EQUITY (Notes)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Class of Stock [Line Items]

Stockholders' Equity Note Disclosure [Text Block]

5. EQUITY

Preferred Stock - At December 31, 2014, we have 50 million, $0.01 par value, authorized shares of preferred stock available. We have not issued or established any classes or series of shares of preferred stock.

Common Stock - At December 31, 2014, we had approximately 197.9 million shares of authorized common stock available for issuance.

Treasury Shares - In February 2015, our Board of Directors authorized us to purchase treasury shares to be used to offset shares issued under our employee and non-employee director equity compensation, dividend reinvestment and employee stock purchase plans. The Board of Directors established an annual limit of $20 million of treasury stock purchases, exclusive of funds received through the dividend reinvestment and employee stock purchase plans. Stock purchases may be made in the open market or in private transactions at times, and in amounts that we deem appropriate. There is no guarantee as to the exact number of shares that we will purchase, and we can terminate or limit the program at any time. We may hold the purchased shares as treasury shares and will account for them using the cost method.

Dividends - Dividends paid totaled $43.7 million in 2014. The following table sets forth the dividends per share declared and paid on our common stock for the periods indicated:

	2014
First Quarter	$	—
Second Quarter	$	0.28
Third Quarter	$	0.28
Fourth Quarter	$	0.28
Total	$	0.84

Additionally, a dividend of $0.30 per share ($1.20 per share on an annualized basis) was declared in January 2015, payable in the first quarter 2015.