STOCK AND RETIREMENT PLANS	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023
STOCK AND RETIREMENT PLANS
STOCK AND RETIREMENT PLANS	NOTE 9 – STOCK AND RETIREMENT PLANS Stock Option Plans At December 31, 2023, there were 732,327 shares available for future grant under Data I/O Corporation 2023 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Incentive Plan (“2023 Plan”). At December 31, 2023, there were shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance for outstanding awards, consisting of 92,500 inducement reserve shares, 353,525 shares under the 2000 Plan, and 295,100 shares under the 2023 Plan. The inducement reserve shares remaining that were granted in 2019 consist of 12,500 options vested but unissued (using the terms of the 2000 Plan) and the grant in 2023 consisting of 75,000 RSU and 5000 PSU, (which were not from the 2023 Plan, but were made under the terms of the 2023 Plan). Pursuant to the 2000 and 2023 Plans, options are granted to our officers and key employees with exercise prices equal to the fair market value of the Common Stock at the date of grant and generally vest over four years. Options granted under the plans have a maximum term of six years from the date of grant. Stock awards are now granted under the 2023 Plan (previously the 2000 Plan) which for RSU awards generally vest over four years (some three years) and one year for nonemployee Directors. Performance Share Unit (PSU) awards vest based upon the three-year performance achievement on December 31, 2025. The performance measures for the PSUs awarded are revenue growth targets for the three-year period ending December 31, 2025. Achieving a threshold growth measure earns 50% of the PSU target award; achieving the target growth measure earns 100% of the PSU target award; and achieving the maximum target growth measure earns 150% of the PSU target award. Employee Stock Purchase Plan Under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”), eligible employees may purchase shares of our Common Stock at six-month intervals at 95% of the fair market value on the last day of each six-month period. Employees may purchase shares having a value not exceeding ten percent of their gross compensation during an offering period. During 2023 and 2022, a total of 3,341 and 3,288 shares, respectively, were purchased under the plan at average prices of $4.16 and $4.06 per share, respectively. At December 31, 2023 and 2022, 21,525 and 25,477 shares were reserved for future grant respectively. Stock Appreciation Rights Plan We have a Stock Appreciation Rights (“SAR”) Plan under which each director, executive officer or holder of 10% or more of our Common Stock has a SAR with respect to each exercisable stock option. The SAR entitles the SAR holder to receive cash from us for the difference between the market value of the stock and the exercise price of the option in lieu of exercising the related option. SARs are only exercisable following a tender offer or exchange offer for our stock, or following approval by shareholders of Data I/O of any merger, consolidation, reorganization or other transaction providing for the conversion or exchange of more than 50% of the common shares outstanding. As no event has occurred, which would make the SARs exercisable, and no such event is deemed probable, no compensation expense has been recorded under this plan. At December 31, 2023 and 2022, there were 12,500 SARs outstanding. Retirement Savings Plan We have a savings plan that qualifies as a cash or deferred salary arrangement under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code. Under the plan, participating U.S. employees may defer their pre-tax salary or post-tax salary if Roth is elected, subject to IRS limitations. In fiscal year 2023, we contributed one dollar for each dollar contributed by a participant on the first two percent and $.50 for each dollar contributed by participant on the next four percent of a participant’s eligible earnings, and as a result this requires a minimum six percent contribution to receive a four percent matching contribution. Our matching contribution expense for the savings plan, net of forfeitures, was approximately $253,000 and $210,000 in 2023 and 2022, respectively. Employer matching contributions owed to the plan were $248,000 and $229,000 at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

STOCK AND RETIREMENT PLANS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

NOTE 9 – STOCK AND RETIREMENT PLANS

Stock Option Plans

At December 31, 2023, there were 732,327 shares available for future grant under Data I/O Corporation 2023 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Incentive Plan (“2023 Plan”). At December 31, 2023, there were shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance for outstanding awards, consisting of 92,500 inducement reserve shares, 353,525 shares under the 2000 Plan, and 295,100 shares under the 2023 Plan. The inducement reserve shares remaining that were granted in 2019 consist of 12,500 options vested but unissued (using the terms of the 2000 Plan) and the grant in 2023 consisting of 75,000 RSU and 5000 PSU, (which were not from the 2023 Plan, but were made under the terms of the 2023 Plan). Pursuant to the 2000 and 2023 Plans, options are granted to our officers and key employees with exercise prices equal to the fair market value of the Common Stock at the date of grant and generally vest over four years. Options granted under the plans have a maximum term of six years from the date of grant. Stock awards are now granted under the 2023 Plan (previously the 2000 Plan) which for RSU awards generally vest over four years (some three years) and one year for nonemployee Directors. Performance Share Unit (PSU) awards vest based upon the three-year performance achievement on December 31, 2025. The performance measures for the PSUs awarded are revenue growth targets for the three-year period ending December 31, 2025. Achieving a threshold growth measure earns 50% of the PSU target award; achieving the target growth measure earns 100% of the PSU target award; and achieving the maximum target growth measure earns 150% of the PSU target award.

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”), eligible employees may purchase shares of our Common Stock at six-month intervals at 95% of the fair market value on the last day of each six-month period. Employees may purchase shares having a value not exceeding ten percent of their gross compensation during an offering period. During 2023 and 2022, a total of 3,341 and 3,288 shares, respectively, were purchased under the plan at average prices of $4.16 and $4.06 per share, respectively. At December 31, 2023 and 2022, 21,525 and 25,477 shares were reserved for future grant respectively.

Stock Appreciation Rights Plan

We have a Stock Appreciation Rights (“SAR”) Plan under which each director, executive officer or holder of 10% or more of our Common Stock has a SAR with respect to each exercisable stock option. The SAR entitles the SAR holder to receive cash from us for the difference between the market value of the stock and the exercise price of the option in lieu of exercising the related option. SARs are only exercisable following a tender offer or exchange offer for our stock, or following approval by shareholders of Data I/O of any merger, consolidation, reorganization or other transaction providing for the conversion or exchange of more than 50% of the common shares outstanding. As no event has occurred, which would make the SARs exercisable, and no such event is deemed probable, no compensation expense has been recorded under this plan. At December 31, 2023 and 2022, there were 12,500 SARs outstanding.

Retirement Savings Plan

We have a savings plan that qualifies as a cash or deferred salary arrangement under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code. Under the plan, participating U.S. employees may defer their pre-tax salary or post-tax salary if Roth is elected, subject to IRS limitations. In fiscal year 2023, we contributed one dollar for each dollar contributed by a participant on the first two percent and $.50 for each dollar contributed by participant on the next four percent of a participant’s eligible earnings, and as a result this requires a minimum six percent contribution to receive a four percent matching contribution. Our matching contribution expense for the savings plan, net of forfeitures, was approximately $253,000 and $210,000 in 2023 and 2022, respectively. Employer matching contributions owed to the plan were $248,000 and $229,000 at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.