Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Stockholders' Equity

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Stockholders' Equity
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017
Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]  
Stockholders’ Equity
Stockholders’ Equity

Common Stock
GCI’s Board of Directors had authorized a common stock buyback program for the repurchase of GCI’s Class A and Class B common stock in order to reduce the outstanding shares of Class A and Class B common stock.  We have temporarily suspended the buyback program due to the Reorganization Agreement that we entered into with Liberty (see Note 11).

During the three months ended September 30, 2016, we repurchased 1.8 million shares of our Class A common stock under the stock buyback program at a cost of $27.1 million. During the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, we repurchased 0.2 million and 3.0 million shares of our Class A common stock under the stock buyback program at a cost of $4.0 million and $46.5 million, respectively.

Share-based Compensation
Our Amended and Restated 1986 Stock Option Plan ("Stock Option Plan"), provides for the grant of options and restricted stock awards (collectively "award") for a maximum of 15.7 million shares of GCI Class A common stock, subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of stock dividends, stock splits, mergers, consolidations or certain other changes in corporate structure or capitalization. We have issued only restricted stock awards since 2010. If an award expires or terminates, the shares subject to the award will be available for further grants of awards under the Stock Option Plan. The Compensation Committee of GCI’s Board of Directors administers the Stock Option Plan. Substantially all restricted stock awards granted vest over periods of up to three years.  The requisite service period of our awards is generally the same as the vesting period.  New shares are issued when restricted stock awards are granted.  We have 1.0 million shares available for grant under the Stock Option Plan at September 30, 2017.

A summary of nonvested restricted stock award activity under the Stock Option Plan as of September 30, 2017 and changes during the period then ended is presented below:
 
Shares (in thousands)
 
Weighted
Average
Grant Date
Fair Value
Nonvested at December 31, 2016
1,465

 
$
14.41

Granted
597

 
$
22.94

Vested
(388
)
 
$
17.48

Forfeited
(3
)
 
$
17.84

Nonvested at September 30, 2017
1,671

 
$
16.74



The weighted average grant date fair value of awards granted during the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, were $22.94 and $17.68, respectively. The total fair value of awards vesting during the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016 were $9.7 million and $4.5 million, respectively. We have recorded share-based compensation expense of $13.7 million and $7.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Share-based compensation expense is classified as Selling, General and Administrative Expense in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.  Unrecognized share-based compensation expense was $14.2 million as of September 30, 2017.  We expect to recognize share-based compensation expense over a weighted average period of 1.4 years for restricted stock awards.