NOTE 11 – STOCK COMPENSATION



2011 Executive Incentive Compensation Plan



On March 28, 2011 the Board adopted and on May 19, 2011 the Company’s shareholders approved the Company’s 2011 Executive Incentive Compensation Plan (“2011 Incentive Plan”). The 2011 Incentive Plan authorizes incentive awards to officers, key employees and non-employee directors in the form of options (incentive and non-qualified), stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance stock units (“deferred stock”), performance cash units, and other awards in stock, cash, or a combination of stock and cash. The 2011 Incentive Plan, as amended, allows the issuance of up to 2,500,000 shares of common stock.    



During 2020, stock options covering 191,301 shares were awarded to key executive employees and non-employee directors, which options expire seven years from the date of award and generally vest 25% each year beginning one year after the date of award. The Company also granted deferred stock awards of 89,131 shares to key employees during 2020 under the Company’s long-term incentive plan for the 2020 to 2022 period. These awards vest over three years with the first vesting date being May 6, 2021.    



At December 31, 2020,  431,032 shares have been issued under the 2011 Incentive Plan, 1,445,885 shares are subject to currently outstanding options, deferred stock awards, and unvested restricted stock units, and 623,083 shares remained available for future issuance under the 2011 Incentive Plan.



Stock Options Outstanding



The following table summarizes changes in the number of outstanding stock options under the Director Plan, Stock Plan and the 2011 Incentive Plan during the two years ended December 31, 2020. 





The fair value of awards issued under the Company’s stock option plan is estimated at grant date using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The following table displays the assumptions used in the model.





Total unrecognized compensation expense was $222,000 as of December 31, 2020, which is expected to be recognized over the next 2.8 years. The aggregate intrinsic value of all outstanding options, exercisable options, and options expected to vest (the amount by which the market price of the stock on the last day of the period exceeded the market price of the stock on the date of grant) was $437,000 based on the Company’s stock price at December 31, 2020. The intrinsic value of options exercised during the year was $18,000 in 2020 and $380,000 in 2019. Net cash proceeds from the exercise of all stock options were $0 in 2020 and 2019. The following table summarizes the status of stock options outstanding at December 31, 2020:





The Company receives an income tax benefit related to the gains received by officers and key employees who make disqualifying dispositions of stock received on exercise of qualified incentive stock options and on non-qualified options. The amount of tax benefit received by the Company was $0 in both 2020 and 2019. The tax benefit amounts have been credited to additional paid-in capital.



Deferred Stock Outstanding



The following table summarizes the changes in the number of deferred stock shares under the Stock Plan and 2011 Incentive Plan over the period from December 31, 2018 to December 31, 2020:





The grant date fair value is calculated based on the Company’s closing stock price as of the grant date. As of December 31, 2020, the total unrecognized compensation expense related to the deferred stock shares was $347,000 and is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.1 years.



Compensation Expense



Share-based compensation expense is recognized based on the fair value of awards granted over the vesting period of the award. Share-based compensation expense recognized for 2020 and 2019 was $463,000 and $413,000 before income taxes and $366,000 and $326,000 after income taxes, respectively. Share-based compensation expense is recorded as a part of selling, general and administrative expenses.



Employee Stock Purchase Plan



Under the Company’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”), employees are able to acquire shares of common stock at 85% of the price at the end of each current quarterly plan term. The most recent term ended December 31, 2020. The ESPP is considered compensatory under current rules. At December 31, 2020, after giving effect to the shares issued as of that date, 68,843 shares remain available for purchase under the ESPP.



Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)



All eligible employees of the Company participate in the ESOP after completing one year of service. Contributions are allocated to each participant based on compensation and vest 20% after two years of service and incrementally thereafter, with full vesting after six years. At December 31, 2020, the ESOP held 706,287 shares of the Company’s common stock, all of which have been allocated to the accounts of eligible employees. Contributions to the plan are determined by the Board of Directors and can be made in cash or shares of the Company’s stock. The 2020 ESOP contribution was $328,263 for which the Company issued 71,830 shares in March 2021. The 2019 ESOP contribution was $407,584 for which the Company issued 66,059 shares in 2020.