SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION PROGRAMS

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2016

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

SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION PROGRAMS

AXA and AXA Financial sponsor various share-based compensation plans for eligible employees and financial professionals of AXA Financial and its subsidiaries. AB also sponsors its own unit option plans for certain of its employees.

Compensation costs for the first quarters of 2016 and 2015 for share-based payment arrangements as further described herein are as follows:



	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2016			2015
	(In Thousands)
Performance Units/Shares	$	2,218		$	862
Stock Options	109			130
AB Stock Options	—			1,900
AB Restricted Units	1,200			—
Other compensation plans⁽¹⁾	(920		)	80
Total Compensation Expenses	$	2,607		$	2,972


(1)	Other compensation plans include Restricted Stock, Stock Appreciation Rights and AXA Miles.

Performance Units/Shares

In the first quarter of 2016, the expense associated with the June 19, 2015 grant of performance shares was approximately $985,599.

Settlement of 2013 Grant in 2016. On March 22, 2016, share distributions totaling approximately $55 million were made to active and former AXA Equitable employees in settlement of 2,293,998 performance shares earned under the terms of the AXA Performance Share Plan 2013.

Stock Options

In the first quarter of 2016, the Company recognized expenses associated with the June 19, 2015 grant of options of approximately $24,850.

AB Long-term Incentive Compensation Plans. During the first quarters of 2016 and 2015, AB purchased 1.9 million and 0.7 million Holding units for $40 million and $17 million, respectively (on a trade date basis). These amounts reflect open-market purchases of 1.8 million and 0.6 million Holding Units for $38 million and $15 million, respectively with the remainder relating to purchases of Holding units from employees to allow them to fulfill statutory tax withholding requirements at the time of distribution of long-term incentive compensation awards.

During the first quarters of 2016 and 2015, AB granted to employees and eligible Directors 0.3 million and 0.1 million restricted Holding awards, respectively. In the first quarters of 2016 and 2015, AB used Holding units repurchased during the period and newly issued Holding units to fund the restricted Holding unit awards.

Other Compensation Plans

2012 AXA Miles. On March 16, 2016, share distributions totaling approximately $4 million were made to active and former AXA Equitable employees in settlement of 164,150 AXA Miles earned under the terms of the AXA Miles Program 2012.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for compensation-related costs for equity-based compensation, which may include disclosure of policies, compensation plan details, allocation of equity compensation, incentive distributions, equity-based arrangements to obtain goods and services, deferred compensation arrangements, employee stock ownership plan details and employee stock purchase plan details.

+ References + Details