Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Stock-Based Compensation

v3.7.0.1
Stock-Based Compensation
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2017
Stock-Based Compensation  
Stock-Based Compensation

(7) Stock-Based Compensation

Liberty Broadband grants, to certain of its directors, employees and employees of its subsidiaries, restricted stock 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 six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 (amounts in thousands):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three months

 

Six months

 

 

 

ended

 

ended

 

 

 

June 30,

 

June 30,

 

 

 

2017

 

2016

 

2017

 

2016

 

Operating expense

    

$

 1

    

(4)

    

 2

    

(2)

 

Selling, general and administrative

 

 

1,383

 

1,221

 

2,603

 

2,767

 

Research and development

 

 

45

 

 7

 

272

 

81

 

 

 

$

1,429

 

1,224

 

2,877

 

2,846

 

 

Liberty Broadband – Grants of Stock Options

There were no options to purchase shares of Series A, Series B or Series C common stock granted during the six months ended June 30, 2017.  

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. Since Liberty Broadband common stock has not traded on the stock market for a significant length of time, the volatility used in the calculation for Awards is based on a blend of the historical volatility of Liberty Broadband and Charter common stock and the implied volatility of publicly traded Liberty Broadband and Charter options; as the most significant asset within Liberty Broadband, the volatility of Charter was considered in the overall volatility of Liberty Broadband.  The Company uses a zero dividend rate and the risk-free rate for Treasury Bonds with a term similar to that of the subject option.

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, 2017

 

454

 

$

32.47

 

 

 

 

 

Granted

 

 —

 

$

 —

 

 

 

 

 

Exercised

 

(39)

 

$

25.48

 

 

 

 

 

Forfeited/cancelled

 

 —

 

$

 —

 

 

 

 

 

Outstanding at June 30, 2017

 

415

 

$

33.13

 

2.5

 

$

22

Exercisable at June 30, 2017

 

411

 

$

33.04

 

2.5

 

$

22

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

    

    

    

 

    

Weighted

    

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

average

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

remaining

 

Aggregate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

contractual

 

intrinsic

 

 

Series C

 

WAEP

 

life

 

value

 

 

(in thousands)

 

 

 

 

(in years)

 

(in millions)

Outstanding at January 1, 2017

 

2,467

 

$

42.45

 

 

 

 

 

Granted

 

 —

 

$

 —

 

 

 

 

 

Exercised

 

(81)

 

$

26.38

 

 

 

 

 

Forfeited/cancelled

 

 —

 

$

 —

 

 

 

 

 

Outstanding at June 30, 2017

 

2,386

 

$

43.00

 

5.7

 

$

104

Exercisable at June 30, 2017

 

860

 

$

33.55

 

2.5

 

$

46

As of June 30, 2017, the total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested Awards was approximately $12 million. Such amount will be recognized in the Company's consolidated statements of operations over a weighted average period of approximately 2 years. 

As of June 30, 2017, Liberty Broadband reserved 2.8 million shares of Series A and Series C common stock for issuance under exercise privileges of outstanding stock Awards.

Skyhook Equity Incentive Plans

Skyhook issued 2.4 million phantom stock appreciation rights (“PARs”) and no phantom stock units (“PSUs”) during the six months ended June 30, 2017. As of June 30, 2017, the fair value of outstanding PARs and PSUs was approximately $2.4 million. As of June 30, 2017,  $1.4 million (Level 3) is included in Other current liabilities in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet for the fair value of Skyhook’s vested long-term incentive plan obligations.