The Company’s policy is to recognize interest accrued and, if applicable, penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense for all periods presented. At September 30, 2023, the Company currently has no unrecognized tax benefits against which interest has been accrued, and there is no accrual recorded for penalties.
For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2023, 2022 and 2021, the Company did not recognize any expense for interest (net of federal impact) within income tax expense.
The Company is subject to income taxes in the U.S. federal and various state jurisdictions. Tax regulations within each jurisdiction are subject to the interpretation of related tax laws and regulations and require significant judgment to apply. The Company’s federal income tax returns for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2018 and thereafter are open years subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service. The Company files income tax returns in various state jurisdictions, as appropriate, with varying statutes of limitation. There are no state income tax examinations in process at this time.
14. Savings Plan
The Company sponsors a voluntary defined contribution savings plan covering all employees. The Company made contributions of approximately $242,000, $126,000 and $123,000 for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
15. Share-Based Compensation
The Company accounts for share-based compensation under the provisions of ASC Topic 718 by using the fair value method for expensing stock options and stock awards.
Total share-based compensation expense was approximately $1,336,000, $345,000, and $341,000 for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The income tax impact recognized as a credit to additional paid in capital in the statement of shareholders’ equity related to share-based compensation arrangements was $756,000, $166,617 and $181,350 for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Compensation expense related to share-based awards is recorded as a component of selling, general and administrative expenses.
2019 Stock-Based Incentive Compensation Plan
The 2019 Stock-Based Incentive Compensation Plan (the “2019 Plan”) was approved by the Company’s shareholders at the Company’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders held on April 2, 2019. The 2019 Plan authorizes the grant of stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, options and other equity-based awards. Options granted under the 2019 Plan may be either “incentive stock options” as defined in section 422 of the Code or nonqualified stock options, as determined by the Compensation Committee.
Subject to an adjustment necessary upon a stock dividend, recapitalization, forward split or reverse split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination, repurchase or share exchange, extraordinary or unusual cash distribution, or similar corporate transaction or event, the maximum number of shares of common stock available for awards under the 2019 Plan is 750,000, plus 139,691 shares of common stock that were authorized but unissued under the 2009 Plan as of the effective date of the 2019 Plan (i.e., April 2, 2019), all of which may be issued pursuant to awards of incentive stock options. As of September 30, 2023, there were 262,000 shares of common stock available for awards under the 2019 Plan.
If any award is forfeited, terminates or otherwise is settled for any reason without an actual distribution of shares to the participant, the related shares of common stock subject to such award will again be available for future grant. Any shares tendered by a participant in payment of the exercise price of an option or the tax liability with respect to an award (including, in any case, shares withheld from any such award) will not be available for future grant under the 2019 Plan. If there is any change in the Company’s corporate capitalization, the Compensation Committee must proportionately and equitably adjust the number and kind of shares of common stock which may be issued in connection with future awards, the number and kind of shares of common stock covered by awards then outstanding under the 2019 Plan, the aggregate number and kind of shares of common stock available under the 2019 Plan, any applicable individual limits on the number of shares of common stock available for awards under the 2019 Plan, the exercise or grant price of any award, or if deemed appropriate, make provision for a cash payment with respect to any outstanding award. In addition, the Compensation Committee may make adjustments in the terms and conditions of any awards, including any performance goals, in recognition of unusual or nonrecurring events affecting the Company or any subsidiary, or in response to changes in applicable laws, regulations, or accounting principles.