SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

12 Months Ended

Jul. 25, 2015

Equity [Abstract]

SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

The Company has two classes of common stock. Class A common stock is entitled to one vote per share and to cash dividends as declared 54% greater than those paid on Class B common stock. Class B common stock is entitled to 10 votes per share. Class A and Class B common stock share equally on a per share basis in any distributions in liquidation. Shares of Class B common stock are convertible on a share-for-share basis for Class A common stock at any time. Class B common stock is not transferable except to another holder of Class B common stock or by will or under the laws of intestacy or pursuant to a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company approving the transfer. As a result of this voting structure, the holders of the Class B common stock control greater than 50% of the total voting power of the shareholders of the Company and control the election of the Board of Directors.

The Company has authorized 10,000 shares of preferred stock. No shares have been issued. The Board of Directors is authorized to designate series, preferences, powers and participations of any preferred stock issued.

During fiscal 2015 the Company’s Board of Directors authorized a share repurchase program of up to $5,000 of its Class A Common Stock.  Repurchases may be made from time-to-time through a variety of methods, including open market purchases and other negotiated transactions, including through plans designed to comply with Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. No shares have been repurchased in fiscal 2015.

Village has three share-based compensation plans, which are described below. The compensation cost charged against income for these plans was $3,169, $3,229 and $3,222 in fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. Total income tax benefit recognized in the consolidated statements of operations for share-based compensation arrangements was $1,134, $1,148 and $1,140 in fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

The Village Super Market, Inc. 2004 Stock Plan (the “2004 Plan”) provides for awards of incentive and nonqualified stock options and restricted stock. There are 1,200 shares of Class A common stock authorized for issuance to employees and directors under the 2004 Plan. Terms and conditions of awards are determined by the Board of Directors. Option awards are primarily granted at the fair value of the Company’s stock at the date of grant, cliff vest three years from the grant date and are exercisable up to ten years from the date of grant. Restricted stock awards primarily cliff vest three years from the grant date. There are no shares remaining for future grants under the 2004 Plan.

On December 17, 2010, the shareholders of the Company approved the Village Super Market, Inc. 2010 Stock Plan (the “2010 Plan”) under which awards of incentive and non-qualified stock options and restricted stock may be made. There are 1,200 shares of Class A common stock authorized for issuance to employees and directors under the 2010 Plan. Terms and conditions of awards are determined by the Board of Directors. Option awards granted to date were granted at the fair value of the Company's stock on the date of grant, primarily cliff vest three years from the grant date and are exercisable up to ten years from the grant date. Restricted stock awards primarily cliff vest three years from the date of grant. There are 365 shares remaining for future grants under the 2010 Plan.

The following table summarizes option activity under all plans for the following years:

	2015				2014				2013
	Shares		Weighted-average exercise price		Shares		Weighted-average  exercise price		Shares		Weighted-average  exercise price
Outstanding at beginning of year	591		$	26.41	380		$	24.91	474		$	24.03
Granted	4		24.51		224		28.83		8		33.91
Exercised	(111	)	21.41		(9	)	23.23		(86	)	20.19
Forfeited	(11	)	18.83		(4	)	27.51		(16	)	28.86
Outstanding at end of year	473		$	27.75	591		$	26.41	380		$	24.91
Options exercisable at end of year	248		$	26.80	365		$	24.89	169		$	21.50

As of July 25, 2015, the weighted-average remaining contractual term of options outstanding and options exercisable was 6.5 years and 4.6 years, respectively. As of July 25, 2015, the aggregate intrinsic value of options outstanding and options exercisable was $417 and $402, respectively. The weighted-average grant date fair value of options granted was $4.32 and $6.41 per share in fiscal 2015 and 2014, respectively. The total intrinsic value of options exercised was $1,090, $113 and $1,344 in fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The fair value of each option award is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes Option Pricing Model using the weighted-average assumptions in the following table. The Company uses historical data for similar groups of employees in order to estimate the expected life of options granted. Expected volatility is based on the historical volatility of the Company’s stock for a period of years corresponding to the expected life of the option. The risk free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve at the time of grant for securities with a maturity period similar to the expected life of the option.

	2015		2014
Expected life (years)	5.0		6.0
Expected volatility	29.8	%	32.2	%
Expected dividend yield	4.1	%	3.5	%
Risk-free interest rate	1.5	%	1.9	%

The following table summarizes restricted stock activity under the 2004 and 2010 Plans for fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013:

	2015				2014			2013
	Shares		Weighted-average  grant date  fair value		Shares		Weighted-average  grant date  fair value	Shares		Weighted-average  grant date fair value
Nonvested at beginning of year	288		$	28.83	299		27.60	299		$	27.57
Granted	3		23.77		288		28.83	2		33.73
Vested	(20	)	28.83		(299	)	27.60	(2	)	28.25
Forfeited	—		—		—		—	—		—
Nonvested at end of year	271		$	28.78	288		28.83	299		$	27.60

The total fair value of restricted shares vested during fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013 was $576, $8,663 and $60, respectively.  As of July 25, 2015, there was $5,408 of total unrecognized compensation costs related to nonvested stock options and restricted stock granted under the above plans. That cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.7 years.

Cash received from option exercises under all share-based compensation arrangements was $2,392, $217 and $1,742 in fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The actual tax benefit realized for tax deductions from option exercises under share-based compensation arrangements was $424, $46 and $537 in fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

The Company declared and paid cash dividends on common stock as follows:

	2015		2014		2013
Per share:
Class A common stock	$	1.000	$	1.000	$	2.000
Class B common stock	0.650		0.650		1.300
Aggregate:
Class A common stock	$	9,749	$	9,598	$	17,486
Class B common stock	2,828		2,834		6,562
	$	12,577	$	12,432	$	24,048

Dividends paid in fiscal 2013 include special dividends totaling $12,009 paid in the second quarter, comprised of $1.00 per Class A common share and $.65 per Class B common share.