40,922	24,517	33,611
Purchase of Company common stock		(129,589)	(277,611)	(199,637)
Payments of dividends		(131,402)	(123,849)	(108,750)
Purchase of noncontrolling interest		0	0	(4,580)
Bank overdrafts and other		328	(15,177)	5,959
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities		(319,093)	(329,181)	(136,427)
Effect of foreign currency		3,885	(5,045)	5,034
Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash		35,036	(133,017)	129,095
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents	$ 207,584	242,620	$ 207,584	$ 340,601	$ 211,506
Impact From Change in Depreciable Lives	$ 4,300	$ 12,100
New Accounting Pronouncement or Change in Accounting Principle, Effect of Change on Basic Earnings Per Share	$ 0.02	$ 0.07

Preneed Activities Investment R

Preneed Activities Investment Related Activities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Preneed Activities [Abstract]
Deposits to trust	$ 371,234	$ 421,460	$ 393,523
Withdrawals	415,283	435,344	432,822
Purchases of available-for-sale securities	2,057,348	1,596,698	1,540,093
Sales of available-for-sale securities	1,999,918	1,495,733	1,564,968
Realized gains from sales of available-for-sale securities	256,413	241,661	305,595
Realized losses from sales of available-for-sale securities	$ (76,963)	$ (121,272)	$ (77,996)

Preneed Activities Preneed Acti

Preneed Activities Preneed Activities Preneed Receivables and Trust Investments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Preneed Receivables and Trust Investments [Abstract]
Preneed receivables, net and trust investments	$ 4,789,562	$ 4,271,392	$ 4,778,842	$ 4,305,165
Net Preneed Contract Sales	1,372,705	1,325,134	1,257,288
Cash receipts from customers, net of refunds	(1,280,468)	(1,185,717)	(1,109,380)
Deposits To Trust Receivable Impact	372,644	347,601	328,241
Acquisitions (dispositions) of businesses, net	11,751	134,729	8,153
Net undistributed investments (losses) earnings	489,577	(191,611)	384,512
Maturities and Distributed Earnings	(442,507)	(433,036)	(411,452)
Change in cancellation allowance	(2,006)	62,131	(528)
Change in amounts due for unfulfilled performance obligations	(10,223)	(546,554)	0
Effect of foreign currency and other	$ 6,697	$ (20,127)	$ 16,843

Preneed Activities Long-term Re

Preneed Activities Long-term Receivable and Investment (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Long-term receivable and investment components [Line Items]
Allowance for cancellation	$ (55,340)	$ (48,380)
Preneed funeral receivables, net and trust investments	4,789,562	4,271,392	$ 4,778,842	$ 4,305,165
PreneedReceivables	947,232	897,683
Cemetery perpetual care trust investments	(1,681,149)	(1,477,798)
Preneed trust investments	3,842,330	3,373,709
Preneed receivables, net and trust investments, excluding allowance for cancellation	4,789,562	4,271,392
Insurance-backed fixed income securities and other [Line Items]	$ 265,160	$ 265,787

Preneed Activities Preneed Ac_2

Preneed Activities Preneed Activities Receivables Net and Trust Invesments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
SEC Schedule, 12-15, Insurance Companies, Summary of Investments, Other than Investments in Related Parties, Fair Value		$ 5,258,319	$ 4,585,720
Investments		5,523,479	4,851,507
Accounts Receivable, before Allowance for Credit Loss, Noncurrent		1,053,142	991,044
Beginning balance — Preneed funeral receivables and trust investments	$ 4,305,165	4,271,392	4,778,842	$ 4,305,165
Cash receipts from customers, net of refunds		(1,280,468)	(1,185,717)	(1,109,380)
Deposits to trust	$ 371,234	421,460	393,523
Acquisitions (dispositions) of businesses, net		11,751	134,729	8,153
Net undistributed investments (losses) earnings		489,577	(191,611)	384,512
Maturities and distributed earnings		(442,507)	(433,036)	(411,452)
Change in cancellation allowance		(2,006)	62,131	(528)
Effect of foreign currency and other		6,697	(20,127)	16,843
Ending balance — Preneed funeral receivables and trust investments		4,789,562	4,271,392	$ 4,778,842
Deferred Discounts, Finance Charges and Interest Included in Receivables		(50,570)	(44,981)
Funeral [Member]
Accounts Receivable, before Allowance for Credit Loss, Noncurrent		130,971	107,612
Cemetery [Member]
Accounts Receivable, before Allowance for Credit Loss, Noncurrent		$ 922,171	$ 883,432

Preneed Activities Schedule of

Preneed Activities Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	$ 3,600,688
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	385,203
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(126,983)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	3,858,908
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member]
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis		$ 3,434,980
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains		175,867
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses		(395,711)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value		3,215,136
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] \| US Treasury Securities [Member]
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	49,728	49,187
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	752	153
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(130)	(448)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	50,350	48,892
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] \| Debt Security, Government, Non-US [Member]
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	41,093	56,343
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	76	23
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(850)	(1,797)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	40,319	54,569
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] \| Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	9,694	19,869
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	28	13
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(172)	(516)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	9,550	19,366
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] \| Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	3,210	3,611
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	59	10
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(1)	(50)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	3,268	3,571
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] \| Asset-backed Securities [Member]
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	129	142
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	3	2
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(4)	(11)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	128	133
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] \| Preferred Stock securities [Member]
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	6,338	9,058
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	804	180
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(115)	(412)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	7,027	8,826
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] \| US Common Stock Securities [Member]
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	1,349,828	1,236,513
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	303,766	149,233
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(36,507)	(138,141)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	1,617,087	1,247,605
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] \| Canada Common Stock Securities [Member]
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	43,866	34,821
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	12,369	9,082
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(2,075)	(3,026)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	54,160	40,877
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] \| Other International Common Stock Securities [Member]
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	95,257	77,676
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	18,227	6,057
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(522)	(10,275)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	112,962	73,458
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] \| Equity Funds [Member]
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	746,581	760,887
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	31,511	7,104
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(54,020)	(151,853)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	724,072	616,138
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] \| Fixed Income Funds [Member]
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	1,247,930	1,180,325
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	16,424	800
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(32,587)	(89,179)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	1,231,767	1,091,946
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] \| Other Investments [Member]
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	7,034	6,548
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	1,184	3,210
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	0	(3)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	8,218	9,755
Reported Value Measurement [Member]
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	1,268,573
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	132,991
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(2,153)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	1,399,411
Reported Value Measurement [Member] \| Commingled funds - Fixed inc [Member]
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	444,744	419,206
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	5,077	2,419
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(1,731)	(18,981)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	448,090	402,644
Reported Value Measurement [Member] \| Commingled funds - Equity [Member]
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	249,980	205,789
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	47,631	19,567
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	0	(11,723)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	297,611	213,633
Reported Value Measurement [Member] \| Money Market Funds [Member]
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	397,461	466,429
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	0	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	0	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	397,461	466,429
Reported Value Measurement [Member] \| Private Equity Funds [Member]
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	176,388	215,618
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	80,283	72,897
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(422)	(637)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	256,249	287,878
Reported Value Measurement [Member] \| Reported At Net Asset Value [Member]
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis		1,307,042
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains		94,883
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses		(31,341)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value		1,370,584
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member]
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	4,869,261	4,742,022
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	518,194	270,750
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(129,136)	(427,052)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	$ 5,258,319	$ 4,585,720

Preneed Activities Level 3 Acti

Preneed Activities Level 3 Activities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Sales	$ 0	$ (2,900)	$ 0
Other Investments [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Fair market value, beginning balance	9,755	9,067	7,163
Net realized losses included in Other income, net(2)	(761)	(697)	912
Purchases	1,006	66	1,945
Sales	(1,782)	(26)	(953)
AcquisitionRelatedInvestmentsFairvalueofLevel3	0	1,345	0
Fair market value, ending balance	$ 8,218	$ 9,755	$ 9,067

Preneed Activities Investments

Preneed Activities Investments Classified by Contractual Maturity Date (Details) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2019USD ($)
Preneed Activities [Abstract]
Due in one year or less	$ 58,452
Due in one to five years	36,994
Due in five to ten years	8,038
Thereafter	131
Total	$ 103,615

Preneed Activities Schedule o_2

Preneed Activities Schedule of Unrealized Loss on Investments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value		$ 21,083
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses		(445)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value		51,356
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses		(2,377)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value		72,439
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses		(2,822)
US Treasury Securities [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	$ 3,023	6,899
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(36)	(226)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	1,947	16,374
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(94)	(222)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	4,970	23,273
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(130)	(448)
Debt Security, Government, Non-US [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	0	2,254
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	0	(9)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	13,804	25,330
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(850)	(1,788)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	13,804	27,584
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(850)	(1,797)
Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	30	11,579
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	0	(206)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	4,826	6,563
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(172)	(310)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	4,856	18,142
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(172)	(516)
Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	0	351
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	0	(4)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	51	3,010
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(1)	(46)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	51	3,361
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(1)	(50)
Asset-backed Securities [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	0	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	0	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	28	79
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(4)	(11)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	28	79
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(4)	$ (11)
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	3,053
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(36)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	20,656
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(1,121)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	23,709
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	$ (1,157)

Preneed Activities Preneed Ac_3

Preneed Activities Preneed Activities Deferred Revenue Net (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Deferred Revenue [Abstract]
Deferred revenue, Gross	$ 2,046,000	$ 1,989,232
Amounts Due for Unfulfilled Performance Obligations	(578,897)	570,418
Deferred Revenue	$ 1,467,103	$ 1,418,814

Preneed Activities Preneed Ac_4

Preneed Activities Preneed Activities Deferred Preneed Revenues (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Deferred Preneed Revenues [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance — Deferred preneed funeral revenues, net		$ 1,789,776	$ 1,731,417
Deferred revenue and deferred receipts held in trust	$ 5,306,479	4,790,552	5,265,206
New Accounting Pronouncement or Change in Accounting Principle, Cumulative Effect of Change on Equity or Net Assets	0	37,991
Net preneed contract sales	984,575	977,378	900,037
Acquisitions (dispositions) of businesses, net	(12,741)	159,560	10,488
Net investment (losses) earnings	484,577	(195,051)	381,436
Recognized deferred preneed revenues			(876,857)
Change in amounts due for unfulfilled performance obligations	(10,223)	(546,554)	0
Recognized Revenue From Backlog	(368,908)	(381,041)
Recognized Revenue From Current Period	(573,804)	(572,428)
Change in cancellation allowance	1,066	65,817	(165)
Change in deferred preneed funeral receipts held in trust			(361,499)
Effect of foreign currency and other	$ 11,385	$ (20,326)	4,919
Ending balance — Deferred preneed funeral revenues, net			$ 1,789,776

Preneed Activities Preneed Ac_5

Preneed Activities Preneed Activities, Textuals (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Preneed Activities [Abstract]
Investment Earnings, Net	$ 119	$ 121.7	$ 112.6
Available-for-sale securities, estimated maturity date, maximum	2040
Available-for-sale securities, estimated maturity date, minimum	2020
Fair Value, Investments, Entities that Calculate Net Asset Value Per Share, Unfunded Commitments	$ 134.9
ECF Investment Earnings, Net	$ 77.5	$ 74.7	$ 62.9

Goodwill and Intangible Asset_2

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Goodwill and Intangible Assets Level 4 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance	$ 1,863,842	$ 1,805,981
Goodwill, net, beginning balance	1,863,842
Increase in goodwill related to acquisitions	1,455	68,195
Reduction of goodwill related to divestitures	(5,490)	(2,207)
Effect of foreign currency and other	4,416	(8,127)
Goodwill, Period Increase (Decrease)	381	57,861
Goodwill, ending balance		1,863,842	$ 1,805,981
Goodwill, net, ending balance	1,864,223	1,863,842
Impairment of Intangible Assets, Indefinite-lived (Excluding Goodwill)	3,400
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net	110,205	129,591
Finite Lived Intangible Assets Amortization Expense Future Total	31,377
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross	400,052	415,024
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization	289,847	285,433
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net	110,205	129,591
Indefinite-Lived Trade Names	310,197	293,474
Other Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets	10,765	10,765
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets (Excluding Goodwill)	320,962	304,239
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	431,167	433,830
Amortization of intangibles	25,649	26,195	27,650
Future Amortization Expense, Year One	7,239
Future Amortization Expense, Year Two	7,140
Future Amortization Expense, Year Three	5,975
Future Amortization Expense, Year Four	5,584
Future Amortization Expense, Year Five	5,439
Impairment of Intangible Assets, Indefinite-lived (Excluding Goodwill)	3,400
Noncompete Agreements [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross	216,646	215,424
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization	198,610	195,536
Customer Relationships [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross	149,479	158,347
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization	83,047	75,199
Trade Names [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross	7,000	16,150
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization	123	9,194
Other Intangible Assets [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross	26,927	25,103
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization	8,067	5,504
Funeral [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance	1,528,407	1,499,741
Goodwill, net, beginning balance	1,528,407
Increase in goodwill related to acquisitions	7,458	38,976
Reduction of goodwill related to divestitures	(5,003)	(2,183)
Effect of foreign currency and other	4,416	(8,127)
Goodwill, Period Increase (Decrease)	6,871	28,666
Goodwill, ending balance		1,528,407	1,499,741
Goodwill, net, ending balance	1,535,278	1,528,407
Amortization of intangibles	15,343	17,515	17,871
Cemetery [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance	335,435	306,240
Goodwill, net, beginning balance	335,435
Increase in goodwill related to acquisitions	(6,003)	29,219
Reduction of goodwill related to divestitures	(487)	(24)
Effect of foreign currency and other	0	0
Goodwill, Period Increase (Decrease)	(6,490)	29,195
Goodwill, ending balance		335,435	306,240
Goodwill, net, ending balance	328,945	335,435
Amortization of intangibles	$ 10,297	$ 8,619	$ 9,696
Minimum [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life, Minimum	2 years
Minimum [Member] \| Noncompete Agreements [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life, Minimum	2 years
Minimum [Member] \| Customer Relationships [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life, Minimum	10 years
Minimum [Member] \| Trade Names [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life, Minimum	5 years
Minimum [Member] \| Other Intangible Assets [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life, Minimum	5 years
Maximum [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life, Minimum	89 years
Maximum [Member] \| Noncompete Agreements [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life, Minimum	20 years
Maximum [Member] \| Customer Relationships [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life, Minimum	20 years
Maximum [Member] \| Trade Names [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life, Minimum	89 years
Maximum [Member] \| Other Intangible Assets [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life, Minimum	89 years

Income Taxes Income Taxes Detai

Income Taxes Income Taxes Details 1 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands

3 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

[1]

Sep. 30, 2019

[1]

Jun. 30, 2019

[1]

Mar. 31, 2019

[1]

Dec. 31, 2018

[1]

Sep. 30, 2018

[1]

Jun. 30, 2018

[1]

Mar. 31, 2018

[1]

Dec. 31, 2019

Dec. 31, 2018

Dec. 31, 2017

Income Taxes [Abstract]

United States

$ 441,579

$ 399,123

$ 347,680

Foreign

22,853

42,609

52,578

Income before income taxes

$ 195,172

$ 72,869

$ 96,083

$ 100,308

$ 126,012

$ 86,036

$ 119,315

$ 110,369

$ 464,432

$ 441,732

$ 400,258

[1]

Includes Gains (losses) on divestitures and impairment charges, net , as described in Note 16.

Income Taxes Income Taxes Det_2

Income Taxes Income Taxes Details 2 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Income Taxes [Abstract]
Current: United States									$ 51,664	$ 18,138	$ 154,128
Current: Foreign									7,059	10,541	12,187
Current: State									12,908	6,974	4,934
Total current income taxes									71,631	35,653	171,249
Deferred: United States									12,973	(48,565)	(314,389)
Deferred: Foreign									(571)	386	618
Deferred: State									10,628	6,700	(4,067)
Provision for deferred income taxes									23,030	(41,479)	(317,838)
Provision for income taxes	$ (47,999)	$ (1,997)	$ (23,570)	$ (21,095)	$ 67,224	$ (17,043)	$ (16,034)	$ (28,321)	94,661	(5,826)	(146,589)
Income Taxes Paid									70,600	65,400	170,200
Proceeds from Income Tax Refunds									$ 4,700	$ 11,400	$ 3,400

Income Taxes Income Taxes Det_3

Income Taxes Income Taxes Details 3 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Income Taxes [Abstract]
Computed tax provision at the applicable federal statutory income tax rate									$ 97,531	$ 92,764	$ 140,090
State and local taxes, net of federal income tax benefits									20,081	10,146	8,216
Foreign jurisdiction differences									1,646	2,377	(6,782)
Permanent differences associated with dispositions									1,288	790	1,925
Changes in uncertain tax positions									(9,842)	(88,687)	(105,821)
Foreign Valuation Allowance, Amount									43	(431)	1,186
Enactment of US Tax Reform									0	(16,105)	(146,160)
Excess tax benefit from share-based compensation									(13,868)	(11,159)	(18,521)
Other									(2,218)	4,479	(20,722)
Provision for income taxes	$ (47,999)	$ (1,997)	$ (23,570)	$ (21,095)	$ 67,224	$ (17,043)	$ (16,034)	$ (28,321)	$ 94,661	$ (5,826)	$ (146,589)
Total effective tax rate									20.40%	(1.30%)	(36.60%)

Income Taxes Income Taxes Det_4

Income Taxes Income Taxes Details 4 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Income Taxes [Abstract]
Inventories and cemetery property	$ (212,498)	$ (220,537)
Deferred tax liabilities selling cost	(76,692)	73,696
Property and equipment	(139,548)	(122,281)
Intangibles	(199,906)	(197,815)
Other	1,893	0
Deferred tax liabilities	(630,537)	(614,329)
Loss and tax credit carry-forwards	143,391	153,688
Deferred revenue on preneed funeral and cemetery contracts	113,171	113,970
Accrued liabilities	67,489	63,558
Deferred Tax Assets, Other	0	90
Deferred tax assets	324,051	331,306
Less: Valuation allowance	(114,331)	(120,931)
Net deferred income tax liability	$ (420,817)	$ (403,954)

Income Taxes Income Taxes Det_5

Income Taxes Income Taxes Details 5 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Income Taxes [Abstract]
Non-current deferred tax assets	$ 665	$ 673
Non-current deferred tax liabilities	(421,482)	(404,627)
Net deferred income tax liability	$ (420,817)	$ (403,954)

Income Taxes Income Taxes Det_6

Income Taxes Income Taxes Details 6 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Reconciliation of Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Excluding Amounts Pertaining to Examined Tax Returns [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	$ (178,326)	$ (79,455)	$ (68,538)	$ (178,326)
Reductions to tax positions related to the current year		0
Additions to tax positions related to prior years		1,348
Reductions to tax positions related to prior years		(16,100)
Reductions to tax positions as a result of audit settlement			(79,455)
Reductions to tax positions related to prior years	$ (30,333)		(1,348)
Ending Balance		(1,348)	(79,455)	(68,538)
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Increase Resulting from Prior Period Tax Positions		16,100
Unrecognized Tax Benefits that Would Impact Effective Tax Rate			1,400	79,500
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Income Tax Penalties and Interest Accrued		600	500	11,100
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Income Tax Penalties and Interest Expense		100	10,600	$ 46,200
Tax Adjustments, Settlements, and Unusual Provisions			143,000
Tax Settlement Payment			34,200
Income Tax Examination, Liability (Refund) Adjustment from Settlement with Taxing Authority		$ 2,000	$ 5,600

Income Taxes Income Taxes Det_7

Income Taxes Income Taxes Details 7 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Year One	$ 172,219
Year Two	150,106
Year Three	78,589
Year Four	228,210
Thereafter	1,840,404
Operating Loss Carryforwards	2,469,528
Loss and tax credit carry-forwards	143,391	$ 153,688
Valuation allowance	114,331	$ 120,931
Federal
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Year One	0
Year Two	0
Year Three	0
Year Four	0
Thereafter	1,211
Operating Loss Carryforwards	1,211
Loss and tax credit carry-forwards	254
Valuation allowance	0
State
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Year One	172,219
Year Two	150,106
Year Three	78,589
Year Four	228,210
Thereafter	1,828,046
Operating Loss Carryforwards	2,457,170
Valuation Allowance, Deferred Tax Asset, Increase (Decrease), Amount	6,600
Loss and tax credit carry-forwards	136,133
Valuation allowance	93,982
Foreign
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Year One	0
Year Two	0
Year Three	0
Year Four	0
Thereafter	11,147
Operating Loss Carryforwards	11,147
Valuation Allowance, Deferred Tax Asset, Increase (Decrease), Amount	43
Loss and tax credit carry-forwards	7,004
Valuation allowance	$ 20,349

Income Taxes Income Taxes Det_8

Income Taxes Income Taxes Details (Tax Reform) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Income Tax [Abstract]
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Repatriation of Foreign Earnings, Amount	$ 13.4
Estimated Tax Reform Repatriation Liability	$ 259.8	$ 146.2

Debt Level 4 (Details)

Debt Level 4 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Debt Level 4 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal payments on capital leases	$ 42,627	$ 39,686	$ 51,106
Repayments of Debt	1,200,000	293,700
Repayments of Long-term Debt	25,471	34,134	468,973
Repayments of Other Debt	300	300
Losses on early extinguishment of debt, net	(16,637)	(10,131)	(274)
Total debt	3,583,351	3,602,078
Current maturities of long-term debt	(69,821)	(69,896)
Less current maturities	69,821	69,896
Total long-term debt	$ 3,513,530	$ 3,532,182
Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	4.72%	4.99%
Long-term Debt, Percentage Bearing Fixed Interest, Percentage Rate	69.00%	66.00%
Next Twelve Months	$ 73,912
Year Two	244,931
Year Three	60,322
Year Four	69,898
Year Five	1,659,084
After Year Five	1,504,424
Long-term Debt, Gross	3,612,571
Letters of Credit, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	34,000	$ 32,900
Interest Paid, Including Capitalized Interest, Operating and Investing Activities	190,672	179,865	$ 160,843
Payments in 2020	169,519
Payments in 2021	166,382
Payments in 2022	154,506
Payments in 2023	153,727
Payments in 2024	108,640
Payments in 2025 and thereafter	274,871
Cash Interest Payments Expected Payments Total	1,027,645
Unamortized Debt Issuance Expense	(34,854)	(31,762)
October 2018 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Repayments of Debt		250,000
November 2020 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Repayments of Debt	200,000
January 2022 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Repayments of Debt	425,000
Bank credit facility	295,000	0
April 2027 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Repayments of Debt	46,500
May 2024 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Bank credit facility	295,000
Bank Credit Facility due March 2022 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Repayments of Debt	450,000
Bank credit facility	0	395,000
Term Loan December 2022 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Repayments of Long-term Debt		33,800
Repayments of Other Debt	32,100
Notes Payable to Bank, Noncurrent	0	641,250
December 2022 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes Payable to Bank, Noncurrent	633,750	0
Bank credit facility	295,000	0
Unsecured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized pricing discounts and other	5,634	6,562
Unsecured Debt [Member] \| November 2020 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	0	200,000
Unsecured Debt [Member] \| November 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	150,000	150,000
Unsecured Debt [Member] \| January 2022 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	0	425,000
Unsecured Debt [Member] \| April 2027 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	153,465	200,000
Unsecured Debt [Member] \| May 2024 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	850,000	850,000
Unsecured Debt [Member] \| December 2027 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	550,000	550,000
Unsecured Debt [Member] \| June 2029 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	750,000	0
Capital Lease Obligations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Obligations under capital leases	185,252	211,952
Mortgages [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Mortgage notes and other debt, maturities through 2047	$ 45,104	$ 4,076

Debt Debt, Textuals (Details)

Debt Debt, Textuals (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Debt Debt, Textuals (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	4.72%	4.99%
Long-term Debt, Percentage Bearing Fixed Interest, Percentage Rate	69.00%	66.00%
Line of Credit Facility, Unused Capacity, Commitment Fee Percentage	0.20%
Letters of Credit, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	$ 34,000	$ 32,900
Line of Credit Facility, Remaining Borrowing Capacity	671,000
Principal payments on capital leases	42,627	39,686	$ 51,106
Repayments of Other Debt	300	300
Repayments of Debt	1,200,000	293,700
Losses on early extinguishment of debt, net	(16,637)	(10,131)	(274)
Pledged Assets Separately Reported, Finance Receivables Pledged as Collateral, at Fair Value	2,700	3,800
Pledged Assets, Other, Not Separately Reported on Statement of Financial Position	600	1,100
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	3,583,241	3,391,926
Bank Credit Agreement	49,300
Debt Issuance Costs, Line of Credit Arrangements, Net	15,500
Repayments of Long-term Debt	25,471	34,134	$ 468,973
Debt Instrument, Increase (Decrease), Net	1,100,000	395,000
Redemption Premium	11,500	9,600
October 2018 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Repayments of Debt		250,000
May 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Repayments of Debt	200,000
April 2027 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Repayments of Debt	46,500
Bank Credit Facility due March 2022 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding	0	395,000
Repayments of Debt	450,000
Debt Instrument, Increase (Decrease), Net	55,000
Term Loan December 2022 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes Payable to Bank, Noncurrent	0	641,250
Repayments of Other Debt	32,100
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment	8,500
Repayments of Long-term Debt		33,800
January 2022 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding	295,000	0
Repayments of Debt	425,000
May 2024 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding	295,000
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment	16,300
Unsecured Debt [Member] \| May 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	0	200,000
Unsecured Debt [Member] \| November 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	150,000	150,000
Unsecured Debt [Member] \| April 2027 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	153,465	200,000
Unsecured Debt [Member] \| January 2022 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	0	425,000
Unsecured Debt [Member] \| December 2027 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	550,000	550,000
Unsecured Debt [Member] \| May 2024 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	$ 850,000	$ 850,000

Credit Risk and Fair Value of_3

Credit Risk and Fair Value of Financial Instruments Level 4 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Notes Payable	$ 45,104	$ 4,076
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	3,583,241	3,391,926
Term Loan	0	629,579
Lines of Credit, Fair Value Disclosure	0	387,061
May 2024 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Senior Notes	879,606	851,275
Bank credit facility	295,000
November 2020 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Senior Notes	0	198,930
November 2021 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Senior Notes	165,375	160,800
January 2022 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Senior Notes	0	428,188
Bank credit facility	295,000	0
Term Loan	633,750	0
April 2027 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Senior Notes	188,381	214,940
December 2027 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Senior Notes	577,500	517,077
June 2029 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Senior Notes	$ 798,525	$ 0

Leases (Details)

Leases (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Leases (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Leases [Abstract]
Right-of-Use Asset Obtained in Exchange for Finance Lease Liability		$ 48,233
Right-of-Use Asset Obtained in Exchange for Operating Lease Liability		10,925
Finance Lease, Liability, Payment, Due [Abstract]
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Next Twelve Months	$ 45,182	45,182	$ 46,998
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Two	63,840	63,840	51,943
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Three	27,764	27,764	57,881
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Four	20,317	20,317	21,842
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Five	24,774	24,774	15,587
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Due after Year Five	24,594	24,594	40,447
Finance Lease, Liability, Payment, Due	206,471	206,471	234,698
Finance Lease, Interest Payment on Liability		21,219
Finance Lease, Liability, Undiscounted Excess Amount			(22,746)
Finance Lease, Liability	185,252	185,252	211,952
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Payment, Due [Abstract]
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Next Twelve Months	11,098	11,098	11,295
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Two	10,253	10,253	9,550
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Three	8,703	8,703	8,251
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Four	6,394	6,394	7,282
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Five	5,366	5,366	5,397
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Payments, Due after Year Five	40,364	40,364	37,841
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Payments, Due	82,178	82,178	79,616
Operating Lease, Expense		21,549
Operating Lease, Liability	60,629	60,629
Lease LIability Payments Due Next Twelve Months		56,280
Lease Liability Payments Due Year Two	74,093	74,093
Lease Liability Payments Due Year Three	36,467	36,467
Lease Liability Payments Due Year Four	26,711	26,711
Lease Liability Payments Due Year Five	30,140	30,140
Lease Liability Payments Due After Year Five	64,958	64,958
Lease Liability Payments Due	288,649	288,649
Lease Interest Expense		42,768
Lease Liability	245,881	245,881
Capital Leases, Lessee Balance Sheet [Abstract]
Operating Lease, Right-of-Use Asset	58,101	58,101	0
Finance Lease, Right-of-Use Asset	179,538	179,538
Leases Right of Use Asset	237,639	237,639
Operating Lease, Liability, Current	8,538	8,538	0
Finance Lease, Liability, Current	39,428	39,428
Leases Total Current Liability	47,966	47,966
Operating Lease, Liability, Noncurrent	52,091	52,091	0
Finance Lease, Liability, Noncurrent	145,824	145,824
Leases Total NonCurrent Liability	197,915	197,915
Leases, Total Liability	$ 245,881	245,881
Finance Lease Payments Cash Outflow		7,472
Finance Lease liability renewals		4,400	8,000
Lease remeasurement		$ 5,700
Property Subject to or Available for Operating Lease, Number of Units	65	65
Operating Lease, Lease Income	$ 500	$ 2,500
Operating Leases, Rent Expense		27,400	$ 30,500
Finance Lease, Right-of-Use Asset, Amortization		42,147
Finance Lease, Interest Expense		6,882
Finance Lease Cost		49,029
Operating Lease, Cost		12,502
Variable Lease, Cost		1,089
Lease, Cost		$ 62,620
Operating Lease, Weighted Average Remaining Lease Term	12 years 4 months 24 days	12 years 4 months 24 days
Operating Lease, Weighted Average Discount Rate, Percent	4.60%	4.60%
Finance Lease, Weighted Average Remaining Lease Term	4 years 10 months 24 days	4 years 10 months 24 days
Finance Lease, Weighted Average Discount Rate, Percent	3.50%	3.50%
Operating Lease, Payments		$ 12,568
Finance Lease, Interest Payment on Liability		21,219
Finance Lease, Principal Payments		42,627
Total Lease Payments		62,667
Lessor, Operating Lease, Payments to be Received, Next Twelve Months	$ 1,744	1,744
Lessor, Operating Lease, Payments to be Received, Two Years	1,428	1,428
Lessor, Operating Lease, Payments to be Received, Three Years	1,053	1,053
Lessor, Operating Lease, Payments to be Received, Four Years	436	436
Lessor, Operating Lease, Payments to be Received, Five Years	77	77
Lessor, Operating Lease, Payments to be Received, Thereafter	139	139
Lessor, Operating Lease, Payments to be Received	$ 4,877	$ 4,877

Commitments and Contingencies_3

Commitments and Contingencies Level 4 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Operating Leases, Rent Expense	$ 27,400	$ 30,500
Agreements, Future Payments, Due in One Year	8,160
Agreements, Future Payments, Due in Two Years	6,188
Agreements, Future Payments, Due in Three Years	4,206
Agreements, Future Payments, Due in Four Years	2,749
Agreements, Future Payments, Due in Five Years	2,039
Agreements, Future Payments, Due in Six Years and Thereafter	4,873
Agreements, Future Payments Due	28,215
Self Insurance Reserve	84,300	$ 80,100
Loss Contingency, Damages Sought, Value	13,600
Employment Agreement [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Agreements, Future Payments, Due in One Year	1,968
Agreements, Future Payments, Due in Two Years	1,296
Agreements, Future Payments, Due in Three Years	399
Agreements, Future Payments, Due in Four Years	123
Agreements, Future Payments, Due in Five Years	8
Agreements, Future Payments, Due in Six Years and Thereafter	0
Agreements, Future Payments Due	3,794
Consulting Agreement [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Agreements, Future Payments, Due in One Year	1,020
Agreements, Future Payments, Due in Two Years	603
Agreements, Future Payments, Due in Three Years	444
Agreements, Future Payments, Due in Four Years	165
Agreements, Future Payments, Due in Five Years	48
Agreements, Future Payments, Due in Six Years and Thereafter	171
Agreements, Future Payments Due	2,451
Noncompete Agreements [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Agreements, Future Payments, Due in One Year	5,172
Agreements, Future Payments, Due in Two Years	4,289
Agreements, Future Payments, Due in Three Years	3,363
Agreements, Future Payments, Due in Four Years	2,461
Agreements, Future Payments, Due in Five Years	1,983
Agreements, Future Payments, Due in Six Years and Thereafter	4,702
Agreements, Future Payments Due	$ 21,970
Minimum [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Management, consulting and non-compete agreement term	5 years
Maximum [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Management, consulting and non-compete agreement term	10 years

Equity Textuals (Details)

Equity Textuals (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	2 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Feb. 17, 2020	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Purchase of noncontrolling interest			$ 0	$ 0	$ 4,580
Preferred Stock, Shares Authorized			1,000,000
Preferred Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share			$ 1
Common stock, shares authorized			500,000,000	500,000,000
Common stock, par or stated value per share			$ 1	$ 1
Common stock, shares, issued			185,100,789	184,720,582
Common stock, shares outstanding			181,184,963	181,470,582
Treasury Stock, Shares, Acquired			2,908,850	7,347,838
Treasury Stock, Value, Acquired, Par Value Method			$ 129,600	$ 277,600
Treasury Stock Acquired, Average Cost Per Share			$ 44.55	$ 37.78
Stock Repurchase Program, Authorized Amount			$ 400,000
Stock Repurchase Program, Remaining Authorized Repurchase Amount			$ 312,000
Dividends declared per share		$ 0.51	$ 0.68	$ 0.58
Payments of Dividends, Common Stock			$ 131,402	$ 123,849	$ 108,750
Subsequent Event [Member]
Treasury Stock, Shares, Acquired	475,476
Treasury Stock, Value, Acquired, Par Value Method	$ 22,200
Treasury Stock Acquired, Average Cost Per Share	$ 46.69

Share-Based Compensation Leve_3

Share-Based Compensation Level 4 (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
Share-Based Compensation Level 4 (Details) - USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2019
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Total pretax employee share-based compensation expense included in net income	$ 15,029,000	$ 15,626,000	$ 14,788,000
Income tax benefit related to share-based compensation included in net income	$ 3,842,000	$ 3,998,000	$ 5,416,000
Stock Option Plan Exercise Range 1 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding [Roll Forward]
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Lower Range Limit	$ 0
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Upper Range Limit	$ 10
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Shares Outstanding				1,239,011
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	1 year 9 months 18 days
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range, Outstanding Options, Weighted Average Exercise Price, Beginning Balance				$ 16.77
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Shares Exercisable				1,239,011
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price				$ 16.77
Stock Option Plan Exercise Range 2 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding [Roll Forward]
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Lower Range Limit	$ 10.01
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Upper Range Limit	$ 20
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Shares Outstanding				4,096,760
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	4 years 2 months 12 days
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range, Outstanding Options, Weighted Average Exercise Price, Beginning Balance				$ 24.99
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Shares Exercisable				3,666,044
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price				$ 24.49
Stock Option Plan Exercise Range 3 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding [Roll Forward]
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Lower Range Limit	$ 20
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Upper Range Limit	$ 30
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Shares Outstanding				1,188,525
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	6 years 1 month 6 days
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range, Outstanding Options, Weighted Average Exercise Price, Beginning Balance				$ 37.50
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Shares Exercisable				492,518
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price				$ 37.50
Stock Option Plan Exercise Range 4 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding [Roll Forward]
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Lower Range Limit	$ 30
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Upper Range Limit	$ 40
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Shares Outstanding				785,150
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	7 years 1 month 6 days
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range, Outstanding Options, Weighted Average Exercise Price, Beginning Balance				$ 42.63
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Shares Exercisable				0
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price				$ 0
Stock Option Plan Exercise Range 5 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding [Roll Forward]
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Lower Range Limit	$ 0
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Upper Range Limit	$ 40
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Shares Outstanding				7,309,446
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	4 years 4 months 24 days
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range, Outstanding Options, Weighted Average Exercise Price, Beginning Balance				$ 27.53
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Shares Exercisable				5,397,573
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price				$ 23.90
Stock Options [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Dividend yield	1.70%	1.80%	2.00%
Expected volatility	19.80%	18.50%	19.00%
Risk-free interest rate	2.50%	2.40%	1.60%
Expected holding period	4 years	4 years	4 years
Total pretax employee share-based compensation expense included in net income	$ 6,314,000	$ 6,648,000	$ 6,909,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding [Roll Forward]
Options outstanding at beginning of period	8,917,943
Options outstanding at beginning of period, weighted average exercise price	$ 23.40
Granted	785,150
Granted, Weighted Average Exercise Price	$ 42.63
Exercised	(2,393,647)
Exercised, Weighted Average Exercise Price	$ 17.10
Options outstanding at end of period	7,309,446	8,917,943
Options outstanding at end of period, weighted average exercise price	$ 27.53	$ 23.40
Options exercisable at December 31, 2011	7,309,446	8,917,943		7,309,446
Options exercisable at December 31, 2011, Weighted Average Exercise Price	$ 27.53	$ 23.40		$ 27.53
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Number				5,397,573
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price				$ 23.90
Restricted Stock [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Total pretax employee share-based compensation expense included in net income	$ 6,000,000	$ 6,063,000	$ 5,564,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested [Roll Forward]
Nonvested restricted shares at beginning of period	389,245
Nonvested restricted shares at beginning of period, weighted average grant date fair value	$ 31.67
Granted	125,546
Granted, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$ 42.73	$ 37.50	$ 29.28
Vested	(226,726)
Vested, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$ 29.63
Nonvested restricted shares at end of period	288,065	389,245
Nonvested restricted shares at end of period, weighted average grant date fair value	$ 38.09	$ 31.67
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period, Fair Value	$ 6,718,000	$ 5,702,000	$ 5,463,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Aggregate Intrinsic Value, Vested	3,724,000	3,578,000	4,454,000
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Total pretax employee share-based compensation expense included in net income	$ 2,715,000	$ 2,862,000	$ 2,052,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested [Roll Forward]
Nonvested restricted shares at beginning of period	175,301
Nonvested restricted shares at beginning of period, weighted average grant date fair value	$ 31.17
Granted	72,067
Granted, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$ 40.91	$ 35.89	$ 27.94
Vested	(95,459)
Vested, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$ 29.62
Nonvested restricted shares at end of period	151,452	175,301
Nonvested restricted shares at end of period, weighted average grant date fair value	$ 36.79	$ 31.17
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period, Fair Value	$ 2,827,000	$ 1,946,000	$ 1,239,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Forfeited in Period	(457)
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Forfeitures, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$ 27.94
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Aggregate Intrinsic Value, Vested	$ 1,432,000	$ 970,000	$ 558,000

Share-Based Compensation Share-

Share-Based Compensation Share-Based Compensation, Textuals (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Vesting rate	33.33%
Common Stock, Capital Shares Reserved for Future Issuance	7,148,871	8,287,804
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Intrinsic Value	$ 135,300
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Intrinsic Value		$ 119,400
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$ 6.86	$ 5.52	$ 3.90
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested in Period, Fair Value	$ 7,250	$ 6,857	$ 7,425
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercises in Period, Total Intrinsic Value	65,023	48,643	56,946
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	40,922	24,517	33,611
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Expense	$ 15,029	$ 15,626	14,788
2016 Long Term Incentive Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Number		13,404,404
Long Term Incentive 1996 Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Number	44,000,000
Director Fee Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Number		340,510
Common Stock, Capital Shares Reserved for Future Issuance		63,894
Stock Options [Member]
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Expense	$ 6,314	$ 6,648	6,909
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized	$ 6,100
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition	1 year 8 months 12 days
Restricted Stock [Member]
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Expense	$ 6,000	6,063	5,564
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized	$ 6,300
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition	1 year 8 months 12 days
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Expense	$ 2,715	$ 2,862	$ 2,052
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized	$ 3,200
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition	1 year 9 months 18 days
Stock Option Plan Exercise Range 1 [Member]
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Lower Range Limit	$ 0
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Upper Range Limit	10
Stock Option Plan Exercise Range 2 [Member]
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Lower Range Limit	10.01
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Upper Range Limit	20
Stock Option Plan Exercise Range 3 [Member]
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Lower Range Limit	20
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Upper Range Limit	30
Stock Option Plan Exercise Range 4 [Member]
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Lower Range Limit	30
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Upper Range Limit	40
Stock Option Plan Exercise Range 5 [Member]
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Lower Range Limit	0
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Upper Range Limit	$ 40

Retirement Plans Retirement P_2

Retirement Plans Retirement Plans Level 4 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Interest Cost	$ 956	$ 923	$ 1,067
Defined Benefit Plan, Amortization of Gain (Loss)	2,886	(1,127)	879
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost (Credit)	3,842	(204)	1,946
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Benefit Obligation [Roll Forward]
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation	24,707	28,681
Defined Benefit Plan, Interest Cost	956	923	1,067
Defined Benefit Plan, Actuarial Net (Gains) Losses	2,886	(1,127)
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation, Benefits Paid	3,588	3,770
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation	24,961	24,707	28,681
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Fair Value of Plan Assets [Roll Forward]
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Amount	0	0
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Contributions by Employer	3,588	3,770
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Amount	0	0	$ 0
Defined Benefit Plan, Funded (Unfunded) Status of Plan	(24,961)	(24,707)
Defined Benefit Plan, Accumulated Benefit Obligation	24,961	24,707
Liability, Defined Benefit Pension Plan, Current	(2,708)	(3,175)
Liability, Defined Benefit Pension Plan, Noncurrent	(22,253)	(21,532)
Liability, Defined Benefit Pension Plan	(24,961)	(24,707)
Defined Benefit Plan, Estimated Future Retirement Benefits Covered by Insurance Contract, Amount	47,700	47,100
Cash Surrender Value of Life Insurance, Retirement Plans	$ 38,000	$ 37,200
Defined Benefit Plan, Assumptions Used Calculating Benefit Obligation, Discount Rate	2.95%	4.13%	3.41%
Defined Benefit Plan, Assumptions Used Calculating Net Periodic Benefit Cost, Discount Rate	4.15%	3.26%	3.86%
Defined Benefit Plan, Assumptions Used Calculating Benefit Obligation, Rate of Compensation Increase	50.00%
Year One	$ 2,742
Year Two	2,410
Year Three	2,337
Year Four	2,095
Year Five	1,902
Defined Benefit Plan Expected Benefit Payments	19,821
Years 2025 through 2029	8,335
Defined Contribution Plan, Cost	39,700	$ 36,800	$ 33,200
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Benefits Paid	$ 3,588	$ 3,770
Defined Contribution Plan, Maximum Annual Contributions Per Employee, Percent	50.00%

Segment Reporting Level 4 (Deta

Segment Reporting Level 4 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019		Sep. 30, 2019		Jun. 30, 2019		Mar. 31, 2019		Dec. 31, 2018		Sep. 30, 2018		Jun. 30, 2018		Mar. 31, 2018		Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Noncurrent	$ 2,051								$ 1,727								$ 2,051	$ 1,727
Revenues	850,760		$ 769,241		$ 812,572		$ 798,212		820,814		$ 778,786		$ 796,092		$ 794,482		3,230,785	3,190,174	$ 3,095,031
Interest expense																	185,843	181,556	169,125
Depreciation and amortization																	151,000	153,650	153,141
Depreciation and amortization																	151,000	153,650	153,141
Amortization of intangibles																	25,649	26,195	27,650
Amortization of cemetery property																	70,330	68,640	68,102
Total assets	13,677,430								12,693,243								13,677,430	12,693,243
Capital expenditures																	239,957	235,545	214,501
Gross profits from reportable segments	217,868		159,732		191,146		191,834		210,263		166,170		188,127		195,762		760,580	760,322	722,779
Corporate general and administrative expenses																	(126,886)	(145,596)	(158,651)
Gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net																	32,919	15,933	7,015
Operating income	240,945		128,585		150,105		146,978		172,710		132,303		161,954		163,692		666,613	630,659	571,143
Losses on early extinguishment of debt, net																	(16,637)	(10,131)	(274)
Other income (expense), net																	299	2,760	(1,486)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	195,172	[1]	$ 72,869	[1]	$ 96,083	[1]	$ 100,308	[1]	126,012	[1]	$ 86,036	[1]	$ 119,315	[1]	$ 110,369	[1]	464,432	441,732	400,258
Long lived assets	6,833,166								6,612,821								6,833,166	6,612,821
UNITED STATES
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																	3,052,101	2,991,617	2,889,463
Interest expense																	185,512	181,266	168,956
Depreciation and amortization																	142,550	144,877	143,932
Amortization of intangibles																	25,079	25,664	27,092
Amortization of cemetery property																	66,552	63,709	61,307
Gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net																	33,200	8,419	61
Operating income																	628,204	568,446	502,865
Long lived assets	6,531,705								6,334,924								6,531,705	6,334,924
CANADA
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																	178,684	198,557	205,568
Interest expense																	331	290	169
Depreciation and amortization																	8,450	8,773	9,209
Amortization of intangibles																	570	531	558
Amortization of cemetery property																	3,778	4,931	6,795
Gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net																	(281)	7,514	6,954
Operating income																	38,409	62,213	68,278
Long lived assets	301,461								277,897								301,461	277,897
Funeral [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																	1,923,902	1,897,992	1,868,152
Interest expense																	4,026	3,634	3,986
Depreciation and amortization																	106,982	108,891	109,965
Amortization of intangibles																	15,343	17,515	17,871
Amortization of cemetery property																	0	0	0
Total assets	5,821,408								5,411,178								5,821,408	5,411,178
Capital expenditures																	112,090	99,008	83,241
Gross profits from reportable segments																	372,638	369,613	371,853
Cemetery [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																	1,306,883	1,292,182	1,226,879
Interest expense																	659	469	401
Depreciation and amortization																	33,323	33,183	32,815
Amortization of intangibles																	10,297	8,619	9,696
Amortization of cemetery property																	70,330	68,640	68,102
Total assets	7,483,713								6,913,132								7,483,713	6,913,132
Capital expenditures																	125,365	125,131	118,699
Gross profits from reportable segments																	387,942	390,709	350,926
Corporate Elimination [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Interest expense																	181,158	177,453	164,738
Depreciation and amortization																	10,695	11,576	10,361
Amortization of intangibles																	9	61	83
Amortization of cemetery property																	0	0	0
Total assets	372,309								368,933								372,309	368,933
Capital expenditures																	2,502	11,406	12,561
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Interest expense																		181,556	169,125
Depreciation and amortization																	151,000	153,650	153,141
Amortization of intangibles																	25,649	26,195	27,650
Amortization of cemetery property																	70,330	68,640	68,102
Total assets	$ 13,677,430								$ 12,693,243								13,677,430	12,693,243
Capital expenditures																	239,957	235,545	214,501
Funeral Atneed Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																	996,643	998,464	1,011,214
Funeral Matured Preneed Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																	605,237	600,944	574,235
Funeral Core Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																	1,601,880	1,599,408	1,585,449
Non-funeral Home Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																	52,211	49,671	46,513
Funeral Recognized Preneed Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																	139,525	125,144	117,352
Funeral Other Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																	130,286	123,769	118,838
Cemetery Atneed Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																	326,230	323,162	319,899
Cemetery Recognized Preneed Property Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																	581,724	572,955	538,314
Cemetery Recognized Preneed Merchandise And Service Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																	287,589	288,282	274,885
Cemetery Core Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																	1,195,543	1,184,399	1,133,098
Cemetery Other Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																	$ 111,340	$ 107,783	$ 93,781

[1]	Includes Gains (losses) on divestitures and impairment charges, net , as described in Note 16.

Supplementary Information Lev_3

Supplementary Information Level 4 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Cash and cash equivalents:
Cash	$ 149,981	$ 177,338
Commercial paper and temporary investments	36,295	21,512
Cash and cash equivalents	186,276	198,850
Receivables, net:
Notes receivable	1,765	1,781
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Current	166	245
Other	19,304	17,058
Receivables, net	81,671	73,825
Other current assets:
Income tax receivable	5,905	8,333
Prepaid insurance	4,451	5,047
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Current	54,293	7,007
Other Assets, Current	15,839	13,220
Other	80,488	33,607
Cemetery Property, Undeveloped Land	1,233,363	1,209,109
Cemetery Property, Developed	640,239	628,355
Cemetery property, at cost	1,873,602	1,837,464
Land	642,168	631,679
Buildings and Improvements, Gross	2,221,758	2,107,300
Machinery and Equipment, Gross	499,700	609,658
Leasehold Improvements, Gross	40,879	34,755
Capital Leased Assets, Gross	350,626	263,940
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	3,755,131	3,647,332
Accumulated Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Property, Plant, and Equipment	(1,518,610)	(1,525,059)
Capital Leases, Lessee Balance Sheet, Assets by Major Class, Property, Plant, and Equipment Other, Accumulated Depreciation	(171,088)	(144,909)
Property and equipment, net	2,065,433	1,977,364
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	431,167	433,830
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Noncurrent	2,051	1,727
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent	665	673
Financing Receivable, after Allowance for Credit Loss, Noncurrent	6,623	8,651
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Noncurrent	10,814	10,946
Operating Lease, Right-of-Use Asset	58,101	0
Other Assets, Miscellaneous, Noncurrent	62,050	61,006
Cash Surrender Value of Life Insurance	176,126	145,981
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities:
Other Liabilities	9,596	10,222
Accounts payable	174,494	173,361
Accrued compensation	99,396	90,303
Interest Payable, Current	15,390	25,976
Accrual for Taxes Other than Income Taxes, Current	16,402	18,512
Self Insurance Reserve, Current	84,290	80,114
Bank Overdrafts	16,694	16,221
Other liabilities	378,074	297,302
Operating Lease, Liability, Current	8,538	0
Other Accrued Liabilities, Current	63,341	75,281
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	478,545	479,768
Liability, Defined Benefit Pension Plan, Noncurrent	22,253	21,532
Deferred Compensation Liability, Classified, Noncurrent	152,119	126,891
Customer Funds	46,958	48,000
Tax liability	2,004	1,873
Payable to ECF	93,053	88,784
Deferred charges and other assets	1,029,908	934,151
Operating Lease, Liability, Noncurrent	52,091	0
Deferred incremental selling costs	293,125	282,283
Supplemental Cash Flow Information [Abstract]
Capital Expenditures Incurred but Not yet Paid	(4,435)	(2,597)	$ (223)
Funeral [Member]
Receivables, net:
Accounts Receivable, after Allowance for Credit Loss, Current	39,471	39,709
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Current	1,412	1,845
Cemetery [Member]
Receivables, net:
Accounts Receivable, after Allowance for Credit Loss, Current	$ 21,131	$ 15,277

Earnings Per Share Level 4 (Det

Earnings Per Share Level 4 (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019		Sep. 30, 2019		Jun. 30, 2019		Mar. 31, 2019		Dec. 31, 2018		Sep. 30, 2018		Jun. 30, 2018		Mar. 31, 2018		Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent [Abstract]
Net income attributable to common stockholders	$ 147,152		$ 70,792		$ 72,329		$ 79,323		$ 193,046		$ 68,935		$ 103,239		$ 81,988		$ 369,596	$ 447,208	$ 546,663
After tax interest on convertible debt																	0	0	52
Net income — diluted																	$ 369,596	$ 447,208	$ 546,715
Weighted average shares (denominator):
Weighted average shares — basic																	182,246	182,447	187,630
Convertible debt																	0	0	121
Weighted average shares — diluted																	185,523	186,972	192,246
Net income attributable to common stockholders, basic	$ 0.81	[1]	$ 0.39	[1]	$ 0.40	[1]	$ 0.44	[1]	$ 1.07	[1]	$ 0.38	[1]	$ 0.57	[1]	$ 0.44	[1]	$ 2.03	$ 2.45	$ 2.91
Net income attributable to common stockholders, diluted	$ 0.79	[1]	$ 0.38	[1]	$ 0.39	[1]	$ 0.43	[1]	$ 1.04	[1]	$ 0.37	[1]	$ 0.55	[1]	$ 0.43	[1]	$ 1.99	$ 2.39	$ 2.84
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount																	678,000	1,035,000	911,000
Stock Options [Member]
Weighted average shares (denominator):
Share based compensation																	3,223	4,339	4,396
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Weighted average shares (denominator):
Share based compensation																	54	186	99

[1]	Net income per share is computed independently for each of the quarters presented. Therefore, the sum of the quarters’ net income per share may not equal the total computed for the year.

Acquisition, Textuals (Details)

Acquisition, Textuals (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Acquisition, Textuals (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Acquisitions [Abstract]
(Losses) gains on divestitures										$ 41,835	$ 20,340	$ 29,053
Impairment losses										(8,916)	(4,407)	(22,038)
Gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net										32,919	15,933	7,015
Business Combination Segment Allocation [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired, Goodwill, and Liabilities Assumed, Net	$ 37,908									37,908
Business Acquisition, Goodwill, Expected Tax Deductible Amount	23,700									23,700
Revenue	850,760	$ 769,241	$ 812,572	$ 798,212	$ 820,814	$ 778,786	$ 796,092	$ 794,482		3,230,785	3,190,174	3,095,031
Net Income	147,173	$ 70,872	$ 72,513	$ 79,213	$ 193,236	$ 68,993	$ 103,281	$ 82,048		369,771	447,558	546,847
Acquisition Spend									$ 82,200	107,000	62,800	76,200
Large Acquisition Debt Acquired									$ 49,800
Preneed Contracts Receivables Fair Value, net	8,400									8,400
Preneed Contracts Receivables Fair Value	8,900									8,900
Uncollected preneed contract receivables	500									500
Payments for (Proceeds from) Delayed Tax Exempt Exchange										13,600	5,900	26,200
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Assets	3,388									3,388
Business Acquisition Purchase Price Allocation Cemetery property	32,266									32,266
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Property, Plant, and Equipment	25,896									25,896
Business Acquisition Purchase Price Allocation Preneed Funeral And Cemetery Receivables And Trust Investments	107,444									107,444
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles	32,371									32,371
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets	18,000									18,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Other Noncurrent Assets	1,717									1,717
Business Combination Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired And Liabilities Assumed Cemetery Perpetual Care Trusts	52,747									52,747
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Assets	311,737									311,737
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Liabilities	7,666									7,666
Business Acquisition Purchase Price Allocation Deferred Preneed Funeral And Cemetery Revenues And Deferred Receipts Held In Trusts	113,173									113,173
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Liabilities Noncurrent	4,704									4,704
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Noncurrent Liabilities, Other	1,439									1,439
Business Combination Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired And Liabilities Assumed Care Trust Corpus	52,747									52,747
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Liabilities	179,729									179,729
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Net	132,008									132,008
Purchase of noncontrolling interest										0	0	(4,580)
Change in estimated value of acquired current assets										(67)
Changeinestimatedvaluedofacquiredcemeteryproperty										(3,583)
Change in estimated value of property and equipment										(179)
Change in estimated value of preneed receivables net and trust investments										(4,910)
Change in estimated valued of acquired finite lived intangible assets										10,428
Change in estimated value of current liabilities										3,075
Change in the estimated fair value of acquired deferred preneed revenues and deferred receipts held in trust										(7,349)
Change in estimated fair value of deferred income taxes										(7,026)
Change in estimated value of other liabilities										1,439
Total adjustment to the estimated amount of goodwill in a business combination										(8,172)
Cemetery [Member]
Business Combination Segment Allocation [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired, Goodwill, and Liabilities Assumed, Net	21,200									21,200
Revenue										1,306,883	1,292,182	1,226,879
Funeral [Member]
Business Combination Segment Allocation [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired, Goodwill, and Liabilities Assumed, Net	$ 16,700									16,700
Revenue										$ 1,923,902	1,897,992	$ 1,868,152
Current Year Acquisition [Member]
Business Combination Segment Allocation [Line Items]
Revenue											17,900
Net Income											$ 1,700

Acquisitions Pro Forma Revenue

Acquisitions Pro Forma Revenue and Expense (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information [Abstract]
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Revenue	$ 32,434	$ 29,193
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Net Income (Loss)	$ 4,669	$ 2,531

Acquisitions Acquisitions Intan

Acquisitions Acquisitions Intangible Assets (Details) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019USD ($)
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired	$ 18,000
Intangible Assets Acquired	50,371
Current Year Acquisition [Member] \| Customer Relationships [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired	9,347
Current Year Acquisition [Member] \| Noncompete Agreements [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired	13,176
Current Year Acquisition [Member] \| Above Market Leases [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired	2,848
Current Year Acquisition [Member] \| Trade Names [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired	$ 7,000
Minimum [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	2 years
Minimum [Member] \| Customer Relationships [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	10 years
Minimum [Member] \| Noncompete Agreements [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	2 years
Minimum [Member] \| Trade Names [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	5 years
Minimum [Member] \| Current Year Acquisition [Member] \| Customer Relationships [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	10 years
Minimum [Member] \| Current Year Acquisition [Member] \| Noncompete Agreements [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	89 years
Minimum [Member] \| Current Year Acquisition [Member] \| Above Market Leases [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	89 years
Minimum [Member] \| Current Year Acquisition [Member] \| Trade Names [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	89 years
Maximum [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	89 years
Maximum [Member] \| Customer Relationships [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	20 years
Maximum [Member] \| Noncompete Agreements [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	20 years
Maximum [Member] \| Trade Names [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	89 years
Maximum [Member] \| Current Year Acquisition [Member] \| Customer Relationships [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	20 years
Maximum [Member] \| Current Year Acquisition [Member] \| Noncompete Agreements [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	89 years
Maximum [Member] \| Current Year Acquisition [Member] \| Above Market Leases [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	89 years
Maximum [Member] \| Current Year Acquisition [Member] \| Trade Names [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	89 years

Quarterly Financial Data Quar_2

Quarterly Financial Data Quarterly Financial Data Level 4 (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019		Sep. 30, 2019		Jun. 30, 2019		Mar. 31, 2019		Dec. 31, 2018		Sep. 30, 2018		Jun. 30, 2018		Mar. 31, 2018		Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) [Abstract]
Revenue	$ 850,760		$ 769,241		$ 812,572		$ 798,212		$ 820,814		$ 778,786		$ 796,092		$ 794,482		$ 3,230,785	$ 3,190,174	$ 3,095,031
Costs of revenue	(632,892)		(609,509)		(621,426)		(606,378)		(610,551)		(612,616)		(607,965)		(598,720)		(2,470,205)	(2,429,852)	(2,372,252)
Gross profits	217,868		159,732		191,146		191,834		210,263		166,170		188,127		195,762		760,580	760,322	722,779
Operating income	240,945		128,585		150,105		146,978		172,710		132,303		161,954		163,692		666,613	630,659	571,143
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	195,172	[1]	72,869	[1]	96,083	[1]	100,308	[1]	126,012	[1]	86,036	[1]	119,315	[1]	110,369	[1]	464,432	441,732	400,258
Provision for income taxes	(47,999)		(1,997)		(23,570)		(21,095)		67,224		(17,043)		(16,034)		(28,321)		94,661	(5,826)	(146,589)
Net income	147,173		70,872		72,513		79,213		193,236		68,993		103,281		82,048		369,771	447,558	546,847
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(21)		(80)		(184)		110		(190)		(58)		(42)		(60)		(175)	(350)	(184)
Net income attributable to common stockholders	$ 147,152		$ 70,792		$ 72,329		$ 79,323		$ 193,046		$ 68,935		$ 103,239		$ 81,988		$ 369,596	$ 447,208	$ 546,663
Basic — EPS	$ 0.81	[2]	$ 0.39	[2]	$ 0.40	[2]	$ 0.44	[2]	$ 1.07	[2]	$ 0.38	[2]	$ 0.57	[2]	$ 0.44	[2]	$ 2.03	$ 2.45	$ 2.91
Earnings per share, diluted	$ 0.79	[2]	$ 0.38	[2]	$ 0.39	[2]	$ 0.43	[2]	$ 1.04	[2]	$ 0.37	[2]	$ 0.55	[2]	$ 0.43	[2]	$ 1.99	$ 2.39	$ 2.84

[1]	Includes Gains (losses) on divestitures and impairment charges, net , as described in Note 16.
[2]	Net income per share is computed independently for each of the quarters presented. Therefore, the sum of the quarters’ net income per share may not equal the total computed for the year.

Schedule II Valuation and Qua_2

Schedule II Valuation and Qualifying Account Schedule II Valuation and Qualifying Account Level 4 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Asset Allowance for Cancellation, Preneed Funeral and Preneed Cemetery [Member]
SEC Schedule, 12-09, Movement in Valuation Allowances and Reserves [Roll Forward]
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Beginning Balance	$ (48,380)	$ (107,749)	$ (104,740)
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Charged (Credited) to Cost and Expense	1,617	(69)	1,105
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Charged (Credited) to Other Accounts	5,343	(59,300)	1,904
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Ending Balance	(55,340)	(48,380)	(107,749)
Revenue Allowance for Cancellation, Deferred Preneed Funeral and Cemetery [Member]
SEC Schedule, 12-09, Movement in Valuation Allowances and Reserves [Roll Forward]
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Beginning Balance	0	(118,099)	(116,913)
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Charged (Credited) to Cost and Expense	0	0	0
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Charged (Credited) to Other Accounts	0	118,099	(1,186)
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Ending Balance	0	0	(118,099)
SEC Schedule, 12-09, Valuation Allowance, Deferred Tax Asset [Member]
SEC Schedule, 12-09, Movement in Valuation Allowances and Reserves [Roll Forward]
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Beginning Balance	(120,931)	(141,154)	(132,500)
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Charged (Credited) to Cost and Expense	6,604	(20,219)	8,035
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Charged (Credited) to Other Accounts	4	(4)	619
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Ending Balance	(114,331)	(120,931)	(141,154)
SEC Schedule, 12-09, Allowance, Notes Receivable [Member]
SEC Schedule, 12-09, Movement in Valuation Allowances and Reserves [Roll Forward]
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Beginning Balance	(1,578)	(2,090)	(3,395)
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Charged (Credited) to Cost and Expense	9,146	8,372	9,980
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Charged (Credited) to Other Accounts	8,494	8,884	11,285
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Ending Balance	(2,230)	(1,578)	(2,090)
SEC Schedule, 12-09, Allowance, Noncurrent Notes [Domain]
SEC Schedule, 12-09, Movement in Valuation Allowances and Reserves [Roll Forward]
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Beginning Balance	(10,814)	(10,946)	(11,334)
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Charged (Credited) to Cost and Expense	0	0	0
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Charged (Credited) to Other Accounts	2,440	132	(388)
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Ending Balance	$ (8,374)	$ (10,814)	$ (10,946)