<?xml version="1.0" encoding="us-ascii"?><InstanceReport xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"><Version>2.2.0.25</Version><hasSegments>false</hasSegments><hasScenarios>false</hasScenarios><ReportLongName>021300 - Disclosure - SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY AND EARNINGS PER SHARE (Policies)</ReportLongName><DisplayLabelColumn>true</DisplayLabelColumn><ShowElementNames>false</ShowElementNames><RoundingOption /><HasEmbeddedReports>false</HasEmbeddedReports><Columns><Column><Id>1</Id><IsAbstractGroupTitle>false</IsAbstractGroupTitle><LabelColumn>false</LabelColumn><CurrencyCode>USD</CurrencyCode><FootnoteIndexer /><hasSegments>false</hasSegments><hasScenarios>false</hasScenarios><MCU><KeyName>1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010
USD ($)

</KeyName><CurrencySymbol>$</CurrencySymbol><contextRef><ContextID>FROM_Jan01_2010_TO_Dec31_2010</ContextID><EntitySchema>http://www.sec.gov/CIK</EntitySchema><EntityValue>0001032208</EntityValue><PeriodDisplayName /><PeriodType>duration</PeriodType><PeriodStartDate>2010-01-01T00:00:00</PeriodStartDate><PeriodEndDate>2010-12-31T00:00:00</PeriodEndDate><Segments /><Scenarios /></contextRef><UPS><UnitProperty><UnitID>USD</UnitID><UnitType>Standard</UnitType><StandardMeasure><MeasureSchema>http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217</MeasureSchema><MeasureValue>USD</MeasureValue><MeasureNamespace>iso4217</MeasureNamespace></StandardMeasure><Scale>0</Scale></UnitProperty><UnitProperty><UnitID>Pure</UnitID><UnitType>Standard</UnitType><StandardMeasure><MeasureSchema>http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance</MeasureSchema><MeasureValue>pure</MeasureValue><MeasureNamespace>xbrli</MeasureNamespace></StandardMeasure><Scale>0</Scale></UnitProperty><UnitProperty><UnitID>Shares</UnitID><UnitType>Standard</UnitType><StandardMeasure><MeasureSchema>http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance</MeasureSchema><MeasureValue>shares</MeasureValue><MeasureNamespace>xbrli</MeasureNamespace></StandardMeasure><Scale>0</Scale></UnitProperty></UPS><CurrencyCode>USD</CurrencyCode><OriginalCurrencyCode>USD</OriginalCurrencyCode></MCU><CurrencySymbol>$</CurrencySymbol><Labels><Label Id="1" Label="12 Months Ended" /><Label Id="2" Label="Dec. 31, 2010" /></Labels></Column></Columns><Rows><Row><Id>2</Id><IsAbstractGroupTitle>true</IsAbstractGroupTitle><Level>0</Level><ElementName>us-gaap_GeneralPoliciesAbstract</ElementName><ElementPrefix>us-gaap</ElementPrefix><IsBaseElement>true</IsBaseElement><BalanceType>na</BalanceType><PeriodType>duration</PeriodType><ShortDefinition>No definition available.</ShortDefinition><IsReportTitle>false</IsReportTitle><IsSegmentTitle>false</IsSegmentTitle><IsSubReportEnd>false</IsSubReportEnd><IsCalendarTitle>false</IsCalendarTitle><IsTuple>false</IsTuple><IsEquityPrevioslyReportedAsRow>false</IsEquityPrevioslyReportedAsRow><IsEquityAdjustmentRow>false</IsEquityAdjustmentRow><IsBeginningBalance>false</IsBeginningBalance><IsEndingBalance>false</IsEndingBalance><IsReverseSign>false</IsReverseSign><PreferredLabelRole /><FootnoteIndexer /><Cells><Cell><Id>1</Id><IsNumeric>false</IsNumeric><IsRatio>false</IsRatio><DisplayZeroAsNone>false</DisplayZeroAsNone><NumericAmount>0</NumericAmount><RoundedNumericAmount>0</RoundedNumericAmount><NonNumbericText /><NonNumericTextHeader /><FootnoteIndexer /><CurrencyCode /><CurrencySymbol /><IsIndependantCurrency>false</IsIndependantCurrency><ShowCurrencySymbol>false</ShowCurrencySymbol><DisplayDateInUSFormat>false</DisplayDateInUSFormat><hasSegments>false</hasSegments><hasScenarios>false</hasScenarios></Cell></Cells><OriginalInstanceReportColumns /><Unit>Other</Unit><ElementDataType>xbrli:stringItemType</ElementDataType><SimpleDataType>string</SimpleDataType><ElementDefenition>No definition available.</ElementDefenition><IsTotalLabel>false</IsTotalLabel><IsEPS>false</IsEPS><Label>Significant Accounting Policies</Label></Row><Row><Id>3</Id><IsAbstractGroupTitle>false</IsAbstractGroupTitle><Level>0</Level><ElementName>us-gaap_EarningsPerSharePolicyTextBlock</ElementName><ElementPrefix>us-gaap</ElementPrefix><IsBaseElement>true</IsBaseElement><BalanceType>na</BalanceType><PeriodType>duration</PeriodType><ShortDefinition>No definition available.</ShortDefinition><IsReportTitle>false</IsReportTitle><IsSegmentTitle>false</IsSegmentTitle><IsSubReportEnd>false</IsSubReportEnd><IsCalendarTitle>false</IsCalendarTitle><IsTuple>false</IsTuple><IsEquityPrevioslyReportedAsRow>false</IsEquityPrevioslyReportedAsRow><IsEquityAdjustmentRow>false</IsEquityAdjustmentRow><IsBeginningBalance>false</IsBeginningBalance><IsEndingBalance>false</IsEndingBalance><IsReverseSign>false</IsReverseSign><PreferredLabelRole>terselabel</PreferredLabelRole><FootnoteIndexer /><Cells><Cell><Id>1</Id><IsNumeric>false</IsNumeric><IsRatio>false</IsRatio><DisplayZeroAsNone>false</DisplayZeroAsNone><NumericAmount>0</NumericAmount><RoundedNumericAmount>0</RoundedNumericAmount><NonNumbericText>&lt;p style='margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:6pt'&gt;&lt;font style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;margin-left:0px;"&gt;Basic &lt;/font&gt;&lt;font style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"&gt;e&lt;/font&gt;&lt;font style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"&gt;arnings per common share (EPS) is calculated by dividing earnings applicable to common stock by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding for the year. Diluted EPS includes the potential dilution of common stock equivalent shares that could occur if securities or other contracts to issue common stock were exercised or converted into common stock.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style='margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;'&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style='margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:6pt'&gt;&lt;font style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;margin-left:0px;"&gt;The dilution from common stock options is based on the treasury stock method. Under this method, proceeds based on the exercise price plus unearned compensation and windfall tax benefits&lt;/font&gt;&lt;font style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"&gt; &lt;/font&gt;&lt;font style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"&gt;and&lt;/font&gt;&lt;font style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"&gt; minus &lt;/font&gt;&lt;font style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"&gt;tax shortfalls&lt;/font&gt;&lt;font style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"&gt; are assumed to be used to repurchase shares on the open market at the average market price for the year. The windfall tax benefits are tax deductions we would receive upon the assumed exercise of stock options in excess of the deferred income taxes we recorded related to the compensation expense on the stock options. &lt;/font&gt;&lt;font style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"&gt;Tax shortfalls occur when the assumed tax deductions are less than recorded deferred income taxes. &lt;/font&gt;&lt;font style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"&gt;The calculation excludes options for which the exercise price on common stock was greater than the average market price during the year. &lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style='margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;'&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style='margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:6pt'&gt;&lt;font style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;margin-left:0px;"&gt;The dilution from unvested restricted stock awards and units is also based on the treasury stock method. Assumed proceeds equal to the unearned compensation and windfall tax benefits &lt;/font&gt;&lt;font style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"&gt;and&lt;/font&gt;&lt;font style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"&gt; minus&lt;/font&gt;&lt;font style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"&gt; tax sh&lt;/font&gt;&lt;font style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"&gt;ortfalls related to the awards &lt;/font&gt;&lt;font style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"&gt;are assumed to be used to repurchase shares on the open market at the average market price for the year. The windfall tax benefits or tax shortfalls are the difference between tax deductions we would receive upon the assumed vesting of restricted stock awards and units and the deferred income taxes we recorded related to the compensation expense on the restricted stock awards and units.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</NonNumbericText><NonNumericTextHeader>Basic earnings per common share (EPS) is calculated by dividing earnings applicable to common stock by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding</NonNumericTextHeader><FootnoteIndexer /><CurrencyCode /><CurrencySymbol /><IsIndependantCurrency>false</IsIndependantCurrency><ShowCurrencySymbol>false</ShowCurrencySymbol><DisplayDateInUSFormat>false</DisplayDateInUSFormat><hasSegments>false</hasSegments><hasScenarios>false</hasScenarios></Cell></Cells><OriginalInstanceReportColumns /><Unit>Other</Unit><ElementDataType>us-types:textBlockItemType</ElementDataType><SimpleDataType>string</SimpleDataType><ElementDefenition>Discloses the methodology and assumptions used to compute basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share for each class of common stock and participating security. Addresses all significant policy factors, including any antidilutive items that have been excluded from the computation and takes into account stock dividends, splits and reverse splits that occur after the balance sheet date of the latest reporting period but before the issuance of the financial statements.</ElementDefenition><ElementReferences>Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
 -Publisher FASB
 -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
 -Number 128
 -Paragraph 40
 -Subparagraph a

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
 -Publisher FASB
 -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
 -Number 128
 -Paragraph 6, 8-16, 60

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