Equity Based Compensation

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Equity Based Compensation [Abstract]

Equity Based Compensation

NOTE 5—EQUITY BASED COMPENSATION

In March 2004, the Board of Directors adopted the Carmike Cinemas, Inc. 2004 Incentive Stock Plan (the "2004 Incentive Stock Plan"). The Company's Compensation and Nominating Committee (or similar committee) may grant stock options, stock grants, stock units, and stock appreciation rights under the 2004 Incentive Stock Plan to certain eligible employees and to outside directors. As of March 31, 2012, there were 1,336,112 shares available for future grants under the 2004 Incentive Stock Plan. The Company's policy is to issue new shares upon exercise of options and the issuance of stock grants.

The Company also issues restricted stock awards to certain key employees and directors. Generally, the restricted stock vests over a one to three year period and compensation expense is recognized over the one to three year period equal to the grant date fair value of the shares awarded. As of March 31, 2012, the Company also had 180,083 shares of performance-based awards outstanding which are dependent on the achievement of EBITDA targets that vest over a three-year period. As of March 31, 2012, 93,583 shares of these performance-based stock awards have been earned due to the achievement of EBITDA targets. Performance-based stock awards are recognized as compensation expense over the vesting period based on the fair value on the date of grant and the number of shares ultimately expected to vest. The Company has determined the achievement of the performance target for the unearned awards is probable.

The Company's total stock-based compensation expense was approximately $463 for the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011. Stock-based compensation expense is included in general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statement of operations. As of March 31, 2012, the Company had approximately $3,398 of total unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested share-based compensation arrangements granted under the Company's plans. This cost is expected to be recognized as stock-based compensation expense over a weighted-average period of approximately 2.2 years. This expected cost does not include the impact of any future stock-based compensation awards.

Options – Service Condition Vesting

The Company currently uses the Black-Scholes option pricing model to determine the fair value of its stock options for which vesting is dependent only on employees providing future service.

No options were granted during the first three months of 2012. The following table sets forth information about the weighted-average fair value of options granted and the weighted-average assumptions for such options granted during the first three months of 2011:

	2011
Fair value of options on grant date	$	4.87
Expected life (years)		6.0
Risk-free interest rate		2.3	%
Expected dividend yield		—	%
Expected volatility		76.2	%

The Company's stock-based compensation expense is recorded based on an estimated forfeiture rate of 5%.

The following table sets forth the summary of option activity for stock options with service vesting conditions as of March 31, 2012:

	Shares		Weighted Average Exercise Price		Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life (Yrs.)		Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Outstanding at January 1, 2012		796,500	$	12.20		6.93
Granted		—	$	—
Exercised		—	$	—
Forfeited		—	$	—
Outstanding at March 31, 2012		796,500	$	12.20		6.68	$	3,522
Exercisable on March 31, 2012		522,828	$	14.22		5.94	$	1,984
Expected to vest March 31, 2012		259,988	$	8.33		8.07	$	1,538

Restricted Stock

The following table sets forth the summary of activity for restricted stock grants, including performance-based awards, for the three months ended March 31, 2012:

	Shares		Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Nonvested at January 1, 2012		248,804	$	8.43
Granted		167,500	$	10.91
Vested		—	$
Forfeited		—	$
Nonvested at March 31, 2012		416,304	$	9.43