Net Income Per Common Share

Earnings per Share

Basic earnings per share (“EPS”) excludes dilution and is computed by dividing net income attributable to Vail Resorts stockholders by the weighted-average shares outstanding during the period. Diluted EPS reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other contracts to issue common stock were exercised, resulting in the issuance of shares of common stock that would then share in the earnings of Vail Resorts.

In connection with the Company’s acquisition of Whistler Blackcomb in October 2016 (see Note 6, Acquisitions), the Company issued consideration in the form of shares of Vail Resorts common stock (the “Vail Shares”) and shares of the Company’s wholly-owned Canadian subsidiary (“Exchangeco”). Whistler Blackcomb shareholders elected to receive 3,327,719 Vail Shares and 418,095 shares of Exchangeco (the “Exchangeco Shares”). Both Vail Shares and Exchangeco Shares have a par value of $0.01 per share, and Exchangeco Shares, while outstanding, are substantially the economic equivalent of the Vail Shares and are exchangeable, at any time prior to the seventh anniversary of the closing of the acquisition, into Vail Shares. The Company’s calculation of weighted-average shares outstanding includes the Exchangeco Shares.

Presented below is basic and diluted EPS for the years ended July 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017 (in thousands, except per share amounts):



	Year Ended July 31,
	2019				2018				2017
	Basic		Diluted		Basic		Diluted		Basic		Diluted
Net income per share:
Net income attributable to Vail Resorts	$	301,163	$	301,163	$	379,898	$	379,898	$	210,553	$	210,553
Weighted-average shares outstanding	40,292		40,292		40,337		40,337		39,158		39,158
Weighted-average Exchangeco shares outstanding	57		57		60		60		93		93
Total Weighted-average shares outstanding	40,349		40,349		40,397		40,397		39,251		39,251
Effect of dilutive securities	—		809		—		1,221		—		1,115
Total shares	40,349		41,158		40,397		41,618		39,251		40,366
Net income per share attributable to Vail Resorts, Inc.	$	7.46	$	7.32	$	9.40	$	9.13	$	5.36	$	5.22

The Company computes the effect of dilutive securities using the treasury stock method and average market prices during the period. The number of shares issuable on the exercise of share based awards that were excluded from the calculation of diluted net income per share because the effect of their inclusion would have been anti-dilutive totaled approximately 4,000, 2,000 and 9,000 for the years ended July 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Dividends

On March 7, 2019, the Company’s Board of Directors approved an increase of approximately 20% in the annual cash dividend to an annual rate of $7.04 per share, subject to quarterly declaration. For the year ended July 31, 2019, the Company paid cash dividends of $6.46 per share ($260.6 million in the aggregate). On September 25, 2019 the Company’s Board of Directors approved a quarterly cash dividend of $1.76 per share payable on October 25, 2019 to stockholders of record as of October 8, 2019. Additionally, a Canadian dollar equivalent dividend on the Exchangeco Shares will be payable on October 25, 2019 to the shareholders of record on October 8, 2019.