Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Share Based Payments

v2.4.0.6
Share Based Payments
 6 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Share-Based Payments [Abstract]  
Share Based Payments
Note 6.   Share-Based Payments

The Company maintains an equity incentive plan (the "2007 Equity Incentive Plan") that provides for the grants of stock options, restricted shares, stock-based performance units and certain other types of stock-based awards. Under the 2007 Equity Incentive Plan, which has a ten-year term, the maximum number of shares available for grants or awards is an aggregate of 2,200,000.  The Company also maintains a stock incentive plan (the "1992 Incentive Stock Plan") that previously provided for grants of stock options, restricted shares and certain other types of stock-based awards.  There will be no further grants under the 1992 Incentive Stock Plan.  At March 31, 2012, there were 813,152 shares reserved for future issuance under the 2007 Equity Incentive Plan. Both plans are administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors.

The option price for each stock option granted under either plan may not be less than the fair market value of the Company's common stock on the date of grant.  Outstanding stock options are generally exercisable in one-third increments upon the attainment of 10%, 33% and 60% appreciation in the market value of the Company's Class A Common Stock.  In addition, options generally vest in one-third increments after three, four and five years, respectively, from the grant date (but, in any event, not until the attainment of the market value thresholds).  The options expire on the earlier of ten years from the date of grant, upon employment termination, or within specified time limits following voluntary employment termination (with the consent of the Company), retirement or death.  The Company generally settles employee stock option exercises with treasury shares.  With respect to outstanding restricted share grants, generally one-half of the shares vest on the third anniversary of the grant.  For shares granted prior to fiscal 2011, the remaining one-half of the shares vest in one-third increments upon attainment of 10%, 25% and 40% appreciation in the market value of the Company's Class A Common Stock. For shares granted in fiscal 2011, the remaining one-half of the shares vest in one-third increments upon attainment of 5%, 15% and 25% appreciation in the market value of the Company's Class A Common Stock.  Additionally, beginning in fiscal 2009, restricted shares cannot vest until the first anniversary of the grant date.  Unvested restricted shares generally expire on the earlier of five years from the date of grant, upon employment termination, or within specified time limits following voluntary employment termination (with the consent of the Company), retirement or death.  The Company issues restricted shares from treasury shares.

For the three-month periods ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, total stock-based compensation cost totaled $1,319 and $1,851, respectively.  For the six-month periods ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, total stock-based compensation cost totaled $2,731 and $3,608, respectively.  The associated future income tax benefit recognized was $514 and $721 for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively, and $1,065 and $1,407 for the six-month periods ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

For the three-month periods ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, the amount of cash received from the exercise of stock options was $237 and $338, respectively. For the six-month periods ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, the amount of cash received from the exercise of stock options was $265 and $491, respectively. In connection with these exercises, the tax benefits realized by the Company were $19 and $49 for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively, and $22 and $100 for the six-month periods ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

The transactions for restricted stock for the six months ended March 31, 2012 were as follows:

       
Weighted-
  
       
average
  
       
grant-date
  
   
Shares
  
fair value
  
Non-vested at September 30, 2011
  
541,613  
  
$33.62
  
Granted
  
155,710  
  
32.07
  
Vested
  
(148,003) 
  
35.52
  
Expired or forfeited
  
(400) 
  
31.45
  
Non-vested at March 31, 2012
  
548,920  
  
32.67
  

As of March 31, 2012, the total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested restricted stock was $5,698 and is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 1.7 years.

The transactions for shares under options for the six months ended March 31, 2012 were as follows:

           
Weighted-
    
       
Weighted-
  
average
  
Aggregate
       
average
  
remaining
  
intrinsic
   
Shares
  
exercise price
  
contractual term
  
value
Outstanding, September 30, 2011
  
872,514 
  
$37.02
        
Granted
  
- 
  
- 
        
Exercised
  
(10,332)
  
25.64
        
Expired or forfeited
  
(8,500)
  
40.27
        
Outstanding, March 31, 2012
  
853,682 
  
37.13
  
3.5
  
$     -
Exercisable, March 31, 2012
  
493,329 
  
35.96
  
3.2
  
$     -

No shares were earned during the three-month and six-month periods ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.  The intrinsic value of options (which is the amount by which the stock price exceeded the exercise price of the options on the date of exercise) exercised during the six-month periods ended March 31, 2012 and 2011 was $57 and $288, respectively.

The transactions for non-vested options for the six months ended March 31, 2012 were as follows:

       
Weighted-average
  
       
grant-date
  
Non-vested shares
  
Shares
  
fair value
  
Non-vested at September 30, 2011
  
367,586 
  
$11.38
  
Granted
  
-  
  
- 
  
Vested
  
-  
  
- 
  
Expired or forfeited
  
(7,233)
  
12.28
  
Non-vested at March 31, 2012
  
360,353 
  
11.36
  

The fair value of each restricted stock grant is estimated on the date of grant using a binomial lattice valuation model.  The following table indicates the assumptions used in estimating fair value of restricted stock for the periods ended March 31, 2012 and 2011.

 
Six Months Ended March 31,
 
2012
  
2011
Expected volatility
30.4%
  
30.0%
Dividend yield
1.0%
  
1.0%
Average risk free interest rate
0.9%
  
1.2%
Average expected term (years)
2.0   
  
2.0   


The risk free interest rate is based on United States Treasury yields at the date of grant. The dividend yield is based on the most recent dividend payment and average stock price over the 12 months prior to the grant date.  Expected volatilities are based on the historical volatility of the Company's stock price.  The expected term represents an estimate of the average period of time for restricted shares to vest.  The option characteristics for each grant are considered separately for valuation purposes.

Under the Company's Director Fee Plan, directors (except for the Chairman of the Board) who are not also officers of the Company each receive, as an annual retainer fee, either cash or shares of the Company's Class A Common Stock equivalent to $60.  The equivalent amount paid to a non-employee Chairman of the Board is $130. Where the annual retainer fee is provided in shares, each director may elect to be paid these shares on a current basis or have such shares credited to a deferred stock account as phantom stock, with such shares to be paid to the director subsequent to leaving the Board.  The value of deferred shares is recorded in other liabilities.  A total of 16,979 shares had been deferred under the Director Fee Plan at March 31, 2012.  Additionally, directors who are not also officers of the Company each receive an annual stock-based grant (non-statutory stock options, stock appreciation rights and/or restricted shares) with a value of $80.  A total of 22,300 stock options have been granted under the plan.  At March 31, 2012, 11,800 options were outstanding and vested. Additionally, 83,046 shares of restricted stock have been granted under the plan, 29,288 of which were unvested at March 31, 2012.  A total of 300,000 shares have been authorized to be issued under the Director Fee Plan.