Q: What is the meaning of the status 'pending recommendation'?

The change in status from 'Under review' to 'Pending recommendation' means that peer review of your paper is done and the Associate Editor (AE) will now go through the reviews and give his/her recommendation on whether it should be accepted, rejected, or revised. The word 'recommendation' is used because the AE does not give the final decision: he/she can only recommend the Editor-in-chief (EiC) in this matter. The final decision is made by the EiC. Once the AE sends the recommendation to the EiC, the status will change to 'Decision in process.' 

You will also find this ebook useful:
A guide to understanding journal statuses

Recommended reading:

• What is the meaning of the status "evaluation recommendation"?
• When can I expect the status "Awaiting AE Recommendation" to change?