Stock-Based Compensation | NOTE E – Stock-Based Compensation Our equity compensation plans provide for the grant of incentive and nonqualified stock options, as well as other stock-based awards including restricted stock and restricted stock units, to employees, non-employee directors and other consultants who provide services to us. Restricted stock awards result in the issuance of new shares when granted. For other stock-based awards, new shares are issued when the award is exercised, vested or released according to the terms of the agreement. In February 2017, 1,024,868 additional shares were reserved for future issuance under our 2010 Equity Incentive Plan. At September 30, 2017, there were approximately 4.5 million shares available for grant under approved equity compensation plans. We recorded stock-based compensation expense of $2.3 million and $6.8 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and $2.0 million and $6.0 million for the three and nine months ended September 30 Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended September 30, September 30, 2017 2016 2017 2016 Cost of revenues $ 494 $ 319 $ 1,414 $ 916 Operating expenses Sales and marketing 565 620 1,656 1,913 Research and development 241 143 698 422 General and administrative 1,047 930 3,065 2,753 Total stock-based compensation expense $ 2,347 $ 2,012 $ 6,833 $ 6,004 As of September 30, 2017, there was approximately $17.9 million of unrecognized stock-based compensation expense under our equity compensation plans, which is expected to be recognized on a straight-line basis over a weighted average period of 2.6 years. Stock Options Stock options generally vest over four years and have a contractual term of seven to ten years from the date of grant. Our stock option activity was as follows: Weighted Average Options Exercise Price (#) ($/share) Outstanding at December 31, 2016 1,016,012 $ 44.72 Granted 169,451 56.02 Exercised (62,854 ) 20.79 Forfeited (10,622 ) 56.12 Outstanding at September 30, 2017 1,111,987 47.69 Of the total outstanding options at September 30, 2017, 708,209 were exercisable with a weighted average exercise price of $43.91 per share. The total outstanding options had a weighted average remaining contractual life of 4.3 years. The weighted average grant date fair value of options granted during the first nine months of 2017 was $18.90 and this was estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model with the following weighted-average assumptions: Volatility 37.4 % Dividend yield 0 % Life (in years) 4.5 Risk-free interest rate 1.85 % Performance Share Units and Restricted Stock Units and Awards In February 2017, our executive officers were granted performance share unit (“PSU”) awards with vesting contingent on successful attainment of pre-determined revenue targets over the course of a three-year performance period (fiscal years 2017 – 2019). During the three months ended March 31, 2017, we recognized expense of $169,000 for PSU awards; and during the three months ended June 30, 2017 we recognized a reversing benefit of $169,000 as the probability of attainment was decreased. We recognized no expense for PSU awards during the three months ended September 30, 2017. Restricted stock units vest over four years and, upon vesting, the holder is entitled to receive shares of our common stock. With restricted stock awards, shares of our common stock are issued when the award is granted and the restrictions lapse over one year. Activity for our performance share units and restricted stock units was as follows: Performance Share and Weighted Average Restricted Stock Units Grant Date Fair Value (#) ($/share) Outstanding at December 31, 2016 189,042 $ 54.14 Granted 207,738 55.74 Vested and common stock issued (64,818 ) 53.63 Forfeited (4,805 ) 54.55 Outstanding at September 30, 2017 327,157 55.25 The number of restricted stock units outstanding at September 30, 2017 included 30,907 units that have vested, but for which shares of common stock have not yet been issued pursuant to the terms of the agreement. Our restricted stock awards activity was as follows: Restricted Stock Weighted Average Awards Grant Date Fair Value (#) ($/share) Outstanding at December 31, 2016 1,524 $ 52.28 Restricted common stock issued 5,454 58.29 Restrictions lapsed (4,248 ) 56.13 Forfeited — — Outstanding at September 30, 2017 2,730 58.30 Employee Stock Purchase Plan Our employee stock purchase plan a llows participating employees to purchase shares of our common stock at a discount through payroll deductions. The plan is available to all employees subject to certain eligibility requirements. Participating employees may purchase common stock, on a voluntary after tax basis, at a price that is the lower of 85% of the fair market value of one share of common stock at the beginning or end of each stock purchase period. The plan consists of two six-month offering periods, beginning on January 1 and July 1 of each calendar year, respectively. A total of 1.0 million shares of common stock are reserved for issuance under the plan. For the offering period that began on January 1, 2017 and ended on June 30, 2017, we withheld approximately $1,021,000 from employees participating in the plan. On June 30, 2017, approximately $1,011,000 of these funds were used to purchase 18,655 shares on behalf of the employees participating in the plan. The remaining funds were refunded to employees pursuant to the requirements of the plan. For the offering period that began on July 1, 2017 and will end on December 31, 2017, we have withheld approximately $599,000 as of September 30, 2017 from employees participating in the plan. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 The fair value was estimated based on the market price of our common stock at the beginning of the offering period using the Black-Scholes option pricing model with the following assumptions: Volatility 26.0 % Dividend yield 0 % Life (in years) 0.5 Risk-free interest rate 0.62 % |