Stockholders' Equity

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

Equity [Abstract]

Stockholders' Equity

Stockholders’ Equity

Common Stock

Our certificate of incorporation contains restrictions on the transfer of certain of our securities in order to preserve the net operating loss carryovers, capital loss carryovers, general business credit carryovers, and foreign tax credit carryovers, as well as any “net unrealized built-in loss” within the meaning of Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Service Code, of us or any direct or indirect subsidiary thereof. These restrictions include provisions regarding approval by our Board of Directors of transfers of common stock by holders of five percent or more of the outstanding common stock. Our debt agreements restrict the payment of dividends.

Issuance of Common Stock

On March 16, 2021, we entered into an underwriting agreement with J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters named therein, in connection with an underwritten public offering (the “Equity Offering”) of 5.75 million shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, at a public offering price of $16.00 per share. We completed the issuance of these shares on March 19, 2021. The net proceeds from the Equity Offering were approximately $87.2 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses. We used the net proceeds from the Equity Offering to repay the remaining $48.7 million in aggregate 5.00% Convertible Senior Notes due at maturity in June 2021 and $36.8 million in aggregate principal amount of 12.875% Senior Secured Notes, and the remainder for general corporate purposes, including capital expenditures and funding working capital.

Share Repurchase Program

On November 10, 2021, the Board authorized and approved a share repurchase program for up to $50 million of the currently outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock with no specified end date. On August 2, 2023, the Board approved expanding the Company’s share repurchase authorization from $50 million to $250 million. Under the share repurchase program, the Company may repurchase shares through open market purchases, privately negotiated transactions, block purchases, or otherwise in accordance with applicable federal and state laws. The share repurchase program does not have

a specified end date and may be limited or terminated at any time without prior notice. During the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, 1,841 thousand and 420 thousand shares were repurchased under this share repurchase program for a total of $62.1 million and $5.8 million, respectively. The repurchased shares were retired by the Company upon receipt. As of December 31, 2023, there was $181.8 million of authorization remaining under this share repurchase program.

Incentive Plans

Our incentive compensation plans are described below.

    Long Term Incentive Plan

Under the Par Petroleum Corporation 2012 Long Term Incentive Plan (“Incentive Plan” or “LTIP”), as amended and restated, the Board, or a committee of the Board, may grant incentive stock options, nonstatutory stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units, and performance restricted stock units to directors and other employees or those of our subsidiaries. The maximum number of shares that may be granted under the LTIP is 9.0 million shares of common stock. At December 31, 2023, 3.0 million shares were available for future grants and awards under the LTIP.

Restricted stock and restricted stock units awarded under the Incentive Plan are subject to restrictions, terms, and conditions, including forfeitures, as may be determined by the Board. During the period in which such restrictions apply, unless specifically provided otherwise in accordance with the terms of the Incentive Plan, the recipient of the restricted stock would be the record owner of the shares and have all of the rights of a stockholder with respect to the shares, including the right to vote and the right to receive dividends or other distributions made or paid with respect to the shares. The recipient of restricted stock units shall not have any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company until such units vest and convert into shares of common stock. The fair value of the restricted stock and stock units is generally determined based upon the quoted market price of our common stock on the date of grant. Restricted stock awards generally vest ratably over a four-year period. Restricted stock units do not vest ratably, rather they generally vest in full at the end of three years, while some restricted stock units vest over the same period of time with a one-year cliff.

Stock options are issued with an exercise price equal to the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant and are subject to such other terms and conditions as may be determined by the Board. The options generally expire eight years from the grant date, unless granted by the Board for a shorter term. Option grants generally vest ratably over a four-year period.

    Stock Purchase Plan

The Stock Purchase Plan (as amended, the “SPP”) is limited to the Company’s qualifying executive officers and directors who qualify as accredited investors under Rule 501(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The SPP provides that each participant may, subject to compliance with securities laws and other regulations and only during “window periods” as described in our insider trading policy as in effect from time to time, until the later to occur of (a) December 31, 2015 or (b) the eighteen month anniversary of the date that the participant commenced his or her employment or service with us, purchase, in a single transaction, up to $1 million of shares of our common stock (“the SPP Shares”) at a per share purchase price equal to the closing price of the common stock on the date of purchase. The sale or transfer of the SPP Shares by such participant would be limited for the earlier of (i) two years from the date of purchase or (ii) the termination of the participant’s service with us or any affiliates for any reason. Additionally, the SPP provides that each purchasing participant will be granted a number of shares of restricted common stock under the Incentive Plan equal to 20% of the SPP Shares purchased with 50% of the restricted common stock vesting on each of the two annual anniversaries of the date of grant. Each purchasing participant will also be granted nonstatutory stock options with a 5-year term to purchase a number of shares of common stock under the Incentive Plan (with an exercise price equal to the Fair Market Value as defined in the Incentive Plan on the date of grant) equal to certain specified percentages of the SPP Shares purchased based on a Black-Scholes model with 50% of the options vesting on each of the two annual anniversaries of the date of grant. Such percentages are as follows: 50% for a non-employee chairman of the Board, 35% for non-employee members of the Board, and 50% - 70% for executive officers.

The following table summarizes our compensation costs recognized in General and administrative expense (excluding depreciation) and Operating expense (excluding depreciation) under the Amended and Restated Incentive Plan and Stock Purchase Plan (in thousands):

	Years Ended December 31,
	2023		2022		2021
Restricted Stock Awards	$	7,774	$	5,172	$	4,657
Restricted Stock Units	1,931		1,451		1,356
Stock Option Awards	1,637		2,540		1,939

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Under the Par Pacific Holdings, Inc. 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”), eligible employees may elect to purchase the Company’s common stock at 85% of the market price on the purchase date. Eligible employees may invest from 0% to 10% of their annual income subject to a $15 thousand annual maximum. The Board, or a committee of the Board, is authorized to set the market price discount percentages, any holding periods, and other purchasing terms and timing. The Company’s shareholders ratified the ESPP on May 8, 2018. The maximum number of shares that may be issued under the ESPP is 800 thousand shares of common stock. At December 31, 2023, 374 thousand shares remained available under the ESPP.

During each of the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021, we recognized $0.3 million of compensation costs in General and administrative expense (excluding depreciation) and Operating expense (excluding depreciation) related to the 15% discount offered to employees under the ESPP. During the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021, employees purchased 61 thousand, 67 thousand, and 85 thousand shares under the ESPP, respectively.

Management Stock Purchase Plan

On February 26, 2019, our Board approved the Par Pacific Holdings, Inc. 2019 Management Stock Purchase Plan (the “MSPP”). The MSPP provides executive management with an opportunity to receive restricted stock units (“RSUs”) by converting a portion of their cash bonus compensation into RSUs (“Deferred RSUs”) and receiving awards of matching RSUs, the amount of which are determined by the amount of compensation converted (“Matching RSUs”). A Deferred RSU and a Matching RSU each represents a right to receive one share of the Company’s common stock in the future, subject to the terms and conditions of the MSPP, including, but not limited to, vesting requirements. Shares of common stock issued pursuant to awards of Deferred RSUs and Matching RSUs will be issued from the shares reserved for issuance under the LTIP. As of December 31, 2023, no Deferred RSUs or Matching RSUs had been issued under the MSPP.

Restricted Stock Awards and Restricted Stock Units

The following tables summarize our restricted stock activity (in thousands, except per share amounts):

	Shares	Weighted- Average Grant Date Fair Value
Unvested balance at December 31, 2022	794	$	16.24
Granted	428	26.30
Vested	(375)	17.81
Forfeited	(21)	19.20
Unvested balance at December 31, 2023	826	$	20.90

	Years Ended December 31,
	2023		2022		2021
Weighted-average grant-date fair value per share of restricted stock awards and restricted stock units granted (in dollars)	$	26.30	$	15.27	$	16.38
Fair value of restricted stock awards and restricted stock units vested	$	6,677	$	5,718	$	4,370

As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, there were approximately $11.4 million and $8.8 million of total unrecognized compensation costs related to restricted stock awards and restricted stock units, which are expected to be recognized on a straight-line basis over a weighted-average period of 1.46 years and 1.69 years, respectively.

Performance Restricted Stock Units

The following tables summarize our performance restricted stock activity (in thousands, except per unit amounts):

	Units	Weighted- Average Grant Date Fair Value
Unvested balance at December 31, 2022	113	$	16.78
Granted	90	27.47
Vested	(36)	19.17
Forfeited	—	—
Unvested balance at December 31, 2023	167	$	22.03

	Years Ended December 31,
	2023		2022		2021
Weighted-average grant-date fair value per share of performance restricted stock units granted (in dollars)	$	27.47	$	14.91	$	16.52
Fair value of performance restricted stock units vested	$	686	$	1,343	$	940

Performance restricted stock units are subject to certain annual performance targets based on three-year performance periods as defined by our Board. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, there were approximately $2.0 million and $0.7 million of total unrecognized compensation costs related to the performance restricted stock units, which are expected to be recognized on a straight-line basis over a weighted-average period of 1.99 years and 1.69 years, respectively.

Stock Option Grants

The fair value of each option is estimated on the grant date using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The expected term represents the period of time that options are expected to be outstanding and is based upon the term of the option. The expected volatility represents the extent to which our stock price is expected to fluctuate between the grant date and the expected term of the award. We do not use an expected dividend yield in our fair value measurement as we are restricted from the payment of dividends. The risk-free rate is the implied yield available on U.S. Treasury securities with a remaining term equal to the expected term of the option at the date of grant. The weighted-average assumptions used to measure stock options granted during 2022 and 2021 are presented below. There were no stock options granted in 2023.

	2022	2021
Expected life from date of grant (in years)	5.3	5.3
Expected volatility	55.4%	53.2%
Risk-free interest rate	1.83%	0.64%

The following table summarizes our stock option activity (in thousands, except per share amounts and term years):

	Number of Options	Weighted-Average Exercise Price		Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Term in Years	Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Outstanding balance at December 31, 2022	2,020	$	17.92	4.3	$	10,779
Issued	—	—
Exercised	(705)	19.68
Forfeited / canceled / expired	—	—
Outstanding balance at December 31, 2023	1,315	$	16.97	4.1	$	25,509
Exercisable, end of year	873	$	17.60	3.2	$	16,390

The estimated weighted-average grant-date fair value per share of options granted during the year ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, was $7.44, and $7.72, respectively. No options were granted during the year ended December 31, 2023.

As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, there were approximately $2.1 million and $3.7 million of total unrecognized compensation costs related to stock option awards, which are expected to be recognized on a straight-line basis over a weighted-average period of 1.40 years and 1.79 years, respectively.