SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

3 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]

SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

During the first quarter of 2020, the Company paid a quarterly cash dividend of $0.075 per share. During 2019, the Company paid a quarterly cash dividend of $0.0725 per share, totaling $0.29 per share for the year. A dividend payable was established for the holders of restricted shares; such dividends will be released upon vesting of the underlying restricted shares. In March 2019, the ESOP Term Loan was refinanced with a loan from Griffon which was funded with cash and a draw on its $350,000 credit facility; dividends paid on allocated shares in the ESOP are allocated to participant accounts in the form of additional shares.

On January 30, 2020, the Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.075 per share, payable on March 19, 2020 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on February 20, 2020.

Compensation expense for restricted stock and restricted stock units 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 expense for restricted stock granted to two senior executives is calculated as the maximum number of shares granted, upon achieving certain performance criteria, multiplied by the stock price as valued by under a Monte Carlo Simulation Model. 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. On January 31, 2018, shareholders approved Amendment No. 1 to the Incentive Plan pursuant to which, among other things, 1,000,000 shares were added to the Incentive Plan; and on January 30, 2020, shareholders approved Amendment No. 2 to the Incentive Plan, pursuant to which 1,700,000 shares were added to the Incentive Plan. 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 5,050,000 (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 December 31, 2019, after giving effect to Amendment No. 2 to the Incentive Plan, there were 1,782,950 shares 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 2020, Griffon granted 216,523 shares of restricted stock and restricted stock units, subject to certain performance conditions, with vesting periods of three years, with a total fair value of $4,705, or a weighted average fair value of $21.73 per share.

On January 30, 2020, Griffon granted 804,674 shares of restricted stock. This included 99,772 shares of restricted stock to seven executives, subject to certain performance conditions, with vesting period of 34 months, with a total fair value of $2,200, or weighted average fair value of $22.05 per share. Griffon also granted 44,902 restricted shares to the non-employee directors of Griffon with a vesting period of three years and a fair value of $990, or a weighted average fair value of $22.05 per share. Additionally, this also included 660,000 shares of restricted stock granted to two senior executives with a vesting period of four years and a two year post-vesting holding period, 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 480,000 to 660,000. The total fair value of these restricted shares using the Monte Carlo Simulation model is approximately $9,586, or a weighted average fair value of $14.52 per share.

For the quarters ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, stock based compensation expense totaled $3,150 and $2,933, respectively.

On each of August 3, 2016 and August 1, 2018, Griffon’s Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to $50,000 of Griffon’s outstanding common stock. Under this share repurchase program, 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 December 31, 2019, Griffon did not purchase any shares of common stock under these repurchase programs. As of December 31, 2019, an aggregate of $57,955 remains under Griffon's Board authorized repurchase programs.

During the three months ended December 31, 2019, 79,552 shares, with a market value of $1,688, or $21.22 per share were withheld to settle employee taxes due upon the vesting of restricted stock, and were added to treasury stock. Furthermore, during the three months ended December 31, 2019, an additional 3,307 shares, with a market value of $70, or $21.22 per share, were withheld from common stock issued upon the vesting of restricted stock units to settle employee taxes due upon vesting.