Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Share-Based Compensation

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Share-Based Compensation
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]  
Share-Based Compensation
Share-Based Compensation
 
Performance Share Awards (“PSUs”)
 
On January 1, 2018, our Board of Trustees granted 59,110 PSUs with an aggregate grant date fair value of $1.9 million to our three executives.  The PSUs have a performance period beginning on January 1, 2018 and concluding on the earlier of December 31, 2020 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
 
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 number of earned PSUs in settlement of the award plan; and
pay cash equal to 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.
 
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 $31.97 per PSU using a Monte Carlo model. Significant assumptions for that model included the following: baseline common share value of $29.20; expected volatility for COPT common shares of 17.0%; and a risk-free interest rate of 2.04%.  

We issued 13,328 common shares on February 22, 2018 to executives in settlement of PSUs issued in 2015, representing 75% of the target award for those PSUs.

Restricted Shares
 
During the nine months ended September 30, 2018, certain employees and non-employee members of our Board of Trustees were granted a total of 208,266 restricted common shares with an aggregate grant date fair value of $5.3 million (weighted average of $25.69 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 employee remains employed by us.  Restricted shares granted to non-employee Trustees vest on the first anniversary of the grant date, provided that the Trustee remains in his or her position. During the nine months ended September 30, 2018, forfeiture restrictions lapsed on 169,391 previously issued common shares; these shares had a weighted average grant date fair value of $29.60 per share, and the aggregate intrinsic value of the shares on the vesting dates was $4.3 million.

Deferred Share Awards

During the nine months ended September 30, 2018, non-employee members of our Board of Trustees were granted a total of 13,832 deferred share awards with an aggregate grant date fair value of $388,000 ($28.08 per share). Deferred share awards vest on the first anniversary of the grant date, provided that the Trustee remains in his or her position. We settle deferred share awards by issuing an equivalent number of common shares upon vesting of the awards or a later date elected by the Trustee (generally upon cessation of being a Trustee). During the nine months ended September 30, 2018, we issued 5,515 common shares in settlement of deferred share awards; these shares had a grant date fair value of $29.32 per share, and the aggregate intrinsic value of the shares on the settlement date was $154,000.