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Stock Compensation Plans (Notes)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]  
Stock Compensation Plans
 Stock Compensation Plans

Charter’s 2009 Stock Incentive Plan provides for grants of non-qualified stock options, incentive stock options, stock appreciation rights, dividend equivalent rights, performance units and performance shares, share awards, phantom stock, restricted stock units and restricted stock.  Directors, officers and other employees of the Company and its subsidiaries, as well as others performing consulting services for the Company, are eligible for grants under the 2009 Stock Incentive Plan. The 2009 Stock Incentive Plan allows for the issuance of up to 14 million shares of Charter Class A common stock (or units convertible into Charter Class A common stock).
 
Stock options granted prior to 2014 generally vest annually over three or four years from either the grant date or delayed vesting commencement dates. Stock options generally expire ten years from the grant date. Restricted stock vests annually over a one to four-year period beginning from the date of grant. Certain stock options and restricted stock vest based on achievement of stock price hurdles. Restricted stock units have no voting rights, and restricted stock units granted prior to 2014 vest ratably over three or four years from either the grant date or delayed vesting commencement dates. Stock options and restricted stock units granted in 2014 cliff vest over three years. As of December 31, 2014, total unrecognized compensation remaining to be recognized in future periods totaled $66 million for stock options, $9 million for restricted stock and $26 million for restricted stock units and the weighted average period over which they are expected to be recognized is 2 years for stock options, 1 years for restricted stock and 2 years for restricted stock units.

The Company recorded $55 million, $48 million and $50 million of stock compensation expense for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively, which is included in operating costs and expenses.

A summary of the activity for the Company’s stock options for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, is as follows (amounts in thousands, except per share data):

 
Year Ended December 31,
 
2014
 
2013
 
2012
 
Shares
 
Weighted Average Exercise Price
 
Shares
 
Weighted Average Exercise Price
 
Shares
 
Weighted Average Exercise Price
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Outstanding, beginning of period
3,142

 
$
59.86

 
3,552

 
$
54.35

 
4,018

 
$
49.53

Granted
1,234

 
$
136.75

 
276

 
$
108.89

 
813

 
$
69.00

Exercised
(640
)
 
$
52.50

 
(543
)
 
$
51.22

 
(371
)
 
$
40.57

Canceled
(47
)
 
$
104.57

 
(143
)
 
$
50.54

 
(908
)
 
$
51.74

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Outstanding, end of period
3,689

 
$
86.29

 
3,142

 
$
59.86

 
3,552

 
$
54.35

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Weighted average remaining contractual life
7

years
 
7

years
 
8

years
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Options exercisable, end of period
1,317

 
$
55.65

 
1,128

 
$
52.07

 
469

 
$
46.23

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Weighted average fair value of options granted
$
55.08

 
 
 
$
41.52

 
 
 
$
28.17

 
 


A summary of the activity for the Company’s restricted stock for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, is as follows (amounts in thousands, except per share data):

 
Year Ended December 31,
 
2014
 
2013
 
2012
 
Shares
 
Weighted Average Grant Price
 
Shares
 
Weighted Average Grant Price
 
Shares
 
Weighted Average Grant Price
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Outstanding, beginning of period
653

 
$
56.14

 
928

 
$
54.16

 
1,115

 
$
45.72

Granted
9

 
$
138.57

 
13

 
$
101.81

 
244

 
$
60.48

Vested
(231
)
 
$
57.35

 
(280
)
 
$
51.62

 
(370
)
 
$
36.02

Canceled
—

 
$
—

 
(8
)
 
$
56.50

 
(61
)
 
$
35.25

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Outstanding, end of period
431

 
$
57.24

 
653

 
$
56.14

 
928

 
$
54.16



A summary of the activity for the Company’s restricted stock units for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, is as follows (amounts in thousands, except per share data):

 
Year Ended December 31,
 
2014
 
2013
 
2012
 
Shares
 
Weighted Average Grant Price
 
Shares
 
Weighted Average Grant Price
 
Shares
 
Weighted Average Grant Price
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Outstanding, beginning of period
288

 
$
74.73

 
327

 
$
61.79

 
273

 
$
54.86

Granted
153

 
$
136.54

 
73

 
$
109.96

 
142

 
$
71.33

Vested
(104
)
 
$
70.23

 
(88
)
 
$
61.17

 
(52
)
 
$
56.59

Canceled
(12
)
 
$
112.53

 
(24
)
 
$
55.28

 
(36
)
 
$
54.47

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Outstanding, end of period
325

 
$
104.01

 
288

 
$
74.73

 
327

 
$
61.79