Stock-Based Compensation

In February 2015 and 2014, we granted two types of stock-based awards under the 2013 Incentive Compensation Plan (2013 Incentive Plan): performance stock units (PSUs) and restricted stock units (RSUs).

PSU and RSU Awards

During the nine months ended September 30, 2015, we granted 116,636 PSUs to our officers and other employees, subject to performance and service conditions. The number of shares actually awarded will range from 0% to 200% of the target amount, depending upon Boise Cascade’s 2015 EBITDA, defined as income before interest (interest expense and interest income), income taxes, and depreciation and amortization, determined in accordance with the related grant agreement. Because the EBITDA component contains a performance condition, we record compensation expense, net of estimated forfeitures, over the requisite service period based on the most probable number of shares expected to vest.

During the nine months ended September 30, 2014, we granted 100,692 PSUs to our officers and other employees, subject to performance and service conditions. During the 2014 performance period, participants earned 129% of the target based on Boise Cascade’s 2014 EBITDA, determined by our Compensation Committee in accordance with the related grant agreement.

During the nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014, we granted an aggregate of 139,846 and 125,661 RSUs, respectively, to our officers, other employees, and nonemployee directors with only service conditions.

The PSUs, if earned, vest in three equal tranches each year after the grant date, subject to final determination of meeting the performance condition by the Compensation Committee of our board of directors. The RSUs granted to officers and other employees vest in three equal tranches of each year after the grant date. However, 100% of PSUs and RSUs granted to retirement-eligible employees (age 62 or older with 15 years of service, or age 65 or older) vest on the later of March 1 in the calendar year after grant date or the date upon which they become retirement eligible. The RSUs granted to nonemployee directors vest over a one-year period, provided that such vested shares will not be delivered to the directors until six months following termination from the board of directors.

We based the fair value of PSU and RSU awards on the closing market price of our common stock on the grant date, and we record compensation expense over the awards' vesting period. Any shares not vested are forfeited. During the nine months ended September 30, 2015, the total fair value of PSUs and RSUs vested was $3.2 million.

The following summarizes the activity of our PSUs and RSUs awarded under the 2013 Incentive Plan for the nine months ended September 30, 2015:



	PSUs				RSUs
	Number of shares		Weighted Average Grant-Date Fair Value		Number of shares		Weighted Average Grant-Date Fair Value
Outstanding, December 31, 2014	116,559		$	29.66	64,864		$	30.45
Granted	116,636		36.17		139,846		36.18
Performance condition adjustment	27,438		30.32		—		—
Vested	(69,066	)	30.25		(20,166	)	30.52
Forfeited	(10,857	)	32.81		(8,758	)	33.97
Outstanding, September 30, 2015	180,710		$	33.55	175,786		$	34.83

Compensation Expense

Stock-based compensation expense is recognized only for those awards that are expected to vest, with forfeitures estimated at the date of grant based on our historical experience and future expectations. We recognize the effect of adjusting the estimated forfeiture rates in the period in which we change such estimated rates. We recognize stock awards with only service conditions on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period. Most of our share-based compensation expense was recorded in "General and administrative expenses" in our Consolidated Statements of Operations. Total stock-based compensation recognized from PSUs, RSUs, and stock options net of estimated forfeitures, was as follows:



	Three Months Ended September 30				Nine Months Ended September 30
	2015		2014		2015		2014
	(thousands)
PSUs	$	505	$	1,152	$	1,719	$	2,202
RSUs	800		550		2,203		1,434
Stock options	127		174		408		550
Total	$	1,432	$	1,876	$	4,330	$	4,186

The related tax benefit for both the nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014, was $1.6 million. As of September 30, 2015, total unrecognized compensation expense related to nonvested share-based compensation arrangements was $6.3 million, net of estimated forfeitures. This expense is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.6 years.