EMPLOYEE STOCK COMPENSATION (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2018

Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]

Summary of Share-Based Compensation Expense

The following table presents share-based compensation expense and the related tax benefits for the periods indicated:



	Three Months Ended March 31,
($ in thousands)	2018		2017
Stock options	$	33	$	247
Restricted stock awards and units	2,054		2,604
Stock appreciation rights	—		42
Total share-based compensation expense	$	2,087	$	2,893
Related tax benefits	$	612	$	1,203

Unrecognized Share-Based Compensation Expense

The following table presents unrecognized share-based compensation expense as of March 31, 2018:



($ in thousands)	Unrecognized Expense		Weighted-Average Remaining Expected Recognition Period
Stock option awards	$	240	2.1 years
Restricted stock awards and restricted stock units	8,175		2.5 years
Total	$	8,415	2.5 years

Option Activity

The following table represents stock option activity as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2018:



	Three Months Ended March 31, 2018
($ in thousands except per share data)	Number of Shares		Weighted-Average Exercise Price Per Share		Weighted-Average Remaining Contract Term	Aggregated Intrinsic Value
Outstanding at beginning of period	210,973		$	13.99	7.0 years	$	1,405
Exercised	(24,000	)	$	17.50	8.2 years
Outstanding at end of period	186,973		$	13.54	6.6 years	$	1,077
Exercisable at end of period	81,541		$	13.84	5.9 years	$	445

Nonvested Share

The following table sets forth information regarding unvested stock options as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2018. There were no changes in this information during the three months ended March 31, 2018.



	Three Months Ended March 31, 2018
	Number of Shares	Weighted-Average Exercise Price Per Share
Outstanding at beginning of period	105,432	$	13.31
Outstanding at end of period	105,432	$	13.31

Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units Activity

The following table presents unvested restricted stock awards and restricted stock units activity as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2018:



	Three Months Ended March 31, 2018
	Number of Shares		Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value Per Share
Outstanding at beginning of period	911,633		$	18.73
Granted ⁽¹⁾	39,778		$	20.34
Vested ⁽¹⁾	(12,265	)	$	14.96
Forfeited ⁽¹⁾	(21,205	)	$	18.56
Outstanding at end of period	917,941		$	18.91

(1)

The number of granted shares/units includes aggregate performance-based shares of 17,500 for the three months ended March 31, 2018. The number of forfeited shares includes aggregate performance-based shares of 5,638 for the three months ended March 31, 2018. The vesting of these awards is subject to certain performance targets and goals being met. These performance targets include conditions relating to the Company’s profitability and regulatory standing. The actual amounts of stock released upon vesting will be determined by the Compensation Committee of the Company's Board of Directors upon the Committee's certification of the satisfaction of the target level of performance.

Summary of all Outstanding SARs

The following table represents SARs activity as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2018:



	Three Months Ended March 31, 2018
($ in thousands except per share data)	Number of Shares	Weighted-Average Exercise Price Per Share		Weighted-Average Remaining Contract Term	Aggregated Intrinsic Value
Outstanding at beginning of period	1,559,012	$	11.60	4.6 years	$	14,105
Outstanding at end of period	1,559,012	$	11.60	4.4 years	$	12,001
Exercisable at end of period	1,559,012	$	11.60	4.4 years	$	12,001