Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

STOCK BASED COMPENSATION

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STOCK BASED COMPENSATION
6 Months Ended
Apr. 30, 2022
Share-Based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]  
STOCK BASED COMPENSATION

2. STOCK BASED COMPENSATION

 

The Company maintains stock equity incentive plans under which the Company grants incentive stock options, non-qualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, stock awards, performance awards, or stock units to employees, directors and consultants.

 

Stock Option Compensation Expense

 

The compensation cost for service-based stock options granted to employees and directors is measured at the grant date, based on the fair value of the award using the Black-Scholes pricing model, and is expensed on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period (the vesting period of the stock option) which is one to four years. We recorded stock-based compensation expense related to service-based stock options granted to employees and directors of approximately $875,000 and $881,000 during the three months ended April 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively, and approximately $1,605,000 and $1,756,000 during the six months ended April 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

 

For stock options granted to employees and directors that vest based on market conditions, such as the trading price of the Company’s common stock exceeding certain price targets, we use a Monte Carlo Simulation in estimating the fair value at grant date and recognize compensation cost over the implied service period (median time to vest). On June 1, 2021, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and our President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer were awarded market condition stock options for 2,000,000 shares and 100,000 shares of common stock, respectively, that vest in four equal installments upon the Company’s share price achieving targets ranging from $5.00 to $8.00 per share, with implied service periods of three to fifteen months. We recorded market condition stock-based compensation expense during the three months ended April 30, 2022 and 2021 of approximately $587,000 and $0, respectively, and approximately $1,993,000 and $0 during the six months ended April 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

 

 

The compensation cost for service-based stock options granted to consultants is measured at the grant date, based on the fair value of the award using the Black-Scholes pricing model, and is expensed on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period (the vesting period of the stock option) which is one to three years. We recorded stock-based consulting expense related to stock options granted to consultants of approximately $109,000 and $132,000 during the three months ended April 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively, and approximately $218,000 and $186,000 during the six months ended April 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

 

Stock Option Plans

 

During the three months ended April 30, 2022, we had two stock option plans: the Anixa Biosciences, Inc. 2010 Share Incentive Plan (the “2010 Share Plan”) and the Anixa Biosciences, Inc. 2018 Share Incentive Plan (the “2018 Share Plan”), which were adopted by our Board of Directors on July 14, 2010 and January 25, 2018, respectively. The 2018 Share Plan was approved by our shareholders on March 29, 2018.

 

Stock Option Activity

 

During the three months ended April 30, 2022 and 2021, we granted options to purchase 1,400,000 shares and 250,000 shares of common stock, respectively, and during the six months ended April 30, 2022 and 2021, we granted options to purchase 1,430,000 shares and 1,380,000 shares of common stock, respectively, to employees and consultants, with exercise prices ranging from $2.62 to $5.30 per share, pursuant to the 2018 Share Plan. During the three months ended April 30, 2022 and 2021, stock options to purchase 0 shares of common stock and 77,571 shares of common stock, net of 7,937 shares withheld on a cashless exercise, respectively, were exercised with aggregate proceeds of $0 and $0, respectively. During the six months ended April 30, 2022 and 2021, stock options to purchase 46,909 shares of common stock, net of 53,091 shares withheld on a cashless exercise and 107,451 shares of common stock, net of 7,937 shares withheld on a cashless exercise, respectively, were exercised with aggregate proceeds of $0 and $0, respectively.

 

2010 Share Plan

 

The 2010 Share Plan provided for the grant of nonqualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, stock awards, performance awards and stock units to employees, directors and consultants. In accordance with the provisions of the 2010 Share Plan, the plan terminated with respect to the ability to grant future awards on July 14, 2020. Information regarding the 2010 Share Plan for the six months ended April 30, 2022 is as follows:

    Shares     Weighted
Average Exercise
Price Per Share
    Aggregate
Intrinsic Value
(in thousands)
 
Options outstanding at October 31, 2021     1,1,718,634     $ 2.82          
Exercised     (100,000 )   $ 2.92          
Options outstanding and exercisable at
April 30, 2022
   

1,618,634
    $ 2.81     $ 1,182  

 

The following table summarizes information about stock options outstanding and exercisable under the 2010 Share Plan as of April 30, 2022:

 

Range of
Exercise Prices
   

Number
Outstanding and

Exercisable

   

Weighted Average
Remaining
Contractual Life

(in years)

    Weighted
Average
Exercise Price
 
$ 0.67 - $2.30       527,500       4.0     $ 1.54  
$ 2.58 - $3.13       577,000       2.7     $ 2.76  
$ 3.46 - $5.30       514,134       6.0     $ 4.16  

 

 

2018 Share Plan

 

The 2018 Share Plan provides for the grant of incentive stock options, nonqualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, stock awards, performance awards and stock units to employees, directors and consultants. As of April 30, 2022, the 2018 Share Plan had 600,000 shares available for future grants. Information regarding the 2018 Share Plan for the six months ended April 30, 2022 is as follows:

    Shares     Weighted
Average Exercise
Price Per Share
    Aggregate Intrinsic Value
(in thousands)
 
Options outstanding at October 31, 2021     7,409,992     $ 3.76          
Granted     1,430,000     $ 2.74          
Options outstanding at April 30, 2022     8,839,992     $ 3.60     $ 1,371  
Options exercisable at April 30, 2022     4,364,161     $ 3.63     $ 426  

 

The following table summarizes information about stock options outstanding and exercisable under the 2018 Share Plan as of April 30, 2022:

 

      Options Outstanding     Options Exercisable  
Range of
Exercise Prices
    Number
Outstanding
   

Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual Life

(in years)

    Weighted
Average
Exercise Price
    Number
Exercisable
   

Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual Life

(in years)

    Weighted
Average
Exercise Price
 
$ 2.09 - $3.87       5,369,992       7.9     $ 3.24       3,298,050       7.0     $ 3.49  
$ 3.96 - $5.30       3,470,000       8.5     $ 4.16       1,066,111       7.6     $ 4.07  

 

Non-Plan Options

 

In addition to options granted under stock option plans, during the years ended October 31, 2012 and 2013, the Board of Directors approved the grant of stock options to certain employees and directors. Information regarding stock options that were granted outside of share plans for the six months ended April 30, 2022 is as follows:

    Shares     Weighted
Average Exercise
Price Per Share
    Aggregate Intrinsic Value
(in thousands)
 
Options outstanding at October 31, 2021     1,642,000     $ 2.58          
Options outstanding and exercisable at
April 30, 2022
    1,642,000     $ 2.58     $ 1,108  

 

 

The following table summarizes information about stock options outstanding and exercisable that were granted outside of share plans as of April 30, 2022:

 

Range of

Exercise Prices

   

Number
Outstanding

and

Exercisable

   

Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life

(in years)

    Weighted
Average
Exercise Price
 
$ 2.58       1,642,000       0.3     $ 2.58  

 

Stock Awards

 

For stock awards granted to employees, directors and consultants that vest upon grant, we recognize expense at the date of grant based on the grant date closing price of the underlying common stock. We did not grant any stock awards that vested upon grant during the six months ended April 30, 2022 or 2021.

 

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

 

The Company maintains the Anixa Biosciences, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”) which permits eligible employees to purchase shares at not less than 85% of the market value of the Company’s common stock on the offering date or the purchase date of the applicable offering period, whichever is lower. The plan was adopted by our Board of Directors on August 13, 2018 and approved by our shareholders on September 27, 2018. During the six months ended April 30, 2022 and 2021, employees purchased 2,389 and 1,634 shares, respectively, with aggregate proceeds of approximately $7,000 and $3,000, respectively.

 

Warrants

 

On October 30, 2020, we issued a warrant, expiring on October 30, 2025, to purchase 60,000 shares of common stock at $2.06 per share, vesting over five months, to a consultant for investor relations services. We recorded consulting expense of approximately $38,000 and $96,000, respectively, during the three and six months ended April 30, 2021, based on the fair value of the warrant on the date of grant recognized on a straight-line basis over the vesting period. On November 16, 2021, the warrant was exercised on a cashless basis and 25,484 shares were withheld as payment.

 

On November 1, 2021 we issued a warrant, expiring on October 30, 2026, to purchase 60,000 shares of common stock at $4.77 per share, vesting over five months, to a consultant for investor relations services. We recorded consulting expense of approximately $110,000 and $220,000, respectively, during the three and six months ended April 30, 2022, based on the fair value of the warrant on the date of grant recognized on a straight-line basis over the vesting period.

 

As of April 30, 2022, we also had warrants outstanding to purchase 300,000 shares of common stock at $6.56 per share, issued during fiscal year 2021 and expiring on March 22, 2026.