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STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2026
Share-Based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]  
STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION
In October 2020, the Board adopted the CuriosityStream 2020 Omnibus Plan (the “2020 Plan”). The 2020 Plan became effective upon consummation of the Business Combination and succeeds the Legacy CuriosityStream Stock Option Plan. Upon adoption of the 2020 Plan, a total of 7,725,000 shares were approved to be issued as stock options, share appreciation rights, restricted stock units and restricted stock. In June 2025, the Company’s stockholders approved an amendment to the 2020 Plan to increase the number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance thereunder by 3,000,000 shares, bringing the total number of shares reserved for issuance thereunder to 10,725,000 shares.
Stock options and RSUs generally vest on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis over a period of up to four years from the grant date. In addition to time-based vesting, certain RSU awards are subject to performance-based conditions (based on the achievement of specific financial or operational goals) or market-based conditions (based on the Company’s stock price performance). When options are exercised or RSUs vest, the Company issues previously unissued shares of Common Stock to satisfy the awards, net of shares withheld for taxes if elected by the holder.
The Company measures the cost of employee services received in exchange for an award of equity instruments based on the grant-date fair value of the award, recognizing the expense in earnings over the period during which an employee is required to provide the service. Expense for time-based awards is recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period. Expense for awards with accelerated vesting subject to performance or market-based triggers is recognized over the shorter of the derived or requisite time-based service period. Forfeitures are accounted for as they occur.
STOCK OPTIONS
The fair value of stock option awards is estimated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model, which incorporates assumptions regarding stock price volatility, employee exercise behavior, future dividend payments, and risk-free interest rates. Due to a lack of sufficient historical exercise behavior, the Company utilizes the simplified method to estimate the expected term, representing the midpoint between the vesting date and the end of the contractual term. Volatility is estimated using the Company’s historical volatility alongside that of similar public companies, while the risk-free interest rate is based on the rate of return on U.S. Treasury securities with maturities approximating the expected term. No options were exercised during the three months ended March 31, 2026, and 2025.
As of March 31, 2026, all outstanding stock options were fully exercisable with a weighted-average exercise price of $5.00 and a weighted-average remaining contractual term of 3.42 years. There were no unvested stock options as of March 31, 2026.
RSUs
The Company issues RSU awards that vest upon continued service, the achievement of performance conditions, or the attainment of specified market conditions. Certain RSU awards include dividend equivalent rights (“DERs”) on dividends declared during the vesting period. These DERs are forfeitable until the underlying RSUs vest and are payable in cash upon vesting. Upon the declaration of dividends, the Company records the related DERs as a dividend payable with a corresponding charge to accumulated deficit. DERs do not result in additional share-based compensation expense.
During the year ended December 31, 2025 and three months ended March 31, 2026, the Company granted RSU awards to employees and senior leadership, a significant portion of which were granted in July 2025 and included tranches that vest upon (i) achievement of specified market conditions or (ii) performance conditions or (iii) continued service through dates generally ranging from one to four years.
For tranches with market condition-based vesting terms, grant-date fair value was estimated using a Monte Carlo simulation. Key inputs for this simulation included an expected volatility of 85.5%, risk-free interest rates ranging from 3.57% to 3.95%, an expected dividend yield ranging from 6.5% to 9.2%, and an assumed correlation with peer indices of 1.54 to 1.67. Compensation expense is recognized over the derived service period and is therefore front-loaded, with the majority expected to be recognized in the first three quarters following grant.
For tranches with vesting terms based on performance conditions, grant-date fair value equals the Company’s common stock closing price on the grant date; compensation expense is recognized when achievement of the performance condition is considered probable, on a straight-line basis over the remaining requisite service period.
The following table summarizes stock option and RSU activity, prices, and values for the three months ended March 31, 2026:
Number of
Shares
Available
for
Issuance
Under the
Plan
Stock OptionsRestricted Stock Units
(in thousands except share price and fair value amounts)
Number of
Shares
Weighted-
Average
Exercise
Price
Weighted-
Average
Remaining Contractual Term (in Years)
Number of
Shares
Weighted-
Average
Grant
Date
Fair Value
Balance at December 31, 202573527$5.00 3.673,428$3.99 
Granted(720)— — — 720 3.15 
RSUs vested197 — — — (841)3.92 
Forfeited or expired— — — — — — 
Balance at March 31, 202621227$5.00 3.423,307$3.84 
For the three months ended March 31, 2026, and 2025, stock-based compensation expense was as follows:
(in thousands)
Three Months Ended
March 31,
20262025
Stock-based compensation — RSUs2,241 863 
The following table summarizes total fair value of RSUs that vested during the three months ended March 31, 2026, and 2025. This value is calculated based on the closing market price of the Company’s common stock on the applicable vesting dates.
(in thousand)Three Months Ended
March 31,
20262025
Fair value of vested RSUs$2,883 $167 
As of March 31, 2026, the total remaining unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested restricted stock units was approximately $4.3 million. This cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted average remaining period of 0.62 years.