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Repricing and employee stock option valuation

Journal of Banking & Finance 2001 25(6), 1059-1082
A repricing occurs when the issuing firm resets the strike price of an employee stock option (ESO). ESO repricings occur most frequently following a significant decline in the underlying stock price. Typically, the strike price is reset to the new stock price. We develop a new model for valuing ESOs with a repricing feature. Our valuation model is developed within a utility-maximizing framework that accounts for potentially multiple repricings, employee risk aversion, employee non-option wealth, the non-tradeability of ESOs, and the early exercise feature of ESOs. Simulations suggest that these factors can significantly affect ESO value.