Long-term incentive compensation

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2019

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

Long-term incentive compensation

Long-term incentive compensation

Long-term incentive program (LTIP) compensation includes both stock-based awards (principally stock-settled stock appreciation rights, restricted stock units, and performance stock units) as well as long-term performance-based cash awards. Long-term incentive compensation expense, which was primarily general and administrative in nature, was attributed to the Company’s U.S. dialysis and related lab services business, corporate administrative support, and ancillary services and strategic initiatives.

The Company’s stock-based compensation expense for stock-settled awards is measured at the estimated fair value of awards on the date of grant and recognized on a cumulative straight-line basis over the vesting terms of the awards unless the stock awards are based on non-market based performance metrics, in which case expense is adjusted for expected ultimate payouts as of the end of each reporting period. Stock-based compensation expense for cash-settled awards is based on their estimated fair values as of the end of each reporting period. The expense for all stock-based awards is recognized net of expected forfeitures.

During the three months ended March 31, 2019, the Company granted 7 restricted stock units with an aggregate grant-date fair value of $404 and a weighted-average expected life of approximately 1.6 years.

For the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company recognized $13,107 and $15,215, respectively, in total LTIP expense, of which $10,301 and $9,155, respectively, represented stock-based compensation expense for stock appreciation rights, restricted stock units, performance stock units and discounted employee stock plan purchases, which are primarily included in general and administrative expense. The estimated tax benefits recorded for stock-based compensation for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018 was $1,495 and $2,088, respectively.

As of March 31, 2019, the Company had $88,173 of total estimated but unrecognized compensation expense for outstanding LTIP awards, including $79,499 related to stock-based compensation arrangements under the Company’s equity compensation and employee stock purchase plans. The Company expects to recognize the performance-based cash component of these LTIP expenses over a weighted average remaining period of 0.7 years and the stock-based component of these LTIP expenses over a weighted average remaining period of 1.4 years.

For the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company recognized $151 and $4,895, respectively, in actual tax benefits upon the settlement of stock awards.