N-CSR 1 d930430dncsr.htm BLACKROCK ADVANTAGE GLOBAL FUND, INC. BLACKROCK ADVANTAGE GLOBAL FUND, INC.

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: 811-07171

Name of Fund: BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc.

Fund Address:    100 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19809

Name and address of agent for service: John M. Perlowski, Chief Executive Officer, BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc., 55 East 52nd Street, New York, NY 10055

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (800) 441-7762

Date of fiscal year end: 06/30/2020

Date of reporting period: 06/30/2020


Item 1 – Report to Stockholders


 

LOGO   JUNE 30, 2020

 

  

2020 Annual Report

 

BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc.

BlackRock EuroFund

 

 

Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, paper copies of each Fund’s shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports from BlackRock or from your financial intermediary, such as a broker-dealer or bank. Instead, the reports will be made available on a website, and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report.

You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you hold accounts directly with BlackRock, you can call (800) 441-7762 to inform BlackRock that you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your shareholder reports. If you hold accounts through a financial intermediary, you can follow the instructions included with this disclosure, if applicable, or contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your shareholder reports. Please note that not all financial intermediaries may offer this service. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all funds advised by BlackRock Advisors, LLC, BlackRock Fund Advisors or their affiliates, or all funds held with your financial intermediary, as applicable.

If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive electronic delivery of shareholder reports and other communications by: (i) accessing the BlackRock website at blackrock.com/edelivery and logging into your accounts, if you hold accounts directly with BlackRock, or (ii) contacting your financial intermediary, if you hold accounts through a financial intermediary. Please note that not all financial intermediaries may offer this service.

 

Not FDIC Insured • May Lose Value • No Bank Guarantee


The Markets in Review

Dear Shareholder,

The last 12 months have been a time of sudden change in global financial markets, as a long period of growth and positive returns was interrupted in early 2020 by the emergence and spread of the coronavirus. For the first part of the reporting period, U.S. equities and bonds both delivered impressive returns, despite fears and doubts about the economy that were ultimately laid to rest with unprecedented monetary stimulus and a sluggish yet resolute performance from the U.S. economy. But as the threat from the coronavirus became more apparent throughout February and March 2020, leading countries around the world took economically disruptive countermeasures, causing equity prices to fall sharply. While markets have since recovered some of these losses as countries around the world begin reopening, there is still significant uncertainty surrounding the course of the pandemic, and an uptick in U.S. infection rates caused concern late in the reporting period.

Returns for most securities were robust for the first part of the reporting period, as investors began to realize that the U.S. economy was maintaining the modest yet steady growth that had characterized this economic cycle. However, once stay-at-home orders and closures of non-essential businesses became widespread, many workers were laid off and unemployment claims spiked. With large portions of the global economy on hold, all types of international equities ended the 12-month reporting period with negative performance, while in the United States large-capitalization stocks, which investors saw as more resilient than smaller companies, delivered solid returns.

The performance of different types of fixed-income securities diverged substantially due to a reduced investor appetite for risk. Treasuries benefited from the risk-off environment, and posted healthy returns, as the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield (which is inversely related to bond prices) fell to an all-time low. Investment-grade corporate bonds also delivered a solid return, while high-yield corporate returns were flat due to credit concerns.

The U.S. Federal Reserve (the “Fed”) reduced interest rates three times in 2019, to support slowing economic growth. After the coronavirus outbreak, the Fed instituted two emergency rate cuts, pushing short-term interest rates close to zero. To stabilize credit markets, the Fed also announced a new bond-buying program, as did several other central banks around the world, including the European Central Bank and the Bank of Japan.

Looking ahead, while coronavirus-related disruption has clearly hindered worldwide economic growth, we believe that the global expansion is likely to continue once the impact of the outbreak subsides. Several risks remain, however, including a potential resurgence of the virus amid loosened restrictions, policy fatigue among governments already deep into deficit spending, and structural damage to the financial system from lengthy economic interruptions.

Overall, we favor a moderately positive stance toward risk, and in particular toward credit given the extraordinary central bank measures taken in recent months. This support extends beyond investment-grade corporates and into high-yield, leading to attractive opportunities throughout the credit market. We believe that both U.S. Treasuries and sustainable investments can help provide portfolio resilience, and the disruption created by the coronavirus appears to be accelerating the shift toward sustainable investments. We remain neutral on equities overall while favoring European stocks, which are poised for a cyclical upside as re-openings continue.

In this environment, our view is that investors need to think globally, extend their scope across a broad array of asset classes, and be nimble as market conditions change. We encourage you to talk with your financial advisor and visit blackrock.com for further insight about investing in today’s markets.

Sincerely,

 

LOGO

Rob Kapito

President, BlackRock Advisors, LLC

LOGO

Rob Kapito

President, BlackRock Advisors, LLC

 

Total Returns as of June 30, 2020
     6-month   12-month

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

  (3.08)%   7.51%

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

  (12.98)   (6.63)

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

  (11.34)   (5.13)

Emerging market equities
(MSCI Emerging Markets Index)

  (9.78)   (3.39)

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

  0.60   1.63

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

  12.68   14.21

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

  6.14   8.74

Tax-exempt municipal bonds
(S&P Municipal Bond Index)

  1.97   4.23

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

  (3.83)   0.00
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Index performance is shown for illustrative purposes only. You cannot invest directly in an index.
 

 

 

2    THIS PAGE IS NOT PART OF YOUR FUND REPORT


Table of Contents

 

      Page  

The Markets in Review

     2  

Annual Report:

  

Fund Summaries

     4  

About Fund Performance

     10  

Disclosure of Expenses

     10  

Derivative Financial Instruments

     10  

Financial Statements:

  

Schedules of Investments

     11  

Statements of Assets and Liabilities

     24  

Statements of Operations

     26  

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

     27  

Financial Highlights

     28  

Notes to Financial Statements

     38  

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

     49  

Important Tax Information

     50  

Disclosure of Investment Advisory Agreements and Sub-Advisory Agreement

     51  

Director and Officer Information

     55  

Additional Information

     59  

Glossary of Terms Used in this Report

     61  

 

 

 

LOGO

 

 

          3  


Fund Summary  as of June 30, 2020    BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc.

 

Investment Objective

BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc.’s (the “Fund”) investment objective is to seek long-term capital appreciation.

Portfolio Management Commentary

How did the Fund perform?

For the 12-month period ended June 30, 2020, the Fund underperformed its benchmark, the MSCI All Country World Index.

What factors influenced performance?

Trade concerns in August, which caused a broad market decline, gave way to a risk-on rally amid excitement for a trade deal between the United States and China. The anticipation of a trade resolution and the actual deal itself supported stocks through mid-February. However, exuberance quickly faded with the global spread of coronavirus leading to a steep market decline. Investor concerns mounted amid broadly enforced economic shutdowns, as expectations of growth and employment were impacted. The selloff in the first quarter of 2020 represented one of the worst quarterly returns for equities on record as volatility hit levels last observed during the global financial crisis. As a result, policy makers stepped in with both fiscal and monetary packages aimed at supporting markets. The Bank of Japan (“BOJ”), as an example, invested in a record level of exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) to help bolster their equity market.

The Fund struggled amid the changing backdrop, with weakness most pronounced across sentiment-based stock selection measures. Specifically, signals capturing informed investor positioning and text analyses of executives and analysts were wrong-footed during the sell-off as investors questioned prior guidance. Within macro thematic signals, a style timing model struggled in March through a preference for dividend yield, which drove positioning within real estate securities. These holdings came under significant pressure as investors weighed the impact of economic closures on their business models. An underweight position in Japan retail stocks, such as autos, detracted as the position moved against the BOJ’s ETF purchases.

While markets recovered over the second quarter of 2020, a sharp reversal in market leadership over May and June negatively impacted Fund performance as concerns around the coronavirus pandemic re-emerged. Amid stronger economic data, investor preference initially shifted to pro-cyclical exposures and away from some of the growth names that led the recovery’s early stages. This evolving re-opening theme was successfully captured by higher frequency sentiment insights leading to a more pro-risk posture in early June. As coronavirus cases increased, however, that positioning gave up some of its gains.

The Fund experienced negative relative performance over the first three quarters of the period, followed by strong positive performance over the second quarter of 2020 that largely offset earlier negative relative performance. Positive contributions late in the period were led by a combination of strong performance from macro thematic and fundamental quality insights. Notably, macro thematic insights were able to generate gains through industry positioning. Industry timing insights performed well during the period as the Fund’s pro-growth posture was largely reflected through sector positioning. Specifically, the Fund maintained preferred long positions across pharmaceutical and software companies driven by trends across inventories, supply chains, and business invoicing.

Strong relative performance over the first half of 2020 was led by a combination of macro thematic and sentiment insights. Notably, macro thematic insights were able to generate gains through a combination of industry insights and regime detection signals that drove a preference for growth over value. While sentiment stock selection measures detracted from relative performance over the first quarter of 2020, these insights delivered persistent gains over the second quarter. Proprietary trend measures capturing company linkages, using alternative data focused on consumer trends, and text analyses to evaluate sell-side analyst comments were the main contributors. Collectively, these measures identified several coronavirus-related themes, including e-commerce, which differentiated winners and losers during earnings season. Faster moving contrarian signals also drove gains amid sharp mean reversion from price dislocations observed through the period. A prior preference for U.S. over Japanese banks was additive as the performance gap quickly closed. Over the first quarter, quality insights focused on company profitability and operational sustainability helped insulate the portfolio over the period of an historical drawdown. Namely, measures such as profitability and operational sustainability insights were some of the best performers.

Describe recent portfolio activity.

The Fund maintained a balanced allocation of risk across all major return drivers over the period. There were, however, several new signals added within the stock selection group of insights over the first half of 2020. These included a new insight that expands upon earlier research for machine-learned signal combination. The new signal uses the full library of the investment adviser’s researched insights, and through machine-learning creates bespoke portfolios of those insights at the individual security level. Additionally, a new insight was added that looks to capture investor positioning with respect to companies on the basis of environmental, social and governance factors. Finally, given the dynamism of the current environment, the Fund has instituted enhanced signal constructs to best identify emerging trends, such as “work from home.”

Describe portfolio positioning at period end.

The Fund continued to favor growth over value. At the sector level, this stance was expressed through a preference for areas such as information technology and health care over materials and financials.

Several bottom-up signals underpinned an increasingly contrarian stance at the stock selection level. Aggregated and anonymized alternative data focused on consumer activity has highlighted several opportunities where the investment adviser believes the market has underestimated the pace at which activity is recovering. This included several names hardest hit by the initial outbreak of the coronavirus in areas such as retail and hotels & leisure, driving a relative overweight to consumer discretionary.

A number of holdings reflect evolving hiring intentions captured through alternative data such as on-line job postings that can provide a strong early indication of a company’s confidence. In terms of country positioning, the Fund had a relatively defensive preference for the United States over Canada based on a mixture of policy support and currency strength. Elsewhere, positioning exhibited a more typical contrarian stance, with a valuation-based preference for France and Spain over Sweden and Germany.

The views expressed reflect the opinions of BlackRock as of the date of this report and are subject to change based on changes in market, economic or other conditions. These views are not intended to be a forecast of future events and are no guarantee of future results.

 

 

4    2020 BLACKROCK ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS


Fund Summary  as of June 30, 2020 (continued)    BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc.

 

TOTAL RETURN BASED ON A $10,000 INVESTMENT

 

LOGO

 

(a)

Assuming maximum sales charge, if any, transaction costs and other operating expenses, including investment advisory fees. Institutional Shares do not have a sales charge.

(b) 

The Fund primarily intends to invest in equity securities or other financial instruments that are components of, or have characteristics similar to, the securities included in the MSCI All Country World Index. The Fund’s returns prior to October 26, 2017 are the returns of the Fund when it followed a different investment objective and different investment strategies under the name “BlackRock Global SmallCap Fund, Inc.”

(c) 

A free float-adjusted market capitalization weighted index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of developed and emerging markets. The index consists of 49 country indexes comprising of 23 developed and 26 emerging market country indexes.

Performance Summary for the Period Ended June 30, 2020

 

                Average Annual Total Returns (a)(b)  
                1 Year           5 Years           10 Years  
     6-Month
Total Returns
           w/o sales
charge
    w/sales
charge
           w/o sales
charge
    w/sales
charge
           w/o sales
charge
    w/sales
charge
 

Institutional

    (6.12 )%        1.08     N/A         4.72     N/A         9.33     N/A  

Investor A

    (6.26       0.84       (4.46 )%        4.40       3.28       8.99       8.41

Investor C

    (6.59       0.11       (0.88       3.60       3.60         8.13       8.13  

Class K

    (6.12       1.13       N/A         4.74       N/A         9.35       N/A  

Class R

    (6.34       0.58       N/A         4.09       N/A         8.61       N/A  

MSCI All Country World Index

    (6.25             2.11       N/A               6.46       N/A               9.16       N/A  

 

  (a) 

Assuming maximum sales charges, if any. Average annual total returns with and without sales charges reflect reductions for distribution and service fees. See “About Fund Performance” on page 10 for a detailed description of share classes, including any related sales charges and fees, and how performance was calculated for certain share classes.

 
  (b) 

The Fund primarily intends to invest in equity securities or other financial instruments that are components of, or have characteristics similar to, the securities included in the MSCI All Country World Index. The Fund’s returns prior to October 26, 2017 are the returns of the Fund when it followed a different investment objective and different investment strategies under the name “BlackRock Global SmallCap Fund, Inc.”

 

N/A — Not applicable as share class and index do not have a sales charge.

Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Performance results may include adjustments made for financial reporting purposes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

Expense Example

 

    Actual           Hypothetical (b)           
     Beginning
Account Value
(01/01/20)
     Ending
Account Value
(06/30/20)
     Expenses
Paid During
the Period
 (a)
           Beginning
Account Value
(01/01/20)
     Ending
Account Value
(06/30/20)
     Expenses
Paid During
the Period
 (a)
       Annualized
Expense
Ratio
 

Institutional

  $ 1,000.00      $ 938.80      $ 3.42       $ 1,000.00      $ 1,021.33      $ 3.57          0.71

Investor A

    1,000.00        937.40        4.62         1,000.00        1,020.09        4.82          0.96  

Investor C

    1,000.00        934.10        8.22         1,000.00        1,016.36        8.57          1.71  

Class K

    1,000.00        938.80        3.18         1,000.00        1,021.58        3.32          0.66  

Class R

    1,000.00        936.60        5.83               1,000.00        1,018.85        6.07          1.21  

 

  (a) 

For each class of the Fund, expenses are equal to the annualized expense ratio for the class, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 182/366 (to reflect the one-half year period shown).

 
  (b) 

Hypothetical 5% annual return before expenses is calculated by prorating the number of days in the most recent fiscal half year divided by 366.

 

See “Disclosure of Expenses” on page 10 for further information on how expenses were calculated.

 

 

FUND SUMMARY      5  


Fund Summary  as of June 30, 2020 (continued)    BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc.

 

Portfolio Information

 

TEN LARGEST HOLDINGS

 

Security   Percent of
Net Assets
 

Microsoft Corp.

    4

Apple, Inc.

    4  

Amazon.com, Inc.

    3  

Nestle SA, Registered Shares

    1  

Alphabet, Inc.

    3  

Home Depot, Inc.

    1  

Tencent Holdings Ltd.

    1  

Adobe, Inc.

    1  

Facebook, Inc.

    1  

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd.

    1  

GEOGRAPHIC ALLOCATION

 

Country/Geographic Region   Percent of
Net Assets
 

United States

    57

Japan

    6  

China

    5  

Switzerland

    4  

France

    3  

United Kingdom

    3  

Germany

    2  

Taiwan

    2  

Australia

    2  

Netherlands

    1  

Canada

    1  

South Korea

    1  

India

    1  

Sweden

    1  

South Africa

    1  

Hong Kong

    1  

Brazil

    1  

Other(a)

    4  

Short-Term Securities

    4  

 

  (a) 

Includes holdings within countries that are 1% or less of net assets. Please refer to the Schedule of Investments for such countries.

 
 

 

 

6    2020 BLACKROCK ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS


Fund Summary  as of June 30, 2020    BlackRock EuroFund

 

Investment Objective

BlackRock EuroFund’s (the “Fund”) investment objective is to seek capital appreciation primarily through investment in equities of corporations domiciled in European countries.

Portfolio Management Commentary

How did the Fund perform?

For the 12-month period ended June 30, 2020, the Fund outperformed its benchmark, the MSCI EMU Index.

What factors influenced performance?

European equities performed well from the beginning of the period until mid-February, reflecting the backdrop of steady global growth and accommodative central bank policies worldwide. The positive environment changed abruptly mid-way through the first quarter of 2020, when the global spread of the coronavirus led to a sharp downturn in equities and other higher-risk assets. While stocks staged an impressive recovery in the second quarter of 2020 due to the aggressive response of world central banks, the benchmark nonetheless finished the full 12-month period in negative territory.

The Fund outpaced the benchmark by a sizable margin, with the largest contribution coming from stock selection. Positioning in information technology was a key contributor to returns, led by an investment in ASML Holding NV. The stock performed well through the disruptions associated with the coronavirus pandemic, as demand for remote connectivity solutions increased.

Holdings in cyclical companies, such as the Denmark-based transport and logistics company DSV Panalpina A/S, were also among the top performers. DSV exceeded profit expectations due in part to its strong management team and impressive execution, and it performed very well following the February — March sell-off due to investors’ anticipation of a recovery in the global economy. Schneider Electric SE, a French-based provider of industrial equipment and sustainable energy technologies, was another contributor of note.

Our position in the Italian financial stock FinecoBank Banca Fineco SpA also performed strongly. The company thrived despite the challenging environment due to its resilient business model and growing brokerage business. A zero weighting to Banco Santander SA (Spain) also aided relative performance.

On the negative side, key detractors included the aerospace companies Safran SA (France), Airbus SE (Netherlands) and MTU Aero Engines AG (Germany), all of which suffered due to the travel bans instituted in many countries. The investment adviser sold the position in Airbus in response to rising short-term risk, but it retained investments in Safran and MTU based on their healthy balance sheets and solid long-term cash flows.

Describe recent portfolio activity.

The Fund increased its weighting in banking stocks in the second half of the period. The investment adviser believed the sector stood to benefit from the combination of substantial government support, banks’ stronger capital positions, and subsidy regimes that allow banks to borrow from the European Central Banks at negative rates.

During the market downturn of early 2020, the investment adviser selectively added positions in certain higher-quality companies where it believed the fundamental investment cases remained intact and where lower valuations presented a compelling entry point. As part of this process, the investment adviser added the elevator and escalator manufacturer Kone Oyj (Finland) and the chipmaker ST Microelectronics NV, both of which had been monitored by the Fund to identify attractive buy points. The investment adviser believed both companies, while vulnerable to near-term disruptions, would be positioned to recover from the crisis due to their robust competitive positions and operations in growing end markets.

Describe portfolio positioning at period end.

The Fund had a pro-cyclical bias, with overweights in industrials, information technology, financials and real estate. The Fund had a neutral weighting in materials and was underweight in consumer staples, communication, utilities, energy, health care and consumer discretionary.

The views expressed reflect the opinions of BlackRock as of the date of this report and are subject to change based on changes in market, economic or other conditions. These views are not intended to be a forecast of future events and are no guarantee of future results.

 

 

FUND SUMMARY      7  


Fund Summary  as of June 30, 2020 (continued)    BlackRock EuroFund

 

TOTAL RETURN BASED ON A $10,000 INVESTMENT

 

LOGO

 

(a) 

Assuming maximum sales charge, if any, transaction costs and other operating expenses, including investment advisory fees. Institutional Shares do not have a sales charge.

(b) 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities, including common stock and convertible securities, of companies located in Europe. The Fund currently expects that a majority of the Fund’s assets will be invested in equity securities of companies located in countries participating in the European Monetary Union (the ‘‘Eurozone’’). The Fund’s total returns prior to October 23, 2018, are the returns of the Fund when it followed different investment strategies.

(c) 

MSCI EMU Index captures large and mid-cap representation across the 10 Developed Markets countries in the European Economic and Monetary Union (“EMU”). With 247 constituents, the MSCI EMU Index covers approximately 85% of the free float-adjusted market capitalization of the EMU.

Performance Summary for the Period Ended June 30, 2020

 

                Average Annual Total Returns (a)(b)  
                1 Year           5 Years           10 Years  
     6-Month
Total Returns
           w/o sales
charge
    w/sales
charge
           w/o sales
charge
    w/sales
charge
           w/o sales
charge
    w/sales
charge
 

Institutional

    (5.23 )%        (0.17 )%      N/A         0.05     N/A         5.25     N/A  

Investor A

    (5.26       (0.30     (5.54 )%        (0.16     (1.23 )%        5.04       4.48

Investor C

    (5.65       (1.12     (2.11       (0.95     (0.95       4.18       4.18  

Class K

    (5.12       0.03       N/A         0.13       N/A         5.30       N/A  

Class R

    (5.43       (0.76     N/A         (0.66     N/A         4.50       N/A  

MSCI EMU Index

    (12.32             (6.85     N/A               2.03       N/A               5.18       N/A  

 

  (a) 

Assuming maximum sales charges, if any. Average annual total returns with and without sales charges reflect reductions for distribution and service fees. See “About Fund Performance” on page 10 for a detailed description of share classes, including any related sales charges and fees, and how performance was calculated for certain share classes.

 
  (b) 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities, including common stock and convertible securities, of companies located in Europe. The Fund currently expects that a majority of the Fund’s assets will be invested in equity securities of companies located in countries participating in the European Monetary Union (the ‘‘Eurozone’’). The Fund’s total returns prior to October 23, 2018, are the returns of the Fund when it followed different investment strategies.

 

N/A — Not applicable as share class and index do not have a sales charge.

Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Performance results may include adjustments made for financial reporting purposes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

Expense Example

 

    Actual           Hypothetical (b)           
     Beginning
Account Value
(01/01/20)
     Ending
Account Value
(06/30/20)
     Expenses
Paid During
the Period
 (a)
           Beginning
Account Value
(01/01/20)
     Ending
Account Value
(06/30/20)
     Expenses
Paid During
the Period
 (a)
       Annualized
Expense Ratio
 

Institutional

  $ 1,000.00      $ 947.70      $ 5.47       $ 1,000.00      $ 1,019.24      $ 5.67          1.13

Investor A

    1,000.00        947.40        6.25         1,000.00        1,018.45        6.47          1.29  

Investor C

    1,000.00        943.50        10.05         1,000.00        1,014.52        10.42          2.08  

Class K

    1,000.00        948.80        4.65         1,000.00        1,020.09        4.82          0.96  

Class R

    1,000.00        945.70        7.89               1,000.00        1,016.76        8.17          1.63  

 

  (a) 

For each class of the Fund, expenses are equal to the annualized expense ratio for the class, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 182/366 (to reflect the one-half year period shown).

 
  (b) 

Hypothetical 5% annual return before expenses is calculated by prorating the number of days in the most recent fiscal half year divided by 366.

 

See “Disclosure of Expenses” on page 10 for further information on how expenses were calculated.

 

 

8    2020 BLACKROCK ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS


Fund Summary  as of June 30, 2020 (continued)    BlackRock EuroFund

 

Portfolio Information

 

TEN LARGEST HOLDINGS

 

Security   Percent of
Net Assets
 

ASML Holding NV

    6

LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE

    6  

SAP SE

    5  

Sanofi

    5  

Schneider Electric SE

    5  

Allianz SE, Registered Shares

    4  

BNP Paribas SA

    4  

Kering SA

    3  

FinecoBank Banca Fineco SpA

    3  

DSV Panalpina AS

    3  

GEOGRAPHIC ALLOCATION

 

Country/Geographic Region   Percent of
Net Assets
 

France

    36

Germany

    22  

Netherlands

    12  

Italy

    8  

United Kingdom

    5  

Finland

    4  

Switzerland

    4  

Denmark

    3  

Spain

    2  

Belgium

    2  

Ireland

    1  

United States

    1  

Europe

    (a) 

Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets

    (a) 

 

  (a)

Represents less than 1%.

 
 

 

 

FUND SUMMARY      9  


About Fund Performance

 

Institutional Shares and Class K Shares are not subject to any sales charge. These shares bear no ongoing distribution or service fees and are available only to certain eligible investors. Class K Shares performance shown prior to the Class K Shares inception date of January 25, 2018 is that of Institutional Shares. The performance of each Fund’s Class K Shares would be substantially similar to Institutional Shares because Class K Shares and Institutional Shares invest in the same portfolio of securities and performance would only differ to the extent that Class K Shares and Institutional Shares have different expenses. The actual returns of Class K Shares would have been higher than those of the Institutional Shares because Class K Shares have lower expenses than the Institutional Shares.

Investor A Shares are subject to a maximum initial sales charge (front-end load) of 5.25% and a service fee of 0.25% per year (but no distribution fee). Certain redemptions of these shares may be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) where no initial sales charge was paid at the time of purchase. These shares are generally available through financial intermediaries.

Investor C Shares are subject to a 1.00% CDSC if redeemed within one year of purchase. In addition, these shares are subject to a distribution fee of 0.75% per year and a service fee of 0.25% per year. These shares are generally available through financial intermediaries. These shares automatically convert to Investor A Shares after approximately ten years.

Class R Shares are not subject to any sales charge. These shares are subject to a distribution fee of 0.25% per year and a service fee of 0.25% per year. These shares are available only to certain employer-sponsored retirement plans.

Performance information reflects past performance and does not guarantee future results. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. Refer to blackrock.com to obtain performance data current to the most recent month-end. Performance results do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares. Figures shown in the performance tables on the previous pages assume reinvestment of all distributions, if any, at net asset value (‘‘NAV’’) on the ex-dividend date or payable date, as applicable. Investment return and principal value of shares will fluctuate so that shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Distributions paid to each class of shares will vary because of the different levels of service, distribution and transfer agency fees applicable to each class, which are deducted from the income available to be paid to shareholders.

BlackRock Advisors, LLC (the “Manager”), each Fund’s investment adviser, has contractually and/or voluntarily agreed to waive and/or reimburse a portion of each Fund’s expenses. Without such waiver and/or reimbursement, each Fund’s performance would have been lower. With respect to each Fund’s voluntary waiver, the Manager is under no obligation to waive and/or reimburse or to continue waiving and/or reimbursing its fees and such voluntary waiver may be reduced or discontinued at any time. With respect to each Fund’s contractual waiver, the Manager is under no obligation to continue waiving and/or reimbursing its fees after the applicable termination date of such agreement. See Note 6 of the Notes to Financial Statements for additional information on waivers and/or reimbursements.

Disclosure of Expenses

Shareholders of each Fund may incur the following charges: (a) transactional expenses, such as sales charges; and (b) operating expenses, including investment advisory fees, service and distribution fees, including 12b-1 fees, acquired fund fees and expenses, and other fund expenses. The expense examples shown on the previous pages (which are based on a hypothetical investment of $1,000 invested on January 1, 2020 and held through June 30, 2020) 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 mutual funds.

The expense examples provide information about actual account values and actual expenses. 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 corresponding to their Fund and share class 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 these Funds and other funds, compare the 5% hypothetical examples with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in shareholder reports of other funds.

The expenses shown in the expense examples are intended to highlight shareholders’ ongoing costs only and do not reflect transactional expenses, such as sales charges, if any. 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.

Derivative Financial Instruments

The Funds may invest in various derivative financial instruments. These instruments are used to obtain exposure to a security, commodity, index, market, and/or other assets without owning or taking physical custody of securities, commodities and/or other referenced assets or to manage market, equity, credit, interest rate, foreign currency exchange rate, commodity and/or other risks. Derivative financial instruments may give rise to a form of economic leverage and involve risks, including the imperfect correlation between the value of a derivative financial instrument and the underlying asset, possible default of the counterparty to the transaction or illiquidity of the instrument. The Funds’ successful use of a derivative financial instrument depends on the investment adviser’s ability to predict pertinent market movements accurately, which cannot be assured. The use of these instruments may result in losses greater than if they had not been used, may limit the amount of appreciation a Fund can realize on an investment and/or may result in lower distributions paid to shareholders. The Funds’ investments in these instruments, if any, are discussed in detail in the Notes to Financial Statements.

 

 

10    2020 BLACKROCK ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS


Schedule of Investments

June 30, 2020

  

BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc.

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  

Common Stocks — 96.4%

 

Australia — 1.7%

 

ALS Ltd.

    32,773     $ 149,649  

Alumina Ltd.

    13,459       15,340  

AngloGold Ashanti Ltd.

    742       21,831  

Ansell Ltd.

    11,544       293,448  

Aristocrat Leisure Ltd.

    71,145       1,273,958  

ASX Ltd.

    511       30,373  

Atlas Arteria Ltd.

    7,394       34,146  

Bendigo & Adelaide Bank Ltd.

    18,907       92,336  

BHP Group Ltd.

    13,020       324,170  

Brambles Ltd.

    32,670       247,717  

Cochlear Ltd.

    571       74,966  

CSL Ltd.

    7,126       1,417,283  

Downer EDI Ltd.

    3,875       11,861  

GPT Group

    176,219       511,936  

Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd.

    61,089       150,174  

IDP Education Ltd.

    14,214       154,045  

IGO Ltd.

    5,534       18,882  

Insurance Australia Group Ltd.

    4,675       18,762  

Lendlease Group

    5,002       43,233  

Mirvac Group

    126,787       191,525  

Northern Star Resources Ltd.

    5,004       47,193  

OZ Minerals Ltd.

    3,447       26,485  

Perpetual Ltd.

    785       16,234  

Scentre Group

    193,510       293,776  

Sonic Healthcare Ltd.

    1,068       22,553  

Spark Infrastructure Group

    9,713       14,507  

Stockland

    49,382       114,507  

Tabcorp Holdings Ltd.

    36,025       84,971  

Treasury Wine Estates Ltd.

    12,605       91,712  

Vicinity Centres

    173,183       173,582  

Woodside Petroleum Ltd.

    27,858       421,009  

Worley Ltd.

    5,786       35,403  
   

 

 

 
      6,417,567  
Austria — 0.1%  

ams AG(a)

    2,937       43,786  

OMV AG

    7,889       266,205  

Vienna Insurance Group AG Wiener Versicherung Gruppe

    1,168       26,190  
   

 

 

 
      336,181  
Belgium — 0.1%  

Cofinimmo SA

    235       32,408  

Groupe Bruxelles Lambert SA

    5,767       483,044  
   

 

 

 
      515,452  
Brazil — 0.4%  

Ambev SA

    11,072       28,789  

B3 SA — Brasil Bolsa Balcao

    4,800       48,626  

Cia de Locacao das Americas

    4,000       12,453  

Cia. Hering

    5,552       14,620  

Cosan Ltd., Class A

    1,156       17,409  

CPFL Energia SA

    3,200       18,042  

Duratex SA

    4,300       10,169  

EDP — Energias do Brasil SA

    8,100       25,947  

Embraer SA(a)

    16,539       24,604  

Energisa SA

    2,300       20,724  

Lojas Renner SA

    4,560       35,051  

Petroleo Brasileiro SA

    19,753       81,146  

Porto Seguro SA

    11,122       103,119  

Ultrapar Participacoes SA

    48,882       165,214  

WEG SA

    25,940       241,412  

Wheaton Precious Metals Corp.

    12,662       556,900  

XP, Inc., Class A(a)

    1,043       43,816  
   

 

 

 
      1,448,041  
Security   Shares     Value  
Canada — 1.5%  

Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd.

    977     $ 62,559  

Allied Properties Real Estate Investment Trust

    1,929       58,200  

Bank of Montreal

    28,113       1,496,350  

Boyd Group Services, Inc.

    98       14,587  

CAE, Inc.

    6,887       111,706  

Canadian Apartment Properties REIT

    5,878       210,380  

CCL Industries, Inc., Class B

    5,449       176,121  

CGI, Inc.(a)

    1,580       99,541  

Dollarama, Inc.

    479       15,934  

Franco-Nevada Corp.

    3,126       436,687  

Great-West Lifeco, Inc.

    9,505       166,631  

Hydro One Ltd.(b)

    7,852       147,659  

Kinaxis, Inc.(a)

    193       27,588  

Manulife Financial Corp.

    20,278       275,880  

Metro, Inc.

    2,137       88,150  

Novagold Resources, Inc.(a)

    2,684       24,614  

Onex Corp.

    2,113       95,455  

Rogers Communications, Inc., Class B

    6,136       246,552  

Royal Bank of Canada

    781       52,989  

Shopify, Inc., Class A(a)

    402       381,915  

SNC-Lavalin Group, Inc.

    1,004       16,943  

TFI International, Inc.

    7,898       280,351  

Toromont Industries Ltd.

    309       15,334  

Toronto-Dominion Bank

    22,311       995,745  

West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd.

    465       16,345  
   

 

 

 
      5,514,216  
China — 5.4%  

3SBio, Inc.(a)(b)

    16,000       20,365  

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. — ADR(a)

    14,772       3,186,320  

Angang Steel Co. Ltd., Class H

    39,000       9,592  

Anhui Conch Cement Co. Ltd., Class A

    2,200       16,556  

Anhui Conch Cement Co. Ltd., Class H

    8,500       57,597  

BAIC Motor Corp. Ltd., Class H(b)

    81,000       35,448  

Bank of China Ltd., Class H

    509,000       188,550  

Bank of Communications Co. Ltd., Class H

    164,000       101,544  

BBMG Corp., Class H

    100,000       19,612  

Beijing Enterprises Holdings Ltd.

    3,000       10,074  

BOC Hong Kong Holdings Ltd.

    159,000       509,101  

BYD Co. Ltd., Class A

    9,839       100,700  

CanSino Biologics, Inc., Class A(a)(b)

    13,000       357,959  

China Everbright Bank Co. Ltd., Class A

    167,400       84,945  

China Hongqiao Group Ltd.

    65,500       29,166  

China Life Insurance Co. Ltd., Class H

    284,000       573,045  

China Minsheng Banking Corp. Ltd., Class A

    69,600       55,930  

China Mobile Ltd.

    70,000       472,644  

China Pacific Insurance Group Co. Ltd., Class H

    23,200       62,354  

China Petroleum & Chemical Corp., Class H

    364,000       152,246  

China Railway Signal & Communication Corp. Ltd.,
Class H(b)

    82,000       35,412  

China Reinsurance Group Corp., Class H

    397,000       40,673  

China Telecom Corp. Ltd., Class H

    36,000       10,112  

China Unicom Hong Kong Ltd.

    718,000       390,661  

Chongqing Zhifei Biological Products Co. Ltd., Class A

    26,700       377,631  

CNOOC Ltd.

    1,158,000       1,299,655  

CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Ltd.

    40,800       77,271  

Dali Foods Group Co. Ltd.(b)

    89,000       54,243  

Datang International Power Generation Co. Ltd., Class H

    242,000       31,638  

Dongfang Electric Corp. Ltd., Class A

    21,000       26,377  

Dongfeng Motor Group Co. Ltd., Class H

    32,000       19,299  

Foshan Haitian Flavouring & Food Co. Ltd., Class A

    2,520       44,409  

Guangzhou Baiyunshan Pharmaceutical Holdings Co. Ltd., Class H

    22,000       55,566  

Guotai Junan Securities Co. Ltd., Class H(b)

    93,200       129,613  

Huadian Power International Corp. Ltd., Class H

    120,000       34,680  
 

 

 

SCHEDULES OF INVESTMENTS      11  


Schedule of Investments  (continued)

June 30, 2020

  

BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc.

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
China (continued)  

Hualan Biological Engineering, Inc., Class A

    54,100     $ 384,400  

Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd., Class H

    127,000       76,780  

Industrial Bank Co. Ltd., Class A

    55,372       124,018  

JD.com, Inc. — ADR(a)

    18,465       1,111,224  

Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine Co. Ltd., Class A

    9,840       128,662  

Kaisa Group Holdings Ltd.(a)

    57,000       21,702  

KWG Group Holdings Ltd.(a)

    30,000       50,972  

Legend Holdings Corp., Class H(b)

    22,100       25,917  

Lenovo Group Ltd.

    148,000       82,575  

Li Ning Co. Ltd.

    39,000       124,895  

Logan Group Co. Ltd.

    52,000       92,904  

Luxshare Precision Industry Co. Ltd., Class A

    43,648       319,284  

Meituan Dianping, Class B(a)

    7,400       165,363  

Metallurgical Corp. of China Ltd., Class H

    343,000       54,740  

MMG Ltd.(a)

    48,000       10,030  

NetEase, Inc. — ADR

    556       238,735  

New China Life Insurance Co. Ltd., Class H

    4,700       15,850  

New Oriental Education & Technology Group, Inc. — ADR(a)

    2,143       279,083  

Nexteer Automotive Group Ltd.

    23,000       15,939  

NIO, Inc., ADR(a)

    10,526       81,261  

Oppein Home Group, Inc., Class A

    2,200       36,172  

PetroChina Co. Ltd., Class H

    1,770,000       591,871  

Pinduoduo, Inc., ADR(a)

    1,878       161,208  

Ping An Insurance Group Co. of China Ltd., Class H

    5,000       49,845  

Postal Savings Bank of China Co. Ltd., Class H(b)

    232,000       133,683  

Prosus NV(a)

    5,871       545,758  

Q Technology Group Co. Ltd.

    10,000       13,172  

S/F Holding Co. Ltd., Class A

    54,400       421,611  

Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd., Class A

    75,900       362,953  

Shenzhen Investment Ltd.

    76,000       24,195  

Shenzhen Kangtai Biological Products Co. Ltd., Class A

    16,700       383,137  

Shui On Land Ltd.

    75,000       12,646  

Sinopec Engineering Group Co. Ltd., Class H

    41,500       17,819  

Sinotruk Hong Kong Ltd.

    26,000       67,853  

Sunny Optical Technology Group Co. Ltd.

    9,600       154,507  

Tencent Holdings Ltd.

    68,500       4,389,334  

Towngas China Co. Ltd.(a)

    27,000       12,246  

Uni-President China Holdings Ltd.

    42,000       42,013  

Vipshop Holdings Ltd. — ADR(a)

    2,099       41,791  

WuXi AppTec Co. Ltd., Class A

    6,200       84,729  

WuXi AppTec Co. Ltd., Class H(b)

    1,680       21,940  

Wuxi Biologics Cayman, Inc.(a)(b)

    6,500       119,311  

Xiaomi Corp., Class B(a)(b)

    158,400       263,221  

Yihai International Holding Ltd.(a)

    3,000       30,915  

Yuexiu Property Co. Ltd.

    118,000       21,165  

Yuzhou Properties Co. Ltd.

    39,000       16,991  
   

 

 

 
      20,095,408  
Czech Republic — 0.0%  

CEZ AS

    4,099       87,769  
   

 

 

 
Denmark — 0.4%  

Chr Hansen Holding A/S

    2,027       209,076  

Novo Nordisk A/S, Class B

    20,536       1,337,874  

Novozymes A/S, Class B

    534       30,959  
   

 

 

 
      1,577,909  
Finland — 0.1%  

Konecranes OYJ

    1,075       24,394  

UPM-Kymmene OYJ

    4,398       127,387  

Valmet OYJ

    727       19,055  

Wartsila OYJ Abp

    40,881       339,110  
   

 

 

 
      509,946  
Security   Shares     Value  
France — 3.6%  

Airbus SE(a)

    1,562     $ 111,923  

AXA SA

    15,213       320,126  

Bouygues SA(a)

    1,730       59,260  

Bureau Veritas SA(a)

    786       16,671  

Carrefour SA

    15,315       237,506  

Christian Dior SE

    2,527       1,075,172  

CNP Assurances(a)

    2,012       23,336  

Danone SA

    11,220       778,815  

Dassault Systemes SE

    94       16,318  

Engie SA(a)

    68,101       844,583  

EssilorLuxottica SA(a)

    134       17,234  

Eutelsat Communications SA

    1,960       18,131  

Gaztransport Et Technigaz SA

    563       43,203  

Gecina SA

    1,437       177,480  

Hermes International

    659       553,301  

Kering SA

    196       107,157  

L’Oreal SA(a)

    10,619       3,427,243  

Legrand SA

    1,782       135,401  

LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE

    3,274       1,445,454  

Natixis SA(a)

    7,299       19,251  

Orange SA

    26,357       315,176  

Pernod Ricard SA

    9,757       1,536,399  

Peugeot SA(a)

    4,421       72,501  

Renault SA(a)

    519       13,283  

Rexel SA

    10,207       116,984  

Rubis SCA

    942       45,415  

Sanofi

    8,565       873,498  

Sartorius Stedim Biotech

    216       54,764  

Schneider Electric SE

    191       21,246  

SCOR SE(a)

    1,209       33,390  

Societe Generale SA(a)

    10,535       176,142  

Sodexo SA

    3,442       233,395  

Teleperformance

    485       123,521  

UbiSoft Entertainment SA(a)

    457       37,844  

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield

    3,348       188,716  

Worldline SA(a)(b)

    2,484       216,579  
   

 

 

 
      13,486,418  
Germany — 2.2%  

Beiersdorf AG

    15,747       1,790,657  

Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Bearer Shares(a)

    789       76,827  

Delivery Hero SE(a)(b)

    1,573       161,653  

Deutsche Boerse AG

    16,840       3,047,648  

GRENKE AG

    286       22,185  

Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA

    377       15,487  

Hochtief AG

    666       59,260  

Jenoptik AG

    4       93  

Knorr-Bremse AG

    246       24,965  

LEG Immobilien AG

    613       77,750  

Merck KGaA

    13,169       1,533,501  

SAP SE

    5,025       702,442  

Symrise AG

    3,379       394,825  

Telefonica Deutschland Holding AG

    61,679       181,903  

TUI AG(d)

    7       33  

Uniper SE

    1,513       48,823  
   

 

 

 
      8,138,052  
Hong Kong — 0.7%  

AIA Group Ltd.

    44,400       415,477  

Alibaba Pictures Group Ltd.(a)

    210,000       28,114  

CK Asset Holdings Ltd.

    332       1,991  

CLP Holdings Ltd.

    39,000       383,028  

Henderson Land Development Co. Ltd.

    63,000       240,263  

HKT Trust & HKT Ltd.

    11,000       16,142  

Hong Kong & China Gas Co. Ltd.

    40,950       63,643  
 

 

 

12    2020 BLACKROCK ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS


Schedule of Investments  (continued)

June 30, 2020

  

BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc.

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
Hong Kong (continued)  

Hongkong Land Holdings Ltd.

    61,600     $ 256,227  

Hysan Development Co. Ltd.

    12,000       38,739  

Kingboard Laminates Holdings Ltd.

    29,500       29,813  

Link REIT

    91,800       753,693  

Swire Pacific Ltd., Class A

    18,000       95,666  

Swire Properties Ltd.

    45,800       116,935  

Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd.

    22,000       217,680  
   

 

 

 
      2,657,411  
Hungary — 0.2%  

MOL Hungarian Oil & Gas PLC(a)

    86,023       508,579  

OTP Bank Nyrt(a)

    9,845       346,104  
   

 

 

 
      854,683  
India — 0.8%  

Asian Paints Ltd.

    10,483       234,370  

Aurobindo Pharma Ltd.

    7,994       81,693  

Axis Bank Ltd.

    7,521       40,687  

Bharat Forge Ltd.

    6,014       25,435  

Bharti Airtel Ltd.(a)

    4,864       36,125  

Century Textiles & Industries Ltd.

    1,239       4,859  

Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd.

    608       31,847  

Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

    3,939       23,509  

HCL Technologies Ltd.

    18,076       133,399  

HDFC Bank Ltd.

    22,336       313,944  

HDFC Life Insurance Co. Ltd.(a)(b)

    18,923       138,216  

Hexaware Technologies Ltd.

    3,256       14,389  

Hindalco Industries Ltd.

    15,879       31,095  

Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd.

    7,395       21,286  

Hindustan Unilever Ltd.

    12,422       359,129  

Housing Development Finance Corp. Ltd.

    19,279       448,278  

ICICI Bank Ltd.

    3,813       17,777  

Indiabulls Housing Finance Ltd.

    9,653       26,471  

Infosys Ltd.

    28,393       276,000  

ITC Ltd.

    17,648       45,569  

Jindal Steel & Power Ltd.(a)

    15,033       32,700  

Jubilant Life Sciences Ltd.

    1,486       12,973  

KEC International Ltd.

    2,445       8,786  

Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd.

    9,069       163,695  

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.

    7,717       52,381  

Mphasis Ltd.

    1,076       12,554  

National Aluminium Co. Ltd.

    18,292       7,771  

Nestle India Ltd.

    263       59,715  

Petronet LNG Ltd.

    9,296       31,813  

Pidilite Industries Ltd.

    4,792       87,082  

Reliance Industries Ltd.

    4,086       92,942  

Steel Authority of India, Ltd.

    23,903       9,755  

Tech Mahindra Ltd.

    3,267       23,506  
   

 

 

 
      2,899,751  
Indonesia — 0.1%  

Bank Central Asia Tbk PT

    148,700       297,519  

Bank Mandiri Persero Tbk PT

    208,900       72,536  

Bank Negara Indonesia Persero Tbk PT

    52,100       16,834  
   

 

 

 
      386,889  
Ireland — 0.1%  

AerCap Holdings NV(a)

    349       10,749  

ICON PLC(a)

    105       17,688  

Kingspan Group PLC(a)

    1,756       113,361  

Smurfit Kappa Group PLC

    2,295       77,125  
   

 

 

 
      218,923  
Israel — 0.1%  

Bank Leumi Le-Israel BM

    8       40  

Wix.com Ltd.(a)

    1,487       380,999  
   

 

 

 
      381,039  
Security   Shares     Value  
Italy — 0.4%  

Amplifon SpA(a)

    5,451     $ 145,623  

Assicurazioni Generali SpA

    48,287       733,492  

Banca Mediolanum SpA

    2,348       16,898  

Ferrari NV

    2,552       437,145  

Hera SpA

    4,694       17,625  

Interpump Group SpA

    1,103       32,885  

Italgas SpA

    3,152       18,343  

Terna Rete Elettrica Nazionale SpA

    2,149       14,823  
   

 

 

 
      1,416,834  
Japan — 5.8%  

Alps Alpine Co. Ltd.

    4,700       60,579  

Asahi Group Holdings Ltd.

    2,700       94,830  

Asahi Kasei Corp.

    21,800       178,450  

Astellas Pharma, Inc.

    9,300       155,306  

Bridgestone Corp.

    1,600       51,641  

Canon, Inc.

    25,700       512,664  

Central Japan Railway Co.

    1,700       262,919  

Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.

    12,000       642,479  

Citizen Watch Co. Ltd.

    4,900       15,973  

COMSYS Holdings Corp.

    700       20,759  

Dai Nippon Printing Co. Ltd.

    3,100       71,270  

Dai-ichi Life Holdings, Inc.

    31,100       372,267  

Daito Trust Construction Co. Ltd.

    1,600       147,458  

Daiwa House Industry Co. Ltd.

    7,700       181,835  

Denso Corp.

    8,700       341,188  

Dentsu Group Inc.

    2,500       59,304  

DIC Corp.

    700       17,619  

East Japan Railway Co.

    17,300       1,198,808  

Eisai Co. Ltd.

    2,200       174,788  

Electric Power Development Co. Ltd.

    1,600       30,330  

ENEOS Holdings, Inc.

    330,800       1,179,158  

FamilyMart Co. Ltd.

    1,000       17,168  

Fuji Media Holdings, Inc.

    3,000       29,001  

FUJIFILM Holdings Corp.

    10,200       436,577  

House Foods Group, Inc.

    400       12,929  

Inpex Corp.

    25,900       161,726  

Izumi Co. Ltd.

    500       15,850  

J. Front Retailing Co. Ltd.

    2,500       16,725  

Japan Exchange Group, Inc.

    5,100       118,116  

Japan Post Holdings Co. Ltd.

    44,300       316,155  

Japan Post Insurance Co. Ltd.

    11,800       155,481  

Japan Tobacco, Inc.

    13,600       252,589  

Kajima Corp.

    37,000       442,404  

Kaneka Corp.

    1,400       36,437  

Kao Corp.

    8,900       706,285  

KDDI Corp.

    35,300       1,053,251  

Kewpie Corp.

    1,000       18,844  

Keyence Corp.

    2,600       1,089,560  

Kirin Holdings Co. Ltd.

    8,500       179,178  

Konica Minolta, Inc.

    35,700       124,151  

Kyocera Corp.

    7,500       409,384  

Lintec Corp.

    700       16,683  

Matsumotokiyoshi Holdings Co. Ltd.

    500       18,169  

Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corp.

    69,500       405,301  

Mitsubishi Motors Corp.

    21,300       52,791  

Murata Manufacturing Co. Ltd.

    1,700       100,212  

Nihon Unisys Ltd.

    600       18,865  

Nikon Corp.

    6,200       52,070  

Nintendo Co. Ltd.

    1,400       625,896  

Nippon Shokubai Co. Ltd.

    700       36,692  

Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp.

    2,700       62,908  

Nippon Television Holdings, Inc.

    1,500       16,246  

Nitori Holdings Co. Ltd.

    3,300       647,028  

Nitto Denko Corp.

    8,600       487,535  
 

 

 

SCHEDULES OF INVESTMENTS      13  


Schedule of Investments  (continued)

June 30, 2020

  

BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc.

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
Japan (continued)  

NTT DOCOMO, Inc.

    3,200     $ 84,954  

Oji Holdings Corp.

    8,600       40,122  

Osaka Gas Co. Ltd.

    900       17,790  

Otsuka Holdings Co. Ltd.

    3,600       156,895  

Pola Orbis Holdings, Inc.

    17,400       303,779  

Recruit Holdings Co. Ltd.

    7,500       257,926  

Rohm Co. Ltd.

    300       19,947  

Ryohin Keikaku Co. Ltd.

    7,200       102,409  

Sanwa Holdings Corp.

    1,400       12,581  

Seiko Epson Corp.

    3,200       36,658  

Sekisui House Ltd.

    3,500       66,823  

Seria Co. Ltd.

    800       28,533  

Seven & i Holdings Co. Ltd.

    12,300       402,376  

Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd.

    1,000       117,362  

Shionogi & Co. Ltd.

    1,500       94,100  

Shiseido Co. Ltd.

    1,000       63,721  

Softbank Corp.

    30,400       387,486  

Sony Corp.

    7,800       538,435  

Sumitomo Chemical Co. Ltd.

    70,900       213,324  

Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings, Inc.

    2,300       64,815  

Sundrug Co. Ltd.

    2,900       95,978  

Suntory Beverage & Food Ltd.

    1,000       39,018  

Sysmex Corp.

    2,700       207,257  

T&D Holdings, Inc.

    34,200       293,751  

Taisei Corp.

    10,900       397,263  

Taisho Pharmaceutical Holdings Co. Ltd.

    300       18,410  

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.

    21,400       768,858  

Teijin Ltd.

    22,200       353,460  

Tokyo Electron Ltd.

    3,800       937,626  

Ube Industries Ltd.

    18,900       325,733  

Ulvac, Inc.

    1,800       52,257  

Unicharm Corp.

    12,700       520,859  

West Japan Railway Co.

    1,100       61,698  

Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd.

    15,400       242,549  

Z Holdings Corp.

    16,500       80,977  

Zeon Corp.

    9,200       84,962  
   

 

 

 
      21,392,524  
Jordan — 0.0%  

Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC

    2,019       55,404  
   

 

 

 
Luxembourg — 0.1%  

Aperam SA

    1,546       43,341  

ArcelorMittal SA(a)

    4,927       52,186  

Reinet Investments SCA

    1,326       23,274  

RTL Group SA

    963       30,896  

Tenaris SA

    11,795       76,651  
   

 

 

 
      226,348  
Malaysia — 0.1%  

Hartalega Holdings Bhd

    18,100       55,211  

Public Bank Bhd

    42,400       163,722  

QL Resources Bhd

    12,500       27,994  

Supermax Corp. BHD(a)

    16,700       31,354  

Tenaga Nasional Bhd

    19,800       53,839  
   

 

 

 
      332,120  
Mexico — 0.3%  

America Movil SAB de CV, Series L

    1,133,645       727,502  

Cemex SAB de CV CPO

    323,810       91,291  

Fomento Economico Mexicano SAB de CV

    5,102       31,629  

Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico SAB de CV, Class B

    1,400       10,067  

Grupo Financiero Banorte SAB de CV, Series O

    6,378       22,122  

Megacable Holdings SAB de CV CPO

    6,900       20,195  

Orbia Advance Corp. SAB de CV

    12,300       18,184  
   

 

 

 
      920,990  
Security   Shares     Value  
Netherlands — 1.6%  

ABN AMRO Bank NV CVA(b)

    33,816     $ 291,008  

Akzo Nobel NV

    10,648       956,623  

Euronext NV(b)

    1,062       106,895  

EXOR NV

    2,067       118,640  

Heineken NV

    2,416       222,742  

Just Eat Takeaway.com NV(a)(b)

    3,369       352,144  

Koninklijke DSM NV

    6,153       854,147  

Koninklijke KPN NV

    26,746       71,142  

Koninklijke Philips NV(a)

    18,983       885,513  

Koninklijke Vopak NV

    1,626       86,006  

NXP Semiconductors NV

    2,089       238,230  

Royal Dutch Shell PLC, Class A

    31,749       508,342  

Royal Dutch Shell PLC, Class B

    22,225       336,938  

Signify NV(a)(b)

    702       18,048  

Wereldhave NV

    1       9  

Wolters Kluwer NV

    10,534       822,765  
   

 

 

 
      5,869,192  
New Zealand — 0.0%  

a2 Milk Co. Ltd.(a)

    4,397       57,002  

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corp. Ltd.

    4,467       102,905  
   

 

 

 
      159,907  
Norway — 0.3%  

Orkla ASA

    26,895       236,127  

Telenor ASA

    57,056       833,067  
   

 

 

 
      1,069,194  
Peru — 0.0%  

Southern Copper Corp.

    1,032       41,043  
   

 

 

 
Poland — 0.2%  

Bank Polska Kasa Opieki SA

    8,716       119,427  

Grupa Lotos SA

    4,354       66,369  

PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna SA(a)

    17,114       29,925  

Polski Koncern Naftowy ORLEN SA

    37,031       588,479  

Powszechna Kasa Oszczednosci Bank Polski SA

    8,547       49,771  
   

 

 

 
      853,971  
Portugal — 0.1%  

Galp Energia SGPS SA

    16,042       186,087  
   

 

 

 
Puerto Rico — 0.0%  

Popular, Inc.

    445       16,541  
   

 

 

 
Russia — 0.2%  

Inter RAO UES PJSC

    386,000       26,450  

Lukoil PJSC

    3,211       239,433  

Magnit PJSC — GDR

    3,609       46,932  

Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works PJSC

    28,400       14,806  

MMC Norilsk Nickel PJSC

    482       127,062  

Mobile TeleSystems PJSC — ADR

    4,094       37,624  

Novatek PJSC — GDR

    759       107,582  

PhosAgro PJSC, -GDR

    1,139       14,067  

Severstal PJSC

    2,180       26,539  

Surgutneftegas PJSC

    57,305       31,097  

Tatneft PJSC

    10,670       83,448  
   

 

 

 
      755,040  
Singapore — 0.2%  

Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp. Ltd.

    24,100       157,079  

Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd.

    40,400       96,424  

Singapore Telecommunications Ltd.

    198,600       353,289  
   

 

 

 
      606,792  
South Africa — 0.7%  

Absa Group, Ltd.

    4,472       22,077  

Anglo American Platinum Ltd.

    5,129       373,277  

Anglo American PLC

    59,540       1,385,575  
 

 

 

14    2020 BLACKROCK ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS


Schedule of Investments  (continued)

June 30, 2020

  

BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc.

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
South Africa (continued)  

Barloworld Ltd.

    2,010     $ 8,013  

Bidvest Group Ltd.

    31,477       258,263  

Clicks Group Ltd.

    2,327       28,210  

FirstRand Ltd.

    23,954       52,677  

Gold Fields Ltd.

    2,296       21,679  

Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd.

    2,545       17,139  

Investec Ltd.

    9,546       19,070  

Kumba Iron Ore Ltd.

    7,303       195,288  

MTN Group Ltd.

    9,428       28,875  

Naspers Ltd., Class N

    508       93,360  

Standard Bank Group Ltd.

    32,929       198,767  

Tiger Brands Ltd.

    1,230       12,646  
   

 

 

 
      2,714,916  
South Korea — 1.3%  

Celltrion, Inc.(a)

    2,047       523,905  

HLB, Inc.(a)

    4,552       351,734  

Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd.

    368       10,194  

Hyundai Mobis Co. Ltd.

    1,189       190,857  

Hyundai Motor Co.

    3,649       299,741  

KB Financial Group, Inc.

    1,284       36,350  

Kia Motors Corp.

    700       18,916  

Korea Electric Power Corp.(a)

    1,801       29,370  

Korea Zinc Co. Ltd.

    170       47,633  

LG Chem Ltd.

    262       108,122  

LG Electronics, Inc.

    3,308       175,310  

LG Household & Health Care Ltd.

    37       41,470  

NAVER Corp.

    510       114,741  

POSCO

    5,720       833,155  

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.

    28,828       1,276,147  

Samsung Life Insurance Co. Ltd.

    1,590       59,781  

Shinhan Financial Group Co. Ltd.

    12,703       306,983  

SillaJen, Inc.(a)(c)

    770       7,358  

SK Innovation Co. Ltd.

    2,014       222,650  
   

 

 

 
      4,654,417  
Spain — 0.5%  

Acerinox SA

    2,583       21,000  

EDP Renováveis, S.A.

    2,169       29,974  

Endesa SA

    2,240       55,566  

Grifols SA

    13,307       404,639  

Industria de Diseno Textil SA

    22,838       605,971  

Inmobiliaria Colonial Socimi SA

    1,249       11,044  

Naturgy Energy Group SA

    18,876       352,394  

Repsol SA

    17,707       156,459  

Zardoya Otis SA

    4,655       31,934  
   

 

 

 
      1,668,981  
Sweden — 0.8%  

Assa Abloy AB, Class B

    18,745       383,663  

Axfood AB

    2,624       57,366  

Castellum AB

    3,354       62,847  

Dometic Group AB(a)(b)

    4,070       36,780  

Elekta AB, B Shares, Class B

    17,059       158,911  

Fabege AB

    50,875       598,320  

Hufvudstaden AB, A Shares

    19,417       242,058  

Kinnevik AB, Class B

    10,074       265,926  

L E Lundbergforetagen AB, B Shares(a)

    1,294       58,985  

Lifco AB, -B Shares

    292       18,620  

Lundin Energy AB

    2,122       51,789  

Swedish Match AB

    4,536       320,040  

Tele2 AB, Class B

    8,895       118,409  

Telia Co. AB

    118,427       443,059  
   

 

 

 
      2,816,773  
Security   Shares     Value  
Switzerland — 3.7%  

Barry Callebaut AG, Registered Shares

    85     $ 162,251  

Belimo Holding AG

    3       22,202  

Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Spruengli AG

    12       99,112  

Clariant AG, Registered Shares(a)

    768       15,115  

Coca-Cola HBC AG

    9,734       243,672  

Geberit AG, Registered Shares

    193       96,835  

Givaudan SA, Registered Shares

    530       1,981,123  

Nestle SA, Registered Shares

    49,712       5,511,600  

Novartis AG, Registered Shares

    11,701       1,019,403  

Roche Holding AG

    5,367       1,859,395  

Sika AG, Registered Shares

    13,018       2,509,510  

Sunrise Communications Group AG(a)(b)

    602       53,546  

Swisscom AG, Registered Shares

    74       38,806  

Tecan Group AG

    69       24,454  

Vifor Pharma AG

    296       44,781  
   

 

 

 
      13,681,805  
Taiwan — 1.9%  

ASPEED Technology, Inc.

    1,000       42,345  

Cathay Financial Holding Co. Ltd.

    200,595       285,344  

Chailease Holding Co. Ltd.

    4,284       18,263  

Chipbond Technology Corp.

    10,000       21,946  

CTBC Financial Holding Co. Ltd.

    423,000       293,155  

Delta Electronics, Inc.

    28,000       159,779  

Fubon Financial Holding Co. Ltd.

    567,000       846,540  

Largan Precision Co. Ltd.

    3,000       417,120  

MediaTek, Inc.

    34,000       672,201  

Parade Technologies Ltd.

    2,000       67,036  

Realtek Semiconductor Corp.

    18,000       183,465  

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd.

    322,000       3,438,803  

TPK Holding Co. Ltd.(a)

    11,000       17,427  

Uni-President Enterprises Corp.

    296,000       717,151  
   

 

 

 
      7,180,575  
Thailand — 0.2%  

Berli Jucker PCL — NVDR

    401,000       514,903  

Gulf Energy Development PCL

    11,000       13,435  

Muangthai Capital PCL — NVDR(a)

    16,600       28,196  
   

 

 

 
      556,534  
Turkey — 0.1%  

Akbank TAS(a)

    39,681       35,202  

Haci Omer Sabanci Holding AS

    132,652       178,619  

Ipek Dogal Enerji Kaynaklari Ve Uretim(a)

    36,875       73,712  

KOC Holding AS

    7,303       19,208  

Koza Altin Isletmeleri AS(a)

    1,617       19,697  

Koza Anadolu Metal Madencilik Isletmeleri AS(a)

    15,699       30,695  

Turk Telekomunikasyon AS(a)

    67,814       80,265  

Turkiye Is Bankasi AS, Class C(a)

    122,700       100,216  
   

 

 

 
      537,614  
United Kingdom — 3.4%  

AstraZeneca PLC

    9,964       1,036,997  

Auto Trader Group PLC(b)

    8,513       55,426  

Barratt Developments PLC

    23,031       141,552  

Bellway PLC

    1,480       46,614  

Berkeley Group Holdings PLC

    5,524       284,487  

British American Tobacco PLC

    15,691       601,794  

Britvic PLC

    1,423       13,551  

BT Group PLC

    308,437       436,207  

Centrica PLC

    160,157       76,099  

Cineworld Group PLC

    30,575       22,953  

Coca-Cola European Partners PLC

    19,537       737,717  

Compass Group PLC

    13,609       187,239  

Croda International PLC

    650       42,218  

Dechra Pharmaceuticals PLC

    9       317  
 

 

 

SCHEDULES OF INVESTMENTS      15  


Schedule of Investments  (continued)

June 30, 2020

  

BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc.

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
United Kingdom (continued)  

Derwent London PLC

    1,821     $ 62,640  

Diageo PLC

    19,525       648,959  

Dialog Semiconductor PLC(a)

    8,048       367,863  

Direct Line Insurance Group PLC

    23,450       78,629  

Experian PLC

    31,871       1,118,636  

Farfetch Ltd., Class A(a)

    2,701       46,646  

GlaxoSmithKline PLC

    48,143       972,474  

Great Portland Estates PLC

    1,447       11,336  

Greggs PLC

    1,293       25,933  

HomeServe PLC

    11,147       180,213  

Howden Joinery Group PLC

    2,934       20,087  

IG Group Holdings PLC

    16,047       162,044  

Informa PLC

    55,228       319,314  

Intertek Group PLC

    4,611       310,556  

JD Sports Fashion PLC

    3,451       26,561  

John Wood Group PLC

    7,585       18,187  

Land Securities Group PLC

    3,441       23,511  

Marks & Spencer Group PLC

    52,329       64,169  

Meggitt PLC

    22,296       81,210  

Micro Focus International PLC

    13,272       70,807  

Moneysupermarket.com Group PLC

    11,247       45,116  

Ocado Group PLC(a)

    3,485       87,579  

Rentokil Initial PLC

    143,022       904,352  

Rightmove PLC

    26,290       177,708  

Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC

    26,883       94,914  

Rotork PLC

    3,832       13,263  

SSE PLC

    5,717       96,807  

Subsea 7 SA(a)

    14,569       92,905  

Tate & Lyle PLC

    2,858       23,626  

Taylor Wimpey PLC

    14,337       25,305  

TechnipFMC PLC

    27,807       190,200  

Tesco PLC

    22,931       64,497  

Unilever NV

    19,126       1,019,755  

Unilever PLC

    7,713       416,048  

Vodafone Group PLC

    368,729       586,190  

WM Morrison Supermarkets PLC

    151,846       357,709  
   

 

 

 
      12,488,920  
United States — 57.0%  

3M Co.

    451       70,352  

Abbott Laboratories

    18,066       1,651,774  

AbbVie, Inc.

    20,053       1,968,804  

ACI Worldwide, Inc.(a)

    3       81  

Adobe, Inc.(a)(d)

    8,881       3,865,988  

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.(a)

    738       38,826  

Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings, Inc.(a)

    906       35,914  

Aflac, Inc.

    9,597       345,780  

Agilent Technologies, Inc.

    6,766       597,911  

Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.

    555       90,049  

Allegion PLC

    15,514       1,585,841  

Ally Financial, Inc.

    14,729       292,076  

Alphabet, Inc., Class A(a)

    3,358       4,761,812  

Alphabet, Inc., Class C(a)

    3,412       4,823,237  

Altria Group, Inc.

    22,324       876,217  

Amazon.com, Inc.(a)

    3,714       10,246,257  

AMERCO

    173       52,279  

Ameren Corp.

    280       19,701  

American Express Co.

    8,898       847,090  

American Tower Corp.

    1,736       448,825  

American Water Works Co., Inc.

    182       23,416  

Amgen, Inc.

    2,810       662,767  

Annaly Capital Management, Inc.

    2,487       16,315  

ANSYS, Inc.(a)

    1,594       465,018  

Apple, Inc.

    36,013       13,137,542  

Applied Materials, Inc.

    3,945       238,475  
Security   Shares     Value  
United States (continued)  

Arista Networks, Inc.(a)

    1,455     $ 305,594  

Aspen Technology, Inc.(a)

    160       16,578  

AT&T, Inc.

    26,714       807,564  

Atlassian Corp. PLC, Class A(a)

    1,399       252,198  

Automatic Data Processing, Inc.

    3,213       478,384  

AutoNation, Inc.(a)

    2,916       109,583  

AvalonBay Communities, Inc.

    312       48,248  

Avangrid, Inc.

    18,572       779,653  

Avnet, Inc.

    6,468       180,360  

Axis Capital Holdings Ltd.

    237       9,613  

Axon Enterprise, Inc.(a)

    1,304       127,962  

Bank of America Corp.

    86,655       2,058,056  

Bank of New York Mellon Corp.

    5,312       205,309  

Bausch Health Cos., Inc.(a)

    2,159       39,503  

Best Buy Co., Inc.

    3,700       322,899  

Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Class A(a)

    37       16,705  

Black Hills Corp.

    699       39,605  

Boeing Co.

    3,790       694,707  

Boston Scientific Corp.(a)

    14,366       504,390  

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.

    19,538       1,148,834  

Broadcom, Inc.

    1,754       553,580  

Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.

    171       21,578  

Brown-Forman Corp., Class B

    2,313       147,246  

Bruker Corp.

    469       19,079  

CACI International, Inc., Class A(a)

    237       51,401  

Cadence Design Systems, Inc.(a)

    5,479       525,765  

Camden Property Trust

    337       30,741  

Capital One Financial Corp.

    4,766       298,304  

Capri Holdings Ltd.(a)

    4,461       69,725  

Carlisle Cos., Inc.

    2,820       337,469  

CarMax, Inc.(a)

    249       22,298  

Cerner Corp.

    2,156       147,794  

Charles Schwab Corp.

    2,022       68,222  

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.(a)

    992       1,043,941  

Cimarex Energy Co.

    1,376       37,826  

Cirrus Logic, Inc.(a)

    2,784       171,996  

Cisco Systems, Inc.

    48,730       2,272,767  

Citigroup, Inc.

    61,240       3,129,364  

Citizens Financial Group, Inc.

    23,831       601,494  

CME Group, Inc.

    5,682       923,552  

CMS Energy Corp.

    11,772       687,720  

Coca-Cola Co.

    45,517       2,033,700  

Columbia Sportswear Co.

    3,822       307,977  

Comcast Corp., Class A

    19,553       762,176  

Consolidated Edison, Inc.

    5,546       398,924  

Copart, Inc.(a)

    1,346       112,081  

CoreSite Realty Corp.

    662       80,142  

Costco Wholesale Corp.

    10,959       3,322,878  

Crane Co.

    8,835       525,329  

CSX Corp.

    8,289       578,075  

Curtiss-Wright Corp.

    2,046       182,667  

CyberArk Software Ltd.(a)

    1,906       189,209  

Danaher Corp.

    7,574       1,339,310  

Darden Restaurants, Inc.

    7,120       539,482  

Discover Financial Services

    3,988       199,759  

Dolby Laboratories, Inc., Class A

    2,367       155,914  

Domino’s Pizza, Inc.

    2,465       910,670  

DTE Energy Co.

    1,252       134,590  

Ecolab, Inc.

    5,942       1,182,161  

Edison International

    6,155       334,278  

Edwards Lifesciences Corp.(a)

    44,622       3,083,826  

Elanco Animal Health, Inc.(a)

    4,138       88,760  

EMCOR Group, Inc.

    1,671       110,520  

Equity Residential

    8,592       505,381  

Essent Group Ltd.

    859       31,156  
 

 

 

16    2020 BLACKROCK ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS


Schedule of Investments  (continued)

June 30, 2020

  

BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc.

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
United States (continued)  

Etsy, Inc.(a)

    3,435     $ 364,900  

Expedia Group, Inc.

    905       74,391  

Exxon Mobil Corp.

    846       37,833  

Facebook, Inc., Class A(a)

    16,625       3,775,039  

FactSet Research Systems, Inc.

    2,463       809,022  

Ferguson PLC

    438       35,814  

Fifth Third Bancorp

    2,996       57,763  

First Horizon National Corp.

    71,992       717,040  

FirstEnergy Corp.

    1,489       57,743  

Fiserv, Inc.(a)

    9,847       961,264  

FLIR Systems, Inc.

    2,438       98,910  

Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc., Class A(a)

    429       24,732  

FNB Corp.

    1,963       14,723  

Fortinet, Inc.(a)

    2,162       296,778  

Fox Corp., Class B(a)

    1,277       34,275  

Franklin Resources, Inc.

    11,404       239,142  

Gap, Inc.

    10,984       138,618  

General Motors Co.

    2,707       68,487  

Gentex Corp.

    1,095       28,218  

Gilead Sciences, Inc.

    14,263       1,097,395  

Globus Medical, Inc., Class A(a)

    395       18,845  

Graco, Inc.

    373       17,900  

H&R Block, Inc.

    4,490       64,117  

Haemonetics Corp.(a)

    498       44,601  

Hanesbrands, Inc.

    7,625       86,086  

Hanover Insurance Group, Inc.

    168       17,023  

Hasbro, Inc.

    218       16,339  

Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc.

    828       29,858  

HCA Healthcare, Inc.

    94       9,124  

HealthEquity, Inc.(a)

    697       40,893  

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co.

    41,689       405,634  

Home Depot, Inc.

    17,882       4,479,620  

Honeywell International, Inc.

    19,695       2,847,700  

Howard Hughes Corp.(a)

    455       23,637  

Hubbell, Inc.

    940       117,838  

HubSpot, Inc.(a)

    3,545       795,321  

IAA, Inc.(a)

    1,795       69,233  

IDACORP, Inc.

    15,294       1,336,237  

IDEX Corp.

    2,378       375,819  

IHS Markit Ltd.

    4,309       325,330  

Illumina, Inc.(a)

    1,936       716,998  

Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(a)

    12,190       328,521  

Intel Corp.

    7,442       445,255  

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.

    10,803       989,555  

International Business Machines Corp.

    129       15,579  

International Flavors & Fragrances, Inc.

    402       49,229  

International Game Technology PLC

    19,850       176,665  

Intuit, Inc.

    9,619       2,849,052  

Intuitive Surgical, Inc.(a)

    1,793       1,021,705  

John Bean Technologies Corp.

    263       22,623  

Johnson & Johnson

    6,015       845,889  

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

    5,786       544,231  

Kohl’s Corp.

    33,575       697,353  

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

    8,271       1,403,341  

Landstar System, Inc.

    264       29,650  

Las Vegas Sands Corp.

    10,133       461,457  

LendingTree, Inc.(a)

    148       42,850  

Lennox International, Inc.

    919       214,118  

Littelfuse, Inc.

    110       18,769  

Lockheed Martin Corp.

    6,677       2,436,571  

Lowe’s Cos., Inc.

    5,291       714,920  

Lululemon Athletica, Inc.(a)

    601       187,518  

Marsh & McLennan Cos., Inc.

    12,641       1,357,264  

Masimo Corp.(a)

    1,217       277,464  
Security   Shares     Value  
United States (continued)  

Mastercard, Inc., Class A

    6,487     $ 1,918,206  

Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.

    3,049       184,800  

Medallia, Inc.(a)

    542       13,680  

Medtronic PLC

    17,683       1,621,531  

Merck & Co., Inc.

    6,677       516,332  

Mercury Systems, Inc.(a)

    198       15,575  

MetLife, Inc.

    11,930       435,684  

Mettler-Toledo International, Inc.(a)

    187       150,638  

MGIC Investment Corp.

    9,860       80,753  

MGM Resorts International

    2,504       42,067  

Microsoft Corp.

    69,283       14,099,783  

Moderna, Inc.(a)

    7,350       471,944  

Mondelez International, Inc., Class A

    21,549       1,101,800  

Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.

    148       35,076  

Moody’s Corp.

    2,044       561,548  

MSA Safety, Inc.

    106       12,131  

National Instruments Corp.

    11,085       429,100  

NeoGenomics, Inc.(a)

    681       21,097  

NetApp, Inc.

    6,896       305,976  

Netflix, Inc.(a)

    2,658       1,209,496  

New Relic, Inc.(a)

    5,104       351,666  

NIKE, Inc., Class B

    25,000       2,451,250  

Norfolk Southern Corp.

    1,720       301,980  

Northern Trust Corp.

    232       18,407  

Northrop Grumman Corp.

    7,387       2,271,059  

Novavax, Inc.(a)

    4,273       356,155  

NuVasive, Inc.(a)

    289       16,086  

NVIDIA Corp.

    6,092       2,314,412  

Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Holdings, Inc.(a)

    417       40,720  

ONE Gas, Inc.

    269       20,726  

Oshkosh Corp.

    351       25,139  

Paycom Software, Inc.(a)

    575       178,095  

Paylocity Holding Corp.(a)

    1,582       230,798  

PayPal Holdings, Inc.(a)

    9,333       1,626,089  

Penn National Gaming, Inc.(a)

    3,276       100,049  

Penumbra, Inc.(a)

    45       8,047  

PepsiCo, Inc.

    19,997       2,644,803  

Performance Food Group Co.(a)

    1,299       37,853  

PerkinElmer, Inc.

    203       19,912  

Pfizer, Inc.

    4,987       163,075  

Philip Morris International, Inc.

    8,379       587,033  

Pool Corp.

    2,035       553,255  

PotlatchDeltic Corp.

    2       76  

Principal Financial Group, Inc.

    1,187       49,308  

Procter & Gamble Co.

    17,861       2,135,640  

Prologis, Inc.

    5,148       480,463  

Prudential Financial, Inc.

    34,096       2,076,446  

Public Service Enterprise Group, Inc.

    415       20,401  

QTS Realty Trust, Inc., Class A

    9,511       609,560  

Quest Diagnostics, Inc.

    444       50,598  

Radian Group, Inc.

    7,081       109,826  

Ralph Lauren Corp.

    2,782       201,751  

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(a)

    1,344       838,186  

Reinsurance Group of America, Inc.

    414       32,474  

ResMed, Inc.(d)

    1,991       382,272  

RH(a)

    904       225,006  

RingCentral, Inc., Class A(a)

    309       88,068  

Robert Half International, Inc.

    6,867       362,784  

Roper Technologies, Inc.

    4,725       1,834,529  

Ross Stores, Inc.

    2,881       245,576  

S&P Global, Inc.

    5,092       1,677,712  

salesforce.com, Inc.(a)

    10,931       2,047,704  

SBA Communications Corp.

    1,909       568,729  

Schlumberger Ltd.

    42,286       777,640  
 

 

 

SCHEDULES OF INVESTMENTS      17  


Schedule of Investments  (continued)

June 30, 2020

  

BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc.

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
United States (continued)  

Sempra Energy

    479     $ 56,153  

ServiceNow, Inc.(a)

    3,245       1,314,420  

Sherwin-Williams Co.

    1,353       781,831  

Silicon Laboratories, Inc.(a)

    4,826       483,903  

Sirius XM Holdings, Inc.

    368,466       2,162,895  

Skechers U.S.A., Inc., Class A(a)

    13,128       411,957  

Southern Co.

    635       32,925  

Starbucks Corp.

    42,912       3,157,894  

Stryker Corp.

    6,845       1,233,401  

Synchrony Financial

    10,343       229,201  

Synovus Financial Corp.

    19,702       404,482  

Sysco Corp.

    664       36,294  

T. Rowe Price Group, Inc.

    3,268       403,598  

Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.(a)

    1,769       246,899  

Teledyne Technologies, Inc.(a)

    859       267,106  

Telephone & Data Systems, Inc.

    4,833       96,080  

Teradata Corp.(a)

    4,292       89,274  

Tesla, Inc.(a)

    874       943,754  

Tetra Tech, Inc.

    201       15,903  

Texas Instruments, Inc.

    10,288       1,306,267  

Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.

    3,374       1,222,535  

TJX Cos., Inc.

    9,860       498,522  

Toro Co.

    9,600       636,864  

Trane Technologies PLC

    5,545       493,394  

TransUnion

    4,383       381,496  

Travelers Cos., Inc.

    1,195       136,290  

Twitter, Inc.(a)

    34,376       1,024,061  

Uber Technologies, Inc.(a)

    6,641       206,402  

UDR, Inc.

    2,234       83,507  

UGI Corp.

    2,643       84,047  

Umpqua Holdings Corp.

    1,240       13,194  

Union Pacific Corp.

    2,991       505,688  

United Parcel Service, Inc., Class B

    10,015       1,113,468  

UnitedHealth Group, Inc.

    6,051       1,784,742  

Unum Group

    6,774       112,381  

Vail Resorts, Inc.

    215       39,162  

Valero Energy Corp.

    544       31,998  

Varian Medical Systems, Inc.(a)

    10,154       1,244,068  

Veeva Systems, Inc., Class A(a)

    4,222       989,721  

VeriSign, Inc.(a)

    630       130,303  

Verisk Analytics, Inc.

    1,050       178,710  

Verizon Communications, Inc.

    21,882       1,206,355  

Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(a)

    720       209,023  

VF Corp.

    4,711       287,088  

Vir Biotechnology, Inc.(a)

    9,461       387,617  

Visa, Inc., Class A

    14,440       2,789,375  

VMware, Inc., Class A(a)

    8,367       1,295,714  

W.W. Grainger, Inc.

    133       41,783  

Waters Corp.(a)

    4,223       761,829  

Wayfair, Inc., Class A(a)

    669       132,201  

Webster Financial Corp.

    3,006       86,002  

Wells Fargo & Co.

    120,274       3,079,014  

Williams-Sonoma, Inc.

    7,708       632,133  

Workday, Inc., Class A(a)

    2,752       515,615  

Xerox Holdings Corp.(a)

    6,738       103,024  

Xilinx, Inc.

    3,873       381,064  

Xylem, Inc.

    15,122       982,325  

Yum! Brands, Inc.

    2,659       231,094  

Zions Bancorp. NA

    5,074       172,516  

Zoetis, Inc.

    8,574       1,174,981  
   

 

 

 
    210,890,856  
   

 

 

 

Total Common Stocks — 96.4%
(Cost — $322,692,102)

 

    356,619,033  
   

 

 

 
Security   Shares     Value  

Preferred Stocks — 0.3%

 

Brazil — 0.3%  

Azul SA, Preference Shares(a)

    6,054     $ 22,388  

Banco Bradesco SA, Preference Shares

    211,695       805,812  

Itau Unibanco Holding SA, Preference Shares

    65,742       307,669  

Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais SA Usiminas, Preference ‘A’ Shares

    8,446       11,291  
   

 

 

 
      1,147,160  
Germany — 0.0%  

Sartorius AG, Preference Shares, 0.00%

    141       46,537  
   

 

 

 
Russia — 0.0%        

Surgutneftegas PJSC, Preference Shares, 0.00%

    56,893       28,062  
   

 

 

 
South Korea — 0.0%        

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Preference Shares, 0.00%

    1,047       40,785  
   

 

 

 

Total Preferred Stocks — 0.3%
(Cost — $1,893,196)

 

    1,262,544  
   

 

 

 

Rights — 0.0%

 

China — 0.0%  

Legend Holdings Corp., (Expires 07/20/20)(c)

    1,700        
   

 

 

 
Spain — 0.0%  

Repsol SA, (Expires 07/09/20)(a)

    16,032       7,805  
   

 

 

 
United States — 0.0%  

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., (Expires 03/31/21)(a)(d)

    6,002       21,487  
   

 

 

 

Total Rights — 0.0%
(Cost — $21,648)

 

    29,292  
   

 

 

 

Total Long-Term Investments — 96.7%
(Cost — $324,606,946)

 

    357,910,869  
   

 

 

 

Short-Term Securities — 3.9%

 

Money Market Funds — 3.2%  

BlackRock Liquidity Funds, T-Fund,
Institutional Class, 0.11%(e)(g)

    7,390,660       7,390,660  

SL Liquidity Series, LLC, Money Market
Series, 0.50%(e)(f)(g)

    4,377,995       4,381,498  
   

 

 

 

Total Money Market Funds — 3.2%

 

    11,772,158  
   

 

 

 
    

Par

(000)

        

Time Deposits — 0.7%

 

Australia — 0.1%  

Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., 0.01%, 07/01/20

  AUD 615       424,083  
   

 

 

 
Canada — 0.1%  

Royal Bank of Canada, 0.03%, 07/01/20

  CAD 498       366,735  
   

 

 

 
Europe — 0.0%  

BNP Paribas SA, (0.67%), 07/01/20

  EUR 118       132,357  
   

 

 

 
Hong Kong — 0.1%  

Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corp. Ltd., 0.04%, 07/02/20

  HKD 1,131       145,892  
   

 

 

 
Japan — 0.1%  

Sumitomo Bank Tokyo, (0.24%), 07/01/20

  JPY 54,844       507,931  
   

 

 

 
Norway — 0.1%  

Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., (0.20%), 07/01/20

  NOK 1,636       169,994  
   

 

 

 
 

 

 

18    2020 BLACKROCK ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS


Schedule of Investments  (continued)

June 30, 2020

  

BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc.

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

    

Par

(000)

        
Singapore — 0.1%  

Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corp. Ltd., 0.00%, 07/01/20

  SGD   595     $ 427,057  
   

 

 

 
United Kingdom — 0.1%  

Citibank NA, New York, 0.01%, 07/01/20

  GBP 353       436,871  
   

 

 

 
United States — 0.0%  

Citibank NA, New York, 0.10%, 07/01/20

  USD 58       58,272  
   

 

 

 

Total Time Deposits — 0.7%

 

    2,669,192  
   

 

 

 

Total Short-Term Securities — 3.9%
(Cost — $14,441,319)

 

    14,441,350  
   

 

 

 

Total Investments — 100.6%
(Cost — $339,048,265)

 

    372,352,219  

Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets — (0.6)%

 

    (2,377,811
   

 

 

 

Net Assets — 100.0%

 

  $ 369,974,408  
   

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Non-income producing security.

(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) 

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

(d) 

All or a portion of this security is on loan.

(e) 

Annualized 7-day yield as of period end.

(f) 

Security was purchased with the cash collateral from loaned securities.

 
(g) 

Investments in issuers considered to be an affiliate/affiliates of the Fund during the year ended June 30, 2020 for purposes of Section 2(a)(3) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, were as follows:

 

Affiliated Issuer   

Shares

Held at

06/30/19

    

Shares

Purchased

    

Shares

Sold

    

Shares

Held at

06/30/20

    

Value at

06/30/20

     Income     

Net

Realized

Gain (Loss) (a)

    

Change in

Unrealized

Appreciation

(Depreciation)

 

BlackRock Liquidity Funds, T-Fund, Institutional Class

     2,101,908        5,288,752 (b)              7,390,660      $ 7,390,660      $ 40,707      $ 8      $  

SL Liquidity Series, LLC, Money Market Series

     2,915,211        1,462,784 (b)              4,377,995        4,381,498        11,357 (c)       680        (56
              

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 11,772,158      $ 52,064      $ 688      $ (56
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

Includes net capital gain distributions, if applicable.

 
  (b) 

Represents net shares purchased (sold).

 
  (c) 

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 EAFE Index

     34          09/18/20        $ 3,023        $ 22,607  

MSCI Emerging Markets Index

     27          09/18/20          1,331          31,132  

S&P 500 E-Mini Index

     44          09/18/20          6,798          122,705  
                 

 

 

 
                  $ 176,444  
                 

 

 

 

Derivative Financial Instruments Categorized by Risk Exposure

As of year 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)

   $        $        $ 176,444        $        $        $        $ 176,444  
  

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

Net cumulative unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on futures contracts and centrally cleared swaps, if any, 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 net unrealized appreciation (depreciation).

 

 

 

SCHEDULES OF INVESTMENTS      19  


Schedule of Investments  (continued)

June 30, 2020

  

BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc.

 

Derivative Financial Instruments Categorized by Risk Exposure (continued)

 

For the year ended June 30, 2020, 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

   $      $      $ 235,238      $      $      $      $ 235,238  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) on:

                    

Futures contracts

   $      $      $ (36,851    $      $      $      $ (36,851
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Average Quarterly Balances of Outstanding Derivative Financial Instruments

 

Futures contracts:

        

Average notional value of contracts — long

   $ 11,506,386  

Average notional value of contracts — short

   $ (a) 

 

  (a) 

Derivative not held at quarter-end. The risk exposure table serves as an indicator of activity during the period.

 

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 investments and derivative financial instruments. For information about the Fund’s policy regarding valuation of investments and derivative financial instruments, refer to the Notes to Financial Statements.

The following tables summarize the Fund’s investments categorized in the disclosure hierarchy:

 

      Level 1        Level 2        Level 3        Total  

Assets:

                 

Investments:

                 

Common Stocks:

                 

Australia

   $        $ 6,417,567        $        $ 6,417,567  

Austria

              336,181                   336,181  

Belgium

              515,452                   515,452  

Brazil

     1,448,041                            1,448,041  

Canada

     5,514,216                            5,514,216  

China

     5,645,380          14,450,028                   20,095,408  

Czech Republic

              87,769                   87,769  

Denmark

              1,577,909                   1,577,909  

Finland

              509,946                   509,946  

France

              13,486,418                   13,486,418  

Germany

              8,138,052                   8,138,052  

Hong Kong

              2,657,411                   2,657,411  

Hungary

              854,683                   854,683  

India

              2,899,751                   2,899,751  

Indonesia

              386,889                   386,889  

Ireland

     28,437          190,486                   218,923  

Israel

     380,999          40                   381,039  

Italy

              1,416,834                   1,416,834  

Japan

              21,392,524                   21,392,524  

Jordan

              55,404                   55,404  

Luxembourg

     23,274          203,074                   226,348  

Malaysia

              332,120                   332,120  

Mexico

     920,990                            920,990  

Netherlands

     2,255,256          3,613,936                   5,869,192  

New Zealand

              159,907                   159,907  

Norway

              1,069,194                   1,069,194  

Peru

     41,043                            41,043  

Poland

              853,971                   853,971  

Portugal

              186,087                   186,087  

Puerto Rico

     16,541                            16,541  

Russia

     37,624          717,416                   755,040  

Singapore

              606,792                   606,792  

 

 

20    2020 BLACKROCK ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS


Schedule of Investments  (continued)

June 30, 2020

  

BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc.

 

Fair Value Hierarchy as of Period End (continued)

 

      Level 1        Level 2        Level 3        Total  

South Africa

   $ 40,856        $ 2,674,060        $        $ 2,714,916  

South Korea

              4,647,059          7,358          4,654,417  

Spain

     29,974          1,639,007                   1,668,981  

Sweden

              2,816,773                   2,816,773  

Switzerland

              13,681,805                   13,681,805  

Taiwan

              7,180,575                   7,180,575  

Thailand

     13,435          543,099                   556,534  

Turkey

     139,609          398,005                   537,614  

United Kingdom

     974,563          11,514,357                   12,488,920  

United States

     210,855,042          35,814                   210,890,856  

Preferred Stocks

     1,147,160          115,384                   1,262,544  

Rights

     29,292                            29,292  

Short-Term Securities:

                 

Money Market Funds

     7,390,660                            7,390,660  

Time Deposits

              2,669,192                   2,669,192  
  

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Subtotal

   $ 236,932,392        $ 131,030,971        $ 7,358        $ 367,970,721  
  

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Investments Valued at NAV(a)

                    4,381,498  
                 

 

 

 

Total Investments

                  $ 372,352,219  
                 

 

 

 

Derivative Financial Instruments(b)

                 

Assets:

                 

Equity contracts

   $ 176,444        $        $        $ 176,444  
  

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

The breakdown of the Fund’s investments into major categories is disclosed in the Schedule of Investments above.

 

  (a) 

Certain investments of the Fund were fair valued using NAV per share as no quoted market value is available and therefore have been excluded from the fair value hierarchy.

 
  (b) 

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

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

SCHEDULES OF INVESTMENTS      21  


Schedule of Investments

June 30, 2020

  

BlackRock EuroFund

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  

Common Stocks — 99.4%

 

Belgium — 2.1%  

KBC Group NV(a)

    35,467     $ 2,037,621  
   

 

 

 
Denmark — 3.1%  

DSV Panalpina AS

    24,018       2,950,249  
   

 

 

 
Finland — 4.1%  

Kone OYJ, Class B

    39,250       2,707,048  

Neste OYJ

    32,875       1,291,200  
   

 

 

 
    3,998,248  
France — 35.9%  

BNP Paribas SA(a)

    75,014       2,997,109  

Dassault Systemes SE

    9,367       1,626,044  

Eiffage SA(a)

    14,188       1,300,566  

Kering SA

    5,969       3,263,365  

LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE

    13,657       6,029,496  

Pernod Ricard SA

    13,815       2,175,397  

Safran SA(a)

    28,226       2,839,289  

Sanofi

    41,006       4,181,979  

Schneider Electric SE

    32,871       3,656,459  

Teleperformance

    6,439       1,639,896  

Vinci SA

    26,944       2,498,334  

Worldline SA(a)(b)

    27,453       2,393,612  
   

 

 

 
    34,601,546  
Germany — 22.1%  

adidas AG(a)

    9,070       2,391,319  

Allianz SE, Registered Shares

    17,855       3,648,531  

Deutsche Boerse AG

    12,152       2,199,229  

Deutsche Wohnen SE, Bearer Shares

    54,042       2,428,410  

MorphoSys AG(a)

    4,753       602,619  

MTU Aero Engines AG

    10,065       1,752,322  

Puma SE(a)

    13,344       1,034,625  

Rational AG

    1,022       572,716  

SAP SE

    31,578       4,414,270  

Symrise AG

    19,171       2,240,067  
   

 

 

 
    21,284,108  
Ireland — 1.4%  

Kingspan Group PLC(a)

    20,962       1,353,229  
   

 

 

 
Italy — 8.0%  

Enel SpA

    260,045       2,248,984  

FinecoBank Banca Fineco SpA(a)

    235,066       3,181,399  

IMA Industria Macchine Automatiche SpA(a)

    13,094       787,044  

Moncler SpA(a)

    38,439       1,478,115  
   

 

 

 
    7,695,542  
Netherlands — 11.8%  

ASML Holding NV

    16,930       6,193,211  

ASR Nederland NV

    26,060       801,797  

BE Semiconductor Industries NV

    23,912       1,060,251  

IMCD NV

    19,996       1,885,611  

Koninklijke Philips NV(a)

    30,591       1,427,000  
   

 

 

 
    11,367,870  
Spain — 2.3%  

Amadeus IT Group SA(a)

    17,731       930,915  

Iberdrola SA

    111,202       1,298,248  
   

 

 

 
    2,229,163  
Switzerland — 4.1%  

Sika AG, Registered Shares

    9,866       1,901,892  

STMicroelectronics NV

    74,120       2,020,382  
   

 

 

 
    3,922,274  
Security   Shares     Value  
United Kingdom — 4.5%  

Linde PLC

    12,789     $ 2,708,639  

RELX PLC

    71,610       1,657,468  
   

 

 

 
    4,366,107  

Total Long-Term Investments — 99.4%
(Cost — $79,386,919)

 

    95,805,957  
   

 

 

 

Short-Term Securities — 0.7%

 

Money Market Funds — 0.4%

 

BlackRock Liquidity Funds, T-Fund,
Institutional Class, 0.11%(c)(d)

    453,145       453,145  
   

 

 

 

Total Money Market Funds — 0.4%

 

    453,145  
   

 

 

 
   
Time Deposits — 0.3%       

Par

(000)

        
Europe — 0.3%  

Citibank, New York, 0.67%, 07/01/20

  EUR     254       285,674  
     

 

 

 
Total Time Deposits — 0.3%     285,674  
     

 

 

 

Total Short-Term Securities — 0.7%
(Cost — $738,819)

 

    738,819  
     

 

 

 

Total Investments — 100.1%
(Cost — $80,125,738)

 

    96,544,776  

Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets — (0.1)%

 

    (133,793
     

 

 

 

Net Assets — 100.0%

 

  $ 96,410,983  
 

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Non-income producing security.

(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) 

Annualized 7-day yield as of period end.

 

 

 

22    2020 BLACKROCK ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS


Schedule of Investments  (continued)

June 30, 2020

  

BlackRock EuroFund

 

(d) 

Investments in issuers considered to be an affiliate/affiliates of the Fund during the year ended June 30, 2020 for purposes of Section 2(a)(3) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, were as follows:

 

Affiliated Issuer    Shares
Held at
06/30/19
     Shares
Purchased
     Shares
Sold
     Shares
Held at
06/30/20
     Value at
06/30/20
     Income      Net
Realized
Gain (Loss)
 (a)
     Change in
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
 

BlackRock Liquidity Funds, T-Fund, Institutional Class

            453,145 (b)              453,145      $ 453,145      $ 5,610      $ 1      $  

SL Liquidity Series, LLC, Money Market Series(c)

     31,839               (31,839 )(b)                     1 (d)       3        (3
              

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 453,145      $ 5,611      $ 4      $ (3
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

Includes net capital gain distributions, if applicable.

 
  (b) 

Represents net shares purchased (sold).

 
  (c) 

As of period end, the entity is no longer held by the Fund.

 
  (d) 

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.

 

Fair Value Hierarchy as of Period End

Various inputs are used in determining the fair value of investments. For information about the Fund’s policy regarding valuation of investments, refer to the Notes to Financial Statements.

The following table summarizes the Fund’s investments categorized in the disclosure hierarchy:

 

      Level 1        Level 2        Level 3        Total  

Assets:

 

Investments:

 

Common Stocks:

 

Belgium

   $        $ 2,037,621        $        $ 2,037,621  

Denmark

              2,950,249                   2,950,249  

Finland

              3,998,248                   3,998,248  

France

              34,601,546                   34,601,546  

Germany

              21,284,108                   21,284,108  

Ireland

              1,353,229                   1,353,229  

Italy

     787,044          6,908,498                   7,695,542  

Netherlands

     1,427,000          9,940,870                   11,367,870  

Spain

              2,229,163                   2,229,163  

Switzerland

              3,922,274                   3,922,274  

United Kingdom

              4,366,107                   4,366,107  

Short-Term Securities:

                 

Money Market Funds

     453,145                            453,145  

Time Deposits

              285,674                   285,674  
  

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 
   $ 2,667,189        $ 93,877,587        $        $ 96,544,776  
  

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

The breakdown of the Fund’s investments into major categories is disclosed in the Schedule of Investments above.

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

SCHEDULES OF INVESTMENTS      23  


Statements of Assets and Liabilities

June 30, 2020

 

     BlackRock
Advantage Global
Fund, Inc.
     BlackRock
EuroFund
 

ASSETS

 

Investments at value — unaffiliated(a)(b)

  $ 360,580,061      $ 96,091,631  

Investments at value — affiliated(c)

    11,772,158        453,145  

Cash

           23  

Cash pledged for futures contracts

    989,000         

Foreign currency at value(d)

    638,192         

Receivables:

 

Investments sold

    5,220,555        20,434  

Securities lending income — affiliated

    2,108         

Capital shares sold

    167,667        2,208  

Dividends — affiliated

    648        31  

Dividends — unaffiliated

    961,178        326,186  

Variation margin on futures contracts

    93,500         

Prepaid expenses

    56,830        43,573  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total assets

    380,481,897        96,937,231  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

LIABILITIES

 

Bank overdraft

    29,595         

Foreign bank overdraft(e)

           5,029  

Cash collateral on securities loaned at value

    4,374,848         

Payables:

 

Investments purchased

    5,083,634        224,023  

Capital shares redeemed

    539,543        103,465  

Investment advisory fees

    93,254        54,174  

Directors’ and Officer’s fees

    2,886        2,258  

Other accrued expenses

    293,180        72,319  

Other affiliates

    1,376        358  

Professional fees

           48,835  

Service and distribution fees

    78,702        15,787  

Variation margin on futures contracts

    10,471         
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total liabilities

    10,507,489        526,248  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

NET ASSETS

  $ 369,974,408      $ 96,410,983  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

NET ASSETS CONSIST OF

 

Paid-in capital

  $ 349,053,811      $ 115,680,887  

Accumulated earnings (loss)

    20,920,597        (19,269,904
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

NET ASSETS

  $ 369,974,408      $ 96,410,983  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

(a) Investments at cost — unaffiliated

  $ 327,276,147      $ 79,672,593  

(b) Securities loaned at value

  $ 4,206,064      $  

(c) Investments at cost — affiliated

  $ 11,772,118      $ 453,145  

(d) Foreign currency at cost

  $ 631,072      $  

(e) Foreign bank overdraft at cost

  $      $ 5,029  

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

24  

2020 BLACKROCK ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS


Statements of Assets and Liabilities  (continued)

June 30, 2020

 

     BlackRock
Advantage Global
Fund, Inc.
     BlackRock
EuroFund
 

NET ASSET VALUE

 

Institutional  

Net assets

    $75,804,879        $26,475,961  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Shares outstanding

    3,529,263        1,850,299  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net asset value

  $ 21.48      $ 14.31  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Par Value

  $ 0.10      $ 0.10  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Shares authorized

    100 million        Unlimited  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 
Investor A  

Net assets

  $ 242,122,581      $ 65,887,045  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Shares outstanding

    11,891,934        4,690,531  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net asset value

  $ 20.36      $ 14.05  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Par Value

  $ 0.10      $ 0.10  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Shares authorized

    100 million        Unlimited  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 
Investor C  

Net assets

  $ 35,626,142      $ 3,088,204  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Shares outstanding

    2,149,198        318,901  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net asset value

  $ 16.58      $ 9.68  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Par Value

  $ 0.10      $ 0.10  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Shares authorized

    100 million        Unlimited  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 
Class K  

Net assets

  $ 12,107,861      $ 600,760  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Shares outstanding

    563,629        42,143  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net asset value

  $ 21.48      $ 14.26  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Par Value

  $ 0.10      $ 0.10  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Shares authorized

    2 billion        Unlimited  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 
Class R  

Net assets

  $ 4,312,945      $ 359,013  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Shares outstanding

    235,355        34,337  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net asset value

  $ 18.33      $ 10.46  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Par Value

  $ 0.10      $ 0.10  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Shares authorized

    100 million        Unlimited  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS      25  


Statements of Operations  

Year Ended June 30, 2020

 

     BlackRock
Advantage Global
Fund, Inc.
    BlackRock
EuroFund
 

INVESTMENT INCOME

 

Dividends — affiliated

  $ 40,707     $ 5,610  

Dividends — unaffiliated

    9,189,217       1,396,414  

Securities lending income — affiliated — net

    11,357       1  

Non-cash dividends — unaffiliated

          144,488  

Other income

          7,557  

Foreign taxes withheld

    (534,920     (181,864
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total investment income

    8,706,361       1,372,206  
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

EXPENSES

 

Investment advisory

    3,407,326       775,861  

Service and distribution — class specific

    1,121,098       211,153  

Transfer agent —class specific

    761,520       146,233  

Custodian

    312,073       28,235  

Professional

    87,917       104,501  

Accounting services

    84,629       34,413  

Registration

    81,887       73,957  

Printing

    48,471       26,859  

Directors and Officer

    10,959       8,012  

Miscellaneous

    56,286       21,635  
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total expenses

    5,972,166       1,430,859  

Less:

 

Fees waived and/or reimbursed by the Manager

    (1,442,979     (62,362

Fees paid indirectly

    (525     (14

Transfer agent fees waived and/or reimbursed — class specific

    (565,254      
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed

    3,963,408       1,368,483  
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net investment income

    4,742,953       3,723  
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS)

 

Net realized gain (loss) from:

 

Capital gain distributions from investment companies — affiliated

    8       1  

Futures contracts

    235,238        

Foreign currency transactions

    (116,625     (19,749

Investments — affiliated

    680       3  

Investments — unaffiliated

    (5,088,370     (1,910,503
 

 

 

   

 

 

 
    (4,969,069     (1,930,248
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on:

   

Futures contracts

    (36,851      

Foreign currency translations

    11,677       19,898  

Investments — affiliated

    (56     (3

Investments — unaffiliated

    1,794,221       510,872  
 

 

 

   

 

 

 
    1,768,991       530,767  
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net realized and unrealized loss

    (3,200,078     (1,399,481
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS

    $1,542,875     $ (1,395,758
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

26  

2020 BLACKROCK ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS


Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

    BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc.             BlackRock EuroFund  
    Year Ended June 30,             Year Ended June 30,  
     2020      2019              2020     2019  

INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS

 

       

OPERATIONS

 

       

Net investment income

  $ 4,742,953      $ 6,785,690         $ 3,723     $ 893,745  

Net realized loss

    (4,969,069      (8,141,079         (1,930,248     (22,475,209

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

    1,768,991        16,003,426           530,767       11,584,386  
 

 

 

    

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    1,542,875        14,648,037           (1,395,758     (9,997,078
 

 

 

    

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

 

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS(a)

 

       

Institutional

    (1,613,181      (3,311,041         (145,120     (859,624

Investor A

    (4,905,774      (10,968,689         (91,353     (1,899,369

Investor C

    (635,057      (2,040,798               (128,586

Class K

    (147,736      (172,264         (3,865     (23,568

Class R

    (132,081      (514,018               (12,765
 

 

 

    

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

 

Decrease in net assets resulting from distributions to Common shareholders

    (7,433,829      (17,006,810         (240,338     (2,923,912
 

 

 

    

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

 

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS

 

       

Net decrease in net assets derived from capital share transactions

    (74,802,101      (98,451,408         (18,800,724     (72,780,593
 

 

 

    

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

 

NET ASSETS

 

       

Total decrease in net assets

    (80,693,055      (100,810,181         (20,436,820     (85,701,583

Beginning of year

    450,667,463        551,477,644           116,847,803       202,549,386  
 

 

 

    

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

 

End of year

  $ 369,974,408      $ 450,667,463         $ 96,410,983     $ 116,847,803  
 

 

 

    

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(a) 

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

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

  27


Financial Highlights

(For a share outstanding throughout each period)

 

    BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc.  
    Institutional  
    Year Ended June 30,  
     2020      2019      2018      2017      2016  

Net asset value, beginning of year

  $ 21.66      $ 21.63      $ 25.83      $ 21.85      $ 25.78  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net investment income(a)

    0.31        0.36        0.29        0.11        0.04  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

    (0.06      0.43        2.82        4.15        (2.87
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) from investment operations

    0.25        0.79        3.11        4.26        (2.83
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Distributions(b)

             

From net investment income

    (0.43      (0.32      (0.37      (0.28       

From net realized gain

           (0.44      (6.94             (1.10
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total distributions

    (0.43      (0.76      (7.31      (0.28      (1.10
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net asset value, end of year

  $ 21.48      $ 21.66      $ 21.63      $ 25.83      $ 21.85  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Return(c)

             

Based on net asset value

    1.08      4.03      12.43      19.60      (10.94 )% 
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Ratios to Average Net Assets

             

Total expenses

    1.15      1.14      1.16      1.17      1.07
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed and paid indirectly

    0.71      0.72      0.88      1.13      1.07
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net investment income

    1.46      1.72      1.20      0.47      0.17
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Supplemental Data

             

Net assets, end of year (000)

  $ 75,805      $ 87,759      $ 114,870      $ 258,047      $ 250,041  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Portfolio turnover rate

    182      137      189      59      73
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Based on average shares outstanding.

(b) 

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

(c) 

Where applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

28  

2020 BLACKROCK ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS


Financial Highlights  (continued)

(For a share outstanding throughout each period)

 

    BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc. (continued)  
    Investor A  
    Year Ended June 30,  
     2020      2019      2018      2017      2016  

Net asset value, beginning of year

  $ 20.55      $ 20.56      $ 24.85      $ 21.00      $ 24.90  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net investment income (loss)(a)

    0.24        0.30        0.25        0.01        (0.04

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

    (0.05      0.40        2.67        3.99        (2.76
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) from investment operations

    0.19        0.70        2.92        4.00        (2.80
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Distributions(b)

             

From net investment income

    (0.38      (0.27      (0.27      (0.15       

From net realized gain

           (0.44      (6.94             (1.10
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total distributions

    (0.38      (0.71      (7.21      (0.15      (1.10
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net asset value, end of year

  $ 20.36      $ 20.55      $ 20.56      $ 24.85      $ 21.00  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Return(c)

             

Based on net asset value

    0.84      3.77      12.10      19.10      (11.21 )% 
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Ratios to Average Net Assets

             

Total expenses

    1.46      1.46      1.53      1.54      1.42
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed and paid indirectly

    0.96      0.97      1.16      1.50      1.42
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net investment income (loss)

    1.21      1.48      1.06      0.06      (0.20 )% 
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Supplemental Data

             

Net assets, end of year (000)

  $ 242,123      $ 289,752      $ 324,978      $ 395,690      $ 382,069  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Portfolio turnover rate

    182      137      189      59      73
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Based on average shares outstanding.

(b) 

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

(c) 

Where applicable, excludes the effects of any sales charges and assumes the reinvestment of distributions.

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

  29


Financial Highlights  (continued)

(For a share outstanding throughout each period)

 

    BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc. (continued)  
    Investor C  
    Year Ended June 30,  
     2020      2019      2018      2017      2016  

Net asset value, beginning of year

  $ 16.79      $ 16.87      $ 21.45      $ 18.15      $ 21.86  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net investment income (loss)(a)

    0.08        0.11        0.04        (0.16      (0.19

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

    (0.05      0.34        2.31        3.46        (2.42
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) from investment operations

    0.03        0.45        2.35        3.30        (2.61
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Distributions(b)

             

From net investment income

    (0.24      (0.09                     

From net realized gain

           (0.44      (6.93             (1.10
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total distributions

    (0.24      (0.53      (6.93             (1.10
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net asset value, end of year

  $ 16.58      $ 16.79      $ 16.87      $ 21.45      $ 18.15  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Return(c)

             

Based on net asset value

    0.11      2.99      11.23      18.18      (11.93 )% 
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Ratios to Average Net Assets

             

Total expenses

    2.32      2.28      2.34      2.32      2.22
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed and paid indirectly

    1.71      1.72      1.95      2.29      2.22
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net investment income (loss)

    0.46      0.65      0.23      (0.81 )%       (1.01 )% 
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Supplemental Data

             

Net assets, end of year (000)

  $ 35,626      $ 52,125      $ 90,299      $ 135,507      $ 245,795  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Portfolio turnover rate

    182      137      189      59      73
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Based on average shares outstanding

(b) 

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

(c) 

Where applicable, excludes the effects of any sales charges and assumes the reinvestment of distributions.

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

30  

2020 BLACKROCK ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS


Financial Highlights  (continued)

(For a share outstanding throughout each period)

 

    BlackRock Advantage Global
Fund, Inc. (continued)
 
    Class K  
    Year Ended June 30,      

 

   

Period from

01/25/18 (a)

to 06/30/18

 
    2020      2019  
         

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 21.66      $ 21.63       $ 23.12  
 

 

 

    

 

 

     

 

 

 

Net investment income(b)

    0.32        0.41         0.29  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

    (0.06      0.39         (1.78
 

 

 

    

 

 

     

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) from investment operations

    0.26        0.80         (1.49
 

 

 

    

 

 

     

 

 

 

Distributions

        

From net investment income

    (0.44      (0.33        

From net realized gain

           (0.44        
 

 

 

    

 

 

     

 

 

 

Total distributions

    (0.44      (0.77        
 

 

 

    

 

 

     

 

 

 

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 21.48      $ 21.66       $ 21.63  
 

 

 

    

 

 

     

 

 

 

Total Return(c)

        

Based on net asset value

    1.13      4.09       (6.44 )%(d) 
 

 

 

    

 

 

     

 

 

 

Ratios to Average Net Assets

        

Total expenses

    1.09      1.03       1.07 %(e)(f) 
 

 

 

    

 

 

     

 

 

 

Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed and paid indirectly

    0.66      0.66       0.66 %(e) 
 

 

 

    

 

 

     

 

 

 

Net investment income

    1.53      1.98       3.09 %(e) 
 

 

 

    

 

 

     

 

 

 

Supplemental Data

        

Net assets, end of period (000)

  $ 12,108      $ 10,625       $ 4,616  
 

 

 

    

 

 

     

 

 

 

Portfolio turnover rate

    182      137       189
 

 

 

    

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Commencement of operations.

(b) 

Based on average shares outstanding.

(c) 

Where applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.

(d) 

Aggregate total return.

(e) 

Annualized.

(f) 

Offering costs were not annualized in the calculation of the expense ratios. If these expenses were annualized, the total expenses would have been 1.07%.

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

  31


Financial Highlights  (continued)

(For a share outstanding throughout each period)

 

    BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc. (continued)  
    Class R  
    Year Ended June 30,  
     2020      2019      2018      2017      2016  

Net asset value, beginning of year

  $ 18.52      $ 18.60      $ 23.07      $ 19.48      $ 23.27  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net investment income (loss)(a)

    0.18        0.21        0.17        (0.07      (0.11

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

    (0.06      0.37        2.47        3.70        (2.58
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) from investment operations

    0.12        0.58        2.64        3.63        (2.69
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Distributions(b)

             

From net investment income

    (0.31      (0.22      (0.17      (0.04       

From net realized gain

           (0.44      (6.94             (1.10
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total distributions

    (0.31      (0.66      (7.11      (0.04      (1.10
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net asset value, end of year

  $ 18.33      $ 18.52      $ 18.60      $ 23.07      $ 19.48  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Return(c)

             

Based on net asset value

    0.58      3.52      11.79      18.67      (11.54 )% 
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Ratios to Average Net Assets

             

Total expenses

    1.77      1.79      1.87      1.92      1.77
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed and paid indirectly

    1.21      1.22      1.43      1.88      1.77
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net investment income (loss)

    0.98      1.18      0.80      (0.33 )%       (0.56 )% 
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Supplemental Data

             

Net assets, end of year (000)

  $ 4,313      $ 10,407      $ 16,716      $ 19,642      $ 21,091  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Portfolio turnover rate

    182      137      189      59      73
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Based on average shares outstanding.

(b) 

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

(c) 

Where applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

32  

2020 BLACKROCK ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS


Financial Highlights  (continued)

(For a share outstanding throughout each period)

 

    BlackRock EuroFund  
    Institutional  
    Year Ended June 30,  
     2020      2019      2018      2017     2016  

Net asset value, beginning of year

  $ 14.40      $ 15.06      $ 14.78      $ 13.25     $ 15.51  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net investment income(a)

    0.02        0.13        0.13        0.16 (b)      0.25  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

    (0.04      (0.45      0.33        1.67       (2.28
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) from investment operations

    (0.02      (0.32      0.46        1.83       (2.03
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Distributions from net investment income(c)

    (0.07      (0.34      (0.18      (0.30     (0.23
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net asset value, end of year

  $ 14.31      $ 14.40      $ 15.06      $ 14.78     $ 13.25  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Return(d)

            

Based on net asset value

    (0.17 )%       (1.77 )%       3.12      14.14     (13.22 )% 
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Ratios to Average Net Assets

            

Total expenses

    1.24      1.23      1.11      1.10     1.07
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed

    1.18      1.17      1.08      1.10     1.07
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net investment income

    0.14      0.92      0.87      1.19 %(b)      1.72
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Supplemental Data

            

Net assets, end of year (000)

  $ 26,476      $ 33,178      $ 43,686      $ 146,685     $ 162,627  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Portfolio turnover rate

    39      153      98      93     100
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Based on average shares outstanding.

(b) 

Net investment income per share and the ratio of net investment income to average net assets include $0.01 per share and 0.10%, respectively, resulting from a special dividend.

(c) 

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

(d) 

Where applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

  33


Financial Highlights  (continued)

(For a share outstanding throughout each period)

 

    BlackRock EuroFund (continued)  
    Investor A  
    Year Ended June 30,  
     2020      2019      2018      2017     2016  

Net asset value, beginning of year

  $ 14.11      $ 14.78      $ 14.49      $ 12.98     $ 15.23  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net investment income(a)

    (0.00 )(b)       0.08        0.18        0.13 (c)      0.20  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

    (0.04      (0.44      0.26        1.64       (2.23
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) from investment operations

    (0.04      (0.36      0.44        1.77       (2.03
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Distributions from net investment income(d)

    (0.02      (0.31      (0.15      (0.26     (0.22
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net asset value, end of year

  $ 14.05      $ 14.11      $ 14.78      $ 14.49     $ 12.98  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Return(e)

            

Based on net asset value

    (0.30 )%       (2.08 )%       3.02      13.92     (13.41 )% 
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Ratios to Average Net Assets

            

Total expenses

    1.40      1.45      1.31      1.32     1.28
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed

    1.34      1.39      1.28      1.32     1.28
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net investment income (loss)

    (0.01 )%       0.56      1.19      0.97 %(c)      1.46
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Supplemental Data

            

Net assets, end of year (000)

  $ 65,887      $ 78,418      $ 149,540      $ 165,427     $ 178,374  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Portfolio turnover rate

    39      153      98      93     100
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Based on average shares outstanding.

(b) 

Amount is greater than $(0.005) per share.

(c) 

Net investment income per share and the ratio of net investment income to average net assets include $0.01 per share and 0.10%, respectively, resulting from a special dividend.

(d) 

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

(e) 

Where applicable, excludes the effects of any sales charges and assumes the reinvestment of distributions.

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

34  

2020 BLACKROCK ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS


Financial Highlights  (continued)

(For a share outstanding throughout each period)

 

    BlackRock EuroFund (continued)  
    Investor C  
    Year Ended June 30,  
     2020      2019      2018      2017     2016  

Net asset value, beginning of year

  $ 9.79      $ 10.36      $ 10.16      $ 9.17     $ 10.82  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net investment income (loss)(a)

    (0.08      (0.02      0.05        0.01 (b)      0.07  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

    (0.03      (0.31      0.18        1.15       (1.58
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) from investment operations

    (0.11      (0.33      0.23        1.16       (1.51
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Distributions from net investment income(c)

           (0.24      (0.03      (0.17     (0.14
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net asset value, end of year

  $ 9.68      $ 9.79      $ 10.36      $ 10.16     $ 9.17  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Return(d)

            

Based on net asset value

    (1.12 )%       (2.82 )%       2.27      12.94     (14.08 )% 
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Ratios to Average Net Assets

            

Total expenses

    2.19      2.20      2.08      2.13     2.09
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed

    2.13      2.14      2.04      2.13     2.09
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net investment income (loss)

    (0.85 )%       (0.17 )%       0.43      0.14 %(b)      0.67
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Supplemental Data

            

Net assets, end of year (000)

  $ 3,088      $ 4,179      $ 7,533      $ 8,038     $ 13,659  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Portfolio turnover rate

    39      153      98      93     100
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Based on average shares outstanding.

(b) 

Net investment income per share and the ratio of net investment income to average net assets include $0.01 per share and 0.10%, respectively, resulting from a special dividend.

(c) 

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

(d) 

Where applicable, excludes the effects of any sales charges and assumes the reinvestment of distributions.

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

  35


Financial Highlights  (continued)

(For a share outstanding throughout each period)

 

    BlackRock EuroFund (continued)  
    Class K  
    Year Ended June 30,       

 

   

Period from

01/25/18 (a)

to 06/30/18

 
    2020      2019  
         

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 14.34      $ 15.08        $ 16.57  
 

 

 

    

 

 

      

 

 

 

Net investment income(b)

    0.03        0.14          0.26  

Net realized and unrealized loss

    (0.02      (0.46        (1.75
 

 

 

    

 

 

      

 

 

 

Net decrease from investment operations

    0.01        (0.32        (1.49
 

 

 

    

 

 

      

 

 

 

Distributions from net investment income(c)

    (0.09      (0.42         
 

 

 

    

 

 

      

 

 

 

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 14.26      $ 14.34        $ 15.08  
 

 

 

    

 

 

      

 

 

 

Total Return(d)

         

Based on net asset value

    0.03      (1.70 )%         (8.99 )%(e) 
 

 

 

    

 

 

      

 

 

 

Ratios to Average Net Assets

         

Total expenses

    1.06      1.11        0.98 %(f)(g) 
 

 

 

    

 

 

      

 

 

 

Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed

    1.00      1.05        0.95 %(f) 
 

 

 

    

 

 

      

 

 

 

Net investment income

    0.18      1.00        3.86 %(f) 
 

 

 

    

 

 

      

 

 

 

Supplemental Data

         

Net assets, end of period (000)

  $ 601      $ 710        $ 1,005  
 

 

 

    

 

 

      

 

 

 

Portfolio turnover rate

    39      153        98
 

 

 

    

 

 

      

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Commencement of operations.

(b) 

Based on average shares outstanding.

(c) 

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

(d) 

Where applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.

(e) 

Aggregate total return.

(f) 

Annualized.

(g) 

Offering costs were not annualized in the calculation of the expense ratios. If these expenses were annualized, the total expenses would have been 0.99%.

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

36  

2020 BLACKROCK ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS


Financial Highlights  (continued)

(For a share outstanding throughout each period)

 

    BlackRock EuroFund (continued)  
    Class R  
    Year Ended June 30,  
     2020      2019      2018      2017     2016  

Net asset value, beginning of year

  $ 10.54      $ 11.14      $ 10.96      $ 9.89     $ 11.66  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net investment income (loss)(a)

    (0.04      (0.01      0.09        0.05 (b)      0.11  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

    (0.04      (0.33      0.18        1.24       (1.71
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) from investment operations

    (0.08      (0.34      0.27        1.29       (1.60
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Distributions from net investment income(c)

           (0.26      (0.09      (0.22     (0.17
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net asset value, end of year

  $ 10.46      $ 10.54      $ 11.14      $ 10.96     $ 9.89  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Return(d)

            

Based on net asset value

    (0.76 )%       (2.66 )%       2.46      13.42     (13.82 )% 
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Ratios to Average Net Assets

            

Total expenses

    1.87      2.07      1.81      1.83     1.72
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total expenses after fees waived and/or reimbursed

    1.81      2.01      1.77      1.83     1.72
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net investment income (loss)

    (0.42 )%       (0.07 )%       0.76      0.54 %(b)      1.08
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Supplemental Data

            

Net assets, end of year (000)

  $ 359      $ 363      $ 786      $ 1,017     $ 859  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Portfolio turnover rate

    39      153      98      93     100
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Based on average shares outstanding.

(b) 

Net investment income per share and the ratio of net investment income to average net assets include $0.01 per share and 0.10%, respectively, resulting from a special dividend.

(c) 

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

(d) 

Where applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

  37


Notes to Financial Statements

 

1.

ORGANIZATION

BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc., (the “Corporation”) and BlackRock EuroFund (the “Trust”) are each registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as open-end management investment companies. BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc. is organized as a Maryland corporation. BlackRock EuroFund is organized as a Massachusetts business trust. The following are referred to herein collectively as the “Funds” or individually as a “Fund”:

 

Fund Name   Herein Referred To As    Diversification
Classification

BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc.

  Advantage Global    Diversified

BlackRock EuroFund

  EuroFund    Diversified

Each Fund offers multiple classes of shares. All classes of shares have identical voting, dividend, liquidation and other rights and are subject to the same terms and conditions, except that certain classes bear expenses related to the shareholder servicing and distribution of such shares. Institutional and Class K Shares are sold only to certain eligible investors. Investor A, Investor C and Class R Shares bear certain expenses related to shareholder servicing of such shares, and Investor C and Class R Shares also bear certain expenses related to the distribution of such shares. Investor A and Investor C Shares are generally available through financial intermediaries. Class R Shares are sold only to certain employer-sponsored retirement plans. Each class has exclusive voting rights with respect to matters relating to its shareholder servicing and distribution expenditures (except that Investor C shareholders may vote on material changes to the Investor A Shares distribution and service plan).

 

Share Class   Initial Sales Charge    CDSC      Conversion Privilege

Institutional, Class K and Class R Shares

  No      No      None

Investor A Shares

  Yes      No (a)     None

Investor C Shares

  No      Yes (b)     To Investor A Shares after approximately 10 years

 

  (a) 

Investor A Shares may be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) for certain redemptions where no initial sales charge was paid at the time of purchase.

 
  (b) 

A CDSC of 1.00% is assessed on certain redemptions of Investor C Shares made within one year after purchase.

 

The Funds, together with certain other registered investment companies advised by BlackRock Advisors, LLC (the “Manager”) or its affiliates, are included in a complex of equity, multi-asset, index and money market funds referred to as the BlackRock Multi-Asset Complex.

 

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 on the identified cost basis. Dividend income and non-cash dividend income, if any, are recorded on the ex-dividend date. 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. Interest income, including amortization and accretion of premiums and discounts on debt securities, are recognized on an accrual basis. Income, expenses and realized and unrealized gains and losses are allocated daily to each class based on its relative net assets.

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 exchange rates determined as of the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”). 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 portion of the results of operations arising as a result of changes in the exchange rates from the changes in the market prices of investments held or sold 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.

Segregation and Collateralization: In cases where a Fund enters into certain investments (e.g., futures contracts) that would be treated as “senior securities” for 1940 Act purposes, a Fund may segregate or designate on its books and records cash or liquid assets having a market value at least equal to the amount of its future obligations under such investments. Doing so allows the investment to be excluded from treatment as a “senior security.” Furthermore, 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 or obligations.

Distributions: Distributions paid by the Funds are recorded on the ex-dividend dates. The character and timing of distributions are determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations, which may differ from U.S. GAAP.

 

 

38  

2020 BLACKROCK ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS


Notes to Financial Statements  (continued)

 

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

Other: Expenses directly related to a Fund or its classes are charged to that Fund or the applicable class. Other operating expenses shared by several funds, including other funds managed by the Manager, are prorated among those funds on the basis of relative net assets or other appropriate methods. Expenses directly related to the Funds and other shared expenses prorated to the Funds are allocated daily to each class based on their relative net assets or other appropriate methods.

The Funds have an arrangement with their custodian whereby credits are earned on uninvested cash balances, which could be used to reduce custody fees and/or overdraft charges. The Funds may incur charges on overdrafts, subject to certain conditions.

 

3.

INVESTMENT VALUATION AND FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

Investment Valuation Policies: The Funds’ investments are valued at fair value (also referred to as “market value” within the financial statements) as of the close of trading on the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time). U.S. GAAP defines fair value as the price the Funds would receive to sell an asset or pay to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The Funds determine the fair values of their financial instruments using various independent dealers or pricing services under policies approved by the Board of Directors of the Trust (the “Board”). 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 a policy approved by the Board as reflecting fair value. The BlackRock Global Valuation Methodologies Committee (the “Global Valuation Committee”) is the committee formed by management to develop global pricing policies and procedures and to oversee the pricing function for all financial instruments.

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 the official closing price each day, if available. For equity investments traded on more than one exchange, the official closing price on the exchange where the stock is primarily traded is used. Equity investments traded on a recognized exchange for which there were no sales on that day may be valued at the last available bid (long positions) or ask (short positions) price.

Generally, trading in foreign instruments is substantially completed each day at various times prior to the close of trading on the NYSE. Occasionally, events affecting the values of such instruments may occur between the foreign market close and the close of trading on the NYSE that may not be reflected in the computation of the Funds’ net assets. Each business day, the Funds use a pricing service to assist with the valuation of certain foreign exchange-traded equity securities and foreign exchange-traded and over-the-counter (“OTC”) options (the “Systematic Fair Value Price”). Using current market factors, the Systematic Fair Value Price is designed to value such foreign securities and foreign options at fair value as of the close of trading on the NYSE, which follows the close of the local markets.

 

   

Investments in open-end U.S. mutual funds are valued at net asset value (“NAV”) each business day.

 

   

The Funds value their investment in SL Liquidity Series, LLC, Money Market Series (the “Money Market Series”) at fair value, which is ordinarily based upon their pro rata ownership in the underlying fund’s net assets. The Money Market Series seeks current income consistent with maintaining liquidity and preserving capital. Although the Money Market Series is not registered under the 1940 Act, its investments may follow the parameters of investments by a money market fund that is subject to Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act.

 

   

Futures contracts notional values are determined based on that day’s last reported settlement price on the exchange where the contract is traded.

If events (e.g., a company announcement, market volatility or a natural disaster) occur that are expected to materially affect the value of such investments, or in the event that the 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 Global Valuation Committee, or its delegate, in accordance with a policy approved by the Board as reflecting fair value (“Fair Valued Investments”). The fair valuation approaches that may be used by the Global Valuation Committee will 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 Global Valuation Committee, or its delegate, 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 Global Valuation Committee, or its delegate, deems relevant and consistent with the principles of fair value measurement. The pricing of all Fair Valued Investments is subsequently reported to the Board or a committee thereof on a quarterly basis.

For investments in equity or debt issued by privately held companies or funds (“Private Company” or collectively, the “Private Companies”) and other Fair Valued Investments, the fair valuation approaches that are used by the Global Valuation Committee and third party pricing services utilize one or a combination of, but not limited to, the following inputs.

 

     Standard Inputs Generally Considered By Third Party Pricing Services

Market approach

 

(i)  recent market transactions, including subsequent rounds of financing, in the underlying investment or comparable issuers;

(ii) recapitalizations and other transactions across the capital structure; and

(iii)   market multiples of comparable issuers.

Income approach

 

(i)  future cash flows discounted to present and adjusted as appropriate for liquidity, credit, and/or market risks;

(ii) quoted prices for similar investments or assets in active markets; and

(iii)   other risk factors, such as interest rates, yield curves, volatilities, prepayment speeds, loss severities, credit risks, recovery rates, liquidation amounts and/or default rates.

 

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

  39


Notes to Financial Statements  (continued)

 

     Standard Inputs Generally Considered By Third Party Pricing Services

Cost approach

 

(i)  audited or unaudited financial statements, investor communications and financial or operational metrics issued by the Private Company;

(ii) changes in the valuation of relevant indices or publicly traded companies comparable to the Private Company;

(iii)   relevant news and other public sources; and

(iv)   known secondary market transactions in the Private Company’s interests and merger or acquisition activity in companies comparable to the Private Company.

Investments in series of preferred stock issued by Private Companies are typically valued utilizing market approach in determining the enterprise value of the company. Such investments often contain rights and preferences that differ from other series of preferred and common stock of the same issuer. Valuation techniques such as an option pricing model (“OPM”), a probability weighted expected return model (“PWERM”) or a hybrid of those techniques are used in allocating enterprise value of the company, as deemed appropriate under the circumstances. The use of OPM and PWERM techniques involve a determination of the exit scenarios of the investment in order to appropriately allocate the enterprise value of the company among the various parts of its capital structure.

The Private Companies are not subject to the public company disclosure, timing, and reporting standards as other investments held by a Fund. Typically, the most recently available information by a Private Company is as of a date that is earlier than the date a Fund is calculating its NAV. This factor may result in a difference between the value of the investment and the price a Fund could receive upon the sale of the investment.

Fair Value Hierarchy: Various inputs are used in determining the fair value of investments and derivative financial instruments. These inputs to valuation techniques are categorized into a fair value hierarchy consisting of three broad levels for financial statement 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)

 

   

Level 3 — Unobservable inputs based on the best information available in the circumstances, to the extent observable inputs are not available (including the Global Valuation Committee’s assumptions used in determining the fair value of investments and derivative 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 Global Valuation Committee in determining the price for Fair Valued Investments. Level 3 investments include equity or debt issued by privately held companies or funds. There may not be a secondary market, and/or there are a limited number of investors. The categorization of a value determined for investments and derivative financial instruments is based on the pricing transparency of the investments and derivative financial instruments and is not necessarily an indication of the risks associated with investing in those securities.

As of June 30, 2020, certain investments of the Funds were fair valued using NAV per share or its equivalent as no quoted market value is available and therefore have been excluded from the fair value hierarchy.

 

4.

SECURITIES AND OTHER INVESTMENTS

Preferred Stocks: Preferred stock has a preference over common stock in liquidation (and generally in receiving dividends as well), but is subordinated to the liabilities of the issuer in all respects. As a general rule, the market value of preferred stock with a fixed dividend rate and no conversion element varies inversely with interest rates and perceived credit risk, while the market price of convertible preferred stock generally also reflects some element of conversion value. Because preferred stock is junior to debt securities and other obligations of the issuer, deterioration in the credit quality of the issuer will cause greater changes in the value of a preferred stock than in a more senior debt security with similar stated yield characteristics. Unlike interest payments on debt securities, preferred stock dividends are payable only if declared by the issuer’s board of directors. Preferred stock also may be subject to optional or mandatory redemption provisions.

Securities Lending: Certain Funds may lend their securities to approved borrowers, such as brokers, dealers and other financial institutions. The borrower pledges and maintains with the Funds collateral consisting of cash, an irrevocable letter of credit issued by a 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 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 market 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 returned by the Fund, on the next business day. During the term of the loan, the Funds are entitled to all distributions made on or in respect of the loaned securities, but do 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.

The market value of any securities on loan, all of which were classified as common stocks in the Funds’ Schedules of Investments, and the value of any related collateral are shown separately in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities as a component of investments at value — unaffiliated, and collateral on securities loaned at value, respectively. As of period end, any securities on loan were collateralized by cash and/or U.S. Government obligations. Cash collateral invested by the securities lending agent, BlackRock Investment Management, LLC (“BIM”), if any, is disclosed in the Schedules of Investments.

 

 

40  

2020 BLACKROCK ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS


Notes to Financial Statements  (continued)

 

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 a 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 Advantage Global’s securities lending agreements by counterparty which are subject to offset under an MSLA:

 

Counterparty   Securities
Loaned at Value
     Cash Collateral
Received
 (a)
    Net
Amount
 (b)
 

Advantage Global

      

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

  $ 3,827,246      $ (3,810,606   $ 16,640  

Goldman Sachs & Co.

    28        (28      

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

    378,790        (378,790      
 

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 
  $ 4,206,064      $ (4,189,424   $ 16,640  
 

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

  (a)

Collateral received 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 Statements of Assets and Liabilities.

 
  (b) 

The market value of the loaned securities is determined as of June 30, 2020. Additional collateral is delivered to the Fund on the next business day in accordance with the MSLA. The net amount would be subject to the borrower default indemnity in the event of default by the counterparty.

 

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 Funds benefit from a borrower default indemnity provided by BIM. BIM’s indemnity allows for full replacement of the securities loaned to the extent the collateral received does not cover the value on 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 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 Funds.

 

5.

DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

The Funds engage in various portfolio investment strategies using derivative contracts both to increase the returns of the Funds and/or to manage their exposure to certain risks such as credit risk, equity risk, interest rate risk, foreign currency exchange rate risk, commodity price risk or other risks (e.g., inflation risk). Derivative financial instruments categorized by risk exposure are included in the Schedules of Investments. These contracts may be transacted on an exchange or OTC.

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 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 Schedules 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, foreign currency exchange rates or underlying assets.

 

6.

INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES

Investment Advisory: Each Fund entered into an Investment Advisory Agreement with the Manager, the Funds’ investment adviser and an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. (“BlackRock”), to provide investment advisory and administrative services. The Manager is responsible for the management of each Fund’s portfolio and provides the personnel, facilities, equipment and certain other services necessary to the operations of each Fund.

 

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

  41


Notes to Financial Statements  (continued)

 

For such services, each Fund pays the Manager a monthly fee at an annual rate equal to the following percentages of the average daily value of each Fund’s net assets:

 

     Investment Advisory Fee  
Average Daily Net Assets   Advantage Global      EuroFund  

First $1 Billion

    0.85      0.75

$1 Billion — $3 Billion

    0.80        0.71  

$3 Billion — $5 Billion

    0.77        0.68  

$5 Billion — $10 Billion

    0.74        0.65  

Greater than $10 Billion

    0.72        0.64  

The Manager, with respect to EuroFund, entered into a sub-advisory agreement with BlackRock International Limited (“BIL”), an affiliate of the Manager. The Manager pays BIL for services it provides for that portion of the Fund for which BIL acts as sub-adviser, a monthly fee that is equal to a percentage of the investment advisory fees paid by EuroFund to the Manager.

Service and Distribution Fees: The Funds entered into a Distribution Agreement and a Distribution and Service Plans with BlackRock Investments, LLC (“BRIL”), an affiliate of the Manager. Pursuant to the Distribution and Service Plans and in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, each Fund pays BRIL ongoing service and distribution fees. The fees are accrued daily and paid monthly at annual rates based upon the average daily net assets of the relevant share class of each Fund as follows:

 

     Service Fees      Distribution Fees  

Investor A

    0.25     

Investor C

    0.25        0.75  

Class R

    0.25        0.25  

BRIL and broker-dealers, pursuant to sub-agreements with BRIL, provide shareholder servicing and distribution services to the Funds. The ongoing service and/or distribution fee compensates BRIL and each broker-dealer for providing shareholder servicing and/or distribution related services to shareholders.

For the year ended June 30, 2020, the following table shows the class specific service and distribution fees borne directly by each share class of each Fund:

 

     Investor A      Investor C      Class R      Total  

Advantage Global

  $ 654,569      $ 429,767      $ 36,762      $ 1,121,098  

EuroFund

    174,241        35,274        1,638        211,153  

Transfer Agent: Pursuant to written agreements, certain financial intermediaries, some of which may be affiliates, provide the Funds with sub-accounting, recordkeeping, sub-transfer agency and other administrative services with respect to servicing of underlying investor accounts. For these services, these entities receive an asset-based fee or an annual fee per shareholder account, which will vary depending on share class and/or net assets. For the year ended June 30, 2020, Advantage Global paid the following amounts to affiliates of BlackRock in return for these services, which are included in transfer agent — class specific in the Statements of Operations:

 

     Investor A  

Advantage Global

  $ 1,067  

For the year ended June 30, 2020, EuroFund did not pay any amounts to affiliates in return for these services.

The Manager maintains a call center that is responsible for providing certain shareholder services to the Funds. Shareholder services include responding to inquiries and processing purchases and sales based upon instructions from shareholders. For the year ended June 30, 2020, each Fund reimbursed the Manager the following amounts for costs incurred in running the call center, which are included in transfer agent — class specific in the Statements of Operations:

 

     Institutional      Investor A      Investor C      Class K      Class R      Total  

Advantage Global

  $ 365      $ 6,741      $ 1,159      $ 25      $ 139      $ 8,429  

EuroFund

    1,275        2,976        96        18        24        4,389  

For the year ended June 30, 2020, the following table shows the class specific transfer agent fees borne directly by each share class of each Fund:

 

     Institutional      Investor A      Investor C      Class K      Class R      Total  

Advantage Global

  $ 102,267      $ 504,471      $ 131,368      $ 4,608      $ 18,806      $ 761,520  

EuroFund

    58,162        81,426        5,388        155        1,102        146,233  

Other Fees: For the year ended June 30, 2020, affiliates earned underwriting discounts, direct commissions and dealer concessions on sales of each Fund’s Investor A Shares as follows:

 

     Investor A  

Advantage Global

  $ 3,286  

EuroFund

    403  

 

 

42  

2020 BLACKROCK ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS


Notes to Financial Statements  (continued)

 

For the year ended June 30, 2020, affiliates received CDSCs as follows:

 

     Advantage Global      EuroFund  

Investor A

  $ 613      $  

Investor C

    515        3  

Expense Limitations, Waivers, Reimbursements, and Recoupments: With respect to each Fund, the Manager voluntarily agreed to waive its investment advisory fees by the amount of investment advisory fees each Fund pays to the Manager indirectly through its investment in affiliated money market funds (the “affiliated money market fund waiver”). The amount of waivers and/or reimbursements of fees and expenses made pursuant to the expense limitation described below will be reduced by the amount of the affiliated money market fund waiver. These amounts are included in fees waived and/or reimbursed by the Manager in the Statements of Operations. For the year ended June 30, 2020, the amounts waived were as follows:

 

     Advantage Global      EuroFund  

Amounts waived

  $ 2,858      $ 293  

The Manager has contractually agreed to waive its investment advisory fee with respect to any portion of each Fund’s assets invested in affiliated equity and fixed-income mutual funds and affiliated exchange-traded funds that have a contractual management fee through October 31, 2020. The contractual agreement may be terminated upon 90 days’ notice by a majority of the directors who are not “interested persons” of the Fund, as defined in the 1940 Act (“Independent Directors”), or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of a Fund. For the year ended June 30, 2020, there were no fees waived and/or reimbursed by the Manager pursuant to this arrangement.

The Manager voluntarily agreed to waive a portion of its investment advisory fees equal to the annual rate of 0.06% of EuroFund’s average daily net assets. This amount is included in fees waived and/or reimbursed by the Manager in the Statements of Operations. During the year ended June 30, 2020, the Manager waived $62,069 pursuant to this agreement.

For the year ended June 30, 2020, the Funds reimbursed the Manager for certain accounting services, which is included in accounting services in the Statements of Operations. The reimbursements were as follows:

 

     Institutional      Investor A      Investor C      Class K      Class R      Total  

Advantage Global

  $ 1,009      $ 3,290      $ 542      $ 102      $ 94      $ 5,037  

EuroFund

    334        793        40        7        4        1,178  

With respect to Advantage Global, the Manager contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse fees or expenses in order to limit expenses, excluding interest expense, dividend expense, tax expense, acquired fund fees and expenses, and certain other fund expenses, which constitute extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business (“expense limitation”). The expense limitations as a percentage of average daily net assets are as follows:

 

     Institutional      Investor A      Investor C      Class K      Class R  

Expense limitations

    0.71      0.96      1.71      0.66      1.21

The Manager has agreed not to reduce or discontinue these contractual expense limitations through October 31, 2020, unless approved by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Directors, or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of Advantage Global. For the year ended June 30, 2020, the Manager waived and/or reimbursed $1,440,121, which is included in fees waived and/or reimbursed by the Manager in the Statements of Operations.

These amounts waived and/or reimbursed are shown as transfer agent fees waived — class specific, in the Statements of Operations. For the year ended June 30, 2020, class specific waivers were as follows:

 

     Institutional      Investor A      Investor C      Class K      Class R      Total  

Advantage Global

  $ 62,081      $ 373,558      $ 109,879      $ 4,607      $ 15,129      $ 565,254  

With respect to the contractual expense limitation, if during Advantage Global’s fiscal year the operating expenses of a share class, that at any time during the prior two fiscal years received a waiver and/or reimbursement from the Manager, are less than the current expense limitation for that share class, the Manager is entitled to be reimbursed by such share class up to the lesser of: (a) the amount of fees waived and/or expenses reimbursed during those prior two fiscal years under the agreement and (b) an amount not to exceed either the current expense limitation of that share class or the expense limitation of the share class in effect at the time that the share class received the applicable waiver and/or reimbursement, provided that:

(1) the Fund, of which the share class is a part, has more than $50 million in assets for the fiscal year, and

(2) the Manager or an affiliate continues to serve as the Fund’s investment adviser or administrator.

This repayment applies only to the contractual expense limitation on net expenses and does not apply to the contractual investment advisory fee waiver described above or any voluntary waivers that may be in effect from time to time. Effective December 1, 2019, the repayment arrangement between the Fund and the Manager pursuant to which such Fund may be required to repay amounts waived and/or reimbursed under the Fund’s contractual caps on net expenses was terminated.

 

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

  43


Notes to Financial Statements  (continued)

 

The following fund level and class specific waivers and/or reimbursements previously recorded by Advantage Global Fund, which were subject to recoupment by the Manager, expired on December 1, 2019:

 

Fund Level

  $ 3,664,549  

Institutional

    186,656  

Investor A

    1,017,033  

Investor C

    363,661  

Class K

    2,502  

Class R

    72,831  

Securities Lending: The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has issued an exemptive order which permits BIM, an affiliate of the Manager, to serve as securities lending agent for the Funds, subject to applicable conditions. As securities lending agent, BIM bears all operational costs directly related to securities lending. The Funds are responsible for expenses in connection with the investment of cash collateral received for securities on loan (the “collateral investment expenses”). The cash collateral is invested in a private investment company managed by the Manager or its affiliates. However, BIM has agreed to cap the collateral investment expenses of the private investment company to an annual rate of 0.04%. The investment adviser to the private investment company will not charge any advisory fees with respect to shares purchased by the Funds. The private investment company in which the cash collateral has been invested may, under certain circumstances, impose a liquidity fee of up to 2% of the value withdrawn or temporarily restrict withdrawals for up to 10 business days during a 90 day period, in the event that the private investment company’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 expenses. Each Fund retains a portion of securities lending income and remits a remaining portion to BIM as compensation for its services as securities lending agent.

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

In addition, commencing the business day following the date that the aggregate securities lending income earned across the BlackRock Multi-Asset Complex in a calendar year exceeds a specified threshold, each Fund, pursuant to the securities lending agreement, will retain for the remainder of that calendar year securities lending income in an amount equal to 85% of securities lending income (which excludes collateral investment expenses), and this amount retained can never be less than 70% of the total of securities lending income plus the collateral investment expenses.

The share of securities lending income earned by each Fund is shown as securities lending income — affiliated — net in the Statements of Operations. For the year ended June 30, 2020, each Fund paid BIM the following amounts for securities lending agent services:

 

     Advantage Global      EuroFund  

Securities lending agent services

  $ 2,355      $  

Interfund Lending: In accordance with an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the SEC, each Fund may participate in a joint lending and borrowing facility for temporary purposes (the “Interfund Lending Program”), subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Order, and to the extent permitted by each Fund’s investment policies and restrictions. EuroFund is currently permitted to borrow under the Interfund Lending Program. Advantage Global is currently permitted to borrow and lend under the Interfund Lending Program.

A lending BlackRock fund may lend in aggregate up to 15% of its net assets, but may not lend more than 5% of its net assets to any one borrowing fund through the Interfund Lending Program. A borrowing BlackRock fund may not borrow through the Interfund Lending Program or from any other source more than 33 1/3% of its total assets (or any lower threshold provided for by the fund’s investment restrictions). If a borrowing BlackRock fund’s total outstanding borrowings exceed 10% of its total assets, each of its outstanding interfund loans will be subject to collateralization of at least 102% of the outstanding principal value of the loan. All interfund loans are for temporary or emergency purposes and the interest rate to be charged will be the average of the highest current overnight repurchase agreement rate available to a lending fund and the bank loan rate, as calculated according to a formula established by the Board.

During the year ended June 30, 2020, the Funds did not participate in the Interfund Lending Program.

Directors and Officers: Certain directors and/or officers of the Funds are directors and/or officers of BlackRock or its affiliates. The Funds reimburse the Manager for a portion of the compensation paid to the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, which is included in Directors and Officer in the Statements of Operations.

 

7.

PURCHASES AND SALES

For the year ended June 30, 2020, purchases and sales of investments excluding short-term securities, were as follows:

 

     Advantage Global      EuroFund  

Purchases

  $ 706,278,267      $ 40,218,445  

Sales

    783,117,132        59,566,631  

 

8.

INCOME TAX INFORMATION

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.

 

 

44  

2020 BLACKROCK ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS


Notes to Financial Statements  (continued)

 

Each Fund files U.S. federal and various state and local tax returns. No income tax returns are currently under examination. The statute of limitations on each Fund’s U.S. federal tax returns generally remains open for each of the four years ended June 30, 2020. The statutes of limitations on each Fund’s state and local tax returns may remain open for an additional year depending upon the jurisdiction.

Management has analyzed tax laws and regulations and their application to the Funds as of June 30, 2020, 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.

The tax character of distributions paid was as follows:

 

             Advantage Global      EuroFund  

Ordinary income

    06/30/20      $ 7,433,829      $ 240,338  
    06/30/19        14,619,801        2,923,912  

Long-term capital gains

    06/30/20                
    06/30/19        2,387,009         
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
    06/30/20      $ 7,433,829      $ 240,338  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
    06/30/19      $ 17,006,810      $ 2,923,912  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

As of period end, the tax components of accumulated earnings (loss) were as follows:

 

     Advantage Global     EuroFund  

Undistributed ordinary income

  $ 1,704,889     $  

Non-expiring Capital loss carryforwards(a)

    (8,961,241     (34,130,399

Net unrealized gains(b)

    28,176,949       14,873,038  

Qualified late-year losses(c)

          (12,543
 

 

 

   

 

 

 
  $ 20,920,597     $ (19,269,904
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

Amounts available to offset future realized capital gains.

 
  (b) 

The difference between book-basis and tax-basis net unrealized gains was attributable primarily to the tax deferral of losses on wash sales, the realization for tax purposes of unrealized gains on investments in passive foreign investment companies, the realization for tax purposes of unrealized gains/losses on certain futures and foreign currency contracts and the timing and recognition of partnership income.

 
  (c) 

The Fund has elected to defer certain qualified late-year losses and recognize such losses in the next taxable year.

 

As of June 30, 2020, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation for investments and derivatives based on cost for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:

 

     Advantage Global     EuroFund  

Tax cost

  $ 344,214,879     $ 81,670,308  
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Gross unrealized appreciation

  $ 49,155,564     $ 17,502,201  

Gross unrealized depreciation

    (21,018,224     (2,627,733
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

  $ 28,137,340     $ 14,874,468  
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

9.

BANK BORROWINGS

The Funds along with certain other funds managed by the Manager and its affiliates (“Participating Funds”), are parties to a 364-day, $2.25 billion credit agreement with a group of lenders. Under this agreement, the Funds may borrow to fund shareholder redemptions. Excluding commitments designated for certain individual funds, the Participating Funds, including the Funds, can borrow up to an aggregate commitment amount of $1.75 billion at any time outstanding, subject to asset coverage and other limitations as specified in the agreement. The credit agreement has the following terms: a fee of 0.10% per annum on unused commitment amounts and interest at a rate equal to the higher of (a) one-month LIBOR (but, in any event, not less than 0.00%) on the date the loan is made plus 0.80% per annum or (b) the Fed Funds rate (but, in any event, not less than 0.00%) in effect from time to time plus 0.80% per annum on amounts borrowed. The agreement expires in April 2021 unless extended or renewed. These fees were allocated among such funds based upon portions of the aggregate commitment available to them and relative net assets of Participating Funds. During the year ended June 30, 2020, the Funds did not borrow under the credit agreement.

 

10.

PRINCIPAL RISKS

In the normal course of business, certain Funds invest in securities or other instruments and may enter into certain transactions, and such activities subject each 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 and 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 each Fund is subject.

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.

 

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

  45


Notes to Financial Statements  (continued)

 

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 each 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 a Fund could receive upon the sale of any particular portfolio investment may differ from a 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 may significantly impact the resulting fair value and therefore a Fund’s results of operations. As a result, the price received upon the sale of an investment may be less than the value ascribed by a Fund, and a Fund could realize a greater than expected loss or lesser than expected gain upon the sale of the investment. A Fund’s ability to value its investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third party service providers.

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. The duration of this pandemic and its effects cannot be determined with certainty.

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. The Funds manage counterparty credit risk by entering into transactions only with counterparties that the Manager 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.

Concentration Risk: The Funds invest a substantial amount of their assets in issuers located in a single country or a limited number of countries. When the Funds concentrate their investments in this manner, it assumes the risk that economic, political and social conditions in those countries may have a significant impact on their investment performance. Foreign issuers may not be subject to the same uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and practices as used in the United States. Foreign securities markets may also be more volatile and less liquid than U.S. securities and may be less subject to governmental supervision not typically associated with investing in U.S. securities. Investment percentages in specific countries are presented in the Schedules of Investments.

EuroFund 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. 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. In addition, 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.

 

 

46  

2020 BLACKROCK ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS


Notes to Financial Statements  (continued)

 

11.

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS

Transactions in capital shares for each class were as follows:

 

     Year Ended
06/30/20
    Year Ended
06/30/19
 
Advantage Global Fund, Inc.   Shares     Amount     Shares     Amount  

Institutional

       

Shares sold

    530,504     $ 11,111,823       1,232,648     $ 24,912,052  

Shares issued in reinvestment of distributions

    68,864       1,530,165       159,143       3,133,521  

Shares redeemed

    (1,121,872     (23,282,546     (2,651,356     (55,309,098
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net decrease

    (522,504   $ (10,640,558     (1,259,565   $ (27,263,525
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Investor A

       

Shares sold and automatic conversion of shares

    717,729     $ 14,211,703       1,626,860     $ 32,489,716  

Shares issued in reinvestment of distributions

    211,298       4,456,265       538,218       10,069,960  

Shares redeemed

    (3,135,330     (63,175,516     (3,872,814     (76,347,695
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net decrease

    (2,206,303   $ (44,507,548     (1,707,736   $ (33,788,019
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Investor C

 

Shares sold

    37,181     $ 617,024       113,130     $ 1,800,863  

Shares issued in reinvestment of distributions

    33,866       584,186       124,565       1,913,305  

Shares redeemed and automatic conversion of shares

    (1,025,892     (16,796,727     (2,486,438     (40,904,182
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net decrease

    (954,845   $ (15,595,517     (2,248,743   $ (37,190,014
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Class K

 

Shares sold

    348,263     $ 7,664,452       363,428     $ 7,674,626  

Shares issued in reinvestment of distributions

    6,480       143,926       8,407       165,540  

Shares redeemed

    (281,599     (6,028,708     (94,714     (1,971,467
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase

    73,144     $ 1,779,670       277,121     $ 5,868,699  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Class R

 

Shares sold

    62,857     $ 1,132,067       112,045     $ 2,021,830  

Shares issued in reinvestment of distributions

    6,948       132,081       30,451       514,018  

Shares redeemed

    (396,509     (7,102,296     (479,342     (8,614,397
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net decrease

    (326,704   $ (5,838,148     (336,846   $ (6,078,549
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Net Decrease

    (3,937,212   $ (74,802,101     (5,275,769   $ (98,451,408
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

     Year Ended
06/30/20
    Year Ended
06/30/19
 
EuroFund   Shares     Amount     Shares     Amount  

Institutional

       

Shares sold

    130,041     $ 1,920,769       116,304     $ 1,632,133  

Shares issued in reinvestment of distributions

    7,943       116,042       55,526       691,295  

Shares redeemed

    (591,983     (7,983,636     (767,404     (10,555,926
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net decrease

    (453,999   $ (5,946,825     (595,574   $ (8,232,498
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Investor A

       

Shares sold and automatic conversion of shares

    96,451     $ 1,318,690       329,601     $ 4,582,724  

Shares issued in reinvestment of distributions

    5,312       76,225       131,602       1,608,202  

Shares redeemed

    (969,030     (13,198,357     (5,024,233     (67,280,467
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net decrease

    (867,267   $ (11,803,442     (4,563,030   $ (61,089,541
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Investor C

 

Shares sold

    9,055     $ 81,692       10,878     $ 104,553  

Shares issued in reinvestment of distributions

                11,884       101,134  

Shares redeemed and automatic conversion of shares

    (116,883     (1,025,607     (323,337     (3,029,797
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net decrease

    (107,828   $ (943,915     (300,575   $ (2,824,110
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Class K

 

Shares sold

    8,499     $ 115,317       14,854     $ 200,174  

Shares issued in reinvestment of distributions

    195       2,829       1,495       18,527  

Shares redeemed

    (16,051     (225,372     (33,530     (459,486
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net decrease

    (7,357   $ (107,226     (17,181   $ (240,785
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS      47  


Notes to Financial Statements  (continued)

 

     Year Ended
06/30/20
    Year Ended
06/30/19
 
EuroFund   Shares     Amount     Shares     Amount  

Class R

 

Shares sold

    10,440     $ 105,794       8,938     $ 89,980  

Shares issued in reinvestment of distributions

                1,394       12,765  

Shares redeemed

    (10,554     (105,110     (46,452     (496,404
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease)

    (114   $ 684       (36,120   $ (393,659
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Net Decrease

    (1,436,565   $ (18,800,724     (5,512,480   $ (72,780,593
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

As of June 30, 2020, BlackRock Financial Management, Inc., an affiliate of the Fund, owned 12,070 Class K Shares of EuroFund.

 

12.

SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

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

 

 

48  

2020 BLACKROCK ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS


Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

To the Shareholders and Board of Directors/Trustees of BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc. and BlackRock EuroFund:

Opinion on the Financial Statements and Financial Highlights

We have audited the accompanying statements of assets and liabilities of BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc. and BlackRock EuroFund (the “Funds”), including the schedules of investments, as of June 30, 2020, the related statements of operations for the year then ended, the statements of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended, and the related notes. In our opinion, the financial statements and financial highlights present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Funds as of June 30, 2020, and the results of their operations for the year then ended, the changes in their net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements and financial highlights are the responsibility of the Funds’ management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Funds’ financial statements and financial highlights based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Funds in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements and financial highlights are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Funds are not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of their internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Funds’ internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements and financial highlights, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements and financial highlights. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements and financial highlights. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of June 30, 2020, by correspondence with the custodian and brokers; when replies were not received from brokers, we performed other auditing procedures. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Deloitte & Touche LLP

Boston, Massachusetts

August 21, 2020

We have served as the auditor of one or more BlackRock investment companies since 1992.

 

 

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

  49


Important Tax Information  (unaudited)

 

For corporate shareholders, the percentage of ordinary income distributions paid during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020 that qualified for the dividends-received deduction were as follows:

 

Fund   Dividends-Received
Deduction
 

Advantage Global

    82.92

The following maximum amounts are hereby designated as qualified dividend income for individuals for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020:

 

Fund   Qualified Dividend
Income
 

Advantage Global

  $ 7,638,148  

EuroFund

    1,388,742  

 

Fund   Qualified Business
Income
 

Advantage Global

  $ 456,781  

For the period ended June 30, 2020, the Fund earned foreign source income and paid foreign taxes which it intends to pass through to its shareholders:

 

Fund   Foreign Source
Income Earned
    

Foreign

Taxes Paid

 

EuroFund

  $ 609,217      $ 368,883  

 

 

50  

2020 BLACKROCK ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS


Disclosure of Investment Advisory Agreements and Sub-Advisory Agreement

 

The Board of Trustees of BlackRock EuroFund (“EuroFund”) met on April 7, 2020 and May 11-13, 2020 to consider the approval of the investment advisory agreement (the “EuroFund Advisory Agreement”) between EuroFund and BlackRock Advisors, LLC (the “Manager”), its investment advisor. The Board of Trustees of EuroFund also considered the approval of the sub-advisory agreement (the “EuroFund Sub-Advisory Agreement”) between the Manager and BlackRock International Limited (the “Sub-Advisor”) with respect to EuroFund.

The Board of Directors of BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc. (“Advantage Global Fund”) met on April 7, 2020 and May 11-13, 2020 to consider the approval of the investment advisory agreement (the “Advantage Global Fund Advisory Agreement”) between Advantage Global Fund and the Manager, its investment advisor.

EuroFund and Advantage Global Fund are referred to herein individually as a “Fund” or collectively as the “Funds.” The Manager and the Sub-Advisor are referred to herein as “BlackRock.” The EuroFund Advisory Agreement, the EuroFund Sub-Advisory Agreement and the Advantage Global Fund Advisory Agreement are referred to herein individually as an “Agreement” or collectively as the “Agreements.” For simplicity: (a) the Board of Trustees of EuroFund and the Board of Directors of Advantage Global Fund are referred to herein individually as the “Board” and collectively as the “Boards” and the members are referred to as “Board Members”; and (b) the meetings held on April 7, 2020 are referred to as the “April Meeting” and the meetings held on May 11-13, 2020 are referred to as the “May Meeting.”

Activities and Composition of the Boards

On the date of the May Meeting, each Board consisted of fourteen individuals, twelve of whom were not “interested persons” of the pertinent Fund as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) (the “Independent Board Members”). The Board Members are responsible for the oversight of the operations of the pertinent Fund and perform the various duties imposed on the directors of investment companies by the 1940 Act. The Independent Board Members have retained independent legal counsel to assist them in connection with their duties. The Chair of each Board is an Independent Board Member. Each Board has established five standing committees: an Audit Committee, a Governance and Nominating Committee, a Compliance Committee, a Performance Oversight Committee and an Ad Hoc Topics Committee, each of which is chaired by an Independent Board Member and composed of Independent Board Members (except for the Ad Hoc Topics Committee, which also has one interested Board Member).

The Agreements

Consistent with the requirements of the 1940 Act, each Board considers the continuation of the pertinent Agreement(s) on an annual basis. The Boards have four quarterly meetings per year, each typically extending for two days, and additional in-person and telephonic meetings throughout the year, as needed. While the Boards also have a fifth one-day meeting to consider specific information surrounding the renewal of the pertinent Agreement(s), each Board’s consideration entails a year-long deliberative process whereby the Board and its committees assess BlackRock’s services to the Fund. In particular, each Board assessed, among other things, the nature, extent and quality of the services provided to the pertinent Fund by BlackRock, BlackRock’s personnel and affiliates, including (as applicable): investment management services; accounting oversight, administrative and shareholder services; oversight of the pertinent Fund’s service providers; risk management and oversight; and legal, regulatory and compliance services. Throughout the year, including during the contract renewal process, the Independent Board Members were advised by independent legal counsel, and met with independent legal counsel in various executive sessions outside of the presence of BlackRock’s management.

During the year, the Boards, acting directly and through their committees, consider information that is relevant to their annual consideration of the renewal of the pertinent Agreement(s), including the services and support provided by BlackRock to the pertinent Fund and its shareholders. BlackRock also furnished additional information to the Boards in response to specific questions from the Boards. This additional information is discussed further in the section titled “Board Considerations in Approving the Agreements.” Among the matters each Board considered, with respect to the pertinent Fund, were: (a) investment performance for one-year, three-year, five-year and/or since inception periods, as applicable, against peer funds, an applicable benchmark, and other performance metrics, as applicable, as well as BlackRock senior management’s and portfolio managers’ analyses of the reasons for any outperformance or underperformance relative to its peers, benchmarks, and other performance metrics, as applicable; (b) fees, including advisory, administration, if applicable, and other amounts paid to BlackRock and its affiliates by the Fund for services; (c) Fund operating expenses and how BlackRock allocates expenses to the Fund; (d) the resources devoted to risk oversight of, and compliance reports relating to, implementation of the Fund’s investment objective, policies and restrictions, and meeting regulatory requirements; (e) BlackRock’s and the Fund’s adherence to applicable compliance policies and procedures; (f) the nature, character and scope of non-investment management services provided by BlackRock and its affiliates and the estimated cost of such services; (g) BlackRock’s and other service providers’ internal controls and risk and compliance oversight mechanisms; (h) BlackRock’s implementation of the proxy voting policies approved by the Board; (i) the use of brokerage commissions and execution quality of portfolio transactions; (j) BlackRock’s implementation of the Fund’s valuation and liquidity procedures; (k) an analysis of management fees for products with similar investment mandates across the open-end fund, exchange-traded fund (“ETF”), closed-end fund, sub-advised mutual fund, separately managed account, collective investment trust, and institutional separate account product channels, as applicable, and the similarities and differences between these products and the services provided as compared to the Fund; (l) BlackRock’s compensation methodology for its investment professionals and the incentives and accountability it creates, along with investment professionals’ investments in the fund(s) they manage; and (m) periodic updates on BlackRock’s business.

Board Considerations in Approving the Agreements

The Approval Process: Prior to the April Meeting, the Boards requested and received materials specifically relating to the Agreements. The Independent Board Members are continuously engaged in a process with their independent legal counsel and BlackRock to review the nature and scope of the information provided to each Board to better assist its deliberations. The materials provided in connection with the April Meeting included, among other things: (a) information independently compiled and prepared by Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (“Broadridge”), based on either a Lipper classification or Morningstar category, regarding the pertinent Fund’s fees and expenses as compared with a peer group of funds as determined by Broadridge (“Expense Peers”) and the investment performance of each Fund as compared with a peer group of funds (“Performance Peers”); (b) information on the composition of the Expense Peers and Performance Peers and a description of Broadridge’s methodology; (c) information on the estimated profits realized by BlackRock and its affiliates pursuant to the Agreements and a discussion of fall-out benefits to BlackRock and its affiliates; (d) a general analysis provided by BlackRock concerning investment management fees received in connection with other types of investment products,

 

 

DISCLOSURE OF INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT AND  SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT

  51


Disclosure of Investment Advisory Agreements and Sub-Advisory Agreement  (continued)

 

such as institutional accounts, sub-advised mutual funds, ETFs, closed-end funds, open-end funds, and separately managed accounts under similar investment mandates, as well as the performance of such other products, as applicable; (e) a review of non-management fees; (f) the existence, impact and sharing of potential economies of scale, if any, with the Funds; (g) a summary of aggregate amounts paid by each Fund to BlackRock; (h) sales and redemption data regarding each Fund’s shares; and (i) various additional information requested by the Boards as appropriate regarding BlackRock’s and the Funds’ operations.

At the April Meeting, each Board reviewed materials relating to its consideration of the pertinent Agreements. As a result of the discussions that occurred during the April Meeting, and as a culmination of each Board’s year-long deliberative process, the Boards presented BlackRock with questions and requests for additional information. BlackRock responded to these questions and requests with additional written information in advance of the May Meeting.

At the May Meeting, each Board concluded, with respect to the pertinent Fund, its assessment of, among other things: (a) the nature, extent and quality of the services provided by BlackRock; (b) the investment performance of the Fund as compared to its Performance Peers and other metrics, as applicable; (c) the advisory fee and the estimated cost of the services and estimated profits realized by BlackRock and its affiliates from their relationship with the Fund; (d) the Fund’s fees and expenses compared to its Expense Peers; (e) the existence and sharing of potential economies of scale; (f) any fall-out benefits to BlackRock and its affiliates as a result of BlackRock’s relationship with the Fund; and (g) other factors deemed relevant by the Board Members.

Each Board also considered other matters it deemed important to the approval process, such as other payments made to BlackRock or its affiliates relating to securities lending and cash management, and BlackRock’s services related to the valuation and pricing of the portfolio holdings of the pertinent Fund. Each Board noted the willingness of BlackRock’s personnel to engage in open, candid discussions with the Board. The Boards did not identify any particular information as determinative, and each Board Member may have attributed different weights to the various items considered.

A. Nature, Extent and Quality of the Services Provided by BlackRock: Each Board, including the Independent Board Members, reviewed the nature, extent and quality of services provided by BlackRock, including the investment advisory services, and the resulting performance of the applicable Fund. Throughout the year, each Board compared Fund performance to the performance of a comparable group of mutual funds, relevant benchmark, and performance metrics, as applicable. The Boards met with BlackRock’s senior management personnel responsible for investment activities, including the senior investment officers. Each Board also reviewed the materials provided by the applicable Fund’s portfolio management team discussing the pertinent Fund’s performance, investment strategies and outlook.

Each Board considered, among other factors, with respect to BlackRock: the number, education and experience of investment personnel generally and the applicable Fund’s portfolio management team; research capabilities; investments by portfolio managers in the funds they manage; portfolio trading capabilities; use of technology; commitment to compliance; credit analysis capabilities; risk analysis and oversight capabilities; and the approach to training and retaining portfolio managers and other research, advisory and management personnel. The Boards also considered BlackRock’s overall risk management program, including the continued efforts of BlackRock and its affiliates to address cybersecurity risks and the role of BlackRock’s Risk & Quantitative Analysis Group. Each Board engaged in a review of BlackRock’s compensation structure with respect to the applicable Fund’s portfolio management team and BlackRock’s ability to attract and retain high-quality talent and create performance incentives.

In addition to investment advisory services, the Boards considered the nature and quality of the administrative and other non-investment advisory services provided to the Funds. BlackRock and its affiliates provide the Funds with certain administrative, shareholder and other services (in addition to any such services provided to the Funds by third parties) and officers and other personnel as are necessary for the operations of the Funds. In particular, BlackRock and its affiliates provide each Fund with administrative services including, among others: (i) responsibility for disclosure documents, such as the prospectus, the summary prospectus (as applicable), the statement of additional information and periodic shareholder reports; (ii) oversight of daily accounting and pricing; (iii) responsibility for periodic filings with regulators; (iv) overseeing and coordinating the activities of third-party service providers, including, among others, the Fund’s custodian, fund accountant, transfer agent, and auditor; (v) organizing Board meetings and preparing the materials for such Board meetings; (vi) providing legal and compliance support; (vii) furnishing analytical and other support to assist the Board in its consideration of strategic issues such as the merger, consolidation or repurposing of certain open-end funds; and (viii) performing or managing administrative functions necessary for the operation of the Fund, such as tax reporting, expense management, fulfilling regulatory filing requirements, overseeing the Fund’s distribution partners, and shareholder call center and other services. The Boards reviewed the structure and duties of BlackRock’s fund administration, shareholder services, and legal & compliance departments and considered BlackRock’s policies and procedures for assuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

B. The Investment Performance of the Funds and BlackRock: Each Board, including the Independent Board Members, also reviewed and considered the performance history of the applicable Fund. In preparation for the April Meeting, the Boards were provided with reports independently prepared by Broadridge, which included an analysis of each Fund’s performance as of December 31, 2019, as compared to its Performance Peers. Broadridge ranks funds in quartiles, ranging from first to fourth, where first is the most desirable quartile position and fourth is the least desirable. In connection with its review, each Board received and reviewed information regarding the investment performance of the pertinent Fund as compared to its Performance Peers. Each Board and its Performance Oversight Committee regularly review, and meet with Fund management to discuss, the performance of the pertinent Fund throughout the year.

In evaluating performance, the Boards focused particular attention on funds with less favorable performance records. The Board also noted that while it found the data provided by Broadridge generally useful, it recognized the limitations of such data, including in particular, that notable differences may exist between a fund and its Performance Peers (for example, the investment objectives and strategies). Further, the Boards recognized that the performance data reflects a snapshot of a period as of a particular date and that selecting a different performance period could produce significantly different results. The Board also acknowledged that long-term performance could be impacted by even one period of significant outperformance or underperformance, and that a single investment theme could have the ability to disproportionately affect long-term performance.

The Board of EuroFund noted that for the one-, three- and five-year periods reported, EuroFund ranked in the second, fourth and fourth quartiles, respectively, against its Performance Peers. The Board and BlackRock reviewed the Fund’s underperformance relative to its Performance Peers during the applicable periods. The Board noted that, among other things, effective October 23, 2018 the Fund had undergone changes in its investment strategy and portfolio management team.

 

 

52  

2020 BLACKROCK ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS


Disclosure of Investment Advisory Agreements and Sub-Advisory Agreement  (continued)

 

The Board of EuroFund and BlackRock discussed BlackRock’s strategy for improving the Fund’s investment performance. Discussions covered topics such as performance attribution, the Fund’s investment personnel, and the resources appropriate to support the Fund’s investment processes.

The Board of Advantage Global noted that for each of the one-, three- and five-year periods reported, Advantage Global Fund ranked in the third quartile against its Performance Peers. The Board and BlackRock reviewed the Fund’s underperformance relative to its Performance Peers during the applicable periods.

C. Consideration of the Advisory/Management Fees and the Estimated Cost of the Services and Estimated Profits Realized by BlackRock and its Affiliates from their Relationship with the Funds: Each Board, including the Independent Board Members, reviewed the applicable Fund’s contractual management fee rate compared with those of its Expense Peers. The contractual management fee rate represents a combination of the advisory fee and any administrative fees, before taking into account any reimbursements or fee waivers. Each Board also compared the applicable Fund’s total expense ratio, as well as its actual management fee rate, to those of its Expense Peers. The total expense ratio represents a fund’s total net operating expenses, including any 12b-1 or non-12b-1 service fees. The total expense ratio gives effect to any expense reimbursements or fee waivers, and the actual management fee rate gives effect to any management fee reimbursements or waivers. The Boards considered the services provided and the fees charged by BlackRock and its affiliates to other types of clients with similar investment mandates, as applicable, including institutional accounts and sub-advised mutual funds (including mutual funds sponsored by third parties).

The Boards received and reviewed statements relating to BlackRock’s financial condition. The Boards reviewed BlackRock’s profitability methodology and were also provided with an estimated profitability analysis that detailed the revenues earned and the expenses incurred by BlackRock for services provided to the Funds. The Boards reviewed BlackRock’s estimated profitability with respect to the Funds and other funds the Boards currently oversees for the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to available aggregate estimated profitability data provided for the prior two years. The Boards reviewed BlackRock’s estimated profitability with respect to certain other U.S. fund complexes managed by BlackRock and/or its affiliates. The Boards reviewed BlackRock’s assumptions and methodology of allocating expenses in the estimated profitability analysis, noting the inherent limitations in allocating costs among various advisory products. The Boards recognized that profitability may be affected by numerous factors including, among other things, fee waivers and expense reimbursements by BlackRock, the types of funds managed, precision of expense allocations and business mix. The Boards thus recognized that calculating and comparing profitability at the individual fund level is difficult.

The Boards noted that, in general, individual fund or product line profitability of other advisors is not publicly available. The Boards reviewed BlackRock’s overall operating margin, in general, compared to that of certain other publicly traded asset management firms. The Boards considered the differences between BlackRock and these other firms, including the contribution of technology at BlackRock, BlackRock’s expense management, and the relative product mix.

Each Board considered whether BlackRock has the financial resources necessary to attract and retain high quality investment management personnel to perform its obligations under the pertinent Agreement(s) and to continue to provide the high quality of services that is expected by the Board. The Boards further considered factors including but not limited to BlackRock’s commitment of time, assumption of risk, and liability profile in servicing the Funds, including in contrast to what is required of BlackRock with respect to other products with similar investment mandates across the open-end fund, ETF, closed-end fund, sub-advised mutual fund, separately managed account, collective investment trust, and institutional separate account product channels, as applicable.

The Board of EuroFund noted that EuroFund’s contractual management fee rate ranked in the second quartile, and that the actual management fee rate and total expense ratio ranked in the first and fourth quartiles, respectively, relative to the Fund’s Expense Peers. In addition, the Board noted that BlackRock has voluntarily agreed to waive a portion of the advisory fee payable by the Fund. The Board further noted that BlackRock and the Board had previously agreed to increase the existing voluntary advisory fee waiver. After discussions between the Board, including the Independent Board Members, and BlackRock, the Board and BlackRock agreed to a continuation of the voluntary advisory fee waiver.

The Board of Advantage Global Fund noted that Advantage Global Fund’s contractual management fee rate ranked in the third quartile, and that the actual management fee rate and total expense ratio each ranked in the first quartile relative to the Fund’s Expense Peers. In addition, the Board noted that BlackRock and the Board have contractually agreed to a cap on the Fund’s total expenses as a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets on a class-by-class basis.

Each Board noted that the pertinent Fund has an advisory fee arrangement that includes breakpoints that adjust the fee rate downward as the size of the pertinent Fund increases above certain contractually specified levels. The Boards noted that if the size of the pertinent Fund were to decrease, the Fund could lose the benefit of one or more breakpoints.

D. Economies of Scale: Each Board, including the Independent Board Members, considered the extent to which economies of scale might be realized as the assets of the pertinent Fund increase, including the existence of fee waivers and/or expense caps, as applicable, noting that any contractual fee waivers and contractual expense caps had been approved by the Board. In its consideration, each Board further considered the continuation and/or implementation of fee waivers and/or expense caps, as applicable. Each Board also considered the extent to which the applicable Fund benefits from such economies of scale in a variety of ways and whether there should be changes in the advisory fee rate or breakpoint structure in order to enable the Fund to more fully participate in these economies of scale. Each Board considered the applicable Fund’s asset levels and whether the current fee schedule was appropriate.

E. Other Factors Deemed Relevant by the Board Members: Each Board, including the Independent Board Members, also took into account other ancillary or “fall-out” benefits that BlackRock or its affiliates may derive from BlackRock’s respective relationships with the applicable Fund, both tangible and intangible, such as BlackRock’s ability to leverage its investment professionals who manage other portfolios and its risk management personnel, an increase in BlackRock’s profile in the investment advisory community, and the engagement of BlackRock’s affiliates as service providers to the Fund, including for administrative, distribution, securities lending and cash management services. The Board also considered BlackRock’s overall operations and its efforts to expand the scale of, and improve the quality of, its operations. The Board also noted that, subject to applicable law, BlackRock may use and benefit from third-party research obtained by soft dollars generated by certain registered fund transactions to assist in managing all or a number of its other client accounts.

In connection with their consideration of the Agreements, the Boards also received information regarding BlackRock’s brokerage and soft dollar practices. The Boards received reports from BlackRock which included information on brokerage commissions and trade execution practices throughout the year.

 

 

DISCLOSURE OF INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT AND  SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT

  53


Disclosure of Investment Advisory Agreements and Sub-Advisory Agreement  (continued)

 

The Boards noted the competitive nature of the open-end fund marketplace, and that shareholders are able to redeem their Fund shares if they believe that the pertinent Fund’s fees and expenses are too high or if they are dissatisfied with the performance of the Fund.

Conclusion

The Board of EuroFund, including the Independent Board Members, unanimously approved the continuation of the EuroFund Advisory Agreement between the Manager and the EuroFund for a one-year term ending June 30, 2021, and the EuroFund Sub-Advisory Agreement between the Manager and the Sub-Advisor with respect to EuroFund for a one-year term ending June 30, 2021.

The Board of Advantage Global Fund, including the Independent Board Members, unanimously approved the continuation of the Advantage Global Fund Advisory Agreement between the Manager and Advantage Global Fund for a one-year term ending June 30, 2021.

Based upon their evaluation of all of the aforementioned factors in their totality, as well as other information, the Boards, including the Independent Board Members, were satisfied that the terms of the Agreements were fair and reasonable and in the best interest of each Fund, as pertinent, and its shareholders. In arriving at its decision to approve the Agreements, the Boards did not identify any single factor or group of factors as all-important or controlling, but considered all factors together, and different Board Members may have attributed different weights to the various factors considered. The Independent Board Members were also assisted by the advice of independent legal counsel in making this determination.

 

 

54  

2020 BLACKROCK ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS


Director and Officer Information

 

Independent Directors (a)
         
Name
Year of Birth
 (b)
   Position(s) Held
(Length of Service)
 (c)
   Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years    Number of BlackRock-Advised
Registered Investment Companies
(“RICs”) Consisting of
Investment Portfolios
(“Portfolios”) Overseen
   Public Company and
Other Investment Company
Directorships Held During
Past Five Years

Mark Stalnecker

1951

  

Chair of the Board and Director

(Since 2019)

   Chief Investment Officer, University of Delaware from 1999 to 2013; Trustee and Chair of the Finance and Investment Committees, Winterthur Museum and Country Estate from 2005 to 2016; Member of the Investment Committee, Delaware Public Employees’ Retirement System since 2002; Member of the Investment Committee, Christiana Care Health System from 2009 to 2017; Member of the Investment Committee, Delaware Community Foundation from 2013 to 2014; Director and Chair of the Audit Committee, SEI Private Trust Co. from 2001 to 2014.    36 RICs consisting of 153 Portfolios    None

Bruce R. Bond

1946

  

Director

(Since 2007)

   Board Member, Amsphere Limited (software) since 2018; Trustee and Member of the Governance Committee, State Street Research Mutual Funds from 1997 to 2005; Board Member of Governance, Audit and Finance Committee, Avaya Inc. (computer equipment) from 2003 to 2007.    36 RICs consisting of 153 Portfolios    None

Susan J. Carter

1956

  

Director

(Since 2019)

   Director, Pacific Pension Institute from 2014 to 2018; Advisory Board Member, Center for Private Equity and Entrepreneurship at Tuck School of Business since 1997; Senior Advisor, Commonfund Capital, Inc. (“CCI”) (investment adviser) in 2015; Chief Executive Officer, CCI from 2013 to 2014; President & Chief Executive Officer, CCI from 1997 to 2013; Advisory Board Member, Girls Who Invest from 2015 to 2018 and Board Member thereof since 2018; Advisory Board Member, Bridges Fund Management since 2016; Trustee, Financial Accounting Foundation since 2017; Practitioner Advisory Board Member, Private Capital Research Institute (“PCRI”) since 2017; Lecturer in the Practice of Management, Yale School of Management since 2019.    36 RICs consisting of 153 Portfolios    None

Collette Chilton

1958

  

Director

(Since 2019)

   Chief Investment Officer, Williams College since 2006; Chief Investment Officer, Lucent Asset Management Corporation from 1998 to 2006.    36 RICs consisting of 153 Portfolios    None

Neil A. Cotty

1954

  

Director

(Since 2019)

   Bank of America Corporation from 1996 to 2015, serving in various senior finance leadership roles, including Chief Accounting Officer from 2009 to 2015, Chief Financial Officer of Global Banking, Markets and Wealth Management from 2008 to 2009, Chief Accounting Officer from 2004 to 2008, Chief Financial Officer of Consumer Bank from 2003 to 2004, Chief Financial Officer of Global Corporate Investment Bank from 1999 to 2002.    36 RICs consisting of 153 Portfolios    None

Lena G. Goldberg

1949

  

Director

(Since 2016)

   Senior Lecturer, Harvard Business School, since 2008; Director, Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc. since 2013; FMR LLC/Fidelity Investments (financial services) from 1996 to 2008, serving in various senior roles including Executive Vice President — Strategic Corporate Initiatives and Executive Vice President and General Counsel; Partner, Sullivan & Worcester LLP from 1985 to 1996 and Associate thereof from 1979 to 1985.    36 RICs consisting of 153 Portfolios    None

 

 

DIRECTOR AND OFFICER INFORMATION

  55


Director and Officer Information  (continued)

 

Independent Directors (a) (continued)
         
Name
Year of Birth
 (b)
   Position(s) Held
(Length of Service)
 (c)
   Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years    Number of BlackRock-Advised
Registered Investment Companies
(“RICs”) Consisting of
Investment Portfolios
(“Portfolios”) Overseen
   Public Company and
Other Investment Company
Directorships Held During
Past Five Years

Henry R. Keizer

1956

  

Director

(Since 2016)

   Director, Park Indemnity Ltd. (captive insurer) since 2010; Director, MUFG Americas Holdings Corporation and MUFG Union Bank, N.A. (financial and bank holding company) from 2014 to 2016; Director, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants from 2009 to 2011; Director, KPMG LLP (audit, tax and advisory services) from 2004 to 2005 and 2010 to 2012; Director, KPMG International in 2012, Deputy Chairman and Chief Operating Officer thereof from 2010 to 2012 and U.S. Vice Chairman of Audit thereof from 2005 to 2010; Global Head of Audit, KPMGI (consortium of KPMG firms) from 2006 to 2010; Director, YMCA of Greater New York from 2006 to 2010.    36 RICs consisting of 153 Portfolios    Hertz Global Holdings (car rental); Montpelier Re Holdings, Ltd. (publicly held property and casualty reinsurance) from 2013 until 2015; WABCO (commercial vehicle safety systems); Sealed Air Corp. (packaging)

Cynthia A. Montgomery

1952

  

Director

(Since 2019)

   Professor, Harvard Business School since 1989.    36 RICs consisting of 153 Portfolios    Newell Rubbermaid, Inc. (manufacturing)

Donald C. Opatrny

1952

  

Director

(Since 2015)

   Trustee, Vice Chair, Member of the Executive Committee and Chair of the Investment Committee, Cornell University since 2004; President, Trustee and Member of the Investment Committee, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum from 2007 to 2014; Member of the Board and Investment Committee, University School from 2007 to 2018; Member of the Investment Committee, Mellon Foundation from 2009 to 2015; Trustee, Artstor (a Mellon Foundation affiliate) from 2010 to 2015; President and Trustee, the Center for the Arts, Jackson Hole from 2011 to 2018; Director, Athena Capital Advisors LLC (investment management firm) since 2013; Trustee and Chair of the Investment Committee, Community Foundation of Jackson Hole since 2014; Member of Affordable Housing Supply Board of Jackson, Wyoming since 2018; Member, Investment Funds Committee, State of Wyoming since 2017; Trustee, Phoenix Art Museum since 2018; Trustee, Arizona Community Foundation and Member of Investment Committee since 2020.    36 RICs consisting of 153 Portfolios    None

Joseph P. Platt

1947

  

Director

(Since 2019)

   General Partner, Thorn Partners, LP (private investments) since 1998; Director, WQED Multi-Media (public broadcasting not-for-profit) since 2001; Chair, Basic Health International (non-profit) since 2015.    36 RICs consisting of 153 Portfolios    Greenlight Capital Re, Ltd. (reinsurance company); Consol Energy Inc.

Kenneth L. Urish

1951

  

Director

(Since 2019)

   Managing Partner, Urish Popeck & Co., LLC (certified public accountants and consultants) since 1976; Past-Chairman of the Professional Ethics Committee of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Committee Member thereof since 2007; Member of External Advisory Board, The Pennsylvania State University Accounting Department since founding in 2001; Principal, UP Strategic Wealth Investment Advisors, LLC since 2013; Trustee, The Holy Family Institute from 2001 to 2010; President and Trustee, Pittsburgh Catholic Publishing Associates from 2003 to 2008; Director, Inter-Tel from 2006 to 2007.    36 RICs consisting of 153 Portfolios    None

Claire A. Walton

1957

  

Director

(Since 2019)

   Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Liberty Square Asset Management, LP from 1998 to 2015; General Partner of Neon Liberty Capital Management, LLC since 2003; Director, Boston Hedge Fund Group from 2009 to 2018; Director, Woodstock Ski Runners since 2013; Director, Massachusetts Council on Economic Education from 2013 to 2015.    36 RICs consisting of 153 Portfolios    None

 

 

56  

2020 BLACKROCK ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS


Director and Officer Information  (continued)

 

Interested Directors (a)(d)
         
Name
Year of Birth
 (b)
   Position(s) Held
(Length of Service)
 (c)
   Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years    Number of BlackRock-Advised
Registered Investment Companies
(“RICs”) Consisting of
Investment Portfolios
(“Portfolios”) Overseen
   Public Company and
Other Investment Company
Directorships Held During
Past Five Years

Robert Fairbairn

1965

  

Director

(Since 2015)

   Vice Chairman of BlackRock, Inc. since 2019; Member of BlackRock’s Global Executive and Global Operating Committees; Co-Chair of BlackRock’s Human Capital Committee; Senior Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. from 2010 to 2019; oversaw BlackRock’s Strategic Partner Program and Strategic Product Management Group from 2012 to 2019; Member of the Board of Managers of BlackRock Investments, LLC from 2011 to 2018; Global Head of BlackRock’s Retail and iShares® businesses from 2012 to 2016.    122 RICs consisting of 263 Portfolios    None

John M. Perlowski (e)

1964

  

Director (Since 2015); President and Chief Executive Officer

(Since 2010)

   Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2009; Head of BlackRock Global Accounting and Product Services since 2009; Advisory Director of Family Resource Network (charitable foundation) since 2009.    123 RICs consisting of 264 Portfolios    None

(a) The address of each Director is c/o BlackRock, Inc., 55 East 52nd Street, New York, New York 10055.

(b) Each Independent Director holds office until his or her successor is duly elected and qualifies or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal as provided by the Fund’s by-laws or charter or statute, or until December 31 of the year in which he or she turns 75. Directors who are “interested persons,” as defined in the 1940 Act, serve until their successor is duly elected and qualifies or until their earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal as provided by each Fund’s by-laws or statute, or until December 31 of the year in which they turn 72. The Board may determine to extend the terms of Independent Directors on a case-by-case basis, as appropriate.

(c) Following the combination of Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, L.P. (“MLIM”) and BlackRock, Inc. in September 2006, the various legacy MLIM and legacy BlackRock fund boards were realigned and consolidated into three new fund boards in 2007. In addition, effective January 1, 2019, three BlackRock Fund Complexes were realigned and consolidated into two BlackRock Fund Complexes. As a result, although the chart shows the year that each Independent Director joined the Board, certain Independent Directors first became members of the boards of other BlackRock-advised Funds, legacy MLIM funds or legacy BlackRock funds as follows: Bruce R. Bond, 2005; Susan J. Carter, 2016; Collette Chilton, 2015; Neil A. Cotty, 2016; Cynthia A. Montgomery, 1994; Joseph P. Platt, 1999; Mark Stalnecker, 2015; Kenneth L. Urish, 1999; Claire A. Walton, 2016.

(d) Mr. Fairbairn and Mr. Perlowski are both “interested persons,” 1940 Act, of the Funds based on their positions with BlackRock, Inc. and its affiliates. Mr. Fairbairn and Mr. Perlowski are also board members of the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex.

(e) Mr. Perlowski is also a trustee of the BlackRock Credit Strategies Fund.

 

 

DIRECTOR AND OFFICER INFORMATION

  57


Director and Officer Information  (continued)

 

Officers Who Are Not Directors (a)
     
Name
Year of Birth
 (b)
   Position(s) Held
(Length of Service)
   Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years

Jennifer McGovern

1977

  

Vice President

(Since 2014)

   Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2016; Director of BlackRock, Inc. from 2011 to 2015; Head of Americas Product Development and Governance for BlackRock’s Global Product Group since 2019; Head of Product Structure and Oversight for BlackRock’s U.S. Wealth Advisory Group from 2013 to 2019.

Neal J. Andrews

1966

  

Chief Financial Officer

(Since 2007)

   Chief Financial Officer of the iShares® exchange traded funds from 2019 to 2020; Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2006.

Jay M. Fife

1970

  

Treasurer

(Since 2007)

   Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2007.

Charles Park

1967

  

Chief Compliance Officer

(Since 2014)

   Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer for certain BlackRock-advised Funds from 2014 to 2015; Chief Compliance Officer of BlackRock Advisors, LLC and the BlackRock-advised Funds in the BlackRock Multi-Asset Complex and the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex since 2014; Principal of and Chief Compliance Officer for iShares® Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC since 2012 and BlackRock Fund Advisors (“BFA”) since 2006; Chief Compliance Officer for the BFA-advised iShares® exchange traded funds since 2006; Chief Compliance Officer for BlackRock Asset Management International Inc. since 2012.

Lisa Belle

1968

  

Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer

(Since 2019)

   Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2019; Global Financial Crime Head for Asset and Wealth Management of JP Morgan from 2013 to 2019; Managing Director of RBS Securities from 2012 to 2013; Head of Financial Crimes for Barclays Wealth Americas from 2010 to 2012.

Janey Ahn

1975

  

Secretary

(Since 2019)

   Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2018; Director of BlackRock, Inc. from 2009 to 2017.

(a) The address of each Officer is c/o BlackRock, Inc., 55 East 52nd Street, New York, New York 10055.

(b) Officers of the Funds serve at the pleasure of the Board.

Further information about the Funds’ Directors and Officers is available in the Funds’ Statement of Additional Information, which can be obtained without charge by calling (800) 441-7762.

 

Investment Adviser

BlackRock Advisors, LLC

Wilmington, DE 19809

Sub-Advisor

BlackRock International Limited(a)

Edinburgh, EH3 8BL,

United Kingdom

Custodian

Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.

Boston, MA 02109

Transfer Agent

BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc.

Wilmington, DE 19809

Accounting Agent

State Street Bank and Trust Company

Boston, MA 02111

Distributor

BlackRock Investments, LLC

New York, NY 10022

Legal Counsel

Sidley Austin LLP

New York, NY 10019

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Deloitte & Touche LLP

Boston, MA 02116

Address of the Funds

100 Bellevue Parkway

Wilmington, DE 19809

 

 

(a) 

For BlackRock EuroFund only.

 

 

58  

2020 BLACKROCK ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS


Additional Information

 

General Information

Householding

The Funds will mail only one copy of shareholder documents, including prospectuses, annual and semi-annual reports and proxy statements, to shareholders with multiple accounts at the same address. This practice is commonly called “householding” and is intended to reduce expenses and eliminate duplicate mailings of shareholder documents. Mailings of your shareholder documents may be householded indefinitely unless you instruct us otherwise. If you do not want the mailing of these documents to be combined with those for other members of your household, please call the Funds at (800) 441-7762.

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 its reports on Form N-PORT. The Funds’ Forms N-PORT are available on the SEC’s website at sec.gov.

Availability of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

A description of the policies and procedures that the Funds use to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities is available upon request and without charge (1) by calling (800) 441-7762; (2) at blackrock.com; and (3) on the SEC’s website at sec.gov.

Availability of Proxy Voting Record

Information about how the Funds voted proxies relating to securities held in the Funds’ portfolios during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available upon request and without charge (1) at blackrock.com; or by calling (800) 441-7762 and (2) on the SEC’s website at sec.gov.

BlackRock’s Mutual Fund Family

BlackRock offers a diverse lineup of open-end mutual funds crossing all investment styles and managed by experts in equity, fixed-income and tax-exempt investing. Visit blackrock.com for more information.

Shareholder Privileges

Account Information

Call us at (800) 441-7762 from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM ET on any business day to get information about your account balances, recent transactions and share prices. You can also visit blackrock.com for more information.

Automatic Investment Plans

Investor class shareholders who want to invest regularly can arrange to have $50 or more automatically deducted from their checking or savings account and invested in any of the BlackRock funds.

Systematic Withdrawal Plans

Investor class shareholders can establish a systematic withdrawal plan and receive periodic payments of $50 or more from their BlackRock funds, as long as their account balance is at least $10,000.

Retirement Plans

Shareholders may make investments in conjunction with Traditional, Rollover, Roth, Coverdell, Simple IRAs, SEP IRAs and 403(b) Plans.

 

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

  59


Additional Information  (continued)

 

BlackRock Privacy Principles

BlackRock is committed to maintaining the privacy of its current and former fund investors and individual clients (collectively, “Clients”) and to safeguarding their non-public personal information. The following information is provided to help you understand what personal information BlackRock collects, how we protect that information and why in certain cases we share such information with select parties.

If you are located in a jurisdiction where specific laws, rules or regulations require BlackRock to provide you with additional or different privacy-related rights beyond what is set forth below, then BlackRock will comply with those specific laws, rules or regulations.

BlackRock obtains or verifies personal non-public information from and about you from different sources, including the following: (i) information we receive from you or, if applicable, your financial intermediary, on applications, forms or other documents; (ii) information about your transactions with us, our affiliates, or others; (iii) information we receive from a consumer reporting agency; and (iv) from visits to our websites.

BlackRock does not sell or disclose to non-affiliated third parties any non-public personal information about its Clients, except as permitted by law or as is necessary to respond to regulatory requests or to service Client accounts. These non-affiliated third parties are required to protect the confidentiality and security of this information and to use it only for its intended purpose.

We may share information with our affiliates to service your account or to provide you with information about other BlackRock products or services that may be of interest to you. In addition, BlackRock restricts access to non-public personal information about its Clients to those BlackRock employees with a legitimate business need for the information. BlackRock maintains physical, electronic and procedural safeguards that are designed to protect the non-public personal information of its Clients, including procedures relating to the proper storage and disposal of such information.

 

 

60  

2020 BLACKROCK ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS


Glossary of Terms Used in this Report

 

Currency
AUD    Australian Dollar
CAD    Canadian Dollar
EUR    Euro
GBP    British Pound
HKD    Hong Kong Dollar
JPY    Japanese Yen
NOK    Norwegian Krone
SGD    Singapore Dollar
USD    U.S. Dollar
  
Portfolio Abbreviations
ADR    American Depositary Receipts
CVA    Certificaten Van Aandelen (Dutch Certificate)
GDR    Global Depositary Receipt
NVDR    Non-voting Depository Receipts
S&P    Standard and Poor’s
 

 

 

GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED IN THIS REPORT

  61


Want to know more?

blackrock.com    |    800-441-7762

This report is intended for current holders. It is not authorized for use as an offer of sale or a solicitation of an offer to buy shares of the Funds unless preceded or accompanied by the Funds’ current prospectus. Past performance results shown in this report should not be considered a representation of future performance. Investment returns and principal value of shares will fluctuate so that shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Statements and other information herein are as dated and are subject to change.

EGSC-6/20-AR

 

 

LOGO    LOGO


Item 2 – 

Code of Ethics – The registrant (or the “Fund”) has adopted a code of ethics, as of the end of the period covered by this report, applicable to the registrant’s principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions. During the period covered by this report, the code of ethics was amended to update certain information and to make other non-material changes. During the period covered by this report, there have been no waivers granted under the code of ethics. The registrant undertakes to provide a copy of the code of ethics to any person upon request, without charge, who calls 1-800-441-7762.

 

Item 3 – 

Audit Committee Financial Expert – The registrant’s board of directors (the “board of directors”), has determined that (i) the registrant has the following audit committee financial experts serving on its audit committee and (ii) each audit committee financial expert is independent:

Neil A. Cotty

Henry R. Keizer

Kenneth L. Urish

Under applicable securities laws, a person determined to be an audit committee financial expert will not be deemed an “expert” for any purpose, including without limitation for the purposes of Section 11 of the Securities Act of 1933, as a result of being designated or identified as an audit committee financial expert. The designation or identification of a person as an audit committee financial expert does not impose on such person any duties, obligations, or liabilities greater than the duties, obligations, and liabilities imposed on such person as a member of the audit committee and board of directors in the absence of such designation or identification. The designation or identification of a person as an audit committee financial expert does not affect the duties, obligations, or liability of any other member of the audit committee or board of directors.

 

Item 4 – 

Principal Accountant Fees and Services

The following table presents fees billed by Deloitte & Touche LLP (“D&T”) in each of the last two fiscal years for the services rendered to the Fund:

 

     (a) Audit Fees   (b) Audit-Related Fees1   (c) Tax Fees2   (d) All Other Fees
Entity Name  

Current

Fiscal Year
End

 

Previous

Fiscal Year
End

 

Current

Fiscal Year
End

 

Previous

Fiscal Year
End

 

Current

Fiscal Year
End

 

Previous

Fiscal Year
End

 

Current

Fiscal Year
End

 

Previous

Fiscal Year
End

BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc.   $35,700    $36,414    $0    $0    $15,800    $16,200    $0    $0 

The following table presents fees billed by D&T that were required to be approved by the registrant’s audit committee (the “Committee”) for services that relate directly to the operations or financial reporting of the Fund and that are rendered on behalf of BlackRock Advisors, LLC (the “Investment Adviser” or “BlackRock”) and entities controlling, controlled by, or under common control with BlackRock (not including any sub-adviser whose role is primarily portfolio management and is subcontracted with or overseen by another investment adviser) that provide ongoing services to the Fund (“Affiliated Service Providers”):

 

2


     Current Fiscal Year End   Previous Fiscal Year End

(b) Audit-Related Fees1

  $0   $0

(c) Tax Fees2

  $0   $0

(d) All Other Fees3

  $1,984,000   $2,050,500

1 The nature of the services includes assurance and related services reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of financial statements not included in Audit Fees, including accounting consultations, agreed-upon procedure reports, attestation reports, comfort letters, out-of-pocket expenses and internal control reviews not required by regulators.

2 The nature of the services includes tax compliance and/or tax preparation, including services relating to the filing or amendment of federal, state or local income tax returns, regulated investment company qualification reviews, taxable income and tax distribution calculations.

3 Non-audit fees of $1,984,000 and $2,050,500 for the current fiscal year and previous fiscal year, respectively, were paid to the Fund’s principal accountant in their entirety by BlackRock, in connection with services provided to the Affiliated Service Providers of the Fund and of certain other funds sponsored and advised by BlackRock or its affiliates for a service organization review and an accounting research tool subscription. These amounts represent aggregate fees paid by BlackRock and were not allocated on a per fund basis.

(e)(1) Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures:

The Committee has adopted policies and procedures with regard to the pre-approval of services. Audit, audit-related and tax compliance services provided to the registrant on an annual basis require specific pre-approval by the Committee. The Committee also must approve other non-audit services provided to the registrant and those non-audit services provided to the Investment Adviser and Affiliated Service Providers that relate directly to the operations and the financial reporting of the registrant. Certain of these non-audit services that the Committee believes are (a) consistent with the SEC’s auditor independence rules and (b) routine and recurring services that will not impair the independence of the independent accountants may be approved by the Committee without consideration on a specific case-by-case basis (“general pre-approval”). The term of any general pre-approval is 12 months from the date of the pre-approval, unless the Committee provides for a different period. Tax or other non-audit services provided to the registrant which have a direct impact on the operations or financial reporting of the registrant will only be deemed pre-approved provided that any individual project does not exceed $10,000 attributable to the registrant or $50,000 per project. For this purpose, multiple projects will be aggregated to determine if they exceed the previously mentioned cost levels.

Any proposed services exceeding the pre-approved cost levels will require specific pre-approval by the Committee, as will any other services not subject to general pre-approval (e.g., unanticipated but permissible services). The Committee is informed of each service approved subject to general pre-approval at the next regularly scheduled in-person board meeting. At this meeting, an analysis of such services is presented to the Committee for ratification. The Committee may delegate to the Committee Chairman the authority to approve the provision of and fees for any specific engagement of permitted non-audit services, including services exceeding pre-approved cost levels.

(e)(2) None of the services described in each of Items 4(b) through (d) were approved by the Committee pursuant to the de minimis exception in paragraph (c)(7)(i)(C) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X.

(f) Not Applicable

(g) The aggregate non-audit fees, defined as the sum of the fees shown under “Audit-Related Fees,” “Tax Fees” and “All Other Fees,” paid to the accountant for services rendered by the accountant to the registrant, the Investment Adviser and the Affiliated Service Providers were:

 

3


Entity Name    Current Fiscal
Year End
   Previous Fiscal Year
End

BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc.

   $15,800    $16,200

Additionally, the amounts billed by D&T in connection with services provided to the Affiliated Service Providers of the Fund and of other funds sponsored and advised by BlackRock or its affiliates during the current and previous fiscal years for a service organization review and an accounting research tool subscription were:

 

Current Fiscal Year

End

   Previous Fiscal Year
End

$1,984,000

   $2,050,500

These amounts represent aggregate fees paid by BlackRock and were not allocated on a per fund basis.

(h) The Committee has considered and determined that the provision of non-audit services that were rendered to the Investment Adviser and the Affiliated Service Providers that were not pre-approved pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(ii) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X is compatible with maintaining the principal accountant’s independence.

 

Item 5 – 

Audit Committee of Listed Registrant – Not Applicable

 

Item 6 – 

Investments

(a) The registrant’s Schedule of Investments is included as part of the Report to Stockholders filed under Item 1 of this Form.

(b) Not Applicable due to no such divestments during the semi-annual period covered since the previous Form N-CSR filing.

 

Item 7 – 

Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies – Not Applicable

 

Item 8 – 

Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies – Not Applicable

 

Item 9 – 

Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers – Not Applicable

 

Item 10 – 

Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders – There have been no material changes to these procedures.

 

Item 11 – 

Controls and Procedures

(a) The registrant’s principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, have concluded that the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”)) are effective as of a date within 90 days of the filing of this report based on the evaluation of these controls and procedures required by Rule 30a-3(b) under the 1940 Act and Rule 15d-15(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

4


(b) There were no changes in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the 1940 Act) 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

 

Item 13 – 

Exhibits attached hereto

(a)(1) Code of Ethics – See Item 2

(a)(2) Section 302 Certifications are attached

(a)(3) Not Applicable

(a)(4) Not Applicable

(b) Section 906 Certifications are attached

 

5


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.

 

BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc.
By:       /s/ John M. Perlowski                            
  John M. Perlowski
  Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer) of
  BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc.

Date: September 4, 2020

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/ John M. Perlowski                            
  John M. Perlowski
  Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer) of
  BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc.

Date: September 4, 2020

 

By:       /s/ Neal J. Andrews                             
  Neal J. Andrews
  Chief Financial Officer (principal financial officer) of
  BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc.

Date: September 4, 2020

 

6