5.    SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION

The Company provides compensation benefits to certain key employees under several share-based plans providing for a combination of performance-based share unit (PSU) awards and time-vested restricted share unit (RSU) awards and to non-employee directors under a separate compensation plan.

Performance Share Unit (PSU) Awards and Time-Vested Restricted Stock Unit (RSU) Awards

Compensation expense related to these awards was $2.3 million and $6.9 million for the three and nine-month periods ended June 30, 2025, respectively, and $2.0 million and $5.5 million for the corresponding periods in 2024. As of June 30, 2025, there were 213,069 unvested stock units outstanding.

Non-Employee Directors Plan

Compensation expense related to the non-employee director grants was $0.4 million and $1.0 million for the three and nine-month periods ended June 30, 2025, respectively, and $0.3 million and $0.9 million for the corresponding periods in 2024.

The total share-based compensation cost that has been recognized in the results of operations and included within selling, general and administrative expenses (SG&A) was $2.6 million and $7.9 million for the three and nine-month periods ended June 30, 2025, respectively, and $2.2 million and $6.4 million for the corresponding periods in 2024. The total income tax benefit recognized in results of operations for share-based compensation arrangements was $0.5 million and $1.6 million for the three and nine-month periods ended June 30, 2025, respectively, and $0.5 million and $1.4 million for the corresponding periods in 2024. As of June 30, 2025, there was $14.3 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to share-based compensation arrangements. That cost is expected to be recognized over a remaining weighted-average period of 1.6 years.

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