SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

6 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2016

Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]

SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

During 2016, the Company paid a quarterly cash dividend of $0.05 per share in each quarter, totaling $0.10 per share for the six months ended March 31, 2016. During 2015, the Company paid quarterly cash dividends of $0.04 per share, totaling $0.16 per share for the year. Dividends paid on allocated shares in the ESOP were used to pay down the ESOP loan and recorded as a reduction of debt service payments and compensation expense. A dividend payable was established for the holders of restricted shares; such dividends will be released upon vesting of the underlying restricted shares.

On May 4, 2016 the Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.05 per share, payable on June 23, 2016 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on May 27, 2016.

Compensation expense for restricted stock is recognized ratably over the required service period based on the fair value of the grant, calculated as the number of shares granted multiplied by the stock price on the date of grant and, for performance shares, the likelihood of achieving the performance criteria. Compensation cost related to stock-based awards with graded vesting, generally over a period of three to four years, is recognized using the straight-line attribution method and recorded within SG&A expenses.

On January 29, 2016, shareholders approved the Griffon Corporation 2016 Equity Incentive Plan ("Incentive Plan") under which awards of performance shares, performance units, stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted shares, restricted stock units, deferred shares and other stock-based awards may be granted. Options granted under the Incentive Plan may be either “incentive stock options” or nonqualified stock options, generally expire ten years after the date of grant and are granted at an exercise price of not less than 100% of the fair market value at the date of grant. The maximum number of shares of common stock available for award under the Incentive Plan is 2,350,000 (600,000 of which may be issued as incentive stock options), plus (i) any shares reserved for issuance under the 2011 Equity Incentive Plan as of the effective date of the Incentive Plan, and (ii) any shares underlying awards outstanding on such effective date under the 2011 Incentive Plan that are canceled or forfeited. As of March 31, 2016, 1,795,603 shares were available for grant.

All grants outstanding under former equity plans will continue under their terms; no additional awards will be granted under such plans.

During the first quarter of 2016, Griffon granted 372,243 shares of restricted stock, subject to certain performance conditions, with vesting periods of three years, with a total fair value of $6,425, or a weighted average fair value of $17.26 per share. During the second quarter of 2016, Griffon granted 677,461 shares of restricted stock consisting of 605,000 shares to two senior executives with a vesting period of four years and a two year post-vesting holding period, and 31,761 shares of restricted stock, subject to certain performance conditions, with a vesting period of three years and a fair value of $473, or a weighted average fair value of $14.90 per share. Griffon also granted 40,700 shares with a vesting period of three years and a fair value of $618, or a weighted average fair value of $15.18 per share. The grants issued to two senior executive are subject to the achievement of certain absolute and relative performance conditions relating to the price of Griffon’s common stock. So long as the minimum performance condition is attained, the amount of shares that can vest will range from 220,000 to 605,000.  The total fair value of these restricted shares is approximately $4,247, or a weighted average fair value of $7.02.

For the quarters ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, stock based compensation expense totaled $2,489 and $2,795, respectively. For the six months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, stock based compensation expense totaled $5,555 and $5,372, respectively.

During the quarter and six months ended March 31, 2016, 1,683 shares, with a market value of $25 or $14.85 per share, and 188,222 shares, with a market value of $3,577 or $19.00 per share, respectively, were withheld to settle employee taxes due to the vesting of restricted stock, and were added to treasury.

On each of March 20, 2015 and July 29, 2015, Griffon’s Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to $50,000 of Griffon’s outstanding common stock. Under these share repurchase programs, the Company may purchase shares in the open market, including pursuant to a 10b5-1 plan, or in privately negotiated transactions. During the quarter ended March 31, 2016, Griffon purchased 1,516,919 shares of common stock under both the March 2015 and July 2015 programs, for a total of $22,705 or $14.97 per share. During the six months ended March 31, 2016, Griffon purchased 1,949,338 shares of common stock under both the March 2015 and July 2015 programs, for a total of $29,935 or $15.36 per share. As of March 31, 2016, $27,990 remains under the July 2015 Board authorization.

From August 2011 to March 31, 2016, Griffon repurchased 14,256,115 shares of common stock, for a total of $183,067 or $12.84 per share, under Board authorized repurchase programs.

In addition to repurchases under Board authorized programs, on December 10, 2013, Griffon repurchased 4,444,444 shares of its common stock for $50,000 from GS Direct, L.L.C. (“GS Direct”), an affiliate of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. Subject to certain exceptions, if GS Direct intends to sell its remaining 5,555,556 shares of Griffon common stock at any time prior to December 31, 2016, it will first negotiate in good faith to sell such shares to the Company.