Dividends on Common Stock and Conversion of Preferred Stock

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2010

DIVIDENDS ON COMMON STOCK AND CONVERSION OF PREFERRED STOCK [Abstract]

3. DIVIDENDS ON COMMON STOCK AND CONVERSION OF PREFERRED STOCK


3.	DIVIDENDS ON COMMON STOCK AND CONVERSION OF PREFERRED STOCK

Dividends on Common Stock – In May 2010, the company’s board of directors approved an increase to the quarterly common stock dividend, from $0.43 per share to $0.47 per share, for stockholders of record as of June 1, 2010.

In May 2009, the company’s board of directors approved an increase to the quarterly common stock dividend, from $0.40 per share to $0.43 per share, for stockholders of record as of June 1, 2009.

In April 2008, the company’s board of directors approved an increase to the quarterly common stock dividend, from $0.37 per share to $0.40 per share, for stockholders of record as of June 2, 2008.

Conversion of Preferred Stock – On February 20, 2008, the company’s board of directors approved the redemption of the 3.5 million shares of mandatorily redeemable convertible preferred stock on April 4, 2008. Prior to the redemption date, substantially all of the preferred shares were converted into common stock at the election of stockholders. All remaining unconverted preferred shares were redeemed by the company on the redemption date. As a result of the conversion and redemption, the company issued approximately 6.4 million shares of common stock.

- Definition

Disclosures related to accounts comprising shareholders' equity, including other comprehensive income. Includes: (1) balances of common stock, preferred stock, additional paid-in capital, other capital and retained earnings; (2) accumulated balance for each classification of other comprehensive income and total amount of comprehensive income; (3) amount and nature of changes in separate accounts, including the number of shares authorized and outstanding, number of shares issued upon exercise and conversion, and for other comprehensive income, the adjustments for reclassifications to net income; (4) rights and privileges of each class of stock authorized; (5) basis of treasury stock, if other than cost, and amounts paid and accounting treatment for treasury stock purchased significantly in excess of market; (6) dividends paid or payable per share and in the aggregate for each class of stock for each period presented; (7) dividend restrictions and accumulated preferred dividends in arrears (in aggregate and per share amount); (8) retained earnings appropriations or restrictions, such as dividend restrictions; (9) impact of change in accounting principle, initial adoption of new accounting principle and correction of an error in previously issued financial statements; (10) shares held in trust for Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP); (11) deferred compensation related to issuance of capital stock; (12) note received for issuance of stock; (13) unamortized discount on shares; (14) description, terms and number of warrants or rights outstanding; (15) shares under subscription and subscription receivables; effective date of new retained earnings after quasi-reorganization and deficit eliminated by quasi-reorganization and, for a period of at least ten years after the effective date, the point in time from which the new retained dates; and (16) retroactive effective of subsequent change in capital structure.

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