Shareholders' Equity

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

Equity [Abstract]

Shareholders’ Equity

Shareholders’ Equity

Preferred Stock

The Company has 400,000 shares of authorized but unissued $.01 par value preferred stock.

Common Stock

On April 25, 2018, the Company's shareholders approved an amendment to the Company's Articles of Organization to increase the authorized number of shares of $.002 par value common stock from 200,000,000 to 300,000,000. In addition, on April 25, 2018, the Company's shareholders approved an amendment and restatement of the Company's 2001 General Stock Option Plan which provides for an increase in the number of available shares by 10,000,000.

Each outstanding share of common stock entitles the record holder to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of the Company’s shareholders. Common shareholders are also entitled to dividends when and if declared by the Company’s Board of Directors.

Stock Repurchases

In October 2018, the Company's Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of $200,000,000 of the Company's common stock. Under this October 2018 program, the Company repurchased 1,398,000 shares at a cost of $61,690,000 in 2019, 1,215,000 shares at a cost of $51,036,000 in 2020, and 957,000 shares at a cost of $78,652,000 in 2021, which completed purchases under this program. On March 12, 2020, the Company's Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of an additional $200,000,000 of the Company's common stock. Under this March 2020 program, the Company repurchased 1,060,000 shares, including 5,000 shares that had not yet settled as of December 31, 2021, at a cost of $83,000,000 in 2021, leaving a remaining balance of $117,000,000. The Company may repurchase shares under this program in future periods depending on a variety of factors, including, among other things, the impact of dilution from employee stock awards, stock price, share availability, and cash requirements. The Company is authorized to make repurchases of its common stock through open market purchases, pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 trading plans, or in privately negotiated transactions.

Dividends

The Company’s Board of Directors declared and paid cash dividends of $0.050 per share in the first, second, and third quarters of 2019, $0.055 per share in the fourth quarter of 2019 and in the first, second, and third quarters of 2020, and $0.060 per share in the fourth quarter of 2020 and in the first, second, and third quarters of 2021. The dividend was increased to $0.065 per share in the fourth quarter of 2021. Also, in the fourth quarter of 2020, an additional special cash dividend of $2.00 per share was declared and paid.

Total dividends paid were $43,263,000 in 2021, $390,508,000 in 2020, which included $351,428,000 paid for the special cash dividend, and $35,124,000 in 2019. Future dividends will be declared at the discretion of the Company's Board of Directors and will depend on such factors as the Board deems relevant, including, among other things, the Company's ability to generate positive cash flow from operations.