Employee Stock Option Exercise Behavior and Firms' Claims about Employee Stock Option Expense

Employee Stock Option Exercise Behavior and Firms' Claims about Employee Stock Option Expense PDF Author: Brian Young
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Employee stock options
Languages : en
Pages : 61

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Book Description
This dissertation analyzes the reliability of reported employee stock option (ESO) expense, the determination of expected life of ESOs, motivations to manipulate ESO expense, and the impact of noise in ESO expense on subsequent stock price returns. Based on unique data, this is the first paper to measure average historical ESO life for all employees of a broad set of firms. I find average life has a mean of 4.12 years. Average life is reduced by 0.38 years per 10 percentage point increase in volatility, and industry effects explain an additional 7% of the variation. Reported expected life increases 0.37 years per year of historical life and an additional 0.16 years per year of age of the outstanding options. Deviations of reported volatility and life from benchmarks have positive correlations with deviations from own reporting history. Using stated assumptions rather than benchmark assumptions drops (increases) ESO expense by 8.3% (17.6%) for the 25th (75th) percentile firm. The change in earnings per share decreases (increases) by $0.019 ($0.007) for the 25th (75th) percentile firm. Tests for motivations to manipulate stock option expense downward have mixed results. Absolute values of deviations from benchmarks have a positive relationship with subsequent stock price volatility suggesting noise in reported stock option expense results in stock price noise. Deviations from benchmarks and subsequent cumulative abnormal returns have statistically significant results but are difficult to interpret.

Employee Stock Option Exercise Behavior and Firms' Claims about Employee Stock Option Expense

Employee Stock Option Exercise Behavior and Firms' Claims about Employee Stock Option Expense PDF Author: Brian Young
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Employee stock options
Languages : en
Pages : 61

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Book Description
This dissertation analyzes the reliability of reported employee stock option (ESO) expense, the determination of expected life of ESOs, motivations to manipulate ESO expense, and the impact of noise in ESO expense on subsequent stock price returns. Based on unique data, this is the first paper to measure average historical ESO life for all employees of a broad set of firms. I find average life has a mean of 4.12 years. Average life is reduced by 0.38 years per 10 percentage point increase in volatility, and industry effects explain an additional 7% of the variation. Reported expected life increases 0.37 years per year of historical life and an additional 0.16 years per year of age of the outstanding options. Deviations of reported volatility and life from benchmarks have positive correlations with deviations from own reporting history. Using stated assumptions rather than benchmark assumptions drops (increases) ESO expense by 8.3% (17.6%) for the 25th (75th) percentile firm. The change in earnings per share decreases (increases) by $0.019 ($0.007) for the 25th (75th) percentile firm. Tests for motivations to manipulate stock option expense downward have mixed results. Absolute values of deviations from benchmarks have a positive relationship with subsequent stock price volatility suggesting noise in reported stock option expense results in stock price noise. Deviations from benchmarks and subsequent cumulative abnormal returns have statistically significant results but are difficult to interpret.

Employee Stock Option Compensation

Employee Stock Option Compensation PDF Author: Florian Wolff
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3322818497
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 263

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Book Description
Florian Wolff analyses how executives perceive their stock options and how their personal expectations and risk preferences affect the value they assign to them. He shows that stock options may be worth their money because people behave irrationally.

Employee Stock Option Exercise and Firm Cost

Employee Stock Option Exercise and Firm Cost PDF Author: Jennifer N. Carpenter
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 48

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Book Description
We develop an empirical model of employee-stock-option exercise that is suitable for valuation and allows for behavioral channels in the determination of employee option cost. We estimate exercise rates as functions of option, stock and employee characteristics in a sample of all employee exercises at 88 publicly traded firms, of which 27 are in the S&P 500. Increasing vesting date frequency from annual to monthly reduces option value by 11-16%. Men exercise faster than women, reducing option value by 2-4%. Top employees exercise more slowly than lower-ranked, increasing value by 2-7%. Finally, we develop an analytic valuation approximation that is much more accurate than methods used in practice.

Timing of Employee Stock Option Exercises and the Cost of Stock Option Grants

Timing of Employee Stock Option Exercises and the Cost of Stock Option Grants PDF Author: Chris Armstrong
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 49

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Book Description
This study examines how executives' and lower-level employees' option exercise behavior affects firms' stock option grant cost estimates. Prior research suggests that option grant cost estimates are not materially different when calculated a using utility-based model or a risk-neutral model adjusted for historical exercise rates. This study shows, however, that estimates of exercise times are significantly improved when the model accounts for behavioral and economic determinants of option exercise such as the attainment of performance benchmarks, recent vesting, the intrinsic value of an employee's option portfolio, and employee rank. Hazard analysis of all executive and employee option grants within a proprietary sample of firms yields lower out-of-sample exercise timing prediction errors relative to utility-based models and estimates using historical exercise patterns. More importantly, option cost estimates are materially different when improved estimates of exercise times are used, which may have implications for financial reporting.

The Cost of Employee Stock Options

The Cost of Employee Stock Options PDF Author: J. Carr Bettis
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 55

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Book Description
Employee stock options (ESOs) are nontransferable and employees are generally not well diversified compared to outside shareholders. These features of ESOs imply that employee option holders may optimally exercise their options significantly early relative to what would be expected for ordinary tradable options. Consequently, accounting for the cost of granting ESOs requires understanding how long employees hold the options. We use a unique database on observed option exercise patterns to document important characteristics of exercise behavior and how early exercise affects the cost of granting ESOs. We find that employees exercise their options nearly five years prior to expiration, and that there is significant predictable cross-sectional variation in exercise behavior. For example, employees in high volatility firms exercise their options more than a year and a half earlier compared to employees in firms with low volatility. We calibrate a utility-based model of option valuation to match the observed exercise behavior, and use the model to generate estimates of the cost of granting ESOs. Our estimates indicate that the cost of the option to the firm is significantly below the value of a tradable American option with a fixed 10-year (or 7-year) expiration. Importantly, we also find the bias is not uniform. Option values computed from the American valuation model with a fixed expiration overestimate the cost of ESOs more in high volatility firms compared to low volatility firms. In addition, adjusting the expiration to reflect the expected life of the option, as recommended by the FASB, still produces systematic biases in the option valuations. The FASB adjustment overstates the cost of granting ESOs in high volatility firms and understates the costs for low volatility firms, which is perhaps one reason that many technology-oriented companies (which are likely associated with high stock-price volatility) have been the most vocal in opposing the expensing of stock options. Our research suggests that modeling the exercise behavior of employees who hold stock options and how exercise patterns vary based on different firm and individual characteristics is important in understanding and accounting for the costs of granting stock-based compensation to employees.

The Complete Guide to Employee Stock Options

The Complete Guide to Employee Stock Options PDF Author: Frederick D. Lipman
Publisher: Prima Lifestyles
ISBN: 9780761533825
Category : Employee stock options
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Numerous private and public companies offer stock option plans every year to motivate, retain, and reward employees. But implementing the right stock option plan can be a complex and daunting undertaking, without the proper guidance.The Complete Guide to Employee Stock Optionsunravels the mystery of creating a meaningful equity compensation plan for employees that is favorable for the business. Author and attorney Frederick D. Lipman describes in complete detail the legal, operational, and motivational aspects of developing a stock option program, whether it's for the new start-up looking to attract top talent or the venerable company looking for ways to reward its best performing employees. Readers will discover how to: * Understand the pros and cons of different option plans* Implement the right plan to meet the company's future plans* Motivate key employees with equity compensation* Minimize the risk of losing equity in a volatile market* And much moreThis book also includes useful information for employees who want to understand what their stock options mean and how to maximize their profitability. Complete wi

EMPLOYEE STOCK OPTIONS EXERCISES: AN EMPIRIAL ANALYSIS

EMPLOYEE STOCK OPTIONS EXERCISES: AN EMPIRIAL ANALYSIS PDF Author: STEVEN HUDDART
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 36

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Book Description


Estimation of Employee Stock Option Exercise Rates and Firm Cost

Estimation of Employee Stock Option Exercise Rates and Firm Cost PDF Author: Jennifer N. Carpenter
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 30

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Book Description
This paper is the first to perform a comprehensive estimation of employee stock option ex- ercise behavior and option cost to firms. We develop a GMM-based methodology, robust to heteroskedasticity and correlation across exercises, for estimating the rate of voluntary option exercise as a function of the stock price path and of various firm and option holder character- istics. We use it to estimate an exercise function for a sample of 1.3 million employee-option grants to 530,266 employees at 103 publicly-traded firms between 1981amp;ndash;2009. We use the estimated exercise functions in a simulation based valuation model to analyze the effect of different firm and option characteristics on option value, and show that the Black-Scholes- based methods used in practice can create systematic biases.

Employee Stock Option Exercises

Employee Stock Option Exercises PDF Author: Steven J. Huddart
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
This paper describes the exercise behavior of over 50,000 employees who hold long term options on employer stock at eight corporations. Exercise is strongly associated with recent stock price movements, the market-to-strike ratio, proximity to vesting dates, time to maturity, and volatility. Much of the exercise activity occurs years before the options expire. Employees commonly sacrifice half of the Black-Scholes value by exercising before expiration. The employee's level within the company explains, in part, differences in behavior. These findings have implications for the FASB as it develops a new disclosure standard for stock compensation.

The Early Adoption of Stock Option Compensation Expense

The Early Adoption of Stock Option Compensation Expense PDF Author: Petro Lisowsky
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 53

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Book Description
I examine the likelihood of firms adopting the fair value based method of accounting for stock option compensation cost in 2002 and 2003. To examine this issue, I use two matched sample methodologies: (1) a size and book-to-market matching method typically employed in empirical accounting and finance research; and (2) a Propensity Score matching method typically used in the life sciences. I create a profile of firms that elected to expense employee stock option compensation when it was not yet required by Statement on Financial Standards No. 123 (Revised): Share-Based Payment (SFAS 123(R)). I find support for the general hypothesis that increasing switching costs from disclosure to recognition lowers the likelihood for stock option expense adoption in 2002 and 2003. More specifically, the likelihood of expensing stock options decreases when the magnitude of (implied) stock option expense increases and the value of options awarded to the firm's executives increases in relation to their total compensation. I find that the likelihood of expensing stock options increases when the interest coverage ratio increases and when the number of options awarded to the firm's executives increases in relation to the number of stock options awarded to all employees. I also find weak evidence that the likelihood of expensing is highest in the healthcare industry. Although these results hold under both matched sample approaches, the Propensity Score approach helps to prevent misleading statistical inference by reducing the bias inherent in traditional size and book-to-market matched sampling.