Stewart Enterprises, Inc. is a provider of funeral, and cemetery products and services in the death care industry in the United States. Through its subsidiaries, the Company provides a range of funeral merchandise and services, along with cemetery property, merchandise and services, both at the time of need and on a preneed basis. As of October 31, 2009, its operations included 218 funeral homes and 140 cemeteries in 24 states within the United States and in Puerto Rico. Stewart Enterprises, Inc. operates most of its funeral homes and cemeteries in clusters. Clusters are groups of funeral homes and cemeteries located close enough to one another that their operations can be integrated. During the fiscal year ended October 31, 2009 (fiscal 2009), the Company acquired a cemetery.