Note 6 - Equity

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2024

Notes To Financial Statements

EQUITY

NOTE 6—EQUITY

Common Stock—On June 12, 2023, an amendment to the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation was approved by shareholder vote to reclassify the Company’s existing common stock as shares of Class A common stock and create a separate Class B common stock.

The initial distribution of Class B common stock occurred on June 21, 2023 via a stock dividend to existing holders of common stock as of May 12, 2023. On the date of initial distribution, each holder of common stock received 0.2 shares of Class B common stock for every one share of existing common stock held on the record date. Similar actions or modifications occurred for holders of outstanding stock-based awards.

The distribution of the Class B common stock provides existing holders of the Company’s common stock with an opportunity to participate directly in the financial performance of the Company’s CORE assets on a stand-alone basis, separate from the Company’s metallurgical coal operations. CORE assets were acquired initially as part of the Company’s acquisition of Ramaco Coal in the second quarter of 2022. The financial performance of CORE assets consists of the following non-cost bearing revenue streams based on the Company’s current expectations:

● Royalty fees derived from the royalties associated with the Ramaco Coal and Amonate reserves, which we believe approximates 3% of Company-produced coal sales revenue excluding coal sales revenue from Knox Creek,

● Infrastructure fees based on $5.00 per ton of coal processed at our preparation plants and $2.50 per ton of loaded coal at the Company’s rail load-out facilities, and

● Future income derived, if and when realized, from advanced carbon products as well as rare earth elements and critical minerals initiatives.

The Company expects to pay a dividend equal to 20% of the total fees above; however, any dividend amounts declared and paid are subject to the sole discretion of the Company’s Board of Directors.

In addition, the Board of Directors retains the power to change or add expense allocation policies related to CORE, redefine CORE assets, and redetermine CORE’s per-ton usage fees at any time, in its sole discretion, without shareholder approval. Holders of shares of Class A common stock continue to be entitled to receive dividends when and if declared by the Board of Directors subject to any statutory or contractual restrictions on the payment of dividends and to any prior rights and preferences that may be applicable to outstanding preferred stock, if any.

CORE is not a separate legal entity and holders of Class B common stock do not own a direct interest in the assets of CORE. Holders of Class B common stock are stockholders of Ramaco Resources, Inc. and are subject to all risks and liabilities of the Company as a whole.

With respect to voting rights, holders of Class A common stock and Class B common stock vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders and are entitled to one vote per share. The holders of Class A common stock and Class B common stock do not have cumulative voting rights in the election of directors. Class B common stock does not have any specific voting rights or governance rights with respect to CORE.

With respect to liquidation rights, holders of common stock are entitled to receive ratably the assets available for distribution to the stockholders after payment of liabilities and the liquidation preference of outstanding preferred stock, if any. That is, the rights to residual net assets upon liquidation are equal between holders of Class A and Class B common stock. Holders of Class B common stock do not have specific rights to CORE assets in the event of liquidation.

The Board of Directors also retains the ability, in its sole discretion, to exchange all outstanding shares of Class B common stock into Class A common stock based on an exchange ratio determined by a 20-day trailing volume-weighted average price for each class of stock.

Stock-Based Awards—Stock-based compensation expense totaled $4.7 million and $2.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and March 31, 2023, respectively. During 2024, the Company granted new stock-based awards and modified certain awards previously granted as discussed below. New stock-based awards granted during the first quarter of 2024 were for Class A common stock. There were no Class B stock-based awards granted during the first quarter of 2024.

Restricted Stock—We granted 179,028 shares of Class A restricted stock to certain senior executives, key employees, and directors during the first quarter of 2024, having a grant-date fair value of $3.1 million. The aggregate fair value of the awards granted to employees was $2.5 million, which is recognized ratably as expense over the three-year service period unless forfeited. The aggregate fair value of restricted stock granted to directors was $0.6 million, which is recognized ratably as expense over one year unless forfeited. During the vesting period, the participants have voting rights and receive nonforfeitable dividends on the same basis as fully vested common stockholders.

Restricted Stock Units—We granted 302,699 Class A restricted stock units to certain senior executives and key employees during the first quarter of 2024, having a grant-date fair value of $17.58 per share. The aggregate fair value of these awards was $5.3 million, which is recognized ratably as expense over the three-year service period unless forfeited. 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. The recipient will receive one share of Class A common stock for each stock unit vested.

Performance Stock Units—We granted Class A performance stock units to certain senior executives and key employees during the first quarter of 2024. These awards 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. The recipient will receive one share of Class A common stock for each stock unit vested.

Performance stock units are accounted for as awards with a market condition since vesting depends on total shareholder return relative to a group of peer companies. The target number of performance stock units granted during the first quarter of 2024, or 315,941 units, were valued relative to the total shareholder return of a peer group based on a Monte Carlo simulation, which resulted in a grant date fair value of $28.72 per unit. The aggregate fair value of these awards was $9.1 million, which is recognized ratably as expense over the three-year period.

Modification— The resignation of one of the Company’s executive officers and the separation agreement between the employee and the Company that occurred during the first quarter of 2024 resulted in a net charge to stock compensation expense of $1.2 million during the period. Incremental value of $1.8 million resulted from the continued equity vesting provision included in the separation agreement applicable to the employee’s restricted stock awards, which was recognized as expense. This amount was offset partially by the $0.6 million reversal of previously recognized compensation expense related to the pre-modified restricted stock award ($0.3 million) as well as the forfeiture of restricted stock units and performance stock units (collectively $0.3 million).

Dividends– On February 1, 2024, the Company announced that the Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.2416 per share of Class B common stock, which was paid on March 15, 2024 to shareholders of record on March 1, 2024 in the amount of $2.1 million. On December 6, 2023, the Company announced that the Board of Directors declared a cash dividend on Class A common stock of $0.1375 per share of Class A common stock, which was paid on March 15, 2024 to shareholders of record on March 1, 2024 in the amount of $6.1 million. Dividends of $6.0 million were accrued in December 2023 for the declaration of the Class A cash dividends. In addition, previously accrued dividend equivalents of $0.1 million were paid to employees who satisfied restricted stock unit service conditions during the first quarter of 2024.

On December 8, 2022, the Company announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of approximately $0.125 per share of common stock. Estimated dividends of $5.5 million were accrued in December 2022 and were paid on March 15, 2023 to shareholders of record on March 1, 2023 in the amount of $5.6 million.