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Annual Reporting 2007  
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Note 30
Note 30

Equity Participation and Other Compensation Plans
Equity Participation and Other Compensation Plans

a) Plans Offered

UBS has established several equity participation plans to further align the long-term interests of executives, managers and staff with the interests of shareholders. The plans are offered to eligible employees in approximately 50 countries and are designed to meet the complex legal, tax and regulatory requirements of each country in which they are offered. The explanations below describe the most significant plans in general, but specific plan rules may vary by country.

Equity Plus Plan (Equity Plus): This voluntary plan gives eligible employees the opportunity to purchase UBS shares at fair market value and generally receive at no additional cost two UBS options for each share purchased, up to a maximum annual limit. Share purchases can be made annually from bonus compensation and / or quarterly based on regular deductions from salary. Shares purchased under Equity Plus are restricted from sale for two years from the time of purchase. The options have a strike price equal to the fair market value of a UBS share on the date the option is granted, a two-year vesting period and generally expire ten years from the date of grant. The options are forfeitable in certain circumstances and are settled in equity, except in countries where this is not permitted for legal reasons.

Discounted purchase plan: Up to and including 2005, selected employees in Switzerland were entitled to purchase a specified number of UBS shares, which must be held for a specified period of time, at a predetermined discounted price each year. No new awards are made under this plan.

Equity Ownership Plan (EOP): Selected employees receive between 10% and 45% of their annual performance-related compensation in UBS shares or notional UBS shares instead of cash, on a mandatory basis (on-cycle awards). Up to and including 2004, certain employees were eligible to receive a portion of their EOP award in Alternative Investment Vehicles (AIVs) or UBS options. Since 2005, options are not granted as part of EOP and awards are generally made in UBS shares, with less than 7% being made in AIVs to selected employee groups. The awards granted in UBS shares or notional shares are settled in equity, except in countries where this is not permitted for legal reasons. Awards granted in the form of AIVs are settled in cash. EOP awards generally vest in one-third increments over a three-year vesting period. In certain circumstances, these awards are forfeitable. EOP awards are also granted to selected employees when joining UBS or in other special circumstances (off-cycle awards). Off-cycle awards have the same terms and conditions as on-cycle awards, except that the forfeiture conditions are more stringent.

Senior Executive Equity Ownership Plan (SEEOP): Senior Executives receive between 25% and 50% of their performance-related compensation in UBS shares or notional UBS shares instead of cash, on a mandatory basis. The awards granted in UBS shares or notional shares are settled in equity. SEEOP awards generally vest in one-fifth increments over a five-year vesting period. These awards are forfeitable if certain conditions are not met.

Key Employee Stock Option Plan (KESOP): Key and high potential employees are granted UBS options with a strike price not less than the fair market value of a UBS share on the date the option is granted. One option gives the right to acquire one registered UBS share at the option's strike price. The awards are settled in equity, except in countries where this is not permitted for legal reasons. Options generally vest in one-third increments over a three-year vesting period and generally expire ten years from the grant date. These awards are generally forfeitable upon termination of employment with UBS.

Senior Executive Stock Option Plan (SESOP): Senior Executives may be granted discretionary UBS options with a strike price set at 110% of the fair market value of a UBS share on the date the option is granted. One option gives the right to acquire one registered UBS share at the option's strike price. The awards are settled in equity. Options vest in full following a three-year vesting period and generally expire ten years from the grant date. These awards are forfeitable if certain conditions are not met.

Other plans: UBS sponsors a voluntary deferred compensation plan for selected eligible employees. Under this plan, participants are allowed to notionally invest a portion of their cash bonus in money market funds, UBS and non-UBS mutual funds and other UBS sponsored funds. No additional company match is granted. The awards are generally not forfeitable and are settled in cash. This plan does not result in compensation expense for UBS.

In addition, UBS also grants notional UBS shares to certain client advisors, which vest in one-fifth increments over a five-year vesting period starting six years after the date of grant. The awards are generally settled in equity, except in countries where this is not permitted for legal reasons, and are forfeitable in certain circumstances.

UBS satisfies share delivery obligations under its option-based participation plans either by purchasing UBS shares in the market or through the issuance of new shares. At exercise, shares held in treasury or newly issued shares are delivered to the employee against receipt of the strike price. As of 31 December 2007, UBS was holding approximately 141 million shares in treasury and an additional 150 million unissued shares in conditional share capital which are available and can be used for future employee option exercises. The shares available cover all vested (i. e. exercisable) employee options.

b) UBS Share Awards

Movements in shares granted under various equity participation plans described in Note 30a) are as follows:

Number of shares 31.12.07

Weighted average grant date fair value CHF

Number of shares 31.12.06

Weighted average grant date fair value CHF

Number of shares 31.12.05

Weighted average grant date fair value CHF

Unvested, at the beginning of the year

56,141,102

58

53,725,186

46

49,273,638

40

Shares awarded during the year

30,271,820

70

26,652,070

69

27,252,100

51

Vested during the year

(25,031,819)

55

(22,712,566)

43

(21,991,760)

39

Forfeited during the year

(2,278,523)

66

(1,523,588)

56

(808,792)

45

Unvested, at the end of the year

59,102,580

66

56,141,102

58

53,725,186

46

UBS estimates the grant date fair value of shares awarded during the year by using the average UBS share price on the grant date as quoted on the virtX. The market value of shares vested was CHF 1,737 million, CHF 1,587 million and CHF 1,083 million for the years ended 31 December 2007, 31 December 2006 and 31 December 2005, respectively.

c) UBS Option Awards

Movements in options granted under various equity participation plans described in Note 30a) are as follows:

Number of options 31.12.07

Weighted average exercise price CHF 1

Number of options 31.12.06

Weighted average exercise price CHF 1

Number of options 31.12.05

Weighted average exercise price CHF 1

Outstanding, at the beginning of the year

176,779,087

50

181,765,090

42

201,814,708

35

Granted during the year

45,129,476

71

45,517,013

71

45,202,854

55

Exercised during the year

(32,214,986)

38

(47,179,386)

36

(61,303,418)

34

Forfeited during the year

(3,425,863)

66

(3,303,002)

55

(3,810,106)

45

Expired unexercised

(274,384)

62

(20,628)

40

(138,948)

34

Outstanding, at the end of the year

185,993,330

55

176,779,087

50

181,765,090

42

Exercisable, at the end of the year

90,453,625

42

80,312,503

36

74,788,838

35

1 Some of the options in this table have exercise prices denominated in USD which have been converted into CHF at the year-end spot exchange rate for the purposes of this table.

The weighted average share price at the time when the options were exercised during the year was CHF 72, CHF 71 and CHF 53 for the years ended 31 December 2007, 31 December 2006 and 31 December 2005, respectively. The following table provides additional information about option awards:

31.12.07

31.12.06

31.12.05

Intrinsic value of options exercised during the year (CHF million)

1,046

1,660

1,224

Weighted average grant date fair value of options granted (CHF)

11.11

12.39

8.01

The following table summarizes additional information about options outstanding and options exercisable at 31 December 2007:

Options outstanding

Options exercisable

Range of exercise price per share

Number of options outstanding

Weighted average exercise price (CHF / USD)

Aggregate intrinsic value (CHF / USD million)

Weighted average remaining contractual term (years)

Number of options exercisable

Weighted average exercise price (CHF / USD)

Aggregate intrinsic value (CHF / USD million)

Weighted average remaining contractual term (years)

CHF

26.69–40.00

17,461,795

34.25

317

4.8

17,241,610

34.27

312

4.8

40.01–50.00

14,334,889

46.77

81

5.5

14,201,947

46.79

80

5.5

50.01–60.00

24,364,314

52.63

24

7.4

11,532,651

51.11

16

7.0

60.01–70.00

5,791,089

64.50

0

9.0

607,206

64.34

0

8.1

70.01–78.80

77,760,388

72.25

0

8.7

7,841,168

70.45

0

8.2

26.69–78.80

139,712,475

61.14

422

7.7

51,424,582

47.38

408

6.0

USD

4.74–20.00

138,622

14.20

4

2.1

138,622

14.20

4

2.1

20.01–30.00

18,753,410

23.26

426

4.3

18,753,410

23.26

426

4.3

30.01–40.00

10,550,084

36.26

103

6.3

10,508,448

36.24

103

6.3

40.01–53.50

16,838,735

44.15

39

7.2

9,628,563

43.15

29

7.1

4.74–53.50

46,280,851

33.79

572

5.8

39,029,043

31.63

562

5.5

d) Valuation

The fair value of options is determined by means of a Monte Carlo simulation. The simulation technique uses a mix of implied and historic volatility and specific employee exercise behavior patterns based on statistical data, taking into account the specific terms and conditions under which the options are granted, such as the vesting period, forced exercises during the lifetime, and gain- and time-dependent exercise behavior. The expected term of each option is calculated as the probability-weighted average period of the time between grant and exercise. The term structure of volatility is derived from the implied volatilities of traded UBS options in combination with the observed long-term historic share price volatility. Dividends are assumed to grow at a fixed rate over the term of the option.

The fair value of options granted in 2007, 2006 and 2005 was determined using the following assumptions.

31.12.07

CHF awards

range low

range high

Expected volatility (%)

23.86

22.51

29.23

Risk-free interest rate (%)

2.58

2.46

3.27

Expected dividend (CHF)

3.13

2.20

4.56

Strike price (CHF)

71.31

55.48

78.80

Share price (CHF)

70.25

55.48

78.80

31.12.06

CHF awards 1

range low

range high

Expected volatility (%)

25.38

22.51

27.18

Risk-free interest rate (%)

2.15

1.96

2.68

Expected dividend (CHF)

2.26

1.76

2.83

Strike price (CHF)

71.19

65.13

77.33

Share price (CHF)

70.16

65.13

76.25

1 Fewer than 1% of awards in 2006 were granted in USD. These have been combined with CHF awards for purposes of this disclosure.

31.12.05

CHF awards

range low

range high

USD awards

range low

range high

Expected volatility (%)

23.20

12.39

27.03

23.36

15.21

27.21

Risk-free interest rate (%)

2.00

0.62

2.34

4.11

1.91

4.63

Expected dividend (CHF / USD)

2.30

1.50

3.89

1.89

1.22

4.12

Strike price (CHF / USD)

52.08

48.23

63.23

44.11

39.25

48.26

Share price (CHF / USD)

51.33

48.23

63.23

43.40

39.25

48.26

e) Effect on income statement and balance sheet

Generally, under IFRS, for all employee share and option awards as well as certain AIV awards, UBS recognizes compensation expense over the service period which is generally equal to the vesting period. Share and option awards typically have a three-year tiered vesting structure which means awards vest in one-third increments over that period.

The total share-based compensation expense recognized for the years ended 31 December 2007, 31 December 2006 and 31 December 2005 was CHF 2,389 million, CHF 2,188 million and CHF 1,662 million, respectively. For the years ended 31 December 2007, 31 December 2006 and 31 December 2005, the compensation expense recognized for share-based payments was primarily related to equity settled plans. At 31 December 2007, total compensation expense related to non-vested awards not yet recognized in the income statement is CHF 1,904 million, which is expected to be recognized in Personnel expenses over a weighted average period of 2.1 years.

During 2007, UBS increased the option life of certain options for certain employees, which resulted in a modification of the original terms of the option awards. This resulted in an incremental fair value granted of CHF 11 million, which was immediately recognized as compensation expense as future employee services are not required.

Payments to participants of cash-settled share-based and AIV plans for the years ended 31 December 2007, 31 December 2006 and 31 December 2005 were CHF 42 million, CHF 177 million and CHF 87 million, respectively. The total carrying amount of the liability related to these cash-settled plans amounted to CHF 134 million as of 31 December 2007.

Page last updated: April 22, 2008, 10:51 AM

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