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Prospectus |
• | BlackRock Dynamic High Income Portfolio |
Investor A: BDHAX • Investor C: BDHCX • Institutional: BDHIX |
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
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General Information |
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Glossary |
Glossary of Investment
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For More Information |
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Inside Back Cover |
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Back Cover |
Shareholder
Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
Investor
A Shares |
Investor
C Shares |
Institutional
Shares | |||
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) | 5.25% | None | None | |||
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of offering price or redemption proceeds, whichever is lower) | None 1 | 1.00% 2 | None | |||
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
Investor
A Shares |
Investor
C Shares |
Institutional
Shares | |||
Management Fee3 | 0.59% | 0.59% | 0.59% | |||
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees | 0.25% | 1.00% | None | |||
Other Expenses | 0.21% | 0.25% | 0.25% | |||
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses4 | 0.03% | 0.03% | 0.03% | |||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses4 | 1.08% | 1.87% | 0.87% | |||
Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements3,5 | (0.15)% | (0.19)% | (0.19)% | |||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements3,5 | 0.93% | 1.68% | 0.68% |
1 | A contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 0.75% is assessed on certain redemptions of Investor A Shares made within 18 months after purchase where no initial sales charge was paid at the time of purchase as part of an investment of $250,000 or more. |
2 | There is no CDSC on Investor C Shares after one year. |
3 | As described in the “Management of the Fund” section of the Fund’s prospectus beginning on page 81, 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 (“ETFs”) managed by BlackRock or its affiliates that have a contractual management fee, through June 30, 2025. 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 June 30, 2025. 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. |
4 | The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses do not correlate to the ratios of expenses to average net assets given in the Fund’s most recent annual report, which do not include Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. |
5 | As described in the “Management of the Fund” section of the Fund’s prospectus beginning on page 81, BlackRock has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse fees or expenses in order to limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements (excluding Dividend Expense, Interest Expense, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and certain other Fund expenses) as a percentage of average daily net assets to 0.90% (for Investor A Shares), 1.65% (for Investor C Shares) and 0.65% (for Institutional Shares) of |
average daily net assets through June 30, 2025. 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 | $615 | $836 | $1,075 | $1,760 |
Investor C Shares | $271 | $569 | $ 993 | $1,968 |
Institutional Shares | $ 69 | $259 | $ 464 | $1,055 |
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Investor C Shares | $171 | $569 | $993 | $1,968 |
■ | Investment in Other Investment Companies Risk — As with other investments, investments in other investment companies, including the underlying funds and/or ETFs, are subject to market and selection risk. In addition, if the Fund acquires shares of investment companies, including ones affiliated with the Fund, which may include underlying funds and ETFs advised by BlackRock or other investment advisers, 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. |
Investing in an ETF will give the Fund exposure to the securities comprising the index on which the ETF is based. Shares of ETFs are traded on an exchange throughout a trading day, and bought and sold based on market values and not at the ETF’s net asset value. For this reason shares of an ETF could trade at either a premium or discount to its net asset value. However, the trading prices of index-based ETFs tend to closely track the actual net asset value of the ETF. The Fund will pay brokerage commissions in connection with the purchase and sale of shares of ETFs, in addition to a spread (i.e., the difference between what professional investors are willing to pay for ETF shares (the “bid” price) and the price at which they are willing to sell ETF shares (the “ask” price)). | |
■ | Allocation Risk — The Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective depends upon BlackRock’s skill in determining the Fund’s strategic asset class allocation and in selecting the best mix of underlying funds and direct investments. There is a risk that BlackRock’s evaluations and assumptions regarding asset classes or underlying funds and/or ETFs may be incorrect in view of actual market conditions. |
■ | Affiliated Fund Risk — In managing the Fund, BlackRock will have authority to select and substitute underlying funds and ETFs. BlackRock may be subject to potential conflicts of interest in selecting underlying funds and ETFs because the fees paid to BlackRock by some underlying funds and ETFs are higher than the fees paid by other underlying funds and ETFs. However, BlackRock is a fiduciary to the Fund and is legally obligated to act in the Fund’s best interests when selecting underlying funds and ETFs. If an underlying fund or ETF holds interests in an affiliated fund, the Fund may be prohibited from purchasing shares of that underlying fund or ETF. |
■ | Debt Securities Risk — Debt securities, such as bonds, involve interest rate risk, credit risk, extension risk, and prepayment risk, among other things. |
Interest Rate Risk — The market value of bonds and other fixed-income securities changes in response to interest rate changes and other factors. Interest rate risk is the risk that prices of bonds and other fixed-income securities will increase as interest rates fall and decrease as interest rates rise. | |
The Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates due to the recent period of historically low interest rates. For example, if interest rates increase by 1%, assuming a current portfolio duration of ten years, and all other factors being equal, the value of the Fund’s investments would be expected to decrease by 10%. (Duration is a measure of the price sensitivity of a debt security or portfolio of debt securities to relative changes in interest rates.) The magnitude of these fluctuations in the market price of bonds and other fixed-income securities is generally greater for those securities with longer maturities. Fluctuations in the market price of the Fund’s investments will not affect interest income derived from instruments already owned by the Fund, but will be reflected in the Fund’s net asset value. The Fund may lose money if short-term or long-term interest rates rise sharply in a manner not anticipated by Fund management. | |
To the extent the Fund invests in debt securities that may be prepaid at the option of the obligor (such as mortgage-backed securities), the sensitivity of such securities to changes in interest rates may increase (to the detriment of the Fund) when interest rates rise. Moreover, because rates on certain floating rate debt securities typically reset only periodically, changes in prevailing interest rates (and particularly sudden and significant changes) can be expected to cause some fluctuations in the net asset value of the Fund to the extent that it invests in floating rate debt securities. | |
These basic principles of bond prices also apply to U.S. Government securities. A security backed by the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. Government is guaranteed only as to its stated interest rate and face value at maturity, not its current market price. Just like other fixed-income securities, government-guaranteed securities will fluctuate in value when interest rates change. | |
A general rise in interest rates has the potential to cause investors to move out of fixed-income securities on a large scale, which may increase redemptions from funds that hold large amounts of fixed-income securities. Heavy redemptions could cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times or at a loss or depressed value and could hurt the Fund’s performance. | |
Credit Risk — Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of a debt security (i.e., the borrower) will not be able to make payments of interest and principal when due. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in that issuer. The degree of credit risk depends on both the financial condition of the issuer and the terms of the obligation. | |
Extension Risk — When interest rates rise, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more slowly than anticipated, causing the value of these obligations to fall. | |
Prepayment Risk — When interest rates fall, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more quickly than originally anticipated, and the Fund may have to invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields. | |
■ | 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. |
■ | Asset Class Risk — Securities and other assets or financial instruments in an underlying fund’s 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. |
■ | Collateralized Debt Obligations Risk — In addition to the typical risks associated with fixed-income securities and asset-backed securities, CDOs, including CLOs, carry additional risks including, but not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the risk that the collateral may default or decline in value or be downgraded, if rated by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization; (iii) the Fund may invest in tranches of CDOs that are subordinate to other tranches; (iv) the structure and complexity of the transaction and the legal documents could lead to disputes among investors regarding the characterization of proceeds; (v) the investment return achieved by the Fund could be significantly different than those predicted by financial models; (vi) the lack of a readily available secondary market for CDOs; (vii) the risk of forced “fire sale” liquidation due to technical defaults such as coverage test failures; and (viii) the CDO’s manager may perform poorly. |
■ | Convertible Securities Risk — The market value of a convertible security performs like that of a regular debt security; that is, if market interest rates rise, the value of a convertible security usually falls. In addition, convertible securities are subject to the risk that the issuer will not be able to pay interest, principal or dividends when due, and their market value may change based on changes in the issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of the issuer’s creditworthiness. Since it derives a portion of its value from the common stock into which it may be converted, a convertible security is also subject to the same types of market and issuer risks that apply to the underlying common stock, including the potential for increased volatility in the price of the convertible security. |
■ | Corporate Loans Risk — Commercial banks and other financial institutions or institutional investors make corporate loans to companies that need capital to grow or restructure. Borrowers generally pay interest on corporate loans at rates that change in response to changes in market interest rates such as the Secured Overnight Financing Rate, the London Interbank Offered Rate or the prime rates of U.S. banks. As a result, the value of corporate loan investments is generally less exposed to the adverse effects of shifts in market interest rates than investments that pay a fixed rate of interest. The market for corporate loans may be subject to irregular trading activity and wide bid/ask spreads. In addition, transactions in corporate loans may settle on a delayed basis. As a result, the proceeds from the sale of corporate loans may not be readily available to make additional investments or to meet the Fund’s redemption obligations. To the extent the extended settlement process gives rise to short-term liquidity needs, the Fund may hold additional cash, sell investments or temporarily borrow from banks and other lenders. |
■ | Covered Call Risk — The Fund intends to invest in covered call options and structured notes that provide exposure to covered call options. Covered call risk is the risk that the issuer of the call option will forgo any profit from increases in the market value of the underlying security covering the call option above the sum of the premium and the strike price of the call but retain the risk of loss if the underlying security declines in value. The Fund will have no control over the exercise of the option by the option holder and may lose the benefit from any capital appreciation on the underlying security. A number of factors may influence the option holder’s decision to exercise the option, including the value of the underlying security, price volatility, dividend yield and interest rates. To the extent that these factors increase the value of the call option, the option holder is more likely to exercise the option, which may negatively affect the Fund. |
■ | 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: |
Leverage Risk — The Fund’s use of derivatives can magnify the Fund’s gains and losses. Relatively small market movements may result in large changes in the value of a derivatives position and can result in losses that greatly exceed the amount originally invested. | |
Market Risk — Some derivatives are more sensitive to interest rate changes and market price fluctuations than other securities. 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. | |
Counterparty Risk — Derivatives are also subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party in the transaction will be unable or unwilling to fulfill its contractual obligation, and the related risks of having concentrated exposure to such a counterparty. | |
Illiquidity Risk — 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. | |
Operational Risk — The use of derivatives includes the risk of potential operational issues, including documentation issues, settlement issues, systems failures, inadequate controls and human error. | |
Legal Risk — The risk of insufficient documentation, insufficient capacity or authority of counterparty, or legality or enforceability of a contract. | |
Volatility and Correlation Risk — 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. | |
Valuation Risk — Valuation for derivatives may not be readily available in the market. 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. | |
Hedging Risk — 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. | |
Tax Risk — Certain aspects of the tax treatment of derivative instruments, including swap agreements and commodity-linked derivative instruments, are currently unclear and may be affected by changes in legislation, regulations or other legally binding authority. Such treatment may be less favorable than that given to a direct investment in an underlying asset and may adversely affect the timing, character and amount of income the Fund realizes from its investments. | |
■ | Distressed Securities Risk — Distressed securities are speculative and involve substantial risks in addition to the risks of investing in junk bonds. The Fund will generally not receive interest payments on the distressed securities |
and may incur costs to protect its investment. In addition, distressed securities involve the substantial risk that principal will not be repaid. These securities may present a substantial risk of default or may be in default at the time of investment. The Fund may incur additional expenses to the extent it is required to seek recovery upon a default in the payment of principal of or interest on its portfolio holdings. In any reorganization or liquidation proceeding relating to a portfolio company, the Fund may lose its entire investment or may be required to accept cash or securities with a value less than its original investment. Distressed securities and any securities received in an exchange for such securities may be subject to restrictions on resale. | |
■ | Dollar Rolls Risk — Dollar rolls involve the risk that the market value of the securities that the Fund is committed to buy may decline below the price of the securities the Fund has sold. These transactions may involve leverage. |
■ | Emerging Markets Risk — Emerging markets are riskier than more developed markets because they tend to develop unevenly and may never fully develop. Investments in emerging markets may be considered speculative. Emerging markets are more likely to experience hyperinflation and currency devaluations, which adversely affect returns to U.S. investors. In addition, many emerging securities markets have far lower trading volumes and less liquidity than developed markets. |
■ | Foreign Securities Risk — Foreign investments often involve special risks not present in U.S. investments that can increase the chances that the Fund will lose money. These risks include: |
■ | The Fund generally holds its foreign securities and cash in foreign banks and securities depositories, which may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business and may be subject to only limited or no regulatory oversight. |
■ | Changes in foreign currency exchange rates can affect the value of the Fund’s portfolio. |
■ | The economies of certain foreign markets may not compare favorably with the economy of the United States with respect to such issues as growth of gross national product, reinvestment of capital, resources and balance of payments position. |
■ | The governments of certain countries, or the U.S. Government with respect to certain countries, may prohibit or impose substantial restrictions through capital controls and/or sanctions on foreign investments in the capital markets or certain industries in those countries, which may prohibit or restrict the ability to own or transfer currency, securities, derivatives or other assets. |
■ | Many foreign governments do not supervise and regulate stock exchanges, brokers and the sale of securities to the same extent as does the United States and may not have laws to protect investors that are comparable to U.S. securities laws. |
■ | Settlement and clearance procedures in certain foreign markets may result in delays in payment for or delivery of securities not typically associated with settlement and clearance of U.S. investments. |
■ | The Fund’s claims to recover foreign withholding taxes may not be successful, and if the likelihood of recovery of foreign withholding taxes materially decreases, due to, for example, a change in tax regulation or approach in the foreign country, accruals in the Fund’s net asset value for such refunds may be written down partially or in full, which will adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value. |
■ | The European financial markets have recently experienced volatility and adverse trends due to concerns about economic downturns in, or rising government debt levels of, several European countries as well as acts of war in the region. These events may spread to other countries in Europe and may affect the value and liquidity of certain of the Fund’s investments. |
■ | Geographic Risk — A natural or manmade disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund invests, which could adversely affect the economy or the business operations of companies located there, causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in the affected region. |
■ | High Portfolio Turnover Risk — The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of its portfolio securities. High portfolio turnover (more than 100%) may result in increased transaction costs to the Fund, including brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of the securities and on reinvestment in other securities. The sale of Fund portfolio securities may result in the realization and/or distribution to shareholders of higher capital gains or losses as compared to a fund with less active trading policies. These effects of higher than normal portfolio turnover may adversely affect Fund performance. In addition, investment in mortgage dollar rolls and participation in to-be-announced (“TBA”) transactions may significantly increase the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate. A TBA transaction is a method of trading mortgage-backed securities where the buyer and seller agree upon general trade parameters such as agency, settlement date, par amount, and price at the time the contract is entered into but the mortgage-backed securities are delivered in the future, generally 30 days later. |
■ | Illiquid Investments Risk — The Fund may not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 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. Liquid investments may become illiquid after purchase by the Fund, particularly during periods of market turmoil. There can be no assurance that a security or instrument that is deemed to be liquid when purchased will continue to be liquid for as long as it is held by the Fund, and any security or instrument held by the Fund may be deemed an illiquid investment pursuant to the Fund’s liquidity risk management program. 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. In addition, if the Fund is limited in its ability to sell illiquid investments during periods when shareholders are redeeming their shares, the Fund will need to sell liquid securities to meet redemption requests and illiquid securities will become a larger portion of the Fund’s holdings. An investment may be illiquid due to, among other things, the reduced number and capacity of traditional market participants to make a market in fixed-income securities or 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. 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. This may be magnified in a rising interest rate environment or other circumstances where investor redemptions from fixed-income mutual funds may be higher than normal. 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. | |
■ | Income Risk — Income risk is the risk that the Fund’s yield will vary as short-term securities in its portfolio mature and the proceeds are reinvested in securities with different interest rates. |
■ | Indexed and Inverse Securities Risk — Indexed and inverse securities provide a potential return based on a particular index of value or interest rates. The Fund’s return on these securities will be subject to risk with respect to the value of the particular index. These securities are subject to leverage risk and correlation risk. Certain indexed and inverse securities have greater sensitivity to changes in interest rates or index levels than other securities, and the Fund’s investment in such instruments may decline significantly in value if interest rates or index levels move in a way Fund management does not anticipate. |
■ | 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. |
■ | Junk Bonds Risk — Although junk bonds generally pay higher rates of interest than investment grade bonds, junk bonds are high risk investments that are considered speculative and may cause income and principal losses for the Fund. |
■ | 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. 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 the applicable requirements of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), and the rules thereunder. Increases and decreases in the value of the Fund’s portfolio will be magnified when the Fund uses leverage. |
■ | Loans Risk — An economic downturn generally leads to a higher non-payment rate, and a loan may lose significant value before a default occurs. Moreover, any specific collateral used to secure a loan may decline in value or become illiquid, which would adversely affect the loan’s value. No active trading market may exist for certain loans, which may impair the ability of the Fund to realize full value in the event of the need to sell a loan and which may make it difficult to value loans. Although loans in which the Fund will invest generally will be secured by specific collateral, there can be no assurance that liquidation of such collateral would satisfy the borrower’s obligation in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal or that such collateral could be readily liquidated. To the extent that a loan is collateralized by stock in the borrower or its subsidiaries, such stock may lose all of its value in the event of the bankruptcy of the borrower. Uncollateralized senior loans involve a greater risk of loss. |
■ | 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. The value of a security or other asset may decline due to changes in general market conditions, economic trends or events that are not specifically related to the issuer of the security or other asset, or factors that affect a particular issuer or issuers, exchange, country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class. Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues like pandemics or epidemics, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments. 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. | |
An outbreak of an infectious coronavirus (COVID-19) that was first detected in December 2019 developed into a global pandemic that has resulted in numerous disruptions in the market and has had significant economic impact leaving general concern and uncertainty. Although vaccines have been developed and approved for use by various governments, the duration of the pandemic and its effects cannot be predicted with certainty. The impact of this coronavirus, and other epidemics and pandemics that may arise in the future, could affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the market in general ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. | |
■ | Master Limited Partnerships Risk — The common units of an MLP are listed and traded on U.S. securities exchanges and their value fluctuates predominantly based on prevailing market conditions and the success of the MLP. Unlike owners of common stock of a corporation, owners of common units have limited voting rights and have no ability to annually elect directors. In the event of liquidation, common units have preference over subordinated units, but not over debt or preferred units, to the remaining assets of the MLP. |
■ | Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities Risks — Mortgage- and asset-backed securities represent interests in “pools” of mortgages or other assets, including consumer loans or receivables held in trust. Mortgage- and asset-backed securities are subject to credit, interest rate, prepayment and extension risks. These securities also are subject to risk of default on the underlying mortgage or asset, particularly during periods of economic downturn. Small movements in interest rates (both increases and decreases) may quickly and significantly reduce the value of certain mortgage-backed securities. |
■ | “New Issues” Risk — “New issues” are IPOs of equity securities. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile or may decline shortly after the IPO. |
■ | Non-Agency Securities Risk — There are no direct or indirect government or agency guarantees of payments in mortgage pools created by non-government issuers. Non-agency securities are also not subject to the same underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that are applicable to those mortgage-related securities that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee. Non-agency securities with payments not guaranteed by a government agency generally involve greater credit risk than securities guaranteed by government agencies. In addition, a substantial portion of the non-agency securities in which the Fund invests may be rated below investment grade (commonly known as “junk bonds”). |
Non-agency mortgage-related securities are not traded on an exchange and there may be a limited market for the securities, especially when there is a perceived weakness in the mortgage and real estate market sectors. Without an active trading market, the non-agency mortgage-related securities held in the Fund’s portfolio may be particularly difficult to value because of the complexities involved in assessing the value of the underlying mortgage loans. | |
■ | Preferred Securities Risk — Preferred securities may pay fixed or adjustable rates of return. Preferred securities are subject to issuer-specific and market risks applicable generally to equity securities. In addition, a company’s preferred securities generally pay dividends only after the company makes required payments to holders of its bonds and other debt. For this reason, the value of preferred securities will usually react more strongly than bonds and other debt to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects. Preferred securities of smaller companies may be more vulnerable to adverse developments than preferred securities of larger companies. |
■ | REIT Investment Risk — Investments in REITs involve unique risks. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in limited volume, may engage in dilutive offerings of securities and may be more volatile than other securities. REIT issuers may also fail to maintain their exemptions from investment company registration or fail to qualify for the “dividends paid deduction” under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), which allows REITs to reduce their corporate taxable income for dividends paid to their shareholders. |
■ | Repurchase Agreements and Purchase and Sale Contracts Risk — If the other party to a repurchase agreement or purchase and sale contract defaults on its obligation under the agreement, the Fund may suffer delays and incur costs or lose money in exercising its rights under the agreement. If the seller fails to repurchase the security in either situation and the market value of the security declines, the Fund may lose money. |
■ | Restricted Securities Risk — Limitations on the resale of restricted securities may have an adverse effect on their marketability, and may prevent the Fund from disposing of them promptly at advantageous prices. Restricted securities may not be listed on an exchange and may have no active trading market. In order to sell such securities, the Fund may have to bear the expense of registering the securities for resale and the risk of substantial delays in effecting the registration. Other transaction costs may be higher for restricted securities than unrestricted |
securities. Restricted securities may be difficult to value because market quotations may not be readily available, and the securities may have significant volatility. Also, the Fund may get only limited information about the issuer of a given restricted security, and therefore may be less able to predict a loss. Certain restricted securities may involve a high degree of business and financial risk and may result in substantial losses to the Fund. | |
■ | Reverse Repurchase Agreements Risk — Reverse repurchase agreements involve the sale of securities held by the Fund with an agreement to repurchase the securities at an agreed-upon price, date and interest payment. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the other party may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. The Fund could lose money if it is unable to recover the securities and the value of the collateral held by the Fund, including the value of the investments made with cash collateral, is less than the value of the securities. These events could also trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund. In addition, reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the interest income earned in the investment of the proceeds will be less than the interest expense. |
■ | Risks of Investing in Closed-End Funds — The shares of closed-end funds may trade at a price below (discount) or above (premium), or at, their net asset value. To the extent that the Fund invests a portion of its assets in closed-end funds, those assets will be subject to the risks of the closed-end fund’s portfolio securities, and a shareholder in the Fund will bear not only his or her proportionate share of the expenses of the Fund, but also, indirectly, the expenses of the closed-end fund. The securities of closed-end funds in which the Fund may invest may be leveraged. As a result, the Fund may be indirectly exposed to leverage through an investment in such securities. An investment in securities of closed-end funds that use leverage may expose the Fund to higher volatility in the market value of such securities and the possibility that the Fund’s long-term returns on such securities (and, indirectly, the long-term returns of the shares) will be diminished. |
■ | Senior Loans Risk — There is less readily available, reliable information about most senior loans than is the case for many other types of securities. An economic downturn generally leads to a higher non-payment rate, and a senior loan may lose significant value before a default occurs. Moreover, any specific collateral used to secure a senior loan may decline in value or become illiquid, which would adversely affect the senior loan’s value. No active trading market may exist for certain senior loans, which may impair the ability of the Fund to realize full value in the event of the need to sell a senior loan and which may make it difficult to value senior loans. Although senior loans in which the Fund will invest generally will be secured by specific collateral, there can be no assurance that liquidation of such collateral would satisfy the borrower’s obligation in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal or that such collateral could be readily liquidated. To the extent that a senior loan is collateralized by stock in the borrower or its subsidiaries, such stock may lose all of its value in the event of the bankruptcy of the borrower. Uncollateralized senior loans involve a greater risk of loss. |
■ | Structured Notes Risk — Structured notes and other related instruments purchased by the Fund are generally privately negotiated debt obligations where the principal and/or interest is determined by reference to the performance of a specific asset, benchmark asset, market or interest rate (“reference measure”). The purchase of structured notes exposes the Fund to the credit risk of the issuer of the structured product. Structured notes may be leveraged, increasing the volatility of each structured note’s value relative to the change in the reference measure. Structured notes may also be less liquid and more difficult to price accurately than less complex securities and instruments or more traditional debt securities. |
■ | U.S. Government Issuer Risk — Treasury obligations may differ in their interest rates, maturities, times of issuance and other characteristics. Obligations of U.S. Government agencies and authorities are supported by varying degrees of credit but generally are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. No assurance can be given that the U.S. Government will provide financial support to its agencies and authorities if it is not obligated by law to do so. |
■ | Variable and Floating Rate Instrument Risk — Variable and floating rate securities provide for periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the securities. These securities may be subject to greater illiquidity risk than other fixed income securities, meaning the absence of an active market for these securities could make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of them at any given time. |
■ | Authorized Participant Concentration Risk — Only an authorized participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with an ETF, and none of those authorized participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. An ETF has a limited number of institutions that may act as authorized participants on an agency basis (i.e., on behalf of other market participants). To the extent that authorized participants exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation or redemption orders with respect to an ETF and no other authorized participant is able to step forward to create or redeem creation units, ETF shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to net asset value and possibly face trading halts or delisting. |
■ | Management Risk — If a passively managed ETF does not fully replicate the underlying index, it is subject to the risk that the manager’s investment management strategy may not produce the intended results. |
■ | Passive Investment Risk — The portfolios of certain ETFs are not actively managed and may be affected by a general decline in market segments relating to their respective indices. Such ETFs typically invest in securities included in, or representative of, their respective indices regardless of their investment merits and do not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. |
■ | Representative Sampling Risk — Representative sampling is a method of indexing that involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively have a similar investment profile to the index and resemble the index in terms of risk factors and other key characteristics. A passively managed ETF may or may not hold every security in the index. When an ETF deviates from a full replication indexing strategy to utilize a representative sampling strategy, the ETF is subject to an increased risk of tracking error, in that the securities selected in the aggregate for the ETF may not have an investment profile similar to those of its index. |
■ | Shares of an ETF May Trade at Prices Other Than Net Asset Value — Shares of an ETF trade on exchanges at prices at, above or below their most recent net asset value. The per share net asset value of an ETF is calculated at the end of each business day and fluctuates with changes in the market value of the ETF’s holdings since the most recent calculation. The trading prices of an ETF’s shares fluctuate continuously throughout trading hours based on market supply and demand rather than net asset value. The trading prices of an ETF’s shares may deviate significantly from net asset value during periods of market volatility. Any of these factors may lead to an ETF’s shares trading at a premium or discount to net asset value. However, because shares can be created and redeemed in creation units, which are aggregated blocks of shares that authorized participants who have entered into agreements with the ETF’s distributor can purchase or redeem directly from the ETF, at net asset value (unlike shares of many closed-end funds, which frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their net asset values), large discounts or premiums to the net asset value of an ETF are not likely to be sustained over the long-term. While the creation/redemption feature is designed to make it likely that an ETF’s shares normally trade on exchanges at prices close to the ETF’s next calculated net asset value, exchange prices are not expected to correlate exactly with an ETF’s net asset value due to timing reasons as well as market supply and demand factors. In addition, disruptions to creations and redemptions or the existence of extreme market volatility may result in trading prices that differ significantly from net asset value. If a shareholder purchases at a time when the market price is at a premium to the net asset value or sells at a time when the market price is at a discount to the net asset value, the shareholder may sustain losses. The use of cash creations and redemptions may also cause the ETFs’ shares to trade in the market at greater bid-ask spreads or greater premiums or discounts to the ETFs’ NAV. |
■ | Tracking Error Risk — Imperfect correlation between a passively managed ETF’s portfolio securities and those in its index, rounding of prices, the timing of cash flows, the ETF’s size, changes to the index and regulatory requirements may cause tracking error, which is the divergence of an ETF’s performance from that of its underlying index. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because an ETF incurs fees and expenses while its underlying index does not. |
For
the periods ended 12/31/22 Average Annual Total Returns |
1 Year | 5 Years | Since
Inception (November 03, 2014) |
BlackRock Dynamic High Income Portfolio — Investor A Shares | |||
Return Before Taxes | (21.81)% | (0.02)% | 2.43% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions | (23.45)% | (2.16)% | 0.08% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | (12.75)% | (0.77)% | 0.92% |
BlackRock Dynamic High Income Portfolio — Investor C Shares | |||
Return Before Taxes | (18.89)% | 0.32% | 2.35% |
BlackRock Dynamic High Income Portfolio — Institutional Shares | |||
Return Before Taxes | (17.37)% | 1.32% | 3.35% |
MSCI
World Index (Reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
(18.14)% | 6.14% | 7.27% |
Bloomberg
U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (Reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
(13.01)% | 0.02% | 0.94% |
MSCI
World Index (70%)/Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (30%) (Reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
(16.40)% | 4.58% | 5.58% |
Name | Portfolio
Manager of the Fund Since |
Title |
Justin Christofel, CFA | 2014 | Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. |
Alex Shingler, CFA | 2015 | Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. |
Investor A and Investor C 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 a self-directed IRA brokerage account program sponsored by a retirement plan record-keeper, provided that such program offers only mutual fund options and that the program maintains an account with the Fund on an omnibus basis.$2 million for individuals and “Institutional Investors,” which include, but are not limited to, endowments, foundations, family offices, local, city, and state governmental institutions, corporations and insurance company separate accounts who 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.$1,000 for: • Clients investing through Financial Intermediaries that offer such shares on a platform that charges a transaction based sales commission outside of the Fund. • 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. |
■ | Affiliated Fund Risk — In managing the Fund, BlackRock will have authority to select and substitute underlying funds and ETFs. BlackRock may be subject to potential conflicts of interest in selecting underlying funds and ETFs because the fees paid to BlackRock by some underlying funds and ETFs are higher than the fees paid by other underlying funds and ETFs. However, BlackRock is a fiduciary to the Fund and is legally obligated to act in the Fund’s best interests when selecting underlying funds and ETFs. If an underlying fund or ETF holds interests in an affiliated fund, the Fund may be prohibited from purchasing shares of that underlying fund or ETF. |
■ | Allocation Risk — The Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective depends upon BlackRock’s skill in determining the Fund’s strategic asset class allocation and in selecting the best mix of underlying funds and/or ETFs and direct investments. There is a risk that BlackRock’s evaluations and assumptions regarding asset classes or underlying funds and/or ETFs may be incorrect in view of actual market conditions. In addition, there is no guarantee that the underlying funds and/or ETFs will achieve their investment objectives, and the underlying funds’ and/or ETFs’ performance may be lower than the performance of the asset class which they were selected to represent. The underlying funds and/or ETFs may change their investment objectives or policies without the approval of the Fund. If an underlying fund or ETF were to change its investment objective or policies, the Fund might be forced to withdraw its investment from the underlying fund or ETF at a disadvantageous time and price. |
■ | Asset Class Risk — The securities or other assets in an underlying fund’s 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 or assets 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. |
■ | Calculation Methodology Risk — An underlying fund’s underlying index relies on various sources of information to assess the criteria of issuers included in the underlying fund’s underlying index (or its parent index), including information that may be based on assumptions and estimates. Neither the Fund nor BlackRock can offer assurances that an underlying fund’s underlying index’s calculation methodology or sources of information will provide an accurate assessment of included issuers. |
■ | Collateralized Debt Obligations Risk — In addition to the typical risks associated with fixed-income securities and asset-backed securities, CDOs, including CLOs, carry additional risks including, but not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the risk that the collateral may default or decline in value or be downgraded, if rated by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization; (iii) the Fund may invest in tranches of CDOs that are subordinate to other tranches; (iv) the structure and complexity of the transaction and the legal documents could lead to disputes among investors regarding the characterization of proceeds; (v) the investment return achieved by the Fund could be significantly different than |
those predicted by financial models; (vi) the lack of a readily available secondary market for CDOs; (vii) the risk of forced “fire sale” liquidation due to technical defaults such as coverage test failures; and (viii) the CDO’s manager may perform poorly. | |
■ | Concentration Risk — To the extent that the Fund’s portfolio reflects concentration in the securities of issuers in a particular region, market, industry, group of industries, country, group of countries, sector or asset class, the Fund may be adversely affected by the performance of those securities, may be subject to increased price volatility and may be more susceptible to adverse economic, market, political or regulatory occurrences affecting that region, market, industry, group of industries, country, group of countries, sector or asset class. |
■ | Convertible Securities Risk — The market value of a convertible security performs like that of a regular debt security; that is, if market interest rates rise, the value of a convertible security usually falls. In addition, convertible securities are subject to the risk that the issuer will not be able to pay interest, principal or dividends when due, and their market value may change based on changes in the issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of the issuer’s creditworthiness. Since it derives a portion of its value from the common stock into which it may be converted, a convertible security is also subject to the same types of market and issuer risks that apply to the underlying common stock, including the potential for increased volatility in the price of the convertible security. |
■ | Corporate Loans Risk — Commercial banks and other financial institutions or institutional investors make corporate loans to companies that need capital to grow or restructure. Borrowers generally pay interest on corporate loans at rates that change in response to changes in market interest rates such as the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”), the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) or the prime rates of U.S. banks. As a result, the value of corporate loan investments is generally less exposed to the adverse effects of shifts in market interest rates than investments that pay a fixed rate of interest. However, because the trading market for certain corporate loans may be less developed than the secondary market for bonds and notes, the Fund may experience difficulties in selling its corporate loans. Transactions in corporate loans may settle on a delayed basis. As a result, the proceeds from the sale of corporate loans may not be readily available to make additional investments or to meet the Fund’s redemption obligations. To the extent the extended settlement process gives rise to short-term liquidity needs, the Fund may hold additional cash, sell investments or temporarily borrow from banks and other lenders. Leading financial institutions often act as agent for a broader group of lenders, generally referred to as a syndicate. The syndicate’s agent arranges the corporate loans, holds collateral and accepts payments of principal and interest. If the agent develops financial problems, the Fund may not recover its investment or recovery may be delayed. By investing in a corporate loan, the Fund may become a member of the syndicate. |
The market for corporate loans may be subject to irregular trading activity and wide bid/ask spreads. | |
The corporate loans in which the Fund invests are subject to the risk of loss of principal and income. Although borrowers frequently provide collateral to secure repayment of these obligations they do not always do so. If they do provide collateral, the value of the collateral may not completely cover the borrower’s obligations at the time of a default. If a borrower files for protection from its creditors under the U.S. bankruptcy laws, these laws may limit the Fund’s rights to its collateral. In addition, the value of collateral may erode during a bankruptcy case. In the event of a bankruptcy, the holder of a corporate loan may not recover its principal, may experience a long delay in recovering its investment and may not receive interest during the delay. | |
■ | Counterparty Risk — The counterparty to an over-the-counter derivatives contract or a borrower of the Fund’s securities may be unable or unwilling to make timely principal, interest or settlement payments, or otherwise to honor its obligations. Any such failure to honor its obligations may cause significant losses to the Fund. |
■ | Covered Call Risk — The Fund intends to invest in covered call options and structured notes that provide exposure to covered call options. Covered call risk is the risk that the issuer of the call option will forgo any profit from increases in the market value of the underlying security covering the call option above the sum of the premium and the strike price of the call but retain the risk of loss if the underlying security declines in value. The Fund will have no control over the exercise of the option by the option holder and may lose the benefit from any capital appreciation on the underlying security. A number of factors may influence the option holder’s decision to exercise the option, including the value of the underlying security, price volatility, dividend yield and interest rates. To the extent that these factors increase the value of the call option, the option holder is more likely to exercise the option, which may negatively affect the Fund. |
■ | Debt Securities Risk — Debt securities, such as bonds, involve interest rate risk, credit risk, extension risk, and prepayment risk, among other things. |
Interest Rate Risk — The market value of bonds and other fixed-income securities changes in response to interest rate changes and other factors. Interest rate risk is the risk that prices of bonds and other fixed-income securities will increase as interest rates fall and decrease as interest rates rise. |
The Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates due to the recent period of historically low interest rates. For example, if interest rates increase by 1%, assuming a current portfolio duration of ten years, and all other factors being equal, the value of the Fund’s investments would be expected to decrease by 10%. (Duration is a measure of the price sensitivity of a debt security or portfolio of debt securities to relative changes in interest rates.) The magnitude of these fluctuations in the market price of bonds and other fixed-income securities is generally greater for those securities with longer maturities. Fluctuations in the market price of the Fund’s investments will not affect interest income derived from instruments already owned by the Fund, but will be reflected in the Fund’s net asset value. The Fund may lose money if short-term or long-term interest rates rise sharply in a manner not anticipated by Fund management. | |
To the extent the Fund invests in debt securities that may be prepaid at the option of the obligor (such as mortgage-backed securities), the sensitivity of such securities to changes in interest rates may increase (to the detriment of the Fund) when interest rates rise. Moreover, because rates on certain floating rate debt securities typically reset only periodically, changes in prevailing interest rates (and particularly sudden and significant changes) can be expected to cause some fluctuations in the net asset value of the Fund to the extent that it invests in floating rate debt securities. | |
These basic principles of bond prices also apply to U.S. Government securities. A security backed by the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. Government is guaranteed only as to its stated interest rate and face value at maturity, not its current market price. Just like other fixed-income securities, government-guaranteed securities will fluctuate in value when interest rates change. | |
The Federal Reserve has
recently begun to raise the federal funds rate as part of its efforts to address rising inflation. There is a risk that interest rates will continue to rise, which will likely drive down the prices of bonds and other fixed-income securities. A
general rise in interest rates has the potential to cause investors to move out of fixed-income securities on a large scale, which may increase redemptions from mutual funds that hold large amounts of fixed-income securities. Heavy redemptions could
cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times or at a loss or depressed value and could hurt the Fund’s performance. | |
During periods of very low or negative interest rates, the Fund may be unable to maintain positive returns. Certain countries have recently experienced negative interest rates on certain fixed-income instruments. Very low or negative interest rates may magnify interest rate risk. Changing interest rates, including rates that fall below zero, may have unpredictable effects on markets, may result in heightened market volatility and may detract from Fund performance to the extent the Fund is exposed to such interest rates. | |
Credit Risk — Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of a debt security (i.e., the borrower) will not be able to make payments of interest and principal when due. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in that issuer. The degree of credit risk depends on both the financial condition of the issuer and the terms of the obligation. | |
Extension Risk — When interest rates rise, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more slowly than anticipated, causing the value of these obligations to fall. Rising interest rates tend to extend the duration of securities, making them more sensitive to changes in interest rates. The value of longer-term securities generally changes more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. As a result, in a period of rising interest rates, securities may exhibit additional volatility and may lose value. | |
Prepayment Risk — When interest rates fall, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more quickly than originally anticipated, and the Fund may have to invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields. In periods of falling interest rates, the rate of prepayments tends to increase (as does price fluctuation) as borrowers are motivated to pay off debt and refinance at new lower rates. During such periods, reinvestment of the prepayment proceeds by the management team will generally be at lower rates of return than the return on the assets that were prepaid. Prepayment reduces the yield to maturity and the average life of the security. | |
■ | Deflation Risk — Deflation risk is the possibility that prices throughout the economy decline over time — the opposite of inflation. If inflation is negative, the principal and income of an inflation-protected bond will decline and could result in losses for the Fund. |
■ | 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: |
Leverage Risk — The Fund’s use of derivatives can magnify the Fund’s gains and losses. Relatively small market movements may result in large changes in the value of a derivatives position and can result in losses that greatly exceed the amount originally invested. | |
Market Risk — Some derivatives are more sensitive to interest rate changes and market price fluctuations than other securities. 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. | |
Counterparty Risk — Derivatives are also subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party in the transaction will be unable or unwilling to fulfill its contractual obligation, and the related risks of having concentrated exposure to such a counterparty. | |
Illiquidity Risk —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. | |
Operational Risk — The use of derivatives includes the risk of potential operational issues, including documentation issues, settlement issues, systems failures, inadequate controls and human error. | |
Legal Risk — The risk of insufficient documentation, insufficient capacity or authority of counterparty, or legality or enforceability of a contract. | |
Volatility and Correlation 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. | |
Valuation Risk — Valuation for derivatives may not be readily available in the market. 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 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, with respect to uncleared swaps, swap dealers are required to collect variation margin from the Fund and may be required by applicable regulations to collect initial margin from the Fund. Both initial and variation margin may be comprised of cash and/or securities, subject to applicable regulatory haircuts. Shares of investment companies (other than certain money market funds) may not be posted as collateral under applicable regulations. 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. |
■ | Distressed Securities Risk — Distressed securities are speculative and involve substantial risks in addition to the risks of investing in junk bonds. The Fund will generally not receive interest payments on the distressed securities and may incur costs to protect its investment. In addition, distressed securities involve the substantial risk that principal will not be repaid. These securities may present a substantial risk of default or may be in default at the time of investment. The Fund may incur additional expenses to the extent it is required to seek recovery upon a default in the payment of principal of or interest on its portfolio holdings. In any reorganization or liquidation proceeding relating to a portfolio company, the Fund may lose its entire investment or may be required to accept cash or securities with a value less than its original investment. Distressed securities and any securities received in an exchange for such securities may be subject to restrictions on resale. |
■ | Dividend Risk — Because certain of the corporate loans held by the Fund will have floating or variable interest rates, the amounts of the Fund’s monthly distributions to its stockholders are expected to vary with fluctuations in market interest rates. Generally, when market interest rates fall, the amount of the distributions to stockholders will likewise decrease. |
■ | Dividend-Paying Stock Risk — Investing in dividend-paying stocks involves the risk that such stocks may fall out of favor with investors and underperform the broader market. Companies that issue dividend-paying stocks are not required to pay or continue paying dividends on such stocks. It is possible that issuers of the stocks held by the |
Fund will not declare dividends in the future or will reduce or eliminate the payment of dividends (including reducing or eliminating anticipated accelerations or increases in the payment of dividends) in the future. | |
■ | Dollar Rolls Risk — A dollar roll transaction involves a sale by the Fund of a mortgage-backed, U.S. Treasury or other security (as permitted by the Fund’s investment strategies) concurrently with an agreement by the Fund to repurchase a similar security at a later date at an agreed-upon price. The market value of the securities the Fund is required to purchase may decline below the agreed upon repurchase price of those securities. If the broker/dealer to whom the Fund sells securities becomes insolvent, the Fund’s right to purchase or repurchase securities may be restricted. Successful use of dollar rolls may depend upon the adviser’s ability to correctly predict interest rates and prepayments, depending on the underlying security. There is no assurance that dollar rolls can be successfully employed. |
■ | Emerging Markets Risk — The risks of foreign investments are usually much greater for emerging markets. Investments in emerging markets may be considered speculative. Emerging markets may include those in countries considered emerging or developing by the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation or the United Nations. Emerging markets are riskier than more developed markets because they tend to develop unevenly and may never fully develop. They are more likely to experience hyperinflation and currency devaluations, which adversely affect returns to U.S. investors. In addition, many emerging markets have far lower trading volumes and less liquidity than developed markets. Since these markets are often small, they may be more likely to suffer sharp and frequent price changes or long-term price depression because of adverse publicity, investor perceptions or the actions of a few large investors. In addition, traditional measures of investment value used in the United States, such as price to earnings ratios, may not apply to certain small markets. Also, there may be less publicly available information about issuers in emerging markets than would be available about issuers in more developed capital markets, and such issuers may not be subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements comparable to those to which U.S. companies are subject. |
Many emerging markets have histories of political instability and abrupt changes in policies. As a result, their governments are more likely to take actions that are hostile or detrimental to private enterprise or foreign investment than those of more developed countries, including expropriation of assets, confiscatory taxation, high rates of inflation or unfavorable diplomatic developments. In the past, governments of such nations have expropriated substantial amounts of private property, and most claims of the property owners have never been fully settled. There is no assurance that such expropriations will not reoccur. In such an event, it is possible that the Fund could lose the entire value of its investments in the affected market. Some countries have pervasive corruption and crime that may hinder investments. Certain emerging markets may also face other significant internal or external risks, including the risk of war, and ethnic, religious and racial conflicts. In addition, governments in many emerging market countries participate to a significant degree in their economies and securities markets, which may impair investment and economic growth. National policies that may limit the Fund’s investment opportunities include restrictions on investment in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to national interests. | |
Emerging markets may also have differing legal systems and the existence or possible imposition of exchange controls, custodial restrictions or other foreign or U.S. governmental laws or restrictions applicable to such investments. Sometimes, they may lack or be in the relatively early development of legal structures governing private and foreign investments and private property. Many emerging markets do not have income tax treaties with the United States, and as a result, investments by the Fund may be subject to higher withholding taxes in such countries. In addition, some countries with emerging markets may impose differential capital gains taxes on foreign investors. Foreign companies with securities listed on U.S. exchanges may be delisted if they do not meet U.S. accounting standards and auditor oversight requirements, which may significantly decrease the liquidity and value of the securities. | |
Practices in relation to settlement of securities transactions in emerging markets involve higher risks than those in developed markets, in part because the Fund will need to use brokers and counterparties that are less well capitalized, and custody and registration of assets in some countries may be unreliable. The possibility of fraud, negligence, undue influence being exerted by the issuer or refusal to recognize ownership exists in some emerging markets, and, along with other factors, could result in ownership registration being completely lost. The Fund would absorb any loss resulting from such registration problems and may have no successful claim for compensation. In addition, communications between the United States and emerging market countries may be unreliable, increasing the risk of delayed settlements or losses of security certificates. | |
■ | 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 inflation, interest or currency rates or generally adverse investor sentiment. | |
■ | Event Risk — Event risk is the risk that corporate issuers may undergo restructurings, such as mergers, leveraged buyouts, takeovers, or similar events financed by increased debt. As a result of the added debt, the credit quality and market value of a company’s bonds and/or other debt securities may decline significantly. |
■ | Foreign Securities Risk — Securities traded in foreign markets have often (though not always) performed differently from securities traded in the United States. However, such investments often involve special risks not present in U.S. investments that can increase the chances that the Fund will lose money. In particular, the Fund is subject to the risk that because there may be fewer investors on foreign exchanges and a smaller number of securities traded each day, it may be more difficult for the Fund to buy and sell securities on those exchanges. In addition, prices of foreign securities may go up and down more than prices of securities traded in the United States. |
Certain Risks of Holding Fund Assets Outside the United States — The Fund generally holds its foreign securities and cash in foreign banks and securities depositories. Some foreign banks and securities depositories may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In addition, there may be limited or no regulatory oversight of their operations. Also, the laws of certain countries limit the Fund’s ability to recover its assets if a foreign bank, depository or issuer of a security, or any of their agents, goes bankrupt. In addition, it is often more expensive for the Fund to buy, sell and hold securities in certain foreign markets than in the United States. The increased expense of investing in foreign markets reduces the amount the Fund can earn on its investments and typically results in a higher operating expense ratio for the Fund than for investment companies invested only in the United States. | |
Currency Risk — Securities and other instruments in which the Fund invests may be denominated or quoted in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. For this reason, changes in foreign currency exchange rates can affect the value of the Fund’s portfolio. | |
Generally, when the U.S. dollar rises in value against a foreign currency, a security denominated in that currency loses value because the currency is worth fewer U.S. dollars. Conversely, when the U.S. dollar decreases in value against a foreign currency, a security denominated in that currency gains value because the currency is worth more U.S. dollars. This risk, generally known as “currency risk,” means that a strong U.S. dollar will reduce returns for U.S. investors while a weak U.S. dollar will increase those returns. | |
Should the Fund invest in a debt security denominated in U.S. dollars and issued by an issuer whose functional currency is a currency other than the U.S. dollar, and such currency decreases in value against the U.S. dollar, such issuer’s ability to repay its obligation under the U.S. dollar-denominated security may be negatively impacted. | |
Foreign Economy Risk — The economies of certain foreign markets may not compare favorably with the economy of the United States with respect to such issues as growth of gross national product, reinvestment of capital, resources and balance of payments position. Certain foreign economies may rely heavily on particular industries or foreign capital and are more vulnerable to diplomatic developments, the imposition of economic sanctions against a particular country or countries, changes in international trading patterns, trade barriers and other protectionist or retaliatory measures. Investments in foreign markets may also be adversely affected by governmental actions such as the imposition of capital controls, nationalization of companies or industries, expropriation of assets or the imposition of punitive taxes. In addition, economic conditions, such as volatile currency exchange rates and interest rates, political events, military action and other conditions may, without prior warning, lead to the governments of certain countries, or the U.S. Government with respect to certain countries, prohibiting or imposing substantial restrictions through capital controls and/or sanctions on foreign investments in the capital markets or certain industries in those countries. Capital controls and/or sanctions may include the prohibition of, or restrictions on, the ability to own or transfer currency, securities, derivatives or other assets and may also include retaliatory actions of one government against another government, such as seizure of assets. Any of these actions could severely impair the Fund’s ability to purchase, sell, transfer, receive, deliver or otherwise obtain exposure to foreign securities and assets, including the ability to transfer the Fund’s assets or income back into the United States, and could negatively impact the value and/or liquidity of such assets or otherwise adversely affect the Fund’s operations, causing the Fund to decline in value. | |
Other potential foreign market risks include foreign exchange controls, difficulties in pricing securities, defaults on foreign government securities, difficulties in enforcing legal judgments in foreign courts and political and social instability. Diplomatic and political developments, including rapid and adverse political changes, social instability, regional conflicts, terrorism and war, could affect the economies, industries and securities and currency markets, |
and the value of the Fund’s investments, in non-U.S. countries. These factors are extremely difficult, if not impossible, to predict and take into account with respect to the Fund’s investments. | |
Governmental Supervision and Regulation/Accounting Standards — Many foreign governments do not supervise and regulate stock exchanges, brokers and the sale of securities to the same extent as such regulations exist in the United States. They also may not have laws to protect investors that are comparable to U.S. securities laws. For example, some foreign countries may have no laws or rules against insider trading. Insider trading occurs when a person buys or sells a company’s securities based on material non-public information about that company. In addition, some countries may have legal systems that may make it difficult for the Fund to vote proxies, exercise shareholder rights, and pursue legal remedies with respect to its foreign investments. Accounting standards in other countries are not necessarily the same as in the United States. If the accounting standards in another country do not require as much detail as U.S. accounting standards, it may be harder for Fund management to completely and accurately determine a company’s financial condition. | |
Settlement Risk — Settlement and clearance procedures in certain foreign markets differ significantly from those in the United States. Foreign settlement and clearance procedures and trade regulations also may involve certain risks (such as delays in payment for or delivery of securities) not typically associated with the settlement of U.S. investments. | |
At times, settlements in certain foreign countries have not kept pace with the number of securities transactions. These problems may make it difficult for the Fund to carry out transactions. If the Fund cannot settle or is delayed in settling a purchase of securities, it may miss attractive investment opportunities and certain of its assets may be uninvested with no return earned thereon for some period. If the Fund cannot settle or is delayed in settling a sale of securities, it may lose money if the value of the security then declines or, if it has contracted to sell the security to another party, the Fund could be liable for any losses incurred. | |
Withholding Tax Reclaims Risk — The Fund may file claims to recover foreign withholding taxes on dividend and interest income (if any) received from issuers in certain countries and capital gains on the disposition of stocks or securities where such withholding tax reclaim is possible. Whether or when the Fund will receive a withholding tax refund is within the control of the tax authorities in such countries. Where the Fund expects to recover withholding taxes, the net asset value of the Fund generally includes accruals for such tax refunds. The Fund regularly evaluates the probability of recovery. If the likelihood of recovery materially decreases, due to, for example, a change in tax regulation or approach in the foreign country, accruals in the Fund’s net asset value for such refunds may be written down partially or in full, which will adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value. Shareholders in the Fund at the time an accrual is written down will bear the impact of the resulting reduction in net asset value regardless of whether they were shareholders during the accrual period. Conversely, if the Fund receives a tax refund that has not been previously accrued, shareholders in the Fund at the time of the successful recovery will benefit from the resulting increase in the Fund’s net asset value. Shareholders who sold their shares prior to such time will not benefit from such increase in the Fund’s net asset value. | |
■ | Geographic Risk — Some of the companies in which the Fund invests are located in parts of the world that have historically been prone to natural disasters, such as earthquakes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, droughts, floods, hurricanes or tsunamis, and are economically sensitive to environmental events. Any such event may adversely impact the economies of these geographic areas or business operations of companies in these geographic areas, causing an adverse impact on the value of the Fund. |
■ | High Portfolio Turnover Risk — The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of its portfolio securities. High portfolio turnover (more than 100%) may result in increased transaction costs to the Fund, including brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of the securities and on reinvestment in other securities. The sale of Fund portfolio securities may result in the realization and/or distribution to shareholders of higher capital gains or losses as compared to a fund with less active trading policies. These effects of higher than normal portfolio turnover may adversely affect Fund performance. In addition, investment in mortgage dollar rolls and participation in to-be-announced (“TBA”) transactions may significantly increase the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate. A TBA transaction is a method of trading mortgage-backed securities where the buyer and seller agree upon general trade parameters such as agency, settlement date, par amount, and price at the time the contract is entered into but the mortgage-backed securities are delivered in the future, generally 30 days later. |
■ | Illiquid Investments Risk — The Fund may not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 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. Liquid investments may become illiquid after purchase by the Fund, particularly during periods of market turmoil. There can be no assurance that a security or instrument that is deemed to be liquid when purchased will continue to be liquid for as long as it is held by the Fund, and any security or instrument held by the Fund may be deemed an |
illiquid investment pursuant to the Fund’s liquidity risk management program. 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. In addition, if the Fund is limited in its ability to sell illiquid investments during periods when shareholders are redeeming their shares, the Fund will need to sell liquid securities to meet redemption requests and illiquid securities will become a larger portion of the Fund’s holdings. An investment may be illiquid due to, among other things, the reduced number and capacity of traditional market participants to make a market in fixed-income securities or 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. 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. This may be magnified in a rising interest rate environment or other circumstances where investor redemptions from fixed-income mutual funds may be higher than normal. 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. | |
■ | Income Producing Stock Availability Risk — Depending upon market conditions, income producing common stock that meets the Fund’s investment criteria may not be widely available and/or may be highly concentrated in only a few market sectors. This may limit the ability of the Fund to produce current income while remaining fully diversified. |
■ | Income Risk — The Fund’s yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature and the proceeds are reinvested in securities with different interest rates. |
■ | 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. |
Unusual market conditions or other unforeseen circumstances (such as natural disasters, political unrest or war) may impact the index provider or a third-party data provider and could cause the index provider to postpone a scheduled rebalance to the underlying index. This could cause the underlying index to vary from its normal or expected composition. The postponement of a scheduled rebalance could mean that constituents that would otherwise be removed at rebalance due to changes in market capitalizations, issuer credit ratings, or other reasons may remain, causing the performance and constituents of the underlying index to vary from those expected under normal conditions. Apart from scheduled rebalances, the Index Provider or its agents may carry out additional ad hoc rebalances to the underlying index due to reaching certain weighting constraints, unusual market conditions or 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. | |
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. | |
■ | Indexed and Inverse Securities Risk — Indexed and inverse securities provide a potential return based on a particular index of value or interest rates. The Fund’s return on these securities will be subject to risk with respect |
to the value of the particular index. These securities are subject to leverage risk and correlation risk. Certain indexed and inverse securities have greater sensitivity to changes in interest rates or index levels than other securities, and the Fund’s investment in such instruments may decline significantly in value if interest rates or index levels move in a way Fund management does not anticipate. | |
■ | Inflation-Indexed Bonds Risk — The principal value of an investment is not protected or otherwise guaranteed by virtue of the Fund’s investments in inflation-indexed bonds. |
Inflation-indexed bonds are fixed-income securities whose principal value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. If the index measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. | |
Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of U.S. Treasury inflation-indexed bonds. For bonds that do not provide a similar guarantee, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal value. | |
The value of inflation-indexed bonds is expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. If nominal interest rates increase at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates may rise, leading to a decrease in value of inflation-indexed bonds. Short-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in value. Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond will be considered taxable ordinary income, even though investors do not receive their principal until maturity. | |
Periodic adjustments for inflation to the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond may give rise to original issue discount, which will be includable in the Fund’s gross income. Due to original issue discount, the Fund may be required to make annual distributions to shareholders that exceed the cash received, which may cause the Fund to liquidate certain investments when it is not advantageous to do so. Also, if the principal value of an inflation-indexed bond is adjusted downward due to deflation, amounts previously distributed in the taxable year may be characterized in some circumstances as a return of capital. | |
■ | Investment in Other Investment Companies Risk — As with other investments, investments in other investment companies, including the underlying funds and/or ETFs, are subject to market and selection risk. In addition, if the Fund acquires shares of investment companies, including ones affiliated with the Fund, which may include underlying funds and ETFs advised by BlackRock or other investment advisers, 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. |
Investing in an ETF will give the Fund exposure to the securities comprising the index on which the ETF is based. Shares of ETFs are traded on an exchange throughout a trading day, and bought and sold based on market values and not at the ETF’s net asset value. For this reason shares of an ETF could trade at either a premium or discount to its net asset value. However, the trading prices of index-based ETFs tend to closely track the actual net asset value of the ETF. The Fund will pay brokerage commissions in connection with the purchase and sale of shares of ETFs, in addition to a spread (i.e., the difference between what professional investors are willing to pay for ETF shares (the “bid” price) and the price at which they are willing to sell ETF shares (the “ask” price)). | |
■ | Investment Style Risk — Under certain market conditions, growth investments have performed better during the later stages of economic expansion and value investments have performed better during periods of economic recovery. Therefore, these investment styles may over time go in and out of favor. At times when the investment style used by the Fund is out of favor, the Fund may underperform other funds that use different investment styles. |
■ | 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. |
■ | Junk Bonds Risk — Although junk bonds generally pay higher rates of interest than investment grade bonds, junk bonds are high risk investments that are considered speculative and may cause income and principal losses for the Fund. The major risks of junk bond investments include: |
■ | Junk bonds may be issued by less creditworthy issuers. Issuers of junk bonds may have a larger amount of outstanding debt relative to their assets than issuers of investment grade bonds. In the event of an issuer’s bankruptcy, claims of other creditors may have priority over the claims of junk bond holders, leaving few or no assets available to repay junk bond holders. |
■ | Prices of junk bonds are subject to extreme price fluctuations. Adverse changes in an issuer’s industry and general economic conditions may have a greater impact on the prices of junk bonds than on other higher rated fixed-income securities. |
■ | 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. |
■ | Junk bonds frequently have redemption features that permit an issuer to repurchase the security from the Fund before it matures. If the issuer redeems junk bonds, the Fund may have to invest the proceeds in bonds with lower yields and may lose income. |
■ | Junk bonds may be less liquid than higher rated fixed-income securities, even under normal economic conditions. 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. Because they are less liquid than higher rated fixed-income securities, judgment may play a greater role in valuing junk bonds than is the case with securities trading in a more liquid market. |
■ | The Fund may incur expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon default or to negotiate new terms with a defaulting issuer. |
■ | Large-Capitalization Companies Risk — Large-capitalization companies may be less able than smaller capitalization companies to adapt to changing market conditions. Large-capitalization companies may be more mature and subject to more limited growth potential compared with smaller capitalization companies. During different market cycles, the performance of large-capitalization companies has trailed the overall performance of the broader securities markets. |
■ | 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 of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”) and the rules thereunder. Under Rule 18f-4 under the Investment Company Act, among other things, the Fund must either use derivatives in a limited manner or comply with an outer limit on fund leverage risk based on value-at-risk. 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 the applicable requirements of the Investment Company Act and the rules thereunder. Increases and decreases in the value of the Fund’s portfolio will be magnified when the Fund uses leverage. |
■ | Loans Risk — There is no minimum rating or other independent evaluation of a borrower or its securities limiting the Fund’s investments, and BlackRock relies primarily on its own evaluation of a borrower’s credit quality rather than on any available independent sources. As a result, the Fund is particularly dependent on the analytical abilities of BlackRock. |
An economic downturn generally leads to a higher non-payment rate, and a loan may lose significant value before a default occurs. Moreover, any specific collateral used to secure a loan may decline in value or become illiquid, which would adversely affect the loan’s value. | |
No active trading market may exist for certain loans, which may impair the ability of the Fund to realize full value in the event of the need to sell a loan and which may make it difficult to value loans. Adverse market conditions may impair the liquidity of some actively traded loans. To the extent that a secondary market does exist for certain loans, the market may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods. | |
Although loans in which the Fund will invest generally will be secured by specific collateral, there can be no assurance that liquidation of such collateral would satisfy the borrower’s obligation in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal or that such collateral could be readily liquidated. In the event of the bankruptcy of a borrower, the Fund could experience delays or limitations with respect to its ability to realize the benefits of the collateral securing a loan. If the terms of a loan do not require the borrower to pledge additional collateral in the event of a decline in the value of the already pledged collateral, the Fund will be exposed to the risk that the value of the collateral will not at all times equal or exceed the amount of the borrower’s obligations under the loans. To the extent that a loan is collateralized by stock in the borrower or its subsidiaries, such stock may lose all of its value in the event of the bankruptcy of the borrower. Uncollateralized loans involve a greater risk of loss. Some loans are subject to the risk that a court, pursuant to fraudulent conveyance or other similar laws, could subordinate the loans to presently existing or future indebtedness of the borrower or take other action detrimental to lenders, including the Fund. Such court action could under certain circumstances include invalidation of loans. |
If a loan is acquired through an assignment, the Fund may not be able to unilaterally enforce all rights and remedies under the loan and with regard to any associated collateral. If a loan is acquired through a participation, the Fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement against the borrower, and the Fund may not directly benefit from the collateral supporting the debt obligation in which it has purchased the participation. As a result, the Fund will be exposed to the credit risk of both the borrower and the institution selling the participation. | |
■ | 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. The value of a security or other asset may decline due to changes in general market conditions, economic trends or events that are not specifically related to the issuer of the security or other asset, or factors that affect a particular issuer or issuers, exchange, country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class. Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues like pandemics or epidemics, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments. 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. |
An outbreak of an infectious coronavirus (COVID-19) that was first detected in December 2019 developed into a global pandemic that has resulted in numerous disruptions in the market and has had significant economic impact leaving general concern and uncertainty. Although vaccines have been developed and approved for use by various governments, the duration of the pandemic and its effects cannot be predicted with certainty. The impact of this coronavirus, and other epidemics and pandemics that may arise in the future, could affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the market in general ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. | |
■ | Master Limited Partnerships Risk — The common units of an MLP are listed and traded on U.S. securities exchanges and their value fluctuates predominantly based on prevailing market conditions and the success of the MLP. Unlike owners of common stock of a corporation, owners of common units have limited voting rights and have no ability to annually elect directors. In the event of liquidation, common units have preference over subordinated units, but not over debt or preferred units, to the remaining assets of the MLP. |
■ | Mezzanine Securities Risk — Mezzanine securities generally are rated below investment grade and frequently are unrated and present many of the same risks as senior loans, second lien loans and non-investment grade bonds. However, unlike senior loans and second lien loans, mezzanine securities are not a senior or secondary secured obligation of the related borrower. They typically are the most subordinated debt obligation in an issuer’s capital structure. Mezzanine securities also may often be unsecured. Mezzanine securities therefore are subject to the additional risk that the cash flow of the related borrower and the property securing the loan may be insufficient to repay the scheduled obligation after giving effect to any senior obligations of the related borrower. Mezzanine securities will be subject to certain additional risks to the extent that such loans may not be protected by financial covenants or limitations upon additional indebtedness. Investment in mezzanine securities is a highly specialized investment practice that depends more heavily on independent credit analysis than investments in other types of debt obligations. |
■ | Mid Cap Securities Risk — The securities of mid cap companies generally trade in lower volumes and are generally subject to greater and less predictable price changes than the securities of larger capitalization companies. |
■ | Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities Risks — Mortgage-backed securities (residential and commercial) and asset-backed securities represent interests in “pools” of mortgages or other assets, including consumer loans or receivables held in trust. Although asset-backed and commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”) generally experience less prepayment than residential mortgage-backed securities, mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities, like traditional fixed-income securities, are subject to credit, interest rate, prepayment and extension risks. |
Small movements in interest rates (both increases and decreases) may quickly and significantly reduce the value of certain mortgage-backed securities. The Fund’s investments in asset-backed securities are subject to risks similar to those associated with mortgage-related securities, as well as additional risks associated with the nature of the assets and the servicing of those assets. These securities also are subject to the risk of default on the underlying mortgages or assets, particularly during periods of economic downturn. Certain CMBS are issued in several classes with different levels of yield and credit protection. The Fund’s investments in CMBS with several classes may be in the lower classes that have greater risks than the higher classes, including greater interest rate, credit and prepayment risks. | |
Mortgage-backed securities may be either pass-through securities or CMOs. Pass-through securities represent a right to receive principal and interest payments collected on a pool of mortgages, which are passed through to |
security holders. CMOs are created by dividing the principal and interest payments collected on a pool of mortgages into several revenue streams (“tranches”) with different priority rights to portions of the underlying mortgage payments. Certain CMO tranches may represent a right to receive interest only (“IOs”), principal only (“POs”) or an amount that remains after floating-rate tranches are paid (an “inverse floater”). These securities are frequently referred to as “mortgage derivatives” and may be extremely sensitive to changes in interest rates. Interest rates on inverse floaters, for example, vary inversely with a short-term floating rate (which may be reset periodically). Interest rates on inverse floaters will decrease when short-term rates increase, and will increase when short-term rates decrease. These securities have the effect of providing a degree of investment leverage. In response to changes in market interest rates or other market conditions, the value of an inverse floater may increase or decrease at a multiple of the increase or decrease in the value of the underlying securities. If the Fund invests in CMO tranches (including CMO tranches issued by government agencies) and interest rates move in a manner not anticipated by Fund management, it is possible that the Fund could lose all or substantially all of its investment. TBA commitments are forward agreements for the purchase or sale of securities, including mortgage backed securities for a fixed price, with payment and delivery on an agreed upon future settlement date. The specific securities to be delivered are not identified at the trade date. However, delivered securities must meet specified terms, including issuer, rate and mortgage terms Certain mortgage-backed securities in which the Fund may invest may also provide a degree of investment leverage, which could cause the Fund to lose all or substantially all of its investment. | |
The mortgage market in the United States has experienced difficulties that may adversely affect the performance and market value of certain of the Fund’s mortgage-related investments. Delinquencies and losses on mortgage loans (including subprime and second-lien mortgage loans) and a decline in or flattening of real estate values (in each case as has been experienced and may continue to be experienced in many housing markets) may exacerbate such delinquencies and losses. Also, a number of mortgage loan originators have experienced serious financial difficulties or bankruptcy. Reduced investor demand for mortgage loans and mortgage-related securities and increased investor yield requirements have caused limited liquidity in the secondary market for mortgage-related securities, which can adversely affect the market value of mortgage-related securities. It is possible that such limited liquidity in such secondary markets could continue or worsen. | |
Asset-backed securities entail certain risks not presented by mortgage-backed securities, including the risk that in certain states it may be difficult to perfect the liens securing the collateral backing certain asset-backed securities. In addition, certain asset-backed securities are based on loans that are unsecured, which means that there is no collateral to seize if the underlying borrower defaults. | |
■ | Municipal Securities Risks — Municipal securities risks include the ability of the issuer to repay the obligation, the relative lack of information about certain issuers of municipal securities, and the possibility of future legislative changes which could affect the market for and value of municipal securities. Budgetary constraints of local, state, and federal governments upon which the issuers may be relying for funding may also impact municipal securities. These risks include: |
General Obligation Bonds Risks — The full faith, credit and taxing power of the municipality that issues a general obligation bond secures payment of interest and repayment of principal. Timely payments depend on the issuer’s credit quality, ability to raise tax revenues and ability to maintain an adequate tax base. | |
Revenue Bonds Risks — Payments of interest and principal on revenue bonds are made only from the revenues generated by a particular facility, class of facilities or the proceeds of a special tax or other revenue source. These payments depend on the money earned by the particular facility or class of facilities, or the amount of revenues derived from another source. | |
Private Activity Bonds Risks — Municipalities and other public authorities issue private activity bonds to finance development of industrial facilities for use by a private enterprise. The private enterprise pays the principal and interest on the bond, and the issuer does not pledge its full faith, credit and taxing power for repayment. If the private enterprise defaults on its payments, the Fund may not receive any income or get its money back from the investment. | |
Moral Obligation Bonds Risks — Moral obligation bonds are generally issued by special purpose public authorities of a state or municipality. If the issuer is unable to meet its obligations, repayment of these bonds becomes a moral commitment, but not a legal obligation, of the state or municipality. | |
Municipal Notes Risks — Municipal notes are shorter term municipal debt obligations. They may provide interim financing in anticipation of, and are secured by, tax collection, bond sales or revenue receipts. If there is a shortfall in the anticipated proceeds, the notes may not be fully repaid and the Fund may lose money. | |
Municipal Lease Obligations Risks — In a municipal lease obligation, the issuer agrees to make payments when due on the lease obligation. The issuer will generally appropriate municipal funds for that purpose, but is not |
obligated to do so. Although the issuer does not pledge its unlimited taxing power for payment of the lease obligation, the lease obligation is secured by the leased property. However, if the issuer does not fulfill its payment obligation it may be difficult to sell the property and the proceeds of a sale may not cover the Fund’s loss. | |
Tax-Exempt Status Risk — In making investments, the Fund and its investment manager will rely on the opinion of issuers’ bond counsel and, in the case of derivative securities, sponsors’ counsel, on the tax-exempt status of interest on municipal obligations and payments under tax-exempt derivative securities. Neither the Fund nor its investment manager will independently review the bases for those tax opinions. If any of those tax opinions are ultimately determined to be incorrect or if events occur after the security is acquired that impact the security’s tax-exempt status, the Fund and its shareholders could be subject to substantial tax liabilities. The IRS has generally not ruled on the taxability of the securities. An assertion by the IRS that a portfolio security is not exempt from U.S. federal income tax (contrary to indications from the issuer) could affect the Fund’s and its shareholders’ income tax liability for the current or past years and could create liability for information reporting penalties. In addition, an IRS assertion of taxability may impair the liquidity and the fair market value of the securities. | |
■ | “New Issues” Risk — “New issues” are 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 market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile or may decline shortly after the IPO. When an IPO is brought to the market, availability may be limited and the Fund may not be able to buy any shares at the offering price, or, if it is able to buy shares, it may not be able to buy as many shares at the offering price as it would like. |
■ | Non-Agency Securities Risk — There are no direct or indirect government or agency guarantees of payments in mortgage pools created by non-government issuers. Non-agency securities are also not subject to the same underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that are applicable to those mortgage-related securities that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee. Non-agency securities with payments not guaranteed by a government agency generally involve greater credit risk than securities guaranteed by government agencies. In addition, a substantial portion of the non-agency securities in which the Fund invests may be rated below investment grade (commonly known as “junk bonds”). |
Non-agency mortgage-related securities are not traded on an exchange and there may be a limited market for the securities, especially when there is a perceived weakness in the mortgage and real estate market sectors. Without an active trading market, the non-agency mortgage-related securities held in the Fund’s portfolio may be particularly difficult to value because of the complexities involved in assessing the value of the underlying mortgage loans. | |
■ | Non-U.S. Issuers Risk — The Fund may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated bonds of non-U.S. corporate issuers. Securities issued by non-U.S. issuers have different risks from securities issued by U.S. issuers. These risks include differences in accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, the possibility of expropriation or confiscatory taxation, adverse changes in investment or exchange control regulations, political instability which could affect U.S. investments in non-U.S. countries, uncertainties of transnational litigation, and potential restrictions on the flow of international capital, including the possible seizure or nationalization of the securities issued by non-U.S. issuers held by the Fund. Non-U.S. issuers may be subject to less governmental regulation than U.S. issuers. Moreover, individual non-U.S. economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross domestic product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payment positions. Unfavorable political, economic or governmental developments in non-U.S. countries could affect the payment of a security’s principal and interest. Securities issued by non-U.S. issuers may also be less liquid than, and more difficult to value than, securities of U.S. issuers. In addition, the value of these securities may fluctuate due to changes in the exchange rate of the issuer’s local currency against the U.S. dollar. |
■ | Preferred Securities Risk — Preferred securities may pay fixed or adjustable rates of return. Preferred securities are subject to issuer-specific and market risks applicable generally to equity securities. In addition, a company’s preferred securities generally pay dividends only after the company makes required payments to holders of its bonds and other debt. For this reason, the value of preferred securities will usually react more strongly than bonds and other debt to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects. Preferred securities of smaller companies may be more vulnerable to adverse developments than preferred securities of larger companies. |
■ | Privately-Issued Securities Risk — The Fund may invest in privately-issued securities, including those that are normally purchased pursuant to Rule 144A or Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). Privately-issued securities typically may be resold only to qualified institutional buyers, or in a privately negotiated transaction, or to a limited number of purchasers, or in limited quantities after they have been held for a specified period of time and other conditions are met for an exemption from registration. Because there may be relatively few potential purchasers for such securities, especially under adverse market or economic conditions or in the event of adverse changes in the financial condition of the issuer, the Fund may find it more difficult to sell such securities when it may be advisable to do so or it may be able to sell such securities only at prices lower than if such securities were more widely held and traded. At times, it also may be more difficult to determine the fair value of such securities for purposes of computing the Fund’s net asset value due to the absence of an active trading market. There can be no assurance that a privately-issued security that is deemed to be liquid when purchased will continue to be liquid for as long as it is held by the Fund, and its value may decline as a result. |
■ | Real Estate-Related Securities Risk — The main risk of real estate-related securities is that the value of the underlying real estate may go down. Many factors may affect real estate values. These factors include both the general and local economies, vacancy rates, changes in rent schedules, tenant bankruptcies, the ability to re-lease space under expiring leases on attractive terms, the amount of new construction in a particular area, the laws and regulations (including zoning, environmental and tax laws) affecting real estate and the costs of owning, maintaining and improving real estate. The availability of mortgage financing and changes in interest rates may also affect real estate values. If the Fund’s real estate-related investments are concentrated in one geographic area or in one property type, the Fund will be particularly subject to the risks associated with that area or property type. Many issuers of real estate-related securities are highly leveraged, which increases the risk to holders of such securities. The value of the securities the Fund buys will not necessarily track the value of the underlying investments of the issuers of such securities. In addition, certain issuers of real estate-related securities may have developed or commenced development on properties and may develop additional properties in the future. Real estate development involves significant risks in addition to those involved in the ownership and operation of established properties. Real estate securities may have limited diversification and are, therefore, subject to risks inherent in operating and financing a limited number of projects. Real estate securities are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency and defaults by borrowers or tenants. |
■ | Reference Rate Replacement Risk — The Fund may be exposed to financial instruments that recently transitioned from, or continue to be tied to, the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) to determine payment obligations, financing terms, hedging strategies or investment value. |
The United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”), which regulates LIBOR, has ceased publishing all LIBOR settings. In April 2023, however, the FCA announced that some USD LIBOR settings will continue to be published under a synthetic methodology until September 30, 2024 for certain legacy contracts. The Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) is a broad measure of the cost of borrowing cash overnight collateralized by U.S. Treasury securities in the repurchase agreement (“repo”) market and has been used increasingly on a voluntary basis in new instruments and transactions. Under U.S. regulations that implement a statutory fallback mechanism to replace LIBOR, benchmark rates based on SOFR have replaced LIBOR in certain financial contracts. | |
Neither the effect of the LIBOR transition process nor its ultimate success can yet be known. While some existing LIBOR-based instruments may contemplate a scenario where LIBOR is no longer available by providing for an alternative rate-setting methodology, there may be significant uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of any such alternative methodologies to replicate LIBOR. Not all existing LIBOR-based instruments may have alternative rate-setting provisions and there remains uncertainty regarding the willingness and ability of issuers to add alternative rate-setting provisions in certain existing instruments. Parties to contracts, securities or other instruments using LIBOR may disagree on transition rates or the application of transition regulation, potentially resulting in uncertainty of performance and the possibility of litigation. The Fund may have instruments linked to other interbank offered rates that may also cease to be published in the future. | |
■ | Reinvestment Risk — Proceeds from a current investment of the Fund, both interest payments and principal payments, may be reinvested in instruments that offer lower yields than the current investment due in part to market conditions and the interest rate environment at the time of reinvestment. Reinvestment risk is greater on short- to intermediate-term loans. |
■ | REIT Investment Risk — In addition to the risks facing real estate-related securities, such as a decline in property values due to increasing vacancies, a decline in rents resulting from unanticipated economic, legal or technological developments or a decline in the price of securities of real estate companies due to a failure of borrowers to pay their loans or poor management, investments in REITs involve unique risks. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in limited volume, may engage in dilutive offerings of securities and may be more volatile than other securities. REIT issuers may also fail to maintain their exemptions from investment |
company registration or fail to qualify for the “dividends paid deduction” under the Internal Revenue Code, which allows REITs to reduce their corporate taxable income for dividends paid to their shareholders. Ordinary REIT dividends received by the Fund and distributed to the Fund’s shareholders will generally be taxable as ordinary income and will not constitute “qualified dividend income.” However, for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026, a non-corporate taxpayer who is a direct REIT shareholder may claim a 20% “qualified business income” deduction for ordinary REIT dividends, and a regulated investment company may report dividends as eligible for this deduction to the extent the regulated investment company’s income is derived from ordinary REIT dividends (reduced by allocable regulated investment company expenses). A shareholder may treat the dividends as such provided the regulated investment company and the shareholder satisfy applicable holding period requirements. | |
■ | Repurchase Agreements and Purchase and Sale Contracts Risk — If the other party to a repurchase agreement or purchase and sale contract defaults on its obligation under the agreement, the Fund may suffer delays and incur costs or lose money in exercising its rights under the agreement. If the seller fails to repurchase the security in either situation and the market value of the security declines, the Fund may lose money. |
■ | Restricted Securities Risk — Limitations on the resale of restricted securities may have an adverse effect on their marketability, and may prevent the Fund from disposing of them promptly at advantageous prices. Restricted securities may not be listed on an exchange and may have no active trading market. In order to sell such securities, the Fund may have to bear the expense of registering the securities for resale and the risk of substantial delays in effecting the registration. Other transaction costs may be higher for restricted securities than unrestricted securities. Restricted securities may be difficult to value because market quotations may not be readily available, and the securities may have significant volatility. Also, the Fund may get only limited information about the issuer of a given restricted security, and therefore may be less able to predict a loss. Certain restricted securities may involve a high degree of business and financial risk and may result in substantial losses to the Fund. |
■ | Reverse Repurchase Agreements Risk — Reverse repurchase agreements involve the sale of securities held by the Fund with an agreement to repurchase the securities at an agreed-upon price, date and interest payment. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the other party may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. The Fund could lose money if it is unable to recover the securities and the value of the collateral held by the Fund, including the value of the investments made with cash collateral, is less than the value of the securities. These events could also trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund. In addition, reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the interest income earned in the investment of the proceeds will be less than the interest expense. |
■ | Rights Risk — The failure to exercise subscription rights to purchase common stock would result in the dilution of the Fund’s interest in the issuing company. The market for such rights is not well developed, and, accordingly, the Fund may not always realize full value on the sale of rights. |
■ | Risks of Investing in Closed-End Funds — The shares of closed-end funds may trade at a price below (discount) or above (premium), or at, their net asset value. To the extent that the Fund invests a portion of its assets in closed-end funds, those assets will be subject to the risks of the closed-end fund’s portfolio securities, and a shareholder in the Fund will bear not only his or her proportionate share of the expenses of the Fund, but also, indirectly, the expenses of the closed-end fund. The securities of closed-end funds in which the Fund may invest may be leveraged. As a result, the Fund may be indirectly exposed to leverage through an investment in such securities. An investment in securities of closed-end funds that use leverage may expose the Fund to higher volatility in the market value of such securities and the possibility that the Fund’s long-term returns on such securities (and, indirectly, the long-term returns of the shares) will be diminished. |
■ | Risks of Loan Assignments and Participations — As the purchaser of an assignment, the Fund typically succeeds to all the rights and obligations of the assigning institution and becomes a lender under the credit agreement with respect to the debt obligation; however, the Fund may not be able unilaterally to enforce all rights and remedies under the loan and with regard to any associated collateral. Because assignments may be arranged through private negotiations between potential assignees and potential assignors, the rights and obligations acquired by the Fund as the purchaser of an assignment may differ from, and be more limited than, those held by the assigning lender. In addition, if the loan is foreclosed, the Fund could become part owner of any collateral and could bear the costs and liabilities of owning and disposing of the collateral. The Fund may be required to pass along to a purchaser that buys a loan from the Fund by way of assignment a portion of any fees to which the Fund is entitled under the loan. In connection with purchasing participations, the Fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement relating to the loan, nor any rights of set-off against the borrower, and the Fund may not directly benefit from any collateral supporting the loan in which it has purchased the participation. As a result, the Fund will be subject to the credit risk of both the borrower and the lender that is |
selling the participation. In the event of the insolvency of the lender selling a participation, the Fund may be treated as a general creditor of the lender and may not benefit from any set-off between the lender and the borrower. | |
■ | Savings Associations Risk — Federally- and state-chartered savings associations, such as savings and loans and other “thrift” institutions, provide banking services, including mortgage lending, and operate under the supervisory authority of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Such “thrift” institutions formerly operated under the supervisory authority of the Office of Thrift Supervision. These associations are subject to extensive regulation affecting the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge, and the amount of capital they must maintain. This regulation can have the effect of limiting the profitability of these associations, and their profitability may change frequently. Savings associations may be adversely affected by increases in interest rates and loan losses, decreases in the availability of money or asset valuations and adverse conditions in other related markets. The recent period of historically low interest rates has created certain risks to savings associations as they continue to re-evaluate their business models and risk appetites to generate returns. |
■ | Second Lien Loans Risk — Second lien loans generally are subject to similar risks as those associated with investments in senior loans. Because second lien loans are subordinated or unsecured and thus lower in priority of payment to senior loans, they are subject to the additional risk that the cash flow of the borrower and property securing the loan or debt, if any, may be insufficient to meet scheduled payments after giving effect to the senior secured obligations of the borrower. This risk is generally higher for subordinated unsecured loans or debt, which are not backed by a security interest in any specific collateral. Second lien loans generally have greater price volatility and may be less liquid than senior loans. |
There is also a possibility that originators will not be able to sell participations in second lien loans, which would create greater credit risk exposure for the holders of such loans. Second lien loans share the same risks as other below investment grade securities. | |
■ | 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. |
■ | Security Risk — Some geographic areas in which the Fund invests have experienced acts of terrorism and strained international relations due to territorial disputes, historical animosities, defense concerns and other security concerns. These situations may cause uncertainty in the markets of these geographic areas and may adversely affect their economies. |
■ | Senior Loans Risk — There is less readily available, reliable information about most senior loans than is the case for many other types of securities. In addition, there is no minimum rating or other independent evaluation of a borrower or its securities limiting the Fund’s investments, and BlackRock relies primarily on its own evaluation of a borrower’s credit quality rather than on any available independent sources. As a result, the Fund is particularly dependent on the analytical abilities of BlackRock. |
An economic downturn generally leads to a higher non-payment rate, and a senior loan may lose significant value before a default occurs. Moreover, any specific collateral used to secure a senior loan may decline in value or become illiquid, which would adversely affect the senior loan’s value. | |
No active trading market may exist for certain senior loans, which may impair the ability of the Fund to realize full value in the event of the need to sell a senior loan and which may make it difficult to value senior loans. Adverse market conditions may impair the liquidity of some actively traded senior loans. To the extent that a secondary market does exist for certain senior loans, the market may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods. See “Illiquid Investments Risk.” | |
Although senior loans in which the Fund will invest generally will be secured by specific collateral, there can be no assurance that liquidation of such collateral would satisfy the borrower’s obligation in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal or that such collateral could be readily liquidated. In the event of the bankruptcy of a borrower, the Fund could experience delays or limitations with respect to its ability to realize the benefits of the collateral securing a senior loan. If the terms of a senior loan do not require the borrower to pledge additional collateral in the event of a decline in the value of the already pledged collateral, the Fund will be exposed to the risk that the value of the collateral will not at all times equal or exceed the amount of the borrower’s obligations under the senior loans. To the extent that a senior loan is collateralized by stock in the borrower or its subsidiaries, such stock may lose all of its value in the event of the bankruptcy of the borrower. Uncollateralized senior loans involve a greater risk of loss. Some senior loans are subject to the risk that a court, pursuant to fraudulent conveyance or other similar laws, could subordinate the senior loans to presently existing or future indebtedness of the borrower |
or take other action detrimental to lenders, including the Fund. Such court action could under certain circumstances include invalidation of senior loans. | |
If a senior loan is acquired through an assignment, the Fund may not be able to unilaterally enforce all rights and remedies under the loan and with regard to any associated collateral. If a senior loan is acquired through a participation, the Fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement against the borrower, and the Fund may not directly benefit from the collateral supporting the debt obligation in which it has purchased the participation. As a result, the Fund will be exposed to the credit risk of both the borrower and the institution selling the participation. | |
■ | Small Cap Securities Risk — Small cap companies may have limited product lines or markets. They may be less financially secure than larger, more established companies. They may depend on a small number of key personnel. If a product fails or there are other adverse developments, or if management changes, the Fund’s investment in a small cap company may lose substantial value. 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. |
The securities of small cap companies generally trade in lower volumes and are subject to greater and more unpredictable price changes than larger cap securities or the market as a whole. In addition, small cap securities may be particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates, borrowing costs and earnings. Investing in small cap securities requires a longer term view. | |
■ | Sovereign Debt Risk — Sovereign debt instruments are subject to the risk that a governmental entity may delay or refuse to pay interest or repay principal on its sovereign debt, due, for example, to cash flow problems, insufficient foreign currency reserves, political considerations, the relative size of the governmental entity’s debt position in relation to the economy or the failure to put in place economic reforms required by the International Monetary Fund or other multilateral agencies. If a governmental entity defaults, it may ask for more time in which to pay or for further loans. There is no legal process for collecting sovereign debt that a government does not pay nor are there bankruptcy proceedings through which all or part of the sovereign debt that a governmental entity has not repaid may be collected. |
■ | Structured Notes Risk — Structured notes and other related instruments purchased by the Fund are generally privately negotiated debt obligations where the principal and/or interest is determined by reference to the performance of a specific asset, benchmark asset, market or interest rate (“reference measure”). The interest rate or the principal amount payable upon maturity or redemption may increase or decrease, depending upon changes in the value of the reference measure. The terms of a structured note may provide that, in certain circumstances, no principal is due at maturity and, therefore, may result in a loss of invested capital by the Fund. The interest and/or principal payments that may be made on a structured product may vary widely, depending on a variety of factors, including the volatility of the reference measure. |
Structured notes may be positively or negatively indexed, so the appreciation of the reference measure may produce an increase or a decrease in the interest rate or the value of the principal at maturity. The rate of return on structured notes may be determined by applying a multiplier to the performance or differential performance of reference measures. Application of a multiplier involves leverage that will serve to magnify the potential for gain and the risk of loss. | |
The purchase of structured notes exposes the Fund to the credit risk of the issuer of the structured product. Structured notes may also be more volatile, less liquid, and more difficult to price accurately than less complex securities and instruments or more traditional debt securities. | |
■ | Structured Securities Risk — Because structured securities of the type in which the Fund may invest typically involve no credit enhancement, their credit risk generally will be equivalent to that of the underlying instruments, index or reference obligation and will also be subject to counterparty risk. The Fund may have the right to receive payments only from the structured security, and generally does not have direct rights against the issuer or the entity that sold the assets to be securitized. In addition to the general risks associated with debt securities discussed herein, structured securities carry additional risks, including, but not limited to: the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; and the possibility that the structured securities are subordinate to other classes. The Fund is permitted to invest in a class of structured securities that is either subordinated or unsubordinated to the right of payment of another class. Subordinated structured securities typically have higher yields and present greater risks than unsubordinated structured securities. Structured securities are typically sold in private placement transactions, and there currently is no active trading market for structured securities. Structured securities are based upon the movement of one or more factors, including currency exchange rates, interest rates, reference bonds and stock indices, and changes in interest rates and impact of these factors may cause significant price fluctuations. Additionally, changes in the reference instrument or security may cause the interest rate on the |
structured security to be reduced to zero. Certain issuers of such structured securities may be deemed to be “investment companies” as defined in the Investment Company Act. As a result, the Fund’s investment in such securities may be limited by certain investment restrictions contained in the Investment Company Act. | |
■ | Supranational Entities Risk — The Fund may invest in obligations issued or guaranteed by the World Bank. The government members, or “stockholders,” usually make initial capital contributions to the World Bank and in many cases are committed to make additional capital contributions if the World Bank is unable to repay its borrowings. There is no guarantee that one or more stockholders of the World Bank will continue to make any necessary additional capital contributions. If such contributions are not made, the entity may be unable to pay interest or repay principal on its debt securities, and the Fund may lose money on such investments. |
■ | U.S. Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk — The Fund invests in securities backed by pools of mortgages issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or one of its agencies or sponsored entities, including the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”) or Ginnie Mae (“GNMA” or “Ginnie Mae”). While securities guaranteed by Ginnie Mae are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, securities issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, and there can be no assurance that the U.S. government would provide financial support to its agencies or sponsored entities where it is not obligated to do so. Bonds or debentures that do not carry the backing of the full faith and credit of the U.S. government are subject to more credit risk than securities that are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. To the extent that the U.S. government has provided support to a U.S. agency or sponsored entity in the past, there can be no assurance that the U.S. government will provide support in the future if it is not obligated to do so. If a U.S. government agency or sponsored entity that is the issuer of securities in which the Fund invests is unable to meet its obligations or ceases to exist and no plan is made for repayment of securities, the performance of the Fund will be adversely affected. |
MBS represent interests in “pools” of mortgages and, due to the nature of these loans they represent, are subject to prepayment and extension risk. Prepayment risk is the risk that, during periods of falling interest rates, an issuer of mortgages and other fixed-income securities may be able to repay principal prior to the security’s maturity. This may cause the Fund to have to reinvest in securities with a lower yield or higher risk of default, resulting in a decline in the Fund’s income or return potential. | |
MBS are also subject to extension risk, which is the risk that when interest rates rise, certain MBS will be paid off substantially more slowly than originally anticipated and the value of those securities may fall sharply, resulting in a decline in income and potentially in the value of the investment. | |
Because of prepayment and extension risks, MBS react differently to changes in interest rates than other bonds. Small movements in interest rates (both increases and decreases) may quickly and significantly reduce the value of certain MBS. These securities are also subject to the risk of default on the underlying mortgage loans, particularly during periods of economic downturn. | |
The Fund seeks to obtain exposure to the fixed-rate portion of U.S. agency mortgage pass through securities primarily through TBA securities, or TBA transactions. TBAs refer to a commonly used mechanism for the forward settlement of U.S. agency MBS, and not to a separate type of MBS. Default or bankruptcy of a counterparty to a TBA transaction would expose the Fund to possible losses because of adverse market action, expenses or delays in connection with the purchase or sale of the pools of mortgage pass-through securities specified in the TBA transaction. | |
The Fund intends to invest cash pending settlement of TBA transactions in money market instruments, repurchase agreements, or other high quality, liquid short-term instruments, including money market funds advised by BlackRock. The Fund will pay its pro rata share of fees and expenses of any money market fund that it may invest in, in addition to the Fund’s own fees and expenses. | |
■ | U.S. Government Issuer Risk — Treasury obligations may differ in their interest rates, maturities, times of issuance and other characteristics. Obligations of U.S. Government agencies and authorities are supported by varying degrees of credit but generally are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. No assurance can be given that the U.S. Government will provide financial support to its agencies and authorities if it is not obligated by law to do so. |
■ | U.S. Government Mortgage-Related Securities Risk — There are a number of important differences among the agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government that issue mortgage-related securities and among the securities that they issue. Mortgage-related securities guaranteed by the Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA” or “Ginnie Mae”) are guaranteed as to the timely payment of principal and interest by GNMA and such guarantee is backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. GNMA securities also are supported |
by the right of GNMA to borrow funds from the U.S. Treasury to make payments under its guarantee. Mortgage-related securities issued by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac are solely the obligations of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, as the case may be, and are not backed by or entitled to the full faith and credit of the United States but are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the Treasury. | |
■ | Value Securities Risk — Value securities are those issued by companies that may be perceived as undervalued. Value securities may fail to appreciate for long periods of time and may never realize their full potential value. The index provider may be unsuccessful in creating an index that emphasizes undervalued securities. Value securities have generally performed better than non-value securities during periods of economic recovery (although there is no assurance that they will continue to do so). Value securities may go in and out of favor over time. |
■ | Variable and Floating Rate Instrument Risk — Variable and floating rate securities provide for periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the securities. These securities may be subject to greater illiquidity risk than other fixed income securities, meaning the absence of an active market for these securities could make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of them at any given time. |
■ | Warrants Risk — If the price of the underlying stock does not rise above the exercise price before the warrant expires, the warrant generally expires without any value and the Fund will lose any amount it paid for the warrant. Thus, investments in warrants may involve substantially more risk than investments in common stock. Warrants may trade in the same markets as their underlying stock; however, the price of the warrant does not necessarily move with the price of the underlying stock. |
■ | When-Issued and Delayed Delivery Securities and Forward Commitments Risk — When-issued and delayed delivery securities and forward commitments involve the risk that the security the Fund buys will lose value prior to its delivery. There also is the risk that the security will not be issued or that the other party to the transaction will not meet its obligation. If this occurs, the Fund may lose both the investment opportunity for the assets it set aside to pay for the security and any gain in the security’s price. |
■ | Zero Coupon Securities Risk — While interest payments are not made on such securities, holders of such securities are deemed to have received income (“phantom income”) annually, notwithstanding that cash may not be received currently. The effect of owning instruments that do not make current interest payments is that a fixed yield is earned not only on the original investment but also, in effect, on all discount accretion during the life of the obligations. This implicit reinvestment of earnings at a fixed rate eliminates the risk of being unable to invest distributions at a rate as high as the implicit yield on the zero coupon bond, but at the same time eliminates the holder’s ability to reinvest at higher rates in the future. For this reason, some of these securities may be subject to substantially greater price fluctuations during periods of changing market interest rates than are comparable securities that pay interest currently. Longer term zero coupon bonds are more exposed to interest rate risk than shorter term zero coupon bonds. These investments benefit the issuer by mitigating its need for cash to meet debt service, but also require a higher rate of return to attract investors who are willing to defer receipt of cash. |
■ | Asia-Pacific Countries — In addition to the risks of investing in non-U.S. securities and the risks of investing in emerging markets, Asia-Pacific countries are subject to certain additional or specific risks. |
In many of the developing market Asia-Pacific countries, there is a high concentration of market capitalization and trading volume in a small number of issuers representing a limited number of industries, as well as a high concentration of investors and financial intermediaries. Many developing market Asia-Pacific countries have experienced rapid growth and industrialization in recent years, but there is no assurance that this growth rate will be maintained. Other developing market Asia-Pacific countries, however, have experienced high inflation, high unemployment, currency devaluations and restrictions, and over-extension of credit. Brokers in developing market Asia-Pacific countries typically are fewer in number and less well capitalized than brokers in the United States. | |
Many of the developing market Asia-Pacific countries may be subject to a greater degree of economic, political and social instability than is the case in the United States and Western European countries. Such instability may result from, among other things: (i) authoritarian governments or military involvement in political and economic decision-making, including changes in government through extra-constitutional means; (ii) popular unrest associated with demands for improved political, economic and social conditions; (iii) internal insurgencies; (iv) hostile relations with neighboring countries; and (v) ethnic, religious and racial disaffection. In addition, the governments of many of such countries have a substantial role in regulating and supervising the economy.Another risk common to most such countries is that the economy is heavily export oriented and, accordingly, is dependent upon international trade. The existence of overburdened infrastructure and obsolete financial systems also presents risks in certain countries, as do environmental problems. Certain economies also depend to a significant degree upon exports of primary commodities and, therefore, are vulnerable to changes in commodity prices that, in turn, may be affected by a variety of factors. |
The rights of investors in developing market Asia-Pacific companies may be more limited than those of shareholders of U.S. corporations. It may be difficult or impossible to obtain and/or enforce a judgment in a developing market Asia-Pacific country. | |
Some developing Asia-Pacific countries prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on investments in their capital markets, particularly their equity markets, by foreign entities. For example, certain countries may require governmental approval prior to investments by foreign persons or limit the amount of investment by foreign persons in a particular company. | |
Geopolitical hostility, political instability, and economic or environmental events in any one of the Asia-Pacific countries may have a significant economic effect on the entire Asia-Pacific region, as well as on major trading partners outside the Asia-Pacific region. Any adverse event in the Asia-Pacific markets may have a significant adverse effect on some or all of the economies of the Asia-Pacific countries. In particular, China is a key trading partner of many Asia-Pacific countries and any changes in trading relationships between China and other Asia-Pacific countries may affect the region as a whole. Many Asia-Pacific countries are subject to political risk, including political instability, corruption and regional conflict with neighboring countries. North Korea and South Korea each have substantial military capabilities, and historical tensions between the two countries present the risk of war. Escalated tensions involving the two countries and any outbreak of hostilities between the two countries, or even the threat of an outbreak of hostilities, could have a severe adverse effect on the entire Asia-Pacific region. Certain Asia-Pacific countries have developed increasingly strained relationships with the U.S., and if these relations were to worsen, they could adversely affect Asia-Pacific issuers that rely on the U.S. for trade. In addition, many Asia-Pacific countries are subject to social and labor risks associated with demands for improved political, economic and social conditions. | |
■ | Europe — The European financial markets have recently experienced volatility and adverse trends due to concerns about economic downturns in, or rising government debt levels of, several European countries as well as acts of war in the region. These events may spread to other countries in Europe and may affect the value and liquidity of certain of the Fund’s investments. |
Responses to the financial problems by European governments, central banks and others, including austerity measures and reforms, may not work, may result in social unrest and may limit future growth and economic recovery or have other unintended consequences. Further defaults or restructurings by governments and others of their debt could have additional adverse effects on economies, financial markets and asset valuations around the world. | |
The United Kingdom has withdrawn from the European Union, and one or more other countries may withdraw from the European Union and/or abandon the Euro, the common currency of the European Union. The impact of these actions, especially if they occur in a disorderly fashion, is not clear but could be significant and far reaching. In addition, Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The extent and duration of the military action, resulting sanctions and resulting future market disruptions in the region are impossible to predict, but could be significant and have a severe adverse effect on the region, including significant negative impacts on the economy and the markets for certain securities and commodities, such as oil and natural gas, as well as other sectors. | |
■ | United States — A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations, inflation and/or an economic recession in the United States may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy and the securities listed on U.S. exchanges. Proposed and adopted policy and legislative changes in the United States are changing many aspects of financial, commercial, public health, environmental, and other regulation and may have a significant effect on U.S. markets generally, as well as on the value of certain securities. Governmental agencies project that the United States will continue to maintain elevated public debt levels for the foreseeable future. Although elevated debt levels do not necessarily indicate or cause economic problems, elevated public debt service costs may constrain future economic growth. |
The United States has developed increasingly strained relations with a number of foreign countries. If relations with certain countries deteriorate, it could adversely affect U.S. issuers as well as non-U.S. issuers that rely on the United States for trade. The United States has also experienced increased internal political discord, as well as significant challenges in managing and containing the outbreak of COVID-19. If these trends were to continue, it may have an adverse impact on the U.S. economy and the issuers in which the Fund invests. |
■ | Consumer Services Industry Risk — The success of firms in the consumer services industry and certain retailers (including food and beverage, general retailers, media, and travel and leisure companies) is tied closely to the performance of the domestic and international economies, interest rates, exchange rates and consumer confidence. The consumer services industry depends heavily on disposable household income and consumer |
spending. Companies in the consumer services industry may be subject to severe competition, which may also have an adverse impact on their profitability. Companies in the consumer services industry are facing increased government and regulatory scrutiny and may be subject to adverse government or regulatory action. Changes in consumer demographics and preferences in the countries in which the issuers of securities held by the Fund are located and in the countries to which they export their products may affect the success of consumer products. | |
■ | Financials Sector Risk — Companies in the financials sector 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 and liquid assets they must maintain and, potentially, their size. Governmental regulation may change frequently and may have significant adverse consequences for companies in the financials sector, including effects not intended by such regulation. Increased risk taking by financial companies may also result in greater overall risk in the U.S. 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 are exposed directly to the credit risk of their borrowers and counterparties, who may be leveraged to an unknown degree, including through swaps and other derivatives products. Financial services companies may have significant exposure to the same borrowers and counterparties, with the result that a borrower’s or counterparty’s inability to meet its obligations to one company may affect other companies with exposure to the same borrower or counterparty. This interconnectedness of risk may result in significant negative impacts to companies with direct exposure to the defaulting counterparty as well as adverse cascading effects in the markets and the financials sector generally. 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, adverse public perception 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 cyberattacks. Cybersecurity incidents and technology malfunctions and failures have become increasingly frequent and have caused significant losses to companies in this sector, which may negatively impact the Fund. The extent to which the Fund may invest in a company that engages in securities-related activities or banking is limited by applicable law. | |
■ | 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, changes in the demand for medical products and services, a limited number of products, industry innovation, changes in technologies and other market developments. 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. The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 allows for the negotiation of prescription drug prices on behalf of Medicare recipients, which may result in reduced prescription prices. This could reduce some healthcare companies’ overall profitability. 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. |
■ | Industrials Sector Risk — The value of securities issued by companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by supply and demand changes related to their specific products or services and industrials sector products in general. The products of manufacturing companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction. Global events, trade disputes and changes in government regulations, economic conditions and exchange rates may adversely affect the performance of companies in the industrials sector. Companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by liability for environmental damage and product liability claims. The industrials sector may also be adversely affected by changes or trends in commodity prices, which may be influenced by unpredictable factors. Aerospace and defense companies, a component of the industrials sector, can be significantly affected by government spending policies because companies involved in this industry rely, to a significant extent, on government demand for their products and services. Thus, the financial condition of, and investor interest in, aerospace and defense companies are heavily influenced by governmental defense spending policies, which are typically under pressure from efforts to control government budgets. Transportation stocks, a component of the industrials sector, are cyclical and can be |
significantly affected by economic changes, fuel prices, labor relations and insurance costs. Transportation companies in certain countries may also be subject to significant government regulation and oversight, which may adversely affect their businesses. Companies in the industrials sector, particularly aerospace and defense companies, may also be adversely affected by government spending policies because companies in this sector tend to rely to a significant extent on government demand for their products and services. | |
■ | Information Technology Sector Risk — Information technology companies face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Like other technology companies, information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. The products of information 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 information technology sector are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. The loss or impairment of these rights may adversely affect the profitability of these companies. Companies in the information technology sector are facing increased government and regulatory scrutiny and may be subject to adverse government or regulatory action. Companies in the application software industry, in particular, may also be negatively affected by the decline or fluctuation of subscription renewal rates for their products and services, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Companies in the systems software industry may be adversely affected by, among other things, actual or perceived security vulnerabilities in their products and services, which may result in individual or class action lawsuits, state or federal enforcement actions and other remediation costs. |
■ | 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, aggressive pricing, changes in demand, 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. Companies in the technology sector may face increased government and regulatory scrutiny and may be subject to adverse government or regulatory action. The technology sector may also be adversely affected by changes or trends in commodity prices, which may be influenced or characterized by unpredictable factors. |
■ | Authorized Participant Concentration Risk — Only an authorized participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with an ETF, and none of those authorized participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. An ETF has a limited number of institutions that may act as authorized participants on an agency basis (i.e., on behalf of other market participants). To the extent that authorized participants exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation or redemption orders with respect to an ETF and no other authorized participant is able to step forward to create or redeem creation units, ETF shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to net asset value and possibly face trading halts or delisting. |
■ | Management Risk — If a passively managed ETF does not fully replicate the underlying index, it is subject to the risk that the manager’s investment management strategy may not produce the intended results. |
■ | Passive Investment Risk — The portfolios of certain ETFs are not actively managed and may be affected by a general decline in market segments relating to their respective indices. Such ETFs typically invest in securities included in, or representative of, their respective indices regardless of their investment merits and do not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. |
■ | Representative Sampling Risk — Representative sampling is a method of indexing that involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively have a similar investment profile to the index and resemble the index in terms of risk factors and other key characteristics. A passively managed ETF may or may not hold every security in the index. When an ETF deviates from a full replication indexing strategy to utilize a representative sampling strategy, the ETF is subject to an increased risk of tracking error, in that the securities selected in the aggregate for the ETF may not have an investment profile similar to those of its index. |
■ | Shares of an ETF May Trade at Prices Other Than Net Asset Value — Shares of an ETF trade on exchanges at prices at, above or below their most recent net asset value. The per share net asset value of an ETF is calculated at the end of each business day and fluctuates with changes in the market value of the ETF’s holdings since the most recent calculation. The trading prices of an ETF’s shares fluctuate continuously throughout trading hours based on market supply and demand rather than net asset value. The trading prices of an ETF’s shares may deviate significantly from net asset value during periods of market volatility. Any of these factors may lead to an ETF’s |
shares trading at a premium or discount to net asset value. However, because shares can be created and redeemed in creation units, which are aggregated blocks of shares that authorized participants who have entered into agreements with the ETF’s distributor can purchase or redeem directly from the ETF, at net asset value (unlike shares of many closed-end funds, which frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their net asset values), large discounts or premiums to the net asset value of an ETF are not likely to be sustained over the long-term. While the creation/redemption feature is designed to make it likely that an ETF’s shares normally trade on exchanges at prices close to the ETF’s next calculated net asset value, exchange prices are not expected to correlate exactly with an ETF’s net asset value due to timing reasons as well as market supply and demand factors. In addition, disruptions to creations and redemptions or the existence of extreme market volatility may result in trading prices that differ significantly from net asset value. If a shareholder purchases at a time when the market price is at a premium to the net asset value or sells at a time when the market price is at a discount to the net asset value, the shareholder may sustain losses. The use of cash creations and redemptions may also cause the ETFs’ shares to trade in the market at greater bid-ask spreads or greater premiums or discounts to the ETFs’ NAV. | |
■ | Tracking Error Risk — Imperfect correlation between a passively managed ETF’s portfolio securities and those in its index, rounding of prices, the timing of cash flows, the ETF’s size, changes to the index and regulatory requirements may cause tracking error, which is the divergence of an ETF’s performance from that of its underlying index. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because an ETF incurs fees and expenses while its underlying index does not. |
■ | 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. |
■ | 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. |
■ | Large Shareholder and Large-Scale Redemption Risk — Certain shareholders, including a third-party investor, the Fund’s adviser or an affiliate of the Fund’s adviser, or another entity, may from time to time own or manage a substantial amount of Fund shares or may invest in the Fund and hold its investment for a limited period of time. There can be no assurance that any large shareholder or large group of shareholders would not redeem their investment or that the size of the Fund would be maintained. Redemptions of a large number of Fund shares by these shareholders may adversely affect the Fund’s liquidity and net assets. These redemptions may force the Fund to sell portfolio securities to meet redemption requests when it might not otherwise do so, which may negatively impact the Fund’s NAV and increase the Fund’s brokerage costs and/or accelerate the realization of taxable income and cause the Fund to make taxable distributions to its shareholders earlier than the Fund otherwise would have. In addition, under certain circumstances, non-redeeming shareholders may be treated as receiving a disproportionately large taxable distribution during or with respect to such tax year. The Fund also may be required to sell its more liquid Fund investments to meet a large redemption, in which case the Fund’s remaining assets may be less liquid, more volatile, and more difficult to price. In addition, large redemptions can result in the Fund’s current expenses being allocated over a smaller asset base, which generally results in an increase in the Fund’s expense ratio. Because large redemptions can adversely affect a portfolio manager’s ability to implement a fund’s investment strategy, the Fund also reserves the right to redeem in-kind, subject to certain conditions. In addition, large purchases of Fund shares may adversely affect the Fund’s performance to the extent that the Fund is delayed in investing new cash and is required to maintain a larger cash position than it ordinarily would, diluting its investment returns. |
■ | Money Market Securities Risk — If market conditions improve while the Fund has invested some or all of its assets in high quality money market securities, this strategy could result in reducing the potential gain from the market upswing, thus reducing the Fund’s opportunity to achieve its investment objective. |
■ | Operational Risk — The Fund is exposed to operational risks arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human errors, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third parties, failed or inadequate internal or external processes, and technology or systems failures. The use of certain investment strategies that involve manual or additional processing, such as over-the-counter derivatives, increases these risks. While service providers are required to have appropriate operational risk management policies and procedures, their methods of operational risk management may differ from those of the Fund in the setting of priorities, the personnel and resources available or the effectiveness of relevant controls. The Fund and BlackRock seek to reduce these operational risks through controls, procedures and oversight. However, it is not possible to identify all of the operational risks that may affect the Fund or to develop processes and controls that completely eliminate or mitigate the occurrence or effects of such failures. The Fund, including its performance and continued operation, and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result. |
■ | Reliance on Advisor Risk — The Fund is dependent upon services and resources provided by BlackRock, and therefore BlackRock’s parent, BlackRock, Inc. BlackRock is not required to devote its full time to the business of the Fund and there is no guarantee or requirement that any investment professional or other employee of BlackRock will allocate a substantial portion of his or her time to the Fund. The loss of, or changes in, BlackRock’s personnel could have a negative effect on the performance or the continued operation of the Fund. |
■ | 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. |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
BlackRock Equity Dividend Fund | The
investment objective of the fund is to seek long-term total return and current income. The fund seeks to achieve its objective by investing primarily in a diversified portfolio of equity securities. Under normal circumstances, the fund will invest at least 80% of its assets in equity securities and at least 80% of its assets in dividend paying securities. The fund may invest in securities of companies with any market capitalization, but will generally focus on large cap securities. The fund may also invest in convertible securities and non-convertible preferred stock. Equity securities include common stock, preferred stock, securities convertible into common stock, or securities or other instruments whose price is linked to the value of common stock. The fund may invest up to 25% of its total assets in securities of foreign issuers. The fund may invest in securities from any country. The fund may invest in securities denominated in both U.S. dollars and non-U.S. dollar currencies. The fund may invest in the securities of foreign issuers in the form of American Depositary Receipts, European Depositary Receipts or other securities convertible into securities of foreign issuers. |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
BlackRock Equity Dividend Fund (continued) | BlackRock chooses investments for the fund that it believes will both increase in value over the long term and provide current income, focusing on investments that will do both instead of those that will favor current income over capital appreciation. |
BlackRock Floating Rate Income Portfolio | The
primary investment objective of the fund is to seek to provide high current income, with a secondary objective of long-term capital appreciation. The fund normally invests at least 80% of its assets in floating rate investments and investments that are the economic equivalent of floating rate investments, which effectively enables the fund to achieve a floating rate of income. These investments may include, but are not limited to, any combination of the following securities: (i) senior secured floating rate loans or debt; (ii) second lien or other subordinated or unsecured floating rate loans or debt; and (iii) fixed-rate loans or debt with respect to which the fund has entered into derivative instruments to effectively convert the fixed-rate interest payments into floating rate interest payments. The fund may also purchase, without limitation, participations or assignments in senior floating rate loans or second lien floating rate loans. For purposes of the fund’s investments, the term debt includes investments in convertible or preferred securities.The fund may invest in investments of any credit quality without limitation, including investments rated below investment grade. The fund anticipates that, under current market conditions, a substantial portion of its portfolio will consist of leveraged loans rated below investment grade and similar investments. These investments are expected to exhibit credit risks similar to high yield securities, which are commonly referred to as “junk bonds.” The fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in fixed income securities with respect to which the fund has not entered into derivative instruments to effectively convert the fixed-rate interest payments into floating-rate interest payments. Such fixed income securities include, but are not limited to, corporate bonds, preferred securities, convertible securities, mezzanine investments, collateralized loan obligations, senior loans, second lien loans, structured products and U.S. government debt securities. The fund’s investments in any floating rate and fixed income securities may be of any duration or maturity. The fund may invest in securities of foreign issuers, including issuers located in emerging markets, without limitation. The fund may also invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments. The fund may also invest in companies whose financial condition is uncertain, where the borrower has defaulted in the payment of interest or principal or in the performance of its covenants or agreements, or that may be involved in bankruptcy proceedings, reorganizations or financial restructurings. The fund may invest up to 10% of its assets in common stocks or other equity securities. In addition, the fund may acquire and hold such securities (or rights to acquire such securities) in unit offerings with fixed income securities, in connection with an amendment, waiver, conversion or exchange of fixed income securities, in connection with the bankruptcy or workout of a distressed fixed income security, or upon the exercise of a right or warrant obtained on account of a fixed income security. The fund may buy or sell options or futures on a security or an index of securities, buy or sell options on futures or enter into credit default swaps and interest rate or foreign currency transactions, including swaps and forward contracts (collectively, commonly known as derivatives). The fund may use derivatives for hedging purposes, but is not required to, as well as to increase the total return on its portfolio investments. |
BlackRock Global Dividend Portfolio | The
investment objective of the fund is to seek to provide a level of current income that exceeds the average yield on global stocks generally. Additionally, the fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation. Under normal circumstances, the fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in dividend-paying equity securities and at least 40% of its assets outside of the United States (unless market conditions are not deemed favorable by fund management, in which case the fund would invest at least 30% of its assets outside of the United States). The fund will primarily invest in common stock, preferred stock, securities convertible into common and preferred stock and non-convertible preferred stock. The fund may invest in securities of non-U.S. issuers that can be U.S. dollar based or non-U.S. dollar based. The fund may invest in securities of companies of any market capitalization, but intends to invest primarily in securities of large capitalization companies. The combination of equity securities will be varied from time to time both |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
BlackRock Global Dividend Portfolio (continued) | with
respect to types of securities and markets in response to changing market and economic trends. The fund may invest in shares of companies through initial public offerings and “new issues.” The fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in global fixed-income securities, including corporate bonds, U.S. Government debt securities, non-U.S. Government and supranational debt securities (an example of such an entity is the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development), asset-backed securities, mortgage-backed securities, corporate loans, emerging market debt securities and non-investment grade debt securities (high yield or junk bonds). Investment in fixed-income securities will be made on an opportunistic basis. The fund may invest in fixed-income securities of any duration or maturity. The fund has no geographic limits in where it may invest and has no specific policy on the number of different countries in which it will invest. The fund may invest in both developed and emerging markets. The fund may emphasize foreign securities when fund management expects these investments to outperform U.S. securities. The fund may use derivatives, including options, futures, swaps and forward contracts both to seek to increase the return of the fund or to hedge (or protect) the value of its assets against adverse movements in currency exchange rates, interest rates and movements in the securities markets. The fund may enter into currency transactions on a hedged or unhedged basis in order to seek total return. The fund may use indexed and inverse securities. Under normal circumstances, the fund anticipates it will allocate a substantial amount (at least 40% or more — unless market conditions are not deemed favorable by fund management, in which case the fund would invest at least 30%) of its total assets in foreign securities, which may include securities (i) of foreign government issuers, (ii) of issuers organized or located outside the United States, (iii) of issuers which primarily trade in a market located outside the United States, or (iv) of issuers doing a substantial amount of business outside the United States, which the fund considers to be companies that derive at least 50% of their revenue or profits from business outside the United States or have at least 50% of their sales or assets outside the United States. The fund will allocate its assets among various regions and countries, including the United States (but in no less than three different countries). For temporary defensive purposes the fund may deviate very substantially from this allocation. The fund may engage in active and frequent trading of portfolio securities to achieve its principal investment strategies. |
BlackRock GNMA Portfolio | The
investment objective of the fund is to seek to maximize total return, consistent with income generation and prudent investment management. Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of its assets in Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”) securities. The fund invests primarily in securities issued by GNMA as well as other U.S. Government securities. Securities purchased by the fund are rated in the highest rating category (AAA or Aaa) at the time of purchase by at least one major rating agency or are determined by the fund management team to be of similar quality. Split rated bonds will be considered to have the higher credit rating. Split rated bonds are bonds that receive different ratings from two or more rating agencies. The fund measures its performance against the Bloomberg GNMA Total Return Index Value Unhedged USD (the benchmark). Under normal circumstances, the fund seeks to maintain an average portfolio duration that is within ±1 year of the duration of the benchmark. The fund also makes investments in residential and commercial mortgage-backed securities and other asset-backed securities. The fund may buy or sell options or futures on a security or an index of securities, or enter into credit default swaps and interest rate transactions, including swaps (collectively, commonly known as derivatives). The fund may seek to obtain market exposure to the securities in which it primarily invests by entering into a series of purchase and sale contracts or by using other investment techniques (such as reverse repurchase agreements or dollar rolls). The fund may engage in active and frequent trading of portfolio securities to achieve its primary investment strategies. |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
BlackRock High Yield Bond Portfolio | The
investment objective of the fund is to seek to maximize total return, consistent with income generation and prudent investment management. The fund invests primarily in non-investment grade bonds with maturities of ten years or less. The fund normally invests at least 80% of its assets in high yield bonds. The high yield securities (commonly called “junk bonds”) acquired by the fund will generally be in the lower rating categories of the major rating agencies (BB or lower by S&P Global Ratings or Fitch Ratings, Inc. or Ba or lower by Moody’s Investor Services) or will be determined by the fund management team to be of similar quality. Split rated bonds and other fixed-income securities (securities that receive different ratings from two or more rating agencies) are valued as follows: if three agencies rate a security, the security will be considered to have the median credit rating; if two of the three agencies rate a security, the security will be considered to have the lower credit rating. The fund may invest up to 30% of its assets in non-dollar denominated bonds of issuers located outside of the United States. The fund’s investment in non-dollar denominated bonds may be on a currency hedged or unhedged basis. The fund may also invest in convertible and preferred securities. Convertible debt securities will be counted toward the fund’s 80% policy to the extent they have characteristics similar to the securities included within that policy. To add additional diversification, the management team can invest in a wide range of securities including corporate bonds, mezzanine investments, collateralized bond obligations, bank loans and mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities. The fund can also invest, to the extent consistent with its investment objective, in non-U.S. and emerging market securities and currencies. The fund may invest in securities of any rating, and may invest up to 10% of its assets (measured at the time of investment) in distressed securities that are in default or the issuers of which are in bankruptcy. The fund may buy or sell options or futures on a security or an index of securities, or enter into credit default swaps and interest rate or foreign currency transactions, including swaps (collectively, commonly known as derivatives). The fund may use derivative instruments to hedge its investments or to seek to enhance returns. The fund may seek to obtain market exposure to the securities in which it primarily invests by entering into a series of purchase and sale contracts or by using other investment techniques (such as reverse repurchase agreements or dollar rolls). The fund may engage in active and frequent trading of portfolio securities to achieve its principal investment strategies. |
BlackRock Impact Mortgage Fund | The
investment objective of the fund is to seek to maximize total return, consistent with income generation and prudent investment management, while investing in a portfolio of fixed income securities that fund management views as generating positive
social and/or environmental impacts. Under normal circumstances, the fund seeks to achieve its objective by investing at least 80% of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in mortgage-backed and other mortgage-related securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies. The securities in which the fund may invest include U.S. government securities, U.S. government agency securities, securities issued by U.S. government instrumentalities and U.S. government-sponsored enterprises, and other mortgage-backed securities or mortgage-related securities issued by the U.S. government or by private issuers. Some of these securities are issued and/or guaranteed by the U.S. government and are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States. Other securities are issued or guaranteed by Federal agencies or government-sponsored enterprises and are not direct obligations of the United States, and are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, but involve sponsorship or guarantees by government agencies or enterprises. The fund invests primarily in the highest rated government and agency bonds and maintains an average portfolio duration that is within ±1 year of the duration of the Bloomberg U.S. MBS Index (the fund’s benchmark). The fund will seek to invest in mortgage-backed and other mortgage-related securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies that BlackRock believes have the potential to produce attractive long-term returns and that, in BlackRock’s view, can provide positive and measurable impacts. BlackRock considers a number of criteria when selecting portfolio securities, including, but not limited to, whether the activities supported by the investment are expected to include positive social and/or environmental impact with measurable and clear benefit to |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
BlackRock Impact Mortgage Fund (continued) | undercapitalized
or high social opportunity areas and alignment with broadly endorsed public policy goals. fund management uses an internal proprietary framework to identify investments that deliver positive social and/or environmental impact. This internal
proprietary framework abides by the Operating Principles for Impact Management, which is a third-party framework for investors for the design and implementation of their impact management systems to ensure that impact considerations are integrated
throughout the investment lifecycle. In identifying investments, fund management uses internal research and assessment to identify mortgage-related investments that meet one or more of the following criteria: (i) facilitate equal access to credit;
(ii) target historically underserved populations; and/or (iii) support the increase of sustainable housing units, which encompasses both affordability and environmental aspects. The fund’s investments will be focused across mortgage impact
themes that align with certain United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (“SDGs”), including, but not limited to, ending poverty, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization, reducing inequalities, and making cities and
communities sustainable. The SDGs are a series of goals published by the United Nations that recognize that development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability. The fund intends to focus its investments in mortgages originated as part of social impact programs, including, without limitation, rural housing, manufactured housing, pools issued by State Housing Finance Authorities and bespoke impact mortgage-backed security pools. Additionally, BlackRock may consider specific criteria such as collateral targeted towards underserved populations and/or underserved regions as having a positive social impact. BlackRock will examine both quantitative metrics and qualitative details to measure the impact achieved. The impact-related criteria described above are not the sole considerations when making investment decisions for the fund, and the fund will make investments, including, but not limited to, to be announced (“TBA”) transactions, that do not meet the impact-related criteria. In addition, the fund may gain indirect exposure (through, including but not limited to, derivatives and investments in other investment companies) to issuers with exposures that are inconsistent with the impact-related criteria used by fund management. Securities purchased by the fund (except with respect to non-dollar denominated bonds) generally are rated in the highest rating category (AAA or Aaa) by at least one major rating agency or are determined by the fund management team to be of similar quality at the time of purchase. The fund may also invest up to 5% of its assets in dollar-denominated investment grade securities that are rated below the highest rating category at the time of purchase. In addition, the fund’s dollar-weighted average maturity will be between 3 and 10 years. The fund evaluates sectors of the bond market and individual securities within these sectors. The fund selects bonds from several sectors including: U.S. Treasuries and agency securities (including U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities), commercial and residential mortgage-backed securities, collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”), and other mortgage-related securities. The fund invests primarily in dollar-denominated bonds, but may invest up to 10% of its assets in non-dollar denominated bonds of issuers located outside of the United States. The fund’s investment in non-dollar denominated bonds may be on a currency hedged basis. Non-dollar denominated bonds purchased by the fund, at the time of purchase, are rated in the four highest rating categories by at least one major rating agency (Baa or better by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) or BBB or better by S&P Global Ratings (“S&P”) or Fitch Ratings Inc. (“Fitch”)) or are determined by the fund management team to be of similar quality. Securities rated in any of the four highest rating categories or determined by the fund management team to be of similar quality at the time of purchase are known as “investment grade” securities. The fund may buy or sell options or futures on a security or an index of securities, or enter into credit default swaps, interest rate or foreign currency transactions, including swaps, and forward contracts or similar instruments, such as TBA transactions or dollar rolls (collectively, commonly known as derivatives). The fund may seek to obtain market exposure to the securities in which it primarily invests by entering into a series of purchase and sale contracts or by using other investment techniques such as reverse repurchase agreements. The fund may engage in active and frequent trading of portfolio securities to achieve its primary investment strategies. |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
BlackRock Inflation Protected Bond Portfolio | The
investment objective of the fund is to seek to maximize real return, consistent with preservation of real capital and prudent investment management. Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of its assets in inflation-indexed bonds of varying maturities issued by the U.S. and non-U.S. governments, their agencies or instrumentalities, and U.S. and non-U.S. corporations. The fund maintains an average portfolio duration that is within ±40% of the duration of the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Inflation Protected Securities Index (the benchmark). The fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in non-investment grade bonds (high yield or junk bonds) or securities of emerging market issuers. The fund may also invest up to 20% of its assets in non-dollar denominated securities of non-U.S. issuers, and may invest without limit in U.S. dollar denominated securities of non-U.S. issuers. The fund may seek to provide exposure to the investment returns of real assets that trade in the commodity markets through investment in commodity-linked derivative instruments and investment vehicles such as exchange-traded funds that exclusively invest in commodities and are designed to provide this exposure without direct investment in physical commodities. The fund may also gain exposure to commodity markets by investing up to 25% of its total assets in Cayman Inflation Protected Bond Portfolio, Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of the fund formed in the Cayman Islands, which invests primarily in commodity-related instruments. The fund also makes investments in residential and commercial mortgage-backed securities and other asset-backed securities. Non-investment grade bonds acquired by the fund will generally be in the lower rating categories of the major rating agencies (BB or lower by S&P Global Ratings or Ba or lower by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.) or will be determined by the management team to be of similar quality. Split rated bonds will be considered to have the higher credit rating. Split rated bonds are bonds that receive different ratings from two or more rating agencies. The fund may buy or sell options or futures, or enter into credit default swaps and interest rate or foreign currency transactions, including swaps (collectively, commonly known as derivatives). The fund may seek to obtain market exposure to the securities in which it primarily invests by entering into a series of purchase and sale contracts or by using other investment techniques (such as reverse repurchase agreements or dollar rolls). The fund may engage in active and frequent trading of portfolio securities to achieve its primary investment strategies. |
BlackRock Sustainable Emerging Markets Flexible Bond Fund | The
fund seeks maximum long term total return, while seeking to maintain certain environmental, governance and social (“ESG”) characteristics, climate risk exposure and climate opportunities relative to the fund’s benchmark. To determine the fund’s investable universe, fund management will first seek to screen out certain issuers based on ESG criteria determined by BlackRock, subject to the considerations noted below. Such screening criteria principally includes: (i) issuers that derive more than zero percent of revenue from the production of controversial weapons; (ii) issuers that derive more than zero percent of revenue from the production of civilian firearms; (iii) issuers that derive more than zero percent of revenue from direct involvement in the production of nuclear weapons or nuclear weapon components or delivery platforms, or the provision of auxiliary services related to nuclear weapons; (iv) issuers that derive more than zero percent of revenue from the production of tobacco-related products; (v) issuers that derive more than five percent of revenue from thermal coal generation, unless such issuers either (a) have made certain commitments to reduce climate impact or (b) derive at least fifty percent of revenue from alternative energy sources; (vi) issuers that derive more than five percent of revenue from thermal coal mining; (vii) issuers that derive more than five percent of revenue from oil sands extraction; and (viii) issuers identified as violators of the United Nations Global Compact, which are globally accepted principles covering corporate behavior in the areas of human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the fund may invest in green bonds of issuers that exceed the thresholds stated in (v), (vi) and (vii) above. The fund relies on one or more third-party ratings agencies to identify issuers for purposes of the above screening criteria. Third-party rating agencies may base the above screening criteria on an estimate when revenue for a covered business activity is not disclosed by the issuer or publicly available. |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
BlackRock Sustainable Emerging Markets Flexible Bond Fund (continued) | The
fund’s screening criteria is measured at the time of investment and is dependent upon information and data that may be incomplete, inaccurate, unavailable or estimated. Where the fund’s criteria looks solely to third-party ratings or
data, issuers are only screened to the extent such ratings or data have been assigned or made available by the third parties. This screening criteria is subject to change over time at BlackRock’s discretion. In addition, the fund may gain
indirect exposure (through, including but not limited to, derivatives and investments in other investment companies) to issuers with exposures that are inconsistent with the ESG-related criteria used by fund management. The fund seeks to maintain certain ESG characteristics, climate risk exposure and climate opportunities relative to a customized weighted index comprised of the J.P. Morgan GBI-EM Global Diversified (50%) and the J.P. Morgan EMBI Global Diversified (50%) (the “Benchmark”). Specifically, with respect to the fund’s investments, the fund generally seeks to invest in a portfolio that, in BlackRock’s view, (i) has an aggregate ESG assessment that is better than that of the Benchmark, (ii) has, with respect to corporate and quasi-sovereign issuers, which for these purposes are entities that are fully controlled or owned by the national government, an aggregate carbon emissions assessment that is lower than that of the Benchmark, and (iii) in the aggregate, includes issuers that BlackRock believes are better positioned to capture climate opportunities relative to the issuers in the Benchmark. fund management makes such assessments based on BlackRock’s fundamental research, which includes due diligence of ESG risks and opportunities facing an issuer, as well as third-party ESG ratings. The fund may invest in other sectors that are not included in such assessments. BlackRock utilizes a fundamental country and sector research and third-party ESG data in constructing the fund’s portfolio. The fund intends to invest primarily in issuers included in the J.P. Morgan ESG GBI-EM Global Diversified or the J.P. Morgan ESG EMBI Global Diversified Index, but may invest in issuers that are not included in such indexes. Each index applies an ESG scoring and screening methodology to tilt toward issuers ranked higher on ESG criteria and green bond issues, and to underweight and remove issuers that rank lower and is based on the J.P. Morgan GBI-EM Global Diversified and J.P. Morgan EMBI Global Diversified, as applicable. While fund management considers ESG characteristics as well as climate risk exposure and climate opportunities, fund management may, with respect to its investments, weigh such characteristics differently. The fund invests primarily in a global portfolio of fixed income securities and derivatives of any maturity of issuers located in emerging markets that may be denominated in any currency (on a hedged or un-hedged basis). BlackRock considers an emerging market country to include any country that is: 1) generally recognized to be an emerging market country by the international financial community, including the World Bank; 2) classified by the United Nations as a developing country; or 3) included in the J.P. Morgan GBI-EM Global Diversified. The fund will invest at least 80% of its assets in fixed income securities issued by governments, their political subdivisions (states, provinces and municipalities), agencies and companies tied economically to an emerging market. fund management considers securities to be tied economically to an emerging market if (1) the issuer is organized under the laws of or maintains its principal place of business in an emerging market country, (2) the issuer’s securities are traded principally in an emerging market country or (3) the issuer, during its most recent fiscal year, derived at least 50% of its revenues or profits from goods produced or sold, investments made, or services performed in an emerging market country or has at least 50% of its assets in an emerging market country. The fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in one country. The 80% policy noted above is a non-fundamental policy of the fund and may not be changed without 60 days’ prior notice to shareholders. The full spectrum of available investments, including non-investment grade (high yield or junk) securities (including distressed securities) or securities determined by fund management to be of similar credit quality, securities of small cap issuers and derivatives may be utilized in satisfying the fund’s 80% policy. It is possible that up to 100% of the fund’s assets may be invested in non-investment grade (high yield or junk) securities or securities determined by fund management to be of similar credit quality. Many of the countries in which the fund invests will have sovereign ratings that are below investment grade or will be unrated. |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
BlackRock Sustainable Emerging Markets Flexible Bond Fund (continued) | The
fund may gain exposure to currencies by investing in bonds of emerging market issuers denominated in any currency. The fund may also gain exposure to currencies through the use of cash and derivatives. The fund may also buy when-issued securities
and participate in delayed delivery transactions. The fund is a non-diversified portfolio under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The management team may, when consistent with the fund’s investment objective, buy or sell options or futures, or enter into credit default swaps and interest rate or foreign currency transactions, including swaps (collectively, commonly known as derivatives). The fund typically uses derivatives as a substitute for taking a position in the underlying asset and/or as part of a strategy designed to reduce exposure to other risks, such as interest rate or currency risk. The fund may also use derivatives to enhance returns, in which case their use would involve leveraging risk. The fund may seek to obtain market exposure to the securities in which it primarily invests by entering into a series of purchase and sale contracts or by using other investment techniques (such as reverse repurchase agreements or dollar rolls, which involve a sale by the fund of a mortgage-backed or other security concurrently with an agreement by the fund to repurchase a similar security at a later date at an agreed-upon price). The fund may invest up to 10% of its assets in equity securities. The fund may engage in active and frequent trading of portfolio securities to achieve its primary investment strategies. |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
iShares 10+ Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. dollar-denominated investment-grade corporate bonds with remaining maturities greater than ten years. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the ICE® BofA® 10+ Year US Corporate Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of investment-grade corporate bonds of both U.S. and non-U.S. issuers that are U.S. dollar-denominated and publicly issued in the U.S. domestic market and have a remaining maturity of greater than or equal to ten years. As of February 28, 2023, there were 3,530 issues in the Underlying Index. As of February 28, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the healthcare and utilities industries or sectors. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. The Underlying Index consists of investment-grade corporate bonds of both U.S. and non-U.S. issuers that have a remaining maturity of greater than or equal to ten years, have been publicly issued in the U.S. domestic market, and have $250 million or more of outstanding face value. ICE Data Indices, LLC deems securities as “investment grade” based on the average rating of Fitch Ratings, Inc. (BBB or better), Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (Baa or better) and/or Standard & Poor’s® Financial Services LLC, a subsidiary of S&P Global (BBB or better). In addition, the securities in the Underlying Index must be denominated in U.S. dollars and must be fixed-rate. Excluded from the Underlying Index are equity-linked securities, securities in legal default, hybrid securitized corporate bonds, Eurodollar bonds (U.S. dollar-denominated securities not issued in the U.S. domestic market), taxable and tax-exempt U.S. municipal securities and dividends-received-deduction-eligible securities. The Underlying Index is market capitalization-weighted, and the securities in the Underlying Index are updated on the last calendar day of each month. Under normal circumstances, the fund will seek to maintain a weighted |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
iShares 10+ Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (continued) | average maturity that is greater than ten years. Weighted average maturity is a U.S. dollar-weighted average of the remaining term to maturity of the underlying securities in the fund’s portfolio. |
iShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bond ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. Treasury bonds with remaining maturities between one and three years. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the ICE® U.S. Treasury 1-3 Year Bond Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of public obligations of the U.S. Treasury that have a remaining maturity of greater than or equal to one year and less than three years. As of February 28, 2023, there were 94 issues in the Underlying Index. The Underlying Index consists of publicly-issued U.S. Treasury securities that have a remaining maturity of greater than or equal to one year and less than three years and have $300 million or more of outstanding face value, excluding amounts held by the Federal Reserve System. In addition, the securities in the Underlying Index must be fixed-rate and denominated in U.S. dollars. Excluded from the Underlying Index are inflation-linked securities, Treasury bills, cash management bills, any government agency debt issued with or without a government guarantee and zero-coupon issues that have been stripped from coupon-paying bonds. The Underlying Index is market value weighted, and the securities in the Underlying Index are updated on the last business day of each month. |
iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. Treasury bonds with remaining maturities greater than twenty years. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the ICE® U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Bond Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of public obligations of the U.S. Treasury that have a remaining maturity greater than or equal to twenty years. As of February 28, 2023, there were 40 issues in the Underlying Index. The Underlying Index consists of publicly-issued U.S. Treasury securities that have a remaining maturity greater than or equal to twenty years and have $300 million or more of outstanding face value, excluding amounts held by the Federal Reserve System. In addition, the securities in the Underlying Index must be fixed-rate and denominated in U.S. dollars. Excluded from the Underlying Index are inflation-linked securities, Treasury bills, cash management bills, any government agency debt issued with or without a government guarantee and zero-coupon issues that have been stripped from coupon-paying bonds. The Underlying Index is market value weighted, and the securities in the Underlying Index are updated on the last business day of each month. |
iShares 1-5 Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. dollar-denominated, investment-grade corporate bonds with remaining maturities between one and five years. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the ICE® BofA® 1-5 Year US Corporate Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of investment-grade corporate bonds of both U.S. and non-U.S. issuers that are U.S. dollar-denominated and publicly issued in the U.S. domestic market and have a remaining maturity of greater than or equal to one year and less than five years. As of February 28, 2023, there were 3,667 issues in the Underlying Index. As of February 28, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the financials industry or sector. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. The Underlying Index consists of investment-grade corporate bonds of both U.S. and non-U.S. issuers that have a remaining maturity of greater than or equal to one year and less than five years, have been publicly issued in the U.S. domestic market, and have $250 million or more of outstanding face value. ICE Data Indices, LLC deems securities as “investment grade” based on the average rating of Fitch Ratings, Inc. (BBB or better), Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (Baa or better) and/or Standard & Poor’s® Financial Services LLC, a subsidiary of S&P Global (BBB or better). In addition, the securities in the Underlying Index must be denominated in U.S. dollars and must be fixed-rate. Excluded from the Underlying Index are equity-linked securities, securities in legal default, hybrid securitized corporate bonds, Eurodollar bonds (U.S. dollar-denominated securities not issued in the U.S. domestic market), taxable and tax-exempt U.S. municipal securities and dividends-received-deduction-eligible securities. The Underlying Index is market capitalization-weighted, and the securities in the Underlying Index are updated on the last calendar day of each month. Under normal circumstances, the fund |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
iShares 1-5 Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (continued) | will seek to maintain a weighted average maturity that is less than or equal to three years. Weighted average maturity is a U.S. dollar-weighted average of the remaining term to maturity of the underlying securities in the fund’s portfolio. |
iShares Broad USD Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. dollar-denominated investment-grade corporate bonds. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the ICE® BofA® US Corporate Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of investment-grade corporate bonds of both U.S. and non-U.S. issuers that are U.S. dollar-denominated and publicly issued in the U.S. domestic market. As of February 28, 2023, there were 9,831 issues in the Underlying Index. As of February 28, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the financials industry or sector. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. The Underlying Index consists of investment-grade corporate bonds of both U.S. and non-U.S. issuers that have a remaining maturity of greater than or equal to one year, have been publicly issued in the U.S. domestic market, and have $250 million or more of outstanding face value. ICE Data Indices, LLC deems securities as “investment grade” based on the average rating of Fitch Ratings, Inc. (BBB or better), Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (Baa or better) and/or Standard & Poor’s® Financial Services LLC, a subsidiary of S&P Global (BBB or better). In addition, the securities in the Underlying Index must be denominated in U.S. dollars and must be fixed-rate. Excluded from the Underlying Index are equity-linked securities, securities in legal default, hybrid securitized corporate bonds, Eurodollar bonds (U.S. dollar-denominated securities not issued in the U.S. domestic market), taxable and tax-exempt U.S. municipal securities and dividends-received-deduction-eligible securities. The Underlying Index is market capitalization-weighted, and the securities in the Underlying Index are updated on the last calendar day of each month. |
iShares 5-10 Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. dollar-denominated investment-grade corporate bonds with remaining maturities between five and ten years. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the ICE® BofA® 5-10 Year US Corporate Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of investment-grade corporate bonds of both U.S. and non-U.S. issuers that are U.S. dollar-denominated and publicly issued in the U.S. domestic market and have a remaining maturity of greater than or equal to five years and less than ten years. As of February 28, 2023, there were 2,634 issues in the Underlying Index. As of February 28, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the financials industry or sector. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. The Underlying Index consists of investment-grade corporate bonds of both U.S. and non-U.S. issuers that have a remaining maturity of greater than or equal to five years and less than ten years, have been publicly issued in the U.S. domestic market, and have $250 million or more of outstanding face value. ICE Data Indices, LLC deems securities as “investment grade” based on the average rating of Fitch Ratings, Inc. (BBB or better), Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (Baa or better) and/or Standard & Poor’s® Financial Services LLC, a subsidiary of S&P Global (BBB or better). In addition, the securities in the Underlying Index must be denominated in U.S. dollars and must be fixed-rate. Excluded from the Underlying Index are equity-linked securities, securities in legal default, hybrid securitized corporate bonds, Eurodollar bonds (U.S. dollar-denominated securities not issued in the U.S. domestic market), taxable and tax-exempt U.S. municipal securities and dividends-received-deduction-eligible securities. The Underlying Index is market capitalization-weighted, and the securities in the Underlying Index are updated on the last calendar day of each month. Under normal circumstances, the fund will seek to maintain a weighted average maturity that is greater than three years and lower than 10 years. Weighted average maturity is a U.S. dollar-weighted average of the remaining term to maturity of the underlying securities in the fund’s portfolio. |
iShares Select Dividend ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of relatively high dividend paying U.S. equities. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the Dow Jones U.S. Select Dividend Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of the U.S.’s leading stocks by dividend yield. Dividend yield is calculated using a stock’s indicated annual dividend (not including any special dividends) divided by its price. The Underlying Index is composed of 100 of the highest dividend-yielding securities (excluding real estate |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
iShares Select Dividend ETF (continued) | investment
trusts) in the Dow Jones U.S. Index, a broad-based index representative of the total market for U.S. equity securities. To be included in the Underlying Index, each security (i) must have a dividend per share greater than or equal to its five-year
average dividend per share; (ii) must have a five-year average dividend coverage ratio of greater than or equal to 167%; (iii) must have a three-month average daily trading volume of 200,000 shares (100,000 shares for current constituents); (iv)
must have paid dividends in each of the previous five years; (v) must have a non-negative trailing 12 month earnings per share; and (vi) must have a float-adjusted market cap of at least $3 billion ($2 billion for current constituents). The
Underlying Index is reviewed quarterly and rebalanced annually. The Underlying Index includes large-, mid- and small-capitalization companies and may change over time. As of April 30, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the financials and utilities industries or sectors. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. |
iShares U.S. Real Estate ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. equities in the real estate sector. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the Dow Jones U.S. Real Estate Capped Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of the real estate sector of the U.S. equity market, as defined by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (“SPDJI”). The Underlying Index uses a capping methodology to limit the weight of the securities of any single issuer (as determined by SPDJI) to a maximum of 10% of the Underlying Index. Additionally, the Underlying Index constrains at each quarterly review: (i) the weight of any single issuer to a maximum of 10%, and (ii) the aggregate weight of all issuers that individually exceed 4.50% of the index weight to a maximum of 22.50%. Between scheduled quarterly index reviews, the Underlying Index is rebalanced at the end of any day on which all issuers that individually constitute more than 5% of the weight of the Underlying Index constitute more than 25% of the weight of the Underlying Index in the aggregate. In implementing this capping methodology, SPDJI may consider two or more companies as belonging to the same issuer where there is reasonable evidence of common control. As of March 31, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the real estate investment trust industry or sector. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. |
iShares International Select Dividend ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of relatively high dividend paying equities in non-U.S. developed markets. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the Dow Jones EPAC Select Dividend Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of 100 high dividend-paying companies in the EPAC (Europe, Pacific, Asia and Canada) region, which covers developed markets excluding the U.S. Dividend yield is calculated using a stock’s indicated annual dividend (not including any special dividends) divided by its price. S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (“SPDJI”) begins with the S&P EPAC BMI and the S&P Canada BMI indices, excluding real estate investment trusts. SPDJI selects new constituents based on the following criteria: (i) the company must have paid dividends in each of the previous three years; (ii) the company’s current year trailing twelve months dividend per share ratio must be greater than or equal to its three-year average dividend per share ratio; (iii) the company’s five-year average dividend coverage ratio must be greater than or equal to two-thirds of the five-year average dividend coverage ratio of the corresponding S&P BMI® country index, or greater than 118%, whichever is greater; (iv) the company’s securities must have a three-month average daily dollar trading value of at least $3 million; (v) the company’s securities must have a non-negative trailing 12-month earnings per share (EPS); and (vi) the company’s securities must have a float-adjusted market capitalization of at least $1 billion. SPDJI next ranks the stocks based on dividend yield and selects 100 constituents by first including all existing constituents ranked in the top 200 and next by selecting non-constituent stocks in rank order. The Underlying Index is weighted based on dividend yield. However, SPDJI applies a capping methodology that limits the dividend yield values used to calculate constituent weights to 20%, the weights of individual securities to the lower of 10% or five times the constituent’s float-adjusted market capitalization weight, and the aggregate weight of constituents within each Global Industry Classification Standard sector and each country of domicile to 30%. The Underlying Index is reviewed annually; however, component changes may take place on a monthly basis. |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
iShares International Select Dividend ETF (continued) | As of April 30, 2023, the Underlying Index was composed of securities of companies in the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The fund invests in non-U.S. securities, which may in some cases not produce qualifying dividend income. The Underlying Index includes large-, mid- and small-capitalization companies and may change over time. As of April 30, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the financials, industrials and utilities industries or sectors. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. |
iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. dollar-denominated, investment-grade floating rate bonds with remaining maturities between one month and five years. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the Bloomberg US Floating Rate Note < 5 Years Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of U.S. dollar-denominated, investment-grade (as determined by Bloomberg Index Services Limited) floating rate notes. Securities in the Underlying Index have a remaining maturity of greater than or equal to one month and less than five years, and have $300 million or more of outstanding face value. As of October 31, 2022, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the financials industry or sector. As of October 31, 2022, the Underlying Index was composed of securities of companies in the following countries or regions: Australia, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the U.S. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. The Underlying Index consists of debt instruments that pay a variable coupon rate, based on a reference rate such as the 3-month London Interbank Offered Rate or the Secured Overnight Financing Rate and a fixed spread. The Underlying Index is market capitalization-weighted and the securities in the Underlying Index are updated on the last calendar day of each month. The Underlying Index may include U.S. registered, dollar-denominated bonds of non-U.S. corporations, governments and supranational entities. |
iShares International Developed Real Estate ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of real estate equities in developed non-U.S. markets. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the FTSE EPRA Nareit Developed ex US Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of companies engaged in the ownership, trading and development of income-producing real estate in the developed real estate markets (except for the U.S.) as defined by FTSE EPRA Nareit. As of April 30, 2023, the Underlying Index was composed of securities of companies in the following countries or regions: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. As of April 30, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index includes companies offering various real estate services, real estate operating companies and real estate investment trusts. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. |
iShares Mortgage Real Estate ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) that hold U.S. residential and commercial mortgages. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the FTSE Nareit All Mortgage Capped Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of the residential and commercial mortgage real estate, mortgage finance and savings associations sectors of the U.S. equity market, as defined by FTSE International Limited (“FTSE”). The Underlying Index generally measures the performance of the residential and commercial mortgage real estate sector and generally invests all of its assets in REITs. If the number of constituents in the Underlying Index falls below 20, FTSE will consider companies from the mortgage finance and savings associations sectors for inclusion in the Underlying Index, and each company in the mortgage finance and savings associations sectors will be capped at 3% of the Underlying Index, and these sectors in the aggregate will not exceed 30% of the Underlying Index. As of March 31, 2023, approximately 100% of the market capitalization of the Underlying Index is represented by REITs. As of March 31, 2023, the Underlying Index includes 33 component securities. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
iShares Core High Dividend ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of relatively high dividend paying U.S. equities. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the Morningstar® Dividend Yield Focus IndexSM (the “Underlying Index”), which offers exposure to high quality U.S.-domiciled companies that have had strong financial health and an ability to sustain above average dividend payouts. The Underlying Index is a subset of the Morningstar® US Market IndexSM, a broad market index that represents approximately 97% of the market capitalization of publicly traded U.S. stocks. The Underlying Index is composed of qualified income-paying securities that are screened for superior company quality and financial health as determined by Morningstar, Inc.’s (“Morningstar”) proprietary index methodology. Stocks in the Underlying Index represent the top 75 high-yielding stocks meeting the screening requirements. The Morningstar index methodology determines “company quality” in accordance with the Morningstar Economic MoatTM rating system, in which companies are assigned a moat rating of “none,”“narrow” or “wide” based on the prospect of earning above average returns on capital and the strength of the company’s competitive advantage. Additionally, companies are screened for “financial health” using Morningstar’s Distance to Default measure, a quantitative option pricing approach that estimates a company’s probability of default. To qualify for inclusion in the Underlying Index, constituents must have a Morningstar Economic Moat rating of “narrow” or “wide” and have a Morningstar Distance to Default score in the top 50% of eligible dividend-paying companies within their sector. Companies that are not assigned a Morningstar Economic Moat rating must have a Morningstar Distance to Default score in the top 30% of eligible dividend-paying companies within their sector. Additionally, each constituent’s dividend must be deemed to be qualified income. The Underlying Index may include large-, mid-and small-capitalization companies and may change over time. As of April 30, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the energy and healthcare industries or sectors. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. |
iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. dollar-denominated, high yield corporate bonds. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the Markit iBoxx® USD Liquid High Yield Index (the “Underlying Index”), which is a rules-based index consisting of U.S. dollar-denominated, high yield (as determined by Markit Indices Limited (“Markit”)) corporate bonds for sale in the U.S. The Underlying Index is designed to provide a broad representation of the U.S. dollar-denominated liquid high yield corporate bond market. The Underlying Index is a modified market-value weighted index with a cap on each issuer of 3%. There is no limit to the number of issues in the Underlying Index. As of February 28, 2023, the Underlying Index included approximately 1,175 constituents. As of February 28, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the consumer services industry or sector. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. Bonds in the Underlying Index are selected from the universe of eligible bonds in the Markit iBoxx USD Corporate Bond Index using defined rules. As of the date of the fund’s prospectus, the bonds eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index include U.S. dollar-denominated high yield corporate bonds that: (i) are issued by companies domiciled in countries classified as developed markets by Markit; (ii) have an average rating of sub-investment grade (ratings from Fitch Ratings, Inc., Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or Standard & Poor’s® Global Ratings, a subsidiary of S&P Global are considered; if more than one agency provides a rating, the average rating is attached to the bond); (iii) are from issuers with at least $1 billion outstanding face value; (iv) have at least $400 million of outstanding face value; (v) have an original maturity date of less than 15 years; (vi) have at least one year to maturity; and (vii) have at least one year and 6 months to maturity for new index insertions. |
iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. dollar-denominated, investment-grade corporate bonds. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the Markit iBoxx® USD Liquid Investment Grade Index (the “Underlying Index”), which is a rules-based index consisting of U.S. dollar-denominated, investment-grade (as determined by Markit Indices Limited (“Markit”)) corporate bonds for sale in the U.S. The Underlying Index is designed to provide a broad representation of the U.S. dollar-denominated liquid investment-grade corporate bond market. The Underlying Index is a modified market-value weighted index |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (continued) | with
a cap on each issuer of 3%. There is no limit to the number of issues in the Underlying Index. As of February 28, 2023, the Underlying Index included approximately 2,570 constituents. As of February 28, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying
Index is represented by securities of companies in the financials industry or sector. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. The Underlying Index is a subset of the Markit iBoxx USD Corporate Bond Index, which as of February 28, 2023 is an index of 7,573 investment-grade bonds. Bonds in the Underlying Index are selected from the universe of eligible bonds in the Markit iBoxx USD Corporate Bond Index using defined rules. As of the date of the fund’s prospectus, the bonds eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index consist of U.S. dollar-denominated corporate bonds that: (i) are issued by companies domiciled in countries classified as developed markets by Markit; (ii) have an average rating of investment grade (ratings from Fitch Ratings, Inc., Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or Standard & Poor’s® Global Ratings, a subsidiary of S&P Global are considered; if more than one agency provides a rating, the average rating is attached to the bond); (iii) are from issuers with at least $2 billion outstanding face value; (iv) have at least $750 million of outstanding face value; (v) have at least three years to maturity; and (vi) have at least three years and 6 months to maturity for new index insertions. |
iShares Emerging Markets Dividend ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of relatively high dividend paying equities in emerging markets. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the Dow Jones Emerging Markets Select Dividend Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of 100 leading dividend-paying emerging-market companies, selected by dividend yield subject to screening and buffering criteria. Dividend yield is calculated using a stock’s indicated annual dividend (not including any special dividends) divided by its price. The starting universe for the Underlying Index is the S&P Emerging BMI, excluding real estate investment trusts. As of April 30, 2023, the Underlying Index consisted of issuers in the following countries: Brazil, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Greece, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, the Philippines, Poland, Qatar, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates. The Underlying Index includes large-, mid- and small-capitalization companies and may change over time. As of April 30, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the basic materials and financials industries or sectors. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. |
iShares J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of local currency denominated, emerging market sovereign bonds. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the J.P. Morgan GBI-EM Global Diversified 15% Cap 4.5% Floor Index (the “Underlying Index”), which tracks the performance of local currency-denominated sovereign bond markets of emerging market countries. All bonds included in the Underlying Index are selected according to a set of rule-based inclusion criteria regarding issue size, bond type, maturity, and liquidity. The securities included in the Underlying Index are rebalanced on the last weekday of the month. Eligible countries included in the Underlying Index are determined by JPMorgan Chase & Co. or its affiliates (“J.P. Morgan”) based on J.P. Morgan’s definition of emerging market countries. Eligible issuer countries must have (1) gross national income (“GNI”) below the Index Income Ceiling (“IIC”) for three consecutive years or (2) an Index Purchasing Power Parity Ratio (the “IPR”) below the EM IPR threshold, each as defined by J.P. Morgan, for three consecutive years. An existing country may be considered for removal from the Underlying Index if its GNI per capita is above the IIC for three consecutive years and its long-term sovereign credit rating from Standard & Poor’s Global Ratings, Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., and Fitch Ratings, Inc. is A-/A3/A- or above for three consecutive years. For purposes of compiling the Underlying Index, individual country weights are capped at maximum 15% and floored at minimum 4.5%. Eligible individual securities must have a minimum face amount outstanding of U.S. $1 billion equivalent for onshore local currency bonds and U.S. $500 million for global bonds (offshore currency linked bonds). All component securities must have at least 2.5 years to maturity from the inclusion date and a remaining maturity of 6 months or greater at the time of rebalancing to remain eligible for the Underlying Index. |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
iShares J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF (continued) | Floating-rate
issues, capitalization/amortizing bonds, and bonds with callable, puttable or convertible features are not eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index. As of October 31, 2022, the Underlying Index included securities issued by Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Romania, Serbia, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey and Uruguay. |
iShares J.P. Morgan USD Emerging Markets Bond ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. dollar-denominated, emerging market bonds. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the J.P. Morgan EMBI® Global Core Index (the “Underlying Index”), which is a broad, diverse U.S. dollar-denominated emerging markets debt benchmark that tracks the total return of actively traded external debt instruments in emerging market countries. The methodology is designed to distribute the weight of each country within the Underlying Index by limiting the weights of countries with higher debt outstanding and reallocating this excess to countries with lower debt outstanding. The Underlying Index was composed of 57 countries as of October 31, 2022. As of October 31, 2022, the Underlying Index’s five highest weighted countries were Indonesia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. The Underlying Index may change its composition and weighting monthly upon rebalancing. The Underlying Index includes both fixed-rate and floating-rate instruments issued by sovereign and quasi-sovereign entities from index-eligible countries. Quasi-sovereign entities are defined as entities that are 100% guaranteed or 100% owned by the national government and reside in the index-eligible country. To be considered for inclusion in the Underlying Index, instruments must (i) be denominated in U.S. dollars, (ii) have a current face amount outstanding of $1 billion or more, (iii) have at least 2.5 years until maturity to be eligible for inclusion and, at each subsequent rebalance, have at least one year until maturity to remain in the index, (iv) be able to settle internationally through Euroclear or another institution domiciled outside the issuing country and (v) have bid and offer prices that are available on a daily and timely basis sourced from a third party valuation vendor. As of October 31, 2022, the Underlying Index consisted of both investment-grade and non-investment-grade bonds (commonly referred to as “junk bonds”), each as defined by JPMorgan Chase & Co. (“J.P. Morgan”). Convertible bonds are not eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index. The Underlying Index is market value-weighted and is rebalanced monthly on the last business day of the month. Eligible issuer countries must have (1) gross national income (“GNI”) below the Index Income Ceiling (“IIC”) for three consecutive years or (2) an Index Purchasing Power Parity Ratio (the “IPR”) below the emerging market IPR threshold, each as defined by J.P. Morgan, for three consecutive years. |
iShares Europe ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of European equities. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the S&P Europe 350TM (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of the securities of leading companies in the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The market capitalization of constituent companies is adjusted to reflect the available float and, if necessary, any foreign investment restrictions. The stocks in the Underlying Index are chosen by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (“SPDJI”) for market size, liquidity, industry group representation and geographic diversity. The Underlying Index is a subset of the S&P Global 1200, which is designed to measure the performance of large-capitalization stocks from major global markets, as determined by SPDJI. As of March 31, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the financials and healthcare industries or sectors. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. |
iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of large- and mid-capitalization equities from developed market countries that use the euro as their official currency. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the MSCI EMU Index (the “Underlying Index”), which consists of securities from the following 10 developed market countries: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. The Underlying Index includes large- and mid-capitalization companies and may change over time. As of August 31, 2022, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF (continued) | represented by securities of companies in the consumer discretionary and industrials industries or sectors. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. |
iShares CMBS ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of investment-grade commercial mortgage-backed securities. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the Bloomberg U.S. CMBS (ERISA Only) Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of investment-grade (as determined by Bloomberg Index Services Limited) commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”), which are classes of securities (known as “certificates”) that represent interests in “pools” of commercial mortgages. The Underlying Index includes only CMBS that are Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”) eligible under the underwriter’s exemption, which will deem ERISA eligible the certificates with the first priority of principal repayment, as long as certain conditions are met, including the requirement that the certificates be rated in one of the three highest rating categories by Fitch Ratings, Inc., Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or S&P Global Ratings. The Underlying Index includes investment-grade CMBS that are ERISA eligible with $300 million or more of aggregate outstanding transaction size. In addition, the original aggregate transaction must be $500 million or more and the tranche size must be $25 million or more. CMBS certificates must have an expected life of at least one year and must be either fixed-rate or subject to an interest rate cap equal to the weighted average coupon of the underlying asset pool. Excluded from the Underlying Index are non-ERISA eligible securities, agency transactions and privately issued securities, including those which may be resold in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The securities in the Underlying Index are updated on the last calendar day of each month. |
iShares MBS ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of investment-grade mortgage-backed pass-through securities issued and/or guaranteed by U.S. government agencies. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the Bloomberg U.S. MBS Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of investment-grade (as determined by Bloomberg Index Services Limited) mortgage-backed pass-through securities (“MBS”) issued or guaranteed by U.S. government agencies or sponsored entities. The Underlying Index includes fixed-rate MBS issued by the Government National Mortgage Association, Federal National Mortgage Association and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation that have 30-, 20-, or 15-year maturities. All securities in the Underlying Index must have a remaining weighted average maturity of at least one year. In addition, the securities in the Underlying Index must be denominated in U.S. dollars and must be non-convertible. The Underlying Index is market capitalization-weighted and the securities in the Underlying Index are updated on the last business day of each month. As of February 28, 2023, approximately 100% of the bonds represented in the Underlying Index were U.S. agency MBS. Most transactions in MBS occur through standardized contracts for future delivery in which the exact mortgage pools to be delivered are not specified until a few days prior to settlement (to-be-announced transactions). The fund may enter into such contracts for fixed-rate pass-through securities on a regular basis. The fund, pending settlement of such contracts, will invest its assets in liquid, short-term instruments, including shares of money market funds advised by BlackRock Fund Advisors or its affiliates. The fund will assume its pro rata share of the fees and expenses of any money market fund that it may invest in, in addition to the fund’s own fees and expenses. The fund may also acquire interests in mortgage pools through means other than such standardized contracts for future delivery. |
iShares International Developed Property ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of real estate equities in developed non-U.S. markets. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the S&P Developed ex-U.S. Property IndexTM (the “Underlying Index”), which is a free float-adjusted, market capitalization-weighted index that defines and measures the investable universe of publicly traded property companies domiciled in developed countries outside of the U.S. The Underlying Index includes large-, mid- and small-capitalization companies and may change over time. As of March 31, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
iShares International Developed Property ETF (continued) | by securities of companies in the real estate industry or sector. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. As of March 31, 2023, the Underlying Index was comprised of securities of companies in the following countries or regions: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. |
iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. dollar-denominated preferred and hybrid securities. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the ICE Exchange-Listed Preferred & Hybrid Securities Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of a select group of exchange-listed, U.S. dollar-denominated preferred securities, hybrid securities and convertible preferred securities listed on the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Capital Market. The Underlying Index includes issuances of preferred stocks with amounts outstanding over $100 million, convertible preferred stock with at least $50 million face amount outstanding, and hybrid securities with at least $250 million face amount outstanding, that meet minimum maturity and other requirements, as applicable, as determined by ICE Data Indices, LLC. In general, preferred stock is a class of equity security that pays a specified dividend that must be paid before any dividends can be paid to common stockholders and takes precedence over common stock in the event of a company’s liquidation. In general, a “hybrid” security refers to a security which combines both debt and equity characteristics. In general, hybrid securities included in the Underlying Index, like traditional preferred stock, have preference over the common stock within an issuer’s capital structure, and are issued and traded in a similar manner to traditional preferred stock. Like debt securities and preferred stock (but unlike common stock), issuers of hybrid securities included in the Underlying Index may make fixed, periodic payments to the holders of such securities. Like preferred stock, issuers of hybrid securities included in the Underlying Index have the ability to defer dividend payments and to extend such securities’ maturity dates. Although preferred stocks represent a partial ownership interest in a company, preferred stocks generally do not carry voting rights. Preferred stocks have economic characteristics similar to fixed-income securities. Preferred stocks and hybrid securities generally are issued with a fixed par value and pay dividends based on a percentage of that par value at a fixed or variable rate. Additionally, preferred stocks and hybrid securities often have a liquidation value that generally equals the original purchase price of such security at the date of issuance. The Underlying Index may include many different categories of preferred stock and hybrid securities, such as floating and fixed rate preferreds, fixed-to-floating rate securities, callable preferreds, convertible preferreds, cumulative and non-cumulative preferreds, certain capital securities, trust preferreds or various other preferred stock and hybrid securities. The total allocation to an individual issuer across the entire Underlying Index is limited to 4.75%. The Underlying Index uses a market capitalization weighted methodology subject to certain constraints and is rebalanced monthly. The Underlying Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies and includes preferred stocks and hybrid securities of non-U.S. issuers. As of March 31, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the financials industry or sector. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. |
iShares 0-5 Year High Yield Corporate Bond ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. dollar-denominated, high yield corporate bonds with remaining maturities of less than five years. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the Markit iBoxx® USD Liquid High Yield 0-5 Index (the “Underlying Index”), which is designed to reflect the performance of U.S. dollar-denominated high yield (as determined by Markit Indices Limited (“Markit”)) corporate debt. High yield bonds are also known as “junk bonds” and are generally rated below investment-grade. The Underlying Index offers exposure to liquid (according to Markit’s liquidity screens, which could vary from other measures of liquidity) U.S. dollar-denominated high yield corporate bonds maturing between zero and five years and is rebalanced on a monthly basis. Only bonds with $350 million minimum face value per bond are included in the Underlying Index, provided they are trading at a minimum price in accordance with Markit’s liquidity screens. The Underlying Index uses a market-value |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
iShares 0-5 Year High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (continued) | weighted methodology with a cap on each issuer of 3%. As of October 31, 2022, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the consumer services and industrials industries or sectors. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. |
iShares Core S&P 500 ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of large-capitalization U.S. equities. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the S&P 500 (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of the large-capitalization sector of the U.S. equity market, as determined by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC. As of March 31, 2023, the Underlying Index included approximately 85% of the market capitalization of all publicly traded U.S. equity securities. The securities in the Underlying Index are weighted based on the float-adjusted market value of their outstanding shares. The Underlying Index consists of securities from a broad range of industries. As of March 31, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the information technology industry or sector. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. |
iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. large- and mid-capitalization stocks with value characteristics and relatively lower valuations. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the MSCI USA Enhanced Value Index (the “Underlying Index”), which is based on a traditional market capitalization-weighted parent index, the MSCI USA Index (the “Parent Index”). The Parent Index includes U.S. large- and mid-capitalization stocks, as defined by MSCI Inc. (“MSCI”). The Underlying Index is designed to measure the performance of securities in the Parent Index that exhibit higher value characteristics relative to their peers within the corresponding Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS®) sector. To construct the Underlying Index, MSCI calculates a “value score” for each security in the Parent Index using three variables: price-to-book value, price-to-forward earnings and enterprise value-to-cash flow from operations. MSCI assigns weights by multiplying a component’s value score by its market capitalization. Weights in the Underlying Index are next normalized so that sectors in the Underlying Index represent the same weight as in the Parent Index. MSCI uses an algorithm to determine the number of components in the Underlying Index based on the number of constituents in the Parent Index. The number of components is evaluated semi-annually. As of July 31, 2022, there were 150 securities in the Underlying Index. As of July 31, 2022, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the technology industry or sector. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. |
iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. equities with a history of consistently growing dividends. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the Morningstar® US Dividend Growth IndexSM (the “Underlying Index”), which is a dividend dollar-weighted index that seeks to measure the performance of U.S. companies selected based on a consistent history of growing dividends. The Underlying Index is a subset of the Morningstar® US Market IndexSM, which is a broad market index that represents approximately 97% of the market capitalization of publicly traded U.S. stocks. Eligible companies must pay a qualified dividend, must have at least five years of uninterrupted annual dividend growth and their earnings payout ratio must be less than 75%. Companies that are in the top decile based on dividend yield are excluded from the Underlying Index prior to the dividend growth and payout ratio screens. The Underlying Index may include large-, mid- and small-capitalization companies and may change over time. As of April 30, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the financials, healthcare and technology industries or sectors. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
TempFund | The
investment objective of the fund is to seek as high a level of current income as is consistent with liquidity and stability of principal. |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
TempFund (continued) | The
fund invests in a broad range of U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments, including government, U.S. and foreign bank, and commercial obligations and repurchase agreements. The fund invests in securities maturing in 397 days or less (with
certain exceptions) and the portfolio will have a dollar-weighted average maturity of 60 days or less and a dollar-weighted average life of 120 days or less. In addition, the fund may invest in mortgage‑ and asset-backed securities, short-term obligations issued by or on behalf of states, territories and possessions of the United States, the District of Columbia, and their respective authorities, agencies, instrumentalities and political subdivisions and derivative securities such as beneficial interests in municipal trust certificates and partnership trusts. The fund may also invest in variable and floating rate instruments, and transact in securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis. The securities purchased by the fund are subject to the quality, diversification, and other requirements of Rule 2a‑7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and other rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund will only purchase securities that present minimal credit risk as determined by BlackRock, the fund’s investment manager, pursuant to guidelines approved by the trust’s Board of Trustees. |
T-Fund | The
investment objective of the fund is to seek current income as is consistent with liquidity and stability of principal. The fund invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, U.S. Treasury bills, notes and other obligations issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Treasury, and repurchase agreements secured by such obligations or cash. The fund invests in securities maturing in 397 days or less (with certain exceptions) and the portfolio will have a dollar-weighted average maturity of 60 days or less and a dollar-weighted average life of 120 days or less. The fund may invest in variable and floating rate instruments, and transact in securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis. The fund will invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in U.S. Treasury bills, notes and other obligations of the U.S. Treasury, and repurchase agreements secured by such obligations. This policy is a non-fundamental policy of the fund and the fund will not change the policy without providing shareholders with at least 60 days’ prior notice of any change in the policy. The securities purchased by the fund are subject to the quality, diversification, and other requirements of Rule 2a‑7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and other rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund will only purchase securities that present minimal credit risk as determined by BlackRock, the fund’s investment manager, pursuant to guidelines approved by the trust’s Board of Trustees. |
JPMorgan U.S. Treasury Plus Money Market Fund | The
fund seeks current income with liquidity and stability of principal. Under normal conditions, the fund invests its assets exclusively in: obligations of the U.S. Treasury, including Treasury bills, bonds and notes and other obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury, and repurchase agreements fully collateralized by U.S. Treasury securities. The debt securities described above carry different interest rates, maturities and issue dates. The fund is a money market fund managed in the following manner: The fund seeks to maintain a net asset value of $1.00 per share. The dollar-weighted average maturity of the fund will be 60 days or less and the dollar-weighted average life to maturity will be 120 days or less. The fund will only buy securities that have remaining maturities of 397 days or less or securities otherwise permitted to be purchased because of maturity shortening provisions under applicable regulation. The fund invests only in U.S. dollar-denominated securities. The fund seeks to invest in securities that present minimal credit risk. The fund will generally hold a portion of its assets in cash, primarily to meet redemptions. The fund intends to continue to qualify as a “government money market fund,” as such term is defined in or interpreted under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. “Government money market funds” are required to invest at least 99.5% of their assets in (i) cash, (ii) securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or (iii) repurchase |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
JPMorgan U.S. Treasury Plus Money Market Fund (continued) | agreements
that are collateralized fully, and are exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a liquidity fee and/or temporary redemption gates. While the fund’s Board of Trustees may elect to subject the fund to liquidity fee and
gate requirements in the future, it has not elected to do so at this time. A government money market fund may also include investments in other government money market funds as an eligible investment for purposes of the 99.5% requirement above. The fund’s adviser seeks to develop an appropriate portfolio by considering the differences in yields among securities of different maturities and issue dates. |
Investor A | Investor C2,3 | Institutional | |
Availability | Generally available through Financial Intermediaries. | Generally available through Financial Intermediaries. Must be held through a Financial Intermediary. | Limited
to certain investors, including: • Individuals and “Institutional Investors,” which include, but are not limited to, endowments, foundations, family offices, local, city, and state governmental institutions, corporations and insurance company separate accounts, who may purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary that has entered into an agreement with the Distributor to purchase such shares. • Employer-sponsored retirement plans (not including SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs or SARSEPs), 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 Distributor to purchase such shares. • Employees, officers and directors/trustees of BlackRock or its affiliates and immediate family members of such persons, if they open an account directly with BlackRock. • Participants in certain programs sponsored by BlackRock or its affiliates or other Financial Intermediaries. • 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. • 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. • Clients investing through a self-directed IRA brokerage account program sponsored by a retirement plan record-keeper, provided that such program offers only mutual fund options and that the program maintains an account with the Fund on an omnibus basis. |
Investor A | Investor C2,3 | Institutional | |
Minimum Investment | $1,000
for all accounts except: • $50, if establishing an Automatic Investment Plan (“AIP”). • There is no investment minimum for employer-sponsored retirement plans (not including SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs or SARSEPs). • There is no investment minimum for certain fee-based programs. |
$1,000
for all accounts except: • $50, if establishing an AIP. • There is no investment minimum for employer-sponsored retirement plans (not including SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs or SARSEPs). • There is no investment minimum for certain fee-based programs. |
There
is no investment minimum for: • Employer-sponsored retirement plans (not including SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs or SARSEPs), 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 a self-directed IRA brokerage account program sponsored by a retirement plan record-keeper, provided that such program offers only mutual fund options and that the program maintains an account with the Fund on an omnibus basis.$2 million for individuals and Institutional Investors.$1,000 investment minimum for: • 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? | Yes. Payable at time of purchase. Lower sales charges are available for larger investments. | No. Entire purchase price is invested in shares of the Fund. | No. Entire purchase price is invested in shares of the Fund. |
Deferred Sales Charge? | No. (May be charged for purchases of $250,000 or more that are redeemed within 18 months). | Yes. Payable if you redeem within one year of purchase. | No. |
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees? | No
Distribution Fee. 0.25% Annual Service Fee. |
0.75%
Annual Distribution Fee. 0.25% Annual Service Fee. |
No. |
Redemption Fees? | No. | No. | No. |
Investor A | Investor C2,3 | Institutional | |
Conversion to Investor A Shares? | N/A | Yes,
automatically approximately eight years after the date of purchase. It is the Financial Intermediary’s responsibility to ensure that the shareholder is credited with the proper holding period. As of the Effective Date (as defined below),
certain Financial Intermediaries, including group retirement recordkeeping platforms, may not have been tracking such holding periods and therefore may not be able to process such conversions. In such instances, the automatic conversion of Investor
C Shares to Investor A Shares will occur approximately eight years after the Effective Date. In addition, accounts that do not have a Financial Intermediary associated with them are not eligible to hold Investor C Shares, and any Investor C Shares held in such accounts will be automatically converted to Investor A Shares. |
No. |
Advantage | Makes sense for investors who are eligible to have the sales charge reduced or eliminated or who have a long-term investment horizon because there are no ongoing distribution fees. | No up-front sales charge so you start off owning more shares. These shares may make sense for investors who have a shorter investment horizon relative to Investor A Shares. | No up-front sales charge so you start off owning more shares. No distribution or service fees. |
Disadvantage | You pay a sales charge up-front, and therefore you start off owning fewer shares. | You pay ongoing distribution fees each year you own Investor C Shares, which means that over the long term you can expect higher total fees per share than Investor A Shares and, as a result, lower total performance. | Limited availability. |
1 | Please see “Details About the Share Classes” for more information about each share class. |
2 | If you establish a new account, or have an existing account, directly with the Fund and do not have a Financial Intermediary associated with your account, you may only invest in Investor A Shares. Applications without a Financial Intermediary that select Investor C Shares will not be accepted and accounts without an associated Financial Intermediary will not be eligible to hold Investor C Shares. |
3 | The Fund will not accept a purchase order of $500,000 or more for Investor C Shares (may be lower on funds that have set a lower breakpoint for purchasing Investor A Shares without a front-end sales charge). Your Financial Intermediary may set a lower maximum for Investor C Shares. |
Your Investment | Sales
Charge as a % of Offering Price |
Sales
Charge as a % of Your Investment1 |
Dealer
Compensation as a % of Offering Price |
Less than $25,000 | 5.25% | 5.54% | 5.00% |
$25,000 but less than $50,000 | 4.75% | 4.99% | 4.50% |
$50,000 but less than $100,000 | 4.00% | 4.17% | 3.75% |
$100,000 but less than $250,000 | 3.00% | 3.09% | 2.75% |
$250,000 and over2 | 0.00% | 0.00% | — 2 |
1 | Rounded to the nearest one-hundredth percent. |
2 | If you invest $250,000 or more in Investor A Shares, you will not pay an initial sales charge. In that case, BlackRock compensates the Financial Intermediary from its own resources. However, if you redeem your shares within 18 months after purchase, you may be charged a deferred sales charge of 0.75% of the lesser of the original cost of the shares being redeemed or your redemption proceeds. Such deferred sales charge may be waived in connection with certain fee-based programs. |
i. | Buy a specified amount of Investor A, Investor C, Investor P, Institutional, Class K and/or Premier Shares, |
ii. | Make an investment in one or more Eligible Unlisted BlackRock Closed-End Funds and/or |
iii. | Make an investment through the BlackRock CollegeAdvantage 529 Program in one or more BlackRock Funds. |
i. | The current value of an investor’s existing Investor A and A1, Investor C, Investor P, Institutional, Class K and Premier Shares in most BlackRock Funds, |
ii. | The current value of an investor’s existing shares of Eligible Unlisted BlackRock Closed-End Funds 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. |
■ | Certain employer-sponsored retirement plans. For purposes of this waiver, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs or SARSEPs; |
■ | Rollovers of current investments through certain employer-sponsored retirement plans, provided the shares are transferred to the same BlackRock Fund as either a direct rollover, or subsequent to distribution, the rolled-over proceeds are contributed to a BlackRock IRA through an account directly with the Fund; or purchases by IRA programs that are sponsored by Financial Intermediary firms provided the Financial Intermediary firm has entered into a Class A Net Asset Value agreement with respect to such program with the Distributor; |
■ | Insurance company separate accounts; |
■ | Registered investment advisers, trust companies and bank trust departments exercising discretionary investment authority with respect to amounts to be invested in the Fund; |
■ | Persons participating in a fee-based program (such as a wrap account) under which they pay advisory fees to a broker-dealer or other financial institution; |
■ | Financial Intermediaries who have entered into an agreement with the Distributor and have been approved by the Distributor to offer Fund shares to self-directed investment brokerage accounts that may or may not charge a transaction fee; |
■ | Persons associated with the Fund, the Fund’s manager, the Fund’s sub-advisers, transfer agent, Distributor, fund accounting agents, Barclays PLC (“Barclays”) and their respective affiliates (to the extent permitted by these firms) including: (a) officers, directors and partners; (b) employees and retirees; (c) employees of firms who have entered into selling agreements to distribute shares of BlackRock Funds; (d) immediate family members of such persons; and (e) any trust, pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for any of the persons set forth in (a) through (d); |
■ | State sponsored 529 college savings plans; and |
■ | Accounts opened directly with the Fund that do not have a Financial Intermediary associated with the account. |
■ | Redemptions of shares purchased through certain employer-sponsored retirement plans and rollovers of current investments in the Fund through such plans; |
■ | Exchanges pursuant to the exchange privilege, as described in “How to Buy, Sell, Exchange and Transfer Shares — How to Exchange Shares or Transfer Your Account”; |
■ | Redemptions made in connection with minimum required distributions from IRA or 403(b)(7) accounts due to the shareholder reaching the age of 72; |
■ | Certain post-retirement withdrawals from an IRA or other retirement plan if you are over 59½ years old and you purchased your shares prior to October 2, 2006; |
■ | Redemptions made with respect to certain retirement plans sponsored by the Fund, BlackRock or an affiliate; |
■ | Redemptions resulting from shareholder death as long as the waiver request is made within one year of death or, if later, reasonably promptly following completion of probate (including in connection with the distribution of account assets to a beneficiary of the decedent); |
■ | Withdrawals resulting from shareholder disability (as defined in the Internal Revenue Code) as long as the disability arose subsequent to the purchase of the shares; |
■ | Involuntary redemptions made of shares in accounts with low balances; |
■ | Certain redemptions made through the Systematic Withdrawal Plan (“SWP”) offered by the Fund, BlackRock or an affiliate; |
■ | Redemptions related to the payment of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing Trust Company custodial IRA fees; and |
■ | Redemptions when a shareholder can demonstrate hardship, in the absolute discretion of the Fund. |
■ | 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 Bank of America, N.A. and its 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., BlackRock Funds, BofA Corp., Barclays or their respective affiliates and immediate family members of such persons, if they open an account directly with BlackRock, who are not subject to any minimum initial investment; |
■ | 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; and |
■ | Clients investing through a self-directed IRA brokerage account program sponsored by a retirement plan record-keeper, provided that such program offers only mutual fund options and that the program maintains an account with the Fund on an omnibus basis. |
■ | 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 | |
Initial Purchase | First, select the share class appropriate for you | Refer
to the “Share Classes at a Glance” table in this prospectus (be sure to read this prospectus carefully). When you place your initial order, you must indicate which share class you select (if you do not specify a share class and do not
qualify to purchase Institutional Shares, you will receive Investor A Shares). Certain factors, such as the amount of your investment, your time frame for investing, and your financial goals, may affect which share class you choose. Your Financial Intermediary can help you determine which share class is appropriate for you. |
Next, determine the amount of your investment | Refer
to the minimum initial investment in the “Share Classes at a Glance” table of this prospectus. Be sure to note the maximum investment amounts in Investor C Shares. See “Account Information — Details About the Share Classes” for information on a lower initial investment requirement for certain Fund investors if their purchase, combined with purchases by other investors received together by the Fund, meets the minimum investment requirement. | |
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. The Fund may reject any order to buy shares and may suspend the sale of shares at any time. Certain Financial Intermediaries may charge a processing fee to confirm a purchase. | |
Or contact BlackRock (for accounts held directly with BlackRock) | To purchase shares directly from BlackRock, call (800) 441-7762 and request a new account application. Mail the completed application along with a check payable to “BlackRock Funds” to the Transfer Agent at the address on the application. The Fund limits purchases by personal check to $500,000 per trade. | |
Add to Your Investment | Purchase additional shares | For Investor A and Investor C Shares, the minimum investment for additional purchases is generally $50 for all accounts (with the exception of certain employer-sponsored retirement plans which may have a lower minimum for additional purchases). The minimums for additional purchases may be waived under certain circumstances. Institutional Shares have no minimum for additional purchases. |
Have your Financial Intermediary submit your purchase order for additional shares | To purchase additional shares, you may contact your Financial Intermediary. For more details on purchasing by Internet see below. |
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. Purchase in Writing: You may send a written request to BlackRock at the address on the back cover of this prospectus. Purchase by VRU: Investor Shares may also be purchased by use of the Fund’s automated voice response unit (“VRU”) service at (800) 441-7762. Purchase by Internet: You may purchase your shares and view activity in your account by logging onto the BlackRock website at www.blackrock.com. Purchases made on the Internet using the Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) will have a trade date that is the day after the purchase is made. Certain institutional clients’ purchase orders of Institutional Shares placed by wire prior to the close of business on the NYSE will be priced at the net asset value determined that day. Contact your Financial Intermediary or BlackRock for further information. The Fund limits Internet purchases in shares of the Fund to $25,000 per trade. Different maximums may apply to certain institutional investors. Please read the On-Line Services Disclosure Statement and User Agreement, the Terms and Conditions page and the Consent to Electronic Delivery Agreement (if you consent to electronic delivery), before attempting to transact online. The Fund employs reasonable procedures to confirm that transactions entered over the Internet are genuine. By entering into the User Agreement with the Fund in order to open an account through the website, the shareholder waives any right to reclaim any losses from the Fund or any of its affiliates incurred through fraudulent activity. |
Acquire
additional shares by reinvesting dividends and capital gains |
All dividends and capital gains distributions are automatically reinvested without a sales charge. To make any changes to your dividend and/or capital gains distributions options, please call (800) 441-7762 or contact your Financial Intermediary (if your account is not held directly with BlackRock). | |
Participate in the AIP | BlackRock’s
AIP allows you to invest a specific amount on a periodic basis from your checking or savings account into your investment account. Refer to the “Account Services and Privileges” section of this prospectus for additional information. | |
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 second business day (in the case of Investor Shares) or
the first business day (in the case of 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. For shares purchased directly from the Fund, a check payable to BlackRock Funds which bears the name of the Fund must accompany a completed purchase application. The Fund limits purchases by personal check to $500,000 per trade. There is a $20 fee for each purchase check that is returned due to insufficient funds. The Fund does not accept third-party checks. You may also wire Federal funds to the Fund to purchase shares, but you must call (800) 441-7762 before doing so to confirm the wiring instructions. |
Your Choices | Important Information for You to Know | |
Full or Partial Redemption of Shares | Have your Financial Intermediary submit your sales order | You
can make redemption requests through your Financial Intermediary. Shareholders should indicate whether they are redeeming Investor A, Investor C 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. Regardless of the method the Fund uses to make payment of your redemption proceeds (check, wire or ACH), your redemption proceeds typically will be sent one to two business days after your request is submitted, but in any event, within seven days. Certain Financial Intermediaries may charge a fee to process a redemption of shares. The Fund may reject an order to sell shares under certain circumstances. |
Selling shares held directly with BlackRock | Methods
of Redeeming Redeem by Telephone: You may redeem Investor Shares held directly with BlackRock by telephone request if certain conditions are met and if the amount being sold is less than (i) $100,000 for payments by check or (ii) $250,000 for payments through ACH or wire transfer. Certain redemption requests, such as those in excess of these amounts, must be in writing with a medallion signature guarantee. For Institutional Shares, certain redemption requests may require written instructions with a medallion signature guarantee. Call (800) 441-7762 for details. You can obtain a medallion signature guarantee stamp from a bank, securities dealer, securities broker, credit union, savings and loan association, national securities exchange or registered securities association. A notary public seal will not be acceptable. The Fund, its administrators and the Distributor will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by telephone are genuine. The Fund and its service providers will not be liable for any loss, liability, cost or expense for acting upon telephone instructions that are reasonably believed to be genuine in accordance with such procedures. The Fund may refuse a telephone redemption request if it believes it is advisable to do so. During periods of substantial economic or market change, telephone redemptions may be difficult to complete. Please find alternative redemption methods below. Redeem by VRU: Investor Shares may also be redeemed by use of the Fund’s automated VRU service. Payment for Investor Shares redeemed by the VRU service may be made for non-retirement accounts in amounts up to $25,000, either through check, ACH or wire. Redeem by Internet: You may redeem in your account, by logging onto the BlackRock website at www.blackrock.com. Proceeds from Internet redemptions may be sent via check, ACH or wire to the bank account of record. Payment for Investor Shares redeemed by Internet may be made for non-retirement accounts in amounts up to $25,000, either through check, ACH or wire. Different maximums may apply to investors in Institutional Shares. Redeem in Writing: You may sell shares held at BlackRock by writing to BlackRock, P.O. Box 534429, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15253-4429 or for overnight delivery, Attention: 534429, 500 Ross Street 154-0520, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15262. All shareholders on the account must |
Your Choices | Important Information for You to Know | |
Full or Partial Redemption of Shares (continued) | Selling shares held directly with BlackRock (continued) | sign
the letter. A medallion signature guarantee will generally be required but may be waived in certain limited circumstances. You can obtain a medallion signature guarantee stamp from a bank, securities dealer, securities broker, credit union, savings
and loan association, national securities exchange or registered securities association. A notary public seal will not be acceptable. If you hold stock certificates, return the certificates with the letter. Proceeds from redemptions may be sent via
check, ACH or wire to the bank account of record. Payment of Redemption Proceeds Redemption proceeds may be paid by check or, if the Fund has verified banking information on file, through ACH or by wire transfer. Payment by Check: BlackRock will normally mail redemption proceeds within three business days following receipt of a properly completed request, but in any event within seven days. Shares can be redeemed by telephone and the proceeds sent by check to the shareholder at the address on record. Shareholders will pay $15 for redemption proceeds sent by check via overnight mail. You are responsible for any additional charges imposed by your bank for this service. The Fund reserves the right to reinvest any dividend or distribution amounts (e.g., income dividends or capital gains) which you have elected to receive by check should your check be returned as undeliverable or remain uncashed for more than 6 months. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed checks. Your check will be reinvested in your account at the net asset value next calculated, on the day of the investment. When reinvested, those amounts are subject to the risk of loss like any Fund investment. If you elect to receive distributions in cash and a check remains undeliverable or uncashed for more than 6 months, your cash election may also be changed automatically to reinvest and your future dividend and capital gains distributions will be reinvested in the Fund at the net asset value as of the date of payment of the distribution. 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. If a shareholder has given authorization for expedited redemption, shares can be redeemed by Federal wire transfer to a single previously designated bank account. Shareholders will pay $7.50 for redemption proceeds sent by Federal wire transfer. You are responsible for any additional charges imposed by your bank for this service. No charge for wiring redemption payments with respect to Institutional Shares is imposed by the Fund. The Fund is not responsible for the efficiency of the Federal wire system or the shareholder’s firm or bank. To change the name of the single, designated bank account to receive wire redemption proceeds, it is necessary to send a written request to the Fund at the address on the back cover of this prospectus. Payment by ACH: Redemption proceeds may be sent to the shareholder’s bank account (checking or savings) via ACH. Payment for redeemed shares for which a redemption order is received before 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on a business day is normally sent to the redeeming shareholder the next business day, with receipt at the receiving bank within the next two business days (48-72 hours); provided that the Fund’s custodian is also open for business. Payment |
Your Choices | Important Information for You to Know | |
Full or Partial Redemption of Shares (continued) | Selling shares held directly with BlackRock (continued) | for
redemption orders received after 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) or on a day when the Fund’s custodian is closed is normally sent on the next business day following redemption on which the Fund’s custodian is open for business. The Fund reserves the right to send redemption proceeds within seven days after receiving a redemption order if, in the judgment of the Fund, an earlier payment could adversely affect the Fund. No charge for sending redemption payments via ACH is imposed by the Fund. *** If you make a redemption request before the Fund has collected payment for the purchase of shares, the Fund may delay mailing your proceeds. This delay will usually not exceed ten days. |
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. If the Fund pays redemption proceeds by transferring portfolio securities in-kind to you, you may pay transaction costs to dispose of the securities, and you may receive less for them than the price at which they were valued for purposes of redemption. |
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. You can exchange $1,000 or more of Investor Shares from one fund into the same class of another fund which offers that class of shares (you can exchange less than $1,000 of Investor Shares if you already have an account in the fund into which you are exchanging). Investors who currently own Institutional Shares of the Fund may make exchanges into Institutional Shares of other 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 Institutional Shares. You may only exchange into a share class and fund that are open to new investors or in which you have a current account if the fund is closed to new investors. Some of the BlackRock Funds impose a different initial or deferred sales charge schedule. The CDSC will continue to be measured from the date of the original purchase. The CDSC schedule applicable to your original purchase will apply to the shares you receive in the exchange and any subsequent exchange. To exercise the exchange privilege, you may contact your Financial Intermediary. Alternatively, if your account is held directly with BlackRock, you may: (i) call (800) 441-7762 and speak with one of our representatives, (ii) make the exchange via the Internet by accessing your account online at www.blackrock.com, or (iii) send a written request to the Fund at the address on the back cover of this prospectus. Please note, if you indicated on your new account |
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) | application
that you did not want the Telephone Exchange Privilege, you will not be able to place exchanges via the telephone until you update this option either in writing or by calling (800) 441-7762. The Fund has the right to reject any telephone request
for any reason. Although there is currently no limit on the number of exchanges that you can make, the exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time in the future. The Fund may suspend or terminate your exchange privilege at any time for any reason, including if the Fund believes, in its sole discretion, that you are engaging in market timing activities. See “Short-Term Trading Policy” below. For U.S. federal income tax purposes a share exchange is a taxable event and a capital gain or loss may be realized. Please consult your tax adviser or other Financial Intermediary before making an exchange request. |
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. If your account is held directly with BlackRock, you may call (800) 441-7762 with any questions; otherwise please contact your Financial Intermediary to accomplish the transfer of shares. |
Transfer to a non-participating Financial Intermediary | You
must either: • Transfer your shares to an account with the Fund; or • Sell your shares, paying any applicable deferred sales charge.If your account is held directly with BlackRock, you may call (800) 441-7762 with any questions; otherwise please contact your Financial Intermediary to accomplish the transfer of shares. |
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 fund at BlackRock, the receiving fund must be open to new purchases. |
EZ Trader | Allows an investor to purchase or sell Investor Shares by telephone or over the Internet through ACH. | (NOTE:
This option is offered to shareholders whose accounts are held directly with BlackRock. Please speak with your Financial Intermediary if your account is held elsewhere.) Prior to establishing an EZ Trader account, please contact your bank to confirm that it is a member of the ACH system. Once confirmed, complete an application, making sure to include the appropriate bank information, and return the application to the address listed on the form. Prior to placing a telephone or Internet purchase or sale order, please call (800) 441-7762 to confirm that your bank information has been |
EZ Trader (continued) | Allows an investor to purchase or sell Investor Shares by telephone or over the Internet through ACH. (continued) | updated on your account. Once this is established, you may place your request to sell shares with the Fund by telephone or Internet. Proceeds will be sent to your pre-designated bank account. |
Systematic Exchange Plan | This feature can be used by investors to systematically exchange money from one fund to up to four other funds. | A minimum of $10,000 in the initial BlackRock Fund is required, and investments in any additional funds must meet minimum initial investment requirements. |
Systematic
Withdrawal Plan |
This feature can be used by investors who want to receive regular distributions from their accounts. | To
start an SWP, a shareholder must have a current investment of $10,000 or more in a BlackRock Fund. Shareholders can elect to receive cash payments of $50 or more at any interval they choose. Shareholders may sign up by completing the SWP Application Form, which may be obtained from BlackRock. Shareholders should realize that if withdrawals exceed income the invested principal in their account will be depleted. To participate in the SWP, shareholders must have their dividends reinvested. Shareholders may change or cancel the SWP at any time, with a minimum of 24 hours’ notice. If a shareholder purchases additional Investor A Shares of a fund at the same time he or she redeems shares through the SWP, that investor may lose money because of the sales charge involved. No CDSC will be assessed on redemptions of Investor A or Investor C Shares made through the SWP that do not exceed 12% of the account’s net asset value on an annualized basis. For example, monthly, quarterly, and semi-annual SWP redemptions of Investor A or Investor C Shares will not be subject to the CDSC if they do not exceed 1%, 3% and 6%, respectively, of an account’s net asset value on the redemption date. SWP redemptions of Investor A or Investor C Shares in excess of this limit will still pay any applicable CDSC. Ask your Financial Intermediary for details. |
Reinstatement Privilege | If you redeem Investor A or Institutional Shares and buy new Investor A Shares of the same or another BlackRock Fund (equal to all or a portion of the redemption amount) within 90 days of such redemption, you will not pay a sales charge on the new purchase amount. This right may be exercised within 90 days of the redemption, provided that the Investor A Share class of that fund is currently open to new investors or the shareholder has a current account in that closed fund. Shares will be purchased at the net asset value calculated at the close of trading on the day the request is received. To exercise this privilege, the Fund must receive written notification from the shareholder of record or the Financial Intermediary of record, at the time of purchase. Investors should consult a tax adviser concerning the tax consequences of exercising this reinstatement privilege. |
■ | 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. |
Average Daily Net Assets | Management
Fee Rate |
Not exceeding $1 billion | 0.60% |
In excess of $1 billion but not exceeding $3 billion | 0.56% |
In excess of $3 billion but not exceeding $5 billion | 0.54% |
In excess of $5 billion but not exceeding $10 billion | 0.52% |
In excess of $10 billion | 0.51% |
Contractual
Caps1 on Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2 (excluding Dividend Expense, Interest Expense, Acquired Fund (underlying fund) Fees and Expenses and certain other Fund expenses) | |
Investor A | 0.90% |
Investor C | 1.65% |
Institutional | 0.65% |
1 | These contractual caps are in effect through June 30, 2025. 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 |
Justin Christofel, 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. | 2014 | Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2016; Director of BlackRock, Inc. from 2013 to 2015; Vice President of BlackRock, Inc. from 2010 to 2013; Associate of BlackRock, Inc. from 2008 to 2010; Analyst of BlackRock, Inc. from 2007 to 2008. |
Portfolio Manager | Primary Role | Since | Title and Recent Biography |
Alex Shingler, 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 2011; Director of BlackRock, Inc. from 2009 to 2010; Senior Vice President at R3 Capital Partners from 2008 to 2009. |
BlackRock Dynamic High Income Portfolio | |||||
Institutional | |||||
Year
Ended 07/31/23 |
Year
Ended 07/31/22 |
Year
Ended 07/31/21 |
Year
Ended 07/31/20 |
Year
Ended 07/31/19 | |
Net asset value, beginning of year | $ 8.47 | $ 10.23 | $ 9.03 | $ 9.65 | $ 9.77 |
Net investment income(a) | 0.51 | 0.47 | 0.50 | 0.53 | 0.59 |
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | (0.19) | (1.54) | 1.20 | (0.63) | (0.11) |
Net increase (decrease) from investment operations | 0.32 | (1.07) | 1.70 | (0.10) | 0.48 |
Distributions (b) | |||||
From net investment income | (0.51) | (0.58) | (0.50) | (0.46) | (0.55) |
From net realized gain | — | (0.11) | — | — | — |
Return of capital | — | — | — | (0.06) | (0.05) |
Total distributions | (0.51) | (0.69) | (0.50) | (0.52) | (0.60) |
Net asset value, end of year | $ 8.28 | $ 8.47 | $ 10.23 | $ 9.03 | $ 9.65 |
Total Return(c) | |||||
Based on net asset value | 4.18% | (11.04)% | 19.22% (d) | (0.93)% | 5.23% (d) |
Ratios to Average Net Assets(e) | |||||
Total expenses | 0.84% | 0.81% | 0.81% | 0.80% | 0.80% |
Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed | 0.65% | 0.65% | 0.65% | 0.65% | 0.65% |
Net investment income | 6.39% | 5.00% | 5.12% | 5.79% | 6.21% |
Supplemental Data | |||||
Net assets, end of year (000) | $844,522 | $924,072 | $1,026,159 | $828,901 | $898,605 |
Portfolio turnover rate(f) | 66% (g) | 59% | 77% | 94% | 69% |
(a) | Based on average shares outstanding. |
(b) | Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations. |
(c) | Where applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions. |
(d) | Includes payment from an affiliate, which had no impact on the Fund’s total return. |
(e) | Excludes fees and expenses incurred indirectly as a result of investments in underlying funds. |
(f) | Excludes equity-linked notes. Additional information regarding portfolio turnover rate is as follows: |
Year
Ended 07/31/23 |
Year
Ended 07/31/22 |
Year
Ended 07/31/21 |
Year
Ended 07/31/20 |
Year
Ended 07/31/19 | |
Portfolio turnover rate (including equity-linked notes) | 189% | 196% | 180% | 215% | 180% |
(g) | Excludes underlying investments in total return swaps. |
BlackRock Dynamic High Income Portfolio | |||||
Investor A | |||||
Year
Ended 07/31/23 |
Year
Ended 07/31/22 |
Year
Ended 07/31/21 |
Year
Ended 07/31/20 |
Year
Ended 07/31/19 | |
Net asset value, beginning of year | $ 8.47 | $ 10.24 | $ 9.03 | $ 9.66 | $ 9.77 |
Net investment income(a) | 0.49 | 0.45 | 0.47 | 0.51 | 0.56 |
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | (0.18) | (1.56) | 1.21 | (0.64) | (0.10) |
Net increase (decrease) from investment operations | 0.31 | (1.11) | 1.68 | (0.13) | 0.46 |
Distributions (b) | |||||
From net investment income | (0.49) | (0.55) | (0.47) | (0.44) | (0.52) |
From net realized gain | — | (0.11) | — | — | — |
Return of capital | — | — | — | (0.06) | (0.05) |
Total distributions | (0.49) | (0.66) | (0.47) | (0.50) | (0.57) |
Net asset value, end of year | $ 8.29 | $ 8.47 | $ 10.24 | $ 9.03 | $ 9.66 |
Total Return(c) | |||||
Based on net asset value | 4.04% | (11.35)% | 19.04% (d) | (1.28)% | 5.08% (d) |
Ratios to Average Net Assets(e) | |||||
Total expenses | 1.05% | 1.03% | 1.04% | 1.04% | 1.05% |
Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed | 0.90% | 0.90% | 0.90% | 0.90% | 0.90% |
Net investment income | 6.15% | 4.74% | 4.87% | 5.56% | 5.94% |
Supplemental Data | |||||
Net assets, end of year (000) | $130,935 | $136,426 | $175,444 | $147,034 | $91,064 |
Portfolio turnover rate(f) | 66% (g) | 59% | 77% | 94% | 69% |
(a) | Based on average shares outstanding. |
(b) | Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations. |
(c) | Where applicable, excludes the effects of any sales charges and assumes the reinvestment of distributions. |
(d) | Includes payment from an affiliate, which had no impact on the Fund’s total return. |
(e) | Excludes fees and expenses incurred indirectly as a result of investments in underlying funds. |
(f) | Excludes equity-linked notes. Additional information regarding portfolio turnover rate is as follows: |
Year
Ended 07/31/23 |
Year
Ended 07/31/22 |
Year
Ended 07/31/21 |
Year
Ended 07/31/20 |
Year
Ended 07/31/19 | |
Portfolio turnover rate (including equity-linked notes) | 189% | 196% | 180% | 215% | 180% |
(g) | Excludes underlying investments in total return swaps. |
BlackRock Dynamic High Income Portfolio | |||||
Investor C | |||||
Year
Ended 07/31/23 |
Year
Ended 07/31/22 |
Year
Ended 07/31/21 |
Year
Ended 07/31/20 |
Year
Ended 07/31/19 | |
Net asset value, beginning of year | $ 8.46 | $ 10.22 | $ 9.02 | $ 9.64 | $ 9.76 |
Net investment income(a) | 0.43 | 0.38 | 0.40 | 0.44 | 0.49 |
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | (0.18) | (1.55) | 1.20 | (0.63) | (0.11) |
Net increase (decrease) from investment operations | 0.25 | (1.17) | 1.60 | (0.19) | 0.38 |
Distributions (b) | |||||
From net investment income | (0.43) | (0.48) | (0.40) | (0.37) | (0.45) |
From net realized gain | — | (0.11) | — | — | — |
Return of capital | — | — | — | (0.06) | (0.05) |
Total distributions | (0.43) | (0.59) | (0.40) | (0.43) | (0.50) |
Net asset value, end of year | $ 8.28 | $ 8.46 | $ 10.22 | $ 9.02 | $ 9.64 |
Total Return(c) | |||||
Based on net asset value | 3.27% | (11.94)% | 18.06% (d) | (1.91)% | 4.19% (d) |
Ratios to Average Net Assets(e) | |||||
Total expenses | 1.84% | 1.80% | 1.80% | 1.80% | 1.80% |
Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed | 1.65% | 1.65% | 1.65% | 1.65% | 1.65% |
Net investment income | 5.39% | 4.00% | 4.13% | 4.79% | 5.25% |
Supplemental Data | |||||
Net assets, end of year (000) | $28,629 | $35,475 | $46,242 | $41,749 | $36,992 |
Portfolio turnover rate(f) | 66% (g) | 59% | 77% | 94% | 69% |
(a) | Based on average shares outstanding. |
(b) | Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations. |
(c) | Where applicable, excludes the effects of any sales charges and assumes the reinvestment of distributions. |
(d) | Includes payment from an affiliate, which had no impact on the Fund’s total return. |
(e) | Excludes fees and expenses incurred indirectly as a result of investments in underlying funds. |
(f) | Excludes equity-linked notes. Additional information regarding portfolio turnover rate is as follows: |
Year
Ended 07/31/23 |
Year
Ended 07/31/22 |
Year
Ended 07/31/21 |
Year
Ended 07/31/20 |
Year
Ended 07/31/19 | |
Portfolio turnover rate (including equity-linked notes) | 189% | 196% | 180% | 215% | 180% |
(g) | Excludes underlying investments in total return swaps. |
■ | Access the BlackRock website at http://www.blackrock.com/edelivery; and |
■ | Log into your account. |
■ | Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs or SAR-SEPs. |
■ | Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same Fund (but not any other fund within BlackRock Funds). |
■ | Shares exchanged from Investor C Shares of the same fund in the month of or following the 7-year anniversary of the purchase date. To the extent that this prospectus elsewhere provides for a waiver with respect to exchanges of Investor C Shares or conversion of Investor C Shares following a shorter holding period, that waiver will apply. |
■ | Employees and registered representatives of Ameriprise Financial or its affiliates and their immediate family members. |
■ | Shares purchased by or through qualified accounts (including IRAs, Coverdell Education Savings Accounts, 401(k)s, 403(b) TSCAs subject to ERISA and defined benefit plans) that are held by a covered family member, defined as an Ameriprise financial advisor and/or the advisor’s spouse, advisor’s lineal ascendant (mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, great grandmother, great grandfather), advisor’s lineal descendant (son, step-son, daughter, step-daughter, grandson, granddaughter, great grandson, great granddaughter) or any spouse of a covered family member who is a lineal descendant. |
■ | Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within BlackRock Funds, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales charge (i.e. Rights of Reinstatement). |
■ | Shares purchased of the same Fund or another BlackRock Fund through a systematic reinvestment of capital gains and dividend distributions. |
■ | Shares purchased by employees and registered representatives of D.A. Davidson or its affiliates and their family members as designated by D.A. Davidson. |
■ | Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions of the same Fund or another BlackRock Fund, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales charge (known as Rights of Reinstatement). |
■ | A shareholder in the Fund’s Investor C Shares will have their shares converted at net asset value to Investor A Shares (or the appropriate share class) of the Fund if the shares are no longer subject to a CDSC and the conversion is consistent with D.A. Davidson’s policies and procedures. |
■ | Shares sold due to the death or disability of the shareholder. |
■ | Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund’s prospectus. |
■ | Shares bought due to return of excess contributions from an IRA account. |
■ | Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA or other qualifying retirement accounts pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code. |
■ | Shares acquired through a Right of Reinstatement. |
■ | Breakpoints as described in this Prospectus. |
■ | Rights of accumulation which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of BlackRock Fund assets held by accounts within the purchaser’s household at D.A. Davidson. Eligible BlackRock Fund assets not held at D.A. Davidson may be included in the calculation of rights of accumulation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets. |
■ | Letters of intent which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases of BlackRock Funds, over a 13-month time period. Eligible BlackRock Fund assets not held at D.A. Davidson may be included in the calculation of letters of intent only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets. |
■ | Breakpoint pricing, otherwise known as volume pricing, at dollar thresholds as described in the prospectus. |
■ | The applicable sales charge on a purchase of Investor A Shares is determined by taking into account all share classes (except certain money market funds and any assets held in group retirement plans) of BlackRock Funds held by the shareholder or in an account grouped by Edward Jones with other accounts for the purpose of providing certain pricing considerations (“pricing groups”). If grouping assets as a shareholder, this includes all share classes held on the Edward Jones platform and/or held on another platform. The inclusion of eligible fund family assets in the ROA calculation is dependent on the shareholder notifying Edward Jones of such assets at the time of calculation. Money market funds are included only if such shares were sold with a sales charge at the time of purchase or acquired in exchange for shares purchased with a sales charge. |
■ | The employer maintaining a SEP IRA plan and/or SIMPLE IRA plan may elect to establish or change ROA for the IRA accounts associated with the plan to a plan-level grouping as opposed to including all share classes at a shareholder or pricing group level. |
■ | ROA is determined by calculating the higher of cost minus redemptions or market value (current shares multiplied by NAV). |
■ | Through a LOI, a shareholder can receive the sales charge and breakpoint discounts for purchases such shareholder intends to make over a 13-month period from the date Edward Jones receives the LOI. The LOI is determined by calculating the higher of cost or market value of qualifying holdings at LOI initiation in combination with the value that the shareholder intends to buy over a 13-month period to calculate the front-end sales charge and any breakpoint discounts. Each purchase the shareholder makes during that 13-month period will receive the sales charge and breakpoint discount that applies to the total amount. The inclusion of eligible BlackRock Funds assets in the LOI calculation is dependent on the shareholder notifying Edward Jones of such assets at the time of calculation. Purchases made before the LOI is received by Edward Jones are not adjusted under the LOI and will not reduce the sales charges previously paid. Sales charges will be adjusted if the LOI is not met. |
■ | If the employer maintaining a SEP IRA plan and/or SIMPLE IRA plan has elected to establish or change ROA for the IRA accounts associated with the plan to a plan-level grouping, LOIs will also be at the plan-level and may only be established by the employer. |
■ | Associates of Edward Jones and its affiliates and their family members who are in the same pricing group (as determined by Edward Jones under its policies and procedures) as the associate. This waiver will continue for the remainder of the associate’s life if the associate retires from Edward Jones in good-standing and remains in good standing pursuant to Edward Jones’ policies and procedures. |
■ | Shares purchased in an Edward Jones fee-based advisory program. |
■ | Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment. |
■ | Shares purchased from the proceeds of redeemed shares of BlackRock Funds so long as the following conditions are met: 1) the proceeds are from the sale of shares within 60 days of the purchase, and 2) the sale and purchase |
are made in the same share class and the same account or the purchase is made in an individual retirement account (“IRA”) with proceeds from liquidations in a non-retirement account. | |
■ | Shares exchanged into Investor A Shares from another share class so long as the exchange is into the same fund and was initiated at the discretion of Edward Jones. Edward Jones is responsible for any remaining CDSCs due to BlackRock, if applicable. Any future purchases are subject to the applicable sales charge as disclosed in the prospectus. |
■ | Exchanges from Investor C Shares to Investor A Shares of the same fund, generally, in the 84th month following the anniversary of the purchase date or earlier at the discretion of Edward Jones. |
■ | The death or disability of the shareholder. |
■ | Systematic withdrawals with up to 10% per year of the account value. |
■ | Return of excess contributions from an IRA. |
■ | Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts if the redemption is taken in or after the year the shareholder reaches qualified age based on applicable IRS regulations. |
■ | Shares sold to pay Edward Jones fees or costs in such cases where the transaction is initiated by Edward Jones. |
■ | Shares exchanged in an Edward Jones fee-based program. |
■ | Shares acquired through a Right of Reinstatement. |
■ | Shares redeemed at the discretion of Edward Jones for Minimum Balances, as described below. |
■ | Initial purchase minimum: $250 |
■ | Subsequent purchase minimum: none |
■ | Edward Jones has the right to redeem at its discretion fund holdings with a balance of $250 or less. The following are examples of accounts that are not included in this policy: |
■ | A fee-based account held on an Edward Jones platform |
■ | A 529 account held on an Edward Jones platform |
■ | An account with an active systematic investment plan or LOI |
■ | At any time it deems necessary, Edward Jones has the authority to exchange at NAV a shareholder’s holdings in a fund to Investor A Shares of the same fund at NAV, provided that Edward Jones will be responsible for any remaining CDSC due to BlackRock, if applicable, and that the shareholders meet the eligibility requirements of the new share class. |
■ | Shares exchanged from Investor C (i.e., level-load) Shares of the same Fund pursuant to J.P. Morgan Securities LLC’s policies relating to sales load discounts and waivers. |
■ | Qualified employer-sponsored defined contribution and defined benefit retirement plans, nonqualified deferred compensation plans, other employee benefit plans and trusts used to fund those plans. For purposes of this provision, such plans do not include SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, SAR-SEPs or 501(c)(3) accounts. |
■ | Shares of Funds purchased through J.P. Morgan Securities LLC Self-Directed Investing accounts. |
■ | Shares purchased through rights of reinstatement. |
■ | Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same Fund (but not any other fund within the fund family). |
■ | Shares purchased by employees and registered representatives of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC or its affiliates and their spouse or financial dependent. |
■ | A shareholder in the Fund’s Investor C Shares will have their shares converted by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC to Investor A Shares (or the appropriate share class) of the same Fund if the shares are no longer subject to a CDSC and the conversion is consistent with J.P. Morgan Securities LLC’s policies and procedures. |
■ | Shares sold upon the death or disability of the shareholder. |
■ | Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund’s prospectus. |
■ | Shares purchased in connection with a return of excess contributions from an IRA account. |
■ | Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code. |
■ | Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement. |
■ | Breakpoints as described in the prospectus. |
■ | Rights of Accumulation (ROA) which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts as described in the Fund’s prospectus will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser’s household at J.P. Morgan Securities LLC. Eligible fund family assets not held at J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (including 529 program holdings, where applicable) may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets. |
■ | Letters of Intent (LOI) which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family, through J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, over a 13-month period of time (if applicable). |
■ | Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other BlackRock Fund). |
■ | Shares purchased by employees and registered representatives of Janney or its affiliates and their family members as designated by Janney. |
■ | Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions from another BlackRock Fund, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within ninety (90) days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales charge (i.e., right of reinstatement). |
■ | Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs, SAR-SEPs or Keogh plans. |
■ | Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement. |
■ | Investor C shares that are no longer subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and are converted to Investor A shares of the same fund pursuant to Janney’s policies and procedures. |
■ | Shares sold upon the death or disability of the shareholder. |
■ | Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund’s prospectus or SAI. |
■ | Shares purchased in connection with a return of excess contributions from an IRA account. |
■ | Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code. |
■ | Shares sold to pay Janney fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Janney. |
■ | Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement. |
■ | Shares exchanged into the same share class of a different fund. |
■ | Breakpoints as described in the Fund’s prospectus or SAI. |
■ | Rights of accumulation (“ROA”), which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts, will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of BlackRock Fund assets held by accounts within the purchaser’s household at Janney. Eligible BlackRock Fund assets not held at Janney may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets. |
■ | Letters of intent which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a BlackRock Fund, over a 13-month time period. Eligible BlackRock Fund assets not held at Janney Montgomery Scott may be included in the calculation of letters of intent only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets. |
■ | Shares purchased by employer-sponsored retirement, deferred compensation and employee benefit plans (including health savings accounts) and trusts used to fund those plans, provided that the shares are not held in a commission-based brokerage account and shares are held for the benefit of the plan/plan participants |
■ | Shares purchased by a 529 Plan (does not include 529 Plan units or 529-specific share classes or equivalents) |
■ | Shares purchased through a Merrill Lynch affiliated investment advisory program |
■ | Exchanges of shares purchased through a Merrill Lynch affiliated investment advisory program due to the holdings moving from such Merrill Lynch affiliated investment advisory program to a Merrill Lynch brokerage (non-advisory) account pursuant to Merrill Lynch’s policies relating to sales charge discounts and waivers |
■ | Shares purchased by third party investment advisors on behalf of their advisory clients through Merrill Lynch’s platform |
■ | Shares of funds purchased through the Merrill Edge Self-Directed platform (if applicable) |
■ | Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other BlackRock Fund) |
■ | Shares exchanged from Investor C (i.e. level-load) shares of the same Fund pursuant to Merrill Lynch’s policies relating to sales charge discounts and waivers |
■ | Shares purchased by employees and registered representatives of Merrill Lynch or its affiliates and their family members |
■ | Shares purchased by directors of the Fund, and employees of BlackRock or any of its affiliates, as described in the prospectus |
■ | Eligible shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions from another BlackRock Fund, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales charge (known as Rights of Reinstatement). Automated transactions (i.e., systematic purchases and withdrawals) and purchases made after shares are automatically sold to pay Merrill Lynch’s account maintenance fees are not eligible for reinstatement. |
■ | Shares sold due to death or disability of the shareholder |
■ | Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund’s prospectus |
■ | Shares bought due to return of excess contributions from an IRA Account |
■ | Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code |
■ | Shares sold to pay Merrill Lynch fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Merrill Lynch |
■ | Shares acquired through a Right of Reinstatement |
■ | Investor A and C Shares of a Fund held in the following IRA or other retirement brokerage accounts: Traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, Rollover IRAs, Inherited IRAs, SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, BASIC Plans, Educational Savings Account and Medical Savings Accounts that are exchanged for Institutional shares of the same Fund due to transfer to certain fee based accounts or platforms |
■ | Investor A Shares sold, where such Investor A Shares were received as a result of exchanges of shares purchased through a Merrill Lynch affiliated investment advisory program due to the holdings moving from the program to a Merrill Lynch brokerage (non-advisory) account pursuant to Merrill Lynch’s policies relating to sales charge discounts and waivers |
■ | Breakpoints as described in this prospectus |
■ | Rights of Accumulation (ROA) which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts as described in the Fund’s prospectus will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of BlackRock Fund assets held by accounts (including 529 program holdings, where applicable) within the purchaser’s household at Merrill Lynch. Eligible BlackRock Fund assets not held at Merrill Lynch may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets |
■ | Letters of Intent (LOI) which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases of BlackRock Funds, through Merrill Lynch, over a 13-month period of time |
■ | Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans does not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs, SAR-SEPs or Keogh plans |
■ | Morgan Stanley employee and employee-related accounts according to Morgan Stanley’s account linking rules |
■ | Shares purchased through reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions when purchasing shares of the same fund |
■ | Shares purchased through a Morgan Stanley self-directed brokerage account |
■ | Investor C Shares that are no longer subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and are exchanged for Investor A Shares of the same fund pursuant to Morgan Stanley Wealth Management’s share class conversion program |
■ | Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within BlackRock Funds under a Rights of Reinstatement provision, provided the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales charge |
■ | Shares purchased by employer-sponsored retirement, deferred compensation and employee benefit plans (including health savings accounts) and trusts used to fund those plans, provided that the shares are not held in a commission-based brokerage account and shares are held for the benefit of the plan |
■ | Shares purchased by or through a 529 Plan |
■ | Shares purchased through an OPCO affiliated investment advisory program |
■ | Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other BlackRock Fund) |
■ | Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions from another BlackRock Fund, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales charge (known as Rights of Reinstatement) |
■ | A shareholder in the Fund’s Investor C Shares will have their shares converted at net asset value to Investor A Shares (or the appropriate share class) of the Fund if the shares are no longer subject to a CDSC and the conversion is in line with the policies and procedures of OPCO |
■ | Shares purchased by employees and registered representatives of OPCO or its affiliates and their family members |
■ | Shares purchased by directors or trustees of the Fund, and employees of the Fund’s investment adviser or any of its affiliates, as described in this prospectus |
■ | Shares sold due to death or disability of the shareholder |
■ | Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund’s prospectus |
■ | Shares bought due to return of excess contributions from an IRA account |
■ | Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching the qualified age based on applicable IRS regulations as described in the prospectus |
■ | Shares sold to pay OPCO fees but only if the transaction is initiated by OPCO |
■ | Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement |
■ | Breakpoints as described in this prospectus |
■ | Rights of Accumulation (“ROA”) and Letters of Intent (“LOI”) which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of BlackRock Fund assets held by accounts within the purchaser’s household at OPCO. Eligible BlackRock Fund assets not held at OPCO may be included in the ROA or LOI calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets |
■ | Shares purchased in a Raymond James investment advisory program. |
■ | Shares purchased of the same Fund or another BlackRock Fund through a systematic reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend distributions. |
■ | Shares purchased by employees and registered representatives of Raymond James or its affiliates and their family members as designated by Raymond James. |
■ | Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions from another BlackRock Fund, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales charge (known as Rights of Reinstatement). |
■ | A shareholder in the Fund’s Investor C shares will have their shares converted at net asset value to Investor A shares of the Fund if the shares are no longer subject to a CDSC and the conversion is in line with the policies and procedures of Raymond James. |
■ | Shares sold due to death or disability of the shareholder. |
■ | Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund’s prospectus. |
■ | Shares bought due to return of excess contributions from an IRA Account. |
■ | Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching the qualified age based on applicable IRS regulations as described in the Fund’s prospectus or SAI. |
■ | Shares sold to pay Raymond James fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Raymond James. |
■ | Shares acquired through a Right of Reinstatement. |
■ | Breakpoints as described in this prospectus. |
■ | Rights of accumulation which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of BlackRock Fund assets held by accounts within the purchaser’s household at Raymond James. Eligible BlackRock Fund assets not held at Raymond James may be included in the calculation of rights of accumulation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets. |
■ | Letters of intent which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases of BlackRock Funds over a 13-month time period. Eligible BlackRock Fund assets not held at Raymond James may be included in the calculation of letters of intent only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets. |
■ | Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing share of the same fund |
■ | Shares purchased by employees and registered representatives of Baird or its affiliates and their family members as designated by Baird |
■ | Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions from another BlackRock Fund, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales charge (known as Rights of Reinstatement) |
■ | A shareholder in the Fund’s Investor C shares will have their shares converted at net asset value to Investor A shares of the fund if the shares are no longer subject to CDSC and the conversion is in line with the policies and procedures of Baird |
■ | Shares purchased by employer-sponsored retirement plans or charitable accounts in a transactional brokerage account at Baird, including 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans. For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs or SAR-SEPs |
■ | Shares sold due to death or disability of the shareholder |
■ | Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund’s prospectus |
■ | Shares bought due to returns of excess contributions from an IRA account |
■ | Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching the qualified age based on applicable Internal Revenue Service regulations as described in the Fund’s prospectus |
■ | Shares sold to pay Baird fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Baird |
■ | Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement |
■ | Breakpoints as described in this prospectus |
■ | Rights of Accumulation (“ROA”) which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of BlackRock Fund assets held by accounts within the purchaser’s household at Baird. Eligible BlackRock Fund assets not held at Baird may be included in ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets |
■ | Letters of Intent (“LOI”) allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases of BlackRock Funds through Baird, over a 13-month period of time |
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Prospectus |
• | BlackRock Dynamic High Income Portfolio |
Class K: BDHKX |
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
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General Information |
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Glossary |
Glossary of Investment
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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) |
Class
K Shares | |
Management Fee1 | 0.59% | |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees | None | |
Other Expenses | 0.17% | |
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses2 | 0.03% | |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2 | 0.79% | |
Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements1,3 | (0.16)% | |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements1,3 | 0.63% |
1 | As described in the “Management of the Fund” section of the Fund’s prospectus beginning on page 69, 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 (“ETFs”) managed by BlackRock or its affiliates that have a contractual management fee, through June 30, 2025. 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 June 30, 2025. 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 | The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses does not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets given in the Fund’s most recent annual report, which does not include Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. |
3 | As described in the “Management of the Fund” section of the Fund’s prospectus beginning on page 69, BlackRock has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse fees or expenses in order to limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements (excluding Dividend Expense, Interest Expense, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and certain other Fund expenses) as a percentage of average daily net assets to 0.60% (for Class K Shares) of average daily net assets through June 30, 2025. 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 | $64 | $236 | $423 | $963 |
■ | Investment in Other Investment Companies Risk — As with other investments, investments in other investment companies, including the underlying funds and/or ETFs, are subject to market and selection risk. In addition, if the Fund acquires shares of investment companies, including ones affiliated with the Fund, which may include underlying funds and ETFs advised by BlackRock or other investment advisers, 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. |
Investing in an ETF will give the Fund exposure to the securities comprising the index on which the ETF is based. Shares of ETFs are traded on an exchange throughout a trading day, and bought and sold based on market values and not at the ETF’s net asset value. For this reason shares of an ETF could trade at either a premium or discount to its net asset value. However, the trading prices of index-based ETFs tend to closely track the actual net asset value of the ETF. The Fund will pay brokerage commissions in connection with the purchase and sale of shares of ETFs, in addition to a spread (i.e., the difference between what professional investors are willing to pay for ETF shares (the “bid” price) and the price at which they are willing to sell ETF shares (the “ask” price)). | |
■ | Allocation Risk — The Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective depends upon BlackRock’s skill in determining the Fund’s strategic asset class allocation and in selecting the best mix of underlying funds and direct investments. There is a risk that BlackRock’s evaluations and assumptions regarding asset classes or underlying funds and/or ETFs may be incorrect in view of actual market conditions. |
■ | Affiliated Fund Risk — In managing the Fund, BlackRock will have authority to select and substitute underlying funds and ETFs. BlackRock may be subject to potential conflicts of interest in selecting underlying funds and ETFs because the fees paid to BlackRock by some underlying funds and ETFs are higher than the fees paid by other underlying funds and ETFs. However, BlackRock is a fiduciary to the Fund and is legally obligated to act in the Fund’s best interests when selecting underlying funds and ETFs. If an underlying fund or ETF holds interests in an affiliated fund, the Fund may be prohibited from purchasing shares of that underlying fund or ETF. |
■ | Debt Securities Risk — Debt securities, such as bonds, involve interest rate risk, credit risk, extension risk, and prepayment risk, among other things. |
Interest Rate Risk — The market value of bonds and other fixed-income securities changes in response to interest rate changes and other factors. Interest rate risk is the risk that prices of bonds and other fixed-income securities will increase as interest rates fall and decrease as interest rates rise. | |
The Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates due to the recent period of historically low interest rates. For example, if interest rates increase by 1%, assuming a current portfolio duration of ten years, and all other factors being equal, the value of the Fund’s investments would be expected to decrease by 10%. (Duration is a measure of the price sensitivity of a debt security or portfolio of debt securities to relative changes in interest rates.) The magnitude of these fluctuations in the market price of bonds and other fixed-income securities is generally greater for those securities with longer maturities. Fluctuations in the market price of the Fund’s investments will not affect interest income derived from instruments already owned by the Fund, but will be reflected in the Fund’s net asset value. The Fund may lose money if short-term or long-term interest rates rise sharply in a manner not anticipated by Fund management. | |
To the extent the Fund invests in debt securities that may be prepaid at the option of the obligor (such as mortgage-backed securities), the sensitivity of such securities to changes in interest rates may increase (to the detriment of the Fund) when interest rates rise. Moreover, because rates on certain floating rate debt securities typically reset only periodically, changes in prevailing interest rates (and particularly sudden and significant changes) can be expected to cause some fluctuations in the net asset value of the Fund to the extent that it invests in floating rate debt securities. | |
These basic principles of bond prices also apply to U.S. Government securities. A security backed by the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. Government is guaranteed only as to its stated interest rate and face value at maturity, not its current market price. Just like other fixed-income securities, government-guaranteed securities will fluctuate in value when interest rates change. | |
A general rise in interest rates has the potential to cause investors to move out of fixed-income securities on a large scale, which may increase redemptions from funds that hold large amounts of fixed-income securities. Heavy |
redemptions could cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times or at a loss or depressed value and could hurt the Fund’s performance. | |
Credit Risk — Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of a debt security (i.e., the borrower) will not be able to make payments of interest and principal when due. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in that issuer. The degree of credit risk depends on both the financial condition of the issuer and the terms of the obligation. | |
Extension Risk — When interest rates rise, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more slowly than anticipated, causing the value of these obligations to fall. | |
Prepayment Risk — When interest rates fall, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more quickly than originally anticipated, and the Fund may have to invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields. | |
■ | 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. |
■ | Asset Class Risk — Securities and other assets or financial instruments in an underlying fund’s 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. |
■ | Collateralized Debt Obligations Risk — In addition to the typical risks associated with fixed-income securities and asset-backed securities, CDOs, including CLOs, carry additional risks including, but not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the risk that the collateral may default or decline in value or be downgraded, if rated by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization; (iii) the Fund may invest in tranches of CDOs that are subordinate to other tranches; (iv) the structure and complexity of the transaction and the legal documents could lead to disputes among investors regarding the characterization of proceeds; (v) the investment return achieved by the Fund could be significantly different than those predicted by financial models; (vi) the lack of a readily available secondary market for CDOs; (vii) the risk of forced “fire sale” liquidation due to technical defaults such as coverage test failures; and (viii) the CDO’s manager may perform poorly. |
■ | Convertible Securities Risk — The market value of a convertible security performs like that of a regular debt security; that is, if market interest rates rise, the value of a convertible security usually falls. In addition, convertible securities are subject to the risk that the issuer will not be able to pay interest, principal or dividends when due, and their market value may change based on changes in the issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of the issuer’s creditworthiness. Since it derives a portion of its value from the common stock into which it may be converted, a convertible security is also subject to the same types of market and issuer risks that apply to the underlying common stock, including the potential for increased volatility in the price of the convertible security. |
■ | Corporate Loans Risk — Commercial banks and other financial institutions or institutional investors make corporate loans to companies that need capital to grow or restructure. Borrowers generally pay interest on corporate loans at rates that change in response to changes in market interest rates such as the Secured Overnight Financing Rate, the London Interbank Offered Rate or the prime rates of U.S. banks. As a result, the value of corporate loan investments is generally less exposed to the adverse effects of shifts in market interest rates than investments that pay a fixed rate of interest. The market for corporate loans may be subject to irregular trading activity and wide bid/ask spreads. In addition, transactions in corporate loans may settle on a delayed basis. As a result, the proceeds from the sale of corporate loans may not be readily available to make additional investments or to meet the Fund’s redemption obligations. To the extent the extended settlement process gives rise to short-term liquidity needs, the Fund may hold additional cash, sell investments or temporarily borrow from banks and other lenders. |
■ | Covered Call Risk — The Fund intends to invest in covered call options and structured notes that provide exposure to covered call options. Covered call risk is the risk that the issuer of the call option will forgo any profit from increases in the market value of the underlying security covering the call option above the sum of the premium and the strike price of the call but retain the risk of loss if the underlying security declines in value. The Fund will have no control over the exercise of the option by the option holder and may lose the benefit from any capital appreciation on the underlying security. A number of factors may influence the option holder’s decision to exercise the option, including the value of the underlying security, price volatility, dividend yield and interest rates. To the extent that these factors increase the value of the call option, the option holder is more likely to exercise the option, which may negatively affect the Fund. |
■ | 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: |
Leverage Risk — The Fund’s use of derivatives can magnify the Fund’s gains and losses. Relatively small market movements may result in large changes in the value of a derivatives position and can result in losses that greatly exceed the amount originally invested. |
Market Risk — Some derivatives are more sensitive to interest rate changes and market price fluctuations than other securities. 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. | |
Counterparty Risk — Derivatives are also subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party in the transaction will be unable or unwilling to fulfill its contractual obligation, and the related risks of having concentrated exposure to such a counterparty. | |
Illiquidity Risk — 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. | |
Operational Risk — The use of derivatives includes the risk of potential operational issues, including documentation issues, settlement issues, systems failures, inadequate controls and human error. | |
Legal Risk — The risk of insufficient documentation, insufficient capacity or authority of counterparty, or legality or enforceability of a contract. | |
Volatility and Correlation Risk — 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. | |
Valuation Risk — Valuation for derivatives may not be readily available in the market. 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. | |
Hedging Risk — 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. | |
Tax Risk — Certain aspects of the tax treatment of derivative instruments, including swap agreements and commodity-linked derivative instruments, are currently unclear and may be affected by changes in legislation, regulations or other legally binding authority. Such treatment may be less favorable than that given to a direct investment in an underlying asset and may adversely affect the timing, character and amount of income the Fund realizes from its investments. | |
■ | Distressed Securities Risk — Distressed securities are speculative and involve substantial risks in addition to the risks of investing in junk bonds. The Fund will generally not receive interest payments on the distressed securities and may incur costs to protect its investment. In addition, distressed securities involve the substantial risk that principal will not be repaid. These securities may present a substantial risk of default or may be in default at the time of investment. The Fund may incur additional expenses to the extent it is required to seek recovery upon a default in the payment of principal of or interest on its portfolio holdings. In any reorganization or liquidation proceeding relating to a portfolio company, the Fund may lose its entire investment or may be required to accept cash or securities with a value less than its original investment. Distressed securities and any securities received in an exchange for such securities may be subject to restrictions on resale. |
■ | Dollar Rolls Risk — Dollar rolls involve the risk that the market value of the securities that the Fund is committed to buy may decline below the price of the securities the Fund has sold. These transactions may involve leverage. |
■ | Emerging Markets Risk — Emerging markets are riskier than more developed markets because they tend to develop unevenly and may never fully develop. Investments in emerging markets may be considered speculative. Emerging markets are more likely to experience hyperinflation and currency devaluations, which adversely affect returns to U.S. investors. In addition, many emerging securities markets have far lower trading volumes and less liquidity than developed markets. |
■ | Foreign Securities Risk — Foreign investments often involve special risks not present in U.S. investments that can increase the chances that the Fund will lose money. These risks include: |
■ | The Fund generally holds its foreign securities and cash in foreign banks and securities depositories, which may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business and may be subject to only limited or no regulatory oversight. |
■ | Changes in foreign currency exchange rates can affect the value of the Fund’s portfolio. |
■ | The economies of certain foreign markets may not compare favorably with the economy of the United States with respect to such issues as growth of gross national product, reinvestment of capital, resources and balance of payments position. |
■ | The governments of certain countries, or the U.S. Government with respect to certain countries, may prohibit or impose substantial restrictions through capital controls and/or sanctions on foreign investments in the capital markets or certain industries in those countries, which may prohibit or restrict the ability to own or transfer currency, securities, derivatives or other assets. |
■ | Many foreign governments do not supervise and regulate stock exchanges, brokers and the sale of securities to the same extent as does the United States and may not have laws to protect investors that are comparable to U.S. securities laws. |
■ | Settlement and clearance procedures in certain foreign markets may result in delays in payment for or delivery of securities not typically associated with settlement and clearance of U.S. investments. |
■ | The Fund’s claims to recover foreign withholding taxes may not be successful, and if the likelihood of recovery of foreign withholding taxes materially decreases, due to, for example, a change in tax regulation or approach in the foreign country, accruals in the Fund’s net asset value for such refunds may be written down partially or in full, which will adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value. |
■ | The European financial markets have recently experienced volatility and adverse trends due to concerns about economic downturns in, or rising government debt levels of, several European countries as well as acts of war in the region. These events may spread to other countries in Europe and may affect the value and liquidity of certain of the Fund’s investments. |
■ | Geographic Risk — A natural or manmade disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund invests, which could adversely affect the economy or the business operations of companies located there, causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in the affected region. |
■ | High Portfolio Turnover Risk — The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of its portfolio securities. High portfolio turnover (more than 100%) may result in increased transaction costs to the Fund, including brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of the securities and on reinvestment in other securities. The sale of Fund portfolio securities may result in the realization and/or distribution to shareholders of higher capital gains or losses as compared to a fund with less active trading policies. These effects of higher than normal portfolio turnover may adversely affect Fund performance. In addition, investment in mortgage dollar rolls and participation in to-be-announced (“TBA”) transactions may significantly increase the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate. A TBA transaction is a method of trading mortgage-backed securities where the buyer and seller agree upon general trade parameters such as agency, settlement date, par amount, and price at the time the contract is entered into but the mortgage-backed securities are delivered in the future, generally 30 days later. |
■ | Illiquid Investments Risk — The Fund may not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 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. Liquid investments may become illiquid after purchase by the Fund, particularly during periods of market turmoil. There can be no assurance that a security or instrument that is deemed to be liquid when purchased will continue to be liquid for as long as it is held by the Fund, and any security or instrument held by the Fund may be deemed an illiquid investment pursuant to the Fund’s liquidity risk management program. 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. In addition, if the Fund is limited in its ability to sell illiquid investments during periods when shareholders are redeeming their shares, the Fund will need to sell liquid securities to meet redemption requests and illiquid securities will become a larger portion of the Fund’s holdings. An investment may be illiquid due to, among other things, the reduced number and capacity of traditional market participants to make a market in fixed-income securities or 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. 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. This may be magnified in a rising interest rate environment or other circumstances where investor redemptions from fixed-income mutual funds may be higher than normal. 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. |
■ | Income Risk — Income risk is the risk that the Fund’s yield will vary as short-term securities in its portfolio mature and the proceeds are reinvested in securities with different interest rates. |
■ | Indexed and Inverse Securities Risk — Indexed and inverse securities provide a potential return based on a particular index of value or interest rates. The Fund’s return on these securities will be subject to risk with respect to the value of the particular index. These securities are subject to leverage risk and correlation risk. Certain |
indexed and inverse securities have greater sensitivity to changes in interest rates or index levels than other securities, and the Fund’s investment in such instruments may decline significantly in value if interest rates or index levels move in a way Fund management does not anticipate. | |
■ | 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. |
■ | Junk Bonds Risk — Although junk bonds generally pay higher rates of interest than investment grade bonds, junk bonds are high risk investments that are considered speculative and may cause income and principal losses for the Fund. |
■ | 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. 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 the applicable requirements of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), and the rules thereunder. Increases and decreases in the value of the Fund’s portfolio will be magnified when the Fund uses leverage. |
■ | Loans Risk — An economic downturn generally leads to a higher non-payment rate, and a loan may lose significant value before a default occurs. Moreover, any specific collateral used to secure a loan may decline in value or become illiquid, which would adversely affect the loan’s value. No active trading market may exist for certain loans, which may impair the ability of the Fund to realize full value in the event of the need to sell a loan and which may make it difficult to value loans. Although loans in which the Fund will invest generally will be secured by specific collateral, there can be no assurance that liquidation of such collateral would satisfy the borrower’s obligation in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal or that such collateral could be readily liquidated. To the extent that a loan is collateralized by stock in the borrower or its subsidiaries, such stock may lose all of its value in the event of the bankruptcy of the borrower. Uncollateralized senior loans involve a greater risk of loss. |
■ | 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. The value of a security or other asset may decline due to changes in general market conditions, economic trends or events that are not specifically related to the issuer of the security or other asset, or factors that affect a particular issuer or issuers, exchange, country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class. Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues like pandemics or epidemics, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments. 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. |
An outbreak of an infectious coronavirus (COVID-19) that was first detected in December 2019 developed into a global pandemic that has resulted in numerous disruptions in the market and has had significant economic impact leaving general concern and uncertainty. Although vaccines have been developed and approved for use by various governments, the duration of the pandemic and its effects cannot be predicted with certainty. The impact of this coronavirus, and other epidemics and pandemics that may arise in the future, could affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the market in general ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. | |
■ | Master Limited Partnerships Risk — The common units of an MLP are listed and traded on U.S. securities exchanges and their value fluctuates predominantly based on prevailing market conditions and the success of the MLP. Unlike owners of common stock of a corporation, owners of common units have limited voting rights and have no ability to annually elect directors. In the event of liquidation, common units have preference over subordinated units, but not over debt or preferred units, to the remaining assets of the MLP. |
■ | Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities Risks — Mortgage- and asset-backed securities represent interests in “pools” of mortgages or other assets, including consumer loans or receivables held in trust. Mortgage- and asset-backed securities are subject to credit, interest rate, prepayment and extension risks. These securities also are subject to risk of default on the underlying mortgage or asset, particularly during periods of economic downturn. Small movements in interest rates (both increases and decreases) may quickly and significantly reduce the value of certain mortgage-backed securities. |
■ | “New Issues” Risk — “New issues” are IPOs of equity securities. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile or may decline shortly after the IPO. |
■ | Non-Agency Securities Risk — There are no direct or indirect government or agency guarantees of payments in mortgage pools created by non-government issuers. Non-agency securities are also not subject to the same underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that are applicable to those mortgage-related securities that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee. Non-agency securities with payments not guaranteed by a government agency generally involve greater credit risk than securities guaranteed by government agencies. In addition, a substantial portion of the non-agency securities in which the Fund invests may be rated below investment grade (commonly known as “junk bonds”). |
Non-agency mortgage-related securities are not traded on an exchange and there may be a limited market for the securities, especially when there is a perceived weakness in the mortgage and real estate market sectors. Without an active trading market, the non-agency mortgage-related securities held in the Fund’s portfolio may be particularly difficult to value because of the complexities involved in assessing the value of the underlying mortgage loans. | |
■ | Preferred Securities Risk — Preferred securities may pay fixed or adjustable rates of return. Preferred securities are subject to issuer-specific and market risks applicable generally to equity securities. In addition, a company’s preferred securities generally pay dividends only after the company makes required payments to holders of its bonds and other debt. For this reason, the value of preferred securities will usually react more strongly than bonds and other debt to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects. Preferred securities of smaller companies may be more vulnerable to adverse developments than preferred securities of larger companies. |
■ | REIT Investment Risk — Investments in REITs involve unique risks. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in limited volume, may engage in dilutive offerings of securities and may be more volatile than other securities. REIT issuers may also fail to maintain their exemptions from investment company registration or fail to qualify for the “dividends paid deduction” under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), which allows REITs to reduce their corporate taxable income for dividends paid to their shareholders. |
■ | Repurchase Agreements and Purchase and Sale Contracts Risk — If the other party to a repurchase agreement or purchase and sale contract defaults on its obligation under the agreement, the Fund may suffer delays and incur costs or lose money in exercising its rights under the agreement. If the seller fails to repurchase the security in either situation and the market value of the security declines, the Fund may lose money. |
■ | Restricted Securities Risk — Limitations on the resale of restricted securities may have an adverse effect on their marketability, and may prevent the Fund from disposing of them promptly at advantageous prices. Restricted securities may not be listed on an exchange and may have no active trading market. In order to sell such securities, the Fund may have to bear the expense of registering the securities for resale and the risk of substantial delays in effecting the registration. Other transaction costs may be higher for restricted securities than unrestricted securities. Restricted securities may be difficult to value because market quotations may not be readily available, and the securities may have significant volatility. Also, the Fund may get only limited information about the issuer of a given restricted security, and therefore may be less able to predict a loss. Certain restricted securities may involve a high degree of business and financial risk and may result in substantial losses to the Fund. |
■ | Reverse Repurchase Agreements Risk — Reverse repurchase agreements involve the sale of securities held by the Fund with an agreement to repurchase the securities at an agreed-upon price, date and interest payment. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the other party may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. The Fund could lose money if it is unable to recover the securities and the value of the collateral held by the Fund, including the value of the investments made with cash collateral, is less than the value of the securities. These events could also trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund. In addition, reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the interest income earned in the investment of the proceeds will be less than the interest expense. |
■ | Risks of Investing in Closed-End Funds — The shares of closed-end funds may trade at a price below (discount) or above (premium), or at, their net asset value. To the extent that the Fund invests a portion of its assets in closed-end funds, those assets will be subject to the risks of the closed-end fund’s portfolio securities, and a shareholder in the Fund will bear not only his or her proportionate share of the expenses of the Fund, but also, indirectly, the expenses of the closed-end fund. The securities of closed-end funds in which the Fund may invest may be leveraged. As a result, the Fund may be indirectly exposed to leverage through an investment in such securities. An investment in securities of closed-end funds that use leverage may expose the Fund to higher volatility in the market value of such securities and the possibility that the Fund’s long-term returns on such securities (and, indirectly, the long-term returns of the shares) will be diminished. |
■ | Senior Loans Risk — There is less readily available, reliable information about most senior loans than is the case for many other types of securities. An economic downturn generally leads to a higher non-payment rate, and a senior loan may lose significant value before a default occurs. Moreover, any specific collateral used to secure a senior |
loan may decline in value or become illiquid, which would adversely affect the senior loan’s value. No active trading market may exist for certain senior loans, which may impair the ability of the Fund to realize full value in the event of the need to sell a senior loan and which may make it difficult to value senior loans. Although senior loans in which the Fund will invest generally will be secured by specific collateral, there can be no assurance that liquidation of such collateral would satisfy the borrower’s obligation in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal or that such collateral could be readily liquidated. To the extent that a senior loan is collateralized by stock in the borrower or its subsidiaries, such stock may lose all of its value in the event of the bankruptcy of the borrower. Uncollateralized senior loans involve a greater risk of loss. | |
■ | Structured Notes Risk — Structured notes and other related instruments purchased by the Fund are generally privately negotiated debt obligations where the principal and/or interest is determined by reference to the performance of a specific asset, benchmark asset, market or interest rate (“reference measure”). The purchase of structured notes exposes the Fund to the credit risk of the issuer of the structured product. Structured notes may be leveraged, increasing the volatility of each structured note’s value relative to the change in the reference measure. Structured notes may also be less liquid and more difficult to price accurately than less complex securities and instruments or more traditional debt securities. |
■ | U.S. Government Issuer Risk — Treasury obligations may differ in their interest rates, maturities, times of issuance and other characteristics. Obligations of U.S. Government agencies and authorities are supported by varying degrees of credit but generally are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. No assurance can be given that the U.S. Government will provide financial support to its agencies and authorities if it is not obligated by law to do so. |
■ | Variable and Floating Rate Instrument Risk — Variable and floating rate securities provide for periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the securities. These securities may be subject to greater illiquidity risk than other fixed income securities, meaning the absence of an active market for these securities could make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of them at any given time. |
■ | Authorized Participant Concentration Risk — Only an authorized participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with an ETF, and none of those authorized participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. An ETF has a limited number of institutions that may act as authorized participants on an agency basis (i.e., on behalf of other market participants). To the extent that authorized participants exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation or redemption orders with respect to an ETF and no other authorized participant is able to step forward to create or redeem creation units, ETF shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to net asset value and possibly face trading halts or delisting. |
■ | Management Risk — If a passively managed ETF does not fully replicate the underlying index, it is subject to the risk that the manager’s investment management strategy may not produce the intended results. |
■ | Passive Investment Risk — The portfolios of certain ETFs are not actively managed and may be affected by a general decline in market segments relating to their respective indices. Such ETFs typically invest in securities included in, or representative of, their respective indices regardless of their investment merits and do not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. |
■ | Representative Sampling Risk — Representative sampling is a method of indexing that involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively have a similar investment profile to the index and resemble the index in terms of risk factors and other key characteristics. A passively managed ETF may or may not hold every security in the index. When an ETF deviates from a full replication indexing strategy to utilize a representative sampling strategy, the ETF is subject to an increased risk of tracking error, in that the securities selected in the aggregate for the ETF may not have an investment profile similar to those of its index. |
■ | Shares of an ETF May Trade at Prices Other Than Net Asset Value — Shares of an ETF trade on exchanges at prices at, above or below their most recent net asset value. The per share net asset value of an ETF is calculated at the end of each business day and fluctuates with changes in the market value of the ETF’s holdings since the most recent calculation. The trading prices of an ETF’s shares fluctuate continuously throughout trading hours based on market supply and demand rather than net asset value. The trading prices of an ETF’s shares may deviate significantly from net asset value during periods of market volatility. Any of these factors may lead to an ETF’s shares trading at a premium or discount to net asset value. However, because shares can be created and redeemed in creation units, which are aggregated blocks of shares that authorized participants who have entered into agreements with the ETF’s distributor can purchase or redeem directly from the ETF, at net asset value (unlike shares of many closed-end funds, which frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their net asset values), large discounts or premiums to the net asset value of an ETF are not likely to be sustained over the long-term. While the creation/redemption feature is designed to make it likely that an ETF’s |
shares normally trade on exchanges at prices close to the ETF’s next calculated net asset value, exchange prices are not expected to correlate exactly with an ETF’s net asset value due to timing reasons as well as market supply and demand factors. In addition, disruptions to creations and redemptions or the existence of extreme market volatility may result in trading prices that differ significantly from net asset value. If a shareholder purchases at a time when the market price is at a premium to the net asset value or sells at a time when the market price is at a discount to the net asset value, the shareholder may sustain losses. The use of cash creations and redemptions may also cause the ETFs’ shares to trade in the market at greater bid-ask spreads or greater premiums or discounts to the ETFs’ NAV. | |
■ | Tracking Error Risk — Imperfect correlation between a passively managed ETF’s portfolio securities and those in its index, rounding of prices, the timing of cash flows, the ETF’s size, changes to the index and regulatory requirements may cause tracking error, which is the divergence of an ETF’s performance from that of its underlying index. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because an ETF incurs fees and expenses while its underlying index does not. |
For
the periods ended 12/31/22 Average Annual Total Returns |
1 Year | 5 Years | Since
Inception (November 03, 2014) |
BlackRock Dynamic High Income Portfolio — Class K Shares | |||
Return Before Taxes | (17.23)% | 1.37% | 3.41% |
For
the periods ended 12/31/22 Average Annual Total Returns |
1 Year | 5 Years | Since
Inception (November 03, 2014) |
Return After Taxes on Distributions | (19.05)% | (0.92)% | 0.93% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | (10.02)% | 0.23% | 1.62% |
MSCI
World Index (Reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
(18.14)% | 6.14% | 7.27% |
Bloomberg
U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (Reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
(13.01)% | 0.02% | 0.94% |
MSCI
World Index (70%)/Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (30%) (Reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
(16.40)% | 4.58% | 5.58% |
Name | Portfolio
Manager of the Fund Since |
Title |
Justin Christofel, CFA | 2014 | Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. |
Alex Shingler, CFA | 2015 | Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. |
■ | Affiliated Fund Risk — In managing the Fund, BlackRock will have authority to select and substitute underlying funds and ETFs. BlackRock may be subject to potential conflicts of interest in selecting underlying funds and ETFs because the fees paid to BlackRock by some underlying funds and ETFs are higher than the fees paid by other underlying funds and ETFs. However, BlackRock is a fiduciary to the Fund and is legally obligated to act in the Fund’s best interests when selecting underlying funds and ETFs. If an underlying fund or ETF holds interests in an affiliated fund, the Fund may be prohibited from purchasing shares of that underlying fund or ETF. |
■ | Allocation Risk — The Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective depends upon BlackRock’s skill in determining the Fund’s strategic asset class allocation and in selecting the best mix of underlying funds and/or ETFs and direct investments. There is a risk that BlackRock’s evaluations and assumptions regarding asset classes or underlying funds and/or ETFs may be incorrect in view of actual market conditions. In addition, there is no guarantee that the underlying funds and/or ETFs will achieve their investment objectives, and the underlying funds’ and/or ETFs’ performance may be lower than the performance of the asset class which they were selected to represent. The underlying funds and/or ETFs may change their investment objectives or policies without the approval of the Fund. If an underlying fund or ETF were to change its investment objective or policies, the Fund might be forced to withdraw its investment from the underlying fund or ETF at a disadvantageous time and price. |
■ | Asset Class Risk — The securities or other assets in underlying fund’s 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 or assets 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. |
■ | Calculation Methodology Risk — An underlying fund’s underlying index relies on various sources of information to assess the criteria of issuers included in the underlying fund’s underlying index (or its parent index), including information that may be based on assumptions and estimates. Neither the Fund nor BlackRock can offer assurances that an underlying fund’s underlying index’s calculation methodology or sources of information will provide an accurate assessment of included issuers. |
■ | Collateralized Debt Obligations Risk — In addition to the typical risks associated with fixed-income securities and asset-backed securities, CDOs, including CLOs, carry additional risks including, but not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the risk that the collateral may default or decline in value or be downgraded, if rated by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization; (iii) the Fund may invest in tranches of CDOs that are subordinate to other tranches; (iv) the structure and complexity of the transaction and the legal documents could lead to disputes among investors regarding the characterization of proceeds; (v) the investment return achieved by the Fund could be significantly different than |
those predicted by financial models; (vi) the lack of a readily available secondary market for CDOs; (vii) the risk of forced “fire sale” liquidation due to technical defaults such as coverage test failures; and (viii) the CDO’s manager may perform poorly. | |
■ | Concentration Risk — To the extent that the Fund’s portfolio reflects concentration in the securities of issuers in a particular region, market, industry, group of industries, country, group of countries, sector or asset class, the Fund may be adversely affected by the performance of those securities, may be subject to increased price volatility and may be more susceptible to adverse economic, market, political or regulatory occurrences affecting that region, market, industry, group of industries, country, group of countries, sector or asset class. |
■ | Convertible Securities Risk — The market value of a convertible security performs like that of a regular debt security; that is, if market interest rates rise, the value of a convertible security usually falls. In addition, convertible securities are subject to the risk that the issuer will not be able to pay interest, principal or dividends when due, and their market value may change based on changes in the issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of the issuer’s creditworthiness. Since it derives a portion of its value from the common stock into which it may be converted, a convertible security is also subject to the same types of market and issuer risks that apply to the underlying common stock, including the potential for increased volatility in the price of the convertible security. |
■ | Corporate Loans Risk — Commercial banks and other financial institutions or institutional investors make corporate loans to companies that need capital to grow or restructure. Borrowers generally pay interest on corporate loans at rates that change in response to changes in market interest rates such as the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”), the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) or the prime rates of U.S. banks. As a result, the value of corporate loan investments is generally less exposed to the adverse effects of shifts in market interest rates than investments that pay a fixed rate of interest. However, because the trading market for certain corporate loans may be less developed than the secondary market for bonds and notes, the Fund may experience difficulties in selling its corporate loans. Transactions in corporate loans may settle on a delayed basis. As a result, the proceeds from the sale of corporate loans may not be readily available to make additional investments or to meet the Fund’s redemption obligations. To the extent the extended settlement process gives rise to short-term liquidity needs, the Fund may hold additional cash, sell investments or temporarily borrow from banks and other lenders. Leading financial institutions often act as agent for a broader group of lenders, generally referred to as a syndicate. The syndicate’s agent arranges the corporate loans, holds collateral and accepts payments of principal and interest. If the agent develops financial problems, the Fund may not recover its investment or recovery may be delayed. By investing in a corporate loan, the Fund may become a member of the syndicate. |
The market for corporate loans may be subject to irregular trading activity and wide bid/ask spreads. | |
The corporate loans in which the Fund invests are subject to the risk of loss of principal and income. Although borrowers frequently provide collateral to secure repayment of these obligations they do not always do so. If they do provide collateral, the value of the collateral may not completely cover the borrower’s obligations at the time of a default. If a borrower files for protection from its creditors under the U.S. bankruptcy laws, these laws may limit the Fund’s rights to its collateral. In addition, the value of collateral may erode during a bankruptcy case. In the event of a bankruptcy, the holder of a corporate loan may not recover its principal, may experience a long delay in recovering its investment and may not receive interest during the delay. | |
■ | Counterparty Risk — The counterparty to an over-the-counter derivatives contract or a borrower of the Fund’s securities may be unable or unwilling to make timely principal, interest or settlement payments, or otherwise to honor its obligations. Any such failure to honor its obligations may cause significant losses to the Fund. |
■ | Covered Call Risk — The Fund intends to invest in covered call options and structured notes that provide exposure to covered call options. Covered call risk is the risk that the issuer of the call option will forgo any profit from increases in the market value of the underlying security covering the call option above the sum of the premium and the strike price of the call but retain the risk of loss if the underlying security declines in value. The Fund will have no control over the exercise of the option by the option holder and may lose the benefit from any capital appreciation on the underlying security. A number of factors may influence the option holder’s decision to exercise the option, including the value of the underlying security, price volatility, dividend yield and interest rates. To the extent that these factors increase the value of the call option, the option holder is more likely to exercise the option, which may negatively affect the Fund. |
■ | Debt Securities Risk — Debt securities, such as bonds, involve interest rate risk, credit risk, extension risk, and prepayment risk, among other things. |
Interest Rate Risk — The market value of bonds and other fixed-income securities changes in response to interest rate changes and other factors. Interest rate risk is the risk that prices of bonds and other fixed-income securities will increase as interest rates fall and decrease as interest rates rise. |
The Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates due to the recent period of historically low interest rates. For example, if interest rates increase by 1%, assuming a current portfolio duration of ten years, and all other factors being equal, the value of the Fund’s investments would be expected to decrease by 10%. (Duration is a measure of the price sensitivity of a debt security or portfolio of debt securities to relative changes in interest rates.) The magnitude of these fluctuations in the market price of bonds and other fixed-income securities is generally greater for those securities with longer maturities. Fluctuations in the market price of the Fund’s investments will not affect interest income derived from instruments already owned by the Fund, but will be reflected in the Fund’s net asset value. The Fund may lose money if short-term or long-term interest rates rise sharply in a manner not anticipated by Fund management. | |
To the extent the Fund invests in debt securities that may be prepaid at the option of the obligor (such as mortgage-backed securities), the sensitivity of such securities to changes in interest rates may increase (to the detriment of the Fund) when interest rates rise. Moreover, because rates on certain floating rate debt securities typically reset only periodically, changes in prevailing interest rates (and particularly sudden and significant changes) can be expected to cause some fluctuations in the net asset value of the Fund to the extent that it invests in floating rate debt securities. | |
These basic principles of bond prices also apply to U.S. Government securities. A security backed by the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. Government is guaranteed only as to its stated interest rate and face value at maturity, not its current market price. Just like other fixed-income securities, government-guaranteed securities will fluctuate in value when interest rates change. | |
The Federal Reserve has
recently begun to raise the federal funds rate as part of its efforts to address rising inflation. There is a risk that interest rates will continue to rise, which will likely drive down the prices of bonds and other fixed-income securities. A
general rise in interest rates has the potential to cause investors to move out of fixed-income securities on a large scale, which may increase redemptions from mutual funds that hold large amounts of fixed-income securities. Heavy redemptions could
cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times or at a loss or depressed value and could hurt the Fund’s performance. | |
During periods of very low or negative interest rates, the Fund may be unable to maintain positive returns. Certain countries have recently experienced negative interest rates on certain fixed-income instruments. Very low or negative interest rates may magnify interest rate risk. Changing interest rates, including rates that fall below zero, may have unpredictable effects on markets, may result in heightened market volatility and may detract from Fund performance to the extent the Fund is exposed to such interest rates. | |
Credit Risk — Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of a debt security (i.e., the borrower) will not be able to make payments of interest and principal when due. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in that issuer. The degree of credit risk depends on both the financial condition of the issuer and the terms of the obligation. | |
Extension Risk — When interest rates rise, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more slowly than anticipated, causing the value of these obligations to fall. Rising interest rates tend to extend the duration of securities, making them more sensitive to changes in interest rates. The value of longer-term securities generally changes more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. As a result, in a period of rising interest rates, securities may exhibit additional volatility and may lose value. | |
Prepayment Risk — When interest rates fall, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more quickly than originally anticipated, and the Fund may have to invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields. In periods of falling interest rates, the rate of prepayments tends to increase (as does price fluctuation) as borrowers are motivated to pay off debt and refinance at new lower rates. During such periods, reinvestment of the prepayment proceeds by the management team will generally be at lower rates of return than the return on the assets that were prepaid. Prepayment reduces the yield to maturity and the average life of the security. | |
■ | Deflation Risk — Deflation risk is the possibility that prices throughout the economy decline over time — the opposite of inflation. If inflation is negative, the principal and income of an inflation-protected bond will decline and could result in losses for the Fund. |
■ | 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: |
Leverage Risk — The Fund’s use of derivatives can magnify the Fund’s gains and losses. Relatively small market movements may result in large changes in the value of a derivatives position and can result in losses that greatly exceed the amount originally invested. |
Market Risk — Some derivatives are more sensitive to interest rate changes and market price fluctuations than other securities. 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. | |
Counterparty Risk — Derivatives are also subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party in the transaction will be unable or unwilling to fulfill its contractual obligation, and the related risks of having concentrated exposure to such a counterparty. | |
Illiquidity Risk —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. | |
Operational Risk — The use of derivatives includes the risk of potential operational issues, including documentation issues, settlement issues, systems failures, inadequate controls and human error. | |
Legal Risk — The risk of insufficient documentation, insufficient capacity or authority of counterparty, or legality or enforceability of a contract. | |
Volatility and Correlation 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. | |
Valuation Risk — Valuation for derivatives may not be readily available in the market. 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 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, with respect to uncleared swaps, swap dealers are required to collect variation margin from the Fund and may be required by applicable regulations to collect initial margin from the Fund. Both initial and variation margin may be comprised of cash and/or securities, subject to applicable regulatory haircuts. Shares of investment companies (other than certain money market funds) may not be posted as collateral under applicable regulations. 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. |
■ | Distressed Securities Risk — Distressed securities are speculative and involve substantial risks in addition to the risks of investing in junk bonds. The Fund will generally not receive interest payments on the distressed securities and may incur costs to protect its investment. In addition, distressed securities involve the substantial risk that principal will not be repaid. These securities may present a substantial risk of default or may be in default at the time of investment. The Fund may incur additional expenses to the extent it is required to seek recovery upon a default in the payment of principal of or interest on its portfolio holdings. In any reorganization or liquidation proceeding relating to a portfolio company, the Fund may lose its entire investment or may be required to accept cash or securities with a value less than its original investment. Distressed securities and any securities received in an exchange for such securities may be subject to restrictions on resale. |
■ | Dividend Risk — Because certain of the corporate loans held by the Fund will have floating or variable interest rates, the amounts of the Fund’s monthly distributions to its stockholders are expected to vary with fluctuations in market interest rates. Generally, when market interest rates fall, the amount of the distributions to stockholders will likewise decrease. |
■ | Dividend-Paying Stock Risk — Investing in dividend-paying stocks involves the risk that such stocks may fall out of favor with investors and underperform the broader market. Companies that issue dividend-paying stocks are not required to pay or continue paying dividends on such stocks. It is possible that issuers of the stocks held by the Fund will not declare dividends in the future or will reduce or eliminate the payment of dividends (including reducing or eliminating anticipated accelerations or increases in the payment of dividends) in the future. |
■ | Dollar Rolls Risk — A dollar roll transaction involves a sale by the Fund of a mortgage-backed, U.S. Treasury or other security (as permitted by the Fund’s investment strategies) concurrently with an agreement by the Fund to repurchase a similar security at a later date at an agreed-upon price. The market value of the securities the Fund is required to purchase may decline below the agreed upon repurchase price of those securities. If the broker/dealer to whom the Fund sells securities becomes insolvent, the Fund’s right to purchase or repurchase securities may be restricted. Successful use of dollar rolls may depend upon the adviser’s ability to correctly predict interest rates and prepayments, depending on the underlying security. There is no assurance that dollar rolls can be successfully employed. |
■ | Emerging Markets Risk — The risks of foreign investments are usually much greater for emerging markets. Investments in emerging markets may be considered speculative. Emerging markets may include those in countries considered emerging or developing by the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation or the United Nations. Emerging markets are riskier than more developed markets because they tend to develop unevenly and may never fully develop. They are more likely to experience hyperinflation and currency devaluations, which adversely affect returns to U.S. investors. In addition, many emerging markets have far lower trading volumes and less liquidity than developed markets. Since these markets are often small, they may be more likely to suffer sharp and frequent price changes or long-term price depression because of adverse publicity, investor perceptions or the actions of a few large investors. In addition, traditional measures of investment value used in the United States, such as price to earnings ratios, may not apply to certain small markets. Also, there may be less publicly available information about issuers in emerging markets than would be available about issuers in more developed capital markets, and such issuers may not be subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements comparable to those to which U.S. companies are subject. |
Many emerging markets have histories of political instability and abrupt changes in policies. As a result, their governments are more likely to take actions that are hostile or detrimental to private enterprise or foreign investment than those of more developed countries, including expropriation of assets, confiscatory taxation, high rates of inflation or unfavorable diplomatic developments. In the past, governments of such nations have expropriated substantial amounts of private property, and most claims of the property owners have never been fully settled. There is no assurance that such expropriations will not reoccur. In such an event, it is possible that the Fund could lose the entire value of its investments in the affected market. Some countries have pervasive corruption and crime that may hinder investments. Certain emerging markets may also face other significant internal or external risks, including the risk of war, and ethnic, religious and racial conflicts. In addition, governments in many emerging market countries participate to a significant degree in their economies and securities markets, which may impair investment and economic growth. National policies that may limit the Fund’s investment opportunities include restrictions on investment in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to national interests. | |
Emerging markets may also have differing legal systems and the existence or possible imposition of exchange controls, custodial restrictions or other foreign or U.S. governmental laws or restrictions applicable to such investments. Sometimes, they may lack or be in the relatively early development of legal structures governing private and foreign investments and private property. Many emerging markets do not have income tax treaties with the United States, and as a result, investments by the Fund may be subject to higher withholding taxes in such countries. In addition, some countries with emerging markets may impose differential capital gains taxes on foreign investors. Foreign companies with securities listed on U.S. exchanges may be delisted if they do not meet U.S. accounting standards and auditor oversight requirements, which may significantly decrease the liquidity and value of the securities. | |
Practices in relation to settlement of securities transactions in emerging markets involve higher risks than those in developed markets, in part because the Fund will need to use brokers and counterparties that are less well capitalized, and custody and registration of assets in some countries may be unreliable. The possibility of fraud, negligence, undue influence being exerted by the issuer or refusal to recognize ownership exists in some emerging markets, and, along with other factors, could result in ownership registration being completely lost. The Fund would absorb any loss resulting from such registration problems and may have no successful claim for compensation. In addition, communications between the United States and emerging market countries may be unreliable, increasing the risk of delayed settlements or losses of security certificates. |
■ | 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 inflation, interest or currency rates or generally adverse investor sentiment. |
■ | Event Risk — Event risk is the risk that corporate issuers may undergo restructurings, such as mergers, leveraged buyouts, takeovers, or similar events financed by increased debt. As a result of the added debt, the credit quality and market value of a company’s bonds and/or other debt securities may decline significantly. |
■ | Foreign Securities Risk — Securities traded in foreign markets have often (though not always) performed differently from securities traded in the United States. However, such investments often involve special risks not present in U.S. investments that can increase the chances that the Fund will lose money. In particular, the Fund is subject to the risk that because there may be fewer investors on foreign exchanges and a smaller number of securities traded each day, it may be more difficult for the Fund to buy and sell securities on those exchanges. In addition, prices of foreign securities may go up and down more than prices of securities traded in the United States. |
Certain Risks of Holding Fund Assets Outside the United States — The Fund generally holds its foreign securities and cash in foreign banks and securities depositories. Some foreign banks and securities depositories may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In addition, there may be limited or no regulatory oversight of their operations. Also, the laws of certain countries limit the Fund’s ability to recover its assets if a foreign bank, depository or issuer of a security, or any of their agents, goes bankrupt. In addition, it is often more expensive for the Fund to buy, sell and hold securities in certain foreign markets than in the United States. The increased expense of investing in foreign markets reduces the amount the Fund can earn on its investments and typically results in a higher operating expense ratio for the Fund than for investment companies invested only in the United States. | |
Currency Risk — Securities and other instruments in which the Fund invests may be denominated or quoted in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. For this reason, changes in foreign currency exchange rates can affect the value of the Fund’s portfolio. | |
Generally, when the U.S. dollar rises in value against a foreign currency, a security denominated in that currency loses value because the currency is worth fewer U.S. dollars. Conversely, when the U.S. dollar decreases in value against a foreign currency, a security denominated in that currency gains value because the currency is worth more U.S. dollars. This risk, generally known as “currency risk,” means that a strong U.S. dollar will reduce returns for U.S. investors while a weak U.S. dollar will increase those returns. | |
Should the Fund invest in a debt security denominated in U.S. dollars and issued by an issuer whose functional currency is a currency other than the U.S. dollar, and such currency decreases in value against the U.S. dollar, such issuer’s ability to repay its obligation under the U.S. dollar-denominated security may be negatively impacted. | |
Foreign Economy Risk — The economies of certain foreign markets may not compare favorably with the economy of the United States with respect to such issues as growth of gross national product, reinvestment of capital, resources and balance of payments position. Certain foreign economies may rely heavily on particular industries or foreign capital and are more vulnerable to diplomatic developments, the imposition of economic sanctions against a particular country or countries, changes in international trading patterns, trade barriers and other protectionist or retaliatory measures. Investments in foreign markets may also be adversely affected by governmental actions such as the imposition of capital controls, nationalization of companies or industries, expropriation of assets or the imposition of punitive taxes. In addition, economic conditions, such as volatile currency exchange rates and interest rates, political events, military action and other conditions may, without prior warning, lead to the governments of certain countries, or the U.S. Government with respect to certain countries, prohibiting or imposing substantial restrictions through capital controls and/or sanctions on foreign investments in the capital markets or certain industries in those countries. Capital controls and/or sanctions may include the prohibition of, or restrictions on, the ability to own or transfer currency, securities, derivatives or other assets and may also include retaliatory actions of one government against another government, such as seizure of assets. Any of these actions could severely impair the Fund’s ability to purchase, sell, transfer, receive, deliver or otherwise obtain exposure to foreign securities and assets, including the ability to transfer the Fund’s assets or income back into the United States, and could negatively impact the value and/or liquidity of such assets or otherwise adversely affect the Fund’s operations, causing the Fund to decline in value. |
Other potential foreign market risks include foreign exchange controls, difficulties in pricing securities, defaults on foreign government securities, difficulties in enforcing legal judgments in foreign courts and political and social instability. Diplomatic and political developments, including rapid and adverse political changes, social instability, regional conflicts, terrorism and war, could affect the economies, industries and securities and currency markets, and the value of the Fund’s investments, in non-U.S. countries. These factors are extremely difficult, if not impossible, to predict and take into account with respect to the Fund’s investments. | |
Governmental Supervision and Regulation/Accounting Standards — Many foreign governments do not supervise and regulate stock exchanges, brokers and the sale of securities to the same extent as such regulations exist in the United States. They also may not have laws to protect investors that are comparable to U.S. securities laws. For example, some foreign countries may have no laws or rules against insider trading. Insider trading occurs when a person buys or sells a company’s securities based on material non-public information about that company. In addition, some countries may have legal systems that may make it difficult for the Fund to vote proxies, exercise shareholder rights, and pursue legal remedies with respect to its foreign investments. Accounting standards in other countries are not necessarily the same as in the United States. If the accounting standards in another country do not require as much detail as U.S. accounting standards, it may be harder for Fund management to completely and accurately determine a company’s financial condition. | |
Settlement Risk — Settlement and clearance procedures in certain foreign markets differ significantly from those in the United States. Foreign settlement and clearance procedures and trade regulations also may involve certain risks (such as delays in payment for or delivery of securities) not typically associated with the settlement of U.S. investments. | |
At times, settlements in certain foreign countries have not kept pace with the number of securities transactions. These problems may make it difficult for the Fund to carry out transactions. If the Fund cannot settle or is delayed in settling a purchase of securities, it may miss attractive investment opportunities and certain of its assets may be uninvested with no return earned thereon for some period. If the Fund cannot settle or is delayed in settling a sale of securities, it may lose money if the value of the security then declines or, if it has contracted to sell the security to another party, the Fund could be liable for any losses incurred. | |
Withholding Tax Reclaims Risk — The Fund may file claims to recover foreign withholding taxes on dividend and interest income (if any) received from issuers in certain countries and capital gains on the disposition of stocks or securities where such withholding tax reclaim is possible. Whether or when the Fund will receive a withholding tax refund is within the control of the tax authorities in such countries. Where the Fund expects to recover withholding taxes, the net asset value of the Fund generally includes accruals for such tax refunds. The Fund regularly evaluates the probability of recovery. If the likelihood of recovery materially decreases, due to, for example, a change in tax regulation or approach in the foreign country, accruals in the Fund’s net asset value for such refunds may be written down partially or in full, which will adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value. Shareholders in the Fund at the time an accrual is written down will bear the impact of the resulting reduction in net asset value regardless of whether they were shareholders during the accrual period. Conversely, if the Fund receives a tax refund that has not been previously accrued, shareholders in the Fund at the time of the successful recovery will benefit from the resulting increase in the Fund’s net asset value. Shareholders who sold their shares prior to such time will not benefit from such increase in the Fund’s net asset value. | |
■ | Geographic Risk — Some of the companies in which the Fund invests are located in parts of the world that have historically been prone to natural disasters, such as earthquakes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, droughts, floods, hurricanes or tsunamis, and are economically sensitive to environmental events. Any such event may adversely impact the economies of these geographic areas or business operations of companies in these geographic areas, causing an adverse impact on the value of the Fund. |
■ | High Portfolio Turnover Risk — The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of its portfolio securities. High portfolio turnover (more than 100%) may result in increased transaction costs to the Fund, including brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of the securities and on reinvestment in other securities. The sale of Fund portfolio securities may result in the realization and/or distribution to shareholders of higher capital gains or losses as compared to a fund with less active trading policies. These effects of higher than normal portfolio turnover may adversely affect Fund performance. In addition, investment in mortgage dollar rolls and participation in to-be-announced (“TBA”) transactions may significantly increase the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate. A TBA transaction is a method of trading mortgage-backed securities where the buyer and seller agree upon general trade parameters such as agency, settlement date, par amount, and price at the time the contract is entered into but the mortgage-backed securities are delivered in the future, generally 30 days later. |
■ | Illiquid Investments Risk — The Fund may not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 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. Liquid investments may become illiquid after purchase by the Fund, particularly during periods of market turmoil. There can be no assurance that a security or instrument that is deemed to be liquid when purchased will continue to be liquid for as long as it is held by the Fund, and any security or instrument held by the Fund may be deemed an illiquid investment pursuant to the Fund’s liquidity risk management program. 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. In addition, if the Fund is limited in its ability to sell illiquid investments during periods when shareholders are redeeming their shares, the Fund will need to sell liquid securities to meet redemption requests and illiquid securities will become a larger portion of the Fund’s holdings. An investment may be illiquid due to, among other things, the reduced number and capacity of traditional market participants to make a market in fixed-income securities or 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. 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. This may be magnified in a rising interest rate environment or other circumstances where investor redemptions from fixed-income mutual funds may be higher than normal. 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. | |
■ | Income Producing Stock Availability Risk — Depending upon market conditions, income producing common stock that meets the Fund’s investment criteria may not be widely available and/or may be highly concentrated in only a few market sectors. This may limit the ability of the Fund to produce current income while remaining fully diversified. |
■ | Income Risk — The Fund’s yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature and the proceeds are reinvested in securities with different interest rates. |
■ | 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. |
Unusual market conditions or other unforeseen circumstances (such as natural disasters, political unrest or war) may impact the index provider or a third-party data provider and could cause the index provider to postpone a scheduled rebalance to the underlying index. This could cause the underlying index to vary from its normal or expected composition. The postponement of a scheduled rebalance could mean that constituents that would otherwise be removed at rebalance due to changes in market capitalizations, issuer credit ratings, or other reasons may remain, causing the performance and constituents of the underlying index to vary from those expected under normal conditions. Apart from scheduled rebalances, the Index Provider or its agents may carry out additional ad hoc rebalances to the underlying index due to reaching certain weighting constraints, unusual market conditions or 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. |
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. | |
■ | Indexed and Inverse Securities Risk — Indexed and inverse securities provide a potential return based on a particular index of value or interest rates. The Fund’s return on these securities will be subject to risk with respect to the value of the particular index. These securities are subject to leverage risk and correlation risk. Certain indexed and inverse securities have greater sensitivity to changes in interest rates or index levels than other securities, and the Fund’s investment in such instruments may decline significantly in value if interest rates or index levels move in a way Fund management does not anticipate. |
■ | Inflation-Indexed Bonds Risk — The principal value of an investment is not protected or otherwise guaranteed by virtue of the Fund’s investments in inflation-indexed bonds. |
Inflation-indexed bonds are fixed-income securities whose principal value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. If the index measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. | |
Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of U.S. Treasury inflation-indexed bonds. For bonds that do not provide a similar guarantee, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal value. | |
The value of inflation-indexed bonds is expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. If nominal interest rates increase at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates may rise, leading to a decrease in value of inflation-indexed bonds. Short-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in value. Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond will be considered taxable ordinary income, even though investors do not receive their principal until maturity. | |
Periodic adjustments for inflation to the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond may give rise to original issue discount, which will be includable in the Fund’s gross income. Due to original issue discount, the Fund may be required to make annual distributions to shareholders that exceed the cash received, which may cause the Fund to liquidate certain investments when it is not advantageous to do so. Also, if the principal value of an inflation-indexed bond is adjusted downward due to deflation, amounts previously distributed in the taxable year may be characterized in some circumstances as a return of capital. | |
■ | Investment in Other Investment Companies Risk — As with other investments, investments in other investment companies, including the underlying funds and/or ETFs, are subject to market and selection risk. In addition, if the Fund acquires shares of investment companies, including ones affiliated with the Fund, which may include underlying funds and ETFs advised by BlackRock or other investment advisers, 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. |
Investing in an ETF will give the Fund exposure to the securities comprising the index on which the ETF is based. Shares of ETFs are traded on an exchange throughout a trading day, and bought and sold based on market values and not at the ETF’s net asset value. For this reason shares of an ETF could trade at either a premium or discount to its net asset value. However, the trading prices of index-based ETFs tend to closely track the actual net asset value of the ETF. The Fund will pay brokerage commissions in connection with the purchase and sale of shares of ETFs, in addition to a spread (i.e., the difference between what professional investors are willing to pay for ETF shares (the “bid” price) and the price at which they are willing to sell ETF shares (the “ask” price)). | |
■ | Investment Style Risk — Under certain market conditions, growth investments have performed better during the later stages of economic expansion and value investments have performed better during periods of economic recovery. Therefore, these investment styles may over time go in and out of favor. At times when the investment style used by the Fund is out of favor, the Fund may underperform other funds that use different investment styles. |
■ | 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. |
■ | Junk Bonds Risk — Although junk bonds generally pay higher rates of interest than investment grade bonds, junk bonds are high risk investments that are considered speculative and may cause income and principal losses for the Fund. The major risks of junk bond investments include: |
■ | Junk bonds may be issued by less creditworthy issuers. Issuers of junk bonds may have a larger amount of outstanding debt relative to their assets than issuers of investment grade bonds. In the event of an issuer’s bankruptcy, claims of other creditors may have priority over the claims of junk bond holders, leaving few or no assets available to repay junk bond holders. |
■ | Prices of junk bonds are subject to extreme price fluctuations. Adverse changes in an issuer’s industry and general economic conditions may have a greater impact on the prices of junk bonds than on other higher rated fixed-income securities. |
■ | 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. |
■ | Junk bonds frequently have redemption features that permit an issuer to repurchase the security from the Fund before it matures. If the issuer redeems junk bonds, the Fund may have to invest the proceeds in bonds with lower yields and may lose income. |
■ | Junk bonds may be less liquid than higher rated fixed-income securities, even under normal economic conditions. 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. Because they are less liquid than higher rated fixed-income securities, judgment may play a greater role in valuing junk bonds than is the case with securities trading in a more liquid market. |
■ | The Fund may incur expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon default or to negotiate new terms with a defaulting issuer. |
■ | Large-Capitalization Companies Risk — Large-capitalization companies may be less able than smaller capitalization companies to adapt to changing market conditions. Large-capitalization companies may be more mature and subject to more limited growth potential compared with smaller capitalization companies. During different market cycles, the performance of large-capitalization companies has trailed the overall performance of the broader securities markets. |
■ | 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 of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”) and the rules thereunder. Under Rule 18f-4 under the Investment Company Act, among other things, the Fund must either use derivatives in a limited manner or comply with an outer limit on fund leverage risk based on value-at-risk. 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 the applicable requirements of the Investment Company Act and the rules thereunder. Increases and decreases in the value of the Fund’s portfolio will be magnified when the Fund uses leverage. |
■ | Loans Risk — There is no minimum rating or other independent evaluation of a borrower or its securities limiting the Fund’s investments, and BlackRock relies primarily on its own evaluation of a borrower’s credit quality rather than on any available independent sources. As a result, the Fund is particularly dependent on the analytical abilities of BlackRock. |
An economic downturn generally leads to a higher non-payment rate, and a loan may lose significant value before a default occurs. Moreover, any specific collateral used to secure a loan may decline in value or become illiquid, which would adversely affect the loan’s value. | |
No active trading market may exist for certain loans, which may impair the ability of the Fund to realize full value in the event of the need to sell a loan and which may make it difficult to value loans. Adverse market conditions may impair the liquidity of some actively traded loans. To the extent that a secondary market does exist for certain loans, the market may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods. | |
Although loans in which the Fund will invest generally will be secured by specific collateral, there can be no assurance that liquidation of such collateral would satisfy the borrower’s obligation in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal or that such collateral could be readily liquidated. In the event of the bankruptcy of a borrower, the Fund could experience delays or limitations with respect to its ability to realize the benefits of the collateral securing a loan. If the terms of a loan do not require the borrower to pledge additional collateral in the |
event of a decline in the value of the already pledged collateral, the Fund will be exposed to the risk that the value of the collateral will not at all times equal or exceed the amount of the borrower’s obligations under the loans. To the extent that a loan is collateralized by stock in the borrower or its subsidiaries, such stock may lose all of its value in the event of the bankruptcy of the borrower. Uncollateralized loans involve a greater risk of loss. Some loans are subject to the risk that a court, pursuant to fraudulent conveyance or other similar laws, could subordinate the loans to presently existing or future indebtedness of the borrower or take other action detrimental to lenders, including the Fund. Such court action could under certain circumstances include invalidation of loans. | |
If a loan is acquired through an assignment, the Fund may not be able to unilaterally enforce all rights and remedies under the loan and with regard to any associated collateral. If a loan is acquired through a participation, the Fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement against the borrower, and the Fund may not directly benefit from the collateral supporting the debt obligation in which it has purchased the participation. As a result, the Fund will be exposed to the credit risk of both the borrower and the institution selling the participation. | |
■ | 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. The value of a security or other asset may decline due to changes in general market conditions, economic trends or events that are not specifically related to the issuer of the security or other asset, or factors that affect a particular issuer or issuers, exchange, country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class. Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues like pandemics or epidemics, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments. 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. |
An outbreak of an infectious coronavirus (COVID-19) that was first detected in December 2019 developed into a global pandemic that has resulted in numerous disruptions in the market and has had significant economic impact leaving general concern and uncertainty. Although vaccines have been developed and approved for use by various governments, the duration of the pandemic and its effects cannot be predicted with certainty. The impact of this coronavirus, and other epidemics and pandemics that may arise in the future, could affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the market in general ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. | |
■ | Master Limited Partnerships Risk — The common units of an MLP are listed and traded on U.S. securities exchanges and their value fluctuates predominantly based on prevailing market conditions and the success of the MLP. Unlike owners of common stock of a corporation, owners of common units have limited voting rights and have no ability to annually elect directors. In the event of liquidation, common units have preference over subordinated units, but not over debt or preferred units, to the remaining assets of the MLP. |
■ | Mezzanine Securities Risk — Mezzanine securities generally are rated below investment grade and frequently are unrated and present many of the same risks as senior loans, second lien loans and non-investment grade bonds. However, unlike senior loans and second lien loans, mezzanine securities are not a senior or secondary secured obligation of the related borrower. They typically are the most subordinated debt obligation in an issuer’s capital structure. Mezzanine securities also may often be unsecured. Mezzanine securities therefore are subject to the additional risk that the cash flow of the related borrower and the property securing the loan may be insufficient to repay the scheduled obligation after giving effect to any senior obligations of the related borrower. Mezzanine securities will be subject to certain additional risks to the extent that such loans may not be protected by financial covenants or limitations upon additional indebtedness. Investment in mezzanine securities is a highly specialized investment practice that depends more heavily on independent credit analysis than investments in other types of debt obligations. |
■ | Mid Cap Securities Risk — The securities of mid cap companies generally trade in lower volumes and are generally subject to greater and less predictable price changes than the securities of larger capitalization companies. |
■ | Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities Risks — Mortgage-backed securities (residential and commercial) and asset-backed securities represent interests in “pools” of mortgages or other assets, including consumer loans or receivables held in trust. Although asset-backed and commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”) generally experience less prepayment than residential mortgage-backed securities, mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities, like traditional fixed-income securities, are subject to credit, interest rate, prepayment and extension risks. |
Small movements in interest rates (both increases and decreases) may quickly and significantly reduce the value of certain mortgage-backed securities. The Fund’s investments in asset-backed securities are subject to risks similar to those associated with mortgage-related securities, as well as additional risks associated with the nature of the |
assets and the servicing of those assets. These securities also are subject to the risk of default on the underlying mortgages or assets, particularly during periods of economic downturn. Certain CMBS are issued in several classes with different levels of yield and credit protection. The Fund’s investments in CMBS with several classes may be in the lower classes that have greater risks than the higher classes, including greater interest rate, credit and prepayment risks. | |
Mortgage-backed securities may be either pass-through securities or CMOs. Pass-through securities represent a right to receive principal and interest payments collected on a pool of mortgages, which are passed through to security holders. CMOs are created by dividing the principal and interest payments collected on a pool of mortgages into several revenue streams (“tranches”) with different priority rights to portions of the underlying mortgage payments. Certain CMO tranches may represent a right to receive interest only (“IOs”), principal only (“POs”) or an amount that remains after floating-rate tranches are paid (an “inverse floater”). These securities are frequently referred to as “mortgage derivatives” and may be extremely sensitive to changes in interest rates. Interest rates on inverse floaters, for example, vary inversely with a short-term floating rate (which may be reset periodically). Interest rates on inverse floaters will decrease when short-term rates increase, and will increase when short-term rates decrease. These securities have the effect of providing a degree of investment leverage. In response to changes in market interest rates or other market conditions, the value of an inverse floater may increase or decrease at a multiple of the increase or decrease in the value of the underlying securities. If the Fund invests in CMO tranches (including CMO tranches issued by government agencies) and interest rates move in a manner not anticipated by Fund management, it is possible that the Fund could lose all or substantially all of its investment. TBA commitments are forward agreements for the purchase or sale of securities, including mortgage backed securities for a fixed price, with payment and delivery on an agreed upon future settlement date. The specific securities to be delivered are not identified at the trade date. However, delivered securities must meet specified terms, including issuer, rate and mortgage terms Certain mortgage-backed securities in which the Fund may invest may also provide a degree of investment leverage, which could cause the Fund to lose all or substantially all of its investment. | |
The mortgage market in the United States has experienced difficulties that may adversely affect the performance and market value of certain of the Fund’s mortgage-related investments. Delinquencies and losses on mortgage loans (including subprime and second-lien mortgage loans) and a decline in or flattening of real estate values (in each case as has been experienced and may continue to be experienced in many housing markets) may exacerbate such delinquencies and losses. Also, a number of mortgage loan originators have experienced serious financial difficulties or bankruptcy. Reduced investor demand for mortgage loans and mortgage-related securities and increased investor yield requirements have caused limited liquidity in the secondary market for mortgage-related securities, which can adversely affect the market value of mortgage-related securities. It is possible that such limited liquidity in such secondary markets could continue or worsen. | |
Asset-backed securities entail certain risks not presented by mortgage-backed securities, including the risk that in certain states it may be difficult to perfect the liens securing the collateral backing certain asset-backed securities. In addition, certain asset-backed securities are based on loans that are unsecured, which means that there is no collateral to seize if the underlying borrower defaults. | |
■ | Municipal Securities Risks — Municipal securities risks include the ability of the issuer to repay the obligation, the relative lack of information about certain issuers of municipal securities, and the possibility of future legislative changes which could affect the market for and value of municipal securities. Budgetary constraints of local, state, and federal governments upon which the issuers may be relying for funding may also impact municipal securities. These risks include: |
General Obligation Bonds Risks — The full faith, credit and taxing power of the municipality that issues a general obligation bond secures payment of interest and repayment of principal. Timely payments depend on the issuer’s credit quality, ability to raise tax revenues and ability to maintain an adequate tax base. | |
Revenue Bonds Risks — Payments of interest and principal on revenue bonds are made only from the revenues generated by a particular facility, class of facilities or the proceeds of a special tax or other revenue source. These payments depend on the money earned by the particular facility or class of facilities, or the amount of revenues derived from another source. | |
Private Activity Bonds Risks — Municipalities and other public authorities issue private activity bonds to finance development of industrial facilities for use by a private enterprise. The private enterprise pays the principal and interest on the bond, and the issuer does not pledge its full faith, credit and taxing power for repayment. If the private enterprise defaults on its payments, the Fund may not receive any income or get its money back from the investment. |
Moral Obligation Bonds Risks — Moral obligation bonds are generally issued by special purpose public authorities of a state or municipality. If the issuer is unable to meet its obligations, repayment of these bonds becomes a moral commitment, but not a legal obligation, of the state or municipality. | |
Municipal Notes Risks — Municipal notes are shorter term municipal debt obligations. They may provide interim financing in anticipation of, and are secured by, tax collection, bond sales or revenue receipts. If there is a shortfall in the anticipated proceeds, the notes may not be fully repaid and the Fund may lose money. | |
Municipal Lease Obligations Risks — In a municipal lease obligation, the issuer agrees to make payments when due on the lease obligation. The issuer will generally appropriate municipal funds for that purpose, but is not obligated to do so. Although the issuer does not pledge its unlimited taxing power for payment of the lease obligation, the lease obligation is secured by the leased property. However, if the issuer does not fulfill its payment obligation it may be difficult to sell the property and the proceeds of a sale may not cover the Fund’s loss. | |
Tax-Exempt Status Risk — In making investments, the Fund and its investment manager will rely on the opinion of issuers’ bond counsel and, in the case of derivative securities, sponsors’ counsel, on the tax-exempt status of interest on municipal obligations and payments under tax-exempt derivative securities. Neither the Fund nor its investment manager will independently review the bases for those tax opinions. If any of those tax opinions are ultimately determined to be incorrect or if events occur after the security is acquired that impact the security’s tax-exempt status, the Fund and its shareholders could be subject to substantial tax liabilities. The IRS has generally not ruled on the taxability of the securities. An assertion by the IRS that a portfolio security is not exempt from U.S. federal income tax (contrary to indications from the issuer) could affect the Fund’s and its shareholders’ income tax liability for the current or past years and could create liability for information reporting penalties. In addition, an IRS assertion of taxability may impair the liquidity and the fair market value of the securities. | |
■ | “New Issues” Risk — “New issues” are 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 market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile or may decline shortly after the IPO. When an IPO is brought to the market, availability may be limited and the Fund may not be able to buy any shares at the offering price, or, if it is able to buy shares, it may not be able to buy as many shares at the offering price as it would like. |
■ | Non-Agency Securities Risk — There are no direct or indirect government or agency guarantees of payments in mortgage pools created by non-government issuers. Non-agency securities are also not subject to the same underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that are applicable to those mortgage-related securities that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee. Non-agency securities with payments not guaranteed by a government agency generally involve greater credit risk than securities guaranteed by government agencies. In addition, a substantial portion of the non-agency securities in which the Fund invests may be rated below investment grade (commonly known as “junk bonds”). |
Non-agency mortgage-related securities are not traded on an exchange and there may be a limited market for the securities, especially when there is a perceived weakness in the mortgage and real estate market sectors. Without an active trading market, the non-agency mortgage-related securities held in the Fund’s portfolio may be particularly difficult to value because of the complexities involved in assessing the value of the underlying mortgage loans. | |
■ | Non-U.S. Issuers Risk — The Fund may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated bonds of non-U.S. corporate issuers. Securities issued by non-U.S. issuers have different risks from securities issued by U.S. issuers. These risks include differences in accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, the possibility of expropriation or confiscatory taxation, adverse changes in investment or exchange control regulations, political instability which could affect U.S. investments in non-U.S. countries, uncertainties of transnational litigation, and potential restrictions on the flow of international capital, including the possible seizure or nationalization of the securities issued by non-U.S. issuers held by the Fund. Non-U.S. issuers may be subject to less governmental regulation than U.S. issuers. Moreover, individual non-U.S. economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross domestic product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payment positions. Unfavorable political, economic or governmental developments in non-U.S. countries could affect the payment of a security’s principal and interest. Securities issued by non-U.S. issuers may |
also be less liquid than, and more difficult to value than, securities of U.S. issuers. In addition, the value of these securities may fluctuate due to changes in the exchange rate of the issuer’s local currency against the U.S. dollar. | |
■ | Preferred Securities Risk — Preferred securities may pay fixed or adjustable rates of return. Preferred securities are subject to issuer-specific and market risks applicable generally to equity securities. In addition, a company’s preferred securities generally pay dividends only after the company makes required payments to holders of its bonds and other debt. For this reason, the value of preferred securities will usually react more strongly than bonds and other debt to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects. Preferred securities of smaller companies may be more vulnerable to adverse developments than preferred securities of larger companies. |
■ | Privately-Issued Securities Risk — The Fund may invest in privately-issued securities, including those that are normally purchased pursuant to Rule 144A or Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). Privately-issued securities typically may be resold only to qualified institutional buyers, or in a privately negotiated transaction, or to a limited number of purchasers, or in limited quantities after they have been held for a specified period of time and other conditions are met for an exemption from registration. Because there may be relatively few potential purchasers for such securities, especially under adverse market or economic conditions or in the event of adverse changes in the financial condition of the issuer, the Fund may find it more difficult to sell such securities when it may be advisable to do so or it may be able to sell such securities only at prices lower than if such securities were more widely held and traded. At times, it also may be more difficult to determine the fair value of such securities for purposes of computing the Fund’s net asset value due to the absence of an active trading market. There can be no assurance that a privately-issued security that is deemed to be liquid when purchased will continue to be liquid for as long as it is held by the Fund, and its value may decline as a result. |
■ | Real Estate-Related Securities Risk — The main risk of real estate-related securities is that the value of the underlying real estate may go down. Many factors may affect real estate values. These factors include both the general and local economies, vacancy rates, changes in rent schedules, tenant bankruptcies, the ability to re-lease space under expiring leases on attractive terms, the amount of new construction in a particular area, the laws and regulations (including zoning, environmental and tax laws) affecting real estate and the costs of owning, maintaining and improving real estate. The availability of mortgage financing and changes in interest rates may also affect real estate values. If the Fund’s real estate-related investments are concentrated in one geographic area or in one property type, the Fund will be particularly subject to the risks associated with that area or property type. Many issuers of real estate-related securities are highly leveraged, which increases the risk to holders of such securities. The value of the securities the Fund buys will not necessarily track the value of the underlying investments of the issuers of such securities. In addition, certain issuers of real estate-related securities may have developed or commenced development on properties and may develop additional properties in the future. Real estate development involves significant risks in addition to those involved in the ownership and operation of established properties. Real estate securities may have limited diversification and are, therefore, subject to risks inherent in operating and financing a limited number of projects. Real estate securities are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency and defaults by borrowers or tenants. |
■ | Reference Rate Replacement Risk — The Fund may be exposed to financial instruments that recently transitioned from, or continue to be tied to, the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) to determine payment obligations, financing terms, hedging strategies or investment value. |
The United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”), which regulates LIBOR, has ceased publishing all LIBOR settings. In April 2023, however, the FCA announced that some USD LIBOR settings will continue to be published under a synthetic methodology until September 30, 2024 for certain legacy contracts. The Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) is a broad measure of the cost of borrowing cash overnight collateralized by U.S. Treasury securities in the repurchase agreement (“repo”) market and has been used increasingly on a voluntary basis in new instruments and transactions. Under U.S. regulations that implement a statutory fallback mechanism to replace LIBOR, benchmark rates based on SOFR have replaced LIBOR in certain financial contracts. | |
Neither the effect of the LIBOR transition process nor its ultimate success can yet be known. While some existing LIBOR-based instruments may contemplate a scenario where LIBOR is no longer available by providing for an alternative rate-setting methodology, there may be significant uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of any such alternative methodologies to replicate LIBOR. Not all existing LIBOR-based instruments may have alternative rate-setting provisions and there remains uncertainty regarding the willingness and ability of issuers to add alternative rate-setting provisions in certain existing instruments. Parties to contracts, securities or other instruments using LIBOR may disagree on transition rates or the application of transition regulation, potentially resulting in uncertainty of performance and the possibility of litigation. The Fund may have instruments linked to other interbank offered rates that may also cease to be published in the future. |
■ | Reinvestment Risk — Proceeds from a current investment of the Fund, both interest payments and principal payments, may be reinvested in instruments that offer lower yields than the current investment due in part to market conditions and the interest rate environment at the time of reinvestment. Reinvestment risk is greater on short- to intermediate-term loans. |
■ | REIT Investment Risk — In addition to the risks facing real estate-related securities, such as a decline in property values due to increasing vacancies, a decline in rents resulting from unanticipated economic, legal or technological developments or a decline in the price of securities of real estate companies due to a failure of borrowers to pay their loans or poor management, investments in REITs involve unique risks. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in limited volume, may engage in dilutive offerings of securities and may be more volatile than other securities. REIT issuers may also fail to maintain their exemptions from investment company registration or fail to qualify for the “dividends paid deduction” under the Internal Revenue Code, which allows REITs to reduce their corporate taxable income for dividends paid to their shareholders. Ordinary REIT dividends received by the Fund and distributed to the Fund’s shareholders will generally be taxable as ordinary income and will not constitute “qualified dividend income.” However, for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026, a non-corporate taxpayer who is a direct REIT shareholder may claim a 20% “qualified business income” deduction for ordinary REIT dividends, and a regulated investment company may report dividends as eligible for this deduction to the extent the regulated investment company’s income is derived from ordinary REIT dividends (reduced by allocable regulated investment company expenses). A shareholder may treat the dividends as such provided the regulated investment company and the shareholder satisfy applicable holding period requirements. |
■ | Repurchase Agreements and Purchase and Sale Contracts Risk — If the other party to a repurchase agreement or purchase and sale contract defaults on its obligation under the agreement, the Fund may suffer delays and incur costs or lose money in exercising its rights under the agreement. If the seller fails to repurchase the security in either situation and the market value of the security declines, the Fund may lose money. |
■ | Restricted Securities Risk — Limitations on the resale of restricted securities may have an adverse effect on their marketability, and may prevent the Fund from disposing of them promptly at advantageous prices. Restricted securities may not be listed on an exchange and may have no active trading market. In order to sell such securities, the Fund may have to bear the expense of registering the securities for resale and the risk of substantial delays in effecting the registration. Other transaction costs may be higher for restricted securities than unrestricted securities. Restricted securities may be difficult to value because market quotations may not be readily available, and the securities may have significant volatility. Also, the Fund may get only limited information about the issuer of a given restricted security, and therefore may be less able to predict a loss. Certain restricted securities may involve a high degree of business and financial risk and may result in substantial losses to the Fund. |
■ | Reverse Repurchase Agreements Risk — Reverse repurchase agreements involve the sale of securities held by the Fund with an agreement to repurchase the securities at an agreed-upon price, date and interest payment. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the other party may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. The Fund could lose money if it is unable to recover the securities and the value of the collateral held by the Fund, including the value of the investments made with cash collateral, is less than the value of the securities. These events could also trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund. In addition, reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the interest income earned in the investment of the proceeds will be less than the interest expense. |
■ | Rights Risk — The failure to exercise subscription rights to purchase common stock would result in the dilution of the Fund’s interest in the issuing company. The market for such rights is not well developed, and, accordingly, the Fund may not always realize full value on the sale of rights. |
■ | Risks of Investing in Closed-End Funds — The shares of closed-end funds may trade at a price below (discount) or above (premium), or at, their net asset value. To the extent that the Fund invests a portion of its assets in closed-end funds, those assets will be subject to the risks of the closed-end fund’s portfolio securities, and a shareholder in the Fund will bear not only his or her proportionate share of the expenses of the Fund, but also, indirectly, the expenses of the closed-end fund. The securities of closed-end funds in which the Fund may invest may be leveraged. As a result, the Fund may be indirectly exposed to leverage through an investment in such securities. An investment in securities of closed-end funds that use leverage may expose the Fund to higher volatility in the market value of such securities and the possibility that the Fund’s long-term returns on such securities (and, indirectly, the long-term returns of the shares) will be diminished. |
■ | Risks of Loan Assignments and Participations — As the purchaser of an assignment, the Fund typically succeeds to all the rights and obligations of the assigning institution and becomes a lender under the credit agreement with respect to the debt obligation; however, the Fund may not be able unilaterally to enforce all rights and remedies under the loan and with regard to any associated collateral. Because assignments may be arranged through private |
negotiations between potential assignees and potential assignors, the rights and obligations acquired by the Fund as the purchaser of an assignment may differ from, and be more limited than, those held by the assigning lender. In addition, if the loan is foreclosed, the Fund could become part owner of any collateral and could bear the costs and liabilities of owning and disposing of the collateral. The Fund may be required to pass along to a purchaser that buys a loan from the Fund by way of assignment a portion of any fees to which the Fund is entitled under the loan. In connection with purchasing participations, the Fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement relating to the loan, nor any rights of set-off against the borrower, and the Fund may not directly benefit from any collateral supporting the loan in which it has purchased the participation. As a result, the Fund will be subject to the credit risk of both the borrower and the lender that is selling the participation. In the event of the insolvency of the lender selling a participation, the Fund may be treated as a general creditor of the lender and may not benefit from any set-off between the lender and the borrower. | |
■ | Savings Associations Risk — Federally- and state-chartered savings associations, such as savings and loans and other “thrift” institutions, provide banking services, including mortgage lending, and operate under the supervisory authority of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Such “thrift” institutions formerly operated under the supervisory authority of the Office of Thrift Supervision. These associations are subject to extensive regulation affecting the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge, and the amount of capital they must maintain. This regulation can have the effect of limiting the profitability of these associations, and their profitability may change frequently. Savings associations may be adversely affected by increases in interest rates and loan losses, decreases in the availability of money or asset valuations and adverse conditions in other related markets. The recent period of historically low interest rates has created certain risks to savings associations as they continue to re-evaluate their business models and risk appetites to generate returns. |
■ | Second Lien Loans Risk — Second lien loans generally are subject to similar risks as those associated with investments in senior loans. Because second lien loans are subordinated or unsecured and thus lower in priority of payment to senior loans, they are subject to the additional risk that the cash flow of the borrower and property securing the loan or debt, if any, may be insufficient to meet scheduled payments after giving effect to the senior secured obligations of the borrower. This risk is generally higher for subordinated unsecured loans or debt, which are not backed by a security interest in any specific collateral. Second lien loans generally have greater price volatility and may be less liquid than senior loans. |
There is also a possibility that originators will not be able to sell participations in second lien loans, which would create greater credit risk exposure for the holders of such loans. Second lien loans share the same risks as other below investment grade securities. | |
■ | 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. |
■ | Security Risk — Some geographic areas in which the Fund invests have experienced acts of terrorism and strained international relations due to territorial disputes, historical animosities, defense concerns and other security concerns. These situations may cause uncertainty in the markets of these geographic areas and may adversely affect their economies. |
■ | Senior Loans Risk — There is less readily available, reliable information about most senior loans than is the case for many other types of securities. In addition, there is no minimum rating or other independent evaluation of a borrower or its securities limiting the Fund’s investments, and BlackRock relies primarily on its own evaluation of a borrower’s credit quality rather than on any available independent sources. As a result, the Fund is particularly dependent on the analytical abilities of BlackRock. |
An economic downturn generally leads to a higher non-payment rate, and a senior loan may lose significant value before a default occurs. Moreover, any specific collateral used to secure a senior loan may decline in value or become illiquid, which would adversely affect the senior loan’s value. | |
No active trading market may exist for certain senior loans, which may impair the ability of the Fund to realize full value in the event of the need to sell a senior loan and which may make it difficult to value senior loans. Adverse market conditions may impair the liquidity of some actively traded senior loans. To the extent that a secondary market does exist for certain senior loans, the market may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods. See “Illiquid Investments Risk.” | |
Although senior loans in which the Fund will invest generally will be secured by specific collateral, there can be no assurance that liquidation of such collateral would satisfy the borrower’s obligation in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal or that such collateral could be readily liquidated. In the event of the bankruptcy of a |
borrower, the Fund could experience delays or limitations with respect to its ability to realize the benefits of the collateral securing a senior loan. If the terms of a senior loan do not require the borrower to pledge additional collateral in the event of a decline in the value of the already pledged collateral, the Fund will be exposed to the risk that the value of the collateral will not at all times equal or exceed the amount of the borrower’s obligations under the senior loans. To the extent that a senior loan is collateralized by stock in the borrower or its subsidiaries, such stock may lose all of its value in the event of the bankruptcy of the borrower. Uncollateralized senior loans involve a greater risk of loss. Some senior loans are subject to the risk that a court, pursuant to fraudulent conveyance or other similar laws, could subordinate the senior loans to presently existing or future indebtedness of the borrower or take other action detrimental to lenders, including the Fund. Such court action could under certain circumstances include invalidation of senior loans. | |
If a senior loan is acquired through an assignment, the Fund may not be able to unilaterally enforce all rights and remedies under the loan and with regard to any associated collateral. If a senior loan is acquired through a participation, the Fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement against the borrower, and the Fund may not directly benefit from the collateral supporting the debt obligation in which it has purchased the participation. As a result, the Fund will be exposed to the credit risk of both the borrower and the institution selling the participation. | |
■ | Small Cap Securities Risk — Small cap companies may have limited product lines or markets. They may be less financially secure than larger, more established companies. They may depend on a small number of key personnel. If a product fails or there are other adverse developments, or if management changes, the Fund’s investment in a small cap company may lose substantial value. 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. |
The securities of small cap companies generally trade in lower volumes and are subject to greater and more unpredictable price changes than larger cap securities or the market as a whole. In addition, small cap securities may be particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates, borrowing costs and earnings. Investing in small cap securities requires a longer term view. | |
■ | Sovereign Debt Risk — Sovereign debt instruments are subject to the risk that a governmental entity may delay or refuse to pay interest or repay principal on its sovereign debt, due, for example, to cash flow problems, insufficient foreign currency reserves, political considerations, the relative size of the governmental entity’s debt position in relation to the economy or the failure to put in place economic reforms required by the International Monetary Fund or other multilateral agencies. If a governmental entity defaults, it may ask for more time in which to pay or for further loans. There is no legal process for collecting sovereign debt that a government does not pay nor are there bankruptcy proceedings through which all or part of the sovereign debt that a governmental entity has not repaid may be collected. |
■ | Structured Notes Risk — Structured notes and other related instruments purchased by the Fund are generally privately negotiated debt obligations where the principal and/or interest is determined by reference to the performance of a specific asset, benchmark asset, market or interest rate (“reference measure”). The interest rate or the principal amount payable upon maturity or redemption may increase or decrease, depending upon changes in the value of the reference measure. The terms of a structured note may provide that, in certain circumstances, no principal is due at maturity and, therefore, may result in a loss of invested capital by the Fund. The interest and/or principal payments that may be made on a structured product may vary widely, depending on a variety of factors, including the volatility of the reference measure. |
Structured notes may be positively or negatively indexed, so the appreciation of the reference measure may produce an increase or a decrease in the interest rate or the value of the principal at maturity. The rate of return on structured notes may be determined by applying a multiplier to the performance or differential performance of reference measures. Application of a multiplier involves leverage that will serve to magnify the potential for gain and the risk of loss. | |
The purchase of structured notes exposes the Fund to the credit risk of the issuer of the structured product. Structured notes may also be more volatile, less liquid, and more difficult to price accurately than less complex securities and instruments or more traditional debt securities. | |
■ | Structured Securities Risk — Because structured securities of the type in which the Fund may invest typically involve no credit enhancement, their credit risk generally will be equivalent to that of the underlying instruments, index or reference obligation and will also be subject to counterparty risk. The Fund may have the right to receive payments only from the structured security, and generally does not have direct rights against the issuer or the entity that sold the assets to be securitized. In addition to the general risks associated with debt securities discussed herein, structured securities carry additional risks, including, but not limited to: the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; the quality of the collateral may |
decline in value or default; and the possibility that the structured securities are subordinate to other classes. The Fund is permitted to invest in a class of structured securities that is either subordinated or unsubordinated to the right of payment of another class. Subordinated structured securities typically have higher yields and present greater risks than unsubordinated structured securities. Structured securities are typically sold in private placement transactions, and there currently is no active trading market for structured securities. Structured securities are based upon the movement of one or more factors, including currency exchange rates, interest rates, reference bonds and stock indices, and changes in interest rates and impact of these factors may cause significant price fluctuations. Additionally, changes in the reference instrument or security may cause the interest rate on the structured security to be reduced to zero. Certain issuers of such structured securities may be deemed to be “investment companies” as defined in the Investment Company Act. As a result, the Fund’s investment in such securities may be limited by certain investment restrictions contained in the Investment Company Act. | |
■ | Supranational Entities Risk — The Fund may invest in obligations issued or guaranteed by the World Bank. The government members, or “stockholders,” usually make initial capital contributions to the World Bank and in many cases are committed to make additional capital contributions if the World Bank is unable to repay its borrowings. There is no guarantee that one or more stockholders of the World Bank will continue to make any necessary additional capital contributions. If such contributions are not made, the entity may be unable to pay interest or repay principal on its debt securities, and the Fund may lose money on such investments. |
■ | U.S. Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk — The Fund invests in securities backed by pools of mortgages issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or one of its agencies or sponsored entities, including the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”) or Ginnie Mae (“GNMA” or “Ginnie Mae”). While securities guaranteed by Ginnie Mae are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, securities issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, and there can be no assurance that the U.S. government would provide financial support to its agencies or sponsored entities where it is not obligated to do so. Bonds or debentures that do not carry the backing of the full faith and credit of the U.S. government are subject to more credit risk than securities that are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. To the extent that the U.S. government has provided support to a U.S. agency or sponsored entity in the past, there can be no assurance that the U.S. government will provide support in the future if it is not obligated to do so. If a U.S. government agency or sponsored entity that is the issuer of securities in which the Fund invests is unable to meet its obligations or ceases to exist and no plan is made for repayment of securities, the performance of the Fund will be adversely affected. |
MBS represent interests in “pools” of mortgages and, due to the nature of these loans they represent, are subject to prepayment and extension risk. Prepayment risk is the risk that, during periods of falling interest rates, an issuer of mortgages and other fixed-income securities may be able to repay principal prior to the security’s maturity. This may cause the Fund to have to reinvest in securities with a lower yield or higher risk of default, resulting in a decline in the Fund’s income or return potential. | |
MBS are also subject to extension risk, which is the risk that when interest rates rise, certain MBS will be paid off substantially more slowly than originally anticipated and the value of those securities may fall sharply, resulting in a decline in income and potentially in the value of the investment. | |
Because of prepayment and extension risks, MBS react differently to changes in interest rates than other bonds. Small movements in interest rates (both increases and decreases) may quickly and significantly reduce the value of certain MBS. These securities are also subject to the risk of default on the underlying mortgage loans, particularly during periods of economic downturn. | |
The Fund seeks to obtain exposure to the fixed-rate portion of U.S. agency mortgage pass through securities primarily through TBA securities, or TBA transactions. TBAs refer to a commonly used mechanism for the forward settlement of U.S. agency MBS, and not to a separate type of MBS. Default or bankruptcy of a counterparty to a TBA transaction would expose the Fund to possible losses because of adverse market action, expenses or delays in connection with the purchase or sale of the pools of mortgage pass-through securities specified in the TBA transaction. | |
The Fund intends to invest cash pending settlement of TBA transactions in money market instruments, repurchase agreements, or other high quality, liquid short-term instruments, including money market funds advised by BlackRock. The Fund will pay its pro rata share of fees and expenses of any money market fund that it may invest in, in addition to the Fund’s own fees and expenses. | |
■ | U.S. Government Issuer Risk — Treasury obligations may differ in their interest rates, maturities, times of issuance and other characteristics. Obligations of U.S. Government agencies and authorities are supported by varying |
degrees of credit but generally are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. No assurance can be given that the U.S. Government will provide financial support to its agencies and authorities if it is not obligated by law to do so. | |
■ | U.S. Government Mortgage-Related Securities Risk — There are a number of important differences among the agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government that issue mortgage-related securities and among the securities that they issue. Mortgage-related securities guaranteed by the Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA” or “Ginnie Mae”) are guaranteed as to the timely payment of principal and interest by GNMA and such guarantee is backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. GNMA securities also are supported by the right of GNMA to borrow funds from the U.S. Treasury to make payments under its guarantee. Mortgage-related securities issued by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac are solely the obligations of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, as the case may be, and are not backed by or entitled to the full faith and credit of the United States but are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the Treasury. |
■ | Value Securities Risk — Value securities are those issued by companies that may be perceived as undervalued. Value securities may fail to appreciate for long periods of time and may never realize their full potential value. The index provider may be unsuccessful in creating an index that emphasizes undervalued securities. Value securities have generally performed better than non-value securities during periods of economic recovery (although there is no assurance that they will continue to do so). Value securities may go in and out of favor over time. |
■ | Variable and Floating Rate Instrument Risk — Variable and floating rate securities provide for periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the securities. These securities may be subject to greater illiquidity risk than other fixed income securities, meaning the absence of an active market for these securities could make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of them at any given time. |
■ | Warrants Risk — If the price of the underlying stock does not rise above the exercise price before the warrant expires, the warrant generally expires without any value and the Fund will lose any amount it paid for the warrant. Thus, investments in warrants may involve substantially more risk than investments in common stock. Warrants may trade in the same markets as their underlying stock; however, the price of the warrant does not necessarily move with the price of the underlying stock. |
■ | When-Issued and Delayed Delivery Securities and Forward Commitments Risk — When-issued and delayed delivery securities and forward commitments involve the risk that the security the Fund buys will lose value prior to its delivery. There also is the risk that the security will not be issued or that the other party to the transaction will not meet its obligation. If this occurs, the Fund may lose both the investment opportunity for the assets it set aside to pay for the security and any gain in the security’s price. |
■ | Zero Coupon Securities Risk — While interest payments are not made on such securities, holders of such securities are deemed to have received income (“phantom income”) annually, notwithstanding that cash may not be received currently. The effect of owning instruments that do not make current interest payments is that a fixed yield is earned not only on the original investment but also, in effect, on all discount accretion during the life of the obligations. This implicit reinvestment of earnings at a fixed rate eliminates the risk of being unable to invest distributions at a rate as high as the implicit yield on the zero coupon bond, but at the same time eliminates the holder’s ability to reinvest at higher rates in the future. For this reason, some of these securities may be subject to substantially greater price fluctuations during periods of changing market interest rates than are comparable securities that pay interest currently. Longer term zero coupon bonds are more exposed to interest rate risk than shorter term zero coupon bonds. These investments benefit the issuer by mitigating its need for cash to meet debt service, but also require a higher rate of return to attract investors who are willing to defer receipt of cash. |
■ | Asia-Pacific Countries — In addition to the risks of investing in non-U.S. securities and the risks of investing in emerging markets, Asia-Pacific countries are subject to certain additional or specific risks. |
In many of the developing market Asia-Pacific countries, there is a high concentration of market capitalization and trading volume in a small number of issuers representing a limited number of industries, as well as a high concentration of investors and financial intermediaries. Many developing market Asia-Pacific countries have experienced rapid growth and industrialization in recent years, but there is no assurance that this growth rate will be maintained. Other developing market Asia-Pacific countries, however, have experienced high inflation, high unemployment, currency devaluations and restrictions, and over-extension of credit. Brokers in developing market Asia-Pacific countries typically are fewer in number and less well capitalized than brokers in the United States. | |
Many of the developing market Asia-Pacific countries may be subject to a greater degree of economic, political and social instability than is the case in the United States and Western European countries. Such instability may result from, among other things: (i) authoritarian governments or military involvement in political and economic decision-making, including changes in government through extra-constitutional means; (ii) popular unrest associated with |
demands for improved political, economic and social conditions; (iii) internal insurgencies; (iv) hostile relations with neighboring countries; and (v) ethnic, religious and racial disaffection. In addition, the governments of many of such countries have a substantial role in regulating and supervising the economy.Another risk common to most such countries is that the economy is heavily export oriented and, accordingly, is dependent upon international trade. The existence of overburdened infrastructure and obsolete financial systems also presents risks in certain countries, as do environmental problems. Certain economies also depend to a significant degree upon exports of primary commodities and, therefore, are vulnerable to changes in commodity prices that, in turn, may be affected by a variety of factors. | |
The rights of investors in developing market Asia-Pacific companies may be more limited than those of shareholders of U.S. corporations. It may be difficult or impossible to obtain and/or enforce a judgment in a developing market Asia-Pacific country. | |
Some developing Asia-Pacific countries prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on investments in their capital markets, particularly their equity markets, by foreign entities. For example, certain countries may require governmental approval prior to investments by foreign persons or limit the amount of investment by foreign persons in a particular company. | |
Geopolitical hostility, political instability, and economic or environmental events in any one of the Asia-Pacific countries may have a significant economic effect on the entire Asia-Pacific region, as well as on major trading partners outside the Asia-Pacific region. Any adverse event in the Asia-Pacific markets may have a significant adverse effect on some or all of the economies of the Asia-Pacific countries. In particular, China is a key trading partner of many Asia-Pacific countries and any changes in trading relationships between China and other Asia-Pacific countries may affect the region as a whole. Many Asia-Pacific countries are subject to political risk, including political instability, corruption and regional conflict with neighboring countries. North Korea and South Korea each have substantial military capabilities, and historical tensions between the two countries present the risk of war. Escalated tensions involving the two countries and any outbreak of hostilities between the two countries, or even the threat of an outbreak of hostilities, could have a severe adverse effect on the entire Asia-Pacific region. Certain Asia-Pacific countries have developed increasingly strained relationships with the U.S., and if these relations were to worsen, they could adversely affect Asia-Pacific issuers that rely on the U.S. for trade. In addition, many Asia-Pacific countries are subject to social and labor risks associated with demands for improved political, economic and social conditions. | |
■ | Europe — The European financial markets have recently experienced volatility and adverse trends due to concerns about economic downturns in, or rising government debt levels of, several European countries as well as acts of war in the region. These events may spread to other countries in Europe and may affect the value and liquidity of certain of the Fund’s investments. |
Responses to the financial problems by European governments, central banks and others, including austerity measures and reforms, may not work, may result in social unrest and may limit future growth and economic recovery or have other unintended consequences. Further defaults or restructurings by governments and others of their debt could have additional adverse effects on economies, financial markets and asset valuations around the world. | |
The United Kingdom has withdrawn from the European Union, and one or more other countries may withdraw from the European Union and/or abandon the Euro, the common currency of the European Union. The impact of these actions, especially if they occur in a disorderly fashion, is not clear but could be significant and far reaching. In addition, Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The extent and duration of the military action, resulting sanctions and resulting future market disruptions in the region are impossible to predict, but could be significant and have a severe adverse effect on the region, including significant negative impacts on the economy and the markets for certain securities and commodities, such as oil and natural gas, as well as other sectors. | |
■ | United
States — A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations, inflation and/or an economic recession in the United States may have a
material adverse effect on the U.S. economy and the securities listed on U.S. exchanges. Proposed and adopted policy and legislative changes in the United States are changing many aspects of financial, commercial, public health, environmental, and
other regulation and may have a significant effect on U.S. markets generally, as well as on the value of certain securities. Governmental agencies project that the United States will continue to maintain elevated public debt levels for the
foreseeable future. Although elevated debt levels do not necessarily indicate or cause economic problems, elevated public debt service costs may constrain future economic growth. |
The United States has developed increasingly strained relations with a number of foreign countries. If relations with certain countries deteriorate, it could adversely affect U.S. issuers as well as non-U.S. issuers that rely on the United States for trade. The United States has also experienced increased internal political discord, as well as significant challenges in managing and containing the outbreak of COVID-19. If these trends were to continue, it may have an adverse impact on the U.S. economy and the issuers in which the Fund invests. |
■ | Consumer Services Industry Risk — The success of firms in the consumer services industry and certain retailers (including food and beverage, general retailers, media, and travel and leisure companies) is tied closely to the performance of the domestic and international economies, interest rates, exchange rates and consumer confidence. The consumer services industry depends heavily on disposable household income and consumer spending. Companies in the consumer services industry may be subject to severe competition, which may also have an adverse impact on their profitability. Companies in the consumer services industry are facing increased government and regulatory scrutiny and may be subject to adverse government or regulatory action. Changes in consumer demographics and preferences in the countries in which the issuers of securities held by the Fund are located and in the countries to which they export their products may affect the success of consumer products. |
■ | Financials Sector Risk — Companies in the financials sector 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 and liquid assets they must maintain and, potentially, their size. Governmental regulation may change frequently and may have significant adverse consequences for companies in the financials sector, including effects not intended by such regulation. Increased risk taking by financial companies may also result in greater overall risk in the U.S. 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 are exposed directly to the credit risk of their borrowers and counterparties, who may be leveraged to an unknown degree, including through swaps and other derivatives products. Financial services companies may have significant exposure to the same borrowers and counterparties, with the result that a borrower’s or counterparty’s inability to meet its obligations to one company may affect other companies with exposure to the same borrower or counterparty. This interconnectedness of risk may result in significant negative impacts to companies with direct exposure to the defaulting counterparty as well as adverse cascading effects in the markets and the financials sector generally. 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, adverse public perception 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 cyberattacks. Cybersecurity incidents and technology malfunctions and failures have become increasingly frequent and have caused significant losses to companies in this sector, which may negatively impact the Fund. The extent to which the Fund may invest in a company that engages in securities-related activities or banking is limited by applicable law. | |
■ | 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, changes in the demand for medical products and services, a limited number of products, industry innovation, changes in technologies and other market developments. 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. The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 allows for the negotiation of prescription drug prices on behalf of Medicare recipients, which may result in reduced prescription prices. This could reduce some healthcare companies’ overall profitability. 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. |
■ | Industrials Sector Risk — The value of securities issued by companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by supply and demand changes related to their specific products or services and industrials sector |
products in general. The products of manufacturing companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction. Global events, trade disputes and changes in government regulations, economic conditions and exchange rates may adversely affect the performance of companies in the industrials sector. Companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by liability for environmental damage and product liability claims. The industrials sector may also be adversely affected by changes or trends in commodity prices, which may be influenced by unpredictable factors. Aerospace and defense companies, a component of the industrials sector, can be significantly affected by government spending policies because companies involved in this industry rely, to a significant extent, on government demand for their products and services. Thus, the financial condition of, and investor interest in, aerospace and defense companies are heavily influenced by governmental defense spending policies, which are typically under pressure from efforts to control government budgets. Transportation stocks, a component of the industrials sector, are cyclical and can be significantly affected by economic changes, fuel prices, labor relations and insurance costs. Transportation companies in certain countries may also be subject to significant government regulation and oversight, which may adversely affect their businesses. Companies in the industrials sector, particularly aerospace and defense companies, may also be adversely affected by government spending policies because companies in this sector tend to rely to a significant extent on government demand for their products and services. | |
■ | Information Technology Sector Risk — Information technology companies face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Like other technology companies, information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. The products of information 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 information technology sector are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. The loss or impairment of these rights may adversely affect the profitability of these companies. Companies in the information technology sector are facing increased government and regulatory scrutiny and may be subject to adverse government or regulatory action. Companies in the application software industry, in particular, may also be negatively affected by the decline or fluctuation of subscription renewal rates for their products and services, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Companies in the systems software industry may be adversely affected by, among other things, actual or perceived security vulnerabilities in their products and services, which may result in individual or class action lawsuits, state or federal enforcement actions and other remediation costs. |
■ | 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, aggressive pricing, changes in demand, 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. Companies in the technology sector may face increased government and regulatory scrutiny and may be subject to adverse government or regulatory action. The technology sector may also be adversely affected by changes or trends in commodity prices, which may be influenced or characterized by unpredictable factors. |
■ | Authorized Participant Concentration Risk — Only an authorized participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with an ETF, and none of those authorized participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. An ETF has a limited number of institutions that may act as authorized participants on an agency basis (i.e., on behalf of other market participants). To the extent that authorized participants exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation or redemption orders with respect to an ETF and no other authorized participant is able to step forward to create or redeem creation units, ETF shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to net asset value and possibly face trading halts or delisting. |
■ | Management Risk — If a passively managed ETF does not fully replicate the underlying index, it is subject to the risk that the manager’s investment management strategy may not produce the intended results. |
■ | Passive Investment Risk — The portfolios of certain ETFs are not actively managed and may be affected by a general decline in market segments relating to their respective indices. Such ETFs typically invest in securities included in, or representative of, their respective indices regardless of their investment merits and do not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. |
■ | Representative Sampling Risk — Representative sampling is a method of indexing that involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively have a similar investment profile to the index and resemble the |
index in terms of risk factors and other key characteristics. A passively managed ETF may or may not hold every security in the index. When an ETF deviates from a full replication indexing strategy to utilize a representative sampling strategy, the ETF is subject to an increased risk of tracking error, in that the securities selected in the aggregate for the ETF may not have an investment profile similar to those of its index. | |
■ | Shares of an ETF May Trade at Prices Other Than Net Asset Value — Shares of an ETF trade on exchanges at prices at, above or below their most recent net asset value. The per share net asset value of an ETF is calculated at the end of each business day and fluctuates with changes in the market value of the ETF’s holdings since the most recent calculation. The trading prices of an ETF’s shares fluctuate continuously throughout trading hours based on market supply and demand rather than net asset value. The trading prices of an ETF’s shares may deviate significantly from net asset value during periods of market volatility. Any of these factors may lead to an ETF’s shares trading at a premium or discount to net asset value. However, because shares can be created and redeemed in creation units, which are aggregated blocks of shares that authorized participants who have entered into agreements with the ETF’s distributor can purchase or redeem directly from the ETF, at net asset value (unlike shares of many closed-end funds, which frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their net asset values), large discounts or premiums to the net asset value of an ETF are not likely to be sustained over the long-term. While the creation/redemption feature is designed to make it likely that an ETF’s shares normally trade on exchanges at prices close to the ETF’s next calculated net asset value, exchange prices are not expected to correlate exactly with an ETF’s net asset value due to timing reasons as well as market supply and demand factors. In addition, disruptions to creations and redemptions or the existence of extreme market volatility may result in trading prices that differ significantly from net asset value. If a shareholder purchases at a time when the market price is at a premium to the net asset value or sells at a time when the market price is at a discount to the net asset value, the shareholder may sustain losses. The use of cash creations and redemptions may also cause the ETFs’ shares to trade in the market at greater bid-ask spreads or greater premiums or discounts to the ETFs’ NAV. |
■ | Tracking Error Risk — Imperfect correlation between a passively managed ETF’s portfolio securities and those in its index, rounding of prices, the timing of cash flows, the ETF’s size, changes to the index and regulatory requirements may cause tracking error, which is the divergence of an ETF’s performance from that of its underlying index. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because an ETF incurs fees and expenses while its underlying index does not. |
■ | 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. |
■ | 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. |
■ | Large Shareholder and Large-Scale Redemption Risk — Certain shareholders, including a third-party investor, the Fund’s adviser or an affiliate of the Fund’s adviser, or another entity, may from time to time own or manage a substantial amount of Fund shares or may invest in the Fund and hold its investment for a limited period of time. There can be no assurance that any large shareholder or large group of shareholders would not redeem their investment or that the size of the Fund would be maintained. Redemptions of a large number of Fund shares by these shareholders may adversely affect the Fund’s liquidity and net assets. These redemptions may force the Fund to sell portfolio securities to meet redemption requests when it might not otherwise do so, which may negatively impact the Fund’s NAV and increase the Fund’s brokerage costs and/or accelerate the realization of taxable income and cause the Fund to make taxable distributions to its shareholders earlier than the Fund otherwise would have. In |
addition, under certain circumstances, non-redeeming shareholders may be treated as receiving a disproportionately large taxable distribution during or with respect to such tax year. The Fund also may be required to sell its more liquid Fund investments to meet a large redemption, in which case the Fund’s remaining assets may be less liquid, more volatile, and more difficult to price. In addition, large redemptions can result in the Fund’s current expenses being allocated over a smaller asset base, which generally results in an increase in the Fund’s expense ratio. Because large redemptions can adversely affect a portfolio manager’s ability to implement a fund’s investment strategy, the Fund also reserves the right to redeem in-kind, subject to certain conditions. In addition, large purchases of Fund shares may adversely affect the Fund’s performance to the extent that the Fund is delayed in investing new cash and is required to maintain a larger cash position than it ordinarily would, diluting its investment returns. | |
■ | Money Market Securities Risk — If market conditions improve while the Fund has invested some or all of its assets in high quality money market securities, this strategy could result in reducing the potential gain from the market upswing, thus reducing the Fund’s opportunity to achieve its investment objective. |
■ | Operational Risk — The Fund is exposed to operational risks arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human errors, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third parties, failed or inadequate internal or external processes, and technology or systems failures. The use of certain investment strategies that involve manual or additional processing, such as over-the-counter derivatives, increases these risks. While service providers are required to have appropriate operational risk management policies and procedures, their methods of operational risk management may differ from those of the Fund in the setting of priorities, the personnel and resources available or the effectiveness of relevant controls. The Fund and BlackRock seek to reduce these operational risks through controls, procedures and oversight. However, it is not possible to identify all of the operational risks that may affect the Fund or to develop processes and controls that completely eliminate or mitigate the occurrence or effects of such failures. The Fund, including its performance and continued operation, and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result. |
■ | Reliance on Advisor Risk — The Fund is dependent upon services and resources provided by BlackRock, and therefore BlackRock’s parent, BlackRock, Inc. BlackRock is not required to devote its full time to the business of the Fund and there is no guarantee or requirement that any investment professional or other employee of BlackRock will allocate a substantial portion of his or her time to the Fund. The loss of, or changes in, BlackRock’s personnel could have a negative effect on the performance or the continued operation of the Fund. |
■ | 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. |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
BlackRock Equity Dividend Fund | The
investment objective of the fund is to seek long-term total return and current income. |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
BlackRock Equity Dividend Fund (continued) | The
fund seeks to achieve its objective by investing primarily in a diversified portfolio of equity securities. Under normal circumstances, the fund will invest at least 80% of its assets in equity securities and at least 80% of its assets in dividend
paying securities. The fund may invest in securities of companies with any market capitalization, but will generally focus on large cap securities. The fund may also invest in convertible securities and non-convertible preferred stock. Equity securities include common stock, preferred stock, securities convertible into common stock, or securities or other instruments whose price is linked to the value of common stock. The fund may invest up to 25% of its total assets in securities of foreign issuers. The fund may invest in securities from any country. The fund may invest in securities denominated in both U.S. dollars and non-U.S. dollar currencies. The fund may invest in the securities of foreign issuers in the form of American Depositary Receipts, European Depositary Receipts or other securities convertible into securities of foreign issuers. BlackRock chooses investments for the fund that it believes will both increase in value over the long term and provide current income, focusing on investments that will do both instead of those that will favor current income over capital appreciation. |
BlackRock Floating Rate Income Portfolio | The
primary investment objective of the fund is to seek to provide high current income, with a secondary objective of long-term capital appreciation. The fund normally invests at least 80% of its assets in floating rate investments and investments that are the economic equivalent of floating rate investments, which effectively enables the fund to achieve a floating rate of income. These investments may include, but are not limited to, any combination of the following securities: (i) senior secured floating rate loans or debt; (ii) second lien or other subordinated or unsecured floating rate loans or debt; and (iii) fixed-rate loans or debt with respect to which the fund has entered into derivative instruments to effectively convert the fixed-rate interest payments into floating rate interest payments. The fund may also purchase, without limitation, participations or assignments in senior floating rate loans or second lien floating rate loans. For purposes of the fund’s investments, the term debt includes investments in convertible or preferred securities.The fund may invest in investments of any credit quality without limitation, including investments rated below investment grade. The fund anticipates that, under current market conditions, a substantial portion of its portfolio will consist of leveraged loans rated below investment grade and similar investments. These investments are expected to exhibit credit risks similar to high yield securities, which are commonly referred to as “junk bonds.” The fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in fixed income securities with respect to which the fund has not entered into derivative instruments to effectively convert the fixed-rate interest payments into floating-rate interest payments. Such fixed income securities include, but are not limited to, corporate bonds, preferred securities, convertible securities, mezzanine investments, collateralized loan obligations, senior loans, second lien loans, structured products and U.S. government debt securities. The fund’s investments in any floating rate and fixed income securities may be of any duration or maturity. The fund may invest in securities of foreign issuers, including issuers located in emerging markets, without limitation. The fund may also invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments. The fund may also invest in companies whose financial condition is uncertain, where the borrower has defaulted in the payment of interest or principal or in the performance of its covenants or agreements, or that may be involved in bankruptcy proceedings, reorganizations or financial restructurings. The fund may invest up to 10% of its assets in common stocks or other equity securities. In addition, the fund may acquire and hold such securities (or rights to acquire such securities) in unit offerings with fixed income securities, in connection with an amendment, waiver, conversion or exchange of fixed income securities, in connection with the bankruptcy or workout of a distressed fixed income security, or upon the exercise of a right or warrant obtained on account of a fixed income security. The fund may buy or sell options or futures on a security or an index of securities, buy or sell options on futures or enter into credit default swaps and interest rate or foreign currency transactions, including swaps and forward contracts (collectively, commonly known as derivatives). The fund may use derivatives for hedging purposes, but is not required to, as well as to increase the total return on its portfolio investments. |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
BlackRock Global Dividend Portfolio | The
investment objective of the fund is to seek to provide a level of current income that exceeds the average yield on global stocks generally. Additionally, the fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation. Under normal circumstances, the fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in dividend-paying equity securities and at least 40% of its assets outside of the United States (unless market conditions are not deemed favorable by fund management, in which case the fund would invest at least 30% of its assets outside of the United States). The fund will primarily invest in common stock, preferred stock, securities convertible into common and preferred stock and non-convertible preferred stock. The fund may invest in securities of non-U.S. issuers that can be U.S. dollar based or non-U.S. dollar based. The fund may invest in securities of companies of any market capitalization, but intends to invest primarily in securities of large capitalization companies. The combination of equity securities will be varied from time to time both with respect to types of securities and markets in response to changing market and economic trends. The fund may invest in shares of companies through initial public offerings and “new issues.” The fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in global fixed-income securities, including corporate bonds, U.S. Government debt securities, non-U.S. Government and supranational debt securities (an example of such an entity is the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development), asset-backed securities, mortgage-backed securities, corporate loans, emerging market debt securities and non-investment grade debt securities (high yield or junk bonds). Investment in fixed-income securities will be made on an opportunistic basis. The fund may invest in fixed-income securities of any duration or maturity. The fund has no geographic limits in where it may invest and has no specific policy on the number of different countries in which it will invest. The fund may invest in both developed and emerging markets. The fund may emphasize foreign securities when fund management expects these investments to outperform U.S. securities. The fund may use derivatives, including options, futures, swaps and forward contracts both to seek to increase the return of the fund or to hedge (or protect) the value of its assets against adverse movements in currency exchange rates, interest rates and movements in the securities markets. The fund may enter into currency transactions on a hedged or unhedged basis in order to seek total return. The fund may use indexed and inverse securities. Under normal circumstances, the fund anticipates it will allocate a substantial amount (at least 40% or more — unless market conditions are not deemed favorable by fund management, in which case the fund would invest at least 30%) of its total assets in foreign securities, which may include securities (i) of foreign government issuers, (ii) of issuers organized or located outside the United States, (iii) of issuers which primarily trade in a market located outside the United States, or (iv) of issuers doing a substantial amount of business outside the United States, which the fund considers to be companies that derive at least 50% of their revenue or profits from business outside the United States or have at least 50% of their sales or assets outside the United States. The fund will allocate its assets among various regions and countries, including the United States (but in no less than three different countries). For temporary defensive purposes the fund may deviate very substantially from this allocation. The fund may engage in active and frequent trading of portfolio securities to achieve its principal investment strategies. |
BlackRock GNMA Portfolio | The
investment objective of the fund is to seek to maximize total return, consistent with income generation and prudent investment management. Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of its assets in Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”) securities. The fund invests primarily in securities issued by GNMA as well as other U.S. Government securities. Securities purchased by the fund are rated in the highest rating category (AAA or Aaa) at the time of purchase by at least one major rating agency or are determined by the fund management team to be of similar quality. Split rated bonds will be considered to have the higher credit rating. Split rated bonds are bonds that receive different ratings from two or more rating agencies. |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
BlackRock GNMA Portfolio (continued) | The
fund measures its performance against the Bloomberg GNMA Total Return Index Value Unhedged USD (the benchmark). Under normal circumstances, the fund seeks to maintain an average portfolio duration that is within ±1 year of the duration of the
benchmark. The fund also makes investments in residential and commercial mortgage-backed securities and other asset-backed securities. The fund may buy or sell options or futures on a security or an index of securities, or enter into credit default swaps and interest rate transactions, including swaps (collectively, commonly known as derivatives). The fund may seek to obtain market exposure to the securities in which it primarily invests by entering into a series of purchase and sale contracts or by using other investment techniques (such as reverse repurchase agreements or dollar rolls). The fund may engage in active and frequent trading of portfolio securities to achieve its primary investment strategies. |
BlackRock High Yield Bond Portfolio | The
investment objective of the fund is to seek to maximize total return, consistent with income generation and prudent investment management. The fund invests primarily in non-investment grade bonds with maturities of ten years or less. The fund normally invests at least 80% of its assets in high yield bonds. The high yield securities (commonly called “junk bonds”) acquired by the fund will generally be in the lower rating categories of the major rating agencies (BB or lower by S&P Global Ratings or Fitch Ratings, Inc. or Ba or lower by Moody’s Investor Services) or will be determined by the fund management team to be of similar quality. Split rated bonds and other fixed-income securities (securities that receive different ratings from two or more rating agencies) are valued as follows: if three agencies rate a security, the security will be considered to have the median credit rating; if two of the three agencies rate a security, the security will be considered to have the lower credit rating. The fund may invest up to 30% of its assets in non-dollar denominated bonds of issuers located outside of the United States. The fund’s investment in non-dollar denominated bonds may be on a currency hedged or unhedged basis. The fund may also invest in convertible and preferred securities. Convertible debt securities will be counted toward the fund’s 80% policy to the extent they have characteristics similar to the securities included within that policy. To add additional diversification, the management team can invest in a wide range of securities including corporate bonds, mezzanine investments, collateralized bond obligations, bank loans and mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities. The fund can also invest, to the extent consistent with its investment objective, in non-U.S. and emerging market securities and currencies. The fund may invest in securities of any rating, and may invest up to 10% of its assets (measured at the time of investment) in distressed securities that are in default or the issuers of which are in bankruptcy. The fund may buy or sell options or futures on a security or an index of securities, or enter into credit default swaps and interest rate or foreign currency transactions, including swaps (collectively, commonly known as derivatives). The fund may use derivative instruments to hedge its investments or to seek to enhance returns. The fund may seek to obtain market exposure to the securities in which it primarily invests by entering into a series of purchase and sale contracts or by using other investment techniques (such as reverse repurchase agreements or dollar rolls). The fund may engage in active and frequent trading of portfolio securities to achieve its principal investment strategies. |
BlackRock Impact Mortgage Fund | The
investment objective of the fund is to seek to maximize total return, consistent with income generation and prudent investment management, while investing in a portfolio of fixed income securities that fund management views as generating positive
social and/or environmental impacts. Under normal circumstances, the fund seeks to achieve its objective by investing at least 80% of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in mortgage-backed and other mortgage-related securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies. The securities in which the fund may invest include U.S. government securities, U.S. government agency securities, securities issued by U.S. government instrumentalities and U.S. government-sponsored enterprises, and other mortgage-backed securities or mortgage-related securities issued by the U.S. government or by private issuers. Some of these securities are issued and/or guaranteed by the U.S. government and are supported by the full faith and credit of the |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
BlackRock Impact Mortgage Fund (continued) | United
States. Other securities are issued or guaranteed by Federal agencies or government-sponsored enterprises and are not direct obligations of the United States, and are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, but involve
sponsorship or guarantees by government agencies or enterprises. The fund invests primarily in the highest rated government and agency bonds and maintains an average portfolio duration that is within ±1 year of the duration of the Bloomberg
U.S. MBS Index (the fund’s benchmark). The fund will seek to invest in mortgage-backed and other mortgage-related securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies that BlackRock believes have the potential to produce attractive long-term returns and that, in BlackRock’s view, can provide positive and measurable impacts. BlackRock considers a number of criteria when selecting portfolio securities, including, but not limited to, whether the activities supported by the investment are expected to include positive social and/or environmental impact with measurable and clear benefit to undercapitalized or high social opportunity areas and alignment with broadly endorsed public policy goals. fund management uses an internal proprietary framework to identify investments that deliver positive social and/or environmental impact. This internal proprietary framework abides by the Operating Principles for Impact Management, which is a third-party framework for investors for the design and implementation of their impact management systems to ensure that impact considerations are integrated throughout the investment lifecycle. In identifying investments, fund management uses internal research and assessment to identify mortgage-related investments that meet one or more of the following criteria: (i) facilitate equal access to credit; (ii) target historically underserved populations; and/or (iii) support the increase of sustainable housing units, which encompasses both affordability and environmental aspects. The fund’s investments will be focused across mortgage impact themes that align with certain United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (“SDGs”), including, but not limited to, ending poverty, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization, reducing inequalities, and making cities and communities sustainable. The SDGs are a series of goals published by the United Nations that recognize that development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability. The fund intends to focus its investments in mortgages originated as part of social impact programs, including, without limitation, rural housing, manufactured housing, pools issued by State Housing Finance Authorities and bespoke impact mortgage-backed security pools. Additionally, BlackRock may consider specific criteria such as collateral targeted towards underserved populations and/or underserved regions as having a positive social impact. BlackRock will examine both quantitative metrics and qualitative details to measure the impact achieved. The impact-related criteria described above are not the sole considerations when making investment decisions for the fund, and the fund will make investments, including, but not limited to, to be announced (“TBA”) transactions, that do not meet the impact-related criteria. In addition, the fund may gain indirect exposure (through, including but not limited to, derivatives and investments in other investment companies) to issuers with exposures that are inconsistent with the impact-related criteria used by fund management. Securities purchased by the fund (except with respect to non-dollar denominated bonds) generally are rated in the highest rating category (AAA or Aaa) by at least one major rating agency or are determined by the fund management team to be of similar quality at the time of purchase. The fund may also invest up to 5% of its assets in dollar-denominated investment grade securities that are rated below the highest rating category at the time of purchase. In addition, the fund’s dollar-weighted average maturity will be between 3 and 10 years. The fund evaluates sectors of the bond market and individual securities within these sectors. The fund selects bonds from several sectors including: U.S. Treasuries and agency securities (including U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities), commercial and residential mortgage-backed securities, collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”), and other mortgage-related securities. The fund invests primarily in dollar-denominated bonds, but may invest up to 10% of its assets in non-dollar denominated bonds of issuers located outside of the United States. The fund’s investment in non-dollar denominated bonds may be on a currency hedged basis. Non-dollar denominated bonds purchased by the fund, at the time of purchase, are rated in the four highest rating categories by at least one major rating agency (Baa or better by Moody’s Investors |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
BlackRock Impact Mortgage Fund (continued) | Service,
Inc. (“Moody’s”) or BBB or better by S&P Global Ratings (“S&P”) or Fitch Ratings Inc. (“Fitch”)) or are determined by the fund management team to be of similar quality. Securities rated in any of
the four highest rating categories or determined by the fund management team to be of similar quality at the time of purchase are known as “investment grade” securities. The fund may buy or sell options or futures on a security or an index of securities, or enter into credit default swaps, interest rate or foreign currency transactions, including swaps, and forward contracts or similar instruments, such as TBA transactions or dollar rolls (collectively, commonly known as derivatives). The fund may seek to obtain market exposure to the securities in which it primarily invests by entering into a series of purchase and sale contracts or by using other investment techniques such as reverse repurchase agreements. The fund may engage in active and frequent trading of portfolio securities to achieve its primary investment strategies. |
BlackRock Inflation Protected Bond Portfolio | The
investment objective of the fund is to seek to maximize real return, consistent with preservation of real capital and prudent investment management. Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of its assets in inflation-indexed bonds of varying maturities issued by the U.S. and non-U.S. governments, their agencies or instrumentalities, and U.S. and non-U.S. corporations. The fund maintains an average portfolio duration that is within ±40% of the duration of the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Inflation Protected Securities Index (the benchmark). The fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in non-investment grade bonds (high yield or junk bonds) or securities of emerging market issuers. The fund may also invest up to 20% of its assets in non-dollar denominated securities of non-U.S. issuers, and may invest without limit in U.S. dollar denominated securities of non-U.S. issuers. The fund may seek to provide exposure to the investment returns of real assets that trade in the commodity markets through investment in commodity-linked derivative instruments and investment vehicles such as exchange-traded funds that exclusively invest in commodities and are designed to provide this exposure without direct investment in physical commodities. The fund may also gain exposure to commodity markets by investing up to 25% of its total assets in Cayman Inflation Protected Bond Portfolio, Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of the fund formed in the Cayman Islands, which invests primarily in commodity-related instruments. The fund also makes investments in residential and commercial mortgage-backed securities and other asset-backed securities. Non-investment grade bonds acquired by the fund will generally be in the lower rating categories of the major rating agencies (BB or lower by S&P Global Ratings or Ba or lower by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.) or will be determined by the management team to be of similar quality. Split rated bonds will be considered to have the higher credit rating. Split rated bonds are bonds that receive different ratings from two or more rating agencies. The fund may buy or sell options or futures, or enter into credit default swaps and interest rate or foreign currency transactions, including swaps (collectively, commonly known as derivatives). The fund may seek to obtain market exposure to the securities in which it primarily invests by entering into a series of purchase and sale contracts or by using other investment techniques (such as reverse repurchase agreements or dollar rolls). The fund may engage in active and frequent trading of portfolio securities to achieve its primary investment strategies. |
BlackRock Sustainable Emerging Markets Flexible Bond Fund | The
fund seeks maximum long term total return, while seeking to maintain certain environmental, governance and social (“ESG”) characteristics, climate risk exposure and climate opportunities relative to the fund’s benchmark. To determine the fund’s investable universe, fund management will first seek to screen out certain issuers based on ESG criteria determined by BlackRock, subject to the considerations noted below. Such screening criteria principally includes: (i) issuers that derive more than zero percent of revenue from the production of controversial weapons; (ii) issuers that derive more than zero percent of revenue from the production of civilian firearms; (iii) issuers that derive more than zero percent of revenue from direct involvement in the production of nuclear weapons or nuclear weapon components or delivery platforms, or the provision of auxiliary services related to nuclear weapons; |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
BlackRock Sustainable Emerging Markets Flexible Bond Fund (continued) | (iv)
issuers that derive more than zero percent of revenue from the production of tobacco-related products; (v) issuers that derive more than five percent of revenue from thermal coal generation, unless such issuers either (a) have made certain
commitments to reduce climate impact or (b) derive at least fifty percent of revenue from alternative energy sources; (vi) issuers that derive more than five percent of revenue from thermal coal mining; (vii) issuers that derive more than five
percent of revenue from oil sands extraction; and (viii) issuers identified as violators of the United Nations Global Compact, which are globally accepted principles covering corporate behavior in the areas of human rights, labor, environment, and
anti-corruption. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the fund may invest in green bonds of issuers that exceed the thresholds stated in (v), (vi) and (vii) above. The fund relies on one or more third-party ratings agencies to identify issuers for purposes of the above screening criteria. Third-party rating agencies may base the above screening criteria on an estimate when revenue for a covered business activity is not disclosed by the issuer or publicly available. The fund’s screening criteria is measured at the time of investment and is dependent upon information and data that may be incomplete, inaccurate, unavailable or estimated. Where the fund’s criteria looks solely to third-party ratings or data, issuers are only screened to the extent such ratings or data have been assigned or made available by the third parties. This screening criteria is subject to change over time at BlackRock’s discretion. In addition, the fund may gain indirect exposure (through, including but not limited to, derivatives and investments in other investment companies) to issuers with exposures that are inconsistent with the ESG-related criteria used by fund management. The fund seeks to maintain certain ESG characteristics, climate risk exposure and climate opportunities relative to a customized weighted index comprised of the J.P. Morgan GBI-EM Global Diversified (50%) and the J.P. Morgan EMBI Global Diversified (50%) (the “Benchmark”). Specifically, with respect to the fund’s investments, the fund generally seeks to invest in a portfolio that, in BlackRock’s view, (i) has an aggregate ESG assessment that is better than that of the Benchmark, (ii) has, with respect to corporate and quasi-sovereign issuers, which for these purposes are entities that are fully controlled or owned by the national government, an aggregate carbon emissions assessment that is lower than that of the Benchmark, and (iii) in the aggregate, includes issuers that BlackRock believes are better positioned to capture climate opportunities relative to the issuers in the Benchmark. fund management makes such assessments based on BlackRock’s fundamental research, which includes due diligence of ESG risks and opportunities facing an issuer, as well as third-party ESG ratings. The fund may invest in other sectors that are not included in such assessments. BlackRock utilizes a fundamental country and sector research and third-party ESG data in constructing the fund’s portfolio. The fund intends to invest primarily in issuers included in the J.P. Morgan ESG GBI-EM Global Diversified or the J.P. Morgan ESG EMBI Global Diversified Index, but may invest in issuers that are not included in such indexes. Each index applies an ESG scoring and screening methodology to tilt toward issuers ranked higher on ESG criteria and green bond issues, and to underweight and remove issuers that rank lower and is based on the J.P. Morgan GBI-EM Global Diversified and J.P. Morgan EMBI Global Diversified, as applicable. While fund management considers ESG characteristics as well as climate risk exposure and climate opportunities, fund management may, with respect to its investments, weigh such characteristics differently. The fund invests primarily in a global portfolio of fixed income securities and derivatives of any maturity of issuers located in emerging markets that may be denominated in any currency (on a hedged or un-hedged basis). BlackRock considers an emerging market country to include any country that is: 1) generally recognized to be an emerging market country by the international financial community, including the World Bank; 2) classified by the United Nations as a developing country; or 3) included in the J.P. Morgan GBI-EM Global Diversified. The fund will invest at least 80% of its assets in fixed income securities issued by governments, their political subdivisions (states, provinces and municipalities), agencies and companies tied economically to an emerging market. fund management considers securities to be tied economically to an emerging market if (1) the issuer is organized under the laws of or maintains its principal place of business in an emerging market country, (2) the issuer’s securities are traded principally in an emerging market country or (3) the issuer, during its most recent fiscal year, derived at least 50% of its revenues |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
BlackRock Sustainable Emerging Markets Flexible Bond Fund (continued) | or
profits from goods produced or sold, investments made, or services performed in an emerging market country or has at least 50% of its assets in an emerging market country. The fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in one country. The
80% policy noted above is a non-fundamental policy of the fund and may not be changed without 60 days’ prior notice to shareholders. The full spectrum of available investments, including non-investment grade (high yield or junk) securities (including distressed securities) or securities determined by fund management to be of similar credit quality, securities of small cap issuers and derivatives may be utilized in satisfying the fund’s 80% policy. It is possible that up to 100% of the fund’s assets may be invested in non-investment grade (high yield or junk) securities or securities determined by fund management to be of similar credit quality. Many of the countries in which the fund invests will have sovereign ratings that are below investment grade or will be unrated. The fund may gain exposure to currencies by investing in bonds of emerging market issuers denominated in any currency. The fund may also gain exposure to currencies through the use of cash and derivatives. The fund may also buy when-issued securities and participate in delayed delivery transactions. The fund is a non-diversified portfolio under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The management team may, when consistent with the fund’s investment objective, buy or sell options or futures, or enter into credit default swaps and interest rate or foreign currency transactions, including swaps (collectively, commonly known as derivatives). The fund typically uses derivatives as a substitute for taking a position in the underlying asset and/or as part of a strategy designed to reduce exposure to other risks, such as interest rate or currency risk. The fund may also use derivatives to enhance returns, in which case their use would involve leveraging risk. The fund may seek to obtain market exposure to the securities in which it primarily invests by entering into a series of purchase and sale contracts or by using other investment techniques (such as reverse repurchase agreements or dollar rolls, which involve a sale by the fund of a mortgage-backed or other security concurrently with an agreement by the fund to repurchase a similar security at a later date at an agreed-upon price). The fund may invest up to 10% of its assets in equity securities. The fund may engage in active and frequent trading of portfolio securities to achieve its primary investment strategies. |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
iShares 10+ Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. dollar-denominated investment-grade corporate bonds with remaining maturities greater than ten years. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the ICE® BofA® 10+ Year US Corporate Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of investment-grade corporate bonds of both U.S. and non-U.S. issuers that are U.S. dollar-denominated and publicly issued in the U.S. domestic market and have a remaining maturity of greater than or equal to ten years. As of February 28, 2023, there were 3,530 issues in the Underlying Index. As of February 28, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the healthcare and utilities industries or sectors. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. The Underlying Index consists of investment-grade corporate bonds of both U.S. and non-U.S. issuers that have a remaining maturity of greater than or equal to ten years, have been publicly issued in the U.S. domestic market, and have $250 million or more of |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
iShares 10+ Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (continued) | outstanding face value. ICE Data Indices, LLC deems securities as “investment grade” based on the average rating of Fitch Ratings, Inc. (BBB or better), Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (Baa or better) and/or Standard & Poor’s® Financial Services LLC, a subsidiary of S&P Global (BBB or better). In addition, the securities in the Underlying Index must be denominated in U.S. dollars and must be fixed-rate. Excluded from the Underlying Index are equity-linked securities, securities in legal default, hybrid securitized corporate bonds, Eurodollar bonds (U.S. dollar-denominated securities not issued in the U.S. domestic market), taxable and tax-exempt U.S. municipal securities and dividends-received-deduction-eligible securities. The Underlying Index is market capitalization-weighted, and the securities in the Underlying Index are updated on the last calendar day of each month. Under normal circumstances, the fund will seek to maintain a weighted average maturity that is greater than ten years. Weighted average maturity is a U.S. dollar-weighted average of the remaining term to maturity of the underlying securities in the fund’s portfolio. |
iShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bond ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. Treasury bonds with remaining maturities between one and three years. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the ICE® U.S. Treasury 1-3 Year Bond Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of public obligations of the U.S. Treasury that have a remaining maturity of greater than or equal to one year and less than three years. As of February 28, 2023, there were 94 issues in the Underlying Index. The Underlying Index consists of publicly-issued U.S. Treasury securities that have a remaining maturity of greater than or equal to one year and less than three years and have $300 million or more of outstanding face value, excluding amounts held by the Federal Reserve System. In addition, the securities in the Underlying Index must be fixed-rate and denominated in U.S. dollars. Excluded from the Underlying Index are inflation-linked securities, Treasury bills, cash management bills, any government agency debt issued with or without a government guarantee and zero-coupon issues that have been stripped from coupon-paying bonds. The Underlying Index is market value weighted, and the securities in the Underlying Index are updated on the last business day of each month. |
iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. Treasury bonds with remaining maturities greater than twenty years. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the ICE® U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Bond Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of public obligations of the U.S. Treasury that have a remaining maturity greater than or equal to twenty years. As of February 28, 2023, there were 40 issues in the Underlying Index. The Underlying Index consists of publicly-issued U.S. Treasury securities that have a remaining maturity greater than or equal to twenty years and have $300 million or more of outstanding face value, excluding amounts held by the Federal Reserve System. In addition, the securities in the Underlying Index must be fixed-rate and denominated in U.S. dollars. Excluded from the Underlying Index are inflation-linked securities, Treasury bills, cash management bills, any government agency debt issued with or without a government guarantee and zero-coupon issues that have been stripped from coupon-paying bonds. The Underlying Index is market value weighted, and the securities in the Underlying Index are updated on the last business day of each month. |
iShares 1-5 Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. dollar-denominated, investment-grade corporate bonds with remaining maturities between one and five years. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the ICE® BofA® 1-5 Year US Corporate Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of investment-grade corporate bonds of both U.S. and non-U.S. issuers that are U.S. dollar-denominated and publicly issued in the U.S. domestic market and have a remaining maturity of greater than or equal to one year and less than five years. As of February 28, 2023, there were 3,667 issues in the Underlying Index. As of February 28, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the financials industry or sector. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. The Underlying Index consists of investment-grade corporate bonds of both U.S. and non-U.S. issuers that have a remaining maturity of greater than or equal to one year and less than five years, have been publicly issued in the U.S. domestic market, and have $250 million or more of outstanding face value. ICE Data Indices, LLC deems securities |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
iShares 1-5 Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (continued) | as “investment grade” based on the average rating of Fitch Ratings, Inc. (BBB or better), Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (Baa or better) and/or Standard & Poor’s® Financial Services LLC, a subsidiary of S&P Global (BBB or better). In addition, the securities in the Underlying Index must be denominated in U.S. dollars and must be fixed-rate. Excluded from the Underlying Index are equity-linked securities, securities in legal default, hybrid securitized corporate bonds, Eurodollar bonds (U.S. dollar-denominated securities not issued in the U.S. domestic market), taxable and tax-exempt U.S. municipal securities and dividends-received-deduction-eligible securities. The Underlying Index is market capitalization-weighted, and the securities in the Underlying Index are updated on the last calendar day of each month. Under normal circumstances, the fund will seek to maintain a weighted average maturity that is less than or equal to three years. Weighted average maturity is a U.S. dollar-weighted average of the remaining term to maturity of the underlying securities in the fund’s portfolio. |
iShares Broad USD Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. dollar-denominated investment-grade corporate bonds. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the ICE® BofA® US Corporate Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of investment-grade corporate bonds of both U.S. and non-U.S. issuers that are U.S. dollar-denominated and publicly issued in the U.S. domestic market. As of February 28, 2023, there were 9,831 issues in the Underlying Index. As of February 28, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the financials industry or sector. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. The Underlying Index consists of investment-grade corporate bonds of both U.S. and non-U.S. issuers that have a remaining maturity of greater than or equal to one year, have been publicly issued in the U.S. domestic market, and have $250 million or more of outstanding face value. ICE Data Indices, LLC deems securities as “investment grade” based on the average rating of Fitch Ratings, Inc. (BBB or better), Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (Baa or better) and/or Standard & Poor’s® Financial Services LLC, a subsidiary of S&P Global (BBB or better). In addition, the securities in the Underlying Index must be denominated in U.S. dollars and must be fixed-rate. Excluded from the Underlying Index are equity-linked securities, securities in legal default, hybrid securitized corporate bonds, Eurodollar bonds (U.S. dollar-denominated securities not issued in the U.S. domestic market), taxable and tax-exempt U.S. municipal securities and dividends-received-deduction-eligible securities. The Underlying Index is market capitalization-weighted, and the securities in the Underlying Index are updated on the last calendar day of each month. |
iShares 5-10 Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. dollar-denominated investment-grade corporate bonds with remaining maturities between five and ten years. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the ICE® BofA® 5-10 Year US Corporate Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of investment-grade corporate bonds of both U.S. and non-U.S. issuers that are U.S. dollar-denominated and publicly issued in the U.S. domestic market and have a remaining maturity of greater than or equal to five years and less than ten years. As of February 28, 2023, there were 2,634 issues in the Underlying Index. As of February 28, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the financials industry or sector. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. The Underlying Index consists of investment-grade corporate bonds of both U.S. and non-U.S. issuers that have a remaining maturity of greater than or equal to five years and less than ten years, have been publicly issued in the U.S. domestic market, and have $250 million or more of outstanding face value. ICE Data Indices, LLC deems securities as “investment grade” based on the average rating of Fitch Ratings, Inc. (BBB or better), Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (Baa or better) and/or Standard & Poor’s® Financial Services LLC, a subsidiary of S&P Global (BBB or better). In addition, the securities in the Underlying Index must be denominated in U.S. dollars and must be fixed-rate. Excluded from the Underlying Index are equity-linked securities, securities in legal default, hybrid securitized corporate bonds, Eurodollar bonds (U.S. dollar-denominated securities not issued in the U.S. domestic market), taxable and tax-exempt U.S. municipal securities and dividends-received-deduction-eligible securities. The Underlying Index is market capitalization-weighted, and the securities in the Underlying Index are updated on the last calendar day of each month. Under normal circumstances, the fund |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
iShares 5-10 Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (continued) | will seek to maintain a weighted average maturity that is greater than three years and lower than 10 years. Weighted average maturity is a U.S. dollar-weighted average of the remaining term to maturity of the underlying securities in the fund’s portfolio. |
iShares Select Dividend ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of relatively high dividend paying U.S. equities. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the Dow Jones U.S. Select Dividend Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of the U.S.’s leading stocks by dividend yield. Dividend yield is calculated using a stock’s indicated annual dividend (not including any special dividends) divided by its price. The Underlying Index is composed of 100 of the highest dividend-yielding securities (excluding real estate investment trusts) in the Dow Jones U.S. Index, a broad-based index representative of the total market for U.S. equity securities. To be included in the Underlying Index, each security (i) must have a dividend per share greater than or equal to its five-year average dividend per share; (ii) must have a five-year average dividend coverage ratio of greater than or equal to 167%; (iii) must have a three-month average daily trading volume of 200,000 shares (100,000 shares for current constituents); (iv) must have paid dividends in each of the previous five years; (v) must have a non-negative trailing 12 month earnings per share; and (vi) must have a float-adjusted market cap of at least $3 billion ($2 billion for current constituents). The Underlying Index is reviewed quarterly and rebalanced annually. The Underlying Index includes large-, mid- and small-capitalization companies and may change over time. As of April 30, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the financials and utilities industries or sectors. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. |
iShares U.S. Real Estate ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. equities in the real estate sector. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the Dow Jones U.S. Real Estate Capped Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of the real estate sector of the U.S. equity market, as defined by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (“SPDJI”). The Underlying Index uses a capping methodology to limit the weight of the securities of any single issuer (as determined by SPDJI) to a maximum of 10% of the Underlying Index. Additionally, the Underlying Index constrains at each quarterly review: (i) the weight of any single issuer to a maximum of 10%, and (ii) the aggregate weight of all issuers that individually exceed 4.50% of the index weight to a maximum of 22.50%. Between scheduled quarterly index reviews, the Underlying Index is rebalanced at the end of any day on which all issuers that individually constitute more than 5% of the weight of the Underlying Index constitute more than 25% of the weight of the Underlying Index in the aggregate. In implementing this capping methodology, SPDJI may consider two or more companies as belonging to the same issuer where there is reasonable evidence of common control. As of March 31, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the real estate investment trust industry or sector. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. |
iShares International Select Dividend ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of relatively high dividend paying equities in non-U.S. developed markets. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the Dow Jones EPAC Select Dividend Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of 100 high dividend-paying companies in the EPAC (Europe, Pacific, Asia and Canada) region, which covers developed markets excluding the U.S. Dividend yield is calculated using a stock’s indicated annual dividend (not including any special dividends) divided by its price. S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (“SPDJI”) begins with the S&P EPAC BMI and the S&P Canada BMI indices, excluding real estate investment trusts. SPDJI selects new constituents based on the following criteria: (i) the company must have paid dividends in each of the previous three years; (ii) the company’s current year trailing twelve months dividend per share ratio must be greater than or equal to its three-year average dividend per share ratio; (iii) the company’s five-year average dividend coverage ratio must be greater than or equal to two-thirds of the five-year average dividend coverage ratio of the corresponding S&P BMI® country index, or greater than 118%, whichever is greater; (iv) the company’s securities must have a three-month average daily dollar trading value |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
iShares International Select Dividend ETF (continued) | of
at least $3 million; (v) the company’s securities must have a non-negative trailing 12-month earnings per share (EPS); and (vi) the company’s securities must have a float-adjusted market capitalization of at least $1 billion. SPDJI next
ranks the stocks based on dividend yield and selects 100 constituents by first including all existing constituents ranked in the top 200 and next by selecting non-constituent stocks in rank order. The Underlying Index is weighted based on dividend
yield. However, SPDJI applies a capping methodology that limits the dividend yield values used to calculate constituent weights to 20%, the weights of individual securities to the lower of 10% or five times the constituent’s float-adjusted
market capitalization weight, and the aggregate weight of constituents within each Global Industry Classification Standard sector and each country of domicile to 30%. The Underlying Index is reviewed annually; however, component changes may take
place on a monthly basis. As of April 30, 2023, the Underlying Index was composed of securities of companies in the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The fund invests in non-U.S. securities, which may in some cases not produce qualifying dividend income. The Underlying Index includes large-, mid- and small-capitalization companies and may change over time. As of April 30, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the financials, industrials and utilities industries or sectors. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. |
iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. dollar-denominated, investment-grade floating rate bonds with remaining maturities between one month and five years. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the Bloomberg US Floating Rate Note < 5 Years Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of U.S. dollar-denominated, investment-grade (as determined by Bloomberg Index Services Limited) floating rate notes. Securities in the Underlying Index have a remaining maturity of greater than or equal to one month and less than five years, and have $300 million or more of outstanding face value. As of October 31, 2022, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the financials industry or sector. As of October 31, 2022, the Underlying Index was composed of securities of companies in the following countries or regions: Australia, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the U.S. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. The Underlying Index consists of debt instruments that pay a variable coupon rate, based on a reference rate such as the 3-month London Interbank Offered Rate or the Secured Overnight Financing Rate and a fixed spread. The Underlying Index is market capitalization-weighted and the securities in the Underlying Index are updated on the last calendar day of each month. The Underlying Index may include U.S. registered, dollar-denominated bonds of non-U.S. corporations, governments and supranational entities. |
iShares International Developed Real Estate ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of real estate equities in developed non-U.S. markets. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the FTSE EPRA Nareit Developed ex US Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of companies engaged in the ownership, trading and development of income-producing real estate in the developed real estate markets (except for the U.S.) as defined by FTSE EPRA Nareit. As of April 30, 2023, the Underlying Index was composed of securities of companies in the following countries or regions: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. As of April 30, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index includes companies offering various real estate services, real estate operating companies and real estate investment trusts. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. |
iShares Mortgage Real Estate ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) that hold U.S. residential and commercial mortgages. |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
iShares Mortgage Real Estate ETF (continued) | The fund seeks to track the investment results of the FTSE Nareit All Mortgage Capped Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of the residential and commercial mortgage real estate, mortgage finance and savings associations sectors of the U.S. equity market, as defined by FTSE International Limited (“FTSE”). The Underlying Index generally measures the performance of the residential and commercial mortgage real estate sector and generally invests all of its assets in REITs. If the number of constituents in the Underlying Index falls below 20, FTSE will consider companies from the mortgage finance and savings associations sectors for inclusion in the Underlying Index, and each company in the mortgage finance and savings associations sectors will be capped at 3% of the Underlying Index, and these sectors in the aggregate will not exceed 30% of the Underlying Index. As of March 31, 2023, approximately 100% of the market capitalization of the Underlying Index is represented by REITs. As of March 31, 2023, the Underlying Index includes 33 component securities. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. |
iShares Core High Dividend ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of relatively high dividend paying U.S. equities. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the Morningstar® Dividend Yield Focus IndexSM (the “Underlying Index”), which offers exposure to high quality U.S.-domiciled companies that have had strong financial health and an ability to sustain above average dividend payouts. The Underlying Index is a subset of the Morningstar® US Market IndexSM, a broad market index that represents approximately 97% of the market capitalization of publicly traded U.S. stocks. The Underlying Index is composed of qualified income-paying securities that are screened for superior company quality and financial health as determined by Morningstar, Inc.’s (“Morningstar”) proprietary index methodology. Stocks in the Underlying Index represent the top 75 high-yielding stocks meeting the screening requirements. The Morningstar index methodology determines “company quality” in accordance with the Morningstar Economic MoatTM rating system, in which companies are assigned a moat rating of “none,”“narrow” or “wide” based on the prospect of earning above average returns on capital and the strength of the company’s competitive advantage. Additionally, companies are screened for “financial health” using Morningstar’s Distance to Default measure, a quantitative option pricing approach that estimates a company’s probability of default. To qualify for inclusion in the Underlying Index, constituents must have a Morningstar Economic Moat rating of “narrow” or “wide” and have a Morningstar Distance to Default score in the top 50% of eligible dividend-paying companies within their sector. Companies that are not assigned a Morningstar Economic Moat rating must have a Morningstar Distance to Default score in the top 30% of eligible dividend-paying companies within their sector. Additionally, each constituent’s dividend must be deemed to be qualified income. The Underlying Index may include large-, mid-and small-capitalization companies and may change over time. As of April 30, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the energy and healthcare industries or sectors. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. |
iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. dollar-denominated, high yield corporate bonds. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the Markit iBoxx® USD Liquid High Yield Index (the “Underlying Index”), which is a rules-based index consisting of U.S. dollar-denominated, high yield (as determined by Markit Indices Limited (“Markit”)) corporate bonds for sale in the U.S. The Underlying Index is designed to provide a broad representation of the U.S. dollar-denominated liquid high yield corporate bond market. The Underlying Index is a modified market-value weighted index with a cap on each issuer of 3%. There is no limit to the number of issues in the Underlying Index. As of February 28, 2023, the Underlying Index included approximately 1,175 constituents. As of February 28, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the consumer services industry or sector. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. Bonds in the Underlying Index are selected from the universe of eligible bonds in the Markit iBoxx USD Corporate Bond Index using defined rules. As of the date of the fund’s prospectus, the bonds eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index include U.S. dollar-denominated high yield corporate bonds that: (i) are issued by companies domiciled in countries classified as developed markets by Markit; (ii) have an average rating of sub-investment grade (ratings from Fitch Ratings, Inc., Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (continued) | Standard & Poor’s® Global Ratings, a subsidiary of S&P Global are considered; if more than one agency provides a rating, the average rating is attached to the bond); (iii) are from issuers with at least $1 billion outstanding face value; (iv) have at least $400 million of outstanding face value; (v) have an original maturity date of less than 15 years; (vi) have at least one year to maturity; and (vii) have at least one year and 6 months to maturity for new index insertions. |
iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. dollar-denominated, investment-grade corporate bonds. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the Markit iBoxx® USD Liquid Investment Grade Index (the “Underlying Index”), which is a rules-based index consisting of U.S. dollar-denominated, investment-grade (as determined by Markit Indices Limited (“Markit”)) corporate bonds for sale in the U.S. The Underlying Index is designed to provide a broad representation of the U.S. dollar-denominated liquid investment-grade corporate bond market. The Underlying Index is a modified market-value weighted index with a cap on each issuer of 3%. There is no limit to the number of issues in the Underlying Index. As of February 28, 2023, the Underlying Index included approximately 2,570 constituents. As of February 28, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the financials industry or sector. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. The Underlying Index is a subset of the Markit iBoxx USD Corporate Bond Index, which as of February 28, 2023 is an index of 7,573 investment-grade bonds. Bonds in the Underlying Index are selected from the universe of eligible bonds in the Markit iBoxx USD Corporate Bond Index using defined rules. As of the date of the fund’s prospectus, the bonds eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index consist of U.S. dollar-denominated corporate bonds that: (i) are issued by companies domiciled in countries classified as developed markets by Markit; (ii) have an average rating of investment grade (ratings from Fitch Ratings, Inc., Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or Standard & Poor’s® Global Ratings, a subsidiary of S&P Global are considered; if more than one agency provides a rating, the average rating is attached to the bond); (iii) are from issuers with at least $2 billion outstanding face value; (iv) have at least $750 million of outstanding face value; (v) have at least three years to maturity; and (vi) have at least three years and 6 months to maturity for new index insertions. |
iShares Emerging Markets Dividend ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of relatively high dividend paying equities in emerging markets. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the Dow Jones Emerging Markets Select Dividend Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of 100 leading dividend-paying emerging-market companies, selected by dividend yield subject to screening and buffering criteria. Dividend yield is calculated using a stock’s indicated annual dividend (not including any special dividends) divided by its price. The starting universe for the Underlying Index is the S&P Emerging BMI, excluding real estate investment trusts. As of April 30, 2023, the Underlying Index consisted of issuers in the following countries: Brazil, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Greece, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, the Philippines, Poland, Qatar, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates. The Underlying Index includes large-, mid- and small-capitalization companies and may change over time. As of April 30, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the basic materials and financials industries or sectors. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. |
iShares J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of local currency denominated, emerging market sovereign bonds. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the J.P. Morgan GBI-EM Global Diversified 15% Cap 4.5% Floor Index (the “Underlying Index”), which tracks the performance of local currency-denominated sovereign bond markets of emerging market countries. All bonds included in the Underlying Index are selected according to a set of rule-based inclusion criteria regarding issue size, bond type, maturity, and liquidity. The securities included in the Underlying Index are rebalanced on the last weekday of the month. Eligible countries included in the Underlying Index are determined by JPMorgan Chase & Co. or its affiliates (“J.P. Morgan”) based on J.P. Morgan’s definition of emerging market countries. |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
iShares J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF (continued) | Eligible
issuer countries must have (1) gross national income (“GNI”) below the Index Income Ceiling (“IIC”) for three consecutive years or (2) an Index Purchasing Power Parity Ratio (the “IPR”) below the EM IPR
threshold, each as defined by J.P. Morgan, for three consecutive years. An existing country may be considered for removal from the Underlying Index if its GNI per capita is above the IIC for three consecutive years and its long-term sovereign credit
rating from Standard & Poor’s Global Ratings, Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., and Fitch Ratings, Inc. is A-/A3/A- or above for three consecutive years. For purposes of compiling the Underlying Index, individual country weights are
capped at maximum 15% and floored at minimum 4.5%. Eligible individual securities must have a minimum face amount outstanding of U.S. $1 billion equivalent for onshore local currency bonds and U.S. $500 million for global bonds (offshore currency
linked bonds). All component securities must have at least 2.5 years to maturity from the inclusion date and a remaining maturity of 6 months or greater at the time of rebalancing to remain eligible for the Underlying Index. Floating-rate issues, capitalization/amortizing bonds, and bonds with callable, puttable or convertible features are not eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index. As of October 31, 2022, the Underlying Index included securities issued by Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Romania, Serbia, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey and Uruguay. |
iShares J.P. Morgan USD Emerging Markets Bond ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. dollar-denominated, emerging market bonds. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the J.P. Morgan EMBI® Global Core Index (the “Underlying Index”), which is a broad, diverse U.S. dollar-denominated emerging markets debt benchmark that tracks the total return of actively traded external debt instruments in emerging market countries. The methodology is designed to distribute the weight of each country within the Underlying Index by limiting the weights of countries with higher debt outstanding and reallocating this excess to countries with lower debt outstanding. The Underlying Index was composed of 57 countries as of October 31, 2022. As of October 31, 2022, the Underlying Index’s five highest weighted countries were Indonesia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. The Underlying Index may change its composition and weighting monthly upon rebalancing. The Underlying Index includes both fixed-rate and floating-rate instruments issued by sovereign and quasi-sovereign entities from index-eligible countries. Quasi-sovereign entities are defined as entities that are 100% guaranteed or 100% owned by the national government and reside in the index-eligible country. To be considered for inclusion in the Underlying Index, instruments must (i) be denominated in U.S. dollars, (ii) have a current face amount outstanding of $1 billion or more, (iii) have at least 2.5 years until maturity to be eligible for inclusion and, at each subsequent rebalance, have at least one year until maturity to remain in the index, (iv) be able to settle internationally through Euroclear or another institution domiciled outside the issuing country and (v) have bid and offer prices that are available on a daily and timely basis sourced from a third party valuation vendor. As of October 31, 2022, the Underlying Index consisted of both investment-grade and non-investment-grade bonds (commonly referred to as “junk bonds”), each as defined by JPMorgan Chase & Co. (“J.P. Morgan”). Convertible bonds are not eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index. The Underlying Index is market value-weighted and is rebalanced monthly on the last business day of the month. Eligible issuer countries must have (1) gross national income (“GNI”) below the Index Income Ceiling (“IIC”) for three consecutive years or (2) an Index Purchasing Power Parity Ratio (the “IPR”) below the emerging market IPR threshold, each as defined by J.P. Morgan, for three consecutive years. |
iShares Europe ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of European equities. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the S&P Europe 350TM (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of the securities of leading companies in the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The market capitalization of constituent companies is adjusted to reflect the available float and, if necessary, any foreign investment restrictions. The stocks in the Underlying Index are chosen by S&P Dow Jones Indices |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
iShares Europe ETF (continued) | LLC (“SPDJI”) for market size, liquidity, industry group representation and geographic diversity. The Underlying Index is a subset of the S&P Global 1200, which is designed to measure the performance of large-capitalization stocks from major global markets, as determined by SPDJI. As of March 31, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the financials and healthcare industries or sectors. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. |
iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of large- and mid-capitalization equities from developed market countries that use the euro as their official currency. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the MSCI EMU Index (the “Underlying Index”), which consists of securities from the following 10 developed market countries: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. The Underlying Index includes large- and mid-capitalization companies and may change over time. As of August 31, 2022, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the consumer discretionary and industrials industries or sectors. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. |
iShares CMBS ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of investment-grade commercial mortgage-backed securities. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the Bloomberg U.S. CMBS (ERISA Only) Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of investment-grade (as determined by Bloomberg Index Services Limited) commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”), which are classes of securities (known as “certificates”) that represent interests in “pools” of commercial mortgages. The Underlying Index includes only CMBS that are Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”) eligible under the underwriter’s exemption, which will deem ERISA eligible the certificates with the first priority of principal repayment, as long as certain conditions are met, including the requirement that the certificates be rated in one of the three highest rating categories by Fitch Ratings, Inc., Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or S&P Global Ratings. The Underlying Index includes investment-grade CMBS that are ERISA eligible with $300 million or more of aggregate outstanding transaction size. In addition, the original aggregate transaction must be $500 million or more and the tranche size must be $25 million or more. CMBS certificates must have an expected life of at least one year and must be either fixed-rate or subject to an interest rate cap equal to the weighted average coupon of the underlying asset pool. Excluded from the Underlying Index are non-ERISA eligible securities, agency transactions and privately issued securities, including those which may be resold in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The securities in the Underlying Index are updated on the last calendar day of each month. |
iShares MBS ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of investment-grade mortgage-backed pass-through securities issued and/or guaranteed by U.S. government agencies. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the Bloomberg U.S. MBS Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of investment-grade (as determined by Bloomberg Index Services Limited) mortgage-backed pass-through securities (“MBS”) issued or guaranteed by U.S. government agencies or sponsored entities. The Underlying Index includes fixed-rate MBS issued by the Government National Mortgage Association, Federal National Mortgage Association and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation that have 30-, 20-, or 15-year maturities. All securities in the Underlying Index must have a remaining weighted average maturity of at least one year. In addition, the securities in the Underlying Index must be denominated in U.S. dollars and must be non-convertible. The Underlying Index is market capitalization-weighted and the securities in the Underlying Index are updated on the last business day of each month. As of February 28, 2023, approximately 100% of the bonds represented in the Underlying Index were U.S. agency MBS. Most transactions in MBS occur through standardized contracts for future delivery in which the exact mortgage pools to be delivered are not specified until a few days prior to settlement (to-be-announced transactions). The fund may enter into such contracts for fixed-rate pass-through securities on a regular basis. The fund, pending settlement of such contracts, will invest |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
iShares MBS ETF (continued) | its assets in liquid, short-term instruments, including shares of money market funds advised by BlackRock Fund Advisors or its affiliates. The fund will assume its pro rata share of the fees and expenses of any money market fund that it may invest in, in addition to the fund’s own fees and expenses. The fund may also acquire interests in mortgage pools through means other than such standardized contracts for future delivery. |
iShares International Developed Property ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of real estate equities in developed non-U.S. markets. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the S&P Developed ex-U.S. Property IndexTM (the “Underlying Index”), which is a free float-adjusted, market capitalization-weighted index that defines and measures the investable universe of publicly traded property companies domiciled in developed countries outside of the U.S. The Underlying Index includes large-, mid- and small-capitalization companies and may change over time. As of March 31, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the real estate industry or sector. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. As of March 31, 2023, the Underlying Index was comprised of securities of companies in the following countries or regions: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. |
iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. dollar-denominated preferred and hybrid securities. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the ICE Exchange-Listed Preferred & Hybrid Securities Index (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of a select group of exchange-listed, U.S. dollar-denominated preferred securities, hybrid securities and convertible preferred securities listed on the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Capital Market. The Underlying Index includes issuances of preferred stocks with amounts outstanding over $100 million, convertible preferred stock with at least $50 million face amount outstanding, and hybrid securities with at least $250 million face amount outstanding, that meet minimum maturity and other requirements, as applicable, as determined by ICE Data Indices, LLC. In general, preferred stock is a class of equity security that pays a specified dividend that must be paid before any dividends can be paid to common stockholders and takes precedence over common stock in the event of a company’s liquidation. In general, a “hybrid” security refers to a security which combines both debt and equity characteristics. In general, hybrid securities included in the Underlying Index, like traditional preferred stock, have preference over the common stock within an issuer’s capital structure, and are issued and traded in a similar manner to traditional preferred stock. Like debt securities and preferred stock (but unlike common stock), issuers of hybrid securities included in the Underlying Index may make fixed, periodic payments to the holders of such securities. Like preferred stock, issuers of hybrid securities included in the Underlying Index have the ability to defer dividend payments and to extend such securities’ maturity dates. Although preferred stocks represent a partial ownership interest in a company, preferred stocks generally do not carry voting rights. Preferred stocks have economic characteristics similar to fixed-income securities. Preferred stocks and hybrid securities generally are issued with a fixed par value and pay dividends based on a percentage of that par value at a fixed or variable rate. Additionally, preferred stocks and hybrid securities often have a liquidation value that generally equals the original purchase price of such security at the date of issuance. The Underlying Index may include many different categories of preferred stock and hybrid securities, such as floating and fixed rate preferreds, fixed-to-floating rate securities, callable preferreds, convertible preferreds, cumulative and non-cumulative preferreds, certain capital securities, trust preferreds or various other preferred stock and hybrid securities. The total allocation to an individual issuer across the entire Underlying Index is limited to 4.75%. The Underlying Index uses a market capitalization weighted methodology subject to certain constraints and is rebalanced monthly. |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF (continued) | The Underlying Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies and includes preferred stocks and hybrid securities of non-U.S. issuers. As of March 31, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the financials industry or sector. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. |
iShares 0-5 Year High Yield Corporate Bond ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. dollar-denominated, high yield corporate bonds with remaining maturities of less than five years. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the Markit iBoxx® USD Liquid High Yield 0-5 Index (the “Underlying Index”), which is designed to reflect the performance of U.S. dollar-denominated high yield (as determined by Markit Indices Limited (“Markit”)) corporate debt. High yield bonds are also known as “junk bonds” and are generally rated below investment-grade. The Underlying Index offers exposure to liquid (according to Markit’s liquidity screens, which could vary from other measures of liquidity) U.S. dollar-denominated high yield corporate bonds maturing between zero and five years and is rebalanced on a monthly basis. Only bonds with $350 million minimum face value per bond are included in the Underlying Index, provided they are trading at a minimum price in accordance with Markit’s liquidity screens. The Underlying Index uses a market-value weighted methodology with a cap on each issuer of 3%. As of October 31, 2022, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the consumer services and industrials industries or sectors. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. |
iShares Core S&P 500 ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of large-capitalization U.S. equities. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the S&P 500 (the “Underlying Index”), which measures the performance of the large-capitalization sector of the U.S. equity market, as determined by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC. As of March 31, 2023, the Underlying Index included approximately 85% of the market capitalization of all publicly traded U.S. equity securities. The securities in the Underlying Index are weighted based on the float-adjusted market value of their outstanding shares. The Underlying Index consists of securities from a broad range of industries. As of March 31, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the information technology industry or sector. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. |
iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. large- and mid-capitalization stocks with value characteristics and relatively lower valuations. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the MSCI USA Enhanced Value Index (the “Underlying Index”), which is based on a traditional market capitalization-weighted parent index, the MSCI USA Index (the “Parent Index”). The Parent Index includes U.S. large- and mid-capitalization stocks, as defined by MSCI Inc. (“MSCI”). The Underlying Index is designed to measure the performance of securities in the Parent Index that exhibit higher value characteristics relative to their peers within the corresponding Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS®) sector. To construct the Underlying Index, MSCI calculates a “value score” for each security in the Parent Index using three variables: price-to-book value, price-to-forward earnings and enterprise value-to-cash flow from operations. MSCI assigns weights by multiplying a component’s value score by its market capitalization. Weights in the Underlying Index are next normalized so that sectors in the Underlying Index represent the same weight as in the Parent Index. MSCI uses an algorithm to determine the number of components in the Underlying Index based on the number of constituents in the Parent Index. The number of components is evaluated semi-annually. As of July 31, 2022, there were 150 securities in the Underlying Index. As of July 31, 2022, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the technology industry or sector. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. |
iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF | The
fund seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. equities with a history of consistently growing dividends. The fund seeks to track the investment results of the Morningstar® US Dividend Growth IndexSM (the “Underlying Index”), which is a dividend dollar-weighted index that seeks to measure the performance of U.S. companies selected based on a consistent history of growing dividends. The Underlying Index is a subset of the Morningstar® US Market |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (continued) | Index SM, which is a broad market index that represents approximately 97% of the market capitalization of publicly traded U.S. stocks. Eligible companies must pay a qualified dividend, must have at least five years of uninterrupted annual dividend growth and their earnings payout ratio must be less than 75%. Companies that are in the top decile based on dividend yield are excluded from the Underlying Index prior to the dividend growth and payout ratio screens. The Underlying Index may include large-, mid- and small-capitalization companies and may change over time. As of April 30, 2023, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the financials, healthcare and technology industries or sectors. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
TempFund | The
investment objective of the fund is to seek as high a level of current income as is consistent with liquidity and stability of principal. The fund invests in a broad range of U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments, including government, U.S. and foreign bank, and commercial obligations and repurchase agreements. The fund invests in securities maturing in 397 days or less (with certain exceptions) and the portfolio will have a dollar-weighted average maturity of 60 days or less and a dollar-weighted average life of 120 days or less. In addition, the fund may invest in mortgage‑ and asset-backed securities, short-term obligations issued by or on behalf of states, territories and possessions of the United States, the District of Columbia, and their respective authorities, agencies, instrumentalities and political subdivisions and derivative securities such as beneficial interests in municipal trust certificates and partnership trusts. The fund may also invest in variable and floating rate instruments, and transact in securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis. The securities purchased by the fund are subject to the quality, diversification, and other requirements of Rule 2a‑7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and other rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund will only purchase securities that present minimal credit risk as determined by BlackRock, the fund’s investment manager, pursuant to guidelines approved by the trust’s Board of Trustees. |
T-Fund | The
investment objective of the fund is to seek current income as is consistent with liquidity and stability of principal. The fund invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, U.S. Treasury bills, notes and other obligations issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Treasury, and repurchase agreements secured by such obligations or cash. The fund invests in securities maturing in 397 days or less (with certain exceptions) and the portfolio will have a dollar-weighted average maturity of 60 days or less and a dollar-weighted average life of 120 days or less. The fund may invest in variable and floating rate instruments, and transact in securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis. The fund will invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in U.S. Treasury bills, notes and other obligations of the U.S. Treasury, and repurchase agreements secured by such obligations. This policy is a non-fundamental policy of the fund and the fund will not change the policy without providing shareholders with at least 60 days’ prior notice of any change in the policy. The securities purchased by the fund are subject to the quality, diversification, and other requirements of Rule 2a‑7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and other rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund will only purchase securities that present minimal credit risk as determined by BlackRock, the fund’s investment manager, pursuant to guidelines approved by the trust’s Board of Trustees. |
JPMorgan U.S. Treasury Plus Money Market Fund | The
fund seeks current income with liquidity and stability of principal. Under normal conditions, the fund invests its assets exclusively in: obligations of the U.S. Treasury, including Treasury bills, bonds and notes and other obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury, and repurchase agreements fully collateralized by U.S. Treasury securities. The debt securities described above carry different interest rates, maturities and issue dates. |
Fund Name | Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies |
JPMorgan U.S. Treasury Plus Money Market Fund (continued) | The
fund is a money market fund managed in the following manner: The fund seeks to maintain a net asset value of $1.00 per share. The dollar-weighted average maturity of the fund will be 60 days or less and the dollar-weighted average life to maturity
will be 120 days or less. The fund will only buy securities that have remaining maturities of 397 days or less or securities otherwise permitted to be purchased because of maturity shortening provisions under applicable regulation. The fund invests
only in U.S. dollar-denominated securities. The fund seeks to invest in securities that present minimal credit risk. The fund will generally hold a portion of its assets in cash, primarily to meet redemptions. The fund intends to continue to qualify as a “government money market fund,” as such term is defined in or interpreted under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. “Government money market funds” are required to invest at least 99.5% of their assets in (i) cash, (ii) securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or (iii) repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully, and are exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a liquidity fee and/or temporary redemption gates. While the fund’s Board of Trustees may elect to subject the fund to liquidity fee and gate requirements in the future, it has not elected to do so at this time. A government money market fund may also include investments in other government money market funds as an eligible investment for purposes of the 99.5% requirement above. The fund’s adviser seeks to develop an appropriate portfolio by considering the differences in yields among securities of different maturities and issue dates. |
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) clients of private banks that purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary that has entered into an agreement with the Distributor to sell such shares; (v) 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 (vi) 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. There is no minimum initial investment requirement for any Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans or any other eligible investors other than Institutional Investors. There is no minimum investment amount for additional purchases. |
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, Investor P, Institutional, Class K and Premier Shares in most mutual funds sponsored and advised by BlackRock or its affiliates (“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. For Institutional Investors, there is a $5 million minimum initial investment for all accounts. |
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. The Fund may reject any order to buy shares and may suspend the sale of shares at any time. Certain Financial Intermediaries may charge a processing fee to confirm a purchase. |
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: Purchase by Telephone: Call the Fund at (800) 537-4942 and speak with one of our representatives. The Fund has the right to reject any telephone request for any reason. Purchase by Internet: You may purchase your shares, and view activity in your account, by logging onto the BlackRock website at www.blackrock.com. Purchases made on the Internet using the Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) will have a trade date that is the day after the purchase is made. Certain institutional clients’ purchase orders placed by wire prior to the close of business on the NYSE will be priced at the net asset value determined that day. Contact your Financial Intermediary or BlackRock for further information. Limits on amounts that may be purchased via Internet may vary. For additional information call BlackRock at (800) 537-4942. Please read the On-Line Services Disclosure Statement and User Agreement, the Terms and Conditions page and the Consent to Electronic Delivery Agreement (if you consent to electronic delivery), before attempting to transact online. The Fund employs reasonable procedures to confirm that transactions entered over the Internet are genuine. By entering into the User Agreement with the Fund in order to open an account through the website, the shareholder waives any right to reclaim any losses from the Fund or any of its affiliates incurred through fraudulent activity. | |
Acquire
additional shares by reinvesting dividends and capital gains |
All dividends and capital gains distributions are automatically reinvested in shares of the Fund at net asset value. 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. If you are not purchasing shares through an Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plan, payment for shares must normally 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. Payment may also, at the discretion of the Fund, be made in the form of securities that are permissible investments for the respective fund. If payment is not received by this time, the order will be canceled and you and your Financial Intermediary will be responsible for any loss to the Fund. |
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. If you did not purchase your shares through an Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plan, you can make redemption requests through your Financial Intermediary. The price of Class K 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. Regardless of the method the Fund uses to make payment of your redemption proceeds (check or wire), your redemption proceeds typically will be sent one to two business days after your request is submitted, but in any event, within seven days. Certain Financial Intermediaries may charge a fee to process a redemption of shares. The Fund may reject an order to sell shares under certain circumstances. |
Selling
shares held directly with BlackRock |
Methods
of Redeeming if You Did Not Purchase Your Shares Through an Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plan Redeem by Telephone: You may sell shares held at BlackRock by telephone request. Call (800) 537-4942 for details. The Fund, its administrators and the Distributor will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by telephone are genuine. The Fund and its service providers will not be liable for any loss, liability, cost or expense for acting upon telephone instructions |
Your Choices | Important Information for You to Know | |
Full or Partial Redemption of Shares (continued) | Selling
shares held directly with BlackRock (continued) |
that
are reasonably believed to be genuine in accordance with such procedures. The Fund may refuse a telephone redemption request if it believes it is advisable to do so. During periods of substantial economic or market change, telephone redemptions may be difficult to complete. Please find below alternative redemption methods. Redeem by Internet: You may redeem in your account, by logging onto the BlackRock website at www.blackrock.com. Proceeds from Internet redemptions will be sent via wire to the bank account of record. Redeem in Writing: Redemption requests may be sent in proper form to BlackRock, P.O. Box 534429, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15253-4429 or for overnight delivery, Attention: 534429, 500 Ross Street 154-0520, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15262. Under certain circumstances, a medallion signature guarantee will be required. Payment of Redemption Proceeds Redemption proceeds may be paid by check or, if the Fund has verified banking information on file, by wire transfer. Payment by Check: BlackRock will normally mail redemption proceeds within three business days following receipt of a properly completed request, but in any event within seven days. Shares can be redeemed by telephone and the proceeds sent by check to the shareholder at the address on record. Shareholders will pay $15 for redemption proceeds sent by check via overnight mail. You are responsible for any additional charges imposed by your bank for this service. The Fund reserves the right to reinvest any dividend or distribution amounts (e.g., income dividends or capital gains) which you have elected to receive by check should your check be returned as undeliverable or remain uncashed for more than 6 months. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed checks. Your check will be reinvested in your account at the net asset value next calculated, on the day of the investment. When reinvested, those amounts are subject to the risk of loss like any fund investment. If you elect to receive distributions in cash and a check remains undeliverable or uncashed for more than 6 months, your cash election may also be changed automatically to reinvest and your future dividend and capital gains distributions will be reinvested in the Fund at the net asset value as of the date of payment of the distribution. 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. If the Fund pays redemption proceeds by transferring portfolio securities in-kind to you, you may pay transaction costs to dispose of the securities, and you may receive less for them than the price at which they were valued for purposes of redemption. |
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. To exercise the exchange privilege, you may contact your Financial Intermediary. Alternatively, if your account is held directly with BlackRock, you may: (i) call (800) 537-4942 and speak with one of our representatives, (ii) make the exchange via the Internet by accessing your account online at www.blackrock.com or (iii) send a written request to the Fund at the address on the back cover of this prospectus. Please note, if you indicated on your new account application that you did not want the Telephone Exchange Privilege, you will not be able to place exchanges via the telephone until you update this option either in writing or by calling (800) 537-4942. The Fund has the right to reject any telephone request for any reason. Although there is currently no limit on the number of exchanges that you can make, the exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time in the future. The Fund may suspend or terminate your exchange privilege at any time for any reason, including if the Fund believes, in its sole discretion, that you are engaging in market timing activities. See “Short-Term Trading Policy” below. For U.S. federal income tax purposes a share exchange is a taxable event and a capital gain or loss may be realized. Please consult your tax adviser or other Financial Intermediary before making an exchange request. |
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.Please contact your Financial Intermediary to accomplish the transfer of 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. |
Average Daily Net Assets | Management
Fee Rate |
Not exceeding $1 billion | 0.60% |
In excess of $1 billion but not exceeding $3 billion | 0.56% |
In excess of $3 billion but not exceeding $5 billion | 0.54% |
In excess of $5 billion but not exceeding $10 billion | 0.52% |
In excess of $10 billion | 0.51% |
Contractual
Cap1 on Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2 (excluding Dividend Expense, Interest Expense, Acquired Fund (underlying fund) Fees and Expenses and certain other Fund expenses) | |
Class K | 0.60% |
1 | This contractual cap is in effect through June 30, 2025. 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 |
Justin Christofel, 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. | 2014 | Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2016; Director of BlackRock, Inc. from 2013 to 2015; Vice President of BlackRock, Inc. from 2010 to 2013; Associate of BlackRock, Inc. from 2008 to 2010; Analyst of BlackRock, Inc. from 2007 to 2008. |
Portfolio Manager | Primary Role | Since | Title and Recent Biography |
Alex Shingler, 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 2011; Director of BlackRock, Inc. from 2009 to 2010; Senior Vice President at R3 Capital Partners from 2008 to 2009. |
BlackRock Dynamic High Income Portfolio | |||||
Class K | |||||
Year
Ended 07/31/23 |
Year
Ended 07/31/22 |
Year
Ended 07/31/21 |
Year
Ended 07/31/20 |
Year
Ended 07/31/19 | |
Net asset value, beginning of year | $ 8.47 | $ 10.24 | $ 9.04 | $ 9.66 | $ 9.78 |
Net investment income(a) | 0.52 | 0.48 | 0.50 | 0.46 | 0.59 |
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | (0.19) | (1.56) | 1.20 | (0.55) | (0.11) |
Net increase (decrease) from investment operations | 0.33 | (1.08) | 1.70 | (0.09) | 0.48 |
Distributions (b) | |||||
From net investment income | (0.51) | (0.58) | (0.50) | (0.47) | (0.55) |
From net realized gain | — | (0.11) | — | — | — |
Return of capital | — | — | — | (0.06) | (0.05) |
Total distributions | (0.51) | (0.69) | (0.50) | (0.53) | (0.60) |
Net asset value, end of year | $ 8.29 | $ 8.47 | $ 10.24 | $ 9.04 | $ 9.66 |
Total Return(c) | |||||
Based on net asset value | 4.35% | (11.09)% | 19.27% (d) | (0.87)% | 5.28% (d) |
Ratios to Average Net Assets(e) | |||||
Total expenses | 0.76% | 0.72% | 0.72% | 0.82% | 0.75% |
Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed | 0.60% | 0.60% | 0.60% | 0.60% | 0.59% |
Net investment income | 6.44% | 5.05% | 5.14% | 5.05% | 6.29% |
Supplemental Data | |||||
Net assets, end of year (000) | $192,408 | $217,072 | $263,934 | $166,657 | $2,619 |
Portfolio turnover rate(f) | 66% (g) | 59% | 77% | 94% | 69% |
(a) | Based on average shares outstanding. |
(b) | Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations. |
(c) | Where applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions. |
(d) | Includes payment from an affiliate, which had no impact on the Fund’s total return. |
(e) | Excludes fees and expenses incurred indirectly as a result of investments in underlying funds. |
(f) | Excludes equity-linked notes. Additional information regarding portfolio turnover rate is as follows: |
Year
Ended 07/31/23 |
Year
Ended 07/31/22 |
Year
Ended 07/31/21 |
Year
Ended 07/31/20 |
Year
Ended 07/31/19 | |
Portfolio turnover rate (including equity-linked notes) | 189% | 196% | 180% | 215% | 180% |
(g) | Excludes underlying investments in total return swaps. |
■ | Access the BlackRock website at http://www.blackrock.com/edelivery; and |
■ | Log into your account. |
Class | Ticker Symbol | |
Investor A
Shares |
BDHAX | |
Investor C
Shares |
BDHCX | |
Institutional
Shares |
BDHIX | |
Class K
Shares |
BDHKX |
BlackRock
Dynamic High Income Portfolio | |
144A Securities | X |
Asset-Backed Securities | X |
Asset-Based Securities | X |
Precious Metal-Related Securities | X |
Borrowing and Leverage | X |
Cash Flows; Expenses | X |
Cash Management | X |
Collateralized Debt Obligations | X |
Collateralized Bond Obligations | X |
Collateralized Loan Obligations | X |
Commercial Paper | X |
Commodity-Linked Derivative Instruments and Hybrid Instruments | |
Qualifying Hybrid Instruments | |
Hybrid Instruments Without Principal Protection | |
Limitations on Leverage | |
Counterparty Risk | |
Convertible Securities | X |
Corporate Loans | X |
Direct Lending | |
Credit Linked Securities | X |
Cyber Security Issues | X |
BlackRock
Dynamic High Income Portfolio | |
Debt Securities | X |
Inflation-Indexed Bonds | X |
Investment Grade Debt Obligations | X |
High Yield Investments (“Junk Bonds”) | X |
Mezzanine Investments | X |
Pay-in-kind Bonds | X |
Supranational Entities | X |
Depositary Receipts (ADRs, EDRs and GDRs) | X |
Derivatives | X |
Hedging | X |
Speculation | X |
Risk Factors in Derivatives | X |
Correlation Risk | X |
Counterparty Risk | X |
Credit Risk | X |
Currency Risk | X |
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 | X |
Interest Rate Swaps, Floors and Caps | X |
Total Return Swaps | X |
Options | X |
Options on Securities and Securities Indices | X |
Call Options | X |
Put Options | X |
Options on Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”) Certificates | X |
Options on Swaps (“Swaptions”) | X |
Foreign Exchange Transactions | X |
Spot Transactions and FX Forwards | X |
Currency Futures | X |
Currency Options | X |
Currency Swaps | X |
Distressed Securities | X |
Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) Integration | X |
Equity Securities | X |
Real Estate-Related Securities | X |
Securities of Smaller or Emerging Growth Companies | X |
BlackRock
Dynamic High Income Portfolio | |
Exchange-Traded Notes (“ETNs”) | X |
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 | X |
Withholding Tax Reclaims Risk | X |
Funding Agreements | X |
Guarantees | X |
Illiquid Investments | X |
Index Funds | X |
Tracking Error Risk | X |
S&P 500 Index | X |
Russell Indexes | X |
MSCI Indexes | X |
FTSE Indexes | X |
Bloomberg Indexes | X |
ICE BofA Indexes | X |
Indexed and Inverse Securities | X |
Inflation Risk | X |
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 | X |
China Investments Risk | X |
Investment in Other Investment Companies | X |
Exchange-Traded Funds | X |
Lease Obligations | X |
Life Settlement Investments | |
Liquidity Risk Management | X |
Master Limited Partnerships | X |
Merger Transaction Risk | |
Money Market Obligations of Domestic Banks, Foreign Banks and Foreign Branches of U.S. Banks | X |
Money Market Securities | X |
BlackRock
Dynamic High Income Portfolio | |
Mortgage-Related Securities | X |
Mortgage-Backed Securities | X |
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (“CMOs”) | X |
Adjustable Rate Mortgage Securities | X |
CMO Residuals | X |
Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities | X |
Tiered Index Bonds | X |
TBA Commitments | X |
Mortgage Dollar Rolls | X |
Net Interest Margin (NIM) Securities | X |
Municipal Investments | X |
Risk Factors and Special Considerations Relating to Municipal Bonds | X |
Description of Municipal Bonds | X |
General Obligation Bonds | X |
Revenue Bonds | X |
Private Activity Bonds (“PABs”) | X |
Moral Obligation Bonds | X |
Municipal Notes | X |
Municipal Commercial Paper | X |
Municipal Lease Obligations | X |
Tender Option Bonds | X |
Yields | X |
Variable Rate Demand Obligations (“VRDOs”) | X |
Transactions in Financial Futures Contracts on Municipal Indexes | X |
Call Rights | X |
Municipal Interest Rate Swap Transactions | X |
Insured Municipal Bonds | X |
Build America Bonds | X |
Tax-Exempt Municipal Investments | X |
Participation Notes | X |
Portfolio Turnover Rates | X |
Preferred Stock | X |
Tax-Exempt Preferred Shares | X |
Trust Preferred Securities | X |
Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”) | X |
Recent Market Events | X |
Reference Rate Replacement Risk | X |
Repurchase Agreements and Purchase and Sale Contracts | X |
Restricted Securities | X |
Reverse Repurchase Agreements | X |
Rights Offerings and Warrants to Purchase | X |
Securities Lending | X |
BlackRock
Dynamic High Income Portfolio | |
Short Sales | |
Special Purpose Acquisition Companies | X |
Standby Commitment Agreements | X |
Stripped Securities | X |
Structured Notes | X |
Taxability Risk | X |
Temporary Defensive Measures | X |
U.S. Government Obligations | X |
U.S. Treasury Obligations | X |
U.S. Treasury Rolls | X |
Utility Industries | X |
When-Issued Securities, Delayed Delivery Securities and Forward Commitments | X |
Yields and Ratings | X |
Zero Coupon Securities | X |
Trustees | Experience, Qualifications and Skills | |
Independent Trustees | ||
Susan J. Carter | Susan J. Carter has over 35 years of experience in investment management. She has served as President & Chief Executive Officer of Commonfund Capital, Inc. (“CCI”), a registered investment adviser focused on non-profit investors, from 1997 to 2013, Chief Executive Officer of CCI from 2013 to 2014 and Senior Advisor to CCI in 2015. Ms. Carter also served as trustee to the Pacific Pension Institute from 2014 to 2018, trustee to the Financial Accounting Foundation from 2017 to 2021, Advisory Board Member for the Center for Private Equity and Entrepreneurship at Tuck School of Business from 1997 to 2021, and Advisory Board Member for Girls Who Invest from 2015 to 2018 and Board Member thereof from 2018 to 2022. She currently serves as Advisory Board Member for Bridges Fund Management, Member of the President’s Counsel for Commonfund 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 held the position of Chief Investment Officer of Williams College from October 2006 to June 2023. 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 | |
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 40 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. | |
Mark Stalnecker | Mark Stalnecker has gained a wealth of experience in investing and asset management from his over 13 years of service as the Chief Investment Officer of the University of Delaware as well as from his various positions with First Union Corporation, including Senior Vice President and State Investment Director of First Investment Advisors. The Board benefits from his experience and perspective as the Chief Investment Officer of a university endowment and from the oversight experience he gained from service on various private and non-profit boards. | |
Kenneth L. Urish | Kenneth L. Urish has served for over 15 years on the boards of registered investment companies, most recently as a member of the boards of 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. |
Trustees | Experience, Qualifications and Skills | |
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 1951 |
Chair
of the Board and Trustee (Since 2019) |
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. | 28 RICs consisting of 169 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 | ||||
Susan
J. Carter 1956 |
Trustee
(Since 2019) |
Trustee, Financial Accounting Foundation from 2017 to 2021; Advisory Board Member, Center for Private Equity and Entrepreneurship at Tuck School of Business from 1997 to 2021; Director, Pacific Pension Institute from 2014 to 2018; 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 from 2018 to 2022; Advisory Board Member, Bridges Fund Management since 2016; Practitioner Advisory Board Member, PCRI since 2017; Lecturer in the Practice of Management, Yale School of Management since 2019; Advisor to Finance Committee, Altman Foundation since 2020; Investment Committee Member, Tostan since 2021; Member of the President’s Counsel, Commonfund since 2023. | 28 RICs consisting of 169 Portfolios | None | ||||
Collette
Chilton 1958 |
Trustee
(Since 2019) |
Chief Investment Officer, Williams College from 2006 to 2023; Chief Investment Officer, Lucent Asset Management Corporation from 1998 to 2006; Director, Boys and Girls Club of Boston since 2017; Director, B1 Capital since 2018; Director, David and Lucile Packard Foundation since 2020. | 28 RICs consisting of 169 Portfolios | None | ||||
Neil
A. Cotty 1954 |
Trustee
(Since 2019) |
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. | 28 RICs consisting of 169 Portfolios | None | ||||
Lena
G. Goldberg 1949 |
Trustee
(Since 2016) |
Director, Pioneer Legal Institute since 2023; Director, Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc. from 2013 to 2021; Senior Lecturer, Harvard Business School from 2008 to 2021; 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. | 28 RICs consisting of 169 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 | ||||
Henry
R. Keizer 1956 |
Trustee
(Since 2016) |
Director, Park Indemnity Ltd. (captive insurer) from 2010 to 2022. | 28 RICs consisting of 169 Portfolios | GrafTech International Ltd. (materials manufacturing); Sealed Air Corp. (packaging); WABCO (commercial vehicle safety systems) from 2015 to 2020; Hertz Global Holdings (car rental) from 2015 to 2021 | ||||
Cynthia
A. Montgomery 1952 |
Trustee
(Since 2019) |
Professor, Harvard Business School since 1989. | 28 RICs consisting of 169 Portfolios | None | ||||
Donald
C. Opatrny 1952 |
Trustee
(Since 2015) |
Chair of the Board of Phoenix Art Museum since 2022 and Trustee thereof since 2018; Chair of the Investment Committee of The Arizona Community Foundation since 2022 and Trustee thereof since 2020; Director, Athena Capital Advisors LLC (investment management firm) from 2013 to 2020; Trustee, Vice Chair, Member of the Executive Committee and Chair of the Investment Committee, Cornell University from 2004 to 2019; President and Trustee, the Center for the Arts, Jackson Hole from 2011 to 2018; Member of the Board and Investment Committee, University School from 2007 to 2018; Member of Affordable Housing Supply Board of Jackson, Wyoming since 2017; Member, Investment Funds Committee, State of Wyoming since 2017; Trustee, Artstor (a Mellon Foundation affiliate) from 2010 to 2015; Member of the Investment Committee, Mellon Foundation from 2009 to 2015; President, Trustee and Member of the Investment Committee, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum from 2007 to 2014; Trustee and Chair of the Investment Committee, Community Foundation of Jackson Hole since 2014. | 28 RICs consisting of 169 Portfolios | None | ||||
Kenneth
L. Urish 1951 |
Trustee
(Since 2019) |
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 2001, Emeritus since 2022; 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; Member, Advisory Board, ESG Competent Boards since 2020. | 28 RICs consisting of 169 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 | ||||
Claire
A. Walton 1957 |
Trustee
(Since 2019) |
Advisory Board Member, Grossman School of Business at the University of Vermont since 2023; Advisory Board Member, Scientific Financial Systems since 2022; General Partner of Neon Liberty Capital Management, LLC since 2003; Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Liberty Square Asset Management, LP from 1998 to 2015; Director, Boston Hedge Fund Group from 2009 to 2018; Director, Massachusetts Council on Economic Education from 2013 to 2015; Director, Woodstock Ski Runners from 2013 to 2022. | 28 RICs consisting of 169 Portfolios | None | ||||
Interested Trustees4 | ||||||||
Robert
Fairbairn 1965 |
Trustee
(Since 2015) |
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. | 97 RICs consisting of 272 Portfolios | None | ||||
John
M. Perlowski5 1964 |
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. | 99 RICs consisting of 274 Portfolios | None |
1 | The address of each Trustee is c/o BlackRock, Inc., 50 Hudson Yards, New York, New York 10001. |
2 | Each Independent Trustee holds office until his or her successor is duly elected and qualifies or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal as provided by the Trust’s by-laws or charter or statute, or until December 31 of the year in which he or she turns 75. Trustees who are “interested persons,” as defined in the Investment Company Act, serve until their successor is duly elected and qualifies or until their earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal as provided by the Trust’s by-laws or statute, or until December 31 of the year in which they turn 72. 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. In addition, 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: Susan J. Carter, 2016; Collette Chilton, 2015; Neil A. Cotty, 2016; Cynthia A. Montgomery, 1994; Mark Stalnecker, 2015; Kenneth L. Urish, 1999; Claire A. Walton, 2016. |
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 and BlackRock Private Investments 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 | ||||
Jennifer
McGovern 1977 |
Vice
President (Since 2014) |
Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2016; Director of BlackRock, Inc. from 2011 to 2015; Head of Americas Product Development and Governance for BlackRock’s Global Product Group since 2019; Head of Product Structure and Oversight for BlackRock’s U.S. Wealth Advisory Group from 2013 to 2019. | ||
Trent
Walker 1974 |
Chief
Financial Officer (Since 2021) |
Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since September 2019; Executive Vice President of PIMCO from 2016 to 2019; Senior Vice President of PIMCO from 2008 to 2015; Treasurer from 2013 to 2019 and Assistant Treasurer from 2007 to 2017 of PIMCO Funds, PIMCO Variable Insurance Trust, PIMCO ETF Trust, PIMCO Equity Series, PIMCO Equity Series VIT, PIMCO Managed Accounts Trust, 2 PIMCO-sponsored interval funds and 21 PIMCO-sponsored closed-end funds. | ||
Jay
M. Fife 1970 |
Treasurer
(Since 2007) |
Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2007. | ||
Aaron
Wasserman 1974 |
Chief
Compliance Officer (Since 2023) |
Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2018; Chief Compliance Officer of the BlackRock-advised funds in the BlackRock Multi-Asset Complex, the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex and the iShares Complex since 2023; Deputy Chief Compliance Officer for the BlackRock-advised funds in the BlackRock Multi-Asset Complex, the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex and the iShares Complex from 2014 to 2023. | ||
Lisa
Belle 1968 |
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 1975 |
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., 50 Hudson Yards, New York, New York 10001. |
2 | Officers of the Trust serve at the pleasure of the Board. |
Name | Dollar
Range of Equity Securities in the Portfolio |
Aggregate
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in Supervised Funds | ||
Independent Trustees: | ||||
Susan J.
Carter |
None | Over $100,000 | ||
Collette
Chilton |
None | Over $100,000 | ||
Neil A.
Cotty |
None | Over $100,000 | ||
Lena G.
Goldberg |
None | Over $100,000 | ||
Henry R.
Keizer |
None | Over $100,000 | ||
Cynthia A.
Montgomery |
None | Over $100,000 | ||
Donald C.
Opatrny |
None | Over $100,000 | ||
Mark
Stalnecker |
Over $100,000 | Over $100,000 | ||
Kenneth L.
Urish |
None | Over $100,000 | ||
Claire A.
Walton |
None | Over $100,000 | ||
Interested Trustees: | ||||
Robert Fairbairn
|
$10,001 - $50,000 | Over $100,000 | ||
John M.
Perlowski |
None | Over $100,000 |
Name | Compensation
from the Portfolio |
Estimated
Annual Benefits upon Retirement |
Aggregate
Compensation from the Portfolio and Other BlackRock- Advised Funds1 | |||
Independent Trustees: | ||||||
Susan J.
Carter |
$1,355 | None | $400,000 | |||
Collette
Chilton |
$1,355 | None | $400,000 | |||
Neil A.
Cotty |
$1,355 | None | $400,000 | |||
Lena G.
Goldberg2 |
$1,461 | None | $445,000 | |||
Henry R.
Keizer3 |
$1,461 | None | $445,000 | |||
Cynthia A.
Montgomery4 |
$1,461 | None | $445,000 | |||
Donald C.
Opatrny5 |
$1,461 | None | $445,000 | |||
Joseph P.
Platt6 |
$1,355 | None | $400,000 | |||
Mark
Stalnecker7 |
$1,709 | None | $550,000 | |||
Kenneth L.
Urish |
$1,355 | None | $400,000 | |||
Claire A.
Walton |
$1,355 | None | $400,000 | |||
Interested Trustees: | ||||||
Robert
Fairbairn |
None | None | None | |||
John M.
Perlowski |
None | None | None |
1 | For the number of BlackRock-advised Funds from which each Trustee receives compensation, see “Biographical Information” beginning on page I-12. |
2 | Chair of the Compliance Committee. |
3 | Chair of the Audit Committee. |
4 | Chair of the Governance Committee. |
5 | Chair of the Performance Oversight Committee. |
6 | Mr. Platt retired as Trustee of the Trust effective December 31, 2022. |
7 | Chair of the Board and Chair of the Ad Hoc Topics Committee. |
Fiscal Year Ended July 31, | Fees
Paid to BlackRock |
Fees
Waived by BlackRock |
Fees
Reimbursed by BlackRock | |||
2023 |
$7,061,674 | $1,577,491 | $320,992 | |||
2022 |
$8,627,360 | $1,436,891 | $412,705 | |||
2021 |
$7,800,054 | $1,358,886 | $375,018 |
Fiscal Year Ended July 31, | Fees Paid to BlackRock | Fees Waived by BlackRock | ||
2023 |
$721,511 | $236,632 | ||
2022 |
$882,260 | $293,819 | ||
2021 |
$797,311 | $264,070 |
Fiscal Year Ended July 31, | Fees Paid to BlackRock | Fees Waived by BlackRock | ||
2023 |
$6,397 | $5,594 | ||
2022 |
$4,424 | $4,422 | ||
2021 |
$3,668 | $3,667 |
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 |
Justin Christofel, CFA | 4 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
$12.97 Billion | $9.41 Billion | $7.45 Million | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
Alex Shingler, CFA | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
$12.96 Billion | $8.69 Billion | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Portfolio Manager | Dollar
Range of Equity Securities Beneficially Owned1 | |
Justin Christofel, CFA
|
$100,001-$500,000 | |
Alex Shingler,
CFA |
$ 50,001-$100,000 |
1 | Includes securities attributable to the portfolio manager’s participation in certain deferred compensation and retirement programs. |
Fiscal Year Ended July 31, | Fees
Paid to JPM | |
2023 |
$ 522,549 | |
2022 |
$ 407,079 | |
2021 |
$ 295,712 |
Investor A Shares | ||||||||
Fiscal Year Ended July 31, | Gross
Sales Charges Collected |
Sales
Charges Retained by BRIL |
Sales
Charges Paid to Affiliates |
CDSCs
Received on Redemption of Load Waived Shares | ||||
2023 |
$ 76,353 | $ 5,196 | $ 5,196 | $ 7,007 | ||||
2022 |
$ 71,056 | $ 4,875 | $ 4,875 | $27,157 | ||||
2021 |
$160,845 | $10,130 | $10,130 | $20,039 |
Investor C Shares | ||||
Fiscal Year Ended July 31, | CDSCs
Received BRIL |
CDSCs
Paid to Affiliates | ||
2023 |
$1,665 | $1,665 | ||
2022 |
$4,733 | $4,733 | ||
2021 |
$2,777 | $2,777 |
Class Name | Paid to BRIL | |
Investor A
Shares |
$320,253 | |
Investor C
Shares |
$312,731 |
Investor A Shares | |
Net
Assets |
$130,934,940 |
Number of Shares
Outstanding |
15,799,776 |
Net Asset Value Per Share (net assets divided by number of shares
outstanding) |
$8.29 |
Sales Charge (5.25% of offering price; 5.54% of net asset value per
share)1 |
$0.46 |
Offering
Price |
$8.75 |
1 | Rounded to the nearest one-hundredth percent; assumes maximum sales charge is applicable. |
Fiscal Year Ended July 31, | Aggregate
Brokerage Commissions Paid |
Commissions
Paid to Affiliates | ||
2023 |
$232,359 | $0 | ||
2022 |
$309,535 | $0 | ||
2021 |
$411,518 | $0 |
Amount
of Commissions Paid to Brokers for Providing 28(e) Eligible Research Services |
Amount
of Brokerage Transactions Involved | |
$39,312 | $95,125,864 |
Regular Broker/Dealer | Debt (D)/Equity (E) | Aggregate Holdings (000s) | ||
J.P. Morgan Securities
LLC |
D | $6,833 | ||
BofA Securities,
Inc. |
D | $4,538 | ||
Barclays Capital,
Inc. |
D | $2,881 | ||
Morgan Stanley & Co.
LLC |
D | $2,535 | ||
Wells Fargo Securities,
LLC |
D | $1,942 | ||
UBS Securities
LLC |
D | $1,438 | ||
Citigroup Global Markets
Inc. |
D | $1,219 | ||
Goldman Sachs & Co.
LLC |
D | $ 969 | ||
BNP Paribas Securities
Corp. |
D | $ 828 | ||
Jefferies
LLC |
D | $ 228 | ||
Wells Fargo Securities,
LLC |
E | $2,158 | ||
Citigroup Global Markets
Inc. |
E | $1,938 |
(1) | selecting borrowers from an approved list of borrowers and executing a securities lending agreement as agent on behalf of the Portfolio 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 Portfolio at loan termination. |
BlackRock
Dynamic High Income Portfolio | |
Gross income from securities lending
activities |
$1,135,581 |
Fees and/or compensation for securities lending activities and related services | |
Securities lending income paid to BIM for services as securities lending agent
|
$ 74,692 |
Cash collateral management expenses not included in securities lending income paid to
BIM |
$ 8,220 |
Administrative fees not included in securities lending income paid to
BIM |
$ 0 |
Indemnification fees not included in securities lending income paid to
BIM |
$ 0 |
Rebates (paid to
borrowers) |
$ 663,510 |
Other fees not included in securities lending income paid to
BIM |
$ 0 |
Aggregate fees/compensation for securities lending
activities |
$ 746,422 |
Net income from securities lending
activities |
$ 389,159 |
Name | Address | Percentage | Class | |||
National Financial Services LLC | 499
Washington Boulevard, Floor 5 Jersey City, NJ 07310-2010 |
14.71% | Investor A Shares | |||
Merrill
Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated |
4800
East Deerlake Drive, 3rd Floor Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 |
13.79% | Investor A Shares | |||
American Enterprise Investment Services | 707
2nd Ave South Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 |
12.85% | Investor A Shares | |||
RBC Capital Markets LLC | 250
Nicollet Mall, Suite 1400 Minneapolis, MN 55401-1931 |
11.68% | Investor A Shares | |||
LPL Financial | 4707
Executive Drive San Diego, CA 92121-3091 |
8.26% | Investor A Shares | |||
Wells Fargo Clearing Services | 2801
Market Street St. Louis, MO 63103 |
6.78% | Investor A Shares | |||
Pershing LLC | 1
Pershing Plaza Jersey City, NJ 07399-0001 |
6.78% | Investor A Shares | |||
Wells Fargo Clearing Services | 2801
Market Street St. Louis, MO 63103 |
17.91% | Investor C Shares | |||
Raymond James | 880
Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, FL 33716-1102 |
13.51% | Investor C Shares | |||
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. | 211
Main Street San Francisco, CA 94105 |
12.46% | Investor C Shares | |||
National Financial Services LLC | 499
Washington Boulevard, Floor 5 Jersey City, NJ 07310-2010 |
9.70% | Investor C Shares | |||
American Enterprise Investment Services | 707
2nd Ave South Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405 |
8.07% | Investor C Shares |
Name | Address | Percentage | Class | |||
Merrill
Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated |
4800
East Deerlake Drive, 3rd Floor Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 |
7.46% | Investor C Shares | |||
LPL Financial | 4707
Executive Drive San Diego, CA 92121-3091 |
6.16% | Investor C Shares | |||
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC | 1
New York Plaza, Floor 12 New York, NY 10004-1901 |
6.09% | Investor C Shares | |||
UBS Financial Services Inc. | 1000
Harbor Boulevard Weehawken, NJ 07086-6761 |
5.60% | Investor C Shares | |||
Pershing LLC | 1
Pershing Plaza Jersey City, NJ 07399-0001 |
5.40% | Investor C Shares | |||
National Financial Services LLC | 499
Washington Boulevard Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
28.60% | Institutional Shares | |||
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated | 4800
East Deerlake Drive 3rd Floor Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 |
12.99% | Institutional Shares | |||
LPL Financial | 4707
Executive Drive San Diego, CA 92121-3091 |
12.16% | Institutional Shares | |||
Pershing LLC | 1
Pershing Plaza Jersey City, NJ 07399-0001 |
10.57% | Institutional Shares | |||
UBS Financial Services Inc. | 1000
Harbor Boulevard Weehawken, NJ 07086-6761 |
9.12% | Institutional Shares | |||
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. | 101
Montgomery Street San Francisco, CA 94104-4122 |
7.77% | Institutional Shares | |||
National Financial Services LLC | 499
Washington Boulevard Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
95.91% | 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. |
Mortgage-Related Securities. |
• | 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, market value, yield, WAL, duration and convexity; |
• | for all securities, information such as quantity, SEDOL and market price 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 |
• | for 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 (excluding Liquidity Metrics): “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. |
• | Portfolio Characteristics — Liquidity Metrics: |
• | “Liquidity Metrics” which seek to ascertain a Fund’s liquidity profile under BlackRock’s global liquidity risk methodology which include but are not limited to: (a) disclosure regarding the number of days needed to liquidate a portfolio or the portfolio’s underlying investments; and (b) the percentage of a Fund’s NAV invested in a particular liquidity tier under BlackRock’s global liquidity risk methodology. |
• | The dissemination of position-level liquidity metrics data and any non-public regulatory data pursuant to SEC Rule 22e-4 (including SEC liquidity tiering) is not permitted unless pre-approved. |
• | Disclosure of Liquidity Metrics pursuant to Section 3 of the Policy should be reviewed by BlackRock’s Risk and Quantitative Analysis Group and the relevant portfolio management team prior to dissemination. |
Open-End Mutual Funds (Excluding Money Market Funds) | ||
Time Periods for Portfolio Holdings | ||
Prior to 20 Calendar Days After Month-End | 20 Calendar Days After Month-End To Public Filing | |
Portfolio
Holdings |
Cannot disclose without non-disclosure or confidentiality agreement and Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) approval. | May
disclose to shareholders, prospective shareholders, intermediaries, consultants and third-party data providers (e.g., Lipper, Morningstar and Bloomberg), except with respect to Global Allocation funds*, BlackRock Core Bond Portfolio and BlackRock Strategic Income Opportunities Portfolio of BlackRock Funds V, BlackRock Strategic Global Bond Fund, Inc., Master Total Return Portfolio of Master Bond LLC, BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund of BlackRock Variable Series Funds II, Inc., BlackRock Sustainable Total Return Fund of BlackRock Bond Fund, Inc. and BlackRock Unconstrained Equity Fund (each of whose portfolio holdings may be disclosed 60 calendar days after month-end). BlackRock generally discloses portfolio holdings information on the lag times established herein on its public website. If Portfolio Holdings are disclosed to one party, they must also be disclosed to all other parties requesting the same information. |
Time Periods for Portfolio Characteristics | ||
Portfolio
Characteristics (Excluding Liquidity Metrics) |
Prior to 5 Calendar Days After Month-End | 5 Calendar Days After Month-End |
Cannot disclose without non-disclosure or confidentiality agreement and CCO approval.*, ** | May disclose to shareholders, prospective shareholders, intermediaries, consultants and third-party data providers (e.g., Lipper, Morningstar and Bloomberg). If Portfolio Characteristics are disclosed to one party, they must also be disclosed to all other parties requesting the same information. | |
Portfolio
Characteristics — Liquidity Metrics |
Prior to 60 Calendar Days After Calendar Quarter-End | 60 Calendar Days After Calendar Quarter-End |
Cannot disclose without non-disclosure or confidentiality agreement and CCO approval. | May disclose to shareholders, prospective shareholders, intermediaries and consultants; provided portfolio management has approved. If Liquidity Metrics are disclosed to one party, they must also be disclosed to all other parties requesting the same information. |
* | Global Allocation Exception: For purposes of portfolio holdings, Global Allocation funds include BlackRock Global Allocation Fund, Inc., BlackRock Global Allocation Portfolio of BlackRock Series Fund, Inc. and BlackRock Global Allocation V.I. Fund of BlackRock Variable Series Funds, Inc. Information on certain Portfolio Characteristics of BlackRock Global Allocation Portfolio and BlackRock Global Allocation V.I. Fund is available, upon request, to insurance companies that use these funds as underlying investments (and to advisers and sub-advisers of funds invested in BlackRock Global Allocation Portfolio and BlackRock Global Allocation V.I. Fund) in their variable annuity contracts and variable life insurance policies on a weekly basis (or such other period as may be determined to be appropriate). Disclosure of such characteristics of these two funds constitutes a disclosure of Confidential Information and is being made for reasons deemed appropriate by BlackRock and in accordance with the requirements set forth in these guidelines. If Portfolio Characteristics are disclosed to one party, they must also be disclosed to all other parties requesting the same information. |
** | Strategic Income Opportunities Exception: Information on certain Portfolio Characteristics of BlackRock Strategic Income Opportunities Portfolio of BlackRock Funds V may be made available to shareholders, prospective shareholders, intermediaries, consultants and third party |
data providers, upon request on a more frequent basis as may be deemed appropriate by BlackRock from time-to-time. If Portfolio Characteristics are disclosed to one party, they must also be disclosed to all other parties requesting the same information. |
Money Market Funds***,**** | ||
Time Periods | ||
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 except: —Other information as may be required under Rule 2a-7 (e.g., name of issuer, category of investment, principal amount, maturity dates, yields). —For Government money market funds, daily portfolio holdings are released on the website the following business day. |
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 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. | Pricing Vendors — Refinitiv, ICE Data Services, Bloomberg, IHS Markit, JP Morgan Pricing-Direct, Loan Pricing Corporation, Valuation Research Corporation, Murray, Devine & Co., Inc. and WM Company PLC. |
10. | Portfolio Compliance Consultants — Oracle Financial Services. |
11. | Third-party feeder funds — Stock Index Fund, a series of Homestead Funds, Inc.; Transamerica Stock Index, a series of Transamerica Funds; and Alight Money Market Fund, a series of Alight Series Trust and their respective boards, sponsors, administrators and other service providers. |
12. | Affiliated feeder funds — Treasury Money Market Fund (Cayman) and its board, sponsor, administrator and other service providers. |
13. | Other — Investment Company Institute, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P., Mizuho Asset Management Co., Ltd., Nationwide Fund Advisors, State Street Bank and Trust Company, Donnelley Financial Solutions, Inc., Silicon Valley Bank and BNY Mellon Markets. |
$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% |
$250,000 and above |
0.50% |
$100,000 and above |
0.25% |
$250,000 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 | Ratings of Prime-1 reflect a superior ability to repay short-term obligations. |
P-2 | Ratings of Prime-2 reflect a strong ability to repay short-term obligations. |
P-3 | Ratings of Prime-3 reflect 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 a sufficiently strong short-term rating or may lack the structural or legal protections necessary to ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand. |
• | The likelihood of payment—the capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitments on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation; |
• | The nature and provisions of the financial obligation, and the promise S&P imputes; and |
• | The protection afforded by, and relative position of, the financial obligation in the event of a 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 commitments 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 commitments 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 commitments 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 weaken the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments 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 exposure 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 that could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments 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 commitments on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor’s capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitments 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 commitments 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 commitments 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 with 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. A rating on an obligation is lowered to ‘D’ if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring. |
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 commitments 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 commitments 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 commitments 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 weaken an obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments 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 that 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 commitments 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. A rating on an obligation is lowered to ‘D’ if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring. |
• | 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. |
D | ‘D’ is assigned upon failure to pay the note when due, completion of a distressed debt restructuring, or 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. |
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. |
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B-4 |
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B-4 |
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B-5 |
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B-5 |
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B-8 |
|
B-8 |
|
B-9 |
|
B-10 |
|
B-12 |
|
B-12 |
|
B-13 |
|
B-13 |
|
B-14 |
|
B-15 |
|
B-15 |
|
B-16 |
The purpose of this document is to provide an overarching explanation of BlackRock’s approach globally to our responsibilities as a shareholder on behalf of our clients, our expectations of companies, and our commitments to clients in terms of our own governance and transparency. |
1 | Through BlackRock Voting Choice we have, since January 2022, made proxy voting easier and more accessible for investors in separate accounts and certain pooled vehicles. As a result, the shares attributed to BlackRock in company share registers may be voted differently depending on whether our clients have authorized BIS to vote on their behalf, have authorized BIS to vote in accordance with a third party policy, or have elected to vote shares in accordance with their own policy. We are not able to disclose which clients have opted to exercise greater control over their voting, nor are we able to disclose which proxy voting policies they have selected. |
• | Boards and directors |
• | Auditors and audit-related issues |
• | Capital structure, mergers, asset sales, and other special transactions |
• | Compensation and benefits |
• | Material sustainability-related risks and opportunities |
• | Other corporate governance matters and shareholder protections |
• | Shareholder proposals |
2 | By material sustainability-related risks and opportunities, we mean the drivers of risk and value creation in a company’s business model that have an environmental or social dependency or impact. Examples of environmental issues include, but are not limited to, water use, land use, waste management and climate risk. Examples of social issues include, but are not limited to, human capital management, impacts on the communities in which a company operates, customer loyalty and relationships with regulators. It is our view that well-managed companies will effectively evaluate and manage material sustainability-related risks and opportunities relevant to their businesses. Governance is the core means by which boards can oversee the creation of durable, long-term value. Appropriate risk oversight of business-relevant and material sustainability-related considerations is a component of a sound governance framework. |
• | Establishing an appropriate corporate governance structure |
• | Supporting and overseeing management in setting long-term strategic goals and applicable measures of value-creation and milestones that will demonstrate progress, and taking steps to address anticipated or actual obstacles to success |
• | Providing oversight on the identification and management of material governance and sustainability-related risks |
• | Overseeing the financial resilience of the company, the integrity of financial statements, and the robustness of a company’s Enterprise Risk Management3 framework |
• | Making decisions on matters that require independent evaluation, which may include mergers, acquisitions and dispositions, activist situations or other similar cases |
• | Establishing appropriate executive compensation structures |
• | Monitoring business issues including material sustainability-related risks and opportunities, that have the potential to significantly impact the company’s long-term value |
• | Current or recent employment at the company or a subsidiary |
• | 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 a director’s ability to act in the best interests of the company and their shareholders |
3 | Enterprise risk management is a process, effected by the entity’s board of directors, management, and other personnel, applied in strategy setting and across the enterprise, designed to identify potential events that may affect the entity, and manage risk to be within the risk appetite, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the achievement of objectives. (Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO), Enterprise Risk Management — Integrated Framework, September 2004, New York, NY). |
4 | For a discussion on the different impacts of diversity see: McKinsey, “Diversity Wins: How Inclusion Matters”, May 2022; Harvard Business Review, Diverse Teams Feel Less Comfortable – and That’s Why They Perform Better, September 2016; “Do Diverse Directors Influence DEI Outcomes”, September 2022. |
5 | The International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Foundation announced in November 2021 the formation of an International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) to develop a comprehensive global baseline of high-quality sustainability disclosure standards to meet investors’ information needs. SASB standards will over time be adapted to ISSB standards but are the reference reporting tool in the meantime. |
6 | While guidance is still under development for a unified disclosure framework related to natural capital, the emerging recommendations of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), may prove useful to some companies. |
7 | The global aspiration to achieve a net-zero global economy by 2050 is reflective of aggregated efforts; governments representing over 90% of GDP have committed to move to net-zero over the coming decades. In determining how to vote on behalf of clients who have authorized us to do so, we look to companies only to address issues within their control and do not anticipate that they will address matters that are the domain of public policy. |
8 | For example, BlackRock’s Capital Markets Assumptions anticipate 25 points of cumulative economic gains over a 20-year period in an orderly transition as compared to the alternative. This better macro environment will support better economic growth, financial stability, job growth, productivity, as well as ecosystem stability and health outcomes. |
9 | BlackRock, “Managing the net-zero transition”, February 2022. |
10 | Corporate form refers to the legal structure by which a business is organized. |
11 | To learn more visit https://www.blackrock.com/corporate/about-us/investment-stewardship/blackrock-voting-choice. |
• | 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 or directors of public companies held in Funds managed by BlackRock |
• | Adopted the Guidelines which are designed to advance our clients’ interests in the companies in which BlackRock invests on their behalf |
• | 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 third party voting service provider to make proxy voting recommendations 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 voting service provider provides BlackRock with recommendations, in accordance with the Guidelines, as to how to vote such proxies. BlackRock uses an independent voting service provider to make proxy voting recommendations for |
shares of BlackRock, Inc. and companies affiliated with BlackRock, Inc. BlackRock may also use an independent voting service provider to make proxy voting recommendations for: |
o | public companies that include BlackRock employees on their boards of directors |
o | public companies of which a BlackRock, Inc. board member serves as a senior executive or a member of the board of directors |
o | public companies that are the subject of certain transactions involving BlackRock Funds |
o | public companies that are joint venture partners with BlackRock, and |
o | public companies when legal or regulatory requirements compel BlackRock to use an independent voting service provider |
12 | Recalling securities on loan can be impacted by the timing of record dates. In the United States, for example, the record date of a shareholder meeting typically falls before the proxy statements are released. Accordingly, it is not practicable to evaluate a proxy statement, determine that a vote has a material impact on a fund and recall any shares on loan in advance of the record date for the annual meeting. As a result, managers must weigh independent business judgement as a fiduciary, the benefit to a fund’s shareholders of recalling loaned shares in advance of an estimated record date without knowing whether there will be a vote on matters which have a material impact on the fund (thereby forgoing potential securities lending revenue for the fund’s shareholders) or leaving shares on loan to potentially earn revenue for the fund (thereby forgoing the opportunity to vote). |
13 | The proxy year runs from July 1 to June 30 of the proceeding calendar year. |