12. Stock-Based Compensation

Adient provides certain key employees equity awards in the form of restricted stock units (“RSU”) and performance share units (“PSUs”) under the Adient plc 2016 Omnibus Incentive Plan and the Adient plc 2021 Omnibus Incentive Plan (collectively, the “Plan”). Adient also provides directors with share awards under the Adient plc 2016 Director Share Plan and the Adient plc 2021 Omnibus Incentive Plan.

Total stock-based compensation cost included in the consolidated statements of income (loss) was $32 million, $31 million and $34 million for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively. No material income tax benefits were recognized in the consolidated statements of income (loss) for the share-based compensation arrangements in any of these years due to tax valuation allowances in those years.

The following tables present activity related to the granting of awards during the year ended September 30, 2025 along with the composition of outstanding and exercisable awards at September 30, 2025.

Restricted Stock

The Plan provides for the award of restricted stock or restricted stock units to certain employees. These awards are typically share settled except for certain non-U.S. employees which are settled in cash. Cash settled awards are recorded in Adient's consolidated statements of financial position as a liability and adjusted each reporting period for changes in share value until the settlement of the award. Restricted stock awards typically vest over a three year period following the grant date. The Plan allows for different vesting terms on specific grants with approval by Adient's Board of Directors.

A summary of the status of nonvested restricted stock awards at September 30, 2025, and changes for the fiscal year then ended, is presented below:

Weighted
Average
Price
Restricted Shares/Units
Nonvested, September 30, 2024
$35.36 1,190,664 
Granted20.33 1,383,034 
Vested37.00 (520,290)
Forfeited25.96 (77,806)
Nonvested, September 30, 2025
$24.78 1,975,602 

At September 30, 2025, Adient had approximately $24 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested restricted stock arrangements granted. That cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.8 years.

Performance Share Awards

The Plan permits the grant of PSU awards. The number of PSUs granted is equal to the PSU award value divided by the closing price of a Adient ordinary share at the grant date. The PSUs are generally contingent on the achievement of predetermined performance goals over a three-year performance period as well as on the award holder's continuous employment until the vesting date. Each PSU that is earned will be settled with an ordinary share of Adient following the completion of the performance period except for certain non-U.S. employees which are settled in cash. Cash settled awards are recorded in Adient's consolidated statements of financial position as a liability and adjusted each reporting period for changes in share value until the settlement of the award.
A summary of the status of Adient's nonvested PSUs at September 30, 2025, and changes for the fiscal year then ended is presented below:

Weighted
Average
Price
Performance Shares/Units
Nonvested, September 30, 2024
$38.39 807,629 
Granted20.40 759,815 
Vested46.79 (119,367)
Forfeited44.28 (117,072)
Nonvested, September 30, 2025
$26.85 1,331,005 

At September 30, 2025, Adient had approximately $11 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested performance share units granted. That cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.9 years.

About Stock Compensation Disclosures

Stock-based compensation disclosures detail the equity awards granted to employees and executives — including stock options, restricted stock units (RSUs), and performance shares — along with the valuation methods and assumptions used to expense them. This section reveals the true cost of talent retention and the alignment between management incentives and shareholder interests.

Key signals: total unrecognized compensation expense and its expected recognition period signal future earnings headwinds from already-granted awards. For stock options, examine Black-Scholes assumptions — expected volatility, risk-free rate, and expected term — as understating any of these reduces reported compensation expense. Compare stock compensation expense as a percentage of revenue against peers to assess dilution cost. Watch vesting schedules for acceleration clauses tied to change-of-control events. Performance-based awards with undemanding targets may indicate weak governance. Add back stock compensation to operating cash flow to calculate a more conservative free cash flow figure.