11. Earnings Per Share

Basic earnings per share represents net income divided by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted earnings per share represents net income divided by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding, inclusive of the effect of dilutive securities, such as outstanding SARs, stock units, and convertible notes.

There were an aggregate of 1.1 million and 1.9 million of equity grants, consisting of SARs and stock units, that were outstanding during the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively, but were not included in the computation of diluted earnings per share because their effect would be anti-dilutive or the performance condition of the award had not been satisfied.

For the 2024 Convertible Notes, the Company has the intent and ability to settle the principal amount in cash and intends to settle the conversion feature for the amount above the conversion price, or the conversion spread, in common shares. The Company uses the treasury stock method for calculating any potential dilutive effect of the conversion spread on diluted earnings per share, if applicable. The conversion spread will have a dilutive impact on diluted earnings per share when the average market price of the Company’s common shares for a given period exceeds the conversion price of the 2024 Convertible Notes. For the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020, the 2024 Convertible Notes have been excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share, as the effect would be anti-dilutive since the conversion price of the 2024 Convertible Notes exceeded the average market price of the Company’s common shares for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020. The initial conversion rate and conversion price for the 2024 Convertible Notes are described further in Note 4, Long-Term Debt.

See Note 10, Shareholders’ Deficit, for a discussion of how common shares repurchased by the Company’s indirect wholly-owned subsidiary are treated under U.S. GAAP.