MicroStrategy Achieves 477% Gain in 2024, Top Tech Stock


Michael Saylor, Chairman and CEO of MicroStrategy, during an interview at the Bitcoin 2023 conference in Miami Beach, Florida, USA, on Thursday, May 18, 2023.

Eva Marie Uzcategui | Bloomberg | Getty Images

On the eve of Microstrategy‘s stock exchange debut In June 1998, founder Michael Saylor stayed in a penthouse suite at the Lotte New York Palace in midtown Manhattan. Saylor, who was 33 at the time, says it was the most exquisite hotel room he had ever seen, paid for by major insurer Merrill Lynch.

The next morning, Saylor went to the Nasdaq trading floor to watch his company’s stock open. He recalled seeing a notice above the ticker warning traders: “Please do not confuse MSTR with MSFT.” The latter was one of them Microsoftthe software giant that had gone public 13 years earlier.

Shares of MicroStrategy rose 76% in their debut, joining the ranks of tech companies benefiting from the dot-com boom.

“It was a good day,” Saylor told CNBC.

More than 26 years later, MicroStrategy and Microsoft were linked again, but for a very different reason. In December 2024, Saylor went before Microsoft shareholders and tried to convince them that the company, now valued at over $3 trillion, should use some of its $78.4 billion in cash, equivalents and short-term Investments should be made in the company Bitcoin.

“Microsoft cannot afford to miss the next wave of technology, and Bitcoin is that wave,” Saylor said in a video presentation published on X last week. The post has more than 3.6 million views.

Saylor has fully implemented this strategy. MicroStrategy has purchased 439,000 Bitcoin since mid-2020, a stockpile that is now worth about $42 billion and the basis for the company’s explosive market capitalization from about $1.1 billion at the time the plan was implemented to 82 billion US dollars.

MicroStrategy’s software unit, which specializes in business intelligence, generates quarterly revenue of just over $100 million. After soaring in 1998 and 1999, the stock collapsed in the dot-com bust and lost almost all of its value. In the decades that followed, the price slowly recovered before rising rapidly due to Bitcoin.

Four years after its Bitcoin buying spree, MicroStrategy is a global leader fourth largest ownerbehind sole creator Satoshi Nakamoto, BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust and crypto exchange Binance.

At Microsoft, the shareholder vote supported by Saylor failed resoundingly – less than 1% of investors voted in favor.

But the spectacle gave Saylor, now 59, another opportunity to preach the gospel of Bitcoin and tout the benefits of converting as much cash as possible into this single digital asset. It’s a story that has engulfed Wall Street.

MicroStrategy shares are up 477% this year as of Friday’s close, ranking second AppLovin It ranks among all U.S. tech companies valued at $5 billion or more, according to FactSet data. This follows a 346% increase in 2023.

While the rally was well underway well before November of this year, Donald Trump’s election victory, which was heavily funded by the crypto industry, boosted the stock even more. Stocks have risen 60% since the Nov. 5 election and finally surpassed their dot-com era peak in 2000 on Nov. 11.

Saylor has long spoken about Bitcoin in an evangelical way and co-authored a 2022 book about it called “What is Money?” But his critics have recently become louder than ever, describe Saylor as a cult-like leader and his strategy as “Ponzi loop” This involves issuing debt and equity to buy Bitcoin, watching MicroStrategy’s stock price rise, and then doing more of the same.

“Wash, rinse, repeat – what could go wrong?” wrote Peter Schiff, chief economist and global strategist at Euro Pacific Asset Management, on November 12 Post on X to his 1 million followers.

Saylor, who has 3.8 million followers, addressed the growing chorus of skeptics in an interview with CNBC’s “Money Movers” last week.

“Just like developers in Manhattan, every time the value of real estate in Manhattan goes up, they issue more debt to develop more properties. That’s why the buildings in New York City are so tall,” Saylor said in a clip posted to X by his legion of fans. “It’s been around for 350 years. I would call it an economy.”

Watch CNBC's full interview with MicroStrategy's Michael Saylor

Saylor is a frequent guest on CNBC and appears on various programs throughout the year. He also agreed to two interviews with CNBC.com, one in September and one shortly after the election.

The first of these conversations took place at the Lotte, just a few elevator stops from the penthouse where he stayed before his stock went public on the Nasdaq. Saylor gave a conference keynote speech at the hotel and also attended meetings.

He wore a designer suit and an orange Hermès tie to match the Bitcoin color. The election was less than two months away, and crypto companies were pumping money into the Trump campaign after the Republican candidate and former president previously described Bitcoin as a “Fraud against the dollar” began to ensure a much more crypto-friendly administration.

“Inspired the crypto community”

Two months earlier, in July, Trump gave a keynote address at the largest Bitcoin conference of the year in Nashville, Tennessee, where he promised to fire SEC Chairman Gary Gensler, an industry critic, and said the US would become the “crypto capital of the planet” if he won.

“I think the election year inspired the crypto community to find its voice, and I think it sparked a lot of latent enthusiasm,” Saylor said in the September interview. “When Trump initially expressed positive comments, it was a big boost for the industry. When it came back completely positive, that was another boost.”

Until this year, MicroStrategy was one of the only ways for many institutions to purchase Bitcoin. Because MicroStrategy was a stock, investment firms didn’t need any special regulations to own it. The environment changed in January when the SEC approved spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds, allowing investors to purchase ETFs that track the value of Bitcoin.

Since Trump’s victory everything has been on the right side. Bitcoin is up about 41% and BlackRock’s ETF is up 39%. Gensler is preparing to leave the SEC, and Trump has picked deregulation advocate and former SEC Commissioner Paul Atkins to replace him.

Venture capitalist David Sacks, an outspoken conservative who hosted a fundraiser for Trump in San Francisco, will be the “AI and crypto czar of the White House,” Trump announced in a post on his Truth Social platform earlier this month.

“With the red momentum, Bitcoin is going up with a tailwind, and the rest of the digital assets are going to start going up as well,” Saylor said in a phone interview with CNBC shortly after the election. He said Bitcoin remains the “safe trade” in the crypto space, but as a “digital asset framework” is created for the broader crypto market, “there will be an uptick in the entire digital asset industry,” he said.

“Taxes are going down. All the rhetoric about unrealized capital gains taxes and property taxes is off the table,” Saylor said. “All hostility from regulators toward banks touching Bitcoin” is also disappearing, he added.

Republican presidential candidate and former US President Donald Trump gestures at the Bitcoin 2024 event in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, July 27, 2024.

Kevin Worm | Reuters

MicroStrategy has become even more aggressive in its Bitcoin purchases. Saylor said in one post On December 16, he announced that his company had purchased 15,350 Bitcoin for $1.5 billion in six days from December 9.

So far this year, MicroStrategy has purchased 249,850 Bitcoin, with nearly two-thirds of those purchases occurring since November 11th.

“We wanted to do it anyway,” said Saylor, referring to the election results. “But the headwind has turned into a tailwind.”

A week before the election, MicroStrategy announced in its quarterly issue Results publication a plan to raise $42 billion over three years. This included a stock sale worth up to $21 billion by financial firms such as TD Securities and Barclays, freeing up significantly more liquidity for Bitcoin purchases.

Saylor told CNBC it was “probably the most important earnings release in the company’s history.”

No possession is too much for Saylor, who predicted in September that Bitcoin could reach $13 million by 2045, which would represent annual growth of 29%.

“We’re just going to buy higher up forever,” he said in the same television interview in which he compared Bitcoin to real estate in New York. “Every day is a good day to buy Bitcoin. We think of it as cyber Manhattan.”

Saylor speaks enthusiastically about Bitcoin as the foundation of a new digital economy that will only get bigger. But even since he launched his Bitcoin strategy in 2020, investors have faced major problems – the stock lost 74% of its value in 2022 before rising sharply over the past two years.

Nevertheless, he advises companies to imitate his strategy. Microsoft didn’t listen, but Saylor said there were a lot of “zombie companies” with core businesses that weren’t going anywhere and could put their money to better use.

“The traditional advice would be: When you do a transformational acquisition, you realize you need a merger partner. “You’re dead. Find someone to merge with,” Saylor said at Lotte in September. “Bitcoin is the universal merger partner, right? The real appeal of digital capital is that you can fix any company.”

REGARD: CNBC’s full interview with Michael Saylor, CEO of MicroStrategy

Watch CNBC's full interview with MicroStrategy's Michael Saylor

Lamarblogspot


Professor Francis Nkrumah (89)

Professor Francis Nkrumah (89), the son of Ghana’s first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, is dead. Professor Nkrumah is reported to have died on Sunday, June 30, 2024.

He was Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s first born child. He dated Ms. Fanny Miller, who came from Elmina in the central region.

Dr. Kwame Nkrumah is said to have met Miss Miller when he was teaching at the Catholic Church middle school in a town called Amisano adjacent to Elmina.

They maintained a relationship and Miss Miller received Professor Nkrumah before Dr. Kwame Nkrumah left Ghana to study at Lincoln University in the United Kingdom.

As Dr. Kwame Nkrumah returned, the child (Professor Francis Nkrumah) who had managed to get into St. Augustine’s College had performed remarkably well in the O Levels.

Meanwhile, Nkrumah had become head of government affairs in 1952 and was living with Francis in his Accra New Town Residence. Finally, Francis Nkrumah received a Cocobod scholarship to travel to Germany and study medicine there.

The late Professor Emeritus Francis Nkrumah, the longest-serving director of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), was praised for his role in initiatives to eradicate poliomyelitis in Africa and for the various roles he played as a founding member of the Pediatric Association of Ghana and the West African College of Physicians.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Africa Region honored Professor Francis Kwesi Nkrumah in October 2016 for his outstanding and diligent role in initiatives to eradicate poliomyelitis in Africa.

Professor Nkrumah received three awards for his service on the Africa Regional Certification Committee (ARCC), recognized by the NHO Office in Ghana, and as a one-time Chair of the Regional Task Force on Immunization (TFI).

The cause of death is initially unknown.

But Indian author and editor Vijay Prashad announced his death in a post on X on Sunday, June 30, 2024.

The editor of Inkani Books, publisher of the latest edition of “The Revolutionary Thoughts of Kwame Nkrumah”, quoted a foreword written by Dr. Francis Nkrumah, in which he praised his father, saying: “I currently feel that Africa continues to exist.” Miss (Kwame Nkrumah), unless we go back and consider what Nkrumah actually did meant for Ghana and Africa.”

DISCLAIMER: The views, comments, opinions, posts and statements made by readers and contributors on this site do not necessarily represent the views or policies of LamarBlogspot. Please inform us of any inappropriate content so that we can prioritize its evaluation.



The leases affected their RTO policies, the companies said



© 2024 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy CA Notice of Collection and Privacy Notice | Don’t Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the US and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for certain links to products and services on this website. Offers are subject to change without notice.



Source link

Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy jubilantly hugs owner Jerry Jones amid contract drama


When you win, everything feels great when you go back to the locker room after the game.

But for Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, any win at the end of the regular season could mean a contract extension. And a warm hug with owner Jerry Jones has football fans wondering if that’s in the cards.

McCarthy and Jones were seen sharing a big hug after the Cowboys defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26-24 on “Sunday Night Football.”

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Jerry Jones at a press conference

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones answers questions with new head coach Mike McCarthy during a press conference at the Ford Center at the Star. (Matthew Emmons-USA Today Sports)

There were big smiles as they hugged, but Jones also appeared to get serious as he spoke to McCarthy, although the microphones couldn’t pick up what he said. From the looks of it, it was one of those good, serious conversations as the Cowboys got to 7-8 on the year.

The reality of this season now is that the Cowboys are eliminated from the playoffs, something neither Jones nor anyone in the organization expects to happen by the end of Week 17.

However, McCarthy has revitalized the team that was once depressed after losing to the 7-3 Houston Texans on Nov. 18.

COWBOYS MAKE CLUTCH DEFENSIVE PLAYS TO TIGHTEN BUCS AND GET VICTORY

Dallas has won four of its last five games while without franchise quarterback Dak Prescott, whose hamstring injury Nov. 3 against the Atlanta Falcons required surgery and ended his 2024 season early.

Jones was thrilled with what he saw in his owner’s box over the past few weeks.

“These guys came out and played like they were in the championship game fighting to get to the Super Bowl,” Jones said after the win, according to Yahoo Sports. “I can’t say how proud I am of them and the coaching staff. It really shows me something.”

Mike McCarthy coach

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy watches the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

During his media appearance, McCarthy spoke about the locker room he was in and how he feels like his group is still playing like it’s the last game of the season, even if there are no playoffs on the horizon.

“I just think it shows who they are,” McCarthy explained. “I think everyone says the coach is always raving about the dressing room – well that’s what I’m talking about. When I say, ‘It’s a great locker room,’ that’s the definition of it. This is it. This is what a great locker room looks like.”

Quite a turnaround for McCarthy, who seemed all but out as the Cowboys inched closer to a top draft pick rather than a playoff spot. But despite the difficulties of 2024, McCarthy has received approval from Prescott and others for a contract extension.

Jones himself even recently commented on McCarthy’s contract status, saying just before Thanksgiving that he felt a contract extension was “not crazy at all.” After all, McCarthy went 12-5 in each of the last three seasons prior to this one, which could still be a year over .500.

Mike McCarthy looks out onto the field

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy stands on the sidelines during the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at AT&T Stadium. (Tim Heitman-Imagn Images)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

McCarthy has two weeks left on his current contract, and if Dallas finishes strong against the NFC East’s two likely playoff teams – the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders – he may continue to lead “America’s Team.”

As the saying goes, end the year on a good note. McCarthy lets his boys play accordingly.

Follow Fox News Digital Sports coverage of Xand subscribe the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.



Lamarblogspot


Nigerian actress Omoni Oboli

Nollywood actress, Omoni Oboli has taken to social media to share her excitement over her daughter-in-law’s pregnancy as she eagerly looks forward to becoming a grandmother. Omoni Oboli’s first son, Tobe, married his Caucasian wife Marelle in a small wedding ceremony surrounded by his loved ones.

Tobe is dating his beautiful Caucasian wife Marelle.

The 46-year-old actress posted sweet photos from her daughter-in-law’s maternity shoot, announcing that the family is looking forward to the birth of a baby girl.

The mother of three sons shared that she had wanted a daughter and even thought about adopting one. She eagerly looks forward to holding her granddaughter in her arms as she waits for her arrival.

She wrote;

DISCLAIMER: The views, comments, opinions, posts and statements made by readers and contributors on this site do not necessarily represent the views or policies of LamarBlogspot. Please inform us of any inappropriate content so that we can prioritize its evaluation.

US launches investigation into China’s legacy chip



© 2024 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy CA Notice of Collection and Privacy Notice | Don’t Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the US and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for certain links to products and services on this website. Offers are subject to change without notice.



Source link

Biden commutes the sentences of nearly all federal death row inmates, making more top headlines


Good morning and welcome to Fox News’ morning newsletter, Fox News First. And here’s what you need to know to start your day…

TOP 3

1. Biden is reclassifying the sentences of 37 of 40 federal death row inmates.

2. Illegal immigrant is said to have set fire to train passenger.

3. Top Biden ally reacts as Musk plans to funnel money to ‘heavily Democratic districts’

IMPORTANT HEADLINES

Trail of terror – A violent migrant gang is spreading across the United States; Activity was reported in 19 states. Read more…

MISSING – The congresswoman who quietly disappeared from Capitol Hill lived in a retirement facility. Read more…

BEHIND THE POLES – The Justice Department accuses the state of routinely holding inmates weeks and months after their scheduled release dates. Read more…

I knew you were in trouble – New twist in Blake Lively’s “take-down” drama as Taylor Swift is dragged into the mix. Read more…

NEW ROLE – Denzel Washington becomes minister and admits religion “can’t be talked about” in Hollywood. Read more…

POLICY

HOME INVASION – The home appliances the Biden administration has focused on over the years. Read more…

countdown – Trump sets the exact date when his administration will be “fully operational.” Read more…

unlikely ally – The Democratic senator sends a clear message to all Americans who speak out against President-elect Trump. Read more…

“DEAL OF THE CENTURY” – Trump is the “perfect leader” to negotiate the future of TikTok in the US, says the chairman of the House China Committee. Read more…

Click here for more cartoons…

MEDIA

“Like leaving a cult” – DNC powerhouse fundraiser announces withdrawal from Democratic Party after attacks. Read more…

“I WAS AN EXPERIMENT” – Young mother facing permanent health problems after sex change warns she was sold a ‘lie’ Read more…

Blame game — The Biden-Harris administrator points the finger at “irresponsible policies” that are undermining border security efforts. Read more…

FLASHBACK — Liberal media and top Democrats keep laughing at concerns about Biden’s fitness. See video

OPINION

DR. NICOLE SAPHIER – Steps the Trump administration must take to make America healthy again. Read more…

GRANT NEWSHAM – DEI is like a woke IED for the left’s war on our military. Read more…

IN OTHER NEWS

MAGICAL UNION – Disneyland limits popular vacation items as demand increases. Read more…

PLANE PAIN – Passenger goes viral for sharing flight attendant-approved hack that “saved” her. Read more…

AMERICAN CULTURE QUIZ – Test yourself with Christmas classics, noble fir trees and popular proteins. Take the quiz here…

NEW HIDEOUT – The picturesque East Coast town that is quickly becoming a celebrity haven. Read more…

IT’S THAT SEASON – Food helps families stay together thanks to an extraordinary effort. See video…

REGARD

CAROLINE LEAVITT – The debt ceiling is the last tool in the Democrats’ toolbox to obstruct Trump’s agenda. See video…

CARDINAL TIMOTHY DOLAN – There seems to be a new appreciation for the role of faith. See video…

FOX WEATHER

What is it like in your neighborhood? Read more…

FOLLOW FOX NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook

Instagram

YouTube

Twitter

LinkedIn

Sign up for our newsletter

Fox News first

Fox News Opinion

Fox News lifestyle

Fox News Entertainment (FOX411)

DOWNLOAD OUR APPS

Fox News

Fox business

Fox weather

Fox Sports

Tube

WATCH FOX NEWS ONLINE

Fox News Go

Thank you for making us your first choice in the morning! See you in your inbox on Friday.



Lamarblogspot


Chef Smith (Image credit: Sammy Moore)

Guinness World Records has looked into the claims of Ghanaian chef Ebenezer Smith, who claims to have broken the record for the longest cooking marathon by an individual.

Chef Smith made the announcement during a press conference at La Hotel on July 2, 2024 and presented a certificate as proof of his achievement.

Chef Smith even went so far as to submit a certificate to defend his claim of breaking the longest cooking marathon by an individual. Watch the video below

During the press conference announcing the alleged success, he stated.

Chef Ebenezer Smith

“I am deeply humbled and honored to announce that I am now the new world record holder in the cooking competition,” he said.

The inscription on his certificate reads: “The longest cooking marathon (individual) lasts 802 hours and 25 minutes and was completed by Ebenezer Smith (Ghanaian) at Spintex, Accra, Ghana. From February 1st to March 6th, 2024.”

In an official reply email from GHone TV, Guinness World Records refuted the claim and confirmed that the record holder for the longest cooking marathon was Alan Fisher from Ireland, who achieved a time of 119 hours, 57 minutes and 16 seconds in Matsue Shimane, Japan from September 28th to October 3rd, 2023.

The reason for this investigation was doubts about the authenticity of Chef Smith’s certificate and the unavailability of entries in the Guinness Book of Records confirming his alleged achievement.

Guinness World Records confirms that Ghanaian Chef Smith “does not hold the GWR title” and that his certificate is not original

An additional update from TV3 Ghana on Guinness World Records confirms that the information is incorrect as they contacted Guinness World Records directly through the X account.

GWR has confirmed to TV3 that Chef Smith is not setting a record for longest cooking time.

Another update from Guinness World Records shows that the cooking marathon record is no longer valid.

GWR has deactivated a number of records for various reasons, for example the fastest violinist record was removed in 2017 due to difficulties in assessing the quality of performances.

According to a report by Asase Fm, Ghanaian Chef Ebenezer Smith has been arrested by the Ghana Police and is currently being held at the La Police Station in Accra.

The details of his arrest are not yet clear, but it comes shortly after Chef Smith announced his recognition from the Guinness Book of World Records for setting the record time in a cooking marathon.

According to additional sources, it was reported that Nana Boroo brought security personnel to the conference venue due to an alleged contract dispute with Smith.

DISCLAIMER: The views, comments, opinions, contributions and statements made by readers and contributors on this site do not necessarily characterize the views or policies of LamarBlogspot. Please inform us of any inappropriate content so that we can prioritize it.