Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Stock-Based Compensation and Other Benefit Plans

v3.21.1
Stock-Based Compensation and Other Benefit Plans
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2021
Stock-Based Compensation and Other Benefit Plans [Abstract]  
Stock-Based Compensation and Other Benefit Plans 14.  STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION AND OTHER BENEFIT PLANS

The Company’s stock-based compensation has been granted under several stock incentive and long-term incentive plans. The plans authorize the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors to issue various types of incentive compensation. The Company had previously issued stock options and restricted shares under the 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan (“2014 Plan”) and stock appreciation rights under the 2016 Stock Appreciation Rights Plan. On June 25, 2020, the Company’s stockholders approved the 2020 Long-Term Incentive Plan (“2020 Plan”) under which 5,500,000 shares are authorized for grants. At March 31, 2021, 2,613,911 shares were available for future grants under the 2020 Plan.

For each stock option granted, the number of authorized shares under the 2020 Plan will be reduced on a one-for-one basis. For each restricted share granted, the number of shares authorized under the 2020 Plan will be reduced by twice the number of restricted shares. The Company has no set policy for sourcing shares for option grants. Historically the shares issued under option grants have been new shares.

As referenced in the table below, the Company records compensation expense related to stock-based compensation as general and administrative expense associated with the issuance of stock options, restricted stock and stock appreciation rights. During the three months ended March 31, 2021, the Company settled in cash $0.9 million for stock appreciation rights and received $0.3 million for stock option exercises. During the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company did not settle any stock-based compensation. Because the Company does not pay significant United States federal income taxes, no amounts were recorded for future tax benefits.

Three Months Ended March 31,

2021

2020

(in thousands)

Stock-based compensation - equity awards

$

323

$

145

Stock-based compensation - liability awards

1,236

(2,714)

Total stock-based compensation

$

1,559

$

(2,569)

Stock options and performance shares

Stock options have an exercise price that may not be less than the fair market value of the underlying shares on the date of grant. In general, stock options granted to participants will become exercisable over a period determined by the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors, which generally vest over a service period of up to five years and expire from five to ten years from the date of grant.

In March 2021, the Company granted options to certain employees of the Company that are considered performance stock options to purchase an aggregate of 401,759 shares at an exercise price of $3.14 per share and a life of ten years. For each option award, options with respect to one-third of the underlying shares vest on the later of the first anniversary of the grant date and the date on which the Company’s stock price, determined using a 30-day average, exceeds $3.61 per share; options with respect to one-third of the underlying shares vest on the later of the second anniversary of the grant date and the date on which the Company’s stock price, determined using a 30-day average, exceeds $4.15 per share; and options with respect to the remaining one-third of the underlying shares vest on the later of the third anniversary of the grant date and the date on which the Company’s stock price, determined using a 30-day average, exceeds $4.78 per share. These awards are option awards that contain a market condition. Compensation cost for such awards is recognized ratably over the derived service period and compensation cost related to awards with a market condition will not be reversed if the Company does not believe it is probable that such performance criteria will be met or if the service provider (employee or otherwise) fails to meet such performance criteria.

The Company used the Monte Carlo simulation to calculate the grant date fair value of performance stock option awards. The fair value of these awards will be amortized to expense over the derived service period of the option. During the three months ended March 31, 2021, no performance stock option awards issued under the 2020 Plan were exercised.

For options that do not contain a market or performance condition, the Company uses the Black-Scholes model to calculate the grant date fair value of stock option awards. This fair value is then amortized to expense over the service period of the option.

Because the Company has not paid cash dividends and does not anticipate paying cash dividends on the common stock in the foreseeable future, no expected dividend yield was input to the Black-Scholes or Monte Carlo models. During the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020, the weighted average assumptions shown below were used to calculate the weighted average grant date fair value of option grants in the Monte Carlo model.

Three Months Ended March 31,

2021

2020

Weighted average exercise price - ($/share)

$

3.14

$

Expected life in years

6.0

Average expected volatility

75

%

Risk-free interest rate

0.95

%

Weighted average grant date fair value - ($/share)

$

2.07

$

Stock option activity associated with the Monte Carlo model for the three months ended March 31, 2021 is provided below:

Number of Shares Underlying Options

Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share

Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term

Aggregate Intrinsic Value

(in thousands)

(in years)

(in thousands)

Outstanding at January 1, 2021

644

1.23

Granted

402

3.14

Exercised

Unvested shares forfeited

(137)

1.96

Vested shares expired

Outstanding at March 31, 2021

909

1.96

9.51

$

566

Exercisable at March 31, 2021

$

$

Stock option activity associated with the Black-Scholes model for the three months ended March 31, 2021 is provided below:

Number of Shares Underlying Options

Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share

Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term

Aggregate Intrinsic Value

(in thousands)

(in years)

(in thousands)

Outstanding at January 1, 2021

1,804

1.38

Granted

Exercised

(305)

1.13

Unvested shares forfeited

(7)

2.33

Vested shares expired

Outstanding at March 31, 2021

1,492

1.43

1.68

$

1,248

Exercisable at March 31, 2021

1,323

$

1.31

1.52

$

1,248

During the three months ended March 31, 2021, 122,413 shares were added to treasury as a result of tax withholding on options exercised. During the three months ended March 31, 2020, no shares were added to treasury as a result of tax withholding on options exercised.

Restricted shares

Restricted stock granted to employees will vest over a period determined by the Compensation Committee that is generally a three-year period, vesting in three equal parts on the anniversaries following the date of the grant. Restricted stock granted to directors will vest on the earlier of (i) the first anniversary of the date of grant and (ii) the first annual meeting of stockholders following the date of grant (but not less than fifty (50) weeks following the date of grant). In March 2021, the Company issued 526,147 shares of service- based restricted stock to employees, with a grant date fair value of $3.14 per share. The vesting of these shares is dependent upon, among other things, the employees’ and directors’ continued service with the Company.

The following is a summary of activity for the nine months ended March 31, 2021:

Restricted Stock

Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value

(in thousands)

Non-vested shares outstanding at January 1, 2021

1,155

$

1.30

Awards granted

526

3.14

Awards vested

(125)

1.37

Awards forfeited

(89)

1.98

Non-vested shares outstanding at March 31, 2021

1,467

$

1.91

During the three months ended March 31, 2021, 32,931 shares were added to treasury as a result of tax withholding on the vesting of restricted shares. During the three months ended March 31, 2020, 34,459 shares were added to treasury as a result of tax withholding on the vesting of restricted shares.

Stock appreciation rights (“SARs”)

SARs may be granted under the VAALCO Energy, Inc. 2016 Stock Appreciation Rights Plan and the 2020 Plan. A SAR is the right to receive a cash amount equal to the spread with respect to a share of common stock upon the exercise of the SAR. The spread is the difference between the SAR exercise price per share specified in the SAR award (that may not be less than the fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant) and the fair market value per share of the Company’s common stock on the date of exercise of the SAR. SARs granted to participants will become exercisable over a period determined by the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors. In addition, SARs will become exercisable upon a change in control, unless provided otherwise by the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors.

During the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company did not grant SARs to employees or directors.

SAR activity for the three months ended March 31, 2021 is provided below:

Number of Shares Underlying SARs

Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share

Term

Aggregate Intrinsic Value

(in thousands)

(in years)

(in thousands)

Outstanding at January 1, 2021

2,940

1.33

Granted

Exercised

(552)

1.17

Unvested SARs forfeited

(14)

2.33

Vested SARs expired

Outstanding at March 31, 2021

2,374

1.36

2.02

$

2,151

Exercisable at March 31, 2021

2,027

$

1.23

1.86

$

2,082

Other Benefit Plans

The Company has adopted forms of change in control agreements for its named executive officers and certain other officers of the Company as well as a severance plan for its Houston-based non-executive employees in order to provide severance benefits in connection with a change in control. Upon a termination of a participant’s employment by the Company without cause or a resignation by the participant for good reason three months prior to a change in control or six months following a change in control, executives and officers with change in control agreements and participants in the severance plan will be entitled to receive 100% and 50%, respectively, of the participant’s base salary and continued participation in the Company’s group health plans for the participant and his or her eligible spouse and other dependents for six months. In addition, certain named executive officers will receive 75% of their target bonus.