Stock-Based Compensation

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2015

Stock-Based Compensation [Abstract]

Stock-Based Compensation

(7) Stock-Based Compensation

The Company accounts for share-based compensation by measuring the cost of the employee services received in exchange for an award of equity instruments, including grants of stock options, based on the fair value of the award at the date of grant. In addition, to the extent that the Company receives an excess tax benefit upon exercise of an award, such benefit is reflected as cash flow from financing activities in the consolidated statement of cash flows.

In January 2014, DGSE's Board of Directors (the “Board”) granted 112,000 RSUs to its officers and certain key employees. Each RSU is convertible into one share of Common Stock without additional payment pursuant to the terms of the Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement, dated January 23, 2014, between the Company and each recipient (the “RSU Award Agreement”). One-fourth (or 28,000) of the RSUs vested and were exercisable as of the date of the grant, and an additional one-fourth of the RSUs (calculated using the total number of RSUs at the time of grant) vest and will be exercisable on each subsequent anniversary of the date of grant until 100 percent of the RSUs have vested, subject to the recipient's continued status as an employee on each such date and other terms and conditions of set forth in the RSU Award Agreement. Upon termination of service of the recipient to us, other than by reason of death or disability, any RSUs that have not vested will be forfeited and the award of such units shall terminate. Pursuant to these grants, an additional 15,000 RSUs vested in January 2015, and the recipients were subsequently issued common stock. Of the RSUs granted in January 2014, only 30,000 remain unvested and outstanding as of March 31, 2015.

In September of 2014, the Board granted 14,200 RSUs to each of its three outside directors, for a total of 42,600 RSUs issued. Each RSU is convertible into one share of Common Stock without additional payment pursuant to the terms of the RSU Award Agreement, dated September 17, 2014, between the Company and each recipient. All of the RSUs will vest and become exercisable on the earlier of: (i) the one year anniversary of the grant date, or (ii) the day prior to the next Annual Meeting of the Stockholders of DGSE Companies, Inc., subject to each recipient's continued status as a Director through such dates and other terms and conditions of set forth in the RSU Award Agreement. Upon termination of service of the recipient to the Company, other than by reason of death or disability, any RSUs that have not vested will be forfeited and the award of such units shall terminate. It is expected that these director RSUs will vest on the day prior to our upcoming Annual Meeting of Stockholders, scheduled for June 10, 2015.

Stock-based compensation expense for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 was $60,433 and $60,200, respectively, relating to employee and director RSUs, and included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. Certain stock compensation expenses related to the discontinued Southern Bullion Coin & Jewelry (“Southern Bullion”) operations for the three months ended March 31, 2014, have been reclassified to discontinued operations.