Stock-Based Compensation

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

The Company applies the provisions of ASC 718, “Compensation - Stock Compensation,” to account for the Company’s stock-based compensation. Stock-based compensation cost is measured at the grant date based on the calculated fair value of the award and is recognized over the employees’ requisite service period. Stock forfeitures and cancellations are recognized as they occur. The Company recorded stock-based compensation expense of $3,836 and $1,696 for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively, related to fully-vested stock awards, restricted stock awards, and performance unit awards. As of December 31, 2018, unrecognized compensation expense for awards the Company expects to vest approximated $5,347. The Company will recognize this unrecognized compensation expense over approximately 3.3 years.

Shares issued as a result of vested stock-based compensation generally will be from previously issued shares that have been reacquired by the Company and held as Treasury stock or authorized but previously unissued common stock.

As of December 31, 2018, the Company had stock awards issued pursuant to the 2006 Omnibus Incentive Plan, as amended and restated in May 2016 (“Omnibus Plan”). The Omnibus Plan allows for the issuance of 1,270,000 shares of common stock through the granting of stock options or stock awards (including performance units convertible into stock) to key employees and directors at no less than 100% of fair market value on the date of the grant. The Omnibus Plan provides for the granting of “nonqualified options” with a duration of not more than ten years from the date of grant. The Omnibus Plan also provides that, unless otherwise set forth in the option agreement, stock options are exercisable in installments of up to 25% annually beginning one year from the date of grant. No stock options have been granted under the Omnibus Plan and, as such, there was no stock-based compensation expense related to stock options recorded in 2018 or 2017.

Non-Employee Director Fully-Vested and Restricted Stock Awards

Prior to May 2018, non-employee directors were awarded fully-vested shares of the Company’s common stock on each date the non-employee directors were elected at the annual shareholders’ meeting to serve as directors. Since May 2018, such annual equity awards have been subject to a one-year vesting requirement. During the quarter ended June 30, 2017, the Nomination and Governance Committee and Board of Directors jointly approved the Deferred Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors under the 2006 Omnibus Incentive Plan, which permits non-employee directors of the Company to defer receipt of earned cash and/or stock compensation for service on the Board.

The non-employee directors were granted a total of 24,427 and 39,280 fully-vested and restricted shares for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Compensation expense recorded by the Company related to such awards to non-employee directors was approximately $880 and $704 for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. During 2018, 14,914 deferred share units were allotted to the accounts of the non-employee directors pursuant to the Deferred Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors.

The weighted average fair value of all the fully-vested and restricted stock grants awarded was $23.64 and $17.92 per share for 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Restricted Stock Awards and Performance Unit Awards

Under the 2006 Omnibus Plan, the Company grants certain employees restricted stock and performance unit awards. The forfeitable restricted stock awards granted prior to March 2015 generally time-vest after a four-year period, and those granted subsequent to March 2015 generally time-vest ratably over a three-year period, unless indicated otherwise by the underlying restricted stock award agreement. Performance unit awards are offered annually under separate three-year long-term incentive programs. Performance units are subject to forfeiture and will be converted into common stock based upon the Company’s performance relative to performance measures and conversion multiples as defined in the underlying program. If the Company’s estimate of the number of performance stock awards expected to vest changes in a subsequent accounting period, cumulative compensation expense could increase or decrease. The change is recognized in the current period for the performance unit awards and would change future expense over the remaining service period.

The following table summarizes the restricted stock award, deferred stock units, and performance unit award activity for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017:


	Restricted Stock	Deferred Stock Units	Performance Stock Units	Weighted Average Aggregate Grant Date Fair Value





Outstanding as of January 1, 2017	79,272	—	63,690	$	21.66
Granted	175,196	26,860	120,583	14.46
Vested	(22,808)	—	—	28.88
Adjustment for incentive awards expected to vest	—	—	46,130	19.00
Canceled and forfeited	(44,854)	—	(49,062)	15.40
Outstanding as of December 31, 2017	186,806	26,860	181,341	$	16.53
Granted	62,320	14,914	65,421	27.05
Vested	(36,876)	—	—	28.07
Adjustment for incentive awards expected to vest	—	—	65,491	26.93
Canceled and forfeited	(20,425)	—	(11,880)	16.38
Outstanding as of December 31, 2018	191,825	41,774	300,373	$	18.61

Performance units are subject to forfeiture and will be converted into common stock of the Company based upon the Company’s performance relative to performance measures and conversion multiples as defined in the underlying plan. The aggregate fair value in the above table is based upon achieving 100% of the performance targets as defined in the underlying plan.

Excluding the fully-vested and restricted stock awards granted to non-employee directors, the Company recorded stock-based compensation expense of $2,956 and $1,499, respectively, for the periods ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 related to restricted stock and performance unit awards.