Stock-Based Awards and Programs (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Stock-Based Awards and Programs

Schedule of compensation expense and tax benefits for stock-based awards and programs

	Three Months Ended				Twelve Months Ended
	2012		2011		2012		2011
Compensation expense	$	822	$	741	$	1,846	$	3,136
Tax benefit recognized	298		271		642		1,143

Schedule of assumptions used in valuation of performance-based restricted stock awards

	Fair Value of Grants Outstanding at March 31,
	2012	2011
Risk-free interest rate	0.16% to 0.45%	0.61% to 1.15%
Expected volatility of Empire stock	21.5%	26.1%
Expected volatility of peer group stock	13.5% to 51.9%	21.1% to 82.2%
Expected dividend yield on Empire stock	4.9%	6.3%
Expected forfeiture rates	3%	3%
Plan cycle	3 years	3 years
Fair value percentage	41.0% to 104.0%	97.0% to 143.0%
Weighted average fair value per share	$13.63	$27.20

Schedule of non-vested restricted stock awards (based on target number) and changes during the reporting period

	2012				2011
	Number of shares		Weighted Average Grant Date Price		Number of shares		Weighted Average Grant Date Price
Outstanding at January 1,	37,400		$	19.28	47,500		$	19.86
Granted	10,000		$	20.97	10,900		$	21.84
Awarded	(7,823	)	$	18.12	(39,621	)	$	21.92
Awarded in Excess of Target	—		—		18,621		$	21.92
Not Awarded	(5,677	)	$	18.12	—		—
Nonvested at March 31,	33,900		$	20.25	37,400		$	19.28

Schedule of assumptions used in the valuations of stock options

	Fair Value of Grants Outstanding at March 31,
	2012	2011
Risk-free interest rate	0.17% to 0.83%	0.45% to 2.39%
Dividend yield	4.9%	6.3%
Expected volatility	25.0%	23.0%
Expected life in months	78	78
Market value	$20.35	$21.79
Weighted average fair value per option	$1.56	$1.94

Schedule of stock options activity

	2012			2011
		Weighted Average			Weighted Average
	Options	Exercise Price		Options	Exercise Price
Outstanding at January 1,	190,300	$	21.56	267,400	$	21.69
Granted	—	$	—	—	$	—
Exercised	27,000	$	18.12	—	—
Outstanding at March 31,	163,300	$	22.13	267,400	$	21.69
Exercisable at March 31,	128,500	$	23.15	205,600	$	22.73

Schedule of aggregate intrinsic values of stock options

	2012	2011
Aggregate intrinsic value (in millions)	Less than $0.1	$0.2
Weighted-average remaining contractual life of outstanding options	3.9 years	5.8 years
Range of exercise prices	$18.36 to $23.81	$18.12 to $23.81
Total unrecognized compensation expense (in millions) related to non-vested options and related dividend equivalents granted under the plan	Less than $0.1	$0.1
Recognition period	Less than 1 year	1 to 2 years

Schedule of shares of time-vested restricted stock granted to qualified individuals at the fair market value

	March 31, 2012			December 31, 2011
		Weighted			Weighted
		Average Fair			Average Fair
	Number of shares	Market Value		Number of shares	Market Value
Outstanding at January 1,	3,433	$	21.84	—	$	—
Granted	—	—		10,200	$	21.84
Vested	—	—		794	$	19.32
Distributed	133	$	20.13	661	$	21.02
Forfeited	—	—		6,106	$	—
Vested but not distributed	—	—		133	$	20.13
Outstanding at end of period	3,300	$	20.35	3,433	$	21.84