Stock-Based Compensation

As more fully discussed in Note 7 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in EOG's 2018 Annual Report, EOG maintains various stock-based compensation plans. Stock-based compensation expense is included on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income based upon the job function of the employees receiving the grants as follows (in millions):



	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2019		2018
Lease and Well	$	13.7	$	12.8
Gathering and Processing Costs	0.2		0.1
Exploration Costs	6.5		6.9
General and Administrative	18.7		15.7
Total	$	39.1	$	35.5

The Amended and Restated EOG Resources, Inc. 2008 Omnibus Equity Compensation Plan (2008 Plan) provides for grants of stock options, stock-settled stock appreciation rights (SARs), restricted stock and restricted stock units, performance units and other stock-based awards.

At March 31, 2019, approximately 12.9 million common shares remained available for grant under the 2008 Plan. EOG's policy is to issue shares related to 2008 Plan grants from previously authorized unissued shares or treasury shares to the extent treasury shares are available.

Stock Options and Stock-Settled Stock Appreciation Rights and Employee Stock Purchase Plan. The fair value of stock option grants and SAR grants is estimated using the Hull-White II binomial option pricing model. The fair value of Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) grants is estimated using the Black-Scholes-Merton model. Stock-based compensation expense related to stock option, SAR and ESPP grants totaled $13.9 million and $12.0 million during the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

Weighted average fair values and valuation assumptions used to value stock option, SAR and ESPP grants during the three-month periods ended March 31, 2019 and 2018 are as follows:



	Stock Options/SARs						ESPP
	Three Months Ended March 31,						Three Months Ended March 31,
	2019			2018			2019			2018
Weighted Average Fair Value of Grants	$	27.19		$	28.19		$	22.98		$	23.27
Expected Volatility	31.81		%	29.01		%	36.31		%	22.04		%
Risk-Free Interest Rate	2.51		%	2.09		%	2.48		%	1.60		%
Dividend Yield	0.88		%	0.66		%	0.83		%	0.66		%
Expected Life	5.0 years			5.0 years			0.5 years			0.5 years

Expected volatility is based on an equal weighting of historical volatility and implied volatility from traded options in EOG's common stock. The risk-free interest rate is based upon United States Treasury yields in effect at the time of grant. The expected life is based upon historical experience and contractual terms of stock option, SAR and ESPP grants.

The following table sets forth stock option and SAR transactions for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2019 and 2018 (stock options and SARs in thousands):



	Three Months Ended March 31, 2019				Three Months Ended March 31, 2018
	Number of Stock Options/SARs		Weighted Average Grant Price		Number of Stock Options/SARs		Weighted Average Grant Price
Outstanding at January 1	8,310		$	96.90	9,103		$	83.89
Granted	17		96.67		16		106.76
Exercised ⁽¹⁾	(43	)	69.94		(752	)	74.65
Forfeited	(48	)	105.43		(77	)	91.94
Outstanding at March 31 ⁽²⁾	8,236		$	96.99	8,290		$	84.70
Vested or Expected to Vest ⁽³⁾	7,892		$	96.53	7,940		$	84.38
Exercisable at March 31 ⁽⁴⁾	3,997		$	86.25	3,803		$	76.16


(1)	The total intrinsic value of stock options/SARs exercised for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018 was $1.1 million and $28.4 million, respectively. The intrinsic value is based upon the difference between the market price of EOG's common stock on the date of exercise and the grant price of the stock options/SARs.


(2)	The total intrinsic value of stock options/SARs outstanding at March 31, 2019 and 2018 was $51.8 million and $170.7 million, respectively. At March 31, 2019 and 2018, the weighted average remaining contractual life was 4.2 years and 4.3 years, respectively.


(3)	The total intrinsic value of stock options/SARs vested or expected to vest at March 31, 2019 and 2018 was $51.1 million and $166.1 million, respectively. At March 31, 2019 and 2018, the weighted average remaining contractual life was 4.1 years and 4.2 years, respectively.


(4)	The total intrinsic value of stock options/SARs exercisable at March 31, 2019 and 2018 was $43.1 million and $110.8 million, respectively. At March 31, 2019 and 2018, the weighted average remaining contractual life was 2.7 years and 2.6 years, respectively.

At March 31, 2019, unrecognized compensation expense related to non-vested stock option, SAR and ESPP grants totaled $94.6 million. Such unrecognized expense will be amortized on a straight-line basis over a weighted average period of 1.9 years.

Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units. Employees may be granted restricted (non-vested) stock and/or restricted stock units without cost to them. Stock-based compensation expense related to restricted stock and restricted stock units totaled $23.3 million and $22.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

The following table sets forth restricted stock and restricted stock unit transactions for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2019 and 2018 (shares and units in thousands):



	Three Months Ended March 31, 2019				Three Months Ended March 31, 2018
	Number of Shares and Units		Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value		Number of Shares and Units		Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Outstanding at January 1	3,792		$	96.64	3,905		$	88.57
Granted	371		96.72		279		102.27
Released ⁽¹⁾	(247	)	93.37		(276	)	66.46
Forfeited	(26	)	98.11		(75	)	90.65
Outstanding at March 31 ⁽²⁾	3,890		$	96.85	3,833		$	91.12


(1)	The total intrinsic value of restricted stock and restricted stock units released for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018 was $22.0 million and $28.4 million, respectively. The intrinsic value is based upon the closing price of EOG's common stock on the date the restricted stock and restricted stock units are released.


(2)	The total intrinsic value of restricted stock and restricted stock units outstanding at March 31, 2019 and 2018 was $370.2 million and $403.5 million, respectively.

At March 31, 2019, unrecognized compensation expense related to restricted stock and restricted stock units totaled $182.8 million. Such unrecognized expense will be amortized on a straight-line basis over a weighted average period of 1.9 years.

Performance Units. EOG grants performance units annually to its executive officers without cost to them. As more fully discussed in the grant agreements, the performance metric applicable to the performance units is EOG's total shareholder return over a three-year performance period relative to the total shareholder return of a designated group of peer companies (Performance Period). Upon the application of the performance multiple at the completion of the Performance Period, a minimum of 0% and a maximum of 200% of the performance units granted could be outstanding. The fair value of the performance units is estimated using a Monte Carlo simulation. Stock-based compensation expense related to the performance unit grants totaled $1.9 million and $1.1 million for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

The following table sets forth the performance unit transactions for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2019 and 2018 (units in thousands):



	Three Months Ended March 31, 2019				Three Months Ended March 31, 2018
	Number of Units		Weighted Average Price per Grant Date		Number of Units	Weighted Average Price per Grant Date
Outstanding at January 1	539		$	101.53	502	$	90.96
Granted	—		—		—	—
Granted for Performance Multiple ⁽¹⁾	72		69.43		72	101.87
Released	—		—		—	—
Forfeited	—		—		—	—
Outstanding at March 31 ⁽²⁾	611	(3)	$	97.75	574	$	92.33


(1)	Upon completion of the Performance Period for the performance units granted in 2015 and 2014, a performance multiple of 200% was applied to each of the grants resulting in additional grants of performance units in February 2019 and February 2018, respectively.


(2)	The total intrinsic value of performance units outstanding at March 31, 2019 and 2018 was approximately $58.1 million and $60.4 million, respectively.


(3)	Upon the application of the relevant performance multiple at the completion of each of the remaining Performance Periods, a minimum of 287 and a maximum of 934 performance units could be outstanding.

At March 31, 2019, unrecognized compensation expense related to performance units totaled $7.9 million. Such unrecognized expense will be amortized on a straight-line basis over a weighted average period of 1.6 years.