Note 14 - Shareholders' Equity

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2022

Notes to Financial Statements

Stockholders' Equity Note Disclosure [Text Block]

(14) Shareholders’ Equity

Preferred Stock

In June 2008, the Board of Directors authorized 2,500 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share. The Board of Directors has the authority to issue the undesignated preferred stock in one or more series and to determine the powers, preferences and rights and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions granted to or imposed upon any wholly unissued series of undesignated preferred stock and to fix the number of shares constituting any series and the designation of such series, without any further vote or action by the shareholders. The issuance of preferred stock may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change of control of the Company without further action by shareholders and may adversely affect the voting and other rights of the holders of common stock.

The Board of Directors authorized 10 shares of Series A Redeemable Nonvoting Preferred stock (“Series A Preferred”) that were issued to certain executive officers at the time of formation. The Series A Preferred has no voting rights, except as required by law, and may be redeemed at the option of the Company’s Board of Directors at any time.

The Series A Preferred is redeemable based on the stated fair value of $5.00 per share. The Series A Preferred has no dividend rights and no rights to the undistributed earnings of the Company.

Common Stock

In June 2008, the Board of Directors authorized 50,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share. The holders of Digimarc common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters submitted to a vote of its shareholders, including the election of directors. Subject to preferences that may be granted to any then outstanding preferred stock, holders of common stock are entitled to receive ratably those dividends as may be declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for such purpose, as well as any distributions to the Company’s shareholders. In the event of the Company’s liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of common stock are entitled to share ratably in all of the Company’s assets remaining after payment of liabilities and the liquidation preference of any then outstanding preferred stock. Holders of common stock have no preemptive or other subscription or conversion rights. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the common stock. All outstanding shares of common stock are fully paid and non-assessable.

In May 2019, the Company entered into an Equity Distribution Agreement, whereby the Company may sell from time to time through Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as its sales agent, the Company’s common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $30,000.

For the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company sold 222 shares at an average price of $22.42 under this Equity Distribution Agreement totaling $4,984 of cash proceeds, less $112 of commissions and $202 of stock issuance costs. There were no shares sold for the year ended December 31, 2021.

As of December 31, 2022, $1,948 remained available for future issuance under the Equity Distribution Agreement.

Stock Incentive Plan

In March 2018, the Company’s Board of Directors approved the 2018 Incentive Plan ( “2018 Plan”) which was later approved by the Company’s shareholders at the Company’s 2018 Annual Meeting of Shareholders in April 2018. The 2018 Plan replaced the 2008 Incentive Plan ( “2008 Plan”). The 2018 Plan provides for the grant of incentive and non-qualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, stock awards, restricted stock awards, restricted stock units, performance shares, performance units, and other stock or cash-based awards, which may be granted to officers, directors, employees, consultants, agents, advisors and independent contractors who provide services to the Company and its affiliated companies.

The 2018 Plan authorizes the issuance of 1,000 shares of common stock. In addition, up to 770 shares of common stock subject to awards outstanding under the 2008 Plan became available for issuance under 2018 Plan to the extent that those shares cease to be subject to the awards (as a result of, for example, expiration, cancellation or forfeiture of the award). The shares authorized under the 2018 Plan are subject to adjustment in the event of a stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or similar event. Shares issued under the 2018 Plan will consist of authorized and unissued shares or shares held by the Company as treasury shares. If an award granted under the 2018 Plan lapses, expires, terminates or is forfeited or surrendered without having been fully exercised or without the issuance of all the shares subject to the award, the shares covered by that award will again be available for issuance under the 2018 Plan. Shares that are (i) tendered by a participant or retained by the Company as payment for the purchase price of an award or to satisfy tax withholding obligations or (ii) covered by an award that is settled in cash, or in some manner that some or all of the shares covered by the award are not issued, will again be available for issuance under the 2018 Plan. In addition, awards granted as substitute awards in connection with acquisition transactions will not reduce the number of shares authorized for issuance under the 2018 Plan.

Registered Direct Offering

On April 5, 2022, the Company entered into purchase agreements with certain investors providing for the issuance and sale by the Company of 2,250 common shares in a registered direct offering. The common shares were offered at a price of $25.90 per share, and the gross cash proceeds to the Company were $58,275. The Company incurred $55 of legal costs related to the offering. The closing of the registered direct offering occurred on April 7, 2022.