Note 13 - Stock-based Compensation

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Notes to Financial Statements

Share-based Payment Arrangement [Text Block]

13.    Stock-Based Compensation

The Company's 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the "2014 Incentive Plan"), was adopted by our board of directors in January 2014. The 2014 Incentive Plan provides for the grant of equity-based awards, including options to purchase shares of common stock, stock appreciation rights, restricted and unrestricted stock awards, restricted stock units and performance awards. The 2014 Incentive Plan will automatically expire on the tenth anniversary of its effective date.

The number of shares of our common stock authorized to be issued under the 2014 Incentive Plan is 1,644,875 shares. To the extent that shares of the Company's common stock subject to an outstanding award granted under the 2014 Incentive Plan or any predecessor plan are not issued or delivered by reason of the expiration, termination, cancellation or forfeiture of such award or the settlement of such award in cash, then such shares of common stock generally shall again be available under the 2014 Incentive Plan.

At our 2016 Annual Meeting of Shareholders on May 24, 2016, our shareholders approved the Company's 2016 Incentive Award Plan (the "2016 Incentive Plan"). The 2016 Incentive Plan provides for the grant of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units and other stock- or cash-based awards. Non-employee directors of the Company and employees and consultants of the Company, or any of its subsidiaries, are eligible to receive awards under the 2016 Incentive Plan. On May 22, 2018, our shareholders approved the amended and restated 2016 Incentive Plan which increased the number of shares authorized for issuance under the plan from 800,000 to 2,100,000 shares. The amended and restated 2016 Incentive Plan will expire on April 4, 2028.

The Company has issued stock options and restricted stock unit awards under the 2014 Incentive Plan and stock options, restricted stock unit awards and performance share unit awards under the 2016 Incentive Plan. As of December 31, 2020, 70,244 shares remain available for grant under the 2014 Incentive Plan and 415,592 shares remain available for grant under the 2016 Incentive Plan. The exercise price of stock option awards may not be less than the market value of the Company's common stock on the date of grant. The fair value for stock options is established at the date of grant using the Black-Scholes model for time-based vesting awards. The Company's stock options, restricted stock unit awards, and performance share unit awards typically vest over a one year to three years period and the stock options expire ten years from the date of grant.

A summary of the Company’s common stock option activity as of and for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 is presented below:

	Year Ended December 31,
	2020					2019					2018
	Number of Shares			Weighted-Average Exercise Price per Share		Number of Shares			Weighted-Average Exercise Price per Share		Number of Shares			Weighted-Average Exercise Price per Share
Outstanding Stock Option Activity
Outstanding, beginning of period		1,068,017		$	9.78		821,470		$	11.00		826,498		$	11.00
Granted		161,479		$	5.36		249,283		$	5.76		—		$	—
Exercised		—		$	—		—		$	—		—		$	—
Forfeited		(8,801	)	$	11.00		(2,736	)	$	11.00		(5,028	)	$	11.00
Outstanding, end of period		1,220,695		$	9.18		1,068,017		$	9.78		821,470		$	11.00
Exercisable, end of period		893,028		$	10.51		818,734		$	11.00		821,470		$	11.00

A summary of the Company’s restricted stock unit activity as of and for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 is presented below:

	Year Ended December 31,
	2020					2019					2018
	Number of Shares			Weighted-Average Grant-Date Fair Value per Share		Number of Shares			Weighted-Average Grant-Date Fair Value per Share		Number of Shares			Weighted-Average Grant-Date Fair Value per Share
Restricted Stock Unit Activity
Outstanding, beginning of period		592,116		$	6.36		469,227		$	10.75		562,082		$	10.72
Granted		358,869		$	4.78		448,468		$	4.82		179,268		$	11.24
Vested		(244,812	)	$	7.61		(277,401	)	$	10.50		(271,875	)	$	11.02
Forfeited		(1,283	)	$	11.68		(48,178	)	$	10.91		(248	)	$	10.05
Outstanding, end of period		704,890		$	5.11		592,116		$	6.36		469,227		$	10.75

A summary of the Company’s performance share unit activity as of and for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 is presented below:

	Years Ended December 31,
	2020				2019					2018
	Number of Shares		Weighted-Average Grant-Date Fair Value per Share		Number of Shares			Weighted-Average Grant-Date Fair Value per Share		Number of Shares		Weighted-Average Grant-Date Fair Value per Share
Performance Share Unit Activity
Outstanding, beginning of period		—	$	—		125,422		$	11.68		—	$	—
Granted (at target)		—	$	—		—		$	—		125,422	$	11.68
Vested		—	$	—		—		$	—		—	$	—
Forfeited		—	$	—		(125,422	)	$	11.68		—	$	—
Outstanding, end of period (at target)		—	$	—		—		$	—		125,422	$	11.68

The expense related to the Company's stock-based compensation programs, included in general and administrative expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations, was as follows:

	Year Ended December 31,
	2020		2019		2018
	(Dollars in thousands)
Expense related to:
Stock options	$	307	$	174	$	—
Restricted stock units and performance share units		1,890		2,086		3,090
	$	2,197	$	2,260	$	3,090

The following table presents details of the assumptions used to calculate the weighted-average grant date fair value of common stock options granted by the Company in each year:

	Year Ended December 31,
	2020			2019			2018
Expected term (in years)		6.0			6.0			—
Expected volatility		41.8	%		39.9	%		—
Risk-free interest rate		1.4	%		2.5	%		—
Expected dividends		—			—			—
Weighted-average grant date fair value per share	$	2.24		$	2.43			—

We used the "simplified method" to establish the expected term of the common stock options granted by the Company. Our restricted stock unit awards and performance share unit awards are valued based on the closing price of our common stock on the date of grant. The number of performance share units that would vest ranged from 50%-150% of the target amount awarded based on actual cumulative earnings per share and return on equity growth from 2018-2019, subject to initial achievement of minimum thresholds. We evaluated the probability of achieving the performance targets established under each of the outstanding performance share unit awards quarterly during 2018 and 2019 and estimated the number of underlying units that were probable of being issued. Compensation expense for restricted stock unit and performance share unit awards was being recognized using the straight-line method over the requisite service period, subject to cumulative catch-up adjustments required as a result of changes in the number shares probable of being issued for performance share unit awards.  Forfeitures are recognized in compensation cost during the period that the award forfeiture occurs.  For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, no expense was recognized for our performance share units.  At December 31, 2019, the performance targets associated with the outstanding performance share unit awards were not met and all outstanding awards were forfeited.  

At December 31, 2020, the amount of unearned stock-based compensation currently estimated to be expensed through 2023 is $2.4 million. The weighted-average period over which the unearned stock-based compensation is expected to be recognized is 1.6 years. If there are any modifications or cancellations of the underlying unvested awards, the Company may be required to accelerate, increase or cancel any remaining unearned stock-based compensation expense.