Dignity expects mortality rate to be flat in 2015

Dignity saw sales rise by 23.7% in 13 weeks ending on the 27 march to reach £85.5m. That drove a 38.8% increase in underlying profits to reach £35.8m.As had been anticipated by the company, the number of deaths in the first quarter was very high, registering a 19% incerase to 175,000. However, the funeral related services provider expects the full-year number to be relatively flat on 2014.Excluding dividends the company's net asset value (NAV) per share as of period end stood at 106.6p.