Stockholders' Equity (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Stockholders' Equity (Tables) [Abstract]

Summary of stockholder's equity capital accounts

The following is a summary of our stockholder’s equity capital accounts as of the dates indicated:

		December 31, 2014	December 31, 2013
Preferred Stock, $1.00 par value:
	Authorized shares	50,000,000	50,000,000
	Issued shares	25,875,000	26,108,236
	Outstanding shares	25,875,000	26,108,236
Common Stock, $1.00 par value:
	Authorized shares	700,000,000	400,000,000
	Issued shares	329,487,615	290,024,789
	Outstanding shares	328,790,066	289,563,651

Summary of preferred stock activity

	Year Ended
	December 31, 2014		December 31, 2013		December 31, 2012
		Weighted Avg.		Weighted Avg.		Weighted Avg.
	Shares	Dividend Rate	Shares	Dividend Rate	Shares	Dividend Rate
Beginning balance	26,108,236	6.496%	26,224,854	6.493%	25,724,854	7.013%
Shares issued	-	0.000%	-	0.000%	11,500,000	6.500%
Shares redeemed	-	0.000%	-	0.000%	(11,000,000)	7.716%
Shares converted	(233,236)	6.000%	(116,618)	6.000%	-	0.000%
Ending balance	25,875,000	6.500%	26,108,236	6.496%	26,224,854	6.493%

Summary of common stock issuances

Common Stock. The following is a summary of our common stock issuances during the periods indicated (dollars in thousands, except per share amounts):

	Shares Issued		Average Price		Gross Proceeds		Net Proceeds
February 2012 public issuance	20,700,000	$	53.50	$	1,107,450	$	1,062,256
August 2012 public issuance	13,800,000		58.75		810,750		778,011
September 2012 public issuance	29,900,000		56.00		1,674,400		1,606,665
2012 Dividend reinvestment plan issuances	2,136,140		56.37		120,411		120,411
2012 Option exercises	341,371		40.86		13,949		13,949
2012 Senior note conversions	1,039,721				-		-
2012 Totals	67,917,232			$	3,726,960	$	3,581,292
May 2013 public issuance	23,000,000	$	73.50	$	1,690,500	$	1,630,281
2013 Dividend reinvestment plan issuances	3,429,928		62.78		215,346		215,346
2013 Option exercises	213,724		42.16		9,010		9,010
2013 Senior note conversions	988,007				-		-
2013 Preferred stock conversions	116,618				-		-
2013 Equity issued in acquisition of noncontrolling interest	1,108,917				-		-
2013 Totals	28,857,194			$	1,914,856	$	1,854,637
June 2014 public issuance	16,100,000		62.35		1,003,835		968,517
September 2014 public issuance	17,825,000		63.75		1,136,344		1,095,465
2014 Dividend reinvestment plan issuances	4,122,941		62.35		257,055		257,055
2014 Option exercises	498,549		45.79		22,831		22,831
2014 Preferred stock conversions	233,236				-		-
2014 Stock incentive plans, net of forfeitures	188,147				-		-
2014 Senior note conversions	258,542				-		-
2014 Totals	39,226,415			$	2,420,065	$	2,343,868

Summary of dividend payments

The increase in dividends is primarily attributable to increases in our common shares outstanding as described above. Please refer to Notes 2 and 18 for information related to federal income tax of dividends. The following is a summary of our dividend payments (in thousands, except per share amounts)

	Year Ended
	December 31, 2014				December 31, 2013				December 31, 2012
	Per Share		Amount		Per Share		Amount		Per Share		Amount
Common Stock	$	3.18000	$	969,661	$	3.06000	$	839,939	$	2.96000	$	653,321
Series D Preferred Stock		-		-		-		-		0.50301		2,012
Series F Preferred Stock		-		-		-		-		0.48715		3,410
Series H Preferred Stock		0.00794		1		2.85840		930		2.85840		1,000
Series I Preferred Stock		3.25000		46,719		3.25000		46,719		3.25000		46,719
Series J Preferred Stock		1.62510		18,688		1.62510		18,687		1.39038		15,988
Totals			$	1,035,069			$	906,275			$	722,450

Summary of accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss)

The following is a summary of accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) for the periods presented (in thousands):

		Unrecognized gains (losses) related to:
		Foreign Currency Translation		Equity Investments		Actuarial losses		Cash Flow Hedges		Total
Balance at December 31, 2013	$	(17,631)	$	(389)	$	(1,452)	$	(5,059)	$	(24,531)
Other comprehensive income before reclassification adjustments		(56,611)		389		(137)		2,610		(53,749)
Reclassification amount to net income		(528)		-		-		1,799 (1)		1,271
Net current-period other comprehensive income		(57,139)		389		(137)		4,409		(52,478)
Balance at December 31, 2014	$	(74,770)	$	-	$	(1,589)	$	(650)	$	(77,009)
Balance at December 31, 2012	$	(881)	$	(216)	$	(2,974)	$	(6,957)	$	(11,028)
Other comprehensive income before reclassification adjustments		(16,750)		(173)		1,522		(16)		(15,417)
Reclassification amount to net income		-		-		-		1,914 (1)		1,914
Net current-period other comprehensive income		(16,750)		(173)		1,522		1,898		(13,503)
Balance at December 31, 2013	$	(17,631)	$	(389)	$	(1,452)	$	(5,059)	$	(24,531)
(1) Please see Note 11 for additional information.