SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

6 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Stockholders' Equity Note Disclosure [Text Block]

NOTE 9 — SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

On November 17, 2011, the Company began declaring quarterly cash dividends. During 2012, the Company declared and paid quarterly dividends of $0.02 per share, totaling $0.08 per share for the year. During the first and second quarters of 2013, the Board of Directors approved quarterly cash dividends of $0.025 per common share, which were paid on December 26, 2012 and March 27, 2013, to holders of common stock as of close of business on November 29, 2012 and February 27, 2013, respectively. Dividends paid on allocated shares in the ESOP were used to pay down the ESOP loan and recorded as a reduction in expense. A dividend payable was established for the holders of restricted shares; such payable will be released upon vesting of the underlying restricted shares.

On May 7, 2013, the Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.025 per share, payable on June 26, 2013 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on May 28, 2013.

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 is amortized using the straight-line attribution method.

In February 2011, shareholders approved the Griffon Corporation 2011 Equity Incentive Plan (as amended, the “Incentive Plan”) under which awards of performance shares, performance units, stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted shares, 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 3,000,000 (600,000 of which may be issued as incentive stock options) plus any shares underlying awards outstanding on the effective date of the Incentive Plan under the 2006 Incentive Plan that are subsequently cancelled or forfeited. As of March 31, 2013, 674,832 shares were available for grant.

All grants outstanding under the Griffon Corporation 2001 Stock Option Plan, 2006 Equity Incentive Plan and Outside Director Stock Award Plan will continue under their terms; no additional awards will be granted under such plans.

During the first quarter of 2013, Griffon granted 883,500 restricted stock awards that cliff vest over a three-year or four-year period, 829,100 of which are also subject to certain performance conditions, with a total fair value of $9,433, or a weighted average fair value of $10.68 per share.

During the second quarter of 2013, Griffon granted 278,330 restricted stock awards with vesting periods up to four years, 241,667 of which are also subject to certain performance conditions, with a total fair value of $3,333, or a weighted average fair value of $11.97 per share.

For the three and six months ended March 31, 2013, stock based compensation expense totaled $3,338 and $6,298, respectively. For the three and six months ended March 31, 2012, stock based compensation expense totaled $2,651 and $4,908, respectively.

In August 2011, Griffon’s Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to $50,000 of Griffon’s outstanding common stock. Under this repurchase program, 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. In the first quarter of 2013, Griffon purchased 723,630 shares of common stock, for a total of $7,331, or $10.13 per share, pursuant to the repurchase program. In the second quarter of 2013, Griffon purchased 881,998 shares of common stock, for a total of $10,265, or $11.64 per share pursuant to the repurchase program. To date, Griffon has purchased 2,958,073 shares of common stock, for a total of $29,285, or $9.90 per share; $20,715 remains under the $50,000 authorization.

In addition to the repurchases under the $50,000 program, during the second quarter, 378,157 shares, with a market value of $4,508, or $11.92 per share, were withheld to settle employee taxes due upon the vesting of restricted stock.