Stock-based awards are provided to certain employees under the terms of
our 2020 Stock Incentive Plan and to
non-employee directors under the terms of our 2015 Non-Employee Director
Stock Incentive Plan (together, the
“Plans”).
The Plans are administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board
of Directors (the
“Compensation Committee”).
Historically, equity-based awards to our employees have been granted solely in the
form of time-based and performance-based restricted stock units (“RSUs”).
However, for our 2021 fiscal year, in
light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Compensation Committee determined
it would be difficult for management
to set a meaningful three-year cumulative earnings per share target as the goal applicable
to performance-based
restricted stock unit awards as it had done in prior years.
Instead, the Compensation Committee set our equity-
based awards to employees for fiscal 2021 in the form of time-based RSUs
and non-qualified stock options which
focus on stock value appreciation and retention instead of pre-established
performance goals.
Our non-employee
directors continued to receive equity-based wards for fiscal 2021 solely in
the form of time-based RSUs.
During
the three months ended March 26, 2022, the Compensation Committee
reinstated performance-based RSUs for
equity-based awards to employees for fiscal 2022 and awarded grants in
the form of time-based RSUs,
performance-based RSUs and non-qualified stock options.
RSUs are stock-based awards granted to recipients with specified vesting provisions.
In the case of RSUs, common
stock is generally delivered on or following satisfaction of vesting conditions.
We issue RSUs to employees that
vest (i) solely based on the recipient’s continued service over time, primarily with
four
-year cliff vesting and/or (ii)
based on achieving specified performance measurements and the recipient’s continued service over time, primarily
with
three
-year cliff vesting.
RSUs granted under the 2015 Non-Employee Director Stock Incentive
Plan primarily
are granted with
12
-month cliff vesting.
For these RSUs, we recognize the cost as compensation expense on
a
straight-line basis.
With respect to time-based RSUs, we estimate the fair value on the date of grant based on our closing
stock price at
the time of grant.
With respect to performance-based RSUs, the number of shares that ultimately vest and
are
received by the recipient is based upon our performance as measured against
specified targets over a specified
period, as determined by the Compensation Committee.
Although there is no guarantee that performance targets
will be achieved, we estimate the fair value of performance-based RSUs
based on our closing stock price at time of
grant.
Each of the Plans provide for certain adjustments to awards under
the Plans and with respect to the performance
goals under the performance-based RSUs granted under our 2020 Stock
Incentive Plan, including adjustment to the
goals for significant events, including, without limitation, acquisitions,
divestitures, new business ventures, certain
capital transactions (including share repurchases), other differences in budgeted average
outstanding shares (other
than those resulting from capital transactions referred to above), restructuring
costs, if any, certain litigation
settlements or payments, if any, changes in accounting principles or in applicable laws or regulations, changes in
income tax rates in certain markets, foreign exchange fluctuations, and
unforeseen events or circumstances
affecting the Company.
Over the performance period, the number of shares of common stock
that will ultimately
vest and be issued and the related compensation expense is adjusted upward
or downward based upon our
estimation of achieving such performance targets.
The ultimate number of shares delivered to recipients
and the
related compensation cost recognized as an expense will be based on our
actual performance metrics as defined
under the Plans.
Stock options are awards that allow the recipient to purchase shares of our
common stock at a fixed price following
vesting of the stock options.
Stock options are granted at an exercise price equal to our closing stock price
on the
date of grant.
Stock options issued beginning in 2021 vest
one-third
per year based on the recipient’s continued
service, subject to the terms and conditions of the 2020 Stock Incentive Plan,
are fully vested
three years
grant date and have a contractual term of
ten years
from the grant date, subject to earlier termination of the term
upon certain events.
Compensation expense for these stock options is recognized
using a graded vesting method.
We estimate the fair value of stock options using the Black-Scholes valuation model.