Office Equipment and Leasehold Improvements

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Office Equipment and Leasehold Improvements

Office Equipment and Leasehold Improvements

NOTE 13. Office Equipment and Leasehold Improvements

        Office equipment and leasehold improvements consists of the following at December 31:

(In thousands)	2011			2010
Communications and data processing equipment	$	4,968		$	3,671
Furniture and fixtures		3,251			2,950
Leasehold improvements		1,766			1,751
Software		692			378
Total		10,677			8,750
Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization		(3,942	)		(2,097	)
Total office equipment and leasehold improvements, net	$	6,735		$	6,653

        In connection with the Company's restructuring of its Equities business, approximately $0.4 million of fixed assets were written off. Refer to Note 25 herein for additional information. In addition, in connection with the Company's move to its new headquarters during the second quarter of 2010, as further discussed in Note 19, fixed assets and leasehold improvements were retired, resulting in an expense of approximately $0.3 million. Also, as a result of this move, the Company purchased approximately $3.8 million of fixed assets and leasehold improvements.

        Depreciation and amortization expense for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010, and 2009, excluding the previously mentioned write-offs and retirements, was $1.8 million, $1.5 million, and $0.8 million, respectively.