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.