Stock-Based Compensation Plans | 12. Stock-Based Compensation Plans General The Company’s stockholders approved the Resources Connection, Inc. 2020 Performance Incentive Plan (the “2020 Plan”) on October 22, 2020, which replaced and succeeded in its entirety the Resources Connection, Inc. 2014 Performance Incentive Plan (the “2014 Plan”). Executive officers and certain employees, as well as non-employee directors of the Company and certain consultants and advisors are eligible to participate in the 2020 Plan. The maximum number of shares of the Company’s common stock that may be issued or transferred pursuant to awards under the 2020 Plan equals: (1) 1,797,440 (which represents the number of shares that were available for additional award grant purposes under the 2014 Plan immediately prior to the termination of the authority to grant new awards under the 2014 Plan as of October 22, 2020), plus (2) the number of any shares subject to stock options granted under the 2014 Plan or the Resources Connection, Inc. 2004 Performance Incentive Plan (together with the 2014 Plan, the “Prior Plans”) and outstanding as of October 22, 2020 which expire, or for any reason are cancelled or terminated, after that date without being exercised, plus (3) the number of any shares subject to restricted stock and restricted stock unit awards granted under the Prior Plans that are outstanding and unvested as of October 22, 2020 which are forfeited, terminated, cancelled, or otherwise reacquired after that date without having become vested. Awards under the 2020 Plan may include, but are not limited to, stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, performance stock, stock units, stock bonuses and other forms of awards granted or denominated in shares of common stock or units of common stock, as well as certain cash bonus awards. Historically, the Company has granted restricted stock, restricted stock units and stock option awards under the 2020 Plan that typically vest in equal annual installments, and performance stock unit awards under the 2020 Plan that vest upon the achievement of certain Company-wide performance targets at the end of the defined performance period. Stock option grants typically terminate ten years from the date of grant. Vesting periods for restricted stock, restricted stock units and stock option awards range from three to four years . The performance periods for the performance stock unit awards are three years . As of February 24, 2024, there were 1,125,496 shares available for further award grants under the 2020 Plan. Stock-Based Compensation Expense Stock-based compensation expense included in selling, general and administrative expenses was $ 1.2 million and $ 2.6 million for the three months ended February 24, 2024 and February 25, 2023, respectively, and $ 4.2 million and $ 7.4 million for the nine months ended February 24, 2024 and February 25, 2023, respectively . These amounts consisted of stock-based compensation expense related to employee stock options, restricted stock awards, restricted stock unit awards and performance stock unit awards under the 2020 Plan and Prior Plans, employee stock purchases made via the ESPP, and stock units credited under the Directors Deferred Compensation Plan. The Company recognized a tax benefit of $ 0.2 million and $ 0.5 million associated with such stock - based compensation expense during the three months ended February 24, 2024 and February 25, 2023, respectively, and $ 0.8 million and $ 1.5 million during the nine months ended February 24, 2024 and February 25, 2023, respectively . The Company recognizes stock-based compensation expense on time-vesting equity awards ratably over the applicable vesting period based on the grant date fair value, net of estimated forfeitures. Expense related to the liability-classified awards reflects the change in fair value during the reporting period. The number of performance stock units earned at the end of the applicable performance period may equal, exceed or be less than the targeted number of shares depending on whether the performance criteria are met, surpassed or not met. During each reporting period, the Company uses the latest forecasted results to estimate the number of shares to be issued at the end of the performance period. Any resulting changes to stock compensation expense are adjusted in the period in which the change in estimates occur. Stock Options The following table summarizes the stock option activity for the nine months ended February 24, 2024 (in thousands, except weighted-average exercise price): Number of Options Weighted-Average Exercise Price Outstanding at May 27, 2023 2,648 $ 16.44 Exercised ( 32 ) $ 14.29 Forfeited ( 9 ) $ 17.44 Expired ( 344 ) $ 16.97 Outstanding at February 24, 2024 2,263 $ 16.39 Exercisable at February 24, 2024 2,263 $ 16.39 Vested at February 24, 2024 2,263 $ 16.39 As of February 24, 2024, there was no unrecognized compensation costs related to unvested and outstanding employee stock options. Employee Stock Purchase Plan On October 20, 2022, the Company’s stockholders approved an amendment and restatement of the ESPP that increased the number of shares authorized for issuance under the ESPP by 1,500,000 , resulting in a maximum number of shares of the Company’s common stock authorized for issuance under the ESPP of 3,325,000 shares. The Company’s ESPP allows qualified employees (as defined in the ESPP) to purchase designated shares of the Company’s common stock at a price equal to 85 % of the lesser of the fair market value of common stock at the beginning or end of each semi-annual stock purchase period. The Company issued 455,678 and 393,060 shares of common stock pursuant to the ESPP during the nine months ended February 24, 2024 and February 25, 2023, respectively. There were 1,323,246 shares of common stock available for issuance under the ESPP as of February 24, 2024. Restricted Stock Awards (“RSAs”) The following table summarizes the activities for the unvested RSAs for the nine months ended February 24, 2024 (in thousands, except weighted-average grant-date fair value): Shares Weighted-Average Grant-Date Fair Value Outstanding at May 27, 2023 209 $ 17.19 Granted 113 $ 13.79 Vested ( 99 ) $ 16.33 Forfeited - $ - Unvested as of February 24, 2024 223 $ 15.84 Expected to vest as of February 24, 2024 197 $ 15.89 As of February 24, 2024, there was $ 2.7 million of total unrecognized compensation costs related to unvested RSAs. The cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.60 years. Restricted Stock Units (“RSUs”) The Company may issue either equity-classified RSUs, which are awards granted to employees under the 2020 Plan that settle in shares of the Company’s common stock, or liability-classified RSUs, which are awards credited to board of director members under the Directors Deferred Compensation Plan that settle in cash. The following table summarizes the activities for the unvested RSUs, including both equity- and liability-classified RSUs, for the nine months ended February 24, 2024 (in thousands, except weighted-average grant-date fair value): Equity-Classified RSUs Liability-Classified RSUs Total RSUs Shares Weighted-Average Grant-Date Fair Value Shares Weighted-Average Grant-Date Fair Value Shares Weighted-Average Grant-Date Fair Value Outstanding at May 27, 2023 631 $ 15.78 60 $ 16.55 691 $ 15.85 Granted ( 1 ) 298 $ 13.63 26 $ 14.19 324 $ 13.67 Vested ( 184 ) $ 14.91 ( 38 ) $ 16.10 ( 222 ) $ 15.11 Forfeited ( 146 ) $ 15.59 - $ - ( 146 ) $ 15.59 Unvested as of February 24, 2024 599 $ 15.04 48 $ 15.64 647 $ 15.08 Expected to vest as of February 24, 2024 529 $ 15.04 48 $ 15.64 577 $ 15.09 (1) The dividend equivalents are included in the granted shares. As of February 24, 2024, there was $ 6.7 million of total unrecognized compensation costs related to unvested equity-classified RSUs. The cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.80 years. As of February 24, 2024, there was $ 0.7 million of total unrecognized compensation costs related to unvested liability-classified RSUs. The cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.91 years. Performance Stock Units (“PSUs”) The Company has issued PSUs to certain members of management and other select employees. The total number of shares that would vest under the PSUs will be determined at the end of the applicable three-year performance period based on the Company’s achievement of certain revenue and Adjusted EBITDA (as defined below in Note 14 – Segment Information and Enterprise Reporting ) percentage targets over the applicable performance period. The total number of shares that may be earned for these awards based on performance over the performance period ranges from zero to 150 % of the target number of shares. The following table summarizes the activities for the unvested PSUs for the nine months ended February 24, 2024 (in thousands, except weighted-average grant-date fair value): Shares (1) Weighted-Average Grant-Date Fair Value Outstanding at May 27, 2023 434 $ 18.32 Granted ( 2 ) 294 $ 13.63 Vested - $ - Forfeited ( 99 ) $ 18.21 Unvested as of February 24, 2024 629 $ 16.17 Expected to vest as of February 24, 2024 539 $ 16.44 (1) Shares are presented in this table at the stated target, which represents the base number of shares that would vest over the applicable performance period. Actual shares that vest may be zero to 150 % of the target based on the achievement of the specific company-wide performance targets. (2) The dividend equivalents are included in the granted shares. As of February 24, 2024, there was $ 2.0 million of total unrecognized compensation costs related to unvested PSUs. The cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.98 years. |