Stock Based Compensation

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

Share-Based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]

NOTE 15 – STOCK BASED COMPENSATION

In April of 2022, the Company, with the approval of shareholders, created the 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2022 Plan”). The 2022 Plan permits the award of up to one million shares to the Company’s directors and employees to attract and retain exceptional personnel, motivate performance and, most importantly, to help align the interests of the Company’s executives with those of the Company’s shareholders. The 2022 Plan has replaced the 2017 Plan. There were 105,891 service time based share awards and 102,750 performance based share awards granted under the 2022 Plan during the year ended December 31, 2023, as shown in the table below. The actual number of performance based shares issued will depend on the relative performance of the Company’s average return on equity compared to a group of peer companies over a three year vesting period, ending December 31, 2025. As of December 31, 2023, 734,859 shares are still available to be awarded from the 2022 Plan. The 2017 Plan has been sunset.

The restricted stock awards were granted with a fair value price equal to the market price of the Company’s common stock at the date of the grant. Expense recognized was $2.6 million for 2023, $1.8 million for 2022 and $1.2 million for 2021, respectively. As of December 31, 2023, there was $3.2 million of total unrecognized compensation expense related to the nonvested shares granted under the Plan. The remaining cost is expected to be recognized over 2.2 years.

The following is the activity under the Plan during 2023:



	Maximum Awarded Service Units			Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value		Maximum Awarded Performance Units			Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Beginning balance - non-vested shares		193,015		$	16.69		137,369		$	15.85
Granted		105,891			10.63		102,750			14.16
Vested		(41,401	)		12.78		(30,635	)		14.35
Forfeited		(3,729	)		14.65		0			0.00
Ending balance - non-vested shares		253,776		$	14.97		209,484		$	15.01

The following is the activity under the Plan during 2022:


	Maximum Awarded Service Units			Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value		Maximum Awarded Performance Units			Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Beginning balance - non-vested shares		99,564		$	16.13		158,988		$	14.40
Granted		132,268			16.63		56,724			17.25
Vested		(35,817	)		15.79		(65,481	)		17.48
Forfeited		(3,000	)		13.68		(12,862	)		14.74
Ending balance - non-vested shares		193,015		$	16.69		137,369		$	15.85

The 72,036 shares that vested in 2023 had a weighted average fair value of $13.45 per share. The total fair value of shares vested during the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021 was $969 thousand, $1.7 million and $1.2 million, respectively.