Our various incentive compensation plans permit the grant of non-qualified and incentive stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock and stock units ("RSUs"), and restricted performance shares and performance units ("RPUs", collectively with RSUs, "Restricted Units"). On May 13, 2021, our shareholders approved our 2021 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan under which we are authorized to issue awards underlying 25 million shares. Each award issued in the form of Restricted Units, stock options and other permitted awards reduces the share reserve by one share. We had 19 million shares available to be issued under the UPS Incentive Compensation Plan as of December 31, 2021.

Our primary equity compensation programs are the UPS Management Incentive Award program (the "MIP"), the UPS Long-Term Incentive Performance Award program (the "LTIP") and the UPS Stock Option program. Additionally, our matching contributions to our primary employee defined contribution savings plan are made in shares of UPS class A common stock. The total expense recognized in our statements of consolidated income under all stock compensation programs during 2021, 2020 and 2019 was $878, $796 and $915 million, respectively. The associated income tax benefit recognized in our statements of consolidated income during 2021, 2020 and 2019 was $301, $210 and $216 million, respectively. The cash income tax benefit received from the exercise of stock options and conversion of Restricted Units to class A shares during 2021, 2020 and 2019 was $278, $272 and $148 million, respectively.

Non-executive management eligibility for MIP awards is determined annually by the executive officers of UPS. Awards granted to executive officers are determined annually by the Compensation Committee of the UPS Board of Directors. Our MIP provides, with certain exceptions, that one-half to two-thirds of the annual award will be made in RPUs, depending upon the level of management. The remaining one-third to one-half of the award is electable in the form of cash or unrestricted shares of class A common stock, and is fully vested at the time of grant. Upon conversion, RPUs result in the issuance of an equivalent number of UPS class A shares after required tax withholdings.

Beginning with the MIP grant in the first quarter of 2019, RPUs vest one year following the grant date based on continued employment with the Company (except in the case of death, disability or retirement, in which case immediate vesting occurs). The grant value is expensed on a straight-line basis (less estimated forfeitures) over the requisite service period (except in the case of death, disability or retirement, in which case immediate expensing occurs). RPUs granted under the MIP prior to 2019 vest over a five-year period with approximately 20% of the award vesting and converting to class A shares at the anniversary of each grant date. As of December 31, 2020, outstanding RPUs granted to non-executive management prior to 2019 became fully vested. The elimination of the future service requirement for these awards resulted in the recognition of an additional $133 million of stock compensation expense in 2020. Conversion to class A shares will continue to occur over the remaining five-year period.

All RPUs granted are subject to early cancellation or vesting under certain conditions. Dividends earned on RPUs are reinvested in additional RPUs at each dividend payable date until they have fully vested. As of December 31, 2021, we had the following outstanding RPUs, including reinvested dividends, granted under the MIP:


	RPUs (in thousands)	Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value
Non-vested as of January 1, 2021	2,293	$	102.91
Vested	(5,452)	109.35
Granted	6,618	165.27
Reinvested Dividends	129	N/A
Forfeited / Expired	(121)	159.78
Non-vested as of December 31, 2021	3,467	$	163.32

The fair value of each RPU is the NYSE closing price of class B common stock on the date of grant. The weighted-average grant date fair value of RPUs granted during 2021, 2020 and 2019 was $165.27, $102.54 and $108.78, respectively. The total fair value of RPUs vested was $716, $827 and $457 million in 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. As of December 31, 2021, there was $85 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested RPUs. That cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of four months.

RPUs issued under the LTIP vest at the end of a three-year performance period, assuming continued employment with the Company (except in the case of death, disability or retirement, in which case immediate vesting occurs on a prorated basis). The number of RPUs earned is based on achievement of the performance targets established on the grant date.

For LTIP awards with a performance period ended December 31, 2021, the performance targets were equally weighted among consolidated operating return on invested capital ("ROIC"), growth in currency-constant consolidated revenue and total shareholder return ("RTSR") relative to a peer group of companies. For the two-thirds of the award related to ROIC and growth in currency-constant consolidated revenue, we recognized the grant date fair value of these RPUs (less estimated forfeitures) as compensation expense ratably over the vesting period, based on the number of awards expected to be earned. The remaining one-third of the award was valued using a Monte Carlo model. We recognized the grant date fair value of this portion of the award (less estimated forfeitures) as compensation expense ratably over the vesting period.

For LTIP awards with a performance period ending in 2022 and 2023, the performance targets are equally weighted between adjusted earnings per share and adjusted cumulative free cash flow. The final number of RPUs earned will then be subject to adjustment based on RTSR relative to the Standard & Poors 500 Index ("S&P 500"). We determine the grant date fair value of the RPUs using a Monte Carlo model and recognize compensation expense (less estimated forfeitures) ratably over the vesting period, based on the number of awards expected to be earned.

For the 2020 LTIP award, the performance period was divided into two measurement periods. The first measurement period evaluated the achievement of the performance targets for 2020. The second measurement period will evaluate the achievement of the performance targets for 2021 and 2022.


	2021			2020			2019
Risk-free interest rate	0.19		%	0.15		%	2.23		%
Expected volatility	30.70		%	27.53		%	19.64		%
Weighted-average fair value of units granted	$	168.05		$	92.77		$	123.44
Share payout	102.39		%	101.00		%	115.04		%

As of December 31, 2021, we had the following RPUs outstanding, including reinvested dividends, that were granted under our LTIP program:


	RPUs (in thousands)	Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value
Non-vested as of January 1, 2021	1,004	$	104.15
Vested	(919)	115.40
Granted	1,659	168.10
Reinvested Dividends	50	N/A
Forfeited / Expired	(158)	149.90
Non-vested as of December 31, 2021	1,636	$	159.34

The fair value of each RPU is the NYSE closing price of class B common stock on the date of grant. The weighted-average grant date fair value of RPUs granted during 2021, 2020 and 2019 was $168.10, $92.76 and $107.30, respectively. The total fair value of RPUs vested was $160, $112 and $71 million in 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. As of December 31, 2021, there was $160 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested RPUs. That cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of one year and six months.

We maintain stock option plans under which options are granted to purchase shares of UPS class A common stock. Stock options granted in connection with the UPS Incentive Compensation Plan must have an exercise price at least equal to the NYSE closing price of UPS class B common stock on the date the option is granted.

We grant non-qualified stock options to a limited group of eligible senior management employees annually, in which the value granted is determined as a percentage of salary. Stock option awards vest over a five-year period with approximately 20% of the award vesting at each anniversary of the grant date (except in the case of death, disability or retirement, in which case immediate vesting occurs). The option grants expire 10 years after the date of the grant. Option holders may exercise their options via the payment of cash or class A common stock and new class A shares are issued upon exercise.

The following is an analysis of options to purchase shares of class A common stock issued and outstanding:


	Options (in thousands)	Weighted-Average Exercise Price		Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Term (in years)	Aggregate Intrinsic Value (in millions)
Outstanding at January 1, 2021	1,564	$	103.60
Exercised	(176)	99.74
Granted	211	165.58
Forfeited / Expired	—	—
Outstanding as of December 31, 2021	1,599	$	112.18	6.46	$	163
Options Vested and Expected to Vest	1,599	$	112.18	6.46	$	163
Exercisable as of December 31, 2021	1,050	$	104.15	5.52	$	116

The fair value of each option grant is estimated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The weighted-average assumptions used by year, and the calculated weighted-average fair values of options, are as follows:


	2021			2020			2019
Expected dividend yield	3.31		%	3.51		%	2.94		%
Risk-free interest rate	0.84		%	1.26		%	2.60		%
Expected life in years	7.5			7.5			7.5
Expected volatility	23.15		%	19.25		%	17.79		%
Weighted-average fair value of options granted	$	23.71		$	11.74		$	16.34

The expected dividend yield is based on the recent historical dividend yields for our stock, taking into account changes in dividend policy. The risk-free interest rate is based on the term structure of interest rates at the time of the option grant. The expected life represents an estimate of the period of time options are expected to remain outstanding, and we have relied upon a combination of the observed exercise behavior of our prior grants with similar characteristics, the vesting schedule of the grants and an index of peer companies with similar grant characteristics in estimating this variable. Expected volatilities are based on the historical returns on our stock and the implied volatility of our publicly-traded options.

We received cash of $16, $28 and $7 million during 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively, from option holders resulting from the exercise of stock options. The total intrinsic value of options exercised during 2021, 2020 and 2019 was $16, $17 and $5 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2021, there was $4 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested options. That cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of three years and five months.

We maintain an employee stock purchase plan for all eligible employees. Under this plan, shares of UPS class A common stock may be purchased at quarterly intervals at 95% of the NYSE closing price of UPS class B common stock on the last day of each quarterly period. Employees purchased 0.6, 0.9 and 1.0 million shares at average prices of $172.07, $110.92 and $102.11 per share, during 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. This plan is not considered to be compensatory, and therefore no compensation cost is measured for the employees’ purchase rights.