14. SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION

Share-Based Compensation Expense

The following table presents share-based compensation expense from continuing and discontinued operations included in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Year Ended December 31,

 

(In thousands)

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

 

2023

 

Cost of goods manufactured and sold

 

$

6,757

 

 

$

5,798

 

 

$

11,353

 

Research and development

 

 

25,659

 

 

 

28,085

 

 

 

25,753

 

Selling, general and administrative

 

 

66,300

 

 

 

62,754

 

 

 

55,611

 

Share-based compensation expense from continuing operations

 

 

98,716

 

 

 

96,637

 

 

 

92,717

 

Research and development

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3,255

 

Selling, general and administrative

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4,933

 

Share-based compensation expense from discontinued operations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8,188

 

Total share-based compensation expense

 

$

98,716

 

 

$

96,637

 

 

$

100,905

 

During the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, $3.2 million, $3.1 million and $3.2 million, respectively, of share-based compensation expense was capitalized and recorded as “Inventory” and $1.6 million, none and none, respectively, of share-based compensation expense was capitalized and recorded as “Other assets” in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

Share-Based Compensation Plans

The Company has one share-based compensation plan pursuant to which awards are currently being made: the 2018 Stock Option and Incentive Plan, as amended (the “2018 Plan”). The Company has two share-based compensation plans pursuant to which outstanding awards have been made, but from which no further awards can or will be made: the Alkermes plc Amended and Restated 2008 Stock Option and Incentive Plan, as amended, (the “2008 Plan”) and the Alkermes plc 2011 Stock Option and Incentive Plan, as amended (the “2011 Plan,” and together with the 2018 Plan and the 2008 Plan, the “the Alkermes Stock Option and Incentive Plans”). Effective May 20, 2020, the 2018 Plan was amended such that any shares underlying any outstanding awards granted under the 2011 Plan or the 2008 Plan that are forfeited, canceled, repurchased or otherwise terminated (other than by exercise) from and after such date will become available for issuance pursuant to the 2018 Plan, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the terms of the 2011 Plan or the 2008 Plan.

The 2018 Plan allows for the issuance of non-qualified and incentive stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock unit awards, cash-based awards and performance shares to employees, officers and directors of, and consultants to, the Company in such amounts and with such terms and conditions as may be determined by the compensation committee of the Company’s board of directors, subject to the provisions of the 2018 Plan, as applicable.

On May 21, 2025, the Company’s shareholders approved an amended version of the then-current version of the 2018 Plan that served to, among other things, increase the number of ordinary shares authorized for issuance thereunder by 4.25 million. At December 31, 2025, there were 17.9 million ordinary shares available for issuance in the aggregate under the 2018 Plan. The 2018 Plan provides that awards other than stock options will be counted against the total number of shares available under the plan in a 1.8-to-1 ratio.

Stock Options

A summary of stock option activity is presented in the following table:

 

 

 

Number of

 

 

Weighted Average

 

 

 

Shares

 

 

Exercise Price

 

Outstanding, January 1, 2025

 

 

17,478,619

 

 

$

31.73

 

Granted

 

 

1,807,610

 

 

$

35.03

 

Exercised

 

 

(1,826,407

)

 

$

23.77

 

Expired

 

 

(1,034,094

)

 

$

63.52

 

Forfeited

 

 

(190,358

)

 

$

30.42

 

Outstanding, December 31, 2025

 

 

16,235,370

 

 

$

30.98

 

Exercisable, December 31, 2025

 

 

10,855,664

 

 

$

31.20

 

The weighted average grant date fair value of stock options granted during the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023 was $16.30, $14.08 and $13.74, respectively. The aggregate intrinsic value of stock options exercised during the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023 was $16.3 million, $10.9 million and $6.0 million, respectively.

At December 31, 2025, there were 5.2 million stock options expected to vest, with a weighted average exercise price of $30.46 per share, a weighted average contractual remaining life of 7.7 years and an aggregate intrinsic value of $3.2 million. At December 31, 2025, the aggregate intrinsic value of stock options exercisable was $34.6 million with a weighted average remaining contractual term of 4.3 years. The number of stock options expected to vest was determined by applying the pre-vesting forfeiture rate to the total number of outstanding unvested options. The intrinsic value of a stock option is the amount by which the market value of the underlying shares exceeds the exercise price of the stock option.

At December 31, 2025, there was $28.8 million of unrecognized share-based compensation expense related to unvested stock options, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 1.9 years.

Time-Based Restricted Stock Unit Awards

A summary of time-based RSU activity is presented in the following table:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted Average

 

 

 

Number of
Shares

 

 

Grant Date
Fair Value

 

Unvested, January 1, 2025

 

 

4,905,206

 

 

$

26.80

 

Granted

 

 

2,115,535

 

 

$

35.24

 

Forfeited

 

 

(343,414

)

 

$

30.78

 

Vested

 

 

(2,044,461

)

 

$

25.24

 

Unvested, December 31, 2025

 

 

4,632,866

 

 

$

31.08

 

The weighted average grant date fair values of time-vesting RSUs granted during the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023 were $35.24, $29.51 and $27.65, respectively. The total fair value of time-vesting RSUs that vested during the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, was $51.6 million, $51.6 million and $63.0 million, respectively.

At December 31, 2025, there was $59.8 million of total unrecognized share-based compensation expense related to unvested time-vesting RSUs, which will be recognized over a weighted average remaining contractual term of 1.9 years.

Performance-Based Restricted Stock Unit Awards

In February 2025, 2024 and 2023, the compensation committee of the Company’s board of directors approved the Company’s long-term incentive plans, pursuant to which awards of performance-based RSUs are granted to employees of the Company at the Senior Vice President level and above, in each case subject to vesting based on the achievement of certain financial, commercial and/or R&D performance criteria to be assessed over a performance period of three years from the date of the grant, and subject, at the end of such three-year performance period, to upward or downward adjustment based on a market condition tied to relative share price performance over the three-year performance period.

A summary of performance-based RSU activity is presented in the following table:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted Average

 

 

 

Number of
Shares

 

 

Grant Date
Fair Value

 

Unvested, January 1, 2025

 

 

1,335,658

 

 

$

32.13

 

Granted

 

 

533,031

 

 

$

40.15

 

Forfeited

 

 

(145,745

)

 

$

30.13

 

Vested

 

 

(469,513

)

 

$

30.13

 

Unvested, December 31, 2025

 

 

1,253,431

 

 

$

36.53

 

The weighted average grant date fair values of performance-based RSUs granted during the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023 were $40.15, $32.46 and $29.91, respectively. The total fair value of performance-based RSUs that vested during the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023 were $8.2 million, $10.1 million and $5.9 million, respectively. At December 31, 2025, there was $5.2 million of unrecognized share-based compensation expense related to unvested performance-based RSUs which would be recognized in accordance with the terms of the awards when the Company deems it probable that the performance criteria will be met.

During the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company recognized share-based compensation expense related to certain performance-based RSUs that were granted during 2021. As of December 31, 2023, the financial performance criteria for these awards were deemed not probable of being achieved; however, in February 2024, the compensation committee of the Company’s board of directors determined that the Company partially achieved the financial performance criteria. This was considered a modification in accordance with FASB ASC 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation and resulted in a modification charge of approximately $6.8 million. In February 2024, the compensation committee of the Company’s board of directors also determined that the Company achieved the pipeline performance criteria for these awards, resulting in a $2.6 million incremental share-based compensation expense, as it was deemed such pipeline performance criteria had been met. The share-based compensation expense related to these achievements was recognized in 2024.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Feb 25, 2026Showing above
2024Feb 12, 2025
2023Feb 21, 2024
2022Feb 16, 2023
2021Feb 16, 2022
2020Feb 11, 2021
2019Feb 13, 2020
2018Feb 15, 2019
2017Feb 16, 2018
2016Feb 17, 2017
2015Feb 25, 2016

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.