N-CSRS 1 d380397dncsrs.htm ISHARES TRUST iShares Trust

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM N-CSR

 

 

CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT

OF REGISTERED MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES

Investment Company Act file number 811-09729

 

 

iShares Trust

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

 

 

c/o: State Street Bank and Trust Company

100 Summer Street, 4th Floor, Boston, MA 02110

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

 

 

The Corporation Trust Company

1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, DE 19801

(Name and address of agent for service)

 

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (415) 670-2000

Date of fiscal year end: April 30, 2023

Date of reporting period: October 31, 2022

 

 

 


Item 1.

Reports to Stockholders.

(a) The Report to Shareholders is attached herewith.


 

LOGO

  OCTOBER 31, 2022

 

   

  

2022 Semi-Annual Report

(Unaudited)

 

 

iShares Trust

 

·  

iShares Global Clean Energy ETF | ICLN | NASDAQ


The Markets in Review

Dear Shareholder,

Significant economic headwinds emerged during the 12-month reporting period ended October 31, 2022, disrupting the economic recovery and strong financial markets of 2021. The U.S. economy shrank in the first half of 2022 before returning to moderate growth in the third quarter, marking a shift to a more challenging post-reopening economic environment. Changes in consumer spending patterns and a tight labor market led to elevated inflation, which reached a 40-year high. Moreover, while the foremost effect of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been a severe humanitarian crisis, the ongoing war continued to present challenges for both investors and policymakers.

Equity prices fell as interest rates rose, particularly weighing on relatively high-valuation growth stocks as inflation decreased the value of future cash flows and investors shifted focus to balance sheet resilience. Both large- and small-capitalization U.S. stocks fell, although declines for small-capitalization U.S. stocks were slightly steeper. Emerging market stocks and international equities from developed markets also declined significantly, pressured by rising interest rates and a strengthening U.S. dollar.

The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield rose notably during the reporting period, driving its price down, as investors reacted to higher inflation and attempted to anticipate its impact on future interest rate changes. The corporate bond market also faced inflationary headwinds, and increasing uncertainty led to higher corporate bond spreads (the difference in yield between U.S. Treasuries and similarly-dated corporate bonds).

The U.S. Federal Reserve (the “Fed”), acknowledging that inflation has been more persistent than expected, raised interest rates five times while indicating that additional rate hikes were likely. Furthermore, the Fed wound down its bond-buying programs and is accelerating the reduction of its balance sheet. As investors attempted to assess the Fed’s future trajectory, the Fed’s statements late in the reporting period led markets to believe that additional tightening is likely in the near term.

The pandemic’s restructuring of the economy brought an ongoing mismatch between supply and demand, contributing to the current inflationary regime. While growth has slowed in 2022, we believe that taming inflation requires a more dramatic economic decline to bring demand back to a lower level that is more in line with the economy’s capacity. The Fed has been raising interest rates at the fastest pace in decades, and seems set to overtighten in its effort to get inflation back to target. With this in mind, we believe the possibility of a U.S. recession in the near-term is high, and the outlook for Europe and the U.K. is also troubling. Investors should expect a period of higher volatility as markets adjust to the new economic reality and policymakers attempt to adapt to rapidly changing conditions.

In this environment, while we favor an overweight to equities in the long-term, the market’s concerns over excessive rate hikes from central banks moderate our outlook. Rising input costs and a deteriorating economic backdrop in China and Europe are likely to challenge corporate earnings, so we are underweight equities overall in the near term. However, we see better opportunities in credit, where higher spreads provide income opportunities and partially compensate for inflation risk. We believe that investment-grade corporates, local-currency emerging market debt, and inflation-protected bonds (particularly in Europe) offer strong opportunities for a six- to twelve-month horizon.

Overall, our view is that investors need to think globally, position themselves to be prepared for a decarbonizing economy, and be nimble as market conditions change. We encourage you to talk with your financial advisor and visit iShares.com for further insight about investing in today’s markets.

 

LOGO

Rob Kapito

President, BlackRock, Inc.

LOGO

Rob Kapito

President, BlackRock, Inc.

 

Total Returns as of October 31, 2022

 

 
     
     6-Month     12-Month  
     

U.S. large cap equities
(S&P 500® Index)

    (5.50)%       (14.61)%  
     

U.S. small cap equities
(Russell 2000® Index)

    (0.20)          (18.54)     
     

International equities
(MSCI Europe, Australasia,
Far East Index)

    (12.70)          (23.00)     
     

Emerging market equities
(MSCI Emerging Markets Index)

    (19.66)          (31.03)     
     

3-month Treasury bills
(ICE BofA 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index)

    0.72           0.79      
     

U.S. Treasury securities
(ICE BofA 10-Year
U.S. Treasury Index)

    (8.24)          (17.68)     
     

U.S. investment grade bonds
(Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index)

    (6.86)          (15.68)     
     

Tax-exempt municipal bonds
(Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index)

    (4.43)          (11.98)     
     

U.S. high yield bonds (Bloomberg U.S. Corporate High Yield 2% Issuer Capped Index)

    (4.71)          (11.76)     

Past performance is not an indication of future results.

Index performance is shown for illustrative purposes only. You cannot invest directly in an index

 

 

 

 

 

 

2   H I S   P A G E   I S   N O T   P A R T   O F   Y O U R  U N D  E P O R T


Table of Contents

 

      Page  

The Markets in Review

     2  

Semi-Annual Report:

  

Fund Summary

     4  

About Fund Performance

     5  

Disclosure of Expenses

     5  

Schedule of Investments

     6  

Financial Statements:

  

Statement of Assets and Liabilities

     10  

Statement of Operations

     11  

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

     12  

Financial Highlights

     13  

Notes to Financial Statements

     14  

Board Review and Approval of Investment Advisory Contract

     22  

Supplemental Information

     25  

General Information

     26  

Glossary of Terms Used in this Report

     27  

 

 

 

 


Fund Summary as  of October 31, 2022    iShares® Global Clean Energy ETF

 

Investment Objective

The iShares Global Clean Energy ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of global equities in the clean energy sector, as represented by the S&P Global Clean Energy IndexTM (the “Index”). The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index. Due to the use of representative sampling, the Fund may or may not hold all of the securities that are included in the Index.

Performance

 

          Average Annual Total Returns     Cumulative Total Returns  
   

 

 

   

 

 

 
    6-Month
Total Returns
    1 Year     5 Years     10 Years     1 Year     5 Years     10 Years     

 

 

Fund NAV

    0.55     (24.27 )%      16.98     13.63     (24.27 )%      119.01     259.00%  

Fund Market

    0.97       (24.28     16.94       13.65       (24.28     118.68       259.54     

Index

    0.20       (24.04     17.13       13.18       (24.04     120.51       244.87     

 

 

Past performance is not an indication of future results. Performance results do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the redemption or sale of fund shares. See “About Fund Performance” for more information.

Expense Example

 

Actual

            

Hypothetical 5% Return

          

 

 

        

 

 

      
 

Beginning
  Account Value
(05/01/22)
 
 
 
      

Ending
Account Value
(10/31/22)
 
 
 
      

Expenses
Paid During
the Period
 
 
(a) 
              

Beginning
Account Value
(05/01/22)
 
 
 
      

Ending
Account Value
(10/31/22)
 
 
 
      

Expenses
Paid During
the Period
 
 
(a) 
      

Annualized
Expense
Ratio
 
 
 
  $      1,000.00        $       1,005.50        $        2.07                $       1,000.00        $       1,023.10        $       2.09          0.41

 

  (a) 

Expenses are equal to the annualized expense ratio, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 184/365 (to reflect the one-half year period shown). Other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, may be paid which are not reflected in the tables and examples above. See “Disclosure of Expenses” for more information.

 

Portfolio Information

 

SECTOR ALLOCATION

 

   

Industry

   
Percent of
Total Investments
 
(a)
 

Electric Utilities

    22.4

Renewable Electricity

    20.6  

Semiconductor Equipment

    18.0  

Heavy Electrical Equipment

    9.8  

Electrical Components & Equipment

    9.7  

Semiconductors

    9.0  

Multi-Utilities

    6.2  

Oil & Gas Refining & Marketing

    2.2  

Commodity Chemicals

    1.1  

Other (each representing less than 1%)

    1.0  

 

GEOGRAPHIC ALLOCATION

 

   

Country/Geographic Region

   
Percent of
Total Investments
 
(a)
 

United States

    39.7

China

    11.7  

Spain

    10.1  

Denmark

    8.7  

Brazil

    6.0  

Canada

    4.1  

India

    3.3  

Portugal

    2.7  

Japan

    2.0  

Germany

    1.9  

South Korea

    1.9  

Thailand

    1.7  

Other (each representing less than 1%)

    6.2  
 
  (a)

Excludes money market funds.

 

 

 

4   2 0 2 2   I S H A R E S   S E M I - A N N U A L   R E P O R T   T O   S H A R E H O L D E R S


About Fund Performance

 

Past performance is not an indication of future results. Financial markets have experienced extreme volatility and trading in many instruments has been disrupted. These circumstances may continue for an extended period of time and may continue to affect adversely the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments. As a result, current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. Performance data current to the most recent month-end is available at iShares.com. Performance results assume reinvestment of all dividends and capital gain distributions and do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the redemption or sale of fund shares. The investment return and principal value of shares will vary with changes in market conditions. Shares may be worth more or less than their original cost when they are redeemed or sold in the market. Performance for certain funds may reflect a waiver of a portion of investment advisory fees. Without such a waiver, performance would have been lower.

Net asset value or “NAV” is the value of one share of a fund as calculated in accordance with the standard formula for valuing mutual fund shares. Beginning August 10, 2020, the price used to calculate market return (“Market Price”) is the closing price. Prior to August 10, 2020, Market Price was determined using the midpoint between the highest bid and the lowest ask on the primary stock exchange on which shares of a fund are listed for trading, as of the time that such fund’s NAV is calculated. Market and NAV returns assume that dividends and capital gain distributions have been reinvested at Market Price and NAV, respectively.

An index is a statistical composite that tracks a specified financial market or sector. Unlike a fund, an index does not actually hold a portfolio of securities and therefore does not incur the expenses incurred by a fund. These expenses negatively impact fund performance. Also, market returns do not include brokerage commissions that may be payable on secondary market transactions. If brokerage commissions were included, market returns would be lower.

Disclosure of Expenses

Shareholders of the Fund may incur the following charges: (1) transactional expenses, including brokerage commissions on purchases and sales of fund shares and (2) ongoing expenses, including management fees and other fund expenses. The expense example shown (which is based on a hypothetical investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the period and held through the end of the period) is intended to assist shareholders both in calculating expenses based on an investment in the Fund and in comparing these expenses with similar costs of investing in other funds.

The expense example provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. Annualized expense ratios reflect contractual and voluntary fee waivers, if any. In order to estimate the expenses a shareholder paid during the period covered by this report, shareholders can divide their account value by $1,000 and then multiply the result by the number under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During the Period.”

The expense example also provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on a fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses. In order to assist shareholders in comparing the ongoing expenses of investing in the Fund and other funds, compare the 5% hypothetical example with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of the other funds.

The expenses shown in the expense example are intended to highlight shareholders’ ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional expenses, such as brokerage commissions and other fees paid on purchases and sales of fund shares. Therefore, the hypothetical example is useful in comparing ongoing expenses only and will not help shareholders determine the relative total expenses of owning different funds. If these transactional expenses were included, shareholder expenses would have been higher.

 

 

A B O U T   F U N D   P E R F O R M A N C E / D I S C L O S U R E   O F   E X P E N S E S

  5


Schedule of Investments  (unaudited)

October 31, 2022

  

iShares® Global Clean Energy ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  

Common Stocks

   
Austria — 0.9%            

Verbund AG

    562,015     $ 44,025,358  
   

 

 

 
Brazil — 4.8%            

Auren Energia SA

    5,212,740       15,056,448  

Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras SA

    16,593,685       160,042,084  

CPFL Energia SA

    3,203,419       21,965,947  

EDP - Energias do Brasil SA

    4,241,246       18,942,125  

Light SA

    5,178,754       5,694,574  

Omega Energia SA(a)

    3,661,978       7,620,998  
   

 

 

 
          229,322,176  
Canada — 4.1%            

Ballard Power Systems Inc.(a)(b)

    4,351,792       24,660,208  

Boralex Inc., Class A

    1,100,706       31,210,976  

Brookfield Renewable Corp., Class A

    854,806       26,559,943  

Canadian Solar Inc.(a)(b)

    661,660       22,430,274  

Innergex Renewable Energy Inc.

    1,573,332       17,322,993  

Northland Power Inc.

    2,556,877       74,396,891  
   

 

 

 
      196,581,285  
Chile — 0.4%            

Enel Americas SA

    186,020,203       18,431,763  
   

 

 

 
China — 11.7%            

CECEP Solar Energy Co. Ltd., Class A

    4,179,400       3,865,127  

CECEP Wind Power Corp, Class A

    6,967,100       4,074,528  

China Conch Venture Holdings Ltd.

    20,377,500       30,054,692  

China Datang Corp. Renewable Power Co. Ltd., Class H

    40,417,000       10,909,457  

China Three Gorges Renewables Group Co. Ltd., Class A

    39,784,400       30,256,570  

China Yangtze Power Co. Ltd., Class A

    31,612,930       87,514,951  

Daqo New Energy Corp., ADR(a)

    996,853       43,851,563  

Flat Glass Group Co. Ltd., Class H

    6,885,000       16,149,495  

Ginlong Technologies Co. Ltd., Class A

    516,150       13,165,320  

Huaneng Lancang River Hydropower Inc.

    9,382,857       8,159,016  

JA Solar Technology Co. Ltd., Class A

    3,272,166       27,950,694  

Jiangsu Akcome Science & Technology Co. Ltd.(a)

    6,227,400       2,601,700  

Jiangsu GoodWe Power Supply Technology Co. Ltd., NVS

    171,058       7,827,159  

JinkoSolar Holding Co. Ltd., ADR(a)(b)

    678,343       32,207,726  

Jinlei Technology Co. Ltd., NVS(a)

    363,300       2,346,204  

LONGi Green Energy Technology Co. Ltd., Class A

    7,903,940       51,925,405  

Ming Yang Smart Energy Group Ltd., Class A

    3,157,700       10,751,395  

Risen Energy Co. Ltd.(a)

    1,253,000       4,222,075  

Sichuan Chuantou Energy Co. Ltd., Class A

    4,594,900       6,923,666  

Sungrow Power Supply Co. Ltd., Class A

    2,064,300       36,893,947  

TCL Zhonghuan Renewable Energy Technology Co. Ltd., Class A

    4,492,700       24,229,796  

Titan Wind Energy Suzhou Co. Ltd., Class A

    2,505,800       4,018,190  

Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology Co. Ltd., Class H

    13,442,800       11,648,286  

Xinyi Energy Holdings Ltd.

    27,524,000       7,010,553  

Xinyi Solar Holdings Ltd.

    78,842,000       78,274,172  

Zhejiang Windey Co. Ltd., NVS

    753,800       1,850,590  
   

 

 

 
      558,682,277  
Denmark — 8.6%            

Orsted AS(c)

    2,012,856       166,072,196  

Vestas Wind Systems A/S

    12,516,232       246,740,798  
   

 

 

 
      412,812,994  
Security   Shares      Value  
France — 0.4%             

Neoen SA(c)

    478,891      $ 16,703,779  
    

 

 

 
Germany — 1.9%             

Encavis AG

    1,653,138        30,777,661  

Nordex SE(a)(b)

    2,175,578        20,281,089  

SMA Solar Technology AG(a)(b)

    295,447        14,293,832  

VERBIO Vereinigte BioEnergie AG

    341,497        26,900,781  
    

 

 

 
       92,253,363  
India — 3.3%             

Adani Green Energy Ltd.(a)

    5,463,756        138,920,169  

NHPC Ltd., NVS

    31,236,721        16,081,946  
    

 

 

 
           155,002,115  
Israel — 0.5%             

Energix-Renewable Energies Ltd.(b)

    2,758,123        9,629,092  

Enlight Renewable Energy Ltd.(a)(b)

    7,704,427        15,603,674  
    

 

 

 
       25,232,766  
Italy — 0.4%             

ERG SpA

    637,808        20,006,012  
    

 

 

 
Japan — 2.0%             

Chubu Electric Power Co. Inc.

    9,861,700        80,273,451  

RENOVA Inc.(a)(b)

    754,700        16,563,759  
    

 

 

 
       96,837,210  
New Zealand — 0.6%             

Contact Energy Ltd.

    2,839,198        12,453,874  

Meridian Energy Ltd.

    5,244,811        14,866,922  
    

 

 

 
       27,320,796  
Norway — 0.6%             

NEL ASA(a)(b)

    11,647,008        14,236,489  

Scatec ASA(c)

    2,070,983        14,670,104  
    

 

 

 
       28,906,593  
Portugal — 2.7%             

EDP - Energias de Portugal SA

    28,568,745        124,825,813  

Greenvolt Energias Renovaveis SA(a)

    652,913        5,015,252  
    

 

 

 
       129,841,065  
Singapore — 0.2%             

Maxeon Solar Technologies Ltd.(a)(b)

    389,189        6,725,186  
    

 

 

 
South Korea — 1.8%             

CS Wind Corp.(b)

    520,253        21,431,546  

Doosan Fuel Cell Co. Ltd.(a)(b)

    705,563        13,464,472  

Hanwha Solutions Corp.(a)

    1,595,329        52,723,467  
    

 

 

 
       87,619,485  
Spain — 10.1%             

Corp. ACCIONA Energias Renovables SA

    720,776        28,341,534  

EDP Renovaveis SA

    2,745,169        57,765,161  

Iberdrola SA

    29,920,340        304,268,116  

Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy SA(a)

    3,905,688        69,242,612  

Solaria Energia y Medio Ambiente SA(a)

    1,411,234        22,320,249  
    

 

 

 
       481,937,672  
Sweden — 0.2%             

PowerCell Sweden AB(a)(b)

    806,347        8,856,526  
    

 

 

 
Switzerland — 0.6%             

BKW AG

    118,166        13,785,566  

Meyer Burger Technology AG(a)(b)

    34,773,739        16,658,092  
    

 

 

 
       30,443,658  
Taiwan — 0.6%             

Motech Industries Inc.

    6,046,358        4,428,895  
 

 

 

6   2 0 2 2   I S H A R E S   S E M I - A N N U A L   R E P O R T   T O   S H A R E H O L D E R S


Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued)

October 31, 2022

  

iShares® Global Clean Energy ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  

Taiwan (continued)

   

TSEC Corp.(a)

    8,272,522     $ 8,564,701  

United Renewable Energy Co. Ltd.(a)

    24,871,000       16,166,554  
   

 

 

 
      29,160,150  
Thailand — 1.7%            

Energy Absolute PCL, NVDR

    31,757,400       80,845,809  
   

 

 

 
United Kingdom — 0.8%            

Atlantica Sustainable Infrastructure PLC

    1,115,944       30,922,808  

ReNew Energy Global PLC(a)(b)

    1,521,516       8,840,008  
   

 

 

 
      39,762,816  
United States — 39.5%            

Archaea Energy Inc.(a)

    1,271,214       32,810,033  

Array Technologies Inc.(a)(b)

    2,429,190       43,968,339  

Avangrid Inc.

    906,920       36,893,506  

Bloom Energy Corp., Class A(a)(b)

    3,063,262       57,313,632  

Clearway Energy Inc., Class C

    1,071,172       37,212,515  

Consolidated Edison Inc.

    3,362,973       295,807,105  

Enphase Energy Inc.(a)(b)

    1,436,109       440,885,464  

First Solar Inc.(a)(b)

    1,722,515       250,746,509  

FTC Solar Inc.(a)(b)

    527,150       1,091,201  

FuelCell Energy Inc.(a)(b)

    5,038,343       15,719,630  

Gevo Inc.(a)(b)

    4,086,199       9,193,948  

Green Plains Inc.(a)(b)

    1,004,219       29,011,887  

Ormat Technologies Inc.(b)

    777,522       70,326,865  

Plug Power Inc.(a)(b)

    9,049,777       144,615,436  

REX American Resources Corp.(a)

    273,126       8,191,049  

Shoals Technologies Group Inc., Class A(a)(b)

    1,835,904       42,427,741  

SolarEdge Technologies Inc.(a)(b)

    966,698       222,369,541  

Sunnova Energy International Inc.(a)(b)

    1,713,358       31,765,657  

SunPower Corp.(a)(b)

    1,482,257       27,406,932  

Sunrun Inc.(a)(b)

    3,685,479       82,960,132  

TPI Composites Inc.(a)(b)

    647,897       6,453,054  
   

 

 

 
        1,887,170,176  
   

 

 

 

Total Common Stocks — 98.4%
(Cost: $5,008,018,612)

      4,704,481,030  
   

 

 

 
Security   Shares     Value  

Preferred Stocks

   

Brazil — 1.2%

   

Cia. Energetica de Minas Gerais, Preference Shares, NVS

    25,464,641     $ 56,051,296  
   

 

 

 

Total Preferred Stocks — 1.2%
(Cost: $57,045,161)

      56,051,296  
   

 

 

 

Total Long-Term Investments — 99.6%
(Cost: $5,065,063,773)

        4,760,532,326  
   

 

 

 

Short-Term Securities

   

Money Market Funds — 12.3%

   

BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional, SL Agency Shares, 3.29%(d)(e)(f)

    586,222,167       586,104,922  

BlackRock Cash Funds: Treasury, SL Agency Shares, 2.97%(d)(e)

    4,640,000       4,640,000  
   

 

 

 

Total Short-Term Securities — 12.3%
(Cost: $590,728,997)

      590,744,922  
   

 

 

 

Total Investments — 111.9%
(Cost: $5,655,792,770)

      5,351,277,248  

Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets — (11.9)%

      (571,208,976
   

 

 

 

Net Assets — 100.0%

    $ 4,780,068,272  
   

 

 

 

 

(a)

Non-income producing security.

(b)

All or a portion of this security is on loan.

(c)

Security exempt from registration pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. These securities may be resold in transactions exempt from registration to qualified institutional investors.

(d)

Affiliate of the Fund.

(e)

Annualized 7-day yield as of period end.

(f)

All or a portion of this security was purchased with the cash collateral from loaned securities.

 

Affiliates

Investments in issuers considered to be affiliate(s) of the Fund during the six months ended October 31, 2022 for purposes of Section 2(a)(3) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, were as follows:

 

 

 
Affiliated Issuer    Value at
04/30/22
     Purchases
at Cost
     Proceeds
from Sale
     Net Realized
Gain (Loss)
     Change in
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
     Value at
10/31/22
     Shares
Held at
10/31/22
     Income      Capital
Gain
Distributions
from
Underlying
Funds
 

 

 

BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional, SL Agency Shares

   $ 691,889,565      $      $ (105,750,453 )(a)     $ 22,441      $ (56,631    $ 586,104,922        586,222,167      $ 2,718,156 (b)     $  

BlackRock Cash Funds: Treasury, SL Agency Shares

     27,160,000               (22,520,000 )(a)                     4,640,000        4,640,000        93,273         
           

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

       

 

 

    

 

 

 
            $ 22,441      $ (56,631    $ 590,744,922         $ 2,811,429      $  
           

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

       

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  (a)

Represents net amount purchased (sold).

 
  (b)

All or a portion represents securities lending income earned from the reinvestment of cash collateral from loaned securities, net of fees and collateral investment expenses, and other payments to and from borrowers of securities.

 

 

 

    

  7


Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued)

October 31, 2022

  

iShares® Global Clean Energy ETF

 

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts

 

 

 
Description    Number of
Contracts
     Expiration
Date
     Notional
Amount
(000)
     Value/
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
 

 

 

Long Contracts

           

Euro STOXX 50 Index

     47        12/16/22      $ 1,678      $ 51,136  

MSCI Emerging Markets Index

     77        12/16/22        3,287        (291,187

S&P 500 E-Mini Index

     62        12/16/22        12,037        27,301  
           

 

 

 
            $ (212,750
           

 

 

 

Derivative Financial Instruments Categorized by Risk Exposure

As of period end, the fair values of derivative financial instruments located in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities were as follows:

 

 

 
     Commodity
Contracts
     Credit
Contracts
     Equity
Contracts
     Foreign
Currency
Exchange
Contracts
     Interest
Rate
Contracts
     Other
Contracts
     Total  

 

 

Assets — Derivative Financial Instruments

                    

Futures contracts

                    

Unrealized appreciation on futures contracts(a)

   $      $      $ 78,437      $      $      $      $ 78,437  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Liabilities — Derivative Financial Instruments

                    

Futures contracts

                    

Unrealized depreciation on futures contracts(a)

   $      $      $ 291,187      $      $      $      $ 291,187  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

Net cumulative unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on futures contracts are reported in the Schedule of Investments. In the Statement of Assets and Liabilities, only current day’s variation margin is reported in receivables or payables and the net cumulative unrealized appreciation (depreciation) is included in accumulated earnings (loss).

 

For the period ended October 31, 2022, the effect of derivative financial instruments in the Statement of Operations was as follows:

 

 

 
     Commodity
Contracts
     Credit
Contracts
     Equity
Contracts
     Foreign
Currency
Exchange
Contracts
     Interest
Rate
Contracts
     Other
Contracts
     Total  

 

 

Net Realized Gain (Loss) from

                    

Futures contracts

   $      $      $ (4,941,091    $      $      $      $ (4,941,091

Swaps

                   1,917,585                             1,917,585  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $      $      $   (3,023,506    $      $      $      $   (3,023,506
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) on

                    

Futures contracts

   $      $      $ (268,051    $      $      $      $ (268,051

Swaps

                   899,346                             899,346  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $      $      $ 631,295      $      $      $      $ 631,295  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Average Quarterly Balances of Outstanding Derivative Financial Instruments

 

 

 

Futures contracts

  

Average notional value of contracts — long

   $ 17,685,745      

Total return swaps

  

Average notional value

   $ 3,633,334      

 

 

For more information about the Fund’s investment risks regarding derivative financial instruments, refer to the Notes to Financial Statements.

Fair Value Hierarchy as of Period End

Various inputs are used in determining the fair value of financial instruments. For a description of the input levels and information about the Fund’s policy regarding valuation of financial instruments, refer to the Notes to Financial Statements.

 

 

8   2 0 2 2   I S H A R E S   S E M I - A N N U A L   R E P O R T   T O   S H A R E H O L D E R S


Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued)

October 31, 2022

  

iShares® Global Clean Energy ETF

 

Fair Value Hierarchy as of Period End (continued)

The following table summarizes the Fund’s financial instruments categorized in the fair value hierarchy. The breakdown of the Fund’s financial instruments into major categories is disclosed in the Schedule of Investments above.

 

 

 
     Level 1          Level 2          Level 3          Total  

 

 

Investments

                 

Assets

                 

Common Stocks

   $ 2,435,620,928        $ 2,268,860,102        $        $ 4,704,481,030  

Preferred Stocks

     56,051,296                            56,051,296  

Money Market Funds

     590,744,922                            590,744,922  
  

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 
   $ 3,082,417,146        $ 2,268,860,102        $        $ 5,351,277,248  
  

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Derivative financial instruments(a)

                 

Assets

                 

Futures Contracts

   $ 27,301        $ 51,136        $        $ 78,437  

Liabilities

                 

Futures Contracts

     (291,187                          (291,187
  

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 
   $ (263,886      $ 51,136        $                     —        $ (212,750
  

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

 

  (a)

Derivative financial instruments are futures contracts. Futures contracts are valued at the unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on the instrument.

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

  9


Statement of Assets and Liabilities (unaudited)

October 31, 2022

 

   

iShares

Global Clean

Energy ETF

 

 

 

ASSETS

 

Investments, at value — unaffiliated(a)(b)

  $ 4,760,532,326  

Investments, at value — affiliated(c)

    590,744,922  

Cash

    413,778  

Foreign currency, at value(d)

    4,481,140  

Cash pledged for futures contracts

    795,000  

Foreign currency collateral pledged for futures contracts(e)

    181,838  

Receivables:

 

Investments sold

    3,354,869  

Securities lending income — affiliated

    405,343  

Due from broker

    59,100  

Capital shares sold

    622,510  

Dividends — unaffiliated

    6,069,362  

Dividends — affiliated

    9,162  

Tax reclaims

    1,420,349  
 

 

 

 

Total assets

    5,369,089,699  
 

 

 

 

LIABILITIES

 

Collateral on securities loaned, at value

    586,485,132  

Payables:

 

Investments purchased

    773,875  

Variation margin on futures contracts

    95,613  

Investment advisory fees

    1,666,807  
 

 

 

 

Total liabilities

    589,021,427  
 

 

 

 

NET ASSETS

  $ 4,780,068,272  
 

 

 

 

NET ASSETS CONSIST OF

 

Paid-in capital

  $ 6,263,225,617  

Accumulated loss

    (1,483,157,345
 

 

 

 

NET ASSETS

  $ 4,780,068,272  
 

 

 

 

NET ASSET VALUE

 

Shares outstanding

    253,500,000  
 

 

 

 

Net asset value

  $ 18.86  
 

 

 

 

Shares authorized

    Unlimited  
 

 

 

 

Par value

    None  
 

 

 

 

(a) Investments, at cost — unaffiliated

  $ 5,065,063,773  

(b) Securities loaned, at value

  $ 545,642,273  

(c)  Investments, at cost — affiliated

  $ 590,728,997  

(d) Foreign currency, at cost

  $ 4,499,162  

(e) Foreign currency collateral pledged, at cost

  $ 182,654  

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

10  

2 0 2 2   I S H A R E S   S E M I - A N N U A L   R E P O R T   T O   S H A R E H O L D E R S


Statement of Operations (unaudited)

Six Months Ended October 31, 2022

 

   

iShares

Global Clean

Energy ETF

 

 

 

INVESTMENT INCOME

 

Dividends — unaffiliated

  $ 29,939,685  

Dividends — affiliated

    93,273  

Securities lending income — affiliated — net

    2,718,156  

Foreign taxes withheld

    (1,993,294
 

 

 

 

Total investment income

    30,757,820  
 

 

 

 

EXPENSES

 

Investment advisory

    10,610,968  

Commitment costs

    22,028  
 

 

 

 

Total expenses

    10,632,996  
 

 

 

 

Net investment income

    20,124,824  
 

 

 

 

REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS)

 

Net realized gain (loss) from:

 

Investments — unaffiliated

    (427,787,838

Investments — affiliated

    22,441  

Foreign currency transactions

    1,904,693  

Futures contracts

    (4,941,091

In-kind redemptions — unaffiliated(a)

    65,814,873  

Swaps

    1,917,585  
 

 

 

 
    (363,069,337
 

 

 

 

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on:

 

Investments — unaffiliated(b)

    348,556,968  

Investments — affiliated

    (56,631

Foreign currency translations

    (148,238

Futures contracts

    (268,051

Swaps

    899,346  
 

 

 

 
    348,983,394  
 

 

 

 

Net realized and unrealized loss

    (14,085,943
 

 

 

 

NET INCREASE IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS

  $ 6,038,881  
 

 

 

 

(a) See Note 2 of the Notes to Financial Statements.

 

(b) Net of reduction in deferred foreign capital gain tax of

  $ 176,025  

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

 

F I N A N C I A L   S T A T E M E N T S

  11


 

Statements of Changes in Net Assets  

 

    iShares
Global Clean Energy ETF
 
   

Six Months Ended
10/31/22

(unaudited)

       

Year Ended

04/30/22

 

 

 

INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS

     

OPERATIONS

     

Net investment income

  $ 20,124,824       $ 61,476,052  

Net realized loss

    (363,069,337       (160,644,573

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

    348,983,394         (1,025,201,886
 

 

 

     

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    6,038,881         (1,124,370,407
 

 

 

     

 

 

 

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS(a)

     

Decrease in net assets resulting from distributions to shareholders

    (35,169,705       (66,429,706
 

 

 

     

 

 

 

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS

     

Net increase (decrease) in net assets derived from capital share transactions

    (174,396,414       318,441,275  
 

 

 

     

 

 

 

NET ASSETS

     

Total decrease in net assets

    (203,527,238       (872,358,838

Beginning of period

    4,983,595,510         5,855,954,348  
 

 

 

     

 

 

 

End of period

  $ 4,780,068,272            $ 4,983,595,510  
 

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations.

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

12   2 0 2 2   I S H A R E S   S E M I - A N N U A L   R E P O R T   T O   S H A R E H O L D E R S


Financial Highlights  

(For a share outstanding throughout each period)

 

          iShares Global Clean Energy ETF  
   

 

Six Months Ended

 

         Period From                      
          10/31/22
(unaudited)
    Year Ended
04/30/22
           04/01/21
to 04/30/21
           Year Ended
03/31/21
           Year Ended
03/31/20
           Year Ended
03/31/19
           Year Ended
03/31/18
 

 

 

Net asset value, beginning of period

      $ 18.88     $ 23.19        $ 24.07        $ 9.62        $ 9.75        $ 9.47        $ 8.54  
     

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Net investment income(a)

        0.08       0.23          0.06          0.13          0.11          0.19          0.26  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)(b)

                 0.04       (4.29        (0.94        14.42          (0.08        0.32          0.90  
     

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) from investment operations

        0.12       (4.06        (0.88        14.55          0.03          0.51          1.16  
     

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Distributions from net investment income(c)

        (0.14     (0.25                 (0.10        (0.16        (0.23        (0.23
     

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Net asset value, end of period

      $ 18.86     $ 18.88        $ 23.19        $ 24.07        $ 9.62        $ 9.75        $ 9.47  
     

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Total Return(d)

                                

Based on net asset value

        0.55 %(e)      (17.64 )%         (3.66 )%(e)         151.73        0.12        5.69        13.90
     

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Ratios to Average Net Assets (f)

                                

Total expenses

        0.41 %(g)      0.40        0.41 %(g)         0.42        0.46        0.46        0.47
     

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Net investment income

        0.79 %(g)      1.07        3.07 %(g)         0.57        1.01        2.13        2.91
     

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Supplemental Data

                                

Net assets, end of period (000)

      $ 4,780,068     $ 4,983,596        $ 5,855,954        $ 5,642,271        $ 499,227        $ 208,595        $ 156,209  
     

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Portfolio turnover rate(h)

        23     52        54        31        37        42        29
     

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Based on average shares outstanding.

(b) 

The amounts reported for a share outstanding may not accord with the change in aggregate gains and losses in securities for the fiscal period due to the timing of capital share transactions in relation to the fluctuating market values of the Fund’s underlying securities.

(c) 

Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations.

(d) 

Where applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.

(e) 

Not annualized.

(f) 

Excludes fees and expenses incurred indirectly as a result of investments in underlying funds.

(g) 

Annualized.

(h) 

Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions.

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

F I N A N C I A L   H I G H L I G H T S

  13


Notes to Financial Statements  (unaudited) 

 

1.  

ORGANIZATION

iShares Trust (the “Trust”) is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company. The Trust is organized as a Delaware statutory trust and is authorized to have multiple series or portfolios.

These financial statements relate only to the following fund (the “Fund”):

 

   
iShares ETF    Diversification
Classification
 

Global Clean Energy

     Non-diversified  

 

2.  

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The financial statements are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”), which may require management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities in the financial statements, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of increases and decreases in net assets from operations during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The Fund is considered an investment company under U.S. GAAP and follows the accounting and reporting guidance applicable to investment companies. Below is a summary of significant accounting policies:

Investment Transactions and Income Recognition: For financial reporting purposes, investment transactions are recorded on the dates the transactions are executed. Realized gains and losses on investment transactions are determined using the specific identification method. Dividend income and capital gain distributions, if any, are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Non-cash dividends, if any, are recorded on the ex-dividend date at fair value. Dividends from foreign securities where the ex-dividend date may have passed are subsequently recorded when the Fund is informed of the ex-dividend date. Under the applicable foreign tax laws, a withholding tax at various rates may be imposed on capital gains, dividends and interest.

Foreign Currency Translation: The Fund’s books and records are maintained in U.S. dollars. Securities and other assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars using prevailing market rates as quoted by one or more data service providers. Purchases and sales of investments are recorded at the rates of exchange prevailing on the respective dates of such transactions. Generally, when the U.S. dollar rises in value against a foreign currency, the investments denominated in that currency will lose value; the opposite effect occurs if the U.S. dollar falls in relative value.

The Fund does not isolate the effect of fluctuations in foreign exchange rates from the effect of fluctuations in the market prices of investments for financial reporting purposes. Accordingly, the effects of changes in exchange rates on investments are not segregated in the Statement of Operations from the effects of changes in market prices of those investments, but are included as a component of net realized and unrealized gain (loss) from investments. The Fund reports realized currency gains (losses) on foreign currency related transactions as components of net realized gain (loss) for financial reporting purposes, whereas such components are generally treated as ordinary income for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Foreign Taxes: The Fund may be subject to foreign taxes (a portion of which may be reclaimable) on income, stock dividends, capital gains on investments, or certain foreign currency transactions. All foreign taxes are recorded in accordance with the applicable foreign tax regulations and rates that exist in the foreign jurisdictions in which the Fund invests. These foreign taxes, if any, are paid by the Fund and are reflected in its Statement of Operations as follows: foreign taxes withheld at source are presented as a reduction of income, foreign taxes on securities lending income are presented as a reduction of securities lending income, foreign taxes on stock dividends are presented as “Other foreign taxes”, and foreign taxes on capital gains from sales of investments and foreign taxes on foreign currency transactions are included in their respective net realized gain (loss) categories. Foreign taxes payable or deferred as of October 31, 2022, if any, are disclosed in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

The Fund files withholding tax reclaims in certain jurisdictions to recover a portion of amounts previously withheld. The Fund may record a reclaim receivable based on collectability, which includes factors such as the jurisdiction’s applicable laws, payment history and market convention. The Statement of Operations includes tax reclaims recorded as well as professional and other fees, if any, associated with recovery of foreign withholding taxes.

Collateralization: If required by an exchange or counterparty agreement, the Fund may be required to deliver/deposit cash and/or securities to/with an exchange, or broker-dealer or custodian as collateral for certain investments.

In-kind Redemptions: For financial reporting purposes, in-kind redemptions are treated as sales of securities resulting in realized capital gains or losses to the Fund. Because such gains or losses are not taxable to the Fund and are not distributed to existing Fund shareholders, the gains or losses are reclassified from accumulated net realized gain (loss) to paid-in capital at the end of the Fund’s tax year. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value (“NAV”) per share.

Distributions: Dividends and distributions paid by the Fund are recorded on the ex-dividend dates. Distributions are determined on a tax basis and may differ from net investment income and net realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes. Dividends and distributions are paid in U.S. dollars and cannot be automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. The character and timing of distributions are determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations, which may differ from U.S. GAAP.

Indemnifications: In the normal course of business, the Fund enters into contracts that contain a variety of representations that provide general indemnification. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown because it involves future potential claims against the Fund, which cannot be predicted with any certainty.

 

 

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Notes to Financial Statements  (unaudited)  (continued)

 

3.  

INVESTMENT VALUATION AND FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

Investment Valuation Policies: The Fund’s investments are valued at fair value (also referred to as “market value” within the financial statements) each day that the Fund’s listing exchange is open and, for financial reporting purposes, as of the report date. U.S. GAAP defines fair value as the price a fund would receive to sell an asset or pay to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”) of the Fund has approved the designation of BlackRock Fund Advisors (“BFA”), the Fund’s investment adviser, as the valuation designee for the Fund. The Fund determines the fair values of its financial instruments using various independent dealers or pricing services under BFA’s policies. If a security’s market price is not readily available or does not otherwise accurately represent the fair value of the security, the security will be valued in accordance with BFA’s policies and procedures as reflecting fair value. BFA has formed a committee (the “Valuation Committee”) to develop pricing policies and procedures and to oversee the pricing function for all financial instruments, with assistance from other BlackRock pricing committees.

Fair Value Inputs and Methodologies: The following methods and inputs are used to establish the fair value of the Fund’s assets and liabilities:

 

   

Equity investments traded on a recognized securities exchange are valued at that day’s official closing price, as applicable, on the exchange where the stock is primarily traded. Equity investments traded on a recognized exchange for which there were no sales on that day are valued at the last traded price.

 

   

Investments in open-end U.S. mutual funds (including money market funds) are valued at that day’s published NAV.

 

   

Futures contracts are valued based on that day’s last reported settlement or trade price on the exchange where the contract is traded.

Generally, trading in foreign instruments is substantially completed each day at various times prior to the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”). Each business day, the Fund uses current market factors supplied by independent pricing services to value certain foreign instruments (“Systematic Fair Value Price”). The Systematic Fair Value Price is designed to value such foreign securities at fair value as of the close of trading on the NYSE, which follows the close of the local markets.

If events (e.g., market volatility, company announcement or a natural disaster) occur that are expected to materially affect the value of such investment, or in the event that application of these methods of valuation results in a price for an investment that is deemed not to be representative of the market value of such investment, or if a price is not available, the investment will be valued by the Valuation Committee, in accordance with BFA’s policies and procedures as reflecting fair value (“Fair Valued Investments”). The fair valuation approaches that may be used by the Valuation Committee include market approach, income approach and cost approach. Valuation techniques such as discounted cash flow, use of market comparables and matrix pricing are types of valuation approaches and are typically used in determining fair value. When determining the price for Fair Valued Investments, the Valuation Committee seeks to determine the price that the Fund might reasonably expect to receive or pay from the current sale or purchase of that asset or liability in an arm’s-length transaction. Fair value determinations shall be based upon all available factors that the Valuation Committee deems relevant and consistent with the principles of fair value measurement.

Fair value pricing could result in a difference between the prices used to calculate a fund’s NAV and the prices used by the fund’s underlying index, which in turn could result in a difference between the fund’s performance and the performance of the fund’s underlying index.

Fair Value Hierarchy: Various inputs are used in determining the fair value of financial instruments. These inputs to valuation techniques are categorized into a fair value hierarchy consisting of three broad levels for financial reporting purposes as follows:

 

   

Level 1 – Unadjusted price quotations in active markets/exchanges for identical assets or liabilities that the Fund has the ability to access;

 

   

Level 2 – Other observable inputs (including, but not limited to, quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in markets that are active, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the assets or liabilities (such as interest rates, yield curves, volatilities, prepayment speeds, loss severities, credit risks and default rates) or other market-corroborated inputs); and

 

   

Level 3 – Unobservable inputs based on the best information available in the circumstances, to the extent observable inputs are not available, (including the Valuation Committee’s assumptions used in determining the fair value of financial instruments).

The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised in determining fair value is greatest for instruments categorized in Level 3. The inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, for disclosure purposes, the fair value hierarchy classification is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. Investments classified within Level 3 have significant unobservable inputs used by the Valuation Committee in determining the price for Fair Valued Investments. Level 3 investments include equity or debt issued by privately held companies or funds that may not have a secondary market and/or may have a limited number of investors. The categorization of a value determined for financial instruments is based on the pricing transparency of the financial instruments and is not necessarily an indication of the risks associated with investing in those securities.

 

4.

SECURITIES AND OTHER INVESTMENTS

Securities Lending: The Fund may lend its securities to approved borrowers, such as brokers, dealers and other financial institutions. The borrower pledges and maintains with the Fund collateral consisting of cash, an irrevocable letter of credit issued by an approved bank, or securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government. The initial collateral received by the Fund is required to have a value of at least 102% of the current market value of the loaned securities for securities traded on U.S. exchanges and a value of at least 105% for all other securities. The collateral is maintained thereafter at a value equal to at least 100% of the current value of the securities on loan. The market value of the loaned securities is determined at the close of each business day of the Fund and any additional required collateral is delivered to the Fund or excess

 

 

N O T E S   T O   F I N A N C I A L   S T A T E M E N T S

  15


Notes to Financial Statements  (unaudited)  (continued)

 

collateral is returned by the Fund, on the next business day. During the term of the loan, the Fund is entitled to all distributions made on or in respect of the loaned securities but does not receive interest income on securities received as collateral. Loans of securities are terminable at any time and the borrower, after notice, is required to return borrowed securities within the standard time period for settlement of securities transactions.

As of period end, any securities on loan were collateralized by cash and/or U.S. Government obligations. Cash collateral invested in money market funds managed by BFA, or its affiliates is disclosed in the Schedule of Investments. Any non-cash collateral received cannot be sold, re-invested or pledged by the Fund, except in the event of borrower default. The securities on loan, if any, are also disclosed in the Fund’s Schedule of Investments. The market value of any securities on loan and the value of any related cash collateral are disclosed in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

Securities lending transactions are entered into by the Fund under Master Securities Lending Agreements (each, an “MSLA”) which provide the right, in the event of default (including bankruptcy or insolvency) for the non-defaulting party to liquidate the collateral and calculate a net exposure to the defaulting party or request additional collateral. In the event that a borrower defaults, the Fund, as lender, would offset the market value of the collateral received against the market value of the securities loaned. When the value of the collateral is greater than that of the market value of the securities loaned, the lender is left with a net amount payable to the defaulting party. However, bankruptcy or insolvency laws of a particular jurisdiction may impose restrictions on or prohibitions against such a right of offset in the event of an MSLA counterparty’s bankruptcy or insolvency. Under the MSLA, absent an event of default, the borrower can resell or re-pledge the loaned securities, and the Fund can reinvest cash collateral received in connection with loaned securities. Upon an event of default, the parties’ obligations to return the securities or collateral to the other party are extinguished, and the parties can resell or re-pledge the loaned securities or the collateral received in connection with the loaned securities in order to satisfy the defaulting party’s net payment obligation for all transactions under the MSLA. The defaulting party remains liable for any deficiency.

As of period end, the following table is a summary of the securities on loan by counterparty which are subject to offset under an MSLA:

 

 

 

iShares ETF and Counterparty

    
Securities Loaned
at Value
 
 
    
Cash Collateral
Received
 
(a) 
    
Non-Cash Collateral
Received, at Fair Value
 
(a)
 
     Net Amount  

 

 

Global Clean Energy

           

Barclays Bank PLC

   $ 129,099      $ (129,099    $      $  

Barclays Capital, Inc.

     489,080        (489,080              

BNP Paribas SA

     143,022,894        (143,022,894              

BofA Securities, Inc.

     19,578,186        (19,578,186              

Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.

     3,459,373        (3,459,373              

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

     14,234,264        (14,234,264              

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

     141,038,628        (141,038,628              

HSBC Bank PLC

     826,574        (826,574              

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

     96,321,990        (96,321,990              

Jefferies LLC

     2,696,478        (2,696,478              

Morgan Stanley

     64,090,102        (64,090,102              

National Financial Services LLC

     1,027,562        (1,027,562              

Nomura Securities International, Inc.

     7,145,593        (7,145,593              

RBC Capital Markets LLC

     22,404,922        (22,404,922              

Scotia Capital (USA), Inc.

     1,082,731        (1,082,731              

SG Americas Securities LLC

     138,708        (138,708              

State Street Bank & Trust Co.

     12,580,576        (12,580,576              

Toronto-Dominion Bank

     2,025,143        (2,025,143              

UBS AG

     2,155,044        (2,155,044              

UBS Securities LLC

     7,399,650        (7,399,650              

Virtu Americas LLC

     1,830,161        (1,830,161              

Wells Fargo Bank N.A.

     741,831        (741,831              

Wells Fargo Securities LLC

     1,223,684        (1,223,684              
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 545,642,273      $ (545,642,273    $      $  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

Collateral received, if any, in excess of the market value of securities on loan is not presented in this table. The total cash collateral received by the Fund is disclosed in the Fund’s Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

 

The risks of securities lending include the risk that the borrower may not provide additional collateral when required or may not return the securities when due. To mitigate these risks, the Fund benefits from a borrower default indemnity provided by BlackRock, Inc. (“BlackRock”). BlackRock’s indemnity allows for full replacement of the securities loaned to the extent the collateral received does not cover the value of the securities loaned in the event of borrower default. The Fund could incur a loss if the value of an investment purchased with cash collateral falls below the market value of the loaned securities or if the value of an investment purchased with cash collateral falls below the value of the original cash collateral received. Such losses are borne entirely by the Fund.

 

5.  

DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

Futures Contracts: Futures contracts are purchased or sold to gain exposure to, or manage exposure to, changes in interest rates (interest rate risk) and changes in the value of equity securities (equity risk) or foreign currencies (foreign currency exchange rate risk).

 

 

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Notes to Financial Statements  (unaudited)  (continued)

 

Futures contracts are exchange-traded agreements between the Fund and a counterparty to buy or sell a specific quantity of an underlying instrument at a specified price and on a specified date. Depending on the terms of a contract, it is settled either through physical delivery of the underlying instrument on the settlement date or by payment of a cash amount on the settlement date. Upon entering into a futures contract, the Fund is required to deposit initial margin with the broker in the form of cash or securities in an amount that varies depending on a contract’s size and risk profile. The initial margin deposit must then be maintained at an established level over the life of the contract. Amounts pledged, which are considered restricted, are included in cash pledged for futures contracts in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

Securities deposited as initial margin are designated in the Schedule of Investments and cash deposited, if any, are shown as cash pledged for futures contracts in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Pursuant to the contract, the Fund agrees to receive from or pay to the broker an amount of cash equal to the daily fluctuation in market value of the contract (“variation margin”). Variation margin is recorded as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) and, if any, shown as variation margin receivable (or payable) on futures contracts in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. When the contract is closed, a realized gain or loss is recorded in the Statement of Operations equal to the difference between the notional amount of the contract at the time it was opened and the notional amount at the time it was closed. The use of futures contracts involves the risk of an imperfect correlation in the movements in the price of futures contracts and interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates or underlying assets.

Swaps: Swap contracts are entered into to manage exposure to issuers, markets and securities. Such contracts are agreements between the Fund and a counterparty to make periodic net payments on a specified notional amount or a net payment upon termination. Swap agreements are privately negotiated in the OTC market and may be entered into as a bilateral contract (“OTC swaps”) or centrally cleared (“centrally cleared swaps”). For OTC swaps, any upfront premiums paid and any upfront fees received are shown as swap premiums paid and swap premiums received, respectively, in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and amortized over the term of the contract. The daily fluctuation in market value is recorded as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on OTC Swaps in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Payments received or paid are recorded in the Statement of Operations as realized gains or losses, respectively. When an OTC swap is terminated, a realized gain or loss is recorded in the Statement of Operations equal to the difference between the proceeds from (or cost of) the closing transaction and the Fund’s basis in the contract, if any. Generally, the basis of the contract is the premium received or paid.

Total return swaps are entered into by the Fund to obtain exposure to a security or market without owning such security or investing directly in such market or to exchange the risk/return of one security or market (e.g., fixed-income) with another security or market (e.g., equity or commodity prices) (equity risk, commodity price risk and/or interest rate risk).

Total return swaps are agreements in which there is an exchange of cash flows whereby one party commits to make payments based on the total return (distributions plus capital gains/losses) of an underlying instrument, or basket or underlying instruments, in exchange for fixed or floating rate interest payments. If the total return of the instruments or index underlying the transaction exceeds or falls short of the offsetting fixed or floating interest rate obligation, the Fund receives payment from or makes a payment to the counterparty.

Certain total return swaps are designed to function as a portfolio of direct investments in long and short equity positions. This means that the Fund has the ability to trade in and out of these long and short positions within the swap and will receive the economic benefits and risks equivalent to direct investment in these positions, subject to certain adjustments due to events related to the counterparty. Benefits and risks include capital appreciation (depreciation), corporate actions and dividends received and paid, all of which are reflected in the swap’s market value. The market value also includes interest charges and credits (“financing fees”) related to the notional values of the long and short positions and cash balances within the swap. These interest charges and credits are based on a specified benchmark rate plus or minus a specified spread determined based upon the country and/or currency of the positions in the portfolio.

Positions within the swap and financing fees are reset periodically. During a reset, any unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on positions and accrued financing fees become available for cash settlement between the Fund and the counterparty. The amounts that are available for cash settlement are recorded as realized gains or losses in the Statement of Operations. Cash settlement in and out of the swap may occur at a reset date or any other date, at the discretion of the Fund and the counterparty, over the life of the agreement. Certain swaps have no stated expiration and can be terminated by either party at any time.

Swap transactions involve, to varying degrees, elements of interest rate, credit and market risks in excess of the amounts recognized in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Such risks involve the possibility that there will be no liquid market for these agreements, that the counterparty to the agreements may default on its obligation to perform or disagree as to the meaning of the contractual terms in the agreements, and that there may be unfavorable changes in interest rates and/or market values associated with these transactions.

Master Netting Arrangements: In order to define its contractual rights and to secure rights that will help mitigate its counterparty risk, a fund may enter into an International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. Master Agreement (“ISDA Master Agreement”) or similar agreement with its derivative contract counterparties. An ISDA Master Agreement is a bilateral agreement between a fund and a counterparty that governs certain OTC derivatives and typically contains, among other things, collateral posting terms and netting provisions in the event of a default and/or termination event. Under an ISDA Master Agreement, a fund may, under certain circumstances, offset with the counterparty certain derivative financial instruments’ payables and/or receivables with collateral held and/or posted and create one single net payment. The provisions of the ISDA Master Agreement typically permit a single net payment in the event of default including the bankruptcy or insolvency of the counterparty. However, bankruptcy or insolvency laws of a particular jurisdiction may impose restrictions on or prohibitions against the right of offset in bankruptcy, insolvency, or other events.

For derivatives traded under an ISDA Master Agreement, the collateral requirements are typically calculated by netting the mark-to-market amount for each transaction under such agreement, and comparing that amount to the value of any collateral currently pledged by a fund and the counterparty.

Cash collateral that has been pledged to cover obligations of the Fund and cash collateral received from the counterparty, if any, is reported separately in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as cash pledged as collateral and cash received as collateral, respectively. Non-cash collateral pledged by the Fund, if any, is noted in the Schedule of Investments. Generally, the amount of collateral due from or to a counterparty is subject to a certain minimum transfer amount threshold before a transfer is required,

 

 

N O T E S   T O   F I N A N C I A L   S T A T E M E N T S

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Notes to Financial Statements  (unaudited)  (continued)

 

which is determined at the close of business of the Fund. Any additional required collateral is delivered to/pledged by the Fund on the next business day. Typically, the counterparty is not permitted to sell, re-pledge or use cash and non-cash collateral it receives. A fund generally agrees not to use non-cash collateral that it receives but may, absent default or certain other circumstances defined in the underlying ISDA Master Agreement, be permitted to use cash collateral received. In such cases, interest may be paid pursuant to the collateral arrangement with the counterparty. To the extent amounts due to the Fund from the counterparty are not fully collateralized, the Fund bears the risk of loss from counterparty non-performance. Likewise, to the extent the Fund has delivered collateral to a counterparty and stands ready to perform under the terms of its agreement with such counterparty, the Fund bears the risk of loss from a counterparty in the amount of the value of the collateral in the event the counterparty fails to return such collateral. Based on the terms of agreements, collateral may not be required for all derivative contracts.

For financial reporting purposes, the Fund does not offset derivative assets and derivative liabilities that are subject to netting arrangements, if any, in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

 

6.  

INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES

Investment Advisory Fees: Pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement with the Trust, BFA manages the investment of the Fund’s assets. BFA is a California corporation indirectly owned by BlackRock. Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, BFA is responsible for substantially all expenses of the Fund, except (i) interest and taxes; (ii) brokerage commissions and other expenses connected with the execution of portfolio transactions; (iii) distribution fees; (iv) the advisory fee payable to BFA; and (v) litigation expenses and any extraordinary expenses (in each case as determined by a majority of the independent trustees).

For its investment advisory services to the Fund, BFA is entitled to an annual investment advisory fee, accrued daily and paid monthly by the Fund, based on the Fund’s allocable portion of the aggregate of the average daily net assets of the Fund and certain other iShares funds as follows:

 

 

 
Aggregate Average Daily Net Assets    Investment Advisory Fees     

 

 

First $10 billion

     0.4800%  

Over $10 billion, up to and including $20 billion

     0.4300     

Over $20 billion, up to and including $30 billion

     0.3800     

Over $30 billion, up to and including $40 billion

     0.3420     

Over $40 billion

     0.3078     

 

 

Distributor: BlackRock Investments, LLC, an affiliate of BFA, is the distributor for the Fund. Pursuant to the distribution agreement, BFA is responsible for any fees or expenses for distribution services provided to the Fund.

Securities Lending: The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) has issued an exemptive order which permits BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A. (“BTC”), an affiliate of BFA, to serve as securities lending agent for the Fund, subject to applicable conditions. As securities lending agent, BTC bears all operational costs directly related to securities lending, including any custodial costs. The Fund is responsible for fees in connection with the investment of cash collateral received for securities on loan (the “collateral investment fees”). The cash collateral is invested in a money market fund, BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional or BlackRock Cash Funds: Treasury, managed by BFA, or its affiliates. However, BTC has agreed to reduce the amount of securities lending income it receives in order to effectively limit the collateral investment fees the Fund bears to an annual rate of 0.04%. The SL Agency Shares of such money market fund will not be subject to a sales load, distribution fee or service fee. The money market fund in which the cash collateral has been invested may, under certain circumstances, impose a liquidity fee of up to 2% of the value redeemed or temporarily restrict redemptions for up to 10 business days during a 90 day period, in the event that the money market fund’s weekly liquid assets fall below certain thresholds.

Securities lending income is equal to the total of income earned from the reinvestment of cash collateral, net of fees and other payments to and from borrowers of securities, and less the collateral investment fees. The Fund retains a portion of securities lending income and remits the remaining portion to BTC as compensation for its services as securities lending agent.

Pursuant to the current securities lending agreement, the Fund retains 82% of securities lending income (which excludes collateral investment fees) and the amount retained can never be less than 70% of the total of securities lending income plus the collateral investment fees.

In addition, commencing the business day following the date that the aggregate securities lending income plus the collateral investment fees generated across all 1940 Act iShares exchange-traded funds (the “iShares ETF Complex”) in that calendar year exceeds a specified threshold, the Fund, pursuant to the securities lending agreement, will retain for the remainder of that calendar year 85% of securities lending income (which excludes collateral investment fees), and the amount retained can never be less than 70% of the total of securities lending income plus the collateral investment fees.

The share of securities lending income earned by the Fund is shown as securities lending income – affiliated – net in its Statement of Operations. For the six months ended October 31, 2022, the Fund paid BTC $752,058 for securities lending agent services.

Officers and Trustees: Certain officers and/or trustees of the Trust are officers and/or trustees of BlackRock or its affiliates.

 

 

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Notes to Financial Statements  (unaudited)  (continued)

 

Other Transactions: Cross trading is the buying or selling of portfolio securities between funds to which BFA (or an affiliate) serves as investment adviser. At its regularly scheduled quarterly meetings, the Board reviews such transactions as of the most recent calendar quarter for compliance with the requirements and restrictions set forth by Rule 17a-7.

For the six months ended October 31, 2022, transactions executed by the Fund pursuant to Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act were as follows:

 

       

iShares ETF

 

 

Purchases

 

    

Sales

 

    

Net Realized
Gain (Loss)

 

 

Global Clean Energy

 

 

  $

 

163,167

 

 

 

   $

 

1,468,262

 

 

 

   $

 

(500,839

 

 

The Fund may invest its positive cash balances in certain money market funds managed by BFA or an affiliate. The income earned on these temporary cash investments is shown as dividends – affiliated in the Statement of Operations.

A fund, in order to improve its portfolio liquidity and its ability to track its underlying index, may invest in shares of other iShares funds that invest in securities in the fund’s underlying index.

 

7.

PURCHASES AND SALES

For the six months ended October 31, 2022, purchases and sales of investments, excluding short-term securities and in-kind transactions, were as follows:

 

     

iShares ETF

 

 

Purchases

 

    

Sales

 

 

Global Clean Energy

 

  $

 

1,341,604,916

 

 

 

   $

 

1,350,510,139

 

 

 

For the six months ended October 31, 2022, in-kind transactions were as follows:

 

     

iShares ETF

 

 

In-kind
Purchases

 

    

In-kind
Sales

 

 

Global Clean Energy

 

 

  $

 

163,031,388

 

 

 

   $

 

320,119,971

 

 

 

 

8.

INCOME TAX INFORMATION

The Fund is treated as an entity separate from the Trust’s other funds for federal income tax purposes. It is the Fund’s policy to comply with the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, applicable to regulated investment companies, and to distribute substantially all of its taxable income to its shareholders. Therefore, no U.S. federal income tax provision is required.

Management has analyzed tax laws and regulations and their application to the Fund as of October 31, 2022, inclusive of the open tax return years, and does not believe that there are any uncertain tax positions that require recognition of a tax liability in the Fund’s financial statements.

As of April 30, 2022, the Fund had non-expiring capital loss carryforwards of $754,463,277 available to offset future realized capital gains.

A fund may own shares in certain foreign investment entities, referred to, under U.S. tax law, as “passive foreign investment companies.” Such fund may elect to mark-to-market annually the shares of each passive foreign investment company and would be required to distribute to shareholders any such marked-to-market gains.

As of October 31, 2022, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation based on cost of investments (including short positions and derivatives, if any) for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:

 

         

iShares ETF

 

  

Tax Cost

 

    

Gross Unrealized
Appreciation

 

    

Gross Unrealized
Depreciation

 

    

Net Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)

 

 

Global Clean Energy

 

   $

 

5,717,120,657

 

 

 

   $

 

524,358,308

 

 

 

   $

 

(890,414,467

 

 

   $

 

(366,056,159

 

 

 

9.

LINE OF CREDIT

The Fund, along with certain other iShares funds (“Participating Funds”), is a party to a $800 million credit agreement (“Syndicated Credit Agreement”) with a group of lenders, which expires on August 11, 2023. The line of credit may be used for temporary or emergency purposes, including redemptions, settlement of trades and rebalancing of portfolio holdings in certain target markets. The Funds may borrow up to the aggregate commitment amount subject to asset coverage and other limitations as specified in the Syndicated Credit Agreement. The Syndicated Credit Agreement has the following terms: a commitment fee of 0.15% per annum on the unused portion of the credit agreement and interest at a rate equal to the higher of (a) Daily Simple Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) plus 0.10% and 1.00% per annum or (b) the U.S. Federal Funds rate plus 1.00% per annum on amounts borrowed. The commitment fee is generally allocated to each Participating Fund based on the lesser of a Participating Fund’s relative exposure to certain target markets or a Participating Fund’s maximum borrowing amount as set forth by the terms of the Syndicated Credit Agreement.

 

 

N O T E S   T O   F I N A N C I A L   S T A T E M E N T S

  19


Notes to Financial Statements  (unaudited)  (continued)

 

During the six months ended October 31, 2022, the Fund did not borrow under the Syndicated Credit Agreement.

 

10.

PRINCIPAL RISKS

In the normal course of business, the Fund invests in securities or other instruments and may enter into certain transactions, and such activities subject the Fund to various risks, including, among others, fluctuations in the market (market risk) or failure of an issuer to meet all of its obligations. The value of securities or other instruments may also be affected by various factors, including, without limitation: (i) the general economy; (ii) the overall market as well as local, regional or global political and/or social instability; (iii) regulation, taxation or international tax treaties between various countries; or (iv) currency, interest rate or price fluctuations. Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments. The Fund’s prospectus provides details of the risks to which the Fund is subject.

BFA uses a “passive” or index approach to try to achieve the Fund’s investment objective following the securities included in its underlying index during upturns as well as downturns. BFA does not take steps to reduce market exposure or to lessen the effects of a declining market. Divergence from the underlying index and the composition of the portfolio is monitored by BFA.

The Fund may be exposed to additional risks when reinvesting cash collateral in money market funds that do not seek to maintain a stable NAV per share of $1.00, which may be subject to redemption gates or liquidity fees under certain circumstances.

Market Risk: An outbreak of respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus has developed into a global pandemic and has resulted in closing borders, quarantines, disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, as well as general concern and uncertainty. The impact of this pandemic, and other global health crises that may arise in the future, could affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the market in general in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. This pandemic may result in substantial market volatility and may adversely impact the prices and liquidity of a fund’s investments. Although vaccines have been developed and approved for use by various governments, the duration of this pandemic and its effects cannot be determined with certainty.

Valuation Risk: The market values of equities, such as common stocks and preferred securities or equity related investments, such as futures and options, may decline due to general market conditions which are not specifically related to a particular company. They may also decline due to factors which affect a particular industry or industries. A fund may invest in illiquid investments. An illiquid investment is any investment that a 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. A fund may experience difficulty in selling illiquid investments in a timely manner at the price that it believes the investments are worth. Prices may fluctuate widely over short or extended periods in response to company, market or economic news. Markets also tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising and falling prices. This volatility may cause a fund’s NAV to experience significant increases or decreases over short periods of time. If there is a general decline in the securities and other markets, the NAV of a fund may lose value, regardless of the individual results of the securities and other instruments in which a fund invests.

Counterparty Credit Risk: The Fund may be exposed to counterparty credit risk, or the risk that an entity may fail to or be unable to perform on its commitments related to unsettled or open transactions, including making timely interest and/or principal payments or otherwise honoring its obligations. The Fund manages counterparty credit risk by entering into transactions only with counterparties that BFA believes have the financial resources to honor their obligations and by monitoring the financial stability of those counterparties. Financial assets, which potentially expose the Fund to market, issuer and counterparty credit risks, consist principally of financial instruments and receivables due from counterparties. The extent of the Fund’s exposure to market, issuer and counterparty credit risks with respect to these financial assets is approximately their value recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities, less any collateral held by the Fund.

A derivative contract may suffer a mark-to-market loss if the value of the contract decreases due to an unfavorable change in the market rates or values of the underlying instrument. Losses can also occur if the counterparty does not perform under the contract.

With exchange-traded futures, there is less counterparty credit risk to the Fund since the exchange or clearinghouse, as counterparty to such instruments, guarantees against a possible default. The clearinghouse stands between the buyer and the seller of the contract; therefore, credit risk is limited to failure of the clearinghouse. While offset rights may exist under applicable law, a fund does not have a contractual right of offset against a clearing broker or clearinghouse in the event of a default (including the bankruptcy or insolvency). Additionally, credit risk exists in exchange-traded futures with respect to initial and variation margin that is held in a clearing broker’s customer accounts. While clearing brokers are required to segregate customer margin from their own assets, in the event that a clearing broker becomes insolvent or goes into bankruptcy and at that time there is a shortfall in the aggregate amount of margin held by the clearing broker for all its clients, typically the shortfall would be allocated on a pro rata basis across all the clearing broker’s customers, potentially resulting in losses to the Fund.

Concentration Risk: A diversified portfolio, where this is appropriate and consistent with a fund’s objectives, minimizes the risk that a price change of a particular investment will have a material impact on the NAV of a fund. The investment concentrations within the Fund’s portfolio are disclosed in its Schedule of Investments.

The Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in securities of issuers located in Europe or with significant exposure to European issuers or countries. 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

 

 

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Notes to Financial Statements  (unaudited)  (continued)

 

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.

Significant Shareholder Redemption Risk: Certain shareholders may own or manage a substantial amount of fund shares and/or hold their fund investments for a limited period of time. Large redemptions of fund shares by these shareholders may force a fund to sell portfolio securities, which may negatively impact the fund’s NAV, increase the fund’s brokerage costs, and/or accelerate the realization of taxable income/gains and cause the fund to make additional taxable distributions to shareholders.

LIBOR Transition Risk: The United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority announced a phase out of the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”). Although many LIBOR rates ceased to be published or no longer are representative of the underlying market they seek to measure after December 31, 2021, a selection of widely used USD LIBOR rates will continue to be published through June 2023 in order to assist with the transition. The Fund may be exposed to financial instruments tied to LIBOR to determine payment obligations, financing terms, hedging strategies or investment value. The transition process away from LIBOR might lead to increased volatility and illiquidity in markets for, and reduce the effectiveness of new hedges placed against instruments whose terms currently include LIBOR. The ultimate effect of the LIBOR transition process on the Fund is uncertain.

 

11.

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS

Capital shares are issued and redeemed by the Fund only in aggregations of a specified number of shares or multiples thereof (“Creation Units”) at NAV. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, shares of the Fund are not redeemable.

Transactions in capital shares were as follows:

 

 

 
          

Six Months Ended

10/31/22

 

   

Year Ended

04/30/22

 

 
       

 

 

   

 

 

 
iShares ETF                

Shares

 

   

Amount

 

   

Shares

 

   

Amount

 

 

 

 

Global Clean Energy

             

Shares sold

          9,500,000     $ 198,099,199       49,000,000     $ 1,087,738,922  

Shares redeemed

         

 

(19,900,000

 

 

   

 

(372,495,613

 

 

   

 

(37,600,000

 

 

   

 

(769,297,647

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
         

 

(10,400,000

 

 

  $

 

(174,396,414

 

 

   

 

11,400,000

 

 

 

  $

 

318,441,275

 

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

The consideration for the purchase of Creation Units of a fund in the Trust generally consists of the in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities and a specified amount of cash. Certain funds in the Trust may be offered in Creation Units solely or partially for cash in U.S. dollars. Investors purchasing and redeeming Creation Units may pay a purchase transaction fee and a redemption transaction fee directly to State Street Bank and Trust Company, the Trust’s administrator, to offset transfer and other transaction costs associated with the issuance and redemption of Creation Units, including Creation Units for cash. Investors transacting in Creation Units for cash may also pay an additional variable charge to compensate the relevant fund for certain transaction costs (i.e., stamp taxes, taxes on currency or other financial transactions, and brokerage costs) and market impact expenses relating to investing in portfolio securities. Such variable charges, if any, are included in shares sold in the table above.

From time to time, settlement of securities related to in-kind contributions or in-kind redemptions may be delayed. In such cases, securities related to in-kind transactions are reflected as a receivable or a payable in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

 

12.

SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

Management has evaluated the impact of all subsequent events on the Fund through the date the financial statements were available to be issued and has determined that there were no subsequent events requiring adjustment or additional disclosure in the financial statements.

 

 

N O T E S   T O   F I N A N C I A L   S T A T E M E N T S

  21


Board Review and Approval of Investment Advisory Contract

 

iShares Global Clean Energy ETF (the “Fund”)

Under Section 15(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”), the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”), including a majority of Board Members who are not “interested persons” of the Trust (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) (the “Independent Board Members”), is required annually to consider and approve the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and BFA (the “Advisory Agreement”) on behalf of the Fund. The Board’s consideration entails a year-long process whereby the Board and its committees (composed solely of Independent Board Members) assess BlackRock’s services to the Fund, including investment management; fund accounting; administrative and shareholder services; oversight of the Fund’s service providers; risk management and oversight; legal and compliance services; and ability to meet applicable legal and regulatory requirements. The Independent Board Members requested, and BFA provided, such information as the Independent Board Members, with advice from independent counsel, deemed reasonably necessary to evaluate the Advisory Agreement. At meetings on May 3, 2022 and May 18, 2022, a committee composed of all of the Independent Board Members (the “15(c) Committee”), with independent counsel, met with management and reviewed and discussed information provided in response to initial requests of the 15(c) Committee and/or its independent counsel, and requested certain additional information, which management agreed to provide. At a meeting held on June 13-15, 2022, the Board, including the Independent Board Members, reviewed the additional information provided by management in response to these requests.

After extensive discussions and deliberations, the Board, including all of the Independent Board Members, approved the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the Fund, based on a review of qualitative and quantitative information provided by BFA and their cumulative experience as Board Members. The Board noted its satisfaction with the extent and quality of information provided and its frequent interactions with management, as well as the detailed responses and other information provided by BFA. The Independent Board Members were advised by their independent counsel throughout the process, including about the legal standards applicable to their review. In approving the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the Fund, the Board, including the Independent Board Members, considered various factors, including: (i) the expenses and performance of the Fund; (ii) the nature, extent and quality of the services provided by BFA; (iii) the costs of services provided to the Fund and profits realized by BFA and its affiliates; (iv) potential economies of scale and the sharing of related benefits; (v) the fees and services provided for other comparable funds/accounts managed by BFA and its affiliates; and (vi) other benefits to BFA and/or its affiliates. The material factors, none of which was controlling, and conclusions that formed the basis for the Board, including the Independent Board Members, to approve the continuance of the Advisory Agreement are discussed below.

Expenses and Performance of the Fund: The Board reviewed statistical information prepared by Broadridge Financial Solutions Inc. (“Broadridge”), an independent provider of investment company data, regarding the expense ratio components, including gross and net total expenses, fees and expenses of another fund in which the Fund invests (if applicable), and waivers/reimbursements (if applicable) of the Fund in comparison with the same information for other ETFs, objectively selected by Broadridge as comprising the Fund’s applicable expense peer group pursuant to Broadridge’s proprietary ETF methodology (the “Peer Group”). The Board was provided with a detailed description of the proprietary ETF methodology used by Broadridge to determine the Fund’s Peer Group. The Board noted that, due to the limitations in providing comparable funds in the Peer Group, the statistical information provided in Broadridge’s report may or may not provide meaningful direct comparisons to the Fund in all instances. The Board also noted that the investment advisory fee rate and overall expenses (net of waivers and reimbursements) for the Fund were lower than the median of the investment advisory fee rates and overall expenses (net of waivers and reimbursements) of the funds in its Peer Group, excluding iShares funds.

In addition, to the extent that any of the comparison funds included in the Peer Group, excluding iShares funds, track the same index as the Fund, Broadridge also provided, and the Board reviewed, a comparison of the Fund’s performance for the one-year, three-year, five-year, ten-year, and since inception periods, as applicable, and for the quarter ended December 31, 2021, to that of such relevant comparison fund(s) for the same periods. The Board noted that the Fund seeks to track its specified underlying index and that, during the year, the Board received periodic reports on the Fund’s short- and longer-term performance in comparison with its underlying index. Such periodic comparative performance information, including additional detailed information as requested by the Board, was also considered. The Board noted that the Fund generally performed in line with its underlying index over the relevant periods.

Based on this review, the other factors considered at the meeting, and their general knowledge of ETF pricing, the Board concluded that the investment advisory fee rate and expense level and the historical performance of the Fund supported the Board’s approval of the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the coming year.

Nature, Extent and Quality of Services Provided: Based on management’s representations, including information about recent enhancements and initiatives with respect to the iShares business, including with respect to capital markets support and analysis, technology, portfolio management, product design and quality, compliance and risk management, global public policy and other services, the Board expected that there would be no diminution in the scope of services required of or provided by BFA under the Advisory Agreement for the coming year as compared with the scope of services provided by BFA during prior years. In reviewing the scope of these services, the Board considered BFA’s investment philosophy and experience, noting that BFA and its affiliates have committed significant resources over time, including during the past year, to support the iShares funds and their shareholders and have made significant investments into the iShares business. The Board also considered BFA’s compliance program and its compliance record with respect to the Fund. In that regard, the Board noted that BFA reports to the Board about portfolio management and compliance matters on a periodic basis in connection with regularly scheduled meetings of the Board, and on other occasions as necessary and appropriate, and has provided information and made relevant officers and other employees of BFA (and its affiliates) available as needed to provide further assistance with these matters. The Board also reviewed the background and experience of the persons responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund, as well as the resources available to them in managing the Fund. In addition to the above considerations, the Board reviewed and considered detailed presentations regarding BFA’s investment performance, investment and risk management processes and strategies, provided at the May 3, 2022 meeting and throughout the year, and matters related to BFA’s portfolio compliance program.

Based on review of this information, and the performance information discussed above, the Board concluded that the nature, extent and quality of services provided to the Fund under the Advisory Agreement supported the Board’s approval of the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the coming year.

Costs of Services Provided to the Fund and Profits Realized by BFA and its Affiliates: The Board reviewed information about the estimated profitability to BlackRock in managing the Fund, based on the fees payable to BFA and its affiliates (including fees under the Advisory Agreement), and other sources of revenue and expense to BFA

 

 

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Board Review and Approval of Investment Advisory Contract  (continued)

 

and its affiliates from the Fund’s operations for the last calendar year. The Board reviewed BlackRock’s methodology for calculating estimated profitability of the iShares funds, noting that the 15(c) Committee and the Board had focused on the methodology and profitability presentation. The Board recognized that profitability may be affected by numerous factors, including, among other things, fee waivers by BFA, the types of funds managed, expense allocations and business mix. The Board thus recognized that calculating and comparing profitability at individual fund levels is challenging. The Board discussed with management the sources of direct and ancillary revenue, including the revenues to BTC, a BlackRock affiliate, from securities lending by the Fund. The Board also discussed BFA’s estimated profit margin as reflected in the Fund’s profitability analysis and reviewed information regarding potential economies of scale (as discussed below).

Based on this review, the Board concluded that the information considered with respect to the profits realized by BFA and its affiliates under the Advisory Agreement and from other relationships between the Fund and BFA and/or its affiliates, if any, as well as the other factors considered at the meeting, supported the Board’s approval of the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the coming year.

Economies of Scale: The Board reviewed information and considered the extent to which economies of scale might be realized as the assets of the Fund increase, noting that the issue of potential economies of scale had been focused on by the 15(c) Committee and the Board during their meetings and addressed by management. The 15(c) Committee and the Board received information regarding BlackRock’s historical estimated profitability, including BFA’s and its affiliates’ estimated costs in providing services. The estimated cost information distinguished, among other things, between fixed and variable costs, and showed how the level and nature of fixed and variable costs may impact the existence or size of scale benefits, with the Board recognizing that potential economies of scale are difficult to measure. The 15(c) Committee and the Board reviewed information provided by BFA regarding the sharing of scale benefits with the iShares funds through various means, including, as applicable, through relatively low fee rates established at inception, breakpoints, waivers, or other fee reductions, as well as through additional investment in the iShares business and the provision of improved or additional infrastructure and services to the iShares funds and their shareholders. The Board noted that the Advisory Agreement for the Fund already provided for breakpoints in the Fund’s investment advisory fee rate as the assets of the Fund, on an aggregated basis with the assets of certain other iShares funds, increase. The Board noted that it would continue to assess the appropriateness of adding new or revised breakpoints in the future.

The Board concluded that this review of potential economies of scale and the sharing of related benefits, as well as the other factors considered at the meeting, supported the Board’s approval of the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the coming year.

Fees and Services Provided for Other Comparable Funds/Accounts Managed by BFA and its Affiliates: The Board received and considered information regarding the investment advisory/management fee rates for other funds/accounts in the U.S. for which BFA (or its affiliates) provides investment advisory/management services, including open-end funds registered under the 1940 Act (including sub-advised funds), collective trust funds, and institutional separate accounts (collectively, the “Other Accounts”). The Board acknowledged and other sources of revenue and expense to BFA and its affiliates from the Fund’s operations for the last calendar year. The Board reviewed BlackRock’s methodology for calculating estimated profitability of the iShares funds, noting that the 15(c) Committee and the Board had focused on the methodology and profitability presentation. The Board recognized that profitability may be affected by numerous factors, including, among other things, fee waivers by BFA, the types of funds managed, expense allocations and business mix. The Board thus recognized that calculating and comparing profitability at individual fund levels is challenging. The Board discussed with management the sources of direct and ancillary revenue, including the revenues to BTC, a BlackRock affiliate, from securities lending by the Fund. The Board also discussed BFA’s estimated profit margin as reflected in the Fund’s profitability analysis and reviewed information regarding potential economies of scale (as discussed below).

Based on this review, the Board concluded that the information considered with respect to the profits realized by BFA and its affiliates under the Advisory Agreement and from other relationships between the Fund and BFA and/or its affiliates, if any, as well as the other factors considered at the meeting, supported the Board’s approval of the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the coming year.

Economies of Scale: The Board reviewed information and considered the extent to which economies of scale might be realized as the assets of the Fund increase, noting that the issue of potential economies of scale had been focused on by the 15(c) Committee and the Board during their meetings and addressed by management. The 15(c) Committee and the Board received information regarding BlackRock’s historical estimated profitability, including BFA’s and its affiliates’ estimated costs in providing services. The estimated cost information distinguished, among other things, between fixed and variable costs, and showed how the level and nature of fixed and variable costs may impact the existence or size of scale benefits, with the Board recognizing that potential economies of scale are difficult to measure. The 15(c) Committee and the Board reviewed information provided by BFA regarding the sharing of scale benefits with the iShares funds through various means, including, as applicable, through relatively low fee rates established at inception, breakpoints, waivers, or other fee reductions, as well as through additional investment in the iShares business and the provision of improved or additional infrastructure and services to the iShares funds and their shareholders. The Board noted that the Advisory Agreement for the Fund already provided for breakpoints in the Fund’s investment advisory fee rate as the assets of the Fund, on an aggregated basis with the assets of certain other iShares funds, increase. The Board noted that it would continue to assess the appropriateness of adding new or revised breakpoints in the future.

The Board concluded that this review of potential economies of scale and the sharing of related benefits, as well as the other factors considered at the meeting, supported the Board’s approval of the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the coming year.

Fees and Services Provided for Other Comparable Funds/Accounts Managed by BFA and its Affiliates: The Board received and considered information regarding the investment advisory/management fee rates for other funds/accounts in the U.S. for which BFA (or its affiliates) provides investment advisory/management services, including open-end funds registered under the 1940 Act (including sub-advised funds), collective trust funds, and institutional separate accounts (collectively, the “Other Accounts”). The Board acknowledged

BFA’s representation that the iShares funds are fundamentally different investment vehicles from the Other Accounts.

 

 

B O A R D   R E V I E W   A N D   A P P R O V A L   O F   I N V E S T M E N T   A D V I S O R Y   C O N T R A C T

  23


Board Review and Approval of Investment Advisory Contract  (continued)

 

The Board received detailed information regarding how the Other Accounts generally differ from the Fund, including in terms of the types of services and generally more extensive services provided to the Fund, as well as other significant differences. In that regard, the Board considered that the pricing of services to institutional clients is typically based on a number of factors beyond the nature and extent of the specific services to be provided and often depends on the overall relationship between the client and its affiliates and the adviser and its affiliates. In addition, the Board considered the relative complexity and inherent risks and challenges of managing and providing other services to the Fund, as a publicly traded investment vehicle, as compared to the Other Accounts, particularly those that are institutional clients, in light of differing regulatory requirements and client-imposed mandates. The Board noted that BFA and its affiliates do not manage Other Accounts with substantially the same investment objective and strategy as the Fund and that track the same index as the Fund. The Board also acknowledged management’s assertion that, for certain iShares funds, and for client segmentation purposes, BlackRock has launched an iShares fund that may provide a similar investment exposure at a lower investment advisory fee rate.

The Board considered the “all-inclusive” nature of the Fund’s advisory fee structure, and the Fund’s expenses borne by BFA under this arrangement and noted that the investment advisory fee rate under the Advisory Agreement for the Fund was generally higher than the investment advisory/management fee rates for certain of the Other Accounts (particularly institutional clients) and concluded that the differences appeared to be consistent with the factors discussed.

Other Benefits to BFA and/or its Affiliates: The Board reviewed other benefits or ancillary revenue received by BFA and/or its affiliates in connection with the services provided to the Fund by BFA, both direct and indirect, including, but not limited to, payment of revenue to BTC, the Fund’s securities lending agent, for loaning portfolio securities (which was included in the profit margins reviewed by the Board pursuant to BFA’s estimated profitability methodology), payment of advisory fees or other fees to BFA (or its affiliates) in connection with any investments by the Fund in other funds for which BFA (or its affiliates) provides investment advisory services or other services, and BlackRock’s profile in the investment community. The Board also noted the revenue received by BFA and/or its affiliates pursuant to an agreement that permits a service provider to use certain portions of BlackRock’s technology platform to service accounts managed by BFA and/or its affiliates, including the iShares funds. The Board noted that BFA generally does not use soft dollars or consider the value of research or other services that may be provided to BFA (including its affiliates) in selecting brokers for portfolio transactions for the Fund. The Board concluded that any such ancillary benefits would not be disadvantageous to the Fund and thus would not alter the Board’s conclusion with respect to the appropriateness of approving the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the coming year.

Conclusion: Based on a review of the factors described above, as well as such other factors as deemed appropriate by the Board, the Board, including all of the Independent Board Members, determined that the Fund’s investment advisory fee rate under the Advisory Agreement does not constitute a fee that is so disproportionately large as to bear no reasonable relationship to the services rendered and that could not have been the product of arm’s-length bargaining, and concluded to approve the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the coming year.

 

 

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Supplemental Information (unaudited)

 

Section 19(a) Notices

The amounts and sources of distributions reported are estimates and are being provided pursuant to regulatory requirements and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund’s investment experience during the year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. Shareholders will receive a Form 1099-DIV each calendar year that will inform them how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes.

October 31, 2022

 

     
   

 

Total Cumulative Distributions

for the Fiscal Year-to-Date

 

 

   

 

% Breakdown of the Total Cumulative

Distributions for the Fiscal Year-to-Date

 

iShares ETF

 

 

 

Net
Investment
Income

 

   

Net Realized
Capital Gains

 

   

Return of
Capital

 

 

   

Total Per
Share

 

   

 

Net
Investment
Income

 

   

Net Realized
Capital Gains

 

   

Return of
Capital

 

   

Total Per
Share

 

 

 

Global Clean Energy(a)

 

 

 

$

 

 

0.113814

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

 

 

0.026528

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

 

 

0.140342

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

81

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

19

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

100

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

The Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its net investment income and net realized capital gains; therefore, a portion of the distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur, for example, when some or all of the shareholder’s investment in the Fund is returned to the shareholder. A return of capital does not necessarily reflect the Fund’s investment performance and should not be confused with “yield” or “income”. When distributions exceed total return performance, the difference will incrementally reduce the Fund’s net asset value per share.

 

 

 

S U P P L E M E N T A L   I N F O R M A T I O N

  25


General Information

 

Electronic Delivery

Shareholders can sign up for e-mail notifications announcing that the shareholder report or prospectus has been posted on the iShares website at iShares.com. Once you have enrolled, you will no longer receive prospectuses and shareholder reports in the mail.

To enroll in electronic delivery:

 

   

Go to icsdelivery.com.

   

If your brokerage firm is not listed, electronic delivery may not be available. Please contact your broker-dealer or financial advisor.

Householding

Householding is an option available to certain fund investors. Householding is a method of delivery, based on the preference of the individual investor, in which a single copy of certain shareholder documents and Rule 30e-3 notices can be delivered to investors who share the same address, even if their accounts are registered under different names. Please contact your broker-dealer if you are interested in enrolling in householding and receiving a single copy of prospectuses and other shareholder documents, or if you are currently enrolled in householding and wish to change your householding status.

Availability of Quarterly Schedule of Investments

The Fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The Fund’s Forms N-PORT are available on the SEC’s website at sec.gov. Additionally, the Fund makes its portfolio holdings for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year available at iShares.com/fundreports.

Availability of Proxy Voting Policies and Proxy Voting Records

A description of the policies and procedures that the iShares Funds use to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities and information about how the iShares Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent twelve-month period ending June 30 is available without charge, upon request (1) by calling toll-free 1-800-474-2737; (2) on the iShares website at iShares.com; and (3) on the SEC website at sec.gov.

A description of the Trust’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio securities is available in the Fund Prospectus. The Fund discloses its portfolio holdings daily and provides information regarding its top holdings in Fund fact sheets at iShares.com.

 

 

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Glossary of Terms Used in this Report

 

Portfolio Abbreviation

ADR    American Depositary Receipt
NVDR    Non-Voting Depositary Receipt
NVS    Non-Voting Shares

    

 

 

 

G L O S S A R Y   O F   T E R M S   U S E D   I N   T H I S   R E P O R T

  27


 

Want to know more?

iShares.com    |    1-800-474-2737

This report is intended for the Fund’s shareholders. It may not be distributed to prospective investors unless it is preceded or accompanied by the current prospectus.

Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal.

The iShares Funds are distributed by BlackRock Investments, LLC (together with its affiliates, “BlackRock”).

The iShares Funds are not sponsored, endorsed, issued, sold or promoted by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, nor does this company make any representation regarding the advisability of investing in the iShares Funds. BlackRock is not affiliated with the company listed above.

©2022 BlackRock, Inc. All rights reserved. iSHARES and BLACKROCK are registered trademarks of BlackRock, Inc. or its subsidiaries. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

iS-SAR-408-1022

 

 

LOGO

   LOGO


 

LOGO

  OCTOBER 31, 2022

 

   

  

2022 Semi-Annual Report

(Unaudited)

 

 

iShares Trust

 

·  

iShares International Select Dividend ETF | IDV | Cboe BZX


The Markets in Review

Dear Shareholder,

Significant economic headwinds emerged during the 12-month reporting period ended October 31, 2022, disrupting the economic recovery and strong financial markets of 2021. The U.S. economy shrank in the first half of 2022 before returning to moderate growth in the third quarter, marking a shift to a more challenging post-reopening economic environment. Changes in consumer spending patterns and a tight labor market led to elevated inflation, which reached a 40-year high. Moreover, while the foremost effect of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been a severe humanitarian crisis, the ongoing war continued to present challenges for both investors and policymakers.

Equity prices fell as interest rates rose, particularly weighing on relatively high-valuation growth stocks as inflation decreased the value of future cash flows and investors shifted focus to balance sheet resilience. Both large- and small-capitalization U.S. stocks fell, although declines for small-capitalization U.S. stocks were slightly steeper. Emerging market stocks and international equities from developed markets also declined significantly, pressured by rising interest rates and a strengthening U.S. dollar.

The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield rose notably during the reporting period, driving its price down, as investors reacted to higher inflation and attempted to anticipate its impact on future interest rate changes. The corporate bond market also faced inflationary headwinds, and increasing uncertainty led to higher corporate bond spreads (the difference in yield between U.S. Treasuries and similarly-dated corporate bonds).

The U.S. Federal Reserve (the “Fed”), acknowledging that inflation has been more persistent than expected, raised interest rates five times while indicating that additional rate hikes were likely. Furthermore, the Fed wound down its bond-buying programs and is accelerating the reduction of its balance sheet. As investors attempted to assess the Fed’s future trajectory, the Fed’s statements late in the reporting period led markets to believe that additional tightening is likely in the near term.

The pandemic’s restructuring of the economy brought an ongoing mismatch between supply and demand, contributing to the current inflationary regime. While growth has slowed in 2022, we believe that taming inflation requires a more dramatic economic decline to bring demand back to a lower level that is more in line with the economy’s capacity. The Fed has been raising interest rates at the fastest pace in decades, and seems set to overtighten in its effort to get inflation back to target. With this in mind, we believe the possibility of a U.S. recession in the near-term is high, and the outlook for Europe and the U.K. is also troubling. Investors should expect a period of higher volatility as markets adjust to the new economic reality and policymakers attempt to adapt to rapidly changing conditions.

In this environment, while we favor an overweight to equities in the long-term, the market’s concerns over excessive rate hikes from central banks moderate our outlook. Rising input costs and a deteriorating economic backdrop in China and Europe are likely to challenge corporate earnings, so we are underweight equities overall in the near term. However, we see better opportunities in credit, where higher spreads provide income opportunities and partially compensate for inflation risk. We believe that investment-grade corporates, local-currency emerging market debt, and inflation-protected bonds (particularly in Europe) offer strong opportunities for a six- to twelve-month horizon.

Overall, our view is that investors need to think globally, position themselves to be prepared for a decarbonizing economy, and be nimble as market conditions change. We encourage you to talk with your financial advisor and visit iShares.com for further insight about investing in today’s markets.

 

LOGO

Rob Kapito

President, BlackRock, Inc.

LOGO

Rob Kapito

President, BlackRock, Inc.

 

Total Returns as of October 31, 2022

 

 
     
     6-Month     12-Month  
     

U.S. large cap equities
(S&P 500® Index)

    (5.50)%       (14.61)%  
     

U.S. small cap equities
(Russell 2000® Index)

    (0.20)          (18.54)     
     

International equities
(MSCI Europe, Australasia,
Far East Index)

    (12.70)          (23.00)     
     

Emerging market equities
(MSCI Emerging Markets Index)

    (19.66)          (31.03)     
     

3-month Treasury bills
(ICE BofA 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index)

    0.72           0.79      
     

U.S. Treasury securities
(ICE BofA 10-Year
U.S. Treasury Index)

    (8.24)          (17.68)     
     

U.S. investment grade bonds
(Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index)

    (6.86)          (15.68)     
     

Tax-exempt municipal bonds
(Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index)

    (4.43)          (11.98)     
     

U.S. high yield bonds (Bloomberg U.S. Corporate High Yield 2% Issuer Capped Index)

    (4.71)          (11.76)     

Past performance is not an indication of future results.

Index performance is shown for illustrative purposes only. You cannot invest directly in an index.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2  

H I S   P A G E   I S   N O T   P A R T   O F   Y O U R  U N D  E P O R T


Table of Contents

 

      Page  

The Markets in Review

     2  

Semi-Annual Report:

  

Fund Summary

     4  

About Fund Performance

     5  

Disclosure of Expenses

     5  

Schedule of Investments

     6  

Financial Statements:

  

Statement of Assets and Liabilities

     12  

Statement of Operations

     13  

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

     14  

Financial Highlights

     15  

Notes to Financial Statements

     16  

Board Review and Approval of Investment Advisory Contract

     25  

General Information

     27  

Glossary of Terms Used in this Report

     28  

 

 

 


Fund Summary   as of October 31, 2022    iShares® International Select Dividend ETF

 

Investment Objective

The 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, as represented by the Dow Jones EPAC Select Dividend IndexTM (the “Index”). The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index. Due to the use of representative sampling, the Fund may or may not hold all of the securities that are included in the Index.

Performance

 

          Average Annual Total Returns     Cumulative Total Returns  
   

 

 

   

 

 

 
    6-Month
Total Returns
    1 Year     5 Years     10 Years     1 Year     5 Years     10 Years     

 

 

Fund NAV

    (17.67 )%      (18.56 )%      (0.80 )%      2.38     (18.56 )%      (3.94 )%      26.50%  

Fund Market

    (17.41     (18.48     (0.78     2.36       (18.48     (3.84     26.25     

Index

    (18.63     (18.83     (0.90     2.43       (18.83     (4.40     27.09     

 

 

Past performance is not an indication of future results. Performance results do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the redemption or sale of fund shares. See “About Fund Performance” for more information.

Expense Example

 

Actual

            

Hypothetical 5% Return

          

 

 

        

 

 

      
 

Beginning
  Account Value
(05/01/22)
 
 
 
      

Ending
Account Value
(10/31/22)
 
 
 
      

Expenses
Paid During
the Period
 
 
(a) 
              

Beginning
Account Value
(05/01/22)
 
 
 
      

Ending
Account Value
(10/31/22)
 
 
 
      

Expenses
Paid During
the Period
 
 
(a) 
      

Annualized
Expense
Ratio
 
 
 
  $      1,000.00        $       823.30        $        2.44                $       1,000.00        $       1,022.50        $       2.70          0.53

 

  (a) 

Expenses are equal to the annualized expense ratio, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 184/365 (to reflect the one-half year period shown). Other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, may be paid which are not reflected in the tables and examples above. See “Disclosure of Expenses” for more information.

 

Portfolio Information

 

SECTOR ALLOCATION

 

   

Sector

   
Percent of
Total Investments
 
(a)
 

Financials

    30.3

Utilities

    15.9  

Materials

    15.1  

Industrials

    15.0  

Energy

    5.9  

Communication Services

    4.5  

Consumer Discretionary

    4.4  

Consumer Staples

    4.1  

Real Estate

    3.4  

Other (each representing less than 1%)

    1.4  

GEOGRAPHIC ALLOCATION

 

   

Country/Geographic Region

   
Percent of
Total Investments
 
(a)
 

Australia

    15.2

United Kingdom

    13.3  

Spain

    8.6  

South Korea

    8.6  

Canada

    7.3  

Italy

    7.0  

Japan

    7.0  

Hong Kong

    5.7  

France

    5.5  

Finland

    3.8  

Netherlands

    3.1  

Switzerland

    2.9  

Belgium

    2.3  

Denmark

    2.2  

Brazil

    1.7  

New Zealand

    1.5  

Sweden

    1.1  

China

    1.0  

Portugal

    1.0  

Other (each representing less than 1%)

    1.2  
 

 

  (a)

Excludes money market funds.

 

 

 

4  

2 0 2 2   I S H A R E S   S E M I - A N N U A L   R E P O R T   T O   S H A R E H O L D E R S


About Fund Performance

 

Past performance is not an indication of future results. Financial markets have experienced extreme volatility and trading in many instruments has been disrupted. These circumstances may continue for an extended period of time and may continue to affect adversely the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments. As a result, current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. Performance data current to the most recent month-end is available at iShares.com. Performance results assume reinvestment of all dividends and capital gain distributions and do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the redemption or sale of fund shares. The investment return and principal value of shares will vary with changes in market conditions. Shares may be worth more or less than their original cost when they are redeemed or sold in the market. Performance for certain funds may reflect a waiver of a portion of investment advisory fees. Without such a waiver, performance would have been lower.

Net asset value or “NAV” is the value of one share of a fund as calculated in accordance with the standard formula for valuing mutual fund shares. Beginning August 10, 2020, the price used to calculate market return (“Market Price”) is the closing price. Prior to August 10, 2020, Market Price was determined using the midpoint between the highest bid and the lowest ask on the primary stock exchange on which shares of a fund are listed for trading, as of the time that such fund’s NAV is calculated. Market and NAV returns assume that dividends and capital gain distributions have been reinvested at Market Price and NAV, respectively.

An index is a statistical composite that tracks a specified financial market or sector. Unlike a fund, an index does not actually hold a portfolio of securities and therefore does not incur the expenses incurred by a fund. These expenses negatively impact fund performance. Also, market returns do not include brokerage commissions that may be payable on secondary market transactions. If brokerage commissions were included, market returns would be lower.

Disclosure of Expenses

Shareholders of the Fund may incur the following charges: (1) transactional expenses, including brokerage commissions on purchases and sales of fund shares and (2) ongoing expenses, including management fees and other fund expenses. The expense examples shown (which are based on a hypothetical investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the period and held through the end of the period) are intended to assist shareholders both in calculating expenses based on an investment in the Fund and in comparing these expenses with similar costs of investing in other funds.

The expense examples provide information about actual account values and actual expenses. Annualized expense ratios reflect contractual and voluntary fee waivers, if any. In order to estimate the expenses a shareholder paid during the period covered by this report, shareholders can divide their account value by $1,000 and then multiply the result by the number under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During the Period.”

The expense examples also provide information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on a fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses. In order to assist shareholders in comparing the ongoing expenses of investing in the Fund and other funds, compare the 5% hypothetical examples with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of the other funds.

The expenses shown in the expense examples are intended to highlight shareholders’ ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional expenses, such as brokerage commissions and other fees paid on purchases and sales of fund shares. Therefore, the hypothetical examples are useful in comparing ongoing expenses only and will not help shareholders determine the relative total expenses of owning different funds. If these transactional expenses were included, shareholder expenses would have been higher.

 

 

A B O U T   F U N D   P E R F O R M A N C E / D I S C L O S U R E   O F   E X P E N S E S

  5


Schedule of Investments  (unaudited)

October 31, 2022

  

iShares® International Select Dividend ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  

Common Stocks

   
Australia — 15.0%            

APA Group

    4,098,576     $ 27,593,205  

Fortescue Metals Group Ltd.

    12,252,352       115,429,436  

Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd.

    5,149,144       13,698,211  

JB Hi-Fi Ltd.

    1,744,385       47,816,988  

Magellan Financial Group Ltd.

    2,760,479       17,503,678  

Pendal Group Ltd.

    5,935,604       18,644,058  

Perpetual Ltd.(a)

    879,757       14,019,090  

Rio Tinto PLC

    5,316,889       277,869,235  

Suncorp Group Ltd.

    4,769,693       34,890,351  

Super Retail Group Ltd.

    2,698,527       17,743,374  
   

 

 

 
          585,207,626  
Austria — 0.4%            

Oesterreichische Post AG(a)

    519,627       14,785,028  
   

 

 

 
Belgium — 2.2%            

Ageas SA/NV

    1,893,950       65,565,100  

Proximus SADP

    2,094,661       21,959,849  
   

 

 

 
      87,524,949  
Brazil — 1.7%            

Yara International ASA

    1,452,526       64,828,292  
   

 

 

 
Canada — 7.2%            

Bank of Nova Scotia (The)

    1,161,326       56,133,385  

Canadian Utilities Ltd., Class A, NVS

    1,322,683       35,194,523  

Emera Inc.

    1,179,163       43,700,914  

Great-West Lifeco Inc.

    1,451,499       33,603,904  

IGM Financial Inc.

    1,263,009       33,810,649  

Labrador Iron Ore Royalty Corp.

    936,885       19,420,584  

Manulife Financial Corp.

    1,411,347       23,392,091  

Power Corp. of Canada

    1,385,235       34,398,283  
   

 

 

 
      279,654,333  
China — 1.0%            

Orient Overseas International Ltd.

    2,713,500       39,652,754  
   

 

 

 
Denmark — 2.1%            

AP Moller - Maersk A/S, Class A

    42,023       84,074,763  
   

 

 

 
Finland — 3.8%            

Fortum OYJ

    2,016,602       28,382,221  

Sampo OYJ, Class A

    1,549,802       70,868,935  

UPM-Kymmene OYJ

    1,427,680       47,994,952  
   

 

 

 
      147,246,108  
France — 5.4%            

Bouygues SA

    1,676,739       47,839,286  

Nexity SA

    849,871       17,023,137  

Orange SA

    1,966,900       18,740,451  

Rubis SCA

    1,569,230       35,636,165  

TotalEnergies SE

    1,683,033       91,815,090  
   

 

 

 
      211,054,129  
Germany — 0.7%            

Freenet AG

    398,097       7,825,066  

Hapag-Lloyd AG(a)(b)

    113,722       20,508,299  
   

 

 

 
      28,333,365  
Hong Kong — 5.7%            

BOC Hong Kong Holdings Ltd.

    6,319,500       19,636,620  

CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd.

    6,433,500       32,024,864  

CK Infrastructure Holdings Ltd.

    6,638,500       31,537,660  

Henderson Land Development Co. Ltd.

    7,788,000       19,067,046  
Security   Shares      Value  
Hong Kong (continued)             

Hysan Development Co. Ltd.

    9,163,000      $ 19,971,631  

Kerry Properties Ltd.

    8,716,500        13,788,499  

New World Development Co. Ltd.

    9,390,750        19,208,538  

PCCW Ltd.

    11,689,000        4,465,801  

Swire Pacific Ltd., Class A

    6,446,000        42,759,605  

VTech Holdings Ltd.

    3,412,200        18,163,850  
    

 

 

 
           220,624,114  
Italy — 6.9%             

A2A SpA

    7,532,696        8,352,539  

Anima Holding SpA(b)

    4,948,179        15,325,335  

Azimut Holding SpA

    1,732,735        27,900,601  

Enel SpA

    9,091,904        40,616,692  

Eni SpA

    7,125,154        93,579,764  

Italgas SpA

    7,095,605        36,558,315  

Snam SpA

    7,306,847        32,489,968  

UnipolSai Assicurazioni SpA

    6,667,200        15,033,021  
    

 

 

 
       269,856,235  
Japan — 6.9%             

Haseko Corp.

    876,000        9,021,240  

Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd.

    4,989,300        98,764,130  

MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings Inc.

    772,000        20,443,489  

Nippon Yusen KK

    5,557,200        100,665,658  

Sojitz Corp.

    917,280        13,522,508  

Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc.

    965,800        27,121,169  
    

 

 

 
       269,538,194  
Netherlands — 3.0%             

Flow Traders(b)

    536,569        12,917,235  

NN Group NV

    1,852,304        78,431,061  

SBM Offshore NV

    2,014,104        27,257,706  
    

 

 

 
       118,606,002  
New Zealand — 1.5%             

Spark New Zealand Ltd.

    19,875,471        59,164,547  
    

 

 

 
Portugal — 1.0%             

EDP - Energias de Portugal SA

    8,739,954        38,187,602  
    

 

 

 
South Korea — 8.5%             

BNK Financial Group Inc.

    2,965,657        13,327,348  

DB Insurance Co. Ltd.

    866,492        34,196,909  

DGB Financial Group Inc.

    2,770,779        13,193,894  

Hana Financial Group Inc.

    2,716,514        78,538,147  

Industrial Bank of Korea

    2,935,820        21,515,476  

KB Financial Group Inc.

    2,145,584        72,196,898  

Samsung Securities Co. Ltd.

    1,038,683        23,109,455  

Shinhan Financial Group Co. Ltd.

    2,087,500        53,057,047  

Woori Financial Group Inc.

    2,586,117        21,340,633  
    

 

 

 
       330,475,807  
Spain — 8.5%             

ACS Actividades de Construccion y Servicios SA

    4,070,234        104,447,339  

Cia. de Distribucion Integral Logista Holdings SA

    1,067,606        22,079,662  

Enagas SA

    3,174,475        51,534,110  

Mapfre SA

    5,100,483        8,748,299  

Naturgy Energy Group SA

    2,926,631        75,104,757  

Red Electrica Corp. SA

    3,287,262        53,173,780  

Telefonica SA

    4,606,881        15,880,812  
    

 

 

 
       330,968,759  
Sweden — 1.1%             

Telia Co. AB

    15,702,076        41,606,805  
    

 

 

 
 

 

 

6  

2 0 2 2   I S H A R E S   S E M I - A N N U A L   R E P O R T   T O   S H A R E H O L D E R S


Schedule of Investments  (unaudited)  (continued)

October 31, 2022

  

iShares® International Select Dividend ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  

Switzerland — 2.8%

   

Swiss Re AG

    282,900     $ 21,015,159  

Zurich Insurance Group AG

    207,368       88,374,824  
   

 

 

 
      109,389,983  
United Kingdom — 13.1%            

abrdn PLC

    3,680,776       6,707,035  

Antofagasta PLC

    3,828,601       51,591,969  

Ashmore Group PLC

    4,004,817       9,483,843  

BP PLC

    2,256,867       12,486,345  

British American Tobacco PLC

    3,808,391       150,406,489  

Centamin PLC

    2,683,241       2,727,767  

Direct Line Insurance Group PLC

    4,658,390       10,762,913  

GSK PLC

    2,214,161       36,270,347  

Haleon PLC(c)

    2,781,775       8,530,178  

IG Group Holdings PLC

    3,079,307       28,087,150  

Jupiter Fund Management PLC

    4,914,330       5,846,855  

Legal & General Group PLC

    3,686,436       9,862,173  

National Grid PLC

    2,321,225       25,290,016  

Persimmon PLC

    5,184,724       77,583,495  

Phoenix Group Holdings PLC

    4,134,973       25,735,957  

SSE PLC

    2,612,736       46,691,884  

Vodafone Group PLC

    3,364,299       3,927,489  
   

 

 

 
      511,991,905  
   

 

 

 

Total Common Stocks — 98.5%
(Cost: $4,792,475,804)

      3,842,771,300  
   

 

 

 

Preferred Stocks

   

Germany — 0.1%

   

Schaeffler AG, Preference Shares, NVS

    255,346       1,312,037  
   

 

 

 

Total Preferred Stocks — 0.1%
(Cost: $1,803,316)

      1,312,037  
   

 

 

 

Total Long-Term Investments — 98.6%
(Cost: $4,794,279,120)

      3,844,083,337  
   

 

 

 
Security   Shares     Value  

Short-Term Securities

   

Money Market Funds — 1.3%

   

BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional, SL Agency Shares, 3.29%(d)(e)(f)

    46,666,159     $ 46,656,826  

BlackRock Cash Funds: Treasury, SL Agency Shares,
2.97%(d)(e)

    3,590,000       3,590,000  
   

 

 

 

Total Short-Term Securities — 1.3%
(Cost: $50,255,100)

      50,246,826  
   

 

 

 

Total Investments — 99.9%
(Cost: $4,844,534,220)

      3,894,330,163  

Other Assets Less Liabilities — 0.1%

      5,747,222  
   

 

 

 

Net Assets — 100.0%

    $ 3,900,077,385  
   

 

 

 

 

(a) 

All or a portion of this security is on loan.

(b) 

Security exempt from registration pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. These securities may be resold in transactions exempt from registration to qualified institutional investors.

(c) 

Non-income producing security.

(d) 

Affiliate of the Fund.

(e) 

Annualized 7-day yield as of period end.

(f) 

All or a portion of this security was purchased with the cash collateral from loaned securities.

 

Affiliates

Investments in issuers considered to be affiliate(s) of the Fund during the six months ended October 31, 2022 for purposes of Section 2(a)(3) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, were as follows:

 

 

 
Affiliated Issuer    Value at
04/30/22
     Purchases
at Cost
     Proceeds
from Sale
     Net Realized
Gain (Loss)
     Change in
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
     Value at
10/31/22
     Shares
Held at
10/31/22
     Income      Capital
Gain
Distributions
from
Underlying
Funds
 

 

 

BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional, SL Agency Shares

   $      $ 46,661,727 (a)     $      $ 3,373      $ (8,274    $ 46,656,826        46,666,159      $ 458,362 (b)     $  

BlackRock Cash Funds: Treasury, SL Agency Shares

     2,240,000        1,350,000 (a)                             3,590,000        3,590,000        53,351         
           

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

       

 

 

    

 

 

 
            $ 3,373      $ (8,274    $ 50,246,826         $ 511,713      $  
           

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

       

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

Represents net amount purchased (sold).

 
  (b) 

All or a portion represents securities lending income earned from the reinvestment of cash collateral from loaned securities, net of fees and collateral investment expenses, and other payments to and from borrowers of securities.

 

 

 

S C H E D U L E    O F   I N V E S T M E N T S

  7


Schedule of Investments  (unaudited)  (continued)

October 31, 2022

  

iShares® International Select Dividend ETF

 

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts

 

 

 
Description    Number of
Contracts
     Expiration
Date
     Notional
Amount
(000)
     Value/
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
 

 

 

Long Contracts

           

SPI 200 Index

     88        12/15/22      $ 9,659      $ 256,431  

Euro STOXX 50 Index

     356        12/16/22        12,712        989,662  

FTSE 100 Index

     266        12/16/22        21,698        405,357  
           

 

 

 
            $ 1,651,450  
           

 

 

 

OTC Total Return Swaps

 

 

 
Reference Entity    Payment
Frequency
     Counterparty(a)      Termination
Date
     Net Notional      Accrued
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
     Net Value of
Reference
Entity
     Gross
Notional
Amount
Net Asset
Percentage
 

 

 

Equity Securities Long

     Monthly        Goldman Sachs Bank USA(b)        02/27/23      $ 2,418,391      $ 191,930 (c)     $ 2,609,036        0.1
     Monthly        HSBC Bank PLC(d)        02/10/23        369,327        27,158 (e)        396,601        0.0 (f) 
     Monthly        JPMorgan Chase Bank NA(g)        02/08/23        7,023,663        649,313 (h)       7,653,515        0.2  
              

 

 

    

 

 

    
               $ 868,401      $ 10,659,152     
              

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

  (a) 

The Fund receives the total return on a portfolio of long positions underlying the total return swap. The Fund pays the total return on a portfolio of short positions underlying the total return swap. In addition, the Fund pays or receives a variable rate of interest, based on a specified benchmark. The benchmark and spread are determined based upon the country and/or currency of the individual underlying positions.

 
  (c) 

Amount includes $1,285 of net dividends and financing fees.

 
  (e) 

Amount includes $(116) of net dividends, payable for referenced securities purchased and financing fees.

 
  (f) 

Rounds to less than 0.1%.

 
  (h) 

Amount includes $19,461 of net dividends, payable for referenced securities purchased and financing fees.

 

The following are the specified benchmarks (plus or minus a range) used in determining the variable rate of interest:

 

  (b)    (d)    (g)
Range:   40-45 basis points    45 basis points    40 basis points
Benchmarks:   EUR - 1D Euro Short Term Rate (ESTR)br    EUR - 1D Euro Short Term Rate (ESTR)    EUR - 1D Euro Short Term Rate (ESTR)
  GBP - 1D Sterling Overnight Index Average (SO-NIA)      

 

 

8  

2 0 2 2   I S H A R E S   S E M I - A N N U A L   R E P O R T   T O   S H A R E H O L D E R S


Schedule of Investments  (unaudited)  (continued)

October 31, 2022

   iShares® International Select Dividend ETF

 

OTC Total Return Swaps (continued)

The following table represents the individual long positions and related values of equity securities underlying the total return swap with Goldman Sachs Bank USA as of period end, termination date February 27, 2023.

 

     Shares     Value     % of
Basket
Value
 

Reference Entity — Long

     
Common Stocks                  
Spain                  

Enagas Sa

    19,687     $ 319,597       12.3

Red Electrica Corporacion Sa

    97,012       1,569,237       60.1  
   

 

 

   
      1,888,834    
United Kingdom                  

abrdn PLC

    395,242       720,202       27.6  
   

 

 

   

Total Reference Entity — Long

      2,609,036    
   

 

 

   

Net Value of Reference Entity — Goldman Sachs Bank USA

 

  $ 2,609,036    
   

 

 

   

The following table represents the individual long positions and related values of equity securities underlying the total return swap with HSBC Bank PLC as of period end, termination date February 10, 2023.

 

     Shares     Value     % of
Basket
Value
 

Reference Entity — Long

     
Common Stocks                  
Spain                  

Enagas Sa

    100     $ 1,623       0.4

Red Electrica Corporacion Sa

    24,418       394,978       99.6  
   

 

 

   

Net Value of Reference Entity — HSBC Bank PLC

 

  $ 396,601    
   

 

 

   

The following table represents the individual long positions and related values of equity securities underlying the total return swap with JPMorgan Chase Bank NA as of period end, termination date February 8, 2023.

 

     Shares     Value     % of
Basket
Value
 

Reference Entity — Long

     
Common Stocks                  
Spain                  

Enagas Sa

    471,353     $ 7,651,897       100.0

Red Electrica Corporacion Sa

    100       1,618       0.0  
   

 

 

   

Net Value of Reference Entity — JPMorgan Chase Bank NA

 

  $ 7,653,515    
   

 

 

   
 

Balances Reported in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities for Total Return Swaps

 

 

 
     Swap Premiums
Paid
     Swap Premiums
Received
     Unrealized
Appreciation
     Unrealized
Depreciation
 

 

 

Total Return Swaps

   $      $      $ 868,401      $  

 

 

Derivative Financial Instruments Categorized by Risk Exposure

As of period end, the fair values of derivative financial instruments located in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities were as follows:

 

 

 
     Commodity
Contracts
     Credit
Contracts
     Equity
Contracts
     Foreign
Currency
Exchange
Contracts
     Interest
Rate
Contracts
     Other
Contracts
     Total  

 

 

Assets — Derivative Financial Instruments

                    

Futures contracts

                    

Unrealized appreciation on futures contracts(a)

   $      $      $ 1,651,450      $      $      $      $ 1,651,450  

Swaps — OTC

                    

Unrealized appreciation on OTC swaps; Swap premiums paid

   $      $      $ 868,401      $      $      $      $ 868,401  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $      $      $ 2,519,851      $      $      $      $ 2,519,851  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

Net cumulative unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on futures contracts are reported in the Schedule of Investments. In the Statement of Assets and Liabilities, only current day’s variation margin is reported in receivables or payables and the net cumulative unrealized appreciation (depreciation) is included in accumulated earnings (loss).

 

 

 

S C H E D U L E    O F   I N V E S T M E N T S

  9


Schedule of Investments  (unaudited)  (continued)

October 31, 2022

  

iShares® International Select Dividend ETF

 

Derivative Financial Instruments Categorized by Risk Exposure (continued)

For the period ended October 31, 2022, the effect of derivative financial instruments in the Statement of Operations was as follows:

 

 

 
     Commodity
Contracts
     Credit
Contracts
     Equity
Contracts
     Foreign
Currency
Exchange
Contracts
     Interest
Rate
Contracts
     Other
Contracts
     Total  

 

 

Net Realized Gain (Loss) from

                    

Futures contracts

   $      $      $ (6,567,849    $      $      $      $ (6,567,849

Swaps

                   (1,883,519                           (1,883,519
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $      $      $ (8,451,368    $      $      $      $ (8,451,368
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) on

                    

Futures contracts

   $      $      $ 2,488,898      $      $      $      $ 2,488,898  

Swaps

                   868,401                             868,401  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $      $      $ 3,357,299      $      $      $      $ 3,357,299  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Average Quarterly Balances of Outstanding Derivative Financial Instruments

 

 

 

Futures contracts

  

Average notional value of contracts — long

   $ 34,536,103      

Total return swaps

  

Average notional value

   $ 4,905,691      

 

 

For more information about the Fund’s investment risks regarding derivative financial instruments, refer to the Notes to Financial Statements.

Derivative Financial Instruments - Offsetting as of Period End

The Fund’s derivative assets and liabilities (by type) were as follows:

 

 

 
     Assets        Liabilities  

 

 

Derivative Financial Instruments:

     

Futures contracts

     $  1,651,450      $  

Swaps - OTC(a)

     868,401         
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total derivative assets and liabilities in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities

     2,519,851         

Derivatives not subject to a Master Netting Agreement or similar agreement (“MNA”)

     (1,651,450)         
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total derivative assets and liabilities subject to an MNA

     868,401         
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

Includes unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on OTC swaps and swap premiums (paid/received) in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

 

The following table presents the Fund’s derivative assets by counterparty net of amounts available for offset under an MNA and net of the related collateral received by the Fund:

 

 

 
Counterparty     



Derivative
Assets
Subject to
an MNA by
Counterparty
 
 
 
 
 
    

Derivatives
Available
for Offset
 
 
(a) 
    

Non-Cash
Collateral
Received
 
 
 
    

Cash
Collateral
Received
 
 
(b) 
    

Net Amount
of Derivative
Assets
 
 
(c)  

 

 

Goldman Sachs Bank USA

   $ 191,930      $      $      $      $ 191,930  

HSBC Bank PLC

     27,158                             27,158  

JPMorgan Chase Bank NA

     649,313                             649,313  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 868,401      $      $      $      $ 868,401  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

The amount of derivatives available for offset is limited to the amount of derivative assets and/or liabilities that are subject to an MNA.

 
  (b) 

Excess of collateral pledged to the individual counterparty is not shown for financial reporting purposes.

 
  (c) 

Net amount represents the net amount receivable from the counterparty in the event of default.

 

Fair Value Hierarchy as of Period End

Various inputs are used in determining the fair value of financial instruments. For a description of the input levels and information about the Fund’s policy regarding valuation of financial instruments, refer to the Notes to Financial Statements.

 

 

10  

2 0 2 2   I S H A R E S   S E M I - A N N U A L   R E P O R T   T O   S H A R E H O L D E R S


Schedule of Investments  (unaudited)  (continued)

October 31, 2022

  

iShares® International Select Dividend ETF

 

Fair Value Hierarchy as of Period End (continued)

The following table summarizes the Fund’s financial instruments categorized in the fair value hierarchy. The breakdown of the Fund’s financial instruments into major categories is disclosed in the Schedule of Investments above.

 

 

 
    Level 1        Level 2        Level 3        Total  

 

 

Investments

          

Assets

          

Common Stocks

  $ 292,571,568      $ 3,550,199,732      $      $ 3,842,771,300  

Preferred Stocks

           1,312,037               1,312,037  

Money Market Funds

    50,246,826                      50,246,826  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
  $   342,818,394      $ 3,551,511,769      $      $ 3,894,330,163  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Derivative financial instruments(a)

          

Assets

          

Futures Contracts

  $      $ 1,651,450      $      $ 1,651,450  

Swaps

           868,401               868,401  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
  $      $ 2,519,851      $                 —      $ 2,519,851  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

Derivative financial instruments are swaps and futures contracts. Swaps and futures contracts are valued at the unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on the instrument.

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

S C H E D U L E    O F   I N V E S T M E N T S

  11


 

Statement of Assets and Liabilities  (unaudited)

October 31, 2022

 

   

iShares

International Select
Dividend ETF

 

 

 

ASSETS

 

Investments, at value — unaffiliated(a)(b)

  $ 3,844,083,337  

Investments, at value — affiliated(c)

    50,246,826  

Cash

    6,347  

Foreign currency, at value(d)

    20,709,076  

Foreign currency collateral pledged for futures contracts(e)

    3,577,677  

Receivables:

 

Securities lending income — affiliated

    239,057  

Variation margin on futures contracts

    251,919  

Dividends — unaffiliated

    27,387,348  

Dividends — affiliated

    10,295  

Tax reclaims

    10,757,889  

Unrealized appreciation on OTC swaps

    868,401  
 

 

 

 

Total assets

    3,958,138,172  
 

 

 

 

LIABILITIES

 

Collateral on securities loaned, at value

    46,661,728  

Payables:

 

Investments purchased

    3,756,536  

Investment advisory fees

    1,603,617  

Professional fees

    101,025  

IRS compliance fee for foreign withholding tax claims

    5,937,881  
 

 

 

 

Total liabilities

    58,060,787  
 

 

 

 

NET ASSETS

  $ 3,900,077,385  
 

 

 

 

NET ASSETS CONSIST OF

 

Paid-in capital

  $ 5,949,958,152  

Accumulated loss

    (2,049,880,767
 

 

 

 

NET ASSETS

  $ 3,900,077,385  
 

 

 

 

NET ASSET VALUE

 

Shares outstanding

    164,750,000  
 

 

 

 

Net asset value

  $ 23.67  
 

 

 

 

Shares authorized

    Unlimited  
 

 

 

 

Par value

    None  
 

 

 

 

(a) Investments, at cost — unaffiliated

  $ 4,794,279,120  

(b) Securities loaned, at value

  $ 44,692,363  

(c)  Investments, at cost — affiliated

  $ 50,255,100  

(d) Foreign currency, at cost

  $ 20,481,843  

(e) Foreign currency collateral pledged, at cost

  $ 3,644,080  

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

12  

2 0 2 2   I S H A R E S   S E M I - A N N U A L   R E P O R T   T O   S H A R E H O L D E R S


Statement of Operations  (unaudited)

Six Months Ended October 31, 2022

 

   

iShares

International

Select Dividend

ETF

 

 

 

INVESTMENT INCOME

 

Dividends — unaffiliated

  $ 207,951,045  

Dividends — affiliated

    53,351  

Securities lending income — affiliated — net

    458,362  

Other income — unaffiliated

    1,398,359  

Foreign taxes withheld

    (14,145,492

Foreign withholding tax claims

    6,032,136  

IRS compliance fee for foreign withholding tax claims

    (84,925
 

 

 

 

Total investment income

    201,662,836  
 

 

 

 

EXPENSES

 

Investment advisory

    10,875,957  

Commitment costs

    12,018  

Professional

    743,065  
 

 

 

 

Total expenses

    11,631,040  
 

 

 

 

Net investment income

    190,031,796  
 

 

 

 

REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS)

 

Net realized gain (loss) from:

 

Investments — unaffiliated

    (51,078,476

Investments — affiliated

    3,373  

Foreign currency transactions

    (6,700,204

Futures contracts

    (6,567,849

In-kind redemptions — unaffiliated(a)

    550,328  

Swaps

    (1,883,519
 

 

 

 
    (65,676,347
 

 

 

 

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on:

 

Investments — unaffiliated

    (991,845,875

Investments — affiliated

    (8,274

Foreign currency translations

    1,073,944  

Futures contracts

    2,488,898  

Swaps

    868,401  
 

 

 

 
    (987,422,906
 

 

 

 

Net realized and unrealized loss

    (1,053,099,253
 

 

 

 

NET DECREASE IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS

  $ (863,067,457
 

 

 

 

 

(a) 

See Note 2 of the Notes to Financial Statements.

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

F I N A N C I A L   S T A T E M E N T S

  13


 

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

    iShares
International Select Dividend ETF
 
   

Six Months Ended
10/31/22

(unaudited)

       

Year Ended

04/30/22

 

 

 

INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS

     

OPERATIONS

     

Net investment income

  $ 190,031,796       $ 275,040,603  

Net realized gain (loss)

    (65,676,347       150,212,849  

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

    (987,422,906       (530,587,837
 

 

 

     

 

 

 

Net decrease in net assets resulting from operations

    (863,067,457       (105,334,385
 

 

 

     

 

 

 

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS(a)

     

Decrease in net assets resulting from distributions to shareholders

    (205,206,783       (239,788,045
 

 

 

     

 

 

 

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS

     

Net increase in net assets derived from capital share transactions

    358,664,236         624,868,028  
 

 

 

     

 

 

 

NET ASSETS

     

Total increase (decrease) in net assets

    (709,610,004       279,745,598  

Beginning of period

    4,609,687,389         4,329,941,791  
 

 

 

     

 

 

 

End of period

  $ 3,900,077,385       $ 4,609,687,389  
 

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations.

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

14  

2 0 2 2   I S H A R E S   S E M I - A N N U A L   R E P O R T   T O   S H A R E H O L D E R S


Financial Highlights

(For a share outstanding throughout each period)

 

    iShares International Select Dividend ETF  
 

 

 

 
    Six Months Ended
10/31/22
(unaudited)
    Year Ended
04/30/22
    Year Ended
04/30/21
    Year Ended
04/30/20
    Year Ended
04/30/19
    Year Ended
04/30/18
 

 

 

Net asset value, beginning of period

             $ 30.17     $ 32.41     $ 24.14     $ 31.59     $ 34.11     $ 31.78  
   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net investment income(a)

      1.17 (b)       1.95 (b)       1.35       1.83       1.71       1.43  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)(c)

      (6.41     (2.48     8.19       (7.10     (2.48     2.41  
   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) from investment operations

      (5.24     (0.53     9.54       (5.27     (0.77     3.84  
   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Distributions from net investment income(d)

      (1.26     (1.71     (1.27     (2.18     (1.75     (1.51
   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net asset value, end of period

    $ 23.67     $ 30.17     $ 32.41     $ 24.14     $ 31.59     $ 34.11  
   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Return(e)

             

Based on net asset value

      (17.67 )%(b)      (1.76 )%(b)       40.57     (17.15 )%      (2.13 )%      12.35
   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Ratios to Average Net Assets(f)

             

Total expenses

      0.51 %(g)(h)       0.54     0.49     0.49     0.49     0.49
   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total expenses after fees waived

      0.51 %(g)       0.54     0.49     0.49     0.49     0.49
   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total expenses excluding professional fees for foreign withholding tax claims

      0.49 %(g)       0.49     N/A       N/A       0.49     N/A  
   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net investment income

      8.62 %(b)(g)       6.12 %(b)       4.87     6.06     5.39     4.27
   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Supplemental Data

             

Net assets, end of period (000)

    $ 3,900,077     $ 4,609,687     $ 4,329,942     $ 3,421,123     $ 4,377,418     $ 4,922,792  
   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Portfolio turnover rate(i)

      4     36     86     12     35     24
   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Based on average shares outstanding.

(b) 

Reflects the one-time, positive effect of foreign withholding tax claims, net of the associated professional fees, which resulted in the following increases for the six months ended October 31, 2022 and year ended April 30, 2022:

  

• Net investment income per share by $0.03 and $0.13, respectively.

  

• Total return by 0.11% and 0.39%, respectively.

  

• Ratio of net investment income to average net assets by 0.24% and 0.41%, respectively.

(c) 

The amounts reported for a share outstanding may not accord with the change in aggregate gains and losses in securities for the fiscal period due to the timing of capital share transactions in relation to the fluctuating market values of the Fund’s underlying securities.

(d) 

Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations.

(e) 

Where applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.

(f) 

Excludes fees and expenses incurred indirectly as a result of investments in underlying funds.

(g) 

Annualized.

(h) 

Professional fees were not annualized in the calculation of the expense ratio. If this expense was annualized, the total expenses would have been 0.53%.

(i) 

Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions.

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

F I N A N C I A L   H I G H L I G H T S

  15


Notes to Financial Statements  (unaudited) 

 

1.  

ORGANIZATION

iShares Trust (the “Trust”) is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company. The Trust is organized as a Delaware statutory trust and is authorized to have multiple series or portfolios.

These financial statements relate only to the following fund (the “Fund”):

 

iShares ETF   Diversification  
Classification  

International Select Dividend

  Diversified  

 

2.  

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The financial statements are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”), which may require management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities in the financial statements, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of increases and decreases in net assets from operations during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The Fund is considered an investment company under U.S. GAAP and follows the accounting and reporting guidance applicable to investment companies. Below is a summary of significant accounting policies:

Investment Transactions and Income Recognition: For financial reporting purposes, investment transactions are recorded on the dates the transactions are executed. Realized gains and losses on investment transactions are determined using the specific identification method. Dividend income and capital gain distributions, if any, are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Non-cash dividends, if any, are recorded on the ex-dividend date at fair value. Dividends from foreign securities where the ex-dividend date may have passed are subsequently recorded when the Fund is informed of the ex-dividend date. Under the applicable foreign tax laws, a withholding tax at various rates may be imposed on capital gains, dividends and interest.

Foreign Currency Translation: The Fund’s books and records are maintained in U.S. dollars. Securities and other assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars using prevailing market rates as quoted by one or more data service providers. Purchases and sales of investments are recorded at the rates of exchange prevailing on the respective dates of such transactions. Generally, when the U.S. dollar rises in value against a foreign currency, the investments denominated in that currency will lose value; the opposite effect occurs if the U.S. dollar falls in relative value.

The Fund does not isolate the effect of fluctuations in foreign exchange rates from the effect of fluctuations in the market prices of investments for financial reporting purposes. Accordingly, the effects of changes in exchange rates on investments are not segregated in the Statement of Operations from the effects of changes in market prices of those investments, but are included as a component of net realized and unrealized gain (loss) from investments. The Fund reports realized currency gains (losses) on foreign currency related transactions as components of net realized gain (loss) for financial reporting purposes, whereas such components are generally treated as ordinary income for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Foreign Taxes: The Fund may be subject to foreign taxes (a portion of which may be reclaimable) on income, stock dividends, capital gains on investments, or certain foreign currency transactions. All foreign taxes are recorded in accordance with the applicable foreign tax regulations and rates that exist in the foreign jurisdictions in which the Fund invests. These foreign taxes, if any, are paid by the Fund and are reflected in its Statement of Operations as follows: foreign taxes withheld at source are presented as a reduction of income, foreign taxes on securities lending income are presented as a reduction of securities lending income, foreign taxes on stock dividends are presented as “Other foreign taxes”, and foreign taxes on capital gains from sales of investments and foreign taxes on foreign currency transactions are included in their respective net realized gain (loss) categories. Foreign taxes payable or deferred as of October 31, 2022, if any, are disclosed in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

The Fund files withholding tax reclaims in certain jurisdictions to recover a portion of amounts previously withheld. The Fund may record a reclaim receivable based on collectability, which includes factors such as the jurisdiction’s applicable laws, payment history and market convention. The Statement of Operations includes tax reclaims recorded as well as professional and other fees, if any, associated with recovery of foreign withholding taxes.

Collateralization: If required by an exchange or counterparty agreement, the Fund may be required to deliver/deposit cash and/or securities to/with an exchange, or broker-dealer or custodian as collateral for certain investments.

In-kind Redemptions: For financial reporting purposes, in-kind redemptions are treated as sales of securities resulting in realized capital gains or losses to the Fund. Because such gains or losses are not taxable to the Fund and are not distributed to existing Fund shareholders, the gains or losses are reclassified from accumulated net realized gain (loss) to paid-in capital at the end of the Fund’s tax year. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value (“NAV”) per share.

Distributions: Dividends and distributions paid by the Fund are recorded on the ex-dividend dates. Distributions are determined on a tax basis and may differ from net investment income and net realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes. Dividends and distributions are paid in U.S. dollars and cannot be automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. The character and timing of distributions are determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations, which may differ from U.S. GAAP.

Indemnifications: In the normal course of business, the Fund enters into contracts that contain a variety of representations that provide general indemnification. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown because it involves future potential claims against the Fund, which cannot be predicted with any certainty.

 

 

16  

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Notes to Financial Statements  (unaudited)  (continued)

 

3.  

INVESTMENT VALUATION AND FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

Investment Valuation Policies: The Fund’s investments are valued at fair value (also referred to as “market value” within the financial statements) each day that the Fund’s listing exchange is open and, for financial reporting purposes, as of the report date. U.S. GAAP defines fair value as the price a fund would receive to sell an asset or pay to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”) of the Fund has approved the designation of BlackRock Fund Advisors (“BFA”), the Fund’s investment adviser, as the valuation designee for the Fund. The Fund determines the fair values of its financial instruments using various independent dealers or pricing services under BFA’s policies. If a security’s market price is not readily available or does not otherwise accurately represent the fair value of the security, the security will be valued in accordance with BFA’s policies and procedures as reflecting fair value. BFA has formed a committee (the “Valuation Committee”) to develop pricing policies and procedures and to oversee the pricing function for all financial instruments, with assistance from other BlackRock pricing committees.

Fair Value Inputs and Methodologies: The following methods and inputs are used to establish the fair value of the Fund’s assets and liabilities:

 

   

Equity investments traded on a recognized securities exchange are valued at that day’s official closing price, as applicable, on the exchange where the stock is primarily traded. Equity investments traded on a recognized exchange for which there were no sales on that day are valued at the last traded price.

 

   

Investments in open-end U.S. mutual funds (including money market funds) are valued at that day’s published NAV.

 

   

Futures contracts are valued based on that day’s last reported settlement or trade price on the exchange where the contract is traded.

 

   

Swap agreements are valued utilizing quotes received daily by independent pricing services or through brokers, which are derived using daily swap curves and models that incorporate a number of market data factors, such as discounted cash flows, trades and values of the underlying reference instruments.

Generally, trading in foreign instruments is substantially completed each day at various times prior to the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”). Each business day, the Fund uses current market factors supplied by independent pricing services to value certain foreign instruments (“Systematic Fair Value Price”). The Systematic Fair Value Price is designed to value such foreign securities at fair value as of the close of trading on the NYSE, which follows the close of the local markets.

If events (e.g., market volatility, company announcement or a natural disaster) occur that are expected to materially affect the value of such investment, or in the event that application of these methods of valuation results in a price for an investment that is deemed not to be representative of the market value of such investment, or if a price is not available, the investment will be valued by the Valuation Committee, in accordance with BFA’s policies and procedures as reflecting fair value (“Fair Valued Investments”). The fair valuation approaches that may be used by the Valuation Committee include market approach, income approach and cost approach. Valuation techniques such as discounted cash flow, use of market comparables and matrix pricing are types of valuation approaches and are typically used in determining fair value. When determining the price for Fair Valued Investments, the Valuation Committee seeks to determine the price that the Fund might reasonably expect to receive or pay from the current sale or purchase of that asset or liability in an arm’s-length transaction. Fair value determinations shall be based upon all available factors that the Valuation Committee deems relevant and consistent with the principles of fair value measurement.

Fair value pricing could result in a difference between the prices used to calculate a fund’s NAV and the prices used by the fund’s underlying index, which in turn could result in a difference between the fund’s performance and the performance of the fund’s underlying index.

Fair Value Hierarchy: Various inputs are used in determining the fair value of financial instruments. These inputs to valuation techniques are categorized into a fair value hierarchy consisting of three broad levels for financial reporting purposes as follows:

 

   

Level 1 – Unadjusted price quotations in active markets/exchanges for identical assets or liabilities that the Fund has the ability to access;

 

   

Level 2 – Other observable inputs (including, but not limited to, quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in markets that are active, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the assets or liabilities (such as interest rates, yield curves, volatilities, prepayment speeds, loss severities, credit risks and default rates) or other market-corroborated inputs); and

 

   

Level 3 – Unobservable inputs based on the best information available in the circumstances, to the extent observable inputs are not available, (including the Valuation Committee’s assumptions used in determining the fair value of financial instruments).

The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised in determining fair value is greatest for instruments categorized in Level 3. The inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, for disclosure purposes, the fair value hierarchy classification is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. Investments classified within Level 3 have significant unobservable inputs used by the Valuation Committee in determining the price for Fair Valued Investments. Level 3 investments include equity or debt issued by privately held companies or funds that may not have a secondary market and/or may have a limited number of investors. The categorization of a value determined for financial instruments is based on the pricing transparency of the financial instruments and is not necessarily an indication of the risks associated with investing in those securities.

 

 

N O T E S   T O    F I N A N C I A L   S T A T E M E N T S

  17


Notes to Financial Statements  (unaudited)  (continued)

 

4.  

SECURITIES AND OTHER INVESTMENTS

Securities Lending: The Fund may lend its securities to approved borrowers, such as brokers, dealers and other financial institutions. The borrower pledges and maintains with the Fund collateral consisting of cash, an irrevocable letter of credit issued by an approved bank, or securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government. The initial collateral received by the Fund is required to have a value of at least 102% of the current market value of the loaned securities for securities traded on U.S. exchanges and a value of at least 105% for all other securities. The collateral is maintained thereafter at a value equal to at least 100% of the current value of the securities on loan. The market value of the loaned securities is determined at the close of each business day of the Fund and any additional required collateral is delivered to the Fund or excess collateral is returned by the Fund, on the next business day. During the term of the loan, the Fund is entitled to all distributions made on or in respect of the loaned securities but does not receive interest income on securities received as collateral. Loans of securities are terminable at any time and the borrower, after notice, is required to return borrowed securities within the standard time period for settlement of securities transactions.

As of period end, any securities on loan were collateralized by cash and/or U.S. Government obligations. Cash collateral invested in money market funds managed by BFA, or its affiliates is disclosed in the Schedule of Investments. Any non-cash collateral received cannot be sold, re-invested or pledged by the Fund, except in the event of borrower default. The securities on loan, if any, are also disclosed in the Fund’s Schedule of Investments. The market value of any securities on loan and the value of any related cash collateral are disclosed in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

Securities lending transactions are entered into by the Fund under Master Securities Lending Agreements (each, an “MSLA”) which provide the right, in the event of default (including bankruptcy or insolvency) for the non-defaulting party to liquidate the collateral and calculate a net exposure to the defaulting party or request additional collateral. In the event that a borrower defaults, the Fund, as lender, would offset the market value of the collateral received against the market value of the securities loaned. When the value of the collateral is greater than that of the market value of the securities loaned, the lender is left with a net amount payable to the defaulting party. However, bankruptcy or insolvency laws of a particular jurisdiction may impose restrictions on or prohibitions against such a right of offset in the event of an MSLA counterparty’s bankruptcy or insolvency. Under the MSLA, absent an event of default, the borrower can resell or re-pledge the loaned securities, and the Fund can reinvest cash collateral received in connection with loaned securities. Upon an event of default, the parties’ obligations to return the securities or collateral to the other party are extinguished, and the parties can resell or re-pledge the loaned securities or the collateral received in connection with the loaned securities in order to satisfy the defaulting party’s net payment obligation for all transactions under the MSLA. The defaulting party remains liable for any deficiency.

As of period end, the following table is a summary of the securities on loan by counterparty which are subject to offset under an MSLA:

 

 

 

iShares ETF and Counterparty

    
Securities Loaned
at Value
 
 
    
Cash Collateral
Received
 
(a)  
    
Non-Cash Collateral
Received, at Fair Value
 
(a) 
     Net Amount  

 

 

International Select Dividend

           

BofA Securities, Inc.

   $ 12,228,695      $ (12,228,695    $      $  

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

     21,050,743        (21,050,743              

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

     2,020,678        (2,020,678              

Jefferies LLC

     796,759        (796,759              

Morgan Stanley

     5,810,209        (5,810,209              

UBS AG

     2,785,279        (2,785,279              
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 44,692,363      $ (44,692,363    $      $  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

Collateral received, if any, in excess of the market value of securities on loan is not presented in this table. The total cash collateral received by the Fund is disclosed in the Fund’s Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

 

The risks of securities lending include the risk that the borrower may not provide additional collateral when required or may not return the securities when due. To mitigate these risks, the Fund benefits from a borrower default indemnity provided by BlackRock, Inc. (“BlackRock”). BlackRock’s indemnity allows for full replacement of the securities loaned to the extent the collateral received does not cover the value of the securities loaned in the event of borrower default. The Fund could incur a loss if the value of an investment purchased with cash collateral falls below the market value of the loaned securities or if the value of an investment purchased with cash collateral falls below the value of the original cash collateral received. Such losses are borne entirely by the Fund.

 

5.  

DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

Futures Contracts: Futures contracts are purchased or sold to gain exposure to, or manage exposure to, changes in interest rates (interest rate risk) and changes in the value of equity securities (equity risk) or foreign currencies (foreign currency exchange rate risk).

Futures contracts are exchange-traded agreements between the Fund and a counterparty to buy or sell a specific quantity of an underlying instrument at a specified price and on a specified date. Depending on the terms of a contract, it is settled either through physical delivery of the underlying instrument on the settlement date or by payment of a cash amount on the settlement date. Upon entering into a futures contract, the Fund is required to deposit initial margin with the broker in the form of cash or securities in an amount that varies depending on a contract’s size and risk profile. The initial margin deposit must then be maintained at an established level over the life of the contract. Amounts pledged, which are considered restricted, are included in cash pledged for futures contracts in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

Securities deposited as initial margin are designated in the Schedule of Investments and cash deposited, if any, are shown as cash pledged for futures contracts in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Pursuant to the contract, the Fund agrees to receive from or pay to the broker an amount of cash equal to the daily fluctuation in market value of the contract (“variation margin”). Variation margin is recorded as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) and, if any, shown as variation margin receivable (or

 

 

18  

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Notes to Financial Statements  (unaudited)  (continued)

 

payable) on futures contracts in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. When the contract is closed, a realized gain or loss is recorded in the Statement of Operations equal to the difference between the notional amount of the contract at the time it was opened and the notional amount at the time it was closed. The use of futures contracts involves the risk of an imperfect correlation in the movements in the price of futures contracts and interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates or underlying assets.

Swaps: Swap contracts are entered into to manage exposure to issuers, markets and securities. Such contracts are agreements between the Fund and a counterparty to make periodic net payments on a specified notional amount or a net payment upon termination. Swap agreements are privately negotiated in the OTC market and may be entered into as a bilateral contract (“OTC swaps”) or centrally cleared (“centrally cleared swaps”). For OTC swaps, any upfront premiums paid and any upfront fees received are shown as swap premiums paid and swap premiums received, respectively, in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and amortized over the term of the contract. The daily fluctuation in market value is recorded as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on OTC Swaps in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Payments received or paid are recorded in the Statement of Operations as realized gains or losses, respectively. When an OTC swap is terminated, a realized gain or loss is recorded in the Statement of Operations equal to the difference between the proceeds from (or cost of) the closing transaction and the Fund’s basis in the contract, if any. Generally, the basis of the contract is the premium received or paid.

Total return swaps are entered into by the Fund to obtain exposure to a security or market without owning such security or investing directly in such market or to exchange the risk/return of one security or market (e.g., fixed-income) with another security or market (e.g., equity or commodity prices) (equity risk, commodity price risk and/or interest rate risk).

Total return swaps are agreements in which there is an exchange of cash flows whereby one party commits to make payments based on the total return (distributions plus capital gains/losses) of an underlying instrument, or basket or underlying instruments, in exchange for fixed or floating rate interest payments. If the total return of the instruments or index underlying the transaction exceeds or falls short of the offsetting fixed or floating interest rate obligation, the Fund receives payment from or makes a payment to the counterparty.

Certain total return swaps are designed to function as a portfolio of direct investments in long and short equity positions. This means that the Fund has the ability to trade in and out of these long and short positions within the swap and will receive the economic benefits and risks equivalent to direct investment in these positions, subject to certain adjustments due to events related to the counterparty. Benefits and risks include capital appreciation (depreciation), corporate actions and dividends received and paid, all of which are reflected in the swap’s market value. The market value also includes interest charges and credits (“financing fees”) related to the notional values of the long and short positions and cash balances within the swap. These interest charges and credits are based on a specified benchmark rate plus or minus a specified spread determined based upon the country and/or currency of the positions in the portfolio.

Positions within the swap and financing fees are reset periodically. During a reset, any unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on positions and accrued financing fees become available for cash settlement between the Fund and the counterparty. The amounts that are available for cash settlement are recorded as realized gains or losses in the Statement of Operations. Cash settlement in and out of the swap may occur at a reset date or any other date, at the discretion of the Fund and the counterparty, over the life of the agreement. Certain swaps have no stated expiration and can be terminated by either party at any time.

Swap transactions involve, to varying degrees, elements of interest rate, credit and market risks in excess of the amounts recognized in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities. Such risks involve the possibility that there will be no liquid market for these agreements, that the counterparty to the agreements may default on its obligation to perform or disagree as to the meaning of the contractual terms in the agreements, and that there may be unfavorable changes in interest rates and/or market values associated with these transactions.

Master Netting Arrangements: In order to define its contractual rights and to secure rights that will help mitigate its counterparty risk, a fund may enter into an International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. Master Agreement (“ISDA Master Agreement”) or similar agreement with its derivative contract counterparties. An ISDA Master Agreement is a bilateral agreement between a fund and a counterparty that governs certain OTC derivatives and typically contains, among other things, collateral posting terms and netting provisions in the event of a default and/or termination event. Under an ISDA Master Agreement, a fund may, under certain circumstances, offset with the counterparty certain derivative financial instruments’ payables and/or receivables with collateral held and/or posted and create one single net payment. The provisions of the ISDA Master Agreement typically permit a single net payment in the event of default including the bankruptcy or insolvency of the counterparty. However, bankruptcy or insolvency laws of a particular jurisdiction may impose restrictions on or prohibitions against the right of offset in bankruptcy, insolvency, or other events.

For derivatives traded under an ISDA Master Agreement, the collateral requirements are typically calculated by netting the mark-to-market amount for each transaction under such agreement, and comparing that amount to the value of any collateral currently pledged by a fund and the counterparty.

Cash collateral that has been pledged to cover obligations of the Fund and cash collateral received from the counterparty, if any, is reported separately in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as cash pledged as collateral and cash received as collateral, respectively. Non-cash collateral pledged by the Fund, if any, is noted in the Schedule of Investments. Generally, the amount of collateral due from or to a counterparty is subject to a certain minimum transfer amount threshold before a transfer is required, which is determined at the close of business of the Fund. Any additional required collateral is delivered to/pledged by the Fund on the next business day. Typically, the counterparty is not permitted to sell, re-pledge or use cash and non-cash collateral it receives. A fund generally agrees not to use non-cash collateral that it receives but may, absent default or certain other circumstances defined in the underlying ISDA Master Agreement, be permitted to use cash collateral received. In such cases, interest may be paid pursuant to the collateral arrangement with the counterparty. To the extent amounts due to the Fund from the counterparty are not fully collateralized, the Fund bears the risk of loss from counterparty non-performance. Likewise, to the extent the Fund has delivered collateral to a counterparty and stand ready to perform under the terms of its agreement with such counterparty, the Fund bears the risk of loss from a counterparty in the amount of the value of the collateral in the event the counterparty fails to return such collateral. Based on the terms of agreements, collateral may not be required for all derivative contracts.

 

 

N O T E S   T O   F I N A N C I A L   S T A T E M E N T S

  19


Notes to Financial Statements  (unaudited)  (continued)

 

For financial reporting purposes, each Fund does not offset derivative assets and derivative liabilities that are subject to netting arrangements, if any, in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

 

6.  

INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES

Investment Advisory Fees: Pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement with the Trust, BFA manages the investment of the Fund’s assets. BFA is a California corporation indirectly owned by BlackRock. Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, BFA is responsible for substantially all expenses of the Fund, except (i) interest and taxes; (ii) brokerage commissions and other expenses connected with the execution of portfolio transactions; (iii) distribution fees; (iv) the advisory fee payable to BFA; and (v) litigation expenses and any extraordinary expenses (in each case as determined by a majority of the independent trustees).

For its investment advisory services to the Fund, BFA is entitled to an annual investment advisory fee, accrued daily and paid monthly by the Fund, based on the Fund’s allocable portion of the aggregate of the average daily net assets of the Fund and certain other iShares funds, as follows:

 

 

 
Aggregate Average Daily Net Assets    Investment Advisory Fees     

 

 

First $12 billion

     0.5000%  

Over $12 billion, up to and including $18 billion

     0.4750     

Over $18 billion, up to and including $24 billion

     0.4513     

Over $24 billion, up to and including $30 billion

     0.4287     

Over $30 billion

     0.4073     

 

 

Expense Waivers: BFA may from time to time voluntarily waive and/or reimburse fees or expenses in order to limit total annual fund operating expenses (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, if any). BFA has elected to implement a voluntary fee waiver for the Fund in an amount equal to the acquired fund fees and expenses, if any, attributable to the Fund’s investments in other iShares funds.

For the six months ended October 31, 2022, there were no fees waived by BFA pursuant to this arrangement.

Distributor: BlackRock Investments, LLC, an affiliate of BFA, is the distributor for the Fund. Pursuant to the distribution agreement, BFA is responsible for any fees or expenses for distribution services provided to the Fund.

Securities Lending: The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) has issued an exemptive order which permits BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A. (“BTC”), an affiliate of BFA, to serve as securities lending agent for the Fund, subject to applicable conditions. As securities lending agent, BTC bears all operational costs directly related to securities lending, including any custodial costs. The Fund is responsible for fees in connection with the investment of cash collateral received for securities on loan (the “collateral investment fees”). The cash collateral is invested in a money market fund, BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional or BlackRock Cash Funds: Treasury, managed by BFA, or its affiliates. However, BTC has agreed to reduce the amount of securities lending income it receives in order to effectively limit the collateral investment fees the Fund bears to an annual rate of 0.04%. The SL Agency Shares of such money market fund will not be subject to a sales load, distribution fee or service fee. The money market fund in which the cash collateral has been invested may, under certain circumstances, impose a liquidity fee of up to 2% of the value redeemed or temporarily restrict redemptions for up to 10 business days during a 90 day period, in the event that the money market fund’s weekly liquid assets fall below certain thresholds.

Securities lending income is equal to the total of income earned from the reinvestment of cash collateral, net of fees and other payments to and from borrowers of securities, and less the collateral investment fees. The Fund retains a portion of securities lending income and remits the remaining portion to BTC as compensation for its services as securities lending agent.

Pursuant to the current securities lending agreement, the Fund retains 82% of securities lending income (which excludes collateral investment fees) and the amount retained can never be less than 70% of the total of securities lending income plus the collateral investment fees.

In addition, commencing the business day following the date that the aggregate securities lending income plus the collateral investment fees generated across all 1940 Act iShares exchange-traded funds (the “iShares ETF Complex”) in that calendar year exceeds a specified threshold, the Fund, pursuant to the securities lending agreement, will retain for the remainder of that calendar year 85% of securities lending income (which excludes collateral investment fees), and the amount retained can never be less than 70% of the total of securities lending income plus the collateral investment fees.

The share of securities lending income earned by the Fund is shown as securities lending income – affiliated – net in its Statement of Operations. For the six months ended October 31, 2022, the Fund paid BTC $104,511 for securities lending agent services.

Officers and Trustees: Certain officers and/or trustees of the Trust are officers and/or trustees of BlackRock or its affiliates.

 

 

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Notes to Financial Statements  (unaudited)  (continued)

 

Other Transactions: Cross trading is the buying or selling of portfolio securities between funds to which BFA (or an affiliate) serves as investment adviser. At its regularly scheduled quarterly meetings, the Board reviews such transactions as of the most recent calendar quarter for compliance with the requirements and restrictions set forth by Rule 17a-7.

For the six months ended October 31, 2022, transactions executed by the Fund pursuant to Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act were as follows:

 

       

iShares ETF

 

 

Purchases

 

    

Sales

 

    

Net Realized
Gain (Loss)

 

 

International Select Dividend

  $

 

 

 

 

   $

 

1,157,701

 

 

 

   $

 

 

(1,036,918

 

 

 

 

The Fund may invest its positive cash balances in certain money market funds managed by BFA or an affiliate. The income earned on these temporary cash investments is shown as dividends – affiliated in the Statement of Operations.

A fund, in order to improve its portfolio liquidity and its ability to track its underlying index, may invest in shares of other iShares funds that invest in securities in the fund’s underlying index.

 

7.

PURCHASES AND SALES

For the six months ended October 31, 2022, purchases and sales of investments, excluding short-term securities and in-kind transactions, were as follows:

 

     

iShares ETF

 

 

Purchases

 

    

Sales

 

 

International Select Dividend

 

  $

 

233,375,023

 

 

 

   $

 

152,921,004

 

 

 

For the six months ended October 31, 2022, in-kind transactions were as follows:

 

     

iShares ETF

 

 

In-kind
Purchases

 

    

In-kind

Sales

 

 

International Select Dividend

 

  $

 

252,612,636

 

 

 

   $

 

9,745,554

 

 

 

 

8.

INCOME TAX INFORMATION

The Fund is treated as an entity separate from the Trust’s other funds for federal income tax purposes. It is the Fund’s policy to comply with the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, applicable to regulated investment companies, and to distribute substantially all of its taxable income to its shareholders. Therefore, no U.S. federal income tax provision is required.

Management has analyzed tax laws and regulations and their application to the Fund as of October 31, 2022, inclusive of the open tax return years, and does not believe that there are any uncertain tax positions that require recognition of a tax liability in the Fund’s financial statements.

As of April 30, 2022, the Fund had non-expiring capital loss carryforwards of $1,024,720,546 available to offset future realized capital gains.

A fund may own shares in certain foreign investment entities, referred to, under U.S. tax law, as “passive foreign investment companies.” Such fund may elect to mark-to-market annually the shares of each passive foreign investment company and would be required to distribute to shareholders any such marked-to-market gains.

As of October 31, 2022, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation based on cost of investments (including short positions and derivatives, if any) for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:

 

         

iShares ETF

 

  

Tax Cost

 

    

Gross Unrealized
Appreciation

 

    

Gross Unrealized
Depreciation

 

    

Net Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)

 

 

International Select Dividend

 

   $

 

4,885,985,121

 

 

 

   $

 

95,094,170

 

 

 

   $

 

(1,084,229,277

 

 

   $

 

(989,135,107

 

 

 

9.

LINE OF CREDIT

The Fund, along with certain other iShares funds (“Participating Funds”), is a party to a $800 million credit agreement (“Syndicated Credit Agreement”) with a group of lenders, which expires on August 11, 2023. The line of credit may be used for temporary or emergency purposes, including redemptions, settlement of trades and rebalancing of portfolio holdings in certain target markets. The Funds may borrow up to the aggregate commitment amount subject to asset coverage and other limitations as specified in the Syndicated Credit Agreement. The Syndicated Credit Agreement has the following terms: a commitment fee of 0.15% per annum on the unused portion of the credit agreement and interest at a rate equal to the higher of (a) Daily Simple Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) plus 0.10% and 1.00% per annum or (b) the U.S. Federal Funds rate plus 1.00% per annum on amounts borrowed. The commitment fee is generally allocated to each Participating Fund based on the lesser of a Participating Fund’s relative exposure to certain target markets or a Participating Fund’s maximum borrowing amount as set forth by the terms of the Syndicated Credit Agreement.

 

 

N O T E S   T O   F I N A N C I A L   S T A T E M E N T S

  21


Notes to Financial Statements  (unaudited)  (continued)

 

During the six months ended October 31, 2022, the Fund did not borrow under the Syndicated Credit Agreement.

 

10.

PRINCIPAL RISKS

In the normal course of business, the Fund invests in securities or other instruments and may enter into certain transactions, and such activities subject the Fund to various risks, including, among others, fluctuations in the market (market risk) or failure of an issuer to meet all of its obligations. The value of securities or other instruments may also be affected by various factors, including, without limitation: (i) the general economy; (ii) the overall market as well as local, regional or global political and/or social instability; (iii) regulation, taxation or international tax treaties between various countries; or (iv) currency, interest rate or price fluctuations. Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments. The Fund’s prospectus provides details of the risks to which the Fund is subject.

BFA uses a “passive” or index approach to try to achieve the Fund’s investment objective following the securities included in its underlying index during upturns as well as downturns. BFA does not take steps to reduce market exposure or to lessen the effects of a declining market. Divergence from the underlying index and the composition of the portfolio is monitored by BFA.

The Fund may be exposed to additional risks when reinvesting cash collateral in money market funds that do not seek to maintain a stable NAV per share of $1.00, which may be subject to redemption gates or liquidity fees under certain circumstances.

Market Risk: An outbreak of respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus has developed into a global pandemic and has resulted in closing borders, quarantines, disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, as well as general concern and uncertainty. The impact of this pandemic, and other global health crises that may arise in the future, could affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the market in general in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. This pandemic may result in substantial market volatility and may adversely impact the prices and liquidity of a fund’s investments. Although vaccines have been developed and approved for use by various governments, the duration of this pandemic and its effects cannot be determined with certainty.

Valuation Risk: The market values of equities, such as common stocks and preferred securities or equity related investments, such as futures and options, may decline due to general market conditions which are not specifically related to a particular company. They may also decline due to factors which affect a particular industry or industries. A fund may invest in illiquid investments. An illiquid investment is any investment that a 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. A fund may experience difficulty in selling illiquid investments in a timely manner at the price that it believes the investments are worth. Prices may fluctuate widely over short or extended periods in response to company, market or economic news. Markets also tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising and falling prices. This volatility may cause a fund’s NAV to experience significant increases or decreases over short periods of time. If there is a general decline in the securities and other markets, the NAV of a fund may lose value, regardless of the individual results of the securities and other instruments in which a fund invests.

Counterparty Credit Risk: The Fund may be exposed to counterparty credit risk, or the risk that an entity may fail to or be unable to perform on its commitments related to unsettled or open transactions, including making timely interest and/or principal payments or otherwise honoring its obligations. The Fund manages counterparty credit risk by entering into transactions only with counterparties that BFA believes have the financial resources to honor their obligations and by monitoring the financial stability of those counterparties. Financial assets, which potentially expose the Fund to market, issuer and counterparty credit risks, consist principally of financial instruments and receivables due from counterparties. The extent of the Fund’s exposure to market, issuer and counterparty credit risks with respect to these financial assets is approximately their value recorded in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities, less any collateral held by the Fund.

A derivative contract may suffer a mark-to-market loss if the value of the contract decreases due to an unfavorable change in the market rates or values of the underlying instrument. Losses can also occur if the counterparty does not perform under the contract.

With exchange-traded futures, there is less counterparty credit risk to the Fund since the exchange or clearinghouse, as counterparty to such instruments, guarantees against a possible default. The clearinghouse stands between the buyer and the seller of the contract; therefore, credit risk is limited to failure of the clearinghouse. While offset rights may exist under applicable law, a fund does not have a contractual right of offset against a clearing broker or clearinghouse in the event of a default (including the bankruptcy or insolvency). Additionally, credit risk exists in exchange-traded futures with respect to initial and variation margin that is held in a clearing broker’s customer accounts. While clearing brokers are required to segregate customer margin from their own assets, in the event that a clearing broker becomes insolvent or goes into bankruptcy and at that time there is a shortfall in the aggregate amount of margin held by the clearing broker for all its clients, typically the shortfall would be allocated on a pro rata basis across all the clearing broker’s customers, potentially resulting in losses to the Fund.

Concentration Risk: A diversified portfolio, where this is appropriate and consistent with a fund’s objectives, minimizes the risk that a price change of a particular investment will have a material impact on the NAV of a fund. The investment concentrations within the Fund’s portfolio are disclosed in its Schedule of Investments.

The Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in securities of issuers located in Europe or with significant exposure to European issuers or countries. 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

 

 

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Notes to Financial Statements  (unaudited)  (continued)

 

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.

The Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in securities within a single or limited number of market sectors. When a fund concentrates its investments in this manner, it assumes the risk that economic, regulatory, political and social conditions affecting such sectors may have a significant impact on the fund and could affect the income from, or the value or liquidity of, the fund’s portfolio. Investment percentages in specific sectors are presented in the Schedule of Investments.

Significant Shareholder Redemption Risk: Certain shareholders may own or manage a substantial amount of fund shares and/or hold their fund investments for a limited period of time. Large redemptions of fund shares by these shareholders may force a fund to sell portfolio securities, which may negatively impact the fund’s NAV, increase the fund’s brokerage costs, and/or accelerate the realization of taxable income/gains and cause the fund to make additional taxable distributions to shareholders.

LIBOR Transition Risk: The United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority announced a phase out of the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”). Although many LIBOR rates ceased to be published or no longer are representative of the underlying market they seek to measure after December 31, 2021, a selection of widely used USD LIBOR rates will continue to be published through June 2023 in order to assist with the transition. The Fund may be exposed to financial instruments tied to LIBOR to determine payment obligations, financing terms, hedging strategies or investment value. The transition process away from LIBOR might lead to increased volatility and illiquidity in markets for, and reduce the effectiveness of new hedges placed against instruments whose terms currently include LIBOR. The ultimate effect of the LIBOR transition process on the Fund is uncertain.

 

11.

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS

Capital shares are issued and redeemed by the Fund only in aggregations of a specified number of shares or multiples thereof (“Creation Units”) at NAV. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, shares of the Fund are not redeemable.

Transactions in capital shares were as follows:

 

 

 
          

Six Months Ended
10/31/22

 

   

Year Ended
04/30/22

 

 
       

 

 

   

 

 

 
iShares ETF                

Shares

 

   

Amount

 

   

Shares

 

   

Amount

 

 

 

 

International Select Dividend

             

Shares sold

          12,450,000     $ 370,139,563       21,900,000     $ 708,294,656  

Shares redeemed

         

 

(500,000

 

 

   

 

(11,475,327

 

 

   

 

(2,700,000

 

 

   

 

(83,426,628

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
         

 

11,950,000

 

 

 

  $

 

358,664,236

 

 

 

   

 

19,200,000

 

 

 

  $

 

624,868,028

 

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

The consideration for the purchase of Creation Units of a fund in the Trust generally consists of the in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities and a specified amount of cash. Certain funds in the Trust may be offered in Creation Units solely or partially for cash in U.S. dollars. Investors purchasing and redeeming Creation Units may pay a purchase transaction fee and a redemption transaction fee directly to State Street Bank and Trust Company, the Trust’s administrator, to offset transfer and other transaction costs associated with the issuance and redemption of Creation Units, including Creation Units for cash. Investors transacting in Creation Units for cash may also pay an additional variable charge to compensate the relevant fund for certain transaction costs (i.e., stamp taxes, taxes on currency or other financial transactions, and brokerage costs) and market impact expenses relating to investing in portfolio securities. Such variable charges, if any, are included in shares sold in the table above.

From time to time, settlement of securities related to in-kind contributions or in-kind redemptions may be delayed. In such cases, securities related to in-kind transactions are reflected as a receivable or a payable in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

 

12.

FOREIGN WITHHOLDING TAX CLAIMS

The iShares International Select Dividend ETF has filed claims to recover taxes withheld by Sweden on dividend income based upon certain provisions in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The Fund has recorded a receivable for all recoverable taxes withheld by Sweden based upon determinations made by Swedish tax authorities. Professional and other fees associated with the filing of tax claims in Sweden that result in the recovery of foreign withholding taxes have been approved by the Board as appropriate expenses of the Fund. The Fund continues to evaluate developments in Sweden, for potential impacts to the receivables and associated professional fees payable. Swedish tax claims receivable and related liabilities are disclosed in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Collection of this receivable, and any subsequent payment of associated liabilities, depends upon determinations made by Swedish tax authorities.

The iShares International Select Dividend ETF is expected to seek a closing agreement with the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) to address any prior years’ U.S. income tax liabilities attributable to Fund shareholders resulting from the recovery of foreign taxes. The closing agreement would result in the Fund paying a compliance fee to the IRS, on behalf of its shareholders, representing the estimated tax savings generated from foreign tax credits claimed by Fund shareholders on their tax returns in prior years. The Fund has accrued a liability for the estimated IRS compliance fee related to foreign withholding tax claims, which is disclosed in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. The actual IRS compliance fee may differ from the estimate and that difference may be material.

 

 

N O T E S   T O   F I N A N C I A L   S T A T E M E N T S

  23


Notes to Financial Statements  (unaudited)  (continued)

 

13.

SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

Management has evaluated the impact of all subsequent events on the Fund through the date the financial statements were available to be issued and has determined that there were no subsequent events requiring adjustment or additional disclosure in the financial statements.

 

 

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Board Review and Approval of Investment Advisory Contract

 

iShares International Select Dividend ETF (the “Fund”)

Under Section 15(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”), the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”), including a majority of Board Members who are not “interested persons” of the Trust (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) (the “Independent Board Members”), is required annually to consider and approve the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and BFA (the “Advisory Agreement”) on behalf of the Fund. The Board’s consideration entails a year-long process whereby the Board and its committees (composed solely of Independent Board Members) assess BlackRock’s services to the Fund, including investment management; fund accounting; administrative and shareholder services; oversight of the Fund’s service providers; risk management and oversight; legal and compliance services; and ability to meet applicable legal and regulatory requirements. The Independent Board Members requested, and BFA provided, such information as the Independent Board Members, with advice from independent counsel, deemed reasonably necessary to evaluate the Advisory Agreement. At meetings on May 3, 2022 and May 18, 2022, a committee composed of all of the Independent Board Members (the “15(c) Committee”), with independent counsel, met with management and reviewed and discussed information provided in response to initial requests of the 15(c) Committee and/or its independent counsel, and requested certain additional information, which management agreed to provide. At a meeting held on June 13-15, 2022, the Board, including the Independent Board Members, reviewed the additional information provided by management in response to these requests.

After extensive discussions and deliberations, the Board, including all of the Independent Board Members, approved the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the Fund, based on a review of qualitative and quantitative information provided by BFA and their cumulative experience as Board Members. The Board noted its satisfaction with the extent and quality of information provided and its frequent interactions with management, as well as the detailed responses and other information provided by BFA. The Independent Board Members were advised by their independent counsel throughout the process, including about the legal standards applicable to their review. In approving the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the Fund, the Board, including the Independent Board Members, considered various factors, including: (i) the expenses and performance of the Fund; (ii) the nature, extent and quality of the services provided by BFA; (iii) the costs of services provided to the Fund and profits realized by BFA and its affiliates; (iv) potential economies of scale and the sharing of related benefits; (v) the fees and services provided for other comparable funds/accounts managed by BFA and its affiliates; and (vi) other benefits to BFA and/or its affiliates. The material factors, none of which was controlling, and conclusions that formed the basis for the Board, including the Independent Board Members, to approve the continuance of the Advisory Agreement are discussed below.

Expenses and Performance of the Fund: The Board reviewed statistical information prepared by Broadridge Financial Solutions Inc. (“Broadridge”), an independent provider of investment company data, regarding the expense ratio components, including gross and net total expenses, fees and expenses of another fund in which the Fund invests (if applicable), and waivers/reimbursements (if applicable) of the Fund in comparison with the same information for other ETFs, objectively selected by Broadridge as comprising the Fund’s applicable expense peer group pursuant to Broadridge’s proprietary ETF methodology (the “Peer Group”). The Board was provided with a detailed description of the proprietary ETF methodology used by Broadridge to determine the Fund’s Peer Group. The Board noted that, due to the limitations in providing comparable funds in the Peer Group, the statistical information provided in Broadridge’s report may or may not provide meaningful direct comparisons to the Fund in all instances. The Board also noted that the investment advisory fee rate and overall expenses (net of waivers and reimbursements) for the Fund were within range of the median of the investment advisory fee rates and overall expenses (net of waivers and reimbursements) of the funds in its Peer Group, excluding iShares funds.

In addition, to the extent that any of the comparison funds included in the Peer Group, excluding iShares funds, track the same index as the Fund, Broadridge also provided, and the Board reviewed, a comparison of the Fund’s performance for the one-year, three-year, five-year, ten-year, and since inception periods, as applicable, and for the quarter ended December 31, 2021, to that of such relevant comparison fund(s) for the same periods. The Board noted that the Fund seeks to track its specified underlying index and that, during the year, the Board received periodic reports on the Fund’s short- and longer-term performance in comparison with its underlying index. Such periodic comparative performance information, including additional detailed information as requested by the Board, was also considered. The Board noted that the Fund generally performed in line with its underlying index over the relevant periods.

Based on this review, the other factors considered at the meeting, and their general knowledge of ETF pricing, the Board concluded that the investment advisory fee rate and expense level and the historical performance of the Fund supported the Board’s approval of the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the coming year.

Nature, Extent and Quality of Services Provided: Based on management’s representations, including information about recent enhancements and initiatives with respect to the iShares business, including with respect to capital markets support and analysis, technology, portfolio management, product design and quality, compliance and risk management, global public policy and other services, the Board expected that there would be no diminution in the scope of services required of or provided by BFA under the Advisory Agreement for the coming year as compared with the scope of services provided by BFA during prior years. In reviewing the scope of these services, the Board considered BFA’s investment philosophy and experience, noting that BFA and its affiliates have committed significant resources over time, including during the past year, to support the iShares funds and their shareholders and have made significant investments into the iShares business. The Board also considered BFA’s compliance program and its compliance record with respect to the Fund. In that regard, the Board noted that BFA reports to the Board about portfolio management and compliance matters on a periodic basis in connection with regularly scheduled meetings of the Board, and on other occasions as necessary and appropriate, and has provided information and made relevant officers and other employees of BFA (and its affiliates) available as needed to provide further assistance with these matters. The Board also reviewed the background and experience of the persons responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund, as well as the resources available to them in managing the Fund. In addition to the above considerations, the Board reviewed and considered detailed presentations regarding BFA’s investment performance, investment and risk management processes and strategies, provided at the May 3, 2022 meeting and throughout the year, and matters related to BFA’s portfolio compliance program.

Based on review of this information, and the performance information discussed above, the Board concluded that the nature, extent and quality of services provided to the Fund under the Advisory Agreement supported the Board’s approval of the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the coming year.

Costs of Services Provided to the Fund and Profits Realized by BFA and its Affiliates: The Board reviewed information about the estimated profitability to BlackRock in managing the Fund, based on the fees payable to BFA and its affiliates (including fees under the Advisory Agreement), and other sources of revenue and expense to BFA

 

 

B O A R D   R E V I E W   A N D   A P P R O V A L   O F   I N V E S T M E N T   A D V I S O R Y   C O N T R A C T   25


Board Review and Approval of Investment Advisory Contract  (continued)

 

and its affiliates from the Fund’s operations for the last calendar year. The Board reviewed BlackRock’s methodology for calculating estimated profitability of the iShares funds, noting that the 15(c) Committee and the Board had focused on the methodology and profitability presentation. The Board recognized that profitability may be affected by numerous factors, including, among other things, fee waivers by BFA, the types of funds managed, expense allocations and business mix. The Board thus recognized that calculating and comparing profitability at individual fund levels is challenging. The Board discussed with management the sources of direct and ancillary revenue, including the revenues to BTC, a BlackRock affiliate, from securities lending by the Fund. The Board also discussed BFA’s estimated profit margin as reflected in the Fund’s profitability analysis and reviewed information regarding potential economies of scale (as discussed below).

Based on this review, the Board concluded that the information considered with respect to the profits realized by BFA and its affiliates under the Advisory Agreement and from other relationships between the Fund and BFA and/or its affiliates, if any, as well as the other factors considered at the meeting, supported the Board’s approval of the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the coming year.

Economies of Scale: The Board reviewed information and considered the extent to which economies of scale might be realized as the assets of the Fund increase, noting that the issue of potential economies of scale had been focused on by the 15(c) Committee and the Board during their meetings and addressed by management. The 15(c) Committee and the Board received information regarding BlackRock’s historical estimated profitability, including BFA’s and its affiliates’ estimated costs in providing services. The estimated cost information distinguished, among other things, between fixed and variable costs, and showed how the level and nature of fixed and variable costs may impact the existence or size of scale benefits, with the Board recognizing that potential economies of scale are difficult to measure. The 15(c) Committee and the Board reviewed information provided by BFA regarding the sharing of scale benefits with the iShares funds through various means, including, as applicable, through relatively low fee rates established at inception, breakpoints, waivers, or other fee reductions, as well as through additional investment in the iShares business and the provision of improved or additional infrastructure and services to the iShares funds and their shareholders. The Board noted that the Advisory Agreement for the Fund already provided for breakpoints in the Fund’s investment advisory fee rate as the assets of the Fund, on an aggregated basis with the assets of certain other iShares funds, increase. The Board noted that it would continue to assess the appropriateness of adding new or revised breakpoints in the future.

The Board concluded that this review of potential economies of scale and the sharing of related benefits, as well as the other factors considered at the meeting, supported the Board’s approval of the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the coming year.

Fees and Services Provided for Other Comparable Funds/Accounts Managed by BFA and its Affiliates: The Board received and considered information regarding the investment advisory/management fee rates for other funds/accounts in the U.S. for which BFA (or its affiliates) provides investment advisory/management services, including open-end funds registered under the 1940 Act (including sub-advised funds), collective trust funds, and institutional separate accounts (collectively, the “Other Accounts”). The Board acknowledged BFA’s representation that the iShares funds are fundamentally different investment vehicles from the Other Accounts.

The Board received detailed information regarding how the Other Accounts generally differ from the Fund, including in terms of the types of services and generally more extensive services provided to the Fund, as well as other significant differences. In that regard, the Board considered that the pricing of services to institutional clients is typically based on a number of factors beyond the nature and extent of the specific services to be provided and often depends on the overall relationship between the client and its affiliates and the adviser and its affiliates. In addition, the Board considered the relative complexity and inherent risks and challenges of managing and providing other services to the Fund, as a publicly traded investment vehicle, as compared to the Other Accounts, particularly those that are institutional clients, in light of differing regulatory requirements and client-imposed mandates. The Board noted that BFA and its affiliates do not manage Other Accounts with substantially the same investment objective and strategy as the Fund and that track the same index as the Fund. The Board also acknowledged management’s assertion that, for certain iShares funds, and for client segmentation purposes, BlackRock has launched an iShares fund that may provide a similar investment exposure at a lower investment advisory fee rate.

The Board considered the “all-inclusive” nature of the Fund’s advisory fee structure, and the Fund’s expenses borne by BFA under this arrangement and noted that the investment advisory fee rate under the Advisory Agreement for the Fund was generally higher than the investment advisory/management fee rates for certain of the Other Accounts (particularly institutional clients) and concluded that the differences appeared to be consistent with the factors discussed.

Other Benefits to BFA and/or its Affiliates: The Board reviewed other benefits or ancillary revenue received by BFA and/or its affiliates in connection with the services provided to the Fund by BFA, both direct and indirect, including, but not limited to, payment of revenue to BTC, the Fund’s securities lending agent, for loaning portfolio securities (which was included in the profit margins reviewed by the Board pursuant to BFA’s estimated profitability methodology), payment of advisory fees or other fees to BFA (or its affiliates) in connection with any investments by the Fund in other funds for which BFA (or its affiliates) provides investment advisory services or other services, and BlackRock’s profile in the investment community. The Board also noted the revenue received by BFA and/or its affiliates pursuant to an agreement that permits a service provider to use certain portions of BlackRock’s technology platform to service accounts managed by BFA and/or its affiliates, including the iShares funds. The Board noted that BFA generally does not use soft dollars or consider the value of research or other services that may be provided to BFA (including its affiliates) in selecting brokers for portfolio transactions for the Fund. The Board concluded that any such ancillary benefits would not be disadvantageous to the Fund and thus would not alter the Board’s conclusion with respect to the appropriateness of approving the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the coming year.

Conclusion: Based on a review of the factors described above, as well as such other factors as deemed appropriate by the Board, the Board, including all of the Independent Board Members, determined that the Fund’s investment advisory fee rate under the Advisory Agreement does not constitute a fee that is so disproportionately large as to bear no reasonable relationship to the services rendered and that could not have been the product of arm’s-length bargaining, and concluded to approve the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the coming year.

 

 

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General Information

 

Electronic Delivery

Shareholders can sign up for e-mail notifications announcing that the shareholder report or prospectus has been posted on the iShares website at iShares.com. Once you have enrolled, you will no longer receive prospectuses and shareholder reports in the mail.

To enroll in electronic delivery:

 

   

Go to icsdelivery.com.

   

If your brokerage firm is not listed, electronic delivery may not be available. Please contact your broker-dealer or financial advisor.

Householding

Householding is an option available to certain fund investors. Householding is a method of delivery, based on the preference of the individual investor, in which a single copy of certain shareholder documents and Rule 30e-3 notices can be delivered to investors who share the same address, even if their accounts are registered under different names. Please contact your broker-dealer if you are interested in enrolling in householding and receiving a single copy of prospectuses and other shareholder documents, or if you are currently enrolled in householding and wish to change your householding status.

Availability of Quarterly Schedule of Investments

The Fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The Fund’s Forms N-PORT are available on the SEC’s website at sec.gov. Additionally, the Fund makes its portfolio holdings for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year available at iShares.com/fundreports.

Availability of Proxy Voting Policies and Proxy Voting Records

A description of the policies and procedures that the iShares Funds use to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities and information about how the iShares Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent twelve-month period ending June 30 is available without charge, upon request (1) by calling toll-free 1-800-474-2737; (2) on the iShares website at iShares.com; and (3) on the SEC website at sec.gov.

A description of the Trust’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio securities is available in the Fund Prospectus. The Fund discloses its portfolio holdings daily and provides information regarding its top holdings in Fund fact sheets at iShares.com.

 

 

G E N E R A L   I N F O R M A T I O N

  27


Glossary of Terms Used in this Report

 

Portfolio Abbreviation

NVS   Non-Voting Shares

 

 

28  

2 0 2 2   I S H A R E S   S E M I - A N N U A L   R E P O R T   T O   S H A R E H O L D E R S


 

 

 

Want to know more?

iShares.com    |     1-800-474-2737

This report is intended for the Fund’s shareholders. It may not be distributed to prospective investors unless it is preceded or accompanied by the current prospectus.

Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal.

The iShares Funds are distributed by BlackRock Investments, LLC (together with its affiliates, “BlackRock”).

The iShares Funds are not sponsored, endorsed, issued, sold or promoted by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, nor does this company make any representation regarding the advisability of investing in the iShares Funds. BlackRock is not affiliated with the company listed above

©2022 BlackRock, Inc. All rights reserved. iSHARES and BLACKROCK are registered trademarks of BlackRock, Inc. or its subsidiaries. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

iS-SAR-406-1022

 

 

LOGO

   LOGO


 

LOGO

  OCTOBER 31, 2022

 

 

2022 Semi-Annual Report

(Unaudited)

 

 

iShares Trust

 

·  

iShares Global REIT ETF | REET | NYSE Arca

 

·  

iShares International Developed Real Estate ETF | IFGL | NASDAQ


The Markets in Review

Dear Shareholder,

Significant economic headwinds emerged during the 12-month reporting period ended October 31, 2022, disrupting the economic recovery and strong financial markets of 2021. The U.S. economy shrank in the first half of 2022 before returning to moderate growth in the third quarter, marking a shift to a more challenging post-reopening economic environment. Changes in consumer spending patterns and a tight labor market led to elevated inflation, which reached a 40-year high. Moreover, while the foremost effect of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been a severe humanitarian crisis, the ongoing war continued to present challenges for both investors and policymakers.

Equity prices fell as interest rates rose, particularly weighing on relatively high-valuation growth stocks as inflation decreased the value of future cash flows and investors shifted focus to balance sheet resilience. Both large- and small-capitalization U.S. stocks fell, although declines for small-capitalization U.S. stocks were slightly steeper. Emerging market stocks and international equities from developed markets also declined significantly, pressured by rising interest rates and a strengthening U.S. dollar.

The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield rose notably during the reporting period, driving its price down, as investors reacted to higher inflation and attempted to anticipate its impact on future interest rate changes. The corporate bond market also faced inflationary headwinds, and increasing uncertainty led to higher corporate bond spreads (the difference in yield between U.S. Treasuries and similarly-dated corporate bonds).

The U.S. Federal Reserve (the “Fed”), acknowledging that inflation has been more persistent than expected, raised interest rates five times while indicating that additional rate hikes were likely. Furthermore, the Fed wound down its bond-buying programs and is accelerating the reduction of its balance sheet. As investors attempted to assess the Fed’s future trajectory, the Fed’s statements late in the reporting period led markets to believe that additional tightening is likely in the near term.

The pandemic’s restructuring of the economy brought an ongoing mismatch between supply and demand, contributing to the current inflationary regime. While growth has slowed in 2022, we believe that taming inflation requires a more dramatic economic decline to bring demand back to a lower level that is more in line with the economy’s capacity. The Fed has been raising interest rates at the fastest pace in decades, and seems set to overtighten in its effort to get inflation back to target. With this in mind, we believe the possibility of a U.S. recession in the near-term is high, and the outlook for Europe and the U.K. is also troubling. Investors should expect a period of higher volatility as markets adjust to the new economic reality and policymakers attempt to adapt to rapidly changing conditions.

In this environment, while we favor an overweight to equities in the long-term, the market’s concerns over excessive rate hikes from central banks moderate our outlook. Rising input costs and a deteriorating economic backdrop in China and Europe are likely to challenge corporate earnings, so we are underweight equities overall in the near term. However, we see better opportunities in credit, where higher spreads provide income opportunities and partially compensate for inflation risk. We believe that investment-grade corporates, local-currency emerging market debt, and inflation-protected bonds (particularly in Europe) offer strong opportunities for a six- to twelve-month horizon.

Overall, our view is that investors need to think globally, position themselves to be prepared for a decarbonizing economy, and be nimble as market conditions change. We encourage you to talk with your financial advisor and visit iShares.com for further insight about investing in today’s markets.

 

 

LOGO

Rob Kapito

President, BlackRock, Inc.

LOGO

Rob Kapito

President, BlackRock, Inc.

 

Total Returns as of October 31, 2022  
     
       6-Month       12-Month  
   

U.S. large cap equities

(S&P 500® Index)

    (5.50 )%      (14.61 )% 
   

U.S. small cap equities

(Russell 2000® Index)

    (0.20     (18.54
   

International equities

(MSCI Europe, Australasia, Far East Index)

    (12.70     (23.00
   

Emerging market equities

(MSCI Emerging Markets Index)

    (19.66     (31.03
   

3-month Treasury bills

(ICE BofA 3-Month

U.S. Treasury Bill Index)

    0.72       0.79  
   

U.S. Treasury securities

(ICE BofA 10-Year U.S. Treasury Index)

    (8.24     (17.68
   

U.S. investment grade bonds

(Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index)

    (6.86     (15.68
   

Tax-exempt municipal bonds

(Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index)

    (4.43     (11.98
   

U.S. high yield bonds

(Bloomberg U.S. Corporate High Yield 2% Issuer Capped Index)

    (4.71     (11.76
Past performance is not an indication of future results. Index performance is shown for illustrative purposes only. You cannot invest directly in an index.

 

 

 

 

2  

H I S    A G E    I S    N  O T    A R T    O F    O U R    U N D     E P O R T


Table of Contents

 

      Page  

The Markets in Review

     2  

Semi-Annual Report:

  

Fund Summary

     4  

About Fund Performance

     6  

Disclosure of Expenses

     6  

Schedules of Investments

     7  

Financial Statements:

  

Statements of Assets and Liabilities

     18  

Statements of Operations

     19  

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

     20  

Financial Highlights

     21  

Notes to Financial Statements

     23  

Board Review and Approval of Investment Advisory Contract

     31  

Supplemental Information

     35  

General Information

     36  

Glossary of Terms Used in this Report

     37  

 

 

 


Fund Summary as of October 31, 2022     iShares® Global REIT ETF

 

Investment Objective

The iShares Global REIT ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of global real estate equities in developed and emerging markets, as represented by the FTSE EPRA Nareit Global REITS Index (the “Index”). The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index. Due to the use of representative sampling, the Fund may or may not hold all of the securities that are included in the Index.

Performance

 

           Average Annual Total Returns           Cumulative Total Returns  
                    
    

6-Month

Total Returns

     1 Year      5 Years     

Since

Inception

           1 Year      5 Years     

Since

Inception

 

Fund NAV

    (19.06 )%       (21.83 )%       1.47      2.70       (21.83 )%       7.57      24.76

Fund Market

    (18.69      (21.75      1.48        2.71         (21.75      7.63        24.93  

Index

    (19.53      (22.30      0.66        1.92               (22.30      3.34        17.11  

The inception date of the Fund was July 8, 2014. The first day of secondary market trading was July 10, 2014.

Past performance is not an indication of future results. Performance results do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the redemption or sale of fund shares. See “About Fund Performance” for more information.

Expense Example

 

Actual           Hypothetical 5% Return           
 

Beginning
Account Value
(05/01/22)
 
 
 
      

Ending
Account Value
(10/31/22)
 
 
 
      

Expenses
Paid During
the Period
 
 
(a) 
           

Beginning
Account Value
(05/01/22)
 
 
 
      

Ending
Account Value
(10/31/22)
 
 
 
      

Expenses
Paid During
the Period
 
 
(a) 
      

Annualized
Expense
Ratio
 
 
 
  $      1,000.00          $      809.40          $      0.64               $      1,000.00          $      1,024.50          $      0.71          0.14

 

  (a) 

Expenses are equal to the annualized expense ratio, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 184/365 (to reflect the one-half year period shown). Other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, may be paid which are not reflected in the tables and examples above. See “Disclosure of Expenses” for more information.

 

Portfolio Information

 

SECTOR ALLOCATION

 

Industry    
Percent of
Total Investments
 
(a) 

Retail REITs

    19.0

Specialized REITs

    17.9  

Industrial REITs

    16.8  

Residential REITs

    15.6  

Office REITs

    10.1  

Diversified REITs

    8.9  

Health Care REITs

    8.2  

Hotel & Resort REITs

    3.4  

Other (each representing less than 1%)

    0.1  

GEOGRAPHIC ALLOCATION

 

Country/Geographic Region    
Percent of
Total Investments
 
(a) 

United States

    71.8

Japan

    7.5  

United Kingdom

    4.2  

Australia

    4.0  

Singapore

    3.2  

Canada

    2.9  

France

    1.4  

Hong Kong

    1.1  

Belgium

    1.0  

Mexico

    0.6  
 
  (a)

Excludes money market funds.

 

 

 

4  

2 0 2 2    H A R E S     E M I - A N N U A L    E P O R T    T O     H A R E H O L D E R S


Fund Summary as of October 31, 2022     iShares® International Developed Real Estate ETF

 

Investment Objective

The 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, as represented by the FTSE EPRA Nareit Developed ex-U.S. Index (the “Index”). The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index. Due to the use of representative sampling, the Fund may or may not hold all of the securities that are included in the Index.

Performance

 

           Average Annual Total Returns            Cumulative Total Returns  
                     
     6-Month
Total Returns
     1 Year     5 Years     10 Years             1 Year      5 Years      10 Years  

Fund NAV

    (23.02 )%       (32.25 )%      (3.85 )%      0.33        (32.25 )%       (17.83 )%       3.35

Fund Market

    (22.93      (32.27     (3.91     0.31          (32.27      (18.08      3.14  

Index

    (23.46      (32.17     (3.70     0.56                (32.17      (17.19      5.71  

Past performance is not an indication of future results. Performance results do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the redemption or sale of fund shares. See “About Fund Performance” for more information.

Expense Example

 

Actual           Hypothetical 5% Return           
 

Beginning
Account Value
(05/01/22)
 
 
 
      

Ending
Account Value
(10/31/22)
 
 
 
      

Expenses
Paid During
the Period
 
 
(a) 
           

Beginning
Account Value
(05/01/22)
 
 
 
      

Ending
Account Value
(10/31/22)
 
 
 
      

Expenses
Paid During
the Period
 
 
(a) 
      

Annualized
Expense
Ratio
 
 
 
  $      1,000.00          $      769.80          $      2.14               $      1,000.00          $      1,022.80          $      2.45          0.48

 

  (a) 

Expenses are equal to the annualized expense ratio, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 184/365 (to reflect the one-half year period shown). Other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, may be paid which are not reflected in the tables and examples above. See “Disclosure of Expenses” for more information.

 

Portfolio Information

 

SECTOR ALLOCATION

 

Industry    
Percent of
Total Investments
 
(a) 

Real Estate Operating Companies

    19.0

Retail REITs

    16.8  

Diversified Real Estate Activities

    13.2  

Industrial REITs

    12.6  

Diversified REITs

    12.6  

Office REITs

    10.2  

Residential REITs

    5.0  

Real Estate Development

    2.9  

Health Care REITs

    2.6  

Specialized REITs

    1.8  

Homebuilding

    1.7  

Hotel & Resort REITs

    1.4  

Other (each representing less than 1%)

    0.2  

GEOGRAPHIC ALLOCATION

 

Country/Geographic Region    
Percent of
Total Investments
 
(a) 

Japan

    29.0

Hong Kong

    11.2  

United Kingdom

    10.6  

Australia

    10.0  

Singapore

    9.2  

Canada

    7.6  

Germany

    5.3  

Sweden

    4.1  

France

    3.4  

Switzerland

    2.9  
 

 

  (a) 

Excludes money market funds.

 

 

 

U N D    U M M A R Y

  5


About Fund Performance

 

Past performance is not an indication of future results. Financial markets have experienced extreme volatility and trading in many instruments has been disrupted. These circumstances may continue for an extended period of time and may continue to affect adversely the value and liquidity of each Fund’s investments. As a result, current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. Performance data current to the most recent month-end is available at iShares.com. Performance results assume reinvestment of all dividends and capital gain distributions and do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the redemption or sale of fund shares. The investment return and principal value of shares will vary with changes in market conditions. Shares may be worth more or less than their original cost when they are redeemed or sold in the market. Performance for certain funds may reflect a waiver of a portion of investment advisory fees. Without such a waiver, performance would have been lower.

Net asset value or “NAV” is the value of one share of a fund as calculated in accordance with the standard formula for valuing mutual fund shares. Beginning August 10, 2020, the price used to calculate market return (“Market Price”) is the closing price. Prior to August 10, 2020, Market Price was determined using the midpoint between the highest bid and the lowest ask on the primary stock exchange on which shares of a fund are listed for trading, as of the time that such fund’s NAV is calculated. Since shares of a fund may not trade in the secondary market until after the fund’s inception, for the period from inception to the first day of secondary market trading in shares of the fund, the NAV of the fund is used as a proxy for the Market Price to calculate market returns. Market and NAV returns assume that dividends and capital gain distributions have been reinvested at Market Price and NAV, respectively.

An index is a statistical composite that tracks a specified financial market or sector. Unlike a fund, an index does not actually hold a portfolio of securities and therefore does not incur the expenses incurred by a fund. These expenses negatively impact fund performance. Also, market returns do not include brokerage commissions that may be payable on secondary market transactions. If brokerage commissions were included, market returns would be lower.

Disclosure of Expenses

Shareholders of each Fund may incur the following charges: (1) transactional expenses, including brokerage commissions on purchases and sales of fund shares and (2) ongoing expenses, including management fees and other fund expenses. The expense examples shown (which are based on a hypothetical investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the period and held through the end of the period) are intended to assist shareholders both in calculating expenses based on an investment in each Fund and in comparing these expenses with similar costs of investing in other funds.

The expense examples provide information about actual account values and actual expenses. Annualized expense ratios reflect contractual and voluntary fee waivers, if any. In order to estimate the expenses a shareholder paid during the period covered by this report, shareholders can divide their account value by $1,000 and then multiply the result by the number under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During the Period.”

The expense examples also provide information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on a fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses. In order to assist shareholders in comparing the ongoing expenses of investing in the Funds and other funds, compare the 5% hypothetical examples with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of the other funds.

The expenses shown in the expense examples are intended to highlight shareholders’ ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional expenses, such as brokerage commissions and other fees paid on purchases and sales of fund shares. Therefore, the hypothetical examples are useful in comparing ongoing expenses only and will not help shareholders determine the relative total expenses of owning different funds. If these transactional expenses were included, shareholder expenses would have been higher.

 

 

6  

2 0 2 2    H A R E S     E M I - A N N U A L    E P O R T    T O     H A R E H O L D E R S


Schedule of Investments (unaudited) 

October 31, 2022

  

iShares® Global REIT ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
Common Stocks            
Australia — 4.0%            

Abacus Property Group

    1,051,581     $ 1,885,182  

Arena REIT

    674,357       1,698,338  

BWP Trust

    1,000,606       2,617,394  

Centuria Industrial REIT

    1,094,695       2,127,376  

Centuria Office REIT

    971,300       935,649  

Charter Hall Long Wale REIT

    1,354,775       3,777,539  

Charter Hall Retail REIT

    1,010,482       2,601,946  

Charter Hall Social Infrastructure REIT

    692,630       1,538,106  

Cromwell Property Group

    2,989,699       1,340,833  

Dexus

    2,226,402       11,094,388  

Dexus Industria REIT

    440,367       746,245  

GPT Group (The)

    3,965,226       10,958,162  

Growthpoint Properties Australia Ltd.

    586,473       1,248,491  

HomeCo Daily Needs REIT

    3,562,859       2,915,382  

Hotel Property Investments Ltd.

    406,761       808,027  

Mirvac Group

    8,153,146       10,802,635  

National Storage REIT

    2,373,567       3,971,767  

Scentre Group

    10,733,876       19,975,965  

Shopping Centres Australasia Property Group

    2,297,950       4,002,377  

Stockland

    4,936,988       11,375,307  

Vicinity Ltd.

    7,788,846       9,710,067  

Waypoint REIT Ltd.

    1,466,987       2,561,346  
   

 

 

 
          108,692,522  
Belgium — 1.0%            

Aedifica SA

    82,550       6,295,490  

Ascencio

    10,760       546,565  

Cofinimmo SA

    66,726       5,533,950  

Home Invest Belgium SA, NVS

    20,258       464,325  

Intervest Offices & Warehouses NV

    49,379       1,071,133  

Montea NV(a)

    27,438       1,871,587  

Nextensa. SA

    8,877       440,389  

Retail Estates NV

    23,032       1,356,198  

Warehouses De Pauw CVA

    293,014       7,520,474  

Xior Student Housing NV

    46,137       1,295,872  
   

 

 

 
      26,395,983  
Canada — 2.8%            

Allied Properties REIT

    261,420       5,063,951  

Artis REIT

    165,009       1,156,704  

Boardwalk REIT

    77,439       2,755,711  

Canadian Apartment Properties REIT

    357,456       11,069,893  

Choice Properties REIT

    529,833       5,090,846  

Crombie REIT

    212,072       2,320,985  

Dream Industrial REIT

    508,272       4,085,278  

First Capital Real Estate Investment Trust

    437,716       5,092,523  

Granite REIT

    127,218       6,501,205  

H&R Real Estate Investment Trust

    545,720       4,490,418  

InterRent REIT

    273,436       2,302,133  

Killam Apartment REIT

    233,919       2,711,183  

NorthWest Healthcare Properties REIT

    431,331       3,400,371  

Prinmaris REIT

    209,929       2,161,929  

RioCan REIT

    624,925       8,903,581  

SmartCentres Real Estate Investment Trust

    267,943       5,251,278  

Summit Industrial Income REIT

    365,843       4,675,250  
   

 

 

 
      77,033,239  
China — 0.0%            

Yuexiu REIT

    3,692,000       634,830  
   

 

 

 
Security   Shares     Value  
France — 1.4%            

Carmila SA

    117,645     $ 1,645,899  

Covivio

    103,668       5,550,545  

Gecina SA

    106,598       9,503,642  

ICADE

    66,973       2,491,320  

Klepierre SA

    387,019       7,778,405  

Mercialys SA

    130,658       1,131,407  

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield(a)(b)

    212,473       10,041,384  
   

 

 

 
      38,142,602  
Germany — 0.1%            

Hamborner REIT AG

    150,022       1,070,259  

Sirius Real Estate Ltd.

    2,244,912       1,814,997  
   

 

 

 
      2,885,256  
Guernsey — 0.0%            

Balanced Commercial Property Trust Ltd.

    960,897       920,133  
   

 

 

 

Hong Kong — 1.1%

   

Champion REIT

    4,156,000       1,243,894  

Fortune REIT

    2,804,000       1,789,838  

Link REIT

    4,358,800       25,763,179  

Prosperity REIT

    2,478,000       524,136  

Sunlight REIT

    2,178,000       692,919  
   

 

 

 
      30,013,966  
India — 0.3%            

Brookfield India Real Estate Trust(c)

    315,541       1,203,620  

Embassy Office Parks REIT

    1,259,230       5,242,558  

Mindspace Business Parks REIT(c)

    255,917       1,098,393  
   

 

 

 
      7,544,571  
Ireland — 0.0%            

Irish Residential Properties REIT PLC

    926,287       1,001,451  
   

 

 

 

Italy — 0.0%

   

Immobiliare Grande Distribuzione SIIQ SpA

    137,320       395,536  
   

 

 

 
Japan — 7.5%            

Activia Properties Inc.

    1,493       4,422,348  

Advance Logistics Investment Corp.

    1,206       1,179,385  

Advance Residence Investment Corp.

    2,661       6,195,241  

AEON REIT Investment Corp.

    3,493       3,760,652  

Comforia Residential REIT Inc.

    1,332       2,827,763  

CRE Logistics REIT Inc.

    1,072       1,474,879  

Daiwa House REIT Investment Corp.

    4,373       8,826,005  

Daiwa Office Investment Corp.

    549       2,593,621  

Daiwa Securities Living Investments Corp.

    4,132       3,207,333  

Frontier Real Estate Investment Corp.

    986       3,481,044  

Fukuoka REIT Corp.

    1,470       1,715,899  

Global One Real Estate Investment Corp.

    1,934       1,492,961  

GLP J-Reit

    8,742       9,066,173  

Hankyu Hanshin REIT Inc.

    1,351       1,402,451  

Health Care & Medical Investment Corp.

    710       976,503  

Heiwa Real Estate REIT Inc.

    1,975       2,047,347  

Hoshino Resorts REIT Inc.

    518       2,458,725  

Hulic Reit Inc.

    2,631       3,082,061  

Ichigo Office REIT Investment Corp.

    2,384       1,346,399  

Industrial & Infrastructure Fund Investment Corp.

    3,913       4,132,679  

Invincible Investment Corp.

    10,131       3,180,256  

Japan Excellent Inc.

    2,526       2,335,920  

Japan Hotel REIT Investment Corp.

    9,207       4,850,769  

Japan Logistics Fund Inc.

    1,812       3,882,182  

Japan Metropolitan Fund Invest

    14,161           10,432,823  

Japan Prime Realty Investment Corp.

    1,864       5,062,334  
 

 

 

C H E D U L E    O F    N V E S T  M E N T S

  7


Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued)

October 31, 2022

  

iShares® Global REIT ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
Japan (continued)            

Japan Real Estate Investment Corp.

    2,681     $ 11,234,160  

Kenedix Office Investment Corp.

    1,544       3,517,238  

Kenedix Residential Next Investment Corp.

    2,104       3,084,612  

Kenedix Retail REIT Corp.

    1,186       2,132,037  

LaSalle Logiport REIT

    3,669       3,915,956  

Mirai Corp.

    3,385       1,090,373  

Mitsubishi Estate Logistics REIT Investment Corp.

    884       2,616,358  

Mitsui Fudosan Logistics Park Inc.

    1,087       3,606,509  

Mori Hills REIT Investment Corp.

    3,252       3,562,154  

Mori Trust Sogo REIT Inc.

    2,017       2,012,797  

Nippon Accommodations Fund Inc.

    943       4,015,589  

Nippon Building Fund Inc.

    3,146       13,984,736  

Nippon Prologis REIT Inc.

    4,750       9,966,888  

NIPPON REIT Investment Corp.

    880       2,172,397  

Nomura Real Estate Master Fund Inc.

    9,260       10,564,100  

NTT UD REIT Investment Corp.

    2,791       2,734,227  

One REIT Inc.

    499       831,629  

Orix JREIT Inc.

    5,442       7,301,075  

Samty Residential Investment Corp.

    817       659,825  

Sankei Real Estate Inc.

    927       581,722  

Sekisui House Reit Inc.

    8,562       4,613,600  

SOSiLA Logistics REIT Inc.

    1,341       1,285,399  

Star Asia Investment Corp.

    3,321       1,267,479  

Starts Proceed Investment Corp.

    447       712,420  

Takara Leben Real Estate Investment Corp.

    1,095       746,492  

Tokyu REIT Inc.

    1,892       2,694,855  

United Urban Investment Corp.

    6,125       6,480,419  
   

 

 

 
          202,818,799  
Malaysia — 0.1%            

Axis Real Estate Investment Trust

    2,611,600       1,032,930  

Sunway REIT

    4,074,300       1,207,545  
   

 

 

 
      2,240,475  
Mexico — 0.5%            

Concentradora Fibra Danhos SA de CV(a)

    496,115       613,477  

FIBRA Macquarie Mexico(c)

    1,513,150       2,012,391  

Fibra Uno Administracion SA de CV

    5,943,713       6,935,782  

PLA Administradora Industrial S. de RL de CV(a)

    1,603,909       2,247,237  

Prologis Property Mexico SA de CV

    1,223,560       3,142,115  
   

 

 

 
      14,951,002  
Netherlands — 0.2%            

Eurocommercial Properties NV

    106,740       2,347,195  

NSI NV

    37,240       890,404  

Vastned Retail NV

    35,839       727,837  

Wereldhave NV

    84,324       1,032,688  
   

 

 

 
      4,998,124  
New Zealand — 0.3%            

Argosy Property Ltd.

    1,751,995       1,207,669  

Goodman Property Trust

    2,255,096       2,711,881  

Kiwi Property Group Ltd.

    3,289,878       1,727,202  

Stride Property Group

    1,009,646       938,826  

Vital Healthcare Property Trust

    1,000,506       1,359,722  
   

 

 

 
      7,945,300  
Philippines — 0.0%            

AREIT Inc.

    1,288,520       691,633  
   

 

 

 
Saudi Arabia — 0.2%            

Al Maather REIT Fund

    87,850       210,503  

Al Rajhi REIT

    238,884       639,124  

Alahli REIT Fund 1

    93,783       274,544  

 

Security   Shares     Value  
Saudi Arabia (continued)        

Alinma Retail REIT Fund, NVS

    187,686     $ 255,898  

Al-Jazira Reit Fund

    26,162       124,252  

Alkhabeer REIT

    212,603       440,212  

Derayah REIT

    230,461       643,913  

Jadwa REIT Saudi Fund

    362,746       1,263,918  

Musharaka Real Estate Income Fund, NVS

    170,709       407,138  

Riyad REIT Fund

    307,564       894,050  

Sedco Capital REIT Fund

    148,266       418,668  

Taleem REIT

    58,362       196,022  
   

 

 

 
      5,768,242  
Singapore — 3.2%            

AIMS APAC REIT

    1,176,800       1,022,222  

CapitaLand Ascendas REIT

    7,053,514       13,050,346  

CapitaLand Ascott Trust(a)

    3,880,532       2,616,303  

CapitaLand China Trust

    2,376,930       1,628,691  

CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust

    10,462,826       13,885,780  

CDL Hospitality Trusts

    1,824,200       1,494,894  

Cromwell European Real Estate Investment Trust

    659,300       1,022,938  

ESR-LOGOS REIT

    10,955,642       2,629,834  

Far East Hospitality Trust

    2,044,200       829,856  

First REIT(a)

    2,366,300       401,952  

Frasers Centrepoint Trust

    2,217,570       3,258,951  

Frasers Logistics & Commercial Trust

    5,862,700       4,556,402  

Keppel DC REIT

    2,622,233       3,258,989  

Keppel Pacific Oak US REIT

    1,783,900       963,477  

Keppel REIT

    4,439,000       2,806,429  

Lendlease Global Commercial REIT

    3,759,791       1,860,956  

Manulife US Real Estate Investment Trust

    3,367,100       1,229,500  

Mapletree Industrial Trust

    3,853,410       5,991,772  

Mapletree Logistics Trust

    6,618,313       7,103,232  

Mapletree Pan Asia Commercial Trust

    4,734,291       5,312,864  

OUE Commercial Real Estate Investment Trust

    4,533,300       1,040,818  

Parkway Life REIT

    793,500       2,241,356  

Prime U.S. REIT

    1,341,400       630,555  

Sasseur Real Estate Investment Trust(a)

    1,075,700       539,733  

SPH REIT(a)

    2,244,400       1,291,944  

Starhill Global REIT

    2,990,500       1,088,712  

Suntec REIT

    4,347,800       3,965,196  
   

 

 

 
          85,723,702  
South Africa — 0.5%            

Attacq Ltd.

    1,494,301       555,415  

Emira Property Fund Ltd.

    653,790       373,721  

Equites Property Fund Ltd.

    1,551,256       1,325,878  

Growthpoint Properties Ltd.

    7,026,447       4,953,657  

Hyprop Investments Ltd.

    710,463       1,432,239  

Investec Property Fund Ltd.

    1,235,130       685,857  

Redefine Properties Ltd.

    13,597,337       3,020,191  

SA Corporate Real Estate Ltd.

    5,196,005       647,174  

Stor-Age Property REIT Ltd.(a)

    841,170       598,980  
   

 

 

 
      13,593,112  
South Korea — 0.1%            

ESR Kendall Square REIT Co. Ltd.

    252,470       630,718  

JR Reit XXVII

    241,084       712,904  

LOTTE Reit Co. Ltd.

    254,300       640,657  
   

 

 

 
      1,984,279  
Spain — 0.4%            

Inmobiliaria Colonial Socimi SA

    704,697       3,716,437  

Lar Espana Real Estate Socimi SA

    127,476       496,984  
 

 

 

8  

2 0 2 2    H A R E S     E M I - A N N U A L    E P O R T    T O     H A R E H O L D E R S


Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued)

October 31, 2022

  

iShares® Global REIT ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
Spain (continued)            

Merlin Properties Socimi SA

    689,285     $ 5,842,776  
   

 

 

 
          10,056,197  
Turkey — 0.1%            

Emlak Konut Gayrimenkul Yatirim Ortakligi AS

    3,873,812       918,465  

Is Gayrimenkul Yatirim Ortakligi AS(a)(b)

    892,448       365,336  

Ozak Gayrimenkul Yatirim Ortakligi(b)

    393,108       234,145  
   

 

 

 
      1,517,946  
United Kingdom — 4.2%            

Abrdn Property Income Trust

    795,044       504,386  

Assura PLC

    5,983,555       3,833,744  

Big Yellow Group PLC

    350,231       4,506,618  

British Land Co. PLC (The)

    1,912,669       8,023,433  

Capital & Counties Properties PLC

    1,506,389       1,850,181  

Civitas Social Housing PLC

    1,283,012       876,929  

CLS Holdings PLC

    328,312       538,803  

CT Property Trust Ltd.

    509,088       414,187  

Custodian Reit PLC

    848,277       860,931  

Derwent London PLC

    207,917       5,145,798  

Empiric Student Property PLC

    1,221,994       1,149,133  

Great Portland Estates PLC

    521,783       3,075,801  

Hammerson PLC

    7,458,372       1,635,101  

Helical PLC

    212,977       805,998  

Home Reit PLC

    1,628,981       1,571,084  

Impact Healthcare Reit PLC

    609,504       730,954  

Land Securities Group PLC

    1,472,147       9,626,199  

LondonMetric Property PLC

    1,953,761       4,187,629  

LXI REIT PLC

    3,113,058       4,345,833  

NewRiver REIT PLC

    632,593       507,820  

Picton Property Income Ltd. (The)

    1,125,297       1,109,822  

Primary Health Properties PLC

    2,712,249       3,455,661  

PRS REIT PLC (The)

    1,075,154       1,085,028  

Regional REIT Ltd.(c)

    912,176       698,783  

Residential Secure Income PLC, NVS(c)

    385,900       396,525  

Safestore Holdings PLC

    424,728       4,400,343  

Schroder REIT Ltd.

    1,042,228       542,228  

Segro PLC

    2,483,652       22,352,865  

Shaftesbury PLC

    570,808       2,397,101  

Supermarket Income Reit PLC

    2,552,174       3,000,363  

Target Healthcare REIT PLC

    1,275,066       1,267,767  

Triple Point Social Housing REIT PLC(c)

    774,161       586,427  

Tritax Big Box REIT PLC

    3,864,642       6,214,122  

UK Commercial Property REIT Ltd.

    1,538,792       1,077,516  

UNITE Group PLC (The)

    659,922       6,741,069  

Urban Logistics REIT PLC

    961,728       1,450,326  

Warehouse REIT PLC

    826,293       1,137,111  

Workspace Group PLC

    294,508       1,380,854  
   

 

 

 
      113,484,473  
United States — 71.4%            

Acadia Realty Trust

    173,334       2,421,476  

Acadia Realty Trust

           

Agree Realty Corp.

    161,726       11,110,577  

Alexander & Baldwin Inc.

    149,260       2,907,585  

Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc.

    334,379       48,585,269  

American Assets Trust Inc.

    101,764       2,796,475  

American Homes 4 Rent, Class A(a)

    626,497       20,010,314  

Americold Realty Trust Inc.

    555,172       13,462,921  

Apartment Income REIT Corp.

    318,025       12,221,701  

Apartment Investment & Management Co., Class A

    306,206       2,431,276  

Apple Hospitality REIT Inc.

    441,579       7,559,833  

 

Security   Shares     Value  
United States (continued)        

Armada Hoffler Properties Inc.

    138,330     $ 1,617,078  

AvalonBay Communities Inc.

    288,314       50,489,548  

Boston Properties Inc.(a)

    323,712       23,533,862  

Brandywine Realty Trust

    346,525       2,273,204  

Brixmor Property Group Inc.

    616,473       13,137,040  

Broadstone Net Lease Inc.

    342,699       5,873,861  

Camden Property Trust

    214,135       24,743,299  

CareTrust REIT Inc.

    198,878       3,715,041  

Centerspace

    31,837       2,206,304  

Community Healthcare Trust Inc.

    49,233       1,703,462  

Corporate Office Properties Trust(a)

    231,403       6,166,890  

Cousins Properties Inc.

    312,469       7,424,263  

CubeSmart

    461,868       19,338,413  

DiamondRock Hospitality Co.

    431,765       4,032,685  

Digital Realty Trust Inc.

    586,348       58,781,387  

Douglas Emmett Inc.

    349,136       6,141,302  

Easterly Government Properties Inc.

    187,665       3,263,494  

EastGroup Properties Inc.(a)

    84,943       13,309,719  

Elme Communities

    179,930       3,434,864  

Empire State Realty Trust Inc., Class A

    275,755       2,032,314  

EPR Properties

    152,967       5,904,526  

Equinix Inc.

    187,698           106,319,655  

Equity Commonwealth

    218,844       5,724,959  

Equity LifeStyle Properties Inc.

    366,844       23,463,342  

Equity Residential

    764,402       48,172,614  

Essential Properties Realty Trust Inc.

    284,985       6,132,877  

Essex Property Trust Inc.

    134,238       29,833,053  

Extra Space Storage Inc.

    273,488       48,527,711  

Federal Realty Investment Trust(a)

    165,802       16,411,082  

First Industrial Realty Trust Inc.

    272,229       12,966,267  

Four Corners Property Trust Inc.

    167,189       4,283,382  

Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc.

    504,328       25,276,919  

Getty Realty Corp.

    81,680       2,572,103  

Global Net Lease Inc.

    213,035       2,609,679  

Healthcare Realty Trust Inc.

    783,260       15,923,676  

Healthpeak Properties Inc.

    1,113,921       26,433,345  

Highwoods Properties Inc.

    214,653       6,059,654  

Host Hotels & Resorts Inc.

    1,462,308       27,608,375  

Hudson Pacific Properties Inc.

    284,936       3,145,693  

Independence Realty Trust Inc.

    454,958       7,625,096  

Innovative Industrial Properties Inc.

    56,967       6,158,133  

InvenTrust Properties Corp.

    139,614       3,518,273  

Invitation Homes Inc.

    1,260,723       39,952,312  

JBG SMITH Properties

    221,131       4,351,858  

Kilroy Realty Corp.

    240,265       10,268,926  

Kimco Realty Corp.

    1,247,610       26,673,902  

Kite Realty Group Trust

    446,953       8,778,157  

Life Storage Inc.

    173,775       19,221,253  

LTC Properties Inc.

    81,796       3,163,051  

LXP Industrial Trust

    567,654       5,494,891  

Macerich Co. (The)

    440,432       4,902,008  

Medical Properties Trust Inc.

    1,225,234       14,028,929  

Mid-America Apartment Communities Inc.

    237,161       37,340,999  

National Health Investors Inc.

    88,326       5,008,084  

National Retail Properties Inc.

    362,356       15,229,823  

National Storage Affiliates Trust

    175,258       7,476,506  

Necessity Retail REIT Inc.

    272,826       1,866,130  

NETSTREIT Corp.

    126,047       2,372,205  

NexPoint Residential Trust Inc.

    46,915       2,139,324  

Office Properties Income Trust

    99,358       1,520,177  
 

 

 

C H E D U L E    O F    N V E S T  M E N T S

  9


Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued)

October 31, 2022

  

iShares® Global REIT ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
United States (continued)            

Omega Healthcare Investors Inc.

    485,513     $ 15,429,603  

Orion Office REIT Inc.

    118,489       1,110,242  

Paramount Group Inc.

    392,985       2,542,613  

Park Hotels & Resorts Inc.

    460,587       6,024,478  

Pebblebrook Hotel Trust(a)

    267,193       4,285,776  

Phillips Edison & Co. Inc.

    240,460       7,247,464  

Physicians Realty Trust(a)

    461,885       6,955,988  

Piedmont Office Realty Trust Inc., Class A

    253,485       2,648,918  

Prologis Inc.

    1,901,870           210,632,103  

Public Storage

    322,854       100,004,027  

Realty Income Corp.

    1,276,061       79,460,318  

Regency Centers Corp.

    353,955       21,417,817  

Retail Opportunity Investments Corp.(a)

    248,384       3,596,600  

Rexford Industrial Realty Inc.

    353,745       19,555,024  

RLJ Lodging Trust

    329,814       4,013,836  

RPT Realty

    173,229       1,611,030  

Ryman Hospitality Properties Inc.(a)

    110,631       9,837,309  

Sabra Health Care REIT Inc.

    474,015       6,475,045  

Safehold Inc.

    45,120       1,319,760  

Service Properties Trust

    340,483       2,761,317  

Simon Property Group Inc.

    673,387       73,385,715  

SITE Centers Corp.

    400,602       4,959,453  

SL Green Realty Corp.

    132,307       5,249,942  

Spirit Realty Capital Inc.

    280,401       10,887,971  

STAG Industrial Inc.

    370,751       11,712,024  

STORE Capital Corp.

    524,784       16,688,131  

Summit Hotel Properties Inc.

    218,418       1,887,132  

Sun Communities Inc.

    251,309       33,889,019  

Sunstone Hotel Investors Inc.(a)

    436,265       4,864,355  

Tanger Factory Outlet Centers Inc.

    208,547       3,755,931  

Terreno Realty Corp.

    152,457       8,711,393  

UDR Inc.

    668,805       26,591,687  

Universal Health Realty Income Trust

    26,810       1,304,843  

Urban Edge Properties

    235,467       3,324,794  

Ventas Inc.

    824,770       32,273,250  

Veris Residential Inc.(b)

    175,819       2,783,215  

VICI Properties Inc.

    1,985,658       63,580,769  

Vornado Realty Trust

    364,062       8,588,223  

Welltower Inc.

    957,632       58,453,857  

WP Carey Inc.

    394,953       30,134,914  

 

Security   Shares     Value  
United States (continued)        

Xenia Hotels & Resorts Inc.

    235,455     $ 4,021,571  
   

 

 

 
      1,935,161,863  
   

 

 

 

Total Common Stocks — 99.4%
(Cost: $3,076,066,128)

      2,694,595,236  
   

 

 

 
Preferred Stocks            
Bermuda — 0.0%            

Brookfield Property Partners LP, 6.25%

    4,436       69,290  
   

 

 

 

Total Preferred Stocks — 0.0%
(Cost: $109,587)

      69,290  
   

 

 

 

Total Long-Term Investments — 99.4%
(Cost: $3,076,175,715)

      2,694,664,526  
   

 

 

 
Short-Term Securities            
Money Market Funds — 1.2%            

BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional,
SL Agency Shares, 3.29%(d)(e)(f)

    24,910,797       24,905,815  

BlackRock Cash Funds: Treasury,
SL Agency Shares, 2.97%(d)(e)

    7,040,000       7,040,000  
   

 

 

 

Total Short-Term Securities — 1.2%
(Cost: $31,951,015)

      31,945,815  
   

 

 

 

Total Investments — 100.6%
(Cost: $3,108,126,730)

      2,726,610,341  

Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets — (0.6)%

 

    (17,040,189
   

 

 

 

Net Assets — 100.0%

    $   2,709,570,152  
   

 

 

 

 

(a) 

All or a portion of this security is on loan.

(b) 

Non-income producing security.

(c) 

Security exempt from registration pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. These securities may be resold in transactions exempt from registration to qualified institutional investors.

(d) 

Affiliate of the Fund.

(e) 

Annualized 7-day yield as of period end.

(f) 

All or a portion of this security was purchased with the cash collateral from loaned securities.

 

 

 

10  

2 0 2 2    H A R E S     E M I - A N N U A L    E P O R T    T O     H A R E H O L D E R S


Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued)

October 31, 2022

  

iShares® Global REIT ETF

 

Affiliates

Investments in issuers considered to be affiliate(s) of the Fund during the six months ended October 31, 2022 for purposes of Section 2(a)(3) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, were as follows:

 

Affiliated Issuer    
Value at
04/30/22
 
 
   
Purchases
at Cost

 
   
Proceeds
from Sale
 
 
   
Net Realized
Gain (Loss)
 
 
   


Change in
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
 
 
 
 
   
Value at
10/31/22
 
 
   

Shares
Held at
10/31/22
 
 
 
    Income      




Capital
Gain
Distributions
from

Underlying
Funds


 



 

BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional,
SL Agency Shares

  $ 3,161,788     $ 21,750,005 (a)    $     $ 2,552     $ (8,530   $ 24,905,815       24,910,797     $ 143,055 (b)    $  

BlackRock Cash Funds: Treasury,
SL Agency Shares

    6,030,000       1,010,000 (a)                         7,040,000       7,040,000       60,341        
       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

   

 

 

 
        $ 2,552     $ (8,530   $ 31,945,815       $ 203,396     $  
       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

Represents net amount purchased (sold).

 
  (b) 

All or a portion represents securities lending income earned from the reinvestment of cash collateral from loaned securities, net of fees and collateral investment expenses, and other payments to and from borrowers of securities.

 

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts

 

Description    Number of
Contracts
     Expiration
Date
     Notional
Amount
(000)
   Value/
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
 
Long Contracts                          

SPI 200 Index

     16        12/15/22      $  1,754    $ 51,320  

Dow Jones US Real Estate Index

     358        12/16/22      11,692      268,830  
           

 

 

 
            $ 320,150  
           

 

 

 

Derivative Financial Instruments Categorized by Risk Exposure

As of period end, the fair values of derivative financial instruments located in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities were as follows:

 

      Commodity
Contracts
     Credit
Contracts
     Equity
Contracts
     Foreign
Currency
Exchange
Contracts
     Interest
Rate
Contracts
     Other
Contracts
     Total  

Assets — Derivative Financial Instruments

                    

Futures contracts

                    

Unrealized appreciation on futures contracts(a)

   $      $      $   320,150      $      $      $      $ 320,150  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

Net cumulative unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on futures contracts are reported in the Schedule of Investments. In the Statements of Assets and Liabilities, only current day’s variation margin is reported in receivables or payables and the net cumulative unrealized appreciation (depreciation) is included in accumulated earnings (loss).

 

For the period ended October 31, 2022, the effect of derivative financial instruments in the Statements of Operations was as follows:

 

     Commodity
Contracts
     Credit
Contracts
     Equity
Contracts
     Foreign
Currency
Exchange
Contracts
     Interest
Rate
Contracts
     Other
Contracts
     Total  

Net Realized Gain (Loss) from

                   

Futures contracts

  $      $      $ (2,487,343    $      $      $      $ (2,487,343
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) on

                   

Futures contracts

  $      $      $ 855,643      $      $      $      $ 855,643  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

C H E D U L E    O F    N V E S T  M E N T S

  11


Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued)

October 31, 2022

  

iShares® Global REIT ETF

 

Derivative Financial Instruments Categorized by Risk Exposure (continued)

Average Quarterly Balances of Outstanding Derivative Financial Instruments

 

Futures contracts        

Average notional value of contracts — long

   $ 15,261,479  

For more information about the Fund’s investment risks regarding derivative financial instruments, refer to the Notes to Financial Statements.

Fair Value Hierarchy as of Period End

Various inputs are used in determining the fair value of financial instruments. For a description of the input levels and information about the Fund’s policy regarding valuation of financial instruments, refer to the Notes to Financial Statements.

The following table summarizes the Fund’s financial instruments categorized in the fair value hierarchy. The breakdown of the Fund’s financial instruments into major categories is disclosed in the Schedule of Investments above.

 

        Level 1        Level 2        Level 3        Total  

Investments

                   

Assets

                   

Common Stocks

     $ 2,069,305,324        $ 625,289,912        $        $ 2,694,595,236  

Preferred Stocks

       69,290                            69,290  

Money Market Funds

       31,945,815                            31,945,815  
    

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 
     $ 2,101,320,429        $   625,289,912        $     —        $ 2,726,610,341  
    

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Derivative financial instruments(a)

                   

Assets

                   

Futures Contracts

     $ 268,830        $ 51,320        $                 —        $ 320,150  
    

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

Derivative financial instruments are futures contracts. Futures contracts are valued at the unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on the instrument.

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

12  

2 0 2 2    H A R E S     E M I - A N N U A L    E P O R T    T O     H A R E H O L D E R S


Schedule of Investments (unaudited)

October 31, 2022

  

iShares® International Developed Real Estate ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  

Common Stocks

 

Australia — 10.0%        

Abacus Property Group

    143,057     $ 256,460  

Arena REIT

    89,953       226,543  

BWP Trust

    136,643       357,432  

Centuria Industrial REIT

    148,862       289,291  

Centuria Office REIT

    125,221       120,625  

Charter Hall Long Wale REIT

    183,943       512,891  

Charter Hall Retail REIT

    137,546       354,175  

Charter Hall Social Infrastructure REIT

    92,252       204,862  

Cromwell Property Group

    390,191       174,994  

Dexus

    301,751       1,503,656  

Dexus Industria REIT

    61,168       103,655  

GPT Group (The)

    540,156       1,492,756  

Growthpoint Properties Australia Ltd.

    76,821       163,538  

Home Consortium Ltd.

    44,555       136,215  

HomeCo Daily Needs REIT

    491,389       402,089  

Hotel Property Investments Ltd.

    54,485       108,234  

Ingenia Communities Group

    104,750       262,858  

Lifestyle Communities Ltd.

    26,699       299,719  

Mirvac Group

    1,110,646       1,471,567  

National Storage REIT

    322,124       539,021  

Scentre Group

    1,457,708       2,712,825  

Shopping Centres Australasia Property Group

    311,889       543,222  

Stockland

    672,531       1,549,578  

Vicinity Ltd.

    1,062,224       1,324,235  

Waypoint REIT Ltd.

    202,103       352,870  
   

 

 

 
          15,463,311  
Austria — 0.2%            

CA Immobilien Anlagen AG

    11,648       367,894  
   

 

 

 
Belgium — 2.6%            

Aedifica SA

    11,239       857,117  

Ascencio

    1,386       70,403  

Cofinimmo SA

    9,075       752,639  

Home Invest Belgium SA, NVS

    2,765       63,376  

Intervest Offices & Warehouses NV

    6,716       145,684  

Montea NV

    3,754       256,066  

Nextensa. SA

    1,195       59,284  

Retail Estates NV

    3,079       181,302  

Shurgard Self Storage SA

    7,151       311,361  

VGP NV

    2,270       172,121  

Warehouses De Pauw CVA

    40,083       1,028,767  

Xior Student Housing NV

    6,094       171,165  
   

 

 

 
      4,069,285  
Canada — 7.6%            

Allied Properties REIT

    35,502       687,707  

Artis REIT

    22,474       157,542  

Boardwalk REIT

    10,463       372,332  

Canadian Apartment Properties REIT

    48,481       1,501,386  

Chartwell Retirement Residences

    65,922       382,269  

Choice Properties REIT

    71,877       690,623  

Crombie REIT

    29,252       320,143  

Dream Industrial REIT

    68,677       551,997  

First Capital Real Estate Investment Trust

    59,313       690,066  

Granite REIT

    17,324       885,306  

H&R Real Estate Investment Trust

    73,865       607,793  

InterRent REIT

    37,064       312,052  

Killam Apartment REIT

    32,264       373,948  

NorthWest Healthcare Properties REIT

    58,537       461,473  

 

Security   Shares     Value  
Canada (continued)            

Prinmaris REIT

    28,559     $ 294,111  

RioCan REIT

    85,224       1,214,224  

SmartCentres Real Estate Investment Trust

    36,358       712,562  

StorageVault Canada Inc., NVS

    66,888       306,859  

Summit Industrial Income REIT

    49,547       633,180  

Tricon Residential Inc.

    68,825       579,962  
   

 

 

 
          11,735,535  
Finland — 0.5%            

Citycon OYJ

    20,780       129,465  

Kojamo OYJ

    54,751       712,563  
   

 

 

 
      842,028  
France — 3.4%            

Carmila SA

    16,235       227,134  

Covivio

    14,060       752,794  

Gecina SA

    14,540       1,296,300  

ICADE

    9,163       340,853  

Klepierre SA

    52,735       1,059,881  

Mercialys SA

    17,129       148,325  

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield(a)(b)

    28,984       1,369,772  
   

 

 

 
      5,195,059  
Germany — 5.3%            

ADLER Group SA(a)(b)(c)

    24,145       35,801  

Aroundtown SA(b)

    302,239       599,111  

Deutsche EuroShop AG

    2,784       59,662  

Deutsche Wohnen SE

    13,689       276,110  

Grand City Properties SA

    27,106       263,676  

Hamborner REIT AG

    19,582       139,698  

LEG Immobilien SE

    20,898       1,364,330  

Sirius Real Estate Ltd.

    299,002       241,741  

TAG Immobilien AG

    41,923       262,555  

Vonovia SE

    224,047       4,953,815  
   

 

 

 
      8,196,499  
Guernsey — 0.1%            

Balanced Commercial Property Trust Ltd.

    132,527       126,905  
   

 

 

 
Hong Kong — 11.1%            

Champion REIT

    567,000       169,704  

CK Asset Holdings Ltd.

    555,000       3,068,354  

Fortune REIT

    390,000       248,943  

Hongkong Land Holdings Ltd.(b)

    313,100       1,205,399  

Hysan Development Co. Ltd.

    170,000       370,531  

Link REIT

    593,000       3,504,993  

New World Development Co. Ltd.

    395,333       808,643  

Prosperity REIT

    320,000       67,685  

Sino Land Co. Ltd.(b)

    1,012,800       1,081,484  

Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd.

    400,000       4,298,527  

Sunlight REIT

    298,000       94,807  

Swire Properties Ltd.

    295,800       568,502  

Wharf Real Estate Investment Co. Ltd.(b)

    434,900       1,713,532  
   

 

 

 
      17,201,104  
Ireland — 0.1%            

Irish Residential Properties REIT PLC

    127,258       137,584  
   

 

 

 
Israel — 0.7%            

Amot Investments Ltd.

    46,839       283,339  

Azrieli Group Ltd.

    10,307       763,599  
   

 

 

 
      1,046,938  
Italy — 0.0%            

Immobiliare Grande Distribuzione SIIQ SpA

    17,270       49,745  
   

 

 

 
 

 

 

C H E D U L E    O F    N V E S T  M E N T S

  13


Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued)

October 31, 2022

  

iShares® International Developed Real Estate ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
Japan — 28.8%            

Activia Properties Inc.

    204     $ 604,259  

Advance Logistics Investment Corp.

    169       165,270  

Advance Residence Investment Corp.

    363       845,123  

Aeon Mall Co. Ltd.

    33,200       361,168  

AEON REIT Investment Corp.

    475       511,397  

Comforia Residential REIT Inc.

    181       384,253  

CRE Logistics REIT Inc.

    149       204,997  

Daiwa House REIT Investment Corp.

    599           1,208,959  

Daiwa Office Investment Corp.

    75       354,320  

Daiwa Securities Living Investments Corp.

    567       440,116  

Frontier Real Estate Investment Corp.

    137       483,674  

Fukuoka REIT Corp.

    203       236,957  

Global One Real Estate Investment Corp.

    266       205,340  

GLP J-Reit

    1,195       1,239,313  

Hankyu Hanshin REIT Inc.

    186       193,084  

Health Care & Medical Investment Corp.

    100       137,536  

Heiwa Real Estate Co. Ltd.

    8,900       246,785  

Heiwa Real Estate REIT Inc.

    271       280,927  

Hoshino Resorts REIT Inc.

    71       337,007  

Hulic Co. Ltd.

    116,300       844,843  

Hulic Reit Inc.

    360       421,719  

Ichigo Office REIT Investment Corp.

    333       188,067  

Industrial & Infrastructure Fund Investment Corp.

    532       561,867  

Invincible Investment Corp.

    1,376       431,945  

Japan Excellent Inc.

    349       322,738  

Japan Hotel REIT Investment Corp.

    1,254       660,678  

Japan Logistics Fund Inc.

    248       531,336  

Japan Metropolitan Fund Invest

    1,935       1,425,571  

Japan Prime Realty Investment Corp.

    257       697,972  

Japan Real Estate Investment Corp.

    364       1,525,265  

Kenedix Office Investment Corp.

    212       482,937  

Kenedix Residential Next Investment Corp.

    291       426,626  

Kenedix Retail REIT Corp.

    162       291,223  

LaSalle Logiport REIT

    500       533,654  

Mirai Corp.

    448       144,309  

Mitsubishi Estate Co. Ltd.

    316,400       3,978,823  

Mitsubishi Estate Logistics REIT Investment Corp.

    123       364,041  

Mitsui Fudosan Co. Ltd.

    255,700       4,896,237  

Mitsui Fudosan Logistics Park Inc.

    149       494,360  

Mori Hills REIT Investment Corp.

    441       483,060  

Mori Trust Sogo REIT Inc.

    280       279,416  

Nippon Accommodations Fund Inc.

    130       553,581  

Nippon Building Fund Inc.

    430       1,911,455  

Nippon Prologis REIT Inc.

    648       1,359,693  

NIPPON REIT Investment Corp.

    122       301,173  

Nomura Real Estate Holdings Inc.

    31,000       700,718  

Nomura Real Estate Master Fund Inc.

    1,264       1,442,011  

NTT UD REIT Investment Corp.

    375       367,372  

One REIT Inc.

    69       114,995  

Orix JREIT Inc.

    740       992,796  

Samty Residential Investment Corp.

    116       93,684  

Sankei Real Estate Inc.

    129       80,952  

Sekisui House Ltd.

    158,700       2,634,864  

Sekisui House Reit Inc.

    1,165       627,756  

SOSiLA Logistics REIT Inc.

    182       174,454  

Star Asia Investment Corp.

    448       170,982  

Starts Proceed Investment Corp.

    64       102,002  

Sumitomo Realty & Development Co. Ltd.

    110,900       2,543,370  

Takara Leben Real Estate Investment Corp.

    147       100,214  

Tokyo Tatemono Co. Ltd.

    55,700       766,004  

 

Security   Shares     Value  
Japan (continued)            

Tokyu REIT Inc.

    260     $ 370,329  

United Urban Investment Corp.

    835       883,453  
   

 

 

 
          44,719,030  
Malta — 0.0%            

BGP Holdings PLC, NVS(d)

    6,603,392       65  
   

 

 

 
Netherlands — 0.4%            

Eurocommercial Properties NV

    14,529       319,490  

NSI NV

    5,106       122,084  

Vastned Retail NV

    4,664       94,719  

Wereldhave NV

    11,177       136,881  
   

 

 

 
      673,174  
New Zealand — 0.9%            

Argosy Property Ltd.

    230,033       158,564  

Goodman Property Trust

    308,949       371,529  

Kiwi Property Group Ltd.

    446,234       234,275  

Precinct Properties New Zealand Ltd.

    369,797       265,296  

Stride Property Group

    138,175       128,483  

Vital Healthcare Property Trust

    136,330       185,277  
   

 

 

 
      1,343,424  
Norway — 0.1%            

Entra ASA(c)

    15,579       142,002  
   

 

 

 
Singapore — 9.1%            

AIMS APAC REIT(b)

    160,800       139,678  

CapitaLand Ascendas REIT

    960,790       1,777,645  

CapitaLand Ascott Trust

    526,500       354,973  

CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust

    1,419,807       1,884,302  

Capitaland Investment Ltd/Singapore

    715,200       1,520,976  

CDL Hospitality Trusts(b)

    246,121       201,691  

City Developments Ltd.

    131,500       708,997  

Cromwell European Real Estate Investment Trust

    88,100       136,692  

ESR-LOGOS REIT

    1,479,520       355,150  

Far East Hospitality Trust

    280,400       113,830  

Frasers Centrepoint Trust

    303,849       446,538  

Frasers Logistics & Commercial Trust

    796,100       618,717  

Keppel DC REIT

    362,371       450,365  

Keppel Pacific Oak US REIT

    244,000       131,783  

Keppel REIT

    607,300       383,948  

Lendlease Global Commercial REIT

    495,247       245,129  

Manulife US Real Estate Investment Trust

    451,200       164,756  

Mapletree Industrial Trust

    525,045       816,407  

Mapletree Logistics Trust

    902,860       969,012  

Mapletree Pan Asia Commercial Trust

    644,617       723,395  

OUE Commercial Real Estate Investment Trust

    584,900       134,289  

Parkway Life REIT

    108,200       305,627  

Prime U.S. REIT

    184,900       86,916  

SPH REIT

    305,765       176,008  

Starhill Global REIT

    409,200       148,972  

Suntec REIT

    589,600       537,716  

UOL Group Ltd.

    140,000       611,490  
   

 

 

 
      14,145,002  
South Korea — 0.2%            

ESR Kendall Square REIT Co. Ltd.

    35,077       87,629  

JR Reit XXVII

    32,872       97,205  

LOTTE Reit Co. Ltd.

    34,194       86,145  
   

 

 

 
      270,979  
Spain — 0.9%            

Inmobiliaria Colonial Socimi SA

    95,814       505,305  
 

 

 

14  

2 0 2 2    H A R E S     E M I - A N N U A L    E P O R T    T O     H A R E H O L D E R S


Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued)

October 31, 2022

  

iShares® International Developed Real Estate ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
Spain (continued)            

Lar Espana Real Estate Socimi SA

    16,320     $ 63,626  

Merlin Properties Socimi SA

    93,651       793,839  
   

 

 

 
          1,362,770  
Sweden — 4.1%            

Atrium Ljungberg AB, Class B

    12,232       163,592  

Castellum AB

    72,303       826,719  

Catena AB

    8,398       285,220  

Cibus Nordic Real Estate AB

    13,540       184,947  

Corem Property Group AB, Class B

    190,601       118,649  

Dios Fastigheter AB

    25,353       166,487  

Fabege AB

    72,136       523,706  

Fastighets AB Balder, Class B(a)

    169,730       637,106  

Hufvudstaden AB, Class A

    30,092       358,600  

NP3 Fastigheter AB

    7,875       125,135  

Nyfosa AB

    50,657       302,732  

Pandox AB(a)

    24,847       304,280  

Platzer Fastigheter Holding AB, Class B

    14,904       92,384  

Sagax AB, Class B

    48,393       891,754  

Samhallsbyggnadsbolaget i Norden AB(b)

    306,629       421,273  

Stendorren Fastigheter AB, NVS(a)

    3,935       68,378  

Wallenstam AB, Class B

    94,771       334,361  

Wihlborgs Fastigheter AB

    75,243       492,934  
   

 

 

 
      6,298,257  
Switzerland — 2.8%            

Allreal Holding AG, Registered

    4,086       585,305  

Hiag Immobilien Holding AG

    1,005       80,894  

Intershop Holding AG

    314       190,975  

Mobimo Holding AG, Registered

    2,018       470,715  

Peach Property Group AG(b)

    3,460       73,621  

PSP Swiss Property AG, Registered

    12,047       1,286,978  

Swiss Prime Site AG, Registered

    21,365       1,724,004  
   

 

 

 
      4,412,492  
United Kingdom — 10.5%            

Aberdeen Standard European Logistics Income PLC(c)

    112,248       100,406  

Abrdn Property Income Trust

    112,331       71,264  

Assura PLC

    813,210       521,035  

Big Yellow Group PLC

    47,363       609,446  

British Land Co. PLC (The)

    260,553       1,092,991  

Capital & Counties Properties PLC

    206,061       253,089  

Civitas Social Housing PLC

    171,715       117,366  

CLS Holdings PLC(b)

    42,250       69,338  

CT Property Trust Ltd.

    66,444       54,058  

Custodian Reit PLC

    111,430       113,092  

Derwent London PLC

    28,333       701,222  

Empiric Student Property PLC

    166,070       156,168  

Grainger PLC

    204,023       531,120  

Great Portland Estates PLC

    71,715       422,745  

Hammerson PLC

    1,016,892       222,933  

Helical PLC

    29,132       110,248  

Home Reit PLC

    224,669       216,684  

Impact Healthcare Reit PLC

    84,974       101,906  

Land Securities Group PLC

    200,761       1,312,753  

LondonMetric Property PLC

    265,714       569,523  

 

Security   Shares     Value  
United Kingdom (continued)            

LXI REIT PLC

    423,605     $ 591,353  

NewRiver REIT PLC

    83,174       66,769  

Phoenix Spree Deutschland Ltd.

    21,402       64,829  

Picton Property Income Ltd. (The)

    152,356       150,261  

Primary Health Properties PLC

    368,203       469,125  

PRS REIT PLC (The)

    147,586       148,941  

Regional REIT Ltd.(c)

    125,705       96,298  

Residential Secure Income PLC, NVS(c)

    52,616       54,065  

Safestore Holdings PLC

    57,431       595,007  

Schroder REIT Ltd.

    145,993       75,954  

Segro PLC

    337,415       3,036,735  

Shaftesbury PLC

    78,649       330,285  

Supermarket Income Reit PLC

    345,013       405,601  

Target Healthcare REIT PLC

    177,239       176,224  

Triple Point Social Housing REIT PLC(c)

    103,369       78,302  

Tritax Big Box REIT PLC

    526,014       845,800  

Tritax EuroBox PLC(c)

    225,808       152,684  

UK Commercial Property REIT Ltd.

    212,317       148,672  

UNITE Group PLC (The)

    89,876       918,079  

Urban Logistics REIT PLC

    127,390       192,109  

Warehouse REIT PLC

    112,663       155,042  

Workspace Group PLC

    40,627       190,487  
   

 

 

 
      16,290,009  
   

 

 

 

Total Long-Term Investments — 99.4%
(Cost: $234,448,284)

      154,089,091  
   

 

 

 
Short-Term Securities            
Money Market Funds — 1.8%            

BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional,
SL Agency Shares, 3.29%(e)(f)(g)

    2,762,365       2,761,801  

BlackRock Cash Funds: Treasury,
SL Agency Shares, 2.97%(e)(f)

    60,000       60,000  
   

 

 

 

Total Short-Term Securities — 1.8%
(Cost: $2,822,772)

      2,821,801  
   

 

 

 

Total Investments — 101.2%
(Cost: $237,271,056)

      156,910,892  

Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets — (1.2)%

 

    (1,873,414
   

 

 

 

Net Assets — 100.0%

    $   155,037,478  
   

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Non-income producing security.

(b) 

All or a portion of this security is on loan.

(c) 

Security exempt from registration pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. These securities may be resold in transactions exempt from registration to qualified institutional investors.

(d) 

Security is valued using significant unobservable inputs and is classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy.

(e) 

Affiliate of the Fund.

(f) 

Annualized 7-day yield as of period end.

(g) 

All or a portion of this security was purchased with the cash collateral from loaned securities.

 

 

 

C H E D U L E    O F    N V E S T  M E N T S

  15


Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued)

October 31, 2022

  

iShares® International Developed Real Estate ETF

 

Affiliates

Investments in issuers considered to be affiliate(s) of the Fund during the six months ended October 31, 2022 for purposes of Section 2(a)(3) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, were as follows:

 

Affiliated Issuer    
Value at
04/30/22
 
 
   
Purchases
at Cost
 
 
   
Proceeds
from Sale

 
   
Net Realized
Gain (Loss)

 
   


Change in
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)



 
   
Value at
10/31/22
 
 
   

Shares
Held at
10/31/22


 
    Income      




Capital
Gain
Distributions
from
Underlying
Funds





 

BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional,
SL Agency Shares

  $ 11,157,806     $     $ (8,395,200 )(a)    $ 188     $ (993   $ 2,761,801       2,762,365     $ 41,390 (b)    $  

BlackRock Cash Funds: Treasury,
SL Agency Shares

    80,000             (20,000 )(a)                   60,000       60,000       950        
       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

   

 

 

 
        $ 188     $ (993   $ 2,821,801       $ 42,340     $  
       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

Represents net amount purchased (sold).

 
  (b) 

All or a portion represents securities lending income earned from the reinvestment of cash collateral from loaned securities, net of fees and collateral investment expenses, and other payments to and from borrowers of securities.

 

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts

 

Description    Number of
Contracts
     Expiration
Date
     Notional
Amount
(000)
   Value/
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
 
Long Contracts                          

MSCI Singapore Index

     10        11/29/22      $    196    $ 6,813  

TOPIX Index

     2        12/08/22      258      2,034  

Dow Jones US Real Estate Index

     13        12/16/22      425      (13,919

Euro STOXX 50 Index

     2        12/16/22      72      3,352  
           

 

 

 
            $ (1,720
           

 

 

 

Derivative Financial Instruments Categorized by Risk Exposure

As of period end, the fair values of derivative financial instruments located in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities were as follows:

 

      Commodity
Contracts
     Credit
Contracts
     Equity
Contracts
     Foreign
Currency
Exchange
Contracts
     Interest
Rate
Contracts
     Other
Contracts
     Total  

Assets — Derivative Financial Instruments

                    

Futures contracts

                    

Unrealized appreciation on futures contracts(a)

   $      $      $ 12,199      $      $      $      $ 12,199  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Liabilities — Derivative Financial Instruments

                    

Futures contracts

                    

Unrealized depreciation on futures contracts(a)

   $      $      $ 13,919      $      $      $      $ 13,919  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

Net cumulative unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on futures contracts are reported in the Schedule of Investments. In the Statements of Assets and Liabilities, only current day’s variation margin is reported in receivables or payables and the net cumulative unrealized appreciation (depreciation) is included in accumulated earnings (loss).

 

 

 

16  

2 0 2 2    H A R E S     E M I - A N N U A L    E P O R T    T O     H A R E H O L D E R S


Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued)

October 31, 2022

  

iShares® International Developed Real Estate ETF

 

Derivative Financial Instruments Categorized by Risk Exposure (continued)

For the period ended October 31, 2022, the effect of derivative financial instruments in the Statements of Operations was as follows:

 

 

 
     Commodity
Contracts
     Credit
Contracts
     Equity
Contracts
     Foreign
Currency
Exchange
Contracts
     Interest
Rate
Contracts
     Other
Contracts
     Total  

 

 

Net Realized Gain (Loss) from

                    

Futures contracts

   $      $      $ (113,307)      $      $      $      $ (113,307)  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) on

                    

Futures contracts

   $      $      $ (1,454    $      $      $      $ (1,454
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Average Quarterly Balances of Outstanding Derivative Financial Instruments

 

 

 
Futures contracts       

Average notional value of contracts — long

   $ 1,112,657    

 

 

For more information about the Fund’s investment risks regarding derivative financial instruments, refer to the Notes to Financial Statements.

Fair Value Hierarchy as of Period End

Various inputs are used in determining the fair value of financial instruments. For a description of the input levels and information about the Fund’s policy regarding valuation of financial instruments, refer to the Notes to Financial Statements.

The following table summarizes the Fund’s financial instruments categorized in the fair value hierarchy. The breakdown of the Fund’s financial instruments into major categories is disclosed in the Schedule of Investments above.

 

 

 
     Level 1        Level 2        Level 3        Total  

 

 

Investments

                 

Assets

                 

Common Stocks

   $ 16,100,472        $ 137,988,554        $ 65        $ 154,089,091  

Money Market Funds

     2,821,801                            2,821,801  
  

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 
   $  18,922,273        $ 137,988,554        $ 65        $ 156,910,892  
  

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Derivative financial instruments(a)

                 

Assets

                 

Futures Contracts

   $        $ 12,199        $        $ 12,199  

Liabilities

                 

Futures Contracts

     (13,919                          (13,919
  

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 
   $ (13,919      $ 12,199        $             —        $ (1,720
  

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

Derivative financial instruments are futures contracts. Futures contracts are valued at the unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on the instrument.

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

C H E D U L E    O F    N V E S T  M E N T S

  17


 

Statements of Assets and Liabilities (unaudited)

October 31, 2022

 

   

iShares

Global REIT ETF

   

iShares

International
Developed

Real Estate

ETF

 

 

 

ASSETS

   

Investments, at value — unaffiliated(a)(b)

  $ 2,694,664,526     $ 154,089,091  

Investments, at value — affiliated(c)

    31,945,815       2,821,801  

Cash

    67,494       13,671  

Foreign currency, at value(d)

    1,545,212       102,723  

Cash pledged for futures contracts

    832,000       39,000  

Foreign currency collateral pledged for futures contracts(e)

    106,182       27,594  

Receivables:

   

Investments sold

    762,469       70,258  

Securities lending income — affiliated

    112,484       19,702  

Variation margin on futures contracts

          8,550  

Capital shares sold

    652,915        

Dividends — unaffiliated

    4,026,630       541,303  

Dividends — affiliated

    15,805       116  

Tax reclaims

    464,534       132,697  
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets

    2,735,196,066       157,866,506  
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

LIABILITIES

   

Collateral on securities loaned, at value

    24,935,557       2,766,647  

Payables:

   

Investments purchased

    381,667        

Variation margin on futures contracts

    5,829        

Investment advisory fees

    302,861       62,381  
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities

    25,625,914       2,829,028  
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

NET ASSETS

  $ 2,709,570,152     $ 155,037,478  
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

NET ASSETS CONSIST OF

   

Paid-in capital

  $ 3,258,357,086     $ 334,888,956  

Accumulated loss

    (548,786,934     (179,851,478
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

NET ASSETS

  $ 2,709,570,152     $ 155,037,478  
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

NET ASSET VALUE

   

Shares outstanding

    122,800,000       8,100,000  
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net asset value

  $ 22.06     $ 19.14  
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Shares authorized

    Unlimited       Unlimited  
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Par value

    None       None  
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

(a) Investments, at cost — unaffiliated

  $ 3,076,175,715     $ 234,448,284  

(b) Securities loaned, at value

  $ 24,040,035     $ 2,674,982  

(c)  Investments, at cost — affiliated

  $ 31,951,015     $ 2,822,772  

(d) Foreign currency, at cost

  $ 1,527,226     $ 102,866  

(e) Foreign currency collateral pledged, at cost

  $ 111,805     $ 28,885  

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

18  

2 0 2 2    H A R E S     E M I - A N N U A L    E P O R T    T O     H A R E H O L D E R S


 

Statements of Operations (unaudited)

Six Months Ended October 31, 2022

 

   

iShares

Global REIT

ETF

   

iShares
International
Developed

Real Estate

ETF

 

 

 

INVESTMENT INCOME

   

Dividends — unaffiliated

  $ 51,132,935     $ 4,397,015  

Dividends — affiliated

    60,341       950  

Interest — unaffiliated

    5,454        

Securities lending income — affiliated — net

    143,055       41,390  

Foreign taxes withheld

    (2,245,768     (343,162
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total investment income

    49,096,017       4,096,193  
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

EXPENSES

   

Investment advisory

    2,056,485       450,668  
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total expenses

    2,056,485       450,668  
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net investment income

    47,039,532       3,645,525  
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS)

   

Net realized gain (loss) from:

   

Investments — unaffiliated

    (45,689,234     (5,752,322

Investments — affiliated

    2,552       188  

Foreign currency transactions

    (568,489     (121,363

Futures contracts

    (2,487,343     (113,307

In-kind redemptions — unaffiliated(a)

    46,161,681       (437,550
 

 

 

   

 

 

 
    (2,580,833     (6,424,354
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on:

   

Investments — unaffiliated(b)

    (675,342,051     (45,039,721

Investments — affiliated

    (8,530     (993

Foreign currency translations

    152,310       25,999  

Futures contracts

    855,643       (1,454
 

 

 

   

 

 

 
    (674,342,628     (45,016,169
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net realized and unrealized loss

    (676,923,461     (51,440,523
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

NET DECREASE IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS

  $ (629,883,929   $ (47,794,998
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

(a) See Note 2 of the Notes to Financial Statements.

   

(b) Net of reduction in deferred foreign capital gain tax of

  $ 3,433     $  

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

I N A N C I A L    T A T E M E N T  S

  19


 

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

   

iShares

Global REIT ETF

         

iShares

International Developed Real Estate ETF

 
 

 

 

     

 

 

 
    Six Months Ended
10/31/22
(unaudited)
    Year Ended
04/30/22
          Six Months Ended
10/31/22
(unaudited)
    Year Ended
04/30/22
 

 

 

INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS

         

OPERATIONS

         

Net investment income

  $ 47,039,532     $ 79,321,859       $ 3,645,525     $ 7,050,272  

Net realized gain (loss)

    (2,580,833     95,039,341         (6,424,354     2,984,182  

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

    (674,342,628     (24,496,433       (45,016,169     (31,835,406
 

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    (629,883,929     149,864,767         (47,794,998     (21,800,952
 

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

   

 

 

 

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS(a)

         

Decrease in net assets resulting from distributions to shareholders

    (49,736,748     (101,720,806       (3,488,984     (8,046,901
 

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

   

 

 

 

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS

         

Net increase (decrease) in net assets derived from capital share transactions

    (72,386,974     330,213,243         (6,663,066     (13,681,531
 

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

   

 

 

 

NET ASSETS

         

Total increase (decrease) in net assets

    (752,007,651     378,357,204         (57,947,048     (43,529,384

Beginning of period

    3,461,577,803       3,083,220,599         212,984,526       256,513,910  
 

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

   

 

 

 

End of period

  $ 2,709,570,152     $ 3,461,577,803       $ 155,037,478     $ 212,984,526  
 

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations.

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

20  

2 0 2 2    H A R E S     E M I - A N N U A L    E P O R T    T O     H A R E H O L D E R S


Financial Highlights

(For a share outstanding throughout each period)

 

        iShares Global REIT ETF  
 

 

 
 

Six Months Ended

10/31/22

(unaudited)

 

 

 

   
Year Ended
04/30/22
 
 
    
Year Ended
04/30/21
 
 
    
Year Ended
04/30/20
 
 
    
Year Ended
04/30/19
 
 
    
Year Ended
04/30/18
 
 

 

 

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $ 27.77     $ 27.22      $ 20.42      $ 26.53      $ 24.82      $ 25.42  
   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net investment income(a)

      0.39       0.68        0.66        0.88        0.98        0.97  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)(b)

      (5.68     0.74        6.75        (5.54      2.08        (0.56
   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) from investment operations

      (5.29     1.42        7.41        (4.66      3.06        0.41  
   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Distributions(c)

                 

From net investment income

      (0.42     (0.87      (0.61      (1.45      (1.35      (0.99

From net realized gain

                                        (0.02
   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total distributions

      (0.42     (0.87      (0.61      (1.45      (1.35      (1.01
   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net asset value, end of period

    $ 22.06     $ 27.77      $ 27.22      $ 20.42      $ 26.53      $ 24.82  
   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Return(d)

                 

Based on net asset value

      (19.06 )%(e)      5.14      36.95      (18.47 )%       12.77      1.61
   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Ratios to Average Net Assets(f)

                 

Total expenses

      0.14 %(g)       0.14      0.14      0.14      0.14      0.14
   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net investment income

      3.20 %(g)       2.36      2.91      3.36      3.85      3.83
   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Supplemental Data

                 

Net assets, end of period (000)

    $ 2,709,570     $ 3,461,578      $ 3,083,221      $ 1,900,334      $ 1,637,157      $ 913,379  
   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Portfolio turnover rate(h)

      5     13      6      8      9      7
   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Based on average shares outstanding.

(b) 

The amounts reported for a share outstanding may not accord with the change in aggregate gains and losses in securities for the fiscal period due to the timing of capital share transactions in relation to the fluctuating market values of the Fund’s underlying securities.

(c) 

Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations.

(d) 

Where applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.

(e) 

Not annualized.

(f) 

Excludes fees and expenses incurred indirectly as a result of investments in underlying funds.

(g) 

Annualized.

(h) 

Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions.

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

I N A N C I A L    I G H L I G H T  S

  21


Financial Highlights (continued)

(For a share outstanding throughout each period)

 

        iShares International Developed Real Estate ETF  
 

 

 
    Six Months Ended
10/31/22
(unaudited)
    Year Ended
04/30/22
    Year Ended
04/30/21
     Year Ended
04/30/20
     Year Ended
04/30/19
     Year Ended
04/30/18
 

 

 

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $ 25.36     $ 28.82     $ 22.75      $ 29.65      $ 30.40      $ 28.11  
   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net investment income(a)

      0.44       0.79 (b)       0.78        0.86        0.93        0.91  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)(c)

      (6.24     (3.35     5.86        (5.47      (0.55      2.86  
   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) from investment operations

      (5.80     (2.56     6.64        (4.61      0.38        3.77  
   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Distributions from net investment income(d)

      (0.42     (0.90     (0.57      (2.29      (1.13      (1.48
   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net asset value, end of period

    $ 19.14     $ 25.36     $ 28.82      $ 22.75      $ 29.65      $ 30.40  
   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Return(e)

                

Based on net asset value

      (23.02 )%(f)      (9.24 )%(b)      29.62      (16.93 )%       1.39      13.69
   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Ratios to Average Net Assets(g)

                

Total expenses

      0.48 %(h)      0.50     0.48      0.48      0.48      0.48
   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total expenses excluding professional fees for foreign withholding tax claims

      N/A       0.48     0.48      N/A        0.48      N/A  
   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net investment income

      3.88 %(h)       2.75 %(b)       3.08      2.99      3.20      3.08
   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Supplemental Data

                

Net assets, end of period (000)

    $ 155,037     $ 212,985     $ 256,514      $ 259,384      $ 477,332      $ 535,093  
   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Portfolio turnover rate(i)

      5     16     9      10      8      8
   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Based on average shares outstanding.

(b) 

Reflects the one-time, positive effect of foreign withholding tax claims, net of the associated professional fees, which resulted in the following increases for the year ended April 30, 2022:

Net investment income per share by $0.04.

Total return by 0.17%.

Ratio of net investment income to average net assets by 0.15%.

(c) 

The amounts reported for a share outstanding may not accord with the change in aggregate gains and losses in securities for the fiscal period due to the timing of capital share transactions in relation to the fluctuating market values of the Fund’s underlying securities.

(d) 

Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations.

(e) 

Where applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.

(f) 

Not annualized.

(g) 

Excludes fees and expenses incurred indirectly as a result of investments in underlying funds.

(h) 

Annualized.

(i) 

Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions.

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

22  

2 0 2 2    H A R E S     E M I - A N N U A L    E P O R T    T O     H A R E H O L D E R S


Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited)

 

1.    ORGANIZATION

iShares Trust (the “Trust”) is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company. The Trust is organized as a Delaware statutory trust and is authorized to have multiple series or portfolios.

These financial statements relate only to the following funds (each, a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”):

 

iShares ETF   Diversification  
Classification  
 

Global REIT

    Diversified    

International Developed Real Estate

    Diversified    

2.     SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The financial statements are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”), which may require management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities in the financial statements, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of increases and decreases in net assets from operations during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Each Fund is considered an investment company under U.S. GAAP and follows the accounting and reporting guidance applicable to investment companies. Below is a summary of significant accounting policies:

Investment Transactions and Income Recognition: For financial reporting purposes, investment transactions are recorded on the dates the transactions are executed. Realized gains and losses on investment transactions are determined using the specific identification method. Dividend income and capital gain distributions, if any, are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Non-cash dividends, if any, are recorded on the ex-dividend date at fair value. Dividends from foreign securities where the ex-dividend date may have passed are subsequently recorded when the Funds are informed of the ex-dividend date. Under the applicable foreign tax laws, a withholding tax at various rates may be imposed on capital gains, dividends and interest. Upon notification from issuers or as estimated by management, a portion of the dividend income received from a real estate investment trust may be redesignated as a reduction of cost of the related investment and/or realized gain.

Foreign Currency Translation: Each Fund’s books and records are maintained in U.S. dollars. Securities and other assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars using prevailing market rates as quoted by one or more data service providers. Purchases and sales of investments are recorded at the rates of exchange prevailing on the respective dates of such transactions. Generally, when the U.S. dollar rises in value against a foreign currency, the investments denominated in that currency will lose value; the opposite effect occurs if the U.S. dollar falls in relative value.

Each Fund does not isolate the effect of fluctuations in foreign exchange rates from the effect of fluctuations in the market prices of investments for financial reporting purposes. Accordingly, the effects of changes in exchange rates on investments are not segregated in the Statements of Operations from the effects of changes in market prices of those investments, but are included as a component of net realized and unrealized gain (loss) from investments. Each Fund reports realized currency gains (losses) on foreign currency related transactions as components of net realized gain (loss) for financial reporting purposes, whereas such components are generally treated as ordinary income for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Foreign Taxes: The Funds may be subject to foreign taxes (a portion of which may be reclaimable) on income, stock dividends, capital gains on investments, or certain foreign currency transactions. All foreign taxes are recorded in accordance with the applicable foreign tax regulations and rates that exist in the foreign jurisdictions in which each Fund invests. These foreign taxes, if any, are paid by each Fund and are reflected in its Statements of Operations as follows: foreign taxes withheld at source are presented as a reduction of income, foreign taxes on securities lending income are presented as a reduction of securities lending income, foreign taxes on stock dividends are presented as “Other foreign taxes”, and foreign taxes on capital gains from sales of investments and foreign taxes on foreign currency transactions are included in their respective net realized gain (loss) categories. Foreign taxes payable or deferred as of October 31, 2022, if any, are disclosed in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities.

The Funds file withholding tax reclaims in certain jurisdictions to recover a portion of amounts previously withheld. The Funds may record a reclaim receivable based on collectability, which includes factors such as the jurisdiction’s applicable laws, payment history and market convention. The Statements of Operations includes tax reclaims recorded as well as professional and other fees, if any, associated with recovery of foreign withholding taxes.

Collateralization: If required by an exchange or counterparty agreement, the Funds may be required to deliver/deposit cash and/or securities to/with an exchange, or broker-dealer or custodian as collateral for certain investments.

In-kind Redemptions: For financial reporting purposes, in-kind redemptions are treated as sales of securities resulting in realized capital gains or losses to the Funds. Because such gains or losses are not taxable to the Funds and are not distributed to existing Fund shareholders, the gains or losses are reclassified from accumulated net realized gain (loss) to paid-in capital at the end of the Funds’ tax year. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value (“NAV”) per share.

Distributions: Dividends and distributions paid by each Fund are recorded on the ex-dividend dates. Distributions are determined on a tax basis and may differ from net investment income and net realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes. Dividends and distributions are paid in U.S. dollars and cannot be automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Funds. The character and timing of distributions are determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations, which may differ from U.S. GAAP.

 

 

O T E S    T O    I N A N C I A L     T A T E M E N T S

  23


Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

 

Indemnifications: In the normal course of business, each Fund enters into contracts that contain a variety of representations that provide general indemnification. The Funds’ maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown because it involves future potential claims against the Funds, which cannot be predicted with any certainty.

3.     INVESTMENT VALUATION AND FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

Investment Valuation Policies: Each Fund’s investments are valued at fair value (also referred to as “market value” within the financial statements) each day that the Fund’s listing exchange is open and, for financial reporting purposes, as of the report date. U.S. GAAP defines fair value as the price a fund would receive to sell an asset or pay to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”) of each Fund has approved the designation of BlackRock Fund Advisors (“BFA”), the Funds’ investment adviser, as the valuation designee for each Fund. Each Fund determines the fair values of its financial instruments using various independent dealers or pricing services under BFA’s policies. If a security’s market price is not readily available or does not otherwise accurately represent the fair value of the security, the security will be valued in accordance with BFA’s policies and procedures as reflecting fair value. BFA has formed a committee (the “Valuation Committee”) to develop pricing policies and procedures and to oversee the pricing function for all financial instruments, with assistance from other BlackRock pricing committees.

Fair Value Inputs and Methodologies: The following methods and inputs are used to establish the fair value of each Fund’s assets and liabilities:

 

   

Equity investments traded on a recognized securities exchange are valued at that day’s official closing price, as applicable, on the exchange where the stock is primarily traded. Equity investments traded on a recognized exchange for which there were no sales on that day are valued at the last traded price.

 

   

Investments in open-end U.S. mutual funds (including money market funds) are valued at that day’s published NAV.

 

   

Futures contracts are valued based on that day’s last reported settlement or trade price on the exchange where the contract is traded.

Generally, trading in foreign instruments is substantially completed each day at various times prior to the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”). Each business day, the Funds use current market factors supplied by independent pricing services to value certain foreign instruments (“Systematic Fair Value Price”). The Systematic Fair Value Price is designed to value such foreign securities at fair value as of the close of trading on the NYSE, which follows the close of the local markets.

If events (e.g., market volatility, company announcement or a natural disaster) occur that are expected to materially affect the value of such investment, or in the event that application of these methods of valuation results in a price for an investment that is deemed not to be representative of the market value of such investment, or if a price is not available, the investment will be valued by the Valuation Committee, in accordance with BFA’s policies and procedures as reflecting fair value (“Fair Valued Investments”). The fair valuation approaches that may be used by the Valuation Committee include market approach, income approach and cost approach. Valuation techniques such as discounted cash flow, use of market comparables and matrix pricing are types of valuation approaches and are typically used in determining fair value. When determining the price for Fair Valued Investments, the Valuation Committee seeks to determine the price that each Fund might reasonably expect to receive or pay from the current sale or purchase of that asset or liability in an arm’s-length transaction. Fair value determinations shall be based upon all available factors that the Valuation Committee deems relevant and consistent with the principles of fair value measurement.

Fair value pricing could result in a difference between the prices used to calculate a fund’s NAV and the prices used by the fund’s underlying index, which in turn could result in a difference between the fund’s performance and the performance of the fund’s underlying index.

Fair Value Hierarchy: Various inputs are used in determining the fair value of financial instruments. These inputs to valuation techniques are categorized into a fair value hierarchy consisting of three broad levels for financial reporting purposes as follows:

 

   

Level 1 – Unadjusted price quotations in active markets/exchanges for identical assets or liabilities that each Fund has the ability to access;

 

   

Level 2 – Other observable inputs (including, but not limited to, quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in markets that are active, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the assets or liabilities (such as interest rates, yield curves, volatilities, prepayment speeds, loss severities, credit risks and default rates) or other market-corroborated inputs); and

 

   

Level 3 – Unobservable inputs based on the best information available in the circumstances, to the extent observable inputs are not available, (including the Valuation Committee’s assumptions used in determining the fair value of financial instruments).

The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised in determining fair value is greatest for instruments categorized in Level 3. The inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, for disclosure purposes, the fair value hierarchy classification is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. Investments classified within Level 3 have significant unobservable inputs used by the Valuation Committee in determining the price for Fair Valued Investments. Level 3 investments include equity or debt issued by privately held companies or funds that may not have a secondary market and/or may have a limited number of investors. The categorization of a value determined for financial instruments is based on the pricing transparency of the financial instruments and is not necessarily an indication of the risks associated with investing in those securities.

 

 

24  

2 0 2 2    H A R E S     E M I - A N N U A L    E P O R T    T O     H A R E H O L D E R S


Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

 

4.     SECURITIES AND OTHER INVESTMENTS

Securities Lending: Each Fund may lend its securities to approved borrowers, such as brokers, dealers and other financial institutions. The borrower pledges and maintains with the Fund collateral consisting of cash, an irrevocable letter of credit issued by an approved bank, or securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government. The initial collateral received by each Fund is required to have a value of at least 102% of the current market value of the loaned securities for securities traded on U.S. exchanges and a value of at least 105% for all other securities. The collateral is maintained thereafter at a value equal to at least 100% of the current value of the securities on loan. The market value of the loaned securities is determined at the close of each business day of the Fund and any additional required collateral is delivered to the Fund or excess collateral is returned by the Fund, on the next business day. During the term of the loan, each Fund is entitled to all distributions made on or in respect of the loaned securities but does not receive interest income on securities received as collateral. Loans of securities are terminable at any time and the borrower, after notice, is required to return borrowed securities within the standard time period for settlement of securities transactions.

As of period end, any securities on loan were collateralized by cash and/or U.S. Government obligations. Cash collateral invested in money market funds managed by BFA, or its affiliates is disclosed in the Schedule of Investments. Any non-cash collateral received cannot be sold, re-invested or pledged by the Fund, except in the event of borrower default. The securities on loan, if any, are also disclosed in each Fund’s Schedule of Investments. The market value of any securities on loan and the value of any related cash collateral are disclosed in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities.

Securities lending transactions are entered into by the Funds under Master Securities Lending Agreements (each, an “MSLA”) which provide the right, in the event of default (including bankruptcy or insolvency) for the non-defaulting party to liquidate the collateral and calculate a net exposure to the defaulting party or request additional collateral. In the event that a borrower defaults, the Funds, as lender, would offset the market value of the collateral received against the market value of the securities loaned. When the value of the collateral is greater than that of the market value of the securities loaned, the lender is left with a net amount payable to the defaulting party. However, bankruptcy or insolvency laws of a particular jurisdiction may impose restrictions on or prohibitions against such a right of offset in the event of an MSLA counterparty’s bankruptcy or insolvency. Under the MSLA, absent an event of default, the borrower can resell or re-pledge the loaned securities, and the Funds can reinvest cash collateral received in connection with loaned securities. Upon an event of default, the parties’ obligations to return the securities or collateral to the other party are extinguished, and the parties can resell or re-pledge the loaned securities or the collateral received in connection with the loaned securities in order to satisfy the defaulting party’s net payment obligation for all transactions under the MSLA. The defaulting party remains liable for any deficiency.

As of period end, the following table is a summary of the securities on loan by counterparty which are subject to offset under an MSLA:

 

 

 
iShares ETF and Counterparty    

Securities Loaned

at Value

 

 

    
Cash Collateral
Received
 
(a)  
   
Non-Cash Collateral
Received, at Fair Value
 
(a) 
    Net Amount  

 

 

Global REIT

        

BMO Capital Markets Corp.

  $ 26,007      $ (26,007   $     $  

BNP Paribas SA

    8,019,115        (8,019,115            

BofA Securities, Inc.

    44,865        (44,865            

Citadel Clearing LLC

    633,580        (633,580            

Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.

    1,848,731        (1,848,731            

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

    12,372,904        (12,372,904            

HSBC Bank PLC

    33,711        (33,711            

UBS AG

    363,170        (363,170            

Wells Fargo Bank N.A.

    697,952        (697,952            
 

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
  $ 24,040,035      $ (24,040,035   $     $  
 

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

International Developed Real Estate

        

Barclays Capital, Inc.

  $ 81,948      $ (81,948   $     $  

BofA Securities, Inc.

    106,382        (106,382            

Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.

    593,119        (593,119            

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

    528,734        (482,925           45,809  

HSBC Bank PLC

    107,527        (107,527            

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

    1,092,143        (1,092,143            

Morgan Stanley

    129,977        (129,977            

SG Americas Securities LLC

    2,717        (2,717            

UBS AG

    32,435        (32,318           117  
 

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
  $ 2,674,982      $ (2,629,056   $     $ 45,926  
 

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

Collateral received, if any, in excess of the market value of securities on loan is not presented in this table. The total cash collateral received by each Fund is disclosed in the Funds’ Statements of Assets and Liabilities.

 

The risks of securities lending include the risk that the borrower may not provide additional collateral when required or may not return the securities when due. To mitigate these risks, each Fund benefits from a borrower default indemnity provided by BlackRock, Inc. (“BlackRock”). BlackRock’s indemnity allows for full replacement of the securities loaned to the extent the collateral received does not cover the value of the securities loaned in the event of borrower default. Each Fund could incur a loss if the value of an investment purchased with cash collateral falls below the market value of the loaned securities or if the value of an investment purchased with cash collateral falls below the value of the original cash collateral received. Such losses are borne entirely by each Fund.

 

 

O T E S    T O    I N A N C I A L     T A T E M E N T S

  25


Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

 

5.     DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

Futures Contracts: Futures contracts are purchased or sold to gain exposure to, or manage exposure to, changes in interest rates (interest rate risk) and changes in the value of equity securities (equity risk) or foreign currencies (foreign currency exchange rate risk).

Futures contracts are exchange-traded agreements between the Funds and a counterparty to buy or sell a specific quantity of an underlying instrument at a specified price and on a specified date. Depending on the terms of a contract, it is settled either through physical delivery of the underlying instrument on the settlement date or by payment of a cash amount on the settlement date. Upon entering into a futures contract, the Funds are required to deposit initial margin with the broker in the form of cash or securities in an amount that varies depending on a contract’s size and risk profile. The initial margin deposit must then be maintained at an established level over the life of the contract. Amounts pledged, which are considered restricted, are included in cash pledged for futures contracts in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities.

Securities deposited as initial margin are designated in the Schedule of Investments and cash deposited, if any, are shown as cash pledged for futures contracts in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities. Pursuant to the contract, the Funds agree to receive from or pay to the broker an amount of cash equal to the daily fluctuation in market value of the contract (“variation margin”). Variation margin is recorded as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) and, if any, shown as variation margin receivable (or payable) on futures contracts in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities. When the contract is closed, a realized gain or loss is recorded in the Statements of Operations equal to the difference between the notional amount of the contract at the time it was opened and the notional amount at the time it was closed. The use of futures contracts involves the risk of an imperfect correlation in the movements in the price of futures contracts and interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates or underlying assets.

6.     INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES

Investment Advisory Fees: Pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement with the Trust, BFA manages the investment of each Fund’s assets. BFA is a California corporation indirectly owned by BlackRock. Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, BFA is responsible for substantially all expenses of the Funds, except (i) interest and taxes; (ii) brokerage commissions and other expenses connected with the execution of portfolio transactions; (iii) distribution fees; (iv) the advisory fee payable to BFA; and (v) litigation expenses and any extraordinary expenses (in each case as determined by a majority of the independent trustees).

For its investment advisory services to each of the following Funds, BFAis entitled to an annual investment advisory fee, accrued daily and paid monthly by the Funds, based on the average daily net assets of each Fund as follows:

 

iShares ETF   Investment Advisory Fees   

Global REIT

  0.14%

International Developed Real Estate

  0.48   

Distributor: BlackRock Investments, LLC, an affiliate of BFA, is the distributor for each Fund. Pursuant to the distribution agreement, BFA is responsible for any fees or expenses for distribution services provided to the Funds.

Securities Lending: The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) has issued an exemptive order which permits BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A. (“BTC”), an affiliate of BFA, to serve as securities lending agent for the Funds, subject to applicable conditions. As securities lending agent, BTC bears all operational costs directly related to securities lending, including any custodial costs. Each Fund is responsible for fees in connection with the investment of cash collateral received for securities on loan (the “collateral investment fees”). The cash collateral is invested in a money market fund, BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional or BlackRock Cash Funds: Treasury, managed by BFA, or its affiliates. However, BTC has agreed to reduce the amount of securities lending income it receives in order to effectively limit the collateral investment fees each Fund bears to an annual rate of 0.04%. The SL Agency Shares of such money market fund will not be subject to a sales load, distribution fee or service fee. The money market fund in which the cash collateral has been invested may, under certain circumstances, impose a liquidity fee of up to 2% of the value redeemed or temporarily restrict redemptions for up to 10 business days during a 90 day period, in the event that the money market fund’s weekly liquid assets fall below certain thresholds.

Securities lending income is equal to the total of income earned from the reinvestment of cash collateral, net of fees and other payments to and from borrowers of securities, and less the collateral investment fees. Each Fund retains a portion of securities lending income and remits the remaining portion to BTC as compensation for its services as securities lending agent.

Pursuant to the current securities lending agreement, the iShares Global REIT ETF (the “Group 1 Fund”), retains 81% of securities lending income (which excludes collateral investment fees) and the amount retained can never be less than 70% of the total of securities lending income plus the collateral investment fees.

Pursuant to the current securities lending agreement, the iShares International Developed Real Estate ETF (the “Group 2 Fund”), retains 82% of securities lending income (which excludes collateral investment fees) and the amount retained can never be less than 70% of the total of securities lending income plus the collateral investment fees.

In addition, commencing the business day following the date that the aggregate securities lending income plus the collateral investment fees generated across all 1940 Act iShares exchange-traded funds (the “iShares ETF Complex”) in a given calendar year exceeds a specified threshold: (1) the Group 1 Fund, pursuant to the securities lending agreement, will retain for the remainder of that calendar year 81% of securities lending income (which excludes collateral investment fees), and the amount retained can never be less than 70% of the total of securities lending income plus the collateral investment fees, and (2) the Group 2 Fund will retain for the remainder of that calendar year 85% of securities lending income (which excludes collateral investment fees), and the amount retained can never be less than 70% of the total of securities lending income plus the collateral investment fees.

 

 

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

 

The share of securities lending income earned by each Fund is shown as securities lending income – affiliated – net in its Statements of Operations. For the six months ended October 31, 2022, the Funds paid BTC the following amounts for securities lending agent services:

 

iShares ETF   Amounts  

Global REIT

  $  37,864  

International Developed Real Estate

  9,858  

Officers and Trustees: Certain officers and/or trustees of the Trust are officers and/or trustees of BlackRock or its affiliates.

Other Transactions: Cross trading is the buying or selling of portfolio securities between funds to which BFA (or an affiliate) serves as investment adviser. At its regularly scheduled quarterly meetings, the Board reviews such transactions as of the most recent calendar quarter for compliance with the requirements and restrictions set forth by Rule 17a-7.

For the six months ended October 31, 2022, transactions executed by the Funds pursuant to Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act were as follows:

 

iShares ETF   Purchases      Sales      Net Realized
Gain (Loss)
 

Global REIT

  $   9,311,551      $   22,676,799      $   (10,495,804

International Developed Real Estate

    136,416        108,642        (39,020

Each Fund may invest its positive cash balances in certain money market funds managed by BFA or an affiliate. The income earned on these temporary cash investments is shown as dividends – affiliated in the Statements of Operations.

A fund, in order to improve its portfolio liquidity and its ability to track its underlying index, may invest in shares of other iShares funds that invest in securities in the fund’s underlying index.

7. PURCHASES AND SALES

For the six months ended October 31, 2022, purchases and sales of investments, excluding short-term securities and in-kind transactions, were as follows:

 

iShares ETF   Purchases      Sales    

Global REIT

  $   156,127,889      $   144,367,853    

International Developed Real Estate

    11,202,127        10,428,425    

For the six months ended October 31, 2022, in-kind transactions were as follows:

 

iShares ETF   In-kind
Purchases
     In-kind
Sales
 

Global REIT

  $   99,029,193      $   170,004,039  

International Developed Real Estate

    4,238,010        10,690,084  

8. INCOME TAX INFORMATION

Each Fund is treated as an entity separate from the Trust’s other funds for federal income tax purposes. It is each Fund’s policy to comply with the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, applicable to regulated investment companies, and to distribute substantially all of its taxable income to its shareholders. Therefore, no U.S. federal income tax provision is required.

Management has analyzed tax laws and regulations and their application to the Funds as of October 31, 2022, inclusive of the open tax return years, and does not believe that there are any uncertain tax positions that require recognition of a tax liability in the Funds’ financial statements.

As of April 30, 2022, the Funds had non-expiring capital loss carryforwards available to offset future realized capital gains as follows:

 

iShares ETF   Amounts    

Global REIT

  $   76,726,280    

International Developed Real Estate

    84,743,294    

A fund may own shares in certain foreign investment entities, referred to, under U.S. tax law, as “passive foreign investment companies.” Such fund may elect to mark-to-market annually the shares of each passive foreign investment company and would be required to distribute to shareholders any such marked-to-market gains.

 

 

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

 

As of October 31, 2022, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation based on cost of investments (including short positions and derivatives, if any) for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:

 

iShares ETF   Tax Cost      Gross Unrealized
Appreciation
     Gross Unrealized
Depreciation
    Net Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
 

Global REIT

  $ 3,171,589,747      $ 182,183,367      $ (626,842,623   $ (444,659,256

International Developed Real Estate

    243,076,916        1,442,909        (87,610,653     (86,167,744

 

9.

PRINCIPAL RISKS

In the normal course of business, each Fund invests in securities or other instruments and may enter into certain transactions, and such activities subject the Fund to various risks, including, among others, fluctuations in the market (market risk) or failure of an issuer to meet all of its obligations. The value of securities or other instruments may also be affected by various factors, including, without limitation: (i) the general economy; (ii) the overall market as well as local, regional or global political and/or social instability; (iii) regulation, taxation or international tax treaties between various countries; or (iv) currency, interest rate or price fluctuations. Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Funds and their investments. Each Fund’s prospectus provides details of the risks to which the Fund is subject.

BFA uses a “passive” or index approach to try to achieve each Fund’s investment objective following the securities included in its underlying index during upturns as well as downturns. BFA does not take steps to reduce market exposure or to lessen the effects of a declining market. Divergence from the underlying index and the composition of the portfolio is monitored by BFA.

The Funds may be exposed to additional risks when reinvesting cash collateral in money market funds that do not seek to maintain a stable NAV per share of $1.00, which may be subject to redemption gates or liquidity fees under certain circumstances.

Market Risk: An outbreak of respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus has developed into a global pandemic and has resulted in closing borders, quarantines, disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, as well as general concern and uncertainty. The impact of this pandemic, and other global health crises that may arise in the future, could affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the market in general in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. This pandemic may result in substantial market volatility and may adversely impact the prices and liquidity of a fund’s investments. Although vaccines have been developed and approved for use by various governments, the duration of this pandemic and its effects cannot be determined with certainty.

Valuation Risk: The market values of equities, such as common stocks and preferred securities or equity related investments, such as futures and options, may decline due to general market conditions which are not specifically related to a particular company. They may also decline due to factors which affect a particular industry or industries. A fund may invest in illiquid investments. An illiquid investment is any investment that a 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. A fund may experience difficulty in selling illiquid investments in a timely manner at the price that it believes the investments are worth. Prices may fluctuate widely over short or extended periods in response to company, market or economic news. Markets also tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising and falling prices. This volatility may cause a fund’s NAV to experience significant increases or decreases over short periods of time. If there is a general decline in the securities and other markets, the NAV of a fund may lose value, regardless of the individual results of the securities and other instruments in which a fund invests.

The price each Fund could receive upon the sale of any particular portfolio investment may differ from each Fund’s valuation of the investment, particularly for securities that trade in thin or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair valuation technique or a price provided by an independent pricing service. Changes to significant unobservable inputs and assumptions (i.e., publicly traded company multiples, growth rate, time to exit) due to the lack of observable inputs.

Counterparty Credit Risk: The Funds may be exposed to counterparty credit risk, or the risk that an entity may fail to or be unable to perform on its commitments related to unsettled or open transactions, including making timely interest and/or principal payments or otherwise honoring its obligations. The Funds manage counterparty credit risk by entering into transactions only with counterparties that BFA believes have the financial resources to honor their obligations and by monitoring the financial stability of those counterparties. Financial assets, which potentially expose the Funds to market, issuer and counterparty credit risks, consist principally of financial instruments and receivables due from counterparties. The extent of the Funds’ exposure to market, issuer and counterparty credit risks with respect to these financial assets is approximately their value recorded in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities, less any collateral held by the Funds.

A derivative contract may suffer a mark-to-market loss if the value of the contract decreases due to an unfavorable change in the market rates or values of the underlying instrument. Losses can also occur if the counterparty does not perform under the contract.

With exchange-traded futures, there is less counterparty credit risk to the Funds since the exchange or clearinghouse, as counterparty to such instruments, guarantees against a possible default. The clearinghouse stands between the buyer and the seller of the contract; therefore, credit risk is limited to failure of the clearinghouse. While offset rights may exist under applicable law, a fund does not have a contractual right of offset against a clearing broker or clearinghouse in the event of a default (including the bankruptcy or insolvency). Additionally, credit risk exists in exchange-traded futures with respect to initial and variation margin that is held in a clearing broker’s customer accounts. While clearing brokers are required to segregate customer margin from their own assets, in the event that a clearing broker becomes insolvent or goes into bankruptcy and at that time there is a shortfall in the aggregate amount of margin held by the clearing broker for all its clients, typically the shortfall would be allocated on a pro rata basis across all the clearing broker’s customers, potentially resulting in losses to the Funds.

 

 

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

 

Concentration Risk: A diversified portfolio, where this is appropriate and consistent with a fund’s objectives, minimizes the risk that a price change of a particular investment will have a material impact on the NAV of a fund. The investment concentrations within each Fund’s portfolio are disclosed in its Schedule of Investments.

Certain Funds invest a significant portion of their assets in securities of issuers located in Europe or with significant exposure to European issuers or countries. 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 Funds’ 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.

Certain Funds invest a significant portion of their assets in securities of issuers located in Asia or with significant exposure to Asian issuers or countries. The Asian financial markets have recently experienced volatility and adverse trends due to concerns in several Asian countries regarding monetary policy, government intervention in the markets, rising government debt levels or economic downturns. These events may spread to other countries in Asia and may affect the value and liquidity of certain of the Funds’ investments.

Certain Funds invest a significant portion of their assets in securities within a single or limited number of market sectors. When a fund concentrates its investments in this manner, it assumes the risk that economic, regulatory, political and social conditions affecting such sectors may have a significant impact on the fund and could affect the income from, or the value or liquidity of, the fund’s portfolio. Investment percentages in specific sectors are presented in the Schedule of Investments.

Significant Shareholder Redemption Risk: Certain shareholders may own or manage a substantial amount of fund shares and/or hold their fund investments for a limited period of time. Large redemptions of fund shares by these shareholders may force a fund to sell portfolio securities, which may negatively impact the fund’s NAV, increase the fund’s brokerage costs, and/or accelerate the realization of taxable income/gains and cause the fund to make additional taxable distributions to shareholders.

LIBOR Transition Risk: The United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority announced a phase out of the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”). Although many LIBOR rates ceased to be published or no longer are representative of the underlying market they seek to measure after December 31, 2021, a selection of widely used USD LIBOR rates will continue to be published through June 2023 in order to assist with the transition. The Funds may be exposed to financial instruments tied to LIBOR to determine payment obligations, financing terms, hedging strategies or investment value. The transition process away from LIBOR might lead to increased volatility and illiquidity in markets for, and reduce the effectiveness of new hedges placed against instruments whose terms currently include LIBOR. The ultimate effect of the LIBOR transition process on the Funds is uncertain.

 

10.

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS

Capital shares are issued and redeemed by each Fund only in aggregations of a specified number of shares or multiples thereof (“Creation Units”) at NAV. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, shares of each Fund are not redeemable.

Transactions in capital shares were as follows:

 

 

 
   

 

Six Months Ended

10/31/22

 

          

 

Year Ended

04/30/22

 

 
 

 

 

      

 

 

 
iShares ETF  

 

Shares

   

 

Amount

          

 

Shares

   

 

Amount

 

 

 

Global REIT

          

Shares sold

    4,800,000     $ 106,274,797          24,250,000     $ 697,331,384  

Shares redeemed

    (6,650,000     (178,661,771        (12,850,000     (367,118,141
 

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

   

 

 

 
    (1,850,000   $ (72,386,974        11,400,000     $ 330,213,243  
 

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

   

 

 

 

International Developed Real Estate

          

Shares sold

    200,000     $ 4,482,035          900,000     $ 25,486,316  

Shares redeemed

    (500,000     (11,145,101        (1,400,000     (39,167,847
 

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

   

 

 

 
    (300,000   $ (6,663,066        (500,000   $ (13,681,531
 

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

   

 

 

 

The consideration for the purchase of Creation Units of a fund in the Trust generally consists of the in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities and a specified amount of cash. Certain funds in the Trust may be offered in Creation Units solely or partially for cash in U.S. dollars. Investors purchasing and redeeming Creation Units may pay a purchase transaction fee and a redemption transaction fee directly to State Street Bank and Trust Company, the Trust’s administrator, to offset transfer and other transaction costs associated with the issuance and redemption of Creation Units, including Creation Units for cash. Investors transacting in Creation Units for cash may also

 

 

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

 

pay an additional variable charge to compensate the relevant fund for certain transaction costs (i.e., stamp taxes, taxes on currency or other financial transactions, and brokerage costs) and market impact expenses relating to investing in portfolio securities. Such variable charges, if any, are included in shares sold in the table above.

From time to time, settlement of securities related to in-kind contributions or in-kind redemptions may be delayed. In such cases, securities related to in-kind transactions are reflected as a receivable or a payable in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities.

 

11.

SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

Management has evaluated the impact of all subsequent events on the Funds through the date the financial statements were available to be issued and has determined that there were no subsequent events requiring adjustment or additional disclosure in the financial statements.

 

 

 

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Board Review and Approval of Investment Advisory Contract

 

iShares Global REIT ETF (the “Fund”)

Under Section 15(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”), the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”), including a majority of Board Members who are not “interested persons” of the Trust (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) (the “Independent Board Members”), is required annually to consider and approve the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and BFA (the “Advisory Agreement”) on behalf of the Fund. The Board’s consideration entails a year-long process whereby the Board and its committees (composed solely of Independent Board Members) assess BlackRock’s services to the Fund, including investment management; fund accounting; administrative and shareholder services; oversight of the Fund’s service providers; risk management and oversight; legal and compliance services; and ability to meet applicable legal and regulatory requirements. The Independent Board Members requested, and BFA provided, such information as the Independent Board Members, with advice from independent counsel, deemed reasonably necessary to evaluate the Advisory Agreement. At meetings on May 3, 2022 and May 18, 2022, a committee composed of all of the Independent Board Members (the “15(c) Committee”), with independent counsel, met with management and reviewed and discussed information provided in response to initial requests of the 15(c) Committee and/or its independent counsel, and requested certain additional information, which management agreed to provide. At a meeting held on June 13-15, 2022, the Board, including the Independent Board Members, reviewed the additional information provided by management in response to these requests.

After extensive discussions and deliberations, the Board, including all of the Independent Board Members, approved the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the Fund, based on a review of qualitative and quantitative information provided by BFA and their cumulative experience as Board Members. The Board noted its satisfaction with the extent and quality of information provided and its frequent interactions with management, as well as the detailed responses and other information provided by BFA. The Independent Board Members were advised by their independent counsel throughout the process, including about the legal standards applicable to their review. In approving the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the Fund, the Board, including the Independent Board Members, considered various factors, including: (i) the expenses and performance of the Fund; (ii) the nature, extent and quality of the services provided by BFA; (iii) the costs of services provided to the Fund and profits realized by BFA and its affiliates; (iv) potential economies of scale and the sharing of related benefits; (v) the fees and services provided for other comparable funds/accounts managed by BFA and its affiliates; and (vi) other benefits to BFA and/or its affiliates. The material factors, none of which was controlling, and conclusions that formed the basis for the Board, including the Independent Board Members, to approve the continuance of the Advisory Agreement are discussed below.

Expenses and Performance of the Fund: The Board reviewed statistical information prepared by Broadridge Financial Solutions Inc. (“Broadridge”), an independent provider of investment company data, regarding the expense ratio components, including gross and net total expenses, fees and expenses of another fund in which the Fund invests (if applicable), and waivers/reimbursements (if applicable) of the Fund in comparison with the same information for other ETFs, objectively selected by Broadridge as comprising the Fund’s applicable expense peer group pursuant to Broadridge’s proprietary ETF methodology (the “Peer Group”). The Board was provided with a detailed description of the proprietary ETF methodology used by Broadridge to determine the Fund’s Peer Group. The Board noted that, due to the limitations in providing comparable funds in the Peer Group, the statistical information provided in Broadridge’s report may or may not provide meaningful direct comparisons to the Fund in all instances. The Board also noted that the investment advisory fee rate and overall expenses (net of waivers and reimbursements) for the Fund were lower than the median of the investment advisory fee rates and overall expenses (net of waivers and reimbursements) of the funds in its Peer Group, excluding iShares funds.

In addition, to the extent that any of the comparison funds included in the Peer Group, excluding iShares funds, track the same index as the Fund, Broadridge also provided, and the Board reviewed, a comparison of the Fund’s performance for the one-year, three-year, five-year, ten-year, and since inception periods, as applicable, and for the quarter ended December 31, 2021, to that of such relevant comparison fund(s) for the same periods. The Board noted that the Fund seeks to track its specified underlying index and that, during the year, the Board received periodic reports on the Fund’s short- and longer-term performance in comparison with its underlying index. Such periodic comparative performance information, including additional detailed information as requested by the Board, was also considered. The Board noted that the Fund generally performed in line with its underlying index over the relevant periods.

Based on this review, the other factors considered at the meeting, and their general knowledge of ETF pricing, the Board concluded that the investment advisory fee rate and expense level and the historical performance of the Fund supported the Board’s approval of the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the coming year.

Nature, Extent and Quality of Services Provided: Based on management’s representations, including information about recent enhancements and initiatives with respect to the iShares business, including with respect to capital markets support and analysis, technology, portfolio management, product design and quality, compliance and risk management, global public policy and other services, the Board expected that there would be no diminution in the scope of services required of or provided by BFA under the Advisory Agreement for the coming year as compared with the scope of services provided by BFA during prior years. In reviewing the scope of these services, the Board considered BFA’s investment philosophy and experience, noting that BFA and its affiliates have committed significant resources over time, including during the past year, to support the iShares funds and their shareholders and have made significant investments into the iShares business. The Board also considered BFA’s compliance program and its compliance record with respect to the Fund. In that regard, the Board noted that BFA reports to the Board about portfolio management and compliance matters on a periodic basis in connection with regularly scheduled meetings of the Board, and on other occasions as necessary and appropriate, and has provided information and made relevant officers and other employees of BFA (and its affiliates) available as needed to provide further assistance with these matters. The Board also reviewed the background and experience of the persons responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund, as well as the resources available to them in managing the Fund. In addition to the above considerations, the Board reviewed and considered detailed presentations regarding BFA’s investment performance, investment and risk management processes and strategies, provided at the May 3, 2022 meeting and throughout the year, and matters related to BFA’s portfolio compliance program.

Based on review of this information, and the performance information discussed above, the Board concluded that the nature, extent and quality of services provided to the Fund under the Advisory Agreement supported the Board’s approval of the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the coming year.

Costs of Services Provided to the Fund and Profits Realized by BFA and its Affiliates: The Board reviewed information about the estimated profitability to BlackRock in managing the Fund, based on the fees payable to BFA and its affiliates (including fees under the Advisory Agreement), and other sources of revenue and expense to BFA

 

 

O A R D  E V I E W  A N D  P  P R O V A L  O F  N V E S T M E N T  D V I S O R Y  O N T R A C T

  31


Board Review and Approval of Investment Advisory Contract (continued)

 

and its affiliates from the Fund’s operations for the last calendar year. The Board reviewed BlackRock’s methodology for calculating estimated profitability of the iShares funds, noting that the 15(c) Committee and the Board had focused on the methodology and profitability presentation. The Board recognized that profitability may be affected by numerous factors, including, among other things, fee waivers by BFA, the types of funds managed, expense allocations and business mix. The Board thus recognized that calculating and comparing profitability at individual fund levels is challenging. The Board discussed with management the sources of direct and ancillary revenue, including the revenues to BTC, a BlackRock affiliate, from securities lending by the Fund. The Board also discussed BFA’s estimated profit margin as reflected in the Fund’s profitability analysis and reviewed information regarding potential economies of scale (as discussed below).

Based on this review, the Board concluded that the information considered with respect to the profits realized by BFA and its affiliates under the Advisory Agreement and from other relationships between the Fund and BFA and/or its affiliates, if any, as well as the other factors considered at the meeting, supported the Board’s approval of the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the coming year.

Economies of Scale: The Board reviewed information and considered the extent to which economies of scale might be realized as the assets of the Fund increase, noting that the issue of potential economies of scale had been focused on by the 15(c) Committee and the Board during their meetings and addressed by management. The 15(c) Committee and the Board received information regarding BlackRock’s historical estimated profitability, including BFA’s and its affiliates’ estimated costs in providing services. The estimated cost information distinguished, among other things, between fixed and variable costs, and showed how the level and nature of fixed and variable costs may impact the existence or size of scale benefits, with the Board recognizing that potential economies of scale are difficult to measure. The 15(c) Committee and the Board reviewed information provided by BFA regarding the sharing of scale benefits with the iShares funds through various means, including, as applicable, through relatively low fee rates established at inception, breakpoints, waivers, or other fee reductions, as well as through additional investment in the iShares business and the provision of improved or additional infrastructure and services to the iShares funds and their shareholders. The Board noted that the Advisory Agreement for the Fund did not provide for breakpoints in the Fund’s investment advisory fee rate as the assets of the Fund increase. However, the Board noted that it would continue to assess the appropriateness of adding breakpoints in the future.

The Board concluded that this review of potential economies of scale and the sharing of related benefits, as well as the other factors considered at the meeting, supported the Board’s approval of the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the coming year.

Fees and Services Provided for Other Comparable Funds/Accounts Managed by BFA and its Affiliates: The Board received and considered information regarding the investment advisory/management fee rates for other funds/accounts in the U.S. for which BFA (or its affiliates) provides investment advisory/management services, including open-end funds registered under the 1940 Act (including sub-advised funds), collective trust funds, and institutional separate accounts (collectively, the “Other Accounts”). The Board acknowledged BFA’s representation that the iShares funds are fundamentally different investment vehicles from the Other Accounts.

The Board received detailed information regarding how the Other Accounts generally differ from the Fund, including in terms of the types of services and generally more extensive services provided to the Fund, as well as other significant differences. In that regard, the Board considered that the pricing of services to institutional clients is typically based on a number of factors beyond the nature and extent of the specific services to be provided and often depends on the overall relationship between the client and its affiliates and the adviser and its affiliates. In addition, the Board considered the relative complexity and inherent risks and challenges of managing and providing other services to the Fund, as a publicly traded investment vehicle, as compared to the Other Accounts, particularly those that are institutional clients, in light of differing regulatory requirements and client-imposed mandates. The Board noted that BFA and its affiliates do not manage Other Accounts with substantially the same investment objective and strategy as the Fund and that track the same index as the Fund. The Board also acknowledged management’s assertion that, for certain iShares funds, and for client segmentation purposes, BlackRock has launched an iShares fund that may provide a similar investment exposure at a lower investment advisory fee rate.

The Board considered the “all-inclusive” nature of the Fund’s advisory fee structure, and the Fund’s expenses borne by BFA under this arrangement and noted that the investment advisory fee rate under the Advisory Agreement for the Fund was generally higher than the investment advisory/management fee rates for certain of the Other Accounts (particularly institutional clients) and concluded that the differences appeared to be consistent with the factors discussed.

Other Benefits to BFA and/or its Affiliates: The Board reviewed other benefits or ancillary revenue received by BFA and/or its affiliates in connection with the services provided to the Fund by BFA, both direct and indirect, including, but not limited to, payment of revenue to BTC, the Fund’s securities lending agent, for loaning portfolio securities (which was included in the profit margins reviewed by the Board pursuant to BFA’s estimated profitability methodology), payment of advisory fees or other fees to BFA (or its affiliates) in connection with any investments by the Fund in other funds for which BFA (or its affiliates) provides investment advisory services or other services, and BlackRock’s profile in the investment community. The Board also noted the revenue received by BFA and/or its affiliates pursuant to an agreement that permits a service provider to use certain portions of BlackRock’s technology platform to service accounts managed by BFA and/or its affiliates, including the iShares funds. The Board noted that BFA generally does not use soft dollars or consider the value of research or other services that may be provided to BFA (including its affiliates) in selecting brokers for portfolio transactions for the Fund. The Board concluded that any such ancillary benefits would not be disadvantageous to the Fund and thus would not alter the Board’s conclusion with respect to the appropriateness of approving the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the coming year.

Conclusion: Based on a review of the factors described above, as well as such other factors as deemed appropriate by the Board, the Board, including all of the Independent Board Members, determined that the Fund’s investment advisory fee rate under the Advisory Agreement does not constitute a fee that is so disproportionately large as to bear no reasonable relationship to the services rendered and that could not have been the product of arm’s-length bargaining, and concluded to approve the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the coming year.

iShares International Developed Real Estate ETF (the “Fund”)

Under Section 15(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”), the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”), including a majority of Board Members who are not “interested persons” of the Trust (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) (the “Independent Board Members”), is required annually to consider and approve the

 

 

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Board Review and Approval of Investment Advisory Contract  (continued)

 

Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and BFA (the “Advisory Agreement”) on behalf of the Fund. The Board’s consideration entails a year-long process whereby the Board and its committees (composed solely of Independent Board Members) assess BlackRock’s services to the Fund, including investment management; fund accounting; administrative and shareholder services; oversight of the Fund’s service providers; risk management and oversight; legal and compliance services; and ability to meet applicable legal and regulatory requirements. The Independent Board Members requested, and BFA provided, such information as the Independent Board Members, with advice from independent counsel, deemed reasonably necessary to evaluate the Advisory Agreement. At meetings on May 3, 2022 and May 18, 2022, a committee composed of all of the Independent Board Members (the “15(c) Committee”), with independent counsel, met with management and reviewed and discussed information provided in response to initial requests of the 15(c) Committee and/or its independent counsel, and requested certain additional information, which management agreed to provide. At a meeting held on June 13-15, 2022, the Board, including the Independent Board Members, reviewed the additional information provided by management in response to these requests.

After extensive discussions and deliberations, the Board, including all of the Independent Board Members, approved the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the Fund, based on a review of qualitative and quantitative information provided by BFA and their cumulative experience as Board Members. The Board noted its satisfaction with the extent and quality of information provided and its frequent interactions with management, as well as the detailed responses and other information provided by BFA. The Independent Board Members were advised by their independent counsel throughout the process, including about the legal standards applicable to their review. In approving the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the Fund, the Board, including the Independent Board Members, considered various factors, including: (i) the expenses and performance of the Fund; (ii) the nature, extent and quality of the services provided by BFA; (iii) the costs of services provided to the Fund and profits realized by BFA and its affiliates; (iv) potential economies of scale and the sharing of related benefits; (v) the fees and services provided for other comparable funds/accounts managed by BFA and its affiliates; and (vi) other benefits to BFA and/or its affiliates. The material factors, none of which was controlling, and conclusions that formed the basis for the Board, including the Independent Board Members, to approve the continuance of the Advisory Agreement are discussed below.

Expenses and Performance of the Fund: The Board reviewed statistical information prepared by Broadridge Financial Solutions Inc. (“Broadridge”), an independent provider of investment company data, regarding the expense ratio components, including gross and net total expenses, fees and expenses of another fund in which the Fund invests (if applicable), and waivers/reimbursements (if applicable) of the Fund in comparison with the same information for other ETFs, objectively selected by Broadridge as comprising the Fund’s applicable expense peer group pursuant to Broadridge’s proprietary ETF methodology (the “Peer Group”). The Board was provided with a detailed description of the proprietary ETF methodology used by Broadridge to determine the Fund’s Peer Group. The Board noted that, due to the limitations in providing comparable funds in the Peer Group, the statistical information provided in Broadridge’s report may or may not provide meaningful direct comparisons to the Fund in all instances. The Board also noted that the investment advisory fee rate and overall expenses (net of waivers and reimbursements) for the Fund were within range of the median of the investment advisory fee rates and overall expenses (net of waivers and reimbursements) of the funds in its Peer Group, excluding iShares funds.

In addition, to the extent that any of the comparison funds included in the Peer Group, excluding iShares funds, track the same index as the Fund, Broadridge also provided, and the Board reviewed, a comparison of the Fund’s performance for the one-year, three-year, five-year, ten-year, and since inception periods, as applicable, and for the quarter ended December 31, 2021, to that of such relevant comparison fund(s) for the same periods. The Board noted that the Fund seeks to track its specified underlying index and that, during the year, the Board received periodic reports on the Fund’s short- and longer-term performance in comparison with its underlying index. Such periodic comparative performance information, including additional detailed information as requested by the Board, was also considered. The Board noted that the Fund generally performed in line with its underlying index over the relevant periods.

Based on this review, the other factors considered at the meeting, and their general knowledge of ETF pricing, the Board concluded that the investment advisory fee rate and expense level and the historical performance of the Fund supported the Board’s approval of the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the coming year.

Nature, Extent and Quality of Services Provided: Based on management’s representations, including information about recent enhancements and initiatives with respect to the iShares business, including with respect to capital markets support and analysis, technology, portfolio management, product design and quality, compliance and risk management, global public policy and other services, the Board expected that there would be no diminution in the scope of services required of or provided by BFA under the Advisory Agreement for the coming year as compared with the scope of services provided by BFA during prior years. In reviewing the scope of these services, the Board considered BFA’s investment philosophy and experience, noting that BFA and its affiliates have committed significant resources over time, including during the past year, to support the iShares funds and their shareholders and have made significant investments into the iShares business. The Board also considered BFA’s compliance program and its compliance record with respect to the Fund. In that regard, the Board noted that BFA reports to the Board about portfolio management and compliance matters on a periodic basis in connection with regularly scheduled meetings of the Board, and on other occasions as necessary and appropriate, and has provided information and made relevant officers and other employees of BFA (and its affiliates) available as needed to provide further assistance with these matters. The Board also reviewed the background and experience of the persons responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund, as well as the resources available to them in managing the Fund. In addition to the above considerations, the Board reviewed and considered detailed presentations regarding BFA’s investment performance, investment and risk management processes and strategies, provided at the May 3, 2022 meeting and throughout the year, and matters related to BFA’s portfolio compliance program.

Based on review of this information, and the performance information discussed above, the Board concluded that the nature, extent and quality of services provided to the Fund under the Advisory Agreement supported the Board’s approval of the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the coming year.

Costs of Services Provided to the Fund and Profits Realized by BFA and its Affiliates: The Board reviewed information about the estimated profitability to BlackRock in managing the Fund, based on the fees payable to BFA and its affiliates (including fees under the Advisory Agreement), and other sources of revenue and expense to BFA and its affiliates from the Fund’s operations for the last calendar year. The Board reviewed BlackRock’s methodology for calculating estimated profitability of the iShares funds, noting that the 15(c) Committee and the Board had focused on the methodology and profitability presentation. The Board recognized that profitability may be affected by numerous factors, including, among other things, fee waivers by BFA, the types of funds managed, expense allocations and business mix. The Board thus recognized that calculating and comparing profitability at individual fund levels is challenging. The Board discussed with management the sources of direct and ancillary revenue,

 

 

O A R D  E V I E W  A N D  P  P R O V A L  O F  N V E S T M E N T  D V I S O R Y  O N T R A C T

  33


Board Review and Approval of Investment Advisory Contract (continued)

 

including the revenues to BTC, a BlackRock affiliate, from securities lending by the Fund. The Board also discussed BFA’s estimated profit margin as reflected in the Fund’s profitability analysis and reviewed information regarding potential economies of scale (as discussed below).

Based on this review, the Board concluded that the information considered with respect to the profits realized by BFA and its affiliates under the Advisory Agreement and from other relationships between the Fund and BFA and/or its affiliates, if any, as well as the other factors considered at the meeting, supported the Board’s approval of the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the coming year.

Economies of Scale: The Board reviewed information and considered the extent to which economies of scale might be realized as the assets of the Fund increase, noting that the issue of potential economies of scale had been focused on by the 15(c) Committee and the Board during their meetings and addressed by management. The 15(c) Committee and the Board received information regarding BlackRock’s historical estimated profitability, including BFA’s and its affiliates’ estimated costs in providing services. The estimated cost information distinguished, among other things, between fixed and variable costs, and showed how the level and nature of fixed and variable costs may impact the existence or size of scale benefits, with the Board recognizing that potential economies of scale are difficult to measure. The 15(c) Committee and the Board reviewed information provided by BFA regarding the sharing of scale benefits with the iShares funds through various means, including, as applicable, through relatively low fee rates established at inception, breakpoints, waivers, or other fee reductions, as well as through additional investment in the iShares business and the provision of improved or additional infrastructure and services to the iShares funds and their shareholders. The Board noted that the Advisory Agreement for the Fund did not provide for breakpoints in the Fund’s investment advisory fee rate as the assets of the Fund increase. However, the Board noted that it would continue to assess the appropriateness of adding breakpoints in the future.

The Board concluded that this review of potential economies of scale and the sharing of related benefits, as well as the other factors considered at the meeting, supported the Board’s approval of the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the coming year.

Fees and Services Provided for Other Comparable Funds/Accounts Managed by BFA and its Affiliates: The Board received and considered information regarding the investment advisory/management fee rates for other funds/accounts in the U.S. for which BFA (or its affiliates) provides investment advisory/management services, including open-end funds registered under the 1940 Act (including sub-advised funds), collective trust funds, and institutional separate accounts (collectively, the “Other Accounts”). The Board acknowledged BFA’s representation that the iShares funds are fundamentally different investment vehicles from the Other Accounts.

The Board received detailed information regarding how the Other Accounts generally differ from the Fund, including in terms of the types of services and generally more extensive services provided to the Fund, as well as other significant differences. In that regard, the Board considered that the pricing of services to institutional clients is typically based on a number of factors beyond the nature and extent of the specific services to be provided and often depends on the overall relationship between the client and its affiliates and the adviser and its affiliates. In addition, the Board considered the relative complexity and inherent risks and challenges of managing and providing other services to the Fund, as a publicly traded investment vehicle, as compared to the Other Accounts, particularly those that are institutional clients, in light of differing regulatory requirements and client-imposed mandates. The Board noted that BFA and its affiliates do not manage Other Accounts with substantially the same investment objective and strategy as the Fund and that track the same index as the Fund. The Board also acknowledged management’s assertion that, for certain iShares funds, and for client segmentation purposes, BlackRock has launched an iShares fund that may provide a similar investment exposure at a lower investment advisory fee rate.

The Board considered the “all-inclusive” nature of the Fund’s advisory fee structure, and the Fund’s expenses borne by BFA under this arrangement and noted that the investment advisory fee rate under the Advisory Agreement for the Fund was generally higher than the investment advisory/management fee rates for certain of the Other Accounts (particularly institutional clients) and concluded that the differences appeared to be consistent with the factors discussed.

Other Benefits to BFA and/or its Affiliates: The Board reviewed other benefits or ancillary revenue received by BFA and/or its affiliates in connection with the services provided to the Fund by BFA, both direct and indirect, including, but not limited to, payment of revenue to BTC, the Fund’s securities lending agent, for loaning portfolio securities (which was included in the profit margins reviewed by the Board pursuant to BFA’s estimated profitability methodology), payment of advisory fees or other fees to BFA (or its affiliates) in connection with any investments by the Fund in other funds for which BFA (or its affiliates) provides investment advisory services or other services, and BlackRock’s profile in the investment community. The Board also noted the revenue received by BFA and/or its affiliates pursuant to an agreement that permits a service provider to use certain portions of BlackRock’s technology platform to service accounts managed by BFA and/or its affiliates, including the iShares funds. The Board noted that BFA generally does not use soft dollars or consider the value of research or other services that may be provided to BFA (including its affiliates) in selecting brokers for portfolio transactions for the Fund. The Board concluded that any such ancillary benefits would not be disadvantageous to the Fund and thus would not alter the Board’s conclusion with respect to the appropriateness of approving the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the coming year.

Conclusion: Based on a review of the factors described above, as well as such other factors as deemed appropriate by the Board, the Board, including all of the Independent Board Members, determined that the Fund’s investment advisory fee rate under the Advisory Agreement does not constitute a fee that is so disproportionately large as to bear no reasonable relationship to the services rendered and that could not have been the product of arm’s-length bargaining, and concluded to approve the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the coming year.

 

 

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Supplemental Information (unaudited)

 

Section 19(a) Notices

The amounts and sources of distributions reported are estimates and are being provided pursuant to regulatory requirements and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources for tax reporting purposes will depend upon each Fund’s investment experience during the year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. Shareholders will receive a Form 1099-DIV each calendar year that will inform them how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes.

October 31, 2022

 

       
    Total Cumulative Distributions
for the Fiscal Year-to-Date
            % Breakdown of the Total Cumulative
Distributions for the Fiscal Year-to-Date
 
iShares ETF   Net
Investment
Income
     Net Realized
Capital Gains
    

Return of

Capital

    

Total Per

Share

             Net
Investment
Income
    Net Realized
Capital Gains
    Return of
Capital
    Total Per
Share
 

Global REIT

  $   0.417529      $      $      $   0.417529           100             100

International Developed Real Estate(a)

    0.392836               0.027279        0.420115                 94             6       100  

 

  (a) 

The Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its net investment income and net realized capital gains; therefore, a portion of the distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur, for example, when some or all of the shareholder’s investment in the Fund is returned to the shareholder. A return of capital does not necessarily reflect the Fund’s investment performance and should not be confused with “yield” or “income”. When distributions exceed total return performance, the difference will incrementally reduce the Fund’s net asset value per share.

 

 

 

U P P L E M E N T A L    N F O R M  A T I O N

  35


General Information

 

Electronic Delivery

Shareholders can sign up for e-mail notifications announcing that the shareholder report or prospectus has been posted on the iShares website at iShares.com. Once you have enrolled, you will no longer receive prospectuses and shareholder reports in the mail.

To enroll in electronic delivery:

 

   

Go to icsdelivery.com.

   

If your brokerage firm is not listed, electronic delivery may not be available. Please contact your broker-dealer or financial advisor.

Householding

Householding is an option available to certain fund investors. Householding is a method of delivery, based on the preference of the individual investor, in which a single copy of certain shareholder documents and Rule 30e-3 notices can be delivered to investors who share the same address, even if their accounts are registered under different names. Please contact your broker-dealer if you are interested in enrolling in householding and receiving a single copy of prospectuses and other shareholder documents, or if you are currently enrolled in householding and wish to change your householding status.

Availability of Quarterly Schedule of Investments

The Funds file their complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to their reports on Form N-PORT. The Funds’ Forms N-PORT are available on the SEC’s website at sec.gov. Additionally, each Fund makes its portfolio holdings for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year available at iShares.com/fundreports.

Availability of Proxy Voting Policies and Proxy Voting Records

A description of the policies and procedures that the iShares Funds use to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities and information about how the iShares Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent twelve-month period ending June 30 is available without charge, upon request (1) by calling toll-free 1-800-474-2737; (2) on the iShares website at iShares.com; and (3) on the SEC website at sec.gov.

A description of the Trust’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio securities is available in the Fund Prospectus. The Fund discloses its portfolio holdings daily and provides information regarding its top holdings in Fund fact sheets at iShares.com.

 

 

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Glossary of Terms Used in this Report

 

Portfolio Abbreviation

 

NVS   Non-Voting Shares
REIT   Real Estate Investment Trust

 

 

L O S S A R Y    O F    E R M S     S E D    I N    T H I S    E P O R T

  37


 

 

 

Want to know more?

iShares.com  |   1-800-474-2737

This report is intended for the Funds’ shareholders. It may not be distributed to prospective investors unless it is preceded or accompanied by the current prospectus.

Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal.

The iShares Funds are distributed by BlackRock Investments, LLC (together with its affiliates, “BlackRock”).

The iShares Funds are not sponsored, endorsed, issued, sold or promoted by FTSE International Limited, nor does this company make any representation regarding the advisability of investing in the iShares Funds. BlackRock is not affiliated with the company listed above.

©2022 BlackRock, Inc. All rights reserved. iSHARES and BLACKROCK are registered trademarks of BlackRock, Inc. or its subsidiaries. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

iS-SAR-405-1022

 

 

LOGO

   LOGO


(b) Not Applicable

 

Item 2.

Code of Ethics.

Not applicable to this semi-annual report.

 

Item 3.

Audit Committee Financial Expert.

Not applicable to this semi-annual report.

 

Item 4.

Principal Accountant Fees and Services.

Not applicable to this semi-annual report.

 

Item 5.

Audit Committee of Listed Registrants.

Not applicable to this semi-annual report.


Item 6.

Investments.

(a) Schedules of investments are included as part of the reports to shareholders filed under Item 1 of this Form.

(b) Not applicable.

 

Item 7.

Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

Not applicable to the registrant.

 

Item 8.

Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

Not applicable to the registrant.

 

Item 9.

Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers.

Not applicable to the registrant.

 

Item 10.

Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

There were no material changes to the procedures by which shareholders may recommend nominees to the registrant’s Board of Trustees.

 

Item 11.

Controls and Procedures.

(a) The President (the registrant’s Principal Executive Officer) and Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer (the registrant’s Principal Financial Officer) have concluded that the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) are effective as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of this report, based on their evaluation of these controls and procedures required by Rule 30a-3(b) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and Rules 13a-15(b) or 15d-15(b) under the Exchange Act of 1934.

(b) There were no changes in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) that occurred during the period covered by this report that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

Item 12.

Disclosure of Securities Lending Activities for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

Not applicable to the registrant.

 

Item 13.

Exhibits.

(a) (1) Not applicable to this semi-annual report.

(a) (2) Section 302 Certifications are attached.

(a) (3) Any written solicitation to purchase securities under Rule 23c-1 – Not Applicable

(a) (4) Change in Registrant’s independent public accountant – Not Applicable

(b) Section 906 Certifications are attached.


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

iShares Trust

 

   By:     

/s/ Armando Senra                            

       Armando Senra, President (Principal Executive Officer)

Date: December 22, 2022

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

   By:     

/s/ Armando Senra                            

       Armando Senra, President (Principal Executive Officer)

Date: December 22, 2022

 

   By:     

/s/ Trent Walker                            

       Trent Walker, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer)

Date: December 22, 2022