STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY AND EQUITY COMPENSATION

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]

STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY AND EQUITY COMPENSATION

During 2020, 2019 and 2018, the Company declared and paid cash dividends totaling $0.30 per share, $0.29 per share and $0.28 per share, respectively. In addition, on March 7, 2018, the Board of Directors declared a special cash dividend of $1.00 per share, totaling $38,073 and paid on April 16, 2018 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on March 29, 2018. The Company currently intends to pay dividends each quarter; however, payment of dividends is determined by the Board of Directors at its discretion based on various factors, and no assurance can be provided as to the payment of future dividends. Dividends paid on shares in the ESOP were used to offset ESOP loan payments 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. At September, 30, 2020, accrued dividends were $3,535.

On November 12, 2020, the Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.08 per share, payable on December 17, 2020 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on November 25, 2020.

On August 18, 2020, the Company sold 8,000,000 shares of our common stock at a price of $21.50 per share through a public equity offering, for a total net proceeds of $163,830, net of underwriting discounts, commissions and offering expenses. In addition, on August 21, 2020, pursuant to the exercise by the underwriters of their overallotment option, the underwriters purchased an additional 700,000 shares of common stock from the Company at a price of $21.50, resulting in additional net proceeds to the Company of $14,335. In total, the Company sold 8,700,000 shares of common stock at a price of $21.50 for a total net proceeds of $178,165. The Company used a portion of the net proceeds to temporarily repay outstanding borrowings under its Credit Agreement. The Company intends to use the remainder of the proceeds for working capital and general corporate purposes, including to expand its current business through acquisitions of, or investments in, other businesses or products.

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, which 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. As of September 30, 2020, there are no stock options outstanding. 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 of underlying awards outstanding on such effective date under the 2011 Incentive Plan that are canceled or forfeited. As of September 30, 2020, 1,167,172 shares were available for grant.

Compensation expense for restricted stock and restricted stock units ("RSUs") is recognized ratably over the required service period based on the fair value of the grant, calculated as the number of shares (or RSUs) granted multiplied by the stock price on date of grant, and for performance shares (or performance RSUs), 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 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 Selling, general and administrative expenses.

The following table summarizes the Company’s compensation expense relating to all stock-based compensation plans:



	For the Years Ended September 30,
	2020		2019		2018
Restricted stock	$	14,702	$	13,285	$	10,078
ESOP	2,878		2,629		9,532
Total stock based compensation	$	17,580	$	15,914	$	19,610

In 2018, the ESOP compensation expense includes dividends paid on allocated shares in connection with the special cash dividend as mentioned above, of $1.00 per share paid on April 16, 2018 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on March 29, 2018.

A summary of restricted stock activity, inclusive of restricted stock units, for 2020 is as follows:



	Shares		Weighted Average Grant- Date Fair Value
Unvested at September 30, 2019	3,713,573		$	12.96
Granted	1,061,624		17.10
Vested	(831,748	)	21.51
Forfeited	(257,859	)	15.35
Unvested at September 30, 2020	3,685,590		14.30

The fair value of restricted stock which vested during 2020, 2019, and 2018 was $17,889, $4,748 and $11,216, respectively.

Unrecognized compensation expense related to non-vested shares of restricted stock was $22,340 at September 30, 2020 and will be recognized over a weighted average vesting period of 2.3 years.

At September 30, 2020, a total of approximately 4,852,762 shares of Griffon’s authorized Common Stock were reserved for issuance in connection with stock compensation plans.

During 2020, Griffon granted 1,061,624 shares of restricted stock and restricted stock units. This included 348,280 shares of restricted stock and restricted stock units, subject to certain performance conditions, with vesting periods of approximately three years, with a total fair value of $7,446, or a weighted average fair value of $21.38 per share. This also included 53,344 of restricted shares granted to non-employee directors of Griffon with a vesting period of three years and a fair value of $1,170, or a weighted average fair value of $21.93 per share. Furthermore, this 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 Monte Carlo Simulation model was chosen to value the two senior executive awards; The total fair value of these restricted shares using the Monte Carlo Simulation model is approximately $9,534, or a weighted average fair value of $14.45.

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 these share repurchase programs, the Company may purchase shares of its common stock, depending upon market conditions, in open market or privately negotiated transactions, including pursuant to a 10b5-1 plan. Shares repurchased are recorded at cost. During 2020, Griffon did not purchase shares of common stock under these repurchase programs. At September 30, 2020 an aggregate of $57,955 remains under Griffon's Board authorized repurchase authorizations.

During the year ended September 30, 2020, 340,775 shares, with a market value of $7,409, or $21.74 per share, were withheld to settle employee taxes due upon the vesting of restricted stock, and were added to treasury stock. Furthermore, during 2020, 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.

On June 19, 2018, GS Direct, L.L.C., an affiliate of Goldman Sachs & Co. ("GS Direct") completed an underwritten secondary offering to sell 5,583,375 shares of Griffon's common stock, inclusive of the underwriters’ 30-day option to purchase additional shares. GS Direct’s original 10,000,000 share investment was in 2008; following the closing of the offering, GS Direct no longer owns any shares of Griffon.