STOCK BASED COMPENSATION PLANS (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2018

Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]

Stock Based Compensation Plans Summary

The following table summarizes the impact on the consolidated statement of operations of the various stock based compensation plans described in this note ($ in thousands):

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2018		2017
Stock Based Compensation Expense:
Annual Incentive Awards Granted in 2015 With Respect to 2014 Performance	$	172	$	623
Annual Incentive Awards Granted in 2016 With Respect to 2015 Performance	322		784
Annual Incentive Awards Granted in 2017 With Respect to 2016 Performance(1)	622		5,196
Other 2017 Restricted Stock Awards(1)	105		91
Annual Incentive Awards Granted in 2017 With Respect to 2017 Performance(1)	1,117		—
2018 Restricted Stock Awards	42		—
Other Employee/Director Awards	20		559
Total Stock Based Compensation Expense	$	2,400	$	7,253
Phantom Equity Investment Plan	$	—	$	261
Ladder Capital Corp Deferred Compensation Plan	$	427	$	262
Bonus Expense	$	10,140	$	3,103

(1) Includes immediate vesting of retirement eligible employees, including Brian Harris.

Summary of the grants

A summary of the grants is presented below ($ in thousands):

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2018				2017
	Number of Shares/Options	Weighted Average Fair Value			Number of Shares/Options	Weighted Average Fair Value
Grants - Class A Common Stock (restricted)	25,370	$	375		832,408	$	11,616
Grants - Class A Common Stock (restricted) dividends	—	—			15,560	216
Stock Options	—	—			—	—
Amortization to compensation expense
Ladder compensation expense		$	(2,400	)		$	(7,254	)
Total amortization to compensation expense		$	(2,400	)		$	(7,254	)

Schedule of Nonvested Shares Activity

The table below presents the number of unvested shares and outstanding stock options at March 31, 2017 and changes during 2017 of the (i) Class A Common stock and Stock Options of Ladder Capital Corp granted under the 2014 Omnibus Incentive Plan and (ii) Series B Participating Preferred Units of LCFH granted under the 2008 Plan, which were subsequently converted to LP Units of LCFH in connection with the IPO:

	Restricted Stock		Stock Options
Nonvested/Outstanding at December 31, 2016	1,475,865		982,135
Granted	847,968		—
Exercised			—
Vested	(1,423,934	)
Forfeited	—		—
Expired			—
Nonvested/Outstanding at March 31, 2017	899,899		982,135
Exercisable at March 31, 2017			752,017

The table below presents the number of unvested shares and outstanding stock options at March 31, 2018 and changes during 2018 of the (i) Class A Common stock and Stock Options of Ladder Capital Corp granted under the 2014 Omnibus Incentive Plan:

	Restricted Stock		Stock Options
Nonvested/Outstanding at December 31, 2017	1,252,365		982,135
Granted	25,370		—
Exercised			—
Vested	(117,777	)
Forfeited	(11,169	)	—
Expired			—
Nonvested/Outstanding at March 31, 2018	1,148,789		982,135
Exercisable at March 31, 2018			929,701