8.     STOCK–BASED COMPENSATION

In March 2016, we adopted the Hurco Companies, Inc. 2016 Equity Incentive Plan (as amended, the “2016 Equity Plan”), which allows us to grant awards of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, stock units and other stock-based awards. The 2016 Equity Plan replaced the Hurco Companies, Inc. 2008 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2008 Equity Plan”) and is the only active plan under which equity awards may be made by us to our employees and non-employee directors. No further awards will be made under our 2008 Equity Plan. The total number of shares of our common stock that may be issued pursuant to awards under the 2016 Equity Plan was initially 856,048, which included 386,048 shares that remained available for future grants under the 2008 Equity Plan as of March 10, 2016, the date our shareholders approved the 2016 Equity Plan. On March 10, 2022, our shareholders approved the Amended and Restated Hurco Companies, Inc. 2016 Equity Incentive Plan, which, among other items, increased the aggregate number of shares that may be issued under the 2016 Equity Plan by 850,000 shares. On March 13, 2025, our shareholders approved an amendment to the 2016 Equity Plan, which increased the aggregate number of shares that may be issued thereunder by an additional 850,000 shares.

The Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors has the authority to determine the officers, directors, and key employees who will be granted awards under the 2016 Equity Plan; designate the number of shares subject to each award; determine the terms and conditions upon which awards will be granted; and prescribe the form and terms of award agreements. We have granted restricted shares and performance stock units under the 2016 Equity Plan that are currently outstanding. The market value of a share of our common stock, for purposes of the 2016 Equity Plan, is the closing sale price as reported by the Nasdaq Global Select Market on the date in question or, if not a trading day, on the last preceding trading date.

Stock Options

The final 11,559 shares remaining available under option were exercised during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2023. There were no stock options outstanding as of October 31, 2025 and 2024.

Time-based Restricted Shares and Performance Stock Units

On March 13, 2025, March 14, 2024, and March 9, 2023, the Compensation Committee granted a total of 29,868 shares, 22,878 shares, and 17,226 shares of time-based restricted stock, respectively, to our non-employee directors, which vest in full one year from the date of grant provided the recipient remains on the board of directors through that date. The grant date fair values of the restricted shares were based on the closing sales price of our common stock on the grant dates, which were $16.07, $20.98, and $27.86 per share, respectively.

On November 13, 2024, November 8, 2023, and November 9, 2022, the Compensation Committee granted a total of 13,525 shares, 16,673 shares, and 12,223 shares of time-based restricted stock, respectively, to our non-executive employees. The restricted shares vest in thirds over three years from the date of grant provided the recipient remains employed through that date. The grant date fair values of the restricted shares were based upon the closing sales price of our common stock on the dates of grant, which were $21.80, $19.78, and $24.53 per shares, respectively.

On January 7, 2025, the Compensation Committee approved a long-term incentive compensation arrangement for our executive officers in the form of time-based restricted shares and performance stock units (“PSUs”), which will be payable in shares of our common stock if earned and vested. The awards were approximately 45% time-based vesting and approximately 55% performance-based vesting. The three-year performance period for the PSUs is fiscal year 2025 through fiscal year 2027.

On that date, the Compensation Committee granted a total of 75,119 shares of time-based restricted stock to our executive officers. The restricted shares vest in thirds over three years from the date of grant provided the recipient remains employed through that date. The grant date fair value of the restricted shares was based upon the closing sales price of our common stock on the date of grant, which was $19.81 per share.

On January 7, 2025, the Compensation Committee also granted a total target number of 50,078 PSUs to our executive officers designated as “PSU – NI”. These PSUs were weighted as approximately 30% of the overall 2025 executive long-term incentive compensation arrangement and will vest and be paid based upon the achievement of pre-established goals related to our average net income over the three-year period of fiscal years 2025-2027. Participants will have the ability to earn between 50% of the target number of the PSUs – NI for achieving threshold performance and 200% of the target number of the PSUs – NI for achieving maximum performance. The grant date fair value of the PSUs – NI was based on the closing sales price of our common stock on the grant date, which was $19.81 per PSU.

On January 7, 2025, the Compensation Committee also granted a total target number of 41,735 PSUs to our executive officers designated as “PSU – FCF”. These PSUs were weighted as approximately 25% of the overall 2025 executive long-term incentive compensation arrangement and will vest and be paid based upon the achievement of pre-established goals related to our average free cash flow over the three-year period of fiscal years 2025-2027. Participants will have the ability to earn between 50% of the target number of the PSUs – FCF for achieving threshold performance and 200% of the target number of the PSUs – FCF for achieving maximum performance. The grant date fair value of the PSUs – FCF was based on the closing sales price of our common stock on the grant date, which was $19.81 per PSU.

On January 4, 2024, the Compensation Committee approved a long-term incentive compensation arrangement for our executive officers in the form of time-based restricted shares and PSUs under the 2016 Equity Plan, which will be payable in shares of our common stock if earned and vested. The awards were approximately 25% time-based vesting and approximately 75% performance-based vesting. The three-year performance period for the PSUs is fiscal year 2024 through fiscal year 2026.

On that date, the Compensation Committee granted a total of 36,574 shares of time-based restricted shares to our executive officers. The restricted shares vest in thirds over three years from the date of grant provided the recipient remains employed through that date. The grant date fair value of the restricted shares was based upon the closing sales price of our common stock on the date of grant, which was $21.53 per share.

On January 4, 2024, the Compensation Committee also granted a total target number of 58,520 PSUs to our executive officers designated as “PSU – NI”. These PSUs were weighted as approximately 40% of the overall 2024 executive long-term incentive compensation arrangement and will vest and be paid based upon the achievement of pre-established goals related to our average net income over the three-year period of fiscal years 2024-2026. Participants will have the ability to earn between 50% of the target number of the PSUs – NI for achieving threshold performance and 200% of the target number of the PSUs – NI for achieving maximum performance. The grant date fair value of the PSUs – NI was based on the closing sales price of our common stock on the grant date, which was $21.53 per PSU.

On January 4, 2024, the Compensation Committee also granted a total target number of 51,205 PSUs to our executive officers designated as “PSU – FCF”. These PSUs were weighted as approximately 35% of the overall 2024 executive long-term incentive compensation arrangement and will vest and be paid based upon the achievement of pre-established goals related to our average free cash flow over the three-year period of fiscal years 2024-2026. Participants will have the ability to earn between 50% of the target number of the PSUs – FCF for achieving threshold performance and 200% of the target number of the PSUs – FCF for achieving maximum performance. The grant date fair value of the PSUs – FCF was based on the closing sales price of our common stock on the grant date, which was $21.53 per PSU.

On January 3, 2023, the Compensation Committee approved a long-term incentive compensation arrangement for our executive officers in the form of time-based restricted shares and PSUs under the 2016 Equity Plan, which will be payable in shares of our common stock if earned and vested. The awards were approximately 25% time-based vesting and approximately 75% performance-based vesting. The three-year performance period for the PSUs is fiscal year 2023 through fiscal year 2025.

On that date, the Compensation Committee granted a total of 29,376 shares of time-based restricted shares to our executive officers. The restricted shares vest in thirds over three years from the date of grant provided the recipient remains employed through that date. The grant date fair value of the restricted shares was based upon the closing sales price of our common stock on the date of grant, which was $26.38 per share.

On January 3, 2023, the Compensation Committee also granted a total target number of 47,003 PSUs to our executive officers designated as “PSU – NI”. These PSUs were weighted as approximately 40% of the overall 2023 executive long-term incentive compensation arrangement and will vest and be paid based upon the achievement of pre-established goals related to our average net income over the three-year period of fiscal years 2023-2025. Participants will have the ability to earn between 50% of the target number of the PSUs – NI for achieving threshold performance and 200% of the target number of the PSUs – NI for achieving maximum performance. The grant date fair value of the PSUs – NI was based on the closing sales price of our common stock on grant date, which was $26.38 per PSU.

On January 3, 2023, the Compensation Committee also granted a total target number of 41,126 PSUs to our executive officers designated as “PSU – FCF”. These PSUs were weighted as approximately 35% of the overall 2023 executive long-term incentive compensation arrangement and will vest and be paid based upon the achievement of pre-established goals related to our average free cash flow over the three-year period of fiscal years 2023-2025. Participants will have the ability to earn between 50% of the target number of the PSUs – FCF for achieving threshold performance and 200% of the target number of the PSUs – FCF for achieving maximum performance. The grant date fair value of the PSUs – FCF was based on the closing sales price of our common stock on the grant date, which was $26.38 per PSU.

A reconciliation of our restricted shares and PSU activity and related information is as follows:

Weighted Average Grant

  ​ ​ ​

Number of Shares

  ​ ​ ​

Date Fair Value

Unvested at October 31, 2024

 

378,092

$

24.97

Shares or units granted

 

210,326

19.41

Shares or units vested

 

(71,244)

25.80

Shares or units cancelled

 

(42,930)

30.96

Shares withheld

 

(17,748)

28.51

Unvested at October 31, 2025

 

456,496

$

21.58

During fiscal years 2025, 2024, and 2023, we recorded approximately $1.7 million, $1.6 million, and $2.7 million, respectively, of stock–based compensation expense related to grants under the 2016 Equity Plan. As of October 31, 2025, there was an estimated $2.4 million of total unrecognized stock–based compensation cost that we expect to recognize by the end of the first quarter of fiscal year 2028.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Jan 9, 2026Showing above
2024Jan 10, 2025
2023Jan 5, 2024
2022Jan 6, 2023
2019Jan 3, 2020

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.