Epsilon Energy Ltd
For the period ended Dec 31, 2023. Filed Mar 21, 2024.
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FY2023 · Filed Mar 21, 2024
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Item 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Summary Compensation Table
The Board adopted the 2020 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2020 Plan”) on July 22, 2020 subject to approval by Epsilon’s shareholders at Epsilon’s 2020 Annual General and Special Meeting of shareholders, which occurred on September 1, 2020 (the “Meeting”). Shareholders approved the 2020 Plan at the Meeting. Following Epsilon’s listing on the NASDAQ Global Market, the Board determined that it is in the best interest of the shareholders to approve a new incentive plan that is compliant with U.S. public company equity plan rules and practices that would replace Epsilon’s Amended and Restated 2017 Stock Option Plan (including its predecessors) and the Share Compensation Plan (collectively referred to as the “Predecessor Plans”). No further awards will be granted under the Predecessor Plans.
The following table sets out information concerning the compensation paid to our principal executive officer and our two most highly compensated executive officers other than our principal executive officer, or our named executive officers, for the two years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. Compensation amounts in the following table are in U.S. dollars.
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| · · · · · · · · · · · · · Non-equity incentive · · · · · | |||||||||||||||
| · · · · · · · · · · · · · plan compensation · · · · · | |||||||||||||||
| · · · · · · · · · · · Annual · · Long-term · · · · · | |||||||||||||||
| Name and principal · · · · · Share-based · Incentive · Incentive · Other · Total | |||||||||||||||
| position · · Year · · Salary · · Bonuses · · Awards · · Plans · · Plans · · Compensation (4) · · Compensation | |||||||||||||||
| Jason Stabell, CEO (1) | 2023 | | $311,000 | | $184,000 | | $851,003 | | $— | | $— | | $7,350 | | $1,353,353 |
| | 2022 | | $150,000 | | $100,000 | | $600,000 | | $— | | $— | | $4,346 | | $854,346 |
| Henry N. Clanton, COO (2) | 2023 | | $272,000 | | $92,000 | | $92,004 | | $— | | $— | | $15,752 | | $471,756 |
| | 2022 | | $262,500 | | $117,000 | | $173,187 | | $— | | $— | | $15,250 | | $567,937 |
| | 2021 | | $250,000 | | $75,000 | | $— | | $— | | $— | | $14,500 | | $339,500 |
| Andrew Williamson, CFO (3) | 2023 | | $239,000 | | $138,000 | | $355,006 | | $— | | $— | | $12,448 | | $744,454 |
| | 2022 | | $115,000 | | $75,000 | | $250,000 | | $— | | $— | | $3,981 | | $443,981 |
| (1) | Mr. Stabell was hired as our chief executive officer in July 2022. His current base salary is $311,000. |
2023—Share award of 108,465 common shares valued at $5.08 per share, market price on the grant date of December 31, 2023, which vests evenly over a three year period.
Share award of 56,180 common shares valued at $5.34 per share, market price on the grant date of July 1, 2023. This stub grant, although awarded in 2023, was based on 2022 performance. The grant vests evenly over a three year period.
2022—Share award of 97,560 common shares valued at $6.15 per share, market price on the grant date, July 1, 2022. This grant was awarded up-front on the employment effective date as part of the employment agreement. The grant vests over a four-year period with 25% vesting on the first anniversary and an additional 6.25% vesting on the first day of each subsequent quarter, with full vesting on July 1, 2026 so long as Mr. Stabell is still employed.
| (2) | Mr. Henry Clanton was hired as our chief operating officer in January 2018. His current base salary of $272,000. |
2023—Share award of 18,111 common shares valued at $5.08 per share, market price on the grant date of December 31, 2023, which vest evenly over a three year period.
2022— Share award of 12,825 common shares valued at $6.33 per share, market price on the grant date, April 6, 2022, and a share award of 13,877 common shares valued at $6.63 per share, market price on the grant date, December 31, 2022, both of which vest evenly over a three year period, so long as Mr. Clanton is still employed.
| (3) | Mr. Andrew Williamson was hired as our chief financial officer in July 2022. His current base salary is $239,000. |
2023—Share award of 45,276 valued at $5.08 per share, market price on the grant date of December 31, 2023, which grants vest evenly over a three year period.
Share award of 23,409 common shares valued at $5.34 per share, market price on the grant date of July 1, 2023. This stub grant, although awarded in 2023, was based on 2022 performance. The grant vests evenly over a three year period.
2022— Share award of 40,650 common shares valued at $6.15 per share, market price on the grant date, July 1, 2022. This grant was awarded up-front on the employment effective date as part of the employment agreement. The grant vests over a four-year period with 25% vesting on the first anniversary and an additional 6.25% vesting on the first day of each subsequent quarter, with full vesting on July 1, 2026 so long as Mr. Williamson is still employed.
| (4) | As a Company policy, Epsilon matches on 401K contributions up to 5%. |
Description of the 2020 Equity Incentive Plan
The 2020 Plan was approved by the Board on July 22, 2020 and shareholders on September 1, 2020 as a replacement of our Amended and Restated 2017 Stock Option Plan and the Share Compensation Plan.
The 2020 Plan is administered by the Board, a committee of the Board or one or more officers delegated authority by the Board to administer the 2020 Plan. The Board has the authority in its discretion to interpret the 2020 Plan. The Board determines to whom stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock and stock units, performance shares and units, other stock-based awards and cash-based awards are granted, subject to options and all other terms and conditions of the awards.
The maximum number common shares that may be issued under the 2020 Plan is 2,000,000. As of December 31, 2023, 234,834 performance stock units (“PSUs”), and 807,677 time-based restricted shares were outstanding, leaving 957,489 shares available to be granted under the 2020 Plan.
If the shares granted under the 2020 Plan expire or terminate for any reason without having been issued or are forfeited, they again become available for grant under the 2020 Plan. Shares granted under the 2020 Plan are not transferable or assignable other than by will or other testamentary instrument or the laws of succession.
In the event we undergo a change of control by a reorganization, acquisition, amalgamation or merger (or a plan or arrangement in connection with any of these) with respect to which all or substantially all of the persons who were the beneficial owners of the common shares immediately prior to such transaction do not, following such transaction, beneficially own, directly or indirectly more than 50% of the resulting voting power, a sale of all, or substantially all, of the Company’s assets, or the liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Company, outstanding awards shall be subject to the definitive agreement entered into by the Company in connection with the change of control.
At December 31, 2023, we were authorized to issue equity securities as follows:
| · · · · · · · | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| · · Number of Shares to be · · · Weighted Average · · | ||||
| · · Issued Upon Exercise or · · · Exercise or Vesting Price · · Number of Shares Remaining | ||||
| · · Vesting of Outstanding · · · of Outstanding Options · · Available for Future Issuance | ||||
| Plan Category · · Options or Shares · · · or Shares · · Under Equity Compensation Plans | ||||
| Equity share options under Amended and Restated 2017 Stock Option Plan | 57,500 | $5.03 | — | |
| Common shares under 2020 Equity Incentive Plan | 491,536 | | $5.59 | 957,489 |
Incentive Plan Awards for Named Executive Officers
Outstanding Share-Based Awards and Option-Based Awards as of December 31, 2023 are as follows:
| · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| · · Option-based Awards · · · · · Share-based Awards · · · | ||||||||||||
| · · · · · · · · · · · · · Market or · · Market or | ||||||||||||
| · · Number of · · · · · · · · · · Number of · · Payout Value · · Payout Value of | ||||||||||||
| · · Securities · · · · · · · Value of · · Shares or Units · · of Share-Based · · Vested Share- | ||||||||||||
| · · Underlying · · Option · · Option · · Unexercised · · of Shares that · · Awards that · · Based awards | ||||||||||||
| · · Unexercised · · Exercise · · Expiration · · In-the-Money · · Have Not · · Have Not · · not Paid Out or | ||||||||||||
| Name · · Options · · Price · · Date · · Options · · Vested · · Vested · · Distributed | ||||||||||||
| Jason Stabell | — | $ | | | $— | 123,252 | $626,120 | $— | ||||
| Henry N. Clanton | 30,000 | | $5.03 | 01/30/24 | | $1,500 | 13,526 | | $68,712 | | $74,849 | |
| Andrew Williamson | — | | $ | | | | $— | 51,356 | | $260,888 | | $— |
Incentive Plan Awards—Value Vested or Earned for Named Executive Officers
The values of incentive plan awards that were vested or earned during the year ended December 31, 2023 are as follows:
| · · · · · · · · · | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| · · · · · · · · · Non-Equity Incentive Plan | |||||
| · · · Option-Based Awards—Value · · · Share-based awards—Value · · · Compensation—Value Earned | |||||
| Name · · · Vested During the Year · · · Vested During the Year · · · During the Year | |||||
| Jason Stabell | $— | $162,806 | $ | N/A | |
| Henry N. Clanton | | $— | $80,985 | $ | N/A |
| Andrew Williamson | | $— | $67,834 | $ | N/A |
We have adopted the 2020 Plan as an incentive-based share award plan applicable to all named executive officers and employees.
Change of control is defined as any event whereby any person acquires at least 50% of the Company’s stock or if a group of shareholders causes at least 50% of the board members to change.
DIRECTOR COMPENSATION
The following table contains compensation earned in the year ended December 31, 2023 by our independent directors who are not named executive officers:
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| · · · · · · · · Non-Equity · · · · · · | ||||||||||
| · · · · Share-Based · · Incentive Plan · · All Other · · · | ||||||||||
| Name · Fees Earned · Awards · Compensation · Compensation · Total | ||||||||||
| John Lovoi | | $95,000 | | $65,000 | | $— | | $— | | $160,000 |
| Tracy Stephens | | $65,000 | | $65,000 | | $— | | $— | | $130,000 |
| David Winn | | $70,000 | | $65,000 | | $— | | $— | | $135,000 |
| Jason Stankowski | | $55,000 | | $65,000 | | $— | | $— | | $120,000 |
| Nicola Maddox | | $34,507 | | $40,781 | | $— | | $— | | $75,288 |
On a quarterly basis, we compensate each director for services rendered (unless a director elects not to receive payment) and reimburse reasonable out-of-pocket travel expenses when incurred.
As of January 1, 2023, board member compensation is fixed at an annual fee of $55,000 paid in cash quarterly and $65,000 as a share-based award valued at the prior year-end share price (vesting evenly over a three year period). The chairman of the board receives an additional $40,000 annual cash fee, the chairman of the audit committee receives an
additional $15,000 annual cash fee, and the chairman of the compensation, nominating, and corporate governance committee receives an additional $10,000 annual cash fee.
Incentive Plan Awards—Value Vested or Earned During the Year for Directors (Other Than Named Executive Officers)
Outstanding Share-Based Awards and Option-Based Awards as of December 31, 2023 are as follows:
| · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| · Option-based Awards · · Share-based Awards | |||||||||||||
| · · · · · · · · · · · · · · Market or · · Market or | |||||||||||||
| · · Number of · · · · · · · · · · Number of · · Payout Value · · Payout Value of | |||||||||||||
| · · Securities · · · · · · · Value of · · Shares or Units · · of Share-Based · · Vested Share- | |||||||||||||
| · · Underlying · · Option · · Option · · Unexercised · · of Shares that · · Awards that · · Based awards | |||||||||||||
| · · Unexercised · · Exercise · · Expiration · · In-the-Money · · Have Not · · Have Not · · not Paid Out or | |||||||||||||
| Name · · Options · · Price · · Date · · Options · · Vested · · Vested · · Distributed | |||||||||||||
| John Lovoi | — | $— | | $— | | 23,403 | $118,887 | $46,401 | |||||
| Tracy Stephens | — | | $— | | $— | | 11,403 | | $57,927 | | $46,401 | ||
| David Winn | — | | $— | | | $— | | 11,403 | | $57,927 | | $27,777 | |
| Jason Stankowski | | — | | $— | | $— | | 11,403 | | $57,927 | | $27,777 | |
| Nicola Maddox | | — | | $— | | $— | | 4,101 | | $20,833 | | $10,414 | |
The values of incentive plan awards that were vested or earned during the year ended December 31, 2023 are as follows:
| · · · · · · · · · | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| · · · · · · · · · Non-Equity Incentive Plan | |||||
| · · · Option-Based Awards—Value · · · Share-based awards—Value · · · Compensation—Value Earned | |||||
| Name · · · Vested During the Year · · · Vested During the Year · · · During the Year | |||||
| John Lovoi | $— | $97,834 | $ | N/A | |
| Tracy Stephens | | $— | $60,509 | $ | N/A |
| David Winn | | $— | $41,886 | $ | N/A |
| Jason Stankowski | | $— | $41,886 | $ | N/A |
| Nicola Maddox | | $— | $10,414 | $ | N/A |
Directors and Officers Liability Insurance
We maintain directors’ and officers’ liability insurance for the protection of our directors and officers against liability incurred by them in their capacities as our directors and officers. The policy provides an aggregate limit of liability of $35,000,000 with a retention held by the Company of $1,500,000. The current annual premium for the Directors’ and Officers’ liability insurance is approximately $375,000 and is re-bid annually. The premium is not allocated between Directors and Officers as separate groups.
The text of this filing, as the company filed it with the SEC, without its images or exhibits. This is not investment advice.