NOTE 10 - STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

Common Stock Issuances

During the year ended November 30, 2022, the Company issued 182,229 common shares to option holders who exercised options for $551,274. During the year ended November 30, 2021, the Company issued 622,400 common shares to option holders who exercised options for $1,128,517.

In March 2021, the Company issued 409,734 common shares to Duke University (“Duke”) per the terms of the Patent Option Agreement (the “Option”). See Note 18.

Employee Stock Incentive Plan

The Company maintains the 2006 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2006 Plan”) under which it has reserved 1,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock for issuance pursuant to stock options, restricted stock, stock-appreciation rights (commonly referred to as “SARs”) and stock awards (i.e., performance options to purchase shares and performance units). As of November 30, 2022, and November 30, 2021, there were 22,500 and 75,000 options issued, but not yet exercised, under the 2006 Plan, respectively. As of November 30, 2022, there were 0 shares available for future issuance under the 2006 Plan.

The Company maintains the 2012 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2012 Plan”) which became effective December 1, 2011 as approved by the Board of Directors and approved by the stockholders at the 2012 Annual Meeting on July 10, 2012. The 2012 Plan originally reserved 1,500,000 shares of the Company’s common stock for issuance pursuant to stock options, restricted stock, SARs, and other stock awards (i.e., performance shares and performance units). In May 2012, the Board of Directors approved an amendment to the 2012 Plan to increase the number of shares of the Company’s common stock reserved for issuance to 2,500,000 shares. In October 2019, the Board of Directors approved amendments to the plan, subject to ratification by the stockholders, which occurred at the Company’s 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders on November 21, 2019. As of November 30, 2022, there were 242,214 service-based options issued, 129,729 service-based restricted common shares granted, 530,851 performance-based and 116,218 market-based restricted common shares granted under the 2012 Plan. As of November 30, 2021, there were 460,943 service-based options issued, 129,729 service-based restricted common shares granted, 530,851 performance-based and 116,218 market-based restricted common shares granted under the 2012 Plan. As of November 30, 2022, there were 0 shares available for future issuance under the 2012 Plan.

On April 8, 2022, the Board of Directors of the Company adopted the 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2022 Plan”) to provide incentive compensation to the Company’s employees, independent directors and independent contractors. The plan was approved by the Company's stockholders on October 3, 2022 at the Company’s 2022 Annual Meeting. The 2022 Plan reserves 1,500,000 shares of the Company’s common stock for issuance pursuant to stock options, restricted stock, SARs, and other stock awards (i.e., performance shares and performance units). As of November 30, 2022, there were 63,100 service-based options issued and 400,000 market-based restricted options granted. As of November 30, 2022, there were 1,036,900 shares available for future issuance under the 2022 Plan.

Service-based vesting condition options

The fair value of each option award is estimated on the date of the grant using the Black-Scholes valuation model that uses the assumptions noted in the following table. Expected volatility is based on the historical volatility of the Company’s stock over the most recent period commensurate with the expected life of the Company’s stock options. The Company uses historical data to estimate option exercise and employee termination within the valuation model. The risk-free rate for periods within the contractual life of the option is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant. The expected term of options granted to employees is based upon historical exercise data. Expected dividends are based on the historical trend of the Company not issuing dividends.

There were 63,100 and 35,900 options granted during the twelve months ended November 30, 2022 and November 30, 2021, respectively.

The weighted average grant date fair value of options granted during the years ended November 30, 2022 and November 30, 2021 was $4.53 and $6.07, respectively.

The aggregate intrinsic value represents the total value of the difference between the Company’s closing stock price on the last trading day of the period and the exercise price of the options, multiplied by the number of in-the-money stock options that would have been received by the option holders had all option holders exercised their options on either November 30, 2022 or November 30, 2021, as applicable. The intrinsic value of the Company’s stock options changes based on the closing price of the Company’s stock.

As of November 30, 2022, there was approximately $274,000 of total unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested share-based compensation arrangements granted under the 2006 Plan, 2012 Plan and 2022 Plan. The cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.65 years as of November 30, 2022. The total fair value of options vested during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2022 was approximately $130,000.

During the second fiscal quarter of 2018, the Company entered into Amended and Restated Employment Agreements (“2018 Employment Agreements”) with each of the Company’s Co-CEOs. Per the Employment Agreements, each of the Co-CEOs is to receive base grant equity awards in the form of qualified stock options of the Company’s common stock. As of December 20, 2019, David Portnoy and Mark Portnoy were granted 23,636 and 20,000 stock options of the Company’s common stock, respectively. The options were issued under the Company’s 2012 Stock Plan and will vest 1/3 upon grant, 1/3 on December 1, 2020 and the remaining 1/3 on November 30, 2021. The fair value of the options that vested through the twelve months ended November 30, 2022 and November 30, 2021 was approximately $0 and $113,000, respectively, and is reflected as selling, general and administrative expenses in the accompanying consolidated statements of income. As of November 30, 2022, there was $0 of total unrecognized compensation cost as the options are fully vested.

Performance and market-based vesting condition options

On May 18, 2018, the Company entered into an Amendment Agreement (the “Amendment Agreement”), effective December 1, 2017, amending certain terms of Oleg Mikulinsky’s Employment Agreement dated March 5, 2012, as previously amended. For performance-based vesting condition options, the Company estimated the fair value of the qualified stock options that met certain performance targets by the end of the fiscal 2018 requisite service period using a Black-Scholes valuation model. As of February 27, 2020, the Company granted Oleg Mikulinsky 1,333 of qualified stock options of the Company’s common stock based upon certain performance criteria met by the end of the fiscal 2019 service period and per the Amendment Agreement. These options were issued under the Company’s 2012 Stock Plan and will vest 1/3 upon date of grant, 1/3 on December 1, 2020 and 1/3 on November 30, 2021. The fair value of these options as of November 30, 2021 and November 30, 2020 was approximately $0 and $3,000, respectively, and is reflected as selling, general and administrative expenses in the accompanying consolidated statements of income. As of November 30, 2022, there was $0 of total unrecognized compensation cost as the options are fully vested.

On April 8, 2022, the Company granted 400,000 market-based vesting condition options to David Portnoy, Mark Portnoy, and Oleg Mikulinsky in the amounts of 280,000, 100,000, and 20,000, respectively. For market-based vesting condition options, accounting principles do not require that the market condition be met in order for the compensation cost to be recognized. Fair value of these options has been determined using a Monte Carlo valuation approach and is being recognized over the requisite service period, regardless if the market condition will be met. The exercise price of the options is $12.27 and the calculated fair value of the options is $2.79. These stock options vest immediately when the price of the Company's stock reaches $25.00 per share during the seven-year option term. The grant of these options was approved by the Company's stockholders on October 3, 2022 at the Company’s 2022 Annual Meeting. As of November 30, 2022 and November 30, 2021, the Company recognized approximately $253,000 and $0, respectively, in compensation cost and is reflected as selling, general and administrative expense in the accompanying consolidated statement of income. As of November 30, 2022, there was approximately $863,000 of unrecognized compensation cost to be recognized over the remaining requisite service period of 2.25 years.