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SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION (Block)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Disclosure Of Compensation Related Costs Sharebased Payments Abstract  
Disclosure Of Compensation Related Costs Share Based Payments Text Block

5. SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION

Under the Entercom Equity Compensation Plan (the “Plan”), the Company is authorized to issue share-based compensation awards to key employees, directors and consultants.

Restricted Stock Units (“RSUs”) Activity

The following is a summary of the changes in RSUs under the Plan during the current period:

NumberWeightedAggregate
OfWeightedAverageIntrinsic
Restricted AverageRemainingValue As Of
StockPurchaseContractualSeptember 30,
Period EndedUnitsPriceTerm (Years)2015
RSUs outstanding as of: December 31, 20141,258,685
RSUs awarded701,527
RSUs released(394,130)
RSUs forfeited(53,498)
RSUs outstanding as of: September 30, 20151,512,584$-1.3$15,367,853
RSUs vested and expected
to vest as of:September 30, 20151,424,839$-1.2$13,649,545
RSUs exercisable (vested and
deferred) as of:September 30, 201581,380$--$826,821
Weighted average remaining
recognition period in years2.0
Unamortized compensation
expense, net of estimated
forfeitures$8,404,214

RSUs With Service And Market Conditions

The Company issued RSUs with service and market conditions that are included in the table above. These shares vest if: (1) the Company’s stock achieves certain shareholder performance targets over a defined measurement period; and (2) the employee fulfills a minimum service period. The compensation expense is recognized even if the market conditions are not satisfied and are only reversed in the event the service period is not met, as all of the conditions need to be satisfied. These RSUs are amortized over the longest of the explicit, implicit or derived service periods, which range from one to two years.

The following table presents the changes in outstanding RSUs with market conditions:

Nine MonthsYear
EndedEnded
September 30,December 31,
20152014
(amounts in thousands, except per share data)
Reconciliation Of RSUs With Market Conditions
Beginning of period balance290-
Number of RSUs granted165290
Number of RSUs forfeited --
Number of RSUs vested(65)-
End of period balance390290
Average fair value of RSUs issued with market
conditions$8.39$6.90

The fair value of RSUs with service conditions is estimated using the Company’s closing stock price on the date of the grant. To determine the fair value of RSUs with service and market conditions, the Company used the Monte Carlo simulation lattice model. The Company’s determination of the fair value was based on the number of shares granted, the Company’s stock price on the date of grant and certain assumptions regarding a number of highly complex and subjective variables. If other reasonable assumptions were used, the results could differ.

The specific assumptions used for these valuations are as follows:

Nine Months EndedYear Ended
September 30,December 31,
20152014
Expected Volatility Term Structure (1)34% to 39%33% to 42%
Risk-Free Interest Rate (2)0.1% to 1.1%0.1% to 0.4%
Dividend Yield (3)0.0%0.0%

  • Expected Volatility Term Structure - The Company estimated the volatility term structure using: (1) the historical volatility of its stock; and (2) the implied volatility provided by its traded options from a trailing month’s average of the closing bid-ask price quotes.

  • Risk-Free Interest Rate - The Company estimated the risk-free interest rate based upon the implied yield available on U.S. Treasury issues using the Treasury bond rate as of the date of grant.

  • Dividend Yield - The Company calculated the dividend yield at the time of grant based upon the Company’s most recent history of not paying a dividend on its common stock.

RSUs With Service And Performance Conditions

In addition to the RSUs included in the table above summarizing the activity in RSUs under the Plan, the Company issued RSUs with both service and performance conditions. Vesting of performance-based awards, if any, is dependent upon the achievement of certain performance targets. If the performance standards are not achieved, all unvested shares will expire and any accrued expense will be reversed. The Company determines the requisite service period on a case-by-case basis to determine the expense recognition period for non-vested performance based RSUs. The fair value is determined based upon the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant. The Company applies a quarterly probability assessment in computing its non-cash compensation expense and any change in the estimate is reflected as a cumulative adjustment to expense in the quarter of the change.

The following table reflects the activity of RSUs with service and performance conditions:

Nine MonthsYear
EndedEnded
September 30,December 31,
20152014
(amounts in thousands, except per share data)
Reconciliation Of RSUs With Performance Conditions
Beginning of period balance8-
Number of RSUs granted2211
Number of RSUs that did not meet criteria-(3)
Number of RSUs vested--
End of period balance308
Average fair value of RSUs issued with performance
conditions$11.11$9.60

As of September 30, 2015, no non-cash compensation expense was accrued.

Option Activity

The following table provides summary information related to the exercise of stock options:

Nine Months Ended September 30,
Option Exercise Data20152014
(amounts in thousands)
Intrinsic value of options exercised$101$232
Tax benefit from options exercised (1)$38$88
Cash received from exercise price of options exercised$35$42

  • Amount excludes impact from suspended income tax benefits and/or valuation allowances.

The following table presents the option activity during the current period under the Plan:

WeightedIntrinsic
WeightedAverageValue
AverageRemainingAs Of
Number OfExerciseContractualSeptember 30,
Period EndedOptionsPriceTerm (Years)2015
Options outstanding as of:December 31, 2014486,675$2.11
Options granted--
Options exercised(11,750)3.02
Options forfeited(3,750)8.72
Options expired(4,250)13.63
Options outstanding as of:September 30, 2015466,925$1.933.3$3,871,714
Options vested and expected to
vest as of:September 30, 2015466,925$1.933.3$3,871,714
Options vested and exercisable as of:September 30, 2015466,925$1.933.3$3,871,714
Weighted average remaining
recognition period in years-
Unamortized compensation expense,
net of estimated forfeitures$11,947

The following table summarizes significant ranges of outstanding and exercisable options as of the current period:

Options OutstandingOptions Exercisable
Number Of Weighted Number Of
OptionsAverageWeighted OptionsWeighted
Range OfOutstandingRemaining AverageExercisable Average
Exercise PricesSeptember 30,ContractualExerciseSeptember 30,Exercise
FromTo2015LifePrice2015Price
$1.341.34432,9253.4$1.34432,925$1.34
$2.0211.7834,0002.9$9.5034,000$9.50
$1.3411.78466,9253.3$1.93466,925$1.93

Recognized Non-Cash Stock-Based Compensation Expense

The following non-cash stock-based compensation expense, which is comprised primarily of RSUs, is included in each of the respective line items in our statement of operations:

Nine Months Ended
September 30,
20152014
(amounts in thousands)
Station operating expenses$880$672
Corporate general and administrative expenses3,2173,079
Stock-based compensation expense included in operating expenses4,0973,751
Income tax benefit (1)1,5131,121
Net stock-based compensation expense$2,584$2,630

Three Months Ended
September 30,
20152014
(amounts in thousands)
Station operating expenses$334$277
Corporate general and administrative expenses1,221981
Stock-based compensation expense included in operating expenses1,5551,258
Income tax benefit (1)577378
Net stock-based compensation expense$978$880

  • Amount excludes impact from suspended income tax benefits and/or valuation allowances.