Dividends (Notes)

12 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Dividends [Abstract]

Dividends [Text Block]

DIVIDENDS

On October 28, 2002, the Company announced that its Board of Directors had approved and instituted a quarterly cash dividend on its common stock. The Company has continued to pay quarterly dividends and has increased the amount of such dividends on a regular basis. Cash dividends paid per share amounted to $1.390 , $1.374 and $1.359 during the years ended March 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Total dividend payments amounted to $266.2 million , $256.8 million and $249.6 million during the years ended March 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.