Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Stockholders' Equity

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Stockholders' Equity
9 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2018
Equity [Abstract]  
Stockholders' Equity
Stockholders' Equity

The Company recognizes stock-based compensation expense for (i) Board of Directors fees (paid in treasury stock), and (ii) the Stock Incentive Plan of 2015 (paid in restricted stock and stock options). Stock-based compensation expense is recognized in general and administrative expenses in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Stock Compensation - Board of Directors

The Board of Directors can either elect to receive stock compensation or cash for their fees for services provided. Stock-based compensation expense relating to the Board of Director fees was approximately $238,000 and $621,000 for the three and nine months ended June 30, 2018, and approximately $163,000 and $581,000 for the three and nine months ended June 30, 2017, respectively.

Restricted Stock

In fiscal year 2015, the Company awarded 12,500 restricted shares of the Company’s common stock (“Restricted Stock”) to two senior executives under the 2015 Plan at a weighted average fair value of $49.49 per common share, vesting over three to five years. 

In November 2017, a senior executive was awarded 5,000 restricted shares of the Company’s common stock (“Restricted Stock”) under the 2015 Plan at a weighted average fair value of $31.95 per common share, vesting over approximately three years.

Stock compensation expense related to the Restricted Stock totaled approximately $37,000 and $100,000 for the three and nine months ended June 30, 2018, respectively, and approximately $27,000 and $238,000 for the three and nine months ended June 30, 2017, respectively. There was approximately $209,000 and $149,000 of total unrecognized stock compensation costs related to unvested stock compensation for the Restricted Stock grants at June 30, 2018 and September 30, 2017, respectively.

Stock Option Grant

On December 31, 2016, the Company entered into new employment agreements (collectively, the “Employment Agreements”) with each of Remy W. Trafelet, Henry R. Slack, and George R. Brokaw (collectively, the “Executives”). Mr. Trafelet serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, Mr. Slack serves as the Executive Chairman of the Company, and Mr. Brokaw serves as the Executive Vice Chairman of the Company, and each of them continues to serve on the Company’s Board of Directors.

A stock option grant of 300,000 options in the case of Mr. Trafelet and 225,000 options in the case of each of Messrs. Slack and Brokaw (collectively, the “Option Grants”) were granted on December 31, 2016. The option price was set at $27.15, the closing price on December 31, 2016. The Option Grants will vest as follows: (i) 25% of the options will vest if the price of the Company’s common stock during a consecutive 20-trading day period exceeds $60.00; (ii) 25% of the options will vest if such price exceeds $75.00; (iii) 25% of the options will vest if such price exceeds $90.00; and (iv) 25% of the options will vest if such price exceeds $105.00. If the applicable stock price hurdles have not been achieved by (A) the second anniversary of the Executive’s termination of employment, if the Executive’s employment is terminated due to death or disability, (B) the date that is 18 months following the Executive’s termination of employment, if the Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company without cause, by the Executive with good reason, or due to the Executive’s retirement, or (C) the date of the termination of the Executive’s employment for any other reason, then any unvested options will be forfeited. In addition, if the applicable stock price hurdles have not been achieved by the fifth anniversary of the grant date (or the fourth anniversary of the grant date, in the case of the tranche described in clause (i) above), then any unvested options will be forfeited. The Option Grants will also become vested to the extent that the applicable stock price hurdles are satisfied in connection with a change in control of the Company.

Stock compensation expense related to the options totaled approximately $205,000 and $616,000 for the three and nine months ended June 30, 2018, respectively, and approximately $205,000 and $411,000 for the three and nine months ended June 30, 2017, respectively. At June 30, 2018 and September 30, 2017, there was approximately $1,414,000 and $2,030,000 of total unrecognized stock compensation costs related to unvested share-based compensation for the option grants, respectively. The total unrecognized compensation cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of approximately 1.83 years.

The fair value of the Option Grants was estimated on the date of grant using a Monte Carlo valuation model that uses the assumptions noted in the following table. The expected term of options granted is derived from the output of the option valuation model and represents the period of time that options granted are expected to be outstanding; the range given below results from different time-frames for the various market conditions being met.

Expected Volatility
32.19
%
Expected Term (in years)
2.6 - 4.0

Risk Free Rate
24.5
%


The weighted-average grant-date fair value of the Option Grants was $3.53. There were no additional stock options granted, exercised or forfeited for the three and nine months ended June 30, 2018.

Stock Repurchase Authorizations

In fiscal year 2017, the Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to $7,000,000 of the Company’s common stock in two separate authorizations (the "2017 Authorization"). In March 2017, the Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to $5,000,000 of the Company’s common stock beginning March 9, 2017 and continuing through March 9, 2019. In May 2017, the Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to an additional $2,000,000 of the Company’s common stock beginning May 24, 2017 and continuing through May 24, 2019. The stock repurchases made under this repurchase were made through open market transactions at times and in such amounts as the Company’s broker determined subject to the provisions of SEC Rule 10b-18.

For the three and nine months ended June 30, 2018, the Company purchased 64,741 shares at a cost of $2,009,117 and 72,266 shares at a cost of $2,214,756, respectively, under the 2017 Authorization. As of June 29, 2018, the Company terminated its stock repurchase activity; however, if the Company chooses to resume repurchasing stock it has $1,721,427 available, in accordance with the 2017 Authorization.

In fiscal year 2016, the Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to 50,000 shares of the Company’s outstanding common stock beginning February 18, 2016 and continuing through February 17, 2017 (the "2016 Authorization"). No shares were repurchased under the 2016 Authorization.

The following table illustrates the Company’s treasury stock activity for the nine months ended June 30, 2018:

(in thousands, except share amounts)
 
 
 
 
Shares
 
Cost
Balance as of September 30, 2017
177,315

 
$
6,502

Purchased
72,266

 
2,215

Issued to employees and directors
(25,834
)
 
(863
)
 
 
 
 
Balance as of June 30, 2018
223,747

 
$
7,854



Capital Contribution

On April 16, 2018, all operating partners of Citree received a funding notice relating to an additional Cash Capital Contribution (“Contribution”) requirement of approximately $2,041,000 as a result of Hurricane Irma reducing the amount of crop available for sale in the 2017-2018 harvest season and the Company adopting a more extensive caretaking plan focused on limiting the impact of citrus greening. The Company’s portion of the Contribution was approximately $1,041,000 and was funded on April 27, 2018. The remaining portion of the Contribution of $1,000,000 was funded by the noncontrolling parties.