EARNINGS PER SHARE

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2017

Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net income attributable to Global Payments by the weighted-average number of shares outstanding during the period. Earnings available to common shareholders is the same as reported net income attributable to Global Payments for all periods presented.

Diluted earnings per share is computed by dividing net income attributable to Global Payments by the weighted-average number of shares outstanding during the period, including the effect of share-based awards that would have a dilutive effect on earnings per share. All stock options with an exercise price lower than the average market share price of our common stock for the period are assumed to have a dilutive effect on earnings per share. There were less than 0.1 million stock options that would have an antidilutive effect on the computation of diluted earnings per share for the three months ended March 31, 2017. There were no such antidilutive stock options for the three months ended March 31, 2016.

The following table sets forth the computation of diluted weighted-average number of shares outstanding for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and March 31, 2016:



	Three Months Ended
	March 31, 2017	March 31, 2016

	(in thousands)

Basic weighted-average number of shares outstanding	152,304	129,268
Plus: Dilutive effect of stock options and other share-based awards	951	869
Diluted weighted-average number of shares outstanding	153,255	130,137