Stock-Based Compensation

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Share-based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]

Stock Option, Restricted Stock Units and Equity Incentive Plans

The Company has historically had various stock incentive plans and agreements that provide for the issuance of nonqualified and incentive stock options and restricted stock units as well as other equity awards. Such awards may be granted by the Company’s Board of Directors to certain of the Company’s employees, directors and consultants.

Options and restricted stock units granted to employees and non-employees under these plans expire no later than ten years from the date of grant and generally become exercisable over a four year period, under a graded-vesting methodology for stock options and annually on the anniversary grant date for restricted stock units, following the date of grant. The Company generally issues new shares upon the exercise of stock options or vesting of restricted stock units.

The 2019 Omnibus Incentive Plan (2019 Plan) was approved on May 1, 2019 and provides incentives through the grant of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock awards and restricted stock units. The exercise price of stock options granted under the 2019 Plan shall not be less than the fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant. The 2019 Plan replaced the 1992 Stock Option Plan, the 2001 Stock Option Plan, the Amended and Restated 2004 Equity Incentive Plan, the 2009 Second Amended and Restated Omnibus Incentive Plan and the 2017 Omnibus Incentive Plan (Prior Plans), and no new grants have been granted under the Prior Plans after approval. However, the expiration or forfeiture of options previously granted under the Prior Plans will increase the number of shares available for issuance under the 2019 Plan.

As of March 31, 2020, there were 1,959,142 shares available for future grant under the 2019 Plan.

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Employees are able to purchase stock under the Vericel Corporation Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP). The ESPP allows for the issuance of an aggregate of 1,000,000 shares of common stock of which 628,770 have been issued since the inception of the benefit in 2015. Participation in this plan is available to substantially all employees. The ESPP is a compensatory plan accounted for under the expense recognition provisions of the share-based payment accounting standards. Compensation expense is recorded based on the fair market value of the purchase options at the grant date, which corresponds to the first day of each purchase period and is amortized over the purchase period. In April 2020, employees purchased 32,971 shares resulting in proceeds from the sale of common stock of $0.2 million under the ESPP for the first quarter of 2020.

Service-Based Stock Options

During the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company granted 1,186,140 service-based options to purchase common stock. The exercise price of the options is the fair market value per share of common stock on the grant date, generally vest over four years (other than non-employee director options which vest over one year) and have a term of ten years. The Company issues new shares upon the exercise of stock options. The weighted average grant-date fair value of service-based options granted during the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 was $8.64 and $12.82, respectively.

Restricted Stock Units

During the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company granted 186,136 and 176,422, service-based restricted stock units, respectively. The restricted stock units vest annually over four years in equal installments commencing on the first anniversary of the grant date (other than non-employee director options which vest over one year from the grant date). The Company issues new shares upon the vesting of restricted stock units. Restricted stock awards are recorded at fair value at the date of grant, which is based on the closing share price on the grant date. Compensation expense is recorded for restricted stock units that are expected to vest based on their fair value at grant date and is amortized over the expected vesting period. The weighted average grant-date fair value of restricted stock units granted during the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 was $11.24 and $17.77, respectively. The aggregate fair value of restricted stock units for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 was $2.1 million and $3.1 million, respectively.

As restricted stock units vest, a portion of the shares awarded are withheld and net settled by the Company to cover employee tax obligations. As a result of 36,212 units vesting in the three months ended March 31, 2020, 13,872 shares were withheld for payment of taxes on the employee's behalf and retired from the 2019 Plan.

Stock Compensation Expense

Non-cash stock-based compensation expense (employee stock purchase plan, service-based stock options and restricted stock units) included in cost of goods sold, research and development expenses and selling, general and administrative expenses is summarized in the following table:



	Three Months Ended March 31,
(in thousands)	2020		2019
Cost of goods sold	$	493	$	260
Research and development	513		525
General, selling and administrative	2,762		1,843
Total non-cash stock-based compensation expense	$	3,768	$	2,628