Employee Benefits and Stock-based Compensation

401(k) Plan

The Company maintains a defined contribution 401(k) plan (the “401(k) Plan”) for substantially all of its U.S. employees. Under the 401(k) Plan, eligible employees may contribute up to 50% of their pre-tax salary, subject to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) annual contribution limits. In 2014, 2013 and 2012, the Company matched 50% of the employee’s contribution up to a total of 6% of the employee’s annual salary. The Company contributed $3.4 million in 2014, $3.1 million in 2013, and $2.8 million in 2012 under the 401(k) Plan. The Company can terminate matching contributions at its discretion at any time.

Stock Option and Restricted Stock Plans

The majority of Verisign’s stock-based compensation relates to RSUs. As of December 31, 2014, a total of 13.3 million shares of common stock were reserved for issuance upon the exercise of stock options and for the future grant of stock options or awards under Verisign’s stock option and restricted stock plans.

On May 26, 2006, the stockholders of Verisign approved the 2006 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2006 Plan”). The 2006 Plan replaces Verisign’s previous 1998 Directors Plan, 1998 Equity Incentive Plan, and 2001 Stock Incentive Plan. The 2006 Plan authorizes the award of incentive stock options to employees and non-qualified stock options, restricted stock awards, RSUs, stock bonus awards, stock appreciation rights and performance shares to eligible employees, officers, directors, consultants, independent contractors and advisers. The 2006 Plan is administered by the Compensation Committee which may delegate to a committee of one or more members of the Board or Verisign’s officers the ability to grant certain awards and take certain other actions with respect to participants who are not executive officers or non-employee directors. RSUs are awards covering a specified number of shares of Verisign common stock that may be settled by issuance of those shares (which may be restricted shares). RSUs generally vest in four installments with 25% of the shares vesting on each anniversary of the first four anniversaries of the grant date. Certain performance-based RSUs, granted to the Company’s executives, vest over two and three year terms. Additionally, the Company has granted fully vested RSUs to members of its Board of Directors in each of the last three years. The Compensation Committee may authorize grants with a different vesting schedule in the future. A total of 27.0 million common shares were authorized and reserved for issuance under the 2006 Plan.

2007 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

On August 30, 2007, the Company’s stockholders approved the 2007 Employee Stock Purchase Plan which replaced the previous 1998 Employee Stock Purchase Plan. A total of 6.0 million common shares were authorized and reserved for issuance under the ESPP. Eligible employees may purchase common stock through payroll deductions by electing to have between 2% and 25% of their compensation withheld to cover the purchase price. Each participant is granted an option to purchase common stock on the first day of each 24-month offering period and this option is automatically exercised on the last day of each six-month purchase period during the offering period. The purchase price for the common stock under the ESPP is 85% of the lesser of the fair market value of the common stock on the first day of the applicable offering period or the last day of the applicable purchase period. Offering periods begin on the first business day of February and August of each year. As of December 31, 2014, 1.7 million shares of the Company’s common stock are reserved for issuance under this plan.

Stock-based Compensation

Stock-based compensation is classified in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income in the same expense line items as cash compensation. The following table presents the classification of stock-based compensation:



	Year Ended December 31,
	2014		2013		2012
	(In thousands)
Stock-based compensation:
Cost of revenues	$	6,400	$	6,156	$	5,754
Sales and marketing	8,023		6,252		6,091
Research and development	7,018		7,199		6,023
General and administrative	22,536		17,042		15,494
Total stock-based compensation	$	43,977	$	36,649	$	33,362

The following table presents the nature of the Company’s total stock-based compensation:



	Year Ended December 31,
	2014			2013			2012
	(In thousands)
RSUs	$	32,304		$	29,123		$	28,874
Performance-based RSUs	10,232			5,033			1,933
ESPP	4,192			5,307			4,436
Stock options	—			179			956
Capitalization (Included in Property and equipment, net)	(2,751		)	(2,993		)	(2,837		)
Total stock-based compensation expense	$	43,977		$	36,649		$	33,362

The income tax benefit recognized on stock-based compensation within Income tax expense for 2014, 2013, and 2012 was $15.1 million, $11.9 million, and $9.4 million, respectively.

The following table sets forth the weighted-average assumptions used to estimate the fair value of ESPP awards:



	Year Ended December 31,
	2014		2013		2012
Volatility	24	%	26	%	26	%
Risk-free interest rate	0.16	%	0.14	%	0.16	%
Expected term	1.25 years		1.25 years		1.25 years
Dividend yield	Zero		Zero		Zero

The Company’s expected volatility is based on the average of the historical volatility over the period commensurate with the expected term of the awards and the mean historical implied volatility of traded options. The risk-free interest rates are derived from the average U.S. Treasury constant maturity rates during the respective periods commensurate with the expected term. On the ESPP offering dates, the Company did not anticipate paying any cash dividends and therefore used an expected dividend yield of zero. The Company estimates forfeitures at the time of grant and revises those estimates in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from those estimates. The Company uses historical data to estimate pre-vesting forfeitures and records stock-based compensation only for those awards that are expected to vest.

RSUs Information

The following table summarizes unvested RSUs activity:



	Year Ended December 31,
	2014				2013				2012
	Shares		Weighted-Average Grant-Date Fair Value		Shares		Weighted-Average Grant-Date Fair Value		Shares		Weighted-Average Grant-Date Fair Value
	(Shares in thousands)
Unvested at beginning of period	2,442		$	38.00	2,478		$	32.07	2,345		$	27.33
Granted	909		55.05		1,132		45.08		1,341		38.20
Vested and settled	(878	)	35.99		(900	)	30.73		(881	)	27.57
Forfeited	(294	)	44.00		(268	)	36.09		(327	)	32.34
	2,179		$	46.36	2,442		$	38.00	2,478		$	32.07

The RSUs in the table above include certain RSUs granted to the Company’s executives that are subject to performance conditions, and in some cases, market conditions. The unvested RSUs as of December 31, 2014 include approximately 0.3 million RSUs subject to performance and/or market conditions. The number of RSUs that ultimately vest may range from zero to a maximum of 0.6 million RSUs depending on the level of performance achieved and whether any market conditions are satisfied.

The closing price of Verisign’s stock was $57.00 on December 31, 2014. As of December 31, 2014, the aggregate intrinsic value of unvested RSUs was $124.3 million. The fair values of RSUs that vested during 2014, 2013, and 2012 were $47.9 million, $41.5 million, and $31.7 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2014, total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested RSUs was $56.4 million which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.3 years.

Stock Options Information

The Company has not granted any stock options in each of the last three years. The number of remaining options outstanding is not material. As of December 31, 2014, all of the compensation cost related to the Company’s stock options has been recognized.

Modifications

Under the ESPP, if the market price of the stock at the end of any six-month purchase period is lower than the stock price at the offering date, the plan is immediately cancelled after that purchase date and a new two-year plan is established using the then-current stock price as the base purchase price. The Company also allows its employees to increase their payroll withholdings during the offering period. The Company accounts for these increases in employee payroll withholdings and the plan rollover as modifications. Modification expenses for the ESPP were not material in any period presented.