BASIC AND DILUTED SHARES
The reconciliation of basic to diluted weighted-average common shares outstanding was as follows:
 Years Ended March 31,
 202520242023
Basic151,992,000 155,225,000 159,023,000 
Dilutive effect of equity awards678,000 1,060,000 1,088,000 
Diluted152,670,000 156,285,000 160,111,000 
Excluded
RSUs9,000 16,000 20,000 
LTIP PSUs155,000 291,000 453,000 
Deferred Non-Employee Director Equity Awards2,000 3,000 11,000 

Excluded Awards. The equity awards excluded from the calculation of the dilutive effect may be excluded due to one of the following: (1) the shares were antidilutive or (2) the necessary conditions had not been satisfied for the shares to be deemed issuable based on the Company’s performance for the relevant performance period. The number of shares stated for each of these excluded awards is the maximum number of shares issuable pursuant to these awards. For those awards subject to the achievement of performance criteria, the actual number of shares to be issued pursuant to such awards will be based on Company performance in future periods, net of forfeitures, and may be materially lower than the number of shares presented, which could result in a lower dilutive effect. Refer to Note 8, “Stock-Based Compensation,” for further information on the Company’s equity incentive plans.

About Earnings Per Share Disclosures

The earnings per share disclosure breaks down the calculation from net income to both basic and diluted EPS, revealing the full impact of a company's capital structure on per-share economics. The reconciliation between basic and diluted share counts exposes how many stock options, RSUs, convertible securities, and warrants are potentially dilutive to existing shareholders.

Key signals: a widening gap between basic and diluted shares indicates growing dilution from equity compensation or convertible instruments. Anti-dilutive securities excluded from the diluted calculation deserve attention — they represent latent dilution that will materialize if the stock price rises. Watch for the effect of share buybacks on per-share metrics: EPS growth driven primarily by repurchases rather than income growth signals weakening fundamentals. Compare year-over-year changes in the diluted share count against equity compensation expense to assess whether management is effectively managing dilution.