NOTE 8 – STOCK OPTION PLANS

On February 7, 2014, the Company adopted the 2014 Equity Compensation Plan. Under this plan, the Company may issue options to purchase shares of common stock to employees, directors, advisors, and consultants. The aggregate number of shares that may be issued under this plan is 30,420,148. On April 16, 2015, the majority stockholder of the Company approved an increase in the Company’s 2014 Equity Compensation Plan by 15 million shares.

Under the terms of the 2014 Equity Compensation Plan and the 2006 Stock Incentive Plan (collectively, the “Plans”), incentive stock options may be granted to employees at a price per share not less than 100% of the fair market value at date of grant. If the incentive stock option is granted to a 10% stockholder, then the purchase or exercise price per share shall not be less than 110% of the fair market value per share of common stock on the grant date. Non-statutory stock options and restricted stock may be granted to employees, directors, advisors, and consultants at a price per share, not less than 100% of the fair market value at date of grant. Options granted are exercisable, unless specified differently in the grant documents, over a default term of ten years from the date of grant and generally vest over a period of four years.

A summary of stock option activity is as follows:

The aggregate intrinsic value in the table above is before applicable income taxes and represents the excess amount over the exercise price option recipients would have received if all options had been exercised on December 31, 2016, based on a valuation of the Company’s stock for that day.

A summary of the Company’s non-vested options for the year ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, are presented below:

As of December 31, 2016, total unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to unvested stock options was $3,500, which is expected to be expensed over the next two-quarters.

Under ASC Nos. 718 and 505, the Company estimates the fair value of stock options granted on each grant date using the Black-Scholes option valuation model and recognizes an expense ratably over the requisite service period. The range of fair value assumptions related to options outstanding were as follows as of December 31:

The expected volatility was calculated based on the historical volatilities of publicly traded peer companies, determined by the Company, and the historical volatility of the Company. The risk-free interest rate used was based on the U.S. Treasury constant maturity rate in effect at the time of grant for the expected term of the stock options to be valued. The expected dividend yield was zero, as the Company does not anticipate paying a dividend within the relevant timeframe. Due to a lack of historical information needed to estimate the Company’s expected term, it was estimated using the simplified method allowed under ASC Nos. 718 and 505. In calculating the number of options issued in lieu of pay during the year ended December 31, 2016, the Company used assumptions comparable to December 31, 2015, with a 20-day weighted average stock price.

As part of the requirements of ASC Nos. 718 and 505, the Company is required to estimate potential forfeitures of stock grants and adjust stock based compensation expense accordingly. The estimate of forfeitures will be adjusted over the requisite service period to the extent that actual forfeitures differ, or are expected to differ, from such estimates. Changes in estimated forfeitures will be recognized in the period of change and will also impact the amount of stock based compensation expenses to be recognized in future periods.

The Company recognized $376,896 and $1,413,552 in stock based compensation expense related to options during the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Of these amounts, $227,784 and $830,545 were related to 3,796,385 and 4,473,225 options issued to employees in lieu of salaries accrued for services during the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. $66,445 and $211,694 were related to 1,107,417 and 1,131,702 options issued to consultants in lieu of fees accrued for services during the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. $3,500 and $0 were related to 50,000 and 0 vested options issued to a consultant as compensation for services during the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. $79,167 and $167,885 were related to 1,152,778 and 851,963 options issued to directors as compensation for services during the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. $0 and $199,468 were related to stock options issued in prior years that vested during the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. $0 and $3,960 were related to stock options exercised during the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Option exercise

On October 26, 2015, the Company issued 25,556 shares of common stock in the Company to a consultant in connection with the cashless exercise of a stock option for 41,851 shares of common stock at $0.155 per share with 16,295 shares of common stock withheld with an aggregate fair market value equal to the aggregate exercise price.