Rewarding Key Personnel: Restricted Stock or Options?
As I write this post, I am in the process of helping an early-stage client develop a stock-based compensation plan for a key officer. The principal choice was between a stock option and restricted stock.
A stock option is the right to purchase a specified number of shares at a specified price at some point in the future. The option typically “vests” over a period of years. The longer the individual stays with the company, the greater the portion of the option s/he has the right to exercise. At the end of the vesting period, the individual has the right to purchase all of the shares specified in the option. (more…)
