Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Equity Based Compensation of the Company

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Equity Based Compensation of the Company
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016
Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc [Member]  
Equity Based Compensation of the Company
Equity Based Compensation of the Company

We have a shareholder approved equity-based compensation plan, the Incentive Award Plan of Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. and Tanger Properties Limited Partnership (Amended and Restated as of April 4, 2014) (the "Plan"), which covers our independent directors, officers, employees and consultants. For each common share issued by the Company, the Operating Partnership issues one corresponding unit of partnership interest to the Company's wholly owned subsidiaries. Therefore, when the Company grants an equity based award, the Operating Partnership treats each award as having been granted by the Operating Partnership. In the discussion below, the term "we" refers to the Company and the Operating Partnership together and the term "shares" is meant to also include corresponding units of the Operating Partnership.
We recorded share-based compensation expense in general and administrative expenses in our consolidated statements of operations as follows (in thousands):
 
 
Three months ended
 
 
March 31,
 
 
2016
 
2015
Restricted common shares
 
$
2,939

 
$
2,658

Notional unit performance awards
 
885

 
841

Options
 
177

 
114

Total share-based compensation
 
$
4,001

 
$
3,613



Share-based compensation expense capitalized as a part of rental property and deferred lease costs were as follows (in thousands):
 
 
Three months ended
 
 
March 31,
 
 
2016
 
2015
Share-based compensation expense capitalized
 
$
230

 
$
188



Restricted Common Share Awards

During February 2016, the Company granted 286,524 restricted common shares to the Company's independent directors and the Company's senior executive officers. The grant date fair value of the awards ranged from $26.48 to $31.15 per share. The independent directors' restricted common shares vest ratably over a three year period and the senior executive officers' restricted shares vest ratably over a four or five year period. For the restricted shares issued to our chief executive officer, the restricted share agreement requires him to hold the shares for a minimum of three years following each vesting date. Compensation expense related to the amortization of the deferred compensation is being recognized in accordance with the vesting schedule of the restricted shares.

For certain shares that vest during the period, we withhold shares with value equivalent to the employees' minimum statutory obligation for the applicable income and other employment taxes, and remit cash to the appropriate taxing authorities. The total number of shares withheld upon vesting was 60,382 and 30,578 for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and was based on the value of the restricted common shares on the vesting date as determined by our closing share price on the day prior to the vesting date. Total amounts paid for the employees' tax obligation to taxing authorities was $1.9 million and $1.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and is reflected as a financing activity within the consolidated statements of cash flows.

2016 Outperformance Plan

In February 2016, the Compensation Committee of Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. approved the terms of the Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. 2016 Outperformance Plan (the “2016 OPP"), a long-term incentive compensation plan. Under the 2016 OPP, the Company granted to award recipients an aggregate of 321,900 performance share units with a grant date fair value of $15.10 per unit, which may convert, subject to the achievement of the goals described below, into a maximum of 321,900 restricted common shares of the Company based on the Company’s absolute share price appreciation and its share price appreciation relative to its peer group, over the three-year measurement period from February 10, 2016 through February 9, 2019.

The maximum number of shares will be earned under this plan if the Company both (a) achieves 35% or higher share price appreciation, inclusive of all dividends paid, over the three-year measurement period and (b) is in the 70th or greater percentile of its peer group for total shareholder return over the three-year measurement period. The Company expects that the value of the awards, if the Company achieves a 35% share price appreciation and is in the 70th or greater percentile of its peer group for total shareholder return over the three-year measurement period, will equal approximately $12.8 million.

Any shares earned on February 9, 2019 are also subject to a time based vesting schedule, which provides that, subject to continued employment with the Company, 50% of the shares will vest on February 15, 2019 and the remaining 50% will vest on February 15, 2020.

With respect to 50% of the performance share units (representing a right to receive up to 160,950 restricted shares), 20% of this portion of the award (representing a right to receive 32,190 restricted shares) will be earned if the Company’s aggregate share price appreciation, inclusive of all dividends paid during this period, equals 18% over the three-year measurement period, 60% of this portion of the award (representing a right to receive 96,750 restricted shares) will be earned if the Company’s aggregate share price appreciation, inclusive of all dividends paid during this period equals 26.5%, and 100% of this portion of the award (representing a right to receive 160,950 restricted shares) will be earned if the Company’s aggregate share price appreciation, inclusive of all dividends paid during this period, equals 35% or higher.

With respect to the other 50% of the performance share units (representing a right to receive up to 160,950 restricted shares), 20% of this portion of the award (representing a right to receive up to 32,190 restricted shares) will be earned if the Company's share price appreciation inclusive of all dividends paid is in the 40th percentile of its peer group over the three-year measurement period, 60% of this portion of the award (representing a right to receive up to 96,750 restricted shares) will be earned if the Company's share price appreciation inclusive of all dividends paid is in the 55th percentile of its peer group during this period, and 100% of this portion of the award (representing a right to receive 160,950 restricted shares) will be earned if the Company's share price appreciation inclusive of all dividends paid is in the 70th percentile of its peer group or greater during this period. The peer group is based on companies included in the SNL Equity REIT index.

The number of restricted shares received in respect of the performance share units will be determined on a pro-rata basis by linear interpolation between share price appreciation thresholds, both for absolute share price appreciation and for relative share price appreciation amongst the Company's peer group. The share price targets will be reduced on a dollar-for-dollar basis with respect to any dividend payments made during the measurement period.