NOTE 6 – EQUITY-BASED COMPENSATION:

The Amended and Restated 2000 Graham Corporation Incentive Plan to Increase Shareholder Value, as approved by the Company’s stockholders at the Annual Meeting on July 28, 2016, provides for the issuance of up to 1,375 shares of common stock in connection with grants of incentive stock options, non-qualified stock options, stock awards and performance awards to officers, key employees and outside directors; provided, however, that no more than 467 shares of common stock may be used for awards other than stock options.  Stock options may be granted at prices not less than the fair market value at the date of grant and expire no later than ten years after the date of grant.

 No restricted stock awards were granted in the three-month periods ended December 31, 2019 and 2018.  Restricted stock awards granted in the nine-month periods ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 were 83 and 53, respectively.  Restricted shares of 40 and 27 granted to officers in fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2019, respectively, vest 100% on the third anniversary of the grant date subject to the satisfaction of the performance metrics for the applicable three-year period.  Restricted shares of 28 and 20 granted to officers and key employees in fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2019, respectively, vest 33⅓% per year over a three-year term.  Restricted shares of 15 and 6 granted to directors in fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2019, respectively, vest 100% on the first year anniversary of the grant date.  No stock option awards were granted in the three-month or nine-month periods ended December 31, 2019 and 2018.

During the three months ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company recognized equity-based compensation costs related to restricted stock awards of $308 and $263, respectively.  The income tax benefit recognized related to equity-based compensation was $67 and $59 for the three months ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.  During the nine months ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company recognized equity-based compensation costs related to restricted stock awards of $709 and $797, respectively.  The income tax benefit recognized related to equity-based compensation was $156 and $177 for the nine months ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.   

The Company has an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "ESPP"), which allows eligible employees to purchase shares of the Company's common stock at a discount of up to 15% of its fair market value on the (1) last, (2) first or (3) lower of the last or first day of the six-month offering period.  A total of 200 shares of common stock may be purchased under the ESPP.  During the three months ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company recognized equity-based compensation costs of $11 and $0, respectively, related to the ESPP and $3 and $0, respectively, of related tax benefits.  During the nine months ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company recognized equity-based compensation costs of $22 and $0, respectively, related to the ESPP and $5 and $0, respectively, of related tax benefits.