3.    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 $3.0 million and $5.9 million for the three and six-month periods ended March 31, 2026, respectively, and $2.4 million and $4.6 million for the corresponding periods in 2025. As of March 31, 2026, there were 169,191 unvested stock units outstanding.

Non-Employee Directors Plan

Compensation expense related to the non-employee director grants was $0.3 million and $0.6 million for the three and six-month periods ended March 31, 2026, respectively, and $0.4 million and $0.7 million for the corresponding periods in 2025.

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 $3.3 million and $6.6 million for the three and six-month periods ended March 31, 2026, respectively, and $2.8 million and $5.3 million for the corresponding periods in 2025. The total income tax benefit recognized in results of operations for share-based compensation arrangements was $0.7 million and $1.4 million for the three- and six-month periods ended March 31, 2026, respectively, and $0.6 million and $1.1 million for the corresponding periods in 2025. As of March 31, 2026, there was $18.8 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 1.8 years.