As of September 30, 2022, the Company had four stock-based compensation plans, which are described more fully in Note 17 to the audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2021, contained in the Company’s Form 10-K.

During the nine months ended September 30, 2022, the Company issued options to purchase 279,500 shares of common stock to certain of the Company's employees. During the same period, the Company cancelled options to purchase 95,625 shares of common stock, of which 55,625 were as a result of employee resignations and 40,000 were options issued to non-employee directors and subsequently canceled.

The following summarizes the changes in common stock options for the nine months ended September 30, 2022:


	Options			Weighted Average Exercise Price		Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term (Years)		Aggregate Intrinsic Value (In thousands)
Outstanding as of December 31, 2021		2,193,288		$	1.23
Granted		279,500		$	1.62
Exercised		(339,125	)	$	0.50
Forfeited		(95,625	)	$	1.77
Outstanding as of September 30, 2022		2,038,038		$	1.38		7.38	$	938

Options exercisable as of September 30, 2022		980,163		$	0.96		6.02	$	737

The Company recognized stock-based compensation expense related to common stock options of $0.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2022. As of September 30, 2022, there was approximately $1.0 million of unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to unvested common stock options outstanding, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 2.8 years.

At the Company's 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, the Company's shareholders approved the 2022 Heritage Global Inc. Equity Incentive Plan, which replaces the Heritage Global Inc. 2016 Plan and authorized the issuance of an aggregate of 3.5 million shares of Common Stock for awards made after June 8, 2022. As of September 30, 2022, the Company issued options to purchase 144,500 shares of common stock to certain of the Company's employees under this plan.

Restricted stock awards represent a right to receive shares of common stock at a future date determined in accordance with the participant’s award agreement. There is no exercise price and no monetary payment required for receipt of restricted stock awards or the shares issued in settlement of the award. Instead, consideration is furnished in the form of the participant’s services to the Company. Compensation cost for these awards is based on the fair value of the shares of common stock on the date of grant and recognized as compensation expense on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period.

On June 1, 2018, the Company granted 600,000 shares of Company restricted common stock in connection with the Addenda to the Employment Agreements of David Ludwig and Tom Ludwig. The shares are subject to certain restrictions on transfer and a right of repurchase over five years, ending May 31, 2023, and require a continued term of service to the Company. Stock-based compensation expense related to the restricted stock awards, calculated by using the grant date fair value of $0.43 per share, was $38,700 for the nine months ended September 30, 2022. The unrecognized stock-based compensation expense as of September 30, 2022 was approximately $34,400.

On March 30, 2021, the Company and Scott West entered into a Separation Agreement and General Release (the “Separation Agreement”). Under the terms of the Separation Agreement, Mr. West’s separation from the Company was effective on March 31, 2021. On April 8, 2021, the Company granted 25,000 shares of the Company’s restricted common stock, which will be forfeited to the Company during the two years following the effective date of the Separation Agreement in the event Mr. West breaches the terms of the Separation Agreement. In addition, the Separation Agreement provides for customary mutual releases by the Company and Mr. West, and the Separation Agreement includes confidentiality, non-disparagement and other obligations. The full amount of the restricted common stock was expensed as of March 31, 2021.

On August 3, 2022, the Company granted 115,000 shares of Company restricted common stock to non-executive directors under the 2022 Heritage Global Inc. Equity Incentive Plan. Of the shares of Company restricted common stock granted during the nine months ended September 30, 2022, 40,000 shares were granted with a vesting term that was completed prior to the grant date due to a delay in the Company’s ability to grant such shares, and the remaining 75,000 shares will vest in full on March 31, 2023. We determined the fair value of the shares awarded by using the closing price of our common stock as of the grant date. Stock-based compensation expense related to the restricted stock awards, calculated by using the grant date fair value of $1.58 per share, was $92,800 for the nine months ended September 30, 2022. The unrecognized stock-based compensation expense as of for the nine months ended September 30, 2022, was approximately $88,900.