v3.26.1
STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2026
Share-Based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]  
STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

NOTE 18. STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

SUMMARY OF STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

A summary of share activity for all equity classified stock compensation during the three months ended March 31, 2026 is presented below.

Type of Award

  ​ ​ ​

Shares Outstanding at 1/1/2026

  ​ ​ ​

Granted Shares

Vested / Exercised Shares

Expired Shares

Forfeited Shares

  ​ ​ ​

Shares Outstanding at 3/31/2026

Equity Classified - Performance Share Awards - Peer Group Market Condition Vesting

262,887

121,053

(69,558)

314,382

Equity Classified - Three Year Vest Restricted Shares

203,252

131,892

(94,648)

(386)

240,110

Total Shares

466,139

252,945

(164,206)

(386)

554,492

Amounts recognized in the financial statements for stock-based compensation are as follows (in thousands):

Three Months Ended

  ​ ​ ​

March 31, 2026

  ​ ​ ​

March 31, 2025

Total Cost of Share-Based Plans Charged Against Income

$

1,406

$

1,283

EQUITY-CLASSIFIED STOCK COMPENSATION

Performance Share Awards – Peer Group Market Condition Vesting

Performance shares have been granted to certain employees under the Fifth Amended and Restated CTO Realty Growth, Inc. 2010 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2010 Plan”). The performance share awards entitle the recipient to receive, upon the vesting thereof, shares of common stock of the Company equal to between 0% and 150% of the number of performance shares awarded. The number of shares of common stock ultimately received by the award recipient is determined based on the Company’s total stockholder return as compared to the total stockholder return of a certain peer group during a three-year performance period. The Company granted a total of 121,053 performance shares during the three months ended March 31, 2026.

The Company used a Monte Carlo simulation pricing model to determine the fair value of its awards that are based on market conditions. The determination of the fair value of market condition-based awards is affected by the Company’s stock price as well as assumptions regarding a number of other variables. These variables include expected stock price volatility over the requisite performance term of the awards, the relative performance of the Company’s stock price and stockholder returns to companies in its peer group, annual dividends, and a risk-free interest rate assumption. Compensation cost is recognized regardless of the achievement of the market conditions, provided the requisite service period is met.

As of March 31, 2026, there was $3.9 million of unrecognized compensation cost, adjusted for estimated forfeitures, related to the non-vested performance share awards, which will be recognized over a remaining weighted average period of 2.2 years.

A summary of the activity for these awards during the three months ended March 31, 2026 is presented below:

Performance Shares With Market Conditions

  ​ ​ ​

Shares

Wtd. Avg. Fair Value Per Share

Non-Vested at January 1, 2026

262,887

$

18.29

Granted

121,053

$

20.51

Vested

(69,558)

$

18.10

Expired

Forfeited

Non-Vested at March 31, 2026

314,382

$

19.19


Restricted Shares

Restricted shares have been granted to certain employees under the 2010 Plan. Certain of the restricted shares vest on each of the first, second, and third anniversaries of January 28 of the applicable year provided the grantee is an employee of the Company on those dates. In addition, any unvested portion of the restricted shares will vest upon a change in control. The Company granted a total of 131,892 shares of restricted Company common stock during the three months ended March 31, 2026.

The Company’s determination of the fair value of the restricted stock awards was calculated by multiplying the number of shares issued by the Company’s stock price at the grant date. Compensation cost is recognized on a straight-line basis over the applicable vesting period.

As of March 31, 2026, there was $4.2 million of unrecognized compensation cost, adjusted for estimated forfeitures, related to the non-vested restricted share awards, which will be recognized over a remaining weighted average period of 2.3 years.

A summary of the activity for these awards during the three months ended March 31, 2026 is presented below:

Non-Vested Restricted Shares

  ​ ​ ​

Shares

  ​ ​ ​

Wtd. Avg. Fair Value Per Share

Non-Vested at January 1, 2026

203,252

$

19.02

Granted

131,892

$

18.49

Vested

(94,648)

$

18.75

Expired

Forfeited

(386)

$

18.91

Non-Vested at March 31, 2026

240,110

$

18.84

NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTOR STOCK COMPENSATION

Each member of the Company’s Board of Directors has the option to receive his or her annual cash retainer and applicable committee retainers in shares of Company common stock rather than cash. The number of shares awarded to the directors making such election is calculated quarterly by dividing (i) the sum of (A) the amount of the quarterly retainer payment due to such director, by (ii) the trailing 20-day average price of the Company’s common stock as of the last day of the quarter, rounded down to the nearest whole number of shares.

Each non-employee director serving as of the beginning of each calendar year shall receive an annual award of the Company’s common stock. The value of such award totaled $62,500 for each of the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025 (the “Annual Award”). The number of shares awarded is calculated based on the trailing 20-day average price of the Company’s common stock as of the date two business days prior to the date of the award, rounded down to the nearest whole number of shares.

During the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025, the expense recognized for the value of the Company’s common stock received by non-employee directors totaled $0.4 million, or 20,948 shares, and $0.4 million, or 20,605 shares, respectively. The expense recognized includes the Annual Award received during the first quarter of each respective year, which totaled $0.3 million during each of the three month periods ended March 31, 2026 and 2025, respectively.