Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Note 10 - Share-based Compensation and Other Benefit Plans

v3.21.2
Note 10 - Share-based Compensation and Other Benefit Plans
12 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2021
Notes to Financial Statements  
Share-based Payment Arrangement [Text Block]

Note 10. Share-based Compensation and Other Benefit Plans:

 

The cost of employee services received in exchange for the award of equity instruments is based on the fair value of the award at the date of grant. Compensation cost is recognized using a straight-line method over the vesting period and is net of estimated forfeitures. Stock option exercises and stock awards are satisfied through the issuance of new shares. 

 

Equity incentive plan: The Company's Second Amended and Restated 2010 Equity Incentive Plan (the Second A&R 2010 Plan) provides for the granting of incentive and nonqualified stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance shares, performance units and stock appreciation rights. There were 7.5 million shares of common stock authorized for grant under the Second A&R 2010 Plan. In October 2020, the shareholders approved an amended and restated incentive plan - the 2020 Equity Incentive Plan. The maximum aggregate number of shares of common stock reserved and available for awards under the Amended Plan is 2,484,202 shares, which includes an additional 1,300,000 shares authorized by the 2020 Equity Incentive Plan. Shares issued after the shareholder meeting are issued under the 2020 Equity Incentive Plan. At June 30, 2021, there were 1.1 million shares of common stock available for grant under the 2020 Equity Incentive Plan. The maximum term of incentive options granted under the 2020 Equity Incentive Plan is ten years. The 2020 Equity Incentive Plan replaced the Company's second A&R 2010 Plan, which had previously amended and restated the Company's Amended and Restate 2010 Equity Incentive Plan (the A&R 2010 Plan). The A&R 2010 Plan had previously replaced the Company's 1998 Nonqualified Stock Option Plan (the 1998 Plan). The Second A&R 2010 Plan and the 1998 Plan (collectively, the Plans) are administered by the Board of Directors and its Executive Compensation Committee, which determine the persons who are to receive awards under the Plans, the number of shares subject to each award and the term and exercise price of each award. The number of shares of common stock subject to outstanding awards as of  June 30, 2021 under the 2020 Equity Incentive Plan were 3.7 million.

 

The fair values of options granted under the Plans were estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the following assumptions used:

 

   

Year Ended June 30,

 
   

2021

    2020     2019  
                                     

Dividend yield

      0.24%           0.67%           0.74%    

Expected volatility

    25% - 30%       22% - 24%       20% - 23%  

Risk-free interest rates

    0.2% - 0.7%       1.3% - 1.9%       2.5% - 3.0%  

Expected lives (years)

      4.4           4.0           4.1    

 

The dividend yield is based on the Company's historical annual cash dividend divided by the market value of the Company's common stock. The expected annualized volatility is based on the Company's historical stock price over a period equivalent to the expected life of the option granted. The risk-free interest rate is based on U.S. Treasury constant maturity interest rates with a term consistent with the expected life of the options granted.

 

Stock option activity under the Plans for the three years ended June 30, 2021, consists of the following (shares in thousands): 

 

   

Number of

Shares (in

thousands)

   

Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price

   

Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value

(millions)

   

Weighted

Average

Contractual

Life (years)

 
                                 

Outstanding at June 30, 2018

    3,452     $ 105.17                  

Granted

    917       173.89                  

Forfeited

    (330

)

    129.93                  

Exercised

    (383

)

    95.29                  

Outstanding at June 30, 2019

    3,656     $ 121.16                  

Granted

    752       190.80                  

Forfeited

    (56

)

    95.97                  

Exercised

    (743

)

    157.45                  

Outstanding at June 30, 2020

    3,609     $ 140.28                  
Granted     763       277.75                  
Forfeited     (28 )     214.33                  
Exercised     (627 )     112.53                  
Outstanding at June 30, 2021     3,717     $ 172.63     $ 1,031.9       4.1  
                                 

Exercisable at June 30, 2019:

    1,467       98.70                  

Exercisable at June 30, 2020:

    1,564       112.60                  
Exercisable at June 30, 2021:     1,764       126.44     $ 571.3       3.0  

 

The weighted average fair value of options granted during fiscal 2021, 2020, and 2019 was $59.75, $37.01, and $34.66 respectively. The total intrinsic value of options exercised during fiscal 2021, 2020, and 2019 were $145.6 million, $99.3 million, and $159.0 million, respectively. The total fair value of options vested during fiscal 2021, 2020, and 2019 were $70.5 million, $71.1 million, and $31.7 million, respectively.

 

Restricted common stock activity under the Plans for the three years ended June 30, 2021, consists of the following (units in thousands):

 

   

Number of

Shares (in

thousands)

   

Weighted

Average Grant

Date Fair

Value

   

Weighted

Average

Remaining

Contractual

Term

(years)

 

Unvested at June 30, 2018

    35     $ 117.39          

Granted

    15       177.93          

Vested

    (20

)

    116.76          

Forfeited

    -       -          

Unvested at June 30, 2019

    30     $ 147.94          

Granted

    15       193.48          

Vested

    (18

)

    142.12          

Forfeited

    -       -          

Unvested at June 30, 2020

    28     $ 177.20          
Granted     12       264.73          
Vested     (17 )     171.64          
Forfeited     -       -          
Unvested at June 30, 2021     23     $ 226.07       6.07  

 

The total fair value of restricted shares that vested was $2.8 million for fiscal 2021, $2.5 million for fiscal 2020, and $2.3 million for fiscal 2019.

 

Restricted stock unit activity under the Plans for the three years ended June 30, 2021, consists of the following (units in thousands):

 

   

Number of

Units

(in thousands)

   

Weighted

Average Grant

Date Fair

Value

   

Weighted

Average

Remaining

Contractual

Term

(years)

 

Outstanding at June 30, 2018

    148     $ 117.95          

Granted

    56       170.96          

Vested

    (28

)

    110.86          

Forfeited

    (36

)

    143.72          

Outstanding at June 30, 2019

    139     $ 134.17          

Granted

    31       192.08          

Vested

    (51

)

    111.07          

Forfeited

    (3

)

    155.60          

Outstanding at June 30, 2020

    116     $ 159.25          
Granted     31       300.78          
Vested     (51 )     130.18          
Forfeited     -       -          
Outstanding at June 30, 2021     96     $ 220.53       5.36  

 

The total fair value of restricted stock units that vested was $6.7 million for fiscal 2021, $5.7 million for fiscal 2020, and $3.1 million for fiscal 2019. The restricted stock units vest over a three-year period.

 

Stock-based compensation cost, inclusive of payroll taxes, of $46.4 million, $32.4 million, and $32.3 million was included in selling, general and administrative expense in fiscal 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Additionally, stock-based compensation costs, inclusive of payroll taxes, of $1.6 million was included in cost of goods sold in 2021. As of June 30, 2021, there was $37.1 million of unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested stock options, non-vested restricted stock units and non-vested restricted stock which will be expensed in fiscal 2022 through 2024 using a 4.6% forfeiture rate. The weighted average period over which the compensation cost is expected to be recognized is 2.1 years.

 

Employee stock purchase plan: In fiscal year 2015, the Company established the Bio-Techne Corporation 2014 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), which was approved by the Company's shareholders on October 30, 2014, and which is designed to comply with IRS provisions governing employee stock purchase plans. 200,000 shares were allocated to the ESPP. The Company recorded expense of $0.9 million, $0.4 million, and $0.5 million for the ESPP in fiscal 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively.

 

Profit sharing and savings plans: The Company has profit sharing and savings plans for its U.S. employees, which conform to IRS provisions for 401(k) plans. The Company makes matching contributions to the Plan. The Company has recorded an expense for contributions to the plans of $3.4 million, $3.2 million, and $2.8 million for the years ended June 30, 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively. The Company operates defined contribution pension plans for its U.K. employees. The Company has recorded an expense for contributions to the plans of $1.6 million for year ended June 30, 2021 and $1.4 million for each of the years ended June 30,  2020 and 2019.

 

Performance incentive programs: In fiscal 2021, under certain employment agreements, a Management Incentive Plan, and a business incentive plan, available to executive officers, certain management personnel, and certain other professional employees, the Company recorded cash bonuses of $21.1 million, granted options for 762,761 shares of common stock, issued 11,803 restricted common shares and 30,823 restricted stock units. In fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2019, the Company recorded cash bonuses of $10.5 million and $9.3 million, granted options for 751,499 and 618,898 shares of common stock, and issued 15,398 and 11,279 restricted common stock shares and 30,858 and 25,903 restricted stock, respectively.