Note 7 - Stockholders' Equity

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]

Stockholders' Equity Note Disclosure [Text Block]

(7)              Stockholders’ Equity

(a) 2011 Transactions

During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company issued approximately 2.1 million shares of common stock, with a fair value of $45.4 million, to fund the stock consideration of certain acquisitions completed in 2011. Additionally, in October 2011, the Company reissued, from treasury, approximately 203,000 shares of common stock, with a fair value of $1.8 million, to fund the stock consideration of certain acquisitions completed in October 2011.

During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company issued approximately 458,000 shares of common stock to settle stock options exercised during the year.

During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company issued approximately 21,000 shares of common stock to settle warrants exercised during the period.

During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company issued approximately 14,000 shares of common stock to settle vested restricted stock units granted in the prior year to an outside consultant as compensation for services to be provided during the year. The Company recorded the expense related to these awards in SGA expenses over the requisite service period.

On August 4, 2011, the Company issued approximately 31,000 shares of restricted stock with an estimated fair value of $425,000 to the members of the Board of Directors as compensation for services to be provided in the upcoming year. The Company recorded the expense related to these awards in SGA expenses over the one-year service period.

On August 12, 2011, the Company issued approximately 58,000 shares of common stock with a fair value of approximately $808,000 to fund the stock component of the second earnout obligation from a 2009 acquisition.

On August 8, 2011, the Company announced that its Board of Directors authorized the implementation of a share repurchase program to repurchase up to $20.0 million of outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock for treasury. Purchases under this buyback program may be made from time to time on the open market and in privately negotiated transactions, including pursuant to the terms of a 10b5-1 plan. A 10b5-1 plan allows a company to purchase shares pursuant to a written plan that may not be changed without regard to blackout periods, provided the company communicates its share purchase instructions to the broker prior to the blackout period. The timing of these purchases depends upon several factors, including market conditions, the market price of the Company's common stock, the effect of the share dilution on earnings, available cash and any other potential risks the Company might encounter. The share repurchase plan may be discontinued at any time at the discretion of the Company. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company had repurchased approximately 1,009,000 shares of common stock under the share repurchase program. These shares were repurchased at an average cost of $9.34 per share for a total cost of $9.4 million.

(b) 2012 Transactions

During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company issued approximately 282,000 shares of common stock to settle stock options exercised during the year.

During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company issued approximately 21,000 shares of common stock to settle warrants exercised during the period.

During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company issued approximately 9,000 shares of common stock to settle vested restricted stock units granted in the prior year to an outside consultant as compensation for services to be provided during the year.  The Company recorded the expense related to these awards in SGA expenses over the requisite service period.

During the year ended December 31, 2012 the Company issued approximately 39,000 shares of restricted stock with an estimated fair value of $455,000 to the members of the Board of Directors as compensation for services to be provided in the upcoming year.  The Company will record the expense related to these awards in SGA expenses over the one-year service period.

During the year ended December 31, 2012, in connection with the post-acquisition performance provisions of a 2010 acquisition agreement, the Company recovered approximately 67,000 shares of its common stock with a value of $896,000. These shares of common stock are held as treasury shares as of December 31, 2012.

During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company repurchased approximately 39,000 shares of common stock under the share repurchase program.  These shares were repurchased at an average cost of $9.91 per share for a total cost of $387,000.

During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company reissued, from treasury, approximately 6,000 shares of common stock, with a fair value of $85,000, to fund the stock consideration of an acquisition completed in July 2012.

(c) 2013 Transactions

During the year ended December 31, 2013, the Company issued approximately 2.2 million shares of common stock to settle stock options exercised during the year.

During the year ended December 31, 2013, the Company issued approximately 60,000 shares of common stock to settle warrants exercised during the period.

During the year ended December 31, 2013, the Company issued approximately 231,000 shares of restricted stock with a fair value of $3.2 million to certain officers and employees for services to be provided during the next three years. The Company is recording the expense related to these awards in SGA expenses over the requisite service period.

During the year ended December 31, 2013, the Company issued approximately 37,000 shares of common stock to settle vested restricted stock units granted in early 2013 as compensation to certain employees for services provided in the year ended December 31, 2012. The Company recorded the expense related to these awards in SGA expenses over the requisite service period.

During the year ended December 31, 2013, the Company issued approximately 2,000 shares of common stock to settle vested restricted stock units granted in a prior year to an outside consultant as compensation for services to be provided during the year.  The Company recorded the expense related to these awards in SGA expenses over the requisite service period.

During the year ended December 31, 2013 the Company issued approximately 20,000 shares of restricted stock with an estimated fair value of $485,000 to the members of the Board of Directors as compensation for services to be provided in the upcoming year.  The Company will record the expense related to these awards in SGA expenses over the one-year service period.

Repurchased shares of the Company’s common stock are held as treasury shares until they are reissued or retired. When the Company reissues treasury stock, if the value of the transaction is greater than the average price paid to acquire the shares, an increase in additional paid-in capital is recorded. Conversely, if the value of the transaction is less than the average price paid to acquire the shares, a decrease is recorded to additional paid-in capital to the extent of increases previously recorded for similar transactions, and a decrease is recorded in retained earnings for any remaining amount. During the year ended December 31, 2013, the Company did not repurchase any shares under the share repurchase program. As of December 31, 2013, the Company has approximately 905,000 shares of common stock held as treasury shares with an average value of $9.38 per share, and the ability to repurchase an additional $10.2 million in shares of its common stock.