Forward Air Corporation Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Cover
- Document And Entity Information
Financial Statements
Notes to Financial Statements
Notes Tables
Notes Details

Share-Based Payments - Employee Activity Performance Shares (Details)

v2.4.0.6

Share-Based Payments - Employee Activity Performance Shares (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based compensation expense	$ 1,606	$ 1,443
Key Employee Performance Share Based Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Period of Share Price Performance Comparison to Peer Group	3 years
Minimum percentage of peer group by which Company share price must outperform before incremental performance shares are issued	30.00%
Percentage of Peer Group By Which Company Share Price Must Outperform Before Maximum Incremental Shares Are Issued	90.00%
Expected Stock Price Volatility Rate	40.80%	47.70%
Weighted Average Risk Free Interest Rate	0.40%	1.40%
Outstanding and non-vested, beginning of period (in shares)	38
Grants in Period	24
Outstanding and non-vested, end of period (in shares)	62
Outstanding and non-vested, weighted-average grant date fair value, beginning of period	$ 30
Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$ 45
Outstanding and non-vested, weighted-average grant date fair value, end of period	$ 36
Outstanding and non-vested, aggregate grant date fair value	2,205
Share-based compensation expense	147	53
Tax benefit related to share-based expense	57	21
Unrecognized share-based compensation, net of estimated forfeitures	$ 1,724	$ 1,164

- Definition

Minimum percentage of peer group by which Company share price must outperform before incremental performance shares are issued.

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Percentage of Peer Group By Which Company Share Price Must Outperform Before Maximum Incremental Shares Are Issued

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Period of years over which share price performance is compared to share price performance of a selected peer group.

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Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Outstanding, Total Grant Date Fair Value

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- Definition

Represents the expense recognized during the period arising from equity-based compensation arrangements (for example, shares of stock, unit, stock options or other equity instruments) with employees, directors and certain consultants qualifying for treatment as employees.

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As of the balance sheet date, the aggregate unrecognized cost of equity-based awards made to employees under equity-based compensation awards that have yet to vest.

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The total recognized tax benefit related to compensation cost for equity-based payment arrangements recognized in income during the period.

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- Definition

The number of grants made during the period on other than stock (or unit) option plans (for example, phantom stock or unit plan, stock or unit appreciation rights plan, performance target plan).

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The weighted average fair value at grant date for nonvested equity-based awards issued during the period on other than stock (or unit) option plans (for example, phantom stock or unit plan, stock or unit appreciation rights plan, performance target plan).

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The number of non-vested equity-based payment instruments, excluding stock (or unit) options, that validly exist and are outstanding as of the balance sheet date.

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- Definition

The weighted average fair value of nonvested awards on equity-based plans excluding option plans (for example, phantom stock or unit plan, stock or unit appreciation rights plan, revenue or profit achievement stock award plan) for which the employer is contingently obligated to issue equity instruments or transfer assets to an employee who has not yet satisfied service or performance criteria necessary to gain title to proceeds from the sale of the award or underlying shares or units.

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- Definition

The estimated measure of the percentage by which a share price is expected to fluctuate during a period. Volatility also may be defined as a probability-weighted measure of the dispersion of returns about the mean. The volatility of a share price is the standard deviation of the continuously compounded rates of return on the share over a specified period. That is the same as the standard deviation of the differences in the natural logarithms of the stock prices plus dividends, if any, over the period.

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The risk-free interest rate assumption that is used in valuing an option on its own shares.

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