Acquisitions	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
Business Combinations [Abstract]
ACQUISITIONS	ACQUISITIONS Our growth strategy includes the execution of our Strategic Acquisition Model. We assess the strategic positioning of acquisition candidates based on the size of the business, competitive standing in the market (market share), market size, market demographics, client family revenue profile (customer preferences), barriers to entry, institutional strength of the brand, and long term volume and price trends. Acquisition candidates are prequalified using our Standards Operating Model and 4E Leadership Model to determine alignment with our operating strategy. The value of the acquisition candidates is based on local market competitive dynamic which allows for appropriate and differentiating enterprise valuations and flexibility to customize the transactions. We acquired land for $2.0 million for funeral home expansion projects during the third quarter of 2014. We completed the acquisition of six businesses from certain subsidiaries of SCI (collectively, the “SCI Acquisition”), for $54.9 million during the second quarter of 2014. We acquired land for approximately $6.0 million during the first quarter of 2013 for funeral home expansion projects. There were no acquisitions in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013.

Acquisitions

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2014

Our growth strategy includes the execution of our Strategic Acquisition Model. We assess the strategic positioning of acquisition candidates based on the size of the business, competitive standing in the market (market share), market size, market demographics, client family revenue profile (customer preferences), barriers to entry, institutional strength of the brand, and long term volume and price trends. Acquisition candidates are prequalified using our Standards Operating Model and 4E Leadership Model to determine alignment with our operating strategy. The value of the acquisition candidates is based on local market competitive dynamic which allows for appropriate and differentiating enterprise valuations and flexibility to customize the transactions.

We acquired land for $2.0 million for funeral home expansion projects during the third quarter of 2014. We completed the acquisition of six businesses from certain subsidiaries of SCI (collectively, the “SCI Acquisition”), for $54.9 million during the second quarter of 2014. We acquired land for approximately $6.0 million during the first quarter of 2013 for funeral home expansion projects. There were no acquisitions in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013.