Note 6 - Equity

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2022

Notes To Financial Statements

EQUITY

NOTE 6—EQUITY

Stock-Based Compensation Awards—Our Long-Term Incentive Plan (“LTIP”) is currently authorized by shareholders for the issuance of awards of up to approximately 10.9 million shares of common stock. As of September 30, 2022, there were approximately 5.4 million shares of common stock available for grant under the LTIP, which

includes 4.0 million authorized shares that became effective on February 23, 2022. Additionally, granted but unvested shares are generally forfeited upon termination of employment, unless an employee enters into another written arrangement, and may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise encumbered.

As of September 30, 2022, we had four types of stock-based awards outstanding: options, restricted stock, restricted stock units and performance stock units. Stock-based compensation expense for all four types of stock-based awards totaled $2.0 million and $1.3 million for the three months ended September 30, 2022 and September 30, 2021, respectively. Stock-based compensation expense for all four types of stock-based awards totaled $6.2 million and $3.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 and September 30, 2021, respectively.

The following table summarizes stock-based awards outstanding, as well as activity for the period:

	Restricted Stock			Restricted Stock Units			Performance Stock Units
		Weighted			Weighted			Weighted
		Average Grant			Average Grant			Average Grant
	Shares	Date Fair Value		Shares	Date Fair Value		Shares	Date Fair Value
Outstanding at December 31, 2021	3,741,770	$	3.98	—	$	—	—	$	—
Granted	214,363		14.59	248,706		15.65	248,706		22.21
Vested	(715,665)		5.38	—		—	—		—
Forfeited	(637)		15.65	—		—	—		—
Outstanding at September 30, 2022	3,239,831	$	4.37	248,706	$	15.65	248,706	$	22.21

Options for the purchase of a total of 937,424 shares of our common stock for $5.34 per share were granted to two executives on August 31, 2016. The options have a ten-year term from the grant date and are fully vested. During the three months ended September 30, 2022, 20,000 options were exercised. The remaining options are outstanding and unexercised and were in-the-money at September 30, 2022 with an intrinsic value of $3.5 million.

Restricted Stock—We grant shares of restricted stock to certain senior executives, key employees and directors. These shares vest over approximately one to three and a half years from the date of grant. During the vesting period, the participants have voting rights and may receive dividends. Upon vesting, the restricted stock becomes unrestricted common shares. The fair value of the restricted stock on the date of the grant during 2022, which averaged $14.59 per share, is amortized ratably over the service period. At September 30, 2022, there was $6.3 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested restricted stock to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.1 years.

Restricted Stock Units—We grant shares of restricted stock units to certain senior executives and key employees. These share units vest ratably over approximately three years from the date of grant. During the vesting period, the participants have no voting rights and no dividend rights; however, participants are entitled to receive dividend equivalents, which shall be subject to the same conditions applicable to the units and payable at the time the units vest, which did not occur during the nine months ended September 30, 2022. Upon vesting and within 30 days thereafter, the recipient will receive one share of common stock for each stock unit.

The 248,706 restricted stock units are linked to the Company’s common stock value which was fair valued on the date of grant at $15.65 per share and is recognized ratably over the service period. At September 30, 2022, there was $3.0 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested restricted stock units to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.3 years.

Performance Stock Units—We grant shares of performance stock units to certain senior executives and key employees. These share units cliff-vest approximately three years from the date of grant based on the achievement of targeted performance levels related to pre-established relative total shareholder return goals. These performance stock units have the potential to be earned from 0% to 200% of target depending on actual results. During the vesting period, the participants have no voting rights and no dividend rights; however, participants are entitled to receive dividend equivalents, which shall be subject to the same conditions applicable to the units and payable at the time the units vest, which did not occur during the nine months ended September 30, 2022. Upon vesting and within 30 days thereafter, the recipient will receive one share of common stock for each stock unit.

The Company’s 248,706 performance stock units were valued relative to the stock price performance of a peer group of companies at a valuation stock price of $15.65 per share, which was fair valued at $22.21 per share at the date of grant based on a Monte Carlo simulation. The fair value of the performance stock units on the date of the grant is recognized ratably over the service period. At September 30, 2022, there was $4.3 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested performance stock units to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.3 years.

Dividends – On February 18, 2022, the Company announced that its Board of Directors approved an increase in its initial quarterly cash dividend to $5.0 million from the formerly approved $2.5 million that was declared and accrued in December 2021. Dividends in the amount of $5.0 million, or approximately $0.11 per share of common stock, were paid on March 15, 2022, to shareholders of record on March 1, 2022.

In addition, dividends in the amount of $5.0 million, or approximately $0.11 per share of common stock, were paid on June 15, 2022, to shareholders of record on June 1, 2022, and dividends in the amount of $5.0 million, or approximately $0.11 per share of common stock, were paid on September 15, 2022, to shareholders of record on September 1, 2022.

On September 28, 2022, the Company announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of approximately $0.11 per share of common stock. Dividends of $5.0 million were accrued at September 30, 2022, and are payable on December 15, 2022, to shareholders of record on December 1, 2022.