Stock-Based Compensation

9 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Share-based Payment Arrangement, Noncash Expense [Abstract]

STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

Universal’s shareholders have approved Executive Stock Plans (“Plans”) under which officers, directors, and employees of the Company may receive grants and awards of common stock, restricted stock, restricted stock units (“RSUs”), performance share awards (“PSAs”), stock appreciation rights (“SARs”), incentive stock options, and non-qualified stock options. The Company’s practice is to award grants of stock-based compensation to officers on an annual basis at the first regularly-scheduled meeting of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Compensation Committee”) in the fiscal year following the public release of the Company’s financial results for the prior year. The Compensation Committee administers the Company’s Plans consistently, following previously defined guidelines. In recent years, the Compensation Committee has awarded only grants of RSUs and PSAs. Awards of restricted stock, RSUs, and PSAs are currently outstanding under the Plans. The RSUs vest five years from the grant date and are then paid out in shares of common stock. Under the terms of the RSU awards, grantees receive dividend equivalents in the form of additional RSUs that vest and are paid out on the same date as the original RSU grant. The PSAs vest at the end of a three-year performance period that begins with the year of the grant, are paid out in shares of common stock shortly after the vesting date, and do not carry rights to dividends or dividend equivalents prior to vesting. Shares ultimately paid out under PSA grants are dependent on the achievement of predetermined performance measures established by the Compensation Committee and can range from zero to 150% of the stated award. The Company’s outside directors automatically receive RSUs following each annual meeting

of shareholders and previously received restricted stock. RSUs awarded to outside directors vest in one year for the 2020 Stock Incentive Plan or three years for any prior Incentive Plans after the grant date, and restricted shares vest upon the individual’s retirement from service as a director.

During the nine-month periods ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, Universal issued the following stock-based awards, representing the regular annual grants to officers and outside directors of the Company:



	Nine Months Ended December 31,
	2019		2018

RSUs:
Number granted	67,040		71,200
Grant date fair value	$	57.54	$	66.30

PSAs:
Number granted	46,300		54,800
Grant date fair value	$	50.16	$	57.12

Fair value expense for stock-based compensation is recognized ratably over the period from grant date to the earlier of: (1) the vesting date of the award, or (2) the date the grantee is eligible to retire without forfeiting the award. For employees who are already eligible to retire at the date an award is granted, the total fair value of all non-forfeitable awards is recognized as expense at the date of grant. As a result, Universal typically incurs higher stock compensation expense in the first quarter of each fiscal year when grants are awarded to officers than in the other three quarters. For PSAs, the Company generally recognizes fair value expense ratably over the performance and vesting period based on management’s judgment of the ultimate award that is likely to be paid out based on the achievement of the predetermined performance measures. The Company accounts for forfeitures of stock-based awards as they occur. For the nine-month periods ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company recorded total stock-based compensation expense of approximately $4.8 million and $7.1 million, respectively. The Company expects to recognize stock-based compensation expense of approximately $1.1 million during the remaining three months of fiscal year 2020.