As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
July 28, 2017
Securities Act File No. 33-26305
Investment Company Act File No. 811-05742
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION
STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
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☒
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Pre-Effective
Amendment No.
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□
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Post-Effective
Amendment No. 728
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☒
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and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE
INVESTMENT
COMPANY ACT OF 1940
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☒
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(Check appropriate box or
boxes)
BLACKROCK FUNDS
SM
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
100 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19809
United
States of America
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code:
(800) 441-7762
John M. Perlowski
BLACKROCK FUNDS
SM
55 East 52nd Street
New York, New York 10055
United States of America
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
Copies to:
Counsel
for the Fund:
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Frank
P. Bruno, Esq.
Sidley Austin LLP
787 Seventh Avenue
New York, New York 10019--6018
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Benjamin
Archibald, Esq.
BlackRock Advisors, LLC
55 East 52nd Street
New York, New York 10055
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It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check
appropriate box)
☒ Immediately upon filing
pursuant to paragraph (b)
□ On (date) pursuant to paragraph
(b)
□ 60 days after filing
pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
□ On (date) pursuant to paragraph
(a)(1)
□ 75 days after
filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
□ On (date) pursuant to paragraph
(a)(2) of Rule 485
If appropriate, check the following box:
□ This post-effective amendment
designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.
Title of Securities Being Registered: Shares of beneficial interest, par
value $0.001 per share.
BlackRock Funds
SM
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Investor and Institutional Shares
►
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BlackRock Money Market
Portfolio
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Investor
A: PINXX • Investor B: CIBXX • Investor C: BMCXX • Institutional: PNIXX
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This Prospectus contains information you should know before
investing, including information about risks. Please read it before you invest and keep it for future reference.
The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or
disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Not FDIC Insured • May Lose Value • No Bank
Guarantee
Table of Contents
Fund Overview
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Key facts
and details about the Fund, including investment objective, principal investment strategies, principal risk factors, fee and expense information and historical performance information
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3
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3
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4
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4
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5
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6
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6
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7
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7
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Details About the Fund
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Information about
how the Fund invests, including investment objective, investment processes, principal strategies and risk factors
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8
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9
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Account Information
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Information about
account services, sales charges and waivers, shareholder transactions, and distribution and other payments
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12
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15
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16
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17
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23
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24
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25
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26
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26
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Glossary
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Glossary of Investment
Terms
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38
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Fund Overview
Investment Objective
The investment objective of BlackRock Money Market Portfolio
(“Money Market Portfolio” or the “Fund”), a series of BlackRock Funds
SM
(the “Trust”), is to seek as high a level of
current income as is consistent with maintaining liquidity and stability of principal.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if
you buy and hold shares of the Fund.
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a
percentage of the value of your investment)
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Investor
A
Shares
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Investor
B
Shares
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Investor
C
Shares
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Institutional
Shares
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Management
Fee
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0.45%
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0.45%
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0.45%
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0.45%
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Distribution
and/or Service (12b-1) Fees
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0.25%
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1.00%
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1.00%
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None
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Other
Expenses
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0.27%
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0.19%
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0.17%
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0.11%
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Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
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0.97%
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1.64%
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1.62%
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0.56%
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Fee
Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements
1
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(0.42)%
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(0.34)%
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(0.32)%
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(0.36)%
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Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements
1
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0.55%
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1.30%
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1.30%
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0.20%
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1
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As described in the
“Management of the Fund” section of the Fund’s prospectus beginning on page 27, BlackRock Advisors, LLC (“BlackRock”) has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse fees or expenses in order to limit Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements (excluding Dividend Expense, Interest Expense, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and certain other Fund expenses) as a percentage of average daily net assets to 0.55% (for
Investor A Shares), 1.30% (for Investor B and Investor C Shares) and 0.20% (for Institutional Shares) through July 31, 2018. The Fund may have to repay some of these waivers and/or reimbursements to BlackRock in the following two years. The
agreement may be terminated upon 90 days’ notice by a majority of the non-interested trustees of the Trust or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.
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Example:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the
Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your
investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
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1
Year
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3
Years
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5
Years
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10
Years
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Investor
A Shares
1
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$
56
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$267
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$495
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$1,151
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Investor
B Shares
1
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$132
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$484
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$860
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$1,736
2
/$1,652
3
/$1,915
4
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Investor
C Shares
1
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$132
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$480
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$851
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$1,895
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Institutional
Shares
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$
20
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$143
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$277
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$
667
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1
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These expense figures do not
reflect the imposition of the deferred sales charge which may be deducted upon the redemption of Investor A, Investor B or Investor C Shares of the Fund received in an exchange transaction for Investor A, Investor B or Investor C Shares of a
non-money market fund advised by BlackRock or its affiliates (each, a “Non-Money Market BlackRock Fund”) as described in the applicable prospectuses. No deferred sales charge is deducted upon the redemption of Investor A, Investor B or
Investor C Shares of the Fund that are purchased from the Trust and not acquired by exchange.
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2
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Based on the conversion of
Investor B Shares to Investor A Shares after eight years (applies to shares received in an exchange transaction for Investor B Shares of certain equity Non-Money Market BlackRock Funds).
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3
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Based on the conversion of
Investor B Shares to Investor A Shares after seven years (applies to shares received in an exchange transaction for Investor B Shares of certain fixed-income Non-Money Market BlackRock Funds).
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Based on
the conversion of Investor B Shares to Investor A Shares after ten years (applies to shares received in an exchange transaction for Investor B Shares of certain fixed-income Non-Money Market BlackRock Funds).
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Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by
investing in a broad range of short-term, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments, including government, U.S. and foreign bank, commercial and other obligations. The Fund invests in securities maturing in 397 days or less (with
certain exceptions), and the portfolio will have a dollar-weighted average maturity of 60 days or less and a dollar-weighted average life of 120 days or less. Under normal market conditions, at least 25% of the Fund’s total assets will be
invested in obligations of issuers in the financial services industry or in obligations, such as repurchase agreements, secured by such obligations.
The Fund may purchase variable and floating rate notes, which
are instruments that provide for adjustments in the interest rate on certain reset dates or whenever a specified interest rate index changes, respectively. The Fund may transact in securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment
basis.
The Fund seeks to maintain a net asset value
(“NAV”) of $1.00 per share.
The securities
purchased by the Fund are subject to the quality, diversification and other requirements of Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), and other rules of the Securities and Exchange
Commission. The Fund will only purchase securities that present minimal credit risk as determined by BlackRock, the Fund’s investment manager, pursuant to guidelines approved by the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the
“Board”).
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Fund
Risk is inherent in all investing. You could lose money by
investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell
shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The
Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.
The following is a summary description of principal risks of
investing in the Fund.
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Asset-Backed Securities Risk
— Asset-backed securities represent interests in “pools” of assets, including consumer loans or receivables held in trust. Asset-backed securities are subject to credit, interest rate,
prepayment and extension risks. These securities also are subject to risk of default on the underlying asset, particularly during periods of economic downturn.
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Credit Risk
— Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of a security will not be able to make payments of interest and principal when due. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the
market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in that issuer.
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Extension Risk
— When interest rates rise, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more slowly than anticipated, causing the value of these securities to fall.
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Financial Services Industry
Risk
—
Because of its concentration in the financial services industry, the Fund will be more susceptible to any economic, business, political or
other developments which generally affect this industry sector. As a result, the Fund will be exposed to a large extent to the risks associated with that industry, such as government regulation, the availability and cost of capital funds,
consolidation and general economic conditions. Financial services companies are also exposed to losses if borrowers and other counterparties experience financial problems and/or cannot repay their obligations.
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When interest rates go up,
the value of securities issued by many types of financial services companies generally goes down. In many countries, financial services and the companies that provide them are regulated by governmental entities, which can increase costs for new
services or products and make it difficult to pass increased costs on to consumers. In certain areas, deregulation of financial services companies has resulted in increased competition and reduced profitability for certain companies.
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The profitability of many
types of financial services companies may be adversely affected in certain market cycles, including periods of rising interest rates, which may restrict the availability and increase the cost of capital, and declining economic conditions, which may
cause credit losses due to financial difficulties of borrowers. Because many types of financial services companies are vulnerable to these economic cycles, a large portion of the Fund’s investments may lose value during such periods.
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Foreign Exposure Risk
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Securities issued or supported by foreign entities, including foreign banks and corporations, may involve additional risks and considerations. Extensive
public information about the foreign issuer may not be available, and unfavorable political, economic or governmental developments in the foreign country involved could affect the payment of principal and interest.
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Income Risk
— Income risk is the risk that the Fund’s yield will vary as short-term securities in its portfolio mature and the proceeds are reinvested in
securities with different interest rates.
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Interest Rate Risk
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Interest rate risk is the risk that the value of a debt security may fall when interest rates rise. In general, the market price of debt securities with
longer maturities will go up or down more in response to changes in interest rates than the market price of shorter-term securities. Due to fluctuations in interest rates, the market value of such securities may vary during the period shareholders
own shares of the Fund.
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Liquidity Fee and Redemption
Gate Risk
— The Board has discretion to impose a liquidity fee of up to 2% upon sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls
below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. Accordingly, you may not be able to sell your shares or your redemptions may be subject to a liquidity fee when you sell your shares at certain times.
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Market Risk and Selection Risk
— Market risk is the risk that one or more markets in which the Fund invests will go down in value, including the possibility that the markets will go down sharply and unpredictably.
Selection risk is the risk that the securities selected by Fund management will underperform the markets, the relevant indices or the securities selected by other funds with similar investment objectives and investment strategies. This means you may
lose money.
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Prepayment Risk
— When interest rates fall, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more quickly than originally anticipated, and the Fund may have to invest the proceeds in securities with lower
yields.
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Repurchase Agreements and
Purchase and Sale Contracts Risk
— If the other party to a repurchase agreement or purchase and sale contract defaults on its obligation under the agreement, the Fund may suffer delays and
incur costs or lose money in exercising its rights under the agreement. If the seller fails to repurchase the security in either situation and the market value of the security declines, the Fund may lose money.
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Stable Net Asset Value Risk
— The Fund may not be able to maintain a stable NAV of $1.00 per share at all times. If the Fund fails to maintain a stable NAV (or if there is a perceived threat of such a failure), the Fund,
along with other money market funds, could be subject to increased redemption activity.
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U.S. Government Obligations
Risk
— Certain securities in which the Fund may invest, including securities issued by certain U.S. Government agencies and U.S. Government sponsored enterprises, are not guaranteed by the
U.S. Government or supported by the full faith and credit of the United States.
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Variable and Floating Rate
Instrument Risk
—
The absence of an active market for these securities could make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of them if the issuer
defaults.
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When-Issued
and Delayed Delivery Securities and Forward Commitments Risk
— When-issued and delayed delivery securities and forward commitments involve the risk that the security the Fund buys will lose
value prior to its delivery. There also is the risk that the security will not be issued or that the other party to the transaction will not meet its obligation. If this occurs, the Fund may lose both the investment opportunity for the assets it set
aside to pay for the security and any gain in the security’s price.
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Performance Information
The information shows you how the
Fund’s performance has varied year by year and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. To the extent that dividends and distributions have been paid by the Fund, the performance information for the Fund in the chart and
table assumes reinvestment of the dividends and distributions. As with all such investments, past performance is not an indication of future results. The table includes all applicable fees. If BlackRock and its affiliates had not waived or
reimbursed certain Fund expenses during these periods, the Fund’s returns would have been lower. The Fund is a money market fund managed pursuant to the requirements of Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act. Effective May 28, 2010, Rule
2a-7 was amended to impose new liquidity, credit quality and maturity requirements on all money market funds. Fund performance shown prior to May 28, 2010 is based on Investment Company Act rules then in effect and is not an indication of future
returns. Updated information on the Fund’s performance can be obtained by phone at (800) 882-0052.
Investor A Shares
ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS
Money Market Portfolio
As of 12/31
During the ten-year period shown in the bar
chart, the highest return for a quarter was 1.18% (quarter ended September 30, 2007) and the lowest return for a quarter was 0.00% (quarter ended June 30, 2015). The year-to-date return as of June 30, 2017 was 0.31%.
As
of 12/31/16
Average Annual Total Returns
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1
Year
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5
Years
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10
Years
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Money
Market Portfolio — Investor A Shares
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Return
Before Taxes
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0.20%
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0.04%
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0.76%
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Money
Market Portfolio — Investor B Shares
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Return
Before Taxes
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0.17%
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0.04%
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0.63%
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Money
Market Portfolio — Investor C Shares
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Return
Before Taxes
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0.16%
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0.04%
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0.63%
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Money
Market Portfolio — Institutional Shares
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Return
Before Taxes
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0.49%
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0.11%
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0.88%
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To obtain the Fund’s current 7-day yield, call (800)
441-7762.
Investment Manager
The Fund’s investment manager is BlackRock Advisors, LLC
(previously defined as “BlackRock”).
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund is a retail money market fund and is intended only
for sale to beneficial owners who are natural persons.
You may generally purchase or redeem shares of the Fund each
day on which both the New York Stock Exchange and the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia are open.
To purchase or sell shares of the Fund you
should contact your financial professional or your selected securities dealer, broker, investment adviser, service provider or industry professional (including BlackRock, The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. and their respective affiliates) (each
a “Financial Intermediary”), or, if you hold your shares through the Fund, you should contact the Fund by phone at (800) 441-7762, by mail (c/o BlackRock Funds, P.O. Box 9819, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-8019), or by the Internet at
www.blackrock.com. You have until the close of the federal funds wire (normally 6:00 p.m. Eastern time) to get your purchase money in to the Fund on the day of your purchase or your purchase order will be cancelled.
The Fund’s initial and subsequent investment minimums
generally are as follows, although the Fund may reduce or waive the minimums in some cases.
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Investor
A Shares
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Institutional
Shares
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Minimum
Initial
Investment
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$1,000
for all accounts except:
• $50, if establishing an Automatic Investment Plan (“AIP”).
• There is no investment minimum for
employer-sponsored retirement plans (not including SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs or SARSEPs).
• There is no investment minimum for certain fee-based programs.
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There
is no minimum initial investment for:
• Employer-sponsored retirement plans (not including SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs or SARSEPs) and state sponsored 529 college savings plans, each of which may purchase
shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary that has entered into an agreement with the Fund’s distributor to purchase such shares.
• Investors of Financial Intermediaries that: (i)
charge such investors a fee for advisory, investment consulting, or similar services or (ii) have entered into an agreement with the Fund’s distributor to offer Institutional Shares through a no-load program or investment platform.
$2 million for individuals.
$1,000 for clients investing through Financial Intermediaries that offer such shares on a platform that charges a transaction based sales
commission outside of the Fund.
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Minimum
Additional
Investment
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$50
for all accounts (with the exception of certain employer-sponsored retirement plans which may have a lower minimum).
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No
subsequent minimum.
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Information is not provided for Investor B and Investor C
Shares of the Fund because Investor B and Investor C Shares are no longer being offered to new investors. Investor B and Investor C Shares are available upon exchange from Investor B or Investor C Shares of certain Non-Money Market BlackRock
Funds.
Tax Information
The Fund’s dividends and distributions may be subject to
federal income taxes and may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are a tax-exempt investor or are investing through a retirement plan, in which case you may be subject to federal income tax upon withdrawal from such tax-deferred
arrangements.
Payments to Broker/Dealers and Other
Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial
Intermediary, the Fund and BlackRock Investments, LLC, the Fund’s distributor, or its affiliates may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by
influencing the Financial Intermediary and your individual financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your individual financial professional or visit your Financial Intermediary’s website for more
information.
Details About the Fund
Included in this prospectus are sections that tell you about
buying and selling shares, management information, shareholder features of BlackRock Money Market Portfolio (“Money Market Portfolio” or the “Fund”), a series of BlackRock Funds
SM
(the “Trust”), and your rights as a shareholder.
How the Fund Invests
The Fund is a retail money market fund managed pursuant to
Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).
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The Fund seeks to maintain a
net asset value (“NAV”) of $1.00 per share.
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The Fund will maintain a
dollar-weighted average maturity of 60 days or less and a dollar-weighted average life of 120 days or less. For a discussion of dollar-weighted average maturity and dollar-weighted average life, please see the Glossary on page 38.
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Pursuant to Rule 2a-7, the
Fund is subject to a “general liquidity requirement” that requires that the Fund hold securities that are sufficiently liquid to meet reasonably foreseeable shareholder redemptions in light of its obligations under Section 22(e) of the
Investment Company Act regarding share redemptions and any commitments the Fund has made to shareholders. To comply with this general liquidity requirement, BlackRock Advisors, LLC (“BlackRock”) must consider factors that could affect
the Fund’s liquidity needs, including characteristics of the Fund’s investors and their likely redemptions. Depending upon the volatility of its cash flows (particularly shareholder redemptions), this may require the Fund to maintain
greater liquidity than would be required by the weekly minimum liquidity requirement discussed below.
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The Fund will not acquire
any illiquid security (i.e., securities that cannot be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the value ascribed to them by the Fund) if, immediately following such purchase, more than 5% of the
Fund’s total assets are invested in illiquid securities. The Fund will not acquire any security other than a daily liquid asset unless, immediately following such purchase, at least 10% of its total assets would be invested in daily liquid
assets, and the Fund will not acquire any security other than a weekly liquid asset unless, immediately following such purchase, at least 30% of its total assets would be invested in weekly liquid assets. For a discussion of daily liquid assets and
weekly liquid assets, please see the Glossary on page 38.
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The Fund invests in
securities maturing within 13 months or less from the date of purchase, with certain exceptions. For example, certain government securities held by the Fund may have remaining maturities exceeding 13 months if such securities provide for adjustments
in their interest rates not less frequently than every 13 months.
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The
securities purchased by the Fund are subject to the quality, diversification, and other requirements of Rule 2a-7, and other rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The Fund will purchase securities (or issuers of
such securities) that are Eligible Securities that present minimal credit risk as determined by BlackRock pursuant to guidelines approved by the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”). For a discussion of Eligible Securities,
please see the Glossary on page 38.
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The Board will be permitted to impose a liquidity fee on
redemptions from the Fund (up to 2%) or temporarily restrict redemptions from the Fund for up to 10 business days during a 90 day period under certain circumstances. Please see the section below titled “Account Information — Liquidity
Fees and Redemption Gates” for additional information about liquidity fees and redemption gates.
Investment Objective
The investment objective of the Fund is to seek as high a level of current
income as is consistent with maintaining liquidity and stability of principal.
Should the Board determine that the investment objective of
the Fund should be changed, shareholders will be given at least 30 days’ notice before any such change is made. However, such change can be effected without shareholder approval.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund invests in a broad range of short-term, high quality U.S.
dollar-denominated money market instruments, including government, U.S. and foreign bank, commercial and other obligations. The Fund invests in securities maturing in 397 days or less (with certain exceptions), and the portfolio will have a
dollar-weighted average maturity of 60 days or less and a dollar-weighted average life of 120 days or less. Under normal market conditions, at least 25% of the Fund’s total assets will be invested in obligations of issuers in the financial
services industry or in obligations, such as repurchase agreements, secured by such obligations. Specifically, the Fund may invest in:
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U.S. dollar-denominated
obligations issued or supported by the credit of U.S. or foreign banks or savings institutions with total assets of more than $1 billion (including obligations of foreign branches of such banks)
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High quality commercial
paper and other obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. and foreign corporations and other issuers rated (at the time of purchase) A-2 or higher by S&P Global Ratings, P-2 (Prime-2) or higher by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or F2 or
higher by Fitch Ratings, Inc., as well as high quality corporate bonds rated A or higher at the time of purchase by those rating agencies
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Unrated notes, paper and
other instruments that are determined by Fund management to be of comparable quality to the instruments described above
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Asset-backed securities
(including interests in “pools” of assets such as mortgages, installment purchase obligations and credit card receivables)
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Securities issued or
guaranteed by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or authorities
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Dollar-denominated
securities issued or guaranteed by foreign governments or their political subdivisions, agencies or authorities
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Repurchase agreements
relating to the above instruments
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The Fund may purchase variable and floating rate notes, which
are instruments that provide for adjustments in the interest rate on certain reset dates or whenever a specified interest rate index changes, respectively. The Fund may transact in securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment
basis.
Pursuant to Rule 2a-7 under the Investment
Company Act, the Fund will generally limit its purchases of any one issuer’s securities (other than U.S. Government obligations and repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities) to 5% of the Fund’s total assets, except that up
to 25% of its total assets may be invested in securities of one issuer for a period of up to three business days; provided that the Fund may not invest in the securities of more than one issuer in accordance with the foregoing exception at any one
time.
Other Strategies
In addition to the principal strategies discussed above, the
Fund may also invest or engage in the following investments/strategies:
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Investment Company Securities
— The Fund may invest in securities issued by other open-end or closed-end investment companies as permitted by the Investment Company Act. A pro rata portion of the other investment
companies’ expenses may be borne by the Fund’s shareholders. These investments may include, as consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and policies, certain variable rate demand securities issued by closed-end funds, which
invest primarily in portfolios of taxable or tax-exempt securities. It is anticipated that the payments made on the variable rate demand securities issued by closed-end municipal bond funds will be exempt from federal income tax.
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Uninvested Cash Reserves
— The Fund may hold up to 20% of its assets in uninvested cash reserves. Uninvested cash reserves will not earn income.
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U.S.
Treasury Floating Rate Notes
— The Fund may invest in U.S. Treasury Floating Rate Notes (FRNs). These are two-year notes issued by the U.S. Treasury that reset their interest rates on a
weekly basis. At maturity, the face value of an FRN is paid to the note holder.
|
Investment Risks
Risk is inherent in all investing. You could lose money by
investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell
shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The
Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation
to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the
sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.
The following is a description of certain risks of investing
in the Fund.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Fund
■
|
Asset-Backed Securities Risk
—
Asset-backed securities represent interests in “pools” of assets, including consumer loans or receivables held in trust. Asset-backed
securities, like traditional fixed-income securities, are subject to credit, interest rate, prepayment and extension risks.
|
|
The Fund’s investments
in asset-backed securities are subject to additional risks associated with the nature of the assets and the servicing of those assets. These securities also are subject to the risk of default on the underlying assets, particularly during periods of
economic downturn.
|
|
Asset-backed securities
entail further risks, including the risk that, in certain states, it may be difficult to perfect the liens securing the collateral backing certain asset-backed securities. In addition, certain asset-backed securities are based on loans that are
unsecured, which means that there is no collateral to seize if the underlying borrower defaults.
|
■
|
Credit Risk
— Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of a security will not be able to make principal and interest payments when due. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the
market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in that issuer. The degree of credit risk depends on both the financial condition of the issuer and the terms of the
obligation.
|
■
|
Extension Risk
— When interest rates rise, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more slowly than anticipated, causing the value of these securities to fall. Rising interest rates tend to extend
the duration of securities, making them more sensitive to changes in interest rates. The value of longer-term securities generally changes more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. As a result, in a period of rising
interest rates, securities may exhibit additional volatility and may lose value.
|
■
|
Financial
Services Industry Risk
— Because of its concentration in the financial services industry, the Fund will be more susceptible to any economic, business, political or other developments which
generally affect this industry sector. As a result, the Fund will be exposed to a large extent to the risks associated with that industry, such as government regulation, the availability and cost of capital funds, consolidation and general economic
conditions. Financial services companies are also exposed to losses if borrowers and other counterparties experience financial problems and/or cannot repay their obligations.
|
When interest rates go up, the value of
securities issued by many types of financial services companies generally goes down. In many countries, financial services and the companies that provide them are regulated by governmental entities, which can increase costs for new services or
products and make it difficult to pass increased costs on to consumers. In certain areas, deregulation of financial services companies has resulted in increased competition and reduced profitability for certain companies.
The profitability of many types of
financial services companies may be adversely affected in certain market cycles, including periods of rising interest rates, which may restrict the availability and increase the cost of capital, and declining economic conditions, which may cause
credit losses due to financial difficulties of borrowers. Because many types of financial services companies are vulnerable to these economic cycles, a large portion of the Fund’s investments may lose value during such periods.
■
|
Foreign Exposure Risk
—
Securities issued or supported by foreign entities, including foreign banks and corporations, may involve additional risks and considerations. Extensive
public information about the foreign issuer may not be available, and unfavorable political, economic or governmental developments in the foreign country involved could affect the payment of principal and interest.
|
■
|
Income Risk
— The Fund’s yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature and the proceeds are reinvested in securities with different interest rates.
|
■
|
Interest Rate Risk
—
Interest rate risk is the risk that the value of a debt security may fall when interest rates rise. In general, the market price of debt securities with
longer maturities will go up or down more in response to changes in interest rates than the market price of shorter-term securities. Due to fluctuations in interest rates, the market value of such securities may vary during the period shareholders
own shares of the Fund.
|
■
|
Liquidity
Fee and Redemption Gate Risk
— The Board has discretion to impose a liquidity fee of up to 2% upon sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the
Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. Accordingly, you may not be able to sell your shares or your redemptions may be subject to a liquidity fee when you sell your shares at certain
times.
|
■
|
Market Risk and Selection Risk
— Market risk is the risk that one or more markets in which the Fund invests will go down in value, including the possibility that the markets will go down sharply and unpredictably.
Selection risk is the risk that the securities selected by Fund management will underperform the markets, the relevant indices or the securities selected by other funds with similar investment objectives and investment strategies. This means you may
lose money.
|
■
|
Prepayment Risk
— When interest rates fall, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more quickly than originally anticipated, and the Fund may have to invest the proceeds in securities with lower
yields. In periods of falling interest rates, the rate of prepayments tends to increase (as does price fluctuation) as borrowers are motivated to pay off debt and refinance at new lower rates. During such periods, reinvestment of the prepayment
proceeds by the management team will generally be at lower rates of return than the return on the assets that were prepaid. Prepayment reduces the yield to maturity and the average life of the security.
|
■
|
Repurchase Agreements and
Purchase and Sale Contracts Risk
— If the other party to a repurchase agreement or purchase and sale contract defaults on its obligation under the agreement, the Fund may suffer delays and
incur costs or lose money in exercising its rights under the agreement. If the seller fails to repurchase the security in either situation and the market value of the security declines, the Fund may lose money.
|
■
|
Stable Net Asset Value Risk
— The Fund may not be able to maintain a stable NAV of $1.00 per share at all times. If the Fund fails to maintain a stable NAV (or if there is a perceived threat of such a failure), the Fund,
along with other money market funds, could be subject to increased redemption activity.
|
■
|
U.S. Government Obligations
Risk
— Not all U.S. Government securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Obligations of certain agencies, authorities, instrumentalities and sponsored
enterprises of the U.S. Government are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States (e.g., the Government National Mortgage Association); other obligations are backed by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury (e.g., the
Federal Home Loan Banks) and others are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase an agency’s obligations. Still others are backed only by the credit of the agency, authority, instrumentality or sponsored
enterprise issuing the obligation. No assurance can be given that the U.S. Government would provide financial support to any of these entities if it is not obligated to do so by law.
|
■
|
Variable and Floating Rate
Instrument Risk
— The absence of an active market for these securities could make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of them if the issuer defaults.
|
■
|
When-Issued
and Delayed Delivery Securities and Forward Commitments Risk
— When-issued and delayed delivery securities and forward commitments involve the risk that the security the Fund buys will lose
value prior to its delivery. There also is the risk that the security will not be issued or that the other party to the transaction will not meet its obligation. If this occurs, the Fund may lose both the investment opportunity for the assets it set
aside to pay for the security and any gain in the security’s price.
|
Other Risks of Investing in the Fund
The Fund may also be subject to certain other risks associated with its
investments and investment strategies, including:
■
|
Expense Risk
— Fund expenses are subject to a variety of factors, including fluctuations in the Fund’s net assets. Accordingly, actual expenses may be greater or less than those indicated. For example,
to the extent that the Fund’s net assets decrease due to market declines or redemptions, the Fund’s expenses will increase as a percentage of Fund net assets. During periods of high market volatility, these increases in the Fund’s
expense ratio could be significant.
|
■
|
Investment in Other Investment
Companies Risk
— As with other investments, investments in other investment companies,
including ETFs, are subject to market and
selection risk. In addition, if the Fund acquires shares of investment companies, including ones affiliated with the Fund, shareholders bear both their proportionate share of expenses in the Fund (including management and advisory fees) and,
indirectly, the expenses of the investment companies (to the extent not offset by BlackRock through waivers to the Fund’s management fees). To the extent the Fund is held by an affiliated fund, the ability of the Fund itself to hold other
investment companies may be limited.
|
■
|
Liquidity Risk
— Liquidity risk refers to the possibility that it may be difficult or impossible to sell certain positions at an acceptable price.
|
Account Information
How to Choose the Share Class that Best Suits Your Needs
The Fund currently offers multiple share classes (Investor A
and Institutional Shares in this prospectus), allowing you to invest in the way that best suits your needs. The Fund no longer offers Investor B or Investor C Shares to new investors. Each share class represents an ownership interest in the same
investment portfolio of the Fund. When you choose your class of shares, you should consider the size of your investment and how long you plan to hold your shares. Either your financial professional or your selected securities dealer, broker,
investment adviser, service provider or industry professional (including BlackRock, The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (“PNC”) and their respective affiliates) (each a “Financial Intermediary”) can help you determine
which share class is best suited to your personal financial goals. Investor A, Investor B and Investor C Shares are sometimes referred to herein collectively as “Investor Shares.”
For example, if you select Institutional Shares of the Fund,
you will not pay any service fees. However, only certain investors may buy Institutional Shares.
The Fund’s shares are distributed by BlackRock
Investments, LLC (the “Distributor”), an affiliate of BlackRock.
The table on the following pages summarizes key features of
each of the share classes offered by this prospectus.
Share Classes at a Glance
1
|
Investor
A
|
Investor
B
2
|
Investor
C
2
|
Institutional
|
Availability
|
Generally
available through Financial Intermediaries.
|
Limited
to exchanges from Investor B Shares of the non-money market funds advised by BlackRock or its affiliates (the “Non-Money Market BlackRock Funds”).
|
Limited
to exchanges from Investor C Shares of the non-money market funds advised by BlackRock or its affiliates (the “Non-Money Market BlackRock Funds”).
|
Limited
to certain investors, including:
• Individuals who may purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary that has entered into an agreement with the Distributor to purchase such
shares.
• Employer-sponsored retirement plans (not including SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs or SARSEPs) and state sponsored 529 college savings plans, each of which may purchase shares of the Fund through a
Financial Intermediary that has entered into an agreement with the Distributor to purchase such shares.
• Employees, officers and directors/trustees of BlackRock or its affiliates and immediate family
members of such persons, if they open an account directly with BlackRock.
• Participants in certain programs sponsored by BlackRock or its affiliates or other Financial Intermediaries.
• Clients investing through Financial Intermediaries that have entered into an agreement with the Fund’s distributor to offer such shares on a platform that charges a transaction based sales commission
outside of the Fund.
|
|
Investor
A
|
Investor
B
2
|
Investor
C
2
|
Institutional
|
Minimum
Investment
|
$1,000
for all accounts except:
• $ 50, if establishing an Automatic Investment Plan (“AIP”).
• There is no investment minimum for
employer-sponsored retirement plans (not including SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs or SARSEPs).
• There is no investment minimum for certain fee-based programs.
|
$1,000
for all accounts except:
• $250 for certain fee- based programs.
• $100 for certain employer-sponsored retirement plans.
• $50, if establishing an AIP.
|
$1,000
for all accounts except:
• $ 50, if establishing an AIP.
• There is no investment minimum for employer-sponsored retirement plans (not including SEP
IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs or SARSEPs).
• There is no investment minimum for certain fee-based programs.
|
There
is no investment minimum for:
• Employer-sponsored retirement plans (not including SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs or SARSEPs) and state sponsored 529 college savings plans.
• Employees, officers and directors/trustees of BlackRock or its affiliates and immediate family members of such persons, if they open an account directly with BlackRock.
• Investors of Financial Intermediaries that: (i) charge such investors a fee for advisory, investment consulting, or similar services or (ii) have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer
Institutional Shares through a no-load program or investment platform.
$2 million for individuals.
$1,000 for clients investing through Financial Intermediaries that offer such
shares on a platform that charges a transaction based sales commission outside of the Fund.
|
Initial
Sales Charge?
|
No.
Entire purchase price is invested in shares of the Fund.
|
No.
Entire purchase price is invested in shares of the Fund.
|
No.
Entire purchase price is invested in shares of the Fund.
|
No.
Entire purchase price is invested in shares of the Fund.
|
Deferred
Sales Charge?
|
No.
May be charged upon redemption of shares received in an exchange transaction for Investor A Shares of the Non-Money Market BlackRock Funds.
|
No.
May be charged upon redemption of shares received in an exchange transaction for Investor B Shares of the Non-Money Market BlackRock Funds.
|
No.
May be charged upon redemption of shares received in an exchange transaction for Investor C Shares of the Non-Money Market BlackRock Funds.
|
No.
|
Distribution
and Service (12b-1) Fees?
|
No
Distribution Fee.
0.25% Annual Service Fee.
|
0.75%
Annual Distribution Fee.
0.25% Annual Service Fee.
|
0.75%
Annual Distribution Fee.
0.25% Annual Service Fee.
|
No.
|
|
Investor
A
|
Investor
B
2
|
Investor
C
2
|
Institutional
|
Redemption
Fees?
|
The
Fund may impose a liquidity fee under certain limited circumstances. See “Liquidity Fees and Redemption Gates” below.
|
The
Fund may impose a liquidity fee under certain limited circumstances. See “Liquidity Fees and Redemption Gates” below.
|
The
Fund may impose a liquidity fee under certain limited circumstances. See “Liquidity Fees and Redemption Gates” below.
|
The
Fund may impose a liquidity fee under certain limited circumstances. See “Liquidity Fees and Redemption Gates” below.
|
Conversion
to Investor A Shares?
|
N/A
|
No.
However, Investor B Shares received in an exchange transaction for Investor B Shares of an equity Non-Money Market BlackRock Fund (each, a “BlackRock Equity Fund”) will convert to Investor A Shares after eight years. Investor B Shares
received in an exchange transaction for Investor B shares of a fixed income Non-Money Market BlackRock Fund (each, a “BlackRock Fixed Income Fund”) will convert to Investor A Shares after seven or ten years.
|
No.
|
No.
|
Advantage
|
Generally
available to most investors.
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
No
ongoing shareholder servicing fees.
|
Disadvantage
|
You
pay ongoing shareholder servicing fees.
|
Limited
availability.
|
Limited
availability.
|
Limited
availability.
|
1
|
Please see “Details
About the Share Classes” for more information about each share class.
|
2
|
Investor B
and Investor C Shares are no longer offered for purchase by the Fund.
|
The following pages will cover the additional details of each
share class, including the eligibility requirements for purchasing Institutional Shares.
Details About the Share Classes
Investor and Institutional Shares are not subject to any sales
charge. However, Investor A, Investor B and Investor C Shares may be subject to a sales charge if received in an exchange for the same share class of a BlackRock Equity Fund or a BlackRock Fixed Income Fund. Only certain investors are eligible to
buy Institutional Shares. Your Financial Intermediary can help you determine whether you are eligible to buy Institutional Shares. The Fund may permit a lower initial investment for certain investors if their purchase, combined with purchases by
other investors received together by the Fund, meets the minimum investment requirement.
Institutional Shares may also be available
on certain brokerage platforms. An investor transacting in Institutional Shares through a broker acting as an agent for the investor may be required to pay a commission and/or other forms of compensation to the broker. Shares of the Fund are
available in other share classes that have different fees and expenses.
Eligible Institutional Shares investors include the following,
provided that the beneficial owners of the Institutional Shares are natural persons:
■
|
Individuals with a minimum
initial investment of $2 million who may purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary that has entered into an agreement with the Distributor to purchase such shares;
|
■
|
Investors of Financial
Intermediaries that: (i) charge such investors a fee for advisory, investment consulting, or similar services or (ii) have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer Institutional Shares through a no-load program or investment platform,
in each case, with no minimum initial investment;
|
■
|
Clients investing through
Financial Intermediaries that have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer such shares on a platform that charges a transaction based sales commission outside of the Fund, with a minimum initial investment of $1,000;
|
■
|
Employer-sponsored
retirement plans (not including SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs or SARSEPs) and state sponsored 529 college savings plans, each of which is not subject to any minimum initial investment and may purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary that
has entered into an agreement with the Distributor to purchase such shares;
|
■
|
Trust department clients of
PNC Bank, National Association and Bank of America, N.A. and their affiliates for whom they (i) act in a fiduciary capacity (excluding participant directed employee benefit plans); (ii) otherwise have investment discretion; or (iii) act as custodian
for at least $2 million in assets, who are not subject to any minimum initial investment;
|
■
|
Holders of certain Bank of
America Corporation (“BofA Corp.”) sponsored unit investment trusts (“UITs”) who reinvest dividends received from such UITs in shares of the Fund, who are not subject to any minimum initial investment; and
|
■
|
Employees, officers
and directors/trustees of BlackRock, Inc., mutual funds sponsored by BlackRock or its affiliates (“BlackRock Funds”), BofA Corp., PNC, Barclays PLC (“Barclays”) or their respective affiliates and immediate family members of
such persons, if they open an account directly with BlackRock, who are not subject to any minimum initial investment.
|
The Fund reserves the right to modify or waive the
above-stated policies at any time.
Distribution and
Shareholder Servicing Payments
Plan Payments
The Fund has adopted a plan (the “Plan”) that allows the Fund to
pay distribution fees for the sale of its shares and shareholder servicing fees for certain services provided to its shareholders.
The distribution fees payable pursuant to the Plan are paid to
compensate Financial Intermediaries for distribution and sales support services and related expenses provided in connection with the sale of Investor B and Investor C Shares, as well as shareholder support services, including responding to customer
questions on the services performed by the Financial Intermediary and investments in Fund shares, assisting customers in choosing and changing dividend options, account designations and addresses and providing other similar shareholder liaison
services. Because the fees paid by the Fund under the Plan are paid out of the Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment in the Investor B and Investor C Shares of the Fund and may cost
you more than paying other types of sales charges.
Other
Payments by the Fund
In addition to fees that the Fund may pay to a
Financial Intermediary pursuant to the Plan and fees the Fund pays to its transfer agent, BlackRock, on behalf of the Fund, may enter into non-Plan agreements with affiliated and unaffiliated Financial Intermediaries pursuant to which the Fund will
pay a Financial Intermediary for administrative, networking, recordkeeping, sub-transfer agency, sub-accounting and/or shareholder services. These non-Plan payments are generally based on either (1) a percentage of the average daily net assets of
Fund shareholders serviced by a Financial Intermediary or (2) a fixed dollar amount for each account serviced by a Financial Intermediary. The aggregate amount of these payments may be substantial.
Other Payments by BlackRock
From time to time, BlackRock, the Fund’s distributor or their
affiliates also may pay a portion of the fees for administrative, networking, recordkeeping, sub-transfer agency, sub-accounting and shareholder services described above at its or their own expense and out of its or their profits. BlackRock, the
Fund’s distributor and their affiliates may also compensate affiliated and unaffiliated Financial Intermediaries for the sale and distribution of shares of the Fund. These payments would be in addition to the Fund payments described in this
prospectus and may be a fixed dollar amount, may be based on the number of customer accounts maintained by the Financial Intermediary, may be based on a percentage of the value of shares sold to, or held by, customers of the Financial Intermediary
or may be calculated on another basis. The aggregate amount of these payments by BlackRock, the Fund’s distributor and their affiliates may be substantial and, in some circumstances, may create an incentive for a Financial Intermediary, its
employees or associated persons to recommend or sell shares of the Fund to you.
Please contact your Financial Intermediary for details about
payments it may receive from the Fund or from BlackRock, the Fund’s distributor or their affiliates. For more information, see the SAI.
How to Buy, Sell, Exchange and Transfer Shares
The chart on the following pages summarizes how to buy, sell,
exchange and transfer shares through your Financial Intermediary. You may also buy, sell, exchange and transfer shares through BlackRock, if your account is held directly with BlackRock. To learn more about buying, selling, exchanging or
transferring shares through BlackRock, call (800) 441-7762. Because the selection of a mutual fund involves many considerations, your Financial Intermediary may help you with this decision.
With certain limited exceptions, the Fund is
generally available only to investors residing in the United States and may not be distributed by a foreign Financial Intermediary. Under this policy, in order to accept new accounts or additional investments (including by way of exchange from
another mutual fund sponsored and advised by BlackRock or its affiliates (a “BlackRock Fund”) into existing accounts, the Fund generally requires that (i) a shareholder that is a natural person be a U.S. citizen or resident alien, in
each case residing within the United States or a U.S. territory (including APO/FPO/DPO addresses), and have a valid U.S. taxpayer identification number, and (ii) a Financial Intermediary or a shareholder that is an entity be domiciled in the United
States and have a valid U.S. taxpayer identification number or be domiciled in a U.S. territory and have a valid U.S. taxpayer identification number or IRS Form W-8. Any existing account that is updated to reflect a non-U.S. address will also be
restricted from making additional investments.
The Fund may reject any purchase order, modify or waive the
minimum initial or subsequent investment requirements for any shareholders and suspend and resume the sale of any share class of the Fund at any time for any reason. In addition, the Fund may waive certain requirements regarding the purchase, sale,
exchange or transfer of shares described below.
The Fund
is a retail money market fund and is intended only for sale to beneficial owners who are natural persons. Natural persons may invest in the Fund through certain tax-advantaged savings accounts, trusts and other retirement and investment accounts,
which may include, among others: participant-directed defined contribution plans; individual retirement accounts; simplified employee pension arrangements; simple retirement accounts; custodial accounts; deferred compensation plans for government or
tax-exempt organization employees; Archer medical savings accounts; college savings plans; health savings account plans; ordinary trusts and estates of natural persons; or certain other retirement and investment accounts with ultimate investment
authority held by the natural person beneficial owner, notwithstanding having an institutional decision maker making day to day decisions (e.g., a plan sponsor in certain retirement arrangements or an investment adviser managing discretionary
investment accounts). Financial Intermediaries are required to adopt and implement policies, procedures and internal controls reasonably designed to limit all beneficial owners of the Fund to natural persons. Financial Intermediaries are expected to
promptly report to the Fund the existence of any shareholder of the Fund that does not qualify as a natural person of whom they are aware, promptly notify such shareholder, and take steps to redeem any such shareholder’s Fund shares.
The Fund reserves the right to redeem shares in any account
that it cannot confirm to its satisfaction is beneficially owned by a natural person, after providing at least 60 days’ advance notice.
Under certain circumstances, if no activity occurs in an
account within a time period specified by state law, a shareholder’s shares in the Fund may be transferred to that state.
How to Buy Shares
|
Your
Choices
|
Important
Information for You to Know
|
Initial
Purchase
|
First,
select the share class appropriate for you
|
Refer
to the “Share Classes at a Glance” table in this prospectus (be sure to read this prospectus carefully). When you place your initial order, you must indicate which share class you select (if you do not specify a share class and do not
qualify to purchase Institutional Shares, you will receive Investor A Shares).
Certain factors, such as the amount of your investment, your time frame for investing, and your financial goals, may affect which
share class you choose. Your financial representative can help you determine which share class is appropriate for you.
|
|
Next,
determine the amount of your investment
|
Refer
to the minimum initial investment in the “Share Classes at a Glance” table of this prospectus.
See “Account Information — Details about the Share Classes” for information on a
lower initial investment requirement for certain Fund investors if their purchase, combined with purchases by other investors received together by the Fund, meets the minimum investment requirement.
|
|
Your
Choices
|
Important
Information for You to Know
|
Initial
Purchase (continued)
|
Have
your Financial Intermediary submit your purchase order
|
The
Fund’s investments are valued based on the amortized cost method described in the SAI.
Purchase orders received by the Fund’s transfer agent, BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (the
“Transfer Agent”), before 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on each business day will be priced based on the next NAV calculated on that day, and if you send your payment by Federal funds or other immediately available funds no later than the
close of the federal funds wire (normally 6:00 p.m. (Eastern time)) you will receive that day’s dividends.
NAV is calculated separately for each class of shares of the Fund as of the close of business on
the Exchange, generally 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time), each business day. Shares will not be priced on days the Exchange or the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia are closed. The Fund may elect, in its discretion if it is determined to be in
shareholders’ best interest, to be open on days when the Exchange is closed due to an emergency.
Purchase orders placed after 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) will be priced at the NAV determined on the next
business day.
A broker-dealer or financial institution maintaining the account in which you hold shares may charge a separate account, service or transaction fee on the purchase or sale of Fund shares that
would be in addition to the fees and expenses shown in the Fund’s “Fees and Expenses” table.
The Fund may reject any order to buy shares and may suspend the sale of shares at any time,
including when a redemption gate is in place (see “Account Information — Liquidity Fees and Redemption Gates” below). Certain Financial Intermediaries may charge a processing fee to confirm a purchase.
|
|
Or
contact BlackRock (for accounts held directly with BlackRock)
|
To
purchase shares directly from BlackRock, call (800) 441-7762 and request a new account application. Mail the completed application along with a check payable to BlackRock Funds to the Transfer Agent, at the address on the application.
|
Add
to Your Investment
|
Purchase
additional shares
|
For
Investor A Shares, the minimum investment for additional purchases is generally $50 for all accounts (with the exception of certain employer-sponsored retirement plans which may have a lower minimum for additional purchase). The minimums for
additional purchases may be waived under certain circumstances. Institutional Shares have no minimum for additional purchases.
|
|
Have
your Financial Intermediary submit your purchase order for additional shares
|
To
purchase additional shares you may contact your Financial Intermediary. For more details on purchasing by Internet see below.
|
|
Or
contact BlackRock (for accounts held directly with BlackRock)
|
Purchase
by Telephone:
Call (800) 441-7762 and speak with one of our representatives. The Fund has the right to reject any telephone request for any reason.
Purchase in Writing:
You may send a written request to BlackRock at the address on the back cover of this prospectus.
Purchase by VRU:
Investor A Shares may
also be purchased by use of the Fund’s automated voice response unit (“VRU”) service at (800) 441-7762.
Purchase by Internet:
You may purchase your
shares, and view activity in your account, by logging onto the BlackRock website at www.blackrock.com. Purchases made on the Internet using Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) will have a trade date that is the day after the purchase is
made.
Certain clients’ purchase orders of Institutional Shares placed prior to the close of business on the Exchange will be priced at the NAV determined that day. Contact your Financial Intermediary or
BlackRock for further information. The Fund limits Internet purchases in Investor Shares of the Fund to $25,000 per trade. Different maximums may apply to certain investors.
|
|
Your
Choices
|
Important
Information for You to Know
|
Add
to Your Investment (continued)
|
Or
contact BlackRock (for accounts held directly with BlackRock) (continued)
|
Please
read the On-Line Services Disclosure Statement and User Agreement, the Terms and Conditions page and the Consent to Electronic Delivery Agreement (if you consent to electronic delivery), before attempting to transact online.
The Fund employs reasonable procedures to confirm that transactions entered over the Internet are genuine. By entering into the User Agreement with the Fund in order to open an account through the website, the
shareholder waives any right to reclaim any losses from the Fund or any of its affiliates, incurred through fraudulent activity.
|
|
Acquire
additional shares by reinvesting dividends and capital gains
|
All
dividends and capital gains distributions are automatically reinvested without a sales charge. To make any changes to your dividend and/or capital gains distributions options, please call (800) 441-7762, or contact your Financial Intermediary (if
your account is not held directly with BlackRock).
|
|
Participate
in the Automatic Investment Plan (“AIP”)
|
BlackRock’s
AIP allows you to invest a specific amount on a periodic basis from your checking or savings account into your investment account.
Refer to the “Account Services and Privileges” section of this
prospectus for additional information.
If the Fund imposes a liquidity fee or a redemption gate, you will not be permitted to automatically invest through the AIP until the Fund has notified shareholders that
the liquidity fee or redemption gate has been lifted. Please see “Account Information — Liquidity Fees and Redemption Gates” below for more information.
|
How
to Pay for Shares
|
Making
payment for purchases
|
Payment
for an order must be made in Federal funds or other immediately available funds by the time specified by your Financial Intermediary, but in no event later than the close of the federal funds wire (normally 6:00 p.m. (Eastern time)). If payment is
not received by this time, the order will be canceled and you and your Financial Intermediary will be responsible for any loss to the Fund.
For shares purchased directly from the Fund, a check payable to
BlackRock Funds which bears the name of the Fund must accompany a completed purchase application. There is a $20 fee for each purchase check that is returned due to insufficient funds. The Fund does not accept third-party checks. You may also wire
Federal funds to the Transfer Agent to purchase shares, but you must call (800) 441-7762 before doing so to confirm the wiring instructions.
|
How to Sell Shares
|
Your
Choices
|
Important
Information for You to Know
|
Full
or Partial Redemption of Shares
|
Have
your Financial Intermediary submit your sales order
|
You
can make redemption requests through your Financial Intermediary. Shareholders should indicate whether they are redeeming Investor A, Investor B, Investor C or Institutional Shares. The price of your shares is based on the next calculation of the
Fund’s NAV after your order is placed. For your redemption request to be priced at the NAV on the day of your request, you must submit your request to your Financial Intermediary prior to that day’s close of business on the Exchange
(generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time). Certain Financial Intermediaries, however, may require submission of orders prior to that time. Any redemption request placed after that time will be priced at the NAV at the close of business on the next business
day.
Financial Intermediaries may charge a fee to process a redemption of shares. Shareholders should indicate which class of shares they are redeeming.
The Fund may
reject an order to sell shares under certain circumstances.
|
|
Selling
shares held directly with BlackRock
|
Methods
of Redeeming
Redeem by Telephone:
You may sell Investor Shares held at BlackRock by telephone request if certain conditions are met and if the amount
|
|
Your
Choices
|
Important
Information for You to Know
|
Full
or Partial Redemption of Shares (continued)
|
Selling
shares held directly with BlackRock (continued)
|
being
sold is less than (i) $100,000 for payments by check or (ii) $250,000 for payments through ACH or wire transfer. Certain redemption requests, such as those in excess of these amounts, must be in writing with a medallion signature guarantee. For
Institutional Shares, certain redemption requests may require written instructions with a medallion signature guarantee. Call (800) 441-7762 for details.
You can obtain a medallion signature guarantee stamp
from a bank, securities dealer, securities broker, credit union, savings and loan association, national securities exchange or registered securities association. A notary public seal will not be acceptable.
The
Fund, its administrators and the Distributor will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by telephone are genuine. The Fund and its service providers will not be liable for any loss, liability, cost or expense for
acting upon telephone instructions that are reasonably believed to be genuine in accordance with such procedures. The Fund may refuse a telephone redemption request if it believes it is advisable to do so.
During periods of substantial economic or market change, telephone redemptions may be difficult to complete. Please find below alternative redemption methods.
Redeem by VRU:
Investor Shares may also be redeemed by use of the Fund’s automated VRU service. Proceeds for Investor Shares redeemed by the VRU service may be paid for non-retirement accounts in amounts up to
$25,000, either through check, ACH or wire. If the Fund imposes a liquidity fee or a redemption gate, you will not be permitted to use the automated VRU service to redeem shares of the Fund until the Fund has notified shareholders that the liquidity
fee or redemption gate has been lifted; provided however, you will still be able to redeem shares of the Fund as otherwise described in “How to Sell Shares” during a liquidity fee subject to such liquidity fee. Please see “Account
Information — Liquidity Fees and Redemption Gates” below for more information.
Redeem by Internet:
You may redeem in your account, by logging onto the
BlackRock website at www.blackrock.com. Proceeds from Internet redemptions may be sent via check, ACH or wire to the bank account of record. Proceeds for Investor Shares redeemed by Internet may be paid for non-retirement accounts in amounts up to
$25,000, either through check, ACH or wire. Different maximums may apply to investors in Institutional Shares.
Redeem in Writing:
You may sell shares held at BlackRock by
writing to BlackRock. All shareholders on the account must sign the letter. A medallion signature guarantee will generally be required but may be waived in certain limited circumstances. You can obtain a medallion signature guarantee stamp from a
bank, securities dealer, securities broker, credit union, savings and loan association, national securities exchange or registered securities association. A notary public seal will not be acceptable. If you hold stock certificates, return the
certificates with the letter. Proceeds from redemptions may be sent via check, ACH or wire to the bank account of record.
Payment of Redemption Proceeds
Redemption
proceeds may be paid by check or, if the Fund has verified banking information on file, through ACH or by wire transfer.
Payment by Check:
BlackRock will typically mail
redemption proceeds one business day following receipt of a properly completed request, but in any event, within seven days. Shares can be redeemed by telephone and the proceeds sent by check to the shareholder at the address on record. Shareholders
will pay $15 for redemption proceeds sent by check via overnight mail. You are responsible for any additional charges imposed by your bank for this service.
The Fund reserves the right to reinvest any dividend
or distribution amounts (e.g., income dividends or capital gains) which you have
|
|
Your
Choices
|
Important
Information for You to Know
|
Full
or Partial Redemption of Shares (continued)
|
Selling
shares held directly with BlackRock (continued)
|
elected
to receive by check should your check be returned as undeliverable or remain uncashed for more than 6 months. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed checks. Your check will be reinvested in your account at the NAV next
calculated, on the day of the investment. When reinvested, those amounts are subject to the risk of loss like any fund investment. If you elect to receive distributions in cash and a check remains undeliverable or uncashed for more than 6 months,
your cash election may also be changed automatically to reinvest and your future dividend and capital gains distributions will be reinvested in the Fund at the NAV as of the date of payment of the distribution.
Payment by Wire Transfer:
Proceeds for redeemed shares for which a redemption order is received before 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on a business day are normally paid in Federal
funds wired to the redeeming shareholder on the same business day, provided that the Fund’s custodian is also open for business. Proceeds for redemption orders received on a day when the Fund’s custodian is closed are normally wired in
Federal funds on the next business day following redemption on which the Fund’s custodian is open for business. The Fund reserves the right to wire redemption proceeds within seven days after receiving a redemption order if, in the judgment of
the Fund, an earlier payment could adversely affect the Fund.
If a shareholder has given authorization for expedited redemption, shares can be redeemed by Federal wire transfer to a single previously designated
bank account. Shareholders will pay $7.50 for redemption proceeds sent by Federal wire transfer. You are responsible for any additional charges imposed by your bank for this service. No charge for wiring redemption payments with respect to
Institutional Shares is imposed by the Fund.
The Fund is not responsible for the efficiency of the Federal wire system or the shareholder’s firm or bank. To change the name of the single, designated bank
account to receive wire redemption proceeds, it is necessary to send a written request to the Fund at the address on the back cover of this prospectus.
Payment by ACH:
Redemption proceeds may be sent to the shareholder’s bank account (checking or savings) via ACH. Payment for redeemed shares for which a redemption order is received before 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on a business day is normally sent to the
redeeming shareholder the next business day, with receipt at the receiving bank within the next two business days (48-72 hours), provided that the Fund’s custodian is also open for business. Payment for redemption orders received after 4:00
p.m. (Eastern time) or on a day when the Fund’s custodian is closed is normally sent on the next business day following redemption on which the Fund’s custodian is open for business.
The Fund
reserves the right to send redemption proceeds within seven days after receiving a redemption order if, in the judgment of the Fund, an earlier payment could adversely affect the Fund. No charge for sending redemption payments via ACH is imposed by
the Fund.
***
If you make a redemption request before the Fund has collected payment for the purchase of shares, the Fund may delay mailing your proceeds. This delay
will usually not exceed ten days.
Please see “Account Information — Liquidity Fees and Redemption Gates” for more information.
Under normal and stressed market conditions, the Fund typically expects to meet redemption requests by using cash or cash equivalents in its portfolio or by selling portfolio assets to generate additional cash.
|
How to Exchange Shares or Transfer your Account
|
Your
Choices
|
Important
Information for You to Know
|
Exchange
Privilege
|
Selling
shares of one fund to purchase shares of another BlackRock Fund (“exchanging”)
|
Investor
A, Investor B, Investor C and Institutional Shares of the Fund are generally exchangeable for shares of the same class of another BlackRock Fund.
You can exchange $1,000 or more of Investor Shares from one
fund into the same class of another fund which offers that class of shares (you can exchange less than $1,000 of Investor Shares if you already have an account in the fund into which you are exchanging). Investors who currently own Institutional
Shares of the Fund may make exchanges into Institutional Shares of other funds except for investors holding shares through certain client accounts at financial professionals that are omnibus with the Fund and do not meet applicable minimums. There
is no required minimum amount with respect to exchanges of Institutional Shares.
You may only exchange into a share class and fund that are open to new investors or in which you have a current account if the
fund is closed to new investors. Some of the BlackRock Funds impose a sales charge. Therefore the exchange of Investor A Shares may be subject to that sales charge. Investor A Shares of the Fund that were obtained with the exchange privilege and
that originally were shares of a BlackRock Fund that were subject to a sales charge can be exchanged for Investor A Shares of a BlackRock Equity Fund or a BlackRock Fixed Income Fund based on their respective NAVs. Exchanges of shares of the Fund
for Investor B or Investor C Shares of a BlackRock Equity Fund or a BlackRock Fixed Income Fund may be subject to the applicable contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) upon the sale of these Investor B or Investor C Shares received in
exchange.
To exercise the exchange privilege, you may contact your Financial Intermediary. Alternatively, if your account is held directly with BlackRock, you may: (i) call (800) 441-7762 and speak with one of
our representatives, (ii) make the exchange via the Internet by accessing your account online at www.blackrock.com, or (iii) send a written request to the Fund at the address on the back cover of this prospectus. Please note, if you indicated on
your New Account Application that you did not want the Telephone Exchange Privilege, you will not be able to place exchanges via the telephone until you update this option either in writing or by calling (800) 441-7762. The Fund has the right to
reject any telephone request for any reason. Although there is currently no limit on the number of exchanges that you can make, the exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time in the future. The Fund may suspend or terminate your
exchange privilege at any time for any reason, including if the Fund believes, in its sole discretion, that you are engaging in market timing activities. See “Short -Term Trading Policy” below. For Federal income tax purposes a share
exchange is a taxable event and a capital gain or loss may be realized. Please consult your tax adviser or other Financial Intermediary before making an exchange request.
If the Fund imposes a liquidity fee or
a redemption gate, you will not be permitted to exchange into or out of the Fund until the Fund has notified shareholders that the liquidity fee or redemption gate has been lifted; provided, however, that you will still be able to redeem shares of
the Fund as described above in “How to Sell Shares” during a liquidity fee subject to such liquidity fee. Please see “Account Information — Liquidity Fees and Redemption Gates” below for more information.
|
Transfer
Shares to Another Financial Intermediary
|
Transfer
to a participating Financial Intermediary
|
You
may transfer your shares of the Fund only to another securities dealer that has entered into an agreement with the Distributor. Certain shareholder services may not be available for the transferred shares. All future trading of these assets must be
coordinated by the receiving firm.
|
|
Your
Choices
|
Important
Information for You to Know
|
Transfer
Shares to Another Financial Intermediary (continued)
|
Transfer
to a participating Financial Intermediary (continued)
|
If
your account is held directly with BlackRock, you may call (800) 441-7762 with any questions; otherwise please contact your Financial Intermediary to accomplish the transfer of shares.
|
|
Transfer
to a non-participating Financial Intermediary
|
You
must either:
• Transfer your shares to an account with the Fund; or
• Sell your shares, paying any applicable deferred sales
charge.
If your account is held directly with BlackRock, you may call (800) 441-7762 with any questions; otherwise please contact your Financial Intermediary to accomplish the transfer of shares.
|
Account Services and Privileges
The following table provides examples of
account services and privileges available in your BlackRock account. Certain of these account services and privileges are only available to shareholders of Investor Shares whose accounts are held directly with BlackRock. If your account is held
directly with BlackRock, please call (800) 441-7762 or visit www.blackrock.com for additional information as well as forms and applications. Otherwise, please contact your Financial Intermediary for assistance in requesting one or more of the
following services and privileges.
Automatic
Investment Plan
|
Allows
systematic investments on a periodic basis from your checking or savings account.
|
BlackRock’s
AIP allows you to invest a specific amount on a periodic basis from your checking or savings account into your investment account. You may apply for this option upon account opening or by completing the AIP application. The minimum investment
amount for an automatic investment is $50 per portfolio.
If the Fund imposes a liquidity fee or a redemption gate, you will not be permitted to automatically invest through the AIP until the Fund has notified
shareholders that the liquidity fee or redemption gate has been lifted. Please see “Account Information — Liquidity Fees and Redemption Gates” below for more information.
|
Dividend
Allocation Plan
|
Automatically
invests your distributions into another BlackRock fund of your choice pursuant to your instructions, without any fees or sales charges
|
Dividend
and capital gains distributions may be reinvested in your account to purchase additional shares or paid in cash. Using the Dividend Allocation Plan, you can direct your distributions to your bank account (checking or savings), to purchase shares of
another fund at BlackRock without any fees or sales charges, or by check to a special payee. Please call (800) 441-7762 for details. The fund into which you request your distribution be invested must be open to new purchases.
|
EZ
Trader
|
Allows
an investor to purchase or sell Investor Shares by telephone or over the Internet through ACH.
|
(NOTE:
This option is offered to shareholders whose accounts are held directly with BlackRock. Please speak with your Financial Intermediary if your account is held elsewhere).
Prior to establishing an EZ Trader
account, please contact your bank to confirm that it is a member of the ACH system. Once confirmed, complete an application, making sure to include the appropriate bank information, and return the application to the address listed on the form.
Prior to placing a telephone or internet purchase or sale order, please call (800) 441-7762 to confirm that your bank information has been updated on your account. Once this is established, you may place your
request to sell shares with the Fund by telephone or Internet. Proceeds will be sent to your pre-designated bank account.
|
Systematic
Exchange Plan
|
This
feature can be used by investors to systematically exchange money from one fund to up to four other funds
|
A
minimum of $10,000 in the initial BlackRock Fund is required and investments in any additional funds must meet minimum initial investment requirements.
If the Fund imposes a liquidity fee or a redemption gate,
you will not be permitted to use the Systematic Exchange Plan to exchange into or out of the Fund until the Fund has notified shareholders that the liquidity fee or redemption gate has been lifted; provided however, you will still be able to redeem
shares of the Fund as described above in “How to
|
Systematic
Exchange Plan (continued)
|
This
feature can be used by investors to systematically exchange money from one fund to up to four other funds (continued)
|
Sell
Shares” during a liquidity fee subject to such liquidity fee. Please see “Account Information — Liquidity Fees and Redemption Gates” below for more information.
|
Systematic
Withdrawal Plan (“SWP”)
|
This
feature can be used by investors who want to receive regular distributions from their accounts
|
To
start a SWP a shareholder must have a current investment of $10,000 or more in a BlackRock Fund.
Shareholders can elect to receive cash payments of $50 or more at any interval they choose. Shareholders may
sign up by completing the SWP Application Form which may be obtained from BlackRock. Shareholders should realize that if withdrawals exceed income the invested principal in their account will be depleted.
To
participate in the SWP, shareholders must have their dividends reinvested. Shareholders may change or cancel the SWP at any time, with a minimum of 24 hours notice. If a shareholder purchases additional Investor A Shares of a BlackRock Fund at the
same time he or she redeems shares through the SWP, that investor may lose money because of the sales charge involved. No CDSC will be assessed on redemptions of Investor Shares made through the SWP that do not exceed 12% of the account’s NAV
on an annualized basis. For example, monthly, quarterly and semi-annual SWP redemptions of Investor
Shares will not be subject to the CDSC if they do not exceed 1%, 3% and 6%, respectively, of an account’s NAV on the redemption date. SWP
redemptions of Investor Shares in excess of this limit will still pay any applicable CDSC.
Ask your Financial Intermediary for details.
If the Fund imposes a liquidity fee
or redemption gate, you will not be permitted to systematically withdraw your shares through the SWP until the Fund has notified shareholders that the liquidity fee or redemption gate has been lifted; provided however, you will still be able to
redeem shares of the Fund as described above in “How to Sell Shares” during a liquidity fee subject to such liquidity fee. Please see “Account Information — Liquidity Fees and Redemption Gates” below for more
information.
|
Fund’s Rights
The Fund may:
■
|
Suspend the right of
redemption if trading is halted or restricted on the Exchange or under other emergency conditions described in the Investment Company Act;
|
■
|
Postpone the date of payment
upon redemption if trading is halted or restricted on the Exchange or under other emergency conditions described in the Investment Company Act or if a redemption request is made before the Fund has collected payment for the purchase of shares;
|
■
|
Redeem shares for property
other than cash as may be permitted under the Investment Company Act; and
|
■
|
Redeem
shares involuntarily in certain cases, such as when the value of a shareholder account falls below a specified level or if the Fund does not believe the account is for a natural person.
|
Suspension of Redemptions Upon Liquidation.
If the Board, including a majority of the trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust as defined in the Investment Company Act, determines either that (1) the Fund has invested, at the end of a
business day, less than 10% of its total assets in weekly liquid assets, or (2) the Fund’s calculated NAV per share has deviated from $1.00 or such deviation is likely to occur; then the Board, subject to certain conditions, may, where the
Board has determined to liquidate the Fund irrevocably, suspend redemptions and payment of redemption proceeds in order to facilitate the permanent liquidation of the Fund in an orderly manner. If this were to occur, it would likely result in a
delay in your receipt of your redemption proceeds.
Note on Low Balance Accounts.
Because of the high cost of maintaining smaller shareholder accounts, BlackRock has set a minimum balance of $500 in each Fund position you hold within your account (the “Fund Minimum”), and may redeem the shares in your account if the
NAV of those shares in your account falls below $500 for any reason, including market fluctuation.
You will be notified that the value of your account is less
than the Fund Minimum before the Fund makes any involuntary redemption. This notification will provide you with a 90 calendar day period to make an additional investment in order to bring the value of your account to at least $500 before the Fund
makes an involuntary redemption. This involuntary redemption will not charge any deferred sales charge, and may not apply to accounts of certain employer-sponsored retirement plans (not including IRAs), qualified state tuition plan (529 Plan)
accounts, and select fee-based programs at your Financial Intermediary.
Liquidity Fees and Redemption Gates
Under Rule 2a-7, the Board is permitted to
impose a liquidity fee up to 2% on the value of shares redeemed or temporarily restrict redemptions from the Fund for up to 10 business days during a 90 day period, in the event that the Fund’s weekly liquid assets fall below the following
thresholds:
■
|
30% weekly liquid assets
— If the weekly liquid assets of the Fund fall below 30% of the Fund’s total assets, and the Board determines it is in the best interests of the Fund, the Board may impose at any time, and as early as the same day, a liquidity fee of up
to 2% of the amount redeemed, or a redemption gate that temporarily suspends the right of redemption.
|
■
|
10%
weekly liquid assets — If the weekly liquid assets of the Fund fall below 10% of the Fund’s total assets as of the end of a business day, the Board will impose, at the beginning of the next business day, a liquidity fee of 1% of the
amount redeemed, unless the Board determines that imposing such a fee would not be in the best interests of the Fund or determines that a lower or higher fee (not to exceed 2%) would be in the best interests of the Fund.
|
Liquidity fees and redemption gates, if imposed, may be
terminated at any time in the discretion of the Board. Liquidity fees and redemption gates will also automatically terminate at the beginning of the next business day once the Fund has invested 30% or more of its total assets in weekly liquid assets
as of the end of a business day.
If the Board imposes a
liquidity fee, the fee will be used to help boost the weekly liquid assets of the Fund. The Fund may not accept purchases during the period that a liquidity fee has been imposed.
If the Board imposes a redemption gate, the Fund will not
accept purchase or redemption orders until the Fund has notified shareholders that the redemption gate has been lifted. Any purchase or redemption orders submitted while a redemption gate is in effect will be cancelled without further notice. If you
still wish to purchase or redeem shares once the redemption gate has been lifted, you will need to submit a new purchase or redemption request to the Fund or your Financial Intermediary. If a purchase or redemption order is received after the
applicable deadline of the Fund, but prior to the imposition of a liquidity fee or a redemption gate, such order will be cancelled without further notice.
If the Board imposes a liquidity fee or a redemption gate, the
Fund will not accept exchange orders into or out of the Fund until the Fund has notified shareholders that the liquidity fee or redemption gate has been lifted.
Under certain circumstances, the Fund may honor redemption or
exchange orders (or pay redemptions without adding a liquidity fee to the redemption amount) if the Fund can verify that the redemption or exchange order was submitted to the Fund’s authorized agent before the Board imposed a liquidity fee or
suspended redemptions.
The Board generally expects that
a liquidity fee or redemption gate would be imposed, if at all, during periods of extraordinary market stress. The Board expects that a liquidity fee or redemption gate would typically be imposed only after the Fund has notified Financial
Intermediaries and shareholders that a liquidity fee or redemption gate will be imposed (which may not be until the beginning of the next business day following the announcement that the Board has imposed the liquidity fee or redemption gate).
However, the Board may, in its discretion, impose a liquidity fee or redemption gate at any time after the weekly liquid assets of the Fund fall below 30% of the Fund’s total assets.
Announcements regarding the imposition of a liquidity fee or
redemption gate, or the termination of a liquidity fee or redemption gate, will be filed with the SEC on Form N-CR and will be available on the website of the Fund (www.blackrock.com/cash). In addition, the Fund will make such announcements through
a supplement to their registration statements and may further communicate such actions through other means.
Financial Intermediaries will be required promptly to take
such actions reasonably requested by the Fund or its agent to implement, modify or remove, or to assist the Fund in implementing, modifying or removing, a liquidity fee or redemption gate established by the Board.
Short-Term Trading Policy
Market timing is an investment technique involving frequent
short-term trading of mutual fund shares designed to exploit market movements or inefficiencies in the way a mutual fund prices its shares. The Board has evaluated the risks of market timing activities by the Fund’s shareholders and has
determined that due to (i) the Fund’s policy of seeking to maintain the Fund’s NAV per share at $1.00 each day, (ii) the nature of the Fund’s portfolio holdings, and (iii) the nature of the Fund’s shareholders, it is unlikely
that (a) market timing would be attempted by the Fund’s shareholders or (b) any attempts to market time the Fund by shareholders would result in a negative impact to the Fund or its shareholders. As a result, the Board has not adopted policies
and procedures to deter short-term trading in the Fund. There can be no assurances, however, that the Fund may not, on occasion, serve as a temporary or short-term investment vehicle for those who seek to market time funds offered by other
investment companies.
Master/Feeder Structure
The Fund may in the future determine to become a
“feeder” fund that invests all of its assets in another open-end investment company (a “master fund”) that has the same investment objective and strategies as the Fund. This structure is sometimes called a
“master/feeder” structure. Investors in a feeder fund will acquire an indirect interest in the corresponding master fund. In a master/feeder structure, all investments will be made at the master level and the Fund’s investment
results will correspond directly to the investment results of the underlying master in which it invests. A feeder fund may withdraw from its master fund at any time and may invest all of its assets in another pooled investment vehicle or retain an
investment adviser to manage its assets directly.
A
master fund may accept investments from other feeder funds, and all the feeder funds of a given master fund bear the master fund’s expenses in proportion to their assets. This structure may enable the feeder funds to reduce costs through
economies of scale. A larger investment portfolio may also reduce certain transaction costs to the extent that contributions to and redemptions from a master fund from different feeder funds may offset each other and produce a lower net cash
flow.
However, each feeder fund can set its own
transaction minimums, fund specific expenses, and other conditions. This means that one feeder fund could offer access to the same master fund on more attractive terms, or could experience better performance, than another feeder fund. In addition,
large purchases or redemptions by one feeder fund could negatively affect the performance of other feeder funds that invest in the same master fund.
Whenever a master fund holds a vote of its feeder funds, a
fund that is a feeder fund investing in that master fund will pass the vote through to its own shareholders. Smaller feeder funds may be harmed by the actions of larger feeder funds. For example, a larger feeder fund could have more voting power
than a fund that is a feeder fund over the operations of its master fund.
Management of the Fund
BlackRock
BlackRock, the Fund’s investment adviser, manages the
Fund’s investments and its business operations subject to the oversight of the Board. While BlackRock is ultimately responsible for the management of the Fund, it is able to draw upon the research and expertise of its asset management
affiliates for portfolio decisions and management with respect to certain portfolio securities. BlackRock is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc.
BlackRock, a registered investment adviser,
was organized in 1994 to perform advisory services for investment companies. BlackRock and its affiliates had approximately $5.689 trillion in investment company and other portfolio assets under management as of June 30, 2017.
BlackRock serves as manager to the Fund pursuant to a
management agreement (the “Management Agreement”), which provides that BlackRock is entitled to fees computed daily and payable monthly. The maximum annual management fee rate that the Fund can pay to BlackRock (as a percentage of
average daily net assets) is calculated as follows:
Average
Daily Net Assets
|
Rate
of
Management Fee
|
First
$1 billion
|
0.450%
|
$1
billion - $2 billion
|
0.400%
|
$2
billion - $3 billion
|
0.375%
|
Greater
than $3 billion
|
0.350%
|
BlackRock has contractually agreed to cap net expenses
(excluding: (i) interest, taxes, dividends tied to short sales, brokerage commissions, and other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; (ii) expenses incurred directly or indirectly by the
Fund as a result of investments in other investment companies and pooled investment vehicles; (iii) other expenses attributable to, and incurred as a result of, the Fund’s investments; and (iv) other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the
ordinary course of the Fund’s business, if any) of each share class of Fund at the levels shown below and in the Fund’s fees and expenses table in the “Fund Overview” section. Items (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) in the preceding
sentence are referred to in this prospectus as “Dividend Expense, Interest Expense, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and certain other Fund expenses.” To achieve these expense caps, BlackRock has agreed to waive and/or reimburse fees or
expenses if these operating expenses exceed a certain limit.
With respect to the Fund, BlackRock has
contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse fees or expenses in order to limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses to the amounts noted in the table below.
|
Contractual
Caps
1
on Total
Annual Operating Expenses
2
(excluding Dividend Expense,
Interest Expense, Acquired
Fund Fees and Expenses
and certain other Fund expenses)
|
Investor
A
|
0.55%
|
Investor
B
|
1.30%
|
Investor
C
|
1.30%
|
Institutional
|
0.20%
|
1
|
The contractual caps are in
effect through July 31, 2018. The contractual agreement may be terminated upon 90 days’ notice by a majority of the non-interested trustees of the Trust or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.
|
2
|
As a
percentage of average daily net assets.
|
BlackRock and the Distributor have voluntarily agreed to
waive a portion of their respective fees and/or reimburse operating expenses to enable the Fund to maintain minimum levels of daily net investment income. BlackRock and the Distributor may discontinue this voluntary waiver and/or reimbursement at
any time without notice.
With respect to the contractual agreement to
cap net expenses, if during the Fund’s fiscal year the operating expenses of a share class, that at any time during the prior two fiscal years received a waiver or reimbursement from BlackRock, are less than the expense limit for that share
class, the share class is required to repay BlackRock up to the lesser of (a) the amount of fees waived or expenses reimbursed during those prior two fiscal years under the agreement and (b) the amount by which the expense limit for that share class
exceeds the operating expenses of the share class for the current fiscal year, provided that (i) the Fund of which the share class is a part has more than $50 million in assets and (ii) BlackRock or an affiliate serves as the Fund’s manager or
administrator. This repayment applies only to the contractual caps on net expenses and does not apply to any voluntary waivers that may be in effect from time to time. The Fund may only make repayments to BlackRock of amounts waived and/or
reimbursed by BlackRock if such repayments do not cause the Fund’s net expense ratio, taking into account such repayments, to exceed either: (i) the Fund’s expense cap in place at the time such waivers and/or reimbursements were made; or
(ii) the Fund’s current expense cap at the time of such repayment.
For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017, the Fund paid
BlackRock aggregate management fees, net of any applicable waivers, equal to 0.12% of the Fund’s average daily net assets.
A discussion of the basis for the Board’s approval of
the Management Agreement with respect to the Fund is included in the Fund’s semi-annual shareholder report for the fiscal period ended September 30, 2016.
From time to time, a manager, analyst, or other employee of
BlackRock or its affiliates may express views regarding a particular asset class, company, security, industry, or market sector. The views expressed by any such person are the views of only that individual as of the time expressed and do not
necessarily represent the views of BlackRock or any other person within the BlackRock organization. Any such views are subject to change at any time based upon market or other conditions and BlackRock disclaims any responsibility to update such
views. These views may not be relied on as investment advice and, because investment decisions for the Fund are based on numerous factors, may not be relied on as an indication of trading intent on behalf of the Fund.
Legal Proceedings.
On May 27, 2014, certain purported investors in the BlackRock Global Allocation Fund, Inc. (“Global Allocation”) and the BlackRock Equity Dividend Fund (“Equity Dividend”) filed a consolidated
complaint (the “Consolidated Complaint”) in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey against BlackRock Advisors, LLC, BlackRock Investment Management, LLC and BlackRock International Limited (collectively, the
“Defendants”) under the caption
In re BlackRock Mutual Funds Advisory Fee Litigation
. The Consolidated Complaint, which purports to be
brought derivatively on behalf of Global Allocation and Equity Dividend, alleges that the Defendants violated Section 36(b) of the Investment Company Act by receiving allegedly excessive investment advisory fees from Global Allocation and Equity
Dividend. The Consolidated Complaint seeks, among other things, to recover on behalf of Global Allocation and Equity Dividend all allegedly excessive advisory fees received by the Defendants in the period beginning one year prior to the filing of
the lawsuit and ending on the date of judgment, along with purported lost investment returns on those amounts, plus interest. The Defendants believe the claims in the Consolidated Complaint are without merit and intend to vigorously defend the
action.
Conflicts of Interest
The investment activities of BlackRock and its affiliates
(including BlackRock, Inc. and PNC and their affiliates, directors, partners, trustees, managing members, officers and employees (collectively, the “Affiliates”)) in the management of, or their interest in, their own accounts and other
accounts they manage, may present conflicts of interest that could disadvantage the Fund and its shareholders.
BlackRock and its Affiliates provide
investment management services to other funds and discretionary managed accounts that follow investment programs similar to those of the Fund. BlackRock and its Affiliates are involved worldwide with a broad spectrum of financial services and asset
management activities and may engage in the ordinary course of business in activities in which their interests or the interests of their clients may conflict with those of the Fund. One or more Affiliates act or may act as an investor, investment
banker, research provider, investment manager, commodity pool operator, commodity trading advisor, financier, underwriter, adviser, market maker, trader, prime broker, lender, index provider, agent and principal, and have other direct and indirect
interests in securities, currencies, commodities, derivatives and other instruments in which the Fund may directly or indirectly invest. Thus, it is likely that the Fund will have multiple business relationships with and will invest in, engage in
transactions with, make voting decisions with respect to, or obtain services from, entities for which an Affiliate performs or seeks to perform investment banking or other services. Specifically, the Fund may invest in securities of, or engage in
other transactions with, companies with which an Affiliate has developed or is trying to develop investment banking relationships or in which an Affiliate has significant debt or equity investments or other interests. The Fund also may invest in
securities of, or engage in other transactions with, companies for which an Affiliate provides or may in the
future provide research coverage. An Affiliate may have business
relationships with, and purchase, or distribute or sell services or products from or to, distributors, consultants or others who recommend the Fund or who engage in transactions with or for the Fund, and may receive compensation for such services.
The Fund may also make brokerage and other payments to Affiliates in connection with the Fund’s portfolio investment transactions. An Affiliate may engage in proprietary trading and advise accounts and funds that have investment objectives
similar to those of the Fund and/or that engage in and compete for transactions in the same types of securities, currencies and other instruments as the Fund. This may include transactions in securities issued by other open-end and closed-end
investment companies (which may include investment companies that are affiliated with the Fund and BlackRock, to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act). The trading activities of these Affiliates are carried out without reference to
positions held directly or indirectly by the Fund and may result in an Affiliate having positions in certain securities that are senior or junior to, or have interests different from or adverse to, the securities that are owned by the Fund.
No Affiliate is under any obligation to share any investment
opportunity, idea or strategy with the Fund. As a result, an Affiliate may compete with the Fund for appropriate investment opportunities. The results of the Fund’s investment activities, therefore, may differ from those of an Affiliate and of
other accounts managed by an Affiliate, and it is possible that the Fund could sustain losses during periods in which one or more Affiliates and other accounts achieve profits on their trading for proprietary or other accounts. The opposite result
is also possible.
In addition, the Fund may, from time
to time, enter into transactions in which an Affiliate or its other clients have an adverse interest. Furthermore, transactions undertaken by Affiliate-advised clients may adversely impact the Fund. Transactions by one or more Affiliate-advised
clients or BlackRock may have the effect of diluting or otherwise disadvantaging the values, prices or investment strategies of the Fund. The Fund’s activities may be limited because of regulatory restrictions applicable to one or more
Affiliates and/or their internal policies designed to comply with such restrictions.
Under a securities lending program approved by the Board, the
Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has retained BlackRock Investment Management, LLC, an Affiliate of BlackRock, to serve as the securities lending agent for the Fund to the extent that the Fund participates in the securities lending program. For these
services, the lending agent will receive a fee from the Fund, including a fee based on the returns earned on the Fund’s investment of the cash received as collateral for the loaned securities. In addition, one or more Affiliates may be among
the entities to which the Fund may lend its portfolio securities under the securities lending program.
The activities of Affiliates may give rise to other conflicts
of interest that could disadvantage the Fund and its shareholders. BlackRock has adopted policies and procedures designed to address these potential conflicts of interest. See the SAI for further information.
Valuation of Fund Investments
A mutual fund is a pool of investors’ money that is used
to purchase a portfolio of securities, which in turn is owned in common by the investors. Investors put money into a mutual fund by buying shares. If a mutual fund has a portfolio worth $5 million and has 5 million shares outstanding, the NAV per
share is $1.00. When you buy Investor or Institutional Shares you pay the NAV per share. Although the Fund seeks to maintain an NAV of $1.00 per share, there is no guarantee it will be able to do so.
The Fund’s investments are valued based on the amortized
cost method described in the SAI.
The Transfer Agent
will probably receive your order from your registered representative, who takes your order. However, you can also fill out a purchase application and mail it to the Transfer Agent with your check. Please call (800) 441-7762 for a purchase
application. Purchase orders received by the Transfer Agent before 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on each business day will be priced based on the next NAV calculated on that day, and if you send your payment by Federal funds or other immediately
available funds no later than the close of the federal funds wire (normally 6:00 p.m. (Eastern time)) you will receive that day’s dividends.
The NAV is calculated separately for each class of shares of
the Fund as of the close of business on the Exchange, generally 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time), each business day. Shares will not be priced on days the Exchange or the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia are closed. The Fund may elect, in its discretion
if it is determined to be in shareholders’ best interest, to be open on days when the Exchange is closed due to an emergency.
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes
Unless your investment is in a tax-deferred
account, you may want to avoid buying shares shortly before the Fund pays a dividend. The reason? If you buy shares when the Fund has declared but not yet distributed ordinary income or capital gains, you will pay the full price for the shares and
then receive a portion of the price back in the form of a taxable dividend. Before investing you may want to consult your tax adviser.
Distributions of net investment income
derived by the Fund, if any, are declared daily and paid at least monthly and net realized capital gains, if any, will be distributed at least annually. Dividends will be reinvested automatically in the form of additional shares of the same class of
the Fund at NAV unless you instruct the Transfer Agent in writing to pay them in cash. Dividends that are declared but unpaid will remain in the gross assets of the Fund and will, therefore, continue to earn income for the Fund’s shareholders.
Shareholders redeeming their shares will receive all dividends declared through the date immediately preceding the date of redemption. The Fund anticipates that a significant amount of the distributions may be taxed as ordinary income, although the
Fund may distribute capital gains as well. Capital gains may be taxable to you at different rates depending on how long the Fund held the assets sold.
You will pay tax on dividends derived from taxable interest
and on capital gain distributions from the Fund whether you receive them in cash or additional shares. If you redeem Fund shares or exchange them for shares of another fund, you generally will be treated as having sold your shares and any gain on
the transaction may be subject to tax. Certain dividend income and long-term capital gains are eligible for taxation at a reduced rate that applies to non-corporate shareholders. However, to the extent that the Fund’s distributions are derived
from income on debt securities and from short-term capital gains, such distributions will not be eligible for taxation at the reduced rate.
If the Fund imposes a liquidity fee on share redemptions
because of a drop in the Fund’s weekly liquid assets below certain levels, the amount that would ordinarily be payable to a redeeming shareholder of the Fund will be reduced, consequently reducing the amount of gain, or increasing the amount
of loss, that would otherwise be reportable for income tax purposes. The liquidity fee cannot be separately claimed as a deduction.
Any such liquidity fee will constitute an asset of the Fund
and will serve to benefit non-redeeming shareholders. However, the Fund does not intend to distribute such fees to non-redeeming shareholders. If the Fund receives liquidity fees, it will consider the appropriate tax treatment of such fees to the
Fund at such time.
If the value of assets held by the
Fund declines, the Board may authorize a reduction in the number of outstanding shares in shareholders’ accounts so as to preserve a net asset value of $1.00 per share. After such a reduction, the basis of eliminated shares would be added to
the basis of shareholders’ remaining Fund shares, and you could recognize a capital loss if you disposed of your shares at that time. Dividends, including dividends reinvested in additional shares of the Fund, will nonetheless be fully
taxable, even if the number of shares in your account has been reduced as described above.
A 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on the net investment income
(which includes, but is not limited to, interest, dividends and net gain from investments) of U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000, or $250,000 if married filing jointly, and of trusts and estates.
By law, your taxable dividends and redemption proceeds will be
subject to a 28% withholding tax if you have not provided a taxpayer identification number or social security number to the Fund in which you invest or the number you have provided is incorrect.
If you are neither a tax resident nor a citizen of the United
States or if you are a foreign entity, the Fund’s ordinary income dividends (which include distributions of net short-term capital gain) will generally be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax, unless a lower treaty rate applies. However,
certain distributions reported by the Fund as either interest related dividends or short-term capital gain dividends and paid to a foreign shareholder may be eligible for an exemption from U.S. withholding tax.
A 30% withholding tax is currently imposed
on U.S.-source dividends, interest and other income items and will be imposed on proceeds from the sale, redemption or other disposition of property producing U.S.-source dividends and interest paid after December 31, 2018, to (i) foreign financial
institutions, including non-U.S. investment funds, unless they agree to collect and disclose to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) information regarding their direct and indirect U.S. account holders and (ii) certain other foreign
entities, unless they certify certain information regarding their direct and indirect U.S. owners. To avoid withholding, foreign financial institutions will need to (i) enter into agreements with the IRS that state that they will provide the IRS
information, including the names, addresses and taxpayer identification numbers of direct and indirect U.S. account holders, comply with due diligence procedures with respect to the identification of U.S. accounts, report to the IRS certain
information with respect to U.S. accounts,
agree to withhold tax on certain payments made to non-compliant foreign
financial institutions or to account holders that fail to provide the required information, and determine certain other information concerning their account holders, or (ii) in the event that an applicable intergovernmental agreement and
implementing legislation are adopted, provide local revenue authorities with similar account holder information. Other foreign entities will need to either provide the name, address, and taxpayer identification number of each substantial U.S. owner
or certifications of no substantial U.S. ownership unless certain exceptions apply.
This section summarizes some of the consequences under current
Federal tax law of an investment in the Fund. This discussion is not a substitute for individualized tax advice. You should consult your tax adviser about the potential tax consequences of an investment in the Fund under all applicable tax
laws.
The Financial Highlights tables are intended to help you
understand the Fund’s financial performance for the periods shown. Certain information reflects the financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned or lost on an
investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and/or distributions). The information has been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, whose report, along with the Fund’s financial statements, is included in the Fund’s
Annual Report, which is available upon request.
Money
Market Portfolio
|
Institutional
|
|
Year
Ended March 31,
|
|
2017
|
2016
|
2015
|
2014
|
2013
|
Per
Share Operating Performance
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of year
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
Net
investment income
|
0.0061
|
0.0013
|
0.0000
1
|
0.0000
1
|
0.0000
1
|
Net
realized gain
|
0.0002
|
0.0001
|
0.0000
1
|
0.0000
1
|
0.0000
1
|
Net
increase from investment operations
|
0.0063
|
0.0014
|
0.0000
|
0.0000
|
0.0000
|
Distributions:
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
From
net investment income
|
(0.0061)
|
(0.0013)
|
(0.0000)
3
|
(0.0000)
3
|
(0.0000)
3
|
From
net realized gain
|
(0.0002)
|
(0.0001)
|
(0.0000)
3
|
(0.0000)
3
|
(0.0000)
3
|
Total
distributions
|
(0.0063)
|
(0.0014)
|
(0.0000)
|
(0.0000)
|
(0.0000)
|
Net
asset value, end of year
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
Total
Return
4
|
|
|
|
|
|
Based
on net asset value
|
0.63%
|
0.13%
|
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
Ratios
to Average Net Assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
expenses
|
0.56%
|
0.56%
|
0.62%
|
0.69%
|
0.70%
|
Total
expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed
|
0.20%
|
0.24%
|
0.22%
|
0.24%
|
0.30%
|
Net
investment income
|
0.61%
|
0.11%
|
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
Supplemental
Data
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of year (000)
|
$569,757
|
$605,469
|
$786,626
|
$857,062
|
$736,195
|
1
|
Amount is less than $0.00005
per share.
|
2
|
Distributions for annual
periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations.
|
3
|
Amount is greater than
$(0.00005) per share.
|
4
|
Where
applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.
|
Financial Highlights
(continued)
Money Market Portfolio
(continued)
|
Investor
A
|
|
Year
Ended March 31,
|
|
2017
|
2016
|
2015
|
2014
|
2013
|
Per
Share Operating Performance
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of year
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
Net
investment income
|
0.0025
|
0.0007
|
0.0000
1
|
0.0000
1
|
0.0000
1
|
Net
realized gain
|
0.0003
|
0.0001
|
0.0000
1
|
0.0000
1
|
0.0000
1
|
Net
increase from investment operations
|
0.0028
|
0.0008
|
0.0000
|
0.0000
|
0.0000
|
Distributions:
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
From
net investment income
|
(0.0025)
|
(0.0007)
|
(0.0000)
3
|
(0.0000)
3
|
(0.0000)
3
|
From
net realized gain
|
(0.0003)
|
(0.0001)
|
(0.0000)
3
|
(0.0000)
3
|
(0.0000)
3
|
Total
distributions
|
(0.0028)
|
(0.0008)
|
(0.0000)
|
(0.0000)
|
(0.0000)
|
Net
asset value, end of year
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
Total
Return
4
|
|
|
|
|
|
Based
on net asset value
|
0.28%
|
0.08%
|
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
Ratios
to Average Net Assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
expenses
|
0.97%
|
0.90%
|
0.93%
|
0.91%
|
0.91%
|
Total
expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed
|
0.55%
|
0.29%
|
0.22%
|
0.24%
|
0.30%
|
Net
investment income
|
0.25%
|
0.08%
|
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
Supplemental
Data
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of year (000)
|
$122,896
|
$176,772
|
$137,381
|
$280,222
|
$296,089
|
1
|
Amount is less than $0.00005
per share.
|
2
|
Distributions for annual
periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations.
|
3
|
Amount is greater than
$(0.00005) per share.
|
4
|
Where
applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.
|
Financial Highlights
(continued)
Money Market Portfolio
(continued)
|
Investor
B
|
|
Year
Ended March 31,
|
|
2017
|
2016
|
2015
|
2014
|
2013
|
Per
Share Operating Performance
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of year
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
Net
investment income
|
0.0012
|
0.0005
|
0.0000
1
|
0.0000
1
|
0.0000
1
|
Net
realized gain
|
0.0004
|
0.0001
|
0.0000
1
|
0.0000
1
|
0.0000
1
|
Net
increase from investment operations
|
0.0016
|
0.0006
|
0.0000
|
0.0000
|
0.0000
|
Distributions:
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
From
net investment income
|
(0.0012)
|
(0.0005)
|
(0.0000)
3
|
(0.0000)
3
|
(0.0000)
3
|
From
net realized gain
|
(0.0004)
|
(0.0001)
|
(0.0000)
3
|
(0.0000)
3
|
(0.0000)
3
|
Total
distributions
|
(0.0016)
|
(0.0006)
|
(0.0000)
|
(0.0000)
|
(0.0000)
|
Net
asset value, end of year
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
Total
Return
4
|
|
|
|
|
|
Based
on net asset value
|
0.15%
|
0.06%
|
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
Ratios
to Average Net Assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
expenses
|
1.64%
|
1.86%
|
1.72%
|
1.73%
|
1.70%
|
Total
expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed
|
0.61%
|
0.30%
|
0.22%
|
0.24%
|
0.30%
|
Net
investment income
|
0.12%
|
0.04%
|
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
Supplemental
Data
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of year (000)
|
$
61
|
$
384
|
$
1,060
|
$
2,233
|
$
4,577
|
1
|
Amount is less than $0.00005
per share.
|
2
|
Distributions for annual
periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations.
|
3
|
Amount is greater than
$(0.00005) per share.
|
4
|
Where
applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.
|
Financial Highlights
(concluded)
Money Market Portfolio
(concluded)
|
Investor
C
|
|
Year
Ended March 31,
|
|
2017
|
2016
|
2015
|
2014
|
2013
|
Per
Share Operating Performance
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of year
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
Net
investment income
|
0.0009
|
0.0010
|
0.0000
1
|
0.0000
1
|
0.0000
1
|
Net
realized gain
|
0.0001
|
0.0001
|
0.0000
1
|
0.0000
1
|
0.0000
1
|
Net
increase from investment operations
|
0.0010
|
0.0011
|
0.0000
|
0.0000
|
0.0000
|
Distributions:
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
From
net investment income
|
(0.0009)
|
(0.0010)
|
(0.0000)
3
|
(0.0000)
3
|
(0.0000)
3
|
From
net realized gain
|
(0.0001)
|
(0.0001)
|
(0.0000)
3
|
(0.0000)
3
|
(0.0000)
3
|
Total
distributions
|
(0.0010)
|
(0.0011)
|
(0.0000)
|
(0.0000)
|
(0.0000)
|
Net
asset value, end of year
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
Total
Return
4
|
|
|
|
|
|
Based
on net asset value
|
0.10%
|
0.10%
|
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
Ratios
to Average Net Assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
expenses
|
1.62%
|
1.57%
|
1.59%
|
1.58%
|
1.60%
|
Total
expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed
|
0.71%
|
0.26%
|
0.22%
|
0.24%
|
0.30%
|
Net
investment income
|
0.09%
|
0.12%
|
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
Supplemental
Data
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of year (000)
|
$
26,434
|
$
38,069
|
$
26,568
|
$
25,788
|
$
26,411
|
1
|
Amount is less than $0.00005
per share.
|
2
|
Distributions for annual
periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations.
|
3
|
Amount is greater than
$(0.00005) per share.
|
4
|
Where
applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.
|
General Information
Shareholder Documents
Electronic Access to Annual Reports, Semi-Annual Reports and
Prospectuses
Electronic copies of most financial reports and
prospectuses are available on BlackRock’s website. Shareholders can sign up for e-mail notifications of annual and semi-annual reports and prospectuses by enrolling in the Fund’s electronic delivery program. To enroll:
Shareholders Who Hold Accounts with Investment Advisers, Banks
or Brokerages:
Please contact your Financial Intermediary. Please note that not all investment advisers, banks or brokerages may offer this service.
Shareholders Who Hold Accounts Directly With BlackRock:
■
|
Access the BlackRock website
at http://www.blackrock.com/edelivery; and
|
■
|
Log into
your account
|
Delivery of Shareholder Documents
The Fund delivers only one copy of shareholder documents, including
prospectuses, shareholder reports and proxy statements, to shareholders with multiple accounts at the same address. This practice is known as “householding” and is intended to eliminate duplicate mailings and reduce expenses. Mailings of
your shareholder documents may be householded indefinitely unless you instruct us otherwise. If you do not want the mailing of these documents to be combined with those for other members of your household, please contact the Fund at (800)
441-7762.
Certain Fund Policies
Anti-Money Laundering Requirements
The Fund is subject to the USA PATRIOT Act (the “Patriot Act”).
The Patriot Act is intended to prevent the use of the U.S. financial system in furtherance of money laundering, terrorism or other illicit activities. Pursuant to requirements under the Patriot Act, the Fund is required to obtain sufficient
information from shareholders to enable it to form a reasonable belief that it knows the true identity of its shareholders. This information will be used to verify the identity of investors or, in some cases, the status of Financial Intermediaries.
Such information may be verified using third-party sources. This information will be used only for compliance with the Patriot Act or other applicable laws, regulations and rules in connection with money laundering, terrorism or economic
sanctions.
The Fund reserves the right to reject
purchase orders from persons who have not submitted information sufficient to allow the Fund to verify their identity. The Fund also reserves the right to redeem any amounts in the Fund from persons whose identity it is unable to verify on a timely
basis. It is the Fund’s policy to cooperate fully with appropriate regulators in any investigations conducted with respect to potential money laundering, terrorism or other illicit activities.
BlackRock Privacy Principles
BlackRock is committed to maintaining the privacy of its current and former
fund investors and individual clients (collectively, “Clients”) and to safeguarding their non-public personal information. The following information is provided to help you understand what personal information BlackRock collects, how we
protect that information and why in certain cases we share such information with select parties.
If you are located in a jurisdiction where specific laws,
rules or regulations require BlackRock to provide you with additional or different privacy-related rights beyond what is set forth below, then BlackRock will comply with those specific laws, rules or regulations.
BlackRock obtains or verifies personal non-public information
from and about you from different sources, including the following: (i) information we receive from you or, if applicable, your Financial Intermediary, on applications, forms or other documents; (ii) information about your transactions with us, our
affiliates, or others; (iii) information we receive from a consumer reporting agency; and (iv) from visits to our website.
BlackRock does not sell or disclose to non-affiliated third
parties any non-public personal information about its Clients, except as permitted by law, or as is necessary to respond to regulatory requests or to service Client accounts. These non-affiliated third parties are required to protect the
confidentiality and security of this information and to use it only for its intended purpose.
We may share information with our affiliates to service your
account or to provide you with information about other BlackRock products or services that may be of interest to you. In addition, BlackRock restricts access to non-public personal information about its Clients to those BlackRock employees with a
legitimate business need for the information. BlackRock maintains physical, electronic and procedural safeguards that are designed to protect the non-public personal information of its Clients, including procedures relating to the proper storage and
disposal of such information.
Statement of Additional
Information
If you would like further information about the Fund,
including how it invests, please see the SAI.
For a
discussion of the Fund’s policies and procedures regarding the selective disclosure of its portfolio holdings, please see the SAI.
Glossary
This glossary contains an explanation of some of the common
terms used in this prospectus. For additional information about the Fund, please see the SAI.
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses
— fees and expenses charged by other investment companies in which the Fund invests a portion of its assets.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
— expenses that cover the costs of operating the Fund.
Daily Liquid Assets
— include (i) cash; (ii) direct obligations of the U.S. Government; (iii) securities that will mature, as determined without reference to the maturity shortening provisions of Rule 2a-7 regarding
interest rate readjustments, or are subject to a demand feature that is exercisable and payable within one business day; and (iv) amounts receivable and due unconditionally within one business day on pending sales of portfolio
securities.
Dollar-Weighted Average Life
— the dollar-weighted average maturity of the Fund’s portfolio calculated without reference to the exceptions used for variable or floating rate securities regarding the use of interest
rate reset dates in lieu of the security’s actual maturity date. “Dollar-weighted” means the larger the dollar value of a debt security in the Fund, the more weight it gets in calculating this average.
Dollar-Weighted Average Maturity
— the average maturity of the Fund is the average amount of time until the organizations that issued the debt securities in the Fund’s portfolio must pay off the principal amount of the
debt. “Dollar-weighted” means the larger the dollar value of a debt security in the Fund, the more weight it gets in calculating this average. To calculate the dollar-weighted average maturity, the Fund may treat a variable or floating
rate security as having a maturity equal to the time remaining to the security’s next interest rate reset date rather than the security’s actual maturity.
Distribution Fees
— fees used to support the Fund’s marketing and distribution efforts, such as compensating Financial Intermediaries, advertising and promotion.
Eligible Securities
— Applicable Eligible Securities include:
■
|
securities with a remaining
maturity of 397 calendar days or less (with certain exceptions) that BlackRock determines present minimal credit risks to the Fund after considering certain factors;
|
■
|
securities issued by other
registered investment companies that are money market funds; or
|
■
|
securities issued
or guaranteed as to principal or interest by the U.S. Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities.
|
Interest Expense
— the cost of borrowing money to buy additional securities, primarily through reverse repurchase agreements (under which the Fund sells securities and agrees to buy them back at a particular date
and price).
Management Fee
— a fee paid to BlackRock for managing the Fund.
Other Expenses
— include accounting, administration, transfer agency, custody, professional and registration fees.
Service Fees
— fees used to compensate Financial Intermediaries for certain shareholder servicing activities.
Weekly Liquid Assets
— include (i) cash; (ii) direct obligations of the U.S. Government; (iii) U.S. Government securities issued by a person controlled or supervised by and acting as an instrumentality of the U.S.
Government pursuant to authority granted by the U.S. Congress, that are issued at a discount to the principal amount to be repaid at maturity without provision for the payment of interest and have a remaining maturity of 60 days or less; (iv)
securities that will mature, as determined without reference to the maturity shortening provisions of Rule 2a-7 regarding interest rate readjustments, or are subject to a demand feature that is exercisable and payable within five business days; and
(v) amounts receivable and due unconditionally within five business days on pending sales of portfolio securities.
For More Information
Fund and Service Providers
THE FUND
BlackRock Funds
SM
BlackRock Money Market Portfolio
100 Bellevue Parkway
Wilmington, Delaware
19809
Written Correspondence:
P.O. Box 9819
Providence, Rhode Island 02940-8019
Overnight Mail:
4400
Computer Drive
Westborough, Massachusetts 01588
(800) 441-7762
MANAGER
BlackRock Advisors, LLC
100 Bellevue Parkway
Wilmington, Delaware
19809
TRANSFER AGENT
BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc.
301 Bellevue Parkway
Wilmington, Delaware 19809
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Deloitte & Touche LLP
1700 Market Street
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania 19103
ACCOUNTING SERVICES PROVIDER
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
383
Madison Avenue, Floor 11
New York, New York 10179
DISTRIBUTOR
BlackRock Investments, LLC
40 East 52nd Street
New York, New York
10022
CUSTODIANS
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
383 Madison Avenue, Floor 11
New York, New
York 10179
The Bank of New York Mellon
One
Wall Street
New York, New York 10286
COUNSEL
Sidley Austin LLP
787 Seventh Avenue
New York, New York
10019-6018
For more information:
This
prospectus contains important information you should know before investing, including information about risks. Please read it before you invest and keep it for future reference. More information about the Fund is available at no charge upon request.
This information includes:
Annual/Semi-Annual
Reports
These reports contain additional information about the Fund’s investments. The annual report describes the Fund’s performance, lists portfolio holdings, and discusses recent market
conditions, economic trends and Fund investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance for the last fiscal year.
Statement of Additional Information
A Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”), dated July
28,
2017 , has been filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (“SEC”). The SAI, which includes additional information about the Fund, may be obtained free of charge, along with the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports, by calling (800) 441-7762. The SAI, as supplemented from time
to time, is incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
BlackRock Investor Services
Representatives are available to discuss account balance information, mutual fund prospectuses, literature, programs and services available. Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (Eastern time), on any business day. Call:
(800) 441-7762.
Purchases and Redemptions
Call your Financial Intermediary or BlackRock Investor Services at (800) 441-7762.
World Wide Web
General Fund
information and specific Fund performance, including the SAI and annual/semi-annual reports, can be accessed free of charge at www.blackrock.com/prospectus/cash. Mutual fund prospectuses and literature can also be requested via this
website.
Written Correspondence
BlackRock Funds
SM
P.O. Box 9819
Providence, Rhode Island 02940
Overnight Mail
BlackRock
Funds
SM
4400 Computer Drive
Westborough, Massachusetts 01588
Internal Wholesalers/Broker Dealer Support
Available on any business day to support investment professionals. Call: (800) 882-0052.
Portfolio Characteristics and Holdings
A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures related to disclosure of portfolio characteristics and holdings is available in the SAI.
For information about portfolio holdings and characteristics,
BlackRock fund shareholders and prospective investors may call (800) 882-0052.
Securities and Exchange Commission
You may also view and copy public information about the Fund, including the SAI, by visiting the EDGAR database on the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov) or the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C.
Copies of this information can be obtained, for a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing to the Public Reference Room of the SEC, Washington, D.C. 20549. Information about obtaining
documents on the SEC’s website without charge can be obtained by calling (800) SEC-0330.
You should rely only on the information contained in this
prospectus. No one is authorized to provide you with information that is different from information contained in this prospectus.
The SEC has not approved or disapproved these securities or
passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
BLACKROCK FUNDS
SM
INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT FILE # 811-05742
BlackRock Funds
SM
|
Service Shares
►
|
BlackRock Money Market
Portfolio
|
|
Service:
PNPXX
|
This Prospectus contains information you should know before
investing, including information about risks. Please read it before you invest and keep it for future reference.
The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or
disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Not FDIC Insured • May Lose Value • No Bank
Guarantee
Table of Contents
Fund Overview
|
Key facts
and details about the Fund, including investment objective, principal investment strategies, principal risk factors, fee and expense information and historical performance information
|
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3
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3
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3
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4
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5
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6
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6
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6
|
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6
|
Details About the Fund
|
Information about
how the Fund invests, including investment objective, investment processes, principal strategies and risk factors
|
|
|
|
7
|
|
|
8
|
Account Information
|
Information about
account services, sales charges and waivers, shareholder transactions, and distribution and other payments
|
|
|
|
11
|
|
|
11
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|
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12
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16
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17
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17
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|
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18
|
Glossary
|
Glossary of Investment
Terms
|
27
|
|
|
Fund Overview
Investment Objective
The investment objective of BlackRock Money Market Portfolio
(“Money Market Portfolio” or the “Fund”), a series of BlackRock Funds
SM
(the “Trust”), is to seek as high a level of
current income as is consistent with maintaining liquidity and stability of principal.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if
you buy and hold Service Shares of the Fund.
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
Service
Shares
|
Management
Fee
|
0.45%
|
Service
Fees
|
0.25%
|
Other
Expenses
|
0.19%
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
|
0.89%
|
Fee
Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements
1
|
(0.39)%
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements
1
|
0.50%
|
1
|
As described in the
“Management of the Fund” section of the Fund’s prospectus beginning on page 19, BlackRock Advisors, LLC (“BlackRock”) has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse fees or expenses in order to limit Service Shares
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements (excluding Dividend Expense, Interest Expense, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and certain other Fund expenses) to 0.50% of average daily net assets through July
31, 2018. The Fund may have to repay some of these waivers and/or reimbursements to BlackRock in the following two years. The agreement may be terminated upon 90 days’ notice by a majority of the non-interested trustees of the Trust or by a
vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.
|
Example:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the
Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your
investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
|
1
Year
|
3
Years
|
5
Years
|
10
Years
|
Service
Shares
|
$51
|
$245
|
$455
|
$1,060
|
Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by
investing in a broad range of short-term, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments, including government, U.S. and foreign bank, commercial and other obligations. The Fund invests in securities maturing in 397 days or less (with
certain exceptions), and the portfolio will have a dollar-weighted average maturity of 60 days or less and a dollar-weighted average life of 120 days or less. Under normal market conditions, at least 25% of the Fund’s total assets will be
invested in obligations of issuers in the financial services industry or in obligations, such as repurchase agreements, secured by such obligations.
The Fund may purchase variable and floating rate notes, which
are instruments that provide for adjustments in the interest rate on certain reset dates or whenever a specified interest rate index changes, respectively. The Fund may transact in securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment
basis.
The Fund seeks to maintain a net asset value
(“NAV”) of $1.00 per share.
The securities
purchased by the Fund are subject to the quality, diversification and other requirements of Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), and other rules of the Securities and Exchange
Commission. The Fund will only purchase securities that present minimal credit risk as
determined by BlackRock, the Fund’s investment manager, pursuant to
guidelines approved by the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”).
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
Risk is inherent in all investing. You could lose money by
investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell
shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The
Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.
The following is a summary description of principal risks of
investing in the Fund.
■
|
Asset-Backed Securities Risk
— Asset-backed securities represent interests in “pools” of assets, including consumer loans or receivables held in trust. Asset-backed securities are subject to credit, interest rate,
prepayment and extension risks. These securities also are subject to risk of default on the underlying asset, particularly during periods of economic downturn.
|
■
|
Credit Risk
— Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of a security will not be able to make payments of interest and principal when due. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the
market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in that issuer.
|
■
|
Extension Risk
— When interest rates rise, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more slowly than anticipated, causing the value of these securities to fall.
|
■
|
Financial Services Industry
Risk
—
Because of its concentration in the financial services industry, the Fund will be more susceptible to any economic, business, political or
other developments which generally affect this industry sector. As a result, the Fund will be exposed to a large extent to the risks associated with that industry, such as government regulation, the availability and cost of capital funds,
consolidation and general economic conditions. Financial services companies are also exposed to losses if borrowers and other counterparties experience financial problems and/or cannot repay their obligations.
|
|
When interest rates go up,
the value of securities issued by many types of financial services companies generally goes down. In many countries, financial services and the companies that provide them are regulated by governmental entities, which can increase costs for new
services or products and make it difficult to pass increased costs on to consumers. In certain areas, deregulation of financial services companies has resulted in increased competition and reduced profitability for certain companies.
|
|
The profitability of many
types of financial services companies may be adversely affected in certain market cycles, including periods of rising interest rates, which may restrict the availability and increase the cost of capital, and declining economic conditions, which may
cause credit losses due to financial difficulties of borrowers. Because many types of financial services companies are vulnerable to these economic cycles, a large portion of the Fund’s investments may lose value during such periods.
|
■
|
Foreign Exposure Risk
—
Securities issued or supported by foreign entities, including foreign banks and corporations, may involve additional risks and considerations. Extensive
public information about the foreign issuer may not be available, and unfavorable political, economic or governmental developments in the foreign country involved could affect the payment of principal and interest.
|
■
|
Income Risk
— Income risk is the risk that the Fund’s yield will vary as short-term securities in its portfolio mature and the proceeds are reinvested in
securities with different interest rates.
|
■
|
Interest Rate Risk
—
Interest rate risk is the risk that the value of a debt security may fall when interest rates rise. In general, the market price of debt securities with
longer maturities will go up or down more in response to changes in interest rates than the market price of shorter-term securities. Due to fluctuations in interest rates, the market value of such securities may vary during the period shareholders
own shares of the Fund.
|
■
|
Liquidity Fee and Redemption
Gate Risk
— The Board has discretion to impose a liquidity fee of up to 2% upon sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls
below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. Accordingly, you may not be able to sell your shares or your redemptions may be subject to a liquidity fee when you sell your shares at certain times.
|
■
|
Market Risk
and Selection Risk
— Market risk is the risk that one or more markets in which the Fund invests will go down in value, including the possibility that the markets will go down sharply and
unpredictably. Selection risk is
|
|
the risk that the securities
selected by Fund management will underperform the markets, the relevant indices or the securities selected by other funds with similar investment objectives and investment strategies. This means you may lose money.
|
■
|
Prepayment Risk
— When interest rates fall, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more quickly than originally anticipated, and the Fund may have to invest the proceeds in securities with lower
yields.
|
■
|
Repurchase Agreements and
Purchase and Sale Contracts Risk
— If the other party to a repurchase agreement or purchase and sale contract defaults on its obligation under the agreement, the Fund may suffer delays and
incur costs or lose money in exercising its rights under the agreement. If the seller fails to repurchase the security in either situation and the market value of the security declines, the Fund may lose money.
|
■
|
Stable Net Asset Value Risk
— The Fund may not be able to maintain a stable NAV of $1.00 per share at all times. If the Fund fails to maintain a stable NAV (or if there is a perceived threat of such a failure), the Fund,
along with other money market funds, could be subject to increased redemption activity.
|
■
|
U.S. Government Obligations
Risk
— Certain securities in which the Fund may invest, including securities issued by certain U.S. Government agencies and U.S. Government sponsored enterprises, are not guaranteed by the
U.S. Government or supported by the full faith and credit of the United States.
|
■
|
Variable and Floating Rate
Instrument Risk
—
The absence of an active market for these securities could make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of them if the issuer
defaults.
|
■
|
When-Issued
and Delayed Delivery Securities and Forward Commitments Risk
— When-issued and delayed delivery securities and forward commitments involve the risk that the security the Fund buys will lose
value prior to its delivery. There also is the risk that the security will not be issued or that the other party to the transaction will not meet its obligation. If this occurs, the Fund may lose both the investment opportunity for the assets it set
aside to pay for the security and any gain in the security’s price.
|
Performance Information
The information shows you how the
Fund’s performance has varied year by year and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. To the extent that dividends and distributions have been paid by the Fund, the performance information for the Fund in the chart and
table assumes reinvestment of the dividends and distributions. As with all such investments, past performance is not an indication of future results. The table includes all applicable fees. If BlackRock and its affiliates had not waived or
reimbursed certain Fund expenses during these periods, the Fund’s returns would have been lower. The Fund is a money market fund managed pursuant to the requirements of Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act. Effective May 28, 2010, Rule
2a-7 was amended to impose new liquidity, credit quality and maturity requirements on all money market funds. Fund performance shown prior to May 28, 2010 is based on Investment Company Act rules then in effect and is not an indication of future
returns. Updated information on the Fund’s performance can be obtained by phone at (800) 882-0052.
Service Shares
ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS
Money Market Portfolio
As of 12/31
During the ten-year period shown in the bar
chart, the highest return for a quarter was 1.20% (quarter ended September 30, 2007) and the lowest return for a quarter was 0.00% (quarter ended September 30, 2015). The year-to-date return as of June 30, 2017 was 0.33%.
As
of 12/31/16
Average Annual Total Returns
|
1
Year
|
5
Years
|
10
Years
|
Money
Market Portfolio — Service Shares
|
|
|
|
Return
Before Taxes
|
0.25%
|
0.05%
|
0.78%
|
To obtain the Fund’s current 7-day yield, call (800)
537-4942.
Investment Manager
The Fund’s investment manager is BlackRock Advisors, LLC
(previously defined as “BlackRock”).
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund is a retail money market fund and is intended only
for sale to beneficial owners who are natural persons.
You may generally purchase or redeem shares of the Fund each
day on which both the New York Stock Exchange and the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia are open.
To purchase or sell shares of the Fund you
should contact your financial professional or your selected securities dealer, broker, investment adviser, service provider or industry professional (including BlackRock, The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. and their respective affiliates) (each
a “Financial Intermediary”), or, if you hold your shares through the Fund, you should contact the Fund by phone at (800) 537-4942, by mail (c/o BlackRock Funds, P.O. Box 9819, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-8019), or by the Internet at
www.blackrock.com. You have until the close of the federal funds wire (normally 6:00 p.m. Eastern time) to get your purchase money in to the Fund on the day of your purchase or your purchase order will be cancelled.
The Fund’s initial and subsequent investment minimums
generally are as follows, although the Fund may reduce or waive the minimums in some cases.
|
Service
Shares
|
Minimum
Initial Investment
|
$5,000
|
Minimum
Additional Investment
|
No
subsequent minimum.
|
Tax Information
The Fund’s dividends and distributions may be subject to
federal income taxes and may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are a tax-exempt investor or are investing through a retirement plan, in which case you may be subject to federal income tax upon withdrawal from such tax-deferred
arrangements.
Payments to Broker/Dealers and Other
Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial
Intermediary, the Fund and BlackRock Investments, LLC, the Fund’s distributor, or its affiliates may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by
influencing the Financial Intermediary and your individual financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your individual financial professional or visit your Financial Intermediary’s website for more
information.
Details About the Fund
Included in this prospectus are sections that tell you about
buying and selling shares, management information, shareholder features of BlackRock Money Market Portfolio (“Money Market Portfolio” or the “Fund”), a series of BlackRock Funds
SM
(the “Trust”), and your rights as a shareholder.
How the Fund Invests
The Fund is a retail money market fund managed pursuant to
Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).
■
|
The Fund seeks to maintain a
net asset value (“NAV”) of $1.00 per share.
|
■
|
The Fund will maintain a
dollar-weighted average maturity of 60 days or less and a dollar-weighted average life of 120 days or less. For a discussion of dollar-weighted average maturity and dollar-weighted average life, please see the Glossary on page 27.
|
■
|
Pursuant to Rule 2a-7, the
Fund is subject to a “general liquidity requirement” that requires that the Fund hold securities that are sufficiently liquid to meet reasonably foreseeable shareholder redemptions in light of its obligations under Section 22(e) of the
Investment Company Act regarding share redemptions and any commitments the Fund has made to shareholders. To comply with this general liquidity requirement, BlackRock Advisors, LLC (“BlackRock”) must consider factors that could affect
the Fund’s liquidity needs, including characteristics of the Fund’s investors and their likely redemptions. Depending upon the volatility of its cash flows (particularly shareholder redemptions), this may require the Fund to maintain
greater liquidity than would be required by the weekly minimum liquidity requirement discussed below.
|
■
|
The Fund will not acquire
any illiquid security (i.e., securities that cannot be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the value ascribed to them by the Fund) if, immediately following such purchase, more than 5% of the
Fund’s total assets are invested in illiquid securities. The Fund will not acquire any security other than a daily liquid asset unless, immediately following such purchase, at least 10% of its total assets would be invested in daily liquid
assets, and the Fund will not acquire any security other than a weekly liquid asset unless, immediately following such purchase, at least 30% of its total assets would be invested in weekly liquid assets. For a discussion of daily liquid assets and
weekly liquid assets, please see the Glossary on page 27.
|
■
|
The Fund invests in
securities maturing within 13 months or less from the date of purchase, with certain exceptions. For example, certain government securities held by the Fund may have remaining maturities exceeding 13 months if such securities provide for adjustments
in their interest rates not less frequently than every 13 months.
|
■
|
The
securities purchased by the Fund are subject to the quality, diversification, and other requirements of Rule 2a-7, and other rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The Fund will purchase securities (or issuers of
such securities) that are Eligible Securities that present minimal credit risk as determined by BlackRock pursuant to guidelines approved by the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”). For a discussion of Eligible Securities,
please see the Glossary on page 27.
|
The Board will be permitted to impose a liquidity fee on
redemptions from the Fund (up to 2%) or temporarily restrict redemptions from the Fund for up to 10 business days during a 90 day period under certain circumstances. Please see the section below titled “Account Information — Liquidity
Fees and Redemption Gates” for additional information about liquidity fees and redemption gates.
Investment Objective
The investment objective of the Fund is to seek as high a level of current
income as is consistent with maintaining liquidity and stability of principal.
Should the Board determine that the investment objective of
the Fund should be changed, shareholders will be given at least 30 days’ notice before any such change is made. However, such change can be effected without shareholder approval.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund invests in a broad range of short-term, high quality U.S.
dollar-denominated money market instruments, including government, U.S. and foreign bank, commercial and other obligations. The Fund invests in securities maturing in 397 days or less (with certain exceptions), and the portfolio will have a
dollar-weighted average maturity of 60 days or less and a dollar-weighted average life of 120 days or less. Under normal market conditions, at least 25% of the Fund’s total assets will be invested in obligations of issuers in the financial
services industry or in obligations, such as repurchase agreements, secured by such obligations. Specifically, the Fund may invest in:
■
|
U.S. dollar-denominated
obligations issued or supported by the credit of U.S. or foreign banks or savings institutions with total assets of more than $1 billion (including obligations of foreign branches of such banks)
|
■
|
High quality commercial
paper and other obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. and foreign corporations and other issuers rated (at the time of purchase) A-2 or higher by S&P Global Ratings, P-2 (Prime-2) or higher by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or F2 or
higher by Fitch Ratings, Inc., as well as high quality corporate bonds rated A or higher at the time of purchase by those rating agencies
|
■
|
Unrated notes, paper and
other instruments that are determined by Fund management to be of comparable quality to the instruments described above
|
■
|
Asset-backed securities
(including interests in “pools” of assets such as mortgages, installment purchase obligations and credit card receivables)
|
■
|
Securities issued or
guaranteed by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or authorities
|
■
|
Dollar-denominated
securities issued or guaranteed by foreign governments or their political subdivisions, agencies or authorities
|
■
|
Repurchase agreements
relating to the above instruments
|
The Fund may purchase variable and floating rate notes, which
are instruments that provide for adjustments in the interest rate on certain reset dates or whenever a specified interest rate index changes, respectively. The Fund may transact in securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment
basis.
Pursuant to Rule 2a-7 under the Investment
Company Act, the Fund will generally limit its purchases of any one issuer’s securities (other than U.S. Government obligations and repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities) to 5% of the Fund’s total assets, except that up
to 25% of its total assets may be invested in securities of one issuer for a period of up to three business days; provided that the Fund may not invest in the securities of more than one issuer in accordance with the foregoing exception at any one
time.
Other Strategies
In addition to the principal strategies discussed above, the
Fund may also invest or engage in the following investments/strategies:
■
|
Investment Company Securities
— The Fund may invest in securities issued by other open-end or closed-end investment companies as permitted by the Investment Company Act. A pro rata portion of the other investment
companies’ expenses may be borne by the Fund’s shareholders. These investments may include, as consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and policies, certain variable rate demand securities issued by closed-end funds, which
invest primarily in portfolios of taxable or tax-exempt securities. It is anticipated that the payments made on the variable rate demand securities issued by closed-end municipal bond funds will be exempt from federal income tax.
|
■
|
Uninvested Cash Reserves
— The Fund may hold up to 20% of its assets in uninvested cash reserves. Uninvested cash reserves will not earn income.
|
■
|
U.S.
Treasury Floating Rate Notes
— The Fund may invest in U.S. Treasury Floating Rate Notes (FRNs). These are two-year notes issued by the U.S. Treasury that reset their interest rates on a
weekly basis. At maturity, the face value of an FRN is paid to the note holder.
|
Investment Risks
Risk is inherent in all investing. You could lose money by
investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell
shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The
Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation
to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the
sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.
The following is a description of certain risks of investing
in the Fund.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Fund
■
|
Asset-Backed Securities Risk
—
Asset-backed securities represent interests in “pools” of assets, including consumer loans or receivables held in trust. Asset-backed
securities, like traditional fixed-income securities, are subject to credit, interest rate, prepayment and extension risks.
|
|
The Fund’s investments
in asset-backed securities are subject to additional risks associated with the nature of the assets and the servicing of those assets. These securities also are subject to the risk of default on the underlying assets, particularly during periods of
economic downturn.
|
|
Asset-backed securities
entail further risks, including the risk that, in certain states, it may be difficult to perfect the liens securing the collateral backing certain asset-backed securities. In addition, certain asset-backed securities are based on loans that are
unsecured, which means that there is no collateral to seize if the underlying borrower defaults.
|
■
|
Credit Risk
— Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of a security will not be able to make principal and interest payments when due. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the
market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in that issuer. The degree of credit risk depends on both the financial condition of the issuer and the terms of the
obligation.
|
■
|
Extension Risk
— When interest rates rise, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more slowly than anticipated, causing the value of these securities to fall. Rising interest rates tend to extend
the duration of securities, making them more sensitive to changes in interest rates. The value of longer-term securities generally changes more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. As a result, in a period of rising
interest rates, securities may exhibit additional volatility and may lose value.
|
■
|
Financial
Services Industry Risk
— Because of its concentration in the financial services industry, the Fund will be more susceptible to any economic, business, political or other developments which
generally affect this industry sector. As a result, the Fund will be exposed to a large extent to the risks associated with that industry, such as government regulation, the availability and cost of capital funds, consolidation and general economic
conditions. Financial services companies are also exposed to losses if borrowers and other counterparties experience financial problems and/or cannot repay their obligations.
|
When interest rates go up, the value of
securities issued by many types of financial services companies generally goes down. In many countries, financial services and the companies that provide them are regulated by governmental entities, which can increase costs for new services or
products and make it difficult to pass increased costs on to consumers. In certain areas, deregulation of financial services companies has resulted in increased competition and reduced profitability for certain companies.
The profitability of many types of
financial services companies may be adversely affected in certain market cycles, including periods of rising interest rates, which may restrict the availability and increase the cost of capital, and declining economic conditions, which may cause
credit losses due to financial difficulties of borrowers. Because many types of financial services companies are vulnerable to these economic cycles, a large portion of the Fund’s investments may lose value during such periods.
■
|
Foreign Exposure Risk
—
Securities issued or supported by foreign entities, including foreign banks and corporations, may involve additional risks and considerations. Extensive
public information about the foreign issuer may not be available, and unfavorable political, economic or governmental developments in the foreign country involved could affect the payment of principal and interest.
|
■
|
Income Risk
— The Fund’s yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature and the proceeds are reinvested in securities with different interest rates.
|
■
|
Interest Rate Risk
—
Interest rate risk is the risk that the value of a debt security may fall when interest rates rise. In general, the market price of debt securities with
longer maturities will go up or down more in response to changes in interest rates than the market price of shorter-term securities. Due to fluctuations in interest rates, the market value of such securities may vary during the period shareholders
own shares of the Fund.
|
■
|
Liquidity
Fee and Redemption Gate Risk
— The Board has discretion to impose a liquidity fee of up to 2% upon sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the
Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. Accordingly, you may not be able to sell your shares or your redemptions may be subject to a liquidity fee when you sell your shares at certain
times.
|
■
|
Market Risk and Selection Risk
— Market risk is the risk that one or more markets in which the Fund invests will go down in value, including the possibility that the markets will go down sharply and unpredictably.
Selection risk is the risk that the securities selected by Fund management will underperform the markets, the relevant indices or the securities selected by other funds with similar investment objectives and investment strategies. This means you may
lose money.
|
■
|
Prepayment Risk
— When interest rates fall, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more quickly than originally anticipated, and the Fund may have to invest the proceeds in securities with lower
yields. In periods of falling interest rates, the rate of prepayments tends to increase (as does price fluctuation) as borrowers are motivated to pay off debt and refinance at new lower rates. During such periods, reinvestment of the prepayment
proceeds by the management team will generally be at lower rates of return than the return on the assets that were prepaid. Prepayment reduces the yield to maturity and the average life of the security.
|
■
|
Repurchase Agreements and
Purchase and Sale Contracts Risk
— If the other party to a repurchase agreement or purchase and sale contract defaults on its obligation under the agreement, the Fund may suffer delays and
incur costs or lose money in exercising its rights under the agreement. If the seller fails to repurchase the security in either situation and the market value of the security declines, the Fund may lose money.
|
■
|
Stable Net Asset Value Risk
— The Fund may not be able to maintain a stable NAV of $1.00 per share at all times. If the Fund fails to maintain a stable NAV (or if there is a perceived threat of such a failure), the Fund,
along with other money market funds, could be subject to increased redemption activity.
|
■
|
U.S. Government Obligations
Risk
— Not all U.S. Government securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Obligations of certain agencies, authorities, instrumentalities and sponsored
enterprises of the U.S. Government are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States (e.g., the Government National Mortgage Association); other obligations are backed by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury (e.g., the
Federal Home Loan Banks) and others are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase an agency’s obligations. Still others are backed only by the credit of the agency, authority, instrumentality or sponsored
enterprise issuing the obligation. No assurance can be given that the U.S. Government would provide financial support to any of these entities if it is not obligated to do so by law.
|
■
|
Variable and Floating Rate
Instrument Risk
— The absence of an active market for these securities could make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of them if the issuer defaults.
|
■
|
When-Issued
and Delayed Delivery Securities and Forward Commitments Risk
— When-issued and delayed delivery securities and forward commitments involve the risk that the security the Fund buys will lose
value prior to its delivery. There also is the risk that the security will not be issued or that the other party to the transaction will not meet its obligation. If this occurs, the Fund may lose both the investment opportunity for the assets it set
aside to pay for the security and any gain in the security’s price.
|
Other Risks of Investing in the Fund
The Fund may also be subject to certain other risks associated with its
investments and investment strategies, including:
■
|
Expense Risk
— Fund expenses are subject to a variety of factors, including fluctuations in the Fund’s net assets. Accordingly, actual expenses may be greater or less than those indicated. For example,
to the extent that the Fund’s net assets decrease due to market declines or redemptions, the Fund’s expenses will increase as a percentage of Fund net assets. During periods of high market volatility, these increases in the Fund’s
expense ratio could be significant.
|
■
|
Investment in Other Investment
Companies Risk
— As with other investments, investments in other investment companies,
including ETFs, are subject to market and
selection risk. In addition, if the Fund acquires shares of investment companies, including ones affiliated with the Fund, shareholders bear both their proportionate share of expenses in the Fund (including management and advisory fees) and,
indirectly, the expenses of the investment companies (to the extent not offset by BlackRock through waivers to the Fund’s management fees). To the extent the Fund is held by an affiliated fund, the ability of the Fund itself to hold other
investment companies may be limited.
|
■
|
Liquidity Risk
— Liquidity risk refers to the possibility that it may be difficult or impossible to sell certain positions at an acceptable price.
|
Account Information
How to Choose the Share Class that Best Suits Your Needs
The Fund currently offers multiple share classes (Service
Shares in this prospectus), allowing you to invest in the way that best suits your needs. Each share class represents an ownership interest in the same investment portfolio of the Fund. When you choose your class of shares, you should consider the
size of your investment and how long you plan to hold your shares. Either your financial professional or your selected securities dealer, broker, investment adviser, service provider or industry professional (including BlackRock, The PNC Financial
Services Group, Inc. (“PNC”) and their respective affiliates) (each a “Financial Intermediary”) can help you determine which share class is best suited to your personal financial goals.
The Fund’s shares are distributed by BlackRock
Investments, LLC (the “Distributor”), an affiliate of BlackRock.
The table below summarizes key features of the Service Share
class of the Fund.
Service Shares at a Glance
|
|
Availability
|
Limited
to certain investors whose beneficial owner is a natural person, including: Financial Intermediaries (such as banks and brokerage firms) acting on behalf of their customers, certain persons who were shareholders of the Compass Capital Group of
Funds at the time of its combination with The PNC
®
Fund in 1996 and investors that participate in the Capital Directions
SM
asset allocation program. Service Shares will normally be held by Financial Intermediaries or in the name of nominees of Financial Intermediaries on
behalf of their customers. Service Shares are normally purchased through a customer’s account at a Financial Intermediary through procedures established by such Financial Intermediary. In these cases, confirmation of share purchases and
redemptions will be sent to the Financial Intermediaries. A customer’s ownership of shares will be recorded by the Financial Intermediary and reflected in the account statements provided by such Financial Intermediaries to their customers.
Investors wishing to purchase Service Shares should contact their Financial Intermediaries.
|
Minimum
Investment
|
$5,000.
However, Financial Intermediaries may set a higher minimum for their customers.
|
Initial
Sales Charge?
|
No.
Entire purchase price is invested in shares of the Fund.
|
Deferred
Sales Charge?
|
No.
|
Service
and Distribution Fees?
|
No
Distribution Fee. 0.25% Annual Service Fee.
|
Redemption
Fees?
|
The
Fund may impose a liquidity fee under certain limited circumstances. See “Liquidity Fees and Redemption Gates” below.
|
Advantage
|
No
up-front sales charge so you start off owning more shares.
|
Disadvantage
|
Limited
availability.
|
Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Payments
Plan Payments
The Fund has adopted a plan (the “Plan”) with respect to Service
Shares that allows the Fund to pay distribution and service fees for the sale of its shares and shareholder servicing fees for certain services provided to its shareholders. The Fund does not make distribution payments under the Plan with respect to
Service Shares.
The shareholder servicing fees payable
pursuant to the Plan are paid to compensate Financial Intermediaries for providing support services to their customers who own Service Shares, including responding to customer questions on the services performed by the Financial Intermediary and
investments in Service Shares, assisting customers in choosing and changing dividend options, account designations and addresses and providing other similar shareholder liaison services. Because the fees paid by the Fund under the Plan are paid out
of the Fund’s assets on an ongoing
basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment in the
Service Shares of the Fund and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
Other Payments by the Fund
In addition to fees that the Fund may pay to a Financial Intermediary
pursuant to the Plan and fees the Fund pays to its transfer agent, BlackRock, on behalf of the Fund, may enter into non-Plan agreements with affiliated and unaffiliated Financial Intermediaries pursuant to which the Fund will pay a Financial
Intermediary for administrative, networking, recordkeeping, sub-transfer agency, sub-accounting and/or shareholder services. These non-Plan payments are generally based on either (1) a percentage of the average daily net assets of Fund shareholders
serviced by a Financial Intermediary or (2) a fixed dollar amount for each account serviced by a Financial Intermediary. The aggregate amount of these payments may be substantial.
Other Payments by BlackRock
From time to time, BlackRock, the Fund’s distributor or their
affiliates also may pay a portion of the fees for administrative, networking, recordkeeping, sub-transfer agency, sub-accounting and shareholder services described above at its or their own expense and out of its or their profits. BlackRock, the
Fund’s distributor and their affiliates may also compensate affiliated and unaffiliated Financial Intermediaries for the sale and distribution of shares of the Fund. These payments would be in addition to the Fund payments described in this
prospectus and may be a fixed dollar amount, may be based on the number of customer accounts maintained by the Financial Intermediary, may be based on a percentage of the value of shares sold to, or held by, customers of the Financial Intermediary
or may be calculated on another basis. The aggregate amount of these payments by BlackRock, the Fund’s distributor and their affiliates may be substantial and, in some circumstances, may create an incentive for a Financial Intermediary, its
employees or associated persons to recommend or sell shares of the Fund to you.
Please contact your Financial Intermediary for details about
payments it may receive from the Fund or from BlackRock, the Fund’s distributor or their affiliates. For more information, see the SAI.
How to Buy, Sell and Transfer Shares
The chart on the following pages summarizes how to buy, sell
and transfer shares through your Financial Intermediary. You may also buy, sell and transfer shares through BlackRock, if your account is held directly with BlackRock. To learn more about buying, selling or transferring shares through BlackRock,
call (800) 537-4942. Because the selection of a mutual fund involves many considerations, your Financial Intermediary may help you with this decision.
With certain limited exceptions, the Fund is
generally available only to investors residing in the United States and may not be distributed by a foreign Financial Intermediary. Under this policy, in order to accept new accounts or additional investments into existing accounts, the Fund
generally requires that (i) a shareholder that is a natural person be a U.S. citizen or resident alien, in each case residing within the United States or a U.S. territory (including APO/FPO/DPO addresses), and have a valid U.S. taxpayer
identification number, and (ii) a Financial Intermediary or a shareholder that is an entity be domiciled in the United States and have a valid U.S. taxpayer identification number or be domiciled in a U.S. territory and have a valid U.S. taxpayer
identification number or IRS Form W-8. Any existing account that is updated to reflect a non-U.S. address will also be restricted from making additional investments.
The Fund may reject any purchase order, modify or waive the
minimum initial or subsequent investment requirements for any shareholders and suspend and resume the sale of any share class of the Fund at any time for any reason. In addition, the Fund may waive certain requirements regarding the purchase, sale
or transfer of shares described below.
The Fund is a
retail money market fund and is intended only for sale to beneficial owners who are natural persons. Natural persons may invest in the Fund through certain tax-advantaged savings accounts, trusts and other retirement and investment accounts, which
may include, among others: participant-directed defined contribution plans; individual retirement accounts; simplified employee pension arrangements; simple retirement accounts; custodial accounts; deferred compensation plans for government or
tax-exempt organization employees; Archer medical savings accounts; college savings plans; health savings account plans; ordinary trusts and estates of natural persons; or certain other retirement and investment accounts with ultimate investment
authority held by the natural person beneficial owner, notwithstanding having an institutional decision maker making day to day decisions (e.g., a plan sponsor in certain retirement arrangements or an investment adviser managing discretionary
investment accounts). Financial Intermediaries are required to adopt and implement policies, procedures and internal controls reasonably designed to limit all beneficial owners of the Fund to natural persons. Financial Intermediaries are expected to
promptly report to the Fund the existence of any shareholder of the Fund that does not qualify as a natural person of whom they are aware, promptly notify such shareholder, and take steps to redeem any such shareholder’s Fund shares.
The Fund reserves the right to redeem shares in any account
that it cannot confirm to its satisfaction is beneficially owned by a natural person, after providing at least 60 days’ advance notice.
Under certain circumstances, if no activity occurs in an
account within a time period specified by state law, a shareholder’s shares in the Fund may be transferred to that state.
Persons who were shareholders of an investment portfolio of
the Compass Capital Group of Funds in 1996 at the time the portfolio combined with The PNC
®
Fund may purchase and redeem Service Shares of the same
fund and for the same account in which they held shares on that date through the procedures described in this section.
How to Buy Shares
|
Your
Choices
|
Important
Information for You to Know
|
Initial
Purchase
|
Determine
the amount of your investment
|
Refer
to the minimum initial investment in the “Service Shares at a Glance” table of this prospectus.
|
|
Have
your Financial Intermediary submit your purchase order
|
The
Fund’s investments are valued based on the amortized cost method described in the SAI.
Purchase orders received by the Fund’s transfer agent, BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (the
“Transfer Agent”), before 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on each business day will be priced based on the next NAV calculated on that day, and if you send your payment by Federal funds or other immediately available funds no later than the
close of the federal funds wire (normally 6:00 p.m. (Eastern time)) you will receive that day’s dividends.
NAV is calculated separately for each class of shares of the Fund as of the close of business on
the Exchange, generally 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time), each business day. Shares will not be priced on days the Exchange or the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia are closed. The Fund may elect, in its discretion if it is determined to be in
shareholders’ best interest, to be open on days when the Exchange is closed due to an emergency.
Purchase orders placed after 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) will be priced at the NAV determined on the next
business day. The Fund may reject any order to buy shares and may suspend the sale of shares at any time, including when a redemption gate is in place (see “Account Information — Liquidity Fees and Redemption Gates” below).
Financial Intermediaries may charge a processing fee to confirm a purchase.
A broker-dealer or financial institution maintaining the account in which you hold shares may charge a separate account, service or
transaction fee on the purchase or sale of Fund shares that would be in addition to the fees and expenses shown in the Fund’s “Fees and Expenses” table.
|
Add
to Your Investment
|
Purchase
additional shares
|
There
is no minimum amount for additional investments.
|
|
Have
your Financial Intermediary submit your purchase order for additional shares
|
To
purchase additional shares you may contact your Financial Intermediary.
|
|
Or
contact BlackRock (for accounts held directly with BlackRock)
|
Purchase
by Telephone:
Call the Fund at (800) 537-4942 and speak with one of our representatives. The Fund has the right to reject any telephone request for any reason.
Purchase
by Internet:
You may purchase your shares and view activity in your account by logging onto the BlackRock website at www.blackrock.com. Purchases made on the Internet using the Automated Clearing House Network
(“ACH”) will have a trade date that is the day after the purchase is made. Certain clients’ purchase orders of Service Shares placed prior to the close of business on the Exchange will be priced at the NAV determined that day.
Contact your Financial Intermediary or BlackRock for further information. Limits on amounts that may be purchased via Internet may vary. For additional information, call BlackRock at (800) 537-4942.
Please read
the On-Line Services Disclosure Statement and User Agreement, the Terms and Conditions page and the Consent to Electronic Delivery Agreement (if you consent to electronic delivery),
|
|
Your
Choices
|
Important
Information for You to Know
|
Add
to Your Investment (continued)
|
Or
contact BlackRock (for accounts held directly with BlackRock) (continued)
|
before
attempting to transact online.
The Fund employs reasonable procedures to confirm that transactions entered over the Internet are genuine. By entering into the User Agreement with the Fund in order to open an
account through the website, the shareholder waives any right to reclaim any losses from the Fund or any of its affiliates, incurred through fraudulent activity.
|
|
Acquire
additional shares by reinvesting dividends and capital gains
|
All
dividends and capital gains distributions are automatically reinvested without a sales charge. To make any changes to your dividend and/or capital gains distributions options, please call BlackRock at (800) 537-4942, or contact your Financial
Intermediary (if your account is not held directly with BlackRock).
|
How
to Pay for Shares
|
Making
payment for purchases
|
Payment
for Service Shares must normally be made in Federal funds or other immediately available funds by your Financial Intermediary, but in no event later than the close of the federal funds wire (normally 6:00 p.m. (Eastern time)). Payment may also, at
the discretion of the Fund, be made in the form of securities that are permissible investments for the Fund. If payment is not received by this time, the order will be canceled and you and your Financial Intermediary will be responsible for any loss
to the Fund.
|
How to Sell Shares
|
Your
Choices
|
Important
Information for You to Know
|
Full
or Partial
Redemption of
Shares
|
Have
your Financial Intermediary submit your sales order
|
You
can make redemption requests through your Financial Intermediary in accordance with the procedures applicable to your accounts. These procedures may vary according to the type of account and the Financial Intermediary involved and customers should
consult their Financial Intermediary in this regard. Financial Intermediaries are responsible for transmitting redemption orders and crediting their customers’ accounts with redemption proceeds on a timely basis.
Information relating to such redemption services and charges to process a redemption of shares, if any, should be obtained by customers from their Financial Intermediaries. Financial Intermediaries may place
redemption orders by telephoning (800) 537-4942. The price of your shares is based on the next calculation of the Fund’s NAV after your order is placed. For your redemption request to be priced at the NAV on the day of your request, you must
submit your request to your Financial Intermediary prior to that day’s close of business on the Exchange (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time). Certain Financial Intermediaries, however, may require submission of orders prior to that time. Any
redemption request placed after that time will be priced at the NAV at the close of business on the next business day.
Financial Intermediaries may charge a fee to process a redemption of shares. Shareholders
should indicate which class of shares they are redeeming.
The Fund may reject an order to sell shares under certain circumstances.
|
|
Selling
shares held directly with BlackRock
|
Methods
of Redeeming
Redeem by Telephone:
Shareholders may place redemption orders by telephoning (800) 537-4942.
The Fund, its administrators
and the Distributor will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by telephone are genuine. The Fund and its service providers will not be liable for any loss, liability, cost or expense for acting upon telephone
instructions that are reasonably believed to be genuine in accordance with such procedures. The Fund may refuse a telephone redemption request if it believes it is advisable to do so.
During periods of
substantial economic or market change, telephone redemptions may be difficult to complete. Please find below alternative redemption methods.
|
|
Your
Choices
|
Important
Information for You to Know
|
Full
or Partial
Redemption of
Shares (continued)
|
Selling
shares held directly with BlackRock (continued)
|
Redeem
by Internet:
You may redeem in your account, by logging onto the BlackRock website at www.blackrock.com. Proceeds from Internet redemptions will be sent via wire to the bank account of record.
Redeem in Writing:
Redemption requests may be sent in proper form to BlackRock Funds, P.O. Box 9819, Providence, RI 02940-8019, or for overnight delivery, 4400 Computer
Drive, Westborough, Massachusetts 01588. Under certain circumstances, a medallion signature guarantee will be required.
Payment of Redemption Proceeds
Redemption
proceeds may be paid by check or, if the Fund has verified banking information on file, by wire transfer.
Payment by
Check:
BlackRock will typically mail redemption proceeds one business day following receipt of a properly completed request, but in any event, within seven days. Shares can be redeemed by telephone and the proceeds
sent by check to the shareholder at the address on record. Shareholders will pay $15 for redemption proceeds sent by check via overnight mail. You are responsible for any additional charges imposed by your bank for this service.
The Fund reserves the right to reinvest any dividend or distribution amounts (e.g., income dividends or capital gains) which you have elected to receive by check should your check be returned as undeliverable or
remain uncashed for more than 6 months. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed checks. Your check will be reinvested in your account at the NAV next calculated, on the day of the investment. When reinvested, those amounts are
subject to the risk of loss like any fund investment. If you elect to receive distributions in cash and a check remains undeliverable or uncashed for more than 6 months, your cash election may also be changed automatically to reinvest and your
future dividend and capital gains distributions will be reinvested in the Fund at the NAV as of the date of payment of the distribution.
Payment by Wire Transfer:
Proceeds for redeemed shares for which a redemption order is received before 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on a business day are normally paid in Federal funds wired to the redeeming shareholder on the same business day, provided that the Fund’s
custodian is also open for business. Proceeds for redemption orders received on a day when the Fund’s custodian is closed are normally wired in Federal funds on the next business day following redemption on which the Fund’s custodian is
open for business. The Fund reserves the right to wire redemption proceeds within seven days after receiving a redemption order if, in the judgment of the Fund, an earlier payment could adversely affect the Fund.
Shares can be redeemed by Federal wire transfer to a single previously designated bank account. No charge for wiring redemption proceeds with respect to Service Shares is imposed by the Fund, although Financial
Intermediaries may charge their customers for redemption services. Information relating to such redemption services and charges, if any, should be obtained by customers from their Financial Intermediaries. You are responsible for any additional
charges imposed by your bank for wire transfers.
The Fund is not responsible for the efficiency of the Federal wire system or the shareholder’s firm or bank. To change the name of the single, designated
bank account to receive wire redemption proceeds, it is necessary to send a written request to the Fund at the address on the back cover of this prospectus.
***
If you make a redemption request before the Fund has collected payment for the purchase of shares,
the Fund may delay mailing your proceeds. This delay will usually not exceed ten days.
Please see “Account Information — Liquidity Fees and Redemption
Gates” for more information.
|
|
Your
Choices
|
Important
Information for You to Know
|
Full
or Partial
Redemption of
Shares (continued)
|
Selling
shares held directly with BlackRock (continued)
|
Under
normal and stressed market conditions, the Fund typically expects to meet redemption requests by using cash or cash equivalents in its portfolio or by selling portfolio assets to generate additional cash.
|
How to Transfer your Account
|
Your
Choices
|
Important
Information for You to Know
|
Transfer
Shares to
Another Financial
Intermediary
|
Transfer
to a participating Financial Intermediary
|
You
may transfer your shares of the Fund only to another securities dealer that has entered into an agreement with the Distributor. Certain shareholder services may not be available for the transferred shares. All future trading of these assets must be
coordinated by the receiving firm.
If your account is held directly with BlackRock, you may call (800) 537-4942 with any questions; otherwise please contact your Financial Intermediary to accomplish the
transfer of shares.
|
|
Transfer
to a non-participating Financial Intermediary
|
You
must either:
• Transfer your shares to an account with the Fund; or
• Sell your shares, paying any applicable deferred sales
charge.
If your account is held directly with BlackRock, you may call (800) 537-4942 with any questions; otherwise please contact your Financial Intermediary to accomplish the transfer of shares.
|
Fund’s Rights
The Fund may:
■
|
Suspend the right of
redemption if trading is halted or restricted on the Exchange or under other emergency conditions described in the Investment Company Act;
|
■
|
Postpone the date of payment
upon redemption if trading is halted or restricted on the Exchange or under other emergency conditions described in the Investment Company Act or if a redemption request is made before the Fund has collected payment for the purchase of shares;
|
■
|
Redeem shares for property
other than cash as may be permitted under the Investment Company Act; and
|
■
|
Redeem
shares involuntarily in certain cases, such as when the value of a shareholder account falls below a specified level or if the Fund does not believe the account is for a natural person.
|
Suspension of Redemptions Upon Liquidation.
If the Board, including a majority of the trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust as defined in the Investment Company Act, determines either that (1) the Fund has invested, at the end of a
business day, less than 10% of its total assets in weekly liquid assets, or (2) the Fund’s calculated NAV per share has deviated from $1.00 or such deviation is likely to occur; then the Board, subject to certain conditions, may, where the
Board has determined to liquidate the Fund irrevocably, suspend redemptions and payment of redemption proceeds in order to facilitate the permanent liquidation of the Fund in an orderly manner. If this were to occur, it would likely result in a
delay in your receipt of your redemption proceeds.
Note on Low Balance Accounts.
Because of the high cost of maintaining smaller shareholder accounts, BlackRock has set a minimum balance of $500 in each Fund position you hold within your account (the “Fund Minimum”), and may redeem the shares in your account if the
NAV of those shares in your account falls below $500 for any reason, including market fluctuation.
You will be notified that the value of your account is less
than the Fund Minimum before the Fund makes any involuntary redemption. This notification will provide you with a 90 calendar day period to make an additional investment in order to bring the value of your account to at least $500 before the Fund
makes an involuntary redemption. This involuntary redemption will not charge any deferred sales charge, and may not apply to accounts of certain employer-sponsored retirement plans (not including IRAs), qualified state tuition plan (529 Plan)
accounts, and select fee-based programs at your Financial Intermediary.
Liquidity Fees and Redemption Gates
Under Rule 2a-7, the Board is permitted to
impose a liquidity fee up to 2% on the value of shares redeemed or temporarily restrict redemptions from the Fund for up to 10 business days during a 90 day period, in the event that the Fund’s weekly liquid assets fall below the following
thresholds:
■
|
30% weekly liquid assets
— If the weekly liquid assets of the Fund fall below 30% of the Fund’s total assets, and the Board determines it is in the best interests of the Fund, the Board may impose at any time, and as early as the same day, a liquidity fee of up
to 2% of the amount redeemed, or a redemption gate that temporarily suspends the right of redemption.
|
■
|
10%
weekly liquid assets — If the weekly liquid assets of the Fund fall below 10% of the Fund’s total assets as of the end of a business day, the Board will impose, at the beginning of the next business day, a liquidity fee of 1% of the
amount redeemed, unless the Board determines that imposing such a fee would not be in the best interests of the Fund or determines that a lower or higher fee (not to exceed 2%) would be in the best interests of the Fund.
|
Liquidity fees and redemption gates, if imposed, may be
terminated at any time in the discretion of the Board. Liquidity fees and redemption gates will also automatically terminate at the beginning of the next business day once the Fund has invested 30% or more of its total assets in weekly liquid assets
as of the end of a business day.
If the Board imposes a
liquidity fee, the fee will be used to help boost the weekly liquid assets of the Fund. The Fund may not accept purchases during the period that a liquidity fee has been imposed.
If the Board imposes a redemption gate, the Fund will not
accept purchase or redemption orders until the Fund has notified shareholders that the redemption gate has been lifted. Any purchase or redemption orders submitted while a redemption gate is in effect will be cancelled without further notice. If you
still wish to purchase or redeem shares once the redemption gate has been lifted, you will need to submit a new purchase or redemption request to the Fund or your Financial Intermediary. If a purchase or redemption order is received after the
applicable deadline of the Fund, but prior to the imposition of a liquidity fee or a redemption gate, such order will be cancelled without further notice.
Under certain circumstances, the Fund may honor redemption
orders (or pay redemptions without adding a liquidity fee to the redemption amount) if the Fund can verify that the redemption order was submitted to the Fund’s authorized agent before the Board imposed a liquidity fee or suspended
redemptions.
The Board generally expects that a
liquidity fee or redemption gate would be imposed, if at all, during periods of extraordinary market stress. The Board expects that a liquidity fee or redemption gate would typically be imposed only after the Fund has notified Financial
Intermediaries and shareholders that a liquidity fee or redemption gate will be imposed (which may not be until the beginning of the next business day following the announcement that the Board has imposed the liquidity fee or redemption gate).
However, the Board may, in its discretion, impose a liquidity fee or redemption gate at any time after the weekly liquid assets of the Fund fall below 30% of the Fund’s total assets.
Announcements regarding the imposition of a liquidity fee or
redemption gate, or the termination of a liquidity fee or redemption gate, will be filed with the SEC on Form N-CR and will be available on the website of the Fund (www.blackrock.com/cash). In addition, the Fund will make such announcements through
a supplement to their registration statements and may further communicate such actions through other means.
Financial Intermediaries will be required promptly to take
such actions reasonably requested by the Fund or its agent to implement, modify or remove, or to assist the Fund in implementing, modifying or removing, a liquidity fee or redemption gate established by the Board.
Short-Term Trading Policy
Market timing is an investment technique involving frequent
short-term trading of mutual fund shares designed to exploit market movements or inefficiencies in the way a mutual fund prices its shares. The Board has evaluated the risks of market timing activities by the Fund’s shareholders and has
determined that due to (i) the Fund’s policy of seeking to maintain the Fund’s NAV per share at $1.00 each day, (ii) the nature of the Fund’s portfolio holdings, and (iii) the nature of the Fund’s shareholders, it is unlikely
that (a) market timing would be attempted by the Fund’s shareholders or (b) any attempts to market time the Fund by shareholders would result in a negative impact to the Fund or its shareholders. As a result, the Board has not adopted policies
and procedures to deter short-term trading in the Fund. There can be no assurances, however, that the Fund may not, on occasion, serve as a temporary or short-term investment vehicle for those who seek to market time funds offered by other
investment companies.
Master/Feeder Structure
The Fund may in the future determine to become a
“feeder” fund that invests all of its assets in another open-end investment company (a “master fund”) that has the same investment objective and strategies as the Fund. This structure is sometimes called a
“master/feeder” structure. Investors in a feeder fund will acquire an indirect interest in the corresponding master fund. In a master/feeder structure, all investments will be made at the master level and the Fund’s investment
results will correspond directly to the investment results of the underlying master in which it invests. A feeder fund may withdraw from its master fund at any time and may invest all of its assets in another pooled investment vehicle or retain an
investment adviser to manage its assets directly.
A
master fund may accept investments from other feeder funds, and all the feeder funds of a given master fund bear the master fund’s expenses in proportion to their assets. This structure may enable the feeder funds to reduce costs through
economies of scale. A larger investment portfolio may also reduce certain transaction costs to the extent that contributions to and redemptions from a master fund from different feeder funds may offset each other and produce a lower net cash
flow.
However, each feeder fund can set its own
transaction minimums, fund specific expenses, and other conditions. This means that one feeder fund could offer access to the same master fund on more attractive terms, or could experience better performance, than another feeder fund. In addition,
large purchases or redemptions by one feeder fund could negatively affect the performance of other feeder funds that invest in the same master fund.
Whenever a master fund holds a vote of its feeder funds, a
fund that is a feeder fund investing in that master fund will pass the vote through to its own shareholders. Smaller feeder funds may be harmed by the actions of larger feeder funds. For example, a larger feeder fund could have more voting power
than a fund that is a feeder fund over the operations of its master fund.
Management of the Fund
BlackRock
BlackRock, the Fund’s investment adviser, manages the
Fund’s investments and its business operations subject to the oversight of the Board. While BlackRock is ultimately responsible for the management of the Fund, it is able to draw upon the research and expertise of its asset management
affiliates for portfolio decisions and management with respect to certain portfolio securities. BlackRock is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc.
BlackRock, a registered investment adviser,
was organized in 1994 to perform advisory services for investment companies. BlackRock and its affiliates had approximately $5.689 trillion in investment company and other portfolio assets under management as of June 30, 2017.
BlackRock serves as manager to the Fund pursuant to a
management agreement (the “Management Agreement”), which provides that BlackRock is entitled to fees computed daily and payable monthly. The maximum annual management fee rate that the Fund can pay to BlackRock (as a percentage of
average daily net assets) is calculated as follows:
Average
Daily Net Assets
|
Rate
of
Management Fee
|
First
$1 billion
|
0.450%
|
$1
billion – $2 billion
|
0.400%
|
$2
billion – $3 billion
|
0.375%
|
Greater
than $3 billion
|
0.350%
|
BlackRock has contractually agreed to cap net expenses
(excluding: (i) interest, taxes, dividends tied to short sales, brokerage commissions, and other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; (ii) expenses incurred directly or indirectly by the
Fund as a result of investments in other investment companies and pooled investment vehicles; (iii) other expenses attributable to, and incurred as a result of, the Fund’s investments; and (iv) other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the
ordinary course of the Fund’s business, if any) of Service Shares of the Fund at the levels shown below and in the Fund’s fees and expenses table in the “Fund Overview” section. Items (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) in the
preceding sentence are referred to in this prospectus as “Dividend Expense, Interest Expense, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and certain other Fund expenses.” To achieve this expense cap, BlackRock has agreed to waive and/or reimburse
fees or expenses if these operating expenses exceed a certain limit.
With respect to the Fund, BlackRock has
contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse fees or expenses in order to limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses to the amount noted in the table below.
|
Contractual
Cap
1
on Total
Annual Operating Expenses
2
(excluding Dividend Expense,
Interest Expense, Acquired
Fund Fees and Expenses and
certain other Fund expenses)
|
Service
Shares
|
0.50%
|
1
|
The contractual cap is in
effect through July 31, 2018. The contractual agreement may be terminated upon 90 days’ notice by a majority of the non-interested trustees of the Trust or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.
|
2
|
As a
percentage of average daily net assets.
|
BlackRock and the Distributor have voluntarily agreed to
waive a portion of their respective fees and/or reimburse operating expenses to enable the Fund to maintain minimum levels of daily net investment income. BlackRock and the Distributor may discontinue this voluntary waiver and/or reimbursement at
any time without notice.
With respect to the contractual agreement to
cap net expenses, if during the Fund’s fiscal year the operating expenses of a share class, that at any time during the prior two fiscal years received a waiver or reimbursement from BlackRock, are less than the expense limit for that share
class, the share class is required to repay BlackRock up to the lesser of
(a) the amount of fees waived or expenses
reimbursed during those prior two fiscal years under the agreement and (b) the amount by which the expense limit for that share class exceeds the operating expenses of the share class for the current fiscal year, provided that (i) the Fund of which
the share class is a part has more than $50 million in assets and (ii) BlackRock or an affiliate serves as the Fund’s manager or administrator. This repayment applies only to the contractual caps on net expenses and does not apply to any
voluntary waivers that may be in effect from time to time. The Fund may only make repayments to BlackRock of amounts waived and/or reimbursed by BlackRock if such repayments do not cause the Fund’s net expense ratio, taking into account such
repayments, to exceed either: (i) the Fund’s expense cap in place at the time such waivers and/or reimbursements were made; or (ii) the Fund’s current expense cap at the time of such repayment.
For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017, the Fund paid
BlackRock aggregate management fees, net of any applicable waivers, equal to 0.12% of the Fund’s average daily net assets.
A discussion of the basis for the Board’s approval of
the Management Agreement with respect to the Fund is included in the Fund’s semi-annual shareholder report for the fiscal period ended September 30, 2016.
From time to time, a manager, analyst, or other employee of
BlackRock or its affiliates may express views regarding a particular asset class, company, security, industry, or market sector. The views expressed by any such person are the views of only that individual as of the time expressed and do not
necessarily represent the views of BlackRock or any other person within the BlackRock organization. Any such views are subject to change at any time based upon market or other conditions and BlackRock disclaims any responsibility to update such
views. These views may not be relied on as investment advice and, because investment decisions for the Fund are based on numerous factors, may not be relied on as an indication of trading intent on behalf of the Fund.
Legal Proceedings.
On May 27, 2014, certain purported investors in the BlackRock Global Allocation Fund, Inc. (“Global Allocation”) and the BlackRock Equity Dividend Fund (“Equity Dividend”) filed a consolidated
complaint (the “Consolidated Complaint”) in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey against BlackRock Advisors, LLC, BlackRock Investment Management, LLC and BlackRock International Limited (collectively, the
“Defendants”) under the caption
In re BlackRock Mutual Funds Advisory Fee Litigation
. The Consolidated Complaint, which purports to be
brought derivatively on behalf of Global Allocation and Equity Dividend, alleges that the Defendants violated Section 36(b) of the Investment Company Act by receiving allegedly excessive investment advisory fees from Global Allocation and Equity
Dividend. The Consolidated Complaint seeks, among other things, to recover on behalf of Global Allocation and Equity Dividend all allegedly excessive advisory fees received by the Defendants in the period beginning one year prior to the filing of
the lawsuit and ending on the date of judgment, along with purported lost investment returns on those amounts, plus interest. The Defendants believe the claims in the Consolidated Complaint are without merit and intend to vigorously defend the
action.
Conflicts of Interest
The investment activities of BlackRock and its affiliates
(including BlackRock, Inc. and PNC and their affiliates, directors, partners, trustees, managing members, officers and employees (collectively, the “Affiliates”)) in the management of, or their interest in, their own accounts and other
accounts they manage, may present conflicts of interest that could disadvantage the Fund and its shareholders.
BlackRock and its Affiliates provide
investment management services to other funds and discretionary managed accounts that follow investment programs similar to those of the Fund. BlackRock and its Affiliates are involved worldwide with a broad spectrum of financial services and asset
management activities and may engage in the ordinary course of business in activities in which their interests or the interests of their clients may conflict with those of the Fund. One or more Affiliates act or may act as an investor, investment
banker, research provider, investment manager, commodity pool operator, commodity trading advisor, financier, underwriter, adviser, market maker, trader, prime broker, lender, index provider, agent and principal, and have other direct and indirect
interests in securities, currencies, commodities, derivatives and other instruments in which the Fund may directly or indirectly invest. Thus, it is likely that the Fund will have multiple business relationships with and will invest in, engage in
transactions with, make voting decisions with respect to, or obtain services from, entities for which an Affiliate performs or seeks to perform investment banking or other services. Specifically, the Fund may invest in securities of, or engage in
other transactions with, companies with which an Affiliate has developed or is trying to develop investment banking relationships or in which an Affiliate has significant debt or equity investments or other interests. The Fund also may invest in
securities of, or engage in other transactions with, companies for which an Affiliate provides or may in the future provide research coverage. An Affiliate may have business relationships with, and purchase, or distribute or sell services or
products from or to, distributors, consultants or others who recommend the Fund or who engage in transactions with or for the Fund, and may receive compensation for such services. The Fund may also make
brokerage and other payments to Affiliates in connection with the
Fund’s portfolio investment transactions. An Affiliate may engage in proprietary trading and advise accounts and funds that have investment objectives similar to those of the Fund and/or that engage in and compete for transactions in the same
types of securities, currencies and other instruments as the Fund. This may include transactions in securities issued by other open-end and closed-end investment companies (which may include investment companies that are affiliated with the Fund and
BlackRock, to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act). The trading activities of these Affiliates are carried out without reference to positions held directly or indirectly by the Fund and may result in an Affiliate having positions
in certain securities that are senior or junior to, or have interests different from or adverse to, the securities that are owned by the Fund.
No Affiliate is under any obligation to share any investment
opportunity, idea or strategy with the Fund. As a result, an Affiliate may compete with the Fund for appropriate investment opportunities. The results of the Fund’s investment activities, therefore, may differ from those of an Affiliate and of
other accounts managed by an Affiliate, and it is possible that the Fund could sustain losses during periods in which one or more Affiliates and other accounts achieve profits on their trading for proprietary or other accounts. The opposite result
is also possible.
In addition, the Fund may, from time
to time, enter into transactions in which an Affiliate or its other clients have an adverse interest. Furthermore, transactions undertaken by Affiliate-advised clients may adversely impact the Fund. Transactions by one or more Affiliate-advised
clients or BlackRock may have the effect of diluting or otherwise disadvantaging the values, prices or investment strategies of the Fund. The Fund’s activities may be limited because of regulatory restrictions applicable to one or more
Affiliates and/or their internal policies designed to comply with such restrictions.
Under a securities lending program approved by the Board, the
Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has retained BlackRock Investment Management, LLC, an Affiliate of BlackRock, to serve as the securities lending agent for the Fund to the extent that the Fund participates in the securities lending program. For these
services, the lending agent will receive a fee from the Fund, including a fee based on the returns earned on the Fund’s investment of the cash received as collateral for the loaned securities. In addition, one or more Affiliates may be among
the entities to which the Fund may lend its portfolio securities under the securities lending program.
The activities of Affiliates may give rise to other conflicts
of interest that could disadvantage the Fund and its shareholders. BlackRock has adopted policies and procedures designed to address these potential conflicts of interest. See the SAI for further information.
Valuation of Fund Investments
A mutual fund is a pool of investors’ money that is used
to purchase a portfolio of securities, which in turn is owned in common by the investors. Investors put money into a mutual fund by buying shares. If a mutual fund has a portfolio worth $5 million and has 5 million shares outstanding, the NAV per
share is $1.00. When you buy Service Shares you pay the NAV per share. Although the Fund seeks to maintain an NAV of $1.00 per share, there is no guarantee it will be able to do so.
The Fund’s investments are valued based on the amortized
cost method described in the SAI.
The Transfer Agent
will probably receive your order from your registered representative, who takes your order. However, you can also fill out a purchase application and mail it to the Transfer Agent with your check. Please call (800) 537-4942 for a purchase
application. Purchase orders received by the Transfer Agent before 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on each business day will be priced based on the next NAV calculated on that day, and if you send your payment by Federal funds or other immediately
available funds no later than the close of the federal funds wire (normally 6:00 p.m. (Eastern time)) you will receive that day’s dividends.
The NAV is calculated separately for each class of shares of
the Fund as of the close of business on the Exchange, generally 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time), each business day. Shares will not be priced on days the Exchange or the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia are closed. The Fund may elect, in its discretion
if it is determined to be in shareholders’ best interest, to be open on days when the Exchange is closed due to an emergency.
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes
Unless your investment is in a tax-deferred
account, you may want to avoid buying shares shortly before the Fund pays a dividend. The reason? If you buy shares when the Fund has declared but not yet distributed ordinary income or capital gains, you will pay the full price for the shares and
then receive a portion of the price back in the form of a taxable dividend. Before investing you may want to consult your tax adviser.
Distributions of net investment income
derived by the Fund, if any, are declared daily and paid at least monthly and net realized capital gains, if any, will be distributed at least annually. Dividends will be reinvested automatically in the form of additional shares of the same class of
the Fund at NAV unless you instruct the Transfer Agent in writing to pay them in cash. Dividends that are declared but unpaid will remain in the gross assets of the Fund and will, therefore, continue to earn income for the Fund's shareholders.
Shareholders redeeming their shares will receive all dividends declared through the date immediately preceding the date of redemption. The Fund anticipates that a significant amount of the distributions may be taxed as ordinary income, although the
Fund may distribute capital gains as well. Capital gains may be taxable to you at different rates depending on how long the Fund held the assets sold.
You will pay tax on dividends derived from taxable interest
and on capital gain distributions from the Fund whether you receive them in cash or additional shares. If you redeem Fund shares or exchange them for shares of another fund, you generally will be treated as having sold your shares and any gain on
the transaction may be subject to tax. Certain dividend income and long-term capital gains are eligible for taxation at a reduced rate that applies to non-corporate shareholders. However, to the extent that the Fund’s distributions are derived
from income on debt securities and from short-term capital gains, such distributions will not be eligible for taxation at the reduced rate.
If the Fund imposes a liquidity fee on share redemptions
because of a drop in the Fund’s weekly liquid assets below certain levels, the amount that would ordinarily be payable to a redeeming shareholder of the Fund will be reduced, consequently reducing the amount of gain, or increasing the amount
of loss, that would otherwise be reportable for income tax purposes. The liquidity fee cannot be separately claimed as a deduction.
Any such liquidity fee will constitute an asset of the Fund
and will serve to benefit non-redeeming shareholders. However, the Fund does not intend to distribute such fees to non-redeeming shareholders. If the Fund receives liquidity fees, it will consider the appropriate tax treatment of such fees to the
Fund at such time.
If the value of assets held by the
Fund declines, the Board may authorize a reduction in the number of outstanding shares in shareholders’ accounts so as to preserve a net asset value of $1.00 per share. After such a reduction, the basis of eliminated shares would be added to
the basis of shareholders’ remaining Fund shares, and you could recognize a capital loss if you disposed of your shares at that time. Dividends, including dividends reinvested in additional shares of the Fund, will nonetheless be fully
taxable, even if the number of shares in your account has been reduced as described above.
A 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on the net investment income
(which includes, but is not limited to, interest, dividends and net gain from investments) of U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000, or $250,000 if married filing jointly, and of trusts and estates.
By law, your taxable dividends and redemption proceeds will be
subject to a 28% withholding tax if you have not provided a taxpayer identification number or social security number to the Fund in which you invest or the number you have provided is incorrect.
If you are neither a tax resident nor a citizen of the United
States or if you are a foreign entity, the Fund’s ordinary income dividends (which include distributions of net short-term capital gain) will generally be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax, unless a lower treaty rate applies. However,
certain distributions reported by the Fund as either interest related dividends or short-term capital gain dividends and paid to a foreign shareholder may be eligible for an exemption from U.S. withholding tax.
A 30% withholding tax is currently imposed
on U.S.-source dividends, interest and other income items and will be imposed on proceeds from the sale, redemption or other disposition of property producing U.S.-source dividends and interest paid after December 31, 2018, to (i) foreign financial
institutions, including non-U.S. investment funds, unless they agree to collect and disclose to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) information regarding their direct and indirect U.S. account holders and (ii) certain other foreign
entities, unless they certify certain information regarding their direct and indirect U.S. owners. To avoid withholding, foreign financial institutions will need to (i) enter into agreements with the IRS that state that they will provide the IRS
information, including the names, addresses and taxpayer identification numbers of direct and indirect U.S. account holders, comply with due diligence procedures with respect to the identification of U.S. accounts, report to the IRS certain
information with respect to U.S. accounts,
agree to withhold tax on certain payments made to non-compliant foreign
financial institutions or to account holders that fail to provide the required information, and determine certain other information concerning their account holders, or (ii) in the event that an applicable intergovernmental agreement and
implementing legislation are adopted, provide local revenue authorities with similar account holder information. Other foreign entities will need to either provide the name, address, and taxpayer identification number of each substantial U.S. owner
or certifications of no substantial U.S. ownership unless certain exceptions apply.
This section summarizes some of the consequences under current
Federal tax law of an investment in the Fund. This discussion is not a substitute for individualized tax advice. You should consult your tax adviser about the potential tax consequences of an investment in the Fund under all applicable tax
laws.
The Financial Highlights table is intended to help you
understand the Fund’s financial performance for the periods shown. Certain information reflects the financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned or lost on an
investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and/or distributions). The information has been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, whose report, along with the Fund’s financial statements, is included in the Fund’s
Annual Report, which is available upon request.
Money
Market Portfolio
|
Service
|
|
Year
Ended March 31,
|
|
2017
|
2016
|
2015
|
2014
|
2013
|
Per
Share Operating Performance
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of year
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
Net
investment income
|
0.0009
|
0.0008
|
0.0000
1
|
0.0000
1
|
0.0000
1
|
Net
realized gain
|
0.0024
|
0.0001
|
0.0000
1
|
0.0000
1
|
0.0000
1
|
Net
increase from investment operations
|
0.0033
|
0.0009
|
0.0000
|
0.0000
|
0.0000
|
Distributions:
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
From
net investment income
|
(0.0009)
|
(0.0008)
|
(0.0000)
3
|
(0.0000)
3
|
(0.0000)
3
|
From
net realized gain
|
(0.0024)
|
(0.0001)
|
(0.0000)
3
|
(0.0000)
3
|
(0.0000)
3
|
Total
distributions
|
(0.0033)
|
(0.0009)
|
(0.0000)
|
(0.0000)
|
(0.0000)
|
Net
asset value, end of year
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
Total
Return
4
|
|
|
|
|
|
Based
on net asset value
|
0.33%
|
0.09%
|
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
Ratios
to Average Net Assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
expenses
|
0.89%
|
0.85%
|
0.90%
|
0.96%
|
0.94%
|
Total
expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed
|
0.50%
|
0.27%
|
0.22%
|
0.24%
|
0.30%
|
Net
investment income
|
0.09%
|
0.10%
|
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
Supplemental
Data
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of year (000)
|
$
6,191
|
$520,139
|
$428,033
|
$444,820
|
$380,303
|
1
|
Amount is less than $0.00005
per share.
|
2
|
Distributions for annual
periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations.
|
3
|
Amount is greater than
$(0.00005) per share.
|
4
|
Where
applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.
|
General Information
Shareholder Documents
Electronic Access to Annual Reports, Semi-Annual Reports and
Prospectuses
Electronic copies of most financial reports and
prospectuses are available on BlackRock’s website. Shareholders can sign up for e-mail notifications of annual and semi-annual reports and prospectuses by enrolling in the Fund’s electronic delivery program. To enroll:
Shareholders Who Hold Accounts with Investment Advisers, Banks
or Brokerages:
Please contact your Financial Intermediary. Please note that not all investment advisers, banks or brokerages may offer this service.
Shareholders Who Hold Accounts Directly With BlackRock:
■
|
Access the BlackRock website
at http://www.blackrock.com/edelivery; and
|
■
|
Log into
your account
|
Delivery of Shareholder Documents
The Fund delivers only one copy of shareholder documents, including
prospectuses, shareholder reports and proxy statements, to shareholders with multiple accounts at the same address. This practice is known as “householding” and is intended to eliminate duplicate mailings and reduce expenses. Mailings of
your shareholder documents may be householded indefinitely unless you instruct us otherwise. If you do not want the mailing of these documents to be combined with those for other members of your household, please contact the Fund at (800)
537-4942.
Certain Fund Policies
Anti-Money Laundering Requirements
The Fund is subject to the USA PATRIOT Act (the “Patriot Act”).
The Patriot Act is intended to prevent the use of the U.S. financial system in furtherance of money laundering, terrorism or other illicit activities. Pursuant to requirements under the Patriot Act, the Fund is required to obtain sufficient
information from shareholders to enable it to form a reasonable belief that it knows the true identity of its shareholders. This information will be used to verify the identity of investors or, in some cases, the status of Financial Intermediaries.
Such information may be verified using third-party sources. This information will be used only for compliance with the Patriot Act or other applicable laws, regulations and rules in connection with money laundering, terrorism or economic
sanctions.
The Fund reserves the right to reject
purchase orders from persons who have not submitted information sufficient to allow the Fund to verify their identity. The Fund also reserves the right to redeem any amounts in the Fund from persons whose identity it is unable to verify on a timely
basis. It is the Fund’s policy to cooperate fully with appropriate regulators in any investigations conducted with respect to potential money laundering, terrorism or other illicit activities.
BlackRock Privacy Principles
BlackRock is committed to maintaining the privacy of its current and former
fund investors and individual clients (collectively, “Clients”) and to safeguarding their non-public personal information. The following information is provided to help you understand what personal information BlackRock collects, how we
protect that information and why in certain cases we share such information with select parties.
If you are located in a jurisdiction where specific laws,
rules or regulations require BlackRock to provide you with additional or different privacy-related rights beyond what is set forth below, then BlackRock will comply with those specific laws, rules or regulations.
BlackRock obtains or verifies personal non-public information
from and about you from different sources, including the following: (i) information we receive from you or, if applicable, your Financial Intermediary, on applications, forms or other documents; (ii) information about your transactions with us, our
affiliates, or others; (iii) information we receive from a consumer reporting agency; and (iv) from visits to our website.
BlackRock does not sell or disclose to non-affiliated third
parties any non-public personal information about its Clients, except as permitted by law, or as is necessary to respond to regulatory requests or to service Client accounts. These non-affiliated third parties are required to protect the
confidentiality and security of this information and to use it only for its intended purpose.
We may share information with our affiliates to service your
account or to provide you with information about other BlackRock products or services that may be of interest to you. In addition, BlackRock restricts access to non-public personal information about its Clients to those BlackRock employees with a
legitimate business need for the information. BlackRock maintains physical, electronic and procedural safeguards that are designed to protect the non-public personal information of its Clients, including procedures relating to the proper storage and
disposal of such information.
Statement of Additional
Information
If you would like further information about the Fund,
including how it invests, please see the SAI.
For a
discussion of the Fund’s policies and procedures regarding the selective disclosure of its portfolio holdings, please see the SAI.
Glossary
This glossary contains an explanation of some of the common
terms used in this prospectus. For additional information about the Fund, please see the SAI.
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses
— fees and expenses charged by other investment companies in which the Fund invests a portion of its assets.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
— expenses that cover the costs of operating the Fund.
Daily Liquid Assets
— include (i) cash; (ii) direct obligations of the U.S. Government; (iii) securities that will mature, as determined without reference to the maturity shortening provisions of Rule 2a-7 regarding
interest rate readjustments, or are subject to a demand feature that is exercisable and payable within one business day; and (iv) amounts receivable and due unconditionally within one business day on pending sales of portfolio
securities.
Dollar-Weighted Average Life
— the dollar-weighted average maturity of the Fund’s portfolio calculated without reference to the exceptions used for variable or floating rate securities regarding the use of interest
rate reset dates in lieu of the security’s actual maturity date. “Dollar-weighted” means the larger the dollar value of a debt security in the Fund, the more weight it gets in calculating this average.
Dollar-Weighted Average Maturity
— the average maturity of the Fund is the average amount of time until the organizations that issued the debt securities in the Fund’s portfolio must pay off the principal amount of the
debt. “Dollar-weighted” means the larger the dollar value of a debt security in the Fund, the more weight it gets in calculating this average. To calculate the dollar-weighted average maturity, the Fund may treat a variable or floating
rate security as having a maturity equal to the time remaining to the security’s next interest rate reset date rather than the security’s actual maturity.
Distribution Fees
— fees used to support the Fund’s marketing and distribution efforts, such as compensating Financial Intermediaries, advertising and promotion.
Eligible Securities
— Applicable Eligible Securities include:
■
|
securities with a remaining
maturity of 397 calendar days or less (with certain exceptions) that BlackRock determines present minimal credit risks to the Fund after considering certain factors;
|
■
|
securities issued by other
registered investment companies that are money market funds; or
|
■
|
securities issued
or guaranteed as to principal or interest by the U.S. Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities.
|
Interest Expense
— the cost of borrowing money to buy additional securities, primarily through reverse repurchase agreements (under which the Fund sells securities and agrees to buy them back at a particular date
and price).
Management Fee
— a fee paid to BlackRock for managing the Fund.
Other Expenses
— include accounting, administration, transfer agency, custody, professional and registration fees.
Service Fees
— fees used to compensate Financial Intermediaries for certain shareholder servicing activities.
Weekly Liquid Assets
— include (i) cash; (ii) direct obligations of the U.S. Government; (iii) U.S. Government securities issued by a person controlled or supervised by and acting as an instrumentality of the U.S.
Government pursuant to authority granted by the U.S. Congress, that are issued at a discount to the principal amount to be repaid at maturity without provision for the payment of interest and have a remaining maturity of 60 days or less; (iv)
securities that will mature, as determined without reference to the maturity shortening provisions of Rule 2a-7 regarding interest rate readjustments, or are subject to a demand feature that is exercisable and payable within five business days; and
(v) amounts receivable and due unconditionally within five business days on pending sales of portfolio securities.
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For More Information
Fund and Service Providers
THE FUND
BlackRock Funds
SM
BlackRock Money Market Portfolio
100 Bellevue Parkway
Wilmington, Delaware
19809
Written Correspondence:
P.O. Box 9819
Providence, Rhode Island 02940-8019
Overnight Mail:
4400
Computer Drive
Westborough, Massachusetts 01588
(800) 537-4942
MANAGER
BlackRock Advisors, LLC
100 Bellevue Parkway
Wilmington, Delaware
19809
TRANSFER AGENT
BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc.
301 Bellevue Parkway
Wilmington, Delaware 19809
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Deloitte & Touche LLP
1700 Market Street
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania 19103
ACCOUNTING SERVICES PROVIDER
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
383
Madison Avenue, Floor 11
New York, New York 10179
DISTRIBUTOR
BlackRock Investments, LLC
40 East 52nd Street
New York, New York
10022
CUSTODIANS
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
383 Madison Avenue, Floor 11
New York, New
York 10179
The Bank of New York Mellon
One
Wall Street
New York, New York 10286
COUNSEL
Sidley Austin LLP
787 Seventh Avenue
New York, New York
10019-6018
For more information:
This
prospectus contains important information you should know before investing, including information about risks. Please read it before you invest and keep it for future reference. More information about the Fund is available at no charge upon request.
This information includes:
Annual/Semi-Annual
Reports
These reports contain additional information about the Fund’s investments. The annual report describes the Fund’s performance, lists portfolio holdings, and discusses recent market
conditions, economic trends and Fund investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance for the last fiscal year.
Statement of Additional Information
A Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”), dated July
28,
2017, has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(“SEC”). The SAI, which includes additional information about the Fund, may be obtained free of charge, along with the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports, by calling (800) 537-4942. The SAI, as supplemented from time to time, is
incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
BlackRock Investor Services
Representatives are available to discuss account balance information, mutual fund prospectuses, literature, programs and services available. Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (Eastern time), on any business day. Call:
(800) 537-4942.
Purchases and Redemptions
Call your Financial Intermediary or BlackRock Investor Services at (800) 537-4942.
World Wide Web
General Fund
information and specific Fund performance, including the SAI and annual/semi-annual reports, can be accessed free of charge at www.blackrock.com/prospectus/cash. Mutual fund prospectuses and literature can also be requested via this
website.
Written Correspondence
BlackRock Funds
SM
P.O. Box 9819
Providence, Rhode Island 02940
Overnight Mail
BlackRock
Funds
SM
4400 Computer Drive
Westborough, Massachusetts 01588
Internal Wholesalers/Broker Dealer Support
Available on any business day to support investment professionals. Call: (800) 882-0052.
Portfolio Characteristics and Holdings
A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures related to disclosure of portfolio characteristics and holdings is available in the SAI.
For information about portfolio holdings and characteristics,
BlackRock fund shareholders and prospective investors may call (800) 882-0052.
Securities and Exchange Commission
You may also view and copy public information about the Fund, including the SAI, by visiting the EDGAR database on the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov) or the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C.
Copies of this information can be obtained, for a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing to the Public Reference Room of the SEC, Washington, D.C. 20549. Information about obtaining
documents on the SEC’s website without charge may be obtained by calling (800) SEC-0330.
You should rely only on the information contained in this
prospectus. No one is authorized to provide you with information that is different from information contained in this prospectus.
The SEC has not approved or disapproved these securities or
passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
BLACKROCK FUNDS
SM
INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT FILE # 811-05742
PROSPECTUS
BLACKROCK MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIO
Ticker Symbol: PNPXX
JULY 28, 2017
BlackRock Money Market Portfolio is a portfolio of BlackRock
Funds
SM
managed by BlackRock Advisors, LLC and available to Westcore Investors for investment and exchanges.
You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the
Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity
falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal
obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.
The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or
disapproved of the Fund’s shares or determined if this prospectus is accurate or complete. It is a criminal offense to state otherwise.
SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR
WESTCORE INVESTORS
The following supplemental instructions are provided for
Westcore investors who wish to purchase or exchange shares of the Money Market Portfolio described in the attached prospectus through an account at Westcore Funds. Westcore investors owning shares in the Money Market Portfolio have full exchange
privileges with the Westcore Funds (except if a redemption gate is in place). With your money market account, you may, for example, automatically add to your balance as well as exchange all or a portion of your balance into one or more of the
Westcore Funds. Please note: purchase of the Money Market Portfolio through your Westcore account is limited to direct Westcore shareholders who are natural persons.
PURCHASES, REDEMPTIONS & EXCHANGES
Minimum Initial and Subsequent Purchases:
There is a $1,000 minimum initial investment if investors
choose an automatic monthly investment option. Otherwise, the minimum initial investment is $2,500* ($1,000 for participants in Retirement, Education Savings and UGMA/UTMA Accounts). The minimum subsequent and automatic monthly investment for all
accounts is $25.**
*
|
Existing accounts and
automatic investment plans established before October 1, 2000 are entitled to reduced investment minimums. $1,000 for existing regular accounts and $250 for existing retirement or UGMA/UTMA accounts.
|
**
|
The
Westcore Automatic Investment Plan does not assure a profit and does not protect against a loss in a declining market.
|
Regular Transactions:
Purchases and redemptions by mail should be sent to Westcore
Funds as follows:
Via
Regular Mail:
|
Via
Express/Overnight Mail:
|
Westcore
Funds
|
Westcore
Funds
|
P.O.
Box 44323
|
1290
Broadway, Suite 1100
|
Denver,
CO 80201
|
Denver,
CO 80203
|
Please make checks payable to Westcore Funds.
Purchases by check will be processed at the net asset value determination next occurring after your order is received and accepted by Westcore. Please note that cash, credit card checks, traveler’s checks, money orders, instant loan checks,
third-party checks, checks drawn on foreign banks, cashier’s checks, or checks with inconsistencies between the name on the bank account and fund account registration will not be accepted for purchases. Westcore reserves the right to reject
any purchase order or any redemption by check that appears suspicious or fraudulent or is not otherwise in good order. Signature guarantees may be required for certain transactions.
Customer Identification Program:
Federal regulations require the Fund to
obtain your name, your date of birth (for a natural person), your residential address, or principal place of business (as the case may be) and (if different) mailing address, and your Social Security number, Employer Identification Number (EIN) or
other government-issued identification when you open an account. Additional information may be required in certain circumstances. Account Applications without such information may not be accepted.
Under applicable
anti-money laundering regulations and other federal regulations, redemption requests may be suspended, restricted, canceled, or processed and the proceeds may be withheld.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, Westcore Funds reserves the
right to place limits on transactions in your account until your identity is verified.
(Continued on inside back cover)
Table of Contents
Fund Overview
|
Key facts
and details about the Fund, including investment objective, principal investment strategies, principal risk factors, fee and expense information and historical performance information
|
|
|
|
2
|
|
|
2
|
|
|
2
|
|
|
3
|
|
|
4
|
|
|
5
|
|
|
5
|
|
|
5
|
|
|
5
|
Details About the Fund
|
Information about
how the Fund invests, including investment objective, investment processes, principal strategies and risk factors
|
|
|
|
6
|
|
|
7
|
Account Information
|
Information about
account services, sales charges and waivers, shareholder transactions, and distribution and other payments
|
|
|
|
10
|
|
|
10
|
|
|
11
|
|
|
14
|
|
|
14
|
|
|
15
|
|
|
15
|
Glossary
|
Glossary of Investment
Terms
|
25
|
|
|
Fund Overview
Investment Objective
The investment objective of BlackRock Money Market Portfolio
(“Money Market Portfolio” or the “Fund”), a series of BlackRock Funds
SM
(the “Trust”), is to seek as high a level of
current income as is consistent with maintaining liquidity and stability of principal.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if
you buy and hold Service Shares of the Fund.
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
Service
Shares
|
Management
Fee
|
0.45%
|
Service
Fees
|
0.25%
|
Other
Expenses
|
0.19%
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
|
0.89%
|
Fee
Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements
1
|
(0.39)%
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements
1
|
0.50%
|
1
|
As described in the
“Management of the Fund” section of the Fund’s prospectus beginning on page 17, BlackRock Advisors, LLC (“BlackRock”) has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse fees or expenses in order to limit Service Shares
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements (excluding Dividend Expense, Interest Expense, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and certain other Fund expenses) to 0.50% of average daily net assets through July
31, 2018. The Fund may have to repay some of these waivers and/or reimbursements to BlackRock in the following two years. The agreement may be terminated upon 90 days’ notice by a majority of the non-interested trustees of the Trust or by a
vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.
|
Example:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the
Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your
investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
|
1
Year
|
3
Years
|
5
Years
|
10
Years
|
Service
Shares
|
$51
|
$245
|
$455
|
$1,060
|
Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by
investing in a broad range of short-term, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments, including government, U.S. and foreign bank, commercial and other obligations. The Fund invests in securities maturing in 397 days or less (with
certain exceptions), and the portfolio will have a dollar-weighted average maturity of 60 days or less and a dollar-weighted average life of 120 days or less. Under normal market conditions, at least 25% of the Fund’s total assets will be
invested in obligations of issuers in the financial services industry or in obligations, such as repurchase agreements, secured by such obligations.
The Fund may purchase variable and floating rate notes, which
are instruments that provide for adjustments in the interest rate on certain reset dates or whenever a specified interest rate index changes, respectively. The Fund may transact in securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment
basis.
The Fund seeks to maintain a net asset value
(“NAV”) of $1.00 per share.
The securities
purchased by the Fund are subject to the quality, diversification and other requirements of Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), and other rules of the Securities and Exchange
Commission. The Fund will only purchase securities that present minimal credit risk as
determined by BlackRock, the Fund’s investment manager, pursuant to
guidelines approved by the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”).
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
Risk is inherent in all investing. You could lose money by
investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell
shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The
Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.
The following is a summary description of principal risks of
investing in the Fund.
■
|
Asset-Backed Securities Risk
— Asset-backed securities represent interests in “pools” of assets, including consumer loans or receivables held in trust. Asset-backed securities are subject to credit, interest rate,
prepayment and extension risks. These securities also are subject to risk of default on the underlying asset, particularly during periods of economic downturn.
|
■
|
Credit Risk
— Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of a security will not be able to make payments of interest and principal when due. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the
market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in that issuer.
|
■
|
Extension Risk
— When interest rates rise, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more slowly than anticipated, causing the value of these securities to fall.
|
■
|
Financial Services Industry
Risk
—
Because of its concentration in the financial services industry, the Fund will be more susceptible to any economic, business, political or
other developments which generally affect this industry sector. As a result, the Fund will be exposed to a large extent to the risks associated with that industry, such as government regulation, the availability and cost of capital funds,
consolidation and general economic conditions. Financial services companies are also exposed to losses if borrowers and other counterparties experience financial problems and/or cannot repay their obligations.
|
|
When interest rates go up,
the value of securities issued by many types of financial services companies generally goes down. In many countries, financial services and the companies that provide them are regulated by governmental entities, which can increase costs for new
services or products and make it difficult to pass increased costs on to consumers. In certain areas, deregulation of financial services companies has resulted in increased competition and reduced profitability for certain companies.
|
|
The profitability of many
types of financial services companies may be adversely affected in certain market cycles, including periods of rising interest rates, which may restrict the availability and increase the cost of capital, and declining economic conditions, which may
cause credit losses due to financial difficulties of borrowers. Because many types of financial services companies are vulnerable to these economic cycles, a large portion of the Fund’s investments may lose value during such periods.
|
■
|
Foreign Exposure Risk
—
Securities issued or supported by foreign entities, including foreign banks and corporations, may involve additional risks and considerations. Extensive
public information about the foreign issuer may not be available, and unfavorable political, economic or governmental developments in the foreign country involved could affect the payment of principal and interest.
|
■
|
Income Risk
— Income risk is the risk that the Fund’s yield will vary as short-term securities in its portfolio mature and the proceeds are reinvested in
securities with different interest rates.
|
■
|
Interest Rate Risk
—
Interest rate risk is the risk that the value of a debt security may fall when interest rates rise. In general, the market price of debt securities with
longer maturities will go up or down more in response to changes in interest rates than the market price of shorter-term securities. Due to fluctuations in interest rates, the market value of such securities may vary during the period shareholders
own shares of the Fund.
|
■
|
Liquidity Fee and Redemption
Gate Risk
— The Board has discretion to impose a liquidity fee of up to 2% upon sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls
below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. Accordingly, you may not be able to sell your shares or your redemptions may be subject to a liquidity fee when you sell your shares at certain times.
|
■
|
Market Risk
and Selection Risk
— Market risk is the risk that one or more markets in which the Fund invests will go down in value, including the possibility that the markets will go down sharply and
unpredictably. Selection risk is
|
|
the risk that the securities
selected by Fund management will underperform the markets, the relevant indices or the securities selected by other funds with similar investment objectives and investment strategies. This means you may lose money.
|
■
|
Prepayment Risk
— When interest rates fall, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more quickly than originally anticipated, and the Fund may have to invest the proceeds in securities with lower
yields.
|
■
|
Repurchase Agreements and
Purchase and Sale Contracts Risk
— If the other party to a repurchase agreement or purchase and sale contract defaults on its obligation under the agreement, the Fund may suffer delays and
incur costs or lose money in exercising its rights under the agreement. If the seller fails to repurchase the security in either situation and the market value of the security declines, the Fund may lose money.
|
■
|
Stable Net Asset Value Risk
— The Fund may not be able to maintain a stable NAV of $1.00 per share at all times. If the Fund fails to maintain a stable NAV (or if there is a perceived threat of such a failure), the Fund,
along with other money market funds, could be subject to increased redemption activity.
|
■
|
U.S. Government Obligations
Risk
— Certain securities in which the Fund may invest, including securities issued by certain U.S. Government agencies and U.S. Government sponsored enterprises, are not guaranteed by the
U.S. Government or supported by the full faith and credit of the United States.
|
■
|
Variable and Floating Rate
Instrument Risk
—
The absence of an active market for these securities could make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of them if the issuer
defaults.
|
■
|
When-Issued
and Delayed Delivery Securities and Forward Commitments Risk
— When-issued and delayed delivery securities and forward commitments involve the risk that the security the Fund buys will lose
value prior to its delivery. There also is the risk that the security will not be issued or that the other party to the transaction will not meet its obligation. If this occurs, the Fund may lose both the investment opportunity for the assets it set
aside to pay for the security and any gain in the security’s price.
|
Performance Information
The information shows you how the
Fund’s performance has varied year by year and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. To the extent that dividends and distributions have been paid by the Fund, the performance information for the Fund in the chart and
table assumes reinvestment of the dividends and distributions. As with all such investments, past performance is not an indication of future results. The table includes all applicable fees. If BlackRock and its affiliates had not waived or
reimbursed certain Fund expenses during these periods, the Fund’s returns would have been lower. The Fund is a money market fund managed pursuant to the requirements of Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act. Effective May 28, 2010, Rule
2a-7 was amended to impose new liquidity, credit quality and maturity requirements on all money market funds. Fund performance shown prior to May 28, 2010 is based on Investment Company Act rules then in effect and is not an indication of future
returns. Updated information on the Fund’s performance can be obtained by phone at (800) 392-CORE (2673).
Service Shares
ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS
Money Market Portfolio
As of 12/31
During the ten-year period shown in the bar
chart, the highest return for a quarter was 1.20% (quarter ended September 30, 2007) and the lowest return for a quarter was 0.00% (quarter ended September 30, 2015). The year-to-date return as of June 30, 2017 was 0.33%.
As
of 12/31/16
Average Annual Total Returns
|
1
Year
|
5
Years
|
10
Years
|
Money
Market Portfolio — Service Shares
|
|
|
|
Return
Before Taxes
|
0.25%
|
0.05%
|
0.78%
|
To obtain the Fund’s current 7-day yield, call (800)
392-CORE (2673).
Investment Manager
The Fund’s investment manager is BlackRock Advisors, LLC
(previously defined as “BlackRock”).
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund is a retail money market fund and is intended only
for sale to beneficial owners who are natural persons.
You may generally purchase or redeem shares of the Fund each
day on which both the New York Stock Exchange and the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia are open.
To purchase or sell shares of the Fund you
should contact your financial professional or your selected securities dealer, broker, investment adviser, service provider or industry professional (including BlackRock, The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. and their respective affiliates) (each
a “Financial Intermediary”), or, if you hold your shares through the Fund, you should contact the Fund by phone at (800) 392-CORE (2673), by mail (c/o BlackRock Funds, P.O. Box 9819, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-8019), or by the
Internet at www.blackrock.com.
The
Fund’s initial and subsequent investment minimums generally are as follows, although the Fund may reduce or waive the minimums in some cases.
|
Service
Shares
|
Minimum
Initial Investment
|
$5,000
|
Minimum
Additional Investment
|
No
subsequent minimum.
|
Tax Information
The Fund’s dividends and distributions may be subject to
federal income taxes and may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are a tax-exempt investor or are investing through a retirement plan, in which case you may be subject to federal income tax upon withdrawal from such tax-deferred
arrangements.
Payments to Broker/Dealers and Other
Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial
Intermediary, the Fund and BlackRock Investments, LLC, the Fund’s distributor, or its affiliates may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by
influencing the Financial Intermediary and your individual financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your individual financial professional or visit your Financial Intermediary’s website for more
information.
Details About the Fund
Included in this prospectus are sections that tell you about
buying and selling shares, management information, shareholder features of BlackRock Money Market Portfolio (“Money Market Portfolio” or the “Fund”), a series of BlackRock Funds
SM
(the “Trust”), and your rights as a shareholder.
How the Fund Invests
The Fund is a retail money market fund managed pursuant to
Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).
■
|
The Fund seeks to maintain a
net asset value (“NAV”) of $1.00 per share.
|
■
|
The Fund will maintain a
dollar-weighted average maturity of 60 days or less and a dollar-weighted average life of 120 days or less. For a discussion of dollar-weighted average maturity and dollar-weighted average life, please see the Glossary on page 25.
|
■
|
Pursuant to Rule 2a-7, the
Fund is subject to a “general liquidity requirement” that requires that the Fund hold securities that are sufficiently liquid to meet reasonably foreseeable shareholder redemptions in light of its obligations under Section 22(e) of the
Investment Company Act regarding share redemptions and any commitments the Fund has made to shareholders. To comply with this general liquidity requirement, BlackRock Advisors, LLC (“BlackRock”) must consider factors that could affect
the Fund’s liquidity needs, including characteristics of the Fund’s investors and their likely redemptions. Depending upon the volatility of its cash flows (particularly shareholder redemptions), this may require the Fund to maintain
greater liquidity than would be required by the weekly minimum liquidity requirement discussed below.
|
■
|
The Fund will not acquire
any illiquid security (
i.e.
, securities that cannot be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the value ascribed to them by the Fund) if, immediately
following such purchase, more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets are invested in illiquid securities. The Fund will not acquire any security other than a daily liquid asset unless, immediately following such purchase, at least 10% of its total
assets would be invested in daily liquid assets, and the Fund will not acquire any security other than a weekly liquid asset unless, immediately following such purchase, at least 30% of its total assets would be invested in weekly liquid assets. For
a discussion of daily liquid assets and weekly liquid assets, please see the Glossary on page 25.
|
■
|
The Fund invests in
securities maturing within 13 months or less from the date of purchase, with certain exceptions. For example, certain government securities held by the Fund may have remaining maturities exceeding 13 months if such securities provide for adjustments
in their interest rates not less frequently than every 13 months.
|
■
|
The
securities purchased by the Fund are subject to the quality, diversification, and other requirements of Rule 2a-7, and other rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The Fund will purchase securities (or issuers of
such securities) that are Eligible Securities that present minimal credit risk as determined by BlackRock pursuant to guidelines approved by the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”). For a discussion of Eligible Securities,
please see the Glossary on page 25.
|
The Board will be permitted to impose a liquidity fee on
redemptions from the Fund (up to 2%) or temporarily restrict redemptions from the Fund for up to 10 business days during a 90 day period under certain circumstances. Please see the section below titled “Account Information — Liquidity
Fees and Redemption Gates” for additional information about liquidity fees and redemption gates.
Investment Objective
The investment objective of the Fund is to seek as high a level of current
income as is consistent with maintaining liquidity and stability of principal.
Should the Board determine that the investment objective of
the Fund should be changed, shareholders will be given at least 30 days’ notice before any such change is made. However, such change can be effected without shareholder approval.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund invests in a broad range of short-term, high quality U.S.
dollar-denominated money market instruments, including government, U.S. and foreign bank, commercial and other obligations. The Fund invests in securities maturing in 397 days or less (with certain exceptions), and the portfolio will have a
dollar-weighted average maturity of 60 days or less and a dollar-weighted average life of 120 days or less. Under normal market conditions, at least 25% of the Fund’s total assets will be invested in obligations of issuers in the financial
services industry or in obligations, such as repurchase agreements, secured by such obligations. Specifically, the Fund may invest in:
■
|
U.S. dollar-denominated
obligations issued or supported by the credit of U.S. or foreign banks or savings institutions with total assets of more than $1 billion (including obligations of foreign branches of such banks)
|
■
|
High quality commercial
paper and other obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. and foreign corporations and other issuers rated (at the time of purchase) A-2 or higher by S&P Global Ratings, P-2 (Prime-2) or higher by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or F2 or
higher by Fitch Ratings, Inc., as well as high quality corporate bonds rated A or higher at the time of purchase by those rating agencies
|
■
|
Unrated notes, paper and
other instruments that are determined by Fund management to be of comparable quality to the instruments described above
|
■
|
Asset-backed securities
(including interests in “pools” of assets such as mortgages, installment purchase obligations and credit card receivables)
|
■
|
Securities issued or
guaranteed by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or authorities
|
■
|
Dollar-denominated
securities issued or guaranteed by foreign governments or their political subdivisions, agencies or authorities
|
■
|
Repurchase agreements
relating to the above instruments
|
The Fund may purchase variable and floating rate notes, which
are instruments that provide for adjustments in the interest rate on certain reset dates or whenever a specified interest rate index changes, respectively. The Fund may transact in securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment
basis.
Pursuant to Rule 2a-7 under the Investment
Company Act, the Fund will generally limit its purchases of any one issuer’s securities (other than U.S. Government obligations and repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities) to 5% of the Fund’s total assets, except that up
to 25% of its total assets may be invested in securities of one issuer for a period of up to three business days; provided that the Fund may not invest in the securities of more than one issuer in accordance with the foregoing exception at any one
time.
Other Strategies
In addition to the principal strategies discussed above, the Fund may also
invest or engage in the following investments/strategies:
■
|
Investment Company Securities
— The Fund may invest in securities issued by other open-end or closed-end investment companies as permitted by the Investment Company Act. A
pro
rata
portion of the other investment companies’ expenses may be borne by the Fund’s shareholders. These investments may include, as consistent with the Fund’s investment
objective and policies, certain variable rate demand securities issued by closed-end funds, which invest primarily in portfolios of taxable or tax-exempt securities. It is anticipated that the payments made on the variable rate demand securities
issued by closed-end municipal bond funds will be exempt from federal income tax.
|
■
|
Uninvested Cash Reserves
— The Fund may hold up to 20% of its assets in uninvested cash reserves. Uninvested cash reserves will not earn income.
|
■
|
U.S.
Treasury Floating Rate Notes
— The Fund may invest in U.S. Treasury Floating Rate Notes (FRNs). These are two-year notes issued by the U.S. Treasury that reset their interest rates on a
weekly basis. At maturity, the face value of an FRN is paid to the note holder.
|
Investment Risks
Risk is inherent in all investing. You could lose money by
investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell
shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The
Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to
the Fund at any time.
The following is a description of certain risks of investing
in the Fund.
Principal Risks of Investing in the
Fund
■
|
Asset-Backed Securities Risk
—
Asset-backed securities represent interests in “pools” of assets, including consumer loans or receivables held in trust. Asset-backed
securities, like traditional fixed-income securities, are subject to credit, interest rate, prepayment and extension risks.
|
|
The Fund’s investments
in asset-backed securities are subject to additional risks associated with the nature of the assets and the servicing of those assets. These securities also are subject to the risk of default on the underlying assets, particularly during periods of
economic downturn.
|
|
Asset-backed securities
entail further risks, including the risk that, in certain states, it may be difficult to perfect the liens securing the collateral backing certain asset-backed securities. In addition, certain asset-backed securities are based on loans that are
unsecured, which means that there is no collateral to seize if the underlying borrower defaults.
|
■
|
Credit Risk
— Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of a security will not be able to make principal and interest payments when due. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the
market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in that issuer. The degree of credit risk depends on both the financial condition of the issuer and the terms of the
obligation.
|
■
|
Extension Risk
— When interest rates rise, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more slowly than anticipated, causing the value of these securities to fall. Rising interest rates tend to extend
the duration of securities, making them more sensitive to changes in interest rates. The value of longer-term securities generally changes more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. As a result, in a period of rising
interest rates, securities may exhibit additional volatility and may lose value.
|
■
|
Financial
Services Industry Risk
— Because of its concentration in the financial services industry, the Fund will be more susceptible to any economic, business, political or other developments which
generally affect this industry sector. As a result, the Fund will be exposed to a large extent to the risks associated with that industry, such as government regulation, the availability and cost of capital funds, consolidation and general economic
conditions. Financial services companies are also exposed to losses if borrowers and other counterparties experience financial problems and/or cannot repay their obligations.
|
When interest rates go up, the value of
securities issued by many types of financial services companies generally goes down. In many countries, financial services and the companies that provide them are regulated by governmental entities, which can increase costs for new services or
products and make it difficult to pass increased costs on to consumers. In certain areas, deregulation of financial services companies has resulted in increased competition and reduced profitability for certain companies.
The profitability of many types of
financial services companies may be adversely affected in certain market cycles, including periods of rising interest rates, which may restrict the availability and increase the cost of capital, and declining economic conditions, which may cause
credit losses due to financial difficulties of borrowers. Because many types of financial services companies are vulnerable to these economic cycles, a large portion of the Fund’s investments may lose value during such periods.
■
|
Foreign Exposure Risk
—
Securities issued or supported by foreign entities, including foreign banks and corporations, may involve additional risks and considerations. Extensive
public information about the foreign issuer may not be available, and unfavorable political, economic or governmental developments in the foreign country involved could affect the payment of principal and interest.
|
■
|
Income Risk
— The Fund’s yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature and the proceeds are reinvested in securities with different interest rates.
|
■
|
Interest Rate Risk
—
Interest rate risk is the risk that the value of a debt security may fall when interest rates rise. In general, the market price of debt securities with
longer maturities will go up or down more in response to changes in interest rates than the market price of shorter-term securities. Due to fluctuations in interest rates, the market value of such securities may vary during the period shareholders
own shares of the Fund.
|
■
|
Liquidity Fee and Redemption
Gate Risk
— The Board has discretion to impose a liquidity fee of up to 2% upon sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls
below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. Accordingly, you may not be able to sell your shares or your redemptions may be subject to a liquidity fee when you sell your shares at certain times.
|
■
|
Market Risk
and Selection Risk
— Market risk is the risk that one or more markets in which the Fund invests will go down in value, including the possibility that the markets will go down sharply and
unpredictably. Selection risk is
|
|
the risk that the securities
selected by Fund management will underperform the markets, the relevant indices or the securities selected by other funds with similar investment objectives and investment strategies. This means you may lose money.
|
■
|
Prepayment Risk
— When interest rates fall, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more quickly than originally anticipated, and the Fund may have to invest the proceeds in securities with lower
yields. In periods of falling interest rates, the rate of prepayments tends to increase (as does price fluctuation) as borrowers are motivated to pay off debt and refinance at new lower rates. During such periods, reinvestment of the prepayment
proceeds by the management team will generally be at lower rates of return than the return on the assets that were prepaid. Prepayment reduces the yield to maturity and the average life of the security.
|
■
|
Repurchase Agreements and
Purchase and Sale Contracts Risk
— If the other party to a repurchase agreement or purchase and sale contract defaults on its obligation under the agreement, the Fund may suffer delays and
incur costs or lose money in exercising its rights under the agreement. If the seller fails to repurchase the security in either situation and the market value of the security declines, the Fund may lose money.
|
■
|
Stable Net Asset Value Risk
— The Fund may not be able to maintain a stable NAV of $1.00 per share at all times. If the Fund fails to maintain a stable NAV (or if there is a perceived threat of such a failure), the Fund,
along with other money market funds, could be subject to increased redemption activity.
|
■
|
U.S. Government Obligations
Risk
— Not all U.S. Government securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Obligations of certain agencies, authorities, instrumentalities and sponsored
enterprises of the U.S. Government are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States (
e.g
., the Government National Mortgage Association);
other obligations are backed by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury (
e.g
., the Federal Home Loan Banks) and others are supported
by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase an agency’s obligations. Still others are backed only by the credit of the agency, authority, instrumentality or sponsored enterprise issuing the obligation. No assurance can be
given that the U.S. Government would provide financial support to any of these entities if it is not obligated to do so by law.
|
■
|
Variable and Floating Rate
Instrument Risk
— The absence of an active market for these securities could make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of them if the issuer defaults.
|
■
|
When-Issued
and Delayed Delivery Securities and Forward Commitments Risk
— When-issued and delayed delivery securities and forward commitments involve the risk that the security the Fund buys will lose
value prior to its delivery. There also is the risk that the security will not be issued or that the other party to the transaction will not meet its obligation. If this occurs, the Fund may lose both the investment opportunity for the assets it set
aside to pay for the security and any gain in the security’s price.
|
Other Risks of Investing in the Fund
The Fund may also be subject to certain other risks associated with its
investments and investment strategies, including:
■
|
Expense Risk
— Fund expenses are subject to a variety of factors, including fluctuations in the Fund’s net assets. Accordingly, actual expenses may be greater or less than those indicated. For example,
to the extent that the Fund’s net assets decrease due to market declines or redemptions, the Fund’s expenses will increase as a percentage of Fund net assets. During periods of high market volatility, these increases in the Fund’s
expense ratio could be significant.
|
■
|
Investment in Other Investment
Companies Risk
— As with other investments, investments in other investment companies,
including ETFs, are subject to market and
selection risk. In addition, if the Fund acquires shares of investment companies, including ones affiliated with the Fund, shareholders bear both their proportionate share of expenses in the Fund (including management and advisory fees) and,
indirectly, the expenses of the investment companies (to the extent not offset by BlackRock through waivers to the Fund’s management fees). To the extent the Fund is held by an affiliated fund, the ability of the Fund itself to hold other
investment companies may be limited.
|
■
|
Liquidity Risk
— Liquidity risk refers to the possibility that it may be difficult or impossible to sell certain positions at an acceptable price.
|
Account Information
How to Choose the Share Class that Best Suits Your Needs
The Fund currently offers multiple share classes (Service
Shares offered through Westcore in this prospectus), allowing you to invest in the way that best suits your needs. Each share class represents the same ownership interest in the portfolio investments of the Fund. When you choose your class of
shares, you should consider the size of your investment and how long you plan to hold your shares. Your Westcore representative can help you determine which share class is best suited to your personal financial goals.
The Fund’s shares are distributed by BlackRock
Investments, LLC (the “Distributor”), an affiliate of BlackRock.
The table below summarizes key features of the Service Share
class of the Fund.
Service Shares at a Glance
|
|
Availability
|
Limited
to certain investors whose beneficial owner is a natural person, including: financial intermediaries (such as banks and brokerage firms) acting on behalf of their customers, certain persons who were shareholders of the Compass Capital Group of
Funds at the time of its combination with The PNC
®
Fund in 1996 and investors that participate in the Capital Directions
SM
asset allocation program. Service Shares will normally be held by financial intermediaries or in the name of nominees of financial intermediaries on
behalf of their customers. Service Shares are normally purchased through a customer’s account at a financial intermediary through procedures established by such financial intermediary. In these cases, confirmation of share purchases and
redemptions will be sent to the financial intermediaries. A customer’s ownership of shares will be recorded by the financial intermediary and reflected in the account statements provided by such financial intermediaries to their customers.
Investors wishing to purchase Service Shares should contact their financial intermediaries.
|
Minimum
Investment
|
$5,000.
However, financial intermediaries may set a higher minimum for their customers.
|
Initial
Sales Charge?
|
No.
Entire purchase price is invested in shares of the Fund.
|
Deferred
Sales Charge?
|
No.
|
Service
and Distribution Fees?
|
No
Distribution Fee. 0.25% Annual Service Fee.
|
Redemption
Fees?
|
The
Fund may impose a liquidity fee under certain limited circumstances. See “Liquidity Fees and Redemption Gates” below.
|
Advantage
|
No
up-front sales charge so you start off owning more shares.
|
Disadvantage
|
Limited
availability.
|
Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Payments
Plan Payments
The Fund has adopted a plan (the “Plan”) with respect to Service
Shares that allows the Fund to pay distribution and service fees for the sale of its shares and shareholder servicing fees for certain services provided to its shareholders. The Fund does not make distribution payments under the Plan with respect to
Service Shares.
The shareholder servicing fees payable
pursuant to the Plan are paid to compensate brokers, dealers, financial institutions and industry professionals (including BlackRock and The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (“PNC”) and their respective affiliates) (each, a
“Financial Intermediary”) for providing support services to their customers who own Service Shares, including responding to customer questions on the services performed by the Financial Intermediary and investments in Service Shares,
assisting customers in choosing and changing dividend options, account designations and addresses and providing other similar shareholder liaison services. Because the fees paid by the
Fund under the Plan are paid out of the Fund’s assets on an ongoing
basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment in the Service Shares of the Fund and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
Other Payments by the Fund
In addition to fees that the Fund may pay to a Financial Intermediary
pursuant to the Plan and fees the Fund pays to its transfer agent, BlackRock, on behalf of the Fund, may enter into non-Plan agreements with affiliated and unaffiliated Financial Intermediaries pursuant to which the Fund will pay a Financial
Intermediary for administrative, networking, recordkeeping, sub-transfer agency, sub-accounting and/or shareholder services. These non-Plan payments are generally based on either (1) a percentage of the average daily net assets of Fund shareholders
serviced by a Financial Intermediary or (2) a fixed dollar amount for each account serviced by a Financial Intermediary. The aggregate amount of these payments may be substantial.
Other Payments by BlackRock
From time to time, BlackRock, the Fund’s distributor or their
affiliates also may pay a portion of the fees for administrative, networking, recordkeeping, sub-transfer agency, sub-accounting and shareholder services described above at its or their own expense and out of its or their profits. BlackRock, the
Fund’s distributor and their affiliates may also compensate affiliated and unaffiliated Financial Intermediaries for the sale and distribution of shares of the Fund. These payments would be in addition to the Fund payments described in this
prospectus and may be a fixed dollar amount, may be based on the number of customer accounts maintained by the Financial Intermediary, may be based on a percentage of the value of shares sold to, or held by, customers of the Financial Intermediary
or may be calculated on another basis. The aggregate amount of these payments by BlackRock, the Fund’s distributor and their affiliates may be substantial and, in some circumstances, may create an incentive for a Financial Intermediary, its
employees or associated persons to recommend or sell shares of the Fund to you.
Please contact your Financial Intermediary for details about
payments it may receive from the Fund or from BlackRock, the Fund’s distributor or their affiliates. For more information, see the SAI.
How to Buy and Sell Shares
The chart on the following pages summarizes how to buy and
sell shares through Westcore. Because the selection of a mutual fund involves many considerations, Westcore may help you with this decision.
With certain limited exceptions, the Fund is
generally available only to investors residing in the United States and may not be distributed by a foreign Financial Intermediary. Under this policy, in order to accept new accounts or additional investments into existing accounts, the Fund
generally requires that (i) a shareholder that is a natural person be a U.S. citizen or resident alien, in each case residing within the United States or a U.S. territory (including APO/FPO/DPO addresses), and have a valid U.S. taxpayer
identification number, and (ii) a Financial Intermediary or a shareholder that is an entity be domiciled in the United States and have a valid U.S. taxpayer identification number or be domiciled in a U.S. territory and have a valid U.S. taxpayer
identification number or IRS Form W-8. Any existing account that is updated to reflect a non-U.S. address will also be restricted from making additional investments.
The Fund may reject any purchase order, modify or waive the
minimum initial or subsequent investment requirements for any shareholders and suspend and resume the sale of any share class of the Fund at any time for any reason. In addition, the Fund may waive certain requirements regarding the purchase or sale
of shares described below.
The Fund is a retail money
market fund and is intended only for sale to beneficial owners who are natural persons. Natural persons may invest in the Fund through certain tax-advantaged savings accounts, trusts and other retirement and investment accounts, which may include,
among others: participant-directed defined contribution plans; individual retirement accounts; simplified employee pension arrangements; simple retirement accounts; custodial accounts; deferred compensation plans for government or tax-exempt
organization employees; Archer medical savings accounts; college savings plans; health savings account plans; ordinary trusts and estates of natural persons; or certain other retirement and investment accounts with ultimate investment authority held
by the natural person beneficial owner, notwithstanding having an institutional decision maker making day to day decisions (e.g., a plan sponsor in certain retirement arrangements or an investment adviser managing discretionary investment accounts).
Financial Intermediaries are required to adopt and implement policies, procedures and internal controls reasonably designed to limit all beneficial owners of the Fund to natural persons. Financial Intermediaries are expected to promptly report to
the Fund the existence of any shareholder of the Fund that does not qualify as a natural person of whom they are aware, promptly notify such shareholder, and take steps to redeem any such shareholder’s Fund shares.
The Fund reserves the right to redeem shares in any account
that it cannot confirm to its satisfaction is beneficially owned by a natural person, after providing at least 60 days’ advance notice.
Under certain circumstances, if no activity occurs in an
account within a time period specified by state law, a shareholder’s shares in the Fund may be transferred to that state.
Persons who were shareholders of an investment portfolio of
the Compass Capital Group of Funds in 1996 at the time the portfolio combined with The PNC
®
Fund may purchase and redeem Service Shares of the same
fund and for the same account in which they held shares on that date through the procedures described in this section.
How to Buy Shares
|
Your
Choices
|
Important
Information for You to Know
|
Initial
Purchase
|
Determine
the amount of your investment
|
Refer
to the minimum initial investment in the “Service Shares at a Glance” table of this prospectus.
|
|
Have
your Financial Intermediary submit your purchase order
|
A
mutual fund is a pool of investors’ money that is used to purchase a portfolio of securities, which in turn is owned in common by the investors. Investors put money into a mutual fund by buying shares. If a mutual fund has a portfolio worth
$5 million and has 5 million shares outstanding, the NAV per share is $1.00. Although the Fund seeks to maintain an NAV of $1.00 per share, there is no guarantee it will be able to do so. The price of your shares is based on the next calculation of
the Fund’s NAV after your order is placed. Any purchase orders placed prior to the close of business on the New York Stock Exchange (the “Exchange”) (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) will be priced at the NAV determined that day.
Certain Financial Intermediaries, however, may require submission of orders prior to that time.
The Fund’s investments are valued based on the amortized cost method described in the SAI.
Service Shares are sold at the NAV per share determined after an order is received by the Fund’s transfer agent, BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (the “Transfer Agent”). You may place a
purchase order for the Fund by telephoning the Fund at (800) 392- CORE (2673) before 12:30 p.m. (Eastern time) on a day both the Exchange and the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia are open (each, a “business day”). If your order is
received before 12:30 p.m. (Eastern time) on a day both the Exchange and the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia are open, it will be executed at 12:30 p.m. (Eastern time). If payment for an order is not received by 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time), the
order will be cancelled. You will be informed if this should happen. No orders will be accepted after 12:30 p.m. (Eastern time).
NAV is calculated separately for each class of shares of the Fund as of the close
of business on the Exchange, generally 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time), each day both the Exchange and the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia are open. Shares will not be priced on days the Exchange or the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia are closed.
The Fund may elect, in its discretion if it is determined to be in shareholders’ best interest, to be open on days when the Exchange is closed due to an emergency.
The Fund may reject any order to buy
shares and may suspend the sale of shares at any time, including when a redemption gate is in place (see “Account Information — Liquidity Fees and Redemption Gates” below).
|
Add
to Your Investment
|
Purchase
additional shares
|
There
is no minimum amount for additional investments.
|
|
Have
your Financial Intermediary submit your purchase order for additional shares
|
To
purchase additional shares you may contact Westcore Investor Service at (800) 392-CORE (2673).
|
|
Acquire
additional shares by reinvesting dividends and capital gains
|
All
dividends and capital gains distributions are automatically reinvested without a sales charge. To make any changes to your dividend and/or capital gains distributions options, please call Westcore Investor Service at (800) 392-CORE (2673).
|
|
Your
Choices
|
Important
Information for You to Know
|
How
to Pay for Shares
|
Making
payment for purchases
|
Payment
for Service Shares must normally be made in Federal funds or other immediately available funds by your Financial Intermediary but in no event later than 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on the day your order is accepted. Payment may also, at the discretion
of the Trust, be made in the form of securities that are permissible investments for the Fund. If payment is not received by this time, the order will be canceled and you and your Financial Intermediary will be responsible for any loss to the Fund.
|
How to Sell Shares
|
Your
Choices
|
Important
Information for You to Know
|
Full
or Partial
Redemption of
Shares
|
Have
your Financial Intermediary submit your sales order
|
Customers
of institutions may redeem Service Shares in accordance with the procedures applicable to their accounts with the institutions. These procedures will vary according to the type of account and the institution involved and customers should consult
their account managers in this regard. Institutions are responsible for transmitting redemption orders and crediting their customers’ accounts with redemption proceeds on a timely basis.
Institutions may
place redemption orders by telephoning Westcore Investor Service at (800) 392-CORE (2673). Shares are redeemed at NAV per share next determined after receipt of the redemption order. Westcore Investor Service and/or the Distributor will employ
reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by telephone are genuine. The Fund and its service providers will not be liable for any loss, liability, cost or expense for acting upon telephone instructions that are reasonably
believed to be genuine in accordance with such procedures.
Proceeds for redeemed shares for which a redemption order is received before 12:30 p.m. (Eastern time) on a business day are normally paid in Federal
funds wired to the redeeming institution on the same business day, provided that the Fund’s custodian is also open for business. Proceeds for redemption orders received between 12:30 p.m. (Eastern time) and 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) or on a day
when the Fund’s custodian is closed are normally wired in Federal funds on the next business day following redemption on which the Fund’s custodian is open for business.
The Fund reserves the right
to reinvest any dividend or distribution amounts (e.g., income dividends or capital gains) which you have elected to receive by check should your check be returned as undeliverable or remain uncashed for more than 6 months. No interest will accrue
on amounts represented by uncashed checks. Your check will be reinvested in your account at the NAV next calculated, on the day of the investment. When reinvested, those amounts are subject to the risk of loss like any fund investment. If you elect
to receive distributions in cash and a check remains undeliverable or uncashed for more than 6 months, your cash election may also be changed automatically to reinvest and your future dividend and capital gains distributions will be reinvested in
the Fund at the NAV as of the date of payment of the distribution.
The Fund reserves the right to wire redemption proceeds within seven days after receiving a redemption order if, in the judgment of the Fund,
an earlier payment could adversely affect the Fund. No charge for wiring redemption payments is imposed by the Fund, although institutions may charge their customer accounts for redemption services. Information relating to such redemption services
and charges, if any, should be obtained by customers from their institutions.
During periods of substantial economic or market change, telephone redemptions may be difficult to complete. Redemption requests may
also be mailed to Westcore Funds, P.O. Box 44323 Denver, CO 80201. The Fund is not responsible for the efficiency of the Federal wire system or the shareholder’s firm or bank. The Fund does not currently
|
|
Your
Choices
|
Important
Information for You to Know
|
Full
or Partial
Redemption of
Shares (continued)
|
Have
your Financial Intermediary submit your sales order (continued)
|
charge
for wire transfers. The shareholder is responsible for any charges imposed by the shareholder’s bank. To change the name of the single, designated bank account to receive wire redemption proceeds, it is necessary to send a written request to
Westcore Funds, P.O. Box 44323, Denver, CO 80201.
The Fund or Westcore may refuse a telephone redemption request if it believes it is advisable to do so.
Under normal and
stressed market conditions, the Fund typically expects to meet redemption requests by using cash or cash equivalents in its portfolio or by selling portfolio assets to generate additional cash.
Please see
“Account Information — Liquidity Fees and Redemption Gates” for more information.
|
Fund’s Rights
The Fund may:
■
|
Suspend the right of
redemption if trading is halted or restricted on the Exchange or under other emergency conditions described in the Investment Company Act;
|
■
|
Postpone the date of payment
upon redemption if trading is halted or restricted on the Exchange or under other emergency conditions described in the Investment Company Act or if a redemption request is made before the Fund has collected payment for the purchase of shares;
|
■
|
Redeem shares for property
other than cash as may be permitted under the Investment Company Act; and
|
■
|
Redeem
shares involuntarily in certain cases, such as when the value of a shareholder account falls below a specified level or if the Fund does not believe the account is for a natural person.
|
Suspension of Redemptions Upon Liquidation.
If the Board, including a majority of the trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust as defined in the Investment Company Act, determines either that (1) the Fund has invested, at the end of a
business day, less than 10% of its total assets in weekly liquid assets, or (2) the Fund’s calculated NAV per share has deviated from $1.00 or such deviation is likely to occur; then the Board, subject to certain conditions, may, where the
Board has determined to liquidate the Fund irrevocably, suspend redemptions and payment of redemption proceeds in order to facilitate the permanent liquidation of the Fund in an orderly manner. If this were to occur, it would likely result in a
delay in your receipt of your redemption proceeds.
Note on Low Balance Accounts.
Because of the high cost of maintaining smaller shareholder accounts, BlackRock has set a minimum balance of $500 in each Fund position you hold within your account (the “Fund Minimum”), and may redeem the shares in your account if the
NAV of those shares in your account falls below $500 for any reason, including market fluctuation.
You will be notified that the value of your account is less
than the Fund Minimum before the Fund makes any involuntary redemption. This notification will provide you with a 90 calendar day period to make an additional investment in order to bring the value of your account to at least $500 before the Fund
makes an involuntary redemption. This involuntary redemption will not charge any deferred sales charge, and may not apply to accounts of certain employer-sponsored retirement plans (not including IRAs), qualified state tuition plan (529 Plan)
accounts, and select fee-based programs at your Financial Intermediary.
Liquidity Fees and Redemption Gates
Under Rule 2a-7, the Board is permitted to
impose a liquidity fee up to 2% on the value of shares redeemed or temporarily restrict redemptions from the Fund for up to 10 business days during a 90 day period, in the event that the Fund’s weekly liquid assets fall below the following
thresholds:
■
|
30% weekly liquid assets
— If the weekly liquid assets of the Fund fall below 30% of the Fund’s total assets, and the Board determines it is in the best interests of the Fund, the Board may impose at any time, and as early as the same day, a liquidity fee of up
to 2% of the amount redeemed, or a redemption gate that temporarily suspends the right of redemption.
|
■
|
10%
weekly liquid assets — If the weekly liquid assets of the Fund fall below 10% of the Fund’s total assets as of the end of a business day, the Board will impose, at the beginning of the next business day, a liquidity fee of 1% of
|
|
the amount redeemed, unless
the Board determines that imposing such a fee would not be in the best interests of the Fund or determines that a lower or higher fee (not to exceed 2%) would be in the best interests of the Fund.
|
Liquidity fees and redemption gates, if imposed, may be
terminated at any time in the discretion of the Board. Liquidity fees and redemption gates will also automatically terminate at the beginning of the next business day once the Fund has invested 30% or more of its total assets in weekly liquid assets
as of the end of a business day.
If the Board imposes a
liquidity fee, the fee will be used to help boost the weekly liquid assets of the Fund. The Fund may not accept purchases during the period that a liquidity fee has been imposed.
If the Board imposes a redemption gate, the Fund will not
accept purchase or redemption orders until the Fund has notified shareholders that the redemption gate has been lifted. Any purchase or redemption orders submitted while a redemption gate is in effect will be cancelled without further notice. If you
still wish to purchase or redeem shares once the redemption gate has been lifted, you will need to submit a new purchase or redemption request to the Fund or your Financial Intermediary. If a purchase or redemption order is received after the
applicable deadline of the Fund, but prior to the imposition of a liquidity fee or a redemption gate, such order will be cancelled without further notice.
Under certain circumstances, the Fund may honor redemption
orders (or pay redemptions without adding a liquidity fee to the redemption amount) if the Fund can verify that the redemption order was submitted to the Fund’s authorized agent before the Board imposed a liquidity fee or suspended
redemptions.
The Board generally expects that a
liquidity fee or redemption gate would be imposed, if at all, during periods of extraordinary market stress. The Board expects that a liquidity fee or redemption gate would typically be imposed only after the Fund has notified Financial
Intermediaries and shareholders that a liquidity fee or redemption gate will be imposed (which may not be until the beginning of the next business day following the announcement that the Board has imposed the liquidity fee or redemption gate).
However, the Board may, in its discretion, impose a liquidity fee or redemption gate at any time after the weekly liquid assets of the Fund fall below 30% of the Fund’s total assets.
Announcements regarding the imposition of a liquidity fee or
redemption gate, or the termination of a liquidity fee or redemption gate, will be filed with the SEC on Form N-CR and will be available on the website of the Fund (www.blackrock.com/cash). In addition, the Fund will make such announcements through
a supplement to their registration statements and may further communicate such actions through other means.
Financial Intermediaries will be required promptly to take
such actions reasonably requested by the Fund or its agent to implement, modify or remove, or to assist the Fund in implementing, modifying or removing, a liquidity fee or redemption gate established by the Board.
Short-Term Trading Policy
Market timing is an investment technique involving frequent
short-term trading of mutual fund shares designed to exploit market movements or inefficiencies in the way a mutual fund prices its shares. The Board has evaluated the risks of market timing activities by the Fund’s shareholders and has
determined that due to (i) the Fund’s policy of seeking to maintain the Fund’s NAV per share at $1.00 each day, (ii) the nature of the Fund’s portfolio holdings, and (iii) the nature of the Fund’s shareholders, it is unlikely
that (a) market timing would be attempted by the Fund’s shareholders or (b) any attempts to market time the Fund by shareholders would result in a negative impact to the Fund or its shareholders. As a result, the Board has not adopted policies
and procedures to deter short-term trading in the Fund. There can be no assurances, however, that the Fund may not, on occasion, serve as a temporary or short-term investment vehicle for those who seek to market time funds offered by other
investment companies.
Master/Feeder Structure
The Fund may in the future determine to become a
“feeder” fund that invests all of its assets in another open-end investment company (a “master fund”) that has the same investment objective and strategies as the Fund. This structure is sometimes called a
“master/feeder” structure. Investors in a feeder fund will acquire an indirect interest in the corresponding master fund. In a master/feeder structure, all investments will be made at the master level and the Fund’s investment
results will correspond directly to the investment results of the underlying master in which it invests. A feeder fund may withdraw from its master fund at any time and may invest all of its assets in another pooled investment vehicle or retain an
investment adviser to manage its assets directly.
A
master fund may accept investments from other feeder funds, and all the feeder funds of a given master fund bear the master fund’s expenses in proportion to their assets. This structure may enable the feeder funds to reduce costs through
economies of scale. A larger investment portfolio may also reduce certain transaction costs to the extent that
contributions to and redemptions from a master fund from different feeder
funds may offset each other and produce a lower net cash flow.
However, each feeder fund can set its own transaction
minimums, fund specific expenses, and other conditions. This means that one feeder fund could offer access to the same master fund on more attractive terms, or could experience better performance, than another feeder fund. In addition, large
purchases or redemptions by one feeder fund could negatively affect the performance of other feeder funds that invest in the same master fund.
Whenever a master fund holds a vote of its feeder funds, a
fund that is a feeder fund investing in that master fund will pass the vote through to its own shareholders. Smaller feeder funds may be harmed by the actions of larger feeder funds. For example, a larger feeder fund could have more voting power
than a fund that is a feeder fund over the operations of its master fund.
Management of the Fund
BlackRock
BlackRock, the Fund’s investment adviser, manages the
Fund’s investments and its business operations subject to the oversight of the Board. While BlackRock is ultimately responsible for the management of the Fund, it is able to draw upon the research and expertise of its asset management
affiliates for portfolio decisions and management with respect to certain portfolio securities. BlackRock is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc.
BlackRock, a registered investment adviser,
was organized in 1994 to perform advisory services for investment companies. BlackRock and its affiliates had approximately $5.689 trillion in investment company and other portfolio assets under management as of June 30, 2017.
BlackRock serves as manager to the Fund pursuant to a
management agreement (the “Management Agreement”), which provides that BlackRock is entitled to fees computed daily and payable monthly. The maximum annual management fee rate that the Fund can pay to BlackRock (as a percentage of
average daily net assets) is calculated as follows:
Average
Daily Net Assets
|
Rate
of
Management Fee
|
First
$1 billion
|
0.450%
|
$1
billion – $2 billion
|
0.400%
|
$2
billion – $3 billion
|
0.375%
|
Greater
than $3 billion
|
0.350%
|
BlackRock has contractually agreed to cap net expenses
(excluding: (i) interest, taxes, dividends tied to short sales, brokerage commissions, and other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; (ii) expenses incurred directly or indirectly by the
Fund as a result of investments in other investment companies and pooled investment vehicles; (iii) other expenses attributable to, and incurred as a result of, the Fund’s investments; and (iv) other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the
ordinary course of the Fund’s business, if any) of Service Shares of the Fund at the levels shown below and in the Fund’s fees and expenses table in the “Fund Overview” section. Items (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) in the
preceding sentence are referred to in this prospectus as “Dividend Expense, Interest Expense, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and certain other Fund expenses.” To achieve this expense cap, BlackRock has agreed to waive and/or reimburse
fees or expenses if these operating expenses exceed a certain limit.
With respect to the Fund, BlackRock has
contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse fees or expenses in order to limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses to the amount noted in the table below.
|
Contractual
Cap
1
on Total
Annual Operating Expenses
2
(excluding Dividend Expense,
Interest Expense,
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses
and certain other Fund expenses)
|
Service
Shares
|
0.50%
|
1
|
The contractual cap is in
effect through July 31, 2018. The contractual agreement may be terminated upon 90 days’ notice by a majority of the non-interested trustees of the Trust or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.
|
2
|
As a
percentage of average daily net assets.
|
BlackRock and the Distributor have voluntarily agreed to
waive a portion of their respective fees and/or reimburse operating expenses to enable the Fund to maintain minimum levels of daily net investment income. BlackRock and the Distributor may discontinue this voluntary waiver and/or reimbursement at
any time without notice.
With respect to the contractual agreement to
cap net expenses, if during the Fund’s fiscal year the operating expenses of a share class, that at any time during the prior two fiscal years received a waiver or reimbursement from BlackRock, are less than the expense limit for that share
class, the share class is required to repay BlackRock up to the lesser of
(a) the amount of fees waived or expenses
reimbursed during those prior two fiscal years under the agreement and (b) the amount by which the expense limit for that share class exceeds the operating expenses of the share class for the current fiscal year, provided that (i) the Fund of which
the share class is a part has more than $50 million in assets and (ii) BlackRock or an affiliate serves as the Fund’s manager or administrator. This repayment applies only to the contractual caps on net expenses and does not apply to any
voluntary waivers that may be in effect from time to time. The Fund may only make repayments to BlackRock of amounts waived and/or reimbursed by BlackRock if such repayments do not cause the Fund’s net expense ratio, taking into account such
repayments, to exceed either: (i) the Fund’s expense cap in place at the time such waivers and/or reimbursements were made; or (ii) the Fund’s current expense cap at the time of such repayment.
For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017, the Fund paid
BlackRock aggregate management fees, net of any applicable waivers, equal to 0.12% of the Fund’s average daily net assets.
A discussion of the basis for the Board’s approval of
the Management Agreement with respect to the Fund is included in the Fund’s semi-annual shareholder report for the fiscal period ended September 30, 2016.
From time to time, a manager, analyst, or other employee of
BlackRock or its affiliates may express views regarding a particular asset class, company, security, industry, or market sector. The views expressed by any such person are the views of only that individual as of the time expressed and do not
necessarily represent the views of BlackRock or any other person within the BlackRock organization. Any such views are subject to change at any time based upon market or other conditions and BlackRock disclaims any responsibility to update such
views. These views may not be relied on as investment advice and, because investment decisions for the Fund are based on numerous factors, may not be relied on as an indication of trading intent on behalf of the Fund.
Legal Proceedings.
On May 27, 2014, certain purported investors in the BlackRock Global Allocation Fund, Inc. (“Global Allocation”) and the BlackRock Equity Dividend Fund (“Equity Dividend”) filed a consolidated
complaint (the “Consolidated Complaint”) in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey against BlackRock Advisors, LLC, BlackRock Investment Management, LLC and BlackRock International Limited (collectively, the
“Defendants”) under the caption
In re BlackRock Mutual Funds Advisory Fee Litigation
. The Consolidated Complaint, which purports to be
brought derivatively on behalf of Global Allocation and Equity Dividend, alleges that the Defendants violated Section 36(b) of the Investment Company Act by receiving allegedly excessive investment advisory fees from Global Allocation and Equity
Dividend. The Consolidated Complaint seeks, among other things, to recover on behalf of Global Allocation and Equity Dividend all allegedly excessive advisory fees received by the Defendants in the period beginning one year prior to the filing of
the lawsuit and ending on the date of judgment, along with purported lost investment returns on those amounts, plus interest. The Defendants believe the claims in the Consolidated Complaint are without merit and intend to vigorously defend the
action.
Conflicts of Interest
The investment activities of BlackRock and its affiliates
(including BlackRock, Inc. and PNC and their affiliates, directors, partners, trustees, managing members, officers and employees (collectively, the “Affiliates”)) in the management of, or their interest in, their own accounts and other
accounts they manage, may present conflicts of interest that could disadvantage the Fund and its shareholders.
BlackRock and its Affiliates provide
investment management services to other funds and discretionary managed accounts that follow investment programs similar to those of the Fund. BlackRock and its Affiliates are involved worldwide with a broad spectrum of financial services and asset
management activities and may engage in the ordinary course of business in activities in which their interests or the interests of their clients may conflict with those of the Fund. One or more Affiliates act or may act as an investor, investment
banker, research provider, investment manager, commodity pool operator, commodity trading advisor, financier, underwriter, adviser, market maker, trader, prime broker, lender, index provider, agent and principal, and have other direct and indirect
interests in securities, currencies, commodities, derivatives and other instruments in which the Fund may directly or indirectly invest. Thus, it is likely that the Fund will have multiple business relationships with and will invest in, engage in
transactions with, make voting decisions with respect to, or obtain services from, entities for which an Affiliate performs or seeks to perform investment banking or other services. Specifically, the Fund may invest in securities of, or engage in
other transactions with, companies with which an Affiliate has developed or is trying to develop investment banking relationships or in which an Affiliate has significant debt or equity investments or other interests. The Fund also may invest in
securities of, or engage in other transactions with, companies for which an Affiliate provides or may in the future provide research coverage. An Affiliate may have business relationships with, and purchase, or distribute or sell services or
products from or to, distributors, consultants or others who recommend the Fund or who engage in transactions with or for the Fund, and may receive compensation for such services. The Fund may also make
brokerage and other payments to Affiliates in connection with the
Fund’s portfolio investment transactions. An Affiliate may engage in proprietary trading and advise accounts and funds that have investment objectives similar to those of the Fund and/or that engage in and compete for transactions in the same
types of securities, currencies and other instruments as the Fund. This may include transactions in securities issued by other open-end and closed-end investment companies (which may include investment companies that are affiliated with the Fund and
BlackRock, to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act). The trading activities of these Affiliates are carried out without reference to positions held directly or indirectly by the Fund and may result in an Affiliate having positions
in certain securities that are senior or junior to, or have interests different from or adverse to, the securities that are owned by the Fund.
No Affiliate is under any obligation to share any investment
opportunity, idea or strategy with the Fund. As a result, an Affiliate may compete with the Fund for appropriate investment opportunities. The results of the Fund’s investment activities, therefore, may differ from those of an Affiliate and of
other accounts managed by an Affiliate, and it is possible that the Fund could sustain losses during periods in which one or more Affiliates and other accounts achieve profits on their trading for proprietary or other accounts. The opposite result
is also possible.
In addition, the Fund may, from time
to time, enter into transactions in which an Affiliate or its other clients have an adverse interest. Furthermore, transactions undertaken by Affiliate-advised clients may adversely impact the Fund. Transactions by one or more Affiliate-advised
clients or BlackRock may have the effect of diluting or otherwise disadvantaging the values, prices or investment strategies of the Fund. The Fund’s activities may be limited because of regulatory restrictions applicable to one or more
Affiliates and/or their internal policies designed to comply with such restrictions.
Under a securities lending program approved by the Board, the
Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has retained BlackRock Investment Management, LLC, an Affiliate of BlackRock, to serve as the securities lending agent for the Fund to the extent that the Fund participates in the securities lending program. For these
services, the lending agent will receive a fee from the Fund, including a fee based on the returns earned on the Fund’s investment of the cash received as collateral for the loaned securities. In addition, one or more Affiliates may be among
the entities to which the Fund may lend its portfolio securities under the securities lending program.
The activities of Affiliates may give rise to other conflicts
of interest that could disadvantage the Fund and its shareholders. BlackRock has adopted policies and procedures designed to address these potential conflicts of interest. See the SAI for further information.
Valuation of Fund Investments
A mutual fund is a pool of investors’ money that is used
to purchase a portfolio of securities, which in turn is owned in common by the investors. Investors put money into a mutual fund by buying shares. If a mutual fund has a portfolio worth $5 million and has 5 million shares outstanding, the NAV per
share is $1.00. When you buy Service Shares you pay the NAV per share. Although the Fund seeks to maintain an NAV of $1.00 per share, there is no guarantee it will be able to do so.
The Fund’s investments are valued based on the amortized
cost method described in the SAI.
The Transfer Agent
will probably receive your order from your registered representative, who takes your order. However, you can also fill out a purchase application and mail it to the Transfer Agent with your check. Please call (800) 392-CORE (2673) for a purchase
application. Purchase orders received by the Transfer Agent before 12:30 p.m. (Eastern time) on each business day will be priced based on the next NAV calculated on that day, and shareholders will receive dividends for that day.
The NAV is calculated separately for each class of shares of
the Fund as of the close of business on the Exchange, generally 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time), each business day. Shares will not be priced on days the Exchange or the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia are closed. The Fund may elect, in its discretion
if it is determined to be in shareholders’ best interest, to be open on days when the Exchange is closed due to an emergency.
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes
Unless your investment is in a tax-deferred
account, you may want to avoid buying shares shortly before the Fund pays a dividend. The reason? If you buy shares when the Fund has declared but not yet distributed ordinary income or capital gains, you will pay the full price for the shares and
then receive a portion of the price back in the form of a taxable dividend. Before investing you may want to consult your tax adviser.
Distributions of net investment income
derived by the Fund, if any, are declared daily and paid at least monthly and net realized capital gains, if any, will be distributed at least annually. Dividends will be reinvested automatically in the form of additional shares of the same class of
the Fund at NAV unless you instruct the Transfer Agent in writing to pay them in cash. Dividends that are declared but unpaid will remain in the gross assets of the Fund and will, therefore, continue to earn income for the Fund’s shareholders.
Shareholders redeeming their shares will receive all dividends declared through the date immediately preceding the date of redemption. The Fund anticipates that a significant amount of the distributions may be taxed as ordinary income, although the
Fund may distribute capital gains as well. Capital gains may be taxable to you at different rates depending on how long the Fund held the assets sold.
You will pay tax on dividends derived from taxable interest
and on capital gain distributions from the Fund whether you receive them in cash or additional shares. If you redeem Fund shares or exchange them for shares of another fund, you generally will be treated as having sold your shares and any gain on
the transaction may be subject to tax. Certain dividend income and long-term capital gains are eligible for taxation at a reduced rate that applies to non-corporate shareholders. However, to the extent that the Fund’s distributions are derived
from income on debt securities and from short-term capital gains, such distributions will not be eligible for taxation at the reduced rate.
If the Fund imposes a liquidity fee on share redemptions
because of a drop in the Fund’s weekly liquid assets below certain levels, the amount that would ordinarily be payable to a redeeming shareholder of the Fund will be reduced, consequently reducing the amount of gain, or increasing the amount
of loss, that would otherwise be reportable for income tax purposes. The liquidity fee cannot be separately claimed as a deduction.
Any such liquidity fee will constitute an asset of the Fund
and will serve to benefit non-redeeming shareholders. However, the Fund does not intend to distribute such fees to non-redeeming shareholders. If the Fund receives liquidity fees, it will consider the appropriate tax treatment of such fees to the
Fund at such time.
If the value of assets held by the
Fund declines, the Board may authorize a reduction in the number of outstanding shares in shareholders’ accounts so as to preserve a net asset value of $1.00 per share. After such a reduction, the basis of eliminated shares would be added to
the basis of shareholders’ remaining Fund shares, and you could recognize a capital loss if you disposed of your shares at that time. Dividends, including dividends reinvested in additional shares of the Fund, will nonetheless be fully
taxable, even if the number of shares in your account has been reduced as described above.
A 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on the net investment income
(which includes, but is not limited to, interest, dividends and net gain from investments) of U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000, or $250,000 if married filing jointly, and of trusts and estates.
By law, your taxable dividends and redemption proceeds will be
subject to a 28% withholding tax if you have not provided a taxpayer identification number or social security number to the Fund in which you invest or the number you have provided is incorrect.
If you are neither a tax resident nor a citizen of the United
States or if you are a foreign entity, the Fund’s ordinary income dividends (which include distributions of net short-term capital gain) will generally be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax, unless a lower treaty rate applies. However,
certain distributions reported by the Fund as either interest related dividends or short-term capital gain dividends and paid to a foreign shareholder may be eligible for an exemption from U.S. withholding tax.
A 30% withholding tax is currently imposed
on U.S.-source dividends, interest and other income items and will be imposed on proceeds from the sale, redemption or other disposition of property producing U.S.-source dividends and interest paid after December 31, 2018, to (i) foreign financial
institutions, including non-U.S. investment funds, unless they agree to collect and disclose to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) information regarding their direct and indirect U.S. account holders and (ii) certain other foreign
entities, unless they certify certain information regarding their direct and indirect U.S. owners. To avoid withholding, foreign financial institutions will need to (i) enter into agreements with the IRS that state that they will provide the IRS
information, including the names, addresses and taxpayer identification numbers of direct and indirect U.S. account holders, comply with due diligence procedures with respect to the identification of U.S. accounts, report to the IRS certain
information with respect to U.S. accounts,
agree to withhold tax on certain payments made to non-compliant foreign
financial institutions or to account holders that fail to provide the required information, and determine certain other information concerning their account holders, or (ii) in the event that an applicable intergovernmental agreement and
implementing legislation are adopted, provide local revenue authorities with similar account holder information. Other foreign entities will need to either provide the name, address, and taxpayer identification number of each substantial U.S. owner
or certifications of no substantial U.S. ownership unless certain exceptions apply.
This section summarizes some of the consequences under current
Federal tax law of an investment in the Fund. This discussion is not a substitute for individualized tax advice. You should consult your tax adviser about the potential tax consequences of an investment in the Fund under all applicable tax
laws.
The Financial Highlights table is intended to help you
understand the Fund’s financial performance for the periods shown. Certain information reflects the financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned or lost on an
investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and/or distributions). The information has been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, whose report, along with the Fund’s financial statements, is included in the Fund’s
Annual Report, which is available upon request.
Money
Market Portfolio
|
Service
|
|
Year
Ended March 31,
|
|
2017
|
2016
|
2015
|
2014
|
2013
|
Per
Share Operating Performance
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of year
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
Net
investment income
|
0.0009
|
0.0008
|
0.0000
1
|
0.0000
1
|
0.0000
1
|
Net
realized gain
|
0.0024
|
0.0001
|
0.0000
1
|
0.0000
1
|
0.0000
1
|
Net
increase from investment operations
|
0.0033
|
0.0009
|
0.0000
|
0.0000
|
0.0000
|
Distributions:
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
From
net investment income
|
(0.0009)
|
(0.0008)
|
(0.0000)
3
|
(0.0000)
3
|
(0.0000)
3
|
From
net realized gain
|
(0.0024)
|
(0.0001)
|
(0.0000)
3
|
(0.0000)
3
|
(0.0000)
3
|
Total
distributions
|
(0.0033)
|
(0.0009)
|
(0.0000)
|
(0.0000)
|
(0.0000)
|
Net
asset value, end of year
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
$
1.00
|
Total
Return
4
|
|
|
|
|
|
Based
on net asset value
|
0.33%
|
0.09%
|
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
Ratios
to Average Net Assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
expenses
|
0.89%
|
0.85%
|
0.90%
|
0.96%
|
0.94%
|
Total
expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed
|
0.50%
|
0.27%
|
0.22%
|
0.24%
|
0.30%
|
Net
investment income
|
0.09%
|
0.10%
|
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
0.00%
|
Supplemental
Data
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of year (000)
|
$
6,191
|
$520,139
|
$428,033
|
$444,820
|
$380,303
|
1
|
Amount is less than $0.00005
per share.
|
2
|
Distributions for annual
periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations.
|
3
|
Amount is greater than
$(0.00005) per share.
|
4
|
Where
applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.
|
General Information
Shareholder Documents
Electronic Access to Annual Reports, Semi-Annual Reports and
Prospectuses
Electronic copies of most financial reports and
prospectuses are available on BlackRock’s website. Shareholders can sign up for e-mail notifications of annual and semi-annual reports and prospectuses by enrolling in the Fund’s electronic delivery program. To enroll:
Shareholders Who Hold Accounts with Investment Advisers, Banks
or Brokerages:
Please contact your Financial Intermediary. Please note that not all investment advisers, banks or brokerages may offer this service.
Shareholders Who Hold Accounts Directly With BlackRock:
■
|
Access the BlackRock website
at http://www.blackrock.com/edelivery; and
|
■
|
Log into
your account.
|
Delivery of Shareholder
Documents
The Fund delivers only one copy of shareholder
documents, including prospectuses, shareholder reports and proxy statements, to shareholders with multiple accounts at the same address. This practice is known as “householding” and is intended to eliminate duplicate mailings and reduce
expenses. Mailings of your shareholder documents may be householded indefinitely unless you instruct us otherwise. If you do not want the mailing of these documents to be combined with those for other members of your household, please contact
Westcore Investor Services at (800) 392-CORE (2673).
Certain Fund Policies
Anti-Money Laundering Requirements
The Fund is subject to the USA PATRIOT Act (the “Patriot Act”).
The Patriot Act is intended to prevent the use of the U.S. financial system in furtherance of money laundering, terrorism or other illicit activities. Pursuant to requirements under the Patriot Act, the Fund is required to obtain sufficient
information from shareholders to enable it to form a reasonable belief that it knows the true identity of its shareholders. This information will be used to verify the identity of investors or, in some cases, the status of Financial Intermediaries.
Such information may be verified using third-party sources. This information will be used only for compliance with the Patriot Act or other applicable laws, regulations and rules in connection with money laundering, terrorism or economic
sanctions.
The Fund reserves the right to reject
purchase orders from persons who have not submitted information sufficient to allow the Fund to verify their identity. The Fund also reserves the right to redeem any amounts in the Fund from persons whose identity it is unable to verify on a timely
basis. It is the Fund’s policy to cooperate fully with appropriate regulators in any investigations conducted with respect to potential money laundering, terrorism or other illicit activities.
BlackRock Privacy Principles
BlackRock is committed to maintaining the privacy of its current and former
fund investors and individual clients (collectively, “Clients”) and to safeguarding their non-public personal information. The following information is provided to help you understand what personal information BlackRock collects, how we
protect that information and why in certain cases we share such information with select parties.
If you are located in a jurisdiction where specific laws,
rules or regulations require BlackRock to provide you with additional or different privacy-related rights beyond what is set forth below, then BlackRock will comply with those specific laws, rules or regulations.
BlackRock obtains or verifies personal non-public information
from and about you from different sources, including the following: (i) information we receive from you or, if applicable, your Financial Intermediary, on applications, forms or
other documents; (ii) information about your transactions with us, our
affiliates, or others; (iii) information we receive from a consumer reporting agency; and (iv) from visits to our website.
BlackRock does not sell or disclose to non-affiliated third
parties any non-public personal information about its Clients, except as permitted by law, or as is necessary to respond to regulatory requests or to service Client accounts. These non-affiliated third parties are required to protect the
confidentiality and security of this information and to use it only for its intended purpose.
We may share information with our affiliates to service your
account or to provide you with information about other BlackRock products or services that may be of interest to you. In addition, BlackRock restricts access to non-public personal information about its Clients to those BlackRock employees with a
legitimate business need for the information. BlackRock maintains physical, electronic and procedural safeguards that are designed to protect the non-public personal information of its Clients, including procedures relating to the proper storage and
disposal of such information.
Statement of Additional
Information
If you would like further information about the Fund,
including how it invests, please see the SAI.
For a
discussion of the Fund’s policies and procedures regarding the selective disclosure of its portfolio holdings, please see the SAI.
Glossary
This glossary contains an explanation of some of the common
terms used in this prospectus. For additional information about the Fund, please see the SAI.
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses
— fees and expenses charged by other investment companies in which the Fund invests a portion of its assets.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
— expenses that cover the costs of operating the Fund.
Daily Liquid Assets
— include (i) cash; (ii) direct obligations of the U.S. Government; (iii) securities that will mature, as determined without reference to the maturity shortening provisions of Rule 2a-7 regarding
interest rate readjustments, or are subject to a demand feature that is exercisable and payable within one business day; and (iv) amounts receivable and due unconditionally within one business day on pending sales of portfolio
securities.
Dollar-Weighted Average Life
— the dollar-weighted average maturity of the Fund’s portfolio calculated without reference to the exceptions used for variable or floating rate securities regarding the use of interest
rate reset dates in lieu of the security’s actual maturity date. “Dollar-weighted” means the larger the dollar value of a debt security in the Fund, the more weight it gets in calculating this average.
Dollar-Weighted Average Maturity
— the average maturity of the Fund is the average amount of time until the organizations that issued the debt securities in the Fund’s portfolio must pay off the principal amount of the
debt. “Dollar-weighted” means the larger the dollar value of a debt security in the Fund, the more weight it gets in calculating this average. To calculate the dollar-weighted average maturity, the Fund may treat a variable or floating
rate security as having a maturity equal to the time remaining to the security’s next interest rate reset date rather than the security’s actual maturity.
Distribution Fees
— fees used to support the Fund’s marketing and distribution efforts, such as compensating Financial Intermediaries, advertising and promotion.
Eligible Securities
— Applicable Eligible Securities include:
■
|
securities with a remaining
maturity of 397 calendar days or less (with certain exceptions) that BlackRock determines present minimal credit risks to the Fund after considering certain factors;
|
■
|
securities issued by other
registered investment companies that are money market funds; or
|
■
|
securities issued
or guaranteed as to principal or interest by the U.S. Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities.
|
Interest Expense
— the cost of borrowing money to buy additional securities, primarily through reverse repurchase agreements (under which the Fund sells securities and agrees to buy them back at a particular date
and price).
Management Fee
— a fee paid to BlackRock for managing the Fund.
Other Expenses
— include accounting, administration, transfer agency, custody, professional and registration fees.
Service Fees
— fees used to compensate Financial Intermediaries for certain shareholder servicing activities.
Weekly Liquid Assets
— include (i) cash; (ii) direct obligations of the U.S. Government; (iii) U.S. Government securities issued by a person controlled or supervised by and acting as an instrumentality of the U.S.
Government pursuant to authority granted by the U.S. Congress, that are issued at a discount to the principal amount to be repaid at maturity without provision for the payment of interest and have a remaining maturity of 60 days or less; (iv)
securities that will mature, as determined without reference to the maturity shortening provisions of Rule 2a-7 regarding interest rate readjustments, or are subject to a demand feature that is exercisable and payable within five business days; and
(v) amounts receivable and due unconditionally within five business days on pending sales of portfolio securities.
For More Information
Fund and Service Providers
THE FUND
BlackRock Funds
SM
BlackRock Money Market Portfolio
100 Bellevue Parkway
Wilmington, Delaware
19809
Written Correspondence:
P.O. Box 9819
Providence, Rhode Island 02940-8019
Overnight Mail:
4400
Computer Drive
Westborough, Massachusetts 01588
(800) 392-CORE (2673)
MANAGER
BlackRock Advisors, LLC
100 Bellevue Parkway
Wilmington, Delaware
19809
TRANSFER AGENT
BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc.
301 Bellevue Parkway
Wilmington, Delaware 19809
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Deloitte & Touche LLP
1700 Market Street
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania 19103
ACCOUNTING SERVICES PROVIDER
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
383
Madison Avenue, Floor 11
New York, New York 10179
DISTRIBUTOR
BlackRock Investments, LLC
40 East 52nd Street
New York, New York
10022
CUSTODIANS
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
383 Madison Avenue, Floor 11
New York, New
York 10179
The Bank of New York Mellon
One
Wall Street
New York, New York 10286
COUNSEL
Sidley Austin LLP
787 Seventh Avenue
New York, New York
10019-6018
For more information:
This
prospectus contains important information you should know before investing, including information about risks. Please read it before you invest and keep it for future reference. More information about the Fund is available at no charge upon request.
This information includes:
Annual/Semi-Annual
Reports
These reports contain additional information about the Fund’s investments. The annual report describes the Fund’s performance, lists portfolio holdings, and discusses recent market
conditions, economic trends and Fund investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance for the last fiscal year.
Statement of Additional Information
A Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”), dated July
28,
2017, has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(“SEC”). The SAI, which includes additional information about the Fund, may be obtained free of charge, along with the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports, by calling (800) 392-CORE (2673). The SAI, as supplemented from time to
time, is incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
BlackRock Investor Services
Representatives are available to discuss account balance information, mutual fund prospectuses, literature, programs and services available. Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (Eastern time), on any business day. Call:
(800) 392-CORE (2673).
Purchases and Redemptions
Call your Financial Intermediary or BlackRock Investor Services at (800) 392-CORE (2673).
World Wide Web
General Fund
information and specific Fund performance, including the SAI and annual/semi-annual reports, can be accessed free of charge at www.blackrock.com/prospectus/cash. Mutual fund prospectuses and literature can also be requested via this
website.
Written Correspondence
BlackRock Funds
SM
P.O. Box 9819
Providence, Rhode Island 02940-8019
Overnight Mail
BlackRock
Funds
SM
4400 Computer Drive
Westborough, Massachusetts 01588
Internal Wholesalers/Broker Dealer Support
Available on any business day to support investment professionals. Call: (800) 392-CORE (2673).
Portfolio Characteristics and Holdings
A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures related to disclosure of portfolio characteristics and holdings is available in the SAI.
For information about portfolio holdings and characteristics,
BlackRock fund shareholders and prospective investors may call (800) 392-CORE (2673).
Securities and Exchange Commission
You may also view and copy public information about the Fund, including the SAI, by visiting the EDGAR database on the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov) or the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C.
Copies of this information can be obtained, for a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing to the Public Reference Room of the SEC, Washington, D.C. 20549. Information about obtaining
documents on the SEC’s website without charge may be obtained by calling (800) SEC-0330.
You should rely only on the information contained in this
prospectus. No one is authorized to provide you with information that is different from information contained in this prospectus.
The SEC has not approved or disapproved these securities or
passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
BLACKROCK FUNDS
SM
INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT FILE # 811-05742
SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTIONS
FOR WESTCORE INVESTORS
PURCHASES, REDEMPTIONS & EXCHANGES (Continued from inside cover)
Wire, Telephone, and Exchange Procedures:
Wire purchases, telephone redemptions and exchanges will be
processed at the net asset value determination next occurring after your order is received and accepted by Westcore. An order will not be accepted unless payment is received by Westcore in acceptable form and in sufficient time to reasonably allow
for entry of the order before such determination. An order may not be accepted if a redemption gate or liquidity fee are in place. Purchases by wire may be accepted only for existing accounts. Investors redeeming by wire may be charged a wire fee by
their financial institution. Wire redemption proceeds are generally transmitted by Westcore to Westcore investors on the next business day following the date of redemption. Exchanges into a Westcore fund will be processed at Westcore’s net
asset value determination next occurring after the net asset value determination time when your money market fund account is processed. Exchanges into your money market fund account will be processed at the Money Market Portfolio’s net asset
value determination next occurring after your Westcore account is processed. Please call 800.392.CORE (2673) for additional information and instructions regarding wire purchase, telephone redemption, and exchange procedures.
Automated Transactions:
You may place transactions or access your account automatically
through the Westcore Trans@ction Center located at www.westcore.com or through the Westcore Automated Service Line at 800.392.CORE (2673).
Annual Small Balance Account Maintenance Fee: Westcore Funds
may deduct an annual maintenance fee of $12 from accounts serviced directly by Westcore Funds with a value less than $750. It is expected that accounts will be valued for the purpose of calculating this maintenance fee on the first Friday of
December each year. The fee is designed to offset in part the relatively higher costs of servicing smaller accounts. This fee will not be deducted from accounts with an automatic investment plan or from accounts of shareholders who have a total of
$10,000 or more invested directly with Westcore in multiple accounts (multiple accounts must have the same Social Security number to qualify).
Shareholder Reports:
Westcore Funds will deliver a single copy of the Money Market
Portfolio’s financial reports and prospectuses to multiple investors with the same mailing address. Shareholders who desire individual copies of such reports or prospectuses should call 800.392.CORE (2673) or write to us at Westcore Funds,
P.O. Box 44323, Denver, CO 80201.
Westcore Investor Service
Representative:
For additional information on these or
other options, please call a Westcore Investor Service Representative toll free at 800.392.CORE (2673), or visit the Westcore website at www.westcore.com.
This material must be accompanied or preceded by a prospectus.
Please read it carefully before investing or sending money.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WESTCORE FUNDS, PLEASE
CONTACT:
Westcore Funds | 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100 |
Denver, Colorado 80203
Individual Investors:
800.392.CORE | Financial Advisors: 800.734.WEST | www.westcore.com
The BlackRock Money Market Portfolio is distributed by
BlackRock Investments, LLC and is not affiliated with ALPS Distributors, Inc.
Westcore Funds are distributed by ALPS Distributors, Inc.
The mountain logo with “Westcore Funds Denver Investments” is a registered service mark of
Denver Investments.
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
BlackRock Funds
SM
BlackRock Money Market Portfolio
100 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19809 •
Phone No. (800) 441-7762
This Statement of
Additional Information of BlackRock Money Market Portfolio (the “Fund”), a series of BlackRock Funds
SM
(the “Trust”), is not a
prospectus and should be read in conjunction with the Prospectuses of the Fund, dated July 28, 2017, as they may be amended or supplemented from time to time (the “Prospectus”), which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the “Commission” or the “SEC”) and can be obtained, without charge, by calling (800) 441-7762 or by writing to the Fund at the above address. The Prospectus is incorporated by reference into this Statement of
Additional Information, and Part I of this Statement of Additional Information and the portions of Part II of this Statement of Additional Information that relate to the Fund have been incorporated by reference into the Fund’s Prospectus. The
portions of Part II of this Statement of Additional Information that do not relate to the Fund do not form a part of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, have not been incorporated by reference into the Fund’s Prospectus and
should not be relied upon by investors in the Fund. The audited financial statements of the Fund are incorporated into this Statement of Additional Information by reference to the Fund’s 2017 Annual Report. You may request a copy of the Annual
Report at no charge by calling (800) 441-7762 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Eastern time on any business day.
References to the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act” or the “1940 Act”), or other applicable law, will include any rules promulgated thereunder and any guidance, interpretations or modifications by the Commission, Commission staff
or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, including court interpretations, and exemptive, no-action or other relief or permission from the Commission, Commission staff or other authority.
Class
|
|
Ticker
Symbol
|
Investor A
Shares
|
|
PINXX
|
Investor B
Shares
|
|
CIBXX
|
Investor C
Shares
|
|
BMCXX
|
Institutional
Shares
|
|
PNIXX
|
Service
Shares
|
|
PNPXX
|
BlackRock Advisors, LLC — Manager
BlackRock Investments, LLC — Distributor
The date of this Statement of Additional
Information is July 28, 2017.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
|
Page
|
PART I
|
|
|
I-1
|
|
I-3
|
|
I-4
|
|
I-14
|
|
I-16
|
|
I-17
|
|
I-17
|
|
I-17
|
|
I-19
|
PART II
|
|
|
II-1
|
|
II-14
|
|
II-26
|
|
II-42
|
|
II-48
|
|
II-50
|
|
II-50
|
|
II-51
|
|
II-53
|
|
II-57
|
|
II-57
|
|
A-1
|
|
B-1
|
PART I
: INFORMATION
ABOUT BLACKROCK MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIO
Part I of this Statement of Additional
Information (“SAI”) sets forth information about BlackRock Money Market Portfolio (“Money Market Portfolio” or the “Fund”), a series of BlackRock Funds
SM
(the “Trust”). It includes information about the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”), the advisory and management
services provided to and the management fees paid by the Fund and information about other fees applicable to and services provided to the Fund. This Part I of this SAI should be read in conjunction with the Fund’s Prospectus and those portions
of Part II of this SAI that pertain to the Fund.
The Fund is a retail
money market fund under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), which means it has policies and procedures reasonably designed to limit all beneficial owners of the Fund to natural
persons.
I. Investment Objective and
Policies
Please see the section
“Details About the Fund — How the Fund Invests” in the Fund’s Prospectus for information about the Fund’s investment objective and policies. Additional information regarding the Fund’s investment objective and
policies is included below.
The
Fund’s manager is BlackRock Advisors, LLC (“BlackRock” or the “Manager”).
Additional Information on Investment Strategies
The Fund may invest in a broad range of
short-term, high quality, U.S. dollar-denominated instruments, such as government, bank, commercial and other obligations that are available in the money markets. In particular, the Fund may invest in:
(a) U.S.
dollar-denominated obligations issued or supported by the credit of U.S. or non-U.S. banks or savings institutions with total assets in excess of $1 billion (including obligations of non-U.S. branches of such banks);
(b)
high quality commercial paper and other obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. and non-U.S. corporations and other issuers rated (at the time of purchase) A-2 or higher by S&P Global Ratings (“S&P”), P-2 (Prime-2) or higher by
Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) or F2 or higher by Fitch Ratings, Inc. (“Fitch”), as well as high quality corporate bonds rated (at the time of purchase) A or higher by those rating agencies;
(c) unrated
notes, paper and other instruments that are of comparable quality to the instruments described in (b) above as determined by BlackRock;
(d) asset-backed
securities (including interests in “pools” of assets such as mortgages, installment purchase obligations and credit card receivables);
(e) securities issued or
guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or authorities and related custodial receipts;
(f) dollar-denominated
securities issued or guaranteed by non-U.S. governments or their political subdivisions, agencies or authorities;
(g) funding agreements issued by
highly-rated U.S. insurance companies;
(h) securities issued or guaranteed by
state or local governmental bodies;
(i) repurchase agreements relating to the
above instruments; and
(j) municipal bonds and
notes whose principal and interest payments are guaranteed by the U.S. Government or one of its agencies or authorities or which otherwise depend on the credit of the U.S.
The Fund may purchase variable and floating
rate notes, which are instruments that provide for adjustments in the interest rate on certain reset dates or whenever a specified interest rate index changes, respectively.
All securities acquired by the Fund will be
determined at the time of purchase by BlackRock, under guidelines established by the Board, to present minimal credit risks and will be “Eligible Securities” as defined by the Securities and Exchange Commission
(“Commission”). An “Eligible Security” is a security:
1. With a remaining
maturity of 397 calendar days or less (with certain exceptions) that BlackRock determines presents minimal credit risks to the Fund after considering certain factors, which must include an analysis of the capacity of the security’s issuer or
guarantor to meet its financial obligations, which analysis
must include, to the extent appropriate, consideration of
the following factors with respect to the security’s issuer or guarantor:
•
|
Financial condition;
|
•
|
Sources of liquidity;
|
•
|
Ability to react to future
market-wide and issuer- or guarantor-specific events, including ability to repay debt in a highly adverse situation; and
|
•
|
Strength of the
issuer’s or guarantor’s industry within the economy and relative to economic trends, and issuer’s or guarantor’s competitive position within its industry;
|
|
2. That
is issued by a registered investment company that is a money market fund; or
|
3. That issued or guaranteed as to
principal or interest by the U.S. Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities.
***
Set forth below is a listing of some of the
types of investments and investment strategies that the Fund may use, and the risks and considerations associated with those investments and investment strategies. Please see Part II of this SAI for further information on these investments and
investment strategies.
Only
information that is clearly identified as applicable to the Fund is considered to form a part of the Fund’s SAI.
|
Money
Market
Portfolio
|
Bank
Money Instruments
|
X
|
Commercial
Paper and Other Short Term Obligations
|
X
|
Cyber
Security Issues
|
X
|
Foreign
Bank Money Instruments
|
X
|
Foreign
Short Term Debt Instruments
|
X
|
Forward
Commitments
|
X
|
Interfund
Lending Program
|
|
Borrowing,
to the extent permitted by the Fund’s investment policies and restrictions
|
|
Lending,
to the extent permitted by the Fund’s investment policies and restrictions
|
|
Investment
in Other Investment Companies
|
X
|
Municipal
Investments
|
X
|
Municipal
Securities
|
X
|
Municipal
Securities — Derivative Products
|
X
|
Municipal
Notes
|
X
|
Municipal
Commercial Paper
|
X
|
Municipal
Lease Obligations
|
X
|
Municipal
Securities — Short-Term Maturity Standards
|
X
|
Municipal
Securities — Quality Standards
|
X
|
Municipal
Securities — Other Factors
|
X
|
Single
State Risk
|
|
VRDOs
and Participating VRDOs
|
X
|
Purchase
of Securities with Fixed Price “Puts”
|
|
Repurchase
Agreements and Purchase and Sale Contracts
|
X
|
Reverse
Repurchase Agreements
|
X
|
Rule
2a-7 Requirements
|
X
|
Securities
Lending
|
X
|
Structured
Notes
|
|
Taxable
Money Market Securities
|
X
|
U.S.
Government Obligations
|
X
|
Variable
and Floating Rate Instruments
|
X
|
When-Issued
Securities and Delayed Delivery Securities and Forward Commitments
|
X
|
Regulation Regarding Derivatives.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) subjects advisers to registered investment companies to regulation by the CFTC if a fund that is advised by the investment adviser either
(i) invests, directly or indirectly, more than a prescribed level of its
liquidation value in CFTC-regulated futures, options and swaps (“CFTC Derivatives”), or (ii) markets itself as providing investment exposure to such instruments. To the extent the Fund uses CFTC Derivatives, it intends to do so below
such prescribed levels and will not market itself as a “commodity pool” or a vehicle for trading such instruments. Accordingly, BlackRock has claimed an exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator”
under the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”) pursuant to Rule 4.5 under the CEA. BlackRock is not, therefore, subject to registration or regulation as a “commodity pool operator” under the CEA in respect of the Fund.
II. Investment Restrictions
The Fund has adopted restrictions and
policies relating to the investment of the Fund’s assets and its activities. Certain of the restrictions are fundamental policies of the Fund and may not be changed without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s
outstanding voting securities (which for this purpose and under the Investment Company Act means the lesser of (i) 67% of the shares represented at a meeting at which more than 50% of the outstanding shares are represented or (ii) more than 50% of
the outstanding shares).
Fundamental
Investment Restrictions of the Fund:
1. The Fund may not purchase securities of
any one issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities or certificates of deposit for any such securities) if more than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets (taken at current
value) would be invested in the securities of such issuer, or more than 10% of the issuer’s outstanding voting securities would be owned by the Fund or the Trust, except that up to 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets (taken at
current value) may be invested without regard to these limitations. For purposes of this limitation, a security is considered to be issued by the entity (or entities) whose assets and revenues back the security. A guarantee of a security is not
deemed to be a security issued by the guarantor when the value of all securities issued and guaranteed by the guarantor, and owned by the Fund, does not exceed 10% of the value of the Fund’s total assets.
2. The Fund may not borrow money or issue
senior securities, except that the Fund may borrow from banks and enter into reverse repurchase agreements for temporary purposes in amounts up to one-third of the value of its total assets at the time of such borrowing; or mortgage, pledge or
hypothecate any assets, except in connection with any such borrowing and then in amounts not in excess of one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets at the time of such borrowing. The Fund will not purchase securities while its
aggregate borrowings (including reverse repurchase agreements and borrowings from banks) in excess of 5% of its total assets are outstanding. Securities held in escrow or separate accounts in connection with the Fund’s investment practices are
not deemed to be pledged for purposes of this limitation.
3. The Fund may not purchase any securities
which would cause, at the time of purchase, less than 25% of the value of its total assets to be invested in the obligations of issuers in the financial services industry, or in obligations, such as repurchase agreements, secured by such obligations
(unless the Fund is in a temporary defensive position) or which would cause, at the time of purchase, more than 25% of the value of its total assets to be invested in the obligations of issuers in any other industry. In applying the investment
limitations stated in this paragraph, (i) there is no limitation with respect to the purchase of (a) instruments issued (as defined in Investment Limitation number 1 above) or guaranteed by the United States, any state, territory or possession of
the United States, the District of Columbia or any of their authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions, (b) instruments issued by domestic banks (which may include U.S. branches of non-U.S. banks) and (c) repurchase
agreements secured by the instruments described in clauses (a) and (b); (ii) wholly-owned finance companies will be considered to be in the industries of their parents if their activities are primarily related to financing the activities of the
parents; and (iii) utilities will be divided according to their services, for example, gas, gas transmission, electric and gas, electric and telephone will each be considered a separate industry.
4. The Fund may not:
a. purchase or sell real
estate, except that the Fund may purchase securities of issuers which deal in real estate and may purchase securities which are secured by interests in real estate;
b. acquire any other
investment company or investment company security except in connection with a merger, consolidation, reorganization or acquisition of assets or where otherwise permitted by the Investment Company Act;
c. act as an underwriter
of securities within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 except to the extent that the purchase of obligations directly from the issuer thereof, or the disposition of securities, in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective,
policies and limitations may be deemed to be underwriting;
d. write or sell put
options, call options, straddles, spreads, or any combination thereof, except for transactions in options on securities and securities indices, futures contracts and options on futures contracts;
e. purchase securities of companies for the
purpose of exercising control;
f. purchase securities
on margin, make short sales of securities or maintain a short position, except that (i) this investment limitation shall not apply to the Fund’s transactions in futures contracts and related options or the Fund’s sale of securities short
against the box, and (ii) the Fund may obtain short-term credit as may be necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio securities;
g. purchase or sell
commodity contracts, or invest in oil, gas or mineral exploration or development programs, except that the Fund may, to the extent appropriate to its investment policies, purchase securities, including publicly traded securities, of companies
engaging in whole or in part in such activities and may enter into futures contracts and related options;
h. make loans, except
that the Fund may purchase and hold debt instruments and enter into repurchase agreements in accordance with its investment objective and policies and may lend portfolio securities. See “Investment Objectives and Policies” above;
or
i. purchase or
sell commodities except that the Fund may, to the extent appropriate to its investment policies, purchase securities of companies engaging in whole or in part in such activities, may engage in currency transactions and may enter into futures
contracts and related options.
Although the foregoing investment
limitations would permit the Fund to invest in options, futures contracts and options on futures contracts, and to sell securities short against the box, the Fund does not currently intend to trade in such instruments or engage in such transactions
during the next twelve months (except to the extent a portfolio security may be subject to a “demand feature” or “put” as permitted under Commission regulations for money market funds). Prior to making any such investments,
the Fund would notify its shareholders and add appropriate descriptions concerning the instruments and transactions to its Prospectus.
Unless otherwise indicated, all limitations
apply only at the time that a transaction is undertaken. Any change in the percentage of the Fund’s assets invested in certain securities or other instruments resulting from market fluctuations or other changes in the Fund’s total assets
will not require the Fund to dispose of an investment until the Manager determines that it is practicable to sell or close out the investment without undue market or tax consequences.
III. Information on Trustees and Officers
The Board consists of
thirteen individuals (each a “Trustee”), eleven of whom are not “interested persons” of the Trust as defined in the Investment Company Act (the “Independent Trustees”). The registered investment companies advised
by BlackRock or its affiliates (the “BlackRock-advised Funds”) are organized into one complex of closed-end funds (the “Closed-End Complex”), two complexes of open-end funds (the “Equity-Liquidity Complex” and the
“Equity-Bond Complex”) and one complex of exchange-traded funds (each a “BlackRock Fund Complex”). The Trust is included in the BlackRock Fund Complex referred to as the Equity-Liquidity Complex. The Trustees also oversee as
board members the operations of the other open-end registered investment companies included in the Equity-Liquidity Complex.
The Board has overall responsibility for the
oversight of the Trust and the Fund. The Chair of the Board is an Independent Trustee, and the Chair of each Board committee (each, a “Committee”) is an Independent Trustee. The Board has five standing Committees: an Audit Committee, a
Governance and Nominating Committee, a Compliance Committee, a Performance Oversight and Contract Committee and an Executive Committee. The role of the Chair of the Board is to preside at all meetings of the Board, and to act as a liaison with
service providers, officers, attorneys, and other Trustees generally between meetings. The Chair of each Committee performs a similar role with respect to the Committee. The Chair of the Board or the Chair of a Committee may also perform such other
functions as may be delegated by the Board or the Committee from time to time. The Independent Trustees meet regularly outside the presence of the Fund’s management, in executive session or with other service providers to the Fund. The Board
has regular meetings five times a year, and may hold special meetings if required before its next regular meeting. Each Committee meets regularly to conduct the oversight functions delegated to that Committee by the Board and reports its findings to
the Board. The Board and each standing Committee conduct annual assessments
of their oversight function and structure. The Board has determined that the
Board’s leadership structure is appropriate because it allows the Board to exercise independent judgment over management and to allocate areas of responsibility among Committees and the full Board to enhance effective oversight.
The Board has engaged the Manager to manage
the Fund on a day-to-day basis. The Board is responsible for overseeing the Manager, other service providers, the operations of the Fund and associated risks in accordance with the provisions of the Investment Company Act, state law, other
applicable laws, the Trust’s charter, and the Fund’s investment objectives and strategies. The Board reviews, on an ongoing basis, the Fund’s performance, operations, and investment strategies and techniques. The Board also
conducts reviews of the Manager and its role in running the operations of the Fund.
Day-to-day risk management with respect to
the Fund is the responsibility of the Manager or of sub-advisers or other service providers (depending on the nature of the risk), subject to the supervision of the Manager. The Fund is subject to a number of risks, including investment, compliance,
operational and valuation risks, among others. While there are a number of risk management functions performed by the Manager and the sub-advisers or other service providers, as applicable, it is not possible to eliminate all of the risks applicable
to the Fund. Risk oversight forms part of the Board’s general oversight of the Fund and is addressed as part of various Board and Committee activities. The Board, directly or through a Committee, also reviews reports from, among others,
management, the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund, sub-advisers, and internal auditors for the investment adviser or its affiliates, as appropriate, regarding risks faced by the Fund and management’s or the service
provider’s risk functions. The Committee system facilitates the timely and efficient consideration of matters by the Trustees, and facilitates effective oversight of compliance with legal and regulatory requirements and of the Fund’s
activities and associated risks. The Board has appointed a Chief Compliance Officer, who oversees the implementation and testing of the Fund’s compliance program and reports to the Board regarding compliance matters for the Fund and its
service providers. The Independent Trustees have engaged independent legal counsel to assist them in performing their oversight responsibilities.
The members of the Audit
Committee (the “Audit Committee”) are Kenneth L. Urish (Chair), Neil A. Cotty, Claire A. Walton and Frederick W. Winter, all of whom are Independent Trustees. The principal responsibilities of the Audit Committee are to approve, and
recommend to the full Board for approval, the selection, retention, termination and compensation of the Trust’s independent registered public accounting firm (the “Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm”) and to oversee the
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm’s work. The Audit Committee’s responsibilities include, without limitation, to (1) evaluate the qualifications and independence of the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm; (2)
approve all audit engagement terms and fees for the Fund; (3) review the conduct and results of each independent audit of the Fund’s annual financial statements; (4) review any issues raised by the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
or Fund management regarding the accounting or financial reporting policies and practices of the Fund and the internal controls of the Fund and certain service providers; (5) oversee the performance of the Fund’s Independent Registered Public
Accounting Firm; (6) review and discuss with management and the Fund’s Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm the performance and findings of the Fund’s internal auditors; (7) discuss with Fund management its policies regarding
risk assessment and risk management as such matters relate to the Fund’s financial reporting and controls; (8) resolve any disagreements between Fund management and the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm regarding financial
reporting; and (9) undertake such other duties and responsibilities as may from time to time be delegated by the Board to the Audit Committee. The Board has adopted a written charter for the Audit Committee. During the fiscal year ended March 31,
2017, the Audit Committee met five times.
The members of the Governance and Nominating
Committee (the “Governance Committee”) are Cynthia A. Montgomery (Chair), Susan J. Carter, Collette Chilton and Robert C. Robb, Jr., all of whom are Independent Trustees. The principal responsibilities of the Governance Committee are to
(1) identify individuals qualified to serve as Independent Trustees of the Trust and recommend Independent Trustee nominees for election by shareholders or appointment by the Board; (2) advise the Board with respect to Board composition, procedures
and committees (other than the Audit Committee); (3) oversee periodic self-assessments of the Board and committees of the Board (other than the Audit Committee); (4) review and make recommendations regarding Independent Trustee compensation; (5)
monitor corporate governance matters and develop appropriate recommendations to the Board; (6) act as the administrative committee with respect to Board policies and procedures, committee policies and procedures (other than the Audit Committee) and
codes of ethics as they relate to Independent Trustees; and (7) undertake such other duties and responsibilities as may from time to time be delegated by the Board to the Governance Committee. The Governance Committee may consider nominations for
the office of Trustee made by Fund shareholders as it deems appropriate. Fund shareholders who wish to recommend a nominee should send nominations to the Secretary of the Trust that include biographical information and set forth the qualifications
of the
proposed nominee. The Board has adopted a
written charter for the Governance Committee. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017, the Governance Committee met eight times.
The members of the Compliance Committee (the
“Compliance Committee”) are Joseph P. Platt (Chair), Neil A. Cotty, Robert C. Robb, Jr. and Claire A. Walton, all of whom are Independent Trustees. The Compliance Committee’s purpose is to assist the Board in fulfilling its
responsibility to oversee regulatory and fiduciary compliance matters involving the Trust, the fund-related activities of BlackRock and any sub-adviser and the Trust’s third-party service providers. The Compliance Committee’s
responsibilities include, without limitation, to (1) oversee the compliance policies and procedures of the Trust and its service providers and recommend changes or additions to such policies and procedures; (2) review information on and, where
appropriate, recommend policies concerning the Trust’s compliance with applicable law; (3) review reports from, oversee the annual performance review of, and make certain recommendations and determinations regarding the Trust’s Chief
Compliance Officer (the “CCO”), including determining the amount and structure of the CCO’s compensation and recommending such amount and structure to the full Board for approval and ratification; and (4) undertake such other
duties and responsibilities as may from time to time be delegated by the Board to the Compliance Committee. The Board has adopted a written charter for the Compliance Committee. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017, the Compliance Committee
met four times.
The members of the
Performance Oversight and Contract Committee (the “Performance Oversight Committee”) are Mark Stalnecker (Chair), Susan J. Carter, Collette Chilton and Frederick W. Winter, all of whom are Independent Trustees. The Performance Oversight
Committee’s purpose is to assist the Board in fulfilling its responsibility to oversee the Fund’s investment performance relative to its agreed-upon performance objectives and to assist the Independent Trustees in their consideration of
investment advisory agreements. The Performance Oversight Committee’s responsibilities include, without limitation, to (1) review information on, and make recommendations to the full Board in respect of, the Fund’s investment objectives,
policies and practices; (2) review information on the Fund’s investment performance; (3) review information on appropriate benchmarks and competitive universes and unusual or exceptional investment matters; (4) review personnel and other
resources devoted to management of the Fund and evaluate the nature and quality of information furnished to the Performance Oversight Committee; (5) recommend any required action regarding changes in fundamental and non-fundamental investment
policies and restrictions, fund mergers or liquidations; (6) request and review information on the nature, extent and quality of services provided to the shareholders; (7) make recommendations to the Board concerning the approval or renewal of
investment advisory agreements; and (8) undertake such other duties and responsibilities as may from time to time be delegated by the Board to the Performance Oversight Committee. The Board has adopted a written charter for the Performance Oversight
Committee. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017, the Performance Oversight Committee met four times.
The members of the Executive Committee (the
“Executive Committee”) are Rodney D. Johnson (Chair) and Collette Chilton, both of whom are Independent Trustees, and Barbara G. Novick, who serves as an interested Trustee. The principal responsibilities of the Executive Committee are
to (1) act on routine matters between meetings of the Board; (2) act on such matters as may require urgent action between meetings of the Board; and (3) exercise such other authority as may from time to time be delegated to the Executive Committee
by the Board. The Board has adopted a written charter for the Executive Committee. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017, the Executive Committee held no formal meetings. The Executive Committee met informally numerous times throughout the
fiscal year.
The Governance
Committee has adopted a statement of policy that describes the experience, qualifications, skills and attributes that are necessary and desirable for potential Independent Trustee candidates (the “Statement of Policy”). The Board
believes that each Independent Trustee satisfied, at the time he or she was initially elected or appointed a Trustee, and continues to satisfy, the standards contemplated by the Statement of Policy. Furthermore, in determining that a particular
Independent Trustee was and continues to be qualified to serve as a Trustee, the Board has considered a variety of criteria, none of which, in isolation, was controlling. The Board believes that, collectively, the Independent Trustees have balanced
and diverse experience, skills, attributes and qualifications, which allow the Board to operate effectively in governing the Trust and protecting the interests of shareholders. Among the attributes common to all Independent Trustees are their
ability to review critically, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, to interact effectively with the Fund’s investment adviser, sub-advisers, other service providers, counsel and the Independent Registered Public
Accounting Firm, and to exercise effective business judgment in the performance of their duties as Trustees.
Each Trustee’s ability to perform his
or her duties effectively is evidenced by his or her educational background or professional training; business, consulting, public service or academic positions; experience from service as a board member of the Trust and the other funds in the
BlackRock Fund Complexes (and any predecessor funds), other
investment funds, public companies, non-profit entities or other
organizations; ongoing commitment to and participation in Board and Committee meetings, as well as his or her leadership of standing and
ad hoc
committees throughout the years; or other relevant life
experiences.
The table below discusses
some of the experiences, qualifications and skills of each of the Trustees that support the conclusion that each Trustee should serve (or continue to serve) on the Board.
Trustees
|
|
Experience,
Qualifications and Skills
|
Independent
Trustees
|
|
|
Susan
J. Carter
|
|
Susan J.
Carter has over 35 years of experience in investment management. She has served as President & Chief Executive Officer of Commonfund Capital, Inc. (“CCI”), a registered investment adviser focused on non-profit investors, from 1997 to
2013, Chief Executive Officer of CCI from 2013 to 2014 and Senior Advisor to CCI in 2015. Ms. Carter currently serves as director to Pacific Pension Institute, Advisory Board Member for the Center for Private Equity and Entrepreneurship at Tuck
School of Business, Advisory Board Member for Girls Who Invest and Advisory Board Member for Bridges Ventures. These positions have provided her with insight and perspective on the markets and the economy.
|
Collette
Chilton
|
|
Collette
Chilton has over 20 years of experience in investment management. She has held the position of Chief Investment Officer of Williams College since October 2006. Prior to that she was President and Chief Investment Officer of Lucent Asset Management
Corporation, where she oversaw approximately $40 billion in pension and retirement savings assets for the company. These positions have provided her with insight and perspective on the markets and the economy.
|
Neil
A. Cotty
|
|
Neil A.
Cotty has more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, including 19 years at Bank of America Corporation and its affiliates, where he served, at different times, as the Chief Financial Officer of various businesses including
Investment Banking, Global Markets, Wealth Management and Consumer and also served ten years as the Chief Accounting Officer for Bank of America Corporation.
|
Rodney
D. Johnson
|
|
Rodney D.
Johnson has served for over 20 years on the boards of registered investment companies, most recently as a member of the boards of the funds in the Equity-Liquidity Complex and its predecessor funds, including the legacy BlackRock funds. He has over
25 years of experience as a financial advisor covering a range of engagements, which has broadened his knowledge of and experience with the investment management business. Prior to founding Fairmount Capital Advisors, Inc., Mr. Johnson served as
Chief Financial Officer of Temple University for four years. He served as Director of Finance and Managing Director, in addition to a variety of other roles, for the City of Philadelphia, and has extensive experience in municipal finance. Mr.
Johnson was also a tenured associate professor of finance at Temple University and a research economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.
|
Cynthia
A. Montgomery
|
|
Cynthia
A. Montgomery has served for over 20 years on the boards of registered investment companies, most recently as a member of the boards of the funds in the Equity-Liquidity Complex and its predecessor funds, including the legacy Merrill Lynch
Investment Managers, L.P. (“MLIM”) funds. The Board benefits from Ms. Montgomery’s more than 20 years of academic experience as a professor at Harvard Business School where she taught courses on corporate strategy and corporate
governance. Ms. Montgomery also has business management and corporate governance experience through her service on the corporate boards of a variety of public companies. She has also authored numerous articles and books on these topics.
|
Trustees
|
|
Experience,
Qualifications and Skills
|
Joseph
P. Platt
|
|
Joseph P.
Platt has served for over 15 years on the boards of registered investment companies, most recently as a member of the boards of the funds in the Equity-Liquidity Complex and its predecessor funds, including the legacy BlackRock funds. Mr. Platt
currently serves as general partner at Thorn Partners, LP, a private investment company. Prior to his joining Thorn Partners, LP, he was an owner, director and executive vice president with Johnson and Higgins, an insurance broker and employee
benefits consultant. He has over 25 years of experience in the areas of insurance, compensation and benefits. Mr. Platt also serves on the boards of public, private and non-profit companies.
|
Robert
C. Robb, Jr.
|
|
Robert C.
Robb, Jr. has served for over 15 years on the boards of registered investment companies, most recently as a member of the boards of the funds in the Equity-Liquidity Complex and its predecessor funds, including the legacy BlackRock funds. Mr. Robb
has over 30 years of experience in management consulting and has worked with many companies and business associations located throughout the United States, including being a former director of PNC Bank Board and a former director of Brinks, Inc. Mr.
Robb brings to the Board a wealth of practical business experience across a range of industries.
|
Mark
Stalnecker
|
|
Mark
Stalnecker has gained a wealth of experience in investing and asset management from his over 13 years of service as the Chief Investment Officer of the University of Delaware as well as from his various positions with First Union Corporation,
including Senior Vice President and State Investment Director of First Investment Advisors. The Board benefits from his experience and perspective as the Chief Investment Officer of a university endowment and from the oversight experience he gained
from service on various private and non-profit boards.
|
Kenneth
L. Urish
|
|
Kenneth
L. Urish has served for over 15 years on the boards of registered investment companies, most recently as a member of the boards of the funds in the Equity-Liquidity Complex and its predecessor funds, including the legacy BlackRock funds. He has over
30 years of experience in public accounting. Mr. Urish has served as a managing member of an accounting and consulting firm. Mr. Urish has been determined by the Audit Committee to be an audit committee financial expert, as such term is defined in
the applicable Commission rules.
|
Claire
A. Walton
|
|
Claire A.
Walton has over 25 years of experience in investment management. She has served as the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Liberty Square Asset Management, LP from 1998 to 2015, an investment manager that specialized in long/short
non-U.S. equity investments, and has been an owner and General Partner of Neon Liberty Capital Management, LLC since 2003, a firm focusing on long/short equities in global emerging and frontier markets. These positions have provided her with insight
and perspective on the markets and the economy.
|
Frederick
W. Winter
|
|
Frederick
W. Winter has served for over 15 years on the boards of registered investment companies, most recently as a member of the boards of the funds in the Equity-Liquidity Complex and its predecessor funds, including the legacy BlackRock funds. The Board
benefits from Mr. Winter’s years of academic experience, having served as a professor and dean emeritus of the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh since 2005, and dean thereof from 1997 to 2005. He is
widely regarded as a specialist in marketing strategy, marketing management, business-to-business marketing and services marketing. He has also served as a consultant to more than 50 different firms.
|
Trustees
|
|
Experience,
Qualifications and Skills
|
Interested
Trustees
|
|
|
Barbara
G. Novick
|
|
Barbara
G. Novick has extensive experience in the financial services industry, including more than 26 years with BlackRock. Ms. Novick currently is a member of BlackRock’s Global Executive, Global Operating and Corporate Risk Management Committees and
chairs BlackRock’s Government Relations Steering Committee. For the first twenty years at BlackRock, Ms. Novick oversaw global business development, marketing and client service across equity, fixed income, liquidity, alternative investment
and real estate products, and in her current role, heads BlackRock’s efforts globally on government relations and public policy. Prior to joining BlackRock, Ms. Novick was Vice President of the Mortgage Products Group at the First Boston
Corporation and prior to that, was with Morgan Stanley. The Board benefits from Ms. Novick’s wealth of experience and long history with BlackRock and BlackRock’s management practices, investment strategies and products, which stretches
back to BlackRock’s founding in 1988.
|
John
M. Perlowski
|
|
John
M. Perlowski’s experience as Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2009, as the Head of BlackRock Global Fund & Accounting Services since 2009, and as President and Chief Executive Officer of the BlackRock-advised Funds provides him
with a strong understanding of the BlackRock-advised Funds, their operations, and the business and regulatory issues facing the BlackRock-advised Funds. Mr. Perlowski’s prior position as Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of the
Global Product Group at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, and his former service as Treasurer and Senior Vice President of the Goldman Sachs Mutual Funds and as Director of the Goldman Sachs Offshore Funds provides the Board with the benefit of his
experience with the management practices of other financial companies.
|
Biographical Information
Certain biographical and other information
relating to the Trustees of the Trust is set forth below, including their address and year of birth, principal occupations for at least the last five years, length of time served, total number of registered investment companies and investment
portfolios overseen in the BlackRock-advised Funds and any currently held public company and investment company directorships.
Name,
Address
1
and Year of Birth
|
|
Position(s)
Held with
the Trust
|
|
Length
of
Time
Served
3
|
|
Principal
Occupation(s)
During Past Five Years
|
|
Number
of
BlackRock-
Advised
Registered
Investment
Companies
(“RICs”)
Consisting of
Investment
Portfolios
(“Portfolios”)
Overseen
|
|
Public
Company and
Other Investment
Company
Directorships Held During Past Five Years
|
Independent
Trustees
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rodney
D. Johnson
1941
|
|
Chair
of the Board and Trustee
|
|
Since
2007
|
|
President,
Fairmount Capital Advisors, Inc. from 1987 to 2013; Member of the Archdiocesan Investment Committee of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia from 2004 to 2012; Director, The Committee of Seventy (civic) from 2006 to 2012; Director, Fox Chase Cancer
Center from 2004 to 2011; Director, The Mainstay (non-profit) since 2016.
|
|
26
RICs consisting of 144 Portfolios
|
|
None
|
Name,
Address
1
and Year of Birth
|
|
Position(s)
Held with
the Trust
|
|
Length
of
Time
Served
3
|
|
Principal
Occupation(s)
During Past Five Years
|
|
Number
of
BlackRock-
Advised
Registered
Investment
Companies
(“RICs”)
Consisting of
Investment
Portfolios
(“Portfolios”)
Overseen
|
|
Public
Company and
Other Investment
Company
Directorships Held During Past Five Years
|
Susan
J. Carter
1956
|
|
Trustee
|
|
Since
2016
|
|
Director,
Pacific Pension Institute since 2014; Advisory Board Member, Center for Private Equity and Entrepreneurship at Tuck School of Business since 1997; Senior Advisor, Commonfund Capital, Inc. (“CCI”) (investment adviser) in 2015; Chief
Executive Officer, CCI from 2013 to 2014; President & Chief Executive Officer, CCI from 1997 to 2013; Advisory Board Member, Girls Who Invest since 2015; Advisory Board Member, Bridges Ventures since 2016; Trustee, Financial Accounting
Foundation since 2017.
|
|
26
RICs consisting of 144 Portfolios
|
|
None
|
Collette
Chilton
1958
|
|
Trustee
|
|
Since
2015
|
|
Chief
Investment Officer, Williams College since 2006; Chief Investment Officer, Lucent Asset Management Corporation from 1998 to 2006.
|
|
26
RICs consisting of 144 Portfolios
|
|
None
|
Neil
A. Cotty
1954
|
|
Trustee
|
|
Since
2016
|
|
Bank
of America Corporation from 1996 to 2015, serving in various senior finance leadership roles, including Chief Accounting Officer from 2009 to 2015, Chief Financial Officer of Global Banking, Markets and Wealth Management from 2008 to 2009, Chief
Accounting Officer from 2004 to 2008, Chief Financial Officer of Consumer Bank from 2003 to 2004, Chief Financial Officer of Global Corporate Investment Bank from 1999 to 2002.
|
|
26
RICs consisting of 144 Portfolios
|
|
None
|
Cynthia
A. Montgomery
1952
|
|
Trustee
|
|
Since
2007
|
|
Professor,
Harvard Business School since 1989; Director, McLean Hospital from 2005 to 2012.
|
|
26
RICs consisting of 144 Portfolios
|
|
Newell
Rubbermaid, Inc. (manufacturing)
|
Joseph
P. Platt
1947
|
|
Trustee
|
|
Since
2007
|
|
General
Partner, Thorn Partners, LP (private investments) since 1998; Director, WQED Multi-Media (public broadcasting not-for-profit) since 2001; Chair, Basic Health International (non-profit) since 2015.
|
|
26
RICs consisting of 144 Portfolios
|
|
Greenlight
Capital Re, Ltd. (reinsurance company); Consol Energy Inc.
|
Robert
C. Robb, Jr.
1945
|
|
Trustee
|
|
Since
2007
|
|
Partner,
Lewis, Eckert, Robb and Company (management and financial consulting firm) since 1981 and Principal since 2010.
|
|
26
RICs consisting of 144 Portfolios
|
|
None
|
Mark
Stalnecker
1951
|
|
Trustee
|
|
Since
2015
|
|
Chief
Investment Officer, University of Delaware from 1999 to 2013; Trustee, Winterthur Museum and Country Estate from 2001 to 2015; Member of the Investment Committee, Delaware Public Employees’ Retirement System since 2002; Member of the
Investment Committee, Christiana Care Health System since 2009; Member of the Investment Committee, Delaware Community Foundation from 2013 to 2014; Director, SEI Private Trust Co. from 2001 to 2014.
|
|
26
RICs consisting of 144 Portfolios
|
|
None
|
Name,
Address
1
and Year of Birth
|
|
Position(s)
Held with
the Trust
|
|
Length
of
Time
Served
3
|
|
Principal
Occupation(s)
During Past Five Years
|
|
Number
of
BlackRock-
Advised
Registered
Investment
Companies
(“RICs”)
Consisting of
Investment
Portfolios
(“Portfolios”)
Overseen
|
|
Public
Company and
Other Investment
Company
Directorships Held During Past Five Years
|
Kenneth
L. Urish
1951
|
|
Trustee
|
|
Since
2007
|
|
Managing
Partner, Urish Popeck & Co., LLC (certified public accountants and consultants) since 1976; Past-Chairman of the Professional Ethics Committee of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Committee Member thereof since
2007; Member of External Advisory Board, The Pennsylvania State University Accounting Department since founding in 2001; Principal, UP Strategic Wealth Investment Advisors, LLC since 2013; Trustee, The Holy Family Institute from 2001 to 2010;
President and Trustee, Pittsburgh Catholic Publishing Associates from 2003 to 2008; Director, Inter-Tel from 2006 to 2007.
|
|
26
RICs consisting of 144 Portfolios
|
|
None
|
Claire
A. Walton
1957
|
|
Trustee
|
|
Since
2016
|
|
Chief
Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Liberty Square Asset Management, LP from 1998 to 2015; General Partner of Neon Liberty Capital Management, LLC since 2003; Director, Boston Hedge Fund Group since 2009; Director, Woodstock Ski
Runners since 2013; Director, Massachusetts Council on Economic Education from 2013 to 2015.
|
|
26
RICs consisting of 144 Portfolios
|
|
None
|
Frederick
W. Winter
1945
|
|
Trustee
|
|
Since
2007
|
|
Director,
Alkon Corporation since 1992; Dean Emeritus of the Joseph M. Katz School of Business, University of Pittsburgh, Dean and Professor from 1997 to 2005, Professor until 2013.
|
|
26
RICs consisting of 144 Portfolios
|
|
None
|
Interested
Trustees
4
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Barbara
G. Novick
1960
|
|
Trustee
|
|
Since
2015
|
|
Vice
Chairman of BlackRock, Inc. since 2006; Chair of BlackRock’s Government Relations Steering Committee since 2009; Head of the Global Client Group of BlackRock, Inc. from 1988 to 2008.
|
|
101
RICs consisting of 219 Portfolios
|
|
None
|
John
M. Perlowski
1964
|
|
Trustee,
President
and Chief
Executive
Officer
|
|
Since
2015 (Trustee);
Since 2010 (President and
Chief Executive Officer)
|
|
Managing
Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2009; Head of BlackRock Global Fund & Accounting Services since 2009; Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of the Global Product Group at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. from 2003 to 2009;
Treasurer of Goldman Sachs Mutual Funds from 2003 to 2009 and Senior Vice President thereof from 2007 to 2009; Director of Goldman Sachs Offshore Funds from 2002 to 2009; Advisory Director of Family Resource Network (charitable foundation) since
2009.
|
|
128
RICs consisting of 317 Portfolios
|
|
None
|
1
|
The address of each Trustee
is c/o BlackRock, Inc., 55 East 52
nd
Street, New York, NY 10055.
|
2
|
Independent Trustees serve
until their resignation, retirement, removal or death, or until December 31 of the year in which they turn 75. The Board may determine to extend the terms of Independent Trustees on a case-by-case basis, as appropriate.
|
3
|
Following the combination of
MLIM and BlackRock, Inc. in September 2006, the various legacy MLIM and legacy BlackRock fund boards were realigned and consolidated into three new fund boards in 2007. As a result, although the chart shows certain Independent Trustees as joining
the Board in 2007, those Independent Trustees first became members of the boards of other legacy MLIM or legacy BlackRock funds as follows: Rodney D. Johnson, 1995; Cynthia A. Montgomery, 1994; Joseph P. Platt, 1999; Robert C. Robb, Jr., 1999;
Kenneth L. Urish, 1999; and Frederick W. Winter, 1999.
|
4
|
Ms. Novick
and Mr. Perlowski are both “interested persons,” as defined in the Investment Company Act, of the Trust based on their positions with BlackRock, Inc. and its affiliates. Ms. Novick and Mr. Perlowski are also board members of certain
complexes of BlackRock registered
|
|
open-end and closed-end
funds. Ms. Novick is a board member of the BlackRock Closed-End Complex and Mr. Perlowski is also a board member of the BlackRock Equity-Bond Complex and the BlackRock Closed-End Complex.
|
Certain biographical and other information
relating to the officers of the Trust is set forth below, including their address and year of birth, principal occupations for at least the last five years and length of time served.
Name,
Address
1
and Year of Birth
|
|
Position(s)
Held with the Trust
|
|
Length
of
Time
Served as an Officer
|
|
Principal
Occupation(s)
During Past Five Years
|
Officers
Who Are Not Trustees
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas
Callahan
1968
|
|
Vice
President
|
|
Since
2016
|
|
Managing
Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2013; Head of BlackRock’s Global Cash Management Business since 2016; Co-Head of the Global Cash Management Business from 2014 to 2016; Deputy Head of the Global Cash Management Business from 2013 to 2014;
Member of the Cash Management Group Executive Committee since 2013; Chief Executive Officer of NYSE Liffe U.S. from 2008 to 2013.
|
Jennifer
McGovern
1977
|
|
Vice
President
|
|
Since
2014
|
|
Managing
Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2016; Director of BlackRock, Inc. from 2011 to 2015; Head of Product Structure and Oversight for BlackRock’s U.S. Wealth Advisory Group since 2013; Vice President of BlackRock, Inc. from 2008 to 2010.
|
Neal
J. Andrews
1966
|
|
Chief
Financial
Officer
|
|
Since
2007
|
|
Managing
Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2006; Senior Vice President and Line of Business Head of Fund Accounting and Administration at PNC Global Investment Servicing (U.S.) Inc. from 1992 to 2006.
|
Jay
M. Fife
1970
|
|
Treasurer
|
|
Since
2007
|
|
Managing
Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2007; Director of BlackRock, Inc. in 2006; Assistant Treasurer of the MLIM and Fund Asset Management, L.P. advised funds from 2005 to 2006; Director of MLIM Fund Services Group from 2001 to 2006.
|
Charles
Park
1967
|
|
Chief
Compliance
Officer
|
|
Since
2014
|
|
Anti-Money
Laundering Compliance Officer for the BlackRock-advised Funds in the Equity-Bond Complex, the Equity-Liquidity Complex and the Closed-End Complex from 2014 to 2015; Chief Compliance Officer of BlackRock Advisors, LLC and the BlackRock-advised Funds
in the Equity-Bond Complex, the Equity-Liquidity Complex and the Closed-End Complex since 2014; Principal of and Chief Compliance Officer for
iShares
®
Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC since 2012 and BlackRock Fund Advisors (“BFA”) since 2006; Chief Compliance Officer for the
BFA-advised iShares
®
exchange traded funds since 2006; Chief Compliance Officer for BlackRock Asset Management International Inc. since 2012.
|
Fernanda
Piedra
1969
|
|
Anti-Money
Laundering Compliance Officer
|
|
Since
2015
|
|
Director
of BlackRock, Inc. since 2014; Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer and Regional Head of Financial Crime for the Americas at BlackRock, Inc. since 2014; Head of Regulatory Changes and Remediation for the Asset Wealth Management Division of
Deutsche Bank from 2010 to 2014; Vice President of Goldman Sachs (Anti-Money Laundering/Suspicious Activities Group) from 2004 to 2010.
|
Name,
Address
1
and Year of Birth
|
|
Position(s)
Held with the Trust
|
|
Length
of
Time
Served as an Officer
|
|
Principal
Occupation(s)
During Past Five Years
|
Benjamin
Archibald
1975
|
|
Secretary
|
|
Since
2012
|
|
Managing
Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2014; Director of BlackRock, Inc. from 2010 to 2013; Secretary of the iShares
®
exchange traded funds since 2015;
Secretary of the BlackRock-advised mutual funds since 2012.
|
1
|
The address of each Officer
is c/o BlackRock, Inc., 55 East 52
nd
Street, New York, NY 10055.
|
2
|
Officers
of the Trust serve at the pleasure of the Board.
|
Share Ownership
Information
relating to each Trustee’s share ownership in the Fund and in all BlackRock-advised Funds that are overseen by the respective Trustee (“Supervised Funds”) as of December 31, 2016 is set forth in the chart below:
Name
|
|
Aggregate
Dollar
Range of Equity
Securities in the Fund
|
|
Aggregate
Dollar
Range of Equity
Securities in All
Supervised Funds
|
Interested
Trustees:
|
|
|
|
|
Barbara G.
Novick
|
|
None
|
|
Over
$100,000
|
John M.
Perlowski
|
|
None
|
|
Over
$100,000
|
Independent
Trustees:
|
|
|
|
|
Susan J.
Carter
|
|
None
|
|
$50,001
- $100,000
|
Collette
Chilton
|
|
None
|
|
Over
$100,000
|
Neil. A.
Cotty
|
|
None
|
|
Over
$100,000
|
Rodney D.
Johnson
|
|
None
|
|
Over
$100,000
|
Cynthia A.
Montgomery
|
|
None
|
|
Over
$100,000
|
Joseph P.
Platt
|
|
None
|
|
Over
$100,000
|
Robert C. Robb,
Jr.
|
|
None
|
|
Over
$100,000
|
Mark
Stalnecker
|
|
None
|
|
Over
$100,000
|
Kenneth L.
Urish
|
|
Over
$100,000
|
|
Over
$100,000
|
Claire A.
Walton
|
|
None
|
|
Over
$100,000
|
Frederick W.
Winter
|
|
None
|
|
Over
$100,000
|
As of July 3, 2017, the
Trustees and officers of the Trust as a group owned an aggregate of less than 1% of any class of the outstanding shares of the Fund. As of December 31, 2016, with one exception, none of the Independent Trustees of the Trust or their immediate family
members owned beneficially or of record any securities of the Fund’s investment adviser, principal underwriter, or any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with such entities. On December 20, 2016,
Ms. Carter received 35 shares of common stock of BlackRock, Inc. in an in-kind distribution made in connection with the liquidation of an investment fund; upon learning of such distribution, such shares were sold on January 12, 2017.
Compensation of Trustees
Each Trustee who is an Independent Trustee
is paid as compensation an annual retainer of $275,000 per year for his or her services as a board member of the BlackRock-advised Funds in the Equity-Liquidity Complex, including the Trust, and a $15,000 board meeting fee to be paid for each
in-person board meeting attended (and may receive a $5,000 board meeting fee for telephonic attendance at board meetings), for up to five board meetings held in a calendar year (compensation for meetings in excess of this number to be determined on
a case-by-case basis), together with out-of-pocket expenses in accordance with a board policy on travel and other business expenses relating to attendance at meetings. Each Independent Trustee receives $10,000 per year for each standing Committee on
which he or she serves for up to two standing Committee assignments but is not paid this amount for serving on a Committee which he or she chairs. The Chair of the Boards is paid an additional annual retainer of $120,000. The Chair of the Audit
Committees is paid an additional annual retainer of $40,000 and the Chairs of the Compliance Committees, Governance Committees and Performance Oversight Committees are each paid an additional annual retainer of $30,000.
The following table sets
forth the compensation paid to each of the Trustees by the Trust, on behalf of the Fund for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017 and the aggregate compensation paid to them by all BlackRock-advised Funds for the calendar year ended December 31,
2016.
Name
|
|
Compensation
from
the Fund
|
|
Aggregate
Compensation
from the Fund and Other
BlackRock-Advised Funds
1
|
Independent
Trustees:
|
|
|
|
|
David O.
Beim
2
|
|
$2,170
|
|
$380,000
|
Susan J.
Carter
3
|
|
$2,602
|
|
$339,203
|
Collette
Chilton
|
|
$2,602
|
|
$370,000
|
Neil A.
Cotty
3
|
|
$2,602
|
|
$339,203
|
Frank J.
Fabozzi
4
|
|
None
|
|
$433,343
|
Dr. Matina S.
Horner
2
|
|
$2,170
|
|
$380,000
|
Rodney D.
Johnson
5
|
|
$3,241
|
|
$472,500
|
Cynthia A.
Montgomery
6
|
|
$2,546
|
|
$362,500
|
Joseph P.
Platt
7
|
|
$2,523
|
|
$380,000
|
Robert C. Robb,
Jr.
|
|
$2,602
|
|
$370,000
|
Mark
Stalnecker
8
|
|
$2,614
|
|
$370,000
|
Kenneth L.
Urish
9
|
|
$2,730
|
|
$390,000
|
Claire A.
Walton
3
|
|
$2,602
|
|
$339,203
|
Frederick W.
Winter
|
|
$2,602
|
|
$370,000
|
Interested
Trustees:
|
|
|
|
|
Barbara G.
Novick
|
|
None
|
|
None
|
John M.
Perlowski
|
|
None
|
|
None
|
1
|
For the number of
BlackRock-advised Funds from which each Trustee receives compensation, see the Biographical Information chart beginning on page I-9.
|
2
|
Mr. Beim
and Dr. Horner retired as Trustees of the Trust effective December 31, 2016. Mr. Beim and Dr. Horner also retired as a director or trustee of all other BlackRock-advised Funds effective December 31, 2016.
|
3
|
Each of Mses. Carter and
Walton and Mr. Cotty was elected to serve as a Trustee of the Trust effective February 8, 2016.
|
4
|
Mr. Fabozzi resigned as a
Trustee of the Trust effective February 5, 2016. After his resignation, Mr. Fabozzi served as a consultant to the Board through the first quarter of 2016, and received a fee for such services. Mr. Fabozzi is also a board member of the funds in the
Closed-End Complex.
|
5
|
Chair of the Board.
|
6
|
Chair of
the Governance Committee.
|
7
|
Chair of the Compliance
Committee.
|
8
|
Chair of the Performance
Oversight Committee.
|
9
|
Chair of
the Audit Committee.
|
IV.
Management, Advisory and Other Service Arrangements
Management Agreement
The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has
entered into a management agreement with BlackRock pursuant to which BlackRock provides the Fund with investment advisory services (the “Management Agreement”).
The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, paid
BlackRock management fees, and BlackRock waived management fees and reimbursed expenses as follows for the last three fiscal years:
Fiscal
Year Ended March 31,
|
|
Fees
Paid
to BlackRock
|
|
Fees
Waived
by BlackRock
|
|
Fees
Reimbursed
by BlackRock
|
2017
|
|
$3,989,193
|
|
$2,948,433
|
|
$
158,551
|
2016
|
|
$5,757,681
|
|
$3,717,684
|
|
$
426,603
|
2015
|
|
$6,688,589
|
|
$4,537,569
|
|
$1,430,343
|
Pursuant to the Management Agreement,
BlackRock may from time to time, in its sole discretion to the extent permitted by applicable law, appoint one or more sub-advisers, including, without limitation, affiliates of the Manager, to perform investment advisory services with respect to
the Fund. In addition, the Manager may delegate certain of its investment advisory functions under the Management Agreement to one or more of its affiliates to the extent permitted by applicable law. BlackRock may terminate any or all sub-advisers
or such delegation arrangements in its sole discretion at any time to the extent permitted by applicable law.
Administration Agreement
BlackRock serves as the Fund’s
administrator pursuant to an administration agreement (the “Administration Agreement”). BlackRock has agreed to maintain office facilities for the Fund; furnish the Fund with clerical, bookkeeping and administrative services; oversee the
determination and publication of the Fund’s net asset value; oversee the preparation and filing of Federal, state and local income tax returns; prepare certain reports required by regulatory authorities; calculate various contractual expenses;
determine the amount of dividends and distributions available for payment by the Fund to its shareholders; prepare and arrange for the printing of dividend notices to shareholders; provide Fund service providers with such information as is required
to effect the payment of dividends and distributions; and serve as liaison with the Trust’s officers, independent accountants, legal counsel, custodian, accounting agent and transfer and dividend disbursing agent in establishing the accounting
policies of the Fund and monitoring financial and shareholder accounting services. BlackRock may from time to time voluntarily waive administration fees with respect to the Fund and may voluntarily reimburse the Fund for expenses.
Under the Administration Agreement effective
January 1, 2015 with BlackRock, the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, pays to BlackRock a fee, computed daily and payable monthly, at an aggregate annual rate of (i) 0.0425% of the first $500 million of the Fund’s average daily net assets, 0.040%
of the next $500 million of the Fund’s average daily net assets, 0.0375% of the next $1 billion of the Fund’s average daily net assets, 0.035% of the next $2 billion of the Fund’s average daily net assets, 0.0325% of the next $9
billion of the Fund’s average daily net assets and 0.030% of the average daily net assets of the Fund in excess of $13 billion and (ii) 0.020% of average daily net assets allocated to each class of shares of the Fund.
Prior to January 1, 2015, BlackRock and BNY
Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (“BNY MIS” and together with BlackRock, the “Administrators”) served as co-administrators to the Fund pursuant to a co-administration agreement, under which the Trust paid to the
Administrators on behalf of the Fund a fee, computed daily and payable monthly, at an aggregate annual rate of (i) 0.075% of the first $500 million of the Fund’s average daily net assets, 0.065% of the next $500 million of the Fund’s
average daily net assets and 0.055% of the average daily net assets of the Fund in excess of $1 billion and (ii) 0.025% of the first $500 million of average daily net assets allocated to each class of shares of the Fund, 0.015% of the next $500
million of such average daily net assets and 0.005% of the average daily net assets allocated to each class of shares of the Fund in excess of $1 billion. In addition, BNY MIS provided certain accounting services pursuant to the co-administration
agreement.
The Trust, on behalf of the
Fund, paid the Administrators combined administration fees, and the Administrators waived combined administration fees, as follows for the periods set forth below.
Fiscal
Year Ended March 31,
|
|
Fees
Paid to
the Administrators
|
|
Fees
Waived by
the Administrators
|
2017
|
|
$
547,460
|
|
$168,493
|
2016
|
|
$
793,376
|
|
$201,992
|
2015
|
|
$1,252,962
|
|
$341,697
|
The Trust and its service providers may
engage third party plan administrators who provide trustee, administrative and recordkeeping services for certain employee benefit, profit-sharing and retirement plans as agents for the Trust with respect to such plans, for the purpose of accepting
orders for the purchase and redemption of shares of the Trust.
Pursuant to a Shareholders’
Administrative Services Agreement, BlackRock provides certain shareholder liaison services in connection with the Fund’s investor service center. The Fund reimburses BlackRock for its costs in maintaining the service center, which costs
include, among other things, employee salaries, leasehold expenses, and other out-of-pocket expenses which are a component of the transfer agency fees in the Fund’s annual report.
The following table sets forth the fees paid
by the Fund to BlackRock, and the fees waived by BlackRock, pursuant to the Shareholders’ Administrative Services Agreement for the past three fiscal years:
Fiscal
Year Ended March 31,
|
|
Fees
Paid
to BlackRock
|
|
Fees
Waived by
BlackRock
|
2017
|
|
$48,755
|
|
$43,609
|
2016
|
|
$51,125
|
|
$33,513
|
2015
|
|
$64,523
|
|
$64,523
|
Accounting Services
Effective June
12, 2017, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (“JPM”) serves as the accounting services provider for the Fund. Among other services, JPM maintains records of purchases and sales of securities, receipts and disbursements of cash and other debits
and credits; keeps accounting journals and ledgers; records capital share transactions; calculates expense caps, waivers and recoupments (if any); computes the Fund’s net income and capital gains and dividends payable; calculates and reports
net asset value; works with independent pricing sources; reconciles securities and cash positions with the Fund’s custodian; prepares certain financial statements, notices and reports; and prepares certain tax reports. In connection with its
accounting services, JPM also provides certain administrative services. Prior to June 12, 2017, BNY MIS served as the accounting services provider for the Fund.
The table below shows the amounts paid by
the Fund to BNY MIS for accounting services for the past three fiscal years:
For
the Fiscal Year Ended March 31,
|
|
Paid
to BNY MIS
|
2017
|
|
$55,018
|
2016
|
|
$81,809
|
2015
|
|
$23,563
|
Custodian
JPMorgan Chase Bank,
N.A., which has its principal offices at 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179, and The Bank of New York Mellon, which has its principal offices at One Wall Street, New York, New York 10286, each serve as a custodian for the Fund. Among other
responsibilities, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. maintains a custody account or accounts in the name of the Fund, receives and delivers all assets for the Fund upon purchase and upon sale or maturity, and collects and receives all income and other
payments and distributions on account of the assets of the Fund. Additionally, The Bank of New York Mellon maintains a custody account or accounts in the name of the Fund for the limited purpose of holding certain cash assets of the Fund.
Transfer Agent
BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc.,
which has its principal place of business at 301 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19809, serves as transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent for the Fund.
V. Information on Sales Charges and Distribution Related
Expenses
Set forth below is
information on sales charges received by the Fund, including the amounts paid to affiliates of the Manager (“affiliates”) for the periods indicated. The Fund’s shares are not subject to sales charges (including any contingent
deferred sales charges (“CDSCs”)). However, a CDSC may be charged upon redemption of shares received in an exchange transaction for Investor B or Investor C Shares of a non-money market fund sponsored and advised by BlackRock or its
affiliates (a “Non-Money Market BlackRock Fund”). In addition, a CDSC may be charged upon redemption if an investor purchases $1 million or more of Investor A Shares of a Non-Money Market BlackRock Fund and exchanges such shares for
Investor A Shares of the Fund and subsequently redeems such shares within one year of purchase (18 months if certain Non-Money Market BlackRock Funds were the source of the exchange). BlackRock Investments, LLC (“BRIL”) acts as the
Fund’s distributor.
Investor A Shares Sales
Charge Information
For
the Fiscal Year Ended March 31,
|
|
Investor
A Shares
CDSCs Received
on Redemption of
Load-Waived Shares
|
2017
|
|
$18,981
|
2016
|
|
$26,032
|
2015
|
|
$
5,439
|
Investor B and Investor C Sales Charge Information
|
|
Investor
B Shares
|
For
the Fiscal Year Ended March 31,
|
|
CDSCs
Received
by BRIL
|
|
CDSCs
Paid
to Affiliates
|
2017
|
|
$
1
|
|
$
1
|
2016
|
|
$1,887
|
|
$1,887
|
2015
|
|
$1,349
|
|
$1,349
|
|
|
Investor
C Shares
|
For
the Fiscal Year Ended March 31,
|
|
CDSCs
Received
by BRIL
|
|
CDSCs
Paid
to Affiliate
|
2017
|
|
$
5,127
|
|
$
5,127
|
2016
|
|
$19,382
|
|
$19,382
|
2015
|
|
$
6,968
|
|
$
6,968
|
Pursuant to the Trust’s Distribution
and Service Plan (the “Plan”), the Trust may pay BRIL and/or the Manager or any other affiliate or significant shareholder of the Manager fees for providing shareholder servicing and distribution-related activities.
No distribution and/or
service fees were paid by the Fund to BRIL for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017 pursuant to the Plan (net of any waivers).
VI. Computation of Offering Price Per Share
The offering price for the Fund’s
share classes is equal to the share class’ net asset value computed by dividing the value of the share class’ net assets by the number of shares of that share class outstanding. For more information on the purchasing and valuation of
shares, please see “Purchase of Shares” and “Determination of Net Asset Value” in Part II of this SAI.
VII. Yield Information
The yield on the Fund’s shares
normally will fluctuate on a daily basis. Therefore, the yield for any given past period is not an indication or representation by the Fund of future yields or rates of return on its shares. The yield is affected by such factors as changes in
interest rates on the Fund’s portfolio securities, average portfolio maturity, the types and quality of portfolio securities held and operating expenses. The yield on Institutional Shares for various reasons may not be comparable to the yield
on bank deposits, shares of other money market funds or other investments.
|
Seven-Day
Period Ended
March 31, 2017
|
|
|
1.02%
|
|
The value of the
Fund’s aggregate holdings of the securities of its regular brokers or dealers (as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the Investment Company Act) or their parents if any portion of such holdings were purchased during the fiscal year ended March 31,
2017 are as follows:
Regular
Broker-Dealer
|
|
Debt(D)/Equity(E)
|
|
Aggregate
Holdings (000’s)
|
Credit Suisse Securities (USA),
LLC
|
|
D
|
|
$20,000
|
UBS Securities
LLC
|
|
D
|
|
$
9,000
|
Bank of America
Corp.
|
|
D
|
|
$
8,000
|
BNP Paribas Securities
Corp.
|
|
D
|
|
$
4,000
|
J.P. Morgan Securities
LLC
|
|
D
|
|
$
4,000
|
VIII. Additional Information
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.
Deloitte & Touche LLP, with offices located at 1700 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, serves as the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm.
Principal Shareholders
To the knowledge of the
Trust, the following entities owned of record or beneficially 5% or more of any class of the Fund’s shares as of July 7, 2017:
Name
|
|
Address
|
|
Percentage
|
|
Class
|
National
Financial Services LLC
|
|
499
Washington Boulevard
Jersey City, NJ 07310-2010
|
|
17.08%
|
|
Investor A
Shares
|
Edward
D. Jones & Co.
|
|
12555
Manchester Road
St. Louis, MO 63131-3710
|
|
7.15%
|
|
Investor A
Shares
|
Saxon
& Co.
|
|
PO
Box 7780-1888
Philadelphia, PA 19182
|
|
6.95%
|
|
Investor A
Shares
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services
|
|
2801
Market Street
St. Louis, MO 63103
|
|
6.20%
|
|
Investor A
Shares
|
Morgan
Stanley & Co.
|
|
Harborside
Financial Center
Plaza II, 3
rd
Floor
Jersey City, NJ 07311
|
|
5.81%
|
|
Investor A
Shares
|
JP
Morgan Securities LLC
|
|
4
Chase Metrotech Center
Brooklyn, NY 11245
|
|
5.10%
|
|
Investor A
Shares
|
National
Financial Services LLC
|
|
499
Washington Boulevard
Jersey City, NJ 07310-2010
|
|
53.75%
|
|
Investor B
Shares
|
American
Enterprise Investment
Services
|
|
707
2nd Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405
|
|
29.48%
|
|
Investor B
Shares
|
LPL
Financial
|
|
4707
Executive Drive
San Diego, CA 92121
|
|
9.51%
|
|
Investor B
Shares
|
Charles
Schwab & Co., Inc.
|
|
101
Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94104-4122
|
|
7.22%
|
|
Investor B
Shares
|
Wells
Fargo Clearing Services
|
|
2801
Market Street
St. Louis, MO 63103
|
|
14.58%
|
|
Investor C
Shares
|
Morgan
Stanley & Co.
|
|
Harborside
Financial Center
Plaza II, 3
rd
Floor
Jersey City, NJ 07311
|
|
13.80%
|
|
Investor C
Shares
|
LPL
Financial
|
|
4707
Executive Drive
San Diego, CA 92121
|
|
11.13%
|
|
Investor C
Shares
|
Pershing
LLC
|
|
1
Pershing Plaza
Jersey City, NJ 07399-0001
|
|
9.05%
|
|
Investor C
Shares
|
JP
Morgan Securities LLC
|
|
4
Chase Metrotech Center
Brooklyn, NY 11245
|
|
7.74%
|
|
Investor C
Shares
|
National
Financial Services LLC
|
|
499
Washington Boulevard
Jersey City, NJ 07310-2010
|
|
5.99%
|
|
Investor C
Shares
|
BlackRock
Advisors LLC FBO
Moderate Glidepath 17+ Years
|
|
100
Bellevue Parkway
Wilmington, DE 19809
|
|
18.37%
|
|
Institutional
Shares
|
BlackRock
Advisors LLC FBO
Moderate Glidepath 13-16 Years
|
|
100
Bellevue Parkway
Wilmington, DE 19809
|
|
17.72%
|
|
Institutional
Shares
|
Stifel
Nicolaus & Co. Inc.
|
|
501
North Broadway
St. Louis, MO 63102
|
|
17.53%
|
|
Service
Shares
|
Raymond
James
|
|
880
Carillon Parkway
St. Petersburg, FL 33716
|
|
16.93%
|
|
Service
Shares
|
The Trust
The Trust was organized as a Massachusetts
business trust on December 22, 1988, and is registered under the Investment Company Act as an open-end, management investment company. The Fund is diversified pursuant to the Investment Company Act. Effective January 31, 1998, the Trust changed its
name from Compass Capital Funds
SM
to BlackRock Funds
SM
.
The Trust is authorized to issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest with a par value of $0.001 per share, which may be divided into different series and classes.
Under Massachusetts law, shareholders of a
business trust may, under certain circumstances, be held personally liable as partners for the obligations of the Trust. However, the Trust’s Declaration of Trust provides that shareholders shall not be subject to any personal liability in
connection with the assets of the Trust for the acts or obligations of the Trust, and that every note, bond, contract, order or other undertaking made by the Trust shall contain a provision to the effect that the shareholders are not personally
liable thereunder. The Declaration of Trust provides for indemnification out of Trust property of any shareholder held personally liable solely by reason of his being or having been a shareholder and not because of such shareholder’s acts or
omissions or some other reason. The Declaration of Trust also provides that the Trust shall, upon request, assume the defense of any claim made against any shareholder for any act or obligation of the Trust, and shall satisfy any judgment
thereon.
The Declaration of Trust
further provides that all persons having any claim against the Trustees or Trust shall look solely to the Trust property for payment; that no Trustee of the Trust shall be personally liable for or on account of any contract, debt, tort, claim,
damage, judgment or decree arising out of or connected with the administration or preservation of the Trust property or the conduct of any business of the Trust; and that no Trustee shall be personally liable to any person for any action or failure
to act except by reason of such Trustee’s own bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of his duties as a Trustee. With the exception stated, the Declaration of Trust provides that a Trustee is entitled to be
indemnified against all liabilities and expenses reasonably incurred by such Trustee in connection with the defense or disposition of any proceeding in which he may be involved or with which he may be threatened by reason of his being or having been
a Trustee, and that the Trust will indemnify officers, representatives and employees of the Trust to the same extent that trustees are entitled to indemnification.
IX. Financial Statements
The audited financial
statements and notes thereto in the Fund’s Annual Report to Shareholders for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017 (the “2017 Annual Report”) are incorporated in this SAI by reference. No other part of the 2017 Annual Report is
incorporated by reference herein. The financial statements included in the 2017 Annual Report have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP. The report of Deloitte & Touche LLP is incorporated herein by reference. Such financial statements have
been incorporated herein in reliance upon the report of such firm given their authority as experts in accounting and auditing. Additional copies of the 2017 Annual Report may be obtained at no charge by telephoning the distributor at the telephone
number appearing on the front page of this SAI.
PART II
Part II of this Statement of Additional
Information (“SAI”) contains information about the following funds: BIF Money Fund (“BIF Money”); BIF Treasury Fund (“BIF Treasury”); BBIF Money Fund (“BBIF Money”); BBIF Treasury Fund (“BBIF
Treasury”); BlackRock Government Money Market Portfolio, a series of BlackRock Series Fund, Inc.; BlackRock Government Money Market V.I. Fund, a series of BlackRock Variable Series Funds, Inc.; BlackRock Money Market Portfolio (the
“BlackRock Funds Portfolio”), a series of BlackRock Funds
SM
(the “Trust”); BlackRock Summit Cash Reserves Fund (“Summit
Cash Reserves”) of BlackRock Financial Institutions Series Trust (“FIST”); Ready Assets Government Liquidity Fund (“Ready Assets Government Liquidity”); Ready Assets U.S.A. Government Money Fund (“U.S.A.
Government Money”); Ready Assets U.S. Treasury Money Fund (“U.S. Treasury Money”); and Retirement Reserves Money Fund of Retirement Series Trust (“Retirement Reserves”).
Throughout this SAI, each of the above
listed funds may be referred to as a “Fund” or collectively as the “Funds.” BIF Money and BIF Treasury may be collectively referred to herein as the “BIF Funds.” BBIF Money and BBIF Treasury may be collectively
referred to herein as the “BBIF Funds.”
Each Fund is organized as a Massachusetts
business trust, with the exception of BlackRock Series Fund, Inc. and BlackRock Variable Series Funds, Inc., which are Maryland corporations. For ease and clarity of presentation, common shares of beneficial interest are referred to herein as
“shares” and the trustees of each Fund are referred to herein as “Trustees.” BlackRock Advisors, LLC is the manager of each Fund and is referred to as “BlackRock” or the “Manager,” and the management
agreement applicable to each Fund is referred to as the “Management Agreement.” The Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, is referred to herein as the “Investment Company Act.” The Securities Act of 1933, as amended, is
referred to herein as the “Securities Act.” The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, is referred to herein as the “Exchange Act.” The Securities and Exchange Commission is referred to herein as the
“Commission” or the “SEC.”
BIF Money, BIF Treasury, BBIF Money and BBIF
Treasury are “feeder” funds (each, a “Feeder Fund”) that invest all of their assets in a corresponding “master” portfolio (each, a “Master Portfolio”) of a master limited liability company organized in
Delaware (each, a “Master LLC”), a fund that has the same objective and strategies as the applicable Feeder Fund. All investments will be made at the level of the Master LLC. This structure is sometimes called a
“master/feeder” structure. A Feeder Fund’s investment results will correspond directly to the investment results of the underlying Master LLC in which it invests. For simplicity, unless the context otherwise requires, this SAI uses
the terms “Fund” or “Feeder Fund” to include both a Feeder Fund and its Master LLC.
In addition to containing information about
the Funds, Part II of this SAI contains general information about all funds in the BlackRock-advised fund complex. Certain information contained herein may not be relevant to the Funds.
Investment Risks and Considerations
Set forth below are descriptions of some of
the types of investments and investment strategies that one or more of the Funds may use, and the risks and considerations associated with those investments and investment strategies. Please see each Fund’s Prospectus and the “Investment
Objectives and Policies” section of Part I of this SAI for further information about each Fund’s investment policies and risks. Information contained in this section about the risks and considerations associated with a Fund’s
investments and/or investment strategies applies only to those Funds specifically identified in Part I of this SAI as making each type of investment or using each investment strategy (each, a “Covered Fund”). Information that does not
apply to a Covered Fund does not form a part of that Covered Fund’s Statement of Additional Information and should not be relied upon by investors in that Covered Fund.
Only information that is clearly identified
as applicable to a Covered Fund is considered to form a part of that Covered Fund’s Statement of Additional Information.
Bank Money Instruments.
Certain Funds may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated obligations of U.S. and foreign depository institutions, including commercial and savings banks, savings and loan associations, and other institutions. Such
obligations include but are not limited to certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances, time deposits, bank notes and deposit notes. For example, the obligations may be issued by (i) U.S. or foreign depository institutions, (ii) foreign
branches or subsidiaries of U.S. depository institutions (“Eurodollar” obligations), (iii) U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign depository institutions (“Yankeedollar” obligations) or (iv) foreign branches or subsidiaries
of foreign depository institutions. Eurodollar and Yankeedollar obligations and obligations of branches or subsidiaries of foreign depository institutions may be general obligations of the parent bank or may be limited to the issuing branch or
subsidiary by the terms of the specific obligations or by government regulation. Investments in obligations of foreign depository institutions and their foreign branches and subsidiaries will only be made if determined to be of comparable quality to
other investments permissible for each Fund. BIF Money, BBIF Money and
Retirement Reserves may invest only in Eurodollar obligations that, by their
terms, are general obligations of the U.S. parent bank. BIF Money and BBIF Money may only invest in Yankeedollar obligations issued by U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks that are subject to state or Federal banking regulations in the
U.S. and that by their terms are general obligations of the foreign parent. No Fund will invest more than 25% of its total assets (taken at market value at the time of each investment) in obligations of foreign depository institutions and their
foreign branches and subsidiaries or in obligations of foreign branches or subsidiaries of U.S. depository institutions that are not backed by the U.S. parent. The Funds treat bank money instruments issued by U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign
banks as obligations issued by domestic banks (not subject to the 25% limitation) if the branch or subsidiary is subject to the same bank regulation as U.S. banks.
Eurodollar and Yankeedollar obligations, as
well as other obligations of foreign depository institutions and short term obligations issued by other foreign entities, may involve additional investment risks, including adverse political and economic developments, the possible imposition of
withholding taxes on interest income payable on such obligations, the possible seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits and the possible establishment of exchange controls or other foreign governmental laws or restrictions that might adversely
affect the repayment of principal and the payment of interest. The issuers of such obligations may not be subject to U.S. regulatory requirements. Foreign branches or subsidiaries of U.S. banks may be subject to less stringent reserve requirements
than U.S. banks. U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks are subject to the reserve requirements of the states in which they are located. There may be less publicly available information about a U.S. branch or subsidiary of a foreign bank or
other issuer than about a U.S. bank or other issuer, and such entities may not be subject to the same accounting, auditing and financial record keeping standards and requirements as U.S. issuers. Evidence of ownership of Eurodollar and foreign
obligations may be held outside the United States, and the Funds may be subject to the risks associated with the holding of such property overseas. Eurodollar and foreign obligations of the Funds held overseas will be held by foreign branches of
each Fund’s custodian or by other U.S. or foreign banks under subcustodian arrangements complying with the requirements of the Investment Company Act.
The Manager will carefully consider the
above factors in making investments in Eurodollar obligations, Yankeedollar obligations of foreign depository institutions and other foreign short term obligations, and will not knowingly purchase obligations that, at the time of purchase, are
subject to exchange controls or withholding taxes. Generally, a Fund will limit its Yankeedollar investments to obligations of banks organized in Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the United Kingdom or other
industrialized nations.
Bank money
instruments in which a Fund invests must be issued by depository institutions with total assets of at least $1 billion, except that a Fund may invest in certificates of deposit of smaller institutions if such certificates of deposit are Federally
insured and if, as a result of such purchase, no more than 10% of total assets (taken at market value), are invested in such certificates of deposit.
Commercial Paper and Other Short Term
Obligations.
Commercial paper (including variable amount master demand notes and other variable rate securities, with or without forward features) refers to short term unsecured promissory notes issued by
corporations, partnerships, trusts or other entities to finance short term credit needs and non-convertible debt securities (
e.g.
, bonds and
debentures) with no more than 397 days (13 months) remaining to maturity at the date of purchase. Short term obligations issued by trusts, corporations, partnerships or other entities include mortgage-related or asset-backed instruments, including
pass-through certificates such as participations in, or bonds and notes backed by, pools of mortgage, automobile, manufactured housing or other types of consumer loans; credit card or trade receivables or pools of mortgage-backed or asset-backed
securities. These structured financings will be supported by sufficient collateral and other credit enhancements, including letters of credit, insurance, reserve funds and guarantees by third parties, to enable such instruments to obtain a quality
rating by a Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization (“NRSRO”), if applicable. Some structured financings also use various types of swaps, among other things, to issue instruments that have interest rate, quality or maturity
characteristics necessary or desirable for a Fund. These swaps may include so-called credit default swaps that might depend for payment not only on the credit of a counterparty, but also on the obligations of another entity, the “reference
entity.”
Cyber Security
Issues.
With the increased use of technologies such as the Internet to conduct business, each Fund is susceptible to operational, information security and related risks. In general, cyber incidents can result from
deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber attacks include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (e.g., through “hacking” or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or
sensitive information, corrupting data, or causing operational disruption. Cyber attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (i.e., efforts to
make network services unavailable to intended users). Cyber security failures or breaches by a Fund’s
adviser, sub-adviser(s) and other service providers (including, but not
limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, transfer agents and administrators), and the issuers of securities in which the Funds invest, have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses,
interference with a Fund’s ability to calculate its net asset value, impediments to trading, the inability of Fund shareholders to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational
damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs. In addition, substantial costs may be incurred in order to prevent any cyber incidents in the future. While the Funds have established business continuity plans in
the event of, and risk management systems to prevent, such cyber attacks, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified. Furthermore, the Funds cannot control the cyber
security plans and systems put in place by service providers to the Funds and issuers in which the Funds invest. The Funds and their shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.
Foreign Bank Money Instruments.
Foreign bank money instruments refer to U.S. dollar-denominated obligations of foreign depository institutions and their foreign branches and subsidiaries, such as, but not limited to, certificates of deposit,
bankers’ acceptances, time deposits, bank notes and deposit notes. The obligations of such foreign depository institutions and their foreign branches and subsidiaries may be the general obligations of the parent bank or may be limited to the
issuing branch or subsidiary by the terms of the specific obligation or by government regulation. Such investments will only be made if determined to be of comparable quality to other investments permissible for a Fund. A Fund will not invest more
than 25% of its total assets (taken at market value at the time of each investment) in these obligations. Investments in foreign entities generally involve the same risks as those described above in connection with investments in Eurodollar and
Yankeedollar obligations and obligations of foreign depository institutions and their foreign branches and subsidiaries. See “Bank Money Instruments.”
Foreign Short Term Debt Instruments.
Foreign short term debt instruments refer to U.S. dollar-denominated commercial paper and other short term obligations issued by foreign entities. Such investments are subject to quality standards similar to those
applicable to investments in comparable obligations of domestic issuers. These investments generally involve the same risks as those described above in connection with investments in Eurodollar and Yankeedollar obligations and obligations of foreign
depository institutions and their foreign branches and subsidiaries. See “Bank Money Instruments.”
Forward Commitments.
Certain Funds may purchase or sell money market securities on a forward commitment basis at fixed purchase terms. The purchase or sale will be recorded on the date a Fund enters into the commitment, and the value of the
security will thereafter be reflected in the calculation of the Fund’s net asset value. The value of the security on the delivery date may be more or less than its purchase price. A Fund will segregate assets consisting of cash or liquid money
market securities having a market value at all times at least equal to the amount of the forward purchase commitment. Although a Fund generally will enter into forward commitments with the intention of acquiring securities for its portfolio, a Fund
may dispose of a commitment prior to settlement if the Manager deems it appropriate to do so.
There can be no assurance that a security
purchased or sold through a forward commitment will be delivered. The value of securities in these transactions on the delivery date may be more or less than a Fund’s purchase price. The Fund may bear the risk of a decline in the value of the
security in these transactions and may not benefit from appreciation in the value of the security during the commitment period.
Interfund Lending Program
.
Pursuant to an exemptive order granted by the SEC (the “IFL Order”), an open-end BlackRock fund (referred to as a “BlackRock fund” in
this subsection), including a Fund, to the extent permitted by its investment policies and restrictions and subject to meeting the conditions of the IFL Order, has the ability to lend money to, and borrow money from, other BlackRock funds pursuant
to a master interfund lending agreement (the “Interfund Lending Program”). Under the Interfund Lending Program, BlackRock funds may lend or borrow money for temporary purposes directly to or from other BlackRock funds (an
“Interfund Loan”). All Interfund Loans would consist only of uninvested cash reserves that the lending BlackRock fund otherwise would invest in short-term repurchase agreements or other short-term instruments. Although the Funds may, to
the extent permitted by their investment policies, participate in the Interfund Lending Program as borrowers or lenders, they typically will not need to participate as borrowers because the Funds are money market funds and are required to comply
with the liquidity provisions of Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act.
If a BlackRock fund has outstanding bank
borrowings, any Interfund Loans to such BlackRock fund would: (a) be at an interest rate equal to or lower than that of any outstanding bank loan, (b) be secured at least on an equal priority basis with at least an equivalent percentage of
collateral to loan value as any outstanding bank loan that requires collateral, (c) have a maturity no longer than any outstanding bank loan (and in any event not over seven days), and (d) provide that, if an event of default occurs under any
agreement evidencing an outstanding bank loan to
the BlackRock fund, that event of default will automatically (without need
for action or notice by the lending BlackRock fund) constitute an immediate event of default under the interfund lending agreement, entitling the lending BlackRock fund to call the Interfund Loan immediately (and exercise all rights with respect to
any collateral), and cause such call to be made if the lending bank exercises its right to call its loan under its agreement with the borrowing BlackRock fund.
A BlackRock fund may borrow on an unsecured
basis through the Interfund Lending Program only if its outstanding borrowings from all sources immediately after the borrowing total 10% or less of its total assets, provided that if the BlackRock fund has a secured loan outstanding from any other
lender, including but not limited to another BlackRock fund, the borrowing BlackRock fund’s borrowing will be secured on at least an equal priority basis with at least an equivalent percentage of collateral to loan value as any outstanding
loan that requires collateral. If a borrowing BlackRock fund’s total outstanding borrowings immediately after an Interfund Loan under the Interfund Lending Program exceed 10% of its total assets, the BlackRock fund may borrow through the
Interfund Lending Program on a secured basis only. A BlackRock fund may not borrow under the Interfund Lending Program or from any other source if its total outstanding borrowings immediately after the borrowing would be more than 33 1/3% of its
total assets or any lower threshold provided for by the BlackRock fund’s investment restrictions.
No BlackRock fund may lend to another
BlackRock fund through the Interfund Lending Program if the loan would cause the lending BlackRock fund’s aggregate outstanding loans through the Interfund Lending Program to exceed 15% of its current net assets at the time of the loan. A
BlackRock fund’s Interfund Loans to any one BlackRock fund shall not exceed 5% of the lending BlackRock fund’s net assets. The duration of Interfund Loans will be limited to the time required to receive payment for securities sold, but
in no event more than seven days, and for purposes of this condition, loans effected within seven days of each other will be treated as separate loan transactions. Each Interfund Loan may be called on one business day’s notice by a lending
BlackRock fund and may be repaid on any day by a borrowing BlackRock fund.
The limitations described above and the
other conditions of the IFL Order permitting interfund lending are designed to minimize the risks associated with interfund lending for both the lending BlackRock fund and the borrowing BlackRock fund. However, no borrowing or lending activity is
without risk. When a BlackRock fund borrows money from another BlackRock fund under the Interfund Lending Program, there is a risk that the Interfund Loan could be called on one day’s notice, in which case the borrowing BlackRock fund may have
to borrow from a bank at higher rates if an Interfund Loan is not available from another BlackRock fund. Interfund Loans are subject to the risk that the borrowing BlackRock fund could be unable to repay the loan when due, and a delay in repayment
to a lending BlackRock fund could result in a lost opportunity or additional lending costs. No BlackRock fund may borrow more than the amount permitted by its investment restrictions.
Investment in Other Investment Companies.
Each Fund may, subject to applicable law, invest in other investment companies (including investment companies managed by BlackRock and its affiliates), including money market funds and exchange traded funds
(“ETFs”), which are typically open-end funds or unit investment trusts listed on a stock exchange. In accordance with the Investment Company Act, a Fund may invest up to 10% of its total assets in securities of other investment companies
(measured at the time of such investment). In addition, under the Investment Company Act a Fund may not acquire securities of an investment company if such acquisition would cause the Fund to own more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of
such investment company and a Fund may not invest in another investment company if such investment would cause more than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets to be invested in securities of such investment company. (These limits do not
restrict a Feeder Fund from investing all of its assets in shares of its Master Portfolio.) In addition to the restrictions on investing in other investment companies discussed above, a Fund may not invest in a registered closed-end investment
company if such investment would cause the Fund and other BlackRock-advised investment companies to own more than 10% of the total outstanding voting stock of such closed-end investment company. Pursuant to the Investment Company Act (or
alternatively, pursuant to exemptive orders received from the Commission) these percentage limitations do not apply to investments in affiliated money market funds, and under certain circumstances, do not apply to investments in affiliated
investment companies, including ETFs. In addition, many third-party ETFs have obtained exemptive relief from the Commission to permit unaffiliated funds (such as the Funds) to invest in their shares beyond the statutory limits, subject to certain
conditions and pursuant to contractual arrangements between the ETFs and the investing funds. A Fund may rely on these exemptive orders in investing in ETFs. Further, under certain circumstances a Fund may be able to rely on certain provisions of
the Investment Company Act to invest in shares of unaffiliated investment companies beyond the statutory limits noted above, but subject to certain other statutory restrictions.
As with other investments, investments in
other investment companies are subject to market and selection risk.
Shares of investment companies, such as
closed-end fund investment companies, that trade on an exchange may at times be acquired at market prices representing premiums to their net asset values. In addition, investment companies held by a Fund that trade on an exchange could trade at a
discount from net asset value, and such discount could increase while the Fund holds the shares. If the market price of shares of an exchange-traded investment company decreases below the price that the Fund paid for the shares and the Fund were to
sell its shares of such investment company at a time when the market price is lower than the price at which it purchased the shares, the Fund would experience a loss.
In addition, if a Fund acquires shares in
investment companies, including affiliated investment companies, shareholders would bear both their proportionate share of expenses in the Fund and, indirectly, the expenses of such investment companies. Such expenses, both at the Fund level and
acquired investment company level, would include management and advisory fees, unless such fees have been waived by BlackRock. Please see the relevant Fund’s Prospectus to determine whether any such management and advisory fees have been
waived by BlackRock. Investments by a Fund in wholly owned investment entities created under the laws of certain countries will not be deemed an investment in other investment companies. Pursuant to guidance issued by the staff of the Commission,
fees and expenses of money market funds used for the investment of cash collateral received in connection with loans of Fund securities are not treated as “acquired fund fees and expenses,” which are fees and expenses charged by other
investment companies and pooled investment vehicles in which a Fund invests a portion of its assets.
To the extent shares of a Fund are held by
an affiliated fund, the ability of the Fund itself to purchase other affiliated investment companies may be limited. In addition, a fund-of-funds (
e.g.
, an investment company that seeks to meet its investment
objective by investing significantly in other investment companies) may be limited in its ability to purchase affiliated underlying funds if such affiliated underlying funds themselves own shares of affiliated funds.
A number of publicly traded closed-end
investment companies have been organized to facilitate indirect foreign investment in developing countries, and certain of such countries, such as Thailand, South Korea, Chile and Brazil, have specifically authorized such funds. There also are
investment opportunities in certain of such countries in pooled vehicles that resemble open-end investment companies. The restrictions on investments in securities of investment companies set forth above may limit opportunities for a Fund to invest
indirectly in certain developing countries.
Municipal Investments.
Municipal Securities.
Certain Funds invest in short term municipal obligations issued by or on behalf of the states, their political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities and obligations of other qualifying issuers,
such as issuers located in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam, the interest on which (and/or, in the case of property taxes, the value of which) is excludable, in the opinion of bond counsel to the issuer, from gross income for purposes
of Federal income taxes and the applicable state’s income taxes (“State Taxes”). Obligations that pay interest that is excludable from gross income for Federal income tax purposes are referred to herein as “Municipal
Securities,” and obligations that pay interest that is excludable from gross income for Federal income tax purposes and are exempt from the applicable State Taxes are referred to as “State Municipal Securities.” Unless otherwise
indicated, references to Municipal Securities shall be deemed to include State Municipal Securities.
Municipal Securities include debt
obligations issued to obtain funds for various public purposes, including construction of a wide range of public facilities, refunding of outstanding obligations and obtaining funds for general operating expenses and loans to other public
institutions and facilities. In addition, certain types of bonds are issued by or on behalf of public authorities to finance various facilities operated for private profit. Such obligations are included within the term Municipal Securities if the
interest paid thereon is excludable from gross income for Federal income tax purposes.
The two principal classifications of
Municipal Securities are “general obligation” bonds and “revenue” or “special obligation” bonds. General obligation bonds are secured by the issuer’s pledge of its faith, credit and taxing power for the
repayment of principal and the payment of interest. Revenue or special obligation bonds are payable only from the revenues derived from a particular facility or class of facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise tax or
other specific revenue source such as from the user of the facility being financed. Private activity bonds (or “industrial development bonds” under pre-1986 law) are in most cases revenue bonds and do not generally constitute the pledge
of the credit or taxing power of the issuer of such bonds. The repayment of the principal and the payment of interest on such private activity bonds depends solely on the ability of the user of the facilities financed by the bonds to meet its
financial obligation and the pledge, if any, of real and personal property so financed as security for such payment. In addition, private activity bonds may pay interest that is subject to the
Federal alternative minimum tax. A Fund’s portfolio may include
“moral obligation” bonds, which are normally issued by special purpose public authorities. If an issuer of moral obligation bonds is unable to meet its debt service obligations from current revenues, it may draw on a reserve fund, the
restoration of which is a moral commitment but not a legal obligation of a state or municipality.
Yields on Municipal Securities are dependent
on a variety of factors, including the general condition of the money market and of the municipal bond market, the size of a particular offering, the maturity of the obligation, and the rating of the issuer. The ability of a Fund to achieve its
investment objective is also dependent on the continuing ability of the issuers of the Municipal Securities in which the Fund invests to meet their obligations for the payment of interest and the repayment of principal when due. There are variations
in the risks involved in holding Municipal Securities, both within a particular classification and between classifications, depending on numerous factors. Furthermore, the rights of holders of Municipal Securities and the obligations of the issuers
of such Municipal Securities may be subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws and court decisions affecting the rights of creditors generally, and such laws, if any, which may be enacted by Congress or state legislatures
affecting specifically the rights of holders of Municipal Securities.
A Fund’s ability to distribute
dividends exempt from Federal income tax will depend on the exclusion from gross income of the interest income that it receives on the Municipal Securities in which it invests. A Fund will only purchase a Municipal Security if it is accompanied by
an opinion of counsel to the issuer, which is delivered on the date of issuance of that security, that interest on such securities is excludable from gross income for Federal income tax purposes (the “tax exemption opinion”).
Events occurring after the date of issuance
of the Municipal Securities, however, may cause the interest on such securities to be includable in gross income for Federal income tax purposes. For example, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) establishes certain
requirements, such as restrictions as to the investment of the proceeds of the issue, limitations as to the use of proceeds of such issue and the property financed by such proceeds, and the payment of certain excess earnings to the Federal
government, that must be met after the issuance of the Municipal Securities for interest on such securities to remain excludable from gross income for Federal income tax purposes. The issuers and the conduit borrowers of the Municipal Securities
generally covenant to comply with such requirements and the tax exemption opinion generally assumes continuing compliance with such requirements. Failure to comply with these continuing requirements, however, may cause the interest on such Municipal
Securities to be includable in gross income for Federal income tax purposes retroactive to their date of issue.
In addition, the Internal Revenue Service
(“IRS”) has an ongoing enforcement program that involves the audit of tax exempt bonds to determine whether an issue of bonds satisfies all of the requirements that must be met for interest on such bonds to be excludable from gross
income for Federal income tax purposes. From time to time, some of the Municipal Securities held by a Fund may be the subject of such an audit by the IRS, and the IRS may determine that the interest on such securities is includable in gross income
for Federal income tax purposes either because the IRS has taken a legal position adverse to the conclusion reached by the counsel to the issuer in the tax exemption opinion or as a result of an action taken or not taken after the date of issue of
such obligation.
If interest paid on a
Municipal Security in which a Fund invests is determined to be taxable subsequent to the Fund’s acquisition of such security, the IRS may demand that such Fund pay taxes on the affected interest income and, if the Fund agrees to do so, its
yield could be adversely affected. If the interest paid on any Municipal Security held by a Fund is determined to be taxable, such Fund will dispose of the security as soon as practicable. A determination that interest on a security held by a Fund
is includable in gross income for Federal or state income tax purposes retroactively to its date of issue may, likewise, cause a portion of prior distributions received by shareholders to be taxable to those shareholders in the year of
receipt.
From time to time, proposals
have been introduced before Congress for the purpose of restricting or eliminating the Federal income tax exclusion for interest on Municipal Securities. Similar proposals may be introduced in the future. If such a proposal were enacted, the ability
of each Fund to pay “exempt-interest dividends” would be affected adversely and the Fund would re-evaluate its investment objectives and policies and consider changes in structure. See “Dividends and Taxes —
Taxes.”
Municipal Securities
— Derivative Products.
Derivative Products are typically structured by a bank, broker-dealer or other financial institution. A Derivative Product generally consists of a trust or partnership
through which a Fund holds an interest in one or more underlying bonds coupled with a right to sell (“put”) the Fund’s interest in the underlying bonds at par plus accrued interest to a financial institution (a “Liquidity
Provider”). Typically, a Derivative Product is structured as a trust or partnership that provides for pass-through tax-exempt income. There are currently
three principal types of derivative structures: (1) “Tender Option
Bonds,” which are instruments that grant the holder thereof the right to put an underlying bond at par plus accrued interest at specified intervals to a Liquidity Provider; (2) “Swap Products,” in which the trust or partnership
swaps the payments due on an underlying bond with a swap counterparty who agrees to pay a floating municipal money market interest rate; and (3) “Partnerships,” which allocate to the partners portions of income, expenses, capital gains
and losses associated with holding an underlying bond in accordance with a governing agreement. A Fund may also invest in other forms of short term Derivative Products eligible for investment by money market funds.
Investments in Derivative Products raise
certain tax, legal, regulatory and accounting issues that may not be presented by investments in municipal bonds. There is some risk that certain issues could be resolved in a manner that could adversely impact the performance of a Fund. For
example, the tax-exempt treatment of the interest paid to holders of Derivative Products is premised on the legal conclusion that the holders of such Derivative Products have an ownership interest in the underlying bonds. Were the IRS or any state
taxing authority to issue an adverse ruling or take an adverse position with respect to the taxation of Derivative Products, there is a risk that the interest paid on such Derivative Products or, in the case of property taxes, the value of such Fund
to the extent represented by such Derivative Products, would be deemed taxable at the Federal and/or state level.
Municipal Notes.
Municipal notes are shorter term municipal debt obligations. They may provide interim financing in anticipation of tax collection, bond sales or revenue receipts. If there is a shortfall in the
anticipated proceeds, the note may not be fully repaid and a Fund may lose money.
Municipal Commercial Paper.
Municipal commercial paper is generally unsecured and issued to meet short term financing needs. The lack of security presents some risk of loss to a Fund since, in the event of an issuer’s
bankruptcy, unsecured creditors are repaid only after the secured creditors are paid out of the assets, if any, that remain.
Municipal Lease
Obligations.
Also included within the general category of State Municipal Securities are Certificates of Participation (“COPs”) issued by
governmental authorities or entities to finance the acquisition or construction of equipment, land and/or facilities. The COPs represent participations in a lease, an installment purchase contract or a conditional sales contract (hereinafter
collectively called “lease obligations”) relating to such equipment, land or facilities. Although lease obligations do not constitute general obligations of the issuer for which the issuer’s unlimited taxing power is pledged, a
lease obligation is frequently backed by the issuer’s covenant to budget for, appropriate and make the payments due under the lease obligation. However, certain lease obligations contain “non-appropriation” clauses that provide
that the issuer has no obligation to make lease or installment purchase payments in future years unless money is appropriated for such purpose on a yearly basis. Although “non-appropriation” lease obligations are secured by the leased
property, disposition of the property in the event of foreclosure might prove difficult. The securities represent a type of financing that has not yet developed the depth of marketability associated with more conventional securities. Certain
investments in lease obligations may be illiquid. A Fund may not invest in illiquid lease obligations if such investments, together with all other illiquid investments, would exceed 5% of such Fund’s net assets. A Fund may, however, invest
without regard to such limitation in lease obligations that the Manager, pursuant to guidelines adopted by the Board of Trustees and subject to the supervision of the Board, determines to be liquid. The Manager will deem lease obligations to be
liquid if they are publicly offered and have received an investment grade rating of Baa or better by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”), or BBB or better by S&P Global Ratings (“S&P”) or Fitch
Ratings, Inc. (“Fitch”). Unrated lease obligations, or those rated below investment grade, will be considered liquid if the obligations come to the market through an underwritten public offering and at least two dealers are willing to
give competitive bids. In reference to the latter, the Manager must, among other things, also review the creditworthiness of the entity obligated to make payment under the lease obligation and make certain specified determinations based on such
factors as the existence of a rating or credit enhancement, such as insurance, the frequency of trades or quotes for the obligation and the willingness of dealers to make a market in the obligation.
Municipal Securities — Short-Term
Maturity Standards.
All of the investments of a Fund in Municipal Securities will be in securities with remaining maturities of 397 days (13 months) or less. The dollar-weighted average maturity of
each Fund’s portfolio will be 60 days or less. For purposes of this investment policy, an obligation will be treated as having a maturity earlier than its stated maturity date if such obligation has technical features that, in the judgment of
the Manager, will result in the obligation being valued in the market as though it has such earlier maturity.
The maturities of Variable Rate Demand
Obligations (“VRDOs”) (including Participating VRDOs) are deemed to be the longer of (i) the notice period required before a Fund is entitled to receive payment of the principal amount of the VRDOs on demand or (ii) the period remaining
until the VRDO’s next interest rate adjustment. If not redeemed by a
Fund through the demand feature, VRDOs mature on a specified date, which may
range up to 30 years from the date of issuance. See “VRDOs and Participating VRDOs” below.
Municipal Securities — Quality
Standards.
A Fund’s portfolio investments in municipal notes and short term tax-exempt commercial paper will be limited to those obligations that are (i) secured by a pledge of the full faith
and credit of the United States or (ii) otherwise are determined by the Manager to present minimal credit risks to the Fund. A Fund’s investments in municipal bonds will be in securities that have been determined by the Manager to present
minimal credit risks to the Fund. In addition, certain Funds may require that portfolio investments (or their issuers) receive minimum credit ratings from one or more NRSROs, or if not rated, are determined by the Manager to be of comparable quality
to securities that have received such rating(s). Certain tax-exempt obligations (primarily VRDOs and Participating VRDOs) may be entitled to the benefit of letters of credit or similar credit enhancements issued by financial institutions. In such
instances, in assessing the quality of such instruments, the Trustees and the Manager will take into account not only the creditworthiness of the issuers, but also the creditworthiness and type of obligation of the financial institution. The type of
obligation of the financial institution concerns, for example, whether the letter of credit or similar credit enhancement being issued is conditional or unconditional. For a description of debt ratings, see Appendix A — “Description of
Bond Ratings.”
A Fund may
not invest in any security issued by a depository institution unless such institution is organized and operating in the United States, has total assets of at least $1 billion and is federally insured. Preservation of capital is a prime investment
objective of the Funds, and while the types of money market securities in which the Funds invest generally are considered to have low principal risk, such securities are not completely risk free. There is a risk of the failure of issuers or credit
enhancers to meet their principal and interest obligations. With respect to repurchase agreements and purchase and sale contracts, there is also the risk of the failure of the parties involved to repurchase at the agreed-upon price, in which event
each Fund may suffer time delays and incur costs or possible losses in connection with such transactions.
Municipal Securities — Other Factors.
Management of the Funds will endeavor to be as fully invested as reasonably practicable in order to maximize the yield on each Fund’s portfolio. Not all short term municipal securities trade on
the basis of same day settlements and, accordingly, a portfolio of such securities cannot be managed on a daily basis with the same flexibility as a portfolio of money market securities, which can be bought and sold on a same day basis. There may be
times when a Fund has uninvested cash resulting from an influx of cash due to large purchases of shares or the maturing of portfolio securities. A Fund also may be required to maintain cash reserves or incur temporary bank borrowings to make
redemption payments, which are made on the same day the redemption request is received. Such inability to be invested fully would lower the yield on such Fund’s portfolio.
Because certain Funds may at times invest a
substantial portion of their assets in Municipal Securities secured by bank letters of credit or guarantees, an investment in a Fund should be made with an understanding of the characteristics of the banking industry and the risks that such an
investment in such credit enhanced securities may entail. Banks are subject to extensive governmental regulations that may limit both the amounts and types of loans and other financial commitments that may be made and interest rates and fees that
may be charged. The profitability of the banking industry is largely dependent on the availability and cost of capital funds for the purpose of financing lending operations under prevailing money market conditions. Furthermore, general economic
conditions play an important part in the operations of this industry and exposure to credit losses arising from possible financial difficulties of borrowers might affect a bank’s ability to meet its obligations under a letter of credit.
Changes to the Code may limit the types and
volume of securities qualifying for the Federal income tax exemption of interest; this may affect the availability of Municipal Securities for investment by the Funds, which could, in turn, have a negative impact on the yield of the portfolios. A
Fund reserves the right to suspend or otherwise limit sales of its shares if, as a result of difficulties in acquiring portfolio securities or otherwise, it is determined that it is not in the interests of the Fund’s shareholders to issue
additional shares.
VRDOs and
Participating VRDOs.
VRDOs are tax-exempt obligations that contain a floating or variable interest rate adjustment formula and right of demand on the part of the holder thereof to receive payment
of the unpaid balance plus accrued interest upon a short notice period not to exceed seven days. There is, however, the possibility that because of default or insolvency the demand feature of VRDOs and Participating VRDOs (described below) may not
be honored. The interest rates are adjustable at intervals (ranging from daily to one year) to some prevailing market rate of the VRDOs at approximately the par value of the VRDOs on the adjustment date. The adjustment may be based upon the Public
Securities Index or some other appropriate interest rate adjustment index. Each Fund may invest in all types of tax-exempt instruments currently outstanding or to be issued in the future that satisfy its short term maturity and quality
standards.
Participating VRDOs provide a Fund with a
specified undivided interest (up to 100%) in the underlying obligation and the right to demand payment of the unpaid principal balance plus accrued interest on the Participating VRDOs from a financial institution upon a specified number of
days’ notice, not to exceed seven days. In addition, a Participating VRDO is backed by an irrevocable letter of credit or guaranty of the financial institution. A Fund would have an undivided interest in an underlying obligation and thus
participate on the same basis as the financial institution in such obligation except that the financial institution typically retains fees out of the interest paid on the obligation for servicing the obligation, providing the letter of credit or
issuing the repurchase commitment. Certain Funds have been advised by counsel that they should be entitled to treat the income received on Participating VRDOs as interest from tax-exempt obligations. It is contemplated that no Fund will invest more
than a limited amount of its total assets in Participating VRDOs.
VRDOs that contain a right of demand to
receive payment of the unpaid principal balance plus accrued interest on a notice period exceeding seven days may be deemed to be illiquid securities. A VRDO with a demand notice period exceeding seven days will, therefore, be subject to each
Fund’s restrictions on illiquid investments unless, in the judgment of the Trustees, such VRDO is liquid. The Trustees may adopt guidelines and delegate to the Manager the daily function of determining and monitoring liquidity of such VRDOs.
The Trustees, however, will retain sufficient oversight and be ultimately responsible for such determinations.
Because of the interest rate adjustment
formula on VRDOs (including Participating VRDOs), the VRDOs are not comparable to fixed rate securities. A Fund’s yield on VRDOs will decline and its shareholders will forego the opportunity for capital appreciation during periods when
prevailing interest rates have declined. On the other hand, during periods where prevailing interest rates have increased, a Fund’s yield on VRDOs will increase and its shareholders will have a reduced risk of capital depreciation.
Purchase of Securities with Fixed Price
“Puts.”
Certain Funds have authority to purchase fixed rate Municipal Securities and, for a price, simultaneously acquire the right to sell such securities back to the seller at an agreed-upon rate at
any time during a stated period or on a certain date. Such a right is generally denoted as a fixed price put. Puts with respect to fixed rate instruments are to be distinguished from the demand or repurchase features of VRDOs and Participating VRDOs
that enable certain Funds to dispose of such a security at a time when the market value of the security approximates its par value.
Repurchase Agreements and Purchase and Sale
Contracts.
Funds may invest in Taxable Securities (as defined below, see “Taxable Money Market Securities”) pursuant to repurchase agreements. Repurchase agreements may be entered into only with a member
bank of the Federal Reserve System or primary dealer in U.S. Government securities or an affiliate thereof that meets the creditworthiness standards adopted by the Manager. Under such agreements, the bank or primary dealer or an affiliate thereof
agrees, upon entering into the contract, to repurchase the security at a mutually agreed upon time and price, thereby determining the yield during the term of the agreement. This results in a fixed rate of return insulated from market fluctuations
during such period. Repurchase agreements may be construed to be collateralized loans by the purchaser to the seller secured by the securities transferred to the purchaser. In the case of a repurchase agreement, a Fund will require the seller to
provide additional collateral if the market value of the securities falls below the repurchase price at any time during the term of the repurchase agreement. One common type of repurchase agreement a Fund may enter into is a “tri-party”
repurchase agreement. In “tri-party” repurchase agreements, an unaffiliated third party custodian maintains accounts to hold collateral for the Fund and its counterparties and, therefore, the Fund may be subject to the credit risk of
those custodians. In any repurchase transaction to which a Fund is a party, collateral for a repurchase agreement may include cash items and obligations issued by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities. Collateral, however, is not
limited to the foregoing and may include, for example, obligations rated below the highest category by NRSROs, including collateral that may be below investment grade. Collateral for a repurchase agreement may also include securities that a Fund
could not hold directly without the repurchase obligation. Irrespective of the type of collateral underlying the repurchase agreement, the Fund must determine that a repurchase obligation with a particular counterparty involves minimal credit risk
to the Fund and otherwise satisfies any additional credit quality standards applicable to the Fund.
In the event of default by the seller under
a repurchase agreement construed to be a collateralized loan, the underlying securities are not owned by the Fund but only constitute collateral for the seller’s obligation to pay the repurchase price. Therefore, a Fund may suffer time delays
and incur costs or possible losses in connection with the disposition of the collateral. In the event of a default under a repurchase agreement that is construed to be a collateralized loan, instead of the contractual fixed rate of return, the rate
of return to a Fund will depend upon intervening fluctuations of the market value of such security and the accrued interest on the security. In such event, a Fund would have rights against the seller for breach of contract with respect to any losses
arising from market fluctuations following the failure of the seller to perform. In general, for Federal income tax purposes, repurchase
agreements are treated as collateralized loans secured by the securities
“sold.” Therefore, amounts earned under such agreements, even if the underlying securities are tax-exempt securities, will not be considered tax-exempt interest. From time to time, a Fund also may invest in money market securities
pursuant to purchase and sale contracts. While purchase and sale contracts are similar to repurchase agreements, purchase and sale contracts are structured so as to be in substance more like a purchase and sale of the underlying security than is the
case with repurchase agreements and, with purchase and sale contracts, the purchaser receives any interest on the security paid during the period of the contract.
Repurchase agreements pose certain risks for
a Fund that utilizes them. Such risks are not unique to the Fund but are inherent in repurchase agreements. The Funds seek to minimize such risks but because of the inherent legal uncertainties involved in repurchase agreements, such risks cannot be
eliminated. Lower quality collateral and collateral with longer maturities may be subject to greater price fluctuations than higher quality collateral and collateral with shorter maturities. If the repurchase agreement counterparty were to default,
lower quality collateral may be more difficult to liquidate than higher quality collateral. Should the counterparty default and the amount of collateral not be sufficient to cover the counterparty’s repurchase obligation, a Fund would retain
the status of an unsecured creditor of the counterparty (
i.e.
, the position the Fund would normally be in if it were to hold, pursuant to its investment policies, other unsecured debt securities of the
defaulting counterparty) with respect to the amount of the shortfall. As an unsecured creditor, a Fund would be at risk of losing some or all of the principal and income involved in the transaction.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements.
A Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with the same parties with whom it may enter into repurchase agreements. Under a reverse repurchase agreement, a Fund sells securities to another party and agrees to
repurchase them at a mutually agreed-upon date and price. At the time a Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it will segregate liquid assets with a value not less than the repurchase price (including accrued interest). Reverse repurchase
agreements involve the risk that (i) the market value of the securities retained in lieu of sale by a Fund may decline below the price of the securities the Fund has sold but is obligated to repurchase and (ii) the price of the securities sold may
decline below the price at which the Fund is required to repurchase them. In addition, if the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, such buyer or its trustee or receiver may receive an
extension of time to determine whether to enforce a Fund’s obligations to repurchase the securities and the Fund’s use of the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement may effectively be restricted pending such decision.
Rule 2a-7 Requirements.
Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act sets forth portfolio maturity, liquidity, diversification and quality requirements applicable to all money market funds.
Maturity.
Each Fund is managed so that the dollar-weighted average maturity of all of its investments will be 60 days or less, and the dollar-weighted average life of all of its investments will be
120 days or less. In addition, the Funds will not acquire any instrument with a remaining maturity of greater than 397 days. The “dollar-weighted average maturity” of a Fund is the average amount of time until the issuers of the debt
securities in the Fund’s portfolio must pay off the principal amount of the debt. “Dollar-weighted” means the larger the dollar value of a debt security in a Fund, the more weight it gets in calculating this average. To calculate
the dollar-weighted average maturity, the Fund may treat a variable or floating rate security under certain circumstances as having a maturity equal to the time remaining to the security’s next interest rate reset date rather than the
security’s actual maturity. “Dollar-weighted average life” of a Fund’s portfolio is calculated without reference to the exceptions used in calculating the dollar-weighted average maturity for variable or floating rate
securities regarding the use of interest rate reset dates.
Liquidity.
Rule 2a-7 contains a “general liquidity requirement” that requires that each Fund hold securities that are sufficiently liquid to meet reasonably foreseeable shareholder redemptions in
light of its obligations under section 22(e) of the Investment Company Act, and any commitments the Fund has made to shareholders. To comply with this general liquidity requirement, each Fund’s adviser or sub-adviser must consider factors that
could affect the Fund’s liquidity needs, including characteristics of the Fund’s investors and their likely redemptions. Depending upon the volatility of its cash flows (particularly shareholder redemptions), this provision may require a
Fund to maintain greater liquidity than would be required by the daily and weekly minimum liquidity requirements discussed below. The Funds will not acquire any security other than daily liquid assets unless, immediately following such purchase, at
least 10% of its total assets would be invested in daily liquid assets. The Funds will not acquire any security other than weekly liquid assets unless, immediately following such purchase, at least 30% of its total assets would be invested in weekly
liquid assets. “Daily Liquid Assets” include (i) cash; (ii) direct obligations of the U.S. Government; (iii) securities that will mature, as determined without reference to the maturity shortening provisions of Rule 2a-7 regarding
interest rate readjustments, or are subject to a demand feature that is exercisable and payable within one
business day; and (iv) amounts receivable and due unconditionally within one
business day on pending sales of portfolio securities. “Weekly Liquid Assets” include (i) cash; (ii) direct obligations of the U.S. Government; (iii) U.S. Government securities issued by a person controlled or supervised by and acting as
an instrumentality of the U.S. Government pursuant to authority granted by the U.S. Congress, that are issued at a discount to the principal amount to be repaid at maturity without provision for the payment of interest and have a remaining maturity
of 60 days or less; (iv) securities that will mature, as determined without reference to the maturity shortening provisions of Rule 2a-7 regarding interest rate readjustments, or are subject to a demand feature that is exercisable and payable within
five business days; and (v) amounts receivable and due unconditionally within five business days on pending sales of portfolio securities. No Fund will invest more than 5% of the value of its total assets in securities that are illiquid (
i.e.
, securities that cannot be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the value ascribed to them by the Fund).
Portfolio Diversification and Quality.
Immediately after the acquisition of any security, taxable money market funds must not have invested more than: Five percent of its total assets in securities issued by the issuer of the security,
provided, however, such a fund may invest up to twenty-five percent of its total assets in the securities of a single issuer for a period of up to three business days after the acquisition thereof; provided, further, that the fund may not invest in
the securities of more than one issuer in accordance with the foregoing proviso at any time; and ten percent of its total assets in securities issued by or subject to demand features or guarantees from the institution that issued the demand feature
or guarantee.
Government Money
Market Funds.
A government money market fund invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in obligations of the U.S. government, including obligations of the U.S. Treasury and federal agencies and
instrumentalities, as well as repurchase agreements collateralized by government securities. Under Rule 2a-7, a government money market fund may, but is not required to, impose liquidity fees and suspend redemptions. The Board of Directors has
determined that each Fund that is a government money market fund will not be subject to liquidity fees and redemption gates under Rule 2a-7.
Securities Lending.
Each Fund may lend portfolio securities to certain borrowers determined to be creditworthy by BlackRock, including to borrowers affiliated with BlackRock. The borrowers provide collateral that is maintained in an amount
at least equal to the current market value of the securities loaned. No securities loan shall be made on behalf of a Fund if, as a result, the aggregate value of all securities loans of the particular Fund exceeds one-third of the value of such
Fund’s total assets (including the value of the collateral received). A Fund may terminate a loan at any time and obtain the return of the securities loaned. Each Fund is paid the value of any interest or cash or non-cash distributions paid on
the loaned securities that it would have otherwise received if the securities were not on loan.
With respect to loans that are
collateralized by cash, the borrower may be entitled to receive a fee based on the amount of cash collateral. The Funds are compensated by the difference between the amount earned on the reinvestment of cash collateral and the fee paid to the
borrower. In the case of collateral other than cash, a Fund is compensated by a fee paid by the borrower equal to a percentage of the market value of the loaned securities. Any cash collateral received by the Fund for such loans, and uninvested
cash, may be invested, among other things, in a private investment company managed by an affiliate of the Manager
or in registered money market funds
advised by the Manager or its affiliates; such investments are subject to investment risk.
Securities lending involves exposure to
certain risks, including operational risk (i.e., the risk of losses resulting from problems in the settlement and accounting process), “gap” risk (i.e., the risk of a mismatch between the return on cash collateral reinvestments and the
fees each Fund has agreed to pay a borrower), and credit, legal, counterparty and market risk. If a securities lending counterparty were to default, a Fund would be subject to the risk of a possible delay in receiving collateral or in recovering the
loaned securities, or to a possible loss of rights in the collateral. In the event a borrower does not return a Fund’s securities as agreed, the Fund may experience losses if the proceeds received from liquidating the collateral do not at
least equal the value of the loaned security at the time the collateral is liquidated, plus the transaction costs incurred in purchasing replacement securities. This event could trigger adverse tax consequences for a Fund. A Fund could lose money if
its short-term investment of the collateral declines in value over the period of the loan. Substitute payments for dividends received by a Fund for securities loaned out by the Fund will not be considered qualified dividend income. The securities
lending agent will take the tax effects on shareholders of this difference into account in connection with the Fund’s securities lending program. Substitute payments received on tax-exempt securities loaned out will not be tax-exempt
income.
Structured Notes.
Structured notes and other related instruments purchased by a Fund are generally privately negotiated debt obligations where the principal and/or interest is determined by reference to the performance of a specific
asset, benchmark asset, market or interest rate (“reference measure”). Issuers of structured notes include
corporations and banks. The interest rate or the principal amount payable
upon maturity or redemption may increase or decrease, depending upon changes in the value of the reference measure. The terms of a structured note may provide that, in certain circumstances, no principal is due at maturity and, therefore, may result
in a loss of invested capital by a Fund. The interest and/or principal payments that may be made on a structured product may vary widely, depending on a variety of factors, including the volatility of the reference measure.
Structured notes may be positively or
negatively indexed, so the appreciation of the reference measure may produce an increase or a decrease in the interest rate or the value of the principal at maturity. The rate of return on structured notes may be determined by applying a multiplier
to the performance or differential performance of reference measures. Application of a multiplier involves leverage that will serve to magnify the potential for gain and the risk of loss.
The purchase of structured notes exposes a
Fund to the credit risk of the issuer of the structured product. Structured notes may also be more volatile, less liquid, and more difficult to price accurately than less complex securities and instruments or more traditional debt securities. The
secondary market for structured notes could be illiquid making them difficult to sell when the Fund determines to sell them. The possible lack of a liquid secondary market for structured notes and the resulting inability of the Fund to sell a
structured note could expose the Fund to losses and could make structured notes more difficult for the Fund to value accurately.
Taxable Money Market Securities.
Certain Funds may invest in a variety of taxable money market securities (“Taxable Securities”). The Taxable Securities in which certain Funds may invest consist of U.S. Government securities, U.S.
Government agency securities, domestic bank certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances, short term corporate debt securities such as commercial paper and repurchase agreements. These investments must have a maturity not in excess of 397
days (13 months) from the date of purchase.
The standards applicable to Taxable
Securities in which certain Funds invest are essentially the same as those described above with respect to Municipal Securities. Certain Funds may not invest in any security issued by a depository institution unless such institution is organized and
operating in the United States, has total assets of at least $1 billion and is federally insured. Taxable Securities in which the Funds invest will be determined by the Manager to present minimal credit risks to the Fund, and certain Funds may
require that portfolio investments (or their issuers) receive minimum credit ratings from one or more NRSROs, or if not rated, are determined by the Manager to be of comparable quality to securities that have received such rating(s).
U.S. Government Obligations.
Examples of the types of U.S. Government obligations that may be held by certain Funds include U.S. Treasury Bills, Treasury Notes and Treasury Bonds and the obligations of the Federal Housing Administration, Farmers
Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Small Business Administration, the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”), the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), Federal
Financing Bank, General Services Administration, The Co-operative Central Bank, Federal Home Loan Banks, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”), Farm Credit System and Tennessee Valley Authority. Certain Funds may
also invest in mortgage-related securities issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies and instrumentalities, including such obligations of Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
To the extent consistent with their
respective investment objectives, the Funds may invest in a variety of U.S. Treasury obligations and obligations issued by or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies, instrumentalities or U.S. Government sponsored enterprises. Not all U.S.
Government obligations carry the same credit support. No assurance can be given that the U.S. Government would provide financial support to its agencies, instrumentalities or U.S. Government sponsored enterprises if it were not obligated to do so by
law. There is no assurance that these commitments will be undertaken or complied with in the future.
In addition, certain Funds may invest in
U.S. Treasury Floating Rate Notes (FRNs), which are two-year notes issued by the U.S. Treasury. The interest rate of an FRN changes over the life of the FRN and is the sum of an index rate and a spread. The index rate of an FRN is tied to the
highest accepted discount rate of the most recent 13-week Treasury bill and is re-set every week. The spread is a rate applied to the index rate. The spread stays the same for the life of an FRN. The spread is determined at the auction where the FRN
is first offered. The spread is the highest accepted discount margin in that auction. See also “Variable and Floating Rate Instruments” below.
Variable and Floating Rate Instruments.
Certain Funds may purchase variable and floating rate instruments. Variable and floating rate instruments are subject to the credit quality standards described in the prospectuses. A Fund invests in variable or floating
rate notes only when the Manager deems the investment to involve minimal credit risk. In some cases, the Funds may require that the obligation to pay the principal of the instrument be backed by a letter of credit or guarantee. Such instruments may
carry stated maturities in excess of 13 months provided that the
maturity-shortening provisions stated in Rule 2a-7 are satisfied. Although a
particular variable or floating rate demand instrument may not be actively traded in a secondary market, in some cases, a Fund may be entitled to principal on demand and may be able to resell such notes in the dealer market.
Variable and floating rate instruments held
by a Fund generally may have maturities of more than 13 months provided: (i) they are subject to a demand feature entitling the Fund to the payment of principal and interest within 13 months of exercise, unless the instrument is issued or guaranteed
by the U.S. Government or its agencies and/or instrumentalities, and (ii) the rate of interest on such instruments is adjusted at periodic intervals which may extend up to 13 months.
In determining a Fund’s weighted
average portfolio maturity and whether a long-term variable rate demand instrument has a remaining maturity of 13 months or less, the instrument will be deemed by a Fund to have a maturity equal to the longer of the period remaining until its next
interest rate adjustment or the period remaining until the principal amount can be recovered through demand. In determining a Fund’s weighted average portfolio maturity and whether a long-term floating rate demand instrument has a remaining
maturity of 13 months or less, the instrument will be deemed by a Fund to have a maturity equal to the period remaining until the principal amount can be recovered through demand. In addition, a variable or floating rate instrument issued or
guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies and/or instrumentalities will be deemed by a Fund to have a maturity equal to the period remaining until its next interest rate adjustment (in the case of a variable rate instrument) or one day (in
the case of a floating rate instrument). Variable and floating rate notes are frequently rated by credit rating agencies, and their issuers must satisfy the Fund’s quality and maturity requirements. If an issuer of such a note were to default
on its payment obligation, the Fund might be unable to dispose of the note because of the absence of an active secondary market and might, for this or other reasons, suffer a loss.
When Issued Securities, Delayed Delivery
Securities and Forward Commitments.
A Fund may purchase or sell securities that it is entitled to receive on a when issued basis. A Fund may also purchase or sell securities on a delayed delivery basis or through a
forward commitment (including on a “TBA” (to be announced) basis). These transactions involve the purchase or sale of securities by a Fund at an established price with payment and delivery taking place in the future. The Fund enters into
these transactions to obtain what is considered an advantageous price to the Fund at the time of entering into the transaction. When a Fund purchases securities in these transactions, the Fund segregates liquid securities in an amount equal to the
amount of its purchase commitments.
Pursuant to
recommendations of the Treasury Market Practices Group, which is sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, a Fund or its counterparty generally will be required to post collateral when entering into certain forward-settling transactions,
including without limitation TBA transactions.
There can be no assurance that a security
purchased on a when issued basis will be issued or that a security purchased or sold on a delayed delivery basis or through a forward commitment will be delivered. Also, the value of securities in these transactions on the delivery date may be more
or less than the price paid by the Fund to purchase the securities. The Fund will lose money if the value of the security in such a transaction declines below the purchase price and will not benefit if the value of the security appreciates above the
sale price during the commitment period.
If deemed advisable as a matter of
investment strategy, a Fund may dispose of or renegotiate a commitment after it has been entered into, and may sell securities it has committed to purchase before those securities are delivered to the Fund on the settlement date. In these cases the
Fund may realize a taxable capital gain or loss.
When a Fund engages in when-issued, TBA or
forward commitment transactions, it relies on the other party to consummate the trade. Failure of such party to do so may result in the Fund’s incurring a loss or missing an opportunity to obtain a price considered to be advantageous.
The market value of the securities
underlying a commitment to purchase securities, and any subsequent fluctuations in their market value, is taken into account when determining the market value of a Fund starting on the day the Fund agrees to purchase the securities. The Fund does
not earn interest on the securities it has committed to purchase until they are paid for and delivered on the settlement date.
Diversification Status
Each Fund’s investments will be
limited in order to allow the Fund to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under the Code. To qualify, among other requirements, each Fund will limit its investments so that at the close of each quarter of the
taxable year (i) at least 50% of the market value of each Fund’s total assets is represented by cash, securities of other RICs, U.S. government securities and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer,
to an amount not greater than 5% of the Fund’s
assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such
issuer and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs) of any one issuer, any two or more issuers that the Fund controls and that are determined
to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or businesses or in the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships (
i.e.
, partnerships that are traded on an
established securities market or tradable on a secondary market, other than partnerships that derive 90% of their income from interest, dividends, capital gains, and other traditional permitted mutual fund income). See “Dividends and Taxes
— Taxes.”
Each Fund has
elected to be classified as “diversified” under the Investment Company Act. Each Fund must also satisfy the diversification requirements set forth in Rule 2a-7.
Management and Other Service Arrangements
Trustees and Officers
See Part I, Section III “Information
on Trustees and Officers — Biographical Information,” “— Share Ownership” and “— Compensation of Trustees” of each Fund’s SAI for biographical and certain other information relating to the
Trustees and officers of your Fund, including Trustees’ compensation.
Management Arrangements
Management Services.
The Manager provides each Fund with investment advisory and management services. Subject to the supervision of the Board of Trustees, the Manager is responsible for the actual management of a Fund’s portfolio and
reviews the Fund’s holdings in light of its own research analysis and that from other relevant sources. The responsibility for making decisions to buy, sell or hold a particular security rests with the Manager. The Manager performs certain of
the other administrative services and provides all the office space, facilities, equipment and necessary personnel for management of each Fund.
Each Feeder Fund invests all or a portion of
its assets in shares of a Master Portfolio. To the extent a Feeder Fund invests all of its assets in a Master Portfolio, it does not invest directly in portfolio securities and does not require management services. For such Feeder Funds, portfolio
management occurs at the Master Portfolio level.
Management Fee.
Each Fund has entered into a management agreement with the Manager pursuant to which the Manager receives for its services to the Fund monthly compensation at an annual rate based on the average daily net assets of the
Fund. For information regarding specific fee rates for your Fund and the fees paid by your Fund to the Manager for the Fund’s last three fiscal years or other applicable periods, see Part I, Section IV “Management, Advisory and Other
Service Arrangements” of each Fund’s SAI. Each Management Agreement obligates the Manager to provide investment advisory services and to pay, or cause an affiliate to pay, for maintaining its staff and personnel and to provide office
space, facilities and necessary personnel for the Fund. Each Manager is also obligated to pay, or cause an affiliate to pay, the fees of all officers and Trustees of the Fund who are affiliated persons of the Manager or any affiliate.
For Funds that do not
have an administration agreement with the Manager, each Management Agreement obligates the Manager to provide management services and to pay all compensation of and furnish office space for officers and employees of a Fund connected with investment
and economic research, trading and investment management of the Fund, as well as the fees of all Trustees of the Fund who are interested persons of the Fund. Each Fund pays all other expenses incurred in the operation of that Fund, including among
other things: taxes; expenses for legal and auditing services; costs of preparing, printing and mailing proxies, shareholder reports, prospectuses and statements of additional information, except to the extent paid by BlackRock Investments, LLC (the
“Distributor” or “BRIL”), charges of the custodian and sub-custodian, and the transfer agent; expenses of redemption of shares; Commission fees; expenses of registering the shares under Federal, state or foreign laws; fees
and expenses of Trustees who are not interested persons of a Fund as defined in the Investment Company Act; accounting and pricing costs (including the daily calculations of net asset value); insurance; interest; brokerage costs; litigation and
other extraordinary or non-recurring expenses; and other expenses properly payable by the Fund. Certain accounting services are provided to each Fund by State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”), BNY Mellon Investment
Servicing (US) Inc. (“BNY Mellon”) or JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (“JPM”) pursuant to an agreement between State Street, BNY Mellon or JPM and each Fund. Each Fund pays a fee for these services. In addition, the Manager
provides certain accounting services to each Fund and the Fund pays the Manager a fee for such services. The Distributor pays certain promotional expenses of the Funds incurred in connection with the offering of shares of the Funds. Certain expenses
are financed by each Fund pursuant to distribution plans in compliance with Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act. See “Purchase of Shares — Distribution Plans.”
Organization of the Manager.
The Manager, BlackRock Advisors, LLC, is a Delaware limited liability company and an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc.
Duration and Termination.
Unless earlier terminated as described below, each Management Agreement will remain in effect from year to year if approved annually (a) by the Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of
the Fund and (b) by a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to such agreement or interested persons (as defined in the Investment Company Act) of any such party. The Management Agreements are not assignable and may be terminated without
penalty on 60 days’ written notice at the option of either party thereto or by the vote of the shareholders of the Fund.
Other Service Arrangements
Administrative Services and Administrative
Fee.
Certain Funds have entered into an administration agreement (the “Administration Agreement”) with an administrator identified in the Fund’s Prospectus and Part I of the Fund’s SAI (each,
an “Administrator”). For its services to a Fund, the Administrator receives monthly compensation at the annual rate set forth in each applicable Fund’s Prospectus. For information regarding any administrative fees paid by your Fund
to the Administrator for the periods indicated, see Part I, Section IV “Management, Advisory and Other Service Arrangements” of that Fund’s SAI.
For Funds that have an Administrator, the
Administration Agreement obligates the Administrator to provide certain administrative services to the Fund and to pay, or cause its affiliates to pay, for maintaining its staff and personnel and to provide office space, facilities and necessary
personnel for the Fund. Each Administrator is also obligated to pay, or cause its affiliates to pay, the fees of those officers and Trustees of the Fund who are affiliated persons of the Administrator or any of its affiliates.
Duration and Termination of Administration
Agreement.
Unless earlier terminated as described below, each Administration Agreement will continue from year to year if approved annually (a) by the Board of Trustees of each applicable Fund or by a vote of a
majority of the outstanding voting securities of such Fund and (b) by a majority of the Trustees of the Fund who are not parties to such contract or interested persons (as defined in the Investment Company Act) of any such party. Such contract is
not assignable and may be terminated without penalty on written notice at the option of either party thereto or by the vote of the shareholders of the Fund.
Transfer Agency Services.
Each Fund has entered into an agreement with a transfer agent identified in the Fund’s Prospectus and Part I of the Fund’s SAI, pursuant to which the transfer agent is responsible for the issuance, transfer,
and redemption of shares and the opening and maintenance of shareholder accounts. Each Fund pays a fee for these services.
See Part I, Section IV “Management,
Advisory and Other Service Arrangements — Transfer Agency Services” of each Fund’s SAI.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.
The Audit Committee of each Fund, the members of which are non-interested Trustees of the Fund, has selected an independent registered public accounting firm for that Fund that audits the Fund’s financial
statements. Please see the inside back cover page of your Fund’s Prospectus and Part I, Section IX “Additional Information” of each Fund’s SAI for information on your Fund’s independent registered public accounting
firm.
Custodian Services.
The name and address of the custodian (the “Custodian”) of each Fund appears on the inside back cover page of the Fund’s Prospectus. The Custodian is responsible for safeguarding and controlling the
Fund’s cash and securities, handling the receipt and delivery of securities and collecting interest and dividends on the Fund’s investments. The Custodian is authorized to establish separate accounts in foreign currencies and to cause
foreign securities owned by the Fund to be held in its offices outside the United States and with certain foreign banks and securities depositories.
Accounting Services.
Each Fund has entered into an agreement with State Street,
BNY Mellon or JPM, pursuant to which State Street,
BNY Mellon or JPM provides
certain accounting and administrative services to the Fund. Each Fund pays a fee for these services. JPM provides similar accounting services to the Master LLCs. The Manager or the Administrator also provides certain accounting services to each Fund
and each Fund reimburses the Manager or the Administrator for these services.
See Part I, Section IV “Management,
Advisory and Other Service Arrangements — Accounting Services” of each Fund’s SAI for information on the amounts paid by your Fund and, if applicable, Master LLC, to State Street, BNY Mellon or JPM, the Manager and/or the
Administrator for the periods indicated.
Distribution Expenses.
Each Fund has entered into a distribution agreement with the Distributor in connection with the continuous offering of each class of shares of the Fund (the “Distribution Agreement”). The Distribution
Agreement obligates the Distributor to pay certain expenses in connection with the offering of each class of shares of the Funds. After the prospectuses, statements of additional information and periodic reports have been prepared, set in type and
mailed to shareholders, the Distributor pays for the printing and distribution of these documents used in connection with the offering to dealers and investors. The Distributor also pays for other supplementary sales literature and advertising
costs. The Distribution Agreement is subject to the same renewal requirements and termination provisions as the Management Agreement described above. See Part I, Section V “Distribution Related Expenses” of each Fund’s SAI for
information on the fees paid by your Fund for the periods indicated.
Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
The Boards of Trustees of each Fund and the
Board of Directors of the Manager have each approved Portfolio Information Distribution Guidelines (the “Guidelines”) regarding the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio securities, as applicable, and other portfolio information. The
purpose of the Guidelines is to ensure that (i) shareholders and prospective shareholders of the Funds have equal access to portfolio holdings and characteristics and (ii) third parties (such as consultants, intermediaries and third-party data
providers) have access to such information no more frequently than shareholders and prospective shareholders.
Pursuant to the Guidelines, each Fund and
the Manager may, under certain circumstances as set forth below, make selective disclosure with respect to a Fund’s portfolio characteristics and portfolio holdings. Each Board of Trustees has approved the adoption by the Fund of the
Guidelines, and employees of the Manager are responsible for adherence to the Guidelines. The Board of Trustees provides ongoing oversight of the Fund’s and Manager’s compliance with the Guidelines.
Disclosure of material non-public
information (“Confidential Information”) about a Fund’s portfolio is prohibited, except as provided in the Guidelines. Information that is non-material or that may be obtained from public sources (i.e., information that has been
publicly disclosed via a filing with the Commission (e.g., fund annual report), through a press release or placement on a publicly-available internet website, or information derived or calculated from such public sources) shall not be deemed
Confidential Information.
Confidential
Information relating to a Fund may not be distributed to persons not employed by BlackRock unless the Fund has a legitimate business purpose for doing so.
Portfolio Characteristics and Holdings
Disclosure Schedule.
Portfolio characteristics and portfolio holdings may be disclosed in accordance with the below schedule.
Portfolio Characteristics: Portfolio
characteristics include, but are not limited to, sector allocation, credit quality breakdown, maturity distribution, duration and convexity measures, average credit quality, average maturity, average coupon, top 10 holdings with percent of the fund
held, average market capitalization, capitalization range, ROE, P/E, P/B, P/CF, P/S, and EPS. Additional characteristics specific to money market funds include, but are not limited to, historical daily and weekly liquid assets (as defined under Rule
2a-7) and historical fund net inflows and outflows.
•
|
Portfolio Holdings:
Portfolio holdings include, but are not limited to, issuer name, CUSIP, ticker symbol, total shares and market value for equity portfolios and issuer name, CUSIP, ticker symbol, coupon, maturity current face value and market value for fixed income
portfolios. Other information that will be treated as portfolio holdings for purposes of the Guidelines includes but is not limited to quantity, SEDOL, market price, yield, WAL, duration and convexity as of a specific date. For derivatives,
indicative data may also be provided, including but not limited to, pay leg, receive leg, notional amount, reset frequency, and trade counterparty. Risk related information (e.g. value at risk, standard deviation) will be treated as portfolio
holdings.
|
|
Open-End
Mutual Funds (Excluding Money Market Funds)
|
|
Time
Periods (Calendar Days)
|
Prior
to 5
Calendar Days
After Month-End
|
5-20
Calendar
Days After
Month-End
|
20
Calendar Days After Month-End To Date of Public Filing
|
Portfolio
Holdings
|
Cannot
disclose without non-disclosure or confidentiality agreement and Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) approval.
|
May
disclose to shareholders, prospective shareholders, intermediaries, consultants and third-party data providers (e.g., Lipper, Morningstar and Bloomberg), except with respect to Global Allocation funds* (whose holdings may be disclosed 40 calendar
days after quarter-end based on the applicable fund’s fiscal year end). If portfolio holdings are disclosed to one party, they must also be disclosed to all other parties requesting the same information.
|
Portfolio
Characteristics
|
Cannot
disclose without non-disclosure or confidentiality agreement and CCO approval*
,
**
|
May
disclose to shareholders, prospective shareholders, intermediaries, consultants and third-party data providers (e.g., Lipper, Morningstar and Bloomberg). If portfolio characteristics are disclosed to one party, they must also be disclosed to all
other parties requesting the same information.
|
*Global
Allocation:
For purposes of portfolio holdings, Global Allocation funds include BlackRock Global Allocation Fund, Inc., BlackRock Global Allocation Portfolio of BlackRock Series Fund, Inc. and BlackRock Global
Allocation V.I. Fund of BlackRock Variable Series Funds, Inc. Information on certain portfolio characteristics of BlackRock Global Allocation Portfolio and BlackRock Global Allocation V.I. Fund are available, upon request, to insurance companies
that use these funds as underlying investments (and to advisers and sub-advisers of funds invested in BlackRock Global Allocation Portfolio and BlackRock Global Allocation V.I. Fund) in their variable annuity contracts and variable life insurance
policies on a weekly basis (or such other period as may be determined to be appropriate). Disclosure of such characteristics of these two funds constitutes a disclosure of Confidential Information and is being made for reasons deemed appropriate by
BlackRock and in accordance with the requirements set forth in the Guidelines.
**Strategic Income Opportunities:
Information on certain portfolio characteristics of the
Strategic Income Opportunities Portfolio may be made available to shareholders, prospective shareholders, intermediaries, consultants and third party data providers, upon request on a more frequent basis as may be deemed appropriate by BlackRock
from time-to-time.
|
|
Money
Market Funds
|
|
Time
Periods (Calendar Days)
|
Prior
to 5 Calendar Days
After Month-End
|
5
Calendar Days After
Month-End to Date of Public Filing
|
Portfolio
Holdings
|
Cannot
disclose without non-disclosure or confidentiality agreement and CCO approval except the following portfolio holdings information may be released as follows:
• Weekly portfolio holdings information
released on the website at least one business day after week-end.
• Other information as may be required under Rule 2a-7 (e.g., name of issuer, category of investment, principal amount, maturity
dates, yields).
|
May
disclose to shareholders, prospective shareholders, intermediaries, consultants and third-party data providers. If portfolio holdings are disclosed to one party, they must also be disclosed to all other parties requesting the same information.
|
Portfolio
Characteristics
|
Cannot
disclose without non-disclosure or confidentiality agreement and CCO approval except the following information may be released on the Fund’s website daily:
• Historical net asset values per
share (“NAVs”) calculated based on market factors (e.g., marked to market)
• Percentage of fund assets invested in daily and weekly liquid assets (as defined under Rule 2a-7)
• Daily net inflows and outflows
• Yields, SEC yields, WAM, WAL, current assets
• Other information as may be
required by Rule 2a-7
|
May
disclose to shareholders, prospective shareholders, intermediaries, consultants and third-party data providers. If portfolio characteristics are disclosed to one party, they must also be disclosed to all other parties requesting the same
information.
|
Guidelines for Confidential and Non-Material
Information.
Confidential Information may be disclosed to the Fund’s Board of Trustees and its counsel, outside counsel for the Fund, the Fund’s auditors and to certain third-party service providers
(i.e., fund administrator, custodian, proxy voting service) for which a non-disclosure or confidentiality agreement is in place with such service providers. With respect to Confidential Information, the Fund’s CCO or his or her designee may
authorize the following, subject in the case of (ii) and (iii) to a confidentiality or non-disclosure arrangement:
(i)
|
the preparation and posting
of the Fund’s portfolio holdings and/or portfolio characteristics to its website on a more frequent basis than authorized above;
|
(ii)
|
the disclosure of the
Fund’s portfolio holdings to third-party service providers not noted above; and
|
(iii)
|
the
disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings and/or portfolio characteristics to other parties for legitimate business purposes.
|
Fact Sheets and Reports
•
|
Fund Fact Sheets are
available to shareholders, prospective shareholders, intermediaries and consultants on a monthly or quarterly basis no earlier than the fifth calendar day after the end of a month or quarter.
|
•
|
Money
Market Performance Reports are available to shareholders, prospective shareholders, intermediaries and consultants by the tenth calendar day of the month (and on a one day lag for certain institutional funds). They contain monthly money market Fund
performance, rolling 12-month average and benchmark performance.
|
Other Information.
The Guidelines shall also apply to other Confidential Information of a Fund such as performance attribution analyses or security-specific information (e.g., information about Fund holdings where an issuer has been
downgraded, been acquired or declared bankruptcy).
Data on NAVs, asset levels (by total Fund
and share class), accruals, yields, capital gains, dividends and fund returns (net of fees by share class) are generally available to shareholders, prospective shareholders, consultants and third-party data providers upon request, as soon as such
data is available.
Contact
Information.
For information about portfolio holdings and characteristics, BlackRock fund shareholders and prospective investors should call the number set out on the back cover of the Prospectus.
Compensation.
Neither a Fund, a service provider nor any of their affiliated persons (as that term is defined in the Investment Company Act) shall receive compensation in any form in connection with the disclosure of information about
such Fund’s portfolio securities.
Ongoing Arrangements.
The Manager has entered into ongoing agreements to provide selective disclosure of Fund portfolio holdings to the following persons or entities:
1.
|
Fund’s Board of
Trustees and, if necessary, Independent Trustees’ counsel and Fund counsel.
|
2.
|
Fund’s transfer agent.
|
3.
|
Fund’s Custodian.
|
4.
|
Fund’s Administrator,
if applicable.
|
5.
|
Fund’s independent
registered public accounting firm.
|
6.
|
Fund’s accounting
services provider.
|
7.
|
Independent rating agencies
— Morningstar, Inc., Lipper Inc., S&P, Moody’s, Fitch.
|
8.
|
Information
aggregators — Markit on Demand, Thomson Financial and Bloomberg, eVestments Alliance, Informa/PSN Investment Solutions, Crane Data and iMoneyNet.
|
9.
|
Sponsors of 401(k) plans
that include BlackRock-advised funds — E.I. Dupont de Nemours and Company, Inc.
|
10.
|
Sponsors and consultants for
pension and retirement plans that invest in BlackRock-advised funds — Rocaton Investment Advisors, LLC, Mercer Investment Consulting, Callan Associates, Brockhouse & Cooper, Cambridge Associates, Morningstar/Investorforce, Russell
Investments (Mellon Analytical Solutions), Wilshire Associates and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
|
11.
|
Pricing
Vendors — Reuters Pricing Service, Bloomberg, FT Interactive Data (FT IDC), ITG, Telekurs Financial, FactSet Research Systems, Inc., JP Morgan Pricing Direct (formerly Bear Stearns Pricing Service), Standard and Poor’s Security
Evaluations Service, Lehman Index Pricing, Bank of America High Yield Index, Loan Pricing Corporation (LPC), LoanX, Super Derivatives, IBoxx Index, Barclays Euro Gov’t Inflation-Linked Bond Index, JPMorgan Emerging & Developed Market
Index, Reuters/WM Company, Nomura BPI Index, Japan Securities Dealers Association, Valuation Research Corporation and Murray, Devine & Co., Inc.
|
12.
|
Portfolio Compliance
Consultants — Oracle/i-Flex Solutions, Inc.
|
13.
|
Third-party feeder funds
— Hewitt Money Market Fund, Hewitt Series Fund, Hewitt Financial Services LLC, Homestead, Inc., Transamerica, State Farm Mutual Fund and Sterling Capital Funds and their respective boards, sponsors, administrators and other service providers.
|
14.
|
Affiliated feeder funds
—BlackRock Cayman Treasury Money Market Fund Ltd. and its board, sponsor, administrator and other service providers.
|
15.
|
Other
— Investment Company Institute, Mizuho Asset Management Co., Ltd., Nationwide Fund Advisors and State Street Bank and Trust Company.
|
With respect to each such arrangement, a
Fund has a legitimate business purpose for the release of information. The release of the information is subject to confidential treatment to prohibit the entity from sharing with an unauthorized source or trading upon the information provided. The
Funds, the Manager and their affiliates do not receive any compensation or other consideration in connection with such arrangements.
The Funds and the Manager monitor, to the
extent possible, the use of Confidential Information by the individuals or firms to which it has been disclosed. To do so, in addition to the requirements of any applicable confidentiality agreement and/or the terms and conditions of the
Fund’s and Manager’s Codes of Ethics — all of which require persons or entities in possession of Confidential Information to keep such information confidential and not to trade on such information for their own benefit — the
Manager’s compliance personnel under the supervision of the Fund’s CCO, monitor the Manager’s securities trading desks to determine whether individuals or firms who have received Confidential Information have made any trades on the
basis of that information. In addition, the Manager maintains an internal restricted list to prevent trading by the personnel of the Manager or its affiliates in
securities — including securities held
by a Fund — about which the Manager has Confidential Information. There can be no assurance, however, that the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the selective disclosure of portfolio holdings will prevent the misuse of such
information by individuals or firms that receive such information.
Potential Conflicts of Interest
The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.
(“PNC”) has a significant economic interest in BlackRock, Inc., the parent of BlackRock Advisors, LLC, the Funds’ investment adviser. BlackRock, Inc. and PNC are considered to be affiliated persons of one another under the
Investment Company Act. Certain activities of BlackRock Advisors, LLC, BlackRock, Inc. and their affiliates (collectively referred to in this section as “BlackRock”) and PNC and its affiliates (collectively, “PNC” and
together with BlackRock, “Affiliates”), with respect to the Funds and/or other accounts managed by BlackRock or PNC, may give rise to actual or perceived conflicts of interest such as those described below.
BlackRock is one of the
world’s largest asset management firms. PNC is a diversified financial services organization spanning the retail, business and corporate markets. BlackRock, PNC and their respective affiliates (including, for these purposes, their directors,
partners, trustees, managing members, officers and employees), including the entities and personnel who may be involved in the investment activities and business operations of a Fund, are engaged worldwide in businesses, including managing equities,
fixed income securities, cash and alternative investments, and banking and other financial services, and have interests other than that of managing the Funds. These are considerations of which investors in a Fund should be aware, and which may cause
conflicts of interest that could disadvantage a Fund and its shareholders. These businesses and interests include potential multiple advisory, transactional, financial and other relationships with, or interests in companies and interests in
securities or other instruments that may be purchased or sold by a Fund.
BlackRock and its Affiliates have
proprietary interests in, and may manage or advise with respect to, accounts or funds (including separate accounts and other funds and collective investment vehicles) that have investment objectives similar to those of a Fund and/or that engage in
transactions in the same types of securities, currencies and instruments as the Fund. One or more Affiliates are also major participants in the global currency, equities, swap and fixed income markets, in each case, for the accounts of clients and,
in some cases, on a proprietary basis. As such, one or more Affiliates are or may be actively engaged in transactions in the same securities, currencies, and instruments in which a Fund invests. Such activities could affect the prices and
availability of the securities, currencies, and instruments in which a Fund invests, which could have an adverse impact on a Fund’s performance. Such transactions, particularly in respect of most proprietary accounts or client accounts, will
be executed independently of a Fund’s transactions and thus at prices or rates that may be more or less favorable than those obtained by the Fund.
When BlackRock and its Affiliates seek to
purchase or sell the same assets for their managed accounts, including a Fund, the assets actually purchased or sold may be allocated among the accounts on a basis determined in their good faith discretion to be equitable. In some cases, this system
may adversely affect the size or price of the assets purchased or sold for a Fund. In addition, transactions in investments by one or more other accounts managed by BlackRock or its Affiliates may have the effect of diluting or otherwise
disadvantaging the values, prices or investment strategies of a Fund, particularly, but not limited to, with respect to small capitalization, emerging market or less liquid strategies. This may occur when investment decisions regarding a Fund are
based on research or other information that is also used to support decisions for other accounts. When BlackRock or its Affiliates implement a portfolio decision or strategy on behalf of another account ahead of, or contemporaneously with, similar
decisions or strategies for a Fund, market impact, liquidity constraints, or other factors could result in the Fund receiving less favorable trading results and the costs of implementing such decisions or strategies could be increased or the Fund
could otherwise be disadvantaged. BlackRock or its Affiliates may, in certain cases, elect to implement internal policies and procedures designed to limit such consequences, which may cause a Fund to be unable to engage in certain activities,
including purchasing or disposing of securities, when it might otherwise be desirable for it to do so.
Conflicts may also arise because portfolio
decisions regarding a Fund may benefit other accounts managed by BlackRock or its Affiliates. For example, the sale of a long position or establishment of a short position by a Fund may impair the price of the same security sold short by (and
therefore benefit) one or more Affiliates or their other accounts or funds, and the purchase of a security or covering of a short position in a security by a Fund may increase the price of the same security held by (and therefore benefit) one or
more Affiliates or their other accounts or funds.
In certain circumstances, BlackRock, on
behalf of the Funds, may seek to buy from or sell securities to another fund or account advised by BlackRock or an Affiliate. BlackRock may (but is not required to) effect purchases and sales between BlackRock clients or clients of Affiliates
(“cross trades”), including the Funds, if BlackRock believes
such transactions are appropriate based on each party’s investment
objectives and guidelines, subject to applicable law and regulation. There may be potential conflicts of interest or regulatory issues relating to these transactions which could limit BlackRock’s decision to engage in these transactions for
the Funds. BlackRock may have a potentially conflicting division of loyalties and responsibilities to the parties in such transactions.
BlackRock and its Affiliates and their
clients may pursue or enforce rights with respect to an issuer in which a Fund has invested, and those activities may have an adverse effect on the Fund. As a result, prices, availability, liquidity and terms of the Fund’s investments may be
negatively impacted by the activities of BlackRock or its Affiliates or their clients, and transactions for the Fund may be impaired or effected at prices or terms that may be less favorable than would otherwise have been the case.
The results of a Fund’s investment
activities may differ significantly from the results achieved by BlackRock and its Affiliates for their proprietary accounts or other accounts (including investment companies or collective investment vehicles) managed or advised by them. It is
possible that one or more Affiliate-managed accounts and such other accounts will achieve investment results that are substantially more or less favorable than the results achieved by a Fund. Moreover, it is possible that a Fund will sustain losses
during periods in which one or more Affiliates or Affiliate-managed accounts achieve significant profits on their trading for proprietary or other accounts. The opposite result is also possible.
From time to time, a Fund may be restricted
from purchasing or selling securities, or from engaging in other investment activities because of regulatory, legal or contractual requirements applicable to BlackRock or one or more Affiliates or other accounts managed or advised by BlackRock or
its Affiliates for clients worldwide, and/or the internal policies of BlackRock and its Affiliates designed to comply with such requirements. As a result, there may be periods, for example, when BlackRock and/or one or more Affiliates will not
initiate or recommend certain types of transactions in certain securities or instruments with respect to which BlackRock and/or one or more Affiliates are performing services or when position limits have been reached. For example, the investment
activities of one or more Affiliates for their proprietary accounts and accounts under their management may limit the investment opportunities for a Fund in certain emerging and other markets in which limitations are imposed upon the amount of
investment, in the aggregate or in individual issuers, by affiliated foreign investors.
In connection with its management of a Fund,
BlackRock may have access to certain fundamental analysis and proprietary technical models developed by one or more Affiliates. BlackRock will not be under any obligation, however, to effect transactions on behalf of a Fund in accordance with such
analysis and models. In addition, neither BlackRock nor any of its Affiliates will have any obligation to make available any information regarding their proprietary activities or strategies, or the activities or strategies used for other accounts
managed by them, for the benefit of the management of a Fund and it is not anticipated that BlackRock will have access to such information for the purpose of managing the Fund. The proprietary activities or portfolio strategies of BlackRock and its
Affiliates, or the activities or strategies used for accounts managed by them or other client accounts could conflict with the transactions and strategies employed by BlackRock in managing a Fund.
The Funds may be included in investment
models developed by BlackRock for use by clients and financial advisors. To the extent clients invest in these investment models and increase the assets under management of the Funds, the investment management fee amounts paid by the Funds to
BlackRock may also increase. The liquidity of a Fund may be impacted by redemptions of the Fund by model-driven investment portfolios.
In addition, certain principals and certain
employees of BlackRock are also principals or employees of Affiliates. As a result, these principals and employees may have obligations to such other entities or their clients and such obligations to other entities or clients may be a consideration
of which investors in a Fund should be aware.
BlackRock may enter into transactions and
invest in securities, instruments and currencies on behalf of a Fund in which clients of BlackRock or its Affiliates, or, to the extent permitted by the Commission and applicable law, BlackRock or another Affiliate, serves as the counterparty,
principal or issuer. In such cases, such party’s interests in the transaction will be adverse to the interests of the Fund, and such party may have no incentive to assure that the Fund obtains the best possible prices or terms in connection
with the transactions. In addition, the purchase, holding and sale of such investments by a Fund may enhance the profitability of BlackRock or its Affiliates. One or more Affiliates may also create, write or issue derivatives for their clients, the
underlying securities, currencies or instruments of which may be those in which a Fund invests or which may be based on the performance of the Fund. A Fund may, subject to applicable law, purchase investments that are the subject of an underwriting
or other distribution by one or more Affiliates and may also enter into transactions with other clients of an Affiliate where such other clients have interests adverse to those of the Fund.
At times, these activities may cause
departments of BlackRock or its Affiliates to give advice to clients that may cause these clients to take actions adverse to the interests of the Fund. To the extent affiliated transactions are permitted, a Fund will deal with Affiliates on an
arms-length basis.
To the extent
authorized by applicable law, one or more Affiliates may act as broker, dealer, agent, lender or adviser or in other commercial capacities for a Fund. It is anticipated that the commissions, mark-ups, mark-downs, financial advisory fees,
underwriting and placement fees, sales fees, financing and commitment fees, brokerage fees, other fees, compensation or profits, rates, terms and conditions charged by an Affiliate will be in its view commercially reasonable, although each
Affiliate, including its sales personnel, will have an interest in obtaining fees and other amounts that are favorable to the Affiliate and such sales personnel, which may have an adverse effect on the Funds.
Subject to applicable law, the Affiliates
(and their personnel and other distributors) will be entitled to retain fees and other amounts that they receive in connection with their service to the Funds as broker, dealer, agent, lender, adviser or in other commercial capacities. No accounting
to the Funds or their shareholders will be required, and no fees or other compensation payable by the Funds or their shareholders will be reduced by reason of receipt by an Affiliate of any such fees or other amounts.
When an Affiliate acts as broker, dealer,
agent, adviser or in other commercial capacities in relation to the Funds, the Affiliate may take commercial steps in its own interests, which may have an adverse effect on the Funds. A Fund will be required to establish business relationships with
its counterparties based on the Fund’s own credit standing. Neither BlackRock nor any of the Affiliates will have any obligation to allow their credit to be used in connection with a Fund’s establishment of its business relationships,
nor is it expected that the Fund’s counterparties will rely on the credit of BlackRock or any of the Affiliates in evaluating the Fund’s creditworthiness.
Lending on behalf of the
Funds is done by BlackRock Investment Management, LLC (“BIM”), an Affiliate of BlackRock, pursuant to SEC exemptive relief, enabling BIM to act as securities lending agent to, and receive a share of securities lending revenues from, the
Funds. An Affiliate will receive compensation for managing the reinvestment of the cash collateral from securities lending. There are potential conflicts of interests in managing a securities lending program, including but not limited to: (i)
BlackRock as lending agent may have an incentive to increase or decrease the amount of securities on loan or to lend particular securities in order to generate additional risk-adjusted revenue for BlackRock and its affiliates; and (ii) BlackRock as
lending agent may have an incentive to allocate loans to clients that would provide more revenue to Blackrock. As described further below, BlackRock seeks to mitigate this conflict by providing its securities lending clients with equal lending
opportunities over time in order to approximate pro-rata allocation.
As part of its securities lending program,
BlackRock indemnifies certain clients and/or funds against a shortfall in collateral in the event of borrower default. BlackRock’s Risk and Quantitative Analytics Group (“RQA”) calculates, on a regular basis, BlackRock’s
potential dollar exposure to the risk of collateral shortfall upon counterparty default (“shortfall risk”) under the securities lending program for both indemnified and non-indemnified clients. On a periodic basis, RQA also determines
the maximum amount of potential indemnified shortfall risk arising from securities lending activities (“indemnification exposure limit”) and the maximum amount of counterparty-specific credit exposure (“credit limits”)
BlackRock is willing to assume as well as the program’s operational complexity. RQA oversees the risk model that calculates projected shortfall values using loan-level factors such as loan and collateral type and market value as well as
specific borrower counterparty credit characteristics. When necessary, RQA may further adjust other securities lending program attributes by restricting eligible collateral or reducing counterparty credit limits. As a result, the management of the
indemnification exposure limit may affect the amount of securities lending activity BlackRock may conduct at any given point in time and impact indemnified and non-indemnified clients by reducing the volume of lending opportunities for certain loans
(including by asset type, collateral type and/or revenue profile).
BlackRock uses a predetermined systematic
process in order to approximate pro-rata allocation over time. In order to allocate a loan to a portfolio: (i) BlackRock as a whole must have sufficient lending capacity pursuant to the various program limits (i.e. indemnification exposure limit and
counterparty credit limits); (ii) the lending portfolio must hold the asset at the time a loan opportunity arrives; and (iii) the lending portfolio must also have enough inventory, either on its own or when aggregated with other portfolios into one
single market delivery, to satisfy the loan request. In doing so, BlackRock seeks to provide equal lending opportunities for all portfolios, independent of whether BlackRock indemnifies the portfolio. Equal opportunities for lending portfolios does
not guarantee equal outcomes. Specifically, short and long-term outcomes for individual clients may vary due to asset mix, asset/liability spreads on different securities, and the overall limits imposed by the firm.
Purchases and sales of securities for a Fund
may be bunched or aggregated with orders for other BlackRock client accounts. BlackRock, however, is not required to bunch or aggregate orders if portfolio management decisions for different accounts are made separately, or if they determine that
bunching or aggregating is not practicable or required, or in cases involving client direction.
Prevailing trading activity frequently may
make impossible the receipt of the same price or execution on the entire volume of securities purchased or sold. When this occurs, the various prices may be averaged, and the Funds will be charged or credited with the average price. Thus, the effect
of the aggregation may operate on some occasions to the disadvantage of the Funds. In addition, under certain circumstances, the Funds will not be charged the same commission or commission equivalent rates in connection with a bunched or aggregated
order.
BlackRock may select brokers
(including, without limitation, Affiliates, to the extent permitted by applicable law) that furnish BlackRock, the Funds, other BlackRock client accounts or other Affiliates or personnel, directly or through correspondent relationships, with
research or other appropriate services which provide, in BlackRock’s view, appropriate assistance to BlackRock in the investment decision-making process (including with respect to futures, fixed-price offerings and over-the-counter
(“OTC”) transactions). Such research or other services may include, to the extent permitted by law, research reports on companies, industries and securities; economic and financial data; financial publications; proxy analysis; trade
industry seminars; computer data bases; research-oriented software and other services and products.
Research or other services obtained in this
manner may be used in servicing any or all of the Funds and other BlackRock client accounts, including in connection with BlackRock client accounts other than those that pay commissions to the broker relating to the research or other service
arrangements. Such products and services may disproportionately benefit other BlackRock client accounts relative to the Funds based on the amount of brokerage commissions paid by the Funds and such other BlackRock client accounts. For example,
research or other services that are paid for through one client’s commissions may not be used in managing that client’s account. In addition, other BlackRock client accounts may receive the benefit, including disproportionate benefits,
of economies of scale or price discounts in connection with products and services that may be provided to the Funds and to such other BlackRock client accounts. To the extent that BlackRock uses soft dollars, it will not have to pay for those
products and services itself.
BlackRock may receive research that is
bundled with the trade execution, clearing, and/or settlement services provided by a particular broker-dealer. To the extent that BlackRock receives research on this basis, many of the same conflicts related to traditional soft dollars may exist.
For example, the research effectively will be paid by client commissions that also will be used to pay for the execution, clearing, and settlement services provided by the broker-dealer and will not be paid by BlackRock.
BlackRock may endeavor to execute trades
through brokers who, pursuant to such arrangements, provide research or other services in order to ensure the continued receipt of research or other services BlackRock believes are useful in its investment decision-making process. BlackRock may from
time to time choose not to engage in the above described arrangements to varying degrees. BlackRock may also enter into commission sharing arrangements under which BlackRock may execute transactions through a broker-dealer, including, where
permitted, an Affiliate, and request that the broker-dealer allocate a portion of the commissions or commission credits to another firm that provides research to BlackRock. To the extent that BlackRock engages in commission sharing arrangements,
many of the same conflicts related to traditional soft dollars may exist.
BlackRock may utilize certain electronic
crossing networks (“ECNs”) (including, without limitation, ECNs in which BlackRock or its Affiliates has an investment or other interest, to the extent permitted by applicable law) in executing client securities transactions for certain
types of securities. These ECNs may charge fees for their services, including access fees and transaction fees. The transaction fees, which are similar to commissions or markups/markdowns, will generally be charged to clients and, like commissions
and markups/markdowns, would generally be included in the cost of the securities purchased. Access fees may be paid by BlackRock even though incurred in connection with executing transactions on behalf of clients, including the Funds. In certain
circumstances, ECNs may offer volume discounts that will reduce the access fees typically paid by BlackRock. BlackRock will only utilize ECNs consistent with its obligation to seek to obtain best execution in client transactions.
BlackRock has adopted policies and
procedures designed to prevent conflicts of interest from influencing proxy voting decisions that it makes on behalf of advisory clients, including the Funds, and to help ensure that such decisions are made in accordance with BlackRock’s
fiduciary obligations to its clients. Nevertheless, notwithstanding such proxy voting policies and procedures, actual proxy voting decisions of BlackRock may have the effect of favoring the interests of other clients or businesses of other divisions
or units of BlackRock and/or its Affiliates, provided that
BlackRock believes such voting decisions to be in accordance with its
fiduciary obligations. For a more detailed discussion of these policies and procedures, see “Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures.”
It is also possible that, from time to time,
BlackRock or its Affiliates may, subject to compliance with applicable law, purchase and hold shares of a Fund. Increasing a Fund’s assets may enhance investment flexibility and diversification and may contribute to economies of scale that
tend to reduce the Fund’s expense ratio. BlackRock and its Affiliates reserve the right, subject to compliance with applicable law, to redeem at any time some or all of the shares of a Fund acquired for their own accounts. A large redemption
of shares of a Fund by BlackRock or its Affiliates could significantly reduce the asset size of the Fund, which might have an adverse effect on the Fund’s investment flexibility, portfolio diversification and expense ratio. BlackRock seeks to
consider the effect of redemptions on a Fund and other shareholders in deciding whether to redeem its shares.
It is possible that a Fund may invest in
securities of, or engage in transactions with, companies with which an Affiliate has developed or is trying to develop investment banking relationships as well as securities of entities in which BlackRock or its Affiliates has significant debt or
equity investments or other interests or in which an Affiliate makes a market. A Fund also may invest in securities of, or engage in transactions with, companies to which an Affiliate provides or may in the future provide research coverage. Such
investments or transactions could cause conflicts between the interests of a Fund and the interests of BlackRock, other clients of BlackRock or its Affiliates. In making investment decisions for a Fund, BlackRock is not permitted to obtain or use
material non-public information acquired by any division, department or Affiliate of BlackRock in the course of these activities. In addition, from time to time, the activities of an Affiliate may limit a Fund’s flexibility in purchases and
sales of securities. When an Affiliate is engaged in an underwriting or other distribution of securities of an entity, BlackRock may be prohibited from purchasing or recommending the purchase of certain securities of that entity for a Fund. As
indicated below, BlackRock or its Affiliates may engage in transactions with companies in which BlackRock-advised funds or other clients of BlackRock or of an Affiliate have an investment.
BlackRock and Chubb Limited
(“Chubb”), a public company whose securities are held by BlackRock-advised funds and other accounts, partially funded the creation of a re-insurance company (“Re Co”) pursuant to which each has approximately a 9.9% ownership
interest and each has representation on the board of directors. Certain employees and executives of BlackRock have a less than ½ of 1% ownership interest in Re Co. BlackRock manages the investment portfolio of Re Co, which is held in a
wholly-owned subsidiary. Re Co participates as a reinsurer with reinsurance contracts underwritten by subsidiaries of Chubb. An independent director of certain BlackRock-advised funds also serves as an independent director of Chubb and has no
interest or involvement in the Re Co transaction.
BlackRock and its Affiliates, their
personnel and other financial service providers may have interests in promoting sales of the Funds. With respect to BlackRock and its Affiliates and their personnel, the remuneration and profitability relating to services to and sales of the Funds
or other products may be greater than remuneration and profitability relating to services to and sales of certain funds or other products that might be provided or offered. BlackRock and its Affiliates and their sales personnel may directly or
indirectly receive a portion of the fees and commissions charged to the Funds or their shareholders. BlackRock and its advisory or other personnel may also benefit from increased amounts of assets under management. Fees and commissions may also be
higher than for other products or services, and the remuneration and profitability to BlackRock or its Affiliates and such personnel resulting from transactions on behalf of or management of the Funds may be greater than the remuneration and
profitability resulting from other funds or products.
BlackRock and its Affiliates and their
personnel may receive greater compensation or greater profit in connection with an account for which BlackRock serves as an adviser than with an account advised by an unaffiliated investment adviser. Differentials in compensation may be related to
the fact that BlackRock may pay a portion of its advisory fee to its Affiliate, or relate to compensation arrangements, including for portfolio management, brokerage transactions or account servicing. Any differential in compensation may create a
financial incentive on the part of BlackRock or its Affiliates and their personnel to recommend BlackRock over unaffiliated investment advisers or to effect transactions differently in one account over another.
BlackRock and its Affiliates may provide
valuation assistance to certain clients with respect to certain securities or other investments and the valuation recommendations made for their clients’ accounts may differ from the valuations for the same securities or investments assigned
by a Fund’s pricing vendors, especially if such valuations are based on broker-dealer quotes or other data sources unavailable to the Fund’s pricing vendors. While BlackRock will generally communicate its valuation information or
determinations to a Fund’s pricing vendors and/or fund accountants, there may be instances where the Fund’s pricing vendors or fund accountants assign a different valuation to a security or other investment than the valuation for such
security or investment determined or recommended by BlackRock.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, a
Fund may invest all or some of its short term cash investments in any money market fund or similarly-managed private fund advised or managed by BlackRock. In connection with any such investments, a Fund, to the extent permitted by the Investment
Company Act, may pay its share of expenses of a money market fund or other similarly-managed private fund in which it invests, which may result in a Fund bearing some additional expenses.
BlackRock and its Affiliates and their
directors, officers and employees, may buy and sell securities or other investments for their own accounts and may have conflicts of interest with respect to investments made on behalf of a Fund. As a result of differing trading and investment
strategies or constraints, positions may be taken by directors, officers, employees and Affiliates of BlackRock that are the same, different from or made at different times than positions taken for the Fund. To lessen the possibility that a Fund
will be adversely affected by this personal trading, the Fund, BRIL and BlackRock each have adopted a Code of Ethics in compliance with Section 17(j) of the Investment Company Act that restricts securities trading in the personal accounts of
investment professionals and others who normally come into possession of information regarding the Fund’s portfolio transactions. Each Code of Ethics is also available on the EDGAR Database on the Commission’s Internet site at
http://www.sec.gov, and copies may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by e-mail at publicinfo@sec.gov or by writing the Commission’s Public Reference Section, Washington, DC 20549-0102. Information about accessing documents on the
Commission’s website may be obtained by calling the Commission at (800) SEC-0330.
BlackRock and its Affiliates will not
purchase securities or other property from, or sell securities or other property to, a Fund, except that the Fund may in accordance with rules or guidance adopted under the Investment Company Act engage in transactions with accounts that are
affiliated with the Fund as a result of common officers, directors, or investment advisers or pursuant to exemptive orders granted to the Funds and/or BlackRock by the Commission. These transactions would be effected in circumstances in which
BlackRock determined that it would be appropriate for the Fund to purchase and another client of BlackRock to sell, or the Fund to sell and another client of BlackRock to purchase, the same security or instrument on the same day. From time to time,
the activities of a Fund may be restricted because of regulatory requirements applicable to BlackRock or its Affiliates and/or BlackRock’s internal policies designed to comply with, limit the applicability of, or otherwise relate to such
requirements. A client not advised by BlackRock would not be subject to some of those considerations. There may be periods when BlackRock may not initiate or recommend certain types of transactions, or may otherwise restrict or limit their advice in
certain securities or instruments issued by or related to companies for which an Affiliate is performing investment banking, market making, advisory or other services or has proprietary positions. For example, when an Affiliate is engaged in an
underwriting or other distribution of securities of, or advisory services for, a company, the Funds may be prohibited from or limited in purchasing or selling securities of that company. In addition, when BlackRock is engaged to provide advisory or
risk management services for a company, BlackRock may be prohibited from or limited in purchasing or selling securities of that company on behalf of a Fund, particularly where such services result in BlackRock obtaining material non-public
information about the company (e.g., in connection with participation in a creditors’ committee). Similar situations could arise if personnel of BlackRock or its Affiliates serve as directors of companies the securities of which the Funds wish
to purchase or sell. However, if permitted by applicable law, and where consistent with BlackRock’s policies and procedures (including the necessary implementation of appropriate information barriers), the Funds may purchase securities or
instruments that are issued by such companies, are the subject of an underwriting, distribution, or advisory assignment by an Affiliate or are the subject of an advisory or risk management assignment by BlackRock, or where personnel of BlackRock or
its Affiliates are directors or officers of the issuer.
The investment activities of one or more
Affiliates for their proprietary accounts and for client accounts may also limit the investment strategies and rights of the Funds. For example, in certain circumstances where the Funds invest in securities issued by companies that operate in
certain regulated industries, in certain emerging or international markets, or are subject to corporate or regulatory ownership definitions, or invest in certain futures and derivative transactions, there may be limits on the aggregate amount
invested by Affiliates (including BlackRock) for their proprietary accounts and for client accounts (including the Funds) that may not be exceeded without the grant of a license or other regulatory or corporate consent, or, if exceeded, may cause
BlackRock, the Funds or other client accounts to suffer disadvantages or business restrictions . If certain aggregate ownership thresholds are reached or certain transactions undertaken, the ability of BlackRock on behalf of clients (including the
Funds) to purchase or dispose of investments, or exercise rights or undertake business transactions, may be restricted by regulation or otherwise impaired. As a result, BlackRock on behalf of its clients (including the Funds) may limit purchases,
sell existing investments, or otherwise restrict or limit the exercise of rights (including voting rights) when BlackRock, in its sole discretion, deems it appropriate in light of potential regulatory or other restrictions on ownership or other
consequences resulting from reaching investment thresholds.
In those circumstances where ownership
thresholds or limitations must be observed, BlackRock seeks to allocate limited investment opportunities equitably among clients (including the Funds), taking into consideration benchmark weight and investment strategy. When ownership in certain
securities nears an applicable threshold, BlackRock may limit purchases in such securities to the issuer’s weighting in the applicable benchmark used by BlackRock to manage the Fund. If client (including Fund) holdings of an issuer exceed an
applicable threshold and BlackRock is unable to obtain relief to enable the continued holding of such investments, it may be necessary to sell down these positions to meet the applicable limitations. In these cases, benchmark overweight positions
will be sold prior to benchmark positions being reduced to meet applicable limitations.
In addition to the foregoing, other
ownership thresholds may trigger reporting requirements to governmental and regulatory authorities, and such reports may entail the disclosure of the identity of a client or BlackRock’s intended strategy with respect to such security or
asset.
To the extent permitted by
applicable laws, BlackRock and its Affiliates may maintain securities indices as part of their product offerings. Index based funds seek to track the performance of securities indices and may use the name of the index in the fund name. Index
providers, including BlackRock and its Affiliates may be paid licensing fees for use of their index or index name. BlackRock and its Affiliates will not be obligated to license their indices to BlackRock, and BlackRock cannot be assured that the
terms of any index licensing agreement with BlackRock and its Affiliates will be as favorable as those terms offered to other index licensees.
BlackRock and its Affiliates may not serve
as Authorized Participants in the creation and redemption of iShares exchange-traded funds, but may serve as Authorized Participants of third-party ETFs.
BlackRock may enter into contractual
arrangements with third-party service providers to the Fund (e.g., custodians and administrators) pursuant to which BlackRock receives fee discounts or concessions in recognition of BlackRock’s overall relationship with such service providers.
To the extent that BlackRock is responsible for paying these service providers out of its management fee, the benefits of any such fee discounts or concessions may accrue, in whole or in part, to BlackRock.
BlackRock or its Affiliates own or have an
ownership interest in certain trading, portfolio management, operations and/or information systems used by Fund service providers. These systems are, or will be, used by a Fund service provider in connection with the provision of services to
accounts managed by BlackRock and funds managed and sponsored by BlackRock, including the Funds, that engage the service provider (typically the custodian). A Fund’s service provider remunerates BlackRock or its Affiliates for the use of the
systems. A Fund service provider’s payments to BlackRock or its Affiliates for the use of these systems may enhance the profitability of BlackRock and its Affiliates.
BlackRock’s or its Affiliates’
receipt of fees from a service provider in connection with the use of systems provided by BlackRock or its Affiliates may create an incentive for BlackRock to recommend that a Fund enter into or renew an arrangement with the service provider.
Present and future activities of BlackRock
and its Affiliates, including BlackRock Advisors, LLC, in addition to those described in this section, may give rise to additional conflicts of interest.
Purchase of Shares
Each Fund offers its shares without a sales
charge at a price equal to the net asset value next determined after a purchase order becomes effective. Each Fund attempts to maintain a net asset value per share of $1.00. Share purchase orders are effective on the date Federal Funds become
available to a Fund. If Federal Funds are available to a Fund prior to the determination of net asset value on any business day, the order will be effective on that day. Except as otherwise specified in a Fund’s Prospectus, shares purchased
will begin accruing dividends on the day following the date of purchase. Federal Funds are a commercial bank’s deposits in a Federal Reserve Bank and can be transferred from one member bank’s account to that of another member bank on the
same day and thus are considered to be immediately available funds. Any order may be rejected by a Fund or the Distributor.
Shareholder Services
Each Fund offers a number of shareholder
services described below that are designed to facilitate investment in shares of the Fund. Full details as to each of such services and copies of the various plans and instructions as to how to participate in the various services or plans, or how to
change options with respect thereto, can be obtained from each Fund, by calling the telephone number on the cover page to Part I of your Fund’s SAI, or from the
Distributor. The types of shareholder service programs offered to
shareholders include: Investment Account; Fee-Based Programs; Automatic Investment Plan; Accrued Monthly Payout Plan; Systematic Withdrawal Plan; and Retirement and Education Savings Plans.
Purchase of Shares by all Investors other than Cash Management
Account
®
(“CMA”) service (or other Merrill Lynch central asset account program) Subscribers, Working Capital Management Account
®
(“WCMA”) service (or other Merrill Lynch business account program) Subscribers and Shareholders of Retirement Reserves
The minimum initial purchase is $5,000 and
the minimum subsequent purchase is $1,000, except that lower minimums apply in the case of purchases made under certain retirement plans. Each Fund may, at its discretion, establish reduced minimum initial and subsequent purchase requirements with
respect to various types of accounts.
If you are not a CMA service or other
Merrill Lynch central asset account program subscriber, you may purchase shares of a BIF Fund directly through the Fund’s transfer agent in the manner described below under “Methods of Payment — Payment to the Transfer
Agent.” Shareholders of the BIF Funds who do not subscribe to the CMA service or other Merrill Lynch central asset account program will not receive any of the services available to program subscribers such as the card/check account or
automatic investment of free cash balances.
Methods of
Payment
Payment Through Securities
Dealers.
You may purchase shares of a Fund through securities dealers, including Merrill Lynch, who have entered into selected dealer agreements with the Distributor. In such a case, the dealer
will transmit payment to the Fund on your behalf and will supply the Fund with the required account information. Generally, purchase orders placed through Merrill Lynch will be made effective on the day the order is placed. Merrill Lynch has an
order procedure pursuant to which you can have the proceeds from the sale of listed securities invested in shares of a Fund on the day you receive the proceeds in your Merrill Lynch securities accounts. If you have a free cash balance (
i.e.
, immediately available funds) in securities accounts of Merrill Lynch, your funds will not be invested in a Fund until the day after the order is placed
with Merrill Lynch. Shareholders of the BIF Funds not subscribing to the CMA service (or other Merrill Lynch central asset account program) can purchase shares through the Fund’s transfer agent.
Payment by Wire.
If you maintain an account directly with the Fund’s transfer agent, you may invest in a Fund through wire transmittal of Federal Funds to the Fund’s transfer agent. A Fund will not be
responsible for delays in the wiring system. Payment should be wired to Bank of America, 1401 Elm Street, Dallas, Texas 75202. You should give your financial institution the following wiring instructions: ABA #026009593 Merrill Lynch Money Markets,
DDA #3756240690. The wire should identify the name of the Fund, and should include your name and account number. Failure to submit the required information may delay investment. We urge you to make payment by wire in Federal Funds. If you do not
maintain an account directly with the Fund’s transfer agent, you should contact your financial adviser.
Payment to the Transfer
Agent.
Payment made by check may be submitted directly by mail or otherwise to the Fund’s transfer agent. Purchase orders by mail should be sent to Financial Data Services, LLC, P.O. Box
40486, Jacksonville, Florida 32203-0486. Purchase orders sent by hand should be delivered to Financial Data Services, LLC, 4800 Deer Lake Drive East, Jacksonville, Florida 32246-6484. If you are opening a new account, you must enclose a completed
Purchase Application. If you are an existing shareholder, you should enclose the detachable stub from a monthly account statement. Checks should be made payable to the Distributor. Certified checks are not necessary, but checks are accepted subject
to collection at full face value in U.S. funds and must be drawn in U.S. dollars on a U.S. bank. Payments for the accounts of corporations, foundations and other organizations may not be made by third party checks. Since there is a three day
settlement period applicable to the sale of most securities, delays may occur when an investor is liquidating other investments for investment in one of the Funds.
Purchases of Shares of U.S.A. Government Money Through Merrill
Lynch Plans
Shares of U.S.A.
Government Money are also offered to certain accounts for which Merrill Lynch acts as custodian (“Custodial Plans”).
Special purchase procedures apply in the
case of the Custodial Plans. Cash balances of participants who elect to have funds automatically invested in U.S.A. Government Money will be invested as follows: Cash balances arising from the sale of securities held in the Custodial Plan account
that do not settle on the day of the transaction (such as most common and preferred stock transactions) become available to the Fund and will be invested in shares of the Fund on the business day following the day that proceeds with respect thereto
are received in the Custodial Plan
account. Proceeds giving rise to cash balances from the sale of securities
held in the Custodial Plan account settling on a same day basis and from principal repayments on debt securities held in the account become available to the Fund and will be invested in shares of the Fund on the next business day following receipt.
Cash balances arising from dividends or interest payments on securities held in the Custodial Plan account or from a contribution to the Custodial Plan are invested in shares of the Fund on the business day following the date the payment is received
in the Custodial Plan account.
Purchase of Shares by CMA
Service Subscribers
Merrill Lynch
Programs.
Shares of the BIF Funds are offered to participants in the CMA service, to participants in certain other Merrill Lynch central asset account programs and to individual investors maintaining accounts
directly with the Funds’ transfer agent. If you participate in the CMA service or the Merrill Lynch central asset account programs, you generally will have free cash balances invested in shares of the Fund you designated as the primary
investment account (“Money Account”) as described below.
If you subscribe to the CMA service or the
Merrill Lynch central asset account programs, you have the option to change the designation of your Money Account at any time by notifying your financial adviser. At that time, you may instruct your financial adviser to redeem shares of a Fund
designated as the Money Account and to transfer the proceeds to the newly designated Money Account. Each BIF Fund has reserved the right to suspend or otherwise limit sales of its shares if, as a result of difficulties in obtaining portfolio
securities, it is determined that it is not in the interests of the BIF Fund’s shareholders to issue additional shares.
Automatic Purchases.
(All BIF Funds):
Free cash balances in certain Merrill Lynch central asset account programs may be swept into BIF Money or BIF Treasury.
Manual Purchases.
(All BIF Funds):
If you subscribe to the CMA service or the Merrill Lynch central asset account programs, you may make manual investments through your financial adviser at any time in shares of a BIF Fund not selected as your Money
Account. Manual purchases take effect on the day following the day the order is placed by Merrill Lynch with the Fund, except that orders involving cash deposits made on the date of a manual purchase take effect on the second business day
thereafter, if they are placed with the Fund after the cashiering deadline of the Merrill Lynch office in which the deposit is made. As a result, if you enter manual purchase orders that include cash deposits made on that day after the cashiering
deadline, you will not receive the daily dividend which you would have received had your order been entered prior to the deadline. In addition, manual purchases of $500,000 or more can be made effective on the same day the order is placed with
Merrill Lynch provided that requirements as to timely notification and transfer of a Federal Funds wire in the proper amount are met. If you desire further information on this method of purchasing shares, you should contact your financial
adviser.
All purchases of Fund
shares and dividend reinvestments will be confirmed to CMA service (or other Merrill Lynch central asset account program) subscribers (rounded to the nearest share) in the monthly transaction statement provided by Merrill Lynch.
Working Capital Management Account
®
. The Working Capital Management Account
®
(“WCMA”) financial service (“WCMA service”) for corporations and other businesses provides participants a securities account
(which includes all the features of a regular CMA account) plus optional lines of credit and other features. The WCMA service has sweep features and annual participation fees different from those of a CMA account. A brochure describing the WCMA
service as well as information concerning charges for participation in the program is available from Merrill Lynch.
Purchase of Shares of BBIF Funds by WCMA Service
Subscribers
Eligibility.
Shares of the BBIF Funds are offered to certain subscribers in the WCMA service and in certain other Merrill Lynch business account programs. WCMA service or other business account program subscribers generally will
have available cash balances invested in the Fund designated by the subscriber as the primary investment account (the “Primary Money Account”). A subscriber also may elect to manually invest cash balances into certain other money market
funds or individual money market accounts pursuant to the Insured Savings Account
SM
.
The WCMA service and certain other Merrill
Lynch business account programs have sweep features and annual participation fees different from those of a CMA account.
Purchases of shares of a BBIF Fund
designated as the Primary Money Account will be made pursuant to the automatic or manual purchase procedures described below.
Subscribers in the WCMA service or other
business account program have the option to change the designation of their Primary Money Account at any time by notifying their Merrill Lynch financial adviser. At that time, a subscriber may instruct its financial adviser to redeem shares of a
BBIF Fund designated as the Primary Money Account and to transfer the proceeds to the share class that the subscriber is eligible to own in the newly-designated Primary Money Account.
Automatic Purchases.
The delay with respect to the automatic investment of cash balances in a subscriber’s account in shares of the Fund designated as the subscriber’s Primary Money Account is determined by the
subscriber’s WCMA service or other business account program tier assignment. For further information regarding the timing of sweeps for each tier, a subscriber should consult with its Merrill Lynch financial adviser or the relevant service
account agreement and program description.
Manual Purchases.
Subscribers in the WCMA service or other business account program may make manual investments at any time in shares of a BBIF Fund not selected as that investor’s Primary Money Account. Manual
purchases shall be effective on the day following the day the order is placed with Merrill Lynch, except that orders involving cash deposits made on the date of a manual purchase shall become effective on the second business day thereafter if they
are placed after the cashiering deadline of the Merrill Lynch office in which the deposit is made. As a result, WCMA service or other business account program subscribers who enter manual purchase orders that include cash deposits made on that day
after such cashiering deadline will not receive the daily dividend which would have been received had their orders been entered prior to the deadline. In addition, manual purchases of $1,000,000 or more can be made effective on the same day the
order is placed with Merrill Lynch provided that requirements as to timely notification and transfer of a Federal Funds wire in the proper amount are met. A WCMA service or other business account program subscriber desiring further information on
this method of purchasing shares should contact its Merrill Lynch financial adviser.
All purchases of the BBIF Funds’
shares and dividend reinvestments will be confirmed to WCMA service or other business account program subscribers (rounded to the nearest share) in the monthly transaction statement.
BBIF Multiple Class Structure.
Each BBIF Fund offers four share classes, each with its own ongoing fees, expenses and other features. A subscriber must be eligible to own a particular class of shares. Reference is made to “Account Information
— BBIF Multiple Class Structure” and “— How to Choose the Share Class that Best Suits Your Needs” in the Prospectus for certain information with respect to the eligibility requirements to own Class 1, Class 2, Class 3
and Class 4 shares of each BBIF Fund.
Each Class 1, Class 2, Class 3 or Class 4
share of a BBIF Fund represents an identical interest in that Fund and has the same rights, except that each class of shares bears to a different degree the expenses of the service fees and distribution fees and the additional incremental transfer
agency costs resulting from the conversion of shares. See “Account Information — BBIF Multiple Class Structure” and “— How to Choose the Share Class that Best Suits Your Needs” in the Prospectus. The distribution
fees and service fees that are imposed on each class of shares, are imposed directly against that class and not against all assets of the BBIF Fund and, accordingly, the differing fee rate for each class does not affect the net asset value or have
any impact on any other class of shares. Dividends paid by a BBIF Fund for each class of shares are calculated in the same manner at the same time and differ only to the extent that service fees and distribution fees and any incremental transfer
agency costs relating to a particular class are borne exclusively by that class. Each class may be subject to monthly automatic conversions. See “Your Account — BBIF Multiple Class Structure” in the Prospectus.
WCMA subscribers should understand the
purpose and function of different fee rates with respect to each class, which is to provide for the financing of the distribution of each class of shares of the BBIF Funds. Class 4 shares bear the lowest service and distribution fees because larger
accounts cost less to service and distribute and those economies are passed on to the subscriber. Class 1 shares bear the highest service and distribution fees because smaller accounts cost more to service and distribute and there are fewer
economies to pass on to the subscriber. The distribution-related revenues paid with respect to a class will not be used to finance the distribution expenditures of another class. Sales personnel may receive different compensation for selling
different classes of shares.
Purchase of Shares of
Retirement Reserves
Purchases of
Retirement Reserves shares by pension, profit-sharing and annuity plans are made by the trustee or sponsor of such plan by payments directly to Merrill Lynch.
Retirement Reserves offers two classes of
shares, Class I and Class II shares. Each Class I and Class II share of the Fund represents an identical interest in the investment portfolio of the Fund, except that Class II shares bear the expenses of the ongoing distribution fees.
Class I shares of Retirement Reserves are
offered to certain Custodial Plans with an active custodial retirement account as of September 30, 1998, any Custodial Plan purchasing shares of the Fund through a Merrill Lynch fee-based program, certain independent pension, profit-sharing, annuity
and other qualified plans, and qualified tuition programs established under Section 529 of the Code (collectively, the “Plans”).
Class II shares are offered to any Plan that
did not have an active custodial retirement account as of September 30, 1998 and does not otherwise qualify to purchase Class I shares.
There are nine types of Custodial Plans: (1)
a traditional IRA, (2) a Roth IRA, (3) an IRRA
®
, (4) a SEP, (5) an SRA, (6) a Basic
SM
(Keogh Plus) profit sharing plan and (7) a Basic
SM
(Keogh
Plus) money purchase pension plan (together with the profit sharing plan, the “Basic
SM
Plans”), (8) a 403(b)(7) RSA, and (9) an education
account. Although the amount that may be contributed to a Plan account in any one year is subject to certain limitations, assets already in a Plan account may be invested in the Fund without regard to such limitations.
If you are considering transferring a
tax-deferred retirement account such as an IRA from Merrill Lynch to another securities dealer or other financial intermediary, you should be aware that if the firm will not take delivery of shares of Retirement Reserves, you must either redeem the
shares so that the cash proceeds can be transferred to the account at the new firm, or you must continue to maintain a retirement account at Merrill Lynch for those shares.
Plan Investments.
If you are a Plan participant, an investment in shares of Retirement Reserves can be made as follows:
•
|
If participants elect to
have their contributions invested in the Fund, the contributions will be invested automatically on the business day following the date they are received in the account. There will be no minimum initial or subsequent purchase requirement pursuant to
these types of plans. The amount that may be contributed to a Plan in any one year is subject to certain limitations under the Code; however, assets already in a Plan account may be invested without regard to such limitations on contributions. Cash
balances of less than $1.00 will not be invested.
|
•
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Participants in Custodial
Plans who opened their accounts prior to December 6, 1999 had two options concerning cash balances that may arise in their accounts. First, participants could have elected to have such balances automatically invested on a daily basis in shares of
the Fund or, in some cases, in another money market mutual fund advised by the Manager. Second, participants (except for RSAs) could have elected to have such balances deposited in an FDIC-insured money market account with one or more commercial
banks. After December 6, 1999, certain Custodial Plan accounts no longer have the first option for cash balances.
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•
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Participants
who have elected to have cash balances automatically invested in the Fund will have such funds invested as follows: cash balances arising from the sale of securities held in the Plan account that do not settle on the day of the transaction (such as
most common and preferred stock transactions) will be invested in shares of the Fund on the business day following the day that the proceeds are received in the Plan account. Proceeds giving rise to cash balances from the sale of securities held in
the Plan account settling on a same day basis and from principal repayments on debt securities held in the account will be invested in shares of the Fund on the next business day following receipt. Cash balances arising from dividends or interest
payments on securities held in the Plan account or from a contribution to the Plan are invested in shares of the Fund on the business day following the date the payment is received in the Plan account.
|
All purchases and redemptions of Fund shares
and dividend reinvestments are confirmed (rounded to the nearest share) to participants in Plans in the monthly or quarterly statement sent to all participants in these Plans. The Fund and the Distributor have received an exemptive order from the
Commission that permits the Fund to omit sending out more frequent confirmations with respect to certain transactions. These transactions include purchases resulting from automatic investments in shares of the Fund and redemptions that are effected
automatically to purchase other securities that the participant has selected for investment in his account. Shareholders who are not participants in the Plans receive quarterly statements reflecting all purchases, redemptions and dividend
reinvestments of Fund shares.
You
should read materials concerning the Plans, including copies of the Plans and the forms necessary to establish a Plan account, which are available from Merrill Lynch. You should read such materials carefully before establishing a Plan account and
should consult with your attorney or tax advisor to determine if any of the Plans are suited to your needs and circumstances. The laws applicable to the Plans, including the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), and the Code, are
complex and include a variety of transitional rules, which may be applicable to some investors. These laws should be reviewed by your attorney to determine their applicability. You are further advised that the tax treatment of the Plans under
applicable state law may vary.
Purchase of Shares of
Summit Cash Reserves
Exchange Privilege.
Investor A shareholders of Summit Cash Reserves who acquired their shares upon an exchange from Investor A or Institutional Shares of certain affiliated funds will have an exchange privilege with Investor A or
Institutional Shares of certain affiliated funds. Shareholders may exchange Investor A Shares of the Fund for Institutional Shares of one of the affiliated funds if the shareholder holds any Institutional Shares of that affiliated fund in the
account in which the exchange is to be made at the time of the exchange or is otherwise eligible to purchase Institutional Shares of such affiliated fund. Otherwise Investor A Shares will automatically be purchased.
Eligible institutional investors include:
employees of BlackRock, Merrill Lynch, PNC and Directors of any BlackRock-advised funds; customers of broker-dealers and agents that have established a servicing relationship with the Fund on behalf of their customers; investors who currently own
Institutional Shares in a shareholder account are entitled to purchase additional Institutional Shares of the Fund in that account; institutional and individual retail investors with a minimum investment of $2 million; certain qualified retirement
plans; investors in selected fee based programs; registered investment advisers with a minimum investment of $250,000; Trust departments of PNC Bank and Merrill Lynch Trust Company and their affiliates for whom they (i) act in a fiduciary capacity
(excluding participant directed employee benefit plans); (ii) otherwise have investment discretion; (iii) act as custodian for at least $2 million in assets; unaffiliated banks, thrifts or trust companies that have agreements with a Distributor; and
holders of certain Merrill Lynch sponsored unit investment trusts (UITs) who reinvest dividends received from such UITs in shares of the Fund.
If a holder of Investor A Shares of the Fund
subsequently exchanges back into the same class of shares of the original affiliated fund it will do so without paying any sales charge. If a holder of Investor A Shares of the Fund exchanges into Investor A or Institutional Shares of another
affiliated fund, the holder will be required to pay a sales charge equal to the difference, if any, between the sales charge previously paid on the shares of the original affiliated fund and the sales charge payable at the time of the exchange on
the shares of the new affiliated fund.
Investor B shareholders of the Fund who
acquired their shares upon an exchange from Investor B or Investor C Shares of certain affiliated funds will have an exchange privilege with Investor B or Investor C Shares of certain affiliated funds. A holder of Investor B Shares of the Fund may
subsequently exchange back into the original affiliated fund. When a shareholder exchanges Investor B or Investor C Shares of an affiliated fund for Investor B Shares of the Fund, the period of time that the shareholder holds the Investor B Shares
of the Fund will count towards satisfaction of the holding period requirement for purposes of reducing the CDSC relating to the Investor B or Investor C Shares acquired upon exchange of the Investor B Shares of the Fund. With respect to exchanges of
Investor B Shares of an affiliated fund into Investor B Shares of the Fund, the period of time the Investor B Shares of the affiliated fund are held will count towards satisfaction of the conversion period (the length of time until the Investor B
Shares acquired upon exchange of the Investor B Shares of the Fund are automatically converted into Investor A Shares). Conversely, the period of time that a shareholder has held the shares of an affiliated fund or a fund participating in the
Exchange Program will count towards the satisfaction of the conversion period under which Investor B Shares of the Fund convert to Investor A Shares of the Fund.
If Investor B Shares are redeemed from the
Fund and not exchanged into shares of an affiliated fund, a CDSC will be charged to the extent it would have been charged on a redemption of shares from the original affiliated fund.
It is contemplated that the exchange
privilege may be applicable to other new mutual funds whose shares are distributed by the Distributor.
Under the exchange privilege, exchanges are
made on the basis of the relative net asset values of the shares being exchanged. Shares issued pursuant to dividend reinvestment are sold on a no-load basis in each of the affiliated funds. For purposes of the exchange privilege, dividend
reinvestment shares shall be deemed to have been sold with a sales charge equal to the sales charge previously paid on the shares on which the dividend was paid. Based on this formula an exchange of Investor A Shares of the Fund for Investor A or
Institutional Shares of an affiliated fund generally will require the payment of a sales charge equal to the difference, if any, between the sales charge previously paid on the Institutional or Investor A Shares originally exchanged for Investor A
Shares of the Fund and the sales charge that may be payable at the time of the exchange on the Institutional or Investor A Shares of the affiliated fund to be acquired.
Exchange Program.
The Fund participates in an exchange program with certain non-money market open-end management investment companies that are (i) distributed by a selected securities dealer that is an affiliate of the Distributor, (ii)
not affiliated funds, and (iii) not distributed by the Distributor (each referred to as a “Participating Fund”) (the “Exchange Program”). Exchanges may be made into Investor A or Investor B Shares of the Fund at net asset
value without the imposition of a front-end sales charge (“sales charge”) or CDSC. Shares of a Participating Fund that are subject to a sales charge will be exchanged for Investor A Shares of the Fund without the imposition of a sales
charge. The holder of Investor A Shares of the Fund may subsequently either exchange back into the same class of shares of the Participating Fund without incurring any sales charge or exchange into shares of another Participating Fund subject to a
sales charge in the same fund complex as the original Participating Fund by remitting an amount equal to the difference, if any, between the sales charge previously paid on the shares of the original Participating Fund and the sales charge payable
at the time of the exchange on the shares of the new Participating Fund.
Exchanges may be made into Investor B Shares
of the Fund at net asset value without the imposition of a sales charge. Shares of Participating Funds subject to a CDSC will be exchanged for Investor B Shares of the Fund without the payment of a CDSC that might otherwise be due on redemption of
the Participating Fund shares. The holder of such Investor B Shares of the Fund may subsequently either exchange back into the same class of shares of the Participating Fund or exchange into shares of another Participating Fund in the same fund
complex as the original Participating Fund. Upon such exchange, the holder of the Investor B Shares of the Fund will receive credit toward reduction of the CDSC that would have been due on the Participating Fund shares for the time period during
which the Investor B Shares of the Fund were held. This period of time will also count towards satisfaction of any conversion period applicable to the Participating Fund shares. If holders of the Investor B Shares of the Fund redeem those shares
instead of exchanging back into shares of the original Participating Fund or of another Participating Fund in the same fund complex, CDSC payments, if any, will be assessed based upon the combined holding period for the Participating Fund shares and
the Fund shares.
The Participating
Funds may impose administrative and/or redemption fees on an exchange transaction with the Fund. There will be no sales charge on exchange transactions into the Fund. The Exchange Program may be modified or terminated at any time in accordance with
the rules of the Commission.
A
Participating Fund may modify or terminate the terms of its involvement in the Exchange Program at any time in accordance with the rules of the Commission.
Before effecting an exchange, shareholders
of the Fund should obtain a currently effective prospectus of the affiliated fund or participating Fund into which the exchange is to be made for information regarding the fund and for further details regarding such exchange.
To effect an exchange, shareholders should
contact their financial adviser, selected securities dealer or other financial intermediary, who will advise the Fund of the exchange, or write to the Fund’s transfer agent requesting that the exchange be effected. Shareholders of
Participating Funds and certain affiliated funds with shares for which certificates have not been issued may effect an exchange by wire through their securities dealers. The Exchange Program or the exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at
any time in accordance with the rules of the Commission. There is currently no limitation on the number of times a shareholder may effect an exchange into the Fund either through the exchange privilege or the Exchange Program; however, the Fund
reserves the right to limit the number of times an investor may effect an exchange. Certain Participating Funds and affiliated funds may suspend the continuous offering of their shares at any time and thereafter may resume such offering from time to
time. The Exchange Program and the exchange privilege are available only to U.S. shareholders in states where the exchange legally may be made.
An exchange pursuant to the exchange
privilege or pursuant to the Exchange Program is treated as a sale of the exchanged shares and a purchase of the new shares for Federal income tax purposes. In addition, an exchanging shareholder of any of the funds may be subject to backup
withholding unless such shareholder certifies under penalty of perjury that the taxpayer identification number on file with any such fund is correct, and that he or she is not otherwise subject to backup withholding. See “Dividends and Taxes
— Taxes.”
Purchase of Shares of the BlackRock
Funds Portfolio
The BlackRock Funds
Portfolio has authorized one or more brokers and/or financial institutions (“Authorized Persons”) to receive on its behalf purchase and redemption orders that are in “good form” in accordance with the policies of those
Authorized Persons. Such Authorized Persons are authorized to designate other intermediaries to receive purchase and redemption orders on the Fund’s behalf, and the Fund will be deemed to have received a
purchase or redemption order when an Authorized Persons or, if applicable,
such Authorized Person’s authorized designee, receives the order. Such customer orders will be priced at the Fund’s net asset value next computed after they are received by an Authorized Person or such Authorized Person’s
authorized designee. Financial institutions may include retirement plan service providers who aggregate purchase and redemption instructions received from numerous retirement plans or plan participants.
Investor Shares
Purchase of Shares.
The minimum investment for the initial purchase of shares is $1,000. There is no investment minimum for employer-sponsored retirement plans (not including SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs or SARSEPs).
There
is no investment minimum for certain fee-based programs. There is a $50 minimum for subsequent investments (with the exception of certain employer-sponsored retirement
plans which may have a lower minimum). Purchases through the Automatic Investment Plan are subject to a lower initial purchase minimum. In addition, the minimum initial investment for employees of the Fund, the Fund’s Manager, sub-advisor,
BRIL or transfer agent or employees of their affiliates is $100, unless payment is made through a payroll deduction program in which case the minimum investment is $25.
Purchases Through Brokers.
It is the responsibility of brokers to transmit purchase orders and payment on a timely basis. Generally, if payment is not received within the period described in the prospectuses, the order will be canceled, notice
thereof will be given, and the broker and its customers will be responsible for any loss to the Fund or its shareholders. Orders of less than $500 may be mailed by a broker to the transfer agent.
Other Purchase Information.
Shares of the Fund are sold on a continuous basis by BRIL as distributor. BRIL maintains its principal offices at 40 East 52nd Street, New York, New York 10022. Purchases may be effected on weekdays on which the NYSE is
open for business (a “Business Day”). Payment for orders which are not received or accepted will be returned after prompt inquiry. The issuance of shares is recorded on the books of the Fund. No certificates will be issued for shares.
Payments for shares of the Fund may, in the discretion of the Fund’s Manager, be made in the form of securities that are permissible investments for the Fund. The Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase order, to modify or waive the
minimum initial or subsequent investment requirement and to suspend and resume the sale of any share class of the Fund at any time.
Shareholder Features.
Exchange Privilege.
Unless an exemption applies, a front-end sales charge will be charged in connection with exchanges of Investor A Shares of the BlackRock Funds Portfolio for Investor A Shares of one of the non-money
market portfolios of the Trust (each a “Non-Money Market Portfolio”). Exchanges of Investor B or Investor C Shares of the Fund for Investor B or Investor C Shares of a Non-Money Market Portfolio of the Trust will be exercised at NAV.
However, a CDSC will be charged in connection with the redemption of the Investor B or Investor C Shares of the Non-Money Market Portfolio received in the exchange.
Investor A Shares of the Fund that were (1)
acquired through the use of the exchange privilege and (2) can be traced back to a purchase of shares in one or more investment portfolios of the Fund for which a sales charge was paid, can be exchanged for Investor A Shares of the Fund subject to a
sales charge.
A shareholder wishing to
make an exchange may do so by sending a written request to the Fund at the following address: BlackRock, P.O. Box 9819, Providence, RI 02940-8019. Shareholders are automatically provided with telephone exchange privileges when opening an account,
unless they indicate on the Application that they do not wish to use this privilege. To add this feature to an existing account that previously did not provide this option, a request must be made in writing or by telephone. Once this election has
been made, the shareholder may simply contact the Fund by telephone at (800) 441-7762 to request the exchange. During periods of substantial economic or market change, telephone exchanges may be difficult to complete and shareholders may have to
submit exchange requests in writing.
If the exchanging shareholder does not
currently own shares of the investment portfolio whose shares are being acquired, a new account will be established with the same registration, dividend and capital gain options and broker of record as the account from which shares are exchanged,
unless otherwise specified in writing by the shareholder with all signatures guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution as defined below. In order to participate in the Automatic Investment Program or establish a Systematic Withdrawal Plan for
the new account, however, an exchanging shareholder must file a specific written request.
Any share exchange must satisfy the
requirements relating to the minimum initial investment requirement, and must be legally available for sale in the state of the investor’s residence. For Federal income tax purposes, a share
exchange is a taxable event and, accordingly, a capital gain or loss may be
realized. Before making an exchange request, shareholders should consult a tax or other financial adviser and should consider the investment objective, policies and restrictions of the investment portfolio into which the shareholder is making an
exchange. Brokers may charge a fee for handling exchanges.
The Fund reserves the right to suspend,
modify or terminate the exchange privilege at any time. Notice will be given to shareholders of any material modification or termination except where notice is not required. The Fund reserves the right to reject any telephone exchange request.
Telephone exchanges may be subject to limitations as to amount or frequency, and to other restrictions that may be established from time to time to ensure that exchanges do not operate to the disadvantage of any portfolio or its shareholders. The
Fund, the Administrators and BRIL will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by telephone are genuine. The Fund, the Trust, the administrators and BRIL will not be liable for any loss, liability, cost or expense for
acting upon telephone instructions reasonably believed to be genuine in accordance with such procedures.
By use of the exchange privilege, the
investor authorizes the Fund’s transfer agent to act on telephonic or written exchange instructions from any person representing him– or herself to be the investor and believed by the Fund’s transfer agent to be genuine. The
records of the Fund’s transfer agent pertaining to such instructions are binding. The exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time upon 60 days’ notice to affected shareholders. The exchange privilege is only available in
states where the exchange may legally be made.
The redemption of shares of one fund and the
subsequent investment in another fund generally will be treated as two separate transactions. Therefore, a front-end sales charge will be imposed (unless an exemption applies) on the purchase of Investor A or Investor A1 Shares of a Non-Money Market
Portfolio with the proceeds of a redemption of Investor Shares of the BlackRock Funds Portfolio. In addition, when Investor Shares of the BlackRock Funds Portfolio are redeemed and the proceeds are used to purchase Investor B, Investor B1, Investor
B2, Investor C, Investor C1 or Investor C2 Shares of a Non-Money Market Portfolio, a contingent deferred sales charge will be imposed (unless an exemption applies) when the Investor B Shares or Investor C Shares of the Non-Money Market Portfolio are
redeemed.
If the Fund imposes a
liquidity fee or a redemption gate, you will not be permitted to exchange into or out of the Fund until the Fund has notified shareholders that the liquidity fee or redemption gate has been lifted. Please see the Fund’s prospectus for more
information.
Automatic Investment Plan
(“AIP”).
Certain shareholders may arrange for periodic investments in the Fund through automatic deductions from a checking or savings account by completing the AIP Application which
may be obtained from the Fund at (800) 441-7762, or online at www.blackrock.com. The minimum pre-authorized investment amount is $50 per Fund.
If the Fund imposes a liquidity fee or a
redemption gate, you will not be permitted to automatically invest through the AIP until the Fund has notified shareholders that the liquidity fee or redemption gate has been lifted. Please see the Fund’s prospectus for more information.
Systematic Withdrawal Plan
(“SWP”).
The BlackRock Funds Portfolio offers a Systematic Withdrawal Plan to shareholders who wish to receive regular distributions from their accounts. Upon commencement of the SWP,
the account must have a current value of $10,000 or more in the Fund. Shareholders may elect to receive automatic cash payments of $50 or more at any interval. You may choose any day for the withdrawal. If no day is specified, the withdrawals will
be processed on the 25th day of the month or, if such day in not a Business Day, on the prior Business Day and are paid promptly thereafter. An investor may utilize the SWP by completing the Systematic Withdrawal Plan Application Form which may be
obtained by calling the Fund or by visiting our website at www.blackrock.com.
Shareholders should realize that if
withdrawals exceed income dividends their invested principal in the account will be depleted. To participate in the SWP, shareholders must have their dividends automatically reinvested. Shareholders may change or cancel the SWP at any time, upon
written notice to the Fund, or by calling the Fund at (800) 441-7762.
For this reason, a shareholder may not
participate in the Automatic Investment Plan (see “Services for Shareholders — Automatic Investment Plan” in the Fund’s Prospectus) and the Systematic Withdrawal Plan at the same time.
If the Fund imposes a liquidity fee or
redemption gate, you will not be permitted to systematically withdraw your shares through the SWP until the Fund has notified shareholders that the liquidity fee or redemption gate has been lifted. Please see the Fund’s prospectus for more
information.
Dividend Allocation Plan.
The Dividend Allocation Plan allows shareholders to elect to have all their dividends and any other distributions from the BlackRock Funds Portfolio or any Eligible Fund (which includes the Fund and
other funds as designated by BRIL from time to time) automatically invested at net asset value in one other such Eligible Fund designated by the shareholder, provided the account into which the dividends and distributions are directed is initially
funded with the requisite minimum amount.
Institutional Shares
Purchase of Shares.
The BlackRock Funds Portfolio offers Institutional Shares as described in the Fund’s Prospectus. In addition, the following investors may purchase Institutional Shares, provided that the beneficial owners of such
shares are natural persons: employees, officers and directors/trustees of BlackRock, Inc., BlackRock Funds, Bank of America Corporation (“BofA Corp.”), The PNC Financial Services Group Inc., Barclays PLC or their respective affiliates
and immediate family members of such persons, if they open an account directly with BlackRock; individuals with a minimum initial investment of $2 million who may purchase shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary that has entered into an
agreement with the Distributor to purchase such shares; employer-sponsored retirement plans (which, for this purpose, do not include SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs or SARSEPs) and state sponsored 529 college savings plans, each of which may purchase shares
of the Fund through a financial intermediary that has entered into an agreement with the Distributor to purchase such shares; investors of financial intermediaries that: (i) charge such investors a fee for advisory, investment consulting, or similar
services or (ii) have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer Institutional Shares through a no-load program or investment platform, in each case, with no minimum initial investment; clients investing through financial intermediaries
that have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer such shares on a platform that charges a transaction based sales commission outside of the Fund, with a minimum initial investment of $1,000; clients of the trust departments of PNC
Bank and Bank of America, N.A. and their affiliates for whom they (i) act in a fiduciary capacity (excluding participant directed employee benefit plans), (ii) otherwise have investment discretion, or (iii) act as custodian for at least $2 million
in assets; and holders of certain BofA Corp. sponsored unit investment trusts (UITs) who reinvest dividends received from such UITs in shares of the Fund.
Institutional Shares of the Fund may be
purchased by customers of broker-dealers and agents which have established a servicing relationship with the Fund on behalf of their customers. These broker-dealers and agents may impose additional or different conditions on the purchase or
redemption of Fund shares by their customers and may charge their customers transaction, account or other fees on the purchase and redemption of Fund shares. Each broker-dealer or agent is responsible for transmitting to its customers a schedule of
any such fees and information regarding any additional or different conditions regarding purchases and redemptions. Shareholders who are customers of such broker-dealers or agents should consult them for information regarding these fees and
conditions.
Except as otherwise
specified in the Fund’s Prospectus, payment for Institutional Shares must normally be made in Federal funds or other immediately available funds by the close of the federal funds wire (normally 6:00 p.m. (Eastern time)). Payment may also, in
the discretion of the Fund, be made in the form of securities that are permissible investments for the Fund. If payment for a purchase order is not received by the prescribed time, an investor may be liable for any resulting losses or expenses
incurred by the Fund.
Financial intermediaries
may, in connection with a change in account type or otherwise in accordance with a financial intermediary’s policies and procedures, exchange shares of the Fund from one class of shares to another class of shares of the Fund, provided that the
exchanged shares are not subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and that shareholders meet eligibility requirements of the new share class.
DCC&S.
Qualified Plans may be able to invest in shares of the BlackRock Funds Portfolio through the Defined Contribution Clearance and Settlement System (“DCC&S”) of the National Securities Clearing Corporation. Institutions qualifying to
trade on DCC&S include broker/dealers, trust companies and third party administrators. Please contact the Fund for information on agreements, procedures, sales charges and fees related to DCC&S transactions.
Distribution and/or Shareholder Servicing Plans
Each Fund has entered into a distribution
agreement with BlackRock Investments, LLC (previously defined as the “Distributor”) under which the Distributor, as agent, offers shares of each Fund on a continuous basis. The Distributor has agreed to use appropriate efforts to effect
sales of the shares, but it is not obligated to sell any particular amount of shares. The Distributor’s principal business address is 40 East 52nd Street, New York, NY 10022. The Distributor is an affiliate of BlackRock.
Each Fund has adopted a shareholder
servicing plan and/or a distribution plan or plans (in the case of Retirement Reserves, with respect to Class II shares only and with respect to Summit Cash Reserves with respect to Investor B Shares only) (each, a “Distribution Plan”)
in compliance with Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act. Each Fund other than Retirement Reserves and the BBIF Funds is authorized to pay the Distributor a fee at an annual rate based on the average daily net asset value of Fund accounts
maintained through the Distributor. Retirement Reserves pays the Distributor a fee at an annual rate based on the average daily net assets attributable to Class II shares maintained through the Distributor. The Distribution Plan for each class of
shares of the BBIF Funds provides that the Funds pay the Distributor a service fee relating to the shares of the relevant class, accrued daily and paid monthly, at an annual rate based on the average daily net assets of a BBIF Fund attributable to
Class 1, Class 2, Class 3 and Class 4 shares. The service fee is not compensation for the administrative and operational services rendered to shareholders by affiliates of the Manager that are covered by any other agreement between each Fund and the
Manager. Each class has exclusive voting rights with respect to the Distribution Plan adopted with respect to such class pursuant to which service and/or distribution fees are paid. The fee paid by each Fund other than Retirement Reserves and the
BBIF Funds compensates the Distributor for providing, or arranging for the provision of, shareholder servicing and sales and promotional activities and services with respect to shares of each Fund. The Distributor then determines, based on a number
of criteria, how to allocate such fee among financial advisers, selected dealers and affiliates of the Distributor. The fee paid by Retirement Reserves compensates the Distributor for the expenses associated with marketing activities and services
related to Class II shares. The BBIF Distribution Plans for the Class 1, Class 2, Class 3 and Class 4 shares each provide that a Fund also pays the Distributor a distribution fee based on the average daily net assets of the Fund attributable to the
shares of the relevant class. These fees are set forth in the BBIF Fund Prospectus.
Each Fund’s Distribution Plans are
subject to the provisions of Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act. In their consideration of a Distribution Plan, the Trustees must consider all factors they deem relevant, including information as to the benefits of the Distribution Plan to
the Fund and the related class of shareholders. In approving a Distribution Plan in accordance with Rule 12b-1, the non-interested Trustees concluded that there is reasonable likelihood that the Distribution Plan will benefit the Fund and its
related class of shareholders.
Each
Distribution Plan provides that, so long as the Distribution Plan remains in effect, the non-interested Trustees then in office will select and nominate other non-interested Trustees. Each Distribution Plan can be terminated at any time, without
penalty, by the vote of a majority of the non-interested Trustees or by the vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding related class of voting securities of a Fund. A Distribution Plan cannot be amended to increase materially the amount to
be spent by the Fund without the approval of the related class of shareholders. All material amendments are required to be approved by the vote of Trustees, including a majority of the non-interested Trustees who have no direct or indirect financial
interest in the Distribution Plan, cast in person at a meeting called for that purpose. Rule 12b-1 further requires that each Fund preserve copies of each Distribution Plan and any report made pursuant to such plan for a period of not less than six
years from the date of the Distribution Plan or such report, the first two years of which should be stored in an easily accessible place.
Among other things, each Distribution Plan
provides that the Trustees will review quarterly reports of the shareholder servicing and/or distribution expenditures paid to the Distributor. With respect to each Fund other than the BlackRock Funds Portfolio, Retirement Reserves and Summit Cash
Reserves, in the event that the aggregate payments received by the Distributor under the Distribution Plan in any year exceeds the amount of the distribution and shareholder servicing expenditures incurred by the Distributor, the Distributor is
required to reimburse the Fund the amount of such excess. With respect to Retirement Reserves, payments under the Class II Distribution Plan are based on a percentage of average daily net assets attributable to Class II shares, regardless of the
amount of expenses incurred. As a result, the distribution related revenues from the Distribution Plan with respect to Retirement Reserves may be more or less than distribution related expenses of the Class II shares. Information with respect to the
distribution-related revenues and expenses is presented to the Trustees for their consideration on a quarterly basis. Distribution-related expenses consist of financial adviser compensation, branch office and regional operation center selling and
transaction processing expenses, advertising, sales promotion and marketing expenses and interest expense. With respect to Retirement Reserves, the distribution-related revenues paid with respect to one class will not be used to finance the
distribution expenditures of another class. Sales personnel may receive different compensation for selling different classes of shares.
See Part I, Section V “Distribution
Related Expenses” of each Fund’s SAI for information relating to the fees paid by your Fund to the Distributor under each Distribution Plan during the Fund’s most recent fiscal year.
Limitations on the Payment of Asset Based
Sales Charges.
The maximum sales charge rule in the Conduct Rules of the NASD imposes a limitation on certain asset-based sales charges such as the distribution fee borne by
each class of shares in the case of the BBIF Funds, and Class II shares in
the case of Retirement Reserves. The maximum sales charge rule limits the aggregate of distribution fee payments payable by a Fund to (i) 7.25% of eligible gross sales of the applicable shares (excluding shares issued pursuant to dividend
reinvestments and exchanges), plus (ii) interest on the unpaid balance for the applicable shares at the prime rate plus 1% (the unpaid balance being the maximum amount payable minus amounts received from the payment of the distribution fee).
In the case of the BBIF Funds, the
Distributor has voluntarily agreed to waive interest charges on the unpaid balance in excess of 0.50% of eligible gross sales. Consequently, the maximum amount payable to the Distributor (referred to as the “voluntary maximum”) is 7.75%
of eligible gross sales. The Distributor retains the right to stop waiving the interest charges at any time. To the extent payments would exceed the voluntary maximum, a BBIF Fund will not make further payments of the distribution fee with respect
to its shares; however, a BBIF Fund will continue to make payments of the service fee. In certain circumstances the amount payable pursuant to the voluntary maximum may exceed the amount payable under the NASD formula. In such circumstances, payment
in excess of the amount payable under the NASD formula will not be made.
Other Payments by the Fund
In addition to fees a Fund pays to its
transfer agent, BlackRock, on behalf of a Fund, may enter into non-Plan agreements with affiliated and unaffiliated brokers, dealers, financial institutions, insurance companies, retirement plan record-keepers and other financial intermediaries
(including BlackRock, PNC and their affiliates, and entities that may also be serving as distribution agents) (collectively, “Service Organizations”) pursuant to which the Fund will pay a Service Organization for administrative,
networking, recordkeeping, sub-transfer agency, sub-accounting and/or shareholder services. These non-Plan payments are generally based on either (1) a percentage of the average daily net assets of Fund shareholders serviced by a Service
Organization or (2) a fixed dollar amount for each account serviced by a Service Organization. The aggregate amount of these payments may be substantial.
Additional Payments by BlackRock
From time to time, BlackRock, BRIL and/or
their affiliates (referred to in this section collectively as “BlackRock”) may compensate Service Organizations for the sale and distribution of shares of a Fund or for services to a Fund and its shareholders. A Service Organization may
perform these services itself or may arrange for a third party to perform them. These payments, which are not made pursuant to a Plan or otherwise paid by a Fund, are referred to as “Additional Payments” herein.
Additional Payments are made from
BlackRock’s own assets (which may come directly or indirectly from fees paid by a Fund to BlackRock for various services, such as investment advisory services). These payments are not an additional charge to a Fund or its shareholders and do
not change the price paid by shareholders for the purchase of a Fund’s shares or the amount a Fund receives as proceeds from such purchases. Additional Payments made to Service Organizations are in addition to any distribution or shareholder
servicing fees paid under any Plan of any Fund, any sales charges, commissions or other concessions described in the Prospectuses or this SAI, and any administrative, networking, recordkeeping, sub-transfer agency or sub-accounting fees payable by a
Fund. Pursuant to applicable FINRA regulations, the details of certain of these payments, including the Service Organizations receiving such payments in connection with the sale and distribution of Fund shares, are required to be disclosed. While
FINRA regulations limit the sales charges that shareholders may bear, there are no limits with regard to the amounts that BlackRock may pay out of its own assets.
Additional Payments may be made as a fixed
dollar amount, may be based on the number of customer accounts maintained by a Service Organization, may be based on a percentage of the value of shares sold to, or held by, customers of the Service Organization involved, or may be calculated on
another basis.
BlackRock negotiates
Additional Payments with each Service Organization on an individual basis. Additional Payments may be different for different Service Organizations, and some Service Organizations may be paid pursuant to more than one of the calculations described
above. Not all Service Organizations receive Additional Payments. Sales-based payments primarily create incentives to make new sales of shares of the Fund, and asset-based payments primarily create incentives to retain previously sold shares of the
Fund. The level of payments made to these Service Organizations in any year will vary and may be limited to specific Funds or share classes. In certain cases, these payments may be subject to certain minimum payment levels.
The aggregate amount of Additional Payments
made by BlackRock may be substantial and may be significant to certain Service Organizations. The categories of Additional Payments listed below are not mutually exclusive. The
same Service Organization, or one or more of its affiliates, may receive
payments under more than one category of Additional Payments.
A. Distribution and Marketing Support
Additional Payments may be made by BlackRock
for distribution and marketing support activities. These payments may take the form of, among other things, “due diligence” payments for a Service Organization’s examination of a Fund; payments for providing extra employee training
and information relating to a Fund; fees for access (in some cases on a preferential basis) to the Service Organization’s registered representatives, salespersons or other personnel, including at sales meetings and conferences; “shelf
space” payments for placing the Fund on the Service Organization’s platform(s); “listing” fees for the placing of the Fund on a dealer’s list (which may be a preferred or recommended list) of mutual funds available for
purchase by its customers or in certain sales programs from time to time; fees for providing assistance in promoting the sale of the Fund’s shares (which may include promotions in communications with the Service Organization’s customers,
registered representatives, salespersons and/or other personnel); payments for the sale of shares and/or the maintenance of share balances; transaction fees (also referred to as “ticket charges”); and payments for infrastructure support.
These payments normally will not exceed the sum of (a) 0.25% of such year’s Fund sales by that Service Organization, and (b) 0.21% of the assets attributable to that Service Organization invested in a Fund.
Certain Funds and BlackRock have entered
into distribution agreements with UBS AG whereby UBS AG may, in certain circumstances, sell certain shares of the Funds in certain jurisdictions. The level of payments made to UBS AG in any year for the sale and distribution of a Fund’s shares
will vary and normally will not exceed the sum of the shareholder servicing fee payable on the assets attributable to UBS AG plus an additional fee equal to a percentage of such assets which shall range up to 0.25%.
B. Shareholder Services
Many Fund shares are owned or held by
Service Organizations for the benefit of their customers. In these situations, a Fund may not maintain accounts in the name of the customers, and Service Organizations may perform some of the functions for these customers’ accounts that the
transfer agent would have performed if the accounts had been in the customers’ names on the Fund’s books. Such services include sub-accounting services, shareholder servicing and transaction processing services and are sometimes referred
to as “recordkeeping,” “sub-transfer agency,” “sub-accounting,” “networking” and/or “administrative” services. Additional Payments may exceed amounts that would be earned on these assets by
the transfer agent for the performance of these or similar services. These Additional Payments made by BlackRock are in addition to any transfer agent, shareholder servicing and transaction processing fees paid by a Fund, as applicable.
BlackRock has entered into an arrangement
with PNC Bank whereby PNC Bank provides administration services to certain Funds for the assets it holds in such Funds, and BlackRock and/or the Funds in return pays monthly fees to PNC Bank. These fees, which are subject to negotiation, will not
exceed 0.07% for assets in certain money market funds, 0.20% for assets in certain fixed income funds, 0.25% for assets in certain equity funds and 0.05% for assets in certain index funds.
C. Service Organizations Receiving
Additional Payments
As of the date of
this SAI, the Service Organizations listed below, and, in some cases, certain of the Service Organization’s affiliates, may be receiving one or more types of Additional Payments. This list may change over time, and BlackRock may pay Service
Organizations or their affiliates additional types of Additional Payments in the future. Please contact your Service Organization to determine whether it or its affiliate currently may be receiving such payments and to obtain further information
regarding any such payments.
Access Control Advantage
AccuTech Systems Corporation
ADP Broker-Dealer, Inc.
AIG Advisor Group, Inc.
Allianz Life Financial Services, LLC
Allianz Life Insurance Company of New York
Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America
American Enterprise Investment Services, Inc.
American Fidelity Assurance Company
American Fidelity Securities, Inc.
American General Life Insurance Company
American United Life Insurance Company
Annuity Investors Life Insurance Company
Aon Hewitt
Ascensus Broker Dealer Services, Inc.
Ascensus, Inc.
AssetMark Trust Company
AXA Advisors, LLC
AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company
Bank of America, N.A.
Bank of New York Mellon, The
Barclays Capital Inc.
BB&T Retirement & Institutional Services
Benefit Plans Administrative Services, Inc.
Benefit Trust Company
BlackRock Advisors, LLC
BMO Capital Markets Corp.
BMO Harris Bank
BNP Paribas Investment Partners UK Limited
BNY Mellon, N.A.
BOKF, N.A.
Broadridge Business Process Outsourcing, LLC
Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.
Capital One, N.A.
Cetera Advisor Networks LLC
Cetera Advisors LLC
Cetera Financial Group
Cetera Financial Specialists LLC
Cetera Investment Services LLC
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
Chicago Deferred Exchange Company LLC
Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc.
CitiBank, National Association
Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.
Citizens Business Bank
CME Shareholder Servicing LLC
CMFG Life Insurance Company
Comerica Bank
Comerica Securities, Inc.
Commonfund Securities Inc.
Commonwealth Financial Network
Companion Life Insurance Company
Computershare Trust Company
Credit Suisse First Boston
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC
CSC Trust Company of Delaware
Delaware Life Insurance Company
Delaware Life Insurance Company of New York
Deutsche Bank AG
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas
Digital Retirement Solutions, Inc.
Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P.
Empire Fidelity Investments Life Insurance Company
ExpertPlan, Inc.
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC
Fidelity Investments Institutional Operations Company,
Inc.
Fidelity Investments Life Insurance Company
Fifth Third Securities, Inc.
First Allied Securities, Inc.
First Clearing, LLC
First Hawaiian Bank
First Mercantile Trust Company
First MetLife Investors Insurance Company
First Security Benefit Life Insurance and Annuity Company of
New York
First Symetra National Life Insurance Company
of New York
FIS Brokerage & Securities Services
LLC
Forethought Life Insurance Company
FSC Securities Corporation
Genworth Life and Annuity Insurance Company
Genworth Life Insurance Company of New York
Girard Securities, Inc.
Global Atlantic Distributors, LLC
Goldman Sachs & Co.
Great-West Financial Retirement Plan Services, LLC
Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company
Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company of New
York
Guardian Insurance & Annuity Company, Inc.,
The
GWFS Equities, Inc.
Hartford Life and Annuity Insurance Company
Hartford Life Insurance Company
Hartford Securities Distribution Company, Inc.
Hazeltree Fund Services, Inc.
Hightower Securities, Inc.
Hilltop Securities Inc.
HSBC Bank USA, N.A.
Huntington Investment Company, The
Institutional Cash Distributors, LLC
Integrity Life Insurance Company
INVEST Financial Corporation
Investment Centers of America, Inc.
Investors Capital Corporation
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
Jefferies LLC
Jefferson National Life Insurance Company
Jefferson National Life Insurance Company of New York
John Hancock Life Insurance Company
John Hancock Life Insurance Company of New York
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc.
KeyBank, N.A.
Ladenburg Thalmann Advisor Network LLC
Legend Equities Corporation
Lincoln Financial Advisors Corporation
Lincoln Financial Distributors, Inc.
Lincoln Financial Securities Corporation
Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York
Lincoln National Life Insurance Company
Lincoln Retirement Services LLC
LPL Financial LLC
M&T Securities Inc.
Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company
Members Life Insurance Company
Mercer HR Services, LLC
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
Metavante Corporation
MetLife Insurance Company USA
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company
Mid Atlantic Capital Corporation
Midland Life Insurance Company
Minnesota Life Insurance Company
Mizuho Securities USA Inc.
MML Distributors, LLC
MML Investors Services, LLC
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC
MSI Financial Services, Inc.
MUFG Union Bank, National Association
My Treasury Limited
National Financial Services LLC
National Integrity Life Insurance Company
National Life Insurance Company
National Planning Corporation
National Planning Holdings, Inc.
Nationwide Financial Services, Inc.
Nationwide Fund Distributors LLC
Nationwide Retirement Solutions
NCB Federal Savings Bank
New England Pension Plan Systems, LLC
New York Life Insurance and Annuity Corporation
Newport Retirement Services, Inc.
Northbrook Bank & Trust Company
Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC
NYLife Distributors LLC
Pacific Life & Annuity Company
Pacific Life Insurance Company
Pacific Select Distributors, Inc.
Park Avenue Securities LLC
Pershing LLC
PFPC Inc.
PFS Investments Inc.
Piper Jaffray & Co.
PNC Bank, National Association
PNC Capital Markets LLC
PNC Investments LLC
Primerica Shareholder Services, Inc.
Principal Life Insurance Company
Pruco Life Insurance Company
Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey
Prudential Annuities Distributors, Inc.
Prudential Insurance Company of America
Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments
Raymond James & Associates, Inc.
RBC Capital Markets, LLC
Regions Bank
Reliance Trust Company
Reliastar Life Insurance Company
Reliastar Lire Life Insurance Company of New York
RiverSource Distributors, Inc.
RiverSource Life Insurance Co. of New York
RiverSource Life Insurance Company
Robert W Baird & Co Incorporated
Royal Alliance Associates, Inc.
SagePoint Financial, Inc.
Sammons Retirement Solutions, Inc.
Saturna Trust Company
Security Benefit Life Insurance Company
Security Financial Resources, Inc.
Security Life of Denver Insurance Company
SEI Private Trust Company
SG Americas Securities, LLC
SI Trust Servicing
SII Investments, Inc.
Standard Insurance Company
State Farm VP Management Corp.
State Street Global Markets, LLC
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated
Summit Brokerage Services, Inc.
SunTrust Bank
SVB Asset Management
Symetra Life Insurance Company
Syntal Capital Partners, LLC
T. Rowe Price Retirement Plan Services, Inc.
TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc.
TD Ameritrade Trust Company
TD Ameritrade, Inc.
Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America
TIAA-CREF Tuition Financing, Inc.
Transamerica Advisors Life Insurance Company
Transamerica Financial Life Insurance Company
Treasury Brokerage
Trust Company of America
Trust Management Network
U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc.
U.S. Bank, National Association
UBATCO & Co.
UBS AG
UBS Financial Services, Inc.
UBS Securities LLC
UMB Bank, National Association
United of Omaha Life Insurance Company
United States Life Insurance Company in the City of New York,
The
VALIC Retirement Services Company
Vanguard Group, Inc., The
Vanguard Marketing Corporation
Voya Financial Advisors, Inc.
Voya Financial Partners, LLC
Voya Institutional Plan Services, LLC
Voya Insurance and Annuity Company
Voya Investments Distributor, LLC
Voya Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company
VSR Financial Services, Inc.
Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
Wells Fargo Investments, LLC
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
Wilmington Trust Retirement and Institutional Services
Wilmington Trust, National Association
Woodbury Financial Services, Inc.
Xerox HR Solutions, LLC
ZB, National Association
D. Sponsorship and Other
Incentive Payments and Services
In addition to the Additional
Payments described above, BlackRock and its affiliates may contribute to various other incentive arrangements to promote the sale of shares, including hosting proprietary and financially sponsoring Service Organizations’ training and
educational seminars, conferences, meetings or events. BlackRock and its affiliates may also pay for the travel, meal, lodging and other expenses of Service Organizations and their salespersons or other personnel in connection with educational and
sales promotional programs. This compensation is not included in, and is made in addition to, the Additional Payments described above. These payments may be made directly to the Service Organizations, or to a third party vendor, and may vary
depending upon the nature of the event or the relationship and are subject to applicable laws and regulations, including the rules of applicable self-regulatory organizations, such as FINRA. BlackRock may pay Service Organizations additional types
of incentive compensation in the future to the extent not prohibited by applicable laws or regulations.
Separately, BlackRock and its
affiliates have developed proprietary tools, calculators and related interactive or digital content that is made available through the www.BlackRock.com website at no additional cost to Service Organizations. BlackRock configures these tools and
calculators and localizes the content for Service Organizations as part of its customary digital marketing support and promotion of the Funds or other BlackRock funds, iShares exchange traded funds and other exchange traded products.
E. Conflicts
Additional Payments made by BlackRock to a
Service Organization or other incentive arrangements may be an important factor in the Service Organization’s willingness to support the sale of a Fund and/or particular share class through its distribution system or to perform services with
respect to such Fund. Additional Payments and other incentive arrangements may also be important factors in the Service Organization’s willingness to recommend the BlackRock Fund complex in general.
BlackRock may be motivated to pay Additional
Payments and other incentive compensation to promote the sale of Fund shares to customers of Service Organizations and the retention of those investments by such customers. To the extent Service Organizations sell more shares of a Fund or retain
shares of a Fund in their customers’ accounts, BlackRock benefits from the incremental management and other fees paid by the Fund with respect to those assets.
Service Organizations may have financial
incentives for recommending a particular Fund, share class or fund complex over another. Service Organizations may charge their customers additional fees in connection with the purchase or redemption of Fund shares or for account-related services
which are in addition to the sales and other charges described in the Fund’s Prospectus and this SAI. Such charges may vary among Service Organizations but in all cases will be retained by the Service Organization and will not be remitted to a
Fund or BlackRock.
Shareholders should
consider whether such incentives exist when evaluating any recommendations from a Service Organization to purchase or sell shares of a Fund and when considering which share class is most appropriate.
You should
consult with your Service Organization, and review carefully any disclosure by the Service Organization, as to compensation received by it and for more information about the payments described above.
Redemption of Shares
Each Fund will normally redeem shares for
cash upon receipt of a request in proper form, although each Fund retains the right to redeem some or all of its shares in-kind under unusual circumstances, in order to protect the interests of remaining shareholders, or to accommodate a request by
a particular shareholder that does not adversely affect the interest of the remaining shareholders, by delivery of securities selected from the Fund’s assets at its discretion. In-kind payment means payment will be made in portfolio securities
rather than cash. If this occurs, the redeeming shareholder might incur brokerage or other transaction costs to convert the securities to cash. Each Fund has elected to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the Investment Company Act so that the Fund is
obligated to redeem its shares solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of its net asset value during any 90-day period for any shareholder of the Fund. The redemption price is the net asset value per share next determined after the initial
receipt of proper notice of redemption.
The value of the shareholder’s
investment at the time of redemption may be more or less than his or her cost, depending on the market value of the securities held by the Fund at such time and income earned. In the case of Investor B Shares of Summit Cash Reserves, the redemption
price will be reduced by any applicable CDSC.
If notice is received by the Fund’s
transfer agent or Merrill Lynch, as applicable, prior to the applicable cut-off time on that day, the redemption will be effective on such day. If the notice is received after the applicable cut-off time, the redemption will be effective on the next
business day and, unless otherwise provided in the Fund’s Prospectus, payment will be made on the second business day after receipt of the notice.
Redemption of Shares by All Funds except the BIF Funds, the
BBIF Funds and the BlackRock Funds Portfolio
At various times, a Fund may be requested to
redeem shares, in manual or automatic redemptions, with respect to which good payment has not yet been received by Merrill Lynch. A Fund may delay for up to 10 days the payment of redemption proceeds until good payment (that is, cash, Federal Funds
or certified check drawn on a U.S. bank) has been collected for the purchase of Fund shares. In addition, each Fund reserves the right not to honor redemption checks or requests for Federal Funds redemptions where the shares to be redeemed have been
purchased by check within 10 days prior to the date the redemption request is received by the Fund’s transfer agent.
The right to redeem shares may be suspended
for more than seven days only (i) for any period during which trading on the NYSE is restricted as determined by the Commission or during which the NYSE is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings), (ii) for any period during which
an emergency exists, as defined by the Commission, as a result of which disposal of portfolio securities or determination of the net asset value of the Fund is not reasonably practicable, or (iii) for such other periods as the Commission may by
order permit for the protection of shareholders of the Fund.
Methods of Redemption
All five methods set forth below apply to
each Fund other than Retirement Reserves. Only the methods described under “Redemption by Check,” “Regular Redemption” and “Automatic Redemption” also apply to Retirement Reserves. In certain instances, the
Fund’s transfer agent may require additional documents in connection with redemptions.
Redemption by Check.
You may redeem shares by check in an amount not less than $500. At your request, the Fund’s transfer agent will provide you with checks drawn on the custody account. These checks can be made payable to the order
of any person; however, these checks may not be used to purchase securities in transactions with Merrill Lynch. The payee of the check may cash or deposit it like any check drawn on a bank. When such a check is presented to the Fund’s transfer
agent for payment, the Fund’s transfer agent will present the check to the Fund as authority to redeem a sufficient number of full and fractional shares in your account to cover the amount of the check. This enables you to continue earning
daily dividends until the day prior to the day the check is cleared. Canceled checks will be returned to you by the Fund’s transfer agent upon request.
You will be subject to the transfer
agent’s rules and regulations governing such checking accounts, including the right of the Fund’s transfer agent not to honor checks in amounts exceeding the value of your account at the time the check is presented for payment. A Fund or
a Fund’s transfer agent may modify or terminate the check redemption privilege at any time on 30 days’ notice. In order to be eligible for the privilege, you should check the box under the caption “Check Redemption Privilege”
in the Purchase Application. The Fund’s transfer agent will then send you checks. Retirement Reserves does not accept new applications for check writing privileges.
Federal Funds Redemption.
If you maintain an account directly with the Fund’s transfer agent, you may also arrange to have redemption proceeds of $5,000 or more wired in Federal Funds to a pre-designated bank account. In order to be
eligible for Federal Funds redemption, you must designate on your Purchase Application the domestic commercial bank and account number to receive the proceeds of your redemption and must have your signature on the Purchase Application guaranteed.
The request for Federal Funds redemption may be made by telephone, wire or letter (no signature guarantee required) to the Fund’s transfer agent. If your request is received before the determination of net asset value of a Fund on any business
day, the redemption proceeds will be wired to your pre-designated bank account on the next business day. You may request Federal Funds redemptions by calling the Fund’s transfer agent toll-free at 1-800-221-7210. Each Fund will employ
reasonable procedures to confirm that telephone instructions are genuine to prevent any losses from fraudulent or unauthorized instructions. Among other things, redemption proceeds may only be wired into the bank account designated on the Purchase
Application. You must independently verify this information at the time the redemption request is made. If you do not maintain an account directly with the Fund’s transfer agent, you should contact your financial adviser.
Repurchase Through Securities Dealers.
Each Fund will repurchase shares through securities dealers. A Fund normally will accept orders to repurchase shares by wire or telephone from dealers for customers at the net asset value next computed after receipt of
the order from the dealer, provided that the request is received from the dealer prior to the determination of net asset value of the Fund, on any business day. These repurchase arrangements are for your convenience and do not involve a charge by
the Fund; however, dealers may impose a charge for transmitting the notice of repurchase to a Fund. Each Fund reserves the right to reject any order for repurchase through a securities dealer, but it may not reject properly submitted requests for
redemption as described below. A Fund will promptly notify you of any rejection of a repurchase with respect to your shares. If you effect a repurchase through your securities dealer, payment will be made by the Fund’s transfer agent to the
dealer.
Regular Redemption.
If you hold shares with the Fund’s transfer agent you may redeem by writing to the Fund’s transfer agent, Financial Data Services, LLC, P.O. Box 40486, Jacksonville, Florida 32203-0486. Redemption requests
that are sent by mail should be delivered to Financial Data Services, LLC, 4800 Deer Lake Drive East, Jacksonville, Florida 32246-6484. Redemption requests should not be sent to the Fund. A redemption request requires the signatures of all persons
in whose name(s) the shares are registered, signed exactly as such name(s) appear on the transfer agent’s register. The signature(s) on the redemption request may require a guarantee by an “eligible guarantor institution” as
defined in Rule 17Ad-15 under the Exchange Act, whose existence and validity may be verified by the Fund’s transfer agent through the use of industry publications. In the event a signature guarantee is required, notarized signatures are not
sufficient. In general, signature guarantees are waived on redemptions of less than $50,000 as long as the following requirements are met: (i) the request contains the signature(s) of all persons in whose name(s) shares are recorded on the transfer
agent’s register; (ii) the check is mailed to the stencil address of record on the transfer agent’s register and (iii) the stencil address has not changed within 30 days. Certain rules may apply regarding certain types of accounts,
including, but not limited to, UGMA/UTMA accounts, Joint Tenancies with Rights of Survivorship, contra broker transactions, and institutional accounts. In
certain instances, the Fund’s transfer agent may require additional
documents such as, but not limited to, trust instruments, death certificates, appointments as executor or administrator, or certificates of corporate authority. Payments will be mailed within seven days of receipt by the Fund’s transfer agent
of a proper redemption request.
You
may also redeem shares held with the Fund’s transfer agent by calling 1-800-221-7210. You must be the shareholder of record and the request must be for an amount less than $50,000. Before telephone requests will be honored, signature approval
from all shareholders of record on the account must be obtained. The shares being redeemed must have been held for at least 15 days. Telephone redemption requests will not be honored if: (i) the account holder is deceased, (ii) the proceeds are to
be sent to someone other than the shareholder of record, (iii) funds are to be wired to the client’s bank account, (iv) a Systematic Withdrawal Plan is in effect, (v) the request is by an individual other than the account holder of record,
(vi) the account is held by joint tenants who are divorced, (vii) the address on the account has changed within the last 30 days or (viii) to protect against fraud, if the caller is unable to provide the account number, the name and address
registered on the account and the social security number registered on the account. The Funds or the Funds’ transfer agent may temporarily suspend telephone transactions at any time.
Shareholders of Retirement Reserves and
participants in Custodial Plans that invest in U.S.A. Government Money may redeem shares by writing directly to Merrill Lynch. Shareholders of Retirement Reserves and participants in Custodial Plans that invest in U.S.A. Government Money should not
send redemption requests to the Fund or to its transfer agent. If you inadvertently send the redemption request to the Fund or the Fund’s transfer agent, the request will be forwarded to Merrill Lynch. The notice must bear the signature of the
person in whose name the Plan is maintained, signed exactly as his or her name appears on the Plan adoption agreement.
Automatic Redemption.
Merrill Lynch has instituted an automatic redemption procedure, which applies to you if you maintain a securities account with Merrill Lynch. This procedure, which does not apply to margin accounts, may be used by
Merrill Lynch to satisfy amounts you owe to Merrill Lynch or one of its affiliates as a result of account fees and expenses or as a result of purchases of securities or other transactions in your securities account. Under this procedure, unless you
notify Merrill Lynch to the contrary, your Merrill Lynch securities account will be scanned each business day prior to the determination of net asset value of the Fund. After application of any cash balances in the account, a sufficient number of
Fund shares may be redeemed at net asset value, as determined that day, to satisfy any amounts you owe to Merrill Lynch or one of its affiliates. Redemptions will be effected on the business day preceding the date you are obligated to make such
payment, and Merrill Lynch or its affiliate will receive the redemption proceeds on the day following the redemption date. You will receive all dividends declared and reinvested through the date of redemption.
Unless otherwise requested, if you request
transactions that settle on a “same-day” basis (such as Federal Funds wire redemptions, branch office checks, transfers to other Merrill Lynch accounts and certain securities transactions) the Fund shares necessary to effect such
transactions will be deemed to have been transferred to Merrill Lynch prior to the Fund’s declaration of dividends on that day. In such instances, you will receive all dividends declared and reinvested through the date immediately preceding
the date of redemption.
If your
account held directly with the Fund’s transfer agent contains a fractional share balance, such fractional share balance will be automatically redeemed by a Fund. Because of the high cost of maintaining smaller accounts, a Fund may redeem
shares in your account if the net asset value of your account is below $500. You will be notified that the value of your account is less than $500 before the Fund makes an involuntary redemption. You will then have 60 days to make an additional
investment to bring the value of your account to at least $500 before the Fund takes any action. This involuntary redemption does not apply to retirement plans or Uniform Gifts or Transfers to Minors Act accounts.
U.S.A. Government Money has instituted an
automatic redemption procedure for participants in the Custodial Plans who have elected to have cash balances in their accounts automatically invested in shares of the Fund. In the case of such participants, unless directed otherwise, Merrill Lynch
will redeem a sufficient number of shares of the Fund to purchase other securities (such as common stocks) that the participant has selected for investment in his or her Custodial Plan account.
BIF Funds — Redemption of Shares by CMA Service
Subscribers
BIF Funds — Automatic
Redemptions.
Redemptions will be effected automatically by Merrill Lynch to satisfy debit balances in the CMA service or other Merrill Lynch central asset account program, or the WCMA service created by securities
transaction activity within the account or to satisfy debit balances created by card purchases, cash advances or checks. Each account will be scanned automatically for debits each business day prior to 12:00 noon,
Eastern time. After applying any free cash balances in the account to such
debits, shares of the designated Fund will be redeemed at net asset value at the 12:00 noon pricing, and funds deposited pursuant to a bank deposit program will be withdrawn, to the extent necessary to satisfy any remaining debits in the account.
Automatic redemptions or withdrawals will be made first from your Money Account. With respect to transactions that settle on a “same-day” basis (such as Federal funds wire redemptions, branch office checks, transfers to other Merrill
Lynch accounts and certain securities transactions) the Fund shares necessary to effect such a transaction will be deemed to have been transferred to Merrill Lynch prior to the Fund’s declaration of dividends on that day. In such instances,
you will receive all dividends declared through the date immediately preceding the date of redemption. Margin loans through the Margin Lending Program will be used to satisfy debits remaining after the liquidation of all funds invested in or
deposited through the Money Account CMA service (or other Merrill Lynch central asset account). Shares of the BIF Funds may not be purchased, nor may deposits be made pursuant to a bank deposit program until all debits and margin loans in the
account are satisfied.
Shares of each
BIF Fund also may be automatically redeemed to satisfy debits or make investments in connection with special features offered to CMA service or other Merrill Lynch central asset account program subscribers. For more information regarding these
features, you should consult the relevant program disclosure.
BIF Funds — Manual Redemptions.
If you are a CMA service or other Merrill Lynch central asset account subscriber or if you hold shares of a BIF Fund in a Merrill Lynch securities account, you may redeem shares of a BIF Fund directly by contacting
Merrill Lynch. Cash proceeds from the manual redemption of Fund shares ordinarily will be mailed to you at your address of record or, on request, mailed or wired (if $10,000 or more) to your bank account. Redemption requests should not be sent to a
Fund or a Fund’s transfer agent. If you inadvertently send the request to a Fund or a Fund’s transfer agent, the request will be forwarded to Merrill Lynch. The signature requirements of the redemption request are described above under
“Redemption of Shares — Redemptions of Shares by All Funds except the BIF Funds and the BBIF Funds — Regular Redemption.” CMA service (or other Merrill Lynch central asset account) subscribers desiring to effect manual
redemptions should contact their financial advisers. All redemptions of Fund shares will be confirmed to service subscribers in the monthly transaction statement.
BBIF Funds — Redemption of Shares by WCMA Service
Subscribers
BBIF Funds — Automatic
Redemptions.
Redemptions will be effected automatically by Merrill Lynch to satisfy debit balances in a WCMA service or other business account program account created by securities transactions therein or to satisfy
debit balances created by credit card purchases, cash advances (which may be obtained through participating banks and automated teller machines) or checks written against the credit card account or electronic fund transfers or other debits. Each
WCMA service or other business account program account will be scanned automatically for debits each business day prior to 12 noon, Eastern time. After application of any free cash balances in the account to such debits, shares of the designated
BBIF Fund will be redeemed at net asset value at the 12 noon pricing, and funds deposited pursuant to the Insured Savings Account will be withdrawn, to the extent necessary to satisfy any remaining debits in the account. Automatic redemptions or
withdrawals will be made first from the subscriber’s Primary Money Account and then, to the extent necessary, from accounts not designated as the Primary Money Account. With respect to transactions that settle on a “same-day” basis
(such as Federal funds wire redemptions, branch office checks, transfers to other Merrill Lynch accounts and certain securities transactions) the Fund shares necessary to effect such transactions will be deemed to have been transferred to Merrill
Lynch prior to the Fund’s declaration of dividends on that day. In such instances, shareholders will receive all dividends declared through the date immediately preceding the date of redemption. Unless otherwise requested by the subscriber,
redemptions or withdrawals from non-Primary Money Accounts will be made in the order the non-Primary Money Accounts were established; thus, redemptions or withdrawals will first be made from the non-Primary Money Account that the subscriber first
established. Margin loans through the Margin Lending Program service will be used to satisfy debits remaining after the liquidation of all funds invested in or deposited through non-Primary Money Accounts, and shares of the BBIF Funds may not be
purchased, nor may deposits be made pursuant to the Insured Savings Account, until all debits and margin loans in the account are satisfied.
Shares of the BBIF Funds also may be
automatically redeemed to satisfy debits or make investments in connection with special features offered to service subscribers. The redemption of shares of the BBIF Funds also may be modified for investors that participate in certain fee-based
programs. For more information regarding these features, a WCMA service subscriber should consult the Business Investor Account
SM
(BIA
SM
) Financial Service and Working Capital Management
Account
®
(WCMA
®
) Financial Service Account
Agreement Program Description Booklet.
From time to time, Merrill Lynch also may
offer the BBIF Funds to subscribers in certain other programs sponsored by Merrill Lynch. Some or all of the features of the WCMA service may not be available in such programs and program participation and other fees may be higher. More information
on the services and fees associated with such other programs is set forth in the Program Description Booklet that is furnished in connection with such other programs, which may be obtained by contacting a Merrill Lynch financial adviser.
BBIF Funds — Manual Redemptions.
Merrill Lynch will satisfy requests for cash by wiring cash to the shareholder’s bank account or arranging for the shareholder’s Merrill Lynch financial adviser to provide the shareholder with a check.
Redemption requests should not be sent to the BBIF Fund or its transfer agent. If inadvertently sent to the BBIF Fund or the Fund’s transfer agent, redemption requests will be forwarded to Merrill Lynch. Any required shareholder signature(s)
must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” as such is defined in Rule 17Ad-15 under the Exchange Act, the existence and validity of which may be verified by the Fund’s transfer agent through the use of industry
publications. Notarized signatures are not sufficient. In certain instances, additional documents such as, but not limited to, trust instruments, death certificates, appointments as executor or administrator, or certificates of corporate authority
may be required. Subscribers in the WCMA service or other business account program desiring to effect manual redemptions should contact their Merrill Lynch financial adviser.
All redemptions of BBIF Fund shares will be
confirmed to WCMA service subscribers (rounded to the nearest share) in the monthly transaction statement.
BIF Funds — Redemption of Shares by Non-Service
Subscribers
Shareholders who are not
CMA service or other Merrill Lynch central asset account subscribers may redeem shares of a BIF Fund held in a Merrill Lynch securities account directly as described above under “Redemption of Shares — Redemption of Shares by Service
Subscribers — Manual Redemptions.”
Shareholders maintaining
an account directly with the Fund’s transfer agent, who are not CMA service (or other Merrill Lynch central asset account) subscribers, may redeem shares of a BIF Fund by submitting a written notice by mail directly to the Fund’s
transfer agent, Financial Data Services, LLC, P.O. Box 40486, Jacksonville, Florida 32203-0486. Redemption requests that are sent by hand should be delivered to Financial Data Services, LLC, 4800 Deer Lake Drive East, Jacksonville, Florida
32246-6484. Cash proceeds from the manual redemption of Fund shares will be mailed to the shareholder at his or her address of record. Redemption requests should not be sent to a Fund or Merrill Lynch. If inadvertently sent to a Fund or Merrill
Lynch such redemption requests will be forwarded to the Fund’s transfer agent. The notice requires the signatures of all persons in whose names the shares are registered, signed exactly as their names appear on their monthly statement. The
signature(s) on the redemption request must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” as such is defined in Rule 17Ad-15 under the Exchange Act, the existence and validity of which may be verified by the Fund’s transfer
agent through the use of industry publications. Notarized signatures are not sufficient. In certain instances, additional documents such as, but not limited to, trust instruments, death certificates, appointments as executor or administrator, or
certificates of corporate authority may be required.
The right to receive payment with respect to
any redemption of Fund shares may be suspended by each Fund for a period of up to seven days. Suspensions of more than seven days may not be made except (1) for any period (A) during which the NYSE is closed other than customary weekend and holiday
closings or (B) during which trading on the NYSE is restricted; (2) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which (A) disposal by the Fund of securities owned by it is not reasonably practicable or (B) it is not reasonably
practicable for the Fund fairly to determine the value of its net assets; or (3) for such other periods as the Commission may by order permit for the protection of shareholders of the Fund. The Commission shall by rules and regulations determine the
conditions under which (i) trading shall be deemed to be restricted and (ii) an emergency shall be deemed to exist within the meaning of clause (2) above.
The value of a Fund’s shares at the
time of redemption may be more or less than the shareholder’s cost, depending on the market value of the securities held by the Fund at such time.
From time to time, Merrill Lynch also may
offer the Funds to participants in certain other programs sponsored by Merrill Lynch. Some or all of the features of the CMA service may not be available in such programs and program participation and other fees may be higher. More information on
the services and fees associated with such programs, is set forth in the relevant program disclosures, which may be obtained by contacting a Merrill Lynch financial adviser.
BlackRock Funds Portfolio — Redemption of Shares
Redemptions may be made in the manner and
amounts described in the BlackRock Funds Portfolio’s Prospectuses. Signatures, when required, must conform exactly to the account registration. If (i) the proceeds of the redemption would exceed $250,000 for a redemption by wire or ACH, or
$100,000 for a redemption by check, (ii) the Fund does not have verified banking information on file, (iii) the proceeds are not to be paid to the record owner at the record address, or (iv) the shareholder is a corporation, partnership, trust or
fiduciary, signature(s) must be guaranteed by any eligible guarantor institution.
Generally, a properly signed written request
with any required signature guarantee is all that is required for a redemption. In some cases, however, other documents may be necessary. Additional documentary evidence of authority is required by BNY Mellon in the event redemption is requested by
a corporation, partnership, trust, fiduciary, executor or administrator. See “Signature Guarantee” below.
Note on Low Balance Accounts.
Because of the high cost of maintaining smaller shareholder accounts, BlackRock has set a minimum balance of $500 in each Fund position you hold within your account (“Fund Minimum”), and may redeem the shares
in your account if the net asset value of those shares in your account falls below $500 for any reason, including market fluctuation.
You will be notified that the value of your
account is less than the Fund Minimum before the Fund makes any involuntary redemption. This notification will provide you with a 90 calendar day period to make an additional investment in order to bring the value of your account to at least $500
before the Fund makes an involuntary redemption. This involuntary redemption will not charge any deferred sales charge, and may not apply to accounts of certain employer-sponsored retirement plans (not including IRAs), qualified state tuition plan
(529 Plan) accounts, and select fee-based programs at your financial intermediary.
Service Shares
Redemption of Shares.
The BlackRock Funds Portfolio may redeem Service Shares if the account balance drops below the required minimum initial investment as the result of redemption requests and the shareholder does not increase the balance to
at least the required minimum initial investment upon thirty days’ written notice. If a customer has agreed with an institution to maintain a minimum balance in his or her account with the institution, and the balance in the account falls
below that minimum, the customer may be obligated to redeem all or part of his or her shares in the Fund to the extent necessary to maintain the minimum balance required.
The following is applicable only to persons who were
shareholders of an investment portfolio of Compass Capital Group of Funds at the time of the Trust’s combination with The PNC Fund in 1996:
Persons who were shareholders of an
investment portfolio of Compass Capital Group of Funds at the time of the portfolio’s combination with The PNC Fund may also purchase and redeem Service Shares of the same Fund and for the same account in which they held shares on that date
through the procedures described in this section.
Payment of Redemption Proceeds.
The Fund may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date of payment upon redemption for such periods as are permitted under the Investment Company Act, and may redeem shares involuntarily or make payment for
redemption in securities or other property when determined appropriate in light of the Fund’s responsibilities under the Investment Company Act.
The Fund reserves the right, if conditions
exist which make cash payments undesirable, to honor any request for redemption or repurchase of the Fund’s shares by making payment in whole or in part in securities chosen by the Fund and valued in the same way as they would be valued for
purposes of computing the Fund’s net asset value. If payment is made in securities, a shareholder may incur transaction costs in converting these securities into cash. The Fund has elected, however, to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the
Investment Company Act so that the Fund is obligated to redeem its shares solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of its net asset value during any 90-day period for any one shareholder of the Fund.
The Board of the BlackRock Funds Portfolio
will be permitted to impose a liquidity fee on redemptions from the Fund (up to 2%) or temporarily restrict redemptions from the Fund for up to 10 business days. Please see the Fund’s Prospectus for additional information about liquidity fees
and redemption gates.
Under the
Investment Company Act, the Fund may suspend the right to redemption or postpone the date of payment upon redemption for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings), or during which trading on the
NYSE is restricted, or during which (as determined by the SEC by rule or regulation) an emergency exists as a result of which disposal or valuation or portfolio securities is not reasonably
practicable, or for such other periods as the SEC may permit. (A Portfolio
may also suspend or postpone the recordation of the transfer of its shares upon the occurrence of any of the foregoing conditions.)
The Fund may redeem shares involuntarily to
reimburse the Fund for any loss sustained by reason of the failure of a shareholder to make full payment for shares purchased by the shareholder or to collect any charge relating to a transaction effected for the benefit of a shareholder. The Fund
reserves the express right to redeem shares of the Fund involuntarily at any time if the Board of Trustees determines, in its sole discretion, that failure to do so may have adverse consequences to the holders of shares in the Fund. Upon such
redemption the holders of shares so redeemed shall have no further right with respect thereto other than to receive payment of the redemption price.
The BlackRock Funds Portfolio reserves the
right to redeem shares in any account that it cannot confirm to its satisfaction is beneficially owned by a natural person, after providing at least 60 days’ advance notice.
Signature Guarantee.
A signature guarantee is designed to protect the shareholders and the Fund against fraudulent transactions by unauthorized persons. A signature guarantee may be obtained from a domestic bank or trust company, recognized
broker, dealer, clearing agency, savings association who are participants in a medallion program by the Securities Transfer Association, credit unions, national securities exchanges and registered securities associations. The three recognized
medallion programs are Securities Transfer Agent Medallion Program (STAMP), Stock Exchanges Medallion Program (SEMP) and New York Stock Exchange, Inc. Medallion Signature Program (MSP). Signature Guarantees which are not a part of these programs
will not be accepted. Please note that a notary public stamp or seal is not acceptable.
Shareholder Services
Shareholder Services for All Funds other than BIF Funds, BBIF
Funds, Retirement Reserves and BlackRock Funds Portfolio
Each Fund offers one or more of the
shareholder services described below that are designed to facilitate investment in its shares. Certain of these services are available only to U.S. investors. You can obtain more information about these services from each Fund by calling the
telephone number on the cover page of the Part I of this SAI, or from the Distributor.
Investment Account
If your account is maintained at the
Fund’s transfer agent (an “Investment Account”) you will receive a monthly report showing the activity in your account for the month. You may make additions to your Investment Account at any time by purchasing shares at the
applicable public offering price either through your securities dealer, by wire or by mail directly to the Fund’s transfer agent. You may ascertain the number of shares in your Investment Account by calling the Fund’s transfer agent
toll-free at 1-800-221-7210. The Fund’s transfer agent will furnish this information only after you have specified the name, address, account number and social security number of the registered owner or owners. You may also maintain an account
through Merrill Lynch. If you transfer shares out of a Merrill Lynch brokerage account, an Investment Account in your name may be opened at the Fund’s transfer agent. If you are considering transferring a tax-deferred retirement account such
as an IRA from Merrill Lynch to another brokerage firm or financial institution you should be aware that if the firm to which the retirement account is to be transferred will not take delivery of shares of a Fund, you must either redeem the shares
so that the cash proceeds can be transferred to the account at the new firm, or you must continue to maintain a retirement account at Merrill Lynch for those shares.
In the interest of economy and convenience
and because of the operating procedures of each Fund, share certificates will not be issued physically. Shares are maintained by each Fund on its register maintained by the Fund’s transfer agent and the holders thereof will have the same
rights and ownership with respect to such shares as if certificates had been issued.
Fee-Based Programs
Fund shares may be held in certain fee-based
programs offered by the Manager or its affiliates, including pricing alternatives for securities transactions (each referred to in this paragraph as a “Program”). These Programs generally prohibit such shares from being transferred to
another account at Merrill Lynch, to another broker-dealer or to the Fund’s transfer agent. Except in limited circumstances, such shares must be redeemed and new shares purchased in order for the investment not to be subject to Program fees.
Additional information regarding a specific Program
(including charges and limitations on transferability applicable to shares
that may be held in such Program) is available in such Program’s client agreement and from the Fund’s transfer agent at 1-800-221-7210.
Automatic Investment Plans
If you maintain an account directly with the
Fund’s transfer agent, each Fund offers an Automatic Investment Plan whereby the Fund’s transfer agent is authorized through preauthorized checks of $50 or more to charge your regular bank account on a regular basis to provide systematic
additions to the Investment Account. Your Automatic Investment Plan may be terminated at any time without charge or penalty by you, the Fund, the Fund’s transfer agent or the Distributor. If you do not maintain an account directly with the
Fund’s transfer agent, you should contact your financial professional.
Accrued Monthly Payout Plan
The dividends paid by each Fund are
generally reinvested automatically in additional shares. If you maintain an account at the Fund’s transfer agent and desire cash payments, you may enroll in the Accrued Monthly Payout Plan. Under this plan, shares equal in number to shares
credited through the automatic reinvestment of dividends during each month are redeemed at net asset value on the last Friday of such month in order to meet the monthly distribution (provided that, in the event that a payment on an account
maintained with the Fund’s transfer agent would be $10.00 or less, the payment will be automatically reinvested in additional shares). You may open an Accrued Monthly Payout Plan by completing the appropriate portion of the Purchase
Application. Your Accrued Monthly Payout Plan may be terminated at any time without charge or penalty by you, a Fund, the Fund’s transfer agent or the Distributor. If you do not maintain an account directly with the Fund’s transfer
agent, you should contact your financial professional.
Systematic Withdrawal Plans
If you maintain an account with the
Fund’s transfer agent, you may elect to receive systematic withdrawals from your Investment Account by check or through automatic payment by direct deposit to your bank account on either a monthly or quarterly basis as provided below.
Quarterly withdrawals are available if you have acquired shares of a Fund that have a value, based on cost or the current offering price, of $5,000 or more, and monthly withdrawals are available if your shares have a value of $10,000 or more.
At the time of each withdrawal payment,
sufficient shares are redeemed from your Investment Account to provide the withdrawal payment specified by you, which may be a dollar amount or a percentage of the value of your shares. Redemptions will be made at net asset value as determined as of
the close of business on the NYSE on the 24th day of each month or the 24th day of the last month of each quarter, whichever is applicable. If the NYSE is not open for business on such date, the shares will be redeemed at the net asset value
determined as of the close of business on the NYSE on the following business day. The check for the withdrawal payment will be mailed or the direct deposit will be made, on the next business day following redemption. When you make systematic
withdrawals, dividends and distributions on all shares in the Investment Account are reinvested automatically in Fund shares. Your systematic withdrawal plan may be terminated at any time, without charge or penalty, by you, a Fund, the Fund’s
transfer agent or the Distributor. You may not elect to make systematic withdrawals while you are enrolled in the Accrued Monthly Payout Plan. A Fund is not responsible for any failure of delivery to the shareholder’s address of record and no
interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distribution or redemption checks.
Withdrawal payments should not be considered
as dividends. Withdrawals generally are treated as sales of shares and may result in taxable gain or loss. If periodic withdrawals continuously exceed reinvested dividends, the original investment will be reduced correspondingly. You are cautioned
not to designate withdrawal programs that result in an undue reduction of principal. There are no minimums on amounts that may be systematically withdrawn. Periodic investments may not be made into an Investment Account in which a shareholder has
elected to make systematic withdrawals.
If your account is not maintained directly
with the Fund’s transfer agent, you should contact your financial professional. If your account is currently maintained at a branch office, redemptions via the Systematic Withdrawal Plan will be credited directly to your Investment Account. If
you wish to receive a redemption by check, you should contact your financial professional.
Retirement and Education Accounts
Individual retirement accounts, Roth IRAs
and other retirement plan accounts (together, “retirement accounts”) are available from your financial intermediary. Under these plans, investments may be made in a Fund and certain other mutual funds sponsored by the Manager or its
affiliates as well as in other securities. There may be fees associated with investing through these accounts. Information with respect to these accounts is available on request from your financial intermediary.
Dividends received in each of the accounts
referred to above are exempt from Federal taxation until distributed from the accounts and, in the case of Roth IRAs and education accounts, may be exempt from taxation when distributed as well. Investors considering participation in any retirement
or education account should review specific tax laws relating to the account and should consult their attorneys or tax advisors with respect to the establishment and maintenance of any such account.
Determination of Net Asset Value
Each Fund seeks to maintain a net asset
value of $1.00 per share for purposes of purchase and redemptions and values its portfolio securities on the basis of the amortized cost method of valuation.
Under this method portfolio securities are
valued at cost when purchased and thereafter, a constant proportionate accretion of any discount or amortization of premium is recorded until the maturity of the security. The effect of changes in the market value of a security as a result of
fluctuating interest rates is not taken into account.
As indicated, the amortized cost method of
valuation may result in the value of a security being higher or lower than its market price, the price a Fund would receive if the security were sold prior to maturity. Each Fund’s Board has established procedures for the purpose of
maintaining a constant net asset value of $1.00 per share for each Fund; however, there can be no assurance that a constant net asset value will be maintained for any Fund. Such procedures include a review of the extent of any deviation of net asset
value per share, based on available market quotations, from the $1.00 amortized cost per share.
Should that deviation exceed ½ of 1%
for a Fund, the Fund’s Board will promptly consider whether any action should be initiated to eliminate or reduce material dilution or other adverse impact to shareholders. Such action may include redeeming shares in kind, selling portfolio
securities prior to maturity, reducing or withholding dividends, shortening the average portfolio maturity, and utilizing a net asset value per share as determined by using available market quotations.
Each Fund will maintain a dollar-weighted
average portfolio maturity of 60 days or less, a dollar-weighted average life of 120 days or less, will not purchase any instrument with a deemed maturity under Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act greater than 397 days, and will limit portfolio
investments, including repurchase agreements, to those instruments that the adviser or sub-adviser determines present minimal credit risks pursuant to guidelines adopted by a Fund’s Board.
Yield Information
Each Fund computes its annualized yield in
accordance with regulations adopted by the Commission by determining the net changes in value, exclusive of capital changes and income other than investment income, for a seven-day base period for a hypothetical pre-existing account having a balance
of one share at the beginning of the base period, subtracting a hypothetical shareholder account charge, and dividing the difference by the value of the account at the beginning of the base period to obtain the base period return, and then
multiplying the result by 365 and then dividing by seven. This yield calculation does not take into consideration any realized or unrealized gains or losses on portfolio securities. The Commission also permits the calculation of a standardized
effective or compounded yield. This is computed by compounding the unannualized base period return, which is done by adding one to the base period return, raising the sum to a power equal to 365 divided by seven, and subtracting one from the result.
This compounded yield calculation also excludes realized and unrealized gains or losses on portfolio securities.
The yield on each Fund’s shares
normally will fluctuate on a daily basis. Therefore, the yield for any given past period is not an indication or representation by a Fund of future yields or rates of return on its shares. The yield is affected by such factors as changes in interest
rates on a Fund’s portfolio securities, average portfolio maturity, the types and quality of portfolio securities held and operating expenses. The yield on Fund shares for various reasons may not be comparable to the yield on bank deposits,
shares of other money market funds or other investments.
See Part I, Section VI “Yield
Information” of each Fund’s SAI for recent seven-day yield information relating to your Fund.
On occasion, each Fund may compare its yield
to (1) an industry average compiled by Donoghue’s Money Fund Report, a widely recognized independent publication that monitors the performance of money market mutual funds, (2) the average yield reported by the Bank Rate Monitor National Index
TM
for money market deposit accounts offered by the 100 leading banks and thrift institutions in the ten largest standard metropolitan statistical areas, (3)
yield data published by industry publications, including Lipper Inc., Morningstar, Inc.,
Money Magazine, U.S. News & World Report, BusinessWeek, CDA Investment Technology, Inc., Forbes Magazine
and
Fortune Magazine
, (4) the yield on an investment in 90-day Treasury bills on a rolling basis, assuming quarterly compounding, or (5) historical yield data relating to other central asset accounts similar to the CMA
service, in the case of the BIF Funds. As with yield quotations, yield comparisons should not be considered indicative of a Fund’s yield or relative performance for any future period.
A Fund may provide information designed to
help investors understand how the Fund is seeking to achieve its investment objective. This may include information about past, current or possible economic, market, political, or other conditions, descriptive information on general principles of
investing such as asset allocation, diversification and risk tolerance; a discussion of a Fund’s portfolio composition, investment philosophy, strategy or investment techniques; comparisons of a Fund’s performance or portfolio
composition to that of other funds or types of investments, to indices relevant to the comparison being made, or to a hypothetical or model portfolio. Each Fund may also quote various measures of volatility and benchmark correlation in advertising
and other materials, and may compare these measures to those of other funds or types of investments.
Portfolio Transactions
Subject to policies established by the Board
of each Fund, the Manager is primarily responsible for the execution of a Fund’s portfolio transactions. The Manager does not execute transactions through any particular broker or dealer, but seeks to obtain the best net results for the Fund,
taking into account such factors as price (including the applicable dealer spread), size of order, difficulty of execution, operational facilities of the firm and the firm’s risk and skill in positioning blocks of securities. While the Manager
generally seeks reasonable trade execution costs, a Fund does not necessarily pay the lowest spread or commission available. Each Fund’s policy of investing in securities with short maturities will result in high portfolio turnover.
Subject to obtaining the best net results,
dealers who provide supplemental investment research (such as economic data and market forecasts) to the Manager may receive orders for transactions of the Fund. Information received will be in addition to and not in lieu of the services required to
be performed by the Manager under each Management Agreement and the expenses of the Manager will not necessarily be reduced as a result of the receipt of such supplemental information.
The portfolio securities
in which each Fund invests are traded primarily in the OTC market. Bonds and debentures usually are traded OTC, but may be traded on an exchange. Where possible, a Fund will deal directly with the dealers who make a market in the securities involved
except in those circumstances where better prices and execution are available elsewhere. Such dealers usually are acting as principals for their own accounts. On occasion, securities may be purchased directly from the issuer. Money market securities
are generally traded on a net basis and do not normally involve either brokerage commissions or transfer taxes. The cost of executing portfolio securities transactions of a Fund primarily will consist of dealer spreads. Under the Investment Company
Act, persons affiliated with a Fund and persons who are affiliated with such affiliated persons are prohibited from dealing with the Fund as principals in the purchase and sale of securities unless an exemptive order allowing such transactions is
obtained from the Commission. Since transactions in the OTC market usually involve transactions with the dealers acting as principals for their own accounts, the Funds will not deal with affiliated persons in connection with such transactions,
except pursuant to an applicable exemptive order or as otherwise permitted by applicable law. However, an affiliated person of a Fund may serve as its broker in OTC transactions conducted on an agency basis.
The Manager does not consider sales of
shares of the mutual funds it advises as a factor in the selection of brokers or dealers to execute portfolio transactions for a Fund; however, whether or not a particular broker or dealer sells shares of the mutual funds advised by the Manager
neither qualifies nor disqualifies such broker or dealer to execute transactions for those mutual funds.
OTC issues, including most fixed income
securities such as corporate debt and U.S. Government securities, are normally traded on a “net” basis without a stated commission, through dealers acting for their own account and not as brokers. The Funds will primarily engage in
transactions with these dealers or deal directly with the issuer unless a
better price or execution could be obtained by using a broker. Prices paid to
a dealer with respect to both non-U.S. and domestic securities will generally include a “spread,” which is the difference between the prices at which the dealer is willing to purchase and sell the specific security at the time, and
includes the dealer’s normal profit.
Purchases of money market instruments by a
Fund are made from dealers, underwriters and issuers. The Funds do not currently expect to incur any brokerage commission expense on such transactions because money market instruments are generally traded on a “net” basis with dealers
acting as principal for their own accounts without a stated commission. The price of the security, however, usually includes a profit to the dealer. Each money market Fund (each a “Money Market Portfolio”) intends to purchase only
securities with remaining maturities of 13 months or less as determined in accordance with the rules of the SEC. As a result, the portfolio turnover rates of a Money Market Portfolio will be relatively high. However, because brokerage commissions
will not normally be paid with respect to investments made by a Money Market Portfolio, the turnover rates should not adversely affect the Fund’s net asset values or net income.
Securities purchased in underwritten
offerings include a fixed amount of compensation to the underwriter, generally referred to as the underwriter’s concession or discount. When securities are purchased or sold directly from or to an issuer, no commissions or discounts are
paid.
The Manager may seek to obtain
an undertaking from issuers of commercial paper or dealers selling commercial paper to consider the repurchase of such securities from a Fund prior to maturity at their original cost plus interest (sometimes adjusted to reflect the actual maturity
of the securities), if it believes that a Fund’s anticipated need for liquidity makes such action desirable. Any such repurchase prior to maturity reduces the possibility that a Fund would incur a capital loss in liquidating commercial paper,
especially if interest rates have risen since acquisition of such commercial paper.
Investment decisions for each Fund and for
other investment accounts managed by the Manager are made independently of each other in light of differing conditions. BlackRock allocates investments among client accounts in a fair and equitable manner. A variety of factors will be considered in
making such allocations. These factors include: (i) investment objectives or strategies for particular accounts, including sector, industry, country or region and capitalization weightings, (ii) tax considerations of an account, (iii) risk or
investment concentration parameters for an account, (iv) supply or demand for a security at a given price level, (v) size of available investment, (vi) cash availability and liquidity requirements for accounts, (vii) regulatory restrictions, (viii)
minimum investment size of an account, (ix) relative size of account, and (x) such other factors as may be approved by BlackRock’s general counsel. Moreover, investments may not be allocated to one client account over another based on any of
the following considerations: (i) to favor one client account at the expense of another, (ii) to generate higher fees paid by one client account over another or to produce greater performance compensation to BlackRock, (iii) to develop or enhance a
relationship with a client or prospective client, (iv) to compensate a client for past services or benefits rendered to BlackRock or to induce future services or benefits to be rendered to BlackRock, or (v) to manage or equalize investment
performance among different client accounts.
Because of different objectives or other
factors, a particular security may be bought for one or more funds or clients advised by BlackRock or its affiliates (collectively, “clients”) when one or more clients of BlackRock or its affiliates are selling the same security. If
purchases or sales of securities arise for consideration at or about the same time that would involve a Fund or other clients or funds for which BlackRock or an affiliate acts as investment manager, transactions in such securities will be made,
insofar as feasible, for the respective funds and clients in a manner deemed equitable to all. To the extent that transactions on behalf of more than one client of BlackRock or its affiliates during the same period may increase the demand for
securities being purchased or the supply of securities being sold, there may be an adverse effect on price.
See Part I, Section VIII “Portfolio
Transactions” of each Fund’s SAI for information relating to portfolio transactions engaged in by your Fund for its three most recently completed fiscal years or other relevant periods.
The Board of each Fund has considered the
possibility of seeking to recapture for the benefit of the Fund expenses of possible portfolio transactions, such as dealer spreads and underwriting commissions, by conducting portfolio transactions through affiliated entities. After considering all
factors deemed relevant, the Board of each Fund made a determination not to seek such recapture. The Board of each Fund will reconsider this matter from time to time.
Each Fund has received an exemptive order
from the Commission permitting it to lend portfolio securities to its affiliates. Pursuant to that order, each Fund may retain an affiliated entity of the Manager (the “lending agent”) as the securities lending agent for a fee, including
a fee based on a share of the returns on investment of cash collateral. The lending agent may, on behalf of a Fund, invest cash collateral received by the Fund for such loans,
among other things, in a private investment company managed by the lending
agent or in registered money market funds advised by the Manager or its affiliates. See Part I, Section VIII “Portfolio Transactions” of each Fund’s SAI for the securities lending agent fees, if any, paid by your Fund to the
lending agent for the periods indicated.
Because of different objectives or other
factors, a particular security may be bought for one or more funds or clients advised by the Manager or its affiliates (collectively, “clients”) when one or more clients of the Manager or its affiliates are selling the same security. If
purchases or sales of securities arise for consideration at or about the same time that would involve a Fund or other clients or funds for which the Manager or an affiliate acts as investment manager, transactions in such securities will be made,
insofar as feasible, for the respective funds and clients in a manner deemed equitable to all. To the extent that transactions on behalf of more than one client of the Manager or its affiliates during the same period may increase the demand for
securities being purchased or the supply of securities being sold, there may be an adverse effect on price.
Dividends and Taxes
Dividends
Each Fund declares
dividends daily. Except as otherwise provided in a Fund’s Prospectus, dividends of each Fund are reinvested monthly in additional shares of that Fund at net asset value. Except as otherwise provided in a Fund’s Prospectus, shares
purchased will begin accruing dividends on the day following the date of purchase. Dividends that are declared but unpaid will remain in the gross assets of each Fund and will therefore continue to earn income for the Fund’s shareholders.
Shareholders will receive monthly statements as to such reinvestments. For shareholders of the BIF Funds and the BBIF Funds, with respect to certain transactions that settle on a “same day” basis (such as Federal Funds wire redemptions,
branch office checks, transfers to other Merrill Lynch accounts and certain securities transactions), the Fund shares necessary to effect such transactions will be deemed to have been transferred to Merrill Lynch prior to the Funds’
declaration of dividends on that day.
Net income (from the time of the immediately
preceding determination thereof) consists of (i) interest accrued and/or discount earned (including both original issue and market discount), (ii) less amortization of premiums and the estimated expenses of a Fund applicable to that dividend period.
Net realized capital gains (including net short-term capital gain), if any, will be distributed by the Funds at least annually.
Retirement Accounts.
Investment in certain Funds is offered to participants in retirement accounts for which Merrill Lynch acts as custodian, participants in Merrill Lynch Basic Plans and RSAs and certain independent qualified plans.
Accordingly, the general description of the tax treatment of RICs and their shareholders set forth below is qualified for retirement accountholders with respect to the special tax treatment afforded such accounts under the Code. Under the Code,
neither ordinary income dividends nor capital gain dividends represent current income to retirement accountholders.
Generally, distributions from a retirement
account (other than certain distributions from a Roth IRA) will be taxable as ordinary income at the rate applicable to the participant at the time of the distribution. For most retirement accounts, such distributions would include (i) any pre-tax
contributions to the retirement account (including pre-tax contributions that have been rolled over from another IRA or qualified retirement plan), and (ii) earnings (whether such earnings are classified as ordinary income or as capital gains). In
addition to Federal income tax, participants may be subject to the imposition of a 10% (or, in the case of certain SRA distributions, 25%) additional tax on any amount withdrawn from a retirement account prior to the participant’s attainment
of age 59½ unless one of the exceptions listed below applies.
Depending on the type of retirement plan,
the exceptions to the early withdrawal penalty may include: 1) distributions after the death of the shareholder; 2) distributions attributable to disability; 3) distributions used to pay certain medical expenses; 4) distributions that are part of a
scheduled series of substantially equal periodic payments for the life (or life expectancy) of the shareholder or the joint lives (or joint life and last survivor expectancy) of the shareholder and the shareholder’s beneficiary; 5) withdrawals
for medical insurance if the shareholder has received unemployment compensation for 12 weeks and the distribution is made in the year such unemployment compensation is received or the following year; 6) distributions to pay qualified higher
education expenses of the shareholder or certain family members of the shareholder; and 7) distributions used to buy a first home (subject to a $10,000 lifetime limit).
For Roth IRA participants, distributions,
including accumulated earnings on contributions, will not be includable in income if such distribution is made five or more years after the first tax year of contribution and the account holder either is age 59½ or older, has become disabled,
is purchasing a first home (subject to the $10,000 lifetime limit) or
has died. As with other retirement accounts, a 10% excise tax applies to
amounts withdrawn from the Roth IRA prior to reaching age 59½ unless one of the exceptions applies. Such a withdrawal would also be included in income to the extent of earnings on contributions, with distributions treated as made first from
contributions and then from earnings.
Under certain limited circumstances (for
example, if an individual for whose benefit a retirement account is established engages in any transaction prohibited under Section 4975 of the Code with respect to such account), a retirement account could cease to qualify for the special treatment
afforded certain retirement accounts under the Code as of the first day of the taxable year in which the transaction that caused the disqualification occurred. If a retirement account through which a shareholder holds Fund shares becomes ineligible
for special tax treatment, the shareholder will be treated as having received a distribution on the first day of such taxable year from the retirement account in an amount equal to the fair market value of all assets in the account. Thus, a
shareholder would be taxed currently on the amount of any pre-tax contributions and previously untaxed dividends held within the account, and would be taxed on the ordinary income and capital gain dividends paid by a Fund subsequent to the
disqualification event, whether such dividends were received in cash or reinvested in additional shares. These ordinary income and capital gain dividends also might be subject to state and local taxes. In the event of retirement account
disqualification, shareholders also could be subject to the early withdrawal excise tax described above. Additionally, retirement account disqualification may subject a nonresident alien shareholder to a 30% United States withholding tax on ordinary
income dividends paid by a Fund unless a reduced rate of withholding is provided under applicable treaty law or such dividends are designated as interest-related dividends or short-term capital gain dividends, as described in “Dividends and
Taxes — Taxes — General Treatment of Fund Shareholders.”
In certain circumstances, account holders
also may be able to make nondeductible contributions to their retirement accounts. As described above, ordinary income dividends and capital gain dividends received with respect to such contributions will not be taxed currently. Unlike the Roth IRA,
described above, earnings with respect to these amounts will be taxed when distributed.
Qualified Tuition Program and ESAs.
Investment in Retirement Reserves is also offered to participants in Qualified Tuition Program accounts and ESAs (together, “education accounts”). The general description of the tax treatment of RICs and
their shareholders as set forth below is qualified for education accountholders with respect to the special tax treatment afforded education accounts. Under the Code, neither ordinary income dividends nor capital gain dividends represent current
income to shareholders holding shares through an education account.
Distributions from a Qualified Tuition
Program account or ESA, including amounts representing earnings on amounts contributed, will not be included in income to the extent they do not exceed the beneficiary’s qualified education expenses, as defined in the Code for purposes of the
particular type of account. Education account holders may be subject to a Federal penalty as well as ordinary income tax and any applicable state income tax on the portion of a distribution representing earnings on contributed amounts, if the
distribution is not used for qualified education expenses, as defined in the Code for purposes of the particular type of account. Exceptions to the Federal penalty include distributions made on account of the death or disability of the beneficiary
of the account and distributions made on account of a scholarship received by the beneficiary, provided the distributions do not exceed the amount of the scholarship.
If an education account becomes ineligible
for the special tax treatment described above, the shareholder will be taxed currently on amounts representing accumulated earnings on contributions made to the account. Likewise, dividends paid by the Fund subsequently will be currently taxable,
whether received in cash or reinvested, and could be subject to state and local taxes. It is possible that the Federal penalty applicable to withdrawals not used for qualified education expenses might also apply. Disqualification of an education
account may subject a nonresident alien shareholder to a 30% United States withholding tax on ordinary income dividends paid by a Fund, unless a reduced rate of withholding is provided under applicable treaty law or such dividends are designated as
interest-related dividends or short-term capital gain dividends, as described in “Dividends and Taxes — Taxes — General Treatment of Fund Shareholders.”
The foregoing is a general and abbreviated
summary of the applicable provisions of the Code and Treasury regulations presently in effect, as applied to the particular types of Plans and accounts being described. For the complete provisions, reference should be made to the pertinent Code
sections and the Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder. The Code and the Treasury regulations are subject to change by legislative, judicial or administrative action either prospectively or retroactively.
Shareholders are urged to consult their tax
advisors regarding specific questions as to Federal, foreign, state or local taxes. Foreign investors should consider applicable foreign taxes in their evaluation of investment in each Fund.
Shareholders investing through a retirement account or education account,
likewise, should consult a tax advisor with respect to the tax consequences of investing through such an account.
Taxes
Each Fund intends to elect and to qualify or
to continue to qualify, as appropriate, for the special tax treatment afforded RICs under the Code. As long as a Fund so qualifies, the Fund (but not its shareholders) will not be subject to Federal income tax on the part of its investment company
taxable income and net capital gain that is distributed to shareholders. Each Fund intends to distribute substantially all of such income and gains. If, in any taxable year, a Fund fails to qualify as a RIC under the Code, notwithstanding the
availability of certain relief provisions, such Fund would be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and all distributions from earnings and profits (as determined under Federal income tax principles) to its shareholders would be
taxable as ordinary dividend income eligible for taxation at a reduced tax rate for non-corporate shareholders and the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders.
Each Fund that is a series of a RIC that
consists of multiple series is treated as a separate corporation for Federal income tax purposes, and, therefore, is considered to be a separate entity in determining its treatment under the rules for RICs. Losses in one series of a RIC do not
offset gains in another, and the requirements (other than certain organizational requirements) for qualifying for RIC status will be determined at the level of the individual series. In the following discussion, the term “Fund” means
each individual series, if applicable.
The Code requires a RIC to pay a
nondeductible 4% excise tax to the extent the RIC does not distribute, during each calendar year, 98% of its ordinary income, determined on a calendar year basis, and 98.2% of its capital gain net income, determined, in general, as if the
RIC’s taxable year ended on October 31, plus certain undistributed amounts from the preceding year. While each Fund intends to distribute its income and capital gains in the manner necessary to minimize imposition of the 4% excise tax, there
can be no assurance that sufficient amounts of a Fund’s taxable income and capital gains will be distributed to avoid entirely the imposition of the tax. In such event, a Fund will be liable for the tax only on the amount by which it does not
meet the foregoing distribution requirements. The required distributions are based only on the taxable income of a RIC.
General Treatment of Fund Shareholders.
Dividends paid by a Fund from its ordinary income or from an excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss (together referred to hereafter as “ordinary income dividends”) are taxable
to shareholders as ordinary income. Distributions made from an excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss (“capital gain dividends”) are taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain, regardless of the
length of time the shareholder has owned Fund shares. Distributions paid by a Fund that are reported as exempt-interest dividends will not be subject to regular Federal income tax. Certain dividend income and long-term capital gains are eligible for
taxation at a reduced rate that applies to non-corporate shareholders. Under these rules, the portion of ordinary income dividends constituting “qualified dividend income” when paid by a RIC to non-corporate shareholders may be taxable
to such shareholders at long-term capital gain rates. However, to the extent a Fund’s distributions are derived from income on debt securities and short-term capital gains, such distributions will not constitute “qualified dividend
income.” Thus, ordinary income dividends paid by the Funds generally will not be eligible for taxation at the reduced rate.
Any loss upon the sale or exchange of Fund
shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of any capital gain dividends received with respect to the shares. Distributions in excess of a Fund’s earnings and profits will first reduce the
shareholder’s adjusted tax basis in his shares and any amount in excess of such basis will constitute capital gains to such shareholder (assuming the shares are held as a capital asset). Long-term capital gains (
i.e.
, gains from a sale or exchange of capital assets held for more than one year) are generally taxed at preferential rates to non-corporate taxpayers. Each Fund will furnish its shareholders with a written
statement reporting the amounts of its dividends paid during the year that qualify as capital gain dividends or exempt-interest dividends, as applicable, as well as the portion of an exempt-interest dividend that constitutes an item of tax
preference, as discussed below.
Ordinary income and capital gain dividends
are taxable to shareholders even if they are reinvested in additional shares of a Fund. Distributions by a Fund, whether from ordinary income or capital gains, generally will not be eligible for the dividends received deduction allowed to
corporations under the Code. If a Fund pays a dividend in January that was declared in the previous October, November or December to shareholders of record on a specified date in one of such months, then such dividend will be treated for tax
purposes as being paid by the Fund and received by its shareholders on December 31 of the year in which such dividend was declared.
If any Fund (other than a Fund that is a
government money market fund) imposes a liquidity fee on share redemptions because of a drop in the Fund’s weekly liquid assets below certain levels, the amount that would ordinarily be payable to a redeeming shareholder of the Fund will be
reduced, consequently reducing the amount of gain, or increasing the amount of loss, that would otherwise be reportable for income tax purposes. The liquidity fee cannot be separately claimed as a deduction.
Any such liquidity fee will constitute an
asset of the imposing Fund and will serve to benefit non-redeeming shareholders. However, the Funds do not intend to distribute such fees to non-redeeming shareholders. If a Fund receives liquidity fees, it will consider the appropriate tax
treatment of such fees to the Fund at such time.
If the value of assets held by a Fund
declines, the Trustees of the Fund may authorize a reduction in the number of outstanding shares in shareholders’ accounts so as to preserve a net asset value of $1.00 per share. After such a reduction, the basis of eliminated shares would be
added to the basis of shareholders’ remaining Fund shares, and any shareholders disposing of shares at that time may recognize a capital loss. Dividends, including dividends reinvested in additional shares of a Fund, will nonetheless be fully
taxable, even if the number of shares in shareholders’ accounts has been reduced as described above.
A loss realized on a sale or exchange of
shares of a Fund will be disallowed if other shares of the Fund are acquired (whether through the automatic reinvestment of dividends or otherwise) within a 61 day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the date on which the shares
are sold or exchanged. In such a case, the basis of the shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.
Under certain provisions of the Code, some
shareholders may be subject to a withholding tax on ordinary income dividends and capital gain dividends (“backup withholding”). Generally, shareholders subject to backup withholding will be non-corporate shareholders for whom no
certified taxpayer identification number is on file with a Fund or who, to a Fund’s knowledge, have furnished an incorrect number. When establishing an account, an investor must certify under penalty of perjury that such number is correct and
that the investor is not otherwise subject to backup withholding. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amount withheld generally may be allowed as a refund or a credit against a shareholder’s Federal income tax liability provided
that the required information is timely provided to the IRS.
If a shareholder recognizes a loss with
respect to a Fund’s shares of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder in any single taxable year (or a greater amount in a combination of taxable years), the shareholder must file a
disclosure statement on Form 8886 with the IRS. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases exempted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a RIC are not exempted. That a loss is reportable
under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their
individual circumstances.
A 3.8%
Medicare tax is imposed on the net investment income (which includes, but is not limited to, interest, dividends and net gains from investments) of U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000, or $250,000 if married filing jointly, and of trusts
and estates. However, this tax will not apply to certain amounts that are already excludable from gross income, such as interest on tax-exempt bonds.
Interest received by a Fund may give rise to
withholding and other taxes imposed by foreign countries. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes.
Ordinary income dividends
paid to shareholders that are nonresident aliens or foreign entities generally will be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax under existing provisions of the Code applicable to foreign individuals and entities unless a reduced rate of withholding is
provided under applicable treaty law. Nonresident shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisors concerning applicability of the United States withholding tax. Dividends derived by a RIC from short-term capital gains and qualified net
interest income (including income from original issue discount and market discount) and paid to stockholders that are nonresident aliens and foreign entities, if and to the extent properly reported as “interest-related dividends” or
“short-term capital gain dividends,” generally will not be subject to U.S. withholding tax. Where possible, each Fund intends to report such dividends as interest-related dividends or short-term capital gain dividends. However, depending
on its circumstances, a Fund may report all, some or none of its potentially eligible dividends as interest-related dividends or as short-term capital gain dividends, and/or treat such dividends, in whole or in part, as ineligible for this exemption
from withholding. In order to qualify for this exemption from withholding, a non-U.S. shareholder must comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its non-U.S. status (including, in general, furnishing an IRS Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E
or substitute form). In the case of shares held through an intermediary, the intermediary may withhold even if the Fund reports the payment as an interest-related dividend or short term capital gain dividend. Non-U.S. shareholders should contact
their
intermediaries with respect to the application of these rules to their
accounts. It is not possible to predict what portion, if any, of a Fund’s distributions will be designated as consisting of qualified short term gain or qualified net interest income exempt from withholding in the hands of nonresident and
foreign shareholders.
A 30%
withholding tax is currently imposed on dividends and will be imposed on redemption proceeds paid after December 31, 2018 to (i) certain foreign financial institutions and investment funds, and (ii) certain other foreign entities. To avoid
withholding, foreign financial institutions and investment funds will generally either need to (a) collect and report to the IRS detailed information identifying their U.S. accounts and U.S. account holders, comply with due diligence procedures for
identifying U.S. accounts and withhold tax on certain payments made to noncomplying foreign entities and account holders or (b) if an intergovernmental agreement is entered into and implementing legislation is adopted, comply with the agreement and
legislation. Other foreign entities will generally either need to provide detailed information identifying each substantial U.S. owner or certify there are no such owners.
Ordinary income and capital gain dividends
paid by the Funds may also be subject to state and local taxes. However, certain states exempt from state income taxation dividends paid by RICs that are derived from interest on United States Treasury obligations. State law varies as to whether
dividend income attributable to United States Treasury obligations is exempt from state income tax.
Master — Feeder Funds.
In the case of a Feeder Fund, such Fund is entitled to look to the underlying assets of the Master Portfolio in which it has invested for purposes of satisfying various qualification requirements of the Code applicable
to RICs. Each Master Portfolio is classified as a partnership for Federal income tax purposes. If applicable tax provisions should change, then the Board of a Feeder Fund will determine, in its discretion, the appropriate course of action for the
Feeder Fund. One possible course of action would be to withdraw the Feeder Fund’s investments from the Master Portfolio and to retain an investment manager to manage the Feeder Fund’s assets in accordance with the investment policies
applicable to the Feeder Fund.
Proxy Voting
Policies and Procedures
The Board of
Trustees of each Fund has delegated the voting of proxies for the Funds’ securities to the Manager pursuant to the Manager’s proxy voting guidelines and procedures (the “BlackRock Proxy Voting Guidelines”). Under the
BlackRock Proxy Voting Guidelines, the Manager will vote proxies related to Fund securities in the best interests of the Fund and its stockholders. From time to time, a vote may present a conflict between the interests of the Fund’s
stockholders, on the one hand, and those of the Manager, or any affiliated person of the Fund or the Manager, on the other. In such event, provided that the Manager’s Equity Investment Policy Oversight Committee, or a sub-committee thereof
(the “Committee”) is aware of a real or potential conflict or material non-routine matter and if the Committee does not reasonably believe it is able to follow its general voting guidelines (or if the particular proxy matter is not
addressed in the guidelines) and vote impartially, the Committee may retain an independent fiduciary to advise the Committee on how to vote or to cast votes on behalf of the Manager’s clients. If the Manager determines not to retain an
independent fiduciary, or does not desire to follow the advice of such independent fiduciary, the Committee shall determine how to vote the proxy after consulting with the Manager’s Portfolio Management Group and/or the Manager’s Legal
and Compliance Department and concluding that the vote cast is in its client’s best interest notwithstanding the conflict. Copies of the Funds’ Proxy Voting Policy and the BlackRock Proxy Voting Guidelines are attached as Appendix B.
Information on how each Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available without charge, (i) at www.blackrock.com and (ii) on the Commission’s website at
http://www.sec.gov.
General Information
Shareholders are entitled to one vote for
each full share held and fractional votes for fractional shares held and vote in the election of Trustees and generally on other matters submitted to the vote of shareholders. In the case of Retirement Reserves and the BBIF Funds, each class
represents an interest in the same assets of the respective Fund and are identical in all respects, except that each class of shares bears certain expenses related to the distribution of such shares and has exclusive voting rights with respect to
matters relating to such distribution expenditures. Voting rights are not cumulative, so that the holders of more than 50% of the shares voting in the election of Trustees can, if they choose to do so, elect all Trustees of the Fund. No amendment
may be made to the Declaration of Trust without the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund except under certain limited circumstances set forth in the Fund’s Declaration of Trust, as amended (the
“Declaration”).
There
normally will be no meeting of shareholders for the purpose of electing Trustees unless and until such time as less than a majority of the Trustees holding office have been elected by the shareholders, at which time the
Trustees then in office will call a shareholders’ meeting for the
election of Trustees. Shareholders may cause a meeting of shareholders to be held in accordance with the terms of the Fund’s Declaration or by-laws, as the case may be. Also, each Fund will be required to call a special meeting of shareholders
in accordance with the requirements of the Investment Company Act to seek approval of new advisory arrangements, of a material increase in distribution fees or of a change in fundamental policies, objectives or restrictions. Except as set forth
above, the Trustees shall continue to hold office from year to year and appoint successor Trustees. Each issued and outstanding share is entitled to participate equally in dividends and distributions declared and in net assets upon liquidation or
dissolution remaining after satisfaction of outstanding liabilities except for any expenses which may be attributable to only one class, in the case of Retirement Reserves, the BBIF Funds or the BlackRock Funds Portfolio. Shares issued are
fully-paid and non-assessable by each Fund.
A copy of the Declaration establishing each
Fund, together with all amendments thereto, is on file in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Declaration provides that the name of each Fund refers to the Trustees under the Declaration collectively as Trustees,
but not as individuals or personally, and no Trustee, shareholder, officer, employee or agent of the Fund shall be held to any personal liability, nor shall resort be had to their property for the satisfaction of any obligation or claim of the Fund
but the “Trust Property” (as defined in the Declaration) only shall be liable.
Additional Information
Under a separate agreement, BlackRock has
granted the Funds, as applicable, the right to use the “BlackRock” name and has reserved the right to withdraw its consent to the use of such name by a Fund if the Fund ceases to retain BlackRock as investment adviser or to grant the use
of such name to any other company.
See Part I, Section VIII “General
Information” of each Fund’s SAI for other general information about your Fund.
APPENDIX A
Description of Bond Ratings
A Description of Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.’s
(“Moody’s”) Global Rating Scales
Ratings assigned on Moody’s global
long-term and short-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public
sector entities. Long-term ratings are assigned to issuers or obligations with an original maturity of one year or more and reflect both on the likelihood of a default on contractually promised payments and the expected financial loss suffered in
the event of default. Short-term ratings are assigned to obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect both on the likelihood of a default on contractually promised payments and the expected financial loss suffered in
the event of default.
Description of Moody’s
Long-Term Obligation Ratings
Aaa
|
Obligations
rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, subject to the lowest level of credit risk.
|
Aa
|
Obligations
rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.
|
A
|
Obligations
rated A are judged to be upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.
|
Baa
|
Obligations
rated Baa are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.
|
Ba
|
Obligations
rated Ba are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.
|
B
|
Obligations
rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.
|
Caa
|
Obligations
rated Caa are judged to be speculative of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.
|
Ca
|
Obligations
rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.
|
C
|
Obligations
rated C are the lowest rated and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.
|
Note:
Moody’s appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a
mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.
Hybrid Indicator (hyb)
The hybrid indicator (hyb) is appended to
all ratings of hybrid securities issued by banks, insurers, finance companies, and securities firms. By their terms, hybrid securities allow for the omission of scheduled dividends, interest, or principal payments, which can potentially result in
impairment if such an omission occurs. Hybrid securities may also be subject to contractually allowable write-downs of principal that could result in impairment. Together with the hybrid indicator, the long-term obligation rating assigned to a
hybrid security is an expression of the relative credit risk associated with that security.
Description of Short-Term Obligation Ratings
Moody’s employs the following
designations to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:
P-1
|
Issuers (or
supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
|
P-2
|
Issuers
(or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
|
P-3
|
Issuers
(or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 have an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.
|
NP
|
Issuers
(or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.
|
Description of Moody’s US Municipal Short-Term Obligation
Ratings
The Municipal Investment Grade
(“MIG”) scale is used to rate US municipal bond anticipation notes of up to three years maturity. Municipal notes rated on the MIG scale may be secured by either pledged revenues or proceeds of a take-out financing received prior to note
maturity. MIG ratings expire at the maturity of the obligation, and the issuer’s long-term rating is only one consideration in assigning the MIG rating. MIG ratings are divided into three levels — MIG 1 through MIG 3 — while
speculative grade short-term obligations are designated SG.
MIG
1
|
This
designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.
|
MIG
2
|
This
designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.
|
MIG
3
|
This
designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.
|
SG
|
This
designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.
|
Description of Moody’s Demand Obligation Ratings
In the case of variable rate demand
obligations (“VRDOs”), a two-component rating is assigned: a long or short-term debt rating and a demand obligation rating. The first element represents Moody’s evaluation of risk associated with scheduled principal and interest
payments. The second element represents Moody’s evaluation of risk associated with the ability to receive purchase price upon demand (“demand feature”). The second element uses a rating from a variation of the MIG scale called the
Variable Municipal Investment Grade (“VMIG”) scale.
VMIG
1
|
This
designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
|
VMIG
2
|
This
designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
|
VMIG
3
|
This
designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon
demand.
|
SG
|
This
designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have an investment grade short-term rating or may lack the structural and/or legal protections
necessary to ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
|
Description of S& P Global Ratings
(“S&P”), a Division of S&P Global Inc., Issue Credit Ratings
A S&P issue credit rating is a
forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and
commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion
reflects S&P’s view of the obligor’s capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event
of default.
Issue credit
ratings can be either long-term or short-term. Short-term ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market. In the U.S., for example, that means obligations with an original maturity of no more than
365 days — including commercial paper. Short-term ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. Medium-term notes are assigned long-term ratings.
Issue credit ratings are
based, in varying degrees, on S&P’s analysis of the following considerations:
•
|
Likelihood of payment
— capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation;
|
•
|
Nature of and provisions of
the obligation, and the promise we impute;
|
•
|
Protection afforded
by, and relative position of, the obligation in the event of bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors’ rights.
|
Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings*
AAA
|
An
obligation rated ‘AAA’ has the highest rating assigned by S&P. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.
|
AA
|
An
obligation rated ‘AA’ differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.
|
A
|
An
obligation rated ‘A’ is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial
commitment on the obligation is still strong.
|
BBB
|
An
obligation rated ‘BBB’ exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the
obligation.
|
BB;
B;
CCC;
CC; and C
|
Obligations
rated ‘BB’, ‘B’, ‘CCC’, ‘CC’, and ‘C’ are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. ‘BB’ indicates the least degree of speculation and ‘C’ the
highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.
|
BB
|
An
obligation rated ‘BB’ is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, which could lead to the
obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
|
B
|
An
obligation rated ‘B’ is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated ‘BB’, but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic
conditions will likely impair the obligor’s capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
|
CCC
|
An
obligation rated ‘CCC’ is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. In the event of adverse
business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
|
CC
|
An
obligation rated ‘CC’ is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The ‘CC’ rating is used when a default has not yet occurred, but S&P expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to
default.
|
C
|
An
obligation rated ‘C’ is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared to obligations that are rated higher.
|
D
|
An
obligation rated ‘D’ is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the ‘D’ rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P believes
that such payments will be made within five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or 30 calendar days. The ‘D’ rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy
petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. An obligation’s rating is lowered to ‘D’ if it is subject to a distressed exchange
offer.
|
NR
|
This
indicates that no rating has been requested, or that there is insufficient information on which to base a rating, or that S&P does not rate a particular obligation as a matter of policy.
|
*The ratings from ‘AA’ to
‘CCC’ may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.
Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings
A-1
|
A short-term
obligation rated ‘A-1’ is rated in the highest category by S&P. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+).
This indicates that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.
|
A-2
|
A
short-term obligation rated ‘A-2’ is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its
financial commitment on the obligation is satisfactory.
|
A-3
|
A
short-term obligation rated ‘A-3’ exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on
the obligation.
|
B
|
A
short-term obligation rated ‘B’ is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties which
could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.
|
C
|
A
short-term obligation rated ‘C’ is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
|
D
|
A
short-term obligation rated ‘D’ is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the ‘D’ rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless
S&P believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The ‘D’ rating also will be used upon the filing of a
bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. An obligation’s rating is lowered to ‘D’ if it is subject to a
distressed exchange offer.
|
Description of S&P’s Municipal Short-Term Note
Ratings
A S&P U.S. municipal note
rating reflects S&P’s opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to the notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most
likely receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, S&P’s analysis will review the following considerations:
•
|
Amortization schedule
— the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and
|
•
|
Source of
payment — the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.
|
|
S&P’s municipal
short-term note rating symbols are as follows:
|
SP-1
|
Strong
capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.
|
SP-2
|
Satisfactory
capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.
|
SP-3
|
Speculative
capacity to pay principal and interest.
|
Description of Fitch Ratings’
(“Fitch’s”) Credit Ratings Scales
Fitch’s credit ratings provide an
opinion on the relative ability of an entity to meet financial commitments, such as interest, preferred dividends, repayment of principal, insurance claims or counterparty obligations. Credit ratings are used by investors as indications of the
likelihood of receiving the money owed to them in accordance with the terms on which they invested.
Fitch’s credit ratings do not directly
address any risk other than credit risk. In particular, ratings do not deal with the risk of a market value loss on a rated security due to changes in interest rates, liquidity and other market considerations. However, in terms of payment obligation
on the rated liability, market risk may be considered to the extent that it influences the
ability
of an issuer to pay upon a commitment. Ratings nonetheless do not reflect market
risk to the extent that they influence the size or other conditionality of
the
obligation
to pay upon a commitment (for example, in the case of index-linked bonds).
In the default components of ratings
assigned to individual obligations or instruments, the agency typically rates to the likelihood of non-payment or default in accordance with the terms of that instrument’s documentation. In limited cases, Fitch may include additional
considerations (
i.e.
, rate to a higher or lower standard than that implied in the obligation’s documentation). In such cases, the agency will make clear the assumptions underlying the agency’s
opinion in the accompanying rating commentary.
The terms “investment grade” and
“speculative grade” have established themselves over time as shorthand to describe the categories ‘AAA’ to ‘BBB’ (investment grade) and ‘BB’ to ‘D’ (speculative grade). The terms
“investment grade” and “speculative grade” are market conventions, and do not imply any recommendation or endorsement of a specific security for investment purposes. “Investment grade” categories indicate
relatively low to moderate credit risk, while ratings in the “speculative” categories either signal a higher level of credit risk or that a default has already occurred.
A designation of Not Rated or NR is used to
denote securities not rated by Fitch where Fitch has rated some, but not all, securities comprising an issuance capital structure.
Description of Fitch’s Long-Term Corporate Finance
Obligations Rating Scales
Fitch
long-term obligations rating scales are as follows:
AAA
|
Highest
credit quality. ‘AAA’ ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected
by foreseeable events.
|
AA
|
Very high
credit quality. ‘AA’ ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.
|
A
|
High
credit quality. ‘A’ ratings denote expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions
than is the case for higher ratings.
|
BBB
|
Good
credit quality. ‘BBB’ ratings indicate that expectations of credit risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair
this capacity.
|
BB
|
Speculative.
‘BB’ ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to credit risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial alternatives may be available to allow financial
commitments to be met.
|
B
|
Highly
speculative. ‘B’ ratings indicate that material credit risk is present.
|
CCC
|
Substantial
credit risk. ‘CCC’ ratings indicate that substantial credit risk is present.
|
CC
|
Very high
levels of credit risk. ‘CC’ ratings indicate very high levels of credit risk.
|
C
|
Exceptionally
high levels of credit risk. ‘C’ indicates exceptionally high levels of credit risk.
|
Defaulted obligations typically are not
assigned ‘RD’ or ‘D’ ratings, but are instead rated in the ‘B’ to ‘C’ rating categories, depending upon their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics. This approach better aligns
obligations that have comparable overall expected loss but varying vulnerability to default and loss.
Notes:
The
modifiers “+” or “–” may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the ‘AAA’ obligation rating category, or to corporate finance
obligation ratings in the categories below ‘CCC’.
The subscript ‘emr’ is appended
to a rating to denote embedded market risk which is beyond the scope of the rating. The designation is intended to make clear that the rating solely addresses the counterparty risk of the issuing bank. It is not meant to indicate any limitation in
the analysis of the counterparty risk, which in all other respects follows published Fitch criteria for analyzing the issuing financial institution. Fitch does not rate these instruments where the principal is to any degree subject to market
risk.
Description of Fitch’s Short-Term Ratings
A short-term issuer or obligation rating is
based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity or security stream and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-Term Ratings
are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as “short term” based on market convention. Typically, this means up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured obligations and up to 36 months for obligations in
U.S. public finance markets.
Fitch
short-term ratings are as follows:
F1
|
Highest
short-term credit quality. Indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added “+” to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.
|
F2
|
Good
short-term credit quality. Good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.
|
F3
|
Fair
short-term credit quality. The intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate.
|
B
|
Speculative
short-term credit quality. Minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus heightened vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.
|
C
|
High
short-term default risk. Default is a real possibility.
|
RD
|
Restricted default.
Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Typically applicable to entity ratings only.
|
D
|
Default.
Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a short-term obligation.
|
APPENDIX B
BlackRock U.S. Registered Funds
iShares by
BlackRock
Open-End Fund Proxy Voting Policy
Procedures Governing Delegation of
Proxy Voting to Fund Adviser
July 1, 2017
The Boards of
Trustees/Directors (“Directors”) of open-end funds advised by BlackRock Fund Advisors or BlackRock Advisors, LLC (“BlackRock”) (the “Funds”), have the responsibility for the oversight of voting proxies relating to
portfolio securities of the Funds, and have determined that it is in the best interests of the Funds and their shareholders to delegate the responsibility to vote proxies to BlackRock, subject to the principles outlined in this Policy, as part of
BlackRock’s authority to manage, acquire and dispose of account assets, all as contemplated by the Funds’ respective investment management agreements.
BlackRock has adopted guidelines and
procedures (together and as from time to time amended, the “BlackRock Proxy Voting Guidelines”) governing proxy voting by accounts managed by BlackRock.
BlackRock will cast votes
on behalf of each of the Funds on specific proxy issues in respect of securities held by each such Fund (or may refrain from voting) in accordance with the BlackRock Proxy Voting Guidelines.
BlackRock will report on an annual basis to
the Directors on (1) all proxy votes that BlackRock has made on behalf of the Funds in the preceding year together with a representation that all votes were in accordance with the BlackRock Proxy Voting Guidelines
1
, and (2) any changes to the BlackRock Proxy Voting Guidelines that have not previously been reported.
©2017 BlackRock
1
|
iShares MSCI All Peru Capped
ETF and the Social Index Funds, as defined in Appendex A of the Proxy Voting Policy for the Social Index Funds have separate Fund Proxy Voting Policies.
|
BlackRock
Global corporate governance & engagement
principles
June 2014
TABLE OF CONTENTS
|
Page
|
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B-5
|
|
B-5
|
|
B-5
|
|
B-6
|
|
B-7
|
|
B-7
|
|
B-8
|
|
B-8
|
|
B-8
|
|
B-9
|
|
B-9
|
|
B-9
|
|
B-10
|
|
B-11
|
|
B-11
|
Introduction to BlackRock
BlackRock is the
world’s preeminent asset management firm and a premier provider of global investment management, risk management and advisory services to institutional and individual clients around the world. BlackRock offers a wide range of investment
strategies and product structures to meet clients’ needs, including individual and institutional separate accounts, mutual funds, closed-end funds, and other pooled investment vehicles and the industry-leading iShares exchange traded funds.
Through BlackRock Solutions
®
, we offer risk management, strategic advisory and enterprise investment system services to a broad base of
clients.
Philosophy on corporate
governance
BlackRock’s corporate
governance program is focused on protecting and enhancing the economic value of the companies in which it invests on behalf of clients. We do this through engagement with boards and management of investee companies and, for those clients who have
given us authority, through voting at shareholder meetings.
We believe that there are certain
fundamental rights attached to share ownership. Companies and their boards should be accountable to shareholders and structured with appropriate checks and balances to ensure that they operate in shareholders’ interests. Effective voting
rights are central to the rights of ownership and there should be one vote for one share. Shareholders should have the right to elect, remove and nominate directors, approve the appointment of the auditor and to amend the corporate charter or
by-laws. Shareholders should be able to vote on matters that are material to the protection of their investment including but not limited to changes to the purpose of the business, dilution levels and pre-emptive rights, the distribution of income
and the capital structure. In order to exercise these rights effectively, we believe shareholders have the right to sufficient and timely information to be able to take an informed view of the proposals, and of the performance of the company and
management.
Our focus is on the board
of directors, as the agent of shareholders, which should set the company’s strategic aims within a framework of prudent and effective controls which enables risk to be assessed and managed. The board should provide direction and leadership to
the management and oversee management’s performance. Our starting position is to be supportive of boards in their oversight efforts on our behalf and we would generally expect to support the items of business they put to a vote at shareholder
meetings. Votes cast against or withheld from resolutions proposed by the board are a signal that we are concerned that the directors or management have either not acted in the interests of shareholders or have not responded adequately to
shareholder concerns regarding strategy or performance.
These principles set out our approach to
engaging with companies, provide guidance on our position on corporate governance and outline how our views might be reflected in our voting decisions. Corporate governance practices vary internationally and our expectations in relation to
individual companies are based on the legal and regulatory framework of each market. However, as noted above, we do believe that there are some overarching principles of corporate governance that apply globally. We assess voting matters on a
case-by-case basis and in light of each company’s unique circumstances. We are interested to understand from the company’s reporting its approach to corporate governance, particularly where it is different from the usual market practice,
and how it benefits shareholders.
BlackRock also believes that shareholders
have responsibilities in relation to monitoring and providing feedback to companies, sometimes known as stewardship. These ownership responsibilities include, in our view, engaging with management or board members on corporate governance matters,
voting proxies in the best long-term economic interests of shareholders and engaging with regulatory bodies to ensure a sound policy framework consistent with promoting long-term shareholder value creation. Institutional shareholders also have
responsibilities to their clients to have appropriate resources and oversight structures. Our own approach to oversight in relation to our corporate governance activities is set out in the section below titled “BlackRock’s oversight of
its corporate governance activities”.
Corporate governance, engagement and voting
We recognize that accepted standards of
corporate governance differ between markets but we believe that there are sufficient common threads globally to identify an overarching set of principles. The primary objective of our corporate governance activities is the protection and enhancement
of the value of our clients’ investments in public corporations. Thus, these principles focus on practices and structures that we consider to be supportive of long-term value creation. We discuss below the principles under six key themes. In
our regional and market-specific voting guidelines we explain how these principles inform our voting decisions in relation to specific resolutions that may appear on the agenda of a shareholder meeting in the relevant market.
The six key themes are:
•
|
Boards and directors
|
•
|
Auditors and audit-related
issues
|
•
|
Capital structure, mergers,
asset sales and other special transactions
|
•
|
Remuneration and benefits
|
•
|
Social, ethical and
environmental issues
|
•
|
General
corporate governance matters
|
At a minimum we would expect companies to
observe the accepted corporate governance standard in their domestic market or to explain why doing so is not in the interests of shareholders. Where company reporting and disclosure is inadequate or the approach taken is inconsistent with our view
of what is in the best interests of shareholders, we will engage with the company and/or use our vote to encourage a change in practice. In making voting decisions, we take into account research from proxy advisors, other internal and external
research, information published by the company or provided through engagement and the views of our equity portfolio managers.
BlackRock views engagement as an important
activity; engagement provides BlackRock with the opportunity to improve our understanding of investee companies and their governance structures, so that our voting decisions may be better informed. Engagement also allows us to share our philosophy
and approach to investment and corporate governance with companies to enhance their understanding of our objectives. There are a range of approaches we may take in engaging companies depending on the nature of the issue under consideration, the
company and the market.
Boards and directors
The performance of the board is critical to
the economic success of the company and to the protection of shareholders’ interests. Board members serve as agents of shareholders in overseeing the strategic direction and operation of the company. For this reason, BlackRock focuses on
directors in many of its engagements and sees the election of directors as one of its most important responsibilities in the proxy voting context.
We expect the board of directors to promote
and protect shareholder interests by:
•
|
establishing an appropriate
corporate governance structure;
|
•
|
supporting and overseeing
management in setting strategy;
|
•
|
ensuring the integrity of
financial statements;
|
•
|
making decisions regarding
mergers, acquisitions and disposals;
|
•
|
establishing appropriate
executive compensation structures; and
|
•
|
addressing business
issues including social, ethical and environmental issues when they have the potential to materially impact company reputation and performance.
|
There should be clear definitions of the
role of the board, the sub-committees of the board and the senior management such that the responsibilities of each are well understood and accepted. Companies should report publicly the approach taken to governance (including in relation to board
structure) and why this approach is in the interest of shareholders. We will engage with the appropriate directors where we have concerns about the performance of the board or the company, the broad strategy of the company or the performance of
individual board members. Concerns about directors may include their role on the board of a different company where that board has performed poorly and failed to protect shareholder interests.
BlackRock believes that directors should
stand for re-election on a regular basis. We assess directors nominated for election or re-election in the context of the composition of the board as a whole. There should be detailed disclosure of the relevant credentials of the individual
directors in order that shareholders can assess the caliber of an individual nominee. We expect there to be a sufficient number of independent directors on the board to ensure the protection of the interests of all shareholders. Common impediments
to independence may include but are not limited to:
•
|
current employment at the
company or a subsidiary;
|
•
|
former employment within the
past several years as an executive of the company;
|
•
|
providing substantial
professional services to the company and/or members of the company’s management;
|
•
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having
had a substantial business relationship in the past three years;
|
•
|
having, or representing a
shareholder with, a substantial shareholding in the company;
|
•
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being an immediate family
member of any of the aforementioned; and
|
•
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interlocking
directorships.
|
BlackRock believes that the operation of the
board is enhanced when there is a clearly independent, senior non-executive director to lead it. Where the chairman is also the CEO or is otherwise not independent the company should have an independent lead director. The role of this director is to
enhance the effectiveness of the independent members of the board through shaping the agenda, ensuring adequate information is provided to the board and encouraging independent participation in board deliberations. The lead independent board
director should be available to shareholders if they have concerns that they wish to discuss.
To ensure that the board remains effective,
regular reviews of board performance should be carried out and assessments made of gaps in skills or experience amongst the members. BlackRock believes it is beneficial for new directors to be brought onto the board periodically to refresh the
group’s thinking and to ensure both continuity and adequate succession planning. In identifying potential candidates, boards should take into consideration the diversity of experience and expertise of the current directors and how that might
be augmented by incoming directors. We believe that directors are in the best position to assess the optimal size for the board, but we would be concerned if a board seemed too small to have an appropriate balance of directors or too large to be
effective.
There are matters for which
the board has responsibility that may involve a conflict of interest for executives or for affiliated directors. BlackRock believes that shareholders’ interests are best served when the independent members of the board form a sub-committee to
deal with such matters. In many markets, these sub-committees of the board specialize in audit, director nominations and compensation matters. An ad hoc committee might also be formed to decide on a special transaction, particularly one with a
related party.
Auditors and audit-related issues
BlackRock recognizes the critical importance
of financial statements which should provide a complete and accurate picture of a company’s financial condition. We will hold the members of the audit committee or equivalent responsible for overseeing the management of the audit function. We
take particular note of cases involving significant financial restatements or ad hoc notifications of material financial weakness.
The integrity of financial statements
depends on the auditor being free of any impediments to being an effective check on management. To that end, we believe it is important that auditors are, and are seen to be, independent. Where the audit firm provides services to the company in
addition to the audit, the fees earned should be disclosed and explained. Audit committees should also have in place a procedure for assuring annually the independence of the auditor.
Capital structure, mergers, asset sales and other special
transactions
The capital structure of
a company is critical to its owners, the shareholders, as it impacts the value of their investment and the priority of their interest in the company relative to that of other equity or debt investors. Pre-emption rights are a key protection for
shareholders against the dilution of their interests.
In assessing mergers, asset sales or other
special transactions, BlackRock’s primary consideration is the long-term economic interests of shareholders. Boards proposing a transaction need to clearly explain the economic and strategic rationale behind it. We will review a proposed
transaction to determine the degree to which it enhances long-term shareholder value. We would prefer that proposed transactions have the unanimous support of the board and have been negotiated at arm’s length. We may seek reassurance from the
board that executive and/or board members’ financial interests in a given transaction have not affected their ability to place shareholders’ interests before their own. Where the transaction involves related parties, we would expect the
recommendation to support it to come from the independent directors and would prefer only non-conflicted shareholders to vote on the proposal.
BlackRock believes that shareholders have a
right to dispose of company shares in the open market without unnecessary restriction. In our view, corporate mechanisms designed to limit shareholders’ ability to sell their shares are contrary to basic property rights. Such mechanisms can
serve to protect and entrench interests other than those of the shareholders. We believe that shareholders are broadly capable of making decisions in their own best interests. We would expect any so-called ‘shareholder rights plans’
being proposed by a board to be subject to shareholder approval on introduction and periodically thereafter for continuation.
Remuneration and benefits
BlackRock expects a company’s board of
directors to put in place a compensation structure that incentivizes and rewards executives appropriately and is aligned with shareholder interests, particularly long-term shareholder returns. We would expect the compensation committee to take into
account the specific circumstances of the company and the key individuals the board is trying to incentivize. We encourage companies to ensure that their compensation packages incorporate appropriate and challenging performance conditions consistent
with corporate strategy and market practice. We use third party research, in addition to our own analysis, to evaluate existing and proposed compensation structures. We hold members of the compensation committee or equivalent accountable for poor
compensation practices or structures.
BlackRock believes that there should be a
clear link between variable pay and company performance as reflected in returns to shareholders. We are not supportive of one-off or special bonuses unrelated to company or individual performance. We support incentive plans that pay out rewards
earned over multiple and extended time periods. We believe consideration should be given to building claw back provisions into incentive plans such that executives would be required to repay rewards where they were not justified by actual
performance. Compensation committees should guard against contractual arrangements that would entitle executives to material compensation for early termination of their contract. Finally, pension contributions should be reasonable in light of market
practice.
Outside directors should be
compensated in a manner that does not risk compromising their independence or aligning their interests too closely with those of the management, whom they are charged with overseeing.
Social, ethical, and environmental issues
Our fiduciary duty to clients is to protect
and enhance their economic interest in the companies in which we invest on their behalf. It is within this context that we undertake our corporate governance activities. We believe that well-managed companies will deal effectively with the social,
ethical and environmental (“SEE”) aspects of their businesses.
BlackRock expects companies to identify and
report on the material, business-specific SEE risks and opportunities and to explain how these are managed. This explanation should make clear how the approach taken by the company best serves the interests of shareholders and protects and enhances
the long-term economic value of the company. The key performance indicators in relation to SEE matters should also be disclosed and performance against them discussed, along with any peer group benchmarking and verification processes in place. This
helps shareholders assess how well management is dealing with the SEE aspects of the business. Any global standards adopted should also be disclosed and discussed in this context.
We may vote against the election of
directors where we have concerns that a company might not be dealing with SEE issues appropriately. Sometimes we may reflect such concerns by supporting a shareholder proposal on the issue, where there seems to be either a significant potential
threat or realized harm to shareholders’ interests caused by poor management of SEE matters. In deciding our course of action, we will assess whether the company has already taken sufficient steps to address the concern and whether there is a
clear and material economic disadvantage to the company if the issue is not addressed.
More commonly, given that these are often
not voting issues, we will engage directly with the board or management. The trigger for engagement on a particular SEE concern is our assessment that there is potential for material economic ramifications for shareholders.
We do not see it as our role to make social,
ethical or political judgments on behalf of clients. We expect investee companies to comply, at a minimum, with the laws and regulations of the jurisdictions in which they operate. They should explain how they manage situations where such laws or
regulations are contradictory or ambiguous.
General
corporate governance matters
BlackRock
believes that shareholders have a right to timely and detailed information on the financial performance and viability of the companies in which they invest. In addition, companies should also publish information on the governance structures in place
and the rights of shareholders to influence these. The reporting and disclosure provided by companies helps shareholders assess whether the economic interests of shareholders have been protected and the quality of the board’s oversight of
management. BlackRock believes shareholders should have the right to vote on key corporate governance matters, including on changes to governance mechanisms, to submit proposals to the shareholders’ meeting and to call special meetings of
shareholders.
BlackRock’s oversight of its corporate governance
activities
Oversight
BlackRock holds itself to a very high
standard in its corporate governance activities, including in relation to executing proxy votes. This function is executed by a team of dedicated BlackRock employees without sales responsibilities (the “Corporate Governance Group”), and
which is considered an investment function. BlackRock maintains three regional oversight committees (“Corporate Governance Committees”) for the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Asia-Pacific, consisting of senior
BlackRock investment professionals. All of the regional Corporate Governance Committees report to a Global Corporate Governance Oversight Committee, which is a risk-focused committee composed of senior representatives of the active and index equity
investment businesses, the Deputy General Counsel, the Global Executive Committee member to whom the Corporate Governance Group reports and the head of the Corporate Governance Group. The Corporate Governance Committees review and approve amendments
to their respective proxy voting guidelines (“Guidelines”) and grant authority to the Global Head of Corporate Governance (“Global Head”), a dedicated BlackRock employee without sales responsibilities, to vote in accordance
with the Guidelines. The Global Head leads the Corporate Governance Group to carry out engagement, voting and vote operations in a manner consistent with the relevant Corporate Governance Committee’s mandate. The Corporate Governance Group
engages companies in conjunction with the portfolio managers in discussions of significant governance issues, conducts research on corporate governance issues and participates in industry discussions to keep abreast of the field of corporate
governance. The Corporate Governance Group, or vendors overseen by the Corporate Governance Group, also monitor upcoming proxy votes, execute proxy votes and maintain records of votes cast. The Corporate Governance Group may refer complicated or
particularly controversial matters or discussions to the appropriate investors and/or regional Corporate Governance Committees for their review, discussion and guidance prior to making a voting decision.
BlackRock’s Equity Policy Oversight
Committee (EPOC) is informed of certain aspects of the work of the Global Corporate Governance Oversight Committee and the Corporate Governance Group.
Vote execution
BlackRock carefully considers proxies
submitted to funds and other fiduciary accounts (“Funds”) for which it has voting authority. BlackRock votes (or refrains from voting) proxies for each Fund for which it has voting authority based on BlackRock’s evaluation of the
best long-term economic interests of shareholders, in the exercise of its independent business judgment, and without regard to the relationship of the issuer of the proxy (or any dissident shareholder) to the Fund, the Fund’s affiliates (if
any), BlackRock or BlackRock’s affiliates.
When exercising voting rights, BlackRock
will normally vote on specific proxy issues in accordance with its Guidelines for the relevant market. The Guidelines are reviewed regularly and are amended consistent with changes in the local market practice, as developments in corporate
governance occur, or as otherwise deemed advisable by BlackRock’s Corporate Governance Committees. The Corporate Governance Committees may, in the exercise of their business judgment, conclude that the Guidelines do not cover the specific
matter upon which a proxy vote is requested or that an exception to the Guidelines would be in the best long-term economic interests of BlackRock’s clients.
In the uncommon circumstance of there being
a vote with respect to fixed income securities or the securities of privately held issuers the decision generally will be made by a Fund’s portfolio managers and/or the Corporate Governance Group based on their assessment of the particular
transactions or other matters at issue.
In certain markets, proxy voting involves
logistical issues which can affect BlackRock’s ability to vote such proxies, as well as the desirability of voting such proxies. These issues include but are not limited to: (i) untimely notice of shareholder meetings; (ii) restrictions on a
foreigner’s ability to exercise votes; (iii) requirements to vote proxies in person; (iv) “share-blocking” (requirements that investors who exercise their voting rights surrender the right to dispose of their holdings for some
specified period in proximity to the shareholder meeting); (v) potential difficulties in translating the proxy; and (vi) requirements to provide local agents with unrestricted powers of attorney to facilitate voting instructions. We are not
supportive of impediments to the exercise of voting rights such as shareblocking or overly burdensome administrative requirements.
As a consequence, BlackRock votes proxies in
these markets only on a “best-efforts” basis. In addition, the Corporate Governance Committees may determine that it is generally in the best interests of BlackRock clients not to vote proxies of companies in certain countries if the
committee determines that the costs (including but not limited
to opportunity costs associated with shareblocking constraints) associated
with exercising a vote are expected to outweigh the benefit the client would derive by voting on the issuer’s proposal.
While it is expected that BlackRock, as a
fiduciary, will generally seek to vote proxies over which BlackRock exercises voting authority in a uniform manner for all BlackRock clients, the relevant Corporate Governance Committee, in conjunction with the portfolio manager of an account, may
determine that the specific circumstances of such an account require that such account’s proxies be voted differently due to such account’s investment objective or other factors that differentiate it from other accounts. In addition,
BlackRock believes portfolio managers may from time to time legitimately reach differing but equally valid views, as fiduciaries for their funds and the client assets in those Funds, on how best to maximize economic value in respect of a particular
investment. Accordingly, portfolio managers retain full discretion to vote the shares in the Funds they manage based on their analysis of the economic impact of a particular ballot item.
Conflicts management
BlackRock maintains policies and procedures
that are designed to prevent undue influence on BlackRock’s proxy voting activity that might stem from any relationship between the issuer of a proxy (or any dissident shareholder) and BlackRock, BlackRock’s affiliates, a Fund or a
Fund’s affiliates. Some of the steps BlackRock has taken to prevent conflicts include, but are not limited to:
•
|
BlackRock has adopted a
proxy voting oversight structure whereby the Corporate Governance Committees oversee the voting decisions and other activities of the Corporate Governance Group, and particularly its activities with respect to voting in the relevant region of each
Corporate Governance Committee’s jurisdiction.
|
•
|
The Corporate Governance
Committees have adopted Guidelines for each region, which set forth the firm’s views with respect to certain corporate governance and other issues that typically arise in the proxy voting context. The Corporate Governance Committees receive
periodic reports regarding the specific votes cast by the Corporate Governance Group and regular updates on material process issues, procedural changes and other matters of concern to the Corporate Governance Committees.
|
•
|
BlackRock’s Global
Corporate Governance Oversight Committee oversees the Global Head, the Corporate Governance Group and the Corporate Governance Committees. The Global Corporate Governance Oversight Committee conducts a review, at least annually, of the proxy voting
process to ensure compliance with BlackRock’s risk policies and procedures.
|
•
|
BlackRock maintains a
reporting structure that separates the Global Head and Corporate Governance Group from employees with sales responsibilities. In addition, BlackRock maintains procedures intended to ensure that all engagements with corporate issuers or dissident
shareholders are managed consistently and without regard to BlackRock’s relationship with the issuer of the proxy or dissident shareholder. Within the normal course of business, the Global Head or Corporate Governance Group may engage directly
with BlackRock clients, and with employees with sales responsibilities, in discussions regarding general corporate governance policy matters, and to otherwise ensure that proxy-related client service levels are met. The Global Head or Corporate
Governance Group does not discuss any specific voting matter with a client prior to the disclosure of the vote decision to all applicable clients after the shareholder meeting has taken place, except if the client is acting in the capacity as issuer
of the proxy or dissident shareholder and is engaging through the established procedures independent of the client relationship.
|
•
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In
certain instances, BlackRock may determine to engage an independent fiduciary to vote proxies as a further safeguard to avoid potential conflicts of interest or as otherwise required by applicable law. The independent fiduciary may either vote such
proxies or provide BlackRock with instructions as to how to vote such proxies. In the latter case, BlackRock votes the proxy in accordance with the independent fiduciary’s determination. Use of an independent fiduciary has been adopted for
voting the proxies related to any company that is affiliated with BlackRock or any company that includes BlackRock employees on its board of directors.
|
With regard to the relationship between
securities lending and proxy voting, BlackRock’s approach is driven by our clients’ economic interests. The evaluation of the economic desirability of recalling loans involves balancing the revenue producing value of loans against the
likely economic value of casting votes. Based on our evaluation of this relationship, we believe that generally the likely economic value of casting most votes is less than the securities lending income, either because the votes will not have
significant economic consequences or because the outcome of the vote would not be affected by BlackRock recalling loaned securities in order to ensure they are voted. Periodically, BlackRock analyzes the process and benefits of voting proxies for
securities on loan, and will consider whether any modification of its proxy voting policies or procedures is necessary in light of future conditions. In
addition, BlackRock may in its discretion determine that the value of voting
outweighs the cost of recalling shares, and thus recall shares to vote in that instance.
Voting guidelines
The issue-specific voting Guidelines
published for each region/country in which we vote are intended to summarize BlackRock’s general philosophy and approach to issues that may commonly arise in the proxy voting context in each market where we invest. These Guidelines are not
intended to be exhaustive. BlackRock applies the Guidelines on a case-by-case basis, in the context of the individual circumstances of each company and the specific issue under review.
As such, these Guidelines do not provide a
guide to how BlackRock will vote in every instance. Rather, they share our view about corporate governance issues generally, and provide insight into how we typically approach issues that commonly arise on corporate ballots.
Reporting
We report our proxy voting activity directly
to clients and publically as required. In addition, we publish for clients a more detailed discussion of our corporate governance activities, including engagement with companies and with other relevant parties.
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BLACKROCK FUNDS
SM
PART C. OTHER INFORMATION
Item 28.
Exhibits.
Exhibit
Number
|
|
Description
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1
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|
Articles
of Incorporation
|
(a)
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|
Declaration
of Trust of Registrant dated December 22, 1988 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (1)(a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 33 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 33-26305) (the “Registration
Statement”) filed on January 27, 1998.
|
(b)
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|
Amendment
No. 1 to Declaration of Trust dated May 4, 1989 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (1)(b) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 33 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 27, 1998.
|
(c)
|
|
Amendment
No. 2 to the Declaration of Trust dated December 23, 1993 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (1)(c) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 33 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 27, 1998.
|
(d)
|
|
Amendment
No. 3 to the Declaration of Trust dated January 5, 1996 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1(d) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 23 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 18, 1996.
|
(e)
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|
Amendment
No. 4 to the Declaration of Trust dated December 23, 1997 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (1)(e) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 33 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 27, 1998.
|
(f)
|
|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated September 15, 2008 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1(g) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 116 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on November 24, 2009.
|
(g)
|
|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated March 10, 2009 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1(f) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 116 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on November 24, 2009.
|
(h)
|
|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated May 21, 2010 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1(h) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 134 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on May 25, 2010.
|
(i)
|
|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated November 16, 2010 is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 163 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on April 29, 2011.
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(j)
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|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated September 23, 2011 is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 186 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on September 29, 2011.
|
(k)
|
|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated May 15, 2012 is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 219 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on May 15, 2012.
|
(l)
|
|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated July 31, 2012 is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 259 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on December 21, 2012.
|
(m)
|
|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated September 21, 2012 is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 259 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on December 21, 2012.
|
(n)
|
|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated March 11, 2013 is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 282 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on March 13, 2013.
|
(o)
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|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated April 25, 2013 is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 295 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on May 16, 2013.
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(p)
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|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated June 28, 2013 is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 302 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on July 9, 2013.
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Exhibit
Number
|
|
Description
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(q)
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|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated August 16, 2013 is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 308 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on August 16, 2013.
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(r)
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|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated June 20, 2014 is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 380 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on July 25, 2014.
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(s)
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|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated October 7, 2014 is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 412 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on December 2, 2014.
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(t)
|
|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated May 4, 2015 is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 454 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on May 13, 2015.
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(u)
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|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated May 11, 2015 is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 455 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on May 18, 2015.
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(v)
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|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated May 4, 2015 is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 459 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on May 29, 2015.
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(w)
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|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated May 4, 2015 is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 465 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on June 8, 2015.
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(x)
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Certification
of Classification of Shares dated July 31, 2015 is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 473 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on August 12, 2015.
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(y)
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|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated September 30, 2015 is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 486 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 5, 2015.
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(z)
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|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated February 9, 2016 is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 537 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on February 16, 2016.
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(aa)
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|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated February 18, 2016 is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 545 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on February 22, 2016.
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(bb)
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|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated January 25, 2016 is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 558 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on March 24, 2016.
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(cc)
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|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated June 7, 2016 is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 664 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 27, 2017.
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(dd)
|
|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated June 29, 2016 is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 590 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on July 12, 2016.
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(ee)
|
|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated July 26, 2016 is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 594 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on July 29, 2016.
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(ff)
|
|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated August 17, 2016 is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 602 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on August 23, 2016.
|
(gg)
|
|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated December 15, 2015 is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 610 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 3, 2016.
|
(hh)
|
|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated May 5, 2016 is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 610 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 3, 2016.
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(ii)
|
|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated November 13, 2016 is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 649 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on December 20, 2016.
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Exhibit
Number
|
|
Description
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(jj)
|
|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated August 29, 2016 is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 660 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 26, 2017.
|
(kk)
|
|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated February 27, 2017 is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 679 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on February 28, 2017.
|
(ll)
|
|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated December 23, 2016 is filed herewith.
|
2
|
|
By-laws
|
(a)
|
|
Amended
and Restated Code of Regulations of Registrant, effective December 2008 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 2 of Post-Effective Amendment No. 116 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on November 24, 2009.
|
3
|
|
Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders
|
(a)
|
|
Sections
V, VIII and IX of Registrant’s Declaration of Trust dated December 22, 1988 are incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (1)(a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 33 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 27, 1998;
Article II of Registrant’s Code of Regulations is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 2(a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 116 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on November 24, 2009.
|
4
|
|
Investment Advisory Contracts.
|
(a)
|
|
Form of
Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC relating to non-index funds is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on
October 13, 2006.
|
(b)
|
|
Form of
Addendum No. 2 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(c) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 110 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on September
24, 2008.
|
(c)
|
|
Form of
Addendum No. 3 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(c) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 134 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on May 25,
2010.
|
(d)
|
|
Form of
Addendum No. 4 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(d) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 163 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on April 29,
2011.
|
(e)
|
|
Form of
Addendum No. 6 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(e) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 186 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on September
29, 2011.
|
(f)
|
|
Form of
Addendum No. 7 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 259 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on December 21,
2012.
|
(g)
|
|
Form of
Addendum No. 8 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 282 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on March 13,
2013.
|
(h)
|
|
Form of
Addendum No. 9 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 295 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on May 16, 2013.
|
(i)
|
|
Form
of Sub-Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock International, Ltd. with respect to BlackRock International Dividend Fund (f/k/a BlackRock International Opportunities Portfolio) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit
4(e) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 13, 2006.
|
Exhibit
Number
|
|
Description
|
(j)
|
|
Form of
Sub-Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock International Limited with respect to BlackRock Global Long/Short Credit Fund and BlackRock Commodity Strategies Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(h) of
Post-Effective Amendment No. 144 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 28, 2011.
|
(k)
|
|
Form of
Sub-Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock International Limited with respect to BlackRock Total Factor Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Strategic Risk Allocation Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of
Post-Effective Amendment No. 259 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on December 21, 2012.
|
(l)
|
|
Form of
Sub-Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock (Hong Kong) Limited with respect to BlackRock Emerging Markets Dividend Fund (f/k/a BlackRock China Fund) and BlackRock Tactical Opportunities Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Managed
Volatility Portfolio) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 269 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 28, 2013.
|
(m)
|
|
Form of
Sub-Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock (Singapore) Limited with respect to BlackRock Tactical Opportunities Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Managed Volatility Portfolio) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of
Post-Effective Amendment No. 269 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 28, 2013.
|
(n)
|
|
Form of
Sub-Investment Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock International Limited with respect to BlackRock Total Emerging Markets Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Emerging Market Allocation Portfolio) is incorporated herein by reference to
an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 295 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on May 16, 2013.
|
(o)
|
|
Form of
Sub-Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock Asset Management North Asia Limited with respect to BlackRock Total Emerging Markets Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Emerging Market Allocation Portfolio) is incorporated herein by reference
to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 295 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on May 16, 2013.
|
(p)
|
|
Form of
Sub-Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock (Singapore) Limited with respect to BlackRock Total Emerging Markets Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Emerging Market Allocation Portfolio) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit
of Post-Effective Amendment No. 295 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on May 16, 2013.
|
(q)
|
|
Form of
Sub-Investment Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock International Limited with respect to BlackRock Emerging Markets Dividend Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 308 to
Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on August 16, 2013.
|
(r)
|
|
Form of
Addendum No. 10 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 380 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on July 25,
2014.
|
(s)
|
|
Form of
Sub-Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and Sub-Advisers with respect to the BlackRock Multi-Manager Alternative Strategies Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 380 to
Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on July 25, 2014.
|
(t)
|
|
Form of
Addendum No. 11 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 412 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on December 2,
2014.
|
(u)
|
|
Form of
Sub-Investment Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock International Limited with respect to BlackRock Real Estate Securities Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 450 to
Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on April 29, 2015.
|
(v)
|
|
Form
of Sub-Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock (Singapore) Limited with respect to BlackRock Real Estate Securities Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 450 to
Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on April 29, 2015.
|
Exhibit
Number
|
|
Description
|
(w)
|
|
Form of
Investment Advisory Agreement for certain index funds between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to iShares Russell Mid-Cap Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Midcap Index Fund), iShares MSCI Developed World Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock
MSCI World Index Fund) and iShares MSCI Asia ex Japan Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock MSCI Asia ex Japan Index Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 454 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed
on May 13, 2015.
|
(x)
|
|
Appendix
A to Form of Investment Advisory Agreement for certain index funds between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to iShares Russell Mid-Cap Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Midcap Index Fund), iShares MSCI Developed World Index Fund (f/k/a
BlackRock MSCI World Index Fund) and iShares MSCI Asia ex Japan Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock MSCI Asia ex Japan Index Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 465 to Registrant’s Registration
Statement filed on June 8, 2015.
|
(y)
|
|
Form of
Addendum No. 12 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Alternative Capital Strategies Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 455 to
Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on May 18, 2015.
|
(z)
|
|
Form of
Sub-Investment Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock International Limited with respect to BlackRock Alternative Capital Strategies Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 455
to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on May 18, 2015.
|
(aa)
|
|
Form of
Addendum No. 1 with respect to iShares Developed Real Estate Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Developed Real Estate Index Fund) to Investment Advisory Agreement for certain index funds between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein
by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 473 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on August 12, 2015.
|
(bb)
|
|
Form of
Addendum No. 2 with respect to iShares Russell Small/Mid-Cap Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Small/Mid Cap Index Fund) to Investment Advisory Agreement for certain index funds between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by
reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 474 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on August 12, 2015.
|
(cc)
|
|
Form of
Addendum No. 3 with respect to iShares Total U.S. Stock Market Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Total Stock Market Index Fund) to Investment Advisory Agreement for certain index funds between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein
by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 475 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on August 12, 2015.
|
(dd)
|
|
Form of
Addendum No. 13 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Impact U.S. Equity Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 486 to
Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 5, 2015.
|
(ee)
|
|
Form of
Addendum No. 5 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 491 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on
November 24, 2015.
|
(ff)
|
|
Form of
Amendment to Addendum No. 5 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 491 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on
November 24, 2015.
|
(gg)
|
|
Form of
Amended and Restated Addendum No. 10 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 491 to Registrant’s Registration Statement
filed on November 24, 2015.
|
(hh)
|
|
Form of
Addendum No. 4 with respect to iShares Short-Term TIPS Bond Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund) to Investment Advisory Agreement for certain index funds between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is
incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 537 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on February 16, 2016.
|
(ii)
|
|
Form
of Addendum No. 14 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Emerging Markets Equity Strategies Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment
No. 545 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on February 22, 2016.
|
Exhibit
Number
|
|
Description
|
(jj)
|
|
Form of
Sub-Investment Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock International Limited with respect to BlackRock Emerging Markets Equity Strategies Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No.
545 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on February 22, 2016.
|
(kk)
|
|
Form of
Addendum No. 5 with respect to iShares Edge MSCI Multifactor USA Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Multifactor USA Index Fund), iShares Edge MSCI Multifactor Intl Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Multifactor International Index Fund), iShares Edge MSCI Min Vol
USA Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Min Vol USA Index Fund) and iShares Edge MSCI Min Vol EAFE Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Min Vol EAFE Index Fund) to Investment Advisory Agreement for certain index funds between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC
is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 590 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on July 12, 2016.
|
(ll)
|
|
Form of
Addendum No. 15 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Impact Bond Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 602 to
Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on August 23, 2016.
|
(mm)
|
|
Form of
Sub-Investment Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock International Limited with respect to BlackRock Impact Bond Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 602 to
Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on August 23, 2016.
|
(nn)
|
|
Form of
Amendment to Addendum No. 6 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post Effective Amendment No. 620 to Registrant’s Registration Statement, filed on
November 22, 2016.
|
(oo)
|
|
Form of
Sub-Investment Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock International Limited with respect to BlackRock Global Long/Short Equity Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 620 to
Registrant’s Registration Statement, filed on November 22, 2016.
|
(pp)
|
|
Form of
Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Fund Advisors with respect to iShares Edge MSCI USA Momentum Factor Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock USA Momentum Factor Index Fund), iShares Edge MSCI USA Quality Factor Index Fund (f/k/a
BlackRock USA Quality Factor Index Fund), iShares Edge MSCI USA Size Factor Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock USA Size Factor Index Fund) and iShares Edge MSCI USA Value Factor Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock USA Value Factor Index Fund) is incorporated
herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 649 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on December 20, 2016.
|
(qq)
|
|
Form of
Amendment No. 2 to Addendum No. 5 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 663 to Registrant’s Registration Statement
filed on January 27, 2017.
|
(rr)
|
|
Form of
Amendment to Addendum No. 9 to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 679 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed
on February 28, 2017.
|
5
|
|
Underwriting
Contracts
|
(a)
|
|
Form of
Distribution Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Investments, LLC (formerly BlackRock Investments, Inc.) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 5(a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 111 to Registrant’s Registration Statement
filed on January 28, 2009.
|
(b)
|
|
Exhibit A
to Distribution Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Investments, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 259 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on December 21, 2012.
|
(c)
|
|
Form of
Cooperation Agreement among Registrant, on behalf of BlackRock All-Cap Energy & Resources Portfolio, BlackRock Advisors, LLC and UBS AG is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 5(b) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 116 to Registrant’s
Registration Statement filed on November 24, 2009.
|
6
|
|
Bonus or Profit Sharing Contracts
|
(a)
|
|
None
|
7
|
|
Custodian
Agreements
|
Exhibit
Number
|
|
Description
|
(a)
|
|
Amended
and Restated Custodian Agreement dated February 10, 2004 between BlackRock Funds and PFPC Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 7(a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 86 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on
November 3, 2004.
|
(b)
|
|
Custody
Agreement dated October 12, 2011 between BlackRock Funds and The Bank of New York Mellon is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 7(b) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 387 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on September 29,
2014.
|
(c)
|
|
Form of
Custody Agreement (U.S. Dollar Only) between BlackRock Funds and The Bank of New York Mellon is filed herewith.
|
(d)
|
|
Form of
Master Global Custody Agreement between BlackRock Funds and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. is filed herewith.
|
(e)
|
|
Reserved
|
(f)
|
|
Sub-Custodian
Agreement dated April 27, 1992 among Registrant, PNC Bank, National Association and The Chase Manhattan Bank is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (8)(e) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed
on February 13, 1998.
|
(g)
|
|
Global
Custody Agreement between Barclays Bank PLC and PNC Bank, National Association dated October 28, 1992 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (8)(f) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 33 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on
January 27, 1998.
|
(h)
|
|
Form of
Custodian Agreement between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 7(a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 110 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on September 24, 2008.
|
(i)
|
|
Custodian
Agreement between State Street Bank and Trust Company and PNC Bank, National Association dated June 13, 1983 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (8)(g) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed
on February 13, 1998.
|
(j)
|
|
Amendment
No. 1 to Custodian Agreement between State Street Bank and Trust Company and PNC Bank, National Association dated November 21, 1989 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (8)(h) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to Registrant’s
Registration Statement filed on February 13, 1998.
|
(k)
|
|
Subcustodial
Services Agreement dated October 1, 1996 between PNC Bank, National Association and Citibank, N.A. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(j) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 27 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January
28, 1997.
|
8
|
|
Other Material Contracts
|
(a)
|
|
Form of
Administration Agreement dated January 1, 2015 between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 148 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of BlackRock Funds II
(File No. 333-142592), filed on January 28, 2015.
|
(b)
|
|
Form of
Administration and Accounting Services Agreement dated June 25, 2010 between Registrant and BNY Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (formerly PNC Global Investment Servicing (U.S.) Inc.) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(g) of
Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of BlackRock Capital Appreciation Fund, Inc. (File No. 33-47875), filed on January 28, 2013.
|
(c)
|
|
Form of
Administrative Services Agreement dated December 29, 2000 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(d) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of
BlackRock Focus Growth Fund, Inc. (formerly Merrill Lynch Focus Twenty Fund, Inc.) (File No. 333-89775), filed on March 20, 2001.
|
(d)
|
|
Form of
Transfer Agency and Shareholder Services Agreement between Registrant and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 48 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of
BlackRock Series Fund, Inc. (File No. 2-69062), filed on April 18, 2014.
|
(e)
|
|
Share
Acquisition Agreement dated April 29, 1998 by and among Registrant and PNC Bank, National Association and PNC Bank, Delaware, respectively, each as trustee for certain of the common trust funds listed therein is incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit 9(l) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 36 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on April 29, 1998.
|
Exhibit
Number
|
|
Description
|
(f)
|
|
Form of
Seventh Amended and Restated Expense Limitation Agreement by and between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(f) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 50 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of
Funds For Institutions Series (File No. 33-14190), filed on August 26, 2015.
|
(g)
|
|
Form of
Amended and Restated Shareholders’ Administrative Services Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(g) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 450 to Registrant’s Registration
Statement filed on April 29, 2015.
|
(h)
|
|
Form of
Fourth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement among Registrant, a syndicate of banks and certain other parties is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(i) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 255 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of
BlackRock Funds II (File No. 333-142592), filed on April 27, 2017.
|
(i)
|
|
Form of
Third Amended and Restated Securities Lending Agency Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Investment Management, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(d) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 41 to the Registration Statement on Form
N-1A of BlackRock California Municipal Opportunities Fund of BlackRock California Municipal Series Trust (File No. 2-96581) filed on January 26, 2015.
|
(j)
|
|
Amendment
No. 1 to the Third Amended and Restated Securities Lending Agency Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Investment Management, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(e) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 22 to the Registration
Statement on Form N-1A of BlackRock Long-Horizon Equity Fund (File No. 333-124372) filed on February 28, 2017.
|
(k)
|
|
Form of
Investment Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock Cayman Emerging Market Allocation Fund, Ltd. is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 295 to Registrant’s Registration
Statement filed on May 16, 2013.
|
(l)
|
|
Form of
Investment Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and Cayman Multi-Manager Alternatives Fund, Ltd. is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 380 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed
on July 25, 2014.
|
(m)
|
|
Form of
Master Advisory Fee Waiver Agreement between Registrant, BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock Fund Advisors is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(h) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 43 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of
BlackRock EuroFund (File No. 33-04026), filed on October 27, 2016.
|
(n)
|
|
Form of
Master Fund Services Agreement between Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. is filed herewith.
|
9
|
|
Legal Opinion
|
(a)
|
|
None
|
10
|
|
Other Opinions
|
(a)
|
|
Consent
of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm is filed herewith.
|
11
|
|
Omitted Financial Statements
|
(a)
|
|
None
|
12
|
|
Initial
Capital Agreements
|
Exhibit
Number
|
|
Description
|
(a)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Registrant’s distributor relating to Classes A-1, B-1, C-1, D-2, E-2, F-2, G-2, H-2, I-1, I-2, J-1, J-2, K-2, L-2, M-2, N-2, O-2, P-2, D-1, E-1, F-1, G-1, H-1, K-1, L-1, M-1, N-1, O-1, P-1, A-2, B-2,
C-2, I-2, J-2, A-3, B-3, C-3, D-3, E-3, F-3, G-3, H-3, I-3, J-3, K-3, L-3, M-3, N-3, O-3, P-3, Q-1, Q-2, Q-3, R-1, R-2, R-3, S-1, S-2, S-3, T-1, T-2, T-3, U-1, U-2, U-3, A-4, D-4, E-4, F-4, G-4, H-4, K-4, L-4, M-4, N-4, O-4, P-4, R-4, S-4, T-4, U-4,
W-4, X-4, Y-4, V-1, V-2, V-3, W-1, W-2, W-3, X-1, X-2, X-3, Y-1, Y-2, Y-3, Z-1, Z-2, Z-3, AA-1, AA-2, AA-3, AA-4, AA-5, BB-1, BB-2, BB-3, BB-4, BB-5, CC-3, A-5, B-4, B-5, C-4, C-5, I-4, I-5, J-4, J-5, Q-4, Q-5, V-4, V-5, Z-4, Z-5, X-1, X-3, D-5,
E-5, F-5, G-5, H-5, K-5, L-5, M-5, N-5, O-5, P-5, R-5, S-5, T-5, U-5, W-5, X-5, Y-5, DD-1, DD-2, DD-3, DD-4, DD-5, EE-1, EE-2, EE-3, EE-4, EE-5, R-6, BB-6, FF-3, GG-3, HH-1, HH-2, HH-3, HH-4, HH-5, II-1, II-2, II-3, II-4, II-5, S-6, JJ-1, JJ-2,
JJ-3, JJ-4, JJ-5, KK-1, KK-2, KK-3, KK-4, KK-5, LL-1, LL-2, LL-3, LL-4 and LL-5 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (13)(a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on February 13, 1998.
|
(b)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Registrant’s distributor relating to Classes MM-1, MM-2, MM-3, MM-4, MM-5 and MM-6 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 13(b) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 37 to Registrant’s
Registration Statement filed on August 7, 1998.
|
(c)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Registrant’s distributor relating to Class NN-3 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(c) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 42 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on June 11,
1999.
|
(d)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Registrant’s distributor relating to Classes A-7 and C-7 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(d) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 43 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on
August 6, 1999.
|
(e)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Registrant’s distributor relating to Classes OO-1, OO-2, OO-3, OO-4 and OO-5 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(e) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 54 to Registrant’s Registration
Statement filed on May 10, 2000.
|
(f)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Registrant’s distributor relating to Classes PP-1, PP-2, PP-3, PP-4 and PP-5, QQ-1, QQ-2, QQ-3, QQ-4, QQ-5 and U-6 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(f) of Post-Effective Amendment No.
55 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on June 6, 2000.
|
(g)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Registrant’s distributor relating to Class RR-3 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(g) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 56 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on August 16,
2000.
|
(h)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Distributors, Inc. relating to shares of Classes SS-1, SS-2, SS-3, SS-4 and SS-5 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(h) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 58 to Registrant’s
Registration Statement filed on November 14, 2000.
|
(i)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Distributors, Inc. relating to shares of Classes TT-1, TT-2, TT-3, TT-4, TT-5 and TT-6 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(i) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 58 to Registrant’s
Registration Statement filed on November 14, 2000.
|
(j)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Distributors, Inc. relating to shares of Class UU-1, UU-2, UU-3, UU-4 and UU-5 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(j) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to Registrant’s
Registration Statement filed on November 14, 2001.
|
(k)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Distributors, Inc. relating to shares of Class H-6 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(k) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on
September 26, 2002.
|
(l)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Distributors, Inc. relating to shares of Class JJ-6 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(l) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 64 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on
September 30, 2002.
|
(m)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Distributors, Inc. relating to shares of Classes G-6, O-6 and X-6 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(m) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 67 to Registrant’s Registration
Statement filed on November 27, 2002.
|
(n)
|
|
Form
of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Distributors, Inc. relating to shares of Classes VV-1, VV-2, VV-3, VV-6, WW-1, WW-2, WW-3, and WW-6 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(n) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 72 to
Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on February 11, 2004.
|
Exhibit
Number
|
|
Description
|
(o)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Distributors, Inc. relating to shares of Class P-6 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(o) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 76 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on
April 8, 2004.
|
(p)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Distributors, Inc. relating to shares of Class W-6 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(p) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 77 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on May
18, 2004.
|
(q)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Distributors, Inc. relating to shares of Classes XX-1, XX-2, XX-3, XX-4, XX-5, XX-6, YY-1, YY-2, YY-3, YY-4, YY-5 and YY-6 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(q) of Post-Effective
Amendment No. 79 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on June 18, 2004.
|
(r)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Distributors, Inc. relating to shares of Classes ZZ-1, ZZ-2, ZZ-3, ZZ-4 and ZZ-5 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(r) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 82 to Registrant’s
Registration Statement filed on August 24, 2004.
|
(s)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Distributors, Inc. relating to shares of Class X-1 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(s) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 85 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on
October 27, 2004.
|
(t)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Distributors, Inc. relating to shares of Classes AAA-6, BBB-1, BBB-2, BBB-3, BBB-4, BBB-5, CCC-1, CCC-2, CCC-3, CCC-4, CCC-5, EEE-1, EEE-2, EEE-3, EEE-4, EEE-5, EEE-6, EEE-8, FFF-1, FFF-2, FFF-3,
FFF-4, FFF-5, GGG-1, GGG-2, GGG-3, GGG-4 and GGG-5 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(t) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 86 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on November 3, 2004.
|
(u)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Distributors, Inc. relating to shares of Classes HHH-1, HHH-2, HHH-3, HHH-4, HHH-5 and HHH-6 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(u) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 87 to
Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on November 19, 2004.
|
(v)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Distributors, Inc. relating to shares of Classes III-1, III-2, III-3, III-4 and III-5 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(v) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 94 to Registrant’s
Registration Statement filed on January 27, 2006.
|
(w)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Distributors, Inc. relating to shares of Classes JJJ-2, JJJ-3, JJJ-6 and JJJ-13 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(w) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to Registrant’s
Registration Statement filed on October 13, 2006.
|
(x)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Distributors, Inc. relating to shares of Classes X-3, R-8, R-9, X-9, MM-9, R-10, R-11, X-11, MM-11, R-12 and R shares of certain Portfolios is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(x) of
Post-Effective Amendment No. 97 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on September 19, 2006.
|
(y)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Investments, LLC relating to BlackRock Emerging Markets Dividend Fund (f/k/a BlackRock China Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 163 to
Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on April 29, 2011.
|
(z)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Investments, LLC relating to BlackRock Global Long/Short Credit Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 186 to Registrant’s Registration
Statement filed on September 29, 2011.
|
(aa)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Investments, LLC relating to BlackRock Commodity Strategies Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 187 to Registrant’s Registration Statement
filed on September 29, 2011.
|
(bb)
|
|
Form
of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Investments, LLC relating to BlackRock Advantage Emerging Markets Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Emerging Markets Long/Short Equity Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of
Post-Effective Amendment No. 188 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 6, 2011.
|
Exhibit
Number
|
|
Description
|
(cc)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Investments, LLC relating to BlackRock Real Estate Securities Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 298 to Registrant’s Registration Statement
filed on May 31, 2013.
|
(dd)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Investments, LLC relating to BlackRock Short Obligations Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 243 to Registrant’s Registration Statement
filed on November 2, 2012.
|
(ee)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to BlackRock Global Long/Short Equity Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(ii) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 257 to Registrant’s Registration
Statement filed on December 19, 2012.
|
(ff)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to BlackRock Total Factor Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Strategic Risk Allocation Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 259 to
Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on December 21, 2012.
|
(gg)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to BlackRock Advantage Small Cap Core Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Disciplined Small Cap Core Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment
No. 282 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on March 13, 2013.
|
(hh)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to BlackRock Total Emerging Markets Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Emerging Market Allocation Portfolio) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment
No. 295 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on May 16, 2013.
|
(ii)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to BlackRock Multi-Manager Alternative Strategies Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 380 to Registrant’s
Registration Statement filed on July 25, 2014.
|
(jj)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to iShares Russell Mid-Cap Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Midcap Index Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 454 to
Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on May 13, 2015.
|
(kk)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to BlackRock Alternative Capital Strategies Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 455 to Registrant’s Registration
Statement filed on May 18, 2015.
|
(ll)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to iShares MSCI Developed World Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock MSCI World Index Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 459 to
Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on May 29, 2015.
|
(mm)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to iShares MSCI Asia ex Japan Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock MSCI Asia ex Japan Index Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No.
465 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on June 8, 2015.
|
(nn)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to iShares Developed Real Estate Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Developed Real Estate Index Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment
No. 473 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on August 12, 2015.
|
(oo)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to iShares Russell Small/Mid-Cap Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Small/Mid Cap Index Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment
No. 474 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on August 12, 2015.
|
(pp)
|
|
Form
of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to iShares Total U.S. Stock Market Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Total Stock Market Index Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective
Amendment No. 475 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on August 12, 2015.
|
Exhibit
Number
|
|
Description
|
(qq)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to BlackRock Impact U.S. Equity Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 486 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed
on October 5, 2015.
|
(rr)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to iShares ShortTerm TIPS Bond Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of
Post-Effective Amendment No. 537 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on February 16, 2016.
|
(ss)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to BlackRock Emerging Markets Equity Strategies Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 545 to Registrant’s Registration
Statement filed on February 22, 2016.
|
(tt)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to iShares Edge MSCI Multifactor USA Index Fund f/k/a BlackRock Multifactor USA Index Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No.
590 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on July 12, 2016.
|
(uu)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to iShares Edge MSCI Multifactor Intl Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Multifactor International Index Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective
Amendment No. 590 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on July 12, 2016.
|
(vv)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to iShares Edge MSCI Min Vol USA Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Min Vol USA Index Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 590 to
Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on July 12, 2016.
|
(ww)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to iShares Edge MSCI Min Vol EAFE Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Min Vol EAFE Index Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 590
to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on July 12, 2016.
|
(xx)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to BlackRock Impact Bond Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 602 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on
August 23, 2016.
|
(yy)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to iShares Edge MSCI USA Momentum Factor Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock USA Momentum Factor Index Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective
Amendment No. 649 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on December 20, 2016.
|
(zz)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to iShares Edge MSCI USA Quality Factor Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock USA Quality Factor Index Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective
Amendment No. 649 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on December 20, 2016.
|
(aaa)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to iShares Edge MSCI USA Size Factor Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock USA Size Factor Index Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment
No. 649 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on December 20, 2016.
|
(bbb)
|
|
Form of
Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to iShares Edge MSCI USA Value Factor Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock USA Value Factor Index Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment
No. 649 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on December 20, 2016.
|
13
|
|
Rule
12b-1 Plan.
|
(a)
|
|
Form
of Distribution and Service Plan for Institutional, Service, Investor A, Investor B, Investor C, Hilliard Lyons, R and BlackRock Shares is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 13(a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 111 to Registrant’s
Registration Statement filed on January 28, 2009.
|
Exhibit
Number
|
|
Description
|
(b)
|
|
Form of
Exhibit A to Distribution and Service Plan is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 259 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on December 21, 2012.
|
14
|
|
Rule 18f-3 Plan.
|
(a)
|
|
Amended
and Restated Plan Pursuant to Rule 18f-3 for Operation of a Multi-Class Distribution System is filed herewith.
|
15
|
|
Reserved
|
16
|
|
Codes of Ethics.
|
(a)
|
|
Code of
Ethics of BlackRock Funds is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 15(a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 48 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of BlackRock Value Opportunities Fund, Inc. (File No. 2-60836), filed on July 28, 2014.
|
(b)
|
|
Code of
Ethics of BlackRock Investments, LLC (formerly BlackRock Investments, Inc.) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 15(b) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 48 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of BlackRock Value Opportunities Fund,
Inc. (File No. 2-60836), filed on July 28, 2014.
|
(c)
|
|
Code of
Ethics of BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 15(c) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 48 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of BlackRock Value Opportunities Fund, Inc. (File No. 2-60836), filed on July 28,
2014.
|
99
|
|
Power of Attorney.
|
(a)
|
|
Power
of Attorney is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 545 to Registrant’s Registration Statement, filed on February 22, 2016.
|
Item 29.
Persons Controlled by or under Common Control with the Fund.
The Registrant does not control and is not under common control with any
other person.
Item 30.
Indemnification
.
Indemnification of
Registrant’s principal underwriter against certain losses is provided for in Section 9 of the Distribution Agreement incorporated by reference herein as Exhibit 5(a). Indemnification of Registrant’s Custodian, Transfer Agent and
Administrators is provided for, respectively, in Section 12 of the Custodian Agreement incorporated by reference herein as Exhibit 7(a), Section 12 of the Transfer Agency Agreement incorporated by reference herein as Exhibit 8(c) and
Section 9 of the Administration Agreement incorporated by reference herein as Exhibit 8(k). Registrant intends to obtain from a major insurance carrier a trustees’ and officers’ liability policy covering certain types of errors and
omissions. In addition, Section 9.3 of the Registrant’s Declaration of Trust incorporated by reference herein as Exhibit 1(a) provides as follows:
Indemnification of Trustees, Officers, Representatives and
Employees. The Trust shall indemnify each of its Trustees against all liabilities and expenses (including amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise, as fines and penalties, and as counsel fees) reasonably incurred by him in connection
with the defense or disposition of any action, suit or other proceeding, whether civil or criminal, in which he may be involved or with which he may be threatened, while as a Trustee or thereafter, by reason of his being or having been such a
Trustee except with respect to any matter as to which he shall have been adjudicated to have acted in bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of his duties, provided that as to any matter disposed of by a compromise
payment by such person, pursuant to a consent decree or otherwise, no indemnification either for said payment or for any other expenses shall be provided unless the Trust shall have received a written opinion from independent legal counsel approved
by the Trustees to the effect that if either the matter of willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of duty, or the matter of bad faith had been adjudicated, it would in the opinion of such counsel have been adjudicated in favor
of such person. The rights accruing to any person under these provisions shall not exclude any other right to which he may be lawfully entitled, provided that no person may satisfy any right of indemnity or reimbursement hereunder except out of the
property of the Trust. The Trustees may make advance payments in connection with the indemnification under this Section 9.3, provided that the indemnified person shall have given a written undertaking to reimburse the Trust in the event it is
subsequently determined that he is not entitled to such indemnification.
The Trustee shall indemnify officers, representatives and
employees of the Trust to the same extent that Trustees are entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section 9.3.
Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to trustees, officers and controlling persons of Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, Registrant has been advised
that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a
trustee, officer or controlling person of Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such trustee, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, Registrant will, unless
in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed
by the final adjudication of such issue.
Section 9.6 of the Registrant’s Declaration of
Trust, filed herein as Exhibit 1(a), also provides for the indemnification of shareholders of the Registrant. Section 9.6 states as follows:
Indemnification of Shareholders.
In case any Shareholder or former Shareholder shall be held to be personally liable solely by reason of his being or having been a Shareholder and not because of his acts or omissions or for some other reason, the
Shareholder or former Shareholder (or his heirs, executors, administrators or other legal representatives or, in the case of a corporation or other entity, its corporate or other general successor) shall be entitled out of the assets belonging to
the classes of Shares with the same alphabetical designation as that of the Shares owned by such Shareholder to be held harmless from and indemnified against all loss and expense arising from such liability. The Trust shall, upon request by the
Shareholder, assume the defense of any claim made against any Shareholder for any act or obligations of the Trust and satisfy any judgment thereon from such assets.
Item 31.
Business and Other Connections of the Investment Advisers
.
(a) BlackRock Advisors, LLC is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of
BlackRock, Inc. BlackRock Advisors, LLC was organized in 1994 for the purpose of providing advisory services to investment companies. The information required by this Item 31 about officers and directors of BlackRock Advisors, LLC, together
with information as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and directors during the past two years, is incorporated by reference to Schedules A and D of Form ADV, filed by
BlackRock Advisors, LLC pursuant to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (SEC File No. 801-47710).
(b) BlackRock International Limited (formerly BlackRock
International, Ltd. and prior to that Castle International Asset Management Limited) (“BIL”). The information required by this Item 31 about officers and directors of BIL, together with information as to any other business, profession,
vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and directors during the past two years, is incorporated by reference to Schedules A and D of Form ADV, filed by BIL pursuant to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (SEC File
No. 801-51087).
(c) BlackRock Fund Advisors
(“BFA”). The information required by this Item 31 about officers and directors of BFA, together with information as to any other business profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and
directors during the past two years, is incorporated by reference to Schedule A and D of Form ADV, filed by BFA pursuant to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (SEC File No. 801-22609).
(d) BlackRock Asset Management North Asia Limited
(“BNA”) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. BNA currently offers investment advisory services to pooled investment vehicles, corporations or other businesses and government agencies or quasi-government agencies. The
information required by this Item 31 about officers and directors of BNA, together with information as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and directors during the past two
years, is incorporated by reference to Schedules A and D of Form ADV, filed by BNA pursuant to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (SEC File No. 801-77343).
(e) BlackRock (Singapore) Limited (“BRS”) is a
wholly-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. BRS currently offers investment advisory services to pooled investment vehicles, state or municipal government entities and insurance companies. The information required by this Item 31 about officers and
directors of BRS, together with information as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and directors during the past two years, is incorporated by reference to Schedules A and D
of Form ADV, filed by BRS pursuant to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (SEC File No. 801-76926).
(f) Benefit Street Partners, LLC (“Benefit Street
Partners”). The information required by this Item 31 about officers and directors of Benefit Street Partners, together with information as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such
officers and directors during the past two years, is incorporated by reference to Schedules A and D of Form ADV, filed by Benefit Street Partners pursuant to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (SEC File No. 801-72843).
(g) LibreMax Capital, LLC (“LibreMax”). The
information required by this Item 31 about officers and directors of LibreMax, together with information as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and directors during the past
two years, is incorporated by reference to Schedules A and D of Form ADV, filed by LibreMax pursuant to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (SEC File No. 801-72148).
(h) QMS Capital Management LP (“QMS”). The
information required by this Item 31 about officers and directors of QMS, together with information as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and directors during the past two
years, is incorporated by reference to Schedules A and D of Form ADV, filed by QMS pursuant to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (SEC File No. 801-79593).
(i) Ionic Capital Management LLC (“Ionic”). The
information required by this Item 31 about officers and directors of Ionic, together with information as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and directors during the past
two years, is incorporated by reference to Schedules A and D of Form ADV, filed by Ionic pursuant to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (SEC File No. 801-72188).
(j) Pine River Capital Management L.P. (“Pine
River”). The information required by this Item 31 about officers and directors of Pine River, together with information as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and
directors during the past two years, is incorporated by reference to Schedules A and D of Form ADV, filed by Pine River pursuant to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (SEC File No. 801-65336).
(k) Marathon Asset Management, LP (“Marathon”).
The information required by this Item 31 about officers and directors of Marathon, together with information as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and directors during the
past two years, is incorporated by reference to Schedules A and D of Form ADV, filed by Marathon pursuant to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (SEC File No. 801-61792).
(l) GLG Partners LP (“GLG”). The information
required by this Item 31 about officers and directors of GLG, together with information as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and directors during the past two years, is
incorporated by reference to Schedules A and D of Form ADV, filed by GLG pursuant to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (SEC File No. 801-78835).
Item 32.
Principal Underwriters.
(a)
BlackRock Investments, LLC (“BRIL”) acts as the principal underwriter or placement agent, as applicable, for each of the following open-end registered investment companies, including the Registrant:
BBIF Money Fund
BBIF Treasury Fund
BIF Money Fund
BIF Treasury
Fund
BlackRock Allocation Target Shares
BlackRock Balanced Capital Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Basic Value Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Bond Fund, Inc.
BlackRock California Municipal Series Trust
BlackRock Capital Appreciation Fund,
Inc.
BlackRock Emerging Markets Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Equity Dividend Fund
BlackRock EuroFund
BlackRock Financial Institutions Series Trust
BlackRock Focus Growth Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Funds
BlackRock Funds II
BlackRock
Funds III
BlackRock Global Allocation Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Global SmallCap Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Index Funds, Inc.
BlackRock Large Cap Series Funds, Inc.
BlackRock Latin America Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Liquidity Funds
BlackRock Long-Horizon Equity Fund
BlackRock Master LLC
BlackRock Mid Cap Dividend Series, Inc.
BlackRock Multi-State Municipal Series Trust
BlackRock Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Municipal Series Trust
BlackRock Natural Resources Trust
BlackRock Pacific Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Series Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Series, Inc.
BlackRock Strategic Global Bond Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Value Opportunities Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Variable Series
Funds, Inc.
FDP Series, Inc.
Funds for Institutions Series
iShares, Inc.
iShares Trust
iShares U.S. ETF Trust
Managed Account Series
Master Bond LLC
Master Focus Growth LLC
Master Institutional Money Market
LLC
Master Investment Portfolio
Master Large Cap Series LLC
Master Money LLC
Master Treasury LLC
Master Value Opportunities LLC
Quantitative Master Series LLC
Ready Assets Government Liquidity Fund
Ready Assets U.S.A.
Government Money Fund
Ready Assets U.S. Treasury Money Fund
Retirement Series Trust
BRIL also acts as the distributor or placement
agent for the following closed-end registered investment companies:
BlackRock Floating Rate Income Strategies Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Health Sciences Trust
BlackRock Preferred Partners LLC
BRIL provides numerous financial services to BlackRock-advised
funds and is the distributor of BlackRock’s open-end funds. These services include coordinating and executing Authorized Participation Agreements, preparing, reviewing and providing advice with respect to all sales literature and responding to
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority comments on marketing materials.
(b) Set forth below is information concerning each director
and officer of BRIL. The principal business address of each such person is 40 East 52nd Street, New York, New York 10022.
Name
|
Position(s)
and Office(s) with BRIL
|
Position(s)
and
Office(s) with
Registrant
|
Abigail
Reynolds
|
Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer
|
None
|
Christopher
J. Meade
|
General
Counsel, Chief Legal Officer and Senior Managing Director
|
None
|
Saurabh
Pathak
|
Chief
Financial Officer and Director
|
None
|
James
Hamilton
|
Chief
Operating Officer and Director
|
None
|
Gregory
Rosta
|
Chief
Compliance Officer and Vice President
|
None
|
Anne
Ackerley
|
Managing
Director
|
None
|
Blair
Alleman
|
Managing
Director
|
None
|
Michael
Bishopp
|
Managing
Director
|
None
|
Lisa
Hill
|
Managing
Director
|
None
|
Diane
Lumley
|
Managing
Director
|
None
|
Andrew
Dickson
|
Director
and Secretary
|
None
|
Terri
Slane
|
Director
and Assistant Secretary
|
None
|
Katrina
Gil
|
Director
|
None
|
Chris
Nugent
|
Director
|
None
|
Lourdes
Sanchez
|
Vice
President
|
None
|
Robert
Fairbairn
|
Member,
Board of Managers
|
None
|
Salim
Ramji
|
Member,
Board of Managers
|
None
|
Richard
Prager
|
Member,
Board of Managers
|
None
|
Christopher
Vogel
|
Member,
Board of Managers
|
None
|
(c) Not applicable.
Item 33.
Location of Accounts and Records.
All accounts, books and other documents required to be maintained by
Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act and the rules thereunder are maintained at the offices of:
(a) Registrant, 100 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware
19809.
(b) BlackRock Investments, LLC, 40 East 52nd
Street, New York, New York 10022 (records relating to its functions as distributor and placement agent, as applicable).
(c) BlackRock Advisors, LLC, 100 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington,
Delaware 19809 (records relating to its functions as investment adviser and co-administrator).
(d) BlackRock Financial Management, Inc., 55 East 52nd Street,
New York, New York 10055 (records relating to its functions as investment adviser and former sub-adviser).
(e) BlackRock International Limited, Exchange Place One, 1
Semple Street, Edinburgh, EH3 8BL, United Kingdom (records relating to its functions as sub-adviser).
(f) BlackRock Investment Management, LLC, 1 University Square
Drive, Princeton, New Jersey 08540 (records relating to its functions as former sub-adviser).
(g) BlackRock Fund Advisors, 400 Howard Street, San Francisco,
California 94105 (records relating to its functions as sub-adviser).
(h) BlackRock (Hong Kong) Limited, 16/F Cheung Kong Center, 2
Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong, China (records relating to its functions as former sub-adviser).
(i) BlackRock Asset Management North Asia Limited, 16/F Cheung
Kong Center, 2 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong, China (records relating to its functions as sub-adviser).
(j) BlackRock (Singapore) Limited, 20 Anson Road, #18-01,
079912 Singapore (records relating to its functions as sub-adviser).
(k) BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc., 301 Bellevue
Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19809 (records relating to its functions as transfer agent, dividend disbursing agent, accounting services provider and former co-administrator).
(l) State Street Bank and Trust Company, One Lincoln Street,
Boston, Massachusetts 02111 (records relating to its functions as accounting services provider, custodian and former co-administrator).
(m) The Bank of New York Mellon, One Wall Street, New York,
New York 10286 (records relating to its functions as custodian).
(n) JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 383 Madison Avenue, Floor 11,
New York, New York, 10179 (records relating to its functions as accounting services provider and custodian).
(o) The Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A., 1285 Avenue of the
Americas, New York, New York 10019 (records relating to its functions as sub-custodian).
(p) Citibank, N.A., 111 Wall Street, 23rd Floor, Zone 6, New
York, New York 10043 (records relating to its functions as sub-custodian).
(q) BlackRock Advisors, LLC, 100 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington,
Delaware 19809 (Registrant’s declaration of trust, code of regulations and minute books).
(r) Benefit Street Partners, LLC, 9 West 57th Street, Suite
4920, New York, New York 10019 (records relating to its functions as sub-adviser).
(s) Loeb King Capital Management, 125 Broad Street, 14th
Floor, New York, New York 10004 (records relating to its functions as former sub-adviser).
(t) Independence Capital Asset Partners, LLC, 1400 16th
Street, Suite 520, Denver, Colorado 80202 (records relating to its functions as former sub-adviser).
(u) LibreMax Capital, LLC, 600 Lexington Avenue, 7th Floor,
New York, New York 10022 (records relating to its functions as sub-adviser).
(v) MeehanCombs LP, 40 Signal Road, Suite 3, Stamford,
Connecticut 06902 (records relating to its functions as former sub-adviser).
(w) Achievement Asset Management LLC, 141 W. Jackson
Boulevard, Suite 800, Chicago, Illinois 60604 (records relating to its functions as former sub-adviser).
(x) QMS Capital Management LP, 240 Leigh Farm Road, Suite 450,
Durham, North Carolina 27707 (records relating to its functions as sub-adviser).
(y) Ionic Capital Management LLC, 475 Fifth Avenue, 9
th
Floor, New York, New York 10017 (records relating to its functions as sub-adviser).
(z) Pine River Capital Management L.P., 601 Carlson Parkway, 7
th
Floor, Minnetonka, Minnesota 55305 (records relating to its functions as sub-adviser).
(aa) Marathon Asset Management, LP, One Bryant Park, 38
th
Floor, New York, New York 10036 (records relating to its functions as sub-adviser).
(bb) GLG Partners LP, 1 Curzon Street, London, United Kingdom
W1J 5HB (records relating to its functions as sub-adviser).
Item 34.
Management Services.
None.
Item 35.
Undertakings.
None.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and
the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant certifies that it meets all the requirements for the effectiveness of this Post-Effective Amendment to its Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 and has
duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment to its Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York and the State of New York, on July 28, 2017.
BLACKROCK
FUNDS
SM
(Registrant)
on behalf of BlackRock Money Market Portfolio
|
By:
|
/s/
John M. Perlowski
|
|
(John
M. Perlowski,
President and Chief Executive Officer)
|
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,
this Post-Effective Amendment to its Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature
|
|
Title
|
|
Date
|
/s/
John M. Perlowski
(John M. Perlowski)
|
|
Trustee,
President and Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive Officer)
|
|
July 28,
2017
|
/s/
Neal J. Andrews
(Neal J. Andrews)
|
|
Chief
Financial Officer (Principal
Financial and Accounting Officer)
|
|
July 28,
2017
|
Susan
J. Carter*
(Susan J. Carter)
|
|
Trustee
|
|
|
Collette
Chilton*
(Collette Chilton)
|
|
Trustee
|
|
|
Neil
A. Cotty*
(Neil A. Cotty)
|
|
Trustee
|
|
|
Rodney
D. Johnson*
(Rodney D. Johnson)
|
|
Trustee
|
|
|
Cynthia
A. Montgomery*
(Cynthia A. Montgomery)
|
|
Trustee
|
|
|
Joseph
P. Platt*
(Joseph P. Platt)
|
|
Trustee
|
|
|
Robert C. Robb, Jr.*
(Robert C. Robb, Jr.)
|
|
Trustee
|
|
|
Mark
Stalnecker*
(Mark Stalnecker)
|
|
Trustee
|
|
|
Kenneth
L. Urish*
(Kenneth L. Urish)
|
|
Trustee
|
|
|
Claire
A. Walton*
(Claire A. Walton)
|
|
Trustee
|
|
|
Frederick
W. Winter*
(Frederick W. Winter)
|
|
Trustee
|
|
|
Signature
|
|
Title
|
|
Date
|
Barbara
G. Novick*
(Barbara G. Novick)
|
|
Trustee
|
|
|
*By:
/s/ Benjamin
Archibald
(Benjamin Archibald, Attorney-In-Fact)
|
|
|
|
July
28, 2017
|
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit
Number
|
|
Description
|
1(ll)
|
—
|
Certification
of Classification of Shares dated December 23, 2016.
|
7(c)
|
—
|
Form of
Custody Agreement (U.S. Dollar Only) between BlackRock Funds and The Bank of New York Mellon.
|
7(d)
|
—
|
Form of
Master Global Custody Agreement between BlackRock Funds and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
|
8(n)
|
—
|
Form of
Master Fund Services Agreement between Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
|
10(a)
|
—
|
Consent
of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.
|
14(a)
|
—
|
Amended
and Restated Plan Pursuant to Rule 18f-3 for Operation of a Multi-Class Distribution System.
|
Exhibit 1(ll)
BLACKROCK FUNDS
SM
(A Massachusetts Business Trust)
CERTIFICATION OF CLASSIFICATION OF SHARES
The undersigned, the Secretary of BlackRock Funds
SM
(the Trust), does hereby
certify that:
1) at a meeting held on June 13, 2016, the Board of Trustees of the Trust, on behalf of BlackRock U.S. Treasury Money
Market Portfolio, a class of the Trust (the Fund), approved a proposal to liquidate the Fund pursuant to Section 5.1(B) (10) (b) of the Trusts Declaration of Trust (the Liquidation);
2) the Liquidation took place as of September 29, 2016; and
3) following the Liquidation with respect to the Fund and the redemption of all outstanding shares, the Fund was terminated pursuant to
Section 5.1 A of the Declaration as a class of the Trust, and all references to the Fund in the Trusts Certification of Classification of Shares by its alphabetical designation B are hereby removed.
Witness my hand and seal this 23rd day of December, 2016.
|
/s/ Benjamin Archibald
|
Benjamin Archibald
Secretary
|
Exhibit 7(c)
FORM OF CUSTODY AGREEMENT
(U.S. Dollar Only)
AGREEMENT,
dated as of June , 2017 by and between each of the investment companies (each, a Customer) as listed on Schedule II hereto (as such Schedule may be amended from time to time), each Customer having its principal
office and place of business at 55 East 52
nd
Street, New York, New York 10055, on behalf of itself and each of its series (each, a Fund and collectively, the Funds) as
listed on Schedule II hereto (as such Schedule may be amended from time to time) and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York corporation authorized to do a banking business, having its principal office and place of business at 225 Liberty Street,
New York, New York 10286 (Custodian).
W I T N E S S E T H:
That for and in consideration of the mutual promises hereinafter set forth the Customer and Custodian agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
Whenever used in this Agreement, the following words shall have the meanings set forth below:
1.
Authorized Person
shall mean each person, whether or not an officer or an employee of the Customer, duly authorized to
execute this Agreement and to give Instructions on behalf of the Customer as set forth in Schedule I hereto and each Authorized Persons scope of authority may be limited by setting forth such limitation in a written document signed by both
parties hereto. From time to time the Customer may deliver a new Schedule I to add or delete any person and Custodian shall be entitled to rely on the last Schedule I hereto actually received by Custodian.
2.
Business Day
shall mean any day on which Custodian and relevant Depositories are open for business.
3.
Cash
shall mean U.S. dollars.
4.
Certificate
shall mean any notice, instruction, or other instrument in writing, authorized or required by this Agreement
to be given to Custodian, which is actually received by Custodian by letter or facsimile transmission and signed on behalf of the Customer by an Authorized Person or a person reasonably believed by Custodian to be an Authorized Person.
5.
Custodian Affiliate
shall mean any office, branch or subsidiary of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation.
6.
Economic Sanctions Compliance Program
shall mean those programs, policies,
procedures and measures designed to ensure compliance with, and prevent violations of, Sanctions.
7.
Instructions
shall mean communications actually received by Custodian by S.W.I.F.T., tested telex, letter, facsimile transmission, or other method or system specified by Custodian as available for use in connection with the services hereunder.
8.
Oral Instructions
shall mean verbal instructions received by Custodian from an Authorized Person or from a person
reasonably believed by Custodian to be an Authorized Person.
9.
Sanctions
shall mean all economic sanctions, laws,
rules, regulations, executive orders and requirements administered by any governmental authority of the U.S. (including the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control), and the European Union (including any national jurisdiction or member state thereof),
in addition to any other applicable authority with jurisdiction over the Customer.
10.
Transfer Agent
shall mean The
Bank of New York Mellon or an affiliate, subject to a separate Transfer Agency and Service Agreement entered into between the parties, or any successor transfer agent identified to Custodian in a Certificate.
ARTICLE II
APPOINTMENT
OF CUSTODIAN; ACCOUNTS;
REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES, AND COVENANTS
1. (a) The Customer, on behalf of each Fund, hereby appoints Custodian as custodian of all cash at any time delivered to Custodian during the
term of this Agreement. Custodian hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to establish and maintain one or more cash accounts for each Fund (each such account being separate and distinct with respect to each Fund). Custodian shall maintain books
and records segregating the assets of each Fund from the assets of any other Fund. Such accounts (each, an Account; collectively, the Accounts) shall be in the name of the applicable Fund.
(b) Custodian may from time to time establish on its books and records such
sub-accounts
within each
Account as the Customer and Custodian may agree upon (each a Special Account), and Custodian shall reflect therein such assets as the Customer may specify in a Certificate or Instructions.
2. The Customer, on its own behalf and on behalf of each Fund, hereby represents and warrants, which representations and warranties shall be
continuing and shall be deemed to be reaffirmed upon each delivery of a Certificate or each giving of Oral Instructions or Instructions by the Customer, that:
(a) It is duly organized and existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, with full power to carry on its business as now
conducted, to enter into this Agreement, and to perform its obligations hereunder;
(b) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Customer, constitutes
a valid and legally binding obligation of the Customer, enforceable in accordance with its terms, and there is no statute, regulation, rule, order or judgment binding on it, and no provision of its charter or
by-laws,
nor of any mortgage, indenture, credit agreement or other contract binding on it or affecting its property, which would prohibit its execution or performance of this Agreement;
(c) It is conducting its business in substantial compliance with all applicable laws and requirements, both state and federal, and has
obtained all regulatory licenses, approvals and consents necessary to carry on its business as now conducted;
(d) It will not use the
services provided by Custodian hereunder in any manner that is, or will result in, a violation of any law, rule or regulation applicable to the Customer;
(e) It is fully informed of the protections and risks associated with various methods of transmitting Instructions and Oral Instructions and
delivering Certificates to Custodian, shall, and shall cause each Authorized Person, to safeguard and treat with extreme care any user and authorization codes, passwords and/or authentication keys, understands that there may be more secure methods
of transmitting or delivering the same than the methods selected by it, agrees that the security procedures (if any) to be followed in connection therewith provide a commercially reasonable degree of protection in light of its particular needs and
circumstances, and acknowledges and agrees that Instructions need not be reviewed by Custodian, may be presumed in good faith by Custodian to have been given by person(s) duly authorized, and may be acted upon as given;
(f) It shall impose and maintain restrictions on the destinations to which cash may be disbursed by Instructions to ensure that each
disbursement is for a proper purpose; and
(g) It has the right to make the pledge and grant the security interest and security
entitlement to Custodian contained in Section 1 of Article V hereof, free of any right of redemption or prior claim of any other person or entity, such pledge and such grants shall have a first priority subject to no setoffs, counterclaims, or
other liens or grants prior to or on a parity therewith, and it shall take such additional steps as Custodian may require to assure such priority.
3. Custodian hereby represents and warrants, which representations and warranties shall be continuing, that:
(a) It is duly organized and existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, with full power to carry on its business as now
conducted, to enter into this Agreement, and to perform its obligations hereunder;
(b) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed
and delivered by Custodian, constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of Custodian, enforceable in accordance with its terms, and there is no statute, regulation, rule, order or judgment binding on it, and no provision of its charter or
by-laws,
nor of any mortgage, indenture, credit agreement or other contract binding on it or affecting its property, which would prohibit its execution or performance of this Agreement;
(c) It has, and will maintain, such backup, contingency and disaster recovery procedures as are
required by its regulators; and
(d) It is conducting its business in substantial compliance with all applicable laws and requirements,
both state and federal, and has obtained all regulatory licenses, approvals and consents necessary to carry on its business as now conducted.
ARTICLE III
CUSTODY AND
RELATED SERVICES
1. Subject to the terms hereof, the Customer, on behalf of each Fund, hereby authorizes Custodian to hold any Cash
received by it from time to time for the applicable Funds account.
2. Custodian shall furnish the Customer, on behalf of each Fund,
with an advice of daily transactions as promptly as practicable in its ordinary course processing, after the close of Business on each Business Day and a monthly summary of all transfers to or from the Accounts as promptly as practicable in its
ordinary course processing, following such month end. Custodian shall furnish such reports for such other time periods as the Customer may from time to time reasonably request.
3. With respect to all Cash held hereunder, Custodian shall, unless otherwise instructed to the contrary:
(a) Receive all income and other payments and advise the Customer as promptly as practicable of any such amounts due but not paid; and
(b) Endorse for collection checks, drafts or other negotiable instruments.
4. Custodian shall not under any circumstances accept bearer interest coupons which have been stripped from United States federal, state or
local government or agency securities unless explicitly agreed to by Custodian in writing.
5. The Customer, on behalf of each Fund, shall
be liable for all taxes, assessments, duties and other governmental charges, including any interest or penalty with respect thereto (Taxes), with respect to any Cash held on behalf of a Fund or any transaction related thereto. The
Customer, on behalf of each Fund, as applicable, shall indemnify Custodian for the amount of any Tax that Custodian or any withholding agent is required under applicable laws (whether by assessment or otherwise) to pay on behalf of, or in respect of
income earned by or payments or distributions made to or for the account of the Customer (including any payment of Tax required by reason of an earlier failure to withhold). Custodian shall, or shall instruct the applicable withholding agent to,
withhold the amount of any Tax which is required to be withheld under applicable law upon collection of any dividend, interest or other distribution. In the event that Custodian is required under applicable law to pay any Tax on behalf of a Fund,
Custodian is hereby authorized to withdraw cash from any cash account for that particular Fund only in the
amount required to pay such Tax and to use such cash, or to remit such cash to the appropriate withholding agent, for the timely payment of such Tax in the manner required by applicable law. If
the aggregate amount of cash in all cash accounts is not sufficient to pay such Tax, Custodian shall promptly notify the Customer, on behalf of such Fund, of the additional amount of cash (in the appropriate currency) required, and the Customer, on
behalf of such Fund, shall directly deposit such additional amount in the appropriate cash account promptly after receipt of such notice, for use by Custodian as specified herein. In the event that Custodian reasonably believes that a Fund is
eligible, pursuant to applicable law or to the provisions of any tax treaty, for a reduced rate of, or exemption from, any Tax which is otherwise required to be withheld or paid on behalf of the Customer under any applicable law, Custodian shall, or
shall instruct the applicable withholding agent to, either withhold or pay such Tax at such reduced rate or refrain from withholding or paying such Tax, as appropriate;
provided
that Custodian shall have received from the Customer, on behalf
of each Fund, all documentary evidence of residence or other qualification for such reduced rate or exemption required to be received under such applicable law or treaty. In the event that Custodian reasonably believes that a reduced rate of, or
exemption from, any Tax is obtainable only by means of an application for refund, Custodian shall have no responsibility for the accuracy or validity of any forms or documentation provided by the Customer, on behalf of a Fund, to Custodian
hereunder. The Customer, on behalf of each Fund, hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Custodian in respect of any liability arising from any underwithholding or underpayment of any Tax which results from the inaccuracy or invalidity of any
such forms or other documentation, and such obligation to indemnify shall be a continuing obligation of the applicable Fund, its successors and assigns notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement.
ARTICLE IV
OVERDRAFTS
1. If Custodian should, by agreement between the parties, advance funds on behalf of any Fund which results in an overdraft
(including, without limitation, any
day-light
overdraft) because the Cash held by Custodian in an Account for such Fund shall be insufficient because of a reversal of a conditional credit, or if the Customer
is for any other reason indebted to Custodian with respect to a Fund, such overdraft or indebtedness shall be deemed to be a loan made by Custodian to the Customer for such Fund payable on demand and shall bear interest from the date incurred at a
rate per annum ordinarily charged by Custodian to its institutional customers, as such rate may be adjusted from time to time. In addition, the Customer hereby agrees that Custodian shall to the maximum extent permitted by law have a continuing
lien, security interest, and security entitlement in and to any property, including, without limitation, any investment property or any financial asset, of such Fund at any time held by Custodian for the benefit of such Fund or in which such Fund
may have an interest which is then in Custodians possession or control or in possession or control of any third party acting in Custodians behalf.
ARTICLE V
CONCERNING
CUSTODIAN AND CUSTOMER
1. (a) Custodian shall exercise reasonable care and diligence in carrying out all of its duties and
obligations hereunder and shall act in good faith in performing services provided for
under this Agreement. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, Custodian shall not be liable for any costs, expenses, damages, liabilities or claims, including attorneys and
accountants fees (collectively, Losses), incurred by or asserted against the Customer, except those Losses arising out of Custodians own negligence, bad faith, willful misfeasance, or reckless disregard of its duties
hereunder. In no event shall the Custodian be liable to the Customer or any third party for special, indirect or consequential damages, or lost profits or loss of business, arising in connection with this Agreement. The Custodian shall not be
liable: (
i
) for acting in accordance with any Certificate or Oral Instructions actually received by Custodian and reasonably believed by Custodian to be given by an Authorized Person; (
ii
) for acting in accordance with such
Instructions without reviewing the same; (
iii
) for conclusively presuming that all Instructions are given only by person(s) duly authorized; (
iv
) for conclusively presuming that all disbursements of cash directed by the
Customer, whether by a Certificate, an Oral Instruction, or an Instruction, are in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Agreement; (
v
) for holding property in any particular country, including, but not limited to, Losses
resulting from nationalization, expropriation or other governmental actions; regulation of the banking or securities industry; exchange or currency controls or restrictions, devaluations or fluctuations; availability of cash market conditions which
prevent the transfer of property or affect the value of property; (
vi
) for any Losses due to forces beyond the control of Custodian, including without limitation strikes, work stoppages, acts of war or terrorism, insurrection,
revolution, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, or interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; (
vii
) for any Losses arising from the applicability of any law
or regulation now or hereafter in effect, or from the occurrence of any event, including, without limitation, implementation or adoption of any rules or procedures which may affect, limit, prevent or impose costs or burdens on, the transferability,
convertibility, or availability of any currency in any country, and in no event shall Custodian be obligated to substitute another currency for a currency whose transferability, convertibility or availability has been affected, limited, or prevented
by such law, regulation or event, and to the extent that any such law, regulation or event imposes a cost or charge upon Custodian in relation to the transferability, convertibility, or availability of any currency, such cost or charge shall be for
the account of the applicable Fund, and Custodian may treat any account denominated in an affected currency as a group of separate accounts denominated in the relevant component currencies.
(b) Custodian may enter into subcontracts, agreements and understandings with any Custodian Affiliate, whenever and on such terms and
conditions as it deems necessary or appropriate to perform its services hereunder. No such subcontract, agreement or understanding shall discharge Custodian from its obligations hereunder, and Custodian shall be liable for the acts or omissions of
any such Custodian Affiliate to the same extent as it is liable for such acts or omissions under this Agreement.
(c) The Customer, on its
own behalf and on behalf of each Fund, as applicable, agrees to indemnify Custodian and hold Custodian harmless from and against any and all Losses sustained or incurred by or asserted against Custodian by reason of or as a result of any action or
inaction, or arising out of Custodians performance hereunder, including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel incurred by Custodian in a successful defense of claims by a Fund; provided however, that the Customer, on its own behalf and on
behalf of each Fund, as applicable, shall not indemnify Custodian for those Losses arising out of Custodians own negligence, bad faith,
willful misfeasance, reckless disregard for its duties hereunder. This indemnity shall be a continuing obligation of the Customer, its successors and assigns, notwithstanding the termination of
this Agreement.
(d) Custodian agrees to indemnify the Customer, on its own behalf and on behalf of each Fund, as applicable, and hold
Customer harmless from and against any and all Losses sustained or incurred by or asserted against Customer by reason of or as a result of any action or inaction, or arising out of Custodians breach of the standard of care set forth at 1(a) of
this Article V, including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel incurred by Customer in a successful defense of claims by Custodian; provided however, that the Custodian shall not indemnify Customer for those Losses arising out of Customers
own negligence, bad faith, willful misfeasance, reckless disregard of its duties hereunder. This indemnity shall be a continuing obligation of the Custodian, its successors and assigns, notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement.
2. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Custodian shall be under no obligation to inquire into, and shall not be liable for:
(a) The legality of any borrowing by the Customer;
(b) The sufficiency or value of any amounts of Cash held in any Special Account in connection with transactions by the Customer; whether any
broker, dealer, futures commission merchant or clearing member makes payment to the Customer of any variation margin payment or similar payment which the Customer may be entitled to receive from such broker, dealer, futures commission merchant or
clearing member, or whether any payment received by Custodian from any broker, dealer, futures commission merchant or clearing member is the amount the Customer is entitled to receive, or to notify the Customer of Custodians receipt or
non-receipt
of any such payment; or
(c) Whether any transactions by the Customer, whether or not
involving Custodian, are such transactions as may properly be engaged in by the Customer.
3. Custodian may, with respect to questions of
law specifically regarding an Account, obtain the advice of counsel and shall be fully protected with respect to anything done or omitted by it provided that Custodian acts in good faith without negligence or willful misfeasance in carrying out such
advice.
4. Custodian shall have no duty or responsibility to inquire into, make recommendations, supervise, or determine the suitability
of any transactions affecting any Account.
5. The Customer, on behalf of each Fund, shall pay to Custodian the fees and charges as may be
specifically agreed upon from time to time and such other fees and charges at Custodians standard rates for such services as may be applicable. The Customer shall reimburse Custodian for all costs associated with the transfer of records kept
in connection with this Agreement upon termination of the Agreement. The Customer shall also reimburse Custodian for
out-of-pocket
expenses which are a normal incident
of the services provided hereunder.
6. Custodian has the right to debit any cash account for any amount payable by the Customer in
connection with any and all obligations of the Customer to Custodian. In addition to the rights of Custodian under applicable law and other agreements, at any time when the Customer shall not have honored any of its obligations to Custodian,
Custodian shall have the right without notice to the Customer to retain or
set-off,
against such obligations of the Customer, any cash Custodian or a Custodian Affiliate may directly or indirectly hold for the
account of the Customer, and any obligations (whether matured or unmatured) that Custodian or a Custodian Affiliate may have to the Customer. Any such asset of, or obligation to, the Customer may be transferred to Custodian and any Custodian
Affiliate in order to effect the above rights.
7. The Customer agrees to forward to Custodian a Certificate or Instructions confirming
Oral Instructions by the close of business of the same day that such Oral Instructions are given to Custodian. The Customer agrees that the fact that such confirming Certificate or Instructions are not received or that a contrary Certificate or
contrary Instructions are received by Custodian shall in no way affect the validity or enforceability of transactions authorized by such Oral Instructions and effected by Custodian. If the Customer elects to transmit Instructions through an
on-line
communications system offered by Custodian, the Customers use thereof shall be subject to its terms and conditions. If Custodian receives Instructions which appear on their face to have been
transmitted by an Authorized Person via (i) computer facsimile, email, the Internet or other insecure electronic method, or (ii) secure electronic transmission containing applicable authorization codes, passwords and/or authentication
keys, the Customer understands and agrees that Custodian cannot determine the identity of the actual sender of such Instructions and that Custodian shall conclusively presume that such Written Instructions have been sent by an Authorized Person, and
the Customer shall be responsible for ensuring that only Authorized Persons transmit such Instructions to Custodian. If the Customer elects (with Custodians prior consent) to transmit Instructions through an
on-line
communications service owned or operated by a third party, the Customer agrees that Custodian shall not be responsible or liable for the reliability or availability of any such service.
8. The books and records pertaining to the Customer which are in possession of Custodian shall be the property of the Customer. Such books and
records shall be prepared and maintained as described in the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules thereunder, as if the Customer was subject to such rules. The Customer, or its authorized representatives, shall have access to such books and
records during Custodians normal business hours. Upon the reasonable request of the Customer, copies of any such books and records shall be provided by Custodian to the Customer or its authorized representative. Upon the reasonable request of
the Customer, Custodian shall provide in hard copy or on computer disc any records included in any such delivery which are maintained by Custodian on a computer disc, or are similarly maintained.
9. It is understood that Custodian is authorized to supply any information regarding the Accounts which is required by any law, regulation or
rule now or hereafter in effect. The Custodian shall provide the Customer with such reports on its own system of internal accounting control as the Customer may reasonably request from time to time.
10. Each party shall keep confidential any information relating to the other partys business (Confidential Information) and
neither party shall use the other partys Confidential
Information for any purpose other than .in connection with the performance of this Agreement. Confidential Information shall include (a) any data or information that is competitively
sensitive material, and not generally known to the public, including, but not limited to, information about product plans, marketing strategies, finances, operations, customer relationships, customer profiles, customer lists, sales estimates,
business plans, and internal performance results relating to the past, present or future business activities of the Customer or Custodian; (b) any scientific or technical information, design, process, procedure, formula, or improvement that is
commercially valuable and secret in the sense that its confidentiality affords the Customer or Custodian a competitive advantage over its competitors; (c) all confidential or proprietary concepts, documentation, reports, data, specifications,
computer software, source code, object code, flow charts, databases, inventions,
know-how,
and trade secrets, whether or not patentable or copyrightable; and (d) anything designated as confidential.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, information shall not be subject to the foregoing obligations set forth in this Section if: (a) it was already known to the receiving party at the time it was obtained; (b) it is or becomes publicly known or
available through no wrongful act of the receiving party; (c) it was rightfully received from a third party who, to the best of the receiving partys knowledge, was not under a duty of confidentiality; (d) it is released by the
protected party to a third party without restriction; (e) it is required to be disclosed by the receiving party pursuant to a requirement of a court order, subpoena, governmental or regulatory agency or law (provided the receiving party will
provide the other party written notice of such requirement, to the extent such notice is permitted); (f) release of such information by Custodian is necessary in connection with the provision of services under this Agreement; (g) it is relevant
to the defense of any claim or cause of action asserted against the receiving party; or (h) it has been or is independently developed or obtained by the receiving party.
11. Custodian shall have no duties or responsibilities whatsoever except such duties and responsibilities as are specifically set forth in
this Agreement, and no covenant or obligation shall be implied against Custodian in connection with this Agreement, except as set forth in this Agreement.
12. (a) Throughout the term of this Agreement, the Customer (i) shall maintain, and comply with, an Economic Sanctions Compliance Program
which includes measures to accomplish effective and timely scanning of all relevant data with respect to its clients and with respect to incoming or outgoing assets or transactions; (ii) shall ensure that neither the Customer nor any of its
affiliates, directors, officers, employees or clients (to the extent such clients are covered by this Agreement) is an individual or entity that is, or is owned or controlled by an individual or entity that is: (A) the target of Sanctions, or
(B) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is, or whose government is, the target of Sanctions; and (iii) shall not, directly or indirectly, use the Accounts in any manner that would result in a violation of
Sanctions.
(b) The Customer will promptly provide to the Custodian such information as the Custodian reasonably requests in connection
with the matters referenced in this Article V, Section 12, including information regarding the Accounts, the assets held or to be held in the Accounts, the source thereof, and the identity of any individual or entity having or claiming an
interest therein. The Custodian may decline to act or provide services in respect of any Account,
and take such other actions as it, in its reasonable discretion, deems necessary or advisable, in connection with the matters referenced in this Article V, Section 12. If the Custodian
declines to act or provide services as provided in the preceding sentence, except as otherwise prohibited by applicable law or official request, the Custodian will inform the Customer as soon as reasonably practicable.
ARTICLE VI
TERMINATION
1. The term of this Agreement shall be one year commencing upon the date hereof and shall automatically renew for additional
one-year
terms unless either party provides written notice of termination at least sixty (60) days prior to the end of any one year term or, unless earlier terminated as provided in Section 2 of this
Article VI. In the event such notice is given by the Customer, it shall be accompanied by a copy of a resolution of board of the Customer, certified by the Secretary or any assistant Secretary, electing to terminate this Agreement and
designating a successor custodian or custodians, each of which shall be a bank or trust company having not less than $2,000,000 aggregate capital, surplus and undivided profits. In the event such notice is given by Custodian, the Customer
shall, on or before the termination date, deliver to Custodian a copy of a resolution of the board of the Customer, certified by the Secretary or any assistant Secretary, designating a successor custodian or custodians. Upon the date set forth
in such notice this Agreement shall terminate, and Custodian shall upon receipt of a notice of acceptance by the successor custodian on that date deliver directly to the successor custodian all Cash then owned by the Customer and held by it as
Custodian, after deducting all fees, expenses and other amounts for the payment or reimbursement of which it shall then be entitled.
2.
Notwithstanding Section 1 of this Article VI, either party hereto may terminate this Agreement immediately by sending notice thereof to the other party upon the happening of any of the following: (i) a party breaches any material provision
of this Agreement, provided that the
non-breaching
party gives written notice of such breach to the breaching party and the breaching party does not cure such violation within 90 days of receipt of such
notice; (ii) a party commences as debtor any case or proceeding under any bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law, or there is commenced against such party any such case or proceeding; (iii) a party commences as debtor any case or proceeding
seeking the appointment of a receiver, conservator, trustee, custodian or similar official for such party or any substantial part of its property or there is commenced against the party any such case or proceeding; (iv) a party makes a general
assignment for the benefit of creditors; or (v) a party states in any medium, written, electronic or otherwise, any public communication or in any other public manner its inability to pay debts as they come due. Either party hereto may exercise
its termination right under this Section 2 of this Article VI at any time after the occurrence of any of the foregoing events notwithstanding that such event may cease to be continuing prior to such exercise, and any delay in exercising this
right shall not be construed as a waiver or other extinguishment of that right.
ARTICLE VII
MISCELLANEOUS
1. The
Customer agrees to furnish to Custodian a new Certificate of Authorized Persons in the event of any change in the then present Authorized Persons. Until such new Certificate is received, Custodian shall be fully protected in acting upon Certificates
or Oral Instructions of such present Authorized Persons.
2. Any notice or other instrument in writing, authorized or required by this
Agreement to be given to Custodian, shall be sufficiently given if addressed to Custodian and received by it at its offices at 225 Liberty Street, New York, New York 10286, or at such other place as Custodian may from time to time designate in
writing.
3. Any notice or other instrument in writing, authorized or required by this Agreement to be given to the Customer shall be
sufficiently given if addressed to the Customer and received by it at its offices at 55 East 52
nd
Street, New York, New York 10055, United States of America, or at such other place as the Customer
may from time to time designate in writing.
4. Each and every right granted to either party hereunder or under any other document
delivered hereunder or in connection herewith, or allowed it by law or equity, shall be cumulative and may be exercised from time to time. No failure on the part of either party to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right will operate as a
waiver thereof, nor will any single or partial exercise by either party of any right preclude any other or future exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right.
5. In case any provision in or obligation under this Agreement shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any exclusive jurisdiction, the
validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected thereby. This Agreement may not be amended or modified in any manner except by a written agreement executed by both parties, except that any amendment
to the Schedule I hereto need be signed only by the Customer. This Agreement shall extend to and shall be binding upon the parties hereto, and their respective successors and assigns; provided, however, that this Agreement shall not be assignable by
either party without the written consent of the other.
6. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the substantive laws of
the State of New York, without regard to conflicts of laws principles thereof. The Customer and Custodian hereby consent to the jurisdiction of a state or federal court situated in New York City, New York in connection with any dispute arising
hereunder. The Customer hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such proceeding brought in such a court and any claim that such
proceeding brought in such a court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. The Customer and Custodian each hereby irrevocably waives any and all rights to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement.
7. The Customer hereby acknowledges that Custodian is subject to federal laws, including the Customer Identification Program (CIP)
requirements under the USA PATRIOT Act
and its implementing regulations, pursuant to which Custodian must obtain, verify and record information that allows Custodian to identify the Customer. Accordingly, prior to opening an Account
hereunder Custodian will ask the Customer to provide certain information including, but not limited to, the Customers name, physical address, tax identification number and other information that will help Custodian to identify and verify the
Customers identity such as organizational documents, certificate of good standing, license to do business, or other pertinent identifying information. The Customer agrees that Custodian cannot open an Account hereunder unless and until
Custodian verifies the Customers identity in accordance with its CIP.
8. The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation is a global
financial organization that provides services to clients through its affiliates and subsidiaries in multiple jurisdictions (the BNY Mellon Group). The BNY Mellon Group may centralize functions including audit, accounting, risk, legal,
compliance, sales, administration, product communication, relationship management, storage, compilation and analysis of customer-related data, and other functions (the Centralized Functions) in one or more affiliates, subsidiaries and
third-party service providers. Solely in connection with the Centralized Functions, (i) the Customer consents to the disclosure of and authorizes Custodian to disclose information regarding the Customer (Customer-Related Data) to
the BNY Mellon Group and to its third-party service providers who are subject to confidentiality obligations with respect to such information and (ii) Custodian may store the names and business contact information of the Customers
employees and representatives on the systems or in the records of the BNY Mellon Group or its service providers. The BNY Mellon Group may aggregate Customer-Related Data with other data collected and/or calculated by the BNY Mellon Group, and
notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary the BNY Mellon Group will own all such aggregated data, provided that the BNY Mellon Group shall not distribute the aggregated data in a format that identifies Customer-Related Data with a
particular customer. The Customer confirms that it is authorized to consent to the foregoing.
9. This Agreement may be executed in any
number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but such counterparts shall, together, constitute only one instrument.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF
, the Customer and Custodian have caused this Agreement to be executed
by their respective officers, thereunto duly authorized, as of the latest date set forth below.
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For each investment company listed on Schedule II
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THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
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Exhibit 7(d)
FORM OF MASTER GLOBAL CUSTODY AGREEMENT
This agreement, dated February
, 2017 (this Agreement), is between JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., with a place of
business at 383 Madison Avenue, Floor 11, New York, New York 10179
(
J.P. Morgan) each of the investment companies listed on Annex B to this Agreement (each, a Customer), on behalf of itself and each of its series
listed under its name on Annex B (each, a Fund), as applicable, severally and not jointly, with a place of business at 55 East 52nd Street, New York, New York 10055. Although J.P. Morgan and each Customer have executed
this Agreement in the form of a master agreement for administrative convenience, except as expressly provided in this Agreement, this Agreement shall create a separate Agreement for each Customer and Fund as though J.P. Morgan had executed a
separate Agreement with that Customer and Fund. No rights, responsibilities or Liabilities of any Customer or Fund shall be attributed to any other Customer.
1.
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INTENTION OF THE PARTIES; DEFINITIONS
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1.1.
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Intention of the Parties
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(a)
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The Customer is an
open-end
management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, with the purpose of investment of each Funds assets in certain
types of securities and instruments, as more fully described in the Funds Registration Statement, as amended from time to time.
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(b)
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This Agreement sets out the terms on which J.P. Morgan will provide custodial, settlement, asset servicing and other associated services to the Customer. J.P. Morgan will be responsible for the performance of only those
duties expressly set forth in this Agreement. Any amendment, supplement, enhancement, replacement or modification to, or variation of, the services as outlined herein shall be subject to the Change Control process outlined in Section 6.2 of the
Master Fund Services Agreement between J.P. Morgan and each Customer.
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(c)
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Investing in Financial Assets and cash in foreign jurisdictions may involve risks of loss or other burdens and costs. The Customer acknowledges that J.P. Morgan is not providing any legal, tax or investment advice in
connection with the services under this Agreement and will not be liable for any losses resulting from Country Risk.
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(d)
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The terms and conditions of this Agreement are applicable only to the services which are specified in this Agreement.
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1.2.
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Definitions; Interpretation
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(a)
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As used in this Agreement and the Schedules and Appendices to this Agreement, the following terms have the meaning hereinafter stated.
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1940 Act
means Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
Account
has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1.
Account Assets
has the meaning set forth in Section 4.3(a).
Affiliated Subcustodian Bank
means a Subcustodian that is both a subsidiary of JPMorgan Chase & Co. and either
(i) a bank chartered or incorporated in the United States of America or (ii) a branch or subsidiary of such a bank.
AML/Sanctions Requirements
means (a) any Applicable Law (including but not limited to the rules and regulations of the
United States Office of Foreign Assets Control) applicable to J.P. Morgan, or to any J.P. Morgan Affiliate engaged in servicing any Account, which governs (i) money laundering, the financing of terrorism, insider dealing or other unlawful
activities, or the use of financial institutions to facilitate such activities or (ii) transactions involving individuals or institutions which have been prohibited by, or subject to, sanctions of any governmental authority; and (b) any
J.P. Morgan policies and procedures reasonably designed to assure compliance with any such Applicable Law.
Applicable Law
means any applicable statute (including the 1940 Act, the
Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (1933 Act) and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (1934 Act)), treaty, rule, regulation or law (including common law) and any
applicable decree, injunction, judgment, order, formal interpretation or ruling issued by a court or governmental entity.
Authorized Person
means any person who has been designated by written notice from the Customer (or by any agent designated
by the Customer, including, without limitation, the Investment Adviser) to act on behalf of the Customer or the Funds under this Agreement and any person who has been given an access code by a security administrator appointed by the Customer which
allows the provision of Instructions. Such persons will continue to be Authorized Persons until such time as J.P. Morgan receives, and has had reasonable time to act upon, Instructions from the Customer (or its agent) that any such person is no
longer an Authorized Person. Any reference in this Agreement to an Instruction being delivered by the Customer must be delivered by an Authorized Person.
Cash Account
has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a)(ii).
Confidential Information
has the meaning set forth in Section 10.10.
Fees
means the fees described in Section 4.1, to be paid by the Customer to J.P. Morgan for the Services.
Corporate Action
means any subscription right, bonus issue, stock repurchase plan, redemption, exchange, tender offer, or
similar matter with respect to a Financial Asset in the Securities Account that requires discretionary action by the beneficial owner of the Financial Asset, but does not include rights with respect to class action litigation or proxy voting.
Country Risk
means the risk of investing or holding assets in a particular country or market, including, but not limited to,
risks arising from nationalization, expropriation or other governmental actions; the countrys financial infrastructure, including prevailing custody, tax and settlement practices; laws applicable to the safekeeping and recovery of Financial
Assets and cash held in custody; the regulation of the banking and securities industries, including changes in market rules; currency restrictions, devaluations or fluctuations; and market conditions affecting the orderly execution of securities
transactions or the value of assets.
Eligible Foreign Custodian
means: (i) a banking institution or trust company,
incorporated or organized under the laws of a country other than the United States, that is regulated as such by that countrys government or an agency thereof; (ii) a majority-owned direct or indirect subsidiary of a U.S. bank or bank
holding company which subsidiary is incorporated or organized under the laws of a country other than the United States; and (iii) any other entity (other than an Eligible Securities Depository) that shall have been so qualified by exemptive
order, rule or other appropriate action of the SEC.
Eligible Securities Depository
shall have the same meaning
as in Rule
17f-7
under the 1940 Act as the same may be amended from time to time, or that has otherwise been made exempt pursuant to an SEC exemptive order; provided that, prior to the compliance date
with Rule
17f-7
for a particular securities depository the term securities depositories shall be as defined in (a)(1)(ii)-(iii) of the 1997 amendments to Rule
17f-5
under the 1940 Act.
Entitlement Holder
means the person named on the
records of a Securities Intermediary as the person having a Security Entitlement against the Securities Intermediary.
Financial
Asset
means a Security and refers, as the context requires, either to the asset itself or to the means by which a persons claim to it is evidenced, including a Security, a security certificate or a Security Entitlement.
Financial Asset does not include cash.
Foreign Custody Manager
has the meaning as set forth in paragraph
(a) of Section 5.3 of this Agreement.
Page 2
Institutional Clients
means U.S. registered investment companies, U.S.-based
commercial banks, insurance companies, pension funds or financial institutions that purchase and sell securities and make substantial use of custodial services.
Instruction
means an instruction that has been verified in accordance with a Security Procedure or, if no Security Procedure
is applicable, that J.P. Morgan believes in good faith to have been given by an Authorized Person, unless J.P. Morgan is breaching J.P. Morgans Standard of Care.
Investment Adviser
means any person or entity appointed as investment adviser or manager of any of the Funds.
J.P. Morgan Affiliate
means an entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with J.P. Morgan.
J.P. Morgan Indemnitees
means J.P. Morgan, Subcustodians, and their respective nominees, directors, officers, employees and
agents.
J.P. Morgans Standard of Care
has the meaning set forth in Section 7.1(a) of this Agreement.
Liabilities
means any liabilities, losses, claims, costs, damages, penalties, fines, obligations, taxes (other than taxes
based solely on a partys income), or expenses of any kind whatsoever (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys, accountants, consultants or experts fees and disbursements reasonably incurred) and, where
relevant, any and all amounts owing to J.P. Morgan by Customers counterparty in connection with collateral Accounts or control Accounts established at J.P. Morgan pursuant to the Customers Instruction) outstanding from time to time,
provided that fees due in accordance with this Agreement that are subject to bona fide dispute shall not be considered Liabilities until the completion of the process described in Section 6.15 of the Master Fund Services Agreement between J.P.
Morgan and each Customer.
Proxy Voting Service
has the meaning set forth in Section 2.11(a).
SEC
means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Securities
means shares, stocks, debentures, bonds, notes or other like obligations or other investment items, whether
issued in certificated or uncertificated form, and any certificates, receipts, warrants or other instruments representing rights to receive, purchase or subscribe for the same that are commonly traded or dealt in on securities exchanges or financial
markets and any other property as any of the foregoing may be acceptable to J.P. Morgan for the Securities Account.
Securities
Account
means each Securities custody account on J.P. Morgans records to which Financial Assets are or may be credited under this Agreement.
Securities Depository
means any securities depository, clearing corporation, dematerialized book entry system or similar
system for the central handling of Securities, whether or not acting in that capacity.
Security Entitlement
means the
rights and property interests of an Entitlement Holder with respect to a Financial Asset as set forth in Part 5 of Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code of the State of New York, as the same may be amended from time to time.
Securities Intermediary
means J.P. Morgan, a Subcustodian, a Securities Depository and any other financial institution which
in the ordinary course of business maintains Securities custody accounts for others and acts in that capacity.
Services
Level
further defined in the Schedule 5 (Service Level Agreement)
Security Procedure
means any security
procedure to be followed by the Customer upon the issuance of an instruction and/or by J.P. Morgan upon the receipt of an instruction, so as to enable J.P. Morgan to verify that such instruction is authorized, as set forth in service level
documentation in effect from time to time with respect to the services set forth in this Agreement, or as otherwise agreed in writing by the parties. A Security Procedure may, without limitation,
Page 3
involve the use of algorithms, codes, passwords, encryption and telephone call backs, and may be updated by J.P. Morgan from time to time upon notice to the Customer. The Customer acknowledges
that Security Procedures are designed to verify the authenticity of, and not detect errors in, Instructions. For the avoidance of doubt, the parties agree that a SWIFT message issued in the name of the Customer through any third party utility agreed
upon by the parties as being a method for providing Instructions and authenticated in accordance with that utilitys customary procedures, shall be deemed to be an authorized Instruction. The Customer acknowledges that Security Procedures are
designed to verify the authenticity of, and not detect errors in, Instructions.
Subcustodian
means any of the
subcustodians appointed by J.P. Morgan from time to time to hold Financial Assets and act on its behalf in different jurisdictions (and being at the date of this Agreement the entities listed in Schedule 3 (List of Subcustodians and Markets
Used by J.P. Morgan)) and includes any Affiliated Subcustodian Bank.
U.S. Bank
means a U.S. bank as defined in SEC Rule
17f-5(a)(7)
of the 1940 Act.
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(i)
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Headings are for convenience of reference only and shall not in any way form part of or affect the construction or interpretation of any provision of this Agreement.
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(ii)
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Unless otherwise expressly stated to the contrary herein, references to Articles and Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Agreement and references to
sub-sections
and
paragraphs are to
sub-sections
of the Sections and paragraphs of the
sub-sections
in which they appear.
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(iii)
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Unless the context requires otherwise, references in this Agreement to persons shall include legal as well as natural entities; references importing the singular shall include the plural (and vice versa);
use of the generic masculine pronoun shall include the feminine (and vice versa); use of the term including shall be deemed to mean including but not limited to, and references to appendices and numbered sections shall be to
such addenda and provisions herein; all such addenda are hereby incorporated in this Agreement by reference.
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(iv)
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Unless the context requires otherwise, any reference to a statute or a statutory provision shall include such statute or provision as from time modified to the extent such modification applies to any service provided
hereunder. Any reference to a statute or a statutory provision shall also include any subordinate legislation made from time to time under that statute or provision.
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2.
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WHAT J.P. MORGAN IS REQUIRED TO DO
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(a)
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J.P. Morgan will establish and maintain the following accounts (Accounts):
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(i)
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one or more Securities Accounts in the name of the Customer (or in another name requested by the Customer that is acceptable to J.P. Morgan) for Financial Assets, which may be held by J.P. Morgan, a Subcustodian or a
Securities Depository for J.P. Morgan on behalf of the Customer, including as an Entitlement Holder; and
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(ii)
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one or more cash accounts in the name of the Customer (or in another name requested by the Customer that is acceptable to J.P. Morgan) (each, a Cash Account) for any and all cash in any currency received by
or on behalf of J.P. Morgan for the account of the Customer.
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Notwithstanding paragraph 2.1(a)(ii), cash held in respect of
those markets where the Customer is required to have a cash account in its own name held directly with the relevant Subcustodian or Securities Depository will be held in that manner and will not be part of the Cash Account.
Page 4
(b)
|
At the request of the Customer, additional Accounts may be opened in the future, and such additional Accounts shall be subject to the terms of this Agreement.
|
(c)
|
In the event that the Customer requests the opening of any additional Account for the purpose of holding collateral pledged by the Customer to a securities exchange, clearing corporation, or other central counterparty
(a Counterparty) to secure trading activity by the Customer, or the pledge to a Counterparty of cash or individual Securities held in an Account, that Account (or the pledged cash or Securities) shall be subject to the collateral
arrangements in effect between J.P. Morgan and the Counterparty in addition to the terms of this Agreement.
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(d)
|
Upon thirty (30) days prior written notice to and confirmation by the Customer, J.P. Morgan may close any Account that it reasonably determines to be dormant either because it is a Cash Account with de
minimis balances or a Securities Account with no Financial Assets for an extended period of time. In the case of a dormant Cash Account, J.P. Morgan will, upon closure of the Account, pay any de minimis balances in that Cash Account into another
Cash Account of the Customer, and is authorized to enter into with Customer any foreign exchange transactions needed to facilitate the payment, as contemplated by Section 2.16 of this Agreement
|
(e)
|
J.P. Morgans obligation to open Accounts pursuant to Section 2.1(a) is conditional upon J.P. Morgan receiving such of the following documents as J.P. Morgan may require:
|
|
(i)
|
a certified copy of the Customers constitutional documents as in force at the time of receipt;
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|
(ii)
|
evidence reasonably satisfactory to J.P. Morgan of the due authorization and execution of this Agreement by the Customer (for example by a certified copy of a resolution of the Customers board of directors or
equivalent governing body);
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|
(iii)
|
information about the Customers financial status, such as its audited and unaudited financial statements; and
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|
(iv)
|
in the case of any Account opened in a name other than that of the Customer, documentation with respect to that name similar to that set forth in
sub-sections
(i) (iii).
|
(a)
|
Any amount standing to the credit of the Cash Account will be either:
|
|
(i)
|
deposited during the period it is credited to the Accounts in one or more deposit accounts at J.P. Morgans head office or, pursuant to the Customers Instructions and for the purpose of facilitating the
settlement of the Customers transactions in foreign Financial Assets, at one of J.P. Morgans
non-U.S.
branch offices, and will constitute a debt owing to the Customer by J.P. Morgan as banker,
provided that (A) any cash so deposited with a
non-U.S.
branch office will be payable exclusively by that branch office in the applicable currency, subject to compliance with Applicable Law, including,
without limitation, any restrictions on transactions in the applicable currency imposed by the country of the applicable currency and (B) from time to time, J.P. Morgan may, in its discretion, pay interest on any such deposit account at a rate
to be determined by J.P. Morgan (or charge interest if, at the time, the prevailing interest rate in the relevant market for similar deposits in the same currency is negative); or
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|
(ii)
|
pursuant to the Customers Instructions and for the purpose of facilitating the settlement of the Customers transactions in foreign Financial Assets, placed by J.P. Morgan with a bank or other financial
institution in the country in which the applicable currency is issued, in which case the deposit will constitute a debt owing to the Customer by that bank or other financial institution and not J.P. Morgan, payable exclusively in the applicable
currency at that bank or financial institution.
|
(b)
|
Any amounts credited by J.P. Morgan to the Cash Account on the basis of a notice or an interim credit from a third party, may be reversed if J.P. Morgan does not receive final payment in a timely manner. J.P. Morgan
will notify the Customer promptly of any such reversal.
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Page 5
2.3.
|
Segregation of Assets; Nominee Name
|
(a)
|
J.P. Morgan will identify in its books that Financial Assets credited to the Customers Securities Account belong to the Customer, whether held directly or indirectly through Securities Depositories or
Subcustodians (except as may be otherwise agreed by J.P. Morgan and the Customer).
|
(b)
|
To the extent permitted by Applicable Law or market practice, J.P. Morgan will require each Subcustodian to identify in its own books that Financial Assets held at such Subcustodian by J.P. Morgan on behalf of its
customers belong to customers of J.P. Morgan, such that it is readily apparent that the Financial Assets do not belong to J.P. Morgan or the Subcustodian.
|
(c)
|
J.P. Morgan shall at all times and as applicable hold:
|
|
(i)
|
hold Financial Assets by physical possession of the share certificates or other instruments representing such Financial Assets to the extent such Financial Assets are customarily held in bearer form or are delivered to
J.P. Morgan or its Subcustodian in bearer form;
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|
(ii)
|
hold Financial Assets in book-entry form or deposit Financial Assets with a Securities Depository; or
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|
(iii)
|
hold Financial Assets in omnibus accounts on a fungible basis and accept delivery of Financial Assets of the same class and denomination as those deposited by the Customer.
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|
(iv)
|
register in the name of the Customer, J.P. Morgan, a Subcustodian, a Securities Depository or their respective nominees, such Financial Assets as are customarily held in registered form, provided that J.P. Morgan shall,
on an ongoing basis, provide accurate information to the Customer and such other persons as the Customer may designate with respect to the registration status of the Customers Financial Assets.
|
2.4.
|
Settlement of Transactions
|
Subject to Article 3 and Section 4.2 of this Agreement,
J.P. Morgan will act in accordance with Instructions with respect to settlement of transactions. Absent instructions to the contrary, settlement of transactions will be conducted in accordance with prevailing standards for transactions by
Institutional Clients in the market in which the transaction occurs. If it is not possible to settle the transaction in accordance with any Instruction, J.P. Morgan shall notify the Customer. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the
Customer authorizes J.P. Morgan to deliver Financial Assets or payment in accordance with applicable market practice in advance of receipt or settlement of consideration expected in connection with such delivery or payment, and the Customer
acknowledges and agrees that such action alone will not of itself constitute negligence, fraud, or willful misconduct of J.P. Morgan, and the risk of loss arising from any such action will be borne by the Customer; provided, however, unless
otherwise instructed by the Customer, the risk of loss will be J.P. Morgans if it makes a delivery before payment in a market where delivery versus payment is the prevailing standard. In the case of the failure of the Customers
counterparty (or other appropriate party) to deliver the expected consideration as agreed, J.P. Morgan will contact the counterparty to seek settlement at the direction of the Customer and will promptly notify the Customer of such failure. If the
Customers counterparty continues to fail to deliver the expected consideration, J.P. Morgan will promptly provide information reasonably requested by the Customer that J.P. Morgan has in its possession to allow the Customer to enforce rights
that the Customer has against the Customers counterparty, but neither J.P. Morgan nor its Subcustodians will be obliged to institute legal proceedings, file a proof of claim in any insolvency proceeding or take any similar action.
Page 6
2.5.
|
Contractual Settlement Date Accounting
|
(a)
|
J.P. Morgan will effect book entries on a contractual settlement date accounting basis as described below with respect to the settlement for those Financial Assets and transactions as to which J.P. Morgan customarily
offers contractual settlement date accounting. J.P. Morgan reserves the right to restrict in good faith the availability of contractual settlement date accounting for credit or operational reasons.
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|
(i)
|
Sales: On the settlement date for a sale, J.P. Morgan will credit the Cash Account with the proceeds of the sale and post the Securities Account as pending delivery of the relevant Financial Assets.
|
|
(ii)
|
Purchases: On the settlement date for a purchase (or earlier, if market practice requires delivery of the purchase price before the settlement date), J.P. Morgan will debit the Cash Account for the settlement amount.
J.P. Morgan will then post the Securities Account as awaiting receipt of the expected Financial Assets. The Customer will not be entitled to the delivery of Financial Assets until J.P. Morgan or a Subcustodian actually receives them.
|
Upon request, J.P. Morgan shall provide the Customer with a list of those markets for which it provides contractual
settlement date accounting. J.P. Morgan may add markets to or remove markets from such list upon reasonable notice to the Customer.
(b)
|
J.P. Morgan may reverse any debit or credit made pursuant to Section 2.5(a) prior to a transactions actual settlement upon notice to the Customer in cases where J.P. Morgan reasonably believes that the
transaction will not settle in the ordinary course within a reasonable time. The Customer will be responsible for any Liabilities resulting from such reversal, unless such Liabilities were caused by J.P. Morgans breach of J.P. Morgans
Standard of Care. The Customer acknowledges that the procedures described in Section 2.5 are of an administrative nature, and J.P. Morgan does not undertake to make loans of cash and/or Financial Assets available to the Customer.
|
2.6.
|
Actual Settlement Date Accounting
|
With respect to settlement of any transaction that is
not posted to the Account on the contractual settlement date as referred to in Section 2.5, J.P. Morgan will post such transaction on the date on which the cash or Financial Assets received as consideration for the transaction is actually
received and settled by J.P. Morgan.
2.7.
|
Income Collection (AutoCredit®)
|
(a)
|
J.P. Morgan will monitor information publicly available in the applicable market about forthcoming income payments on the Financial Assets held in the Securities Account, and will promptly notify the Customer of such
information.
|
(b)
|
J.P. Morgan will credit the Cash Account with income proceeds on Financial Assets on the anticipated payment date, net of any taxes that are withheld by J.P. Morgan or any third party (AutoCredit) for those
Financial Assets and/or markets for which J.P. Morgan customarily offers an AutoCredit service. However, J.P. Morgan reserves the right to restrict in good faith the availability of AutoCredit for credit or operational reasons. Upon request,
J.P. Morgan shall provide the Customer with a list of AutoCredit eligible markets. J.P. Morgan may add markets to or remove markets from the list of AutoCredit markets upon notice to the Customer that is reasonable in the circumstances. J.P. Morgan
may reverse AutoCredit credits upon oral or written notification to the Customer if J.P. Morgan believes that the corresponding payment will not be received by J.P. Morgan within a reasonable period or the credit was incorrect. Promptly upon the
Customers request, J.P. Morgan shall provide the Customers investment manager with relevant information related to any such reversal of credits.
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Page 7
(c)
|
When the AutoCredit service is not available, income on Financial Assets, net of any taxes withheld by J.P. Morgan or any third party, will be credited only after actual receipt and reconciliation by J.P. Morgan.
|
(d)
|
J.P. Morgan will use reasonable efforts to contact appropriate parties to collect unpaid interest, dividends or redemption proceeds and promptly notify the Customer of the late payment, but neither J.P. Morgan nor its
Subcustodians will be obliged to file any formal notice of default, institute legal proceedings, file a proof of claim in any insolvency proceeding or take any similar action.
|
2.8.
|
Miscellaneous Administrative Duties
|
(a)
|
Until J.P. Morgan receives Instructions to the contrary, J.P. Morgan will:
|
|
(i)
|
present all Financial Assets for which J.P. Morgan has received notice of a call for redemption or that have otherwise matured, and all income and interest coupons and other income items that call for payment upon
presentation;
|
|
(ii)
|
execute in the name of the Customer such certificates as may be required to obtain payment in respect of Financial Assets;
|
|
(iii)
|
exchange interim or temporary documents of title held in the Securities Account for definitive documents of title; and
|
|
(iv)
|
take any action which may be reasonably appropriate in connection with the collection and receipt of such income and other payments and the endorsement and collection of checks, drafts and other negotiable instruments.
|
(b)
|
In the event that, as a result of holding of Financial Assets in an omnibus account, the Customer receives fractional interests in Financial Assets arising out of a Corporate Action or class action litigation, J.P.
Morgan will credit the Customer with the amount of cash the Customer would have received, as reasonably determined by J.P. Morgan, had the Financial Assets not been held in an omnibus account, and the Customer shall relinquish to J.P. Morgan its
interest in such fractional interests.
|
(c)
|
If some, but not all, of an outstanding class of Financial Assets is called for redemption, J.P. Morgan may allot the amount redeemed among the respective beneficial holders of such a class of Financial Assets on a pro
rata basis or in a similar manner J.P. Morgan deems fair and equitable.
|
(d)
|
J.P. Morgan reserves the right to reverse any transactions that are credited to the Accounts due to mis-postings and other similar actions.
|
(a)
|
J.P. Morgan will act in accordance with local market practice to obtain information concerning Corporate Actions that is publicly available in the local market. J.P. Morgan also will review information obtained from
sources to which J.P. Morgan subscribes for information concerning such Corporate Actions. J.P. Morgan will promptly provide that information (or summaries that reflect the material points concerning the applicable Corporate Action) to the Customer
or its Authorized Person. Such notice will clearly identify the timeframe in which the Customer shall provide Instructions in relation to such Corporate Action.
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J.P. Morgan will also properly record such Corporate Actions on its internal systems, including associated receivables, and will allocate
proceeds accordingly to Customer based on such Customers holdings.
BlackRock will only deliver one voluntary Corporate Action
election as it relates to Global Custody per Account via Swift regardless of the level of service provided by JP Morgan.
Page 8
If a trade is impacted by a mandatory and/or voluntary Corporate Action event, JP Morgan will
update trades per the terms of the Corporate Action to facilitate market settlement. This update will be performed by JP Morgan without separate instructions from BlackRock. If settlement can not be completed after the transaction is transformed by
JP Morgan, JP Morgan can reach out to BlackRock to help resolve the matter.
(b)
|
J.P. Morgan will act in accordance with the Customers Instructions in relation to such Corporate Actions. If the Customer fails to provide J.P. Morgan with timely Instructions with respect to any Corporate Action
within the timeframe set out in the notification J.P. Morgan provides under section 2.9(a) with respect to such Corporate Action, neither J.P. Morgan nor its Subcustodians or their respective nominees will take any action in relation to that
Corporate Action, except as otherwise agreed in writing by J.P. Morgan and the Customer (including pursuant to a standing Instruction) or as may be set forth by J.P. Morgan as a default action in the notification it provides under
Section 2.9(a) with respect to that Corporate Action. The deadline set by J.P. Morgan for receipt of Instructions from the Customer with respect to any Corporate Action shall not precede the deadline set by the issuer or its agent by more than
a commercially reasonable period of time. Notwithstanding and in no way limiting the above, if the Customer fails to provide J.P. Morgan with Instructions with respect to any Corporate Action within the timeframe set out in the notification J.P.
Morgan provides under Section 2.9(a), upon written request of the Customer, J.P. Morgan shall use commercially reasonable efforts to act on Instructions received after the deadline set by J.P. Morgan as set out in such notification but before
the deadline set by the Securities Depository to the extent circumstances permit.
|
(c)
|
When instructed by the Customer, subject to availability in the market, J.P. Morgan, or a J.P. Morgan Affiliate, shall place orders for the sale of rights offerings that the Customer received from Corporate Actions. A
current list of markets in which this service is being offered is available from J.P. Morgan on request.
|
2.10.
|
Class Action Litigation
|
Any notices received by J.P. Morgans corporate
actions department about settled securities class action litigation that requires action by affected owners of the underlying Financial Assets will be promptly notified to the Customer if J.P. Morgan, using reasonable care and diligence in the
circumstances, identifies that the Customer was a shareholder and held the relevant Financial Assets in custody with J.P. Morgan at the relevant time. J.P. Morgan will not make filings in the name of the Customer in respect to such notifications
except as otherwise agreed in writing between the Customer and J.P. Morgan. The services set forth in this Section 2.10 are available only in certain markets, details of which are available from J.P. Morgan on request.
(a)
|
J.P. Morgan will monitor information distributed to holders of Financial Assets about upcoming shareholder meetings, promptly notify the Customer of such information and, subject to Section 2.11(c), act in
accordance with the Customers Instructions in relation to such meetings (the Proxy Voting Service).
|
(b)
|
The Proxy Voting Service is available only in certain markets, details of which are available from J.P. Morgan on request. Provision of the Proxy Voting Service is conditional upon receipt by J.P. Morgan of a duly
completed enrollment form as well as all documentation that may be required for certain markets.
|
(c)
|
The Proxy Voting Service does not include physical attendance at shareholder meetings. Requests for physical attendance at shareholder meetings can be made but they will be evaluated and agreed to by J.P. Morgan on a
case by case basis.
|
(d)
|
The Customer acknowledges that the provision of the Proxy Voting Service may be precluded or restricted under a variety of circumstances. These circumstances include, but are not limited to:
|
|
(i)
|
the Financial Assets being on loan or out for registration;
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Page 9
|
(ii)
|
the pendency of conversion or another corporate action;
|
|
(iii)
|
the Financial Assets being held in a margin or collateral account at J.P. Morgan or another bank or broker, or otherwise in a manner which affects voting;
|
|
(iv)
|
local market regulations or practices, or restrictions by the issuer; and
|
|
(v)
|
J.P. Morgan being required to vote all shares held for a particular issue for all of J.P. Morgans customers on a net basis (i.e., a net yes or no vote based on voting instructions received from all its customers).
Where this is the case, J.P. Morgan will notify the Customer.
|
2.12.
|
Statements of Account
|
(a)
|
J.P. Morgan will provide the Customer with electronic access to Account information (the Information) that will enable the Customer to generate or receive reports and statements of account for each Account
and to identify Account Assets as well as Account transactions. The Customer will review the Information and give J.P. Morgan written notice of (i) any suspected error or omission or (ii) the Customers inability to access any such
Information. The Customer will provide J.P. Morgan such notice within a reasonable time after (x) the Information is made available to the Customer or (y) the Customer discovers that it is unable to access the Information, as the case may
be.
|
(b)
|
The Customer acknowledges that Information available to it electronically with respect to transactions posted after the close of the prior business day may not be accurate due to mis-postings, delays in updating Account
records, and other causes. J.P. Morgan will not be liable for any loss or damage arising out of any such information accessed electronically that is subsequently updated or corrected by the close of business on the first business day after the
original transaction was posted, except to the extent such inaccuracy is the result of J.P. Morgans breach of J.P. Morgans Standard of Care.
|
2.13.
|
Access to J.P. Morgans Records; Recordkeeping
|
(a)
|
J.P. Morgan will, upon reasonable written notice, allow the Customers auditors and independent public accountants, or other designated representatives of the Customer such reasonable access to the records of J.P.
Morgan relating to the Accounts as may be required in connection with their examination of books and records pertaining to the Customers affairs. Subject to restrictions under the relevant local law, J.P. Morgan shall direct any Subcustodian
to permit the Customers auditors and independent public accountants or other designated representatives of the Customer, reasonable access to the records of any Subcustodian of Financial Assets held in the Securities Account as may be required
in connection with such examination.
|
(b)
|
During the performance of this Agreement and for any period required by Applicable Law with respect to J.P. Morgans provision of the services hereunder after the completion of this Agreement (which period shall be
no less than the period required under the 1940 Act), J.P. Morgan will maintain complete, accurate and auditable records pertaining to this Agreement, including all books and records which J.P. Morgan is required to maintain pursuant to Applicable
Law, which shall include: (i) itemized daily record of all purchases, receipts and deliveries of securities, (ii) receipts and disbursements of cash and all other credits or debits, (iii) for each transaction, the quantity of
securities and the name of the person to whom they were delivered, (iv) a statement of the assets of each Fund. All such books and records maintained by J.P. Morgan shall be maintained in a form acceptable under Applicable Law as it applies to
J.P. Morgan in its capacity as custodian of the Customers assets. During the term of this Agreement and for a period of at least three (3) years after the termination of this Agreement, J.P. Morgan will, upon reasonable written notice,
allow the Customer reasonable access during normal working hours to the records of J.P. Morgan relating to the Accounts. The Customer shall reimburse J.P. Morgan for the reasonable cost of copying, collating and researching archived information.
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Page 10
(c)
|
Within 30 days of receiving the Customers request, J.P. Morgan will send to the Customer (i) all reports J.P. Morgan receives from Securities Depositories concerning their systems of internal accounting
control, (ii) the annual report
(SSAE-16
Report) prepared by J.P. Morgans external auditors on J.P. Morgans system of internal accounting control of Financial Assets, and/or
(iii) publicly available information to allow the Customer to assess J.P. Morgans overall financial strength and viability as necessary to perform its obligations under this Agreement.
|
(d)
|
During the performance of this Agreement and for a period of time as required by Applicable Law with respect to J.P. Morgans provision of the services hereunder after the completion of this Agreement, J.P. Morgan
will, upon reasonable written notice from the Customer, use reasonable efforts to direct its Subcontractors to (i) maintain auditable records pertaining to this Agreement, and (ii) allow the Customer reasonable access during normal working
hours to the records of such Subcontractor relating to the Accounts for a period of at least three (3) years after the termination of this Agreement. The Customer shall reimburse J.P. Morgan for its and such Subcontractors reasonable
cost of copying, collating and researching archived information.
|
2.14.
|
Maintenance of Financial Assets at Subcustodian Locations
|
(a)
|
Unless Instructions require another location acceptable to J.P. Morgan, Financial Assets will be held in the country or jurisdiction in which their principal trading market is located, where such Financial Assets may be
presented for payment, where such Financial Assets were acquired, or where such Financial Assets are located. J.P. Morgan reserves the right to refuse to accept delivery of Financial Assets or cash in countries and jurisdictions other than those
referred to in Schedule 3 List of Subcustodians and Markets Used by J.P. Morgan, as in effect from time to time. J.P. Morgan may modify Schedule 3 List of Subcustodians and Markets Used by J.P. Morgan from time to time upon notice to
the Customer. J.P. Morgan shall not use a Subcustodian to hold U.S. domestic Financial Assets unless specifically instructed by the Customer. To the extent the Customer instructs J.P. Morgan to use a Subcustodian to hold U.S. domestic Financial
Assets, J.P. Morgan will act in accordance with the applicable provisions of Rule
17f-4
under the 1940 Act.
|
(b)
|
J.P. Morgan reserves the right to restrict the services it provides in certain markets that are deemed by J.P. Morgan to be restricted markets from time to time. A current list of these markets, and a summary of the
related restrictions, is set forth on Schedule 4 List of J.P. Morgan Investor Services Custody Restricted Markets. J.P. Morgan may update Schedule 4 J.P. Morgan Investor Services Custody Restricted Markets from time to time upon
written notice to the Customer.
|
2.15.
|
Tax Relief Services
|
J.P. Morgan will provide tax relief services as provided in
Section 8.2.
2.16.
|
Foreign Exchange Transactions
|
To facilitate the administration of the Customers
trading and investment activity, J.P. Morgan may, but will not be obliged to, enter into spot or forward foreign exchange contracts with the Customer, or an Authorized Person, and may also provide foreign exchange contracts and facilities through
J.P. Morgan Affiliates or Subcustodians. Instructions, including standing Instructions, may be issued with respect to such contracts and facilities, but J.P. Morgan may establish rules or limitations concerning any foreign exchange contract or
facility made available. In all cases where J.P. Morgan or J.P. Morgan Affiliates or Subcustodians enter into foreign exchange contracts or facilities with the Customer, J.P. Morgan will not be executing or otherwise placing any foreign exchange
transaction as the Customers agent, and such transactions will be governed by the terms and conditions of such foreign exchange contracts or facilities (as the case may be) and, to the extent not inconsistent, this Agreement. Such foreign
exchange contracts and facilities shall not be deemed as part of the custodial, settlement or associated services under this Agreement. With respect to the Customers foreign exchange contracts or facilities with J.P. Morgan, J.P. Morgan will
be acting as the Customers principal counterparty on such foreign exchange contracts or facilities (as the case may be).
Page 11
If the Customer has agreed to access information concerning the Accounts
through J.P. Morgans website, J.P. Morgan may make any notifications required under this Agreement, other than notifications pursuant to Article 9, by posting it on the website.
2.18.
|
Assets Not Controlled by J.P. Morgan
|
(a)
|
J.P. Morgan will not be obliged to (i) hold Financial Assets or cash with any person not agreed to by J.P. Morgan or (ii) register or record Financial Assets in the name of any person other than the Customer,
J.P. Morgan, a Subcustodian, a Securities Depository, or their respective nominee. Furthermore, J.P. Morgan will not be obliged to register or record on J.P. Morgans records Financial Assets or cash held outside of J.P. Morgans control.
If, however, the Customer makes any such request and J.P. Morgan agrees to the request, the consequences of doing so will be at the Customers own risk. J.P. Morgan shall not be responsible for the control of any such Financial Asset or cash,
for verifying the Customers initial or ongoing ownership of any such Financial Asset or cash or for income collection, proxy voting, class action litigation or Corporate Action notification and processing with respect to any such Financial
Asset. Any transaction relating to the settlement of the purchase or sale of any such Financial Asset shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a cash only movement.
|
(b)
|
From time to time, at the Customers request, J.P. Morgan may agree to hold in its vault on the Customers behalf documentation relating to Financial Assets not held in J.P. Morgans control, including
corporate loans, participation interests therein or assignments thereof, or certain other investment items, by possession of all documents, certificates and other such instruments, including any schedule of payments, assets held on the registrar of
another investment company or any assets booked with a transfer agent that is not
SEC-registered.
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, J.P. Morgan shall not be responsible for reviewing
this documentation for any purpose, including authenticity, sufficiency or relevance to the Financial Asset to which it purports to relate.
|
2.19.
|
Establishment of Segregated Accounts
|
Upon receipt of Instructions, J.P. Morgan shall
establish and maintain on its books segregated accounts for and on behalf of the Customer in which segregated accounts may be held Financial Assets or cash for the purpose of compliance by the Customer with guidance from the SEC and SEC staff
relating to asset segregation in connection with short sales and derivative transactions or for any other lawful purposes as may be deemed necessary by the Customer.
2.20.
|
Compliance with Laws and Regulations
|
|
(i)
|
J.P. Morgan will (i) review and comply with Applicable Law in the United States and any other laws, rules and regulations of governmental authorities having jurisdiction over J.P. Morgan with respect to the
provision of the services and (ii) perform those services in a manner compliant with Applicable Law applicable to the delivery of those services. The Customer shall comply with Applicable Law in the United States and in each state in which the
Customer conducts business, to the extent that compliance with such Applicable Law is relevant to the provision or receipt of the services or the marketing of the Funds.
|
|
(ii)
|
J.P. Morgan shall obtain and maintain all necessary approvals, licenses, consents, permits or authorization of
any person or entity, or any notice to any person or entity, the
|
Page 12
|
granting of which is required by Applicable Law applicable to J.P. Morgan for: (A) the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and (B) the provision or receipt
(as applicable) of the services in compliance with all Applicable Law. Upon reasonable request therefor, each party will provide reasonable cooperation to the other party, at such other partys expense, to obtain and maintain any such
approvals.
|
|
(iii)
|
J.P. Morgan shall promptly notify the Customer of any change in Applicable Law of which it may become aware that it expects to have a material impact on the provision of the services or the performance of J.P.
Morgans obligations under this Agreement.
|
|
(iv)
|
The Customer shall comply (and cause the Funds to comply) with Applicable Law in the United States and in each state in which the Customer conducts business, to the extent that compliance with such Applicable Law is
relevant to the provision or receipt of the services.
|
|
(i)
|
If J.P. Morgan becomes aware that J.P. Morgan or a Subcontractor has committed a violation of any Applicable Law in the course of performing the services or J.P. Morgans other obligations under this Agreement or
the Global Custody Agreement, J.P. Morgan will promptly (but in no circumstances more than 24 hours after J.P. Morgan becomes aware of such
non-compliance)
notify the Customer in writing. Unless such violation
is caused by the Customer, J.P. Morgan shall promptly implement such Changes to the services as may be necessary to correct such violation at J.P. Morgans sole cost and expense. If the violation is caused by the Customer, J.P. Morgan shall
promptly implement such Changes to the services at the Customers sole cost and expense, subject to the parties mutual agreement via the Change Procedures.
|
|
(ii)
|
If the Customer becomes aware of any
non-compliance
of J.P. Morgan or a Subcontractor with any Applicable Law and becomes aware that such
non-compliance
affects J.P. Morgans ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Customer will promptly notify J.P. Morgan in writing.
|
2.21.
|
Securities Lending Arrangements
|
The following provisions (hereinafter, the Securities Lending
Arrangements) relate to certain matters involving the Customers or Funds (hereinafter, the Lenders) use of BlackRock Investment Management, LLC, BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A. (or such other entity as the
Customer or the Fund may inform J.P. Morgan in writing from time to time) as a securities lending agent (such authorized securities lending agents each referred to as a Lending Agent):
|
(i)
|
Borrower means any entity with whom a Lender has entered into a Borrowing Agreement.
|
|
(ii)
|
Borrowing Agreement means a securities borrowing agreement or other legal agreement on a Lenders behalf from time to time, and notified to J.P. Morgan by a Lender in connection with the Securities
Lending Arrangements herein.
|
|
(iii)
|
Loan means a loan of Securities by a Lender pursuant to a Borrowing Agreement.
|
(b)
|
Lenders hereby appoint J.P. Morgan as their lending support agent to provide securities lending support services (Services) in connection with Loans of Securities entered into by the Lending Agent on behalf
of the Lenders on assets held in Accounts established under this Agreement and identified in Schedule 6. Such Services may be described in service level documentation as defined in Schedule 5 (Service Level Agreement) among the parties hereto and
J.P. Morgan accepts such appointment and agrees to act in accordance with the terms of the Securities Lending Arrangements when providing the Services.
|
|
(i)
|
J.P. Morgan will support lending in the countries and jurisdictions referred to in Schedule 7.
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Page 13
|
(ii)
|
J.P. Morgan will support lending in all asset classes. J.P. Morgan will also support new asset class setup.
|
|
(iii)
|
J.P. Morgan will provide support for securities lending transactions and transactions impacted by securities lending during global market hours.
|
(c)
|
J.P. Morgan will process any instruction it receives from a Lending Agent (including, without limitation, instructions relating to free receipts and free deliveries of assets), so long as J.P. Morgan reasonably believes
such instruction to have been originated from the Lending Agent, and such an instruction shall be treated as and shall be deemed to be an Instruction under this Agreement. Such securities lending instructions include, but are not limited to, loans,
returns and reallocations inclusive of bulk transactions where applicable.
|
(d)
|
J.P. Morgan will ensure sufficiency of the position to be lent prior to loan instruction to the market.
|
(e)
|
J.P. Morgan may also act as custodian for assets such as cash or securities for collateral accounts.
|
(f)
|
As instructed and as sufficiency allows, J.P. Morgan will process Instructions from a Lending Agent on partial market transactions impacted by on loan positions.
|
|
(i)
|
J.P. Morgan will appropriately accrue positions and payments for Corporate Actions related to Securities on Loan based on the Corporate Action or Instructions from the Lender as appropriate.
|
|
(ii)
|
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Lenders acknowledge that in respect of Securities on Loan, J.P. Morgans obligations are modified as follows:
|
|
(A)
|
J.P. Morgan shall make available to Lenders any corporate action notifications with respect to the total position of Lenders in a given Security, regardless of the extent to which the position is on Loan (provided that
at least one share of the affected Security is in J.P. Morgans custody).
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|
(B)
|
Save as provided above, Lenders acknowledge that J.P. Morgan provides no service with regards to the monitoring of Corporate Actions or following up in any manner with Borrower or other persons in respect of Corporate
Actions or for the failure by any Borrower or any other persons to transmit to J.P. Morgan the proceeds of any Corporate Action.
|
|
(C)
|
J.P. Morgan will apply all voluntary Corporate Action elections to their
on-loan
positions using data retrieved from their custody system. The adjustments to the loan positions to
account for mandatory and voluntary Corporate Actions will be applied on the entitlement due date, at approximately the same time as they would have been applied by J.P. Morgan had the Securities not been
on-loan.
|
(h)
|
J.P. Morgans obligation with respect to distributions relating to securities on loan is to receive such distributions as are forwarded to it by a Lending Agent and allocate such distributions as instructed to the
appropriate Lender.
|
|
(i)
|
For UK and US tracked markets J.P. Morgan
will apply income in accordance with the depository tracked service and provide the income payment instructions for distributions to Lender.
|
(i)
|
J.P. Morgan will support daily securities lending client income collection and reporting as related to positions on loan.
|
(j)
|
J.P. Morgan will support custom lending reporting for
on-loan
positions.
|
(k)
|
Fees for the Securities Lending Arrangements will be agreed to between J.P. Morgan and the Lenders pursuant to Section 4.1 hereto.
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Page 14
(l)
|
Lenders shall provide to J.P. Morgan any information required by J.P. Morgan and requested by J.P. Morgan to allow J.P. Morgan to satisfy any regulatory reporting obligations with which it is required to comply.
|
(m)
|
The Securities on Loan may only be held in the countries and jurisdictions referred to in Schedule 7. J.P. Morgan may modify Schedule 7 upon notice to Lenders.
|
|
(i)
|
J.P. Morgan shall have no responsibility or liability to a Lender for any breach of any obligation by any Borrower under or in connection with any Loan and/or Borrowing Agreement or other agreement relating to such Loan
or in any other way in respect of any Loan.
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|
(ii)
|
J.P. Morgan shall have no responsibility or liability whatsoever under this Agreement for (i) Securities on Loan or (ii) cash or non cash collateral held in a collateral account, other than to act upon any
Instructions received under this Agreement to deliver or receive such Securities or collateral.
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|
(iii)
|
J.P. Morgan shall have no responsibility or liability for any losses whatsoever incurred by party as a result of or in connection with a sale failure that has resulted from a failure to recall Securities on Loan in time
for settlement.
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|
(iv)
|
In order to satisfy any Liabilities of Lender to J.P. Morgan arising under or in connection with the Securities Lending Arrangements and without prejudice to J.P. Morgans rights under Applicable Law, Lenders
expressly acknowledge and agree that J.P. Morgans rights under section 4.3 (J.P. Morgans Right Over Securities;
Set-off)
of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and
apply
mutatis mutandis
to the satisfaction and recovery by J.P. Morgan of any Liabilities and/or any other amounts owed to J.P. Morgan arising out of or in connection with the Securities Lending Arrangements.
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|
(i)
|
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, Lenders acknowledge that J.P. Morgan shall not be responsible for and provides no services in relation to any filings, tax returns, withholding tax reclaims
and reports on any Securities on Loan. In respect of US DTCC Tracked loans, J.P. Morgan will fulfil all obligations as a US withholding and reporting agent with respect to income distributions for loans made via the Depository Trust Company Stock
Loan Income Tracking System, based on the tax documentation held on file for the Lender.
|
|
(ii)
|
Lenders are responsible for the payment of all taxes (including, without limitation, any value added tax), imposts, levies or duties due on any principal or interest, or any other liability or payment arising out of or
in connection with any Securities on Loan or any collateral, which payment shall be made from the assets of a Lender, and in so far as J.P. Morgan is under any obligation (whether of a governmental nature or otherwise) to pay the same on a
Lenders behalf, J.P. Morgan may do so out of any monies or assets held by it pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.
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|
(iii)
|
With respect to Loans of U.S. Securities that are eligible to be held and serviced at the Depository Trust Company, Lenders hereby represent and warrant, that such Loans will only be made via the Depository Trust
Company Stock Loan Income Tracking System and from Accounts which Lenders have declared and properly documented to J.P. Morgan as being exempt from U.S. withholding tax on U.S. sourced income.
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|
(iv)
|
BlackRock will provide to J.P. Morgan, ahead of any account opening or provision of service by J.P. Morgan after the effective date of this Agreement, a schedule of manufactured income rates that will be used and relied
upon by J.P. Morgan. This information will be used by J.P. Morgan in the
set-up
of appropriate accounts for Lenders and will not confer any additional responsibilities upon J.P. Morgan.
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Page 15
|
(v)
|
The Lenders will be responsible, in all cases, for the completion and delivery of any necessary tax documentation to J.P. Morgan or to any Borrower.
|
|
(vi)
|
Lenders acknowledges that: (i) J.P. Morgan provides no services with regard to the provision of tax advice; and (ii) it has made its own determination as to the tax treatment of any loan made under the
Securities Lending Arrangements, of any in lieu of payments made by a Borrower and of any remuneration and any other amounts that may be received by it under the Securities Lending Arrangements.
|
3.1.
|
Acting on Instructions; Method of Instruction and Unclear Instructions
|
(a)
|
The Customer authorizes J.P. Morgan to accept, rely upon and/or act upon any Instructions received by it without inquiry. The Customer will indemnify the J.P. Morgan Indemnitees against, and hold each of them harmless
from, any Liabilities that may be imposed on, incurred by, or asserted against the J.P. Morgan Indemnitees as a result of any action or omission taken in accordance with any Instruction, provided that J.P. Morgan shall not be indemnified against or
held harmless from any liability arising out of J.P. Morgans breach of J.P. Morgans Standard of Care in carrying out such Instruction.
|
(b)
|
To the extent possible, Instructions to J.P. Morgan shall be sent via electronic instruction or trade information system acceptable to J.P. Morgan or via facsimile transmission. Where reasonably practicable, the
Customer will use automated and electronic methods of sending Instructions.
|
(c)
|
J.P. Morgan shall promptly notify an Authorized Person if J.P. Morgan determines that an Instruction does not contain all information reasonably necessary for J.P. Morgan to carry out the Instruction. J.P. Morgan may
decline to act upon an Instruction if it does not receive clarification or confirmation reasonably satisfactory to it. J.P. Morgan will not be liable for any Liabilities arising from any reasonable delay in carrying out any such Instruction while it
seeks such missing information, clarification or confirmation or in declining to act upon any Instruction for which it does not receive clarification reasonably satisfactory to it, provided that such clarification or confirmation is sought in good
faith and promptly upon receipt of the relevant Instruction.
|
3.2.
|
Verification and Security Procedures
|
(a)
|
J.P. Morgan and the Customer shall comply with any applicable Security Procedures with respect to the delivery or authentication of Instructions and shall ensure that any codes, passwords or similar devices are
reasonably safeguarded.
|
(b)
|
Either party may record any of its telephone communications, provided that it provides notice to the other party that a given telephone communication is being recorded, which notice can take the form of an electronic
tone.
|
3.3.
|
Instructions Contrary to Law/Market Practice
|
(a)
|
J.P. Morgan need not act upon Instructions that it reasonably believes are contrary to law, regulation or market practice. J.P. Morgan shall be under no duty to investigate whether any Instructions comply with
Applicable Law or market practice. In the event J.P. Morgan does not act upon such Instructions, J.P. Morgan will notify the Customer where reasonably practicable.
|
(b)
|
J.P. Morgan shall not incur liability by refusing in good faith to perform any duty or obligation herein which in its reasonable judgment is improper or unauthorized.
|
J.P. Morgan has established
cut-off
times for receipt of Instructions, which will be made available to the Customer. If J.P. Morgan receives an Instruction after its established
cut-off
time, J.P. Morgan
will attempt to act upon the Instruction on the day requested if J.P. Morgan deems it practicable to do so or otherwise as soon as practicable after the day on which the Instruction was received.
Page 16
Access by the Customer to certain applications or products of J.P.
Morgan via J.P. Morgans web site or otherwise shall be governed by this Agreement and the terms and conditions set forth in Electronic Access.
4.
|
FEES, EXPENSES AND OTHER AMOUNTS OWING TO J.P. MORGAN
|
The Customer will pay J.P. Morgan for its services under this
Agreement the fees as otherwise agreed upon in writing between the Customer and J.P. Morgan from time to time, together with J.P. Morgans reasonable
out-of-pocket
or incidental expenses, including, but not limited to, legal fees and tax or related fees incidental to processing charged directly or indirectly by governmental authorities, issuers or their agents. Invoices will be payable within sixty
(60) days of the date of the receipt of the invoice. If the Customer disputes an invoice, it shall nevertheless pay, on or before the date that payment is due, such portion of the invoice that is not subject to a bona fide dispute. Unless
expressly specified in this Agreement, fees and expenses hereunder excludes any price or cost that J.P. Morgan may charge as the Customers counterparty in the event J.P. Morgan enters into a principal transaction with the Customer.
If a debit to any currency in the Cash Account results or would result in a debit balance,
then J.P. Morgan may, in its discretion, (i) advance an amount equal to the overdraft, (ii) refuse to settle in whole or in part the transaction causing such debit balance, or (iii) if any such transaction is posted to the Securities
Account, reverse any such posting. If J.P. Morgan elects to make such an advance, the advance will be deemed a loan to the Customer, payable on demand, bearing interest at the applicable rate charged by J.P. Morgan from time to time, for such
overdrafts, from the date of such advance to the date of payment (including after the date any judgment may be entered against the Customer with respect to any overdraft) and otherwise on the terms on which J.P. Morgan makes similar overdrafts
available from time to time. No prior action or course of dealing on J.P. Morgans part with respect to the settlement of transactions on the Customers behalf will be asserted by the Customer against J.P. Morgan for J.P. Morgans
refusal to make advances to the Cash Account or refusal to settle any transaction for which the Customer does not have sufficient available funds in the applicable currency in the Account. The Customer shall be deemed to be in default with respect
to any such advance upon the occurrence of any event of the type specified in section 365(e)(1) of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, as amended from time to time.
4.3.
|
J.P. Morgans Right Over Securities;
Set-off
|
(a)
|
Without prejudice to J.P. Morgans rights under Applicable Law, J.P. Morgan shall have, and the Customer
grants to J.P. Morgan, a first priority, perfected and continuing security interest in and a lien on all cash, Financial Assets and any other property of every kind that are credited to the Account or otherwise held for the Customer by J.P. Morgan
(Account Assets) as security for any and all Liabilities of the Customer to J.P. Morgan under this Agreement, and J.P. Morgan shall be entitled to (i) without notice to the Customer, withhold delivery of such Account Assets, and
(ii) with two business days prior notice to the Customer and an opportunity for the Customer to satisfy such Liabilities to J.P Morgan, sell or otherwise realize any of such Account Assets and to apply the proceeds and any other monies
credited to the Cash Account in satisfaction of such Liabilities solely to the extent of such Liabilities, provided, however, that J.P. Morgan shall only be obligated to provide the Customer with
same-day
prior notice if J.P. Morgan, in its reasonable business judgment, determines that, due to market conditions or other special circumstances, a delay would be likely to materially prejudice its ability to recover the Liabilities. During any such
|
Page 17
|
notice period, J.P. Morgan will, at Customers request, consult with Customer regarding the selection of Account Assets to be sold to satisfy the Liabilities. For this purpose, J.P. Morgan
may make such currency conversions as may be necessary at its then current rates for the sale and purchase of the relevant currencies. J.P. Morgan agrees that this provision applies to each applicable Customer separately, and that under applicable
Law, J.P. Morgan may not exercise such rights against the assets of any Customer to satisfy the Liabilities of another Customer.
|
(b)
|
Without prejudice to J.P. Morgans rights under Applicable Law, J.P. Morgan may set off against any Liabilities of the Customer owed to J.P. Morgan under this Agreement, any amount in any currency standing to the
credit of any of the Customers Accounts.
|
5.
|
SUBCUSTODIANS AND SECURITIES DEPOSITORIES
|
5.1.
|
Appointment of Subcustodians; Use of Securities Depositories
|
(a)
|
J.P. Morgan is authorized under this Agreement to act through and hold the Customers Financial Assets with Subcustodians. J.P. Morgan will use reasonable care in the selection, monitoring and continued
appointment of such Subcustodians. In addition, J.P. Morgan and each Subcustodian may deposit Financial Assets with, and hold Financial Assets in any Securities Depository on such terms as such Securities Depository customarily operates, and the
Customer will provide J.P. Morgan with such documentation or acknowledgements that J.P. Morgan may require to hold the Financial Assets in such Securities Depository. On the basis of such terms, a Securities Depository may have a security interest
or lien over, or right of
set-off
in relation to the Financial Assets. J.P. Morgan will notify the Customer promptly if it determines that an arrangement with an Eligible Foreign Custodian no longer meets the
requirements of Rule
17f-5.
|
(b)
|
Any agreement that J.P. Morgan enters into with a Subcustodian for holding J.P. Morgans customers assets will provide that such assets will not be subject to any right, charge, security interest, lien or
claim of any kind in favor of such Subcustodian or its creditors except a claim for payment for their safe custody or administration, or, in the case of cash deposits, except for liens or rights in favor of creditors of the Subcustodian arising
under bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law, and that the beneficial ownership thereof will be freely transferable without the payment of money or value other than for safe custody or administration, unless required otherwise by Applicable Law in
the relevant market. J.P. Morgan shall be responsible for all claims for payment of fees for safe custody or administration so that no Subcustodian exercises any claim for such payment against the Customers assets. Where a Subcustodian
deposits Financial Assets with a Securities Depository, J.P. Morgan will direct the Subcustodian to identify on its records that the Financial Assets deposited by the Subcustodian at such Securities Depository belong to J.P. Morgan, as agent of
the Customer. This Section 5.1(b) will not apply to the extent of any special agreement or arrangement made by the Customer with any particular Subcustodian.
|
(c)
|
J.P. Morgan is not responsible for the selection or monitoring of any Securities Depository (other than the assessments provided as set out in Section 5.4 with respect to an Eligible Securities Depository) and will
not be liable for any act or omission by (or the insolvency of) any Securities Depository. In the event the Customer incurs a loss due to an act or omission, negligence, willful misconduct or insolvency of a Securities Depository, J.P. Morgan will
make reasonable efforts, in its discretion, to seek recovery from the Securities Depository, but J.P. Morgan will not be obligated to institute legal proceedings, file a proof of claim in any insolvency proceeding or take any similar action.
|
5.2.
|
Liability for Subcustodians
|
(a)
|
J.P. Morgan will be liable for the direct losses incurred by the Customer that result from the failure by a Subcustodian to use reasonable care in accordance with the standards prevailing in the relevant market. J.P.
Morgan shall also be liable for the direct losses incurred by the Customer that result from the insolvency of any Affiliated Subcustodian Bank.
|
Page 18
(b)
|
Subject to Section 5.1(a), J.P. Morgan will not be responsible for any losses (whether direct or indirect) incurred by the Customer that result from the insolvency of any Subcustodian which is not a branch or an
Affiliated Subcustodian Bank except to the extent that such losses are attributable to J.P. Morgans failure to meet J.P. Morgans Standard of Care with respect to the selection, oversight and monitoring of the continued appropriateness of
maintaining Financial Assets and cash with that Subcustodian.
|
(c)
|
J.P. Morgan reserves the right to add, replace or remove Subcustodians. J.P. Morgan will give prompt notice of any such action, which will be advance notice if practicable. Upon request by the Customer, J.P. Morgan will
identify the name, address and principal place of business of any Subcustodian and the name and address of the governmental agency or other regulatory authority that supervises or regulates such Subcustodian.
|
5.3.
|
Compliance with SEC Rule
17f-5
(Rule
17f-5)
|
(a)
|
The Customers Board hereby delegates to J.P. Morgan, and, except as to the country or countries as to which J.P. Morgan may, from time to time, advise the Customer that it does not accept such delegation, J.P.
Morgan hereby accepts the delegation to it, of the obligation to perform as the Customers Foreign Custody Manager (as that term is defined in Rule
17f-5(a)(3)
as promulgated under the 1940
Act), including for the purposes of: (i) selecting Eligible Foreign Custodians (as that term is defined in Rule
17f-5(a)(1),
and as the same may be amended from time to time, or that have otherwise been
exempted pursuant to an SEC exemptive order) to hold Financial Assets which are Foreign Assets (as that term is defined in Rule
17f-5(a)(2),
and as the same may be amended from time to time, or that have
otherwise been exempted pursuant to an SEC exemptive order), (ii) evaluating the contractual arrangements with such Eligible Foreign Custodians (as set forth in Rule
17f-5(c)(2))
and (iii) monitoring such
foreign custody arrangements (as set forth in Rule
17f-5(c)(3)).
|
(b)
|
In connection with the foregoing, J.P. Morgan shall:
|
|
(i)
|
provide written reports notifying the Customers Board of the placement of Financial Assets and cash with particular Eligible Foreign Custodians and of any material change in the arrangements with such Eligible
Foreign Custodians, with such reports to be provided to Customers Board at such times as the Board deems reasonable and appropriate based on the circumstances of the Customers foreign custody arrangements (and, until further notice from
the Customer, such reports shall be provided not less than quarterly with respect to the placement of Financial Assets and cash with particular Eligible Foreign Custodians and with reasonable promptness upon the occurrence of any material change in
the arrangements with such Eligible Foreign Custodians);
|
|
(ii)
|
upon request of the Customers Board, make itself available to report to the Customers Board in person at its quarterly Board meetings, or at such other times as the Board may from time to time require;
|
|
(iii)
|
exercise such reasonable care, prudence and diligence in performing as the Customers Foreign Custody Manager such as a person having responsibility for the safekeeping of foreign Financial Assets and cash would
exercise;
|
|
(iv)
|
in selecting an Eligible Foreign Custodian, first have determined that foreign Financial Assets and cash placed and maintained in the safekeeping of such Eligible Foreign Custodian shall be subject to reasonable care,
based on the standards applicable to custodians in the relevant market, after having considered all factors relevant to the safekeeping of such foreign Financial Assets and cash, including, without limitation, those factors set forth in Rule
17f-5(c)
(1) (i)-(iv);
|
|
(v)
|
ensure that the arrangement with each Eligible Foreign Custodian is governed by a written contract with the Eligible Foreign Custodian that J.P. Morgan has determined will provide reasonable care for foreign Financial
Assets and cash held with the Eligible Foreign Custodian based on the standards applicable to custodians in the relevant market, which written contract provides for items set forth in Rule
17f-5(c)(2)(i)
and/or (ii); and
|
Page 19
|
(vi)
|
have established a system to monitor the continued appropriateness of maintaining foreign Financial Assets and cash with particular Eligible Foreign Custodians and of the governing contractual arrangements; it being
understood, however, that in the event that J.P. Morgan shall have determined that the existing Eligible Foreign Custodian in a given country would no longer afford foreign Financial Assets and cash reasonable care and that no other Eligible Foreign
Custodian in that country would afford reasonable care, J.P. Morgan shall promptly so advise the Customer and shall then act in accordance with the Instructions of the Customer with respect to the disposition of the affected foreign Financial Assets
and cash.
|
Subject to (b)(i)-(v) above, J.P. Morgan is hereby authorized to place and maintain foreign Financial Assets and
cash on behalf of the Customer with Eligible Foreign Custodians pursuant to a written contract deemed appropriate by J.P. Morgan.
(c)
|
Except as expressly provided herein, the Customer shall be solely responsible to assure that the maintenance of foreign Financial Assets and cash hereunder complies with the rules, regulations, interpretations and
exemptive orders as promulgated by or under the authority of the SEC.
|
(d)
|
J.P. Morgan represents to the Customer that it is a U.S. Bank as defined in Rule
17f-5(a)
(7). The Customer represents to J.P. Morgan that: (1) the foreign Financial
Assets and cash being placed and maintained in J.P. Morgans custody are subject to the 1940 Act, as the same may be amended from time to time; (2) (i) its Board has determined that it is reasonable to rely on J.P. Morgan to perform as the
Customers Foreign Custody Manager or (ii) its Board or its investment adviser shall have determined that the Customer may maintain foreign Financial Assets and cash in each country in which the Customers Financial Assets and cash
shall be held hereunder and determined to accept Country Risk. Nothing contained herein shall require J.P. Morgan to make any selection or to engage in any monitoring on behalf of the Customer that would entail consideration of Country Risk.
|
(e)
|
J.P. Morgan shall provide to the Customer such information relating to Country Risk as is specified in Schedule 1 hereto. The Customer hereby acknowledges that: (i) such information is solely designed to inform the
Customer of market conditions and procedures and is not intended as a recommendation to invest or not invest in particular markets; and (ii) J.P. Morgan has gathered the information from sources it considers reliable, but that J.P. Morgan shall
have no responsibility for inaccuracies or incomplete information.
|
5.4.
|
Compliance with SEC rule
17f-7
(Rule
17f-7)
|
(a)
|
J.P. Morgan shall, for consideration by the Customer, provide an initial analysis and annual review in accordance with maintaining the Customers foreign Financial Assets and cash with each Eligible Securities
Depository used by J.P. Morgan as of the date hereof (or, in the case of an Eligible Securities Depository not used by J.P. Morgan as of the date hereof, prior to the initial placement of the Customers foreign Financial Assets and cash at such
Eligible Securities Depository) and at which any foreign Financial Assets and cash of the Customer are held or are expected to be held. The annual review will provide written confirmation to the Customer that there have been no material changes in
the custody risks associated with using each Eligible Securities Depository. The foregoing analysis will be provided to the Customer at J.P. Morgans website. In connection with the foregoing, the Customer shall notify J.P. Morgan of any
Eligible Securities Depositories at which it does not choose to have its foreign Financial Assets and cash held. J.P. Morgan shall monitor the custody risks associated with maintaining the Customers foreign Financial Assets and cash at each
such Eligible Securities Depository on a continuing basis and shall promptly notify the Customer or its adviser of any material changes in such risks.
|
(b)
|
J.P. Morgan shall exercise reasonable care, prudence and diligence in performing the requirements set forth in Section 5.4(a) above.
|
Page 20
(c)
|
Based on the information available to it in the exercise of diligence, J.P. Morgan shall determine the eligibility under Rule
17f-7
of each depository before including it on
Schedule 2 hereto and shall promptly advise the Customer if any Eligible Securities Depository ceases to be eligible. (Eligible Securities Depositories used by J.P. Morgan as of the date hereof are set forth in Schedule 2 hereto, and as the same may
be amended on notice to the Customer from time to time.)
|
6.1.
|
Representations of the Customer and J.P. Morgan
|
(a)
|
The Customer represents, warrants and covenants that (i) it has full authority and power, and has obtained all necessary authorizations and consents, to deposit and control the Financial Assets and cash in the
Accounts, to use J.P. Morgan as its custodian in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, to incur overdraft, to grant a lien over Account Assets as contemplated by Section 4.3 and to enter into foreign exchange transactions;
(ii) assuming execution and delivery of this Agreement by J.P. Morgan, this Agreement is the Customers legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against the Customer in accordance with its terms, (iii) it has full power
and authority to enter into and has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize the execution of this Agreement; (iv) it has not relied on any oral or written representation made by J.P. Morgan or any person on its behalf, and
acknowledges that this Agreement sets out to the fullest extent the duties of J.P. Morgan; (v) it is a resident of the United States and shall notify J.P. Morgan of any changes in residency; (vi) the Financial Assets and cash deposited in
the Accounts (other than those assets (A) pledged to a Counterparty pursuant to Section 2.1(c) or (B) held in Accounts established pursuant to certain account control agreements among the Customer, J.P. Morgan and secured party named
therein, (A) and (B) collectively referred to as Control Account Assets) are not subject to any encumbrance or security interest whatsoever and the Customer undertakes that, so long as Liabilities of the Customer under or in
connection with this Agreement are outstanding, it will not create or permit to subsist any encumbrance or security interest over such Financial Assets or cash (other than Control Account Assets); (vii) no delivery of Account Assets by the Customer
to J.P. Morgan and no Instruction by the Customer with respect to such Account Assets will contravene Applicable Law; and (viii) none of the Financial Assets and cash to be held under this Agreement are plan assets as defined in
Section 3(42) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA), or the regulations thereunder, by virtue of the exclusion provided by Section 401(b)(1) of ERISA except as otherwise expressly notified
to J.P. Morgan.
|
(b)
|
J.P. Morgan represents and warrants that (i) assuming execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Customer, this Agreement is J.P. Morgans legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against J.P.
Morgan in accordance with its terms, (ii) it has full power and authority to enter into and has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize the execution of this Agreement, (iii) it is duly organized under the laws of its
jurisdiction of organization and qualified to act as a custodian or foreign custody manager to
open-end
management investment companies or
closed-end
investment
companies, as the case may be, under the provisions of the 1940 Act, and warrants that it will remain so qualified and upon ceasing to be so qualified, shall promptly notify the Customer in writing, and (iv) it shall act in accordance with
custody rules under the 1940 Act and all other Applicable Law to the extent they are applicable to custodians such as J.P. Morgan.
|
(c)
|
Each party may rely upon the above or the certification of such other facts as may be required to perform its obligations under this Agreement.
|
6.2.
|
The Customer is Liable to J.P. Morgan Even if it is Acting for Another Person
|
If the
Customer is acting as an agent or for another person as envisaged in Section 2.1(a) in respect of any transaction, cash or Financial Asset, J.P. Morgan nevertheless will treat the Customer as its principal for all purposes under this Agreement.
In this regard, the Customer will be liable to J.P. Morgan as a principal in respect of any transactions relating to the Account. The foregoing will not affect any rights J.P. Morgan might have against the Customers principal or the other
person envisaged by Section 2.1(a).
Page 21
6.3.
|
Special Settlement Services
|
J.P. Morgan may, but shall not be obliged to, make
available to the Customer from time to time special settlement services (including continuous linked settlement) for transactions involving Financial Assets, cash, foreign exchange, and other instruments or contracts. The Customer shall comply, and
shall cause its Authorized Persons to comply, with the requirements of any external settlement agency through which such settlements may be processed, including, without limitation, its rules and
by-laws,
where applicable.
6.4.
|
Provision of Information
|
|
(a)
|
The Customer shall promptly provide to J.P. Morgan such information about the Customer and its financial status as J.P. Morgan may reasonably request, including its current organizational documents and its current
audited and unaudited financial statements, its Registration Statement and any contracts, or regulatory documents that relate to the services described in this Agreement.
|
|
(b)
|
Upon request, J.P. Morgan shall promptly provide the Customer such publicly available information about J.P. Morgan and its financial status as the Customer may reasonably request to assist the Customer in assessing the
overall financial strength and viability of J.P. Morgan to perform its obligations under this Agreement and the Global Custody Agreement.
|
|
(c)
|
Each party may rely upon the above or the certification of such other facts as may be required to perform its obligations under this Agreement.
|
6.5
|
Information Used to Provide the Services
|
(a) The Customer shall promptly provide to
J.P. Morgan such information about the Customer and its financial status as J.P. Morgan may reasonably request, including its current organizational documents and its current audited and unaudited financial statements, its Registration
Statement and any contracts, or regulatory documents that relate to the services described in this Agreement.
(b) Upon request, J.P.
Morgan shall promptly provide the Customer such publicly available information about J.P. Morgan and its financial status as the Customer may reasonably request to assist the Customer in assessing the overall financial strength and viability of J.P.
Morgan to perform its obligations under this Agreement and the Global Custody Agreement.
(c) Each party may rely upon the above or the
certification of such other facts as may be required to perform its obligations under this Agreement.
7.
|
WHEN J.P. MORGAN IS LIABLE TO THE CUSTOMER
|
7.1.
|
Standard of Care; Liability
|
(a)
|
J.P. Morgan will perform services (i) with reasonable care and diligence and in good faith, (ii) without negligence, fraud, willful misconduct or willful omission, and at least at the same standard of care as
J.P. Morgan provides for itself and/or J.P. Morgan Affiliates with respect to similar services, (iii) in a manner that is reasonably designed to meet J.P. Morgans obligations under this Agreement, and (iv) with the level of skill and
care which would be expected from a reasonably skilled and experienced professional global custodian
(
J.P. Morgan
s Standard of Care
)
. Except for the breach of any representations,
warranties or the confidentiality obligations set forth herein, J.P. Morgan will not be responsible for any Liabilities suffered by the Customer with respect to any matter as to which J.P. Morgan has satisfied J.P. Morgans Standard of Care.
|
Page 22
(b)
|
J.P. Morgan will be liable for the Customers Liabilities to the extent they result from J.P. Morgans fraud, breach of J.P. Morgans Standard of Care, or willful misconduct in performing its duties
as set out in this Agreement, or the breach of any representations, warranties or the confidentiality obligations set forth herein. Nevertheless, under no circumstances will J.P. Morgan be liable for (i) any loss of profits (whether direct
or indirect) or (ii) any indirect, incidental, consequential or special damages (including, without limitation, lost profits or business) of any form, incurred by any person or entity, whether or not foreseeable and regardless of the type of
action in which such a claim may be brought, resulting from J.P. Morgans performance or
non-performance
under this Agreement, or J.P. Morgans role as custodian or banker.
|
(c)
|
The Customer will indemnify J.P. Morgan Indemnitees against, and hold them harmless from, any Liabilities that may be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against any J.P. Morgan Indemnitees in connection with or arising
out of (i) J.P. Morgans performance under this Agreement, provided the J.P. Morgan Indemnitees have not acted with negligence or engaged in fraud or willful misconduct in connection with the Liabilities in question or (ii) any J.P.
Morgan Indemnitees status as a holder of record of the Customers Financial Assets. Nevertheless, the Customer will not be obligated to indemnify any J.P. Morgan Indemnitee under the preceding sentence with respect to any Liability for
which J.P. Morgan is liable under Section 5.2 of this Agreement.
|
(d)
|
Subject to Section 7.1(b) and the limitations of liability provided in this Agreement, J.P. Morgan will indemnify the Customer and the Funds against, and hold them harmless from, any Liabilities to the extent that
they may be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against the Customer or any Fund in connection with or arising out of (i) J.P. Morgans breach of J.P. Morgans Standard of Care, fraud or willful misconduct with respect to the
performance of the services provided under this Agreement or (ii) the failure by J.P. Morgan to obtain, maintain, or comply with any governmental approvals as required under: this Agreement, or Applicable Law.
|
(e)
|
J.P. Morgan and the Customer shall use all commercially reasonable efforts to mitigate any Liability for which it seeks indemnification under this Agreement (provided, however, that reasonable expenses incurred with
respect to such mitigation shall be Liabilities subject to indemnification hereunder).
|
(f)
|
The Customer agrees that J.P. Morgan provides no service in relation to, and therefore has no duty or responsibility to:
|
|
(i)
|
question Instructions or make any suggestions to the Customer or an Authorized Person regarding such Instructions;
|
|
(ii)
|
supervise or make recommendations with respect to investments or the retention of Financial Assets;
|
|
(iii)
|
advise the Customer or an Authorized Person regarding any default in the payment of principal or income on any Financial Asset other than as provided in Section 2.7(b) of this Agreement; and
|
|
(iv)
|
evaluate or report to the Customer or an Authorized Person regarding the financial condition of any broker, agent or other party to which J.P. Morgan is instructed to deliver Financial Assets or cash. J.P. Morgan is not
responsible or liable in any way for the genuineness or validity of any Security or instrument received, delivered or held by J.P. Morgan in physical form that appears to be genuine and valid.
|
|
(a)
|
Neither party will be liable for failure to perform or delay in performing its obligations to the extent such failure or delay is caused by or resulting from fire, flood, earthquake, elements of nature or acts of God,
wars, riots, civil disorders, rebellions or revolutions, acts of terrorism, pandemics, nationalization, to the extent beyond such partys reasonable control, or other facts or circumstances beyond such partys reasonable control (a
Force Majeure Event); provided that:
|
Page 23
|
(i)
|
the
non-performing
party (and such partys Subcontractors or Third-Party Providers, as applicable) are without material fault in causing the default or delay;
|
|
(ii)
|
the default or delay could not have been prevented by reasonable precautions and cannot reasonably be circumvented by the
non-performing
party through the use of alternate
sources, workarounds plans or other means (including, with respect to J.P. Morgan, the implementation of its BCP or any other business continuity or disaster recovery plan required to be maintained by it under this Agreement);
|
|
(iii)
|
the
non-performing
party uses Commercially Reasonable Efforts to minimize the impact of such default or delay; and
|
|
(iv)
|
in the event of a Force Majeure Event affecting J.P. Morgan where customers can be prioritized in order to once again receive services, the Customer shall, to the extent permissible under Applicable Law and
consistent with J.P. Morgans fiduciary obligations, receive first priority.
|
|
(b)
|
J.P. Morgan will not be entitled to any additional payments from the Customer for costs or expenses incurred by J.P. Morgan as a result of any Force Majeure Event.
|
|
(c)
|
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 7.2(a), the Customer will have the termination right provided in Section 9.1(b)(iii) with respect to Force Majeure Events.
|
|
(d)
|
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, if an event resulting from Country Risk leads to restrictions on, or losses of, cash or cash equivalents held by J.P. Morgan or any Affiliated Subcustodian Bank in any
market for the purposes of facilitating J.P. Morgans global custody business, J.P. Morgan may in its sole discretion apply the impact of those restrictions or losses to the cash or cash equivalents of its customers (including the cash or cash
equivalents credited to the Customers Cash Account) on a pro rata basis or in such other manner as J.P. Morgan may determine in its reasonable discretion.
|
7.3.
|
J.P. Morgan May Consult With Counsel
|
J.P. Morgan will be entitled to rely on, and may
act upon the advice of professional advisors (which may be the professional advisors of the Customer) in relation to matters of law.
7.4.
|
J.P. Morgan Provides Diverse Financial Services and May Generate Profits as a Result
|
The Customer hereby authorizes J.P. Morgan to act under this Agreement notwithstanding that: (a) J.P. Morgan or any of its divisions,
branches or J.P. Morgan Affiliates may have a material interest in transactions entered into by the Customer with respect to the Account or that circumstances are such that J.P. Morgan may have a potential conflict of duty or interest, including the
fact that J.P. Morgan or J.P. Morgan Affiliates may act as a market maker in the Financial Assets to which Instructions relate, provide brokerage services to other customers, act as financial adviser to the issuer of such Financial Assets, act in
the same transaction as agent for more than one customer, have a material interest in the issue of the Financial Assets; or earn profits from any of the activities listed herein and (b) J.P. Morgan or any of its divisions, branches or J.P.
Morgan Affiliates may be in possession of information tending to show that the Instructions received may not be in the best interests of the Customer. J.P. Morgan is not under any duty to disclose any such information.
J.P. Morgan and its Subcustodians may use third party delivery
services and providers of information regarding matters such as pricing, proxy voting, corporate actions and class action litigation and use local agents to provide extraordinary services such as attendance at annual
Page 24
meetings of issuers of Securities. Although J.P. Morgan will use reasonable care (and cause its Subcustodians to use reasonable care) in the selection and retention of such third party providers
and local agents, it will not be responsible for any errors or omissions made by them in providing the relevant information or services.
J.P. Morgan maintains various operational/service centers and
locations in the United States and other jurisdictions. The services provided under this Agreement may be provided from one or more such locations. J.P. Morgan may change the operational/service centers and locations as it deems necessary or
appropriate for its business concerns.
(a)
|
The Customer will pay or reimburse J.P. Morgan, and confirms that J.P. Morgan is authorized to deduct from any cash received or credited to the Cash Account, any taxes or levies required by any revenue or governmental
authority for whatever reason in respect of the Customers Accounts.
|
(b)
|
The Customer will provide to J.P. Morgan such certifications, declarations, documentation, and information as it may require in connection with taxation, and warrants that, when given, this information is true and
correct in every respect, not materially misleading in any way, and contains all material information. The Customer undertakes to notify J.P. Morgan immediately if any information requires updating or correcting.
|
(c)
|
If J.P. Morgan does not receive appropriate certifications, documentation and information then, as and when appropriate and required, tax shall be deducted from all income received in respect of the Financial Assets
issued (including, but not limited to, withholding under United States Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, United States
non-resident
alien tax and/or backup withholding tax, as applicable).
|
(d)
|
The Customer will be responsible in all events for the timely payment of all taxes relating to the Financial Assets in the Securities Account; provided, however, that J.P. Morgan will be responsible for any penalty or
additions to tax due solely as a result of J.P. Morgans willful misconduct, negligent acts or omissions with respect to paying or withholding tax or reporting interest, dividend or other income paid or credited to the Cash Account.
|
(a)
|
Subject to the provisions of this Section 8.2, J.P. Morgan will provide (i) a relief at source or tax reclaim service to obtain a reduction of withholding tax withheld as may be available in the
applicable market in respect of income payments on Financial Assets (including ADRs) credited to the Securities Account, or (ii) a tax reclaim service on certain qualifying Financial Assets. . The process applied in each source country will be
mutually agreed upon by J.P. Morgan and BlackRock. To defray expenses pertaining to nominal tax claims, J.P. Morgan and BlackRock may from
time-to-time
agree to minimum
thresholds and de minimis value of tax relief claims which J.P. Morgan will pursue in respect of income payments under this Section.
|
(b)
|
The provision of a tax relief is conditional upon J.P. Morgan receiving from the Customer any required documentation required to support such tax relief.
|
Page 25
9.1.
|
Term and Termination
|
(a)
|
The initial term of this Agreement shall be for a period of one (1) year following the commencement of the provision of the services under this Agreement (the Initial Term). Upon expiry of the Initial
Term, this Agreement will automatically renew for additional one year periods, provided that at any time after the expiry of the Initial Term, the Customer may terminate this Agreement in whole or with respect to one or more Funds by giving not less
than ninety (90) days notice to J.P. Morgan and J.P. Morgan may terminate this Agreement in whole or with respect to one or more Funds by giving not less than one hundred eighty (180) days notice to the Customer.
|
(b)
|
Notwithstanding Section 9.1(a)
|
|
(i)
|
Either party may terminate this Agreement immediately on written notice to the other party in the event that a material breach of this Agreement by the other party has not been cured within thirty (30) days (in the
case of a breach by J.P. Morgan) or within (150) days (in the case of a breach by the Customer), or such longer period consented to by the
non-breaching
party in writing, such consent not to be
unreasonably withheld, of that party being given written notice of the material breach;
|
|
(ii)
|
Either party may terminate this Agreement immediately on written notice to the other party upon the other party being declared bankrupt, entering into a composition with creditors, obtaining a suspension of payment,
being put under court controlled management, being subject to an involuntary order for the transfer of all or part of its business by a statutory authority, having any of its issued shares suspended from trading on any exchange on which they are
listed (if applicable) or being the subject of a similar measure;
|
|
(iii)
|
If a Force Majeure Event substantially prevents performance of any services necessary for the performance of functions reasonably agreed by the parties as critical for more than three (3) consecutive business days,
then the Customer may terminate all or any portion of this Agreement and the services so affected, as of a date specified by the Customer in a written notice of termination to J.P. Morgan, in which case, J.P. Morgans Fees will be equitably
adjusted as necessary to reflect the value of any remaining services.
|
The Customer will provide J.P. Morgan full details of the persons to
whom J.P. Morgan must deliver Financial Assets and cash within a reasonable period before the effective time of termination of this Agreement. J.P. Morgan will act in accordance with all Instructions delivered to it by the Customer with respect to
such delivery and transition of custody responsibilities to a successor custodian provided that such Instructions shall be reasonable and practicable and not in conflict with any provision of this Agreement. If the Customer fails to provide such
details in a timely manner, J.P. Morgan shall be entitled to continue to be paid fees under this Agreement until such time as it is able to deliver the Financial Assets and cash to a successor custodian, but J.P. Morgan may take such steps as
it reasonably determines to be necessary to protect itself following the effective time of termination, including ceasing to provide transaction settlement services in the event that J.P. Morgan is unwilling to assume any related credit risk. The
Customer will reimburse J.P. Morgan promptly for all
out-of-pocket
expenses it incurs in delivering Financial Assets upon termination. Termination will not affect any of
the liabilities either party owes to the other arising under this Agreement prior to such termination.
As soon as reasonably practicable
following its resignation or termination of appointment becoming effective and subject to payment of any amount owing to J.P. Morgan under this Agreement, J.P. Morgan agrees to transfer such records and related supporting documentation as are
customarily
Page 26
transferred by an exiting global custodian, to any replacement provider of the services or to such other person as the Customer may direct. J.P. Morgan will also provide reasonable assistance to
its successor, for such transfer, subject to the payment of such reasonable expenses and charges as J.P. Morgan customarily charges for such assistance. The Customer undertakes to use its best efforts to appoint a new custodian as soon as reasonably
practicable following the termination of this Agreement.
Notices (other than Instructions) pursuant to Section 9 of this
Agreement shall be sent or served by registered mail, nationally recognized delivery services, such as Federal Express (FedEx) or United Parcel Service (UPS), etc., courier services or hand delivery to the address of the respective parties as set
out on the first page of this Agreement, unless at least two (2) days prior notice of a new address is given to the other party in writing.
10.2.
|
Successors and Assigns
|
This Agreement will be binding on each of the parties
successors and assigns. The parties agree that neither party can assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other party, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld
or delayed..
This Agreement, including any Schedules, Exhibits, Appendices and,
Annexes (and any separate agreement which J.P. Morgan and the Customer may enter into with respect to any Cash Account), sets out the entire Agreement between the parties in connection with the subject matter hereof, and this Agreement supersedes
any other agreement, statement or representation relating to custody, whether oral or written. Nevertheless, this Agreement shall also be subject to certain provisions specified in the Master Fund Services Agreement between the Customer and J.P.
Morgan that specifically reference this Agreement or the services provided under this Agreement while that Master Fund Services Agreement remains in effect. Amendments must be in writing and signed by both parties, except where this Agreement
provides for amendments by notice from J.P. Morgan.
10.4.
|
Information Concerning Deposits at J.P. Morgans
Non-U.S.
Branch
|
Under U.S. federal law, deposit accounts that the Customer maintains in J.P. Morgans foreign branches (outside of the U.S.) are not
insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. In the event of J.P. Morgans liquidation, foreign branch deposits have a lesser preference than U.S. deposits, and such foreign deposits are subject to cross-border risks.
To the extent any amount standing to the credit of the Cash Account is deposited in one or more deposit accounts at J.P. Morgan London Branch,
please note that J.P. Morgan London Branch is a participant in the UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme (the FSCS). The terms of the FSCS offer protection in connection with deposits to certain types of claimants to whom
J.P. Morgan London Branch provides services in the event that they suffer a financial loss as a direct consequence of J.P. Morgan London Branch being unable to meet any of its obligations and, subject to the FSCS rules regarding eligible
deposits, the Customer may have a right to claim compensation from the FSCS. Subject to the FSCS rules, the maximum compensation payable by the FSCS, as at the date of this Agreement, in relation to eligible deposits is £75,000. For the
purposes of establishing such maximum compensation, all the Customers eligible deposits at J.P. Morgan London Branch are aggregated and the total is subject to such maximum compensation.
For further information about the compensation provided by the FSCS, refer to the FSCS website at www.FSCS.org.uk.
Page 27
Further information is also available online at
www.jpmorgan.com/pages/deposit-guarantee-scheme-directive.
J.P. Morgan will, throughout the term of this Agreement maintain in full force and effect
such insurance as it determines to be necessary or advisable to support its business. J.P. Morgan represents that it currently maintains in full force and effect from an insurer that is rated at least
A-
VIII
or better in Bests Insurance Guide, or is otherwise acceptable to the Customer under this Agreement, at a minimum the types and amounts of insurance coverage identified below for its operations worldwide. For the avoidance of doubt, any policy
amounts will not in any event be construed as limitations on J.P. Morgans liability under this Agreement and that where indicated below it will use Commercially Reasonable Efforts to add and maintain the Customer as an additional insured. The
minimum required insurance amounts are as follows:
|
(a)
|
Workers compensation insurance in an amount sufficient to meet all applicable statutory requirements or applicable laws. Insurance shall cover J.P. Morgans employees for injuries arising out of their
employment for Combined Services provided under this Agreement and the Global Custody Agreement. Insurance shall provide that the insurer and J.P. Morgan waive all right of recovery by way of subrogation against the Customer via blanket endorsement.
|
|
(b)
|
Employers liability insurance in an amount not less than $1,000,000 for each accident / employee or an amount sufficient to satisfy the applicable laws. Insurance shall cover all sums J.P. Morgan shall become
legally obligated to pay because of bodily injury by accident or disease sustained by any employee of J.P. Morgan arising out of their employment for Combined Services provided under this Agreement and the Global Custody Agreement. Insurance shall
provide that the insurer and J.P. Morgan waive all right of recovery by way of subrogation against the Customer via blanket endorsement.
|
|
(c)
|
Commercial general liability insurance with a limit of not less than: $1,000,000 each occurrence for bodily injury and property damage combined; $1,000,000 each occurrence for personal and advertising injury; $2,000,000
each occurrence for products and completed operations; $2,000,000 each occurrence general aggregate. Insurance shall be on an occurrence basis and cover all sums J.P. Morgan shall be legally obligated to pay because of claims for bodily
injury and property damage arising out of premises, operations, products and completed operations; and advertising and personal injury. This insurance shall provide: (i) a severability of interest clause; (ii) contractual liability, with
defense provided in addition to policy limits, covering J.P. Morgans liability (including certain indemnification obligations contained herein) under this Agreement; (iii) that J.P. Morgans insurer and J.P. Morgan waive all rights
of recovery by way of subrogation against the Customer via blanket endorsement; and (iv) that the Customer shall be included as an additional insured as their interests may appear with respect to liability arising out of J.P. Morgans
operations under this agreement via blanket endorsement.
|
|
(d)
|
Automobile liability coverage of not less than $1,000,000 limit for bodily injury and property damage per accident.Insurance shall cover all sums the J.P. Morgan shall be legally obligated to pay because of claims for
bodily injury or property damage arising out of the use of any automobile in the rendering of Combined Services to be provided under this Agreement and the Global Custody Agreement.
|
|
(e)
|
Umbrella liability coverage of not less than U.S. $10,000,000 each occurrence and in the aggregate. Insurance shall be provided over Employers Liability, Commercial General Liability and Automobile Liability
policies and must follow form with these underlying policies terms, conditions and endorsements. This insurance shall include the Customer as an additional insured as their interests may appear with respect to liability arising out of J.P.
Morgans operations under this agreement via blanket endorsement.
|
Page 28
|
(f)
|
Bankers Professional liability including errors and omissions insurance in an amount not less than U.S. $75,000,000 per claim and in the aggregate. Insurance shall cover all sums J.P. Morgan shall be legally obligated
to pay because of claims for actual or alleged acts, errors or omissions committed by J.P. Morgan or any person or entity for whom or which J.P. Morgan is legally responsible arising from the Professional Services to be provided under this
Agreement. If coverage is written on a claims-made basis, the retroactive date must be on or before the commencement of the Combined Services. Coverage for wrongful acts during the performance of Professional Services shall be maintained
in full force and effect for a period of three (3) years following the termination of the Combined Services. Professional Services shall mean those services provided, pursuant to a contract, by or on behalf of the Insured for or on
behalf of any natural person, or organization which has been, now is, or shall become, a client or customer of the Insured and all associated internal processes, procedures or practices in relation to such services, including but not limited to
Investment Advisory Activities, Investment Banking Activities and Lending Activity.
|
|
(g)
|
Fidelity Bond or Bankers Blanket Bond / Computer Misuse and Telephonic Misuse Insurance (aka Crime) coverage not less than $75,000,000 per loss and in the aggregate. Insurance shall cover loss resulting from dishonest
or fraudulent acts committed by J.P. Morgans employees; forgery and alteration; computer misuse and telephonic misuse.
|
|
(h)
|
Privacy, Media and Network Security Insurance policy in the combined overall limit of $500,000,000 in the annual aggregate covering: a) Network Security & Privacy Liability, b) Event Management, c) Network
Business Interruption, d) Crisis Fund, e) Regulatory Defense, Fines, Penalties and Consumer Redress, and f) Payment Card Industry (PCI) Fines.
|
All required insurance which includes the Customer will be primary and all insurance or self-insurance maintained by the Customer is strictly
excess and secondary and will not contribute with the Customers insurance or self-insurance. J.P. Morgan agrees to be liable for all costs within the deductible or self-insured retentions. No warranty is made by the Customer that the coverage
or limits set forth herein are adequate to cover and protect the interests of J.P. Morgan for J.P. Morgans operations. Prior to the execution of this Agreement and upon request thereafter, J.P. Morgan shall furnish to the Customer J.P.
Morgans failure to deliver in form and substance evidence of such insurance shall not be construed as a waiver of that partys obligation to provide the required insurance coverage. Receipt by the Customer of a
non-conforming
certificate of insurance does not constitute acceptance. J.P. Morgan shall not take or omit to take any reasonable action or (insofar as it is reasonably within its power) permit anything to occur in
relation to the insurance policies indicated above as would entitle the relevant insurer to refuse to pay any claim under the policies. The continuation of the above insurance coverage through the term of this Agreement shall be subject to current
market conditions and J.P. Morgans ongoing assessment of its insurance needs. Accordingly, J.P. Morgan reserves the right to cancel,
non-renew
or modify all or any part of the policy at any time.
10.6.
|
Security Holding Disclosure
|
With respect to Securities and Exchange Commission Rule
14b-2
under the U.S. Shareholder Communications Act regarding disclosure of beneficial owners to issuers of Securities, J.P. Morgan is instructed not to disclose the name, address or Securities positions of the
Customer in response to shareholder communications requests regarding the Account.
10.7.
|
U.S. Regulatory Disclosure
|
(a)
|
Section 326 of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept
and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act) requires J.P. Morgan to implement reasonable procedures to verify the identity of any person that opens a new account with it. Accordingly, the Customer acknowledges that
Section 326 of the USA PATRIOT Act and J.P. Morgans identity verification procedures require J.P. Morgan to obtain information which
|
Page 29
|
may be used to confirm the Customers identity, including, without limitation, the Customers name, address and organizational documents (identifying information). The
Customer agrees to provide J.P. Morgan with and consents to J.P. Morgan obtaining from third parties any such identifying information required as a condition of opening an account with or using any service provided by J.P. Morgan under this
Agreement.
|
(b)
|
The Customer hereby acknowledges that J.P. Morgan is obliged to comply with AML/Sanctions Requirements and that J.P. Morgan shall not be liable for any action it or any J.P. Morgan Affiliate reasonably takes to
comply with any AML/Sanctions Requirement, including identifying and reporting suspicious transactions, rejecting transactions, and blocking or freezing funds, Financial Assets, or other assets. The Customer shall cooperate with J.P. Morgans
performance of its due diligence and other obligations concerning AML/Sanctions Requirements, including with regard to any Beneficial Owners (as defined below). In addition, the Customer agrees that (i) J.P. Morgan may defer acting upon an
Instruction pending completion of any review under its policies and procedures for compliance with AML/Sanctions Requirements and (ii) Customers utilization of Accounts as omnibus accounts to hold assets of Beneficial Owners is subject to
J.P. Morgans discretion. Furthermore, J.P. Morgan shall not be obliged to hold any penny stock (or other Financial Asset raising special anti-money laundering concerns) in any Account in which a Beneficial Owner has an interest, or
to settle any transaction in which a Beneficial Owner has an interest, that relates to any penny stock or any such other Financial Asset. For the purposes of this section, Beneficial Owner means any person, other than the
Customer, who has a direct or indirect beneficial ownership interest in any assets held in any of the Account.
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10.8.
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Governing Law and Jurisdiction
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This Agreement will be construed, regulated and
administered under the laws of the United States or the State of New York, as applicable, without regard to New Yorks principles regarding conflict of laws, except that the foregoing shall not reduce any statutory right to choose New York law
or forum. The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York will have the sole and exclusive jurisdiction over any lawsuit or other judicial proceeding relating to or arising from this Agreement. If that court lacks federal
subject matter jurisdiction, the Supreme Court of the State of New York, New York County will have sole and exclusive jurisdiction. Either of these courts will have the proper venue for any such lawsuit or judicial proceeding, and the parties waive
any objection to venue or their convenience as a forum. The parties agree to submit to the jurisdiction of any of the courts specified and to accept service of process to vest personal jurisdiction over them in any of these courts. The parties
further hereby knowingly, voluntarily and intentionally waive, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, any right to statutory prejudgment interest and a trial by jury with respect to any such lawsuit or judicial proceeding arising or
relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
10.9.
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Severability; Waiver; and Survival
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(a)
|
If one or more provisions of this Agreement are held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect on the basis of any particular circumstances or in any jurisdiction, the validity, legality and enforceability of
such provision or provisions under other circumstances or in other jurisdictions and of the remaining provisions will not in any way be affected or impaired.
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(b)
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Except as otherwise provided herein, no failure or delay on the part of either party in exercising any power or right under this Agreement operates as a waiver, nor does any single or partial exercise of any power or
right preclude any other or further exercise, or the exercise of any other power or right. No waiver by a party of any provision of this Agreement, or waiver of any breach or default, is effective unless it is in writing and signed by the party
against whom the waiver is to be enforced.
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(c)
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The parties rights, protections and remedies under this Agreement shall survive its termination.
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Page 30
(a)
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Definition of Confidential Information.
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(A)
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Confidential Information of a party means any
non-public,
commercially sensitive information belonging to, concerning or in the possession or control of a party or its
Affiliates (the Furnishing Party) that is furnished, disclosed or otherwise made available by the other party or its Affiliates (the Receiving Party) with respect to this Agreement or the Global Custody Agreement, and which
is:
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(1)
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either marked or identified in writing as confidential, proprietary, secret or with another designation sufficient to give notice of its sensitive nature;
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(2)
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of a type that a reasonable person would recognize it to be commercially sensitive; or
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(3)
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Customer Confidential Information or J.P. Morgan Confidential Information.
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(B)
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Customer Confidential Information
includes all information to which J.P. Morgan has access in the Customers locations or systems, Intellectual Property of the Customer and related systems access
codes and information concerning the Customer and the Customers structures, product strategies, target markets, timing of new product launches, historic trade data, fund performance data, corporate actions determinations, trading information,
trading strategies, processes, trend information, securities lending data and markets, billing data, marketing strategies, financial affairs, employees, shareholder lists and information related to shareholders, or suppliers, and any
non-public
personal information as defined by Regulation
S-P,
regardless of whether or how such materials are marked.
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(C)
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J.P. Morgan Confidential Information
includes, work product and all other Intellectual Property of J.P. Morgan, client lists, marketing strategies, and all data and information concerning J.P.
Morgans clients, in their capacity as J.P. Morgans clients, financial affairs, product types, product structures, product strategies, timing of new product launches, and fees for Services or other products or services, regardless of
whether or how such materials are marked.
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(ii)
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No Implied Rights
. Each partys Confidential Information will remain the property of that party. Nothing contained in this Article will be construed as obligating a party to disclose its Confidential
Information to the other party, or as granting to or conferring on a party, expressly or by implication, any rights or license to the Confidential Information of the other party. Any such obligation or grant will only be as provided by other
provisions of this Agreement.
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(iii)
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Exclusions
. None of the Confidential Information shall include any information that the Receiving Party can demonstrate: (i) was, at the time of disclosure to it, in the public domain; (ii) after
disclosure to it, is published or otherwise becomes part of the public domain through no fault of the Receiving Party; (iii) was in possession of the Receiving Party at the time of disclosure to it and was not the subject of a
pre-existing
confidentiality obligation; (iv) was received after disclosure to it from a third party who had a lawful right to disclose such information to it; or (v) was independently developed by the
Receiving Party without use of the Confidential Information of the Furnishing Party. Any exclusion from the definition of Confidential Information contained in this Agreement will not apply to personal information.
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Page 31
(b)
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Confidentiality Obligations.
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(i)
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Generally. The Receiving Party will: (i) not disclose, publish, release, transfer or otherwise make available the Furnishing Partys Confidential Information in any form to, or for the use or benefit of, any
person or entity without the Furnishing Partys consent; (ii) secure and protect the Furnishing Partys Confidential Information from unauthorized use or disclosure by using at least the same degree of care as the Receiving Party
employs to avoid unauthorized use of or disclosure of its own Confidential Information, but in no event less than reasonable care; and (iii) not duplicate any material containing the Furnishing Partys Confidential Information except in
the direct performance of its obligations under this Agreement. Confidential Information may not be used by the Receiving Party or any of its Affiliates, officers, directors, agents, professional advisors, approved subcontractors and employees,
other than for the purposes contemplated by this Agreement.
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(ii)
|
J.P. Morgan Duties. In addition to its other obligations with respect to the Customer Confidential Information, J.P. Morgan will:
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(A)
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Not permit any of the Customer Confidential Information to be disclosed to any entity that competes with the Customer or any products thereof.
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(B)
|
Other than shared or centralized custody functions within J.P. Morgan, J.P. Morgan will endeavor to provide access to the Customer Confidential Information to its employees only on a need to know basis (which, for
avoidance of doubt, may include sharing the Customer Confidential Information to J.P. Morgan personnel not assigned to the Customer).
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(C)
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Train all J.P. Morgan personnel on their obligations under J.P. Morgans code of conduct with respect to the treatment of client information, and use Commercially Reasonable Efforts to ensure that J.P. Morgan
personnel respect the Customer Confidential Information in accordance with J.P. Morgans code of conduct.
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(D)
|
Hold senior J.P. Morgan employees accountable for weaknesses or breakdowns in controls within groups for which they are responsible which lead to a material breach of J.P. Morgans obligations under this Agreement
with respect to the confidentiality of the Customer Confidential Information.
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(E)
|
Segregate and protect the Customer Confidential Information, by configuration of its information and processing systems or by adopting other appropriate measures.
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|
(iii)
|
Notice of Unauthorized Acts. The Receiving Party will:
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(A)
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notify the Furnishing Party promptly upon its becoming aware of any unauthorized possession, use, or knowledge of the Furnishing Partys Confidential Information by any person;
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(B)
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promptly furnish to the Furnishing Party full details that the Receiving Party has or may obtain regarding such unauthorized access and use reasonable efforts to assist the Furnishing Party in investigating or
preventing the reoccurrence of any such access;
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(C)
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cooperate with the Furnishing Party in any litigation and investigation against third parties deemed reasonably necessary by such party to protect its proprietary rights;
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(D)
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promptly take all reasonable actions necessary to prevent a reoccurrence of any such authorized access; and
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(E)
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take all reasonable measures to ensure that the Furnishing Partys Confidential Information is not disclosed or duplicated in contravention of the provisions of this Agreement by such officers, directors, agents,
professional advisors, subcontractors and employees.
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Page 32
(c)
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Permitted or Required Disclosures.
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(i)
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The Receiving Party may disclose relevant aspects of the Furnishing Partys Confidential Information to its Affiliates, officers, directors, agents, professional advisors, Subcontractors, Subcustodians and
employees and other third parties, to the extent that such disclosure is not restricted under any governmental approvals and only to the extent that such disclosure is reasonably necessary for: (i) the performance of its duties and obligations
under this Agreement or the Global Custody Agreement; or (ii) compliance with relevant reasonable policies and practices of its internal audit, risk management, and legal oversight functions.
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(ii)
|
The parties respective obligations in this Article 9 will not restrict any disclosure required pursuant to any Applicable Law;
provided, however,
that:
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(A)
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where legally permitted to do so, the Receiving Party will give reasonable and prompt advance notice of such disclosure requirement to the Furnishing Party and give the Furnishing Party reasonable opportunity to object
to and contest such disclosure, to the extent legally permissible;
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(B)
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the Receiving Party will use reasonable efforts to secure confidential treatment for any such information that is required to be disclosed;
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(C)
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either party may disclose any of the Confidential Information to the SEC or any bank regulatory authority having jurisdiction over such party upon the request of the bank regulatory authority.
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(iii)
|
Any party to this Agreement may disclose the terms of this Agreement, including the other parties identities, services rendered and the payment terms, to any regulators and government agencies who, in the
disclosing partys judgment, have a legitimate need to know.
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(d)
|
Return or Destruction.
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(i)
|
As requested by the Furnishing Party during the Term, the Receiving Party will return or provide the Furnishing Party a copy of any designated Confidential Information of the Furnishing Party.
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(ii)
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The Receiving Party will return, destroy or render unusable, and discontinue the use of, all copies of materials containing the Furnishing Partys Confidential Information and to the extent reasonably practicable,
all notes, memoranda, compilations, derivative works, data files or other materials prepared by or on behalf of the Receiving Party that contain or otherwise reflect or refer to Confidential Information of the Furnishing Party upon the Receiving
Partys cessation of work, completion of its obligations associated with such information under this Agreement or upon any earlier termination of this Agreement for any reason whatsoever, except to the extent:
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|
(A)
|
that this Agreement provide for the Receiving Party to continue to use or retain items that constitute or contain the Furnishing Partys Confidential Information after the date of expiration or termination; or
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(B)
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otherwise required to comply with Applicable Law, the Receiving Partys policies and procedures existing from time to time or defend or pursue claims arising under this Agreement.
|
|
(iii)
|
At the Furnishing Partys request, the Receiving Party will certify in writing that it has returned, destroyed, rendered unusable or discontinued the use of all copies of the Furnishing Partys Confidential
Information in the possession or control of the Receiving Party or any of its Affiliates, officers, directors, agents, professional advisors, approved subcontractors and employees.
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Page 33
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(iv)
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The Receiving Party will dispose of any consumer report information, as such term is defined in Securities and Exchange Commission Regulation
S-P.
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(e)
|
Duration of Confidentiality Obligations.
|
The Receiving Partys obligations under this Article
apply to Confidential Information of the Furnishing Party disclosed to the Receiving Party after the Service Commencement Date and will continue during the Term and survive the expiration or termination of the Agreement as follows:
|
(i)
|
as to any portion of the Furnishing Partys Confidential Information that constitutes a trade secret under applicable law, the obligations will continue for as long as the Furnishing Party continues to treat such
information as a trade secret; and
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(ii)
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as to all other Confidential Information of the Furnishing Party, the obligations will survive for three (3) years after the Receiving Partys fulfillment of its obligations under Section 9.4 with respect
to the Confidential Information in question.
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This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts each of which will
be deemed to be an original and together will constitute one and the same agreement.
10.12.
|
No Third Party Beneficiaries
|
A person who is not a party to this Agreement shall have
no right to enforce any term of this Agreement.
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Each of the Funds listed on Annex B
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JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
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By
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By:
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Name:
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Name:
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Title:
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Title:
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Date:
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Date:
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Page 34
Exhibit 8(n)
FORM OF MASTER FUND SERVICES AGREEMENT
This agreement, dated February
, 2017 (this Agreement), is between JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. with a place of
business at 383 Madison Avenue, Floor 11, New York, New York 10179 (J.P. Morgan), each of the investment companies listed on Annex B to this Agreement (each a Customer), on behalf of itself and each of its series listed under
its name on Annex B (each, a Fund), as applicable, severally and not jointly, with a place of business at 55 East 52nd Street, New York, New York 10055. Although J.P. Morgan and each Customer have executed this Agreement in the form of a
master agreement for administrative convenience, except as expressly provided in this Agreement, this Agreement shall create a separate Agreement for each Customer and Fund as though J.P. Morgan had executed a separate Agreement with that Customer
and Fund. No rights, responsibilities, or Liabilities of any Customer or Fund shall be attributed to any other Customer or Fund.
1.
|
INTENTION OF THE PARTIES; DEFINITIONS
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1.1
|
Intention of the Parties
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(a)
|
The Customer is an
open-end
management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, with the purpose of investment of each Funds assets in certain
types of securities and instruments, as more fully described in the Funds Registration Statement, as amended from time to time.
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(b)
|
This Agreement sets out the terms on which J.P. Morgan will provide Accounting and NAV Calculation Services, Fund Administration Services and OTC Derivative Administration Services, as applicable to the Funds. J.P.
Morgan will be responsible for the performance of only those duties set forth in this Agreement.
|
(c)
|
The Customer acknowledges that J.P. Morgan is not providing any legal, tax or investment advice in connection with the services under this Agreement.
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(d)
|
The terms and conditions of this Agreement are applicable only to the services which are specified in this Agreement.
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1.2
|
Definitions; Interpretation
|
(a)
|
As used in this Agreement and the Schedules and Appendices to this Agreement, the following terms have the meaning hereinafter stated.
|
1940 Act
means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
Accounting and NAV Calculation Services
means the services described in Schedule 1 Accounting and NAV Calculation Services
in.
Advisers Act
means the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended.
Affiliate
means with respect to a person an entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with, that person.
Applicable Law
means any applicable statute (including the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act, the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (
1933 Act
) and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (
1934 Act
)), treaty, rule, regulation or law (including common law) and any applicable decree, injunction, judgment, order, formal
interpretation or ruling issued by a court or governmental entity.
Articles
means the articles of incorporation or deed
of trust, etc. of the Customer, as amended from time to time.
Authorized Data Sources
means Third-Party Providers
acting as sources of data and information used by J.P. Morgan for the provision of the Combined Services, including sources of securities prices, currency exchange rates, interest rates, corporate actions, income and tax data, credit ratings and
other market data and information.
Authorized Person
means any person who has been designated by written notice from
the Customer (or by any agent designated by the Customer, including, without limitation, the Investment Adviser) to act on behalf of the Customer or the Funds under this Agreement and any person who has been given an access code by a security
administrator appointed by the Customer which allows the provision of Instructions. Such persons will continue to be Authorized Persons until such time as J.P. Morgan receives, and has had
reasonable time to act upon, Instructions from the Customer (or its agent) that any such person is no longer an Authorized Person. Any reference in this Agreement to an Instruction being delivered by the Customer must be delivered by an Authorized
Person.
BCP
has the meaning set forth in Section 9.1(a).
Board
means the board of directors and/or trustees of the Customer.
BlackRock
means BlackRock, Inc.
BlackRock Regional Program Manager
means an individual designated (by written notice to J.P. Morgan) from time to time by
the Customer.
Change
has the meaning given in Section 6.2.
Change Control Process
means the process set out in Section 6.2.
Change Request
has the meaning given in Section 6.2.
Combined Services
means the Services and the services provided under the Global Custody Agreement.
Commercially Reasonable Efforts
means acting in a determined, prudent and reasonable manner to perform its obligations.
Confidential Information
has the meaning set forth in Section 9.1(a) for Combined Services.
Core Services
means the review, oversight and final
sign-off
of the following:
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(a)
|
NAV Oversight / Fund Events
|
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(c)
|
Fund Administration / Regulatory Reporting
|
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(d)
|
Operational Service Delivery
|
Customer Data
has the meaning set forth in Section 10.1 of
this Agreement.
Data Security Breach
has the meaning set forth in Section 10.3(a).
Federal Funds
means excess reserves deposited into regional Federal Reserve banks by commercial banks and other financial
institutions and then lent for short duration to other market participants with insufficient cash, as that term is typically understood in the finance industry.
Fees
means the fees described in Section 4.1, to be paid by the Customer to J.P. Morgan for the Services.
Force Majeure Event
has the meaning set forth in Section 7.2(a) of this Agreement.
Fund Administration Services
means the services described in Schedule 2 Fund Administration Services.
Global Custody Agreement
means the Global Custody Agreement, dated as of the date of this Agreement, between
J.P. Morgan and the Customer, as the same may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.
Instruction
means an instruction that has been verified in accordance with a Security Procedure or, if no Security Procedure is applicable, that J.P. Morgan believes in good faith to have been given by an Authorized Person, unless J.P. Morgan is breaching
J.P. Morgans Standard of Care. Processes relating to Instructions shall be further described in Schedule 5.
Intellectual Property
means any: (a) data, information and materials, designs, samples, specifications, schematics,
processes and formulae, methodologies, ideas, techniques, outlines, lists,
know-how,
procedures, and trade secrets; (b) computer programs and other computer software (including without limitation, all
source code),
development tools and machine-readable texts and files; (c) literary work or other work of authorship, including compilations, databases, manuals, documentation, reports, drawings,
schematics, blueprints, flow charts, charts, graphics, compilations, manuscripts, pictorial materials, research in progress, and all other written documentation and media constituting, describing or relating to the foregoing, including, without
limitation, manuals, memoranda and records; (d) domain names, algorithms, models and prototypes; and (e) confidential or proprietary information.
Investment Adviser
means any person or entity appointed as investment adviser or manager of any of the Funds.
J.P. Morgan Indemnitees
means J.P. Morgan and its nominees, directors, officers, employees and agents acting in the
performance of the Combined Services.
J.P. Morgans Standard of Care
has the meaning set forth in
Section 7.1(a) of this Agreement.
J.P. Morgan Technology
means (a) collectively, the systems and application
software, middleware, communications links and other devices and technology, owned or controlled by J.P. Morgan and used in the performance of the Combined Services, and (b) J.P. Morgan Third-Party Technology.
J.P. Morgan Third-Party Technology
means the hardware, systems and application software, middleware, communications links
and other devices and technology owned or controlled by third parties and licensed to J.P. Morgan and that J.P. Morgan will use from time to time in the performance of the Combined Services.
Key Performance Indicators
means the Service Levels that are designated as critical service levels in Schedule
4.
Liabilities
means any liabilities, losses, claims, costs, damages, penalties, fines, obligations, taxes (other than
taxes based solely on a partys income) or expenses of any kind whatsoever (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys, accountants, consultants or experts fees and disbursements reasonably incurred), provided
that fees due in accordance with this Agreement that are subject to bona fide dispute shall not be considered Liabilities until the completion of the process described in Section 6.15.
Malicious Code
means any code, program, or
sub-program
whose known or intended
purpose is to damage or interfere with the operation of the computer system containing the code, program or
sub-program,
or to halt, disable or interfere with the operation of the software, code, program, or
sub-program,
itself.
OTC Derivative Administration Services
means the services
described Schedule 3 OTC Derivative Administration.
OTC Derivative Contract
means any contract of a type that J.P.
Morgan, acting reasonably, determines to be an
over-the-counter
derivative.
Processing
means any operation or set of operations which is performed upon Customer Data, whether or not by automatic
means, such as collection, recording, organization, storage, adaptation or alteration, retrieval, consultation, use, disclosure by transmission, dissemination or otherwise making available, alignment or combination, blocking or dispersed erasure, or
destruction.
Prospectus
means the prospectus of the applicable Fund as supplemented, updated or amended from time to
time.
Registration Statement
means the registration statement on Form
N-1A
of
the applicable Fund, filed under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act, as amended or supplemented, updated or amended from time to time.
SAI
means the statement of Additional Information of the applicable Fund as supplemented, updated or amended from time to
time.
SEC
means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Security Principles
has the meaning set forth in Section 6.13(b).
Security Procedure
means any security procedure to be followed by the Customer
upon the issuance of an instruction and/or by J.P. Morgan upon the receipt of an instruction, so as to enable J.P. Morgan to verify that such instruction is authorized, as set forth in the operating procedures documentation in effect from time to
time with respect to the services set forth in this Agreement, or as otherwise agreed in writing by the parties. A Security Procedure may, without limitation, involve the use of algorithms, codes, passwords, encryption and telephone call backs, and
may be updated by J.P. Morgan from time to time upon notice to the Customer, provided, however, that a Security Procedure may not be diminished without the prior written consent of the Customer. The Customer acknowledges that Security Procedures are
designed to verify the authenticity of, and not detect errors in, Instructions.
Service Commencement Date
means the
first date on which J.P. Morgan is entitled to accrue Fees under this Agreement.
Service Level
means any of the
quantitative performance standards set forth in Schedule 5, as agreed from time to time by the parties, to assess the performance of the Combined Services.
Services
means the Accounting and NAV Calculation Services, Fund Administration Services and OTC Derivative Administration
Services as specified in Schedules 1 to 3 to this Agreement.
Service Level Credit
has the meaning given in
Section 6.3.
Service Level Default
means each instance of J.P. Morgans level of performance for a particular
Key Performance Indicator failing to meet the applicable metric for the Measurement Period as specified in Schedule 4.
Share
Transaction
means a purchase, redemption, or exchange transaction of Shares.
Shares
means the shares issued
by the Customer or the Funds.
Shareholder
means a holder of Shares.
Subcontractor
means any person, other than an Affiliate of J.P. Morgan, to whom J.P. Morgan subcontracts the provision of
any part of the Combined Services. Subcontractor does not include any Subcustodian or any entity referred to in Section 7.6 of the Global Custody Agreement.
Subcustodian
has the meaning set forth in the Global Custody Agreement.
Third-Party Provider
means any provider of services to the Customer (other than J.P. Morgan or a subcontractor or delegate),
including, without limitation, any investment adviser or
sub-adviser,
custodian, distributor, dealer, transfer agent, administrator, accounting agent or fiduciary in respect thereof.
|
(i)
|
Headings are for convenience of reference only and shall not in any way form part of or affect the construction or interpretation of any provision of this Agreement.
|
|
(ii)
|
Unless otherwise expressly stated to the contrary herein, references to Articles and Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Agreement and references to sub-sections and paragraphs are to
sub-sections
of the Sections and paragraphs of the
sub-sections
in which they appear.
|
|
(iii)
|
Unless the context requires otherwise, references in this Agreement to persons shall include legal as well as natural entities; references importing the singular shall include the plural (and vice versa);
use of the generic masculine pronoun shall include the feminine (and vice versa); use of the term including shall be deemed to mean including but not limited to, and references to appendices and numbered sections shall be to
such addenda and provisions herein; all such addenda are hereby incorporated in this Agreement by reference.
|
|
(iv)
|
Unless the context requires otherwise, any reference to a statute or a statutory provision shall include such statute or provision as from time modified to the extent such modification applies to any service provided
hereunder. Any reference to a statute or a statutory provision shall also include any subordinate legislation made from time to time under that statute or provision.
|
2.
|
WHAT J.P. MORGAN IS REQUIRED TO DO
|
(a)
|
The Customer hereby appoints J.P. Morgan to act as administrator of and to provide the Services with respect to each of the Funds and J.P. Morgan agrees to act as administrator of and to provide the Services with
respect to the Funds (subject to any limitations notified by the Customer to J.P. Morgan in writing and subject to any requirements or restrictions imposed on the performance of such functions by any statutory provisions for the time being in
force), until this Agreement is terminated as hereinafter provided.
|
(b)
|
J.P. Morgan shall act as an agent of the Customer and/or the Funds solely with respect to the duties of J.P. Morgan described in this Agreement.
|
Schedules 1 through 3 include all material elements of the Services. Nevertheless,
any services that comprise a material part of the Services which (i) are not specifically described in those Schedules, and (ii) standard for the industry and understood given the scope of the Services and are subsequently identified
during the first 18 months after the Service Commencement Date for the first Customer
on-boarded
under this Agreement shall be added to the applicable Schedule, effective at the time that they are added to
that Schedule. Such additional services shall be identified, priced (to the extent material) and documented through the Change Control Process. There will be no additional charge to the Customer with regard to such services, provided that the
incremental cost to J.P. Morgan of providing them is not material. The amount of the charge shall be agreed by the parties, acting reasonably, in writing.
2.3
|
No Duty to Monitor Compliance
|
Each party hereto acknowledges that the duty of J.P. Morgan in its
capacity as the provider of any of the Services shall not constitute a duty to monitor the compliance of any other party hereto or their delegates or any other person whatsoever with any restriction or guideline imposed on any of the Funds or the
Investment Adviser by the Registration Statement and any other document, or by law or regulation or otherwise with regard to any of the Funds or the Investment Adviser, except as required by Applicable Law or expressly set forth in this Agreement
and further, that the duties of J.P. Morgan in its capacity as the provider of any of the Services, shall not extend to enforcing compliance of any of the Funds, the Investment Adviser, their respective delegates or any other person whatsoever with
any such restrictions or guidelines.
2.4
|
No Responsibility for Tax Returns
|
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, while J.P. Morgan
shall provide the Customer with information regarding taxable events in the United States in relation to the Customer and/or the Funds, J.P. Morgan is not responsible for preparing or filing any tax reports or returns on behalf of the Shareholders
or the Funds except as expressly set forth in this Agreement.
J.P. Morgan is authorized to maintain all accounts, registers, corporate books and
other documents on magnetic tape or disc, or on any other mechanical or electronic system; provided that they are capable of being reproduced in legible form and are permitted forms of record storage under Rule
31a-2
under the 1940 Act. Where any Authorized Person, including any Funds auditor, wishes to inspect such documents maintained by J.P. Morgan, J.P. Morgan shall provide legible documents, for the
discharge of the Funds and its auditors legal and regulatory duties.
2.6
|
Compliance with Laws and Regulations
|
|
(i)
|
J.P. Morgan will (i) review and comply with all Applicable Law in the United States and any other laws, rules, and regulations of governmental authorities having jurisdiction with respect to the provision of
Services and (ii) subject, where applicable, to the Change Procedures, act in a manner not inconsistent with each Funds most recent Prospectus and SAI and resolutions of the Customers Board of Directors of which J.P. Morgan is
informed by the Customer.
|
|
(ii)
|
J.P. Morgan shall obtain and maintain all necessary approvals, licenses, consents, permits or authorization of any person or entity, or any notice to any person or entity, the granting of which is required by Applicable
Law applicable to such party for: (A) the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and (B) the provision or receipt (as applicable) of the Services in compliance with all Applicable Law. Upon reasonable request
therefor, each party will provide reasonable cooperation to the other party, at such other partys expense, to obtain and maintain any such approvals.
|
|
(iii)
|
J.P. Morgan shall promptly notify the Customer of any change in Applicable Law of which it may become aware that it expects to have a material impact on the provision of the Services or the performance of J.P.
Morgans obligations under this Agreement.
|
|
(iv)
|
The Customer shall comply (and cause the Funds to comply) with Applicable Law in the United States and in each state in which the Customer conducts business, to the extent that compliance with such Applicable Law is
relevant to the provision or receipt of the Services.
|
|
(i)
|
If J.P. Morgan becomes aware that J.P. Morgan or a Subcontractor has committed a violation of any Applicable Law in the course of performing the Services or J.P. Morgans other obligations under this Agreement,
J.P. Morgan will promptly (but in no circumstances more than 24 hours after J.P. Morgan becomes aware of such
non-compliance)
notify the Customer in writing. Unless such violation is caused by the Customer,
J.P. Morgan shall promptly implement such Changes to the Services as may be necessary to correct such violation at J.P. Morgans sole cost and expense. If the violation is caused by the Customer, J.P. Morgan shall promptly implement such
Changes to the Services at the Customers sole cost and expense, subject to the parties mutual agreement via the Change Procedures.
|
|
(ii)
|
If the Customer becomes aware of any
non-compliance
of J.P. Morgan or a Subcontractor with any Applicable Law and becomes aware that such
non-compliance
affects J.P. Morgans ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Customer will promptly notify J.P. Morgan in writing.
|
J.P. Morgan acknowledges that, by issuing a
notice of termination under Section 8.1 of this Agreement, the Customer has the right to engage other parties to provide a portion of the Services to any or all of the Funds. The Customer acknowledges that such an engagement may result in an
adjustment of the fees payable to J.P. Morgan as provided in the separate fee agreement among the parties.
3.1
|
Acting on Instructions; Method of Instruction; and Unclear Instructions.
|
(a)
|
The Customer authorizes J.P. Morgan to accept, rely upon and/or act upon any Instructions received by it without
inquiry. For the avoidance of doubt, however, the foregoing shall not affect J.P. Morgans obligation to perform a reasonableness review of data received from third parties as required under Section 7.4 of this Agreement or otherwise
agreed by the parties, unless J.P. Morgan receives an Instruction specifically directing it not to do so. The Customer will indemnify the J.P. Morgan Indemnitees against, and hold each of them harmless from, any Liabilities that may be imposed on,
incurred by, or asserted against the J.P. Morgan
|
|
Indemnitees as a result of any action or omission taken in accordance with any Instruction, provided that J.P. Morgan shall not be indemnified against or held harmless from any liability arising
out of J.P. Morgans breach of J.P. Morgans Standard of Care in the manner in which it carries out such Instruction.
|
(b)
|
To the extent possible, Instructions to J.P. Morgan shall be sent via electronic instruction or trade information system acceptable to J.P. Morgan or via facsimile transmission. Where reasonably practicable, the
Customer will use automated and electronic methods of sending Instructions.
|
(c)
|
J.P. Morgan shall promptly notify an Authorized Person if J.P. Morgan determines that an Instruction does not contain all information reasonably necessary for J.P. Morgan to carry out the Instruction. J.P. Morgan may
decline to act upon an Instruction if it does not receive clarification or confirmation reasonably satisfactory to it. J.P. Morgan will not be liable for any Liabilities arising from any reasonable delay in carrying out any such Instruction while it
seeks such missing information, clarification or confirmation or in declining to act upon any Instruction for which it does not receive clarification reasonably satisfactory to it, provided that such clarification or confirmation is sought in good
faith and promptly upon receipt of the relevant Instruction.
|
3.2
|
Verification and Security Procedures.
|
(a)
|
J.P. Morgan and the Customer shall comply with any applicable Security Procedures with respect to the delivery or authentication of Instructions and shall ensure that any codes, passwords or similar devices are
reasonably safeguarded.
|
(b)
|
Either party may record any of its telephone communications.
|
3.3
|
Instructions Contrary to Law/Market Practice
|
J.P. Morgan need not act upon Instructions that it
reasonably believes are contrary to Applicable Law or market practice. J.P. Morgan shall be under no duty to investigate whether any Instructions comply with Applicable Law or market practice. In the event J.P. Morgan does not act upon such
Instructions, J.P. Morgan will notify the Customer promptly and such notice will specify the reasons for its determination.
J.P. Morgan has established
cut-off
times for receipt of Instructions, which will be made available to the Customer. If J.P. Morgan receives an Instruction after its established
cut-off
time, J.P. Morgan
will attempt to act upon the Instruction on the day requested if J.P. Morgan deems it practicable to do so or otherwise as soon as practicable after the day on which the Instruction was received as referred to in schedule 5.
Access by the Customer to certain applications or products of J.P. Morgan via J.P.
Morgans web site or otherwise shall be governed by this Agreement and the terms and conditions set forth in Annex A Electronic Access.
4.
|
FEES, EXPENSES AND OTHER AMOUNTS OWING TO J.P. MORGAN
|
The Customer will pay J.P. Morgan for the Services under this Agreement the fees as
agreed upon in writing between the Customer and J.P. Morgan from time to time. In addition to the Fees provided for above, the Customer shall be responsible for the payment of all governmental or similar fees, charges, taxes, duties and imposts
levied in or by any relevant authority in the United States on or in respect of the Customer and/or any Fund which are incurred by J.P. Morgan, and any other customary or extraordinary expenses as specified in the agreement relating to fees.
Invoices will be payable within sixty (60) days of the date of the receipt of the invoice. If the Customer disputes an invoice, it shall nevertheless pay on or before the date that payment is due such portion of the invoice that is not subject
to a bona fide dispute.
5.1
|
Representations of the Customer and J.P. Morgan
|
(a)
|
The Customer represents and warrants and covenants that (i) assuming execution and delivery of this Agreement by J.P. Morgan, this Agreement is the Customers legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable
against the Customer in accordance with its terms, (ii) it has full power and authority to enter into and has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize the execution of this Agreement, and (iii) it has not relied on any oral or
written representation made by J.P. Morgan or any person on its behalf, and acknowledges that this Agreement sets out to the fullest extent the duties of J.P. Morgan.
|
(b)
|
J.P. Morgan represents and warrants that (i) assuming execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Customer, this Agreement is J.P. Morgans legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against J.P.
Morgan in accordance with its terms and (ii) it has full power and authority to enter into, and has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize the execution of, this Agreement.
|
5.2
|
Provision of Certain Information to J.P. Morgan and the Customer
|
(a)
|
The Customer shall promptly provide to J.P. Morgan such information about the Customer and its financial status as J.P. Morgan may reasonably request, including its current organizational documents and its current
audited and unaudited financial statements, its Registration Statement and any contracts, or regulatory documents that relate to the services described in this Agreement.
|
(b)
|
Upon request, J.P. Morgan shall promptly provide the Customer such publicly available information about J.P. Morgan and its financial status as the Customer may reasonably request to assist the Customer in assessing the
overall financial strength and viability of J.P. Morgan to perform its obligations under this Agreement and the Global Custody Agreement.
|
(c)
|
Each party may rely upon the above or the certification of such other facts as may be required to perform its obligations under this Agreement.
|
5.4
|
Intellectual Property Rights
|
Each party shall own all Intellectual Property such party developed prior
to, or independently of, this Agreement. All proprietary interest, claim or rights in data of the Customer and its clients (Customer Proprietary Information) will be and remain the Customers sole property. J.P. Morgan may use
Customer Proprietary Information only to provide the Combined Services and not for any other purpose. Upon termination or expiration of this Agreement, all Customer Proprietary Information related to this Agreement will be returned to the Customer,
except as otherwise provided in this Agreement or to the extent necessary for J.P. Morgan to perform continuing obligations. J.P. Morgan will then destroy its own copies, and certify to the completion of such destruction in writing upon request from
the Customer.
6.
|
CERTAIN PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CUSTOMER AND J.P. MORGAN
|
6.1
|
Evolution of Services
|
Throughout the term of this Agreement, J.P. Morgan will seek to improve the
quality, efficiency and effectiveness of the Combined Services and to generally keep pace with technological advances. In this regard, J.P. Morgan will seek to identify best practice techniques, train its personnel in new techniques and technologies
that are implemented by J.P. Morgan and to continue to make appropriate investments in the tools, infrastructure and other resources used to provide the Combined Services. J.P. Morgan and BlackRock will meet annually to conduct a formal review of
the Combined Services, and how J.P. Morgan can assist BlackRock in supporting the Customers evolving business and competitive needs. Any agreed changes to the Combined Services or any service levels will be subject, where appropriate, to the
Change Control Process.
(a)
|
If after the successful migration of the Services to J.P. Morgan, either party wishes to propose any amendment or modification to, or variation of, the Combined Services (including the scope or details of the Combined
Services) (a
Change
) then it shall notify the other party of that fact by sending a request (a
Change Request
) to the party, specifying in as much detail as is reasonably practicable the nature of the Change.
|
(b)
|
Promptly following the receipt of a Change Request the parties shall follow the procedures included in Schedule 5 and agree whether to implement the Change Request, whether the Fees or other compensation of J.P. Morgan
should be modified in light of the change to the Combined Services, and the basis upon which J.P. Morgan will be compensated for implementing the Change.
|
|
(i)
|
If a change to Applicable Law requires a material change to the provision of any of the Combined Services, the parties shall follow the Change Control Process. J.P. Morgan shall bear its own costs with respect to
implementing such a Change request except that in accordance with the Change Control Process set forth in this Agreement:
|
|
(A)
|
With the prior written agreement of the Customer as to the amount of the charge, J.P. Morgan shall be entitled to charge the Customer for any changes to software that has been developed or customized by J.P. Morgan for
the Customer; and
|
|
(B)
|
With the prior written agreement of the Customer as to the amount of the charge, J.P. Morgan shall be entitled to charge the Customer for any changes required as a result of the change in Applicable Law affecting the
Customer in a materially different way than it affects any of J.P. Morgans other customers, or which after reasonable consultation with J.P. Morgan, the Customer wishes J.P. Morgan to implement in a way different from that which J.P. Morgan
reasonably intends to implement for its other customers.
|
|
(ii)
|
If the change in Applicable Law results in a material change to the Combined Services that materially increases J.P. Morgans costs or risk associated with provision of the Combined Services, in accordance
with the Change Control Process, J.P. Morgan and the Customer shall agree to an appropriate increase in the Fees or other adjustment to the terms and conditions under which the applicable Combined Service is provided. The Customer and J.P. Morgan
agree to negotiate in good faith in connection with any such increase in the Fees or adjustment to the terms and conditions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, J.P. Morgan agrees that any requested increase in Fees or other adjustments to the terms and
conditions of this Agreement shall be, on a proportionate basis, less than or equal to the increase in Fees generally requested by J.P. Morgan of its customers for custodial and fund accounting services.
|
|
(iii)
|
To the extent that the delivery of the Combined Services can reasonably be expected to be impacted by such change, J.P. Morgan shall notify the Customer of the change to the Combined Services (collectively,
Changes to the Combined Services) and the expected impact as soon as reasonably practicable. Subject to subsections (i) and (ii) above, J.P. Morgan shall promptly implement such Changes to the Combined Services as may be necessary
to comply with any Applicable Law or changes in Applicable Law and, where practicable, shall use reasonable efforts to complete the implementation at least ninety (90) days prior to the deadline imposed by the governmental authority having
jurisdiction thereof.
|
(d)
|
The process set out in this Section 6.2 shall be referred to herein as the Change Control Process.
|
(a)
|
Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement for the Combined Services, J.P. Morgan will perform its obligations to adhere to the Service Levels and Key Performance Indicators. The Service Levels shall be
agreed by the Parties within ninety (90) days of the date of this Agreement and shall be set forth in Schedule 5, as that Schedule may be amended from time to time, and cause its third party providers to do likewise. In no event shall the
Service Levels be lower than service levels that would be considered industry standard.
|
(b)
|
Where J.P. Morgan fails to meet any Key Performance Indicator, and not due to any of the circumstances set forth in Sections 7.2 or 7.4, J.P. Morgan shall pay the Customer a Service Credit if required by Schedule 4 (Key
Performance Indicators).
|
(c)
|
Service Credits shall be recovered by the Customer as a credit against the next invoice for Charges or, if no such invoice is due, as a debt due from J.P. Morgan.
|
(d)
|
If J.P. Morgan fails to meet a Service Level, J.P. Morgan will perform a root cause analysis and take the other corrective actions set forth in Schedule 4.
|
(a)
|
BlackRock, acting on behalf of the Customer, may deliver a notice to J.P. Morgan implementing the rights set out in this Section 6.4 (a
Step-In
Notice
) if:
(i) J.P. Morgan has committed a material breach of the J.P. Morgan Standard of Care that calls into question J.P. Morgans ability to continue normal business operations with respect to the provision of the Combined Services, (ii) the
existence of a Force Majeure Event prevents J.P. Morgan from providing a material portion of the Combined Services for a period longer than three (3) business days, (iii) the existence of a cyber-security incident that has had a material
impact on the overall provision of the Combined Services for a period longer than three (3) business days, or (iv) the appointment of a conservator or receiver for J.P. Morgan, or the invocation by J.P. Morgan of its dissolution or
wind-down plan required under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and any other Applicable Law.
|
(b)
|
The
Step-In
Notice shall set out the nature of the event giving rise to the
Step-In
Notice, the impact or potential impact on the
Customers compliance with its regulatory obligations or on the Customers operations, and the general steps BlackRock or the proposed
Step-In
Provider (as defined below) proposes to take to carry
out its initial assessment under Section 6.4(c). J.P. Morgan shall respond in writing to the
Step-In
Notice promptly after receiving it indicating, where appropriate, an explanation of the reasons
for the relevant event; and the steps that J.P. Morgan is taking to minimize the impact or potential impact on the Customers compliance with its regulatory obligations or on the Customers operations.
|
(c)
|
Upon delivering the
Step-In
Notice, BlackRock may carry out an initial assessment of the situation, taking into account J.P. Morgans response under Section 6.4(b).
J.P. Morgan will meet promptly with the BlackRock representative carrying out that initial assessment (and in any event within 24 hours of being notified by BlackRock that such initial assessment is proposed to be carried out) to discuss the
contents of the
Step-In
Notice and the events surrounding the event specified in that
Step-In
Notice. J.P. Morgan will give the Customer such information as
BlackRock may reasonably request in order that the Customer is properly informed of the events specified in the
Step-In
Notice.
|
(d)
|
If the circumstances giving rise to the
Step-In
Notice still exist at the meeting referred to in Section 6.4(c), then BlackRock may itself provide, or may employ an agent to
provide the Combined Services in question, in whole or in part, (BlackRock or the agent acting in this capacity referred to below as the
Step-In
Provider
), subject to the following.
|
|
(i)
|
J.P. Morgan shall be entitled to control its premises, equipment, and any shared operational activities under which J.P. Morgan systems or personnel are processing transactions or information relating to customers
of J.P. Morgan other than (or in addition to) the Customer;
|
|
(ii)
|
The
Step-In
Provider shall not have access to any J.P. Morgan systems or data center or to information that is confidential to customers of J.P. Morgan other than the Customer.
|
|
(iii)
|
J.P. Morgan shall allow the
Step-In
Provider to have reasonable access to data and information about each of the Customers accounts and to J.P. Morgans operations and
operations facilities on a basis under which the
Step-In
Provider is not able to obtain access to information relating to other J.P. Morgan customers;
|
|
(iv)
|
J.P. Morgan shall provide access (subject to the limitations set forth in this Agreement) and information relating to the provision of the Combined Services to the extent reasonably requested by the
Step-In
Provider; and
|
|
(v)
|
J.P. Morgan shall make available relevant personnel to assist the
Step-In
Provider on the basis that such personnel will comply with the reasonable instructions of the
Step-In
Provider, to the extent the instructions do not unreasonably interfere with the processes under which services are provided to other J.P. Morgan customers or adversely affect the services provided to other
J.P. Morgan customers. The
Step-In
Provider will, to the extent practicable, work within J.P. Morgans established management and reporting lines in giving directions to J.P. Morgans personnel (for
example, working through J.P. Morgans personnel supervisors). J.P. Morgan will use Commercially Reasonable Efforts to ensure that J.P. Morgan or other qualified personnel will remain readily available on a continuous basis so that the
Step-In
Provider and the Customer shall continue to have access to the data and information necessary for the continued, uninterrupted provision of the Combined Services to the Customer.
|
|
(vi)
|
The
Step-In
Provider may not have any access to any premises, persons or materials of J.P. Morgan unless it has first entered into a commercially reasonable confidentiality
agreement reasonably acceptable to both J.P. Morgan and the
Step-In
Provider in good faith, and J.P. Morgan, acting expeditiously, has completed its customary security and compliance processes relating to
allowing third parties into its operations centers.
|
(e)
|
To the extent the Customers
Step-In
Notice is not as a result of the appointment of a conservator or receiver for J.P. Morgan, or the invocation by J.P. Morgan of its
dissolution or wind-down plan required under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, then BlackRock shall not engage any entity as a
Step-In
Provider which is a financial institution or
Affiliate of a financial institution that is a provider of services which are similar to the Combined Services.
|
(f)
|
If BlackRock exercises the rights under this Section 6.4, the Customer shall continue to pay J.P. Morgans fees for the Combined Services for the period in which BlackRock has exercised its rights. J.P. Morgan
shall reimburse the Customer for all reasonable
out-of-pocket
costs of the Customer (including the reasonable fees of any
Step-In
Provider) in providing any elements of
the Combined Services for the period in which the Company has exercised its rights. In this regard, at the Customers discretion, the Customer may deduct from J.P. Morgans fees an amount agreed by the parties (acting reasonably) to be
such reasonable
out-of-pocket
costs of the Customer in lieu of J.P. Morgan reimbursing the Customer for the same.
|
(g)
|
The rights under this Section 6.4 shall terminate, and the
Step-In
Provider shall cease to have access to J.P. Morgans premises and personnel, once J.P. Morgan is able
to resume delivery and performance of the Combined Services in accordance with this Agreement. At that time, the Customer will cause the
Step-In
Provider to promptly return to J.P. Morgan or destroy any
information provided by J.P. Morgan to the
Step-In
Provider which is not Confidential Information of the Customer, except to the extent provided in the confidentiality agreement entered into between J.P.
Morgan and the
Step-In
Provider.
|
6.5
|
Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery
|
J.P. Morgan will develop, maintain and regularly test a
business continuity plan (
BCP
) that is designed to provide reasonable assurances regarding the continued operation of the Combined Services to the Customer in the event of a business interruption. J.P. Morgan will use
reasonable efforts to schedule any planned systems outages for a time that would be reasonably convenient for the Customer and consider opportunities for the Customer to cooperate with such testing. J.P. Morgan will provide the Customer with
summaries of its updated BCP and shall meet with the Customer at least annually to discuss the BCP and the results of any BCP test reports. J.P. Morgan shall treat the Customer at least as well as any other J.P. Morgan customer under such BCP plans
and otherwise comply in all material respects with its obligations under Schedule 6
.
(a)
|
Actual Data Security Breaches
. J.P. Morgan will monitor and record security related events on all systems used for, or relating to the Combined Services, and log such events.
If J.P. Morgan discovers or
becomes aware of any incident such that the Customer Data has been improperly misappropriated, disclosed or altered (a
Data Security Breach
), except to the extent instructed by legal or regulatory authorities not to do so, J.P.
Morgan shall:
|
|
(i)
|
promptly notify the BlackRock Regional Program Manager by telephone and
e-mail
as soon as practicable but in any event within 48 hours of such breach becoming public, or of J.P.
Morgans discovery or awareness of such breach and continue to keep the BlackRock Regional Program Manager informed as new developments occur relating to the breach, but on at least a daily basis;
|
|
(ii)
|
provide confirmatory written notice or fax to the BlackRock Regional Program Manager as soon as practicable after detecting or becoming aware of such breach;
|
|
(iii)
|
investigate and remediate the effects of the breach, and provide the Customer with reasonable assurance that safeguards consistent with J.P. Morgans obligations under this Section 6.6 have been implemented;
and
|
|
(iv)
|
assist and cooperate with the Customer concerning any disclosures to affected parties and other remedial measures as requested by the Customer or required under Applicable Law.
|
(b)
|
Suspected Data Security Breaches
. If J.P. Morgan discovers or becomes aware of a suspected breach of security that has created a reasonable likelihood that an improper misappropriation, disclosure or alteration
of the Customer Data could occur as a result thereof but has not determined it is a Data Security Breach, J.P. Morgan shall, except to the extent instructed by legal or regulatory authorities not to do so, promptly notify the BlackRock Regional
Program Manager by telephone and
e-mail
as soon as practicable and continue to keep the BlackRock Regional Program Manager informed until J.P. Morgan determines either that a Data Security Breach has occurred
(in which case clause (a) above will apply) or that J.P. Morgan is reasonably certain no Data Security Breach has occurred.
|
(c)
|
Malicious Code.
Generally, the parties will provide reasonable cooperation to one another in order to mitigate the impact of any Malicious Code on the Combined Services, regardless of the origin of such Malicious
Code. J.P. Morgan and the Customer each will maintain written cybersecurity policies and procedures which implement commercially reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards that are aligned with industry security standards and
that, among other things, are designed to protect against any anticipated threats or hazards to the security or integrity of their respective systems and data. J.P. Morgan and the Customer each will monitor and record security-related events to the
extent provided in their respective cybersecurity policies and procedures and, in appropriate cases, will discuss such events with the other party. J.P. Morgan and the Customer will each be responsible for the obtaining, proper functioning,
maintenance and security of its own services, software, connectivity and other equipment.
|
(a)
|
J.P. Morgan will not subcontract the Core Services without the prior written consent of the Customer, which shall be provided if the Customer is reasonably satisfied that the Subcontractors personnel are suitably
qualified, trained and supervised and, if the Subcontractors personnel are located in a country outside of Europe, the United States or Canada, (i) the use of the Subcontractor will not impair J.P. Morgans compliance with the
requirements of this Agreement relating to protection of the Customer Data, and (ii) J.P. Morgans contract with such Subcontractor satisfies the requirements set forth in this Agreement. In the event J.P. Morgan wishes to subcontract
any Combined Services hereunder other than those that may be subcontracted under the terms of the Global Custody Agreement, it shall provide the Customer notice in writing in accordance with Section 11.1, together with any reports or materials
reasonably requested by the Customer. Such notice will identify the proposed Subcontractor. Following the initial subcontracting of any part of the Core Services, J.P. Morgan may replace the Subcontractor with another firm provided that its
personnel are suitably qualified, trained and supervised and, if (i) the Subcontractor personnel are located in a country outside of Europe, the United States or Canada, the use of the Subcontractor will not impair J.P. Morgans compliance
with the requirements of this Agreement relating to protection of the Customer Data, and (ii) J.P. Morgans contract with such Subcontractor satisfies the requirements set forth in this Agreement. J.P. Morgan shall consult with the
Customer in advance of any such replacement and provide it reasonable assurances of the replacement Subcontractors compliance with the conditions stated in the previous sentence. If Customer does not agree, reasonable efforts will be made to
address concern among both parties. Upon request therefor, J.P. Morgan shall provide the Customer with a list of its Subcontractors and global
Sub-Custodian
providers.
|
(b)
|
Subcontractor Services
.
|
|
(i)
|
Except as expressly provided otherwise under this Agreement and the Global Custody Agreement, J.P. Morgan will remain responsible for obligations, services and functions performed by, and other acts or omissions its
Subcontractors and their employees to the same extent as if these obligations, services and functions were performed by J.P. Morgan, regardless of whether the Customer has exercised its right to reject J.P. Morgans use of any proposed
Subcontractor, as applicable.
|
|
(ii)
|
J.P. Morgan will be the sole point of contact for the Customer with respect to Subcontractors.
|
|
(iii)
|
J.P. Morgan represents and warrants that, with respect to each existing or proposed Subcontractor of a material portion of the Services, it has (or will have) a due diligence and third party oversight program that meets
regulatory requirements and that J.P. Morgan, acting reasonably, has determined is appropriate in light of the nature of the services being or to be performed by the Subcontractor and the nature of the information relating to J.P. Morgans
customers that the Subcontractor is processing or expected to be processing. This due diligence includes and shall include, but not be limited to, matters relating to data security, technology recovery, and personnel background screening, and J.P.
Morgan shall take appropriate action with respect to adverse findings arising out of its due diligence and other oversight. J.P. Morgan shall, upon request, meet with BlackRock to discuss its due diligence and oversight program, both in general and,
subject to any confidentiality provisions in the relevant subcontract, with respect to any given Subcontractor of a material portion of the Services.
|
J.P. Morgan will require that all Subcontractors, permitted delegates and Subcustodians will maintain policies and procedures with regard to
confidentiality, data protection, compliance with Applicable Law, and security that are adequate in light of the services J.P. Morgan is contracting to provide, and that in cases where the services being performed or information being Processed
warrant (including hosting, maintaining or accessing the Customer Data), the Subcontractor, permitted delegate, or Subcustodian will be required to meet reasonably designed standards that are generally comparable to those required for J.P. Morgan
hereunder and applicable to J.P. Morgan personnel engaged in the provision of the Combined Services..
|
(iv)
|
J.P. Morgan will be responsible for providing the Customer and its regulators with copies of records relating to the Subcontractors, permitted delegates and Subcustodians performance of its services
with respect to the Combined Services as may be reasonably necessary for the Customer and its regulators to exercise the audit and oversight rights contemplated by this Agreement or as may be required by Applicable law. Subject to Applicable Law and
to the extent practicable and appropriate, in the context of the activities being subcontracted, J.P. Morgan also shall use Commercially Reasonable Efforts upon request to obtain the Subcontractors, permitted delegates, and
Subcustodians consent to allow the Customer and its regulators direct (with J.P. Morgan involvement) review and audit rights of such Subcontractors, permitted delegates and Subcustodians.
|
6.8
|
Systems Compatibility
|
J.P. Morgan shall ensure in accordance with the J.P. Morgan Standard of Care
compatibility among the Combined Services and the systems, technical environment, operational processes and standards of the Customer and J.P. Morgan, to the extent that the Customer makes J.P. Morgan aware of the necessary compatibility
requirements, provided, however, that if, due to bespoke elements or customization of the Customers systems or technical environment, there will be a material incremental cost to J.P. Morgan to comply with the compatibility requirements, the
matter shall be addressed through the Change Control Process. J.P. Morgan shall cooperate with the Customers vendors to ensure, to the extent practicable, integration of any third party systems where the Customer procures third party services
on behalf of the Customer. J.P. Morgan shall use Commercially Reasonable Efforts to ensure that the Combined Services and Changes to systems are performed in a flexible manner with a view to minimizing the work needed to integrate and interface with
new technology and systems of which the Customer advises J.P. Morgan at the time of implementation. To the extent that either J.P. Morgan or the Customer makes changes to its systems or operations that it determines would be likely to affect in a
material manner how the other receives or delivers the Combined Services (as the case may be), it shall consult with the other in advance of implementation of the change. In cases where such a change will require material work or expense for the
other party to accommodate, which is materially different from what would normally arise from routine changes such as the issuance of a new version of software, the parties shall address the impact of the change through the Change Control Process.
(a)
|
J.P. Morgan will use personnel that are appropriately qualified and experienced with respect to the provision of the Combined Services. J.P. Morgans personnel shall comply with applicable BlackRock policies at
times when they are on BlackRock premises or accessing BlackRock systems, to the extent that BlackRock advises the relevant personnel of those policies. The Customer shall cause each Authorized Person to comply with applicable J.P. Morgan policies
while on J.P. Morgan premises or accessing J.P. Morgan systems.
|
(b)
|
J.P. Morgan will maintain as part of its standard hiring practices a requirement to perform background checks with respect to J.P. Morgan personnel and for its Subcontractors to perform background checks. J.P.
Morgan will conduct adequate background screenings based on applicable regulatory requirements on all J.P. Morgan personnel and contract workers who will provide Combined Services to the Customer to ensure that (i) any J.P. Morgan personnel or
contract workers have not been convicted of any criminal offense involving dishonesty, breach of trust or money laundering, and have not agreed to enter into a pretrial diversion or similar program in connection with a prosecution for such offense,
and (ii) J.P. Morgan has conducted drug screening on all J.P. Morgan personnel and contract workers who will provide Combined Services to the Customer or will conduct subsequent screening if there is a reasonable basis to believe such J.P.
Morgan personnel or contract worker has a recurring drug abuse or dependency issue. J.P. Morgan or its Subcontractors will conduct
pre-employment
screenings of all new J.P. Morgan personnel and contract
workers who will provide Combined Services to the Customer in a manner consistent with J.P. Morgans
pre-employment
screening policies and procedures.
|
6.10
|
Audit and Inspection Rights
|
Unless prohibited by Applicable Law, the Customer, its auditors (internal
or external) and regulators (collectively, the
Customer Auditors
), may perform audits, inspections and on site examinations of data, books, logs, records, policies, procedures and other documentation in any media relating to the
Combined Services to the extent reasonably requested by the Customer, the Customer Auditors, and shall also be entitled to visit any location or facility from which J.P. Morgan is providing the Combined Services (excluding data centers, unless a
regulator requests to examine a data-center (and then limited to J.P. Morgan-owned or J.P. Morgan-managed data centers and subject to any objection from a regulator of J.P. Morgan, or unless requested by the Customer and agreed with J.P. Morgan)) or
portion thereof at or from which J.P. Morgan personnel or Subcontractors are providing the Services; for the following purposes:
(a)
|
to verify and ascertain the accuracy and correctness of volume calculations, Service Levels and other measures of performance, resource utilization and fees, credits and other amounts (including out of pocket expenses
reimbursable by the Customer) due and payable to the applicable parties hereunder (including by means of access to the most
recent publicly-available audited financial statements of J.P. Morgan and/or its Subcontractors or permitted
delegates, as applicable, and relevant information on applicable insurance coverages to the extent available to J.P. Morgan);
|
(b)
|
to verify the integrity of the Customer Confidential Information and J.P. Morgans, its Subcontractors and permitted delegates compliance with their duties and obligations with respect to information
protection, security, conflicts of interest and confidentiality;
|
(c)
|
to verify J.P. Morgans compliance with Applicable Law in any country from or to which
Combined
Services are provided, including to verify the integrity and correctness of the training and certification
qualifications offered to and obtained by J.P. Morgan personnel where training or certification is required to comply with Applicable Law;
|
(d)
|
to verify the integrity of any data provided by J.P. Morgan hereunder;
|
(e)
|
to verify J.P. Morgans compliance with inquiries from the Customers regulators relating to the Customer
;
|
(f)
|
to verify J.P. Morgans compliance with policies and procedures of the Customer, if any, to which J.P. Morgan is required to comply hereunder; and
|
(g)
|
to verify J.P. Morgans compliance with any other provision of this Agreement.
|
J.P. Morgan will make
appropriate J.P. Morgan personnel available to the Customer Auditors for the purposes described in this Section above. During the course of the inspections contemplated by this Section 6.10, the parties shall meet at least annually to discuss
J.P. Morgans controls relating to the preparation of bills and out of pocket expense reimbursement requests relating to the Combined Services. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) to the extent required by J.P. Morgans policies
and procedures relating to data security, J.P. Morgan may provide summary materials in lieu of the full text of policies, procedures, test results in which the Customer does not participate, and other similar documentation, (ii) the
Customers audit rights with respect to J.P. Morgans BCP shall be as stated in Schedule 6, (iii) the Customer shall not be entitled to review J.P. Morgans internal audit reports, but J.P. Morgan will provide summary information
to the Customer on the findings of those reports insofar as they specifically relate to the Combined Services to the extent permissible under J.P. Morgans audit policies; and (iv) access to the premises, personnel, and records of
Subcontractors and agents shall be subject to the terms of J.P. Morgans contract with the applicable Subcontractor or agent.
6.11
|
Limitations and Cooperation
|
|
(i)
|
Audits will be conducted during J.P. Morgans business hours and upon reasonable notice to J.P. Morgan
except in the case of emergency or as otherwise may be legally required. The Customer and the Customer Auditors will: (A) comply with
|
|
J.P. Morgans reasonable security and confidentiality requirements when accessing locations, facilities or other resources owned or controlled by J.P. Morgan; and (B) cooperate with
J.P. Morgan to minimize any disruption to J.P. Morgans business activities, subject to the requirements of any regulatory authorities.
|
|
(ii)
|
Audit rights of the Customer will be subject to J.P. Morgans rights to impose reasonable limitations on the frequency (but no less than annually) and timing of such audits and inspections requested by the
Customer, except that J.P. Morgan will not limit the frequency or timing of audits or inspections by regulators of the Customer.
|
|
(iii)
|
Subject to the requirements of any regulatory authorities, J.P. Morgan will not disclose or make any information available or provide access to: (A) the extent that such information is subject to legal privilege;
(B) the extent that disclosure or access would result in a breach of law or duty of confidentiality or privacy owed to a third party or any J.P. Morgan personnel; or (C) the extent that such information is unrelated to the Customer or the
provision of the Combined Services.
|
|
(iv)
|
Any audits of Subcontractors permitted hereunder shall be subject to all terms and conditions applicable thereto under any agreement between J.P. Morgan and such Subcontractors.
|
(b)
|
J.P. Morgan Cooperation
.
|
|
(i)
|
Subject to the limitations set forth in Section 6.11(a) above, J.P. Morgan and J.P. Morgan personnel will provide such assistance as may be reasonably required to carry out audits as permitted hereunder, including
providing reasonable use of J.P. Morgan locations, facilities and other resources reasonably required in connection therewith.
|
|
(ii)
|
Subject to the limitations set forth above, J.P. Morgan further agrees to cooperate with and facilitate: (A) audits of the Customer conducted by independent auditors; and (B) audits or performance of
agreed upon procedures by outside auditors as requested by the Customer.
|
6.12
|
Audit
Follow-Up
and Remedial Action
|
(a)
|
Audit
Follow-Up
. At the conclusion of an audit or examination, J.P. Morgan will cooperate with the Customer to provide factual concurrence with issues identified in the
review. J.P. Morgan and the Customer will meet to review each final audit report promptly after the issuance thereof.
|
(b)
|
Compliance Corrections
. If an audit reveals any gaps or breach by J.P. Morgan with any of its material obligations hereunder and J.P. Morgan is notified of such gap or breach, J.P. Morgan will promptly use
Commercially Reasonable Efforts to cure such gap or breach, provided such gap or breach is capable of cure.
|
(c)
|
Overcharge
. If, as a result of an audit regarding J.P. Morgans charges, it is determined that J.P. Morgan has overcharged the Customer, the Customer will notify J.P. Morgan, or J.P. Morgan will notify the
Customer, as applicable, of the overcharged amount and J.P. Morgan will promptly pay to the Customer such amount, plus interest at the prevailing Federal Funds rate,
calculated from the date of J.P. Morgans receipt of the overcharged
amount until the date of payment to the Customer. If any such audit reveals an overcharge to the Customer of five percent (5%) or more of the annual service charges for the period audited, J.P. Morgan will, at the option of the Customer, issue
to the Customer a credit (including such interest) against the incremental audit charges attributable to the overcharge and reimburse the Customer for the reasonable incremental
out-of-pocket
expenses of such audit relating to such charges.
|
(d)
|
Training/Certification
. If as a result of an audit regarding J.P. Morgans training and/or
certification requirements, it is determined that J.P. Morgans training or qualifications are not
|
|
in compliance with Applicable Law, J.P. Morgan will as soon as reasonably practicable rectify such
non-compliance
at J.P. Morgans cost and
provide the Customer with reasonable evidence thereof.
|
6.13
|
J.P. Morgan Conducted Audit
|
(a)
|
Generally
. J.P. Morgan will conduct its own audits pertaining to the Combined Services consistent with the audit practices of well managed companies that perform services similar to any of the Combined Services.
To the extent that J.P. Morgan becomes aware of a breach revealed by an audit, J.P. Morgan will promptly notify the Customer of such breach.
|
(b)
|
Data Security and Confidentiality Audits
.
|
|
(i)
|
J.P. Morgan will either employ an independent third-party auditor or conduct its own internal audit, at its own cost and expense and on at least an annual basis, for the purpose of determining compliance by J.P. Morgan
with its data security policies and procedures and determine whether any Data Security Breach has occurred, including, at a minimum, a network penetration test and relevant portal penetration tests to review compliance of J.P. Morgans systems
holding the Customer Data with controls that contain certain principles to be implemented by J.P. Morgan parties (the
Security Principles
).
|
|
(ii)
|
Notwithstanding the limitations in Section 6.11(a), J.P. Morgan will provide access to such auditor that is necessary to enable such auditor to assess J.P. Morgans compliance with the data security controls
that include the Security Principles and complete the audit.
|
|
(iii)
|
Such access may include browse-only access to J.P. Morgan Technology consistent with the access provided to the Customer in connection with the Combined Services.
|
|
(iv)
|
The Customer shall be entitled to review a summary report of the audit that will describe any relevant exceptions or qualifications and whether or not a Data Security Breach has occurred, but that shall otherwise
exclude information that J.P. Morgan reasonably deems appropriate to exclude.
|
|
(v)
|
If any such audit reveals that J.P. Morgan has failed to meet its data security obligations hereunder or that a Data Security Breach has occurred, J.P. Morgan shall, in addition to its obligations under
Section 6.6(a): (A) provide the Customer with sufficient information to determine the length, scope and impact of such failure; and (B) perform a follow up audit at the next audit cycle or upon J.P. Morgans assertion the remediation
is complete, whichever is sooner, to determine whether J.P. Morgan has: (I) cured the qualifications and exceptions identified in the report; or (II) remediated the Data Security Breach such that an improper misappropriation,
disclosure or alteration of the Customer Data is no longer reasonably likely to occur as a result of the incident giving rise to the follow up audit.
|
|
(vi)
|
Additional
follow-up
audits may be required to the extent any such audit reveals that the data security matters have not been remediated in all material respects.
|
|
(vii)
|
The results of any such audits and reports provided in connection therewith shall be Confidential Information of J.P. Morgan.
|
|
(i)
|
J.P. Morgan will cause one or more SSAE 16 audits (either SOC1 or SOC2Type II audit, or successor standard) to be
conducted at least annually covering the controls identified by J.P. Morgan to be appropriate to be addressed in such an audit of processes included in the Combined Services. Among other things, J.P. Morgan will include in each SSAE 16 audit a
review of the design, operating effectiveness and processing integrity around the controls related to the integrity and accuracy of (i)
|
|
identified controls relating to the Combined Services, and (ii) testing of general information technology and data protection controls key to the Combined Services provided for the Customer.
Subject to any changes in the protocol for SSAE 16 reports by the American Institute of Certified Public Accounts, no SSAE 16 audit conducted pursuant to this Agreement will be materially diminished in scope as compared to the scope of J.P.
Morgans SSAE 16 audits as of the Service Commencement Date.
|
|
(ii)
|
J.P. Morgan will promptly provide the Customer with its updated SSAE 16 report (including any supporting bridge letters) as soon as such SSAE 16 report is available for distribution, but on no less than an annual basis
(the SSAE 16 Results). Thereafter, J.P. Morgan will provide to the Customer certifications indicating material changes to J.P. Morgans internal controls that are included in the SSAE 16 Report at such times as the Customer may
reasonably request to discharge its duties under Applicable Law, provided that the Customer shall act reasonably to allow J.P. Morgan to time its response to a request, where practicable, to leverage its due diligence with respect to providing other
clients bridge letters in order to help satisfy their responsibilities under the Sarbanes Oxley Act.
|
|
(iii)
|
J.P. Morgan will confer with the Customer with respect to the planning of each SSAE 16 audit, including the scope and timing of the audit. J.P. Morgan will use Commercially Reasonable Efforts to take into account
requirements and concerns of the Customer to the extent practicable.
|
6.14
|
Use of J.P. Morgans, the Customers and BlackRocks Name
|
Except as: (a) required
by Applicable Law; (b) required to discharge its obligations under this Agreement; or (c) otherwise permitted upon the written consent of the other party, neither party will use or announce, release, disclose, or discuss with any third
parties, information regarding this Agreement, the Global Custody Agreement or the Combined Services, including the other partys name or trademark in any media releases, advertising or marketing materials, or disclose that the other is a
customer or provider, as applicable. Use of any trademarks or service marks of any party (or marks of related companies) by the other party will be prohibited, unless the parties otherwise agree in a writing. Any grants of publicity rights to J.P.
Morgan by the Customer hereunder may not exceed twelve (12) months and may be renewed only upon written approval of the Customer. Nothing in this Section 6.14 shall preclude the Customer from identifying J.P. Morgan as its service provider
or, in its Registration Statement, disclosing a description of this Agreement, the Global Custody Agreement and the Combined Services as may be required by Applicable Law.
(a)
|
Any dispute arising under this Agreement or the Global Custody Agreement shall be promptly referred for resolution to the head of J.P. Morgans Fund Services business or its Global Custody business (as the case may
be) and BlackRocks
. Those individuals shall act promptly to familiarize themselves with the matter at issue and
promptly discuss the matter, using their good faith efforts to resolve the dispute in a manner that is acceptable to both J.P. Morgan and the Customer. If those individuals are unable to resolve the dispute within thirty days of the referral, than
either party may escalate to the head of J.P. Morgans Custody and Fund Services business and BlackRocks
.
|
(b)
|
If a dispute cannot be resolved in accordance with the escalation procedure described in Section 6.15(a) within forty-five (45) days of the initial referral to the head of J.P. Morgans Fund Services
business or Global Custody business (as the case may be) and BlackRocks Mutual Funds Chief Financial Officer, then either party may, but is under no obligation or requirement to, refer the dispute to
non-binding
mediation as follows:
|
|
(i)
|
the party must give notice in writing to the other party, requesting a mediation in accordance with the International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution (CPR) procedures;
|
|
(ii)
|
the mediation will be conducted by a single mediator appointed by the parties;
|
|
(iii)
|
the mediation shall be conducted in New York; and
|
|
(iv)
|
mediation is without prejudice to the rights of the parties in any future proceedings.
|
(c)
|
Either party may commence legal proceedings in respect of any dispute that has not been resolved in accordance with this Section 6.15(a).
|
(d)
|
Notwithstanding the pendency of any dispute, J.P. Morgan shall remain obligated to perform the Combined Services in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and the Global Custody Agreement, subject to its rights to
terminate those agreements.
|
(e)
|
For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Section 6.15 shall affect J.P. Morgans right to exercise any remedy available to it under Section 4.3 of the Global Custody Agreement.
|
7.
|
LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION
|
7.1
|
Standard of Care; Liability
|
(a)
|
J.P. Morgan will perform the Services (i) with reasonable care and diligence and in good faith (ii) without negligence, fraud, willful misconduct, willful omission or bad faith, and at least at the same
standard of care as J.P. Morgan provides for itself and its Affiliates with respect to similar services, (iii) in a manner that is reasonably designed to meet J.P. Morgans obligations under this Agreement, and (iv) with the level of
skill and care which would be expected from a reasonably skilled and experienced professional provider of services similar to the Services
(
J.P. Morgan
s Standard of Care
)
.
|
(b)
|
J.P. Morgan will be liable for the Customers and/or any Funds Liabilities to the extent they result from J.P. Morgans breach of J.P. Morgans Standard of Care or J.P. Morgans breach of this
Agreement. Nevertheless, under no circumstances will J.P. Morgan be liable for (i) any loss of profits (whether direct or indirect) or (ii) any indirect, incidental, consequential or special damages (including, without limitation,
lost profits or business) of any form, incurred by any person or entity, whether or not foreseeable and regardless of the type of action in which such a claim may be brought, resulting from J.P. Morgans performance or
non-performance
under this Agreement, or J.P. Morgans role as a service provider to the Customer.
|
(a)
|
Neither party will be liable for failure to perform or delay in performing its obligations to the extent such failure or delay is caused by or resulting from fire, flood, earthquake, elements of nature or acts of God,
wars, riots, civil disorders, rebellions or revolutions, acts of terrorism, pandemics, nationalization, to the extent beyond such partys reasonable control, or other facts or circumstances beyond such partys reasonable control (a
Force Majeure Event
); provided that:
|
|
(i)
|
the
non-performing
party (and such partys Subcontractors or Third-Party Providers, as applicable) are without material fault in causing the default or delay;
|
|
(ii)
|
the default or delay could not have been prevented by reasonable precautions and cannot reasonably be circumvented by the
non-performing
party through the use of alternate
sources, workaround plans or other means (including, with respect to J.P. Morgan, the implementation of its BCP or any other business continuity or disaster recovery plan required to be maintained by J.P. Morgan under this Agreement);
|
|
(iii)
|
the
non-performing
party uses Commercially Reasonable Efforts to minimize the impact of such default or delay; and
|
|
(iv)
|
in the event of a Force Majeure Event affecting J.P. Morgan where customers can be prioritized in order to once again receive services, the Customer shall, to the extent permissible under Applicable Law and consistent
with J.P. Morgans fiduciary obligations, receive first priority
|
(b)
|
J.P. Morgan will not be entitled to any additional payments from the Customer for costs or expenses incurred by J.P. Morgan as a result of any Force Majeure Event.
|
(c)
|
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 7.2(a), the Customer will have the termination right provided in Section 8.1(b)(iv) with respect to Force Majeure Events.
|
7.3
|
J.P. Morgan May Consult With Counsel
|
J.P. Morgan will be entitled to rely on, and may act upon the
advice of professional advisors (which may be the professional advisors of the Customer) in relation to matters of Applicable Law.
7.4
|
Limitations of J.P. Morgans Liability
|
(a)
|
Except to the extent (i) any Liabilities result from J.P. Morgans failure to meet the J.P. Morgan Standard of Care, or (ii) J.P. Morgan fails to review and validate such information pursuant to its
obligations set forth in this Agreement, J.P. Morgan may rely on information provided to it by or on behalf of the Customer, or which was prepared or maintained by the Customer or any third party on behalf of the Customer, in the course of
discharging its duties under this Agreement.
|
(b)
|
Except to the extent (i) any Liabilities result from J.P. Morgans failure to meet the J.P. Morgan Standard of Care or (ii) J.P. Morgan fails to review and validate such information pursuant to its
obligations set forth in this Agreement, J.P. Morgan shall not be liable to any person for any Liabilities suffered by any person as a result of J.P. Morgan: (A) having relied upon the authority, accuracy, truth or completeness of information
including, without limitation, information supplied to J.P. Morgan by the Customer or any third party that is not a Subcontractor of J.P. Morgan, including but not limited to, information in relation to transactions in respect of the Customer or
expenses of the Customer; or (B) having relied upon the authority, accuracy, truth and completeness of information furnished to J.P. Morgan by any pricing services, data services, or provider of other market information or information
concerning securities held by the Customer.
|
(c)
|
Except to the extent J.P. Morgan fails to meet the J.P. Morgan Standard of Care, J.P. Morgan shall not be liable for any error in data that is transitioned to J.P. Morgan at the time it begins to provide the Services
with respect to the Customer, provided that J.P. Morgan:
|
|
(i)
|
shall be responsible following the Service Commencement Date for applying in accordance with the J.P. Morgan Standard of Care the ongoing reconciliation processes associated with the provision of the fund accounting
Services;
|
|
(ii)
|
shall use reasonable efforts to mitigate any Liabilities arising as a result of any such error of which it is aware; and
|
|
(iii)
|
shall notify the Customer as soon as practicable after becoming aware of the error.
|
Any
material remediation required due to any such error in data transitioned to J.P. Morgan shall be addressed through the Change Control Process.
(d)
|
J.P. Morgan shall not be liable for any Liabilities resulting from a failure by the Customer, any person acting on behalf of the Customer, or any Authorized Data Source to provide J.P. Morgan with any information or
notice that is reasonably necessary for the provision of the Services save for Liabilities which result directly from J.P. Morgans breach of the J.P. Morgan Standard of Care. J.P. Morgan shall use reasonable efforts to find alternative sources
of information in the event of any such failure. In the event of any such failure that may affect the performance of the Services, J.P. Morgan shall promptly notify the Customer.
|
(e)
|
Except to the extent any Liabilities result from J.P. Morgans failure to meet the J.P. Morgan Standard of Care with respect to its obligations under this Agreement, J.P. Morgan shall not be liable for any
Liabilities whatsoever incurred or suffered by the Customer as a result of the failure of the Customer, or its agents, officers or employees to comply with Applicable Law applicable to the Customer.
|
(f)
|
J.P. Morgans responsibilities with respect to the correction of an error in calculating the net asset value of any Fund shall be subject to the Customers NAV correction policy as provided to J.P. Morgan.
|
(g)
|
The Customer agrees that the accounting reports provided by J.P. Morgan, as well as any share class or other similar reports, are to enable the Customer to fulfill its statutory reporting and investor
subscription/redemption obligations, and are not for investment or hedging purposes. Accordingly, notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement, the Customer agrees that J.P. Morgan shall have no liability whatsoever for any Liabilities
incurred by the Customer as result of use of the accounting reports for investment or hedging purposes, including, but not limited to, for the purpose of currency overlay transactions.
|
(a)
|
Except to the extent arising out of J.P. Morgans failure to meet J.P. Morgans Standard of Care or J.P. Morgans breach of this Agreement, the Customer will indemnify the J.P. Morgan Indemnitees against,
and hold them harmless from, any Liabilities that may be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against any of the J.P. Morgan Indemnitees in connection with or arising out of J.P. Morgans performance under this Agreement.
|
(b)
|
Subject to Section 7.1(b) and the limitations of liability provided in this Agreement, J.P. Morgan will indemnify the Customer and the Funds against, and hold them harmless from, any Liabilities to the extent that
they may be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against the Customer or any Fund in connection with or arising out of (i) J.P. Morgans breach of J.P. Morgans Standard of Care or J.P. Morgans breach of this Agreement, or
(ii) the failure by J.P. Morgan to obtain, maintain, or comply with any governmental approvals as required under: this Agreement, or Applicable Law.
|
(c)
|
J.P. Morgan will indemnify the Customer and the Funds against, and hold them harmless from:
|
|
(a)
|
any third party claim of infringement or misappropriation of any Intellectual Property Right alleged to have occurred because of systems or other Intellectual Property provided by or on behalf of J.P. Morgan or based
upon the performance of the Combined Services (collectively, the
J.P. Morgan Infringement Items
), except to the extent that such infringement or misappropriation relates to or results from:
|
|
(i)
|
changes made by the Customer or by a third party at the direction of the Customer to the J.P. Morgan Infringement Items;
|
|
(ii)
|
changes to the J.P. Morgan Infringement Items recommended by J.P. Morgan and not made due to a request from the Customer, provided that J.P. Morgan has notified the Customer that failure to implement such recommendation
would result in infringement within a reasonable amount of time for the Customer to so implement following such notification;
|
|
(iii)
|
the Customers combination of the J.P. Morgan Infringement Items with products or services not provided or approved in writing by J.P. Morgan;
|
|
(iv)
|
designs or specifications that in themselves infringe and that are provided by or at the direction of the Customer (except in the event of a knowing infringement by J.P. Morgan); or
|
|
(v)
|
use by the Customer of any of the J.P. Morgan Infringement Items in a manner that is not consistent with the applicable business requirements documentation or otherwise not permitted under this Agreement.
|
(d)
|
J.P. Morgan and the Customer shall use all Commercially Reasonable Efforts to mitigate any Liability for which it seeks indemnification under this Agreement (provided, however, that reasonable expenses incurred with
respect to such mitigation shall be Liabilities subject to indemnification hereunder).
|
If any item or process used by J.P. Morgan to provide the Combined Services or
made available to the Customer becomes, or in its reasonable opinion is likely to become, the subject of an infringement or misappropriation claim or proceeding, J.P. Morgan will use Commercially Reasonable Efforts to, in its sole discretion, take
the following actions at no additional charge to the Customer as soon as reasonably practicable:
|
(i)
|
secure the right to continue using the item or process; or
|
|
(ii)
|
replace or modify the item or process to make it
non-infringing,
provided that the replacement or modification will not degrade performance or quality in any material respect.
|
If neither (i) nor (ii) is available to J.P. Morgan on commercially reasonable terms, J.P. Morgan shall give advance notice to the
Customer and remove the item or process from the Combined Services and equitably reduce J.P. Morgans Fees and charges to the Customer to reflect such removal, provided that no such removal will diminish the scope of J.P. Morgans
obligation to perform the Combined Services hereunder.
(a)
|
The initial term of this Agreement shall be for a period of one (1) year following the Service Commencement Date (the Initial Term). Upon expiry of the Initial Term, this Agreement will automatically
renew for additional one year periods, provided that at any time after the expiry of the Initial Term, the Customer may terminate this Agreement in whole or with respect to one or more Funds by giving not less than ninety (90) days notice
to J.P. Morgan and J.P. Morgan may terminate this Agreement in whole or with respect to one or more Funds by giving not less than one hundred eighty (180) days notice to the Customer.
|
(b)
|
Notwithstanding Section 8.1(a):
|
|
(i)
|
Either party may terminate this Agreement immediately on written notice to the other party in the event that a material breach of this Agreement by the other party has not been cured within thirty (30) days (in the
case of a breach by J.P. Morgan) or within one hundred fifty (150) days (in the case of a breach by the Customer), or such longer period consented to by the
non-breaching
party in writing, such
consent not to be unreasonably withheld, of that party being given written notice of the material breach;
|
|
(ii)
|
Either party may terminate this Agreement immediately on written notice to the other party upon the other party being declared bankrupt, entering into a composition with creditors, obtaining a suspension of payment,
being put under court controlled management, being subject to an involuntary order for the transfer of all or part of its business by a statutory authority, having any of its issued shares suspended from trading on any exchange on which they are
listed (if applicable) or being the subject of a similar measure;
|
|
(iii)
|
If a Force Majeure Event substantially prevents performance of any Services necessary for the performance of functions reasonably agreed by the parties as critical for more than three (3) consecutive business days,
then the Customer may terminate all or any portion of this Agreement and the Services so affected, as of a date specified by the Customer in a written notice of termination to J.P. Morgan, in which case, J.P. Morgans Fees will be equitably
adjusted as necessary to reflect the value of any remaining Services.
|
|
(iv)
|
The Customer may terminate this Agreement on not less than ninety (90) days notice to J.P. Morgan in the event that J.P. Morgan (i) has a materially impaired financial condition, or (i) has a
significant regulatory problem or is the subject of a significant regulatory investigation; and.
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|
(v)
|
This Agreement may be terminated with respect to any Customer or Fund to the extent that all of the assets of such Customer or Fund are merged into another Customer or Fund or such Customer or Fund ceases to exist.
|
8.2
|
Transition Following Termination
|
As soon as reasonably practicable following its resignation or
termination of appointment becoming effective and subject to payment of any amount owing to J.P. Morgan under this Agreement, J.P. Morgan agrees to transfer such records and related supporting documentation as are customarily transferred by an
existing provider of services similar to the Combined Services, or such other records and related supporting documentation as the replacement provider may reasonably request, to any replacement provider of the Services or to such other person as the
Customer may direct. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, J.P. Morgan shall provide the Services until a replacement administrator is in place, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement (including Section 4).
J.P. Morgan will also provide reasonable assistance to its successor, for such transfer, subject to the payment of such reasonable expenses and charges as J.P. Morgan customarily charges for such assistance in amounts which are agreed to by the
Customer, acting reasonably, in advance. The Customer undertakes to use Commercially Reasonable Efforts to appoint a new administrative service provider as soon as possible.
9.1
|
Definition of Confidential Information.
|
|
(i)
|
Confidential Information
of a party means any
non-public,
commercially sensitive information belonging to, concerning or in the possession or control of a party
or its Affiliates (the
Furnishing Party
) that is furnished, disclosed or otherwise made available by the other party or its Affiliates (the
Receiving Party
) in connection with this Agreement, and which is:
|
|
(A)
|
either marked or identified in writing as confidential, proprietary, secret or with another designation sufficient to give notice of its sensitive nature;
|
|
(B)
|
of a type that a reasonable person would recognize it to be commercially sensitive; or
|
|
(C)
|
Customer Confidential Information or J.P. Morgan Confidential Information.
|
|
(ii)
|
Customer Confidential Information
includes all information to which J.P. Morgan has access in the Customers locations or systems, Intellectual Property of the Customer and related systems access
codes and information concerning the Customer and the Customers structures, product strategies, target markets, timing of new product launches, historic trade data, fund performance data, corporate actions determinations, trading information,
trading strategies, processes, trend information, securities lending data and markets, billing data, marketing strategies, financial affairs, employees, shareholder lists and information related to shareholders, or suppliers, and any
non-public
personal information as defined by Regulation
S-P,
regardless of whether or how such materials are marked.
|
|
(iii)
|
J.P. Morgan Confidential Information
includes, work product and all other Intellectual Property of J.P. Morgan, client lists, marketing strategies, and all data and information concerning J.P.
Morgans clients, in their capacity as J.P. Morgans clients, financial affairs, product types, product structures, product strategies, timing of new product launches, and fees for Services or other products or services, regardless of
whether or how such materials are marked.
|
(b)
|
No Implied Rights
. Each partys Confidential Information will remain the property of that party. Nothing contained in this Article will be construed as obligating a party to disclose its Confidential
Information to the other party, or as granting to or conferring on a party, expressly or by implication, any rights or license to the Confidential Information of the other party. Any such obligation or grant will only be as provided by other
provisions of this Agreement.
|
(c)
|
Exclusions
. None of the Confidential Information shall include any information that the Receiving Party can demonstrate: (i) was, at the time of disclosure to it, in the public domain; (ii) after
disclosure to it, is published or otherwise becomes part of the public domain through no fault of the Receiving Party; (iii) was in possession of the Receiving Party at the time of disclosure to it and was not the subject of a
pre-existing
confidentiality obligation; (iv) was received after disclosure to it from a third party who had a lawful right to disclose such information to it; or (v) was independently developed by the
Receiving Party without use of the Confidential Information of the Furnishing Party. Any exclusion from the definition of Confidential Information contained in this Agreement will not apply to personal information.
|
9.2
|
Confidentiality Obligations.
|
(a)
|
Generally
. The Receiving Party will: (i) not disclose, publish, release, transfer or otherwise make available the Furnishing Partys Confidential Information in any form to, or for the use or benefit
of, any person or entity without the Furnishing Partys consent; (ii) secure and protect the Furnishing Partys Confidential Information from unauthorized use or disclosure by using at least the same degree of care as the Receiving
Party employs to avoid unauthorized use of or disclosure of its own Confidential Information, but in no event less than reasonable care; and (iii) not duplicate any material containing the Furnishing Partys Confidential Information except
in the direct performance of its obligations under this Agreement. Confidential Information may not be used by the Receiving Party or any of its Affiliates, officers, directors, agents, professional advisors, approved subcontractors and employees,
other than for the purposes contemplated by this Agreement.
|
(b)
|
J.P. Morgan Duties
. In addition to its other obligations with respect to the Customer Confidential Information, J.P. Morgan will:
|
|
(i)
|
Not permit any of the Customer Confidential Information to be disclosed to any entity that competes with the Customer or any products thereof.
|
|
(ii)
|
Other than shared or centralized custody functions within J.P. Morgan, J.P. Morgan will endeavor to provide access to the Customer Confidential Information to its employees only on a need to know basis (which, for
avoidance of doubt, may include sharing the Customer Confidential Information to J.P. Morgan personnel not assigned to the Customer).
|
|
(iii)
|
Train all J.P. Morgan personnel on their obligations under J.P. Morgans code of conduct with respect to the treatment of client information, and use Commercially Reasonable Efforts to ensure that J.P. Morgan
personnel respect the Customer Confidential Information in accordance with J.P. Morgans code of conduct.
|
|
(iv)
|
Hold senior J.P. Morgan employees accountable for weaknesses or breakdowns in controls within groups for which they are responsible which lead to a material breach of J.P. Morgans obligations under this Agreement
with respect to the confidentiality of the Customer Confidential Information.
|
|
(v)
|
Segregate and protect the Customer Confidential Information, by configuration of its information and processing systems or by adopting other appropriate measures.
|
(c)
|
Notice of Unauthorized Acts
. The Receiving Party will:
|
|
(i)
|
notify the Furnishing Party promptly upon its becoming aware of any unauthorized possession, use, or knowledge of the Furnishing Partys Confidential Information by any person;
|
|
(ii)
|
promptly furnish to the Furnishing Party full details that the Receiving Party has or may obtain regarding such unauthorized access and use reasonable efforts to assist the Furnishing Party in investigating or
preventing the reoccurrence of any such access;
|
|
(iii)
|
cooperate with the Furnishing Party in any litigation and investigation against third parties deemed reasonably necessary by such party to protect its proprietary rights;
|
|
(iv)
|
promptly take all reasonable actions necessary to prevent a reoccurrence of any such authorized access; and
|
|
(v)
|
take all reasonable measures to ensure that the Furnishing Partys Confidential Information is not disclosed or duplicated in contravention of the provisions of this Agreement by such officers, directors, agents,
professional advisors, subcontractors and employees.
|
9.3
|
Permitted or Required Disclosures.
|
(a)
|
The Receiving Party may disclose relevant aspects of the Furnishing Partys Confidential Information to its Affiliates, officers, directors, agents, professional advisors, Subcontractors, Subcustodians and
employees and other third parties, to the extent that such disclosure is not restricted under any governmental approvals and only to the extent that such disclosure is reasonably necessary for: (i) the performance of its duties and obligations
under this Agreement; or (ii) compliance with relevant reasonable policies and practices of its internal audit, risk management, and legal oversight functions.
|
(b)
|
The parties respective obligations in this Article 9 will not restrict any disclosure required pursuant to any Applicable Law;
provided, however,
that:
|
|
(i)
|
where legally permitted to do so, the Receiving Party will give reasonable and prompt advance notice of such disclosure requirement to the Furnishing Party and give the Furnishing Party reasonable opportunity to object
to and contest such disclosure, to the extent legally permissible;
|
|
(ii)
|
the Receiving Party will use reasonable efforts to secure confidential treatment for any such information that is required to be disclosed;
|
|
(iii)
|
either party may disclose any of the Confidential Information to the SEC or any bank regulatory authority having jurisdiction over such party upon the request of the bank regulatory authority.
|
(c)
|
Any party to this Agreement may disclose the terms of this Agreement, including the other parties identities, services rendered and the payment terms, to any regulators and government agencies who, in the
disclosing partys judgment, have a legitimate need to know.
|
9.4
|
Return or Destruction.
|
(a)
|
As requested by the Furnishing Party during the Term, the Receiving Party will return or provide the Furnishing Party a copy of any designated Confidential Information of the Furnishing Party.
|
(b)
|
The Receiving Party will return, destroy or render unusable, and discontinue the use of, all copies of materials containing the Furnishing Partys Confidential Information and to the extent reasonably practicable,
all notes, memoranda, compilations, derivative works, data files or other materials prepared by or on behalf of the Receiving Party that contain or otherwise reflect or refer to Confidential Information of the Furnishing Party upon the Receiving
Partys cessation of work, completion of its obligations associated with such information under this Agreement or upon any earlier termination of this Agreement for any reason whatsoever, except to the extent:
|
|
(i)
|
that this Agreement provide for the Receiving Party to continue to use or retain items that constitute or contain the Furnishing Partys Confidential Information after the date of expiration or termination; or
|
|
(ii)
|
otherwise required to comply with Applicable Law, the Receiving Partys policies and procedures existing from time to time or defend or pursue claims arising under this Agreement.
|
(c)
|
At the Furnishing Partys request, the Receiving Party will certify in writing that it has returned, destroyed, rendered unusable or discontinued the use of all copies of the Furnishing Partys Confidential
Information in the possession or control of the Receiving Party or any of its Affiliates, officers, directors, agents, professional advisors, approved subcontractors and employees.
|
(d)
|
The Receiving Party will dispose of any consumer report information, as such term is defined in Securities and Exchange Commission Regulation
S-P.
|
9.4
|
Duration of Confidentiality Obligations.
|
The Receiving Partys obligations under this Article
apply to Confidential Information of the Furnishing Party disclosed to the Receiving Party after the Service Commencement Date and will continue during the Term and survive the expiration or termination of the Agreement as follows:
|
(i)
|
as to any portion of the Furnishing Partys Confidential Information that constitutes a trade secret under applicable law, the obligations will continue for as long as the Furnishing Party continues to treat such
information as a trade secret; and
|
|
(ii)
|
as to all other Confidential Information of the Furnishing Party, the obligations will survive for three (3) years after the Receiving Partys fulfillment of its obligations under Section 9.4 with respect
to the Confidential Information in question.
|
(a)
|
Customer Data
means all data and information: (i) submitted to or held by J.P. Morgan or the Customer, (ii) obtained by or on behalf of J.P. Morgan personnel in connection with Combined
Services that relates to the Customer or providers, members and customers of the Customer; or (iii) to which J.P. Morgan personnel have access in connection with the provision of the Combined Services that relates to the Customer, and including
all
personal information.
All Customer Data is, or will be, and will remain the property of the Customer and will be deemed Customer Confidential Information.
|
(b)
|
Without limiting the foregoing, no ownership rights in Customer Data will accrue to J.P. Morgan or any J.P. Morgan personnel by reason of J.P. Morgan or any J.P. Morgan personnel entering, deleting, modifying or
otherwise Processing any Customer Data.
|
|
(i)
|
Without approval from the Customer (in its sole discretion), Customer Data will not be: (A) used by J.P. Morgan other than is necessary for J.P. Morgans performance of the Combined Services;
(B) disclosed, sold, assigned, leased or otherwise provided to third parties by J.P. Morgan other than as Confidential Information may be disclosed pursuant to this Agreement; or (C) commercially exploited (including, without limitation,
via Processing or data mining) by or on behalf of J.P. Morgan or any J.P. Morgan personnel.
|
|
(ii)
|
J.P. Morgan will not possess or assert liens or other rights in or to Customer Data.
|
|
(iii)
|
J.P. Morgan hereby irrevocably and perpetually assigns, transfers and conveys to the Customer without further consideration all of its and their right, title and interest, if any, in and to Customer Data. At the
Customers request, J.P. Morgan will execute and deliver to the Customer any financing statements or other documents that may be reasonably necessary or desirable under any Applicable Law to preserve, or enable the Customer to enforce, its
rights hereunder with respect to Customer Data.
|
|
(iv)
|
No removable media on which Customer Data is stored may be used or
re-used
to store data of any other customer of J.P. Morgan or to deliver data to a third party, including
another J.P. Morgan customer, unless securely erased in a manner consistent with the Standard of Care.
|
|
(v)
|
The Customer will provide J.P. Morgan with written notice of any applicable security or confidentiality obligations or disclosure, notification or consent requirements applicable to the use or transfer of the Customer
Data transmitted to J.P. Morgan that are in addition to the requirements set forth in this Agreement, provided, however, that any change to J.P. Morgans obligations as a result thereof shall be subject to the Change Control Process.
|
(d)
|
Return of Data/Record Retention
. At the request of the Customer at any time during the Term or upon the expiration or earlier termination of this Agreement, J.P. Morgan will: (i) promptly return to the
Customer, in a useable machine ready format or such other format as J.P. Morgan and the Customer shall agree upon, all or any part of the Customer Data attributable to the Customer; and (ii) erase or destroy all or any part of such Customer
Data in J.P. Morgans possession, in each case to the extent so requested by the Customer, subject to any data or record retention requirements applicable to J.P. Morgan under Applicable Law and excluding any data that J.P. Morgan is no longer
maintaining as part of its then-current electronic records. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, J.P. Morgan may retain copies of Customer Data to pursue or defend claims or other actions under or relating to this Agreement and as
otherwise consistent with its regulatory and audit obligations, which data shall remain subject to the confidentiality rights and obligations hereunder.
|
|
(i)
|
J.P. Morgan will make available to the Customer any Customer Data that is held in paper form within a reasonable time after request therefor. In addition, J.P. Morgan will store and make available to the Customer any
Customer Data that it maintains in electronic form on the J.P. Morgan Technology in a manner that enables it to be: (A) properly identified as information relating to the provision of the Combined Services to the Customer; and (B) easily,
promptly and independently extracted, copied or transferred from any storage media on which it is kept.
|
|
(ii)
|
Except as specifically set forth in this Agreement or as otherwise required under Applicable Law, J.P. Morgan will have no implied right to access any data files, directories of files, or other Customer Confidential
Information, except to the extent necessary to perform the Combined Services and will access and/or use such files and Customer Confidential Information only as and to the extent necessary to perform the Combined Services.
|
10.2
|
Data Safeguards and Security.
|
Within a reasonable time after the Service Commencement Date, J.P. Morgan
will establish and maintain generally accepted industry best practices systems security measures designed to guard against the destruction, loss, or alteration of Customer Data provided to J.P. Morgan that are no less rigorous than those
maintained by J.P. Morgan for its own information of a similar nature, and that are consistent with Applicable Law and J.P. Morgans Standard of Care. J.P. Morgan will promptly correct any errors or inaccuracies in Customer Data caused by J.P.
Morgans failure to meet the Standard of Care or in the reports delivered to the Customer under this Agreement.
(a)
|
Data Security Plan
. Within a reasonable time after the Service Commencement Date, J.P. Morgan will
implement, maintain and update (on an annual basis) a data security plan with respect to Customer Data provided to it that is consistent with the standards set forth in the Security Principles
(which will include both physical and electronic
measures) or, following the Service Commencement Date, such other generally accepted industry standards as are
|
|
reasonably likely to be as protective of Customer Data as the Security Principles, which standards shall be applicable to the parts within J.P. Morgan that have access to Customer Data. Any
changes to the safeguards in the Security Principles will require prior review and approval from the Customer.
|
(b)
|
Data Remediation
. J.P. Morgan will remedy at its own cost any destruction, loss or alteration of any Customer Data maintained on the systems of J.P. Morgan or a Subcontractor where such destruction, loss or
alteration is caused by an act or omission of J.P. Morgan, any J.P. Morgan personnel, or a Subcontractor that is in violation of J.P. Morgans Standard of Care, to the extent technologically feasible and commercially reasonable, and only
upon the Customers reasonable request. J.P. Morgan will promptly notify the Customer of any material destruction, loss or alteration of Customer Data.
|
(c)
|
Right to Review
. The Customer reserves the right to review J.P. Morgans policies and procedures used to maintain the security and confidentiality of personal information, subject to the limitations set
forth in Section 6.11. The provisions of this Section, are in addition to, and will not be construed to limit any other of the parties respective confidentiality obligations under this Agreement.
|
Notices (other than Instructions) pursuant to Sections 5.3 and 8 of this Agreement shall be
sent or served by registered mail, nationally recognized delivery services, such as Federal Express (FedEx) or United Parcel Service (UPS), etc., courier services or hand delivery to the address of the respective parties as set out on the first page
of this Agreement, unless at least two (2) days prior notice of a new address is given to the other party in writing.
11.2
|
Successors and Assigns
|
This Agreement will be binding on each of the parties successors and
assigns. The parties agree that neither party can assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other party, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld or delayed
This Agreement, including any Schedules, Exhibits, Appendices and Annexes, sets out
the entire Agreement between the parties in connection with the subject matter hereof, and this Agreement supersedes any other agreement, statement, or representation relating to the Services under this Agreement, whether oral or written. Amendments
must be in writing and signed by both parties except where this Agreement provides for amendments by notice from J.P. Morgan.
J.P. Morgan will, throughout the term of this Agreement maintain in full force and effect
such insurance as it determines to be necessary or advisable to support its business. J.P. Morgan represents that it currently maintains in full force and effect from an insurer that is rated at least
A-
VIII
or better in Bests Insurance Guide, or is otherwise acceptable to the Customer under this Agreement, at a minimum the types and amounts of insurance coverage identified below for its operations worldwide. For the avoidance of doubt, any policy
amounts will not in any event be construed as limitations on J.P. Morgans liability under this Agreement and that where indicated below it will use Commercially Reasonable Efforts to add and maintain the Customer as an additional insured. The
minimum required insurance amounts are as follows:
(a)
|
Workers compensation insurance in an amount sufficient to meet all applicable statutory requirements or applicable laws. Insurance shall cover J.P. Morgans employees for injuries arising out of their
employment for Combined Services provided under this Agreement and the Global Custody Agreement. Insurance shall provide that the insurer and J.P. Morgan waive all right of recovery by way of subrogation against the Customer via blanket endorsement.
|
(b)
|
Employers liability insurance in an amount not less than $1,000,000 for each accident / employee or an amount sufficient to satisfy the applicable laws. Insurance shall cover all sums J.P. Morgan shall become
legally obligated to pay because of bodily injury by accident or disease sustained by any employee of J.P. Morgan arising out of their employment for Combined Services provided under this Agreement and the Global Custody Agreement. Insurance shall
provide that the insurer and J.P. Morgan waive all right of recovery by way of subrogation against the Customer via blanket endorsement.
|
(c)
|
Commercial general liability insurance with a limit of not less than: $1,000,000 each occurrence for bodily injury and property damage combined; $1,000,000 each occurrence for personal and advertising injury; $2,000,000
each occurrence for products and completed operations; $2,000,000 each occurrence general aggregate. Insurance shall be on an occurrence basis and cover all sums J.P. Morgan shall be legally obligated to pay because of claims for bodily
injury and property damage arising out of premises, operations, products and completed operations; and advertising and personal injury. This insurance shall provide: (i) a severability of interest clause; (ii) contractual liability, with
defense provided in addition to policy limits, covering J.P. Morgans liability (including certain indemnification obligations contained herein) under this Agreement; (iii) that J.P. Morgans insurer and J.P. Morgan waive all rights
of recovery by way of subrogation against the Customer via blanket endorsement; and (iv) that the Customer shall be included as an additional insured as their interests may appear with respect to liability arising out of J.P. Morgans
operations under this agreement via blanket endorsement.
|
(d)
|
Automobile liability coverage of not less than $1,000,000 limit for bodily injury and property damage per accident. Insurance shall cover all sums the J.P. Morgan shall be legally obligated to pay because of claims for
bodily injury or property damage arising out of the use of any automobile in the rendering of Combined Services to be provided under this Agreement and the Global Custody Agreement.
|
(e)
|
Umbrella liability coverage of not less than U.S. $10,000,000 each occurrence and in the aggregate. Insurance shall be provided over Employers Liability, Commercial General Liability and Automobile Liability
policies and must follow form with these underlying policies terms, conditions and endorsements. This insurance shall include the Customer as an additional insured as their interests may appear with respect to liability arising out of J.P.
Morgans operations under this agreement via blanket endorsement.
|
(f)
|
Bankers Professional liability including errors and omissions insurance in an amount not less than U.S. $75,000,000 per claim and in the aggregate. Insurance shall cover all sums J.P. Morgan shall be legally obligated
to pay because of claims for actual or alleged acts, errors or omissions committed by J.P. Morgan or any person or entity for whom or which J.P. Morgan is legally responsible arising from the Professional Services to be provided under this
Agreement. If coverage is written on a claims-made basis, the retroactive date must be on or before the commencement of the Combined Services. Coverage for wrongful acts during the performance of Professional Services shall be maintained
in full force and effect for a period of three (3) years following the termination of the Combined Services. Professional Services shall mean those services provided, pursuant to a contract, by or on behalf of the Insured for or on
behalf of any natural person, or organization which has been, now is, or shall become, a client or customer of the Insured and all associated internal processes, procedures or practices in relation to such services, including but not limited to
Investment Advisory Activities, Investment Banking Activities and Lending Activity.
|
(g)
|
Fidelity Bond or Bankers Blanket Bond / Computer Misuse and Telephonic Misuse Insurance (aka Crime) coverage not less than $75,000,000 per loss and in the aggregate. Insurance shall cover loss resulting from dishonest
or fraudulent acts committed by J.P. Morgans employees; forgery and alteration; computer misuse and telephonic misuse.
|
(h)
|
Privacy, Media and Network Security Insurance policy in the combined overall limit of $500,000,000 in the annual aggregate covering: a) Network Security & Privacy Liability, b) Event Management, c) Network
Business Interruption, d) Crisis Fund, e) Regulatory Defense, Fines, Penalties and Consumer Redress, and f) Payment Card Industry (PCI) Fines.
|
All required insurance which includes the Customer will be primary and all insurance or self-insurance maintained by the Customer is strictly excess and
secondary and will not contribute with the Customers insurance or self-insurance. J.P. Morgan agrees to be liable for all costs within the deductible or self-insured
retentions. No warranty is made by the Customer that the coverage or limits set forth herein are adequate to cover and protect the interests of J.P. Morgan for J.P. Morgans operations.
Prior to the execution of this Agreement and upon request thereafter, J.P. Morgan shall furnish to the Customer J.P. Morgans failure to deliver in form and substance evidence of such insurance shall not be construed as a waiver of that
partys obligation to provide the required insurance coverage. Receipt by the Customer of a
non-conforming
certificate of insurance does not constitute acceptance. J.P. Morgan shall not take or omit to
take any reasonable action or (insofar as it is reasonably within its power) permit anything to occur in relation to the insurance policies indicated above as would entitle the relevant insurer to refuse to pay any claim under the policies. The
continuation of the above insurance coverage through the term of this Agreement shall be subject to current market conditions and J.P. Morgans ongoing assessment of its insurance needs. Accordingly, J.P. Morgan reserves the right to
cancel,
non-renew
or modify all or any part of the policy at any time.
Each party will ensure that the insurance
required of it permits payment in each of the jurisdictions in which its insured is permitted to do business.
11.5
|
U.S. Regulatory Disclosure
|
Section 326 of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing
Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act) requires J.P. Morgan to implement reasonable procedures to verify the identity of any person that opens a new account with it. Accordingly, the
Customer acknowledges that Section 326 of the USA PATRIOT Act and J.P. Morgans identity verification procedures require J.P. Morgan to obtain information which may be used to confirm the Customers identity, including, without
limitation, the Customers name, address and organizational documents (identifying information). The Customer agrees to provide J.P. Morgan with and consents to J.P. Morgan obtaining from third parties any such identifying
information required as a condition of using any Service provided by J.P. Morgan under this Agreement.
11.6
|
Governing Law and Jurisdiction
|
This Agreement will be construed, regulated and administered under the
laws of the United States or the State of New York, as applicable, without regard to New Yorks principles regarding conflict of laws, except that the foregoing shall not reduce any statutory right to choose New York law or forum. The United
States District Court for the Southern District of New York will have the sole and exclusive jurisdiction over any lawsuit or other judicial proceeding relating to or arising from this Agreement. If that court lacks federal subject matter
jurisdiction, the Supreme Court of the State of New York, New York County will have sole and exclusive jurisdiction. Either of these courts will have the proper venue for any such lawsuit or judicial proceeding, and the parties waive any objection
to venue or their convenience as a forum. The parties agree to submit to the jurisdiction of any of the courts specified and to accept service of process to vest personal jurisdiction over them in any of these courts. The parties further hereby
knowingly, voluntarily and intentionally waive, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, any right to statutory prejudgment interest and a trial by jury with respect to any such lawsuit or judicial proceeding arising or relating to this
Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
11.7
|
Severability; Waiver; and Survival
|
(a)
|
If one or more provisions of this Agreement are held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect on the basis of any particular circumstances or in any jurisdiction, the validity, legality and enforceability of
such provision or provisions under other circumstances or in other jurisdictions and of the remaining provisions will not in any way be affected or impaired.
|
(b)
|
Except as otherwise provided herein, no failure or delay on the part of either party in exercising any power or right under this Agreement operates as a waiver, nor does any single or partial exercise of any power or
right preclude any other or further exercise, or the exercise of any other power or right. No waiver by a party of any provision of this Agreement, or waiver of any breach or default, is effective unless it is in writing and signed by the party
against whom the waiver is to be enforced.
|
(c)
|
The parties rights, protections, and remedies under this Agreement shall survive its termination.
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This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts each of which will be deemed to be
an original and together will constitute one and the same agreement.
11.9
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No Third Party Beneficiaries
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A person who is not a party to this Agreement shall have no right to
enforce any term of this Agreement.
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Each of the Funds listed on Annex B
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JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
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By:
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By:
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Name:
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Name:
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Title:
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Title:
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Date:
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Date:
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CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Post-Effective Amendment No. 728 to Registration Statement No. 33-26305 on Form N-1A of our report dated
May 24, 2017, relating to the financial statements and financial highlights of BlackRock Money Market Portfolio, a series of BlackRock Funds
SM
, appearing in the Annual Report on Form N-CSR of
BlackRock Funds for the year ended March 31, 2017, and to the references to us under the headings Financial Highlights and Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm in the Prospectuses and Independent Registered
Public Accounting Firm and Financial Statements in the Statement of Additional Information, which are part of such Registration Statement.
/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP
Boston, Massachusetts
July 26, 2017
Exhibit 14(a)
BLACKROCK FUNDS
SM
(the Fund)
AMENDED AND RESTATED PLAN PURSUANT TO RULE
18f-3
FOR OPERATION
OF
A MULTI-CLASS
DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM
I.
INTRODUCTION
On February 23, 1995, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) promulgated Rule
18f-3
under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act), which permits the creation and operation of a multi-class distribution system without the need to obtain an exemptive
order under Section 18 of the 1940 Act. Rule
18f-3,
which became effective on April 3, 1995, requires an investment company to file with the Commission a written plan specifying all of the
differences among the classes, including the various services offered to shareholders, the different distribution arrangements for each class, the methods for allocating expenses relating to those differences and any conversion features or exchange
privileges. Previously, the Fund operated a multi-class distribution system pursuant to an exemptive order granted by the Commission on August 9, 1994. On September 29, 1995, the Board of Trustees of the Fund authorized the Fund to operate
its current multi-class distribution system in compliance with Rule
18f-3.
This Plan pursuant to Rule
18f-3
became effective on October 6, 1995 when it was filed
with the Commission, was amended and restated as of February 13, 1997, May 1, 1998, August 11, 1999, June 21, 2004, September 10, 2004, May 16, 2006, September 21, 2012, September 1, 2015 and February 23,
2017, and is hereby amended and restated as of June 29, 2017.
II.
ATTRIBUTES OF CLASSES
Each investment portfolio of the Fund (each a Portfolio and,
collectively, the Portfolios) may offer nine classes of shares: Service Shares; Investor A Shares; Investor B Shares; Investor C Shares; Institutional Shares; BlackRock Shares; Class R Shares; Class K Shares and Class T
Shares.
In general, shares of each class shall be identical except for different expense variables (which will result in different yields
or total returns for each class), certain related rights and certain shareholder services. More particularly, Investor A Shares, Investor B Shares, Investor C Shares, Service Shares, Institutional Shares, BlackRock Shares, Class R Shares,
Class K Shares and Class T Shares of each Portfolio shall represent equal pro rata interests in the assets of the particular Portfolio, and shall be identical in all respects, except for: (a) the impact of (i) distribution and
shareholder servicing expenses under the Funds Amended and Restated Distribution and Service Plan assessed to each particular share class; (ii) transfer agency and certain administration expenses assessed from time to time to particular
share classes; and (iii) any other expenses identified from time to time that should be properly allocated to each particular share class so long as any changes in expense allocations are reviewed and approved by a vote of the Board of
Trustees, including a majority of the
non-interested
trustees; (b) the fact that each class shall vote separately on any matter submitted to shareholders that pertains to (i) the Funds Amended
and Restated Distribution and Service Plan applicable to such class and (ii) the class expenses borne by such class; (c) the exchange privileges and/or conversion features of each class of shares; (d) the sales charge(s) applicable to
certain classes of shares; (e) the designation of each class of shares of a Portfolio; and (f) the different shareholder services relating to each class of shares.
B.
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Sales Charges; Distribution Arrangements; Other Expenses
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Investor A Shares
Investor A Shares shall be available for purchase through securities brokers, dealers or financial institutions or through the Funds
transfer agent, subject to restrictions described in the applicable prospectus.
Investor A Shares of the Funds equity portfolios
(the Equity Portfolios) and bond portfolios (the Bond Portfolios) generally shall be subject to a
front-end
sales charge at the rates (and subject to the reductions and exemptions)
described in the applicable prospectus. When the aggregate offering price of Investor A Shares of the Equity and Bond Portfolios purchased by an investor qualifies the investor to purchase such shares without paying a
front-end
sales charge, a contingent deferred sales charge may be imposed at the rates (and subject to the reductions and exemptions) described in the prospectus. Investor A Shares of the Funds money
market portfolios (the Money Market Portfolios), if any, shall not be subject to a sales charge.
Investor A Shares of a
Portfolio shall bear the expense of distribution and shareholder servicing fees described in the prospectus, if any.
Distribution fees
shall be payable to the Funds distributor and/or to BlackRock Advisors, LLC or its affiliates (collectively, BlackRock) primarily: (i) to compensate the distributor for distribution and sales support services and to reimburse
the distributor for related expenses, including payments to brokers, dealers, other financial institutions or other industry professionals (collectively, Selling Agents) for sales support services; and (ii) to compensate BlackRock
for sales support services and to reimburse BlackRock for related expenses, including payments to Selling Agents for sales support services. The Funds distributor, BlackRock and other parties may each make payments without limitation as to
amount in connection with distribution or sales support activities relating to Investor A Shares out of its past profits or any additional sources (other than distribution fees) which are available to it.
Shareholder servicing fees shall be payable to brokers, dealers, other financial institutions or other industry professionals (including
BlackRock) (collectively, Service Agents) for general shareholder liaison services.
Investor B Shares and Investor C
Shares
Investor B Shares and Investor C Shares shall be available for purchase through securities brokers, dealers or financial
institutions or through the Funds transfer agent, subject to restrictions described in the applicable prospectus. Investor B Shares and Investor C Shares of the Equity and Bond Portfolios generally shall be subject to a contingent deferred
sales charge at the rates (and subject to the reductions and exemptions) described in the applicable prospectus.
Investor B Shares and
Investor C Shares of a Portfolio shall bear the expense of distribution and shareholder servicing fees described in the prospectus, if any.
Distribution fees shall be payable to the Funds distributor and/or to BlackRock primarily: (i) to compensate the distributor for
distribution and sales support services and to reimburse the distributor for related expenses, including payments to Selling Agents for sales support services; and (ii) to compensate BlackRock for sales support services and to reimburse
BlackRock for related expenses, including payments to Selling Agents for sales support services. The Funds distributor, BlackRock and other parties may each make payments without limitation as to amount in connection with distribution or sales
support activities relating to Investor B Shares and Investor C Shares out of its past profits or any additional sources (other than distribution fees) which are available to it.
Shareholder servicing fees shall be payable to Service Agents for general shareholder liaison services.
2
Service Shares
Service Shares shall be available for purchase by institutions which act on behalf of their customers maintaining accounts with such
institutions and which provide their customers with certain shareholder services, subject to restrictions described in the applicable prospectus. Service Shares shall also be available to investors acquiring Service Shares in connection with certain
business combinations (Direct Service Investors) and investors that participate in certain asset allocation programs described in the prospectus. Service Shares of a Portfolio shall not be subject to a sales charge.
Service Shares of a Portfolio shall bear the expense of shareholder servicing fees described in the prospectus, if any.
Shareholder servicing fees shall be payable to Service Agents for general shareholder liaison services.
The Funds distributor, BlackRock and other parties may each make payments without limitation as to amount in connection with
distribution or sales support activities relating to Service Shares out of its past profits or any sources which are available to it.
Institutional Shares
Institutional Shares shall be available from the distributor for purchase by institutional investors, individuals and others meeting certain
minimum investment and other requirements described in the applicable prospectus. Institutional Shares shall also be available for purchase through financial intermediaries that have entered into an agreement with the distributor to offer such
shares on a platform that charges a transaction-based sales commission outside of the Portfolio. Institutional Shares shall not be subject to a sales charge or a separate fee payable pursuant to any distribution plan or shareholder servicing plan.
The Funds distributor, BlackRock and other parties may each make payments without limitation as to amount in connection with
distribution or sales support activities relating to Institutional Shares out of its past profits or any sources which are available to it.
BlackRock Shares
BlackRock Shares shall be available from the distributor for purchase by institutional investors, individuals, registered investment advisers
and others meeting certain minimum investment and other requirements described in the applicable prospectus. BlackRock Shares shall not be subject to a sales charge or a separate fee payable pursuant to any distribution plan.
BlackRock Shares of a Portfolio shall bear the expense of shareholder servicing fees described in the prospectus, if any.
Shareholder servicing fees shall be payable to Service Agents for general shareholder liaison services.
The Funds distributor, BlackRock and other parties may each make payments without limitation as to amount in connection with
distribution or sales support activities relating to BlackRock Shares out of its past profits or any sources which are available to it.
Class R Shares
Class R Shares shall be available for purchase only through certain retirement plans, subject to restrictions described in the applicable
prospectus. Class R Shares of a Portfolio shall not be subject to a sales charge.
Class R Shares of a Portfolio shall bear the
expense of distribution and shareholder servicing fees described in the prospectus, if any.
3
Distribution fees shall be payable to the Funds distributor and/or to BlackRock primarily:
(i) to compensate the distributor for distribution and sales support services and to reimburse the distributor for related expenses, including payments to Selling Agents for sales support services; and (ii) to compensate BlackRock for
sales support services and to reimburse BlackRock for related expenses, including payments to Selling Agents for sales support services. The Funds distributor, BlackRock and other parties may each make payments without limitation as to amount
in connection with distribution or sales support activities relating to Class R Shares out of its past profits or any additional sources (other than distribution fees) which are available to it.
Shareholder servicing fees shall be payable to Service Agents for general shareholder liaison services.
Class K Shares
Class K Shares shall be available only to (i) certain employee benefit plans, such as health savings accounts, and certain
employer-sponsored retirement plans (not including SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs and SARSEPs), (ii) collective trust funds, investment companies and other pooled investment vehicles, each of which may purchase shares of a Portfolio through a financial
professional or selected securities dealer, broker, investment adviser, service provider or industry professional (including BlackRock, The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. and their respective affiliates) (each a Financial
Intermediary) that has entered into an agreement with the Funds distributor to purchase such shares, (iii) Institutional Investors, which include, but are not limited to, endowments, foundations, family offices, banks and
bank trusts, local, city, and state governmental institutions, corporations and insurance company separate accounts, each of which may purchase shares of a Portfolio through a Financial Intermediary that has entered into an agreement with the
Funds distributor to purchase such shares and (iv) any other investors who met the eligibility criteria for BlackRock Shares or Class K Shares prior to August 15, 2016 and have continually held Class K Shares of the
Portfolio in the same account since August 15, 2016.
Class K Shares of a Portfolio are also available to employees, officers
and directors/trustees of BlackRock, Inc. and of mutual funds sponsored and advised by BlackRock and immediate family members of such persons, if they open an account directly with BlackRock. Class K Shares are not subject to sales charges or
distribution fees.
Class T Shares
Class T Shares shall be available for purchase through certain securities brokers, dealers or financial institutions, subject to
restrictions described in the prospectus.
Class T Shares generally shall be subject to a
front-end
sales charge at the rates (and subject to the reductions and exemptions) described in the applicable prospectus. Class T Shares shall bear the expense of distribution and shareholder
servicing fees described in the prospectus, if any.
Distribution fees shall be payable to the Funds distributor and/or to BlackRock
primarily: (i) to compensate the distributor for distribution and sales support services and to reimburse the distributor for related expenses, including payments to Selling Agents for sales support services; and (ii) to compensate
BlackRock for sales support services and to reimburse BlackRock for related expenses, including payments to Selling Agents for sales support services. The Funds distributor, BlackRock and other parties may each make payments without
limitation as to amount in connection with distribution or sales support activities relating to Class T Shares out of its past profits or any additional sources (other than distribution fees) which are available to it.
Shareholder servicing fees shall be payable to Service Agents for general shareholder liaison services.
Other Class-Specific Expenses
In addition to the class-specific expenses mentioned above, each class of shares shall bear the transfer agency expenses and class-specific
administration expenses payable to the transfer agent and administrators for such share class under agreements approved by the Funds Board of Trustees from time to time.
4
Investor A Shares
A holder of Investor A Shares in a Portfolio generally shall be permitted to exchange such shares for Investor A Shares of any other Portfolio
of the BlackRock Fund family at the net asset value of such shares next determined after the transfer agents receipt of a request for an exchange, plus any applicable sales charge, subject to the restrictions described in the applicable
prospectus.
Investor B Shares
A holder of Investor B Shares of a Portfolio generally shall be permitted to exchange such shares for Investor B Shares of any other Portfolio
of the BlackRock Fund family at the net asset value of such shares next determined after the transfer agents receipt of a request for an exchange, subject to the restrictions described in the applicable prospectus.
Investor C Shares
A
holder of Investor C Shares of a Portfolio generally shall be permitted to exchange such shares for Investor C Shares of any other Portfolio of the BlackRock Fund family at the net asset value of such shares next determined after the transfer
agents receipt of a request for an exchange, subject to the restrictions described in the applicable prospectus.
Service
Shares
Unless a holder is a Direct Service Investor, a holder of Service Shares in a Portfolio generally shall be permitted to
exchange such shares for Service Shares of any other Portfolio of the BlackRock Fund family
at the net asset value of such shares next determined after the transfer agents receipt of a request for an exchange, subject to the
restrictions described in the applicable prospectus. To the extent permitted from time to time by the Fund, at the election of Direct Service Investors, Service Shares of a Portfolio may be exchanged for Investor A Shares of the same Portfolio on
the basis of the net asset values of each class of shares next determined after the transfer agents receipt of an exchange request, subject to the restrictions described in the applicable prospectus. Except as stated above, Direct Service
Investors shall have no exchange privileges.
Institutional Shares
A holder of Institutional Shares in a Portfolio generally shall be permitted to exchange such shares for Institutional Shares of any other
Portfolio of the BlackRock Fund family at the net asset value of such shares next determined after the transfer agents receipt of a request for an exchange, subject to the restrictions described in the applicable prospectus.
BlackRock Shares
The
Fund shall not offer BlackRock Shares with an exchange privilege.
Class R Shares
The Fund shall not offer Class R Shares with an exchange privilege.
Class K Shares
A
holder of Class K Shares in a Portfolio generally shall be permitted to exchange his shares for Class K Shares of any other Portfolio of the BlackRock Fund family at the net asset value of such shares next determined after the transfer
agents receipt of a request for an exchange, subject to the restrictions described in the prospectus.
5
Class T Shares
The Fund shall not offer Class T Shares with an exchange privilege.
Investor A Shares
The Fund shall not offer Investor A Shares with a conversion feature.
Investor B Shares
A
certain number of years (specified in the applicable prospectus) after the date of purchase or acquisition, Investor B Shares of a Portfolio shall automatically convert to Investor A Shares, where stated in certain prospectuses of the same Portfolio
at the net asset value of each class of shares at the time of conversion. Upon each conversion of Investor B Shares of a Portfolio that were not acquired through reinvestment of dividends or distributions, a proportionate amount of Investor B Shares
of such Portfolio that were acquired through reinvestments of dividends or distributions will likewise automatically convert to Investor A Shares of the same Portfolio.
Investor C Shares
The
Fund shall not offer Investor C Shares with a conversion feature.
Service Shares, Institutional Shares, BlackRock Shares, Class R
Shares, Class K Shares and Class T Shares
The Fund shall not offer Service Shares, Institutional Shares, BlackRock Shares,
Class R Shares, Class K Shares or Class T Shares with a conversion feature.
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1.
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Systematic Withdrawal Program
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The Fund shall offer a systematic withdrawal program,
subject to the restrictions described in the prospectus, whereby, in general: (i) investors may arrange to have Investor A Shares, Investor B Shares, Investor C Shares or Class T Shares redeemed automatically; and (ii) Direct Service
Investors may arrange to have Service Shares redeemed automatically.
The Fund shall not offer a systematic withdrawal program to
investors in Institutional Shares, BlackRock Shares, Class R Shares or Class K Shares or to investors in Service Shares who are not Direct Service Investors.
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2.
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Automatic Investing Program
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The Fund shall offer an automatic investing program,
subject to the restrictions described in the applicable prospectus, whereby, in general: (i) an investor may arrange to have Investor A Shares, Investor B Shares, Investor C Shares or Class T Shares purchased automatically by authorizing
the Funds transfer agent to withdraw funds from the investors bank account; and (ii) a Direct Service Investor may arrange to have Service Shares purchased automatically by authorizing the Funds transfer agent to withdraw
funds from the Direct Service Investors bank account.
The Fund shall not offer the automatic investing program to investors in
Institutional Shares, BlackRock Shares, Class R Shares or Class K Shares or to investors in Service Shares who are not Direct Service Investors.
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3.
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Systematic Exchange Program
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The Fund shall offer a systematic exchange program, subject
to the restrictions described in the applicable prospectus, whereby, in general, an investor may arrange to have Investor A Shares, Investor B Shares or Investor C Shares exchanged automatically from one Portfolio to up to four other Portfolios.
The Fund shall not offer the systematic exchange program to investors in Service Shares, Institutional Shares, BlackRock Shares,
Class R Shares, Class K Shares or Class T Shares.
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4.
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Dividend Allocation Plan
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The Fund shall offer a dividend allocation plan, subject to
the restrictions described in the applicable prospectus, whereby, in general, an investor may arrange to have dividends and distributions on such Investor A Shares, Investor B Shares or Investor C Shares of one Portfolio automatically invested in
another Portfolio.
The Fund shall not offer the dividend allocation plan to investors in Service Shares, Institutional Shares, BlackRock
Shares, Class R Shares, Class K Shares or Class T Shares.
F.
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Methodology for Allocating Expenses Among Classes
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Class-specific expenses of a
Portfolio shall be allocated to the specific class of shares of that Portfolio.
Non-class-specific
expenses of a Portfolio shall be allocated in accordance with Rule
18f-3(c).
7