SHARE-BASED AND OTHER COMPENSATION PROGRAMS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Shared Based And Other Compensation Programs [Abstract]

SHARE BASED AND OTHER COMPENSATION PROGRAMS

9)        SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION

For 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively, MLOA recognized compensation costs of $1 million, $3 million and $1 million, for share-based payment arrangements and $280,000, $431,000 and $410,000 related to employee stock options.

At December 31, 2011, approximately $203,000 of unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested employee stock option awards, net of estimated pre-vesting forfeitures, is expected to be recognized by MLOA over a weighted average period of 1.6 years.

On July 1, 2007, under the terms of the AXA Miles Program 2007, the AXA Management Board granted 50 AXA Miles to every employee and financial professional of AXA for the purpose of enhancing long-term employee-shareholder engagement. Each AXA Mile represents the right to receive one unrestricted AXA ordinary share on July 1, 2011, conditional only upon continued employment with AXA at the close of the four-year cliff vesting period with exceptions for retirement, death, and disability. The grant date fair value of approximately 449,400 AXA Miles awarded to employees and financial professionals of AXA Financial's subsidiaries was approximately $700,000, measured as the market equivalent of a vested AXA ordinary share. Beginning on July 1, 2007, the total fair value of this award, net of expected forfeitures, has been expensed over the shorter of the vesting term or to the date at which the participant becomes retirement eligible. For 2011 and 2010, respectively, MLOA recognized compensation expense of approximately $53,000 and $113,000 in respect of this grant of AXA Miles. Provided certain performance targets are achieved, an additional allocation of 50 AXA Miles per employee and eligible financial professional will be considered for future award under terms then-to-be-determined and approved by the AXA Management Board.