2,400,000. In general, the Company’s 2017 LTIP provides for grants of restricted stock and stock options to be issued with a per-share price equal to the fair market value of a share of common stock on the date of grant. Option terms are specified at each grant date but generally are 10 years from the date of issuance. Options generally vest over a three to five-year period.
The Company applies a 3.2% and a 5.5% forfeiture rate, which is compounded over the vesting terms of the individual award, to its restricted stock and option grants, respectively, based on historical analysis.
In the three months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, compensation expense related to stock-based awards outstanding was $0.3 million and $0.6 million, respectively. In the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, compensation related to stock-based awards outstanding was $1.9 million and $2.3 million, respectively. In the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, expense related to the purchase of vested stock-based awards for certain officers and directors of the Company was approximately $0.2 million.
In February 2020, the Company granted an executive of the Company 15,121 shares of restricted common stock, which vested immediately on the date of grant. The fair value of all shares awarded on the date of grant was $4.96 per share.
In March 2020, certain officers and executives of the Company were awarded 170,235 shares of restricted common stock with a vesting period of three years and a fair value of $3.73 per share.
In May 2020, independent directors as well as certain officers and executives of the Company were awarded 638,938 shares of restricted common stock. The total number included 238,938 shares, which were awarded to the independent directors and vested immediately on the date of the grant, as well as 300,000 shares of performance-based stock awarded to certain executives. The performance-based stock will potentially vest 50% if the target is met, with 25% each vesting on the second and third anniversary of the determination that the target was met, with 100% of the shares to be earned based on the achievement of an objective, tiered return on invested capital, measured over a one-year performance period. The Company evaluates the probability of achieving this each reporting period. The fair value of all shares awarded on the date of the grant was $2.26 per share.
In August 2020, the Company determined the performance-based stock awarded on May 24, 2019 vested at the outperformance level established above the target set based on the achievement of an objective, tiered return on invested capital, measured over a one-year performance period ending June 30, 2020. As a result, the executives earned an additional 93,750 shares of performance-based stock awards with a fair value of $1.96, of which 50% vested immediately on the date of determination and 25% each will vest on the first and second anniversary of the date of determination.
In September 2020, the Company granted an executive of the Company 25,000 shares of restricted common stock with a vesting period of three years and a fair value of $2.58 per share.
In the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, there were 0 options exercised. In the three months ended September 30, 2019, there were 0 options exercised. In the nine months ended September 30, 2019, 7,021 options were exercised, generating proceeds to the Company of less than $0.1 million.
At September 30, 2020, total unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested stock and options was approximately $2.4 million, which is expected to be recognized over a period of approximately two years.