Benefit Plans

12 Months Ended

Oct. 31, 2011

Benefit Plans [Abstract]

Benefit Plans

Note 14. Benefit Plans

We have shareholder approved equity incentive plans, a shareholder approved Section 423 Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”) and an employee tax-deferred savings plan, which are described in more detail below.

Equity Incentive Plans

The Board adopted the 2006 and 2010 Equity Incentive Plans (collectively, the “Equity Plans”). Pursuant to the Equity Plans, 5.0 million shares of common stock were reserved for issuance. The Board is authorized to grant incentive stock options, nonstatutory stock options, stock appreciation rights (“SARs”), restricted stock awards (“RSAs”), restricted stock units, performance units, performance shares, dividend equivalent rights and other stock based awards to our officers, key employees and non-employee directors. Stock options, RSAs and SARs have restrictions as to transferability. Stock option exercise prices are fixed by the Board but shall not be less than the fair market value of our common stock on the date of the grant. SARs may be granted in conjunction with stock options. Stock options generally vest ratably over four years and expire 10 years from the date of grant. As of October 31, 2011, there were 1,305,635 shares available for grant. As of October 31, 2011, equity awards outstanding consisted of incentive stock options, nonstatutory stock options and RSAs. The Company has not issued any other type of equity award to its officers, key employees and non-employee directors. The 1998 Equity Incentive Plan remains in effect only to the extent of awards outstanding under the plan as of October 31, 2011.

We account for stock options awarded to employees and non-employee directors under the fair value method. The fair value of stock options is estimated on the grant date using the Black-Scholes option valuation model and the following weighted-average assumptions:

	2011			2010			2009
Expected life (in years)		7.0			7.0			6.8
Risk free interest rate		3.0	%		3.4	%		2.3	%
Volatility		73.0	%		72.2	%		72.4	%
Dividends yield		0.0	%		0.0	%		0.0	%

The expected life is the period over which our employees are expected to hold the options and is based on historical data for similar grants. The risk free interest rate is based on the expected U.S. Treasury rate over the expected life. Expected volatility is based on the historical volatility of our stock. Dividend yield is based on our expected dividend payments over the expected life.

Share-based compensation was reflected in the consolidated statements of operations as follows:

	2011		2010		2009
Cost of product sales and revenues	$	726	$	761	$	1,029
Cost of research and development contracts		115		175		188
General and administrative expense		1,275		1,397		2,802
Research and development expense		457		627		780
Total share-based compensation	$	2,573	$	2,960	$	4,799

The following table summarizes our stock option activity for the year ended October 31, 2011:

				Weighted-
				Average
				Option
Options	Shares			Price
Outstanding at October 31, 2010		5,118,201		$	10.15
Granted		216,657		$	1.98
Exercised		—		$	0.00
Cancelled		(2,014,300	)	$	12.41
Outstanding at October 31, 2011		3,320,558		$	8.25

The weighted average grant-date fair value per share for options granted during the years ended October 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009 was $1.38, $2.02 and $1.97, respectively. There were no options exercised in fiscal 2011. The total intrinsic value of options exercised during the years ended October 31, 2010 and 2009 was $0.0 million and $0.1 million, respectively.

The following table summarizes information about stock options outstanding and exercisable at October 31, 2011:

	Options Outstanding						Options Exercisable
			Weighted
			Average		Weighted Average				Weighted Average
Range of	Number		Remaining		Exercise		Number		Exercise
Exercise Prices	outstanding		Contractual Life		Price		exercisable		Price
$0.26 — $5.10		599,748		8.4	$	2.56		542,782	$	2.61
$5.11 — $9.92		1,656,762		4.6	$	7.78		1,525,887	$	7.71
$9.93 — $14.74		973,798		2.9	$	11.85		973,398	$	11.86
$14.75 — $19.56		90,250		0.6	$	15.89		90,250	$	15.89
		3,320,558		4.7	$	8.25		3,132,317	$	8.35

There was no intrinsic value for options outstanding and exercisable at October 31, 2011.

During fiscal year 2011, we granted 1,418,538 RSAs to employees. RSA expense is based on the fair value of the award at the date of grant and is amortized over the vesting period, generally four years. The weighted average grant-date fair value of RSAs was $1.92 per share. During the year, 497,618 RSAs were cancelled. At October 31, 2011, there were 1,800,482 outstanding RSAs with an average remaining life of 1.7 years and an aggregate intrinsic value of $1.9 million.

As of October 31, 2011, total compensation cost related to nonvested stock options and RSAs not yet recognized was $0.3 million and $3.2 million, respectively, which is expected to be recognized over the next 0.3 and 1.9 years, respectively, on a weighted-average basis.

Stock may be issued to employees as part of the annual incentive bonus. During fiscal 2011, 2010 and 2009, we issued 353,543, 233,822 and 355,253 shares of common stock, respectively, in lieu of cash bonuses with values of $0.7 million, $0.7 million and $1.1 million, respectively, to fulfill the accrued obligation from each of the prior fiscal years.

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

There were 1,900,000 shares of common stock reserved for issuance under the ESPP. Under the ESPP, eligible employees have the right to purchase shares of common stock at the lesser of (i) 85 percent of the last reported sale price of our common stock on the first business day of the offering period, or (ii) 85 percent of the last reported sale price of the common stock on the last business day of the offering period, in either case rounded up to avoid impermissible trading fractions. Shares issued pursuant to the ESPP contain a legend restricting the transfer or sale of such common stock for a period of six months after the date of purchase. As of October 31, 2011, there were 998,060 shares of common stock available for issuance under the ESPP.

ESPP activity for the year ended October 31, 2011 was as follows:

	Number of
Options	Shares
Balance at October 31, 2010		127,703
Additional shares approved by shareholders		1,000,000
Issued @ $0.97		(129,643	)
Outstanding at October 31, 2011		998,060

The fair value of shares under the ESPP was determined at the grant date using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the following weighted average assumptions:

	2011			2010			2009
Expected life (in years)		0.5			0.5			0.5
Risk free interest rate		0.2	%		0.2	%		0.7	%
Volatility		90.5	%		94.0	%		99.0	%
Dividends yield		0.0	%		0.0	%		0.0	%

The weighted-average fair value of shares issued under the ESPP during fiscal 2011 was $0.97 per share.

Employee Tax-Deferred Savings Plans

We offer a 401(k) plan (the “Plan”) to all full time employees that provides for tax-deferred salary deductions for eligible employees (beginning the first month following an employee’s hire date). Employees may choose to make voluntary contributions of their annual compensation to the Plan, limited to an annual maximum amount as set periodically by the Internal Revenue Service. We provide discretionary matching contributions equal to 100 percent of the employee’s contribution amount, up to a maximum of 6 percent of the employee’s annual salary. Participants are required to contribute a minimum of 3 percent in order to be eligible to participate and receive the matching contribution. Matching contributions begin vesting after one year and are fully vested after five years. Employee contributions are fully vested when made. Under the Plan, there is no option available to the employee to receive or purchase our common stock. In February 2009, we suspended our matching contribution. Matching contributions under the Plan were $0.5 million for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2009.