Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

SHARE-BASED PAYMENTS

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SHARE-BASED PAYMENTS
12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]  
SHARE-BASED PAYMENTS
SHARE-BASED PAYMENTS:

The Company maintains an equity incentive plan (the "2017 Equity Incentive Plan") that provides for grants of stock options, restricted shares, stock-based performance units and certain other types of stock-based awards. The Company also maintains an equity incentive plan (the "2012 Equity Incentive Plan") that previously provided for grants of stock options, restricted shares, stock-based performance units and certain other types of stock-based awards.  Under the 2017 Equity Incentive Plan, which has a ten-year term, the maximum number of shares available for grants or awards is an aggregate of 1,700,000.  There will be no further grants under the 2012 Equity Incentive Plan. At September 30, 2018, there were 1,700,000 shares reserved for future issuance under the 2017 Equity Incentive Plan. All Plans are administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors.

With respect to outstanding restricted share grants, generally one-half of the shares vest on the third anniversary of the grant, one-quarter of the shares vest in one-third increments upon the attainment of pre-defined levels of adjusted earnings per share, and the remaining one-quarter of the shares vest in one-third increments upon attainment of pre-defined levels of appreciation in the market value of the Company's Class A Common Stock.  Additionally, restricted shares cannot vest until the first anniversary of the grant date.  Unvested restricted shares generally expire on the earlier of three or five years from the date of grant, upon employment termination, or within specified time limits following voluntary employment termination (with the consent of the Company), retirement or death.  The Company issues restricted shares from treasury shares.

For the years ended September 30, 2018, 2017 and 2016, stock-based compensation cost totaled $13,460, $14,562 and $10,612, respectively. The years ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 included $2,850 and $3,337, respectively, of stock-based compensation cost that was recognized at the time of grant for retirement-eligible employees. The associated future income tax benefit recognized was $2,826, $5,534 and $4,139 for the years ended September 30, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

There were no stock options exercised during fiscal 2018. The amount of cash received from the exercise of stock options was $14 and $6,406, for the years ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively. In connection with these exercises, the tax benefits realized by the Company were $3 and $932 for the years ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

The transactions for restricted stock for the year ended September 30, 2018 were as follows:
 
Shares
 
Weighted-
average
Grant-date
Fair Value
Non-vested at September 30, 2017
501,184

 
$
53.65

Granted
234,100

 
57.05

Vested
(174,295
)
 
51.41

Expired or forfeited
(6,756
)
 
59.72

Non-vested at September 30, 2018
554,233

 
$
55.71



As of September 30, 2018, the total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested restricted stock was $6,190 which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.5 years.

The fair value of each restricted stock grant is estimated on the date of grant using a binomial lattice valuation model.  The following table indicates the assumptions used in estimating fair value of restricted stock for the years ended September 30, 2018, 2017 and 2016.
 
2018
 
2017
 
2016
Expected volatility
20.5
%
 
20.2
%
 
20.7
%
Dividend yield
1.0
%
 
1.1
%
 
1.0
%
Average risk-free interest rate
2.0
%
 
1.7
%
 
1.7
%
Average expected term (years)
2.1

 
2.1

 
2.1



The risk-free interest rate is based on United States Treasury yields at the date of grant. The dividend yield is based on the most recent dividend payment and average stock price over the 12 months prior to the grant date.  Expected volatilities are based on the historical volatility of the Company's stock price.  The expected term for grants in the years ended September 30, 2018, 2017 and 2016 represents an estimate of the average period of time for restricted shares to vest.  The option characteristics for each grant are considered separately for valuation purposes.

The Company maintains the 1994 Director Fee Plan and the Amended and Restated 2014 Director Fee Plan (collectively, the "Director Fee Plans").  There will be no further fees or share-based awards granted under the 1994 Director Fee Plan.  Under the Amended and Restated 2014 Director Fee Plan, non-employee directors (except for the Chairman of the Board) each receive, as an annual retainer fee for fiscal 2018, either cash or shares of the Company's Class A Common Stock with a value equal to $85.  The annual retainer fee for fiscal 2018 paid to a non-employee Chairman of the Board is $185.  Where the annual retainer fee is provided in shares, each director may elect to be paid these shares on a current basis or have such shares credited to a deferred stock account as phantom stock, with such shares to be paid to the director subsequent to leaving the Board.  The value of deferred shares is recorded in other liabilities.  A total of 22,745 shares had been deferred under the Director Fee Plans at September 30, 2018.  Additionally, non-employee directors each receive an annual stock-based grant (non-statutory stock options, stock appreciation rights and/or restricted shares) with a value of $125 for fiscal year 2018.  A total of 22,300 stock options have been granted under the Director Fee Plans.  At September 30, 2018, there were no options outstanding. Additionally, 173,229 shares of restricted stock have been granted under the Director Fee Plans, 70,079 of which were issued under the Amended and Restated 2014 Director Fee Plan. 20,940 shares of restricted stock are unvested at September 30, 2018.  A total of 150,000 shares have been authorized to be issued under the Amended and Restated 2014 Director Fee Plan.