Stock-Based Compensation

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Share-Based Payment Arrangement, Noncash Expense [Abstract]

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-Based Compensation

In June 2016, First Financial Northwest’s shareholders approved the First Financial Northwest, Inc. 2016 Equity Incentive Plan (“2016 Plan”). This plan provides for the granting of incentive stock options (“ISO”), non-qualified stock options (“NQSO”), restricted stock and restricted stock units until June 2026. The 2016 Plan established 1,400,000 shares available to grant with a maximum of 400,000 of these shares available to grant as restricted stock awards. Each share issued as a restricted stock award counts as two shares towards the total shares available to award.

As a result of the approval of the 2016 Plan, the First Financial Northwest, Inc. 2008 Equity Incentive Plan (“2008 Plan”) was frozen with no additional awards being made under the 2008 Plan. Restricted stock awards and stock options that were granted under the 2008 Plan are fully vested and unexercised options remain exercisable, subject to the provision of the

2008 Plan and the respective award agreements. At March 31, 2023, there were 914,598 total shares available for grant under the 2016 Plan, including 157,299 shares available to be granted as restricted stock.

Under the 2016 Plan, the vesting date for each option award or restricted stock award is determined by an award committee and specified in the award agreement. In the case of restricted stock awards granted in lieu of cash payments of directors’ fees, the grant date is used as the vesting date unless the award agreement provides otherwise.

For the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, total compensation expense for the 2016 Plan was $128,000 and $188,000, respectively, and the related income tax benefit was $27,000 and $39,000, respectively. The final compensation expense for the 2008 plan was recognized in 2020.

Stock Options

Under the 2008 Plan, stock option awards were granted with an exercise price equal to the market price of First Financial Northwest’s common stock at the grant date. These option awards have a vesting period of five years, with 20% vesting on the anniversary date of each grant date, and a contractual life of ten years. Any unexercised stock options expire ten years after the grant date, or sooner in the event of the award recipient’s death, disability or termination of service with the Company and the Bank. At March 31, 2023, there were 217,519 stock options from the 2008 Plan vested and available for exercise, subject to the 2008 Plan provisions.

Under the 2016 Plan, the exercise price and vesting period for stock options are determined by the award committee and specified in the award agreement, however, the exercise price shall not be less than the fair market value of a share as of the grant date. Any unexercised stock option will expire 10 years after the award date or sooner in the event of the award recipient’s death, disability, retirement, or termination of service. At March 31, 2023, there were no stock options issued from the 2016 Plan.

The fair value of each option award is estimated on the grant date using a Black-Scholes model that uses the following assumptions. The dividend yield is based on the current quarterly dividend in effect at the time of the grant. Historical employment data is used to estimate the forfeiture rate. The historical volatility of the Company’s stock price over a specified period of time is used for the expected volatility assumption. First Financial Northwest bases the risk-free interest rate on the U.S. Treasury Constant Maturity Indices in effect on the date of the grant. First Financial Northwest elected to use the “Share-Based Payments” method permitted by the SEC to calculate the expected term. This method uses the vesting term of an option along with the contractual term, setting the expected life at the midpoint.

Under certain conditions, a cashless exercise of vested stock options may occur by the option holder surrendering the number of options valued at the current stock price at the time of exercise to cover the total cost to exercise. The surrendered options are canceled and are unavailable for reissue.

A summary of the Company’s stock option plan awards and activity for the three months ended March 31, 2023, follows: 

	For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2023
	Shares	Weighted-Average Exercise Price		Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Term in Years	Aggregate Intrinsic Value		Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value
Outstanding at January 1, 2023	217,519	$	11.20		$	823,028	$	4.10
Exercised	—	—			—		$	—
Outstanding at March 31, 2023	217,519	11.20		1.19	353,111		4.10
Vested	217,519	11.20		1.19	353,111		4.10
Exercisable at March 31, 2023	217,519	11.20		1.19	353,111		4.10

As of March 31, 2023, there was no unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested stock options. There were no stock options granted during the three months ended March 31, 2023.

Restricted Stock Awards

The 2016 Plan authorizes the grant of restricted stock awards subject to vesting periods or terms as defined by the award committee and specified in the award agreement. Restricted stock awards granted in lieu of cash payments for directors’ fees are subject to immediate vesting on the grant date unless the award agreement provides otherwise.

A summary of changes in nonvested restricted stock awards for the three months ended March 31, 2023, follows: 

	For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2023
	Shares	Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value
Nonvested at January 1, 2023	31,272	$	16.93
Granted	27,618	14.92
Vested	(31,272)	16.93
Nonvested at March 31, 2023	27,618	14.92
Expected to vest assuming a 3% forfeiture rate over the vesting term	26,789	14.92

As of March 31, 2023, there was $372,000 of total unrecognized compensation costs related to nonvested shares granted as restricted stock awards. The cost is expected to be recognized over the remaining eleven month vesting period.