Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Note 4 - Stock-based Compensation

v3.19.1
Note 4 - Stock-based Compensation
6 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019
Notes to Financial Statements  
Share-based Payment Arrangement [Text Block]
Note
4.
Stock-Based Compensation
 
The Company recorded
$563,666
and
$1,102,190
of compensation expense related to current and past stock option grants, restricted stock grants and the Company’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”) for the
three
and
six
months ended
March 31, 2019,
respectively. For the
three
months ended
March 31, 2019,
$532,425
of this expense is included in selling, general and administrative expense, and
$31,241
is included in cost of sales. For the
six
months ended
March 31, 2019,
$1,039,709
of this expense is included in selling, general and administrative expense, and
$62,481
is included in cost of sales. The Company recorded
$485,794
and
$969,081
of compensation expense related to current and past stock option grants, restricted stock grants and the Company’s 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. As of
March 31, 2019,
$2,965,292
of total unrecognized compensation expense related to non-vested equity awards is expected to be recognized over a period of approximately
5.4
years.
 
Stock Options
 
The Company uses the Black-Scholes option pricing model to determine the weighted average fair value of stock options granted. During the
six
months ended
March 31, 2019,
the Company granted employees non-qualified stock options to purchase an aggregate of
172,000
shares of common stock with a weighted average contractual term of
four
years, a
three
year vesting term, and a weighted average exercise price of
$12.17.
There were
no
stock options granted during the
six
months ended
March 31, 2018.
The weighted-average fair value at the grant date for options issued during the
six
months ended
March 31, 2019
was
$3.53.
 
This fair value was estimated at the grant date using the assumptions listed below:
 
    Six months ended
March 31, 2019
 
Dividend yield    
0
%
Weighted average expected volatility    
37.77
%
Weighted average risk-free interest rate    
2.92
%
Weighted average expected life (years)    
3.0
 
Vesting period (years)    
3.0
 
 
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 at grant date on
zero
-coupon U.S. governmental bonds having 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. However, options granted to directors have a
one
year vesting period and a
six
-year contractual term. The maximum contractual term is normally
six
years. 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, 2019:
 
    Number of
options
   
Weighted average
exercise price
 
Outstanding as of September 30, 2018    
138,500
    $
10.99
 
Granted    
172,000
     
12.17
 
Exercised    
(6,750
)    
2.58
 
Cancelled or Forfeited    
-  
     
-  
 
Outstanding as of March 31, 2019    
303,750
    $
11.85
 
 
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, 2019,
the weighted average remaining contractual term for all outstanding and exercisable stock options was
1.4
years and their aggregate intrinsic value was
$287,850.
During the
six
months ended
March 31, 2019,
the Company received proceeds of
$24
from the exercise of stock options. During the
six
months ended
March 31, 2018,
exercised stock options totaled
6,100
shares, resulting in proceeds of
$17,949
from the exercise of stock options.
 
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, 2019,
the Company granted non-employee directors elected at the Company’s
2019
Annual Meeting of Shareholders restricted stock awards totaling
4,340
shares of common stock, with a vesting term of approximately
one
year and a fair value of
$14.40
per share.
 
During the
six
months ended
March 31, 2018,
the Company granted non-employee directors elected at the Company’s
2018
Annual Meeting of Shareholders 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.
 
Restricted stock transactions during the
six
months ended
March 31, 2019
are summarized as follows:
 
   
Number of
shares
   
Weighted average
grant date fair value
 
Unvested shares as of September 30, 2018    
248,613
    $
14.65
 
Granted    
4,340
     
14.40
 
Vested    
(5,935
)    
14.43
 
Forfeited    
(4,692
)    
15.05
 
Unvested as of March 31, 2019    
242,326
    $
14.64
 
 
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 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, 2018
and
December 31, 2017,
employees purchased
17,312
and
14,242
shares at a price of
$8.43
and
$10.41
per share, respectively. After the employee purchase on
December 31, 2018,
69,769
shares of common stock were available for future purchase under the ESPP.