NOTE 9—Share-Based Payments

Regions has long-term incentive compensation plans that permit the granting of incentive awards in the form of stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock awards and units, performance awards, and/or stock appreciation rights. While Regions has the ability to issue stock appreciation rights, none have been issued to date. The terms of all awards issued under these plans are determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors; however, no awards may be granted after the tenth anniversary from the date the plans were initially approved by shareholders. Incentive awards usually vest based on employee service, generally within three years from the date of the grant. The contractual lives of options granted under these plans range from seven to ten years from the date of grant.

On May 13, 2010, the shareholders of the Company approved the Regions Financial Corporation 2010 Long-Term Incentive Plan (“2010 LTIP”), which permits the Company to grant to employees and directors various forms of incentive compensation. These forms of incentive compensation are similar to the types of compensation approved in prior plans. The 2010 LTIP authorizes 100 million common share equivalents available for grant, where grants of options count as one share equivalent and grants of full value awards (e.g., shares of restricted stock and restricted stock units) count as 2.25 share equivalents. Unless otherwise determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors, grants of restricted stock and restricted stock units accrue dividends as they are declared by the Board of Directors, and the dividends are paid upon vesting of the award. The 2010 LTIP closed all prior long-term incentive plans to new grants, and, accordingly, prospective grants must be made under the 2010 LTIP or a successor plan. All existing grants under prior long-term incentive plans were unaffected by this amendment. The number of remaining share equivalents available for future issuance under the 2010 LTIP was approximately 66 million at June 30, 2012.

STOCK OPTIONS

No stock option grants were made during the first six months of 2012. The following table details the activity related to stock options during the first six months of 2012 and 2011:

RESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS AND PERFORMANCE STOCK AWARDS

During the first six months of 2012 and 2011, Regions made restricted stock grants that vest based upon a service condition. During the second quarter of 2012, the Company also made restricted stock unit and performance stock unit grants; restricted stock units vest based upon a service condition and performance stock units vest based upon service and performance conditions. Dividend payments during the vesting period are deferred to the end of the vesting term. The fair value of these restricted shares, restricted stock units and performance stock units was estimated based upon the fair value of the underlying shares on the date of the grant. The valuation was not adjusted for the deferral of dividends.

The following table details the activity related to restricted and performance stock awards and units: