Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR) sells Bitcoin below cost as common shares fund preferred-stock defence

Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR) sells Bitcoin below cost as common shares fund preferred-stock defence

NEW YORK, August 3, 2026, 11:13 EDT

  • Strategy sold 1,638 bitcoin for $104.7 million at an average $63,957. That was 15.2% below its company-wide average purchase price.
  • It issued 3.01 million common shares and repurchased 912,143 Stretch preferred shares for $81.2 million.
  • A preliminary calculation puts the latest annual STRC dividend saving near $10.9 million. That equals only 0.6% of Strategy’s estimated annual financing commitments.

Common shareholders supplied 73.5% of Strategy’s $395.3 million financing pool last week. A bitcoin sale supplied the rest. The company placed $250 million into its dollar reserve and spent $81.2 million repurchasing STRC.

Stock chart for NASDAQ:MSTR

The funding split is the investor signal. Strategy’s equity engine is now supporting its preferred stack and cash reserve. It is no longer used solely to accumulate bitcoin.

U.S. markets were open at the dateline. MSTR rose 2.3% to $95.46, while STRC gained 2.8% to $91.95. Bitcoin advanced 1.2% to $63,801.

The movement of cash was direct.

Funding sourceCash raisedShare of fundingMain allocation
Sale of 1,638 bitcoin$104.7 million26.5%$52.4 million dividends; $52.3 million STRC repurchase
Sale of MSTR common shares$290.6 million73.5%$250 million reserve; $28.9 million STRC repurchase; $11.7 million retained cash
Total$395.3 million100.0%$250 million reserve; $81.2 million STRC; $52.4 million dividends; $11.7 million cash

Figures are rounded. Strategy disclosed the allocations in its August 3 regulatory filing.

Strategy sold 3,011,361 common shares at an implied net price of $96.50. That issuance equalled about 0.7% of assumed diluted shares afterward. MSTR traded roughly 1.1% below the implied sale price on Monday.

The bitcoin transaction carried less favourable arithmetic. Strategy received $63,957 per coin. Its aggregate purchase price was $75,419.

The resulting $18.8 million difference is a preliminary benchmark calculation. It is not a realized accounting loss because individual tax lots were not disclosed.

Sale periodBitcoin soldAverage sale priceProceedsSale price versus company-wide average cost
May 26–3132$77,135$2.5 million+1.9%
June 29–301,363$59,256$80.8 million-21.6%
July 1–52,225$60,773$135.2 million-19.5%
July 27–August 21,638$63,957$104.7 million-15.2%
Total or weighted average5,258about $61,474$323.2 million

The comparisons use Strategy’s company-wide average cost after each sale. They do not identify gains or losses on specific coins.

Strategy has therefore sold 5,258 bitcoin since late May. The last three transactions occurred below the aggregate purchase price. However, August’s discount was narrower than those recorded in June and early July.

The STRC repurchase produced better near-term economics. Strategy paid an average $89.02 for shares carrying a $100 stated amount. That represents an 11.0% discount.

STRC repurchaseShares acquiredCash spentAverage priceDiscount to $100Preliminary annual dividend reduction
Earlier repurchase288,930$25.0 million$86.5313.5%$3.5 million
July 27–August 2912,143$81.2 million$89.0211.0%$10.9 million
Combined1,201,073$106.2 million$88.4211.6%$14.4 million

The dividend estimates assume STRC’s current 12% annual rate continues. They also assume repurchased shares remain outside public circulation.

Chief Executive Phong Le called discounted repurchases “an attractive use of capital that reduces our future preferred dividend requirements at a discount.” Strategy

The combined transactions imply a 13.6% avoided-dividend yield on the cash spent. Yet the estimated $14.4 million annual saving equals only about 0.8% of Strategy’s $1.76 billion annual interest and preferred-dividend commitments. The reserve increase provided the larger cushion.

Strategy’s dollar reserve reached $4.0 billion after the latest contribution. Executive Chairman Michael Saylor said the deposit added 57 days of coverage. Reserve duration increased to about 2.3 years.

Le described the policy change more bluntly: “The biggest lesson so far from 2026 is the importance of holding liquid U.S. dollars.” Investing.com

Second-quarter figures explain the urgency. Reported preferred-stock dividends rose to $400.7 million from $49.1 million a year earlier. They were more than three times quarterly revenue of $122.4 million.

Strategy retains $893.8 million of preferred-share repurchase authority. It also has $22.69 billion of remaining MSTR issuance capacity. That provides a large liquidity backstop, but also leaves a substantial dilution overhang.

Risks: A bitcoin rebound would increase the opportunity cost of further sales. A deeper decline could require more common-stock issuance or bitcoin monetisation. STRC’s variable dividend may also change and is not guaranteed.

Investors now have two prices to watch. STRC’s distance from $100 measures pressure on Strategy’s preferred funding model. MSTR’s placement price shows how much of the repair common shareholders must finance.

TS2 TECH • EXTENDED COVERAGE

Further analysis

What is the current level of Bitcoin leverage offered by MSTR?
MSTR traded close to $95.34, putting the market capitalization of its common equity at $31.8 billion. As of August 2, Strategy owned 842,138 Bitcoin, valued at around $53.7 billion. A 10% shift in Bitcoin’s price changes the value of the treasury by approximately $5.4 billion, equal to about 17% of MSTR’s market capitalization. Debt and preferred securities are paid before common shareholders. The leverage amplifies both gains and losses. SEC
What factors could lead MSTR to surpass Bitcoin's performance once more?
The key driver for upside is growth in bitcoin-per-share. On July 31, Strategy’s enterprise mNAV was close to 1.05x. With valuation at parity, new common share issuance only minimally increases bitcoin-per-share. Financing conditions would benefit from a larger premium and if STRC moves back towards $100. For Strategy’s $75,419 average cost to be reached, bitcoin must rise about 18%. Strategy
Is dilution currently the most significant risk facing common stock?
Strategy offloaded 3.01 million MSTR shares last week, raising $290.6 million. The company maintains $22.69 billion in available common-stock ATM issuance, a substantial figure relative to its current $31.8 billion market capitalization. The new capital supported reserves, STRC buybacks, and liquidity, rather than Bitcoin purchases. Common shareholders took on dilution without equivalent growth in the treasury. SEC
Does the $4.0 billion reserve eliminate the risk of funding issues?
The reserve reduces immediate liquidity risk and comprised unsettled ATM proceeds as of August 2. Strategy previously stated $3.75 billion covered over 2.1 years of dividend and interest expenses. Q2 preferred dividends totaled $400.7 million, up from $49.1 million a year prior. The latest Bitcoin sale funded both dividends and STRC buybacks. Risk declined but was not eliminated. SEC
Have the most recent earnings affected MSTR’s investment thesis?
Second quarter results confirmed the current outlook. The company reported a net loss of $8.22 billion, reflecting an $8.32 billion unrealized loss tied to Bitcoin. Software revenue increased by 6.9% to $122.4 million. Core earnings continue to be outweighed by Bitcoin, mNAV and funding costs. Strategy
How optimistic are Wall Street analysts following the most recent reset?
The consensus rating is still Moderate Buy, based on 14 buy ratings and four holds. The average price target stands at $255.94, suggesting potential upside of about 168% from $95.34. Recent post-Q2 price targets vary, ranging from $125 to $435, reflecting different projections for Bitcoin and mNAV. The average target does not represent a narrow range. MarketBeat

Marcin Frąckiewicz is the founder and CEO of TS2 Space, a satellite communications company serving customers around the world. A graduate of the Warsaw School of Economics (SGH), he has more than two decades of experience in telecommunications, satellite services and technology ventures. He writes about satellite communications, space technology, artificial intelligence and the stock market, with a particular focus on technology companies, semiconductors, emerging industries and the trends shaping global innovation. Follow Marcin Frąckiewicz on Google News, Facebook. or Linkedin.

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