ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES	ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Nature of Operations Our Company, a Delaware corporation, provides ready-mixed concrete, precast concrete products and concrete-related products and services to the construction industry in several major markets in the United States. U.S. Concrete, Inc. is a holding company and conducts its businesses through its consolidated subsidiaries. In these Notes to consolidated financial statements, we refer to U.S. Concrete, Inc. and its subsidiaries as “we,” “us” or “U.S. Concrete” unless we specifically state otherwise or the context indicates otherwise. Basis of Presentation The consolidated financial statements consist of the accounts of U.S. Concrete, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany account balances and transactions have been eliminated. In August 2012, we executed and closed on a definitive asset purchase agreement to sell substantially all of the Company's California precast operations. In August 2010, we entered into a redemption agreement to redeem our 60% interest in our Michigan subsidiary, Superior Materials Holdings, LLC (“Superior”). This redemption was finalized and closed on September 30, 2010. These transactions are discussed in Note 3. The results of operations of Superior, net of the minority owner’s 40% interest, and of the California precast operations have been included in discontinued operations in our consolidated statements of operations for all periods presented. We reflect the minority owner’s 40% interest in income, net assets and cash flows of Superior as a non-controlling interest in our consolidated financial statements. On July 29, 2010, the United States Bankruptcy Court entered an order confirming the Joint Plan of Reorganization (the “Plan”) of the Company and certain of our subsidiaries (the “Debtors”). On August 31, 2010, (the “Effective Date”), the Debtors consummated their reorganization under the Bankruptcy Code and the Plan became effective. We applied the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 852 “Reorganizations” to our financial statements while the Debtors operated under the provisions of Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. As of the Effective Date, we applied fresh-start accounting under the provisions of ASC 852. The adoption of fresh-start accounting resulted in the Company becoming a new entity for financial reporting purposes. Accordingly, our financial statements prior to August 31, 2010 are not comparable with our financial statements for periods on or after August 31, 2010. References to “Successor” refer to the Company on or after August 31, 2010, after giving effect to the provisions of the Plan and the application of fresh-start accounting. References to “Predecessor” refer to the Company prior to August 31, 2010. Cash and Cash Equivalents We record as cash equivalents all highly liquid investments having maturities of three months or less at the date of purchase. Cash held as collateral or escrowed for contingent liabilities is included in other current and noncurrent assets based on the expected release date of the underlying obligation. Inventories Inventories consist primarily of cement and other raw materials, precast concrete products and building materials that we hold for sale or use in the ordinary course of business. Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or fair market value using the average cost and first-in, first-out methods. We reduce the carrying value of our inventories for estimated excess and obsolete inventories equal to the difference between the cost of inventory and its estimated realizable value based upon assumptions about future product demand and market conditions. Once the new cost basis is established, the value is not increased with any changes in circumstances that would indicate an increase after the remeasurement. If actual product demand or market conditions are less favorable than those projected by management, inventory write-downs may be required that could result in a material change to our consolidated results of operations or financial position. Prepaid Expenses Prepaid expenses primarily include amounts we have paid for insurance, licenses, taxes, rent and maintenance contracts. We expense or amortize all prepaid amounts as used or over the period of benefit, as applicable Property, Plant and Equipment, Net We state property, plant and equipment at cost and use the straight-line method to compute depreciation of these assets other than mineral deposits over the following estimated useful lives: buildings and land improvements, from 10 to 40 years; machinery and equipment, from 10 to 30 years; mixers, trucks and other vehicles, from six to 12 years; and other, from three to 10 years. We capitalize leasehold improvements on properties held under operating leases and amortize those costs over the lesser of their estimated useful lives or the applicable lease term. We compute depletion of mineral deposits as such deposits are extracted utilizing the units-of-production method. We expense maintenance and repair costs when incurred and capitalize and depreciate expenditures for major renewals and betterments that extend the useful lives of our existing assets. When we retire or dispose of property, plant or equipment, we remove the related cost and accumulated depreciation from our accounts and reflect any resulting gain or loss in our statements of operations. We evaluate the recoverability of our long-lived assets and certain identifiable intangibles for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets is measured by comparing the carrying amount of an asset to future undiscounted net cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. Such evaluations for impairment are significantly impacted by estimates of future prices for our products, capital needs, economic trends in the applicable construction sector and other factors. If we consider such assets to be impaired, the impairment we recognize is measured by the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds their fair value. Assets to be disposed of by sale are reflected at the lower of their carrying amounts, or fair values, less cost to sell. See Note 5 for further discussion of asset impairments during 2009. Goodwill Goodwill represents the amount by which the total purchase price we have paid for acquisitions exceeds our estimated fair value of the net tangible assets acquired. We test goodwill for impairment on an annual basis, or more often if events or circumstances indicate that there may be impairment. We generally test for goodwill impairment in the fourth quarter of each year, because this period gives us the best visibility of the reporting units’ operating performances for the current year (seasonally, April through October are highest revenue and production months) and outlook for the upcoming year, since much of our customer base is finalizing operating and capital budgets. We test goodwill for impairment loss under a two-step approach, as defined by authoritative accounting guidance. The first step of the goodwill impairment test compares the fair value of the reporting unit with its carrying amount, including goodwill. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, the second step of the goodwill impairment test is performed to measure the amount of the impairment loss. This is determined by comparison of the implied fair value of the reporting units’ goodwill with the carrying amount of that goodwill. If the carrying amount of the reporting units’ goodwill exceeds the implied fair value of that goodwill, we recognize an impairment loss as expense. See Note 2 for further discussion of goodwill. Debt Issue Costs We amortize debt issue costs related to our Credit Agreement and Convertible Notes as interest expense over the scheduled maturity period of the debt. Unamortized debt issuance costs were $7.2 million and $8.7 million as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. We include unamortized debt issue costs in other assets. Allowance for Doubtful Accounts We provide an allowance for accounts receivable we believe may not be collected in full. A provision for bad debt expense recorded to selling, general and administrative expenses increases the allowance. Accounts receivable are written off when we determine the receivable will not be collected. Accounts receivable that we write off our books decrease the allowance. We determine the amount of bad debt expense we record each period and the resulting adequacy of the allowance at the end of each period by using a combination of historical loss experience, a customer-by-customer analysis of our accounts receivable balances each period and subjective assessments of our bad debt exposure. Revenue and Expenses We derive substantially all of our revenue from the production and delivery of ready-mixed concrete, precast concrete products, onsite products and related building materials. We recognize revenue when products are delivered. Amounts billed to customers for delivery costs are classified as a component of total revenues and the related delivery costs (excluding depreciation) are classified as a component of total cost of goods sold. Cost of goods sold consists primarily of product costs and operating expenses (excluding depreciation, depletion and amortization). Operating expenses consist primarily of wages, benefits, insurance and other expenses attributable to plant operations, repairs and maintenance, and delivery costs. Selling expenses consist primarily of sales commissions, salaries of sales managers, travel and entertainment expenses, and trade show expenses. General and administrative expenses consist primarily of executive and administrative compensation and benefits, office rent, utilities, communication and technology expenses, provision for doubtful accounts and professional fees. Insurance Programs We maintain third-party insurance coverage against certain risks. Under our insurance programs, we share the risk of loss with our insurance underwriters by maintaining high deductibles subject to aggregate annual loss limitations. In connection with these automobile, general liability and workers’ compensation insurance programs, we have entered into standby letters of credit agreements totaling $13.8 million at December 31, 2011. We fund our deductibles and record an expense for losses we expect under the programs. We determine expected losses using a combination of our historical loss experience and subjective assessments of our future loss exposure. The estimated losses are subject to uncertainty from various sources, including changes in claim reporting patterns, claim settlement patterns, judicial decisions, legislation and economic conditions. The amounts accrued for self-insured claims were $9.9 million as of December 31, 2011 and $10.6 million as of December 31, 2010. We include those accruals in accrued liabilities. Income Taxes We use the liability method of accounting for income taxes. Under this method, we record deferred income taxes based on temporary differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and use enacted tax rates and laws that we expect will be in effect when we recover those assets or settle those liabilities, as the case may be, to measure those taxes. We record a valuation allowance to reduce the deferred tax assets to the amount that is more likely than not to be realized. We have a valuation allowance of $38.8 million and $36.5 million as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Fair Value of Financial Instruments Our financial instruments consist of cash and cash equivalents, trade receivables, trade payables, long-term debt and derivative liabilities. We consider the carrying values of cash and cash equivalents, trade receivables and trade payables to be representative of their respective fair values because of their short-term maturities or expected settlement dates. The carrying value of outstanding amounts under our Revolving Facility approximates fair value due to the floating interest rate, and the fair value of our Convertible Notes was approximately $53.8 million at December 31, 2011. The fair value of the embedded derivative in our Convertible Notes that was bifurcated and separately valued was $1.6 million at December 31, 2011 and the fair value of issued warrants was $0.7 at the same date. See Note 11 to our consolidated financial statements for further information regarding our derivative liabilities. Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) requires the use of estimates and assumptions by management in determining the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Estimates and assumptions that we consider significant in the preparation of our financial statements include those related to our allowance for doubtful accounts, goodwill, accruals for self-insurance, income taxes, the valuation of inventory and the valuation and useful lives of property, plant and equipment. Stripping Costs We include post-production stripping costs in the cost of inventory produced during the period these costs are incurred. Post-production stripping costs represent stripping costs incurred after the first saleable minerals are extracted from the mine. Loss Per Share Basic earnings (loss) per share is computed by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings (loss) per share is computed by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period after giving effect to all potentially dilutive securities outstanding during the period. For the year ended December 31, 2011, our potentially dilutive shares include the shares underlying our Convertible Notes, restricted stock, restricted stock units and stock options. The Convertible Notes may be converted into 5.2 million shares of our common stock and as of December 31, 2011, there were restricted stock, restricted stock units and stock options that could result in the inclusion of 0.8 million shares of common stock in the diluted earnings per share calculation. For the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009 our potentially dilutive shares included stock options and stock awards. These potentially dilutive shares were excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010, and 2009 because their effect would have been anti-dilutive. Comprehensive Income Comprehensive income represents all changes in equity of an entity during the reporting period, except those resulting from investments by and distributions to stockholders. For each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2011, no differences existed between our consolidated net income and our consolidated comprehensive income. Stock-based Compensation Stock based employee compensation cost is measured at the grant date based on the calculated fair value of the award. We recognize expense over the employee’s requisite service period, generally the vesting period of the award. The related excess tax benefit received upon exercise of stock options or vesting of restricted stock, if any, is reflected in the statement of cash flows as a financing activity rather than an operating activity. Recent Accounting Pronouncements In September 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued authoritative accounting guidance related to “Disclosures about an Employer's Participation in a Multiemployer Plan,” which amended existing authoritative accounting guidance related to “Compensation-Retirement Benefits-Multiemployer Plans.” The update requires additional disclosures regarding the significant multiemployer plans in which an employer participates, the level of an employer's participation including contributions made, and whether the contributions made represent more than five percent of the total contributions made to the plan by all contributing employers. The expanded disclosures also address the financial health of significant multiemployer plans including the funded status and existence of funding improvement plans, the existence of imposed surcharges on contributions to the plan, as well as the nature of employer commitments to the plan. The guidance was effective for annual periods for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2011. The amendments should be applied retrospectively for all prior periods presented. See Note 20 for this disclosure. In September 2011, the FASB issued authoritative accounting guidance which relates to testing goodwill for impairment and amends current guidance to simplify how entities test goodwill for impairment. The guidance permits an entity to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform the two-step goodwill impairment test described in existing authoritative accounting guidance. Under this amendment, an entity is not required to calculate the fair value of a reporting unit unless the entity determines that it is more likely than not that its fair value is less than its carrying amount. This pronouncement is effective for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011. We do not expect this guidance to have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements. In June 2011, the FASB issued authoritative accounting guidance related to “Presentation of Comprehensive Income” which amended existing accounting guidance related to “Comprehensive Income.” The update gives companies the option to present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income, and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. The amendments in the update do not change the items that must be reported in other comprehensive income or when an item of other comprehensive income must be reclassified to net income. The guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011. The amendments should be applied retrospectively for all prior periods presented. Early adoption is permitted because compliance with the amendments is already permitted. We do not expect this guidance to have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.

ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Nature of Operations

Our Company, a Delaware corporation, provides ready-mixed concrete, precast concrete products and concrete-related products and services to the construction industry in several major markets in the United States. U.S. Concrete, Inc. is a holding company and conducts its businesses through its consolidated subsidiaries. In these Notes to consolidated financial statements, we refer to U.S. Concrete, Inc. and its subsidiaries as “we,” “us” or “U.S. Concrete” unless we specifically state otherwise or the context indicates otherwise.

Basis of Presentation

The consolidated financial statements consist of the accounts of U.S. Concrete, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany account balances and transactions have been eliminated. In August 2012, we executed and closed on a definitive asset purchase agreement to sell substantially all of the Company's California precast operations. In August 2010, we entered into a redemption agreement to redeem our 60% interest in our Michigan subsidiary, Superior Materials Holdings, LLC (“Superior”). This redemption was finalized and closed on September 30, 2010. These transactions are discussed in Note 3. The results of operations of Superior, net of the minority owner’s 40% interest, and of the California precast operations have been included in discontinued operations in our consolidated statements of operations for all periods presented. We reflect the minority owner’s 40% interest in income, net assets and cash flows of Superior as a non-controlling interest in our consolidated financial statements.

On July 29, 2010, the United States Bankruptcy Court entered an order confirming the Joint Plan of Reorganization (the “Plan”) of the Company and certain of our subsidiaries (the “Debtors”). On August 31, 2010, (the “Effective Date”), the Debtors consummated their reorganization under the Bankruptcy Code and the Plan became effective. We applied the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 852 “Reorganizations” to our financial statements while the Debtors operated under the provisions of Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. As of the Effective Date, we applied fresh-start accounting under the provisions of ASC 852. The adoption of fresh-start accounting resulted in the Company becoming a new entity for financial reporting purposes. Accordingly, our financial statements prior to August 31, 2010 are not comparable with our financial statements for periods on or after August 31, 2010. References to “Successor” refer to the Company on or after August 31, 2010, after giving effect to the provisions of the Plan and the application of fresh-start accounting. References to “Predecessor” refer to the Company prior to August 31, 2010.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

We record as cash equivalents all highly liquid investments having maturities of three months or less at the date of purchase. Cash held as collateral or escrowed for contingent liabilities is included in other current and noncurrent assets based on the expected release date of the underlying obligation.

Inventories

Inventories consist primarily of cement and other raw materials, precast concrete products and building materials that we hold for sale or use in the ordinary course of business. Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or fair market value using the average cost and first-in, first-out methods. We reduce the carrying value of our inventories for estimated excess and obsolete inventories equal to the difference between the cost of inventory and its estimated realizable value based upon assumptions about future product demand and market conditions. Once the new cost basis is established, the value is not increased with any changes in circumstances that would indicate an increase after the remeasurement. If actual product demand or market conditions are less favorable than those projected by management, inventory write-downs may be required that could result in a material change to our consolidated results of operations or financial position.

Prepaid Expenses

Prepaid expenses primarily include amounts we have paid for insurance, licenses, taxes, rent and maintenance contracts. We expense or amortize all prepaid amounts as used or over the period of benefit, as applicable

Property, Plant and Equipment, Net

We state property, plant and equipment at cost and use the straight-line method to compute depreciation of these assets other than mineral deposits over the following estimated useful lives: buildings and land improvements, from 10 to 40 years; machinery and equipment, from 10 to 30 years; mixers, trucks and other vehicles, from six to 12 years; and other, from three to 10 years. We capitalize leasehold improvements on properties held under operating leases and amortize those costs over the lesser of their estimated useful lives or the applicable lease term. We compute depletion of mineral deposits as such deposits are extracted utilizing the units-of-production method. We expense maintenance and repair costs when incurred and capitalize and depreciate expenditures for major renewals and betterments that extend the useful lives of our existing assets. When we retire or dispose of property, plant or equipment, we remove the related cost and accumulated depreciation from our accounts and reflect any resulting gain or loss in our statements of operations.

We evaluate the recoverability of our long-lived assets and certain identifiable intangibles for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets is measured by comparing the carrying amount of an asset to future undiscounted net cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. Such evaluations for impairment are significantly impacted by estimates of future prices for our products, capital needs, economic trends in the applicable construction sector and other factors. If we consider such assets to be impaired, the impairment we recognize is measured by the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds their fair value. Assets to be disposed of by sale are reflected at the lower of their carrying amounts, or fair values, less cost to sell. See Note 5 for further discussion of asset impairments during 2009.

Goodwill

Goodwill represents the amount by which the total purchase price we have paid for acquisitions exceeds our estimated fair value of the net tangible assets acquired. We test goodwill for impairment on an annual basis, or more often if events or circumstances indicate that there may be impairment. We generally test for goodwill impairment in the fourth quarter of each year, because this period gives us the best visibility of the reporting units’ operating performances for the current year (seasonally, April through October are highest revenue and production months) and outlook for the upcoming year, since much of our customer base is finalizing operating and capital budgets. We test goodwill for impairment loss under a two-step approach, as defined by authoritative accounting guidance. The first step of the goodwill impairment test compares the fair value of the reporting unit with its carrying amount, including goodwill. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, the second step of the goodwill impairment test is performed to measure the amount of the impairment loss. This is determined by comparison of the implied fair value of the reporting units’ goodwill with the carrying amount of that goodwill. If the carrying amount of the reporting units’ goodwill exceeds the implied fair value of that goodwill, we recognize an impairment loss as expense. See Note 2 for further discussion of goodwill.

Debt Issue Costs

We amortize debt issue costs related to our Credit Agreement and Convertible Notes as interest expense over the scheduled maturity period of the debt. Unamortized debt issuance costs were $7.2 million and $8.7 million as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. We include unamortized debt issue costs in other assets.

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

We provide an allowance for accounts receivable we believe may not be collected in full. A provision for bad debt expense recorded to selling, general and administrative expenses increases the allowance. Accounts receivable are written off when we determine the receivable will not be collected. Accounts receivable that we write off our books decrease the allowance. We determine the amount of bad debt expense we record each period and the resulting adequacy of the allowance at the end of each period by using a combination of historical loss experience, a customer-by-customer analysis of our accounts receivable balances each period and subjective assessments of our bad debt exposure.

Revenue and Expenses

We derive substantially all of our revenue from the production and delivery of ready-mixed concrete, precast concrete products, onsite products and related building materials. We recognize revenue when products are delivered. Amounts billed to customers for delivery costs are classified as a component of total revenues and the related delivery costs (excluding depreciation) are classified as a component of total cost of goods sold. Cost of goods sold consists primarily of product costs and operating expenses (excluding depreciation, depletion and amortization). Operating expenses consist primarily of wages, benefits, insurance and other expenses attributable to plant operations, repairs and maintenance, and delivery costs. Selling expenses consist primarily of sales commissions, salaries of sales managers, travel and entertainment expenses, and trade show expenses. General and administrative expenses consist primarily of executive and administrative compensation and benefits, office rent, utilities, communication and technology expenses, provision for doubtful accounts and professional fees.

Insurance Programs

We maintain third-party insurance coverage against certain risks. Under our insurance programs, we share the risk of loss with our insurance underwriters by maintaining high deductibles subject to aggregate annual loss limitations. In connection with these automobile, general liability and workers’ compensation insurance programs, we have entered into standby letters of credit agreements totaling $13.8 million at December 31, 2011. We fund our deductibles and record an expense for losses we expect under the programs. We determine expected losses using a combination of our historical loss experience and subjective assessments of our future loss exposure. The estimated losses are subject to uncertainty from various sources, including changes in claim reporting patterns, claim settlement patterns, judicial decisions, legislation and economic conditions. The amounts accrued for self-insured claims were $9.9 million as of December 31, 2011 and $10.6 million as of December 31, 2010. We include those accruals in accrued liabilities.

Income Taxes

We use the liability method of accounting for income taxes. Under this method, we record deferred income taxes based on temporary differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and use enacted tax rates and laws that we expect will be in effect when we recover those assets or settle those liabilities, as the case may be, to measure those taxes. We record a valuation allowance to reduce the deferred tax assets to the amount that is more likely than not to be realized. We have a valuation allowance of $38.8 million and $36.5 million as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Our financial instruments consist of cash and cash equivalents, trade receivables, trade payables, long-term debt and derivative liabilities. We consider the carrying values of cash and cash equivalents, trade receivables and trade payables to be representative of their respective fair values because of their short-term maturities or expected settlement dates. The carrying value of outstanding amounts under our Revolving Facility approximates fair value due to the floating interest rate, and the fair value of our Convertible Notes was approximately $53.8 million at December 31, 2011. The fair value of the embedded derivative in our Convertible Notes that was bifurcated and separately valued was $1.6 million at December 31, 2011 and the fair value of issued warrants was $0.7 at the same date. See Note 11 to our consolidated financial statements for further information regarding our derivative liabilities.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) requires the use of estimates and assumptions by management in determining the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Estimates and assumptions that we consider significant in the preparation of our financial statements include those related to our allowance for doubtful accounts, goodwill, accruals for self-insurance, income taxes, the valuation of inventory and the valuation and useful lives of property, plant and equipment.

Stripping Costs

We include post-production stripping costs in the cost of inventory produced during the period these costs are incurred. Post-production stripping costs represent stripping costs incurred after the first saleable minerals are extracted from the mine.

Loss Per Share

Basic earnings (loss) per share is computed by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings (loss) per share is computed by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period after giving effect to all potentially dilutive securities outstanding during the period.

For the year ended December 31, 2011, our potentially dilutive shares include the shares underlying our Convertible Notes, restricted stock, restricted stock units and stock options. The Convertible Notes may be converted into 5.2 million shares of our common stock and as of December 31, 2011, there were restricted stock, restricted stock units and stock options that could result in the inclusion of 0.8 million shares of common stock in the diluted earnings per share calculation. For the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009 our potentially dilutive shares included stock options and stock awards. These potentially dilutive shares were excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010, and 2009 because their effect would have been anti-dilutive.

Comprehensive Income

Comprehensive income represents all changes in equity of an entity during the reporting period, except those resulting from investments by and distributions to stockholders. For each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2011, no differences existed between our consolidated net income and our consolidated comprehensive income.

Stock-based Compensation

Stock based employee compensation cost is measured at the grant date based on the calculated fair value of the award. We recognize expense over the employee’s requisite service period, generally the vesting period of the award. The related excess tax benefit received upon exercise of stock options or vesting of restricted stock, if any, is reflected in the statement of cash flows as a financing activity rather than an operating activity.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In September 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued authoritative accounting guidance related to “Disclosures about an Employer's Participation in a Multiemployer Plan,” which amended existing authoritative accounting guidance related to “Compensation-Retirement Benefits-Multiemployer Plans.” The update requires additional disclosures regarding the significant multiemployer plans in which an employer participates, the level of an employer's participation including contributions made, and whether the contributions made represent more than five percent of the total contributions made to the plan by all contributing employers. The expanded disclosures also address the financial health of significant multiemployer plans including the funded status and existence of funding improvement plans, the existence of imposed surcharges on contributions to the plan, as well as the nature of employer commitments to the plan. The guidance was effective for annual periods for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2011. The amendments should be applied retrospectively for all prior periods presented. See Note 20 for this disclosure.

In September 2011, the FASB issued authoritative accounting guidance which relates to testing goodwill for impairment and amends current guidance to simplify how entities test goodwill for impairment. The guidance permits an entity to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform the two-step goodwill impairment test described in existing authoritative accounting guidance. Under this amendment, an entity is not required to calculate the fair value of a reporting unit unless the entity determines that it is more likely than not that its fair value is less than its carrying amount. This pronouncement is effective for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011. We do not expect this guidance to have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.

In June 2011, the FASB issued authoritative accounting guidance related to “Presentation of Comprehensive Income” which amended existing accounting guidance related to “Comprehensive Income.” The update gives companies the option to present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income, and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. The amendments in the update do not change the items that must be reported in other comprehensive income or when an item of other comprehensive income must be reclassified to net income. The guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011. The amendments should be applied retrospectively for all prior periods presented. Early adoption is permitted because compliance with the amendments is already permitted. We do not expect this guidance to have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.