Stock-Based Compensation

3 Months Ended

Mar. 25, 2016

Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]

20. Stock-Based Compensation

During the quarterly period ended March 25, 2016, the Company granted stock-based compensation under its Amended and Restated 2008 Long Term Performance Plan (2008 LTPP) in the form of stock options, restricted stock units and performance units. The stock-based compensation awards granted during the quarterly period ended March 25, 2016 are further discussed below.

Stock Options. The Company granted 608,860 stock options with a weighted average exercise price of $116.20 per option, which was equal to the closing price of L-3 Holdings’ common stock on the date of grant. The options expire after 10 years from the date of grant and vest ratably over a three-year period on the annual anniversary of the date of grant. The options granted to our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer are also subject to performance-based vesting conditions. The weighted average grant date fair value for the options of $15.80 per option was estimated using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The weighted average assumptions used in the valuation model for this grant are presented in the table below.


Expected holding period (in years)	5.0
Expected volatility	21.3	%
Expected dividend yield	2.8	%
Risk-free interest rate	1.1	%

Restricted Stock Units. The Company granted 383,693 restricted stock units with a weighted average grant date fair value of $116.20 per share. Restricted stock units automatically convert into shares of L-3 Holdings’ common stock upon vesting, and are subject to forfeiture until certain restrictions have lapsed, including a three year cliff vesting period for employees and a one year cliff vesting period for non-employee directors, in each case starting on the date of grant.

Performance Units. The Company granted 51,892 performance units with a weighted average grant date fair value per unit of $116.20. The final payout for these units is based on the achievement of pre-determined EPS goals established by the compensation committee of the Company’s Board of Directors for the three-year period ending December 31, 2018. Units earned under the award can range from zero to 200% of the original number of units awarded, which are converted into shares of L-3 Holdings’ common stock.

Award Modifications. As disclosed in Note 5, the Company completed the sale of NSS on February 1, 2016. In connection with the divestiture of NSS, the Company modified unvested restricted stock unit and stock option awards held by approximately 300 NSS employees by converting each award into a right to receive a cash payment. The cash payment was based on the original number of units awarded, the closing price of L-3’s common stock on the closing date of the sale, and the portion of the three-year vesting period for the award that had been satisfied through the closing date, and additionally in the case of stock options, the exercise price of the options. As a result of the award modification, the Company reversed $4 million of previously recorded stock compensation expense relating to the original awards as a reduction to shareholders equity and recorded $5 million of expense based on the cash payments made to NSS employees in connection with the modified awards, each of which is included in the Company’s results from discontinued operations.