Share-Based Compensation |
(11) Share-Based Compensation 2013 Equity Incentive Plan In 2013, the Company adopted the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan ( the “2013 Plan”) which provided for the grant of qualified incentive stock options (“ISOs”), nonqualified stock options (“NSOs”), restricted stock, restricted stock units (“RSUs”) or other awards to the Company’s employees, officers, directors, advisors, and outside consultants. After the Business Combination became effective on March 2, 2022, no additional awards were issued under the 2013 Plan. Awards outstanding under the 2013 Plan will continue to be governed by such plan; however, the Company will not grant any further awards under the 2013 Plan. 2022 Equity Incentive Plan In connection with the Business Combination (Note 2), the shareholders approved the Rigetti Computing, Inc. 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2022 Plan”) which provides for the grant of ISOs, NSOs, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock awards, RSUs, performance awards and other forms of awards to employees, directors, and consultants, including employees and consultants of the Company’s affiliates. As of March 31, 2024, there were 27,793,002 shares of common stock reserved for issuance under the 2022 Plan, of which 13,225,115 shares remain available for future issuance. The number of shares reserved for issuance under the 2022 Plan will automatically increase on January 1st of each year for a period of nine years commencing on January 1, 2023 and ending on (and including) January 1, 2032, in an amount equal to 5% of the total number of shares of common stock of all classes outstanding on a fully diluted basis on December 31 of the preceding year; provided, however, that the board of directors of the Company may act prior to January 1st of a given year to provide that the increase for such year will be a lesser number of shares of Common Stock. Accordingly, as of January 1, 2024, the number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance under the “2022 Plan” increased by 9,119,816 shares. Stock Option Activity The following is a summary of stock option activity during the three months ended March 31, 2024: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Weighted | | Weighted- | | | | | | | | Average | | Average | | Aggregate | | | | | Exercise | | Contractual | | Intrinsic | | | Options Outstanding | | Price Per Share | | Life (in years) | | Value | Outstanding, December 31, 2023 | | 7,049,290 | | $ | 0.82 | | 8.23 | | $ | 2,017 | Granted | | 500,000 | | | 2.03 | | | | | | Exercised | | (219,191) | | | 0.27 | | | | $ | 285 | Forfeited and expired | | (22,015) | | | 0.27 | | | | | | Outstanding and expected to vest, March 31, 2024 | | 7,308,084 | | $ | 0.92 | | 8.21 | | $ | 5,047 | Exercisable, March 31, 2024 | | 3,036,084 | | $ | 0.50 | | 6.76 | | $ | 3,181 |
The weighted-average grant date fair value of stock options granted during the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 was $1.74 and $0.55 per share, respectively. The intrinsic value of an option is the amount by which the market price of the underlying common stock exceeds the option’s exercise price. The intrinsic value of stock options exercised during the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 was $0.3 million and $1.2 million, respectively. The Company received proceeds from stock option exercises of $0.1 million and $0.8 million during the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Stock-based compensation expense related to stock options granted to employees was $0.4 million for each of the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. As of March 31, 2024, the unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested stock options was $4.0 million, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.69 years. Fair Value of Stock Option Grants The fair value of each stock option award is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model that uses the assumptions noted in the table below. Expected volatility for the Company’s Common Stock was determined based on a blended average of the historical volatility of a peer group of similar public companies and the implied volatility from the Company’s traded warrants. The Company has not been public for a sufficient length of time to derive expected volatility from trading in its common stock. The expected term of stock options granted was calculated using the simplified method, which represents the average of the contractual term and the weighted-average vesting period of the option. The Company uses the simplified method because it does not have sufficient historical option exercise data to provide a reasonable basis upon which to estimate expected term. The assumed dividend yield is based upon the Company’s expectation of not paying dividends in the foreseeable future. The risk-free rate is based upon the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant for the period equivalent to the expected term of the stock option. In determining the exercise prices for stock options granted, the Company’s board of directors has utilized the fair value of the Common Stock as of the grant date. Before the Business Combination, the fair value of the Common Stock had been determined by the board of directors at each award grant date based upon a variety of factors, including the results obtained from an independent third-party valuation, the Company’s financial position and historical financial performance, the status of technological developments within the Company, the composition and ability of the current engineering and management team, an evaluation or benchmark of the Company’s competition, the current business climate in the marketplace, the illiquid nature of the Company’s common stock, arm’s-length sales of the Company’s capital stock, the effect of the rights and preferences of the preferred shareholders, and the prospects of a liquidity event, among others. All of the Company’s outstanding stock options have a time-based vesting condition ranging from 1-5 years, except that 500,000 stock options granted in 2022 have a market-based vesting condition. The weighted average valuation assumptions used as inputs to the Black-Scholes option-pricing model to value stock options granted during the three months ended March 31, 2024, were as follows: | | | | Time-based | | Stock Option | | | Grants | Valuation Assumptions | March 18, 2024 | Strike price | $ | 2.03 | Annual volatility (%) | | 113.00% | Risk- free rate (%) | | 4.35% | Expected term (years) | | 6.02 |
RSUs The following is a summary of RSU activity during the three months ended March 31, 2024: | | | | | | | | | | Weighted Average | | | | | Grant Date Fair | | | Shares | | Value | Non-vested at December 31, 2023 | | 11,517,422 | | $ | 2.20 | Granted | | 640,730 | | | 2.03 | Forfeited | | (683,416) | | | 2.28 | Vested | | (1,322,630) | | | 2.57 | Non-vested at March 31, 2024 | | 10,152,106 | | $ | 2.19 |
The aggregate fair value of outstanding RSUs based on the closing share price of the Company’s common stock at March 31, 2024, was $15.5 million. The total fair value of RSUs that vested during the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, based on the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the vesting date, was $2.1 million and $0.7 million, respectively. Fair Value of RSUs Awards During the three months ended March 31, 2024, the Company issued 640,730 time-based RSUs. The time-based RSUs vest over periods ranging from 1-4 years and require continuous employment. During the three months ended March 31, 2023, the Company issued 919,545 time-based RSUs and 3,850,000 market-based RSUs. The time-based RSUs vest over periods ranging from 1-4 years and require continuous employment. The market-based RSUs vest only if certain share price thresholds are achieved and require continuous employment. Based upon the terms of such awards, 50% of the shares vest if the Company’s Common Stock trades at or above $2.00 per share, and the other 50% of the shares vest if the Company’s Common Stock trades at or above $4.00 per share, for 20 out of 30 trading days through the fifth anniversary of the grant date. The fair value of the Company’s time-based RSUs was calculated based on the fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant. The fair value of the Company’s market-based RSUs was calculated using a Monte Carlo simulation model at the date of grant. The weighted-average grant date fair value for RSUs granted in the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 was $2.03 and $0.57 per RSU, respectively. Stock-based compensation expense related to RSUs granted to employees was $2.6 million and $1.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. As of March 31, 2024, the unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested RSUs was $17.2 million which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.65 years. Summarized Stock-Based Compensation Expenses The table below summarizes total stock-based compensation expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively (in thousands): : | | | | | | | | | | Three Months Ended March 31, | | | | 2024 | | 2023 | | Research and development | | $ | 1,927 | | $ | 1,527 | | Selling, general and administrative expenses | | | 1,064 | | | 176 | | Total stock-based compensation expenses | | $ | 2,991 | | $ | 1,703 | |
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