The Company accounts for share-based compensation under the provisions of ASC 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation (“ASC 718”), which requires the Company to measure and recognize compensation expense for all share-based payments at fair value. Total share-based compensation expense included in the Consolidated Statements of Operations for Fiscal 2018, Fiscal 2017 and Fiscal 2016 was $27.5 million ($20.9 million, net of tax), $16.9 million ($12.0 million, net of tax) and $29.1 million ($18.5 million, net of tax), respectively.

ASC 718 requires recognition of compensation cost under a non-substantive vesting period approach for awards containing provisions that accelerate or continue vesting upon retirement. Accordingly, for awards with such provisions, the Company recognizes compensation expense over the period from the grant date to the date retirement eligibility is achieved, if that is expected to occur during the nominal vesting period. Additionally, for awards granted to retirement eligible employees, the full compensation cost of an award must be recognized immediately upon grant.

At February 2, 2019, the Company had awards outstanding under two share-based compensation plans, which are described below.

The 2017 Plan was approved by the stockholders on May 23, 2017. The 2017 Plan authorized 11.2 million shares for issuance, in the form of options, stock appreciation rights (“SARS”), restricted stock, restricted stock units, bonus stock and awards, performance awards, dividend equivalents and other stock based awards. The 2017 Plan provides that for awards intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Code Section 162(m) (i) the maximum number of shares awarded to any individual may not exceed 3.0 million shares per year for options and SARS and (ii) no more than 1.5 million shares may be granted with respect to each of restricted shares of stock and restricted stock units (subject to certain adjustments and exceptions provided therein). The 2017 Plan allows the Compensation Committee of the Board to determine which employees receive awards and the terms and conditions of the awards under the 2017 Plan. The 2017 Plan provides for grants to directors who are not officers or employees of the Company, which are not to exceed in value $750,000 in any single fiscal year. Through February 2, 2019, approximately 1.8 million shares of restricted stock and approximately 3.9 million shares of common stock had been granted under the 2017 Plan to employees and directors. Approximately 60% of the restricted stock awards are performance-based and are earned if the established performance goals are met. The remaining 40% of the restricted stock awards are time-based and 97% vest ratably over three years and 3% vest over a period of one to two years.

The 2014 Plan was approved by the stockholders on May 29, 2014. The 2014 Plan authorized 11.5 million shares for issuance, in the form of options, SARS, restricted stock, restricted stock units, bonus stock and awards, performance awards, dividend equivalents and other stock based awards. The 2014 Plan provides that the maximum number of shares awarded to any individual may not exceed 4.0 million shares per year for options and SARS and no more than 1.5 million shares may be granted with respect to each of restricted shares of stock and restricted stock units (subject to certain adjustments and exceptions provided therein). The 2014 Plan allows the Compensation Committee of the Board to determine which employees receive awards and the terms and conditions of the awards under the 2014 Plan. The 2014 Plan provides for grants to directors who are not officers or employees of the Company, which are not to exceed in value $300,000 in any single calendar year ($500,000 in the first year a person becomes a non-employee director). Through February 3, 2018, approximately 6.3 million shares of restricted stock and approximately 2.6 million shares of common stock had been granted under the 2014 Plan to employees and directors. Approximately 60% of the restricted stock awards are performance-based and are earned if the established performance goals are met. The remaining 40% of the restricted stock awards are time-based and 89% vest ratably over three years, 5% vest ratably over two years and 6% cliff vest in three years. After May 23, 2017, no new awards may be granted under the 2014 plan and all outstanding awards at that time continued in force and operation in accordance with their respective terms.

The Company has granted both time-based and performance-based stock options under the 2014 and 2017 Plans. Time-based stock option awards vest over the requisite service period of the award or to an employee’s eligible retirement date, if earlier. Performance-based stock option awards vest over three years and are earned if the Company meets pre-established performance goals during each year.

A summary of the Company’s stock option activity under all plans for Fiscal 2018 follows:

	For the Year Ended February 2, 2019
				Weighted- Average		Weighted- Average Remaining Contractual		Aggregate
	Options			Exercise Price		Term		Intrinsic Value
	(In thousands)					(In years)		(In thousands)
Outstanding - February 3, 2018		2,190		$	14.59
Granted		715		$	19.60
Exercised (1)		(993	)	$	15.60
Cancelled		0		$	-
Outstanding - February 2, 2019		1,912		$	16.75		5.3		7,983
Vested and expected to vest - February 2, 2019		1,679		$	17.06		5.3		6,634
Exercisable - February 2, 2019 (2)		171		$	14.92		4.8		1,030

(1)	Options exercised during Fiscal 2018 ranged in price from $13.70 to $19.89.

(2)	Options exercisable represent “in-the-money” vested options based upon the weighted average exercise price of vested options compared to the Company’s stock price at February 2, 2019.

The weighted-average grant date fair value of stock options granted during Fiscal 2018 and Fiscal 2017 was $5.71 and $3.84, respectively. The aggregate intrinsic value of options exercised during Fiscal 2018, Fiscal 2017 and Fiscal 2016 was $7.4 million, $0.2 million and $3.8 million, respectively. Cash received from the exercise of stock options and the actual tax benefit realized from share-based payments was $15.5 million and $3.1 million, respectively, for Fiscal 2018. Cash received from the exercise of stock options and the actual tax benefit realized from share-based payments was $3.4 million and $3.3 million, respectively, for Fiscal 2017. Cash received from the exercise of stock options and the actual tax benefit realized from share-based payments was $16.3 million and $0.3 million, respectively, for Fiscal 2016.

The fair value of stock options was estimated at the date of grant using a Black-Scholes option pricing model with the following weighted-average assumptions:

	For the Years Ended
	February 2,	February 3,
Black-Scholes Option Valuation Assumptions	2019	2018
Risk-free interest rates (1)	2.6%	2.1%
Dividend yield	2.5%	3.1%
Volatility factors of the expected market price of the Company's common stock (2)	39.5%	38.5%
Weighted-average expected term (3)	4.5 years	4.5 years

(1)	Based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant with a term consistent with the expected life of our stock options.

(2)	Based on a combination of historical volatility of the Company’s common stock and implied volatility.

(3)	Represents the period of time options are expected to be outstanding. The weighted average expected option terms were determined based on historical experience.

As of February 2, 2019, there was $4.7 million of unrecognized compensation expense related to nonvested stock option awards that is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 1.7 years.

Time-based restricted stock awards are comprised of time-based restricted stock units. These awards vest over three years. Time-based restricted stock units receive dividend equivalents in the form of additional time-based restricted stock units, which are subject to the same restrictions and forfeiture provisions as the original award.

Performance-based restricted stock awards include performance-based restricted stock units. These awards cliff vest at the end of a three-year period based upon the Company’s achievement of pre-established goals throughout the term of the award. Performance-based restricted stock units receive dividend equivalents in the form of additional performance-based restricted stock units, which are subject to the same restrictions and forfeiture provisions as the original award.

The grant date fair value of all restricted stock awards is based on the closing market price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant.

A summary of the activity of the Company’s restricted stock is presented in the following tables:

	Time-Based Restricted Stock Units					Performance-Based Restricted Stock Units
	For the year ended					For the year ended
	February 2, 2019					February 2, 2019
(Shares in thousands)	Shares			Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value		Shares			Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value
Nonvested - February 3, 2018		2,189		$	13.27		2,138		$	15.16
Granted		971			24.07		710			21.69
Vested		(1,042	)		13.93		(930	)		14.87
Cancelled/Forfeited		(119	)		14.17		(18	)		15.42
Nonvested - February 2, 2019		1,999			18.00		1,900			17.44

As of February 2, 2019, there was $20.3 million of unrecognized compensation expense related to nonvested time-based restricted stock unit awards that is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 2.1 years. Based on current probable performance, there is $5.7 million of unrecognized compensation expense related to performance-based restricted stock unit awards expected to be recognized as achievement of performance goals is probable over a one to three-year period.

As of February 2, 2019, the Company had 6.8 million shares available for all equity grants.