Note 11 - Stock-based Compensation

9 Months Ended

May. 31, 2015

Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]

Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Text Block]

11.	STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

The Company has two stock-based compensation plans under which stock options and other stock-based awards have been granted, the Northern Technologies International Corporation Amended and Restated 2007 Stock Incentive Plan and the Northern Technologies International Corporation Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the ESPP). The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors and the Board of Directors administer these plans.

The 2007 Plan provides for the grant of incentive stock options, non-statutory stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, stock unit awards, performance awards and stock bonuses to eligible recipients to enable the Company and its subsidiaries to attract and retain qualified individuals through opportunities for equity participation in the Company, and to reward those individuals who contribute to the achievement of the Company’s economic objectives. Subject to adjustment as provided in the 2007 Plan, up to a maximum of 800,000 shares of the Company’s common stock are issuable under the 2007 Plan. Options granted under the 2007 Plan generally have a term of ten years and become exercisable over a three- or four-year period beginning on the one-year anniversary of the date of grant. Options are granted at per share exercise prices equal to the market value of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant. The Company issues new shares upon the exercise of options. As of May 31, 2015, only stock options and stock bonuses had been granted under the 2007 Plan.

The maximum number of shares of common stock of the Company available for issuance under the ESPP is 100,000 shares, subject to adjustment as provided in the ESPP. The ESPP provides for six-month offering periods beginning on September 1 and March 1 of each year. The purchase price of the shares is 90% of the lower of the fair market value of common stock at the beginning or end of the offering period. This discount may not exceed the maximum discount rate permitted for plans of this type under Section 423 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The ESPP is compensatory for financial reporting purposes.

The Company granted options to purchase an aggregate of 45,067 and 56,373 shares of its common stock during the nine months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The fair value of option grants is determined at date of grant, using the Black-Scholes option pricing model with the assumptions listed below. The Company recognized compensation expense of $378,421 and $345,319 during the nine months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, related to the options that vested during such time period. As of May 31, 2015, the total compensation cost for non-vested options not yet recognized in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations was $376,847 net of estimated forfeitures. Stock-based compensation expense of $117,262 is expected through the remainder of fiscal year 2015, and $179,785 and $79,800 is expected to be recognized during fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2017, respectively, based on outstanding options as of May 31, 2015. Future option grants will impact the compensation expense recognized. Stock-based compensation expense is included in general and administrative expense on the consolidated statements of operations.

The Company currently estimates a ten percent forfeiture rate for stock options and continually reviews this estimate for future periods.

The fair value of each option grant is estimated on the grant date using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the following assumptions and results for the grants:

	Nine Months Ended
	May 31, 2015			May 31, 2014
Dividend yield		0.00	%		0.00	%
Expected volatility		46.6	%		47.3	%
Expected life of option (years)		10			10
Average risk-free interest rate		1.63	%		1.36	%

The weighted average per share fair value of options granted during nine months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014 was $11.58 and $8.57, respectively. The weighted average remaining contractual life of the options outstanding as of May 31, 2015 and 2014 was 6.56 years and 5.44 years, respectively.