Stock Award Plans

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2021

(7)	Stock Award Plans

The compensation cost that has been charged against earnings for the Company’s stock award plans and the income tax benefit recognized in the statement of earnings for stock awards were as follows (in thousands):

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2021		2020
Compensation cost	$	5,722	$	5,331
Income tax benefit	$	1,272	$	1,262

On March 1, 2021, subject to stockholder approval, the Board of Directors approved amendments to the Company’s 2005 Stock and Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) to, among other things, add 1,400,000 shares of availability. The amendment to the Plan was subsequently approved at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders on April 27, 2021. At March 31, 2021, there were 825,447 shares available for future grants under the Plan. After reflecting stockholder approval of the amendment to the Plan on April 27, 2021, as of such date there were 2,225,447 shares available for future grants under the Plan.

During the three months ended March 31, 2021, the Company granted 309,506 restricted stock units (“RSUs”) to selected officers and other key employees under the Plan, the majority of which vest ratably over five years.

During May 2021, the Company granted 27,120 shares of restricted stock to nonemployee directors of the Company under the director stock award plan. The restricted stock vests six months after the date of grant except that restricted stock granted in lieu of cash director fees vests in equal quarterly increments through March 31, 2022.