12. Share-Based Compensation

The Company’s 2019 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”) became effective on April 29, 2019. The purpose of the ESPP is to provide eligible employees an opportunity to purchase shares of our Class A common stock over time through regular payroll deductions. The ESPP initially reserved and authorized the issuance of up to a total of 300,000 shares of our Class A common stock to participating employees, subject to certain adjustments. The number of shares of Class A common stock available for issuance under the ESPP will be increased on the first day of each year beginning with 2020 in an amount equal to the number of shares issued under the ESPP in the prior year. No participant may purchase more than 1,000 shares of our Class A common stock during any offering period under the ESPP. In addition, under applicable tax rules, an employee may purchase no more than $25,000 worth of shares of our Class A common stock, valued at the start of the offering period, under the ESPP for each calendar year.

On April 29, 2019, the 2019 Plan became effective. This replaced the 2009 Plan, which lost the authority to grant new options under the 2009 Plan on April 23, 2019. The purpose of the 2019 Plan is to advance the interests of our company and its shareholders by providing incentives to certain employees and other key individuals who perform services for us, including those who contribute significantly to the strategic and long-term performance objectives and growth of our company. No more than 1.8 million shares of our Class A common stock, subject to certain adjustments, may be issued under the 2019 Plan, and the 2019 Plan terminates no later than April 25, 2029.

On April 2, 2025, our board of directors and shareholders approved an amendment to the 2019 Incentive Plan to increase the maximum number of shares of our Class A Common Stock authorized for issuance under the 2019 Incentive Plan by 700,000 shares such that the total number of shares authorized for issuance will be 2,500,000 shares (the “Plan Amendment”), which

remains consistent with the company’s general objective not to exceed 10% of the total outstanding common shares (both Class A common stock and Class B common stock).

In 2015, we commenced issuing restricted stock units (“RSUs”). In 2025, we commenced issuing performance-based restricted stock units (“PSUs”). The PSUs and RSUs entitle the recipient to receive one share of Class A common stock for each PSU or RSU upon vesting. The PSUs have performance periods of four years and vest depending on the Company's achievement of predetermined market-based performance target(s). The RSUs are issued with cliff vesting in five years for employees and one year for directors, provided that the recipient is still an employee or director of Gaia on such date. The PSUs and RSUs will be automatically forfeited and of no further force and effect if the vesting conditions are not met. We value our PSU's and RSUs using the market price of our common stock on the date of grant. We use the Black-Scholes option pricing model to determine the fair value of options granted during the year. No options were granted during 2025 or 2024. The exercise price of our legacy outstanding options is generally equal to the closing market price of our stock at the date of the grant. We recognize the compensation expense related to share-based payment awards on a straight-line basis over the requisite service periods of the awards, which generally range from three to five years for employees, and one year for board members.

The table below presents a summary of activity under the 2009 Plan and the 2019 Plan, as of December 31, 2025, and changes during the year then ended:

 

 

 

 

 

Stock Options

 

 

Restricted Stock Units

 

(in thousands, except share and per share amounts)

 

Number of
Shares
Available for
issuance Under
the Plan

 

 

Shares

 

 

Weighted-
Average
Exercise
Price Per Share

 

 

Weighted-
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Term (Years)

 

 

Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value

 

 

Shares

 

 

Weighted-
Average Grant
Date Fair Value

 

Outstanding at January 1, 2025

 

 

244,017

 

 

 

197,846

 

 

$

8.33

 

 

1.9

 

 

$

 

 

 

1,286,991

 

 

$

4.63

 

Increase in reserve

 

 

700,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Restricted stock unit grants

 

 

(497,189

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

497,189

 

 

 

5.21

 

Performance-based restricted stock unit grants

 

 

(386,691

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

386,691

 

 

 

5.26

 

Exercised options

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Restricted stock unit vesting

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(31,465

)

 

 

4.37

 

Cancelled or forfeited restricted stock units and options

 

 

169,472

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(63,461

)

 

 

4.91

 

Outstanding at December 31, 2025

 

 

229,609

 

 

 

197,846

 

 

$

8.33

 

 

 

0.9

 

 

$

 

 

 

2,075,945

 

 

$

4.81

 

Exercisable options at December 31, 2025

 

 

 

 

 

197,846

 

 

$

8.33

 

 

 

0.9

 

 

$

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The tables below present our outstanding RSUs and PSUs by vest date:

Vest Date

 

RSUs

 

January 1, 2026

 

 

4,708

 

March 15, 2026

 

 

247,673

 

March 31, 2026

 

 

250,872

 

May 9, 2026

 

 

26,141

 

October 30, 2026

 

 

21,250

 

March 15, 2027

 

 

90,453

 

March 31, 2027

 

 

32,491

 

October 30, 2027

 

 

21,250

 

March 15, 2028

 

 

677,056

 

April 1, 2028

 

 

157,220

 

October 30, 2028

 

 

21,250

 

March 15, 2029

 

 

90,453

 

August 19, 2029

 

 

27,188

 

October 30, 2029

 

 

21,250

 

 

 

 

1,689,255

 

 

 

 

 

Vest Date

 

PSUs

 

March 15, 2026

 

 

96,673

 

March 15, 2027

 

 

96,673

 

March 15, 2028

 

 

96,673

 

March 15, 2029

 

 

96,673

 

 

 

 

386,692

 

 

During 2025 and 2024, we recognized approximately $1.7 million and $1.3 million, respectively, of share-based compensation expense. Total share-based compensation expense is reported in selling and operating expenses and corporate, general and administration expenses on our consolidated statements of operations. The total income tax impact on provision was $1.2 million and $0.8 million, for 2025 and 2024, respectively. There were no options exercised during 2025 or 2024. We issue new shares upon the exercise of options and vesting of PSUs and RSUs.

As of December 31, 2025, there was $5.1 million of unrecognized cost related to non-vested share-based compensation arrangements granted under the 2009 and 2019 Plans. We expect that cost to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.92 years.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Mar 6, 2026Showing above
2024Mar 10, 2025
2023Mar 29, 2024
2022Mar 6, 2023
2021Feb 28, 2022
2020Mar 2, 2021
2019Feb 24, 2020
2018Mar 4, 2019
2017Feb 27, 2018
2016Feb 28, 2017
2015Mar 15, 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.