v3.25.4
Share-Based Awards
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2025
Share-Based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]  
Share-Based Awards Share-Based Awards
Zillow Group, Inc. 2020 Incentive Plan
On June 9, 2020, the Zillow Group, Inc. 2020 Incentive Plan (the “2020 Plan”) became effective, which replaces the Zillow Group, Inc. Amended and Restated 2011 Incentive Plan (the “2011 Plan”), which became effective July 19, 2011. Subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in the 2020 Plan, a total of 12 million shares of Class C capital stock are authorized for issuance under the 2020 Plan. In addition, shares previously available for new grants under the 2011 Plan as of June 9, 2020 and shares subject to outstanding awards under the 2011 Plan as of June 9, 2020 that on or after that date cease to be subject to such awards (other than by reason of exercise or settlement of the awards in vested or nonforfeitable shares) are also available for issuance under the 2020 Plan. The number of shares authorized under the 2020 Plan will be increased on the first day of each calendar year, beginning January 1, 2021 and ending on and including January 1, 2030, by an amount equal to the lesser of (a) 5% of our outstanding Class A common stock, Class B common stock and Class C capital stock on a fully diluted basis as of the end of the immediately preceding calendar year and (b) a number of shares determined by our Board. Shares issued under the 2020 plan may be issued from authorized and unissued shares of Class C capital stock. The 2020 Plan is administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board (the “Compensation Committee”). Under the terms of the 2020 Plan, the Compensation Committee may grant equity awards, including incentive or nonqualified stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units, restricted units, stock appreciation rights, performance shares or performance units to employees, directors and consultants of Zillow Group and its subsidiaries. The Board has also authorized certain senior executive officers to grant equity awards under the 2020 Plan, within limits prescribed by our Board.
Options under the 2020 Plan are granted with an exercise price per share not less than 100% of the fair market value of our Class C capital stock on the grant date, with the exception of substituted option awards granted in connection with acquisitions, and are exercisable at such times and under such conditions as determined by the Compensation Committee. Any portion of an option that is not vested and exercisable on the date of a participant’s termination of service expires on such date. Employees generally forfeit their rights to exercise vested options three months following their termination of employment or
12 months following termination by reason of death, disability or retirement. Options granted under the 2020 Plan expire no later than ten years from the grant date and typically vest over a period of four years.
Restricted stock units granted under the 2020 Plan typically vest over a period of four years. Generally, any portion of a restricted stock unit that is not vested on the date of a participant’s termination of service expires on such date.
In addition to the option awards and restricted stock units typically granted under the 2020 Plan which vest quarterly over four years, during the first quarter of 2023, the Compensation Committee approved option and restricted stock unit awards granted under the 2020 Plan in connection with the 2022 annual review cycle that vest quarterly over three years. The exercisability terms of these equity awards are otherwise consistent with the terms of the option awards and restricted stock units typically granted under the 2020 Plan.
Zillow Group, Inc. Amended and Restated 2011 Incentive Plan
Options and restricted stock units that remain outstanding under the 2011 Plan have vesting and exercisability terms consistent with those described above for awards granted under the 2020 Plan.
Zillow Group, Inc. 2019 Equity Inducement Plan
On August 8, 2019, the 2019 Equity Inducement Plan (“Inducement Plan”) became effective. Subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in the Inducement Plan, 10 million shares of Class C capital stock are available for issuance under the Inducement Plan. Shares issued under the Inducement Plan shall be drawn from authorized and unissued shares of Class C capital stock. The purpose of the Inducement Plan is to attract, retain and motivate certain new employees of the Company and its subsidiaries by providing them the opportunity to acquire a proprietary interest in the Company and to align their interests and efforts to the long-term interests of the Company’s shareholders. Each award under the Inducement Plan is intended to qualify as an employment inducement award pursuant to Listing Rule 5635(c) of the corporate governance rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market. The Inducement Plan is administered by the Compensation Committee. Under the terms of the Inducement Plan, the Compensation Committee may grant equity awards, including nonqualified stock options, restricted stock or restricted stock units or restricted units to new employees of the Company and its subsidiaries.
Options under the Inducement Plan are granted with an exercise price per share not less than 100% of the fair market value of our Class C capital stock on the date of grant, with the exception of substituted option awards granted in connection with acquisitions, and are exercisable at such times and under such conditions as determined by the Compensation Committee. Any portion of an option that is not vested and exercisable on the date of a participant’s termination of service generally expires on such date. Employees generally forfeit their rights to exercise vested options three months following their termination of employment or 12 months following termination by reason of death, disability or retirement. Options granted under the Inducement Plan expire no later than ten years from the grant date and typically vest over a period of four years.
Restricted stock units granted under the Inducement Plan typically vest over a period of four years. In general, any portion of a restricted stock unit that is not vested on the date of a participant’s termination of service expires on such date.
Option Award Repricing
On August 3, 2022, upon recommendation of the Compensation Committee, the Board approved adjustments to the exercise price of certain outstanding vested and unvested option awards for eligible employees. The exercise price of eligible option awards was reduced to $38.78, which was the closing market price of our Class C capital stock on August 8, 2022. No other changes were made to the terms and conditions of the eligible option awards. We accounted for the reprice of the eligible option awards as an equity modification whereby the incremental fair value attributable to the repriced option awards, as measured on the date of reprice, has been recognized as additional share-based compensation expense. The reprice impacted 7 million stock option awards, affected 3,348 employees and was expected to result in incremental share-based compensation expense of $66 million in total over the remaining requisite service period of the original awards, which was largely through the three months ended September 30, 2024. The weighted-average total fair value of options repriced in August 2022 was $67.58.
Option Awards
The following table summarizes option award activity for the year ended December 31, 2025:
Number
of Shares
Subject to
Existing
Options (in thousands)
Weighted-
Average
Exercise
Price Per
Share
Weighted-
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Life (in years)
Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value
(in millions)
Outstanding at January 1, 202529,941 $46.58 6.3$861 
Granted2,344 76.31 
Exercised(4,466)41.80 
Forfeited or cancelled(516)53.40 
Outstanding at December 31, 202527,303 49.79 5.7565 
Vested and exercisable at December 31, 202521,746 47.53 5.1496 
The following assumptions were used to determine the fair value of option awards granted for the periods presented:
Year Ended December 31,
202520242023
Expected volatility
53% – 60%
57% – 61%
55% – 62%
Risk-free interest rate
3.73% – 4.17%
3.74% – 4.50%
3.75% – 4.36%
Weighted-average expected life
5.3 – 6.8 years
5.5 – 6.8 years
5.3– 6.5 years
Weighted-average fair value of options granted$43.20$32.22$24.43
As of December 31, 2025, there was a total of $166 million in unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested option awards, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.1 years.
The total intrinsic value of options exercised during the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023 was $167 million, $148 million and $20 million, respectively. The fair value of options vested for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023 was $154 million, $214 million and $215 million, respectively.
Restricted Stock Units
The following table summarizes activity for all restricted stock units for the year ended December 31, 2025:
Restricted
Stock Units (in thousands)
Weighted-
Average Grant-
Date Fair
Value
Unvested outstanding at January 1, 202511,729 $50.31 
Granted4,734 76.09 
Vested(6,088)51.82 
Forfeited(1,056)55.50 
Unvested outstanding at December 31, 20259,319 61.83 
The total fair value of restricted stock units that vested during the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023 was $315 million, $310 million and $292 million, respectively.
As of December 31, 2025, there was $530 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to restricted stock units, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.4 years.
Share-Based Compensation Expense
The following table presents the effects of share-based compensation expense in our consolidated statements of operations during the periods presented (in millions):
Year Ended December 31,
202520242023
Cost of revenue$11 $14 $16 
Sales and marketing72 77 70 
Technology and development160 165 166 
General and administrative147 192 199 
Total share-based compensation$390 $448 $451