Stock-based compensation and equity transactions (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Jul. 31, 2017

Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]

Computation of Weighted Average Fair Value of Employee Stock Options using Black-Scholes Option Pricing Model Assumptions

Black-Scholes option pricing model with the following assumptions:

	2017			2016
Risk-free interest rate		1.20	%		0.70	%
Dividend yield		5.00	%		2.38	%
Expected life of the option		4.31 years			3.0 years
Volatility factor		43.3	%		28.7	%

Summary of Status of Options Granted under Stock Option Plans and Changes in Options Outstanding

A summary of the status of the options granted under the Company’s stock option plans as of July 31, 2017 and the changes in options outstanding during the nine months then ended is presented in the table that follows:

			Weighted
			Average
	Shares		Exercise Price
Outstanding at November 1, 2016		1,007,851	$	4.07
Options granted		434,068	$	1.60
Options exercised		(16,763)	$	1.50
Options canceled or expired		(170,653)	$	3.84
Options outstanding at July 31, 2017		1,254,503	$	3.28
Options exercisable at July 31, 2017		900,419	$	3.33
Options vested and expected to vest at July 31, 2017		1,253,107	$	3.28