Businesses across Corporate America are stepping on the gas to vest employee stock options, wiping billions in option expenses off future income statements now that they are forced to account for such compensation.
Computer manufacturing giant Dell Corp. joined the club earlier this month, as did Amsouth Bancorp. New research from Bear Stearns shows that 747 other companies have done the same, accelerating the vesting period for stock options in anticipation of Rule 123R, the measure from the Financial Accounting Standards Board requiring companies to expense stock options. Rule 123R went into effect this year.
