NorthEast Community Bancorp, Inc./MD/ Stock Compensation Disclosure
Note 17 – Stock Based Compensation
At a special shareholders meeting held on September 29, 2022, the Company’s shareholders approved the Company’s 2022 Equity Incentive Plan whereby 1,369,771 shares of the Company’s common stock were reserved from authorized but unissued shares for purposes of grants of incentive stock options, nonqualified stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance shares and performance units to selected employees and non-employee directors of the Company.
The product of the number of shares granted and the grant date market price of the Company’s common stock determine the fair value of restricted stock under the Company’s 2022 Equity Incentive plan. Management recognizes compensation expense for the fair value of restricted stock on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period for the entire award. As of December 31, 2025, there were 19,335 shares available for future awards under this plan.
A summary of the Company’s restricted stock activity and related information for the year ended December 31 follows:
2025 | ||||||
Weighted | ||||||
Average | ||||||
| Shares | | Market Price | |||
Outstanding, Beginning of year | 234,635 |
| $ | 14.58 | ||
Granted | 7,440 |
| 22.10 | |||
Forfeited | — |
| — | |||
Vested | 78,561 |
| 20.09 | |||
Outstanding, end of year | 163,514 | $ | 14.92 | |||
2024 | ||||||
Weighted | ||||||
Average | ||||||
| Shares | | Market Price | |||
Outstanding, Beginning of year | 286,508 |
| $ | 13.72 | ||
Granted | 30,000 |
| 22.82 | |||
Forfeited | — |
| — | |||
Vested | 81,873 |
| 28.12 | |||
Outstanding, end of year | 234,635 | $ | 14.58 | |||
Compensation expense related to restricted stock was $1,195,000 and $1,199,000 for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024. At December 31, 2025 and 2024, the total compensation cost related to non-vested awards that has not yet been recognized was $2.3 million and $3.3 million, which is expected to be recognized over the next 2 years.
Note 17 – Stock Based Compensation (continued)
A summary of the Company’s stock option activity and related information for the years ended December 31 follows:
2025 | ||||||
Weighted | ||||||
Average | ||||||
| Options | | Exercise Price | |||
Outstanding, Beginning of year | 842,896 |
| $ | 13.72 | ||
Granted | 70,000 |
| 22.30 | |||
Forfeited | — |
| — | |||
Exercised | 34,480 | 13.37 | ||||
Outstanding, end of year | 878,416 | $ | 14.42 | |||
Exercisable at end of year | 470,857 | 13.74 | ||||
2024 | ||||||
Weighted | ||||||
Average | ||||||
| Options | | Exercise Price | |||
Outstanding, Beginning of year | 880,097 |
| $ | 13.67 | ||
Granted | — |
| — | |||
Forfeited | — |
| — | |||
Exercised | 37,201 |
| 12.44 | |||
Outstanding, end of year | 842,896 | $ | 13.72 | |||
Exercisable at end of year | 336,558 | 13.72 | ||||
The fair value of each option grant is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model with the following weighted average assumptions:
Pricing Model Assumption Ranges | 2025 | |||
Risk-free interest rate |
| 4.18 | % | |
Expected volatility |
| 31.02 | % | |
Expected dividend yield |
| 3.59 | % | |
Expected life |
| 6.50 | ||
The Compensation cost related to stock options is recognized based on the fair value of the stock options at the grant date on a straight line basis over the vesting period. Compensation expense related to stock options was $792,000 and $845,000 for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024. At December 31, 2025 and 2024, unrecognized compensation cost related to stock option awards was $1.7 million and $2.1 million, which is expected to be recognized over the next 2 years.
Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Mar 13, 2026 | Showing above |
| 2024 | Mar 14, 2025 | |
| 2023 | Mar 28, 2024 | |
| 2022 | Mar 30, 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.