Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Stock Option Plans

v2.4.0.8
Stock Option Plans
 12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2013
Stock Option Plans [Abstract]  
Stock Option Plans
9. Stock Option Plans

As of September 30, 2013, there were stock options outstanding under the Company’s 1995 Stock Option Plan, Second Amended and Restated 1997 Stock Option Plan, 1999 Stock Option Plan and the 2011 Company Incentive Plan.  All four plans were approved by the shareholders.  The 1995 Stock Option Plan and the 1999 Stock Option Plan have expired, and no further options may be granted under those plans.  During fiscal 2009, the Second Amended and Restated 1997 Stock Option Plan was amended to make an additional 592,000 options available for granting and as of September 30, 2013 there were no shares available for issuance under the Amended and Restated 1997 Stock Option Plan.  As of September 30, 2013, there were no shares available for issuance under the 2011 Company Incentive Plan.  The plans granted specified numbers of options to non-employee directors, and they authorized the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors to grant either incentive or non-statutory stock options to employees.  Vesting periods are established by the Compensation Committee at the time of grant.  All stock options outstanding as of September 30, 2013 were non-statutory stock options, had exercise prices equal to the market price on the date of grant, and had expiration dates ten years from the date of grant.

On July 23, 2013, the Board of Directors approved the Company’s 2013 Incentive Stock Plan (the “2013 Plan”), and resolved to cease issuing securities under all prior Company equity compensation plans.  The 2013 Plan was approved by the Company’s shareholders at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders on September 9, 2013.  The purpose of the 2013 Plan is to provide additional incentives to select persons who can make, are making, and continue to make substantial contributions to the growth and success of the Company, to attract and retain the employment and services of such persons, and to encourage and reward such contributions, by providing these individuals with an opportunity to acquire or increase stock ownership in the Company through either the grant of options or restricted stock.  The 2013 Plan is administered by the Compensation Committee or such other committee as is appointed by the Board of Directors pursuant to the 2013 Plan (the “Committee”).  The Committee has full authority to administer and interpret the provisions of the 2013 Plan including, but not limited to, the authority to make all determinations with regard to the terms and conditions of an Award made under the 2013 Plan.  The maximum number of shares that may be granted under the 2013 Plan is 10,000,000.  This number is subject to adjustment to reflect changes in the capital structure or organization of the Company.

A summary of stock option activity is as follows:
 
  
Year Ended September 30,
  
(Number of Options in Thousands)
  
2013
    
2012
  
 
  
   
 
Number of options outstanding:
  
   
 
Beginning of year
    
1,747
      
301
  
Granted
    
108
      
1,747
  
Exercised
    
—
      
—
  
Terminated
    
(377
)
    
(301
)
 
                
End of year
    
1,478
      
1,747
  
 
                
Number of options exercisable at end of year
    
1,418
      
1,658
  
Number of options available for grant at end of year
    
10,000
      
1,201
  
 
                
Weighted average option prices per share:
                
Granted during the year
  
$
.49
    
$
.41
  
Exercised during the year
    
—
      
—
  
Terminated during the year
    
.40
      
—
  
Outstanding at end of year
    
.40
      
.38
  
Exercisable at end of year
    
.41
      
.40
  
 
 
Stock options outstanding as of September 30, 2013 were as follows (number of options in thousands):

    Range of
Exercise Prices
  
Number Outstanding
    
Weighted Average Price
    
Number Exercisable
    
Weighted Average Price
    
Average Remaining Life (Years)
  
 
  
   
   
   
   
 
Under $1.00
    
1,463
    
$
.40
      
1,403
    
$
.41
      
7
  
$1.01 to 2.39
    
15
    
$
2.39
      
15
    
$
2.39
      
4
  

As of September 30, 2013, the aggregate intrinsic value of outstanding stock options and exercisable stock options was approximately $0.23 per share.

The average fair value of stock options granted was estimated to be $0.43 per share in fiscal 2013 and $0.26 per share in fiscal 2012.  This estimate was made using the Black-Scholes option pricing model and the following weighted average assumptions:
 
 
  
2013
    
2012
  
 
  
   
 
Expected option life (years)
  
10.0
    
5.0
  
Expected stock price volatility
  
94
%
  
76
%
Expected dividend yield
  
—
%
  
—
%
Risk-free interest rate
  
2.64% to 1.86
 %  
.91
%

Stock-based compensation expense attributable to stock options was $68,000 and $422,000 in 2013 and 2012, respectively.  As of September 30, 2013, there was approximately $2,000 of unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested stock options outstanding, and the weighted average vesting period for those options was 1.5 years.