The 2016 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) is intended to assist the Company and its affiliates in recruiting and retaining employees of the Manager, members of the Board, executive officers of the Company, and individuals who provide services to those entities or affiliates of those entities.

 

The Plan is intended to permit the grant of both qualifying and non-qualified options and the grant of stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, unrestricted stock, awards of restricted stock units, performance awards and other equity-based awards (including LTIP units) for up to an aggregate of 1,232 shares of common stock, subject to increase under certain provisions of the Plan. Based on the grants outstanding as of September 30, 2018, there are 277 units that remain available to be granted under the Plan. Units subject to awards under the Plan that are forfeited, cancelled, lapsed, settled in cash or otherwise expired (excluding shares withheld to satisfy exercise prices or tax withholding obligations) are available for grant.

The time-based vesting LTIP unit activity under the Plan during the nine months ended September 30, 2018 was as follows:

 

 

A detail of the vested and unvested LTIP units outstanding as of September 30, 2018 is as follows:

 

 

During 2017, the Board approved the 2017 annual performance-based equity incentive awards in the form of LTIP units and long-term performance-based LTIP awards to the executive officers of the Company and other employees of the Advisor who perform services for the Company (the “2017 Program”). During the nine months ended September 30, 2018, the Board approved the 2018 annual performance-based equity incentive awards in the form of LTIP units and long-term performance-based LTIP awards to the executive officers of the Company and other employees of the Advisor who perform services for the Company (the “2018 Program”). None of the long-term LTIP unit awards under the 2017 Program and none of the annual or long-term LTIP unit awards under the 2018 Program had been earned by the participants as of September 30, 2018.

A detail of the Annual Awards and the long-term awards (the “Long-Term Awards”) under the 2017 Program and the 2018 Program as of September 30, 2018 is as follows:

 

 

 

The number of target LTIP units comprising each 2018 Program Annual Award target grant was based on the closing price of the Company’s common stock reported on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) on the dates of grant. The number of target LTIP units comprising each Long-Term Award target grant was based on the fair value of the Long-Term Awards as determined by an independent valuation consultant, in each case rounded to the next whole LTIP unit in order to eliminate fractional units.

. The Annual Awards are subject to the terms and conditions of LTIP Annual Award Agreements (“LTIP Annual Award Agreements”) between the Company and each grantee.

The Compensation Committee and Board established performance goals for calendar year 2018, as set forth in Exhibit A to the 2018 LTIP Annual Award Agreements (the “Performance Goals”) that will be used to determine the number of LTIP units earned by each grantee. As of September 30, 2018, management estimated that the Performance Goals would be met at a 75% level, and accordingly, applied 75% to the net target 2018 Program Annual Awards to estimate the 2018 Program Annual Awards expected to be earned at the end of the performance period. Cumulative stock-based compensation expense during the nine months ended September 30, 2018 reflects management’s estimate that 75% of these awards will vest. As soon as reasonably practicable following the last day of the 2018 fiscal year, the Compensation Committee and Board will determine the extent to which the Company has achieved each of the Performance Goals (expressed as a percentage) and, based on such determination, will calculate the number of LTIP units that each grantee is entitled to receive. Each grantee may earn up to 150% of the number of his/her target LTIP units. Any 2018 Annual Award LTIP units that are not earned will be forfeited and cancelled.

LTIP units that are earned as of the end of the applicable performance period will be subject to vesting, subject to continued employment through each vesting date, in two installments as follows: 50% of the earned LTIP units will become vested as of the earlier of (a) the date in 2019 that the Board approves the number of LTIP units to be awarded pursuant to the performance components set forth in the 2018 LTIP Annual Award Agreements, or (b) the date upon which a change of control occurs; and 50% of the Earned LTIP Units become vested on the one year anniversary of the initial vesting date.

 

Distributions equal to the dividends declared and paid by the Company will accrue during the applicable performance period on the maximum number of LTIP units that the grantee could earn and will be paid with respect to all of the earned LTIP units at the conclusion of the applicable performance period, in cash or by the issuance of additional LTIP units at the discretion of the Compensation Committee.

The Long-Term Awards are subject to the terms and conditions of 2017 and 2018 LTIP Long-Term Award Agreements (collectively the “LTIP Long-Term Award Agreements”) between the Company and each grantee. The number of LTIP units that each grantee is entitled to earn under the LTIP Long-Term Award Agreements will be determined following the conclusion of a three-year performance period based on the Company’s total stockholder return (“TSR”), which is determined based on a combination of appreciation in stock price and dividends paid during the performance period. Each grantee may earn up to 200% of the number of target LTIP units covered by the grantee’s Long-Term Award. Any target LTIP units that are not earned will be forfeited and cancelled. The number of LTIP units earned under the Long-Term Awards will be determined as soon as reasonably practicable following the end of the three-year performance period (2020 or 2021 depending on the program) based on the Company’s TSR on an absolute basis (as to 75% of the Long-Term Award) and relative to the SNL Healthcare REIT Index (as to 25% of the Long-Term Award).

 

LTIP units that are earned as of the end of the applicable performance period will be subject to forfeiture restrictions that will lapse (“vesting”), subject to continued employment through each vesting date as follows; for the 2017 Program units: 50% of the earned LTIP units will vest upon being earned as of February 27, 2020, or the date of a change of control, and the remaining 50% will vest on February 27, 2021; for the 2018 Program units: 50% of the earned LTIP units will vest upon being earned as of March 4, 2021, or the date of a change of control, and the remaining 50% will vest on March 4, 2022.

 

Pursuant to the LTIP Long-Term Award Agreements, distributions equal to the dividends declared and paid by the Company will accrue during the applicable performance period on the maximum number of LTIP units that the grantee could earn and will be paid with respect to all of the earned LTIP units at the conclusion of the applicable performance period, in cash or by the issuance of additional LTIP units at the discretion of the Compensation Committee.

 

In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-07, “Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting” (“ASU 2018-07”). ASU 2018-07 simplifies several aspects of the accounting for non-employee transactions by stipulating that the existing accounting guidance for share-based payments to employees (accounted for under ASC Topic 718, “Compensation-Stock Compensation”) will also apply to non-employee share-based transactions (accounted for under ASC Topic 505, “Equity”). ASU 2018-07 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018. The Company early adopted ASU 2018-07 on July 1, 2018 and the adoption did not have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements or disclosures.

 

Under the provisions of ASU 2018-07 the Company’s prospective compensation expense for all unvested LTIP units, Annual Awards, and Long-Term Awards will be recognized using the adoption date fair value of the awards, with no remeasurement required. Compensation expense for future LTIP unit grants, Annual Awards, and Long-Term Awards will be based on the grant date fair value of the units / awards, with no subsequent remeasurement required.

 

The Company incurred stock compensation expense of $741 and $1,978 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, respectively, and $340 and $1,481 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively, related to the grants awarded under the Plan. Compensation expense is included within “General and Administrative” expense in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations.

 

As of September 30, 2018, total unamortized compensation expense related to these awards of approximately $3,567 is expected to be recognized over a weighted average remaining period of 2.17 years.