STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

3 Months Ended

Dec. 29, 2013

Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]

STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

Stock Based Compensation

In January 2012, our stockholders approved an amendment to the Microsemi Corporation 2008 Performance Incentive Plan (the “2008 Plan”). The amendment a) increased the share limit by an additional 14.5 million shares so that the amended aggregate share limit for the 2008 Plan is 28.5 million shares; b) extended the plan term to December 5, 2021; c) increased the number of shares counted against the share limit for every one share issued in connection with a full-value award to 2.41; d) terminated the evergreen provision in the original plan; and e) extended the Performance-Based Award feature through the first annual meeting of stockholders that occurs in calendar year 2017. Awards authorized by the 2008 Plan include options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, stock bonuses, stock units, performance share awards, and other cash- or share-based awards. The shares issued under the 2008 Plan may be newly issued or shares held by Microsemi as treasury stock. The maximum term of a stock option grant or a stock appreciation right granted under the 2008 Plan is 6 years. Stock-based compensation expense was $10.1 million for the quarter ended December 29, 2013 and $8.1 million for the quarter ended December 30, 2012.

The quantity of restricted shares and performance stock units at target levels granted and their weighted-average fair value are as follows (quantities in thousands):

Quarter Ended	Quantity	Weighted Average Fair Value per Award
December 30, 2012
Restricted shares	380	$	20.00
Performance stock units	350	$	21.62
December 29, 2013
Restricted shares	339	$	24.72
Performance stock units	332	$	26.27
Stock options assumed from acquisition	578	$	7.01

Restricted Shares

Compensation expense for restricted shares was calculated based on the closing price of our common stock on the date of grant and the restricted shares are subject to forfeiture if a participant does not meet length of service requirements. Restricted stock awards granted to employees typically vest over a three year period and awards granted to non-employee directors vest in accordance with our director compensation policy.

Performance Stock Units

Performance stock units granted in 2012 vested based on our growth in net sales and earnings per share (subject to certain adjustments) for 2012 and 2013 in comparison with the growth in net sales and adjusted earnings per share over the same period for a peer group selected by the Compensation Committee. For these performance stock units, 50% of each performance-based award opportunity were subject to the net sales metric for the performance period and 50% were subject to the earnings per share metric for the performance period. In November 2013, the Compensation Committee determined that 86% of the target number of units vested at the time of the committee's determination (which represents a vesting percentage of 116% based on the committee’s determination, minus the 30% of the target number of units that vested based on 2012 performance).

Performance stock units granted in 2013 are eligible to vest based on our achievement of net sales and earnings per share (subject to certain adjustments) levels for 2013, 2014 and 2015. For these performance stock units, 25% of each performance-based award opportunity will be subject to the net sales metric for the performance period and 75% will be subject to the earnings per share metric for the performance period. In November 2013, the Compensation Committee determined that our performance did not exceed minimum thresholds. Accordingly, no performance units granted in 2013 vested.

Performance units granted in 2014 are eligible to vest based on our rate of growth for net sales and earnings per share (subject to certain adjustments) over 2014, 2015 and 2016 relative to the growth rates for that metric over the relevant performance period for a peer group of companies. In addition, the vesting of the award will also be determined in part by our total shareholder return over the three-year period covered by the award relative to the peer group. A portion of the performance units may vest based on performance after each of the first two fiscal years of the performance period.

Compensation expense is based upon either our estimate of performance relative to a peer group for the 2012 and 2014 grants and our expected performance over the performance period for the 2013 grant. For these performance stock units, 40% of each performance-based award opportunity will be subject to the net sales metric for the performance period and 60% will be subject to the earnings per share metric for the performance period. The maximum percentage for a particular metric is 200% of the “target” number of units subject to the award related to that metric. For performance stock units granted in 2013, the maximum percentage is further adjusted by our total shareholder return relative to a peer group selected by the Compensation Committee, up to a maximum of 125%.

Stock Options

We assumed unvested stock options related to our acquisition of Microsemi – FTD with a weighted average exercise price of $20.08 per stock option. We derived a weighted average fair value per stock option using the Black-Scholes option pricing model.