Next Fifteen Communications group - Annual Report 2007
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02/ Virtual worlds: Pioneers with impact?
Notes forming part of the financial statements

Note 19: Share-based payments

The Group uses a Black Scholes model to calculate the fair value of options on grant date. At each year end the cumulative expense is adjusted to take into account any changes in estimate of the likely number of options expected to vest. Details of the relevant option schemes are given in note 20. All the share-based plans are subject to non market performance conditions such as earnings per share targets and continued employment. All schemes are equity settled. The key inputs are listed below and market price on any given day is obtained from external, publicly available sources.

 

2007   2006  
Risk free rate 4.40%   4.40%  
Dividend Yield 1.50%   2.48%  
Volatility1 33%   33%  

1 Volatility is based on the Group’s share price movement between January 2003 and July 2007. In the opinion of the directors, this period is appropriate, given the Group’s history of growth and acquisitions, and external industry factors.

The Group recognised expenses of £262,000 in 2007 (2006: £229,000).

Movement on options granted (represented in ordinary shares)

Outstanding
1 August
2006
Granted Lapsed Exercised Outstanding
31 July
2007
  Exercisable
31 July
2007
 
Executive share option scheme 4,645 - 478 2,397 1,770   484  
Long-Term Incentive Plan 381 1311 173 16 323   -  
Long-Term Incentive - performance shares 890 453 43 - 1,300   -  
Stock Unit Agreement 167 - - 84 83   -  
6,083 584 694 2,497 3,476   484  
Weighted-average exercise price (p) 36.64 13.87 46.34 38.16 29.78   42.32  

A total of 2,497,000 shares were exercised during the year ended 31 July 2007 at a weighted average share price of
84.62p.

1 During the year 131,000 share options were granted under the LTIP scheme of which 108,000 remain outstanding at 31 July 2007. 23,000 share options lapsed during the year as a result of the cessation of employment by one scheme member.

 

Options over ordinary shares outstanding    
Range of exercise prices (p) 23.50-215  
Weighted average exercise price 29.78  
Weighted average contractual life (months) 11  

The fair value of options granted in the year calculated using the Black Scholes model

  2007  
Fair value of options granted under the LTIP 15p  
Fair value of performance shares granted under the LTIP 50p  
Risk free rate 4.40%  
Expected life (years) 5  
Expected volatility 33%  
Dividend yield 1.50%  

 

© 2007 Next Fifteen Communications Group plc