Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Stock Incentive Plans

v3.8.0.1
Stock Incentive Plans
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]  
Stock Incentive Plans
Stock Incentive Plans
In May 2017, the Company’s stockholders approved the 2017 Performance Incentive Plan (the “2017 Stock Plan”). Following the date of approval, all grants are made under the 2017 Stock Plan and no new awards may be granted under the Second Amended and Restated 2007 Performance Plan (the “2007 Stock Plan”). The 2017 Stock Plan authorizes the issuance of stock options, stock appreciation rights (SARs), and other forms of awards granted or denominated in our common stock or unit of our common stock, as well as cash performance awards pursuant to the plan. Persons eligible to receive awards under the 2017 Stock Plan include officers, employees, directors, consultants, and other service providers or any affiliate of the Company. The maximum number of shares of the Company’s common stock that may be issued or transferred pursuant to awards under the 2017 Stock Plan is 630,182 shares.
Vesting of the awards under the 2017 Stock Plan is determined at the date of grant by the plan administrator. Each award granted under the 2017 Stock Plan and 2007 Stock Plan fully vests, becomes exercisable and/or payable, as applicable, upon a change in control event. However, unless the individual award agreement provides otherwise, with respect to executive and certain other high level officers of the Company, upon the occurrence of a change in control, no award will vest unless such officers’ employment with the Company is terminated by the Company without cause during the two-year period following such change in control event. Each award expires on such date as shall be determined at the date of grant; however, the maximum term of options, SARs, and other rights to acquire common stock under the plan is ten years after the initial date of the award, subject to provisions for further deferred payment in certain circumstances. As of December 31, 2017, 468,657 options to acquire the Company’s common stock remained outstanding under the 2007 Stock Plan.
Total stock-based compensation costs recognized in 2017, 2016, and 2015 were $4.8 million, $4.5 million, and $4.7 million, with related income tax benefits of $1.5 million, $0.4 million, and $2.0 million. As of December 31, 2017, there was $4.9 million of total unrecognized compensation cost, excluding estimated forfeitures, which is expected to be recognized over the weighted average remaining vesting period of approximately 1.4 years for stock options, 1.3 years for the restricted stock units, and 2.0 years for the performance stock units.
Stock Options
The tables below summarize the status of the Company’s stock option plans (in thousands, except per share data and exercise price):
 
 
Stock Options
 
 
Shares
 
Weighted Average Exercise Price
Outstanding, December 25, 2016
 
408

 
$
53.82

Granted
 
145

 
48.07

Forfeited/expired
 
(20
)
 
53.32

Exercised
 
(64
)
 
35.36

Outstanding, December 31, 2017
 
469

 
$
54.60

 
 
Shares
 
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
 
Weighted
Average
Remaining
Years of
Contractual
Life
 
Aggregate
Intrinsic Value
Outstanding as of December 31, 2017
 
469

 
$
54.60

 
7.24
 
$
3,550

Vested and expected to vest as of December 31, 2017 (1)
 
427

 
$
54.89

 
7.08
 
$
3,267

Exercisable as of December 31, 2017
 
200

 
$
51.99

 
5.53
 
$
2,250

___________________________________
(1) The expected to vest options are the result of applying the pre-vesting forfeiture rate assumption to total outstanding options. The Company applies estimated forfeiture rates that are derived from our historical forfeitures of similar awards.
The estimated fair value of each option granted is calculated using the Black-Scholes multiple option-pricing model. The average assumptions used in the model for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2017, December 25, 2016, and December 27, 2015 were as follows:
 
2017
 
2016
 
2015
 
Risk-free interest rate
1.8

%
 
1.2

%
 
1.4

%
 
Expected years until exercise
5.0

 
 
4.5

 
 
4.8

 
 
Expected stock volatility
37.9

%
 
39.0

%
 
40.6

%
 
Dividend yield

%
 

%
 

%
 
Weighted average Black-Scholes fair value per share at date of grant
$
17.11

 
 
$
20.45

 
 
$
29.71

 
 
Total intrinsic value of options exercised (in thousands)
$
1,676

 
 
$
2,624

 
 
$
4,414

 
 

The risk-free interest rate was based on the rate for zero coupon U.S. Government issues with a remaining term similar to the expected life. The expected life of the options represents the period of time the options are expected to be outstanding and is based on historical trends and team member exercise patterns. The expected stock price volatility represents an average of the Company’s historical volatility measured over a period approximating the expected life. The dividend yield assumption is based on the Company’s history and expectations of dividend payouts.
Time-Based RSUs
During 2017, 2016, and 2015, the Company issued time-based restricted stock units (“RSUs”) to certain employees as permitted under the 2017 and 2007 Stock Plans. The Company can grant RSUs to its directors, executive officers and other key employees. The RSUs granted to employees typically vest in equal installments over four years. For the Company’s board of directors, RSUs vest in full on the one-year anniversary date of the grant date. Upon vesting, one share of the Company’s common stock is issued for each RSU. The fair value of each RSU granted is equal to the market price of the Company’s stock at the date of grant.
The table below summarizes the status of the Company’s time-based RSUs under the 2017 and 2007 Stock Plans (shares in thousands):
 
 
Restricted Stock Units
 
 
Shares
 
Weighted Average Grant-Date Fair Value (per share)
Outstanding, December 25, 2016
 
82

 
$
61.16

Awarded
 
74

 
53.13

Forfeited
 
(10
)
 
56.38

Vested
 
(44
)
 
57.21

Outstanding, December 31, 2017
 
102

 
$
57.51


Performance Stock Units
During 2017, the Company granted performance stock unit awards (“PSUs”) to certain employees as permitted under the 2017 Stock Plan. Each PSU represents the right to receive one share of the Company’s common stock on the payment date, subject to the achievement of the applicable performance goals at target and applicable vesting conditions. Each PSU is divided into three equal tranches with applicable performance periods, typically consisting of an annual fiscal year. PSUs remain unvested until the last day of the third performance period and are forfeited in the event of termination of employment of a grantee prior to the last day of the third performance period.
The table below summarizes the status of the Company’s performance stock units under the 2017 Stock Plan (shares in thousands):
 
 
Performance Stock Units
 
 
Shares
 
Weighted Average Grant-Date Fair Value (per share)
Outstanding, December 25, 2016
 

 
$

Awarded
 
30

 
48.87

Forfeited
 

 

Vested
 

 

Outstanding, December 31, 2017
 
30

 
$
48.87


Long-Term Cash Incentive Plan
Beginning in 2017, the long-term cash incentive plan is based on operational metrics with three one-year performance periods. Prior to 2017, the long-term cash incentive plan was based on operational metrics with a three-year performance period. Compensation expense is recognized over the performance period based on the plan-to-date performance achievement. The awards cliff vest at the end of each three-year performance cycle. In 2017, the Company recorded $0.4 million in compensation expenses related to the 2017 long-term cash incentive plan. In 2016, the Company reversed $2.3 million of its long-term cash incentive plan liability upon determining that certain performance metrics were not probable of being achieved. In 2015, the Company recorded $3.3 million in compensation expenses related to this program.
In 2017, the Company paid out $0.7 million cash awards related to achievement of the performance metrics of the 2014 long-term cash incentive plan. In 2016, the Company paid out $3.4 million cash awards related to achievement of the performance metrics of the 2013 long-term cash incentive plan. In 2015, the Company paid out $1.8 million cash awards related to achievement of the performance metrics of the 2012 long-term cash incentive plan. At December 31, 2017 and December 25, 2016, a $0.4 million and $0.7 million long-term cash incentive plan liability was included in Accrued payroll and payroll-related liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.