R. Scott Turicchi
President
I think the best way to think about it is sort of what we did a little over a year ago. First of all, from a pure rate of return standpoint, the M&A yields, I mean at the stock very well level. This may not be true, but anywhere, from where the stock has been, even when it hit a low of 13 sometime in Q4 of '07. We're generating higher cash on cash returns on the M&A, because they're yielding the way we're buying them, in excess of 20% after-tax cash-on-cash returns, you can figure out the yield based upon a spot stock price of what it would be. I think last year, we bought five million shares at 21.5, given that then free cash flow characteristics, we got about 12 yield by now, And although, it didn't look so good in Q4, that clearly has performed over the course of the last year. So one framework is where we're going to get the best yield. And the best yield has historically come from the M&A and we believe that continues to be the case. Now, we're realistic that there's not a lot of large things for us to buy. And so, as occurred in '06 and '07, if we can see the pile of cash, because we can't support enough in either a single deal or a series of deals, then I think you start to look at, okay where can I get better yields, because obviously giving in a 0.5% on a 180 million is not very exciting. And so whether the spot yield is a high single digit or a low double digit that certainly becomes on a relative basis more interesting. Now, I don't think where that level yet. The last time we made this decision we had 230 million in cash in our balance sheet, not 180. So the implication, I think, is even if we do no M&A, its still a couple quarters out before we would probably seriously grapple with that question and remain hopeful that between now and a couple of quarters out we'll print that cash to working M&A because I think it not only gives the better yield but also helps to build the overall company through brands, customers, technology and people.