XML 25 R12.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.8.0.1
SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION AND EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]  
SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION AND EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
SHARE–BASED COMPENSATION AND EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

Predecessor Awards
Immediately prior to emergence, the vesting of all Predecessor outstanding, unvested share-based awards for non-executive employees was accelerated and, as a result, all unrecognized compensation cost related to such awards was recognized, with $1.7 million expensed as salaries, general and administrative (“SG&A”) expense in the Predecessor Company statement of operations during the period from January 1, 2017 through February 28, 2017, and $0.6 million capitalized into oil and gas properties.
Upon emergence from bankruptcy, all Predecessor outstanding, unvested restricted shares held by the Company’s executives were cancelled and exchanged for a proportionate share of the 5% of New Common Stock, plus a proportionate share of the warrants for ownership of up to 15% of the Successor Company’s common equity. Vesting continues in accordance with the applicable vesting provisions of the original awards. As of September 30, 2017, there was $14 thousand of unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested restricted shares held by the Company’s executives. The current weighted average remaining vesting period of such awards is approximately three months. All other Predecessor Company executive share-based awards were cancelled upon emergence from bankruptcy.
The board of directors of the Predecessor Company received grants of stock, totaling 10,404 shares, during the period from January 1, 2017 through February 28, 2017, representing the pro-rated portion of their annual retainer for such period. The aggregate grant date value of such stock totaled $69 thousand and was recognized as SG&A expense in the Predecessor Company statement of operations for the period from January 1, 2017 through February 28, 2017. Pursuant to the Plan, as of the Effective Date, all non-employee directors of the Predecessor Company ceased to serve on the Company’s board of directors.

Successor Awards
 
On March 1, 2017, the board of directors of the Successor Company (the “Board”) received grants of restricted stock units under the 2017 LTIP (see 2017 Long-Term Incentive Plan below). The restricted stock units are scheduled to vest in full on the day prior to the annual meeting of the Company’s stockholders in May 2018, subject to: (i) the director’s continued service on the Board through the vesting date, and (ii) earlier vesting upon the occurrence of a change of control event or the termination of the director’s service due to death or removal from the Board without cause. A total of 62,137 restricted stock units were granted with an aggregate grant date fair value of $1.7 million, based on a per share grant date fair value of $26.95. As of September 30, 2017, there was $0.9 million of unrecognized compensation cost related to such restricted stock units, with a current weighted average remaining vesting period of approximately seven months.

2017 Long-Term Incentive Plan

On the Effective Date, pursuant to the Plan, the Stone Energy Corporation 2017 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “2017 LTIP”) became effective, replacing the Stone Energy Corporation 2009 Amended and Restated Stock Incentive Plan (As Amended and Restated December 17, 2015). The types of awards that may be granted under the 2017 LTIP include stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units, dividend equivalents and other forms of awards granted or denominated in shares of New Common Stock, as well as certain cash-based awards. The maximum number of shares of New Common Stock that may be issued or transferred pursuant to awards under the 2017 LTIP is 2,614,379. As of November 1, 2017, other than the grant of the 62,137 restricted stock units to the Board (see Successor Awards above), there have been no other issuances or awards of stock under the 2017 LTIP.

Key Executive Incentive Plan
Pursuant to the terms of the Executive Claims Settlement Agreement approved by the Bankruptcy Court on January 10, 2017, the Company’s executives agreed to waive their claims related to the Company’s 2016 Performance Incentive Compensation Plan (the “2016 PICP”), and in exchange therefor, the Company adopted the Stone Energy Corporation Key Executive Incentive Plan (“KEIP”), in which the Company’s executives were allowed to participate. Future payments to the Company’s executives under the KEIP were limited to $2 million, or the equivalent of the target bonus under the 2016 PICP for the fourth quarter of 2016, to be paid in two equal installments. The first payment to the Company’s executives under the KEIP was made subsequent to consummation of the bankruptcy cases, on April 24, 2017, and the second payment was made on May 30, 2017.

2017 Annual Incentive Compensation Plan
On July 25, 2017, the Board approved the Stone Energy Corporation 2017 Annual Incentive Compensation Plan (the “2017 Annual Incentive Plan”) for all salaried employees (other than the interim chief executive officer) of the Company. The 2017 Annual Incentive Plan is a performance-based incentive program that provides award opportunities based on the Company’s annual performance in certain performance measures as defined by the Board. The 2017 Annual Incentive Plan replaced the Company’s 2005 Annual Incentive Compensation Plan. We recognized a charge of $4.1 million during the three months ended September 30, 2017 (Successor), net of amounts capitalized, representing a pro-rated portion of the 2017 estimated annual incentive compensation awards, for the nine months ended September 30, 2017. This charge is reflected in incentive compensation expense on the statement of operations.

Retention Award Agreement
On July 25, 2017, the Board approved retention awards and the form of Stone Energy Corporation Retention Award Agreement (the “Retention Award Agreement”) and authorized the Company to enter into Retention Award Agreements with certain executive officers and employees of the Company. The Retention Award Agreement provides for a retention award to certain individuals to be paid in a lump sum cash payment within 30 days of the earliest to occur of (i) the first anniversary (June 1, 2018) of the effective date of the Retention Award Agreement, subject to the individual remaining employed by the Company or a subsidiary of the Company on such date, (ii) a change in control of the Company or (iii) a termination of the individual’s employment with the Company (a) due to death, (b) by the Company without “cause” or (c) by the individual for “good reason.” We recognized a charge of $0.5 million during the three months ended September 30, 2017 (Successor), representing a pro-rated portion of estimated retention awards for the period from June 1, 2017 through September 30, 2017. This charge is reflected in incentive compensation expense on the statement of operations.

Executive Severance Plan
On July 25, 2017, the Board approved the Stone Energy Corporation Executive Severance Plan (the “Executive Severance Plan”), which provides for the payment of severance and change in control benefits to the executive officers (other than the interim chief executive officer) of the Company. Pursuant to the Executive Severance Plan, if a covered executive officer is terminated (i) by the Company without “cause” or (ii) by the executive officer for “good reason” (each, an “Involuntary Termination”), the executive officer will receive (i) a lump sum cash payment in an amount equal to 1.0x or 1.5x the executive officer’s annual base salary, (ii) a lump sum cash payment equal to 100% of the executive officer’s annual bonus opportunity, at target, prorated by the number of days that have elapsed from January 1 of that calendar year, (iii) six months of health benefit continuation for the executive officer and the executive officer’s dependents, (iv) accelerated vesting of any outstanding and unvested equity awards, (v) certain outplacement services and (vi) any unpaid portion of the executive officer’s annual pay as of the date of the Involuntary Termination. The Executive Severance Plan replaced the Stone Energy Corporation Executive Severance Plan dated December 13, 2016.