For all share-based awards FAS No. 123(R) requires that we measure compensation costs related to our share-based payment transactions at fair value on the grant date and that we recognize those costs in the financial statements over the vesting period during which the employee provides service in exchange for the award.

During 2008 we granted 5.6 million restricted stock units (2.6 million most of which were granted in February and had a weighted average grant-date fair value of $35 per unit and 3.0 million were granted in August and had a weighted average grant-date fair value of $26 per unit), 2.7 million Employee SARs (1.8 million most of which were granted in February and had a weighted average grant-date fair value of $13 per right and 0.9 million were granted in August and had a weighted average grant-date fair value of $10 per right), and 4,000 Non-employee SARs. During that time period, we also granted approximately 218,000 stock options and issued 25,000 deferred stock units. The grants made in August would ordinarily have been made in February 2009, but were accelerated to encourage associate retention in a difficult economic climate. Awards for the most senior executives were not accelerated.

Under FAS No. 123(R), we recorded share-based compensation expense related to award grants of $112 million in 2008, $104 million in 2007, and $108 million in 2006. Deferred compensation costs related to unvested awards totaled $215 million at year-end 2008 and $162 million at year-end 2007, and the weighted average period over which we expect the deferred compensation costs at year-end 2008 to be recognized is two years.

For share-based compensation grants that occur after the adoption of FAS No. 123(R), (which for us was the first day of fiscal year 2006), FAS No. 123(R) requires that share-based compensation expense be recognized over the period from the grant date to the date on which the award is no longer contingent on the employee providing additional service (the "substantive vesting period"). We continue to follow the stated vesting period for the unvested portion of awards granted prior to adoption of FAS No. 123(R) and follow the substantive vesting period for awards granted after the adoption of FAS No. 123(R).

In accordance with FAS No. 123(R), we present the tax benefits resulting from the exercise or vesting of share-based awards as financing cash flows. Tax benefits resulting from the exercise of share-based awards totaled $21 million, $114 million, and $194 million for 2008, 2007, and 2006, respectively.

The aggregate amount of cash we received from the exercise of stock options granted under share-based payment arrangements was $30 million, $89 million, and $184 million for 2008, 2007, and 2006, respectively.

Restricted Stock Units
We issue restricted stock units under the Comprehensive Plan to certain officers and key employees and those units vest generally over four years in annual installments commencing one year after the date of grant. We recognize compensation expense for the restricted stock units over the service period equal to the fair market value of the stock units on the date of issuance. Upon vesting, restricted stock units convert to shares and are distributed from treasury shares. At year-end 2008 and year-end 2007, we had approximately $192 million and $145 million, respectively, in deferred compensation costs related to restricted stock units. Share-based compensation expense associated with restricted stock units was $85 million, $82 million, and $77 million for 2008, 2007, and 2006, respectively. The weighted average remaining term for restricted stock unit grants outstanding at year-end 2008 was two years. Restricted stock units converted and distributed during 2008, 2007, and 2006, had aggregate intrinsic values of $90 million, $147 million, and $78 million, respectively. The weighted average grant-date fair values of restricted stock units granted in 2008, 2007, and 2006 were $30, $49, and $35, respectively.

Changes in our outstanding restricted stock unit grants in 2008 were as follows:

Stock Options and SARs
Employee stock options may be granted to officers and key employees at exercise prices or strike prices equal to the market price of our Class A Common Stock on the date of grant. Non-qualified options generally expire 10 years after the date of grant, except those issued from 1990 through 2000, which expire 15 years after the date of the grant. Most stock options under the Stock Option Program are exercisable in cumulative installments of one quarter at the end of each of the first four years following the date of grant.

We recognized compensation expense associated with employee stock options of $6 million in 2008, $12 million in 2007, and $22 million in 2006. At year-end 2008 and year-end 2007, there was approximately $2 million and $6 million, respectively, in deferred compensation costs related to employee stock options. Upon the exercise of stock options, we issue shares from treasury shares.

Changes in our outstanding Stock Option Program awards in 2008 were as follows:

Stock options issued under the Stock Option Program awards outstanding at year-end 2008, were as follows:

The number of options granted in the last three fiscal years and the associated weighted average grant-date fair values and weighted average exercise prices are noted in the following table:

The total intrinsic value of options outstanding at year-end 2008 and year-end 2007 was $88 million and $636 million, respectively, and the total intrinsic value for stock options exercisable as of year-end 2008 and year-end 2007 was $95 million and $624 million, respectively. The total intrinsic value of stock options exercised during 2008, 2007, and 2006 was approximately $42 million, $206 million, and $309 million, respectively.

Employee SARs may be granted to officers and key employees at exercise prices or strike prices equal to the market price of our Class A Common Stock on the date of grant. SARs generally expire 10 years after the date of grant and both vest and are exercisable in cumulative installments of one quarter at the end of each of the first four years following the date of grant. Non-employee SARs may be granted to directors at exercise prices or strike prices equal to the market price of our Class A Common Stock on the date of grant. Non-employee SARs generally expire 10 years after the date of grant and vest upon grant; however, they are generally not exercisable until one year after grant. We first began issuing SARs in 2006. On exercise of SARs, employees or Non-employee directors receive the number of shares of Class A Common Stock equal to the number of SARs that are being exercised multiplied by the quotient of (a) the final value minus the base value, divided by (b) the final value.

We recognized compensation expense associated with Employee SARs and Non-employee SARs of $18 million in 2008, $5 million in 2007, and $3 million in 2006. At the end of 2008 and 2007, we had approximately $19 million and $7 million, respectively, in deferred compensation costs related to SARs. Upon the exercise of SARs, shares are issued from treasury shares.

The number of Employee SARs granted in the last three fiscal years and the associated weighted average base values and weighted average grant-date fair values are noted in the following table:

The number of Non-employee SARs granted in the last three fiscal years and the associated weighted average base values and weighted average grant-date fair values are noted in the following table:

The number of SARs forfeited in 2008 was 184,000. No SARs were forfeited in 2007. The total intrinsic value of SARs outstanding was zero at year-end 2008 and year-end 2007, and the total intrinsic value of SARs exercisable was zero as of year-end 2008 and year-end 2007. No SARs were exercised in 2008. The total intrinsic value of SARs exercised during 2007 was $100,000. No SARs were exercised in 2006.

We use a binomial method to estimate the fair value of each stock option or SAR granted. The assumptions for stock options and employee SARs for 2008, 2007, and 2006 are noted in the following table:

The risk-free rates are based on the corresponding U.S. Treasury spot rates for the expected duration at the date of grant, converted to a continuously compounded rate. Non-employee SARs were valued using assumptions within the ranges shown above for Employee SARs, except using an expected term of 10 years.

For Non-employee SARs issued in 2008, 2007, and 2006, the only differences in the assumptions versus employee SARs were the use of risk-free interest rates of 3.9 percent, 4.6 percent, and 5.0 percent, respectively, and for each year's issuances, an expected life of 10 years.

Estimated volatilities for 2008, 2007, and 2006 were based on the historical share-price volatility for a period equal to the stock option's or SAR's expected lives, ending on the day of grant, and calculated based on weekly data. The weighted average expected stock option or SARs terms for 2008, 2007, and 2006 were a product of the lattice-based binomial valuation model that uses suboptimal exercise factors to calculate the expected terms.

Deferred Stock Units
We also issue deferred stock units to Non-employee directors. These Non-employee director deferred stock units vest within one year and are distributed upon election. At year-end 2008 and year-end 2007, there was approximately $203,000 and $227,000, respectively, in deferred costs related to Non-employee director deferred stock units.

The share-based compensation expense, number of deferred stock units granted, weighted average grant-date fair value, and aggregate intrinsic value of Non-employee director deferred stock units are noted in the following table:

At year-end 2008 and year-end 2007, there were 233,000 and 218,000, respectively, Non-employee deferred stock units outstanding, and the weighted average grant-date fair value of those outstanding deferred stock units was $24 for each of 2008 and 2007.

Other Information
Although the Comprehensive Plan also provides for issuance of deferred stock bonus awards, deferred stock awards, and restricted stock awards, our Compensation Policy Committee indefinitely suspended the issuance of deferred bonus stock commencing with our 2001 fiscal year and the issuance of both deferred stock awards and restricted stock awards commencing with the 2003 fiscal year. At year-end 2008 and year-end 2007, there was approximately $2 million and $4 million, respectively, in deferred compensation costs related to these suspended award programs, and the weighted average remaining term was one year for such award grants outstanding at year-end 2008. Share-based compensation expense associated with these suspended award programs was $2 million, $4 million, and $6 million for 2008, 2007, and 2006, respectively.

At year-end 2008, 58 million shares were reserved under the Comprehensive Plan including 39 million shares under the Stock Option Program and Stock Appreciation Right Program.

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