Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

INCOME TAXES

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INCOME TAXES
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
INCOME TAXES [Abstract]  
INCOME TAXES
13. INCOME TAXES

We file an income tax return in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and a margin tax return in Texas. Tax returns for the years 2010 through 2013 remain open for examination in various tax jurisdictions in which we operate.  As of March 31, 2015, and December 31, 2014, we recognized no material adjustments in connection with uncertain tax positions.  The effective tax rate varies from the federal statutory rate of 35% primarily as a result of state tax expense and stock option based compensation offset by the manufacturing deduction. The increase in the effective tax rate for the first quarter of 2015, compared with the first quarter of 2014, was primarily attributable to exercise and grants of employee stock options.