MicroStrategy, the major enterprise software company that has evolved into a Bitcoin (BTC) investment platform, has captured attention once again with its latest purchase of $101 million in BTC.
The company, led by chairman and co-founder Michael Saylor, has committed to utilizing perpetual preferred stock, common shares, and debt to fuel its ongoing Bitcoin purchasing strategy.
MicroStrategy Eyes $42 Billion Capital Raise By 2027In a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), MicroStrategy disclosed that it purchased 1,070 Bitcoin tokens at an average price of approximately $94,000 on December 30 and 31, 2024.Â
This brings the companyâs total Bitcoin holdings to an impressive 447,470 BTC, acquired for around $27.97 billion at an average price of $62,503 per Bitcoin.Â
Notably, Saylor highlighted in a social media post on X (formerly Twitter), that the company achieved a Bitcoin yield of 48% for the fourth quarter of 2024 and 74.3% for the entire fiscal year.
MicroStrategyâs ambitious plans extend beyond Bitcoin acquisitions. On Friday, the firm announced its intention to raise up to $2 billion through offerings of perpetual preferred stock, which will hold seniority over its Class A common stock.Â
This move is part of a larger strategy to raise $42 billion in capital by 2027 through various means, including at-the-market stock sales and convertible debt offerings. With more than two-thirds of its equity goals already met, the company is expected to pivot towards fixed-income markets in the near future.
The demand for MicroStrategyâs stock (MSTR) has notably increased among hedge funds, which are employing convertible arbitrage strategies that involve purchasing bonds and short-selling shares.Â
This strategy capitalizes on the volatility of MicroStrategyâs stock, a characteristic that has become a cornerstone of its business model. Benchmark analyst Mark Palmer remarked:
That volatility itself is a key element of MicroStrategyâs approach because it enables the company to tap into the capital markets and particularly the convertible bond market more easily.
MicroStrategyâs recent proposal to increase the number of authorized shares of Class A common stock from 330 million to 10.3 billion has sparked fears of share dilution, leading to a significant drop in the companyâs stock price.Â
MicroStrategyâs Bold Bitcoin Strategy Faces HeadwindsÂOn the day of the proxy filing in December, shares fell by as much as 9.6%. Adam Kobeissi, founder of The Kobeissi Letter, noted the dilemma faced by investors, stating:Â
Itâs a lose-lose because on one hand you have people saying that itâs dilutive and theyâre selling the stock⌠but on the other hand you have people saying if it doesnât pass, then they canât keep buying Bitcoin and the whole investment strategy is kind of broken.
A vote on the share increase is scheduled for January 21, 2025, and with Saylor being a significant shareholder, the amendment is expected to pass. Should it be approved, the increase in shares could lead to further volatility in MicroStrategyâs stock price as the company becomes more leveraged.Â
Although the company has typically outperformed Bitcoin, it has faced challenges in recent months, underlining that its performance is influenced by factors beyond just cryptocurrency prices.
Despite the recent fluctuations, Palmer maintains a âbuyâ rating on MicroStrategyâs stock. He believes the marketâs reaction to the proposed share increase has been an overreaction.Â
âThe companyâs strategy has been to issue shares to make accretive Bitcoin purchases which can accrue to the benefit of shareholders,â he commented.
MicroStrategyâs aggressive approach to Bitcoin acquisitions has seen it make significant purchases exceeding $1 billion in late 2024, although recent weeks have seen a slowdown in these activities amidst fluctuating Bitcoin prices.Â
Palmer reassured investors, stating, âWeâve seen a pull forward of the companyâs strategy, which is not indicative of a slowdown⌠itâs more a reflection of the aggressive approach that the company has taken.â
At the time of writing, the marketâs leading crypto is inching closer to the $100,000 milestone, trading at $99,340, up 2% in the last 24 hours.
Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.comÂ