Stock-Based Compensation Plans and Employee Benefits

Stock-Based Compensation—The Company recorded stock-based compensation expense, including the effect of performance incentive plans (see below), of $5.9 million and $4.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, in "General and administrative" in the Company's consolidated statements of operations. As of March 31, 2017, there was $3.0 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to all unvested restricted stock units ("Units") that are expected to be recognized over a weighted average remaining vesting/service period of 2.1 years.

Performance Incentive Plans—The Company's Performance Incentive Plan ("iPIP") is designed to provide, primarily to senior executives and select professionals engaged in the Company's investment activities, long-term compensation which has a direct relationship to the realized returns on investments included in the plan. The fair value of points is determined using a model that forecasts the Company's projected investment performance. iPIP is a liability-classified award which will be remeasured each reporting period at fair value until the awards are settled. The following is a summary of granted iPIP points.

•In May 2014, the Company granted 73 iPIP points in the initial 2013-2014 investment pool.


•	In January 2015, the Company granted an additional 10 iPIP points in the 2013-2014 investment pool and 34 iPIP points in the 2015-2016 investment pool.


•	In January 2016, the Company granted an additional 10 iPIP points in the 2013-2014 investment pool and an additional 40 iPIP points in the 2015-2016 investment pool.


•	In June 2016, the Company granted an additional 2.5 iPIP points in the 2015-2016 investment pool.


•	In February 2017, the Company granted an additional 5 iPIP points in the 2013-2014 investment pool, an additional 18 iPIP points in the 2015-2016 investment pool, and 44 iPIP points in the 2017-2018 investment pool.

As of March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, the Company had accrued compensation costs relating to iPIP of $28.3 million and $22.4 million, respectively, which are included in "Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities" on the Company's consolidated balance sheets.

Long-Term Incentive Plan—The Company's 2009 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the "2009 LTIP") is designed to provide incentive compensation for officers, key employees, directors and advisors of the Company. The 2009 LTIP provides for awards of stock options, shares of restricted stock, phantom shares, restricted stock units, dividend equivalent rights and other share-based performance awards. All awards under the 2009 LTIP are made at the discretion of the Company's Board of Directors or a committee of the Board of Directors. The Company's shareholders approved the 2009 LTIP in 2009 and approved the performance-based provisions of the 2009 LTIP, as amended, in 2014.

As of March 31, 2017, an aggregate of 3.4 million shares remain available for issuance pursuant to future awards under the Company's 2009 LTIP.

Restricted Share Issuances—During the three months ended March 31, 2017, the Company granted 97,967 shares of common stock to certain employees under the 2009 LTIP as part of annual incentive awards that included a mix of cash and equity awards. The shares are fully-vested and 62,704 shares were issued net of statutory minimum required tax withholdings. The employees are restricted from selling these shares for up to 18 months from the date of grant.

2017 Restricted Stock Unit Activity—During the three months ended March 31, 2017, the Company granted new stock-based compensation awards to certain employees in the form of long-term incentive awards, comprised of the following:

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115,571 service-based Units granted on February 22, 2017, representing the right to receive an equivalent number of shares of the Company's common stock (after deducting shares for minimum required statutory withholdings) if and when the Units vest. The Units will cliff vest in one installment on December 31, 2019, if the employee remains employed by the Company on the vesting date, subject to certain accelerated vesting rights. Dividends will accrue as and when dividends are declared by the Company on shares of its common stock, but will not be paid unless and until the Units vest and are settled. As of March 31, 2017, 115,571 of such service-based Units were outstanding.

As of March 31, 2017, the Company had the following additional stock-based compensation awards outstanding:

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80,000 service-based Units granted on June 15, 2016, representing the right to receive an equivalent number of shares of the Company's common stock (after deducting shares for minimum required statutory withholdings) if and when the Units vest. The Units will vest in equal annual installments over four years on each anniversary of the grant date, if the employee remains employed by the Company on the vesting date, subject to certain accelerated vesting rights. Upon vesting of these Units, the holder will receive shares of the Company's common stock in the amount of the vested Units, net of statutory minimum required tax withholdings. Dividends will accrue as and when dividends are declared by the Company on shares of its common stock, but will not be paid unless and until the Units vest and are settled.

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109,417 service-based Units granted on January 29, 2016, representing the right to receive an equivalent number of shares of the Company's common stock (after deducting shares for minimum required statutory withholdings) if and when the Units vest. The Units will cliff vest in one installment on December 31, 2018, if the employee remains employed by the Company on the vesting date, subject to certain accelerated vesting rights. Dividends will accrue as and when dividends are declared by the Company on shares of its common stock, but will not be paid unless and until the Units vest and are settled.

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39,071 target amount of performance-based Units granted on January 30, 2015, representing the right to receive an equivalent number of shares of the Company's common stock (after deducting shares for minimum required statutory withholdings) if and when the Units vest. The performance is based on the Company's TSR, measured over a performance period ending on December 31, 2017, which is the date the awards cliff vest. Vesting will range from 0% to 200% of the target amount of the awards, depending on the Company’s TSR performance relative to the NAREIT All REITs Index (one-half of the target amount of the award) and the Russell 2000 Index (one-half of the target amount of the award) during the performance period. The Company, as well as any companies not included in each index at the beginning and end of the performance period, are excluded from calculation of the performance of such index. To the extent Units vest based on the Company's TSR performance, holders will receive an equivalent number of shares of common stock (after deducting shares for minimum required statutory withholdings), if the employee remains employed by the Company on the vesting date, subject to certain accelerated vesting rights. Dividends will accrue as and when dividends are declared by the Company on shares of its common stock, but will not be paid unless and until the Units vest and are settled. The fair values of the performance-based Units were determined by utilizing a Monte Carlo model to simulate a range of possible future stock prices for the Company's common stock. The assumptions used to estimate the fair value of these performance-based awards were 0.75% for risk-free interest rate and 28.14% for expected stock price volatility.

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56,020 service-based Units granted on January 30, 2015, representing the right to receive an equivalent number of shares of the Company's common stock (after deducting shares for minimum required statutory withholdings) if and when the Units vest. The Units will cliff vest in one installment on December 31, 2017, if the employee remains employed by the Company on the vesting date, subject to certain accelerated vesting rights. Dividends will accrue as and when dividends are declared by the Company on shares of its common stock, but will not be paid unless and until the Units vest and are settled.

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4,751 service-based Units granted on various dates, representing the right to receive an equivalent number of shares of the Company's common stock (after deducting shares for minimum required statutory withholdings) if and when the Units vest. The Units have an original vesting term of three years. Upon vesting of these Units, holders will receive shares of the Company's common stock in the amount of the vested Units, net of statutory minimum required tax withholdings. Dividends will accrue as and when dividends are declared by the Company on shares of its common stock, but will not be paid unless and until the Units vest and are settled.

Directors' Awards—As of March 31, 2017, a combined total of 333,384 CSEs and restricted shares of common stock granted to members of the Company's Board of Directors remained outstanding under the Company's Non-Employee Directors Deferral Plan, with an aggregate intrinsic value of $3.9 million.

401(k) Plan—The Company made gross contributions of $0.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016.