Table of Contents
December 30, 2014
(as revised September 1, 2015)
| 2014 Prospectus |
 |
| ► | iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF | EUSA | NYSE ARCA |
The Securities and Exchange Commission
(“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
|
|
S-1 |
|
|
1 |
|
|
2 |
|
|
8 |
|
|
10 |
|
|
10 |
|
|
13 |
|
|
21 |
|
|
22 |
|
|
23 |
|
|
23 |
|
|
25 |
“MSCI USA Equal Weighted Index” and “MSCI USA
Index” are servicemarks of MSCI Inc. and have been licensed for use for certain purposes by BlackRock Fund Advisors or its affiliates. iShares® and BlackRock® are registered trademarks of BlackRock Fund Advisors and its affiliates.
The Fund is not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by MSCI Inc., nor does MSCI Inc. make any representation regarding the advisability of investing in the Fund.
i
Table of Contents
[THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
Table of Contents
iSHARES® MSCI USA EQUAL
WEIGHTED ETF
| Ticker: EUSA | Stock Exchange: NYSE Arca |
Investment Objective
The iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF (the
“Fund”) seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of equal weighted U.S. equities.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you
will incur if you own shares of the Fund. The investment advisory agreement between iShares, Inc. (the “Company”) and BlackRock Fund Advisors (“BFA”) (formerly, Barclays Global Fund Advisors (“BGFA”)) (the
“Investment Advisory Agreement”) provides that BFA will pay all operating expenses of the Fund, except interest expenses, taxes, brokerage expenses, future distribution fees or expenses, and extraordinary expenses.
You may also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions
when buying or selling shares of the Fund, which are not reflected in the Example that follows:
| Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (ongoing expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investments) | ||||||
| Management
Fees |
Distribution
and Service (12b-1) Fees |
Other
Expenses |
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses | |||
| 0.15% | None | None | 0.15% | |||
Example. This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of owning shares of the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and
then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based
on these assumptions, your costs would be:
| 1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | |||
| $15 | $48 | $85 | $192 |
S-1
Table of Contents
S-2
Table of Contents
S-3
Table of Contents
S-4
Table of Contents
S-5
Table of Contents
Performance Information
The bar chart and table that follow show how the
Fund has performed on a calendar year basis and provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. Both assume that all dividends and distributions have been reinvested in the Fund. Past performance (before and after taxes) does not
necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Supplemental information about the Fund’s performance is shown under the heading Total Return Information in the Supplemental Information section of the Fund's prospectus (the “Prospectus”).
Year by Year Returns1 (Years Ended December 31)
| 1 | The Fund’s year-to-date return as of September 30, 2014 was 8.02%. |
The best calendar quarter return during the periods
shown above was 12.75% in the 1st quarter of 2012; the worst was -14.03% in the 3rd quarter of 2011.
Updated performance information is available at
www.iShares.com or by calling 1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737) (toll free).
S-6
Table of Contents
Average Annual Total Returns
(for the periods ended December 31, 2013)
| One Year | Since
Fund Inception | ||
| (Inception Date: 5/5/2010) | |||
| Return Before Taxes | 32.38% | 15.84% | |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions1 | 31.71% | 15.45% | |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares1 | 18.80% | 12.60% | |
| MSCI USA Index2 (Index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or taxes) | 32.61% | 16.08% | |
| MSCI USA Equal Weighted Index2 | 35.97% | 17.31% |
| 1 | After-tax returns in the table above are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state or local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors who hold shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”). Fund returns after taxes on distributions and sales of Fund shares are calculated assuming that an investor has sufficient capital gains of the same character from other investments to offset any capital losses from the sale of Fund shares. As a result, Fund returns after taxes on distributions and sales of Fund shares may exceed Fund returns before taxes and/or returns after taxes on distributions. |
| 2 | On September 1, 2015, the Fund’s Underlying Index changed from the MSCI USA Index to the MSCI USA Equal Weighted Index. |
S-7
Table of Contents
S-8
Table of Contents
More Information About the Fund
This Prospectus contains important information about investing
in the Fund. Please read this Prospectus carefully before you make any investment decisions. Additional information regarding the Fund is available at www.iShares.com.
On September 1, 2015, the name of the Fund changed from iShares
MSCI USA ETF to iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF, and the Fund’s Underlying Index changed from the MSCI USA Index to the MSCI USA Equal Weighted Index.
BFA is the investment adviser to the Fund. Shares of the Fund
are listed for trading on NYSE Arca, Inc. (“NYSE Arca”). The market price for a share of the Fund may be different from the Fund’s most recent NAV.
ETFs are funds that trade like other publicly traded
securities. The Fund is designed to track an index. Similar to shares of an index mutual fund, each share of the Fund represents a partial ownership in an underlying portfolio of securities intended to track a market index. Unlike shares of a mutual
fund, which can be bought and redeemed from the issuing fund by all shareholders at a price based on NAV, shares of the Fund may be purchased or redeemed directly from the Fund at NAV solely by Authorized Participants (as defined in the Creations and Redemptions section of this Prospectus). Also unlike shares of a mutual fund, shares of the Fund are listed on a national securities exchange and trade in the secondary market at market prices that
change throughout the day.
The Fund invests in a
particular segment of the securities markets and seeks to track the performance of a securities index that generally is not representative of the market as a whole. The Fund is designed to be used as part of broader asset allocation strategies.
Accordingly, an investment in the Fund should not constitute a complete investment program.
An index is a theoretical financial calculation while the Fund
is an actual investment portfolio. The performance of the Fund and the Underlying Index may vary from one another due to transaction costs, non-U.S. currency valuations, asset valuations, corporate actions (such as mergers and spin-offs), timing
variances and differences between the Fund’s portfolio and the Underlying Index resulting from legal restrictions (such as diversification requirements) that apply to the Fund but not to the Underlying Index or to the use of representative
sampling. “Tracking error” is the divergence of the performance (return) of the Fund's portfolio from that of the Underlying Index. BFA expects that, over time, the Fund’s tracking error will not exceed 5%. Because the Fund uses a
representative sampling indexing strategy, it can be expected to have a larger tracking error than if it used a replication indexing strategy. “Replication” is an indexing strategy in which a fund invests in substantially all of the
securities in its underlying index in approximately the same proportions as in the underlying index.
An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and it is not
insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency, BFA or any of its affiliates.
1
Table of Contents
The Fund's investment objective and the Underlying Index may be
changed without shareholder approval.
A Further
Discussion of Principal Risks
The Fund is subject to
various risks, including the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s NAV, trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective. You could lose all or part of your investment in the
Fund, and the Fund could underperform other investments.
Asset Class Risk. The
securities in the Underlying Index or in the Fund’s portfolio may underperform the returns of other securities or indexes that track other industries, groups of industries, markets, asset classes or sectors. Various types of securities or
indexes tend to experience cycles of outperformance and underperformance in comparison to the general securities markets.
Concentration Risk. The Fund
may be susceptible to an increased risk of loss, including losses due to adverse occurrences affecting the Fund more than the market as a whole, to the extent that the Fund's investments are concentrated in the securities of a particular issuer or
issuers, country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class. The Fund may be more adversely affected by the underperformance of those securities, may experience increased price volatility and may be
more susceptible to adverse economic, market, political or regulatory occurrences affecting those securities than a fund that does not concentrate its investments.
Consumer Discretionary Sector Risk. The success of consumer product manufacturers and retailers is tied closely to the performance of domestic and international economies, interest rates, exchange rates, competition, consumer confidence, changes in
demographics and consumer preferences. Companies in the consumer discretionary sector depend heavily on disposable household income and consumer spending, and may be strongly affected by social trends and marketing campaigns. These companies may be
subject to severe competition, which may have an adverse impact on their profitability.
Cyber Security Risk. With the
increased use of technologies such as the Internet to conduct business, the Fund, Authorized Participants, services providers and the relevant listing exchange are susceptible to operational, information security and related “cyber”
risks both directly and through its service providers. Similar types of cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers, and may cause
the Fund’s investment in such portfolio companies to lose value. Unlike many other types of risks faced by the Fund, these risks typically are not covered by insurance. In general, cyber incidents can result from deliberate attacks or
unintentional events. Cyber attacks include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (e.g., through
“hacking” or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data, or causing operational disruption. Cyber attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining
unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (i.e., efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users).
Cyber
2
Table of Contents
security failures by or breaches of the systems of the Fund’s adviser,
distributor and other service providers (including, but not limited to, index providers, fund accountants, custodians, transfer agents and administrators), market makers, Authorized Participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund
invests, have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in: financial losses, interference with the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, disclosure of confidential trading information, impediments
to trading, submission of erroneous trades or erroneous creation or redemption orders, the inability of the Fund or its service providers to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties,
reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs. In addition, cyber-attacks may render records of Fund assets and transactions, shareholder ownership of Fund shares, and other data integral to the
functioning of the Fund inaccessible or inaccurate or incomplete. Substantial costs may be incurred by the Fund in order to resolve or prevent cyber incidents in the future. While the Fund has established business continuity plans in the event of,
and risk management systems to prevent, such cyber attacks, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified. Furthermore, the Fund cannot control the cyber security
plans and systems put in place by service providers to the Fund, issuers in which the Fund invests, market makers or Authorized Participants. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.
Equity Securities Risk. The
Fund invests in equity securities, which are subject to changes in value that may be attributable to market perception of a particular issuer or to general stock market fluctuations that affect all issuers. Investments in equity securities may be
more volatile than investments in other asset classes.
Financials Sector Risk.
Companies in the financials sector of an economy are subject to extensive governmental regulation and intervention, which may adversely affect the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge, the amount of capital they must maintain and,
potentially, their size. Governmental regulation may change frequently and may have significant adverse consequences for companies in the financials sector, including effects not intended by such regulation. The impact of recent or future regulation
in various countries on any individual financial company or on the financials sector as a whole cannot be predicted. Certain risks may impact the value of investments in the financials sector more severely than those of investments outside this
sector, including the risks associated with companies that operate with substantial financial leverage. Companies in the financials sector may also be adversely affected by increases in interest rates and loan losses, decreases in the availability
of money or asset valuations, credit rating downgrades and adverse conditions in other related markets. Insurance companies, in particular, may be subject to severe price competition and/or rate regulation, which may have an adverse impact on their
profitability. During the financial crisis that began in 2007, the deterioration of the credit markets impacted a broad range of mortgage, asset-backed, auction rate, sovereign debt and other markets, including U.S. and non-U.S. credit and interbank
money markets, thereby affecting a wide range of financial institutions and markets. During the financial crisis, a number of large financial institutions failed, merged with stronger institutions or had significant government infusions of capital.
Instability in
3
Table of Contents
the
financial markets caused certain financial companies to incur large losses. Some financial companies experienced declines in the valuations of their assets, took actions to raise capital (such as the issuance of debt or equity securities), or even
ceased operations. Some financial companies borrowed significant amounts of capital from government sources and may face future government-imposed restrictions on their businesses or increased government intervention. Those actions caused the
securities of many financial companies to decline in value. The financials sector is particularly sensitive to fluctuations in interest rates. The financials sector is also a target for cyber attacks and technology malfunctions and disruptions. In
recent years, cyber attacks and technology failures have become increasingly frequent and have caused significant losses.
Geographic Risk. Some of the
markets in which the Fund invests are located in parts of the world that have historically been prone to natural disasters, such as earthquakes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, drought, hurricanes or tsunamis and are economically sensitive to
environmental events. Any such event may adversely impact the economies of these geographic areas, causing an adverse impact on the value of the Fund.
Index-Related Risk. The Fund
seeks to achieve a return which corresponds generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Underlying Index as published by the Index Provider. There is no assurance that the Index Provider will compile the Underlying
Index accurately, or that the Underlying Index will be determined, composed or calculated accurately. While the Index Provider provides descriptions of what the Underlying Index is designed to achieve, the Index Provider does not provide any
warranty or accept any liability in relation to the quality, accuracy or completeness of data in respect of its indices, and does not guarantee that the Underlying Index will be in line with the Index Provider’s methodology. BFA’s
mandate as described in this Prospectus is to manage the Fund consistently with the Underlying Index provided by the Index Provider to BFA. Consequently, BFA does not provide any warranty or guarantee for Index Provider errors. Errors in respect of
the quality, accuracy and completeness of the data may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time, particularly where the indices are less commonly used. Therefore, gains, losses or
costs associated with Index Provider errors will generally be borne by the Fund and its shareholders. For example, during a period where the Fund’s Underlying Index contains incorrect constituents, the Fund would have market exposure to such
constituents and would be underexposed to the Underlying Index’s other constituents. Such errors may negatively or positively impact the Fund and its shareholders. Any gains due to Index Provider errors will be kept by the Fund and its
shareholders and any losses resulting from Index Provider errors will be borne by the Fund and its shareholders.
Apart from scheduled rebalances, the Index Provider may carry
out additional ad hoc rebalances to the Underlying Index in order, for example, to correct an error in the selection of index constituents. When the Underlying Index of the Fund is rebalanced and the Fund in turn rebalances its portfolio to attempt
to increase the correlation between the Fund’s portfolio and the Underlying Index, any transaction costs and market exposure arising from such portfolio rebalancing will be borne directly by the
4
Table of Contents
Fund
and its shareholders. Unscheduled rebalances to the Underlying Index may also expose the Fund to tracking error risk, which is the risk that the Fund’s returns may not track those of the Underlying Index. Therefore, errors and additional ad
hoc rebalances carried out by the Index Provider to the Underlying Index may increase the costs and market exposure risk of the Fund.
Information Technology Sector Risk. Information technology companies face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Like other technology companies, information technology companies may
have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. The products of information technology companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments, frequent new product introduction, unpredictable changes in growth
rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. Companies in the information technology sector are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. The loss or impairment of these rights may adversely affect the
profitability of these companies.
Issuer Risk. The performance of the Fund depends on the performance of individual securities to which the Fund has exposure. Any issuer of these securities may perform poorly, causing the value of its securities to decline. Poor
performance may be caused by poor management decisions, competitive pressures, changes in technology, expiration of patent protection, disruptions in supply, labor problems or shortages, corporate restructurings, fraudulent disclosures or other
factors. Issuers may, in times of distress or at their own discretion, decide to reduce or eliminate dividends, which may also cause their stock prices to decline.
Management Risk. The Fund may
not fully replicate the Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in the Underlying Index. As a result, the Fund is subject to the risk that BFA’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of
constraints, may not produce the intended results.
Market Risk. The Fund could
lose money due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns. Securities may decline in value due to factors affecting securities markets generally or particular asset classes or industries represented in the
markets. The value of a security may decline due to general market conditions, economic trends or events that are not specifically related to the issuer of the security or due to factors that affect a particular industry or group of industries.
During a general downturn in the securities markets, multiple asset classes may be negatively affected.
Market Trading Risk
Absence of Active Market.
Although shares of the Fund are listed for trading on one or more stock exchanges, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained by market makers or Authorized Participants.
Risk of Secondary Listings.
The Fund's shares may be listed or traded on U.S. and non-U.S. stock exchanges other than the U.S. stock exchange where the Fund's primary listing is maintained. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s shares
will continue to trade on any such stock exchange or in any market or that the Fund’s shares will
5
Table of Contents
continue to meet the requirements for listing or trading on any exchange or in
any market. The Fund's shares may be less actively traded in certain markets than in others, and investors are subject to the execution and settlement risks and market standards of the market where they or their broker direct their trades for
execution. Certain information available to investors who trade Fund shares on a U.S. stock exchange during regular U.S. market hours may not be available to investors who trade in other markets, which may result in secondary market prices in such
markets being less efficient.
Secondary Market Trading
Risk. Shares of the Fund may trade in the secondary market at times when the Fund does not accept orders to purchase or redeem shares. At such times, shares may trade in the secondary market with more significant
premiums or discounts than might be experienced at times when the Fund accepts purchase and redemption orders.
Secondary market trading in Fund shares may be halted by a
stock exchange because of market conditions or for other reasons. In addition, trading in Fund shares on a stock exchange or in any market may be subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to “circuit
breaker” rules on the stock exchange or market. There can be no assurance that the requirements necessary to maintain the listing or trading of Fund shares will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.
Shares of the Fund, similar to shares of other issuers listed
on a stock exchange, may be sold short and are therefore subject to the risk of increased volatility associated with short selling.
Shares of the Fund May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV. Shares of the Fund trade on stock exchanges at prices at, above or below the Fund’s most recent NAV. The NAV of the Fund is calculated at the end of each business day and fluctuates with changes in the market value
of the Fund’s holdings. The trading price of the Fund's shares fluctuates continuously throughout trading hours based on both market supply of and demand for Fund shares and the underlying value of the Fund's portfolio holdings or NAV. As
a result, the trading prices of the Fund’s shares may deviate significantly from NAV during periods of market volatility. ANY OF THESE FACTORS, AMONG OTHERS, MAY LEAD TO THE FUND'S
SHARES TRADING AT A PREMIUM OR DISCOUNT TO NAV. However, because shares can be created and redeemed in Creation Units at NAV, BFA believes that large discounts or premiums to the NAV of the Fund are not likely
to be sustained over the long term (unlike shares of many closed-end funds, which frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their NAVs). While the creation/redemption feature is designed to make it more likely
that the Fund’s shares normally will trade on stock exchanges at prices close to the Fund’s next calculated NAV, exchange prices are not expected to correlate exactly with the Fund's NAV due to timing reasons, supply and demand
imbalances and other factors. In addition, disruptions to creations and redemptions, including disruptions at market makers, Authorized Participants, or market participants or during periods of significant market volatility, may result in trading
prices for shares of the Fund that differ significantly from its NAV.
6
Table of Contents
Costs of Buying or Selling Fund Shares. Buying or selling Fund shares on an exchange involves two types of costs that apply to all securities transactions. When buying or selling shares of the Fund through a broker, you will likely incur a brokerage commission
or other charges imposed by brokers as determined by that broker. In addition, you may incur the cost of the “spread,” that is, the difference between what investors are willing to pay for Fund shares (the “bid” price) and
the price at which they are willing to sell Fund shares (the “ask” price). Because of the costs inherent in buying or selling Fund shares, frequent trading may detract significantly from investment results and an investment in Fund
shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.
Passive Investment Risk. The
Fund is not actively managed and may be affected by a general decline in market segments related to the Underlying Index. The Fund invests in securities included in, or representative of, the Underlying Index, regardless of their investment merits.
BFA generally does not attempt to take defensive positions under any market conditions, including declining markets.
Risk of Investing in the United States. The Fund has significant exposure to U.S. issuers. A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations and/or an economic recession in the United States may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy
and the securities listed on U.S. exchanges. The financial crisis that began in 2007 caused a significant decline in the value and liquidity of issuers in the United States. Policy and legislative changes in the United States are changing many
aspects of financial and other regulation and may have a significant effect on the U.S. markets generally, as well as the value of certain securities. In addition, a continued rise in the U.S. public debt level or U.S. austerity measures may
adversely affect U.S. economic growth and the securities to which the Fund has exposure.
Securities Lending Risk. The
Fund may engage in securities lending. Securities lending involves the risk that the Fund may lose money because the borrower of the loaned securities fails to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. The Fund could also lose money in the
event of a decline in the value of the collateral provided for the loaned securities or a decline in the value of any investments made with cash collateral. These events could also trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund. BlackRock
Institutional Trust Company, N.A. (“BTC”), the Fund’s securities lending agent, will take into account the tax impact to shareholders of substitute payments for dividends when managing the Fund’s securities lending
program.
Tracking Error Risk. Tracking error is the divergence of the Fund’s performance from that of the Underlying Index. Tracking error may occur because of differences between the securities held in the Fund’s portfolio and those
included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences, transaction costs, the Fund holding uninvested cash, differences in timing of the accrual of dividends, changes to the Underlying Index or the costs of complying with various new or existing
regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does
not.
7
Table of Contents
A Further Discussion of Other Risks
The Fund may also be subject to certain other risks associated
with its investments and investment strategies.
Consumer
Staples Sector Risk. The consumer staples sector may be affected by the permissibility of using various product components and production methods, marketing campaigns and other factors affecting consumer demand.
Tobacco companies, in particular, may be adversely affected by new laws, regulations and litigation. The consumer staples sector may also be adversely affected by changes or trends in commodity prices, which may be influenced or characterized by
unpredictable factors.
Energy Sector Risk. The energy sector of an economy is cyclical and highly dependent on energy prices. The market value of companies in the energy sector is strongly affected by the levels and volatility of global energy prices, energy
supply and demand, capital expenditures on exploration and production of energy sources, energy conservation efforts, exchange rates, interest rates, economic conditions, tax treatment, increased competition and technological advances, among other
factors. Companies in this sector may be subject to substantial government regulation and contractual fixed pricing, which may increase the cost of doing business and limit the earnings of these companies. A significant portion of the revenues of
these companies depends on a relatively small number of customers, including governmental entities and utilities. As a result, governmental budget constraints may have a material adverse effect on the stock prices of companies in this sector. Energy
companies may also operate in, or engage in transactions involving countries with, less developed regulatory regimes or a history of expropriation, nationalization or other adverse policies. Energy companies also face a significant risk of liability
from accidents resulting in injury or loss of life or property, pollution or other environmental problems, equipment malfunctions or mishandling of materials and a risk of loss from terrorism, political strife and natural disasters. Any such event
could have serious consequences for the general population of the affected area and could have an adverse impact on the Fund’s portfolio and the performance of the Fund. Energy companies can be significantly affected by the supply of, and
demand for, specific products (e.g., oil and natural gas) and services, exploration and production spending, government subsidization, world events
and general economic conditions.
Healthcare Sector
Risk. The profitability of companies in the healthcare sector may be affected by extensive government regulations, restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products and
services, pricing pressure, an increased emphasis on outpatient services, limited number of products, industry innovation, changes in technologies and other market developments. Many healthcare companies are heavily dependent on patent protection.
The expiration of a company’s patents may adversely affect that company’s profitability. Many healthcare companies are subject to extensive litigation based on product liability and similar claims. Healthcare companies are subject to
competitive forces that may make it difficult to raise prices and, in fact, may result in price discounting. Many new products in the healthcare sector may be subject to regulatory approvals. The process of obtaining such approvals may be long and
costly, and
8
Table of Contents
ultimately may be unsuccessful. Companies in the healthcare sector may be
thinly capitalized and may be susceptible to product obsolescence.
Industrials Sector Risk. The
value of securities issued by companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by supply and demand related to their specific products or services and industrials sector products in general. The products of manufacturing companies may
face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction. Government regulations, world events, economic conditions and exchange rates may adversely affect the performance of companies in the industrials
sector. Companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by liability for environmental damage and product liability claims. The industrials sector may also be adversely affected by changes or trends in commodity prices, which may be
influenced by unpredictable factors.
Materials
Sector Risk. Companies in the materials sector may be adversely affected by commodity price volatility, exchange rates, import controls, increased competition, depletion of resources, technical advances, labor
relations and government regulations, among other factors. Also, companies in the materials sector are at risk of liability for environmental damage and product liability claims. Production of materials may exceed demand as a result of market
imbalances or economic downturns, leading to poor investment returns.
Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk. Stock prices of mid-capitalization companies may be more volatile than those of large-capitalization companies and, therefore, the Fund’s share price may be more volatile than those of funds that invest a larger
percentage of their assets in stocks issued by large-capitalization companies. Stock prices of mid-capitalization companies are also more vulnerable than those of large-capitalization companies to adverse business or economic developments, and the
stocks of mid-capitalization companies may be less liquid, making it difficult for the Fund to buy and sell them. In addition, mid-capitalization companies generally have less diverse product lines than large-capitalization companies and are more
susceptible to adverse developments related to their products.
Utilities Sector Risk.
Companies in the utilities sector may be adversely affected by changes in exchange rates, domestic and international competition, and governmental limitations on rates charged to customers. The value of regulated utility debt securities (and, to a
lesser extent, equity securities) tends to have an inverse relationship to the movement of interest rates. Deregulation may subject utility companies to greater competition and may adversely affect their profitability. As deregulation allows utility
companies to diversify outside of their original geographic regions and their traditional lines of business, utility companies may engage in riskier ventures. In addition, deregulation may eliminate restrictions on the profits of certain utility
companies, but may also subject these companies to greater risk of loss. Companies in the utilities industry may have difficulty obtaining an adequate return on invested capital, raising capital, or financing large construction projects during
periods of inflation or unsettled capital markets; face restrictions on operations and increased cost and delays attributable to environmental considerations and regulation; find that existing plants, equipment or products have been rendered
obsolete by technological innovations; or be subject to increased costs because of the scarcity of certain fuels or the effects of
9
Table of Contents
man-made or natural disasters. Existing and future regulations or legislation
may make it difficult for utility companies to operate profitably. Government regulators monitor and control utility revenues and costs, and therefore may limit utility profits. There is no assurance that regulatory authorities will grant rate
increases in the future, or that such increases will be adequate to permit the payment of dividends on stocks issued by a utility company. Energy conservation and changes in climate policy may also have a significant adverse impact on the revenues
and expenses of utility companies.
Portfolio Holdings
Information
A description of the Company's policies and
procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio securities is available in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The top holdings of the Fund can be found at www.iShares.com. Fund fact sheets
provide information regarding the Fund's top holdings and may be requested by calling 1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737).
Management
Investment Adviser. As
investment adviser, BFA has overall responsibility for the general management and administration of the Company. BFA provides an investment program for the Fund and manages the investment of the Fund’s assets. In managing the Fund, BFA may
draw upon the research and expertise of its asset management affiliates with respect to certain portfolio securities. In seeking to achieve the Fund's investment objective, BFA uses teams of portfolio managers, investment strategists and other
investment specialists. This team approach brings together many disciplines and leverages BFA’s extensive resources.
Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement between BFA and
the Company (entered into on behalf of the Fund), BFA is responsible for substantially all expenses of the Fund, except interest expenses, taxes, brokerage expenses, future distribution fees or expenses and extraordinary expenses.
For its investment advisory services to the Fund, BFA is
entitled to receive a management fee from the Fund based on a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets, at an annual rate of 0.15%. BFA may from time to time voluntarily waive and/or reimburse fees or expenses in order to limit Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, if any). Any such voluntary waiver or reimbursement may be eliminated by BFA at any time.
BFA is located at 400 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94105.
It is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. (“BlackRock”). As of September 30, 2014, BFA and its affiliates provided investment advisory services for assets in excess of $4.52 trillion. BFA and its affiliates deal, trade
and invest for their own accounts in the types of securities in which the Fund may also invest.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Company's Board of
Directors' (the “Board”) approval of the Investment Advisory Agreement with BFA is available in the Fund's annual report for the period ended August 31.
Portfolio Managers. Matthew
Goff, Diane Hsiung, Jennifer Hsui and Greg Savage are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Each Portfolio
10
Table of Contents
Manager is responsible for various functions related to portfolio management,
including, but not limited to, investing cash inflows, coordinating with members of his or her portfolio management team to focus on certain asset classes, implementing investment strategy, researching and reviewing investment strategy and
overseeing members of his or her portfolio management team that have more limited responsibilities.
Matthew Goff has been employed by BFA and BTC (formerly,
Barclays Global Investors, N.A. (“BGI”)) as a portfolio manager since 2008. Prior to that, Mr. Goff was a portfolio manager from 2007 to 2008 for US Trust, a product manager from 2006 to 2007 for Iris Financial Solutions and a product
manager from 2003 to 2006 for MSCI Barra. Mr. Goff has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2013.
Diane Hsiung has been employed by BFA and BTC as a senior
portfolio manager since 2007. Prior to that, Ms. Hsiung was a portfolio manager from 2002 to 2006 for BGFA and BGI. Ms. Hsiung has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2010.
Jennifer Hsui has been employed by BFA and BTC as a senior
portfolio manager since 2007. Prior to that, Ms. Hsui was a portfolio manager from 2006 to 2007 for BGFA and BGI. Ms. Hsui has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2012.
Greg Savage has been employed by BFA and BTC as a senior
portfolio manager since 2006. Prior to that, Mr. Savage was a portfolio manager from 2001 to 2006 for BGFA and BGI. Mr. Savage has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2010.
The Fund's SAI provides additional information about the
Portfolio Managers' compensation, other accounts managed by the Portfolio Managers and the Portfolio Managers' ownership (if any) of shares in the Fund.
Administrator, Custodian and Transfer Agent. State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”) is the administrator, custodian and transfer agent for the Fund.
Conflicts of Interest. BFA
wants you to know that it has relationships with certain entities that may give rise to conflicts of interest or the appearance of conflicts of interest. These entities are BFA’s affiliates, including BlackRock and The PNC Financial Services
Group, Inc., and each of their affiliates, directors, partners, trustees, managing members, officers and employees (collectively, the “Affiliates”).
The activities of BFA and the Affiliates in the management of,
or their interest in, their own accounts and other accounts they manage, may present conflicts of interest that could disadvantage the Fund and its shareholders. BFA and the Affiliates provide investment management services to other funds and
discretionary managed accounts that may follow an investment program similar to that of the Fund. BFA and the Affiliates are involved worldwide with a broad spectrum of financial services and asset management activities and may engage in the
ordinary course of business in activities in which their interests or the interests of their clients may conflict with those of the Fund. BFA or one or more of the Affiliates acts, or may act, as an investor, investment banker, research provider,
investment manager, commodity trading advisor, financier, underwriter, adviser, market maker, trader, prime broker, lender, agent or principal, and have other direct and indirect interests in securities, currencies, commodities and other instruments
in which the Fund may directly or indirectly invest. Thus, it is likely
11
Table of Contents
that
the Fund will have multiple business relationships with and will invest in, engage in transactions with, make voting decisions with respect to, or obtain services from, entities for which BFA or an Affiliate seeks to perform investment banking or
other services.
BFA or one or more Affiliates may engage
in proprietary trading and advise accounts and funds that have investment objectives similar to those of the Fund and/or that engage in and compete for transactions in the same types of securities, currencies and other instruments as the Fund,
including in securities issued by other open-end and closed-end investment companies, which may include investment companies that are affiliated with the Fund and BFA, to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the
“1940 Act”). The trading activities of BFA and these Affiliates are carried out without reference to positions held directly or indirectly by the Fund and may result in BFA or an Affiliate having positions in certain securities that are
adverse to those of the Fund.
No Affiliate is under any
obligation to share any investment opportunity, idea or strategy with the Fund. As a result, an Affiliate may compete with the Fund for appropriate investment opportunities. As a result of this and several other factors, the results of the Fund's
investment activities may differ from those of an Affiliate and of other accounts managed by an Affiliate, and it is possible that the Fund could sustain losses during periods in which one or more Affiliates and other accounts achieve profits on
their trading for proprietary or other accounts. The opposite result is also possible.
The Fund may, from time to time, enter into transactions in
which BFA’s or an Affiliate’s clients have an interest adverse to the Fund. Furthermore, transactions undertaken by Affiliate-advised clients may adversely impact the Fund. Transactions by one or more Affiliate-advised clients or BFA may
have the effect of diluting or otherwise disadvantaging the values, prices or investment strategies of the Fund.
The Fund's activities may be limited because of regulatory
restrictions applicable to one or more Affiliates and/or their internal policies designed to comply with such restrictions. In addition, the Fund may invest in securities of companies with which an Affiliate has developed or is trying to develop
investment banking relationships or in which an Affiliate has significant debt or equity investments or other interests. The Fund also may invest in securities of companies for which an Affiliate provides or may in the future provide research
coverage. An Affiliate may have business relationships with, and purchase, distribute or sell services or products from or to, distributors, consultants or others who recommend the Fund or who engage in transactions with or for the Fund, and may
receive compensation for such services. The Fund may also make brokerage and other payments to Affiliates in connection with the Fund's portfolio investment transactions.
Pursuant to a securities lending program approved by the Board,
the Fund has retained an Affiliate of BFA to serve as the securities lending agent for the Fund to the extent that the Fund participates in the securities lending program. For these services, the lending agent may receive a fee from the Fund,
including a fee based on the returns earned on the Fund’s investment of the cash received as collateral for any loaned securities. BFA may receive compensation for managing the reinvestment of cash
12
Table of Contents
collateral. In addition, one or more Affiliates may be among the entities to
which the Fund may lend its portfolio securities under the securities lending program.
The activities of BFA or the Affiliates may give rise to other
conflicts of interest that could disadvantage the Fund and its shareholders. BFA has adopted policies and procedures designed to address these potential conflicts of interest. See the Fund's SAI for further information.
Shareholder Information
Additional shareholder information, including how to buy and
sell shares of the Fund, is available free of charge by calling toll-free: 1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737) or visiting our website at www.iShares.com.
Buying and Selling Shares.
Shares of the Fund may be acquired or redeemed directly from the Fund only in Creation Units or multiples thereof, as discussed in the Creations and Redemptions section of this Prospectus. Only an Authorized Participant (as defined in the Creations and Redemptions section) may
engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. Once created, shares of the Fund generally trade in the secondary market in amounts less than a Creation Unit.
Shares of the Fund are listed on a national securities exchange
for trading during the trading day. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like shares of other publicly traded companies. The Company does not impose any minimum investment for shares of the Fund purchased on an exchange. The
Fund's shares trade under the trading symbol “EUSA.”
Buying or selling Fund shares on an exchange involves two types
of costs that may apply to all securities transactions. When buying or selling shares of the Fund through a broker, you will likely incur a brokerage commission or other charges determined by your broker. The commission is frequently a fixed amount
and may be a significant proportional cost for investors seeking to buy or sell small amounts of shares. In addition, you may incur the cost of the “spread,” that is, any difference between the bid price and the ask price. The spread
varies over time for shares of the Fund based on the Fund’s trading volume and market liquidity, and is generally lower if the Fund has a lot of trading volume and market liquidity, and higher if the Fund has little trading volume and market
liquidity (which is often the case for funds that are newly launched or small in size). The Fund's spread may also be impacted by the liquidity of the underlying securities held by the Fund, particularly for newly launched or smaller funds or in
instances of significant volatility of the underlying securities.
The Board has adopted a policy of not monitoring for frequent
purchases and redemptions of Fund shares (“frequent trading”) that appear to attempt to take advantage of a potential arbitrage opportunity presented by a lag between a change in the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities after
the close of the primary markets for the Fund’s portfolio securities and the reflection of that change in the Fund’s NAV (“market timing”), because the Fund generally sells and redeems its shares directly through transactions
that are in-kind and/or for cash, subject to the conditions described below under Creations and Redemptions. The Board has not adopted a policy
13
Table of Contents
of
monitoring for other frequent trading activity because shares of the Fund are listed for trading on a national securities exchange.
The national securities exchange on which the Fund's shares are
listed is open for trading Monday through Friday and is closed on weekends and the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day
and Christmas Day. The Fund’s primary listing exchange is NYSE Arca.
Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act restricts investments by
investment companies in the securities of other investment companies. Registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in SEC rules
or in an SEC exemptive order issued to the Company. In order for a registered investment company to invest in shares of the Fund beyond the limitations of Section 12(d)(1) pursuant to the exemptive relief obtained by the Company, the registered
investment company must enter into an agreement with the Company.
Book Entry. Shares of the Fund
are held in book-entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding shares of the Fund and is recognized as the owner of all shares
for all purposes.
Investors owning shares of the
Fund are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for shares of the Fund. DTC participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and
other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have shares registered in your name, and you
are not considered a registered owner of shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any other securities that
you hold in book-entry or “street name” form.
Share Prices. The trading
prices of the Fund’s shares in the secondary market generally differ from the Fund’s daily NAV and are affected by market forces such as the supply of and demand for ETF shares and shares of underlying securities held by the Fund,
economic conditions and other factors. Information regarding the intraday value of shares of the Fund, also known as the “indicative optimized portfolio value” (“IOPV”), is disseminated every 15 seconds throughout the trading
day by the national securities exchange on which the Fund's shares are listed or by market data vendors or other information providers. The IOPV is based on the current market value of the securities and/or cash required to be deposited in exchange
for a Creation Unit. The IOPV does not necessarily reflect the precise composition of the current portfolio of securities held by the Fund at a particular point in time or the best possible valuation of the current portfolio. Therefore, the IOPV
should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of the Fund's NAV, which is computed only once a day. The IOPV is generally determined by using both current market quotations and/or price quotations obtained from broker-dealers that may
trade in the portfolio securities held by the Fund. The quotations of certain Fund holdings may not be updated during U.S. trading hours if
14
Table of Contents
such
holdings do not trade in the United States. The Fund is not involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of the IOPV and makes no representation or warranty as to its accuracy.
Determination of Net Asset Value. The NAV of the Fund normally is determined once daily Monday through Friday, generally as of the regularly scheduled close of business of the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern
time) on each day that the NYSE is open for trading, based on prices at the time of closing provided that (a) any Fund assets or liabilities denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar are translated into U.S. dollars at the prevailing
market rates on the date of valuation as quoted by one or more data service providers (as detailed below) and (b) U.S. fixed-income assets may be valued as of the announced closing time for trading in fixed-income instruments in a particular market
or exchange. The NAV of the Fund is calculated by dividing the value of the net assets of the Fund (i.e., the value of its total assets less total
liabilities) by the total number of outstanding shares of the Fund, generally rounded to the nearest cent.
The value of the securities and other assets and liabilities
held by the Fund are determined pursuant to valuation policies and procedures approved by the Board. The Fund's assets and liabilities are valued on the basis of market quotations, when readily available.
Equity investments are valued at market value, which is
generally determined using the last reported official closing price or last trading price on the exchange or market on which the security is primarily traded at the time of valuation.
Generally, trading in non-U.S. securities, U.S. government
securities, money market instruments and certain fixed-income securities is substantially completed each day at various times prior to the close of business on the NYSE. The values of such securities used in computing the NAV of the Fund are
determined as of such times.
When market quotations are
not readily available or are believed by BFA to be unreliable, the Fund’s investments are valued at fair value. Fair value determinations are made by BFA in accordance with policies and procedures approved by the Company's Board. BFA may
conclude that a market quotation is not readily available or is unreliable if a security or other asset or liability does not have a price source due to its lack of liquidity, if a market quotation differs significantly from recent price quotations
or otherwise no longer appears to reflect fair value, where the security or other asset or liability is thinly traded, or where there is a significant event subsequent to the most recent market quotation. A “significant event” is an
event that, in the judgment of BFA, is likely to cause a material change to the closing market price of the asset or liability held by the Fund. Non-U.S. securities whose values are affected by volatility that occurs in U.S. markets for related or
highly correlated assets (e.g., American Depositary Receipts, Global Depositary Receipts or ETFs) on a trading day after the close of non-U.S. securities markets may be fair valued.
Fair value represents a good faith approximation of the value
of an asset or liability. The fair value of an asset or liability held by the Fund is the amount the Fund might reasonably expect to receive from the current sale of that asset or the cost to extinguish that liability in an arm’s-length
transaction. Valuing the Fund’s investments
15
Table of Contents
using fair value pricing will result in prices that may differ from current
market valuations and that may not be the prices at which those investments could have been sold during the period in which the particular fair values were used. Use of fair value prices and certain current market valuations could result in a
difference between the prices used to calculate the Fund’s NAV and the prices used by the Underlying Index, which, in turn, could result in a difference between the Fund’s performance and the performance of the Underlying Index.
Dividends and Distributions
General Policies. Dividends
from net investment income, if any, generally are declared and paid at least once a year by the Fund. Distributions of net realized securities gains, if any, generally are declared and paid once a year, but the Company may make distributions on a
more frequent basis for the Fund. The Company reserves the right to declare special distributions if, in its reasonable discretion, such action is necessary or advisable to preserve its status as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) or
to avoid imposition of income or excise taxes on undistributed income or realized gains.
Dividends and other distributions on shares of the Fund are
distributed on a pro rata basis to beneficial owners of such shares. Dividend payments are made through DTC participants and indirect participants to beneficial owners then of record with proceeds received
from the Fund.
Dividend Reinvestment Service. No dividend reinvestment service is provided by the Company. Broker-dealers may make available the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by beneficial owners of the Fund for reinvestment of their dividend
distributions. Beneficial owners should contact their broker to determine the availability and costs of the service and the details of participation therein. Brokers may require beneficial owners to adhere to specific procedures and timetables. If
this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and realized gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole shares of the Fund purchased in the secondary market.
Taxes. As with any investment,
you should consider how your investment in shares of the Fund will be taxed. The tax information in this Prospectus is provided as general information, based on current law. You should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of
an investment in shares of the Fund.
Unless your
investment in Fund shares is made through a tax-exempt entity or tax-deferred retirement account, such as an IRA, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when the Fund makes distributions or you sell Fund shares.
Taxes on Distributions.
Distributions from the Fund’s net investment income (other than qualified dividend income), including distributions of income from securities lending and distributions out of the Fund’s net short-term capital gains, if any, are taxable
to you as ordinary income. Distributions by the Fund of net long-term capital gains in excess of net short-term capital losses (capital gain dividends) are taxable to you as long-term capital gains, regardless of how long you have held the
Fund’s shares. Distributions by the Fund that qualify as qualified dividend income are taxable to you at long-term capital gain rates. Long-term capital gains and qualified dividend income are generally eligible for taxation at a maximum rate
of 15% for non-corporate
16
Table of Contents
shareholders with incomes below approximately $400,000 ($450,000 if married
and filing jointly), adjusted annually for inflation, and 20% for individuals with any income above these amounts that is net long-term capital gain or qualified dividend income. In addition, a 3.8% U.S. federal Medicare contribution tax is imposed
on “net investment income,” including, but not limited to, interest, dividends, and net gain, of U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 (or $250,000 if married and filing jointly) and of estates and trusts.
Dividends will be qualified dividend income to you if they are
attributable to qualified dividend income received by the Fund. Generally, qualified dividend income includes dividend income from taxable U.S. corporations and qualified non-U.S. corporations, provided that the Fund satisfies certain holding period
requirements in respect of the stock of such corporations and has not hedged its position in the stock in certain ways. Substitute dividends received by the Fund with respect to dividends paid on securities lent out will not be qualified dividend
income. For this purpose, a qualified non-U.S. corporation means any non-U.S. corporation that is eligible for benefits under a comprehensive income tax treaty with the United States, which includes an exchange of information program, or if the
stock with respect to which the dividend was paid is readily tradable on an established United States securities market. The term excludes a corporation that is a passive foreign investment company.
Dividends received by the Fund from a RIC generally are
qualified dividend income only to the extent the dividend distributions are made out of qualified dividend income received by such RIC.
For a dividend to be treated as qualified dividend income, the
dividend must be received with respect to a share of stock held without being hedged by the Fund, and with respect to a share of the Fund held without being hedged by you, for 61 days during the 121-day period beginning at the date which is 60 days
before the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend or, in the case of certain preferred stock, 91 days during the 181-day period beginning 90 days before such date.
If your Fund shares are loaned out pursuant to a securities
lending arrangement, you may lose the ability to use foreign tax credits passed through by the Fund or to treat Fund dividends paid while the shares are held by the borrower as qualified dividend income.
In general, your distributions are subject to U.S. federal
income tax for the year when they are paid. Certain distributions paid in January, however, may be treated as paid on December 31 of the prior year.
If the Fund’s distributions exceed current and
accumulated earnings and profits, all or a portion of the distributions made in the taxable year may be recharacterized as a return of capital to shareholders. Distributions in excess of the Fund’s minimum distribution requirements, but not in
excess of the Fund’s earnings and profits, will be taxable to shareholders and will not constitute nontaxable returns of capital. The Fund’s capital loss carryforwards, if any, carried from taxable years beginning before 2011 do not
reduce current earnings and profits, even if such carryforwards offset current year realized gains. A return of capital distribution generally will not be taxable
17
Table of Contents
but
will reduce the shareholder’s cost basis and result in a higher capital gain or lower capital loss when those shares on which the distribution was received are sold. Once a shareholder's cost basis is reduced to zero, further distributions
will be treated as capital gain, if the shareholder holds shares of the Fund as capital assets.
If you are neither a resident nor a citizen of the United
States or if you are a non-U.S. entity, the Fund’s ordinary income dividends (which include distributions of net short-term capital gains) will generally be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax, unless a lower treaty rate applies, provided
that withholding tax will generally not apply to any gain or income realized by a non-U.S. shareholder in respect of any distributions of long-term capital gains or upon the sale or other disposition of shares of the Fund.
A 30% withholding tax is currently imposed on U.S.-source
dividends, interest and other income items and will be imposed on proceeds from the sale of property producing U.S.-source dividends and interest paid after December 31, 2016, to (i) foreign financial institutions, including non-U.S. investment
funds, unless they agree to collect and disclose to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) information regarding their direct and indirect U.S. account holders and (ii) certain other foreign entities, unless they certify certain
information regarding their direct and indirect U.S. owners. To avoid withholding, foreign financial institutions will need to (i) enter into agreements with the IRS that state that they will provide the IRS information, including the names,
addresses and taxpayer identification numbers of direct and indirect U.S. account holders, comply with due diligence procedures with respect to the identification of U.S. accounts, report to the IRS certain information with respect to U.S. accounts
maintained, agree to withhold tax on certain payments made to non-compliant foreign financial institutions or to account holders who fail to provide the required information, and determine certain other information concerning their account holders,
or (ii) in the event that an applicable intergovernmental agreement and implementing legislation are adopted, provide local revenue authorities with similar account holder information. Other foreign entities may need to report the name, address, and
taxpayer identification number of each substantial U.S. owner or provide certifications of no substantial U.S. ownership unless certain exceptions apply.
If you are a resident or a citizen of the United States, by
law, back-up withholding at a 28% rate will apply to your distributions and proceeds if you have not provided a taxpayer identification number or social security number and made other required certifications.
Taxes When Shares are Sold.
Currently, any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of Fund shares is generally treated as a long-term gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of Fund shares held for one
year or less is generally treated as short-term gain or loss, except that any capital loss on the sale of shares held for six months or less is treated as long-term capital loss to the extent that capital gain dividends were paid with respect to
such shares. Any such capital gains, including from sales of Fund shares or from capital gain dividends, are included in “net investment income” for purposes of the 3.8% U.S. federal Medicare contribution tax mentioned
above.
The foregoing discussion summarizes some of
the consequences under current U.S. federal tax law of an investment in the Fund. It is not a substitute for personal tax advice.
18
Table of Contents
You
may also be subject to state and local taxation on Fund distributions and sales of shares. Consult your personal tax advisor about the potential tax consequences of an investment in shares of the Fund under all applicable tax laws.
Creations and Redemptions.
Prior to trading in the secondary market, shares of the Fund are “created” at NAV by market makers, large investors and institutions only in block-size Creation Units of 50,000 shares or multiples thereof. Each “creator” or
“Authorized Participant” enters into an authorized participant agreement with the Fund's distributor, BlackRock Investments, LLC (the “Distributor”), an affiliate of BFA.
A creation transaction, which is subject to acceptance by the
transfer agent, generally takes place when an Authorized Participant deposits into the Fund a designated portfolio of securities (including any portion of such securities for which cash may be substituted) and a specified amount of cash
approximating the holdings of the Fund in exchange for a specified number of Creation Units. To the extent practicable, the composition of such portfolio generally corresponds pro rata to the holdings of the
Fund. However, creation and redemption baskets may differ.
Similarly, shares can be redeemed only in Creation Units,
generally for a designated portfolio of securities (including any portion of such securities for which cash may be substituted) held by the Fund and a specified amount of cash. Except when aggregated in Creation
Units, shares are not redeemable by the Fund.
The
prices at which creations and redemptions occur are based on the next calculation of NAV after a creation or redemption order is received in an acceptable form under the authorized participant agreement.
Only an Authorized Participant may create or redeem Creation
Units directly with the Fund.
In the event of a system
failure or other interruption, including disruptions at market makers or Authorized Participants, orders to purchase or redeem Creation Units either may not be executed according to the Fund's instructions or may not be executed at all, or the Fund
may not be able to place or change orders.
To the extent
the Fund engages in in-kind transactions, the Fund intends to comply with the U.S. federal securities laws in accepting securities for deposit and satisfying redemptions with redemption securities by, among other means, assuring that any securities
accepted for deposit and any securities used to satisfy redemption requests will be sold in transactions that would be exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). Further, an Authorized
Participant that is not a “qualified institutional buyer,” as such term is defined under Rule 144A of the 1933 Act, will not be able to receive restricted securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A.
Creations and redemptions must be made through a firm that is
either a member of the Continuous Net Settlement System of the National Securities Clearing Corporation or a DTC participant and has executed an agreement with the Distributor with respect to creations and redemptions of Creation Unit aggregations.
Information about the procedures regarding creation and redemption of Creation Units (including the cut-off times for receipt of creation and redemption orders) is included in the Fund's SAI.
19
Table of Contents
Because new shares may be created and issued on an ongoing
basis, at any point during the life of the Fund a “distribution,” as such term is used in the 1933 Act, may be occurring. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the
circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner that could render them statutory underwriters and subject to the prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the 1933 Act. Any determination of whether one is
an underwriter must take into account all the relevant facts and circumstances of each particular case.
Broker-dealers should also note that dealers who are not
“underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted to ordinary secondary transactions), and thus dealing with shares that are part of an “unsold allotment” within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the
1933 Act, would be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the 1933 Act. For delivery of prospectuses to exchange members, the prospectus delivery mechanism of Rule 153 under the 1933 Act is
available only with respect to transactions on a national securities exchange.
Costs Associated with Creations and Redemptions. Authorized Participants are charged standard creation and redemption transaction fees to offset transfer and other transaction costs associated with the issuance and redemption of Creation Units. The standard creation
and redemption transaction fees are set forth in the table below. The standard creation transaction fee is charged to the Authorized Participant on the day such Authorized Participant creates a Creation Unit, and is the same regardless of the number
of Creation Units purchased by the Authorized Participant on the applicable business day. Similarly, the standard redemption transaction fee is charged to the Authorized Participant on the day such Authorized Participant redeems a Creation Unit, and
is the same regardless of the number of Creation Units redeemed by the Authorized Participant on the applicable business day. Creations and redemptions for cash (when cash creations and redemptions (in whole or in part) are available or specified)
are also subject to an additional charge (up to the maximum amounts shown in the table below). This charge is intended to compensate for brokerage, tax, foreign exchange, execution, market impact and other costs and expenses related to cash
transactions. Investors who use the services of a broker or other financial intermediary to acquire or dispose of Fund shares may pay fees for such services.
The following table shows, as of September 30, 2014, the
approximate value of one Creation Unit, standard fees and maximum additional charges for creations and redemptions (as described above):
| Approximate
Value of a Creation Unit |
Creation
Unit Size |
Standard
Creation/ Redemption Transaction Fee |
Maximum
Additional Charge for Creations* |
Maximum
Additional Charge for Redemptions* | ||||
| $2,110,000 | 50,000 | $1,500 | 3.0% | 2.0% |
| * | As a percentage of the net asset value per Creation Unit, inclusive, in the case of redemptions, of the standard redemption transaction fee. |
20
Table of Contents
Householding. Householding is
an option available to certain Fund investors. Householding is a method of delivery, based on the preference of the individual investor, in which a single copy of certain shareholder documents can be delivered to investors who share the same
address, even if their accounts are registered under different names. Please contact your broker-dealer if you are interested in enrolling in householding and receiving a single copy of prospectuses and other shareholder documents, or if you are
currently enrolled in householding and wish to change your householding status.
Distribution
The Distributor or its agent distributes Creation Units for the
Fund on an agency basis. The Distributor does not maintain a secondary market in shares of the Fund. The Distributor has no role in determining the policies of the Fund or the securities that are purchased or sold by the Fund. The
Distributor’s principal address is 1 University Square Drive, Princeton, NJ 08540.
BFA or its Affiliates make payments to broker-dealers,
registered investment advisers, banks or other intermediaries (together, “intermediaries”) related to marketing activities and presentations, educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and
reporting systems, or their making shares of the Fund and certain other iShares funds available to their customers generally and in certain investment programs. Such payments, which may be significant to the intermediary, are not made by the Fund.
Rather, such payments are made by BFA or its Affiliates from their own resources, which come directly or indirectly in part from fees paid by the iShares funds complex. Payments of this type are sometimes referred to as revenue-sharing payments. A
financial intermediary may make decisions about which investment options it recommends or makes available, or the level of services provided, to its customers based on the payments it is eligible to receive. Therefore, such payments to an
intermediary create conflicts of interest between the intermediary and its customers and may cause the intermediary to recommend the Fund or other iShares funds over another investment. More information regarding these payments is contained in the
Fund's SAI. Please contact your salesperson or other investment professional for more information regarding any such payments his or her firm may receive from BFA or its Affiliates.
21
Table of Contents
Financial Highlights
The financial highlights table is intended to help investors
understand the Fund’s financial performance since inception. Certain information reflects financial results for a single share of the Fund. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an
investment in the Fund, assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions. This information has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, whose report is included, along with the Fund's financial statements, in the Fund's Annual Report
(available upon request).
Financial Highlights
(For a share outstanding throughout each period)
(For a share outstanding throughout each period)
| Year
ended Aug. 31, 2014 |
Year
ended Aug. 31, 2013 |
Year
ended Aug. 31, 2012 |
Year
ended Aug. 31, 2011 |
Period
from May 5, 2010a to Aug. 31, 2010 | |||||
| Net asset value, beginning of period | $ 35.26 | $ 30.31 | $ 26.17 | $22.44 | $24.83 | ||||
| Income
from investment operations: | |||||||||
| Net investment incomeb | 0.71 | 0.69 | 0.59 | 0.51 | 0.17 | ||||
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)c | 8.01 | 4.96 | 3.94 | 3.73 | (2.49) | ||||
| Total from investment operations | 8.72 | 5.65 | 4.53 | 4.24 | (2.32) | ||||
| Less distributions from: | |||||||||
| Net investment income | (0.90) | (0.70) | (0.39) | (0.51) | (0.07) | ||||
| Total distributions | (0.90) | (0.70) | (0.39) | (0.51) | (0.07) | ||||
| Net asset value, end of period | $ 43.08 | $ 35.26 | $ 30.31 | $ 26.17 | $22.44 | ||||
| Total return | 24.98% | 18.85% | 17.44% | 18.89% | (9.37)% d | ||||
| Ratios/Supplemental data: | |||||||||
| Net assets, end of period (000s) | $47,391 | $179,830 | $145,470 | $ 5,233 | $ 2,244 | ||||
| Ratio of expenses to average net assetse | 0.15% | 0.15% | 0.15% | 0.15% | 0.15% | ||||
| Ratio of net investment income to average net assetse | 1.82% | 2.10% | 2.04% | 1.90% | 2.21% | ||||
| Portfolio turnover ratef | 6% | 5% | 6% | 8% | 1% | ||||
| a | Commencement of operations. |
| b | Based on average shares outstanding throughout each period. |
| c | The amounts reported for a share outstanding may not accord with the change in aggregate gains and losses in securities for the fiscal period due to the timing of capital share transactions in relation to the fluctuating market values of the Fund's underlying securities. |
| d | Not annualized. |
| e | Annualized for periods of less than one year. |
| f | Portfolio turnover rates exclude portfolio securities received or delivered as a result of processing capital share transactions in Creation Units. |
22
Table of Contents
Index Provider
MSCI is a leading provider of investment decision support tools
to investors globally. MSCI products and services include indices, portfolio risk and performance analytics, and governance tools. MSCI is not affiliated with the Company, BFA, State Street, the Distributor or any of their respective
affiliates.
BFA or its affiliates have entered into a
license agreement with the Index Provider to use the Underlying Index. BFA or its affiliates sublicense rights in the Underlying Index to the Company at no charge.
Disclaimers
The Fund is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by MSCI or
any affiliate of MSCI. Neither MSCI nor any other party makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in funds generally or in the Fund
particularly or the ability of the Underlying Index to track general stock market performance. MSCI is the licensor of certain trademarks, service marks and trade names of MSCI and of the Underlying Index which is determined, composed and calculated
by MSCI without regard to the issuer of the Fund or the Fund. MSCI has no obligation to take the needs of the issuer of the Fund or the owners of the Fund into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Underlying Index. MSCI is not
responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the timing of, prices at, or quantities of the Fund to be issued or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the Fund is redeemable for cash. Neither MSCI nor any
other party has any obligation or liability to owners of the Fund in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Fund.
ALTHOUGH MSCI SHALL OBTAIN INFORMATION FOR INCLUSION IN OR FOR
USE IN THE CALCULATION OF THE INDEXES FROM SOURCES WHICH MSCI CONSIDERS RELIABLE, NEITHER MSCI NOR ANY OTHER PARTY GUARANTEES THE ACCURACY AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE INDEXES OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. NEITHER MSCI NOR ANY OTHER PARTY MAKES
ANY WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY LICENSEE, LICENSEE'S CUSTOMERS AND COUNTERPARTIES, OWNERS OF THE FUND, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE INDEXES OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN IN CONNECTION WITH THE
RIGHTS LICENSED HEREUNDER OR FOR ANY OTHER USE. NEITHER MSCI NOR ANY OTHER PARTY MAKES ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND MSCI HEREBY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE WITH RESPECT TO THE
INDEXES OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL MSCI OR ANY OTHER PARTY HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, CONSEQUENTIAL OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS) EVEN
IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
23
Table of Contents
Shares of the Fund are not sponsored, endorsed or promoted by
NYSE Arca. NYSE Arca makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the shares of the Fund or any member of the public regarding the ability of the Fund to track the total return performance of the Underlying Index or the
ability of the Underlying Index to track stock market performance. NYSE Arca is not responsible for, nor has it participated in, the determination of the compilation or the calculation of the Underlying Index, nor in the determination of the timing
of, prices of, or quantities of shares of the Fund to be issued, nor in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the shares are redeemable. NYSE Arca has no obligation or liability to owners of the shares of the Fund in connection
with the administration, marketing or trading of the shares of the Fund.
NYSE Arca does not guarantee the accuracy and/or the completeness
of the Underlying Index or any data included therein. NYSE Arca makes no warranty, express or implied, as to results to be obtained by the Company on behalf of the Fund as licensee, licensee’s customers and counterparties, owners of the shares
of the Fund, or any other person or entity from the use of the subject index or any data included therein in connection with the rights licensed as described herein or for any other use. NYSE Arca makes no express or implied warranties and hereby
expressly disclaims all warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose with respect to the Underlying Index or any data included therein. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall NYSE Arca have any liability for
any direct, indirect, special, punitive, consequential or any other damages (including lost profits) even if notified of the possibility of such damages.
The past performance of the Underlying Index is not a guide to
future performance. BFA does not guarantee the accuracy or the completeness of the Underlying Index or any data included therein and BFA shall have no liability for any errors, omissions or interruptions therein. BFA makes no warranty, express or
implied, to the owners of shares of the Fund or to any other person or entity, as to results to be obtained by the Fund from the use of the Underlying Index or any data included therein. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall BFA
have any liability for any special, punitive, direct, indirect or consequential damages (including lost profits), even if notified of the possibility of such damages.
24
Table of Contents
Supplemental Information
I. Premium/Discount Information
The table that follows presents information about the
differences between the daily market price on secondary markets for shares of the Fund and the Fund’s NAV. NAV is the price at which the Fund issues and redeems shares. It is calculated in accordance with the standard formula for valuing
mutual fund shares. The price used to calculate market returns (“Market Price”) of the Fund generally is determined using the midpoint between the highest bid and the lowest ask on the primary securities exchange on which shares of the
Fund are listed for trading, as of the time that the Fund’s NAV is calculated. The Fund’s Market Price may be at, above or below its NAV. The NAV of the Fund will fluctuate with changes in the value of its portfolio holdings. The Market
Price of the Fund will fluctuate in accordance with changes in its NAV, as well as market supply and demand.
Premiums or discounts are the differences (expressed as a
percentage) between the NAV and Market Price of the Fund on a given day, generally at the time the NAV is calculated. A premium is the amount that the Fund is trading above the reported NAV, expressed as a percentage of the NAV. A discount is the
amount that the Fund is trading below the reported NAV, expressed as a percentage of the NAV.
The following information shows the frequency of distributions
of premiums and discounts for the Fund for each full calendar quarter of 2013 through September 30, 2014.
Each line in the table shows the number of trading days in
which the Fund traded within the premium/discount range indicated. The number of trading days in each premium/discount range is also shown as a percentage of the total number of trading days in the period covered by the table. All data presented
here represents past performance, which cannot be used to predict future results.
| Premium/Discount Range | Number of Days | Percentage of Total Days | ||
| Between 0.5% and -0.5% | 440 | 100.00% | ||
| 440 | 100.00% |
25
Table of Contents
II. Total Return Information
The table that follows presents information about the total
returns of the Fund and the Underlying Index as of the fiscal year ended August 31, 2014.
On September 1, 2015, the Fund changed its Underlying Index
from the MSCI USA Index to the MSCI USA Equal Weighted Index.
“Average Annual Total Returns” represent the
average annual change in value of an investment over the periods indicated. “Cumulative Total Returns” represent the total change in value of an investment over the periods indicated.
The Fund’s NAV is the value of one share of the Fund as
calculated in accordance with the standard formula for valuing mutual fund shares. The NAV return is based on the NAV of the Fund and the market return is based on the Market Price of the Fund. Market Price generally is determined by using the
midpoint between the highest bid and the lowest ask on the primary stock exchange on which shares of the Fund are listed for trading, as of the time that the Fund's NAV is calculated. Since shares of the Fund did not trade in the secondary market
until after the Fund's inception, for the period from inception to the first day of secondary market trading in shares of the Fund, the NAV of the Fund is used as a proxy for the Market Price to calculate market returns. Market and NAV returns
assume that dividends and capital gain distributions have been reinvested in the Fund at Market Price and NAV, respectively.
An index is a statistical composite that tracks a specified
financial market or sector. Unlike the Fund, the Underlying Index does not actually hold a portfolio of securities and therefore does not incur the expenses incurred by the Fund. These expenses negatively impact the performance of the Fund. Also,
market returns do not include brokerage commissions that may be payable on secondary market transactions. If brokerage commissions were included, market returns would be lower. The returns shown in the following table do not reflect the deduction of
taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption or sale of Fund shares. The investment return and principal value of shares of the Fund will vary with changes in market conditions. Shares of the Fund may be worth more or
less than their original cost when they are redeemed or sold in the market. The Fund’s past performance is no guarantee of future results.
Performance as of August 31, 2014
| Average Annual Total Returns | Cumulative Total Returns | ||||||
| NAV | MARKET | INDEX** | NAV | MARKET | INDEX** | ||
| 1 Year | 24.98% | 25.01% | 25.22% | 24.98% | 25.01% | 25.22% | |
| Since Inception* | 15.71% | 15.71% | 15.94% | 87.98% | 87.98% | 89.44% | |
| * | Total returns for the period since inception are calculated from the inception date of the Fund (5/5/10). The first day of secondary market trading in shares of the Fund was 5/7/10. |
| ** | Index returns are for the Fund's previous underlying index, the MSCI USA Index. Effective September 1, 2015, the Fund tracks the MSCI USA Equal Weighted Index. |
26
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
For more information visit www.iShares.com or call
1-800-474-2737
Copies of the Prospectus, SAI and recent
shareholder reports can be found on our website at www.iShares.com. For more information about the Fund, you may request a copy of the SAI. The SAI provides detailed information about the Fund and is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus.
This means that the SAI, for legal purposes, is a part of this Prospectus.
Additional information about the Fund's investments is
available in the Fund's Annual and Semi-Annual reports to shareholders. In the Fund's Annual Report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during the last
fiscal year.
If you have any questions about the Company
or shares of the Fund or you wish to obtain the SAI, Semi-Annual or Annual report free of charge, please:
| Call: | 1-800-iShares
or 1-800-474-2737 (toll free) Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. (Eastern time) |
| Email: | iSharesETFs@blackrock.com |
| Write: | c/o
BlackRock Investments, LLC 1 University Square Drive, Princeton, NJ 08540 |
Information about the Fund (including the SAI) can be reviewed
and copied at the SEC's Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C., and information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-202-551-8090. Reports and other information about the Fund are available on the
EDGAR database on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov, and copies of this information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing to the SEC's Public
Reference Section, Washington, D.C. 20549-1520.
No person
is authorized to give any information or to make any representations about the Fund and its shares not contained in this Prospectus and you should not rely on any other information. Read and keep this Prospectus for future reference.
©2014 BlackRock, Inc. All rights reserved. iSHARES and BLACKROCK are registered trademarks of BFA and its affiliates. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.
Investment Company Act File No.: 811-09102
IS-P-EUSA-0915
Table of Contents
iShares®, Inc.
Statement of Additional Information
Dated December 30, 2014
(as revised September 1, 2015)
(as revised September 1, 2015)
This combined Statement of Additional Information
(“SAI”) is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the current prospectuses (each, a “Prospectus” and collectively, the “Prospectuses”) for the following funds of iShares, Inc. (the
“Company”):
| Funds | Ticker | Stock Exchange | ||
| iShares MSCI Australia ETF | EWA | NYSE Arca | ||
| iShares MSCI Austria Capped ETF | EWO | NYSE Arca | ||
| iShares MSCI Belgium Capped ETF | EWK | NYSE Arca | ||
| iShares MSCI Canada ETF | EWC | NYSE Arca | ||
| iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF | EZU | NYSE Arca | ||
| iShares MSCI France ETF | EWQ | NYSE Arca | ||
| iShares MSCI Germany ETF | EWG | NYSE Arca | ||
| iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF | RING | NYSE Arca | ||
| iShares MSCI Global Silver Miners ETF | SLVP | NYSE Arca | ||
| iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF | EWH | NYSE Arca | ||
| iShares MSCI Israel Capped ETF | EIS | NYSE Arca | ||
| iShares MSCI Italy Capped ETF | EWI | NYSE Arca | ||
| iShares MSCI Japan ETF | EWJ | NYSE Arca | ||
| iShares MSCI Japan Small-Cap ETF | SCJ | NYSE Arca | ||
| iShares MSCI Mexico Capped ETF | EWW | NYSE Arca | ||
| iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF | EWN | NYSE Arca | ||
| iShares MSCI Pacific ex Japan ETF | EPP | NYSE Arca | ||
| iShares MSCI Singapore ETF | EWS | NYSE Arca | ||
| iShares MSCI South Africa ETF | EZA | NYSE Arca | ||
| iShares MSCI Spain Capped ETF | EWP | NYSE Arca | ||
| iShares MSCI Sweden ETF | EWD | NYSE Arca | ||
| iShares MSCI Switzerland Capped ETF | EWL | NYSE Arca | ||
| iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF | THD | NYSE Arca | ||
| iShares MSCI Turkey ETF | TUR | NYSE Arca | ||
| iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF | EUSA | NYSE Arca | ||
| iShares MSCI World ETF | URTH | NYSE Arca |
The Prospectuses for the
above-listed funds (each, a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”) are dated December 30, 2014, as amended and supplemented from time to time. Capitalized terms used herein that are not defined have the same meaning as in the
applicable Prospectus, unless otherwise noted. The Financial Statements and Notes contained in the applicable Annual Report and Semi-Annual Report of the Company for the Funds are incorporated by reference into and are deemed to be part of this SAI.
A copy of each Fund's Prospectus, Annual Report and Semi-Annual Report may be obtained without charge by writing to the Company's distributor, BlackRock Investments, LLC (the “Distributor” or “BRIL”), 1 University Square
Drive, Princeton, NJ 08540, calling 1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737) or visiting www.iShares.com. Each Fund's Prospectus is incorporated by reference into this SAI.
References to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended
(the “Investment Company Act” or the “1940 Act”), or other applicable law, will include any rules promulgated thereunder and any guidance, interpretations or modifications by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
“SEC”), SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, including court interpretations, and exemptive, no action or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.
iShares® is a registered trademark of BlackRock Fund Advisors and its affiliates.
Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
i
Table of Contents
ii
Table of Contents
iii
Table of Contents
iv
Table of Contents
v
Table of Contents
General Description of the Company and the Funds
The Company currently consists of more than 55 investment
series or portfolios. The Company was organized as a Maryland corporation on September 1, 1994 and is authorized to have multiple series or portfolios. The Company is an open-end management investment company registered with the SEC under the 1940
Act. The offering of the Company's shares is registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). This SAI relates to the following Funds:
| • | iShares MSCI Australia ETF |
| • | iShares MSCI Austria Capped ETF |
| • | iShares MSCI Belgium Capped ETF |
| • | iShares MSCI Canada ETF |
| • | iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF1 |
| • | iShares MSCI France ETF |
| • | iShares MSCI Germany ETF |
| • | iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF |
| • | iShares MSCI Global Silver Miners ETF |
| • | iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF |
| • | iShares MSCI Israel Capped ETF |
| • | iShares MSCI Italy Capped ETF |
| • | iShares MSCI Japan ETF |
| • | iShares MSCI Japan Small-Cap ETF |
| • | iShares MSCI Mexico Capped ETF |
| • | iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF |
| • | iShares MSCI Pacific ex Japan ETF |
| • | iShares MSCI Singapore ETF |
| • | iShares MSCI South Africa ETF |
| • | iShares MSCI Spain Capped ETF |
| • | iShares MSCI Sweden ETF |
| • | iShares MSCI Switzerland Capped ETF |
| • | iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF |
| • | iShares MSCI Turkey ETF |
| • | iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF2 |
| • | iShares MSCI World ETF |
| 1 | On June 29, 2015, the name of the Fund changed from iShares MSCI EMU ETF to iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF. |
| 2 | On September 1, 2015, the name of the Fund changed from iShares MSCI USA ETF to iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF, and the Fund’s Underlying Index changed from the MSCI USA Index to the MSCI USA Equal Weighted Index. |
Each Fund is managed by BlackRock Fund Advisors
(“BFA”), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc., and generally seeks to track the investment results of the specific benchmark index identified in the applicable Prospectus for that Fund (each, an “Underlying
Index”).
Each Fund offers and issues shares at
their net asset value per share (“NAV”) only in aggregations of a specified number of shares (“Creation Unit”), generally in exchange for a designated portfolio of securities (including any portion of such
1
Table of Contents
securities for which cash may be substituted) included in its Underlying
Index (the “Deposit Securities”), together with the deposit of a specified cash payment (the “Cash Component”). Shares of the Funds are listed and trade on NYSE Arca, Inc. (“NYSE Arca” or the “Listing
Exchange”), a national securities exchange. Shares of each Fund are traded in the secondary market and elsewhere at market prices that may be at, above or below the Fund's NAV. Shares are redeemable only in Creation Units, and, generally, in
exchange for portfolio securities and a Cash Component. Creation Units typically are a specified number of shares, generally ranging from 50,000 to 600,000 shares or multiples thereof.
The Company reserves the right to permit or require that
creations and redemptions of shares are effected fully or partially in cash. Shares may be issued in advance of receipt of Deposit Securities, subject to various conditions, including a requirement to maintain with the Company a cash deposit equal
to at least 105% and up to 115%, which percentage BFA may change from time to time, of the market value of the omitted Deposit Securities. See the Creation and Redemption of Creation Units section of this SAI.
Transaction fees associated with creations or redemptions that include a cash portion may be higher than the transaction fees associated with in-kind creations or redemptions. In all cases, conditions and fees will be limited in accordance with the
requirements of SEC rules and regulations applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities.
Exchange Listing and Trading
A discussion of exchange listing and trading matters
associated with an investment in each Fund is contained in the Shareholder Information section of each Fund's Prospectus. The discussion below supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, that section
of the applicable Prospectus.
Shares of each Fund are
listed for trading, and trade throughout the day, on the Listing Exchange and other secondary markets. Shares of the Funds may also be listed on certain non-U.S. exchanges. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Listing Exchange
necessary to maintain the listing of shares of any Fund will continue to be met. The Listing Exchange may, but is not required to, remove the shares of a Fund from listing if (i) following the initial 12-month period beginning upon the commencement
of trading of Fund shares, there are fewer than 50 beneficial owners of shares of the Fund for 30 or more consecutive trading days, (ii) the value of the Underlying Index on which a Fund is based is no longer calculated or available, (iii) the
“indicative optimized portfolio value” (“IOPV”) of the Fund is no longer calculated or available, or (iv) any other event shall occur or condition shall exist that, in the opinion of the Listing Exchange, makes further
dealings on the Listing Exchange inadvisable. The Listing Exchange will also remove shares of a Fund from listing and trading upon termination of the Fund.
As in the case of other publicly-traded securities, when you
buy or sell shares through a broker, you will incur a brokerage commission determined by that broker.
In order to provide additional information regarding the
indicative value of shares of the Funds, the Listing Exchange or a market data vendor disseminates information every 15 seconds through the facilities of the Consolidated Tape Association, or through other widely disseminated means, an updated IOPV
for the Funds as calculated by an information provider or market data vendor. The Company is not involved in or responsible for any aspect of the calculation or dissemination of the IOPVs and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of
the IOPVs.
An IOPV has an equity securities component
and a cash component. The equity securities values included in an IOPV are the values of the Deposit Securities for a Fund. While the IOPV reflects the current value of the Deposit Securities required to be deposited in connection with the purchase
of a Creation Unit, it does not necessarily reflect the precise composition of the current portfolio of securities held by the Fund at a particular point in time because the current portfolio of the Fund may include securities that are not a part of
the current Deposit Securities. Therefore, a Fund’s IOPV disseminated during the Listing Exchange trading hours should not be viewed as a real-time update of the Fund’s NAV, which is calculated only once a day.
The cash component included in an IOPV consists of estimated
accrued interest, dividends and other income, less expenses. If applicable, each IOPV also reflects changes in currency exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the applicable currency.
The Company reserves the right to adjust the share prices of
the Funds in the future to maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of the Funds or an investor's equity
interest in the Funds.
2
Table of Contents
Investment Strategies and Risks
Each Fund seeks to achieve its objective by investing
primarily in securities issued by issuers that comprise its relevant Underlying Index and through transactions that provide substantially similar exposure to securities in the Underlying Index. Each Fund operates as an index fund and will not be
actively managed. Adverse performance of a security in a Fund’s portfolio will ordinarily not result in the elimination of the security from the Fund’s portfolio.
Each Fund engages in representative sampling, which is
investing in a sample of securities selected by BFA to have a collective investment profile similar to that of the Fund's Underlying Index. Securities selected have aggregate investment characteristics (based on market capitalization and industry
weightings), fundamental characteristics (such as return variability, earnings valuation and yield) and liquidity measures similar to those of the Underlying Index. A fund that uses representative sampling generally does not hold all of the
securities that are in its underlying index.
Although
the Funds do not seek leveraged returns, certain instruments used by the Funds may have a leveraging effect as described below.
Borrowing. Each Fund may
borrow for temporary or emergency purposes, including to meet redemptions or to facilitate the settlement of securities or other transactions. Under normal market conditions, any borrowing by a Fund will not exceed 10% of the Fund’s net
assets; however, each Fund generally does not intend to borrow money.
The purchase of securities while borrowings are outstanding
may have the effect of leveraging a Fund. The incurrence of leverage increases a Fund’s exposure to risk, and borrowed funds are subject to interest costs that will reduce net income. Purchasing securities while borrowings are outstanding
creates special risks, such as the potential for greater volatility in the net asset value of Fund shares and in the yield on a Fund’s portfolio. In addition, the interest expenses from borrowings may exceed the income generated by a
Fund’s portfolio and, therefore, the amount available (if any) for distribution to shareholders as dividends may be reduced. BFA may determine to maintain outstanding borrowings if it expects that the benefits to a Fund’s shareholders
will outweigh the current reduced return.
Certain types
of borrowings by a Fund may result in a Fund being subject to covenants in credit agreements relating to asset coverage, portfolio composition requirements and other matters. It is not anticipated that observance of such covenants would impede BFA
from managing a Fund’s portfolio in accordance with a Fund’s investment objectives and policies. However, a breach of any such covenants not cured within the specified cure period may result in acceleration of outstanding indebtedness
and require a Fund to dispose of portfolio investments at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so.
Currency Transactions.
The Funds do not expect to engage in currency transactions for the purpose of hedging against declines in the value of the Funds' assets that are denominated in a non-U.S. currency. A Fund may enter into non-U.S. currency forward and non-U.S.
currency futures contracts to facilitate local securities settlements or to protect against currency exposure in connection with its distributions to shareholders, but may not enter into such contracts for speculative purposes.
A forward currency contract is an obligation to purchase or
sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. A currency futures contract is a contract involving an obligation
to deliver or acquire the specified amount of a specific currency, at a specified price and at a specified future time. Currency futures contracts may be settled on a net cash payment basis rather than by the sale and delivery of the underlying
currency. To the extent required by law, liquid assets committed to futures contracts will be maintained.
Foreign exchange transactions involve a significant degree of
risk and the markets in which foreign exchange transactions are effected are highly volatile, highly specialized and highly technical. Significant changes, including changes in liquidity and prices, can occur in such markets within very short
periods of time, often within minutes. Foreign exchange trading risks include, but are not limited to, exchange rate risk, counterparty risk, maturity gap, interest rate risk, and potential interference by foreign governments through regulation of
local exchange markets, foreign investment or particular transactions in non-U.S. currency. If BFA utilizes foreign exchange transactions at an inappropriate time or judges market conditions, trends or correlations incorrectly, foreign exchange
transactions may not serve their intended purpose of improving the correlation of a Fund's return with the performance of its Underlying Index and may lower the Fund’s return. Each Fund could experience losses if the value of its currency
forwards, options or futures positions were poorly correlated with its other investments or if
3
Table of Contents
it
could not close out its positions because of an illiquid market. In addition, a Fund could incur transaction costs, including trading commissions, in connection with certain non-U.S. currency transactions.
Diversification Status.
The following table sets forth the diversification status of each Fund:
| Diversified Funds | Non-Diversified Funds | |
| iShares MSCI Canada ETF | iShares MSCI Australia ETF | |
| iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF | iShares MSCI Austria Capped ETF | |
| iShares MSCI Japan ETF | iShares MSCI Belgium Capped ETF | |
| iShares MSCI Japan Small-Cap ETF | iShares MSCI France ETF | |
| iShares MSCI Pacific ex Japan ETF | iShares MSCI Germany ETF | |
| iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF | iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF | |
| iShares MSCI World ETF | iShares MSCI Global Silver Miners ETF | |
| iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF | ||
| iShares MSCI Israel Capped ETF | ||
| iShares MSCI Italy Capped ETF | ||
| iShares MSCI Mexico Capped ETF | ||
| iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF | ||
| iShares MSCI Singapore ETF | ||
| iShares MSCI South Africa ETF | ||
| iShares MSCI Spain Capped ETF | ||
| iShares MSCI Sweden ETF | ||
| iShares MSCI Switzerland Capped ETF | ||
| iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF | ||
| iShares MSCI Turkey ETF |
With respect to 75%
of a Fund's total assets, a “diversified” fund is limited by the 1940 Act such that it may not invest more than 5% of its total assets in securities of any one issuer and does not acquire more than 10% of the outstanding voting
securities of any one issuer (excluding cash and cash items, government securities, and securities of other investment companies). The remaining 25% of the fund’s total assets may be invested in a single issuer or a number of issuers.
A “non-diversified” fund is a fund that is
not limited by the 1940 Act with regard to the percentage of its assets that may be invested in the securities of a single issuer. The securities of a particular issuer (or securities of issuers in particular industries) may dominate the underlying
index of such a fund and, consequently, the fund’s investment portfolio. This may adversely affect a fund’s performance or subject the fund’s shares to greater price volatility than that experienced by more diversified investment
companies.
Each Fund intends to maintain the required
level of diversification and otherwise conduct its operations so as to qualify as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) for purposes of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), and to
relieve the Fund of any liability for U.S. federal income tax to the extent that its earnings are distributed to shareholders, provided that the Fund satisfies a minimum distribution requirement. Compliance with the diversification requirements of
the Internal Revenue Code may limit the investment flexibility of the Funds and may make it less likely that the Funds will meet their respective investment objectives.
Futures and Options.
Futures contracts and options may be used by a Fund to simulate investment in its Underlying Index, to facilitate trading or to reduce transaction costs. Each Fund may enter into futures contracts and options that are traded on a U.S. or
non-U.S. exchange. Each Fund will not use futures or options for speculative purposes. Each Fund intends to use futures and options in accordance with Rule 4.5 of the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”). BFA, with respect to certain
funds,
4
Table of Contents
has
claimed an exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” in accordance with Rule 4.5 so that BFA, in respect of such funds, is not subject to registration or regulation as a commodity pool operator under the CEA.
See the Regulation Regarding Derivatives section of this SAI for more information.
Futures contracts provide for the future sale by one party and
purchase by another party of a specified amount of a specific instrument or index at a specified future time and at a specified price. Stock index contracts are based on investments that reflect the market value of common stock of the firms included
in the investments. Each Fund may enter into futures contracts to purchase securities indexes when BFA anticipates purchasing the underlying securities and believes prices will rise before the purchase will be made. To the extent required by law,
liquid assets committed to futures contracts will be maintained.
A call option gives a holder the right to purchase a specific
security at a specified price (“exercise price”) within a specified period of time. A put option gives a holder the right to sell a specific security at an exercise price within a specified period of time. The initial purchaser of a call
option pays the “writer” a premium, which is paid at the time of purchase and is retained by the writer whether or not such option is exercised. Each Fund may purchase put options to hedge its portfolio against the risk of a decline in
the market value of securities held and may purchase call options to hedge against an increase in the price of securities it is committed to purchase. Each Fund may write put and call options along with a long position in options to increase its
ability to hedge against a change in the market value of the securities it holds or is committed to purchase. Investments in futures contracts and other investments that contain leverage may require each Fund to maintain liquid assets. Generally,
each Fund maintains an amount of liquid assets equal to its obligations relative to the position involved, adjusted daily on a marked-to-market basis. With respect to futures contracts that are contractually required to “cash-settle,”
each Fund maintains liquid assets in an amount at least equal to the Fund’s daily marked-to-market obligation (i.e., each Fund’s daily net liability, if any), rather than the contracts’
notional value (i.e., the value of the underlying asset). By maintaining assets equal to its net obligation under cash-settled futures contracts, each Fund may employ leverage to a greater extent than if the
Fund set aside assets equal to the futures contracts’ full notional value. Each Fund bases its asset maintenance policies on methods permitted by the SEC staff and may modify these policies in the future to comply with any changes in the
guidance articulated from time to time by the SEC or its staff.
Illiquid Securities.
Each Fund may invest up to an aggregate amount of 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities (calculated at the time of investment). Illiquid securities may include securities subject to contractual or other restrictions on resale and other
instruments that lack readily available markets, as determined in accordance with SEC staff guidance. The liquidity of a security relates to the ability to readily dispose of the security and the price to be obtained upon disposition of the
security, which may be lower than the price that would be obtained for a comparable, more liquid security. Illiquid securities may trade at a discount to comparable, more liquid securities and may impair a Fund’s ability to dispose of
securities in a timely fashion at their expected price.
Lending Portfolio Securities.
Each Fund may lend portfolio securities to certain borrowers determined to be creditworthy by BFA, including borrowers affiliated with BFA. The borrowers provide collateral that is maintained in an amount at least equal to the current market
value of the securities loaned. No securities loan shall be made on behalf of a Fund if, as a result, the aggregate value of all securities loans of the particular Fund exceeds one-third of the value of such Fund's total assets (including the value
of the collateral received). A Fund may terminate a loan at any time and obtain the return of the securities loaned. Each Fund receives the value of any interest or cash or non-cash distributions paid on the loaned securities.
With respect to loans that are collateralized by cash, the
borrower may be entitled to receive a fee based on the amount of cash collateral. The Funds are compensated by the difference between the amount earned on the reinvestment of cash collateral and the fee paid to the borrower. In the case of
collateral other than cash, a Fund is compensated by a fee paid by the borrower equal to a percentage of the market value of the loaned securities. Any cash collateral may be reinvested in certain short-term instruments either directly on behalf of
each lending Fund or through one or more joint accounts or money market funds, including those affiliated with BFA; such investments are subject to investment risk.
Each Fund conducts its securities lending pursuant to an
exemptive order from the SEC permitting it to lend portfolio securities to borrowers affiliated with the Fund and to retain an affiliate of the Fund as lending agent. To the extent that a Fund engages in securities lending, BlackRock Institutional
Trust Company, N.A. (“BTC”) acts as securities lending agent for the Fund, subject to the overall supervision of BFA. BTC administers the lending program in accordance with guidelines approved by the Company's Board of Directors (the
“Board” or the “Directors”).
5
Table of Contents
Each Fund retains a portion of the securities lending income
and remits the remaining portion to BTC as compensation for its services as securities lending agent. Securities lending income is equal to the total of income earned from the reinvestment of cash collateral (and excludes collateral investment fees
as defined below), and any fees or other payments to and from borrowers of securities. As securities lending agent, BTC bears all operational costs directly related to securities lending. Each Fund is responsible for fees in connection with the
investment of cash collateral received for securities on loan in a money market fund managed by BFA; however, BTC has agreed to reduce the amount of securities lending income it receives in order to effectively limit the collateral investment fees
the Fund bears to an annual rate of 0.04% until December 31, 2014 and 0.05% thereafter (the “collateral investment fees”). Such money market fund shares will not be subject to a sales load, redemption fee, distribution fee or service
fee.
Pursuant to the current securities lending
agreement: (i) The iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF (“Domestic Equity Fund”) retains 70% of securities lending income (which excludes collateral investment fees) and (ii) this amount can never be less than 65% of the sum of securities
lending income plus collateral investment fees.
Pursuant
to the current securities lending agreement: (i) All Funds except for the iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF (“International Equity Funds”) retain 75% of securities lending income (which excludes collateral investment fees); however,
commencing January 1, 2015, the International Equity Funds will retain 70% of securities lending income (which excludes collateral investment fees); and (ii) these amounts can never be less than 65% of the sum of securities lending income plus
collateral investment fees.
Under the securities lending
program, the Funds are categorized into specific asset classes. The determination of a Fund’s asset class category (fixed income, domestic equity, international equity or fund-of-funds), each of which may be subject to a different fee
arrangement, is based on a methodology agreed to by the Company and BTC.
In addition, commencing the business day following the date
that the aggregate securities lending income (which includes for this purpose, collateral investment fees) earned across the Exchange-Traded Fund Complex (as defined under “Management—Directors and Officers”) in a calendar year exceeds the aggregate securities lending income earned across the Exchange-Traded Fund Complex in calendar year 2013 (the “Hurdle Date”), each Fund,
pursuant to the securities lending agreement, will receive for the remainder of that calendar year securities lending income as follows:
Domestic Equity Fund
(i) 75% of securities lending income (which excludes
collateral investment fees) and (ii) this amount can never be less than 65% of the sum of securities lending income plus collateral investment fees.
International Equity Funds
(i) 80% of securities lending income (which excludes
collateral investment fees); however, for the remainder of the calendar year following any Hurdle Date after January 1, 2015, the International Equity Funds will retain 75% of securities lending income (which excludes collateral investment fees) and
(ii) these amounts can never be less than 65% of the sum of securities lending income plus collateral investment fees.
Securities lending involves exposure to certain risks,
including operational risk (i.e., the risk of losses resulting from problems in the settlement and accounting process), “gap” risk (i.e., the risk of a
mismatch between the return on cash collateral reinvestments and the fees a Fund has agreed to pay a borrower), and credit, legal, counterparty and market risk. If a securities lending counterparty were to default, a Fund would be subject to the
risk of a possible delay in receiving collateral or in recovering the loaned securities, or to a possible loss of rights in the collateral. In the event a borrower does not return a Fund’s securities as agreed, the Fund may experience losses
if the proceeds received from liquidating the collateral do not at least equal the value of the loaned security at the time the collateral is liquidated, plus the transaction costs incurred in purchasing replacement securities. This event could
trigger adverse tax consequences for a Fund. A Fund could lose money if its short-term investment of the collateral declines in value over the period of the loan. Substitute payments for dividends received by a Fund for securities loaned out by the
Fund will not be considered qualified dividend income. BTC will take into account the tax effects on shareholders caused by this difference in connection with a Fund’s securities lending program. Substitute payments received on tax-exempt
securities loaned out will not be tax-exempt income.
6
Table of Contents
Non-U.S. Securities.
Each Fund intends to purchase publicly-traded common stocks of non-U.S. issuers. To the extent a Fund invests in stocks of non-U.S. issuers, certain of the Fund's investments in such stocks may be in the form of American Depositary Receipts
(“ADRs”), Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”), Non-Voting Depositary Receipts (“NVDRs”) and European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) (collectively, “Depositary Receipts”). Depositary Receipts
are receipts, typically issued by a bank or trust issuer, which evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a non-U.S. issuer. For ADRs, the depository is typically a U.S. financial institution and the underlying securities are issued by a
non-U.S. issuer. For other forms of Depositary Receipts, the depository may be a non-U.S. or a U.S. entity, and the underlying securities may be issued by a non-U.S. or a U.S. issuer. Depositary Receipts are not necessarily denominated in the same
currency as their underlying securities. Generally, ADRs, issued in registered form, are designed for use in the U.S. securities markets, and EDRs, issued in bearer form, are designed for use in European securities markets. NVDRs are designed for
use in the Thai securities market. GDRs are tradable both in the United States and in Europe and are designed for use throughout the world.
The Funds will not invest in any unlisted Depositary Receipt
or any Depositary Receipt that BFA deems illiquid at the time of purchase or for which pricing information is not readily available. In general, Depositary Receipts must be sponsored, but a Fund may invest in unsponsored Depositary Receipts under
certain limited circumstances. The issuers of unsponsored Depositary Receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States. Therefore, there may be less information available regarding such issuers and there may be no
correlation between available information and the market value of the Depositary Receipts.
Investing in the securities of non-U.S. issuers involves
special risks and considerations not typically associated with investing in U.S. issuers. These include differences in accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, the possibility of expropriation or confiscatory taxation, adverse changes
in investment or exchange control regulations, political instability which could affect U.S. investments in non-U.S. countries, and potential restrictions on the flow of international capital. Non-U.S. issuers may be subject to less governmental
regulation than U.S. issuers. Moreover, individual non-U.S. economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross domestic product (“GDP”), rate of inflation, capital reinvestment,
resource self-sufficiency and balance of payment positions.
Options on Futures Contracts.
An option on a futures contract, as contrasted with the direct investment in such a contract, gives the purchaser the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position in the underlying futures contract at a specified exercise price
at any time prior to the expiration date of the option. Upon exercise of an option, the delivery of the futures position by the writer of the option to the holder of the option will be accompanied by delivery of the accumulated balance in the
writer’s futures margin account that represents the amount by which the market price of the futures contract exceeds (in the case of a call) or is less than (in the case of a put) the exercise price of the option on the futures contract. The
potential for loss related to the purchase of an option on a futures contract is limited to the premium paid for the option plus transaction costs. Because the value of the option is fixed at the point of sale, there are no daily cash payments by
the purchaser to reflect changes in the value of the underlying contract; however, the value of the option changes daily and that change would be reflected in the NAV of each Fund. The potential for loss related to writing call options is unlimited.
The potential for loss related to writing put options is limited to the agreed upon price per share, also known as the “strike price,” less the premium received from writing the put.
Each Fund may purchase and write put and call options on
futures contracts that are traded on an exchange as a hedge against changes in value of its portfolio securities, or in anticipation of the purchase of securities, and may enter into closing transactions with respect to such options to terminate
existing positions. There is no guarantee that such closing transactions can be effected.
Upon entering into a futures contract, a Fund will be required
to deposit with the broker an amount of cash or cash equivalents known as “initial margin,” which is in the nature of a performance bond or good faith deposit on the contract and is returned to the Fund upon termination of the futures
contract, assuming all contractual obligations have been satisfied. Subsequent payments, known as “variation margin,” to and from the broker will be made daily as the price of the instrument or index underlying the futures contract
fluctuates, making the long and short positions in the futures contract more or less valuable, a process known as “marking-to-market.” At any time prior to the expiration of a futures contract, each Fund may elect to close the position
by taking an opposite position, which will operate to terminate the Fund’s existing position in the contract.
7
Table of Contents
Regulation Regarding Derivatives. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) subjects advisers to registered investment companies to regulation by the CFTC if a fund that is advised by the investment adviser either (i) invests,
directly or indirectly, more than a prescribed level of its liquidation value in CFTC-regulated futures, options and swaps (“CFTC Derivatives”), or (ii) markets itself as providing investment exposure to such instruments. The CFTC
also subjects advisers to registered investment companies to regulation by the CFTC if the registered investment company invests in one or more commodity pools. To the extent a Fund uses CFTC Derivatives, it intends to do so below such prescribed
levels and will not market itself as a “commodity pool” or a vehicle for trading such instruments.
BFA has claimed an exclusion from the definition of the term
“commodity pool operator” under the CEA pursuant to Rule 4.5 under the CEA with respect to the iShares MSCI Australia ETF, iShares MSCI Austria Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Belgium Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF, iShares MSCI France
ETF, iShares MSCI Germany ETF, iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF, iShares MSCI Global Silver Miners ETF, iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF, iShares MSCI Israel Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Italy Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Japan ETF, iShares MSCI Japan
Small-Cap ETF, iShares MSCI Mexico Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF, iShares MSCI Pacific ex Japan ETF, iShares MSCI Singapore ETF, iShares MSCI South Africa ETF, iShares MSCI Spain Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Sweden ETF, iShares MSCI
Switzerland Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF and iShares MSCI Turkey ETF. BFA is not, therefore, subject to registration or regulation as a “commodity pool operator” under the CEA with respect to the Funds.
The iShares MSCI Canada ETF, iShares MSCI South Africa ETF,
iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF and iShares MSCI World ETF (the “No-Action Letter Funds”) may also have investments in “underlying funds” (and such underlying funds themselves may invest in underlying funds) not advised
by BFA (which for purposes of the no-action letter referenced below may include certain securitized vehicles, mortgage real estate investment trusts and/or investment companies that may invest in CFTC Derivatives), and therefore may be viewed by the
CFTC as commodity pools. BFA has no transparency into the holdings of these underlying funds because they are not advised by BFA. To address this issue of lack of transparency, the CFTC staff issued a no-action letter on November 29, 2012 permitting
the adviser of a fund that invests in such underlying funds and that would otherwise have filed a claim of exclusion pursuant to Rule 4.5 to delay registration as a “commodity pool operator” until six months from the date on which the
CFTC issues additional guidance on the treatment of CFTC Derivatives held by underlying funds. BFA, the adviser of the No-Action Letter Funds, has filed a claim with the CFTC for such Funds to rely on this no-action relief. Accordingly, BFA is not
subject to registration or regulation as a “commodity pool operator” under the CEA in respect of such Funds.
Repurchase Agreements. A
repurchase agreement is an instrument under which the purchaser (i.e., a Fund) acquires the security and the seller agrees, at the time of the sale,
to repurchase the security at a mutually agreed upon time and price, thereby determining the yield during the purchaser’s holding period. Repurchase agreements may be construed to be collateralized loans by the purchaser to the seller secured
by the securities transferred to the purchaser. If a repurchase agreement is construed to be a collateralized loan, the underlying securities will not be considered to be owned by a Fund but only to constitute collateral for the seller’s
obligation to pay the repurchase price, and, in the event of a default by the seller, the Fund may suffer time delays and incur costs or losses in connection with the disposition of the collateral.
In any repurchase transaction, the collateral for a repurchase
agreement may include: (i) cash items; (ii) obligations issued by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities; or (iii) obligations that, at the time the repurchase agreement is entered into, are determined to (A) have exceptionally
strong capacity to meet their financial obligations and (B) are sufficiently liquid such that they can be sold at approximately their carrying value in the ordinary course of business within seven days.
Repurchase agreements pose certain risks for a Fund that
utilizes them. Such risks are not unique to the Funds, but are inherent in repurchase agreements. The Funds seek to minimize such risks, but because of the inherent legal uncertainties involved in repurchase agreements, such risks cannot be
eliminated. Lower quality collateral and collateral with longer maturities may be subject to greater price fluctuations than higher quality collateral and collateral with shorter maturities. If the repurchase agreement counterparty were to default,
lower quality collateral may be more difficult to liquidate than higher quality collateral. Should the counterparty default and the amount of collateral not be sufficient to cover the counterparty’s repurchase obligation, a Fund would retain
the status of an unsecured creditor of the counterparty (i.e., the position a Fund would normally be in if it were to hold, pursuant to its investment policies, other unsecured debt securities of the
defaulting counterparty) with respect to the amount of the shortfall. As an unsecured creditor, a Fund would be at risk of losing some or all of the principal and income involved in the transaction.
8
Table of Contents
Reverse Repurchase Agreements.
Reverse repurchase agreements involve the sale of securities with an agreement to repurchase the securities at an agreed-upon price, date and interest payment and have the characteristics of borrowing. Generally, the effect of such
transactions is that a Fund can recover all or most of the cash invested in the portfolio securities involved during the term of the reverse repurchase agreement, while in many cases the Fund is able to keep some of the interest income associated
with those securities. Such transactions are advantageous only if a Fund has an opportunity to earn a rate of interest on the cash derived from these transactions that is greater than the interest cost of obtaining the same amount of cash.
Opportunities to realize earnings from the use of the proceeds equal to or greater than the interest required to be paid may not always be available and a Fund intends to use the reverse repurchase technique only when BFA believes it will be
advantageous to the Fund. The use of reverse repurchase agreements may exaggerate any increase or decrease in the value of a Fund’s assets. A Fund’s exposure to reverse repurchase agreements will be covered by liquid assets having a
value equal to or greater than such commitments. The use of reverse repurchase agreements is a form of leverage because the proceeds derived from reverse repurchase agreements may be invested in additional securities.
Securities of Investment Companies. Each Fund may invest in the securities of other investment companies (including money market funds) to the extent allowed by law. Pursuant to the 1940 Act, a Fund’s investment in registered investment
companies is generally limited to, subject to certain exceptions: (i) 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of any one investment company; (ii) 5% of a Fund’s total assets with respect to any one investment company; and (iii) 10% of a
Fund’s total assets with respect to investment companies in the aggregate. To the extent allowed by law or regulation, each Fund intends from time to time to invest its assets in the securities of investment companies, including, but not
limited to, money market funds, including those advised by or otherwise affiliated with BFA, in excess of the general limits discussed above. Other investment companies in which a Fund may invest can be expected to incur fees and expenses for
operations, such as investment advisory and administration fees, which would be in addition to those incurred by the Fund. Pursuant to guidance issued by the SEC staff, fees and expenses of money market funds used for cash collateral received in
connection with loans of securities are not treated as Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, which reflect a Fund’s pro rata share of the fees and
expenses incurred by investing in other investment companies (as disclosed in the Prospectus, as applicable).
Short-Term Instruments and Temporary Investments. Each Fund may invest in short-term instruments, including money market instruments, on an ongoing basis to provide liquidity or for other reasons. Money market instruments are generally short-term investments that
may include but are not limited to: (i) shares of money market funds (including those advised by BFA or otherwise affiliated with BFA); (ii) obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities (including
government-sponsored enterprises); (iii) negotiable certificates of deposit (“CDs”), bankers’ acceptances, fixed-time deposits and other obligations of U.S. and non-U.S. banks (including non-U.S. branches) and similar institutions;
(iv) commercial paper rated, at the date of purchase, “Prime-1” by Moody's® Investors Service, Inc., “F-1” by Fitch Ratings, Inc., or
“A-1” by Standard & Poor's® Financial Services LLC, a subsidiary of McGraw Hill Financial, Inc. (“Standard & Poor's Ratings Services”),
or if unrated, of comparable quality as determined by BFA; (v) non-convertible corporate debt securities (e.g., bonds and debentures) with remaining
maturities at the date of purchase of not more than 397 days and that satisfy the rating requirements set forth in Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act; (vi) repurchase agreements; and (vii) short-term U.S. dollar-denominated obligations of non-U.S. banks
(including U.S. branches) that, in the opinion of BFA, are of comparable quality to obligations of U.S. banks which may be purchased by a Fund. Any of these instruments may be purchased on a current or forward-settled basis. Time deposits are
non-negotiable deposits maintained in banking institutions for specified periods of time at stated interest rates. Bankers’ acceptances are time drafts drawn on commercial banks by borrowers, usually in connection with international
transactions.
Swap Agreements. Swap agreements are contracts between parties in which one party agrees to make periodic payments to the other party based on the change in market value or level of a specified rate, index or asset. In return, the
other party agrees to make periodic payments to the first party based on the return of a different specified rate, index or asset. Swap agreements will usually be performed on a net basis, with a Fund receiving or paying only the net amount of the
two payments. The net amount of the excess, if any, of a Fund’s obligations over its entitlements with respect to each swap is accrued on a daily basis and an amount of liquid assets having an aggregate value at least equal to the accrued
excess will be maintained by the Fund.
The use of
interest rate and index swaps is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio security transactions. These transactions generally do not involve the delivery of
securities or other underlying assets or principal.
9
Table of Contents
Tracking Stocks. A
tracking stock is a separate class of common stock whose value is linked to a specific business unit or operating division within a larger company and is designed to “track” the performance of such business unit or division. The tracking
stock may pay dividends to shareholders independent of the parent company. The parent company, rather than the business unit or division, generally is the issuer of tracking stock. However, holders of the tracking stock may not have the same rights
as holders of the company’s common stock.
Future Developments. The
Board may, in the future, authorize each Fund to invest in securities contracts and investments, other than those listed in this SAI and in the applicable Prospectuses, provided they are consistent with each Fund's investment objective and do not
violate any of its investment restrictions or policies.
General Considerations and Risks
A discussion of some of the principal risks associated with an
investment in a Fund is contained in the applicable Prospectus.
An investment in a Fund should be made with an understanding
that the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities may fluctuate in accordance with changes in the financial condition of the issuers of the portfolio securities, the value of stocks in general, and other factors that affect the
market.
Borrowing Risk.
Borrowing may exaggerate changes in the net asset value of Fund shares and in the return on a Fund’s portfolio. Borrowing will cost a Fund interest expense and other fees. The costs of borrowing may
reduce a Fund’s return. Borrowing may cause a Fund to liquidate positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations.
Custody Risk. Custody
risk refers to the risks inherent in the process of clearing and settling trades and to the holding of securities by local banks, agents and depositories. Low trading volumes and volatile prices in less developed markets make trades harder to
complete and settle, and governments or trade groups may compel local agents to hold securities in designated depositories that may not be subject to independent evaluation. Local agents are held only to the standards of care of their local markets,
and thus may be subject to limited or no government oversight. Communications between the United States and emerging market countries may be unreliable, increasing the risk of delayed settlements or losses of security certificates. The less
developed a country’s securities market is, the greater the likelihood of custody problems. Practices in relation to the settlement of securities transactions in emerging markets involve higher risks than those in developed markets, in part
because of the use of brokers and counterparties that are less well capitalized, and custody and registration of assets in some countries may be unreliable. The possibility of fraud, negligence, undue influence being exerted by the issuer or refusal
to recognize ownership exists in some emerging markets, and, along with other factors, could result in ownership registration being lost. In addition, the laws of certain countries may put limits on a Fund’s ability to recover its assets if a
foreign bank or depository or issuer of a security or an agent of any of the foregoing goes bankrupt. A Fund would absorb any loss resulting from such custody problems and may have no successful claim for compensation.
Cyber Security Risk.
With the increased use of technologies such as the Internet to conduct business, each Fund, Authorized Participants (as defined in the Portfolio Holdings Information section of this SAI), services providers and the relevant listing
exchange are susceptible to operational, information security and related “cyber” risks both directly and through its service providers. Similar types of cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities in which each Fund
invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers, and may cause a Fund’s investment in such portfolio companies to lose value. Unlike many other types of risks faced by each Fund, these risks typically are not
covered by insurance. In general, cyber incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber attacks include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (e.g., through “hacking” or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data, or causing
operational disruption. Cyber attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites
(i.e., efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users). Cyber security failures by or breaches of the systems of a Fund’s
adviser, distributor and other service providers (including, but not limited to, index providers, fund accountants, custodians, transfer agents and administrators), market makers, Authorized Participants or the issuers of securities in which each
Fund invests, have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in: financial losses, interference with a Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, disclosure of confidential trading information,
impediments to trading, submission of erroneous trades or erroneous creation or redemption orders, the inability of each Fund or its service providers to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines,
penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs. In
10
Table of Contents
addition, cyber-attacks may render records of Fund assets and transactions,
shareholder ownership of Fund shares, and other data integral to the functioning of each Fund inaccessible or inaccurate or incomplete. Substantial costs may be incurred by each Fund in order to resolve or prevent cyber incidents in the future.
While each Fund has established business continuity plans in the event of, and risk management systems to prevent, such cyber attacks, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems, including the possibility that certain risks have not
been identified. Furthermore, each Fund cannot control the cyber security plans and systems put in place by service providers to each Fund, issuers in which each Fund invests, market makers or Authorized Participants. Each Fund and its shareholders
could be negatively impacted as a result.
Dividend Risk. There is no guarantee that issuers of the stocks held by a Fund will declare dividends in the future or that, if declared, they will either remain at current levels or increase over time.
Operational Risk. BFA
and a Fund's other service providers may experience disruptions or operating errors that could negatively impact the Funds. While service providers are required to have appropriate operational risk management policies and procedures, their methods
of operational risk management may differ from a Fund's in the setting of priorities, the personnel and resources available or the effectiveness of relevant controls. BFA, through its monitoring and oversight of service providers, seeks to ensure
that service providers take appropriate precautions to avoid and mitigate risks that could lead to disruptions and operating errors. However, it is not possible for BFA or the other Fund service providers to identify all of the operational risks
that may affect a Fund or to develop processes and controls to completely eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects.
Risk of Derivatives. A
derivative is a financial contract, the value of which depends on, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset, a commodity (such as gold or silver), a currency or an index (a measure of value or rates, such as the S&P 500® or the prime lending rate). A Fund may invest in stock index futures contracts and other derivatives. Compared to conventional securities, derivatives can be more
sensitive to changes in interest rates or to sudden fluctuations in market prices and thus a Fund’s losses may be greater if it invests in derivatives than if it invests only in conventional securities. Derivatives are also subject to
counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party in the transaction will not fulfill its contractual obligations.
Risk of Equity Securities.
An investment in a Fund should be made with an understanding of the risks inherent in an investment in equity securities, including the risk that the financial condition of issuers may become impaired or that the general condition of stock
markets may deteriorate (either of which may cause a decrease in the value of the portfolio securities and thus in the value of shares of the Fund). Common stocks are susceptible to general stock market fluctuations and to increases and decreases in
value as market confidence and perceptions of their issuers change. These investor perceptions are based on various and unpredictable factors, including expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies, inflation and
interest rates, economic expansion or contraction, and global or regional political, economic or banking crises. Holders of common stocks incur more risks than holders of preferred stocks and debt obligations because common stockholders generally
have rights to receive payments from stock issuers that are inferior to the rights of creditors, or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks. Further, unlike debt securities, which typically have a stated principal amount payable at maturity
(the value of which, however, is subject to market fluctuations prior to maturity), or preferred stocks, which typically have a liquidation preference and which may have stated optional or mandatory redemption provisions, common stocks have neither
a fixed principal amount nor a maturity.
Although
most of the securities in each Underlying Index are listed on a national securities exchange, the principal trading market for some of the securities may be in the over-the-counter market. The existence of a liquid trading market for certain
securities may depend on whether dealers will make a market in such securities. There can be no assurance that a market will be made or maintained or that any such market will be or remain liquid. The price at which securities may be sold and the
value of a Fund’s shares will be adversely affected if trading markets for the Fund’s portfolio securities are limited or absent, or if bid/ask spreads are wide.
Risk of Futures and Options Transactions. There are several risks accompanying the utilization of futures contracts and options on futures contracts. A position in futures contracts and options on futures contracts may be closed only on the exchange on
which the contract was made (or a linked exchange). While each Fund plans to utilize futures contracts only if an active market exists for such contracts, there is no guarantee that a liquid market will exist for the contract at a specified time.
Futures contracts, by definition, project price levels in the future and not current levels of valuation; therefore, market circumstances may result in a discrepancy between the price of the stock index future and the movement in a
Fund's
11
Table of Contents
Underlying Index. In the event of adverse price movements, a Fund would
continue to be required to make daily cash payments to maintain its required margin. In such situations, if a Fund has insufficient cash, it may have to sell portfolio securities to meet daily margin requirements at a time when it may be
disadvantageous to do so. In addition, a Fund may be required to deliver the instruments underlying the futures contracts it has sold.
The risk of loss in trading futures contracts or uncovered
call options in some strategies (e.g., selling uncovered stock index futures contracts) is potentially unlimited. The Funds do not plan to use futures and options contracts in this way. The risk of a futures
position may still be large as traditionally measured due to the low margin deposits required. In many cases, a relatively small price movement in a futures contract may result in immediate and substantial loss or gain to the investor relative to
the size of a required margin deposit. The Funds, however, intend to utilize futures and options contracts in a manner designed to limit their risk exposure to levels comparable to a direct investment in the types of stocks in which they
invest.
Utilization of futures and options on futures by
a Fund involves the risk of imperfect or even negative correlation to its Underlying Index if the index underlying the futures contract differs from the Underlying Index. There is also the risk of loss of margin deposits in the event of bankruptcy
of a broker with whom a Fund has an open position in the futures contract or option. The purchase of put or call options will be based upon predictions by BFA as to anticipated trends, which predictions could prove to be incorrect.
Because the futures market generally imposes less burdensome
margin requirements than the securities market, an increased amount of participation by speculators in the futures market could result in price fluctuations. Certain financial futures exchanges limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures
contract prices during a single trading day. The daily limit establishes the maximum amount by which the price of a futures contract may vary either up or down from the previous day’s settlement price at the end of a trading session. Once the
daily limit has been reached in a particular type of contract, no trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. It is possible that futures contract prices could move to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little
or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions and subjecting each Fund to substantial losses. In the event of adverse price movements, each Fund would be required to make daily cash payments of variation margin.
Risk of Investing in Non-U.S. Equity Securities. An investment in a Fund involves risks similar to those of investing in a portfolio of equity securities traded on foreign exchanges. These risks include market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic and
political developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in stock prices. Investing in securities issued by issuers domiciled in countries other than the domicile of the investor and denominated in currencies other than an
investor’s local currency entails certain considerations and risks not typically encountered by the investor in making investments in its home country and in that country’s currency. These considerations include favorable or unfavorable
changes in interest rates, currency exchange rates, exchange control regulations and the costs that may be incurred in connection with conversions between various currencies. Investing in any of the Funds also involves certain risks and
considerations not typically associated with investing in a fund whose portfolio contains exclusively securities of U.S. issuers. These risks include generally less liquid and less efficient securities markets; generally greater price volatility;
less publicly available information about issuers; the imposition of withholding or other taxes; the imposition of restrictions on the expatriation of funds or other assets of the Funds; higher transaction and custody costs; delays and risks
attendant in settlement procedures; difficulties in enforcing contractual obligations; lower liquidity and significantly smaller market capitalization; different accounting and disclosure standards; lower levels of regulation of the securities
markets; more substantial government interference with the economy; higher rates of inflation; greater social, economic, and political uncertainty; the risk of nationalization or expropriation of assets; and the risk of war.
Risk of Swap Agreements.
The risk of loss with respect to swaps generally is limited to the net amount of payments that a Fund is contractually obligated to make. Swap agreements are subject to the risk that the swap counterparty will default on its obligations. If
such a default occurs, a Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction. However, such remedies may be subject to bankruptcy and insolvency laws which could affect such Fund’s rights as a creditor
(e.g., a Fund may not receive the net amount of payments that it is contractually entitled to receive).
Risk of Investing in Mid-Capitalization Companies. Stock prices of mid-capitalization companies may be more volatile than those of large-capitalization companies and, therefore, a Fund’s share price may be more volatile than those of funds that invest a
larger percentage of their assets in stocks issued by large-capitalization companies. Stock prices of mid-capitalization companies are also more vulnerable than those of large-capitalization companies to adverse business or economic
12
Table of Contents
developments, and the stocks of mid-capitalization companies may be less
liquid, making it more difficult for the Funds to buy and sell them. In addition, mid-capitalization companies generally have less diverse product lines than large-capitalization companies and are more susceptible to adverse developments related to
their products.
Risk of Investing in Small-Capitalization
Companies. Stock prices of small-capitalization companies may be more volatile than those of larger companies and therefore a Fund's share price may be more volatile than those of funds that invest a larger
percentage of their assets in stocks issued by large-capitalization companies. Stock prices of small-capitalization companies are generally more vulnerable than those of large-capitalization companies to adverse business and economic developments.
The stocks of small-capitalization companies may be thinly traded, making it difficult for the Funds to buy and sell them. In addition, small-capitalization companies are typically less financially stable than larger, more established companies and
may depend on a small number of essential personnel, making them more vulnerable to loss of personnel. Small-capitalization companies also normally have less diverse product lines than those of large-capitalization companies and are more susceptible
to adverse developments concerning their products.
Risk of Investing in Africa.
Investments in securities of issuers in certain African countries involve heightened risks including, among others, expropriation and/or nationalization of assets, confiscatory taxation, political instability, including authoritarian and/or
military involvement in governmental decision-making, armed conflict, civil war, and social instability as a result of religious, ethnic and/or socioeconomic unrest and, in certain countries, genocidal warfare.
Certain countries in Africa generally have less developed
capital markets than traditional emerging market countries, and, consequently, the risks of investing in foreign securities are magnified in such countries. Because securities markets of countries in Africa are generally underdeveloped and are less
correlated to global economic cycles than those markets located in more developed countries, securities markets in African countries are subject to greater risks associated with market volatility, lower market capitalization, lower trading volume,
illiquidity, inflation, greater price fluctuations and uncertainty regarding the existence of trading markets. Moreover, trading on African securities markets may be suspended altogether.
Market volatility may also be heightened by the actions of a
small number of investors. Brokerage firms in certain countries in Africa may be fewer in number and less established than brokerage firms in more developed markets. Since a Fund may need to effect securities transactions through these brokerage
firms, the Fund is subject to the risk that these brokerage firms will not be able to fulfill their obligations to the Fund (i.e., counterparty risk). This risk is magnified to the extent that a Fund effects
securities transactions through a single brokerage firm or a small number of brokerage firms.
Certain governments in African countries restrict or control
to varying degrees the ability of foreign investors to invest in securities of issuers located or operating in those countries. Moreover, certain countries in Africa require governmental approval or special licenses prior to investment by foreign
investors and may limit the amount of investment by foreign investors in a particular industry and/or issuer, and may limit such foreign investment to a certain class of securities of an issuer that may have less advantageous rights than the classes
available for purchase by domestic investors of the countries and/or impose additional taxes on foreign investors. A delay in obtaining a government approval or a license would delay investments in a particular country, and, as a result, a Fund may
not be able to invest in certain securities while approval is pending. The government of a particular country may also withdraw or decline to renew a license that enables a Fund to invest in such country. These factors make investing in issuers
located or operating in countries in Africa significantly riskier than investing in issuers located or operating in more developed countries, and any one of these factors could cause a decline in the value of a Fund’s investments. Issuers
located or operating in countries in Africa are not subject to the same rules and regulations as issuers located or operating in more developed countries. Therefore, there may be less financial and other information publicly available with regard to
issuers located or operating in countries in Africa and such issuers are not subject to the uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards applicable to issuers located or operating in more developed countries.
In addition, governments of certain countries in Africa in
which a Fund may invest may levy withholding or other taxes on income such as dividends, interest and realized capital gains. Although in certain countries in Africa a portion of these taxes are recoverable, the non-recovered portion of foreign
withholding taxes will reduce the income received from investments in such countries.
Investment in countries in Africa may be subject to a greater
degree of risk associated with governmental approval in connection with the repatriation of investment income, capital or the proceeds of sales of securities by foreign investors. In addition, there is the risk that if an African country’s
balance of payments declines, such African country may impose
13
Table of Contents
temporary restrictions on foreign capital remittances. Consequently, a Fund
could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, required governmental approval for repatriation of capital, as well as by the application to the Fund of any restrictions on investments. Additionally, investments in countries in
Africa may require a Fund to adopt special procedures, seek local government approvals or take other actions, each of which may involve additional costs to the Fund.
Securities laws in many countries in Africa are relatively new
and unsettled and, consequently, there is a risk of rapid and unpredictable change in laws regarding foreign investment, securities regulation, title to securities and shareholder rights. Accordingly, foreign investors may be adversely affected by
new or amended laws and regulations. In addition, there may be no single centralized securities exchange on which securities are traded in certain countries in Africa and the systems of corporate governance to which issuers located in countries in
Africa are subject may be less advanced than those systems to which issuers located in more developed countries are subject, and therefore, shareholders of issuers located in such countries may not receive many of the protections available to
shareholders of issuers located in more developed countries. In circumstances where adequate laws and shareholder rights exist, it may not be possible to obtain swift and equitable enforcement of the law. In addition, the enforcement of systems of
taxation at federal, regional and local levels in countries in Africa may be inconsistent and subject to sudden change.
Certain countries in Africa may be heavily dependent upon
international trade and, consequently, have been and may continue to be negatively affected by trade barriers, exchange controls, managed adjustments in relative currency values and other protectionist measures imposed or negotiated by the countries
with which they trade. These countries also have been and may continue to be adversely affected by economic conditions in the countries with which they trade. Certain countries in Africa depend to a significant extent upon exports of primary
commodities such as gold, silver, copper and diamonds. These countries therefore are vulnerable to changes in commodity prices, which may be affected by a variety of factors. In addition, certain issuers located in countries in Africa in which a
Fund invests may operate in, or have dealings with, countries subject to sanctions and/or embargoes imposed by the U.S. government and the United Nations, and/or countries identified by the U.S. government as state sponsors of terrorism. As a
result, an issuer may sustain damage to its reputation if it is identified as an issuer which operates in, or has dealings with, such countries. A Fund, as an investor in such issuers, will be indirectly subject to those risks.
The governments of certain countries in Africa may exercise
substantial influence over many aspects of the private sector and may own or control many companies. Future government actions could have a significant effect on the economic conditions in such countries, which could have a negative impact on
private sector companies. There is also the possibility of diplomatic developments that could adversely affect investments in certain countries in Africa. Some countries in Africa may be affected by a greater degree of public corruption and crime,
including organized crime.
In addition, recent political
instability and protests in North Africa and the Middle East have caused significant disruptions to many industries. This instability has demonstrated that political and social unrest can spread quickly through the region, and that developments in
one country can influence the political events in neighboring countries. Some protests have turned violent, and civil war and political reconstruction in certain countries such as Libya poses a risk to investments in the region. Continued political
and social unrest in these regions may negatively affect the value of an investment in a Fund.
Risk of Investing in Asia.
Investments in securities of issuers in certain Asian countries involve risks not typically associated with investments in securities of issuers in other regions. Such heightened risks include, among others, expropriation and/or
nationalization of assets, confiscatory taxation, political instability, including authoritarian and/or military involvement in governmental decision-making, armed conflict and social instability as a result of religious, ethnic and/or
socio-economic unrest. Certain Asian economies have experienced rapid rates of economic growth and industrialization in recent years, and there is no assurance that these rates of economic growth and industrialization will be
maintained.
Certain Asian countries have
democracies with relatively short histories, which may increase the risk of political instability. These countries have faced political and military unrest, and further unrest could present a risk to their local economies and securities markets.
Indonesia and the Philippines have each experienced violence and terrorism, which has negatively impacted their economies. North Korea and South Korea each have substantial military capabilities, and historical tensions between the two countries
present the risk of war; in the recent past, these tensions have escalated. Any outbreak of hostilities between the two countries could have a severe adverse effect on the South Korean economy and securities market. Increased political and social
unrest in these geographic areas could adversely affect the performance of investments in this region.
14
Table of Contents
Certain governments in this region administer prices on
several basic goods, including fuel and electricity, within their respective countries. Certain governments may exercise substantial influence over many aspects of the private sector in their respective countries and may own or control many
companies. Future government actions could have a significant effect on the economic conditions in this region, which in turn could have a negative impact on private sector companies. There is also the possibility of diplomatic developments
adversely affecting investments in the region.
Corruption and the perceived lack of a rule of law in dealings
with international companies in certain Asian countries may discourage foreign investment and could negatively impact the long-term growth of certain economies in this region. In addition, certain countries in the region are experiencing high
unemployment and corruption, and have fragile banking sectors.
Some economies in this region are dependent on a range of
commodities, including oil, natural gas and coal. Accordingly, they are strongly affected by international commodity prices and particularly vulnerable to any weakening in global demand for these products. The market for securities in this region
may also be directly influenced by the flow of international capital, and by the economic and market conditions of neighboring countries. Adverse economic conditions or developments in neighboring countries may increase investors' perception of the
risk of investing in the region as a whole, which may adversely impact the market value of the securities issued by companies in the region.
Risk of Investing in Australasia. The economies of Australasia, which include Australia and New Zealand, are dependent on exports from the agricultural and mining sectors. This makes Australasian economies susceptible to fluctuations in the
commodity markets. Australasian economies are also increasingly dependent on their growing service industries. Australia and New Zealand are located in a part of the world that has historically been prone to natural disasters, such as drought and
flooding. Any such event in the future could have a significant adverse impact on the economies of Australia and New Zealand and affect the value of securities held by a relevant Fund. The economies of Australia and New Zealand are dependent on
trading with certain key trading partners, including Asia, Europe and the United States. The economies of Australia and New Zealand are heavily dependent on the mining sector. Passage of new regulations limiting foreign ownership of companies in the
mining sector or imposition of new taxes on profits of mining companies may dissuade foreign investment, and as a result, have a negative impact on companies to which a Fund has exposure.
Risk of Investing in Australia. A Fund’s investment in Australian issuers may subject the Fund to loss in the event of adverse political, economic, regulatory and other developments that affect Australia, including fluctuations of
Australian currency versus the U.S. dollar. Also, Australia is located in a part of the world that has historically been prone to natural disasters, such as drought and flooding. Any such event in the future could have a significant adverse impact
on the Australian economy. The Australian economy is dependent on trading with certain key trading partners. The Australia–U.S. Free Trade Agreement has significantly expanded the trading relationship between the United States and Australia.
In 2003, Australia and Singapore entered into the Singapore-Australia Free Trade Agreement (“SAFTA”). SAFTA is intended to further expand the economic relationship with Singapore, Australia’s largest trade and investment partner in
Southeast Asia. Thus, economic events in the United States, Asia, or in other key trading countries can have a significant economic effect on the Australian economy.
Risk of Investing in Austria.
Investment in Austrian issuers may subject a Fund to legal, regulatory, political, currency, security, and economic risk specific to Austria. During the most recent financial crisis, the Austrian economy,
along with certain other EU economies, experienced a significant economic slowdown. Certain Austrian banks required government support, while a few other banks were nationalized in order to avoid potential insolvency and wider regional contagion.
Recently, certain EU economies have experienced significant deterioration of market confidence.
Risk of Investing in Belgium.
Investment in Belgian issuers may subject a Fund to legal, regulatory, political, currency, security, and economic risk specific to Belgium. Although Belgium has few natural resources and imports substantial
amounts of raw materials, it has an established industrial sector, which is responsible for exporting large volume of finished goods to other European countries. Belgium relies heavily on trade with key trading partners. Most of Belgium's trade is
with fellow EU members.
Risk of Investing in
Canada. The United States is Canada’s largest trading and investment partner, and the Canadian economy is significantly affected by developments in the U.S. economy. Since the implementation of the North
American Free Trade Agreement (“NAFTA”) in 1994 among Canada, the United States and Mexico, total two-way merchandise trade between the United States and Canada has more than doubled. To further this relationship, the three NAFTA
countries entered into The Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America in March 2005, which may further affect Canada’s dependency on the U.S. economy. Any downturn in U.S. or Mexican economic activity is likely to have an adverse
impact on
15
Table of Contents
the
Canadian economy. The Canadian economy is also dependent upon external trade with other key trading partners, specifically China and the United Kingdom. As a result, Canada is dependent on the economies of these other countries. In addition, Canada
is a large supplier of natural resources (e.g., oil, natural gas and agricultural products). As a result, the Canadian economy is sensitive to fluctuations in certain commodity prices.
Risk of Investing in Eastern Europe. Investing in the securities of issuers located or operating in Eastern Europe is highly speculative and involves risks not usually associated with investing in the more developed markets of Western Europe.
Political and economic reforms are too recent to establish a definite trend away from centrally planned economies and state-owned industries. In the past, some Eastern European governments have expropriated substantial amounts of private property,
and many claims of the property owners have never been fully settled.
Many Eastern European countries continue to move toward market
economies at different paces with different characteristics. Most Eastern European securities markets suffer from thin trading activity, dubious investor protections, and often a dearth of reliable corporate information. Information and transaction
costs, differential taxes, and sometimes political or transfer risk give a comparative advantage to the domestic investor rather than the foreign investor. In addition, these markets are particularly sensitive to social, political, economic, and
currency events in Russia and may suffer heavy losses as a result of their trading and investment links to the Russian economy and currency. Russia also may attempt to assert its influence in the region through economic or even military measures, as
it did with Georgia in the summer of 2008 and Ukraine in 2014. Eastern European economies may also be particularly susceptible to changes in the international credit markets due to their reliance on bank related inflows of capital. The global
economic crisis has restricted international credit supplies, and several Eastern European economies have faced significant credit and economic crises. Although some Eastern European economies are expanding again, major challenges are still present
as a result of their continued dependence on the Western European zone for credit.
Risk of Investing in Emerging Markets. Investments in emerging market countries may be subject to greater risks than investments in developed countries. These risks include: (i) less social, political, and economic stability; (ii) greater illiquidity
and price volatility due to smaller or limited local capital markets for such securities, or low or non-existent trading volumes; (iii) foreign exchanges and broker-dealers may be subject to less scrutiny and regulation by local authorities; (iv)
local governments may decide to seize or confiscate securities held by foreign investors and/or local governments may decide to suspend or limit an issuer's ability to make dividend or interest payments; (v) local governments may limit or entirely
restrict repatriation of invested capital, profits, and dividends; (vi) capital gains may be subject to local taxation, including on a retroactive basis; (vii) issuers facing restrictions on dollar or euro payments imposed by local governments may
attempt to make dividend or interest payments to foreign investors in the local currency; (viii) investors may experience difficulty in enforcing legal claims related to the securities and/or local judges may favor the interests of the issuer over
those of foreign investors; (ix) bankruptcy judgments may only be permitted to be paid in the local currency; (x) limited public information regarding the issuer may result in greater difficulty in determining market valuations of the securities,
and (xi) lack of financial reporting on a regular basis, substandard disclosure and differences in accounting standards may make it difficult to ascertain the financial health of an issuer.
Emerging market securities markets are typically marked by a
high concentration of market capitalization and trading volume in a small number of issuers representing a limited number of industries, as well as a high concentration of ownership of such securities by a limited number of investors. In addition,
brokerage and other costs associated with transactions in emerging markets securities markets can be higher, sometimes significantly, than similar costs incurred in securities markets in developed countries. Although some emerging markets have
become more established and tend to issue securities of higher credit quality, the markets for securities in other emerging countries are in the earliest stages of their development, and these countries issue securities across the credit spectrum.
Even the markets for relatively widely traded securities in emerging countries may not be able to absorb, without price disruptions, a significant increase in trading volume or trades of a size customarily undertaken by institutional investors in
the securities markets of developed countries. The limited size of many of these securities markets can cause prices to be erratic for reasons apart from factors that affect the soundness and competitiveness of the securities issuers. For example,
prices may be unduly influenced by traders who control large positions in these markets. Additionally, market making and arbitrage activities are generally less extensive in such markets, which may contribute to increased volatility and reduced
liquidity of such markets. The limited liquidity of emerging country securities may also affect a Fund's ability to accurately value its portfolio securities or to acquire or dispose of securities at the price and time it wishes to do so or in order
to meet redemption requests.
16
Table of Contents
Many emerging market countries suffer from uncertainty and
corruption in their legal frameworks. Legislation may be difficult to interpret and laws may be too new to provide any precedential value. Laws regarding foreign investment and private property may be weak or non-existent. Sudden changes in
governments may result in policies which are less favorable to investors such as policies designed to expropriate or nationalize “sovereign” assets. Certain emerging market countries in the past have expropriated large amounts of private
property, in many cases with little or no compensation, and there can be no assurance that such expropriation will not occur in the future.
Investment in the securities markets of certain emerging
countries is restricted or controlled to varying degrees. These restrictions may limit a Fund's investment in certain emerging countries and may increase the expenses of the Fund. Certain emerging countries require governmental approval prior to
investments by foreign persons or limit investment by foreign persons to only a specified percentage of an issuer's outstanding securities or a specific class of securities which may have less advantageous terms (including price) than securities of
the company available for purchase by nationals.
Many
emerging market countries lack the social, political, and economic stability characteristic of the United States. Political instability among emerging market countries can be common and may be caused by an uneven distribution of wealth, social
unrest, labor strikes, civil wars, and religious oppression. Economic instability in emerging market countries may take the form of: (i) high interest rates; (ii) high levels of inflation, including hyperinflation; (iii) high levels of unemployment
or underemployment; (iv) changes in government economic and tax policies, including confiscatory taxation; and (v) imposition of trade barriers.
A Fund's income and, in some cases, capital gains from foreign
securities will be subject to applicable taxation in certain of the emerging market countries in which it invests, and treaties between the United States and such countries may not be available in some cases to reduce the otherwise applicable tax
rates.
Emerging markets also have different clearance
and settlement procedures, and in certain of these emerging markets there have been times when settlements have been unable to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions, making it difficult to conduct such transactions.
In the past, certain governments in emerging market countries
have become overly reliant on the international capital markets and other forms of foreign credit to finance large public spending programs, which in the past have caused huge budget deficits. Often, interest payments have become too overwhelming
for a government to meet, representing a large percentage of total GDP. These foreign obligations have become the subject of political debate and served as fuel for political parties of the opposition, which pressure the government not to make
payments to foreign creditors, but instead to use these funds for, among other things, social programs. Either due to an inability to pay or submission to political pressure, foreign governments have been forced to seek a restructuring of their loan
and/or bond obligations, have declared a temporary suspension of interest payments or have defaulted. These events have adversely affected the values of securities issued by foreign governments and corporations domiciled in those countries and have
negatively affected not only their cost of borrowing, but their ability to borrow in the future as well.
Risk of Investing in Europe.
Investing in European countries may expose a Fund to the economic and political risks associated with Europe in general and the specific European countries in which it invests. The economies and markets of
European countries are often closely connected and interdependent, and events in one European country can have an adverse impact on other European countries. A Fund makes investments in securities of issuers that are domiciled in, or have
significant operations in, member countries of the Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union (the “EU”), which requires member countries to comply with restrictions on inflation rates, deficits, interest rates, debt levels and
fiscal and monetary controls, each of which may significantly affect every country in Europe. Decreasing imports or exports, changes in governmental or EU regulations on trade, changes in the exchange rate of the euro (the common currency of certain
EU countries), the default or threat of default by an EU member country on its sovereign debt, and/or an economic recession among EU member countries may have a significant adverse effect on the economies of EU member countries and their trading
partners. Although certain European countries do not use the euro, many of these countries are obliged to meet the criteria for joining the euro zone. Consequently, these countries must comply with many of the restrictions noted above. The European
financial markets have experienced volatility and adverse trends in recent years due to concerns about economic downturns, rising government debt levels and the possible default of government debt in several European countries, including Greece,
Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain. In order to prevent further economic deterioration, certain countries, without prior warning, can institute “capital controls.” Countries may use these controls to restrict volatile movements of
capital entering and exiting their country. Such controls may negatively affect a Fund’s investments. A default or debt
17
Table of Contents
restructuring by any European country would adversely impact holders of that
country's debt and sellers of credit default swaps linked to that country's creditworthiness, which may be located in countries other than those listed above. In addition, the credit ratings of certain European countries were recently downgraded.
These downgrades may result in further deterioration of investor confidence. These events have adversely affected the value and exchange rate of the euro and may continue to significantly affect the economies of every country in Europe, including
countries that do not use the euro and non-EU member countries. Responses to the financial problems by European governments, central banks and others, including austerity measures and reforms, may not produce the desired results, 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 other entities of their debt could have additional adverse effects on economies, financial
markets and asset valuations around the world. In addition, one or more countries may abandon the euro and/or withdraw from the EU. The impact of these actions, especially if they occur in a disorderly fashion, is not clear but could be significant
and far-reaching.
Risk of Investing in France. Investment in French issuers may subject a Fund to legal, regulatory, political, currency, security, and economic risk specific to France. During the most recent financial crisis, the French economy, along with
certain other EU economies, experienced a significant economic slowdown. Recently, new concerns emerged in relation to the economic health of the EU. These concerns have led to tremendous downward pressure on certain EU member states, including
France. Interest rates on France’s debt may rise to levels that make it difficult for it to service high debt levels without significant financial help from, among others, the European Central Bank and could potentially result in default. In
addition, the French economy is dependent to a significant extent on the economies of certain key trading partners, including Germany and other Western European countries. Reduction in spending on French products and services, or changes in any of
the economies may cause an adverse impact on the French economy. In addition, France may be subject to acts of terrorism. The French economy is dependent on exports from the agricultural sector. Leading agricultural exports include dairy products,
meat, wine, fruit and vegetables, and fish. As a result, the French economy is susceptible to fluctuations in demand for agricultural products.
Risk of Investing in Germany.
Investment in German issuers may subject a Fund to legal, regulatory, political, currency, security, and economic risk specific to Germany. During the most recent financial crisis, the German economy, along
with certain other EU economies, experienced a significant economic slowdown. Recently, new concerns emerged in relation to the economic health of the EU. These concerns have led to tremendous downward pressure on certain financial institutions,
including German financial services companies. During the recent European debt crisis, Germany played a key role in stabilizing the euro. However, such efforts may prove unsuccessful, and any ongoing crisis may continue to significantly affect the
economies of every country in Europe, including Germany. The German economy is dependent to a significant extent on the economies of certain key trading partners, including the United States, France, Italy and other European countries. Reduction in
spending on German products and services, or changes in any of the economies may have an adverse impact on the German economy. In addition, heavy regulation of labor and product markets in Germany may have an adverse effect on German issuers. Such
regulations may negatively impact economic growth or cause prolonged periods of recession.
Risk of Investing in Hong Kong. Investments in Hong Kong issuers may subject a Fund to legal, regulatory, political, currency, security, and economic risk specific to Hong Kong. China is Hong Kong’s largest trading partner, both in terms of
exports and imports. Any changes in the Chinese economy, trade regulations or currency exchange rates may have an adverse impact on Hong Kong’s economy.
Political and Social Risk.
Hong Kong reverted to Chinese sovereignty on July 1, 1997 as a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China under the principle of “one country, two systems.” Although China is
obligated to maintain the current capitalist economic and social system of Hong Kong through June 30, 2047, the continuation of economic and social freedoms enjoyed in Hong Kong is dependent on the government of China. Any attempt by China to
tighten its control over Hong Kong's political, economic or social policies may result in an adverse effect on Hong Kong's economy.
Economic Risk. The economy of
Hong Kong is closely tied to the economy of China. The Chinese economy has grown rapidly during the past several years and there is no assurance that this growth rate will be maintained. China may experience substantial rates of inflation or
economic recessions, causing a negative effect on the economy and securities market. Delays in enterprise restructuring, slow development of well-functioning financial markets and widespread corruption have also hindered performance of the Chinese
economy, and China continues to receive substantial pressure from trading partners to liberalize official currency exchange rates.
18
Table of Contents
Risk of Investing in Israel.
Investment in Israeli issuers involves risks that are specific to Israel, including legal, security, regulatory, political, and economic risks. Israel’s economy is dependent upon external trade with
other economies, specifically the United States and EU countries. The government of Israel may change the way in which Israeli companies are taxed, or may impose taxes on foreign investment. Such actions could have a negative impact on the overall
market for Israeli securities and on the Fund. Israel’s relations with Palestinians and its neighboring countries Lebanon, Syria and Iran, among others, have at times been strained due to territorial disputes, historical animosities or defense
concerns, which may cause uncertainty in the Israeli markets and adversely affect the overall economy.
Risk of Investing in Italy.
Investment in Italian issuers involves risks that are specific to Italy, including, regulatory, political, currency and economic risks. Italy’s economy is dependent upon external trade with other
economies, specifically Germany, France and other Western European developed countries. As a result, Italy is dependent on the economies of these other countries and any change in the price or demand for Italy’s exports may have an adverse
impact on its economy. Recently, the Italian economy, along with certain other European economies, has experienced significant volatility and adverse trends due to concerns about economic downturn, and rising government debt levels. Interest rates
on Italy's debt may rise to levels that make it difficult for it to service high debt levels without significant financial help from the EU and could potentially lead to default. These events have adversely impacted the Italian economy, causing
credit agencies to lower Italy’s sovereign debt rating and could decrease outside investment in Italian companies.
Risk of Investing in Japan.
Japan may be subject to political, economic, nuclear, labor and other risks. Any of these risks, individually or in the aggregate, can impact an investment made in Japan.
Economic Risk. The growth of
Japan’s economy has recently lagged that of its Asian neighbors and other major developed economies. Since the year 2000, Japan’s economic growth rate has remained relatively low and it may remain low in the future. The Japanese economy
is heavily dependent on international trade and has been adversely affected by trade tariffs, other protectionist measures, competition from emerging economies and the economic conditions of its trading partners. Japan is also heavily dependent on
oil imports, and higher commodity prices could therefore have a negative impact on the Japanese economy.
Political Risk. Historically,
Japan has had unpredictable national politics and may experience frequent political turnover. Future political developments may lead to changes in policy that might adversely affect a Fund’s investments. In addition, China has become an
important trading partner with Japan. Japan’s political relationship with China, however, has been strained. Should political tension increase, it could adversely affect the Japanese economy and destabilize the region as a whole.
Large Government Debt Risk. The Japanese economy faces several concerns, including a financial system with large levels of nonperforming loans, over-leveraged corporate balance sheets, extensive cross-ownership by major corporations, a changing
corporate governance structure, and large government deficits. These issues may cause a slowdown of the Japanese economy.
Currency Risk. The Japanese
yen has fluctuated widely at times and any increase in its value may cause a decline in exports that could weaken the Japanese economy. Japan has, in the past, intervened in the currency markets to attempt to maintain or reduce the value of the yen.
Japanese intervention in the currency markets could cause the value of the yen to fluctuate sharply and unpredictably and could cause losses to investors.
Nuclear Energy Risk. The
nuclear power plant catastrophe in Japan in March 2011 may have long-term effects on the Japanese economy and its nuclear energy industry, the extent of which are currently unknown.
Labor Risk. Japan has an
aging workforce and has experienced a significant population decline in recent years. Japan’s labor market appears to be undergoing fundamental structural changes, as a labor market traditionally accustomed to lifetime employment adjusts to
meet the need for increased labor mobility, which may adversely affect Japan’s economic competitiveness.
Geographic Risk. Natural
disasters, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, typhoons and tsunamis, could occur in Japan or surrounding areas and could negatively affect the Japanese economy, and, in turn, could negatively affect a Fund.
Risk of Investing in Kuwait.
Kuwait is highly reliant on income from the sale of oil and trade with other countries involved in the sale of oil, and its economy is therefore vulnerable to changes in the market for oil and foreign currency
values. As global demand for oil fluctuates, Kuwait may be significantly impacted. Historically, tensions between Iraq and Kuwait have
19
Table of Contents
sometimes resulted in conflict. Any outbreak of hostilities between the two
countries, or other countries in the region, could have a severe adverse effect on the Kuwaiti economy and its securities markets. Recently, Kuwait has experienced anti-government protests. If the current Kuwaiti government were to change or become
unable to function normally, any resulting instability could adversely affect the Kuwaiti economy and could decrease the value of a Fund’s investments.
Risk of Investing in Mexico.
Investment in Mexican issuers involves risks that are specific to Mexico, including regulatory, political, and economic risks. The Mexican economy, among other things, is dependent upon external trade with
other economies, specifically with the United States and certain Latin American countries. As a result, Mexico is dependent on, among other things, the U.S. economy and any change in the price or demand for Mexican exports may have an adverse
impact on the Mexican economy. Recently, Mexico has experienced an outbreak of violence related to drug trafficking. Incidents involving Mexico’s security may have an adverse effect on the Mexican economy and cause uncertainty in its financial
markets. Mexico has been destabilized by local insurrections, social upheavals, drug related violence, and the public health crisis related to the H1N1 influenza outbreak. Recurrence of these or similar conditions may adversely impact the Mexican
economy. Recently, Mexican elections have been contentious and have been very closely decided. Changes in political parties or other Mexican political events may affect the economy and cause instability.
Risk of Investing in the Netherlands. Investment in Dutch issuers may subject a Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, and economic risk specific to the Netherlands and the countries that use the euro. Among other things, the
Netherlands’ economy is heavily dependent on trading relationships with certain key trading partners, including the United States, United Kingdom, France and Germany. Future changes in the price or the demand for Dutch products or services by
the United States, United Kingdom, France and Germany or changes in these countries’ economies, trade regulations or currency exchange rates could adversely impact the Dutch economy and the issuers to which a Fund has exposure. The Dutch
economy relies on export of financial services to other European countries. A prolonged slowdown in the financial services sector will have a negative impact on the Dutch economy. The Dutch economy, along with the United States and certain other
European economies, experienced a significant economic slowdown during the recent financial crisis. European financial markets have since been adversely affected by the resulting fiscal crises in Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain. As a
result, the Netherlands may have trouble accessing capital markets and may be forced to pay higher interest rates on its debt than if it did not use the euro as its currency. In addition, the Netherlands may be indirectly exposed to the debt of the
aforementioned countries through its banking sector. Any default by a country that uses the euro may therefore have a material adverse effect on the Dutch economy.
Risk of Investing in North America. A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations and/or an economic recession in any one North American country can have a significant economic effect on the entire North American region, and on some
or all of the North American countries in which a Fund invests.
The United States is Canada's and Mexico's largest trading and
investment partner. The Canadian and Mexican economies are significantly affected by developments in the U.S. economy. Since the implementation of NAFTA in 1994 among Canada, the United States and Mexico, total merchandise trade between the three
countries has increased. To further this relationship, the three NAFTA countries entered into the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America in March 2005, which has further affected Canada's and Mexico's dependency on the U.S. economy.
Policy and legislative changes in one country may have a significant effect on North American markets generally, as well as on the value of certain securities, including securities held by a Fund.
The financial crisis that began in 2007 caused a significant
decline in the value and liquidity of issuers in the United States. In addition, a continued rise in the U.S. public debt level or U.S. austerity measures may adversely affect U.S. economic growth and the securities to which a Fund has
exposure.
Risk of Investing in Poland. Investment in securities of Polish issuers involves risks not typically associated with investments in securities of issuers in developed countries. Such heightened risks include, among others, a relatively short
history of democracy, expropriation and/or nationalization of assets, confiscatory taxation, less publicly available financial and other information, and potential difficulties in enforcing contractual obligations. In addition, Poland faces many
economic development problems, including high unemployment, inadequate infrastructure, endemic corruption, poverty, and intensifying global competition from neighboring countries.
Securities laws in Poland are relatively new and unsettled
and, consequently, there is a risk of rapid and unpredictable change in laws regarding foreign investment, securities regulation, custody and title to securities and shareholder rights. Accordingly,
20
Table of Contents
foreign investors may be adversely affected by new or amended laws and
regulations. In circumstances where adequate laws and shareholder rights exist, it may not be possible to obtain swift and equitable enforcement of the law.
The securities market of Poland is considered an emerging
market characterized by a small number of listed companies and a relatively illiquid secondary trading market, particularly for corporate bonds. These factors, coupled with restrictions on foreign investment and other factors, limit the supply of
securities available for investment by a Fund. This will affect the rate at which a Fund is able to invest in Poland, the purchase and sale prices for such securities and the timing of purchases and sales.
The government in Poland may restrict or control to varying
degrees the ability of foreign investors to invest in securities of issuers located or operating in Poland. Moreover, governmental approval or special licenses prior to investments by foreign investors may be required and may limit the amount of
investments by foreign investors in a particular industry and/or issuer. A delay in obtaining a required government approval or license would delay investments in Poland, and, as a result, a Fund may not be able to invest in certain securities while
approval is pending. The government of Poland may also withdraw or decline to renew a license that enables a Fund to invest in Poland. Any one of these factors could cause a decline in the value of a Fund.
The Polish government may exercise substantial influence over
many aspects of the private sector and may own or control many companies. Future government actions could have a significant effect on the economic conditions in Poland, which could have a negative impact on private sector companies. There is also
the possibility of diplomatic developments that could adversely affect investments in Poland.
The market for Polish securities is directly influenced by the
flow of international capital, and economic and market conditions of certain countries, especially emerging market countries in Eastern Europe. Adverse economic conditions or developments in other emerging market countries have at times
significantly affected the availability of credit in the Polish economy and resulted in considerable outflows of funds and declines in the amount of foreign currency invested in Poland.
Risk of Investing in Russia.
Investing in the Russian securities market involves a high degree of risk and special considerations not typically associated with investing in the U.S. securities market, and should be considered highly
speculative. Risks include: the absence of developed legal structures governing private and foreign investments and private property; the possibility of the loss of all or a substantial portion of a Fund’s assets invested in Russia as a result
of expropriation; certain national policies which may restrict the Fund’s investment opportunities, including, without limitation, restrictions on investing in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to relevant national interests; and
potentially greater price volatility in, significantly smaller capitalization of, and relative illiquidity of, the Russian market. There can also be no assurance that a Fund’s investments in the Russian securities market would not be
expropriated, nationalized or otherwise confiscated. In the event of the settlement of any such claims or such expropriation, nationalization or other confiscation, a Fund could lose its entire investment. In addition, it may be difficult and more
costly to obtain and enforce a judgment in the Russian court system.
Russia may also be subject to a greater degree of economic,
political and social instability than is the case in other developed countries. Such instability may result from, among other things, the following: (i) an authoritarian government or military involvement in political and economic decision-making,
including changes in government through extra-constitutional means; (ii) popular unrest associated with demands for improved political, economic and social conditions; (iii) internal insurgencies; (iv) hostile relations with neighboring countries;
and (v) ethnic, religious and racial disaffection.
The
Russian economy is heavily dependent upon the export of a range of commodities including most industrial metals, forestry products and oil and gas. Accordingly, it is strongly affected by international commodity prices and is particularly vulnerable
to any weakening in global demand for these products. Any acts of terrorism or armed conflicts in Russia or internationally could have an adverse effect on the financial and commodities markets and the global economy. As Russia produces and exports
large amounts of crude oil and gas, any acts of terrorism or armed conflict causing disruptions of Russian oil and gas exports could negatively affect the Russian economy and, thus, adversely affect the financial condition, results of operations or
prospects of related companies.
The Russian government
may exercise substantial influence over many aspects of the private sector and may own or control many companies. Future government actions could have a significant effect on the economic conditions in Russia, which could have a negative impact on
private sector companies. There is also the possibility of diplomatic developments that could adversely affect investments in Russia. In recent years, the Russian government has begun to take bolder steps to re-assert its
21
Table of Contents
regional geopolitical influence (including military steps). Such steps may
increase tensions between Russia and its neighbors and Western countries and may negatively affect economic growth.
The United States and the EU, along with the regulatory bodies
of a number of countries including Japan, Australia and Canada (collectively, “Sanctioning Bodies”), have imposed economic sanctions, which consist of asset freezes and sectorial sanctions on certain Russian individuals and Russian
corporate entities. The Sanctioning Bodies could also institute broader sanctions on Russia. These sanctions, or even the threat of further sanctions, may result in the decline of the value and liquidity of Russian securities, a weakening of the
ruble or other adverse consequences to the Russian economy. These sanctions could also result in the immediate freeze of Russian securities, impairing the ability of a Fund to buy, sell, receive or deliver those securities.
The sanctions against certain Russian issuers include
prohibitions on transacting in or dealing in new debt of longer than 30 or 90 days maturity or new equity of such issuers. Securities held by a Fund issued prior to the date of the sanctions being imposed are not currently subject to any
restrictions under the sanctions. However, compliance with each of these sanctions may impair the ability of a Fund to buy, sell, hold, receive or deliver the affected securities or other securities of such issuers. If it becomes impracticable or
unlawful for a Fund to hold securities subject to, or otherwise affected by, sanctions (collectively, “affected securities”), or if deemed appropriate by the Fund’s investment adviser, the Fund may prohibit in-kind deposits of the
affected securities in connection with creation transactions and instead require a cash deposit, which may also increase the Fund's transaction costs.
Also, if an affected security is included in a Fund’s
Underlying Index, the Fund may, where practicable, seek to eliminate its holdings of the affected security by employing or augmenting its representative sampling strategy to seek to track the investment results of its Underlying Index. The use of
(or increased use of) a representative sampling strategy may increase a Fund’s tracking error risk. If the affected securities constitute a significant percentage of the Underlying Index, a Fund may not be able to effectively implement a
representative sampling strategy, which may result in significant tracking error between the Fund’s performance and the performance of its Underlying Index.
Current or future sanctions may result in Russia taking
counter measures or retaliatory actions, which may further impair the value and liquidity of Russian securities. These retaliatory measures may include the immediate freeze of Russian assets held by a Fund. In the event of such a freeze of any fund
assets, including depositary receipts, a Fund may need to liquidate non-restricted assets in order to satisfy any fund redemption orders. The liquidation of fund assets during this time may also result in a Fund receiving substantially lower prices
for its securities.
These sanctions may also lead to
changes in a fund’s Underlying Index. A fund’s index provider may remove securities from the Underlying Index or implement caps on the securities of certain issuers that have been subject to recent economic sanctions. In such an event,
it is expected that a Fund will rebalance its portfolio to bring it in line with the Underlying Index as a result of any such changes, which may result in transaction costs and increased tracking error. These sanctions, the volatility that may
result in the trading markets for Russian securities and the possibility that Russia may impose investment or currency controls on investors may cause a fund to invest in, or increase a fund’s investments in, depositary receipts that represent
the securities of the Underlying Index. These investments may result in increased transaction costs and increased tracking error.
Risk of Investing in Singapore. Investments in Singaporean issuers may subject a Fund to legal, regulatory, political, currency and economic risks specific to Singapore. Specifically, political and economic developments of its neighbors may have
an adverse effect on Singapore’s economy. In addition, because its economy is export driven, Singapore relies heavily on its trading partners. China is a major purchaser of Singapore's exports and serves as a source of Singapore's imports.
Singapore derives a significant portion of its foreign investments from China. Singapore also has substantial economic exposure to Malaysia and the United States. As a result, Singapore’s economy is susceptible to fluctuations in the world
economy. A downturn in the economies of China, Malaysia or the United States, among other countries or regions, could adversely affect Singapore's economy. In addition, Singapore’s economy may be particularly vulnerable to external market
changes due to its smaller size.
Risk of Investing
in South Africa. South Africa’s two-tiered economy, with one rivaling developed countries and the other exhibiting many characteristics of developing countries, is characterized by uneven distribution of
wealth and income and high rates of unemployment. Although economic reforms have been enacted to promote growth and foreign investments, there can be no assurance that these programs will achieve the desired results. In addition, South
Africa’s inadequate currency reserves have left its currency vulnerable at times to devaluation. Despite significant reform and privatization, the
22
Table of Contents
South African government continues to control a large share of South African
economic activity. Heavy regulation of labor and product markets is pervasive and may stifle South African economic growth or cause prolonged periods of recession. The agriculture and mining sectors of South Africa’s economy account for a
large portion of its exports and, thus, the South African economy is susceptible to fluctuations in these commodity markets.
Risk of Investing in Spain.
Investment in Spanish issuers involves risks that are specific to Spain, including, legal, regulatory, political, currency, security and economic risks. The Spanish economy, along with certain other EU
economies, experienced a significant economic slowdown during the recent financial crisis. As a result, the Spanish government has introduced austerity reforms aimed at reducing its fiscal deficit to sustainable levels, austerity reforms include,
among other things, reduction in government employees’ salaries, freezing of pension funds, and suspension of public work projects. Such austerity reforms, while directed at stimulating the Spanish economy in the long term, may have a negative
short-term effect on Spain’s financial markets. Due largely to outstanding bad loans to construction companies and real estate developers, Spanish banks have been undergoing a series of mergers to increase liquidity. In addition, the Spanish
government is involved in a long-running campaign against terrorism. Acts of terrorism on Spanish soil or against Spanish interests abroad may cause uncertainty in the Spanish financial markets and adversely affect the performance of the issuers to
which the Fund has exposure.
Risk of Investing in
Sweden. Investment in Swedish issuers may subject a Fund to legal, regulatory, political, currency, security and economic risks specific to Sweden. Among other things, Sweden’s economy is heavily
dependent on trading relationships with certain key partners, including the United States, Germany and other Western European nations. Future changes in the price or the demand for Swedish products or services by the United States, Germany and other
Western European nations or changes in these countries’ economies, trade regulations or currency exchange rates could adversely impact the Swedish economy and the issuers to which a Fund has exposure. Many of the developed Western European
nations that Sweden trades with are member states of the EU and EMU. As a result, these member states are dependent on one another economically and politically. Sweden has not joined the EMU, however, the Swedish economy is vulnerable to
fluctuations in the economies and monetary policies of its trading partners who are members of the EMU. Sweden has a generous social welfare system and over 70% of its workforce is unionized. These factors can negatively impact the Swedish economy
by causing increased government spending, higher production costs and lower productivity, among other things.
Risk of Investing in Switzerland. Investment in Swiss issuers may subject a Fund to legal, regulatory, political, currency, security, and economic risks specific to Switzerland. Among other things, Switzerland’s economy is heavily dependent
on trading relationships with certain key trading partners, including the United States, United Kingdom, France and Germany. Future changes in the price or the demand for Swiss products or services by the United States, United Kingdom, France and
Germany or changes in these countries’ economies, trade regulations or currency exchange rates could adversely impact the Swiss economy and the issuers to which a Fund has exposure. Switzerland’s economy relies heavily on the banking
sector. Recently, allegations have surfaced that certain Swiss banking institutions marketed and sold offshore tax evasion services to U.S. citizens. Future litigation or settlements arising from these offshore tax evasion services may have a
negative impact on certain companies to which a Fund has exposure. Due to the lack of natural resources, Switzerland is dependent upon imports for raw materials. As a result, any drastic price fluctuations in the price of certain raw materials will
likely have a significant impact on the Swiss economy.
Risk of Investing in Thailand.
Investment in Thai issuers involves risks that are specific to Thailand, including, legal, regulatory, political, security and economic risks. Thailand's economy is export-dependent and relies heavily on
trading relationships with certain key trading partners, including the United States, China, Japan and other Asian countries. The recent financial crisis and political uncertainty weakened Thailand's economic growth by reducing domestic and
international demand for both goods and services. Future changes in the price or the demand for Thailand's exported products by the United States, China, Japan or other Asian countries, or changes in these countries' economies, trade regulations or
currency exchange rates could adversely impact the Thai economy and the issuers to which a Fund has exposure.
Risk of Investing in Turkey.
Investment in Turkish issuers involves risks that are specific to Turkey, including, legal, regulatory, political, security and economic risks. With few of its own natural resources, the Turkish economy is
import-dependent. Turkey’s main import partners include Russia, Germany, China and the United States. The Turkish economy is dependent upon exports to other economies, specifically to Germany, other EU countries and Iraq. As a result, Turkey
is dependent on these economies and any change in the price or demand for Turkish exports may have an adverse impact on the Turkish economy. Turkey has historically experienced acts of terrorism and strained relations related to border
disputes
23
Table of Contents
with certain neighboring countries. Historically, Turkey’s national
politics have been unpredictable and subject to influence by the military, and its government may be subject to sudden change. Disparities of wealth, the pace and success of democratization and capital market development and religious and racial
disaffection have also led to social and political unrest. Unanticipated or sudden political or social developments may result in sudden and significant investment losses. Such situations may cause uncertainty in the Turkish stock market and as a
result adversely affect issuers to which a Fund has exposure.
Risk of Investing in the United States. The United States is a significant, and in some cases the most significant, trading partner of or foreign investor in, certain emerging markets in which a Fund invests, the economic conditions of which may be
particularly affected by adverse changes in the U.S. economy. A decrease in U.S. imports, new trade regulations, changes in the U.S. dollar exchange rate or an economic slowdown in the United States may have a material adverse effect on a country's
economic conditions and, as a result, securities to which a Fund has exposure.
Risk of Investing in the Capital Goods Industry Group. The capital goods industry group may be affected by fluctuations in the business cycle and by other factors affecting manufacturing demands. The capital goods industry group depends heavily on corporate spending.
The capital goods industry group may perform well during times of economic expansion, and as economic conditions worsen, the demand for capital goods may decrease due to weakening demand, worsening business cash flows, tighter credit controls and
deteriorating profitability. During times of economic volatility, corporate spending may fall and adversely affect the capital goods industry group. This industry group may also be affected by changes in interest rates, corporate tax rates and other
government policies. Many capital goods are sold internationally and such companies are subject to market conditions in other countries and regions.
Risk of Investing in the Consumer Discretionary Sector. Companies engaged in the design, production or distribution of products or services for the consumer discretionary sector (including, without limitation, television and radio broadcasting, manufacturing,
publishing, recording and musical instruments, motion pictures, photography, amusement and theme parks, gaming casinos, sporting goods and sports arenas, camping and recreational equipment, toys and games, apparel, travel-related services,
automobiles, hotels and motels, and fast food and other restaurants) are subject to the risk that their products or services may become obsolete quickly. The success of these companies can depend heavily on disposable household income and consumer
spending. During periods of an expanding economy, the consumer discretionary sector may outperform the consumer staples sector, but may underperform when economic conditions worsen. Moreover, the consumer discretionary sector can be significantly
affected by several factors, including, without limitation, the performance of domestic and international economies, exchange rates, changing consumer preferences, demographics, marketing campaigns, cyclical revenue generation, consumer confidence,
commodity price volatility, labor relations, interest rates, import and export controls, intense competition, technological developments and government regulation.
Risk of Investing in the Consumer Goods Industry. The success of the consumer goods industry is tied closely to the performance of the domestic and international economy, interest rates, exchange rates, competition, consumer confidence and consumer disposable
income. The consumer goods industry may be strongly affected by trends, marketing campaigns and other factors affecting consumer demand. Governmental regulation affecting the use of various food additives may affect the profitability of certain
companies in the consumer goods industry. Moreover, international events may affect food and beverage companies that derive a substantial portion of their net income from foreign countries. In addition, tobacco companies may be adversely affected by
new laws, regulations and litigation. Many consumer goods may be marketed globally, and consumer goods companies may be affected by the demand and market conditions in other countries and regions. Companies in the consumer goods industry may be
subject to severe competition, which may also have an adverse impact on their profitability. Changes in demographics and consumer preferences may affect the success of consumer products.
Risk of Investing in the Consumer Staples Sector. Companies in the consumer staples sector may be adversely affected by changes in the global economy, consumer spending, competition, demographics and consumer preferences, and production spending. Companies in the
consumer staples sector may also be affected by changes in global economic, environmental and political events, economic conditions, the depletion of resources, and government regulation. For instance, government regulations may affect the
permissibility of using various food additives and production methods of companies that make food products, which could affect company profitability. In addition, tobacco companies may be adversely affected by the adoption of proposed legislation
and/or by litigation. Companies in the consumer staples sector also may be subject to risks pertaining to the supply of, demand for and prices of raw materials. The prices of raw materials fluctuate in response to a
24
Table of Contents
number of factors, including, without limitation, changes in government
agricultural support programs, exchange rates, import and export controls, changes in international agricultural and trading policies, and seasonal and weather conditions. Companies in the consumer staples sector may be subject to severe
competition, which may also have an adverse impact on their profitability.
Risk of Investing in the Energy Sector. Companies in the energy sector are strongly affected by the levels and volatility of global energy prices, energy supply and demand, government regulations and policies, energy production and conservation efforts,
technological change, and other factors that a company cannot control. These companies may also lack resources and have limited business lines. The energy sector is cyclical and is highly dependent on commodity prices; prices and supplies of energy
may fluctuate significantly over short and long periods of time due to, among other things, national and international political changes, Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (“OPEC”) policies, changes in relationships among
OPEC members and between OPEC and oil-importing nations, the regulatory environment, taxation policies, and the economy of the key energy-consuming countries.
Companies in the energy sector may be adversely affected by
terrorism, natural disasters or other catastrophes. Companies in the energy sector are at risk of civil liability from accidents resulting in injury, loss of life or property, pollution or other environmental damage claims. Disruptions in the oil
industry or shifts in fuel consumption may significantly impact companies in this sector. Significant oil and gas deposits are located in emerging markets countries where corruption and security may raise significant risks, in addition to the other
risks of investing in emerging markets. Additionally, the Middle East, where many companies in the energy sector may operate, has historically and recently experienced widespread social unrest.
Companies in the energy sector may also be adversely affected
by changes in exchange rates, interest rates, economic conditions, tax treatment, government regulation and intervention, negative perception, efforts at energy conservation and world events in the regions in which the companies operate (e.g., expropriation, nationalization, confiscation of assets and property or the imposition of restrictions on foreign investments and repatriation of capital, military coups, social unrest, violence or labor
unrest). Because a significant portion of revenues of companies in this sector is derived from a relatively small number of customers that are largely composed of governmental entities and utilities, governmental budget constraints may have a
significant impact on the stock prices of companies in this sector. The energy sector is highly regulated. Entities operating in the energy sector are subject to significant regulation of nearly every aspect of their operations by federal, state and
local governmental agencies. Such regulation can change rapidly or over time in both scope and intensity. Stricter laws, regulations or enforcement policies could be enacted in the future which would likely increase compliance costs and may
materially adversely affect the financial performance of companies in the energy sector.
Risk of Investing in the Financials Sector. Companies in the financials sector include regional and money center banks, securities brokerage firms, asset management companies, savings banks and thrift institutions, specialty finance companies (e.g., credit card, mortgage providers), insurance and insurance brokerage firms, financial conglomerates and foreign banking and financial companies. The global
financial markets have experienced very difficult conditions and volatility as well as significant adverse trends. The conditions in these markets have resulted in a decrease in availability of corporate credit, capital and liquidity and have led
indirectly to the insolvency, closure or acquisition of a number of financial institutions. These conditions have also contributed to consolidation within the financial industry. In addition, the global financial industry has been materially and
adversely affected by a significant decline in the value of mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities, and by the sovereign debt crisis. The prospects of many financial companies are questionable and continue to evolve as financial companies
revise their outlooks and write down assets that they hold.
Most financial companies are subject to extensive governmental
regulation, which limits their activities and may affect their ability to earn a profit from a given line of business. Government regulation may change frequently and may have significant adverse consequences for companies in the financials sector,
including effects not intended by the regulation. Direct governmental intervention in the operations of financial companies and financial markets may materially and adversely affect the companies in which a Fund invests, including legislation in
many countries that may increase government regulation, repatriation and other intervention. The impact of governmental intervention and legislative changes on any individual financial company or on the financials sector as a whole cannot be
predicted. The valuation of financial companies has been and continues to be subject to unprecedented volatility and may be influenced by unpredictable factors, including interest rate risk and sovereign debt default. Certain financial businesses
are subject to intense competitive pressures, including market share and price competition. Financial companies in foreign countries are subject to market specific and general regulatory and interest rate concerns. In particular, government
regulation in certain foreign countries may include taxes and
25
Table of Contents
controls on interest rates, credit availability, minimum capital
requirements, ban on short sales, prices and currency transfers. In addition, companies in the financials sector may be the targets of hacking and potential theft of proprietary or customer information or disruptions in service, which could have a
material adverse effect on their business.
The
profitability of banks, savings and loan associations and financial companies is largely dependent on the availability and cost of capital funds and can fluctuate significantly when interest rates change; for instance, when interest rates go up, the
value of securities issued by many types of companies in the financials sector generally goes down. In other words, financial companies may be adversely affected in certain market cycles, including, without limitation, during periods of rising
interest rates, which may restrict the availability and increase the cost of capital, and during periods of declining economic conditions, which may cause, among other things, credit losses due to financial difficulties of borrowers.
In addition, general economic conditions are important to the
operations of these companies, and financial difficulties of borrowers may have an adverse effect on the profitability of financial companies. Financial companies can be highly dependent upon access to capital markets and any impediments to such
access, such as adverse overall economic conditions or a negative perception in the capital markets of a financial company’s financial condition or prospects, could adversely affect its business. Deterioration of credit markets, as experienced
in 2008 and 2009, can have an adverse impact on a broad range of financial markets, causing certain financial companies to incur large losses. In these conditions, companies in the financials sector may experience significant declines in the
valuation of their assets, take actions to raise capital and even cease operations. Some financial companies may also be required to accept or borrow significant amounts of capital from government sources and may face future government imposed
restrictions on their businesses or increased government intervention. In addition, there is no guarantee that governments will provide any such relief in the future. These actions may cause the securities of many companies in the financials sector
to decline in value.
Risk of Investing in the Healthcare
Sector. Companies in the healthcare sector are often issuers whose profitability may be affected by extensive government regulation, restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising or
falling costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure, an increased emphasis on outpatient services, limited number of products, industry innovation, changes in technologies and other market developments. Many healthcare companies are
heavily dependent on patent protection and the actual or perceived safety and efficiency of their products.
Patents have a limited duration and, upon expiration, other
companies may market substantially similar “generic” products that are typically sold at a lower price than the patented product, causing the original developer of the product to lose market share and/or reduce the price charged for the
product, resulting in lower profits for the original developer. As a result, the expiration of patents may adversely affect the profitability of these companies.
In addition, because the products and services of many
companies in the healthcare sector affect the health and well-being of many individuals, these companies are especially susceptible to extensive litigation based on product liability and similar claims. Healthcare companies are subject to
competitive forces that may make it difficult to raise prices and, in fact, may result in price discounting. Many new products in the healthcare sector may be subject to regulatory approvals. The process of obtaining such approvals may be long and
costly, resulting in increased development costs, delayed cost recovery and loss of competitive advantage to the extent that rival companies have developed competing products or procedures, adversely affecting the company’s revenues and
profitability. In other words, delays in the regulatory approval process may diminish the opportunity for a company to profit from a new product or to bring a new product to market, which could have a material adverse effect on a company’s
business. Healthcare companies may also be strongly affected by scientific biotechnology or technological developments and their products may quickly become obsolete. Also, many healthcare companies offer products and services that are subject to
governmental regulation and may be adversely affected by changes in governmental policies or laws. Legislation introduced or considered by certain governments on any individual healthcare company or on the healthcare sector as a whole cannot be
predicted. These laws and proposals span a wide range of topics, including cost control, national health insurance, incentives for compensation in the provision of healthcare services, tax incentives and penalties related to healthcare insurance
premiums, and promotion of prepaid healthcare plans. No one can predict what proposals will be enacted or what potentially adverse effect they may have on healthcare-related or biotechnology-related companies.
Additionally, the expansion of facilities by
healthcare-related providers is subject to “determinations of need” by certain government authorities. This process not only increases the time and costs involved in these expansions, but also makes expansion plans uncertain, limiting
the revenue and profitability growth potential of healthcare-related facilities operators and negatively affecting the prices of their securities. Moreover, in recent years both local and national governmental budgets
26
Table of Contents
have come under pressure to reduce spending and control healthcare costs,
which could both adversely affect regulatory processes and public funding available for healthcare products, services and facilities.
Risk of Investing in the Industrials Sector. The value of securities issued by companies in the industrials sector may be affected by supply and demand both for their specific products or services and for industrials sector products in general. The products
of manufacturing companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction. Government regulations, world events and economic conditions affect the performance of companies in the industrials
sector. The industrials sector may also be adversely affected by changes or trends in commodity prices, which may be influenced by unpredictable factors. For example, commodity price declines and unit volume reductions resulting from an over-supply
of materials used in the industrials sector can adversely affect the sector. Furthermore, companies in the industrials sector may be subject to liability for environmental damage, product liability claims, depletion of resources, and mandated
expenditures for safety and pollution control.
Risk
of Investing in the Information Technology Sector. Information technology companies face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Like
other technology companies, information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. The products of information technology companies may face product obsolescence due to rapid technological
developments and frequent new product introduction, unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. Technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology, especially those of smaller,
less-seasoned companies, tend to be more volatile than the overall market. Companies in the information technology sector are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. The loss or impairment of these rights may adversely affect
the profitability of these companies. Finally, while all companies may be susceptible to network security breaches, certain companies in the information technology sector may be particular targets of hacking and potential theft of proprietary or
consumer information or disruptions in service, which could have a material adverse effect on their businesses. These risks are heightened for information technology companies in foreign markets.
Risk of Investing in the Insurance Industry Group. The insurance industry group is subject to extensive government regulation in some countries and can be significantly affected by changes in interest rates, general economic conditions, price and marketing
competition, the imposition of premium rate caps or other changes in government regulation or tax law. Different segments of the insurance industry group can be significantly affected by mortality and morbidity rates, environmental clean-up costs
and catastrophic events such as earthquakes, hurricanes and terrorist acts.
Risk of Investing in the Materials Sector. Companies in the materials sector may be adversely affected by commodity price volatility, exchange rates, import controls, increased competition, depletion of resources, technical progress, labor relations and
government regulations, and mandated expenditures for safety and pollution control, among other factors. Also, companies in the materials sector are at risk of liability for environmental damage and product liability claims. Production of materials
may exceed demand as a result of market imbalances or economic downturns, leading to poor investment returns. These risks are heightened for companies in the materials sector located in foreign markets.
Risk of Investing in the Technology Sector. Technology companies are characterized by periodic new product introductions, innovations and evolving industry standards, and, as a result, face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, which
may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Companies in the technology sector are often smaller and less experienced companies and may be subject to greater risks than larger companies; these risks may be heightened for technology companies in
foreign markets. Technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. The products of technology companies may face product obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product
introduction, changes in consumer and business purchasing patterns, unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. In addition, a rising interest rate environment tends to negatively affect companies
in the technology sector because, in such an environment, those companies with high market valuations may appear less attractive to investors, which may cause sharp decreases in the companies’ market prices. Companies in the technology sector
are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. The loss or impairment of these rights may adversely affect the profitability of these companies. The technology sector may also be adversely affected by changes or trends in
commodity prices, which may be influenced or characterized by unpredictable factors. Finally, while all companies may be susceptible to network security breaches, certain companies in the technology sector may be particular targets of hacking and
potential theft of proprietary or consumer information or disruptions in service, which could have a material adverse effect on their businesses.
27
Table of Contents
Risk of Investing in the Telecommunications Sector. The telecommunications sector of a country’s economy is often subject to extensive government regulation. The costs of complying with governmental regulations, delays or failure to receive required regulatory
approvals, or the enactment of new regulatory requirements may negatively affect the business of telecommunications companies. Government actions around the world, specifically in the area of pre-marketing clearance of products and prices, can be
arbitrary and unpredictable. Companies in the telecommunications sector may experience distressed cash flows due to the need to commit substantial capital to meet increasing competition, particularly in formulating new products and services using
new technology. Technological innovations may make the products and services of certain telecommunications companies obsolete. Finally, while all companies may be susceptible to network security breaches, certain companies in the telecommunications
sector may be particular targets of hacking and potential theft of proprietary or consumer information or disruptions in service, which could have a material adverse effect on their businesses.
Risk of Investing in the Utilities Sector. The utilities sector may be adversely affected by changing commodity prices, government regulation stipulating rates charged by utilities, increased tariffs, changes in tax laws, interest rate fluctuations and
changes in the cost of providing specific utility services. The utilities industry is also subject to potential terrorist attacks, natural disasters and severe weather conditions, as well as regulatory and operational burdens associated with the
operation and maintenance of nuclear facilities. Government regulators monitor and control utility revenues and costs, and therefore may limit utility profits. In certain countries, regulatory authorities may also restrict a company’s access
to new markets, thereby diminishing the company’s long-term prospects.
There are substantial differences among the regulatory
practices and policies of various jurisdictions, and any regulatory agency may make major shifts in policy from time to time. There is no assurance that regulatory authorities will, in the future, grant rate increases. Additionally, existing and
possible future regulatory legislation may make it even more difficult for utilities to obtain adequate relief. Certain of the issuers of securities held in a Fund's portfolio may own or operate nuclear generating facilities. Governmental
authorities may from time to time review existing policies and impose additional requirements governing the licensing, construction and operation of nuclear power plants. Prolonged changes in climate conditions can also have a significant impact on
both the revenues of an electric and gas utility as well as the expenses of a utility, particularly a hydro-based electric utility.
The rates that traditional regulated utility companies may
charge their customers generally are subject to review and limitation by governmental regulatory commissions. Rate changes may occur only after a prolonged approval period or may not occur at all, which could adversely affect utility companies when
costs are rising. The value of regulated utility debt securities (and, to a lesser extent, equity securities) tends to have an inverse relationship to the movement of interest rates. Certain utility companies have experienced full or partial
deregulation in recent years. These utility companies are frequently more similar to industrial companies in that they are subject to greater competition and have been permitted by regulators to diversify outside of their original geographic regions
and their traditional lines of business. As a result, some companies may be forced to defend their core business and may be less profitable.
Proxy Voting Policy
The Company has adopted proxy voting policies for each Fund
that incorporate and amplify the proxy voting guidelines of BFA, the investment adviser to each Fund. The Company has delegated to BFA the responsibility for voting proxies on the portfolio securities held by each Fund. The remainder of this section
discusses each Fund’s proxy voting guidelines and BFA’s role in implementing such guidelines.
BFA votes (or refrains from voting) proxies for each Fund in a
manner that BFA, in the exercise of its independent business judgment, concludes is in the best economic interests of such Fund. In some cases, BFA may determine that it is in the best economic interests of a Fund to refrain from exercising the
Fund’s proxy voting rights (such as, for example, proxies on certain non-U.S. securities that might impose costly or time-consuming in-person voting requirements). With regard to the relationship between securities lending and proxy voting,
BFA’s approach is also driven by each Fund's economic interests. The evaluation of the economic desirability of recalling loans involves balancing the revenue-producing value of loans against the likely economic value of casting votes. Based
on our evaluation of this relationship, we believe that the likely economic value of casting a vote generally is less than the securities lending income, either because the votes will not have significant economic consequences or because the outcome
of the vote would not be affected by BFA recalling loaned securities in order to ensure they are voted. Periodically, BFA analyzes the process and benefits of voting proxies for securities on loan, and
28
Table of Contents
will consider whether any modification of its proxy voting policies or
procedures are necessary in light of any regulatory changes. BFA will normally vote on specific proxy issues in accordance with its proxy voting guidelines. BFA’s proxy voting guidelines provide detailed guidance as to how to vote proxies on
certain important or commonly raised issues. BFA may, in the exercise of its business judgment, conclude that the proxy voting guidelines do not cover the specific matter upon which a proxy vote is requested, or that an exception to the proxy voting
guidelines would be in the best economic interests of a Fund. BFA votes (or refrains from voting) proxies without regard to the relationship of the issuer of the proxy (or any shareholder of such issuer) to a Fund, a Fund’s affiliates (if
any), BFA or BFA’s affiliates, or the Distributor or the Distributor’s affiliates. When voting proxies, BFA attempts to encourage issuers to follow practices that enhance shareholder value and increase transparency and allow the market
to place a proper value on their assets. With respect to certain specific issues:
| • | Each Fund generally supports the board’s nominees in the election of directors and generally supports proposals that strengthen the independence of boards of directors; |
| • | When a director has committed himself or herself to service on more than four public company boards (but no more than six public company boards in most circumstances), a Fund will consider such director’s individual circumstances in determining whether the director will be able to commit sufficient focus and time to a particular company; |
| • | Each Fund generally defers to an issuer’s choice of auditors so long as the corporate auditors represent the interests of shareholders and provide an independent view of the propriety of financial reporting decisions of management; |
| • | Each Fund generally favors disclosure of a company’s compensation and benefits policies and opposes excessive compensation, but believes that compensation matters are normally best determined by a company’s board of directors; |
| • | Each Fund generally expects to support capital structure requests that it believes enhance the rights of common shareholders and oppose requests that appear to be unreasonably dilutive; |
| • | Each Fund generally does not support proposals on social issues that lack a demonstrable economic benefit to the issuer and the Fund investing in such issuer; and |
| • | Each Fund generally votes against anti-takeover proposals and proposals that would create additional barriers or costs to corporate transactions that are likely to deliver a premium to shareholders. |
BFA maintains institutional policies and procedures that are
designed to prevent any relationship between the issuer of the proxy (or any shareholder of the issuer) and a Fund, a Fund’s affiliates (if any), BFA or BFA’s affiliates (if any) or the Distributor or the Distributor’s affiliates,
from having undue influence on BFA’s proxy voting activity. In certain instances, BFA may determine to engage an independent fiduciary to vote proxies as a further safeguard against potential conflicts of interest or as otherwise required by
applicable law. The independent fiduciary may either vote such proxies or provide BFA with instructions as to how to vote such proxies. In the latter case, BFA votes the proxy in accordance with the independent fiduciary’s determination.
Information with respect to how BFA voted proxies relating to
the Funds' portfolio securities during the 12-month period ended June 30 is available: (i) without charge, upon request, by calling 1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737) or through the Funds' website at
www.iShares.com; and (ii) on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
Portfolio Holdings Information
The Board has adopted a policy regarding the disclosure of the
Funds' portfolio holdings information that requires that such information be disclosed in a manner that: (i) is consistent with applicable legal requirements and in the best interests of each Fund’s respective shareholders; (ii) does not put
the interests of BFA, the Distributor or any affiliated person of BFA or the Distributor, above those of Fund shareholders; (iii) does not advantage any current or prospective Fund shareholders over any other current or prospective Fund
shareholders, except to the extent that certain Entities (as described below) may receive portfolio holdings information not available to other current or prospective Fund shareholders in connection with the dissemination of information necessary
for transactions in Creation Units, as discussed below, and certain information may be provided to personnel of BFA and its affiliates who manage funds that invest a significant percentage of their assets in shares of the Fund for the purpose of
facilitating risk management and hedging activities; and (iv) does not provide selective access to portfolio holdings information except pursuant to the procedures outlined below and to the extent appropriate confidentiality arrangements limiting
the use of such information are in effect. The “Entities” referred to in sub-section (iii)
29
Table of Contents
above are generally limited to National Securities Clearing Corporation
(“NSCC”) members, subscribers to various fee-based subscription services, large institutional investors (known as “Authorized Participants”) that have been authorized by the Distributor to purchase and redeem large blocks of
shares pursuant to legal requirements and market makers and other institutional market participants and entities that provide information or transactional services.
Each business day, each Fund's portfolio holdings information
is provided to the Distributor or other agent for dissemination through the facilities of the NSCC and/or other fee-based subscription services to NSCC members and/or subscribers to those other fee-based subscription services, including market
makers and Authorized Participants, and to entities that publish and/or analyze such information in connection with the process of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units or trading shares of the Funds in the secondary market or evaluating such
potential transactions. This information typically reflects each Fund’s anticipated holdings on the following business day.
Daily access to information concerning the Funds' portfolio
holdings is permitted (i) to certain personnel of those service providers that are involved in portfolio management and providing administrative, operational, risk management, or other support to portfolio management; and (ii) to other personnel of
BFA, the Distributor and their affiliates, and the administrator, custodian and fund accountant who deal directly with, or assist in, functions related to investment management, distribution, administration, custody, securities lending and fund
accounting, as may be necessary to conduct business in the ordinary course in a manner consistent with federal securities laws and regulations thereunder. In addition, each Fund discloses its fixed income and equity portfolio holdings daily at www.iShares.com. More information about this disclosure is available at www.iShares.com.
Portfolio holdings information made available in connection
with the creation/redemption process may be provided to other entities that provide services to the Funds in the ordinary course of business after it has been disseminated to the NSCC. From time to time, information concerning portfolio holdings
other than portfolio holdings information made available in connection with the creation/redemption process, as discussed above, may be provided to other entities that provide services to the Funds, including rating or ranking organizations, in the
ordinary course of business, no earlier than one business day following the date of the information.
Each Fund discloses its complete portfolio holdings schedule
in public filings with the SEC within 70 days of the end of the second and fourth fiscal quarters and within 60 days of the end of the first and third fiscal quarters and will provide that information to shareholders as required by federal
securities laws and regulations thereunder. A Fund may, however, voluntarily disclose all or part of its portfolio holdings other than in connection with the creation/redemption process, as discussed above, in advance of required filings with the
SEC, provided that such information is made generally available to all shareholders and other interested parties in a manner that is consistent with the above policy for disclosure of portfolio holdings information. Such information may be made
available through a publicly-available website or other means that make the information available to all likely interested parties contemporaneously.
The Company's Chief Compliance Officer or his delegate may
authorize disclosure of portfolio holdings information pursuant to the above policy and procedures.
The Board reviews the policy and procedures for disclosure of
portfolio holdings information at least annually.
Construction and Maintenance of the Underlying Indexes
Descriptions of the Underlying Indexes are provided
below.
The MSCI Indexes
The MSCI indexes were founded in 1969 by Capital International
S.A. as the first international performance benchmarks constructed to facilitate accurate comparison of world markets. The MSCI single country standard equity indexes have covered the world's developed markets since 1969 and in 1987 MSCI commenced
coverage of emerging markets.
Local stock exchanges
traditionally calculated their own indexes, which were generally not comparable with one another due to differences in the representation of the local market, mathematical formulas, base dates and methods of adjusting for
30
Table of Contents
capital changes. MSCI, however, applies the same calculation methodology to
all markets for all single country standard equity indexes, both developed and emerging.
MSCI's Global Investable Market Indexes (the “MSCI
GIMI”) provide exhaustive coverage and non-overlapping market segmentation by market capitalization size and by style. The MSCI GIMI intends to target approximately 99% coverage of the free float-adjusted market capitalization in each market
of large-, mid- and small-cap securities.
| • | MSCI Global Standard Indexes cover all investable large- and mid-cap securities by including approximately 85% of each market's free float-adjusted market capitalization. |
| • | MSCI Global Small Cap Indexes provide coverage to all companies with a market capitalization below that of the companies in the MSCI Global Standard Indexes by including above and beyond the coverage of the MSCI Global Standard Indexes. |
MSCI Global Investable Market
Indexes
Selection Criteria. MSCI's index construction process involves: (i) defining the equity universe; (ii) determining the market investable equity universe for each market; (iii) determining market capitalization size segments for each
market; (iv) applying final size segment investability requirements; and (v) applying index continuity rules for the MSCI Global Standard Index.
Defining the Equity Universe.
MSCI begins with securities listed in countries in the MSCI GIMI. Of these countries, as of June 2, 2014, 23 are classified as developed markets, 23 as emerging markets, and 24 as frontier markets. All listed equity securities and listed securities
that exhibit characteristics of equity securities, except mutual funds, exchange traded funds, equity derivatives, limited partnerships and most investment trusts, are eligible for inclusion in the equity universe. REITs in some countries and
certain income trusts in Canada are also eligible for inclusion. Each company and its securities (i.e., share classes) are classified in only one
country.
Determining the Market Investable Equity
Universe for Each Market. The equity universe in any market is derived by applying investability screens to individual companies and securities in the equity universe of that market. Some investability requirements
are applied at the individual security level and some at the overall company level, represented by the aggregation of individual securities of the company. As a result, the inclusion or exclusion of one security does not imply the automatic
inclusion or exclusion of other securities of the same company.
Determining Market Capitalization Size Segments for Each Market. In each market, MSCI creates an Investable Market Index, Standard Index, Large Cap Index, Mid Cap Index and Small Cap Index. The MSCI Global Standard Index is the aggregation of the Large Cap Index and Mid Cap Index.
The MSCI GIMI is the aggregation of the MSCI Global Standard Index and MSCI Global Small Cap Index. In order to create size components that can be meaningfully aggregated into composites, individual market size segments balance the following two
objectives:
| • | Achieving global size integrity by ensuring that companies of comparable and relevant sizes are included in a given size segment across all markets in a composite index; and |
| • | Achieving consistent market coverage by ensuring that each market's size segment is represented in its proportional weight in the composite universe. |
Applying Final Size Segment Investability Requirements. In order to enhance replicability of the indexes, additional size segment investability requirements are set for the MSCI GIMI and MSCI Global Standard Index. These investability requirements include minimum free
float-adjusted market capitalization, minimum liquidity, minimum foreign limits and minimum length of trading.
Applying Index Continuity Rules for the Standard Index. In order to achieve index continuity as well as provide some basic level of diversification within a market index, notwithstanding the effect of other index construction rules contained herein, a minimum number of five
constituents will be maintained for a developed market Standard Index and a minimum number of three constituents will be maintained for an emerging market Standard Index.
Weighting. All indexes of the
MSCI GIMI are free float weighted, i.e., companies are included in the indexes at the value of their free public float (free float multiplied by
security price).
31
Table of Contents
Regional Weights. Market
capitalization weighting, combined with a consistent target of approximately 99% of free float-adjusted market capitalization, helps ensure that each country's weight in regional and international indexes approximates its weight in the total
universe of developing and emerging markets. A market is equivalent to a single country except for developed Europe, where all markets are aggregated into a single market for index construction purposes. Individual country indexes of the European
developed markets are derived from the constituents of the MSCI GIMI Europe Index.
Free Float. MSCI defines the
free float of a security as the proportion of shares outstanding that are deemed to be available for purchase in the public equity markets by international investors. In practice, limitations on free float available to international investors
include: (i) strategic and other shareholdings not considered part of available free float; and (ii) limits on share ownership for foreigners.
Under MSCI's free float-adjustment methodology, a
constituent's inclusion factor is equal to its estimated free float rounded-up to the closest 5% for constituents with free float equal to or exceeding 15%. For example, a constituent security with a free float of 23.2% will be included in the index
at 25% of its market capitalization. For securities with a free float of less than 15%, the estimated free float is adjusted to the nearest 1%.
Price and Exchange Rates
Prices. The prices used to
calculate all MSCI indexes are the official exchange closing prices or those figures accepted as such. MSCI reserves the right to use an alternative pricing source on any given day.
Exchange Rates. Since July
2000, MSCI uses the WM/Reuters Closing Spot Rates taken at 4:00 p.m. London time. In case WM/Reuters does not provide rates for specific markets on given days (for example, Christmas Day and New Year's Day), the previous business day's rates are
normally used. MSCI independently monitors the exchange rates on all its indexes. MSCI may under exceptional circumstances elect to use alternative sources of exchange rates if the WM/Reuters rates are not available, or if MSCI determines that the
WM/Reuters rates are not reflective of market circumstances for a given currency on a particular day. In such circumstances, an announcement would be sent to clients with the related information. If appropriate, MSCI may conduct a consultation with
the investment community to gather feedback on the most relevant exchange rate.
Changes to the Indexes. The
MSCI GIMI is maintained with the objective of reflecting, on a timely basis, the evolution of the underlying equity markets. In maintaining the MSCI indexes, emphasis is also placed on continuity, replicability and minimizing turnover in the
indexes. Maintaining the MSCI indexes involves many aspects, including (i) additions to, and deletions from, the indexes; (ii) changes in number of shares; and (iii) changes in inclusion factors as a result of updated free float
estimates.
Index maintenance can be described by
three broad categories of changes:
| • | Semi-Annual Index Reviews (“SAIRs”), conducted on a fixed semi-annual timetable that systematically reassess the various dimensions of the equity universe for all markets; |
| • | Quarterly Index Reviews (“QIRs”), aimed at promptly reflecting other significant market events; and |
| • | Ongoing event-related changes, such as mergers, acquisitions, spin-offs, bankruptcies, reorganizations and other similar corporate events, which generally are implemented in the indexes as they occur. |
Potential changes in the status of countries (stand-alone,
frontier, emerging and developed) follow their own implementation time tables.
MSCI conducts SAIRs generally as of the close of the last
business day of May and November. During the SAIRs, MSCI updates the investable equity universe and reassesses size segmentation investability requirements. MSCI also conducts QIRs generally as of the close of the last business day of February and
August. During the QIRs, MSCI reflects changes in the index that were not captured at the time of their actual occurrence, but are significant enough to be included before the next SAIR. The results of the SAIR and QIR are generally announced at
least ten business days in advance of implementation.
MSCI
25/50 Indexes
Each of the MSCI 25/50 Indexes (the
“25/50 Indexes”) is a sub-index of either an MSCI Global Standard Index or an MSCI GIMI. Their construction reflects the diversification requirements applicable to RICs pursuant to Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code. The 25/50
Indexes are free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted indexes with a capping
32
Table of Contents
methodology applied to issuer weights so that no single issuer of a component
exceeds 25% of index weight, and all issuers with a weight above 5% do not exceed 50% of the index weight. A software application called the Barra Optimizer is utilized to calculate the capped index weights through an optimization function which is
aimed at minimizing index turnover, tracking error and extreme deviation from the uncapped index.
MSCI ACWI Select Gold Miners Investable Market Index (IMI)
Number of Components:
approximately 36
Index Description. The MSCI ACWI Select Gold Miners IMI is a capped free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index comprised of companies primarily engaged in the business of gold mining in both developed and emerging
markets.
Calculation Methodology. The Fund utilizes the Underlying Index calculated with net dividends reinvested. MSCI uses the index constituent companies’ country of incorporation to determine the relevant dividend withholding tax rates in
calculating the net dividends. Effective December 1, 2009, the regular cash dividend is reinvested after deduction of withholding tax by applying the maximum rate of the company’s country of incorporation applicable to institutional investors.
Net dividends means dividends after taxes withheld at the rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties. Such withholding rates may differ from those applicable to U.S.
residents.
MSCI ACWI Select Silver Miners
Investable Market Index (IMI)
Number of Components: approximately 30
Index Description. The MSCI
ACWI Select Silver Miners IMI is a capped free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index compromised of companies primarily engaged in the business of silver mining in both developed and emerging markets.
Calculation Methodology. The
Fund utilizes the Underlying Index calculated with net dividends reinvested. MSCI uses the index constituent companies’ country of incorporation to determine the relevant dividend withholding tax rates in calculating the net dividends.
Effective December 1, 2009, the regular cash dividend is reinvested after deduction of withholding tax by applying the maximum rate of the company’s country of incorporation applicable to institutional investors. Net dividends means dividends
after taxes withheld at the rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties. Such withholding rates may differ from those applicable to U.S. residents.
MSCI Australia Index
Number of Components:
approximately 69
Index Description. The MSCI Australia Index consists of stocks traded primarily on the Australian Stock Exchange.
Calculation Methodology. The
Fund utilizes the Underlying Index calculated with net dividends reinvested. MSCI uses the index constituent companies’ country of incorporation to determine the relevant dividend withholding tax rates in calculating the net dividends.
Effective December 1, 2009, the regular cash dividend is reinvested after deduction of withholding tax by applying the maximum rate of the company’s country of incorporation applicable to institutional investors. Net dividends means dividends
after taxes withheld at the rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties. Such withholding rates may differ from those applicable to U.S. residents.
MSCI Austria Investable Market Index (IMI) 25/50
Number of Components:
approximately 28
Index Description. The MSCI Austria IMI 25/50 consists of stocks traded primarily on the Vienna Stock Exchange.
Calculation Methodology. The
Fund utilizes the Underlying Index calculated with net dividends reinvested. MSCI uses the index constituent companies’ country of incorporation to determine the relevant dividend withholding tax rates in calculating the net dividends.
Effective December 1, 2009, the regular cash dividend is reinvested after deduction of withholding tax by applying the maximum rate of the company’s country of incorporation applicable to institutional investors. Net dividends means dividends
after taxes withheld at the rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties. Such withholding rates may differ from those applicable to U.S. residents.
MSCI Belgium Investable Market Index (IMI) 25/50
Number of Components:
approximately 42
33
Table of Contents
Index Description. The MSCI
Belgium IMI 25/50 consists of stocks traded primarily on the Brussels Stock Exchange.
Calculation Methodology. The
Fund utilizes the Underlying Index calculated with net dividends reinvested. MSCI uses the index constituent companies’ country of incorporation to determine the relevant dividend withholding tax rates in calculating the net dividends.
Effective December 1, 2009, the regular cash dividend is reinvested after deduction of withholding tax by applying the maximum rate of the company’s country of incorporation applicable to institutional investors. Net dividends means dividends
after taxes withheld at the rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties. Such withholding rates may differ from those applicable to U.S. residents.
MSCI Canada Index
Number of Components:
approximately 95
Index Description. The MSCI Canada Index consists of stocks traded primarily on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
Calculation Methodology. The
Fund utilizes the Underlying Index calculated with net dividends reinvested. MSCI uses the index constituent companies’ country of incorporation to determine the relevant dividend withholding tax rates in calculating the net dividends.
Effective December 1, 2009, the regular cash dividend is reinvested after deduction of withholding tax by applying the maximum rate of the company’s country of incorporation applicable to institutional investors. Net dividends means dividends
after taxes withheld at the rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties. Such withholding rates may differ from those applicable to U.S. residents.
MSCI EMU Index
Number of Components:
approximately 238
Index Description. The MSCI EMU Index consists of stocks from the following 10 markets: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.
Calculation Methodology. The
Fund utilizes the Underlying Index calculated with net dividends reinvested. MSCI uses the index constituent companies’ country of incorporation to determine the relevant dividend withholding tax rates in calculating the net dividends.
Effective December 1, 2009, the regular cash dividend is reinvested after deduction of withholding tax by applying the maximum rate of the company’s country of incorporation applicable to institutional investors. Net dividends means dividends
after taxes withheld at the rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties. Such withholding rates may differ from those applicable to U.S. residents.
MSCI France Index
Number of Components:
approximately 73
Index Description. The MSCI France Index consists of stocks traded primarily on the Paris Stock Exchange.
Calculation Methodology. The
Fund utilizes the Underlying Index calculated with net dividends reinvested. MSCI uses the index constituent companies’ country of incorporation to determine the relevant dividend withholding tax rates in calculating the net dividends.
Effective December 1, 2009, the regular cash dividend is reinvested after deduction of withholding tax by applying the maximum rate of the company’s country of incorporation applicable to institutional investors. Net dividends means dividends
after taxes withheld at the rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties. Such withholding rates may differ from those applicable to U.S. residents.
MSCI Germany Index
Number of Components:
approximately 54
Index Description. The MSCI Germany Index consists of stocks traded primarily on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
Calculation Methodology. The
Fund utilizes the Underlying Index calculated with net dividends reinvested. MSCI uses the index constituent companies’ country of incorporation to determine the relevant dividend withholding tax rates in calculating the net dividends.
Effective December 1, 2009, the regular cash dividend is reinvested after deduction of withholding tax by applying the maximum rate of the company’s country of incorporation applicable to institutional investors. Net dividends means dividends
after taxes withheld at the rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties. Such withholding rates may differ from those applicable to U.S. residents.
34
Table of Contents
MSCI Hong Kong Index
Number of Components:
approximately 39
Index Description. The MSCI Hong Kong Index consists of stocks traded primarily on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (SEHK).
Calculation Methodology. The
Fund utilizes the Underlying Index calculated with net dividends reinvested. MSCI uses the index constituent companies’ country of incorporation to determine the relevant dividend withholding tax rates in calculating the net dividends.
Effective December 1, 2009, the regular cash dividend is reinvested after deduction of withholding tax by applying the maximum rate of the company’s country of incorporation applicable to institutional investors. Net dividends means dividends
after taxes withheld at the rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties. Such withholding rates may differ from those applicable to U.S. residents.
MSCI Israel Capped Investable Market Index (IMI)
Number of Components:
approximately 51
Index Description. The MSCI Israel Capped IMI consists of stocks traded primarily on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.
Calculation Methodology. The
Fund utilizes the Underlying Index calculated with net dividends reinvested. MSCI uses the index constituent companies’ country of incorporation to determine the relevant dividend withholding tax rates in calculating the net dividends.
Effective December 1, 2009, the regular cash dividend is reinvested after deduction of withholding tax by applying the maximum rate of the company’s country of incorporation applicable to institutional investors. Net dividends means dividends
after taxes withheld at the rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties. Such withholding rates may differ from those applicable to U.S. residents.
MSCI Italy 25/50 Index
Number of Components:
approximately 26
Index Description. The MSCI Italy 25/50 Index consists of stocks traded primarily on the Milan Stock Exchange.
Calculation Methodology. The
Fund utilizes the Underlying Index calculated with net dividends reinvested. MSCI uses the index constituent companies’ country of incorporation to determine the relevant dividend withholding tax rates in calculating the net dividends.
Effective December 1, 2009, the regular cash dividend is reinvested after deduction of withholding tax by applying the maximum rate of the company’s country of incorporation applicable to institutional investors. Net dividends means dividends
after taxes withheld at the rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties. Such withholding rates may differ from those applicable to U.S. residents.
MSCI Japan Index
Number of Components:
approximately 311
Index Description. The MSCI Japan Index consists of stocks traded primarily on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Calculation Methodology. The
Fund utilizes the Underlying Index calculated with net dividends reinvested. MSCI uses the index constituent companies’ country of incorporation to determine the relevant dividend withholding tax rates in calculating the net dividends.
Effective December 1, 2009, the regular cash dividend is reinvested after deduction of withholding tax by applying the maximum rate of the company’s country of incorporation applicable to institutional investors. Net dividends means dividends
after taxes withheld at the rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties. Such withholding rates may differ from those applicable to U.S. residents.
MSCI Japan Small Cap Index
Number of Components:
approximately 860
Index Description. The MSCI Japan Small Cap Index targets a coverage range between 85% and 99% of the free float-adjusted market capitalization, which consists of stocks traded primarily on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Calculation Methodology. The
Fund utilizes the Underlying Index calculated with net dividends reinvested. MSCI uses the index constituent companies’ country of incorporation to determine the relevant dividend withholding tax rates in calculating the net dividends.
Effective December 1, 2009, the regular cash dividend is reinvested after deduction of withholding tax by
35
Table of Contents
applying the maximum rate of the company’s country of incorporation
applicable to institutional investors. Net dividends means dividends after taxes withheld at the rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties. Such withholding rates may differ from those
applicable to U.S. residents.
MSCI Mexico Investable
Market Index (IMI) 25/50
Number of Components: approximately 56
Index Description. The MSCI
Mexico IMI 25/50 consists of stocks traded primarily on the Mexican Stock Exchange.
Calculation Methodology. The
Fund utilizes the Underlying Index calculated with net dividends reinvested. MSCI uses the index constituent companies’ country of incorporation to determine the relevant dividend withholding tax rates in calculating the net dividends.
Effective December 1, 2009, the regular cash dividend is reinvested after deduction of withholding tax by applying the maximum rate of the company’s country of incorporation applicable to institutional investors. Net dividends means dividends
after taxes withheld at the rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties. Such withholding rates may differ from those applicable to U.S. residents.
MSCI Netherlands Investable Market Index (IMI)
Number of Components:
approximately 50
Index Description. The MSCI Netherlands IMI consists of stocks traded primarily on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange.
Calculation Methodology. The
Fund utilizes the Underlying Index calculated with net dividends reinvested. MSCI uses the index constituent companies’ country of incorporation to determine the relevant dividend withholding tax rates in calculating the net dividends.
Effective December 1, 2009, the regular cash dividend is reinvested after deduction of withholding tax by applying the maximum rate of the company’s country of incorporation applicable to institutional investors. Net dividends means dividends
after taxes withheld at the rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties. Such withholding rates may differ from those applicable to U.S. residents.
MSCI Pacific ex Japan Index
Number of Components:
approximately 143
Index Description. The MSCI Pacific ex Japan Index is designed to measure equity market performance in the Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Singapore equity markets.
Calculation Methodology. The
Fund utilizes the Underlying Index calculated with net dividends reinvested. MSCI uses the index constituent companies’ country of incorporation to determine the relevant dividend withholding tax rates in calculating the net dividends.
Effective December 1, 2009, the regular cash dividend is reinvested after deduction of withholding tax by applying the maximum rate of the company’s country of incorporation applicable to institutional investors. Net dividends means dividends
after taxes withheld at the rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties. Such withholding rates may differ from those applicable to U.S. residents.
MSCI Singapore Index
Number of Components:
approximately 29
Index Description. The MSCI Singapore Index consists of stocks traded primarily on the Singapore Stock Exchange.
Calculation Methodology. The
Fund utilizes the Underlying Index calculated with net dividends reinvested. MSCI uses the index constituent companies’ country of incorporation to determine the relevant dividend withholding tax rates in calculating the net dividends.
Effective December 1, 2009, the regular cash dividend is reinvested after deduction of withholding tax by applying the maximum rate of the company’s country of incorporation applicable to institutional investors. Net dividends means dividends
after taxes withheld at the rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties. Such withholding rates may differ from those applicable to U.S. residents.
MSCI South Africa Index
Number of Components:
approximately 50
Index Description. The MSCI South Africa Index consists of stocks traded primarily on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
36
Table of Contents
Calculation Methodology. The
Fund utilizes the Underlying Index calculated with net dividends reinvested. MSCI uses the index constituent companies’ country of incorporation to determine the relevant dividend withholding tax rates in calculating the net dividends.
Effective December 1, 2009, the regular cash dividend is reinvested after deduction of withholding tax by applying the maximum rate of the company’s country of incorporation applicable to institutional investors. Net dividends means dividends
after taxes withheld at the rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties. Such withholding rates may differ from those applicable to U.S. residents.
MSCI Spain 25/50 Index
Number of Components:
approximately 22
Index Description. The MSCI Spain 25/50 Index consists of stocks traded primarily on the Madrid Stock Exchange.
Calculation Methodology. The
Fund utilizes the Underlying Index calculated with net dividends reinvested. MSCI uses the index constituent companies’ country of incorporation to determine the relevant dividend withholding tax rates in calculating the net dividends.
Effective December 1, 2009, the regular cash dividend is reinvested after deduction of withholding tax by applying the maximum rate of the company’s country of incorporation applicable to institutional investors. Net dividends means dividends
after taxes withheld at the rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties. Such withholding rates may differ from those applicable to U.S. residents.
MSCI Sweden Index
Number of Components:
approximately 30
Index Description. The MSCI Sweden Index consists of stocks traded primarily on the Stockholm Stock Exchange.
Calculation Methodology. The
Fund utilizes the Underlying Index calculated with net dividends reinvested. MSCI uses the index constituent companies’ country of incorporation to determine the relevant dividend withholding tax rates in calculating the net dividends.
Effective December 1, 2009, the regular cash dividend is reinvested after deduction of withholding tax by applying the maximum rate of the company’s country of incorporation applicable to institutional investors. Net dividends means dividends
after taxes withheld at the rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties. Such withholding rates may differ from those applicable to U.S. residents.
MSCI Switzerland 25/50 Index
Number of Components:
approximately 38
Index Description. The MSCI Switzerland 25/50 Index consists of stocks traded primarily on the Zurich Stock Exchange.
Calculation Methodology. The
Fund utilizes the Underlying Index calculated with net dividends reinvested. MSCI uses the index constituent companies’ country of incorporation to determine the relevant dividend withholding tax rates in calculating the net dividends.
Effective December 1, 2009, the regular cash dividend is reinvested after deduction of withholding tax by applying the maximum rate of the company’s country of incorporation applicable to institutional investors. Net dividends means dividends
after taxes withheld at the rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties. Such withholding rates may differ from those applicable to U.S. residents.
MSCI Thailand Investable Market Index (IMI) 25/50
Number of Components:
approximately 120
Index Description. The MSCI Thailand IMI 25/50 consists of stocks traded primarily on the Stock Exchange of Thailand.
Calculation Methodology. The
Fund utilizes the Underlying Index calculated with net dividends reinvested. MSCI uses the index constituent companies’ country of incorporation to determine the relevant dividend withholding tax rates in calculating the net dividends.
Effective December 1, 2009, the regular cash dividend is reinvested after deduction of withholding tax by applying the maximum rate of the company’s country of incorporation applicable to institutional investors. Net dividends means dividends
after taxes withheld at the rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties. Such withholding rates may differ from those applicable to U.S. residents.
37
Table of Contents
MSCI Turkey Investable Market Index (IMI)
Number of Components:
approximately 84
Index Description. The MSCI Turkey IMI consists of stocks traded primarily on the Istanbul Stock Exchange (ISE).
Calculation Methodology. The
Fund utilizes the Underlying Index calculated with net dividends reinvested. MSCI uses the index constituent companies’ country of incorporation to determine the relevant dividend withholding tax rates in calculating the net dividends.
Effective December 1, 2009, the regular cash dividend is reinvested after deduction of withholding tax by applying the maximum rate of the company’s country of incorporation applicable to institutional investors. Net dividends means dividends
after taxes withheld at the rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties. Such withholding rates may differ from those applicable to U.S. residents.
MSCI USA Equal Weighted Index
Number of Components:
approximately 627
Index Description. The MSCI USA Equal Weighted Index (the “Underlying Index”) is an alternative weighting scheme to its market capitalization-weighted parent index, the MSCI USA Index (the “Parent Index”), which is
designed to measure the performance of equity securities in the top 85% by market capitalization of equity securities listed on stock exchanges in the United States. On each index rebalance date, the Underlying Index applies equal weights to the
securities of the Parent Index. Between each rebalance date, the weight of the securities in the Underlying Index may deviate from the equal weighting applied on the prior rebalance date depending on the performance of each security.
Calculation Methodology. The
Underlying Index includes the same constituents as its Parent Index and is rebalanced in February, May, August and November. The Fund utilizes the Underlying Index calculated with net dividends reinvested. MSCI uses the relevant U.S. dividend
withholding tax rates in calculating the net dividends. The regular cash dividend is reinvested after deduction of withholding tax by applying the maximum U.S. rate applicable to institutional investors. Net dividends means dividends after taxes
withheld at the rate applicable to U.S. resident institutional investors.
MSCI World Index
Number of Components:
approximately 1,611
Index Description. The MSCI World Index is designed to measure the performance of equity securities in the top 85% of equity market capitalization, in certain developed market countries.
Calculation Methodology. The
Fund utilizes the Underlying Index calculated with net dividends reinvested. MSCI uses the index constituent companies’ country of incorporation to determine the relevant dividend withholding tax rates in calculating the net dividends.
Effective December 1, 2009, the regular cash dividend is reinvested after deduction of withholding tax by applying the maximum rate of the company’s country of incorporation applicable to institutional investors. Net dividends means dividends
after taxes withheld at the rate applicable to non-resident institutional investors who do not benefit from double taxation treaties. Such withholding rates may differ from those applicable to U.S. residents.
Additional Information.
“MSCI,” MSCI ACWI Select Gold Miners IMI, MSCI ACWI Select Silver Miners IMI, MSCI Australia Index, MSCI Austria IMI 25/50, MSCI Belgium IMI 25/50, MSCI Canada Index, MSCI EMU Index, MSCI France Index, MSCI Germany Index, MSCI Hong Kong
Index, MSCI Israel Capped IMI, MSCI Italy 25/50 Index, MSCI Japan Index, MSCI Japan Small Cap Index, MSCI Mexico IMI 25/50, MSCI Netherlands IMI, MSCI Pacific ex Japan Index, MSCI Singapore Index, MSCI South Africa Index, MSCI Spain 25/50 Index,
MSCI Sweden Index, MSCI Switzerland 25/50 Index, MSCI Thailand IMI 25/50, MSCI Turkey IMI, MSCI USA Equal Weighted Index and MSCI World Index are servicemarks of MSCI Inc. and have been licensed for use by BFA or its affiliates. The Funds are
neither sponsored, endorsed, sold nor promoted by MSCI Inc., and MSCI Inc. makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in any of the Funds.
Investment Limitations
The Board has adopted as non-fundamental policies the
investment objectives of the Funds discussed in this SAI. Therefore, each of these Funds may change its investment objective and its Underlying Index without a shareholder vote. The Board has adopted as fundamental policies the following numbered
investment restrictions, which cannot be changed without the approval of the holders of a majority of the applicable Fund’s outstanding voting securities. A vote of a majority of the
38
Table of Contents
outstanding voting securities is defined in the 1940 Act as the lesser of (a)
67% or more of the voting securities present at a fund meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities are present or represented by proxy, and (b) more than 50% of outstanding voting securities.
The iShares MSCI Australia ETF, iShares MSCI Canada ETF, iShares
MSCI Germany ETF, iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF, iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF, iShares MSCI Pacific ex Japan ETF, iShares MSCI Singapore ETF, iShares MSCI South Africa ETF and iShares Switzerland Capped ETF will not:
| 1. | Lend any funds or other assets except through the purchase of all or a portion of an issue of securities or obligations of the type in which it is permitted to invest (including participation interests in such securities or obligations) and except that a Fund may lend its portfolio securities in an amount not to exceed 33 1/3% of the value of its total assets; |
| 2. | Issue senior securities or borrow money, except borrowings from banks for temporary or emergency purposes in an amount up to 33 1/3% of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including the amount borrowed), valued at the lesser of cost or market, less liabilities (not including the amount borrowed) valued at the time the borrowing is made, and the Fund will not purchase securities while borrowings in excess of 5% of the Fund’s total assets are outstanding, provided, that for purposes of this restriction, short-term credits necessary for the clearance of transactions are not considered borrowings; |
| 3. | Pledge, hypothecate, mortgage or otherwise encumber its assets, except to secure permitted borrowings. (The deposit of underlying securities and other assets in escrow and collateral arrangements with respect to initial or variation margin for currency transactions and futures contracts will not be deemed to be pledges of the Fund’s assets); |
| 4. | Purchase a security (other than obligations of the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities) if as a result 25% or more of its total assets would be invested in a single issuer. (This restriction applies to the iShares MSCI Singapore ETF only); |
| 5. | Purchase, hold or deal in real estate, or oil, gas or mineral interests or leases, but a Fund may purchase and sell securities that are issued by companies that invest or deal in such assets; |
| 6. | Act as an underwriter of securities of other issuers, except to the extent the Fund may be deemed an underwriter in connection with the sale of securities in its portfolio; |
| 7. | Purchase securities on margin, except for such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of transactions, except that a Fund may make margin deposits in connection with transactions in currencies, options, futures and options on futures; |
| 8. | Sell securities short; or |
| 9. | Invest in commodities or commodity contracts, except that a Fund may buy and sell currencies and forward contracts with respect thereto, and may transact in futures contracts on securities, stock indices and currencies and options on such futures contracts and make margin deposits in connection with such contracts. |
The iShares MSCI Austria Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Belgium Capped
ETF, iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF, iShares MSCI France ETF, iShares MSCI Italy Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Japan ETF, iShares MSCI Mexico Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Spain Capped ETF and iShares MSCI Sweden ETF will not:
| 1. | Make loans, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, as amended, and as interpreted, modified or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time; |
| 2. | Issue any senior security, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, as amended, and as interpreted, modified or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time; |
| 3. | Pledge, hypothecate, mortgage or otherwise encumber its assets, except to secure permitted borrowings. (The deposit of underlying securities and other assets in escrow and collateral arrangements with respect to initial or variation margin for currency transactions and futures contracts will not be deemed to be pledges of the Fund’s assets); |
| 4. | Purchase, hold or deal in real estate, or oil, gas or mineral interests or leases, but a Fund may purchase and sell securities that are issued by companies that invest or deal in such assets; |
39
Table of Contents
| 5. | Act as an underwriter of securities of other issuers, except to the extent the Fund may be deemed an underwriter in connection with the sale of securities in its portfolio; |
| 6. | Purchase securities on margin, except for such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of transactions, except that a Fund may make margin deposits in connection with transactions in currencies, options, futures and options on futures; |
| 7. | Sell securities short; or |
| 8. | Invest in commodities or commodity contracts, except that a Fund may buy and sell currencies and forward contracts with respect thereto, and may transact in futures contracts on securities, stock indices and currencies and options on such futures contracts and make margin deposits in connection with such contracts. |
The iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF, iShares MSCI Global
Silver Miners ETF, iShares MSCI Israel Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Japan Small-Cap ETF, iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Turkey ETF, iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF and iShares MSCI World ETF will not:
| 1. | Concentrate its investments (i.e., invest 25% or more of its total assets in the securities of a particular industry or group of industries), except that a Fund will concentrate to approximately the same extent that its Underlying Index concentrates in the securities of such particular industry or group of industries. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities), repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities, and securities of state or municipal governments and their political subdivisions are not considered to be issued by members of any industry; |
| 2. | Borrow money, except that (i) each Fund may borrow from banks for temporary or emergency (not leveraging) purposes, including the meeting of redemption requests which might otherwise require the untimely disposition of securities, and (ii) each Fund may, to the extent consistent with its investment policies, enter into repurchase agreements, reverse repurchase agreements, forward roll transactions and similar investment strategies and techniques; |
| To the extent that it engages in transactions described in (i) and (ii), each Fund will be limited so that no more than 33 1/3% of the value of its total assets (including the amount borrowed) is derived from such transactions. Any borrowings which come to exceed this amount will be reduced in accordance with applicable law; | |
| 3. | Issue any senior security, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, as amended, and as interpreted, modified or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time; |
| 4. | Make loans, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, as interpreted, modified or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time; |
| 5. | Purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other investments (but this restriction shall not prevent each Fund from investing in securities of companies engaged in the real estate business or securities or other instruments backed by real estate or mortgages), or commodities or commodity contracts (but this restriction shall not prevent each Fund from trading in futures contracts and options on futures contracts, including options on currencies to the extent consistent with each Fund's investment objectives and policies); or |
| 6. | Engage in the business of underwriting securities issued by other persons, except to the extent that each Fund may technically be deemed to be an underwriter under the 1933 Act, the disposing of portfolio securities. |
Industry concentration. The
iShares MSCI Singapore ETF has the following concentration policy: With respect to the two most heavily weighted industries or groups of industries in its benchmark MSCI Index, the Fund will invest in securities (consistent with its investment
objective and other investment policies) so that the weighting of each such industry or group of industries in the Fund does not diverge by more than 10% from the respective weighting of such industry or group of industries in its benchmark MSCI
Index. An exception to this policy is that if investment in the stock of a single issuer would account for more than 25% of the Fund, the Fund will invest less than 25% of its net assets in such stock and will reallocate the excess to stock(s) in
the same industry or group of industries, and/or to stock(s) in another industry or group of industries, in its benchmark MSCI Index. The Fund will evaluate these industry weightings at least weekly, and at the time of evaluation will adjust its
portfolio composition to the extent necessary to maintain compliance with the above policy. The
40
Table of Contents
Fund may not concentrate its investments except as discussed above. The Board
has adopted this policy as fundamental, which means that it may not be changed with respect to a Fund without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting securities.
As of September 30, 2014, the iShares MSCI Singapore ETF was
concentrated (i.e., invested 25% or more of its total assets) in the specified industry, which is approximately the same extent that the Fund's Underlying Index is concentrated:
| Fund | Industry or Industries | |
| iShares MSCI Singapore ETF | Banks |
Each of the iShares MSCI Australia
ETF, iShares MSCI Austria Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Belgium Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Canada ETF, iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF, iShares MSCI France ETF, iShares MSCI Germany ETF, iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF, iShares MSCI Global Silver Miners ETF,
iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF, iShares MSCI Israel Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Italy Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Japan ETF, iShares MSCI Japan Small-Cap ETF, iShares MSCI Mexico Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF, iShares MSCI Pacific ex Japan ETF,
iShares MSCI South Africa ETF, iShares MSCI Spain Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Sweden ETF, iShares MSCI Switzerland Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Turkey ETF, iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF and iShares MSCI World ETF
will not concentrate its investments (i.e., hold 25% or more of its total assets in the stocks of a particular industry or group of industries), except that, to the extent practicable, the Fund will
concentrate to approximately the same extent that its benchmark MSCI Index concentrates in the stocks of such particular industry or group of industries, provided that the Fund will comply with the diversification requirements of the Internal
Revenue Code applicable to RICs, any underlying Treasury regulations or any successor provision.
As of September 30, 2014, each of the following Funds was
concentrated (i.e., held 25% or more of its total assets) in the specified industries, which is approximately the same extent that the Funds’ Underlying Indexes are concentrated:
| Fund | Industry or Industries | |
| iShares MSCI Australia ETF | Banks | |
| iShares MSCI Canada ETF | Banks | |
| iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF | Mining | |
| iShares MSCI Global Silver Miners ETF | Mining | |
| IShares MSCI Israel Capped ETF | Banks | |
| iShares MSCI Italy Capped ETF | Banks | |
| iShares MSCI Pacific ex Japan ETF | Banks | |
| iShares MSCI Spain Capped ETF | Banks | |
| IShares MSCI Sweden ETF | Banks | |
| iShares MSCI Switzerland Capped ETF | Pharmaceuticals | |
| iShares MSCI Turkey ETF | Banks |
In addition to the investment
limitations adopted as fundamental as set forth above, each Fund observes the following restrictions, which may be changed by the Board without a shareholder vote. A Fund will not:
| 1. | Invest in the securities of a company for the purpose of exercising management or control, or in any event purchase and hold more than 10% of the securities of a single issuer, provided that the Company may vote the investment securities owned by each Fund in accordance with its views; or |
| 2. | Hold illiquid assets in excess of 15% of its net assets. An illiquid asset is any asset which may not be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the value at which the Fund has valued the investment. |
For purposes of the percentage
limitation on each Fund's investments in illiquid securities, foreign equity securities, though not registered under the 1933 Act, are not deemed illiquid with respect to each Fund if they are otherwise readily marketable. Such securities ordinarily
are considered to be “readily marketable” if they are traded on an exchange or
41
Table of Contents
other
organized market and are not legally restricted from sale by the Fund. BFA monitors the liquidity of restricted securities in each Fund's portfolio. In reaching liquidity decisions, BFA considers the following factors:
| 1. | The frequency of trades and quotes for the security; |
| 2. | The number of dealers wishing to purchase or sell the security and the number of other potential purchasers; |
| 3. | Dealer undertakings to make a market in the security; and |
| 4. | The nature of the security and the nature of the marketplace in which it trades (e.g., the time needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers and the mechanics of transfer). |
If any percentage restriction described above is
complied with to at the time of investment, a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting from any change in value or total or net assets will not constitute in a violation of such restriction, except that certain percentage limitations will
be observed continuously in accordance with applicable law.
Each Fund has adopted a non-fundamental investment policy in
accordance with Rule 35d-1 under the 1940 Act to invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the value of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in securities, and in ADRs based on securities, in its
Underlying Index. Each Fund also has adopted a policy to provide its shareholders with at least 60 days' prior written notice of any change in such policy. If, subsequent to an investment, the 80% requirement is no longer met, a Fund's future
investments will be made in a manner that will bring the Fund into compliance with this policy.
Each Fund has adopted a non-fundamental limitation such that,
under normal market conditions, any borrowings by the Fund will not exceed 10% of the Fund’s net assets.
Each Fund may not purchase securities of other investment
companies, except to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. As a matter of policy, however, a Fund will not purchase shares of any registered open-end investment company or registered unit investment trust, in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F) or (G)
(the “fund of funds” provisions) of the 1940 Act, at any time the Fund has knowledge that its shares are purchased by another investment company investor in reliance on the provisions of subparagraph (G) of Section 12(d)(1).
Continuous Offering
The method by which Creation Units are created and traded may
raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units are issued and sold by the Funds on an ongoing basis, at any point a “distribution,” as such term is used in the 1933 Act, may occur. Broker-dealers and
other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner that could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the
prospectus delivery requirement and liability provisions of the 1933 Act.
For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed
a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into constituent shares and sells such shares directly to customers or if it chooses to couple the creation of new shares with an active
selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the 1933 Act must take into account all of the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the
broker-dealer or its client in the particular case and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a categorization as an underwriter.
Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not
“underwriters” but are effecting transactions in shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of shares, generally are required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3) of
the 1933 Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. Firms that incur a prospectus delivery obligation with respect to shares of the Funds are reminded that, pursuant to Rule 153 under the 1933
Act, a prospectus delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the 1933 Act owed to an exchange member in connection with a sale on the Listing Exchange is satisfied by the fact that the prospectus is available at the Listing Exchange upon request.
The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 is available only with respect to transactions on an exchange.
42
Table of Contents
Management
Directors and Officers.
The Board has responsibility for the overall management and operations of the Funds, including general supervision of the duties performed by BFA and other service providers. Each Director serves until he or
she resigns, is removed, dies, retires or becomes incapacitated. The President, Chief Compliance Officer, Treasurer and Secretary shall each hold office until their successors are chosen and qualify, and all other officers shall hold office until he
or she resigns or is removed. Directors who are not “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Company are referred to as independent directors (“Independent Directors”).
The registered investment companies advised by BFA or its
affiliates (the “BlackRock-advised Funds”) are organized into one complex of closed-end funds, two complexes of open-end funds and one complex of exchange-traded funds (“Exchange-Traded Fund Complex”) (each, a
“BlackRock Fund Complex”). Each Fund is included in the BlackRock Fund Complex referred to as the Exchange-Traded Fund Complex. Each Director also serves as a Trustee of iShares Trust, a Director of iShares MSCI Russia Capped ETF, Inc.
and a Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust and, as a result, oversees a total of 299 funds within the Exchange-Traded Fund Complex. With the exception of Robert S. Kapito and Mark Wiedman, the address of each Director and officer is c/o BlackRock,
Inc., 400 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94105. The address of Mr. Kapito and Mr. Wiedman is c/o BlackRock, Inc., Park Avenue Plaza, 55 East 52nd Street, New York, NY
10055. The Board has designated Robert H. Silver as its Independent Chairman. Additional information about the Funds' Directors and officers may be found in this SAI, which is available without charge, upon request, by calling toll-free
1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737).
Interested Directors
| Name (Age) | Position | Principal
Occupation(s) During the Past 5 Years |
Other
Directorships Held by Director | |||
| Robert
S. Kapito1 (57) |
Director
(since 2009). |
President and Director, BlackRock, Inc. (since 2006); Vice Chairman of BlackRock, Inc. and Head of BlackRock, Inc.’s Portfolio Management Group (since its formation in 1998) and BlackRock, Inc.’s predecessor entities (since 1988); Trustee, University of Pennsylvania (since 2009); President of Board of Directors, Hope & Heroes Children’s Cancer Fund (since 2002); President of the Board of Directors, Periwinkle Theatre for Youth (since 1983). | Trustee of iShares Trust (since 2009); Director of iShares MSCI Russia Capped ETF, Inc. (since 2010); Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust (since 2011); Director of BlackRock, Inc. (since 2006). | |||
| Mark
Wiedman2 (44) |
Director (since 2013). | Managing Director, BlackRock, Inc. (since 2007); Global Head of iShares (since 2011); Head of Corporate Strategy, BlackRock, Inc. (2009-2011). | Trustee of iShares Trust (since 2013); Director of iShares MSCI Russia Capped ETF, Inc. (since 2013); Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust (since 2013); Director of PennyMac Financial Services, Inc. (since 2008). |
| 1 | Robert S. Kapito is deemed to be an “interested person” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Company due to his affiliations with BlackRock, Inc. |
| 2 | Mark Wiedman is deemed to be an “interested person” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Company due to his affiliations with BlackRock, Inc. and its affiliates. |
43
Table of Contents
Independent Directors
| Name (Age) | Position | Principal
Occupation(s) During the Past 5 Years |
Other
Directorships Held by Director | |||
| Robert
H. Silver (59) |
Director
(since 2007); Independent Chairman (since 2012). |
President and Co-Founder of The Bravitas Group, Inc. (since 2006); Director and Vice Chairman of the YMCA of Greater NYC (2001-2011); Broadway Producer (2006-2011); Co-Founder and Vice President of Parentgiving Inc. (since 2008); Director and Member of the Audit and Compensation Committee of EPAM Systems, Inc. (2006-2009); President and Chief Operating Officer of UBS Financial Services Inc. (formerly Paine Webber Inc.) (2003-2005) and various executive positions with UBS and its affiliates (1988-2005); CPA and Audit Manager of KPMG, LLP (formerly Peat Marwick Mitchell) (1977-1983). | Trustee of iShares Trust (since 2007); Director of iShares MSCI Russia Capped ETF, Inc. (since 2010); Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust (since 2011); Independent Chairman of iShares Trust, iShares MSCI Russia Capped ETF, Inc. and iShares U.S. ETF Trust (since 2012). | |||
| John
E. Martinez (53) |
Director
(since 2003); Securities Lending Committee Chair (since 2012). |
Director of FirstREX Agreement Corp. (formerly EquityRock, Inc.) (since 2005). | Trustee of iShares Trust (since 2003); Director of iShares MSCI Russia Capped ETF, Inc. (since 2010); Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust (since 2011). | |||
| Cecilia
H. Herbert (65) |
Director
(since 2005); Nominating and Governance Committee Chair and Equity Plus Committee Chair (since 2012). |
Director (1998-2013) and President (2007-2011) of the Board of Directors, Catholic Charities CYO; Trustee (2002-2011) and Chair of the Finance and Investment Committee (2006-2010) of the Thacher School; Member (since 1992) and Chair (1994-2005) of the Investment Committee, Archdiocese of San Francisco; Trustee and Member of the Investment Committee, WNET, the New York public broadcasting/media company (since 2011). | Trustee of iShares Trust (since 2005); Director of iShares MSCI Russia Capped ETF, Inc. (since 2010); Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust (since 2011); Director of Forward Funds (34 portfolios) (since 2009). | |||
| Charles
A. Hurty (71) |
Director
(since 2005); Audit Committee Chair (since 2006). |
Retired; Partner, KPMG LLP (1968-2001). | Trustee of iShares Trust (since 2005); Director of iShares MSCI Russia Capped ETF, Inc. (since 2010); Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust (since 2011); Director of GMAM Absolute Return Strategy Fund (1 portfolio) (since 2002); Director of SkyBridge Alternative Investments Multi-Adviser Hedge Fund Portfolios LLC (2 portfolios) (since 2002). |
44
Table of Contents
| Name (Age) | Position | Principal
Occupation(s) During the Past 5 Years |
Other
Directorships Held by Director | |||
| John
E. Kerrigan (59) |
Director
(since 2005); Fixed Income Plus Committee Chair (since 2012). |
Chief Investment Officer, Santa Clara University (since 2002). | Trustee of iShares Trust (since 2005); Director of iShares MSCI Russia Capped ETF, Inc. (since 2010); Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust (since 2011). | |||
| Madhav
V. Rajan (50) |
Director
(since 2011); 15(c) Committee Chair (since 2012). |
Robert K. Jaedicke Professor of Accounting and Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Head of MBA Program, Stanford University Graduate School of Business (since 2001); Professor of Law (by courtesy), Stanford Law School (since 2005); Visiting Professor, University of Chicago (2007-2008). | Trustee
of iShares Trust (since 2011); Director of iShares MSCI Russia Capped ETF, Inc. (since 2011); Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust (since 2011); Director, Cavium, Inc. (since 2013). | |||
| Jane
D. Carlin (59) |
Director
(since 2015). |
Managing Director and Global Head of Financial Holding Company Governance & Assurance and the Global Head of Operational Risk Management of Morgan Stanley Group (2006-2012). | Trustee of iShares Trust (since 2015); Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust (since 2015); Director of PHH Corporation (mortgage solutions) (since 2012). |
Officers
| Name (Age) | Position | Principal
Occupation(s) During the Past 5 Years | ||
| Manish
Mehta (43) |
President (since 2013). | Managing Director, BlackRock, Inc. (since 2009); Chief Operating Officer for iShares (since 2009); Head of Strategy and Corporate Development, BGI (2005-2009); Chief of Staff to the CEO, BGI (2005-2009). | ||
| Jack
Gee (55) |
Treasurer
and Chief Financial Officer (since 2008). |
Managing Director, BlackRock, Inc. (since 2009); Senior Director of Fund Administration of Intermediary Investor Business, BGI (2009); Director of Fund Administration of Intermediary Investor Business, BGI (2004-2009). | ||
| Eilleen
M. Clavere (62) |
Secretary
(since 2007). |
Director of Global Fund Administration, BlackRock, Inc. (since 2009); Director of Legal Administration of Intermediary Investor Business, BGI (2006-2009); Legal Counsel and Vice President of Atlas Funds, Atlas Advisers, Inc. and Atlas Securities, Inc. (2005-2006); Counsel at Kirkpatrick & Lockhart LLP (2001-2005). |
45
Table of Contents
| Name (Age) | Position | Principal
Occupation(s) During the Past 5 Years | ||
| Edward
B. Baer (46) |
Vice
President and Chief Legal Officer (since 2012). |
Managing Director of Legal & Compliance, BlackRock, Inc. (since 2006); Director of Legal & Compliance, BlackRock, Inc. (2004-2006). | ||
| Scott
Radell (46) |
Executive
Vice President (since 2012). |
Managing Director, BlackRock, Inc. (since 2009); Head of Portfolio Solutions, BlackRock, Inc. (since 2009); Head of Portfolio Solutions, BGI (2007-2009); Credit Portfolio Manager, BGI (2005-2007); Credit Research Analyst, BGI (2003-2005). | ||
| Amy
Schioldager (52) |
Executive
Vice President (since 2007). |
Senior Managing Director, BlackRock, Inc. (since 2009); Global Head of Index Equity, BGI (2008-2009); Global Head of U.S. Indexing, BGI (2006-2008); Head of Domestic Equity Portfolio Management, BGI (2001-2006). | ||
| Ira
P. Shapiro (51) |
Vice
President (since 2007). |
Managing Director, BlackRock, Inc. (since 2009); Head of Strategic Product Initiatives for iShares (since 2012); Chief Legal Officer, Exchange-Traded Fund Complex (2007-2012); Associate General Counsel, BGI (2004-2009). |
The Board has concluded that, based on each Director’s
experience, qualifications, attributes or skills on an individual basis and in combination with those of the other Directors, each Director should serve as a Director of the Board. Among the attributes common to all Directors are their ability to
review critically, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, to interact effectively with the Funds' investment adviser, other service providers, counsel and the independent registered public accounting firm, and to exercise
effective business judgment in the performance of their duties as Directors. A Director’s ability to perform his or her duties effectively may have been attained through the Director’s educational background or professional training;
business, consulting, public service or academic positions; experience from service as a Board member of the Funds and the other funds in the Company (and any predecessor funds), other investment funds, public companies, or non-profit entities or
other organizations; and/or other life experiences. Also, set forth below is a brief discussion of the specific experience, qualifications, attributes or skills of each Director that led the Board to conclude that he or she should serve as a
Director.
Robert Kapito has been a Director of the
Company since 2009. Mr. Kapito has served as a Trustee of iShares Trust since 2009, a Director of iShares MSCI Russia Capped ETF, Inc. since 2010, a Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust since 2011 and a Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2006. In
addition, he has over 20 years of experience as part of BlackRock, Inc. and BlackRock, Inc.’s predecessor entities. Mr. Kapito serves as President and Director of BlackRock, Inc., and is the Chairman of the Operating Committee, a member of the
Office of the Chairman, the Leadership Committee and the Corporate Council. He is responsible for day-to-day oversight of BlackRock, Inc.'s key operating units, including the Account Management and Portfolio Management Groups, Real Estate Group and
BlackRock Solutions®. Prior to assuming his current responsibilities in 2007, Mr. Kapito served as Head of BlackRock, Inc.'s Portfolio Management Group. In that role,
he was responsible for overseeing all portfolio management within BlackRock, Inc., including the Fixed Income, Equity, Liquidity, and Alternative Investment Groups. Mr. Kapito serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of
Pennsylvania. He has also been President of the Board of Directors for the Hope & Heroes Children's Cancer Fund since 2002 and President of the Board of Directors for
46
Table of Contents
Periwinkle Theatre for Youth, a national non-profit arts-in-education
organization, since 1983. Mr. Kapito earned a BS degree in economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1979, and an MBA degree from Harvard Business School in 1983.
Mark Wiedman has been a Director of the Company since 2013.
Mr. Wiedman has served as a Trustee of iShares Trust since 2013, a Director of iShares MSCI Russia Capped ETF, Inc. since 2013 and a Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust since 2013. Mr. Wiedman is the Global Head and Managing Director of iShares. In
addition, he is a member of BlackRock, Inc.'s Global Executive Committee and Global Operating Committee. Prior to assuming his current responsibilities in 2011, Mr. Wiedman was the head of Corporate Strategy for BlackRock, Inc. Mr. Wiedman joined
BlackRock, Inc. in 2004 to help start the advisory business, which evolved into the Financial Markets Advisory Group in BlackRock Solutions. This group advises financial institutions and governments on managing their capital markets exposures and
businesses. Prior to BlackRock, Inc., he served as senior advisor and chief of staff for the Under Secretary for Domestic Finance at the U.S. Department of the Treasury and also was a management consultant at McKinsey & Co., advising financial
institutions in the United States, Europe, and Japan. He has taught as an adjunct associate professor of law at Fordham University in New York and Renmin University in Beijing. Mr. Wiedman serves on the board of PennyMac Financial Services, Inc., a
publicly-traded U.S. mortgage banking and investment management firm started in 2008, with BlackRock, Inc. as a sponsor. Mr. Wiedman earned an AB degree, Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude, in social studies from
Harvard College in 1992 and a JD degree from Yale Law School in 1996.
Robert H. Silver has been a Director of the Company since 2007
and Chairman of the Company's Board since 2012. Mr. Silver has served as a Trustee of iShares Trust since 2007, Chairman of iShares Trust's Board since 2012, a Director of iShares MSCI Russia Capped ETF, Inc. since 2010, Chairman of iShares MSCI
Russia Capped ETF, Inc.'s Board since 2012, a Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust since 2011 and Chairman of iShares U.S. ETF Trust's Board since 2012. Mr. Silver is President and a Co-Founder of The Bravitas Group Inc., a firm dedicated to advising
and investing in emerging business enterprises and to supporting philanthropic activities that benefit under-served urban youth. Previously, Mr. Silver served as the President and Chief Operating Officer of UBS Financial Services Inc. (formerly
Paine Webber Inc.), the registered broker dealer comprising the Wealth Management USA business unit of UBS AG, including the following responsibilities: President of Paine Webber Services, Director of Retail Products and Marketing, Director of
Private Client Group Branch Offices, Director of Finance and Controls for Paine Webber, Inc. and Chief Administrative Officer for Paine Webber Private Client Group. Mr. Silver also served on the Board of Directors of EPAM Systems, Inc., a provider
of software engineering outsourcing services in Central and Eastern Europe, served on the Board and Executive Committee of the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC), chaired the National Securities Clearing Corporations’ Membership
and Risk Committee and served as Governor of the Philadelphia Stock Exchange. In addition, Mr. Silver was a Vice Chairman and a Member of the Board of Directors for the YMCA of Greater New York and chaired its Fund Development Committee from 2001
until 2011 and Co-Founder and Vice President of Parentgiving Inc. since 2008. Mr. Silver began his career as a CPA and Audit Manager at KPMG LLP (formerly Peat Marwick Mitchell) from 1977 until 1983. Mr. Silver has a BS degree in business
administration from the University of North Carolina.
John E. Martinez has been a Director of the Company since 2003
and Chair of the Securities Lending Committee of the Company since 2012. Mr. Martinez has served as a Trustee of iShares Trust since 2003, Chair of the Securities Lending Committee of iShares Trust since 2012, a Director of iShares MSCI Russia
Capped ETF, Inc. since 2010, Chair of the Securities Lending Committee of iShares MSCI Russia Capped ETF, Inc. since 2012, a Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust since 2011 and Chair of the Securities Lending Committee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust since
2012. Mr. Martinez is a Director of FirstREX Agreement Corp. (formerly EquityRock, Inc.), providing governance oversight and consulting services to this privately held firm that develops products and strategies for homeowners in managing the equity
in their homes. Mr. Martinez previously served as Director of Barclays Global Investors (BGI) UK Holdings, where he provided governance oversight representing BGI’s shareholders (Barclays PLC, BGI management shareholders) through oversight of
BGI’s worldwide activities. Mr. Martinez also previously served as Co-Chief Executive Officer of the Global Index and Markets Group of BGI, Chairman of Barclays Global Investor Services and Chief Executive Officer of the Capital Markets Group
of BGI. From 2003-2012, he was a Director and Executive Committee Member for Larkin Street Youth Services, providing governance oversight and strategy development to an agency that provides emergency and transitional housing, healthcare, education,
job and life skills training to homeless youth. He now serves on the Larkin Street Honorary Board. Since 2012, Mr. Martinez has served as a Director for Reading Partners, an organization committed to making all children literate through one-on-one
tutoring of students in grades K-4 who are not yet reading at grade level. Mr. Martinez has an AB degree in economics from The University of California, Berkeley and holds an MBA degree in finance and statistics from The University of Chicago Booth
School of Business.
47
Table of Contents
Cecilia H. Herbert has been a Director of the Company since
2005 and Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee and the Equity Plus Committee of the Company since 2012. Ms. Herbert has served as a Trustee of iShares Trust since 2005, Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee and the Equity Plus
Committee of iShares Trust since 2012, a Director of iShares MSCI Russia Capped ETF, Inc. since 2010, Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee and the Equity Plus Committee of iShares MSCI Russia Capped ETF, Inc. since 2012, a Trustee of
iShares U.S. ETF Trust since 2011 and Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee and the Equity Plus Committee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust since 2012. In addition, Ms. Herbert has served on three other mutual fund boards, currently serving as
Trustee of the Forward Funds, since 2009, and previously as Trustee of the Pacific Select Funds from 2004 until 2005 and Trustee of the Montgomery Funds from 1992 until 2003. She was President of the Board of Catholic Charities CYO, the largest
social services agency in the Bay Area, from 2007 until 2011 and member of that board from 1992 until 2013. She was past Chair from 1994 until 2005, and member since 1992, of the Investment Council of the Archdiocese of San Francisco. She currently
serves as Trustee of WNET, New York’s public media station, since 2011. She worked from 1973-1990 at J.P. Morgan/Morgan Guaranty Trust, retiring as Managing Director and Head of the West Coast Office. Ms. Herbert has been on numerous
non-profit boards, chairing investment and finance committees. She holds a double major in economics and communications from Stanford University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Charles A. Hurty has been a Director of the Company since 2005
and Chair of the Audit Committee of the Company since 2006. Mr. Hurty has served as a Trustee of iShares Trust since 2005, Chair of the Audit Committee of iShares Trust since 2006, a Director and Chair of the Audit Committee of iShares MSCI Russia
Capped ETF, Inc. since 2010 and a Trustee and Chair of the Audit Committee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust since 2011. In addition, Mr. Hurty serves as Director of the GMAM Absolute Return Strategy Fund since 2002, Director of the SkyBridge Alternative
Investments Multi-Adviser Hedge Fund Portfolios LLC (formerly, Citigroup Alternative Investments Multi-Adviser Hedge Fund Portfolios LLC) since 2002 and was a Director of the CSFB Alternative Investment Funds from 2005 to December 2009, when the
funds were liquidated. Mr. Hurty was formerly a Partner at KPMG, LLP from 1968 to 2001. Mr. Hurty has a BS degree in accounting from the University of Kansas.
John E. Kerrigan has been a Director of the Company since 2005
and Chair of the Fixed Income Plus Committee of the Company since 2012. Mr. Kerrigan served as Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee of the Company from 2010 until 2012. Mr. Kerrigan has served as a Trustee of iShares Trust since 2005,
Chair of the Fixed Income Plus Committee of iShares Trust since 2012, Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee of iShares Trust from 2010 until 2012, a Director of iShares MSCI Russia Capped ETF, Inc. since 2010, Chair of the Fixed Income
Plus Committee of iShares MSCI Russia Capped ETF, Inc. since 2012, Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee of iShares MSCI Russia Capped ETF, Inc. from 2010 until 2012, a Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust since 2011, Chair of the Fixed
Income Plus Committee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust since 2012 and Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust from 2011 until 2012. Mr. Kerrigan serves as Chief Investment Officer, Santa Clara University since 2002. Mr.
Kerrigan was formerly a Managing Director at Merrill Lynch & Co., including the following responsibilities: Global Manager of Institutional Client Division eCommerce and Global Manager of Technology Specialists Sales. Mr. Kerrigan is a Trustee,
since 2008, of Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton, CA, and Director, since 1999, of The BASIC Fund (Bay Area Scholarships for Inner City Children). Mr. Kerrigan has a BA degree from Boston College and is a Chartered Financial Analyst
Charterholder.
Madhav V. Rajan has been a Director of
the Company since 2011 and Chair of the 15(c) Committee of the Company since 2012. Mr. Rajan has served as a Trustee of iShares Trust since 2011, Chair of the 15(c) Committee of iShares Trust since 2012, a Director of iShares MSCI Russia Capped ETF,
Inc. since 2011, Chair of the 15(c) Committee of iShares MSCI Russia Capped ETF, Inc. since 2012, a Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust since 2011 and Chair of the 15(c) Committee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust since 2012. Mr. Rajan is the Robert K.
Jaedicke Professor of Accounting at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. He has taught accounting for over 20 years to undergraduate, MBA and law students, as well as to senior executives. Mr. Rajan serves as the Senior Associate
Dean for Academic Affairs and head of the MBA Program at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. Mr. Rajan served as editor of “The Accounting Review” from 2002 to 2008 and is co-author of “Cost Accounting: A
Managerial Emphasis,” a leading cost accounting textbook. Mr. Rajan holds MS, MBA and Ph.D. degrees in accounting from Carnegie Mellon University.
Jane D. Carlin has been a Director of the Company since 2015.
Ms. Carlin has served as a Trustee of iShares Trust since 2015 and a Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust since 2015. Ms. Carlin served as Managing Director and Global Head of Financial Holding Company Governance & Assurance and the Global Head of
Operational Risk Management of Morgan Stanley Group from 2006 to 2012. In addition, Ms. Carlin served as Managing Director and Global Head of the Bank Operational Risk Oversight Department of Credit Suisse Group from 2003 to 2006. Prior to that, Ms.
Carlin served as Managing Director and
48
Table of Contents
Deputy General Counsel of Morgan Stanley Group. Ms. Carlin has over 30 years
of experience in the financial sector and has served in a number of legal, regulatory, and risk management positions. Ms. Carlin has served as an Independent Director on the Board of PHH Corporation since 2012. She previously served as a Director on
the Boards of Astoria Financial Corporation and Astoria Bank. Ms. Carlin was appointed by the United States Treasury to the Financial Services Sector Coordinating Council for Critical Infrastructure Protection and Homeland Security, where she served
as Chairperson from 2010 to 2012 and Vice Chair and Chair of the Cyber Security Committee from 2009 to 2010. Ms. Carlin has a BA degree in political science from State University of New York at Stony Brook and a JD degree from Benjamin N. Cardozo
School of Law.
Board –
Leadership Structure and Oversight Responsibilities
Overall responsibility for oversight of the Funds rests with
the Board. The Board has engaged BFA to manage the Funds on a day-to-day basis. The Board is responsible for overseeing BFA and other service providers in the operations of the Funds in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act, applicable
provisions of state and other laws and the Company’s charter. The Board is currently composed of nine members, seven of whom are Independent Directors. The Board currently conducts regular meetings five times a year. In addition, the Board
frequently holds special in-person or telephonic meetings or informal conference calls to discuss specific matters that may arise or require action between regular meetings. The Independent Directors meet regularly outside the presence of
management, in executive session or with other service providers to the Company.
The Board has appointed an Independent Director to serve in
the role of Chairman. The Chairman’s role is to preside at all meetings of the Board and to act as a liaison with service providers, officers, attorneys, and other Directors generally between meetings. The Chairman may also perform such other
functions as may be delegated by the Board from time to time. The Board has established six standing Committees: a Nominating and Governance Committee, an Audit Committee, a 15(c) Committee, a Securities Lending Committee, an Equity Plus Committee
and a Fixed Income Plus Committee to assist the Board in the oversight and direction of the business and affairs of the Funds, and from time to time may establish ad-hoc committees or informal working groups to review and address the policies and
practices of the Funds with respect to certain specified matters. The Chair of each standing Committee is an Independent Director. The role of the Chair of each Committee is to preside at all meetings of the Committee and to act as a liaison with
service providers, officers, attorneys and other Directors between meetings. Each Committee meets regularly to conduct the oversight functions delegated to the Committee by the Board and reports its finding to the Board. The Board and each standing
Committee conduct annual assessments of their oversight function and structure. The Board has determined that the Board’s leadership structure is appropriate because it allows the Board to exercise independent judgment over management and it
allocates areas of responsibility among committees of Independent Directors and the full Board to enhance effective oversight.
Day-to-day risk management with respect to the Funds is the
responsibility of BFA or other service providers (depending on the nature of the risk), subject to the supervision of BFA. Each Fund is subject to a number of risks, including investment, compliance, operational, counterparty and valuation risks,
among others. While there are a number of risk management functions performed by BFA and other service providers, as applicable, it is not possible to eliminate all of the risks applicable to the Funds. The Directors have an oversight role in this
area, satisfying themselves that risk management processes and controls are in place and operating effectively. Risk oversight forms part of the Board’s general oversight of each Fund and is addressed as part of various Board and committee
activities. The Board, directly or through a committee, also reviews reports from, among others, management and the independent registered public accounting firm for the Company, as appropriate, regarding risks faced by each Fund and
management’s risk functions. The Board has appointed a Chief Compliance Officer who oversees the implementation and testing of the Company's compliance program, including assessments by independent third parties, and reports to the Board
regarding compliance matters for the Company and its principal service providers. In testing and maintaining the compliance program, the Chief Compliance Officer (and his or her delegates) assesses key compliance risks affecting each Fund, and
addresses them in periodic reports to the Board. The Independent Directors have engaged independent legal counsel to assist them in performing their oversight responsibilities.
Committees of the Board of Directors. Each Independent Director serves on the Audit Committee. The Chair of the Audit Committee is Charles A. Hurty. The purposes of the Audit Committee are to assist the Board (i) in its oversight of the Company's
accounting and financial reporting principles and policies and related controls and procedures maintained by or on behalf of the Company; (ii) in its oversight of the Company's financial statements and the independent audit thereof; (iii) in
selecting, evaluating and, where deemed appropriate, replacing the independent accountants (or nominating the independent accountants to be proposed for shareholder approval in any proxy statement); (iv) in evaluating the independence of the
independent accountants; (v) in complying with legal and regulatory requirements that relate to the
49
Table of Contents
Company's accounting and financial reporting, internal controls, compliance
controls and independent audits; and (vi) to assume such other responsibilities as may be delegated by the Board. The Audit Committee met four times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2014.
The members of the Nominating and Governance Committee are
Cecilia H. Herbert (Chair), Charles A. Hurty, Madhav V. Rajan and John E. Kerrigan, all of whom are Independent Directors. The Nominating and Governance Committee nominates individuals for Independent Director membership on the Board. The Nominating
and Governance Committee functions include, but are not limited to, the following: (i) reviewing the qualifications of any person properly identified or nominated to serve as an Independent Director; (ii) recommending to the Board and current
Independent Directors the nominee(s) for appointment as an Independent Director by the Board and current Independent Directors and/or for election as Independent Directors by shareholders to fill any vacancy for a position of Independent Director(s)
on the Board; (iii) recommending to the Board and current Independent Directors the size and composition of the Board and Board committees and whether they comply with applicable laws and regulations; (iv) recommending a current Independent Director
to the Board and current Independent Directors to serve as Lead Independent Director; (v) periodic review of the Board's retirement policy; and (vi) recommending an appropriate level of compensation for the Independent Directors for their services
as Directors, members or chairpersons of committees of the Board, Lead Independent Director, Chairperson of the Board and any other positions as the Nominating and Governance Committee considers appropriate. The Nominating and Governance Committee
does not consider Board nominations recommended by shareholders (acting solely in their capacity as a shareholder and not in any other capacity). The Nominating and Governance Committee met five times during the fiscal year ended August 31,
2014.
Each Independent Director serves on the 15(c)
Committee. The Chair of the 15(c) Committee is Madhav V. Rajan. The principal responsibilities of the 15(c) Committee are to support, oversee and organize on behalf of the Board the process for the annual review and renewal of the Company's advisory
and sub-advisory agreements. These responsibilities include: (i) meeting with BlackRock, Inc. in advance of the Board meeting at which the Company's advisory and sub-advisory agreements are to be considered to discuss generally the process for
providing requested information to the Board and the format in which information will be provided; and (ii) considering and discussing with BlackRock, Inc. such other matters and information as may be necessary and appropriate for the Board to
evaluate the investment advisory and sub-advisory agreements of the Company. The 15(c) Committee met three times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2014.
The members of the Securities Lending Committee are John E.
Martinez (Chair), Jane D. Carlin and John E. Kerrigan, all of whom are Independent Directors. The principal responsibilities of the Securities Lending Committee are to support, oversee and organize on behalf of the Board the process for oversight of
the Company's securities lending activities. These responsibilities include: (i) requesting that certain information be provided to the Committee for its review and consideration prior to such information being provided to the Board; (ii)
considering and discussing with BlackRock, Inc. such other matters and information as may be necessary and appropriate for the Board to oversee the Company's securities lending activities and make required findings and approvals; and (iii) providing
a recommendation to the Board regarding the annual approval of the Company's Securities Lending Guidelines and the required findings with respect to, and annual approval of, the Company's agreement with the lending agent. The Securities Lending
Committee met seven times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2014.
The members of the Equity Plus Committee are Cecilia H.
Herbert (Chair), John E. Martinez and Madhav V. Rajan, all of whom are Independent Directors. The principal responsibilities of the Equity Plus Committee are to support, oversee and organize on behalf of the Board the process for oversight of
Company performance and related matters for equity funds. These responsibilities include: (i) reviewing quarterly reports regarding Company performance, secondary market trading and changes in net assets to identify any matters that should be
brought to the attention of the Board; and (ii) considering any performance or investment related matters as may be delegated to the Committee by the Board from time to time and providing a report or recommendation to the Board as appropriate. The
Equity Plus Committee met four times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2014.
The members of the Fixed Income Plus Committee are John E.
Kerrigan (Chair), Jane D. Carlin and Charles A. Hurty, all of whom are Independent Directors. The principal responsibilities of the Fixed Income Plus Committee are to support, oversee and organize on behalf of the Board the process for oversight of
Company performance and related matters for fixed income or multi-asset funds. These responsibilities include: (i) reviewing quarterly reports regarding Company performance, secondary market trading and changes in net assets to identify any matters
that should be brought to the attention of the Board; and (ii) considering any performance or investment related matters as may be delegated to the Committee by the
50
Table of Contents
Board from time to time and providing a report or recommendation to the Board
as appropriate. The Fixed Income Plus Committee met four times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2014.
As the Chairman of the Board, Robert H. Silver may participate
in each Committee's meetings.
The following table sets
forth, as of December 31, 2013, the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by each Director in the Funds and in other registered investment companies overseen by the Director within the same family of investment companies as the
Company. If a fund is not listed below, the Director did not own any securities in that fund as of the date indicated above:
| Name of Director | Fund | Dollar
Range of Equity Securities in the Fund |
Aggregate
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in all Registered Investment Companies Overseen by Director in Family of Investment Companies | |||
| Robert S. Kapito | None | None | None | |||
| Mark Wiedman1 | iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF | Over $100,000 | Over $100,000 | |||
| iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF | $50,001-$100,000 | |||||
| iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF | $50,001-$100,000 | |||||
| Robert H. Silver | iShares iBonds Sep 2015 AMT-Free Muni Bond ETF | Over $100,000 | Over $100,000 | |||
| iShares iBonds Sep 2016 AMT-Free Muni Bond ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares iBonds Sep 2017 AMT-Free Muni Bond ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares iBonds Sep 2018 AMT-Free Muni Bond ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares Core High Dividend ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares Core S&P 500 ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares J.P. Morgan USD Emerging Markets Bond ETF | $1-$10,000 | |||||
| iShares MSCI ACWI ex U.S. ETF | $1-$10,000 | |||||
| iShares MSCI BRIC ETF | $10,001-$50,000 | |||||
| iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF | $1-$10,000 | |||||
| iShares MSCI Frontier 100 ETF | $50,001-$100,000 | |||||
| iShares National AMT-Free Muni Bond ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF | Over $100,000 |
51
Table of Contents
| Name of Director | Fund | Dollar
Range of Equity Securities in the Fund |
Aggregate
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in all Registered Investment Companies Overseen by Director in Family of Investment Companies | |||
| iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares Russell 2000 ETF | $10,001-$50,000 | |||||
| iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares Russell 2000 Value ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares Russell 3000 ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF | $1-$10,000 | |||||
| iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF | $1-$10,000 | |||||
| iShares Select Dividend ETF | $10,001-$50,000 | |||||
| iShares U.S. Broker-Dealers ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares U.S. Financial Services ETF | $50,001-$100,000 | |||||
| iShares U.S. Preferred Stock ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares U.S. Regional Banks ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares U.S. Technology ETF | $50,001-$100,000 | |||||
| George G.C. Parker | iShares California AMT-Free Muni Bond ETF | Over $100,000 | Over $100,000 | |||
| iShares Core S&P 500 ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | $10,001-$50,000 | |||||
| iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares MSCI EAFE ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares S&P 100 ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares Select Dividend ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| John E. Martinez | iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF | $50,001-$100,000 | Over $100,000 | |||
| iShares Core S&P 500 ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares Emerging Markets Infrastructure ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares Global Consumer Staples ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares MSCI EAFE ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares Russell 1000 ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares Russell 2000 ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares TIPS Bond ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| Cecilia H. Herbert | iShares China Large-Cap ETF | Over $100,000 | Over $100,000 | |||
| iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF | $10,001-$50,000 | |||||
| iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF | $10,001-$50,000 |
52
Table of Contents
| Name of Director | Fund | Dollar
Range of Equity Securities in the Fund |
Aggregate
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in all Registered Investment Companies Overseen by Director in Family of Investment Companies | |||
| iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF | $10,001-$50,000 | |||||
| iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF | $10,001-$50,000 | |||||
| iShares International Select Dividend ETF | $1-$10,000 | |||||
| iShares MSCI EAFE ETF | $10,001-$50,000 | |||||
| iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF | $1-$10,000 | |||||
| iShares MSCI Japan ETF | $10,001-$50,000 | |||||
| iShares National AMT-Free Muni Bond ETF | $10,001-$50,000 | |||||
| iShares U.S. Preferred Stock ETF | $10,001-$50,000 | |||||
| Charles A. Hurty | iShares China Large-Cap ETF | $10,001-$50,000 | Over $100,000 | |||
| iShares Core High Dividend ETF | $10,001-$50,000 | |||||
| iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF | $50,001-$100,000 | |||||
| iShares Core S&P 500 ETF | $10,001-$50,000 | |||||
| iShares Global Energy ETF | $10,001-$50,000 | |||||
| iShares Global Tech ETF | $10,001-$50,000 | |||||
| iShares MSCI EAFE ETF | $10,001-$50,000 | |||||
| iShares MSCI Japan ETF | $10,001-$50,000 | |||||
| iShares North American Tech-Multimedia Networking ETF | $1-$10,000 | |||||
| iShares U.S. Energy ETF | $10,001-$50,000 | |||||
| iShares U.S. Financials ETF | $1-$10,000 | |||||
| iShares U.S. Technology ETF | $50,001-$100,000 | |||||
| John E. Kerrigan | iShares MSCI ACWI ex U.S. ETF | Over $100,000 | Over $100,000 | |||
| iShares Short-Term National AMT-Free Muni Bond ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| Madhav V. Rajan | iShares Core High Dividend ETF | Over $100,000 | Over $100,000 | |||
| iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares Core S&P 500 ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF | $50,001-$100,000 | |||||
| iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| iShares Select Dividend ETF | Over $100,000 | |||||
| Jane D. Carlin2 | iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF | $10,001-$50,000 | Over $100,000 | |||
| iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF | $10,001-$50,000 |
53
Table of Contents
| Name of Director | Fund | Dollar
Range of Equity Securities in the Fund |
Aggregate
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in all Registered Investment Companies Overseen by Director in Family of Investment Companies | |||
| iShares Global Tech ETF | $50,001-$100,000 |
1 Appointed to serve as an Interested Director effective December 31, 2013.
2 Appointed to serve as an Independent Director effective February 3, 2015. The funds held and dollar range of equity securities
beneficially owned by Jane D. Carlin are as of December 31, 2014.
As of December 31, 2013, none of the Independent Directors or
their immediate family members owned beneficially or of record any securities of BFA (the Funds' investment adviser), the Distributor or any person controlling, controlled by or under common control with BFA or the Distributor.
Remuneration of Directors.
Each current Independent Director is paid an annual retainer of $300,000 for his or her services as a Board member to the BlackRock-advised Funds in the Exchange-Traded Fund Complex, together with
out-of-pocket expenses in accordance with the Board's policy on travel and other business expenses relating to attendance at meetings. For the period from January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2013, each current Independent Director was paid an
annual retainer of $275,000 for his or her services as a Board member to the BlackRock-advised Funds in the Exchange-Traded Fund Complex, together with out-of-pocket expenses in accordance with the Board’s policy on travel and other business
expenses relating to attendance at meetings. The Independent Chairman of the Boards is paid an additional annual retainer of $50,000. The Chair of the Audit Committees is paid an additional annual retainer of $40,000. The Chair of each of the
Nominating and Governance Committees, Equity Plus Committees, Fixed Income Plus Committees, Securities Lending Committees and 15(c) Committees is paid an additional annual retainer of $15,000. Each Independent Director that serves as a director of
subsidiaries of the Exchange-Traded Fund Complex is paid an additional annual retainer of $10,000 (plus an additional $1,765 paid annually to compensate for taxes due in the Republic of Mauritius in connection with such Director’s service on
the boards of certain Mauritius-based subsidiaries). Additionally, any Independent Director who travels to the Republic of Mauritius to attend board meetings is paid an additional $12,000 (plus an additional $2,117 paid annually to compensate for
taxes due in the Republic of Mauritius in connection with such Director’s service on the boards of certain Mauritius-based subsidiaries).
The table below sets forth the compensation earned by each
Independent Director and Interested Director from each Fund for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2014 and the aggregate compensation paid to them by the Exchange-Traded Complex for the calendar year ended December 31, 2013.
| Name of Director | iShares
MSCI Australia ETF |
iShares
MSCI Austria Capped ETF |
iShares
MSCI Belgium Capped ETF |
iShares
MSCI Canada ETF | ||||
| Independent Directors:1 | ||||||||
| Robert H. Silver | $ 930 | $29 | $ 75 | $ 1,715 | ||||
| George G.C. Parker2 | 787 | 24 | 63 | 1,452 | ||||
| John E. Martinez | 830 | 26 | 67 | 1,531 | ||||
| Cecilia H. Herbert | 872 | 27 | 70 | 1,610 | ||||
| Charles A. Hurty | 901 | 28 | 73 | 1,663 | ||||
| John E. Kerrigan | 830 | 26 | 67 | 1,531 | ||||
| Madhav V. Rajan | 830 | 26 | 67 | 1,531 | ||||
| Interested Directors: | ||||||||
| Robert S. Kapito | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | ||||
| Mark Wiedman3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Michael Latham4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
54
Table of Contents
| Name of Director | iShares
MSCI Eurozone ETF |
iShares
MSCI France ETF |
iShares
MSCI Germany ETF |
iShares
MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF | ||||
| Independent Directors:1 | ||||||||
| Robert H. Silver | $ 3,951 | $ 128 | $ 2,155 | $ 32 | ||||
| George G.C. Parker2 | 3,343 | 108 | 1,824 | 27 | ||||
| John E. Martinez | 3,525 | 114 | 1,923 | 29 | ||||
| Cecilia H. Herbert | 3,708 | 120 | 2,023 | 30 | ||||
| Charles A. Hurty | 3,829 | 124 | 2,089 | 31 | ||||
| John E. Kerrigan | 3,525 | 114 | 1,923 | 29 | ||||
| Madhav V. Rajan | 3,525 | 114 | 1,923 | 29 | ||||
| Interested Directors: | ||||||||
| Robert S. Kapito | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | ||||
| Mark Wiedman3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Michael Latham4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Name of Director | iShares
MSCI Global Silver Miners ETF |
iShares
MSCI Hong Kong ETF |
iShares
MSCI Israel Capped ETF |
iShares
MSCI Italy Capped ETF | ||||
| Independent Directors:1 | ||||||||
| Robert H. Silver | $6 | $ 1,463 | $ 55 | $ 707 | ||||
| George G.C. Parker2 | 5 | 1,238 | 47 | 598 | ||||
| John E. Martinez | 6 | 1,305 | 49 | 631 | ||||
| Cecilia H. Herbert | 6 | 1,373 | 52 | 664 | ||||
| Charles A. Hurty | 6 | 1,418 | 54 | 685 | ||||
| John E. Kerrigan | 6 | 1,305 | 49 | 631 | ||||
| Madhav V. Rajan | 6 | 1,305 | 49 | 631 | ||||
| Interested Directors: | ||||||||
| Robert S. Kapito | $0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | ||||
| Mark Wiedman3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Michael Latham4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Name of Director | iShares
MSCI Japan ETF |
iShares
MSCI Japan Small-Cap ETF |
iShares
MSCI Mexico Capped ETF |
iShares
MSCI Netherlands ETF | ||||
| Independent Directors:1 | ||||||||
| Robert H. Silver | $ 6,675 | $77 | $ 1,487 | $ 75 | ||||
| George G.C. Parker2 | 5,648 | 65 | 1,259 | 63 | ||||
| John E. Martinez | 5,956 | 69 | 1,327 | 67 | ||||
| Cecilia H. Herbert | 6,264 | 72 | 1,396 | 70 | ||||
| Charles A. Hurty | 6,469 | 75 | 1,442 | 73 | ||||
| John E. Kerrigan | 5,956 | 69 | 1,327 | 67 | ||||
| Madhav V. Rajan | 5,956 | 69 | 1,327 | 67 | ||||
| Interested Directors: | ||||||||
| Robert S. Kapito | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | ||||
| Mark Wiedman3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
55
Table of Contents
| Name of Director | iShares
MSCI Japan ETF |
iShares
MSCI Japan Small-Cap ETF |
iShares
MSCI Mexico Capped ETF |
iShares
MSCI Netherlands ETF | ||||
| Michael Latham4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Name of Director | iShares
MSCI Pacific ex Japan ETF |
iShares
MSCI Singapore ETF |
iShares
MSCI South Africa ETF |
iShares
MSCI Spain Capped ETF | ||||
| Independent Directors:1 | ||||||||
| Robert H. Silver | $ 1,577 | $ 447 | $ 267 | $ 1,123 | ||||
| George G.C. Parker2 | 1,334 | 378 | 226 | 950 | ||||
| John E. Martinez | 1,407 | 399 | 238 | 1,002 | ||||
| Cecilia H. Herbert | 1,480 | 420 | 250 | 1,054 | ||||
| Charles A. Hurty | 1,528 | 433 | 259 | 1,089 | ||||
| John E. Kerrigan | 1,407 | 399 | 238 | 1,002 | ||||
| Madhav V. Rajan | 1,407 | 399 | 238 | 1,002 | ||||
| Interested Directors: | ||||||||
| Robert S. Kapito | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | ||||
| Mark Wiedman3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Michael Latham4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Name of Director | iShares
MSCI Sweden ETF |
iShares
MSCI Switzerland Capped ETF |
iShares
MSCI Thailand Capped ETF |
iShares
MSCI Turkey ETF | ||||
| Independent Directors:1 | ||||||||
| Robert H. Silver | $ 184 | $ 487 | $259 | $234 | ||||
| George G.C. Parker2 | 155 | 412 | 220 | 198 | ||||
| John E. Martinez | 164 | 434 | 232 | 209 | ||||
| Cecilia H. Herbert | 172 | 457 | 244 | 220 | ||||
| Charles A. Hurty | 178 | 472 | 252 | 227 | ||||
| John E. Kerrigan | 164 | 434 | 232 | 209 | ||||
| Madhav V. Rajan | 164 | 434 | 232 | 209 | ||||
| Interested Directors: | ||||||||
| Robert S. Kapito | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | ||||
| Mark Wiedman3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Michael Latham4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Name of Director | iShares
MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF |
iShares
MSCI World ETF |
||||||
| Independent Directors:1 | ||||||||
| Robert H. Silver | $22 | $77 | ||||||
| George G.C. Parker2 | 18 | 65 | ||||||
| John E. Martinez | 19 | 68 | ||||||
| Cecilia H. Herbert | 20 | 72 | ||||||
| Charles A. Hurty | 21 | 74 | ||||||
| John E. Kerrigan | 19 | 68 | ||||||
| Madhav V. Rajan | 19 | 68 | ||||||
56
Table of Contents
| Name of Director | iShares
MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF |
iShares
MSCI World ETF |
||||||
| Interested Directors: | ||||||||
| Robert S. Kapito | $0 | $0 | ||||||
| Mark Wiedman3 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| Michael Latham4 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| Name of Director | Pension
or Retirement Benefits Accrued As Part of Company Expenses5 |
Estimated
Annual Benefits Upon Retirement5 |
Total
Compensation From the Funds and Fund Complex6 | |||
| Independent Directors:1 | ||||||
| Robert H. Silver | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | $ 325,000 | |||
| George G.C. Parker2 | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | 275,000 | |||
| John E. Martinez | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | 290,000 | |||
| Cecilia H. Herbert | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | 305,000 | |||
| Charles A. Hurty | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | 315,000 | |||
| John E. Kerrigan | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | 315,882 | |||
| Madhav V. Rajan | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | 301,765 | |||
| Interested Directors: | ||||||
| Robert S. Kapito | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | $ 0 | |||
| Mark Wiedman3 | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | 0 | |||
| Michael Latham4 | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | 0 |
| 1 | Compensation is not shown for Jane D. Carlin because she was appointed to serve as an Independent Director of the Company effective February 3, 2015. |
| 2 | Served as Independent Director through December 31, 2014. |
| 3 | Appointed to serve as an Interested Director effective December 31, 2013. |
| 4 | Served as an Interested Director through December 31, 2013. |
| 5 | No Director or officer is entitled to any pension or retirement benefits from the Company. |
| 6 | Includes compensation for service on the Boards of Trustees of iShares Trust and iShares U.S. ETF Trust and the Board of Directors of iShares MSCI Russia Capped ETF, Inc. |
Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities.
The Directors and officers of the Company collectively owned
less than 1% of each Fund's outstanding shares as of November 28, 2014.
Although the Company does not have information concerning the
beneficial ownership of shares held in the names of Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) participants (as defined below), as of November 28, 2014, the name and percentage ownership of each DTC participant that owned of record 5% or more of
the outstanding shares of a Fund were as follows:
| Fund | Name | Percentage
of Ownership | ||
| iShares MSCI Australia ETF | State
Street Bank and Trust Company 1776 Heritage Drive North Quincy, MA 02171 |
12.50% | ||
| Charles
Schwab & Co., Inc. 111 Pavonia Avenue Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
8.63% |
57
Table of Contents
| Fund | Name | Percentage
of Ownership | ||
| JPMorgan
Chase Bank, National Association 14201 Dallas Pkwy 12th Floor Dallas, TX 75240 |
7.10% | |||
| Brown
Brothers Harriman & Co. 525 Washington Blvd. 11th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
7.03% | |||
| National
Financial Services LLC 200 Liberty Street 5th Floor New York, NY 10281 |
6.20% | |||
| The
Bank of New York Mellon 401 Salina Street 2nd Floor Syracuse, NY 13202 |
5.91% | |||
| Citibank,
N.A. 3800 CitiBank Center Tampa Building A/Floor 2 Tampa, FL 33610 |
5.29% | |||
| iShares MSCI Austria Capped ETF | Charles
Schwab & Co., Inc. 111 Pavonia Avenue Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
11.34% | ||
| National
Financial Services LLC 200 Liberty Street 5th Floor New York, NY 10281 |
8.44% | |||
| Brown
Brothers Harriman & Co. 525 Washington Blvd. 11th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
8.10% | |||
| JPMorgan
Chase Bank, National Association 14201 Dallas Pkwy 12th Floor Dallas, TX 75240 |
7.49% | |||
| TD
Ameritrade Clearing, Inc. 1005 N. Ameritrade Place Bellevue, NE 68005 |
7.41% | |||
| The
Bank of New York Mellon 401 Salina Street 2nd Floor Syracuse, NY 13202 |
6.33% | |||
| Morgan
Stanley & Co. Harborside Financial Center Plaza 3, 1st Floor Jersey City, NJ 07311 |
6.27% | |||
| UBS
Financial Services Inc. 1000 Harbor Blvd. 4th Floor Weehawken, NJ 07087 |
5.11% |
58
Table of Contents
| Fund | Name | Percentage
of Ownership | ||
| iShares MSCI Belgium Capped ETF | Morgan
Stanley & Co. Harborside Financial Center Plaza 3, 1st Floor Jersey City, NJ 07311 |
22.50% | ||
| First
Clearing, LLC 901 East Byrd Street Richmond, VA 23219 |
14.02% | |||
| National
Financial Services LLC 200 Liberty Street 5th Floor New York, NY 10281 |
9.03% | |||
| Raymond,
James & Associates, Inc. 880 Carillon Parkway P.O. Box 12749 St. Petersburg, FL 33733 |
8.71% | |||
| UBS
Financial Services Inc. 1000 Harbor Blvd. 4th Floor Weehawken, NJ 07087 |
8.54% | |||
| Charles
Schwab & Co., Inc. 111 Pavonia Avenue Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
7.14% | |||
| iShares MSCI Canada ETF | Charles
Schwab & Co., Inc. 111 Pavonia Avenue Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
8.71% | ||
| BNP
Paribas, New York Branch/Custody Services 525 Washington BLVD. Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
7.64% | |||
| Deutsche
Bank Securities Inc./Cedear 1251 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10020 |
7.42% | |||
| Merrill
Lynch, Pierce Fenner & Smith Safekeeping 101 Hudson Street 8th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07302 |
7.10% | |||
| National
Financial Services LLC 200 Liberty Street 5th Floor New York, NY 10281 |
6.59% | |||
| The
Bank of New York Mellon 401 Salina Street 2nd Floor Syracuse, NY 13202 |
5.69% | |||
59
Table of Contents
| Fund | Name | Percentage
of Ownership | ||
| iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF | Citibank,
N.A. 3800 CitiBank Center Tampa Building A/Floor 2 Tampa, FL 33610 |
15.26% | ||
| Deutsche
Bank Securities Inc./Cedear 1251 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10020 |
14.88% | |||
| Brown
Brothers Harriman & Co. 525 Washington Blvd. 11th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
13.51% | |||
| State
Street Bank and Trust Company 1776 Heritage Drive North Quincy, MA 02171 |
11.47% | |||
| The
Bank of New York Mellon 401 Salina Street 2nd Floor Syracuse, NY 13202 |
10.38% | |||
| Merrill
Lynch, Pierce Fenner & Smith Safekeeping 101 Hudson Street 8th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07302 |
8.44% | |||
| iShares MSCI France ETF | Brown
Brothers Harriman & Co. 525 Washington Blvd. 11th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
24.33% | ||
| Citibank,
N.A. 3800 CitiBank Center Tampa Building A/Floor 2 Tampa, FL 33610 |
9.82% | |||
| State
Street Bank and Trust Company 1776 Heritage Drive North Quincy, MA 02171 |
9.80% | |||
| The
Bank of New York Mellon 401 Salina Street 2nd Floor Syracuse, NY 13202 |
9.27% | |||
| JPMorgan
Chase Bank, National Association 14201 Dallas Pkwy 12th Floor Dallas, TX 75240 |
5.15% | |||
| iShares MSCI Germany ETF | Brown
Brothers Harriman & Co. 525 Washington Blvd. 11th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
21.88% |
60
Table of Contents
| Fund | Name | Percentage
of Ownership | ||
| Citibank,
N.A. 3800 CitiBank Center Tampa Building A/Floor 2 Tampa, FL 33610 |
16.08% | |||
| Charles
Schwab & Co., Inc. 111 Pavonia Avenue Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
13.26% | |||
| Deutsche
Bank Securities Inc./Cedear 1251 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10020 |
6.39% | |||
| First
Clearing, LLC 901 East Byrd Street Richmond, VA 23219 |
5.47% | |||
| iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF | National
Financial Services LLC 200 Liberty Street 5th Floor New York, NY 10281 |
30.09% | ||
| LPL
Financial Corporation 9785 Towne Centre Drive San Diego, CA 92121-1968 |
9.14% | |||
| Charles
Schwab & Co., Inc. 111 Pavonia Avenue Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
7.26% | |||
| TD
Ameritrade Clearing, Inc. 1005 N. Ameritrade Place Bellevue, NE 68005 |
6.07% | |||
| Merrill
Lynch, Pierce Fenner & Smith Safekeeping 101 Hudson Street 8th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07302 |
5.97% | |||
| J.P.
Morgan Clearing Corp One Metrotech Center North Brooklyn, NY 11201 |
5.58% | |||
| iShares MSCI Global Silver Miners ETF | National
Financial Services LLC 200 Liberty Street 5th Floor New York, NY 10281 |
47.34% | ||
| Brown
Brothers Harriman & Co. 525 Washington Blvd. 11th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
10.85% | |||
| Charles
Schwab & Co., Inc. 111 Pavonia Avenue Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
7.16% |
61
Table of Contents
| Fund | Name | Percentage
of Ownership | ||
| Merrill
Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated 101 Hudson Street 9th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07302-3997 |
5.97% | |||
| iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF | State
Street Bank and Trust Company 1776 Heritage Drive North Quincy, MA 02171 |
19.93% | ||
| Charles
Schwab & Co., Inc. 111 Pavonia Avenue Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
18.18% | |||
| Brown
Brothers Harriman & Co. 525 Washington Blvd. 11th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
17.92% | |||
| Citibank,
N.A. 3800 CitiBank Center Tampa Building A/Floor 2 Tampa, FL 33610 |
15.95% | |||
| iShares MSCI Israel Capped ETF | National
Financial Services LLC 200 Liberty Street 5th Floor New York, NY 10281 |
10.61% | ||
| Charles
Schwab & Co., Inc. 111 Pavonia Avenue Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
10.17% | |||
| Morgan
Stanley & Co. Harborside Financial Center Plaza 3, 1st Floor Jersey City, NJ 07311 |
8.45% | |||
| First
Clearing, LLC 901 East Byrd Street Richmond, VA 23219 |
6.35% | |||
| iShares MSCI Italy Capped ETF | State
Street Bank and Trust Company 1776 Heritage Drive North Quincy, MA 02171 |
23.31% | ||
| Citibank,
N.A. 3800 CitiBank Center Tampa Building A/Floor 2 Tampa, FL 33610 |
14.42% | |||
| Brown
Brothers Harriman & Co. 525 Washington Blvd. 11th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
9.91% | |||
| The
Bank of New York Mellon 401 Salina Street 2nd Floor Syracuse, NY 13202 |
6.76% |
62
Table of Contents
| Fund | Name | Percentage
of Ownership | ||
| Goldman,
Sachs & Co. 30 Hudson Street 16th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07302 |
5.76% | |||
| Pershing
LLC One Pershing Plaza Jersey City, NJ 07399 |
5.26% | |||
| iShares MSCI Japan ETF | Brown
Brothers Harriman & Co. 525 Washington Blvd. 11th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
24.37% | ||
| Citibank,
N.A. 3800 CitiBank Center Tampa Building A/Floor 2 Tampa, FL 33610 |
15.10% | |||
| State
Street Bank and Trust Company 1776 Heritage Drive North Quincy, MA 02171 |
13.18% | |||
| JPMorgan
Chase Bank, National Association 14201 Dallas Pkwy 12th Floor Dallas, TX 75240 |
6.09% | |||
| Deutsche
Bank Securities Inc./Cedear 1251 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10020 |
6.01% | |||
| The
Bank of New York Mellon 401 Salina Street 2nd Floor Syracuse, NY 13202 |
5.80% | |||
| iShares MSCI Japan Small-Cap ETF | JPMorgan
Chase Bank, National Association 14201 Dallas Pkwy 12th Floor Dallas, TX 75240 |
33.48% | ||
| Citibank,
N.A. 3800 CitiBank Center Tampa Building A/Floor 2 Tampa, FL 33610 |
26.91% | |||
| Morgan
Stanley & Co. Harborside Financial Center Plaza 3, 1st Floor Jersey City, NJ 07311 |
5.93% | |||
| iShares MSCI Mexico Capped ETF | Brown
Brothers Harriman & Co. 525 Washington Blvd. 11th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
14.60% | ||
| State
Street Bank and Trust Company 1776 Heritage Drive North Quincy, MA 02171 |
14.50% |
63
Table of Contents
| Fund | Name | Percentage
of Ownership | ||
| Mellon
Trust of New England, National Association Three Mellon Bank Center Floor 1533700 Pittsburgh, PA 15259 |
6.08% | |||
| JPMorgan
Chase Bank, National Association 14201 Dallas Pkwy 12th Floor Dallas, TX 75240 |
5.67% | |||
| The
Bank of New York Mellon 401 Salina Street 2nd Floor Syracuse, NY 13202 |
5.56% | |||
| Citibank,
N.A. 3800 CitiBank Center Tampa Building A/Floor 2 Tampa, FL 33610 |
5.20% | |||
| iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF | Citibank,
N.A. 3800 CitiBank Center Tampa Building A/Floor 2 Tampa, FL 33610 |
20.31% | ||
| State
Street Bank and Trust Company 1776 Heritage Drive North Quincy, MA 02171 |
12.64% | |||
| JPMorgan
Chase Bank, National Association 14201 Dallas Pkwy 12th Floor Dallas, TX 75240 |
6.36% | |||
| RBC
Capital Markets Corporation One Liberty Plaza New York, NY 10006-1446 |
5.65% | |||
| Charles
Schwab & Co., Inc. 111 Pavonia Avenue Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
5.45% | |||
| iShares MSCI Pacific ex Japan ETF | Merrill
Lynch, Pierce Fenner & Smith Safekeeping 101 Hudson Street 8th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07302 |
8.78% | ||
| Charles
Schwab & Co., Inc. 111 Pavonia Avenue Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
8.67% | |||
| Morgan
Stanley & Co. Harborside Financial Center Plaza 3, 1st Floor Jersey City, NJ 07311 |
8.50% |
64
Table of Contents
| Fund | Name | Percentage
of Ownership | ||
| The
Bank of New York Mellon 401 Salina Street 2nd Floor Syracuse, NY 13202 |
7.15% | |||
| Brown
Brothers Harriman & Co. 525 Washington Blvd. 11th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
7.14% | |||
| National
Financial Services LLC 200 Liberty Street 5th Floor New York, NY 10281 |
5.26% | |||
| iShares MSCI Singapore ETF | Charles
Schwab & Co., Inc. 111 Pavonia Avenue Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
14.56% | ||
| National
Financial Services LLC 200 Liberty Street 5th Floor New York, NY 10281 |
10.39% | |||
| Brown
Brothers Harriman & Co. 525 Washington Blvd. 11th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
8.58% | |||
| First
Clearing, LLC 901 East Byrd Street Richmond, VA 23219 |
8.43% | |||
| Bank
of America, National Association 411 N. Akard Street 5th Floor Dallas, TX 75201 |
7.12% | |||
| iShares MSCI South Africa ETF | State
Street Bank and Trust Company 1776 Heritage Drive North Quincy, MA 02171 |
28.98% | ||
| Northern
Trust Company (The) 801 South Canal Street Chicago, IL 60612 |
13.32% | |||
| Brown
Brothers Harriman & Co. 525 Washington Blvd. 11th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
8.73% | |||
| iShares MSCI Spain Capped ETF | Brown
Brothers Harriman & Co. 525 Washington Blvd. 11th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
23.19% | ||
| Goldman,
Sachs & Co. 30 Hudson Street 16th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07302 |
18.02% |
65
Table of Contents
| Fund | Name | Percentage
of Ownership | ||
| State
Street Bank and Trust Company 1776 Heritage Drive North Quincy, MA 02171 |
11.28% | |||
| Pershing
LLC One Pershing Plaza Jersey City, NJ 07399 |
5.81% | |||
| iShares MSCI Sweden ETF | Merrill
Lynch, Pierce Fenner & Smith Safekeeping 101 Hudson Street 8th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07302 |
17.49% | ||
| Brown
Brothers Harriman & Co. 525 Washington Blvd. 11th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
15.14% | |||
| State
Street Bank and Trust Company 1776 Heritage Drive North Quincy, MA 02171 |
7.40% | |||
| JPMorgan
Chase Bank, National Association 14201 Dallas Pkwy 12th Floor Dallas, TX 75240 |
7.26% | |||
| Citibank,
N.A. 3800 CitiBank Center Tampa Building A/Floor 2 Tampa, FL 33610 |
5.35% | |||
| Charles
Schwab & Co., Inc. 111 Pavonia Avenue Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
5.34% | |||
| iShares MSCI Switzerland Capped ETF | Merrill
Lynch, Pierce Fenner & Smith Safekeeping 101 Hudson Street 8th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07302 |
18.15% | ||
| Brown
Brothers Harriman & Co. 525 Washington Blvd. 11th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
15.38% | |||
| Charles
Schwab & Co., Inc. 111 Pavonia Avenue Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
9.44% | |||
| National
Financial Services LLC 200 Liberty Street 5th Floor New York, NY 10281 |
8.62% | |||
| iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF | State
Street Bank and Trust Company 1776 Heritage Drive North Quincy, MA 02171 |
15.09% |
66
Table of Contents
| Fund | Name | Percentage
of Ownership | ||
| Northern
Trust Company/ United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund 50 South LaSalle Street Chicago, IL 60675 |
11.71% | |||
| JPMorgan
Chase Bank, National Association 14201 Dallas Pkwy 12th Floor Dallas, TX 75240 |
11.58% | |||
| The
Bank of New York Mellon 401 Salina Street 2nd Floor Syracuse, NY 13202 |
7.70% | |||
| Brown
Brothers Harriman & Co. 525 Washington Blvd. 11th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
6.83% | |||
| iShares MSCI Turkey ETF | Brown
Brothers Harriman & Co. 525 Washington Blvd. 11th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
14.21% | ||
| State
Street Bank and Trust Company 1776 Heritage Drive North Quincy, MA 02171 |
12.49% | |||
| National
Financial Services LLC 200 Liberty Street 5th Floor New York, NY 10281 |
7.93% | |||
| Mellon
Trust of New England, National Association Three Mellon Bank Center Floor 1533700 Pittsburgh, PA 15259 |
7.10% | |||
| Charles
Schwab & Co., Inc. 111 Pavonia Avenue Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
6.91% | |||
| JPMorgan
Chase Bank, National Association 14201 Dallas Pkwy 12th Floor Dallas, TX 75240 |
5.82% | |||
| iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF | Brown
Brothers Harriman & Co. 525 Washington Blvd. 11th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
28.38% | ||
| Deutsche
Bank Securities Inc./Cedear 1251 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10020 |
7.78% |
67
Table of Contents
| Fund | Name | Percentage
of Ownership | ||
| Merrill
Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated 101 Hudson Street 9th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07302-3997 |
6.93% | |||
| National
Financial Services LLC 200 Liberty Street 5th Floor New York, NY 10281 |
6.78% | |||
| RBC
Capital Markets Corporation One Liberty Plaza New York, NY 10006-1446 |
6.65% | |||
| Pershing
LLC One Pershing Plaza Jersey City, NJ 07399 |
5.61% | |||
| Merrill
Lynch, Pierce Fenner & Smith Safekeeping 101 Hudson Street 8th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07302 |
5.32% | |||
| iShares MSCI World ETF | JPMorgan
Chase Bank, National Association 14201 Dallas Pkwy 12th Floor Dallas, TX 75240 |
44.33% | ||
| Brown
Brothers Harriman & Co. 525 Washington Blvd. 11th Floor Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
20.47% | |||
| City
National Bank 555 South Flower Street 10th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90071 |
6.97% | |||
| The
Bank of New York Mellon 401 Salina Street 2nd Floor Syracuse, NY 13202 |
6.79% |
Potential Conflicts of Interest. The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (“PNC”) has a significant economic interest in BlackRock, Inc., the parent of BFA, the Funds' investment adviser. PNC is considered to be an affiliate of
BlackRock, Inc. under the 1940 Act. Certain activities of BFA, BlackRock, Inc. and their affiliates (collectively, “BlackRock”) and PNC and its affiliates (collectively, “PNC” and together with BlackRock,
“Affiliates”), with respect to the Funds and/or other accounts managed by BlackRock or PNC, may give rise to actual or perceived conflicts of interest such as those described below.
BlackRock is one of the world's largest asset management
firms. PNC is a diversified financial services organization spanning the retail, business and corporate markets. BlackRock and PNC are affiliates of one another under the 1940 Act. BlackRock and PNC and their respective affiliates (including, for
these purposes, their directors, partners, trustees, managing members, officers and employees), including the entities and personnel who may be involved in the investment activities and business operations of a Fund, are engaged worldwide in
businesses, including equity, fixed-income, cash management and alternative investments. These are considerations of which investors in a Fund should be aware, and which may cause
68
Table of Contents
conflicts of interest that could disadvantage the Fund and its shareholders.
These activities and interests include potential multiple advisory, transactional, financial and other interests in securities and other instruments that may be purchased or sold by a Fund.
BlackRock and its Affiliates have proprietary interests in,
and may manage or advise with respect to, accounts or funds (including separate accounts and other funds and collective investment vehicles) that have investment objectives similar to those of a Fund and/or that engage in transactions in the same
types of securities, currencies and instruments as the Fund. One or more Affiliates are also major participants in the global currency, equities, swap and fixed-income markets, in each case both on a proprietary basis and for the accounts of
customers. As such, one or more Affiliates are or may be actively engaged in transactions in the same securities, currencies, and instruments in which a Fund invests. Such activities could affect the prices and availability of the securities,
currencies, and instruments in which a Fund invests, which could have an adverse impact on the Fund's performance. Such transactions, particularly in respect of most proprietary accounts or customer accounts, will be executed independently of a
Fund's transactions and thus at prices or rates that may be more or less favorable than those obtained by the Fund. When BlackRock and its Affiliates purchase or sell the same assets for their managed accounts, including a Fund, the assets actually
purchased or sold may be allocated among the accounts on a basis determined in their good faith discretion to be equitable. In some cases, this system may adversely affect the amount or price of the assets purchased or sold for a Fund. In addition,
transactions in investments by one or more other accounts managed by BlackRock or its Affiliates may have the effect of diluting or otherwise disadvantaging the values, prices or investment strategies of a Fund, particularly, but not limited to,
with respect to small capitalization, emerging market or less liquid strategies. This may occur when investment decisions regarding a Fund are based on research or other information that is also used to support decisions for other accounts. When
BlackRock or its Affiliates implements a portfolio decision or strategy on behalf of another account ahead of, or contemporaneously with, similar decisions or strategies for a Fund, market impact, liquidity constraints, or other factors could result
in the Fund receiving less favorable trading results and the costs of implementing such decisions or strategies could be increased or the Fund could otherwise be disadvantaged. BlackRock or its Affiliates may, in certain cases, elect to implement
internal policies and procedures designed to limit such consequences, which may cause a Fund to be unable to engage in certain activities, including purchasing or disposing of securities, when it might otherwise be desirable for it to do so.
Conflicts may also arise because portfolio decisions regarding
a Fund may benefit other accounts managed by BlackRock or its Affiliates. For example, the sale of a long position or establishment of a short position by a Fund may impair the price of the same security sold short by (and therefore benefit) one or
more Affiliates or their other accounts, and the purchase of a security or covering of a short position in a security by a Fund may increase the price of the same security held by (and therefore benefit) one or more Affiliates or their other
accounts.
In certain circumstances, BFA, on behalf of a
Fund, may seek to buy from or sell securities to another fund or account advised by BFA or an affiliate. BFA may (but is not required to) effect purchases and sales between BFA clients or clients of affiliates (“cross trades”), including
a Fund, if BFA believes such transactions are appropriate based on each party's investment objectives and guidelines, subject to applicable law and regulation. There may be potential conflicts of interest or regulatory issues relating to these
transactions which could limit BFA’s decision to engage in these transactions for a Fund. BFA may have a potentially conflicting division of loyalties and responsibilities to the parties in such transactions. On any occasion when a Fund
participates in a cross trade, BFA will comply with procedures adopted pursuant to Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act and applicable SEC guidance.
BlackRock and its Affiliates and their clients may pursue or
enforce rights with respect to an issuer in which a Fund has invested, and those activities may have an adverse effect on the Fund. As a result, prices, availability, liquidity and terms of a Fund's investments may be negatively impacted by the
activities of BlackRock or its Affiliates or their clients, and transactions for the Fund may be impaired or effected at prices or terms that may be less favorable than would otherwise have been the case.
The results of a Fund's investment activities may differ
significantly from the results achieved by BlackRock and its Affiliates for their proprietary accounts or other accounts (including investment companies or collective investment vehicles) managed or advised by them. It is possible that one or more
Affiliate-managed accounts and such other accounts will achieve investment results that are substantially more or less favorable than the results achieved by a Fund. Moreover, it is possible that a Fund will sustain losses during periods in which
one or more Affiliate-managed accounts achieve significant profits on their trading for proprietary or other accounts. The opposite result is also possible. The investment activities of one or more Affiliates for their proprietary accounts and
accounts under their management may also limit the investment opportunities
69
Table of Contents
for
a Fund in certain emerging and other markets in which limitations are imposed upon the amount of investment, in the aggregate or in individual issuers, by affiliated foreign investors.
From time to time, a Fund's activities may also be restricted
because of regulatory restrictions applicable to one or more Affiliates, and/or their internal policies designed to comply with such restrictions. As a result, there may be periods, for example, when BlackRock, and/or one or more Affiliates, will
not initiate or recommend certain types of transactions in certain securities or instruments with respect to which BlackRock and/or one or more Affiliates are performing services or when position limits have been reached.
In connection with its management of a Fund, BlackRock may
have access to certain fundamental analysis and proprietary technical models developed by one or more Affiliates. BlackRock will not be under any obligation, however, to effect transactions on behalf of a Fund in accordance with such analysis and
models. In addition, neither BlackRock nor any of its Affiliates will have any obligation to make available any information regarding their proprietary activities or strategies, or the activities or strategies used for other accounts managed by
them, for the benefit of the management of a Fund and it is not anticipated that BlackRock will have access to such information for the purpose of managing the Fund. The proprietary activities or portfolio strategies of BlackRock and its Affiliates,
or the activities or strategies used for accounts managed by them or other customer accounts could conflict with the transactions and strategies employed by BlackRock in managing a Fund.
A Fund may be included in investment models developed by BFA
and its affiliates for use by clients and financial advisors. The price, availability and liquidity of a Fund may be impacted by purchases and redemptions of a Fund by model-driven investment portfolios.
In addition, certain principals and certain employees of
BlackRock are also principals or employees of Affiliates. As a result, the performance by these principals and employees of their obligations to such other entities may be a consideration of which investors in a Fund should be aware.
BlackRock may enter into transactions and invest in
securities, instruments and currencies on behalf of a Fund in which customers of BlackRock or its Affiliates, or, to the extent permitted by the SEC, BlackRock or another Affiliate, serves as the counterparty, principal or issuer. In such cases,
such party's interests in the transaction will be adverse to the interests of the Fund, and such party may have no incentive to assure that the Fund obtains the best possible prices or terms in connection with the transactions. In addition, the
purchase, holding and sale of such investments by a Fund may enhance the profitability of BlackRock or its Affiliates. One or more Affiliates may also create, write or issue derivatives for their customers, the underlying securities, currencies or
instruments of which may be those in which a Fund invests or which may be based on the performance of the Fund. A Fund may, subject to applicable law, purchase investments that are the subject of an underwriting or other distribution by one or more
Affiliates and may also enter into transactions with other clients of an Affiliate where such other clients have interests adverse to those of the Fund.
At times, these activities may cause departments of BlackRock
or its Affiliates to give advice to clients that may cause these clients to take actions adverse to the interests of the Fund. To the extent affiliated transactions are permitted, a Fund will deal with BlackRock and its Affiliates on an arms-length
basis. BlackRock or its Affiliates may also have an ownership interest in certain trading or information systems used by a Fund. A Fund's use of such trading or information systems may enhance the profitability of BlackRock and its Affiliates.
One or more Affiliates may act as broker, dealer, agent,
lender or adviser or in other commercial capacities for a Fund. It is anticipated that the commissions, mark-ups, mark-downs, financial advisory fees, underwriting and placement fees, sales fees, financing and commitment fees, brokerage fees, other
fees, compensation or profits, rates, terms and conditions charged by an Affiliate will be in its view commercially reasonable, although each Affiliate, including its sales personnel, will have an interest in obtaining fees and other amounts that
are favorable to the Affiliate and such sales personnel.
Subject to applicable law, the Affiliates (and their personnel
and other distributors) will be entitled to retain fees and other amounts that they receive in connection with their service to the Funds as broker, dealer, agent, lender, adviser or in other commercial capacities and no accounting to the Funds or
their respective shareholders will be required, and no fees or other compensation payable by the Funds or their respective shareholders will be reduced by reason of receipt by an Affiliate of any such fees or other amounts.
70
Table of Contents
When an Affiliate acts as broker, dealer, agent, adviser or in
other commercial capacities in relation to the Funds, the Affiliate may take commercial steps in its own interests, which may have an adverse effect on the Funds. A Fund will be required to establish business relationships with its counterparties
based on the Fund's own credit standing. Neither BlackRock nor any of the Affiliates will have any obligation to allow their credit to be used in connection with a Fund's establishment of its business relationships, nor is it expected that the
Fund's counterparties will rely on the credit of BlackRock or any of the Affiliates in evaluating the Fund's creditworthiness.
Lending on behalf of a Fund is done by BTC pursuant to SEC
exemptive relief, enabling BTC to act as securities lending agent to, and receive a share of securities lending revenues from, a Fund. BFA may also receive compensation for managing the reinvestment of the cash collateral from securities lending.
There is a potential conflict of interest in that BTC as a lending agent may have an incentive to increase the amount of securities on loan or to lend riskier assets in order to generate additional revenue for BTC and its affiliates. However,
BTC’s SEC exemptive relief sets forth certain conditions designed to assist in mitigating such conflicts of interest.
Purchases and sales of securities for a Fund may be bunched or
aggregated with orders for other BlackRock client accounts. BlackRock, however, is not required to bunch or aggregate orders if portfolio management decisions for different accounts are made separately, or if it determines that bunching or
aggregating is not practicable or required, or in cases involving client direction.
Prevailing trading activity frequently may make impossible the
receipt of the same price or execution on the entire volume of securities purchased or sold. When this occurs, the various prices may be averaged, and the Funds will be charged or credited with the average price. Thus, the effect of the aggregation
may operate on some occasions to the disadvantage of the Funds. In addition, under certain circumstances, the Funds will not be charged the same commission or commission equivalent rates in connection with a bunched or aggregated order.
BlackRock may select brokers (including, without limitation,
Affiliates) that furnish BlackRock, the Funds, other BlackRock client accounts or other Affiliates or personnel, directly or through correspondent relationships, with research or other appropriate services which provide, in BlackRock's view,
appropriate assistance to BlackRock in the investment decision-making process (including with respect to futures, fixed-price offerings and over-the-counter transactions). Such research or other services may include, to the extent permitted by law,
research reports on companies, industries and securities; economic and financial data; financial publications; proxy analysis; trade industry seminars; computer data bases; research-oriented software and other services and products. Research or
other services obtained in this manner may be used in servicing any or all of the Funds and other BlackRock client accounts, including in connection with BlackRock client accounts other than those that pay commissions to the broker relating to the
research or other service arrangements. Such products and services may disproportionately benefit other BlackRock client accounts relative to the Funds based on the amount of brokerage commissions paid by the Funds and such other BlackRock client
accounts. For example, research or other services that are paid for through one client's commissions may not be used in managing that client's account. In addition, other BlackRock client accounts may receive the benefit, including disproportionate
benefits, of economies of scale or price discounts in connection with products and services that may be provided to the Funds and to such other BlackRock client accounts. To the extent that BlackRock uses soft dollars, it will not have to pay for
those products and services itself.
BlackRock may
receive research that is bundled with the trade execution, clearing, and/or settlement services provided by a particular broker-dealer. To the extent that BlackRock receives research on this basis, many of the same conflicts related to traditional
soft dollars may exist. For example, the research effectively will be paid by client commissions that also will be used to pay for the execution, clearing, and settlement services provided by the broker-dealer and will not be paid by
BlackRock.
BlackRock may endeavor to execute trades
through brokers who, pursuant to such arrangements, provide research or other services in order to ensure the continued receipt of research or other services BlackRock believes are useful in its investment decision-making process. BlackRock may from
time to time choose not to engage in the above described arrangements to varying degrees. BlackRock may also enter into commission sharing arrangements under which BlackRock may execute transactions through a broker-dealer, including, where
permitted, an Affiliate, and request that the broker-dealer allocate a portion of the commissions or commission credits to another firm that provides research to BlackRock. To the extent that BlackRock engages in commission sharing arrangements,
many of the same conflicts related to traditional soft dollars may exist.
71
Table of Contents
BlackRock may utilize certain electronic crossing networks
(“ECNs”) in executing client securities transactions for certain types of securities. These ECNs may charge fees for their services, including access fees and transaction fees. The transaction fees, which are similar to commissions
or mark-ups/mark-downs, will generally be charged to clients and, like commissions and mark-ups/mark-downs, would generally be included in the cost of the securities purchased. Access fees may be paid by BlackRock even though incurred in connection
with executing transactions on behalf of clients, including the Funds. In certain circumstances, ECNs may offer volume discounts that will reduce the access fees typically paid by BlackRock. BlackRock will only utilize ECNs consistent with its
obligation to seek to obtain best execution in client transactions.
BlackRock has adopted policies and procedures designed to
prevent conflicts of interest from influencing proxy voting decisions that it makes on behalf of advisory clients, including the Funds, and to help ensure that such decisions are made in accordance with BlackRock's fiduciary obligations to its
clients. Nevertheless, notwithstanding such proxy voting policies and procedures, actual proxy voting decisions of BlackRock may have the effect of favoring the interests of other clients or businesses of other divisions or units of BlackRock and/or
its Affiliates, provided that BlackRock believes such voting decisions to be in accordance with its fiduciary obligations. For a more detailed discussion of these policies and procedures, see the Proxy Voting
Policy section of this SAI.
It is also possible
that, from time to time, BlackRock or its Affiliates may, although they are not required to, purchase and hold shares of a Fund. Increasing a Fund's assets may enhance liquidity, investment flexibility and diversification and may contribute to
economies of scale that tend to reduce the Fund's expense ratio. BlackRock and its Affiliates reserve the right to sell or redeem at any time some or all of the shares of a Fund acquired for their own accounts. A large sale or redemption of shares
of a Fund by BlackRock or its Affiliates could significantly reduce the asset size of the Fund, which might have an adverse effect on the Fund's liquidity, investment flexibility, portfolio diversification and expense ratio. BlackRock will consider
the effect of redemptions on a Fund and other shareholders in deciding whether to redeem its shares.
It is possible that a Fund may invest in securities of
companies with which an Affiliate has or is trying to develop investment banking relationships as well as securities of entities in which BlackRock or its Affiliates has significant debt or equity investments or in which an Affiliate makes a market.
A Fund also may invest in securities of companies to which an Affiliate provides or may someday provide research coverage. Such investments could cause conflicts between the interests of a Fund and the interests of BlackRock, other clients of
BlackRock or its Affiliates. In making investment decisions for a Fund, BlackRock is not permitted to obtain or use material non-public information acquired by any division, department or Affiliate of BlackRock in the course of these activities. In
addition, from time to time, the activities of an Affiliate may limit a Fund's flexibility in purchases and sales of securities. When an Affiliate is engaged in an underwriting or other distribution of securities of an entity, BlackRock may be
prohibited from purchasing or recommending the purchase of certain securities of that entity for a Fund. As indicated below, BlackRock or its Affiliates may engage in transactions with companies in which BlackRock-advised funds or other clients have
an investment.
BlackRock and Ace Limited
(“ACE”), a public company whose securities are held by BlackRock-advised funds and other accounts, partially funded the creation of a re-insurance company (“Re Co”) pursuant to which each has approximately a 9.9% ownership
interest and each has representation on the board of directors. Certain employees and executives of BlackRock will also have a less than ½ of 1% ownership interest in Re Co. BlackRock will manage the investment portfolio of Re Co, which will be
held in a wholly-owned subsidiary. Re Co will participate as a reinsurer with reinsurance contracts underwritten by subsidiaries of ACE. An independent director of certain BlackRock-advised funds also serves as an independent director of ACE and has
no interest or involvement in the Re Co transaction.
BlackRock and its Affiliates, their personnel and other
financial service providers may have interests in promoting sales of the Funds. With respect to BlackRock and its Affiliates and their personnel, the remuneration and profitability relating to services to and sales of the Funds or other products may
be greater than remuneration and profitability relating to services to and sales of certain funds or other products that might be provided or offered. BlackRock and its Affiliates and their sales personnel may directly or indirectly receive a
portion of the fees and commissions charged to the Funds or their respective shareholders. BlackRock and its advisory or other personnel may also benefit from increased amounts of assets under management. Fees and commissions may also be higher than
for other products or services, and the remuneration and profitability to BlackRock or its Affiliates and such personnel resulting from transactions on behalf of or management of the Funds may be greater than the remuneration and profitability
resulting from other funds or products.
BlackRock and
its Affiliates and their personnel may receive greater compensation or greater profit in connection with an account for which BlackRock serves as an adviser than with an account advised by an unaffiliated investment adviser.
72
Table of Contents
Differentials in compensation may be related to the fact that BlackRock may
pay a portion of its advisory fee to its Affiliate, or relate to compensation arrangements, including for portfolio management, brokerage transactions or account servicing. Any differential in compensation may create a financial incentive on the
part of BlackRock or its Affiliates and their personnel to recommend BlackRock over unaffiliated investment advisers or to effect transactions differently in one account over another.
Third parties, including service providers to BFA or a Fund,
may sponsor events (including, but not limited to, marketing and promotional activities and presentations, educational training programs and conferences) for registered representatives, other professionals and individual investors. There is a
potential conflict of interest as such sponsorships may defray the costs of such activities to BFA, and may provide an incentive to BFA to retain such third parties to provide services to a Fund.
BlackRock and its Affiliates may provide valuation assistance
to certain clients with respect to certain securities or other investments and the valuation recommendations made for their clients' accounts may differ from the valuations for the same securities or investments assigned by a Fund's pricing vendors,
especially if such valuations are based on broker-dealer quotes or other data sources unavailable to the Fund's pricing vendors. While BlackRock will generally communicate its valuation information or determinations to a Fund's pricing vendors
and/or fund accountants, there may be instances where the Fund's pricing vendors or fund accountants assign a different valuation to a security or other investment than the valuation for such security or investment determined or recommended by
BlackRock.
As disclosed in more detail in the Determination of Net Asset Value section of each Fund’s Prospectus and this SAI, when market valuations are not readily available or such valuations do not reflect current market values, the affected
investments will be valued using fair value pricing, pursuant to procedures adopted by the Board. When determining an asset’s “fair value,” the BlackRock Valuation Committee (or BlackRock’s Pricing Group) seeks to determine
the price that a Fund might reasonably expect to receive from the current sale of that asset in an arm’s-length transaction on the date on which the assets or liabilities are being valued and does not seek to determine the price that the Fund
might expect to receive for selling the asset, or the cost of extinguishing a liability, at a later time or if it holds the asset or liability to maturity. While fair value determinations will be based upon all available factors that
BlackRock’s Pricing Group deems relevant at the time of the determination, and may be based on analytical values determined by BlackRock using proprietary or third-party valuation models, fair value represents only a good faith approximation
of the value of a security. The fair value of one or more securities may not, in retrospect, be the price at which those assets could have been sold during the period in which the particular fair values were used in determining a Fund’s net
asset value. As a result, a Fund’s sale or redemption of its shares at net asset value, at a time when a holding or holdings are valued by BlackRock (pursuant to Board-adopted procedures) at fair value, may have the effect of diluting or
increasing the economic interest of existing shareholders and BlackRock receiving additional revenue.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, a Fund may invest
all or some of its short-term cash investments in any money market fund or similarly-managed private fund advised or managed by BlackRock. In connection with any such investments, a Fund, to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, may pay its share of
expenses of a money market fund in which it invests, which may result in a Fund bearing some additional expenses.
BlackRock and its Affiliates and their directors, officers and
employees, may buy and sell securities or other investments for their own accounts, and may have conflicts of interest with respect to investments made on behalf of a Fund. As a result of differing trading and investment strategies or constraints,
positions may be taken by directors, officers, employees and Affiliates of BlackRock that are the same, different from or made at different times than positions taken for the Fund. To lessen the possibility that a Fund will be adversely affected by
this personal trading, the Fund, BFA and BlackRock each has adopted a code of ethics in compliance with Section 17(j) of the 1940 Act that restricts securities trading in the personal accounts of investment professionals and others who normally come
into possession of information regarding the Fund's portfolio transactions. Each code of ethics can be reviewed and copied at the SEC's Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be
obtained by calling the SEC at (202) 551-8090. Each code of ethics is also available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC's Internet site at http://www.sec.gov, and copies may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by e-mail at publicinfo@sec.gov
or by writing the SEC's Public Reference Section, Washington, DC 20549-1520.
BlackRock and its Affiliates will not purchase securities or
other property from, or sell securities or other property to, a Fund, except that the Fund may in accordance with rules adopted under the 1940 Act engage in transactions with accounts that are affiliated with the Fund as a result of common officers,
directors, or investment advisers or pursuant to exemptive orders granted to the Funds and/or BlackRock by the SEC. These transactions would be effected in circumstances in which
73
Table of Contents
BlackRock determined that it would be appropriate for a Fund to purchase and
another client of BlackRock to sell, or the Fund to sell and another client of BlackRock to purchase, the same security or instrument on the same day. From time to time, the activities of a Fund may be restricted because of regulatory requirements
applicable to BlackRock or its Affiliates and/or BlackRock's internal policies designed to comply with, limit the applicability of, or otherwise relate to such requirements. A client not advised by BlackRock would not be subject to some of those
considerations. There may be periods when BlackRock may not initiate or recommend certain types of transactions, or may otherwise restrict or limit their advice in certain securities or instruments issued by or related to companies for which an
Affiliate is performing investment banking, market making or other services or has proprietary positions. For example, when an Affiliate is engaged in an underwriting or other distribution of securities of, or advisory services for, a company, the
Funds may be prohibited from or limited in purchasing or selling securities of that company. Similar situations could arise if personnel of BlackRock or its Affiliates serve as directors of companies the securities of which the Funds wish to
purchase or sell. However, if permitted by applicable law, the Funds may purchase securities or instruments that are issued by such companies or are the subject of an underwriting, distribution, or advisory assignment by an Affiliate, or in cases in
which personnel of BlackRock or its Affiliates are directors or officers of the issuer.
The investment activities of one or more Affiliates for their
proprietary accounts and for client accounts may also limit the investment strategies and rights of the Funds. For example, in certain regulated industries, in certain emerging or international markets, in corporate and regulatory ownership
definitions, and in certain futures and derivative transactions, there may be limits on the aggregate amount of investment by affiliated investors that may not be exceeded without the grant of a license or other regulatory or corporate consent or,
if exceeded, may cause BlackRock, the Funds or other client accounts to suffer disadvantages or business restrictions.
If certain aggregate ownership thresholds are reached or
certain transactions undertaken, the ability of BlackRock on behalf of clients (including the Funds) to purchase or dispose of investments, or exercise rights or undertake business transactions, may be restricted by regulation or otherwise impaired.
As a result, BlackRock, on behalf of clients (including the Funds), may limit purchases, sell existing investments, or otherwise restrict or limit the exercise of rights (including voting rights) when BlackRock, in its sole discretion, deems it
appropriate in light of potential regulatory or other restrictions on ownership or other consequences resulting from reaching investment thresholds.
In those circumstances where ownership thresholds or
limitations must be observed, BlackRock seeks to allocate limited investment opportunities equitably among clients (including the Funds), taking into consideration benchmark weight and investment strategy. When ownership in certain securities nears
an applicable threshold, BlackRock may limit purchases in such securities to the issuer's weighting in the applicable benchmark used by BlackRock to manage a Fund. If client (including Fund) holdings of an issuer exceed an applicable threshold and
BlackRock is unable to obtain relief to enable the continued holding of such investments, it may be necessary to sell down these positions to meet the applicable limitations. In these cases, benchmark overweight positions will be sold prior to
benchmark positions being reduced to meet applicable limitations.
In addition to the foregoing, other ownership thresholds may
trigger reporting requirements to governmental and regulatory authorities, and such reports may entail the disclosure of the identity of a client or BlackRock’s intended strategy with respect to such security or asset.
To the extent permitted by applicable laws, BlackRock and its
Affiliates may maintain securities indexes as part of their product offerings. Index based funds seek to track the performance of securities indexes and may use the name of the index in the fund name. Index providers, including BlackRock and its
Affiliates may be paid licensing fees for use of their index or index name. BlackRock and its Affiliates will not be obligated to license their indexes to BlackRock, and BlackRock cannot be assured that the terms of any index licensing agreement
with BlackRock and its Affiliates will be as favorable as those terms offered to other index licensees.
BlackRock and its Affiliates may serve as Authorized
Participants in the creation and redemption of exchange-traded funds, including funds advised by Affiliates of BlackRock. As described in greater detail in the Creations and
Redemptions section of each Prospectus, BlackRock and its Affiliates may therefore be deemed to be participants in a distribution of iShares funds that could render them statutory underwriters.
BlackRock may enter into contractual arrangements with third
party service providers to a Fund (e.g., custodians and administrators) pursuant to which BlackRock receives fee discounts or concessions in recognition of BlackRock’s overall relationship with such
service providers. To the extent that BlackRock is responsible for paying these service providers out of
74
Table of Contents
its
management fee, the benefits of any such fee discounts or concessions may accrue, in whole or in part, to BlackRock. BlackRock will disclose any material benefits it receives as a result of such fee discounts or concessions to the Board.
Present and future activities of BlackRock and its Affiliates,
including BFA, in addition to those described in this section, may give rise to additional conflicts of interest.
Investment Advisory, Administrative and Distribution
Services
Investment Adviser. BFA serves as investment adviser to each Fund pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between the Company, on behalf of each Fund, and BFA. BFA is a California corporation indirectly owned by BlackRock, Inc.,
and is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, BFA, subject to the supervision of the Board and in conformity with the stated investment policies of each
Fund, manages and administers the Company and the investment of each Fund's assets. BFA is responsible for placing purchase and sale orders and providing continuous supervision of the investment portfolio of each Fund.
Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, BFA may from
time to time, in its sole discretion to the extent permitted by applicable law, appoint one or more sub-advisers, including, without limitation, affiliates of BFA, to perform investment advisory or other services with respect to the Fund. In
addition, BFA may delegate certain of its investment advisory functions under the Investment Advisory Agreement to one or more of its affiliates to the extent permitted by applicable law. BFA may terminate any or all sub-advisers or such delegation
arrangements in its sole discretion upon appropriate notice at any time to the extent permitted by applicable law.
BFA is responsible, under the Investment Advisory Agreement,
for substantially all expenses of the Funds, including the cost of transfer agency, custody, fund administration, legal, audit and other services, except interest expense, taxes, brokerage expenses, distribution fees or expenses and extraordinary
expenses.
Effective July 1, 2015, for its investment
advisory services to the iShares MSCI Pacific ex Japan ETF, BFA is entitled to receive a management fee from the Fund corresponding to the Fund’s allocable portion of an aggregate management fee based on the aggregate average daily net assets
of the iShares Latin America 40 ETF, iShares MSCI Pacific ex Japan ETF, iShares Russell 2000 ETF, iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF, iShares Russell 2000 Value ETF, iShares Select Dividend ETF and iShares U.S. Preferred Stock ETF (“Combined
Funds”). The aggregate management fee is calculated as follows:
| Average Daily Net Assets of Combined Funds | Rate
of Management Fee for the iShares MSCI Pacific ex Japan ETF |
| First $46 billion | 0.5000% |
| Greater than $46 billion up to $81 billion | 0.4750% |
| Greater than $81 billion up to $111 billion | 0.4513% |
| Greater than $111 billion up to $141 billion | 0.4287% |
| Greater than $141 billion | 0.4073 % |
Each reduced management fee level
set forth in the fee schedule above reflects a 5% reduction (rounded to the fourth decimal place) from the management fee at the prior Combined Funds asset level.
For its investment advisory services to certain of the Funds
included in this SAI, BFA is entitled to receive a management fee from such Funds corresponding to each of the Fund's allocable portion of an aggregate management fee based on the aggregate average daily net assets of the following iShares funds:
iShares MSCI All Peru Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Brazil Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Brazil Small-Cap ETF, iShares MSCI Chile Capped ETF, iShares MSCI China ETF, iShares MSCI China Small-Cap ETF, iShares MSCI Indonesia ETF, iShares MSCI Israel Capped ETF,
iShares MSCI Philippines ETF, iShares MSCI Poland Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Qatar Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Russia Capped ETF, iShares MSCI South Africa ETF, iShares MSCI South Korea Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF, iShares MSCI Thailand Capped
ETF, iShares MSCI Turkey ETF and iShares MSCI UAE Capped ETF. The aggregate management fee is calculated as follows: 0.74% per annum of the aggregate net assets less than or equal to $2.0 billion, plus 0.69% per annum of the aggregate net assets
over $2.0 billion, up to and including $4.0 billion, plus 0.64% per annum of the aggregate net assets over $4.0 billion, up to and including $8.0
75
Table of Contents
billion, plus 0.57% per annum of the aggregate net assets over $8.0 billion,
up to and including $16.0 billion, plus 0.51% per annum of the aggregate net assets over $16.0 billion, up to and including $32.0 billion, plus 0.45% per annum of the aggregate net assets in excess of $32.0 billion.
For its investment advisory services to certain of the Funds
included in this SAI, BFA is entitled to receive a management fee from such Fund corresponding to the Fund's allocable portion of an aggregate management fee based on the aggregate average daily net assets of the following iShares funds: iShares
MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan ETF, iShares MSCI BRIC ETF, iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Consumer Discretionary ETF, iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Energy Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF, iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Minimum Volatility
ETF and iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Small-Cap ETF. Effective July 1, 2014, the aggregate management fee is calculated as follows: 0.75% per annum of the aggregate net assets less than or equal to $14.0 billion, plus 0.68% per annum of the
aggregate net assets over $14.0 billion, up to and including $28.0 billion, plus 0.61% per annum of the aggregate net assets over $28.0 billion, up to and including $42.0 billion, plus 0.54% per annum of the aggregate net assets over $42.0 billion,
up to and including $56.0 billion, plus 0.47% per annum of the aggregate net assets over $56.0 billion, up to and including $70.0 billion, plus 0.41% per annum of the aggregate net assets over $70.0 billion, up to and including $84.0 billion, plus
0.35% per annum of the aggregate net assets in excess of $84.0 billion.
For its investment advisory services to certain of the Funds
included in this SAI, BFA is entitled to receive a management fee from such Funds corresponding to each of the Fund's allocable portion of an aggregate management fee based on the aggregate average daily net assets of the following iShares funds:
iShares MSCI Australia ETF, iShares MSCI Austria Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Belgium Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Canada ETF, iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF, iShares MSCI France ETF, iShares MSCI Germany ETF, iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF, iShares MSCI Ireland
Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Italy Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Japan ETF, iShares MSCI Japan Small-Cap ETF, iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF, iShares MSCI Mexico Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF, iShares MSCI New Zealand Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Singapore
ETF, iShares MSCI Spain Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Sweden ETF, iShares MSCI Switzerland Capped ETF and iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF. Effective July 1, 2014, the aggregate management fee is calculated as follows: 0.59% per annum of the aggregate net
assets less than or equal to $7.0 billion, plus 0.54% per annum of the aggregate net assets over $7.0 billion, up to and including $11.0 billion, plus 0.49% per annum of the aggregate net assets over $11.0 billion, up to and including $24.0 billion,
plus 0.44% per annum of the aggregate net assets over $24.0 billion, up to and including $48.0 billion, plus 0.40% per annum of the aggregate net assets over $48.0 billion, up to and including $72.0 billion, plus 0.36% per annum of the aggregate net
assets in excess of $72.0 billion.
For its investment
management services to each Fund, BFA received a management fee at the annual rates (as a percentage of each Fund’s average net assets) set forth below for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2014.
The following table sets forth the management fees paid by
each Fund to BFA for the fiscal years noted:
| Fund | Management
Fee for the Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2014 |
Fund
Inception Date |
Management
Fees Paid For Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2014 |
Management
Fees Paid For Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2013 |
Management
Fees Paid For Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2012 | |||||
| iShares MSCI Australia ETF | 0.48% | 03/12/96 | $ 9,309,890 | $ 11,916,310 | $ 13,830,149 | |||||
| iShares MSCI Austria Capped ETF | 0.48% | 03/12/96 | 423,284 | 425,691 | 350,168 | |||||
| iShares MSCI Belgium Capped ETF | 0.48% | 03/12/96 | 402,608 | 267,980 | 131,854 | |||||
| iShares MSCI Canada ETF | 0.48% | 03/12/96 | 16,221,385 | 21,658,463 | 23,683,748 | |||||
| iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF | 0.48% | 07/25/00 | 42,364,200 | 10,426,456 | 3,695,691 | |||||
| iShares MSCI France ETF | 0.48% | 03/12/96 | 2,136,157 | 2,375,854 | 1,529,840 | |||||
| iShares MSCI Germany ETF | 0.48% | 03/12/96 | 26,930,838 | 18,741,662 | 14,093,002 | |||||
| iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF | 0.39% | 01/31/12 | 202,118 | 126,010 | 53,344 | |||||
| iShares MSCI Global Silver Miners ETF | 0.39% | 01/31/12 | 34,325 | 12,404 | 6,803 | |||||
| iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF | 0.48% | 03/12/96 | 10,514,616 | 14,579,558 | 9,202,379 | |||||
| iShares MSCI Israel Capped ETF | 0.62% | 03/26/08 | 660,053 | 482,473 | 469,665 | |||||
| iShares MSCI Italy Capped ETF | 0.48% | 03/12/96 | 5,770,615 | 2,496,180 | 687,537 | |||||
| iShares MSCI Japan ETF | 0.48% | 03/12/96 | 64,952,270 | 37,718,795 | 28,798,955 | |||||
| iShares MSCI Japan Small-Cap ETF | 0.48% | 12/20/07 | 658,384 | 311,214 | 291,630 |
76
Table of Contents
| Fund | Management
Fee for the Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2014 |
Fund
Inception Date |
Management
Fees Paid For Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2014 |
Management
Fees Paid For Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2013 |
Management
Fees Paid For Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2012 | |||||
| iShares MSCI Mexico Capped ETF | 0.48% | 03/12/96 | 12,859,191 | 10,823,841 | 6,061,230 | |||||
| iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF | 0.48% | 03/12/96 | 1,273,241 | 744,108 | 373,539 | |||||
| iShares MSCI Pacific ex Japan ETF | 0.49% | 10/25/01 | 15,652,518 | 18,800,902 | 16,176,388 | |||||
| iShares MSCI Singapore ETF | 0.48% | 03/12/96 | 5,164,682 | 7,659,064 | 7,690,242 | |||||
| iShares MSCI South Africa ETF | 0.62% | 02/03/03 | 3,384,634 | 3,087,433 | 3,145,182 | |||||
| iShares MSCI Spain Capped ETF | 0.48% | 03/12/96 | 7,203,889 | 1,353,645 | 705,321 | |||||
| iShares MSCI Sweden ETF | 0.48% | 03/12/96 | 2,380,666 | 1,967,658 | 1,624,714 | |||||
| iShares MSCI Switzerland Capped ETF | 0.48% | 03/12/96 | 5,066,631 | 3,964,723 | 2,708,262 | |||||
| iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF | 0.62% | 03/26/08 | 3,396,409 | 5,084,063 | 3,584,474 | |||||
| iShares MSCI Turkey ETF | 0.62% | 03/26/08 | 3,190,075 | 4,475,653 | 2,589,437 | |||||
| iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF | 0.15% | 05/05/10 | 196,623 | 238,033 | 147,696 | |||||
| iShares MSCI World ETF | 0.24% | 01/10/12 | 299,743 | 32,169 | 29,225 |
The investment advisory agreement
with respect to each Fund continues in effect for two years from its effective date, and thereafter is subject to annual approval by (i) the Board, or (ii) the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of
the applicable Fund, provided that in either event such continuance also is approved by a majority of the Board members who are not interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the applicable Fund, by a vote cast in person at a meeting called
for the purpose of voting on such approval.
The
investment advisory agreement with respect to each Fund is terminable without penalty, on 60 days’ notice, by the Board or by a vote of the holders of a majority of the applicable Fund’s outstanding voting securities (as defined in the
1940 Act). The investment advisory agreement is also terminable upon 60 days’ notice by BFA and will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act).
Portfolio Managers. As
of August 31, 2014, the individuals named as Portfolio Managers in the Funds' Prospectuses were also primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of other iShares funds and certain other types of portfolios and/or accounts as
follows:
| Matthew Goff | ||||
| Types of Accounts | Number | Total Assets | ||
| Registered Investment Companies | 231 | $541,000,000,000 | ||
| Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 0 | N/A | ||
| Other Accounts | 2 | 200,000,000 | ||
| Accounts with Incentive-Based Fee Arrangements | 0 | N/A |
| Diane Hsiung | ||||
| Types of Accounts | Number | Total Assets | ||
| Registered Investment Companies | 231 | $541,000,000,000 | ||
| Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 21 | 7,750,000,000 | ||
| Other Accounts | 0 | N/A | ||
| Accounts with Incentive-Based Fee Arrangements | 0 | N/A |
| Jennifer Hsui | ||||
| Types of Accounts | Number | Total Assets | ||
| Registered Investment Companies | 233 | $542,000,000,000 | ||
| Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 0 | N/A | ||
| Other Accounts | 0 | N/A | ||
| Accounts with Incentive-Based Fee Arrangements | 0 | N/A |
77
Table of Contents
| Greg Savage | ||||
| Types of Accounts | Number | Total Assets | ||
| Registered Investment Companies | 297 | $606,000,000,000 | ||
| Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 89 | 45,000,000,000 | ||
| Other Accounts | 12 | 1,500,000,000 | ||
| Accounts with Incentive-Based Fee Arrangements | 0 | N/A |
Each of the portfolios or accounts
for which the Portfolio Managers are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management seeks to track the rate of return, risk profile and other characteristics of independent third-party indexes by either replicating the same combination of
securities that constitute those indexes or through a representative sampling of the securities that constitute those indexes based on objective criteria and data. Pursuant to BFA’s policy, investment opportunities are allocated equitably
among the Funds and other portfolios and accounts. For example, under certain circumstances, an investment opportunity may be restricted due to limited supply in the market, legal constraints or other factors, in which event the investment
opportunity will be allocated equitably among those portfolios and accounts, including the Funds, seeking such investment opportunity. As a consequence, from time to time each Fund may receive a smaller allocation of an investment opportunity than
it would have if the Portfolio Managers and BFA and its affiliates did not manage other portfolios or accounts.
Like the Funds, the other portfolios or accounts for which the
Portfolio Managers are primarily responsible for the day-to-day portfolio management generally pay an asset-based fee to BFA or its affiliates, as applicable, for its advisory services. One or more of those other portfolios or accounts, however, may
pay BFA or its affiliates an incentive-based fee in lieu of, or in addition to, an asset-based fee for its advisory services. A portfolio or account with an incentive-based fee would pay BFA or its affiliates a portion of that portfolio’s or
account’s gains, or would pay BFA or its affiliates more for its services than would otherwise be the case if BFA or any of its affiliates meets or exceeds specified performance targets. By their nature, incentive-based fee arrangements could
present an incentive for BFA or its affiliates to devote greater resources, and allocate more investment opportunities, to the portfolios or accounts that have those fee arrangements, relative to other portfolios or accounts, in order to earn larger
fees. Although BFA and each of its affiliates have an obligation to allocate resources and opportunities equitably among portfolios and accounts and intend to do so, shareholders of the Funds should be aware that, as with any group of portfolios and
accounts managed by an investment adviser and/or its affiliates pursuant to varying fee arrangements, including incentive-based fee arrangements, there is the potential for a conflict of interest that may result in the Portfolio Managers favoring
those portfolios or accounts with incentive-based fee arrangements.
The tables below show, for each Portfolio Manager, the number
of portfolios or accounts of the types set forth in the above tables and the aggregate of total assets in those portfolios or accounts with respect to which the investment management fees are based on the performance of those portfolios or
accounts as of August 31, 2014:
| Matthew Goff | ||||
| Types of Accounts | Number
of Other Accounts with Performance Fees Managed by Portfolio Manager |
Aggregate
of Total Assets | ||
| Registered Investment Companies | 0 | N/A | ||
| Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 0 | N/A | ||
| Other Accounts | 0 | N/A |
| Diane Hsiung | ||||
| Types of Accounts | Number
of Other Accounts with Performance Fees Managed by Portfolio Manager |
Aggregate
of Total Assets | ||
| Registered Investment Companies | 0 | N/A | ||
| Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 0 | N/A | ||
| Other Accounts | 0 | N/A |
78
Table of Contents
| Jennifer Hsui | ||||
| Types of Accounts | Number
of Other Accounts with Performance Fees Managed by Portfolio Manager |
Aggregate
of Total Assets | ||
| Registered Investment Companies | 0 | N/A | ||
| Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 0 | N/A | ||
| Other Accounts | 0 | N/A |
| Greg Savage | ||||
| Types of Accounts | Number
of Other Accounts with Performance Fees Managed by Portfolio Manager |
Aggregate
of Total Assets | ||
| Registered Investment Companies | 0 | N/A | ||
| Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 0 | N/A | ||
| Other Accounts | 0 | N/A |
The discussion below describes the
Portfolio Managers' compensation as of August 31, 2014.
Portfolio Manager Compensation Overview
BlackRock, Inc.'s financial arrangements with its portfolio
managers, its competitive compensation and its career path emphasis at all levels reflect the value senior management places on key resources. Compensation may include a variety of components and may vary from year to year based on a number of
factors. The principal components of compensation include a base salary, a performance-based discretionary bonus, participation in various benefits programs and one or more of the incentive compensation programs established by BlackRock, Inc.
Base compensation. Generally,
portfolio managers receive base compensation based on their position with the firm.
Discretionary Incentive Compensation. Discretionary incentive compensation is a function of several components: the performance of BlackRock, Inc., the performance of the portfolio manager's group within BlackRock, Inc. and the individual's performance and
contribution to the overall performance of these portfolios and BlackRock, Inc.
Distribution of Discretionary Incentive Compensation. Discretionary incentive compensation is distributed to portfolio managers in a combination of cash and BlackRock, Inc. restricted stock units which vest ratably over a number of years. The BlackRock, Inc. restricted
stock units, if properly vested, will be settled in BlackRock, Inc. common stock. Typically, the cash bonus, when combined with base salary, represents more than 60% of total compensation for the portfolio managers. Paying a portion of annual
bonuses in stock puts compensation earned by a portfolio manager for a given year “at risk” based on BlackRock, Inc.'s ability to sustain and improve its performance over future periods.
Long-Term Incentive Plan Awards — From time to time, long-term incentive equity awards are granted to certain key employees to aid in retention, align their interests with long-term shareholder interests and motivate performance. Equity awards are
generally granted in the form of BlackRock, Inc. restricted stock units that, once vested, settle in BlackRock, Inc. common stock.
Other Compensation Benefits.
In addition to base compensation and discretionary incentive compensation, portfolio managers may be eligible to receive or participate in one or more of the following:
Incentive Savings Plans
— BlackRock, Inc. has created a variety of incentive savings plans in which BlackRock, Inc. employees are eligible to participate, including a 401(k) plan, the BlackRock Retirement Savings Plan (“RSP”), and the BlackRock Employee
Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”). The employer contribution components of the RSP include a company match equal to 50% of the first 8% of eligible pay contributed to the plan capped at $5,000 per year, and a company retirement contribution
equal to 3-5% of eligible compensation up to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) limit ($260,000 for 2014). The RSP offers a range of investment options, including registered investment companies and collective investment funds
managed by the firm. BlackRock, Inc. contributions follow the investment direction set by participants for their own contributions or, absent participant investment direction, are invested into an index target date fund that corresponds to, or
is
79
Table of Contents
closest to, the year in which the participant attains age 65. The ESPP allows
for investment in BlackRock, Inc. common stock at a 5% discount on the fair market value of the stock on the purchase date. Annual participation in the ESPP is limited to the purchase of 1,000 shares of common stock or a dollar value of $25,000
based on its fair market value on the Purchase Date. Matthew Goff, Diane Hsiung, Jennifer Hsui and Greg Savage are each eligible to participate in these plans.
As of August 31, 2014, the Portfolio Managers beneficially
owned shares of the Funds, for which they are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management, in the amounts reflected in the following tables:
| Matthew Goff | |||||||||||||||
| Dollar Range | |||||||||||||||
| Fund | None | $1 to $10k | $10,001
to $50k |
$50,001
to $100k |
$100,001
to $500k |
$500,001
to $1m |
over
$1m |
||||||||
| iShares MSCI Australia ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Austria Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Belgium Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Canada ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI France ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Germany ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Global Silver Miners ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Israel Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Italy Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Japan ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Japan Small-Cap ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Mexico Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Pacific ex Japan ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Singapore ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI South Africa ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Spain Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Sweden ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Switzerland Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Turkey ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI World ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| Diane Hsiung | |||||||||||||||
| Dollar Range | |||||||||||||||
| Fund | None | $1 to $10k | $10,001
to $50k |
$50,001
to $100k |
$100,001
to $500k |
$500,001
to $1m |
over
$1m |
||||||||
| iShares MSCI Australia ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Austria Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Belgium Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Canada ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI France ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Germany ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
80
Table of Contents
| Diane Hsiung | |||||||||||||||
| Dollar Range | |||||||||||||||
| Fund | None | $1 to $10k | $10,001
to $50k |
$50,001
to $100k |
$100,001
to $500k |
$500,001
to $1m |
over
$1m |
||||||||
| iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Global Silver Miners ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Israel Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Italy Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Japan ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Japan Small-Cap ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Mexico Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Pacific ex Japan ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Singapore ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI South Africa ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Spain Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Sweden ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Switzerland Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Turkey ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI World ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| Jennifer Hsui | |||||||||||||||
| Dollar Range | |||||||||||||||
| Fund | None | $1 to $10k | $10,001
to $50k |
$50,001
to $100k |
$100,001
to $500k |
$500,001
to $1m |
over
$1m |
||||||||
| iShares MSCI Australia ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Austria Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Belgium Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Canada ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI France ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Germany ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Global Silver Miners ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Israel Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Italy Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Japan ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Japan Small-Cap ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Mexico Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Pacific ex Japan ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Singapore ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI South Africa ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Spain Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Sweden ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
81
Table of Contents
| Jennifer Hsui | |||||||||||||||
| Dollar Range | |||||||||||||||
| Fund | None | $1 to $10k | $10,001
to $50k |
$50,001
to $100k |
$100,001
to $500k |
$500,001
to $1m |
over
$1m |
||||||||
| iShares MSCI Switzerland Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Turkey ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI World ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| Greg Savage | |||||||||||||||
| Dollar Range | |||||||||||||||
| Fund | None | $1 to $10k | $10,001
to $50k |
$50,001
to $100k |
$100,001
to $500k |
$500,001
to $1m |
over
$1m |
||||||||
| iShares MSCI Australia ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Austria Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Belgium Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Canada ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI France ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Germany ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Global Silver Miners ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Israel Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Italy Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Japan ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Japan Small-Cap ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Mexico Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Pacific ex Japan ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Singapore ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI South Africa ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Spain Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Sweden ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Switzerland Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI Turkey ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
| iShares MSCI World ETF | X | ||||||||||||||
Codes of Ethics. The
Company, BFA and the Distributor have adopted codes of ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act. The codes of ethics permit personnel subject to the codes of ethics to invest in securities, subject to certain limitations, including securities
that may be purchased or held by the Funds. The codes of ethics are on public file with, and are available from, the SEC.
Anti-Money Laundering Requirements. The Funds are subject to the USA PATRIOT Act (the “Patriot Act”). The Patriot Act is intended to prevent the use of the U.S. financial system in furtherance of money laundering, terrorism or other
illicit activities. Pursuant to requirements under the Patriot Act, a Fund may request information from Authorized Participants to enable it to
82
Table of Contents
form a reasonable belief that it knows the true identity of its Authorized
Participants. This information will be used to verify the identity of Authorized Participants or, in some cases, the status of financial professionals; it will be used only for compliance with the requirements of the Patriot Act.
The Funds reserve the right to reject purchase orders from
persons who have not submitted information sufficient to allow the Fund to verify their identity. Each Fund also reserves the right to redeem any amounts in a Fund from persons whose identity it is unable to verify on a timely basis. It is the
Funds' policy to cooperate fully with appropriate regulators in any investigations conducted with respect to potential money laundering, terrorism or other illicit activities.
Administrator, Custodian and Transfer Agent. State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”) serves as administrator, custodian and transfer agent for the Funds under the Master Services Agreement and related Service Schedule (the
“Service Module”). State Street’s principal address is 1 Iron Street, Boston, MA 02210. Pursuant to the Service Module for Fund Administration and Accounting Services with the Company, State Street provides necessary
administrative, legal, tax and accounting and financial reporting services for the maintenance and operations of the Company and each Fund. In addition, State Street makes available the office space, equipment, personnel and facilities required to
provide such services. Pursuant to the Service Module for Custodial Services with the Company, State Street maintains, in separate accounts, cash, securities and other assets of the Company and each Fund, keeps all necessary accounts and records and
provides other services. State Street is required, upon the order of the Company, to deliver securities held by State Street and to make payments for securities purchased by the Company for each Fund. State Street is authorized to appoint certain
foreign custodians or foreign custody managers for Fund investments outside the United States. Pursuant to the Service Module for Transfer Agency Services with the Company, State Street acts as a transfer agent for each Fund’s authorized and
issued shares of beneficial interest, and as dividend disbursing agent of the Company. As compensation for these services, State Street receives certain out-of-pocket costs, transaction fees and asset-based fees which are accrued daily and paid
monthly by BFA from its management fee.
The
following table sets forth the administration, custodian and transfer agency expenses of each Fund paid by BFA to State Street for the fiscal years noted:
| Fund | Fund
Inception Date |
Administration,
Custodian, Transfer Agency Expenses Paid During Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2014 |
Administration,
Custodian, Transfer Agency Expenses Paid During Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2013 |
Administration,
Custodian, Transfer Agency Expenses Paid During Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2012 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Australia ETF | 03/12/96 | $ 141,820 | $ 159,992 | $ 260,347 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Austria Capped ETF | 03/12/96 | 34,809 | 28,940 | 19,323 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Belgium Capped ETF | 03/12/96 | 23,326 | 14,545 | 9,296 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Canada ETF | 03/12/96 | 157,605 | 191,015 | 302,024 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF | 07/25/00 | 602,393 | 166,838 | 91,925 | ||||
| iShares MSCI France ETF | 03/12/96 | 48,068 | 45,999 | 34,682 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Germany ETF | 03/12/96 | 323,304 | 214,316 | 230,545 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF | 01/31/12 | 15,661 | 10,559 | 5,193 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Global Silver Miners ETF | 01/31/12 | 9,093 | 2,719 | 2,913 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF | 03/12/96 | 131,149 | 203,339 | 205,860 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Israel Capped ETF | 03/26/08 | 77,890 | 49,933 | 75,184 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Italy Capped ETF | 03/12/96 | 85,505 | 35,968 | 15,532 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Japan ETF | 03/12/96 | 399,207 | 218,659 | 227,756 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Japan Small-Cap ETF | 12/20/07 | 22,798 | 9,148 | 8,437 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Mexico Capped ETF | 03/12/96 | 320,989 | 281,296 | 204,531 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF | 03/12/96 | 31,460 | 16,180 | 11,286 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Pacific ex Japan ETF | 10/25/01 | 321,809 | 262,941 | 346,760 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Singapore ETF | 03/12/96 | 233,767 | 168,725 | 226,563 | ||||
| iShares MSCI South Africa ETF | 02/03/03 | 77,192 | 68,726 | 90,497 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Spain Capped ETF | 03/12/96 | 97,458 | 18,899 | 12,459 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Sweden ETF | 03/12/96 | 45,895 | 31,737 | 43,033 |
83
Table of Contents
| Fund | Fund
Inception Date |
Administration,
Custodian, Transfer Agency Expenses Paid During Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2014 |
Administration,
Custodian, Transfer Agency Expenses Paid During Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2013 |
Administration,
Custodian, Transfer Agency Expenses Paid During Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2012 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Switzerland Capped ETF | 03/12/96 | 71,424 | 51,776 | 44,241 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF | 03/26/08 | 79,972 | 106,718 | 92,955 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Turkey ETF | 03/26/08 | 173,362 | 218,344 | 190,383 | ||||
| iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF | 05/05/10 | 14,126 | 12,994 | 17,572 | ||||
| iShares MSCI World ETF | 01/10/12 | 30,622 | 23,784 | 40,355 |
Distributor. The Distributor's principal address is 1 University Square Drive, Princeton, NJ 08540. Shares are continuously offered for sale by the Funds through the Distributor or its agent only in Creation Units, as described
in the applicable Prospectus and below in the Creation and Redemption of Creation Units
section of this SAI. Fund shares in amounts less than Creation Units are generally not distributed by the Distributor or its agent. The Distributor or its agent will arrange for the delivery of the applicable
Prospectus and, upon request, this SAI to persons purchasing Creation Units and will maintain records of both orders placed with it or its agents and confirmations of acceptance furnished by it or its agents. The Distributor is a broker-dealer
registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).
The Distribution Agreement for each Fund provides that it may
be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, on at least 60 days' prior written notice to the other party following (i) the vote of a majority of the Independent Directors, or (ii) the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting
securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the relevant Fund. The Distribution Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act).
The Distributor may also enter into agreements with securities
dealers (“Soliciting Dealers”) who will solicit purchases of Creation Units of Fund shares. Such Soliciting Dealers may also be Authorized Participants (as described below), DTC participants and/or investor services organizations.
BFA or its affiliates may, from time to time and from its own
resources, pay, defray or absorb costs relating to distribution, including payments out of its own resources to the Distributor, or to otherwise promote the sale of shares.
The Distributor has served as the Funds' distributor since
April 1, 2012. Prior to that date, SEI Investments Distribution Co. (“SEI”), located at One Freedom Valley Drive, Oaks, PA 19456, served as the distributor to the Funds. The following table sets forth the compensation paid by BFA to SEI
for certain services, not primarily intended to result in the sale of Fund shares, provided to each Fund during the fiscal years noted:
| Fund | Fund
Inception Date |
Distributor
Compensation Paid During Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 20141 |
Distributor
Compensation Paid During Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 20131 |
Distributor
Compensation Paid From April 1, 2012 to August 31, 20121 |
Distributor
Compensation Paid From September 1, 2011 to March 31, 20122 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Australia ETF | 03/12/96 | $6,438 | $7,721 | $3,318 | $6,270 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Austria Capped ETF | 03/12/96 | 6,438 | 7,721 | 3,318 | 6,270 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Belgium Capped ETF | 03/12/96 | 6,438 | 7,721 | 3,318 | 6,270 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Canada ETF | 03/12/96 | 6,438 | 7,721 | 3,318 | 6,270 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF | 07/25/00 | 6,438 | 7,721 | 3,318 | 6,270 | ||||
| iShares MSCI France ETF | 03/12/96 | 6,438 | 7,721 | 3,318 | 6,270 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Germany ETF | 03/12/96 | 6,438 | 7,721 | 3,318 | 6,270 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF | 01/31/12 | 6,438 | 7,721 | 3,318 | 1,712 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Global Silver Miners ETF | 01/31/12 | 6,438 | 7,721 | 3,318 | 1,712 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF | 03/12/96 | 6,438 | 7,721 | 3,318 | 6,270 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Israel Capped ETF | 03/26/08 | 6,438 | 7,721 | 3,318 | 6,270 |
84
Table of Contents
| Fund | Fund
Inception Date |
Distributor
Compensation Paid During Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 20141 |
Distributor
Compensation Paid During Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 20131 |
Distributor
Compensation Paid From April 1, 2012 to August 31, 20121 |
Distributor
Compensation Paid From September 1, 2011 to March 31, 20122 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Italy Capped ETF | 03/12/96 | 6,438 | 7,721 | 3,318 | 6,270 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Japan ETF | 03/12/96 | 6,438 | 7,721 | 3,318 | 6,270 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Japan Small-Cap ETF | 12/20/07 | 6,438 | 7,721 | 3,318 | 6,270 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Mexico Capped ETF | 03/12/96 | 6,438 | 7,721 | 3,318 | 6,270 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF | 03/12/96 | 6,438 | 7,721 | 3,318 | 6,270 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Pacific ex Japan ETF | 10/25/01 | 6,438 | 7,721 | 3,318 | 6,270 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Singapore ETF | 03/12/96 | 6,438 | 7,721 | 3,318 | 6,270 | ||||
| iShares MSCI South Africa ETF | 02/03/03 | 6,438 | 7,721 | 3,318 | 6,270 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Spain Capped ETF | 03/12/96 | 6,438 | 7,721 | 3,318 | 6,270 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Sweden ETF | 03/12/96 | 6,438 | 7,721 | 3,318 | 6,270 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Switzerland Capped ETF | 03/12/96 | 6,438 | 7,721 | 3,318 | 6,270 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF | 03/26/08 | 6,438 | 7,721 | 3,318 | 6,270 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Turkey ETF | 03/26/08 | 6,438 | 7,721 | 3,318 | 6,270 | ||||
| iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF | 05/05/10 | 6,438 | 7,721 | 3,318 | 6,270 | ||||
| iShares MSCI World ETF | 01/10/12 | 6,438 | 7,721 | 3,318 | 2,621 |
| 1 | BRIL serves as the distributor to the Funds effective April 1, 2012. These fees reflected payments made to SEI, acting as an agent of the Distributor. |
| 2 | SEI served as the distributor to the Funds through March 31, 2012. |
Payments by BFA and its Affiliates. BFA and/or its affiliates (“BFA Entities”) pay certain broker-dealers, registered investment advisers, banks and other financial intermediaries (“Intermediaries”) for certain activities
related to the Funds, other iShares funds or exchange-traded products in general. BFA Entities make these payments from their own assets and not from the assets of the Funds. Although a portion of BFA Entities’ revenue comes directly or
indirectly in part from fees paid by the Funds and other iShares funds, these payments do not increase the price paid by investors for the purchase of shares of, or the cost of owning, the Funds or other iShares funds. BFA Entities make payments for
Intermediaries’ participation in activities that are designed to make registered representatives, other professionals and individual investors more knowledgeable about exchange-traded products, including the Funds, or for other activities,
such as participation in marketing activities and presentations, educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems (“Education Costs”). BFA Entities also make payments to
Intermediaries for certain printing, publishing and mailing costs associated with the Funds or materials relating to exchange-traded products in general (“Publishing Costs”). In addition, BFA Entities make payments to Intermediaries that
make shares of the Funds and certain other iShares funds available to their clients, develop new products that feature iShares or otherwise promote the Funds and other iShares funds. BFA Entities may also reimburse expenses or make payments from
their own assets to Intermediaries or other persons in consideration of services or other activities that the BFA Entities believe may benefit the iShares business or facilitate investment in iShares funds. Payments of the type described above are
sometimes referred to as revenue-sharing payments.
Payments to an Intermediary may be significant to the
Intermediary, and amounts that Intermediaries pay to your salesperson or other investment professional may also be significant for your salesperson or other investment professional. Because an Intermediary may make decisions about which investment
options it will recommend or make available to its clients or what services to provide for various products based on payments it receives or is eligible to receive, such payments may create conflicts of interest between the Intermediary and its
clients and these financial incentives may cause the Intermediary to recommend the Funds and other iShares funds over other investments. The same conflicts of interest and financial incentives exist with respect to your salesperson or other
investment professional if he or she receives similar payments from his or her Intermediary firm.
As of March 1, 2013, BFA Entities have contractual
arrangements to make payments (in addition to payments for Education Costs or Publishing Costs) to one Intermediary, Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC (“FBS”). Pursuant to this special, long-term and significant arrangement (the
“Marketing Program”), FBS and certain affiliates (collectively “Fidelity”) have agreed, among other things, to actively promote iShares funds to customers and investment professionals and in advertising
85
Table of Contents
campaigns as the preferred exchange-traded product, to offer certain iShares
funds in certain Fidelity platforms and investment programs, in some cases at a reduced commission rate or commission free, and to provide marketing data to BFA Entities. BFA Entities have agreed to facilitate the Marketing Program by, among other
things, making certain payments to FBS for marketing and implementing certain brokerage and investment programs. Upon termination of the arrangement, the BFA Entities will make additional payments to FBS based upon a number of criteria, including
the overall success of the Marketing Program and the level of services provided by FBS during the wind-down period.
Any additions, modifications, or deletions to Intermediaries
listed above that have occurred since the date noted above are not included in the list. Further, BFA Entities make Education Costs and Publishing Costs payments to other Intermediaries that are not listed above. BFA Entities may determine to make
such payments based on any number of metrics. For example, BFA Entities may make payments at year-end or other intervals in a fixed amount, an amount based upon an Intermediary’s services at defined levels or an amount based on the
Intermediary’s net sales of one or more iShares funds in a year or other period, any of which arrangements may include an agreed-upon minimum or maximum payment, or any combination of the foregoing. As of the date of this SAI, BFA anticipates
that the payments paid by BFA Entities in connection with the Funds, iShares funds and exchange-traded products in general will be immaterial to BFA Entities in the aggregate for the next year. Please contact your
salesperson or other investment professional for more information regarding any such payments his or her Intermediary firm may receive. Any payments made by the BFA Entities to an Intermediary may create the incentive for an Intermediary to
encourage customers to buy shares of iShares funds.
The Funds may participate in certain market maker incentive
programs of a national securities exchange in which an affiliate of the Funds would pay a fee to the exchange used for the purpose of incentivizing one or more market makers in the securities of a Fund to enhance the liquidity and quality of the
secondary market of securities of a Fund. The fee would then be credited by the exchange to one or more market makers that meet or exceed liquidity and market quality standards with respect to the securities of a Fund. Each market maker incentive
program is subject to approval from the SEC. Any such fee payments made to an exchange will be made by an affiliate of a Fund solely for the benefit of a Fund and will not be paid from any Fund assets.
Determination of Net Asset Value
Valuation of Shares. The NAV
for each Fund is generally calculated as of the close of regular trading hours on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (currently 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) on each business day the NYSE is open. Valuation of securities held by a Fund is
as follows:
Equity Investments. Equity securities traded on a recognized securities exchange (e.g., NYSE), separate trading boards of a securities
exchange or through a market system that provides contemporaneous transaction pricing information (each, an “Exchange”) are valued using information obtained via independent pricing services, generally the Exchange closing price, or if
an Exchange closing price is not available, the last traded price on that Exchange prior to the time as of which a Fund’s assets or liabilities are valued. However, under certain circumstances, other means of determining current market value
may be used. If an equity security is traded on more than one Exchange, the current market value of the security where it is primarily traded generally will be used. In the event that there are no sales involving an equity security held by a Fund on
a day on which a Fund values such security, the prior day’s price will be used, unless, in accordance with valuation procedures approved by the Board (the “Valuation Procedures”), BlackRock determines in good faith that such prior
day’s price no longer reflects the fair value of the security, in which case such asset would be treated as a Fair Value Asset (as defined below).
Fixed Income Investments. In
accordance with the Valuation Procedures, fixed income securities for which market quotations are readily available are generally valued using such securities’ most recent bid prices provided directly from one or more broker-dealers, market
makers, or independent third-party pricing services, each of which may use matrix pricing and valuation models, as well as recent market transactions for the same or similar assets to derive values. The amortized cost method of valuation may be used
with respect to debt obligations with sixty days or less remaining to maturity unless BlackRock determines in good faith that such method does not represent fair value. Loan participation notes are generally valued at the mean of the last available
bid prices from one or more brokers or dealers as obtained from independent third-party pricing services. Certain fixed income investments, including asset-backed and mortgage-related securities, may be valued based on valuation models that consider
the estimated cash flows of each tranche of the entity, establish a benchmark yield and develop an estimated tranche specific spread to the benchmark yield based on the unique attributes of the tranche. Fixed income securities for which market
quotations are not readily available may be valued by third-party
86
Table of Contents
pricing services that make a valuation determination by securing transaction
data (e.g., recent representative bids), credit quality information, perceived market movements, news, and other relevant information and by other methods, which may include consideration of yields or prices
of securities of comparable quality, coupon, maturity and type; indications as to values from dealers; and general market conditions.
Options, Futures, Swaps and Other Derivatives. Exchange-traded equity options for which market quotations are readily available are valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices as quoted on the Exchange or the board of trade on which such options are traded. In
the event that there is no mean price available for an exchange traded equity option held by a Fund on a day on which a Fund values such option, the last bid (long positions) or ask (short positions) price, if available, will be used as the value of
such option. If no such bid or ask price is available on a day on which a Fund values such option, the prior day’s price will be used, unless BlackRock determines in good faith that such prior day’s price no longer reflects the fair
value of the option in which case such option will be treated as a Fair Value Asset (as defined below). Over-the-counter (“OTC”) derivatives may be valued using a mathematical model which may incorporate a number of market data factors.
Financial futures contracts and options thereon, which are traded on exchanges, are valued at their settle price as of the close of such exchanges. Swap agreements and other derivatives are generally valued daily based upon quotations from market
makers or by a pricing service in accordance with the Valuation Procedures.
Underlying Funds. Shares of
underlying exchange-traded funds will be valued at their most recent closing price on an Exchange. Shares of underlying money market funds will be valued at their net asset value.
General Valuation Information.
In determining the market value of portfolio investments, a Fund may employ independent third-party pricing services, which may use, without limitation, a matrix or formula method that takes into consideration
market indexes, matrices, yield curves and other specific adjustments. This may result in the securities being valued at a price different from the price that would have been determined had the matrix or formula method not been used. All cash,
receivables and current payables are carried on a Fund’s books at their face value.
Prices obtained from independent third-party pricing services,
broker-dealers or market makers to value a Fund’s securities and other assets and liabilities are based on information available at the time a Fund values its assets and liabilities. In the event that a pricing service quotation is revised or
updated subsequent to the day on which a Fund valued such security or other asset or liability, the revised pricing service quotation generally will be applied prospectively. Such determination will be made considering pertinent facts and
circumstances surrounding the revision.
Certain types of
securities, including many fixed income securities, trade infrequently and there may be no current market transactions or recent representative bids for such securities. To the extent that prices for such securities are not reflective of current
market transactions or recent representative bids, a Fund will value such securities in good faith in accordance with the Valuation Procedures.
In the event that application of the methods of valuation
discussed above result in a price for a security which is deemed not to be representative of the fair market value of such security, the security will be valued by, under the direction of or in accordance with a method specified by the Board as
reflecting fair value. All other assets and liabilities (including securities for which market quotations are not readily available) held by a Fund (including restricted securities) are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the Board
or by BlackRock (its delegate) pursuant to the Valuation Procedures. Any assets and liabilities which are denominated in a foreign currency are converted into U.S. dollars using prevailing market rates on the date of valuation as quoted by one or
more data service providers.
Certain of the securities
acquired by a Fund may be traded on foreign exchanges or OTC markets on days on which a Fund’s net asset value is not calculated. In such cases, the net asset value of a Fund’s shares may be significantly affected on days when investors
can neither purchase nor redeem shares of a Fund.
Use of
fair value prices and certain current market valuations could result in a difference between the prices used to calculate a Fund’s NAV and the prices used in the Underlying Index, which, in turn, could result in a difference between a
Fund’s performance and the performance of the Underlying Index.
Fair Value. When market
quotations are not readily available or are believed in good faith by BlackRock to be unreliable, a Fund’s investments are valued at fair value (“Fair Value Assets”). Fair Value Assets are valued by BlackRock in accordance with the
Valuation Procedures. BlackRock may reasonably conclude that a market quotation is not readily available or is unreliable if, among other things, a security or other asset or liability does not have a price source due to its lack of trading,
if
87
Table of Contents
BlackRock believes in good faith that a market quotation from a broker-dealer
or other source is unreliable (e.g., where it varies significantly from a recent trade, or no longer reflects the fair value of the security or other asset or liability subsequent to the most recent market
quotation), where the security or other asset or liability is only thinly traded or due to the occurrence of a significant event subsequent to the most recent market quotation. For this purpose, a “significant event” is deemed to occur
if BlackRock determines, in its reasonable business judgment, that an event has occurred after the close of trading for an asset or liability but prior to or at the time of pricing a Fund’s assets or liabilities, and that the event is likely
to cause a material change to the closing market price of the assets or liabilities held by a Fund. Non-U.S. securities whose values are affected by volatility that occurs in U.S. markets for related or highly correlated assets (e.g., ADRs, GDRs or ETFs) on a trading day after the close of non-U.S. securities markets may be fair valued. On any day the NYSE is open and a foreign market or the primary exchange on which a foreign asset or
liability is traded is closed, such asset or liability will be valued using the prior day’s price, provided that BlackRock is not aware of any significant event or other information that would cause such price to no longer reflect the fair
value of the asset or liability, in which case such asset or liability would be treated as a Fair Value Asset.
BlackRock, with input from the BlackRock Investment Strategy
Group, will submit its recommendations regarding the valuation and/or valuation methodologies for Fair Value Assets to BlackRock’s Valuation Committee. The BlackRock Valuation Committee may accept, modify or reject any recommendations. In
addition, a Fund’s accounting agent periodically endeavors to confirm the prices it receives from all third-party pricing services, index providers and broker-dealers, and, with the assistance of BlackRock, to regularly evaluate the values
assigned to the securities and other assets and liabilities held by a Fund. The pricing of all Fair Value Assets is subsequently reported to and, where appropriate, ratified by the Board.
When determining the price for a Fair Value Asset, the
BlackRock Valuation Committee (or BlackRock’s Pricing Group) will seek to determine the price that a Fund might reasonably expect to receive upon the current sale of that asset or liability in an arm’s-length transaction on the date on
which the assets or liabilities are being valued, and does not seek to determine the price that a Fund might expect to receive for selling the asset, or the cost of extinguishing a liability, at a later time or if it holds the asset or liability to
maturity. Fair value determinations will be based upon all available factors that the BlackRock Valuation Committee (or BlackRock’s Pricing Group) deems relevant at the time of the determination, and may be based on analytical values
determined by BlackRock using proprietary or third party valuation models.
Fair value represents a good faith approximation of the value
of an asset or liability. When determining fair value of an asset, one or more of a variety of fair valuation methodologies may be used (depending on certain factors, including the asset type). For example, the asset may be priced on the basis of
the original cost of the investment or, alternatively, using proprietary or third-party models (including models that rely upon direct portfolio management pricing inputs and which reflect the significance attributed to the various factors and
assumptions being considered). Prices of actual, executed or historical transactions in the relevant asset and/or liability (or related or comparable assets and/or liabilities) or, where appropriate, an appraisal by a third party experienced in the
valuation of similar assets and/or liabilities, may also be used as a basis for establishing the fair value of an asset or liability. The fair value of one or more assets or liabilities may not, in retrospect, be the price at which those assets or
liabilities could have been sold during the period in which the particular fair values were used in determining a Fund’s net asset value. As a result, a Fund’s sale or redemption of its shares at net asset value, at a time when a holding
or holdings are valued at fair value, may have the effect of diluting or increasing the economic interest of existing shareholders.
Each Fund’s annual audited financial statements, which
are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“US GAAP”), follow the requirements for valuation set forth in Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards
Codification Topic 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures” (“ASC 820”), which defines and establishes a framework for measuring fair value under US GAAP and expands financial statement disclosure requirements relating
to fair value measurements. Generally, ASC 820 and other accounting rules applicable to funds and various assets in which they invest are evolving. Such changes may adversely affect a Fund. For example, the evolution of rules governing the
determination of the fair market value of assets or liabilities to the extent such rules become more stringent would tend to increase the cost and/or reduce the availability of third-party determinations of fair market value. This may in turn
increase the costs associated with selling assets or affect their liquidity due to a Fund’s inability to obtain a third-party determination of fair market value.
88
Table of Contents
Brokerage Transactions
Subject to policies established by the Board, BFA is primarily
responsible for the execution of a Fund’s portfolio transactions and the allocation of brokerage. BFA does not execute transactions through any particular broker or dealer, but seeks to obtain the best net results for the Funds, taking into
account such factors as price (including the applicable brokerage commission or dealer spread), size of order, difficulty of execution, operational facilities of the firm and the firm’s risk and skill in positioning blocks of securities. While
BFA generally seeks reasonable trade execution costs, a Fund does not necessarily pay the lowest spread or commission available, and payment of the lowest commission or spread is not necessarily consistent with obtaining the best price and execution
in particular transactions. Subject to applicable legal requirements, BFA may select a broker based partly upon brokerage or research services provided to BFA and its clients, including a Fund. In return for such services, BFA may cause a Fund to
pay a higher commission than other brokers would charge if BFA determines in good faith that the commission is reasonable in relation to the services provided.
In selecting brokers or dealers to execute portfolio
transactions, BFA seeks to obtain the best price and most favorable execution for a Fund and may take into account a variety of factors including: (i) the size, nature and character of the security or instrument being traded and the markets in which
it is purchased or sold; (ii) the desired timing of the transaction; (iii) BFA’s knowledge of the expected commission rates and spreads currently available; (iv) the activity existing and expected in the market for the particular security or
instrument, including any anticipated execution difficulties; (v) the full range of brokerage services provided; (vi) the broker’s or dealer’s capital; (vii) the quality of research and research services provided; (viii) the
reasonableness of the commission, dealer spread or its equivalent for the specific transaction; and (ix) BFA’s knowledge of any actual or apparent operational problems of a broker or dealer. Brokers may also be selected because of their
ability to handle special or difficult executions, such as may be involved in large block trades, less liquid securities, or other circumstances.
Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act (“Section 28(e)”)
permits an investment adviser, under certain circumstances, to cause an account to pay a broker or dealer a commission for effecting a transaction that exceeds the amount another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting the same transaction
in recognition of the value of brokerage and research services provided by that broker or dealer. This includes commissions paid on riskless principal transactions under certain conditions.
From time to time, a Fund may purchase new issues of
securities in a fixed price offering. In these situations, the broker may be a member of the selling group that will, in addition to selling securities, provide BFA with research services. FINRA has adopted rules expressly permitting these types of
arrangements under certain circumstances. Generally, the broker will provide research “credits” in these situations at a rate that is higher than that available for typical secondary market transactions. These arrangements may not fall
within the safe harbor of Section 28(e).
The Funds
anticipate that brokerage transactions involving foreign securities generally will be conducted primarily on the principal stock exchanges of the applicable country. Foreign equity securities may be held by the Funds in the form of depositary
receipts, or other securities convertible into foreign equity securities. Depositary receipts may be listed on stock exchanges, or traded in OTC markets in the United States or Europe, as the case may be. American Depositary Receipts, like other
securities traded in the United States, will be subject to negotiated commission rates.
OTC issues, including most fixed income securities such as
corporate debt and U.S. Government securities, are normally traded on a “net” basis without a stated commission, through dealers acting for their own account and not as brokers. The Funds will primarily engage in transactions with these
dealers or deal directly with the issuer unless a better price or execution could be obtained by using a broker. Prices paid to a dealer with respect to both foreign and domestic securities will generally include a “spread,” which is the
difference between the prices at which the dealer is willing to purchase and sell the specific security at the time, and includes the dealer’s normal profit.
Under the 1940 Act, persons affiliated with a Fund and persons
who are affiliated with such affiliated persons are prohibited from dealing with the Fund as principal in the purchase and sale of securities unless a permissive order allowing such transactions is obtained from the SEC. Since transactions in the
OTC market usually involve transactions with the dealers acting as principal for their own accounts, the Funds will not deal with affiliated persons, including PNC and its affiliates, in connection with such transactions. The Funds will not purchase
securities during the existence of any underwriting or selling group relating to such securities of which BFA, PNC, BRIL or any affiliated person (as defined in the 1940 Act) thereof is a member except pursuant to procedures adopted by the Board in
accordance with Rule 10f-3 under the 1940 Act.
89
Table of Contents
Purchases of money market instruments by the Funds are made
from dealers, underwriters and issuers. The Funds do not currently expect to incur any brokerage commission expense on such transactions because money market instruments are generally traded on a “net” basis with dealers acting as
principal for their own accounts without a stated commission. The price of the security, however, usually includes a profit to the dealer.
BFA may, from time to time, effect trades on behalf of and for
the account of the Funds with brokers or dealers that are affiliated with BFA, in conformity with Rule 17e-1 under the 1940 Act and SEC rules and regulations. Under these provisions, any commissions paid to affiliated brokers or dealers must be
reasonable and fair compared to the commissions charged by other brokers or dealers in comparable transactions.
Securities purchased in underwritten offerings include a fixed
amount of compensation to the underwriter, generally referred to as the underwriter’s concession or discount. When securities are purchased or sold directly from or to an issuer, no commissions or discounts are paid.
Investment decisions for the Funds and for other investment
accounts managed by BFA and its affiliates are made independently of each other in light of differing conditions. A variety of factors will be considered in making investment allocations. These factors include: (i) investment objectives or
strategies for particular accounts, including sector, industry, country or region and capitalization weightings; (ii) tax considerations of an account; (iii) risk or investment concentration parameters for an account; (iv) supply or demand for a
security at a given price level; (v) size of available investment; (vi) cash availability and liquidity requirements for accounts; (vii) regulatory restrictions; (viii) minimum investment size of an account; (ix) relative size of account; and (x)
such other factors as may be approved by BlackRock’s general counsel. Moreover, investments may not be allocated to one client account over another based on any of the following considerations: (i) to favor one client account at the expense of
another; (ii) to generate higher fees paid by one client account over another or to produce greater performance compensation to BlackRock; (iii) to develop or enhance a relationship with a client or prospective client; (iv) to compensate a client
for past services or benefits rendered to BlackRock or to induce future services or benefits to be rendered to BlackRock; or (v) to manage or equalize investment performance among different client accounts. BFA and its affiliates may deal, trade and
invest for their own account in the types of securities in which the Funds may invest.
Initial public offerings of securities may be over-subscribed
and subsequently trade at a premium in the secondary market. When BFA is given an opportunity to invest in such an initial offering or “new” or “hot” issue, the supply of securities available for client accounts is often less
than the amount of securities the accounts would otherwise take. In order to allocate these investments fairly and equitably among client accounts over time, each portfolio manager or a member of his or her respective investment team will indicate
to BFA’s trading desk their level of interest in a particular offering with respect to eligible clients’ accounts for which that team is responsible. Initial public offerings of U.S. equity securities will be identified as eligible for
particular client accounts that are managed by portfolio teams who have indicated interest in the offering based on market capitalization of the issuer of the security and the investment mandate of the client account and in the case of international
equity securities, the country where the offering is taking place and the investment mandate of the client account. Generally, shares received during the initial public offering will be allocated among participating client accounts within each
investment mandate on a pro rata basis. This pro rata allocation may result in a Fund receiving less of a particular security than if pro-ration had not occurred. All allocations of securities will be subject, where relevant, to share minimums
established for accounts and compliance constraints. In situations where supply is too limited to be allocated among all accounts for which the investment is eligible, portfolio managers may rotate such investment opportunities among one or more
accounts so long as the rotation system provides for fair access for all client accounts over time. Other allocation methodologies that are considered by BFA to be fair and equitable to clients may be used as well.
Because different accounts may have differing investment
objectives and policies, BFA may buy and sell the same securities at the same time for different clients based on the particular investment objective, guidelines and strategies of those accounts. For example, BFA may decide that it may be entirely
appropriate for a growth fund to sell a security at the same time a value fund is buying that security. To the extent that transactions on behalf of more than one client of BFA or its affiliates during the same period may increase the demand for
securities being purchased or the supply of securities being sold, there may be an adverse effect on price. For example, sales of a security by BlackRock on behalf of one or more of its clients may decrease the market price of such security,
adversely impacting other BlackRock clients that still hold the security. If purchases or sales of securities arise for consideration at or about the same time that would involve the Funds or other clients or funds for which BFA or an affiliate act
as investment manager, transactions in such securities will be made, insofar as feasible, for the respective funds and clients in a manner deemed equitable to all.
90
Table of Contents
In certain instances, BFA may find it efficient for purposes
of seeking to obtain best execution, to aggregate or “bunch” certain contemporaneous purchases or sale orders of its advisory accounts and advisory accounts of affiliates. In general, all contemporaneous trades for client accounts under
management by the same portfolio manager or investment team will be bunched in a single order if the trader believes the bunched trade would provide each client with an opportunity to achieve a more favorable execution at a potentially lower
execution cost. The costs associated with a bunched order will be shared pro rata among the clients in the bunched order. Generally, if an order for a particular portfolio manager or management team is filled at several different prices through
multiple trades, all accounts participating in the order will receive the average price (except in the case of certain international markets where average pricing is not permitted). While in some cases this practice could have a detrimental effect
upon the price or value of the security as far as the Funds are concerned, in other cases it could be beneficial to the Funds. Transactions effected by BFA or its affiliates on behalf of more than one of its clients during the same period may
increase the demand for securities being purchased or the supply of securities being sold, causing an adverse effect on price. The trader will give the bunched order to the broker-dealer that the trader has identified as being able to provide the
best execution of the order. Orders for purchase or sale of securities will be placed within a reasonable amount of time of the order receipt and bunched orders will be kept bunched only long enough to execute the order.
The table below sets forth the brokerage commissions paid by
each Fund for the fiscal years noted. Any differences in brokerage commissions paid by a Fund from year to year are due to increases or decreases in that Fund’s assets over those periods:
| Fund | Fund
Inception Date |
Brokerage
Commissions Paid During Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2014 |
Brokerage
Commissions Paid During Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2013 |
Brokerage
Commissions Paid During Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2012 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Australia ETF | 03/12/96 | $ 53,580 | $ 78,974 | $150,277 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Austria Capped ETF | 03/12/96 | 6,450 | 6,107 | 2,803 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Belgium Capped ETF | 03/12/96 | 1,923 | 1,502 | 3,482 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Canada ETF | 03/12/96 | 63,082 | 76,014 | 93,216 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF | 07/25/00 | 172,276 | 35,170 | 26,471 | ||||
| iShares MSCI France ETF | 03/12/96 | 8,063 | 8,380 | 9,472 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Germany ETF | 03/12/96 | 128,152 | 37,805 | 85,600 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF | 01/31/12 | 1,508 | 1,610 | 745 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Global Silver Miners ETF | 01/31/12 | 334 | 233 | 76 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF | 03/12/96 | 41,857 | 80,166 | 46,825 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Israel Capped ETF | 03/26/08 | 6,192 | 1,689 | 4,466 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Italy Capped ETF | 03/12/96 | 104,773 | 66,468 | 14,811 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Japan ETF | 03/12/96 | 94,146 | 142,458 | 115,204 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Japan Small-Cap ETF | 12/20/07 | 12,828 | 1,470 | 1,723 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Mexico Capped ETF | 03/12/96 | 159,405 | 588,107 | 104,154 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF | 03/12/96 | 5,197 | 4,467 | 3,176 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Pacific ex Japan ETF | 10/25/01 | 104,974 | 114,224 | 128,911 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Singapore ETF | 03/12/96 | 28,518 | 74,904 | 53,389 | ||||
| iShares MSCI South Africa ETF | 02/03/03 | 13,691 | 18,709 | 35,570 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Spain Capped ETF | 03/12/96 | 75,194 | 22,070 | 14,139 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Sweden ETF | 03/12/96 | 14,446 | 8,193 | 10,883 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Switzerland Capped ETF | 03/12/96 | 15,689 | 38,088 | 36,744 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF | 03/26/08 | 42,185 | 794,816 | 165,916 | ||||
| iShares MSCI Turkey ETF | 03/26/08 | 48,753 | 114,101 | 46,012 | ||||
| iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF | 05/05/10 | 1,144 | 997 | 1,499 | ||||
| iShares MSCI World ETF | 01/10/12 | 2,325 | 245 | 238 |
The following table sets forth the
names of the Funds' “regular broker dealers,” as defined under Rule 10b-1 of the 1940 Act, which derive more than 15% of their gross revenues from securities-related activities and in which the Funds invest, together with the market
value of each investment as of the applicable Fund's fiscal year ended August 31, 2014.
91
Table of Contents
| Fund | Issuer | Market
Value of Investment | ||
| iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF | Deutsche Bank AG | $101,397,829 | ||
| iShares MSCI Germany ETF | Deutsche Bank AG | $ 191,153,040 | ||
| iShares MSCI Japan ETF | Nomura Holdings Inc. | $ 127,974,279 | ||
| iShares MSCI Switzerland Capped ETF | Credit Suisse Group AG | $ 40,316,256 | ||
| iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF | Bank of America Corp. | $ 425,741 | ||
| Citigroup, Inc. | 394,968 | |||
| Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (The) | 193,081 | |||
| Morgan Stanley | 128,045 | |||
| iShares MSCI World ETF | HSBC Holdings PLC | $ 1,000,916 | ||
| Bank of America Corp | 855,972 | |||
| Citigroup, Inc | 781,671 | |||
| Goldman Sachs Group, Inc (The) | 366,638 | |||
| Morgan Stanley | 253,311 | |||
| Deutsche Bank AG | 234,371 | |||
| Credit Suisse Group AG | 220,977 | |||
| Nomura Holdings Inc. | 162,538 |
None of the Funds paid any
brokerage commissions to BlackRock, an affiliate of BFA, or a subsidiary of BTC, during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2014.
The Funds' purchase and sale orders for securities may be
combined with those of other investment companies, clients or accounts that BFA or its Affiliates manage or advise and for which they have brokerage placement authority. If purchases or sales of portfolio securities of the Funds and one or more
other accounts managed or advised by BFA or its Affiliates are considered at or about the same time, transactions in such securities are allocated among the Funds and the other accounts in a manner deemed equitable to all by BFA and its Affiliates.
In some cases, this procedure could have a detrimental effect on the price or volume of the security as far as the Funds are concerned. However, in other cases, it is possible that the ability to participate in volume transactions and to negotiate
lower transaction costs will be beneficial to the Funds. BFA and its Affiliates may deal, trade and invest for their own account in the types of securities in which the Funds may invest. BFA and its Affiliates may, from time to time, effect trades
on behalf of and for the account of the Funds with brokers or dealers that are affiliated with BFA, in conformity with the 1940 Act and SEC rules and regulations. Under these provisions, any commissions paid to affiliated brokers or dealers must be
reasonable and fair compared to the commissions charged by other brokers or dealers in comparable transactions. The Funds will not deal with affiliates in principal transactions unless permitted by applicable SEC rules or regulations, or by SEC
exemptive order.
Portfolio turnover may vary from year
to year as well as within a year. High turnover rates may result in comparatively greater brokerage expenses.
The table below sets forth the portfolio turnover rates of
each Fund for the fiscal years noted:
| Fund | Fiscal
Year Ended August 31, 2014 |
Fiscal
Year Ended August 31, 2013 | ||
| iShares MSCI Australia ETF | 6% | 6% | ||
| iShares MSCI Austria Capped ETF | 30% | 26% | ||
| iShares MSCI Belgium Capped ETF | 13% | 24% | ||
| iShares MSCI Canada ETF | 6% | 7% | ||
| iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF | 7% | 5% | ||
| iShares MSCI France ETF | 6% | 5% | ||
| iShares MSCI Germany ETF | 6% | 4% | ||
| iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF | 22% | 19% | ||
| iShares MSCI Global Silver Miners ETF | 22% | 13% | ||
| iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF | 6% | 12% |
92
Table of Contents
| Fund | Fiscal
Year Ended August 31, 2014 |
Fiscal
Year Ended August 31, 2013 | ||
| iShares MSCI Israel Capped ETF | 15% | 14% | ||
| iShares MSCI Italy Capped ETF | 24% | 45% | ||
| iShares MSCI Japan ETF | 2% | 4% | ||
| iShares MSCI Japan Small-Cap ETF | 14% | 17% | ||
| iShares MSCI Mexico Capped ETF | 19% | 32% | ||
| iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF | 7% | 11% | ||
| iShares MSCI Pacific ex Japan ETF | 8% | 8% | ||
| iShares MSCI Singapore ETF | 4% | 10% | ||
| iShares MSCI South Africa ETF | 6% | 5% | ||
| iShares MSCI Spain Capped ETF | 15% | 24% | ||
| iShares MSCI Sweden ETF | 7% | 7% | ||
| iShares MSCI Switzerland Capped ETF | 5% | 13% | ||
| iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF | 9% | 24% | ||
| iShares MSCI Turkey ETF | 8% | 9% | ||
| iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF | 6% | 5% | ||
| iShares MSCI World ETF | 5% | 5% |
Additional Information Concerning
the Company
Capital Stock. The Company currently is comprised of 60 series referred to as funds. Each series issues shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share. The Company has authorized and issued the following funds as separate
series of capital stock: iShares Asia/Pacific Dividend ETF, iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF, iShares Currency Hedged MSCI Emerging Markets ETF, iShares Emerging Markets Corporate Bond ETF, iShares Emerging Markets Dividend ETF, iShares
Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF, iShares Emerging Markets Local Currency Bond ETF, iShares Global ex USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF, iShares Global High Yield Corporate Bond ETF, iShares Latin America Bond ETF, iShares MSCI All Country World
Minimum Volatility ETF, iShares MSCI Australia ETF, iShares MSCI Austria Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Belgium Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Brazil Capped ETF, iShares MSCI BRIC ETF, iShares MSCI Canada ETF, iShares MSCI Chile Capped ETF, iShares MSCI
Colombia Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Asia ETF, iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Consumer Discretionary ETF, iShares MSCI Emerging Markets EMEA ETF, iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Energy Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF,
iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Growth ETF, iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Horizon ETF, iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Minimum Volatility ETF, iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Small-Cap ETF, iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Value ETF, iShares MSCI Eurozone
ETF, iShares MSCI France ETF, iShares MSCI Frontier 100 ETF, iShares MSCI Germany ETF, iShares MSCI Global Agriculture Producers ETF, iShares MSCI Global Energy Producers ETF, iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF, iShares MSCI Global Metals &
Mining Producers ETF, iShares MSCI Global Silver Miners ETF, iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF, iShares MSCI Israel Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Italy Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Japan ETF, iShares MSCI Japan Small-Cap ETF, iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF, iShares MSCI
Mexico Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF, iShares MSCI Pacific ex Japan ETF, iShares MSCI Russia Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Singapore ETF, iShares MSCI South Africa ETF, iShares MSCI South Korea Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Spain Capped ETF,
iShares MSCI Sweden ETF, iShares MSCI Switzerland Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF, iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Turkey ETF, iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF and iShares MSCI World ETF. The Company has authorized for
issuance, but is not currently offering for sale to the public, nine additional series of shares of common stock. The Board may designate additional series of common stock and classify shares of a particular series into one or more classes of that
series. The Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation confers upon the Board the power to establish the number of shares which constitute a Creation Unit or by resolution, restrict the redemption right to Creation Units.
Each share issued by a fund has a pro rata interest in the assets of that fund. The Company is currently authorized to issue 33.85 billion shares of common stock. The following number of shares is currently authorized for each of the funds: iShares
Asia/Pacific Dividend ETF, 500 million shares; iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF, 250 million shares; iShares Currency Hedged MSCI Emerging Markets ETF, 250 million shares; iShares Emerging Markets Corporate Bond ETF, 500 million shares;
iShares Emerging Markets Dividend ETF, 500 million shares; iShares Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF, 500 million shares; iShares Emerging Markets Local Currency Bond ETF, 500 million shares; iShares Global ex USD High Yield Corporate
93
Table of Contents
Bond ETF, 500 million shares; iShares Global High Yield Corporate Bond ETF,
500 million shares; iShares Latin America Bond ETF, 500 million shares; iShares MSCI All Country World Minimum Volatility ETF, 500 million shares; iShares MSCI Australia ETF, 627.8 million shares; iShares MSCI Austria Capped ETF, 100 million shares;
iShares MSCI Belgium Capped ETF, 136.2 million shares; iShares MSCI Brazil Capped ETF, 500 million shares; iShares MSCI BRIC ETF, 500 million shares; iShares MSCI Canada ETF, 340.2 million shares; iShares MSCI Chile Capped ETF, 200 million shares;
iShares MSCI Colombia Capped ETF, 25 million shares; iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Asia ETF, 500 million shares; iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Consumer Discretionary ETF, 500 million shares; iShares MSCI Emerging Markets EMEA ETF, 500 million
shares; iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Energy Capped ETF, 500 million shares; iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF, 2 billion shares; iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Growth ETF, 500 million shares; iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Horizon ETF, 25 million
shares; iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Minimum Volatility ETF, 500 million shares; iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Small-Cap ETF, 500 million shares; iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Value ETF, 500 million shares; iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF, 1 billion
shares; iShares MSCI France ETF, 340.2 million shares; iShares MSCI Frontier 100 ETF, 500 million shares; iShares MSCI Germany ETF, 382.2 million shares; iShares MSCI Global Agriculture Producers ETF, 500 million shares; iShares MSCI Global Energy
Producers ETF, 500 million shares; iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF, 500 million shares; iShares MSCI Global Metals & Mining Producers ETF, 500 million shares; iShares MSCI Global Silver Miners ETF, 500 million shares; iShares MSCI Hong Kong
ETF, 375 million shares; iShares MSCI Israel Capped ETF, 500 million shares; iShares MSCI Italy Capped ETF, 295.4 million shares; iShares MSCI Japan ETF, 2.1246 billion shares; iShares MSCI Japan Small-Cap ETF, 500 million shares; iShares MSCI
Malaysia ETF, 300 million shares; iShares MSCI Mexico Capped ETF, 255 million shares; iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF, 255 million shares; iShares MSCI Pacific ex Japan ETF, 1 billion shares; iShares MSCI Russia Capped ETF, 1 billion shares; iShares
MSCI Singapore ETF, 300 million shares; iShares MSCI South Africa ETF, 400 million shares; iShares MSCI South Korea Capped ETF, 200 million shares; iShares MSCI Spain Capped ETF, 127.8 million shares; iShares MSCI Sweden ETF, 63.6 million shares;
iShares MSCI Switzerland Capped ETF, 318.625 million shares; iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF, 900 million shares; iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF, 200 million shares; iShares MSCI Turkey ETF, 200 million shares; iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF, 500
million shares; and iShares MSCI World ETF, 500 million shares. Fractional shares will not be issued. Shares have no preemptive, exchange, subscription or conversion rights and are freely transferable. Each share is entitled to participate equally
in dividends and distributions declared by the Board with respect to the relevant fund, and in the net distributable assets of such fund on liquidation. Shareholders are entitled to require the Company to redeem Creation Units of their shares. The
Articles of Incorporation confer upon the Board the power, by resolution, to alter the number of shares constituting a Creation Unit or to specify that shares of common stock of the Company may be individually redeemable.
Each share has one vote with respect to matters upon which a
stockholder vote is required consistent with the requirements of the 1940 Act and the rules promulgated thereunder and the Maryland General Corporation Law. Stockholders have no cumulative voting rights with respect to their shares. Shares of all
funds vote together as a single class except that, if the matter being voted on affects only a particular fund or, if a matter affects a particular fund differently from other funds, that fund will vote separately on such matter.
Under Maryland law, the Company is not required to hold an
annual meeting of stockholders unless required to do so under the 1940 Act. The policy of the Company is not to hold an annual meeting of stockholders unless required to do so under the 1940 Act. Under Maryland law, Directors of the Company may be
removed by vote of the stockholders.
Following the
creation of the initial Creation Unit(s) of shares of a fund and immediately prior to the commencement of trading in such fund’s shares, a holder of shares may be a “control person” of the fund, as defined in the 1940 Act. A fund
cannot predict the length of time for which one or more stockholders may remain a control person of the fund.
Stockholders may make inquiries by writing to iShares, Inc.,
c/o BlackRock Investments, LLC, 1 University Square Drive, Princeton, NJ 08540.
Absent an applicable exemption or other relief from the SEC or
its staff, beneficial owners of more than 5% of the shares of a fund may be subject to the reporting provisions of Section 13 of the 1934 Act and the SEC’s rules promulgated thereunder. In addition, absent an applicable exemption or other
relief from the SEC or its staff, officers and directors of a fund and beneficial owners of 10% of the shares of a fund (“Insiders”) may be subject to the insider reporting, short-swing profit and short sale provisions of Section 16 of
the 1934 Act and the SEC’s rules promulgated thereunder. Beneficial owners and Insiders should consult with their own legal counsel concerning their obligations under Sections 13 and 16 of the 1934 Act.
94
Table of Contents
Termination of the Company or a Fund. The Company or a Fund may be terminated by a majority vote of the Board, or the affirmative vote of a supermajority of the shareholders of the Company or such Fund entitled to vote on termination. Although the
shares are not automatically redeemable upon the occurrence of any specific event, the Company's organizational documents provide that the Board will have the unrestricted power to alter the number of shares in a Creation Unit. In the event of a
termination of the Company or a Fund, the Board, in its sole discretion, could determine to permit the shares to be redeemable in aggregations smaller than Creation Units or to be individually redeemable. In such circumstance, the Company may make
redemptions in-kind, for cash or for a combination of cash or securities.
DTC as Securities Depository for Shares of the Funds. Shares of each Fund are represented by securities registered in the name of DTC or its nominee and deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC.
DTC, a limited-purpose trust company, was created to hold
securities of its participants (“DTC Participants”) and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions among the DTC Participants in such securities through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of the DTC
Participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities’ certificates. DTC Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations, some of whom
(and/or their representatives) own DTC. More specifically, DTC is owned by a number of its DTC Participants and by the NYSE, the NYSE Amex Equities and FINRA. Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers and
trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, either directly or indirectly (“Indirect Participants”).
Beneficial ownership of shares is limited to DTC Participants,
Indirect Participants and persons holding interests through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in shares (owners of such beneficial interests are referred to herein as “Beneficial Owners”) is
shown on, and the transfer of ownership is effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with respect to DTC Participants) and on the records of DTC Participants (with respect to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners that are not DTC
Participants). Beneficial Owners will receive from or through the DTC Participant a written confirmation relating to their purchase of shares. The laws of some jurisdictions may require that certain purchasers of securities take physical delivery of
such securities in definitive form. Such laws may impair the ability of certain investors to acquire beneficial interests in shares.
Conveyance of all notices, statements and other communications
to Beneficial Owners is effected as follows. Pursuant to the Depositary Agreement between the Company and DTC, DTC is required to make available to the Company upon request and for a fee to be charged to the Company a listing of the shares of each
Fund held by each DTC Participant. The Company shall inquire of each such DTC Participant as to the number of Beneficial Owners holding shares, directly or indirectly, through such DTC Participant. The Company shall provide each such DTC Participant
with copies of such notice, statement or other communication, in such form, number and at such place as such DTC Participant may reasonably request, in order that such notice, statement or communication may be transmitted by such DTC Participant,
directly or indirectly, to such Beneficial Owners. In addition, the Company shall pay to each such DTC Participant a fair and reasonable amount as reimbursement for the expenses attendant to such transmittal, all subject to applicable statutory and
regulatory requirements.
Share distributions shall be
made to DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., as the registered holder of all shares of the Company. DTC or its nominee, upon receipt of any such distributions, shall credit immediately DTC Participants’ accounts with payments in amounts
proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in shares of each Fund as shown on the records of DTC or its nominee. Payments by DTC Participants to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners of shares held through such DTC Participants
will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in a “street name,” and will be the responsibility of such DTC
Participants.
The Company has no responsibility or
liability for any aspect of the records relating to or notices to Beneficial Owners, or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in such shares, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial
ownership interests, or for any other aspect of the relationship between DTC and the DTC Participants or the relationship between such DTC Participants and the Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners owning through such DTC Participants. DTC may
decide to discontinue providing its service with respect to shares of the Company at any time by giving reasonable notice to the Company and discharging its responsibilities with respect thereto under applicable law. Under such circumstances, the
Company shall take action to find a replacement for DTC to perform its functions at a comparable cost.
95
Table of Contents
Creation and Redemption of Creation Units
General. The Company
issues and sells shares of each Fund only in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Distributor or its agent, without a sales load, at a price based on each Fund's NAV next determined after receipt, on any Business Day (as defined
below), of an order received by the Distributor or its agent in proper form. On days when the Listing Exchange closes earlier than normal, a Fund may require orders to be placed earlier in the day. The following table sets forth the number of shares
of a Fund that constitute a Creation Unit for such Fund and the value of such Creation Unit as of September 30, 2014:
| Fund | Shares
Per Creation Unit |
Value
Per Creation Unit (U.S.$) | ||
| iShares MSCI Australia ETF | 200,000 | $ 4,808,000.00 | ||
| iShares MSCI Austria Capped ETF | 100,000 | 1,618,000.00 | ||
| iShares MSCI Belgium Capped ETF | 80,000 | 1,312,000.00 | ||
| iShares MSCI Canada ETF | 100,000 | 3,079,000.00 | ||
| iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF | 100,000 | 3,864,000.00 | ||
| iShares MSCI France ETF | 200,000 | 5,330,000.00 | ||
| iShares MSCI Germany ETF | 300,000 | 8,322,000.00 | ||
| iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF | 50,000 | 455,000.00 | ||
| iShares MSCI Global Silver Miners ETF | 100,000 | 1,007,000.00 | ||
| iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF | 75,000 | 1,521,000.00 | ||
| iShares MSCI Israel Capped ETF | 50,000 | 2,545,000.00 | ||
| iShares MSCI Italy Capped ETF | 150,000 | 2,362,500.00 | ||
| iShares MSCI Japan ETF | 600,000 | 7,044,000.00 | ||
| iShares MSCI Japan Small-Cap ETF | 100,000 | 5,470,000.00 | ||
| iShares MSCI Mexico Capped ETF | 100,000 | 6,866,000.00 | ||
| iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF | 50,000 | 1,210,500.00 | ||
| iShares MSCI Pacific ex Japan ETF | 300,000 | 13,899,000.00 | ||
| iShares MSCI Singapore ETF | 100,000 | 1,339,000.00 | ||
| iShares MSCI South Africa ETF | 100,000 | 6,423,000.00 | ||
| iShares MSCI Spain Capped ETF | 75,000 | 2,937,000.00 | ||
| iShares MSCI Sweden ETF | 75,000 | 2,493,750.00 | ||
| iShares MSCI Switzerland Capped ETF | 125,000 | 4,068,750.00 | ||
| iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF | 50,000 | 4,188,000.00 | ||
| iShares MSCI Turkey ETF | 50,000 | 2,457,000.00 | ||
| iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF | 50,000 | 2,110,000.00 | ||
| iShares MSCI World ETF | 100,000 | 7,138,000.00 |
In its discretion, BFA reserves the
right to increase or decrease the number of a Fund’s shares that constitute a Creation Unit. The Board reserves the right to declare a split or a consolidation in the number of shares outstanding of any Fund, and to make a corresponding change
in the number of shares constituting a Creation Unit, in the event that the per share price in the secondary market rises (or declines) to an amount that falls outside the range deemed desirable by the Board.
A “Business Day” with respect to each Fund is any
day on which the Listing Exchange on which the Fund is listed for trading is open for business. As of the date of this SAI, each Listing Exchange observes the following holidays, as observed: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents'
Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Fund Deposit. The
consideration for purchase of Creation Units of a Fund generally consists of the in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities (including any portion of such securities for which cash may be substituted) (i.e., the Deposit Securities) and the Cash Component computed as described below. Together, the Deposit Securities and the Cash Component constitute the
“Fund Deposit,” which when combined with each Fund's portfolio securities, is designed to generate performance that has a collective investment profile similar to that of the Underlying Index. The Fund Deposit represents the minimum
initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit of any Fund.
96
Table of Contents
The Cash Component is an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the shares (per Creation Unit) and the “Deposit Amount,” which is an amount equal to the market value of the Deposit Securities, and serves to compensate for any differences between the NAV per Creation Unit and the Deposit Amount. Payment of any stamp duty or other similar fees and expenses payable upon transfer of beneficial ownership of the Deposit Securities are the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant purchasing a Creation Unit.
BFA makes available through the NSCC on each Business Day
prior to the opening of business on the Listing Exchange, the list of names and the required number of shares of each Deposit Security and the amount of the Cash Component to be included in the current Fund Deposit (based on information as of the
end of the previous Business Day for each Fund). Such Fund Deposit is applicable, subject to any adjustments as described below, to purchases of Creation Units of shares of a given Fund until such time as the next-announced Fund Deposit is made
available.
The identity and number of shares of the
Deposit Securities change pursuant to changes in the composition of a Fund's portfolio and as rebalancing adjustments and corporate action events are reflected from time to time by BFA with a view to the investment objective of the Fund. The
composition of the Deposit Securities may also change in response to adjustments to the weighting or composition of the component securities constituting the relevant Underlying Index.
The Funds reserve the right to permit or require the
substitution of a “cash in lieu” amount to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security that may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or that may not be eligible for transfer through DTC. The Funds also
reserve the right to permit or require a “cash in lieu” amount in certain circumstances, including circumstances in which (i) the delivery of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant (as described below) would be restricted
under applicable securities or other local laws or (ii) the delivery of the Deposit Security to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant becoming restricted under applicable
securities or other local laws, or in certain other situations.
Cash Purchase Method.
Although the Company does not ordinarily permit partial or full cash purchases of Creation Units of iShares funds, when partial or full cash purchases of Creation Units are available or specified for a Fund,
they will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind purchases thereof. In the case of a partial or full cash purchase, the Authorized Participant must pay the cash equivalent of the Deposit Securities it would otherwise be required to
provide through an in-kind purchase, plus the same Cash Component required to be paid by an in-kind purchaser.
Role of the Authorized Participant. Creation Units may be purchased only by or through a DTC Participant that has entered into an authorized participant agreement with the Distributor (an “Authorized Participant”). Such Authorized
Participant will agree, pursuant to the terms of such authorized participant agreement and on behalf of itself or any investor on whose behalf it will act, to certain conditions, including that such Authorized Participant will make available in
advance of each purchase of shares an amount of cash sufficient to pay the Cash Component, once the net asset value of a Creation Unit is next determined after receipt of the purchase order in proper form, together with the transaction fees
described below. An Authorized Participant, acting on behalf of an investor, may require the investor to enter into an agreement with such Authorized Participant with respect to certain matters, including payment of the Cash Component. Investors who
are not Authorized Participants must make appropriate arrangements with an Authorized Participant. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not be a DTC Participant or may not have executed an authorized participant agreement and
that orders to purchase Creation Units may have to be placed by the investor's broker through an Authorized Participant. As a result, purchase orders placed through an Authorized Participant may result in additional charges to such investor. The
Company does not expect to enter into an authorized participant agreement with more than a small number of DTC Participants. A list of current Authorized Participants may be obtained from the Distributor. The Distributor has adopted guidelines
regarding Authorized Participants’ transactions in Creation Units that are made available to all Authorized Participants. These guidelines set forth the processes and standards for Authorized Participants to transact with the Distributor and
its agents in connection with creation and redemption transactions.
Purchase Orders. Unless
otherwise described below, to initiate an order for a Creation Unit, an Authorized Participant must submit to the Distributor or its agent an irrevocable order to purchase shares of a Fund, in proper form, generally before 4:00 p.m., Eastern
time on any Business Day to receive that day’s NAV. The Distributor or its agent will notify BFA and the custodian of such order. The custodian will then provide such information to any appropriate sub-custodian. Procedures and requirements
governing the delivery of the Fund Deposit are set forth in the procedures handbook for Authorized Participants and may change from time to time. Investors, other than Authorized Participants, are responsible for making arrangements for a creation
request to be made through an Authorized Participant. The Distributor or its agent will provide a list of current
97
Table of Contents
Authorized Participants upon request. Those placing orders to purchase
Creation Units through an Authorized Participant should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the purchase order to the Distributor or its agent by the Cutoff Time (as defined below) on such Business Day.
The Authorized Participant must also make available on or
before the contractual settlement date, by means satisfactory to the Funds, immediately available or same day funds estimated by the Funds to be sufficient to pay the Cash Component next determined after acceptance of the purchase order, together
with the applicable purchase transaction fees. Any excess funds will be returned following settlement of the issue of the Creation Unit. Those placing orders should ascertain the applicable deadline for cash transfers by contacting the operations
department of the broker or depositary institution effectuating the transfer of the Cash Component. This deadline is likely to be significantly earlier than the Cutoff Time of the Funds. Investors should be aware that an Authorized Participant may
require orders for purchases of shares placed with it to be in the particular form required by the individual Authorized Participant.
The Authorized Participant is responsible for any and all
expenses and costs incurred by a Fund, including any applicable cash amounts, in connection with any purchase order.
Timing of Submission of Purchase Orders. An Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable order to purchase shares of the Fund generally before 4:00 p.m., Eastern time on any Business Day in order to receive that day's NAV. Creation Orders must be
transmitted by an Authorized Participant by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Distributor or its agent pursuant to procedures set forth in the authorized participant agreement, as described below. Economic or market
disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure, may impede the ability to reach the Distributor or its agent or an Authorized Participant. Orders to create shares of a Fund that are submitted on the Business Day immediately
preceding a holiday or a day (other than a weekend) when the equity markets in the relevant non-U.S. market are closed may not be accepted. Each Fund's deadline specified above for the submission of purchase orders is referred to as that Fund's
“Cutoff Time.” The Distributor or its agent, in their discretion, may permit the submission of such orders and requests by or through an Authorized Participant at any time (including on days on which the Listing Exchange is not open for
business) via communication through the facilities of the Distributor's or its agent's proprietary website maintained for this purpose. Purchase orders and redemption requests, if accepted by the Company, will be processed based on the NAV next
determined after such acceptance in accordance with a Fund's Cutoff Times as provided in the authorized participant agreement and disclosed in this SAI.
Acceptance of Orders for Creation Units. Subject to the conditions that (i) an irrevocable purchase order has been submitted by the Authorized Participant (either on its own or another investor's behalf) and (ii) arrangements satisfactory to the Funds
are in place for payment of the Cash Component and any other cash amounts which may be due, the Funds will accept the order, subject to each Fund's right (and the right of the Distributor and BFA) to reject any order until acceptance, as set forth
below.
Once a Fund has accepted an order, upon
the next determination of the net asset value of the shares, the Fund will confirm the issuance of a Creation Unit, against receipt of payment, at such net asset value. The Distributor or its agent will then transmit a confirmation of acceptance to
the Authorized Participant that placed the order.
Each
Fund reserves the absolute right to reject or revoke a creation order transmitted to it by the Distributor or its agent if (i) the order is not in proper form; (ii) the investor(s), upon obtaining the shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the
currently outstanding shares of the Fund; (iii) the Deposit Securities delivered do not conform to the identity and number of shares specified, as described above; (iv) acceptance of the Deposit Securities would have certain adverse tax consequences
to the Fund; (v) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (vi) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the discretion of the Fund or BFA, have an adverse effect on the Fund or the rights of beneficial owners; or
(vii) circumstances outside the control of the Fund, the Distributor or its agent and BFA make it impracticable to process purchase orders. The Distributor or its agent shall notify a prospective purchaser of a Creation Unit and/or the Authorized
Participant acting on behalf of such purchaser of its rejection of such order. The Funds, State Street, the sub-custodian and the Distributor or its agent are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the
delivery of Fund Deposits nor shall any of them incur any liability for failure to give such notification.
Issuance of a Creation Unit.
Except as provided herein, a Creation Unit will not be issued until the transfer of good title to the applicable Fund of the Deposit Securities and the payment of the Cash Component have been completed. When the sub-custodian has confirmed to
the custodian that the securities included in the Fund Deposit (or the cash value thereof) have been delivered to the account of the relevant sub-custodian or sub-custodians, the Distributor or its agent and BFA shall be
98
Table of Contents
notified of such delivery and the applicable Fund will issue and cause the
delivery of the Creation Unit. Typically, Creation Units are issued on a “T+3 basis” (i.e., three Business Days after trade date). For the iShares MSCI Austria Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Belgium
Capped ETF, iShares MSCI France ETF, iShares MSCI Germany ETF, iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF, iShares MSCI Italy Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF, iShares MSCI Sweden ETF, iShares MSCI Switzerland Capped ETF and iShares MSCI Turkey ETF,
Creation Units typically are issued on a “T+2 basis” (i.e., two Business Days after trade date). For the iShares MSCI South Africa ETF, Creation Units typically are issued on a “T+5
basis” (i.e., five Business Days after trade date). However, as discussed in the Regular Holidays section of this SAI, each Fund reserves the right to settle
Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than T+2, T+3 or T+5, as applicable, in order to accommodate non-U.S. market holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among non-U.S. and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and ex-dividend
dates (i.e., the last day the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security) and in certain other circumstances.
To the extent contemplated by an Authorized Participant's
agreement with the Distributor, each Fund will issue Creation Units to such Authorized Participant, notwithstanding the fact that the corresponding Fund Deposits have not been received in part or in whole, in reliance on the undertaking of the
Authorized Participant to deliver the missing Deposit Securities as soon as possible, which undertaking shall be secured by such Authorized Participant's delivery and maintenance of collateral having a value at least equal to 105% and up to 115%,
which percentage BFA may change at any time, in its sole discretion, of the value of the missing Deposit Securities in accordance with the Funds' then-effective procedures. The only collateral that is acceptable to the Funds is cash in U.S. dollars.
Such cash collateral must be delivered no later than 2:00 p.m., Eastern time on the contractual settlement date. The cash collateral posted by the Authorized Participant may be invested at the risk of the Authorized Participant, and income, if any,
on invested cash collateral will be paid to that Authorized Participant. Information concerning the Funds' current procedures for collateralization of missing Deposit Securities is available from the Distributor or its agent. The authorized
participant agreement will permit the Funds to buy the missing Deposit Securities at any time and will subject the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the cost to the Funds of purchasing such securities and the cash
collateral.
In certain cases, Authorized Participants
may create and redeem Creation Units on the same trade date and in these instances, the Funds reserve the right to settle these transactions on a net basis or require a representation from the Authorized Participants that the creation and redemption
transactions are for separate beneficial owners. All questions as to the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined
by each Fund and the Fund's determination shall be final and binding.
Costs Associated with Creation Transactions. A standard creation transaction fee is imposed to offset the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the issuance of Creation Units. The standard creation transaction fee is charged to the Authorized
Participant on the day such Authorized Participant creates a Creation Unit, and is the same, regardless of the number of Creation Units purchased by the Authorized Participant on the applicable Business Day. The Authorized Participant may also be
required to cover certain brokerage, tax, foreign exchange, execution, market impact and other costs and expenses related to the execution of trades resulting from such transaction (up to the maximum amount shown below). Authorized Participants will
also bear the costs of transferring the Deposit Securities to the Funds. Investors who use the services of a broker or other financial intermediary to acquire Fund shares may be charged a fee for such services.
The following table sets forth each Fund's standard creation
transaction fees and maximum additional charge (as described above):
| Fund | Standard
Creation Transaction Fee |
Maximum
Additional Charge* | ||
| iShares MSCI Australia ETF | $2,400 | 3.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Austria Capped ETF | 600 | 3.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Belgium Capped ETF | 700 | 3.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Canada ETF | 1,900 | 3.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF | 7,500 | 3.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI France ETF | 2,900 | 3.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Germany ETF | 1,500 | 3.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF | 800 | 3.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Global Silver Miners ETF | 500 | 3.0% |
99
Table of Contents
| Fund | Standard
Creation Transaction Fee |
Maximum
Additional Charge* | ||
| iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF | 2,000 | 3.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Israel Capped ETF | 3,300 | 3.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Italy Capped ETF | 1,400 | 3.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Japan ETF | 5,000 | 3.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Japan Small-Cap ETF | 6,000 | 3.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Mexico Capped ETF | 1,400 | 3.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF | 1,000 | 3.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Pacific ex Japan ETF | 6,000 | 3.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Singapore ETF | 2,000 | 3.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI South Africa ETF | 1,200 | 3.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Spain Capped ETF | 1,500 | 3.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Sweden ETF | 1,300 | 3.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Switzerland Capped ETF | 1,500 | 3.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF | 1,700 | 3.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Turkey ETF | 1,600 | 3.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF | 1,500 | 3.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI World ETF | 15,000 | 3.0% |
| * | As a percentage of the net asset value per Creation Unit. |
Redemption of Creation Units.
Shares of a Fund may be redeemed by Authorized Participants only in Creation Units at their NAV next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by the Distributor or its agent and only on
a Business Day. The Funds will not redeem shares in amounts less than Creation Units. There can be no assurance, however, that there will be sufficient liquidity in the secondary market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit. Investors
should expect to incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of shares to constitute a Creation Unit that could be redeemed by an Authorized Participant. Beneficial owners also may sell shares in the
secondary market.
Each Fund generally redeems
Creation Units for Fund Securities. Please see the Cash Redemption Method section below and the following discussion summarizing the in-kind method for further information on redeeming Creation Units of the
Funds.
BFA makes available through the NSCC, prior to
the opening of business on the Listing Exchange on each Business Day, the designated portfolio of securities (including any portion of such securities for which cash may be substituted) that will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or
correction) to redemption requests received in proper form (as defined below) on that day (“Fund Securities”), and an amount of cash (the “Cash Amount,” as described below). Such Fund Securities and the corresponding Cash
Amount (each subject to possible amendment or correction) are applicable, in order to effect redemptions of Creation Units of a Fund until such time as the next announced composition of the Fund Securities and Cash Amount is made available. Fund
Securities received on redemption may not be identical to Deposit Securities that are applicable to creations of Creation Units. Procedures and requirements governing redemption transactions are set forth in the handbook for Authorized Participants
and may change from time to time.
Unless cash
redemptions are available or specified for a Fund, the redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit generally consist of Fund Securities, plus the Cash Amount, which is an amount equal to the difference between the net asset value of the shares being
redeemed, as next determined after the receipt of a redemption request in proper form, and the value of Fund Securities, less a redemption transaction fee (as described below).
The Company may, in its sole discretion, substitute a
“cash in lieu” amount to replace any Fund Security. The Company also reserves the right to permit or require a “cash in lieu” amount in certain circumstances, including circumstances in which: (i) the delivery of a Fund
Security to the Authorized Participant would be restricted under applicable securities or other local laws; or (ii) the delivery of a Fund Security to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of the Fund Security by the Authorized
Participant becoming restricted under applicable securities or other local laws, or in certain other situations. The amount of cash paid out in such cases will be equivalent to the value of the substituted security listed as a Fund Security. In the
event that the Fund Securities have a value greater than the NAV of the shares, a compensating cash payment equal to the difference is required to be made by or through an Authorized Participant by the redeeming
100
Table of Contents
shareholder. Each Fund generally redeems Creation Units for Fund Securities,
but each Fund reserves the right to utilize a cash option for redemption of Creation Units.
Cash Redemption Method.
Although the Company does not ordinarily permit partial or full cash redemptions of Creation Units of iShares funds, when partial or full cash redemptions of Creation Units are available or specified for a Fund, they will be effected in essentially
the same manner as in-kind redemptions thereof. In the case of partial or full cash redemption, the Authorized Participant receives the cash equivalent of the Fund Securities it would otherwise receive through an in-kind redemption, plus the same
Cash Amount to be paid to an in-kind redeemer.
Costs Associated with Redemption Transactions. A standard redemption transaction fee is imposed to offset transfer and other transaction costs that may be incurred by the relevant Fund. The standard redemption transaction fee is charged to the Authorized
Participant on the day such Authorized Participant redeems a Creation Unit, and is the same regardless of the number of Creation Units redeemed by an Authorized Participant on the applicable Business Day. The Authorized Participant may also be
required to cover certain brokerage, tax, foreign exchange, execution, market impact and other costs and expenses related to the execution of trades resulting from such transaction (up to the maximum amount shown below). Authorized Participants will
also bear the costs of transferring the Fund Securities from a Fund to their account on their order. Investors who use the services of a broker or other financial intermediary to dispose of Fund shares may be charged a fee for such
services.
The following table sets forth each
Fund's standard redemption transaction fees and maximum additional charge (as described above):
| Fund | Standard
Redemption Transaction Fee |
Maximum
Additional Charge* | ||
| iShares MSCI Australia ETF | $ 2,400 | 2.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Austria Capped ETF | 600 | 2.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Belgium Capped ETF | 700 | 2.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Canada ETF | 1,900 | 2.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF | 7,500 | 2.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI France ETF | 2,900 | 2.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Germany ETF | 1,500 | 2.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF | 800 | 2.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Global Silver Miners ETF | 500 | 2.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF | 2,000 | 2.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Israel Capped ETF | 3,300 | 2.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Italy Capped ETF | 1,400 | 2.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Japan ETF | 5,000 | 2.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Japan Small-Cap ETF | 6,000 | 2.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Mexico Capped ETF | 1,400 | 2.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF | 1,000 | 2.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Pacific ex Japan ETF | 6,000 | 2.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Singapore ETF | 2,000 | 2.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI South Africa ETF | 1,200 | 2.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Spain Capped ETF | 1,500 | 2.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Sweden ETF | 1,300 | 2.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Switzerland Capped ETF | 1,500 | 2.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF | 1,700 | 2.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI Turkey ETF | 1,600 | 2.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF | 1,500 | 2.0% | ||
| iShares MSCI World ETF | 15,000 | 2.0% |
| * | As a percentage of the net asset value per Creation Unit, inclusive of the standard redemption transaction fee. |
101
Table of Contents
Placement of Redemption
Orders. Redemption requests for Creation Units of the Funds must be submitted to the Distributor or its agent by or through an Authorized Participant. An Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable
request to redeem shares of a Fund generally before 4:00 p.m., Eastern time on any Business Day in order to receive that day's NAV. Investors, other than Authorized Participants, are responsible for making arrangements for a redemption request to be
made through an Authorized Participant. The Distributor or its agent will provide a list of current Authorized Participants upon request.
The Authorized Participant must transmit the request for
redemption in the form required by the Funds to the Distributor or its agent in accordance with procedures set forth in the authorized participant agreement. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed an authorized
participant agreement and that, therefore, requests to redeem Creation Units may have to be placed by the investor's broker through an Authorized Participant who has executed an authorized participant agreement. At any time, only a limited number of
broker-dealers will have an authorized participant agreement in effect. Investors making a redemption request should be aware that such request must be in the form specified by such Authorized Participant. Investors making a request to redeem
Creation Units should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the request by an Authorized Participant and transfer of the shares to the Funds' transfer agent; such investors should allow for the additional time that may be required to
effect redemptions through their banks, brokers or other financial intermediaries if such intermediaries are not Authorized Participants.
A redemption request is considered to be in “proper
form” if (i) an Authorized Participant has transferred or caused to be transferred to the Funds' transfer agent the Creation Unit redeemed through the book-entry system of DTC so as to be effective by the Listing Exchange closing time on any
Business Day; (ii) a request in form satisfactory to the applicable Fund is received by the Distributor or its agent from the Authorized Participant on behalf of itself or another redeeming investor within the time periods specified above; and (iii)
all other procedures set forth in the authorized participant agreement are properly followed. If the transfer agent does not receive the investor's shares through DTC's facilities by 10:00 a.m., Eastern time on the Business Day next following the
day that the redemption request is received, the redemption request shall be rejected. Investors should be aware that the deadline for such transfers of shares through the DTC system may be significantly earlier than the close of business on the
Listing Exchange. Those making redemption requests should ascertain the deadline applicable to transfers of shares through the DTC system by contacting the operations department of the broker or depositary institution effecting the transfer of the
shares.
Upon receiving a redemption request, the
Distributor or its agent shall notify the applicable Fund and the Fund's transfer agent of such redemption request. The tender of an investor's shares for redemption and the distribution of the securities and/or cash included in the redemption
payment made in respect of Creation Units redeemed will be made through DTC and the relevant Authorized Participant to the Beneficial Owner thereof as recorded on the book-entry system of DTC or the DTC Participant through which such investor holds,
as the case may be, or by such other means specified by the Authorized Participant submitting the redemption request.
A redeeming Beneficial Owner or Authorized Participant acting
on behalf of such Beneficial Owner must maintain appropriate security arrangements with a qualified broker-dealer, bank or other custody providers in each jurisdiction in which any of the portfolio securities are customarily traded, to which account
such portfolio securities will be delivered.
Deliveries
of redemption proceeds by each Fund generally will be made within three Business Days (i.e., “T+3”). For the iShares MSCI Austria Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Belgium Capped ETF, iShares MSCI France
ETF, iShares MSCI Germany ETF, iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF, iShares MSCI Italy Capped ETF, iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF, iShares MSCI Sweden ETF, iShares MSCI Switzerland Capped ETF and iShares MSCI Turkey ETF, deliveries of redemption proceeds
generally will be made within two Business Days (i.e., “T+2”). For the iShares MSCI South Africa ETF, deliveries of redemption proceeds generally will be made within five Business Days (i.e., “T+5”). However, as discussed in the Regular Holidays section, each Fund reserves the right to settle redemption transactions and deliver redemption
proceeds on another basis to accommodate non-U.S. market holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among non-U.S. and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and dividend ex-dates (i.e., the last
date the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security sold) and in certain other circumstances. The Regular Holidays section hereto identifies the instances,
if any, where more than seven days would be needed to deliver redemption proceeds. Pursuant to an order of the SEC, the Company will make delivery of redemption proceeds within the number of days stated in the
Regular Holidays section to be the maximum number of days necessary to deliver redemption proceeds.
102
Table of Contents
If neither the redeeming Beneficial Owner nor the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such redeeming Beneficial Owner has appropriate arrangements to take delivery of Fund Securities in the applicable non-U.S. jurisdiction and it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or if it is not possible to effect deliveries of Fund Securities in such jurisdiction, a Fund may in its discretion exercise its option to redeem such shares in cash, and the redeeming Beneficial Owner will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash. In such case, the investor will receive a cash payment equal to the net asset value of its shares based on the NAV of the relevant Fund next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee and additional charges specified above to offset the Fund's brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Fund Securities). Redemptions of shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws and each Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Units for cash to the extent that the Fund cannot lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or cannot do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws.
Although the Company does not ordinarily permit cash
redemptions of Creation Units, in the event that cash redemptions are permitted or required by the Company proceeds will be paid to the Authorized Participant redeeming shares as soon as practicable after the date of redemption (within seven
calendar days thereafter, except for the instances listed in the Regular Holidays section hereto where more than seven calendar days would be needed).
To the extent contemplated by an Authorized Participant's
agreement with the Distributor or its agent, in the event an Authorized Participant has submitted a redemption request in proper form but is unable to transfer all or part of the Creation Unit to be redeemed to a Fund, at or prior to 10:00 a.m.,
Eastern time on the Listing Exchange business day after the date of submission of such redemption request, the Distributor or its agent will accept the redemption request in reliance on the undertaking by the Authorized Participant to deliver the
missing shares as soon as possible. Such undertaking shall be secured by the Authorized Participant's delivery and maintenance of collateral consisting of cash, in U.S. dollars in immediately available funds, having a value at least equal to 105%
and up to 115%, which percentage BFA may change at any time, in its sole discretion, of the value of the missing shares. Such cash collateral must be delivered no later than 10:00 a.m., Eastern time on the day after the date of submission of such
redemption request and shall be held by State Street and marked-to-market daily. The fees of State Street and any sub-custodians in respect of the delivery, maintenance and redelivery of the cash collateral shall be payable by the Authorized
Participant. The cash collateral posted by the Authorized Participant may be invested at the risk of the Authorized Participant, and income, if any, on invested cash collateral will be paid to that Authorized Participant. The authorized participant
agreement permits the Funds to acquire shares of the Funds at any time and subjects the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the aggregate of the cost to the Funds of purchasing such shares, plus the value of the Cash
Amount, and the value of the cash collateral.
Because
the portfolio securities of a Fund may trade on exchange(s) on days that the Listing Exchange is closed or are otherwise not Business Days for such Fund, shareholders may not be able to redeem their shares of such Fund, or purchase or sell shares of
such Fund on the Listing Exchange on days when the NAV of such a Fund could be significantly affected by events in the relevant non-U.S. markets.
The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of
payment postponed with respect to any Fund: (i) for any period during which the Listing Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (ii) for any period during which trading on the Listing Exchange is suspended or
restricted; (iii) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the shares of the Fund's portfolio securities or determination of its net asset value is not reasonably practicable; or (iv) in such other
circumstance as is permitted by the SEC.
Taxation on
Creations and Redemptions of Creation Units. An Authorized Participant generally will recognize either gain or loss upon the exchange of Deposit Securities for Creation Units. This gain or loss is calculated
by taking the market value of the Creation Units purchased over the Authorized Participant’s aggregate basis in the Deposit Securities exchanged therefor. However, the IRS may apply the wash sales rules to determine that any loss realized upon
the exchange of Deposit Securities for Creation Units is not currently deductible. Authorized Participants should consult their own tax advisors.
Current U.S. federal income tax laws dictate that capital gain
or loss realized from the redemption of Creation Units will generally create long-term capital gain or loss if the Authorized Participant holds the Creation Units for more than one year, or short-term capital gain or loss if the Creation Units were
held for one year or less, if the Creation Units are held as capital assets.
103
Table of Contents
Regular Holidays. For
every occurrence of one or more intervening holidays in the applicable non-U.S. market that are not holidays observed in the U.S. equity market, the redemption settlement cycle will be extended by the number of such intervening holidays. In addition
to holidays, other unforeseeable closings in a non-U.S. market due to emergencies may also prevent the Company from delivering securities within the normal settlement period.
The securities delivery cycles currently practicable for
transferring portfolio securities to redeeming investors, coupled with non-U.S. market holiday schedules, will require a delivery process longer than seven calendar days, in certain circumstances. The holidays applicable to each Fund during such
periods are listed below, as are instances where more than seven days will be needed to deliver redemption proceeds. Although certain holidays may occur on different dates in subsequent years, the number of days required to deliver redemption
proceeds in any given year is not expected to exceed the maximum number of days listed below for each Fund. The proclamation of new holidays, the treatment by market participants of certain days as “informal holidays” (e.g., days on which no or limited securities transactions occur, as a result of substantially shortened trading hours), the elimination of existing holidays, or changes in local securities delivery practices,
could affect the information set forth herein at some time in the future.
In calendar years 2014 and 2015, the dates of regular holidays
affecting the relevant securities markets in which a Fund invests are as follows (please note these holiday schedules are subject to potential changes in the relevant securities markets):
2014
104
Table of Contents
105
Table of Contents
106
Table of Contents
2015
107
Table of Contents
108
Table of Contents
Redemptions.
The longest redemption cycle for a Fund is a function of the longest redemption cycle among the countries and regions whose stocks comprise the Funds. In the calendar years 2014 and 2015, the dates of regular holidays affecting the following
securities markets present the worst-case redemption cycles* for a Fund as follows:
| 2014 | ||||||
| Country | Trade
Date |
Settlement
Date |
Number
of Days to Settle | |||
| Austria | 12/19/14 | 12/29/14 | 10 | |||
| 12/22/14 | 12/30/14 | 8 | ||||
| 12/23/14 | 01/02/15 | 10 | ||||
| The Czech Republic | 12/19/14 | 12/29/14 | 10 | |||
| 12/22/14 | 12/30/14 | 8 | ||||
| 12/23/14 | 01/02/15 | 10 | ||||
| Finland | 12/19/14 | 12/29/14 | 10 | |||
| 12/22/14 | 12/30/14 | 8 | ||||
| 12/23/14 | 01/02/15 | 10 | ||||
| Hungary | 12/19/14 | 12/29/14 | 10 | |||
| 12/22/14 | 12/30/14 | 8 | ||||
| 12/23/14 | 12/31/14 | 8 | ||||
| Ireland | 12/23/14 | 01/02/14 | 10 | |||
| 12/19/14 | 12/30/14 | 11 | ||||
| 12/22/14 | 12/31/14 | 9 | ||||
| 12/23/14 | 01/02/15 | 10 | ||||
| Italy | 12/19/14 | 12/29/14 | 10 | |||
| 12/22/14 | 12/30/14 | 8 | ||||
| 12/23/14 | 01/02/15 | 10 | ||||
| Japan | 12/26/14 | 01/05/15 | 10 | |||
| 12/29/14 | 01/06/15 | 8 | ||||
| 12/30/14 | 01/07/15 | 8 | ||||
| Portugal | 12/19/14 | 12/29/14 | 10 | |||
| 12/22/14 | 12/30/14 | 8 | ||||
| 12/23/14 | 12/31/14 | 8 | ||||
| Russia | 12/24/14 | 01/09/15 | 16 | |||
| 12/26/14 | 01/12/15 | 17 | ||||
| 12/29/14 | 01/13/15 | 15 | ||||
109
Table of Contents
| 2014 | ||||||
| Country | Trade
Date |
Settlement
Date |
Number
of Days to Settle | |||
| 12/30/14 | 01/10/15 | 11 | ||||
| 12/31/14 | 01/13/15 | 13 | ||||
| South Africa | 03/14/14 | 03/24/14 | 10 | |||
| 03/17/14 | 03/25/14 | 8 | ||||
| 03/18/14 | 03/26/14 | 8 | ||||
| 03/19/14 | 03/27/14 | 8 | ||||
| 03/20/14 | 03/28/14 | 8 | ||||
| 04/11/14 | 04/22/14 | 9 | ||||
| 04/14/14 | 04/23/14 | 9 | ||||
| 04/15/14 | 04/24/14 | 9 | ||||
| 04/16/14 | 04/25/14 | 9 | ||||
| 04/17/14 | 04/29/14 | 12 | ||||
| 04/22/14 | 04/30/14 | 8 | ||||
| 04/23/14 | 05/02/14 | 9 | ||||
| 04/24/14 | 05/05/14 | 11 | ||||
| 04/25/14 | 05/06/14 | 11 | ||||
| 04/29/14 | 05/07/14 | 8 | ||||
| 04/30/14 | 05/08/14 | 8 | ||||
| 06/09/14 | 06/17/14 | 8 | ||||
| 06/10/14 | 06/18/14 | 8 | ||||
| 06/11/14 | 06/19/14 | 8 | ||||
| 06/12/14 | 06/20/14 | 8 | ||||
| 06/13/14 | 06/23/14 | 10 | ||||
| 09/17/14 | 09/25/14 | 8 | ||||
| 09/18/14 | 09/26/14 | 8 | ||||
| 09/19/14 | 09/29/14 | 10 | ||||
| 09/22/14 | 09/30/14 | 8 | ||||
| 09/23/14 | 10/01/14 | 8 | ||||
| 12/09/14 | 12/17/14 | 8 | ||||
| 12/10/14 | 12/18/14 | 8 | ||||
| 12/11/14 | 12/19/14 | 8 | ||||
| 12/12/14 | 12/22/14 | 10 | ||||
| 12/15/14 | 12/23/14 | 8 | ||||
| 12/18/14 | 12/29/14 | 11 | ||||
| 12/19/14 | 12/30/14 | 11 | ||||
| 12/22/14 | 12/31/14 | 9 | ||||
| 12/23/14 | 01/02/15 | 10 | ||||
| 12/24/14 | 01/05/15 | 12 | ||||
| 12/29/14 | 01/06/15 | 8 | ||||
| 12/30/14 | 01/07/15 | 8 | ||||
| 12/31/14 | 01/08/15 | 8 | ||||
| Spain | 04/14/14 | 04/22/14 | 8 | |||
| 04/15/14 | 04/23/14 | 8 | ||||
| 04/16/14 | 04/24/14 | 8 | ||||
| Sweden | 12/19/14 | 12/29/14 | 10 | |||
| 12/22/14 | 12/30/14 | 8 | ||||
| 12/23/14 | 01/02/15 | 10 | ||||
| Switzerland | 12/19/14 | 12/29/14 | 10 | |||
| 12/22/14 | 12/30/14 | 8 | ||||
| 12/23/14 | 01/05/15 | 13 | ||||
110
Table of Contents
| 2014 | ||||||
| Country | Trade
Date |
Settlement
Date |
Number
of Days to Settle | |||
| 12/29/14 | 01/06/15 | 8 | ||||
| 12/30/14 | 01/07/15 | 8 | ||||
| 2015 | ||||||
| Country | Trade
Date |
Settlement
Date |
Number
of Days to Settle | |||
| Australia | 12/21/15 | 12/29/15 | 8 | |||
| 12/22/15 | 12/30/15 | 8 | ||||
| 12/23/15 | 01/04/16 | 12 | ||||
| Ireland | 12/22/15 | 12/30/15 | 8 | |||
| 12/23/15 | 12/31/15 | 8 | ||||
| Japan | 04/28/15 | 05/07/15 | 9 | |||
| 04/30/15 | 05/08/15 | 8 | ||||
| 05/01/15 | 05/11/15 | 10 | ||||
| 09/16/15 | 09/24/15 | 8 | ||||
| 09/17/15 | 09/25/15 | 8 | ||||
| 09/18/15 | 09/28/15 | 11 | ||||
| Russia | 12/24/15 | 01/11/16 | 18 | |||
| 12/28/15 | 01/15/16 | 15 | ||||
| 12/29/15 | 01/18/15 | 18 | ||||
| South Africa | 03/27/15 | 04/07/15 | 11 | |||
| 03/30/15 | 04/08/15 | 9 | ||||
| 03/31/15 | 04/09/15 | 9 | ||||
| 04/01/15 | 04/10/15 | 9 | ||||
| 04/02/15 | 04/13/15 | 11 | ||||
| 04/20/15 | 04/28/15 | 8 | ||||
| 04/21/15 | 04/29/15 | 8 | ||||
| 04/22/15 | 04/30/15 | 8 | ||||
| 04/23/15 | 05/01/15 | 8 | ||||
| 04/23/15 | 05/04/15 | 11 | ||||
| 04/24/15 | 05/05/15 | 11 | ||||
| 04/28/15 | 05/06/15 | 8 | ||||
| 04/29/15 | 05/07/15 | 8 | ||||
| 04/30/15 | 05/08/15 | 8 | ||||
| 06/09/15 | 06/17/15 | 8 | ||||
| 06/10/15 | 06/18/15 | 8 | ||||
| 06/11/15 | 06/19/15 | 8 | ||||
| 06/12/15 | 06/22/15 | 10 | ||||
| 06/15/15 | 06/23/15 | 8 | ||||
| 08/03/15 | 08/11/15 | 8 | ||||
| 08/04/15 | 08/12/15 | 8 | ||||
| 08/05/15 | 08/13/15 | 8 | ||||
| 08/06/15 | 08/14/15 | 8 | ||||
| 08/07/15 | 08/17/15 | 10 | ||||
| 09/17/15 | 09/25/15 | 8 | ||||
| 09/18/15 | 09/28/15 | 10 | ||||
| 09/21/15 | 09/29/15 | 8 | ||||
| 09/22/15 | 09/30/15 | 8 | ||||
111
Table of Contents
| 2015 | ||||||
| Country | Trade
Date |
Settlement
Date |
Number
of Days to Settle | |||
| 09/23/15 | 10/01/15 | 8 | ||||
| 12/09/15 | 12/17/15 | 8 | ||||
| 12/10/15 | 12/18/15 | 8 | ||||
| 12/11/15 | 12/21/15 | 10 | ||||
| 12/14/15 | 12/22/15 | 8 | ||||
| 12/15/15 | 12/23/15 | 8 | ||||
| 12/18/15 | 12/28/15 | 10 | ||||
| 12/21/15 | 12/29/15 | 8 | ||||
| 12/22/15 | 12/30/15 | 8 | ||||
| 12/23/15 | 12/31/15 | 8 | ||||
| 12/24/15 | 01/04/16 | 11 | ||||
| 12/28/15 | 01/05/16 | 8 | ||||
| 12/29/15 | 01/06/16 | 8 | ||||
| 12/30/15 | 01/07/16 | 8 | ||||
| 12/31/15 | 01/08/16 | 8 | ||||
| Spain | 03/30/15 | 04/07/15 | 8 | |||
| 03/31/15 | 04/08/15 | 8 | ||||
| 04/01/15 | 04/09/15 | 8 | ||||
| Thailand | 04/08/15 | 04/16/15 | 8 | |||
| 04/09/15 | 04/17/15 | 8 | ||||
| 04/10/15 | 04/20/15 | 10 | ||||
| * | These worst-case redemption cycles are based on information regarding regular holidays, which may be out of date. Based on changes in holidays, longer (worse) redemption cycles are possible. |
Taxes
The following is a summary of certain material U.S. federal
income tax considerations regarding the purchase, ownership and disposition of shares of a Fund. This summary does not address all of the potential U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be applicable to a Fund or to all categories of
investors, some of which may be subject to special tax rules. Current and prospective shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the specific U.S. federal, state, local and non-U.S. tax consequences of investing in a
Fund. The summary is based on the laws in effect on the date of this SAI and existing judicial and administrative interpretations thereof, all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect.
Regulated Investment Company Qualifications. Each Fund intends to continue to qualify for treatment as a separate RIC under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code. To qualify for treatment as a RIC, each Fund must annually distribute at least 90% of its
investment company taxable income (which includes dividends, interest and net short-term capital gains) and meet several other requirements. Among such other requirements are the following: (i) at least 90% of each Fund’s annual gross income
must be derived from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities or non-U.S. currencies, other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or
forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies, and net income derived from interests in qualified publicly-traded partnerships
(i.e., partnerships that are traded on an established securities market or tradable on a secondary market, other than partnerships that derive 90% of
their income from interest, dividends, capital gains and other traditionally permitted mutual fund income); and (ii) at the close of each quarter of each Fund's taxable year, (a) at least 50% of the market value of each Fund’s total assets
must be represented by cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs and other securities, with such other securities limited for purposes of this calculation in respect of any one issuer to an amount not greater than 5%
of the value of the Fund’s assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (b) not more than 25% of the value of each Fund's total assets may be invested in the securities (other than U.S. government
securities or the securities of
112
Table of Contents
other RICs) of any one issuer, of two or more issuers of which 20% or more of
the voting stock is held by the Fund and that are engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or businesses, or the securities of one or more qualified publicly-traded partnerships.
A Fund may be able to cure a failure to derive 90% of its
income from the sources specified above or a failure to diversify its holdings in the manner described above by paying a tax and/or by disposing of certain assets. If, in any taxable year, a Fund fails one of these tests and does not timely
cure the failure, that Fund will be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and distributions to its shareholders will not be deductible by that Fund in computing its taxable income.
Although, in general, the passive loss rules of the Internal
Revenue Code do not apply to RICs, such rules do apply to a RIC with respect to items attributable to interests in qualified publicly-traded partnerships. A Fund's investments in partnerships, including in qualified publicly-traded partnerships, may
result in the Fund being subject to state, local, or non-U.S. income, franchise or withholding tax liabilities.
Taxation of RICs. As a
RIC, a Fund will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of its taxable investment income and capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders, provided that it satisfies a minimum distribution requirement. To satisfy the
minimum distribution requirement, a Fund must distribute to its shareholders at least the sum of (i) 90% of its “investment company taxable income” (i.e., income other than its net realized long-term capital gain over its net realized short-term capital loss), plus or minus certain adjustments, and (ii) 90% of its net tax-exempt income for the taxable year. A Fund will be
subject to income tax at regular corporate rates on any taxable income or gains that it does not distribute to its shareholders. If a Fund fails to qualify for any taxable year as a RIC or fails to meet the distribution requirement, all of its
taxable income will be subject to tax at regular corporate income tax rates without any deduction for distributions to shareholders, and such distributions generally will be taxable to shareholders as ordinary dividends to the extent of the
Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. In such event, distributions to individuals should be eligible to be treated as qualified dividend income and distributions to corporate shareholders generally should be eligible for the
dividends received deduction. Although each Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income and its capital gains for each taxable year, each Fund will be subject to U.S. federal income taxation to the extent any such
income or gains are not distributed. If a Fund fails to qualify as a RIC in any year, it must pay out its earnings and profits accumulated in that year in order to qualify again as a RIC. If a Fund fails to qualify as a RIC for a period greater than
two taxable years, the Fund may be required to recognize any net built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets (i.e., the excess of the
aggregate gains, including items of income, over aggregate losses that would have been realized with respect to such assets if the Fund had been liquidated) if it qualifies as a RIC in a subsequent year.
Excise Tax. A Fund will
be subject to a 4% excise tax on certain undistributed income if it does not distribute to its shareholders in each calendar year at least 98% of its ordinary income for the calendar year plus 98.2% of its capital gain net income for the 12 months
ended October 31 of such year. For this purpose, however, any ordinary income or capital gain net income retained by a Fund that is subject to corporate income tax will be considered to have been distributed by year-end. In addition, the minimum
amounts that must be distributed in any year to avoid the excise tax will be increased or decreased to reflect any underdistribution or overdistribution, as the case may be, from the previous year. Each Fund intends to declare and distribute
dividends and distributions in the amounts and at the times necessary to avoid the application of this 4% excise tax.
Net Capital Loss Carryforwards. Net capital loss carryforwards may be applied against any net realized capital gains in each succeeding year, until they have been reduced to zero or until their respective expiration dates, whichever occurs
first. Capital loss carryforwards from taxable years beginning after 2010 are not subject to expiration, and short-term and long-term capital loss carryforwards from such taxable years may only be applied against net realized short-term and
long-term capital gains, respectively.
In the
event that a Fund were to experience an ownership change as defined under the Internal Revenue Code, the loss carryforwards and other favorable tax attributes of a Fund, if any, may be subject to limitation.
The following Funds had tax basis net capital loss
carryforwards as of August 31, 2014, the tax year-end for the Funds listed:
| Fund | Non-Expiring 1 | Expiring
2015 |
Expiring
2016 |
Expiring
2017 |
Expiring
2018 |
Expiring
2019 |
Total | |||||||
| iShares MSCI Australia ETF | $88,822,192 | $7,066 | $529,868 | $24,006,125 | $23,348,244 | $12,127,364 | $148,840,859 |
113
Table of Contents
| Fund | Non-Expiring 1 | Expiring
2015 |
Expiring
2016 |
Expiring
2017 |
Expiring
2018 |
Expiring
2019 |
Total | |||||||
| iShares MSCI Austria Capped ETF | 24,634,925 | 9,795,917 | 2,587,916 | 7,102,366 | 16,657,011 | 13,826,937 | 74,605,072 | |||||||
| iShares MSCI Belgium Capped ETF | 11,294,523 | — | 1,698,444 | 5,953,120 | 10,826,174 | 19,023,517 | 48,795,778 | |||||||
| iShares MSCI Canada ETF | 142,622,027 | 5,363,291 | 5,107,471 | 27,886,883 | 68,928,677 | 14,903,919 | 264,812,268 | |||||||
| iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF | 53,431,438 | — | — | 26,644,200 | 68,035,542 | 30,230,739 | 178,341,919 | |||||||
| iShares MSCI France ETF | 14,539,484 | 158,472 | 335,795 | 3,408,374 | 7,008,530 | 2,858,814 | 28,309,469 | |||||||
| iShares MSCI Germany ETF | 21,864,809 | 4,227,713 | 3,394,735 | 27,790,050 | 28,490,949 | 32,215,954 | 117,984,210 | |||||||
| iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF | 1,723,545 | — | — | — | — | — | 1,723,545 | |||||||
| iShares MSCI Global Silver Miners ETF | 112,746 | — | — | — | — | — | 112,746 | |||||||
| iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF | 179,303,227 | 2,899,247 | 3,185,408 | 29,235,556 | 114,836,904 | 34,565,959 | 364,026,301 | |||||||
| iShares MSCI Israel Capped ETF | 13,480,809 | — | — | 784,479 | 10,801,191 | 7,130,249 | 32,196,728 | |||||||
| iShares MSCI Italy Capped ETF | 33,168,667 | — | 472,268 | 2,743,650 | 18,169,627 | 9,459,662 | 64,013,874 | |||||||
| iShares MSCI Japan ETF | 287,119,620 | 27,817,841 | 44,443,527 | 116,295,478 | 173,577,101 | 139,228,194 | 788,481,761 | |||||||
| iShares MSCI Japan Small-Cap ETF | 860,844 | — | — | 131,718 | 541,322 | 203,697 | 1,737,581 | |||||||
| iShares MSCI Mexico Capped ETF | 42,455,837 | — | 853,150 | 8,973,988 | 2,789,471 | 22,863,665 | 77,936,111 | |||||||
| iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF | 6,930,449 | 260,715 | 1,195,162 | 5,819,153 | 22,256,170 | 2,329,005 | 38,790,654 | |||||||
| iShares MSCI Pacific ex Japan ETF | 185,280,633 | — | — | 66,207,828 | 104,799,503 | 36,600,987 | 392,888,951 | |||||||
| iShares MSCI Singapore ETF | 35,336,542 | — | 807,115 | 15,680,510 | 132,420,824 | 11,588,528 | 195,833,519 | |||||||
| iShares MSCI South Africa ETF | 27,277,976 | 1,607,845 | 972,024 | 15,339,464 | 14,856,365 | 6,137,142 | 66,190,816 | |||||||
| iShares MSCI Spain Capped ETF | 21,049,529 | — | — | 5,946,927 | 15,120,672 | 8,619,903 | 50,737,031 | |||||||
| IShares MSCI Sweden ETF | 11,686,467 | — | 100,015 | 13,686,746 | 8,483,510 | 5,244,977 | 39,201,715 | |||||||
| iShares MSCI Switzerland Capped ETF | 10,955,695 | — | — | 2,837,786 | 22,569,380 | 6,955,758 | 43,318,619 | |||||||
| iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF | 2,056,947 | — | — | 555,444 | 2,321,428 | 1,304,910 | 6,238,729 | |||||||
| iShares MSCI Turkey ETF | 21,835,364 | — | — | 720,636 | 5,982,737 | 3,859,184 | 32,397,921 | |||||||
| iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF | 56,840 | — | — | — | — | — | 56,840 | |||||||
| iShares MSCI World ETF | 82,372 | — | — | — | — | — | 82,372 |
| 1 | Must be utilized prior to losses subject to expiration. |
Taxation
of U.S. Shareholders. Dividends and other distributions by a Fund are generally treated under the Internal Revenue Code as received by the shareholders at the time the dividend or distribution is made.
However, any dividend or distribution declared by a Fund in October, November or December of any calendar year and payable to shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month shall be deemed to have been received by each shareholder on
December 31 of such calendar year and to have been paid by the Fund not later than such December 31, provided such dividend is actually paid by the Fund during January of the following calendar year.
Each Fund intends to distribute annually to its shareholders
substantially all of its investment company taxable income and any net realized long-term capital gains in excess of net realized short-term capital losses (including any capital loss
114
Table of Contents
carryovers). However, if a Fund retains for investment an amount equal to all
or a portion of its net long-term capital gains in excess of its net short-term capital losses (including any capital loss carryovers), it will be subject to a corporate tax (at a maximum rate of 35%) on the amount retained. In that event, the Fund
will designate such retained amounts as undistributed capital gains in a notice to its shareholders who (a) will be required to include in income for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gains, their proportionate shares of the
undistributed amount, (b) will be entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the 35% tax paid by the Fund on the undistributed amount against their U.S. federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent their credits
exceed their liabilities, if any, and (c) will be entitled to increase their tax basis, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, in their shares by an amount equal to 65% of the amount of undistributed capital gains included in the shareholder’s
income. Organizations or persons not subject to U.S. federal income tax on such capital gains will be entitled to a refund of their pro rata share of such taxes paid by the Fund upon filing appropriate returns
or claims for refund with the IRS.
Distributions of net
realized long-term capital gains, if any, that a Fund reports as capital gains dividends are taxable as long-term capital gains, whether paid in cash or in shares and regardless of how long a shareholder has held shares of the Fund. All other
dividends of a Fund (including dividends from short-term capital gains) from its current and accumulated earnings and profits (“regular dividends”) are generally subject to tax as ordinary income, subject to the discussion of qualified
dividend income below. Married couples filing jointly with income over approximately $450,000 and unmarried individuals with income over approximately $400,000, amounts adjusted annually for inflation, are subject to a 20% tax on any income in
excess of those amounts that is long-term capital gain or qualified dividend income, and generally all other long-term capital gain is taxed at 15% (0% at certain income levels). In addition, the top marginal ordinary income tax rate is 39.6% for
income in excess of the above thresholds.
If an
individual receives a regular dividend qualifying for the long-term capital gains rates and such dividend constitutes an “extraordinary dividend,” and the individual subsequently recognizes a loss on the sale or exchange of stock in
respect of which the extraordinary dividend was paid, then the loss will be long-term capital loss to the extent of such extraordinary dividend. An “extraordinary dividend” on common stock for this purpose is generally a dividend (i) in
an amount greater than or equal to 10% of the taxpayer’s tax basis (or trading value) in a share of stock, aggregating dividends with ex-dividend dates within an 85-day period, or (ii) in an amount greater than 20% of the taxpayer’s tax
basis (or trading value) in a share of stock, aggregating dividends with ex-dividend dates within a 365-day period.
Distributions in excess of a Fund’s current and
accumulated earnings and profits will, as to each shareholder, be treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of a shareholder’s basis in shares of the Fund, and as a capital gain thereafter (if the shareholder holds shares of the
Fund as capital assets). Distributions in excess of the Fund’s minimum distribution requirements, but not in excess of the Fund’s earnings and profits, will be taxable to shareholders and will not constitute nontaxable returns of
capital. Shareholders receiving dividends or distributions in the form of additional shares should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as receiving a distribution in an amount equal to the amount of money that the shareholders receiving
cash dividends or distributions will receive and should have a cost basis in the shares received equal to such amount. Dividends paid by a Fund that are attributable to dividends received by a Fund from domestic corporations may qualify for the U.S.
federal dividends received deduction for corporations.
A
3.8% U.S. federal Medicare contribution tax is imposed on net investment income, including, but not limited to, interest, dividends, and net gain from investments, of U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 (or $250,000 if married and filing
jointly) and of estates and trusts.
Investors
considering buying shares just prior to a dividend or capital gain distribution should be aware that, although the price of shares purchased at that time may reflect the amount of the forthcoming distribution, such dividend or distribution may
nevertheless be taxable to them. If a Fund is the holder of record of any security on the record date for any dividends payable with respect to such security, such dividends will be included in the Fund’s gross income not as of the date
received but as of the later of (a) the date such security became ex-dividend with respect to such dividends (i.e., the date on which a buyer of the security would not be entitled to receive the declared, but
unpaid, dividends); or (b) the date the Fund acquired such security. Accordingly, in order to satisfy its income distribution requirements, a Fund may be required to pay dividends based on anticipated earnings, and shareholders may receive dividends
in an earlier year than would otherwise be the case.
In
certain situations, a Fund may, for a taxable year, defer all or a portion of its net capital loss realized after October and its late-year ordinary loss (defined as the excess of a Fund’s post-October foreign currency and “passive
foreign investment company” (“PFIC”) losses and other post-December ordinary losses over post-October foreign currency and PFIC gains and
115
Table of Contents
other post-December ordinary income) until the next taxable year in computing
its investment company taxable income and net capital gain, which will defer the recognition of such realized losses. Such deferrals and other rules regarding gains and losses realized after October (or December) may affect the tax character of
shareholder distributions.
Sales of Shares. Upon the sale or exchange of shares of a Fund, a shareholder will realize a taxable gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized and the shareholder’s basis in shares of the Fund. A
redemption of shares by a Fund will be treated as a sale for this purpose. Such gain or loss will be treated as capital gain or loss if the shares are capital assets in the shareholder’s hands and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the
shares are held for more than one year and short-term capital gain or loss if the shares are held for one year or less. Any loss realized on a sale or exchange will be disallowed to the extent the shares disposed of are replaced, including
replacement through the reinvesting of dividends or capital gains distributions, or by an option on substantially identical shares within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the disposition of the shares. In such a
case, the basis of the shares acquired will be increased to reflect the disallowed loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on the sale of Fund shares held by the shareholder for six months or less will be treated for U.S. federal income tax
purposes as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions or deemed distributions of long-term capital gains received by the shareholder with respect to such share. The Medicare contribution tax described above will apply to the sale
of Fund shares.
If a shareholder incurs a sales
charge in acquiring shares of a Fund, disposes of those shares within 90 days and then, on or before January 31 of the following calendar year, acquires shares in a mutual fund for which the otherwise applicable sales charge is reduced by reason of
a reinvestment right (e.g., an exchange privilege), the original sales charge will not be taken into account in computing gain/loss on the original shares to the extent the subsequent sales charge is reduced.
Instead, the disregarded portion of the original sales charge will be added to the tax basis of the newly acquired shares. Furthermore, the same rule also applies to a disposition of the newly acquired shares made within 90 days of the second
acquisition. This provision prevents shareholders from immediately deducting the sales charge by shifting their investments within a family of mutual funds.
Back-Up Withholding. In
certain cases, a Fund will be required to withhold at a 28% rate and remit to the U.S. Treasury such amounts withheld from any distributions paid to a shareholder who: (i) has failed to provide a correct taxpayer identification number; (ii) is
subject to back-up withholding by the IRS; (iii) has failed to certify to a Fund that such shareholder is not subject to back-up withholding; or (iv) has not certified that such shareholder is a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien). Back-up
withholding is not an additional tax and any amount withheld may be credited against a shareholder's U.S. federal income tax liability.
Sections 351 and 362.
The Company, on behalf of each Fund, has the right to reject an order for a purchase of shares of the Fund if the purchaser (or group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the shares so ordered, own 80% or more
of the outstanding shares of a given Fund and if, pursuant to Sections 351 and 362 of the Internal Revenue Code, that Fund would have a basis in the securities different from the market value of such securities on the date of deposit. If a
Fund’s basis in such securities on the date of deposit was less than market value on such date, the Fund, upon disposition of the securities, would recognize more taxable gain or less taxable loss than if its basis in the securities had been
equal to market value. It is not anticipated that the Company will exercise the right of rejection except in a case where the Company determines that accepting the order could result in material adverse tax consequences to a Fund or its
shareholders. The Company also has the right to require information necessary to determine beneficial share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination.
Taxation of Certain Derivatives. A Fund’s transactions in zero coupon securities, non-U.S. currencies, forward contracts, options and futures contracts (including options and futures contracts on non-U.S. currencies), to the extent
permitted, will be subject to special provisions of the Internal Revenue Code (including provisions relating to “hedging transactions” and “straddles”) that, among other things, may affect the character of gains and losses
realized by the Fund (i.e., may affect whether gains or losses are ordinary or capital), accelerate recognition of income to the Fund and defer Fund
losses. These rules could therefore affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to shareholders. These provisions also (a) will require a Fund to mark-to-market certain types of the positions in its portfolio (i.e., treat them as if they were closed out at the end of each year) and (b) may cause a Fund to recognize income without receiving cash with which to pay
dividends or make distributions in amounts necessary to satisfy the distribution requirements for avoiding income and excise taxes. Each Fund will monitor its transactions, will make the appropriate tax elections and will make the appropriate
entries in its books and records when it acquires any zero coupon security, non-U.S. currency, forward contract, option, futures contract or hedged investment in order to mitigate the effect of these rules and prevent disqualification of the Fund as
a RIC.
116
Table of Contents
A Fund’s investments in so-called “Section 1256
contracts,” such as regulated futures contracts, most non-U.S. currency forward contracts traded in the interbank market and options on most security indexes, are subject to special tax rules. All Section 1256 contracts held by a Fund at the
end of its taxable year are required to be marked to their market value, and any unrealized gain or loss on those positions will be included in the Fund’s income as if each position had been sold for its fair market value at the end of the
taxable year. The resulting gain or loss will be combined with any gain or loss realized by the Fund from positions in Section 1256 contracts closed during the taxable year. Provided such positions were held as capital assets and were not part of a
“hedging transaction” nor part of a “straddle,” 60% of the resulting net gain or loss will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss, and 40% of such net gain or loss will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss,
regardless of the period of time the positions were actually held by the Fund.
As a result of entering into swap contracts, a Fund may make
or receive periodic net payments. A Fund may also make or receive a payment when a swap is terminated prior to maturity through an assignment of the swap or other closing transaction. Periodic net payments will generally constitute ordinary income
or deductions, while termination of a swap will generally result in capital gain or loss (which will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the Fund has been a party to the swap for more than one year). With respect to certain types of swaps, a Fund
may be required to currently recognize income or loss with respect to future payments on such swaps or may elect under certain circumstances to mark such swaps to market annually for tax purposes as ordinary income or loss.
Qualified Dividend Income.
Distributions by a Fund of investment company taxable income (including any short-term capital gains), whether received in cash or shares, will be taxable either as ordinary income or as qualified dividend
income, which is eligible to be taxed at long-term capital gain rates to the extent a Fund receives qualified dividend income on the securities it holds and a Fund reports the distribution as qualified dividend income. Qualified dividend income is,
in general, dividend income from taxable U.S. corporations (but generally not from U.S. REITs) and certain non-U.S. corporations (e.g., non-U.S.
corporations that are not “passive foreign investment companies” and which are incorporated in a possession of the United States or in certain countries with a comprehensive tax treaty with the United States, or the stock of which is
readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States (where the dividends are paid with respect to such stock)). Under current IRS guidance, the United States has appropriate comprehensive income tax treaties with the following
countries: Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China (but not with Hong Kong, which is treated as a separate jurisdiction for U.S. tax purposes), Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Russia, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and Venezuela. Substitute payments received by a Fund for
securities lent out by a Fund will not be qualified dividend income.
A dividend from a Fund will not be treated as qualified
dividend income to the extent that (i) the shareholder has not held the shares on which the dividend was paid for 61 days during the 121-day period that begins on the date that is 60 days before the date on which the shares become ex-dividend with
respect to such dividend or a Fund fails to satisfy those holding period requirements with respect to the securities it holds that paid the dividends distributed to the shareholder (or, in the case of certain preferred stocks, the holding
requirement of 91 days during the 181-day period beginning on the date that is 90 days before the date on which the stock becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend); (ii) a Fund or the shareholder is under an obligation (whether pursuant to
a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to substantially similar or related property; or (iii) the shareholder elects to treat such dividend as investment income under Section 163(d)(4)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Dividends received by a Fund from a REIT or another RIC may be treated as qualified dividend income only to the extent the dividend distributions are attributable to qualified dividend income received by such REIT or other RIC. It is expected that
dividends received by a Fund from a REIT and distributed to a shareholder generally will be taxable to the shareholder as ordinary income. Distributions by a Fund of its net short-term capital gains will be taxable as ordinary income.
Corporate Dividends Received Deduction. Each Fund (with the exception of the iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF) does not expect dividends that are paid to its corporate shareholders to be eligible, in the hands of such shareholders, for the corporate
dividends received deduction.
Dividends paid by
the iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF that are attributable to dividends received by the Fund from U.S. corporations may qualify for the U.S. federal dividends received deduction for corporations. A 46-day minimum holding period during the 90-day
period that begins 45 days prior to ex-dividend date (or 91-day minimum holding period during the
117
Table of Contents
180
period beginning 90 days prior to ex-dividend date for certain preference dividends) during which risk of loss may not be diminished is required for the applicable shares, at both the Fund and shareholder level, for a dividend to be eligible for the
dividends received deduction. Restrictions may apply if indebtedness, including a short sale, is attributable to the investment.
Excess Inclusion Income.
Under current law, the Funds serve to block unrelated business taxable income from being realized by its tax-exempt shareholders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a tax-exempt shareholder could realize unrelated
business taxable income by virtue of its investment in a Fund if shares in the Fund constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of Section 514(b) of the Internal Revenue Code. Certain types of
income received by a Fund from REITs, real estate mortgage investment conduits, taxable mortgage pools or other investments may cause the Fund to report some or all of its distributions as “excess inclusion income.” To Fund shareholders,
such excess inclusion income may (i) constitute taxable income, as unrelated business taxable income for those shareholders who would otherwise be tax-exempt such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) accounts, Keogh plans, pension plans and
certain charitable entities; (ii) not be offset by otherwise allowable deductions for tax purposes; (iii) not be eligible for reduced U.S. withholding for non-U.S. shareholders even from tax treaty countries; and (iv) cause the Fund to be subject to
tax if certain “disqualified organizations,” as defined by the Internal Revenue Code, are Fund shareholders. If a charitable remainder annuity trust or a charitable remainder unitrust (each as defined in Section 664 of the Internal
Revenue Code) has unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”) for a taxable year, a 100% excise tax on the UBTI is imposed on the trust.
Non-U.S. Investments.
Under Section 988 of the Internal Revenue Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates between the time a Fund accrues income or receivables or expenses or other liabilities denominated
in a non-U.S. currency and the time the Fund actually collects such income or pays such liabilities are generally treated as ordinary income or ordinary loss. In general, gains (and losses) realized on debt instruments will be treated as Section 988
gain (or loss) to the extent attributable to changes in exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the currencies in which the instruments are denominated. Similarly, gains or losses on non-U.S. currency, non-U.S. currency forward contracts and
certain non-U.S. currency options or futures contracts denominated in non-U.S. currency, to the extent attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates between the acquisition and disposition dates, are also treated as ordinary income or loss unless
the Fund were to elect otherwise.
Each Fund may
be subject to non-U.S. income taxes withheld at the source. Each Fund, if permitted to do so, may elect to “pass through” to its investors the amount of non-U.S. income taxes paid by the Fund provided that the Fund held the security on
the dividend settlement date and for at least 15 additional days immediately before and/or thereafter, with the result that each investor with respect to shares of the Fund held for a minimum 16-day holding period at the time of deemed distribution
will (i) include in gross income, even though not actually received, the investor’s pro rata share of the Fund’s non-U.S. income taxes, and (ii) either deduct (in calculating U.S. taxable income)
but only for investors who itemize their deductions on their personal tax returns) or credit (in calculating U.S. federal income tax) the investor’s pro rata share of the Fund’s non-U.S. income
taxes. A non-U.S. person invested in the Fund in a year that the Fund elects to “pass through” its non-U.S. taxes may be treated as receiving additional dividend income subject to U.S. withholding tax. A non-U.S. tax credit may not
exceed the investor’s U.S. federal income tax otherwise payable with respect to the investor’s non-U.S. source income. For this purpose, shareholders must treat as non-U.S. source gross income (i) their proportionate shares of non-U.S.
taxes paid by the Fund and (ii) the portion of any dividend paid by the Fund that represents income derived from non-U.S. sources; the Fund’s gain from the sale of securities will generally be treated as U.S.-source income. Certain limitations
will be imposed to the extent to which the non-U.S. tax credit may be claimed. If your Fund shares are loaned pursuant to securities lending arrangements, you may lose the ability to use any non-U.S. tax credits passed through by a Fund or to treat
Fund dividends (paid while the shares are held by the borrower) as qualified dividends. Regarding a short sale with respect to shares of a Fund, substitute payments made to the lender of such shares may not be deductible under certain circumstances.
Consult your financial intermediary or tax advisor.
Passive Foreign Investment Companies. If a Fund purchases shares in PFICs, it may be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a portion of any “excess distribution” or gain from the disposition of such shares even if such income is distributed
as a taxable dividend by the Fund to its shareholders. Additional charges in the nature of interest may be imposed on the Fund in respect of deferred taxes arising from such distributions or gains.
If a Fund were to invest in a PFIC and elect to treat the PFIC
as a “qualified electing fund” under the Internal Revenue Code, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, the Fund might be required to include in income each year a portion of the ordinary earnings and net capital gains of the qualified
electing fund, even if not distributed to the Fund, and such amounts would be
118
Table of Contents
subject to the 90% and excise tax distribution requirements described above.
In order to make this election, the Fund would be required to obtain certain annual information from the PFICs in which it invests, which may be difficult or impossible to obtain.
Alternatively, a Fund may make a mark-to-market election that
would result in the Fund being treated as if it had sold and repurchased its PFIC stock at the end of each year. In such case, the Fund would report any such gains as ordinary income and would deduct any such losses as ordinary losses to the extent
of previously recognized gains. The election must be made separately for each PFIC owned by the Fund and, once made, would be effective for all subsequent taxable years, unless revoked with the consent of the IRS. By making the election, the Fund
could potentially ameliorate the adverse tax consequences with respect to its ownership of shares in a PFIC, but in any particular year may be required to recognize income in excess of the distributions it receives from PFICs and its proceeds from
dispositions of PFIC stock. The Fund may have to distribute this “phantom” income and gain to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement and to avoid imposition of the 4% excise tax.
A Fund will make the appropriate tax elections, if possible,
and take any additional steps that are necessary to mitigate the effects of these rules.
Reporting. If a
shareholder recognizes a loss with respect to a Fund’s shares of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886.
Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases exempted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a RIC are not exempted. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect
the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.
Other Taxes. Dividends,
distributions and redemption proceeds may also be subject to additional state, local and non-U.S. taxes depending on each shareholder’s particular situation.
Taxation of Non-U.S. Shareholders. Dividends paid by a Fund to non-U.S. shareholders are generally subject to withholding tax at a 30% rate or a reduced rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty to the extent derived from investment income
and short-term capital gains. Dividends paid by a Fund from net tax-exempt income or long-term capital gains are generally not subject to such withholding tax. In order to obtain a reduced rate of withholding, a non-U.S. shareholder will be required
to provide an IRS Form W-8BEN certifying its entitlement to benefits under a treaty. The withholding tax does not apply to regular dividends paid to a non-U.S. shareholder who provides a Form W-8ECI, certifying that the dividends are effectively
connected with the non-U.S. shareholder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States. Instead, the effectively connected dividends will be subject to regular U.S. income tax as if the non-U.S. shareholder were a U.S. shareholder.
A non-U.S. corporation receiving effectively connected dividends may also be subject to additional “branch profits tax” imposed at a rate of 30% (or lower treaty rate). A non-U.S. shareholder who fails to provide an IRS Form W-8BEN, IRS
Form W-8BEN-E or other applicable form may be subject to back-up withholding at the appropriate rate.
For taxable years beginning before January 1, 2014,
properly-reported dividends are generally exempt from U.S. federal withholding tax where they (i) are paid in respect of the Fund’s “qualified net interest income” (generally, the Fund’s U.S. source interest income, other
than certain contingent interest and interest from obligations of a corporation or partnership in which the Fund is at least a 10% shareholder, reduced by expenses that are allocable to such income) or (ii) are paid in respect of the Fund’s
“qualified short-term capital gains” (generally, the excess of the Fund’s net short-term capital gain over the Fund’s long-term capital loss for such taxable year). However, depending on its circumstances, the Fund may report
all, some or none of its potentially eligible dividends as such qualified net interest income or as qualified short-term capital gains and/or treat such dividends, in whole or in part, as ineligible for this exemption from withholding. In order to
qualify for this exemption from withholding, a non-U.S. shareholder will need to comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its non-U.S. status (including, in general, furnishing an IRS Form W-8BEN, IRS Form W-8BEN-E or substitute
Form). In the case of shares held through an intermediary, the intermediary may withhold even if the Fund reports the payment as qualified net interest income or qualified short-term capital gain. Non-U.S. shareholders should contact their
intermediaries with respect to the application of these rules to their accounts.
For taxable years beginning before January 1, 2014,
distributions that the Fund reports as “short-term capital gain dividends” or “long-term capital gain dividends” will not be treated as such to a recipient foreign shareholder if the distribution is attributable to gain
received from the sale or exchange of U.S. real property or an interest in a U.S. real property holding corporation and the Fund’s direct or indirect interests in U.S. real property exceeded certain levels. Instead, if the foreign
119
Table of Contents
shareholder has not owned more than 5% of the outstanding shares of the Fund
at any time during the one year period ending on the date of distribution, such distributions will be subject to 30% withholding by the Fund and will be treated as ordinary dividends to the foreign shareholder; if the foreign shareholder owned more
than 5% of the outstanding shares of the Fund at any time during the one year period ending on the date of the distribution, such distribution will be treated as real property gain subject to 35% withholding tax and could subject the foreign
shareholder to U.S. filing requirements. Additionally, if the Fund’s direct or indirect interests in U.S. real property were to exceed certain levels, a foreign shareholder realizing gains upon redemption from the Fund on or before December
31, 2013 could be subject to the 35% withholding tax and U.S. filing requirements unless more than 50% of the Fund’s shares were owned by U.S. persons at such time or unless the foreign person had not held more than 5% of the Fund’s
outstanding shares throughout either such person’s holding period for the redeemed shares or, if shorter, the previous five years.
The rules laid out in the previous paragraph, other than the
withholding rules, will apply notwithstanding the Fund’s participation in a wash sale transaction or its payment of a substitute dividend.
Provided that 50% or more of the value of a Fund’s stock
is held by U.S. shareholders, distributions of U.S. real property interests (including securities in a U.S. real property holding corporation, unless such corporation is regularly traded on an established securities market and the Fund has held 5%
or less of the outstanding shares of the corporation during the five-year period ending on the date of distribution) occurring on or before December 31, 2013, in redemption of a foreign shareholder’s shares of the Fund will cause the Fund to
recognize gain. If the Fund is required to recognize gain, the amount of gain recognized will equal to the fair market value of such interests over the Fund’s adjusted bases to the extent of the greatest foreign ownership percentage of the
Fund during the five-year period ending on the date of redemption.
Legislation has been proposed to extend the above expiration
dates, but no assurance can be provided that such legislation will be enacted.
A 30% withholding tax is currently imposed on U.S.-source
dividends, interest and other income items and will be imposed on proceeds from the sale of property producing U.S.-source dividends and interest paid after December 31, 2016, to (i) foreign financial institutions, including non-U.S. investment
funds, unless they agree to collect and disclose to the IRS information regarding their direct and indirect U.S. account holders; and (ii) certain other foreign entities, unless they certify certain information regarding their direct and indirect
U.S. owners. To avoid withholding, foreign financial institutions will need to (i) enter into agreements with the IRS that state that they will provide the IRS information, including the names, addresses and taxpayer identification numbers of direct
and indirect U.S. account holders; comply with due diligence procedures with respect to the identification of U.S. accounts; report to the IRS certain information with respect to U.S. accounts maintained; agree to withhold tax on certain payments
made to non-compliant foreign financial institutions or to account holders who fail to provide the required information; and determine certain other information concerning their account holders, or (ii) in the event an intergovernmental agreement
and implementing legislation are adopted, provide local revenue authorities with similar account holder information. Other foreign entities may need to report the name, address, and taxpayer identification number of each substantial U.S. owner or
provide certifications of no substantial U.S. ownership unless certain exceptions apply.
Shares of a Fund held by a non-U.S. shareholder at death will
be considered situated within the United States and subject to the U.S. estate tax.
The foregoing discussion is a summary of certain material U.S.
federal income tax considerations only and is not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning. Purchasers of shares should consult their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of investing in such shares, including consequences under
state, local and non-U.S. tax laws. Finally, the foregoing discussion is based on applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, regulations, judicial authority and administrative interpretations in effect on the date of this SAI. Changes in
applicable authority could materially affect the conclusions discussed above, and such changes often occur.
Financial Statements
Each Fund's audited Financial Statements, including the
Financial Highlights, appearing in the applicable Annual Report to Shareholders and the report therein of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, are hereby incorporated by reference in this SAI. The applicable
Annual Report to Shareholders, which contains the referenced audited financial statements, is available upon request and without charge.
120
Table of Contents
Miscellaneous Information
Counsel. Willkie Farr
& Gallagher LLP, located at 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019, is counsel to the Company.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, located at Three Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, CA 94111, serves as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm, audits the Funds' financial statements, and may
perform other services.
Shareholder Communications
to the Board. The Board has established a process for shareholders to communicate with the Board. Shareholders may contact the Board by mail. Correspondence should be addressed to iShares Board of Directors,
c/o BlackRock Fund Advisors, iShares Fund Administration, 400 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94105. Shareholder communications to the Board should include the following information: (i) the name and address of the shareholder; (ii) the number of
shares owned by the shareholder; (iii) the Fund(s) of which the shareholder owns shares; and (iv) if these shares are owned indirectly through a broker, financial intermediary or other record owner, the name of the broker, financial intermediary or
other record owner. All correspondence received as set forth above shall be reviewed by the Secretary of the Company and reported to the Board.
Regulation Under the Alternative Investment Fund Managers
Directive. The Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (“AIFMD”) imposes detailed and prescriptive obligations on fund managers established in the EU (“EU Operative Provisions”).
These do not currently apply to managers established outside of the EU, such as BFA. Rather, non-EU managers are only required to comply with certain disclosure, reporting and transparency obligations of AIFMD (“AIFMD Disclosure
Provisions”) if such managers market a fund to EU investors.
Where the AIFMD Disclosure Provisions relate to EU Operative
Provisions that do not apply to BFA, no meaningful disclosure can be made. These EU Operative Provisions include prescriptive rules on: measuring and capping leverage in line with known European standards; the treatment of investors; the use of
“depositaries”; and coverage for professional liability risks.
AIFMD imposes certain conditions on the marketing of funds,
such as the Funds, to EU investors. AIFMD requires that an ‘alternative investment fund manager’ (“AIFM”) be identified to meet such conditions where such marketing is sought. For these purposes BFA, as the legal entity
responsible for performing the portfolio and risk management of the Funds, shall be the AIFM.
AIFMD requires disclosure on an ongoing basis of certain
information relating to the use of special arrangements, leverage, rights of reuse of collateral, guarantees granted under leverage arrangements and the use of gates, side pockets and similar liquidity management tools. Given that the Funds do not
use any special arrangements or allow for collateral reuse, it is not intended that such disclosures will need to be made by the Funds. Each Fund will, however, to the extent relevant and appropriate, disclose in its annual report information on the
Fund's leverage, risk profile and risk management systems employed by BFA. Each Fund will also disclose material changes, if any, to the liquidity management systems and procedures employed in respect of the Fund.
BFA intends to market the following Funds to EU investors in
the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, and Luxembourg:
iShares MSCI Canada ETF
iShares MSCI Germany ETF
iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF
iShares MSCI Japan ETF
iShares MSCI Japan Small-Cap ETF
iShares MSCI Mexico Capped ETF
iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF
iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF
iShares MSCI Germany ETF
iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF
iShares MSCI Japan ETF
iShares MSCI Japan Small-Cap ETF
iShares MSCI Mexico Capped ETF
iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF
iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF
Investors’ Rights.
Each Fund relies on the services of the investment adviser and other service providers, including the distributor, administrator, custodian and transfer agent. Further information about the duties and roles of
these service providers is set out in this SAI. Investors who acquire shares of a Fund are not parties to the relevant agreement with these service providers and do not have express contractual rights against the Fund or its service providers,
except certain
121
Table of Contents
institutional investors that are Authorized Participants may have certain
express contractual rights with respect to the Distributor under the terms of the relevant authorized participant agreement. Investors may have certain legal rights under federal or state law against a Fund or its service providers. In the event
that an investor considers that it may have a claim against a Fund, or against any service provider in connection with its investment in the Fund, such investor should consult its own legal advisor.
By contract, Authorized Participants irrevocably submit to the
non-exclusive jurisdiction of any New York State or U.S. federal court sitting in New York City over any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to the authorized participant agreement. Jurisdiction over other claims, whether by
investors or Authorized Participants, will turn on the facts of the particular case and the law of the jurisdiction in which the proceeding is brought.
122
Table of Contents
IS-SAI-08i-0915