Stockholders' Equity

12 Months Ended

Nov. 30, 2011

Stockholders' Equity [Abstract]

Stockholders' Equity

Note 16.    Stockholders’ Equity

Preferred Stock. On January 22, 2009, the Company adopted a Rights Agreement between the Company and Mellon Investor Services LLC, as rights agent, dated as of that date (the “2009 Rights Agreement”), and declared a dividend distribution of one preferred share purchase right for each outstanding share of common stock that was payable to stockholders of record as of the close of business on March 5, 2009. Subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the 2009 Rights Agreement, if these rights become exercisable, each right would initially represent the right to purchase from the Company 1/100th of a share of its Series A Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock for a purchase price of $85.00 (the “Purchase Price”). If issued, each fractional share of preferred stock would generally give a stockholder approximately the same dividend, voting and liquidation rights as does one share of the Company’s common stock. However, prior to exercise, a right does not give its holder any rights as a stockholder, including without limitation any dividend, voting or liquidation rights. The rights will not be exercisable until the earlier of (i) 10 calendar days after a public announcement by the Company that a person or group has become an Acquiring Person (as defined under the 2009 Rights Agreement) and (ii) 10 business days after the commencement of a tender or exchange offer by a person or group if upon consummation of the offer the person or group would beneficially own 4.9% or more of the Company’s outstanding common stock.

Until these rights become exercisable (the “Distribution Date”), common stock certificates will evidence the rights and may contain a notation to that effect. Any transfer of shares of the Company’s common stock prior to the Distribution Date will constitute a transfer of the associated rights. After the Distribution Date, the rights may be transferred other than in connection with the transfer of the underlying shares of the Company’s common stock. If there is an Acquiring Person on the Distribution Date or a person or group becomes an Acquiring Person after the Distribution Date, each holder of a right, other than rights that are or were beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person, which will be void, will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise of a right and payment of the Purchase Price, that number of shares of the Company’s common stock having a market value of two times the Purchase Price. After the later of the Distribution Date and the time the Company publicly announces that an Acquiring Person has become such, the Company’s board of directors may exchange the rights, other than rights that are or were beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person, which will be void, in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one share of common stock per right, subject to adjustment.

At any time prior to the later of the Distribution Date and the time the Company publicly announces that an Acquiring Person becomes such, the Company’s board of directors may redeem all of the then-outstanding rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.001 per right, subject to adjustment (the “Redemption Price”). The redemption will be effective immediately upon the board of directors’ action, unless the action provides that such redemption will be effective at a subsequent time or upon the occurrence or nonoccurrence of one or more specified events, in which case the redemption will be effective in accordance with the provisions of the action. Immediately upon the effectiveness of the redemption of the rights, the right to exercise the rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of rights will be to receive the Redemption Price, with interest thereon. The rights issued pursuant to the 2009 Rights Agreement will expire on the earliest of (a) the close of business on March 5, 2019, (b) the time at which the rights are redeemed, (c) the time at which the rights are exchanged, (d) the time at which the Company’s board of directors determines that a related provision in the Company’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation is no longer necessary, and (e) the close of business on the first day of a taxable year of the Company to which the Company’s board of directors determines that no tax benefits may be carried forward. At the Company’s annual meeting of stockholders on April 2, 2009, the Company’s stockholders approved the 2009 Rights Agreement.

Common Stock. As of November 30, 2011, the Company was authorized to repurchase four million shares of its common stock under a board-approved share repurchase program. The Company did not repurchase any of its common stock under this program in 2011, 2010 or 2009. The Company has not repurchased common shares pursuant to a common stock repurchase plan for the past several years and any resumption of such stock repurchases will be at the discretion of the Company’s board of directors.

During 2011, 2010 and 2009, the Company’s board of directors declared four quarterly dividends of $.0625 per share of common stock that were also paid during those years.

Treasury Stock. The Company did not acquire any shares of its common stock in 2011. The Company acquired $.4 million of its common stock in 2010 and $.6 million in 2009, which were previously issued shares delivered to the Company by employees to satisfy their withholding tax obligations on the vesting of restricted stock awards or forfeitures of previous restricted stock awards. Treasury stock is recorded at cost. Differences between the cost of treasury stock and the reissuance proceeds are recorded to paid-in capital. These transactions are not considered repurchases under the share repurchase program.