Consequences of stock option expensing with FAS 123R in the US high-tech industry

Abstract

With significant equity incentives in its compensation structure, stock option expensing approval affects the compensation structure in the US high-tech industry. A large sample analysis shows that in response to FAS 123R in 2005, the proportion of options offered to CEOs and Top 5 Executives at high-tech firms has decreased, with significance. This in turn does not seem to change, significantly, risk-taking incentives, measured by vega, of CEOs and Top 5 Executives in this industry. Following the same tendency, a small sample of 10 US high-tech companies presents that non-named executives and employees have suffered a decrease in options offerings from 2002 to 2006 accompanied by the introduction of restricted stock units (RSUs) and the introduction (in some cases) of a binomial option-pricing model. Contradicting this tendency non-employee directors have seen an increase in the level of options granted in the light of FAS 123R.

Date of Award	2014
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Ricardo Reis (Supervisor)