For the three months ended September 30, 2023, pursuant to the Company’s dividend policy, we declared total non-cumulative dividends of $0.25 per Common Share in the aggregate amount of $67.0 million which we paid during the same period (three months ended September 30, 2022—$0.24299 per Common Share in the aggregate amount of $64.7 million).

Our authorized share capital includes an unlimited number of Common Shares and an unlimited number of Preference Shares. No Preference Shares have been issued.

From time to time we may provide funds to an independent agent to facilitate repurchases of our Common Shares in connection with the settlement of awards under the Long-Term Incentive Plans (LTIP) or other plans.

During the three months ended September 30, 2023, 1,400,000 Common Shares were purchased on the open market at a cost of $53.1 million and held under trust for potential settlement of awards under our LTIP or other plans as described below (three months ended September 30, 2022—no Common Shares were purchased).

During the three months ended September 30, 2023, we delivered to eligible participants 183,313 Common Shares that were purchased in the open market in connection with the settlement of awards and other plans (three months ended September 30, 2022—120,406 Common Shares).

On November 4, 2021, the Board authorized a share repurchase plan (Fiscal 2022 Repurchase Plan), pursuant to which we may purchase in open market transactions, from time to time over the 12-month period commencing November 12, 2021, up to an aggregate of $350 million of our Common Shares. During the three months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, we did not repurchase and cancel any Common Shares.


	Three Months Ended September 30,
	2023		2022
Stock Options (issued under Stock Option Plans)	$	4,544	$	3,585
Performance Share Units (issued under LTIP)	5,889		4,235
Restricted Share Units (issued under LTIP)	2,881		2,175
Restricted Share Units (other)	21,372		10,637
Deferred Share Units (directors)	914		961
Employee Stock Purchase Plan	1,495		1,615
Total share-based compensation expense	$	37,095	$	23,208


	As of September 30, 2023
	Unrecognized Compensation Cost		Weighted Average Recognition Period (years)
Stock Options (issued under Stock Option Plans)	$	48,754	2.6
Performance Share Units (issued under LTIP)	56,484		2.5
Restricted Share Units (issued under LTIP)	27,139		2.4
Restricted Share Units (other)	83,793		1.3
Total unrecognized share-based compensation cost	$	216,170


	Options	Weighted- Average Exercise Price		Weighted- Average Remaining Contractual Term (years)	Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Outstanding at June 30, 2023	12,219,439	$	38.44	4.68	$	62,473
Granted	840,610	36.79
Exercised	(84,885)	34.08
Forfeited or expired	(221,571)	42.39
Outstanding at September 30, 2023	12,753,593	$	38.29	4.60	$	23,473
Exercisable at September 30, 2023	4,940,080	$	40.16	3.10	$	2,691

We estimate the fair value of stock options using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model or, where appropriate, the Monte Carlo pricing model, consistent with the provisions of ASC Topic 718, “Compensation—Stock Compensation” (Topic 718) and SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 107. The option-pricing models require input of subjective assumptions, including the estimated life of the option and the expected volatility of the underlying stock over the estimated life of the option. We use historical volatility as a basis for projecting the expected volatility of the underlying stock and estimate the expected life of our stock options based upon historical data.

We believe that the valuation techniques and the approach utilized to develop the underlying assumptions are appropriate in calculating the fair value of our stock option grants. Estimates of fair value are not intended, however, to predict actual future events or the value ultimately realized by employees who receive equity awards.

For the periods indicated, the weighted-average fair value of options and weighted-average assumptions estimated under the Black-Scholes option-pricing model were as follows:


	Three Months Ended September 30,
	2023			2022
Weighted–average fair value of options granted	$	9.16		$	8.16
Weighted-average assumptions used:
Expected volatility	30.93		%	27.46		%
Risk–free interest rate	4.44		%	2.86		%
Expected dividend yield	2.66		%	2.32		%
Expected life (in years)	4.24			4.18
Forfeiture rate (based on historical rates)	7		%	7		%
Average exercise share price	$	36.79		$	39.09

During the three months ended September 30, 2023, we did not grant performance options (during the three months ended September 30, 2022—1,000,000).

For the period in which performance options were granted, the weighted-average fair value of performance options and weighted-average assumptions estimated under the Monte Carlo pricing model were as follows:


	Three Months Ended September 30,
	2022
Weighted–average fair value of options granted	$	8.09
Derived service period (in years)	1.70
Weighted-average assumptions used:
Expected volatility	26.00		%
Risk–free interest rate	3.21		%
Expected dividend yield	2.00		%
Average exercise share price	$	31.89

We incentivize certain eligible employees, in part, with long-term compensation pursuant to our LTIP. The LTIP is a rolling three-year program that grants eligible employees a certain number of target Performance Share Units (PSUs) and/or Restricted Share Units (RSUs). Target PSUs become vested upon the achievement of certain financial and/or operational performance criteria (the Performance Conditions) that are determined at the time of the grant. The Performance Conditions for vesting of the PSUs are based solely upon market conditions. The RSUs are employee service-based awards and vest subject to an eligible employee’s continued employment throughout the applicable vesting period.

PSUs and RSUs granted under the LTIP have been measured at fair value as of the effective date, consistent with ASC Topic 718, and will be charged to share-based compensation expense over the remaining life of the plan. We estimate the fair value of PSUs using the Monte Carlo pricing model and RSUs have been valued based upon their grant date fair value. Beginning in Fiscal 2023, certain PSU and RSU grants were eligible to receive dividend equivalent units that vest under the same conditions as the underlying grants.


	Units	Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value		Weighted- Average Remaining Contractual Term (years)	Aggregate Intrinsic Value ($’000's)
Outstanding at June 30, 2023	1,013,385	$	61.64	1.75	$	42,106
Granted (1)	612,432	59.22
Vested	—	—
Forfeited or expired	(24,049)	61.69
Outstanding at September 30, 2023	1,601,768	$	60.76	2.16	$	56,222

(1)PSUs are earned based on market conditions and the actual number of PSUs earned, if any, is dependent upon performance and may range from 0 to 200 percent.

For the periods indicated, the weighted-average fair value of PSUs issued under LTIP, and weighted-average assumptions estimated under the Monte Carlo pricing model were as follows:


	Three Months Ended September 30,
	2023			2022
Weighted–average fair value of performance share units granted	$	59.48		$	55.06
Weighted-average assumptions used:
Expected volatility	28.05		%	29.00		%
Risk–free interest rate	4.38		%	3.13		%
Expected dividend yield	—		%	—		%
Expected life (in years)	3.11			3.11


	Units	Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value		Weighted- Average Remaining Contractual Term (years)	Aggregate Intrinsic Value ($’000's)
Outstanding at June 30, 2023	774,360	$	42.83	1.68	$	32,175
Granted	466,454	36.80
Vested	—	—
Forfeited or expired	(24,049)	41.83
Outstanding at September 30, 2023	1,216,765	$	40.55	2.11	$	42,708

In addition to the grants made in connection with the LTIP discussed above, from time to time, we may grant RSUs to certain employees in accordance with employment and other non-LTIP related agreements. RSUs (other) vest over a specified contract date, typically two or three years from the respective date of grants.


	Units	Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value		Weighted- Average Remaining Contractual Term (years)	Aggregate Intrinsic Value ($’000's)
Outstanding at June 30, 2023	5,310,595	$	36.43	1.97	$	220,655
Granted	10,192	37.51
Vested	(183,094)	39.83
Forfeited or expired	(106,055)	36.87
Outstanding at September 30, 2023	5,031,638	$	36.12	1.75	$	176,610

The DSUs are granted to certain non-employee directors. DSUs are issued under our Deferred Share Unit Plan. DSUs granted as compensation for director fees vest immediately, whereas all other DSUs granted vest at our next annual general meeting following the granting of the DSUs. No DSUs are payable by us until the director ceases to be a member of the Board.


	Units	Weighted-Average Price		Weighted- Average Remaining Contractual Term (years)	Aggregate Intrinsic Value ($’000's)
Outstanding at June 30, 2023 (1)	994,568	$	29.98	0.36	$	41,324
Granted	7,050	37.70
Outstanding at September 30, 2023 (1)	1,001,618	$	30.04	0.10	$	35,157