Earnings Per Common Share (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2017

Schedule of Weighted Average Number of Shares

The table below reconciles the weighted-average basic and diluted common shares outstanding:



	Three Months Ended September 30,		Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2017	2016	2017	2016
	(in thousands)
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding - basic	73,461	72,839	73,272	72,718
Effect of dilutive securities⁽¹⁾	1,077	753	980	717
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding - diluted	74,538	73,592	74,252	73,435

⁽¹⁾

Certain outstanding stock option awards are anti-dilutive and were therefore excluded from the calculation of the weighted average number of diluted common shares outstanding. During the three months ended September 30, 2017, there were no anti-dilutive stock options excluded and during the nine months ended September 30, 2017, options to purchase 0.5 million shares having a weighted average exercise price of $39.38 per share were excluded. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016, options to purchase 0.5 million shares having a weighted average exercise price of $34.14 per share were excluded.