STOCK REPURCHASES | STOCK REPURCHASES In 2018, the Company's Board of Director's approved a share repurchase program with a repurchase authorization of up to two million shares of the Company's common stock. During 2024, 2023 and 2022, no shares were repurchased. The maximum number of shares that may yet be purchased under the Plan was approximately 1,375,000 at December 31, 2024. Stock-Based Compensation Plans The Company currently has two equity compensation plans which reserve shares of common stock for issuance to key employees, directors, consultants and advisors to the Company. The following is a description of these plans: The 2010 Long-term Stock Incentive Plan (“2010 Plan”) - This plan was adopted in April 2010 and allows the Company to issue incentive stock options, non-qualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock and restricted stock units, performance awards and other stock based awards authorized by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors. Options and awards issued under this plan expire ten years after the options and awards are granted. The maximum number of shares granted per type of award to any individual may not exceed 1,500,000 in any calendar year. Restricted stock grants and common stock awards reduce stock options otherwise available for future grant. Awards for a maximum of 7,500,000 shares may be granted under this plan. The Company is no longer granting options or awards under this plan. A total of 249,064 options and 0 restricted stock units were outstanding under this plan as of December 31, 2024. The 2020 Omnibus Stock Incentive Plan (“2020 Omnibus Plan”) - This plan was adopted in June 2020 and allows the Company to issue incentive stock options, non-qualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance awards and other stock based awards authorized by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors. Options and awards issued under this plan expire ten years after the options and awards are granted. The maximum number of shares granted per type of award to any individual may not exceed 1,500,000 in any calendar year (or $10.0 million in the case of cash performance awards). Restricted stock grants and common stock awards reduce stock options otherwise available for future grant. Awards for a maximum of 7,500,000 shares may be granted under this plan. A total of 240,319 options and 335,518 restricted stock units were outstanding under this plan as of December 31, 2024. The fair value of employee share options is recognized in expense over the vesting period of the options, using the graded attribution method. The fair value of employee share options is determined on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The Company has calculated its dividend yield by dividing the annualized regular quarterly dividend by the current stock price at grant date. The Company has used historical volatility in its estimate of expected volatility. The expected life represents the period of time (in years) for which the options granted are expected to be outstanding. The risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve. Stock-based compensation expense forfeitures are recognized as they occur. The fair value of the restricted stock ("RSU") and performance restricted stock ("PRSU") is the closing stock price on the NYSE of the Company's common stock on the date of grant or the closing stock price of the Company's common stock on the last business day prior to the grant date. Upon delivery, a portion of the RSU or PRSU award may be withheld to satisfy the statutory withholding taxes. The remaining RSUs or PRSUs will be settled in shares of the Company's common stock after the vesting period and on the prescribed delivery date. These RSUs and PRSUs have none of the rights of outstanding shares of common stock, other than rights to cash dividends, until common stock is distributed. The PRSUs awarded in 2024 are entitled to cash dividends on the vested, not unvested, units. Shares issued under our share-based compensation plans are usually issued from shares of our common stock held in the treasury. Compensation cost related to non-qualified stock options recognized in continuing operations (selling, distribution and administrative expenses) for 2024, 2023 and 2022 was $0.5 million, $0.9 million, and $1.3 million respectively. The related future income tax benefits recognized for 2024, 2023, and 2022 was $0.2 million, respectively. Stock Options The following table presents the weighted-average assumptions used to estimate the fair value of options granted in 2024, 2023 and 2022: 2024 2023 2022 Expected annual dividend yield 1.8 % 2.5 % 2.0 % Risk-free interest rate 4.26 % 4.06 % 1.85 % Expected volatility 44.5 % 49.9 % 52.8 % Expected life in years 4.8 4.8 5.0 The following table summarizes information concerning outstanding and exercisable options: Weighted Average 2024 2023 2022 Shares Weighted Shares Weighted Shares Weighted Outstanding at beginning of year 541,657 $ 26.10 509,212 $ 25.65 463,304 $ 24.28 Granted 70,170 $ 43.83 80,976 $ 28.99 79,025 $ 32.65 Exercised (58,407) $ 24.09 (25,967) $ 20.25 (29,917) $ 22.87 Canceled or expired (64,037) $ 30.41 (22,564) $ 33.01 (3,200) $ 26.61 Outstanding at end of year 489,383 $ 28.32 541,657 $ 26.10 509,212 $ 25.65 Options exercisable at year end 349,274 333,796 297,889 Weighted average fair value per option granted during the year $ 16.53 $ 11.30 $ 13.07 The total intrinsic value of options exercised was $1.0 million in 2024, and $0.3 million in 2023 and in 2022. The following table summarizes information about options vested and exercisable or non-vested that are expected to vest (non-vested outstanding less expected forfeitures) at December 31, 2024: Range of Exercise Prices Options Outstanding and Weighted Weighted Average Aggregate $ 5.00 to $ 15.00 41,500 $ 5.91 1.74 $ 0.8 $ 15.01 to $ 25.00 213,881 $ 23.57 3.37 0.2 $ 25.01 to $ 35.00 130,901 $ 31.04 7.26 0.0 $ 35.01 to $ 45.00 103,101 $ 43.73 7.47 0.0 $ 5.00 to $ 45.00 489,383 $ 28.32 5.14 $ 1.0 The aggregate intrinsic value in the tables above represents the total pretax intrinsic value (the difference between the closing stock price on the last day of trading in 2024 and the exercise price) that would have been received by the option holders had all options been exercised on December 31, 2024. This value will change based on the fair market value of the Company’s common stock. The following table reflects the activity for all unvested stock options during 2024: Shares Weighted Unvested at January 1, 2024 207,861 $ 12.29 Granted 70,170 $ 16.53 Vested (75,093) $ 12.51 Forfeited (62,829) $ 12.72 Unvested at December 31, 2024 140,109 $ 14.28 At December 31, 2024, there was approximately $0.8 million of unrecognized compensation costs related to unvested stock options, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 2.73 years. The total fair value of stock options vested during 2024, 2023 and 2022 was $1.0 million, $0.9 million and $1.3 million, respectively. Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units The following table reflects the activity for restricted stock awards, excluding the restricted stock issued to Directors (in millions, except shares data): Year Granted Shares Granted Outstanding at December 31, 2024 Rights to Cash Dividend Other Participation Rights Performance Award Compensation Expense Year Ended December 31, 2024 2023 2022 2019 30,251 0 Yes None No $ 0.0 $ 0.0 $ 0.1 2019 149,412 0 Yes None Yes 0.0 0.0 0.3 2020 28,272 0 Yes None No 0.0 0.1 0.1 2020 43,330 0 Yes None Yes 0.0 (0.1) 0.1 2021 25,371 805 Yes None No (0.1) 0.2 0.3 2021 32,874 0 Yes None Yes (0.1) (0.1) 0.2 2022 60,808 3,225 Yes None No (0.2) 0.5 0.8 2022 32,875 13,892 Yes None Yes (0.2) 0.0 0.6 2023 81,127 37,974 Yes None No 0.3 0.9 0.0 2023 56,222 42,103 Yes None Yes 0.0 0.0 0.0 2024 205,302 183,454 Yes None No 1.8 0.0 0.0 2024 48,652 42,206 Yes None Yes 0.0 0.0 0.0 Total $ 1.5 $ 1.5 $ 2.5 Share-based compensation expense reported within continuing operations for restricted stock issued to Directors was $0.2 million in 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and is recorded within selling, distribution and administrative expenses. A total of 5,736 shares were granted to Directors during 2024 and a total of 11,859 restricted stock units from the 2020 Omnibus Plan are outstanding to the Directors as of December 31, 2024. At December 31, 2024, there was approximately $5.8 million of unrecognized compensation cost related to the unvested RSU's, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 1.74 years. Total compensation expense related to RSU and performance RSU's reported within continuing operations was approximately $1.7 million, $1.7 million and $2.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and is recorded within selling, distribution and administrative expenses. The following table reflects the activity for all unvested restricted stock during 2024: Shares Weighted Unvested at January 1, 2024 232,853 $ 30.22 Granted 259,690 $ 37.14 Vested (56,128) $ 30.64 Forfeited (100,897) $ 33.95 Unvested at December 31, 2024 335,518 $ 34.51 Employee Stock Purchase Plan The 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan - This plan was approved by the Company's stockholders in December 2018 and a reserve of 500,000 shares of common stock has been established under this plan. The Company adopted this plan, the terms of which allow for eligible employees (as defined in the 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan) to participate in the purchase, during each six month purchase period, of up to a maximum of 10,000 shares of the Company's common stock at a purchase price equal to 85% of the closing price at either the start date or the end date of the stock purchase period, whichever is lower. Compensation expense recognized in selling, distribution and administrative expenses related to this plan totaled $0.6 million $0.4 million and $0.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. As of December 31, 2024, 183,709 shares remain reserved for issuance under this plan. Employees purchased 55,181 shares of common stock during fiscal year 2024 at an average price per share of $27.83. During fiscal year 2023, employees purchased 58,863 shares of common stock at an average price per share of $23.83 and during fiscal year 2022, employees purchased 53,143 shares of common stock at an average per share price of $26.16. |