(11) Stock Plans:

At December 31, 2017, we had seven stock-based compensation plans under which grants were made and awards remained outstanding. No further awards may be granted under six of the plans: the 1996 Equity Incentive Plan (the 1996 EIP), the Amended and Restated 2000 Equity Incentive Plan (the 2000 EIP), the 2009 Equity Incentive Plan (the 2009 EIP), the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan (the 2013 EIP), the Deferred Fee Plan and the Directors’ Equity Plan. At December 31, 2017, there were approximately 5,667,000 shares authorized for grant and approximately 4,361,000 shares available for grant under the 2017 Equity Incentive Plan (the 2017 EIP and together with the 1996 EIP, the 2000 EIP, the 2009 EIP and the 2013 EIPS, the EIPs). Our general policy is to issue treasury shares upon the grant of restricted shares and the exercise of options.

1996, 2000, 2009, 2013, and 2017 Equity Incentive Plans

Since the expiration dates of the 1996 EIP, the 2000 EIP, the 2009 EIP, and the 2013 EIP on May 22, 2006, May 14, 2009, May 8, 2013, and May 10, 2017, respectively, no awards have been or may be granted under the 1996 EIP, the 2000 EIP, the 2009 EIP, and the 2013 EIP. Under the 2017 EIP, awards of our common stock may be granted to eligible employees in the form of incentive stock options, non-qualified stock options, SARs, restricted stock, performance shares or other stock-based awards. As discussed under the Non-Employee Directors’ Compensation Plans below, prior to May 25, 2006 non-employee directors received an award of stock options under the 2000 EIP upon commencement of service. No awards may be granted more than 10 years after the effective date (May 10, 2017) of the 2017 EIP plan. The exercise price of stock options and SARs under the EIPs generally are equal to or greater than the fair market value of the underlying common stock on the date of grant. Stock options are not ordinarily exercisable on the date of grant but vest over a period of time (generally four years). Under the terms of the EIPs, subsequent stock dividends and stock splits have the effect of increasing the option shares outstanding, which correspondingly decrease the average exercise price of outstanding options.

Performance Shares

On February 15, 2012, Frontier’s Compensation Committee, in consultation with the other non-management directors of Frontier’s Board of Directors and the Committee’s independent executive compensation consultant, adopted the Frontier Long-Term Incentive Plan (the LTIP). LTIP awards are granted in the form of performance shares. The LTIP is currently offered under Frontier’s 2009 EIP, 2013 EIP and 2017 EIP, and participants consist of senior vice presidents and above. The LTIP awards have performance, market and time-vesting conditions.

Beginning in 2012, during the first 90 days of a three-year performance period (a Measurement Period), a target number of performance shares are awarded to each LTIP participant with respect to the Measurement Period. The performance metrics under the LTIP are (1) annual targets for operating cash flow based on a goal set during the first 90 days of each year in the three-year Measurement Period and (2) an overall performance “modifier” set during the first 90 days of the Measurement Period, based on Frontier’s total return to stockholders (i.e., Total Shareholder Return or TSR) relative to the Integrated Telecommunications Services Group (GICS Code 50101020) for the three-year Measurement Period. Operating cash flow performance is determined at the end of each year and the annual results will be averaged at the end of the three-year Measurement Period to determine the preliminary number of shares earned under the LTIP award. The TSR performance measure is then applied to decrease or increase payouts based on Frontier’s three year relative TSR performance. LTIP awards, to the extent earned, will be paid out in the form of common stock shortly following the end of the three-year Measurement Period.

On February 25, 2015, the Compensation Committee granted approximately 665,000 performance shares under the LTIP and set the operating cash flow performance goal for 2015, which applies to the first year in the 2015-2017 measurement period, the second year of the 2014-2016 measurement period and the third year of the 2013-2015 measurement period. On February 11, 2016, the Compensation Committee granted approximately 1,669,000 performance shares under the LTIP and set the operating cash flow performance goal for 2016, which applies to the first year in the 2016-2018 measurement period, the second year of the 2015-2017 measurement period and the third year of the 2014-2016 measurement period. On February 16, 2017, the Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors granted approximately 157,400 performance shares under the Frontier Long Term Incentive Plan (the LTIP) and set the operating cash flow performance goal for 2017, which applies to the first year in the 2017-2019 measurement period, the second year of the 2016-2018 measurement period and the third year of the 2015-2017 measurement period. The number of shares of common stock earned at the end of each three-year Measurement Period may be more or less than the number of target performance shares granted as a result of operating cash flow and TSR performance. An executive must maintain a satisfactory performance rating during the Measurement Period and must be employed by Frontier at the end of the three-year Measurement Period in order for the award to vest. The Compensation Committee will determine the number of shares earned for each three year Measurement Period in February of the year following the end of the Measurement Period.

The following summary presents information regarding LTIP target performance shares as of December 31, 2017 and changes during the three years then ended with regard to LTIP shares awarded under the 2009 EIP, 2013 EIP, and 2017 EIP:



		Number of
		Shares
		(in thousands)
Balance at December 31, 2014		179
LTIP target performance shares granted		49
LTIP target performance shares earned		(50)
LTIP target performance shares forfeited		(10)
Balance at December 31, 2015		168
LTIP target performance shares granted		111
LTIP target performance shares earned		(59)
LTIP target performance shares forfeited		(30)
Balance at December 31, 2016		190
LTIP target performance shares granted		211
LTIP target performance shares earned		(41)
LTIP target performance shares forfeited		(54)
Balance at December 31, 2017		306

For purposes of determining compensation expense, the fair value of each performance share is measured at the end of each reporting period and, therefore, will fluctuate based on the price of Frontier common stock as well as performance relative to the targets. Frontier recognized an expense, included in “Selling, general, and administrative expenses” of $1 million, $6 million, and $7 million during 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively, for the LTIP.

Restricted Stock

The following summary presents information regarding unvested restricted stock as of December 31, 2017 and changes during the three years then ended with regard to restricted stock under the 2009 EIP, 2013 EIP, and 2017 EIP:



		Weighted
		Average
	Number of	Grant Date		Aggregate
	Shares	Fair Value		Fair Value
	(in thousands)	(per share)		(in millions)
Balance at December 31, 2014	512	$	71.25	$	52
Restricted stock granted	188	$	118.80	$	13
Restricted stock vested	(214)	$	73.35	$	15
Restricted stock forfeited	(24)	$	76.50
Balance at December 31, 2015	462	$	88.95	$	33
Restricted stock granted	396	$	65.40	$	20
Restricted stock vested	(248)	$	78.90	$	13
Restricted stock forfeited	(61)	$	76.65
Balance at December 31, 2016	549	$	78.00	$	28
Restricted stock granted	454	$	47.77	$	3
Restricted stock vested	(240)	$	80.86	$	2
Restricted stock forfeited	(130)	$	60.92
Balance at December 31, 2017	633	$	58.63	$	4

For purposes of determining compensation expense, the fair value of each restricted stock grant is estimated based on the average of the high and low market price of a share of our common stock on the date of grant. Total remaining unrecognized compensation cost associated with unvested restricted stock awards that is deferred at December 31, 2017 was $21 million and the weighted average vesting period over which this cost is expected to be recognized is approximately 1.2 years.

We have granted restricted stock awards to employees in the form of our common stock. None of the restricted stock awards may be sold, assigned, pledged or otherwise transferred, voluntarily or involuntarily, by the employees until the restrictions lapse, subject to limited exceptions. The restrictions are time-based. Compensation expense, recognized in “Selling, general and administrative expenses”, of $18 million, $18 million and $20 million, for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively, has been recorded in connection with these grants.

Non-Employee Directors’ Compensation Plans

As of October 1, 2013, stock units are credited to the director’s account in an amount that is determined as follows: the total cash value of the fees payable to the director is divided by the closing price of Frontier common stock on the grant date of the units. Units are credited to the director’s account quarterly. Directors must also elect to convert the units to either common stock (convertible on a one-to-one basis) or cash upon retirement or death.

Dividends are paid on stock units held by directors at the same rate and at the same time as we pay dividends on shares of our common stock. Dividends on stock units are paid in the form of additional stock units.

There were 9 directors participating in the Director Plans during all or part of 2017. The total plan units earned were 94,034, 29,618, and 22,279 in 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

To the extent directors elect to receive the distribution of their stock unit account in cash, they are considered liability-based awards. To the extent directors elect to receive the distribution of their stock unit accounts in common stock, they are considered equity-based awards. Compensation expense for stock units that are considered equity-based awards is based on the market value of our common stock at the date of grant. Compensation expense for stock units that are considered liability-based awards is based on the market value of our common stock at the end of each period.

In connection with the Director Plans, there were compensation costs associated with the issuance of stock units of $(5) million, $0 million and ($1) million in 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Cash compensation associated with the Director Plans was $1 million in 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. These costs are recognized in “Selling, general and administrative expenses”.