6. Stock Based Compensation

The Company accounts for stock-based compensation granted to employees and directors, including employees stock option awards, restricted stock and restricted stock units in accordance with ASC 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation (“ASC 718”). Accordingly, stock-based compensation cost is measured at grant date, based on the fair value of the award, and is recognized as expense over the employee’s service period. The Company recognizes compensation expense on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period of the award.

The Company values options using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. Restricted stock and time-based restricted stock units are valued at the grant date fair value of the underlying common shares. Performance-based restricted stock units are valued using the Monte Carlo simulation model. The Black-Scholes option pricing model requires the use of highly subjective and complex assumptions which determine the fair value of share-based awards, including the option’s expected term and the price volatility of the underlying stock. The Monte Carlo simulation model incorporates assumptions for the holding period, risk-free interest rate, stock price volatility and dividend yield.

2008 Equity Incentive Plan.

For the three months ended April 4, 2015, the only active share-based compensation plan was the 2008 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Incentive Plan”). The terms of awards granted during the three months ended April 4, 2015 were consistent with those described in the consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 3, 2015.

Summary of Stock Options

The following table summarizes information regarding activity in our stock option plan during the three months ended April 4, 2015:

	Number of Shares			Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share		Aggregate Intrinsic Value (thousands)
Outstanding as of January 3, 2015		833,795		$	4.88
Granted		78,300		$	10.73
Exercised		(126,119	)	$	3.86
Canceled or forfeited		(7,000	)	$	3.35
Outstanding as of April 4, 2015		778,976		$	5.65	$	3,939

The weighted average grant date fair value of the options granted under the Company’s stock plans as calculated using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model was $4.61 and $4.09 per share for the three months ended April 4, 2015 and March 29, 2014, respectively.

The Company uses the Black-Scholes option-pricing model to estimate fair value of stock-based awards (options) with the following weighted average assumptions:

	Three Months Ended
	April 4, 2015			March 29, 2014
Average risk free interest rate		1.21	%		1.49	%
Expected life (in years)		4.55 years			4.50 years
Dividend yield		—	%		—	%
Average volatility		51	%		57	%

Option-pricing models require the input of various subjective assumptions, including the option’s expected life and the price volatility of the underlying stock. The expected stock price volatility is based on analysis of the Company’s stock price history over a period commensurate with the expected term of the options, trading volume of the Company’s stock, look-back volatilities and Company specific events that affected volatility in a prior period. The expected term of employee stock options represents the weighted average period the stock options are expected to remain outstanding and is based on the history of exercises and cancellations on all past option grants made by the Company, the contractual term, the vesting period and the expected remaining term of the outstanding options. The risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury interest rates whose term is consistent with the expected life of the stock options. No dividend yield is included as the Company has not issued any dividends and does not anticipate issuing any dividends in the future.

The following table shows stock-based compensation expense included in the condensed consolidated statements of operations for the three and three months ended April 4, 2015 and March 29, 2014:

	Three Months Ended
	April 4, 2015		March 29, 2014
Cost of revenues	$	67	$	34
Research and development		79		22
Sales and marketing		59		32
General and administrative		128		156
Total	$	333	$	244

Approximately $56 thousand and $17 thousand of the stock-based compensation recognized was capitalized into inventory as a component of overhead for the quarters ended April 4, 2015 and March 29, 2014, respectively.

Occasionally, the Company will grant stock-based instruments to non-employees. During the three months ended April 4, 2015 and March 29, 2014, the amount related to stock-based compensation was not material.

Information regarding stock options outstanding, vested and expected to vest and exercisable as of April 4, 2015 is summarized below:

	Number of Shares		Weighted Average Exercise Price		Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life (Years)		Aggregate Intrinsic Value (thousands)
Options outstanding		778,976	$	5.65		4.56	$	3,939
Options vested and expected to vest		726,823	$	5.49		4.47	$	3,787
Options exercisable		372,022	$	4.15		3.45	$	2,437

The aggregate intrinsic value in the table above represents the pre-tax intrinsic value, based on the Company’s closing price as of April 3, 2015, that would have been received by option holders had all option holders exercised their stock options as of that date. This amount changes based on the fair market value of the Company’s stock. The total intrinsic value of options exercised for the three months ended April 4, 2015 and March 29, 2014 was approximately $745 thousand and $462 thousand, respectively.

As of April 4, 2015, there was $2.5 million of total unrecognized compensation cost, net of expected forfeitures, related to non-vested share-based compensation arrangements under the Incentive Plan. The cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 2.54 years.

Summary of Restricted Stock Units and Awards

Information regarding the restricted stock units activity for the three months ended April 4, 2015 is summarized below:

	Number of Shares
Outstanding as of January 3, 2015		277,390
Restricted stock units granted		217,853
Restricted stock units released		(201,200	)
Restricted stock units cancelled		(80,000	)
Outstanding as of April 4, 2015		214,043

On January 9, 2015, the Company granted restricted stock unit awards for 56,000 shares of the Company’s common stock (the “Retention Award”) under the terms of the Company’s 2008 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended, to six executives of the Company. The Retention Award will vest over 4 years, with 20% of the Retention Award vesting on grant date and the remaining 80% vesting annually. The fair value at grant date for the restricted stock units was $485 thousand.

On January 9, 2015, the Company also granted restricted stock unit awards for up to 110,000 shares of the Company’s common stock (the “Performance Award”) under the terms of the Company’s 2008 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended, to these same six executives of the Company. The number of shares issuable pursuant to the Market Performance Award will be based upon the Company’s stock average closing price during the 60 day period following the date the service condition is met. The Performance Award is expected to vest on January 9, 2019, given that no other vesting triggers occur prior to that date. To the extent that the market condition is not met, the Market Performance Award will not vest and will be cancelled. Utilizing the Monte Carlo simulation technique, which incorporated assumptions for the expected holding period, risk-free interest rate, stock price volatility and dividend yield, the fair value of these restricted stock units was $486 thousand. Compensation expense is recognized ratably until such time as the market condition is satisfied.

On January 9, 2015, the Company granted a restricted stock unit award for up to 50,000 shares of the Company’s common stock (the “Market Performance Award”) under the terms of the Company’s 2008 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended, to the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer. The number of shares issuable pursuant to the Market Performance Award will be based upon the Company’s stock average closing price during the 60 day period following the date the service condition is met. The Market Performance Award is expected to vest on January 9, 2019, given that no other vesting triggers occur prior to that date. To the extent that the market condition is not met, the Market Performance Award will not vest and will be cancelled. Utilizing the Monte Carlo simulation technique, which incorporated assumptions for the expected holding period, risk-free interest rate, stock price volatility and dividend yield, the fair value of these restricted stock units was $234 thousand. Compensation expense is recognized ratably until such time as the market condition is satisfied.

The majority of the restricted stock units that were released in the three months ended April 4, 2015 were net-share settled such that the Company withheld shares with value equivalent to the employees’ minimum statutory obligation for the applicable income and other employment taxes, and remitted the cash to the appropriate taxing authorities. The total shares withheld were based on the value of the restricted stock units on their release date as determined by the Company’s closing stock price. These net-share settlements had the effect of share repurchases by the Company as they reduced and retired the number of shares that would have otherwise been issued as a result of the release and did not represent an expense to the Company. For the three months ended April 4, 2015, 201,200 shares of restricted stock units were released with an intrinsic value of approximately $1.8 million. The Company withheld 66,365 shares to satisfy approximately $600 thousand of employees’ minimum tax obligation on the released restricted stock units.

There were no restricted stock awards granted, vested or forfeited for the three months ended April 4, 2015. As of April 4, 2015, 2,445 shares of restricted stock awards were outstanding.

Stock Repurchase Program.

In February 2013, the Board of Directors approved a one year $3.0 million stock repurchase program that replaced the prior two year $4.0 million stock repurchase program. In February 2014, the Board of Directors approved the extension of the plan for an additional year. In July 2014, the Board of Directors approved a further extension of the plan for an additional year and authorized an additional $3.0 million of stock repurchases under this plan. For the three months ended April 4, 2015, the Company has purchased 21,539 shares at an average price of $8.89 per share. As of April 4, 2015, the Company has repurchased 659,004 shares for $5,282,728 under this current program and the Company still has the authorization to purchase up to $0.7 million in common shares under the stock repurchase program. See Item 2, Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds in Part II, Other Information, for additional information.