Strategy returned to bitcoin purchases last week with a 950 BTC acquisition worth $75.7 million, but the company allocated more than twice that amount to buying back its own preferred shares. The treasury operator spent $174 million on STRC repurchases during the same week, according to a filing published September 21.
The bitcoin buy brought Strategy's total holdings to 846,000 BTC, representing over four percent of the 21 million supply cap. The company paid an average of $79,670 per coin between September 14 and 20, below the current market price near $85,000.
Share buybacks outweighed bitcoin by 2.3 to 1
Strategy repurchased 1.77 million STRC preferred shares for approximately $174 million during the week, spending $98.3 million more on equity than on bitcoin. The company also deployed $57.4 million from its USD reserve to cover preferred stock dividends and debt interest payments.
The dual allocation came as Strategy maintained $5.04 billion in its USD reserve and $1.05 billion in cash as of September 20. The purchase marked the company's first acquisition since late August, when it raised $333 million but bought no bitcoin.
Holdings carry $8.1 billion paper gain
Strategy's 846,000 BTC carry a total acquisition cost of approximately $63.8 billion, including fees and expenses, for an average cost basis of $75,416 per coin. At current prices near $85,000, the treasury holds an unrealized gain of roughly $8.1 billion.
The purchase timing coincided with $731 million in bitcoin ETF inflows recorded earlier in the week. Strategy shares gained 16.4 percent during the week ending September 20, closing at $153.92, though the stock remains down 54.2 percent over the past twelve months.
Capital allocation shows priority shift
The company's capital allocation pattern shows a shift from its historical approach of directing nearly all available cash toward accumulation. In August, Strategy faced pressure on its stock premium as treasury stocks traded below their net asset value.
The recent share buyback suggests management is prioritizing STRC equity value alongside continued purchases. The company's position now exceeds 4 percent of the total supply, while its cash reserves remain substantial at over $6 billion combined across USD reserve and cash accounts.
MSTR shares have underperformed over the past year, with the stock down 54.2 percent while bitcoin has gained. The buyback program appears designed to address that gap by reducing outstanding shares and potentially supporting the stock price.