Cash Overdrafts And Cash Equivalents

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Cash Overdrafts And Cash Equivalents [Abstract]

Cash Overdrafts And Cash Equivalents

12.  Cash Overdrafts and Cash Equivalents

Included in accounts payable at March 31, 2012 is cash overdrafts payable of $10.5 million (December 31, 2011 - $10.3 million).

From time to time throughout the year, we invest excess cash in money market funds or repurchase agreements directly with major commercial banks.  We do not physically hold the collateral for repurchase agreements, but the term is less than 10 days.  We closely monitor the creditworthiness of the institutions with which we invest our overnight funds and the quality of the collateral underlying those investments.  We had $26.3 million in cash equivalents as of   March 31, 2012.  There was $32.5 million in cash equivalents as of December 31, 2011.  The weighted average rate of return for our cash equivalents was 0.2% for March 31, 2012 and 0.1% for December 31, 2011.