guarantees. As of December 31, 2017, there were approximately $17.9 million of guarantees outstanding and the longest term guarantee extends through August 2018.
The Company also guarantees the payment of principal, interest and other amounts payable on the 7.15% notes issued by Granite State. As of December 31, 2017, the principal amount outstanding for the 7.15% Granite State notes was $3.3 million.
Note 6: Equity
The Company has common stock outstanding and one of our subsidiaries has preferred stock outstanding. Details regarding these forms of capitalization follow:
Common Stock
The Company’s common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “UTL”. The Company had 14,065,230 and 14,815,585 shares of common stock outstanding at December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2017, respectively. The Company has 25,000,000 shares of common stock authorized as of December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2017.
Unitil Corporation Common Stock Offering—On December 14, 2017, the Company issued and sold 690,000 shares of its common stock at a price of $48.30 per share in a registered public offering (Offering). The Company’s net increase to Common Equity and Cash proceeds from the Offering was approximately $31.7 million and was used to make equity capital contributions to the Company’s regulated utility subsidiaries, repay short-term debt and for general corporate purposes.
Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan—During 2017, the Company sold 26,256 shares of its common stock, at an average price of $47.71 per share, in connection with its Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan (DRP) and its 401(k) plans resulting in net proceeds of $1.3 million. The DRP provides participants in the plan a method for investing cash dividends on the Company’s common stock and cash payments in additional shares of the Company’s common stock. During 2016 and 2015, the Company raised $1.3 million and $1.3 million, respectively, through the issuance of 32,095 and 36,265 shares, respectively, of its common stock in connection with its DRP and 401(k) plans.
Common Shares Repurchased, Cancelled and Retired—Pursuant to the written trading plan under Rule10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act), adopted by the Company on May 1, 2014, the Company may periodically repurchase shares of its common stock on the open market related to Employee Length of Service Awards and the stock portion of the Directors’ annual retainer. (See Part II, Item 5, for additional information). During 2017, 2016 and 2015, the Company repurchased 1,686, 1,949 and 1,981 shares of its common stock, respectively, pursuant to the Rule10b5-1 trading plan. The expense recognized by the Company for these repurchases was $0.1 million, $0.1 million and $0.1 million in 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.
During 2017, 2016 and 2015, the Company did not cancel or retire any of its common stock.
Stock-Based Compensation Plans—Unitil maintains a stock plan. The Company accounts for its stock-based compensation plan in accordance with the provisions of the FASB Codification and measures compensation costs at fair value at the date of grant. Details of the plan are as follows:
Stock Plan—The Company maintains the Unitil Corporation Second Amended and Restated 2003 Stock Plan (the Stock Plan). Participants in the Stock Plan are selected by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors to receive awards under the Stock Plan, including awards of restricted shares (Restricted Shares), or of restricted stock units (Restricted Stock Units). The Compensation Committee has the authority to determine the sizes of awards; determine the terms and conditions of awards in a manner consistent with the Stock Plan; construe and interpret the Stock Plan and any agreement or instrument entered into under the Stock Plan as they apply to participants; establish, amend, or waive rules and regulations for the Stock Plan’s administration as they apply to participants; and, subject to the provisions of the Stock Plan, amend the terms and conditions of any outstanding award to the extent such terms and
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