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Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved applications by Service Corporation International (SCI) to divest certain funeral and cemetery assets, as required under the FTC’s December 2013 proposed order settling charges that SCI’s acquisition of Stewart Enterprises, Inc. would be anticompetitive.  In total, the proposed order requires the combined SCI/Stewart to divest 53 funeral homes and 38 cemeteries to ensure competition is maintained in 59 communities throughout the United States.

The FTC has approved the divestiture of two businesses located in Lancaster, California to Angeleno Mortuaries, Inc. (Angeleno) and approved a facilities agreement between Angeleno and S.E. Funeral Homes of California as requested.

The FTC has approved the divestiture of assets in Louisiana and Virginia to Carriage Services, Inc., and in Florida and Mississippi to Legacy Funeral Holdings, Inc.; Legacy Funeral Holdings of Florida, LLC; and Legacy Funeral Holdings of Mississippi, LLC as requested.

The Commission vote to approve the applications was 5-0. (FTC File No. 131-0163, Docket No. 4423; the staff contact is Elizabeth A. Piotrowski, Bureau of Competition, 202-326-2623)

The FTC’s Bureau of Competition works with the Bureau of Economics to investigate alleged anticompetitive business practices and, when appropriate, recommends that the Commission take law enforcement action. To inform the Bureau about particular business practices, call 202-326-3300, send an e-mail to antitrust{at}ftc{dot}gov, or write to the Office of Policy and Coordination, Bureau of Competition, Federal Trade Commission, 601 New Jersey Ave., N.W., Room 7117, Washington, DC 20001. To learn more about the Bureau of Competition, read Competition Counts. Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.