14.   Share repurchase program

On March 10, 2016, the Company announced that the Board of Directors authorized a share repurchase program (the 2016 Share Repurchase Program) pursuant to which the Company could repurchase up to $425,000 of the Company’s common stock. The 2016 Share Repurchase Program authorization revoked the previously authorized, but unused amounts of $172,386 from the earlier share repurchase program. The 2016 Share Repurchase Program did not have an expiration date but provided for suspension or discontinuation at any time.

As part of the 2016 Share Repurchase Program, the Company entered into an Accelerated Share Repurchase (ASR) agreement with Goldman, Sachs & Co. to repurchase $200,000 of the Company’s common stock. Under the ASR agreement, the Company paid $200,000 to Goldman, Sachs & Co. and received an initial delivery of 852 shares in the first quarter of fiscal 2016, which were retired and represented 80% of the total shares the Company expected to receive based on the market price at the time of the initial delivery. In May 2016, the ASR settled and an additional 153 shares were delivered to the Company and retired. The final number of shares delivered upon settlement was determined with reference to the average price of the Company’s common stock over the term of the agreement. The transaction was accounted for as an equity transaction. The par value of shares received was recorded as a reduction to common stock with the remainder recorded as a reduction to additional paid-in capital and retained earnings. Upon receipt of the shares, there was an immediate reduction in the weighted average common shares calculation for basic and diluted earnings per share.

On March 9, 2017, the Company announced that the Board of Directors authorized a new share repurchase program (the 2017 Share Repurchase Program) pursuant to which the Company could repurchase up to $425,000 of the Company’s common stock. The 2017 Share Repurchase Program authorization revoked the previously authorized but unused amount of $79,863 from the 2016 Share Repurchase Program. The 2017 Share Repurchase Program did not have an expiration date but provided for suspension or discontinuation at any time.

During fiscal 2015, the Company purchased 1,034 shares of common stock for $167,396. During fiscal 2016, excluding the shares repurchased under the ASR, the Company purchased 634 shares of common stock for $144,275. During fiscal 2017, the Company purchased 1,504 shares of common stock for $367,581.