CARRIAGE SERVICES INC

In addition to historical information, this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical information, should be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Words such as “may”, “will”, “estimate”, “intend”, “believe”, “expect”, “seek”, “project”, “forecast”, “foresee”, “should”, “would”, “could”, “plan”, “anticipate” and other similar words or expressions may be used to identify forward-looking statements; however, the absence of these words does not mean that the statements are not forward-looking. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding any projections of earnings, revenue, cash flow, investment returns, capital allocation, debt levels, equity performance, death rates, market share growth, cost inflation, overhead, including talent recruitment, field and corporate incentive compensation, preneed sales or other financial items; any statements of the plans, strategies, objectives and timing of management for future operations or financing activities, including, but not limited to, capital allocation, organizational performance, execution of our strategic objectives and growth strategy, planned acquisitions and divestitures, technology improvements, product development, the ability to obtain credit or financing, anticipated integration, performance and other benefits of recently completed and anticipated acquisitions, and cost management and debt reductions; any statements of the plans, timing and objectives of management for acquisition and divestiture activities; any statements regarding future economic and market conditions or performance; any statements related to the ATM Program, potential future sales thereunder, and the expected uses of proceeds thereof, including our ability to meet the expectations, timing and plans, if at all, related to the ATM Program; any statements of belief; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing and are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effect on us. While we believe these assumptions concerning future events are reasonable as and when made, there can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be those that we anticipate. All comments concerning our expectations for future revenue and operating results are based on our forecasts for our existing operations and do not include the potential impact of any future acquisitions or divestitures. Our forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from our historical experience and our present expectations or projections. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to:

•our ability to find and retain skilled personnel;

•the effects of our talent recruitment efforts, incentive and compensation plans and programs, including such effects on our Standards Operating Model and the Company’s operational and financial performance;

•our ability to execute our strategic objectives and growth strategy, if at all;

•the potential adverse effects on the Company's business, financial and equity performance if management fails to meet the expectations of its strategic objectives and growth plan;

•the execution of our Standards Operating Model and strategic acquisition frameworks;

•our ability to meet the timing, objectives, and expectations of our ATM Program, if at all, including the planned use of proceeds and the potentially dilutive effects to our shareholders of issuances of shares under the ATM Program;

•the effects of competition;

•changes in the number of deaths in our markets, which are not predictable from market to market or over the short term;

•changes in consumer preferences and our ability to adapt to or meet those changes;

•our ability to generate preneed sales, including implementing our cemetery portfolio sales strategy, product development and optimization plans;

•the investment performance of our funeral and cemetery trust funds;

•fluctuations in interest rates, including, but not limited to, the effects of increased borrowing costs under our Credit Facility and our ability to minimize such costs, if at all;

•the effects of inflation on our operational and financial performance, including the increased overall costs for our goods and services, the impact on customer preferences as a result of changes in discretionary income, and our ability, if at all, to mitigate such effects;

•our ability to obtain debt or equity financing on satisfactory terms to fund additional acquisitions, expansion projects, working capital requirements and the repayment or refinancing of indebtedness;

•our ability to meet the timing, objectives and expectations related to our capital allocation framework, including our forecasted rates of return, planned uses of free cash flow and future capital allocation, including debt repayment plans, internal growth projects, potential strategic acquisitions, share repurchases, or dividend increases;

•our ability to meet the projected financial and performance guidance of our updated full year outlook, if at all;

•the timely and full payment of death benefits related to preneed funeral contracts funded through life insurance contracts;

•the financial condition of third-party insurance companies that fund our preneed funeral contracts;

•increased or unanticipated costs, such as merchandise, goods, insurance or taxes, and our ability to mitigate or minimize such costs, if at all;

•our level of indebtedness and the cash required to service our indebtedness;

•changes in federal income tax laws and regulations and the implementation and interpretation of these laws and regulations by the Internal Revenue Service, including changes and potential impacts, if any, resulting from the recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act;

•effects of the application of other applicable laws and regulations, including changes in such regulations or the interpretation thereof;

•the potential impact of epidemics and pandemics, including any new or emerging public health threats, on customer preferences and on our business;

•government, social, business and other actions that have been and will be taken in response to pandemics and epidemics, including potential responses to any new or emerging public health threats;

•effects and expense of litigation;

•consolidation in the funeral and cemetery industry;

•our ability to identify and consummate strategic acquisitions on commercially reasonable terms and on a timely basis, if at all, and successfully integrate acquired businesses with our existing businesses, including expected performance and financial improvements related thereto;

•our ability to successfully complete any non-core asset divestitures on commercially reasonable terms and on a timely basis, if at all, and the impact of any such divestitures on our Company, including any financial, operational, tax or other similar impacts related thereto;

•the effects of any additional imposition or changes in tariffs or trade agreements including, but not limited to, any potential disruptions in international trade, any increased inflationary pressures on the economy or costs for our goods, and our ability, if at all, to mitigate such effects;

•economic, financial and stock market fluctuations;

•interruptions or security lapses of our information technology, including any cybersecurity or ransomware incidents;

•adverse developments affecting the financial services industry;

•military conflicts, acts of war or terrorists acts and the governmental or military response to such acts or conflicts;

•our failure to maintain effective control over financial reporting; and

•other factors and uncertainties inherent in the funeral and cemetery industry.

For additional information regarding known material factors that could cause our actual results to differ from our projected results, please see (i) Part II, Item 1A “Risk Factors” in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and (ii) Part I, Item 1A “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025.

Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements after the date they are made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.