NOTE 13 — STOCK BASED COMPENSATION

The Company’s plan is to have broad-based, long-term compensation programs intended to attract and retain talented employees and align stockholder and employee interests. To this end, compensation for our senior leadership team includes equity awards in the form of restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and performance stock units (“PSUs”). We calculate the fair value of the RSUs and PSUs based on the closing market price of our common stock on the date of grant. The compensation expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period of the award. The number of PSUs granted depends on the Company's achievement of target performance goals, which may range from 0% to 200% of the target award amount. The RSUs and PSUs vest ratably over three years including the one-year performance period for PSUs. Upon vesting, each stock award is exchangeable for one share of the Company's common stock, with accrued dividends.

The Company recognized total stock-based compensation expense for PSUs and RSUs of $3.4 million, $4.3 million, and $4.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

As of December 31, 2025, the total unrecognized compensation expense related to the unvested portion of the Company's RSUs was $1.9 million, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 0.9 years. As of December 31, 2025, the total unrecognized compensation expense related to the unvested portion of the Company's PSUs was $0.8 million, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 1.1 years.

The following table shows the number of stock awards that were granted, vested, forfeited, and issued during 2025:

 

Restricted Stock Units

 

 

Performance Stock Units

 

 

Number of units

 

 

Weighted average grant date fair value

 

 

Number of units

 

 

Weighted average grant date fair value

 

Unvested units as of December 31, 2024

 

204,433

 

 

$

12.47

 

 

 

325,081

 

 

$

14.13

 

Granted

 

444,673

 

 

 

5.06

 

 

 

167,677

 

 

 

5.16

 

Vested - issued

 

(100,254

)

 

 

12.22

 

 

 

(242,029

)

 

 

13.55

 

Vested - unissued

 

(80,902

)

 

 

5.79

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Forfeited

 

(2,031

)

 

 

7.48

 

 

 

(1,319

)

 

 

9.97

 

Unvested units as of December 31, 2025

 

465,919

 

 

$

6.63

 

 

 

249,410

 

 

$

8.69

 

Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)

On June 8, 2023 the Company filed a Form S-8 to register 325,000 common stock shares reserved for the ESPP. The Company then opened enrollment for the first offering period that started July 1, 2023 and continued through December 31, 2023. There are two six-month offering periods each year starting January 1 and July 1, with the purchase date on the last business day of each offering

period. On June 17, 2025, the Company filed a Form S-8 to register an additional 670,731 common stock shares reserved for the ESPP.

Under the ESPP, eligible employees (as defined in the ESPP) can purchase the Company’s common stock through accumulated payroll deductions. Eligible employees may purchase the Company’s common stock at 85% of the lower of the fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the first or last business day of each six-month offering period. Eligible employees may contribute up to 10% of their eligible compensation. Under the ESPP, a participant may not accrue rights to purchase more than $25,000 worth of the Company’s common stock for each calendar year in which such right is outstanding.

Employees who elect to participate in the ESPP commence payroll withholdings that accumulate through the end of the respective period. Stock-based compensation expense is determined based on the grant-date fair value of the option or ability to purchase the shares at a discount and is recognized over the withholding period. The stock-based compensation expense related to the ESPP recognized during the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024 was not material.

ESPP employee payroll contributions accrued as of December 31, 2025 and 2024 totaled $0.7 million and $0.9 million, respectively, and are included within “Accrued expenses” in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Cash withheld via employee payroll deductions is presented within “Other financing activities” in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Feb 26, 2026Showing above
2024Mar 5, 2025
2023Mar 14, 2024
2022Mar 9, 2023
2021Mar 31, 2022
2020Mar 18, 2021

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.