Employee Stock Ownership Plan

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]

Employee Stock Ownership Plan

NOTE 13 – EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN

The Bank established a tax qualified Employee Stock Ownership Plan (“ESOP”) for the benefit of its employees in conjunction with the Reorganization, effective January 1, 2019. Eligible employees become 20% vested in their accounts after 1 year of service, 40% vested after 2 years of service, 60% vested after 3 years of service, 80% vested after 4 years of service, and 100% vested after 5 or more years of service, or earlier, upon death, disability or attainment of normal retirement age.

The ESOP purchased 175,528 shares of the Company’s common stock, which was funded by a loan from the Company. Unreleased ESOP shares collateralize the loan payable, and the cost of the shares is recorded as contra-equity account in the stockholders’ equity of the Company. Shares are to be released as debt payments are made by the ESOP to the loan. The ESOP’s sources of repayment of the loan can included dividends, if any, on the unallocated stock held by the ESOP, and discretionary contributions from the Company to the ESOP and earnings thereon.

Compensation expense for the ESOP is recorded at an amount equal to the shares allocated by the ESOP multiplied by the average fair market value of the shares during the period. The Company recognizes compensation expense ratably over the year based upon the Company’s estimate of the number of shares expected to be allocated by the ESOP. Unearned compensation applicable to the ESOP is reflected as a reduction of stockholders’ equity in the consolidated balance sheet. The difference between the average fair market value and the cost of the shares allocated by the ESOP is recorded as an adjustment to stockholders’ equity. The Company recognized $17 and $51 in compensation expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively.

The following table provides the allocated and unallocated shares of common stock associated with the ESOP.

	September 30, 2019
	(dollars in thousands)
Shares committed to be released		5,266
Total unallocated shares		170,262
Total ESOP shares		175,528
Fair value of unallocated shares	$	1,641

The fair value of the unallocated shares is based on a per share price of $9.64 on September 30, 2019.