Earnings Per Share

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

EARNINGS PER SHARE

The following reconciliation details the denominator used in the computation of basic and diluted earnings per share for the years ended December 31:


(In thousands)	2021	2020	2019
Weighted average shares outstanding for basic earnings per share	25,257	25,134	24,998
Common stock equivalents pertaining to stock-based awards	170	121	95
Weighted average shares outstanding for diluted earnings per share	25,427	25,255	25,093

Equity instruments excluded from diluted net earnings per share calculation as the effect would have been anti-dilutive	119	111	123

For the Company's 1.125 percent convertible senior notes due 2026 (the "Convertible Notes") issued in May 2021, the dilutive effect is calculated using the if-converted method in accordance with ASU 2020-06. The Company is required, pursuant to the indenture governing the Convertible Notes, dated May 13, 2021, by and between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the "Indenture"), to settle the principal amount of the Convertible Notes in cash and may elect to settle the remaining conversion obligation (i.e., the stock price in excess of the conversion price) in cash, shares of the Company's common stock, or a combination thereof. Under the if-converted method, the Company includes the number of shares required to satisfy the conversion obligation, assuming all the Convertible Notes are converted. The average closing price of the Company's common stock for the year ended December 31, 2021 is used as the basis for determining the dilutive effect on earnings per share. The average price of the Company's common stock for the year ended December 31, 2021 was less than the conversion price of $165.65, and, therefore, all associated shares were antidilutive.

In conjunction with the issuance of the Convertible Notes, the Company, in privately negotiated transactions with certain commercial banks ("the Counterparties"), sold warrants to purchase 2.8 million shares of the Company's common stock (the "Warrants"). The Warrants have a strike price of $259.84 per share, subject to customary anti-dilution adjustments. For calculating the dilutive effect of the Warrants, the Company uses the treasury stock method. With this method, the Company assumes exercise of the Warrants at the beginning of the period, or at time of issuance if later, and issuance of shares of common stock upon exercise. Proceeds from the exercise of the Warrants are assumed to be used to repurchase shares of the Company's common stock at the average market price during the period. The incremental shares, representing the number of shares assumed to be received upon the exercise of the Warrants less the number of shares repurchased, are included in diluted shares. For periods where the Warrants' strike price of $259.84 per share is greater than the average share price of the Company's common stock for the period, the Warrants would be antidilutive. For the year ended December 31, 2021, the average share price was below the Warrant strike price, and therefore 2.8 million shares were considered antidilutive.

In connection with the issuance of the Convertible Notes, the Company entered into privately negotiated call option contracts on the Company's common stock (the "Convertible Note Hedge Transactions") with the Counterparties. The Company paid an aggregate amount of $100.1 million to the Counterparties pursuant to the Convertible Note Hedge Transactions. The Convertible Note Hedge Transactions cover, subject to anti-dilution adjustments substantially similar to those in the Convertible Notes, approximately 2.8 million shares of the Company's common stock, the same number of shares initially underlying the Convertible Notes, at a strike price of approximately $165.65, subject to customary anti-dilution adjustments. The Convertible Note Hedge Transactions will expire upon the maturity of the Convertible Notes, subject to earlier exercise or termination. Exercise of the Convertible Note Hedge Transactions would reduce the number of shares of the Company's common stock outstanding, and therefore would be antidilutive.