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Stock-Based Compensation
 6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2025
Share-Based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]  
Stock-Based Compensation Stock-Based Compensation
 
In 2013, Essent Group's Board of Directors adopted, and Essent Group's shareholders approved, the Essent Group Ltd. 2013 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the "2013 Plan"), which was effective upon completion of the initial public offering. The 2013 Plan was most recently amended effective upon shareholder approval in May 2023 to increase the number of shares available for issuance under the 2013 Plan by 2 million shares. The types of awards available under the 2013 Plan include nonvested shares, nonvested share units, non-qualified share options, incentive stock options, share appreciation rights, and other share-based or cash-based awards. Nonvested shares and nonvested share units granted under the 2013 Plan have rights to dividends, which entitle holders to the same dividend value per share as holders of common shares in the form of dividend equivalent units ("DEUs"). DEUs are subject to the same vesting and other terms and conditions as the corresponding nonvested shares and nonvested share units. DEUs vest when the underlying shares or share units vest and are forfeited if the underlying share or share units forfeit prior to vesting. The maximum number of shares and share units available for issuance is 7.5 million under the 2013 Plan, as amended. As of June 30, 2025, there were 3.0 million common shares available for future grant under the 2013 Plan.
The following table summarizes nonvested common share, nonvested common share unit and DEU activity for the six months ended June 30, 2025:
 
2025
Time and Performance-
Based Share Awards		Time-Based
Share Awards
Time and Performance-Based Share Units
Time-Based Share Units
DEUs
(Shares in thousands)Number of
Shares		Weighted
Average
Grant Date
Fair Value		Number of
Shares		Weighted
Average
Grant Date
Fair Value		Number of
Share Units		Weighted
Average
Grant Date
Fair Value		Number of
Share Units		Weighted
Average
Grant Date
Fair Value		Dividend Equivalent UnitsWeighted
Average
Grant Date
Fair Value
Outstanding at beginning of year837 $16.09 127 $48.27 67 $19.15 763 $46.88 67 $51.25 
Granted236 23.00 53 57.11 44 23.00 123 57.65 18 57.32 
Vested(246)14.83 (67)47.13 (4)15.35 (229)44.97 (27)49.18 
Forfeited(47)14.83 — — (4)20.38 (104)49.78 (6)50.84 
Outstanding at end of period
780 $18.66 113 $53.07 103 $20.92 553 $49.53 52 $54.45 


In February 2025, certain members of senior management were granted nonvested common shares under the 2013 Plan that are subject to time-based and performance-based vesting. The time-based share awards granted in February 2025 vest annually in three equal installments commencing on March 1 of the year following the grant year. The performance-based share awards granted in February 2025 vest based upon our compounded annual book value per share growth percentage and relative total shareholder return during a three-year performance period that commenced on January 1, 2025, and they vest on March 1, 2028. Shares were issued at the maximum 200% of target. The portion of these nonvested performance-based share awards that will be earned is as follows:

Relative Total Shareholder Return
vs. S&P 1500 Financial Services Index
≤25th percentile
50th percentile
≥75th percentile
Three-Year Book
Value Per Share
CAGR
11%
100%150%200%
10%75%125%175%
9%50%100%150%
7%25%75%125%
6%0%50%100%

Certain time-and-performance based share awards and units granted in 2022 and subsequent periods include retirement provisions under which the service requirements are considered satisfied when the employee with a required minimum years of continuous service reaches the eligible retirement age. Under these provisions, stock-based compensation is expensed from the grant date through the date that the employee will satisfy these conditions.

In the event that the compounded annual book value per share growth or the relative total shareholder return falls between the performance levels shown above, the nonvested common shares earned will be determined on a straight-line basis between the respective levels shown.
 
In connection with our incentive program covering bonus awards for performance year 2024, in February 2025, time-based share units were issued to certain employees that vest in three equal installments on March 1, 2026, 2027 and 2028.

Quoted market prices are used for the valuation of common shares granted that do not contain a market condition under ASC 718. The performance-based share awards granted in February 2023, 2024 and 2025 contain a market condition and
were valued based on analysis provided by a third-party valuation firm using a risk-neutral simulation taking into effect the vesting conditions of the grant.

The total fair value on the vesting date of nonvested shares, share units or DEUs that vested was $32.8 million and $24.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively. As of June 30, 2025, there was $24.6 million of total unrecognized compensation expense related to nonvested shares or share units outstanding at June 30, 2025 and we expect to recognize the expense over a weighted average period of 2.2 years.

Employees have the option to tender shares to Essent Group to pay the minimum employee statutory withholding taxes associated with shares upon vesting. Common shares tendered by employees to pay employee withholding taxes totaled 206,984 in the six months ended June 30, 2025. The tendered shares were recorded at cost and included in treasury stock. All treasury stock has been cancelled as of June 30, 2025.
 
Compensation expense, net of forfeitures, and related tax effects recognized in connection with nonvested shares and share units was as follows:
Three Months Ended June 30,Six Months Ended June 30,
(In thousands)2025202420252024
Compensation expense$3,950 $6,972 $12,942 $13,792 
Income tax benefit752 1,400 2,569 2,778