Note 8 - Shareholders' Equity

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2014

Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]

Stockholders' Equity Note Disclosure [Text Block]

Note 8.    Stockholders’ Equity

Share-based Compensation Plans

We periodically grant restricted stock unit awards and/or shares of common stock to our employees and directors. Grants to individual executives upon hiring or retention vest over a defined service period, with cost amortized over that period. We measure compensation cost for restricted stock units and stock grants at the closing price of our stock at the time of grant. Restricted stock unit grants vest after a specified period with compensation cost amortized over that period. Previously, we also granted stock options, but currently do not. Although we have no current plans to issue stock options, we may do so in the future.

On March 3, 2014, the Board of Directors granted 1,345,072 restricted stock units to employees for payment of annual and long-term incentive compensation for the period ended December 31, 2013. The restricted stock units will be distributed in August 2014, and the $4.6 million in expense related to the unit awards has been recognized as of March 31, 2014.

Stock-based compensation expense for restricted stock unit grants to employees and shares issued to nonemployee directors recorded in the first three months of 2014 totaled $1.1 million, compared to $0.8 million in the same period last year.

In connection with the vesting of restricted stock units, employees have in the past, at their election and when permitted by us, chosen to satisfy their minimum tax withholding obligations through net share settlement, pursuant to which the Company withholds the number of shares necessary to satisfy such withholding obligations.  As a result, in the first quarter of 2014 we repurchased 11,090 shares for approximately $40,000, or approximately $3.57 per share.

Common Stock Dividends

In September 2011 and February 2012, our Board of Directors adopted a common stock dividend policy that has two components: (1) a dividend that links the amount of dividends on our common stock to our average quarterly realized silver price in the preceding quarter, and (2) a minimum annual dividend of $0.01 per share of common stock, in each case, payable quarterly, when and if declared by the Board. For illustrative purposes only, the table below summarizes potential per share dividend amounts at different quarterly average realized price levels according to the first component of the policy:

Quarterly average realized silver price per ounce	Quarterly dividend per share		Annualized dividend per share
$30	$	0.01	$	0.04
$35	$	0.02	$	0.08
$40	$	0.03	$	0.12
$45	$	0.04	$	0.16
$50	$	0.05	$	0.20
$55	$	0.06	$	0.24
$60	$	0.07	$	0.28

On May 5, 2014, our Board of Directors declared a dividend on common stock, pursuant to the minimum annual dividend component of the policy described above, of $0.0025 per share, for a total dividend of $0.9 million payable in June 2014. Because the average realized silver price for the first quarter of 2014 was $20.04 per ounce, below the minimum threshold of $30 according to the policy, no silver-price-linked component was declared or paid. The declaration and payment of common stock dividends is at the sole discretion of our Board of Directors.

Status of Warrants

The following table summarizes certain information about our stock purchase warrants at March 31, 2014:

Warrants Outstanding	Warrants		Exercise Price		Expiration Date
Series 1 warrants		5,200,519	$	2.40	June 2014
Series 1 warrants		460,976		2.51	June 2014
Series 3 warrants		16,646,128		2.45	August 2014
Total warrants outstanding		22,307,623

No warrants were exercised during the first three months of 2014.  Under the financial terms of the Consent Decree settling the Coeur d’Alene Basin litigation, the proceeds from the exercise of our outstanding warrants will be paid to the United States and the Coeur d'Alene Indian Tribe within 30 days after the end of the quarter when exercised. To the extent warrants are not exercised, we are responsible for the final payment under the Consent Decree.  

Common Stock Repurchase Program

On May 8, 2012, we announced that our Board of Directors approved a stock repurchase program.  Under the program, we are authorized to repurchase up to 20 million shares of our outstanding common stock from time to time in open market or privately negotiated transactions, depending on prevailing market conditions and other factors.  The repurchase program may be modified, suspended or discontinued by us at any time. Whether or not to engage in repurchases from time to time may depend on a variety of factors, including not only price and cash resources, but customary black-out restrictions, whether we have any material inside information, limitations on share repurchases or cash usage that may be imposed by our credit agreement or in connection with issuances of securities, alternative uses for cash, applicable law, and other investment opportunities from time to time. As of March 31, 2014, 400,300 shares have been purchased at an average price of $5.56 per share, leaving 19.6 million shares that may yet be purchased under the program. The closing price of our common stock at May 2, 2014, was $3.11 per share.