Note 8 - Stock-based Compensation and Other Plans

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2017

Notes to Financial Statements

Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Text Block]

8.

     Stock-Based Compensation and Other Plans

SGRP has granted restricted stock and stock option awards to its eligible directors, officers and employees and certain employees of its affiliates respecting shares of Common Stock issued by SGRP ("SGRP Shares") pursuant to SGRP's

2008

Stock Compensation Plan (as amended, the

"2008

Plan"), which was approved by SGRP's stockholders in

May

of

2008

and

2009.

The

2008

Plan provides for the granting of restricted SGRP shares, stock options to purchase SGRP shares (either incentive or nonqualified), and restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights and other awards based on SGRP shares ("Awards") to SGRP Directors and the Company's specified executives, employees and consultants (which are employees of certain of its affiliates), although to date SGRP has not issued any permissible form of Award other than stock option, restricted share awards, and performance stock units. As of

March

31,

2017,

approximately

1.1

million SGRP shares were available for Award grants under the amended

2008

Plan.

100,000

option grants were issued to the new SVP Sales and Marketing during the

three

month period ended

March

31,

2017.

The Company recognized

$46,000

and

$66,000

in stock-based compensation expense relating to stock option Awards during the

three

month periods ended

March

31,

2017

and

2016,

respectively. The tax benefit, available to the Company, from stock based compensation expense related to stock options during the

three

months ended

March

31,

2017

and

2016

was approximately

$17,400

and

$25,300,

respectively. As of

March

31,

2017,

total unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to stock options was

$373,500.

During the

three

months ended

March

31,

2017

and

2016,

the Company recognized approximately

$9,000

and

$12,000,

respectively, of stock-based compensation expense related to restricted stock. The tax benefit, available to the Company, from stock based compensation expense related to restricted stock during the

three

months ended

March

31,

2017

and

2016

was approximately

$3,400

and

$4,700,

respectively. As of

March

31,

2017,

total unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to unvested restricted stock Awards was

$65,300.