Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Capital Stock, Stock Plans, Warrants, and Stock Based Compensation

v3.19.1
Capital Stock, Stock Plans, Warrants, and Stock Based Compensation
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]  
Capital Stock, Stock Plans, Warrants, and Stock Based Compensation

NOTE 6

CAPITAL STOCK, STOCK PLANS, WARRANTS, AND STOCK BASED COMPENSATION

 

Stock Option Plans

 

The Company adopted the 2003 Outside Directors Stock Plan (the “2003 Plan”), which was approved by our stockholders at the Company’s July 29, 2003 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Options granted under the 2003 Plan generally have a vesting period of six months from the date of grant and a term of 10 years, with an exercise price equal to the closing trade price on the date prior to grant date. The 2003 Plan also provides for the issuance to each outside director a number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock in lieu of 65% or 100% (based on option elected by each director) of the fee payable to the eligible director for services rendered as a member of the Board. The number of shares issued is determined at 75% of the market value as defined in the plan (the Company recognizes 100% of the market value of the shares issued). The 2003 Plan, as amended, also provides for the grant of an option to purchase up to 6,000 shares of our Common Stock for each outside director upon initial election to the Board, and the grant of an option to purchase 2,400 shares of our Common Stock upon each re-election. At the July 27, 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (“2017 Annual Meeting”), the Company’s stockholders approved an amendment to the 2003 Plan which authorized the issuance of an additional 300,000 shares of the Company’s Common Stock under the plan. After the approval of the amendment, the number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock authorized under the 2003 Plan was 1,100,000. At December 31, 2018, the 2003 Plan had available for issuance 329,417 shares.

 

On April 28, 2010, the Company adopted the 2010 Stock Option Plan (“2010 Plan”), which was approved by our stockholders at the Company’s September 29, 2010 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. The 2010 Plan authorized an aggregate grant of 200,000 Non-Qualified Stock Options (“NQSOs”) and Incentive Stock Options (“ISOs”) to officers and employees of the Company for the purchase of up to 200,000 shares of the Company’s Common Stock. The term of each stock option granted is to be fixed by the Compensation Committee, but no stock option is exercisable more than ten years after the grant date, or in the case of an incentive stock option granted to a 10% stockholder, five years after the grant date. As discussed below, as the result of the approval of the 2017 Stock Option Plan (“2017 Plan”) at the Company’s 2017 Annual Meeting, no further options remain available for issuance under the 2010 Plan immediately upon the approval of the 2017 Plan; however, the 2010 Plan remains in full force and effect with respect to the outstanding options issued and unexercised at the date of the approval of the 2017 Plan. At December 31, 2018, the 2010 Plan had an option for the purchase of up to 10,000 shares of our Common Stock with expiration date of July 10, 2020 and an option for the purchase of up to 50,000 shares of our Common Stock with expiration date of May 15, 2022.

 

The Company adopted the 2017 Plan, which was approved by the Company’s stockholders at the Company’s 2017 Annual Meeting. The 2017 Plan authorizes the grant of options to officers and employees of the Company, including any employee who is also a member of the Board, as well as to consultants of the Company. The 2017 Plan authorizes an aggregate grant of 540,000 NQSOs and ISOs, which includes a rollover of 140,000 shares that remained available for issuance under the 2010 Plan as discussed above. Consultants of the Company can only be granted NQSOs. The term of each stock option granted under the 2017 Plan shall be fixed by the Compensation Committee, but no stock options will be exercisable more than ten years after the grant date, or in the case of an ISO granted to a 10% stockholder, five years after the grant date. The exercise price of any ISO granted under the 2017 Plan to an individual who is not a 10% stockholder at the time of the grant shall not be less than the fair market value of the shares at the time of the grant, and the exercise price of any incentive stock option granted to a 10% stockholder shall not be less than 110% of the fair market value at the time of grant. The exercise price of any NQSOs granted under the plan shall not be less than the fair market value of the shares at the time of grant. At December 31, 2018, the 2017 Plan had available for issuance 130,000 shares.

 

Stock Options to Employees and Outside Director

 

On January 18, 2018, the Company granted 6,000 NQSOs from the Company’s 2003 Plan to a new director elected by the Company’s Board to fill a vacancy on the Board. The options granted were for a contractual term of ten years with a vesting period of six months. The exercise price of the options was $4.05 per share, which was equal to our closing stock price the day preceding the grant date, pursuant to the 2003 Plan.

 

On July 26, 2018, the Company granted an aggregate of 12,000 NQSOs from the Company’s 2003 Plan to five of the six re-elected directors at the Company’s July 26, 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Dr. Louis F. Centofanti (a Board member) was not eligible to receive options under the 2003 Plan as an employee of the Company, pursuant to the 2003 Plan. The NQSOs granted were for a contractual term of ten years with a vesting period of six months. The exercise price of the NQSO was $4.30 per share, which was equal to our closing stock price the day preceding the grant date, pursuant to the 2003 Plan.

 

On January 13, 2017, the Company granted 6,000 NQSOs from the Company’s 2003 Plan to a new director elected by the Company’s Board to fill the vacancy left by a Board member who retired from the Board in October 2016. The options granted were for a contractual term of ten years with a vesting period of six months. The exercise price of the NQSO was $3.79 per share, which was equal to our closing stock price the day preceding the grant date, pursuant to the 2003 Plan.

 

On July 27, 2017, the Company granted 12,000 NQSOs from the Company’s 2003 Plan to five of the six re-elected directors at the 2017 Annual Meeting. Dr. Louis F. Centofanti, who is a member of the Board, was not eligible to receive options under the 2003 Plan as an employee of the Company, pursuant to the 2003 Plan. The NQSOs granted to the five directors were for a contractual term of ten years with a vesting period of six months. The exercise price of the NQSO was $3.55 per share, which was equal to our closing stock price the day preceding the grant date, pursuant to the 2003 Plan.

 

On October 19, 2017, the Company granted an aggregate of 110,000 ISOs from the 2017 Plan to certain employees. The ISOs granted were for a contractual term of six years with one-fifth vesting annually over a five year period. The exercise price of the ISO was $3.60 per share, which was equal to the fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant.

 

On July 27, 2017, the Company granted an aggregate 200,000 ISOs from the 2017 Plan (following the approval of the 2017 Plan as discussed above) to the three named executive officers of the Company. The ISOs granted has a contractual term of six years with one-fifth vesting annually over a five year period. The exercise price of the ISO was $3.65 per share, which was equal to the fair market value of the Company’s Common Stock on the date of grant.

 

No employees or directors exercised options during 2018 and 2017.

 

The Company estimates the 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 fair value of the options granted during 2018 and 2017 and the related assumptions used in the Black-Scholes option model used to value the options granted were as follows:

 

    Employee Stock Option Granted  
    October 19, 2017     July 27, 2017  
Weighted-average fair value per share   $ 1.75       1.88  
Risk -free interest rate (1)     1.98 %     1.98 %
Expected volatility of stock (2)     54.64 %     53.15 %
Dividend yield     None       None  
Expected option life (3)     5.0 years       6.0 years  

 

    Outside Director Stock Options Granted  
    January 18, 2018     July 26, 2018     January 13, 2017     July 27, 2017  
Weighted-average fair value per share   $ 2.55       3.02     $ 2.63     $ 2.48  
Risk -free interest rate (1)     2.62 %     2.98 %     2.40 %     2.32 %
Expected volatility of stock (2)     57.29 %     55.34 %     56.32 %     57.21 %
Dividend yield     None       None       None       None  
Expected option life (3)     10.0 years       10.0 years       10.0 years       10.0 years  

 

(1) The risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield in effect at the grant date over the expected term of the option.
(2) The expected volatility is based on historical volatility from our traded Common Stock over the expected term of the option.
(3) The expected option life is based on historical exercises and post-vesting data.

 

The following table summarizes stock-based compensation recognized for fiscal years 2018 and 2017.

 

    Year Ended  
    2018     2017  
Employee Stock Options   $ 147,000     $ 78,000  
Director Stock Options     51,000       46,000  
Total   $ 198,000     $ 124,000  

 

At December 31, 2018, the Company has approximately $432,000 of total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested employee and director options, of which $131,000 is expected to be recognized in 2019, $114,000 in 2020, $114,000 in 2021, with the remaining $73,000 in 2022.

 

Stock Options to Consultant

 

Robert Ferguson is a consultant to the Board and a consultant to the Company in connection with the Company’s Test Bed Initiative (“TBI”) at its PFNWR facility (see “Note 16 – Related Party Transactions” for further discussion). For Robert Ferguson’s consulting work with the Board, he has been receiving monthly compensation of $4,000. For Robert Ferguson’s consulting work in connection with the Company’s TBI, on July 27, 2017 (“grant date”), the Company granted Robert Ferguson a stock option from the Company’s 2017 Plan for the purchase of up to 100,000 shares of the Company’s Common Stock at an exercise price of $3.65 a share, which was the fair market value of the Company’s Common Stock on the date of grant (“Ferguson Stock Option”). The vesting of the Ferguson Stock Option is subject to the achievement of the following milestones (“waste” as noted below is defined as liquid LAW (“low activity waste”) and/or liquid TRU (“transuranic waste”)):

 

  ●  Upon treatment and disposal of three gallons of waste at the PFNWR facility by January 27, 2018, 10,000 shares of the Ferguson Stock Option shall become exercisable;
     
  Upon treatment and disposal of 2,000 gallons of waste at the PFNWR facility by January 27, 2019, 30,000 shares of the Ferguson Stock Option shall become exercisable; and
     
  Upon treatment and disposal of 50,000 gallons of waste at the PFNWR facility and assistance, on terms satisfactory to the Company, in preparing certain justifications of cost and pricing data for the waste and obtaining a long-term commercial contract relating to the treatment, storage and disposal of waste by January 27, 2021, 60,000 shares of the Ferguson Stock Option shall become exercisable.

 

The term of the Ferguson Stock Option is seven (7) years from the grant date. Each of the milestones is exclusive of each other; therefore, achievement of any of the milestones above by Robert Ferguson by the designated date will provide Robert Ferguson the right to exercise the number of options in accordance with the milestone attained (See “Note 18- Subsequent Events” for a discussion of an amendment whereby the second milestone date has been extended to March 31, 2020 from January 27, 2019).

 

In December 2017, the Company recorded approximately $20,000 in consulting expenses (included in SG&A) and additional paid-in capital in connection with this transaction which amount was estimated to be the fair value of the 10,000 options on the performance completion date of December 19, 2017 under the first milestone. The fair value of the 10,000 options was estimated using the Black-Scholes valuation model with the following assumptions: 52.65% volatility, risk free interest rate of 2.30%, and an expected life of approximately 6.6 years and no dividends. On May 1, 2018, Robert Ferguson exercised the 10,000 options for the purchase of 10,000 shares of the Company’s Common Stock, resulting in total proceeds paid to the Company of approximately $36,500.

 

The Company has not recorded expenses for the remaining 90,000 Ferguson Stock Option since achievement of the performance obligation under each of the two remaining milestones is uncertain at December 31, 2018.

 

Summary of Stock Option Plans

 

The summary of the Company’s total plans as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, and changes during the period then ended are presented as follows:

 

    Shares     Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
    Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term
(years)
    Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value (2)
 
Options outstanding January 1, 2018     624,800     $      4.42                  
Granted     18,000       4.22                  
Exercised     (10,000 )     3.65                  
Forfeited/expired     (16,800 )     11.70                  
Options outstanding end of period (1)     616,000     $ 4.23       4.7     $           ─  
Options exercisable at December 31, 2018(1)     249,333     $ 5.04       4.4     $        ─  
Options exercisable and expected to be vested at December 31, 2018     616,000     $ 4.23       4.7     $  

 

    Shares     Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
    Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term
(years)
    Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value (2)
 
Options outstanding January 1, 2017     247,200     $    6.69                  
Granted     428,000       3.64                  
Exercised      ─                        
Forfeited/expired     (50,400 )     8.95                  
Options outstanding end of period (1)     624,800       4.42       5.5     $        19,780  
Options exercisable at December 31, 2017(1)     179,467       6.30       4.6     $ 13,080  
Options vested and expected to be vested at December 31, 2017     624,800     $ 4.42       5.5     $ 19,780  

 

(1) Options with exercise prices ranging from $2.79 to $13.35
(2) The intrinsic value of a stock option is the amount by which the market value of the underlying stock exceeds the exercise price of the option.

 

The summary of the Company’s nonvested options as of December 31, 2018 and changes during the period then ended are presented as follows:

 

          Weighted Average  
          Grant-Date  
    Shares     Fair Value  
Non-vested options January 1, 2018     445,333     $ 1.89  
Granted     18,000       1.89  
Vested     (96,666 )     1.99  
Forfeited            
Non-vested options at December 31, 2018     366,667     $ 1.91  

 

Common Stock Issued for Services

 

The Company issued a total of 60,598 and 61,598 shares of our Common Stock in 2018 and 2017, respectively, under our 2003 Plan to our outside directors as compensation for serving on our Board. As a member of the Board, each director elects to receive either 65% or 100% of the director’s fee in shares of our Common Stock. The number of shares received is calculated based on 75% of the fair market value of our Common Stock determined on the business day immediately preceding the date that the quarterly fee is due. The balance of each director’s fee, if any, is payable in cash. The Company recorded approximately $249,000 and $234,000 in compensation expense (included in SG&A) for the twelve months ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively, for the portion of director fees earned in the Company’s Common Stock.

 

Shares Reserved

 

At December 31, 2018, the Company has reserved approximately 616,000 shares of our Common Stock for future issuance under all of the option arrangements.