NOTE 7 - SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION

In March 2016, shareholders approved a new equity incentive compensation plan (the “Plan”), under which incentive stock options, non-qualified stock options, stock grants, stock-based awards, restricted stock, restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights, performance units, performance stock, and other stock or cash awards may be granted. Shares to be issued under the Plan may be authorized and unissued shares, issued shares that have been reacquired by the Company (in the open-market or in private transactions), shares that are being held in the treasury, or a combination thereof. The maximum number of shares of common stock approved that may be issued under the Plan is four million shares. Awards may be granted to officers, employees, directors, consultants, advisors, and independent contractors of the Company or its subsidiaries. In the event of a change in control (as defined in the Plan), the vesting of awards may be accelerated. Total share-based compensation costs for the three and six month periods ended April 30, 2017, were $0.9 million and $1.9 million, respectively, and $1.0 million and $1.9 million for the three and six month periods ended May 1, 2016, respectively. The Company received cash from option exercises of $1.0 million and $2.1 million for the three and six month periods ended April 30, 2017, respectively, and $0.9 million and $2.8 million for the three and six month periods ended May 1, 2016, respectively. No share-based compensation cost was capitalized as part of an asset and no related income tax benefits were recorded during the periods presented.

Stock Options

Option awards generally vest in one to four years, and have a ten-year contractual term. All incentive and non-qualified stock option grants have an exercise price no less than the market value of the underlying common stock on the date of grant. The grant date fair values of options are based on closing prices of the Company’s common stock on the dates of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. Expected volatility is based on the historical volatility of the Company's stock. The Company uses historical option exercise behavior and employee termination data to estimate expected term, which represents the period of time that the options granted are expected to remain outstanding. The risk-free rate of return for the estimated term of the option is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the date of grant.

The weighted-average inputs and risk-free rate of return ranges used to calculate the grant date fair value of options issued during the three and six month periods ended April 30, 2017 and May 1, 2016, are presented in the following table.

	Three Months Ended						Six Months Ended
	April 30, 2017			May 1, 2016			April 30, 2017			May 1, 2016

Volatility		31.6	%		39.8	%		32.2	%		49.5	%

Risk free rate of return		2.0	%		1.4	%		1.9-2.0	%		1.4-1.7	%

Dividend yield		0.0	%		0.0	%		0.0	%		0.0	%

Expected term	5.0 years			5.1 years			5.0 years			5.1 years

Information on outstanding and exercisable option awards as of April 30, 2017, is presented below.

Options	Shares		Weighted Average Exercise Price		Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life		Aggregate Intrinsic Value

Outstanding at April 30, 2017		3,458,835	$	7.96		6.3 years	$	12,572

Exercisable at April 30, 2017		2,176,719	$	6.49		5.0 years	$	10,997

There were 10,000 share options granted during the three month period ended April 30, 2017, with a grant date fair value of $3.35 per share and 23,000 share options granted during the three month period ended May 1, 2016, with a weighted-average grant date fair value of $3.74 per share. There were 348,750 share options granted during the six month period ended April 30, 2017, with a weighted-average grant date fair value of $3.59 per share and 602,250 share options granted during the six month period ended May 1, 2016, with a weighted-average grant date fair value of $4.63 per share. As of April 30, 2017, the total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested option awards was approximately $4.2 million. That cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average amortization period of 2.5 years.

Restricted Stock

The fair value of restricted stock awards is based on the Company’s closing stock price on the date of grant. The restrictions on these awards typically lapse over a service period of less-than-one to four years. There were 25,000 restricted stock awards granted during the three month period ended April 30, 2017, with a grant date fair value of $10.75, and 285,000 restricted stock awards granted during the six month period ended April 30, 2017, with a weighted-average grant date fair value of $11.30 per share. No restricted stock awards were granted during the three month period ended May 1, 2016 and 115,225 restricted stock awards were granted during the six month period ended May 1, 2016, with a weighted-average grant date fair value of $12.13 per share. As of April 30, 2017, the total compensation cost not yet recognized related to unvested restricted stock awards was approximately $3.3 million. That cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average amortization period of 3.0 years. As of April 30, 2017, there were 344,094 shares of restricted stock outstanding.