Stock-Based Compensation Expense

The Company used the Black-Scholes option pricing model to estimate the fair value on the date of grant of stock options issued. The determination of the fair value of stock options is affected by the Company’s stock price, historical stock price volatility over the expected term of the awards, risk-free interest rates and expected dividends. With respect to restricted stock awards, the Company recognized compensation expense over the vesting period equal to the grant date fair value of the shares awarded. To the extent non-vested restricted stock awards include performance or market vesting conditions, management uses the requisite service period to recognize the cost associated with the award. There were no changes to the Black-Scholes calculations or assumptions during the year.

Generally, the Company’s grants of stock options vest over four years and have a maximum contractual term of ten years. The Company estimated the volatility of its common stock by using a weighted average of historical stock price volatility over the expected term of the options. The Company based the risk-free interest rate that it used in its option pricing model on United States Treasury issues with terms similar to the expected term of the options. The Company does not anticipate paying any cash dividends on the class of stock subject to granted stock options in the foreseeable future and therefore used an expected dividend yield of zero in the option pricing model. The Company is required to estimate forfeitures at the time of grant and revise those estimates in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from estimates. Stock-based compensation expense is recorded only for those awards that are expected to vest. All stock-based payment awards are amortized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service periods of the awards.

On May 22, 2014, the Company granted 11,664 shares of time-vesting restricted Class A common stock, with an aggregate grant date fair value of $0.6 million, to the non-employee directors of the Company with a cliff vesting term of one year.

On May 14, 2015, the Company granted 30,365 shares of time-vesting restricted Class A common stock, with an aggregate grant date fair value of $0.6 million, to the non-employee directors of the Company with a cliff vesting term of one year.

During 2015, the Company granted 0.6 million stock options with an aggregate grant date fair value of $2.2 million. The options range in exercise price from $3.84 to $34.72 per share, and provide for vesting on each of the first four anniversaries of the date of grant, with 30% of each award vesting on each of the first two anniversaries thereof, and 20% of each award vesting on each of the next two anniversaries thereof.

During 2016, the Company granted 0.4 million stock options with an aggregate grant date fair value of $0.6 million. The options range in exercise price from $1.34 to $24.00 per share, and provide for vesting on each of the first four anniversaries of the date of grant, with 30% of each award vesting on each of the first two anniversaries thereof, and 20% of each award vesting on each of the next two anniversaries thereof.

The total fair value of restricted stock awards that vested during the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 was $0.03 million and $0.6 million, respectively.

In connection with the September 2015 announced departures from the Company of its then-President and CEO and Executive Vice President of Content and Programming, the Company recorded accelerated stock compensation costs of $8.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2015. These costs are included in corporate expenses and additional paid-in capital in the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

For the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, the Company recognized approximately $2.9 million, $21.0 million and $17.6 million in non-cash stock-based compensation expense, respectively, related to equity awards. The associated tax benefits related to these non-cash stock-based compensation awards for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014 were $0.2 million, $8.4 million and $7.1 million, respectively.

As of December 31, 2016, unrecognized stock-based compensation expense of approximately $2.8 million related to equity awards is expected to be recognized over a weighted average remaining life of 1.40 years. Unrecognized stock-based compensation expense for equity awards will continue to be adjusted for future changes in estimated forfeitures.

As of December 31, 2016, the total number of shares of common stock that remain authorized, reserved and available for issuance under any of the Company’s equity incentive plans was approximately 30,000, not including shares underlying outstanding awards. The Company is only authorized to make additional award grants under the 2011 Equity Incentive Plan.

There were no stock options exercised during the years ended December 31, 2016 or December 31, 2015.

The following tables summarize the Company’s equity award activity for the year ended December 31, 2016:



	Options		Weighted- Average Exercise Price		Weighted- Average Remaining Contractual Term (in years)	Aggregate Intrinsic Value (in thousands)
Options to Purchase Class A Common Stock
Outstanding at January 1, 2016	3,216,193		$	34.88
Granted	389,938		5.96
Exercised	—		—
Forfeited/Canceled	(41,523	)	42.85
Expired	(92,153	)	37.61
Outstanding at December 31, 2016	3,472,455		$	31.46	6.36	$	392
Vested or expected to vest at December 31, 2016	3,472,455		$	31.46	6.36	$	18,081
Exercisable at December 31, 2016	2,620,358		$	36.94	5.55	$	668



	Number of Restricted Stock Awards (in thousands)		Weighted- Average Grant Date Fair Value (in thousands)
Restricted Common Stock Awards
Outstanding at January 1, 2016	30,365		$	19.76
Granted	—		—
Vested	(30,365	)	19.76
Forfeited	—		—
Outstanding awards at December 31, 2016	—		$	—

2011 Equity Incentive Plan

The Board adopted the 2011 Equity Incentive Plan on July 8, 2011. Also, on July 8, 2011, stockholders holding a majority of the outstanding voting power of the Company, upon the recommendation of the Board, approved the 2011 Equity Incentive Plan.

The 2011 Equity Incentive Plan authorizes the grant of equity-based compensation in the form of stock options, stock appreciation rights (“SARs”), restricted stock, restricted stock units (“RSUs”), performance shares, performance units, and other awards for the purpose of providing Cumulus Media’s non-employee directors, consultants, officers and other employees incentives and rewards that are aligned with the economic interests of the Company's shareholders.

The 2011 Equity Incentive Plan is administered by the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee may delegate its authority under the 2011 Equity Incentive Plan.

Total awards under the 2011 Equity Incentive Plan are limited to 4,375,000 shares (the “Authorized Plan Aggregate”) of Class A common stock. The 2011 Equity Incentive Plan also provides that: (i) the aggregate number of shares of Class A common stock actually issued or transferred upon the exercise of incentive stock options (“ISOs”) will not exceed 2,187,500 shares; (ii) the number of shares of Class A common stock issued as restricted stock, RSUs, performance shares, performance units and other awards (after taking into account any forfeitures and cancellations) will not, during the term of the 2011 Equity Incentive Plan, in the aggregate exceed 1,500,000 shares of Class A common stock; (iii) no participant will be granted stock options or SARs, in the aggregate, for more than 1,437,500 shares of Class A common stock during any calendar year; (iv) no participant will be granted awards of restricted stock, RSUs, performance shares or other awards that are intended to qualify as “qualified performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), in the aggregate, for more than 375,000 shares of Class A common stock during any calendar year; and (v) no participant during any calendar year will be granted awards of performance units that are intended to qualify as “qualified performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code, in the aggregate, for more than a maximum value of $5,000,000 as of their respective dates of grant.

The 2011 Equity Incentive Plan provides that only shares with respect to awards that expire or are forfeited or canceled, or shares that were covered by an award the benefit of which is paid in cash instead of shares, will again be available for issuance under the 2011 Equity Incentive Plan. The following shares are not added back to the Authorized Plan Aggregate: (i) shares tendered in payment of a stock option exercise price; (ii) shares withheld by the Company to satisfy tax withholding obligations; and (iii) shares repurchased by the Company with stock option proceeds. Further, all shares covered by a SAR that is exercised and settled in shares, and whether or not all shares are actually issued to the participant upon exercise of the right, will be considered issued or transferred pursuant to the 2011 Equity Incentive Plan.

The 2011 Equity Incentive Plan provides that generally: (i) stock options and SARs may not become exercisable by the passage of time sooner than one-third per year over three years except in the event of retirement, death or disability of a participant or in the event of a change in control (described below); (ii) stock options and SARs that become exercisable upon the achievement of Management Objectives (as defined below) cannot become exercisable sooner than one year from the date of grant except in the event of retirement, death or disability of a participant or in the event of a change in control; (iii) restricted stock and RSUs may not become unrestricted by the passage of time sooner than one-third per year over three years unless restrictions lapse sooner by virtue of retirement, death or disability of a participant or in the event of a change in control; (iv) the period of time within which Management Objectives relating to performance shares and performance units must be achieved will be a minimum of one year, subject to earlier lapse or modification by virtue of retirement, death or disability of a participant or in the event of a change in control; (v) restricted stock and RSUs that vest upon the achievement of Management Objectives cannot vest sooner than one year from the date of grant, but may be subject to earlier lapse or modification by virtue of retirement, death or disability of a participant or in the event of a change in control; and, (vi) as described below, a limited number of awards, however, including restricted stock and RSUs granted to non-employee directors, may be granted without regard to the above minimum vesting periods. Repricing of options and SARs is prohibited without stockholder approval under the 2011 Equity Incentive Plan.

In general, a change in control will be deemed to have occurred if: (i) there is a consummation of a sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole to any person or group; (ii) a plan relating to the liquidation or dissolution of the Company is adopted; (iii) there is a consummation of any transaction (including, without limitation, any purchase, sale, acquisition, disposition, merger or consolidation) the result of which is that any person or group becomes the beneficial owner (excluding any options to purchase equity securities of the Company held by such person or group) of more than 50% of the aggregate voting power of all classes of capital stock of the Company having the right to elect directors under ordinary circumstances; or (iv) a majority of the members of the Board are not Continuing Directors. For purposes of this definition, a “Continuing Director” is, as of any date of determination, any member of the Board who (1) was a member of the Board on July 8, 2011 or (2) was nominated for election or elected to the Board with the approval of either two-thirds of the Continuing Directors who were members of the Board at the time of such nomination or election or two-thirds of those Company directors who were previously approved by Continuing Directors.

The 2011 Equity Incentive Plan provides that dividends or other distributions on performance shares, restricted stock or RSUs that are earned or that have restrictions that lapse as a result of the achievement of Management Objectives will be deferred until and paid contingent upon the achievement of the applicable Management Objectives. The 2011 Equity Incentive Plan also provides that dividends and dividend equivalents will not be paid on stock options or SARs.

The 2011 Equity Incentive Plan provides that no stock options or SARs will be granted with an exercise or base price less than the fair market value of the Class A common stock on the date of grant. The 2011 Equity Incentive Plan is designed to allow awards to qualify as qualified performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code.

The following performance metrics may be used as “Management Objectives”: profits, cash flow, returns, working capital, profit margins, liquidity measures, sales growth, gross margin growth, cost initiative and stock price metrics, and strategic initiative key deliverable metrics.

As of December 31, 2016, there were outstanding options to purchase a total of 3,421,986 shares of Class A common stock at exercise prices ranging from $1.34 to $51.68 per share under the 2011 Equity Incentive Plan, of which 852,097 options are unvested and 2,569,889 options were vested.

2008 Equity Incentive Plan

As of December 31, 2016, there were outstanding options to purchase a total of 50,469 shares of Class A common stock at exercise prices ranging from $20.32 to $26.40 per share under the 2008 Equity Incentive Plan. As of December 31, 2016, all of such outstanding options had vested. The Company is not authorized to issue additional grants under this plan.