Shareholders' Equity

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Shareholders' Equity [Abstract]

Shareholders' Equity

9. Shareholders' Equity

The Company's Board of Directors in 2000 authorized the purchase of up to 500,000 shares of the Company's stock. As of December 31, 2011, 11,300 shares have been purchased under this stock buy back program.

The Board of Directors adopted a new Stockholder Rights Plan in February 2005 designated to guard against (1) coercive and abusive tactics that might be used in an attempt to gain control of the Company without paying all stockholders a fair price for their shares or (2) the accumulation of a substantial block of stock without offering to pay stockholders a fair control premium. The Rights Plan will not prevent takeovers, but is designed to preserve the Board's bargaining power and flexibility to deal with third-party acquirers and to otherwise seek to maximize value for all stockholders. The Plan awards one right for each outstanding share of common stock held by stockholders of record on February 3, 2005 and thereafter. Each right entitles the holder to purchase from the Company one unit of one ten-thousandth of a share of a newly created series of preferred stock at a purchase price of $35 per unit. The rights will be exercisable only if a person or group acquires beneficial ownership of 10% or more of the Company's outstanding common stock (15% or more in the case of certain institutional investors) or commences a tender or exchange offer upon consummation of which such person or group would beneficially own 10% or more of the Company's common stock ("Acquiring Person"). If one of those events occurs, each holder of a right (with the exception of the Acquiring Person or group) will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, common stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash, property or other of the Company's securities) having a value equal to two times the exercise price of the right. The rights can be redeemed by the Board of Directors under certain circumstances, in which case the rights will not be exchangeable for shares.