v3.26.1
Stock Options and Restricted Stock
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2026
Stock Options and Restricted Stock  
Stock Options and Restricted Stock

Note 9: Stock Options, Restricted Stock, and Performance Stock Units

In 2012, the Company adopted the Bridgewater Bancshares, Inc. 2012 Combined Incentive and Non-Statutory Stock Option Plan (the “2012 Plan”) under which the Company was able to grant options to its directors, officers, and employees for up to 750,000 shares of common stock. Both incentive stock options and nonqualified stock options were granted under the 2012 Plan. The exercise price of each option equals the fair market value of the Company’s stock on the date of grant, and the maximum term of each outstanding option is ten years. All outstanding options have been granted with vesting periods of four or five years. The 2012 Plan expired in March 2022, and awards are no longer able to be granted under the 2012 Plan.

In 2017, the Company adopted the Bridgewater Bancshares, Inc. 2017 Combined Incentive and Non-Statutory Stock Option Plan (the “2017 Plan”). Under the 2017 Plan, the Company may grant options to its directors, officers, employees and consultants for up to 1,500,000 shares of common stock. Both incentive stock options and nonqualified stock options may be granted under the 2017 Plan. The exercise price of each option equals the fair market value of the Company’s stock on the date of grant and the maximum term of each outstanding option is ten years. All outstanding options have been granted with vesting periods of four or five years. As of both June 30, 2026 and December 31, 2025, there were 10,000 shares of the Company’s common stock reserved for future option grants under the 2017 Plan.

In 2019, the Company adopted the Bridgewater Bancshares, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2019 EIP”). The types of awards which may be granted under the 2019 EIP include incentive and nonqualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, stock awards, restricted stock units, restricted stock and cash incentive awards. The Company may grant these awards to its directors, officers, employees and certain other service providers for up to 1,000,000 shares of common stock. The exercise price of each option equals the fair market value of the Company’s stock on the date of grant and the maximum term of each award is ten years. All outstanding awards have been granted with a vesting period of four years. As of June 30, 2026 and December 31, 2025, there were 6,222 and 2,192 shares, respectively, of the Company’s common stock reserved for future grants under the 2019 EIP.

In 2023, the Company adopted the Bridgewater Bancshares, Inc. 2023 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2023 EIP”). Under the 2023 EIP, the Company may grant incentive and nonqualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, stock awards, restricted stock units, performance stock units, restricted stock and cash incentive awards. The Company may grant these awards to its directors, officers, employees and certain other service providers for up to 1,500,000 shares of common stock. The exercise price of each option equals the fair market value of the Company’s stock on the date of grant and the maximum term of each award is ten years. Restricted stock units and restricted stock awards have been granted with a vesting period of four years. Performance stock units have been granted with a contingent vesting provision based on the achievement of specified performance goals over a three-year performance period. Performance stock units cliff vest with actual payouts ranging from 0% to 200% of the target award, depending on the level of performance achieved against the pre-established performance goals. As of June 30, 2026 and December 31, 2025, there were 266,131 and 464,751 shares, respectively, of the Company’s common stock reserved for future grants under the 2023 EIP.

In 2026, the Company adopted the Bridgewater Bancshares, Inc. 2026 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2026 EIP”). Under the 2026 EIP, the Company may grant incentive and nonqualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, stock

awards, restricted stock units, performance stock units, restricted stock and cash incentive awards. The Company may grant these awards to its directors, officers, employees and certain other service providers for up to 1,500,000 shares of common stock. The exercise price of each option equals the fair market value of the Company’s stock on the date of grant and the maximum term of each award is ten years. Restricted stock units and restricted stock awards have been granted with a vesting period of four years. Performance stock units have been granted with a contingent vesting provision based on the achievement of specified performance goals over a three-year performance period. Performance stock units cliff vest with actual payouts ranging from 0% to 200% of the target award, depending on the level of performance achieved against the pre-established performance goals. As of June 30, 2026, there were 1,500,000 shares of the Company’s common stock reserved for future grants under the 2026 EIP.

Stock Options

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 the assumptions noted in the table below. Expected volatilities are based on an industry index as described below. The expected term of options granted is based on historical data and represents the period of time that options granted are expected to be outstanding, which takes into account the fact 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 grant. Historically, the Company has not paid a dividend on its common stock and does not expect to do so in the near future

The Company used the S&P 600 CM Bank Index as its historical volatility index. The S&P 600 CM Bank Index is an index of publicly traded small capitalization, regional, commercial banks located throughout the United States. There were 56 banks in the index ranging in market capitalization from $600.0 million up to $5.0 billion.

The weighted average assumptions used in the model for valuing stock options grants for the six months ended June 30, 2026 are as follows:

June 30, 

  ​ ​ ​

2026

  ​ ​ ​

Dividend Yield

 

%  

Expected Life

 

7

Years

Expected Volatility

 

30.88

%  

Risk-Free Interest Rate

 

4.02

%  

The following table presents a summary of the status of the Company’s outstanding stock options for the six months ended June 30, 2026:

June 30, 2026

  ​ ​ ​

  ​ ​ ​

  ​ ​ ​

Weighted

Average

Shares

Exercise Price

Outstanding at Beginning of Year

 

1,935,175

$

11.59

Granted

 

35,000

 

17.76

Exercised

 

(109,831)

 

10.70

Forfeitures

 

(30,000)

 

13.24

Outstanding at Period End

 

1,830,344

$

11.74

Options Exercisable at Period End

 

1,381,093

$

11.19

For the three months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025, the Company recognized compensation expense for stock options of $220,000 and $313,000, respectively. For the six months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025, the Company recognized compensation expense for stock options of $502,000 and $578,000, respectively.

The following table presents information pertaining to options outstanding at June 30, 2026:

Options Outstanding

Options Exercisable

Weighted Average

Number of

Weighted Average

Remaining Contractual

Number of

Weighted Average

Range of Exercise Prices

  ​ ​ ​

Options

  ​ ​ ​

Exercise Price

Life in Years

Options

  ​ ​ ​

Exercise Price

$

7.00 - 7.99

 

622,892

 

$

7.47

 

1.3

 

622,892

 

$

7.47

8.00 - 8.99

 

2,961

 

8.76

 

3.8

 

2,961

 

8.76

10.00 - 10.99

173,750

10.65

7.1

69,749

10.65

11.00 - 11.99

171,125

11.11

6.2

98,375

11.12

12.00 - 12.99

236,616

12.91

3.1

236,616

12.91

13.00 - 13.99

252,500

13.77

8.6

65,000

13.75

17.00 - 17.99

310,500

17.50

5.9

285,500

17.50

18.00 - 18.99

60,000

18.08

9.5

Totals

 

1,830,344

$

11.74

4.6

 

1,381,093

$

11.19

As of June 30, 2026, there was $2.0 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested stock options that is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.2 years.

The following table presents an analysis of nonvested options to purchase shares of the Company’s stock issued and outstanding for the six months ended June 30, 2026:

  ​ ​ ​

  ​ ​ ​

  ​ ​ ​

Weighted

Number of

Average Grant

Shares

Date Fair Value

Nonvested Options at December 31, 2025

 

584,251

$

5.69

Granted

 

35,000

7.36

Vested

 

(140,000)

5.55

Forfeited

(30,000)

5.67

Nonvested Options at June 30, 2026

 

449,251

$

5.87

Restricted Stock Units

The Company has granted restricted stock units out of the 2019 EIP and 2023 EIP. Restricted stock units represent the right to receive one share of Company stock upon vesting and vest in equal annual installments on the first four anniversaries of the date of the grant. Nonvested restricted stock units have no voting or dividend rights and are not considered outstanding until vested and settled.

The following table presents an analysis of nonvested restricted stock units outstanding for the six months ended June 30, 2026:

  ​ ​ ​

  ​ ​ ​

  ​ ​ ​

Weighted

Number of

Average Grant

Units

Date Fair Value

Nonvested at December 31, 2025

 

447,661

$

15.24

Granted

 

64,419

19.54

Vested

 

(50,373)

13.93

Forfeited

(12,106)

16.67

Nonvested at June 30, 2026

 

449,601

$

15.96

Compensation expense associated with the restricted stock units is recognized on a straight-line basis over the period that the restrictions associated with the units lapse based on the total cost of the unit at the grant date. For the three months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025, the Company recognized compensation expense associated with restricted stock units of $639,000 and $623,000, respectively. For the six months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025, the company recognized compensation expense associated with restricted stock units of $1.5 million and $1.2 million, respectively.

As of June 30, 2026, there was $5.6 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested restricted stock units granted under the 2019 EIP, 2023 EIP, and 2026 EIP that is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.6 years.

Stock Awards

During the six months ended June 30, 2026, the Company issued 15,493 shares of unrestricted common stock to non-employee directors, as a part of their compensation for their annual services on the Company’s board of directors. The aggregate value of the shares issued to non-employee directors of $298,000 was included in stock based compensation expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of shareholders’ equity.

Performance Stock Units

In 2026, the Company granted performance stock units under the 2023 EIP. Each performance stock unit represents the right to receive one share of Company common stock upon vesting. Vesting of the performance stock units is contingent upon achievement of specified performance metrics measured over a three-year performance period. Participants may earn 50%, 100%, or 200% of the target award based on the achievement of metrics at the end of the performance period. No payout will be earned for a performance metric if the applicable threshold level is not achieved. Final payouts are determined based on the level of achievement of both performance metrics at the conclusion of the three-year performance period.

All performance stock units are granted at the fair value of the Company’s common stock on the grant date. Because the number of shares ultimately earned is contingent upon achievement of specified performance conditions, an estimate is made of the number of shares expected to vest based on the probability that the performance criteria will be achieved to determine the amount of compensation expense to be recognized. This estimate is re-evaluated quarterly, and total compensation expense is adjusted for any change in the current period. For the three and six months ended June 30, 2026, the Company recognized compensation expense associated with performance stock units of $146,000. There was no compensation expense associated with performance stock units recognized for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025.

The following table presents an analysis of nonvested performance stock units outstanding for the six months ended June 30, 2026:

  ​ ​ ​

  ​ ​ ​

  ​ ​ ​

Weighted

Number of

Average Grant

Units

Date Fair Value

Nonvested at December 31, 2025

 

$

Granted

 

121,784

18.75

Vested

 

Forfeited

Nonvested at June 30, 2026

 

121,784

$

18.75

As of June 30, 2026, there was $2.1 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to performance stock units granted under the 2023 EIP that is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.5 years.