Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2022

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.

In the prior year’s Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, accrued interest related to the Company’s long-term debt has been reclassified from “Accounts payable and accrued expenses” to “Accrued interest” within operating activities to conform to current year presentation.

The balances presented in the Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity as of January 1, 2021 include the opening balance adjustments due to the adoption of 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”), as described in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021.

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, 2021.  There have been no significant changes in the Company’s accounting policies since December 31, 2021.

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.

Digital Assets

The Company accounts for its digital assets, which are comprised solely of bitcoin, as indefinite-lived intangible assets in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 350, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other.  The Company’s digital assets are initially recorded at cost. Subsequently, they are measured at cost, net of any impairment losses incurred since acquisition. Impairment losses are recognized as “Digital asset impairment losses” in the Company’s Consolidated Statement of Operations in the period in which the impairment occurs.

Income Taxes

The Company computes its year-to-date provision for (benefit from) income taxes by applying the estimated annual effective tax rate to year-to-date pretax income or loss and adjusts the provision for (benefit from) income taxes for discrete tax items recorded in the period. The estimated effective tax rate is subject to fluctuation based on the level and mix of earnings and losses by tax jurisdiction, foreign tax rate differentials, and the relative impact of permanent book to tax differences. Each quarter, a cumulative adjustment is recorded for any fluctuations in the estimated annual effective tax rate as compared to the prior quarter.

Basic and Diluted Earnings per Share

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 stock options, the vesting of restricted stock units, and in connection with the 2021 ESPP are computed using the treasury stock method. Potential common shares consisting of class A common stock issuable upon conversion of the Convertible Notes are computed 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.