STOCK COMPENSATION

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2021

Share-based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]

HTLF may grant, through its Nominating, Compensation and Corporate Governance Committee (the "Compensation Committee"), non-qualified and incentive stock options, stock appreciation rights, stock awards, restricted stock, restricted stock units and cash incentive awards, under its 2020 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the "Plan"). The Plan was approved by stockholders in May 2020 and replaces the 2012 Long-Term Incentive Plan. The Plan increased the number of shares of common stock authorized for issuance to 1,460,000 and made certain other changes to the Plan. As of March 31, 2021, 1,239,003 shares of common stock were available for issuance under future awards that may be granted under the Plan to employees and directors of, and service providers to, HTLF or its subsidiaries.

ASC Topic 718, "Compensation-Stock Compensation," requires the measurement of the cost of employee services received in exchange for an award of equity instruments based upon the fair value of the award on the grant date. The cost of the award is based upon its fair value estimated on the date of grant and recognized in the consolidated statements of income over the vesting period of the award. The fair market value of restricted stock and restricted stock units is based on the fair value of the underlying shares of common stock on the date of grant. Forfeitures are accounted for as they occur.

HTLF's income tax expense included $153,000 of tax benefit during the three months ended March 31, 2021 and a tax expense of $25,000 during the three months ended March 31, 2020, related to the exercise, vesting and forfeiture of equity-based awards.

Restricted Stock Units

The Plan permits the Compensation Committee to grant restricted stock units ("RSUs"). In the first quarter of 2021, the Compensation Committee granted time-based RSUs with respect to 104,462 shares of common stock, and in the first quarter of 2020, the Compensation Committee granted time-based RSUs with respect to 114,944 shares of common stock to selected officers and employees. The time-based RSUs represent the right, without payment, to receive shares of HTLF common stock on a specified date in the future. The time-based RSUs granted in 2021 and 2020 vest over three years in equal installments in March of each of the three years following the year of the grant. The time-based RSUs may also vest upon death or disability, upon a change in control or upon a "qualified retirement" (as defined in the RSU agreement). The retiree is required to sign a non-solicitation agreement as a condition to vesting.

The Compensation Committee also granted three-year performance-based RSUs with respect to 60,339 shares and 50,787 shares of common stock in the first quarter of 2021 and 2020 respectively. These performance-based RSUs will be earned based on satisfaction of performance targets for the three-year performance period ended December 31, 2023, and December 31, 2022, respectively. These performance-based RSUs or a portion thereof may vest in 2024 and 2023, respectively, after measurement of performance in relation to the performance targets.

The three-year performance-based RSUs vest to the extent that they are earned upon death or disability or upon a "qualified retirement." Upon a change in control, performance-based RSUs shall become vested at 100% of target if the RSU obligations are not assumed by the successor company. If the successor company does assume the RSU obligations, the 2021 and 2020 performance-based RSUs will vest at 100% of target upon a "Termination of Service" within the period beginning six months prior to a change in control and ending twenty-four months after a change in control.

All of HTLF's RSUs will be settled in common stock upon vesting and are not entitled to dividends until vested.

The Compensation Committee may grant RSUs under the Plan to directors as part of their compensation, to new management level employees at commencement of employment, and to other employees and service providers as incentives. During the three months ended March 31, 2021, and March 31, 2020, 3,778 and 0 time-based RSUs, respectively, were granted to directors and new employees.

A summary of the RSUs outstanding as of March 31, 2021, and 2020, and changes during the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020, follows:


	2021			2020
	Shares	Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value		Shares	Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value
Outstanding at January 1,	348,275	$	38.22	254,383	$	46.76
Granted	170,317	52.08		165,731	32.57
Vested	(106,255)	44.14		(86,441)	45.48
Forfeited	(4,215)	50.59		(11,929)	48.38
Outstanding at March 31,	408,122	$	42.11	321,744	$	40.14

Total compensation costs recorded for RSUs were $2.7 million and $2.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020. As of March 31, 2021, there were $11.9 million of total unrecognized compensation costs related to the Plan for RSUs that are expected to be recognized through 2023.