Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Stock-Based Compensation

v3.23.1
Stock-Based Compensation
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2023
Stock-Based Compensation  
Stock-Based Compensation

(2)   Stock-Based Compensation

The Company has granted to certain of its directors, employees and employees of its subsidiaries, restricted stock (“RSAs”), restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and options to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock (collectively, "Awards"). The Company measures the cost of employee services received in exchange for an equity classified Award (such as stock options and restricted stock) based on the grant-date fair value (“GDFV”) of the Award, and recognizes that cost over the period during which the employee is required to provide service (usually the vesting period of the Award). The Company measures the cost of employee services received in exchange for a liability classified Award based on the current fair value of the Award, and remeasures the fair value of the Award at each reporting date.

Included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations are $16 million and $15 million of stock-based compensation during the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Qurate Retail—RSUs

The following table presents the number and weighted average GDFV of RSUs granted by the Company during the three months ended March 31, 2023:

Three months ended

March 31, 2023

RSUs Granted (000's)

Weighted Average GDFV

Series A Qurate Retail common stock, subsidiary employees (1)

935

$

0.89

Series A Qurate Retail common stock, Qurate Retail employees and directors (2)

553

$

1.51

Series A Qurate Retail common stock, Qurate Retail President and CEO (3)

1,869

$

1.51

Series B Qurate Retail common stock, Qurate Retail Chairman of the Board (4)

353

$

5.51

(1) Grant vests equally over three years.
(2) Grants mainly vest one year from the month of grant, subject to the satisfaction of certain performance objectives.
(3) Grant vests one year from the month of grant, subject to the satisfaction of certain performance objectives. Grant was made in connection with the employment agreement of our President and Chief Executive Officer.
(4) Grant vests one year from the month of grant, subject to the satisfaction of certain performance objectives. Grant was made in connection with our Chairman’s employment agreement.  

Also during the three months ended March 31, 2023, Qurate Retail granted 20.4 million performance-based, cash-settled RSUs of Series A Qurate Retail common stock to subsidiary employees.  These RSUs vest equally over three years, subject to the satisfaction of certain performance objectives. The liability and compensation expense related to such awards

is adjusted at the end of each reporting period based on the closing market price of Series A Qurate Retail common stock on the last trading day of the quarter combined with the probability of satisfying the performance objectives.

For awards that are performance-based, performance objectives, which are subjective, are considered in determining the timing and amount of compensation expense recognized. When the satisfaction of the performance objectives becomes probable, the Company records compensation expense. The probability of satisfying the performance objectives is assessed at the end of each reporting period.

Pursuant to the terms of the Stock Exchange Agreement, dated as of June 3, 2021, by and between Mr. Maffei and the Company, on March 25, 2022, Mr. Maffei transferred to the Company an aggregate of 229,022 shares of Series A common stock of Qurate Retail (“QRTEA”) received by Mr. Maffei upon vesting of the performance-based restricted stock unit award granted to Mr. Maffei on March 10, 2021 and in exchange, the Company issued to Mr. Maffei an equivalent number of shares of Series B common stock of Qurate Retail (“QRTEB”). Each share of QRTEB stock is convertible, at the option of the holder, into one share of QRTEA.

Qurate Retail—Outstanding Awards

The following tables present the number and weighted average exercise price ("WAEP") of the options to purchase Qurate Retail common stock granted to certain officers, employees and directors of the Company, as well as the weighted average remaining life and aggregate intrinsic value of the options.

    

    

    

Weighted

    

Aggregate

 

average

intrinsic

Series A

remaining

value

(000's)

WAEP

life

(millions)

Options outstanding at January 1, 2023

 

32,914

$

8.78

Granted

 

$

Exercised

 

(14)

$

2.17

Forfeited/Cancelled

 

(4,016)

$

12.90

Options outstanding at March 31, 2023

 

28,884

$

8.21

 

2.9

years

$

Options exercisable at March 31, 2023

 

18,954

$

9.61

 

2.3

years

$

    

    

    

Weighted

    

Aggregate

 

average

intrinsic

Series B

remaining

value

(000's)

WAEP

life

(millions)

Options outstanding at January 1, 2023

 

2,221

$

12.25

Granted

 

$

Exercised

 

$

Forfeited/Cancelled

(1,498)

$

12.20

Options outstanding at March 31, 2023

 

723

$

12.35

 

1.6

years

$

Options exercisable at March 31, 2023

 

723

$

12.35

 

1.6

years

$

The following table presents the number and weighted average GDFV of RSUs granted to certain officers, employees and directors of the Company.

Weighted

Weighted

Series A

Average

Series B

Average

(000's)

GDFV

(000's)

GDFV

RSUs outstanding at January 1, 2023

 

23,166

$

5.09

327

$

4.95

Granted

 

3,357

$

1.34

353

$

5.51

Vested

 

(5,544)

$

6.37

(327)

$

4.95

Forfeited/Cancelled

 

(1,850)

$

5.71

$

RSUs outstanding at March 31, 2023

 

19,129

$

4.00

353

$

5.51

 

As of March 31, 2023, Qurate Retail also had 1.1 million QRTEB RSAs and 40 thousand Qurate Retail 8.0% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock RSAs and RSUs outstanding. The QRTEB unvested RSAs had a GDFV of $13.65 per share, and 36 thousand of the Qurate Retail 8.0% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock unvested RSUs had an incremental cost of $48.99 per share.

As of March 31, 2023, the total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested Awards was approximately $101 million. Such amount will be recognized in the Company's consolidated statements of operations over a weighted average period of approximately 1.6 years.

As of March 31, 2023, Qurate Retail reserved for issuance upon exercise of outstanding stock options approximately 28.9 million shares of QRTEA and 0.7 million shares of QRTEB common stock.