Stock-Based Compensation

3 Months Ended

Jul. 31, 2022

Disclosure Of Compensation Related Costs Sharebased Payments [Abstract]

Stock-Based Compensation

13. Stock-Based Compensation

Equity Incentive Plan Description

On September 16, 2015, our shareholders approved an equity incentive plan titled the Culp, Inc. 2015 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2015 Plan”). The 2015 Plan authorizes the grant of stock options intended to qualify as incentive stock options, nonqualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance-based units, and other equity and cash related awards as determined by our Compensation Committee. An aggregate of 1,200,000 shares of common stock were authorized for issuance under the 2015 Plan, with certain sub-limits that would apply with respect to specific types of awards that may be issued as defined in the 2015 Plan.

As of July 31, 2022, there were 558,375 shares available for future equity-based grants under the 2015 Plan.

Performance-Based Restricted Stock Units

Senior Executives

We grant performance-based restricted stock units to senior executives which could earn up to a certain number of shares of common stock if certain performance targets are met over a three-fiscal year performance period as defined in the related restricted stock unit award agreements. The number of shares of common stock that are earned based on performance targets that have been achieved may be adjusted based on a market-based total shareholder return component as defined in the related restricted stock unit award agreements.

Our performance-based restricted stock units granted to senior executives were measured based on their fair market value on the date of grant. The fair market value per share was determined using the Monte Carlo simulation model for the market-based total shareholder return component and the closing price of our common stock for the performance-based component.   

The following table provides assumptions used to determine the fair market value of the market-based total shareholder return component using the Monte Carlo simulation model on our outstanding performance-based restricted stock units granted to senior executives on July 22, 2021:

	July 22,
	2021
Closing price of our common stock	$  14.75
Expected volatility of our common stock		54.2	%
Expected volatility of peer companies (1)	45.7% - 101.5%
Risk-free interest rate		0.33	%
Dividend yield		3.00	%
Correlation coefficient of peer companies (1)	0.03 - 0.35

(1) The expected volatility and correlation coefficient of our peer companies for the July 22, 2021, grant date was based on peer companies that were approved by the Compensation Committee of our board of directors as an aggregate benchmark for determining the market-based total shareholder return component. Therefore, we disclosed ranges of the expected volatility and correlation coefficient for the companies that represented this peer group.

Key Employees

We grant performance-based restricted stock units to key employees which could earn up to a certain number of shares of common stock if certain performance targets are met over a three-fiscal year performance period as defined in the related restricted stock unit award agreements. Our performance-based restricted stock units granted to key employees were measured based on the fair market value (the closing price of our common stock) on the date of grant. No market-based total shareholder return component was included in these awards.

Overall

No performance-based restricted stock units were granted during the first quarter of fiscal 2023.

The following table summarizes information related to our grants of performance-based restricted stock units associated with senior executives and key employees that were unvested as of July 31, 2022:

	(3)		(4)
	Performance-Based		Restricted Stock
	Restricted Stock		Units Expected
Date of Grant	Units Awarded		to Vest		Price Per Share			Vesting Period
July 22, 2021 (1)		122,476		—	$	15.93	(5)	3 years
July 22, 2021 (2)		20,500		—	$	14.75	(6)	3 years

(1) Performance-based restricted stock units awarded to senior executives.

(2) Performance-based restricted stock units awarded to key employees.

(3) Amounts represent the maximum number of common stock shares that could be earned if certain performance targets are met as defined in the related restricted stock unit agreements.

(4) Compensation cost is based on an assessment each reporting period to determine the probability of whether or not certain performance goals will be met and how many shares are expected to be earned as of the end of the vesting period. These amounts represent the number of shares that were expected to vest as of July 31, 2022.

(5) Price per share represents the fair market value per share ($1.08 per $1, or an increase of $1.18 to the closing price of our common stock on the date of grant) determined using the Monte Carlo simulation model for the market-based total shareholder return component and the closing price of our common stock ($14.75) for the performance-based component of the performance-based restricted stock units granted to senior executives on July 22, 2021.

(6) Price per share represents the closing price of our common stock on the date of grant.

The following table summarizes information related to our performance-based restricted stock units that vested during the three-month periods ending July 31, 2022, and August 1, 2021:

	Performance-Based				(4)
	Restricted Stock		(3)		Price
Fiscal Year	Units Vested		Fair Value		Per Share
Fiscal 2023 (1)		545	$	3	$	5.10
Fiscal 2023 (2)		437	$	2	$	5.10
Fiscal 2022 (1)		5,051	$	87	$	17.14
Fiscal 2022 (2)		5,812	$	100	$	17.14

(1) Performance-based restricted stock units vested by senior executives.

(2) Performance-based restricted stock units vested by key employees.

(3) Dollar amounts are in thousands.

(4) Price per share is derived from the closing price of our common stock on the date the respective performance-based restricted stock units vested.

We recorded compensation expense of $2,000 and $20,000 within selling, general, and administrative expenses for the three-month periods ending July 31, 2022, and August 1, 2021, respectively. Compensation expense is recorded based on an assessment each reporting period to determine the probability of whether or not certain performance targets will be met and how many shares are expected to be earned as of the end of the vesting period. If certain performance goals are not expected to be achieved, compensation expense would not be recorded, and any previously recognized compensation expense would be reversed.

Time-Based Restricted Stock Units

No time-based restricted stock units were granted during the first quarter of fiscal 2023.

The following table summarizes information related to our grants of time-based restricted stock unit awards associated with senior executives and key members of management that were unvested as of July 31, 2022:

	Time-Based
	Restricted Stock		(1)
Date of Grant	Units Awarded		Price Per Share		Vesting Period
July 22, 2021		37,591	$	14.75	3 years
August 6, 2020		129,095	$	11.01	3 years
August 2, 2018		10,000	$	24.35	5 years

(1) Price per share represents closing price of common stock on the date the respective award was granted.

The following table summarizes information related to our time-based restricted stock units that vested during the three-month periods ending July 31, 2022:

	Time-Based				(4)
	Restricted Stock		(3)		Price
Fiscal Year	Units Vested		Fair Value		Per Share
Fiscal 2023 (1)		19,786	$	101	$	5.10
Fiscal 2023 (2)		13,013	$	66	$	5.10

(1) Time-based restricted stock units vested by senior executives.

(2) Time-based restricted stock units vested by key employees.

(3) Dollar amounts are in thousands.

(4)  Price per share is derived from the closing price of our common stock on the date the respective time-based restricted stock units vested.

Overall

We recorded compensation expense of $166,000 and $184,000 within selling, general, and administrative expenses associated with our time-based restricted stock unit awards for the three-month periods ending July 31, 2022, and August 1, 2021, respectively.

As of July 31, 2022, the remaining unrecognized compensation expense related to our time-based restricted stock units was $895,000, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average vesting period of 1.4 years. As of July 31, 2022, the time-based restricted stock units that are expected to vest had a fair value totaling $887,000.

Common Stock Awards

We granted a total of 19,753 shares of common stock to our outside directors on July 1, 2022. These shares of common stock vested immediately and were measured at their fair value on the date of grant. The fair value of these awards was $4.24 per share on July 1, 2022, which represents the closing price of our common stock on the date of grant.

We granted a total of 4,312 shares of common stock to our outside directors on July 1, 2021. These shares of common stock vested immediately and were measured at their fair value on the date of grant. The fair value of these awards was $16.24 per share on July 1, 2021, which represents the closing price of our common stock on the date of grant.

We recorded $84,000 and $70,000 of compensation expense within selling, general, and administrative expenses for common stock awards to our outside directors for each of the three-month periods ending July 31, 2022, and August 1, 2021, respectively.