Note 11 - Stock-based Compensation

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

Notes to Financial Statements

Share-based Payment Arrangement [Text Block]

NOTE 11 – STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

The True Drinks Holdings, Inc. 2013 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Prior Plan”) was first approved in December 2013 and was approved by a majority of the stockholders in October 2014. The Prior Plan originally authorized 0.2 million shares of common stock for issuance as equity-based awards, which amount was increased to 1.2 million in January 2018 by authorization of the Board of Directors at that time (the “Prior Plan Amendment”). As of the date of the Share Exchange, April 26, 2019, a total of approximately 0.9 million awards were issued under the Prior Plan and the Prior Plan Amendment, consisting entirely of outstanding stock options. As of December 31, 2021, approximately 0.6 million of these stock options remain vested and exercisable under this plan.

The Company will not grant any additional awards or shares of common stock under the Prior Plan beyond those that are currently outstanding.

On May 8, 2019, our Board of Directors approved the Charlie’s Holdings, Inc. 2019 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “2019 Plan”), and the 2019 Plan was subsequently approved by holders of a majority of our outstanding voting securities on the same date. The 2019 Plan will supersede and replace the Prior Plan and no new awards will be granted under the Prior Plan. Any awards outstanding under the Prior Plan on the date of stockholder approval of the 2019 Plan will remain subject to the terms in the Prior Plan, including those granted under the Prior Plan Amendment, and any shares subject to outstanding awards under the Prior Plan that subsequently expire, terminate, or are surrendered or forfeited for any reason without issuance of shares will automatically become available for issuance under the 2019 Plan. Up to 11,072,542 stock options may be granted under the 2019 Plan. The shares of common stock issuable under the 2019 Plan will consist of authorized and unissued shares, treasury shares, and shares purchased on the open market or otherwise. 

On December 22, 2021, our Board of Directors unanimously adopted resolutions by written consent approving an amendment to increase the number of shares of Common Stock available for issuance under the 2019 Plan by 15.0 million shares, from 11,072,542 to 26,072,542 shares (the “Plan Amendment”). Furthermore, the Company received written consents approving the 2019 Plan Amendment from holders of approximately 50.3% of our outstanding voting securities. In accordance with Rule 14c of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Our Board of Directors’ authority to implement the 2019 Plan Amendment became effective February 28, 2022, twenty calendar days after notification of our shareholders. The 2019 Plan Amendment will allow the Company to maintain a sufficient number of available shares for future grants under the 2019 Plan.

Non-Qualified Stock Options

The following table summarizes stock option activities during the year ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 (all option amounts are in thousands):

	Stock Options			Weighted Average Exercise Price		Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life (in years)		Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Outstanding at January 1, 2020		8,013		$	0.54		8.5	$	-
Options granted		50			0.44		10.0		-
Options forfeited/expired		(560	)		0.63		-		-
Outstanding at December 31, 2020		7,503			0.54		8.5	$	-
Options granted		80			0.44		10.0		-
Options forfeited/expired		(460	)		0.44		-		-
Outstanding at December 31, 2021		7,123		$	0.54		7.5	$	-
Options vested and exercisable at December 31, 2021		5,376		$	0.57		7.3	$	-

During the year ended December 31, 2021, and 2020, the Company granted 80,000 and 50,000 options under the 2019 Plan, respectively. The fair value of the option on the grant date was approximately $12,000 and $5,400, respectively based on the following weighted average assumptions:

	For the years ended
	December 31,
	2021			2020
Exercise price	$	0.4431		$	0.4431
Contractual term (years)		6.00			6.00
Volatility (annual)		85.0	%		75.0	%
Risk-free rate		0.9	%		0.5	%
Dividend yield (per share)		0	%		0	%

During the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company modified 0.6 million options to accelerate certain employees’ option grants to allow the employee to exercise or receive the award. The Company accounted for the modification as a Type III (improbable-to-probable) modification. The Company recognized approximately $79,000 of additional compensation expense related to this modification during the year ended December 31, 2020.

As of December 31, 2021, there was approximately $40,000 of total unrecognized compensation expense related to non-vested share-based compensation arrangements granted under the 2019 Plan. That cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 2.7 years. For the year ended December 31, 2021, and 2020, the Company recorded compensation expense of $151,000 and $590,000, respectively, related to the issuance of stock options.

Common Stock Awards

On April 26, 2019, in connection with employment agreements with its Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer, the Company issued market condition awards contingent upon the achievement of certain market capitalization targets. The awards are subject to a three-year service vesting period. The awards are settleable in a variable number of common shares based on defined percentages of the Company's total shares determined by market capitalization targets and are, therefore, classified as liabilities in accordance with ASC 718. The fair value of the awards is remeasured at each reporting period until settlement. Compensation cost is attributed over the period encompassing the derived service period and the explicit service period. The fair value of the market condition awards on the termination date of February 12, 2020, was approximately $1,638,000. The market condition awards were valued using a Monte Carlo simulation technique, a risk-free interest rate of 1.44% and a volatility of 75% based on volatility over 3 years using daily stock prices. For the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company recorded an expense of $1,322,000 for these awards. In addition, as these market awards were eliminated during the first quarter of 2020 (see paragraph below), the Company reversed the entire compensation liability of $1,638,000 to Additional Paid In Capital during the year ended December 31, 2020.

On February 12, 2020, the Company, entered into a form of Amended and Restated Employment Agreement (together the “Amended Employment Agreements”) with both the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer. The terms of the Amended Employment Agreements have been amended as follows: (i) the annual equity awards based upon, among other conditions, the Company’s market capitalization and a percentage of base salary have been eliminated; however, the awards based on financial milestones remain in full force and effect; and (ii) payment of the 2019 bonuses has been deferred, resulting in the accrual of such bonuses on the books and records of the Company. All other terms of the respective Employment Agreements will remain in full force and effect subject to further review by the Board of Directors as it deems necessary and appropriate.

On April 26, 2019, as additional consideration for advisory services provided in connection with the Charlie’s Financing and the Share Exchange (see Note 3 above), the Company issued an aggregate of 9.0 million shares of common stock (the “Advisory Shares”), including to a member of the Company’s Board of Directors, pursuant to a subscription agreement. The fair value of a share of common stock was $0.32 which is based upon a valuation prepared by the Company on the date of the Share Exchange. The Company recorded stock-based compensation of approximately $2.9 million on the grant date.

Prior to the Share Exchange, Charlie’s employees held Member units, which were automatically converted into 71,000 shares of common stock and 69,815 shares of Series B Preferred (or 6.98 million shares of common stock equivalents) due to the effect of the Share Exchange. The 7.1 million shares of common stock vested over a two-year period. The fair value of a share of common stock was $0.32 which is based upon a valuation prepared by the Company on the date of the Share Exchange. The Company recorded stock-based compensation of approximately $376,000 and $1,128,000 during the years ended December 31, 2021, and 2020, respectively.

On April 1, 2021, the Board of Directors of the Company entered into an Employment Agreement (the "Agreement") with Henry Sicignano III, MBA, pursuant to which the Company appointed Mr. Sicignano to serve as President of the Company. Pursuant to the Agreement, Mr. Sicignano will serve as President for an initial period of two years, renewable on an annual basis unless earlier terminated by the Company or Mr. Sicignano. Mr. Sicignano was awarded 1,500,000 restricted shares (subject to forfeiture) (“Restricted Shares”) of the Company. Mr. Sicignano will have all the rights of a shareholder of the Company with respect to voting the 1,500,000 restricted shares awarded under this grant and share adjustments, receipt of dividends (if any) and distributions (if any) on such shares. Restricted Shares will be subject to forfeiture in 750,000 share increments on April 1, 2022, and April 1, 2023, and will also be subject to additional forfeiture-release features set forth in Addendum A to the Employment Agreement of Henry Sicignano, III, included in the Company’s 8-K filed April 6, 2021. The grant date fair value of the 1,500,000 restricted shares was approximately $65,000.

On November 1, 2021 (“Grant Date”) the Company granted to Jeff Fox, an Independent Director, 250,000 shares of Common Stock of the Company (“Fox Shares”) pursuant to the 2019 Plan. The grant of the Fox Shares was made in consideration for services rendered by Mr. Fox to the Company. Mr. Fox will have all the rights of a shareholder of the Company with respect to voting the 250,000 restricted shares awarded under this grant and share adjustments, receipt of dividends (if any) and distributions (if any) on such shares. Fox Shares will be subject to forfeiture in 125,000 share increments until the first to occur of the following: (i) each anniversary of the Grant Date; (ii) the event of a change in control of the Company; or (iii) the death, disability, or retirement of Mr. Fox. The fair value of the 250,000 restricted shares was approximately $12,775.

On March 2, 2022, the Company granted approximately 5.8 million restricted stock awards (“RSAs”) to employees, officers and directors of the Company pursuant to the 2019 Plan, as amended. The RSAs will be subject to a vesting schedule and will have all the rights of a shareholder of the Company with respect to voting, share adjustments, receipt of dividends (if any) and distributions (if any) on such shares.

The Company recorded total stock-based compensation expense of approximately $552,000 and $3,072,000 during the years ended December 31, 2021, and 2020, respectively.