NET EARNINGS PER SHARE AND SHARE REPURCHASES

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2024

NET EARNINGS PER SHARE AND SHARE REPURCHASES

NOTE 4: NET EARNINGS PER SHARE AND SHARE REPURCHASES

Our basic and diluted earnings per share were:

●

$0.04 during third quarter 2024 and $0.43 during year-to-date 2024;

●

$0.33 during third quarter 2023 and $0.85 during year-to-date 2023.

Basic earnings per share is net earnings divided by the weighted average number of our outstanding common shares, including stock equivalent units where there is no circumstance under which those shares would not be issued. Diluted earnings per share is net earnings divided by the sum of the weighted average number of our outstanding common shares and the effect of our outstanding dilutive potential common shares.


	QUARTER ENDED				YEAR-TO-DATE ENDED
SHARES IN THOUSANDS	SEPTEMBER 2024		SEPTEMBER 2023		SEPTEMBER 2024		SEPTEMBER 2023
Weighted average common shares outstanding – basic		727,621		731,046		728,892		732,069
Dilutive potential common shares:
Stock options		95		154		115		134
Restricted stock units		329		304		203		117
Performance share units		135		238		145		222
Total effect of outstanding dilutive potential common shares		559		696		463		473
Weighted average common shares outstanding – dilutive		728,180		731,742		729,355		732,542

We use the treasury stock method to calculate the dilutive effect of our outstanding stock options, restricted stock units and performance share units.

Potential Shares Not Included in the Computation of Diluted Earnings per Share

The following shares were not included in the computation of diluted earnings per share because they were either antidilutive or the required performance or market conditions were not met. Some or all of these shares may be dilutive potential common shares in future periods.


	QUARTER ENDED				YEAR-TO-DATE ENDED
SHARES IN THOUSANDS	SEPTEMBER 2024		SEPTEMBER 2023		SEPTEMBER 2024		SEPTEMBER 2023
Stock options		607		609		607		609
Performance share units		892		612		892		612

Share Repurchase Program

On September 22, 2021, we announced that our board of directors approved a new share repurchase program (the 2021 Repurchase Program) under which we are authorized to repurchase up to $1 billion of outstanding shares. Concurrently, the board terminated the remaining repurchase authorization under the share repurchase program approved by the board in February 2019 (the 2019 Repurchase Program).

We repurchased 820,706 common shares for approximately $26 million (including transaction fees) under the 2021 Repurchase Program during third quarter 2024 and 3,962,220 common shares for approximately $125 million (including transaction fees) under the 2021 Share Repurchase Program during year-to-date 2024. During third quarter 2023, we repurchased 757,510 common shares for approximately $25 million (including transaction fees) and 3,562,944 common shares for approximately $110 million (including transaction fees) during year-to-date 2023 under the 2021 Repurchase Program. As of September 30, 2024, we had remaining authorization of $127 million for future share repurchases.

All common stock repurchases under the 2021 Repurchase Program were made in open-market transactions. We record share repurchases upon trade date as opposed to the settlement date when cash is disbursed. We record a liability for repurchases that have not yet been settled as of period end. There were 11,564 unsettled shares (less than $1 million) as of September 30, 2024 and 13,866 unsettled shares (approximately $1 million) as of December 31, 2023.