Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Share-Based Employee Compensation

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Share-Based Employee Compensation
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013
Share-Based Employee Compensation
  7. Share-Based Employee Compensation

In 2009, we adopted a profits sharing agreement which authorized us to grant profits interests in the Company to certain key employees. These interests generally vested with the holders based on a combination of performance-based and time-based vesting metrics, each as specified in the Profits Sharing Agreement and each holder’s award agreement. Genting HK, the Apollo Funds and the TPG Viking Funds were entitled to initially receive any distributions made by the Company, pro rata based on their shareholdings in the Company. Once Genting HK, the Apollo Funds and the TPG Viking Funds received distributions in excess of certain hurdle amounts specified in the Profits Sharing Agreement and each holder’s award agreement, each vested profits interest award generally entitled the holder of such award to a portion of such excess distribution amount.

In connection with the Corporate Reorganization, NCLC’s outstanding profits interests granted under the Profits Sharing Agreement to management (or former management) of NCLC, including the Ordinary Profits Units, were exchanged for an economically equivalent number of NCL Corporation Units (the “Management NCL Corporation Units”). The Management NCL Corporation Units received upon the exchange of outstanding profits interests are subject to the same time-based and performance-based vesting requirements applicable to the profits interests for which they were exchanged. To the extent that they are vested, and subject to certain conditions, these Management NCL Corporation Units can be exchanged for NCLH ordinary shares. These units are not transferrable without NCLH’s prior consent and do not entitle the holders to any voting, pre-emptive or sinking fund rights. The Management NCL Corporation Units represents ownership in NCLC that is not attributed to NCLH which results in a non-controlling interest in NCLH.

Management NCL Corporation Units

The Management NCL Corporation Units generally consist of fifty percent of “Time-Based Units” (“TBUs”) and fifty percent of “Performance-Based Units” (“PBUs”). The TBUs generally vest over five years and upon a distribution event, the vesting amount of the PBUs is based on the amount of proceeds that are realized above certain hurdles. The termination of employment results in forfeiture of any non-vested TBUs and all PBUs. TBUs that are vested can be either continued by the Company or cancelled and paid to the employee. Cancellation can take place any time after termination but not before two years after the grant date. The following is a summary of the Management NCL Corporation Units activity for the three months ended March 31, 2013:

 

     Number of
Management NCL  Corporation Units
 
     TBUs      PBUs  

Outstanding as of December 31, 2012

     2,265,554         3,495,737   

Granted

     —           —     

Forfeited

     —           —     
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Outstanding as of March 31, 2013

     2,265,554         3,495,737   
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Vested as of March 31, 2013

     1,641,326         875,364   
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Non-vested as of March 31, 2013

     624,228         2,620,373   
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

As of March 31, 2013, the weighted-average fair value of all outstanding Management NCL Corporation Units was $3.53 per unit.

Share Options

In January 2013, the Company adopted the 2013 Performance Incentive Plan which provides for the issuance of up to 15,035,106 of our ordinary shares, with no more than 5,000,000 shares being granted to one individual in any calendar year. During the three months ended March 31, 2013, there were 3,251,052 non-qualified share options granted as described below. The share options granted have a contractual term of seven years.

As part of the Corporate Reorganization, holders of Management NCL Corporation Units were granted 2,818,552 options with vesting conditions consistent with those of their original award. The fair value of the 2,818,552 share options at date of grant were estimated using a binomial lattice valuation model. The assumptions used within the valuation were as follows:

 

      Three Months
Ended
March 31, 2013
 

Dividend yield

     0

Expected share price volatility

     50.0

Risk-free interest rate

     1.0

Expected term

     6 years   

 

An additional 432,500 options were granted to other employees and generally vest in equal installments over a five year period. The fair value of the 432,500 share options at the date of grant were estimated using a Black-Scholes-Merton option-pricing valuation model. The assumptions used within the valuation were as follows:

 

      Three Months
Ended
March 31, 2013
 

Dividend yield

     0

Expected share price volatility

     54.8

Risk-free interest rate

     0.8

Expected term

     5 years   

The following is a summary of option activity under our share option plan for the three months ended March 31, 2013:

 

     Number of
Share Option Awards
     Weighted-Average
Exercise Price
     Weighted-Average
Exercise Price
 
     Time-Based      Performance-Based      Time-Based      Performance-Based  

Outstanding as of December 31, 2012

     —           —           

Granted

     1,671,113         1,579,939       $ 19.00       $ 19.00   

Forfeited

     —           —           —           —     

Exercised

     —           —           —           —     
  

 

 

    

 

 

       

Outstanding as of March 31, 2013

     1,671,113         1,579,939       $ 19.00       $ 19.00   
  

 

 

    

 

 

       

Vested as of March 31, 2013

     734,226         —         $ 19.00         —     
  

 

 

    

 

 

       

Non-vested as of March 31, 2013

     936,887         1,579,939       $ 19.00       $ 19.00   
  

 

 

    

 

 

       

The weighted-average fair value for all share options granted during the three months ended March 31, 2013 was $6.18 per share.

Restricted Shares

During the three months ended March 31, 2013, there were 10,526 restricted shares granted to a member of our Audit Committee. The restricted shares vest in substantially equal quarterly installments over the period June 30, 2013 through March 31, 2015. The weighted-average fair value per restricted share granted during the three months ended March 31, 2013 was $19.00.

Total share-based compensation expense for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 was $18.8 million, which includes $18.5 million of non-recurring charges associated with the Corporate Reorganization, and $0.2 million, respectively, and was recorded in marketing, general and administrative expense. Total unrecognized pre-tax compensation expense related to all share-based compensation arrangements as of March 31, 2013 was $5.1 million. As of March 31, 2013, the fair value of all share-based compensation awards granted was $32.7 million.