16.Shareholders’ Equity and Capital Stock

 

Stock options

 

In 2005, the Company’s Board of Directors approved the adoption of the Company's stock option plan (the “Option Plan”). Eligible participants under the Option Plan include directors, officers, employees and consultants of the Company. Under the terms of the Option Plan, stock options generally vest with Option Plan participants as follows: 10% at the date of grant; 22% four and one-half months after grant; 22% nine months after grant; 22% thirteen and one-half months after grant; and the balance of 24% eighteen months after the date of grant.

 

Activity with respect to stock options is summarized as follows:

 

 

 

The exercise price of a new grant is set at the closing price for the shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) on the trading day immediately preceding the grant date so there is no intrinsic value as of the date of grant. The fair value of options vested during the three months ended March 31, 2015 was $0.1 million.

 

As of March 31, 2015, outstanding stock options are as follows:

 

 

 

The aggregate intrinsic value of the options in the preceding table represents the total pre-tax intrinsic value for stock options with an exercise price less than the Company’s TSX closing stock price of Cdn$1.20 as of the last trading day in the period ended March 31, 2015, that would have been received by the option holders had they exercised their options as of that date. The total number of in-the-money stock options outstanding as of March 31, 2015 was 4,843,195. The total number of in-the-money stock options exercisable as of March 31, 2015 was 3,915,659.

 

Restricted share units

 

On June 24, 2010, the Company’s shareholders approved the adoption of the Company’s restricted share unit plan (the “RSU Plan”). The plan was approved most recently, as amended, on April 25, 2013. 

 

Eligible participants under the RSU Plan include directors and employees of the Company. Under the terms of the original RSU Plan, RSUs vested with participants as follows: 50% on the first anniversary of the date of the grant and 50% on the second anniversary of the date of the grant.  In March 2015, the Board approved amendments to the plan that (a) extend the redemption period so that, going forward, all RSUs in a grant are not redeemed until the second anniversary of the grant; (b) provide for redemption, instead of cancellation, of outstanding RSUs at the date of redemption for retiring directors and executive officers, which is defined as a threshold of combined service and age of 65 years, and a minimum of five years of service to the Company; and (c) update the RSU Plan for compliance with applicable laws.  The amendments are the subject of a shareholder vote at our upcoming annual meeting of shareholders.

 

Activity with respect to RSUs is summarized as follows:

 

 

 

As of March 31, 2015, outstanding RSUs are as follows:

 

 

 

Upon RSU vesting, the holder of an RSU will receive one common share, for no additional consideration, for each RSU held.

 

Warrants

 

There was no warrant activity during the period ended March 31, 2015.

 

As of March 31, 2015, outstanding warrants are as follows:

 

 

 

Share-based compensation expense

 

Share-based compensation expense was $0.2 million and $0.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

 

As of March 31, 2015, there was approximately $0.4 million of total unrecognized compensation expense (net of estimated pre-vesting forfeitures) related to unvested share-based compensation arrangements granted under the Option Plan and $0.6 million under the RSU Plan. The expenses are expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.0 years and 1.7 years, respectively.

 

Cash received from stock options exercised during the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 was $0.3 million and $0.8 million, respectively.  

 

Fair value calculations

 

The fair value of RSUs granted during the three months ended March 31, 2015 was determined using the intrinsic value method using a forfeiture rate of 7.81% based on historical data.  The initial fair value of options granted during the three months ended March 31, 2014 was determined using the Black-Scholes option pricing model.  The following assumptions were used in the calculations:

 

 

 

The Company estimates expected volatility using daily historical trading data of the Company’s common shares, because this is recognized as a valid method used to predict future volatility. The risk-free interest rates are determined by reference to Canadian Treasury Note constant maturities that approximate the expected option term. The Company has never paid dividends and currently has no plans to do so.

 

Share-based compensation expense is recognized net of estimated pre-vesting forfeitures, which results in recognition of expense on options that are ultimately expected to vest over the expected option term. Forfeitures were estimated using actual historical forfeiture experience.

 

There were no options granted in the three months ended March 31, 2015.  There were no RSUs granted in the three months ended March 31, 2014.