SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION

9 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

Share-based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]

On September 12, 2019, the Company's stockholders approved the 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (2019 Plan), which replaced the Company's 2007 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended (Amended 2007 Plan). The 2019 Plan permitted the granting of incentive and nonstatutory stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock awards, restricted stock unit awards, and other stock awards, collectively referred to as "share-based awards." On September 10, 2020, the Company's stockholders approved an amendment and restatement of the 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (the 2019 Amended Plan) to increase the number of shares authorized for issuance by 4,700,000, established a one-year minimum vesting requirement for awards granted on or after September 10, 2020, and changed the factor used to calculate the increase or reduction in the number of shares available for issuance under the 2019 Amended Plan.

Periodically, the Company grants share-based awards to employees, officers, and directors of the Company and its subsidiaries. During the nine months ended December 31, 2021, the Company granted performance-based restricted stock units to certain executive officers that vest based upon the Company's total shareholder return as compared to the Russell 2000 Index over a three-year period. The performance-based restricted stock units were valued using the Monte Carlo Simulation model. The measurement and recognition of compensation expense is based on estimated fair values for all share-based payment awards made to its employees and directors. Share-based award grants are generally measured at fair value on the date of grant based on the number of shares granted and the quoted price of the Company's common stock. Such value is recognized as a cost of revenue or an operating expense over the corresponding vesting period.

The following is a summary of share-based compensation expense including restricted stock units and performance-based restricted stock units granted pursuant to the Company's Amended 2007 Plan, the 2019 Plan, and the 2019 Amended Plan and employee stock purchases made under the Company's 2011 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended, (ESPP), based on estimated fair values within the applicable cost and expense lines identified below (in thousands):


	Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
	December 31,				December 31,
	2021		2020		2021		2020
Cost of product revenue	$	214	$	248	$	809	$	837
Cost of service revenue	1,302		1,371		4,822		4,531
Research and development	3,297		3,862		12,290		12,578
Sales and marketing	4,727		4,253		15,383		13,602
General and administrative	3,141		2,783		10,077		8,801
	$	12,681	$	12,517	$	43,381	$	40,349

Employee Stock Purchase Plan – The Company maintains the ESPP for all eligible employees as described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2021. Under the ESPP, shares of the Company's common stock may be purchased on the last day of each bi-annual offering period at 85% of the fair value on the last day of such offering period. The offering periods run from March 1st through August 31st and from September 1st through the last day of February each year. During the nine months ended December 31, 2021, employees purchased 251,308 shares under the ESPP and the value per share was $23.31.