Capital Stock

9 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

Equity and Share-based Compensation [Abstract]

(a) Common Shares

The Company had 500 million authorized Class A voting shares and 500 million authorized Class B non-voting shares at December 31, 2021 and March 31, 2021. The table below outlines common shares reserved for future issuance:


	December 31, 2021	March 31, 2021
	(Amounts in millions)
Stock options and SARs outstanding	27.2	26.7
Restricted stock and restricted share units — unvested	7.7	9.1
Common shares available for future issuance	19.1	15.6
Shares reserved for future issuance	54.0	51.4

(b) Share-based Compensation

On September 14, 2021, the Company’s shareholders approved an amendment to the Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. 2019 Performance Incentive Plan (the “2019 Plan”) previously adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company to increase the maximum number of the Company’s common shares that may be issued or transferred pursuant to awards under the 2019 Plan by an additional 5.0 million shares so that the new aggregate share limit under the 2019 Plan is 21.1 million common shares (not including shares that were originally approved for issuance under the Company’s prior stock incentive plans that have become available for issuance under the 2019 Plan pursuant to the terms of the 2019 Plan).

The Company recognized the following share-based compensation expense during the three and nine months ended December 31, 2021 and 2020:


	Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
	December 31,				December 31,
	2021		2020		2021		2020
	(Amounts in millions)
Compensation Expense:
Stock options	$	4.1	$	4.4	$	15.6	$	13.7
Restricted share units and other share-based compensation	16.4		14.3		56.4		37.6
Share appreciation rights	2.1		1.3		5.5		5.9
	22.6		20.0		77.5		57.2
Impact of accelerated vesting on equity awards(1)	—		—		—		2.8
Total share-based compensation expense	$	22.6	$	20.0	$	77.5	$	60.0

Tax impact(2)	(4.4)		(3.9)		(15.3)		(12.2)
Reduction in net income	$	18.2	$	16.1	$	62.2	$	47.8

___________________

(1)Represents the impact of the acceleration of certain vesting schedules for equity awards pursuant to certain severance arrangements.

(2)Represents the income tax benefit recognized in the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations for share-based compensation arrangements prior to the effects of changes in the valuation allowance.

Share-based compensation expense, by expense category, consisted of the following:


	Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
	December 31,				December 31,
	2021		2020		2021		2020
	(Amounts in millions)
Share-Based Compensation Expense:
Direct operating	$	0.4	$	0.5	$	0.9	$	1.5
Distribution and marketing	0.2		0.2		0.5		0.5
General and administration	22.0		19.3		76.1		55.2
Restructuring and other	—		—		—		2.8
	$	22.6	$	20.0	$	77.5	$	60.0

The following table sets forth the stock option, SARs, restricted stock and restricted share unit activity during the nine months ended December 31, 2021:


	Stock Options and SARs					Restricted Stock and Restricted Share Units
	Class A Voting Shares			Class B Non-Voting Shares		Class A Voting Shares			Class B Non-Voting Shares
	Number of Shares		Weighted-Average Exercise Price	Number of Shares	Weighted-Average Exercise Price	Number of Shares		Weighted-Average Grant-Date Fair Value	Number of Shares	Weighted-Average Grant-Date Fair Value
	(Number of shares in millions)
Outstanding at March 31, 2021	5.5		$24.23	21.2	$15.85	—	(1)	$11.10	9.1	$8.71
Granted	—		—	1.2	$12.27	—	(1)	$13.16	4.7	$14.18
Options exercised or restricted stock or RSUs vested	—	(1)	$10.84	(0.3)	$11.42	—	(1)	$12.05	(5.6)	$9.05


Forfeited or expired	—	(1)	$21.95	(0.4)	$24.62	—		—	(0.5)	$9.34
Outstanding at December 31, 2021	5.5		$24.33	21.7	$15.55	—	(1)	$11.51	7.7	$11.82

__________________

(1)Represents less than 0.1 million shares.

During the three and nine months ended December 31, 2021 and the three months ended December 31, 2020, the Company did not repurchase any common shares. During the nine months ended December 31, 2020, the Company repurchased 0.2 million of its Class A voting shares for an aggregate cost of $1.0 million, with an average repurchase price per share of $5.75. To date, approximately $288.1 million common shares have been repurchased, leaving approximately $179.9 million of authorized potential repurchases.