Note 6 - Share-based Compensation

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2024

Notes to Financial Statements

Share-Based Payment Arrangement [Text Block]

6. Share-based Compensation

The Company has one active stock incentive plan for employees and directors, the 2022 Stock Incentive Plan, which provides for awards of stock options to purchase shares of common stock, stock appreciation rights, restricted and unrestricted shares of common stock, restricted stock units (“RSUs”), and performance share awards (“PSAs”). In addition, the Company had one inactive stock incentive plan, the 2007 Stock Incentive Plan, under which previously granted awards vested on April 1, 2024.

The Company recognizes the compensation cost of employee and director services received in exchange for awards of equity instruments based on the grant date estimated fair value of the awards. The Company estimates the fair value of RSUs and PSAs using the value of the Company’s stock on the date of grant. Share-based compensation cost is recognized over the period during which the employee or director is required to provide service in exchange for the award and, as forfeitures occur, the associated compensation cost recognized to date is reversed. For awards with performance-based payout conditions, the Company recognizes compensation cost based on the probability of achieving the performance conditions, with changes in expectations recognized as an adjustment to earnings in the period of change. Any recognized compensation cost is reversed if the conditions are ultimately not met.

The following table summarizes share-based compensation expense recorded (in thousands):

	Three Months Ended September 30,				Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2024		2023		2024		2023
Cost of sales	$	387	$	275	$	1,102	$	816
Selling, general, and administrative expense		775		471		2,734		2,234
Total	$	1,162	$	746	$	3,836	$	3,050

Restricted Stock Units and Performance Share Awards

The Company’s stock incentive plan provides for equity instruments, such as RSUs and PSAs, which grant the right to receive a specified number of shares at specified times. RSUs and PSAs are service-based awards that vest according to the terms of the grant. PSAs have performance-based payout conditions.

The following table summarizes the Company’s RSU and PSA activity:

	Number of RSUs and PSAs (1)			Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value
Unvested RSUs and PSAs as of December 31, 2023		226,391		$	29.66
RSUs and PSAs granted		120,143			34.68
Unvested RSUs and PSAs canceled		(3,197	)		29.15
RSUs and PSAs vested (2)		(103,266	)		30.35
Unvested RSUs and PSAs as of September 30, 2024		240,071			31.89

(1)

The number of PSAs disclosed in this table are at the target level of 100%.

(2)

For the PSAs vested on April 1, 2024, the actual number of common shares that were issued was determined by multiplying the PSAs at the target level of 100%, as disclosed in this table, by a payout percentage based on the performance-based conditions achieved. The payout percentage was 123% for the 2021-2023 performance period, 110% for the 2022-2023 performance period, and 90% for the 2023 performance period.

The unvested balance of RSUs and PSAs as of September 30, 2024 includes approximately 180,000 PSAs at the target level of 100%. The vesting of these awards is subject to the achievement of specified performance-based conditions, and the actual number of common shares that will ultimately be issued will be determined by multiplying this number of PSAs by a payout percentage ranging from 0% to 200%.

Based on the estimated level of achievement of the performance targets associated with the PSAs as of September 30, 2024, unrecognized compensation expense related to the unvested portion of the Company’s RSUs and PSAs was $4.9 million, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.6 years.

Stock Awards

For the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, stock awards of 14,424 shares and 15,904 shares, respectively, were granted to non-employee directors, which vested immediately upon issuance. The Company recorded compensation expense based on the weighted-average fair market value per share of the awards on the grant date of $33.27 in 2024 and $29.51 in 2023.