SERVICE CORP INTERNATIONALSCI
SERVICE CORP INTERNATIONAL Stock Compensation Disclosure
Share-Based Compensation
At December 31, 2025, unrecognized compensation expense of $7.7 million related to restricted share awards is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 1.8 years.
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 associates. Our Amended and Restated Incentive Plan ("the 1996 Plan") reserved 44,000,000 shares of our 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 ("the 2016 Plan"), which reserved 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.
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 331/3% 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 331/3% each year. At December 31, 2025 and 2024, 2,255,668 and 2,821,617 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 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||||
| Dividend yield | 1.7% | 1.8% | 1.6% | |||||||||||||||||
| Expected volatility | 25.4% | 25.7% | 25.4% | |||||||||||||||||
| Risk-free interest rate | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.0% | |||||||||||||||||
| Expected holding period (years) | 5.0 | 4.8 | 4.5 | |||||||||||||||||
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, | |||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||
| (In thousands) | |||||||||||||||||
| Pretax employee share-based compensation expense included in net income | $ | 15,923 | $ | 17,163 | $ | 15,423 | |||||||||||
| Pretax director share-based compensation expense included in net income | $ | 1,710 | $ | 1,620 | $ | 1,620 | |||||||||||
| Total pretax share-based compensation expense included in net income | $ | 17,633 | $ | 18,783 | $ | 17,043 | |||||||||||
| Income tax benefit related to share-based compensation included in net income | $ | 4,459 | $ | 4,358 | $ | 4,224 | |||||||||||
Stock Options
The following table sets forth stock option activity for the year ended December 31, 2025 (shares reported in whole numbers):
| Options | Weighted-Average Exercise Price | ||||||||||
Outstanding at December 31, 2024 | 3,643,548 | $ | 53.00 | ||||||||
| Granted | 327,963 | $ | 78.57 | ||||||||
| Exercised | (704,448) | $ | 41.74 | ||||||||
Outstanding at December 31, 2025 | 3,267,063 | $ | 57.99 | ||||||||
Exercisable at December 31, 2025 | 2,589,716 | $ | 53.75 | ||||||||
The aggregate intrinsic value for stock options outstanding and exercisable was $65.5 million and $62.7 million, respectively, at December 31, 2025.
Set forth below is certain information related to stock options outstanding and exercisable at December 31, 2025 (shares reported in whole numbers):
| Options Outstanding | Options Exercisable | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Range of Exercise Price | Number Outstanding at December 31, 2025 | Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Life (in years) | Weighted- Average Exercise Price | Number Exercisable at December 31, 2025 | Weighted- Average Exercise Price | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| $35.01 — 45.00 | 467,588 | 1.0 | $ | 42.01 | 467,588 | $ | 42.01 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| $45.01 — 55.00 | 1,199,319 | 2.6 | $ | 50.27 | 1,199,319 | $ | 50.27 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| $55.01 — 65.00 | 527,703 | 4.1 | $ | 59.76 | 527,703 | $ | 59.76 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| $65.01 — 75.00 | 744,490 | 5.6 | $ | 70.16 | 395,106 | $ | 70.21 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| $75.01 — 85.00 | 327,963 | 7.1 | $ | 78.57 | — | $ | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| $0.00 — 85.00 | 3,267,063 | 3.8 | $ | 57.99 | 2,589,716 | $ | 53.75 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other information pertaining to stock options was as follows (in thousands, except weighted-average grant date fair value):
| Years Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||
| Weighted average grant-date fair value of stock options granted | $ | 20.04 | $ | 17.28 | $ | 16.86 | |||||||||||
| Total fair value of stock options vested | $ | 5,720 | $ | 6,485 | $ | 6,059 | |||||||||||
| Total intrinsic value of stock options exercised | $ | 27,855 | $ | 70,019 | $ | 37,115 | |||||||||||
Cash received from the exercise of stock options | $ | 29,401 | $ | 56,683 | $ | 24,181 | |||||||||||
Recognized compensation expense | $ | 6,076 | $ | 6,701 | $ | 5,929 | |||||||||||
As of December 31, 2025, the unrecognized compensation expense related to stock options of $7.2 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, 2024 | 174,989 | $ | 68.41 | ||||||||
| Granted | 85,627 | $ | 78.57 | ||||||||
| Vested | (86,841) | $ | 66.70 | ||||||||
Nonvested restricted share awards at December 31, 2025 | 173,775 | $ | 74.27 | ||||||||
Other information pertaining to restricted share awards was as follows (in thousands, except weighted-average grant date fair value):
| Years Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||
Recognized compensation expense related to restricted share awards | $ | 6,209 | $ | 6,743 | $ | 6,128 | |||||||||||
Weighted-average grant date fair value for nonvested restricted stock granted | $ | 78.57 | $ | 69.98 | $ | 70.34 | |||||||||||
Total fair market value of restricted share awards vested | $ | 5,792 | $ | 6,687 | $ | 6,130 | |||||||||||
Aggregate intrinsic value of restricted share awards vested | $ | 1,006 | $ | 2,155 | $ | 1,715 | |||||||||||
Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Feb 12, 2026 | Showing above |
| 2024 | Feb 13, 2025 | |
| 2023 | Feb 13, 2024 | |
| 2022 | Feb 15, 2023 | |
| 2020 | Feb 16, 2021 | |
| 2018 | Feb 20, 2019 | |
| 2017 | Feb 14, 2018 | |
| 2016 | Feb 15, 2017 | |
| 2015 | Feb 18, 2016 | |
About Stock Compensation Disclosures
Stock-based compensation disclosures detail the equity awards granted to employees and executives — including stock options, restricted stock units (RSUs), and performance shares — along with the valuation methods and assumptions used to expense them. This section reveals the true cost of talent retention and the alignment between management incentives and shareholder interests.
Key signals: total unrecognized compensation expense and its expected recognition period signal future earnings headwinds from already-granted awards. For stock options, examine Black-Scholes assumptions — expected volatility, risk-free rate, and expected term — as understating any of these reduces reported compensation expense. Compare stock compensation expense as a percentage of revenue against peers to assess dilution cost. Watch vesting schedules for acceleration clauses tied to change-of-control events. Performance-based awards with undemanding targets may indicate weak governance. Add back stock compensation to operating cash flow to calculate a more conservative free cash flow figure.