Equity

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2024

Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]

Equity

Equity

As of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company's charter had authorized for issuance a total of 280,000,000 shares of common stock and 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock.

During the nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Company:

i.issued 32,605 shares of common stock in connection with stock options exercised;

ii.issued 2,777 shares of common stock through the Company's dividend reinvestment plan;

iii.issued 250,806 shares of common stock in connection with restricted stock grants and the conversion of performance awards to shares of common stock;

iv.issued 12,290 shares of common stock in connection with the conversion of deferred stock awards;

v.issued 9,875 shares of common stock through the Employee Stock Purchase Plan;

vi.withheld 93,181 shares of common stock to satisfy employees' tax withholding and other liabilities; and

vii.canceled 4,021 shares of restricted common stock upon forfeiture.

Deferred compensation granted under the Company's Second Amended and Restated 2009 Equity Incentive Plan (the "Plan") does not impact the Company's Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements until recognized as compensation cost.

The Company has a continuous equity program (the "CEP") under which the Company may sell (and/or enter into forward sale agreements for the sale of) up to $1,000,000,000 of its common stock from time to time. During the three months ended September 30, 2024, the Company entered into forward contracts under the CEP to sell 203,297 shares of common stock for approximate proceeds, net of fees, of $44,066,000, based on the gross weighted average price of $219.92 per share, with settlement of the forward contracts expected to occur on one or more dates not later than December 31, 2025. The final proceeds will be determined on the date(s) of settlement and are subject to certain customary adjustments for the Company's dividends and a daily interest factor. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, the Company had no other sales under the CEP. As of September 30, 2024, the Company had $661,251,000 remaining authorized for issuance under the CEP, after consideration of the forward contracts.

In addition, during the three months ended September 30, 2024, the Company completed an underwritten public offering of 3,680,000 shares of its common stock at a discount to the closing price of $226.52 per share, net of offering fees, offered in connection with forward contracts entered into with certain financial institutions acting as forward purchasers. Assuming full physical settlement of the forward contracts, which the Company expects to occur no later than December 31, 2025, the Company will receive approximate proceeds, net of offering fees and discounts of $808,606,000, based on the initial forward price. The final proceeds will be determined on the date(s) of settlement and are subject to certain customary adjustments for the Company's dividends and a daily interest factor.

The Company has a stock repurchase program under which the Company may acquire shares of its common stock in open market or negotiated transactions up to an aggregate purchase price of $500,000,000 (the "Stock Repurchase Program"). During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Company had no repurchases of shares under this program. During the nine months ended September 30, 2023, the Company repurchased 11,800 shares of common stock, at an average price of $161.96 per share. As of September 30, 2024, the Company had $314,237,000 remaining authorized for purchase under this program.