Note 6. Stock-Based Compensation

The Company recorded $570,000 and $1,010,000 of compensation expense related to current and past restricted stock grants, non-qualified stock options and the Company’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”) for the three and six months ended March 31, 2022, respectively. For the three months ended March 31, 2022, $538,000 of this expense is included in selling, general and administrative expense, and $32,000 is included in cost of sales.  For the six months ended March 31, 2022, $947,000 of this expense is included in selling, general and administrative expense, and $63,000 is included in cost of sales. The Company recorded $334,000 and $623,000 of compensation expense related to current and past restricted stock grants, non-qualified stock options and the Company’s ESPP for the three and six months ended March 31, 2021, respectively. For the three months ended March 31, 2021, $314,000 of this expense is included in selling, general and administrative expense, and $20,000 is included in cost of sales.  For the six months ended March 31, 2021, $595,000 of this expense is included in selling, general and administrative expense, and $28,000 is included in cost of sales. As of March 31, 2022, $4,694,000 of total unrecognized compensation expense related to non-vested restricted stock awards and stock options is expected to be recognized over a period of approximately 2.6 years.

Stock Options

The Company uses the Black-Scholes option pricing model to determine the fair value of options granted. During the six months ended March 31, 2022, the Company granted employees non-qualified stock options to purchase an aggregate of 62,730 shares of common stock with a weighted average contractual term of five years, a weighted average three-year vesting term, and a weighted average exercise price of $66.48. During the six months ended March 31, 2021, the Company granted employees non-qualified stock options to purchase an aggregate of 105,089 shares of common stock with a weighted average contractual term of five years, a weighted average three-year vesting term, and a weighted average exercise price of $23.74

The fair value of stock option awards during the six months ended March 31, 2022 was estimated as of the respective grant dates using the assumptions listed below:

The expected stock price volatility is based on the historical volatility of the Company’s stock for a period approximating the expected life. The expected life represents the period of time that options are expected to be outstanding after their grant date. The risk-free interest rate reflects the interest rate as of the grant date on zero-coupon U.S. governmental bonds with a remaining life similar to the expected option term.

Options are granted at fair market values determined on the date of grant and vesting normally occurs over a three to five-year period. Shares issued upon exercise of a stock option are issued from the Company’s authorized but unissued shares.

The following is a summary of stock option activity during the six months ended March 31, 2022:

The intrinsic value of an option is the amount by which the fair value of the underlying stock exceeds its exercise price. As of March 31, 2022, the weighted average remaining contractual term for all outstanding and exercisable stock options was 2.12 years and their aggregate intrinsic value was $7,482,000.

Restricted Stock

The Company’s 2007 Stock Compensation Plan permits its Compensation Committee to grant stock-based awards, including stock options and restricted stock, to key employees and non-employee directors. The Company has made restricted stock grants that vest over one to ten years.

During the six months ended March 31, 2022, the Company granted newly elected non-employee directors restricted stock awards totaling 318 and 2,758 shares of common stock, with a vesting term of approximately one year and a fair value of $62.77 and $63.35 per share, respectively. During the six months ended March 31, 2022, the Company granted non-employees restricted stock awards totaling 3,118 shares of common stock, with a vesting term of approximately one year and a fair value of $64.11 per share. During the six months ended March 31, 2022, the Company also granted employees restricted stock awards totaling 23,318 shares of common stock, with a vesting term of approximately three years and a fair value of $66.48 per share.

During the six months ended March 31, 2021, the Company granted non-employee directors elected at the Company’s 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders restricted stock awards totaling 2,120 shares of common stock, with a vesting term of approximately one year and a fair value of $32.41 per share. During the six months ended March 31, 2021, the Company also granted employees restricted stock awards totaling 37,687 shares of common stock, with a vesting term of approximately three years and a fair value of $23.74 per share.

Restricted stock transactions during the six months ended March 31, 2022 are summarized as follows:

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

The Company’s ESPP allows participating employees to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock at a discount through payroll deductions. The ESPP is available to all employees subject to certain eligibility requirements. Terms of the ESPP provide those participating employees the ability to purchase the Company’s common stock on a voluntary after-tax basis. Employees may purchase the Company’s common stock at a price that is no less than the lower of 85% of the fair market value of one share of common stock at the beginning or end of each stock purchase period or phase. The ESPP is carried out in six-month phases, with phases beginning on January 1 and July 1 of each calendar year. For the phase that ended on December 31, 2021, employees purchased 7,678 shares at a price of $32.43 per share. After the employee purchase on December 31, 2021, 187,195 shares of common stock were available for future purchase under the ESPP.