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Note 8 - Acquisitions and Subsidiaries and Joint Ventures with Noncontrolling Owners' Interests (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Table Text Block]

		Revenue				Net Income Attributable to Sterling Common Stockholders
JBC actual from January 1, 2012 to September 30, 2012		$	31,621			$	1,542
Myers actual from January 1, 2012 to September 30, 2012			63,542				813
Supplemental pro forma results of the Company, JBC, and Myers on a combined basis for 1/1/2011 – 9/30/2011 (unaudited)			401,187				7,411

		Nine Months Ended September 30,
		2012				2011
Balance, beginning of period		$	16,848			$	28,724
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest included in liabilities			13,903				5,919
Accretion of interest on RLW Put/Call			745				636
Change in fair value of RLW Put/Call			1,906				--
Change in fair value of RHB put/call			--				1,054
Issuance of noncontrolling interest in RHB in exchange for net assets of acquired companies			15,196				--
Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners			(6,589	)			(6,185	)
Balance, end of period		$	42,009			$	30,148

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- Definition

Schedule of Changes in Noncontrolling owner's Interest in Subsidiaries and Joint Ventures [Table Text Block]

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Tabular disclosure of equity method investments in common stock. The disclosure may include: (a) the name of each investee or group of investments for which combined disclosure is appropriate, (2) the percentage ownership of common stock, (3) the difference, if any, between the carrying amount of an investment and the value of the underlying equity in the net assets and the accounting treatment of difference, if any, and (4) the aggregate value of each identified investment based on its quoted market price, if available.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 323

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6382943&loc=d3e33918-111571



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB)

-Number 18

-Paragraph 20

-Subparagraph a, b

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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