Under the stockholder-approved LTIP, the Human Capital Management and Compensation Committee (Committee), which is made up of nonemployee members of the Board, or the Chief Executive Officer (when delegated authority by such Committee), may grant stock options, stock appreciation rights (SARs), restricted stock units (RSUs), restricted shares, performance share units (PSUs), and performance shares, up to a maximum of 104,125,000 shares of our Common Stock, of which 7,731,573 remain available for future grants as of December 31, 2023.

The number of shares remaining for issuance under the LTIP is reduced (i) by 1 for each award granted as a stock option or stock-settled SAR, or (ii) by 1.61 for an award made in the form other than a stock option or stock-settled SAR. Under the Board-approved Thoroughbred Stock Option Plan (TSOP), the Committee may grant stock options up to a maximum of 6,000,000 shares of Common Stock. We use newly issued shares to satisfy any exercises and awards under the LTIP and the TSOP.

The LTIP also permits the payment, on a current or a deferred basis and in cash or in stock, of dividend equivalents on shares of Common Stock covered by stock options, RSUs, or PSUs in an amount commensurate with regular quarterly dividends paid on Common Stock. With respect to stock options, if employment of the participant is terminated for any reason, including retirement, disability, or death, we have no further obligation to make any dividend equivalent payments. Regarding RSUs, we have no further obligation to make any dividend equivalent payments unless employment of the participant is terminated as a result of qualifying retirement or disability. Should an employee terminate employment, they are not required to forfeit dividend equivalent payments already received. Outstanding PSUs do not receive dividend equivalent payments.


	2023			2022			2021
	Granted	Weighted- Average Grant-Date Fair Value		Granted	Weighted- Average Grant-Date Fair Value		Granted	Weighted- Average Grant-Date Fair Value
Stock options	69,580	$	77.60	140,080	$	61.32	42,770	$	62.49
RSUs	214,936	230.12		180,306	265.21		183,093	240.09
PSUs	59,200	236.16		58,945	272.22		50,100	240.72

Recipients of certain RSUs and PSUs pursuant to the LTIP who retire prior to October 1st will forfeit awards received in the current year. Receipt of certain LTIP awards is contingent on the recipient having executed a non-compete agreement with the company.

We account for our grants of stock options, RSUs, PSUs, and dividend equivalent payments in accordance with FASB ASC 718, “Compensation - Stock Compensation.” Accordingly, all awards result in charges to net income while dividend equivalent payments, which are all related to equity classified awards, are charged to retained income. Compensation cost for the awards is recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period for the entire award. Related compensation costs and tax benefits during the years were:

Option exercise prices will be at least the higher of (i) the average of the high and low prices at which Common Stock is traded on the grant date, or (ii) the closing price of Common Stock on the grant date. All options are subject to a vesting period of at least one year, and the term of the option will not exceed ten years. Holders of the options granted under the LTIP who remain actively employed receive cash dividend equivalent payments for four years in an amount equal to the regular quarterly dividends paid on Common Stock.

For all years, options granted under the LTIP and the TSOP may not be exercised prior to the fourth and third anniversaries of the date of grant, respectively, or if the optionee retires or dies before that anniversary date, may not be exercised before the later of one year after the grant date or the date of the optionee’s retirement or death.

The fair value of each option awarded was measured on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes valuation model. Expected volatility is based on implied volatility from traded options on, and historical volatility of, Common Stock. Historical data is used to estimate option exercises and employee terminations within the valuation model. Historical exercise data is used to estimate the average expected option term. The average risk-free interest rate is

based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant. A dividend yield of zero was used for the LTIP options during the vesting period. For 2023, 2022, and 2021, a dividend yield of 2.24%, 1.85%, and 1.64%, respectively, was used for the vested period during the remaining expected option term for LTIP options.


	2023		2022		2021


Average expected volatility	27	%	27	%	26	%
Average risk-free interest rate	3.54	%	1.80	%	0.75	%
Average expected option term	7.0 years		6.5 years		7.5 years


	Stock Options	Weighted- Average Exercise Price

Outstanding at December 31, 2022	880,002	$	134.66
Granted	69,580	241.18
Exercised	(206,016)	96.68
Forfeited	(169)	69.83

Outstanding at December 31, 2023	743,397	155.17

The aggregate intrinsic value of options outstanding at December 31, 2023 was $66 million with a weighted-average remaining contractual term of 4.0 years. Of these options outstanding, 570,428 were exercisable and had an aggregate intrinsic value of $66 million with a weighted-average exercise price of $123.27 and a weighted-average remaining contractual term of 1.6 years.


	2023		2022		2021
	($ in millions)

Options exercised	206,016		307,660		470,632
Total intrinsic value	$	27	$	54	$	83
Cash received upon exercise	19		25		42
Related tax benefits realized	6		12		17

At December 31, 2023, total unrecognized compensation related to options granted under the LTIP was $3 million, and is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of approximately 2.4 years.

RSUs granted primarily have a four-year ratable restriction period and will be settled through the issuance of shares of Common Stock. Certain RSU grants include cash dividend equivalent payments during the restriction period in an amount equal to regular quarterly dividends paid on Common Stock. The fair value of each RSU was measured on the date of grant as the average of the high and low prices at which Common Stock is traded on the grant date, adjusted for the impact of dividend equivalent payments as applicable.


	2023		2022		2021
	($ in millions)

RSUs vested	157,417		249,138		260,307
Common Stock issued net of tax withholding	110,069		175,781		184,319
Related tax benefits realized	$	1	$	5	$	7


	RSUs	Weighted- Average Grant-Date Fair Value

Nonvested at December 31, 2022	387,381	$	236.53
Granted	214,936	230.12
Vested	(157,417)	220.04
Forfeited	(11,042)	241.50

Nonvested at December 31, 2023	433,858	239.21

At December 31, 2023, total unrecognized compensation related to RSUs was $45 million, and is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of approximately 2.5 years.

PSUs provide for awards based on the achievement of certain predetermined corporate performance goals at the end of a three-year cycle and are settled through the issuance of shares of Common Stock. All PSUs will earn out based on the achievement of performance conditions and some will also earn out based on a market condition. The market condition fair value was measured on the date of grant using a Monte Carlo simulation model.


	2023		2022		2021
	($ in millions)

PSUs earned	58,599		86,420		78,727
Common Stock issued net of tax withholding	40,255		54,651		49,967
Related tax benefits realized	$	—	$	1	$	1


	PSUs	Weighted- Average Grant-Date Fair Value

Balance at December 31, 2022	142,437	$	236.70
Granted	59,200	236.16
Earned	(58,599)	213.12
Unearned	(4,751)	213.12
Forfeited	(1,578)	246.64

Balance at December 31, 2023	136,709	247.28

At December 31, 2023, total unrecognized compensation related to PSUs granted under the LTIP was $2 million, and is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of approximately 1.7 years.


	2023	2022	2021
Available for future grants:
LTIP	7,731,573	8,238,993	8,609,075
TSOP	436,571	436,402	435,867
Issued:
LTIP	315,700	503,090	632,279
TSOP	40,640	35,002	72,639