10.

Stock-based Compensation Plans

The Company has stock-based compensation plans under which it grants stock options, restricted stock awards, performance share awards, restricted stock units and deferred stock units. Accounting guidance requires all share-based payments to be recognized as an operating expense, based on their fair values, over the requisite service period.

The Company’s stock-based compensation expenses were allocated to the following expense categories:


	Three months ended December 31
*(Dollars in thousands)*	2014		2013
Product costs	$	7	$	4
Research and development		61		52
Selling, general and administrative		457		757

Total	$	525	$	813

As of December 31, 2014, approximately $2.9 million of total unrecognized compensation costs related to non-vested awards is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of approximately 2.3 years. The unrecognized compensation costs above include $0.2 million based on payout levels associated with performance share awards that are currently anticipated to be expensed because the performance conditions are expected to be met at or above minimum threshold levels.

Stock Option Awards

The Company uses the Black-Scholes option pricing model to determine the weighted average grant date fair value of stock options granted. The weighted average per share fair values of stock options granted during the three months ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 were $7.22 and $8.80, respectively. The assumptions used as inputs in the model were as follows:


	Three months ended December 31
	2014			2013
Risk-free interest rates		1.4	%		1.2	%
Expected life (years)		4.5			4.6
Expected volatility		43.3	%		45.1	%
Dividend yield		0.0	%		0.0	%

The risk-free interest rate assumption was based on the U.S. Treasury’s rates for U.S. Treasury zero-coupon bonds with maturities similar to those of the expected term of the award. The expected life of options granted is determined based on the Company’s experience. Expected volatility is based on the Company’s stock price movement over a period approximating the expected term. Based on management’s judgment, dividend rates are expected to be zero for the expected life of the options. The Company also estimates forfeitures of options granted, which are based on historical experience.

Non-qualified stock options are granted at fair market value on the date of grant. Non-qualified stock options expire in seven to ten years or upon termination of employment or service as a Board member. With respect to members of our Board, non-qualified stock options generally become exercisable on a pro-rata basis within the one-year period following the date of grant. With respect to our employees, non-qualified stock options generally become exercisable with respect to 25% of the shares on each of the first four anniversaries following the grant date.

The total pre-tax intrinsic value of options exercised during the three months ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 was $0.1 million and $0.5 million, respectively. The intrinsic value represents the difference between the average exercise price and the fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the last day of the respective fiscal period end.

Restricted Stock Awards

The Company has entered into restricted stock agreements with certain key employees, covering the issuance of common stock (“Restricted Stock”). Under accounting guidance these shares are considered to be non-vested shares. The Restricted Stock is released to key employees if they are employed by the Company at the end of the vesting period. Compensation has been recognized for the estimated fair value of the common shares and is being expensed over the vesting term. The stock-based compensation table above includes Restricted Stock expenses recognized related to these awards, which totaled less than $0.1 million in each of the three months ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

Performance Share Awards

The Company has entered into performance share agreements with certain key employees and executives, covering the issuance of common stock (“Performance Shares”). The Performance Shares vest upon the achievement of all or a portion of certain performance objectives (which may include financial or project objectives), which must be achieved during the performance period. The Organization and Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Committee”) approves the performance objective used for our executive compensation programs, which objectives were cumulative earnings per share and cumulative revenue for the three-year performance periods for fiscal 2012 (2012 – 2014), fiscal 2013 (2013 – 2015), fiscal 2014 (2014 – 2016), and cumulative revenue and cumulative EBITDA for fiscal 2015 (2015 – 2017). Assuming that the minimum performance level is attained, the number of shares that may actually vest will vary based on performance from 20% (minimum) to 200% (maximum) of the target number of shares. Shares will be issued to participants as soon as practicable following the end of the performance periods subject to Committee approval and verification of results. The fiscal 2012 awards were finalized in the three months ended December 31, 2014 and resulted in issuance of 98,093 shares (maximum was 124,994 shares) based on the performance objectives and actual results. The compensation cost related to the number of shares to be granted under each performance period is fixed on the grant date, which is the date the performance period begins. Compensation is recognized in each period based on management’s best estimate of the achievement level of actual results compared with the specified performance objectives for Performance Shares. For the three months ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, the Company recognized expense of less than $0.1 million and $0.3 million, respectively. The stock-based compensation table above includes the Performance Shares expenses.

The fair values of the Performance Shares, at target, were $0.9 million in each fiscal year for grants awarded in fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

The aggregate number of shares that could be awarded to our executives if the minimum, target and maximum performance goals are met, based upon the fair value at the date of grant is as follows:


Performance Period	Minimum Shares		Target Shares		Maximum Shares
Fiscal 2013 - 2015		8,551		42,753		85,506
Fiscal 2014 - 2016		7,861		39,303		78,606
Fiscal 2015 - 2017		8,440		42,199		84,398

1999 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Under the 1999 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“Stock Purchase Plan”), the Company is authorized to issue up to 400,000 shares of common stock. All full-time and part-time employees can choose to have up to 10% of their annual compensation withheld, with a limit of $25,000, to purchase the Company’s common stock at purchase prices defined within the provisions of the Stock Purchase Plan. As of December 31, 2014 and September 30, 2014, there was $0.1 million and less than $0.1 million of employee contributions, respectively, included in accrued liabilities in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. Stock compensation expense recognized related to the Stock Purchase Plan for the three months ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 totaled less than $0.1 million in each period. The stock-based compensation table above includes the Stock Purchase Plan expenses.

Restricted Stock and Deferred Stock Units

In the quarter ended December 31, 2014, the Company awarded 10,678 restricted stock units (“RSU”), and has cumulatively awarded 35,512 RSUs to non-employee directors since fiscal 2013 under the 2009 Equity Incentive Plan. There were no forfeitures or issuances in the three months ended December 31, 2014, with forfeitures of 3,417 RSUs and issuance of 2,183 shares of common stock to departed non-employee directors in fiscal 2014. The RSU awards vest on a pro-rata basis over a one-year period. RSU awards are not considered as issued or outstanding common stock of the Company until shares are issued to a non-employee director upon retirement from the Board of Directors. The estimated fair value of the RSU awards was determined based on the closing market price of SurModics’ common stock on the date of grant. Compensation expense has been recognized for the estimated fair value of the common shares and is being expensed over the vesting term. The stock-based compensation table above includes RSU expenses recognized related to these awards, which totaled less than $0.1 million for each of the three months ended December 31, 2014 and 2013.

Directors can also elect to receive their cash retainers for services to the Board of Directors and its committees in deferred stock units (“DSU”). Certain directors elected this option beginning on January 1, 2013, with deferral elections made annually, which has resulted in 1,554 units issued with a total value of $34,000 in the three months ended December 31, 2014. These DSUs are fully vested. The stock-based compensation table above includes DSU expenses recognized related to these awards, which totaled less than $0.1 million and $0.1 million for the three months ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.