Stock-Based Compensation

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2024

12. Stock-Based Compensation

On May 2, 2016, the Company’s stockholders approved The York Water Company Long-Term Incentive Plan, or LTIP. The LTIP was adopted to provide the incentive of long-term stock-based awards to officers, directors, and key employees. The LTIP provides for the granting of nonqualified stock options, incentive stock options, stock appreciation rights, performance restricted stock grants and units, restricted stock grants and units, and unrestricted stock grants. A maximum of 100,000 shares of common stock may be issued under the LTIP over the ten-year life of the plan. The maximum number of shares of common stock subject to awards that may be granted to any participant in any one calendar year is 2,000. Shares of common stock issued under the LTIP may be treasury shares or authorized but unissued shares. The LTIP will be administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board, or the full Board, provided that the full Board will administer the LTIP as it relates to awards to non-employee directors of the Company. The Company filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 11, 2016 covering the offering of stock under the LTIP. The LTIP was effective on July 1, 2016.

On May 1, 2023, the Board accelerated the vesting period for restricted stock granted in 2021, 2022, and 2023 to one retiring key employee from three years to that key employee’s 2024 retirement date, which has been fully recognized as of March 31, 2024.

On January 29, 2024, the Board accelerated the vesting period for restricted stock granted in 2022 and 2023 to one retiring officer from three years to that officer’s 2024 retirement date.

The restricted stock awards provide the grantee with the rights of a shareholder, including the right to receive dividends and to vote such shares, but not the right to sell or otherwise transfer the shares during the restriction period. As a result, the awards are included in common shares outstanding on the balance sheet. Restricted stock awards result in compensation expense valued at the fair market value of the stock on the date of the grant and are amortized ratably over the requisite service period.

The following tables summarize the stock grant amounts and activity for the three months ended March 31, 2024.

	Number of Shares			Grant Date Weighted Average Fair Value

Nonvested at beginning of the period		8,944		$	42.32
Granted		—		$	–
Vested		(261	)	$	42.22
Forfeited		(513	)	$	42.21
Nonvested at end of the period		8,170		$	42.34

No long-term stock-based awards were granted under the LTIP during the three months ended March 31, 2024. For the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, the statement of income includes stock-based compensation, net, of $43 and $54, respectively, and related recognized tax benefits of $12 and $15, respectively. The total fair value of the shares vested in the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 was $11 and $0, respectively. Total stock-based compensation related to nonvested awards not yet recognized is $346 at March 31, 2024, which will be recognized over the remaining three year vesting period.