Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Share-Based Compensation and Other Compensation Matters

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Share-Based Compensation and Other Compensation Matters
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]  
Share-Based Compensation and Other Compensation Matters
Share-Based Compensation and Other Compensation Matters
 
Performance Share Units (“PSUs”)
 
On January 1, 2017, our Board of Trustees granted 36,525 PSUs with an aggregate grant date fair value of $1.4 million to executives.  The PSUs have a performance period beginning on January 1, 2017 and concluding on the earlier of December 31, 2019 or the date of: (1) termination by us without cause, death or disability of the executive or constructive discharge of the executive (collectively, “qualified termination”); or (2) a sale event.  The number of PSUs earned (“earned PSUs”) at the end of the performance period will be determined based on the percentile rank of COPT’s total shareholder return relative to a peer group of companies, as set forth in the following schedule:
Percentile Rank
 
Earned PSUs Payout %
75th or greater
 
200% of PSUs granted
50th or greater
 
100% of PSUs granted
25th
 
50% of PSUs granted
Below 25th
 
0% of PSUs granted


If the percentile rank exceeds the 25th percentile and is between two of the percentile ranks set forth in the table above, then the percentage of the earned PSUs will be interpolated between the ranges set forth in the table above to reflect any performance between the listed percentiles.  At the end of the performance period, we, in settlement of the award, will issue a number of fully-vested COPT common shares equal to the sum of:

•
the number of earned PSUs in settlement of the award plan; plus
•
the aggregate dividends that would have been paid with respect to the common shares issued in settlement of the earned PSUs through the date of settlement had such shares been issued on the grant date, divided by the share price on such settlement date, as defined under the terms of the agreement.
 
If a performance period ends due to a sale event or qualified termination, the number of earned PSUs is prorated based on the portion of the three-year performance period that has elapsed.  If employment is terminated by the employee or by us for cause, all PSUs are forfeited.  PSUs do not carry voting rights. We computed a grant date fair value of $38.43 per PSU using a Monte Carlo model, which included assumptions of, among other things, the following: baseline common share value of $31.22; expected volatility for COPT common shares of 19.0%; and a risk-free interest rate of 1.47%.  We are recognizing the grant date fair value in connection with these PSU awards over the period commencing on January 1, 2017 and ending on December 31, 2019.

We issued 9,763 common shares on February 7, 2017 to Mr. Stephen E. Budorick, our Chief Executive Officer, in settlement of PSUs issued in 2014, representing 100% of the target award for those PSUs.

Restricted Shares
 
During the three months ended March 31, 2017, certain employees were granted a total of 208,953 restricted common shares with an aggregate grant date fair value of $7.1 million (weighted average of $34.02 per share).  Restricted shares granted to employees vest based on increments and over periods of time set forth under the terms of the respective awards provided that the employees remain employed by us.  During the three months ended March 31, 2017, forfeiture restrictions lapsed on 139,201 previously issued common shares; these shares had a weighted average grant date fair value of $26.21 per share, and the aggregate intrinsic value of the shares on the vesting dates was $4.7 million.