Note 19 – Share-Based Compensation

 

Share-Based Compensation Program

Share-based compensation is designed to reward employees for their long-term contributions to the Company and provide incentives for them to remain with the Company. The number and frequency of share grants are based on competitive practices, operating results of the Company, and individual performance. As of August 31, 2025, the Company’s share-based compensation plan was the 2025 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “2025 Plan”). The 2025 Plan was approved by the shareholders of the Company, and became effective on January 8, 2025, and replaced the Company’s 2015 Long Term Incentive Plan. As of August 31, 2025, all outstanding awards were granted under the 2015 Plan.

The 2025 Plan provides for awards of stock options, restricted shares, restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights, performance shares and performance stock units to employees and non-employee directors of the Company. The maximum number of shares as to which stock awards may be granted under the 2025 Plan is 533,491 shares, exclusive of any forfeitures from the 2015 Long-Term Incentive Plan. At August 31, 2025, 535,609 shares of common stock (including forfeitures from prior plans) remained available for issuance under the 2025 Plan. Grants of restricted stock units and stock options will be counted against the 2025 Plan in a 1 to 1 ratio, and grants of performance stock units will be counted in a 2 to 1 ratio. The 2025 Plan also limits the total awards that may be made to any individual.

Share-Based Compensation Information

The following table summarizes share-based compensation expense for fiscal 2025, 2024, and 2023:

 

 

 

For the years ended August 31,

 

($ in thousands)

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

 

2023

 

Share-based compensation expense included in cost of
   operating revenues

 

$

169

 

 

$

183

 

 

$

183

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Engineering and research

 

 

214

 

 

 

190

 

 

 

232

 

Selling

 

 

613

 

 

 

650

 

 

 

632

 

General and administrative

 

 

7,240

 

 

 

5,473

 

 

 

5,651

 

Share-based compensation expense included in
   operating expenses

 

 

8,067

 

 

 

6,313

 

 

 

6,515

 

Total share-based compensation expense

 

 

8,236

 

 

 

6,496

 

 

 

6,698

 

Tax benefit

 

 

(1,699

)

 

 

(1,527

)

 

 

(1,574

)

Share-based compensation expense, net of tax

 

$

6,537

 

 

$

4,969

 

 

$

5,124

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As of August 31, 2025, there was $9.9 million pre-tax of total unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested share-based compensation arrangements which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 1.8 years.

 

Stock Options – Stock option awards have an exercise price equal to the closing price on the date of grant, expire no later than ten years from the date of grant and vest evenly over a three year period. The fair value of stock option awards is estimated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The table below shows the annual weighted average assumptions used for valuation purposes.

 

 

 

Grant year

 

 

 

Fiscal 2025

 

 

Fiscal 2024

 

 

Fiscal 2023

 

Risk-free interest rate

 

 

4.1

%

 

 

4.8

%

 

 

4.4

%

Dividend yield

 

 

1.2

%

 

 

1.2

%

 

 

0.9

%

Expected life (years)

 

 

5

 

 

 

5

 

 

 

5

 

Volatility

 

 

36.8

%

 

 

37.8

%

 

 

35.7

%

Weighted average grant-date fair value of options granted

 

$

42.19

 

 

$

44.22

 

 

$

55.53

 

 

 

The risk-free rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant; the dividend yield is calculated as the ratio of dividends paid per share of common stock to the stock price on the date of grant; the expected life is based on historical and expected exercise behavior; and volatility is based on the historical volatility of the Company’s stock price over the expected life of the option.

 

The following table summarizes stock option activity for fiscal 2025:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Number of
stock options

 

 

Average
exercise price

 

 

Average
remaining
contractual
term (years)

 

 

Aggregate
intrinsic value
(thousands)

 

Stock options outstanding at August 31, 2024

 

 

142,176

 

 

$

117.44

 

 

 

6.4

 

 

$

2,075

 

Granted

 

 

43,011

 

 

 

121.16

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exercised

 

 

(18,015

)

 

 

83.67

 

 

 

 

 

 

958

 

Stock options outstanding at August 31, 2025

 

 

167,172

 

 

$

122.04

 

 

 

6.8

 

 

$

3,113

 

Stock options exercisable at August 31, 2025

 

 

96,880

 

 

$

120.29

 

 

 

5.4

 

 

$

2,083

 

 

There were 23,781, 19,995, and 19,617 outstanding stock options that vested during fiscal 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively. Additional information regarding stock option exercises is summarized in the table below.

 

 

For the years ended August 31,

 

($ in thousands, except fair value amounts)

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

 

2023

 

Intrinsic value of stock options exercised

 

$

958

 

 

$

217

 

 

$

23

 

Cash received from stock option exercises

 

$

1,507

 

 

$

479

 

 

$

32

 

Tax benefit realized from stock option exercises

 

$

225

 

 

$

18

 

 

$

1

 

Weighted average grant-date fair value of stock options vested

 

$

28.05

 

 

$

27.14

 

 

$

40.66

 

 

Restricted stock units – The restricted stock units have a grant date fair value equal to the fair market value of the underlying stock on the grant date less present value of expected dividends. The restricted stock units granted to employees vest ratably over a three-year period. The restricted stock units granted to non-employee directors generally vest over a nine-month period.

 

The following table summarizes restricted stock unit activity for fiscal 2025:

 

 

 

Number of
 restricted
stock units

 

 

Weighted
average grant-
date fair value

 

Restricted stock units outstanding at August 31, 2024

 

 

52,581

 

 

$

131.12

 

Granted

 

 

39,067

 

 

 

119.49

 

Vested

 

 

(22,349

)

 

 

133.54

 

Forfeited / Cancelled

 

 

(2,861

)

 

 

123.96

 

Restricted stock units outstanding at August 31, 2025

 

 

66,438

 

 

$

123.63

 

 

Restricted stock units are generally settled with the issuance of shares with the exception of certain restricted stock units awarded to internationally-based employees that are settled in cash. At August 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023, outstanding restricted stock units included 5,793, 4,742, and 4,039 units, respectively, that will be settled in cash. The fair value of restricted stock units that vested during the period was $2.4 million and $2.3 million for each of the years ended August 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively. Share issuances are presented net of share repurchases to cover payroll taxes of $1.5 million, $1.6 million, and $2.5 million for each of the years ended August 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively.

Performance stock units – The performance stock units have a grant-date fair value equal to the fair market value of the underlying stock on the grant date less present value of expected dividends. The performance stock units granted to employees cliff vest after a three year period and a specified number of shares of common stock will be awarded under the terms of the performance stock units, if performance measures relating to revenue growth and a return on net assets are achieved.

 

The table below summarizes performance stock unit activity for fiscal 2025:

 

 

 

Number of
performance
stock units

 

 

Weighted
average grant-
date fair value

 

Performance stock units outstanding at August 31, 2024

 

 

46,422

 

 

$

152.67

 

Granted

 

 

28,280

 

 

 

133.29

 

Vested

 

 

(11,729

)

 

 

147.74

 

Performance stock units outstanding at August 31, 2025

 

 

62,973

 

 

$

144.89

 

 

Performance stock units outstanding as of August 31, 2025 and issued during fiscal 2025, 2024, and 2023 include performance goals based on a return on invested capital and total shareholder return ("TSR") relative to the Company’s peers during the performance period. The awards actually earned will range from zero to two hundred percent of the targeted number of performance stock units and will be paid in shares of common stock. Shares earned will be distributed upon vesting on the first day of November following the end of the three-year performance period. For the return on invested capital portion of the award, the Company is accruing compensation expense based on the estimated number of shares expected to be issued utilizing the most current information available to the Company at the date of the financial statements. For the TSR portion of the award, compensation expense is recorded ratably over the three-year term of the award based on the estimated grant date fair value. In fiscal 2025, 2024, and 2023 performance stock units that vested represented 11,729, 13,893, and 18,688 respectively, of actual shares of common stock issued.

 

The fair value of the TSR portion of the awards granted in fiscal 2025, 2024, and 2023 was estimated at the grant date using a Monte Carlo simulation model which included the following assumptions:

 

 

 

Grant year

 

 

 

Fiscal 2025

 

 

Fiscal 2024

 

 

Fiscal 2023

 

Expected term (years)

 

 

3

 

 

 

3

 

 

 

3

 

Risk-free interest rate

 

 

4.1

%

 

 

4.9

%

 

 

4.5

%

Volatility

 

 

35.2

%

 

 

34.6

%

 

 

38.6

%

Dividend yield

 

 

1.2

%

 

 

1.2

%

 

 

0.9

%

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Oct 23, 2025Showing above
2024Oct 24, 2024
2023Oct 19, 2023
2022Oct 20, 2022
2021Oct 21, 2021
2020Oct 22, 2020
2019Oct 31, 2019
2018Oct 24, 2018
2017Oct 13, 2017
2016Oct 18, 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.