NOTE 17 - STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

 

The Company created the 2023 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) on April 27, 2023, under which stock options, restricted stock awards (“RSAs”), restricted stock units (“RSUs”), and other stock-based awards became available for issuance not to exceed 1,500,000. On November 6, 2025, the Board of Directors resolved to increase the share pool under the Plan to 7,000,000 shares. The Plan is designed to attract, retain, and motivate key employees. Currently, the fair value is recognized as an expense over the vesting period of the award. Options are generally granted with an exercise price equal to the fair market value of the Company’s stock at the date of grant, vest over a four-year period, and expire after five or ten years. There are certain situations that may accelerate the vesting or termination of all outstanding options, such as a change in control. Vesting of RSUs awarded to employees may be time- or performance-based. As of December 31, 2025, 4,660,840 shares were available for grant under the Plan. The compensation expense related to stock-based awards is included in general and administrative expenses with a corresponding increase to additional paid-in capital.

 

The following table summarizes the share options outstanding as of December 31, 2025 and 2024 and activity during the years ending on these dates:

 

   Number of Options   Weighted Average Exercise Price   Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value   Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term (years)   Aggregate Intrinsic Value 
OUTSTANDING, DECEMBER 31, 2023   569,331   $0.80   $10.80    6.66   $5,852,440 
Granted   45,565    0.76    11.80    -    - 
Exercised   -    -    -           
Canceled/Expired   (192)   0.76    10.30    -    - 
OUTSTANDING, DECEMBER 31, 2024   614,704   $0.80   $10.88    5.89   $7,322,656 
Granted   -    -    -    -    - 
Exercised   (1,251)   0.76    10.30           
Canceled/Expired   (4,135)   0.76    11.69    -    - 
OUTSTANDING, DECEMBER 31, 2025   609,318   $0.80   $10.87    4.90   $1,116,368 
EXERCISABLE, DECEMBER 31, 2025   247,991   $0.80   $10.86    6.92   $453,656 

 

 

ARRIVE AI INC.

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

DECEMBER 31, 2025 AND 2024

 

The following table summarizes the nonvested share options for the year ended December 31, 2025 and 2024 and activity during the years ending on these dates:

 

   Number of Shares   Weighted Average Exercise Price   Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value   Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term (years)   Aggregate Intrinsic Value 
OUTSTANDING, DECEMBER 31, 2023   494,105   $0.80   $10.80    6.38   $5,080,434 
Granted   45,565    0.76    11.80    -    - 
Vested   (86,665)   0.79    10.89    -    - 
Canceled/Expired   (130)   0.76    10.30    -    - 
OUTSTANDING, DECEMBER 31, 2024   452,875   $0.80   $10.89    5.21   $5,397,813 
Granted   -    -    -    -    - 
Vested   (88,266)   0.79    10.29    -    - 
Canceled/Expired   (3,282)   0.76    11.72    -    - 
OUTSTANDING, DECEMBER 31, 2025   361,327   $0.80   $10.99    3.54   $662,712 

 

The aggregate intrinsic value is calculated as the difference between the exercise price of the underlying shares and the closing stock price of $2.63 for the Company’s common shares on December 31, 2025 and the estimated share price of $12.71 for the Company’s common shares at December 31, 2024.

 

There were no options granted during the year ended December 31, 2025. As of December 31, 2025, there was $3,889,706 unrecognized compensation expense related to nonvested stock options to be recognized through June 30, 2028. Total compensation expense related to stock options during the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024 was $1,001,613 and $978,234, respectively. During the year ended December 31, 2025 there were 1,251 options exercised in a cashless exchange for 773 shares.

 

The assumptions used to calculate the fair value of options granted during the year ended December 31, 2024 are as follows:

 

Weighted-average volatility   95.00%
Risk-free rate   3.81%
Dividend yield   0.00%
Expected term years   10 

 

 

ARRIVE AI INC.

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

DECEMBER 31, 2025 AND 2024

 

The following table summarizes the restricted stock units (“RSUs”) outstanding as of December 31, 2025 and activity during the year ended this date:

 

   Number of Restricted Stock Units  

Weighted Average Grant

Date Fair Value

 
OUTSTANDING, DECEMBER 31, 2024   -   $- 
Granted   1,693,202    3.07 
OUTSTANDING, DECEMBER 31, 2025   1,693,202   $3.07 

 

During the year ended December 31, 2025, RSUs of 1,693,202 shares were issued under the plan to employees with a total fair value of $5,204,697, based on grant date fair value. Of those shares, 1,199,594 vest and are expensed on a straight line basis over a period of three months to four years. There were no shares vested, forfeited, cancelled, or modified during the year ended December 31, 2025. Total compensation expense related to time-based RSUs during the year ended December 31, 2025 was $59,586.

 

The remaining 493,608 shares vest over terms up to 4 years upon the satisfaction of certain operational goals specified in the underlying agreements. Compensation expense for these performance-based restricted stock units is recognized in accordance with ASC 718 over the requisite service period, when achievement of the performance condition is considered probable. The Company reassesses the probability of achieving such performance conditions at each reporting period and adjusts compensation expense accordingly. To the extent applicable, compensation cost is recognized using an accelerated attribution method for awards with graded vesting features. Total compensation expense related to performance-based RSUs during the year ended December 31, 2025 was $36,830.

 

As of December 31, 2025, there was $5,108,281 unrecognized compensation expense related to nonvested RSUs to be recognized through December 31, 2029.

 

Fully vested restricted stock awards of 35,389 shares were issued under the Plan to employees during the year ended December 31, 2025 with a fair value of $296,102 and was recorded as compensation expense.

 

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.