Note 6 - Equity Incentive Plan

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2015

Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Text Block]

6. Equity Incentive Plan

The Company estimates the fair value of stock options and stock appreciation rights (“SARs”) using the Black-Scholes valuation model. Fair value of restricted stock is measured by the grant-date price of the Company’s shares. The fair value of each stock option award during the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively, was estimated on the grant date using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the following assumptions:

	Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2015			2014
Risk free interest rate	1.15%	-	1.46%	1.16%	-	1.39%
Expected volatility	53.15%	-	54.65%		53.28%
Expected life (years)		4.5			4
Expected dividend yield		0.00%			0.00%

The Company recorded $498,442 and $390,578 of share-based compensation expense for the three-month periods ended September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively, for equity compensation awards. The Company recorded $1,562,391 and $1,196,361 of share-based compensation expense for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively, for equity compensation awards. The Company presents the expenses related to stock-based compensation awards in the same expense line items as cash compensation paid to the respective recipients.

There were no stock options, SARs, Restricted Stock Awards (“RSAs”) or

Restricted Stock Units (“RSUs”)

granted under

the Anika Therapeutics, Inc. Second Amended and Restated 2003 Stock Option and Incentive Plan, as amended (the “Plan”), during the three-month period ended September 30, 2015. During the nine-month period ended September 30, 2015, the Company granted under the Plan a total of 111,625 stock options, 23,375 RSAs, and 9,678 RSUs. All of the RSUs were granted to directors of the Company. The stock options, RSAs, and RSUs granted to employees and directors generally become exercisable or vest ratably over four years from the date of grant.

A portion of the stock options granted during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2015 contained certain performance features, as compared to established targets, in addition to time-based vesting conditions. The compensation cost associated with these grants was estimated using the Black-Scholes valuation method multiplied by the expected number of shares to be issued, which is adjusted based on the estimated probabilities of achieving the performance goals.

As of September 30, 2015, there was approximately $4.5 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested stock options, SARs, RSAs, and RSUs granted under the Plan. This cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.73 years.

The total intrinsic value of stock options and SARs exercised during the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2015 and 2014 was $3,165,838 and $25,473,089, respectively. Cash received from the exercise of stock options during the three- month periods ended September 30, 2015 and 2014 was $105,785 and $17,513, respectively. Cash received from the exercise of options during the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2015 and 2014 was $1,074,814 and $1,379,294, respectively. During the second quarter of 2014, the Company acquired and subsequently retired 133,774 common shares related to an employee SARs exercise to meet minimum statutory tax withholding requirements.

There were 812,457 options and SARs outstanding under the Plan as of September 30, 2015 with a weighted-average exercise price of $17.92 per share, an aggregate intrinsic value of approximately $12.9 million, and a weighted-average remaining contractual term of 6.7 years. None of the options or SARs outstanding at September 30, 2015 or 2014, respectively, had cash-settlement features.

The Company may satisfy the awards upon exercise, or upon fulfillment of the vesting requirements for other equity-based awards, with either authorized but unissued shares or shares reacquired by the Company. Stock-based awards are granted with an exercise price equal to the market price of the Company’s stock on the date of grant. Awards containing service conditions generally become exercisable ratably over one to four years, have a ten year contractual term, and sometimes contain performance conditions.