Share-based Compensation

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2022

Stockholders Equity

Share-based Compensation

14. Share-based Compensation

Share-based compensation (including restricted stock awards) represents both stock option based expense and stock grant expense.  The following table sets forth the composition of stock compensation expense included in general and administrative expense for the periods then ended:

	THREE MONTHS ENDED				NINE MONTHS ENDED
	SEPTEMBER 30,				SEPTEMBER 30,
	2022		2021		2022		2021
	(Unaudited)
Restricted share-based compensation expense	$	115,141	$	210,602	$	384,267	$	582,561
Non-qualified option share-based compensation expense		-		24,867		-		79,571
Total share-based compensation before taxes	$	115,141	$	235,469	$	384,267	$	662,132

The Company’s stock incentive plan is administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors and authorizes the grant or award of incentive stock options, nonqualified stock options (NQSO), restricted stock awards (RSA), restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights, dividend equivalent rights, performance unit awards and phantom shares. The Company issues new shares of common stock upon the exercise of stock options.

Restricted Stock 

The Company records the fair value of all restricted stock shares based on the grant date fair value and amortizes stock compensation on a straight-line basis over the vesting period. Restricted stock shares are issued when vested and included in the total number of common shares issued and outstanding. During the nine month period ended September 30, 2022, the Company granted 153,903 RSAs. During the nine month period ended September 30, 2021, the Company granted 83,326 RSAs.

 Non-Qualified Stock Options 

The Company estimates the fair value of nonqualified stock awards using a Black-Scholes Option Pricing model (“Black-Scholes model”). The fair value of each stock award is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes model, which requires an assumption of dividend yield, risk free interest rates, volatility, forfeiture rates and expected option life. The risk-free interest rates are based on the U.S. Treasury yield for a period consistent with the expected term of the option in effect at the time of the grant. Expected volatilities are based on the historical volatility of our common stock over the expected option term. The expected term of options granted is based on analyses of historical employee termination rates and option exercises. There were no non-qualified stock option awards granted during the nine month periods ended September 30, 2022 and 2021.

At September 30, 2022, the Company had approximately $424,800 of total unrecognized share-based compensation expense, net of estimated forfeitures, related to share-based compensation that will be recognized over the weighted average remaining period of 1.0 years.