Stock-Based Awards and Programs (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Stock-Based Awards and Programs

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

	Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended				Twelve Months Ended
	2012		2011		2012		2011		2012		2011
Compensation Expense	$	431	$	358	$	1,629	$	1,317	$	2,077	$	2,414
Tax Benefit Recognized	148		121		575		460		730		866

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

	Fair Value of Grants Outstanding at September 30,
	2012	2011
Risk-free interest rate	0.13% to 0.25%	0.02% to 0.29%
Expected volatility of Empire stock	20.5%	27.8%
Expected volatility of peer group stock	12.4% to 45.6%	20.4% to 78.0%
Expected dividend yield on Empire stock	4.6%	4.6%
Expected forfeiture rates	3%	3%
Plan cycle	3 years	3 years
Fair value percentage	33.0% to 106.0%	62.0% to 87.0%
Weighted average fair value per share	$13.25	$14.85

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
Nonvested at January 1,	37,400		$	19.28	47,500		$	19.86
Granted	10,000		$	20.97	10,900		$	21.84
Awarded in excess of target	—		—		18,621		$	21.92
Awarded	(7,823	)	$	18.12	(39,621	)	$	21.92
Not Awarded	(5,677	)	$	18.12	—		—
Nonvested at September 30,	33,900		$	20.25	37,400		$	19.28

Schedule of assumptions used in the valuations of stock options

	Fair Value of Grants Outstanding at September 30,
	2012	2011
Risk-free interest rate	0.15% to 0.41%	0.13% to 0.94%
Expected dividend yield	4.6%	4.1% to 4.9%
Expected volatility	25.0%	24.0%
Expected life in months	78	78
Market value	$21.55	$19.38
Weighted average fair value per option	$1.94	$1.42

Schedule of stock options activity

	2012				2011
	Options		Weighted Average Exercise Price		Options		Weighted Average Exercise Price
Outstanding at January 1,	190,300		$	21.56	267,400		$	21.69
Granted	—		—		—		—
Exercised	(27,000	)	$	18.12	(77,100	)	$	22.02
Outstanding at September 30,	163,300		$	22.13	190,300		$	21.56
Exercisable at September 30,	128,500		$	23.15	128,500		$	23.15

Schedule of aggregate intrinsic values of stock options

	2012	2011
Aggregate intrinsic value (in millions)	$0.1	$0.1
Weighted-average remaining contractual life of outstanding options	3.4 years	5.3 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	Less than $0.1
Recognition period	0.3 years	0.3 to 1.3 years

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

	September 30, 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

Schedule of employee stock purchase plan

	2012		2011
Subscriptions outstanding at September 30	71,438		72,182
Maximum subscription price(1)	$	17.95	$	17.27
Shares of stock issued	65,919		69,229
Stock issuance price	$	17.27	$	16.06

(1)Stock will be issued on the closing date of the purchase period, which runs from June 1, 2012 to May 31, 2013.

Schedule of assumptions used in valuation of shares under employee stock purchase plan

	2012			2011
Weighted average fair value of grants at September 30	$	3.19		$	3.17
Risk-free interest rate	0.17		%	0.18		%
Expected dividend yield	5.00		%	2.60		%
Expected volatility	24.00		%	22.00		%
Expected life in months	12			12
Grant Date	6/1/12			6/1/11