v3.25.2
Stock-Based Compensation Plans
12 Months Ended
May 31, 2025
Share-Based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]  
Stock-Based Compensation Plans Stock-Based Compensation Plans
2024 Plan
On October 8, 2024, the Company’s Board of Directors approved the Applied Digital Corporation 2024 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (the “2024 Plan”), which the Company’s stockholders approved on November 20, 2024. The 2024 Plan provides for grants of various equity awards for eligible employees, officers, non-employee directors and other service providers. Upon stockholder approval of the 2024 Plan, the 2022 Plans (as defined below) were terminated; provided that all awards (as defined in the 2022 Plans) outstanding under the 2022 Incentive Plan and the 2022 Non-Employee Director Stock Plan shall continue in effect in accordance with their terms.
2022 Plans
On October 9, 2021, the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) approved two equity incentive plans, which the Company’s stockholders approved on January 20, 2022. The two plans consist of the 2022 Incentive Plan, previously referred to in the Company’s SEC filings as the 2021 Incentive Plan (the “Incentive Plan”), which provides for grants of various equity awards to the Company’s employees and consultants, and the 2022 Non-Employee Director Stock Plan previously referred to in the Company’s SEC filings as the 2021 Non-Employee Director Stock Plan (the “Director Plan” and, together with the Incentive Plan, the “2022 Plans”), which provides for grants of restricted stock to non-employee directors and for deferral of cash and stock compensation if such deferral provisions are activated at a future date.
As of May 31, 2025, the Company had issued awards of approximately 23.2 million shares of common stock of the Company under the 2022 Plans, 5.9 million shares of common stock under the 2024 Plan, and 600,000 shares of common stock outside of either plan, related to an employment inducement award. As of May 31, 2025, there are approximately 4.2 million shares of common stock available for issuance under the 2024 Plan.
The Company capitalizes a portion of stock-based compensation costs for employees who work directly on construction and development of the Company's data centers. The Company recognized stock-based compensation associated with the 2022 and 2024 Plans as follows (in thousands):
May 31, 2025May 31, 2024May 31, 2023
Cost of revenue
$2,504 $1,465 $— 
Selling, general, and administrative
19,988 5,508 32,072 
Capitalized (1)
1,465 207 — 
Total stock-based compensation
$23,957 $7,180 $32,072 
(1)Capitalized to CIP in the consolidated balance sheets.
Restricted Stock Awards
The following is a summary of the activity and balances for unvested restricted stock awards outstanding for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2025:
Number of SharesWeighted Average Grant Date Fair Value Per Share
Outstanding as of May 31, 2024
638,895 $4.01 
Granted— — 
Vested(351,801)4.16 
Forfeited(15,650)8.52 
Outstanding as of May 31, 2025
271,444 $3.55 
As of May 31, 2025, total remaining expense to be recognized related to these awards was $0.9 million and the weighted average remaining recognition period for the unvested awards was 1.9 years.
Restricted Stock Units
The following is a summary of the activity and balances for unvested restricted stock units outstanding for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2025:
Number of SharesWeighted Average Grant Date Fair Value Per Share
Outstanding as of May 31, 2024
5,230,986 $4.10 
Granted5,915,480 7.09 
Vested(2,618,163)4.64 
Forfeited(1,868,473)4.07 
Outstanding as of May 31, 2025
6,659,830 $6.56 
As of May 31, 2025, total remaining expense to be recognized related to these awards was $34.1 million and the weighted average remaining recognition period for the unvested awards was 1.9 years.
Performance Stock Units
Performance stock units (“PSUs”) represent a right to receive a certain number of shares of common stock based on the achievement of company performance goals, individual performance measures, and continued employment during the vesting period. Performance stock units cliff-vest at the end of a service period of three years depending on the achievement of Company and individual performance measures at the end of each vesting period. Such performance measures are based on the Company entering into data center leases with a hyperscaler, the consummation of project financing, receipt of sustainable revenue with respect to the data center leases that implies positive net operating income, and data center buildings achieving "ready for service" dates. The fair value of PSUs is based on the closing price on the date of grant. The compensation expense related to these PSUs is recognized over the vesting period when the achievement
of the performance conditions becomes probable. The total compensation cost for the PSUs is determined based on the most likely outcome of the performance condition and the number of awards expected to vest.
During the three months ended August 31, 2024, the Board determined that the performance criteria associated with certain performance stock units granted to certain executives in the third fiscal quarter of 2024 were not met. As such, 2.8 million performance stock unit awards were cancelled and the Company recognized a reversal of the expense previously recognized for the awards of approximately $6.0 million during the fiscal year ended May 31, 2025.
The following is a summary of the activity and balances for unvested performance stock units outstanding for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2025:
Number of Shares
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value Per Share
Outstanding as of May 31, 2024
3,110,011 $2.69 
Awarded
7,207,500 6.59 
Vested
(310,011)6.95 
Forfeited
(2,800,000)2.22 
Outstanding as of May 31, 2025
7,207,500 $6.59 
As of May 31, 2025, total remaining expense to be recognized related to these awards was $41.5 million and the weighted average remaining recognition period for the unvested awards was 2.3 years.