10.  DIVIDENDS TO SHAREHOLDERS

The Company declared dividends of $10,273, $10,757, and $12,018 to shareholders in 2017, 2016, and 2015, respectively.

The Company declared the following regular quarterly dividends to shareholders during 2017, 2016 and 2015. The Company has historically declared the regular quarterly dividends to shareholders of record on the last day of the respective quarter, paid on the 15^th day of each month following the date of declaration.  Beginning in the third quarter of 2017, the Company declared the regular quarterly dividends to shareholders of record on the 5^th day following the respective quarter, paid on the 20^th day of each month following the date of declaration.

In addition to the regular quarterly dividends, the Company declared shared distribution cash dividends in 2017, 2016 and 2015, equal to $0.02, $0.04 and $0.09, respectively.  The 2017 dividend was paid on March 31, 2017, to shareholders of record on March 15, 2017, the 2016 dividend was paid on March 31, 2016, to shareholders of record on March 15, 2016, and the 2015 dividend was paid on March 31, 2015, to shareholders of record as of March 15, 2015.  The shared distribution was introduced in 2008 as a way to reward both shareholders and employees when the Company has a successful year.