Note 8 - Equity Plans

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2014

Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]

Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Text Block]

8.           Equity Plans:

Stock Options

The following table summarizes stock option activity during the six months ended June 30, 2014:

						Weighted Average	Aggregate Intrinsic
	Number of			Weighted Average		Remaining	Value
	Options			Exercise Price		Contractual Term	(in thousands)
Outstanding at December 31, 2013		27,172		$	27.40
Granted		-			-
Exercised		(7,000	)		12.32
Canceled		-			-
Outstanding at June 30, 2014		20,172		$	32.63	2.8 (in years)	$	-
Exercisable at June 30, 2014		20,172		$	32.63	2.8 (in years)	$	-

There were 7,000 and 11,667 stock options exercised during the six months ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The total intrinsic value of stock options exercised during the six months ended June 30, 2014 and 2013 was $103 thousand $218 thousand, respectively. All stock options outstanding are vested as of June 30, 2014.

Restricted Stock Units and Performance Share Units

Pursuant to the Olympic Steel 2007 Omnibus Incentive Plan (Plan), the Company may grant stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted shares, restricted share units, performance shares, and other stock- and cash-based awards to employees and Directors of, and consultants to, the Company and its affiliates. Under the Plan, 500,000 shares of common stock are available for equity grants.

On March 1, 2014 and January 2, 2013, the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors approved the grant of 2,544 and 1,800 restricted stock units (RSUs) to each non-employee Director. Subject to the terms of the Plan and the RSU agreement, the RSUs vest after one year of service (from the date of grant). The RSUs are not converted into shares of common stock until the director either resigns or is terminated from the Board of Directors.

The fair value of each RSU was estimated to be the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the date of the grant, which was $27.51 and $23.41 for the grants on March 1, 2014 and January 2, 2013, respectively.

The Company’s Senior Management Compensation Program includes an equity component in order to encourage more ownership of common stock by the senior management. The Senior Management Compensation Program imposes stock ownership requirements upon the participants. Each participant is required to own at least 750 shares of common stock for each year that the participant participates in the Senior Management Compensation Program. Any participant that fails to meet to the stock ownership requirements will be ineligible to receive any equity awards under the Company’s equity compensation plans, including the Plan, until the participant satisfies the ownership requirements. To assist participants in meeting the stock ownership requirements, on an annual basis, if a participant purchases 500 shares of common stock on the open market, the Company will award that participant 250 shares of common stock. During the six months ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, the Company matched 7,250 and 6,000 shares, respectively. Additionally, any participant who continues to comply with the stock ownership requirements as of the five-year, 10-year, 15-year, 20-year and 25-year anniversaries of the participant’s participation in the Senior Management Compensation Program will receive a restricted stock unit award with a dollar value of $25 thousand, $50 thousand, $75 thousand, $100 thousand and $100 thousand, respectively. Restricted stock unit awards will convert into the right to receive shares of common stock upon a participant’s retirement, or earlier upon the participant’s death or disability or upon a change in control of the Company.

Stock-based compensation expense recognized on RSUs for the six months ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively, is summarized in the following table:

	For the Three Months Ended				For the Six Months Ended
	June 30,				June 30,
(in thousands, except per share data)	2014		2013		2014		2013
RSU expense before taxes	$	268	$	205	$	521	$	449
RSU expense after taxes	$	176	$	120	$	333	$	283
Impact per basic share	$	0.02	$	0.01	$	0.03	$	0.03
Impact per diluted share	$	0.02	$	0.01	$	0.03	$	0.03

All pre-tax charges related to RSUs were included in the caption “Administrative and general” on the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income.

The following table summarizes the activity related to RSUs for the six months ended June 30, 2014:

						Aggregate
	Number of			Weighted Average		Intrinsic Value
	Shares			Granted Price		(in thousands)
Outstanding at December 31, 2013		230,958		$	25.44
Granted		34,226			27.69
Converted into shares		(1,250	)		23.56
Forfeited		-			-
Outstanding at June 30, 2014		263,934		$	25.74	$	286
Vested at June 30, 2014		220,728		$	26.08	$	211

During the six months ended June 30, 2014, 1,250 RSUs were converted into shares. No RSUs were converted into shares during the six months ended June 30, 2013.