Note 2 - Stock Incentive Plans and Other Share-based Compensation

3 Months Ended

Jan. 31, 2024

Notes to Financial Statements

Share-Based Payment Arrangement [Text Block]

(2) Stock Incentive Plans and Other Share‑Based Compensation

As of January 31, 2024, there were approximately 396,000 remaining shares available for grant under the Optical Cable Corporation Stock Incentive Plan (“2017 Plan”).

Share-based compensation expense for employees, a consultant and non-employee Directors recognized in the condensed consolidated statements of operations for the three months ended January 31, 2024 and 2023 was $159,151 and $135,041, respectively. Share-based compensation expense is entirely related to expense recognized in connection with the vesting of restricted stock awards or other stock awards.

Stock Compensation

The Company has granted, and anticipates granting from time to time, restricted stock awards subject to approval by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors. Since fiscal year 2004, the Company has exclusively used restricted stock awards for all share-based compensation of employees and consultants, and restricted stock awards or stock awards to non-employee members of the Board of Directors.

Restricted stock award activity during the three months ended January 31, 2024 consisted of restricted shares withheld for taxes in connection with the vesting of restricted shares totaling 40,324 shares. OCC restricted stock grants provide the participant with the option to surrender shares to pay for withholding tax obligations resulting from any vesting restricted shares, or to pay cash to the Company or taxing authorities in the amount of the withholding taxes owed on the value of any vesting restricted shares in order to avoid surrendering shares. The Company accrued $107,661 as of January 31, 2024 related to the surrender of shares by participants to pay for withholding taxes on shares that vested on January 31, 2024.

As of January 31, 2024, the estimated amount of compensation cost related to unvested equity-based compensation awards in the form of service-based and operational performance-based shares that the Company will recognize over a 1.2 year weighted-average period is approximately $356,000.