14. SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION

The Company has an equity compensation program (the "Program") which provides for the granting of "Incentive Stock Options" within the meaning of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, non-qualified stock options and restricted stock awards. The Company believes that such awards better align the interest of its employees with those of its shareholders. The 2011 Equity Compensation Plan provides for the issuance of 1.4 million shares of the Company's Class B common stock. At December 31, 2018, 359,100 shares remained available for future issuance under the 2011 Equity Compensation Plan.

The Company records compensation expense in its consolidated statements of operations related to employee stock-based options and awards. The aggregate pretax compensation cost recognized for stock-based compensation amounted to approximately $2.8 million and $3.0 million for 2018 and 2017, respectively, and related solely to restricted stock awards. The Company did not use any cash to settle any equity instruments granted under share-based arrangements during 2018 and 2017. At December 31, 2018 and 2017, the only instruments issued and outstanding under the Program related to restricted stock awards.

Restricted Stock Awards

The Company provides common stock awards to certain officers and key employees. The Company grants these awards, at its discretion, from the shares available under the Program. Unless otherwise provided at the date of grant or unless subsequently accelerated, the shares awarded are typically earned in 25% increments on the second, third, fourth and fifth anniversaries of the award and are distributed provided the employee has remained employed by the Company through such anniversary dates; otherwise the unearned shares are forfeited. The market value of these shares at the date of award is recorded as compensation expense on the straight-line method over the applicable vesting period from the respective award dates, as adjusted for forfeitures of unvested awards. During 2018 and 2017, the Company issued 262,000 shares and 46,400 shares of the Company's Class B common stock, respectively, under a restricted stock plan to various officers and employees.

A summary of the restricted stock activity under the Program for the year ended December 31, 2018 is presented below:

						Weighted Average
Restricted Stock				Weighted Average		Remaining
Awards	Shares			Award Price		Contractual Term

Outstanding at January 1, 2018		424,500		$	23.23	3.0 years
Granted		262,000			24.68
Vested		(129,600	)		21.88
Forfeited		(29,000	)		21.69
Outstanding at December 31, 2018		527,900		$	24.37	3.5 years

As of December 31, 2018, there was $8.7 million of total pretax unrecognized compensation cost included within additional paid-in capital related to non-vested stock based compensation arrangements granted under the restricted stock award plan. That cost is expected to be recognized over a period of 3.8 years. This expense is recorded in cost of sales and SG&A expense based upon the employment classification of the award recipients.

The Company's policy is to issue new shares to satisfy restricted stock awards. Currently the Company believes that substantially all restricted stock awards will vest.