Form 485BPOS
DECEMBER 30, 2024
 
 
Prospectus
iShares Trust
iShares MSCI Denmark ETF | EDEN | Cboe BZX
iShares MSCI Finland ETF | EFNL | Cboe BZX
iShares MSCI Ireland ETF | EIRL | NYSE Arca
iShares MSCI Japan Value ETF | EWJV | Nasdaq
iShares MSCI New Zealand ETF | ENZL | Nasdaq
iShares MSCI Norway ETF | ENOR | Cboe BZX
iShares MSCI Poland ETF | EPOL | NYSE Arca
iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF | EWU | NYSE Arca
iShares MSCI United Kingdom Small-Cap ETF | EWUS | Cboe BZX

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
Fund Summaries
i


[THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]


iSHARES® MSCI DENMARK ETF
Ticker: EDENStock Exchange: Cboe BZX
Investment Objective
The iShares MSCI Denmark ETF (the Fund) seeks to track the investment results of a broad-based index composed of Danish equities.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you will incur if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. The investment advisory agreement between iShares Trust (the Trust) and BlackRock Fund Advisors (BFA) (the Investment Advisory Agreement) provides that BFA will pay all operating expenses of the Fund, except: (i) the management fees, (ii) interest expenses, (iii) taxes, (iv) expenses incurred with respect to the acquisition and disposition of portfolio securities and the execution of portfolio transactions, including brokerage commissions, (v) distribution fees or expenses, and (vi) litigation expenses and any extraordinary expenses.
You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(ongoing expenses that you pay each year as a
percentage of the value of your investments)1
Management
Fees
Distribution
and Service
(12b-1) Fees
Other
Expenses2
Total Annual
Fund
Operating
Expenses
0.53%
None
0.00%
0.53%

1Operating expenses paid by BFA under the Investment Advisory Agreement exclude acquired fund fees and expenses, if any.
2The amount rounded to 0.00%.
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
$54
$170
$296
$665
Portfolio Turnover. The Fund may pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in the Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 14% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund seeks to track the investment results of the MSCI Denmark IMI 25/50 Index (the Underlying Index), which is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that is designed to measure the performance of the large-, mid- and small-capitalization segments of the equity market in Denmark. The Underlying Index is rebalanced quarterly using an optimization process that aims to minimize the constituent weight differences between the Underlying Index and the MSCI Denmark Index (the Parent Index). The Underlying Index uses a capping methodology that limits the weight of any single group entity (constituents that MSCI determines have a control relationship)
to a maximum of 25% of the Underlying Index weight, and the sum of all group entities with a weight above 5% to an aggregate of 50% of the Underlying Index weight. A group entity is a group of companies that operate as an affiliated corporate group but may separately issue listed securities. To determine group entities, MSCI analyzes financial accounts of listed companies holding stakes of 20% or more in other listed companies to determine whether these stakes are controlling in nature. In certain cases, even in the absence of consolidated accounts, MSCI may also consider two companies as belonging to the same group entity where there is reasonable evidence of control based on other information. All group entities are reviewed on an annual basis. As of August 31, 2024, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the healthcare and industrials industries or sectors. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time.
BFA uses an indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund’s investment objective. The Fund does not try to beat the index it tracks and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.
Indexing may eliminate the chance that the Fund will substantially outperform the Underlying Index but also may reduce some of the
S-1


risks of active management, such as poor security selection. Indexing seeks to achieve lower costs and better after-tax performance by aiming to keep portfolio turnover low in comparison to actively managed investment companies.
BFA uses a representative sampling indexing strategy to manage the Fund. Representative sampling is an indexing strategy that involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to that of an applicable underlying index. The securities selected are expected to have, in the aggregate, investment characteristics (based on factors such as market capitalization and industry weightings), fundamental characteristics (such as return variability and yield) and liquidity measures similar to those of an applicable underlying index. The Fund may or may not hold all of the securities in the Underlying Index.
The Fund generally will invest at least 80% of its assets in the component securities of its Underlying Index and in investments that have economic characteristics that are substantially identical to the component securities of its Underlying Index (i.e., depositary receipts representing securities of the Underlying Index) and may invest up to 20% of its assets in certain futures, options and swap contracts, cash and cash equivalents, including shares of money market funds advised by BFA or its affiliates, as well as in securities not included in the Underlying Index, but which BFA believes will help the Fund track the Underlying Index. Cash and cash equivalent investments associated with a derivative position will be treated as part of that position for the purposes of calculating the percentage of investments included in the Underlying Index. The Fund seeks to track the investment results of the Underlying Index before fees and expenses of the Fund.
The Fund may lend securities representing up to one-third of the value of the Fund's total assets (including the value of any collateral received).
The Underlying Index is sponsored by MSCI Inc. (the Index Provider or MSCI), which isindependent of the Fund and BFA. The Index Provider determines the composition and relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.
Industry Concentration Policy. The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., hold 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities) and repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities are not considered to be issued by members of any industry.
Summary of Principal Risks
As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund's performance could trail that of other investments. The Fund is subject to certain risks, including the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund's net asset value per share (NAV), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective. Certain key risks are prioritized below (with others following in alphabetical order), but the relative significance of any
risk is difficult to predict and may change over time. You should review each risk factor carefully.
Risk of Investing in Denmark. Investments in Danish issuers will subject the Fund to legal, regulatory, political, currency, security, and economic risks specific to Denmark. Denmark’s economy has been characterized by slow growth and is facing demographic challenges, including an aging population, that could lead to labor supply shortages in the near future.
Non-U.S. Securities Risk. Securities issued by non-U.S. issuers (including depositary receipts) are subject to different legal, regulatory, political, economic, and market risks than securities issued by U.S. issuers. These risks include greater market volatility, less market liquidity, higher transaction costs, expropriation, confiscatory taxation, adverse changes in foreign investment or currency control regulations, restrictions on the repatriation of capital, and political instability. Non-U.S. issuers may be subject to different accounting, audit and financial reporting standards than U.S. issuers, and there may be less publicly available information about non-U.S. issuers. Foreign market trading hours, different clearing and settlement procedures, and holiday schedules may limit the Fund's ability to engage in portfolio transactions. To the extent that investments are made in a limited number of countries, events in those countries will have a more significant impact on the Fund. The Fund is specifically exposed to European Economic Risk.
Equity Securities Risk. Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than those of other asset classes. The value of a security may decline for a number of reasons that may directly relate to the issuer as well as due to general industry or market conditions. Common stock is subordinated to preferred securities and debt in a company’s capital structure. Common stock has the lowest priority, and the greatest risk, with respect to dividends and any liquidation payments in the event of an issuer’s bankruptcy.
Market Risk. The Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during more prolonged market downturns. Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, pandemics or other public health issues, recessions, the prospect or occurrence of a sovereign default or other financial crisis, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and could result in increased premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV.
Index-Related Risk. The Index Provider may rely on various sources of information to assess the criteria of components of the Underlying Index, including information that may be based on assumptions and estimates. Neither the Fund nor BFA can offer assurances that the Index Provider’s methodology or sources of information will provide an accurate assessment of included components or will result in the Fund meeting its investment objective. Errors in index data, index computations or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur, and the Index Provider may not identify or correct them promptly or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders. Unusual market conditions or other unforeseen circumstances (such as natural disasters, political unrest or war) may impact the Index Provider or a third-party data provider and could cause the Index Provider
S-2


to postpone a scheduled rebalance. This could cause the Underlying Index to vary from its normal or expected composition.
Asset Class Risk. The securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or in the Fund’s portfolio may underperform in comparison to financial markets generally, a particular financial market, another index, or other asset classes.
Authorized Participant Concentration Risk.  An Authorized Participant is a member or participant of a clearing agency registered with the SEC, which has a written agreement with the Fund or one of its service providers that allows the Authorized Participant to place orders for the purchase and redemption of creation units (Creation Units). Only an Authorized Participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. There are a limited number of institutions that may act as Authorized Participants for the Fund, including on an agency basis on behalf of other market participants. No Authorized Participant is obligated to engage in creation or redemption transactions. To the extent that Authorized Participants exit the business or do not place creation or redemption orders for the Fund and no other Authorized Participant places orders, Fund shares are more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts or delisting.
Concentration Risk. The Fund may be susceptible to an increased risk of loss, including losses due to adverse events that affect the Fund’s investments more than the market as a whole, to the extent that the Fund’s investments are concentrated in the securities or other assets of one or more issuers, countries or other geographic units, markets, industries, project types, or asset classes.
Currency Risk. Because the Fund’s NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the NAV could decline if the currency of the non-U.S. market in which the Fund invests depreciates against the U.S. dollar or if there are delays or limits on the repatriation of foreign currency. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the Fund’s NAV may change quickly and without warning. In addition, the Fund may incur costs in connection with conversions between U.S. dollars and foreign currencies.
Cybersecurity Risk. Failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, its adviser, distributor,Index Provider, other service providers, counterparties, or issuers of assets in which the Fund invests may cause disruptions that negatively impact the Fund and its shareholders. While the Fund has established business continuity plans and risk management systems seeking to address system breaches or failures, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems. The Fund cannot control the cybersecurity plans and systems of its service providers, counterparties, and other third parties whose activities affect the Fund. In addition, cyber incidents may adversely impact the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which may cause such investments to lose value.
Healthcare Companies Risk. The profitability of healthcare companies may be adversely affected by extensive government regulations, restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure, the protection and expiration of patents, limited
product lines, supply chain issues, labor shortages and product liability claims, among other factors.
Industrial Companies Risk. Industrial companies face a number of risks, including supply chain and distribution disruptions, business interruptions, product obsolescence, third-party vendor risks, cyber attacks, trade disputes, product recalls, liability claims, scarcity of materials or parts, excess capacity, changes in consumer preferences, and volatility in commodity prices and currencies. The performance of such companies may also be affected by technological developments, labor relations, legislative and regulatory changes, government spending policies, and changes in domestic and international economies.
Issuer Risk. The performance of the Fund depends on the performance of individual securities or other assets to which the Fund has exposure. The value of securities or other assets may decline, or perform differently from the market as a whole, due to changes in the financial condition or credit rating of the issuer or counterparty.
Large-Capitalization Companies Risk. Large-capitalization companies may be less able than smaller-capitalization companies to adapt to changing market conditions and competitive challenges. Large-capitalization companies may be more mature and subject to more limited growth potential compared with smaller-capitalization companies. The performance of large-capitalization companies could trail the overall performance of the broader securities markets.
Management Risk. The Fund generally does not attempt to take defensive positions under any market conditions, including declining markets. As the Fund will not fully replicate the Underlying Index and may hold securities or other assets not included in the Underlying Index, it is subject to the risk that the investment strategy of BFA may not produce the intended results. There is no guarantee that the Fund’s investment results will have a high degree of correlation to those of the Underlying Index or that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.
Market Trading Risk. The Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund shares (including through a trading halt), losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility, and disruptions in the process of creating and redeeming Fund shares. Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Fund’s shares trading in the secondary market at a premium or discount to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s portfolio holdings. If you buy Fund shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to NAV or sell Fund shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to NAV, you may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the Fund shares.
National Closed Market Trading Risk. To the extent that securities or other assets held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges or in foreign markets that may be closed when the securities exchange on which the Fund’s shares trade is open, there are likely to be deviations between such asset’s current price and its last quoted price (i.e., the quote from the closed foreign market to the Fund). The impact of a closed foreign market on the Fund is likely to be greater where a large portion of the Fund’s holdings trade on a closed foreign market or when a foreign market is closed for unscheduled reasons. These
S-3


deviations could result in premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV that may be greater than those experienced by other funds.
Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is classified as non-diversified. This means that, compared with funds that are classified as diversified, the Fund may invest a greater percentage of its assets in securities or other instruments representing a small number of issuers or counterparties and thus may be more susceptible to the risks associated with these particular issuers or counterparties. As a result, the Fund's performance may depend to a greater extent on the performance of a small number of issuers or counterparties, which may lead to more volatility in the Fund’s NAV.
Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risks arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. The Fund and BFA seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate to address significant operational risks.
Reliance on Trading Partners Risk. The Fund invests in a country whose economy is heavily dependent upon trading with key partners. Any reduction in this trading may have an adverse impact on the Fund's investments. Through its holdings of securities of certain issuers, the Fund is specifically exposed to European Economic Risk.
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 collateral provided for 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.
Small-Capitalization Companies Risk. Compared to mid- and large-capitalization companies, small-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments. The securities of small-capitalization companies may be more volatile and less liquid than those of mid- and large-capitalization companies. As a result, the Fund’s share price may
be more volatile than that of a fund with a greater investment in large- or mid-capitalization stocks.
Tracking Error Risk. The Fund may be subject to tracking error, which is the divergence of the Fund’s performance from that of the Underlying Index. Tracking error may occur due to a number of factors, including differences between the securities and other assets held in the Fund’s portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index; differences in the timing and methodologies used to value securities and other assets; transaction costs and other expenses incurred by the Fund that the Underlying Index does not incur; the Fund’s holding of uninvested cash; differences in the timing of the accrual or the valuation of dividends or interest received by the Fund or distributions paid to Fund shareholders; tax gains or losses; the requirements for the Fund to maintain pass-through tax treatment; portfolio transactions carried out to minimize the distribution of capital gains to shareholders; the acceptance of custom baskets; changes to the Underlying Index; and impacts to the Fund of complying with certain regulatory requirements or limits. Tracking error risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. A Fund that tracks an index with exposure to non-U.S. issuers may experience higher tracking error than ETFs that do not track such indexes.
Valuation Risk. The price that the Fund could receive upon the sale (or other disposition) of a security or other asset may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security or other asset, particularly for securities or other assets that trade in low volume or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology. The price received by the Fund also may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index. In addition, the value of the securities or other assets in the Fund’s portfolio may change on days or during time periods when investors are not able to purchase or sell Fund shares. Authorized Participants that create or redeem Fund shares on days when the Fund is holding fair-valued securities or other assets may receive fewer or more shares, or lower or higher redemption proceeds, than they would have received had the securities or other assets not been fair valued or been valued using a different methodology. The ability to value investments may be impacted by technological issues or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
S-4


Performance Information
The performance information below illustrates how the Fund’s performance has varied over different periods and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table compares the Fund’s performance to that of an appropriate broad-based securities market indexand the Underlying Index. Fund returns assume the reinvestment of any dividends and distributions. The Fund’s returns reflect the impact of any agreements to waive or reimburse expenses, which would reduce performance if not in effect. Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information, including the Fund’s current NAV, may be obtained by visiting www.iShares.com or by calling 1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737) (toll free).
Calendar Year-by-Year Returns
 
Return (%)
Period Ended
Calendar Year-to-Date Return
13.53%
September 30, 2024
During the periods shown in the chart:
Best Quarter
31.06%
December 31, 2022
Worst Quarter
-13.71%
September 30, 2022
Average Annual Total Returns
(for the periods ended December 31, 2023)
 
One Year
Five Years
Ten Years
(Inception Date: 1/25/2012)
Return Before Taxes
17.80%
16.49%
11.31%
Return After Taxes on Distributions
17.59%
16.34%
11.18%
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
11.24%
13.55%
9.56%
MSCI ACWI ex USA Index1 (Returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)
15.62%
7.08%
3.83%
MSCI Denmark IMI 25/50 Index (Returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)
18.65%
16.87%
11.64%

1The Fund has added this broad-based index in response to new regulatory requirements.
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 sales 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.
S-5


Management
Investment Adviser. BlackRock Fund Advisors.
Portfolio Managers. Jennifer Hsui, Greg Savage and Paul Whitehead (the Portfolio Managers) are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Each Portfolio Manager supervises a portfolio management team. Ms. Hsui and Mr. Savage have been Portfolio Managers of the Fund since 2012. Mr. Whitehead has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2022.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund is an ETF. Individual shares of the Fund may only be bought and sold in the secondary market through a broker-dealer. Because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). An investor may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase shares of the Fund (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares of the Fund (ask) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the bid-ask spread).
Tax Information
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA, in which case, your distributions generally will be taxed when withdrawn.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), BFA or other related companies may pay the intermediary for marketing activities and presentations, educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems or other services related to the sale or promotion of the Fund. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
S-6


iSHARES® MSCI FINLAND ETF
Ticker: EFNLStock Exchange: Cboe BZX
Investment Objective
The iShares MSCI Finland ETF (the Fund) seeks to track the investment results of a broad-based index composed of Finnish equities.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you will incur if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. The investment advisory agreement between iShares Trust (the Trust) and BlackRock Fund Advisors (BFA) (the Investment Advisory Agreement) provides that BFA will pay all operating expenses of the Fund, except: (i) the management fees, (ii) interest expenses, (iii) taxes, (iv) expenses incurred with respect to the acquisition and disposition of portfolio securities and the execution of portfolio transactions, including brokerage commissions, (v) distribution fees or expenses, and (vi) litigation expenses and any extraordinary expenses.
You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(ongoing expenses that you pay each year as a
percentage of the value of your investments)1
Management
Fees
Distribution
and Service
(12b-1) Fees
Other
Expenses
Total Annual
Fund
Operating
Expenses
0.53%
None
0.02%
0.55%

1Operating expenses paid by BFA under the Investment Advisory Agreement exclude acquired fund fees and expenses, if any.
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
$56
$176
$307
$689
Portfolio Turnover. The Fund may pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in the Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 29% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund seeks to track the investment results of the MSCI Finland IMI 25/50 Index (the Underlying Index), which is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that is designed to measure the performance of the large-, mid- and small-capitalization segments of the equity market in Finland. The Underlying Index is rebalanced quarterly using an optimization process that aims to minimize the constituent weight differences between the Underlying Index and the MSCI Finland Index (the Parent Index). The Underlying Index uses a capping methodology that limits the weight of any single group entity (constituents that MSCI determines have a control relationship)
to a maximum of 25% of the Underlying Index weight, and the sum of all group entities with a weight above 5% to an aggregate of 50% of the Underlying Index weight. A group entity is a group of companies that operate as an affiliated corporate group but may separately issue listed securities. To determine group entities, MSCI analyzes financial accounts of listed companies holding stakes of 20% or more in other listed companies to determine whether these stakes are controlling in nature. In certain cases, even in the absence of consolidated accounts, MSCI may also consider two companies as belonging to the same group entity where there is reasonable evidence of control based on other information. All group entities are reviewed on an annual basis. As of August 31, 2024, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the financials, industrials and materials industries or sectors. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time.
BFA uses an indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund’s investment objective. The Fund does not try to beat the index it tracks and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.
Indexing may eliminate the chance that the Fund will substantially outperform the Underlying Index but also may reduce some of the
S-7


risks of active management, such as poor security selection. Indexing seeks to achieve lower costs and better after-tax performance by aiming to keep portfolio turnover low in comparison to actively managed investment companies.
BFA uses a representative sampling indexing strategy to manage the Fund. Representative sampling is an indexing strategy that involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to that of an applicable underlying index. The securities selected are expected to have, in the aggregate, investment characteristics (based on factors such as market capitalization and industry weightings), fundamental characteristics (such as return variability and yield) and liquidity measures similar to those of an applicable underlying index. The Fund may or may not hold all of the securities in the Underlying Index.
The Fund generally will invest at least 80% of its assets in the component securities of its Underlying Index and in investments that have economic characteristics that are substantially identical to the component securities of its Underlying Index (i.e., depositary receipts representing securities of the Underlying Index) and may invest up to 20% of its assets in certain futures, options and swap contracts, cash and cash equivalents, including shares of money market funds advised by BFA or its affiliates, as well as in securities not included in the Underlying Index, but which BFA believes will help the Fund track the Underlying Index. Cash and cash equivalent investments associated with a derivative position will be treated as part of that position for the purposes of calculating the percentage of investments included in the Underlying Index. The Fund seeks to track the investment results of the Underlying Index before fees and expenses of the Fund.
The Fund may lend securities representing up to one-third of the value of the Fund's total assets (including the value of any collateral received).
The Underlying Index is sponsored by MSCI Inc. (the Index Provider or MSCI), which isindependent of the Fund and BFA. The Index Provider determines the composition and relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.
Industry Concentration Policy. The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., hold 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities) and repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities are not considered to be issued by members of any industry.
Summary of Principal Risks
As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund's performance could trail that of other investments. The Fund is subject to certain risks, including the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund's net asset value per share (NAV), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective. Certain key risks are prioritized below (with others following in alphabetical order), but the relative significance of any
risk is difficult to predict and may change over time. You should review each risk factor carefully.
Risk of Investing in Finland. Investments in Finnish issuers will subject the Fund to legal, regulatory, political, currency, security, and economic risks specific to Finland. Finland’s economy, among other things, depends on imported raw materials, energy and components for its manufactured products. As a result, Finland is dependent on trading relationships with certain key trading partners, including Germany, Sweden, Russia and the U.S.
Non-U.S. Securities Risk. Securities issued by non-U.S. issuers (including depositary receipts) are subject to different legal, regulatory, political, economic, and market risks than securities issued by U.S. issuers. These risks include greater market volatility, less market liquidity, higher transaction costs, expropriation, confiscatory taxation, adverse changes in foreign investment or currency control regulations, restrictions on the repatriation of capital, and political instability. Non-U.S. issuers may be subject to different accounting, audit and financial reporting standards than U.S. issuers, and there may be less publicly available information about non-U.S. issuers. Foreign market trading hours, different clearing and settlement procedures, and holiday schedules may limit the Fund's ability to engage in portfolio transactions. To the extent that investments are made in a limited number of countries, events in those countries will have a more significant impact on the Fund. The Fund is specifically exposed to European Economic Risk.
Equity Securities Risk. Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than those of other asset classes. The value of a security may decline for a number of reasons that may directly relate to the issuer as well as due to general industry or market conditions. Common stock is subordinated to preferred securities and debt in a company’s capital structure. Common stock has the lowest priority, and the greatest risk, with respect to dividends and any liquidation payments in the event of an issuer’s bankruptcy.
Market Risk. The Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during more prolonged market downturns. Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, pandemics or other public health issues, recessions, the prospect or occurrence of a sovereign default or other financial crisis, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and could result in increased premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV.
Index-Related Risk. The Index Provider may rely on various sources of information to assess the criteria of components of the Underlying Index, including information that may be based on assumptions and estimates. Neither the Fund nor BFA can offer assurances that the Index Provider’s methodology or sources of information will provide an accurate assessment of included components or will result in the Fund meeting its investment objective. Errors in index data, index computations or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur, and the Index Provider may not identify or correct them promptly or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders. Unusual market conditions or other unforeseen circumstances (such as natural disasters, political unrest or war) may impact the Index Provider
S-8


or a third-party data provider and could cause the Index Provider to postpone a scheduled rebalance. This could cause the Underlying Index to vary from its normal or expected composition.
Asset Class Risk. The securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or in the Fund’s portfolio may underperform in comparison to financial markets generally, a particular financial market, another index, or other asset classes.
Assets Under Management (AUM) Risk. From time to time, an Authorized Participant (as defined below in Authorized Participant Concentration Risk), a third-party investor, the Fund’s adviser, an affiliate of the Fund’s adviser, or another fund may invest in the Fund and hold its investment for a specific period of time to allow the Fund to achieve size or scale. There can be no assurance that any such entity would not redeem its investment or that the size of the Fund would be maintained at such levels, which could negatively impact the Fund.
Authorized Participant Concentration Risk.  An Authorized Participant is a member or participant of a clearing agency registered with the SEC, which has a written agreement with the Fund or one of its service providers that allows the Authorized Participant to place orders for the purchase and redemption of creation units (Creation Units). Only an Authorized Participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. There are a limited number of institutions that may act as Authorized Participants for the Fund, including on an agency basis on behalf of other market participants. No Authorized Participant is obligated to engage in creation or redemption transactions. To the extent that Authorized Participants exit the business or do not place creation or redemption orders for the Fund and no other Authorized Participant places orders, Fund shares are more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts or delisting.
Commodity Risk. The Fund invests in Finnish issuers that are susceptible to fluctuations in certain commodity markets and to price changes due to trade relations. Any negative changes in commodity markets that may be due to changes in supply and demand for commodities, market events, war, regulatory developments, other catastrophic events, or other factors that the Fund cannot control could have an adverse impact on the Finnish economy.
Concentration Risk. The Fund may be susceptible to an increased risk of loss, including losses due to adverse events that affect the Fund’s investments more than the market as a whole, to the extent that the Fund’s investments are concentrated in the securities or other assets of one or more issuers, countries or other geographic units, markets, industries, project types, or asset classes.
Currency Risk. Because the Fund’s NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the NAV could decline if the currency of the non-U.S. market in which the Fund invests depreciates against the U.S. dollar or if there are delays or limits on the repatriation of foreign currency. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the Fund’s NAV may change quickly and without warning. In addition, the Fund may incur costs in connection with conversions between U.S. dollars and foreign currencies.
Cybersecurity Risk. Failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, its adviser, distributor,Index Provider, other service providers, counterparties, or issuers of assets in which the Fund invests may cause disruptions that negatively impact the Fund and its shareholders. While the Fund has established business continuity plans and risk management systems seeking to address system breaches or failures, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems. The Fund cannot control the cybersecurity plans and systems of its service providers, counterparties, and other third parties whose activities affect the Fund. In addition, cyber incidents may adversely impact the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which may cause such investments to lose value.
Financial Companies Risk. Financial services companies are subject to extensive governmental regulation and intervention, which may adversely affect their profitability, the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge, the amount of capital and liquid assets they must maintain and their size, among other things. Financial services companies also may be significantly affected by, among other things, interest rates, economic conditions, volatility in financial markets, credit rating downgrades, adverse public perception, exposure concentration and counterparty risk.
Industrial Companies Risk. Industrial companies face a number of risks, including supply chain and distribution disruptions, business interruptions, product obsolescence, third-party vendor risks, cyber attacks, trade disputes, product recalls, liability claims, scarcity of materials or parts, excess capacity, changes in consumer preferences, and volatility in commodity prices and currencies. The performance of such companies may also be affected by technological developments, labor relations, legislative and regulatory changes, government spending policies, and changes in domestic and international economies.
Issuer Risk. The performance of the Fund depends on the performance of individual securities or other assets to which the Fund has exposure. The value of securities or other assets may decline, or perform differently from the market as a whole, due to changes in the financial condition or credit rating of the issuer or counterparty.
Large-Capitalization Companies Risk. Large-capitalization companies may be less able than smaller-capitalization companies to adapt to changing market conditions and competitive challenges. Large-capitalization companies may be more mature and subject to more limited growth potential compared with smaller-capitalization companies. The performance of large-capitalization companies could trail the overall performance of the broader securities markets.
Management Risk. The Fund generally does not attempt to take defensive positions under any market conditions, including declining markets. As the Fund will not fully replicate the Underlying Index and may hold securities or other assets not included in the Underlying Index, it is subject to the risk that the investment strategy of BFA may not produce the intended results. There is no guarantee that the Fund’s investment results will have a high degree of correlation to those of the Underlying Index or that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.
S-9


Market Trading Risk. The Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund shares (including through a trading halt), losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility, and disruptions in the process of creating and redeeming Fund shares. Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Fund’s shares trading in the secondary market at a premium or discount to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s portfolio holdings. If you buy Fund shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to NAV or sell Fund shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to NAV, you may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the Fund shares.
Materials Companies Risk. Materials companies may be adversely affected by volatility in commodity prices, changes in exchange rates, social and political unrest, war, depletion of resources, lower demand, overproduction, litigation and government regulations, among other factors.
Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk. Compared to large-capitalization companies, mid-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments. The securities of mid-capitalization companies may be more volatile and less liquid than those of large-capitalization companies. As a result, the Fund’s share price may be more volatile than that of a fund with a greater investment in large-capitalization stocks.
National Closed Market Trading Risk. To the extent that securities or other assets held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges or in foreign markets that may be closed when the securities exchange on which the Fund’s shares trade is open, there are likely to be deviations between such asset’s current price and its last quoted price (i.e., the quote from the closed foreign market to the Fund). The impact of a closed foreign market on the Fund is likely to be greater where a large portion of the Fund’s holdings trade on a closed foreign market or when a foreign market is closed for unscheduled reasons. These deviations could result in premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV that may be greater than those experienced by other funds.
Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is classified as non-diversified. This means that, compared with funds that are classified as diversified, the Fund may invest a greater percentage of its assets in securities or other instruments representing a small number of issuers or counterparties and thus may be more susceptible to the risks associated with these particular issuers or counterparties. As a result, the Fund's performance may depend to a greater extent on the performance of a small number of issuers or counterparties, which may lead to more volatility in the Fund’s NAV.
Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risks arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. The Fund and BFA seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate to address significant operational risks.
Reliance on Trading Partners Risk. The Fund invests in a country whose economy is heavily dependent upon trading with key
partners. Any reduction in this trading may have an adverse impact on the Fund's investments. Through its holdings of securities of certain issuers, the Fund is specifically exposed to European Economic Risk.
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 collateral provided for 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.
Small-Capitalization Companies Risk. Compared to mid- and large-capitalization companies, small-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments. The securities of small-capitalization companies may be more volatile and less liquid than those of mid- and large-capitalization companies. As a result, the Fund’s share price may be more volatile than that of a fund with a greater investment in large- or mid-capitalization stocks.
Small Fund Risk. When the Fund’s size is small, the Fund may experience low trading volume and wide bid/ask spreads. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if it does not meet certain requirements set by the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could lead to elevated transaction costs for the Fund and negative tax consequences for its shareholders.
Tracking Error Risk. The Fund may be subject to tracking error, which is the divergence of the Fund’s performance from that of the Underlying Index. Tracking error may occur due to a number of factors, including differences between the securities and other assets held in the Fund’s portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index; differences in the timing and methodologies used to value securities and other assets; transaction costs and other expenses incurred by the Fund that the Underlying Index does not incur; the Fund’s holding of uninvested cash; differences in the timing of the accrual or the valuation of dividends or interest received by the Fund or distributions paid to Fund shareholders; tax gains or losses; the requirements for the Fund to maintain pass-through tax treatment; portfolio transactions carried out to minimize the distribution of capital gains to shareholders; the acceptance of custom baskets; changes to the Underlying Index; and impacts to the Fund of complying with certain regulatory requirements or limits. Tracking error risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Until the Fund reaches greater scale, it may experience higher tracking error than is typical for similar index ETFs. A Fund that tracks an index with exposure to non-U.S. issuers may experience higher tracking error than ETFs that do not track such index.
Valuation Risk. The price that the Fund could receive upon the sale (or other disposition) of a security or other asset may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security or other asset, particularly for securities or other assets that trade in low volume or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology. The price received by the Fund also may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index. In addition, the value of the securities or other assets in the Fund’s portfolio may change
S-10


on days or during time periods when investors are not able to purchase or sell Fund shares. Authorized Participants that create or redeem Fund shares on days when the Fund is holding fair-valued securities or other assets may receive fewer or more shares, or lower or higher redemption proceeds, than they would
have received had the securities or other assets not been fair valued or been valued using a different methodology. The ability to value investments may be impacted by technological issues or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
Performance Information
The performance information below illustrates how the Fund’s performance has varied over different periods and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table compares the Fund’s performance to that of an appropriate broad-based securities market indexand the Underlying Index. Fund returns assume the reinvestment of any dividends and distributions. The Fund’s returns reflect the impact of any agreements to waive or reimburse expenses, which would reduce performance if not in effect. Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information, including the Fund’s current NAV, may be obtained by visiting www.iShares.com or by calling 1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737) (toll free).
Calendar Year-by-Year Returns
 
Return (%)
Period Ended
Calendar Year-to-Date Return
9.33%
September 30, 2024
During the periods shown in the chart:
Best Quarter
22.90%
June 30, 2020
Worst Quarter
-21.91%
March 31, 2020
Average Annual Total Returns
(for the periods ended December 31, 2023)
 
One Year
Five Years
Ten Years
(Inception Date: 1/25/2012)
Return Before Taxes
-0.04%
4.65%
3.96%
Return After Taxes on Distributions
-1.07%
3.56%
3.15%
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
0.65%
3.56%
3.11%
MSCI ACWI ex USA Index1 (Returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)
15.62%
7.08%
3.83%
MSCI Finland IMI 25/50 Index (Returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)
-1.22%
3.80%
3.27%

1The Fund has added this broad-based index in response to new regulatory requirements.
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 sales 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.
S-11


Management
Investment Adviser. BlackRock Fund Advisors.
Portfolio Managers. Jennifer Hsui, Greg Savage and Paul Whitehead (the Portfolio Managers) are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Each Portfolio Manager supervises a portfolio management team. Ms. Hsui and Mr. Savage have been Portfolio Managers of the Fund since 2012. Mr. Whitehead has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2022.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund is an ETF. Individual shares of the Fund may only be bought and sold in the secondary market through a broker-dealer. Because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). An investor may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase shares of the Fund (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares of the Fund (ask) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the bid-ask spread).
Tax Information
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA, in which case, your distributions generally will be taxed when withdrawn.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), BFA or other related companies may pay the intermediary for marketing activities and presentations, educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems or other services related to the sale or promotion of the Fund. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
S-12


iSHARES® MSCI IRELAND ETF
Ticker: EIRLStock Exchange: NYSE Arca
Investment Objective
The iShares MSCI Ireland ETF (the Fund) seeks to track the investment results of a broad-based index composed of Irish equities.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you will incur if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. The investment advisory agreement between iShares Trust (the Trust) and BlackRock Fund Advisors (BFA) (the Investment Advisory Agreement) provides that BFA will pay all operating expenses of the Fund, except: (i) the management fees, (ii) interest expenses, (iii) taxes, (iv) expenses incurred with respect to the acquisition and disposition of portfolio securities and the execution of portfolio transactions, including brokerage commissions, (v) distribution fees or expenses, and (vi) litigation expenses and any extraordinary expenses.
You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(ongoing expenses that you pay each year as a
percentage of the value of your investments)1
Management
Fees
Distribution
and Service
(12b-1) Fees
Other
Expenses2
Total Annual
Fund
Operating
Expenses
0.50%
None
0.00%
0.50%

1Operating expenses paid by BFA under the Investment Advisory Agreement exclude acquired fund fees and expenses, if any.
2The amount rounded to 0.00%.
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
$51
$160
$280
$628
Portfolio Turnover. The Fund may pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in the Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 87% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund seeks to track the investment results of the MSCI All Ireland Capped Index (the Underlying Index), which is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index composed of securities within the Broad Ireland Equity Universe, as defined by MSCI, Inc. (the Index Provider or MSCI), subject to certain eligibility (e.g., liquidity) and investability criteria as defined by MSCI.  The Underlying Index targets a minimum of 25 securities and 20 issuers.
The Underlying Index consists of equity securities of companies that are: (i) are classified in Ireland according to the MSCI Global
Investable Market Indexes Methodology and (ii) not classified in Ireland but are either headquartered or listed in Ireland and have a significant linkage to Ireland, as determined by MSCI based on the company’s shareholder base, revenues, assets, management, employee base, history and country of incorporation. If the criteria outlined in (i) and (ii) do not result in the target number of securities and issuers, the Underlying Index will also include securities of companies with economic exposure of greater than 10% to Ireland, as determined by MSCI based on the geographic distribution of a company’s revenues.
Securities are included in the Underlying Index at their free float-adjusted market capitalization weight, except for securities that are included only on the basis of economic exposure to the country. The maximum weight for such constituents is generally limited to 1% each, although higher weights may result due to the group capping methodology described below.
The Underlying Index uses a capping methodology that limits the weight of any single group entity (constituents that MSCI determines have a control relationship) to a maximum of 25% of the Underlying Index weight, and the sum of all group entities with a weight above 5% to an aggregate of 50% of the Underlying Index weight. A group entity is a group of companies that operate as an
S-13


affiliated corporate group but may separately issue listed securities. To determine group entities, MSCI analyzes financial accounts of listed companies holding stakes of 20% or more in other listed companies to determine whether these stakes are controlling in nature. In certain cases, even in the absence of consolidated accounts, MSCI may also consider two companies as belonging to the same group entity where there is reasonable evidence of control based on other information. All group entities are reviewed on an annual basis.
At each quarterly rebalance, the weight of any single group entity is capped at 22.5%, and all group entities with a weight greater than 4.5% are capped such that, in the aggregate, these group entities do not have a weight greater than 45% of the Underlying Index.
However, this capping methodology does not apply to constituents that are not part of the MSCI ACWI Investable Market Index (which includes large-, mid- and small-capitalization securities) and that either (a) have a 3-month annual traded value ratio (ATVR) of less than or equal to 20% or (b) have a market capitalization lower than the size-segment cutoff of the MSCI Ireland Investable Market Index. ATVR is a measure a security’s liquidity. The weight of any such constituent in the Underlying Index is capped at its weight in the MSCI All Ireland Index.
The Underlying Index includes large-, mid- and small-capitalization companies and may change over time. As of August 31, 2024, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the consumer staples, healthcare and industrials industries or sectors. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time.
BFA uses an indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund’s investment objective. The Fund does not try to beat the index it tracks and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.
Indexing may eliminate the chance that the Fund will substantially outperform the Underlying Index but also may reduce some of the risks of active management, such as poor security selection. Indexing seeks to achieve lower costs and better after-tax performance by aiming to keep portfolio turnover low in comparison to actively managed investment companies.
BFA uses a representative sampling indexing strategy to manage the Fund. Representative sampling is an indexing strategy that involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to that of an applicable underlying index. The securities selected are expected to have, in the aggregate, investment characteristics (based on factors such as market capitalization and industry weightings), fundamental characteristics (such as return variability and yield) and liquidity measures similar to those of an applicable underlying index. The Fund may or may not hold all of the securities in the Underlying Index.
The Fund generally will invest at least 80% of its assets in the component securities of its Underlying Index and in investments that have economic characteristics that are substantially identical to the component securities of its Underlying Index (i.e., depositary receipts representing securities of the Underlying Index) and may invest up to 20% of its assets in certain futures, options and swap contracts, cash and cash equivalents, including
shares of money market funds advised by BFA or its affiliates, as well as in securities not included in the Underlying Index, but which BFA believes will help the Fund track the Underlying Index. Cash and cash equivalent investments associated with a derivative position will be treated as part of that position for the purposes of calculating the percentage of investments included in the Underlying Index. The Fund seeks to track the investment results of the Underlying Index before fees and expenses of the Fund.
The Underlying Index is sponsored by MSCI, which isindependent of the Fund and BFA. The Index Provider determines the composition and relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.
Industry Concentration Policy. The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., hold 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities) and repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities are not considered to be issued by members of any industry.
Summary of Principal Risks
As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund's performance could trail that of other investments. The Fund is subject to certain risks, including the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund's net asset value per share (NAV), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective. Certain key risks are prioritized below (with others following in alphabetical order), but the relative significance of any risk is difficult to predict and may change over time. You should review each risk factor carefully.
Risk of Investing in Ireland. Investments in Irish issuers will subject the Fund to legal, regulatory, political, currency and economic risk specific to Ireland. Among other things, Ireland’s economy is heavily dependent on exports to certain key trading partners, including the U.S., the United Kingdom (the U.K.) and other Western European countries. The European financial markets have from time to time experienced financial market volatility and economic adversity due to concerns about economic downturns, rising government debt levels in several European countries and the U.K.’s departure from the European Union (the EU). These events have adversely affected the exchange rate of the euro and may continue to significantly affect every country in Europe, including Ireland.
Non-U.S. Securities Risk. Securities issued by non-U.S. issuers (including depositary receipts) are subject to different legal, regulatory, political, economic, and market risks than securities issued by U.S. issuers. These risks include greater market volatility, less market liquidity, higher transaction costs, expropriation, confiscatory taxation, adverse changes in foreign investment or currency control regulations, restrictions on the repatriation of capital, and political instability. Non-U.S. issuers may be subject to different accounting, audit and financial reporting standards than U.S. issuers, and there may be less publicly available information about non-U.S. issuers. Foreign
S-14


market trading hours, different clearing and settlement procedures, and holiday schedules may limit the Fund's ability to engage in portfolio transactions. To the extent that investments are made in a limited number of countries, events in those countries will have a more significant impact on the Fund. The Fund is specifically exposed to European Economic Risk.
Equity Securities Risk. Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than those of other asset classes. The value of a security may decline for a number of reasons that may directly relate to the issuer as well as due to general industry or market conditions. Common stock is subordinated to preferred securities and debt in a company’s capital structure. Common stock has the lowest priority, and the greatest risk, with respect to dividends and any liquidation payments in the event of an issuer’s bankruptcy.
Market Risk. The Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during more prolonged market downturns. Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, pandemics or other public health issues, recessions, the prospect or occurrence of a sovereign default or other financial crisis, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and could result in increased premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV.
Index-Related Risk. The Index Provider may rely on various sources of information to assess the criteria of components of the Underlying Index, including information that may be based on assumptions and estimates. Neither the Fund nor BFA can offer assurances that the Index Provider’s methodology or sources of information will provide an accurate assessment of included components or will result in the Fund meeting its investment objective. Errors in index data, index computations or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur, and the Index Provider may not identify or correct them promptly or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders. Unusual market conditions or other unforeseen circumstances (such as natural disasters, political unrest or war) may impact the Index Provider or a third-party data provider and could cause the Index Provider to postpone a scheduled rebalance. This could cause the Underlying Index to vary from its normal or expected composition.
Asset Class Risk. The securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or in the Fund’s portfolio may underperform in comparison to financial markets generally, a particular financial market, another index, or other asset classes.
Authorized Participant Concentration Risk.  An Authorized Participant is a member or participant of a clearing agency registered with the SEC, which has a written agreement with the Fund or one of its service providers that allows the Authorized Participant to place orders for the purchase and redemption of creation units (Creation Units). Only an Authorized Participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. There are a limited number of institutions that may act as Authorized Participants for the Fund, including on an agency basis on behalf of other market participants. No Authorized Participant is obligated to engage in creation or redemption transactions. To the extent that Authorized Participants exit the business or do not place creation or redemption orders for the
Fund and no other Authorized Participant places orders, Fund shares are more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts or delisting.
Commodity Risk. The Fund invests in Irish issuers that are susceptible to fluctuations in certain commodity markets and to price changes due to trade relations. Any negative changes in commodity markets that may be due to changes in supply and demand for commodities, market events, war, regulatory developments, other catastrophic events, or other factors that the Fund cannot control could have an adverse impact on the Irish economy.
Concentration Risk. The Fund may be susceptible to an increased risk of loss, including losses due to adverse events that affect the Fund’s investments more than the market as a whole, to the extent that the Fund’s investments are concentrated in the securities or other assets of one or more issuers, countries or other geographic units, markets, industries, project types, or asset classes.
Consumer Goods and Services Companies Risk. Consumer goods and services companies (consumer companies) face risks related to changes in consumer preferences and disposable income, commodity prices, government regulation, supply chain disruptions, damage to brand or reputation, economic slowdown and labor shortages, among other things.
Currency Risk. Because the Fund’s NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the NAV could decline if the currency of the non-U.S. market in which the Fund invests depreciates against the U.S. dollar or if there are delays or limits on the repatriation of foreign currency. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the Fund’s NAV may change quickly and without warning. In addition, the Fund may incur costs in connection with conversions between U.S. dollars and foreign currencies.
Cybersecurity Risk. Failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, its adviser, distributor,Index Provider, other service providers, counterparties, or issuers of assets in which the Fund invests may cause disruptions that negatively impact the Fund and its shareholders. While the Fund has established business continuity plans and risk management systems seeking to address system breaches or failures, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems. The Fund cannot control the cybersecurity plans and systems of its service providers, counterparties, and other third parties whose activities affect the Fund. In addition, cyber incidents may adversely impact the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which may cause such investments to lose value.
Healthcare Companies Risk. The profitability of healthcare companies may be adversely affected by extensive government regulations, restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure, the protection and expiration of patents, limited product lines, supply chain issues, labor shortages and product liability claims, among other factors.
Industrial Companies Risk. Industrial companies face a number of risks, including supply chain and distribution disruptions, business interruptions, product obsolescence, third-party vendor risks, cyber attacks, trade disputes, product recalls, liability
S-15


claims, scarcity of materials or parts, excess capacity, changes in consumer preferences, and volatility in commodity prices and currencies. The performance of such companies may also be affected by technological developments, labor relations, legislative and regulatory changes, government spending policies, and changes in domestic and international economies.
Issuer Risk. The performance of the Fund depends on the performance of individual securities or other assets to which the Fund has exposure. The value of securities or other assets may decline, or perform differently from the market as a whole, due to changes in the financial condition or credit rating of the issuer or counterparty.
Management Risk. The Fund generally does not attempt to take defensive positions under any market conditions, including declining markets. As the Fund will not fully replicate the Underlying Index and may hold securities or other assets not included in the Underlying Index, it is subject to the risk that the investment strategy of BFA may not produce the intended results. There is no guarantee that the Fund’s investment results will have a high degree of correlation to those of the Underlying Index or that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.
Market Trading Risk. The Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund shares (including through a trading halt), losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility, and disruptions in the process of creating and redeeming Fund shares. Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Fund’s shares trading in the secondary market at a premium or discount to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s portfolio holdings. If you buy Fund shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to NAV or sell Fund shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to NAV, you may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the Fund shares.
Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk. Compared to large-capitalization companies, mid-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments. The securities of mid-capitalization companies may be more volatile and less liquid than those of large-capitalization companies. As a result, the Fund’s share price may be more volatile than that of a fund with a greater investment in large-capitalization stocks.
National Closed Market Trading Risk. To the extent that securities or other assets held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges or in foreign markets that may be closed when the securities exchange on which the Fund’s shares trade is open, there are likely to be deviations between such asset’s current price and its last quoted price (i.e., the quote from the closed foreign market to the Fund). The impact of a closed foreign market on the Fund is likely to be greater where a large portion of the Fund’s holdings trade on a closed foreign market or when a foreign market is closed for unscheduled reasons. These deviations could result in premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV that may be greater than those experienced by other funds.
Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is classified as non-diversified. This means that, compared with funds that are classified as diversified, the Fund may invest a greater percentage of its assets in securities or other instruments representing a small number of issuers or counterparties and thus
may be more susceptible to the risks associated with these particular issuers or counterparties. As a result, the Fund's performance may depend to a greater extent on the performance of a small number of issuers or counterparties, which may lead to more volatility in the Fund’s NAV.
Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risks arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. The Fund and BFA seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate to address significant operational risks.
Reliance on Trading Partners Risk. The Fund invests in a country whose economy is heavily dependent upon trading with key partners. Any reduction in this trading may have an adverse impact on the Fund's investments. Through its holdings of securities of certain issuers, the Fund is specifically exposed to European Economic Risk and U.S. Economic Risk.
Small-Capitalization Companies Risk. Compared to mid- and large-capitalization companies, small-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments. The securities of small-capitalization companies may be more volatile and less liquid than those of mid- and large-capitalization companies. As a result, the Fund’s share price may be more volatile than that of a fund with a greater investment in large- or mid-capitalization stocks.
Tracking Error Risk. The Fund may be subject to tracking error, which is the divergence of the Fund’s performance from that of the Underlying Index. Tracking error may occur due to a number of factors, including differences between the securities and other assets held in the Fund’s portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index; differences in the timing and methodologies used to value securities and other assets; transaction costs and other expenses incurred by the Fund that the Underlying Index does not incur; the Fund’s holding of uninvested cash; differences in the timing of the accrual or the valuation of dividends or interest received by the Fund or distributions paid to Fund shareholders; tax gains or losses; the requirements for the Fund to maintain pass-through tax treatment; portfolio transactions carried out to minimize the distribution of capital gains to shareholders; the acceptance of custom baskets; changes to the Underlying Index; and impacts to the Fund of complying with certain regulatory requirements or limits. Tracking error risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. A Fund that tracks an index with exposure to non-U.S. issuers may experience higher tracking error than ETFs that do not track such indexes.
Valuation Risk. The price that the Fund could receive upon the sale (or other disposition) of a security or other asset may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security or other asset, particularly for securities or other assets that trade in low volume or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology. The price received by the Fund also may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index. In addition, the value of the securities or other assets in the Fund’s portfolio may change on days or during time periods when investors are not able to
S-16


purchase or sell Fund shares. Authorized Participants that create or redeem Fund shares on days when the Fund is holding fair-valued securities or other assets may receive fewer or more shares, or lower or higher redemption proceeds, than they would
have received had the securities or other assets not been fair valued or been valued using a different methodology. The ability to value investments may be impacted by technological issues or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
Performance Information
The performance information below illustrates how the Fund’s performance has varied over different periods and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table compares the Fund’s performance to that of an appropriate broad-based securities market indexand the Underlying Index. Fund returns assume the reinvestment of any dividends and distributions. The Fund’s returns reflect the impact of any agreements to waive or reimburse expenses, which would reduce performance if not in effect. Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information, including the Fund’s current NAV, may be obtained by visiting www.iShares.com or by calling 1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737) (toll free).
Calendar Year-by-Year Returns
 
Return (%)
Period Ended
Calendar Year-to-Date Return
13.76%
September 30, 2024
During the periods shown in the chart:
Best Quarter
25.01%
December 31, 2020
Worst Quarter
-30.87%
March 31, 2020
Average Annual Total Returns
(for the periods ended December 31, 2023)
 
One Year
Five Years
Ten Years
(Inception Date: 5/5/2010)
Return Before Taxes
34.06%
11.70%
7.14%
Return After Taxes on Distributions
33.73%
11.40%
6.79%
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
20.39%
9.29%
5.70%
MSCI ACWI ex USA Index1 (Returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)
15.62%
7.08%
3.83%
MSCI All Ireland Capped Index (Returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)
34.98%
12.18%
7.56%

1The Fund has added this broad-based index in response to new regulatory requirements.
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 sales 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.
S-17


Management
Investment Adviser. BlackRock Fund Advisors.
Portfolio Managers. Jennifer Hsui, Greg Savage and Paul Whitehead (the Portfolio Managers) are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Each Portfolio Manager supervises a portfolio management team. Ms. Hsui, Mr. Savage and Mr. Whitehead have been Portfolio Managers of the Fund since 2012, 2010 and 2022, respectively.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund is an ETF. Individual shares of the Fund may only be bought and sold in the secondary market through a broker-dealer. Because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). An investor may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase shares of the Fund (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares of the Fund (ask) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the bid-ask spread).
Tax Information
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA, in which case, your distributions generally will be taxed when withdrawn.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), BFA or other related companies may pay the intermediary for marketing activities and presentations, educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems or other services related to the sale or promotion of the Fund. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
S-18


iSHARES® MSCI JAPAN VALUE ETF
Ticker: EWJVStock Exchange: Nasdaq
Investment Objective
The iShares MSCI Japan Value ETF (the Fund) seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of large- and mid-capitalization Japanese equities with value characteristics and relatively lower valuations.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you will incur if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. The investment advisory agreement between iShares Trust (the Trust) and BlackRock Fund Advisors (BFA) (the Investment Advisory Agreement) provides that BFA will pay all operating expenses of the Fund, except: (i) the management fees, (ii) interest expenses, (iii) taxes, (iv) expenses incurred with respect to the acquisition and disposition of portfolio securities and the execution of portfolio transactions, including brokerage commissions, (v) distribution fees or expenses, and (vi) litigation expenses and any extraordinary expenses.
You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(ongoing expenses that you pay each year as a
percentage of the value of your investments)1
Management
Fees
Distribution
and Service
(12b-1) Fees
Other
Expenses2
Total Annual
Fund
Operating
Expenses
0.15%
None
0.00%
0.15%

1Operating expenses paid by BFA under the Investment Advisory Agreement exclude acquired fund fees and expenses, if any.
2The amount rounded to 0.00%.
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
Portfolio Turnover. The Fund may pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in the Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 31% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund seeks to track the investment results of the MSCI Japan Value Index (USD) (the Underlying Index), which is a free float-weighted index consisting of large- and mid-capitalization Japanese equities exhibiting overall value style characteristics. The value investment style characteristics for index construction are defined using three variables: book value to price, 12-month forward earnings to price and dividend yield.
As of August 31, 2024, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the financials
and industrials industries or sectors. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time.
BFA uses an indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund’s investment objective. The Fund does not try to beat the index it tracks and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.
Indexing may eliminate the chance that the Fund will substantially outperform the Underlying Index but also may reduce some of the risks of active management, such as poor security selection. Indexing seeks to achieve lower costs and better after-tax performance by aiming to keep portfolio turnover low in comparison to actively managed investment companies.
BFA uses a representative sampling indexing strategy to manage the Fund. Representative sampling is an indexing strategy that involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to that of an applicable underlying index. The securities selected are expected to have, in the aggregate, investment characteristics (based on factors such as market capitalization and industry weightings), fundamental characteristics (such as return variability and yield)
S-19


and liquidity measures similar to those of an applicable underlying index. The Fund may or may not hold all of the securities in the Underlying Index.
The Fund generally will invest at least 80% of its assets in the component securities of its Underlying Index and in investments that have economic characteristics that are substantially identical to the component securities of its Underlying Index (i.e., depositary receipts representing securities of the Underlying Index) and may invest up to 20% of its assets in certain futures, options and swap contracts, cash and cash equivalents, including shares of money market funds advised by BFA or its affiliates, as well as in securities not included in the Underlying Index, but which BFA believes will help the Fund track the Underlying Index. Cash and cash equivalent investments associated with a derivative position will be treated as part of that position for the purposes of calculating the percentage of investments included in the Underlying Index. The Fund seeks to track the investment results of the Underlying Index before fees and expenses of the Fund.
The Fund may lend securities representing up to one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including the value of any collateral received).
The Underlying Index is sponsored by MSCI Inc. (the Index Provider or MSCI), which isindependent of the Fund and BFA. The Index Provider determines the composition and relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.
Industry Concentration Policy. The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., hold 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities) and repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities are not considered to be issued by members of any industry.
Summary of Principal Risks
As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund's performance could trail that of other investments. The Fund is subject to certain risks, including the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund's net asset value per share (NAV), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective. Certain key risks are prioritized below (with others following in alphabetical order), but the relative significance of any risk is difficult to predict and may change over time. You should review each risk factor carefully.
Risk of Investing in Japan. Investing in Japanese issuers subjects the Fund to legal, regulatory, political, economic, currency, geographic and security risks that are specific to Japan. Japan’s economy depends heavily on international trade, oil and other commodity imports, and government policy supporting its exports. Other risks facing the Japanese economy include significant public debt and deficits, currency fluctuations, and labor shortages due to an aging and declining population. Japan’s relations with its neighbors have been strained at times, which
could adversely affect its markets and economy. Japan is also vulnerable to natural disasters.
Value Securities Risk. Value securities are those issued by companies that may be perceived as undervalued. Such securities may decline in price or fail to appreciate for long periods of time, and they may never realize their full potential value. Value securities may underperform growth securities and other types of assets as well as the overall stock market. Value securities may go in and out of favor over time, which could affect the performance of the Fund.
Equity Securities Risk. Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than those of other asset classes. The value of a security may decline for a number of reasons that may directly relate to the issuer as well as due to general industry or market conditions. Common stock is subordinated to preferred securities and debt in a company’s capital structure. Common stock has the lowest priority, and the greatest risk, with respect to dividends and any liquidation payments in the event of an issuer’s bankruptcy.
Market Risk. The Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during more prolonged market downturns. Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, pandemics or other public health issues, recessions, the prospect or occurrence of a sovereign default or other financial crisis, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and could result in increased premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV.
Index-Related Risk. The Index Provider may rely on various sources of information to assess the criteria of components of the Underlying Index, including information that may be based on assumptions and estimates. Neither the Fund nor BFA can offer assurances that the Index Provider’s methodology or sources of information will provide an accurate assessment of included components or will result in the Fund meeting its investment objective. Errors in index data, index computations or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur, and the Index Provider may not identify or correct them promptly or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders. Unusual market conditions or other unforeseen circumstances (such as natural disasters, political unrest or war) may impact the Index Provider or a third-party data provider and could cause the Index Provider to postpone a scheduled rebalance. This could cause the Underlying Index to vary from its normal or expected composition.
Asset Class Risk. The securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or in the Fund’s portfolio may underperform in comparison to financial markets generally, a particular financial market, another index, or other asset classes.
Assets Under Management (AUM) Risk. From time to time, an Authorized Participant (as defined below in Authorized Participant Concentration Risk), a third-party investor, the Fund’s adviser, an affiliate of the Fund’s adviser, or another fund may invest in the Fund and hold its investment for a specific period of time to allow the Fund to achieve size or scale. There can be no assurance that any such entity would not redeem its investment or that the size
S-20


of the Fund would be maintained at such levels, which could negatively impact the Fund.
Authorized Participant Concentration Risk.  An Authorized Participant is a member or participant of a clearing agency registered with the SEC, which has a written agreement with the Fund or one of its service providers that allows the Authorized Participant to place orders for the purchase and redemption of creation units (Creation Units). Only an Authorized Participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. There are a limited number of institutions that may act as Authorized Participants for the Fund, including on an agency basis on behalf of other market participants. No Authorized Participant is obligated to engage in creation or redemption transactions. To the extent that Authorized Participants exit the business or do not place creation or redemption orders for the Fund and no other Authorized Participant places orders, Fund shares are more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts or delisting.
Concentration Risk. The Fund may be susceptible to an increased risk of loss, including losses due to adverse events that affect the Fund’s investments more than the market as a whole, to the extent that the Fund’s investments are concentrated in the securities or other assets of one or more issuers, countries or other geographic units, markets, industries, project types, or asset classes.
Currency Risk. Because the Fund’s NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the NAV could decline if the currency of the non-U.S. market in which the Fund invests depreciates against the U.S. dollar or if there are delays or limits on the repatriation of foreign currency. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the Fund’s NAV may change quickly and without warning. In addition, the Fund may incur costs in connection with conversions between U.S. dollars and foreign currencies.
Cybersecurity Risk. Failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, its adviser, distributor,Index Provider, other service providers, counterparties, or issuers of assets in which the Fund invests may cause disruptions that negatively impact the Fund and its shareholders. While the Fund has established business continuity plans and risk management systems seeking to address system breaches or failures, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems. The Fund cannot control the cybersecurity plans and systems of its service providers, counterparties, and other third parties whose activities affect the Fund. In addition, cyber incidents may adversely impact the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which may cause such investments to lose value.
Financial Companies Risk. Financial services companies are subject to extensive governmental regulation and intervention, which may adversely affect their profitability, the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge, the amount of capital and liquid assets they must maintain and their size, among other things. Financial services companies also may be significantly affected by, among other things, interest rates, economic conditions, volatility in financial markets, credit rating downgrades, adverse public perception, exposure concentration and counterparty risk.
Industrial Companies Risk. Industrial companies face a number of risks, including supply chain and distribution disruptions, business interruptions, product obsolescence, third-party vendor risks, cyber attacks, trade disputes, product recalls, liability claims, scarcity of materials or parts, excess capacity, changes in consumer preferences, and volatility in commodity prices and currencies. The performance of such companies may also be affected by technological developments, labor relations, legislative and regulatory changes, government spending policies, and changes in domestic and international economies.
Issuer Risk. The performance of the Fund depends on the performance of individual securities or other assets to which the Fund has exposure. The value of securities or other assets may decline, or perform differently from the market as a whole, due to changes in the financial condition or credit rating of the issuer or counterparty.
Lack of Natural Resources Risk. The Fund invests in Japan, which has few natural resources. Any fluctuation or shortage in the commodity markets could have a negative impact on Japanese securities.
Large-Capitalization Companies Risk. Large-capitalization companies may be less able than smaller-capitalization companies to adapt to changing market conditions and competitive challenges. Large-capitalization companies may be more mature and subject to more limited growth potential compared with smaller-capitalization companies. The performance of large-capitalization companies could trail the overall performance of the broader securities markets.
Management Risk. The Fund generally does not attempt to take defensive positions under any market conditions, including declining markets. As the Fund will not fully replicate the Underlying Index and may hold securities or other assets not included in the Underlying Index, it is subject to the risk that the investment strategy of BFA may not produce the intended results. There is no guarantee that the Fund’s investment results will have a high degree of correlation to those of the Underlying Index or that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.
Market Trading Risk. The Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund shares (including through a trading halt), losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility, and disruptions in the process of creating and redeeming Fund shares. Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Fund’s shares trading in the secondary market at a premium or discount to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s portfolio holdings. If you buy Fund shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to NAV or sell Fund shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to NAV, you may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the Fund shares.
Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk. Compared to large-capitalization companies, mid-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments. The securities of mid-capitalization companies may be more volatile and less liquid than those of large-capitalization companies. As a result, the Fund’s share price may be more volatile than that of a fund with a greater investment in large-capitalization stocks.
S-21


National Closed Market Trading Risk. To the extent that securities or other assets held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges or in foreign markets that may be closed when the securities exchange on which the Fund’s shares trade is open, there are likely to be deviations between such asset’s current price and its last quoted price (i.e., the quote from the closed foreign market to the Fund). The impact of a closed foreign market on the Fund is likely to be greater where a large portion of the Fund’s holdings trade on a closed foreign market or when a foreign market is closed for unscheduled reasons. These deviations could result in premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV that may be greater than those experienced by other funds.
Non-U.S. Securities Risk. Securities issued by non-U.S. issuers (including depositary receipts) are subject to different legal, regulatory, political, economic, and market risks than securities issued by U.S. issuers. These risks include greater market volatility, less market liquidity, higher transaction costs, expropriation, confiscatory taxation, adverse changes in foreign investment or currency control regulations, restrictions on the repatriation of capital, and political instability. Non-U.S. issuers may be subject to different accounting, audit and financial reporting standards than U.S. issuers, and there may be less publicly available information about non-U.S. issuers. Foreign market trading hours, different clearing and settlement procedures, and holiday schedules may limit the Fund's ability to engage in portfolio transactions. To the extent that investments are made in a limited number of countries, events in those countries will have a more significant impact on the Fund. The Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk.
Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risks arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. The Fund and BFA seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate to address significant operational risks.
Reliance on Trading Partners Risk. The Fund invests in a country whose economy is heavily dependent upon trading with key partners. Any reduction in this trading may have an adverse impact on the Fund's investments. Through its holdings of securities of certain issuers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk and U.S. Economic Risk.
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 collateral provided for 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.
Tracking Error Risk. The Fund may be subject to tracking error, which is the divergence of the Fund’s performance from that of the Underlying Index. Tracking error may occur due to a number of factors, including differences between the securities and other assets held in the Fund’s portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index; differences in the timing and methodologies used to value securities and other assets; transaction costs and other expenses incurred by the Fund that the Underlying Index does not incur; the Fund’s holding of uninvested cash; differences in the timing of the accrual or the valuation of dividends or interest received by the Fund or distributions paid to Fund shareholders; tax gains or losses; the requirements for the Fund to maintain pass-through tax treatment; portfolio transactions carried out to minimize the distribution of capital gains to shareholders; the acceptance of custom baskets; changes to the Underlying Index; and impacts to the Fund of complying with certain regulatory requirements or limits. Tracking error risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. A Fund that tracks an index with exposure to non-U.S. issuers may experience higher tracking error than ETFs that do not track such indexes.
Valuation Risk. The price that the Fund could receive upon the sale (or other disposition) of a security or other asset may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security or other asset, particularly for securities or other assets that trade in low volume or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology. The price received by the Fund also may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index. In addition, the value of the securities or other assets in the Fund’s portfolio may change on days or during time periods when investors are not able to purchase or sell Fund shares. Authorized Participants that create or redeem Fund shares on days when the Fund is holding fair-valued securities or other assets may receive fewer or more shares, or lower or higher redemption proceeds, than they would have received had the securities or other assets not been fair valued or been valued using a different methodology. The ability to value investments may be impacted by technological issues or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
S-22


Performance Information
The performance information below illustrates how the Fund’s performance has varied over different periods and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table compares the Fund’s performance to that of an appropriate broad-based securities market indexand the Underlying Index. Fund returns assume the reinvestment of any dividends and distributions. The Fund’s returns reflect the impact of any agreements to waive or reimburse expenses, which would reduce performance if not in effect. Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information, including the Fund’s current NAV, may be obtained by visiting www.iShares.com or by calling 1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737) (toll free).
Calendar Year-by-Year Returns
 
Return (%)
Period Ended
Calendar Year-to-Date Return
15.73%
September 30, 2024
During the periods shown in the chart:
Best Quarter
14.62%
December 31, 2022
Worst Quarter
-20.47%
March 31, 2020
Average Annual Total Returns
(for the periods ended December 31, 2023)
 
One Year
Since Fund
Inception
(Inception Date: 3/5/2019)
Return Before Taxes
23.05%
6.79%
Return After Taxes on Distributions
22.10%
6.10%
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
14.34%
5.30%
MSCI ACWI ex USA Index1 (Returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)
15.62%
5.29%
MSCI Japan Value Index (USD) (Returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)
23.11%
6.78%

1The Fund has added this broad-based index in response to new regulatory requirements.
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 sales 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.
S-23


Management
Investment Adviser. BlackRock Fund Advisors.
Portfolio Managers. Jennifer Hsui, Greg Savage and Paul Whitehead (the Portfolio Managers) are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Each Portfolio Manager supervises a portfolio management team. Ms. Hsui and Mr. Savage have been Portfolio Managers of the Fund since 2019. Mr. Whitehead has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2022.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund is an ETF. Individual shares of the Fund may only be bought and sold in the secondary market through a broker-dealer. Because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). An investor may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase shares of the Fund (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares of the Fund (ask) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the bid-ask spread).
Tax Information
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA, in which case, your distributions generally will be taxed when withdrawn.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), BFA or other related companies may pay the intermediary for marketing activities and presentations, educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems or other services related to the sale or promotion of the Fund. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
S-24


iSHARES® MSCI NEW ZEALAND ETF
Ticker: ENZLStock Exchange: Nasdaq
Investment Objective
The iShares MSCI New Zealand ETF (the Fund) seeks to track the investment results of a broad-based index composed of New Zealand equities.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you will incur if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. The investment advisory agreement between iShares Trust (the Trust) and BlackRock Fund Advisors (BFA) (the Investment Advisory Agreement) provides that BFA will pay all operating expenses of the Fund, except: (i) the management fees, (ii) interest expenses, (iii) taxes, (iv) expenses incurred with respect to the acquisition and disposition of portfolio securities and the execution of portfolio transactions, including brokerage commissions, (v) distribution fees or expenses, and (vi) litigation expenses and any extraordinary expenses.
You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(ongoing expenses that you pay each year as a
percentage of the value of your investments)1
Management
Fees
Distribution
and Service
(12b-1) Fees
Other
Expenses2
Total Annual
Fund
Operating
Expenses
0.50%
None
0.00%
0.50%

1Operating expenses paid by BFA under the Investment Advisory Agreement exclude acquired fund fees and expenses, if any.
2The amount rounded to 0.00%.
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
$51
$160
$280
$628
Portfolio Turnover. The Fund may pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in the Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 47% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund seeks to track the investment results of the MSCI New Zealand All Cap Top 25 Capped Index (the Underlying Index). The Underlying Index is a subset of the MSCI New Zealand All Cap Index (the Parent Index), which comprises all large-, mid-,
small-, and micro-capitalization stocks listed in New Zealand.
The Underlying Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization weighted index that includes the 25 largest constituents in the Parent Index and is constrained such that no single group entity exceeds 25% of the Underlying Index weight and the sum of all
group entities with a weight above 5% does not exceed an aggregate of 50% of the Underlying Index weight, as determined by MSCI Inc. (the Index Provider or MSCI). The Underlying Index also implements a buffer of 10% of the value of each constraint, such that the weight of any single group entity cannot exceed 22.5% of the Underlying Index weight and all group entities with a weight above 4.5% cannot exceed 45% of the Underlying Index weight.
MSCI defines a group entity as a group of companies that operate as an affiliated corporate group but may separately issue listed securities. To determine whether constituents are group entities, MSCI analyzes the financial accounts of listed companies holding stakes of 20% or more in other listed companies to determine whether these stakes are controlling in nature and, consequently, whether both companies should be considered as belonging to the same group entity. In certain cases, even in the absence of consolidated accounts, MSCI may also consider two companies as belonging to the same group entity where there is reasonable evidence of control based on other information. All group entities are reviewed on an annual basis, though any change in a group entity resulting from a
S-25


corporate event (e.g., spin offs) or public disclosure will be implemented at the time of the event or as of the close of the last business day of the month, respectively. The Underlying Index is rebalanced on a quarterly basis. As of August 31, 2024, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the healthcare, industrials and real estate industries or sectors. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. 
BFA uses an indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund’s investment objective. The Fund does not try to beat the index it tracks and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.
Indexing may eliminate the chance that the Fund will substantially outperform the Underlying Index but also may reduce some of the risks of active management, such as poor security selection. Indexing seeks to achieve lower costs and better after-tax performance by aiming to keep portfolio turnover low in comparison to actively managed investment companies.
BFA uses a representative sampling indexing strategy to manage the Fund. Representative sampling is an indexing strategy that involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to that of an applicable underlying index. The securities selected are expected to have, in the aggregate, investment characteristics (based on factors such as market capitalization and industry weightings), fundamental characteristics (such as return variability and yield) and liquidity measures similar to those of an applicable underlying index. The Fund may or may not hold all of the securities in the Underlying Index.
The Fund generally will invest at least 80% of its assets in the component securities of its Underlying Index and in investments that have economic characteristics that are substantially identical to the component securities of its Underlying Index (i.e., depositary receipts representing securities of the Underlying Index) and may invest up to 20% of its assets in certain futures, options and swap contracts, cash and cash equivalents, including shares of money market funds advised by BFA or its affiliates, as well as in securities not included in the Underlying Index, but which BFA believes will help the Fund track the Underlying Index. Cash and cash equivalent investments associated with a derivative position will be treated as part of that position for the purposes of calculating the percentage of investments included in the Underlying Index. The Fund seeks to track the investment results of the Underlying Index before fees and expenses of the Fund.
The Fund may lend securities representing up to one-third of the value of the Fund's total assets (including the value of any collateral received).
The Underlying Index is sponsored by MSCI Inc. (the Index Provider or MSCI), which isindependent of the Fund and BFA. The Index Provider determines the composition and relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.
Industry Concentration Policy. The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., hold 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. For
purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities) and repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities are not considered to be issued by members of any industry.
Summary of Principal Risks
As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund's performance could trail that of other investments. The Fund is subject to certain risks, including the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund's net asset value per share (NAV), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective. Certain key risks are prioritized below (with others following in alphabetical order), but the relative significance of any risk is difficult to predict and may change over time. You should review each risk factor carefully.
Risk of Investing in New Zealand. Investing in New Zealand issuers subjects the Fund to legal, regulatory, political, economic, currency, geographic and security risks that are specific to New Zealand. New Zealand’s economy depends heavily on agricultural exports, which are susceptible to weather hazards and environmental issues. It depends significantly on trade with China, Australia and the U.S. and is vulnerable to changes in demand from these key trading partners. Other risks facing New Zealand include skilled labor shortages, dependence on foreign investment and natural disasters.
Non-U.S. Securities Risk. Securities issued by non-U.S. issuers (including depositary receipts) are subject to different legal, regulatory, political, economic, and market risks than securities issued by U.S. issuers. These risks include greater market volatility, less market liquidity, higher transaction costs, expropriation, confiscatory taxation, adverse changes in foreign investment or currency control regulations, restrictions on the repatriation of capital, and political instability. Non-U.S. issuers may be subject to different accounting, audit and financial reporting standards than U.S. issuers, and there may be less publicly available information about non-U.S. issuers. Foreign market trading hours, different clearing and settlement procedures, and holiday schedules may limit the Fund's ability to engage in portfolio transactions. To the extent that investments are made in a limited number of countries, events in those countries will have a more significant impact on the Fund. The Fund is specifically exposed to Australasian Economic Risk.
Equity Securities Risk. Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than those of other asset classes. The value of a security may decline for a number of reasons that may directly relate to the issuer as well as due to general industry or market conditions. Common stock is subordinated to preferred securities and debt in a company’s capital structure. Common stock has the lowest priority, and the greatest risk, with respect to dividends and any liquidation payments in the event of an issuer’s bankruptcy.
Market Risk. The Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during more prolonged market downturns. Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, pandemics or other public health issues, recessions, the prospect or occurrence of a sovereign default or other financial crisis, or other events could
S-26


have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and could result in increased premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV.
Index-Related Risk. The Index Provider may rely on various sources of information to assess the criteria of components of the Underlying Index, including information that may be based on assumptions and estimates. Neither the Fund nor BFA can offer assurances that the Index Provider’s methodology or sources of information will provide an accurate assessment of included components or will result in the Fund meeting its investment objective. Errors in index data, index computations or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur, and the Index Provider may not identify or correct them promptly or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders. Unusual market conditions or other unforeseen circumstances (such as natural disasters, political unrest or war) may impact the Index Provider or a third-party data provider and could cause the Index Provider to postpone a scheduled rebalance. This could cause the Underlying Index to vary from its normal or expected composition.
Asset Class Risk. The securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or in the Fund’s portfolio may underperform in comparison to financial markets generally, a particular financial market, another index, or other asset classes.
Authorized Participant Concentration Risk.  An Authorized Participant is a member or participant of a clearing agency registered with the SEC, which has a written agreement with the Fund or one of its service providers that allows the Authorized Participant to place orders for the purchase and redemption of creation units (Creation Units). Only an Authorized Participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. There are a limited number of institutions that may act as Authorized Participants for the Fund, including on an agency basis on behalf of other market participants. No Authorized Participant is obligated to engage in creation or redemption transactions. To the extent that Authorized Participants exit the business or do not place creation or redemption orders for the Fund and no other Authorized Participant places orders, Fund shares are more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts or delisting.
Commodity Risk. The Fund invests in New Zealand issuers that are susceptible to fluctuations in certain commodity markets and to price changes due to trade relations. Any negative changes in commodity markets that may be due to changes in supply and demand for commodities, market events, war, regulatory developments, other catastrophic events, or other factors that the Fund cannot control could have an adverse impact on the New Zealand economy.
Concentration Risk. The Fund may be susceptible to an increased risk of loss, including losses due to adverse events that affect the Fund’s investments more than the market as a whole, to the extent that the Fund’s investments are concentrated in the securities or other assets of one or more issuers, countries or other geographic units, markets, industries, project types, or asset classes.
Currency Risk. Because the Fund’s NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the NAV could decline if the currency of the non-U.S.
market in which the Fund invests depreciates against the U.S. dollar or if there are delays or limits on the repatriation of foreign currency. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the Fund’s NAV may change quickly and without warning. In addition, the Fund may incur costs in connection with conversions between U.S. dollars and foreign currencies.
Cybersecurity Risk. Failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, its adviser, distributor,Index Provider, other service providers, counterparties, or issuers of assets in which the Fund invests may cause disruptions that negatively impact the Fund and its shareholders. While the Fund has established business continuity plans and risk management systems seeking to address system breaches or failures, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems. The Fund cannot control the cybersecurity plans and systems of its service providers, counterparties, and other third parties whose activities affect the Fund. In addition, cyber incidents may adversely impact the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which may cause such investments to lose value.
Healthcare Companies Risk. The profitability of healthcare companies may be adversely affected by extensive government regulations, restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure, the protection and expiration of patents, limited product lines, supply chain issues, labor shortages and product liability claims, among other factors.
Industrial Companies Risk. Industrial companies face a number of risks, including supply chain and distribution disruptions, business interruptions, product obsolescence, third-party vendor risks, cyber attacks, trade disputes, product recalls, liability claims, scarcity of materials or parts, excess capacity, changes in consumer preferences, and volatility in commodity prices and currencies. The performance of such companies may also be affected by technological developments, labor relations, legislative and regulatory changes, government spending policies, and changes in domestic and international economies.
Issuer Risk. The performance of the Fund depends on the performance of individual securities or other assets to which the Fund has exposure. The value of securities or other assets may decline, or perform differently from the market as a whole, due to changes in the financial condition or credit rating of the issuer or counterparty.
Management Risk. The Fund generally does not attempt to take defensive positions under any market conditions, including declining markets. As the Fund will not fully replicate the Underlying Index and may hold securities or other assets not included in the Underlying Index, it is subject to the risk that the investment strategy of BFA may not produce the intended results. There is no guarantee that the Fund’s investment results will have a high degree of correlation to those of the Underlying Index or that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.
Market Trading Risk. The Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund shares (including through a trading halt), losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility, and disruptions in the process of creating and redeeming Fund shares. Any of these
S-27


factors, among others, may lead to the Fund’s shares trading in the secondary market at a premium or discount to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s portfolio holdings. If you buy Fund shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to NAV or sell Fund shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to NAV, you may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the Fund shares.
Micro-Capitalization Companies Risk. Compared to larger companies, micro-capitalization companies are likely to be significantly less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments, and their revenues and earnings tend to be less predictable. The securities of micro-capitalization companies are more volatile and less liquid than those of larger companies. As a result, the Fund’s share price may be more volatile than that of a fund with a greater investment in larger-capitalization stocks. Micro-capitalization stocks also may be thinly traded, making it difficult for the Fund to buy and sell them.
Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk. Compared to large-capitalization companies, mid-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments. The securities of mid-capitalization companies may be more volatile and less liquid than those of large-capitalization companies. As a result, the Fund’s share price may be more volatile than that of a fund with a greater investment in large-capitalization stocks.
National Closed Market Trading Risk. To the extent that securities or other assets held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges or in foreign markets that may be closed when the securities exchange on which the Fund’s shares trade is open, there are likely to be deviations between such asset’s current price and its last quoted price (i.e., the quote from the closed foreign market to the Fund). The impact of a closed foreign market on the Fund is likely to be greater where a large portion of the Fund’s holdings trade on a closed foreign market or when a foreign market is closed for unscheduled reasons. These deviations could result in premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV that may be greater than those experienced by other funds.
Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is classified as non-diversified. This means that, compared with funds that are classified as diversified, the Fund may invest a greater percentage of its assets in securities or other instruments representing a small number of issuers or counterparties and thus may be more susceptible to the risks associated with these particular issuers or counterparties. As a result, the Fund's performance may depend to a greater extent on the performance of a small number of issuers or counterparties, which may lead to more volatility in the Fund’s NAV.
Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risks arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. The Fund and BFA seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate to address significant operational risks.
Real Estate Companies Risk. Real estate companies, which include REITs, real estate holding and operating companies, and
real estate management or development companies, expose investors to the risks of owning real estate directly as well as to the risks from the way that such companies operate. Real estate is highly sensitive to general and local economic conditions and can be subject to intense competition and periodic overbuilding. Other real estate risks include decreases in property values, tax increases, zoning changes, casualty or condemnation losses, environmental liabilities, regulatory limitations on rent or eviction, and defaults by borrowers or tenants. Real estate companies may be heavily invested in one geographic region, industry or property type. They also may be highly leveraged, which can magnify losses, and interest rate increases can make it difficult to obtain financing and service debt.
Reliance on Trading Partners Risk. The Fund invests in a country whose economy is heavily dependent upon trading with key partners. Any reduction in this trading may have an adverse impact on the Fund's investments. Through its holdings of securities of certain issuers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk, Australasian Economic Risk and U.S. Economic Risk.
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 collateral provided for 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.
Small-Capitalization Companies Risk. Compared to mid- and large-capitalization companies, small-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments. The securities of small-capitalization companies may be more volatile and less liquid than those of mid- and large-capitalization companies. As a result, the Fund’s share price may be more volatile than that of a fund with a greater investment in large- or mid-capitalization stocks.
Tracking Error Risk. The Fund may be subject to tracking error, which is the divergence of the Fund’s performance from that of the Underlying Index. Tracking error may occur due to a number of factors, including differences between the securities and other assets held in the Fund’s portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index; differences in the timing and methodologies used to value securities and other assets; transaction costs and other expenses incurred by the Fund that the Underlying Index does not incur; the Fund’s holding of uninvested cash; differences in the timing of the accrual or the valuation of dividends or interest received by the Fund or distributions paid to Fund shareholders; tax gains or losses; the requirements for the Fund to maintain pass-through tax treatment; portfolio transactions carried out to minimize the distribution of capital gains to shareholders; the acceptance of custom baskets; changes to the Underlying Index; and impacts to the Fund of complying with certain regulatory requirements or limits. Tracking error risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. A Fund that tracks an index with exposure to non-U.S. issuers may experience higher tracking error than ETFs that do not track such indexes.
S-28


Valuation Risk. The price that the Fund could receive upon the sale (or other disposition) of a security or other asset may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security or other asset, particularly for securities or other assets that trade in low volume or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology. The price received by the Fund also may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index. In addition, the value of the securities or other assets in the Fund’s portfolio may change on days or during time periods when investors are not able to
purchase or sell Fund shares. Authorized Participants that create or redeem Fund shares on days when the Fund is holding fair-valued securities or other assets may receive fewer or more shares, or lower or higher redemption proceeds, than they would have received had the securities or other assets not been fair valued or been valued using a different methodology. The ability to value investments may be impacted by technological issues or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
S-29


Performance Information
The performance information below illustrates how the Fund’s performance has varied over different periods and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table compares the Fund’s performance to that of an appropriate broad-based securities market indexand the Underlying Index. Fund returns assume the reinvestment of any dividends and distributions. The Fund’s returns reflect the impact of any agreements to waive or reimburse expenses, which would reduce performance if not in effect. Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information, including the Fund’s current NAV, may be obtained by visiting www.iShares.com or by calling 1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737) (toll free).
Calendar Year-by-Year Returns
 
Return (%)
Period Ended
Calendar Year-to-Date Return
2.56%
September 30, 2024
During the periods shown in the chart:
Best Quarter
27.24%
June 30, 2020
Worst Quarter
-23.19%
March 31, 2020
Average Annual Total Returns
(for the periods ended December 31, 2023)
 
One Year
Five Years
Ten Years
(Inception Date: 9/1/2010)
Return Before Taxes
3.53%
3.64%
6.24%
Return After Taxes on Distributions
3.15%
3.28%
5.77%
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
2.95%
3.09%
5.29%
MSCI ACWI ex USA Index1 (Returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)
15.62%
7.08%
3.83%
MSCI New Zealand All Cap Top 25 Capped Index2 (Returns do not reflect deductions for fees,
expenses or taxes)
4.47%
4.19%
6.73%

1The Fund has added this broad-based index in response to new regulatory requirements.
2Index returns through September 2, 2024 reflect the performance of the MSCI New Zealand IMI 25/50 Index. Index returns beginning on September 3, 2024 reflect the performance of the MSCI New Zealand All Cap Top 25 Capped Index, which, effective as of September 3, 2024, replaced the MSCI New Zealand IMI 25/50 Index as the Underlying Index of the Fund.
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 sales 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.
S-30


Management
Investment Adviser. BlackRock Fund Advisors.
Portfolio Managers. Jennifer Hsui, Greg Savage and Paul Whitehead (the Portfolio Managers) are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Each Portfolio Manager supervises a portfolio management team. Ms. Hsui, Mr. Savage and Mr. Whitehead have been Portfolio Managers of the Fund since 2012, 2010 and 2022, respectively.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund is an ETF. Individual shares of the Fund may only be bought and sold in the secondary market through a broker-dealer. Because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). An investor may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase shares of the Fund (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares of the Fund (ask) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the bid-ask spread).
Tax Information
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA, in which case, your distributions generally will be taxed when withdrawn.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), BFA or other related companies may pay the intermediary for marketing activities and presentations, educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems or other services related to the sale or promotion of the Fund. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
S-31


iSHARES® MSCI NORWAY ETF
Ticker: ENORStock Exchange: Cboe BZX
Investment Objective
The iShares MSCI Norway ETF (the Fund) seeks to track the investment results of a broad-based index composed of Norwegian equities.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you will incur if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. The investment advisory agreement between iShares Trust (the Trust) and BlackRock Fund Advisors (BFA) (the Investment Advisory Agreement) provides that BFA will pay all operating expenses of the Fund, except: (i) the management fees, (ii) interest expenses, (iii) taxes, (iv) expenses incurred with respect to the acquisition and disposition of portfolio securities and the execution of portfolio transactions, including brokerage commissions, (v) distribution fees or expenses, and (vi) litigation expenses and any extraordinary expenses.
You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(ongoing expenses that you pay each year as a
percentage of the value of your investments)1
Management
Fees
Distribution
and Service
(12b-1) Fees
Other
Expenses2
Total Annual
Fund
Operating
Expenses
0.53%
None
0.00%
0.53%

1Operating expenses paid by BFA under the Investment Advisory Agreement exclude acquired fund fees and expenses, if any.
2The amount rounded to 0.00%.
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
$54
$170
$296
$665
Portfolio Turnover. The Fund may pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in the Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 13% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund seeks to track the investment results of the MSCI Norway IMI 25/50 Index (the Underlying Index), which is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that is designed to measure the performance of the large-, mid- and small-capitalization segments of the equity market in Norway. The Underlying Index is rebalanced quarterly using an optimization process that aims to minimize the constituent weight differences between the Underlying Index and the MSCI Norway Index (the Parent Index). The Underlying Index uses a capping methodology that limits the weight of any single group entity (constituents that MSCI determines have a control relationship)
to a maximum of 25% of the Underlying Index weight, and the sum of all group entities with a weight above 5% to an aggregate of 50% of the Underlying Index weight. A group entity is a group of companies that operate as an affiliated corporate group but may separately issue listed securities. To determine group entities, MSCI analyzes financial accounts of listed companies holding stakes of 20% or more in other listed companies to determine whether these stakes are controlling in nature. In certain cases, even in the absence of consolidated accounts, MSCI may also consider two companies as belonging to the same group entity where there is reasonable evidence of control based on other information. All group entities are reviewed on an annual basis. As of August 31, 2024, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the energy and financials industries or sectors. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time.
BFA uses an indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund’s investment objective. The Fund does not try to beat the index it tracks and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.
Indexing may eliminate the chance that the Fund will substantially outperform the Underlying Index but also may reduce some of the
S-32


risks of active management, such as poor security selection. Indexing seeks to achieve lower costs and better after-tax performance by aiming to keep portfolio turnover low in comparison to actively managed investment companies.
BFA uses a representative sampling indexing strategy to manage the Fund. Representative sampling is an indexing strategy that involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to that of an applicable underlying index. The securities selected are expected to have, in the aggregate, investment characteristics (based on factors such as market capitalization and industry weightings), fundamental characteristics (such as return variability and yield) and liquidity measures similar to those of an applicable underlying index. The Fund may or may not hold all of the securities in the Underlying Index.
The Fund generally will invest at least 80% of its assets in the component securities of its Underlying Index and in investments that have economic characteristics that are substantially identical to the component securities of its Underlying Index (i.e., depositary receipts representing securities of the Underlying Index) and may invest up to 20% of its assets in certain futures, options and swap contracts, cash and cash equivalents, including shares of money market funds advised by BFA or its affiliates, as well as in securities not included in the Underlying Index, but which BFA believes will help the Fund track the Underlying Index. Cash and cash equivalent investments associated with a derivative position will be treated as part of that position for the purposes of calculating the percentage of investments included in the Underlying Index. The Fund seeks to track the investment results of the Underlying Index before fees and expenses of the Fund.
The Fund may lend securities representing up to one-third of the value of the Fund's total assets (including the value of any collateral received).
The Underlying Index is sponsored by MSCI Inc. (the Index Provider or MSCI), which isindependent of the Fund and BFA. The Index Provider determines the composition and relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.
Industry Concentration Policy. The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., hold 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities) and repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities are not considered to be issued by members of any industry.
Summary of Principal Risks
As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund's performance could trail that of other investments. The Fund is subject to certain risks, including the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund's net asset value per share (NAV), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective. Certain key risks are prioritized below (with others following in alphabetical order), but the relative significance of any
risk is difficult to predict and may change over time. You should review each risk factor carefully.
Risk of Investing in Norway. Investments in Norwegian issuers will subject the Fund to legal, regulatory, political, currency, security, and economic risks specific to Norway. Norway is a major producer of oil and gas, and Norway’s economy is subject to the risk of fluctuations in oil and gas prices. In recent years, labor costs in Norway have increased faster than those of its major trading partners, eroding industrial competitiveness.
Non-U.S. Securities Risk. Securities issued by non-U.S. issuers (including depositary receipts) are subject to different legal, regulatory, political, economic, and market risks than securities issued by U.S. issuers. These risks include greater market volatility, less market liquidity, higher transaction costs, expropriation, confiscatory taxation, adverse changes in foreign investment or currency control regulations, restrictions on the repatriation of capital, and political instability. Non-U.S. issuers may be subject to different accounting, audit and financial reporting standards than U.S. issuers, and there may be less publicly available information about non-U.S. issuers. Foreign market trading hours, different clearing and settlement procedures, and holiday schedules may limit the Fund's ability to engage in portfolio transactions. To the extent that investments are made in a limited number of countries, events in those countries will have a more significant impact on the Fund. The Fund is specifically exposed to European Economic Risk.
Equity Securities Risk. Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than those of other asset classes. The value of a security may decline for a number of reasons that may directly relate to the issuer as well as due to general industry or market conditions. Common stock is subordinated to preferred securities and debt in a company’s capital structure. Common stock has the lowest priority, and the greatest risk, with respect to dividends and any liquidation payments in the event of an issuer’s bankruptcy.
Market Risk. The Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during more prolonged market downturns. Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, pandemics or other public health issues, recessions, the prospect or occurrence of a sovereign default or other financial crisis, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and could result in increased premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV.
Index-Related Risk. The Index Provider may rely on various sources of information to assess the criteria of components of the Underlying Index, including information that may be based on assumptions and estimates. Neither the Fund nor BFA can offer assurances that the Index Provider’s methodology or sources of information will provide an accurate assessment of included components or will result in the Fund meeting its investment objective. Errors in index data, index computations or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur, and the Index Provider may not identify or correct them promptly or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders. Unusual market conditions or other unforeseen circumstances (such as natural disasters, political unrest or war) may impact the Index Provider
S-33


or a third-party data provider and could cause the Index Provider to postpone a scheduled rebalance. This could cause the Underlying Index to vary from its normal or expected composition.
Asset Class Risk. The securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or in the Fund’s portfolio may underperform in comparison to financial markets generally, a particular financial market, another index, or other asset classes.
Assets Under Management (AUM) Risk. From time to time, an Authorized Participant (as defined below in Authorized Participant Concentration Risk), a third-party investor, the Fund’s adviser, an affiliate of the Fund’s adviser, or another fund may invest in the Fund and hold its investment for a specific period of time to allow the Fund to achieve size or scale. There can be no assurance that any such entity would not redeem its investment or that the size of the Fund would be maintained at such levels, which could negatively impact the Fund.
Authorized Participant Concentration Risk.  An Authorized Participant is a member or participant of a clearing agency registered with the SEC, which has a written agreement with the Fund or one of its service providers that allows the Authorized Participant to place orders for the purchase and redemption of creation units (Creation Units). Only an Authorized Participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. There are a limited number of institutions that may act as Authorized Participants for the Fund, including on an agency basis on behalf of other market participants. No Authorized Participant is obligated to engage in creation or redemption transactions. To the extent that Authorized Participants exit the business or do not place creation or redemption orders for the Fund and no other Authorized Participant places orders, Fund shares are more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts or delisting.
Commodity Risk. The Fund invests in Norwegian issuers that are susceptible to fluctuations in certain commodity markets and to price changes due to trade relations. Any negative changes in commodity markets that may be due to changes in supply and demand for commodities, market events, war, regulatory developments, other catastrophic events, or other factors that the Fund cannot control could have an adverse impact on the Norwegian economy.
Concentration Risk. The Fund may be susceptible to an increased risk of loss, including losses due to adverse events that affect the Fund’s investments more than the market as a whole, to the extent that the Fund’s investments are concentrated in the securities or other assets of one or more issuers, countries or other geographic units, markets, industries, project types, or asset classes.
Currency Risk. Because the Fund’s NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the NAV could decline if the currency of the non-U.S. market in which the Fund invests depreciates against the U.S. dollar or if there are delays or limits on the repatriation of foreign currency. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the Fund’s NAV may change quickly and without warning. In addition, the Fund may incur costs in connection with conversions between U.S. dollars and foreign currencies.
Cybersecurity Risk. Failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, its adviser, distributor,Index Provider, other service providers, counterparties, or issuers of assets in which the Fund invests may cause disruptions that negatively impact the Fund and its shareholders. While the Fund has established business continuity plans and risk management systems seeking to address system breaches or failures, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems. The Fund cannot control the cybersecurity plans and systems of its service providers, counterparties, and other third parties whose activities affect the Fund. In addition, cyber incidents may adversely impact the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which may cause such investments to lose value.
Energy Companies Risk. Companies in the energy sector may be adversely affected by volatility in energy and commodity prices, lower demand, overproduction, depletion of resources, social and political unrest, war, trade disputes, government regulations and energy transition efforts, among other factors. The energy sector is cyclical and can be significantly impacted by changes in economic conditions. Some energy companies, such as those in the oil and gas sector, face substantial costs related to exploration and production and significant operational risks. Energy companies are at risk of environmental damage claims and other litigation.
Financial Companies Risk. Financial services companies are subject to extensive governmental regulation and intervention, which may adversely affect their profitability, the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge, the amount of capital and liquid assets they must maintain and their size, among other things. Financial services companies also may be significantly affected by, among other things, interest rates, economic conditions, volatility in financial markets, credit rating downgrades, adverse public perception, exposure concentration and counterparty risk.
Issuer Risk. The performance of the Fund depends on the performance of individual securities or other assets to which the Fund has exposure. The value of securities or other assets may decline, or perform differently from the market as a whole, due to changes in the financial condition or credit rating of the issuer or counterparty.
Large-Capitalization Companies Risk. Large-capitalization companies may be less able than smaller-capitalization companies to adapt to changing market conditions and competitive challenges. Large-capitalization companies may be more mature and subject to more limited growth potential compared with smaller-capitalization companies. The performance of large-capitalization companies could trail the overall performance of the broader securities markets.
Management Risk. The Fund generally does not attempt to take defensive positions under any market conditions, including declining markets. As the Fund will not fully replicate the Underlying Index and may hold securities or other assets not included in the Underlying Index, it is subject to the risk that the investment strategy of BFA may not produce the intended results. There is no guarantee that the Fund’s investment results will have a high degree of correlation to those of the Underlying Index or that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.
S-34


Market Trading Risk. The Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund shares (including through a trading halt), losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility, and disruptions in the process of creating and redeeming Fund shares. Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Fund’s shares trading in the secondary market at a premium or discount to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s portfolio holdings. If you buy Fund shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to NAV or sell Fund shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to NAV, you may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the Fund shares.
Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk. Compared to large-capitalization companies, mid-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments. The securities of mid-capitalization companies may be more volatile and less liquid than those of large-capitalization companies. As a result, the Fund’s share price may be more volatile than that of a fund with a greater investment in large-capitalization stocks.
National Closed Market Trading Risk. To the extent that securities or other assets held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges or in foreign markets that may be closed when the securities exchange on which the Fund’s shares trade is open, there are likely to be deviations between such asset’s current price and its last quoted price (i.e., the quote from the closed foreign market to the Fund). The impact of a closed foreign market on the Fund is likely to be greater where a large portion of the Fund’s holdings trade on a closed foreign market or when a foreign market is closed for unscheduled reasons. These deviations could result in premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV that may be greater than those experienced by other funds.
Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is classified as non-diversified. This means that, compared with funds that are classified as diversified, the Fund may invest a greater percentage of its assets in securities or other instruments representing a small number of issuers or counterparties and thus may be more susceptible to the risks associated with these particular issuers or counterparties. As a result, the Fund's performance may depend to a greater extent on the performance of a small number of issuers or counterparties, which may lead to more volatility in the Fund’s NAV.
Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risks arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. The Fund and BFA seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate to address significant operational risks.
Reliance on Trading Partners Risk. The Fund invests in a country whose economy is heavily dependent upon trading with key partners. Any reduction in this trading may have an adverse impact on the Fund's investments. Through its holdings of securities of certain issuers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk, European Economic Risk and U.S. Economic Risk.
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 collateral provided for 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.
Small-Capitalization Companies Risk. Compared to mid- and large-capitalization companies, small-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments. The securities of small-capitalization companies may be more volatile and less liquid than those of mid- and large-capitalization companies. As a result, the Fund’s share price may be more volatile than that of a fund with a greater investment in large- or mid-capitalization stocks.
Small Fund Risk. When the Fund’s size is small, the Fund may experience low trading volume and wide bid/ask spreads. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if it does not meet certain requirements set by the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could lead to elevated transaction costs for the Fund and negative tax consequences for its shareholders.
Tracking Error Risk. The Fund may be subject to tracking error, which is the divergence of the Fund’s performance from that of the Underlying Index. Tracking error may occur due to a number of factors, including differences between the securities and other assets held in the Fund’s portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index; differences in the timing and methodologies used to value securities and other assets; transaction costs and other expenses incurred by the Fund that the Underlying Index does not incur; the Fund’s holding of uninvested cash; differences in the timing of the accrual or the valuation of dividends or interest received by the Fund or distributions paid to Fund shareholders; tax gains or losses; the requirements for the Fund to maintain pass-through tax treatment; portfolio transactions carried out to minimize the distribution of capital gains to shareholders; the acceptance of custom baskets; changes to the Underlying Index; and impacts to the Fund of complying with certain regulatory requirements or limits. Tracking error risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Until the Fund reaches greater scale, it may experience higher tracking error than is typical for similar index ETFs. A Fund that tracks an index with exposure to non-U.S. issuers may experience higher tracking error than ETFs that do not track such index.
Valuation Risk. The price that the Fund could receive upon the sale (or other disposition) of a security or other asset may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security or other asset, particularly for securities or other assets that trade in low volume or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology. The price received by the Fund also may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index. In addition, the value of the securities or other assets in the Fund’s portfolio may change on days or during time periods when investors are not able to purchase or sell Fund shares. Authorized Participants that create or redeem Fund shares on days when the Fund is holding fair-valued securities or other assets may receive fewer or more shares, or lower or higher redemption proceeds, than they would have received had the securities or other assets not been fair valued or been valued using a different methodology. The ability to value investments may be impacted by technological issues or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
S-35


Performance Information
The performance information below illustrates how the Fund’s performance has varied over different periods and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table compares the Fund’s performance to that of an appropriate broad-based securities market indexand the Underlying Index. Fund returns assume the reinvestment of any dividends and distributions. The Fund’s returns reflect the impact of any agreements to waive or reimburse expenses, which would reduce performance if not in effect. Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information, including the Fund’s current NAV, may be obtained by visiting www.iShares.com or by calling 1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737) (toll free).
Calendar Year-by-Year Returns
 
Return (%)
Period Ended
Calendar Year-to-Date Return
4.43%
September 30, 2024
During the periods shown in the chart:
Best Quarter
24.23%
December 31, 2020
Worst Quarter
-37.24%
March 31, 2020
Average Annual Total Returns
(for the periods ended December 31, 2023)
 
One Year
Five Years
Ten Years
(Inception Date: 1/23/2012)
Return Before Taxes
4.55%
4.70%
0.79%
Return After Taxes on Distributions
4.43%
4.67%
0.73%
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
4.65%
4.42%
1.19%
MSCI ACWI ex USA Index1 (Returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)
15.62%
7.08%
3.83%
MSCI Norway IMI 25/50 Index (Returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)
5.52%
5.13%
1.15%

1The Fund has added this broad-based index in response to new regulatory requirements.
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 sales 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.
S-36


Management
Investment Adviser. BlackRock Fund Advisors.
Portfolio Managers. Jennifer Hsui, Greg Savage and Paul Whitehead (the Portfolio Managers) are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Each Portfolio Manager supervises a portfolio management team. Ms. Hsui and Mr. Savage have been Portfolio Managers of the Fund since 2012. Mr. Whitehead has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2022.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund is an ETF. Individual shares of the Fund may only be bought and sold in the secondary market through a broker-dealer. Because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). An investor may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase shares of the Fund (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares of the Fund (ask) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the bid-ask spread).
Tax Information
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA, in which case, your distributions generally will be taxed when withdrawn.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), BFA or other related companies may pay the intermediary for marketing activities and presentations, educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems or other services related to the sale or promotion of the Fund. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
S-37


iSHARES® MSCI POLAND ETF
Ticker: EPOLStock Exchange: NYSE Arca
Investment Objective
The iShares MSCI Poland ETF (the Fund) seeks to track the investment results of a broad-based index composed of Polish equities.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you will incur if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. The investment advisory agreement between iShares Trust (the Trust) and BlackRock Fund Advisors (BFA) (the Investment Advisory Agreement) provides that BFA will pay all operating expenses of the Fund, except: (i) the management fees, (ii) interest expenses, (iii) taxes, (iv) expenses incurred with respect to the acquisition and disposition of portfolio securities and the execution of portfolio transactions, including brokerage commissions, (v) distribution fees or expenses, and (vi) litigation expenses and any extraordinary expenses.
You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(ongoing expenses that you pay each year as a
percentage of the value of your investments)1
Management
Fees
Distribution
and Service
(12b-1) Fees
Other
Expenses
Total Annual
Fund
Operating
Expenses
0.59%
None
0.01%
0.60%

1Operating expenses paid by BFA under the Investment Advisory Agreement exclude acquired fund fees and expenses, if any.
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
$61
$192
$335
$750
Portfolio Turnover. The Fund may pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in the Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 11% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund seeks to track the investment results of the MSCI Poland IMI 25/50 Index (the Underlying Index), which is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that is designed to measure the performance of the large-, mid- and small-capitalization segments of the equity market in Poland. The Underlying Index is rebalanced quarterly using an optimization process that aims to minimize the constituent weight differences between the Underlying Index and the MSCI Poland Index (the Parent Index). The Underlying Index uses a capping methodology that limits the weight of any single group entity (constituents that MSCI determines have a control relationship)
to a maximum of 25% of the Underlying Index weight, and the sum of all group entities with a weight above 5% to an aggregate of 50% of the Underlying Index weight. A group entity is a group of companies that operate as an affiliated corporate group but may separately issue listed securities. To determine group entities, MSCI analyzes financial accounts of listed companies holding stakes of 20% or more in other listed companies to determine whether these stakes are controlling in nature. In certain cases, even in the absence of consolidated accounts, MSCI may also consider two companies as belonging to the same group entity where there is reasonable evidence of control based on other information. All group entities are reviewed on an annual basis. As of August 31, 2024, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the financials industry or sector. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time.
BFA uses an indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund’s investment objective. The Fund does not try to beat the index it tracks and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.
Indexing may eliminate the chance that the Fund will substantially outperform the Underlying Index but also may reduce some of the
S-38


risks of active management, such as poor security selection. Indexing seeks to achieve lower costs and better after-tax performance by aiming to keep portfolio turnover low in comparison to actively managed investment companies.
BFA uses a representative sampling indexing strategy to manage the Fund. Representative sampling is an indexing strategy that involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to that of an applicable underlying index. The securities selected are expected to have, in the aggregate, investment characteristics (based on factors such as market capitalization and industry weightings), fundamental characteristics (such as return variability and yield) and liquidity measures similar to those of an applicable underlying index. The Fund may or may not hold all of the securities in the Underlying Index.
The Fund generally will invest at least 80% of its assets in the component securities of its Underlying Index and in investments that have economic characteristics that are substantially identical to the component securities of its Underlying Index (i.e., depositary receipts representing securities of the Underlying Index) and may invest up to 20% of its assets in certain futures, options and swap contracts, cash and cash equivalents, including shares of money market funds advised by BFA or its affiliates, as well as in securities not included in the Underlying Index, but which BFA believes will help the Fund track the Underlying Index. Cash and cash equivalent investments associated with a derivative position will be treated as part of that position for the purposes of calculating the percentage of investments included in the Underlying Index. The Fund seeks to track the investment results of the Underlying Index before fees and expenses of the Fund.
The Fund may lend securities representing up to one-third of the value of the Fund's total assets (including the value of any collateral received).
The Underlying Index is sponsored by MSCI Inc. (the Index Provider or MSCI), which isindependent of the Fund and BFA. The Index Provider determines the composition and relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.
Industry Concentration Policy. The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., hold 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities) and repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities are not considered to be issued by members of any industry.
Summary of Principal Risks
As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund's performance could trail that of other investments. The Fund is subject to certain risks, including the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund's net asset value per share (NAV), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective. Certain key risks are prioritized below (with others following in alphabetical order), but the relative significance of any
risk is difficult to predict and may change over time. You should review each risk factor carefully.
Risk of Investing in Poland. Investments in Polish issuers will subject the Fund to legal, regulatory, political, currency and economic risk specific to Poland. Among other things, Poland’s economy is still relatively undeveloped and is heavily dependent on relationships with certain key trading partners, including Germany and other European Union (EU) countries. As a result, Poland’s continued growth is dependent on the growth of these economies.
Non-U.S. Securities Risk. Securities issued by non-U.S. issuers (including depositary receipts) are subject to different legal, regulatory, political, economic, and market risks than securities issued by U.S. issuers. These risks include greater market volatility, less market liquidity, higher transaction costs, expropriation, confiscatory taxation, adverse changes in foreign investment or currency control regulations, restrictions on the repatriation of capital, and political instability. Non-U.S. issuers may be subject to different accounting, audit and financial reporting standards than U.S. issuers, and there may be less publicly available information about non-U.S. issuers. Foreign market trading hours, different clearing and settlement procedures, and holiday schedules may limit the Fund's ability to engage in portfolio transactions. To the extent that investments are made in a limited number of countries, events in those countries will have a more significant impact on the Fund. The Fund is specifically exposed to Eastern European Economic Risk.
Equity Securities Risk. Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than those of other asset classes. The value of a security may decline for a number of reasons that may directly relate to the issuer as well as due to general industry or market conditions. Common stock is subordinated to preferred securities and debt in a company’s capital structure. Common stock has the lowest priority, and the greatest risk, with respect to dividends and any liquidation payments in the event of an issuer’s bankruptcy.
Market Risk. The Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during more prolonged market downturns. Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, pandemics or other public health issues, recessions, the prospect or occurrence of a sovereign default or other financial crisis, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and could result in increased premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV.
Index-Related Risk. The Index Provider may rely on various sources of information to assess the criteria of components of the Underlying Index, including information that may be based on assumptions and estimates. Neither the Fund nor BFA can offer assurances that the Index Provider’s methodology or sources of information will provide an accurate assessment of included components or will result in the Fund meeting its investment objective. Errors in index data, index computations or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur, and the Index Provider may not identify or correct them promptly or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders. Unusual market
S-39


conditions or other unforeseen circumstances (such as natural disasters, political unrest or war) may impact the Index Provider or a third-party data provider and could cause the Index Provider to postpone a scheduled rebalance. This could cause the Underlying Index to vary from its normal or expected composition.
Asset Class Risk. The securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or in the Fund’s portfolio may underperform in comparison to financial markets generally, a particular financial market, another index, or other asset classes.
Authorized Participant Concentration Risk.  An Authorized Participant is a member or participant of a clearing agency registered with the SEC, which has a written agreement with the Fund or one of its service providers that allows the Authorized Participant to place orders for the purchase and redemption of creation units (Creation Units). Only an Authorized Participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. There are a limited number of institutions that may act as Authorized Participants for the Fund, including on an agency basis on behalf of other market participants. No Authorized Participant is obligated to engage in creation or redemption transactions. To the extent that Authorized Participants exit the business or do not place creation or redemption orders for the Fund and no other Authorized Participant places orders, Fund shares are more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts or delisting.
Commodity Risk. The Fund invests in Polish issuers that are susceptible to fluctuations in certain commodity markets and to price changes due to trade relations. Any negative changes in commodity markets that may be due to changes in supply and demand for commodities, market events, war, regulatory developments, other catastrophic events, or other factors that the Fund cannot control could have an adverse impact on the Polish economy.
Concentration Risk. The Fund may be susceptible to an increased risk of loss, including losses due to adverse events that affect the Fund’s investments more than the market as a whole, to the extent that the Fund’s investments are concentrated in the securities or other assets of one or more issuers, countries or other geographic units, markets, industries, project types, or asset classes.
Currency Risk. Because the Fund’s NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the NAV could decline if the currency of the non-U.S. market in which the Fund invests depreciates against the U.S. dollar or if there are delays or limits on the repatriation of foreign currency. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the Fund’s NAV may change quickly and without warning. In addition, the Fund may incur costs in connection with conversions between U.S. dollars and foreign currencies.
Custody Risk. Less developed securities markets are more likely to experience problems with the clearing and settlement of trades, as well as the custody of securities and other assets by local banks, agents and depositories. These issues may have an adverse impact on the Fund, including losses or delays in payments, delivery or recovery of money or other assets.
Cybersecurity Risk. Failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, its adviser, distributor,Index Provider, other
service providers, counterparties, or issuers of assets in which the Fund invests may cause disruptions that negatively impact the Fund and its shareholders. While the Fund has established business continuity plans and risk management systems seeking to address system breaches or failures, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems. The Fund cannot control the cybersecurity plans and systems of its service providers, counterparties, and other third parties whose activities affect the Fund. In addition, cyber incidents may adversely impact the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which may cause such investments to lose value.
Financial Companies Risk. Financial services companies are subject to extensive governmental regulation and intervention, which may adversely affect their profitability, the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge, the amount of capital and liquid assets they must maintain and their size, among other things. Financial services companies also may be significantly affected by, among other things, interest rates, economic conditions, volatility in financial markets, credit rating downgrades, adverse public perception, exposure concentration and counterparty risk.
Issuer Risk. The performance of the Fund depends on the performance of individual securities or other assets to which the Fund has exposure. The value of securities or other assets may decline, or perform differently from the market as a whole, due to changes in the financial condition or credit rating of the issuer or counterparty.
Large-Capitalization Companies Risk. Large-capitalization companies may be less able than smaller-capitalization companies to adapt to changing market conditions and competitive challenges. Large-capitalization companies may be more mature and subject to more limited growth potential compared with smaller-capitalization companies. The performance of large-capitalization companies could trail the overall performance of the broader securities markets.
Management Risk. The Fund generally does not attempt to take defensive positions under any market conditions, including declining markets. As the Fund will not fully replicate the Underlying Index and may hold securities or other assets not included in the Underlying Index, it is subject to the risk that the investment strategy of BFA may not produce the intended results. There is no guarantee that the Fund’s investment results will have a high degree of correlation to those of the Underlying Index or that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.
Market Trading Risk. The Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund shares (including through a trading halt), losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility, and disruptions in the process of creating and redeeming Fund shares. Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Fund’s shares trading in the secondary market at a premium or discount to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s portfolio holdings. If you buy Fund shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to NAV or sell Fund shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to NAV, you may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the Fund shares.
S-40


Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk. Compared to large-capitalization companies, mid-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments. The securities of mid-capitalization companies may be more volatile and less liquid than those of large-capitalization companies. As a result, the Fund’s share price may be more volatile than that of a fund with a greater investment in large-capitalization stocks.
National Closed Market Trading Risk. To the extent that securities or other assets held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges or in foreign markets that may be closed when the securities exchange on which the Fund’s shares trade is open, there are likely to be deviations between such asset’s current price and its last quoted price (i.e., the quote from the closed foreign market to the Fund). The impact of a closed foreign market on the Fund is likely to be greater where a large portion of the Fund’s holdings trade on a closed foreign market or when a foreign market is closed for unscheduled reasons. These deviations could result in premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV that may be greater than those experienced by other funds.
Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is classified as non-diversified. This means that, compared with funds that are classified as diversified, the Fund may invest a greater percentage of its assets in securities or other instruments representing a small number of issuers or counterparties and thus may be more susceptible to the risks associated with these particular issuers or counterparties. As a result, the Fund's performance may depend to a greater extent on the performance of a small number of issuers or counterparties, which may lead to more volatility in the Fund’s NAV.
Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risks arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. The Fund and BFA seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate to address significant operational risks.
Reliance on Trading Partners Risk. The Fund invests in a country whose economy is heavily dependent upon trading with key partners. Any reduction in this trading may have an adverse impact on the Fund's investments. Through its holdings of securities of certain issuers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Eastern European Economic Risk and European Economic Risk.
Risk of Investing in Emerging Markets. Investments in emerging market issuers may be subject to a greater risk of loss than investments in issuers located or operating in more developed markets. Emerging markets may be more likely to experience inflation, social instability, political turmoil or rapid changes in economic conditions than more developed markets. Companies in many emerging markets are not subject to the same degree of regulatory requirements, accounting standards or auditor oversight as companies in more developed countries, and as a result, information about the securities in which the Fund invests may be less reliable or complete. Emerging markets often have less reliable securities valuations and greater risk associated with custody of securities than developed markets. There may be
significant obstacles to obtaining information necessary for investigations into or litigation against companies and shareholders may have limited legal remedies. The Fund does not select investments based on investor protection considerations.
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 collateral provided for 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.
Small-Capitalization Companies Risk. Compared to mid- and large-capitalization companies, small-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments. The securities of small-capitalization companies may be more volatile and less liquid than those of mid- and large-capitalization companies. As a result, the Fund’s share price may be more volatile than that of a fund with a greater investment in large- or mid-capitalization stocks.
Tracking Error Risk. The Fund may be subject to tracking error, which is the divergence of the Fund’s performance from that of the Underlying Index. Tracking error may occur due to a number of factors, including differences between the securities and other assets held in the Fund’s portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index; differences in the timing and methodologies used to value securities and other assets; transaction costs and other expenses incurred by the Fund that the Underlying Index does not incur; the Fund’s holding of uninvested cash; differences in the timing of the accrual or the valuation of dividends or interest received by the Fund or distributions paid to Fund shareholders; tax gains or losses; the requirements for the Fund to maintain pass-through tax treatment; portfolio transactions carried out to minimize the distribution of capital gains to shareholders; the acceptance of custom baskets; changes to the Underlying Index; and impacts to the Fund of complying with certain regulatory requirements or limits. Tracking error risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. A Fund that tracks an index with exposure to non-U.S. issuers may experience higher tracking error than ETFs that do not track such indexes.
Valuation Risk. The price that the Fund could receive upon the sale (or other disposition) of a security or other asset may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security or other asset, particularly for securities or other assets that trade in low volume or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology. The price received by the Fund also may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index. In addition, the value of the securities or other assets in the Fund’s portfolio may change on days or during time periods when investors are not able to purchase or sell Fund shares. Authorized Participants that create or redeem Fund shares on days when the Fund is holding fair-valued securities or other assets may receive fewer or more shares, or lower or higher redemption proceeds, than they would have received had the securities or other assets not been fair valued or been valued using a different methodology. The ability to value investments may be impacted by technological issues or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
S-41


Performance Information
The performance information below illustrates how the Fund’s performance has varied over different periods and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table compares the Fund’s performance to that of an appropriate broad-based securities market indexand the Underlying Index. Fund returns assume the reinvestment of any dividends and distributions. The Fund’s returns reflect the impact of any agreements to waive or reimburse expenses, which would reduce performance if not in effect. Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information, including the Fund’s current NAV, may be obtained by visiting www.iShares.com or by calling 1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737) (toll free).
Calendar Year-by-Year Returns
 
Return (%)
Period Ended
Calendar Year-to-Date Return
8.76%
September 30, 2024
During the periods shown in the chart:
Best Quarter
47.27%
December 31, 2022
Worst Quarter
-35.24%
March 31, 2020
Average Annual Total Returns
(for the periods ended December 31, 2023)
 
One Year
Five Years
Ten Years
(Inception Date: 5/25/2010)
Return Before Taxes
50.13%
1.96%
-0.38%
Return After Taxes on Distributions
49.43%
1.49%
-0.77%
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
30.69%
1.48%
-0.23%
MSCI Emerging Markets Index1 (Returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)
9.83%
3.68%
2.66%
MSCI Poland IMI 25/50 Index (Returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)
51.32%
2.07%
-0.24%

1The Fund has added this broad-based index in response to new regulatory requirements.
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 sales 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.
S-42


Management
Investment Adviser. BlackRock Fund Advisors.
Portfolio Managers. Jennifer Hsui, Greg Savage and Paul Whitehead (the Portfolio Managers) are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Each Portfolio Manager supervises a portfolio management team. Ms. Hsui, Mr. Savage and Mr. Whitehead have been Portfolio Managers of the Fund since 2012, 2010 and 2022, respectively.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund is an ETF. Individual shares of the Fund may only be bought and sold in the secondary market through a broker-dealer. Because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). An investor may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase shares of the Fund (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares of the Fund (ask) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the bid-ask spread).
Tax Information
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA, in which case, your distributions generally will be taxed when withdrawn.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), BFA or other related companies may pay the intermediary for marketing activities and presentations, educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems or other services related to the sale or promotion of the Fund. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
S-43


iSHARES® MSCI UNITED KINGDOM ETF
Ticker: EWUStock Exchange: NYSE Arca
Investment Objective
The iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF (the Fund) seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.K. equities.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you will incur if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. The investment advisory agreement between iShares Trust (the Trust) and BlackRock Fund Advisors (BFA) (the Investment Advisory Agreement) provides that BFA will pay all operating expenses of the Fund, except: (i) the management fees, (ii) interest expenses, (iii) taxes, (iv) expenses incurred with respect to the acquisition and disposition of portfolio securities and the execution of portfolio transactions, including brokerage commissions, (v) distribution fees or expenses, and (vi) litigation expenses and any extraordinary expenses.
You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(ongoing expenses that you pay each year as a
percentage of the value of your investments)1
Management
Fees
Distribution
and Service
(12b-1) Fees
Other
Expenses2
Total Annual
Fund
Operating
Expenses
0.50%
None
0.00%
0.50%

1Operating expenses paid by BFA under the Investment Advisory Agreement exclude acquired fund fees and expenses, if any.
2The amount rounded to 0.00%.
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
$51
$160
$280
$628
Portfolio Turnover. The Fund may pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in the Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 10% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund seeks to track the investment results of the MSCI United Kingdom Index (the Underlying Index), which is designed to measure the performance of the large- and mid-capitalization segments of the United Kingdom (the U.K.) market. As of August 31, 2024, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the consumer staples and financials industries or sectors. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time.
BFA uses an indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund’s investment objective. The Fund does not try to beat the index it
tracks and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.
Indexing may eliminate the chance that the Fund will substantially outperform the Underlying Index but also may reduce some of the risks of active management, such as poor security selection. Indexing seeks to achieve lower costs and better after-tax performance by aiming to keep portfolio turnover low in comparison to actively managed investment companies.
BFA uses a representative sampling indexing strategy to manage the Fund. Representative sampling is an indexing strategy that involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to that of an applicable underlying index. The securities selected are expected to have, in the aggregate, investment characteristics (based on factors such as market capitalization and industry weightings), fundamental characteristics (such as return variability and yield) and liquidity measures similar to those of an applicable underlying index. The Fund may or may not hold all of the securities in the Underlying Index.
The Fund generally will invest at least 80% of its assets in the component securities of its Underlying Index and in investments
S-44


that have economic characteristics that are substantially identical to the component securities of its Underlying Index (i.e., depositary receipts representing securities of the Underlying Index) and may invest up to 20% of its assets in certain futures, options and swap contracts, cash and cash equivalents, including shares of money market funds advised by BFA or its affiliates, as well as in securities not included in the Underlying Index, but which BFA believes will help the Fund track the Underlying Index. Cash and cash equivalent investments associated with a derivative position will be treated as part of that position for the purposes of calculating the percentage of investments included in the Underlying Index. The Fund seeks to track the investment results of the Underlying Index before fees and expenses of the Fund.
The Fund may lend securities representing up to one-third of the value of the Fund's total assets (including the value of any collateral received).
The Underlying Index is sponsored by MSCI Inc. (the Index Provider or MSCI), which isindependent of the Fund and BFA. The Index Provider determines the composition and relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.
Industry Concentration Policy. The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., hold 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities) and repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities are not considered to be issued by members of any industry.
Summary of Principal Risks
As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund's performance could trail that of other investments. The Fund is subject to certain risks, including the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund's net asset value per share (NAV), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective. Certain key risks are prioritized below (with others following in alphabetical order), but the relative significance of any risk is difficult to predict and may change over time. You should review each risk factor carefully.
Risk of Investing in the U.K. Investing in U.K. issuers subjects the Fund to legal, regulatory, political, economic, currency, geographic and security risks that are specific to the U.K. Economic downturns or political instability in its key trading partners, which include the United States and other European countries, could have an adverse effect on the U.K. economy. Following Brexit, certain trading matters between the U.K. and the European Union (the EU) remain unresolved, including with respect to financial services. The continuing uncertainty could have an adverse impact on the U.K. economy and currency.
Non-U.S. Securities Risk. Securities issued by non-U.S. issuers (including depositary receipts) are subject to different legal, regulatory, political, economic, and market risks than securities issued by U.S. issuers. These risks include greater market volatility, less market liquidity, higher transaction costs,
expropriation, confiscatory taxation, adverse changes in foreign investment or currency control regulations, restrictions on the repatriation of capital, and political instability. Non-U.S. issuers may be subject to different accounting, audit and financial reporting standards than U.S. issuers, and there may be less publicly available information about non-U.S. issuers. Foreign market trading hours, different clearing and settlement procedures, and holiday schedules may limit the Fund's ability to engage in portfolio transactions. To the extent that investments are made in a limited number of countries, events in those countries will have a more significant impact on the Fund. The Fund is specifically exposed to European Economic Risk.
Equity Securities Risk. Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than those of other asset classes. The value of a security may decline for a number of reasons that may directly relate to the issuer as well as due to general industry or market conditions. Common stock is subordinated to preferred securities and debt in a company’s capital structure. Common stock has the lowest priority, and the greatest risk, with respect to dividends and any liquidation payments in the event of an issuer’s bankruptcy.
Market Risk. The Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during more prolonged market downturns. Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, pandemics or other public health issues, recessions, the prospect or occurrence of a sovereign default or other financial crisis, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and could result in increased premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV.
Index-Related Risk. The Index Provider may rely on various sources of information to assess the criteria of components of the Underlying Index, including information that may be based on assumptions and estimates. Neither the Fund nor BFA can offer assurances that the Index Provider’s methodology or sources of information will provide an accurate assessment of included components or will result in the Fund meeting its investment objective. Errors in index data, index computations or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur, and the Index Provider may not identify or correct them promptly or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders. Unusual market conditions or other unforeseen circumstances (such as natural disasters, political unrest or war) may impact the Index Provider or a third-party data provider and could cause the Index Provider to postpone a scheduled rebalance. This could cause the Underlying Index to vary from its normal or expected composition.
Asset Class Risk. The securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or in the Fund’s portfolio may underperform in comparison to financial markets generally, a particular financial market, another index, or other asset classes.
Authorized Participant Concentration Risk.  An Authorized Participant is a member or participant of a clearing agency registered with the SEC, which has a written agreement with the Fund or one of its service providers that allows the Authorized Participant to place orders for the purchase and redemption of creation units (Creation Units). Only an Authorized Participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with
S-45


the Fund. There are a limited number of institutions that may act as Authorized Participants for the Fund, including on an agency basis on behalf of other market participants. No Authorized Participant is obligated to engage in creation or redemption transactions. To the extent that Authorized Participants exit the business or do not place creation or redemption orders for the Fund and no other Authorized Participant places orders, Fund shares are more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts or delisting.
Concentration Risk. The Fund may be susceptible to an increased risk of loss, including losses due to adverse events that affect the Fund’s investments more than the market as a whole, to the extent that the Fund’s investments are concentrated in the securities or other assets of one or more issuers, countries or other geographic units, markets, industries, project types, or asset classes.
Consumer Goods and Services Companies Risk. Consumer goods and services companies (consumer companies) face risks related to changes in consumer preferences and disposable income, commodity prices, government regulation, supply chain disruptions, damage to brand or reputation, economic slowdown and labor shortages, among other things.
Currency Risk. Because the Fund’s NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the NAV could decline if the currency of the non-U.S. market in which the Fund invests depreciates against the U.S. dollar or if there are delays or limits on the repatriation of foreign currency. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the Fund’s NAV may change quickly and without warning. In addition, the Fund may incur costs in connection with conversions between U.S. dollars and foreign currencies.
Cybersecurity Risk. Failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, its adviser, distributor,Index Provider, other service providers, counterparties, or issuers of assets in which the Fund invests may cause disruptions that negatively impact the Fund and its shareholders. While the Fund has established business continuity plans and risk management systems seeking to address system breaches or failures, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems. The Fund cannot control the cybersecurity plans and systems of its service providers, counterparties, and other third parties whose activities affect the Fund. In addition, cyber incidents may adversely impact the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which may cause such investments to lose value.
Financial Companies Risk. Financial services companies are subject to extensive governmental regulation and intervention, which may adversely affect their profitability, the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge, the amount of capital and liquid assets they must maintain and their size, among other things. Financial services companies also may be significantly affected by, among other things, interest rates, economic conditions, volatility in financial markets, credit rating downgrades, adverse public perception, exposure concentration and counterparty risk.
Issuer Risk. The performance of the Fund depends on the performance of individual securities or other assets to which the Fund has exposure. The value of securities or other assets may
decline, or perform differently from the market as a whole, due to changes in the financial condition or credit rating of the issuer or counterparty.
Large-Capitalization Companies Risk. Large-capitalization companies may be less able than smaller-capitalization companies to adapt to changing market conditions and competitive challenges. Large-capitalization companies may be more mature and subject to more limited growth potential compared with smaller-capitalization companies. The performance of large-capitalization companies could trail the overall performance of the broader securities markets.
Management Risk. The Fund generally does not attempt to take defensive positions under any market conditions, including declining markets. As the Fund will not fully replicate the Underlying Index and may hold securities or other assets not included in the Underlying Index, it is subject to the risk that the investment strategy of BFA may not produce the intended results. There is no guarantee that the Fund’s investment results will have a high degree of correlation to those of the Underlying Index or that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.
Market Trading Risk. The Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund shares (including through a trading halt), losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility, and disruptions in the process of creating and redeeming Fund shares. Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Fund’s shares trading in the secondary market at a premium or discount to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s portfolio holdings. If you buy Fund shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to NAV or sell Fund shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to NAV, you may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the Fund shares.
National Closed Market Trading Risk. To the extent that securities or other assets held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges or in foreign markets that may be closed when the securities exchange on which the Fund’s shares trade is open, there are likely to be deviations between such asset’s current price and its last quoted price (i.e., the quote from the closed foreign market to the Fund). The impact of a closed foreign market on the Fund is likely to be greater where a large portion of the Fund’s holdings trade on a closed foreign market or when a foreign market is closed for unscheduled reasons. These deviations could result in premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV that may be greater than those experienced by other funds.
Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is classified as non-diversified. This means that, compared with funds that are classified as diversified, the Fund may invest a greater percentage of its assets in securities or other instruments representing a small number of issuers or counterparties and thus may be more susceptible to the risks associated with these particular issuers or counterparties. As a result, the Fund's performance may depend to a greater extent on the performance of a small number of issuers or counterparties, which may lead to more volatility in the Fund’s NAV.
Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risks arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s
S-46


service providers, counterparties or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. The Fund and BFA seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate to address significant operational risks.
Reliance on Trading Partners Risk. The Fund invests in a country whose economy is heavily dependent upon trading with key partners. Any reduction in this trading may have an adverse impact on the Fund's investments. Through its holdings of securities of certain issuers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk, European Economic Risk and U.S. Economic Risk.
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 collateral provided for 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.
Tracking Error Risk. The Fund may be subject to tracking error, which is the divergence of the Fund’s performance from that of the Underlying Index. Tracking error may occur due to a number of factors, including differences between the securities and other assets held in the Fund’s portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index; differences in the timing and methodologies used to value securities and other assets; transaction costs and other expenses incurred by the Fund that the Underlying Index does not incur; the Fund’s holding of uninvested cash; differences
in the timing of the accrual or the valuation of dividends or interest received by the Fund or distributions paid to Fund shareholders; tax gains or losses; the requirements for the Fund to maintain pass-through tax treatment; portfolio transactions carried out to minimize the distribution of capital gains to shareholders; the acceptance of custom baskets; changes to the Underlying Index; and impacts to the Fund of complying with certain regulatory requirements or limits. Tracking error risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. A Fund that tracks an index with exposure to non-U.S. issuers may experience higher tracking error than ETFs that do not track such indexes.
Valuation Risk. The price that the Fund could receive upon the sale (or other disposition) of a security or other asset may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security or other asset, particularly for securities or other assets that trade in low volume or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology. The price received by the Fund also may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index. In addition, the value of the securities or other assets in the Fund’s portfolio may change on days or during time periods when investors are not able to purchase or sell Fund shares. Authorized Participants that create or redeem Fund shares on days when the Fund is holding fair-valued securities or other assets may receive fewer or more shares, or lower or higher redemption proceeds, than they would have received had the securities or other assets not been fair valued or been valued using a different methodology. The ability to value investments may be impacted by technological issues or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
S-47


Performance Information
The Fund previously operated as a series of iShares, Inc. (the Predecessor Fund). Before the Fund commenced operations, all of the assets and liabilities of the Predecessor Fund were transferred to the Fund in a reorganization (the Reorganization), which was tax-free for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The Reorganization occurred on September 29, 2014. As a result of the Reorganization, the Fund has assumed the performance and accounting history of the Predecessor Fund. The returns presented for the Fund for periods prior to September 29, 2014 reflect the performance of the Predecessor Fund. The performance information below illustrates how the Fund’s performance has varied over different periods and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table compares the Fund’s performance to that of an appropriate broad-based securities market indexand the Underlying Index. Fund returns assume the reinvestment of any dividends and distributions. The Fund’s returns reflect the impact of any agreements to waive or reimburse expenses, which would reduce performance if not in effect. Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information, including the Fund’s current NAV, may be obtained by visiting www.iShares.com or by calling 1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737) (toll free).
Calendar Year-by-Year Returns
 
Return (%)
Period Ended
Calendar Year-to-Date Return
14.90%
September 30, 2024
During the periods shown in the chart:
Best Quarter
18.30%
December 31, 2022
Worst Quarter
-29.02%
March 31, 2020
Average Annual Total Returns
(for the periods ended December 31, 2023)
 
One Year
Five Years
Ten Years
(Inception Date: 3/12/1996)
Return Before Taxes
13.03%
6.26%
1.94%
Return After Taxes on Distributions
11.92%
5.34%
0.97%
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
8.46%
4.83%
1.41%
MSCI ACWI ex USA Index1 (Returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)
15.62%
7.08%
3.83%
MSCI United Kingdom Index (Returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)
14.09%
6.87%
2.49%

1The Fund has added this broad-based index in response to new regulatory requirements.
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 sales 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.
S-48


Management
Investment Adviser. BlackRock Fund Advisors.
Portfolio Managers. Jennifer Hsui, Greg Savage and Paul Whitehead (the Portfolio Managers) are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Each Portfolio Manager supervises a portfolio management team. Ms. Hsui, Mr. Savage and Mr. Whitehead have been Portfolio Managers of the Fund(and/or the Predecessor Fund) since 2012, 2008 and 2022, respectively.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund is an ETF. Individual shares of the Fund may only be bought and sold in the secondary market through a broker-dealer. Because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). An investor may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase shares of the Fund (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares of the Fund (ask) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the bid-ask spread).
Tax Information
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA, in which case, your distributions generally will be taxed when withdrawn.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), BFA or other related companies may pay the intermediary for marketing activities and presentations, educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems or other services related to the sale or promotion of the Fund. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
S-49


iSHARES® MSCI UNITED KINGDOM
SMALL-CAP ETF
Ticker: EWUSStock Exchange: Cboe BZX
Investment Objective
The iShares MSCI United Kingdom Small-Cap ETF (the Fund) seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of small-capitalization U.K. equities.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you will incur if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. The investment advisory agreement between iShares Trust (the Trust) and BlackRock Fund Advisors (BFA) (the Investment Advisory Agreement) provides that BFA will pay all operating expenses of the Fund, except: (i) the management fees, (ii) interest expenses, (iii) taxes, (iv) expenses incurred with respect to the acquisition and disposition of portfolio securities and the execution of portfolio transactions, including brokerage commissions, (v) distribution fees or expenses, and (vi) litigation expenses and any extraordinary expenses.
You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(ongoing expenses that you pay each year as a
percentage of the value of your investments)1
Management
Fees
Distribution
and Service
(12b-1) Fees
Other
Expenses2
Total Annual
Fund
Operating
Expenses
0.59%
None
0.00%
0.59%

1Operating expenses paid by BFA under the Investment Advisory Agreement exclude acquired fund fees and expenses, if any.
2The amount rounded to 0.00%.
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
$60
$189
$329
$738
Portfolio Turnover. The Fund may pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in the Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 13% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund seeks to track the investment results of the MSCI United Kingdom Small Cap Index (the Underlying Index), which is designed to measure the performance of equity securities of small-capitalization companies in the United Kingdom (the U.K.) securities market. As of August 31, 2024, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the financials and industrials industries or sectors. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time.
BFA uses an indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund’s investment objective. The Fund does not try to beat the index it tracks and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.
Indexing may eliminate the chance that the Fund will substantially outperform the Underlying Index but also may reduce some of the risks of active management, such as poor security selection. Indexing seeks to achieve lower costs and better after-tax performance by aiming to keep portfolio turnover low in comparison to actively managed investment companies.
BFA uses a representative sampling indexing strategy to manage the Fund. Representative sampling is an indexing strategy that involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to that of an applicable underlying index. The securities selected are expected to have, in the aggregate, investment characteristics (based on factors such as market capitalization and industry weightings), fundamental characteristics (such as return variability and yield) and liquidity measures similar to those of an applicable underlying
S-50


index. The Fund may or may not hold all of the securities in the Underlying Index.
The Fund generally will invest at least 80% of its assets in the component securities of its Underlying Index and in investments that have economic characteristics that are substantially identical to the component securities of its Underlying Index (i.e., depositary receipts representing securities of the Underlying Index) and may invest up to 20% of its assets in certain futures, options and swap contracts, cash and cash equivalents, including shares of money market funds advised by BFA or its affiliates, as well as in securities not included in the Underlying Index, but which BFA believes will help the Fund track the Underlying Index. Cash and cash equivalent investments associated with a derivative position will be treated as part of that position for the purposes of calculating the percentage of investments included in the Underlying Index. The Fund seeks to track the investment results of the Underlying Index before fees and expenses of the Fund.
The Fund may lend securities representing up to one-third of the value of the Fund's total assets (including the value of any collateral received).
The Underlying Index is sponsored by MSCI Inc. (the Index Provider or MSCI), which isindependent of the Fund and BFA. The Index Provider determines the composition and relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.
Industry Concentration Policy. The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., hold 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities) and repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities are not considered to be issued by members of any industry.
Summary of Principal Risks
As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund's performance could trail that of other investments. The Fund is subject to certain risks, including the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund's net asset value per share (NAV), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective. Certain key risks are prioritized below (with others following in alphabetical order), but the relative significance of any risk is difficult to predict and may change over time. You should review each risk factor carefully.
Risk of Investing in the U.K. Investing in U.K. issuers subjects the Fund to legal, regulatory, political, economic, currency, geographic and security risks that are specific to the U.K. Economic downturns or political instability in its key trading partners, which include the United States and other European countries, could have an adverse effect on the U.K. economy. Following Brexit, certain trading matters between the U.K. and the European Union (the EU) remain unresolved, including with respect to financial services. The continuing uncertainty could have an adverse impact on the U.K. economy and currency.
Small-Capitalization Companies Risk. Compared to mid- and large-capitalization companies, small-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments. The securities of small-capitalization companies may be more volatile and less liquid than those of mid- and large-capitalization companies. As a result, the Fund’s share price may be more volatile than that of a fund with a greater investment in large- or mid-capitalization stocks.
Equity Securities Risk. Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than those of other asset classes. The value of a security may decline for a number of reasons that may directly relate to the issuer as well as due to general industry or market conditions. Common stock is subordinated to preferred securities and debt in a company’s capital structure. Common stock has the lowest priority, and the greatest risk, with respect to dividends and any liquidation payments in the event of an issuer’s bankruptcy.
Market Risk. The Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during more prolonged market downturns. Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, pandemics or other public health issues, recessions, the prospect or occurrence of a sovereign default or other financial crisis, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and could result in increased premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV.
Index-Related Risk. The Index Provider may rely on various sources of information to assess the criteria of components of the Underlying Index, including information that may be based on assumptions and estimates. Neither the Fund nor BFA can offer assurances that the Index Provider’s methodology or sources of information will provide an accurate assessment of included components or will result in the Fund meeting its investment objective. Errors in index data, index computations or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur, and the Index Provider may not identify or correct them promptly or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders. Unusual market conditions or other unforeseen circumstances (such as natural disasters, political unrest or war) may impact the Index Provider or a third-party data provider and could cause the Index Provider to postpone a scheduled rebalance. This could cause the Underlying Index to vary from its normal or expected composition.
Asset Class Risk. The securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or in the Fund’s portfolio may underperform in comparison to financial markets generally, a particular financial market, another index, or other asset classes.
Authorized Participant Concentration Risk.  An Authorized Participant is a member or participant of a clearing agency registered with the SEC, which has a written agreement with the Fund or one of its service providers that allows the Authorized Participant to place orders for the purchase and redemption of creation units (Creation Units). Only an Authorized Participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. There are a limited number of institutions that may act as Authorized Participants for the Fund, including on an agency basis on behalf of other market participants. No Authorized Participant is obligated to engage in creation or redemption
S-51


transactions. To the extent that Authorized Participants exit the business or do not place creation or redemption orders for the Fund and no other Authorized Participant places orders, Fund shares are more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts or delisting.
Concentration Risk. The Fund may be susceptible to an increased risk of loss, including losses due to adverse events that affect the Fund’s investments more than the market as a whole, to the extent that the Fund’s investments are concentrated in the securities or other assets of one or more issuers, countries or other geographic units, markets, industries, project types, or asset classes.
Currency Risk. Because the Fund’s NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the NAV could decline if the currency of the non-U.S. market in which the Fund invests depreciates against the U.S. dollar or if there are delays or limits on the repatriation of foreign currency. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the Fund’s NAV may change quickly and without warning. In addition, the Fund may incur costs in connection with conversions between U.S. dollars and foreign currencies.
Cybersecurity Risk. Failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, its adviser, distributor,Index Provider, other service providers, counterparties, or issuers of assets in which the Fund invests may cause disruptions that negatively impact the Fund and its shareholders. While the Fund has established business continuity plans and risk management systems seeking to address system breaches or failures, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems. The Fund cannot control the cybersecurity plans and systems of its service providers, counterparties, and other third parties whose activities affect the Fund. In addition, cyber incidents may adversely impact the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which may cause such investments to lose value.
Financial Companies Risk. Financial services companies are subject to extensive governmental regulation and intervention, which may adversely affect their profitability, the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge, the amount of capital and liquid assets they must maintain and their size, among other things. Financial services companies also may be significantly affected by, among other things, interest rates, economic conditions, volatility in financial markets, credit rating downgrades, adverse public perception, exposure concentration and counterparty risk.
Industrial Companies Risk. Industrial companies face a number of risks, including supply chain and distribution disruptions, business interruptions, product obsolescence, third-party vendor risks, cyber attacks, trade disputes, product recalls, liability claims, scarcity of materials or parts, excess capacity, changes in consumer preferences, and volatility in commodity prices and currencies. The performance of such companies may also be affected by technological developments, labor relations, legislative and regulatory changes, government spending policies, and changes in domestic and international economies.
Issuer Risk. The performance of the Fund depends on the performance of individual securities or other assets to which the Fund has exposure. The value of securities or other assets may
decline, or perform differently from the market as a whole, due to changes in the financial condition or credit rating of the issuer or counterparty.
Management Risk. The Fund generally does not attempt to take defensive positions under any market conditions, including declining markets. As the Fund will not fully replicate the Underlying Index and may hold securities or other assets not included in the Underlying Index, it is subject to the risk that the investment strategy of BFA may not produce the intended results. There is no guarantee that the Fund’s investment results will have a high degree of correlation to those of the Underlying Index or that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.
Market Trading Risk. The Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund shares (including through a trading halt), losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility, and disruptions in the process of creating and redeeming Fund shares. Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Fund’s shares trading in the secondary market at a premium or discount to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s portfolio holdings. If you buy Fund shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to NAV or sell Fund shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to NAV, you may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the Fund shares.
National Closed Market Trading Risk. To the extent that securities or other assets held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges or in foreign markets that may be closed when the securities exchange on which the Fund’s shares trade is open, there are likely to be deviations between such asset’s current price and its last quoted price (i.e., the quote from the closed foreign market to the Fund). The impact of a closed foreign market on the Fund is likely to be greater where a large portion of the Fund’s holdings trade on a closed foreign market or when a foreign market is closed for unscheduled reasons. These deviations could result in premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV that may be greater than those experienced by other funds.
Non-U.S. Securities Risk. Securities issued by non-U.S. issuers (including depositary receipts) are subject to different legal, regulatory, political, economic, and market risks than securities issued by U.S. issuers. These risks include greater market volatility, less market liquidity, higher transaction costs, expropriation, confiscatory taxation, adverse changes in foreign investment or currency control regulations, restrictions on the repatriation of capital, and political instability. Non-U.S. issuers may be subject to different accounting, audit and financial reporting standards than U.S. issuers, and there may be less publicly available information about non-U.S. issuers. Foreign market trading hours, different clearing and settlement procedures, and holiday schedules may limit the Fund's ability to engage in portfolio transactions. To the extent that investments are made in a limited number of countries, events in those countries will have a more significant impact on the Fund. The Fund is specifically exposed to European Economic Risk.
Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risks arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. The
S-52


Fund and BFA seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate to address significant operational risks.
Reliance on Trading Partners Risk. The Fund invests in a country whose economy is heavily dependent upon trading with key partners. Any reduction in this trading may have an adverse impact on the Fund's investments. Through its holdings of securities of certain issuers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk, European Economic Risk and U.S. Economic Risk.
Risk of Investing in Russia. Investing in Russian securities involves significant risks, including legal, regulatory, currency and economic risks that are specific to Russia. In addition, investing in Russian securities involves risks associated with the settlement of portfolio transactions and loss of the Fund’s ownership rights in its portfolio securities as a result of the system of share registration and custody in Russia. Governments, including the U.S., the U.K., the E.U., and many other countries have imposed economic sanctions on certain Russian individuals and Russian corporate and banking entities, and jurisdictions may also institute broader sanctions on Russia. Russia has issued a number of countersanctions, some of which restrict the distribution of profits by limited liability companies (e.g., dividends), and prohibit Russian persons from entering into transactions with designated persons from unfriendly states as well as the export of raw materials or other products from Russia to certain sanctioned persons.
Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The extent and duration of the military action, resulting sanctions and resulting future market disruptions, including declines in its stock markets and the value of the ruble against the U.S. dollar, are impossible to predict, but could be significant. Disruptions caused by Russian military action or other actions (including cyberattacks and espionage) or resulting actual and threatened responses to such activity, including purchasing and financing restrictions, boycotts or changes in consumer or purchaser preferences, sanctions, import and export restrictions, tariffs or cyberattacks on the Russian government, Russian companies, or Russian individuals, including politicians, may impact Russia’s economy and Russian companies in which the Fund invests. Actual and threatened responses to Russian military action may also impact the markets for certain Russian commodities, such as oil and natural gas, as well as other sectors of the Russian economy, and are likely to have collateral impacts on such sectors globally. Russian companies may be unable to pay dividends and, if they pay dividends, the Fund may be unable to receive them. As a result of sanctions, the Fund is currently restricted from trading in Russian securities, including those in its portfolio, and the Underlying Index has removed Russian
securities. It is unknown when, or if, sanctions may be lifted or the Fund’s ability to trade in Russian securities will resume.
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 collateral provided for 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.
Tracking Error Risk. The Fund may be subject to tracking error, which is the divergence of the Fund’s performance from that of the Underlying Index. Tracking error may occur due to a number of factors, including differences between the securities and other assets held in the Fund’s portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index; differences in the timing and methodologies used to value securities and other assets; transaction costs and other expenses incurred by the Fund that the Underlying Index does not incur; the Fund’s holding of uninvested cash; differences in the timing of the accrual or the valuation of dividends or interest received by the Fund or distributions paid to Fund shareholders; tax gains or losses; the requirements for the Fund to maintain pass-through tax treatment; portfolio transactions carried out to minimize the distribution of capital gains to shareholders; the acceptance of custom baskets; changes to the Underlying Index; and impacts to the Fund of complying with certain regulatory requirements or limits. Tracking error risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. A Fund that tracks an index with exposure to non-U.S. issuers may experience higher tracking error than ETFs that do not track such indexes.
Valuation Risk. The price that the Fund could receive upon the sale (or other disposition) of a security or other asset may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security or other asset, particularly for securities or other assets that trade in low volume or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology. The price received by the Fund also may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index. In addition, the value of the securities or other assets in the Fund’s portfolio may change on days or during time periods when investors are not able to purchase or sell Fund shares. Authorized Participants that create or redeem Fund shares on days when the Fund is holding fair-valued securities or other assets may receive fewer or more shares, or lower or higher redemption proceeds, than they would have received had the securities or other assets not been fair valued or been valued using a different methodology. The ability to value investments may be impacted by technological issues or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
S-53


Performance Information
The performance information below illustrates how the Fund’s performance has varied over different periods and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table compares the Fund’s performance to that of an appropriate broad-based securities market indexand the Underlying Index. Fund returns assume the reinvestment of any dividends and distributions. The Fund’s returns reflect the impact of any agreements to waive or reimburse expenses, which would reduce performance if not in effect. Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information, including the Fund’s current NAV, may be obtained by visiting www.iShares.com or by calling 1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737) (toll free).
Calendar Year-by-Year Returns
 
Return (%)
Period Ended
Calendar Year-to-Date Return
15.29%
September 30, 2024
During the periods shown in the chart:
Best Quarter
26.44%
December 31, 2020
Worst Quarter
-36.66%
March 31, 2020
Average Annual Total Returns
(for the periods ended December 31, 2023)
 
One Year
Five Years
Ten Years
(Inception Date: 1/25/2012)
Return Before Taxes
15.30%
3.24%
1.01%
Return After Taxes on Distributions
14.49%
2.56%
0.31%
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
9.58%
2.50%
0.73%
MSCI ACWI ex USA Index1 (Returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)
15.62%
7.08%
3.83%
MSCI United Kingdom Small Cap Index (Returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or
taxes)
16.32%
3.85%
1.61%

1The Fund has added this broad-based index in response to new regulatory requirements.
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 sales 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.
S-54


Management
Investment Adviser. BlackRock Fund Advisors.
Portfolio Managers. Jennifer Hsui, Greg Savage and Paul Whitehead (the Portfolio Managers) are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Each Portfolio Manager supervises a portfolio management team. Ms. Hsui and Mr. Savage have been Portfolio Managers of the Fund since 2012. Mr. Whitehead has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2022.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund is an ETF. Individual shares of the Fund may only be bought and sold in the secondary market through a broker-dealer. Because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). An investor may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase shares of the Fund (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares of the Fund (ask) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the bid-ask spread).
Tax Information
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA, in which case, your distributions generally will be taxed when withdrawn.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), BFA or other related companies may pay the intermediary for marketing activities and presentations, educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems or other services related to the sale or promotion of the Fund. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
S-55


More Information About the Funds
This Prospectus contains important information about investing in the Funds listed below. Please read this Prospectus carefully before you make any investment decisions. Additional information regarding the Funds as well as other funds that are series of iShares Trust, iShares U.S. ETF Trust or iShares, Inc. (each, a Fund) is available at www.iShares.com.
Each Fund’s investment objective and its Underlying Index may be changed without shareholder approval.
Fund
Underlying Index
Investment Objective
iShares MSCI Denmark ETF
MSCI Denmark IMI 25/50 Index
The iShares MSCI Denmark ETF seeks to track the investment
results of a broad-based index composed of Danish equities.
iShares MSCI Finland ETF
MSCI Finland IMI 25/50 Index
The iShares MSCI Finland ETF seeks to track the investment
results of a broad-based index composed of Finnish equities.
iShares MSCI Ireland ETF
MSCI All Ireland Capped Index
The iShares MSCI Ireland ETF seeks to track the investment results
of a broad-based index composed of Irish equities.
iShares MSCI Japan Value ETF
MSCI Japan Value Index (USD)
The iShares MSCI Japan Value ETF seeks to track the investment
results of an index composed of large- and mid-capitalization
Japanese equities with value characteristics and relatively lower
valuations.
iShares MSCI New Zealand ETF
MSCI New Zealand All Cap Top
25 Capped Index1
The iShares MSCI New Zealand ETF seeks to track the investment
results of a broad-based index composed of New Zealand equities.
iShares MSCI Norway ETF
MSCI Norway IMI 25/50 Index
The iShares MSCI Norway ETF seeks to track the investment
results of a broad-based index composed of Norwegian equities.
iShares MSCI Poland ETF
MSCI Poland IMI 25/50 Index
The iShares MSCI Poland ETF seeks to track the investment results
of a broad-based index composed of Polish equities.
iShares MSCI United
Kingdom ETF
MSCI United Kingdom Index
The iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF seeks to track the
investment results of an index composed of U.K. equities.
iShares MSCI United
Kingdom Small-Cap ETF
MSCI United Kingdom Small Cap
Index
The iShares MSCI United Kingdom Small-Cap ETF seeks to track
the investment results of an index composed of small-capitalization
U.K. equities.

1Effective September 3, 2024, the Fund’s Underlying Index changed from the MSCI New Zealand IMI 25/50 Index to the MSCI New Zealand All Cap Top 25 Capped Index.
ETFs are funds that trade like other publicly traded securities. Shares of each Fund are listed on a national securities exchange and trade in the secondary market at market prices that change throughout the day. The market price for a share of a Fund may be different from the Fund’s most recent NAV.
Each Fund invests in a particular segment of the markets for securities and other instruments (as applicable) and is designed to be used as part of broader asset allocation strategies. Accordingly, an investment in a Fund should not constitute a complete investment program. An investment in a Fund is not a bank deposit, and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, any other government agency, BFA or any of BFA’s affiliates.
Index Funds
A share of a Fund represents an ownership interest in an underlying portfolio of securities and other instruments (as applicable) that is intended to track the Fund’s Underlying Index. An index is a financial calculation, based on a grouping of financial instruments, and is not an investment product, while each Fund is an actual investment portfolio. The performance of a Fund and that of its Underlying Index may vary for a number of reasons, including transaction costs, asset or currency valuations, corporate actions, timing variances and differences between the composition of a Fund’s portfolio and that of the Underlying Index resulting from the Fund’s use of representative sampling or from legal restrictions (such as diversification requirements) that apply to the Fund but not to its Underlying Index.
From time to time, the provider of the Underlying Index (Index Provider) may make changes to the index methodology or other adjustments to a Fund’s Underlying Index. Unless otherwise determined by BFA, any such change will be reflected in the calculation of the Underlying Index’s performance on a going-forward basis after the effective date of such change. Therefore, the performance of the Underlying Index that is shown for periods prior to the effective date of any such change generally will not be recalculated or restated to reflect the change.
BFA uses a representative sampling indexing strategy to manage the Funds. Representative sampling is an indexing strategy that involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to that of the applicable underlying index. Because the Funds use representative sampling, they can be expected to have a larger tracking error than if they 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.
1


Borrowing
Each Fund listed below may borrow as a temporary measure for extraordinary or emergency purposes, including to meet redemptions or to facilitate the settlement of securities or other transactions. Each Fund does not intend to borrow money in order to leverage its portfolio.
 iShares MSCI Denmark ETF
 iShares MSCI Finland ETF
 iShares MSCI Ireland ETF
 iShares MSCI Japan Value ETF
 iShares MSCI New Zealand ETF
 iShares MSCI Norway ETF
 iShares MSCI Poland ETF
 iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF
 iShares MSCI United Kingdom Small-Cap ETF
European Union Disclosure
The Fund listed below has not been categorized under the European Union (EU) sustainable finance disclosure regulation (SFDR) as an Article 8 or Article 9 product. In addition, the Fund’s investment strategy does not take into account the criteria for environmentally sustainable economic activities under the EU sustainable investment taxonomy regulation or principal adverse impacts (PAIs) on sustainability factors under the SFDR. PAIs are identified under the SFDR as the material impacts of investment decisions on sustainability factors relating to environmental, social and employee matters, respect for human rights, and anti-corruption and anti-bribery matters.
 iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF
2


Additional Information About the Funds' Risks
Each Fund is subject to various risks, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s NAV, trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective. Each Fund discloses its portfolio holdings daily at www.iShares.com. You could lose all or part of your investment in a Fund, which could underperform other investments. The table below identifies the principal and other (non-principal) risks that apply to each Fund. A Fund that invests in an Underlying Fund also may be indirectly exposed to these risks through such investment. A description of each risk is provided after the table.
 
iShares
MSCI Denmark
ETF
iShares
MSCI Finland
ETF
iShares
MSCI Ireland
ETF
iShares
MSCI Japan
Value ETF
iShares
MSCI New
Zealand ETF
iShares
MSCI Norway
ETF
✓ Principal Risk | Other Risk
Asian Economic Risk
 
 
 
Asset Class Risk
Assets Under Management
(AUM) Risk
 
 
 
Australasian Economic Risk
 
 
 
 
 
Authorized Participant
Concentration Risk
Borrowing Risk
Close-Out Risk for Qualified
Financial Contracts
Commodity Risk
 
 
Communication Services Sector
Risk
 
 
 
Concentration Risk
Consumer Goods and Services
Companies Risk
 
 
Currency Risk
Custody Risk
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cybersecurity Risk
Eastern European Economic Risk
 
 
 
 
 
 
Energy Companies Risk
 
 
 
 
 
Equity Securities Risk
European Economic Risk
 
 
Financial Companies Risk
Geographic and Security Risks
Healthcare Companies Risk
 
 
 
Illiquid Investments Risk
Index-Related Risk
Industrial Companies Risk
Issuer Risk
Lack of Natural Resources Risk
 
 
 
 
 
Large-Capitalization Companies
Risk
 
Large Shareholder and Large-
Scale Redemption Risk
Management Risk
Market Risk
Market Trading Risk
Materials Companies Risk
 
 
3


 
iShares
MSCI Denmark
ETF
iShares
MSCI Finland
ETF
iShares
MSCI Ireland
ETF
iShares
MSCI Japan
Value ETF
iShares
MSCI New
Zealand ETF
iShares
MSCI Norway
ETF
✓ Principal Risk | Other Risk
Micro-Capitalization Companies
Risk
 
 
 
 
 
Mid-Capitalization Companies
Risk
National Closed Market Trading
Risk
Non-Diversification Risk
 
Non-U.S. Securities Risk
Operational Risk
Real Estate Companies Risk
 
 
 
 
Reliance on Trading Partners Risk
Risk of Investing in Denmark
 
 
 
 
 
Risk of Investing in Emerging
Markets
 
 
 
 
 
 
Risk of Investing in Finland
 
 
 
 
 
Risk of Investing in Ireland
 
 
 
 
 
Risk of Investing in Japan
 
 
 
 
 
Risk of Investing in New Zealand
 
 
 
 
 
Risk of Investing in Norway
 
 
 
 
 
Risk of Investing in Poland
 
 
 
 
 
 
Risk of Investing in Russia
 
 
 
 
 
 
Risk of Investing in the United
Kingdom
 
 
 
 
 
 
Securities Lending Risk
 
Small-Capitalization Companies
Risk
 
Small Fund Risk
 
 
 
 
Sustainability Risk
 
 
 
 
 
 
Technology Companies Risk
 
 
 
 
Threshold/Underinvestment Risk
Tracking Error Risk
U.S. Economic Risk
 
 
Utility Companies Risk
 
 
 
 
 
Valuation Risk
Value Securities Risk
 
 
 
 
 
 
iShares
MSCI Poland ETF
iShares
MSCI United
Kingdom ETF
iShares
MSCI United
Kingdom Small-
Cap ETF
✓ Principal Risk | Other Risk
Asian Economic Risk
 
Asset Class Risk
Assets Under Management (AUM) Risk
 
 
 
Australasian Economic Risk
 
 
 
4


 
iShares
MSCI Poland ETF
iShares
MSCI United
Kingdom ETF
iShares
MSCI United
Kingdom Small-
Cap ETF
✓ Principal Risk | Other Risk
Authorized Participant Concentration Risk
Borrowing Risk
Close-Out Risk for Qualified Financial Contracts
Commodity Risk
 
 
Communication Services Sector Risk
 
Concentration Risk
Consumer Goods and Services Companies Risk
Currency Risk
Custody Risk
 
 
Cybersecurity Risk
Eastern European Economic Risk
 
 
Energy Companies Risk
 
Equity Securities Risk
European Economic Risk
Financial Companies Risk
Geographic and Security Risks
Healthcare Companies Risk
 
 
Illiquid Investments Risk
Index-Related Risk
Industrial Companies Risk
 
Issuer Risk
Lack of Natural Resources Risk
 
 
 
Large-Capitalization Companies Risk
 
Large Shareholder and Large-Scale Redemption Risk
Management Risk
Market Risk
Market Trading Risk
Materials Companies Risk
Micro-Capitalization Companies Risk
 
 
 
Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk
 
National Closed Market Trading Risk
Non-Diversification Risk
 
Non-U.S. Securities Risk
Operational Risk
Real Estate Companies Risk
 
 
Reliance on Trading Partners Risk
Risk of Investing in Denmark
 
 
 
Risk of Investing in Emerging Markets
 
 
Risk of Investing in Finland
 
 
 
Risk of Investing in Ireland
 
 
 
Risk of Investing in Japan
 
 
 
Risk of Investing in New Zealand
 
 
 
Risk of Investing in Norway
 
 
 
5


 
iShares
MSCI Poland ETF
iShares
MSCI United
Kingdom ETF
iShares
MSCI United
Kingdom Small-
Cap ETF
✓ Principal Risk | Other Risk
Risk of Investing in Poland
 
 
Risk of Investing in Russia
 
 
Risk of Investing in the United Kingdom
 
Securities Lending Risk
Small-Capitalization Companies Risk
 
Small Fund Risk
 
 
 
Sustainability Risk
 
 
Technology Companies Risk
 
 
Threshold/Underinvestment Risk
Tracking Error Risk
U.S. Economic Risk
 
Utility Companies Risk
 
 
 
Valuation Risk
Value Securities Risk
 
 
 
Asian Economic Risk. Certain Asian economies have experienced rapid growth and industrialization in recent years, but there is no assurance that this growth rate will be maintained. Other Asian economies, however, have experienced high inflation, high unemployment, currency devaluations and restrictions, and over-extension of credit. Geopolitical hostility, political instability, and economic or environmental events in any one Asian country may have a significant economic effect on the entire Asian region, as well as on major trading partners outside Asia. Any adverse event in the Asian markets may have a significant adverse effect on some or all of the economies of the countries in which a Fund invests. In particular, China is a key trading partner of many Asian countries and any changes in trading relationships between China and other Asian countries may affect the region as a whole. Many Asian countries are subject to political risk, including political instability, corruption and regional conflict with neighboring countries. North Korea and South Korea each have substantial military capabilities, and historical tensions between the two countries present the risk of war. Escalated tensions involving the two countries and any outbreak of hostilities between the two countries, or even the threat of an outbreak of hostilities, could have a severe adverse effect on the entire Asian region. Certain Asian countries have developed increasingly strained relationships with the U.S. or with China, and if these relations were to worsen, they could adversely affect Asian issuers that rely on the U.S. or China for trade. In addition, many Asian countries are subject to social and labor risks associated with demands for improved political, economic and social conditions. These risks, among others, may adversely affect the value of a Fund's investments.
Asset Class Risk. The securities and other assets in a Fund’s portfolio or, if applicable, its Underlying Index may underperform in comparison to indexes that track, or assets that represent, other countries or geographic units, industries, markets, market segments, or asset classes. Various types of securities, other assets and indexes may experience cycles of outperformance and underperformance in comparison to financial markets generally. This divergence may be due to a number of factors including, among other things, inflation, interest rates, productivity, global demand for local products or resources, and regulation and governmental controls. This may cause a Fund to underperform other investment vehicles that invest in different asset classes.
Assets Under Management (AUM) Risk. From time to time, an Authorized Participant, a third-party investor, a Fund’s adviser, an affiliate of a Fund’s adviser, or another fund may invest in a Fund and hold its investment for a specific period of time to allow the Fund to achieve size or scale. There can be no assurance that any such entity would not redeem its investment or that the size of the Fund would be maintained at such levels, which could negatively impact the Fund.
Australasian Economic Risk. The economies of Australasia, which include Australia and New Zealand, depend on exports from the energy, agricultural and mining sectors and, as a result, are susceptible to fluctuations in the commodity markets. These economies also increasingly depend on their growing service industries. The Australasian economies depend on the economies of their key trading partners, which include China, Japan, South Korea, the U.S. and certain European countries. Reduced spending by any of these trading partners on Australasian products and services, or negative changes in any of these economies, may have an adverse impact on some or all of the Australasian economies. Economic events in key trading countries can have a significant effect on the Australasian economies.
Other risks to Australasian countries include natural disasters that may occur in the region (e.g., droughts, earthquakes, fires, tsunamis) and national or regional security concerns (e.g., terrorism, war, strained international relations). Any such event may adversely affect the Australasian economies, financial markets or issuers of securities, causing an adverse impact on the value of a Fund’s investments.
6


Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. Only an Authorized Participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with a Fund. There are a limited number of institutions that may act as Authorized Participants for the Fund, including on an agency basis on behalf of other market participants. No Authorized Participant is obligated to engage in creation or redemption transactions. To the extent that Authorized Participants exit the business or do not place creation or redemption orders for a Fund and no other Authorized Participant places orders, Fund shares are more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts or delisting. Authorized Participant concentration risk may be heightened for a Fund that invests in securities issued by non-U.S. issuers or instruments with lower trading volume. Such assets often entail greater settlement and operational complexity and higher capital costs for Authorized Participants, which may limit the number of Authorized Participants that engage with the Fund.
Borrowing Risk. Borrowing may exaggerate changes in a Fund’s NAV and in the return on its portfolio. A Fund that borrows will incur interest expenses and other fees, which may reduce the Fund’s return. Borrowing may also cause a Fund to liquidate positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations.
Close-Out Risk for Qualified Financial Contracts. Regulations adopted by global prudential regulators require counterparties that are part of U.S. or foreign global systemically important banking organizations to include contractual restrictions on close-out and cross-default in agreements relating to qualified financial contracts. Qualified financial contracts include agreements relating to swaps, currency forwards and other derivatives as well as repurchase agreements and securities lending agreements. The restrictions prevent a Fund from closing out a qualified financial contract during a specified time period if the counterparty is subject to resolution proceedings and also prohibit a Fund from exercising default rights due to a receivership or similar proceeding of an affiliate of the counterparty. These requirements may increase credit risk and other risks to a Fund.
Commodity Risk. Companies whose performance is reflected in the Fund’s portfolio or Underlying Index may be adversely affected by changes or trends in commodity prices. Commodity prices may be influenced or characterized by unpredictable factors, including, where applicable, high volatility, changes in supply and demand relationships, weather, agriculture, trade, pestilence, political instability, war, catastrophic events, changes in interest rates and monetary and other governmental policies, action and inaction, including price changes due to trade relations. Securities of companies held by the Fund that are dependent on a single commodity, or are concentrated in a single commodity sector, may typically exhibit even higher volatility attributable to commodity prices.
Communication Services Sector Risk. The communication services sector consists of both companies in the telecommunication services industry as well as those in the media and entertainment industry. Examples of companies in the telecommunication services industry group include providers of fiber-optic, fixed-line, cellular and wireless telecommunications networks. Companies in the media and entertainment industry group encompass a variety of services and products including television broadcasting, gaming products, social media, networking platforms, online classifieds, online review websites, and Internet search engines. Companies in the communication services sector may be affected by industry competition, substantial capital requirements, government regulation, and obsolescence of communications products and services due to technological advancement. Fluctuating domestic and international demand, shifting demographics and often unpredictable changes in consumer tastes can drastically affect a communication services company's profitability. In addition, while all companies may be susceptible to network security breaches, certain companies in the communication services 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.
The communication services 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 communications companies. Government actions around the world, specifically in the area of pre-marketing clearance of products and prices, can be arbitrary and unpredictable. The communications services industry can also be significantly affected by intense competition for market share, including competition with alternative technologies such as wireless communications, product compatibility and standardization, consumer preferences, rapid product obsolescence, research and development of new products, lack of standardization or compatibility with existing technologies, and a dependency on patent and copyright protections. Companies in the communication services sector may encounter distressed cash flows due to the need to commit substantial capital to meet increasing competition, particularly in developing new products and services using new technology. Technological innovations may make the products and services of certain communications companies obsolete.
Telecommunications providers with exposure to the U.S. are generally required to obtain franchises or licenses in order to provide services in a given location. Licensing and franchise rights in the telecommunications sector are limited, which may provide an advantage to certain participants. Limited availability of such rights, high barriers to market entry and regulatory oversight, among other factors, have led to consolidation of companies within the sector, which could lead to further regulation or other negative effects in the future. Telecommunication providers investing in non-U.S. countries may be subject to similar risks. Additional risks include those related to competitive challenges in the U.S. from non-U.S. competitors engaged in strategic joint ventures with U.S. companies and in non-U.S. markets from both U.S. and non-U.S. competitors.
Companies in the media and entertainment industries can be significantly affected by several factors, including competition, particularly in formulation of products and services using new technologies, cyclicality of revenues and earnings, a potential decrease in the discretionary income of targeted individuals, changing consumer tastes and interests, and the potential increase in government regulation. Companies in the media and entertainment industries may become obsolete quickly. Advertising spending can be an important revenue source for media
7


and entertainment companies. During economic downturns advertising spending typically decreases and, as a result, media and entertainment companies tend to generate less revenue.
Concentration Risk. A Fund may be susceptible to an increased risk of loss, including losses due to adverse events that affect the Fund’s investments more than the market as a whole, to the extent that the Fund’s investments are concentrated in the securities or other assets of one or more issuers, countries or other geographic units, markets, industries, project types, or asset classes. A Fund with investment concentration may be more adversely affected by the underperformance of those assets, may experience greater price volatility and may be more susceptible to adverse economic, market, political or regulatory impacts on those assets compared to a fund that does not concentrate its investments.
Consumer Goods and Services Companies Risk. Many consumer goods and services companies (consumer companies) rely heavily on disposable household income and consumer spending and may be impacted by social trends, marketing campaigns, demographic shifts and other factors affecting consumer preferences and demand. In addition, damage to a brand or a reputation crisis can have a substantial adverse impact on consumer companies.
Certain consumer companies, such as those providing discretionary goods or services, may depend more on business cycles, overall economic conditions and consumer confidence. Many consumer goods and services are subject to government regulation and the related compliance costs, and consumer companies also face the risk of product liability claims. Consumer companies also may be adversely affected by volatility in commodity prices, supply chain disruptions and labor shortages.
Currency Risk. Because each Fund’s NAV is determined on the basis of the U.S. dollar, investors may lose money if the currency of a non-U.S. market in which a Fund invests depreciates against the U.S. dollar or if there are delays or limits on repatriation of foreign currency, even if the foreign currency value of the Fund’s holdings in that market increases. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, a Fund’s NAV may change quickly and without warning. In addition, a Fund may incur costs in connection with conversions between U.S. dollars and foreign currencies.
Custody Risk. Custody risk refers to the risks in the process of clearing and settling trades, as well as the holding of securities and other assets by local banks, agents and depositories. These risks are heightened in jurisdictions with less developed markets or less robust settlement and custody infrastructure and processes, and they may result in losses or delays in payments, delivery or recovery of money or other assets. Low trading volumes and volatile prices in less developed markets may make trades harder to complete and settle. Governments or trade groups may compel local agents to hold securities and other assets 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. In general, the less developed a country’s securities markets are, the higher the degree of custody risk.
Cybersecurity Risk. A Fund and entities that interact with the Fund are susceptible to operational, information security and related cybersecurity risks, both directly and through their service providers. These entities include, but are not limited to, the Fund’s adviser, distributor, other service providers (e.g., index and benchmark providers, accountants, custodians, transfer agents and administrators), counterparties, market makers, Authorized Participants, listing exchanges, other financial market operators, and governmental authorities. Cybersecurity risks are also present for issuers of securities or other assets in which a Fund invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers and may cause the Fund’s investment in such issuers to lose value. Cyber incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. They include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to systems, misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting or destroying data, and causing operational disruption. Geopolitical tensions may increase the scale and sophistication of deliberate attacks, particularly those from nation-states or from entities with nation-state backing.
Cybersecurity incidents may cause disruptions and impact business operations and may result in any of the following: financial losses, interference with a Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, disclosure of confidential information, impediments to trading, submission of erroneous trades or erroneous creation or redemption orders, the inability of a 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, and other legal and compliance expenses. In addition, cyber incidents may render records of Fund assets and transactions, shareholder ownership of Fund shares, and other data integral to a Fund’s functioning inaccessible, inaccurate or incomplete. A Fund may incur substantial costs in order to resolve or prevent cyber incidents.
Each Fund has established business continuity plans in the event of, and risk management systems to prevent, cyber incidents. However, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified, that prevention and remediation efforts will not be successful or that cyber incidents will go undetected. Furthermore, a Fund cannot control the cybersecurity plans and systems of its service providers, counterparties, and other third parties whose activities affect the Fund. A Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.
Energy Companies Risk. The energy sector tends to be closely tied to the economic cycle and can be significantly affected by supply-demand dynamics and volatility in commodity prices. Energy companies also may be adversely affected by exchange rate fluctuations, war or other conflicts, sanctions, import/export controls, depletion of resources, technological advances and labor relations. This sector generally is subject to substantial government regulation, and companies may incur significant costs in complying with environmental and other laws. Policies that promote energy conservation, clean energy or the transition to low carbon alternatives also may affect the performance of energy companies.
8


Energy companies may depend on a relatively small number of customers, including governmental entities and utilities. The exploration and production of energy sources and the development of energy infrastructure often require significant capital expenditures, and companies may face high interest costs and difficulty in raising capital. Energy companies also may face challenges from operating in countries with a history of adverse policies or events, such as expropriation, confiscation of assets, corruption, political instability and social unrest. The operations of energy companies may be disrupted by events that target or damage energy infrastructure, including cyber or other attacks, accidents and natural disasters. Energy companies are at risk of liability for environmental harm and other types of damages.
The energy sector may experience significant market volatility. For example, Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 led to disruptions and increased volatility in the energy and commodity futures markets due to actual and potential disruptions in the supply and demand for certain commodities, including oil and natural gas. The U.S. and other actors have imposed various sanctions and restrictions on business dealings with Russia, which include restrictions on imports of oil, natural gas and coal. It is impossible to predict the effect of current or future sanctions and restrictions, the extent and duration of the conflict, and associated disruptions in the energy sector. The effect of these events or any related developments could be significant and may have a severe adverse effect on a Fund’s performance.
Equity Securities Risk. Equity securities are subject to changes in value due to general market or economic conditions, perceptions about the markets in which issuers participate or a number of factors relating to a specific issuer. Investments in equity securities may be more volatile than investments in other asset classes. Equity securities (both common and preferred stock) are subordinated to debt securities in a company’s capital structure, and so equity holders are generally subject to more risks, particularly in the event of an issuer’s bankruptcy. Common stock has the lowest priority and the greatest risks, including with respect to dividends and any liquidation payments.
European Economic Risk. The Economic and Monetary Union (the eurozone) of the EU requires compliance by member states that are members of the eurozone with restrictions on inflation rates, deficits, interest rates and debt levels, as well as fiscal and monetary controls, each of which may significantly affect every country in Europe, including those countries that are not members of the eurozone. Additionally, European countries outside of the eurozone may present economic risks that are independent of the indirect effects that eurozone policies have on them. In particular, the U.K.'s economy may be affected by global economic, industrial and financial shifts. Changes in imports or exports, changes in governmental or EU regulations on trade, changes in the exchange rate of the euro (the common currency of eurozone countries), the default or threat of default by an EU member state on its sovereign debt and/or an economic recession in an EU member state may have a significant adverse effect on the economies of other EU member states and their trading partners. The European financial markets have historically experienced volatility and adverse trends due to concerns about economic downturns or government debt levels in several European countries, including, but not limited to, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Ukraine. These events have affected and may in the future adversely affect the exchange rate of the euro and may significantly affect European countries.
Responses to 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, may limit future growth and economic recovery or may 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 U.K. left the EU (Brexit) on January 31, 2020. Brexit could adversely affect European or worldwide political, regulatory, economic or market conditions and could contribute to instability in global political institutions, regulatory agencies and financial markets.
The national politics of countries in Europe have been unpredictable and subject to influence by disruptive political groups and ideologies, including, for example, secessionist movements. The governments of European countries may be subject to change and such countries may experience social and political unrest. Unanticipated or sudden political or social developments may result in sudden and significant investment losses. The occurrence of terrorist incidents throughout Europe or war in the region could also impact financial markets. The impact of these events is not clear but could be significant and far-reaching and could adversely affect the value and liquidity of a Fund's investments.
Russian Invasion of Ukraine. Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The extent and duration of the military action, resulting sanctions and resulting future market disruptions, including declines in its stock markets and the value of the ruble against the U.S. dollar, are impossible to predict, but could be significant. Disruptions caused by Russian military action or other actions (including cyberattacks and espionage) or resulting actual and threatened responses to such activity, including purchasing and financing restrictions, boycotts or changes in consumer or purchaser preferences, sanctions, import and export restrictions, tariffs or cyberattacks on the Russian government, Russian companies or Russian individuals, including politicians, may impact Russia's economy, Russian issuers of securities in which a Fund invests, or the economies of Europe as a whole. Actual and threatened responses to Russian military action may also impact the markets for certain Russian commodities, such as oil and natural gas, as well as other sectors of the Russian economy, and are likely to have collateral impacts on such sectors across Europe and globally.
Financial Companies Risk. Financial services companies are subject to extensive governmental regulation and intervention, which may change frequently and may adversely affect their profitability, the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge, the amount of capital and liquid assets they must maintain and their size, among other things. Financial services companies also may be significantly affected by, among other things, interest rates, economic conditions, credit rating downgrades, adverse public perception and exposure concentration. Increased risk-taking by financial companies may result in greater overall risk in the global financial sector. Certain events may cause an unusually high degree of volatility in financial markets and pose the risk of large losses for financial services companies.
9


Financial companies frequently operate with substantial financial leverage and are exposed directly to the credit risk of their borrowers and counterparties, which also may be leveraged to an unknown degree. Financial companies may have significant exposure to the same borrowers and counterparties; as a result, a borrower’s or counterparty’s inability to meet its obligations to one company may affect other financial companies with exposure to the same borrower or counterparty. This interconnectedness of risk may result in significant negative impacts to companies with direct exposure to the defaulting counterparty as well as adverse cascading effects in the markets and the financial sector generally.
Geographic and Security Risks. Issuers in a Fund’s portfolio may be located in, or otherwise connected to, parts of the world affected by natural disasters, such as severe heat, earthquakes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, wildfires, droughts, floods, hurricanes and tsunamis. In addition, issuers may be impacted by security concerns with respect to a country or region, such as war and other types of conflict, terrorism, strained international relations and territorial disputes. Any of these events may adversely affect the issuers, markets and economies to which a Fund is exposed, which may adversely affect the value of the Fund.
Healthcare Companies Risk. The profitability of healthcare companies may be adversely affected by the following factors, among others: extensive government regulations, restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure, a limited number of products, labor shortages, supply chain issues and industry innovation. Many new products in the healthcare sector entail significant research and development and require regulatory approval, all of which may be long and costly, and such efforts ultimately may be unsuccessful. Many healthcare companies depend heavily on obtaining and defending patents, which can be costly, and may be adversely affected by the expiration of patents. Healthcare companies also are subject to extensive litigation based on product liability and similar claims.
Illiquid Investments Risk. An illiquid investment is any investment that a Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without significantly changing the market value of the investment. An investment may be illiquid due to, among other things, fewer participants or less capacity to make a market in the investment, the lack of an active market for the investment, capital controls, delays or limits on repatriation of local currency, and the insolvency of local governments. To the extent that a Fund invests in securities or other assets with substantial market and/or credit risk, the Fund will tend to have increased exposure to the risks associated with illiquid investments. Illiquid investments may be harder to value, especially in changing markets.
Liquid investments may become illiquid after purchase by a Fund, particularly during periods of market turmoil. There can be no assurance that a security or other asset that is deemed to be liquid when purchased will continue to be liquid for as long as it is held by a Fund, and any security or other asset held by a Fund may be deemed an illiquid investment pursuant to the Fund’s liquidity risk management program.
Holdings of illiquid investments may reduce a Fund’s returns because the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices. If a Fund is forced to sell underlying investments at reduced prices or under unfavorable conditions to meet redemption requests or for other cash needs, the Fund may suffer a loss. This may be magnified in a rising interest rate environment or other circumstances where redemptions of Fund shares may be greater than normal. If other market participants attempt to liquidate holdings at the same time as a Fund, this will lead to an increased supply of the Fund’s underlying investments in the market and contribute to greater illiquid investments risk and downward pricing pressure. In addition, if a Fund is limited in its ability to sell illiquid investments during periods when shareholders are redeeming their shares, the Fund will need to sell liquid securities to meet redemption requests, and illiquid securities will become a larger portion of the Fund’s holdings. During periods of market volatility, liquidity in the market for a Fund’s shares may be impacted by the liquidity in the market for the underlying securities or other assets held by the Fund, which could lead to the Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to the Fund's NAV.
Index-Related Risk. A Fund that tracks an Underlying Index seeks to achieve a return that corresponds generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of its Underlying Index as published by the Index Provider. There is no assurance that the Index Provider or its agents will construct or calculate the Underlying Index accurately. While the Index Provider describes what the Underlying Index is designed to achieve, neither the Index Provider nor its agents provide any warranty or accept any liability regarding the quality, accuracy or completeness of the Underlying Index or its related data, and they do not guarantee that the Underlying Index will be in line with the Index Provider’s methodology. BFA also does not provide any warranty or guarantee against the Index Provider’s or any agent’s errors.
The Index Provider may rely on various sources of information to assess the criteria of components of the Underlying Index, including information that may be based on assumptions and estimates. Neither a Fund nor BFA can offer assurances that the Index Provider’s methodology or sources of information will provide an accurate assessment of included components or will result in the Fund meeting its investment objective. Errors in index data, index computations or the construction of an Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur, and the Index Provider may not identify or correct them promptly or at all, particularly for indexes that are less commonly used as benchmarks. In addition, there may be heightened risks associated with the adequacy and reliability of information about emerging markets constituents, as such markets may have less information available or less regulatory oversight. Errors related to an Underlying Index may negatively or positively impact a Fund and its shareholders. For example, if the Underlying Index contains incorrect constituents, the Fund will have exposure to such constituents and will be underexposed to the Underlying Index’s other constituents. Shareholders should understand that any gains from an Index Provider’s errors will be kept by the Fund and its shareholders and any losses or costs from such errors will be borne by the Fund and its shareholders.
Unusual market conditions or other unforeseen circumstances (such as natural disasters, political unrest or war) may impact an Index Provider or a third-party data provider and could cause the Index Provider to postpone a scheduled rebalance to an Underlying Index. This
10


could cause the Underlying Index to vary from its normal or expected composition. If a scheduled rebalance is postponed, index constituents that would otherwise be removed at the rebalance (due to, for example, changes in market capitalization or issuer credit ratings) may remain, causing the performance and constituents of the Underlying Index to vary from those expected under normal conditions. In addition, to the extent circumstances evolve between periodic index reviews and reconstitutions, an Underlying Index may include constituents that do not align with its objective or selection criteria, and the Fund tracking the Underlying Index may be similarly affected.
In addition to scheduled rebalances, an Index Provider or its agents may carry out ad hoc index rebalances due to reaching certain weighting constraints, unusual market conditions, corporate events, or corrections of errors. The relevant Fund will in turn rebalance its portfolio to attempt to increase the correlation between the portfolio and the Underlying Index. The Fund and its shareholders will directly bear any transaction costs and market exposure from such portfolio rebalancing. Therefore, index-related errors and ad hoc rebalances may increase a Fund’s costs and tracking error.
Industrial Companies Risk. Industrial companies face a number of risks, including supply chain and distribution disruptions, business interruptions, third-party vendor risks, cyber attacks, trade disputes, product recalls, liability and environmental damage claims, scarcity of materials or parts, excess capacity, changes in consumer preferences, and volatility in commodity prices and currencies. The products of industrial companies may face obsolescence due to technological developments and new product introduction. Furthermore, changes in trade restrictions and tariffs as well as broader geopolitical developments could adversely affect industrial companies. These companies also may be significantly affected by domestic and international economic conditions, legislative and regulatory changes, and labor relations. Industrial companies may depend on public or private sector financing, which may become difficult to obtain due to government spending constraints or reduced availability of capital. Such companies may be unable to protect their intellectual property rights or may be liable for infringing the intellectual property rights of others.
Issuers with high carbon intensity or high switching costs associated with the transition to low carbon alternatives may be more impacted by climate transition risks. There may be increased impact on a Fund's performance to the extent that its investments are concentrated in locations that are more susceptible to adverse physical events.
Issuer Risk. The performance of a Fund depends on the performance of individual securities or other assets to which the Fund has exposure. The value of securities or other assets may decline, or perform differently from the market as a whole, due to changes in the financial condition or credit rating of the issuer or counterparty.
Lack of Natural Resources Risk. Japan is an island state with few natural resources and limited land area and is reliant on imports for its commodity needs. Any fluctuations or shortages in the commodity markets could have a negative impact on the Japanese economy.
Large-Capitalization Companies Risk. Large-capitalization companies may be less able than smaller-capitalization companies to adapt to changing market conditions and competitive challenges. Large-capitalization companies may be more mature and subject to more limited growth potential compared with smaller-capitalization companies. The performance of large-capitalization companies could trail the overall performance of the broader securities markets.
Large Shareholder and Large-Scale Redemption Risk. Certain shareholders of a Fund, including an Authorized Participant, a third-party investor, the Fund’s adviser, an affiliate of the Fund’s adviser, a market maker, or another entity, may from time to time own or manage a substantial amount of Fund shares or may hold their investment in the Fund for a limited period of time. These shareholders may also pledge or loan Fund shares (to secure financing or otherwise), which may result in the shares becoming concentrated in another party. There can be no assurance that any large shareholder or large group of shareholders would not redeem their investment or that the size of a Fund would be maintained. Redemptions of a large number of Fund shares may adversely affect a Fund’s liquidity and net assets. To the extent a Fund permits redemptions in cash, these redemptions may force the Fund to sell portfolio securities or other assets when it might not otherwise do so, which may negatively impact the Fund’s NAV, have a material effect on the market price of Fund shares, increase the Fund’s brokerage costs, accelerate the realization of taxable income and/or capital gains, and cause the Fund to make taxable distributions to its shareholders earlier than the Fund otherwise would have. In addition, under certain circumstances, non-redeeming shareholders may be treated as receiving a disproportionately large taxable distribution during or with respect to such tax year. A Fund also may be required to sell its more liquid investments to meet a large redemption, in which case the Fund’s remaining assets may be less liquid, more volatile, and more difficult to price.
To the extent these large shareholders transact in Fund shares on the secondary market, such transactions may account for a large percentage of the trading volume for Fund shares and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the shares. In addition, large purchases of Fund shares may adversely affect the Fund’s performance to the extent that the Fund is delayed in investing new cash and is required to maintain a larger cash position than it ordinarily would, diluting its investment returns.
Management Risk. An index Fund invests in securities or other assets included in, or representative of, its Underlying Index, regardless of their investment merits. Such a Fund may be affected by a general decline in market segments related to its Underlying Index, and BFA generally does not attempt to invest the Fund’s assets in defensive positions under any market conditions, including declining markets. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on a Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track its Underlying Index. Because BFA uses a representative sampling indexing strategy, a Fund will not fully replicate its Underlying Index and may hold securities or other assets not included in the Underlying Index. As a result, a Fund is subject to the risk that BFA’s investment strategy, whose implementation is subject to a number of constraints, may not produce the intended results. There is no
11


guarantee that a Fund’s investment results will have a high degree of correlation to those of its Underlying Index or that a Fund will achieve its investment objective.
Market Risk. A Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during more prolonged market downturns. The value of a financial instrument or other asset may decline due to changes in general market conditions, economic trends or events that are not specifically related to the particular instrument or asset, or factors that affect one or more issuers, counterparties, exchanges, countries or other geographic units, markets, industries, or asset classes. Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, pandemics or other public health issues, recessions, the prospect or occurrence of a sovereign default or other financial crisis, or other events could have a significant impact on a Fund and its investments and could result in increased premiums or discounts to a Fund’s NAV. Changes in market and economic conditions generally do not have the same impact on all types of instruments and assets.
Market Trading Risk. A Fund faces numerous market trading risks, any of which may lead to its shares trading in the secondary market at a premium or discount to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s portfolio holdings. If you buy Fund shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to NAV or sell Fund shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, you may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the Fund shares.
Absence of an Active Primary Market. Although Fund shares are listed for trading on one or more stock exchanges, there can be no assurance that an active primary trading market for Fund shares will develop or be maintained by market makers or Authorized Participants.
Secondary Listing Risks. A 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. Fund shares also may be available to non-U.S. investors through funds or structured investment vehicles similar to depositary receipts. There can be no assurance that a Fund’s shares will continue to trade on any such stock exchange or in any market or that a Fund’s shares will continue to meet the requirements for exchange listing or market trading. A 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 that is 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 a Fund may trade in the secondary market at times when the Fund does not accept orders to create or redeem shares. At such times, shares may trade in the secondary market with more significant premiums or discounts to NAV than might be experienced at times when the Fund accepts creation and redemption orders. Securities held by a Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than an exchange on which Fund shares are traded. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing time. As a result, during the time when the exchange is open but after the applicable market closing, fixing or settlement time, there may be wider bid/ask spreads on the exchange and a greater premium or discount to NAV.
In stressed market conditions, the market for a Fund’s shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund’s portfolio holdings, and an investor may be unable to sell their Fund shares.
Secondary market trading in Fund shares may be halted by a stock exchange because of market conditions or for other reasons. In times of extraordinary market volatility, Fund shares may be subject to trading halts pursuant to circuit breaker rules of a stock exchange or market. If there is a trading halt or unanticipated closure of an exchange or market, an investor may be unable to purchase or sell Fund shares. In addition, if trading in certain securities or financial instruments is restricted, this may disrupt a Fund’s creation/redemption process, affect the price at which Fund shares trade in the secondary market, and result in a Fund being unable to trade certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, a Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio or accurately price its portfolio holdings and may incur substantial trading losses.
Shares of a 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 and price decreases associated with being sold short. In addition, trading activity in derivative products based on a Fund may lead to increased trading volume and volatility in the secondary market for the shares of the Fund.
Fund Shares May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV. Shares of a Fund trade on stock exchanges at prices at, above or below the Fund’s most recent NAV. A Fund’s NAV is calculated at the end of each business day and fluctuates with changes in the market value of the Fund’s portfolio holdings. The trading price of a Fund’s shares fluctuates 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 a Fund’s shares may deviate significantly from NAV during times of market volatility, significant redemption requests, or other unusual market conditions
However, because Fund shares can be created and redeemed in Creation Units at NAV, BFA believes that large discounts or premiums to a Fund’s NAV 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 a 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 other market participants, and during periods of significant market volatility, may result in trading prices for shares of a Fund that differ significantly from its NAV. Authorized Participants
12


may be less willing to create or redeem a Fund’s shares if there is a lack of an active market for such shares or the Fund’s underlying investments, which may contribute to the Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV.
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 Fund shares through a broker, you will likely incur a brokerage commission and other charges. In addition, you may incur the cost of the spread, which 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). The spread varies over time for Fund shares based on trading volume and market liquidity. It is generally narrower if a Fund has more trading volume and market liquidity and wider if a Fund has less trading volume and market liquidity. Increased market volatility also may cause wider spreads. In addition, there may be regulatory and other charges that are incurred as a result of trading activity. 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 through a brokerage account.
Materials Companies Risk. The materials sector tends to be closely tied to the economic cycle and can be significantly affected by supply-demand dynamics. Materials companies may be adversely affected by commodity price volatility, exchange rate fluctuations, social and political unrest, war, import and export controls, supply chain disruption, increased competition, depletion of resources, technical advances, labor relations, litigation and government regulations, among other factors. Materials companies are at risk of liability for environmental damage and product liability claims and may incur significant costs in complying with environmental laws.
Micro-Capitalization Companies Risk. Investments in micro-capitalization companies are likely to be significantly riskier, less liquid, more volatile and more susceptible to economic, market and industry changes than investments in larger companies. Micro-capitalization companies are subject to substantially greater risk of loss and price fluctuations because their earnings and revenues tend to be less predictable, and some companies may experience significant losses. These companies may be in the early stages of development, with relatively little information available to investors, and are likely to have limited product lines, markets, financial resources, personnel and management experience. As a result, they are more vulnerable than larger companies to adverse business and economic developments. Micro-capitalization securities tend to trade less frequently and in smaller volumes than the securities of larger companies. Micro-capitalization securities may be illiquid or restricted as to resale, and their values may have significant volatility. A Fund may be unable to liquidate its positions in such securities at any time, or at a favorable price, in order to meet the Fund’s obligations.
Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk. Investments in mid-capitalization companies may be riskier, less liquid, more volatile and more susceptible to economic, market and industry changes than investments in large-capitalization companies. Mid-capitalization companies may have more limited product lines, markets, financial resources and management experience. As a result, they generally are more vulnerable than large-capitalization companies to adverse business and economic developments. Mid-capitalization companies may have a shorter business track record, with relatively less information available to investors. The securities of mid-sized companies may trade less frequently and in smaller volumes than the securities of larger companies.
National Closed Market Trading Risk. To the extent that securities or other assets held by a Fund trade on foreign exchanges or in foreign markets that may be closed when the securities exchange on which the Fund’s shares trade is open, there are likely to be deviations between such asset’s current price and its last quoted price (i.e., the quote from the closed foreign market to the Fund). The impact of a closed foreign market on a Fund is likely to be greater where a large portion of the Fund’s holdings trade on a closed foreign market or when a foreign market is closed for unscheduled reasons. These deviations could result in premiums or discounts to a Fund’s NAV that may be greater than those experienced by other funds.
Non-Diversification Risk. A Fund that is classified as non-diversified may invest a greater percentage of its assets in securities or other instruments representing a small number of issuers or counterparties, compared with funds that are classified as diversified. A non-diversified Fund thus may be more susceptible to the risks associated with these particular issuers or counterparties. The gains and losses on such holdings may have a greater impact on a non-diversified Fund’s performance than they would on the performance of a diversified Fund, and a non-diversified Fund’s NAV may be more volatile.
Non-U.S. Securities Risk. Securities issued by non-U.S. issuers (including depositary receipts) are subject to different legal, regulatory, political, economic, and market risks than securities issued by U.S. issuers. To the extent that a Fund makes investments in a limited number of countries, events in those countries will have a more significant impact on the Fund. The risks of investing in non-U.S. securities include the following, any of which may have an adverse impact on a Fund:
Less liquid markets, which may make valuing securities more difficult;
Greater market volatility;
Government intervention in issuers' operations or structure;
Government expropriation or nationalization of assets;
Exchange rate fluctuations and exchange controls;
Limitations on foreign ownership of securities;
Imposition of withholding or other taxes;
Restrictions on the repatriation of capital;
Higher transaction and custody costs;
13


Foreign market trading hours, different clearing and settlement procedures, and holiday schedules, which may limit a Fund's ability to
engage in portfolio transactions;
Less regulation of the securities and other financial markets;
Less availability of public information about issuers;  
Weaker accounting, audit, disclosure and financial reporting requirements and the risk of being delisted from U.S. exchanges; 
Difficulties in enforcing contractual obligations; and
Legal principals relating to corporate governance, directors’ fiduciary duties and liabilities, and shareholder rights that are less robust
than those that apply in the U.S.
Withholding Tax Reclaims Risk. A Fund that holds non-U.S. securities may file claims to recover withholding tax on dividend and interest income (if any) received from issuers in certain countries where such withholding tax reclaim is possible. Whether or when a Fund will receive a withholding tax refund is within the control of the tax authorities in such countries. Where a Fund expects to recover withholding tax based on a continuous assessment of the probability of recovery, the Fund’s NAV generally includes accruals for such tax refunds. Funds continue to evaluate tax developments for potential impact to the probability of recovery. If the likelihood of receiving a tax refund materially decreases, such as due to a change in tax regulation or approach, accruals in a Fund’s NAV for such refunds may be written down partially or in full, which will adversely affect the Fund’s NAV. Investors in a Fund at the time when an accrual is written down will bear the impact of any resulting reduction in NAV regardless of whether they were investors during the accrual period.  Conversely, if a Fund receives a tax refund that was not previously accrued, investors in the Fund at the time the claim is successful will benefit from any resulting increase in the Fund’s NAV. Investors who sold their shares prior to such time will not benefit from any such NAV increase.
Operational Risk. Each Fund is exposed to operational risks arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. Each Fund and BFA seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate to address significant operational risks.
Real Estate Companies Risk. Real estate companies, which include real estate investment trusts, real estate holding and operating companies, and real estate management or development companies, expose investors to the risks of owning real estate directly as well as to the risks from the way that such companies operate. Real estate companies and property values may be adversely affected by regulations and other governmental actions, including tax increases, zoning changes and other usage restrictions, environmental regulations, regulatory limitations on rent or eviction, and eminent domain.
Real estate is highly sensitive to general and local economic conditions and can be subject to intense competition and periodic overbuilding. Real estate companies may own a limited number of properties and concentrate their investments in a particular geographic region, industry or property type. Economic downturns or other adverse events (e.g., natural disasters) that affect a particular region, industry or property type may lead to decreases in property values, leasing declines and defaults by borrowers or tenants. In the event of a default, a real estate company may experience substantial delays and costs in enforcing its rights with respect to the property and protecting its investment. In addition, because real estate is relatively illiquid, a company may be constrained in its ability to diversify or liquidate its investments in response to economic conditions or other events.
Real estate companies may depend on the management skills of a few key individuals and may have limited financial resources. They may be highly leveraged, which can magnify losses, and interest rate increases can make it difficult for them, as well as borrowers and tenants, to obtain debt financing and meet payment obligations. Declining interest rates could result in increased prepayment on loans and require redeployment of capital in less desirable investments.
Certain real estate companies, such as REITs, could fail to qualify for favorable tax or regulatory treatment, which could produce adverse economic consequences for the company and its investors, including a Fund.
Reliance on Trading Partners Risk. The economies of some countries or regions depend on trading with certain key trading partners. A reduction in spending on the products and services of these countries or regions, the institution of tariffs or other trade barriers by a key trading partner or a slowdown in the economy of a key trading partner may cause an adverse impact on the economies of such countries or regions and may negatively impact the performance of a Fund with exposure to those countries or regions.
Risk of Investing in Denmark. Investments in Danish issuers will subject the Fund to legal, regulatory, political, currency, security, and economic risks specific to Denmark. Denmark’s industrialized market economy depends on imported raw materials and foreign trade. As a result, Denmark is dependent on trading relationships with certain key trading partners, including other EU countries and the U.S. Denmark’s economy has also been characterized by slow growth and is facing demographic challenges, including an aging population, that could lead to labor supply shortages in the near future.
Risk of Investing in Emerging Markets. Investments in emerging market issuers are subject to a greater risk of loss than investments in issuers located or operating in more developed markets. This is due to, among other things, the potential for greater market volatility, lower trading volume, higher levels of inflation, social, political or economic instability, greater risk of a market shutdown and more governmental limitations on foreign investments in emerging market countries than are typically found in more developed markets.
14


Some countries in which the Fund may invest may experience economic instability, including instability resulting from substantial rates of inflation or significant devaluations of their currency, or economic recessions, which would have a negative effect on the economies and securities markets of their economies. Some of these countries may also impose restrictions on the exchange or export of currency or adverse currency exchange rates and may be characterized by a lack of available currency hedging instruments.
Disparities of wealth, the pace and success of democratization and ethnic, religious and racial disaffection, among other factors, may exacerbate social unrest, violence and labor unrest in some of the countries in which the Fund may invest. Unanticipated or sudden political or social developments may result in sudden and significant investment losses.
Companies in many emerging markets are not subject to the same degree of regulatory requirements, accounting standards or auditor oversight as companies in more developed countries, and as a result, information about the securities in which the Fund invests may be less reliable or complete. Moreover, emerging markets often have less reliable securities valuations and greater risks associated with custody of securities than developed markets. There may be significant obstacles to obtaining information necessary for investigations into or litigation against companies and shareholders may have limited legal remedies. The Fund does not select investments based on investor protection considerations.
In addition, emerging markets often have greater risk of capital controls through such measures as taxes or interest rate control than developed markets. Certain emerging market countries may also lack the infrastructure necessary to attract large amounts of foreign trade and investment. Chronic structural public sector deficits in some countries in which the Fund may invest may adversely impact securities held by the Fund.
Local securities markets in emerging market countries may trade a small number of securities and may be unable to respond effectively to changes in trading volume, potentially making prompt liquidation of holdings difficult or impossible at times. Settlement procedures in emerging market countries are frequently less developed and reliable than those in the U.S. (and other developed countries). In addition, significant delays may occur in certain markets in registering the transfer of securities. Settlement or registration problems may make it more difficult for the Fund to value its portfolio securities and could have an adverse effect on the Fund in seeking to achieve its investment objective.
Investing in emerging market countries involves a higher risk of loss due to expropriation, nationalization, confiscation of assets and property or the imposition of restrictions on foreign investments and on repatriation of capital invested in certain emerging market countries. As a result, investments in certain countries in which the Fund may invest may be subject to loss due to expropriation or nationalization of assets and property or the imposition of restrictions on foreign investments and repatriation of capital.
Risk of Investing in Finland. Investment in Finnish issuers involves risks that are specific to Finland, including, legal, regulatory, political, currency, security and economic risks. Finland’s economy, among other things, depends on imported raw materials, energy and components for its manufactured products. As a result, Finland is dependent on trading relationships with certain key trading partners, including Germany, Sweden and other EU countries, Russia and the U.S. Metals, engineering and timber are Finland’s main industries, and major exports include electronics and machinery. Finland’s reliance on these sectors makes it vulnerable to economic downturns in, among other sectors, the technology and industrials sectors. Finland’s economy is facing demographic challenges, including an aging population, that could lead to labor supply shortages in the near future.
Risk of Investing in Ireland. Investments in Irish issuers involve risks that are specific to Ireland, including, legal, regulatory, political, currency, security and economic risks. Ireland’s economy, among other things, is dependent upon trade with other key trading partners, specifically the U.S, the U.K. and other Western European countries. Ireland’s economy, along with certain other European economies, has from time to time experienced financial market volatility and economic adversity due to concerns related to economic downturns, availability of credit and rising government debt levels and the U.K.’s departure from the EU. These events have adversely affected the exchange rate of the euro and may continue to significantly affect the Irish economy.
Risk of Investing in Japan. Investing in Japanese issuers subjects a Fund to legal, regulatory, political, economic, currency, geographic and security risks that are specific to Japan. Japan’s economic growth rate has generally remained low relative to other advanced economies, and it may continue to remain low. Its economy depends heavily on international trade and government policy supporting its export market. Economic downturns or political instability in its key trading partners, which include the United States and China, could have an adverse effect on the Japanese economy. Currency fluctuations also could adversely impact Japan’s export market and its economy. If the Japanese government were to intervene in the currency market, as it has in the past, the yen’s value could fluctuate sharply and unpredictably, which could cause losses to investors.
Other risks to Japan’s economic growth and competitiveness include significant public debt and deficits as well as labor shortages due to an aging and declining population. In addition, Japan lacks many natural resources and relies heavily on imports of oil and other commodities. Price increases, shortages or volatility in commodities markets could have a negative effect on Japan’s economy. Other risks to the Japanese economy and financial markets include natural disasters and Japan’s relations with neighboring countries, which at times have been strained.
Risk of Investing in New Zealand. Investing in New Zealand issuers subjects a Fund to legal, regulatory, political, economic, currency, geographic and security risks that are specific to New Zealand. Global trade is critical to New Zealand’s economy. It depends heavily on agricultural exports, which are susceptible to weather hazards and environmental issues. New Zealand’s key trading partners are China,
15


Australia and the U.S., and it is vulnerable to changes in demand from these and other countries. Other risks facing New Zealand include skilled labor shortages, dependence on foreign investment and natural disasters.
Risk of Investing in Norway. Investment in Norwegian issuers will subject the Fund to legal, regulatory, political, currency, security, and economic risks specific to Norway. Norway is a major producer of oil and gas, and Norway’s economy is subject to the risk of fluctuations in oil and gas prices. The influx of oil and gas revenue has permitted Norway to expand its social welfare system. In recent years, labor costs in Norway have increased faster than those of its major trading partners, eroding industrial competitiveness.
Risk of Investing in Poland. Investment in Polish issuers involves risks that are specific to Poland, including, legal, regulatory, political, currency and economic risks. Poland’s economy, among other things, is dependent upon the export of raw materials and consumer goods. As a result, Poland is dependent on trading relationships with certain key trading partners, including Germany and other EU countries. Poland’s economy, like most other economies in Eastern Europe, remains relatively undeveloped and can be particularly sensitive to political and economic developments.
Risk of Investing in Russia. Investing in Russian securities involves significant risks, in addition to those described under Risk of Investing in Emerging Markets and Non-U.S. Securities Risk, that are not typically associated with investing in U.S. securities, including:
The risk of delays in settling portfolio transactions and the risk of loss arising out of the system of share registration and custody used
in Russia;
Risks in connection with the maintenance of a Fund’s portfolio securities and cash with foreign sub-custodians and securities
depositories, including the risk that appropriate sub-custody arrangements will not be available to a Fund;
The risk that a Fund’s ownership rights in portfolio securities could be lost through fraud or negligence because ownership in shares of
Russian companies is recorded by the companies themselves and by registrars, rather than by a central registration system;
The risk that a Fund may not be able to pursue claims on behalf of its shareholders because of the system of share registration and
custody, and because Russian banking institutions and registrars are not guaranteed by the Russian government; and
The risk that various responses by other nation-states to alleged Russian cyber activity will impact Russia’s economy and Russian
issuers of securities in which a Fund invests.
Russian invasion of Ukraine. Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The extent and duration of the military action, resulting sanctions and resulting future market disruptions, including declines in its stock markets and the value of the ruble against the U.S. dollar, are impossible to predict, but could be significant. Disruptions caused by Russian military action or other actions (including cyberattacks and espionage) or resulting actual and threatened responses to such activity, including purchasing and financing restrictions, boycotts or changes in consumer or purchaser preferences, sanctions, import and export restrictions, tariffs or cyberattacks on the Russian government, Russian companies or Russian individuals, including politicians, may impact Russia’s economy, Russian issuers of securities in which a Fund invests, or the economies of Europe as a whole. Actual and threatened responses to Russian military action may also impact the markets for certain Russian commodities, such as oil and natural gas, as well as other sectors of the Russian economy, and are likely to have collateral impacts on such sectors across Europe and globally.
Russia Sanctions. Governments, including the U.S., the E.U., the U.K., and many other countries (collectively, the Sanctioning Bodies) have imposed economic sanctions on certain Russian individuals, including politicians, and Russian corporate and banking entities, including banning Russia from global payments systems that facilitate cross-border payments. In an effort to curtail Russia’s ability to finance its war effort, the Sanctioning Bodies continue to elevate these measures and may, going forward, 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 and/or funds invested in prohibited assets, impairing the ability of a Fund to buy, sell, receive or deliver those securities and/or assets.
The sanctions against certain Russian issuers include broad asset freezes and prohibitions on transacting or otherwise dealing in select issuances of debt or equity of such issuers, among others. Compliance with each of these sanctions measures has impaired, and may continue to impair, the ability of a Fund to buy, sell, hold, receive or deliver the affected securities or other securities of such issuers. A Fund may also be legally required to block (i.e., freeze) assets in a blocked account and report the accompanying exposure to Sanctioning Bodies.
Sanctions have resulted in Russia taking counter measures or retaliatory actions, which has impaired the value and liquidity of Russian securities. These retaliatory measures include the immediate freeze of Russian assets held by a Fund. Due to the freeze of these 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 the Fund receiving substantially lower prices for its securities. Russia may implement additional retaliatory measures, which may further impair the value and liquidity of Russian securities and the ability of a Fund to receive dividend payments. Russia has issued a number of countersanctions, some of which restrict the distribution of profits by limited liability companies (e.g., dividends), and prohibits Russian persons from entering into transactions with designated persons from unfriendly states as well as the export of raw materials or other products from Russia to certain sanctioned persons. Russian companies may be unable to pay dividends and, if they pay dividends, a Fund may be unable to receive them.
These sanctions, the decision by Russia to suspend trading on the Moscow Exchange (MOEX) and prohibit non-resident investors from executing security sales, and other events have led index providers to remove Russian securities from indexes. Each Fund is currently
16


restricted from trading in Russian securities, including those in its portfolio (if any), and the Underlying Indexes have removed Russian securities (if any). This disparity will also lead to increased tracking error. The inability of a Fund to trade in Russian securities may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to meet its investment objective. It is unknown when, or if, sanctions may be lifted or a Fund’s ability to trade in Russian securities will resume.
Risk of Investing in the U.K. Investing in U.K. issuers subjects a Fund to legal, regulatory, political, economic, currency, geographic and security risks that are specific to the U.K. Economic downturns or political instability in its key trading partners, which include the United States and other European countries, could have an adverse effect on the U.K. economy. Following Brexit, certain trading matters between the U.K. and the EU remain unresolved, including with respect to financial services. Continuing uncertainty regarding the U.K.’s relationship with the EU could have an adverse impact on the economy and currency of the United Kingdom. Other risks to the U.K.’s economic growth and competitiveness include high public debt and relatively low productivity.
Securities Lending Risk. A Fund may engage in securities lending. Securities lending involves the risk that a Fund may lose money because the borrower of the loaned securities fails to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. A Fund could also lose money in the event of a decline in the value of collateral provided for loaned securities or a decline in the value of any investments made with cash collateral. These events could also trigger adverse tax consequences for a Fund.
Small-Capitalization Companies Risk. Investments in small-capitalization companies may be riskier, less liquid, more volatile and more susceptible to economic, market and industry changes than investments in large- or mid-capitalization companies. Small-capitalization companies may have more limited product lines, markets, financial resources, personnel and management experience. As a result, they generally are more vulnerable than larger companies to adverse business and economic developments. Small-capitalization companies may have a short business track record, with relatively less information available to investors. The securities of smaller companies may trade less frequently and in lower volumes than the securities of larger companies. Some securities of smaller issuers may be illiquid or restricted as to resale, and their values may have significant volatility. A Fund may be unable to liquidate its positions in such securities at any time, or at a favorable price, in order to meet the Fund’s obligations.
Small Fund Risk. When a Fund’s size is small, the Fund may experience low trading volume and wide bid/ask spreads. In addition, a Fund may face the risk of being delisted if it does not meet certain requirements set by the listing exchange. If a Fund were required to delist from the listing exchange, the Fund’s value may rapidly decline and its performance may be negatively impacted. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could lead to elevated transaction costs for the Fund and negative tax consequences for its shareholders.
Sustainability Risk. Sustainability risk is an inclusive term to designate investment risk (probability or uncertainty of occurrence of material losses relative to the expected return of an investment) that relates to environmental, social or governance issues.
Sustainability risk around environmental issues includes, but is not limited to, climate risk, both physical and transition risk. Physical risk arises from the physical effects of climate change, acute or chronic. For example, frequent and severe climate-related events can impact products and services and supply chains. Transition risk – whether policy, technology, market or reputation risk – arises from the adjustment to a low-carbon economy in order to mitigate climate change. Risks related to social issues can include, but are not limited to, labor rights and community relations. Governance-related risks can include but are not limited to risks around board independence, ownership and control, and audit and tax management. These risks can impact an issuer’s operational effectiveness and resilience as well as its public perception and reputation, affecting its profitability and, in turn, its capital growth and ultimately impacting the value of holdings in a Fund.
These are only examples of sustainability risk factors, and sustainability risk factors do not solely determine the risk profile of the investment. The relevance, severity, materiality and time horizon of sustainability risk factors and other risks can differ significantly across Funds.
Sustainability risk can manifest itself through different existing risk types including, but not limited to, market, liquidity, concentration, credit and asset-liability mismatch risk. For example, a Fund may invest in the securities of an issuer that could face potentially reduced revenues or increased expenditures from physical climate risk (e.g., decreased production capacity due to supply chain perturbations, lower sales due to demand shocks or higher operating or capital costs) or transition risk (e.g., decreased demand for carbon-intensive products and services or increased production costs due to changing input prices). As a result, sustainability risk factors may have a material impact on an investment, may increase volatility, may affect liquidity and may have an adverse impact on the value of shares of a Fund.
The impact of those risks may be higher for Funds with particular sectoral or geographic concentrations. For example, Funds with geographic concentration in locations susceptible to adverse weather conditions where the value of the investments in the Funds may be more susceptible to adverse physical climate events, or Funds with specific sectoral concentrations, such as investing in industries or issuers with high carbon intensity or high switching costs associated with the transition to low carbon alternatives, may be more impacted by climate transition risks.
All or a combination of these factors may have an unpredictable impact on a Fund’s investments. Under normal market conditions, such events could have a material impact on the value of shares of a Fund.
Assessments of sustainability risk are specific to the asset class and to a fund’s investment objective. Different asset classes require different data and tools to apply heightened scrutiny, assess materiality, and make meaningful differentiation among issuers and assets. To the extent consistent with a Fund’s investment objective, risks are considered and risk managed concurrently, by prioritizing in part based on materiality and on the Fund’s objective.
17


The impacts of sustainability risk are likely to develop over time, and new sustainability risks may be identified as further data and information regarding sustainability factors and impacts become available.
Technology Companies Risk. Technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technological advances may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources and personnel. These companies may face rapid product obsolescence as well as unexpected risks and costs related to new product introduction and technological developments, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. Technology companies may be adversely affected by disruptions to supply chains and distribution networks as well as issues at third-party partners. They are heavily dependent on patent and other intellectual property rights, and the loss or impairment of these rights may adversely affect their profitability. Technology companies may face increased government scrutiny and may be subject to adverse government or legal action. These companies also may be adversely affected by, among other things, actual or perceived security vulnerabilities or other defects in their products and services, which may result in lawsuits, government enforcement actions and other remediation costs.
Threshold/Underinvestment Risk. If certain aggregate and/or fund-level ownership thresholds are reached through transactions undertaken by BFA, its affiliates or a Fund, or as a result of third-party transactions or actions by an issuer or regulator, the ability of BFA and its affiliates on behalf of clients (including a Fund) to purchase or dispose of investments, exercise rights or undertake business transactions may be restricted by regulation or otherwise impaired. The capacity of a Fund to invest in certain securities or other assets may be affected by the relevant threshold limits, and such limitations may have adverse effects on the liquidity and performance of a Fund’s portfolio holdings. To the extent a Fund tracks an index, such limits may increase the risk of the Fund being underinvested in an asset relative to its Underlying Index and increase the risk of tracking error.
For example, ownership limits may apply to securities whose issuers operate in certain regulated industries or in certain international markets. Such limits also may apply where the investing entity (such as a Fund) is subject to corporate or regulatory ownership restrictions or invests in certain futures or other derivative transactions. In certain circumstances, aggregate and/or fund-level amounts invested or voted by BFA and its affiliates for their proprietary accounts and for client accounts (including a Fund) may not exceed the relevant limits without the grant of a license or other regulatory or corporate consent. In other cases, exceeding such thresholds may cause BFA and its affiliates, a Fund or other client accounts to suffer disadvantages or business restrictions.
Tracking Error Risk. A Fund that tracks an index is subject to the risk of tracking error, which is the divergence of a Fund’s performance from that of the Underlying Index. Tracking error may occur due to a number of factors, including differences between the securities and other assets held in a Fund’s portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index; differences in the timing and methodologies used to value securities and other assets; transaction costs and other expenses incurred by a Fund that the Underlying Index does not incur; a Fund’s holding of uninvested cash; differences in the timing of the accrual or the valuation of dividends or interest received by a Fund or distributions paid to Fund shareholders; tax gains or losses; the requirements for a Fund to maintain pass-through tax treatment; portfolio transactions carried out to minimize the distribution of capital gains to shareholders; the acceptance of custom baskets; changes to the Underlying Index, such as during a rebalancing or reconstitution; and impacts to a Fund of complying with certain regulatory requirements or limits. A Fund that tracks an index composed of a large number of securities or other assets may experience greater tracking error than a Fund that tracks a more narrow index. Tracking error risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions.
U.S. Economic Risk. The U.S. is a significant trading partner of, or foreign investor in, a number of countries. As a result, the economic conditions of such countries may be particularly affected by changes in the U.S. economy, such as a decrease in U.S. imports or exports, changes in trade regulations, changes in the U.S. dollar exchange rate or an economic slowdown in the U.S. Any such event may have an adverse effect on the economies of U.S. trading partners and the securities issuers in such countries, which in turn could negatively impact a Fund’s investments. Circumstances could arise that could prevent the timely payment of interest or principal on U.S. government debt, such as reaching the legislative debt ceiling. Such non-payment would result in substantial negative consequences for the U.S. economy and the global financial system.
Utility Companies Risk. Utility infrastructure often requires significant capital expenditures, and utility companies may face high interest costs and difficulty in raising capital. Technological innovations may render existing equipment or products obsolete, and companies may experience difficulty in obtaining regulatory approval of new technologies. Utility operations may be disrupted by events that target or damage utility infrastructure, including natural disasters and cyber or other attacks. Utilities companies may be adversely affected by volatility in the price of certain energy resources. 
Utility companies face risks from government regulation and oversight as well as from deregulation (if applicable). Regulators may monitor and control companies’ revenues and costs. There is no assurance that regulators will grant rate increases or that rate levels will be adequate to permit the payment of stock dividends or bond coupon payments. In addition, there may be regulatory restrictions on the ability of utility companies to enter new lines of business and geographic areas. Utility companies incur costs in complying with environmental and other regulations and may face significant challenges in obtaining regulatory approval for certain projects, such as nuclear power plants. Utility companies are at risk of liability for environmental harm and other types of damages. Energy conservation, climate change and other sustainability policies also may impact utility companies. Deregulation may subject companies to greater competition, may adversely affect their profitability and may lead them to engage in riskier ventures.  
Valuation Risk. The price that a Fund could receive upon the sale (or other disposition) of a security or other asset may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security or other asset, particularly for securities or other assets that trade in low volume or volatile markets or that
18


are valued using a fair value methodology. The price received by a Fund also may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index (if applicable). Because non-U.S. exchanges or markets may be open on days or during time periods when a Fund does not price its shares, the value of the securities or other assets in a Fund’s portfolio may change on days or during time periods when investors are not able to purchase or sell Fund shares.
In addition, for purposes of calculating a Fund’s NAV, the value of assets denominated in non-U.S. currencies (if any) is translated into U.S. dollars at the prevailing market rates. For a Fund that tracks an Underlying Index, this may 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. Authorized Participants that create or redeem Fund shares on days when a Fund is holding fair-valued securities or other assets may receive fewer or more shares, or lower or higher redemption proceeds, than they would have received had the securities or other assets not been fair valued or been valued using a different methodology. The ability to value investments may be impacted by technological issues or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
Value Securities Risk. Value securities are those issued by companies that may be perceived as undervalued. Such securities may decline in price or fail to appreciate for long periods of time, and they may never realize their full potential value because the market fails to recognize the stock’s intrinsic worth. Value securities may underperform growth securities and other types of assets as well as the overall stock market. Although value securities have generally performed better than non-value securities during periods of economic recovery, there is no assurance that they will continue to do so. Value securities may go in and out of favor over time, which could affect the performance of a Fund with such holdings.
Portfolio Holdings Information
A description of the policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Funds’ portfolio securities and other assets (as applicable) is available in the applicable Statement of Additional Information (SAI). Each Fund discloses its portfolio holdings daily at www.iShares.com. Fact sheets providing information about each Fund’s top holdings are posted on www.iShares.com when available and may be requested by calling 1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737).
Management of the Funds
Investment Adviser
As investment adviser, BFA has overall responsibility for the general management and administration of the Funds. BFA provides an investment program for the Funds and manages the investment of the Funds’ assets. In seeking to achieve the Funds’ respective investment objectives, BFA uses teams of portfolio managers, investment strategists and other investment specialists and may draw upon the trading, research and expertise of its affiliates. This team approach brings together many disciplines and leverages BFA’s extensive resources.
BFA is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. (BlackRock) and is located at 400 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94105. As of September 30, 2024, BFA and its affiliates provided investment advisory services for assets of approximately $11.5 trillion.
From time to time, an employee of BlackRock may express views regarding a particular security or other instrument, asset class, company, industry, or market sector. Such views are the views of only that individual as of the time expressed. They do not necessarily represent the views of BlackRock or any other person within the BlackRock organization. Such views may change at any time based upon market or other conditions, and BlackRock has no responsibility to update such views. You should not rely on any such views as investment advice or as an indication of trading intent on behalf of a Fund.
Fees and Expenses
Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement between BFA and the Trust (entered into on behalf of the Funds), BFA is responsible for substantially all expenses of each Fund, except the management fees, interest expenses, taxes, expenses incurred with respect to the acquisition and disposition of portfolio securities and the execution of portfolio transactions, including brokerage commissions, distribution fees or expenses, and litigation expenses and any extraordinary expenses (as determined by a majority of the Directors who are not interested persons of the Trust). Operating expenses paid by BFA under the Investment Advisory Agreement exclude Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, if any.
A discussion regarding the basis for the approval by the Trust's Board of Trustees (the Board) of the Investment Advisory Agreement with BFA is available in the Funds' Form N-CSR filed with the SEC for the period ended August 31 and in the applicable financial statements posted at www.iShares.com.
For its investment advisory services to each Fund, for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2024, BFA was paid a management fee from each Fund, as a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets, net of any applicable waivers, at the annual rate set forth in the table below. If BFA has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its management fees for a Fund, the contractual waiver may be terminated prior to its expiration date only upon written agreement of the Trust and BFA. In addition, BFA may from time to time voluntarily waive and/or reimburse fees or expenses to reduce a Fund’s 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.
19


Fund
Management Fee
iShares MSCI Denmark ETF
0.53%
iShares MSCI Finland ETF
0.53%
iShares MSCI Ireland ETF
0.50%1
iShares MSCI Japan Value ETF
0.15%
iShares MSCI New Zealand ETF
0.50%1
iShares MSCI Norway ETF
0.53%
iShares MSCI Poland ETF
0.59%1
iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF
0.50%1
iShares MSCI United Kingdom Small-Cap ETF
0.59%
1The management fee schedule for the Fund, including its breakpoint pricing arrangements, is described in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information.
Portfolio Managers
The Portfolio Managers for each Fund are responsible for various functions related to portfolio management, including, but not limited to, investing cash inflows, coordinating with members of their respective portfolio management teams to focus on certain asset classes, implementing investment strategy, researching and reviewing investment strategy and overseeing members of their respective teams who have more limited responsibilities.
Jennifer Hsui, Greg Savage and Paul Whitehead are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds.
Jennifer Hsui has been employed by BFA or its affiliates as a senior portfolio manager since 2007. She is a Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc.
Greg Savage has been employed by BFA or its affiliates as a portfolio manager since 2006. He is a Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc.
Paul Whitehead has been employed by BFA or its affiliates as a portfolio manager since 2015. He is a Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc.
Each 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 of the Funds.
Administrator, Custodian and Transfer Agent
The administrator, custodian and transfer agent for each Fund is indicated in the table below.
Fund
The Bank of
New York
Mellon
Citibank, N.A.
JPMorgan
Chase Bank,
N.A.
State Street
Bank and Trust
Company
iShares MSCI Denmark ETF*
 
 
 
iShares MSCI Finland ETF*
 
 
 
iShares MSCI Ireland ETF*
 
 
 
iShares MSCI Japan Value ETF*
 
 
 
iShares MSCI New Zealand ETF*
 
 
 
iShares MSCI Norway ETF *
 
 
 
iShares MSCI Poland ETF*
 
 
 
iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF*
 
 
 
iShares MSCI United Kingdom Small-Cap ETF*
 
 
 
*JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. serves as custodian for the Fund in connection with certain securities lending activities.
Conflicts of Interest
The investment activities of BFA and its affiliates (including BlackRock and its subsidiaries (collectively, the Affiliates)), and their respective directors, officers or employees, in managing their own accounts and other accounts, may present conflicts of interest that could disadvantage a Fund and its shareholders.
BFA and its Affiliates are involved worldwide with a broad spectrum of financial services and asset management activities and in the ordinary course of business may engage in activities in which their interests or the interests of other clients may conflict with those of a Fund. BFA and its Affiliates act, or may act, as an investor, research provider, investment manager, commodity pool operator, commodity trading
20


advisor, financier, underwriter, adviser, trader, lender, index provider, agent and/or principal. BFA and its Affiliates may have other direct and indirect interests in securities, currencies, commodities, derivatives and other assets in which a Fund may directly or indirectly invest.
BFA and its Affiliates may engage in proprietary trading and advise accounts and other funds that have investment objectives similar to those of a Fund and/or that engage in and compete for transactions in the same or similar types of securities, currencies and other assets as are held by a Fund. This may include transactions in securities issued by other open-end and closed-end investment companies, including 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 its Affiliates are carried out without reference to positions held directly or indirectly by a Fund. These activities may result in BFA or an Affiliate having positions in assets that are senior or junior to, or that have interests different from or adverse to, the assets held by a Fund.
A Fund may invest in securities issued by, or engage in other transactions with, entities with which an Affiliate has significant debt or equity investments or other interests. A Fund may also invest in issuances (such as debt offerings or structured notes) for which an Affiliate is compensated for providing advisory, cash management or other services. A Fund also may invest in securities of, or engage in other transactions with, entities for which an Affiliate provides or may provide research coverage or other analysis.
An Affiliate may have business relationships with, and receive compensation from, distributors, consultants or others who recommend a Fund or who engage in transactions with or for a Fund.
Neither BlackRock nor any Affiliate is under any obligation to share any investment opportunity, idea or strategy with a Fund. As a result, an Affiliate may compete with a Fund for appropriate investment opportunities. The results of a Fund’s investment activities, therefore, may differ from those of an Affiliate and of other accounts managed by an Affiliate. It is possible that a 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.
In addition, a Fund may enter into transactions in which BFA or an Affiliate or their directors, officers, employees or clients have an adverse interest. A Fund may be adversely impacted by the effects of transactions undertaken by BFA or an Affiliate or their directors, officers, employees or clients.
From time to time, BlackRock or its advisory clients (including other funds and accounts) may, subject to compliance with applicable law, purchase and hold shares of a Fund. The price, availability, liquidity, and (in some cases) expense ratio of a Fund may be impacted by purchases and sales of the Fund by BlackRock or its advisory clients.
A Fund’s activities may be limited because of regulatory restrictions applicable to BFA or an Affiliate or their policies designed to comply with such restrictions.
Under a securities lending program approved by the Board, the Funds have retained BTC, an Affiliate of BFA, to serve as their securities lending agent to the extent that they participate in the securities lending program. For these services, the securities lending agent will receive a fee from the participating Fund based on the returns earned on the Fund’s lending activities, including investment of the cash received as collateral for the loaned securities. In addition, one or more Affiliates may be among the entities to which a Fund may lend its portfolio securities under the securities lending program.
Under an ETF Services Agreement, certain Funds have retained BlackRock Investments, LLC (the Distributor or BRIL), an Affiliate of BFA, to perform certain order processing, Authorized Participant communications, and related services in connection with the issuance and redemption of Creation Units (ETF Services). BRIL will retain a portion of the standard transaction fee received from Authorized Participants on each creation or redemption order from the Authorized Participant for the ETF Services provided. BlackRock collaborated with, and received payment from, Citibank, N.A. (Citibank) on the design and development of the ETF Services platform. Citibank may have, or from time to time may develop, additional relationships with BlackRock or funds managed by BFA and its Affiliates.
BlackRock and its Affiliates may benefit from a Fund using a BlackRock index by creating increasing acceptance in the marketplace for such indexes. BlackRock and its Affiliates are not obligated to license an index to a Fund, and no Fund is under an obligation to use a BlackRock index. The terms of a Fund’s index licensing agreement with BlackRock or its Affiliates may not be as favorable as the terms offered to other licensees.
The activities of BFA and its Affiliates and their respective directors, officers or employees may give rise to other conflicts of interest that could disadvantage a Fund and its shareholders. BFA has adopted policies and procedures designed to address these potential conflicts of interest. Please see the SAI for further information.
Shareholder Information
Additional shareholder information, including how to buy and sell shares of the Funds, is available free of charge by calling toll-free 1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737) or visiting www.iShares.com.
21


Buying and Selling Shares
Transactions in shares of the Funds occur in the primary market and the secondary market. Primary market transactions, known as creations and redemptions, occur only between the Funds and Authorized Participants (i.e., financial institutions that are authorized to participate in such transactions), as described in the Creations and Redemptions section below.
Fund shares are listed on U.S. national securities exchanges, where they can be bought and sold throughout the trading day at market prices, like shares of other publicly traded companies. A Fund’s shares may also be available in other secondary markets, such as on non-U.S. exchanges and through funds or structured investment vehicles similar to depositary receipts. The Funds do not impose any minimum investment for Fund shares purchased on an exchange or otherwise in the secondary market.
Buying or selling Fund shares on an exchange or other secondary market generally involves two types of costs that are common in securities transactions. First, when buying or selling Fund shares through a broker, you may incur a brokerage commission and other charges. The commission is frequently a fixed amount; it may be a significant proportional cost if you are seeking to buy or sell small amounts of shares. Second, you may incur the cost of the spread, which is any difference between the bid price and the ask price for the shares. The spread varies over time based on a Fund’s trading volume and market liquidity. Generally, the spread is smaller if a Fund has high trading volume and market liquidity, and larger if a Fund has lower trading volume and market liquidity. The latter is often the case for newly launched or smaller funds. A Fund’s spread may also be impacted by the liquidity (or lack thereof) of the underlying securities or other assets held by the Fund, particularly for newly launched or smaller funds, or by instances of significant volatility of the underlying assets.
The U.S. national securities exchanges that list Fund shares are open for trading Monday through Friday and are closed on weekends and the following holidays (or the days on which they are observed): New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Investments in Investment Companies
Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act generally restricts investments by investment companies, including foreign and unregistered investment companies, in the securities of other investment companies. For example, a registered investment company (the Acquired Fund), such as the Funds, may not knowingly sell or otherwise dispose of any security issued by the Acquired Fund to any investment company (the Acquiring Fund) or any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund if, immediately after such sale or disposition: (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund, or (ii) more than 10% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and other investment companies and companies controlled by them.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, registered investment companies are permitted to invest in a Fund beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act. To make such an investment in an Acquired Fund, a registered investment company must, among other things, enter into an agreement with the Trust. If an Acquired Fund invests significantly in other registered investment companies in reliance on Rule 12d1-4, an Acquiring Fund will not be permitted to rely on Rule 12d1-4 and invest in the Fund beyond the Section 12(d)(1) limits. Any investment company interested in purchasing shares of a Fund beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1) should contact BFA.
Foreign investment companies are permitted to invest in a Fund only up to the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to any applicable SEC no-action relief.
Book Entry
Shares of the Funds are held in book-entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. The Depository Trust Company (DTC), which serves as the securities depository for shares of the Funds, or its nominee is the record owner of, and holds legal title to, all outstanding shares of the Funds.
Investors owning Fund shares are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. 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 Fund 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 Fund 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 held in book-entry or street name form.
Share Prices
The trading prices of a Fund’s shares in the secondary market generally differ from the Fund’s daily NAV and are affected by various factors, such as the supply of and demand for ETF shares and the securities or other assets held by a Fund as well as other market and economic conditions.
22


Determination of Net Asset Value
The NAV of a Fund normally is determined once daily Monday through Friday, on each day that the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is open for trading. The NAV generally is determined as of the close of the NYSE’s regular trading hours, normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, based on prices at the time of closing.
Any Fund assets or liabilities that are 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.
The NAV of a Fund is calculated by dividing the value of the Fund’s net assets (i.e., the value of its total assets, including the value of any underlying fund shares in which the Fund invests, less total liabilities) by the total number of outstanding shares of the Fund, generally rounded to the nearest cent. The value of a Fund’s assets and liabilities is determined pursuant to BFA’s valuation policies and procedures. BFA has been designated by the Board as the valuation designee for each Fund pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the Investment Company Act.
Equity securities and other equity instruments for which market quotations are readily available are valued at market value, which is generally determined using the last reported official closing price or, if a reported closing price is not available, the last traded price on the exchange or market on which the security or instrument is primarily traded at the time of valuation. Shares of underlying open-end funds (including money market funds) that are not traded on an exchange are valued at net asset value. Shares of underlying ETFs and closed-end funds that trade on exchanges are valued at their most recent market closing price.
Fixed-income securities are valued using last available bid prices or current market quotations provided by dealers or prices (including evaluated prices) supplied by the Funds’ approved independent third-party pricing services, each in accordance with BFA’s valuation policies and procedures. Pricing services may use matrix pricing or valuation models that utilize certain inputs and assumptions to derive values. Pricing services generally value fixed-income securities assuming orderly transactions of an institutional round lot size, but a Fund may hold or transact in such securities in smaller odd lot sizes. Odd lots often trade at lower prices than institutional round lots. An amortized cost method of valuation may be used with respect to debt obligations with 60 days or less remaining to maturity unless BFA determines in good faith that such method does not represent fair value.
Generally, trading in certain instruments (e.g., non-U.S. securities, money market instruments, etc.) is substantially completed each day at various times prior to the close of the NYSE’s regular trading hours. The values of such instruments used in computing a Fund’s NAV are determined as of such times.
For certain foreign assets, a third-party vendor supplies evaluated, systematic fair value pricing based upon the movement of a proprietary multi-factor model after the relevant foreign markets have closed. This systematic fair value pricing methodology is designed to correlate the prices of foreign assets in one or more non-U.S. markets following the close of the local markets to the prices that might have prevailed as of a Fund’s pricing time.
Customized exchange-traded equity options may be valued using a mathematical model that may incorporate a number of market data factors.
When market quotations are not readily available or are believed by BFA to be unreliable, BFA will fair value a Fund’s investments in accordance with its policies and procedures. Fair value represents a good faith approximation of the value of an asset or liability. It is the amount that the Fund might reasonably expect to receive from the current sale of an asset or the cost to extinguish a liability in an arm’s-length transaction.
BFA may conclude that a market quotation is not readily available or is unreliable if:
An asset or liability does not have a price source due to its lack of trading or other reasons;
A market quotation differs significantly from recent price quotations or otherwise no longer appears to reflect fair value;
An asset or liability is thinly traded;
There is a significant event subsequent to the most recent market quotation; or
The trading market on which an instrument is listed is suspended or closed and no appropriate alternative trading market is available.
A significant event is deemed to occur if BFA determines, in its reasonable business judgment prior to or at the time of pricing a Fund’s assets or liabilities, that the event is likely to cause a material change to the last exchange closing price or closing market price of one or more of the Fund’s assets or liabilities.
Valuing a Fund’s investments using fair value pricing may result in prices that differ from current market valuations and that may not be the prices at which those investments could have been sold during the period for which the particular fair values were used. For an index Fund, the use of both fair value prices and current market valuations in a particular NAV calculation could result in a difference between the prices used to calculate a Fund’s NAV and the prices used by the Fund’s underlying index. This could, in turn, result in a difference between the Fund’s performance and the performance of its underlying index.
23


Dividends and Distributions
General Policies. A Fund generally declares and pays dividends from net investment income, if any, at least once a year. Distributions of net realized securities gains, if any, generally are declared and paid once a year, but the Trust may make distributions on a more frequent basis for a Fund. The Trust 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 the imposition of income or excise taxes on undistributed income or realized gains.
Dividends and other distributions on Fund shares are distributed on a pro rata basis to beneficial owners of the shares. Dividend payments and other distributions are made through DTC participants and indirect participants to beneficial owners then of record with proceeds received from the Funds.
Dividend Reinvestment Service. No dividend reinvestment service is provided by the Trust. Broker-dealers may make the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Program available to beneficial owners of Fund shares for the reinvestment of distributions. Beneficial owners should contact their broker to determine the availability and costs of the service and the details of participation. Brokers may require beneficial owners to adhere to specific procedures and timetables. If the program is used, dividend distributions of both income and realized gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole Fund shares purchased in the secondary market.
Note on Tax Information. The following sections summarize some of the consequences under current U.S. federal tax law of an investment in a Fund. This information is not a substitute for personal tax advice. You may also be subject to state and local taxation on Fund distributions and sales of Fund shares. Distributions that are attributable to interest from U.S. federal government obligations may be exempt from certain state and local tax. Consult your personal tax advisor about the potential tax consequences of an investment in Fund shares under all applicable tax laws.
Taxes
As with any investment, you should consider how your investment in shares of a Fund will be taxed, including possible tax consequences when a Fund makes distributions or when you sell Fund shares. 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 a Fund. There is no guarantee that shares of a Fund will receive certain regulatory or accounting treatment.
Taxes on Fund Distributions
Shareholders in a Fund will receive information after the end of each calendar year setting forth the amount of dividends and long-term capital gains distributed to them by the Fund during the prior year, if any. Likewise, the amount of tax-exempt income, if any, that a Fund distributes will be reported. Such income must be reported on the shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax return.
In general, 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.
Capital Gains. Distributions from a Fund’s net investment income (other than qualified dividend income or from net tax-exempt income, if any), including distributions of income from securities lending and distributions out of a Fund’s net short-term capital gains, if any, are taxable to you as ordinary income. Distributions by a Fund of net long-term capital gains, if any, 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. Long-term capital gains and qualified dividend income are generally eligible for taxation at preferential rates for non-corporate shareholders. However, different preferential rates may apply depending on the type of capital gains, such as Fund distributions of certain amounts received from real estate investment trusts (REITs), if any.
Return of Capital. If a 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. A return of capital distribution generally will not be taxable 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 gains, if the shareholder holds shares of the Fund as capital assets. Distributions in excess of a 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.
Qualified Dividend Income. Distributions by a Fund that qualify as qualified dividend income, if any, are taxable to you at long-term capital gain rates. Dividends will be qualified dividend income to you if they are attributable to qualified dividend income received by a Fund. Generally, qualified dividend income includes dividend income from stock issued by taxable U.S. corporations and qualified non-U.S. corporations, provided that the Fund satisfies certain holding period requirements and has not hedged its position in the stock in certain ways. 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 U.S., 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 U.S. securities market. The term excludes a corporation that is a passive foreign investment company.
Dividends received by a Fund from a RIC, if any, generally are qualified dividend income only to the extent that such dividend distributions are made out of qualified dividend income received by such RIC. Additionally, it is expected that dividends received by a Fund from a REIT, if any,
24


and distributed to a shareholder generally will be taxable to the shareholder as ordinary income. However, for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026, a Fund may report dividends eligible for a 20% qualified business income deduction for non-corporate U.S. shareholders to the extent that the Fund’s income is derived from ordinary REIT dividends, reduced by allocable Fund expenses.
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 relevant 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 that 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.
Fund distributions, to the extent attributable to dividends from U.S. corporations, will be eligible for the dividends received deduction for Fund shareholders that are corporations, subject to certain hedging and holding requirements.
Substitute dividends received by a Fund with respect to dividends paid on securities lent out, if any, will not be qualified dividend income.
Medicare Tax. 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.
Alternative Minimum Tax. The AMT is a separate U.S. federal tax system that operates in parallel to the regular federal income tax system but eliminates many deductions and exclusions. The AMT has different tax rates and treats as taxable certain types of income that are nontaxable for regular income tax purposes, such as the interest on certain private activity municipal bonds. If a taxpayer’s overall AMT liability is higher than regular income tax liability, then the taxpayer owes the regular income tax liability plus the difference between the AMT liability and the regular income tax liability.
Market Discount Bonds
Any market discount recognized on a bond, including a tax-exempt interest bond, is taxable as ordinary income. A market discount bond is a bond acquired in the secondary market at a price below redemption value or adjusted issue price if issued with original issue discount. To the extent that a Fund does not include the market discount in income as it accrues, gains on the Fund’s disposition of such an obligation will be treated as ordinary income rather than capital gains to the extent of the accrued market discount.
Derivatives and Other Complex Instruments
A Fund may invest in derivatives and other complex instruments, and such investments may be subject to special and complicated rules. These rules could affect whether gains and losses recognized by a Fund are treated as ordinary income or capital gains, accelerate the recognition of income to a Fund or defer a Fund’s ability to recognize losses. In addition, these rules may affect the amount, timing or character of income distributed to you by a Fund. You should consult your personal tax advisor regarding the application of these rules.
Non-U.S. Income Taxes
Dividends, interest and capital gains (if any) earned by a Fund with respect to securities issued by non-U.S. issuers may give rise to withholding, capital gains and other taxes imposed by non-U.S. countries. Tax conventions between certain countries and the U.S. may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If, at the close of a year, more than 50% of a Fund’s total assets consist of non-U.S. stocks or securities (generally, for this purpose, depositary receipts, no matter where traded, of non-U.S. companies are treated as non-U.S.), generally the Fund may pass through to you certain non-U.S. income taxes, including withholding taxes, paid by the Fund. This means that you would be considered to have received as an additional dividend your share of such non-U.S. taxes, but you may be entitled to either a corresponding tax deduction in calculating your taxable income or, subject to certain limitations, a credit in calculating your U.S. federal income tax. No deduction for such taxes will be permitted to individuals in computing their alternative minimum tax liability. If a Fund does not pass through non-U.S. taxes, the Fund will be entitled to claim a deduction for certain foreign taxes that it incurs.
Under certain circumstances, if a Fund receives a refund of foreign taxes paid with respect to a prior year, the value of Fund shares could be affected or any foreign tax credits or deductions passed through to shareholders with respect to the Fund’s foreign taxes for the current year could be reduced.
If, at the close of the year, more than 50% of a Fund’s total assets consist of stocks or securities issued by non-U.S. issuers, including depositary receipts (no matter where traded) of non-U.S. companies, or, at the close of each quarter, more than 50% of a Fund’s total assets consist of shares of an Underlying Fund, the Fund may pass-through to you certain non-U.S. income taxes (including withholding taxes) paid by the Fund or, if its assets meet these requirements, the Underlying Fund.
For purposes of foreign tax credits for U.S. shareholders of a Fund, foreign capital gains taxes may not produce associated foreign source income, limiting the availability of such credits for U.S. persons.
Non-U.S. Shareholders
If you are neither a resident nor a citizen of the U.S. or if you are a non-U.S. entity (other than a pass-through entity to the extent owned by U.S. persons), a Fund’s ordinary income dividends (which include distributions of net short-term capital gains), if any, generally will be
25


subject to a 30% U.S. federal withholding tax, unless a lower treaty rate applies. However, withholding tax generally will not apply to any gain or income realized by a non-U.S. shareholder with respect to any distribution of long-term capital gains or upon the sale or other disposition of Fund shares.
Separately, a 30% withholding tax may be imposed on Fund distributions (if any) paid to certain foreign entities, unless such entities comply, or are deemed compliant, with extensive reporting and withholding requirements designed to inform the U.S. Department of the Treasury of U.S.-owned foreign investment accounts.
Backup Withholding
If you are a resident or a citizen of the U.S. and you have not provided a taxpayer identification number or social security number and made other required certifications, by law, backup withholding at a 24% rate will apply to Fund distributions and proceeds (if any).
Securities Lending
If your shares of a Fund are loaned out pursuant to a securities lending arrangement, you may lose the ability to treat Fund dividends that are paid while the shares are held by the borrower as qualified dividend income, and you may lose the ability to use non-U.S. tax credits passed through by the Fund.
Fund of Funds
If a Fund invests in an Underlying Fund, short-term capital gains earned by the Underlying Fund, if any, will be ordinary income when distributed to the Fund and will not be offset by the Fund’s capital losses. To the extent such Fund is expected to invest in an Underlying Fund, the Fund’s realized losses on sales of shares of the Underlying Fund may be indefinitely or permanently deferred as wash sales. Capital loss carryforwards of the Underlying Fund, if any, will not offset net capital gains of the Fund.
Taxes on the Sale of Exchange-Listed Fund Shares
Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of Fund shares is generally treated as a long-term capital 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 that have been held for one year or less is generally treated as a short-term capital gain or loss. However, any capital loss on a sale of Fund shares held for six months or less is treated as a 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.
Creations and Redemptions
Prior to being traded in the secondary market, Fund shares are created at NAV by Authorized Participants (i.e., market makers, large investors and other financial institutions) in block-size Creation Units or multiples thereof. Fund shares are created or redeemed only in Creation Units, and only Authorized Participants may create or redeem Creation Units with the Funds.
Each Authorized Participant is a member or participant of a clearing agency registered with the SEC and has entered into a written agreement with the Funds’ Distributor, an affiliate of BFA. The agreement allows the Authorized Participant to place orders for the purchase and redemption of Creation Units. Authorized Participants may create or redeem Creation Units for their own accounts or for customers, including, without limitation, affiliates of the Funds. Creation transactions are subject to acceptance by the Distributor and the relevant Fund.
Generally, there are three transaction methods for creating and redeeming Fund shares: in-kind securities (in-kind), partial cash and all cash.
In-Kind. In a creation transaction, an Authorized Participant deposits into a Fund a creation basket, which is a portfolio of securities or other assets designated by the Fund, as well as a cash amount. The Authorized Participant receives a specified number of Creation Units in return. In a redemption transaction, an Authorized Participant deposits Creation Units with a Fund and receives from the Fund a redemption basket, which is a portfolio of securities or other assets designated by the Fund, as well as a cash amount.
Partial Cash. In a creation transaction, an Authorized Participant deposits into a Fund a creation basket and a cash amount, including cash that replaces a security or other asset in the creation basket, in exchange for Creation Units. In a redemption transaction, an Authorized Participant deposits Creation Units with a Fund and receives from the Fund a redemption basket and a cash amount, including cash that replaces a security or other asset in the redemption basket.
All Cash. In a creation transaction, an Authorized Participant deposits into a Fund an amount of cash specified by the Fund in exchange for Creation Units. In a redemption transaction, an Authorized Participant deposits Creation Units with a Fund and receives from the Fund a specified amount of cash.
The creation and redemption baskets for a Fund may differ in composition, and certain iShares ETFs accept custom baskets. More information about custom baskets is provided in the Funds’ SAI.
Each Fund generally engages in creation and redemption transactions according to the method indicated in the table below. In certain circumstances, however, a Fund may use another transaction method (e.g., an in-kind Fund may transact partially or fully in cash).
26


Fund
In-Kind
Partial Cash
All Cash
iShares MSCI Denmark ETF
 
 
iShares MSCI Finland ETF
 
 
iShares MSCI Ireland ETF
 
 
iShares MSCI Japan Value ETF
 
 
iShares MSCI New Zealand ETF
 
 
iShares MSCI Norway ETF
 
 
iShares MSCI Poland ETF
 
 
iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF
 
 
iShares MSCI United Kingdom Small-Cap ETF
 
 
The prices at which creations and redemptions occur are based on the next calculation of a Fund’s NAV after a creation or redemption order is tendered in an acceptable form under the Authorized Participant agreement. In the event of a system failure or other interruption, including disruptions at market makers or Authorized Participants, creation and redemption orders may not be executed according to a Fund’s instructions or may not be executed at all.
Additional information about the creation and redemption of Creation Units (including the cut-off times for the receipt of creation and redemption orders) is included in the Funds’ SAI.
The Funds do not impose restrictions on the frequency of purchases and redemptions of Fund shares directly with a Fund. The Board determined not to adopt policies and procedures designed to prevent or monitor for frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares because each Fund generally sells and redeems its shares directly through transactions that are in-kind and/or for cash, with a deadline for placing cash-related transactions no later than the close of the primary markets for the Fund’s portfolio securities. However, the Funds have taken certain measures (e.g., imposing transaction fees on purchases and redemptions of Creation Units and reserving the right to reject purchases of Creation Units under certain circumstances) to minimize the potential consequences of frequent cash purchases and redemptions by Authorized Participants, such as increased tracking error, disruption of portfolio management, dilution to the Funds, and/or increased transaction costs. Further, the vast majority of trading in Fund shares occurs on the secondary market, which does not involve the Funds directly, and such trading is unlikely to cause many of the harmful effects of frequent cash purchases or redemptions of Fund shares.
To the extent a 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 in Rule 144A under the 1933 Act, will not be able to receive restricted securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A.
Because Fund shares may be created and issued on an ongoing basis, at any point during the life of a 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 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.
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.
27


Distribution
The Distributor or its agent distributes Creation Units for the Funds on an agency basis. The Distributor does not maintain a secondary market in shares of the Funds. The Distributor has no role in determining the policies of the Funds or the securities or other assets (as applicable) that are purchased or sold by the Funds. The Distributor’s principal address is 50 Hudson Yards, New York, NY 10001.
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, data provision services, or their making shares of the 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 Funds. 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 Funds. 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 or other financial incentives the intermediary is eligible to receive. Therefore, such payments or other financial incentives that are offered or made to an intermediary create conflicts of interest between the intermediary and its customers and may cause the intermediary to recommend the Funds over another investment. More information regarding these payments is contained in the applicable SAI. Please contact your salesperson or other investment professional for more information regarding any such payments that their firm may receive from BFA or its affiliates.
Financial Highlights
The financial highlights table for each Fund is intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past five fiscal years or, if shorter, the period since the Fund’s inception. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total return information represents 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 each Fund’s financial statements, in the Annual Report for the Fund (available upon request and at www.ishares.com).
28


For a share outstanding throughout each period:
 
iShares MSCI Denmark ETF
 
Year Ended
08/31/24
Year Ended
08/31/23
Year Ended
08/31/22
Year Ended
08/31/21
Year Ended
08/31/20
Net asset value, beginning of year
$104.42
$86.11
$115.08
$84.54
$60.99
Net investment income(a)
1.52
2.23
1.37
0.76
0.50
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)(b)
25.75
17.99
(28.97
)
30.62
23.52
Net increase (decrease) from investment operations
27.27
20.22
(27.60
)
31.38
24.02
Distributions from net investment income(c)
(1.57
)
(1.91
)
(1.37
)
(0.84
)
(0.47
)
Net asset value, end of year
$130.12
$104.42
$86.11
$115.08
$84.54
Total Return(d)
Based on net asset value
26.23
%
23.48
%
(24.07
)%
37.21
%
39.52
%
Ratios to Average Net Assets(e)
Total expenses
0.53
%
0.53
%
0.53
%
0.53
%
0.53
%
Net investment income
1.32
%
2.26
%
1.37
%
0.77
%
0.71
%
Supplemental Data
Net assets, end of year (000)
$286,272
$245,394
$176,516
$166,868
$109,899
Portfolio turnover rate(f)
14
%
16
%
12
%
11
%
21
%
(a) Based on average shares outstanding.
(b) The amounts reported for a share outstanding may not accord with the change in aggregate gains and losses in securities for the fiscal period due to the timing of capital share transactions in
relation to the fluctuating market values of the Fund’s underlying securities.
(c) Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations.
(d) Where applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.
(e) Excludes fees and expenses incurred indirectly as a result of investments in underlying funds.
(f) Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions, if any.
For a share outstanding throughout each period:
 
iShares MSCI Finland ETF
 
Year Ended
08/31/24
Year Ended
08/31/23
Year Ended
08/31/22
Year Ended
08/31/21
Year Ended
08/31/20
Net asset value, beginning of year
$34.48
$34.85
$52.00
$41.34
$35.63
Net investment income(a)
1.57
1.05
1.73
1.10
0.85
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)(b)
3.09
(0.47
)
(16.54
)
10.93
6.25
Net increase (decrease) from investment operations
4.66
0.58
(14.81
)
12.03
7.10
Distributions from net investment income(c)
(1.99
)
(0.95
)
(2.34
)
(1.37
)
(1.39
)
Net asset value, end of year
$37.15
$34.48
$34.85
$52.00
$41.34
Total Return(d)
Based on net asset value
13.87
%
1.53
%
(28.85
)%
29.37
%
20.61
%
Ratios to Average Net Assets(e)
Total expenses
0.55
%
0.56
%
0.57
%
0.55
%
0.53
%
Total expenses excluding professional fees for foreign withholding tax claims
0.53
%
0.53
%
N/A
0.53
%
0.53
%
Net investment income
4.51
%
2.92
%
4.05
%
2.39
%
2.36
%
Supplemental Data
Net assets, end of year (000)
$27,862
$20,691
$22,652
$31,198
$35,139
Portfolio turnover rate(f)
29
%
15
%
20
%
12
%
22
%
(a) Based on average shares outstanding.
(b) The amounts reported for a share outstanding may not accord with the change in aggregate gains and losses in securities for the fiscal period due to the timing of capital share transactions in
relation to the fluctuating market values of the Fund’s underlying securities.
(c) Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations.
(d) Where applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.
(e) Excludes fees and expenses incurred indirectly as a result of investments in underlying funds.
(f) Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions, if any.
29


For a share outstanding throughout each period:
 
iShares MSCI Ireland ETF
 
Year Ended
08/31/24
Year Ended
08/31/23
Year Ended
08/31/22
Year Ended
08/31/21
Year Ended
08/31/20
Net asset value, beginning of year
$57.97
$42.16
$61.21
$42.50
$39.39
Net investment income(a)
1.09
0.64
0.52
0.32
0.43
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)(b)
11.28
15.63
(18.92
)
18.74
3.34
Net increase (decrease) from investment operations
12.37
16.27
(18.40
)
19.06
3.77
Distributions from net investment income(c)
(0.98
)
(0.46
)
(0.65
)
(0.35
)
(0.66
)
Net asset value, end of year
$69.36
$57.97
$42.16
$61.21
$42.50
Total Return(d)
Based on net asset value
21.43
%
38.57
%
(30.16
)%
44.90
%
9.59
%
Ratios to Average Net Assets(e)
Total expenses
0.50
%
0.50
%
0.50
%
0.50
%
0.51
%
Net investment income
1.73
%
1.23
%
1.02
%
0.62
%
1.06
%
Supplemental Data
Net assets, end of year (000)
$117,904
$98,549
$48,479
$82,630
$53,119
Portfolio turnover rate(f)
87
%
23
%
33
%
40
%
47
%
(a) Based on average shares outstanding.
(b) The amounts reported for a share outstanding may not accord with the change in aggregate gains and losses in securities for the fiscal period due to the timing of capital share transactions in
relation to the fluctuating market values of the Fund’s underlying securities.
(c) Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations.
(d) Where applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.
(e) Excludes fees and expenses incurred indirectly as a result of investments in underlying funds.
(f) Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions, if any.
For a share outstanding throughout each period:
 
iShares MSCI Japan Value ETF
 
Year Ended
08/31/24
Year Ended
08/31/23
Year Ended
08/31/22
Year Ended
08/31/21
Year Ended
08/31/20
Net asset value, beginning of year
$28.16
$23.78
$27.73
$23.22
$23.70
Net investment income(a)
0.84
0.73
0.72
0.65
0.71
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)(b)
5.51
4.31
(3.88
)
4.36
(0.26
)
Net increase (decrease) from investment operations
6.35
5.04
(3.16
)
5.01
0.45
Distributions from net investment income(c)
(1.05
)
(0.66
)
(0.79
)
(0.50
)
(0.93
)
Net asset value, end of year
$33.46
$28.16
$23.78
$27.73
$23.22
Total Return(d)
Based on net asset value
23.04
%
21.46
%
(11.57
)%
21.62
%
1.71
%
Ratios to Average Net Assets(e)
Total expenses
0.15
%
0.15
%
0.15
%
0.15
%
0.15
%
Net investment income
2.75
%
2.82
%
2.74
%
2.39
%
2.98
%
Supplemental Data
Net assets, end of year (000)
$270,991
$225,266
$80,852
$44,361
$6,965
Portfolio turnover rate(f)
31
%
20
%
24
%
24
%
35
%
(a) Based on average shares outstanding.
(b) The amounts reported for a share outstanding may not accord with the change in aggregate gains and losses in securities for the fiscal period due to the timing of capital share transactions in
relation to the fluctuating market values of the Fund’s underlying securities.
(c) Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations.
(d) Where applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.
(e) Excludes fees and expenses incurred indirectly as a result of investments in underlying funds.
(f) Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions, if any.
30


For a share outstanding throughout each period:
 
iShares MSCI New Zealand ETF
 
Year Ended
08/31/24
Year Ended
08/31/23
Year Ended
08/31/22
Year Ended
08/31/21
Year Ended
08/31/20
Net asset value, beginning of year
$45.72
$47.00
$63.49
$60.80
$51.80
Net investment income(a)
1.31
1.09
1.06
1.04
1.06
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)(b)
3.86
(1.65
)
(16.12
)
2.97
9.49
Net increase (decrease) from investment operations
5.17
(0.56
)
(15.06
)
4.01
10.55
Distributions from net investment income(c)
(1.33
)
(0.72
)
(1.43
)
(1.32
)
(1.55
)
Net asset value, end of year
$49.56
$45.72
$47.00
$63.49
$60.80
Total Return(d)
Based on net asset value
11.52
%
(1.25
)%
(23.96
)%
6.58
%
20.71
%
Ratios to Average Net Assets(e)
Total expenses
0.50
%
0.50
%
0.50
%
0.50
%
0.51
%
Net investment income
2.87
%
2.26
%
1.95
%
1.64
%
1.96
%
Supplemental Data
Net assets, end of year (000)
$89,216
$132,600
$115,147
$142,856
$167,203
Portfolio turnover rate(f)
47
%
34
%
12
%
16
%
12
%
(a) Based on average shares outstanding.
(b) The amounts reported for a share outstanding may not accord with the change in aggregate gains and losses in securities for the fiscal period due to the timing of capital share transactions in
relation to the fluctuating market values of the Fund’s underlying securities.
(c) Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations.
(d) Where applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.
(e) Excludes fees and expenses incurred indirectly as a result of investments in underlying funds.
(f) Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions, if any.
For a share outstanding throughout each period:
 
iShares MSCI Norway ETF
 
Year Ended
08/31/24
Year Ended
08/31/23
Year Ended
08/31/22
Year Ended
08/31/21
Year Ended
08/31/20
Net asset value, beginning of year
$22.94
$25.92
$28.67
$22.40
$22.63
Net investment income(a)
1.13
1.19
0.97
0.69
0.34
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)(b)
2.08
(3.05
)
(2.79
)
6.30
(0.15
)
Net increase (decrease) from investment operations
3.21
(1.86
)
(1.82
)
6.99
0.19
Distributions from net investment income(c)
(1.29
)
(1.12
)
(0.93
)
(0.72
)
(0.42
)
Net asset value, end of year
$24.86
$22.94
$25.92
$28.67
$22.40
Total Return(d)
Based on net asset value
14.30
%
(7.05
)%
(6.50
)%
31.42
%
1.04
%
Ratios to Average Net Assets(e)
Total expenses
0.53
%
0.53
%
0.53
%
0.53
%
0.53
%
Net investment income
4.78
%
5.05
%
3.39
%
2.61
%
1.58
%
Supplemental Data
Net assets, end of year (000)
$29,834
$34,411
$33,690
$45,868
$31,364
Portfolio turnover rate(f)
13
%
11
%
27
%
12
%
16
%
(a) Based on average shares outstanding.
(b) The amounts reported for a share outstanding may not accord with the change in aggregate gains and losses in securities for the fiscal period due to the timing of capital share transactions in
relation to the fluctuating market values of the Fund’s underlying securities.
(c) Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations.
(d) Where applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.
(e) Excludes fees and expenses incurred indirectly as a result of investments in underlying funds.
(f) Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions, if any.
31


For a share outstanding throughout each period:
 
iShares MSCI Poland ETF
 
Year Ended
08/31/24
Year Ended
08/31/23
Year Ended
08/31/22
Year Ended
08/31/21
Year Ended
08/31/20
Net asset value, beginning of year
$19.19
$12.60
$23.10
$18.24
$20.68
Net investment income(a)
0.97
(b)
0.39
0.51
(b)
0.16
(b)
0.17
(b)
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)(c)
5.57
6.47
(10.65
)
4.86
(1.95
)
Net increase (decrease) from investment operations
6.54
6.86
(10.14
)
5.02
(1.78
)
Distributions from net investment income(d)
(1.08
)
(0.27
)
(0.36
)
(0.16
)
(0.66
)
Net asset value, end of year
$24.65
$19.19
$12.60
$23.10
$18.24
Total Return(e)
Based on net asset value
34.67
%(b)
55.04
%
(44.38
)%(b)
27.65
%(b)
(8.76
)%(b)
Ratios to Average Net Assets(f)
Total expenses
0.77
%
0.59
%
0.65
%
0.61
%
0.78
%
Total expenses excluding professional fees for foreign withholding tax claims
0.59
%
0.59
%
0.58
%
0.57
%
0.59
%
Net investment income
4.32
%(b)
2.43
%
2.72
%(b)
0.80
%(b)
0.93
%(b)
Supplemental Data
Net assets, end of year (000)
$311,809
$228,364
$130,373
$284,146
$253,594
Portfolio turnover rate(g)
11
%
20
%
11
%
22
%
15
%
(a) Based on average shares outstanding.
(b) Reflects the positive effect of foreign withholding tax claims, net of the associated professional fees, which resulted in the following increases for the years ended August 31, 2024, August 31,
2022, August 31, 2021 and August 31, 2020, respectively:
Net investment income per share by $0.12, $0.15, $0.07 and $0.28, respectively.
Total return by 0.62%, 0.76%, 0.38%, and 1.40%, respectively.
Ratio of net investment income to average net assets by 0.52%, 0.78%, 0.34%, and 1.54%, respectively.
(c) The amounts reported for a share outstanding may not accord with the change in aggregate gains and losses in securities for the fiscal period due to the timing of capital share transactions in
relation to the fluctuating market values of the Fund’s underlying securities.
(d) Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations.
(e) Where applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.
(f) Excludes fees and expenses incurred indirectly as a result of investments in underlying funds.
(g) Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions, if any.
For a share outstanding throughout each period:
 
iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF
 
Year Ended
08/31/24
Year Ended
08/31/23
Year Ended
08/31/22
Year Ended
08/31/21
Year Ended
08/31/20
Net asset value, beginning of year
$31.96
$28.90
$33.05
$26.88
$30.27
Net investment income(a)
1.18
1.10
1.26
1.20
0.90
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)(b)
5.68
3.05
(3.95
)
5.87
(3.30
)
Net increase (decrease) from investment operations
6.86
4.15
(2.69
)
7.07
(2.40
)
Distributions from net investment income(c)
(1.43
)
(1.09
)
(1.46
)
(0.90
)
(0.99
)
Net asset value, end of year
$37.39
$31.96
$28.90
$33.05
$26.88
Total Return(d)
Based on net asset value
22.02
%
14.46
%
(8.50
)%
26.46
%
(8.25
)%
Ratios to Average Net Assets(e)
Total expenses
0.50
%
0.50
%
0.50
%
0.50
%
0.51
%
Net investment income
3.51
%
3.54
%
3.90
%
3.91
%
3.12
%
Supplemental Data
Net assets, end of year (000)
$3,256,724
$2,697,754
$3,299,842
$3,579,181
$2,191,064
Portfolio turnover rate(f)
10
%
6
%
7
%
9
%
4
%
(a) Based on average shares outstanding.
(b) The amounts reported for a share outstanding may not accord with the change in aggregate gains and losses in securities for the fiscal period due to the timing of capital share transactions in
relation to the fluctuating market values of the Fund’s underlying securities.
(c) Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations.
(d) Where applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.
(e) Excludes fees and expenses incurred indirectly as a result of investments in underlying funds.
(f) Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions, if any.
32


For a share outstanding throughout each period:
 
iShares MSCI United Kingdom Small-Cap ETF
 
Year Ended
08/31/24
Year Ended
08/31/23
Year Ended
08/31/22
Year Ended
08/31/21
Year Ended
08/31/20
Net asset value, beginning of year
$32.83
$30.48
$50.22
$35.68
$35.95
Net investment income(a)
0.98
0.90
0.92
0.86
0.72
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)(b)
6.21
2.00
(18.83
)
14.32
0.03
Net increase (decrease) from investment operations
7.19
2.90
(17.91
)
15.18
0.75
Distributions from net investment income(c)
(1.06
)
(0.55
)
(1.83
)
(0.64
)
(1.02
)
Net asset value, end of year
$38.96
$32.83
$30.48
$50.22
$35.68
Total Return(d)
Based on net asset value
22.34
%
9.55
%
(36.56
)%
42.88
%
1.90
%
Ratios to Average Net Assets(e)
Total expenses
0.59
%
0.59
%
0.59
%
0.59
%
0.59
%
Net investment income
2.86
%
2.84
%
2.23
%
1.94
%
1.99
%
Supplemental Data
Net assets, end of year (000)
$62,338
$44,315
$47,240
$130,560
$60,657
Portfolio turnover rate(f)
13
%
22
%
17
%
15
%
25
%
(a) Based on average shares outstanding.
(b) The amounts reported for a share outstanding may not accord with the change in aggregate gains and losses in securities for the fiscal period due to the timing of capital share transactions in
relation to the fluctuating market values of the Fund’s underlying securities.
(c) Distributions for annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations.
(d) Where applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.
(e) Excludes fees and expenses incurred indirectly as a result of investments in underlying funds.
(f) Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions, if any.
33


Index Provider and Disclaimers
The Index Provider is not affiliated with the Trust, BFA, 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 Indexes. BFA or its affiliates sublicense rights in each Underlying Index for use by the applicable Fund at no charge.
The past performance of an Underlying Index is not a guide to future performance. BFA and its affiliates do not guarantee the accuracy or the completeness of an Underlying Index or any data included therein, and BFA and its affiliates shall have no liability for any errors, omissions or interruptions therein. BFA and its affiliates make no warranty, express or implied, to the owners of shares of a Fund or to any other person or entity, as to results to be obtained by a Fund from the use of an Underlying Index or any data included therein. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall BFA or its affiliates have any liability for any special, punitive, direct, indirect, consequential or any other damages (including lost profits), even if notified of the possibility of such damages.
MSCI Inc.
MSCI Inc. (MSCI) is a provider of investment decision support tools to investors globally. MSCI products and services include indices, portfolio risk and performance analytics, and governance tools.
The following applies with respect to each Underlying Index provided by MSCI:
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 shares 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 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’s securities or the Fund. MSCI has no obligation to take the needs of the issuer of the Fund’s securities or the owners of shares 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’s shares to be issued or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the Fund’s shares are redeemable for cash. Neither MSCI nor any other party has any obligation or liability to owners of shares of the Fund in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Fund’s shares.  
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 SHARES 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.
34


[THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]


[THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]


[THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]


Want to know more?
iShares.com  | 1-800-474-2737 (1-800-iShares)
Information on each Fund’s net asset value, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads can be found at www.iShares.com. Copies of each Fund’s Prospectus, SAI, shareholder reports and other information, as applicable and when available, can be found at www.iShares.com. For more information about a Fund, you may request a copy of the Fund’s SAI. The SAI provides detailed information about the Fund and is incorporated by reference into the Fund’s Prospectus. This means that the SAI, for legal purposes, is a part of the Fund’s Prospectus.
Additional information about each Fund's investments is, or will be, available in the Fund's Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to shareholders. In a 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 Trust or shares of a Fund or you wish to obtain a Fund’s 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:
Write:
c/o BlackRock Investments, LLC
1 University Square Drive, Princeton, NJ 08540
Reports and other information about each 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 email address: [email protected].
No person is authorized to give any information or to make any representations about a 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.
©2024 BlackRock, Inc. All rights reserved. iSHARES® and BLACKROCK® are registered trademarks of BlackRock Fund Advisors and its affiliates. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.
Investment Company Act File No.: 811-09729
IS-P- 831E-1224