Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Stock Options

v3.2.0.727
Stock Options
12 Months Ended
Apr. 30, 2015
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]  
Stock Options

(6) Stock Options

 

The Company has a 2001 incentive and non-statutory stock option plan for the purpose of permitting certain key employees to acquire equity in the Company and to promote the growth and profitability of the Company by attracting and retaining key employees. In general, the plan allows granting of up to 300,000 shares of the Company’s Common Stock at an option price to be no less than the fair market value of the Company’s Common Stock on the date such options are granted. Currently, options granted under the plan vest ratably on the annual anniversary date of the grants. Vesting periods for options currently granted under the plan range from one to five years. At April 30, 2014, 239,246 of the outstanding options are exercisable. No further options may be granted under this plan. The Company also has a 2011 incentive and non-statutory stock option plan for the purpose of permitting certain key employees and consultants to acquire equity in the Company and to promote the growth and profitability of the Company by attracting and retaining key employees. No executive officer or director of the Company is eligible to receive options under the 2011 plan. In general, the plan allows granting of up to 33,333 shares of the Company’s Common Stock at an option price to be no less than the fair market value of the Company’s Common Stock on the date such options are granted. Options granted under the plan vest ratably on the annual anniversary date of the grants. There have been 25,000 shares granted under this plan. At April 30, 2015, 25,000 of the outstanding options are exercisable.

 

The Company’s has a 2014 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”), and reserves for issuance 250,000 shares of our common stock. Equity incentive awards play a significant role in the compensation provided to executive officers and employees in the current market. We intend on relying on equity compensation in order to attract and retain key employees, align the interests of our executive officers with those of our shareholders and to provide executive officers and other employees with the opportunity to accumulate retirement income. The Plan is designed to provide flexibility to meet our need to remain competitive in the marketplace in order to attract and retain executive talent and other key employees.

 

The Board of Directors has exclusive authority to determine which officers, employees, and directors who provide services to the Company will be entitled to receive a benefit under the Plan and to administer awards under the Plan to those eligible individuals. The Board retains the authority to appoint a Compensation Committee at any time, consisting of one or more Board members, to determine awards under the Plan. The Compensation Committee will determine, among things, the selection of those individuals to be granted awards under the Plan among those individuals eligible for participation, the level of participation of each participant, when and how each award under the plan will be granted, and what type or combination of types of awards will be granted.

 

The Plan provides for the granting of qualified and non qualified stock options Incentive stock options may be granted only to participants who meet the definition of “employees” under Section 3401(c) of the Code and bonus shares.

 

Stock Options- Stock options provide the recipient with the right to purchase shares of common stock at a price not less than their fair market value on the date of the grant. The stock option price is payable in cash, by tendering previously acquired shares of common stock having an aggregate fair market value at the time of exercise equal to the option price, by cashless (broker-assisted) exercise, or any other method approved by the Board. No stock option may be exercised more than 10 years from the date of grant.

 

Stock options granted under the Plan may be stock options that are intended to qualify as incentive stock options within the meaning of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). Incentive stock options may be granted only to participants who meet the definition of “employees” under Section 3401(c) of the Code. In addition, in order to qualify for incentive stock option treatment, in the case of options granted to a holder of 10% or more of the company’s common stock, the stock option price may not be less than 110% of the fair market value of the stock on the date the stock option is granted.

 

Stock Appreciation Rights. A Stock Appreciation Right (“SAR”) provides the recipient with the right to receive from us an amount, determined by the Board and expressed as a percentage (not exceeding 100%), of the difference between the base price established for the appreciation rights and the market value of the common stock on the date the rights are exercised. Appreciation rights can be tandem (i.e., granted with option rights to provide an alternative to the exercise of the option rights) or free-standing. Tandem appreciation rights may only be exercised at a time when the related option right is exercisable and the spread is positive, and requires that the related option right be surrendered for cancellation. Free-standing appreciation rights must have a base price per right that is not less than the fair market value of the common stock on the grant date, must specify the period of continuous employment that is necessary before such appreciation rights become exercisable and may not be exercisable more than 10 years from the grant date.

 

Bonus Shares. Bonus Shares are an award to an eligible person of shares for services to be rendered or for past services already rendered to the Company. The Board will determine the number of shares to be awarded to the eligible individual, in accordance with any restrictions thereon. These restrictions may be based upon completion of a specified number of years of service with the Company or upon satisfaction of performance goals based on performance factors. Payment for the Bonus Shares may be made in the form of cash, whole shares, or a combination thereof, based on the fair market value of the shares on the date of payment, as determined in the sole discretion of the Board.

 

The status of these plans for the years ended April 30, 2015 and April 30, 2014 is as follows:

 

    Options Outstanding  
          Exercise     Weighted  
          price     average  
    Shares     per share     exercise price  
Balance April 30, 2013     280,242     $ 2.44-24.54     $ 12.04  
                         
Granted                  
Exercised                  
Expired     (34,665 )     6.72-24.54       10.41  
Balance April 30, 2014     245,577     $ 2.44-19.20     $ 12.27  
                         
Granted                  
Exercised                  
Expired     (119,831 )     6.72-19.20       16.24  
Balance April 30, 2015     125,746     2.44-15.42     $ 8.48  

 

The Company periodically grants nonqualified stock options to non-employee directors of the Company. These options are granted for the purpose of retaining the services of directors who are not employees of the Company and to provide additional incentive for such directors to work to further the best interests of the Company and its shareholders. The options granted to these non-employee directors are exercisable at a price representing the fair value at the date of grant, and expire either five or ten years after date of grant. Vesting periods for options currently granted under the plan range from one to two years. At April 30, 2015, 125,746 of the outstanding options are exercisable.

 

The status of the non-employee director options for the years ended April 30, 2015 and April 30, 2014 is as follows:

 

    Options Outstanding  
          Exercise     Weighted  
          price     average  
    Shares     per share     exercise price  
Balance April 30, 2013     31,333     $ 11.94-24.54     $ 15.60  
                         
Granted                  
Exercised                  
Expired     (12,666 )     15.42-24.54       17.34  
Balance April 30, 2014     18,667     $ 11.94-15.42     $ 14.43  
                         
Granted                  
Exercised                  
Expired     (18,667 )     11.94-15.42       14.43  
Balance April 30, 2015         $     $  

 

Other Stock Option Expense

 

During the first quarter of the fiscal year ended April 30, 2009, the Company granted options to purchase 8,333 shares of the Company’s Common Stock to a privately held company in exchange for certain patents and other intellectual property. The options granted are exercisable at a price representing the fair value at the date of grant, were 100% exercisable on the date of grant and expire ten years after the date of grant. The calculated fair value of these options was approximately $121,000 and was determined using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model.