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Earnings per Share. Basic earnings per share represents net earnings divided by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the year. Diluted earnings per share reflect additional common shares that would have been outstanding if dilutive potential common shares had been issued, as well as any adjustment to earnings that would result from the assumed issuance. Potential common shares that may be issued by the Company relate solely to outstanding stock options and are determined using the treasury stock method using the average market price of the Company’s stock for the respective periods. The diluted earnings per share computation for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010 excludes unexercised stock options of 65,915, 500,591 and 448,291, respectively, because their inclusion would have been anti-dilutive to earnings per share. 

The shares used in the calculation of basic and diluted earnings per share, which have been adjusted to give effect to the 5% common stock dividends paid by the Company in December 2012, 2011 and 2010, are shown below: 

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Derivative Financial Instruments. The Company is exposed to market risk, primarily relating to changes in interest rates. To manage the volatility relating to these exposures, the Company’s risk management policies permit its use of derivative financial instruments. The Company uses derivatives on a limited basis mainly to stabilize interest rate margins. The Company more often manages normal asset and liability positions by altering the terms of the products it offers. 

GAAP requires that all derivative financial instruments be recorded on the balance sheet at fair value. Derivatives that qualify in a hedging relationship can be designated, based on the exposure being hedged, as fair value or cash flow hedges. Under the cash flow hedging model, the effective portion of the change in the gain or loss related to the derivative is recognized as a component of other comprehensive income, net of taxes. The ineffective portion is recognized in current earnings. The Company had no derivative financial instruments designated as hedging instruments as of December 31, 2012 and 2011. 

The Company enters into interest rate lock commitments on certain mortgage loans, which are commitments to originate fixed rate one-to-four family residential real estate loans. The Company also has corresponding forward sales contracts related to these interest rate lock commitments. Both the mortgage loan commitments and the related forward sales contracts are accounted for as derivatives and carried at fair value with changes in fair value recorded in gains on sales of loans. Fair values are based upon quoted prices, and fair value measurements of interest rate commitments include the value of loan servicing rights. 

The Company may enter into interest rate swap transactions with loan customers. The interest rate risk on these swap transactions is managed by entering into offsetting interest rate swap agreements with various unaffiliated counterparties (“broker-dealers”). Both customer and broker-dealer related interest rate swaps are accounted for as derivatives and carried at fair value. 

Newly Adopted Accounting Pronouncements. The Company adopted ASU No. 2011-02, Receivables (Topic 310): A Creditor’s Determination of Whether a Restructuring Is a Troubled Debt Restructuring. ASU 2011-02 clarifies which loan modifications constitute TDRs and is intended to assist creditors in determining whether a modification of the terms of a receivable meets the criteria to be considered a TDR, both for purposes of recording an impairment loss and for disclosure of TDRs. In evaluating whether a restructuring constitutes a TDR, a creditor must separately conclude, under the guidance clarified by ASU 2011-02, that the restructuring constitutes a concession and the debtor is experiencing financial difficulties. During the third quarter of 2011 the Company began applying the provisions in ASU No. 2011-02 and 

