We grant share-based compensation awards to our officers, directors, and certain key employees pursuant to the 2017 Viad Corp Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “2017 Plan”). The 2017 Plan has a 10-year term and provides for the following types of awards: (a) incentive and non-qualified stock options; (b) restricted stock awards and restricted stock units; (c) performance units or performance shares; (d) stock appreciation rights; (e) cash-based awards; and (f) certain other stock-based awards. In June 2017, we registered 1,750,000 shares of common stock issuable under the 2017 Plan. As of December 31, 2020, there were 1,081,404 shares available for future grant under the 2017 Plan.

	Year Ended December 31,
(in thousands)	2020			2019			2018
Performance unit incentive plan (“PUP”)	$	(2,187	)	$	3,990		$	2,260
Restricted stock awards and restricted stock units		4,523			3,200			2,610
Stock options		317			—			—
Share-based compensation expense before income tax		2,653			7,190			4,870
Income tax benefit⁽¹⁾		—			(2,241	)		(1,227	)
Share-based compensation expense, net of income tax	$	2,653		$	4,949		$	3,643

We recorded no share-based compensation expense through restructuring charges in 2020, $0.1 million in 2019, and none in 2018. No share-based compensation costs were capitalized during 2020, 2019, or 2018.

PUP awards are performance-based restricted stock units that are tied to our stock price and the expected achievement of certain performance-based criteria. The vesting of PUP award shares is based upon the achievement of the performance-based criteria over a three-year period. We account for PUP awards that will be settled in shares of our common stock as equity-based awards. We measure share-based compensation expense of equity-based awards at fair value on the grant date on a straight-line basis over the vesting period. The estimated number of shares to be achieved is updated each reporting period. We account for PUP awards that will be settled in cash as liability-based awards. We measure share-based compensation expense of liability-based awards at fair value at each reporting date until the date of settlement. Forfeitures are recorded when they occur.

During the year ended December 31, 2020, we granted PUP awards with a grant date fair value of $4.8 million of which $1.8 million are payable in shares. Liabilities related to PUP awards were $0.8 million as of December 31, 2020 and $5.3 million as of December 31, 2019. During the year ended December 31, 2020, the value of the PUP awards decreased due to the reduction of our estimated performance achievement and the decline in our stock price as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2020, PUP awards granted in 2017 vested and we paid $2.6 million in cash. No PUP awards were paid in shares in 2020. In 2019, PUP awards granted in 2016 vested and we paid $5.6 million in cash and $3.4 million in shares. In 2019, we withheld 25,771 shares for $1.5 million related to tax withholding requirements on vested PUP awards paid in shares. In 2018, PUP awards granted in 2015 vested and we paid $5.9 million in cash. No PUP awards were paid in shares in 2018.

	Equity-Based PUP Awards					Liability-Based PUP Awards
	Shares			Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value		Shares			Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value
Balance at December 31, 2019		59,714		$	55.10		155,190		$	52.53
Granted		32,367		$	56.23		52,531		$	56.10
Vested		—		$	—		(67,866	)	$	47.43
Forfeited		(30,873	)	$	52.15		(18,370	)	$	56.40
Balance at December 31, 2020		61,208		$	57.18		121,485		$	56.34

Restricted stock awards and restricted stock units are service-based awards. We account for restricted stock awards and restricted stock units that will be settled in shares of our common stock as equity-based awards. We measure share-based compensation expense of equity-based awards at fair value on the grant date on a straight-line basis over the vesting period.

We account for restricted stock units that will be settled in cash as liability-based awards. We measure share-based compensation expense of liability-based awards at fair value at each reporting date until the date of settlement. Forfeitures are recorded when they occur.

As of December 31, 2020, the unamortized cost of outstanding equity-based restricted stock awards and restricted stock units was $4.2 million, which we expect to recognize over a weighted-average period of approximately 1.3 years. We repurchased 42,185 shares for $1.7 million during 2020, 24,995 shares for $1.5 million in 2019, and 22,358 shares for $1.2 million in 2018 related to tax withholding requirements on vested share-based awards.

Aggregate liabilities related to liability-based restricted stock units were $0.2 million as of December 31, 2020 and $0.4 million as of December 31, 2019. In 2020, restricted stock units vested, and we paid $0.2 million in cash and $2.0 million in shares. In 2019, restricted stock units vested, and we paid $0.6 million in cash and $0.2 million in shares. In 2018, the 2015 restricted stock units vested and we paid $0.2 million in cash.

The following table summarizes the activity of the outstanding restricted stock awards and restricted stock units:

	Equity-Based Restricted Stock Awards					Equity-Based Restricted Stock Units					Liability-Based Restricted Stock Units
	Shares			Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value		Shares			Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value		Shares			Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value
Balance at December 31, 2019		136,123		$	52.66		—		$	—		11,623		$	52.17
Granted		55,171		$	51.06		232,435		$	19.44		3,952		$	50.43
Vested		(66,054	)	$	49.99		(77,725	)	$	19.30		(2,815	)	$	47.45
Forfeited		(18,133	)	$	54.11		(3,449	)	$	19.47		(2,301	)	$	56.13
Balance at December 31, 2020		107,107		$	53.23		151,261		$	19.51		10,459		$	51.91

We grant non-qualified stock options that are performance-based, as well as non-qualified stock options that are service-based. The performance-based awards are recognized on a straight-line basis over the performance period ranging from 1.0 to 3.4 years, and the underlying shares expected to be settled are adjusted each reporting period based on estimated future achievement of the respective performance metrics. The service-based awards are recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period on a graded-vesting schedule over two years.

	Shares			Weighted-Average Exercise Price		Aggregate Intrinsic Value⁽¹⁾
Options outstanding and exercisable at December 31, 2019		41,143		$	16.62
Granted		204,150		$	19.98
Exercised		(41,143	)	$	16.62
Options outstanding at December 31, 2020		204,150		$	19.98	$	3,305,928
Options exercisable at December 31, 2020		—		$	—	$	—

The following table summarizes stock options outstanding and exercisable as of December 31, 2020:

		Options Outstanding						Options Exercisable
Range of exercise prices		Shares		Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Life (in years)		Weighted-Average Exercise Price		Shares		Weighted-Average Exercise Price
$	19.30		150,000		8.00	$	19.30		—	$	—
$	21.85		54,150		6.65	$	21.85		—	$	—
$19.30 - $21.85			204,150		7.64	$	19.98		—	$	—

The fair value of stock options granted in 2020 was estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes stock option pricing model.

Following is additional information on stock options and the underlying assumptions used in assessing fair value:

	Year Ended
	December 31, 2020
Assumptions used to estimate fair value of stock options granted:
Risk-free interest rate	0.27% - 0.31%
Expected life	4.3 - 5.4 years
Expected volatility	46.9% - 52.2%
Expected dividend yield		—
Weighted average grant-date fair value per share of options granted	$	8.38
Cash received from exercise of options (in thousands)	$	2,077

As of December 31, 2020, the total unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested stock option awards was $1.4 million. We expect to recognize such costs over a weighted-average period of approximately 2.1 years. No stock options were granted in 2019 or 2018.