Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

12. Stock Based Compensation

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12. Stock Based Compensation
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016
Notes to Financial Statements  
Note 12. Stock Based Compensation

On January 10, 2014, the Board of Directors of the Company approved and adopted, subject to stockholder approval, which was obtained at the annual stockholders meeting held on November 16, 2014, the Midwest Energy Emissions Corp. 2014 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Equity Plan”). The number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock that may be issued under the Equity Plan is 2,500,000 shares, subject to the adjustment for stock dividends, stock splits, recapitalizations and similar corporate events.Eligible participants under the Equity Plan shall include officers, employees of or consultants to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any person to whom an offer of employment is extended, or any person who is a non-employee director of the Company. On October 9, 2014, the Board of Directors approved and adopted the First Amendment to the plan, subject to stockholder approval, which was obtained at the annual stockholders meeting held on November 18, 2014, which increased the number of shares issuable under the plan to 7,500,000.

 

The Company accounts for stock-based compensation awards in accordance with the provisions of ASC 718, which addresses the accounting for employee stock options which requires that the cost of all employee stock options, as well as other equity-based compensation arrangements, be reflected in the consolidated financial statements over the vesting period based on the estimated fair value of the awards.

 

A summary of stock option activity for the quarter ended September 30, 2016 is presented below:

 

    Number of
Shares
    Weighted
Average
Exercise Price
    Weighted
Average
Remaining Contractual Life (years)
    Aggregate
Intrinsic Value
 
                         
December 31, 2014     5,095,458       1.70       4.5       -  
Grants     2,150,000       0.55       4.6       -  
Cancellations     (525,000 )     -       -       -  
December 31, 2015     6,720,458       1.35       3.7       -  
                                 
Grants     1,475,000       0.96       4.8       -  
Cancellations     (665,000 )     -       -       -  
September 30, 2016     7,530,458       1.29       3.5       -  
                                 
Options exercisable at:                                
December 31, 2015     3,420,458       2.05       3.3          
September 30, 2016     3,955,458       1.94       3.2          

 

The Company utilized the Black-Scholes options pricing model. The significant assumptions utilized for the Black Scholes calculations consist of an expected life of equal to the expiration term of the option, historical volatility of 74.9%, and a risk free interest rate of 3%.

 

On November 16, 2014, the Company entered into an employment agreement with John Pavlish which terms include the issuance of stock options for the purchase of shares of the Company’s common stock in the aggregate amount of three million shares, two million of which was issued on November 16, 2014 and one million of which would be issued on November 16, 2015, in each case pursuant to the terms of the Company’s 2014 Equity Incentive Plan. The options granted are exercisable at $0.74 and $0.45 per share, respectively, representing the fair market value of the common stock as of the date of grant. These options are to vest two years after the original grant date, subject to his continued employment. Based on a Black-Sholes valuation model, the value of the issued options was $910,350 and $200,360, respectively, in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. Compensation expense for the quarters ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 on the issued options was $163,885 and $113,794, respectively. Compensation expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 on the issued options was $491,652 and $341,383, respectively.

 

On January 1, 2015, the Company granted nonqualified stock options to acquire 250,000 shares of the Company’s common stock to Nick Lentz. The options granted are exercisable at $0.61 per share, representing the fair market value of the common stock as of the date of grant. These options are to vest two years after the original grant date, subject to his continued employment, are exercisable as of the date of vesting and will expire five years thereafter. Based on a Black-Sholes valuation model, these options were valued at $93,803 in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. Compensation expense for the quarter ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 on the issued options was and $11,724 and $11,724, respectively. Compensation expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 on the issued options was and $35,172 and $31,272, respectively

 

On May 1, 2015, the Company issued nonqualified stock options to acquire 25,000 shares each of the Company’s common stock to Chris Greenberg, Jay Rifkin and Brian Johnson, each then a director of the Company, under the Company’s Equity Plan. Messrs. Greenberg and Johnson remain directors of the Company. The options granted are exercisable at $0.67 per share, representing the fair market value of the common stock as of the date of the grant as determined under the Equity Plan. These options are to vest one year after the original grant date, subject to continuing service to the Company, are exercisable as of the date of vesting and will expire five years thereafter. Based on a Black-Sholes valuation model, these options were valued at $30,909 in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. On November 9, 2015, Jay Rifkin resigned as a director of the Company, and his stock option was terminated.

 

On May 1, 2016, the Company issued nonqualified stock options to acquire 25,000 shares each of the Company’s common stock to Christopher Greenberg, Brian Johnson and Christopher Lee, current directors of the Company, under the Company’s Equity Plan. The options granted are exercisable at $0.42 per share, representing the fair market value of the common stock as of the date of the grant as determined under the Equity Plan. These options are to vest one year after the original grant date, subject to continuing service to the Company, are exercisable as of the date of vesting and will expire five years thereafter. Based on a Black-Sholes valuation model, these options were valued at $19,763 in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718.

 

On June 1, 2016, the Company granted nonqualified stock options to acquire 250,000 shares of the Company’s common stock to Patrick Mongovan. The options granted are exercisable at $0.42 per share, representing the fair market value of the common stock as of the date of grant. These options are fully vested and are exercisable as of the date of the grant and will expire five years thereafter. Based on a Black-Sholes valuation model, these options were valued at $28,836 in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718.

 

On June 30, 2016, the Company issued nonqualified stock options to acquire 125,000 shares of the Company’s common stock to Christopher Greenberg, nonqualified stock options to acquire 75,000 shares of the Company’s common stock to Brian Johnson, and nonqualified stock options to acquire 50,000 shares of the Company’s common stock to each of Christopher Lee and Allan Grantham, current directors of the Company, under the Company’s Equity Plan. The options granted are exercisable at $0.81 per share, representing the fair market value of the common stock as of the date of the grant as determined under the Equity Plan. These options are fully vested and are exercisable as of the date of the grant and will expire five years thereafter. Based on a Black-Sholes valuation model, these options were valued at $174,902 in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718.

 

On June 30, 2016, the Company issued nonqualified stock options to acquire 250,000 shares of the Company’s common stock to Richard MacPherson, CEO and a current director of the Company, under the Company’s Equity Plan. The options granted are exercisable at $0.81 per share, representing the fair market value of the common stock as of the date of the grant as determined under the Equity Plan. These options vested after such time that the closing price of the Company’s common stock is equal to or in excess of $0.80 per share for any consecutive 30 day trading period following the grant date and will expire five years after the date of the grant. Based on a Black-Sholes valuation model, these options were valued at $145,752 in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718.

 

On August 31, 2016, the Company issued nonqualified stock options to acquire 750,000 shares of the Company’s common stock to Richard MacPherson, CEO and a current director of the Company, under the Company’s Equity Plan. The options granted are exercisable at $1.20 per share, representing the fair market value of the common stock as of the date of the grant as determined under the Equity Plan. These options are to vest on a cumulative basis in accordance with the following schedule: (i) 250,000 shares at such time that the closing price of the Company's common stock is equal to or in excess of $2.00 per share for any consecutive 30 day trading period following the grant date, (ii) 250,000 shares at such time that the closing price of the Company's common stock is equal to or in excess of $3.00 per share for any consecutive 30 day trading period following the grant date, and (iii) 250,000 shares at such time that the Company's common stock is listed for trading on either the NASDAQ Stock Market or the New York Stock Exchange (including NYSE-MKT). Based on a Black-Sholes valuation model, these options were valued at $595,651 in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718.