Stockholders' Equity (Notes)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent [Abstract]

Stockholders' Equity Note Disclosure [Text Block]

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

In 2014, the Company issued 26.7 million shares of common stock, in two offerings, resulting in net proceeds to the Company of $321.9 million, which includes customary legal, accounting, and other expenses. In 2013, the Company issued 85.6 million shares of common stock, in two offerings, resulting in net proceeds to the Company of $826.2 million.

In 2014, the Company redeemed all outstanding shares of its 7.5% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, par value $1 per share, for $25 per share or $94.8 million, excluding accrued dividends. In connection with this redemption, the Company decreased net income available for common shareholders by $3.5 million (non-cash), which represents the original issuance costs applicable to the shares redeemed.

In 2013, the Company redeemed all outstanding shares of its 7 3/4% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, par value $1 per share, for $25 per share or $74.8 million. In connection with this redemption, the Company increased net loss available for common shareholders by $2.7 million (non-cash), 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.

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 2014, 2013, and 2012 to meet REIT distribution requirements (in thousands):

	2014			2013			2012
Common and preferred dividends paid	$	64,510		$	37,200		$	31,655
Dividends treated as taxable compensation	(110		)	(98		)	(147		)
Portion of dividends declared in current year, and paid in current year, which was applied to the prior year distribution requirements	(2,182		)	(470		)	—
Portion of dividends declared in subsequent year, and paid in subsequent year, which apply to current year distribution requirements	—			2,182			470
Dividends applied to meet current year REIT distribution requirements	$	62,218		$	38,814		$	31,978

Tax Status of Distributions — The following summarizes the components of the taxability of the Company’s distributions for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013, and 2012:

	Total  Distributions Per Share		Ordinary Dividends		Long-Term Capital Gain		Unrecaptured Section 1250 Gain (A)		Cash Liquidation Distributions
Common:
2014	$	0.300000	$	0.281564	$	0.018436	$	0.018436	$	—
2013	$	0.180000	$	0.170355	$	0.009645	$	0.009457	$	—
2012	$	0.180000	$	0.124724	$	0.055276	$	0.055276	$	—
Series A Preferred:
2014	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—
2013	$	0.968750	$	0.966882	$	0.001868	$	—	$	25.000000
2012	$	1.937500	$	1.342220	$	0.595280	$	0.595280	$	—
Series B Preferred:
2014	$	25.776040	$	0.467750	$	0.001000	$	0.001000	$	25.307290
2013	$	1.875000	$	1.774673	$	0.100327	$	0.098519	$	—
2012	$	1.875000	$	1.298222	$	0.576078	$	0.576078	$	—

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