Celldex Therapeutics, Inc. Stock Compensation Disclosure
(13) Stock-Based Compensation
The Company has the following stock-based compensation plans: the 2004 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “2004 ESPP Plan”), the 2008 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (the “2008 Plan”) and the 2021 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (the “2021 Plan”). There are no shares available for future grant under the 2008 Plan. Outstanding options under the 2008 Plan will be rolled into the 2021 Plan if canceled.
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
At December 31, 2025, a total of 276,666 shares of common stock are reserved for issuance under the 2004 ESPP Plan. Under the 2004 ESPP Plan, each participating employee may purchase shares of common stock through payroll deductions at a purchase price equal to 85% of the lower of the fair market value of the common stock at either the beginning of the offering period or the applicable exercise date. During the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, the Company issued 21,565, 13,187 and 12,729 shares under the 2004 ESPP Plan, respectively. At December 31, 2025, 128,751 shares were available for issuance under the 2004 ESPP Plan.
Employee Stock Option Plan
The 2021 Plan permits the granting of incentive stock options (intended to qualify as such under Section 422A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended), non-qualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, performance share units, restricted stock and other awards of restricted stock to employees, consultants and non-employee directors.
The 2021 Plan allows for grants of new awards until April 19, 2031. As of December 31, 2025, there were 1,343,593 shares outstanding under the 2008 Plan that will be rolled into the 2021 Plan if canceled. The Company’s Board of Directors determines the term of each option, option price, and number of shares for which each option is granted and the rate at which each option vests. Options generally vest over a period not to exceed four years. The term of each option cannot exceed ten years (five years for options granted to holders of more than 10% of the voting stock of the Company), and the exercise price of stock options cannot be less than the fair market value of the common stock at the date of grant (110% of fair market value for incentive stock options granted to holders of more than 10% of the voting stock of the Company). Vesting of all employee and non-employee director stock option awards may accelerate upon a change in control as defined in the 2021 Plan.
A summary of stock option activity for the year ended December 31, 2025 is as follows:
| | Weighted | | Weighted | |||
Average | Average | ||||||
Exercise | Remaining | ||||||
Price | Contractual | ||||||
Shares | Per Share | Term (In Years) | |||||
Options outstanding at December 31, 2024 | 7,540,109 | $ | 31.47 | 7.5 | |||
Granted | 2,154,350 | $ | 19.96 | ||||
Exercised | (153,328) | $ | 13.80 | ||||
Canceled | (406,853) | $ | 89.06 | ||||
Options outstanding at December 31, 2025 | 9,134,278 | $ | 26.49 | 7.1 | |||
Options vested and expected to vest at December 31, 2025 | 9,003,451 | $ | 26.50 | 7.1 | |||
Options exercisable at December 31, 2025 | 5,284,496 | $ | 26.34 | 6.0 | |||
Shares available for grant under the Celldex Therapeutics, Inc. 2021 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (as amended, effective as of June 5, 2025) at December 31, 2025 | 2,624,836 | ||||||
The total intrinsic value of stock options exercised during the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023 was $1.6 million, $17.2 million and $2.7 million, respectively. The weighted average grant-date fair value of stock options granted during the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023 was $13.72, $26.21 and $28.15, respectively. The total fair value of stock options vested during the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023 was $39.5 million, $32.4 million and $20.4 million, respectively.
The aggregate intrinsic value of stock options outstanding at December 31, 2025 was $42.6 million. The aggregate intrinsic value of stock options vested and expected to vest at December 31, 2025 was $42.0 million. The aggregate intrinsic value of stock options exercisable at December 31, 2025 was $26.4 million. As of December 31, 2025, total compensation cost related to non-vested employee and non-employee director stock options not yet recognized was approximately $65.3 million, net of estimated forfeitures, which is expected to be recognized as expense over a weighted average period of 2.6 years.
Valuation and Expenses Information
Stock-based compensation expense for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023 was recorded as follows:
| 2025 | | 2024 | | 2023 | ||||
(In thousands) | |||||||||
Research and development | $ | 19,018 | $ | 17,442 | $ | 11,948 | |||
General and administrative | 17,199 | 16,800 | 11,942 | ||||||
Total stock-based compensation expense | $ | 36,217 | $ | 34,242 | $ | 23,890 | |||
The fair values of employee and director stock options granted during the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023 were valued using the Black-Scholes option pricing model with the following assumptions:
| 2025 | | 2024 | | 2023 | |
Expected stock price volatility | 76 – 81% | 82 -93% | 92% | |||
Expected option term | 6.0 Years | 6.0 Years | 6.0 Years | |||
Risk-free interest rate | 3.8 – 4.7% | 3.5 - 4.5% | 3.5 - 4.7% | |||
Expected dividend yield | None | None | None |
The Company estimates expected term based on historical exercise patterns. The Company uses its historical stock price volatility consistent with the expected term of grant as the basis for its expected volatility assumption. The risk-free interest rate is based upon the yield of U.S. Treasury securities consistent with the expected term of the option. The dividend yield assumption is based on the Company’s history of zero dividend payouts and expectation that no dividends will be paid in the foreseeable future.
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.