Stock-Based Compensation (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Share-based compensation

Schedule of stock awards outstanding

	As of December 31, 2015
	DISH Network Awards		EchoStar Awards
Stock Awards Outstanding	Stock  Options	Restricted  Stock  Units	Stock  Options	Restricted  Stock  Units
Held by DISH Network employees	6,807,169	1,382,250	44,548	—
Held by EchoStar employees	38,516	—	N/A	N/A
Total	6,845,685	1,382,250	44,548	—

Schedule of exercise prices for stock options outstanding and exercisable

					Options Outstanding				Options Exercisable
					Number Outstanding as of December 31, 2015	Weighted- Average Remaining Contractual Life	Weighted- Average Exercise Price		Number Exercisable as of December 31, 2015	Weighted- Average Remaining Contractual Life	Weighted- Average Exercise Price
$	—	-	$	10.00	242,372	2.34	$	6.22	242,372	2.34	$	6.22
$	10.01	-	$	20.00	1,944,187	4.44	$	15.48	144,187	3.72	$	16.67
$	20.01	-	$	30.00	1,903,878	4.95	$	26.31	1,182,278	4.50	$	26.09
$	30.01	-	$	40.00	1,654,698	6.69	$	36.06	249,598	5.81	$	34.75
$	40.01	-	$	50.00	21,400	5.75	$	44.65	8,000	3.15	$	42.92
$	50.01	-	$	60.00	113,500	7.07	$	58.09	24,000	4.71	$	57.92
$	60.01	-	$	70.00	945,650	8.18	$	66.37	95,150	7.73	$	64.01
$	70.01	-	$	80.00	20,000	4.00	$	72.89	20,000	4.00	$	72.89
$	—	-	$	80.00	6,845,685	5.61	$	31.13	1,965,585	4.49	$	26.82

Schedule of stock option activity

	For the Years Ended December 31,
	2015			2014			2013
	Options	Weighted- Average Exercise Price		Options	Weighted- Average Exercise Price		Options	Weighted- Average Exercise Price
Total options outstanding, beginning of period (1)	11,725,823	$	24.51	14,058,574	$	21.71	16,399,870	$	19.04
Granted	452,000	$	69.11	667,750	$	63.23	2,225,500	$	36.75
Exercised	(1,884,938)	$	16.15	(2,724,301)	$	18.77	(4,419,396)	$	16.30
Forfeited and cancelled	(3,447,200)	$	21.78	(276,200)	$	32.26	(147,400)	$	29.26
Total options outstanding, end of period	6,845,685	$	31.13	11,725,823	$	24.51	14,058,574	$	21.71
Performance based options outstanding, end of period (2)	3,904,500	$	28.03	7,246,500	$	24.14	7,790,500	$	24.02
Exercisable at end of period	1,965,585	$	26.82	3,299,023	$	19.64	4,799,173	$	17.14

(1) The beginning of period weighted-average exercise price for the year ended December 31, 2013 of $19.04does not reflect the 2012 Stock Option Adjustment, which occurred subsequent to December 31, 2012.

(2) These stock options are included in the caption “Total options outstanding, end of period.”  See discussion of the 2005 LTIP, 2008 LTIP, 2013 LTIP and Other Employee Performance Awards below.

Schedule of realized tax benefits from stock awards exercised

	For the Years Ended December 31,
	2015		2014		2013
	(In thousands)
Tax benefit from stock awards exercised	$	33,716	$	52,366	$	38,947

Schedule of aggregate intrinsic value of stock options outstanding and exercisable

	As of December 31, 2015
	Options Outstanding		Options Exercisable
		(In thousands)
Aggregate intrinsic value	$	187,409	$	60,660

Schedule of restricted stock unit activity

	For the Years Ended December 31,
	2015			2014			2013
	Restricted Stock Units	Weighted- Average Grant Date Fair Value		Restricted Stock Units	Weighted- Average Grant Date Fair Value		Restricted Stock Units	Weighted- Average Grant Date Fair Value
Total restricted stock units outstanding, beginning of period	1,798,331	$	32.31	1,943,497	$	29.09	1,185,080	$	22.99
Granted	62,530	$	68.79	316,500	$	63.57	990,000	$	36.53
Vested	(125,280)	$	63.92	(278,000)	$	45.04	(135,250)	$	29.19
Forfeited and cancelled	(353,331)	$	28.76	(183,666)	$	32.77	(96,333)	$	30.46
Total restricted stock units outstanding, end of period (1)	1,382,250	$	32.01	1,798,331	$	32.31	1,943,497	$	29.09

(1) All restricted stock units outstanding are Restricted Performance Units.  See discussion of the 2005 LTIP, 2008 LTIP, 2013 LTIP and Other Employee Performance Awards below.

Schedule of non-cash, stock-based compensation expense recognized

	For the Years Ended December 31,
Non-Cash, Stock-Based Compensation Expense Recognized	2015		2014		2013
		(In thousands)
2008 LTIP	$	—	$	—	$	2,889
2013 LTIP		10,157		12,361		8,137
Other employee performance awards		1,694		14,095		4,045
Non-cash, stock-based compensation expense recognized for performance based awards from continuing operations		11,851		26,456		15,071
Non-cash, stock-based compensation expense recognized for performance based awards from discontinued operations		—		—		182
Total non-cash, stock-based compensation expense recognized for performance based awards	$	11,851	$	26,456	$	15,253

Schedule of awards outstanding pursuant to performance-based stock incentive plans

	As of December 31, 2015
Performance Based Stock Options	Number of Awards	Weighted- Average Grant Price
2013 LTIP	1,564,500	$	42.63
Other employee performance awards	2,340,000	$	18.27
Total	3,904,500	$	28.03
Restricted Performance Units
2013 LTIP	782,250
Other employee performance awards	600,000
Total	1,382,250

Schedule of allocated non-cash, stock-based compensation expense for all employees

	For the Years Ended December 31,
	2015		2014		2013
	(In thousands)
Subscriber-related	$	2,164	$	1,859	$	1,947
General and administrative		17,035		32,294		27,783
Non-cash, stock-based compensation from continuing operations		19,199		34,153		29,730
Non-cash, stock-based compensation from discontinued operations		—		—		925
Total non-cash, stock-based compensation	$	19,199	$	34,153	$	30,655

Schedule of assumptions of Black-Scholes option valuation model

	For the Years Ended December 31,
Stock Options	2015							2014							2013
Risk-free interest rate		1.40	%	-		2.19	%		1.80	%	-		2.84	%		0.91	%	-		2.66	%
Volatility factor		26.42	%	-		36.22	%		28.53	%	-		38.62	%		32.37	%	-		39.87	%
Expected term of options in years		5.5		-		7.8			5.5		-		9.0			5.6		-		10.0
Weighted-average fair value of options granted	$	16.14		-	$	29.73		$	19.08		-	$	29.20		$	14.49		-	$	21.09

LTIP 2008, LTIP 2013 and Other

Share-based compensation

Schedule of unrecognized non-cash, stock-based compensation expense

Estimated Remaining Non-Cash, Stock-Based Compensation Expense	2013 LTIP		Other Employee Performance Awards
		(In thousands)
Expense estimated to be recognized during 2016	$	7,112	$	—
Estimated contingent expense subsequent to 2016		39,218		36,087
Total estimated remaining expense over the term of the plan	$	46,330	$	36,087