MSTR and ASST Rise in After-Hours Trading – B. Riley States Bitcoin Needs to Surpass Dividend Expenses
Bitcoin Price Surge: Bitcoin's price jumped to $70,000, leading to increased stock prices for Strategy (MSTR) and Strive Asset Management (ASST), with MSTR gaining 1.55% and ASST rising 1.29% in after-hours trading.
Analyst Ratings: B. Riley initiated coverage on MSTR and ASST with a 'Buy' rating, highlighting the potential for significant returns as retail sentiment remains bullish around Bitcoin.
Dividend Yield Comparison: Analysts noted that the dividend yields offered by MSTR and ASST (8.0% - 12.5%) are superior to traditional yield-oriented alternatives, making them attractive to income-focused investors.
Future Price Targets: B. Riley set a price target of $175 for MSTR, suggesting a potential upside of nearly 26% from its recent closing price, while the average price target indicates a potential upside of 183%.
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- Bitcoin Holdings: Strategy currently holds nearly 844,000 Bitcoins valued at approximately $65 billion, making it the largest holder of Bitcoin globally, a strategy that uniquely positions it in capital markets and attracts significant investor interest.
- Capital Market Activities: Since first purchasing Bitcoin on August 10, 2020, Strategy's share price has surged by 1,240%, compared to Bitcoin's 574% increase during the same period, highlighting its potential as a leveraged Bitcoin investment despite higher volatility.
- Funding Mechanism: Strategy raises capital through equity and fixed-income offerings, with its STRC (Short Duration High Yield Credit) raising $10.5 billion since its launch last July, allowing it to continuously acquire more Bitcoin and strengthen its market position.
- Long-Term Forecast: Executive Chairman Michael Saylor predicts Bitcoin will reach $21 million by 2046, representing a 271-fold increase, which enhances investor confidence in the company's long-term growth potential if it continues to raise capital opportunistically.
- Bitcoin Asset Value: Strategy currently holds 843,738 BTC, valued at approximately $65 billion, showcasing a robust asset base in the cryptocurrency market, despite generating only $124 million in revenue from its software business in Q1 2026.
- Leveraged Investment Strategy: By financing Bitcoin purchases through debt, Strategy has achieved a remarkable 262% return over the past five years, significantly outperforming Bitcoin's 79%, indicating the effectiveness of its financial engineering approach despite criticism.
- Preferred Share Issuance: When trading below its Bitcoin value, Strategy issues four types of preferred shares offering fixed or variable dividends ranging from 8% to 11.5%, attracting investors and providing stable income, albeit at the cost of shareholder dilution.
- Debt Buyback Plan: Strategy plans to repurchase $1.5 billion of its 2029 notes for approximately $1.38 billion, demonstrating flexibility and cost control in managing its $8.2 billion long-term convertible debt, thereby enhancing its financial stability.
- Bitcoin Investment Strategy: Strategy acquires Bitcoin by issuing convertible bonds and equity, holding 843,738 BTC valued at approximately $65 billion, demonstrating its significant influence in the cryptocurrency market.
- Leverage Utilization: With total debt at $8.2 billion, Strategy maintains a low annual interest expense of $34.6 million, indicating effective use of leverage for Bitcoin investments while keeping financing costs manageable.
- Outperformance Over Bitcoin: Over the past five years, Strategy has achieved a return of 262%, significantly outperforming Bitcoin's 79%, showcasing the success of its complex financial engineering strategies amid market volatility.
- Market Sentiment Impact: The premium of Strategy's stock fluctuates with cryptocurrency market sentiment; although it peaked at three times the value of its Bitcoin holdings in November 2024, it has compressed during the bear market, necessitating careful risk assessment by investors.
- Historical Growth Review: Bitcoin has achieved triple-digit returns in seven of the past 14 years, with returns of 156% in 2023 and 121% in 2024, showcasing its strong investment appeal, despite its current price of $77,000 being down 13% since the start of the year.
- Future Growth Expectations: While Bitcoin's historical compound annual growth rate stands at 38.25%, co-founder Michael Saylor anticipates an average growth rate of 30% over the next 20 years, which, although lower than historical rates, remains above expected returns from most tech stocks.
- Market Prediction Analysis: Online prediction markets indicate a 40% chance of Bitcoin reaching $100,000 by 2026, while also presenting a 40% risk of falling to $50,000, highlighting the need for cautious consideration of risk versus reward in Bitcoin investments.
- Long-Term Investment Value: Should Bitcoin sustain a 30% annual return, it is projected that by 2045, a single Bitcoin could be worth nearly $10 million, suggesting that current holders may achieve substantial compounding returns and potentially become crypto millionaires.
- Massive Bitcoin Holdings: Strategy currently owns nearly 844,000 Bitcoins valued at approximately $65 billion, making it the largest holder of Bitcoin globally, which strategically positions it within the digital asset market.
- Active Capital Markets Engagement: The STRC high-yield credit product launched last July has raised $10.5 billion, demonstrating Strategy's agility in financing through equity and fixed-income markets to acquire more Bitcoin, reflecting its proactive capital management approach.
- Significant Stock Volatility: Since first purchasing Bitcoin on August 10, 2020, Strategy's stock price has surged by 1,240%, compared to Bitcoin's 574% increase during the same period, indicating the company's leveraged exposure to Bitcoin and attracting risk-tolerant investors.
- Long-Term Growth Potential: Saylor predicts Bitcoin could reach $21 million by 2046, and if Strategy continues to raise capital effectively while managing risks, this could present substantial returns for long-term investors, creating millionaire-making opportunities.
- Bitcoin Holdings: MicroStrategy holds 713,502 bitcoins with a cost basis of $54.26 billion, yet reported a staggering $12.44 billion net loss in Q4 2025 due to unrealized digital asset losses, highlighting the significant impact of Bitcoin price volatility on the company's financial health.
- Stock Price Decline: The stock price of MicroStrategy has plummeted by 60% over the past year to $159.89, down from a high of $399.46, reflecting market concerns regarding its Bitcoin investment strategy and a shift in overall market sentiment.
- Market Expectations and Risks: Polymarket traders assign a 79% probability that MicroStrategy will sell some Bitcoin by the end of 2026, indicating expectations of liquidity pressure and asset disposals, particularly as Bitcoin prices may face further declines.
- Capital Strategy and Future Outlook: Despite these challenges, CEO Phong Le stated that the company raised $25.3 billion in capital in 2025 to advance its Bitcoin treasury strategy and added 41,002 bitcoins in January 2026, demonstrating a proactive approach to growth opportunities even in adversity.











