(7) Earnings Per Share Data (“EPS”) and Stock Based Compensation

Basic earnings per share are based on the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per share are based on the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period adjusted to give effect to common stock equivalents.

The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted earnings per share for the periods indicated (in thousands, except per share data):


	Three months ended June 30,						Six months ended June 30,
	(amounts in thousands)
	2015			2014			2015			2014
Basic and Diluted:
Net income attributable to UHS	$	182,193		$	151,671		$	356,492		$	289,749
Less: Net income attributable to unvested restricted share grants		(71	)		(77	)		(139	)		(147	)

Net income attributable to UHS – basic and diluted	$	182,122		$	151,594		$	356,353		$	289,602

Weighted average number of common shares - basic		99,004			98,872			98,957			98,722


Net effect of dilutive stock options and grants based on the treasury stock method		1,923		1,363		1,830		1,474

Weighted average number of common shares and equivalents - diluted		100,927		100,235		100,787		100,196

Earnings per basic share attributable to UHS:	$	1.84	$	1.53	$	3.60	$	2.93

Earnings per diluted share attributable to UHS:	$	1.80	$	1.51	$	3.54	$	2.89

The “Net effect of dilutive stock options and grants based on the treasury stock method”, for all periods presented above, excludes certain outstanding stock options applicable to each period since the effect would have been anti-dilutive. There were no significant anti-dilutive stock options during the three months ended June 30, 2015. The excluded weighted-average stock options totaled 1.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2015. There were no significant anti-dilutive stock options during the three and six months ended June 30, 2014. All classes of our common stock have the same dividend rights.

Stock-Based Compensation: During the three-month periods ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, compensation cost of $9.1 million and $7.4 million, respectively, was recognized related to outstanding stock options. During the six-month periods ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, compensation cost of $19.5 million and $14.2 million, respectively, was recognized related to outstanding stock options. In addition, during the three-month periods ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, compensation cost of approximately $274,000 and $358,000, respectively, was recognized related to restricted stock. During the six-month periods ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, compensation cost of approximately $493,000 and $648,000, respectively, was recognized related to restricted stock. As of June 30, 2015 there was $84.6 million of unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested options and restricted stock which is expected to be recognized over the remaining weighted average vesting period of 3.1 years. There were 2,943,850 stock options granted (net of cancellations) during the first six months of 2015 with a weighted-average grant date fair value of $21.28 per share.

The expense associated with share-based compensation arrangements is a non-cash charge. In the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, share-based compensation expense is an adjustment to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities and aggregated to $20.5 million and $14.9 million during the six-month periods ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively. In accordance with ASC 718, excess income tax benefits related to stock based compensation are classified as cash inflows from financing activities on the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. During each of the first six months of 2015 and 2014, we generated $28.5 million of excess income tax benefits related to stock based compensation which are reflected as cash inflows from financing activities in our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.