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Capital stock
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020
Equity [Abstract]  
Capital stock

17. Capital stock

 

Share repurchases

 

The Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has authorized repurchases of up to $1,250,000 under the

Company’s existing share repurchase program. The Company’s share repurchase program does not obligate it to acquire any specific number of shares. Under the program, shares may be purchased in privately negotiated and/or open market transactions, including under plans complying with Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

During the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company repurchased 1,042,188 of its common shares on the open market at a weighted average price of $43.18  per share, for an aggregate cash amount of $45,000.  All repurchased shares have been retired. There were no repurchases during the three months ended March 31, 2019.

 

The Company records repurchases of its common shares on the settlement date of each transaction. Shares purchased and retired are deducted to the extent of their par value from common stock and from retained earnings for the excess over par value. Direct costs incurred to acquire the shares are included in the total cost of the shares purchased. For the three months ended March 31, 2020, retained earnings were reduced by the direct costs related to share repurchases of $21. 

 

Dividend

 

On February 7, 2019, the Company announced that its Board had approved a 13% increase in its quarterly cash dividend to $0.085 per share, up from $0.075 per share in 2018, representing an annual dividend of $0.34 per common share, up from $0.30 per share in 2018, payable to holders of the Company’s common shares. On March 20, 2019, the Company paid a dividend of $0.085 per share, amounting to $16,119 in the aggregate, to shareholders of record as of March 8, 2019.

 

On February 6, 2020, the Company announced that its Board had approved a 15% increase in its quarterly cash dividend to $0.0975 per share, up from $0.085 per share in 2019, representing a planned annual dividend of $0.39 per common share, up from $0.34 per share in 2019, payable to holders of the Company’s common shares. On March 18, 2020, the Company paid a dividend of $0.0975 per share, amounting to $18,543 in the aggregate, to shareholders of record as of March 9, 2020.