Quarterly report pursuant to sections 13 or 15(d)

Stock Based Compensation

v2.4.0.8
Stock Based Compensation
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
Stock Based Compensation [Abstract]  
Stock Based Compensation
4. Stock Based Compensation

We follow FASB ASC 718, “Compensation – Stock Compensation” (“ASC 718”) to account for stock-based compensation.  ASC 718 requires all stock-based payments to employees, including grants of employee stock options, to be recognized in the statement of operations based on their fair values.

The Company has certain stock option plans under which it awards incentive and non-qualified stock options to employees, officers, and outside directors.  Stock options granted to employees have either a ten year contractual term with one-fifth yearly vesting over a five year period or a six year contractual term with one-third yearly vesting over a three year period.  Stock options granted to outside directors have a ten year contractual term with vesting period of six months.

No stock options were granted during the first quarter of 2014 or 2013.

As of March 31, 2014, we had an aggregate of 171,600 employee stock options outstanding (from the 2004 and 2010 Stock Option Plans), of which all are vested.  The weighted average exercise price of the 171,600 outstanding and fully vested employee stock options is $10.05 with a remaining weighted contractual life of 0.4 years.  Additionally, we had an aggregate of 169,200 outstanding director stock options (from the 2003 Outside Directors Stock Plans), of which 163,200 are vested. The weighted average exercise price of the 163,200 outstanding and fully vested director stock options is $9.18 with a remaining weighted contractual life of 5.0 years.

The Company estimates fair value of stock options using the Black-Scholes valuation model.  Assumptions used to estimate the fair value of stock options granted include the exercise price of the award, the expected term, the expected volatility of the Company’s stock over the option’s expected term, the risk-free interest rate over the option’s expected term, and the expected annual dividend yield.

The following table summarizes stock-based compensation recognized for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 for our employee and director stock options.

 
 
Three Months Ended
 
Stock Options
 
March 31,
 
 
 
2014
   
2013
 
Employee Stock Options
 
$
(39,000
)
 
$
33,000
 
Director Stock Options
   
21,000
     
18,000
 
Total
 
$
(18,000
)
 
$
51,000
 


We recognized stock-based compensation expense using a straight-line amortization method over the requisite period, which is the vesting period of the stock option grant.  ASC 718 requires that stock based compensation expense be based on options that are ultimately expected to vest.  ASC 718 requires forfeitures to be estimated at the time of grant and revised, if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from those estimates.  We have generally estimated forfeiture rates based on historical trends of actual forfeitures.  When actual forfeitures vary from our estimates, we recognize the difference in compensation expense in the period the actual forfeitures occur or when options vest. The total stock-based compensation expense for the three months ended March 31, 2014 included a reduction of approximately $54,000 resulting from the forfeiture of options by Mr. Jim Blankenhorn, our Chief Operating Officer (“COO”), who voluntarily resigned from the Company effective March 28, 2014.  The COO was granted an option from the Company’s 2010 Stock Option Plan on July 25, 2011, to purchase up to 60,000 shares of the Company’s Common Stock at $7.85 per share. The options had a six year contractual term with one-third yearly vesting over a three year period.

As of March 31, 2014, we have approximately $1,000 of total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested options, which we expect to recognize in the second quarter of 2014.