Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Stockholders' Equity

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Stockholders' Equity
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]  
Stockholders' Equity STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
 
Authorized Shares
 
The Company is authorized to issue two classes of capital stock consisting of up to 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.001 par value, and 50,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.001 par value. On May 4, 2007, the Board of Directors designated up to 1,761,900 shares of preferred stock as Series A preferred stock with the following rights and preferences:

•
Priority – the Series A preferred stock shall rank, in all respects, including the payment of dividends and upon liquidation, senior and prior to the common stock and other equity of the Company not expressly made senior or pari passu with the Series A preferred stock (collectively, “Junior Securities”).

•
Dividends –dividends at the rate per annum of $0.119 per share shall accrue from the date of issuance of any shares of Series A preferred stock, payable upon declaration by the Board of Directors. Accruing dividends shall be cumulative; provided, however, that except as set forth below for the liquidation preference, the Company shall be under no obligation to pay such dividends. No dividends shall be declared on Junior Securities (other than dividends on shares of common stock payable in shares of common stock) unless the holders of the Series A preferred stock then outstanding shall first receive, or simultaneously receive, a dividend on each outstanding share of Series A preferred stock in an amount at least equal to the greater of (i) the amount of the aggregate accrued dividends on such share of Series A preferred stock and not previously paid and (ii) in the case of a dividend on common stock or any class or series of Junior Securities that is convertible into common stock, that dividend per share of Series A preferred stock as would equal the product of (1) the dividend payable on each share as if all shares of such class or series had been converted into common stock and (2) the number of shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of a share of Series A preferred stock.

•
Liquidation preference – in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Company, then, before any distribution or payment shall be made to the holders of any Junior Securities, the holders of the Series A preferred stock then outstanding shall be entitled to be paid in cash out of the assets of the Company available for distribution to its stockholders (on a pari passu basis with the holders of any series of preferred stock ranking on liquidation on a parity with the Series A preferred stock) an amount per share equal to the sum of the Series A Original Issue Price plus any dividends accrued but unpaid thereon, whether or not declared, together with any other dividends declared but unpaid thereon. If the assets of the Company are insufficient to pay the aggregate liquidation preference and the liquidation preference of any series of preferred stock ranking on liquidation on a parity with the Series A preferred stock, the holders of the Series A preferred stock and the holders of any series of preferred stock ranking on liquidation on a parity with the Series A preferred stock shall share ratably with one another in any such distribution or payment in proportion to the full amounts to which they would otherwise be respectively entitled before any distribution shall be made to the holders of the Junior Securities. The “Series A Original Issue Price” shall mean $1.70 per share, subject to adjustment.

•
Voting rights – the holders of shares of Series A preferred stock shall be entitled to vote with the holders of the common stock, and with the holders of any other series of preferred stock, voting together as a single class, upon all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Company. Each holder of shares of Series A preferred stock shall be entitled to the number of votes equal to the product (rounded down to the nearest number of whole shares) of 0.729 times the largest number of shares of common stock into which all shares of Series A preferred stock held of record by such holder could then be converted.

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 Conversion – each share of Series A preferred stock shall be convertible, subject to adjustment only in the event of stock splits, stock dividends, recapitalizations and similar events that would affect all of stockholders, at the option of the holder thereof, at any time and from time to time, into such number of fully paid and nonassessable shares of common stock as determined by dividing the Series A Original Issue Price by the Series A Conversion Price (as defined) in effect at the time of conversion. The “Series A Conversion Price” shall initially be equal to $1.70. Each share of Series A preferred stock shall automatically be converted into shares of common stock at the then effective conversion price immediately upon such date as the average closing price of the common stock over a consecutive, trailing 6-month period equals or exceeds $10.00 per share.

On December 3, 2014, the Company filed a Certificate of Elimination of the Series A Convertible Preferred Stock (the “Certificate”) with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. The Certificate, which was effective upon filing, canceled the Company’s Series A preferred stock. At the time of filing the Certificate, no shares of Series A preferred stock remained outstanding as a result of the automatic conversion of all outstanding shares into the Company’s common stock due to the fact that the average closing price of the Company’s common stock equaled or exceeded $10.00 per share over a consecutive, trailing 6-month period that ended November 18, 2014.
 
Common Stock Purchase Warrants
 
On October 19, 2007, the Company issued warrants to purchase 3,141,499 shares of common stock in connection with a convertible debentures financing. The warrants consisted of seven-year warrants to purchase 1,495,952 shares of common stock, one-year warrants to purchase 1,495,952 shares of common stock, and five-year warrants to purchase 149,595 shares of common stock. The term for each of the warrants began six months and one day after their respective issuance and each have an exercise price of $3.52 per share. The exercise price and the number of shares underlying the warrants are subject to adjustment for stock dividends and splits, combinations, and reclassifications, certain rights offerings and distributions to common stockholders, and mergers, consolidations, sales of all or substantially all assets, tender offers, exchange offers, reclassifications or compulsory share exchanges. In addition, subject to certain exceptions, the exercise price and number of shares underlying the warrants are subject to anti-dilution adjustments from time to time if the Company issues its common stock or equivalent securities at below the exercise price for the warrants. If, at any time after the earlier of October 19, 2008 and the completion of the then applicable holding period under Rule 144, there is no effective registration statement for the underlying shares of common stock that are then required to be registered, the warrants may be exercised by means of a cashless exercise. Such one-year warrants expired unexercised on April 21, 2009 and such five-year warrants expired unexercised on April 21, 2013. Seven-year warrants to purchase 1,407,855 shares of common stock were exercised during 2014 at exercise prices ranging from $3.5108 to $3.52 per share for total proceeds of $4.9 million. As a result of the cash dividends declared on each share of outstanding common stock and in accordance with the terms of the related warrant agreement, the exercise price per share for each warrant was adjusted from $3.52 per share to $3.5082 per share. In April 2015, the remaining warrants to purchase 88,097 shares of common stock were exercised at $3.5043 per share for total proceeds of $309,000.
 
Dividends
 
The following tables summarize the Company’s cash dividend activity during 2016, 2015 and 2014 (in thousands, except per share data):

Declaration Date
 
Per Common Share
 
Amount
 
Payment Date
October 23, 2016 (special)
 
$
0.35

 
$
3,941

 
November 25, 2016
October 23, 2016
 
0.08

 
901

 
November 25, 2016
July 19, 2016
 
0.07

 
787

 
August 26, 2016
April 21, 2016
 
0.06

 
686

 
May 20, 2016
March 1, 2016
 
0.05

 
576

 
March 24, 2016
Total
 
$
0.61

 
$
6,891

 
 
Declaration Date
 
Per Common Share
 
Amount
 
Payment Date
October 21, 2015
 
$
0.05

 
$
598

 
November 20, 2015
July 28, 2015
 
0.04

 
489

 
August 28, 2015
May 4, 2015
 
0.03

 
372

 
May 29, 2015
February 27, 2015
 
0.02

 
250

 
March 27, 2015
Total
 
$
0.14

 
$
1,709

 
 

 
 
Dividends Per Share
 
 
 
 
Declaration Date
 
Preferred
 
Common
 
Amount
 
Payment Date
November 4, 2014
 
$
0.032

 
$
0.010

 
$
128

 
December 3, 2014
July 29, 2014
 
0.027

 
0.010

 
127

 
August 27, 2014
May 6, 2014
 
0.020

 
0.005

 
62

 
June 4, 2014
March 7, 2014
 
0.815

 
0.005

 
159

 
April 8, 2014
Total
 
$
0.894

 
$
0.030

 
$
476

 
 

 
Payment of any future dividends on shares of common stock will be at the discretion of the Company’s Board of Directors.

Treasury Stock

On January 12, 2016, the Board of Directors authorized an increase to the Company’s stock repurchase program first approved on July 28, 2015 from $15.0 million to $70.0 million. Repurchases are expected to be executed to the extent that the Company’s earnings and cash-on-hand allow, and will be made in accordance with all applicable securities laws and regulations, including Rule 10b-18 of the Exchange Act. For all or a portion of the authorized repurchase amount, the Company may enter into one or more plans that are compliant with Rule 10b5-1 of the Exchange Act that are designed to facilitate these purchases. The stock repurchase program does not require the Company to acquire a specific number of shares, and may be suspended from time to time or discontinued.

During February 2016, pursuant to the stock repurchase program, the Company authorized its broker to proceed with the purchase of shares of the Company’s common stock in the open market. During the year ended December 31, 2016, the Company purchased a total of 903,031 shares of its common stock for an aggregate purchase price of $23.7 million, plus transaction costs. As of December 31, 2016, $32.0 million of the $70.0 million stock repurchase program approved on July 28, 2015 and increased on January 12, 2016 remained available for future purchases, inclusive of related estimated income tax.

On July 28, 2015, the Board of Directors approved a stock repurchase program of up to $15.0 million of the Company’s outstanding shares of common stock. Repurchases are expected to be executed to the extent that the Company’s earnings and cash-on-hand allow, are anticipated to be conducted through December 2016, and will be made in accordance with all applicable securities laws and regulations, including Rule 10b-18 of the Exchange Act.  For all or a portion of the authorized repurchase amount, the Company may enter into one or more plans that are compliant with Rule 10b5-1 of the Exchange Act that are designed to facilitate these purchases.  The repurchase program does not require the Company to acquire a specific number of shares, and may be suspended from time to time or discontinued. In connection therewith, the Company was advised that George K. Broady, a director of the Company and owner of more than 5% of its outstanding shares of common stock, would participate in the stock repurchase program on a basis roughly proportional to his family’s ownership interest. See Note 8.

During August 2015, pursuant to the foregoing stock repurchase program, the Company authorized its broker to proceed with the purchase of shares of the Company’s common stock in the open market for a total purchase price of $3.5 million. The open market repurchases were completed on August 4, 2015. The stock repurchase program, which included both open market purchases and the purchase of shares from Mr. Broady, resulted in the Company purchasing a total of 162,442 shares of its common stock for an aggregate purchase price of $5.0 million, plus transaction costs. During October 2015, the Company authorized its broker to proceed with the purchase of shares of the Company’s common stock in the open market for a total purchase price of $3.6 million. The open market repurchases were completed on October 30, 2015. The stock repurchase program, which included both open market purchases and the purchase of shares from Mr. Broady, resulted in the Company purchasing a total of 106,264 shares of its common stock for an aggregate purchase price of $5.0 million, plus transaction costs.

On May 4, 2015, the Board of Directors approved a separate, prior stock repurchase program of up to $5.0 million of the Company’s outstanding shares of common stock.  In connection therewith, the Company was advised by Mr. Broady that he would participate in the stock repurchase program on a basis roughly proportional to his family’s ownership interest (see Note 8). As such, the Company authorized its broker to proceed with the purchase of shares of the Company’s common stock in the open market for a total purchase price of $3.5 million in accordance with Rules 10b5-1 and 10b-18 under the Exchange Act. The stock repurchase program, which included both open market purchases and the purchase of shares from Mr. Broady, was completed on May 13, 2015, and resulted in the Company purchasing a total of 186,519 shares of its common stock for an aggregate purchase price of $5.0 million, plus transaction costs. 

On January 22, 2015, the Company entered into a stock repurchase agreement with Mr. Broady that provided for the Company’s purchase from Mr. Broady in off-the-market, private transactions of a total of 91,817 shares of the Company’s common stock, which would be purchased at the rate of 5,000 shares each trading day following the date of the agreement until all of such shares were purchased (see Note 8). The shares were purchased at a per share price equal to the closing price per share of the Company’s common stock on the preceding trading day, as reported on the primary market in which the Company’s common stock is publicly traded. The Company’s purchases concluded on February 19, 2015, and resulted in an aggregate purchase price of $1.1 million.
 
On November 4, 2014, the Board of Directors approved a special stock repurchase program of up to $5.0 million of the Company’s outstanding shares of common stock (the “Repurchase Plan”). In connection therewith, the Company was advised that Mr. Broady desired to participate in the Repurchase Plan on a basis roughly proportional to his family’s ownership interest, with an estimate of generating approximately $1.5 million through the sale of a portion of the shares of the Company’s common stock held by him (see Note 8). After noting Mr. Broady’s participation interest, the Company authorized its broker to proceed with the purchase of shares of the Company’s common stock in the open market for a total purchase price of $3.0 million in accordance with Rules 10b5-1 and 10b-18 under the Exchange Act. The Repurchase Plan was completed on December 17, 2014. The Repurchase Plan, which included both open market purchases and the purchase of shares from Mr. Broady, resulted in the Company purchasing a total of 359,840 shares of its common stock for an aggregate purchase price of $4.5 million, plus transaction costs. 
 
On August 13, 2012, the Board of Directors authorized the Company, acting as trustee for certain of its non-officer, overseas employees, to execute a Rule 10b5-1 plan to purchase 100,000 shares of its common stock in accordance with guidelines specified under Rule 10b5-1 of the Exchange Act and the Company’s policies regarding stock transactions.  Pursuant to this authority, the Company, as Trustee, entered into a 10b5-1 plan and began purchasing shares in December 2012. The latest 10b5-1 plan terminated in November 2014 and the Company, as Trustee, has not entered into a new 10b5-1 plan. Se