Pastner Brands is a calendar-year firm with operations in several countries. As
ID: 2566846 • Letter: P
Question
Pastner Brands is a calendar-year firm with operations in several countries. As part of its executive compensation plan, at January 1, 2016, the company issued 440,000 executive stock options permitting executives to buy 440,000 shares of Pastner stock for $36 per share. One-fourth of the options vest in each of the next four years beginning at December 31, 2016 (graded vesting). Pastner elects to measure the fair value of all options on January 1, 2016, to be $4.80 per option (tranche) using a single weighted-average expected life of the options assumption Required 1. Determine the compensation expense related to the options to be recorded each year 2016-2019 assuming Pastner allocates the compensation cost for each of the four groups (tranches) separately Shares Compensation Expense Recorded in 2016 2017 2018 2019 Vesting at Dec. 31, 2016 Dec. 31, 2017 Dec. 31, 2018 Dec. 31, 2019 Total 2. Determine the compensation expense related to the options to be recorded each year 2016-2019 assuming Pastner uses the straight-line method to allocate the total compensation cost. 2016 2017 2018 2019 Total Compensation expenseExplanation / Answer
1) Total Shares = 440,000
shares vesting at the end of each year = (440,000*1/4) = 110,000 shares
Compensation expense is to be recorded at fair value = $4.80
Calculation of compensation expense (Amount in $)
528,000
(110,000*4.8)
264,000
(110,000*4.8)/2
264,000
(110,000*4.8)/2
176,000
(110,000*4.8)/3
176,000
(110,000*4.8)/3
176,000
(110,000*4.8)/3
132,000
(110,000*4.8)/4
132,000
(110,000*4.8)/4
132,000
(110,000*4.8)/4
132,000
(110,000*4.8)/4
The compensation expense is divided among the years left for vesting. For the options vesting at Dec 31,2016, the whole amount of compensation expense is charged in the year 2016 and for the options vesting at December 31,2017 the amount of compensation expense is recognised over 2 years in 2016 and 2017 and so on for other two years.
2) If Pastner uses the straight line method to allocate the total compensation cost.
In straight line method, the total expense calculated in part 1 (i.e.$2,112,000) is divided equally among all the four years. ($2,112,000/4years = $528,000).
Shares vesting at 2016 2017 2018 2019 Dec 31,2016528,000
(110,000*4.8)
Dec 31,2017264,000
(110,000*4.8)/2
264,000
(110,000*4.8)/2
Dec 31,2018176,000
(110,000*4.8)/3
176,000
(110,000*4.8)/3
176,000
(110,000*4.8)/3
Dec 31,2019132,000
(110,000*4.8)/4
132,000
(110,000*4.8)/4
132,000
(110,000*4.8)/4
132,000
(110,000*4.8)/4
Total 1,100,000 572,000 308,000 132,000 Total of all years 2,112,000