Preferred and Common Stock

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

Preferred and Common Stock [Abstract]

Preferred and Common Stock

17. Preferred and Common Stock

Preferred Stock

The Board is empowered, without approval of the shareholders, to cause shares of preferred stock to be issued in one or more series and to establish the number of shares to be included in each such series and the rights, powers, preferences, and limitations of each series. There are no provisions in the Company’s Articles of Incorporation specifying the vote required by the holders of preferred stock to take action. All such provisions would be set out in the designation of any series of preferred stock established by the Board. The bylaws of the Company specify that, when a quorum is present at any meeting, the vote of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote who are present, in person or by proxy, shall decide any question brought before the meeting, unless a different vote is required by law or the Company’s Articles of Incorporation.

Because the Board has the power to establish the preferences and rights of each series, it may afford the holders of any series of preferred stock, preferences, powers, and rights, voting or otherwise, senior to the right of holders of common stock. The issuance of the preferred stock could have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control of the Company.

Common Stock

From September 2001 through December 31, 2008, the Board authorized the Company to purchase, in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions, up to 2,250,000 shares of the Company’s common stock. In March 2009, the Board authorized the repurchase of up to 10% or approximately 1,200,000 shares of its common stock (“March 2009 Authorization”). Under the March 2009 Authorization, the Company has purchased a total of 859,499 shares. The Company is required to retire shares purchased under the March 2009 Authorization.

In November 2023, the Board terminated the March 2009 Authorization such that any such proposed repurchase of our common stock would be considered and determined by the Board at such time. The Company did not purchase any shares of its common stock during 2023, 2022 or 2021.

In May 2023, the Company completed a secondary offering of 1,916,667 shares of its common stock at an offering price of $90.00 per share.  Upon completion of the offering, the Company received net proceeds of approximately $163.6 million, after deducting an underwriting discount of $8.6 million and recognizing related fees and expenses of $0.2 million.  A portion of the net proceeds was used to repay the $35.0 million then outstanding under the Company’s credit facility while the remainder is expected to be used primarily for additional acquisitions.