56 Eme r s on 2013 Ann u al R e por t emerson electric co subsidiaries Y e a r s e n d e d S e p t e m b e r 3 0 D o l l a r s i n m i l l i o ns e x ce p t p e r s h a r e a m o u n t s o r w h e r e n o t e d 2013 2012 2011 Summary of Net sales 24669 24412 24222 Operations Gross profit 9952 9768 9557 Interest expense 218 241 246 Earnings from continuing operations common stockholders 2004 a 1968 a 2454 Percent of net sales 81 81 101 Net earnings common stockholders 200 4 a 1968 a 2480 Operating cash flow 3649 3053 3233 Return on common stockholders equity 192 a 190 a 246 Per Share of Diluted EPS Earnings from continuing operations 276 a 267 a 324 Common Stock Diluted EPS Net earnings 276 a 267 a 327 Cash dividends 164 160 138 Book value 1498 1422 1407 YearEnd Operating working capital 1686 2132 1705 Financial Percent of net sales 68 87 70 Position Property plant and equipment net 3605 3509 3437 Total assets 24711 23818 23861 Longterm debt 4055 3787 4324 Common stockholders equity 10585 10295 10399 Total debt to total capital 348 340 333 Net debt to net capital 183 221 232 Other Data Capital expenditures 678 665 647 Depreciation 521 505 522 Total taxes including income taxes 1821 1745 1774 Salaries and wages 4967 4856 4583 Average number of employees 131600 134900 133200 Approximate number of common stockholders of record at year end 21898 22960 23765 Average common shares diluted in thousands 722912 734618 753489 Note All share and per share data refect the 2007 twoforone stock split See Note 3 for information regarding the Companys acquisition and divestiture activities fo r the last three years In 2010 the Company acquired Chloride Group PLC and Avocent Corporation At acquisition the combined annual sales for these bus inesses were approximately 960 and actual sales of 373 were included in 2010 from their dates of acquisition The divested US Motors business with ann ual sales of approximately 820 was classifed as discontinued operations in 2009 and 2010 a 2013 includes goodwill impairment and income tax charges totaling 566 aftertax 0 78 per share 2012 includes a goodwill impairment charge of 528 aftertax 072 per share ele ven ye ar s ummar y