13. Stock-Based Compensation

Stock Incentive Plans

We maintain stock incentive plans to attract and retain officers, directors and key employees. Stock awards under these plans include both performance and non-performance based stock incentives. As of December 31, 2017, we had outstanding under these plans stock options to acquire 8.8 million shares of our Class A common stock and 2.5 million restricted stock units and awards. Stock options granted on or prior to December 31, 2017 were granted with exercise prices equal to or greater than the market value of our Class A common stock at the date of grant and with a maximum term of approximately ten years. While historically we have issued stock awards subject to vesting, typically at the rate of 20% per year, some stock awards have been granted with immediate vesting and other stock awards vest only upon the achievement of certain company-specific subscriber, operational and/or financial goals. As of December 31, 2017, we had 65.0 million shares of our Class A common stock available for future grant under our stock incentive plans.

Exercise prices for stock options outstanding and exercisable as of December 31, 2017 were as follows:


					Options Outstanding				Options Exercisable
					Number Outstanding as of December 31, 2017	Weighted- Average Remaining Contractual Life	Weighted- Average Exercise Price		Number Exercisable as of December 31, 2017	Weighted- Average Remaining Contractual Life	Weighted- Average Exercise Price
$	—	-	$	10.00	133,400	1.15	$	6.33	133,400	1.15	$	6.33
$	10.01	-	$	20.00	1,232,537	2.49	$	15.37	32,537	2.25	$	15.13
$	20.01	-	$	30.00	1,402,183	3.69	$	27.13	862,183	3.65	$	26.65
$	30.01	-	$	40.00	1,219,586	4.96	$	36.19	257,886	4.75	$	35.06
$	40.01	-	$	50.00	360,800	8.00	$	46.21	67,600	7.39	$	45.89
$	50.01	-	$	60.00	2,910,878	8.40	$	57.55	228,152	6.51	$	57.16
$	60.01	-	$	70.00	1,568,350	8.32	$	64.26	170,850	6.37	$	66.26
$	70.01	-	$	80.00	20,000	2.00	$	72.89	20,000	2.00	$	72.89
$	—	-	$	80.00	8,847,734	6.20	$	43.90	1,772,608	4.35	$	35.13

Stock Award Activity

Our stock option activity was as follows:


	For the Years Ended December 31,
	2017			2016			2015
	Options	Weighted- Average Exercise Price		Options	Weighted- Average Exercise Price		Options	Weighted- Average Exercise Price
Total options outstanding, beginning of period	7,923,009	$	36.21	6,845,685	$	31.13	11,725,823	$	24.51
Granted	3,468,626	$	59.66	1,901,000	$	54.41	452,000	$	69.11
Exercised	(514,401)	$	28.70	(431,092)	$	23.36	(1,884,938)	$	16.15
Forfeited and cancelled	(2,029,500)	$	44.64	(392,584)	$	50.03	(3,447,200)	$	21.78
Total options outstanding, end of period	8,847,734	$	43.90	7,923,009	$	36.21	6,845,685	$	31.13
Performance based options outstanding, end of period (1)	5,490,626	$	42.81	4,312,000	$	31.39	3,904,500	$	28.03
Exercisable at end of period	1,772,608	$	35.13	1,892,809	$	29.97	1,965,585	$	26.82

(1)

These stock options are included in the caption “Total options outstanding, end of period.” See discussion of the 2008 LTIP, 2013 LTIP, 2017 LTIP and Other Employee Performance Awards below.

We realized tax benefits from stock awards exercised as follows:


	For the Years Ended December 31,
	2017		2016		2015
	(In thousands)
Tax benefit from stock awards exercised	$	9,347	$	5,006	$	33,716

Based on the closing market price of our Class A common stock on December 31, 2017, the aggregate intrinsic value of our stock options was as follows:


	As of December 31, 2017
	Options Outstanding		Options Exercisable
		(In thousands)
Aggregate intrinsic value	$	88,990	$	28,175

Our restricted stock unit and award activity was as follows:


	For the Years Ended December 31,
	2017			2016			2015
	Restricted Stock Units/Awards	Weighted- Average Grant Date Fair Value		Restricted Stock Units/Awards	Weighted- Average Grant Date Fair Value		Restricted Stock Units/Awards	Weighted- Average Grant Date Fair Value
Total restricted stock units/awards outstanding, beginning of period	1,336,000	$	32.11	1,382,250	$	32.01	1,798,331	$	32.31
Granted	1,871,375	$	63.87	67,060	$	56.35	62,530	$	68.79
Vested	(14,845)	$	62.58	(60)	$	49.15	(125,280)	$	63.92
Forfeited and cancelled	(707,810)	$	48.59	(113,250)	$	45.12	(353,331)	$	28.76
Total restricted stock units/awards outstanding, end of period	2,484,720	$	51.16	1,336,000	$	32.11	1,382,250	$	32.01
Restricted Performance Units/Awards outstanding, end of period (1)	2,435,500	$	50.91	1,336,000	$	32.11	1,382,250	$	32.01

(1)

These stock options are included in the caption “Total restricted stock units/awards outstanding, end of period.” See discussion of the 2008 LTIP, 2013 LTIP, 2017 LTIP and Other Employee Performance Awards below.

Long-Term Performance-Based Plans

2008 LTIP. During 2008, we adopted a long-term, performance-based stock incentive plan (the “2008 LTIP”). The 2008 LTIP provided stock options and restricted stock units, either alone or in combination, which vested based on company-specific subscriber and financial goals. As of June 30, 2013, 100% of the eligible 2008 LTIP awards had vested.

2013 LTIP. During 2013, we adopted a long-term, performance-based stock incentive plan (the “2013 LTIP”). The 2013 LTIP provides stock options and restricted stock units in combination, which vest based on company-specific subscriber and financial goals. Exercise of the stock awards is contingent on achieving these goals by September 30, 2022.

Although no awards vest until the Company attains the performance goals, compensation related to the 2013 LTIP will be recorded based on management’s assessment of the probability of meeting the remaining goals. If the remaining goals are probable of being achieved, we will begin recognizing the associated non-cash, stock-based compensation expense on our Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) over the estimated period to achieve the goal.

During the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, 2013, we determined that 30%, 10% and 20%, respectively, of the 2013 LTIP performance goals were probable of achievement. During the year ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, no additional 2013 LTIP performance goals were deemed probable of achievement. As a result, we recorded non-cash, stock-based compensation expense for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, as indicated in the table below titled “Non-Cash, Stock-Based Compensation Expense Recognized.” As of December 31, 2017, approximately 20% of the 2013 LTIP awards had vested.

2017 LTIP. On December 2, 2016, we adopted a long-term, performance-based stock incentive plan (the “2017 LTIP”). The 2017 LTIP provides stock options, which vest based on company-specific subscriber and financial goals. Awards were initially granted under the 2017 LTIP as of January 1, 2017. Exercise of the stock awards is contingent on achieving these goals by December 31, 2020.

Although no awards vest until the Company attains the performance goals, compensation related to the 2017 LTIP will be recorded based on management’s assessment of the probability of meeting the performance goals. If the performance goals are probable of being achieved, we will begin recognizing the associated non-cash, stock-based compensation expense on our Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) over the estimated period to achieve the goal.

During the year ended December 31, 2017, we determined that 75% of the 2017 LTIP performance goals were probable of achievement. As a result, we recorded non-cash, stock-based compensation expense for the year ended December 31, 2017, as indicated in the table below titled “Non-Cash, Stock-Based Compensation Expense Recognized.”

Other Employee Performance Awards. In addition to the above long-term, performance stock incentive plans, we have other stock awards that vest based on certain other company-specific subscriber, operational and/or financial goals. Exercise of these stock awards is contingent on achieving certain performance goals.

Additional compensation related to these awards will be recorded based on management’s assessment of the probability of meeting the remaining performance goals. If the remaining goals are probable of being achieved, we will begin recognizing the associated non-cash, stock-based compensation expense on our Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) over the estimated period to achieve the goal. See the table below titled “Estimated Remaining Non-Cash, Stock-Based Compensation Expense.”

Although no awards vest until the performance goals are attained, we determined that certain goals were probable of achievement and, as a result, recorded non-cash, stock-based compensation expense for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, as indicated in the table below titled “Non-Cash, Stock-Based Compensation Expense Recognized.”

Given the competitive nature of our business, small variations in subscriber churn, gross new subscriber activation rates and certain other factors can significantly impact subscriber growth. Consequently, while it was determined that achievement of certain other company-specific subscriber, operational and/or financial goals was not probable as of December 31, 2017, that assessment could change in the future.

The non-cash, stock-based compensation expense associated with these awards was as follows:


	For the Years Ended December 31,
Non-Cash, Stock-Based Compensation Expense Recognized	2017		2016		2015
		(In thousands)
2017 LTIP	$	10,640	$	—	$	—
2013 LTIP (1)		(321)		2,565		10,157
Other employee performance awards		7,549		1,424		1,694
Total non-cash, stock-based compensation expense recognized for performance based awards	$	17,868	$	3,989	$	11,851

(1)

“Non-Cash, Stock-Based Compensation Expense Recognized” includes forfeitures.


Estimated Remaining Non-Cash, Stock-Based Compensation Expense	2017 LTIP		2013 LTIP		Other Employee Performance Awards
				(In thousands)
Expense estimated to be recognized during 2018	$	8,271	$	1,974	$	17,946
Estimated contingent expense subsequent to 2018		18,694		39,234		123,655
Total estimated remaining expense over the term of the plan	$	26,965	$	41,208	$	141,601

Of the 8.8 million stock options and 2.5 million restricted stock units and awards outstanding under our stock incentive plans as of December 31, 2017, the following awards were outstanding pursuant to our performance-based stock incentive plans:


	As of December 31, 2017
Performance Based Stock Options	Number of Awards	Weighted- Average Grant Price
2017 LTIP	2,545,626	$	59.38
2013 LTIP	1,205,000	$	41.78
Other employee performance awards	1,740,000	$	19.27
Total	5,490,626	$	42.81

Restricted Performance Units/Awards
2013 LTIP	602,500
Other employee performance awards	1,833,000
Total	2,435,500

Stock-Based Compensation

Total non-cash, stock-based compensation expense for all of our employees is shown in the following table for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015 and was allocated to the same expense categories as the base compensation for such employees:


	For the Years Ended December 31,
	2017		2016		2015
	(In thousands)
Subscriber-related	$	3,323	$	694	$	2,164
General and administrative		26,618		12,343		17,035
Total non-cash, stock-based compensation	$	29,941	$	13,037	$	19,199

As of December 31, 2017, our total unrecognized compensation cost related to our non-performance based unvested stock awards was $22 million and will be recognized over a weighted-average period of approximately two years. Share-based compensation expense is recognized based on stock awards ultimately expected to vest.

Valuation

The fair value of each stock option granted for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015 was estimated at the date of the grant using a Black-Scholes option valuation model with the following assumptions:


	For the Years Ended December 31,
Stock Options	2017							2016							2015
Risk-free interest rate		1.34	%	-		2.29	%		1.06	%	-		2.27	%		1.40	%	-		2.19	%
Volatility factor		22.25	%	-		26.15	%		26.12	%	-		33.37	%		26.42	%	-		36.22	%
Expected term of options in years		3.8		-		5.5			5.4		-		10.0			5.5		-		7.8
Weighted-average fair value of options granted	$	11.95		-	$	16.69		$	12.45		-	$	26.86		$	16.14		-	$	29.73

While we currently do not intend to declare dividends on our common stock, we may elect to do so from time to time.

Accordingly, the dividend yield percentage used in the Black-Scholes option valuation model was set at zero for all periods. The Black-Scholes option valuation model was developed for use in estimating the fair value of traded stock options which have no vesting restrictions and are fully transferable. Consequently, our estimate of fair value may differ from other valuation models. Further, the Black-Scholes option valuation model requires the input of highly subjective assumptions. Changes in these subjective input assumptions can materially affect the fair value estimate.

We will continue to evaluate the assumptions used to derive the estimated fair value of our stock options as new events or changes in circumstances become known.