v3.26.1
Share-Based Payment Plans
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2026
Share-Based Payment Plans  
Share-Based Payment Plans

NOTE 5 — Share-Based Payment Plans

The Company issues incentive and non-statutory stock options, restricted stock awards (“RSAs”), and performance restricted stock units (“PSUs”) to certain employees and directors pursuant to its equity incentive plans, which have been approved by the stockholders. Share-based awards are granted by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors.

Under the plans, options are granted with an exercise price equal to the fair value of the Company’s stock at the date of the grant. Options granted vest over three to five years and have ten-year contractual terms. All options provide for accelerated vesting upon a change in control (as defined in the plans).

The fair value of each option award is estimated on the date of grant using a closed form option valuation (Black-Scholes) model that uses assumptions for expected stock price volatility, expected terms of options granted, and risk-free interest rate. Expected volatilities are based on peer volatility. The Company uses peer data to estimate option exercise and post-vesting termination behavior. The expected term of options granted is based on peer data and represents the period of time that options granted are expected to be outstanding, which takes into account that the options are not transferable. The risk-free interest rate for the expected term of the option is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of the grant.

Restricted shares are granted at the fair value on the date of grant and vest over three to six years with a third vesting at each of the last three anniversary dates. Restricted shares have the same voting rights as common stock and nonvested restricted shareholders do not have rights to the accrued dividends until vested.

Share payouts of PSUs will be earned based on the Company’s performance with respect to two equally weighted metrics, return on average assets and diluted EPS growth. Performance is measured against pre-established financial targets over a two-year performance period and will cliff vest on the three-year anniversary from the date of grant. Compensation expense on PSUs is based upon the fair value of the shares on the date of the grant for the expected aggregate share payout.

The following table presents a summary of the activity related to options for the three months ended March 31, 2026:

  ​ ​ ​

Three Months Ended March 31, 2026

Weighted

Weighted

Average

Average

Remaining

Exercise

Contractual

  ​ ​ ​

Options

  ​ ​ ​

Price

  ​ ​ ​

Life (Years)

Outstanding at beginning of year

 

376,910

$

34.88

 

  ​

Granted

 

 

 

  ​

Exercised

 

(76,041)

 

14.28

 

  ​

Forfeited

 

 

 

  ​

Expired

 

 

 

  ​

Outstanding at period end

 

300,869

$

40.08

 

5.48

Vested or expected to vest

 

300,869

$

40.08

 

5.48

Exercisable at period end

 

244,402

$

30.55

 

4.70

The Company recognized compensation expense related to options of $205 thousand and $185 thousand for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025, respectively. At March 31, 2026, unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested options was approximately $1.5 million and is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 2.13 years. The intrinsic value for outstanding options, net of expected forfeitures was $20.3 million at March 31, 2026. The intrinsic value for exercisable options was $18.8 million at March 31, 2026.

Information related to stock option exercises during each period is as follows:

Three Months Ended

March 31, 

  ​ ​ ​

2026

  ​ ​ ​

2025

(In thousands)

Intrinsic value of options exercised

$

6,861

$

4,776

Cash received from option exercises

111

9

Excess tax benefit from option exercises

246

231

The following table presents a summary of the activity related to restricted stock for the three months ended March 31, 2026:

  ​ ​ ​

Three Months Ended March 31, 2026

Weighted Average

Grant Date

Shares

Fair Value

Outstanding at beginning of year

 

364,034

 

$

50.28

Granted

 

17,926

109.54

Vested

 

(11,289)

56.81

Forfeited

 

Outstanding at period end

 

370,671

 

$

52.95

The Company recognized compensation expense related to restricted stock of $1.6 million and $823 thousand for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025, respectively. As of March 31, 2026, there was $12.8 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested shares granted under the plan. The cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 3.45 years.

The following table presents a summary of the activity related to PSUs for the three months ended March 31, 2026:

  ​ ​ ​

Three Months Ended March 31, 2026

Weighted Average

Grant Date

Units

Fair Value

Expected aggregate share payout at beginning of year

 

19,474

 

$

85.32

Granted

 

17,926

109.54

Vested

 

Forfeited

 

Expected aggregate share payout at period end

 

37,400

 

$

96.93

Minimum aggregate share payout at period end

Maximum aggregate share payout at period end

56,100

 

$

96.93

The Company recognized compensation expense related to PSUs of $247 thousand and $80 thousand for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025, respectively. As of March 31, 2026, there was $2.9 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested PSUs based on the expected aggregate share payout to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.49 years.