Employee Benefit Plans

Stock-Based Employee Benefit Plans

Equity instruments are granted to employees, directors and consultants in certain instances, as defined in the respective plan agreements.

Stock Options and Restricted Stock Awards

On May 15, 2007, the Company's shareholders approved the 2007 Stock Plan which provides for issuance of stock options, restricted shares, restricted stock units and performance-based awards. On September 22, 2015, the Company’s shareholders approved the Amended and Restated 2007 Stock Plan (as amended, the “2007 Stock Plan”). Under the 2007 Stock Plan, 9,050,000 shares have been reserved and authorized for issuance to any non-employee directors and employees. The 2007 Stock Plan provides the Board of Directors discretion in creating employee equity incentives. Unless otherwise stipulated in the plan document, the Board of Directors determines stock option exercise prices, which may not be less than the fair value of Radisys common stock at the date of grant, vesting periods and the expiration periods which are a maximum of 10 years from the date of grant for certain awards.

On August 17, 2010, the shareholders approved the Long-Term Incentive Plan ("LTIP"). The LTIP provides for the grants of awards payable in shares of common stock upon the achievement of performance goals set by the Company’s Compensation and Development Committee (“the Committee”). The number of shares of the Company’s common stock initially reserved for issuance under the LTIP is 2,000,000 shares with a maximum of 500,000 shares in any calendar year to one participant. On September 22, 2015, the Company's shareholders approved the Amended 2007 Stock Plan, which provides that shares remaining available for grant as well as shares subject to outstanding awards under the LTIP that may be forfeited upon termination of employment will be added to the shares reserved for the Amended 2007 Stock Plan. The LTIP will expire after the existing grants under the LTIP vest, or expire, at the end of their respective terms. As of December 31, 2016, all outstanding grants from the LTIP have been earned or cancelled and the LTIP has expired.

On May 3, 2011 the Company registered 600,000 shares of its common stock under the Radisys Corporation Inducement Stock Plan for CCPU Employees (the "CCPU Plan"). The CCPU Plan was adopted without shareholder approval in reliance upon the exception provided under NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(c)(4) relating to awards granted in connection with the hiring of new employees, including grants to transferred employees in connection with a merger or acquisition. Awards under the CCPU Plan are made only to employees of Continuous Computing or its subsidiaries and became effective upon the completion of the Continuous Computing acquisition. The CCPU Plan provides for the issuance of stock options, restricted shares and restricted stock units. In 2011, the Company issued 368,000 shares under the CCPU Plan and no future awards will be granted.

The Company assumed the stock plans of Continuous Computing on July 8, 2011. Under the terms of the Company's merger agreement with Continuous Computing, options outstanding under these plans were converted to options to purchase shares of the Company's common stock. Options issued under these plans vest over four years from the original grant date and have an expiration date of 10 years from the original grant date. The exercise price of each converted option is equal to the product of the original exercise price and the original number of options granted divided by the number of converted options received. These stock plans have been suspended and no future awards will be granted under these plans. A total of 319,000 shares of common stock were issued under the Continuous Computing stock plans.

In accordance with the Continuous Computing merger agreement, unvested options pursuant to the Continuous Computing plans were required to be converted into multiple awards on the acquisition date, with the resulting awards becoming non-contingent and contingent options of the Company. Both the non-contingent and contingent awards continue to vest under the original service conditions of the awards. However, the contingent awards contain post-vesting restrictions tied to payment of certain merger contingencies such as the earn-out and indemnification agreements. The assumed options were valued using a Black-Scholes option-pricing model. In addition, the Company utilized the Finnerty Asian Put Option Approach to estimate the discount associated with the post-vesting restrictions for the contingent options. The resulting discount applied was 10%.

On September 4, 2012, the Committee approved 291,375 performance based restricted stock awards under the Overlay Plan based on attainment of the performance goals at maximum levels. The Overlay provides for the grants of awards payable in shares of common stock upon the achievement of performance goals set by the Committee. The awards had four separate quarterly performance achievement dates in 2013 and vest one year after they are earned. These awards fully vested in 2014.

Effective September 10, 2012, the Committee canceled all outstanding awards under the LTIP, resulting in the shares underlying such awards becoming eligible for grants of additional awards under the LTIP.

Following such cancellation of awards, on September 10, 2012, the Committee approved 799,975 performance based restricted stock awards under the LTIP based on attainment of 100% of the performance goals being met. The LTIP provides for the grants of awards payable in shares of common stock upon the achievement of performance goals set by the Committee. The awards have four separate semi-annual performance achievement dates in 2013 and 2014 and vest upon attainment of the performance conditions. In addition to the performance conditions, the awards contain market-based multipliers based on the average price of the Company's common stock thirty days prior to each semi-annual performance period. The maximum multiplier for a given semi-annual performance period is 2.75x the original grant and limited to a maximum of 2.5x (or 1,999,938 shares) over the entire performance period. As of December 31, 2015, there were no outstanding awards under this performance plan.

On March 2, 2015, the Committee approved 1,575,000 performance based restricted stock unit awards ("PRSUs") under the LTIP and 2007 Stock Plan that have performance periods starting on March 2, 2015 and ending on March 2, 2019, which provides that on the performance measurement date following the achievement of the following market condition stock price hurdles:


•	50% of the awards will be earned if Radisys’ average closing stock price over a 30-trading day period is equal to or greater than $3.45 during a 3-year performance period.


•	50% of the awards will be earned if Radisys’ average closing stock price over a 30-trading day period is equal to or greater than $4.25 during a 4-year performance period.

These awards were earned and fully vested during 2016.

On March 28, 2016, the Committee approved 605,000 performance based restricted stock unit awards ("PRSUs") under the 2007 Stock Plan. Subsequently in 2016, the Committee approved additional grants of 165,000 subject to this plan. The awards have two separate annual performance achievement dates in 2016 and 2017 and vest upon attainment of the performance conditions tied to annual revenue and operating income metrics.

As of December 31, 2016, the Company had 2,948,107 common shares available for future grant under its equity plans.

The following table summarizes stock option activity for 2016 (in thousands, except average prices and weighted average remaining contractual lives):



	Options		Weighted Average Exercise Price		Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term (Years)	Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Balance, December 31, 2015	2,965		$	3.89	4.35	$	442
Granted	1,474		4.19
Exercised	(212	)	2.92
Forfeited	(95	)	3.66
Expired	(235	)	8.04
Balance, December 31, 2016	3,897		$	3.81	4.58	$	3,642
Options exercisable at December 31, 2016	2,155		$	3.80	3.35	$	2,480
Options vested as of December 31, 2016 and expected to vest after December 31, 2016	3,769		$	3.80	4.53	$	3,571

The aggregate intrinsic value in the table above represents the total pretax value, based on the Company's closing common stock price of $4.43 at December 31, 2016 that would have been received by the option holders had all option holders exercised their in-the-money options on December 31, 2016.

Total intrinsic value of options exercised for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014 was $0.4 million, $0.1 million, and $0.1 million. The total amount of cash received from the exercise of options was $0.6 million in 2016, and $0.1 million in 2015 and 2014.

As of December 31, 2016, the Company had $2.1 million in unrecognized compensation expense related to stock options which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 2.1 years.

The following table summarizes non-vested stock activity for 2016:



	Restricted Stock Units				Performance Stock Units
	Restricted Shares		Weighted Average Fair Value		Restricted Shares		Weighted Average Fair Value
Balance, December 31, 2015	151		$	2.51	1,625		$	2.41
Granted	97		4.93		900		4.01
Vested	(141	)	3.34		(1,658	)	2.42
Forfeited	(7	)	2.53		(30	)	3.92
Balance, December 31, 2016	100		$	3.68	837		$	4.07

The total fair value of restricted stock units that vested in 2016, 2015 and 2014 was $0.5 million, $0.5 million and $1.1 million. As of December 31, 2016, the Company had $0.3 million in unrecognized compensation expense related to restricted stock units which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 0.9 years.

Expense related to PRSUs awarded in 2015 is recognized over a derived service period determined by a Monte Carlo simulation because these awards vest based upon market conditions. The derived service period represents the median point in time within the simulation model of when each tranche will vest, using the measurement time at which the target price was achieved. It was determined that the derived service periods for the two tranches in this grant were nine and fifteen months. The total fair value of PRSUs awarded in 2015 was $2.9 million. All remaining expense was recognized during 2016 at the time the target price was achieved.

The PRSUs awarded in 2016 vest only on satisfaction of certain annual performance criteria during the performance

period beginning on the grant date. Specifically, 50% of the award will vest on meeting defined strategic revenue targets during fiscal year 2016 and the remaining 50% will vest on meeting defined strategic revenue targets during fiscal year 2017, subject to the attainment of achieving certain operating income thresholds defined by the Company's ratified 2017 annual operating plan. The awards have two separate annual performance achievement periods in 2016 and 2017 and vest upon attainment and approval of the respective performance conditions. Expense is derived based on the Company's stock price on the grant date and estimated achievement of the performance targets. The awards associated with strategic revenues targets in 2016 were earned and subsequently released in the first quarter 2017.

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

In December 1995, the Company established an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”). All employees of Radisys and its subsidiaries who customarily work 20 or more hours per week, including all officers, are eligible to participate in the ESPP. Separate offerings of common stock to eligible employees under the ESPP (an “Offering”) commence on February 15, May 15, August 15 and November 15 of each calendar year (“Enrollment Dates”) and continue for a period of 18 months. Multiple separate offerings are in operation under the ESPP at any given time. An employee may participate in only one offering at a time and may purchase shares only through payroll deductions permitted under the provisions stipulated by the ESPP. The purchase price is the lesser of 85% of the fair market value of the common stock on date of grant or that of the purchase date (“look-back feature”). Pursuant to the provisions of the ESPP, as amended, the Company is authorized to issue up to 6.7 million shares of common stock under the ESPP. At December 31, 2016, 223,574 shares were available for issuance under the ESPP.

During the second quarter of 2009, the Board of Directors approved an amendment to the Company’s ESPP to provide for a one-year holding period with respect to common stock shares purchased by participants under the ESPP. The one-year holding period took effect during the fourth quarter of 2009. Due to the holding period, the Company applies a discount to the ESPP stock compensation to reflect the decreased liquidity. The Company utilizes the Finnerty Asian Put Option Approach to estimate the discount. Inputs for the model include the length of the holding period, volatility and risk-free rate. The discount applied in the fourth quarter of 2016, was 12.0%. In 2015 and 2014 the discount applied was 11.0%.

The following table summarizes shares issued under the ESPP (in thousands, except per share amounts):



	Year Ended December 31,
	2016		2015		2014
Shares issued pursuant to the ESPP	184		175		242
Cash received for the purchase of shares pursuant to the ESPP	$	417	$	322	$	514
Weighted average purchase price per share	$	2.26	$	1.84	$	2.12

Stock-Based Compensation Expense

The Company uses the Black-Scholes model to measure the grant-date fair value of stock options and ESPP shares. The grant-date fair value of stock options that are expected to vest is recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, generally, three years. The grant date fair value of ESPP shares that are expected to vest is recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, generally, 18 months, subject to modification at the date of purchase due to the ESPP look-back feature. The estimate of the number of options, ESPP shares and restricted stock units granted under the 2007 Stock Plan expected to vest is determined based on historical experience.

The Company estimates the fair value of stock options and purchase rights under the ESPP using a Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The calculation includes several assumptions that require management’s judgment. The expected term of the option or share is determined based on assumptions about patterns of employee exercises, and represents a probability-weighted average time period from grant until exercise of stock options, subject to information available at time of grant. Determining expected volatility generally begins with calculating historical volatility for a similar long-term period and then considering the ways in which the future is reasonably expected to differ from the past.

The Company uses one employee population. The expected term computation is based on historical vested option exercise and post-vest forfeiture patterns and is also factored by an estimate of the expected term for fully vested and outstanding options. The estimate of the expected term for options that were fully vested and outstanding was determined as the midpoint between the evaluation date and the contractual term date of the option.

The risk free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury constant maturities in effect at the time of grant for the expected term of the option or share.

The fair value of unvested stock is the market value as of the grant date. The grant-date fair value of the restricted stock units that are expected to vest is recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, which is three years.

The grant date fair value of the LTIP and Overlay awards granted in 2012 were recognized ratably over the service period which equaled the measurement period of the award. The measurement period was the period of time over which performance objectives are expected to be achieved. Since the number of shares that could have been issued under the LTIP and Overlay and the service period are both variable, the Company evaluated the LTIP and Overlay awards on a quarterly basis to adjust the number of shares expected to be awarded based upon financial results of the Company as compared to the performance goals set for the award. Adjustments to the number of shares awarded, and to the corresponding compensation expense, were made on a cumulative basis at the date of adjustment based upon the estimated probable number of shares to be awarded. Adjustments made to compensation expense resulting from a change in the estimated probable vesting date of the awards were made on a prospective basis. Additionally, under the 2012 LTIP the Company was required to measure the fair value of the market-based condition contained in the awards. The fair value of this feature is measured at the outset of each semi-annual performance period and recognized over the service period of the respective performance period.

The grant-date fair value of the PRSUs awarded in 2015 was calculated using a Monte Carlo simulation consistent with the fair value principles of Topic 718 because these awards vest based upon market conditions. Expense is recognized over a derived service period determined by the Monte Carlo simulation. If the conditions of PRSUs are met before the derived service period ends, all remaining expense will be recognized in the period the conditions are met.

The grant date fair value of the PRSUs awarded in 2016 was calculated based on stock price on the grant date and estimated achievement of the respective performance targets. For the portion of the award that vests subject to attainment of meeting strategic revenue targets during fiscal year 2016, expense was calculated using an assumed share price of $2.74 - $4.98 and an estimate that performance targets would be attained at 100%.

The fair value calculations for stock options and ESPP shares used the following assumptions for the years ended December 31:



	Stock Options			ESPP shares
	2016	2015	2014	2016	2015	2014
Share price	$2.27-5.30	$2.06-2.80	$2.50-3.49	$2.58-4.97	$2.15-3.00	$2.55-4.70
Expected life (in years)	4.44-4.46	4.39-4.41	4.40-4.47	1.5	1.5	1.5
Interest rate	1.09-1.58%	1.3-1.6%	1.3-1.5%	0.3-0.9%	0.1-0.5%	0.1-0.3%
Volatility	52.4-54.0%	53.5-54.6%	51.4-52.5%	42.6-46.2%	46.9-55.9%	47.3-55.6%
Dividend yield	—	—	—	—	—	—

For the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, stock-based compensation was recognized and allocated in the Consolidated Statements of Operations as follows (in thousands):



	For the Years Ended December 31,
	2016		2015		2014
Cost of sales	$	354	$	294	$	386
Research and development	845		867		818
Selling, general and administrative	2,598		2,791		2,893
Total stock-based compensation expense	$	3,797	$	3,952	$	4,097

401(k) Savings Plan

The Company established a 401(k) Savings Plan (“401(k) Plan”), a defined contribution plan, as of January 1, 1989 and amended through January 1, 2007, in compliance with Section 401(k) and other related sections of the Internal Revenue Code and corresponding regulations issued by the Department of Treasury and Section 404(c) of Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”), to provide retirement benefits for its U.S employees. Under the provisions of the plan, eligible employees are allowed pre-tax contributions of up to 30% of their annual compensation or the maximum amount permitted by the applicable statutes. Additionally, eligible employees can elect to make catch-up contributions, within the limits set forth by pre-tax contributions, or to the maximum amount permitted by the applicable statutes. Pursuant to the provisions of the 401(k) Plan, the Company may contribute 50% of pre-tax contributions made by eligible employees, adjusted for loans and withdrawals, up to 6% of annual compensation for each eligible employee. The Company may elect to make supplemental contributions as periodically determined by the Board of Directors at their discretion. The contributions made by the Company on behalf of eligible employees become 100% vested after three years of service, or 33% per year after one year of service. The Company’s total contributions to the 401(k) Plan amounted to $0.8 million, $0.7 million, and $0.8 million in 2016, 2015 and 2014. In addition, some of the Company’s employees outside the U.S are covered by various defined contribution plans, in compliance with the statutes of respective countries. The participants pay for the 401(k) Plan administrative expenses.