(w) |
Share-based payments |
Employees (including senior executives) of the Group receive remuneration in the form of share-based payments, whereby employees render services as consideration for equity instruments (“equity-settled transactions”).
Equity-settled transactions
The cost of equity-settled transactions is determined by the fair value at the date when the grant is made using an appropriate valuation model.
That cost is recognized in “staff cost” (Note 8.4), together with a corresponding increase in performance share reserve in equity, over the period in which the performance and/or service conditions are fulfilled (the vesting period). The cumulative expense recognized for equity-settled transactions at each reporting date until the vesting date reflects the extent to which the vesting period has expired and the Group’s best estimate of the number of equity instruments that will ultimately vest. The expense or credit in the statement of profit or loss for a period represents the movement in cumulative expense recognized as at the beginning and end of that period.
No expense is recognized for awards that do not ultimately vest, except for equity-settled transactions for which vesting is conditional upon a market or non-vesting condition. These are treated as vested irrespective of whether the market or non-vesting condition is satisfied, provided that all other performance and/or service conditions are satisfied.
When the terms of an equity-settled award are modified, the minimum expense recognized is the expense had the terms not been modified, provided the original terms of the award are met. An additional expense, measured as at the date of modification, is recognized for any modification that increases the total fair value of the share-based payment transaction, or is otherwise beneficial to the employee. Where an award is cancelled by the entity or by the counterparty, any remaining element of the fair value of the award is expensed immediately through profit or loss.
The dilutive effect of outstanding options is reflected as additional share dilution in the computation of diluted earnings per share (further details are given in Note 10).