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Equity Compensation, Employment Agreements and other Benefit Plans
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2024
Compensation Related Costs [Abstract]  
Equity Compensation, Employment Agreements and other Benefit Plans Equity Compensation, Employment Agreements and other Benefit Plans
On June 14, 2023, the Board of Directors recommended and shareholders approved, the Chimera Investment Corporation 2023 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). It authorized the issuance of up to 6,666,667 shares of our common stock for the grant of awards under the Plan (adjusted on a retroactive basis to reflect the Company's 1-for-3-reverse stock split effected on May 21, 2024). The Plan replaced our 2007 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended and restated effective December 10, 2015 (the “Prior Plan”), and no new awards will be granted under the Prior Plan. Any awards outstanding under the Prior Plan will remain subject to and be paid under the Prior Plan. Any shares subject to outstanding awards under the Prior Plan that expire, terminate, or are surrendered or forfeited for any reason without issuance of shares will automatically become available for issuance under the Plan. Also, shares withheld for tax withholding requirements after stockholder approval of the Plan for full value awards originally granted under the Prior Plan (such as the RSUs and PSUs awarded to our named executive officers) will automatically become available for issuance under the Plan.

As of September 30, 2024, approximately 6 million shares were available for future grant under the Plan.

Awards under the Plan may include stock options, stock appreciation rights (“SARs”), restricted stock, dividend equivalent rights (“DERs”) and other share-based awards (including RSUs). Under the Plan, any of these awards may be performance awards that are conditioned on the attainment of performance goals.

The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company has approved a Stock Award Deferral Program, or the Deferral Program. Under the Deferral Program, non-employee directors and certain executive officers can elect to defer payment of certain stock awards made pursuant to the Incentive Plan. Deferred awards are treated as deferred stock units and paid at the earlier of separation from service or a date elected by the participant who is separating. Payments are generally made in a lump sum or, if elected by the participant, in five annual installments. Deferred awards receive dividend equivalents during the deferral period in the form of additional deferred stock units. Amounts are paid at the end of the deferral period by delivery of shares from the Incentive Plan (plus cash for any fractional deferred stock units), less any applicable tax withholdings. Deferral elections do not alter any vesting requirements applicable to the underlying stock award. At September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, there are approximately 105 thousand and 343 thousand shares for which payments have been deferred until separation or a date elected by the participant, respectively. At September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, there are approximately 209 thousand and 378 thousand dividend equivalent rights earned but not yet delivered, respectively.

Grants of Restricted Stock Units, or RSUs

The Company did not grant any RSUs during the quarters ended September 30, 2024 and 2023. During the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, the Company granted RSU awards to senior management. These RSU awards are designed to reward employees of the Company for services provided to the Company. Generally, the RSU awards vest equally over a three-year period and will fully vest after three years. For employees who are retirement eligible, defined as years of service to the Company plus age that is equal to or greater than 65, the service period is considered to be fulfilled and all grants are expensed immediately. The RSU awards are valued at the market price of the Company’s common stock on the grant date and generally the employees must be employed by the Company on the vesting dates to receive the RSU awards. The Company granted 240 thousand RSU awards during the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2024 with a grant date fair value of $4 million for the 2023 performance year. The Company granted 273 thousand RSU awards during the nine months ended September 30, 2023 with a grant date fair value of $5 million for the 2023 performance year.

Grants of Performance Share Units, or PSUs
PSU awards are designed to align compensation with the Company’s future performance. The PSU awards granted during the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, include a three-year performance period ending on December 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, respectively. For the PSU awards granted during the nine months ended September 30, 2024, and 2023, the final number of shares awarded will be between 0% and 200% of the PSUs granted based equally on the Company Economic Return and share price performance compared to a peer group. The Company’s three-year Company Economic Return is equal to the Company’s change in book value per common share plus common stock dividends. Share price performance equals change in share price plus common stock dividends. Compensation expense will be recognized on a straight-line basis over the three-year vesting period based on an estimate of the Company Economic Return and share price performance in relation to the entities in the peer group and will be adjusted each period based on the Company’s best estimate of the actual number of shares awarded. The Company did not grant any PSU awards during the quarters ended September 30, 2024 and 2023. For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Company granted 179 thousand PSU awards to senior management with a grant date fair value of $3 million. For the nine months ended September 30, 2023, the Company granted 202 thousand PSU awards to senior management with a grant date fair value of $3 million.
The Company recognized stock-based compensation expense of $2 million and $7 million for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2024. The Company recognized stock-based compensation expense of $2 million and $6 million for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2023.
The Company also maintains a qualified 401(k) plan. The plan is a retirement savings plan that allows eligible employees to contribute a portion of their wages on a tax-deferred basis under Section 401(k) of the Code. Employees may contribute, through payroll deductions, up to $22,500 if under the age of 50 years and an additional $7,500 “catch-up” contribution for employees 50 years or older. The Company matches 100% of the first 6% of the eligible compensation deferred by employee contributions. The employer funds the 401(k) matching contributions in the form of cash, and participants may direct the Company match to an investment of their choice. The benefit of the Company’s contributions vests immediately. Generally, a participating employee is entitled to distributions from the plans upon termination of employment, retirement, death or disability. The 401(k) expenses related to the Company’s qualified plan for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2024 was $109 thousand and $392 thousand, respectively. The 401(k) expenses related to the Company’s qualified plan for the quarters and nine months ended September 30, 2023 was $96 thousand and $353 thousand, respectively.