STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2019

Equity [Abstract]

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

NOTE 9.             STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

During the six months ended June 30, 2019, the Company paid $68.7 million  or $0.21 per share in cash dividends compared to $61.1 million or $0.19 per share during the same period in 2018.

During the second quarter ended June 30, 2019 and during the same period in 2018 the Company did not repurchase shares on the open market. 

The Company repurchases shares from employees for the payment of taxes on restricted shares that have vested. The Company repurchased $0.7 million and $0.1 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively and $9.8 million and $9.3 million of common stock during the six month period ended June 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively. 

As more fully discussed in Note 17  of the Company's notes to the consolidated financial statements in its 2018 Annual Report on Form 10-K, time-lapse restricted shares and restricted stock units have been issued to officers and other management employees under the Company's Employee Stock Incentive Plans.  The Company issues new shares from its authorized but unissued share pool. At June 30, 2019, approximately 5.5 million shares of the Company's common stock were reserved for issuance.

Time Lapse Restricted Shares and Restricted Stock Units

The following table summarizes the components of the Company's stock-based compensation programs recorded as expense:

	Three Months Ended						Six Months Ended
	June 30,						June 30,
(in thousands)	2019			2018			2019			2018
Time lapse restricted stock:
Pre-tax compensation expense	$	3,697		$	3,277		$	7,586		$	6,370
Tax benefit		(963	)		(717	)		(1,784	)		(1,503	)
Restricted stock expense, net of tax	$	2,734		$	2,560		$	5,802		$	4,867

The following table summarizes information on unvested restricted stock outstanding as of June 30, 2019:

	Number of Shares			Average Grant- Date Fair Value
Unvested Restricted Stock at December 31, 2018		2,724		$	21.08
Forfeited		(48	)		22.45
Vested		(782	)		15.63
Granted		485			38.40
Unvested Restricted Stock at March 31, 2019		2,379		$	25.93

At June 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the Company had $49.2 million  and $39.2 million of total unrecognized compensation cost, respectively, related to time-lapse restricted shares that are expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of approximately 4.5 years and 4.3 years, respectively.