Stock-Based Compensation |
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Dec. 31, 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Stock-Based Compensation | (9) Stock-Based Compensation Subsequent to the Original Combination, Liberty Broadband granted RSUs to certain employees of its subsidiaries under the Liberty Broadband 2019 Omnibus Incentive Plan, as amended, until its expiration on May 23, 2024 and then subsequently granted RSUs under the Liberty Broadband 2024 Omnibus Incentive Plan. Holders of Liberty Broadband RSUs who provided services primarily or solely to GCI Liberty or its subsidiaries at the time of the Distribution, received RSUs that relate to GLIBK in substitution for such Liberty Broadband RSUs. The number of shares of GLIBK subject to such substituted RSUs was determined in a manner to preserve the value of the Liberty Broadband RSUs outstanding prior to the Distribution. Pursuant to the GCI Liberty, Inc. 2025 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “2025 Plan”), the Company may grant to certain of its directors, employees and employees of its subsidiaries, RSUs and stock options to purchase a maximum of 5.0 million shares of GCI Group common stock. The Company measures the cost of employee services received in exchange for an equity classified Award (such as stock options and RSUs) based on the grant-date fair value (“GDFV”) of the Award, and recognizes that cost over the period during which the employee is required to provide service (usually the vesting period of the Award). The Company measures the cost of employee services received in exchange for a liability classified Award based on the current fair value of the Award, and remeasures the fair value of the Award at each reporting date. Awards generally vest over -3 years and have a term of 5 years. GCI Liberty issues new shares upon vesting of equity awards. Stock compensation expense was $13 million for both of the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, and was included in Operating expense (exclusive of depreciation and amortization) in the consolidated statements of operations. Grants of Awards RSUs granted during the year ended December 31, 2025 are summarized as follows:
During the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company granted 56 thousand and 40 thousand time-based and performance-based RSUs, respectively, of Series C Liberty Broadband common stock (“LBRDK”) to subsidiary employees. The RSUs had a weighted average GDFV of $57.83 per share and $56.00 per share, respectively. The time-based RSUs generally vest between and three years. The performance-based RSUs mainly cliff vest one year from month of grant, subject to the satisfaction of certain performance objectives. Performance objectives, which are subjective, are considered in determining the timing and amount of the compensation expense recognized. As the satisfaction of the performance objectives becomes probable, the Company records compensation expense. The value of the grant is re-measured at each reporting period. During the year ended December 31, 2025, the Company granted 814 thousand options to purchase shares of GLIBK to the Company’s CEO in connection with his Employment Agreement. Such options had a GDFV of $12.35 per share at the time they were granted and vest -third of December 31, 2026, 2027 and 2028. Also during the year ended December 31, 2025, the Company granted 128 thousand options to purchase shares of GLIBK to its non-employee directors. Such options had a weighted average GDFV of $10.37 per share and mainly cliff vest in December 2026. Also during the year ended December 31, 2025, the Company granted 107 thousand options to purchase shares of GLIBK to its employees. Such options had a weighted average GDFV of $10.60 per share and cliff vest on November 15, 2027. There were no options to purchase shares of Series A, Series B or Series C Liberty Broadband common stock granted during 2025 and 2024. Subsequent to the Distribution and through December 31, 2025, the Company did not any options to purchase shares of GLIBA or GLIBB. The Company calculates the GDFV for all of its equity classified options and the subsequent remeasurement of its liability classified options using the Black-Scholes Model. The Company estimates the expected term of the options based on historical exercise and forfeiture data. For grants made in 2025, the range of expected terms was 3.0 to 3.7 years. The volatility used in the calculation for options is based on the historical volatility of the corresponding series of its predecessor Liberty Broadband common stock and, when available, the implied volatility of publicly traded GCI Liberty options. Following the Separation, grants made had a range of volatilities of 36.7% to 40.4%. The Company uses a zero-dividend rate and the risk-free rate for Treasury Bonds with a term similar to that of the subject options. Outstanding Awards The following table presents the number and weighted average GDFV of RSUs granted to employees and directors of the Company.
As of December 31, 2025, 1 million GLIBK options remained outstanding at a weighted average exercise price of $36.67, a weighted average remaining contractual life of 4.7 years and an aggregate intrinsic value of $1.1 million. Of these outstanding options, 32 thousand GLIBK options were exercisable at a weighted average exercise price of $37.85, a weighted average remaining contractual life of 4.6 years and an aggregate intrinsic value of zero. As of December 31, 2025, there were no options to purchase shares of GLIBA or GLIBB. As of December 31, 2025, the total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested Awards was approximately $29 million. Such amount will be recognized in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations over a weighted average period of 1.8 years. As of December 31, 2025, GCI Liberty reserved approximately 1 million shares of GLIBK for issuance under exercise privileges of outstanding stock options. Exercises There were no GLIBK options exercised during the year ended December 31, 2025. Restricted Stock Awards and RSUs The aggregate fair value of all LBRDK and GLIBK restricted stock awards and RSUs that vested during the year ended December 31, 2025 was $20 million. The aggregate fair value of all LBRDK restricted stock awards and RSUs that vested during the year ended December 31, 2024 was $9 million. |
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