UK Equivalent Stock: Dignity PLC

For those holding IVC, I suggest you also track Dignity PLC.

They are the main listed funeral service provider in the UK.

Their share price has really been decimated in the last two years.

Two of the main reasons have been:

a) Debt

b) Pricing pressure, especially as it looks like the government is going to investigate funeral prices.

I believe this is one reason why the market is shorting IVC significantly.  Dignity Plc was also a high PE stock, before its price was crushed (70% drop from highs) as the market became aware of these risks.

I don't know if the UK landscape is significantly different to Australia, none the less it does highlight the real risk with companies in so called 'defensive industries' whose model is basically profits through acquisition.