Stockholders' Equity

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]

Stockholders' Equity

STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

Preferred Stock

Our board of directors is authorized to divide the preferred stock into series and, with respect to each series, to determine the preferences and rights and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of the series, including the dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, redemption rights and terms, liquidation preferences, sinking fund provisions, the number of shares constituting the series, and the designation of such series. Our board of directors may, without stockholder approval, issue additional preferred stock of existing or new series with voting and other rights that could adversely affect the voting power of the holders of common stock and could have certain anti-takeover effects.

In February 2014, our board of directors authorized 13,000,000 shares of Tracking Stock with a par value of $0.001 per share, of which 6,290,499 shares were issued to DISH Network on March 1, 2014. Following the consummation of the Share Exchange, we no longer operate our former EchoStar Technologies businesses, the Tracking Stock was retired and is no longer outstanding, and all agreements, arrangements and policy statements with respect to the Tracking Stock terminated. See Note 20 for additional information about the Share Exchange.

Common Stock

Our Class A, Class B, and Class C common stock are equivalent except for voting rights. Holders of Class A and Class C common stock are entitled to one vote per share and holders of Class B common stock are entitled to 10 votes per share. Upon a change in control of the Company, each holder of outstanding shares of Class C common stock is entitled to 10 votes for each share of Class C common stock held. Each share of Class B and Class C common stock is convertible, at the option of the holder, into one share of Class A common stock. Our principal stockholder and certain entities established by him for the benefit of his family own all outstanding Class B common stock. There are no shares of Class C common stock outstanding.

Any holder of Class D common stock is not entitled to a vote on any matter or to convert the shares of Class D common stock into any other class of common stock. There are no shares of Class D common stock outstanding.

Each share of common stock is entitled to receive its pro rata share, based upon the number of shares of common stock held, of dividends and distributions upon liquidation.

Common Stock Repurchase Program

Pursuant to a stock repurchase program approved by our board of directors on October 30, 2018, we are authorized to repurchase up to $500 million of our outstanding shares of Class A common stock through and including December 31, 2019. For the year ended December 31, 2018, we repurchased 952,603 shares of our common stock at an average price per share of $34.95 for a total purchase price of $33 million. For the year ended December 31, 2017, we did not repurchase any common stock under this program.