Stockholders' Equity (Notes)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent [Abstract]

Stockholders' Equity Note Disclosure [Text Block]

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

In August 2013, the Company issued 69.0 million shares of common stock resulting in net proceeds to the Company of $661.1 million. In April 2013, the Company issued 16.5 million shares of common stock resulting in net proceeds to the Company of $165.1 million.

In May 2013, the Company redeemed all outstanding shares of its 7 3/4% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, par value $1 per share (the "Preferred Stock"), for $25 per share or $74.8 million. In connection with the redemption of the Preferred Stock, the Company increased net loss available for common shareholders by $2.7 million, which represents the original issuance costs applicable to the shares redeemed. In addition, the Company reclassified these costs as well as the basis difference in the Preferred Stock repurchased by the Company in 2008 from Additional Paid-In Capital to Distributions in Excess of Net Income within the Company's statements of equity.

At December 31, 2013, the Company had 3,791,000 shares outstanding of its 7.50% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (liquidation preference of $25 per share). The Series B preferred stock may be redeemed at the Company’s option at $25 per share plus all accrued and unpaid dividends through the date of redemption. Dividends on the Series B preferred stock are payable quarterly in arrears on February 15, May 15, August 15, and November 15.

Ownership Limitations — In order to minimize the risk that the Company will not meet one of the requirements for qualification as a REIT, Cousins’ Articles of Incorporation include certain restrictions on the ownership of more than 3.9% of the Company’s total common and preferred stock, subject to waiver by Board of Directors.

Distribution of REIT Taxable Income — The following reconciles dividends paid and dividends applied in 2013, 2012, and 2011 to meet REIT distribution requirements (in thousands):

	2013			2012			2011
Common and preferred dividends paid	$	37,200		$	31,655		$	31,556
Dividends treated as taxable compensation	(98		)	(147		)	(70		)
Portion of dividends declared in current year, and paid in current year, which was applied to the prior year distribution requirements	(470		)	—			(304		)
Portion of dividends declared in subsequent year, and paid in subsequent year, which apply to current year distribution requirements	—			470			(10		)
Dividends applied to meet current year REIT distribution requirements	$	36,632		$	31,978		$	31,172

Tax Status of Distributions — The following summarizes the components of the taxability of the Company’s distributions for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012, and 2011:

	Total  Distributions Per Share		Ordinary Dividends		Long-Term Capital Gain		Unrecaptured Section 1250 Gain (A)		Cash Liquidation Distributions
Common:
2013	$	0.180000	$	0.170355	$	0.009645	$	0.009457	$	—
2012	$	0.180000	$	0.124724	$	0.055276	$	0.055276	$	—
2011	$	0.180000	$	0.067853	$	0.112147	$	0.042574	$	—
Series A Preferred:
2013	$	0.968750	$	0.966882	$	0.001868	$	—	$	25.000000
2012	$	1.937500	$	1.342220	$	0.595280	$	0.595280	$	—
2011	$	1.937500	$	0.730053	$	1.207447	$	0.458393	$	—
Series B Preferred:
2013	$	1.875000	$	1.774673	$	0.100327	$	0.098519	$	—
2012	$	1.875000	$	1.298222	$	0.576078	$	0.576078	$	—
2011	$	1.875000	$	0.706502	$	1.168498	$	0.443606	$	—

(A) Represents a portion of the dividend allocated to long-term capital gain.