Note 7 - Stock-based Compensation

3 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

Notes to Financial Statements

Share-Based Payment Arrangement [Text Block]

Note 7. Stock-Based Compensation

The Company recorded $1,271,000 of compensation expense related to current and past restricted stock grants, non-qualified stock options, performance stock units, and the Company’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”) for the three months ended December 31, 2023. For the three months ended December 31, 2023, $1,227,000 of this expense is included in selling, general and administrative expense, and $44,000 is included in cost of sales. The Company recorded $660,000 of compensation expense related to current and past restricted stock grants, non-qualified stock options, and the Company’s ESPP for the three months ended December 31, 2022. For the three months ended December 31, 2022, $625,000 of this expense is included in selling, general and administrative expense, and $35,000 is included in cost of sales. As of December 31, 2023, $8,668,000 of total unrecognized compensation expense related to non-vested restricted stock awards and stock options is expected to be recognized over a period of approximately 2.9 years.

Stock Options

The Company uses the Black-Scholes option pricing model to determine the fair value of stock options granted. During the three months ended December 31, 2023, the Company granted employees non-qualified stock options to purchase an aggregate of 111,299 shares of common stock with a weighted average contractual term of five years, a weighted average three-year vesting term, and a weighted average exercise price of $26.18 per share. During the three months ending December 31, 2022, the Company granted employees non-qualified stock options to purchase an aggregate of 15,020 shares of common stock with a weighted average contractual term of five years, a weighted average three-year vesting term, and a weighted average exercise price of $104.36 per share.

The fair value of stock option awards during the three months ended December 31, 2023, was estimated as of the respective grant dates using the assumptions listed below:

	Three months ended December 31, 2023
Dividend yield		0.00	%
Expected volatility		61.71	%
Risk-free interest rate		4.55	%
Expected life (years)	3.5
Vesting period (years)	3

The expected stock price volatility is based on the historical volatility of the Company’s stock for a period approximating the expected life. The expected life represents the period of time that options are expected to be outstanding after their grant date. The risk-free interest rate reflects the interest rate as of the grant date on zero-coupon U.S. governmental bonds with a remaining life similar to the expected option term.

Options are granted with exercise prices at fair market values determined on the date of grant and vesting normally occurs over a three to five-year period. Shares issued upon exercise of a stock option are issued from the Company’s authorized but unissued shares.

The following is a summary of stock option activity during the three months ended December 31, 2023:

	Number of options			Weighted average exercise price
Outstanding as of September 30, 2023		254,124		$	37.04
Granted		111,299			26.18
Exercised		-			-
Forfeited or expired		(1,731	)		41.64
Outstanding as of December 31, 2023		363,692		$	33.69

The intrinsic value of an option is the amount by which the fair value of the underlying stock exceeds its exercise price. As of December 31, 2023, the weighted average remaining contractual term for all outstanding and exercisable stock options was 2.14 years and their aggregate intrinsic value was $1,258,000.

Restricted Stock

During the three months ended December 31, 2023, the Company granted employees restricted stock awards totaling 121,884 shares of common stock, with a vesting term of approximately three years and a fair value of $26.18 per share based on the stock price on the grant date. During the three months ended December 31, 2022, the Company granted employees restricted stock awards totaling 8,686 shares of common stock, with a vesting term of approximately three years and a fair value of $104.36 per share.

Restricted stock transactions during the three months ended December 31, 2023, are summarized as follows:

	Number of shares			Weighted average grant date fair value
Unvested shares as of September 30, 2023		90,575		$	49.92
Granted		121,884			26.18
Vested		(30,422	)		52.67
Forfeited		(2,017	)		35.26
Unvested as of December 31, 2023		180,020		$	32.32

Performance Stock

During the three months ended December 31, 2023, the Company granted 47,745 performance stock units which entitles the participant to receive the same number of shares of the Company’s common stock, upon achievement of a fiscal year 2024 performance goal. The Company has determined the fair value per underlying share of the performance stock unit awards to be $26.18 as of the grant date.

Compensation expense for the performance stock units is measured using the fair value of our common stock at the grant date. As of December 31, 2023, the Company believes it is probable that these performance stock unit awards will vest and compensation expense has been recognized ratably over the performance period based on our estimated achievement of the established performance criteria. The Company did not issue any performance stock units in the three months ended December 31, 2022.

Bonus Stock

The Company did not issue any bonus stock in the three months ended December 31, 2023. During the three months ended December 31, 2022, the Company granted employees an aggregate of 9,144 shares of stock as a discretionary bonus to pay the incentive compensation earned for fiscal 2022 performance. The bonus stock consisted of common stock with no vesting period or restrictions. The fair value on the date of issuance was $104.36 per share.

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

The Company’s ESPP allows participating employees to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock at a discount through payroll deductions. The ESPP is available to all employees subject to certain eligibility requirements. Terms of the ESPP provide those participating employees the ability to purchase the Company’s common stock on a voluntary after-tax basis. Employees may purchase the Company’s common stock at a price that is no less than the lower of 85% of the fair market value of one share of common stock at the beginning or end of each stock purchase period or phase. The ESPP is carried out in six-month phases, with phases beginning on January 1 and July 1 of each calendar year. For the phase that ended on December 31, 2023, employees purchased 10,104 shares at a price of $24.72 per share. After the employee purchase on December 31, 2023, 158,147 shares of common stock were available for future purchase under the ESPP.