v3.25.2
STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION
9 Months Ended
Aug. 29, 2025
Share-Based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]  
STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION
Restricted Stock Units
Restricted stock unit activity for the nine months ended August 29, 2025 was as follows:
Number of
Shares
(in millions)
Weighted Average
Grant Date
Fair Value
Aggregate
Intrinsic Value
(in millions)
Beginning outstanding balance7.0 $473.28 
Awarded4.2 $423.98 
Released(2.7)$462.83 
Forfeited(0.5)$465.06 
Ending outstanding balance8.0 $451.36 $2,842 
Expected to vest7.3 $451.26 $2,617 
The total fair value of restricted stock units vested during the nine months ended August 29, 2025 was $1.06 billion.
Performance Shares 
In the first quarter of fiscal 2025, the Executive Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors (the “ECC”) approved the 2025 Performance Share Program, the terms of which are similar to the 2024 Performance Share Program that is still outstanding. For information regarding our outstanding Performance Share Programs, including the terms, see “Note 12. Stock-Based Compensation” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended November 29, 2024.
As of August 29, 2025, performance shares awarded under our 2025, 2024 and 2023 Performance Share Programs remained outstanding and unvested.
Performance share activity for the nine months ended August 29, 2025 was as follows:
Number of
Shares
(in millions)
Weighted Average
Grant Date
Fair Value
Aggregate
Intrinsic Value
(in millions)
Beginning outstanding balance0.5 $537.00 
Awarded0.3 $448.63 
Released(0.1)$505.05 
Forfeited(0.1)$528.19 
Ending outstanding balance0.6 $501.15 $206 
Expected to vest0.5 $501.30 $190 
Under our Performance Share Programs, participants generally have the ability to receive up to 200% of the target number of shares originally granted. Shares released during the nine months ended August 29, 2025 resulted from overall payout at 79% of target for the 2022 Performance Share Program, as certified by the ECC in the first quarter of fiscal 2025.
The total fair value of performance shares vested during the nine months ended August 29, 2025 was $49 million.
Employee Stock Purchase Plan Shares
Employees purchased 1.1 million shares at an average price of $321.93 and 1.2 million shares at an average price of $298.53 for the nine months ended August 29, 2025 and August 30, 2024, respectively. The intrinsic value of shares purchased during the nine months ended August 29, 2025 and August 30, 2024 was $88 million and $324 million, respectively. The intrinsic value is calculated as the difference between the market value on the date of purchase and the purchase price of the shares.
Compensation Costs
As of August 29, 2025, there was $3.47 billion of unrecognized compensation cost, adjusted for estimated forfeitures, related to unvested stock-based awards and purchase rights which will be recognized over a weighted average period of 2.27 years. Total unrecognized compensation cost will be adjusted for future changes in estimated forfeitures.
Total stock-based compensation costs included in our condensed consolidated statements of income for the three and nine months ended August 29, 2025 and August 30, 2024 were as follows:
 Three MonthsNine Months
(in millions)2025202420252024
Cost of revenue$32 $30 $93 $90 
Research and development254 241 748 704 
Sales and marketing145 140 423 403 
General and administrative66 63 189 195 
Total$497 $474 $1,453 $1,392