The Company maintains stock-based compensation plans primarily for its key employees and directors, although the plans permit awards to others expected to make significant contributions to the future of the Company. The plans authorize the compensation committee of the Company's board of directors (board committee) to award a variety of stock and stock-based incentives, such as restricted stock, RSUs, nonqualified and incentive stock options, stock bonus shares, or performance-based shares. The award recipients and the terms of awards granted under these plans are determined by the board committee. Upon a change of control, as defined in the plans, all options or other awards become fully vested and all restrictions lapse. The Company had 252,350 shares available for grant under these stock-based compensation plans at year-end 2025. The Company generally issues its common stock out of treasury stock, to the extent available, for share issuances related to its stock-based compensation plans.

The Company recognizes compensation cost for all stock-based awards granted to employees and directors based on the grant date estimate of fair value for those awards. The fair value of RSUs is based on the grant date price of the Company's common stock, reduced by the present value of estimated dividends foregone during the requisite service period.

The Company granted RSU awards consisting of 527 RSUs in 2025, 606 RSUs in 2024 and 868 RSUs in 2023 to each of its incumbent non-employee directors. Half of the RSUs vested on June 1 of each year and the remaining RSUs vested ratably on the last day of the third and fourth fiscal quarters of each year. Each RSU issued to the directors represents the right to receive one share of the Company's common stock upon vesting. There were no unvested non-employee director RSUs at January 3, 2026.

The Company grants performance-based RSUs to certain officers of the Company. Each performance-based RSU represents the right to receive one share of the Company's common stock upon vesting. The RSUs are subject to adjustment based on the achievement of a performance measure selected for the fiscal year, which historically has been a specified target for adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (adjusted EBITDA) generated from operations. Following the adjustment, the RSUs are subject to additional time-based vesting, and vest in three equal annual installments, provided that the officer is employed by the Company on the applicable vesting dates.

The Company recognizes compensation expense associated with performance-based RSUs ratably over the requisite service period for each separately vesting portion of the award based on the grant date fair value, net of actual forfeitures recorded when they occur, and remeasured each reporting period until the total number of RSUs to be issued is known. Unrecognized compensation expense related to the unvested performance-based RSUs totaled $3,673,000 at year-end 2025, and will be recognized over a weighted average period of 1.4 years.

The performance-based RSU agreements provide for forfeiture in certain events, such as voluntary or involuntary termination of employment, and for acceleration of vesting in certain events, such as death, disability or a change in control of the Company. If death, disability, or a change in control occurs prior to the end of the performance period, the officer will receive the target RSU amount; otherwise, the officer will receive the number of deliverable RSUs based on the achievement of the performance goal, as stated in the RSU agreements.

The Company grants time-based RSUs to its officers and other employees of the Company. Each time-based RSU represents the right to receive one share of the Company's common stock upon vesting. The Company recognizes compensation expense associated with these time-based RSUs ratably over the requisite service period for the entire award based on the grant date fair value, and net of actual forfeitures recorded when they occur. The time-based RSU agreement provides for forfeiture in certain events, such as voluntary or involuntary termination of employment, and for acceleration of vesting in certain events, such as death, disability, or a change in control of the Company. Unrecognized compensation expense related to the time-based RSUs totaled $4,798,000 at year-end 2025, and will be recognized over a weighted average period of 1.8 years.


(In thousands, except per share amounts)	Units	Weighted Average Grant- Date Fair Value
Unvested RSUs at December 28, 2024	74	$	258.49
Granted	28	$	365.15
Vested	(40)	$	246.34
Forfeited	(1)	$	302.53
Unvested RSUs at January 3, 2026	61	$	314.88

The weighted average grant date fair value of RSUs granted was $365.15 in 2025, $314.33 in 2024, and $212.92 in 2023. The total fair value of shares vested was $9,888,000 in 2025, $9,089,000 in 2024, and $7,834,000 in 2023.

The Company's eligible U.S. employees may elect to participate in its employee stock purchase plan. Under the plan, shares of the Company's common stock may be purchased at a 15% discount from the fair market value at the beginning or end of the purchase period, whichever is lower. Shares purchased under the plan are subject to a one-year resale restriction and are purchased through payroll deductions of up to 10% of each participating employee's gross wages. The Company issued 10,204 shares in 2025, 8,818 shares in 2024 (issued in fiscal 2025), and 10,627 shares in 2023 (issued in fiscal 2024) of its common stock under this plan. The Company had 52,883 shares available for grant under the employee stock purchase plan at year-end 2025.

The Company's U.S. subsidiaries participate in the Kadant Inc. 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan sponsored by the Company. Contributions to the plan are made by both the employee and the Company and are immediately vested. Company contributions are based upon the level of employee contributions. Certain of the Company's subsidiaries sponsor other retirement plans, the majority of which are defined contribution plans. Company contributions to these plans are based on formulas determined by the Company. For all these plans, the Company contributed and recognized expense of $7,437,000 in 2025, $6,810,000 in 2024, and $5,607,000 in 2023.

In accordance with ASC 715, Compensation-Retirement Benefits, the Company recognizes the funded status of its plans as an asset or liability and changes in the funded status through AOCI, net of tax, in the accompanying consolidated balance sheet. The amounts in AOCI are recognized as net periodic benefit cost pursuant to the Company's accounting policy for amortizing such amounts. Actuarial gains and losses that arise in subsequent periods and are not recognized as net periodic benefit cost will be recognized as a component of AOCI, net of tax.

The Company records the non-service component of net periodic pension cost in other expense, net in the accompanying consolidated statement of income. The disclosure requirements related to the Company’s defined benefit plans are not material for the fiscal years presented.