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STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2026
Share-Based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]  
STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION
We issue restricted stock units (“RSUs”), which consist of time-based and performance-based awards, to employees under stock award plans approved by stockholders. In addition, RSUs are issued to non-employee directors under a Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement for Directors pursuant to the Company’s 2018 Equity Incentive Plan. RSUs granted to employees vest according to a specified performance period and/or vesting period. Time-based RSUs generally vest over three years. Performance-based RSUs vest at the end of the specified performance period, generally three years, assuming required performance or market vesting conditions are met.
For awards granted in the first quarter of 2023 and thereafter, our performance-based RSUs will vest based on our return on invested capital (“ROIC”). Award share payouts depend on the extent to which the ROIC performance goal has been achieved, but the final payout is adjusted by a total shareholder return (“TSR”) modifier.
At the time of vesting, the vested shares of common stock are issued in the employee’s name. In addition, RSU awards are generally net settled (shares are withheld to cover the employee tax obligation). RSUs granted to directors are only time-based and generally vest on or around the first anniversary of the date of grant.
The fair value of both time-based RSUs and performance-based RSUs pertaining to internal performance metrics is determined using the closing price of our common stock on the grant date. The fair value of performance-based RSUs pertaining to TSR is estimated using a Monte Carlo simulation. Inputs and assumptions used to calculate the fair value are shown in the table below. The fair value of these RSUs is expensed over the vesting period using the straight-line method or using the graded vesting method when an employee becomes eligible to retain the award at retirement.
Nine Months Ended September 30,20262025
Fair value per stock award$123.35 $154.20 
Grant date stock price$123.97 $147.84 
Assumptions:
Aptar's stock price expected volatility19.50 %17.70 %
Expected average volatility of peer companies34.60 %34.10 %
Correlation assumption24.30 %31.00 %
Risk-free interest rate3.79 %4.03 %
Dividend yield assumption1.55 %1.22 %
A summary of RSU activity as of September 30, 2026 and changes during the nine month period then ended is presented below:
Time-Based RSUsPerformance-Based RSUs
UnitsWeighted Average
Grant-Date Fair Value
UnitsWeighted Average
Grant-Date Fair Value
Nonvested at January 1, 2026215,433 $135.89 434,878 $135.31 
Granted146,343 120.23 229,998 120.95 
Vested(106,420)131.10 (198,125)116.17 
Forfeited(6,901)131.80 (47,235)111.46 
Nonvested at September 30, 2026248,455 $128.67 419,516 $139.16 
Included in the time-based RSU activity for the nine months ended September 30, 2026 are 13,594 units granted to non-employee directors and 9,805 units that vested related to non-employee directors.
Nine Months Ended September 30,20262025
Compensation expense (included in SG&A)$23,902 $27,515 
Compensation expense (included in Cost of sales)2,269 2,588 
Compensation expense, Total$26,171 $30,103 
Fair value of units vested35,358 43,382 
Intrinsic value of units vested37,772 53,743 
The actual tax benefit realized for the tax deduction from RSUs was approximately $6.8 million and $9.8 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2026 and 2025, respectively. As of September 30, 2026, there was $45.4 million of total unrecognized compensation cost relating to RSU awards which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.8 years.
Historically, we issued stock options to our employees and non-employee directors. We did not issue stock options between 2019 and 2022. Stock options were reinstituted for employees in 2023 and valued based on the Black-Scholes model and generally vest ratably over three years and expire 10 years after grant.
Aptar uses historical data to estimate expected life and volatility. The weighted-average fair value of stock options granted under the stock awards plans was $31.93 and $36.91 per share during the first nine months of 2026 and 2025, respectively. These values were estimated on the respective dates of grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the following weighted-average assumptions:
Stock Award Plans:
Nine Months Ended September 30,20262025
Dividend Yield1.40 %1.17 %
Expected Stock Price Volatility19.72 %17.66 %
Risk-free Interest Rate4.06 %4.21 %
Expected Life of Option (years)7.07.0
 A summary of option activity under our stock plans during the nine months ended September 30, 2026 is presented below:
Stock Awards Plans
OptionsWeighted Average
Exercise Price
Outstanding, January 1, 20261,608,498 $103.45 
Granted283,326 124.20 
Exercised(298,136)75.01 
Forfeited or expired(9,813)123.47 
Outstanding at September 30, 20261,583,875 $112.39 
Exercisable at September 30, 20261,081,669 $102.61 
Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Term (Years):
Outstanding at September 30, 20265.3
Exercisable at September 30, 20263.6
Aggregate Intrinsic Value:
Outstanding at September 30, 2026$26,744 
Exercisable at September 30, 2026$26,744 
Intrinsic Value of Options Exercised During the Nine Months Ended:
September 30, 2026$15,962 
September 30, 2025$15,079 
Nine Months Ended September 30,20262025
Compensation expense (included in SG&A)$6,305 $6,082 
Compensation expense (included in Cost of sales)567 587 
Compensation expense, Total$6,872 $6,669 
Compensation expense, net of tax5,776 5,455 
Grant date fair value of options vested7,502 5,200 
The increase in stock option expense is due to the newly issued options as discussed above. Cash received from option exercises for the nine months ended September 30, 2026 and 2025 was approximately $22.4 million and $14.9 million, respectively. The actual tax benefit realized for the tax deduction from option exercises was approximately $3.7 million and $3.8 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2026 and 2025, respectively. As of September 30, 2026, there was $6.2 million of total unrecognized compensation cost relating to stock option awards which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.0 years.