Note 8 - Stock-Based Compensation

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

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

8.  Stock-Based Compensation

For the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, the Company’s net income, as reported, includes $2.0 million and $1.4 million, respectively, of stock-based compensation costs and $0.8 million and $0.6 million, respectively, of income tax benefits related to the stock-based compensation plans.

The Company estimates the fair value of stock options using the Black-Scholes valuation model. Key assumptions used to estimate the fair value of stock options include the exercise price of the award, the expected option term, the expected volatility of the Company’s stock price, the risk-free interest rate over the options’ expected term and the annual dividend yield. The Company uses the fair value of the common stock on the date of award to measure compensation cost for restricted stock unit awards. Compensation cost is recognized over the vesting period of the award using the straight line method. During the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, the Company granted 230,675 and 230,675 restricted stock units, respectively.  There were no stock options granted during the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012.

The 2005 Omnibus Incentive Plan (“Omnibus Plan”) became effective on May 17, 2005 after approval by the stockholders. The Omnibus Plan authorizes the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Compensation Committee”) to grant a variety of equity compensation awards as well as long-term and annual cash incentive awards, all of which can be structured so as to comply with Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”). On May 17, 2011, stockholders of the Company approved an amendment to the Omnibus Plan authorizing an additional 625,000 shares for use for full value awards. As of March 31, 2013, there were 340,125 shares available for full value awards and 56,440 shares available for non-full value awards. To satisfy stock option exercises or fund restricted stock and restricted stock unit awards, shares are issued from treasury stock, if available, otherwise new shares are issued.  The Company will maintain separate pools of available shares for full value as opposed to non-full value awards, except that shares can be moved from the non-full value pool to the full value pool on a 3-for-1 basis. The exercise price per share of a stock option grant may not be less than the fair market value of the common stock of the Company, as defined in the Omnibus Plan, on the date of grant and may not be re-priced without the approval of the Company’s stockholders. Options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units and other stock based awards granted under the Omnibus Plan are generally subject to a minimum vesting period of three years with stock options having a 10-year contractual term. Other awards do not have a contractual term of expiration. Restricted stock unit awards include participants who have reached or are close to reaching retirement eligibility, at which time such awards fully vest. These amounts are included in stock-based compensation expense.

Full Value Awards: The first pool is available for full value awards, such as restricted stock unit awards. The pool will be decreased by the number of shares granted as full value awards. The pool will be increased from time to time by: (1) the number of shares that are returned to or retained by the Company as a result of the cancellation, expiration, forfeiture or other termination of a full value award (under the Omnibus Plan); (2) the settlement of such an award in cash; (3) the delivery to the award holder of fewer shares than the number underlying the award, including shares which are withheld from full value awards; or (4) the surrender of shares by an award holder in payment of the exercise price or taxes with respect to a full value award. The Omnibus Plan will allow the Company to transfer shares from the non-full value pool to the full value pool on a 3-for-1 basis, but does not allow the transfer of shares from the full value pool to the non-full value pool.

The following table summarizes the Company’s full value awards at or for the three months ended March 31, 2013:

Full Value Awards	Shares			Weighted-Average Grant-Date Fair Value
Non-vested at December 31, 2012		318,051		$	13.35
Granted		243,645			15.26
Vested		(175,486	)		14.19
Forfeited		-			-
Non-vested at March 31, 2013		386,210		$	14.18
Vested but unissued at March 31, 2013		232,395		$	14.29

As of March 31, 2013, there was $5.0 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested full value awards granted under the Omnibus Plan. That cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 3.6 years.  The total fair value of awards vested for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 were $2.7 million and $1.9 million, respectively.  The vested but unissued full value awards consist of awards made to employees and directors who are eligible for retirement. According to the terms of the Omnibus Plan, these employees and directors have no risk of forfeiture.  These shares will be issued at the original contractual vesting dates.

Non-Full Value Awards:The second pool is available for non-full value awards, such as stock options. The pool will be increased from time to time by the number of shares that are returned to or retained by the Company as a result of the cancellation, expiration, forfeiture or other termination of a non-full value award (under the Omnibus Plan or the 1996 Stock Option Incentive Plan).  The second pool will not be replenished by shares withheld or surrendered in payment of the exercise price or taxes, retained by the Company as a result of the delivery to the award holder of fewer shares than the number underlying the award or the settlement of the award in cash.

The following table summarizes certain information regarding the non-full value awards, all of which have been granted as stock options, at or for the three months ended March 31, 2013:

Non-Full Value Awards	Shares			Weighted- Average Exercise Price		Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Term		Aggregate Intrinsic Value $(000) *
Outstanding at December 31, 2012		770,355		$	15.92
Granted		-			-
Exercised		(52,320	)		12.62
Forfeited		-			-
Outstanding at March 31, 2013		718,035		$	16.16		2.8	$	1,014
Exercisable shares at March 31, 2013		680,095		$	16.34		2.7	$	824
Vested but unexercisable shares at March 31, 2013		14,560		$	13.29		5.6	$	69

* The intrinsic value of a stock option is the difference between the market value of the underlying stock and the exercise price of the option.

As of March 31, 2013, there was $23,000 of total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested non-full value awards granted under the Omnibus Plan. That cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 0.6 years.  The vested but unexercisable non-full value awards were made to employees who are eligible for retirement. According to the terms of the Omnibus Plan, these employees have no risk of forfeiture.  These awards will be exercisable at the original contractual vesting dates.

Cash proceeds, fair value received, tax benefits and the intrinsic value related to stock options exercised during the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 are provided in the following table:

	For the three months ended March 31,
(In thousands)	2013		2012
Proceeds from stock options exercised	$	22	$	244
Fair value of shares received upon exercised of stock options		637		548
Tax benefit related to stock options exercised		53		24
Intrinsic value of stock options exercised		174		114

Phantom Stock Plan: The Company maintains a non-qualified phantom stock plan as a supplement to its profit sharing plan for officers who have achieved the level of Senior Vice President and above and completed one year of service.  However, officers who had achieved at least the level of Vice President and completed one year of service prior to January 1, 2009 remain eligible to participate in the phantom stock plan.  Awards are made under this plan on certain compensation not eligible for awards made under the profit sharing plan, due to the terms of the profit sharing plan and the Internal Revenue Code. Employees receive awards under this plan proportionate to the amount they would have received under the profit sharing plan, but for limits imposed by the profit sharing plan and the Internal Revenue Code. The awards are made as cash awards, and then converted to common stock equivalents (phantom shares) at the then current market value of the Company’s common stock. Dividends are credited to each employee’s account in the form of additional phantom shares each time the Company pays a dividend on its common stock. In the event of a change of control (as defined in this plan), an employee’s interest is converted to a fixed dollar amount and deemed to be invested in the same manner as his or her interest in the Savings Bank’s non-qualified deferred compensation plan. Employees vest under this plan 20% per year for 5 years. Employees also become 100% vested upon a change of control. Employees receive their vested interest in this plan in the form of a cash lump sum payment or installments, as elected by the employee, after termination of employment. The Company adjusts its liability under this plan to the fair value of the shares at the end of each period.

The following table summarizes the Phantom Stock Plan at or for the three months ended March 31, 2013:

Phantom Stock Plan	Shares			Fair Value
Outstanding at December 31, 2012		50,067		$	15.34
Granted		8,589			15.57
Forfeited		-			-
Distributions		(13	)		15.84
Outstanding at March 31, 2013		58,643		$	16.94
Vested at March 31, 2013		58,311		$	16.94

The Company recorded stock-based compensation expense for the Phantom Stock Plan of $99,000 and $42,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. The total fair value of the distributions from the Phantom Stock Plan was $1,000 for each of the three month periods ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively.