The Company recognized stock-based compensation expense of $64.9 million, $51.3 million and $79.0 million, and related income tax benefits of $15.4 million, $12.6 million and $19.5 million, respectively, for the years ended November 28, 2021, November 29, 2020 and November 24, 2019, respectively. As of November 28, 2021, there was $68.5 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested equity and liability awards, which cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.18 years. No stock-based compensation cost has been capitalized in the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

Prior to the IPO, the Company granted awards under the 2016 Equity Incentive Plan (the "2016 Plan"), which provided for the granting of a variety of stock awards, including stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units ("RSUs"), stock appreciation rights ("SARs") and cash or equity settled awards to certain employees and non-employee directors. The maximum number of shares of common stock authorized for issuance under the 2016 Plan was 80.0 million shares. Upon completion of the IPO, shares that remained available for future grants under the 2016 Plan ceased to be available and the 2019 Equity Incentive Plan became effective. Awards granted before the IPO remain outstanding according to the plan’s terms. Outstanding awards under the 2016 Plan are issuable as Class B common stock and can be voluntarily converted to Class A common stock and sold to the public.

In March 2019, in connection with the IPO, the Company’s stockholders adopted the Company’s 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2019 Plan”) which provides for the grant of a variety of stock awards, including stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights, and cash or equity settled awards to certain employees and non-employee directors. The maximum number of shares of Class A common stock authorized for issuance under the 2019 Plan is 40.0 million shares. At November 28, 2021, there were 31.6 million shares of Class A common stock available for future grants under the 2019 Plan.

In March 2019, in connection with the IPO, the Company’s stockholders adopted the Company’s 2019 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “2019 ESPP”), which permits participants to purchase a total of 12.0 million shares of the Company’s Class A common stock through payroll deductions up to 10% of their earnings, subject to automatic annual increases. Unless otherwise determined by the administrator, the purchase price of the shares will be 85% of the fair market value of the Class A common stock on the date of purchase. At November 28, 2021, there were 11.0 million shares of Class A common stock available for issuance under the 2019 ESPP. The ESPP did not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements in fiscal year 2021.

Shares of common stock associated with the above plans will be issued from the Company's authorized but unissued shares and are subject to the Stockholders' Agreement that governs all shares.

Under the 2016 Plan and 2019 Plan, stock awards have a maximum contractual term of ten years, and if applicable, must have an exercise price at least equal to the fair market value of the Company's common stock on the grant date. Awards generally vest according to terms determined at the time of grant, or as otherwise determined by the Board in its discretion.

Upon the exercise of a stock-settled SAR, the participant will receive shares of common stock. The number of shares of common stock issued per SAR unit exercised is equal to (i) the excess of the per-share fair market value of the Company's common stock on the date of exercise over the exercise price of the SAR, divided by (ii) the per-share fair market value of the Company's common stock on the date of exercise.

Stock-settled RSUs which include service or performance conditions are issued to certain employees. Each stock-settled RSU is converted to a share of common stock upon vesting and do not have pre-vesting "dividend equivalent rights".

Non-employee members of the Board receive RSUs annually. The RSUs additionally have "dividend equivalent rights" of which dividends paid by the Company on its common stock are credited by the equivalent addition of RSUs.

SARs. The Company grants SARs, which include service or performance conditions, to a small group of the Company's senior executives and to select levels of the Company's management. SARs with service conditions ("Service SARs") vest from three-and-a-half to four years, and have maximum contractual lives of ten years. SARs with performance conditions ("Performance SARs") were granted prior to fiscal 2017 and were fully vested prior to fiscal year 2020. SARs activity during the year ended November 28, 2021 was as follows:


	Service SARs						Performance SARs
	Units	Weighted-Average Exercise Price		Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Life (Years)	Aggregate Intrinsic Value		Units	Weighted-Average Exercise Price		Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Life (Years)	Aggregate Intrinsic Value

	(Units and dollars in thousands, except weighted-average exercise price)
Outstanding at November 29, 2020	11,252	$	8.72	3.3			5,120	$	6.62	1.8
Granted	565	21.35					—	—
Exercised	(5,932)	7.07					(2,333)	7.25
Forfeited	(94)	17.81					—	—

Outstanding at November 28, 2021	5,791	$	11.50	4.4			2,787	$	6.10	1.2
Vested and expected to vest at November 24, 2020	5,780	$	11.50	4.4	$	90,820	2,787	$	6.10	1.2	$	58,810
Exercisable at November 28, 2021	3,894	$	8.62	2.9	$	72,341	2,787	$	6.10	1.2	$	58,810

The aggregate intrinsic values are calculated as the difference between the exercise price of the underlying SARs and the fair value of the Company's common stock that were in-the-money at that date.


	November 28, 2021		November 29, 2020		November 24, 2019

	(Dollars in thousands)
Aggregate intrinsic value of Service SARs exercised during the year	$	119,509	$	44,119	$	54,045
Aggregate intrinsic value of Performance SARs exercised during the year	$	45,364	$	30,953	$	27,776

The weighted-average grant date fair value of SARs was estimated using the Black-Scholes option valuation model. The weighted-average grant date fair values and corresponding weighted-average assumptions used in the Black-Scholes option valuation model were as follows:


	Service SARs Granted
	2021			2020			2019
Weighted-average grant date fair value	$	9.88		$	6.44		$	4.49

Weighted-average assumptions:
Expected life (in years)	7.1			7.0			5.0
Expected volatility	49.3		%	36.6		%	37.5		%
Risk-free interest rate	0.8		%	1.4		%	2.5		%
Expected dividend	0.8		%	1.6		%	2.0		%

RSUs. The Company grants RSUs, which include service or performance conditions, to a small group of the Company's senior executives and to select levels of the Company's management. RSUs with service conditions ("Service RSUs") granted vest in four annual equal installments of 25% beginning on the first anniversary of the date granted subject to continued employment. RSUs with performance conditions ("Performance RSUs") vest at varying unit amounts, up to 200% of those awarded, based on the attainment of certain three-year cumulative performance goals over a three-year performance period subject to continued employment. Service and Performance RSU activity during the year ended November 28, 2021 was as follows:


	Service RSUs				Performance RSUs
	Units	Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value		Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Life (Years)	Units	Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value		Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Life (Years)

	(Units in thousands)
Outstanding at November 29, 2020	4,346	$	16.71	2.2	3,163	$	18.11	1.0
Granted	1,790	21.78			840	27.33
Vested	(1,689)	16.03			(1,336)	15.98
Performance adjustment	—	—			(43)	16.03
Forfeited	(352)	18.74			(189)	25.11
Outstanding at November 28, 2021	4,095	$	19.02	2.4	2,435	$	24.81	1.5

The total fair value of Service RSU awards vested during 2021, 2020 and 2019 was $35.5 million, $88.6 million and $1.6 million, respectively. The total fair value of Performance RSU awards vested during 2021 and 2020 was $28.4 million and $49.0 million, respectively. Unrecognized future compensation cost as of November 28, 2021 of $42.1 million for Service RSUs and $16.2 million for Performance RSUs is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.4 and 1.5, respectively.

The grant date fair value of Service and Performance RSUs was based on the fair value of the Company’s common stock at the time of grant, unless the awards were subject to market conditions, in which case the Monte Carlo simulation model was utilized. During 2021, 2020 and 2019, the weighted-average grant date fair value for Service and Performance RSUs granted without a market condition were $21.78, $18.80 and $15.56, respectively. The weighted-average grant date fair value and corresponding weighted-average assumptions used in the Monte Carlo valuation models were as follows:


	Performance RSUs Granted
	2021			2020			2019(1)
Weighted-average grant date fair value	$	27.33		$	25.87		$	17.95

Weighted-average assumptions:
Expected life (in years)	2.8			2.8			2.8
Expected volatility	54.3		%	37.6		%	37.5		%
Risk-free interest rate	0.2		%	1.4		%	2.3		%
Expected dividend	0.8		%	1.5		%	1.9		%

____________

(1)The weighted-average information is presented for awards granted during 2019 without including replacement awards granted in connection with the IPO in March 2019, where the Company’s Board of Directors approved the cancellation of the majority of the outstanding unvested cash-settled RSUs and their concurrent replacement with similar stock-settled RSUs. Refer to Note 1 for more information. The weighted-average grant date fair value for the Performance RSUs granted as replacement awards is $28.78 and the weighted-average assumptions include an expected life of 1.5 years, an expected volatility of 36.3%, a risk-free interest rate of 2.5% and an expected dividend of 1.7%.

RSUs to the Board of Directors. The Company grants RSUs to certain members of its Board ("Board RSUs"). The total fair value of Board RSUs granted during the year ended November 28, 2021 of $2.0 million was estimated using the fair value of the Company's common stock. The total fair value of RSUs outstanding, vested and expected to vest was $12.7 million and $9.9 million as of November 28, 2021 and November 29, 2020, respectively.

Board RSUs vest in a series of three equal installments at 13 months, 24 months and 36 months following the date of grant subject to continued service. However, if the recipient's continuous service terminates for a reason other than cause after the first vesting installment, but prior to full vesting, then the remaining unvested portion of the award becomes fully vested as of the date of such termination.

In connection with the IPO, on March 19, 2019 the Company's Board of Directors approved the cancellation of the majority of the outstanding unvested cash-settled restricted stock units ("RSU's") and their concurrent replacement with similar stock-settled RSUs ("Replacement Awards"), pursuant to the Company's 2016 Equity Incentive Plan (the "2016 Plan"). RSUs for certain foreign affiliates will continue to be cash-settled. Upon vesting of a phantom restricted stock unit, the participant will receive a cash payout in an amount equal to the vested units multiplied by the fair value of the Company’s common stock at the end of the service or performance period.

Phantom restricted stock units with service conditions ("Phantom Service RSUs") granted vest in four annual equal installments of 25% beginning on the first anniversary of the date granted subject to continued employment. Phantom restricted stock units with performance conditions ("Phantom Performance RSUs") vest at varying unit amounts, up to 200% of those awarded, based on attainment of certain three-year cumulative performance goals and subject to continued employment.

The total fair value of Phantom Service RSUs and Phantom Performance RSUs granted during the year ended November 28, 2021 was $4.8 million and $0.5 million, respectively, at the grant date. The total fair value of Phantom Service RSUs vested during 2021, 2020 and 2019 was $2.2 million, $6.3 million and $52.9 million, respectively. The total fair value of Phantom Performance RSUs vested during 2021 and 2020 was $0.6 million and $0.3 million, respectively. The weighted-average fair value of Phantom Service RSUs at the grant date was estimated based on the fair value of the Company's common stock. The Company accrued $5.4 million for Phantom Service RSUs and Phantom Performance RSUs as of November 28, 2021.

Unrecognized future compensation cost as of November 28, 2021 of $5.8 million for Phantom Service RSUs and $0.5 million for Phantom Performance RSUs are expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.5 and 1.3, respectively.