Bridgewater Bancshares Inc Stock Compensation Disclosure
Note 18: Stock Options and Restricted Stock
In 2012, the Company adopted the Bridgewater Bancshares, Inc. 2012 Combined Incentive and Non-Statutory Stock Option Plan (the “2012 Plan”) under which the Company was able to grant options to its directors, officers, and employees for up to 750,000 shares of common stock. Both incentive stock options and nonqualified stock options were granted under the 2012 Plan. The exercise price of each option equals the fair market value of the Company’s stock on the date of grant, and the maximum term of each outstanding option is ten years. All outstanding options
have been granted with vesting periods of or five years. The 2012 Plan expired in March 2022, and awards are no longer able to be granted under the 2012 Plan.
In 2017, the Company adopted the Bridgewater Bancshares, Inc. 2017 Combined Incentive and Non-Statutory Stock Option Plan (the “2017 Plan”). Under the 2017 Plan, the Company may grant options to its directors, officers, employees and consultants for up to 1,500,000 shares of common stock. Both incentive stock options and nonqualified stock options may be granted under the 2017 Plan. The exercise price of each option equals the fair market value of the Company’s stock on the date of grant and the maximum term of each outstanding option is ten years. All outstanding options have been granted with vesting periods of or five years. As of December 31, 2025 and 2024, there were 10,000 and 30,000 shares, respectively, of the Company’s common stock reserved for future option grants under the 2017 Plan.
In 2019, the Company adopted the Bridgewater Bancshares, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2019 EIP”). The types of awards which may be granted under the 2019 EIP include incentive and nonqualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, stock awards, restricted stock units, restricted stock and cash incentive awards. The Company may grant these awards to its directors, officers, employees and certain other service providers for up to 1,000,000 shares of common stock. The exercise price of each option equals the fair market value of the Company’s stock on the date of grant and the maximum term of each award is ten years. All outstanding awards have been granted with vesting periods of four years. As of December 31, 2025, and 2024, there were 2,192 and 87 shares, respectively, of the Company’s common stock reserved for future grants under the 2019 EIP.
In 2023, the Company adopted the Bridgewater Bancshares, Inc. 2023 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2023 EIP”). Under the 2023 EIP, the Company may grant incentive and nonqualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, stock awards, restricted stock units, restricted stock and cash incentive awards. The Company may grant these awards to its directors, officers, employees and certain other service providers for up to 1,500,000 shares of common stock. The exercise price of each option equals the fair market value of the Company’s stock on the date of grant and the maximum term of each award is ten years. All outstanding awards have been granted with a vesting period of four years. As of December 31, 2025, and 2024, there were 464,751 and 972,460 shares, respectively, of the Company’s common stock reserved for future grants under the 2023 EIP.
Stock Options
The fair value of each option award is estimated on the date of grant using a closed form option valuation (Black-Scholes) model that uses the assumptions noted in the table below. Expected volatilities are based on an industry index as described below. The expected term of options granted is based on historical data and represents the period of time that options granted are expected to be outstanding, which takes into account that the options are not transferable. The risk-free interest rate for the expected term of the option is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of the grant. Historically, the Company has not paid a dividend on its common stock and does not expect to do so in the near future.
The Company used the S&P 600 CM Bank Index as its historical volatility index. The S&P 600 CM Bank Index is an index of publicly traded small capitalization, regional, commercial banks located throughout the United States. There were 56 banks in the index ranging in market capitalization from $600.0 million up to $5.0 billion.
The weighted average assumptions used in the model for valuing stock option grants in 2025 is as follows:
December 31, | |||
| 2025 | | |
Dividend Yield |
| — | % |
Expected Life |
| 7 | Years |
Expected Volatility |
| 30.86 | % |
Risk-Free Interest Rate |
| 4.33 | % |
The following table presents a summary of the status of the Company’s outstanding stock options for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024:
December 31, 2025 | December 31, 2024 | |||||||||
| | | Weighted | | | | Weighted | |||
Average | Average | |||||||||
Shares | Exercise Price | Shares | Exercise Price | |||||||
Outstanding at Beginning of Year |
| 1,860,609 | $ | 10.69 |
| 2,014,994 | $ | 10.57 | ||
Granted |
| 325,000 |
| 14.43 |
| 10,000 |
| 13.17 | ||
Exercised |
| (233,934) |
| 8.29 |
| (99,385) |
| 7.68 | ||
Forfeitures |
| (16,500) |
| 12.94 |
| (65,000) |
| 11.81 | ||
Outstanding at Period End |
| 1,935,175 | $ | 11.59 |
| 1,860,609 | $ | 10.69 | ||
Options Exercisable at Period End |
| 1,350,924 | $ | 10.69 |
| 1,423,108 | $ | 9.95 | ||
For the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, the Company recognized compensation expense for stock options of $1.2 million, $917,000 and $851,000, respectively.
The following table presents information pertaining to options outstanding at December 31, 2025:
Options Outstanding | Options Exercisable | ||||||||||||
Weighted Average | |||||||||||||
Number of | Weighted Average | Remaining Contractual | Number of | Weighted Average | |||||||||
Range of Exercise Prices | | Options | | Exercise Price | Life in Years | Options | | Exercise Price | |||||
$ | 7.00 - 7.99 |
| 642,792 |
| $ | 7.47 |
| 1.8 |
| 642,792 |
| $ | 7.47 |
8.00 - 8.99 |
| 2,961 |
| 8.76 |
| 4.3 |
| 2,961 |
| 8.76 | |||
10.00 - 10.99 | 202,500 | 10.62 | 7.4 | 94,749 | 10.59 | ||||||||
11.00 - 11.99 | 221,125 | 11.16 | 6.2 | 148,375 | 11.20 | ||||||||
12.00 - 12.99 | 245,297 | 12.91 | 3.6 | 245,297 | 12.91 | ||||||||
13.00 - 13.99 | 285,000 | 13.75 | 9.1 | 2,500 | 13.17 | ||||||||
17.00 - 17.99 | 285,500 | 17.50 | 6.1 | 214,250 | 17.50 | ||||||||
18.00 - 18.99 | 50,000 | 18.03 | 9.9 | — | — | ||||||||
Totals |
| 1,935,175 | $ | 11.59 | 5.0 |
| 1,350,924 | $ | 10.69 | ||||
As of December 31, 2025, there was $2.5 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested stock options that is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.3 years.
The following table presents an analysis of nonvested options to purchase shares of the Company’s stock issued and outstanding for the year ended December 31, 2025:
| | | Weighted | ||
Number of | Average Grant | ||||
Shares | Date Fair Value | ||||
Nonvested Options at December 31, 2024 |
| 437,501 | $ | 5.18 | |
Granted |
| 325,000 | 6.08 | ||
Vested |
| (168,375) | 5.15 | ||
Forfeited | (9,875) | 4.85 | |||
Nonvested Options at December 31, 2025 |
| 584,251 | $ | 5.69 | |
Restricted Stock Awards
There was no restricted stock award granting activity for the year ended December 31, 2025. Compensation expense associated with the restricted stock awards is recognized on a straight-line basis over the period that the restrictions associated with the awards lapse based on the total cost of the award at the grant date. For the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, the Company recognized compensation expense for restricted stock awards of $-0-, $13,000 and $417,000, respectively.
In addition, during the year ended December 31, 2025, the Company issued 30,728 shares of common stock to directors as a part of their compensation for their annual services on the Company’s board of directors. The aggregate value of the shares issued to directors of $496,000 was included in stock-based compensation expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of shareholders’ equity.
Restricted Stock Units
The Company has granted restricted stock units out of the 2019 EIP and 2023 EIP. Restricted stock units represent the right to receive one share of Company stock upon vesting and vest in equal annual installments on the first anniversaries of the date of the grant. Nonvested restricted stock units have no voting or dividend rights and are not considered outstanding until vested and settled.
The following table presents an analysis of nonvested restricted stock units outstanding for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024:
December 31, 2025 | December 31, 2024 | |||||||||
| | | Weighted | | | | Weighted | |||
Number of | Average Grant | Number of | Average Grant | |||||||
Shares | Date Fair Value | Shares | Date Fair Value | |||||||
Nonvested at Beginning of Year |
| 415,758 | $ | 14.46 | 441,015 | $ | 14.71 | |||
Granted |
| 194,774 | 16.82 | 178,010 | 14.06 | |||||
Vested |
| (154,473) | 15.18 | (160,630) | 14.67 | |||||
Forfeited | (8,398) | 14.39 | (42,637) | 14.59 | ||||||
Nonvested at Year End |
| 447,661 | $ | 15.24 | 415,758 | $ | 14.46 | |||
Compensation expense associated with the restricted stock units is recognized on a straight-line basis over the period that the restrictions associated with the units lapse based on the total cost of the unit at the grant date. For the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, the Company recognized compensation expense for restricted stock units of $2.5 million, $2.5 million and $2.2 million, respectively.
As of December 31, 2025, there was $6.1 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested restricted stock units granted under the 2019 EIP or 2023 EIP that is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.8 years.
Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Feb 26, 2026 | Showing above |
| 2024 | Mar 6, 2025 | |
| 2023 | Mar 7, 2024 | |
| 2022 | Mar 7, 2023 | |
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.