Stock-Based Compensation Plans

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Stock-Based Compensation Plans [Abstract]

Stock-Based Compensation Plans

(7) Stock-Based Compensation Plans

At September 30, 2011, the Company had two stock option plans, a restricted stock plan and an employee stock purchase plan. Readers should refer to Note 6 of our consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the calendar year ended December 31, 2010, for additional information related to these stock-based compensation plans.

The Company recognized compensation expense for share-based payments of $3,245,975 and $8,697,563 for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2011, respectively. Compensation cost capitalized as part of inventory as of September 30, 2011, was $197,254.

Employee Stock Option Plan

The fair value of each option grant in the Employee Stock Option Plan was estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model with the following weighted-average assumptions for the indicated periods:

	Three Months Ended						Nine Months Ended
	September 30,						September 30, 2011
	2011			2010			2011			2010
Dividend yield		2.65	%		2.74	%		2.69	%		2.72	%
Expected volatility		42.21	%		41.16	%		41.13	%		40.93	%
Risk-free interest rate		0.98	%		1.27	%		1.61	%		1.87	%
Expected term of options (in years)		4.05			4.18			4.05			4.19
Weighted-average grant-date fair value	$	7.10		$	5.46		$	7.82		$	5.34

The Company determined that all employee groups exhibit similar exercise and post-vesting termination behavior to determine the expected term. Under the plan, the option exercise price equals the stock's market price on date of grant. The options vest after one to five years, and expire after three to seven years.

As of September 30, 2011, there was $20,163,395 of unrecognized compensation cost related to share-based payments which is expected to be recognized over the vesting periods.

Non-employee Director Stock Option Plan

As of September 30, 2011, there was $105,541 of unrecognized compensation cost under this plan related to share-based payments which are expected to be recognized over the balance of the 2011 calendar year. Under the plan, the option exercise price equals the stock's market price on date of grant. The options vest after six months, and expire after ten years.

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

The Company has an Employee Stock Purchase Plan covering 1,200,000 shares that was approved by the shareholders, replacing a prior plan. Under the plan, the Company sells shares at 85% of the stock's market price at date of purchase. Under ASC 718, the 15% discounted value is recognized as compensation expense.

Restricted Stock Plan

The Company has a Restricted Stock Plan covering 2,000,000 shares of common stock that was approved by the shareholders. The purpose of the plan is to permit grants of shares, subject to restrictions, to key employees of the Company as a means of retaining and rewarding them for long-term performance and to increase their ownership in the Company. Shares awarded under the plan entitle the shareholder to all rights of common stock ownership except that the shares may not be sold, transferred, pledged, exchanged or otherwise disposed of during the restriction period. The restriction period is determined by the Compensation Committee, appointed by the Board of Directors, but may not exceed ten years under the terms of the plan. As of September 30, 2011, the Company had unearned stock-based compensation of $6,876,831 associated with these restricted stock grants. The unearned stock-based compensation related to these grants is being amortized to compensation expense over the applicable restriction periods. Amortization expense from restricted stock grants in the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2011, were $519,169 and $1,487,156, respectively.