Stock-Based Compensation Stock-Based Compensation (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Stock-Based Compensation Expense and Related Tax Benefit [Table Text Block]

For the three months ended March 31, stock-based compensation expense and the related tax benefit were as follows:



	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2013		2012
	(in thousands)
Stock options	$	473	$	272
Restricted stock units	4,235		3,516
Unrestricted stock awards	197		205
ESPP	191		205
Total stock-based compensation	$	5,096	$	4,198

Related tax benefit	$	1,364	$	1,189

Stock Options, Valuation Assumptions [Table Text Block]

The fair values of stock options granted were estimated at the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the following weighted average assumptions:



	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2013		2012
Dividend yield	—		—
Expected volatility	38.1	%	42.7	%
Risk-free interest rate	1.0	%	0.9	%
Expected term (years)	5.45		5.14

Employee Stock Options Activity [Table Text Block]

A summary of our stock option activity for the three months ended March 31 is as follows:



	Shares		Weighted Average Exercise Price per Share		Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life	Aggregate Intrinsic Value ⁽¹⁾		Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
	(in thousands)				(years)	(in thousands)
Outstanding, January 1, 2012	1,109		$	55.97	4.51	$	2,323
Granted	54		48.23					$	18.64
Exercised	(13	)	21.60			$	280
Expired	(1	)	48.51
Outstanding, March 31, 2012	1,149		$	56.00	4.42	$	4,638

Outstanding, January 1, 2013	1,137		$	54.06	4.81	$	3,815
Granted	129		42.76					$	15.44
Exercised	(11	)	28.92			$	171
Expired	(3	)	48.51
Outstanding, March 31, 2013	1,252		$	53.14	5.14	$	4,805

Exercisable, March 31, 2013	928		$	56.63	3.59	$	3,557

Expected to vest, March 31, 2013	301		$	43.17	9.57	$	1,157

⁽¹⁾

The aggregate intrinsic value of outstanding stock options represents amounts that would have been received by the optionees had all in- the-money options been exercised on that date. Specifically, it is the amount by which the market value of Itron’s stock exceeded the exercise price of the outstanding in-the-money options before applicable income taxes, based on our closing stock price on the last business day of the period. The aggregate intrinsic value of stock options exercised during the period is calculated based on our stock price at the date of exercise.

Restricted Stock Units, Valuation Assumptions

The weighted-average assumptions used to estimate the fair value of performance-based restricted stock units awarded and the resulting weighted average fair-value are as follows:



	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2013
Dividend yield ⁽¹⁾	—		%
Expected volatility	39.1		%
Risk-free interest rate	0.3		%
Expected term (years)	2.53

Weighted-average fair value	$	44.93


⁽¹⁾	The valuation model assumes that dividends are reinvested by the issuing entity on a continuous basis.

Restricted Stock Units Award Activity [Table Text Block]

The following table summarizes restricted stock unit activity for the three months ended March 31:



	Number of Restricted Stock Units		Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value		Aggregate Intrinsic Value⁽¹⁾
	(in thousands)				(in thousands)
Outstanding, January 1, 2012	625
Granted⁽²⁾	374		$	48.23
Released	(168	)			$	10,976
Forfeited	(14	)
Outstanding, March 31, 2012	817

Outstanding, January 1, 2013	774
Granted⁽²⁾	237		$	42.13
Released	(224	)			$	12,084
Forfeited	(7	)
Outstanding, March 31, 2013	780

Vested but not released, March 31, 2013	29				$	1,361

Expected to vest, March 31, 2013	677				$	31,431


⁽¹⁾	The aggregate intrinsic value is the market value of the stock, before applicable income taxes, based on the closing price on the stock release dates or at the end of the period for restricted stock units expected to vest.


⁽²⁾	Restricted stock units granted in 2012 and 2013 do not include awards under the Performance Award Agreement for the respective years, as these awards are not granted until attainment of annual performance goals has been determined at the conclusion of the performance period, which had not occurred as of March 31, 2012 and 2013, respectively.

Nonrestricted Stock Awards Activity [Table Text Block]

The following table summarizes unrestricted stock award activity for the three months ended March 31:



	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2013		2012
Shares of unrestricted stock granted	4,329		5,453

Weighted average grant date fair value per share	$	45.43	$	37.55

Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) Activity [Table Text Block]

The following table summarizes ESPP activity for the three months ended March 31:



	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2013		2012
Shares of stock sold to employees⁽¹⁾	19,819		23,057

Weighted average fair value per ESPP award⁽²⁾	$	6.96	$	6.81


⁽¹⁾	Stock sold to employees during each fiscal quarter under the ESPP is associated with the offering period ending on the last day of the previous fiscal quarter.


⁽²⁾	Relating to awards associated with the offering period during the three months ended March 31.

- Definition

Tabular disclosure of components of a stock option or other award plan under which equity-based compensation is awarded to employees, typically comprised of the amount of unearned compensation (deferred compensation cost), compensation expense, and changes in the quantity and fair value of the shares (or other type of equity) granted, exercised, forfeited, and issued and outstanding pertaining to that plan. Disclosure may also include nature and general terms of such arrangements that existed during the period and potential effects of those arrangements on shareholders, effect of compensation cost arising from equity-based payment arrangements on the income statement, method of estimating the fair value of the goods or services received, or the fair value of the equity instruments granted, during the period, cash flow effects resulting from equity-based payment arrangements and, for registrants that accelerate vesting of out of the money share options, reasons for the decision to accelerate.

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