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Note 2 - Stock-based Compensation
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019
Notes to Financial Statements  
Share-based Payment Arrangement [Text Block]
Note
2
— Stock-Based Compensation
 
As of
March 
31,
2019,
the Company had
two
stock-based employee compensation plans, the Stock Incentive Plan (“Incentive Plan”) and the Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”). The Incentive Plan was amended and restated in
September 2018
and approved by the Company’s stockholders in
October 2018.
The ESPP was amended and restated in
March 2014
and approved by the Company’s stockholders in
May 2014.
Stock-based compensation expense of
$3,317
(
$3,166
of expense related to the Incentive Plan and
$151
of expense related to the ESPP) was recognized during the
first
three
months of
2019,
while
$2,903
(
$2,820
of expense related to the Incentive Plan and
$83
of expense related to the ESPP) was recognized during the
first
three
months of
2018.
 
There was approximately
$27,594
of total unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested stock option awards and restricted stock unit awards granted by the Company as of
March 
31,
2019.
That cost is expected to be recognized as follows:
$8,033
during the remainder of
2019,
$8,310
in
2020,
$6,333
in
2021,
$4,849
in
2022
and
$69
in
2023.
In addition, the Company has outstanding performance-based stock options for which
no
compensation expense is recognized until “performance” has occurred and the award vests.
 
Stock Incentive Plan
 
The Company grants stock option awards and restricted stock unit awards to its employees, directors, and consultants under the Incentive Plan. Under the Incentive Plan, stock option awards are granted with an exercise price equal to the market price of the Company’s stock at the date of grant. Stock option awards and restricted stock units granted to employees generally vest
25%
each year until fully vested after
four
years. In
August 2013
and
December 2014,
the Company issued
1,032
and
1,250
performance-based stock options, respectively. These awards vest upon successful completion of specific development milestones. As of
March 31, 2019,
75%
of the
August 2013
grants have vested based upon achievement of
three
milestones. As of
March 31, 2019,
30%
of the
December 2014
grants have vested. Thus, as of
March 31, 2019,
25%
of the
August 2013
performance-based grants and
70%
of the
December 2014
performance-based grants remain unvested and
no
compensation expense has been recognized for these portions of the previously issued performance-based grants. Stock option awards granted to non-employee directors of the Company generally vest monthly over
one
year. All stock option awards have contractual terms of
5
to
10
 years. The vesting exercise provisions of all awards granted under the Incentive Plan are subject to acceleration in the event of certain stockholder-approved transactions, or upon the occurrence of a change in control as defined in the Incentive Plan.  
 
Related activity under the Incentive Plan is as follows:
 
   
Awards
Available
 
Options
Outstanding
 
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
Balance December 31, 2018    
805
     
17,491
    $
6.49
 
Restricted stock unit awards granted    
     
     
 
Restricted stock unit awards cancelled    
     
     
 
Stock option awards granted    
(437
)    
437
     
8.91
 
Stock option awards exercised    
     
(155
)    
3.42
 
Stock option awards cancelled    
78
     
(78
)    
6.35
 
                         
Balance March 31, 2019    
446
     
17,695
    $
6.58
 
 
As of
March 31, 2019,
there were
3
restricted stock unit awards outstanding.
 
For stock option awards granted under the Incentive Plan during the
first
three
months of
2019
and
2018,
the fair value was estimated on the date of grant using a Black-Scholes option pricing model and the assumptions noted in the table below. The weighted average grant date fair value per share of the awards granted during the
first
three
months of
2019
and
2018
was
$6.07
and
$3.72,
respectively. The fair value of the stock option awards is amortized to expense over the vesting periods using a straight-line expense attribution method. The following table summarizes the key assumptions used by the Company to value the stock option awards granted during the
first
three
months of
2019
and
2018.
The expected life is based on the average of the assumption that all outstanding stock option awards will be exercised at full vesting and the assumption that all outstanding stock option awards will be exercised at the midpoint of the current date (if already vested) or at full vesting (if
not
yet vested) and the full contractual term. The expected volatility represents the historical volatility on the Company’s publicly traded common stock. The Company has assumed
no
expected dividend yield, as dividends have never been paid to stock or option holders and will
not
be paid for the foreseeable future. The weighted average risk-free interest rate is the implied yield currently available on
zero
-coupon government issues with a remaining term equal to the expected term.
 
Weighted Average Assumptions for Stock Option Awards Granted to
Employees and Directors under the Incentive Plan
 
    2019   2018
Expected Life in Years    
5.5
     
5.5
 
Expected Volatility    
81.0
%    
82.0
%
Expected Dividend Yield    
0.0
%    
0.0
%
Risk-Free Interest Rate    
2.5
%    
2.4
%
 
Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”)
 
The Company has reserved a total of
1,475
 shares of common stock to be purchased under the ESPP, of which
187
 shares remain available for purchase at
March 
31,
2019.
Eligible employees
may
authorize up to
15%
of their salary to purchase common stock at the lower of
85%
of the beginning or
85%
of the ending price during
six
-month purchase intervals.
No
more than
3
shares
may
be purchased by any
one
employee at the
six
-month purchase dates and
no
employee
may
purchase stock having a fair market value at the commencement date of
$25
or more in any
one
calendar year. The Company issued
47
shares during the
first
three
months of
2019
under the ESPP. Compensation expense for shares purchased under the ESPP related to the purchase discount and the “look-back” option were determined using a Black-Scholes option pricing model.