Income Per Common Share

12 Months Ended

Apr. 29, 2012

Earnings Per Share [Abstract]

Income Per Common Share

Income Per Common Share

The following are reconciliations of income from continuing operations to income from continuing operations applicable to common stock and the number of common shares outstanding used to calculate basic EPS to those shares used to calculate diluted EPS:

	Fiscal Year Ended
	April 29, 2012		April 27, 2011		April 28, 2010
	(52 1/2 Weeks)		(52 Weeks)		(52 Weeks)
	(In thousands)
Income from continuing operations attributable to H.J. Heinz Company	$	923,159	$	989,510	$	914,489
Allocation to participating securities	1,939		1,746		2,153
Preferred dividends	9		12		9
Income from continuing operations applicable to common stock	$	921,211	$	987,752	$	912,327
Average common shares outstanding-basic	320,686		320,118		315,948
Effect of dilutive securities:
Convertible preferred stock	104		105		105
Stock options, restricted stock and the global stock purchase plan	2,531		2,819		2,060
Average common shares outstanding-diluted	323,321		323,042		318,113

In Fiscal 2010, the Company adopted accounting guidance for determining whether instruments granted in share-based payment transactions are participating securities. This guidance states that unvested share-based payment awards that contain non-forfeitable rights to dividends or dividend equivalents (whether paid or unpaid) are participating securities and shall be included in the computation of earnings per share pursuant to the two-class method.

Diluted EPS is based upon the average shares of common stock and dilutive common stock equivalents outstanding during the periods presented. Common stock equivalents arising from dilutive stock options, restricted common stock units, and the Global Stock Purchase Plan are computed using the treasury stock method.

Options to purchase an aggregate of 0.8 million, 2.4 million and 4.4 million shares of common stock as of April 29, 2012, April 27, 2011 and April 28, 2010 respectively, were not included in the computation of diluted earnings per share because inclusion of these options would be anti-dilutive. These options expire at various points in time through 2018.