Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

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STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]  
STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION
STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION
We issue employee share-based awards under the UPS Incentive Compensation Plan, which permits the grant of nonqualified and incentive stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock and stock units, and restricted performance shares and performance units, to eligible employees (restricted stock and stock units, restricted performance shares and performance units are herein referred to as "Restricted Units"). Upon vesting, Restricted Units result in the issuance of the equivalent number of UPS class A common shares after required tax withholdings. Dividends accrued on Restricted Units are reinvested in additional Restricted Units at each dividend payable date, and are subject to the same vesting and forfeiture conditions as the underlying Restricted Units upon which they are earned.
The primary compensation programs offered under the UPS Incentive Compensation Plan include the UPS Management Incentive Award program, the UPS Long-Term Incentive Performance Award program and the UPS Stock Option program. We also maintain an employee stock purchase plan which allows eligible employees to purchase shares of UPS class A common stock at a discount. Additionally, our matching contributions to the primary employee defined contribution savings plan are made in shares of UPS class A common stock.
Management Incentive Award Program ("MIP")
During the first quarter of 2016, we granted Restricted Units under MIP to certain eligible management employees. Restricted Units granted under MIP generally vest over a five-year period with approximately 20% of the award vesting on January 15th of each of the years following the grant date (except in the case of death, disability, or retirement, in which case immediate vesting occurs). The entire grant is expensed on a straight-line basis (less estimated forfeitures) ratably over the requisite service period. Based on the date that the eligible management population and performance targets were approved for MIP, we determined the award measurement date to be February 4, 2016 (for U.S.-based employees), March 2, 2016 (for management committee employees) and March 21, 2016 (for international-based employees); therefore, the Restricted Units awarded were valued for stock compensation expense purposes using the closing New York Stock Exchange price of $96.25, $98.77 and $105.15 on those dates, respectively.
Long-Term Incentive Performance Award Program ("LTIP")
We award Restricted Units under LTIP to certain eligible management employees. The performance targets are equally-weighted among adjusted consolidated operating return on invested capital, growth in adjusted consolidated revenue and total shareowner return relative to a peer group of companies.  These Restricted Units generally vest at the end of a three-year period (except in the case of death, disability, or retirement, in which case immediate vesting occurs on a prorated basis). The number of Restricted Units earned will be based on the percentage achievement of the performance targets established on the grant date. 
For the two-thirds of the award related to consolidated operating return on invested capital and growth in consolidated revenue, we recognize the grant-date fair value of these Restricted Units (less estimated forfeitures) as compensation expense ratably over the vesting period, based on the number of awards expected to be earned.  Based on the date that the eligible management population and performance targets were approved for the 2016 LTIP Award, we determined the award measurement date to be March 24, 2016; therefore, the target Restricted Units awarded for this portion of the award were valued for stock compensation expense using the closing New York Stock Exchange price of $105.43 on that date.
The remaining one-third of the award related to total shareowner return relative to a peer group is valued using a Monte Carlo model. The model utilized the following assumptions: expected volatility of 16.45% based on historical stock volatility, a risk-free rate of return of 1.01% and no expected dividend yield because the units earn dividend equivalents.  This portion of the award was valued with a grant date fair value of $135.57 per unit and is recognized as compensation expense (less estimated forfeitures) ratably over the vesting period. 
During the third quarter of 2016, the UPS Compensation Committee approved changes to the compensation arrangements of certain executive officers. These changes include a one-time grant of additional Restricted Units that will vest over the same period as the 2016 LTIP award. Based on the date that the Compensation Committee approved this additional compensation, we determined the award measurement date to be September 16, 2016; therefore, the target Restricted Units awarded for the portion of the award related to consolidated operating return on invested capital and growth in consolidated revenue, were valued for stock compensation expense using the closing New York Stock Exchange price of $106.86 on that date.
The remaining one-third of the award related to total shareowner return relative to a peer group is valued using a Monte Carlo model. The model utilized the following assumptions: expected volatility of 16.61% based on historical stock volatility, a risk-free rate of return of 0.81% and no expected dividend yield because the units earn dividend equivalents.  This portion of the award was valued with a grant date fair value of $147.90 per unit and is recognized as compensation expense (less estimated forfeitures) ratably over the vesting period. 
Nonqualified Stock Options
During the first quarter of 2016, we granted nonqualified stock option awards to a limited group of eligible senior management employees under the UPS Stock Option program. Stock option awards generally vest over a five-year period with approximately 20% of the award vesting at each anniversary date of the grant (except in the case of death, disability, or retirement, in which case immediate vesting occurs). The options granted will expire ten years after the date of the grant. In the first quarter of 2016 and 2015, we granted 0.2 million stock options, respectively, at a grant price of $98.77 and $101.93, respectively. The grant price was based on the closing New York Stock Exchange price of March 2, 2016 and March 2, 2015, respectively.
During the third quarter of 2016, the UPS Compensation Committee approved changes to the compensation arrangements of certain executive officers. These changes include a one-time grant of 0.1 million nonqualified stock options at a grant price of $106.86 pursuant to the terms and conditions of the UPS Stock Option program. The grant price was based on the closing New York Stock Exchange price of September 16, 2016. These stock options will vest ratably over five years with approximately 20% of the award vesting at each anniversary date of the grant (except in the case of death, disability, or retirement, in which case immediate vesting occurs). The options granted will expire ten years after the date of the grant.
The weighted average fair value of our employee stock options granted, as determined by the Black-Scholes valuation model, was $14.09 for the third quarter 2016 award, $17.32 for the first quarter 2016 award and $18.07 for the 2015 award using the following assumptions:
 
Q3 2016
 
Q1 2016
 
2015
Expected life (in years)
7.5

 
7.5

 
7.5

Risk-free interest rate
1.50
%
 
1.66
%
 
2.07
%
Expected volatility
19.10
%
 
23.60
%
 
20.61
%
Expected dividend yield
2.97
%
 
2.94
%
 
2.63
%


Compensation expense for share-based awards recognized in net income for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 was $125 and $124 million pre-tax, respectively. Compensation expense for share-based awards recognized in net income for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 was $471 and $452 million pre-tax, respectively.