Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

(a) Basis of Presentation

The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements of MicroStrategy Incorporated (“MicroStrategy” or the “Company”) are unaudited.  In the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary for a fair statement of financial position and results of operations have been included.  All such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature, unless otherwise disclosed.  Interim results are not necessarily indicative of results for a full year.

As discussed in Note 2, Recent Accounting Standards, to the Consolidated Financial Statements, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Update No. 2020-06, Debt – Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging – Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity (“ASU 2020-06”), effective January 1, 2021.  Comparative prior period Consolidated Financial Statements have not been restated for ASU 2020-06 and are not directly comparable to the current period Consolidated Financial Statements.

The Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements are presented as required by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and do not contain certain information included in the Company’s annual financial statements and notes.  These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited financial statements and the notes thereto filed with the SEC in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020.  During 2021, the Company made the following significant changes in its accounting policies, which are discussed further below:

• adoption of accounting policies related to senior secured notes;

• changes to the expected stock price volatility assumption in the Black-Scholes valuation model used to determine the fair value of certain awards granted under the 2013 Stock Incentive Plan (as amended, the “2013 Equity Plan”);

• adoption of accounting policies related to the 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “2021 ESPP”), including determination of the grant date fair value; and

• adoption of ASU 2020-06 and its impact on accounting for convertible debt arrangements and diluted earnings per share calculations.

The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries.  All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The Company is not aware of any subsequent event that would require recognition or disclosure.

Debt Arrangements

(b) Debt Arrangements

As discussed in Note 6, Long-term Debt, to the Consolidated Financial Statements, the Company issued convertible senior notes in December 2020 and February 2021 and senior secured notes in June 2021.  The embedded conversion features in each of the convertible notes are indexed to the Company’s own stock and meet the criteria for classification in stockholders’ equity, and therefore derivative accounting does not apply. The Company records the aggregate principal amount of each of the convertible and secured notes as a liability on its Consolidated Balance Sheet, offset by the issuance costs associated with each offering. The issuance costs are amortized to interest expense using the effective interest method over the expected term of each of the notes.

Share-based Compensation

(c) Share-based Compensation

The Company maintains the 2013 Equity Plan, under which the Company’s employees, officers, directors, and other eligible participants may be awarded various types of share-based compensation, including options to purchase shares of the Company’s class A common stock, restricted stock units, and other stock-based awards.  During the first quarter of 2021, the Company adopted the 2021 ESPP, and in May 2021, the Company’s stockholders approved the 2021 ESPP, under which eligible employees of the Company and certain of its subsidiaries may be provided with opportunities to purchase shares of the Company’s class A common stock.  

The Company recognizes share-based compensation expense associated with the 2013 Equity Plan and the 2021 ESPP on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period (generally, the vesting period for awards under the 2013 Equity Plan and the offering period under the 2021 ESPP).  For options and other stock-based awards, the share-based compensation expense is based on the fair value of the awards on the date of grant, as estimated using the Black-Scholes valuation model.  For the 2021 ESPP, the share-based compensation expense is based on the grant date fair value, which consists of the intrinsic value of any purchase discount and the fair value of the look-back provision using the Black-Scholes valuation model. For restricted stock units, the share-based compensation expense is based on the fair value of the Company’s class A common stock on the date of grant.  

The Black-Scholes valuation model requires the input of certain management assumptions, including the expected term, expected stock price volatility, risk-free interest rate, and expected dividend yield.  Beginning in 2021, the Company estimates the expected stock price volatility by calculating a blended rate from the historical stock price volatility of its class A common stock and the implied volatility of the Company’s traded financial instruments with similar terms to the respective award. For stock options granted prior to 2021, the Company relied exclusively on its historical stock price volatility to estimate the expected stock price volatility over the expected term

because the Company believed at the date of grant that future volatility was unlikely to differ from the past.  The remaining assumptions in the Black-Scholes valuation model have not changed significantly since December 31, 2020. These assumptions are based on management’s best judgment, and changes to these assumptions could materially affect the fair value estimates and amount of share-based compensation expense recognized.

See Note 10, Share-based Compensation, to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further information regarding the 2013 Equity Plan, the 2021 ESPP, related share-based compensation expense, and assumptions used in determining fair value.

Basic and Diluted Earnings Per Share

(d) Basic and Diluted Earnings Per Share

Basic earnings per share is determined by dividing the net income attributable to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares and participating securities outstanding during the period.  Participating securities are included in the basic earnings per share calculation when dilutive.  Diluted earnings per share is determined by dividing the net income attributable to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares and potential common shares outstanding during the period.  Potential common shares are included in the diluted earnings per share calculation when dilutive.  Potential common shares consisting of class A common stock issuable upon the exercise of outstanding employee stock options, the vesting of restricted stock units, and in connection with the 2021 ESPP are computed using the treasury stock method.  Upon the adoption of ASU 2020-06, potential common shares consisting of class A common stock issuable upon conversion of the Company’s convertible senior notes are computed using the if-converted method. Prior to the adoption of ASU 2020-06, potential common shares consisting of class A common stock issuable upon conversion of the Company’s convertible senior notes were computed using the treasury stock method. See Note 2, Recent Accounting Standards, to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further information regarding the differences in the if-converted and treasury stock methods.

Potential shares of common stock are included in the diluted earnings per share calculation when dilutive.  Potential shares of class A common stock issuable upon the exercise of outstanding stock options, the vesting of outstanding restricted stock units, and in connection with the 2021 ESPP are calculated using the treasury stock method. Potential shares of class A common stock issuable upon conversion of the Convertible Notes are calculated using the if-converted method. In computing diluted earnings per share, the Company first calculates the earnings per incremental share (“EPIS”) for each class of potential common shares and ranks the classes from the most dilutive (i.e., lowest EPIS) to the least dilutive (i.e., highest EPIS). Basic earnings per share is then adjusted for the effect of each class of shares, in sequence and cumulatively, until a particular class no longer produces further dilution.

Income Taxes

The Company recognizes estimated accrued interest related to unrecognized income tax benefits in its (benefit from) provision for income taxes.Additionally, the Tax Act requires certain Global Intangible Low Taxed Income (“GILTI”) earned by controlled foreign corporations (“CFCs”) to be included in the gross income of the CFCs’ U.S. shareholder.  The Company has elected the “period cost method” and treats taxes due on future U.S. inclusions in taxable income related to GILTI as a current-period expense when incurred.  The Tax Act allows a U.S. corporation a deduction equal to a certain percentage of its foreign-derived intangible income (“FDII”).In determining the Company’s (benefit from) provision for income taxes, net deferred tax assets, liabilities, and valuation allowances, management is required to make estimates and judgments related to projections of domestic and foreign profitability, the timing and extent of the utilization of NOL carryforwards, applicable tax rates, transfer pricing methods, and prudent and feasible tax planning strategies. As a multinational company, the Company is required to calculate and provide for estimated income tax liabilities for each of the tax jurisdictions in which it operates. This process involves estimating current tax obligations and exposures in each jurisdiction, as well as making judgments regarding the future recoverability of deferred tax assets. Changes in the estimated level of annual pre-tax income, changes in tax laws, particularly changes related to the utilization of NOLs in various jurisdictions, and changes resulting from tax audits can all affect the overall effective income tax rate, which, in turn, impacts the overall level of income tax expense or benefit and net income.

Estimates and judgments related to the Company’s projections and assumptions are inherently uncertain. Therefore, actual results could differ materially from projections.  Currently, the Company expects to use its deferred tax assets, subject to Internal Revenue Code limitations, within the carryforward periods.  Valuation allowances have been established where the Company has concluded that it is more likely than not that such deferred tax assets are not realizable.  If the Company is unable to regain or increase profitability in future periods, it may be required to increase the valuation allowance against the deferred tax assets, which could result in a charge that would materially adversely affect net income in the period in which the charge is incurred.