Stock-based Compensation

3 Months Ended

Nov. 30, 2016

Stock-based Compensation

Stock-based Compensation

7. Stock-based Compensation

The Company currently has one equity incentive plan (the “2010 Plan”), which provides for awards in the form of restricted shares, stock units, stock options or stock appreciation rights to the Company’s employees, officers, directors and consultants. In April 2014, SemiLEDs’ stockholders approved an amendment to the 2010 Plan that increased the number of shares authorized for issuance under the plan by an additional 250 thousand shares. Prior to SemiLEDs’ initial public offering, the Company had another stock-based compensation plan (the “2005 Plan”), but awards are made from the 2010 Plan after the initial public offering. Options outstanding under the 2005 Plan continue to be governed by its existing terms.

A total of 635 thousand shares was reserved for issuance under the 2005 Plan and 2010 Plan as of both November 30, 2016 and 2015. As of November 30, 2016 and 2015, there were 352 thousand and 388 thousand shares of common stock available for future issuance under the equity incentive plans.

During fiscal 2016, SemiLEDs granted 8 thousand restricted stock units in April 2016 to its directors that vest 100% on the earlier of April 12, 2017 and the date of the next annual meeting. The grant-date fair value of the restricted stock units was $3.40 per unit.

The grant date fair value of stock options is determined using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The Black-Scholes option-pricing model requires inputs including the market price of SemiLEDs’ common stock on the date of grant, the term that the stock options are expected to be outstanding, the implied stock volatilities of several of the Company’s publicly-traded peers over the expected term of stock options, risk-free interest rate and expected dividend. Each of these inputs is subjective and generally requires significant judgment to determine. The grant date fair value of stock units is based upon the market price of SemiLEDs’ common stock on the date of the grant. This fair value is amortized to compensation expense over the vesting term.

Stock-based compensation expense is recorded net of estimated forfeitures such that expense is recorded only for those stock-based awards that are expected to vest. A forfeiture rate is estimated at the time of grant and revised, if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from initial estimates. A forfeiture rate of zero is estimated for stock-based awards with vesting term that is less than or equal to one year from the date of grant.

A summary of the stock-based compensation expense for the three months ended November 30, 2016 and 2015 was as follows (in thousands):

	Three Months Ended November 30,
	2016		2015
Cost of revenues	$	17	$	26
Research and development		2		15
Selling, general and administrative		64		1
	$	83	$	42