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Stock Compensation Plans
12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2024
Share-Based Payment Arrangement, Noncash Expense [Abstract]  
Stock Compensation Plans Stock Compensation Plans
The Company has two active stock compensation plans: the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan and the 2019 Equity Incentive Plan. Under the Company's 2014 Equity Incentive Plan, the Company may grant options and awards of restricted stock (with or without performance measures) for up to 352,366 shares of common stock to employees, officers, directors and directors emeriti. Under the Company's 2019 Equity Incentive Plan, the Company may grant options and awards of restricted stock (with or without performance measures) for up to 350,000 shares of common stock, of which 300,000 shares are reserved to be awarded to employees and officers and 50,000 shares are reserved to be awarded to directors and directors emeriti. Shares issued may be purchased in the open market or may be issued from authorized and unissued shares. The exercise price of each option equals the fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant. Generally, options and restricted stock vest in equal annual installments commencing on the first anniversary of the grant date. Stock options generally vest over a five year period from the date of the grant with a maximum contractual term of ten years from the date of the grant.  Restricted stock grants generally vest over a three or five-year term from the date of grant. At September 30, 2024, there were 15,576 and 154,655 shares of common stock available for future grants under the 2014 and 2019 Equity Incentive Plans, respectively.

Stock option activity for the years ended September 30, 2024, 2023 and 2022 is summarized as follows:
 Number of
Shares
Weighted Average
Exercise Price
Outstanding September 30, 2021406,815 $21.62 
Options granted74,000 27.40 
Options exercised(36,720)11.31 
Options forfeited(22,170)26.01 
Outstanding September 30, 2022421,925 23.30 
Options granted1,000 33.40 
Options exercised(42,635)16.38 
Options forfeited(11,140)27.26 
Outstanding September 30, 2023369,150 24.00 
Options granted— — 
Options exercised(45,150)14.61 
Options forfeited(17,760)27.07 
Outstanding September 30, 2024306,240 $25.21 

The aggregate intrinsic value of options exercised during the years ended September 30, 2024, 2023 and 2022 was $655,000, $632,000 and $605,000, respectively.

The Company uses the Black-Scholes option pricing model to estimate the fair value of stock-based awards with the weighted average assumptions noted in the following table. The risk-free interest rate is based on the rate of a U.S. Treasury security with a similar term as the expected life of the stock option at the particular grant date. The expected life is based on historical data, vesting terms and estimated exercise dates. The expected dividend yield is based on the most recent quarterly dividend on an annualized basis in effect at the time that the options were granted, adjusted, if appropriate, for management's expectations regarding future dividends. The expected volatility is based on historical volatility of the Company’s stock price. There were 74,000 options granted during the year ended September 30, 2022 with an aggregate grant date fair value of $508,000. There were 1,000 options granted during the year ended September 30, 2023 with an aggregate grant date fair value of $9,000. There were no options granted during the year ended September 30, 2024.
The weighted average assumptions for options granted during the years ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 were as follows:
 20232022
Expected volatility33 %33 %
Expected life (in years)55
Expected dividend yield2.99 %3.61 %
Risk free interest rate3.58 %4.17 %
Grant date fair value per share$8.65 $6.87 

There were 43,690 options that vested during the year ended September 30, 2024 with a total fair value of $235,000. There were 59,990 options that vested during the year ended September 30, 2023 with a total fair value of $316,000. There were 52,960 options that vested during the year ended September 30, 2022 with a total fair value of $239,000.

At September 30, 2024, there were 77,230 unvested options with an aggregate grant date fair value of $468,000, all of which the Company assumes will vest. The unvested options had an aggregate intrinsic value of $312,000 at September 30, 2024. 
At September 30, 2023, there were 130,120 unvested options with an aggregate grant date fair value of $756,000.

Additional information regarding options outstanding at September 30, 2024 is as follows:
 Options OutstandingOptions Exercisable
Range of
Exercise
Prices ($)
NumberWeighted
Average
Exercise
Price
Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Life (Years)
NumberWeighted
Average
Exercise
Price
Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Life (Years)
 10.26-10.71 20,750 $10.62 0.820,750 $10.62 0.8
 15.67-19.13 55,450 16.60 5.144,520 16.53 4.8
 26.50-27.40 97,220 27.32 7.057,320 27.26 6.4
 28.23-29.6999,900 28.78 5.574,300 28.97 5.0
 31.80-33.4032,920 31.85 4.132,120 31.60 4.0
 306,240 $25.21 5.4229,010 $24.86 4.8

The aggregate intrinsic value of options outstanding at September 30, 2024, 2023 and 2022 was $1,599,000, $1,518,000 and $2,130,000, respectively.

As of September 30, 2024, unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested stock options was $490,000, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 1.76 years. Total stock option compensation expense for the years ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 was $233,000 and $320,000, respectively.

During the year ended September 30, 2024, the Company granted a total of 28,815 shares of restricted stock from the 2019 plan subject to time-based vesting. During the year ended September 30, 2023, the Company granted a total of 26,150 shares of restricted stock from the 2019 Plan subject to time-based vesting. As of and for the year ended September 30, 2022 , there were no unvested restricted stock awards outstanding or restricted stock grants awarded.

The fair value of restricted stock awards is equal to the fair value of the Company's stock on the date of the grant. The related stock-based compensation expense is recorded over the requisite service period. At September 30, 2024, unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested restricted stock awards was $1,435,000, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 2.53 years. Total compensation expense related to restricted stock awards for the year ended September 30, 2024 was $157,000.
The following table presents the activity related to restricted stock for the years ended September 30, 2024 and 2023:
Time Based
Number of Unvested SharesWeighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Outstanding, September 30, 2022— $ 
     Granted26,150 27.37 
     Forfeited— — 
Issued— — 
Outstanding, September 30, 202326,150 27.37 
Granted28,815 30.62 
Forfeited(200)27.37 
Issued(5,750)27.37 
Outstanding, September 30, 202449,015 $29.28