Note 6 - Stockholders' Equity

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2022

Disclosure Text Block [Abstract]

Stockholders' Equity

Note 6. Stockholders’ Equity

At-The-Market Equity Distribution Agreement

Pursuant to an equity distribution agreement dated February 18, 2021, we may offer and sell up to 60 million shares of our common stock from time to time to or through sales agents. Sales of the shares, if any, will be made by means of ordinary brokers transactions or as otherwise agreed between the Company and the agents as principals. Whether or not we engage in sales from time to time may depend on a variety of factors, including share price, our cash resources, customary black-out restrictions, and whether we have any material inside information. The agreement can be terminated by us at any time. Any sales of shares under the equity distribution agreement are registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, pursuant to a shelf registration statement on Form S-3. As of September 30, 2022 we had sold 1,176,861 shares under the agreement for proceeds of $4.5 million, net of commissions and fees of approximately $0.1 million. All of the sales occurred during September 2022.

Stock-based Compensation Plans

The Company has stock incentive plans for executives, directors and eligible employees, comprised of performance shares and restricted stock. Stock-based compensation expense for restricted stock unit and performance-based grants (collectively “incentive compensation”) to employees and shares issued to non-employee directors totaled $1.8 million and $4.3 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively, and $1.5 million and $4.8 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, respectively. At September 30, 2022, there was $8.4 million of unrecognized stock-based compensation cost which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average remaining vesting period of 1.8 years.

The following table summarizes the grants awarded during the nine months ended September 30, 2022:

Grant date	Award type	Number granted	Grant date fair value
June 21, 2022	Restricted stock	1,103,801	$ 4.43
June 21, 2022	Performance based	322,799	$ 3.78
June 28, 2022	Directors retainer	98,310	$ 4.24
September 30, 2022	Restricted stock	121,826	$ 3.94

In connection with the vesting of incentive compensation, employees have in the past, at their election and when permitted by us, chosen to satisfy their minimum tax withholding obligations through net share settlement, pursuant to which the Company withholds the number of shares necessary to satisfy such withholding obligations and pays the obligations in cash. As a result, in the first nine months of 2022, we withheld 737,258 shares valued at approximately $3.7 million, or approximately $4.99 per share. In the first nine months of 2021, we withheld 574,251 shares valued at approximately $4.5 million, or approximately $7.88 per share.

Common Stock Dividends

The following table summarizes the dividends our Board of Directors have declared and we have paid during 2022 pursuant to our dividend policy:

Quarter	Realized Silver Price	Silver-linked component	Minimum component	Total dividend per share
First	$24.68	$0.0025	$0.00375	$0.00625
Second	$20.68	$0.0025	$0.00375	$0.00625