Equity Plans

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

Share-based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]

Equity Plans

Equity Plans

In June 2020, AMC Networks granted 54,535 restricted stock units ("RSUs") under the 2011 Stock Plan for Non-Employee Directors to non-employee directors that vested on the date of grant.

In March 2020, AMC Networks granted 1,171,956 RSUs to certain executive officers and employees under the AMC Networks Inc. 2016 Employee Stock Plan. The RSUs vest ratably over a three-year period and the vesting criteria for 380,142 RSUs include the achievement of certain performance targets by the Company.

During the nine months ended September 30, 2020, 477,764 RSUs and 325,836 PRSUs of AMC Networks Class A Common Stock previously issued to employees of the Company vested. On the vesting date, 199,377 RSUs and 142,882 PRSUs were surrendered to the Company to cover the required statutory tax withholding obligations and 278,387 RSU and 182,954 PRSU new shares of AMC Networks Class A Common Stock were issued. The units surrendered to satisfy the employees' statutory minimum tax withholding obligations for the applicable income and other employment tax had an aggregate value of $8.9 million, which has been reflected as a financing activity in the condensed consolidated statement of cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2020.

Share-based compensation expense included in selling, general and administrative expense was $12.4 million and $43.1 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, respectively, and $13.8 million and $50.5 million the for three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively.

As of September 30, 2020, there was $47.4 million of total unrecognized share-based compensation cost related to outstanding unvested share-based awards. The unrecognized compensation cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average remaining period of approximately 1.7 years.