Stock-Based Compensation

6 Months Ended

Mar. 28, 2015

Stock-Based Compensation [Abstract]

Stock-Based Compensation

5. Stock-Based Compensation

The Company compensates its officers, directors, and employees with stock-based compensation under the 2011 Stock Incentive Plan (“2011 Plan”) approved by the Company’s shareholders in 2011, and administered under the supervision of the Company’s Board of Directors. During fiscal year 2013, the Company’s shareholders approved a 1.3 million increase in the number of shares that may be issued under the 2011 Plan, bringing the aggregate total to 2.3 million. During the three months ended December 27, 2014 and December 28, 2013, the Company awarded stock options and restricted stock units under the 2011 Plan. At March 28, 2015, a total of 972,042 shares were available for future grant under the 2011 Plan. These shares will be available for issuance under the 2011 Plan until January 31, 2018.

In 2011, the Company's shareholders approved a 2012 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”) that was effective on January 1, 2012. During the three months ended March 28, 2015 and the three months ended September 27, 2014, the Company issued shares of its common stock to participants under the ESPP. At March 28, 2015, a total of 695,669 shares were available for ESPP share issuances. Shares will be available for issuance under the ESPP until December 31, 2021.

During the three months ended December 27, 2014, the Company granted an award of approximately 162,000 stock options, 41,000 restricted stock units and 16,000 performance restricted stock units to officers and employees of the Company. During the three months ended December 28, 2013, the Company granted an award of approximately 331,000 stock options and 70,000 restricted stock units to officers and employees of the Company. The stock options vest proportionally on the first three anniversaries of the grant date and expire seven years from the grant date. The restricted stock units vest proportionally on the first three anniversaries of the grant date and performance restricted stock units vest based on the attainment of return on invested capital performance targets at the end of the one, two and three year performance periods.

The stock options were granted at an exercise price equal to the closing market price of the Company’s stock on the date of grant. The fair value of stock options granted has been estimated as of the date of grant using the multiple option form of the Black-Scholes valuation model, based on the grant price and assumptions regarding the expected grant life, stock price volatility, dividends, and risk-free interest rates. Each vesting period of an option award is valued separately, with this value being recognized as expense evenly over the vesting period. The weighted average per share fair value of the stock options granted under the Company-wide award during the three months ended December 27, 2014 and December 28, 2013 was $12.12 and $13.97, respectively. The weighted average assumptions used to determine the fair value of these stock options were as follows:

Expected life (in years)	3.5
Risk-free interest rate	1.1	%
Expected volatility	27.4	%
Dividend yield	1.8	%

The expected life represents the period that the stock option awards are expected to be outstanding and was determined based on historical and anticipated future exercise and expiration patterns.

The risk-free interest rate used is based on the yield of constant maturity U.S. Treasury bonds on the grant date with a remaining term equal to the expected life of the grant. The Company estimates stock price volatility based on a historical weekly price observation. The dividend yield assumption is based on the annualized current dividend divided by the share price on the grant date.

The fair value of the restricted stock units granted under the Company-wide award during the three months ended December 27, 2014 and December 28, 2013 was $64.65 and $64.90, respectively, representing the market value of the Company’s shares at the date of grant minus the present value of estimated foregone dividends over the vesting period. The proportionate value of restricted stock units and performance restricted stock units associated with each vesting period is allocated to expense evenly over the vesting period.