Share-Based Payments |
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Dec. 31, 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Share-Based Payment Arrangement [Abstract] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Share-Based Payments | Share-Based Payments The Company maintains an equity incentive plan (as amended and restated, the "2017 Equity Incentive Plan") that provides for grants of stock options, restricted shares, restricted share units, stock-based performance units and certain other types of stock-based awards. Under the 2017 Equity Incentive Plan, which has a ten-year term from the date the Company's Board of Directors approved of the amendment and restatement of the 2017 Equity Incentive Plan, the maximum number of shares available for grants or awards is an aggregate of 3,450,000 (subject to adjustment upon certain events such as stock dividends or stock splits), following the amendment and restatement of the 2017 Equity Incentive Plan at the Company's 2022 Annual Shareholder Meeting. At December 31, 2023, 1,175,258 shares have been issued under the 2017 Equity Incentive Plan. 1,233,583 time-based restricted share units, 1,579,514 performance-based restricted share units, and 75,000 stock options have been granted under the 2017 Equity Incentive Plan. 1,812,642 of these share-based awards are outstanding as of December 31, 2023. The 2017 Equity Incentive Plan is administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors. The number of shares issued under performance-based restricted share units may be up to 200% of the number of performance-based restricted share units, based on the satisfaction of specific criteria established by the plan administrator.
For the three-month periods ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, stock-based compensation cost totaled $4,651 and $4,334, respectively. The associated future income tax benefit recognized for stock-based compensation was $684 and $551 for the three-month periods ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
With respect to the restricted share unit grants, units generally vest on the third anniversary of the grant date. The number of units that vest depend on certain time and performance thresholds. Such performance thresholds include adjusted earnings per share, return on invested capital, appreciation in the market value of the Company's Class A Common Stock, or other targets established by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors. Approximately 40% of the outstanding share units vest based on time, while the remaining vest based on pre-defined performance thresholds. The Company issues common stock from treasury shares once the units become vested.
Note 9. Share-Based Payments (continued)
The transactions for restricted share units for the three months ended December 31, 2023 were as follows:
During the third quarter of fiscal 2021, 75,000 stock options were granted under the 2017 Equity Incentive Plan. The option price for each stock option granted was $41.70, which was equal to the fair market value of the Company's Class A Common Stock on the date of grant. These options vest in one-third increments annually over three years from the grant date. Unvested stock options expire on the earlier of five years from the date of grant, or upon employment termination, retirement or death. The Company generally settles employee stock option exercises with treasury shares.
As of December 31, 2023, the total unrecognized compensation cost related to all unvested stock-based awards was $31,712 and is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 2.3 years.
The fair value of certain stock-based awards that are subject to performance conditions are estimated on the date of grant using a binomial lattice valuation model. The following table indicates the assumptions used in estimating the fair value of certain stock-based awards granted during the three-month period ended December 31, 2023.
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 for grants in the three months ended December 31, 2023 represents an estimate of the average period of time for restricted share units to vest.
The Company maintains the Amended and Restated 2019 Director Fee Plan, the Amended and Restated 2014 Director Fee Plan and the 1994 Director Fee Plan (collectively, the "Director Fee Plans"). There will be no further fees or share-based awards granted under the Amended and Restated 2014 Director Fee Plan and the 1994 Director Fee Plan. Under the Amended and Restated 2019 Director Fee Plan, non-employee directors (except for the Chairman of the Board) each receive, as an annual retainer fee for fiscal 2024, either cash or shares of the Company's Class A Common Stock with a value equal to $90. The annual retainer fee for fiscal 2024 paid to the non-employee Chairman of the Board is $210. 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 total number of shares of stock that have been authorized to be issued under the Amended and Restated 2019 Director Fee Plan or credited to a deferred stock compensation account for subsequent issuance is 300,000 shares of Class A Common Stock (subject to adjustment upon certain events such as stock dividends or stock splits), following the amendment and restatement of the 2019 Director Fee Plan at the Company's 2023 Annual Shareholder Meeting. The value of deferred shares is recorded in other liabilities. A total of 45,493 shares and share units had been deferred under the Director Fee Plans as of December 31, 2023. Additionally, non-employee directors each receive an annual stock-based grant (non-statutory stock options, stock appreciation rights and/or restricted shares or units) with a value of $140 for fiscal 2024. As of December 31, 2023, 336,127 restricted shares and restricted share units have been granted under the Director Fee Plans, 162,898 of which were issued under the 2019 Director Fee Plan. 60,057 restricted share units are unvested at December 31, 2023 under the Director Fee Plans.
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