Common Stock and Stock-Based Compensation

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2024

Stock-Based Compensation [Abstract]

Common Stock and Stock-Based Compensation

Common Stock and Stock-Based Compensation

Stock Repurchase Program

In early December 2021, our Board of Directors authorized a stock repurchase program for up to $500 million (the “December 2021 Program”), which superseded our previous stock repurchase program. Under the December 2021 Program, we may purchase shares of our common stock from time to time in the open market or privately negotiated transactions. We are not obligated to acquire any shares under the program, and the program may be suspended or discontinued at any time. There were no repurchases of our common stock during the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, and approximately $235.0 million remains available for repurchases under the current authorization at March 31, 2024.

Stock Based Compensation

We recognized $7.0 million and $6.2 million in compensation expense related to stock awards issued under the Upbound Group, Inc. Amended 2021 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “2021 Plan”) and 2016 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “2016 Plan”) during the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. During the three months ended March 31, 2024, we granted 494,944 market-based performance units and 261,475 time-vesting units under the 2021 Plan. Performance-based restricted stock units are valued using a Monte Carlo simulation. Time-vesting restricted stock units are valued based on our closing stock price on the trading day immediately preceding the date of the grant, or as of the date of modification in the event an award is modified. The weighted-average grant date fair value of the market-based performance and time-vesting restricted stock units granted during the three months ended March 31, 2024 was $38.44 and $33.81, respectively.

In connection with the acquisition of Acima Holdings, LLC in 2021, we issued to the former owners of Acima Holdings 10,779,923 of common shares valued at $51.14 per share, as of the date of closing. Of this total, 2,683,328 common shares were included in the aggregate purchase price of the transaction for financial reporting purposes, while 8,096,595 common shares, valued at $414.1 million, issued under restricted stock agreements and subject to vesting conditions, were recognized as stock compensation expense over the vesting term in accordance with ASC Topic 718, “Stock-based Compensation” and recorded to Other gains and charges in our unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. We recognized $4.9 million and $109.5 million in stock compensation expense related to these restricted stock agreements during the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Stock compensation expense recognized during the three months ended March 31, 2023 for these restricted stock agreements included $78.4 million attributable to the acceleration of vesting provisions, primarily related to former employee and Acima founder Aaron Allred's transition from Executive Vice President of Acima to an advisory role in early 2023.