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Stockholders' Equity
 12 Months Ended
Nov. 30, 2023
Equity [Abstract]  
Stockholders' Equity Stockholders’ Equity
Preferred Stock. To help protect the benefits of our NOLs and other deferred tax assets from an ownership change under Section 382, we have in place a rights agreement and distributed a dividend of one preferred share purchase right for each outstanding share of common stock.
Subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the rights agreement, if the rights become exercisable, each right would initially represent the right to purchase from us 1/100th of a share of our Series A Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock for a purchase price of $85.00 (“Purchase Price”). If issued, each fractional share of preferred stock would generally give a stockholder approximately the same dividend, voting and liquidation rights as does one share of our common stock. However, prior to exercise, a right does not give its holder any rights as a stockholder, including without limitation any dividend, voting
or liquidation rights. The rights will not be exercisable until the earlier of (a) 10 calendar days after a public announcement by us that a person or group has become an Acquiring Person (as defined under the rights agreement) and (b) 10 business days after the commencement of a tender or exchange offer by a person or group if upon consummation of the offer the person or group would beneficially own 4.9% or more of our outstanding common stock.
Until these rights become exercisable (“Distribution Date”), common stock certificates and/or book-entry shares will evidence the rights and may contain a notation to that effect. Any transfer of shares of our common stock prior to the Distribution Date will constitute a transfer of the associated rights. After the Distribution Date, the rights may be transferred other than in connection with the transfer of the underlying shares of our common stock. If there is an Acquiring Person on the Distribution Date or a person or group becomes an Acquiring Person after the Distribution Date, each holder of a right, other than rights that are or were beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person, which will be void, will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise of a right and payment of the Purchase Price, that number of shares of our common stock having a market value of two times the Purchase Price. After the later of the Distribution Date and the time we publicly announce that an Acquiring Person has become such, our board of directors may exchange the rights, other than rights that are or were beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person, which will be void, in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one share of common stock per right, subject to adjustment.
At any time prior to the later of the Distribution Date and the time we publicly announce that an Acquiring Person becomes such, our board of directors may redeem all the then-outstanding rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.001 per right, subject to adjustment (“Redemption Price”). The redemption will be effective immediately upon the board of directors’ action, unless the action provides that such redemption will be effective at a subsequent time or upon the occurrence or nonoccurrence of one or more specified events, in which case the redemption will be effective in accordance with the provisions of the action. Immediately upon the effectiveness of the redemption of the rights, the right to exercise the rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of rights will be to receive the Redemption Price, with interest thereon. Per the rights agreement, as amended, the rights issued thereunder will expire on the earliest of (a) the close of business on April 30, 2024, (b) the time at which the rights are redeemed, (c) the time at which the rights are exchanged, (d) the time at which our board of directors determines that a related provision in our Restated Certificate of Incorporation is no longer necessary, and (e) the close of business on the first day of a taxable year of ours to which our board of directors determines that no tax benefits may be carried forward.
Common Stock. On July 8, 2021, our board of directors authorized us to repurchase up to 5,000,000 shares of our outstanding common stock. This authorization reaffirmed and incorporated the then-current balance of 2,193,947 shares that remained under a prior board-approved share repurchase program. In 2021, we repurchased 4,668,600 shares of our common stock on the open market pursuant to this authorization at a total cost of $188.2 million.
On April 7, 2022, our board of directors authorized us to repurchase up to $300.0 million of our outstanding common stock. This authorization replaced the 2021 board of directors authorization, which had 331,400 shares remaining for repurchase. In 2022, we repurchased 4,927,499 shares of our common stock on the open market pursuant to the 2022 authorization at a total cost of $150.0 million. As of November 30, 2022, there was $150.0 million of remaining availability under this share repurchase authorization. In the 2023 first quarter, we repurchased 1,965,442 shares of our common stock on the open market pursuant to this authorization at a total cost of approximately $75.0 million. On March 21, 2023, our board of directors authorized us to repurchase up to $500.0 million of our outstanding common stock. This authorization replaced the 2022 board of directors authorization. In the 2023 second, third and fourth quarters, we repurchased 7,278,995 shares of our common stock on the open market pursuant to the 2023 authorization at a total cost of $336.4 million, bringing our total repurchases for the year ended November 30, 2023 to 9,244,437 shares of common stock at a total cost of approximately $411.4 million. Repurchases under the current authorization may occur periodically through open market purchases, privately negotiated transactions or otherwise, with the timing and amount at management’s discretion and dependent on market, business and other conditions. This share repurchase authorization will continue in effect until fully used or earlier terminated or suspended by our board of directors, and does not obligate us to purchase any shares. As of November 30, 2023, we were authorized to repurchase up to $163.6 million of our outstanding common stock in additional transactions.
In the 2023 first and second quarters, our board of directors declared quarterly cash dividends of $.15 per share of common stock. Our board of directors approved a $.05 per share increase in the quarterly cash dividend on our common stock to $.20 per share in the 2023 third quarter, and declared quarterly dividends at the new higher rate for the 2023 third and fourth quarters of 2023. In 2022 and 2021, our board of directors declared four quarterly cash dividends of $.15 per share. All dividends declared during 2023, 2022 and 2021 were also paid during those years.
Treasury Stock. In addition to the shares purchased pursuant to our share repurchase program, we acquired $14.2 million, $15.9 million and $12.3 million of our common stock in 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. A portion of the common stock acquired in 2023, 2022 and 2021 consisted of previously issued shares delivered to us by employees to satisfy their withholding tax obligations on the vesting of PSUs and restricted stock awards or of forfeitures of previous restricted stock awards. Treasury stock is recorded at cost. Differences between the cost of treasury stock and the reissuance proceeds are recorded to paid-in capital. These transactions are not considered repurchases under the share repurchase program described above.