15. STOCK BASED COMPENSATION

During 1996, the Company adopted the 1996 Stock Option Plan (the “Stock Option Plan”), which provides for the grant of incentive stock options and nonqualified stock options for the purchase of up to an aggregate of 3,375,000 shares of the Company’s common stock by officers, employees and directors of the Company. Under the terms of the plan, incentive stock options may be granted to employees at an exercise price per share of not less than the fair value per common share on the date of the grant (not less than 110% of the fair value in the case of holders of more than 10% of the Company’s voting stock). Nonqualified stock options may be granted at the discretion of the Company’s Board of Directors. The maximum term of an option may not exceed 10 years, and options become exercisable at such times and in such installments as determined by the Board of Directors.

A summary of the Company’s stock option plan for the years ended December 31, 2011, and January 1, 2011 is summarized as follows:

As of December 31, 2011, all options under the 1996 Plan had been exercised and the Plan is no longer active. The Company did not have any stock option compensation expense for the periods ended December 29, 2012, and December 31, 2011.

The Company’s 2006 Stock Option Plan (“2006 Plan”) provides for the grant of incentive stock options and nonqualified stock options for the purchase of up to an aggregate of 1,125,000 shares of the Company’s common stock by officers, employees and directors of the Company. Under the terms of the plan, incentive stock options may be granted to employees at an exercise price per share of not less than the fair value per common share on the date of the grant (not less than 110% of the fair value in the case of holders of more than 10% of the Company’s voting stock). Nonqualified stock options may be granted at the discretion of the Company’s Board of Directors. The maximum term of an option may not exceed 10 years, and options become exercisable at such times and in such installments as determined by the Board of Directors. No awards have been granted under the 2006 Plan.

The Company’s 2001 Restricted Stock Plan provides for the grant of restricted stock of up to an aggregate of 928,125 shares of the Company’s common stock to officers, employees, consultants and directors of the Company. Under the terms of the plan, the minimum period before any shares become non-forfeitable may not be less than six months. The 2001 Restricted Stock Plan expired in 2011 and was replaced in September 2011 with the 2011 Equity Incentive Plan (“2011 Plan”). The 2011 Plan provides for the grant of up to an aggregate of 1,000,000 shares of restricted stock, restricted share units, stock appreciation rights, dividend or dividend equivalent rights, stock awards and other awards valued in whole or in part by reference to or otherwise based on the Company’s common stock, to officers, employees and directors of the Company. The 2011 Plan was approved by the Company’s shareholders at the 2012 Annual Meeting. At December 29, 2012, 824,012 shares remained available for issuance under the 2011 Plan. Compensation cost is measured at the date of the grant and is recognized in earnings over the period in which the shares vest. Restricted stock expense for the years ended December 29, 2012, December 31, 2011, and January 1, 2011, totaled $1,695, $1,193 and $880, respectively.

A summary of the Company’s restricted stock for the years ended December 29, 2012, December 31, 2011, and January 1, 2011, is summarized as follows:

The Company has $3,651 of total unrecognized compensation cost related to restricted stock awards granted under the Plan as of December 29, 2012. That cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 1.54 years.

The Company maintains an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”), in which most employees are eligible to participate. Employees in the United States who choose to participate are granted an opportunity to purchase common stock at 85 percent of market value on the first or last day of the quarterly purchase period, whichever is lower. Employees in the United Kingdom are granted an opportunity to purchase common stock at market value, on the first or last day of the quarterly purchase period, whichever is lower, with the Company issuing one additional free share of common stock for each six shares purchased by the employee under the ESPP. The ESPP authorizes the issuance, and the purchase by employees, of up to 1,096,875 shares of common stock through payroll deductions. No U.S. employee is allowed to buy more than $25 of common stock in any year, based on the market value of the common stock at the beginning of the purchase period, and no U.K. employee is allowed to buy more than the lesser of £1.5 or 10% of their annual salary in any year. Employees purchased 35,264 shares at a weighted average price of $19.84, and 29,056 shares at a weighted average price of $19.76, under the ESPP during 2012 and 2011, respectively. The Company recognized $183 and $164 of compensation expense during 2012 and 2011, respectively. At December 29, 2012, 713,284 shares remained available to be issued through the ESPP.

The Nonemployee Director Equity and Deferred Compensation Plan (the “Plan”) originally was adopted by the Board of Directors and approved by the shareholders in 2004, and amended in 2008. Under the Plan, Directors who were not officers of the Company were paid 375 shares of Company common stock and $3 in cash fees for attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors, as well as each meeting of each Board Committee on which they served when the committee meeting was not held within one day of a meeting of the Board of Directors. Committee Chairmen received additional fees equal to 25% of normal compensation and the Chairman of the Board was paid twice the amount of normal compensation, with such additional compensation payable in Company common stock. Prior to June 7, 2011, Directors were able to elect under the Plan to receive all or part of their cash fees in Company stock and to defer receipt of their fees until a subsequent year. When so deferred, the shares of stock were converted to deferred stock units. Deferred stock units are treated as liabilities. At December 29, 2012, there were 10,521 deferred stock units outstanding. The Plan has now been terminated, and no further issuance of shares will be made under the Plan.

In March 2012, the Board reviewed its non-employee director compensation policy and determined that compensating Directors solely in Company stock would further align the interests of the Board and the shareholders. Accordingly, the Board of Directors adopted the Sun Hydraulics Corporation 2012 Nonemployee Director Fees Plan (the “2012 Directors Plan”), which was approved by the shareholders of the Company at its 2012 annual meeting.

Under the 2012 Directors Plan, as compensation for attendance at each Board meeting and each meeting of each committee of the Board on which he or she serves when the committee meeting is not held within one day of a meeting of the Board, each Nonemployee Director will be paid 500 shares of Common Stock. The Chairman’s fee is twice that of a regular director, and the fee for the chairs of each Board committee is 125% that of a regular director. The Board has the authority to change from time to time, in any manner it deems desirable or appropriate, the share compensation to be awarded to all or any one or more Nonemployee Directors, provided that, with limited exceptions, such changes are subject to prior shareholder approval. The aggregate number of Shares which may be issued during any single calendar year is limited to 25,000 Shares. The 2012 Directors Plan authorizes the issuance of up to 270,000 shares of common stock. At December 29, 2012, 256,749 shares remained available for issuance under the 2012 Directors Plan.

Directors were granted 17,607 and 14,936 shares during 2012 and 2011, respectively. The Company recognized director stock compensation expense of $451 and $264, for 2012 and 2011, respectively.