The Company also maintained the Amended and Restated 2014 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended (the “2014 Plan”), which allows for the granting of incentive stock options, nonqualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, stock awards, stock units, performance units and other stock-based
ZYNERBA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
awards to employees, officers, non-employee directors, consultants, and advisors. In addition, the 2014 Plan provides selected employees with the opportunity to receive bonus awards that are considered “qualified performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code. As of June 6, 2023, no additional awards will be granted under the 2014 Plan.
Options issued under the 2023 and 2014 Plans have a contractual life of 10 years and may be exercisable in cash or as otherwise determined by the board of directors. The Company has granted options to employees and non-employee directors. Stock options granted to employees primarily vest 25% upon the first anniversary of the grant date and the balance of unvested options vests in quarterly installments over the remaining three years. Stock options granted annually to non-employee directors vest on the earlier of the one-year anniversary of the grant date, or one day before the date of the Company’s next annual stockholders’ meeting that occurs after the grant date. The Company’s non-employee director compensation policy enables directors to receive stock options in lieu of quarterly cash payments. Any option granted to the directors in lieu of cash compensation vests in full on the grant date. The Company records forfeitures as they occur.
a. | Time-Based Restricted Stock Awards: |
During 2022, the Company granted 841,654 time-based restricted stock awards to employees, non-employee directors and consultants, of which 595,664 restricted stock awards remain outstanding as of
September 30, 2023. During the nine months ended September 30, 2023, the Company granted 1,554,944 time-based restricted stock awards to employees and non-employee directors, which all remain outstanding as of September 30, 2023.
b. | Restricted Stock Awards in Lieu of Bonus: |
During the nine months ended September 30, 2023, the Company granted 431,556 fully vested stock awards to certain employees in lieu of their earned annual bonus. The fair value of those vested stock awards was $0.3 million and was recorded against accrued compensation that existed as of December 31, 2022.
c. | Performance-Based Restricted Stock Awards: |
Stock-based compensation expense for performance-based grants are recorded when management estimates that the vesting of these shares is probable based on the status of the Company’s research and development programs and other relevant factors, which were established by the Company’s board of directors. The Company’s board of directors determines if the performance conditions have been met.
During 2021, the Company granted 506,911 performance-based restricted stock awards to employees, of which 469,911 restricted stock awards have fully vested and no restricted stock awards remained outstanding as of September 30, 2023. The performance-based conditions for these performance-based grants were deemed probable of achievement during the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and, as of September 30, 2023, the Company had recorded $1.7 million in stock-based compensation expense related to these grants.
During 2022, the Company granted 556,500 performance-based restricted stock awards to employees, of which 548,000 restricted stock awards remained outstanding as of September 30, 2023. During the nine months ended September 30, 2023, the Company granted 628,167 performance-based restricted stock