Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Stock-Based Compensation

v3.20.2
Stock-Based Compensation
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Stock-Based Compensation  
Stock-Based Compensation

(6) Stock-Based Compensation

Liberty Broadband grants, to certain of its directors, employees and employees of its subsidiaries, restricted stock, restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and stock options to purchase shares of its common stock (collectively, "Awards"). The Company measures the cost of employee services received in exchange for an equity classified Award (such as stock options and restricted stock) based on the grant-date fair value (“GDFV”) of the Award, and recognizes that cost over the period during which the employee is required to provide service (usually the vesting period of the Award). The Company measures the cost of employee services received in exchange for a liability classified Award based on the current fair value of the Award, and remeasures the fair value of the Award at each reporting date.

Included in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations are the following amounts of stock-based compensation for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 (amounts in thousands):

Three months

Nine months

 

ended

ended

 

September 30,

September 30,

 

2020

2019

2020

2019

 

Operating expense

    

$

10

    

12

    

23

    

60

Selling, general and administrative

 

1,992

2,519

5,713

 

7,610

$

2,002

2,531

5,736

 

7,670

Liberty Broadband – Grants of Awards

During the nine months ended September 30, 2020, Liberty Broadband granted 100 thousand options to purchase shares of Series C Liberty Broadband common stock to our CEO. Such options had a GDFV of $27.39 per share and vest on December 31, 2020.

There were no options to purchase shares of Series A or Series B common stock granted during the nine months ended September 30, 2020.

During the nine months ended September 30, 2020, Liberty Broadband granted 2 thousand time-based RSUs of Series C Liberty Broadband common stock to our CEO. The RSUs had a GDFV of $120.71 per share and cliff vest on December 10, 2020.  This RSU grant was issued in lieu of our CEO receiving 50% of his remaining base salary for the last three quarters of calendar year 2020, and he has waived his right to receive the other 50%, in each case, in light of the ongoing financial impact of COVID-19.

The Company calculates the GDFV for all of its equity classified awards and any subsequent remeasurement of its liability classified awards using the Black-Scholes Model. The Company estimates the expected term of the Awards based on historical exercise and forfeiture data. The volatility used in the calculation for Awards is based on the historical volatility of Liberty Broadband common stock. The Company uses a zero dividend rate and the risk-free rate for Treasury Bonds with a term similar to that of the subject options.

Liberty Broadband – Outstanding Awards

The following tables present the number and weighted average exercise price (“WAEP”) of Awards to purchase Liberty Broadband common stock granted to certain officers, employees and directors of the Company, as well as the weighted average remaining life and aggregate intrinsic value of the Awards.

    

    

    

    

    

Weighted

    

    

average

remaining

Aggregate

contractual

intrinsic

Series A

WAEP

life

value

(in thousands)

(in years)

(in millions)

Outstanding at January 1, 2020

 

4

$

47.92

Granted

 

$

Exercised

 

(3)

$

51.84

Forfeited/cancelled

$

Outstanding at September 30, 2020

 

1

$

39.70

 

1.7

$

Exercisable at September 30, 2020

 

1

$

39.70

 

1.7

$

    

    

    

    

    

Weighted

    

    

average

remaining

Aggregate

contractual

intrinsic

Series C

WAEP

life

value

(in thousands)

(in years)

(in millions)

Outstanding at January 1, 2020

 

1,932

$

61.43

Granted

 

122

$

116.09

Exercised

 

(6)

$

51.82

Forfeited/cancelled

$

Outstanding at September 30, 2020

 

2,048

$

64.73

 

4.7

$

160

Exercisable at September 30, 2020

 

1,616

$

50.00

 

4.2

$

150

As of September 30, 2020, the total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested Awards was approximately $9.0 million. Such amount will be recognized in the Company's condensed consolidated statements of operations over a weighted average period of approximately 2.7 years.  

As of September 30, 2020, Liberty Broadband reserved 2.0 million shares of Series A and Series C common stock for issuance under exercise privileges of outstanding stock Awards.

Skyhook Equity Incentive Plans

Long-Term Incentive Plans

Skyhook has a long-term incentive plan which provides for the granting of phantom stock appreciation rights and phantom stock units to employees, directors, and consultants of Skyhook that is not significant to Liberty Broadband. As of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, $1.0 million and $1.2 million, respectively, are included in other liabilities for the fair value (Level 2) of the Company’s long-term incentive plan obligations.