Stock-Based Compensation |
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| Stock-Based Compensation | Stock-Based Compensation Common Stock
Each share of common stock is entitled to one vote per share and holders of the common stock vote as a single class of stock on any matter that is submitted to a vote of stockholders.
Employee Stock-Based Compensation Plans
At December 31, 2025, the Company had stock-based compensation awards outstanding under the following plans: the 2010 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended, or 2010 Plan, the 2010 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, or ESPP and the 2024 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan, or the Inducement Plan.
2010 Equity Incentive Plan
The 2010 Plan, as amended, provides for the grant of incentive stock options, non-statutory stock options, restricted stock awards, restricted stock unit awards, stock appreciation rights, performance-based stock awards, and other forms of equity compensation, or collectively, stock awards. The number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance will automatically increase on the first day of each fiscal year, equal to the lesser of: 2,583,311 shares of the Company’s common stock; four percent (4%) of the outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock on the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year; or such lesser amount as the Company’s board of directors may determine. Options granted will generally vest over a period of four years and the term can be from to ten years. The plan expires in August 2026, unless terminated earlier by action of the board of directors.
Awards granted under the 2010 Plan, as amended, are subject to a compensation recovery policy adopted by the Company on August 9, 2023, or the Policy, that applies to certain incentive-based compensation that is received on or after October 2, 2023. The Policy requires the Company to recover certain excess incentive-based compensation from current and former executive officers if the Company is required to prepare an accounting restatement due to a material noncompliance of the Company with any financial reporting requirement under the securities laws or as otherwise described in the Policy and paid during the three completed fiscal years immediately preceding the trigger date, as defined in the Policy. Recoverable compensation is defined in the Policy but generally includes any incentive-based compensation that was granted, earned or vested based wholly or in part upon attainment of any financial reporting measure, to the extent the amount actually received exceeds the amount that would have been received if the incentive-based compensation had been determined based on the restated financial statements. To date, there has been no recovery or repayment of compensation from executive officers pursuant to the Policy, or any prior compensation recovery policy of the Company which it replaced, including the executive compensation clawback policy adopted by the Company on December 13, 2018, which applies to compensation that was received prior to October 2, 2023.
As of December 31, 2025, the number of shares of common stock available for future issuance under the 2010 Plan was 2,121,566, excluding restricted stock unit awards and stock options outstanding.
2010 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
The ESPP authorizes the issuance of shares of the Company’s common stock pursuant to purchase rights granted to the Company’s employees. The number of shares of the Company’s common stock reserved for issuance will automatically increase on the first day of each fiscal year, equal to the least of: 968,741 shares of the Company’s common stock; one and a quarter percent (1.25%) of the outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock on the first day of the fiscal year; or such lesser amount as may be determined by the Company’s board of directors or a committee appointed by the Company’s board of directors to administer the ESPP. The ESPP is implemented through a series of offerings of purchase rights to eligible employees. Under the ESPP, the Company may specify offerings with a duration of not more than 27 months, and may specify shorter purchase periods within each offering. Each offering will have one or more purchase dates on which shares of the Company’s common stock will be purchased for employees participating in the offering. An offering may be terminated under certain circumstances. Generally, all eligible employees, including executive officers, employed by the Company may participate in the ESPP and may contribute up to 15% of their earnings for the purchase of the Company’s common stock under the ESPP. Unless otherwise determined by the Company’s board of directors, common stock will be purchased for accounts of employees participating in the ESPP at a price per share equal to the lower of (a) 85% of the fair market value of a share of the
Company’s common stock on the first date of an offering or (b) 85% of the fair market value of a share of the Company’s common stock on the date of purchase. As of December 31, 2025, the number of shares of common stock available for future issuance under the ESPP was 6,972,641 shares.
2024 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan
On May 22, 2024, the Board of Directors adopted the Inducement Plan pursuant to Rule 5635(c)(4) of the Nasdaq Listing Rules, and, subject to the adjustment provisions of the Inducement Plan, reserved 4,000,000 shares of the Company's common stock for issuance under equity awards granted under the Inducement Plan. The Inducement Plan provides for the grant of equity-based awards, including non-statutory stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance units and performance shares, and its terms are substantially similar to the 2010 Plan, including with respect to treatment of equity awards in the event of a merger or “change in control” as defined under the Inducement Plan, but with such other terms and conditions intended to comply with the Nasdaq inducement award exception. Awards under the Inducement Plan may only be made to individuals not previously employees or non-employee directors of the Company as an inducement material to the individuals’ entry into employment with the Company. As of December 31, 2025, the number of shares of common stock available for future issuance under the Inducement Plan was 3,925,651 shares.
Employee Incentive Bonus
The Company’s Executive Incentive Bonus Plan permits the settlement of awards under the plan in any combination of cash or shares of its common stock. The Company settles a majority of bonus awards for its employees, including executives, in shares of common stock under the 2010 Equity Incentive Plan. When bonus awards are settled in common stock issued under the 2010 Equity Incentive Plan, the number of shares issuable to plan participants is determined based on the closing price of the Company’s common stock as determined in trading on the applicable stock exchange on a date approved by the Board of Directors. In connection with the Company’s bonus programs, in February 2025 and February 2024, the Company issued 0.1 million and 0.4 million freely-tradable (subject to certain restrictions for affiliates) shares, respectively, of the Company’s common stock in settlement of bonus awards to employees, including executives, for the 2025 and 2024 performance periods. At December 31, 2025, the Company has an accrual of $32.4 million for bonus awards for employees for year-to-date achievement in the 2025 performance period. The Company’s compensation committee retains discretion to effect payment of employee bonus awards in cash, stock, or a combination of cash and stock.
Stock-Based Compensation
The Company recognizes stock-based compensation in the consolidated statements of operations, based on the department to which the related employee reports, as follows:
The total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested restricted stock units as of December 31, 2025 was $90.0 million, and the weighted average period over which these equity awards are expected to vest is 2.11 years.
The total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested performance-based restricted stock units as of December 31, 2025 was $2.9 million and the weighted average period over which these equity awards are expected to vest is 0.92 years. Actual levels of future performance under performance-based restricted stock units for the unvested periods may differ from the Company's current estimates.
The total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested stock options as of December 31, 2025 was $18.4 million, and the weighted average period over which these equity awards are expected to vest is 2.14 years.
Restricted Stock Units
A summary of the Company’s restricted stock unit activity for all equity plans is as follows:
(1) Includes approximately 578 thousand shares granted under the Inducement Plan at a weighted-average grant-date fair value per share of $14.00.
(2) Includes approximately 74 thousand shares vested under the Inducement Plan at a weighted-average grant-date fair value per share of $14.68.
(3) Includes approximately 116 thousand shares canceled under the Inducement Plan at a weighted-average grant-date fair value per share of $13.62.
Performance-Based Restricted Stock Units
Performance-based restricted stock units are eligible to vest at the end of each year-long performance period in a three-year performance period based on certain financial metrics as defined in the underlying agreement.
2025 Performance-Based Restricted Stock Units
For performance-based restricted stock units granted in 2025, the award is divided into four approximately equal tranches each representing 25% of the target number of performance-based restricted stock units subject to the award. Each tranche has one or more performance goals that must be achieved in order for any restricted stock units subject to the tranche to become eligible to vest. For the first tranche, which covers fiscal year in a three-year period, restricted stock units are eligible to vest based upon the achievement of certain net revenue and non-GAAP operating income targets. For two of the four tranches, each of which cover fiscal year in a three-year period, restricted stock units are eligible to vest when the Company’s annual growth rate in net revenue and non-GAAP operating income over baseline results equal or exceed target growth rates of 5.0%. For each of these three tranches, 50% of each performance-based award is subject to the net revenue metric for the performance period and 50% is subject to the non-GAAP operating income metric for the respective performance period. If the Company’s growth rate in each of these metrics relative to the baseline results are below 2.5% for a performance period, no shares in the performance metric tranche will vest. If the Company’s growth rate relative to the baseline equals or exceeds 2.5% for a performance range, vesting may range from 75% up to a maximum 200% of target (if performance at or above a 7.5% growth rate is achieved); any shares above target that are eligible to vest will vest at the end of year three, subject to continued service through the end of the year three.
The fourth tranche of performance-based restricted stock units for a three-year performance period are eligible to vest when the growth rate in net revenue for the third year over baseline results relative to the growth rates for companies in the Russell 3000 index for the same metric and periods, equals or exceeds the 50th percentile.
The Company’s relative percentile rank in net revenue is determined by ranking the individual companies in the Russell 3000 (including MaxLinear) in order of largest to smallest according to their revenue growth for the third year over baseline results, then calculating the percentile ranking of MaxLinear relative to other Russell 3000 companies. If the Company’s relative percentile rank for revenue growth at year-end is less than the 25th percentile, no shares will vest. If the Company’s relative percentile rank for this metric is greater or equal to the 25th percentile, vesting may range from 50% up to a maximum 200% of target; such maximum may be achieved in year three if performance at or above the 75th percentile is achieved, subject to continued service through the end of year three.
2024 and Prior Performance-Based Restricted Stock Units
For previous performance-based restricted stock units granted prior to 2025, the target number of units are eligible to vest when the annual growth rate in net revenue and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share (subject to certain adjustments) over baseline results relative to the growth rates for a peer group of companies for the same metrics and periods, equals or exceeds the 50th percentile.
The Company’s relative percentile rank in net revenue and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share is determined by ranking the designated peer group companies (including MaxLinear) from the highest to the lowest according to their annual growth rate in each metric for the performance year, then calculating the percentile ranking of MaxLinear relative to other companies in the designated peer group. If the Company’s relative percentile rank for each metric at year-end is less than the 25th percentile, no shares will vest. If the Company’s relative percentile rank for these metrics is greater or equal to the 25th percentile, vesting may range from 50% up to a maximum 250% of target; such maximum may be achieved in year three if performance at or above the 75th percentile is achieved.
For the performance-based restricted stock units granted prior to 2025, 60% of each performance-based award is subject to the net revenue metric for the performance period and 40% is subject to the non-GAAP diluted earnings per share metric for the performance period. The maximum percentage for a particular metric is 250% of the target number of units subject to the award related to that metric, however, vesting of the performance stock units is capped at 30% and 100%, respectively, of the target number of units subject to the award in years one and two, respectively, of the three-year performance period. The number of shares granted is based on the maximum percentage achievable (250%) in the performance-based restricted stock unit award, in order to reserve an adequate number of shares for any potential future vesting.
As of December 31, 2025, achievement to date under the performance metrics specified in the respective award agreements are based on its expected metric results over the performance periods and calculated growth rates relative to baseline based on data available, as defined in the respective award agreements. To the extent any prior achievement levels are no longer probable, any compensation expense recorded is adjusted to the revised achievement levels.
A summary of the Company’s performance-based restricted stock unit activity is as follows:
(1) Includes shares that were earned and vested in prior years for which an executive elected to defer receipt.
(2) Includes shares canceled due to achievement below threshold amounts from shares granted which were previously reserved at the maximum achievable (250%). No shares were earned and eligible to vest for the 2024 performance periods due to achievement below the 25th percentile.
(3) Based on estimate of financial performance achievement under performance-based restricted stock unit agreements as of December 31, 2025. Employee Stock Purchase Rights and Stock Options
Employee Stock Purchase Rights
During the year ended December 31, 2025, there were 330,788 shares of common stock purchased under the ESPP at a weighted average price of $10.79. During the year ended December 31, 2024, there were 292,614 shares of common stock purchased under the ESPP at a weighted average price of $14.02.
The fair values of employee stock purchase rights were estimated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model at their respective grant date using the following assumptions:
The risk-free interest rate assumption was based on rates for United States (U.S.) Treasury zero-coupon bonds with maturities similar to those of the expected term of the award being valued. The assumed dividend yield was based on the Company’s expectation of not paying dividends in the foreseeable future. The expected term is the duration of the offering period for each grant date. In addition, the estimated volatility incorporates the historical volatility over the expected term based on the Company’s daily closing stock prices.
Stock Options
A summary of the Company’s stock options activity is as follows:
The fair values of stock options were estimated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model at their respective grant date using the following assumptions:
(1) No options were granted during the year ended December 31, 2025.
(2) The risk-free interest rate assumption was based on the United States Treasury’s rates for U.S. Treasury zero-coupon bonds with maturities similar to those of the expected term of the award being valued. The assumed dividend yield was based on the Company’s expectation of not paying dividends in the foreseeable future. The expected term of the options was calculated using the simplified method as prescribed by guidance provided by the SEC. This decision was based on the lack of historical data due to the Company’s limited number of stock option exercises under the 2010 Equity Incentive Plan. Estimated volatility incorporates historical volatility of the Company over the expected term based on the Company’s daily closing stock prices.
The intrinsic value of stock options exercised during 2025, 2024, and 2023 was $0, $0.5 million, and $0.2 million, respectively. Cash received from exercise of stock options was $0, $0 and $0.2 million during the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively. The tax benefit from stock options exercised was $0, $0 and $0.4 million during the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively.
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