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Note 7 - Dividends
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Dividends [Text Block]
7.  Dividends

In August 2010, we announced that our Board of Directors approved a regular cash dividend program to our stockholders, subject to approval each quarter.  In 2012, we paid cash dividends totaling $18.7 million which consisted of quarterly dividends of $0.02 per share of common stock in March and $0.025 per share in May, September and December, along with a special dividend of $0.75 per share in December.  We paid quarterly cash dividends of $0.02 per share in 2011 totaling $1.8 million, and in September and December 2010 totaling $877,000.  Our ability to pay cash dividends is currently limited by restrictions contained in our revolving credit facility, which prohibits us from paying, in any fiscal year, dividends in excess of 25% of our net income from the prior fiscal year.  A waiver of the 25% limitation was obtained from the lender prior to payment of the special dividend in December 2012.