STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2015

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY [Abstract]

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

6. STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

Restricted Stock

The Company has two stock incentive plans:  a Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “LTIP”) and a Non-Employee Directors Restricted Stock Plan (the “Non-Employee Directors Plan”).

Under the LTIP, certain employees received awards of restricted shares of common stock based on service and performance.  The number of shares granted to each employee is based on the fair market value of a share of common stock on the date of grant.

On June 2, 2014 and December 18, 2014, performance-based shares were granted which vest over three years based upon the attainment of (i) a specified operating income margin during any one or more of the fiscal years in the period beginning January 1, 2015 and ending December 31, 2017 and (ii) the attainment of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization targets during each of the fiscal years ended December 31, 2015 through 2017.  There is no vesting period on the right to vote or the right to receive dividends on any of the restricted shares.

On April 29, 2013, performance-based shares were granted which vest over four years based upon the attainment of (i) a specified operating income margin during any one or more of the fiscal years in the period beginning January 1, 2013 and ending December 31, 2016 and (ii) the attainment of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization targets during each of the fiscal years ended December 31, 2013 through 2016.  There is no vesting period on the right to vote or the right to receive dividends on any of the restricted shares.

Pursuant to the Non-Employee Directors Plan, each non-employee director of the Company receives an annual award of restricted shares of common stock on the date of the Company’s annual meeting of shareholders.  The number of shares granted to each non-employee director is based on the fair market value of a share of common stock on that date.  The restricted shares vest on the first anniversary of the grant date; however, there is no vesting period on the right to vote or the right to receive dividends on these restricted shares.

For the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company completed a net share settlement for 9,208 and 15,209 restricted shares, respectively, on behalf of certain employees that participate in the LTIP upon the vesting of the restricted shares pursuant to the terms of the LTIP.  The net share settlement was in connection with income taxes incurred on restricted shares that vested and were transferred to the employee during 2015 and/or 2014, creating taxable income for the employee.   At the employees’ request, the Company will pay these taxes on behalf of the employees in exchange for the employees returning an equivalent value of restricted shares to the Company.  These transactions resulted in a decrease of less than $0.1 million for each of the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, to equity on the consolidated balance sheets as the cash payment of the taxes effectively was a repurchase of the restricted shares granted in previous years.

The following is a summary of transactions pertaining to restricted stock:

	Shares			Weighted  Average Grant Date Fair Value Per Share
Nonvested restricted stock outstanding at December 31, 2014		925,819		$	5.04
Canceled		(168,432	)		6.21
Vested		(38,671	)		11.63
Nonvested restricted stock outstanding at March 31, 2015		718,716			4.38

The restricted stock expense for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 was $0.3 million and $1.0 million, respectively. The unrecognized restricted stock expense as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 was $2.5 million and $4.2 million, respectively.  As of March 31, 2015, outstanding restricted shares under the LTIP had aggregate intrinsic value of $1.6 million.

Stock Options

The fair value of the stock options used to compute stock-based compensation is the estimated present value at the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model.  The following is a summary of transactions pertaining to stock options:

	Shares			Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share		Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	Aggregate Intrinsic Value (in thousands)
Outstanding at December 31, 2014		424,167		$	13.65	4.18 years	$	-
Canceled		(36,000	)		13.57			-
Outstanding at March 31, 2015		388,167			13.65	3.86 years		-
Vested or expected to vest		388,167			13.65	3.86 years		-
Exercisable as of March 31, 2015		388,167			13.65	3.86 years		-

As of March 31, 2015, there was no unrecognized pre-tax compensation expense.

The following table presents a summary of stock options outstanding:

	At March 31, 2015
	Stock Options Outstanding						Stock Options Exercisable
Range of Exercise Prices	Shares		Contractual Weighted Average Life (years)		Weighted Average Price		Shares		Weighted Average Exercise Price
$4.00-$13.99		215,667		4.91	$	9.60		215,667	$	9.60
$14.00-$19.99		114,000		2.10		17.81		114,000		17.81
$20.00-$25.00		58,500		3.42		20.48		58,500		20.48
		388,167		3.86		13.65		388,167		13.65