Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

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SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
 12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012
SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY [Abstract]  
SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
8.
SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY:

The authorized common stock of the Company consists of 70,000,000 shares of Class A Common Stock, $1 par value.

The Company has a stock repurchase program. As of September 30, 2011, the Company's Board of Directors had authorized the repurchase of a total of 2,500,000 shares of Matthews' common stock under the program, of which 2,169,470 shares had been repurchased. In November 2011, the Company's Board of Directors approved the continuation of its stock repurchase program and increased the total authorization for stock repurchases by an additional 2,500,000 shares. As a result, as of September 30, 2012, the Company had a total available repurchase authorization of 1,814,651 shares. The buy-back program is designed to increase shareholder value, enlarge the Company's holdings of its common stock, and add to earnings per share. Repurchased shares may be retained in treasury, utilized for acquisitions, or reissued to employees or other purchasers, subject to the restrictions of the Company's Restated Articles of Incorporation.

Comprehensive income consists of net income adjusted for changes, net of any related income tax effect, in cumulative foreign currency translation, the fair value of derivatives, unrealized investment gains and losses and minimum pension liability.

Accumulated other comprehensive loss at September 30, 2012 and 2011 consisted of the following:

   
2012
    
2011
  
Cumulative foreign currency translation
   $ (65 )   $ 1,830  
Fair value of derivatives, net of tax of $3,562 and $2,793, respectively
     (5,571 )     (4,368 )
Minimum pension liability, net of tax of $37,777 and $35,650, respectively
     (59,447 )     (56,120 )
    $ (65,083 )   $ (58,658 )