Earnings Per Share

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

14.	EARNINGS PER SHARE

Diluted earnings per share reflects the potential dilution that could result if options or other contingently issuable shares were exercised or converted into common stock and notional shares from the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan were granted. Diluted earnings per common share assumes the exercise of stock options using the treasury stock method.

	Year Ended December 31,
(Amounts in thousands, except per share amounts)	2016		2015		2014
Earnings per common share—basic
Continuing Operations	$	2.33	$	2.29	$	1.60
Discontinued Operations		—		0.61		0.29
Total earnings per common share—basic	$	2.33	$	2.90	$	1.89
Earnings per common share—diluted
Continuing Operations	$	2.29	$	2.24	$	1.57
Discontinued Operations		—		0.59		0.28
Total earnings per common share—diluted	$	2.29	$	2.83	$	1.85
Weighted average number of shares outstanding:
Basic common		82,969		83,420		84,007
Dilutive impact of Equity Incentive Plans:
Common shares		1,630		1,974		1,500
Diluted common shares		84,599		85,394		85,507

Diluted earnings per share are computed using the weighted-average number of common shares and dilutive potential common shares outstanding during the period. Dilutive potential common shares result from the assumed exercise of outstanding stock options and unvested restricted stock, by application of the treasury stock method that have a dilutive effect on earnings per share and the notional shares of the Company in the West Corporation Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan. At December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, 1,909,821, 2,210,894 and 623,670 stock options were outstanding, respectively, with an exercise price equal to or exceeding the market value of our common stock that were therefore excluded from the computation of shares contingently issuable upon exercise of the options.