STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION (Notes)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2016

Notes To Financial Statements [Abstract]

NOTE 9. STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

During the three months ended March 31, 2016, we awarded certain employees grants of 741,603 shares of restricted stock and 437,275 restricted stock units ("RSUs"). The restricted stock awards will be expensed over the requisite service period, subject to an assumed 12% average forfeiture rate. The terms of the restricted stock awards include vesting provisions based solely on continued service. If the service criteria are satisfied, the restricted stock awards generally vest during March of 2017, 2018, and 2019.

During the three months ended March 31, 2016, we additionally awarded certain employees grants of 390,728 RSUs that will vest based upon the Company’s cumulative Free Cash Flow per share over a three year performance period.

During the three months ended March 31, 2016, we withheld 210,169 shares of our common stock in connection with tax withholdings for vested stock awards.

Compensation expense related to our stock-based awards totaled $5 million and $8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. The stock-based award compensation for the three months ended March 31, 2015 includes expense recognized for stock awards and accelerated vesting of stock awards pursuant to separation agreements in connection with the departure of two executive offers during the three months ended March 31, 2015.

Unrecognized stock-based compensation expense and weighted-average years to be recognized are as follows (in millions, except for weighted average years):



	As of March 31, 2016
	Unrecognized stock- based compensation	Weighted-average years to be recognized
Restricted stock awards	$ 14	1.8
Restricted stock units	$ 12	2.6