REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 | ☒ |
Pre-Effective Amendment No. | □ |
Post-Effective Amendment No. 967 | ☒ |
INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 | ☒ |
Amendment No. 969 | ☒ |
Counsel for the Fund: | |
John
A. MacKinnon, Esq.
Sidley Austin LLP 787 Seventh Avenue New York, New York 10019-6018 |
Janey
Ahn, Esq.
BlackRock Advisors, LLC 55 East 52nd Street New York, New York 10055 |
Prospectus |
• | iShares Russell Small/Mid-Cap Index Fund |
Investor A: BSMAX • Institutional: BSMIX |
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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Details About the Fund | Information about how the Fund invests, including investment objective, investment process, principal strategies and risk factors | |
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Account Information | Information about account services, sales charges and waivers, shareholder transactions, and distribution and other payments | |
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Management of the Fund | Information about BlackRock and the Portfolio Managers | |
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Financial Highlights |
Financial Performance of the
Fund
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General Information |
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Glossary |
Glossary of Investment
Terms
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For More Information |
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Inside Back Cover |
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Back Cover |
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
Investor
A
Shares |
Institutional
Shares |
Management Fee1 | 0.03% | 0.03% |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees | 0.25% | None |
Other Expenses | 0.17% | 0.21% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 0.45% | 0.24% |
Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements1,2 | (0.08)% | (0.12)% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements1,2 | 0.37% | 0.12% |
1 | As described in the “Management of the Fund” section of the Fund’s prospectus beginning on page 29, BlackRock Advisors, LLC (“BlackRock”) has contractually agreed to waive the management fee with respect to any portion of the Fund’s assets estimated to be attributable to investments in other equity and fixed-income mutual funds and exchange-traded funds managed by BlackRock or its affiliates that have a contractual management fee, through November 30, 2020. In addition, BlackRock has contractually agreed to waive its management fees by the amount of investment advisory fees the Fund pays to BlackRock indirectly through its investment in money market funds managed by BlackRock or its affiliates, through November 30, 2020. The contractual agreements 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 described in the “Management of the Fund” section of the Fund’s prospectus beginning on page 29, 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) to 0.37% of average daily net assets (for Investor A Shares) and 0.12% of average daily net assets (for Institutional Shares) through November 30, 2020. The Fund may have to repay some of these waivers and/or reimbursements to BlackRock in the following two years, and such repayment arrangement will terminate on August 13, 2022. 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. |
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Investor A Shares | $38 | $136 | $244 | $559 |
Institutional Shares | $12 | $ 65 | $123 | $294 |
■ | Asset Class Risk — Securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or in the Fund’s portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general financial markets, a particular financial market or other asset classes. |
■ | Concentration Risk — The Fund reserves the right to concentrate its investments (i.e., invest 25% or more of its total assets in securities of issuers in a particular industry) to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in a particular industry. To the extent the Fund concentrates in a particular industry, it may be more susceptible to economic conditions and risks affecting that industry. |
■ | Consumer Discretionary Sector Risk — The consumer discretionary sector may be affected by changes in domestic and international economies, exchange and interest rates, competition, consumers’ disposable income, consumer preferences, social trends and marketing campaigns. |
■ | Equity Securities Risk — Stock markets are volatile. The price of equity securities fluctuates based on changes in a company’s financial condition and overall market and economic conditions. |
■ | Financials Sector Risk — Performance of companies in the financials sector may be adversely impacted by many factors, including, among others, changes in government regulations, economic conditions, and interest rates, credit rating downgrades, and decreased liquidity in credit markets. The extent to which the Fund may invest in a company that engages in securities-related activities or banking is limited by applicable law. The impact of changes in capital requirements and recent or future regulation of any individual financial company, or of the financials sector as a whole, cannot be predicted. In recent years, cyber-attacks and technology malfunctions and failures have become increasingly frequent in this sector and have caused significant losses to companies in this sector, which may negatively impact the Fund. |
■ | Index Fund Risk — An index fund has operating and other expenses while an index does not. As a result, while the Fund will attempt to track the Underlying Index as closely as possible, it will tend to underperform the Underlying Index to some degree over time. If an index fund is properly correlated to its stated index, the fund will perform poorly when the index performs poorly. |
■ | Index-Related Risk — There is no guarantee that the Fund’s investment results will have a high degree of correlation to those of the Underlying Index or that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Errors in index data, index computations or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the index provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders. |
■ | Issuer Risk — Fund performance depends on the performance of individual securities to which the Fund has exposure. Changes in the financial condition or credit rating of an issuer of those securities may cause the value of the securities to decline. |
■ | Management Risk — As the Fund may not fully replicate the Underlying Index, it is subject to the risk that BlackRock’s investment strategy may not produce the intended results. |
■ | 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. |
■ | Passive Investment Risk — Because BlackRock does not select individual companies in the index that the Fund tracks, the Fund may hold securities of companies that present risks that an investment adviser researching individual securities might seek to avoid. |
■ | Producer Durables Industry Group Risk — The producer durables industry group includes companies involved in the design, manufacture or distribution of industrial durables such as electrical equipment and components, industrial products, and housing and telecommunications equipment. These companies may be affected by changes in domestic and international economies and politics, consolidation, excess capacity, and consumer demands, spending, tastes and preferences. |
■ | Small and Mid-Capitalization Company Risk — Companies with small or mid-size market capitalizations will normally have more limited product lines, markets and financial resources and will be dependent upon a more limited management group than larger capitalized companies. In addition, it is more difficult to get information on smaller companies, which tend to be less well known, have shorter operating histories, do not have significant ownership by large investors and are followed by relatively few securities analysts. |
As
of 12/31/18
Average Annual Total Returns |
1 Year |
Since
Inception
(August 13, 2015) |
iShares Russell Small/Mid-Cap Index Fund — Investor A Shares | ||
Return Before Taxes | (10.41)% | 4.38% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions | (11.36)% | 3.59% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | (5.70)% | 3.21% |
iShares Russell Small/Mid-Cap Index Fund — Institutional Shares | ||
Return Before Taxes | (10.18)% | 4.64% |
Russell 2500™ Index (Reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | (10.00)% | 4.63% |
Name | Portfolio Manager of the Fund Since | Title |
Alan Mason | 2015 | Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. |
Greg Savage, CFA | 2015 | Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. |
Jennifer Hsui, CFA | 2016 | Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. |
Amy Whitelaw | 2019 | Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. |
Rachel Aguirre | 2016 | Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. |
Investor A Shares | Institutional Shares | |
Minimum
Initial
Investment |
$1,000
for all accounts except:
• $50, if establishing an Automatic Investment Plan. • 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 minimum initial investment for:
• Employer-sponsored retirement plans (not including SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs or SARSEPs), state sponsored 529 college savings plans, collective trust funds, investment companies or other pooled investment vehicles, unaffiliated thrifts and unaffiliated banks and trust companies, 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. • Clients of Financial Intermediaries that: (i) charge such clients 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. • Clients investing through Financial Intermediaries that offer such shares on a platform that charges a transaction based sales commission outside of the Fund. • Tax-qualified accounts for insurance agents that are registered representatives of an insurance company’s broker-dealer that has entered into an agreement with the Fund’s distributor to offer Institutional Shares, and the family members of such persons. |
Minimum
Additional
Investment |
$50 for all accounts (with the exception of certain employer-sponsored retirement plans which may have a lower minimum). | No subsequent minimum. |
■ | Borrowing — The Fund may borrow up to the limits set forth under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), the rules and regulations thereunder and any applicable exemptive relief. |
■ | Derivatives — The Fund may invest in derivative instruments, including futures and swap contracts. Derivatives allow the Fund to increase or decrease its exposure to the Underlying Index quickly and at less cost than buying or selling stocks. The Fund will invest in derivative instruments in order to gain market exposure quickly in the event of |
subscriptions, to maintain liquidity in the event of redemptions and to keep trading costs low. The Fund may use derivatives for hedging purposes, including anticipatory hedges, and to seek to enhance returns. |
■ | Illiquid Investments — The Fund may invest up to an aggregate amount of 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments. An illiquid investment is any investment that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. |
■ | Investment Companies — The Fund has the ability to invest in other investment companies, such as exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), unit investment trusts, and open-end and closed-end funds. The Fund may invest in affiliated investment companies, including affiliated money market funds and affiliated ETFs. |
■ | Securities Lending — The Fund may lend securities with a value up to 33 1⁄3% of its total assets to financial institutions that provide cash or securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government as collateral. |
■ | Asset Class Risk — The securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or in the Fund’s portfolio may underperform in comparison to other securities or indexes that track other countries, groups of countries, regions, industries, groups of industries, markets, asset classes or sectors. Various types of securities, currencies and indexes may experience cycles of outperformance and underperformance in comparison to the general financial markets depending upon a number of factors including, among other things, inflation, interest rates, productivity, global demand for local products or resources, and regulation and governmental controls. This may cause the Fund to underperform other investment vehicles that invest in different asset classes. |
■ | Concentration Risk — The Fund reserves the right to concentrate its investments (i.e., invest 25% or more of its total assets in securities of issuers in a particular industry) to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in a particular industry. To the extent the Fund concentrates in a particular industry, it may be more susceptible to economic conditions and risks affecting that industry. |
■ | Consumer Discretionary Sector Risk — The success of consumer product manufacturers and retailers is tied closely to the performance of domestic and international economies, interest rates, exchange rates, competition, consumer confidence, changes in demographics and consumer preferences. Companies in the consumer discretionary sector depend heavily on disposable household income and consumer spending, and may be strongly affected by social trends and marketing campaigns. These companies may be subject to severe competition, which may have an adverse impact on their profitability. |
■ | Equity Securities Risk — Common and preferred stocks represent equity ownership in a company. Stock markets are volatile. The price of equity securities will fluctuate and can decline and reduce the value of a portfolio investing in equities. The value of equity securities purchased by the Fund could decline if the financial condition of the companies the Fund invests in declines or if overall market and economic conditions deteriorate. The value of equity securities may also decline due to factors that affect a particular industry or industries, such as labor shortages or an increase in production costs and competitive conditions within an industry. In addition, the value may decline due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a company or industry, such as real or |
perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates or generally adverse investor sentiment. |
■ | Financials Sector Risk — Companies in the financials sector of an economy are subject to extensive governmental regulation and intervention, which may adversely affect the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge, the amount of capital they must maintain and, potentially, their size. The extent to which the Fund may invest in a company that engages in securities-related activities or banking is limited by applicable law. Governmental regulation may change frequently and may have significant adverse consequences for companies in the financials sector, including effects not intended by such regulation. Recently enacted legislation in the United States has relaxed capital requirements and other regulatory burdens on certain U.S. banks. While the effect of the legislation may benefit certain companies in the financials sector, increased risk taking by affected banks may also result in greater overall risk in the United States and global financials sector. The impact of changes in capital requirements, or recent or future regulation in various countries, on any individual financial company or on the financials sector as a whole cannot be predicted. Certain risks may impact the value of investments in the financials sector more severely than those of investments outside this sector, including the risks associated with companies that operate with substantial financial leverage. Companies in the financials sector may also be adversely affected by increases in interest rates and loan losses, decreases in the availability of money or asset valuations, credit rating downgrades and adverse conditions in other related markets. Insurance companies, in particular, may be subject to severe price competition and/or rate regulation, which may have an adverse impact on their profitability. The financials sector is particularly sensitive to fluctuations in interest rates. The financials sector is also a target for cyber-attacks, and may experience technology malfunctions and disruptions. In recent years, cyber-attacks and technology malfunctions and failures have become increasingly frequent in this sector and have reportedly caused losses to companies in this sector, which may negatively impact the Fund. |
■ | Index Fund Risk — An index fund has operating and other expenses while an index does not. As a result, while the Fund will attempt to track the Underlying Index as closely as possible, it will tend to underperform the Underlying Index to some degree over time. If an index fund is properly correlated to its stated index, the fund will perform poorly when the index performs poorly. |
■ | Index-Related Risk — The Fund seeks to achieve a return that corresponds generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Underlying Index as published by the Index Provider. There is no assurance that the Index Provider or any agents that may act on its behalf will compile the Underlying Index accurately, or that the Underlying Index will be determined, composed or calculated accurately. While the Index Provider provides descriptions of what the Underlying Index is designed to achieve, neither the Index Provider nor its agents provide any warranty or accept any liability in relation to the quality, accuracy or completeness of the Underlying Index or its related data, and they do not guarantee that the Underlying Index will be in line with the Index Provider’s methodology. BlackRock’s mandate as described in this prospectus is to manage the Fund consistently with the Underlying Index provided by the Index Provider to BlackRock. BlackRock does not provide any warranty or guarantee against the Index Provider’s or any agent’s errors. Errors in respect of the quality, accuracy and completeness of the data used to compile the Underlying Index may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, particularly where the indices are less commonly used as benchmarks by funds or managers. Such errors may negatively or positively impact the Fund and its shareholders. For example, during a period where the Underlying Index contains incorrect constituents, the Fund would have market exposure to such constituents and would be underexposed to the Underlying Index’s other constituents. Shareholders should understand that any gains from Index Provider errors will be kept by the Fund and its shareholders and any losses or costs resulting from Index Provider errors will be borne by the Fund and its shareholders. |
Apart from scheduled rebalances, the Index Provider or its agents may carry out additional ad hoc rebalances to the Underlying Index in order, for example, to correct an error in the selection of index constituents. When the Underlying Index is rebalanced and the Fund in turn rebalances its portfolio to attempt to increase the correlation between the Fund’s portfolio and the Underlying Index, any transaction costs and market exposure arising from such portfolio rebalancing will be borne directly by the Fund and its shareholders. Therefore, errors and additional ad hoc rebalances carried out by the Index Provider or its agents to the Underlying Index may increase the costs to and the tracking error risk of the Fund. |
■ | Issuer Risk — The performance of the Fund depends on the performance of individual securities to which the Fund has exposure. Any issuer of these securities may perform poorly, causing the value of its securities to decline. Poor performance may be caused by poor management decisions, competitive pressures, changes in technology, expiration of patent protection, disruptions in supply, labor problems or shortages, corporate restructurings, fraudulent disclosures, credit deterioration of the issuer or other factors. Issuers may, in times of distress or at their own discretion, decide to reduce or eliminate dividends, which may also cause their stock prices to decline. |
■ | Management Risk — The Fund may not fully replicate the Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in the Underlying Index. As a result, the Fund is subject to the risk that BlackRock’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may not produce the intended results. |
■ | 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. |
■ | Passive Investment Risk — Because BlackRock does not select individual companies in the index that the Fund tracks, the Fund may hold securities of companies that present risks that an investment adviser researching individual securities might seek to avoid. |
■ | Producer Durables Industry Group Risk — The producer durables industry group includes companies involved in the design, manufacture or distribution of industrial durables such as electrical equipment and components, industrial products, and housing and telecommunications equipment. These companies may be affected by changes in domestic and international economies and politics, consolidation, and excess capacity. Companies in the producer durables industry group face intense competition, which may have an adverse effect on their profitability. The success of companies in the producer durables industry group may be strongly affected by changes in consumer demands, spending, tastes and preferences. Companies in the producer durables industry group may be dependent on outside financing, which may be difficult to obtain. Producer durables companies may be unable to protect their intellectual property rights or may be liable for infringing the intellectual property rights of others. In addition, these companies may be significantly affected by other factors such as economic cycles, rapid technological obsolescence, government regulations, labor relations, delays in modernization, overall capital spending levels and product liability lawsuits. |
■ | Small and Mid-Capitalization Company Risk — Companies with small or mid-size market capitalizations will normally have more limited product lines, markets and financial resources and will be dependent upon a more limited management group than larger capitalized companies. In addition, it is more difficult to get information on smaller companies, which tend to be less well known, have shorter operating histories, do not have significant ownership by large investors and are followed by relatively few securities analysts. |
■ | Borrowing Risk — Borrowing may exaggerate changes in the net asset value of Fund shares and in the return on the Fund’s portfolio. Borrowing will cost the Fund interest expense and other fees. The costs of borrowing may reduce the Fund’s return. Borrowing may cause the Fund to liquidate positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations. |
■ | Cyber Security Risk — Failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Fund’s adviser, distributor, and other service providers, or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund’s business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. While the Fund has established business continuity plans and risk management systems seeking to address system breaches or failures, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems. Furthermore, the Fund cannot control the cyber security plans and systems of the Fund’s service providers or issuers of securities in which the Fund invests. |
■ | Derivatives Risk — The Fund’s use of derivatives may increase its costs, reduce the Fund’s returns and/or increase volatility. Derivatives involve significant risks, including: |
Volatility Risk — The Fund’s use of derivatives may reduce the Fund’s returns and/or increase volatility. Volatility is defined as the characteristic of a security, an index or a market to fluctuate significantly in price within a short time period. A risk of the Fund’s use of derivatives is that the fluctuations in their values may not correlate with the overall securities markets. | |
Counterparty Risk — Derivatives are also subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party in the transaction will not fulfill its contractual obligation. |
Market and Illiquidity Risk — Some derivatives are more sensitive to interest rate changes and market price fluctuations than other securities. The possible lack of a liquid secondary market for derivatives and the resulting inability of the Fund to sell or otherwise close a derivatives position could expose the Fund to losses and could make derivatives more difficult for the Fund to value accurately. The Fund could also suffer losses related to its derivatives positions as a result of unanticipated market movements, which losses are potentially unlimited. Finally, |
BlackRock may not be able to predict correctly the direction of securities prices, interest rates and other economic factors, which could cause the Fund’s derivatives positions to lose value. | |
Valuation Risk — Valuation may be more difficult in times of market turmoil since many investors and market makers may be reluctant to purchase complex instruments or quote prices for them. Derivatives may also expose the Fund to greater risk and increase its costs. Certain transactions in derivatives involve substantial leverage risk and may expose the Fund to potential losses that exceed the amount originally invested by the Fund. | |
Hedging Risk — When a derivative is used as a hedge against a position that the Fund holds, any loss generated by the derivative generally should be substantially offset by gains on the hedged investment, and vice versa. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains. Hedges are sometimes subject to imperfect matching between the derivative and the underlying security, and there can be no assurance that the Fund’s hedging transactions will be effective. The use of hedging may result in certain adverse tax consequences noted below. | |
Tax Risk — The federal income tax treatment of a derivative may not be as favorable as a direct investment in an underlying asset and may adversely affect the timing, character and amount of income the Fund realizes from its investments. As a result, a larger portion of the Fund’s distributions may be treated as ordinary income rather than capital gains. In addition, certain derivatives are subject to mark-to-market or straddle provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. If such provisions are applicable, there could be an increase (or decrease) in the amount of taxable dividends paid by the Fund. In addition, the tax treatment of certain derivatives, such as swaps, is unsettled and may be subject to future legislation, regulation or administrative pronouncements issued by the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”). |
Regulatory Risk — Derivative contracts, including, without limitation, swaps, currency forwards and non-deliverable forwards, are subject to regulation under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) in the United States and under comparable regimes in Europe, Asia and other non-U.S. jurisdictions. Under the Dodd-Frank Act, certain derivatives are subject to margin requirements and swap dealers are required to collect margin from the Fund with respect to such derivatives. Specifically, regulations are now in effect that require swap dealers to post and collect variation margin (comprised of specified liquid instruments and subject to a required haircut) in connection with trading of over-the-counter (“OTC”) swaps with the Fund. Shares of investment companies (other than certain money market funds) may not be posted as collateral under these regulations. Requirements for posting of initial margin in connection with OTC swaps will be phased-in through 2020. In addition, regulations adopted by global prudential regulators that are now in effect require certain bank-regulated counterparties and certain of their affiliates to include in certain financial contracts, including many derivatives contracts, terms that delay or restrict the rights of counterparties, such as the Fund, to terminate such contracts, foreclose upon collateral, exercise other default rights or restrict transfers of credit support in the event that the counterparty and/or its affiliates are subject to certain types of resolution or insolvency proceedings. The implementation of these requirements with respect to derivatives, as well as regulations under the Dodd-Frank Act regarding clearing, mandatory trading and margining of other derivatives, may increase the costs and risks to the Fund of trading in these instruments and, as a result, may affect returns to investors in the Fund. |
Future regulatory
developments may impact the Fund’s ability to invest or remain invested in certain derivatives. Legislation or regulation may also change the way in which the Fund itself is regulated. BlackRock cannot predict the effects of any new
governmental regulation that may be implemented on the ability of the Fund to use swaps or any other financial derivative product, and there can be no assurance that any new governmental regulation will not adversely affect the Fund’s ability
to achieve its investment objective.
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Risks Specific to Certain Derivatives Used by the Fund |
■ | 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. |
■ | Healthcare Sector Risk — The profitability of companies in the healthcare sector may be adversely affected by the following factors, among others: extensive government regulations, restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure, an increased emphasis on outpatient services, a limited number of products, industry innovation, changes in technologies and other market developments. A number of issuers in the healthcare sector have recently merged or otherwise experienced consolidation. The effects of this trend toward consolidation are unknown and may be far-reaching. Many healthcare companies are heavily dependent on patent protection. The expiration of a company’s patents may adversely affect that company’s profitability. Many healthcare companies are subject to extensive litigation based on product liability and similar claims. Healthcare companies are subject to competitive forces that may make it difficult to raise prices and, in fact, may result in price discounting. Many new products in the healthcare sector may be subject to regulatory approvals. The process of obtaining such approvals may be long and costly, and such efforts ultimately may be unsuccessful. Companies in the healthcare sector may be thinly capitalized and may be susceptible to product obsolescence. In addition, a number of legislative proposals concerning healthcare have been considered by the U.S. Congress in recent years. It is unclear what proposals will ultimately be enacted, if any, and what effect they may have on companies in the healthcare sector. |
■ | Illiquid Investments Risk — The Fund’s illiquid investments may reduce the returns of the Fund because it may be difficult to sell the illiquid investments at an advantageous time or price. An investment may be illiquid due to, among other things, the lack of an active trading market. To the extent that the Fund’s principal investment strategies involve derivatives or securities with substantial market and/or credit risk, the Fund will tend to have the greatest exposure to the risks associated with illiquid investments. Liquid investments may become illiquid after purchase by the Fund, particularly during periods of market turmoil. Illiquid investments may be harder to value, especially in changing markets, and if the Fund is forced to sell these investments to meet redemption requests or for other cash needs, the Fund may suffer a loss. In addition, when there is illiquidity in the market for certain securities, the Fund, due to limitations on illiquid investments, may be subject to purchase and sale restrictions. |
■ | 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 extent the Fund is held by an affiliated fund, the ability of the Fund itself to hold other investment companies may be limited. |
■ | Leverage Risk — Some transactions may give rise to a form of economic leverage. These transactions may include, among others, derivatives, and may expose the Fund to greater risk and increase its costs. As an open-end investment company registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), the Fund is subject to the federal securities laws, including the Investment Company Act, the rules thereunder, and various SEC and SEC staff interpretive positions. In accordance with these laws, rules and positions, the Fund must “set aside” liquid assets (often referred to as “asset segregation”), or engage in other SEC- or staff-approved measures, to “cover” open positions with respect to certain kinds of instruments. The use of leverage may cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations or to meet any required asset segregation requirements. Increases and decreases in the value of the Fund’s portfolio will be magnified when the Fund uses leverage. |
■ | “New Issues” Risk — “New issues” are initial public offerings (“IPOs”) of equity securities. Investments in companies that have recently gone public have the potential to produce substantial gains for the Fund. However, there is no assurance that the Fund will have access to profitable IPOs and therefore investors should not rely on these past gains as an indication of future performance. The investment performance of the Fund during periods when it is unable to invest significantly or at all in IPOs may be lower than during periods when the Fund is able to do so. In addition, as the Fund increases in size, the impact of IPOs on the Fund’s performance will generally decrease. Securities issued in IPOs are subject to many of the same risks as investing in companies with smaller |
■ | Securities Lending Risk — Securities lending involves the risk that the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. As a result, the Fund may lose money and there may be a delay in recovering the loaned securities. The Fund could also lose money if it does not recover the securities and/or the value of the collateral falls, including the value of investments made with cash collateral. These events could trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund. |
■ | Technology Sector Risk — Technology companies, including information technology companies, face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, which may have an adverse effect on a company’s profit margins. Technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. The products of technology companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments, frequent new product introduction, unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. Companies in the technology sector are heavily dependent on patent and other intellectual property rights. A technology company’s loss or impairment of these rights may adversely affect the company’s profitability. |
■ | Valuation Risk — The price the Fund could receive upon the sale of any particular portfolio investment may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the investment, particularly for securities that trade in thin or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair valuation methodology or a price provided by an independent pricing service. As a result, the price received upon the sale of an investment may be less than the value ascribed by the Fund, and the Fund could realize a greater than expected loss or lesser than expected gain upon the sale of the investment. Pricing services that value fixed-income securities generally utilize a range of market-based and security-specific inputs and assumptions, as well as considerations about general market conditions, to establish a price. Pricing services generally value fixed-income securities assuming orderly transactions of an institutional round lot size, but may be held or transactions may be conducted in such securities in smaller, odd lot sizes. Odd lots may trade at lower prices than institutional round lots. The Fund’s ability to value its investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers. |
Investor A Shares | Institutional Shares | |
Availability | Generally available through Financial Intermediaries. |
Limited
to certain investors, including:
|
Investor A Shares | Institutional Shares | |
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. |
There
is no investment minimum for:
• Employer-sponsored retirement plans (not including SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs or SARSEPs), state sponsored 529 college savings plans, collective trust funds, investment companies or other pooled investment vehicles, unaffiliated thrifts and unaffiliated banks and trust companies. • 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. • Clients of Financial Intermediaries that: (i) charge such clients 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. • Clients investing through Financial Intermediaries that offer such shares on a platform that charges a transaction based sales commission outside of the Fund. • Tax-qualified accounts for insurance agents that are registered representatives of an insurance company’s broker-dealer that has entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer Institutional Shares, and the family members of such persons. |
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. |
Deferred Sales Charge? | No. | No. |
Distribution
and Service
(12b-1) Fees? |
No
Distribution Fee.
0.25% Annual Service Fee. |
No. |
Redemption Fees? | No. | No. |
Conversion to Investor A Shares? | N/A | No. |
Advantage | Generally available. | No annual service fee. |
Disadvantage | Annual service fee. | Limited availability. |
1 | Please see “Details About the Share Classes” for more information about each share class. |
■ | Individuals and “Institutional Investors” 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; |
■ | Clients of Financial Intermediaries that: (i) charge such clients 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), state sponsored 529 college savings plans, collective trust funds, investment companies or other pooled investment vehicles, unaffiliated thrifts and unaffiliated banks and trust companies, 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; |
■ | Employees, officers and directors/trustees of BlackRock, Inc., mutual funds sponsored and advised by BlackRock or its affiliates (“BlackRock Funds”), 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, who are not subject to any minimum initial investment; and |
■ | Tax-qualified accounts for insurance agents that are registered representatives of an insurance company’s broker-dealer that has entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer Institutional Shares, and the family members of such persons. |
i. | The current value of an investor’s existing Investor A and A1, Investor C, C1, C2 and C3, Investor P, Institutional, Class K and Premier Shares in most BlackRock Funds, |
ii. | The current value of an investor’s existing shares of certain unlisted closed-end management investment companies sponsored and advised by BlackRock or its affiliates and |
iii. | The investment in the BlackRock CollegeAdvantage 529 Program by the investor or by or on behalf of the investor’s spouse and children. |
■ | Answering customer inquiries regarding account status and history, the manner in which purchases, exchanges and redemptions or repurchases of shares may be effected and certain other matters pertaining to the customers’ investments; |
■ | Assisting customers in designating and changing dividend options, account designations and addresses; and |
■ | Providing other similar shareholder liaison services. |
Your Choices | Important Information for You to Know | |
Add to Your Investment (continued) | 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.
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) 441-7762 or contact your Financial Intermediary (if your account is not held directly with BlackRock). | |
Participate in the 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.
|
|
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 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on the first business day for both Investor A and
Institutional Shares following BlackRock’s receipt of the order. 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.
|
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 or Institutional Shares. The price of your shares is based on the next calculation of the Fund’s net asset
value after your order is placed. For your redemption request to be priced at the net asset value 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 NYSE
(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 net asset value at the close of business on the
next business day.
|
Selling shares held directly with BlackRock |
Methods
of Redeeming
|
Your Choices | Important Information for You to Know | |
Full or Partial Redemption of Shares (continued) | Selling shares held directly with BlackRock (continued) |
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.
|
Your Choices | Important Information for You to Know | |
Full or Partial Redemption of Shares (continued) | Selling shares held directly with BlackRock (continued) |
open
for business.
***
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. |
Redemption Proceeds |
Under
normal circumstances, the Fund expects to meet redemption requests by using cash or cash equivalents in its portfolio or by selling portfolio assets to generate cash. During periods of stressed market conditions, when a significant portion of the
Fund’s portfolio may be comprised of less-liquid investments, the Fund may be more likely to limit cash redemptions and may determine to pay redemption proceeds by (i) borrowing under a line of credit it has entered into with a group of
lenders, (ii) borrowing from another BlackRock Fund pursuant to an interfund lending program, to the extent permitted by the Fund’s investment policies and restrictions as set forth in the SAI, and/or (iii) transferring portfolio securities
in-kind to you. The SAI includes more information about the Fund’s line of credit and interfund lending program, to the extent applicable.
|
Your Choices | Important Information for You to Know | |
Exchange Privilege | Selling shares of one BlackRock Fund to purchase shares of another BlackRock Fund (“exchanging”) |
Investor
or Institutional Shares of the Fund are generally exchangeable for shares of the same class of another BlackRock Fund, to the extent such shares are offered by your Financial Intermediary.
|
Your Choices | Important Information for You to Know | |
Exchange Privilege (continued) | Selling shares of one BlackRock Fund to purchase shares of another BlackRock Fund (“exchanging”) (continued) |
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.
|
Transfer Shares to Another Financial Intermediary | Transfer to a participating Financial Intermediary |
You
may transfer your shares of the Fund only to another Financial Intermediary 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.
|
Transfer to a non-participating Financial Intermediary |
You
must either:
• Transfer your shares to an account with the Fund; or • Sell your shares. |
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. |
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. If investing in another BlackRock Fund, the receiving fund must be open to new purchases. |
EZ Trader | Allows an investor to purchase or sell Investor A 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.)
|
■ | Suspend the right of redemption if trading is halted or restricted on the NYSE 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 NYSE 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. |
Contractual
Caps1 on
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2 (excluding Dividend Expense, Interest Expense, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and certain other Fund expenses) |
Total
Annual Fund
Operating Expenses2 after giving effect to all applicable expense limitation provisions (excluding Dividend Expense, Interest Expense, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and certain other Fund expenses) |
|
Investor A Shares | 0.37% | 0.35% |
Institutional Shares | 0.12% | 0.12% |
1 | The contractual caps are in effect through November 30, 2020. 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. |
Portfolio Manager | Primary Role | Since | Title and Recent Biography |
Alan Mason | Jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio, including setting the Fund’s overall investment strategy and overseeing the management of the Fund. | 2015 | Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2009; Managing Director of Barclays Global Investors (“BGI”) from 2008 to 2009; Principal of BGI from 1996 to 2008. |
Greg Savage, CFA | Jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio, including setting the Fund’s overall investment strategy and overseeing the management of the Fund. | 2015 | Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2010; Director of BlackRock, Inc. in 2009; Principal of BGI from 2007 to 2009; Associate of BGI from 1999 to 2007. |
Jennifer Hsui, CFA | Jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio, including setting the Fund’s overall investment strategy and overseeing the management of the Fund. | 2016 | Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2011; Director of BlackRock, Inc. from 2009 to 2011; Principal of BGI from 2006 to 2009. |
Amy Whitelaw | Jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio, including setting the Fund’s overall investment strategy and overseeing the management of the Fund. | 2019 | Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2013; Director of BlackRock, Inc. from 2009 to 2012; Principal of BGI from 2000 to 2009. |
Rachel Aguirre | Jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio, including setting the Fund’s overall investment strategy and overseeing the management of the Fund. | 2016 | Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2018; Director of BlackRock, Inc. from 2012 to 2017; Vice President of BlackRock, Inc. from 2009 to 2011; Principal and Portfolio Manager of BGI from 2005 to 2009. |
Institutional | ||||
Year Ended July 31, |
Period
from
08/13/15(a) to 07/31/16 |
|||
(For a share outstanding throughout each period) | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
Net asset value, beginning of period | $ 13.20 | $ 11.58 | $10.22 | $ 10.00 |
Net investment income(b) | 0.18 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.14 |
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | (0.16) | 1.82 | 1.38 | 0.19 |
Net increase (decrease) from investment operations | 0.02 | 1.97 | 1.53 | 0.33 |
Distributions (c) | ||||
From net investment income | (0.20) | (0.17) | (0.15) | (0.11) |
From net realized gain | (0.30) | (0.18) | (0.02) | (0.00) (d) |
Total distributions | (0.50) | (0.35) | (0.17) | (0.11) |
Net asset value, end of period | $ 12.72 | $ 13.20 | $11.58 | $ 10.22 |
Total Return(e) | ||||
Based on net asset value | 0.58% | 17.27% (f) | 15.02% | 3.44% (g) |
Ratios to Average Net Assets | ||||
Total expenses | 0.24% | 0.28% | 0.74% (h) | 1.60% (h)(i)(j) |
Total expenses excluding recoupment of past fees waived and/or reimbursed | 0.24% | 0.28% | 0.74% (h) | 1.60% (h)(i)(j) |
Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed | 0.12% | 0.12% | 0.11% (h) | 0.12% (h)(i) |
Net investment income | 1.48% | 1.21% | 1.31% (h) | 1.50% (h)(i) |
Supplemental Data | ||||
Net assets, end of period (000) | $12,239 | $ 14,431 | $3,939 | $ 78 |
Portfolio turnover rate | 27% | 54% | 48% | 17% |
(a) | Commencement of operations. |
(b) | Based on average shares outstanding. |
(c) | Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations. |
(d) | Amount is greater than $(0.005) per share. |
(e) | Where applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions. |
(f) | Includes payment received from an affiliate, which had no impact on the Fund’s total return. |
(g) | Aggregate total return. |
(h) | Excludes 0.01% of expenses incurred indirectly as a result of investments in underlying funds. |
(i) | Annualized. |
(j) | Audit, offering and organization costs were not annualized in the calculation of the expense ratio. If these expenses were annualized, the total expenses would have been 1.63%. |
Investor A | ||||
Year Ended July 31, |
Period
from
08/13/15(a) to 07/31/16 |
|||
(For a share outstanding throughout each period) | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
Net asset value, beginning of period | $ 13.18 | $ 11.56 | $ 10.21 | $ 10.00 |
Net investment income(b) | 0.15 | 0.14 | 0.13 | 0.08 |
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | (0.16) | 1.80 | 1.37 | 0.23 |
Net increase (decrease) from investment operations | (0.01) | 1.94 | 1.50 | 0.31 |
Distributions (c) | ||||
From net investment income | (0.17) | (0.14) | (0.13) | (0.10) |
From net realized gain | (0.30) | (0.18) | (0.02) | (0.00) (d) |
Total distributions | (0.47) | (0.32) | (0.15) | (0.10) |
Net asset value, end of period | $ 12.70 | $ 13.18 | $ 11.56 | $ 10.21 |
Total Return(e) | ||||
Based on net asset value | 0.35% | 17.03% (f) | 14.71% | 3.24% (g) |
Ratios to Average Net Assets | ||||
Total expenses | 0.45% | 0.51% | 0.74% (h) | 1.17% (h)(i)(j) |
Total expenses excluding recoupment of past fees waived and/or reimbursed | 0.45% | 0.51% | 0.74% (h) | 1.17% (h)(i)(j) |
Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed | 0.35% | 0.35% | 0.33% (h) | 0.35% (h)(i) |
Net investment income | 1.25% | 1.10% | 1.22% (h) | 0.79% (h)(i) |
Supplemental Data | ||||
Net assets, end of period (000) | $30,250 | $ 25,073 | $21,358 | $ 5,713 |
Portfolio turnover rate | 27% | 54% | 48% | 17% |
(a) | Commencement of operations. |
(b) | Based on average shares outstanding. |
(c) | Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations. |
(d) | Amount is greater than $(0.005) per share. |
(e) | Where applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions. |
(f) | Includes payment received from an affiliate, which had no impact on the Fund’s total return. |
(g) | Aggregate total return. |
(h) | Excludes 0.01% of expenses incurred indirectly as a result of investments in underlying funds. |
(i) | Annualized. |
(j) | Audit, offering and organization costs were not annualized in the calculation of the expense ratio. If these expenses were annualized, the total expenses would have been 1.18%. |
■ | Access the BlackRock website at http://www.blackrock.com/edelivery; and |
■ | Log into your account. |
Prospectus |
• | iShares Russell Small/Mid-Cap Index Fund |
Class K: BSMKX |
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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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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6 | |
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6 | |
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7 |
Details About the Fund | Information about how the Fund invests, including investment objective, investment process, principal strategies and risk factors | |
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8 | |
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9 |
Account Information | Information about account services, sales charges and waivers, shareholder transactions, and distribution and other payments | |
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15 | |
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16 | |
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21 | |
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21 |
Management of the Fund | Information about BlackRock and the Portfolio Managers | |
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23 | |
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24 | |
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25 | |
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26 | |
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27 |
Financial Highlights |
Financial Performance of the
Fund
|
29 |
General Information |
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30 |
|
30 | |
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31 |
Glossary |
Glossary of Investment
Terms
|
32 |
For More Information |
|
Inside Back Cover |
|
Back Cover |
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
Class
K
Shares |
Management Fee1 | 0.03% |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees | None |
Other Expenses | 0.14% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 0.17% |
Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements1,2 | (0.10%) |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements1,2 | 0.07% |
1 | As described in the “Management of the Fund” section of the Fund’s prospectus beginning on page 23, BlackRock Advisors, LLC (“BlackRock”) has contractually agreed to waive the management fee with respect to any portion of the Fund’s assets estimated to be attributable to investments in other equity and fixed-income mutual funds and exchange-traded funds managed by BlackRock or its affiliates that have a contractual management fee, through November 30, 2020. In addition, BlackRock has contractually agreed to waive its management fees by the amount of investment advisory fees the Fund pays to BlackRock indirectly through its investment in money market funds managed by BlackRock or its affiliates, through November 30, 2020. The contractual agreements 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 described in the “Management of the Fund” section of the Fund’s prospectus beginning on page 23, 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) to 0.07% of average daily net assets through November 30, 2020. The Fund may have to repay some of these waivers and/or reimbursements to BlackRock in the following two years, and such repayment arrangement will terminate on August 13, 2022. 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. |
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Class K Shares | $7 | $45 | $86 | $207 |
■ | Asset Class Risk — Securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or in the Fund’s portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general financial markets, a particular financial market or other asset classes. |
■ | Concentration Risk — The Fund reserves the right to concentrate its investments (i.e., invest 25% or more of its total assets in securities of issuers in a particular industry) to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in a particular industry. To the extent the Fund concentrates in a particular industry, it may be more susceptible to economic conditions and risks affecting that industry. |
■ | Consumer Discretionary Sector Risk — The consumer discretionary sector may be affected by changes in domestic and international economies, exchange and interest rates, competition, consumers’ disposable income, consumer preferences, social trends and marketing campaigns. |
■ | Equity Securities Risk — Stock markets are volatile. The price of equity securities fluctuates based on changes in a company’s financial condition and overall market and economic conditions. |
■ | Financials Sector Risk — Performance of companies in the financials sector may be adversely impacted by many factors, including, among others, changes in government regulations, economic conditions, and interest rates, credit rating downgrades, and decreased liquidity in credit markets. The extent to which the Fund may invest in a company that engages in securities-related activities or banking is limited by applicable law. The impact of changes in capital requirements and recent or future regulation of any individual financial company, or of the financials sector as a whole, cannot be predicted. In recent years, cyber-attacks and technology malfunctions and failures have become increasingly frequent in this sector and have caused significant losses to companies in this sector, which may negatively impact the Fund. |
■ | Index Fund Risk — An index fund has operating and other expenses while an index does not. As a result, while the Fund will attempt to track the Underlying Index as closely as possible, it will tend to underperform the Underlying Index to some degree over time. If an index fund is properly correlated to its stated index, the fund will perform poorly when the index performs poorly. |
■ | Index-Related Risk — There is no guarantee that the Fund’s investment results will have a high degree of correlation to those of the Underlying Index or that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Errors in index data, index computations or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the index provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders. |
■ | Issuer Risk — Fund performance depends on the performance of individual securities to which the Fund has exposure. Changes in the financial condition or credit rating of an issuer of those securities may cause the value of the securities to decline. |
■ | Management Risk — As the Fund may not fully replicate the Underlying Index, it is subject to the risk that BlackRock’s investment strategy may not produce the intended results. |
■ | 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. |
■ | Passive Investment Risk — Because BlackRock does not select individual companies in the index that the Fund tracks, the Fund may hold securities of companies that present risks that an investment adviser researching individual securities might seek to avoid. |
■ | Producer Durables Industry Group Risk — The producer durables industry group includes companies involved in the design, manufacture or distribution of industrial durables such as electrical equipment and components, industrial products, and housing and telecommunications equipment. These companies may be affected by changes in domestic and international economies and politics, consolidation, excess capacity, and consumer demands, spending, tastes and preferences. |
■ | Small and Mid-Capitalization Company Risk — Companies with small or mid-size market capitalizations will normally have more limited product lines, markets and financial resources and will be dependent upon a more limited management group than larger capitalized companies. In addition, it is more difficult to get information on smaller companies, which tend to be less well known, have shorter operating histories, do not have significant ownership by large investors and are followed by relatively few securities analysts. |
As
of 12/31/18
Average Annual Total Returns |
1 Year |
Since
Inception
(August 13, 2015) |
iShares Russell Small/Mid-Cap Index Fund — Class K Shares | ||
Return Before Taxes | (10.14)% | 4.68% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions | (11.18)% | 3.80% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | (5.52)% | 3.41% |
Russell 2500™ Index (Reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | (10.00)% | 4.63% |
Name | Portfolio Manager of the Fund Since | Title |
Alan Mason | 2015 | Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. |
Greg Savage, CFA | 2015 | Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. |
Jennifer Hsui, CFA | 2016 | Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. |
Amy Whitelaw | 2019 | Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. |
Rachel Aguirre | 2016 | Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. |
■ | Borrowing — The Fund may borrow up to the limits set forth under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), the rules and regulations thereunder and any applicable exemptive relief. |
■ | Derivatives — The Fund may invest in derivative instruments, including futures and swap contracts. Derivatives allow the Fund to increase or decrease its exposure to the Underlying Index quickly and at less cost than buying or selling stocks. The Fund will invest in derivative instruments in order to gain market exposure quickly in the event of |
subscriptions, to maintain liquidity in the event of redemptions and to keep trading costs low. The Fund may use derivatives for hedging purposes, including anticipatory hedges, and to seek to enhance returns. |
■ | Illiquid Investments — The Fund may invest up to an aggregate amount of 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments. An illiquid investment is any investment that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. |
■ | Investment Companies — The Fund has the ability to invest in other investment companies, such as exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), unit investment trusts, and open-end and closed-end funds. The Fund may invest in affiliated investment companies, including affiliated money market funds and affiliated ETFs. |
■ | Securities Lending — The Fund may lend securities with a value up to 33 1⁄3% of its total assets to financial institutions that provide cash or securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government as collateral. |
■ | Asset Class Risk — The securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or in the Fund’s portfolio may underperform in comparison to other securities or indexes that track other countries, groups of countries, regions, industries, groups of industries, markets, asset classes or sectors. Various types of securities, currencies and indexes may experience cycles of outperformance and underperformance in comparison to the general financial markets depending upon a number of factors including, among other things, inflation, interest rates, productivity, global demand for local products or resources, and regulation and governmental controls. This may cause the Fund to underperform other investment vehicles that invest in different asset classes. |
■ | Concentration Risk — The Fund reserves the right to concentrate its investments (i.e., invest 25% or more of its total assets in securities of issuers in a particular industry) to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in a particular industry. To the extent the Fund concentrates in a particular industry, it may be more susceptible to economic conditions and risks affecting that industry. |
■ | Consumer Discretionary Sector Risk — The success of consumer product manufacturers and retailers is tied closely to the performance of domestic and international economies, interest rates, exchange rates, competition, consumer confidence, changes in demographics and consumer preferences. Companies in the consumer discretionary sector depend heavily on disposable household income and consumer spending, and may be strongly affected by social trends and marketing campaigns. These companies may be subject to severe competition, which may have an adverse impact on their profitability. |
■ | Equity Securities Risk — Common and preferred stocks represent equity ownership in a company. Stock markets are volatile. The price of equity securities will fluctuate and can decline and reduce the value of a portfolio investing in equities. The value of equity securities purchased by the Fund could decline if the financial condition of the companies the Fund invests in declines or if overall market and economic conditions deteriorate. The value of equity securities may also decline due to factors that affect a particular industry or industries, such as labor shortages or an increase in production costs and competitive conditions within an industry. In addition, the value may decline due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a company or industry, such as real or |
perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates or generally adverse investor sentiment. |
■ | Financials Sector Risk — Companies in the financials sector of an economy are subject to extensive governmental regulation and intervention, which may adversely affect the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge, the amount of capital they must maintain and, potentially, their size. The extent to which the Fund may invest in a company that engages in securities-related activities or banking is limited by applicable law. Governmental regulation may change frequently and may have significant adverse consequences for companies in the financials sector, including effects not intended by such regulation. Recently enacted legislation in the United States has relaxed capital requirements and other regulatory burdens on certain U.S. banks. While the effect of the legislation may benefit certain companies in the financials sector, increased risk taking by affected banks may also result in greater overall risk in the United States and global financials sector. The impact of changes in capital requirements, or recent or future regulation in various countries, on any individual financial company or on the financials sector as a whole cannot be predicted. Certain risks may impact the value of investments in the financials sector more severely than those of investments outside this sector, including the risks associated with companies that operate with substantial financial leverage. Companies in the financials sector may also be adversely affected by increases in interest rates and loan losses, decreases in the availability of money or asset valuations, credit rating downgrades and adverse conditions in other related markets. Insurance companies, in particular, may be subject to severe price competition and/or rate regulation, which may have an adverse impact on their profitability. The financials sector is particularly sensitive to fluctuations in interest rates. The financials sector is also a target for cyber-attacks, and may experience technology malfunctions and disruptions. In recent years, cyber-attacks and technology malfunctions and failures have become increasingly frequent in this sector and have reportedly caused losses to companies in this sector, which may negatively impact the Fund. |
■ | Index Fund Risk — An index fund has operating and other expenses while an index does not. As a result, while the Fund will attempt to track the Underlying Index as closely as possible, it will tend to underperform the Underlying Index to some degree over time. If an index fund is properly correlated to its stated index, the fund will perform poorly when the index performs poorly. |
■ | Index-Related Risk — The Fund seeks to achieve a return that corresponds generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Underlying Index as published by the Index Provider. There is no assurance that the Index Provider or any agents that may act on its behalf will compile the Underlying Index accurately, or that the Underlying Index will be determined, composed or calculated accurately. While the Index Provider provides descriptions of what the Underlying Index is designed to achieve, neither the Index Provider nor its agents provide any warranty or accept any liability in relation to the quality, accuracy or completeness of the Underlying Index or its related data, and they do not guarantee that the Underlying Index will be in line with the Index Provider’s methodology. BlackRock’s mandate as described in this prospectus is to manage the Fund consistently with the Underlying Index provided by the Index Provider to BlackRock. BlackRock does not provide any warranty or guarantee against the Index Provider’s or any agent’s errors. Errors in respect of the quality, accuracy and completeness of the data used to compile the Underlying Index may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, particularly where the indices are less commonly used as benchmarks by funds or managers. Such errors may negatively or positively impact the Fund and its shareholders. For example, during a period where the Underlying Index contains incorrect constituents, the Fund would have market exposure to such constituents and would be underexposed to the Underlying Index’s other constituents. Shareholders should understand that any gains from Index Provider errors will be kept by the Fund and its shareholders and any losses or costs resulting from Index Provider errors will be borne by the Fund and its shareholders. |
Apart from scheduled rebalances, the Index Provider or its agents may carry out additional ad hoc rebalances to the Underlying Index in order, for example, to correct an error in the selection of index constituents. When the Underlying Index is rebalanced and the Fund in turn rebalances its portfolio to attempt to increase the correlation between the Fund’s portfolio and the Underlying Index, any transaction costs and market exposure arising from such portfolio rebalancing will be borne directly by the Fund and its shareholders. Therefore, errors and additional ad hoc rebalances carried out by the Index Provider or its agents to the Underlying Index may increase the costs to and the tracking error risk of the Fund. |
■ | Issuer Risk — The performance of the Fund depends on the performance of individual securities to which the Fund has exposure. Any issuer of these securities may perform poorly, causing the value of its securities to decline. Poor performance may be caused by poor management decisions, competitive pressures, changes in technology, expiration of patent protection, disruptions in supply, labor problems or shortages, corporate restructurings, fraudulent disclosures, credit deterioration of the issuer or other factors. Issuers may, in times of distress or at their own discretion, decide to reduce or eliminate dividends, which may also cause their stock prices to decline. |
■ | Management Risk — The Fund may not fully replicate the Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in the Underlying Index. As a result, the Fund is subject to the risk that BlackRock’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may not produce the intended results. |
■ | 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. |
■ | Passive Investment Risk — Because BlackRock does not select individual companies in the index that the Fund tracks, the Fund may hold securities of companies that present risks that an investment adviser researching individual securities might seek to avoid. |
■ | Producer Durables Industry Group Risk — The producer durables industry group includes companies involved in the design, manufacture or distribution of industrial durables such as electrical equipment and components, industrial products, and housing and telecommunications equipment. These companies may be affected by changes in domestic and international economies and politics, consolidation, and excess capacity. Companies in the producer durables industry group face intense competition, which may have an adverse effect on their profitability. The success of companies in the producer durables industry group may be strongly affected by changes in consumer demands, spending, tastes and preferences. Companies in the producer durables industry group may be dependent on outside financing, which may be difficult to obtain. Producer durables companies may be unable to protect their intellectual property rights or may be liable for infringing the intellectual property rights of others. In addition, these companies may be significantly affected by other factors such as economic cycles, rapid technological obsolescence, government regulations, labor relations, delays in modernization, overall capital spending levels and product liability lawsuits. |
■ | Small and Mid-Capitalization Company Risk — Companies with small or mid-size market capitalizations will normally have more limited product lines, markets and financial resources and will be dependent upon a more limited management group than larger capitalized companies. In addition, it is more difficult to get information on smaller companies, which tend to be less well known, have shorter operating histories, do not have significant ownership by large investors and are followed by relatively few securities analysts. |
■ | Borrowing Risk — Borrowing may exaggerate changes in the net asset value of Fund shares and in the return on the Fund’s portfolio. Borrowing will cost the Fund interest expense and other fees. The costs of borrowing may reduce the Fund’s return. Borrowing may cause the Fund to liquidate positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations. |
■ | Cyber Security Risk — Failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Fund’s adviser, distributor, and other service providers, or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund’s business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. While the Fund has established business continuity plans and risk management systems seeking to address system breaches or failures, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems. Furthermore, the Fund cannot control the cyber security plans and systems of the Fund’s service providers or issuers of securities in which the Fund invests. |
■ | Derivatives Risk — The Fund’s use of derivatives may increase its costs, reduce the Fund’s returns and/or increase volatility. Derivatives involve significant risks, including: |
Volatility Risk — The Fund’s use of derivatives may reduce the Fund’s returns and/or increase volatility. Volatility is defined as the characteristic of a security, an index or a market to fluctuate significantly in price within a short time period. A risk of the Fund’s use of derivatives is that the fluctuations in their values may not correlate with the overall securities markets. | |
Counterparty Risk — Derivatives are also subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party in the transaction will not fulfill its contractual obligation. |
Market and Illiquidity Risk — Some derivatives are more sensitive to interest rate changes and market price fluctuations than other securities. The possible lack of a liquid secondary market for derivatives and the resulting inability of the Fund to sell or otherwise close a derivatives position could expose the Fund to losses and could make derivatives more difficult for the Fund to value accurately. The Fund could also suffer losses related to its derivatives positions as a result of unanticipated market movements, which losses are potentially unlimited. Finally, |
BlackRock may not be able to predict correctly the direction of securities prices, interest rates and other economic factors, which could cause the Fund’s derivatives positions to lose value. | |
Valuation Risk — Valuation may be more difficult in times of market turmoil since many investors and market makers may be reluctant to purchase complex instruments or quote prices for them. Derivatives may also expose the Fund to greater risk and increase its costs. Certain transactions in derivatives involve substantial leverage risk and may expose the Fund to potential losses that exceed the amount originally invested by the Fund. | |
Hedging Risk — When a derivative is used as a hedge against a position that the Fund holds, any loss generated by the derivative generally should be substantially offset by gains on the hedged investment, and vice versa. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains. Hedges are sometimes subject to imperfect matching between the derivative and the underlying security, and there can be no assurance that the Fund’s hedging transactions will be effective. The use of hedging may result in certain adverse tax consequences noted below. | |
Tax Risk — The federal income tax treatment of a derivative may not be as favorable as a direct investment in an underlying asset and may adversely affect the timing, character and amount of income the Fund realizes from its investments. As a result, a larger portion of the Fund’s distributions may be treated as ordinary income rather than capital gains. In addition, certain derivatives are subject to mark-to-market or straddle provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”). If such provisions are applicable, there could be an increase (or decrease) in the amount of taxable dividends paid by the Fund. In addition, the tax treatment of certain derivatives, such as swaps, is unsettled and may be subject to future legislation, regulation or administrative pronouncements issued by the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”). |
Regulatory Risk — Derivative contracts, including, without limitation, swaps, currency forwards and non-deliverable forwards, are subject to regulation under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) in the United States and under comparable regimes in Europe, Asia and other non-U.S. jurisdictions. Under the Dodd-Frank Act, certain derivatives are subject to margin requirements and swap dealers are required to collect margin from the Fund with respect to such derivatives. Specifically, regulations are now in effect that require swap dealers to post and collect variation margin (comprised of specified liquid instruments and subject to a required haircut) in connection with trading of over-the-counter (“OTC”) swaps with the Fund. Shares of investment companies (other than certain money market funds) may not be posted as collateral under these regulations. Requirements for posting of initial margin in connection with OTC swaps will be phased-in through 2020. In addition, regulations adopted by global prudential regulators that are now in effect require certain bank-regulated counterparties and certain of their affiliates to include in certain financial contracts, including many derivatives contracts, terms that delay or restrict the rights of counterparties, such as the Fund, to terminate such contracts, foreclose upon collateral, exercise other default rights or restrict transfers of credit support in the event that the counterparty and/or its affiliates are subject to certain types of resolution or insolvency proceedings. The implementation of these requirements with respect to derivatives, as well as regulations under the Dodd-Frank Act regarding clearing, mandatory trading and margining of other derivatives, may increase the costs and risks to the Fund of trading in these instruments and, as a result, may affect returns to investors in the Fund. |
Future regulatory
developments may impact the Fund’s ability to invest or remain invested in certain derivatives. Legislation or regulation may also change the way in which the Fund itself is regulated. BlackRock cannot predict the effects of any new
governmental regulation that may be implemented on the ability of the Fund to use swaps or any other financial derivative product, and there can be no assurance that any new governmental regulation will not adversely affect the Fund’s ability
to achieve its investment objective.
|
|
Risks Specific to Certain Derivatives Used by the Fund |
■ | 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. |
■ | Healthcare Sector Risk — The profitability of companies in the healthcare sector may be adversely affected by the following factors, among others: extensive government regulations, restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure, an increased emphasis on outpatient services, a limited number of products, industry innovation, changes in technologies and other market developments. A number of issuers in the healthcare sector have recently merged or otherwise experienced consolidation. The effects of this trend toward consolidation are unknown and may be far-reaching. Many healthcare companies are heavily dependent on patent protection. The expiration of a company’s patents may adversely affect that company’s profitability. Many healthcare companies are subject to extensive litigation based on product liability and similar claims. Healthcare companies are subject to competitive forces that may make it difficult to raise prices and, in fact, may result in price discounting. Many new products in the healthcare sector may be subject to regulatory approvals. The process of obtaining such approvals may be long and costly, and such efforts ultimately may be unsuccessful. Companies in the healthcare sector may be thinly capitalized and may be susceptible to product obsolescence. In addition, a number of legislative proposals concerning healthcare have been considered by the U.S. Congress in recent years. It is unclear what proposals will ultimately be enacted, if any, and what effect they may have on companies in the healthcare sector. |
■ | Illiquid Investments Risk — The Fund’s illiquid investments may reduce the returns of the Fund because it may be difficult to sell the illiquid investments at an advantageous time or price. An investment may be illiquid due to, among other things, the lack of an active trading market. To the extent that the Fund’s principal investment strategies involve derivatives or securities with substantial market and/or credit risk, the Fund will tend to have the greatest exposure to the risks associated with illiquid investments. Liquid investments may become illiquid after purchase by the Fund, particularly during periods of market turmoil. Illiquid investments may be harder to value, especially in changing markets, and if the Fund is forced to sell these investments to meet redemption requests or for other cash needs, the Fund may suffer a loss. In addition, when there is illiquidity in the market for certain securities, the Fund, due to limitations on illiquid investments, may be subject to purchase and sale restrictions. |
■ | 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 extent the Fund is held by an affiliated fund, the ability of the Fund itself to hold other investment companies may be limited. |
■ | Leverage Risk — Some transactions may give rise to a form of economic leverage. These transactions may include, among others, derivatives, and may expose the Fund to greater risk and increase its costs. As an open-end investment company registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), the Fund is subject to the federal securities laws, including the Investment Company Act, the rules thereunder, and various SEC and SEC staff interpretive positions. In accordance with these laws, rules and positions, the Fund must “set aside” liquid assets (often referred to as “asset segregation”), or engage in other SEC- or staff-approved measures, to “cover” open positions with respect to certain kinds of instruments. The use of leverage may cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations or to meet any required asset segregation requirements. Increases and decreases in the value of the Fund’s portfolio will be magnified when the Fund uses leverage. |
■ | “New Issues” Risk — “New issues” are initial public offerings (“IPOs”) of equity securities. Investments in companies that have recently gone public have the potential to produce substantial gains for the Fund. However, there is no assurance that the Fund will have access to profitable IPOs and therefore investors should not rely on these past gains as an indication of future performance. The investment performance of the Fund during periods when it is unable to invest significantly or at all in IPOs may be lower than during periods when the Fund is able to do so. In addition, as the Fund increases in size, the impact of IPOs on the Fund’s performance will generally decrease. Securities issued in IPOs are subject to many of the same risks as investing in companies with smaller |
■ | Securities Lending Risk — Securities lending involves the risk that the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. As a result, the Fund may lose money and there may be a delay in recovering the loaned securities. The Fund could also lose money if it does not recover the securities and/or the value of the collateral falls, including the value of investments made with cash collateral. These events could trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund. |
■ | Technology Sector Risk — Technology companies, including information technology companies, face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, which may have an adverse effect on a company’s profit margins. Technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. The products of technology companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments, frequent new product introduction, unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. Companies in the technology sector are heavily dependent on patent and other intellectual property rights. A technology company’s loss or impairment of these rights may adversely affect the company’s profitability. |
■ | Valuation Risk — The price the Fund could receive upon the sale of any particular portfolio investment may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the investment, particularly for securities that trade in thin or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair valuation methodology or a price provided by an independent pricing service. As a result, the price received upon the sale of an investment may be less than the value ascribed by the Fund, and the Fund could realize a greater than expected loss or lesser than expected gain upon the sale of the investment. Pricing services that value fixed-income securities generally utilize a range of market-based and security-specific inputs and assumptions, as well as considerations about general market conditions, to establish a price. Pricing services generally value fixed-income securities assuming orderly transactions of an institutional round lot size, but may be held or transactions may be conducted in such securities in smaller, odd lot sizes. Odd lots may trade at lower prices than institutional round lots. The Fund’s ability to value its investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers. |
Availability | 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) (collectively, “Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans”), (ii) collective trust funds, investment companies and other pooled investment vehicles, 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, (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 the Fund through a Financial Intermediary that has entered into an agreement with the Distributor to purchase such shares, (iv) fee-based advisory platforms of a Financial Intermediary that (a) has specifically acknowledged in a written agreement with the Distributor and/or its affiliate(s) that the Financial Intermediary shall offer such shares to fee-based advisory clients through an omnibus account held at the Fund or (b) transacts in the Fund’s shares through another intermediary that has executed such an agreement and (v) 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 Fund in the same account since August 15, 2016. |
Minimum Investment |
$5 million minimum initial investment for Institutional Investors. |
Initial Sales Charge? | No. Entire purchase price is invested in shares of the Fund. |
Deferred Sales Charge? | No. |
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees? | No. |
Redemption Fees? | No. |
i. | The current value of an investor’s existing Investor A and A1, Investor C, C1, C2 and C3, Investor P, Institutional, Class K and Premier Shares in most BlackRock Funds, |
ii. | The current value of an investor’s existing shares of certain unlisted closed-end management investment companies sponsored and advised by BlackRock or its affiliates and |
iii. | The investment in the BlackRock CollegeAdvantage 529 Program by the investor or by or on behalf of the investor’s spouse and children. |
Your Choices | Important Information for You to Know | |
Initial Purchase |
Determine
the amount of
your investment |
There
is no minimum initial investment for any Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans or any other investors other than Institutional Investors.
|
Your Choices | Important Information for You to Know | |
Initial Purchase (continued) |
Have
your Financial
Intermediary submit your purchase order |
The
price of your shares is based on the next calculation of the Fund’s net asset value after your order is placed. Any purchase orders placed prior to the close of business on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) (generally 4:00
p.m. Eastern time) will be priced at the net asset value determined that day. Certain Financial Intermediaries, however, may require submission of orders prior to that time. Purchase orders placed after that time will be priced at the net asset
value 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.
|
Or
contact BlackRock
(for accounts held directly with BlackRock) |
For investors not purchasing shares through an Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plan, to purchase shares directly from BlackRock, call (800) 537-4942 and request a new account application. | |
Add
to Your
Investment |
Purchase additional shares | There is no minimum investment amount for additional purchases. |
Have
your Financial
Intermediary submit your purchase order for additional shares |
To purchase additional shares, you may contact your Financial Intermediary or Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plan. | |
Or
contact BlackRock
(for accounts held directly with BlackRock) |
For
investors not purchasing shares through an Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plan:
|
|
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 (for investors who are not purchasing shares through an Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plan) or contact your Financial Intermediary. |
Your Choices | Important Information for You to Know | |
How
to Pay for
Shares |
Making payment for purchases |
If
you are purchasing shares through an Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plan, 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 4:00
p.m. (Eastern time) on the first business day following the receipt of the order. 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.
|
Your Choices | Important Information for You to Know | |
Full or Partial Redemption of Shares |
Have
your Financial
Intermediary submit your sales order |
If
you purchased shares through an Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plan, 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.
|
Selling
shares held
directly with BlackRock |
Methods
of Redeeming if You Did Not Purchase Your Shares Through an Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plan
|
Your Choices | Important Information for You to Know | |
Full or Partial Redemption of Shares (continued) |
Selling
shares held
directly with BlackRock (continued) |
procedures.
The Fund may refuse a telephone redemption request if it believes it is advisable to do so.
Payment by Wire Transfer: Payment for redeemed shares for which a redemption order is received before 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on a business day is normally made in Federal funds wired to the redeeming shareholder on the next business day, 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 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 payments with respect to Class K Shares is imposed by the Fund. 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. *** |
Your Choices | Important Information for You to Know | |
Full or Partial Redemption of Shares (continued) |
Selling
shares held
directly with BlackRock (continued) |
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. |
Redemption Proceeds |
Under
normal circumstances, the Fund expects to meet redemption requests by using cash or cash equivalents in its portfolio or by selling portfolio assets to generate cash. During periods of stressed market conditions, when a significant portion of the
Fund’s portfolio may be comprised of less-liquid investments, the Fund may be more likely to limit cash redemptions and may determine to pay redemption proceeds by (i) borrowing under a line of credit it has entered into with a group of
lenders, (ii) borrowing from another BlackRock Fund pursuant to an interfund lending program, to the extent permitted by the Fund’s investment policies and restrictions as set forth in the SAI, and/or (iii) transferring portfolio securities
in-kind to you. The SAI includes more information about the Fund’s line of credit and interfund lending program, to the extent applicable.
|
Your Choices | Important Information for You to Know | |
Exchange Privilege | Selling shares of one BlackRock Fund to purchase shares of another BlackRock Fund (“exchanging”) |
Class
K Shares of the Fund are generally exchangeable for shares of the same class of another BlackRock Fund, to the extent such shares are offered by your Financial Intermediary. Investors who currently own Class K Shares of the Fund may make exchanges
into Class K Shares of other BlackRock Funds except for investors holding shares through certain client accounts at Financial Intermediaries that are omnibus with the Fund and do not meet applicable minimums. There is no required minimum amount with
respect to exchanges of Class K Shares. You may only exchange into Class K Shares of a BlackRock Fund that is open to new investors or in which you have a current account, if the BlackRock Fund is closed to new investors.
|
Transfer Shares to Another Financial Intermediary |
Transfer
to a participating
Financial Intermediary |
You may transfer your Class K Shares of the Fund only to another Financial Intermediary 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. Please contact your Financial Intermediary to accomplish the transfer of your Class K Shares. |
Your Choices | Important Information for You to Know | |
Transfer Shares to Another Financial Intermediary (continued) |
Transfer
to a non-participating
Financial Intermediary |
You
must either:
• Transfer your Class K Shares to an account with the Fund; or • Sell your Class K Shares. |
■ | Suspend the right of redemption if trading is halted or restricted on the NYSE 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 NYSE 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. |
Contractual
Cap1 on
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2 (excluding Dividend Expense, Interest Expense, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and certain other Fund expenses) |
|
Class K Shares | 0.07% |
1 | The contractual cap is in effect through November 30, 2020. 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. |
Portfolio Manager | Primary Role | Since | Title and Recent Biography |
Alan Mason | Jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio, including setting the Fund’s overall investment strategy and overseeing the management of the Fund. | 2015 | Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2009; Managing Director of Barclays Global Investors (“BGI”) from 2008 to 2009; Principal of BGI from 1996 to 2008. |
Portfolio Manager | Primary Role | Since | Title and Recent Biography |
Greg Savage, CFA | Jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio, including setting the Fund’s overall investment strategy and overseeing the management of the Fund. | 2015 | Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2010; Director of BlackRock, Inc. in 2009; Principal of BGI from 2007 to 2009; Associate of BGI from 1999 to 2007. |
Jennifer Hsui, CFA | Jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio, including setting the Fund’s overall investment strategy and overseeing the management of the Fund. | 2016 | Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2011; Director of BlackRock, Inc. from 2009 to 2011; Principal of BGI from 2006 to 2009. |
Amy Whitelaw | Jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio, including setting the Fund’s overall investment strategy and overseeing the management of the Fund. | 2019 | Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2013; Director of BlackRock, Inc. from 2009 to 2012; Principal of BGI from 2000 to 2009. |
Rachel Aguirre | Jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio, including setting the Fund’s overall investment strategy and overseeing the management of the Fund. | 2016 | Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2018; Director of BlackRock, Inc. from 2012 to 2017; Vice President of BlackRock, Inc. from 2009 to 2011; Principal and Portfolio Manager of BGI from 2005 to 2009. |
Class K | ||||
Year Ended July 31, |
Period
from
08/13/15(a) to 07/31/16 |
|||
(For a share outstanding throughout each period) | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
Net asset value, beginning of period | $ 13.20 | $ 11.58 | $ 10.22 | $ 10.00 |
Net investment income(b) | 0.19 | 0.17 | 0.16 | 0.14 |
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | (0.16) | 1.80 | 1.37 | 0.19 |
Net increase (decrease) from investment operations | 0.03 | 1.97 | 1.53 | 0.33 |
Distributions (c) | ||||
From net investment income | (0.21) | (0.17) | (0.15) | (0.11) |
From net realized gain | (0.30) | (0.18) | (0.02) | (0.00) (d) |
Total distributions | (0.51) | (0.35) | (0.17) | (0.11) |
Net asset value, end of period | $ 12.72 | $ 13.20 | $ 11.58 | $ 10.22 |
Total Return(e) | ||||
Based on net asset value | 0.63% | 17.32% (f) | 15.04% | 3.48% (g) |
Ratios to Average Net Assets | ||||
Total expenses | 0.17% | 0.23% | 0.47% (h) | 1.34% (h)(i)(j) |
Total expenses excluding recoupment of past fees waived and/or reimbursed | 0.17% | 0.23% | 0.47% (h) | 1.34% (h)(i)(j) |
Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed | 0.07% | 0.07% | 0.07% (h) | 0.08% (h)(i) |
Net investment income | 1.53% | 1.37% | 1.47% (h) | 1.57% (h)(i) |
Supplemental Data | ||||
Net assets, end of period (000) | $154,242 | $ 87,011 | $64,118 | $ 27,109 |
Portfolio turnover rate | 27% | 54% | 48% | 17% |
(a) | Commencement of operations. |
(b) | Based on average shares outstanding. |
(c) | Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations. |
(d) | Amount is greater than $(0.005) per share. |
(e) | Where applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions. |
(f) | Includes payment received from an affiliate, which had no impact on the Fund’s total return. |
(g) | Aggregate total return. |
(h) | Excludes 0.01% of expenses incurred indirectly as a result of investments in underlying funds. |
(i) | Annualized. |
(j) | Audit, offering and organization costs were not annualized in the calculation of the expense ratio. If these expenses were annualized, the total expenses would have been 1.37%. |
■ | Access the BlackRock website at http://www.blackrock.com/edelivery; and |
■ | Log into your account. |
Class | Ticker Symbol | |
Investor A Shares
|
BSMAX | |
Institutional Shares
|
BSMIX | |
Class K Shares
|
BSMKX |
iShares Russell Small/Mid-Cap Index Fund | |
144A Securities | X |
Asset-Backed Securities | |
Asset-Based Securities | |
Precious Metal-Related Securities | X |
Bank Loans | |
Borrowing and Leverage | X |
Cash Flows; Expenses | X |
Cash Management | X |
Collateralized Debt Obligations | |
Collateralized Bond Obligations | |
Collateralized Loan Obligations | |
Commercial Paper | |
Commodity-Linked Derivative Instruments and Hybrid Instruments | |
Qualifying Hybrid Instruments | |
Hybrid Instruments Without Principal Protection | |
Limitations on Leverage | |
Counterparty Risk | |
Convertible Securities | X |
Credit Linked Securities | |
Cyber Security Issues | X |
iShares Russell Small/Mid-Cap Index Fund | |
Debt Securities | |
Inflation-Indexed Bonds | |
Investment Grade Debt Obligations | |
High Yield Investments (“Junk Bonds”) | |
Mezzanine Investments | |
Pay-in-kind Bonds | |
Supranational Entities | |
Depositary Receipts (ADRs, EDRs and GDRs) | |
Derivatives | X |
Hedging | X |
Speculation | |
Risk Factors in Derivatives | X |
Correlation Risk | X |
Counterparty Risk | X |
Credit Risk | X |
Currency Risk | |
Illiquidity Risk | X |
Leverage Risk | X |
Market Risk | X |
Valuation Risk | X |
Volatility Risk | X |
Futures | X |
Swap Agreements | X |
Credit Default Swaps and Similar Instruments | |
Interest Rate Swaps, Floors and Caps | |
Total Return Swaps | X |
Options | |
Options on Securities and Securities Indices | |
Call Options | |
Put Options | |
Options on Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”) Certificates | |
Options on Swaps (“Swaptions”) | |
Foreign Exchange Transactions | |
Spot Transactions and FX Forwards | |
Currency Futures | |
Currency Options | |
Currency Swaps | |
Distressed Securities | |
Equity Securities | X |
Real Estate-Related Securities | X |
Securities of Smaller or Emerging Growth Companies | X |
Exchange-Traded Notes (“ETNs”) |
iShares Russell Small/Mid-Cap Index Fund | |
Foreign Investments | X |
Foreign Investment Risks | X |
Foreign Market Risk | X |
Foreign Economy Risk | X |
Currency Risk and Exchange Risk | X |
Governmental Supervision and Regulation/Accounting Standards | X |
Certain Risks of Holding Fund Assets Outside the United States | X |
Publicly Available Information | X |
Settlement Risk | X |
Sovereign Debt | |
Funding Agreements | |
Guarantees | |
Illiquid Investments | X |
Index Funds: Information Concerning the Indexes | X |
S&P 500 Index | |
Russell Indexes | X |
MSCI Indexes | |
FTSE Indexes | |
Bloomberg Barclays Indexes | |
ICE BofAML Indexes | |
Indexed and Inverse Securities | |
Inflation Risk | |
Initial Public Offering (“IPO”) Risk | X |
Interfund Lending Program | X |
Borrowing, to the extent permitted by the Fund’s investment policies and restrictions | X |
Lending, to the extent permitted by the Fund’s investment policies and restrictions | X |
Investment in Emerging Markets | X |
Brady Bonds | |
China Investments Risk | X |
Investment in Other Investment Companies | X |
Exchange-Traded Funds | X |
Lease Obligations | |
Life Settlement Investments | |
Liquidity Risk Management | X |
Master Limited Partnerships | X |
Merger Transaction Risk | X |
Money Market Obligations of Domestic Banks, Foreign Banks and Foreign Branches of U.S. Banks | X |
Money Market Securities | X |
Mortgage-Related Securities | |
Mortgage-Backed Securities |
iShares Russell Small/Mid-Cap Index Fund | |
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (“CMOs”) | |
Adjustable Rate Mortgage Securities | |
CMO Residuals | |
Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities | |
Tiered Index Bonds | |
TBA Commitments | |
Mortgage Dollar Rolls | |
Net Interest Margin (NIM) Securities | |
Municipal Investments | |
Risk Factors and Special Considerations Relating to Municipal Bonds | |
Description of Municipal Bonds | |
General Obligation Bonds | |
Revenue Bonds | |
Private Activity Bonds (“PABs”) | |
Moral Obligation Bonds | |
Municipal Notes | |
Municipal Commercial Paper | |
Municipal Lease Obligations | |
Tender Option Bonds | |
Yields | |
Variable Rate Demand Obligations (“VRDOs”) and Participating VRDOs | |
Transactions in Financial Futures Contracts on Municipal Indexes | |
Call Rights | |
Municipal Interest Rate Swap Transactions | |
Insured Municipal Bonds | |
Build America Bonds | |
Tax-Exempt Municipal Investments | |
Participation Notes | |
Portfolio Turnover Rates | X |
Preferred Stock | X |
Tax-Exempt Preferred Shares | |
Trust Preferred Securities | X |
Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”) | X |
Repurchase Agreements and Purchase and Sale Contracts | |
Restricted Securities | X |
Reverse Repurchase Agreements | X |
Rights Offerings and Warrants to Purchase | X |
Securities Lending | X |
Short Sales | |
Standby Commitment Agreements | |
Stripped Securities | |
Structured Notes |
iShares Russell Small/Mid-Cap Index Fund | |
Taxability Risk | |
Temporary Defensive Measures | |
U.S. Government Obligations | X |
U.S. Treasury Obligations | X |
U.S. Treasury Rolls | |
Utility Industries | X |
When-Issued Securities, Delayed Delivery Securities and Forward Commitments | X |
Yields and Ratings | |
Zero Coupon Securities |
Trustees | Experience, Qualifications and Skills | |
Independent Trustees | ||
Bruce R. Bond | Bruce R. Bond has served for approximately 20 years on the board of registered investment companies, having served as a member of the boards of certain BlackRock-advised Funds and predecessor funds, including the legacy-BlackRock funds and the State Street Research Mutual Funds. He also has executive management and business experience, having served as president and chief executive officer of several communications networking companies. Mr. Bond also has corporate governance experience from his service as a director of a computer equipment company. | |
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 also served as trustee to the Pacific Pension Institute from 2014 to 2018. She currently serves as trustee to the Financial Accounting Foundation, Advisory Board Member for the Center for Private Equity and Entrepreneurship at Tuck School of Business, Board Member for Girls Who Invest, Advisory Board Member for Bridges Fund Management and Practitioner Advisory Board Member for Private Capital Research Institute (“PCRI”). 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. Mr. Cotty has been determined by the Audit Committee to be an audit committee financial expert, as such term is defined in the applicable Commission rules. | |
Lena G. Goldberg | Lena G. Goldberg has more than 20 years of business and oversight experience, most recently through her service as a senior lecturer at Harvard Business School. Prior thereto, she held legal and management positions at FMR LLC/Fidelity Investments as well as positions on the boards of various Fidelity subsidiaries over a 12-year period. She has additional corporate governance experience as a member of board and advisory committees for privately held corporations and non-profit organizations. Ms. Goldberg also has more than 17 years of legal experience as an attorney in private practice, including as a partner in a law firm. |
Trustees | Experience, Qualifications and Skills | |
Robert M. Hernandez | Robert M. Hernandez has served for approximately 23 years on the board of registered investment companies, having previously served as chair of the boards of certain BlackRock-advised Funds and predecessor funds and as Vice Chairman and Chairman of the Audit and Nominating/Governance Committees of certain predecessor funds, including certain legacy-BlackRock funds. Mr. Hernandez has business and executive experience through his service as group president, chief financial officer, Chairman and vice chairman, among other positions, of publicly-held energy, steel, and metal companies. He has served as a director of other public companies in various industries throughout his career. He also has broad corporate governance experience, having served as a board member of publicly-held energy, insurance, chemicals, metals and electronics companies. Mr. Hernandez has been determined by the Audit Committee to be an audit committee financial expert, as such term is defined in the applicable Commission rules. | |
Henry R. Keizer | Henry R. Keizer brings over 40 years of executive, financial, operational, strategic and global expertise gained through his 35 year career at KPMG, a global professional services organization and by his service as a director to both publicly and privately held organizations. He has extensive experience with issues facing complex, global companies and expertise in financial reporting, accounting, auditing, risk management, and regulatory affairs for such companies. Mr. Keizer’s experience also includes service as an audit committee chair to both publicly and privately held organizations across numerous industries including professional services, property and casualty reinsurance, insurance, diversified financial services, banking, direct to consumer, business to business and technology. Mr. Keizer is a certified public accountant and also served on the board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Mr. Keizer has been determined by the Audit Committee to be an audit committee financial expert, as such term is defined in the applicable Commission rules. | |
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 certain BlackRock-advised Funds and 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. | |
Donald C. Opatrny | Donald C. Opatrny has more than 39 years of business, oversight and executive experience, including through his service as president, director and investment committee chair for academic and not-for-profit organizations, and his experience as a partner, managing director and advisory director at Goldman Sachs for 32 years. He also has investment management experience as a board member of Athena Capital Advisors LLC. | |
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 certain BlackRock-advised Funds and 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. | |
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. |
Trustees | Experience, Qualifications and Skills | |
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 certain BlackRock-advised Funds and 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. Ms. Walton has been determined by the Audit Committee to be an audit committee financial expert, as such term is defined in the applicable Commission rules. | |
Interested Trustees | ||
Robert Fairbairn | Robert Fairbairn has more than 25 years of experience with BlackRock, Inc. and over 30 years of experience in finance and asset management. In particular, Mr. Fairbairn’s positions as Vice Chairman of BlackRock, Inc., Member of BlackRock’s Global Executive and Global Operating Committees and Co-Chair of BlackRock’s Human Capital Committee provide the Board with a wealth of practical business knowledge and leadership. In addition, Mr. Fairbairn has global investment management and oversight experience through his former positions as Global Head of BlackRock’s Retail and iShares® businesses, Head of BlackRock’s Global Client Group, Chairman of BlackRock’s international businesses and his previous oversight over BlackRock’s Strategic Partner Program and Strategic Product Management Group. Mr. Fairbairn also serves as a board member for the funds in the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex. | |
John M. Perlowski | John M. Perlowski’s experience as Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2009, as the Head of BlackRock Global Accounting and Product 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. Mr. Perlowski also serves as a board member for the funds in the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex. |
Name
and Year of Birth1,2 |
Position(s)
Held (Length of Service)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 | ||||||||
Mark
Stalnecker
|
Chair
of
the Board (Since 2019) and Trustee (Since 2015) |
Chief Investment Officer, University of Delaware from 1999 to 2013; Trustee and Chair of the Finance and Investment Committees, Winterthur Museum and Country Estate from 2005 to 2016; Member of the Investment Committee, Delaware Public Employees’ Retirement System since 2002; Member of the Investment Committee, Christiana Care Health System from 2009 to 2017; Member of the Investment Committee, Delaware Community Foundation from 2013 to 2014; Director and Chair of the Audit Committee, SEI Private Trust Co. from 2001 to 2014. | 37 RICs consisting of 179 Portfolios | None | ||||
Bruce
R. Bond
|
Trustee
(Since 2019) |
Board Member, Amsphere Limited (software) since 2018; Trustee and Member of the Governance Committee, State Street Research Mutual Funds from 1997 to 2005; Board Member of Governance, Audit and Finance Committee, Avaya Inc. (computer equipment) from 2003 to 2007. | 37 RICs consisting of 179 Portfolios | None | ||||
Susan
J. Carter
|
Trustee
(Since 2016) |
Director, Pacific Pension Institute from 2014 to 2018; Advisory Board Member, Center for Private Equity and Entrepreneurship at Tuck School of Business since 1997; Senior Advisor, 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 from 2015 to 2018 and Board Member thereof since 2018; Advisory Board Member, Bridges Fund Management since 2016; Trustee, Financial Accounting Foundation since 2017; Practitioner Advisory Board Member, PCRI since 2017. | 37 RICs consisting of 179 Portfolios | None | ||||
Collette
Chilton
|
Trustee
(Since 2015) |
Chief Investment Officer, Williams College since 2006; Chief Investment Officer, Lucent Asset Management Corporation from 1998 to 2006. | 37 RICs consisting of 179 Portfolios | None | ||||
Neil
A. Cotty
|
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. | 37 RICs consisting of 179 Portfolios | None |
Name
and Year of Birth1,2 |
Position(s)
Held (Length of Service)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 |
||||
Lena
G. Goldberg
|
Trustee
(Since 2019) |
Senior Lecturer, Harvard Business School, since 2008; Director, Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc. since 2013; FMR LLC/Fidelity Investments (financial services) from 1996 to 2008, serving in various senior roles including Executive Vice President – Strategic Corporate Initiatives and Executive Vice President and General Counsel; Partner, Sullivan & Worcester LLP from 1985 to 1996 and Associate thereof from 1979 to 1985. | 37 RICs consisting of 179 Portfolios | None | ||||
Robert
M. Hernandez
|
Trustee
(Since 2019) |
Director, Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer of USX Corporation (energy and steel business) from 1991 to 2001; Director and non-executive Chairman, RTI International Metals, Inc. from 1990 to 2015; Director, TE Connectivity (electronics) from 2006 to 2012. | 37 RICs consisting of 179 Portfolios | Chubb Limited (insurance company); Eastman Chemical Company | ||||
Henry
R. Keizer
|
Trustee
(Since 2019) |
Director, Park Indemnity Ltd. (captive insurer) since 2010; Director, MUFG Americas Holdings Corporation and MUFG Union Bank, N.A. (financial and bank holding company) from 2014 to 2016; Director, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants from 2009 to 2011; Director, KPMG LLP (audit, tax and advisory services) from 2004 to 2005 and 2010 to 2012; Director, KPMG International in 2012, Deputy Chairman and Chief Operating Officer thereof from 2010 to 2012 and U.S. Vice Chairman of Audit thereof from 2005 to 2010; Global Head of Audit, KPMGI (consortium of KPMG firms) from 2006 to 2010; Director, YMCA of Greater New York from 2006 to 2010. | 37 RICs consisting of 179 Portfolios | Hertz Global Holdings (car rental); Montpelier Re Holdings, Ltd. (publicly held property and casualty reinsurance) from 2013 until 2015; WABCO (commercial vehicle safety systems); Sealed Air Corp. (packaging) | ||||
Cynthia
A. Montgomery
|
Trustee
(Since 2007) |
Professor, Harvard Business School since 1989. | 37 RICs consisting of 179 Portfolios |
Newell
Rubbermaid, Inc. (manufacturing) |
||||
Donald
C. Opatrny
|
Trustee
(Since 2019) |
Trustee, Vice Chair, Member of the Executive Committee and Chair of the Investment Committee, Cornell University since 2004; President, Trustee and Member of the Investment Committee, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum from 2007 to 2014; Member of the Board and Investment Committee, University School from 2007 to 2018; Member of the Investment Committee, Mellon Foundation from 2009 to 2015; Trustee, Artstor (a Mellon Foundation affiliate) from 2010 to 2015; President and Trustee, the Center for the Arts, Jackson Hole from 2011 to 2018; Director, Athena Capital Advisors LLC (investment management firm) since 2013; Trustee and Chair of the Investment Committee, Community Foundation of Jackson Hole since 2014; Member of Affordable Housing Supply Board of Jackson, Wyoming since 2018; Member, Investment Funds Committee, State of Wyoming since 2017; Trustee, Phoenix Art Museum since 2018. | 37 RICs consisting of 179 Portfolios | None |
Name
and Year of Birth1,2 |
Position(s)
Held (Length of Service)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 |
||||
Joseph
P. Platt
|
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. | 37 RICs consisting of 179 Portfolios |
Greenlight
Capital
Re, Ltd. (reinsurance company); Consol Energy Inc. |
||||
Kenneth
L. Urish
|
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. | 37 RICs consisting of 179 Portfolios | None | ||||
Claire
A. Walton
|
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 from 2009 to 2018; Director, Woodstock Ski Runners since 2013; Director, Massachusetts Council on Economic Education from 2013 to 2015. | 37 RICs consisting of 179 Portfolios | None | ||||
Interested Trustees4 | ||||||||
Robert
Fairbairn
|
Trustee
(Since 2018) |
Vice Chairman of BlackRock, Inc. since 2019; Member of BlackRock’s Global Executive and Global Operating Committees; Co-Chair of BlackRock’s Human Capital Committee; Senior Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. from 2010 to 2019; oversaw BlackRock’s Strategic Partner Program and Strategic Product Management Group from 2012 to 2019; Member of the Board of Managers of BlackRock Investments, LLC from 2011 to 2018; Global Head of BlackRock’s Retail and iShares® businesses from 2012 to 2016. | 123 RICs consisting of 289 Portfolios | None | ||||
John
M. Perlowski5
|
Trustee
(Since 2015) President and Chief Executive Officer (Since 2010) |
Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2009; Head of BlackRock Global Accounting and Product Services since 2009; Advisory Director of Family Resource Network (charitable foundation) since 2009. | 124 RICs consisting of 290 Portfolios | None |
1 | The address of each Trustee is c/o BlackRock, Inc., 55 East 52nd Street, New York, New York 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. Furthermore, effective January 1, 2019, three BlackRock Fund Complexes were realigned and consolidated into two BlackRock Fund Complexes. As a result, although the chart shows the year that each Independent Trustee joined the Board, certain Independent Trustees first became members of the boards of other BlackRock-advised Funds, legacy MLIM funds or legacy BlackRock funds as follows: Bruce R. Bond, 2005; Robert M. Hernandez, 1996; Cynthia A. Montgomery, 1994; Joseph P. Platt, 1999; Kenneth L. Urish, 1999; Lena G. Goldberg, 2016; Henry R. Keizer, 2016; Donald C. Opatrny, 2015. |
4 | Mr. Fairbairn 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. Mr. Fairbairn and Mr. Perlowski are also board members of the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex. |
5 | Mr. Perlowski is also a trustee of the BlackRock Credit Strategies Fund. |
Name
and Year of Birth1,2 |
Position(s)
Held
(Length of Service) |
Principal
Occupation(s)
During Past Five Years |
||
Officers Who Are Not Trustees | ||||
Thomas
Callahan
|
Vice
President
(Since 2016) |
Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2013; Member of the Board of Managers of BlackRock Investments, LLC (principal underwriter) since 2019 and Managing Director thereof since 2017; 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
|
Vice
President
(Since 2014) |
Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2016; Director of BlackRock, Inc. from 2011 to 2015; Head of Product Development and Oversight for BlackRock’s Strategic Product Management Group since 2019; Head of Product Structure and Oversight for BlackRock’s U.S. Wealth Advisory Group from 2013 to 2019. | ||
Neal
J. Andrews
|
Chief
Financial Officer
(Since 2007) |
Chief Financial Officer of the iShares® exchange traded funds since 2019; Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2006. | ||
Jay
M. Fife
|
Treasurer
(Since 2007) |
Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2007. | ||
Charles
Park
|
Chief
Compliance Officer
(Since 2014) |
Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer for certain BlackRock-advised Funds from 2014 to 2015; Chief Compliance Officer of BlackRock Advisors, LLC and the BlackRock-advised Funds in the BlackRock Multi-Asset Complex and the BlackRock Fixed-Income 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. | ||
Lisa
Belle
|
Anti-Money
Laundering Compliance Officer
(Since 2019) |
Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2019; Global Financial Crime Head for Asset and Wealth Management of JP Morgan from 2013 to 2019; Managing Director of RBS Securities from 2012 to 2013; Head of Financial Crimes for Barclays Wealth Americas from 2010 to 2012. | ||
Janey
Ahn
|
Secretary
(Since 2019) |
Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2018; Director of BlackRock, Inc. from 2009 to 2017. |
1 | The address of each Officer is c/o BlackRock, Inc., 55 East 52nd Street, New York, New York 10055. |
2 | Officers of the Trust serve at the pleasure of the Board. |
Name |
Dollar
Range of Equity Securities in the Fund |
Aggregate
Dollar
Range of Equity Securities in Supervised Funds |
||
Independent Trustees: | ||||
Bruce R.
Bond1
|
None | Over $100,000 | ||
Susan J.
Carter
|
None | Over $100,000 | ||
Collette
Chilton
|
None | Over $100,000 | ||
Neil A.
Cotty
|
None | Over $100,000 |
Name |
Dollar
Range of Equity Securities in the Fund |
Aggregate
Dollar
Range of Equity Securities in Supervised Funds |
||
Lena G.
Goldberg1
|
None | Over $100,000 | ||
Robert M.
Hernandez1
|
None | Over $100,000 | ||
Henry R.
Keizer1
|
None | Over $100,000 | ||
Cynthia A.
Montgomery
|
None | Over $100,000 | ||
Donald C.
Opatrny1
|
None | Over $100,000 | ||
Joseph P.
Platt
|
None | Over $100,000 | ||
Mark
Stalnecker
|
None | Over $100,000 | ||
Kenneth L.
Urish
|
None | Over $100,000 | ||
Claire A.
Walton
|
None | Over $100,000 | ||
Interested Trustees: | ||||
Robert
Fairbairn
|
None | Over $100,000 | ||
John M.
Perlowski
|
None | Over $100,000 |
1 | Elected as a Trustee of the Trust effective January 1, 2019. |
Name |
Compensation
from the Fund |
Estimated
Annual
Benefits upon Retirement |
Aggregate
Compensation from the Fund and Other BlackRock- Advised Funds1 |
|||
Independent Trustees: | ||||||
Bruce R.
Bond2
|
$497 | None | $397,500 | |||
Susan J.
Carter
|
$861 | None | $390,000 | |||
Collette
Chilton
|
$861 | None | $384,000 | |||
Neil A.
Cotty
|
$861 | None | $390,000 | |||
Lena G.
Goldberg2,3
|
$523 | None | $377,500 | |||
Robert M.
Hernandez2
|
$497 | None | $477,500 | |||
Rodney D.
Johnson4
|
$387 | None | $500,000 | |||
Henry R.
Keizer2,5
|
$523 | None | $397,500 | |||
Cynthia A.
Montgomery6
|
$889 | None | $400,000 | |||
Donald C.
Opatrny2,7
|
$523 | None | $387,500 | |||
Joseph P.
Platt8
|
$863 | None | $392,000 | |||
Robert C. Robb,
Jr.9
|
$363 | None | $400,000 | |||
Mark
Stalnecker10
|
$973 | None | $430,000 | |||
Kenneth L.
Urish11
|
$865 | None | $410,000 | |||
Claire A.
Walton
|
$861 | None | $390,000 | |||
Frederick W.
Winter9
|
$363 | None | $392,000 | |||
Interested Trustees: | ||||||
Robert
Fairbairn12
|
None | None | None | |||
Barbara G.
Novick13
|
None | None | None | |||
John M.
Perlowski
|
None | 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-10. |
2 | Messrs. Bond, Hernandez, Keizer and Opatrny and Ms. Goldberg were elected as Trustees of the Trust effective January 1, 2019. They each served as a director or trustee to certain other BlackRock-advised Funds prior to January 1, 2019. |
3 | Ms. Goldberg was appointed Chair of the Compliance Committee effective January 1, 2019. |
4 | Mr. Johnson retired as a Trustee of the Trust and as Chair of the Board and Chair of the Ad Hoc Topics Committee effective December 31, 2018. |
5 | Mr. Keizer was appointed Chair of the Audit Committee effective January 1, 2019. |
6 | Chair of the Governance Committee. |
7 | Mr. Opatrny was appointed Chair of the Performance Oversight Committee effective January 1, 2019. |
8 | Mr. Platt served as the Chair of the Compliance Committee through December 31, 2018. |
9 | Messrs. Robb and Winter retired as Trustees of the Trust effective December 31, 2018 and have been retained as consultants to the Independent Trustees. |
10 | Mr. Stalnecker was appointed Chair of the Board and Chair of the Ad Hoc Topics Committee effective January 1, 2019. He served as Chair Elect of the Board from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 and served as the Chair of the Performance Oversight Committee through December 31, 2018. |
11 | Mr. Urish served as the Chair of the Audit Committee through December 31, 2018. |
12 | Mr. Fairbairn was appointed as a Trustee of the Trust effective February 22, 2018. He served as a director or trustee to certain other BlackRock-advised Funds prior to February 22, 2018. |
13 | Ms. Novick resigned as a Trustee of the Trust effective February 22, 2018. |
Fees
Paid
to BlackRock |
Fees
Waived
by BlackRock |
Fees
Reimbursed
by BlackRock |
|||
Fiscal Year Ended July 31,
2019
|
$53,646 | $53,646 | $131,051 | ||
Fiscal Year Ended July 31,
2018
|
$31,038 | $31,038 | $138,702 | ||
Fiscal Year Ended July 31,
2017
|
$20,367 | $20,367 | $252,042 |
Number
of Other Accounts Managed
and Assets by Account Type |
Number
of Other Accounts and
Assets for Which Advisory Fee is Performance-Based |
|||||
Name of Portfolio Manager |
Other
Registered Investment Companies |
Other
Pooled
Investment Vehicles |
Other
Accounts |
Other
Registered Investment Companies |
Other
Pooled
Investment Vehicles |
Other
Accounts |
Alan Mason | 321 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
$1.32 Trillion | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
Greg Savage, CFA | 324 | 92 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
$1.32 Trillion | $16.74 Billion | $747.2 Million | $0 | $0 | $540.7 Million | |
Jennifer Hsui, CFA | 273 | 59 | 36 | 0 | 1 | 27 |
$1.27 Trillion | $67.84 Billion | $26.32 Billion | $0 | $862.7 Million | $23.55 Billion | |
Amy Whitelaw | 274 | 92 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
$1.23 Trillion | $31.64 Billion | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
Rachel Aguirre | 332 | 165 | 144 | 0 | 11 | 121 |
$1.32 Trillion | $608.5 Billion | $559.0 Billion | $0 | $9.92 Billion | $196.9 Billion |
Portfolio Manager |
Dollar
Range of Equity Securities
Beneficially Owned |
|
Alan
Mason
|
None |
Portfolio Manager |
Dollar
Range of Equity Securities
Beneficially Owned |
|
Greg Savage,
CFA
|
None | |
Jennifer Hsui,
CFA
|
None | |
Amy
Whitelaw
|
None | |
Rachel Aguirre
|
None |
Amount Paid to State Street | |
Fiscal Year Ended July 31,
2019
|
$8,978 |
Fiscal Year Ended July 31,
2018
|
$ 814 |
Fiscal Year Ended July 31,
2017
|
$ 0 |
Fees
Paid
to BlackRock |
Fees
Waived
by BlackRock |
||
Fiscal Year Ended July 31,
2019
|
$1,122 | $333 | |
Fiscal Year Ended July 31,
2018
|
$1,124 | $450 | |
Fiscal Year Ended July 31,
2017
|
$ 291 | $156 |
Class Name | Paid to BRIL | |
Investor A Shares
|
$76,326 |
Aggregate
Brokerage
Commissions Paid |
Commissions
Paid
to Affiliates |
||
Fiscal Year Ended July 31,
2019
|
$26,068 | $0 | |
Fiscal Year Ended July 31,
2018
|
$ 8,550 | $0 | |
Fiscal Year Ended July 31,
2017
|
$14,265 | $0 |
Amount
of Commissions
Paid to Brokers for Providing 28(e) Eligible Research Services |
Amount
of Brokerage
Transactions Involved |
|||
$0 | $0 |
(1) | selecting borrowers from an approved list of borrowers and executing a securities lending agreement as agent on behalf of the Fund with each such borrower; |
(2) | negotiating the terms of securities loans, including the amount of fees; |
(3) | directing the delivery of loaned securities; |
(4) | monitoring the daily value of the loaned securities and directing the payment of additional collateral or the return of excess collateral, as necessary; |
(5) | investing cash collateral received in connection with any loaned securities; |
(6) | monitoring distributions on loaned securities (for example, interest and dividend activity); |
(7) | in the event of default by a borrower with respect to any securities loan, using the collateral or the proceeds of the liquidation of collateral to purchase replacement securities of the same issue, type, class and series as that of the loaned securities; and |
(8) | terminating securities loans and arranging for the return of loaned securities to the Fund at loan termination. |
iShares
Russell
Small/Mid-Cap Index Fund |
|
Gross income from securities lending
activities
|
$362,180 |
Fees and/or compensation for securities lending activities and related services | |
Securities lending income paid to BTC for services as securities lending agent
|
$ 34,205 |
Cash collateral management expenses not included in securities lending income paid to
BTC
|
$ 4,565 |
Administrative fees not included in securities lending income paid to
BTC
|
$ 0 |
Indemnification fees not included in securities lending income paid to
BTC
|
$ 0 |
Rebates (paid to
borrowers)
|
$226,666 |
Other fees not included in securities lending income paid to
BTC
|
$ 0 |
Aggregate fees/compensation for securities lending
activities
|
$265,436 |
Net income from securities lending
activities
|
$ 96,744 |
Name | Address | Percentage | Class | |||
WTRISC Company IRA Omnibus Account |
301
Bellevue Parkway
Wilmington, DE 19809 |
71.59% | Investor A Shares | |||
National Financial Services LLC |
499
Washington Boulevard
Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
7.35% | Investor A Shares | |||
LPL Financial LLC |
4707
Executive Drive
San Diego, CA 92121-3091 |
48.01% | Institutional Shares | |||
National Financial Services LLC |
499
Washington Boulevard
Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
36.11% | Institutional Shares | |||
Pershing LLC |
1
Pershing Plaza
Jersey City, NJ 07399-0001 |
6.011% | Institutional Shares | |||
Minnesota Life Insurance Company |
400
Robert Street North
Saint Paul, MN 55101 |
50.38% | Class K Shares | |||
National Financial Services LLC |
499
Washington Boulevard
Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
27.57% | Class K Shares | |||
John Hancock Trust Company LLC |
690
Canton Street, Suite 100
Westwood, MA 02090 |
7.69% | Class K Shares | |||
Northern Trust Company |
PO
Box 92994
Chicago, IL 60675-2994 |
5.32% | Class K Shares |
• | Junk bonds may be issued by less creditworthy companies. These securities are vulnerable to adverse changes in the issuer’s industry and to general economic conditions. Issuers of junk bonds may be unable to meet their interest or principal payment obligations because of an economic downturn, specific issuer developments or the unavailability of additional financing. |
• | The issuers of junk bonds may have a larger amount of outstanding debt relative to their assets than issuers of investment grade bonds. If the issuer experiences financial stress, it may be unable to meet its debt obligations. |
The issuer’s ability to pay its debt obligations also may be lessened by specific issuer developments, or the unavailability of additional financing. Issuers of high yield securities are often in the growth stage of their development and/or involved in a reorganization or takeover. | |
• | Junk bonds are frequently ranked junior to claims by other creditors. If the issuer cannot meet its obligations, the senior obligations are generally paid off before the junior obligations, which will potentially limit a Fund’s ability to fully recover principal or to receive interest payments when senior securities are in default. Thus, investors in high yield securities have a lower degree of protection with respect to principal and interest payments then do investors in higher rated securities. |
• | Junk bonds frequently have redemption features that permit an issuer to repurchase the security from a Fund before it matures. If an issuer redeems the junk bonds, a Fund may have to invest the proceeds in bonds with lower yields and may lose income. |
• | Prices of junk bonds are subject to extreme price fluctuations. Negative economic developments may have a greater impact on the prices of junk bonds than on those of other higher rated fixed-income securities. |
• | Junk bonds may be less liquid than higher rated fixed-income securities even under normal economic conditions. Under certain economic and/or market conditions, a Fund may have difficulty disposing of certain high yield securities due to the limited number of investors in that sector of the market. There are fewer dealers in the junk bond market, and there may be significant differences in the prices quoted for junk bonds by the dealers, and such quotations may not be the actual prices available for a purchase or sale. Because junk bonds are less liquid than higher rated bonds, judgment may play a greater role in valuing certain of a Fund’s portfolio securities than in the case of securities trading in a more liquid market. |
• | The secondary markets for high yield securities are not as liquid as the secondary markets for higher rated securities. The secondary markets for high yield securities are concentrated in relatively few market makers and participants in the markets are mostly institutional investors, including insurance companies, banks, other financial institutions and mutual funds. In addition, the trading volume for high yield securities is generally lower than that for higher rated securities and the secondary markets could contract under adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the condition of a particular issuer. Under certain economic and/or market conditions, a Fund may have difficulty disposing of certain high yield securities due to the limited number of investors in that sector of the market. An illiquid secondary market may adversely affect the market price of the high yield security, which may result in increased difficulty selling the particular issue and obtaining accurate market quotations on the issue when valuing a Fund’s assets. Market quotations on high yield securities are available only from a limited number of dealers, and such quotations may not be the actual prices available for a purchase or sale. When the secondary market for high yield securities becomes more illiquid, or in the absence of readily available market quotations for such securities, the relative lack of reliable objective data makes it more difficult to value a Fund’s securities, and judgment plays a more important role in determining such valuations. |
• | A Fund may incur expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon default or to negotiate new terms with a defaulting issuer. |
• | The junk bond markets may react strongly to adverse news about an issuer or the economy, or to the perception or expectation of adverse news, whether or not it is based on fundamental analysis. Additionally, prices for high yield securities may be affected by legislative and regulatory developments. These developments could adversely affect a Fund’s NAV and investment practices, the secondary market for high yield securities, the financial condition of issuers of these securities and the value and liquidity of outstanding high yield securities, especially in a thinly traded market. For example, federal legislation requiring the divestiture by federally insured savings and loan associations of their investments in high yield bonds and limiting the deductibility of interest by certain corporate issuers of high yield bonds adversely affected the market in the past. |
• | The rating assigned by a rating agency evaluates the issuing agency’s assessment of the safety of a non-investment grade security’s principal and interest payments, but does not address market value risk. Because such ratings of the ratings agencies may not always reflect current conditions and events, in addition to using recognized rating agencies and other sources, the sub-adviser performs its own analysis of the issuers whose non-investment grade securities a Fund holds. Because of this, the Fund’s performance may depend more on the sub-adviser’s own credit analysis than in the case of mutual funds investing in higher-rated securities. |
(a) | U.S. dollar-denominated obligations issued or supported by the credit of U.S. or foreign banks or savings institutions with total assets in excess of $1 billion (including obligations of foreign branches of such banks); |
(b) | 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, Prime-2 or higher by Moody’s or F-2 or higher by 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 the Fund’s Manager; |
(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 foreign 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; |
(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 directly or indirectly on the credit of the United States; |
(k) | fixed and variable rate notes and similar debt instruments rated MIG-2, VMIG-2 or Prime-2 or higher by Moody’s, SP-2 or A-2 or higher by S&P, or F-2 or higher by Fitch; |
(l) | tax-exempt commercial paper and similar debt instruments rated Prime-2 or higher by Moody’s, A-2 or higher by S&P, or F-2 or higher by Fitch; |
(m) | municipal bonds rated A or higher by Moody’s, S&P or Fitch; |
(n) | unrated notes, paper or other instruments that are of comparable quality to the instruments described above, as determined by the Fund’s Manager under guidelines established by the Board; and |
(o) | municipal bonds and notes which are guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or an agency or instrumentality thereof or which otherwise depend directly or indirectly on the credit of the United States. |
• | Portfolio Holdings: “Portfolio Holdings” are a Fund’s portfolio securities and other instruments, and include, but are not limited to: |
• | for equity securities, information such as issuer name, CUSIP, ticker symbol, total shares and market value; |
• | for fixed income securities, information such as issuer name, CUSIP, ticker symbol, coupon, maturity, current face value and market value; |
• | for all securities, information such as quantity, SEDOL, market price, yield, WAL, duration and convexity as of a specific date; |
• | for derivatives, indicative data including, but not limited to, pay leg, receive leg, notional amount, reset frequency and trade counterparty; and |
• | trading strategies, specific portfolio holdings, including the number of shares held, weightings of particular holdings, trading details, pending or recent transactions and portfolio management plans to purchase or sell particular securities or allocation within particular sectors. |
• | 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, risk related information (e.g., value at risk, standard deviation), 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. |
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 NAVs per share 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. |
(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. |
• | 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 typically 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. |
1. | Fund’s Board of Directors and, if necessary, independent Directors’ 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 — Alight Money Market Fund, Alight Series Trust, Alight Financial Solutions 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 —Treasury Money Market Fund (Cayman) 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. |
$1 million but less than $3
million
|
1.00% |
$3 million but less than $15
million
|
0.50% |
$15 million and
above
|
0.25% |
$250,000 but less than $3 million
|
1.00% |
$3 million but less than $15
million
|
0.50% |
$15 million and
above
|
0.25% |
$1 million but less than $3
million
|
0.75% |
$3 million but less than $15
million
|
0.50% |
$15 million and
above
|
0.25% |
$1 million but less than $3
million
|
0.50% |
$3 million but less than $15
million
|
0.25% |
$15 million and
above
|
0.15% |
$250,000 but less than $3
million
|
0.50% |
$3 million but less than $15
million
|
0.25% |
$15 million and
above
|
0.15% |
$1 million but less than $3
million
|
0.15% |
$3 million but less than $15
million
|
0.10% |
$15 million and
above
|
0.05% |
$500,000 but less than $3
million
|
0.75% |
$3 million but less than $15
million
|
0.50% |
$15 million and
above
|
0.25% |
$100,000 and above
|
0.25% |
$250,000 but less than $4
million
|
1.00% |
$4 million but less than $10
million
|
0.50% |
$10 million and
above
|
0.25% |
$250,000 but less than $3
million
|
0.75% |
$3 million but less than $15
million
|
0.50% |
$15 million and
above
|
0.25% |
$1,000,000 and above
|
0.10% |
$1,000,000 and above
|
0.15% |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
• | 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. |
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. |
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. |
• | 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. |
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. |
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. |
1 | iShares MSCI Peru ETF and the iShares Sustainable ETFs, as defined in Appendix A of the Proxy Voting Policy for iShares Sustainable ETFs have separate Fund Proxy Voting Policies. |
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• | Boards and directors |
• | Auditors and audit-related issues |
• | Capital structure, mergers, asset sales and other special transactions |
• | Compensation and benefits |
• | Environmental and social issues |
• | General corporate governance matters and shareholder protections |
• | establishing an appropriate corporate governance structure |
• | supporting and overseeing management in setting long-term strategic goals, applicable measures of value-creation and milestones that will demonstrate progress, and steps taken if any obstacles are anticipated or incurred |
• | ensuring the integrity of financial statements |
• | making independent decisions regarding mergers, acquisitions and disposals |
• | establishing appropriate executive compensation structures |
• | addressing business issues, including environmental and social issues, when they have the potential to materially impact company reputation and performance |
• | current or former employment at the company or a subsidiary within the past several years |
• | being, or representing, a shareholder with a substantial shareholding in the company |
• | interlocking directorships |
• | having any other interest, business or other relationship which could, or could reasonably be perceived to, materially interfere with the director’s ability to act in the best interests of the company |
• | BlackRock clients who may be issuers of securities or proponents of shareholder resolutions |
• | BlackRock business partners or third parties who may be issuers of securities or proponents of shareholder resolutions |
• | BlackRock employees who may sit on the boards of public companies held in Funds managed by BlackRock |
• | Significant BlackRock, Inc. investors who may be issuers of securities held in Funds managed by BlackRock |
• | Securities of BlackRock, Inc. or BlackRock investment funds held in Funds managed by BlackRock |
• | BlackRock, Inc. board members who serve as senior executives of public companies held in Funds managed by BlackRock |
• | Adopted the Guidelines which are designed to protect and enhance the economic value of the companies in which BlackRock invests on behalf of clients. |
• | Established a reporting structure that separates BIS from employees with sales, vendor management or business partnership roles. In addition, BlackRock seeks to ensure that all engagements with corporate issuers, dissident shareholders or shareholder proponents are managed consistently and without regard to BlackRock’s relationship with such parties. Clients or business partners are not given special treatment or differentiated access to BIS. BIS prioritizes engagements based on factors including but not limited to our need for additional information to make a voting decision or our view on the likelihood that an engagement could lead to positive outcome(s) over time for the economic value of the company. Within the normal course of business, BIS may engage directly with BlackRock clients, business partners and/or third parties, and/or with employees with sales, vendor management or business partnership roles, in discussions regarding our approach to stewardship, general corporate governance matters, client reporting needs, and/or to otherwise ensure that proxy-related client service levels are met. |
• | Determined to engage, in certain instances, an independent fiduciary to vote proxies as a further safeguard to avoid potential conflicts of interest, to satisfy regulatory compliance requirements, or as may be otherwise required by applicable law. In such circumstances, the independent fiduciary provides BlackRock’s proxy voting agent with instructions, in accordance with the Guidelines, as to how to vote such proxies, and BlackRock’s proxy voting agent votes the proxy in accordance with the independent fiduciary’s determination. BlackRock uses an independent fiduciary to vote proxies of (i) any company that is affiliated with BlackRock, Inc., (ii) any public company that includes BlackRock employees on its board of directors, (iii) The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., (iv) any public company of which a BlackRock, Inc. board member serves as a senior executive, and (v) companies when legal or regulatory requirements compel BlackRock to use an independent fiduciary. In selecting an independent fiduciary, we assess several characteristics, including but not limited to: independence, an ability to analyze proxy issues and vote in the best economic interest of our clients, reputation for reliability and integrity, and operational capacity to accurately deliver the assigned votes in a timely manner. We may engage more than one independent fiduciary, in part in order to mitigate potential or perceived conflicts of interest at an independent fiduciary. The Global Committee appoints and reviews the performance of the independent fiduciar(ies), generally on an annual basis. |
Exhibit
Number |
Description | |
1 | — | Articles of Incorporation |
(a) | — | 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) | — | 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) | — | 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) | — | Amended and Restated Certificate of Classification of Shares dated July 23, 2019 is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 960 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on July 29, 2019. |
2 | — | By-laws |
(a) | — | Amended and Restated Code of Regulations of Registrant, effective as of November 29, 2018 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 2(a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 962 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on September 25, 2019. |
3 | — | Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders |
(a) | — | Article IV, Article V (Sections 5.1 and 5.4), Article VI (Sections 6.2, 6.5 and 6.7), Article VIII, Article IX (Sections 9.2, 9.5 and 9.6) and Article X (Sections 10.1, 10.4, 10.5, 10.6, 10.8 and 10.9) of Registrant’s Declaration of Trust dated December 22, 1988, as amended, 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 I, Article II (Sections 2 and 3), Article IV (Section 1) and Article V (Sections 3, 4, 5 and 6) of Registrant’s Amended and Restated Code of Regulations are incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 2(a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 962 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on September 25, 2019. |
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. 6 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Commodity Strategies Fund and BlackRock Advantage Emerging Markets Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Emerging Markets Long/Short Equity Fund) 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. |
(c) | — | Form of Addendum No. 7 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Short Obligations Fund, BlackRock Global Long/Short Equity Fund, BlackRock Total Factor Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Strategic Risk Allocation Fund) and BlackRock Real Estate Securities 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. |
Exhibit
Number |
Description | |
(d) | — | Form of Addendum No. 8 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect 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. |
(e) | — | Form of Addendum No. 9 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC 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. |
(f) | — | 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. |
(g) | — | Form of Sub-Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock International Limited with respect to 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. |
(h) | — | 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. |
(i) | — | 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. |
(j) | — | 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. |
(k) | — | 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. |
(l) | — | 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. |
(m) | — | 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. |
(n) | — | 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. |
(o) | — | 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) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 454 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on May 13, 2015. |
(p) | — | 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) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 465 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on June 8, 2015. |
Exhibit
Number |
Description | |
(q) | — | 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. |
(r) | — | 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. |
(s) | — | 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. |
(t) | — | 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. |
(u) | — | Form of Addendum No. 5 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Mid-Cap Growth Equity Portfolio, BlackRock Advantage Small Cap Growth Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Small Cap Growth Equity Portfolio), BlackRock Tactical Opportunities Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Managed Volatility Portfolio (f/k/a BlackRock Asset Allocation Portfolio)), BlackRock Health Sciences Opportunities Portfolio, BlackRock Technology Opportunities Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Science & Technology Opportunities Portfolio), BlackRock Energy & Resources Portfolio, BlackRock All-Cap Energy & Resources Portfolio, BlackRock High Equity Income Fund (f/k/a BlackRock U.S. Opportunities Portfolio), BlackRock Advantage International Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Global Opportunities Portfolio), BlackRock International Dividend Fund (f/k/a BlackRock International Opportunities Portfolio), BlackRock Exchange Portfolio and BlackRock Money Market Portfolio is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 491 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on November 24, 2015. |
(v) | — | Form of Amendment to Addendum No. 5 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock High Equity Income Fund (f/k/a BlackRock U.S. Opportunities Portfolio) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 491 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on November 24, 2015. |
(w) | — | 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. |
(x) | — | 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. |
(y) | — | 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. |
(z) | — | 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. |
Exhibit
Number |
Description | |
(aa) | — | Form of Amendment to Addendum No. 6 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Commodity Strategies 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. |
(bb) | — | 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. |
(cc) | — | Form of Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Fund Advisors is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 649 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on December 20, 2016. |
(dd) | — | Form of Amendment No. 2 to Addendum No. 5 to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Advantage Small Cap Growth Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Small Cap Growth Equity Portfolio) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 663 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 27, 2017. |
(ee) | — | Form of Amendment to Addendum No. 9 to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Total Emerging Markets Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 851 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on April 27, 2018. |
(ff) | — | Form of Amendment to Addendum No. 5 to the Investment Advisory Agreement for certain index funds between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect 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. 757 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on November 21, 2017. |
(gg) | — | Form of Amendment No. 3 to Addendum No. 5 to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock High Equity Income Fund, BlackRock Advantage Large Cap Growth Fund, BlackRock Advantage International Fund and BlackRock International Dividend Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 757 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on November 21, 2017. |
(hh) | — | Form of Amendment No. 2 to Addendum No. 6 to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Advantage Emerging Markets Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 757 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on November 21, 2017. |
(ii) | — | Form of Sub-Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock Fund Advisors with respect to iShares Developed Real Estate Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Developed Real Estate Index Fund), iShares Edge MSCI Min Vol EAFE Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Min Vol EAFE Index Fund), iShares Edge MSCI Min Vol USA Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Min Vol USA Index Fund), iShares Edge MSCI Multifactor Intl Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Multifactor International Index Fund), iShares Edge MSCI Multifactor USA Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Multifactor USA Index Fund), iShares Russell Mid-Cap Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Midcap Index Fund), iShares Russell Small/Mid-Cap Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Small/Mid Cap Index Fund), iShares Short-Term TIPS Bond Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund) and 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. 757 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on November 21, 2017. |
(jj) | — | Form of Sub-Investment Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock International Limited with respect to BlackRock International Dividend Fund (f/k/a BlackRock International Opportunities Portfolio) is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 808 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 25, 2018. |
(kk) | — | Form of Sub-Investment Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock International Limited with respect to BlackRock All-Cap Energy & Resources Portfolio is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 808 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 25, 2018. |
Exhibit
Number |
Description | |
(ll) | — | Form of Sub-Investment Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock International Limited with respect to BlackRock Energy & Resources Portfolio is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 808 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 25, 2018. |
(mm) | — | Form of Sub-Investment Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock International 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. 808 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 25, 2018. |
(nn) | — | Form of Sub-Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock Asset Management North Asia 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. 808 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 25, 2018. |
(oo) | — | Form of Amendment No. 4 to Addendum No. 5 to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Mid-Cap Growth Equity Portfolio and BlackRock Technology Opportunities Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 851 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on April 27, 2018. |
(pp) | — | Form of Amendment No. 3 to Addendum No. 6 to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Commodity Strategies Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 851 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on April 27, 2018. |
(qq) | — | Form of Sub-Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock Asset Management North Asia Limited with respect to BlackRock Emerging Markets Equity Strategies Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 852 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on April 27, 2018. |
(rr) | — | Form of Addendum No. 1 to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Fund Advisors with respect to iShares Municipal Bond Index Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 865 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on May 31, 2018. |
(ss) | — | Form of Addendum No. 16 to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock China A Opportunities Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 920 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on December 21, 2018. |
(tt) | — | Form of Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Liquid Environmentally Aware Fund is incorporated by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 945 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on April 8, 2019. |
5 | — | Underwriting Contracts |
(a) | — | Form of Amended and Restated Distribution Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Investments, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 5 of Post-Effective Amendment No. 66 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of BlackRock Advantage U.S. Total Market Fund, Inc. (File No. 2-60836), filed on July 26, 2019. |
6 | — | Bonus or Profit Sharing Contracts |
(a) | — | None |
7 | — | Custodian Agreements |
(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. |
Exhibit
Number |
Description | |
(c) | — | Form of Custody Agreement (U.S. Dollar Only) between BlackRock Funds and The Bank of New York Mellon is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 728 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on July 28, 2017. |
(d) | — | Form of Master Global Custody Agreement between BlackRock Funds and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 728 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on July 28, 2017. |
(e) | — | Master Custodian Agreement dated December 31, 2018 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 7(g) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 943 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on February 28, 2019. |
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 Amendment No. 1 to the Administration Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(2) of Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of BlackRock Funds V (File No. 333-224371), filed on July 23, 2018. |
(c) | — | Form of Amended Schedule B to the Administration Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(c) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 336 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of BlackRock Funds II (File No. 333-142592), filed on October 30, 2019. |
(d) | — | Form of Administration Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Liquid Environmentally Aware Fund is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 8(b) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 945 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on April 8, 2019. |
(e) | — | Form of Administration and Accounting Services Agreement dated June 25, 2010 between Registrant and BNY Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (f/k/a 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. |
(f) | — | Administration and Fund Accounting Services Agreement dated December 31, 2018 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(k) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 43 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Managed Account Series (File No. 333-124463), filed on February 28, 2019. |
(g) | — | 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. |
(h) | — | 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. |
(i) | — | Form of Ninth Amended and Restated Expense Limitation Agreement by and between Registrant, BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock Fund Advisors is filed herewith. |
(j) | — | Form of Amended and Restated Shareholders’ Administrative Services Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC, dated July 1, 2019, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(k) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 305 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of BlackRock Funds III (File No. 33-54126), filed on July 1, 2019. |
(k) | — | Form of Sixth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement among Registrant, a syndicate of banks and certain other parties is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 947 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on April 29, 2019. |
Exhibit
Number |
Description | |
(l) | — | Form of Fifth Amended and Restated Securities Lending Agency Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Investment Management, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(i) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 923 of Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 25, 2019. |
(m) | — | Form of Master Fund Services Agreement between Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 728 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on July 28, 2017. |
(n) | — | Form of Fourth Amended and Restated Securities Lending Agency Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(l) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 923 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 25, 2019. |
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 |
(a) | — | Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Registrant’s distributor relating to BlackRock Advantage Large Cap Growth Fund, BlackRock Advantage Small Cap Growth Fund, BlackRock High Equity Income Fund, BlackRock International Dividend Fund, BlackRock Mid-Cap Growth Equity Portfolio, BlackRock Money Market Portfolio and BlackRock Tactical Opportunities Fund 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 BlackRock Technology Opportunities Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Science & Technology Opportunities Portfolio (f/k/a BlackRock Global Science & Technology Portfolio)) 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. |
(c) | — | Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Distributors, Inc. relating to BlackRock Health Sciences Opportunities Portfolio (f/k/a BlackRock Health Sciences Portfolio), BlackRock Energy & Resources Portfolio (f/k/a BlackRock Global Resources Portfolio) and BlackRock Exchange Portfolio 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. |
(d) | — | Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Distributors, Inc. relating to BlackRock All-Cap Energy & Resources Portfolio (f/k/a BlackRock All-Cap Global Resources Portfolio) 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. |
(e) | — | Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Distributors, Inc. relating to BlackRock Advantage International Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Global Opportunities Portfolio) 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. |
Exhibit
Number |
Description | |
(f) | — | Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Distributors, Inc. relating to BlackRock Tactical Opportunities Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Managed Volatility Portfolio (f/k/a BlackRock Asset Allocation Portfolio)), BlackRock Advantage Small Cap Growth Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Small Cap Growth Equity Portfolio), BlackRock Mid-Cap Growth Equity Portfolio, BlackRock International Dividend Fund (f/k/a BlackRock International Opportunities Portfolio), BlackRock High Equity Income Fund (f/k/a BlackRock U.S. Opportunities Portfolio), BlackRock Technology Opportunities Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Science & Technology Opportunities Portfolio (f/k/a BlackRock Global Science & Technology Portfolio)), BlackRock Health Sciences Opportunities Portfolio, BlackRock Energy & Resources Portfolio (f/k/a BlackRock Global Resources Portfolio), BlackRock All-Cap Energy & Resources Portfolio (f/k/a BlackRock All-Cap Global Resources Portfolio) and BlackRock Advantage International Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Global Opportunities Portfolio) 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. |
(g) | — | 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. |
(h) | — | 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. |
(i) | — | 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. |
(j) | — | 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. |
(k) | — | 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. |
(l) | — | 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. |
(m) | — | 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. |
(n) | — | 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. |
(o) | — | 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. |
(p) | — | 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. |
(q) | — | 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. |
Exhibit
Number |
Description | |
(r) | — | 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. |
(s) | — | 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. |
(t) | — | Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to iShares Short-Term 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. |
(u) | — | 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. |
(v) | — | 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. |
(w) | — | 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. |
(x) | — | 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. |
(y) | — | 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. |
(z) | — | Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. relating to iShares Municipal Bond Index Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 894 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on November 19, 2018. |
(aa) | — | Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. relating to iShares Municipal Bond Index Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 894 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on November 19, 2018. |
(bb) | — | Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. relating to BlackRock China A Opportunities Fund is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 920 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on December 21, 2018. |
(cc) | — | Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. relating to BlackRock Liquid Environmentally Aware Fund is incorporated by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 945 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on April 8, 2019. |
13 | — | Rule 12b-1 Plan. |
(a) | — | Form of Distribution and Service Plan 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. |
(b) | — | Exhibit A to the Distribution and Service Plan, amended as of April 10, 2019, is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 962 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on September 25, 2019. |
14 | — | Rule 18f-3 Plan. |
Exhibit
Number |
Description | |
(a) | — | Amended and Restated Plan Pursuant to Rule 18f-3 for Operation of a Multi-Class Distribution System is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 960 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on July 29, 2019. |
15 | — | Reserved |
16 | — | Codes of Ethics. |
(a) | — | Code of Ethics of Registrant, BlackRock Investments, LLC, BlackRock Advisors, LLC, BlackRock Fund Advisors, BlackRock International Limited, BlackRock (Singapore) Limited and BlackRock Asset Management North Asia Limited is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 956 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on May 29, 2019. |
99 | — | Power of Attorney. |
(a) | — | Power of Attorney is incorporated herein by reference to an Exhibit of Post-Effective Amendment No. 922 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 22, 2019. |
Name | Position(s) and Office(s) with BRIL |
Position(s)
and
Office(s) with Registrant |
Abigail Reynolds | Chairman and Member, Board of Managers, and Chief Executive Officer | None |
Christopher J. Meade | Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel and Senior Managing Director | None |
Lauren Bradley | Chief Financial Officer and Vice President | None |
Gregory Rosta | Chief Compliance Officer and Director | None |
Jon Maro | Chief Operating Officer and Director | None |
Anne Ackerley | Member, Board of Managers, and Managing Director | None |
Blair Alleman | Managing Director | None |
Michael Bishopp | Managing Director | None |
Thomas Callahan | Member, Board of Managers, and Managing Director | Vice President |
Samara Cohen | Managing Director | None |
John Diorio | Managing Director | None |
Lisa Hill | Managing Director | None |
Brendan Kyne | Managing Director | None |
Paul Lohrey | Managing Director | None |
Martin Small | Member, Board of Managers, and Managing Director | None |
Name | Position(s) and Office(s) with BRIL |
Position(s)
and
Office(s) with Registrant |
Jonathan Steel | Managing Director | None |
Katrina Gil | Director | None |
Chris Nugent | Director | None |
Andrew Dickson | Director and Secretary | None |
Terri Slane | Director and Assistant Secretary | None |
Lourdes Sanchez | Vice President | None |
Lita Midwinter | Anti-Money Laundering Officer | None |
Zach Buchwald | Member, Board of Managers | None |
Gerald Pucci | Member, Board of Managers | None |
Philip Vasan | Member, Board of Managers | None |
BlackRock
FundsSM (Registrant)
on behalf of iShares Russell Small/Mid-Cap Index Fund |
|
By: | /s/ John M. Perlowski |
(John
M. Perlowski,
President and Chief Executive Officer) |
Signature | Title | Date | ||
/s/ John M. Perlowski
(John M. Perlowski) |
Trustee,
President and Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive Officer) |
November 22, 2019 | ||
/s/ Neal J. Andrews
(Neal J. Andrews) |
Chief
Financial Officer
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) |
November 22, 2019 | ||
Bruce R. Bond*
(Bruce R. Bond) |
Trustee | |||
Susan J. Carter*
(Susan J. Carter) |
Trustee | |||
Collette Chilton*
(Collette Chilton) |
Trustee | |||
Neil A. Cotty*
(Neil A. Cotty) |
Trustee | |||
Lena G. Goldberg*
(Lena G. Goldberg) |
Trustee | |||
Robert M. Hernandez*
(Robert M. Hernandez) |
Trustee | |||
Henry R. Keizer*
(Henry R. Keizer) |
Trustee | |||
Cynthia A. Montgomery*
(Cynthia A. Montgomery) |
Trustee | |||
Donald C. Opatrny*
(Donald C. Opatrny) |
Trustee | |||
Joseph P. Platt*
(Joseph P. Platt) |
Trustee | |||
Mark Stalnecker*
(Mark Stalnecker) |
Trustee |
Signature | Title | Date | ||
Kenneth L. Urish*
(Kenneth L. Urish) |
Trustee | |||
Claire A. Walton*
(Claire A. Walton) |
Trustee | |||
Robert Fairbairn*
(Robert Fairbairn) |
Trustee | |||
*By: /s/ Janey
Ahn
(Janey Ahn, Attorney-In-Fact) |
November 22, 2019 |
Exhibit 8(i)
NINTH AMENDED AND RESTATED EXPENSE LIMITATION AGREEMENT
This NINTH AMENDED AND RESTATED EXPENSE LIMITATION AGREEMENT (the Agreement), dated as of November 15, 2019, by and between each registrant (each, a Fund, and collectively, the Funds) set forth in Annex 1, as may be amended from time to time, and on behalf of each share class (each a Share Class, and collectively, the Share Classes) of each Fund and its portfolios (if applicable) (each a Portfolio, and collectively, the Portfolios) set forth on the various schedules to this Agreement, as may be amended from time to time (collectively, the Schedules), and BlackRock Advisors, LLC (BlackRock) (as investment adviser and/or as administrator to certain Funds or Portfolios) and BlackRock Fund Advisors (BFA) (as investment adviser to certain Funds or Portfolios), effective with respect to each Fund and Portfolio as of the date indicated in the Schedules of this Agreement, as applicable. (For purposes of this Agreement, Funds with no series will be referred to as either Funds or Portfolios, and BlackRock and BFA may each be referred to as a BlackRock Entity.)
WHEREAS, each Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act), as an open-end management investment company;
WHEREAS, the Funds are organized as Maryland corporations, Massachusetts business trusts, Delaware statutory trusts, or Delaware limited liability companies and are overseen by a Board of Directors or a Board of Trustees, as applicable. For ease of presentation, the Board of Directors or Board of Trustees of each Fund will be referred to herein as a Board or as Directors or Trustees;
WHEREAS, in exchange for fees specified in the applicable investment advisory agreement, a BlackRock Entity provides advisory services to each Fund or Portfolio;
WHEREAS, each BlackRock Entity has determined to waive certain fees and/or reimburse certain expenses of each Fund and its Portfolios, as applicable, payable pursuant to the applicable investment advisory agreement, administration agreement or distribution plan;
WHEREAS, the shareholders of the Funds will benefit from the ongoing fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements by incurring lower Fund operating expenses than they would absent such waivers/reimbursements;
WHEREAS, effective November 15, 2019, this Agreement replaces the Eighth Amended and Restated Expense Limitation Agreement, dated as of September 27, 2017.
NOW, THEREFORE, each of the parties hereto agrees:
1. EXPENSE LIMITATION.
1.1. APPLICABLE EXPENSE LIMIT. (a) With respect to the Funds or Portfolios set forth in Schedule A, to the extent that the aggregate expenses incurred by a Share Class (excluding Enumerated Expenses, as defined below) for the period beginning and ending
on the dates (each, an Applicable Period) specified in Schedule A (Operating Expenses), exceed the operating expense limit set forth in Schedule A as to each Share Class (the Operating Expense Limit) (or such other rate as may be agreed to in writing), such excess amount (the Excess Amount) shall be the liability of the applicable BlackRock Entity.
(b) For purposes of this Agreement, Enumerated Expenses shall mean (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 indirectly by a Portfolio as a result of investments in other investment companies and pooled investment vehicles (acquired fund fees and expenses or AFFE); (iii) other expenses attributable to, and incurred as a result of, a Portfolios investments; and (iv) extraordinary expenses (including litigation expenses) not incurred in the ordinary course of a Portfolios business.
(c) With respect to BlackRock Liquidity Funds and its Portfolios set forth in Schedule B, to the extent that the Management Fees and Miscellaneous/Other Expenses, as set forth in the applicable Portfolios prospectus (which for purposes of this paragraph (d) shall exclude the Enumerated Expenses), incurred by a Share Class in any Applicable Period specified in Schedule B exceed the Operating Expense Limit as specified in Schedule B, such Excess Amount shall be the liability of BlackRock.
(d) With respect to the Funds and Portfolios set forth in Schedule C, to the extent that Operating Expenses incurred by a Share Class (excluding Enumerated Expenses and after the application of the Networking and Operational/Recordkeeping Expense Limit, if applicable, provided in Section 1.5 below) in any Applicable Period specified in Schedule C exceed the Operating Expense Limit set forth in Schedule C as to each Share Class (or such other rate as may be agreed to in writing), such Excess Amount shall be the liability of BlackRock.
(e) With respect to the Portfolios set forth in Schedule D, to the extent that the Other Expenses, or Miscellaneous Other Expenses, as applicable, of such Portfolio (including any expenses of such Portfolios subsidiary) as defined in the applicable Portfolios prospectus (excluding Enumerated Expenses) incurred by a Share Class in any Applicable Period specified in Schedule D exceed the applicable limit as specified in Schedule D, such Excess Amount shall be the liability of BlackRock.
(f) In the event that any Applicable Period is for a period greater or less than one year, the Operating Expenses shall be annualized for purposes of calculating the Excess Amount.
1.2. METHOD OF COMPUTATION. To determine the applicable BlackRock Entitys liability with respect to the Excess Amount, each day the Operating Expenses for each Share Class shall be annualized for the Applicable Period. If such annualized Operating Expenses of a Share Class for any day exceed the Operating Expense Limit of such Share Class, the applicable BlackRock Entity shall (i) waive or reduce its fees from the applicable Portfolio
- 2 -
with respect to such Share Class for such day and/or (ii) remit to the applicable Portfolio with respect to such Share Class or Share Classes an amount that is sufficient to pay such Excess Amount, and such waiver, reduction or remittance shall occur in the month following the month in which the liability was incurred. Notwithstanding the foregoing, such waivers, reductions or remittances by the applicable BlackRock Entity shall only occur with respect to investment advisory fees and other Portfolio-level Operating Expenses if the amount to be so waived, reduced or remitted is allocated on the basis of net asset value to all shares of a Portfolio in a manner consistent with the requirements of Rule 18f-3 under the 1940 Act for the allocation of fund-wide expenses.
1.3. YEAR-END ADJUSTMENT. If necessary, on or before the last day of the first month of each Applicable Period, an adjustment payment shall be made by the appropriate party in order that the amount of the fees waived or reduced and other payments remitted by the applicable BlackRock Entity with respect to each Share Class for the previous Applicable Period shall equal the Excess Amount.
1.4. APPLICABLE MANAGEMENT OR ADMINISTRATION FEE LIMIT. With respect to the Funds set forth in Schedules E-1 and E-2, BlackRock agrees to waive each Portfolios investment advisory fee or administration fee, as applicable, either by the amount specified in Schedules E-1 or E-2, as applicable, or by an amount, as applicable, such that the investment advisory fee shall equal the amount specified in Schedules E-1 or E-2, as applicable, in any Applicable Period specified in Schedules E-1 or E-2, as applicable. Subsections 1.2 and 1.3 and Section 2 of this Agreement shall not apply to this Section 1.4.
1.5. APPLICABLE NETWORKING AND OPERATIONAL / RECORDKEEPING EXPENSE LIMIT. With respect to the Funds and Portfolios set forth in Schedule F, to the extent that the networking and operational/recordkeeping fees paid to insurance companies incurred by a Share Class in any Applicable Period specified in Schedule F exceed the Operating Expense Limit as specified in Schedule F as to each Share Class (or such other rate as may be agreed to in writing), such Excess Amount shall be the liability of BlackRock. Subsections 1.2 and 1.3 and Section 2 of the Agreement shall not apply to this Section 1.5.
1.6. APPLICABLE AFFILIATED MUTUAL FUNDS AND/OR EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS FEE WAIVER. With respect to the Funds and Portfolios set forth in Schedule G, the applicable BlackRock Entity shall waive a portion of its investment advisory fees with respect to each Fund or Portfolio, as applicable, as set forth in Schedule G in any Applicable Period specified in Schedule G. Subsections 1.2 and 1.3 and Section 2 of this Agreement shall not apply to this Section 1.6.
1.7. INDEPENDENT EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT.
(a) With respect to BlackRock Funds III and its Portfolios, and BlackRock Funds VI and its Portfolios set forth in Schedule H-1, in any Applicable Period
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specified in Schedule H-1, notwithstanding the Administration Agreement between BlackRock Funds III or BlackRock Funds VI and BlackRock, BlackRock hereby agrees to reimburse, or provide an offsetting credit against fees it is entitled to receive from, BlackRock Funds III or BlackRock Funds VI in an amount equal to the Independent Expenses, as defined in the applicable Portfolios prospectus.
(b) With respect to Master Investment Portfolio (MIP) and its Portfolios and Master Investment Portfolio II (MIP II) and its Portfolios set forth in Schedule H-2, in any Applicable Period specified in Schedule H-2, notwithstanding the Administration Agreement between MIP or MIP II and BlackRock, for those Portfolios of MIP or MIP II that pay an administration fee to BlackRock under such Administration Agreement, BlackRock hereby agrees to reimburse, or provide an offsetting credit against fees it is entitled to receive from, those Portfolios of MIP or MIP II in an amount equal to the Independent Expenses, as defined in the applicable Portfolios prospectus, allocable to those Portfolios. In addition, for those Portfolios of MIP or MIP II that do not pay an administration fee to BlackRock under such Administration Agreement, BFA agrees to cap the expenses of such Portfolios at the rate at which those Portfolios of MIP or MIP II pay an investment advisory fee to BFA.
(c) Subsections 1.2 and 1.3 and Section 2 of this Agreement shall not apply to this Section 1.7.
1.8. AFFILIATED MONEY MARKET FUNDS FEE WAIVER. With respect to the Funds and Portfolios set forth in Schedule I, in any Applicable Period specified in Schedule I, the applicable BlackRock Entity agrees to waive its investment advisory fees by the amount of investment advisory fees each Fund or Portfolio pays to such BlackRock Entity indirectly through its investment in money market funds advised by such BlackRock Entity or its affiliates. Subsections 1.2 and 1.3 and Section 2 of this Agreement shall not apply to this Section 1.8.
1.9. ACQUIRED FUND FEES AND EXPENSES REIMBURSEMENT. With respect to any Fund and its respective Portfolio as set forth in Schedule J, in any Applicable Period as set forth in Schedule J, the applicable BlackRock Entity agrees to reimburse such Portfolio for all AFFE incurred by the Portfolio, such AFFE reimbursement not to exceed the sum of the management fee and administration fee to be paid by the applicable share class.
2. RECOUPMENT OF FEE WAIVERS AND EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENTS BY BLACKROCK ENTITIES.
2.1. FUNDS SUBJECT TO RECOUPMENT PROVISION. With respect to any Fund and its respective Portfolios set forth in Schedule K, for the Applicable Period as set forth in Schedule K, if in any Portfolios fiscal year (Fiscal Year) during which the total assets of a Portfolio are greater than $50 million and in which BlackRock, BFA or an affiliate serves as investment adviser or administrator to the Portfolio, the estimated aggregate Operating Expenses of a Share Class of such Portfolio for the Fiscal Year are less than the
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Operating Expense Limit for that Fiscal Year, the applicable BlackRock Entity shall be entitled to recoupment from such Share Class, in whole or in part as provided below, of the fees waived or reduced, expenses reimbursed and other payments remitted by the applicable BlackRock Entity to such Share Class pursuant to Section 1.1 hereof. The total amount of recoupment to which the applicable BlackRock Entity may be entitled (the Recoupment Amount) shall equal, at any time, the sum of all fees previously waived or reduced by such BlackRock Entity the expenses reimbursed by such BlackRock Entity and all other payments remitted by such BlackRock Entity to the Share Class, pursuant to Section 1 hereof, during any of the previous two (2) Fiscal Years, less any recoupment previously paid by such Share Class to such BlackRock Entity with respect to such waivers, reductions, reimbursements and payments during such period. The Recoupment Amount shall not include any additional charges or fees whatsoever, including, e.g., interest accruable on the Recoupment Amount. Recoupments attributable to investment advisory fees and other Portfolio-level Operating Expenses are only permissible if the amount to be recouped is allocated on the basis of net asset value to all shares of a Portfolio in a manner consistent with the requirements of Rule 18f-3 under the 1940 Act for the allocation of fund-wide expenses. The Board shall be notified quarterly of any recoupments paid to the applicable BlackRock Entity in the previous quarter.
2.2. METHOD OF COMPUTATION. To determine each Share Classs recoupment payments, if any, to the applicable BlackRock Entity for the Recoupment Amount, each month the Operating Expenses of each Share Class shall be annualized for the Fiscal Year as of the last day of the month. If such annualized Operating Expenses of a Share Class for any month are less than the current Operating Expense Limit of such Share Class, such Share Class shall pay to the applicable BlackRock Entity an amount sufficient to increase the annualized Operating Expenses of that Share Class to an amount not to exceed either (i) the current Operating Expense Limit of that Share Class or (ii) the Operating Expense Limit of the Share Class in effect at the time that the Share Class received the applicable waiver and/or reimbursement, provided that such amount paid to the applicable BlackRock Entity will in no event exceed the total Recoupment Amount.
2.3. YEAR-END ADJUSTMENT. If necessary, on or before the last day of the first month of each Fiscal Year, an adjustment payment shall be made by the appropriate party in order that the actual Operating Expenses of a Share Class for the prior Fiscal Year (including any Recoupment Amounts payable hereunder with respect to such Fiscal Year) do not exceed the Operating Expense Limit for that Fiscal Year.
2.4. APPLICABILITY AND TERM. Sections 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3 shall apply only to those Funds set forth in Schedule K in any Applicable Period as set forth in Schedule K. For the avoidance of doubt, the application of Sections 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3 shall terminate with respect to a Fund or a Portfolio, as applicable, once such Fund or Portfolio has been in operation for seven (7) years.
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3. TERM AND TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT.
3.1. Except as specifically provided herein, including in Section 2.4 above, this Agreement shall continue in effect with respect to each Fund and each Portfolio until the date specified in the applicable Schedules, and from year to year thereafter provided such continuance is agreed to by the applicable BlackRock Entity and specifically approved by a majority of the Directors of the Fund who (i) are not interested persons of the Fund or any other party to this Agreement, as defined in the 1940 Act, and (ii) have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of this Agreement (Non-Interested Directors). Nevertheless, this Agreement may be terminated prior to expiration by any Fund or Portfolio with respect to such Fund or Portfolio, without payment of any penalty, upon 90 days prior written notice to the relevant BlackRock Entity at its principal place of business (or at an earlier date as may be agreed to by both parties); provided that, such action shall be authorized by resolution of a majority of the Non-Interested Directors of such Fund or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such Fund. Neither a BlackRock Entity nor a Fund shall be obligated to extend this Agreement with respect to such Fund or any Portfolio of such Fund, if applicable.
4. MISCELLANEOUS.
4.1. CAPTIONS. The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of reference only and in no other way define or delineate any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect.
4.2. INTERPRETATION. Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to require a Fund or any Portfolio to take any action contrary to such Funds Declaration of Trust/Articles of Incorporation/Limited Liability Company Agreement, as applicable, or any applicable statutory or regulatory requirement to which it is subject or by which it is bound, or to relieve or deprive such Funds Board of its responsibility for and control of the conduct of the affairs of such Fund or the Portfolios.
4.3. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. The obligations and expenses incurred, contracted for or otherwise existing with respect to a Fund or Portfolio, as applicable, shall be enforced against the assets of such Fund or Portfolio or applicable class thereof and not against the assets of any other class or any other Fund, Portfolio or other series of a Fund. It is understood and expressly stipulated that neither the shareholders or interestholders, as applicable, of a Portfolio nor the Directors of a Fund shall be personally liable hereunder.
4.4. DEFINITIONS. Any questions of interpretation of any term or provision of this Agreement, including but not limited to the computations of net asset values or of any fee, and the allocation of expenses, having a counterpart in or otherwise derived from the terms and provisions of the applicable agreement between the applicable Fund and BlackRock Entity or the 1940 Act, shall have the same meaning as and be resolved by reference to such agreement or the 1940 Act, as applicable, and to interpretations thereof, if any, by the United States Courts or in the absence of any controlling decision of any such Court, by rules, regulations or orders of the
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Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued pursuant to the 1940 Act. In addition, if the effect of a requirement of the 1940 Act reflected in any provision of this Agreement is revised by rule, regulation or order of the SEC, that provision will be deemed to incorporate the effect of that rule, regulation or order. Otherwise the provisions of this Agreement will be interpreted in accordance with the substantive laws of the State of New York.
4.5. CERTAIN LIABILITIES. The names BlackRock Funds, BlackRock Funds II, BlackRock Funds IV, BlackRock Funds V, BlackRock Municipal Series Trust, and Funds For Institutions Series and Trustees of such Funds refer specifically to the trust created and the Trustees, as trustees but not individually or personally, acting from time to time under Declarations of Trust dated December 22, 1988 (as amended), April 26, 2007, April 19, 2018, April 19, 2018, August 14, 1986 (as amended), and May 7, 1987 (as amended), respectively, copies of which are on file at the office of the State Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and at the principal office of each Fund, as may be amended from time to time (each, a Declaration). The obligations of BlackRock Funds, BlackRock Funds II, BlackRock Funds IV, BlackRock Funds V, BlackRock Municipal Series Trust, and Funds For Institutions Series entered into in the name or on behalf thereof by any of the Trustees, officers, representatives or agents are not made individually, but in such capacities, and are not binding upon any of the Trustees, shareholders, representatives or agents of each Fund personally, but bind only the Trust property (as defined in the Declaration), and all persons dealing with any Portfolio or Share Class must look solely to the Trust property belonging to such Portfolio or Share Class for the enforcement of any claims against each Fund.
4.6. AMENDMENT TO THIS AGREEMENT. This Agreement may be amended only by a written agreement signed by each of the parties to which the amendment relates. The Agreement shall become effective with respect to Funds and their Portfolios not currently listed in the Appendices to this Agreement upon obtaining the requisite approval from the applicable Fund Boards.
4.7. OTHER WAIVERS AND/OR REIMBURSEMENTS. Nothing herein shall preclude a BlackRock Entity from contractually waiving other fees and/or reimbursing expenses of any Fund or Portfolio, voluntarily waiving fees it is entitled to from any Fund or Portfolio or voluntarily reimbursing expenses of any Fund or Portfolio, as such BlackRock Entity, in its discretion, deems reasonable or appropriate. Any such voluntary waiver or voluntary expense reimbursement may be modified or terminated by such BlackRock Entity at any time in its sole and absolute discretion without the approval of the Funds Board.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be signed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized as of the day and year first above written.
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ANNEX 1
BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Advantage U.S. Total Market Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Asian Dragon Fund, Inc.
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 ETF Trust
BlackRock EuroFund
BlackRock Focus Growth Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Funds
BlackRock Funds II
BlackRock Funds III
BlackRock Funds IV
BlackRock Funds V
BlackRock Funds VI
BlackRock Global Allocation 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 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 Series Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Series Fund II, Inc.
BlackRock Series, Inc.
BlackRock Strategic Global Bond Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Variable Series Funds, Inc.
BlackRock Variable Series Funds II, Inc.
Funds For Institutions Series
Managed Account Series
Managed Account Series II
Master Advantage U.S. Total Market LLC
Master Bond LLC
Master Focus Growth LLC
Master Investment Portfolio
Master Investment Portfolio II
Master Large Cap Series LLC
Quantitative Master Series LLC
SCHEDULE A
PROVIDED IN EXCEL SPREADSHEET
SCHEDULE B
PROVIDED IN EXCEL SPREADSHEET
SCHEDULE C
PROVIDED IN EXCEL SPREADSHEET
SCHEDULE D
PROVIDED IN EXCEL SPREADSHEET
SCHEDULE E-1
PROVIDED IN EXCEL SPREADSHEET
SCHEDULE E-2
PROVIDED IN EXCEL SPREADSHEET
SCHEDULE F
PROVIDED IN EXCEL SPREADSHEET
SCHEDULE G
PROVIDED IN EXCEL SPREADSHEET
SCHEDULE H
PROVIDED IN EXCEL SPREADSHEET
SCHEDULE I
PROVIDED IN EXCEL SPREADSHEET
SCHEDULE J
PROVIDED IN EXCEL SPREADSHEET
SCHEDULE K
PROVIDED IN EXCEL SPREADSHEET
Exhibit 10(a)
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form N-1A of BlackRock FundsSM of our report dated September 24, 2019, relating to the financial statements and financial highlights, which appears in iShares Russell Small/Mid-Cap Index Funds Annual Report on Form N-CSR for the year ended July 31, 2019. We also consent to the references to us under the headings Financial Highlights, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm and Financial Statements in such Registration Statement.
/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
November 22, 2019