Stock Based Compensation

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2014

Stock Based Compensation [Abstract]

Stock Based Compensation

Note 5 — Stock Based Compensation

The Company applies the fair value recognition provisions of ASC Topic 718 Stock-Based Compensation.  The Company recorded stock based compensation expense of $523,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and a net benefit of $346,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2013.  The amount recorded for the three months ended March 31, 2013 was recorded net of benefits of $462,000, as the result of forfeitures of unvested stock awards prior to the completion of the requisite service period. At March 31, 2014, the unrecognized compensation expense related to non-vested equity awards was $2.3 million (net of estimated forfeitures), which is expected to be recognized as compensation expense in fiscal years 2014 through 2017.

During 2014, the Company granted a total of 216,000 equity awards to various employees as approved by the Company’s Compensation Committee of its Board of Directors, under the 2005 Equity Incentive Plan.  Included within the equity grants were approximately 119,000 performance based restricted stock awards which vest upon the achievement of Business Unit and Company Wide financial goals relative to fiscal years 2014 through 2016.  These equity awards are forfeited if the performance conditions are not achieved for each fiscal year.  For the three month period ended March 31, 2014, the Company has assumed that the all performance conditions related to the aforementioned awards will be achieved, and therefore the related compensation expense for said awards has been recorded.