STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

EastGroup applies the provisions of ASC 718, Compensation - Stock Compensation, to account for its stock-based compensation plans. ASC 718 requires that the compensation cost relating to share-based payment transactions be recognized in the financial statements and that the cost be measured on the fair value of the equity or liability instruments issued.

Stock-based compensation cost for employees was $952,000 and $3,633,000 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017, respectively, of which $383,000 and $869,000 were capitalized as part of the Company's development costs. For the three and six months ended June 30, 2016, stock-based compensation cost for employees was $651,000 and $3,665,000, respectively, of which $250,000 and $607,000 were capitalized as part of the Company's development costs.

Stock-based compensation expense for directors was $161,000 and $323,000 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017, respectively, and $133,000 and $266,000 for the same periods of 2016.

In March 2017, the Compensation Committee of the Company's Board of Directors (the Committee) evaluated the Company's performance compared to certain annual performance measures (primarily funds from operations (FFO) per share and total shareholder return) for the year ended December 31, 2016. Based on the evaluation, 36,571 shares were awarded to the Company’s executive officers at the grant date (March 2, 2017) fair value of $74.80 per share. These shares vested 20% on the date shares were determined and awarded and will vest 20% per year on January 1 in years 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. The shares are being expensed on a straight-line basis over the remaining service period.

Also in March 2017, the Committee evaluated the Company’s total shareholder return, both on an absolute basis for 2016 as well as on a relative basis compared to the NAREIT Equity Index, NAREIT Industrial Index and Russell 2000 Index for the five-year period ended December 31, 2016. Based on the evaluation, 33,289 shares were awarded to the Company’s executive officers at the grant date (March 2, 2017) fair value of $74.80 per share. These shares vested 25% on the date shares were determined and awarded and will vest 25% per year on January 1 in years 2018, 2019 and 2020. The shares are being expensed on a straight-line basis over the remaining service period.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the shares issued to the Company’s Chief Financial Officer under these plans became fully vested on the grant date of the awards in the first quarter of 2017.

In the second quarter of 2017, the Committee approved an equity compensation plan for certain of its executive officers based upon certain annual performance measures for 2017, including funds from operations (FFO) per share, same property net operating income change, general and administrative costs, and fixed charge coverage. During the first quarter of 2018, the Committee will measure the Company's performance for 2017 against bright-line tests established by the Committee on the grant date of May 10, 2017. The number of shares that may be earned for the achievement of the annual performance measures could range from zero to 21,096. These shares, which have a grant date fair value of $78.18, would vest 20% on the date shares are determined and 20% per year on each January 1 for the subsequent four years. On the grant date of May 10, 2017, the Company began recognizing expense for its estimate of the shares that may be earned pursuant to these awards; the shares are being expensed using the graded vesting attribution method which recognizes each separate vesting portion of the award as a separate award on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period.

Also in the second quarter of 2017, the Committee approved an equity compensation plan for certain of its executive officers based upon the achievement of individual goals for each of the officers included in the plan. Any shares issued pursuant to the individual goals in this compensation plan will be determined by the Committee in its discretion and issued in the first quarter of 2018. The number of shares to be issued on the grant date for the achievement of individual goals could range from zero to 5,274. These shares would vest 20% on the date shares are determined and awarded and 20% per year on each January 1 for the subsequent four years. The Company will begin recognizing the expense for any shares awarded on the grant date in the first quarter of 2018, and the shares will be expensed on a straight-line basis over the remaining service period.

Also in the second quarter of 2017, the Committee approved a long-term equity compensation plan for certain of the Company’s executive officers that includes three components based on total shareholder return and one component based only on continued service as of the vesting dates.

The three long-term equity compensation plan components based on total shareholder return are subject to bright-line tests that will compare the Company's total shareholder return to the NAREIT Equity Index and to the Company's industrial REIT peer group. The first plan will measure the bright-line tests over the one-year period ending December 31, 2017. During the first quarter of 2018, the Committee will measure the Company's performance for the one-year period against bright-line tests established by the Committee on the grant date of May 10, 2017. The number of shares to be earned on the measurement date could range from zero to 4,730. These shares would vest 100% on the date the earned shares are determined. On the grant date of May 10, 2017, the Company began recognizing expense for this plan based on the grant date fair value of the awards which was determined using a simulation pricing model developed to specifically accommodate the unique features of the award.

The second plan will measure the bright-line tests over the two-year period ending December 31, 2018. During the first quarter of 2019, the Committee will measure the Company's performance for the two-year period against bright-line tests established by the Committee on the grant date of May 10, 2017. The number of shares to be earned on the measurement date could range from zero to 9,460. These shares would vest 100% on the date the earned shares are determined. On the grant date of May 10, 2017, the Company began recognizing expense for this plan based on the grant date fair value of the awards which was determined using a simulation pricing model developed to specifically accommodate the unique features of the award.

The third plan will measure the bright-line tests over the three-year period ending December 31, 2019. During the first quarter of 2020, the Committee will measure the Company's performance for the three-year period against bright-line tests established by the Committee on the grant date of May 10, 2017. The number of shares to be earned on the measurement date could range from zero to 18,917. These shares would vest 75% on the date the earned shares are determined in the first quarter of 2020 and 25% on January 1, 2021. On the grant date of May 10, 2017, the Company began recognizing expense for this plan based on the grant date fair value of the awards which was determined using a simulation pricing model developed to specifically accommodate the unique features of the award.

The component of the long-term equity compensation plan based only on continued service as of the vesting dates was awarded on May 10, 2017. On that date, 5,406 shares were granted to certain executive officers subject only to continued service as of the vesting dates. These shares, which have a grant date fair value of $78.18 per share, will vest 25% in the first quarter of 2018 and 25% on January 1 in years 2019, 2020 and 2021. The shares are being expensed on a straight-line basis over the remaining service period.

Also during the second quarter of 2017, 5,169 shares were granted to certain executive officers subject only to continued service as of the vesting dates. These shares, which have a weighted average grant date fair value of $81.27 per share, will vest 20% per year on January 1 in years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. The shares are being expensed on a straight-line basis over the remaining service period.

Also during the second quarter of 2017, 12,850 shares were granted to certain non-executive officers subject only to continued service as of the vesting dates. These shares, which have a grant date fair value of $84.57 per share, will vest 20% per year on January 1 in years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. The shares are being expensed on a straight-line basis over the remaining service period.

Following is a summary of the total restricted shares granted, forfeited and delivered (vested) to participants with the related weighted average grant date fair value share prices. Of the shares that vested in the first six months of 2017, the Company withheld 33,695 shares to satisfy the tax obligations for those participants who elected this option as permitted under the applicable equity plan. As of the vesting dates, the aggregate fair value of shares that vested during the first six months of 2017 was $6,441,000.



	Three Months Ended			Six Months Ended
Award Activity:	June 30, 2017			June 30, 2017
	Shares	Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value		Shares		Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Unvested at beginning of period	129,323	$	59.70	162,191		$	51.98
Granted ⁽¹⁾	23,425	82.37		93,285		76.70
Forfeited	—	—		(16,000	)	36.98
Vested	—	—		(86,728	)	61.62
Unvested at end of period	152,748	$	63.18	152,748		$	63.18

⁽¹⁾Does not include the restricted shares that may be earned if the performance goals established in 2017 for annual and long-term performance periods are achieved. Depending on the actual level of achievement of the goals at the end of the open performance periods, the number of shares earned could range from zero to 59,477.