Note 15—Share-Based Compensation

The Company maintains the following share-based compensation plans:

Stock Plans:

We have one equity incentive plan from which we are authorized to grant equity awards, the AstroNova, Inc. 2018 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2018 Plan”). The 2018 Plan provides for, among other things, the issuance of awards, including incentive stock options, non-qualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, time-based restricted stock units (“RSUs”), or performance-based restricted stock units (“PSUs”) and restricted stock awards (“RSAs”). The 2018 Plan authorizes the issuance of up to 1,550,000 shares of common stock , plus an additional number of shares equal to the number of shares subject to outstanding awards under our prior 2015 Equity Incentive Plan that are forfeited, canceled, satisfied without the issuance of stock, otherwise terminated (other than by exercise),or, for shares of stock issued pursuant to any unvested award, that are reacquired by us at not more than the grantee’s purchase price (other than by exercise). Under the 2018 Plan, all awards to employees generally have a minimum vesting period of one year. Options granted under the 2018 Plan must be issued at an exercise price of not less than the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant and expire after ten years. Under the 2018 Plan, there were 475,316 unvested RSUs; 16,216 unvested PSUs; and options to purchase an aggregate of 146,500 shares outstanding as of January 31, 2026.

In addition to the 2018 Plan, we previously granted equity awards under our 2015 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2015 Plan”) and our 2007 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2007 Plan”). No new awards may be issued under either the 2007 or 2015 Plans, but outstanding awards will continue to be governed by those plans. As of January 31, 2026, options to purchase an aggregate of 117,349 shares were outstanding under the 2007 Plan and options to purchase an aggregate of 55,200 shares were outstanding under the 2015 Plan.

We also have a Non-Employee Director Annual Compensation Program (the “Program”) under which each non-employee director receives an automatic grant of RSAs on the date of the regular full meeting of the Board of Directors held each fiscal quarter. Under the Program, the number of whole shares to be granted each quarter is equal to 25% of the number calculated by dividing the director’s annual compensation amount by the fair market value of our stock on such day. The director’s annual compensation amount for RSAs is $72,800. Beginning in the second quarter of fiscal 2026, the Board of Directors elected to receive their annual cash compensation entirely in stock, issued as RSAs based on the closing stock price at each quarterly meeting. The amount of annual cash compensation varies by director based on the positions held on the Board. All RSAs granted under the Program vest immediately.

Share-Based Compensation:

Share-based compensation expense has been recognized as follows:

 

 

Years Ended January 31,

 

(In thousands)

 

2026

 

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

Stock Options

 

$

159

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

Restricted Stock Awards and Restricted Stock Units

 

 

1,886

 

 

 

1,338

 

 

 

1,322

 

Stock-Settled Performance Awards

 

 

240

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

 

 

25

 

 

 

40

 

 

 

25

 

Total

 

$

2,310

 

 

$

1,378

 

 

$

1,347

 

Stock Options:

The fair value of stock options granted during the year ended January 31, 2026 was estimated using the following assumptions:

 

 

 

 

 

Risk Free Rate

 

 

 

4.2

%

Expected Volatility

 

 

 

45.7

%

Expected Life (in years)

 

 

 

7.6

 

The weighted average fair value per share for options granted was $6.15 during the year ended January 31, 2026. There were no stock options granted in fiscal 2025.

Aggregated information regarding stock options granted under the plans is summarized below:

 

Number
of Shares

 

 

Weighted-
Average
Exercise
Price Per
Share

 

Options Outstanding, January 31, 2023

 

 

547,199

 

 

$

15.16

 

Options Granted

 

 

 

 

 

 

Options Exercised

 

 

(9,100

)

 

 

11.54

 

Options Forfeited

 

 

(10,525

)

 

 

15.20

 

Options Cancelled

 

 

(4,225

)

 

 

10.50

 

Options Outstanding, January 31, 2024

 

 

523,349

 

 

$

15.26

 

Options Granted

 

 

 

 

 

 

Options Exercised

 

 

(65,900

)

 

 

13.86

 

Options Forfeited

 

 

 

 

 

 

Options Cancelled

 

 

(35,750

)

 

 

14.69

 

Options Outstanding, January 31, 2025

 

 

421,699

 

 

$

15.52

 

Options Granted

 

 

30,000

 

 

 

11.10

 

Options Exercised

 

 

 

 

 

 

Options Forfeited

 

 

 

 

 

 

Options Cancelled

 

 

(132,650

)

 

 

14.40

 

Options Outstanding, January 31, 2026

 

 

319,049

 

 

$

15.52

 

 

Set forth below is a summary of options outstanding at January 31, 2026:

 

Outstanding

 

 

Exercisable

 

Range of
Exercise prices

 

Number of
Shares

 

 

Weighted-
Average
Exercise
Price

 

 

Weighted-
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Life

 

 

Number of
Shares

 

 

Weighted-
Average
Exercise
Price

 

 

Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Life

 

$10.01-15.00

 

 

127,974

 

 

$

12.92

 

 

 

2.7

 

 

 

127,974

 

 

$

12.92

 

 

 

2.7

 

$15.01-20.00

 

 

191,075

 

 

 

17.35

 

 

 

1.1

 

 

 

191,075

 

 

 

17.35

 

 

 

1.1

 

 

 

319,049

 

 

$

15.57

 

 

 

1.7

 

 

 

319,049

 

 

$

15.57

 

 

 

1.7

 

 

As of January 31, 2026, there was no unrecognized compensation expense related to the unvested stock options granted under the plans.

As of January 31, 2026, there was no aggregate intrinsic value (the aggregate difference between the closing stock price of our common stock on January 31, 2026, and the exercise price of the outstanding options) received by the option holders if all options had been exercised for all exercisable options and all options outstanding. No options were exercised in fiscal 2026. The total aggregate intrinsic value of options exercised during fiscal 2025 and 2024 was $242,000 and $32,000, respectively.

Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), Performance-Based Restricted Stock Units (PSUs) and Restricted Stock Awards (RSAs):

Aggregated information regarding RSUs, PSUs and RSAs granted under the Plan is summarized below:

 

 

RSUs, PSUs &
RSAs

 

 

Weighted-Average
Grant Date
Fair Value

 

Outstanding at January 31, 2023

 

 

274,927

 

 

$

12.82

 

Granted

 

 

157,643

 

 

 

12.64

 

Vested

 

 

(116,288

)

 

 

12.29

 

Forfeited

 

 

(15,577

)

 

 

13.37

 

Outstanding at January 31, 2024

 

 

300,705

 

 

$

12.90

 

Granted

 

 

96,040

 

 

 

16.93

 

Vested

 

 

(96,987

)

 

 

13.95

 

Forfeited

 

 

(45,981

)

 

 

12.64

 

Outstanding at January 31, 2025

 

 

253,777

 

 

$

14.07

 

Granted

 

 

518,076

 

 

 

10.32

 

Vested

 

 

(134,368

)

 

 

11.58

 

Forfeited

 

 

(145,953

)

 

 

12.76

 

Outstanding at January 31, 2026

 

 

491,532

 

 

$

11.19

 

 

As of January 31, 2026, there was $3.9 million of unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested RSUs, PSUs and RSAs. This expense is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 2.4 years.

Long-Term Incentive Program

In June 2025, the Human Capital and Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors approved the 2026 Senior Executive Long-Term Incentive Program (“2026 LTIP”). The 2026 LTIP provides for the issuance of Stock-Settled Performance Awards (“SSPAs”) to senior executives. Each senior executive’s SSPA has a set dollar value at the grant date and will be settled in a variable number of shares of common stock subsequent to fiscal 2028 based on the achievement of certain fiscal 2028 Company performance goals. Shares issued under the 2026 LTIP will be issued from our 2018 Plan.

Awards issued under our 2026 LTIP are accounted for as liability-classified awards, because the obligations are based predominantly on fixed monetary amounts that are generally known at inception of the obligation, and are settled with a variable number of shares of our common stock.

We record share-based compensation expense related to the 2026 LTIP over the service period of eligible employees based on forecasted performance relative to the Company metrics. To the extent that updated estimates differ from original estimates, the cumulative effect on current and prior periods of those changes is recorded in the period those estimates are revised.

For the year ended January 31, 2026, share-based compensation expense of $240,000 was recognized under the 2026 LTIP, and a related accrued liability of $240,000 was included in the consolidated balance sheet at January 31, 2026.

Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)

Our ESPP allowed eligible employees to purchase shares of common stock at a 15% discount from fair value on the first or last day of an offering period, whichever is less. A total of 40,000 shares were initially reserved for issuance under the ESPP. Effective April 22, 2025, the Board of Directors terminated the ESPP. There were 6,463 shares purchased in fiscal 2026 through the April 22, 2025, termination date.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2026Apr 15, 2026Showing above
2025Apr 15, 2025
2024Apr 12, 2024
2023Apr 17, 2023
2022Apr 18, 2022
2021Apr 13, 2021
2020Apr 10, 2020
2019Apr 10, 2019
2018Apr 10, 2018
2017Apr 7, 2017
2016Apr 8, 2016

About Stock Compensation Disclosures

Stock-based compensation disclosures detail the equity awards granted to employees and executives — including stock options, restricted stock units (RSUs), and performance shares — along with the valuation methods and assumptions used to expense them. This section reveals the true cost of talent retention and the alignment between management incentives and shareholder interests.

Key signals: total unrecognized compensation expense and its expected recognition period signal future earnings headwinds from already-granted awards. For stock options, examine Black-Scholes assumptions — expected volatility, risk-free rate, and expected term — as understating any of these reduces reported compensation expense. Compare stock compensation expense as a percentage of revenue against peers to assess dilution cost. Watch vesting schedules for acceleration clauses tied to change-of-control events. Performance-based awards with undemanding targets may indicate weak governance. Add back stock compensation to operating cash flow to calculate a more conservative free cash flow figure.