Stock-Based Compensation (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Stock-Based Compensation

Schedule of exercise prices for stock options outstanding and exercisable associated with employees

					Options Outstanding				Options Exercisable
					Number Outstanding as of December 31, 2020	Weighted- Average Remaining Contractual Life	Weighted- Average Exercise Price		Number Exercisable as of December 31, 2020	Weighted- Average Remaining Contractual Life	Weighted- Average Exercise Price
$	10.01	-	$	20.00	221,500	8.20	$	18.70	8,336	7.75	$	18.70
$	20.01	-	$	30.00	300,675	6.22	$	25.67	148,681	4.53	$	24.65
$	30.01	-	$	40.00	6,125,897	7.16	$	35.63	2,388,162	7.24	$	35.52
$	40.01	-	$	50.00	1,119,265	6.50	$	47.46	519,500	6.22	$	47.27
$	50.01	-	$	60.00	1,609,378	5.52	$	57.48	394,252	4.71	$	56.78
$	60.01	-	$	70.00	806,900	5.44	$	64.35	301,500	5.14	$	65.40
$	—	-	$	70.00	10,183,615	6.69	$	41.99	3,760,431	6.56	$	41.30

Schedule of stock option activity associated with employees

	For the Years Ended December 31,
	2020			2019			2018
	Options	Weighted- Average Exercise Price		Options	Weighted- Average Exercise Price		Options	Weighted- Average Exercise Price
Total options outstanding, beginning of period	12,792,812	$	41.52	13,365,489	$	41.78	8,847,734	$	43.90
Granted	1,112,500	$	31.21	1,396,750	$	33.52	7,026,512	$	38.44
Exercised	(109,195)	$	28.53	(713,411)	$	27.46	(267,905)	$	16.43
Forfeited, cancelled and transferred (1)	(3,612,502)	$	37.41	(1,256,016)	$	43.40	(2,240,852)	$	39.73
Total options outstanding, end of period	10,183,615	$	41.99	12,792,812	$	41.52	13,365,489	$	41.78
Performance-based options outstanding, end of period (2)	4,096,749	$	44.44	7,608,446	$	39.78	8,671,886	$	39.95
Exercisable at end of period	3,760,431	$	41.30	2,332,489	$	44.93	1,705,103	$	40.87

(1) Certain of these stock options include options that were granted to individuals who transferred to and/or from another DISH Network subsidiary not a part of DISH DBS.

(2) These stock options are included in the caption “Total options outstanding, end of period.” See discussion of the 2013 LTIP, 2017 LTIP, 2019 LTIP and Other Employee Performance Awards below.

Schedule of realized tax benefits from stock awards exercised

	For the Years Ended December 31,
	2020		2019		2018
	(In thousands)
Tax benefit from stock awards exercised	$	3,361	$	1,239	$	1,664

Schedule of aggregate intrinsic value of stock options associated with employees

	As of December 31, 2020
	Options		Options
	Outstanding		Exercisable
	(In thousands)
Aggregate intrinsic value	$	5,043	$	1,272

Schedule of restricted stock unit activity

	For the Years Ended December 31,
	2020			2019			2018
	Restricted Stock Units/Awards		Weighted- Average Grant Date Fair Value	Restricted Stock Units/Awards		Weighted- Average Grant Date Fair Value	Restricted Stock Units/Awards		Weighted- Average Grant Date Fair Value
Total restricted stock units/awards outstanding, beginning of period	1,463,650	$	50.82	1,718,945	$	52.16	2,484,720	$	51.16
Granted	1,470,505	$	32.92	—	$	—	—	$	—
Vested	(697,660)	$	63.81	(9,565)	$	63.49	(10,475)	$	63.49
Forfeited, cancelled and transferred (1)	(686,250)	$	35.14	(245,730)	$	59.86	(755,300)	$	48.51
Total restricted stock units/awards outstanding, end of period	1,550,245	$	34.70	1,463,650	$	50.82	1,718,945	$	52.16
Restricted Performance Units/Awards outstanding, end of period (2)	1,543,750	$	34.58	1,446,300	$	50.66	1,689,350	$	51.97

(1) Certain of these restricted stock units/awards include restricted stock units/awards that were granted to individuals who transferred to and/or from another DISH Network subsidiary not a part of DISH DBS.

(2) These stock units/awards are included in the caption “Total restricted stock units/awards outstanding, end of period.” See discussion of the 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 (1)	2020		2019		2018
	(In thousands)
2019 LTIP	$	12,526	$	14,946	$	3,475
2017 LTIP		—		(12,902)		3,293
2013 LTIP		(741)		(1,021)		(2,471)
Other employee performance awards		4,370		(592)		17,888
Total non-cash, stock-based compensation expense recognized for performance-based awards	$	16,155	$	431	$	22,185

(1) “Non-Cash, Stock-Based Compensation Expense Recognized” includes forfeitures.

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

Estimated Remaining Non-Cash, Stock-Based Compensation Expense	2019 LTIP		2017 LTIP		2013 LTIP		Other Employee Performance Awards
	(In thousands)
Expense estimated to be recognized during 2021	$	3,150	$	—	$	—	$	14,613
Estimated contingent expense subsequent to 2021		5,861		—		22,488		18,129
Total estimated remaining expense over the term of the plan	$	9,011	$	—	$	22,488	$	32,742

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

	As of December 31, 2020
Performance-Based Stock Options	Number of Awards	Weighted- Average Grant Price
2019 LTIP	1,761,241	$	34.71
2017 LTIP	1,659,508	$	56.39
2013 LTIP	676,000	$	40.43
Total	4,096,749	$	44.44
Restricted Performance Units/Awards
2013 LTIP	338,000
Other employee performance awards	1,205,750
Total	1,543,750

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

	For the Years Ended December 31,
	2020		2019		2018
	(In thousands)
Cost of services	$	7,194	$	838	$	1,412
Selling, general and administrative		23,477		13,015		34,109
Total non-cash, stock based compensation	$	30,671	$	13,853	$	35,521

Schedule of assumptions of Black-Scholes option valuation model

	For the Years Ended December 31,
Stock Options	2020							2019							2018
Risk-free interest rate		0.17	%	-		1.72	%		1.51	%	-		2.53	%		2.09	%	-		2.98	%
Volatility factor		28.91	%	-		48.08	%		28.86	%	-		32.08	%		23.33	%	-		30.22	%
Expected term of options in years		3.3		-		5.5			4.3		-		5.5			2.8		-		5.5
Fair value of options granted	$	5.50		-	$	12.10		$	7.58		-	$	12.45		$	7.10		-	$	12.53