Note 12. Stock-based Compensation Plans
2020 Stock Incentive Plan
In January 2020, Legacy Hyzon adopted the 2020 Stock Incentive Plan
(the “2020 Plan”) under which employees, directors, and consultants
may be granted various forms of equity incentive compensation
including incentive and non-qualified options.
A total number of 16,250,000 reserved shares of common stock were
reserved for awards under the 2020 Plan. Shares of common stock
issued under the Plan may be either authorized but unissued shares
or reacquired common stock of Legacy Hyzon. Under the 2020 Plan,
the exercise period of options is determined when granted, and
options expire no later than fifteen years from the date of grant,
subject to terms and limitations relative to termination of service
and ownership percentages of the voting power of all classes of
Legacy Hyzon’s stock.
The 2020 Plan was terminated in connection with the Business
Combination in July 2021, and Legacy Hyzon will not grant any
additional awards under the 2020 Plan. Any ungranted shares under
the 2020 plan expired. However, the 2020 Plan will continue to
govern the terms and conditions of the outstanding awards
previously granted under it. At the closing of the Business
Combination, the outstanding awards under the 2020 Plan were
converted at an Exchange Ratio of 1.772. Share and per share
information below have been converted from historical disclosure
based on the Exchange Ratio.
2021 Equity Incentive Plan
The 2021 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2021 Plan”) was approved by
the Board of Directors on June 24, 2021, and subsequently
approved by the stockholders on July 15, 2021. The 2021 Plan
provides for the grant of stock options, stock appreciation rights,
restricted stock, RSU and performance awards to the Company’s
employees, directors, and consultants. The number of shares of the
Company’s common stock reserved for issuance under the 2021 Plan is
23,226,543 shares. In connection with the Business Combination,
21,339,493 shares of Class A common stock subject to outstanding
equity awards granted under the 2020 Plan are converted into equity
awards under the 2021 Plan. The number of shares of common stock
available for issuance under the 2021 Plan will also include an
annual increase on the first day of each year beginning in 2022 and
ending in 2031, equal to the lesser of (A) two and
one-half percent of the
shares outstanding on the last day of the immediately preceding
fiscal year and (B) such smaller number of shares as
determined by the Board of Directors.
Former CTO Retirement Agreement
In September 2021, the Company and former Chief Technology Officer
(“former CTO”) entered into a Letter Agreement
(the “Agreement”) concerning the former CTO’s retirement and
separation from Hyzon. Pursuant to the Agreement, for a period of
24 months commencing on September 18, 2021 (the “Initial Consulting
Period”), he will serve as a consultant to Hyzon. In exchange for
services provided during the Initial Consulting Period, he will
receive $20,000 per month. Subject to conditions of the Letter
Agreement, the 1,772,000 stock options previously granted pursuant
to his employment agreement with the Company will continue to vest
annually in equal installments on April 1, 2022 through April 1,
2025. He also will be entitled to receive 250,000 RSUs of Hyzon,
half of which vested after his retirement date and half of which
will vest on or after the one-year anniversary of his retirement
date. The service condition in the Agreement related to the vesting
of these awards was determined to be non-substantive, and
therefore, the Company recognized stock-based compensation expense
of $13.4 million immediately in September 2021. In addition, the
Company recognized salary expense of $0.5 million related to his
monthly consulting payments.
Stock-based Compensation Activities
During the three months ended September 30, 2021, the Company
did not grant any stock options. During the nine months ended
September 30, 2021, the Company granted 134,672 stock options
with a weighted average grant date fair value of $1.68 per share
that vest over five years. During the three months ended
September 30, 2021, 221,500 options were exercised resulting
in proceeds of $0.3 million, and 107,206 options were
forfeited or replaced. During the nine months ended
September 30, 2021, 354,409 options were exercised resulting
in proceeds of $0.4 million, and 174,542 options were
forfeited or replaced. There was no option activity in the three
months ended September 30, 2020, or the period from inception
(January 21, 2020) to September 30, 2020.
During the three months ended September 30, 2021, the Company
granted 864,765 RSUs with a weighted average grant date fair value
of $8.04 per share. During the three months ended
September 30, 2021, 450,643 RSUs were forfeited. During the
nine months ended September 30, 2021, the Company granted
2,622,589 RSUs with a weighted average grant date fair value of
$4.44 per share. The RSUs granted during the three months and nine
months ended September 30, 2021, vest over periods ranging
from four to five years. The Company did not grant RSUs in the
three months ended September 30, 2020, or the period from
inception (January 21, 2020) to September 30, 2020.
As of September 30, 2021, there were 19,757,800 options with a
weighted average exercise price of $1.13, and 2,171,946 RSUs
outstanding. There were no stock options or RSUs outstanding as of
September 30, 2020.
The Company recognized stock-based compensation expense, inclusive
of all employees, former CTO’s awards, and earnout shares to other
equity holders, of $27.2 million and $28.1 million for
the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021,
respectively. As of September 30, 2020, the total remaining
unrecognized compensation expense related to nonvested stock-based
compensation awards was $12.6 million, which is expected to be
recognized over the remaining vesting period of the respective
grants, through the third quarter of 2026.
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