Stock options (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Oct. 31, 2012

Disclosure Of Compensation Related Costs, Share-Based Payments [Abstract]

Schedule of Share-based Payment Award, Stock Options, Valuation Assumptions

The fair value of each option granted in 2012 and 2011 was estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the following assumptions:

	2012			2011
Expected volatility		46.6%-66.2	%		35.9%-55.8	%
Weighted-average volatility		57.7	%		52.7	%
Expected dividends		3.0%-5.0	%		1.9%-6.3	%
Expected term (in years)		3.5-4.2			2.5-3.5
Risk-free interest rate		0.3%-0.4	%		0.7%-1.2	%
Weighted average fair market value of options granted during the year	$	1.19		$	0.89
Weighted average fair market value of options vested during the year	$	1.02		$	0.94

Schedule of Stock Options Roll Forward

Additional information regarding all of the Company's outstanding stock options at October 31, 2011 and 2010 and changes in outstanding stock options in 2011 and 2010 follows:

	2012					2011
	Shares or Price Per Share			Weighted Average Exercise Price		Shares or Price Per Share			Weighted Average Exercise Price
Options outstanding at beginning of year		2,099,672		$	2.13		2,454,952		$	2.00
Options granted		114,815			3.86		178,009			3.24
Options exercised		(192,738	)		1.82		(517,817	)		1.90
Options forfeited		(16,968	)		3.05		(15,472	)		2.70
Options outstanding at end of year		2,004,781		$	2.25		2,099,672		$	2.13
Options exercisable at end of year		1,650,289		$	2.16		1,599,095		$	2.00
Options vested and expected to vest at end of year		1,987,333		$	2.25		2,070,866		$	2.02
Option price range at end of year	$	0.05 - $4.12				$	0.05 - $3.78
Aggregate intrinsic value of options exercised during year	$	396,976				$	693,490