v3.4.0.3
SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION (Block)
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016
Disclosure Of Compensation Related Costs Sharebased Payments Abstract  
Disclosure Of Compensation Related Costs Share Based Payments Text Block

6. SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION

Under the Entercom Equity Compensation Plan (the “Plan”), the Company is authorized to issue share-based compensation awards to key employees, directors and consultants.

Restricted Stock Units (“RSUs”) Activity

The following is a summary of the changes in RSUs under the Plan during the current period:

NumberWeightedAggregate
OfWeightedAverageIntrinsic
Restricted AverageRemainingValue As Of
StockPurchaseContractualMarch 31,
Period EndedUnitsPriceTerm (Years)2016
RSUs outstanding as of: December 31, 20151,590,417
RSUs awarded439,585
RSUs released(581,967)
RSUs forfeited(7,450)
RSUs outstanding as of: March 31, 20161,440,585$-1.8$15,241,389
RSUs vested and expected
to vest as of:March 31, 20161,317,409$-1.7$13,421,043
RSUs exercisable (vested and
deferred) as of:March 31, 201648,880$--$517,150
Weighted average remaining
recognition period in years2.6
Unamortized compensation
expense, net of estimated
forfeitures$10,524,827

RSUs With Service And Market Conditions

The Company issued RSUs with service and market conditions that are included in the table above. These shares vest if: (1) the Company’s stock achieves certain shareholder performance targets over a defined measurement period; and (2) the employee fulfills a minimum service period. The compensation expense is recognized even if the market conditions are not satisfied and are only reversed in the event the service period is not met, as all of the conditions need to be satisfied. These RSUs are amortized over the longest of the explicit, implicit or derived service periods, which range from one to three years.

The following table presents the changes in outstanding RSUs with market conditions:

Three MonthsYear
EndedEnded
March 31,December 31,
20162015
(amounts in thousands, except per share data)
Reconciliation Of RSUs With Market Conditions
Beginning of period balance390290
Number of RSUs granted20165
Number of RSUs forfeited --
Number of RSUs vested(225)(65)
End of period balance185390
Average fair value of RSUs granted with market
conditions$5.45$8.39

The fair value of RSUs with service conditions is estimated using the Company’s closing stock price on the date of the grant. To determine the fair value of RSUs with service and market conditions, the Company used the Monte Carlo simulation lattice model. The Company’s determination of the fair value was based on the number of shares granted, the Company’s stock price on the date of grant and certain assumptions regarding a number of highly complex and subjective variables. If other reasonable assumptions were used, the results could differ.

The specific assumptions used for these valuations are as follows:

Three Months EndedYear Ended
March 31,December 31,
20162015
Expected Volatility Term Structure (1)36% to 45%34% to 39%
Risk-Free Interest Rate (2)0.5% to 1.1%0.1% to 1.1%
Dividend Yield (3)0.0%0.0%

RSUs With Service And Performance Conditions

In addition to the RSUs included in the table above summarizing the activity in RSUs under the Plan, the Company issued RSUs with both service and performance conditions. Vesting of performance-based awards, if any, is dependent upon the achievement of certain performance targets. If the performance standards are not achieved, all unvested shares will expire and any accrued expense will be reversed. The Company determines the requisite service period on a case-by-case basis to determine the expense recognition period for non-vested performance based RSUs. The fair value is determined based upon the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant. The Company applies a quarterly probability assessment in computing its non-cash compensation expense and any change in the estimate is reflected as a cumulative adjustment to expense in the quarter of the change.

The following table reflects the activity of RSUs with service and performance conditions:

Three MonthsYear
EndedEnded
March 31,December 31,
20162015
(amounts in thousands, except
per share data)
Reconciliation Of RSUs With Performance Conditions
Beginning of period balance298
Number of RSUs granted-21
Number of RSUs that did not meet criteria--
Number of RSUs vested--
End of period balance2929
Average fair value of RSUs granted with performance
conditions$-$11.11

As of March 31, 2016, no non-cash compensation expense was recognized for RSUs with performance conditions.

Option Activity

The following table provides summary information related to the exercise of stock options:

Three Months Ended March 31,
Option Exercise Data20162015
(amounts in thousands)
Intrinsic value of options exercised$25$72
Tax benefit from options exercised (1)$10$27
Cash received from exercise price of options exercised$3$31

The following table presents the option activity during the current period under the Plan:

WeightedIntrinsic
WeightedAverageValue
AverageRemainingAs Of
Number OfExerciseContractualMarch 31,
Period EndedOptionsPriceTerm (Years)2016
Options outstanding as of:December 31, 2015466,925$1.93
Options granted--
Options exercised(2,500)1.34
Options forfeited-
Options expired-
Options outstanding as of:March 31, 2016464,425$1.942.8$4,035,062
Options vested and expected to
vest as of:March 31, 2016464,425$1.942.8$4,035,062
Options vested and exercisable as of:March 31, 2016464,425$1.942.8$4,035,062
Weighted average remaining
recognition period in years-
Unamortized compensation expense,
net of estimated forfeitures$8,687

The following table summarizes significant ranges of outstanding and exercisable options as of the current period:

Options OutstandingOptions Exercisable
Number Of Weighted Number Of
OptionsAverageWeighted OptionsWeighted
Range OfOutstandingRemaining AverageExercisable Average
Exercise PricesMarch 31,ContractualExerciseMarch 31,Exercise
FromTo2016LifePrice2016Price
$1.34$1.34430,4252.9$1.34430,425$1.34
$2.02$11.7834,0002.4$9.5034,000$9.50
$1.34$11.78464,4252.8$1.94464,425$1.94

Recognized Non-Cash Stock-Based Compensation Expense

The following non-cash stock-based compensation expense, which is related primarily to RSUs, is included in each of the respective line items in our statement of operations:

Three Months Ended
March 31,
20162015
(amounts in thousands)
Station operating expenses$227$177
Corporate general and administrative expenses1,254934
Stock-based compensation expense included in operating expenses1,4811,111
Income tax benefit (1)551413
Net stock-based compensation expense$930$698