Stock Markets July 1, 2026 08:08 AM

Citi Cuts Strategy Inc. Target After Lowering Bitcoin Outlook

Analyst trims 12-month BTC forecast and lowers adjusted Bitcoin yields while keeping Buy rating on Strategy

By Leila Farooq
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MSTR STRK STRD STRC BTC

Citi reduced its 12-month price objective for Strategy Inc. to $136 from $260 after downgrading its Bitcoin forecast by 27% to about $81,800. The bank kept a Buy rating and High Risk designation, but materially pared back adjusted Bitcoin yield estimates and highlighted a capital plan intended to extend financial stability.

Citi Cuts Strategy Inc. Target After Lowering Bitcoin Outlook
MSTR STRK STRD STRC BTC
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Key Points

  • Citi lowered Strategy Inc.'s 12-month price target to $136 from $260 while maintaining a Buy rating and High Risk designation.
  • The bank cut its 12-month Bitcoin forecast by 27% to approximately $81,800 and sharply reduced adjusted Bitcoin Yield estimates for fiscal 2026 and 2027.
  • Strategy's capital plan — including a $1.15 billion share issuance and an expanded USD Reserve — is intended to extend the company's runway and cover preferred dividends.

Citi has trimmed its 12-month price target for Strategy Inc. to $136 from $260, according to a note published Wednesday, even as the firm retained a Buy rating and kept Strategy's designation as High Risk. The reduction in the target follows a 27% downward revision to Citi's one-year Bitcoin forecast, which is now about $81,800.

Analyst Peter Christiansen said the updated price target incorporates two principal components: roughly a 40% uplift tied to a higher Bitcoin price over the coming 12 months, and an estimated 16% contribution from mNAV expansion relative to current levels.

Citi also materially reduced its projections for adjusted Bitcoin Yield at Strategy. The bank revised fiscal 2026 yield down sharply from 10.4% to 2.6%, and lowered the fiscal 2027 estimate from 10.5% to 3.9%.

On Strategy's most recent capital measures, Christiansen characterized the package as buying additional time for the company to achieve stabilization, saying it "buys more time for stabilization." Last week the company issued $1.15 billion of shares, which raised its USD Reserve from $1.4 billion to $2.55 billion. Citi noted that this reserve level is sufficient to cover approximately 17.4 months of preferred dividends.

The capital plan also provides authorization for a further $1.25 billion increase in the USD Reserve and permits repurchases of up to $1 billion each of MSTR ordinary equity and preferred shares.

Citi's note highlighted valuation gaps in the preferred instruments, reporting that STRK and STRD preferred shares are trading at about 45% discounts to par. By contrast, the firm expects Strategy to place greater emphasis on STRC, which trades at a roughly 15% discount and represents a larger position with a relative size Citi values at $10.5 billion.

Addressing broader market dynamics around Bitcoin, Christiansen argued Strategy itself "shouldn't be the BTC narrative." He estimated that Strategy's trading activity represented only 0.79% of trusted spot Bitcoin volume over the past 12 months, and projected that the company's Bitcoin holdings would fall only modestly - from 4.0% to 3.8% - of the 21 million token supply by year-end.


Sectors affected: cryptocurrency markets, financial services tied to digital-asset exposure, and equity/preferred securities markets.

Risks

  • Bitcoin price risk: Citi's downward revision to its 12-month Bitcoin forecast and the substantial cuts to adjusted Bitcoin Yield estimates introduce earnings and valuation uncertainty for companies with large BTC exposure. (Impacted sectors: cryptocurrency markets, financial services)
  • Preferred-share valuation risk: STRK and STRD are trading at about 45% discounts to par, presenting potential liquidity and pricing volatility for holders of these instruments. (Impacted sectors: fixed income, structured finance)
  • Concentration and market-impact risk: Although Citi estimates Strategy's trading accounted for only 0.79% of trusted spot volume, any shifts in the company's Bitcoin holdings or capital actions could still create market signaling effects; the company’s Bitcoin holdings are projected to decline only modestly from 4.0% to 3.8% of the 21 million supply by year-end. (Impacted sectors: cryptocurrency markets, equities tied to digital-assets)

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