Note 10 — Stock Based Compensation

Restricted Stock, Performance Shares and Restricted Stock Units issued to Directors, Officers and Employees

The following table summarizes the status of Optex Systems Holdings’ aggregate non-vested restricted stock and restricted stock units, and performance shares:

 Schedule of Aggregate Non-vested Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units Granted and Performance Shares

On January 2, 2019, the Company granted 150,000 and 50,000 restricted stock units with a January 2, 2019 grant date to Danny Schoening and Karen Hawkins, respectively, vesting as of January 1 each year subsequent to the grant date over a three-year period at a rate of 34% in year one, and 33% each year thereafter. The stock price at grant date was $1.32 per share. Effective December 1, 2021, the vesting terms of Danny Schoening’s Restricted Stock Unit (RSU) grant from January 2019 were revised as described below. The Company amortizes the grant date fair value of $264 thousand to stock compensation expense on a straight-line basis across the three-year vesting period beginning on January 2, 2019. As of September 29, 2024, there was no unrecognized compensation cost relating to this award.

On February 17, 2020, the Company granted 50,000 restricted stock units to Bill Bates, General Manager of the Applied Optics Center. The restricted stock units vest as of January 1 each year subsequent to the grant date over a three-year period at a rate of 34% in year one, and 33% each year thereafter. The stock price at grant date was $2.13 per share. The Company amortized the grant date fair value of $107 thousand to stock compensation expense on a straight-line basis across the three-year vesting period beginning on February 17, 2020.

On April 30, 2020, the Board of Directors voted to increase the annual board compensation for the three independent directors from $22,000 to $36,000 with an effective date of January 1, 2020, in addition to granting 100,000 shares of restricted stock to each independent director which vest at a rate of 20% per year (20,000 shares) each January 1^st through January 1, 2025. The total fair value for the 300,000 shares was $525 thousand based on the stock price of $1.75 as of April 30, 2020. On each of January 1, 2021, January 1, 2022, and January 1, 2023, 60,000 of the restricted director shares vested. On February 16, 2023, 40,000 of the unvested restricted shares were forfeited and cancelled when one of the independent directors departed the Board. On May 9, 2023, the Board of Directors approved a grant of 40,000 shares of restricted stock to independent board member Dayton Judd. The shares vest 50% on each of January 1, 2024 and January 1, 2025. As of the grant date, the fair value of the shares was $124 thousand, to be amortized on a straight-line basis through December 31, 2024. The Company amortizes the grant date fair value to stock compensation expense on a straight-line basis across the five-year and two-year vesting periods beginning on April 30, 2020 and May 9, 2023, respectively. As of September 29, 2024 there were 60,000 unvested restricted shares outstanding.

The Company entered into an amended and restated employment agreement with Danny Schoening dated December 1, 2021.The updated employment agreement also served to amend Mr. Schoening’s RSU Agreement, dated January 2, 2019, by changing the third and final vesting date for the restricted stock units granted under such agreement from January 1, 2022 to the “change of control date,” that being the first of the following to occur with respect to the Company: (i) any “Person,” as that term is defined in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), with certain exclusions, is or becomes the “Beneficial Owner” (as that term is defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing fifty percent (50%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities; or (ii) the Company is merged or consolidated with any other corporation or other entity, other than: (A) a merger or consolidation which would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity) more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the Company or such surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation; or (B) the Company engages in a merger or consolidation effected to implement a recapitalization of the Company (or similar transaction) in which no “Person” (as defined above) acquires fifty percent (50%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities. The amended RSU Agreement contained certain exceptions to the definition of change of control.

As of the December 1, 2021 modification date related to the third and final vesting date of the 49,500 unvested restricted stock units held by Danny Schoening, there was no change in the fair value of the modified award as compared to the original award immediately prior to the modification date. The restricted stock units initially were certain to vest on January 1, 2022, but due to the modification, they were less certain to vest, contingent on a “change in control” occurring, which change in control, in case Mr. Schoening was terminated by the Company without cause or he resigns with good reason prior to such change in control, was required to occur prior to March 13, 2023. As of the modification date, there was $5 thousand of unrecognized compensation cost associated with the original award. As a matter of expediency, the unrecognized compensation expense as of the modification date was fully expensed through January 1, 2022. There is no additional compensation expense associated with the modification of the restricted stock unit agreement.

On November 28, 2022, the Company entered into a new employment agreement with Danny Schoening which amended Mr. Schoening’s RSU Agreement, dated January 2, 2019, which had been previously amended as of December 1, 2021, by changing the third and final vesting date for the restricted stock units granted under such agreement from the “change of control date” to January 1, 2023.

On January 4, 2023, the Company issued 46,432 common shares to Danny Schoening, CEO, and Bill Bates (AOC GM), net of tax withholding of $58 thousand, in settlement of 66,000 restricted stock units which vested on January 1, 2023.

On May 1, 2023, the Company granted an aggregate of 39,000 restricted stock units to eleven employees under its 2023 Equity Incentive Plan. As of the grant date, assuming a 23.1% forfeiture rate based on expected turnover across the three years, the aggregate value of the restricted stock units is $90 thousand which will be amortized across the three-year period on a straight-line basis. During the twelve months ended October 1, 2023, there were 3,000 restricted stock units forfeited. On August 14, 2023 there was an additional grant of 3,000 restricted stock units to one new employee with a fair value of $11 thousand. The restricted stock units will vest at a rate of 33.33% annually on the anniversary date of the grant and any unvested restricted stock units will be forfeited if employment terminates prior to the relevant vesting date.

On May 3, 2023, the Board of Directors approved a grant of 100,000 and 35,000 performance shares to Danny Schoening, CEO, and Karen Hawkins, CFO, respectively. Each performance share represents a contingent right to receive one share of common stock. The performance shares vest in five equal increments if, in each case and during a five-year performance period beginning on October 2, 2023, the average VWAP per share of common stock over a 30 consecutive trading day period equals or exceeds $3.70, $4.45, $5.35, $6.40, or $7.70. The fair value of the shares, as of the grant date, was $320 thousand based on the derived service periods using a Monte Carlo simulation valuation model. The fair value was amortized through May 17, 2024 when all of the shares had fully vested.

On May 9, 2023, the Board of Directors approved a grant of 40,000 shares of restricted stock to independent board member Dayton Judd. The shares vest 50% on each of January 1, 2024 and January 1, 2025. As of the grant date, the fair value of the shares was $124 thousand, to be amortized on a straight-line basis through December 31, 2024. As of September 29, 2024, there were 60,000 unvested restricted shares outstanding.

On October 2, 2023, 27,000 performance shares vested for reaching the 30-day VWAP for Tranche 1. The Company issued a total of 21,060 shares on October 24, 2023 in settlement of the vested shares, net of tax withheld of $27 thousand.

On December 22, 2023 and December 29, 2023, 27,000 performance shares vested each date for reaching the 30-day VWAP for Tranche 2 and Tranche 3. On January 8, 2024 the Company issued a total of 39,563 shares in settlement of the vested shares, net of tax withheld of $91 thousand.

On March 11, 2024, 27,000 performance shares vested each date for reaching the 30-day VWAP for Tranche 4. The Company issued a total of 20,669 shares on March 13, 2024 in settlement of the vested shares, net of tax withheld of $46 thousand.

On May 1, 2024, the Company granted an aggregate of 39,000 restricted stock units to eleven employees under its 2023 Equity Incentive Plan. As of the grant date, assuming a 7.7% forfeiture rate based on expected turnover across the three years, the aggregate value of the restricted stock units is $258 thousand which will be amortized across the three-year period on a straight-line basis. The restricted stock units will vest at a rate of 33.33% annually on the anniversary date of the grant and any unvested restricted stock units will be forfeited if employment terminates prior to the relevant vesting date. On June 4, 2024 there was an additional grant of 500 restricted stock units to one employee with a fair value of $4 thousand. The 500 restricted stock units will vest 100% on the anniversary date of the grant and will be forfeited if employment terminates prior to the relevant vesting date. As of September 29, 2024 there were 66,500 unvested restricted stock units outstanding.

On May 1, 2024, there were 12,000 shares vested under its 2023 Equity Incentive Plan for restricted stock units granted on May 1, 2023. On May 3, 2024, 8,446 shares were issued to ten employees, net of tax withheld of $26 thousand.

On May 17, 2024, 27,000 performance shares vested for reaching the 30-day VWAP for Tranche 5. The Company issued a total of 20,426 shares on May 17, 2024 in settlement of the vested shares, net of tax withheld of $53 thousand.

On August 14, 2024, there were 1,000 shares vested under its 2023 Equity Incentive Plan for restricted stock units granted on August 14, 2023. On August 20, 2024, 704 shares were issued to one employee, net of tax withheld of $2 thousand.

As of September 29, 2024, there were no performance shares remaining to vest.

The assumptions and results for the Monte Carlo simulation on the performance shares are as follows:

 Schedule of Assumptions and Results for the Monte Carlo Simulation

Stock Based Compensation Expense

Equity compensation is amortized based on a straight-line basis across the vesting or service period as applicable. The recorded compensation costs for restricted shares granted and restricted stock units and performance shares awarded as well as the unrecognized compensation costs are summarized in the table below:

 Schedule of Unrecognized Compensation Costs

The unrecognized compensation expense for restricted shares and restricted stock units as of September 29, 2024, is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 0.3 years and 2.2 years, respectively.