Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

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STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Share-based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]  
STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION
In December 2005, we adopted our 2005 Stock Incentive Plan, which has been amended and/or restated on several occasions. In connection with our merger with Ticketmaster Entertainment LLC, we adopted the Amended and Restated Ticketmaster 2008 Stock & Annual Incentive Plan. The plans authorize us to grant stock option awards, director shares, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock and deferred stock awards, other equity-based awards and performance awards. We have granted restricted stock awards, options to purchase our common stock and deferred stock awards to employees, directors, consultants, and our affiliates under the stock incentive plans at no less than the fair market value of the underlying stock on the date of grant. The stock incentive plans contain anti-dilutive provisions that require the adjustment of the number of shares of our common stock represented by, and the exercise price of, each option for any stock splits or stock dividends. The ten-year term of the Ticketmaster plan expired in August 2018; accordingly, no new awards may be granted under that plan but outstanding awards shall continue in full force and effect in accordance with their terms.
The following is a summary of stock-based compensation expense we recorded during the respective periods:
  
Year Ended December 31,
  2020 2019 2018
  (in thousands)
Selling, general and administrative expenses $ 88,620  $ 21,947  $ 18,621 
Corporate expenses 28,269  26,838  26,961 
Total $ 116,889  $ 48,785  $ 45,582 

The increase in stock-based compensation expense for the year ended December 31, 2020 is primarily due to the issuance of restricted stock awards in 2020 in lieu of cash payments due for bonuses earned in 2019 owed to certain employees, as part of our cash savings initiative in connection with the global COVID-19 pandemic.
As of December 31, 2020, there was $84.3 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to stock-based compensation arrangements for stock options, restricted stock and deferred stock awards. This cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.6 years.
Stock Options
Stock options are granted for a term not exceeding ten years and the non-vested options are generally forfeited in the event the employee, director or consultant terminates his or her employment or relationship with us or one of our affiliates. Any options that have vested at the time of termination are forfeited to the extent they are not exercised within the applicable post-employment exercise period provided in their option agreements. These options typically vest over one to four years.
The following assumptions were used to calculate the fair value of our options on the date of grant:
 
Year Ended December 31,
  2020 2019 2018
Risk-free interest rate
0.09% - 1.19%
1.89% - 2.53%
2.68% - 2.70%
Dividend yield 0.0  % 0.0  % 0.0  %
Volatility factors
32.37% - 51.83%
27.63% - 28.12%
27.66% - 28.00%
Weighted average expected life (in years) 2.51 6.08 5.74
The following table presents a summary of our stock options outstanding at the dates given, and stock option activity for the period between such dates (“Price” reflects the weighted average exercise price per share):  
Year Ended December 31,
  2020 2019 2018
      Options     Price     Options     Price     Options     Price
  (in thousands, except per share data)
Outstanding January 1 11,347  $ 18.36  11,784  $ 16.55  14,239  $ 14.52 
Granted 51  66.27  487  57.00  255  44.05 
Exercised (2,071) 16.96  (910) 15.50  (2,694) 8.38 
Forfeited or expired
 (4) 41.71  (14) 10.82  (16) 28.57 
Outstanding December 31 9,323  $ 18.93  11,347  $ 18.36  11,784  $ 16.55 
Exercisable December 31 8,827  $ 16.98  10,493  $ 15.77  10,693  $ 14.61 
Weighted average fair value per option granted $ 13.62  $ 18.50    $ 14.05 
The total intrinsic value of stock options exercised during the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 was $87.9 million, $39.6 million and $28.1 million, respectively. Cash received from stock option exercises for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 was $30.6 million, $14.1 million and $22.6 million, respectively.
There were 5.6 million shares available for future grants under the stock incentive plan at December 31, 2020. Upon share option exercise or vesting of restricted or deferred stock, we issue new shares or treasury shares to fulfill these grants. Vesting dates on the stock options range from February 2021 to May 2024, and expiration dates range from July 2021 to December 2030 at exercise prices and average contractual lives as follows:
Range of
Exercise
Prices		 Outstanding
as of
12/31/20		 Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Life
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price 
Exercisable
as of
12/31/20		 Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Life		 Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
(in thousands) 
(in years) 
(in thousands) 
(in years) 
$5.00 - $9.99
 4,112  1.9 $ 8.76  4,112  1.9 $ 8.76 
$10.00 - $14.99
 863  1.1 $ 11.52  863  1.1 $ 11.52 
$15.00 - $19.99
 731  5.0 $ 19.30  731  5.0 $ 19.30 
$20.00 - $24.99
 1,301  3.1 $ 21.03  1,301  3.1 $ 21.03 
$25.00 - $29.99
 1,200  5.2 $ 27.36  1,174  5.2 $ 27.32 
$30.00 - $44.99
 592  7.1 $ 43.82  492  7.1 $ 43.84 
$45.00 - $60.99
 491  8.2 $ 56.82  154  8.2 $ 56.77 
$61.00 - $70.99
 33  9.9 $ 70.26  —  0.0 $ — 

The total intrinsic value of options outstanding and options exercisable as of December 31, 2020 was $508.6 million and $498.7 million, respectively.
Restricted Stock
We have granted restricted stock awards to our employees, directors and consultants under our stock incentive plan. These common shares carry a legend which typically restricts their transferability for a term of one to five years and are forfeited in the event the recipient’s employment or relationship with us is terminated prior to the lapse of the restriction. In addition, certain restricted stock awards require us or the recipient to achieve minimum performance targets in order for these awards to vest.
In 2020, we granted 2.1 million shares of restricted stock and 0.3 million shares of performance-based awards, respectively, under our stock incentive plan. These awards will all vest over 3 months to four years with the exception of the performance-based awards which will vest within two years if the performance criteria are met. As of December 31, 2020, we determined that the performance-based criteria for these awards were not probable of being met and such awards will be forfeited in 2021.
In 2019, we granted 0.2 million shares of restricted stock and 0.2 million shares of performance-based awards, respectively, under our stock incentive plan. These awards will all vest over one or four years with the exception of the performance-based awards which will vest within two years if the performance criteria are met. As of December 31, 2020, the performance-based criteria for these awards have been met unless otherwise forfeited.
In 2018, we granted 0.3 million shares of restricted stock and 0.2 million shares of performance-based awards, respectively, under our stock incentive plans. These awards will all vest over one or four years with the exception of the performance-based awards which will vest within one to two years if the performance criteria are met. As of December 31, 2020, the performance-based criteria for these awards have been met unless otherwise forfeited.
The following table presents a summary of our unvested restricted stock awards outstanding at December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 (“Price” reflects the weighted average share price at the date of grant):
 
Restricted Stock
  Awards Price
  (in thousands, except per share data)
Unvested at December 31, 2017 1,607  $ 31.79 
Granted 535  44.54 
Forfeited (37) 30.38 
Vested (706) 28.35 
Unvested at December 31, 2018 1,399  $ 38.13 
Granted 415  57.58 
Forfeited (26) 38.45 
Vested (618) 36.54 
Unvested at December 31, 2019 1,170  $ 45.80 
Granted 2,454  55.52 
Forfeited (106) 53.26 
Vested (1,929) 47.48 
Unvested at December 31, 2020 1,589  $ 58.19 

The total grant date fair market value of the shares issued upon the vesting of restricted stock awards during the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 was $91.6 million, $22.6 million and $20.0 million, respectively.
Deferred Stock
We have granted deferred stock awards to our employees where the employees are entitled to receive shares of common stock in the future. Deferred stock can only be settled in stock as determined at the time of the grant. All of the deferred stock awards require us to achieve minimum market conditions in order for these awards to issue and vest.
In 2017, we granted 2.5 million shares of deferred stock awards with market conditions under our incentive plan. These awards will all vest over one to five years if specified stock prices are achieved over a specific number of days during the five years.
In 2020, 2019 and 2018, we achieved minimum market conditions resulting in the issuance of 0.8 million shares, 1.5 million shares and 0.2 million shares of restricted stock, respectively, subject to vesting over one to four years. As of December 31, 2020, there were no deferred stock awards outstanding for which the minimum market conditions have not been met.
The following table presents a summary of the Company’s unvested deferred stock awards outstanding at December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 (“Price” reflects the weighted average grant date fair value):
Deferred Stock
Awards Price
(in thousands, except per share data)
Unvested at December 31, 2017 —  $ — 
Awarded 2,500  26.69
Forfeited —  0.00
Vested —  0.00
Unvested at December 31, 2018 2,500  $ 26.69 
Awarded —  0.00
Forfeited —  0.00
Vested (14) 36.08
Unvested at December 31, 2019 2,486  $ 26.63 
Awarded —  0.00
Forfeited —  0.00
Vested (119) 28.80
Unvested at December 31, 2020 2,367  $ 26.53