(7) Stock-Based Compensation

Liberty Broadband grants, to certain of its directors, employees and employees of its subsidiaries, restricted stock and stock options to purchase shares of its common stock (collectively, "Awards"). The Company measures the cost of employee services received in exchange for an equity classified Award (such as stock options and restricted stock) based on the grant-date fair value (“GDFV”) of the Award, and recognizes that cost over the period during which the employee is required to provide service (usually the vesting period of the Award). The Company measures the cost of employee services received in exchange for a liability classified Award based on the current fair value of the Award, and remeasures the fair value of the Award at each reporting date. 

Included in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations are the following amounts of stock-based compensation for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016 (amounts in thousands):

Liberty Broadband – Grants of Stock Options

There were no options to purchase shares of Series A, Series B or Series C common stock granted during the nine months ended September 30, 2017.  

The Company calculates the GDFV for all of its equity classified awards and any subsequent remeasurement of its liability classified awards using the Black-Scholes Model. The Company estimates the expected term of the Awards based on historical exercise and forfeiture data. Since Liberty Broadband common stock has not traded on the stock market for a significant length of time, the volatility used in the calculation for Awards is based on a blend of the historical volatility of Liberty Broadband and Charter common stock and the implied volatility of publicly traded Liberty Broadband and Charter options; as the most significant asset within Liberty Broadband, the volatility of Charter was considered in the overall volatility of Liberty Broadband.  The Company uses a zero dividend rate and the risk-free rate for Treasury Bonds with a term similar to that of the subject option.

Liberty Broadband – Outstanding Awards

The following tables present the number and weighted average exercise price (“WAEP”) of Awards to purchase Liberty Broadband common stock granted to certain officers, employees and directors of the Company, as well as the weighted average remaining life and aggregate intrinsic value of the Awards.

As of September 30, 2017, the total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested Awards was approximately $11 million. Such amount will be recognized in the Company's consolidated statements of operations over a weighted average period of approximately 2 years. 

As of September 30, 2017, Liberty Broadband reserved 2.8 million shares of Series A and Series C common stock for issuance under exercise privileges of outstanding stock Awards.

Skyhook Equity Incentive Plans

Skyhook issued 3.3 million phantom stock appreciation rights (“PARs”) and no phantom stock units (“PSUs”) during the nine months ended September 30, 2017. As of September 30, 2017, the fair value of outstanding PARs and PSUs was approximately $2.4 million. As of September 30, 2017,  $1.6 million (Level 3) is included in Other current liabilities in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet for the fair value of Skyhook’s vested long-term incentive plan obligations.