Note 9 - Shareholders' Equity

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

Notes to Financial Statements

Shareholders' Equity and Share-Based Payments [Text Block]

9. Shareholders’ Equity

Repurchase Program

During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company repurchased and retired 951,010 shares of its common stock for $4,002,000. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company repurchased and retired 910,700 shares of its common stock for $3,882,000. As of December 31, 2023, the Company had $2,194,000 available to repurchase common shares under the repurchase program. The excess of repurchase price over par value is allocated between additional paid-in capital and retained earnings.

Option Activity

The 2004 Stock Option Plan (the “2004 Plan”) is an equity compensation plan that provides for grants of stock options to eligible individuals. The 2004 Plan is intended to recognize the contributions made to the Company by key employees of the Company, provide key employees with additional incentive to devote themselves to the future success of the Company and improve the ability of the Company to attract, retain and motivate individuals. The 2004 Plan also is intended as an incentive to certain members of the Board of Directors of the Company to continue to serve on the Board of Directors and to devote themselves to the future success of the Company.

The 2004 Plan provides for a total of 5,000,000 common shares eligible for issuance. Under the 2004 Plan, approximately 5,009,750 options had been granted as of December 31, 2020. Under the 2004 Plan, option grants have a three-year vesting period and, since 2005, expire no later than the fifth anniversary from the date of grant. The exercise price of the options is determined based on the fair market value of the stock on the date of grant.

At the Company’s 2020 Annual Meeting of Shareholders held on June 9, 2020, the Company’s shareholders approved the Alpha Pro Tech, Ltd. 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “2020 Incentive Plan”). The 2020 Incentive Plan provides for the grant of incentive and nonqualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, awards of restricted stock and restricted stock units, performance share awards, cash awards and other equity-based awards to employees (including officers), consultants and non-employee directors of the Company and its affiliates. A total of 1,800,000 shares of the Company’s common stock are reserved for issuance under the 2020 Incentive Plan, plus the number of shares underlying any award granted under the 2004 Option Plan that expires, terminates or is cancelled or forfeited under the terms of the 2004 Option Plan. As a result of the approval of the 2020 Incentive Plan, no future equity awards will be made pursuant to the 2004 Option Plan. Although no new awards may be granted under the 2004 Option Plan, all previously granted awards under the 2004 Option Plan will continue to be governed by the terms of the 2004 Option Plan.

The following table summarizes restricted stock awards activity for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022:

				Weighted-Average
				Grant Date Price
	Shares			Restricted stock awards
Outstanding, December 31, 2021		15,140		$	7.14
Granted to employees and directors		21,772			4.00
Vested		(18,540	)		6.56
Canceled/expired/forfeited		-			-
Outstanding, December 31, 2022		18,372			4.00
Granted to employees and directors		227,000			4.23
Vested		(10,200	)		3.99
Canceled/expired/forfeited		-			-
Outstanding December 31, 2023		235,172			4.21

During the years ended December 31, 2023, and 2022, 227,000 and 21,772 restricted stock awards were granted under the 2020 Incentive Plan, respectively. The Company recognized $145,000 and $104,000 in compensation expense associated with outstanding restricted stock awards for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. As of December 31, 2023, $878,000 of total unrecognized compensation cost related to the restricted stock grants was expected to be recognized over a weighted-average remainder period of 2.61 years.

The following table summarizes option activity for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022:

				Weighted
				Average
				Exercise Price
	Shares			Per Option
Options outstanding, December 31, 2021		427,580		$	3.50
Granted to employees and directors		19,600			3.99
Exercised		(21,665	)		3.70
Canceled/expired/forfeited		(14,900	)		3.93
Options outstanding, December 31, 2022		410,615			3.50
Granted to employees and directors		46,400			4.23
Exercised		(140,916	)		3.29
Canceled/expired/forfeited		(23,333	)		3.53
Options outstanding, December 31, 2023		292,766			3.71
Options exercisable, December 31, 2023		236,565			3.60

Stock options to purchase 292,766 and 410,615 shares of common stock were outstanding as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. All except 46,400 of the stock options, which were anti-dilutive, were included in the computation of the weighted-average number of dilutive common shares outstanding for the year ended December 31, 2023. All of the stock options were included in the computation of the weighted-average number of dilutive common shares outstanding for the year ended December 31, 2022.

The Company used the Black-Scholes option-pricing model to value the options. The Company uses historical data to estimate the expected term of the options. The risk-free interest rate for periods consistent with the expected term of the award is based on the U.S. Treasury rates in effect at the time of grant. The expected volatility is based on historical volatility. The Company uses an estimated dividend payout ratio of zero, as the Company has not paid dividends in the past and, at this time, does not expect to do so in the foreseeable future. The Company accounts for option forfeitures as they occur.

The following table summarizes information about stock options as of December 31, 2023:

			Options Outstanding								Options Exercisable
Range of Exercise Prices			Options		Weighted Average Exercise Price		Weighted Average Remaining Contract Life (in years)		Aggregate Intrinsic Value		Options		Weighted Average Exercise Price		Weighted Average Remaining Contract Life (in years)		Aggregate Intrinsic Value
$3.42	-	$4.23		292,766	$	3.71		1.17	$	462,000		236,565	$	3.60		0.36	$	400,000

The intrinsic value is the amount by which the market value of the underlying common stock exceeds the exercise price of the respective stock options. The aggregate intrinsic value of stock options exercised during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, was $109,000 and $12,000, respectively.

As of December 31, 2023, $147,000 of total unrecognized compensation cost related to stock options was expected to be recognized over a weighted-average remaining period of 2.5 years. Cash received from 140,916 options exercised for the year ended December 31, 2023, was $464,000.

Dividends

The holders of the Company’s common stock are entitled to receive such dividends as may be declared by the Board of Directors of the Company from time to time to the extent that funds are legally available for payment thereof. The Company has never declared or paid any dividends on any of its outstanding shares of common stock. The Board of Directors’ current policy is not to pay dividends but rather to use available funds to repurchase common shares in accordance with the Company’s repurchase program and to fund the continued development and growth of the Company. Consequently, the Company currently has no plans to pay cash dividends in the foreseeable future.