7. Share-Based Compensation

The Company has share-based compensation plans, which are more fully described in Note 9, Share-Based Compensation, to the Consolidated Financial Statements in the 2014 10-K. During the nine months ended September 30, 2015, the Company granted stock awards subject to service conditions, service and market conditions, and service and performance conditions, consisting of stock appreciation rights, or SARs.

For the three months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014, share-based compensation expense amounted to $10.3 million and $11.0 million, respectively. For the nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014, share-based compensation expense amounted to $34.2 million and $34.4 million, respectively. As of September 30, 2015, the total unrecognized compensation cost related to all non-vested stock awards was $62.4 million and the related weighted-average period over which it is expected to be recognized is approximately 1.5 years.

The following tables summarize the activity under all share-based compensation plans for the nine months ended September 30, 2015:

The weighted-average grant date fair value of SARs granted during the three months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014 was $24.11 and $20.88, respectively. The weighted-average grant date fair value of SARs granted during the nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014 was $12.88 and $25.71, respectively. The total intrinsic value of stock options and SARs exercised during the three months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014 was $4.2 million and $2.4 million, respectively. The total intrinsic value of stock options and SARs exercised during the nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014 was $23.8 million and $37.4 million, respectively.

The total vesting date fair value of stock units which vested during the three months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014 was $0.3 million and $0.2 million, respectively. The total vesting date fair value of stock units which vested during the nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014 was $1.3 million and $8.7 million, respectively.

The Company recognizes excess tax benefits associated with share-based compensation to shareholders’ deficit only when realized. When assessing whether excess tax benefits relating to share-based compensation have been realized, the Company follows the with-and-without approach. Under this approach, excess tax benefits related to share-based compensation are not deemed to be realized until after the utilization of all other tax benefits available to the Company, which are also subject to applicable limitations. As of September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, the Company had $24.1 million and $23.6 million, respectively, of unrealized excess tax benefits.