v3.22.2.2
Stock-Based Compensation
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2022
Share-Based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]  
Stock-Based Compensation Stock-Based Compensation
In connection with its IPO, the Company implemented its 2014 Equity Incentive Plan, which governs equity awards made to employees and directors of the Company since the IPO. Prior to the IPO, the Company granted equity awards under its 2007 Stock Incentive Plan, which governs equity awards made to employees and contractors prior to the IPO. In November 2014, the Company approved the 2014 Inducement Grant Equity Incentive Plan (the "Inducement Plan"), which governs certain equity awards made to certain employees in connection with commencement of employment. In connection with the Company's acquisitions of Chango Inc. ("Chango"), iSocket, Inc. ("iSocket"), and nToggle, Inc. ("nToggle") it assumed the existing employee equity award plans, the 2009 Chango Stock Option Plan (the "Chango Plan"), the iSocket 2009 Equity Incentive Plan (the "iSocket Plan"), and the nToggle 2014 Equity Incentive Plan (the "nToggle Plan"). In connection with the Merger with Telaria, the Company assumed Telaria's 2013 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended (the "Telaria Plan"); the 2008 Stock Plan, as amended (the "2008 Stock Plan"); and the ScanScout, Inc. 2009 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended (the "ScanScout Plan"). All compensatory equity awards outstanding at September 30, 2022 were issued pursuant to the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan, the nToggle Plan, the Telaria Plan, the 2008 Stock Plan, the Inducement Plan, or the Company's 2007 Stock Incentive Plan.
The Company’s equity incentive plans provide for the grant of equity awards, including non-statutory or incentive stock options, restricted stock awards ("RSAs"), restricted stock units that vest based on continuous service ("RSUs"), and restricted stock units that include performance criteria (“performance stock units” or "PSUs"), to the Company's employees, officers, directors, and consultants. The Company's board of directors administers the plans. Options vest based upon continued service at varying rates, but generally over four years from issuance with 25% vesting after one year of service and the remainder vesting monthly thereafter. RSAs and RSUs vest at varying rates, typically approximately 25% vesting after approximately one year of service and the remainder vesting annually, semi-annually, or quarterly thereafter. The restricted stock units granted in 2022 included 0.4 million
awards that vest 50% on each of the first and second anniversaries of the grant date. Options, RSAs, and RSUs granted under the plans accelerate under certain circumstances for certain participants upon a change in control, as defined in the governing plan. No further awards were granted under the iSocket Plan, the Chango Plan, or the nToggle Plan from the date of acquisition and no further awards were granted under the 2007 Stock Incentive Plan since the IPO. Available shares under the nToggle Plan and the Telaria Plan were rolled into the available share pool under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan at the time of acquisition of each company, and available shares under the 2007 Stock Incentive Plan were rolled into the available share pool under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan at the time of the IPO. An aggregate of 14,322,384 shares remained available for future grants at September 30, 2022 under the plans. The 2014 Equity Incentive Plan has an evergreen provision pursuant to which the share reserve will automatically increase on January 1st of each year in an amount equal to 5% of the total number of shares of capital stock outstanding on December 31st of the preceding calendar year, although the Company’s board of directors may provide for a lesser increase, or no increase, in any year. The 2014 Inducement Grant Equity Incentive Plan has a provision pursuant to which the share reserve may be increased at the discretion of the Company's board of directors.
Stock Options
A summary of stock option activity for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 is as follows:

Shares Under OptionWeighted- Average Exercise PriceWeighted- Average Contractual LifeAggregate Intrinsic Value

(in thousands)(in thousands)
Outstanding at December 31, 20215,129 $7.25 
Granted699 $13.90 
Exercised(514)$3.45 
Expired(391)$5.72 
Forfeited(123)$12.27 
Outstanding at September 30, 20224,800 $8.62 5.7 years$6,100 
Exercisable at September 30, 20223,583 $6.87 4.8 years$5,556 
The total intrinsic value of options exercised during the nine months ended September 30, 2022 was $4.6 million. At September 30, 2022, the Company had unrecognized employee stock-based compensation expense relating to nonvested stock options of approximately $9.4 million, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.5 years. Total fair value of options vested during the nine months ended September 30, 2022 was $4.4 million.
The Company estimates the fair value of stock options that contain service and/or performance conditions using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The grant date fair value of options granted during the nine months ended September 30, 2022 was $8.93 per share. The weighted-average input assumptions used by the Company were as follows:
Three Months EndedNine Months Ended
September 30, 2022September 30, 2021September 30, 2022September 30, 2021
Expected term (in years)N/A5.05.05.0
Risk-free interest rateN/A0.90 %1.63 %0.88 %
Expected volatilityN/A79 %79 %79 %
Dividend yieldN/A— %— %— %
Restricted Stock Units
A summary of restricted stock unit activity for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 is as follows:
Number of SharesWeighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value
(in thousands)
Restricted stock units outstanding at December 31, 2021
6,634 $18.39 
Granted7,368 $13.43 
Canceled(1,362)$15.71 
Vested and released(2,670)$15.83 
Restricted stock units outstanding at September 30, 2022
9,970 $15.78 
Restricted stock units outstanding and unvested*9,952 *$15.79 
*At September 30, 2022, outstanding restricted stock units included 18,436 units that were vested but deferred.
The weighted-average grant date fair value per share of restricted stock units granted during the nine months ended September 30, 2022 was $13.43. The aggregate fair value of restricted stock units that vested during the nine months ended September 30, 2022 was $30.3 million. At September 30, 2022, the intrinsic value of unvested restricted stock units was $65.4 million. At September 30, 2022, the Company had unrecognized stock-based compensation expense relating to unvested restricted stock units of approximately $135.1 million, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.8 years.
Performance Stock Units
In April 2020, April 2021, and February 2022, the Company granted the Company's CEO 146,341, 26,291, and 86,806 performance stock units that vest based on share price metrics tied to total shareholder return over a three-year period with a fair value of $0.9 million, $1.4 million, and $1.5 million, respectively. The grant date fair value per share of these grants was $6.15, $52.49, and $17.28, respectively, which was estimated using a Monte-Carlo lattice model. At September 30, 2022, the Company had unrecognized employee stock-based compensation expense for the April 2020, April 2021, and February 2022 grants of approximately $0.2 million, $0.7 million, and $1.2 million, which is expected to be recognized over the remaining 0.5 years, 1.5 years, and 2.3 years, respectively. Between 0% and 150% of the performance stock units will vest on the third anniversary of its grant date.
In August 2021, the Company granted the Company's CEO 379,635 performance stock units, which are subject to both time-based and performance-based vesting conditions. The performance stock units consist of three equal tranches (each, a "Performance Tranche"), based on achievement of a share price condition if the Company achieves share price targets of $60.00, $80.00, and $100.00, respectively, over 60 consecutive trading days during a performance period commencing on August 26, 2022 and ending on August 26, 2026. To the extent any of the performance-based requirements are met, the Company's CEO must also provide continued service to the Company through at least August 26, 2024 to receive any shares of common stock underlying the grant and through August 26, 2026 to receive all of the shares of common stock underlying the performance units that have satisfied the applicable performance-based requirement.
The fair value of each of the Performance Tranches was $3.0 million, $2.8 million, and $2.6 million, respectively, and have a grant date fair value per share of restricted stock of $23.94, $21.93, and $20.30, respectively, which was estimated using a Monte-Carlo lattice model. At September 30, 2022, the Company had unrecognized employee stock-based compensation expense of approximately $1.9 million, $2.0 million, and $2.0 million, which is expected to be recognized over the remaining 1.9 years, 2.9 years, and 3.9 years, respectively. Between 0% and 100% of the performance stock units will vest on each of the tranche dates.
During the three months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, the Company recognized $0.9 million and $0.4 million, respectively, of stock-based compensation related to these performance stock units. During the nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, the Company recognized $2.6 million and $0.7 million, respectively, of stock-based compensation related to these performance stock units. Stock-based compensation expense for these awards is based on a performance measurement of 100%. The compensation expense will not be reversed if the performance metrics are not met.
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
In November 2013, the Company adopted the Company's 2014 Employee Stock Purchase Plan ("ESPP"). The ESPP is designed to enable eligible employees to periodically purchase shares of the Company's common stock at a discount through payroll deductions of up to 10% of their eligible compensation, subject to any plan limitations. At the end of each six-month offering period, employees are able to purchase shares at a price per share equal to 85% of the lower of the fair market value of the
Company's common stock on the first trading day of the offering period or on the last trading day of the offering period. Offering periods generally commence and end in May and November of each year.
As of September 30, 2022, the Company has reserved 4,018,635 shares of its common stock for issuance under the ESPP. The ESPP has an evergreen provision pursuant to which the share reserve will automatically increase on January 1st of each year in an amount equal to 1% of the total number of shares of capital stock outstanding on December 31st of the preceding calendar year, although the Company’s board of directors may provide for a lesser increase, or no increase, in any year.
Stock-Based Compensation Expense
Total stock-based compensation expense recorded in the condensed consolidated statements of operations was as follows:
Three Months EndedNine Months Ended
September 30, 2022September 30, 2021September 30, 2022September 30, 2021
(in thousands)(in thousands)
Cost of revenue$424 $278 $1,191 $530 
Sales and marketing5,491 4,583 16,257 10,426 
Technology and development6,576 3,828 16,645 8,195 
General and administrative4,911 3,087 14,096 8,299 
Merger, acquisition, and restructuring costs— 48 2,004 1,071 
Total stock-based compensation expense$17,402 $11,824 $50,193 $28,521