Note 6 – SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION

We account for share-based compensation whereby share-based payment transactions with employees, such as stock options and restricted stock, are measured at estimated fair value at the date of grant. For awards subject to service conditions, compensation expense is recognized over the vesting period on a straight-line basis. Awards subject to performance conditions are attributed separately for each vesting tranche of the award and are recognized ratably from the service inception date to the vesting date for each tranche. Forfeitures are recognized when they occur. The probability of restricted share awards granted with future performance conditions is evaluated at each reporting period and share awards are updated and compensation expense is adjusted based on updated information.

In July 2018, our shareholders approved the Company’s 2019 Long-Term Incentive Plan (“2019 LTI Plan”). The 2019 LTI Plan establishes up to 600,000 shares of restricted stock which can be granted to certain members of management based on exceeding specified net revenues and pre-tax performance metrics during fiscal years 2019, 2020 or 2021. The number of restricted shares to be distributed depends on attaining the performance metrics defined by the 2019 LTI Plan and may result in the distribution of a number of shares that is less than, but not greater than, the number of restricted shares outlined in the terms of the 2019 LTI Plan. Restricted shares granted under the 2019 LTI Plan “cliff vest” after five years.

During fiscal year 2019, the Company granted 308,000 restricted shares under the 2019 LTI Plan with an average grant-date fair value of $9.94 per share. In the third quarter of fiscal year 2021, 5,000 of these restricted shares were forfeited. These shares were made available to be reissued to remaining participants upon forfeiture. The remaining compensation expense for the outstanding awards, totaling approximately $1,143,600, will be recognized ratably over the remaining vesting period of approximately 21 months. 

During fiscal year 2021, the Company initially granted 151,000 restricted shares under the 2019 LTI Plan with an average grant-date fair value of $6.30 per share. 8,000 of these shares were granted, forfeited and re-granted to remaining participants in fiscal year 2021. In the third quarter of fiscal year 2021, the Company increased the number of shares granted for fiscal year 2021 from 151,000 to 305,000 due to revised performance expectations for the year. The remaining compensation expense of these awards, totaling approximately $1,473,000, will be recognized ratably over the remaining vesting period of approximately 45 months. As of May 31, 2021, there are no restricted shares available for issuance as future awards under the 2019 LTI Plan. 

A summary of compensation expense recognized in connection with restricted share awards follows:

The following table summarizes stock award activity during the first three months of fiscal year 2022 under the 2019 LTI Plan:

As of May 31, 2021, total unrecognized share-based compensation expense related to unvested granted or issued restricted shares was $2,616,600, which we expect to recognize over a weighted-average period of 34.5 months.