Repurchases Of Common Stock

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Repurchases Of Common Stock [Abstract]

Repurchases Of Common Stock

NOTE 10.     REPURCHASES OF COMMON STOCK

The following is a summary of our open market common stock repurchases for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010 (in thousands, except per share amounts):

	For the Three Months Ended September 30,				For the Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2011		2010		2011		2010
Shares repurchased		886		567		2,183		2,080
Total cost of shares repurchased	$	67,597	$	33,433	$	166,016	$	117,157
Average cost per share	$	76.27	$	58.98	$	76.04	$	56.32

We primarily acquire shares by means of repurchases in the open market. However, we also acquire shares that are surrendered by employees in payment for the minimum required withholding taxes due on the vesting of restricted stock units and the settlement of deferred stock units, otherwise referred to herein as employee surrenders. Shares acquired through employee surrenders were not significant for both the three months ended September 30, 2011 and  2010. We acquired 54,940 shares at a total cost of $4.3 million in connection with such employee surrenders for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 compared to 51,168 shares at a total cost of $2.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2010. Employee surrenders are generally most significant during the first quarter of each year in connection with the vesting of our annual restricted stock unit awards.

In 2011, we began issuing shares of treasury stock upon the vesting of certain restricted stock units. The number of shares of treasury stock issued during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011 was not significant.