Note 19. Share-Based Payment Arrangements

The Company maintains incentive compensation plans that incorporate share-based payment arrangements for associates and directors. The current plan under which share-based awards may be granted, the 2020 Long Term Incentive Plan (the “2020 Plan”), was approved by the Company’s stockholders at the 2020 annual meeting as a successor to the Company’s 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “2014 Plan”). Certain share-based awards remain outstanding under the 2014 Plan and prior equity incentive compensation plans, but no future awards may be granted thereunder.

The Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors administers the equity incentive plans, makes determinations with respect to participation by employees or directors and authorizes the share-based awards. Under the 2020 Plan, participants may be awarded stock options (including incentive stock options for associates), restricted shares, performance stock awards and stock appreciation rights, all on a stand-alone, combination or tandem basis. To date, the Committee has awarded stock options, tenure-based restricted share awards and units, and performance stock units under the 2020 Plan and the prior equity incentive plans.

Under the 2020 Plan, future awards may be granted for the issuance of an aggregate of 5,200,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, plus a number of additional shares of the Company’s common stock (not to exceed 1,000,000) for which awards under the 2014 Plan are cancelled, expired, forfeited or otherwise not issued, or settled in cash. The 2020 Plan limits the number of shares for which awards may be granted to any participant during any calendar year to 250,000 shares. The Company may use authorized unissued shares or shares held in treasury to satisfy awards under the 2020 Plan.

As of December 31, 2025, there were approximately 2.2 million shares available for future issuance under the 2020 equity compensation plan.

For the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, total share-based compensation expense recognized in income was $24.4 million, $22.7 million and $24.7 million, respectively. The total recognized income tax benefit related to the share-based compensation was $6.7 million, $6.3 million and $5.7 million for 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

A summary of the Company’s nonvested restricted and performance shares for the year ended December 31, 2025 is presented below:

 

 

Number of
Shares

 

Weighted-Average
Grant-Date
Fair Value

 

Nonvested at January 1, 2025

 

1,391,236

 

$

46.14

 

Granted

 

561,240

 

 

56.14

 

Vested

 

(481,141

)

 

44.84

 

Cancelled/Forfeited

 

(71,140

)

 

48.02

 

Nonvested at December 31, 2025

 

1,400,195

 

$

50.51

 

 

At December 31, 2025, there was $47.8 million of total unrecognized compensation expense related to nonvested restricted and performance share awards and units expected to vest in the future. This compensation is expected to be recognized in expense over a weighted-average period of 2.9 years. The fair value of shares that vested during the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024 totaled $21.5 million and $24.0 million, respectively.

 

During the year ended December 31, 2025, the Company granted 445,989 restricted stock units (RSUs) to certain eligible employees. The holders of unvested restricted stock units have no rights as a shareholder of the Company, including voting or dividend rights. The Company has elected to award dividend equivalents on each restricted stock unit not deferred under the Company's nonqualified deferred compensation plan. Such dividend equivalents are forfeited should the employee terminate employment prior to the vesting of the RSU.

During the year ended December 31, 2025, the Company granted to key members of executive management 26,989 performance share awards subject to a total shareholder return (“TSR”) performance metric with a grant date fair value of $66.84 per share. The fair value of the performance share units subject to TSR at the grant date was determined using a Monte Carlo simulation method. The number of performance share units subject to TSR that ultimately vest at the end of the three-year performance period, if any, will be based on the relative rank of the Company’s three-year TSR among the TSRs of a peer group of 49 regional banks. The

Company also granted 26,198 performance share awards subject to a return on average assets (ROAA) performance metric and 26,198 performance share awards subject to a return on average tangible common equity (ROATCE) performance metric with a grant date fair value of $52.02 per share for both performance share awards. The number of performance shares subject to ROAA and ROTCE that ultimately vest if any, will be based on the relative rank of the Company’s three-year ROAA and ROATCE relative the KBW Regional Bank index. The maximum number of performance share units that could vest is 200% of the target award. Compensation expense for these performance shares is recognized on a straight-line basis over the three-year service period.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Feb 27, 2026Showing above
2024Feb 27, 2025
2023Feb 28, 2024
2022Feb 27, 2023
2021Feb 25, 2022
2020Mar 1, 2021
2019Feb 25, 2020
2018Mar 1, 2019
2017Feb 27, 2018
2016Feb 24, 2017
2015Feb 26, 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.