Preferred Stock

The Company’s non-voting Series B Preferred Stock has a preference in liquidation of $1.00 per share less any dividends previously paid. Additionally, the Series B Preferred Stock is redeemable at the discretion of the Company for $1.00 per share less any dividends previously paid. In the event that the Company’s proceeds from sale or disposition of Export Water rights exceed $36,026,232, the Series B Preferred Stock holders will receive the next $432,513 of proceeds in the form of a dividend.

Equity Compensation Plan

The Company maintains the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2014 Equity Plan”), which was approved by shareholders in January 2014 and became effective April 12, 2014. Executives, eligible employees, consultants and non-employee directors are eligible to receive options and stock grants pursuant to the 2014 Equity Plan. Pursuant to the 2014 Equity Plan, options to purchase shares of stock and restricted stock awards can be granted with exercise prices, vesting conditions and other performance criteria determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board. The Company has reserved 1.6 million shares of common stock for issuance under the 2014 Equity Plan. Awards to purchase 62,000 shares of the Company’s common stock have been made under the 2014 Equity Plan. Prior to the effective date of the 2014 Equity Plan, the Company granted stock awards to eligible participants under its 2004 Incentive Plan (the “2004 Incentive Plan”), which expired April 11, 2014. No additional awards may be granted pursuant to the 2004 Incentive Plan; however, awards outstanding as of April 11, 2014, will continue to vest and expire and may be exercised in accordance with the terms of the 2004 Incentive Plan.

The Company estimates the fair value of share-based payment awards on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model (“Black-Scholes model”). Using the Black-Scholes model, the value of the portion of the award that is ultimately expected to vest is recognized as a period expense over the requisite service period in the statement of comprehensive loss. Option forfeitures are to be estimated at the time of grant and revised, if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from those estimates. The Company does not expect any forfeiture of its option grants and therefore the compensation expense has not been reduced for estimated forfeitures. During fiscal year 2017, 15,000 options expired. During fiscal year 2016, 10,000 options expired. The Company attributes the value of share-based compensation to expense using the straight-line single option method for all options granted.

The Company’s determination of the estimated fair value of share-based payment awards on the date of grant is affected by the following variables and assumptions:

In January 2017, the Company granted its non-employee directors options to purchase a combined 32,500 shares of the Company’s common stock pursuant to the 2014 Equity Plan. All of the options vest one year after the date of grant, and expire 10 years after the date of grant. The Company calculated the fair value of the options granted during January 2017 at approximately $112,700, using the Black-Scholes model with the following variables: weighted average exercise price of $5.10 (which was the closing sales price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant); estimated option lives of 10 years; weighted average risk free interest rate of 2.42%; weighted average stock price volatility of 57.56%; and an estimated forfeiture rate of 0%. The $112,700 of stock-based compensation is being expensed monthly over the vesting periods.

In October 2016, the Company granted its President an option to purchase 50,000 shares of the Company’s common stock pursuant to the 2014 Equity Plan. The option vests one-third one year from the date of grant, one-third two years from the date of grant, and one-third three years from the date of grant. The option expires 10 years from the date of grant. The Company calculated the fair value of this option at approximately $188,300 using the Black-Scholes model with the following variables: weighted average exercise price of $5.61 (which was the closing sales price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant); estimated option life of 10 years; estimated dividend rate of 0%; weighted average risk-free interest rate of 1.79%; weighted average stock price volatility of 57.85%; and an estimated forfeiture rate of 0%. The $188,300 of stock-based compensation as being expensed monthly over the vesting period. In September 2016, the Company granted employee options to purchase 60,000 shares of the Company’s common stock pursuant to the 2014 Equity Plan. The options vest one-third one year from the date of grant, one-third two years from the date of grant, and one-third three years from the date of grant. The options expire 10 years from the date of grant. The Company calculated the fair value of these options at approximately $222,500 using the Black-Scholes model with the following variables: weighted average exercise price of $5.56 (which was the closing sales price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant); estimated option life of 10 years; estimated dividend rate of 0%; weighted average risk-free interest rate of 1.560%; weighted average stock price volatility of 57.81%; and an estimated forfeiture rate of 0%. The $222,500 of stock-based compensation as being expensed monthly over the vesting period.

In January 2016, the Company granted its non-employee directors options to purchase a combined 36,000 shares of the Company’s common stock pursuant to the 2014 Equity Plan. Options for 26,000 shares vest one year after the date of grant and options for 10,000 shares vest one half one year after the date of grant and one half two years after the date of grant. All of the options expire 10 years after the date of grant. The Company calculated the fair value of the options granted during January 2016 at approximately $104,100, using the Black-Scholes model with the following variables: weighted average exercise price of $4.26 (which was the closing sales price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant); estimated option lives of 10 years; weighted average risk free interest rate of 2.06%; weighted average stock price volatility of 58.26%; and an estimated forfeiture rate of 0%. The $104,100 of stock-based compensation is being expensed monthly over the vesting periods.

In January 2015, the Company granted its non-employee directors options to purchase a combined 26,000 shares of the Company’s common stock pursuant to the 2014 Equity Plan. The options vest one year after the date of grant and expire 10 years after the date of grant. The Company calculated the fair value of the options granted during January 2015 at approximately $72,000, using the Black-Scholes model with the following variables: weighted average exercise price of $4.17 (which was the closing sales price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant); estimated option lives of 10 years; weighted average risk free interest rate of 1.77%; weighted average stock price volatility of 57.45%; and an estimated forfeiture rate of 0%. The $72,000 of stock-based compensation is being expensed monthly over the vesting periods.

During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2015, 16,500 options were exercised. No options were exercised during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2017 or 2016.

The following table summarizes the stock option activity for the combined 2004 Incentive Plan and 2014 Equity Plan for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2017:

The following table summarizes the activity and value of non-vested options as of and for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2017:

All non-vested options are expected to vest. The total fair value of options vested during the fiscal years ended August 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015 was $90,500 $216,900, and $280,700, respectively. The weighted average grant date fair value of options granted during the fiscal years ended August 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015 was $3.67, $2.89, and $2.78, respectively.

Share-based compensation expense for the fiscal years ended August 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, was $233,200, $219,900, and $240,000, respectively.

At August 31, 2017, the Company had unrecognized expenses relating to non-vested options that are expected to vest totaling $335,800. The weighted-average period over which these options are expected to vest is less than three years. The Company has not recorded any excess tax benefits to additional paid in capital.

Warrants

As of August 31, 2017, the Company had outstanding warrants to purchase 92 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $1.80 per share. These warrants expire six months from the earlier of:

No warrants were exercised during fiscal 2017, 2016 or 2015.