Nature and terms of the arrangements
The company operates equity-settled share-based payment arrangements under which options are granted over the company’s ordinary shares to employees of the company and its subsidiaries.
At the period end, 232,404 (2024: 127,456) options were outstanding, all of which are to be settled in equity instruments of the company.
Options are granted with a four-year contractual life, comprising a one-year service period before vesting commences and a three-year vesting period thereafter. Options become exercisable as they vest; however, exercises may only take place twice annually, in March and October.
During the year, the company modified the scheme to permit employees to exercise vested options at any time after vesting, rather than only on an exit event.
This change increased the cumulative fair value of the affected options. In accordance with FRS 102 Section 26, the incremental fair value arising from the modification has been recognised as an additional expense in the period, reflecting the remaining vesting period of the modified awards.
Movement in share options
(i) Outstanding at the beginning of the period 127,456 (£2.24)
(ii) Granted during the period 236,134 (£5.04)
(iii) Forfeited or cancelled during the period (including modified options) 124,556 (£1.40)
(iv) Exercised during the period 5,355 (£0.85)
(v) Expired during the period 1,275 (£0.01)
(vi) Outstanding at the end of the period 232,404 (£5.23)
(vii) Exercisable at the end of the period 101,969 £(3.36)
Figures in brackets denote the weighted average exercise price for each category of options.
Fair-value measurement
The fair value of the options granted was determined at the grant date using independent company valuations prepared close to each grant date. Management considers this approach the most reliable measure of fair value. Following the scheme modification, the company reassessed the fair value of the modified options at the modification date to recognise the incremental fair value arising from the change in exercise terms.
Expense recognised in profit or loss
An expense of £787k (2024: £102k) has been recognised in the profit or loss for the period.
This comprises £502k relating to the fair value of options recognised in the year ending January 2025 and £285k representing the incremental fair value arising from the scheme modification. Included within these figures are updates to previously applied fair values to reflect revised assessments. The impact of these updates was immaterial.
Group share-based payment arrangements
The company operates the share-based payment scheme on behalf of its subsidiaries. The company recognises the entire share-based payment expense in its own financial statements, measured at the grant-date fair value of the options issued. Amounts relating to employees of subsidiary undertakings are recharged through the group’s transfer-pricing model.