Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Stock Options and Other Share-Based Awards Stock Options and Other Share- Based Awards

v3.20.4
Stock Options and Other Share-Based Awards Stock Options and Other Share- Based Awards
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Share-based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]  
Stock Options and Other Share-Based Payments Stock-Based Compensation
Certain QVC employees and officers may receive stock options (the "Options") and restricted stock units ("RSUs") in Series A Qurate Retail common stock (“QRTEA”) in accordance with Qurate Retail's Incentive Plan (the "Qurate Incentive Plan").
In 2020, holders of QRTEA RSUs received special dividends ("Special Dividend"). As a result, the outstanding Options of QRTEA were adjusted pursuant to the anti-dilution provisions of the Qurate Incentive Plans under which the Options were granted. Adjustments to the exercise prices and the numbers of shares subject to the original awards were made to preserve the intrinsic values prior to each Special Dividend. The Special Dividend was recognized for the RSU's subject to the same vesting schedules as those applicable to the corresponding original QRTEA RSU.

(a) Stock options
A summary of the activity of the Qurate Incentive Plans with respect to the QRTEA Options granted to QVC employees and officers as of and during the year ended December 31, 2020 is presented below:
Options Weighted
average
exercise
price
Aggregate
intrinsic
value
(000s)
Weighted average remaining
life
(years)
Outstanding as of January 1, 2020 13,043,953  $ 23.49 
Granted 3,694,296  4.51 
Exercised (425,673) 5.20 
Forfeited (2,837,199) 17.97 
Special Dividend anti-dilution adjustments 11,070,737  11.57 
Outstanding as of December 31, 2020 24,546,114  10.98  $ 60,652  3.9
Exercisable as of December 31, 2020 15,428,935  $ 13.89  8,462  2.9
Upon employee exercise of the Options, the exercise price is remitted to Qurate Retail in exchange for the shares. The aggregate intrinsic value of all Options exercised was $2 million during each of the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 and $20 million for the year ended December 31, 2018.
The weighted average fair value at date of grant of a QRTEA Option granted during the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 was $1.97, $4.08 and $8.52, respectively.
During the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, the fair value of each QRTEA Option was determined as of the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model with the following weighted average assumptions:
2020 2019 2018
Expected volatility 46.8  % 30.1  % 29.7  %
Expected term (years) 5.7 5.7 5.2
Risk free interest rate 0.7  % 2.2  % 2.7  %
Expected dividend yield —  —  — 
Expected volatility is based on historical and implied volatilities of QRTEA common stock over a period commensurate with the expected term of the options. The Company estimates the expected term of the Options based on historical exercise and forfeiture data. The volatility used in the calculation for the Options is based on the historical volatility of Qurate Retail's stocks and the implied volatility of publicly traded Qurate Retail Options. The Company uses a zero dividend rate and the risk-free rate for Treasury Bonds with a term similar to that of the subject Options.
The fair value of the Options is recognized as expense over the requisite service period.
During the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, the Company recorded $17 million, $22 million and $28 million, respectively, of stock-based compensation expense related to the Options. As of December 31, 2020, the total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested Options was $15 million. Such amount will be recognized in the Company's consolidated statement of operations over a weighted average period of 2.1 years.
(b) Restricted stock units
A summary of the activity of the Qurate Incentive Plans with respect to the QRTEA RSUs granted to QVC employees and officers as of and during the year ended December 31, 2020 is presented below:
Restricted shares
Weighted average
grant date fair value
Outstanding as of January 1, 2020 2,501,135  $ 19.45 
Granted 6,022,963  4.51 
Vested (927,850) 20.77 
Forfeited (861,259) 10.63 
Outstanding as of December 31, 2020 6,734,989  7.04 
During the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, the Company recorded $16 million, $17 million and $18 million, respectively, of stock-based compensation expense related to these shares. As of December 31, 2020, the total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested RSUs of common stock was $33 million. Such amount will be recognized in the Company's consolidated statement of operations over a weighted average period of 2.6 years.
Fair value of RSUs is calculated based on the market price on the day of the granted shares. The weighted average grant date fair value of the QRTEA RSUs granted to QVC employees and officers during the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 was $4.51, $16.83, and $26.23, respectively.
The aggregate fair value of all RSUs of common stock that vested during the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 was $7 million, $16 million and $37 million, respectively.