Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Note 4 - Stock-based Compensation

v3.8.0.1
Note 4 - Stock-based Compensation
6 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018
Notes to Financial Statements  
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Text Block]
Note
4.
Stock-Based Compensation
 
The Company recorded
$485,794
and
$969,081
of compensation expense related to current and past option grants, restricted stock grants and the Company’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”) for the
three
and
six
months ended
March 31, 2018,
respectively. For the
three
months ended
March 31, 2018,
$443,763
of this expense is included in selling, general and administrative expense, and
$42,031
is included in cost of sales. For the
six
months ended
March 31, 2018,
$885,020
of this expense is included in selling, general and administrative expense, and
$84,061
is included in cost of sales. The Company recorded
$590,165
and
$1,183,911
of compensation expense related to current and past equity awards for the
three
and
six
months ended
March 31, 2017,
respectively. For the
three
months ended
March 31, 2017,
$535,464
of this expense was included in selling, general and administrative expense, and
$54,701
was included in cost of sales. For the
six
months ended
March 31, 2017,
$1,074,510
of this expense was included in selling, general and administrative expense, and
$109,401
was included in cost of sales. As of
March 31, 2018,
$3,999,219
of total unrecognized compensation expense related to non-vested equity awards is expected to be recognized over a period of approximately
6.6
years.
 
There were
no
stock options granted during the
six
months ended
March 31, 2018
or
March 31, 2017.
The following is a summary of stock option activity during the
six
months ended
March 31, 2018:
 
    Number of options   Weighted average exercise price
Outstanding as of September 30, 2017    
38,950
    $
2.79
 
Granted    
-
     
-
 
Exercised    
(6,100
)    
3.89
 
Cancelled or Forfeited    
-
     
-
 
Outstanding as of March 31, 2018    
32,850
    $
2.58
 
 
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, 2018,
the weighted average remaining contractual term for all outstanding and exercisable stock options was
2.4
years and their aggregate intrinsic value was
$339,012.
During the
six
months ended
March 31, 2018,
the Company received proceeds of
$17,949
from the exercise of stock options. During the
six
months ended
March 31, 2017,
exercised stock options totaled
15,750
shares, resulting in
$28,459
of proceeds to the Company.
 
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, 2018,
the Company granted non-employee directors restricted stock awards totaling
4,235
shares of common stock, with a vesting term of approximately
one
year and a fair value of
$14.75
per share.
 
During the
six
months ended
March 31, 2017,
the Company granted non-employee directors restricted stock awards totaling
3,795
shares of common stock, with a vesting term of approximately
one
year and a fair value of
$16.45
per share.
 
Restricted stock transactions during the
six
months ended
March 31, 2018
are summarized as follows:
 
    Number of shares   Weighted average grant date fair value
Unvested shares as of September 30, 2017    
370,530
    $
15.24
 
Granted    
4,235
     
14.75
 
Vested    
(5,795
)    
15.46
 
Forfeited    
(5,644
)    
15.39
 
Unvested as of March 31, 2018    
363,326
    $
15.23
 
 
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
 
Clearfield, Inc.’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 that participating employees
may
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 phases that ended on
December 31, 2017
and
December 31, 2016,
employees purchased
14,242
and
11,144
shares at a price of
$10.41
and
$15.21
per share, respectively. After the employee purchase on
December 31, 2017,
103,013
shares of common stock were available for future purchase under the ESPP.