13.
Equity Incentive Plan

In October 2018, the Company established the Verra Mobility 2018 Equity Incentive Plan which provides for a variety of stock-based awards including RSUs, PSUs, and non-qualified stock options to employees and non-employee directors. In May 2023, the stockholders approved the Verra Mobility Corporation Amended and Restated 2018 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2018 Plan”), which, among other things, increased the maximum number of shares available for awards by 5,000,000 shares. The maximum number of shares of the Company’s common stock that may be subject to awards under the 2018 Plan was 15,864,000 as of December 31, 2025, subject to adjustment in accordance with the terms of the 2018 Plan. At December 31, 2025, the Company had an aggregate of 6,010,131 shares of common stock available for future grants under the 2018 Plan.

 

RSUs and PSUs

 

The Company’s RSUs consist of a right to receive shares on one or more vesting dates in the future. RSUs granted to employees vest ratably over four years (or shorter periods for certain grants) from their individual award dates, subject to continued employment on the applicable vesting dates. RSUs granted to non-employee directors vest on the earlier of (a) the first anniversary of the vesting start date, or (b) the date immediately prior to the next annual stockholders meeting held by the Company occurring after the date of grant.

The Company grants PSUs to senior executives which consist of a right to receive shares generally at the end of a three-year period (or ratably over three years for certain grants). PSUs are issued upon continued service along with the relative satisfaction of a market condition that generally measures either the Company’s total stockholder return relative to a comparably calculated return for a peer group during the performance period or to the Company’s absolute total stockholder return. The level at which the performance condition is attained upon the completion of the performance period determines the actual number of shares of the Class A Common Stock into which the PSUs will be converted. The conversion percentage ranges from 0% up to 150% of the target level.

 

The following table summarizes the activity of the Company’s RSUs and PSUs:

 

 

 

RSUs

 

 

PSUs

 

 

 

Shares
(in thousands)

 

 

Weighted Average
Grant Date
Fair Value

 

 

Shares
(in thousands)

 

 

Weighted Average
Grant Date
Fair Value

 

Balance at December 31, 2022

 

 

1,495

 

 

$

13.82

 

 

 

314

 

 

$

15.33

 

Granted

 

 

1,452

 

 

$

18.16

 

 

 

1,970

 

 

$

11.42

 

Vested

 

 

(523

)

 

$

13.77

 

 

 

(101

)

 

$

13.88

 

Forfeited

 

 

(358

)

 

$

16.18

 

 

 

(85

)

 

$

11.64

 

Balance at December 31, 2023

 

 

2,066

 

 

$

16.49

 

 

 

2,098

 

 

$

11.88

 

Granted

 

 

1,170

 

 

$

23.27

 

 

 

437

 

 

$

22.49

 

Vested

 

 

(721

)

 

$

15.80

 

 

 

(135

)

 

$

15.98

 

Forfeited

 

 

(440

)

 

$

19.42

 

 

 

(226

)

 

$

14.30

 

Balance at December 31, 2024

 

 

2,075

 

 

$

19.92

 

 

 

2,174

 

 

$

13.51

 

Granted

 

 

1,204

 

 

$

23.13

 

 

 

389

 

 

$

23.75

 

Vested

 

 

(727

)

 

$

19.07

 

 

 

(195

)

 

$

15.58

 

Forfeited

 

 

(398

)

 

$

21.68

 

 

 

(302

)

 

$

14.96

 

Balance at December 31, 2025

 

 

2,154

 

 

$

21.68

 

 

 

2,066

 

 

$

15.03

 

 

 

The fair value of RSUs vested during fiscal years 2025, 2024, and 2023 was $13.9 million, $11.4 million, and $7.2 million, respectively. The fair value of PSUs vested during fiscal years 2025, 2024, and 2023 was $3.0 million, $2.2 million, and $1.4 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2025, the Company had $33.5 million and $12.7 million of unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to unvested RSUs and PSUs, respectively, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 2.3 years and 1.5 years, respectively.

Stock Options

 

Stock options granted vest ratably over four years from their individual award dates, subject to continued employment on the applicable vesting dates, with a contractual term of ten years. The following table summarizes the activity of the Company’s stock options:

 

 

 

Stock Options Outstanding

 

 

 

Shares
(in thousands)

 

 

Weighted Average
Exercise Price
Per Share

 

 

Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term

 

Aggregate
Intrinsic Value
($ in thousands)

 

Balance at December 31, 2022

 

 

1,577

 

 

$

13.53

 

 

8.5 years

 

$

619

 

Granted

 

 

25

 

 

$

17.75

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exercised

 

 

(451

)

 

$

13.08

 

 

 

 

$

2,671

 

Forfeited

 

 

(91

)

 

$

13.89

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance at December 31, 2023

 

 

1,060

 

 

$

13.78

 

 

7.7 years

 

$

9,798

 

Granted

 

 

 

 

$

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exercised

 

 

(322

)

 

$

13.33

 

 

 

 

$

3,756

 

Forfeited

 

 

(75

)

 

$

13.89

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance at December 31, 2024

 

 

663

 

 

$

13.99

 

 

7.0 years

 

$

6,755

 

Granted

 

 

 

 

$

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exercised

 

 

(75

)

 

$

14.39

 

 

 

 

$

719

 

Forfeited

 

 

(83

)

 

$

13.88

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance at December 31, 2025

 

 

505

 

 

$

13.95

 

 

6.0 years

 

$

4,270

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exercisable at December 31, 2025

 

 

381

 

 

$

13.82

 

 

5.8 years

 

$

3,278

 

 

The weighted average fair value of options granted in fiscal year 2023 was $8.08 per share. There were no stock options granted during fiscal years 2024 and 2025. The Company received approximately $5.9 million, $4.3 million, and $1.1 million related to stock options exercised during fiscal years 2023, 2024, and 2025, respectively. As of December 31, 2025, the Company had $0.2 million of unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to unvested stock options which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of less than a year.

The following details the components of stock-based compensation for the respective periods:

 

 

 

For the Year Ended December 31,

 

($ in thousands)

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

 

2023

 

Operating expenses

 

$

5,340

 

 

$

4,053

 

 

$

2,488

 

Selling, general and administrative expenses

 

 

19,836

 

 

 

18,905

 

 

 

14,988

 

Total stock-based compensation expense

 

$

25,176

 

 

$

22,958

 

 

$

17,476

 

 

Tax benefits attributable to stock-based compensation represented approximately $4.2 million, $6.4 million, and $3.3 million, before limitations under section 162(m) of the IRC, during the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Feb 24, 2026Showing above
2024Feb 27, 2025
2023Feb 29, 2024
2022Mar 1, 2023
2021Apr 22, 2022
2020Mar 1, 2021
2019Mar 2, 2020
2018Mar 18, 2019

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.