Shareholders' Equity

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Shareholders' Equity

13. Shareholders’ Equity

Authorized shares

We may issue up to 250 million shares of common stock. Our Board of Directors may designate up to 15 million of those shares as preferred stock. On December 10, 2004, the Board of Directors designated a new series of preferred stock with authorization to issue up to 2.5 million shares, Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.10 per share. No shares of preferred stock were issued or outstanding as of December 31, 2011 or December 31, 2010.

Purchase rights

On December 10, 2004, our Board of Directors declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a “Right”) for each outstanding share of common stock. The dividend was payable upon the close of business on January 28, 2005 to the shareholders of record upon the close of business on January 28, 2005. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase one one-hundredth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, at a price of $240.00 per one one-hundredth of a share, subject to adjustment. However, the Rights are not exercisable unless certain change in control events occur, such as a person acquiring or obtaining the right to acquire beneficial ownership of 15% or more of our outstanding common stock. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement, dated December 10, 2004. The Rights will expire on January 28, 2015, unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or exchanged in accordance with the terms of the Rights Agreement. On January 28, 2005, the common share purchase rights issued pursuant to the Rights Agreement dated July 31, 1995 were redeemed in their entirety for an amount equal to $0.0025 per right.

Share repurchases

In July 2010, the Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of shares of our common stock up to a maximum dollar limit of $25 million. As of December 31, 2010 we had repurchased 734,603 shares for $25 million pursuant to this plan. In December 2010, the Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of shares of our common stock up to a maximum dollar limit of $25 million. As of December 31, 2011, we had repurchased 389,300 shares for $12.5 million pursuant to this authorization, which expired in December 2011. In December 2011, the Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of shares of our common stock up to a maximum dollar limit of $25 million. This authorization expires in December 2012.