v3.25.4

Equity and Long-Term Incentive Plans | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2025
Share-Based Payment Arrangement [Abstract] |
Equity and Long-Term Incentive Plans | Equity and Long-Term Incentive Plans On June 8, 2016, the Company's stockholders approved the AMC Networks Inc. 2016 Employee Stock Plan (the "2016 Employee Stock Plan") and on June 5, 2012, the Company's stockholders approved the AMC Networks Inc. 2011 Stock Plan for Non-Employee Directors (the "2011 Non-Employee Director Plan"). Equity Plans On June 5, 2025, the Company adopted the Amended and Restated 2016 Employee Stock Plan (the "2016 Employee Stock Plan"). The 2016 Employee Stock Plan provides for the grants of incentive stock options, non-qualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted shares, restricted stock units and other equity-based awards (collectively, "awards"). Under the 2016 Employee Stock Plan, the Company may grant awards for up to 17,000,000 shares of AMC Networks Class A Common Stock (subject to certain adjustments). Equity-based awards granted under the 2016 Employee Stock Plan must be granted with an exercise price of not less than the fair market value of a share of AMC Networks Class A Common Stock on the date of grant and must expire no later than 10 years from the date of grant. The terms and conditions of awards granted under the 2016 Employee Stock Plan, including vesting and exercisability, are determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors ("Compensation Committee") and may include terms or conditions based upon performance criteria. Awards issued to employees under the 2016 Employee Stock Plan will settle in shares of the Company's Class A Common Stock (either from treasury or with newly issued shares), or, at the option of the Compensation Committee, in cash. As of December 31, 2025, there are 7,776,690 share awards available for future grant under the 2016 Employee Stock Plan. On June 12, 2024, the Company adopted the Amended and Restated 2011 Stock Plan for Non-Employee Directors (the "2011 Non-Employee Director Plan"). Under the 2011 Non-Employee Director Plan, the Company is authorized to grant non-qualified stock options, restricted stock units, restricted shares, stock appreciation rights and other equity-based awards. The Company may grant awards for up to 1,115,000 shares of AMC Networks Class A Common Stock (subject to certain adjustments). Stock options under the 2011 Non-Employee Director Plan must be granted with an exercise price of not less than the fair market value of a share of AMC Networks Class A Common Stock on the date of grant and must expire no later than 10 years from the date of grant. The terms and conditions of awards granted under the 2011 Non-Employee Director Plan, including vesting and exercisability, are determined by the Compensation Committee. Unless otherwise provided in an applicable award agreement, stock options granted under this plan will be fully vested and exercisable, and restricted stock units granted under this plan will be fully vested, upon the date of grant and will settle in shares of the Company's Class A Common Stock (either from treasury or with newly issued shares), or, at the option of the Compensation Committee, in cash, on the first business day after ninety days from the date the director's service on the Board of Directors ceases or, if earlier, upon the director's death. As of December 31, 2025, there are 113,155 shares available for future grant under the 2011 Non-Employee Director Plan. Restricted Stock Unit Activity The following table summarizes activity relating to Company employees who held AMC Networks restricted stock units ("RSUs") for the year ended December 31, 2025:
| Number of Restricted Stock Units |  |  |  | Weighted Average Fair Value Per Stock Unit at Date of Grant
Unvested award balance, December 31, 2024 | 3,211,248 |  |  |  |  | $ | 15.50 |
Granted | 3,262,379 |  |  |  |  | $ | 7.03 |
Released/Vested | (1,391,818) |  |  |  |  | $ | 17.76 |
Canceled/Forfeited | (547,094) |  |  |  |  | $ | 10.10 |
Unvested award balance, December 31, 2025 | 4,534,715 |  |  |  |  | $ | 9.57 |
On the vesting date, 590,176 RSUs were surrendered to AMC Networks to cover the required statutory tax withholding obligations for the year ended December 31, 2025. Units are surrendered to satisfy the employees' statutory minimum tax withholding obligations for the applicable income and other employment tax. The units surrendered during the year ended December 31, 2025 had an aggregate value of $4.0 million, which has been reflected as a financing activity in the consolidated statement of cash flows. All RSUs granted during the periods presented vest ratably over a three year period, with the exception of awards for certain executives which may vest over a shorter period (generally one or two years). The following table summarizes activity relating to Non-employee Directors who held AMC Networks RSUs for the year ended December 31, 2025:
| Number of Restricted Stock Units |  | Weighted Average Fair Value Per Stock Unit at Date of Grant
Vested award balance, December 31, 2024 | 487,957 |  |  | $ | 31.30 |
Granted | 275,522 |  |  | $ | 6.60 |
Released/Vested | (154,493) |  |  | $ | 28.16 |
Vested award balance, December 31, 2025 | 608,986 |  |  | $ | 20.92 |
The weighted average grant date fair value of all RSUs granted was $6.99, $12.56 and $17.56 in 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The total market value of RSUs that vested during 2025, 2024 and 2023 was $11.6 million, $11.7 million and $17.2 million, respectively. Share-based Compensation Expenses The Company recorded share-based compensation expenses of $25.3 million, $26.1 million and $25.9 million (including $0.2 million recorded as part of Restructuring and other related charges), reduced for forfeitures, for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Share-based compensation expenses are recognized in the consolidated statements of income (loss) as part of selling, general and administrative expenses. As of December 31, 2025, there was $21.3 million of total unrecognized share-based compensation costs related to Company employees who held unvested AMC Networks restricted stock units. The unrecognized compensation cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average remaining period of approximately 1.9 years. There were no costs related to share-based compensation that were capitalized. The Company receives income tax deductions related to restricted stock units, stock options or other equity awards granted to its employees by the Company. Cash flows resulting from excess tax benefits and deficiencies are classified along with other income tax cash flows as an operating activity. Excess tax benefits are realized tax benefits from tax deductions for options exercised and restricted shares issued, in excess of the deferred tax asset attributable to stock compensation costs for such awards. Excess tax deficiencies are realized deficiencies from tax deductions being less than the deferred tax asset. Excess tax deficiencies of $2.9 million, $2.0 million and $2.6 million were recorded for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Long-Term Incentive Plans The Company's long-term incentive program includes cash performance awards for executives and other members of management. The terms and conditions of such awards are determined by the Compensation Committee of the Company's Board of Directors, and include the achievement of certain performance criteria over a three-year performance period. During 2025, 2024 and 2023, the Company granted long-term incentive cash performance awards with three-year cliff vesting. Compensation expense is recognized in the consolidated statements of income (loss) as part of selling, general and administrative expenses ratably over the vesting period. The Company recorded compensation expense of $10.9 million, $10.7 million and $11.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

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