Employee Benefit Plans

12 Months Ended

Jan. 01, 2022

Share-based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]

Stock-Based Compensation Plans

The Company maintains stock-based compensation plans primarily for its key employees and directors, although the plans permit awards to others expected to make significant contributions to the future of the Company. The plans authorize the compensation committee of the Company's board of directors (the board committee) to award a variety of stock and stock-based incentives, such as restricted stock, RSUs, nonqualified and incentive stock options, stock bonus shares, or performance-based shares. The award recipients and the terms of awards granted under these plans are determined by the board committee. Upon a change of control, as defined in the plans, all options or other awards become fully vested and all restrictions lapse. The Company had 336,157 shares available for grant under these stock-based compensation plans at year-end 2021. The Company generally issues its common stock out of treasury stock, to the extent available, for share issuances related to its stock-based compensation plans.

The Company recognizes compensation cost for all stock-based awards granted to employees and directors based on the grant date estimate of fair value for those awards. The fair value of RSUs is based on the grant date price of the Company's common stock, reduced by the present value of estimated dividends foregone during the requisite service period.

The components of pre-tax stock-based compensation expense included in SG&A expenses in the accompanying consolidated statement of income are as follows:


(In thousands)	January 1, 2022		January 2, 2021		December 28, 2019
RSU Awards	$	8,224	$	6,453	$	6,616
Employee Stock Purchase Plan Awards	303		323		199
Total	$	8,527	$	6,776	$	6,815

The Company grants RSUs to non-employee directors and certain employees. Holders of RSUs have no voting rights and are not entitled to receive cash dividends.

Non-Employee Director Restricted Stock Units

The Company granted RSU awards consisting of 1,009 RSUs in 2021, 2,085 RSUs in 2020 and 1,858 RSUs in 2019 to each of its incumbent non-employee directors. Half of the RSUs vested on June 1 of each year and the remaining RSUs vested ratably on the last day of the third and fourth fiscal quarters of each year. In addition, the Company granted RSU awards consisting of 1,042 RSUs in July 2020 to its then new non-employee director (former executive director), which vested ratably on the last day of the third and fourth fiscal quarters of 2020. Each RSU issued to the directors represents the right to receive one share of the Company's common stock upon vesting.

Performance-Based Restricted Stock Units

The Company grants performance-based RSUs to certain officers of the Company. Each performance-based RSU represents the right to receive one share of the Company's common stock upon vesting. The RSUs are subject to adjustment based on the achievement of a performance measure selected for the fiscal year, which historically has been a specified target for adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (adjusted EBITDA) generated from operations. Following the adjustment, the RSUs are subject to additional time-based vesting, and vest in three equal annual installments, provided that the officer is employed by the Company on the applicable vesting dates.

The Company recognizes compensation expense associated with performance-based RSUs ratably over the requisite service period for each separately vesting portion of the award based on the grant date fair value, net of actual forfeitures recorded when they occur, and remeasured each reporting period until the total number of RSUs to be issued is

known. Unrecognized compensation expense related to the unvested performance-based RSUs totaled $3,231,000 at year-end 2021, and will be recognized over a weighted average period of 1.4 years.

The performance-based RSU agreements provide for forfeiture in certain events, such as voluntary or involuntary termination of employment, and for acceleration of vesting in certain events, such as death, disability or a change in control of the Company. If death, disability, or a change in control occurs prior to the end of the performance period, the officer will receive the target RSU amount; otherwise, the officer will receive the number of deliverable RSUs based on the achievement of the performance goal, as stated in the RSU agreements.

Time-Based Restricted Stock Units

The Company grants time-based RSUs to its officers and other employees of the Company. Each time-based RSU represents the right to receive one share of the Company's common stock upon vesting. The Company recognizes compensation expense associated with these time-based RSUs ratably over the requisite service period for the entire award based on the grant date fair value, and net of actual forfeitures recorded when they occur. The time-based RSU agreement provides for forfeiture in certain events, such as voluntary or involuntary termination of employment, and for acceleration of vesting in certain events, such as death, disability, or a change in control of the Company. Unrecognized compensation expense related to the time-based RSUs totaled $3,932,000 at year-end 2021, and will be recognized over a weighted average period of 1.8 years.

Vesting of Restricted Stock Units

A summary of the activity of the Company's unvested RSUs in 2021 is as follows:


(In thousands, except per share amounts)	Units	Weighted Average Grant- Date Fair Value
Unvested RSUs at January 2, 2021	120	$	92.42
Granted	49	$	174.52
Vested	(61)	$	96.96
Forfeited	(1)	$	91.71
Unvested RSUs at January 1, 2022	107	$	127.70

The weighted average grant date fair value of RSUs granted was $174.52 in 2021, $88.22 in 2020, and $86.50 in 2019. The total fair value of shares vested was $5,892,000 in 2021, $7,343,000 in 2020, and $5,452,000 in 2019.

Stock Options

The Company has not granted stock options since 2013. Prior to 2014, the Company granted nonqualified stock options to its executive officers that vested over three years and were not exercisable until vested. All options awarded in prior periods were granted at an exercise price equal to the fair market value of the Company's common stock on the date of grant. There were no stock options outstanding at year-end 2021 as all remaining stock options were exercised during the year.

A summary of the Company's stock option activity in 2021 is as follows:


(In thousands, except per share amounts)	Number of Shares	Weighted Average Exercise Price
Options Outstanding at January 2, 2021	27	$	24.44
Exercised	(27)	$	24.44
Options Outstanding at January 1, 2022	—	$	—

A summary of the Company's stock option exercises are as follows:


(In thousands)	January 1, 2022		January 2, 2021		December 28, 2019
Total Intrinsic Value of Options Exercised	$	4,986	$	4,071	$	16,796
Cash Received from Options Exercised	$	665	$	1,123	$	4,454

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

The Company's eligible U.S. employees may elect to participate in its employee stock purchase plan. Under the plan, shares of the Company's common stock may be purchased at a 15% discount from the fair market value at the beginning or end of the purchase period, whichever is lower. Shares purchased under the plan are subject to a one-year resale restriction and are purchased through payroll deductions of up to 10% of each participating employee's gross wages. The Company issued 10,230 shares in 2021, 13,062 shares in 2020, and 13,195 shares for 2019 (issued in 2020) of its common stock under this plan. The Company had 91,643 shares available for grant under the employee stock purchase plan at year-end 2021.

401(k) Savings and Other Defined Contribution Plans

The Company's U.S. subsidiaries participate in the Kadant Inc. 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan sponsored by the Company. Contributions to the plan are made by both the employee and the Company and are immediately vested. Company contributions are based upon the level of employee contributions.

Certain of the Company's subsidiaries offer other retirement plans, the majority of which are defined contribution plans. Company contributions to these plans are based on formulas determined by the Company.

For these plans, the Company contributed and charged to expense $4,706,000 in 2021, $4,501,000 in 2020, and $4,412,000 in 2019.

Pension and Other Post-Retirement Defined Benefits Plans

The Company sponsors pension and other post-retirement defined benefit plans covering employees at certain U.S. and foreign subsidiaries.

In accordance with ASC 715, Compensation-Retirement Benefits (ASC 715), the Company recognizes the funded status of its plans as an asset or liability and changes in the funded status through AOCI, net of tax, in the accompanying consolidated balance sheet. The amounts in AOCI are recognized as net periodic benefit cost pursuant to the Company's accounting policy for amortizing such amounts. Further, actuarial gains and losses that arise in subsequent periods and are not recognized as net periodic benefit cost will be recognized as a component of AOCI, net of tax.

The Company records the non-service component of net periodic pension cost in other expense, net in the accompanying consolidated statement of income. Other expense, net in 2019 included a loss of $5,887,000 related to the settlement of the Company’s noncontributory defined benefit pension plan for eligible employees at one of its U.S. divisions and its corporate office (Retirement Plan). The Retirement Plan was terminated in December 2018. Other expense, net in 2019 also included activity related to the Retirement Plan prior to its settlement, including interest costs of $1,334,000, net of an expected return on plan assets of $995,000. The weighted average assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit costs in 2019 for the Retirement Plan was 4.10% for both the discount rate and expected return on plan assets, which were valued using the FTSE Pension Discount Curve. In 2020, the Company made a settlement payment of $2,427,000 related to a restoration plan, also terminated in 2018, which fully supplemented benefits lost for certain executive officers under the Retirement Plan. The remaining disclosure requirements related to the Company’s defined benefit plans are not material for the fiscal years presented.