Table of Contents

 

LOGO

  AUGUST 31, 2022

 

  

 

2022 Annual Report

 

 

iShares, Inc.

·  iShares MSCI Frontier and Select EM ETF | FM | NYSE Arca

·  iShares MSCI World ETF | URTH | NYSE Arca


Table of Contents

The Markets in Review

Dear Shareholder,

The 12-month reporting period as of August 31, 2022 saw the emergence of significant challenges that disrupted the economic recovery and strong financial markets of 2021. The U.S. economy shrank in the first half of 2022, ending the run of robust growth that followed the reopening of global economies and the development of COVID-19 vaccines. Changes in consumer spending patterns and a tight labor market led to elevated inflation, which reached a 40-year high. Moreover, while the foremost effect of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been a severe humanitarian crisis, the ongoing war continued to present challenges for both investors and policymakers.

Equity prices fell as interest rates rose, particularly weighing on relatively high-valuation growth stocks and economically sensitive small-capitalization stocks. While both large- and small-capitalization U.S. stocks fell, declines for small-capitalization U.S. stocks were steeper. Both emerging market stocks and international equities from developed markets fell significantly, pressured by rising interest rates and a strengthening U.S. dollar.

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

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

The horrific war in Ukraine has significantly clouded the outlook for the global economy, leading to major volatility in energy and metals markets. Sanctions on Russia, Europe’s top energy supplier, and general wartime disruption have magnified supply problems for key commodities. We believe elevated energy prices will continue to exacerbate inflationary pressure while also constraining economic growth. Combating inflation without stifling a recovery, while buffering against ongoing supply and price shocks, will be an especially challenging environment for setting effective monetary policy. Despite the likelihood of more rate increases on the horizon, we believe the Fed will ultimately err on the side of protecting employment, even at the expense of higher inflation. In the meantime, however, we are likely to see a period of slowing growth paired with relatively high inflation.

In this environment, while we favor an overweight to equities in the long-term, the market’s concerns over excessive rate hikes from central banks moderate our outlook. Furthermore, the energy shock and a deteriorating economic backdrop in China and Europe are likely to challenge corporate earnings, so we are underweight equities overall in the near term. We take the opposite view on credit, where higher spreads provide near-term opportunities, while the likelihood of higher inflation leads us to take an underweight stance on credit in the long term. We believe that investment-grade corporates, U.K. gilts, local-currency emerging market debt, and inflation-protected bonds (particularly in Europe) offer strong opportunities for a six- to twelve-month horizon.

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

 

LOGO

Rob Kapito

President, BlackRock, Inc.

LOGO

Rob Kapito

President, BlackRock, Inc.

 

Total Returns as of August 31, 2022

 

     
      6-Month     12-Month 

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

  (8.84)%   (11.23)%

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

  (9.31)      (17.88)   

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

  (13.97)       (19.80)    

Emerging market equities
(MSCI Emerging Markets Index)

  (13.30)       (21.80)    

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

  0.36      0.39   

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

  (9.71)      (13.27)   

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

  (7.76)      (11.52)   

Tax-exempt municipal bonds
(Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index)

  (5.72)      (8.63)   

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

  (7.78)      (10.61)   
Past performance is not an indication of future results. Index performance is shown for illustrative purposes only. You cannot invest directly in an index.

 

 

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


Table of Contents

Table of Contents

 

 

      Page

The Markets in Review

   2

Annual Report:

  

Market Overview

   4

Fund Summary

   5

About Fund Performance

   9

Disclosure of Expenses

   9

Schedules of Investments

   10

Financial Statements

  

Statements of Assets and Liabilities

   31

Statements of Operations

   32

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

   33

Financial Highlights

   34

Notes to Financial Statements

   36

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

   46

Important Tax Information

   47

Board Review and Approval of Investment Advisory Contract

   48

Supplemental Information

   52

Director and Officer Information

   54

General Information

   57

Glossary of Terms Used in this Report

   58

 

 

 


Table of Contents

Market Overview

 

iShares, Inc.

Global Market Overview

Global equity markets declined in U.S. dollar terms during the 12 months ended August 31, 2022 (“reporting period”). The MSCI ACWI, a broad global equity index that includes both developed and emerging markets, returned -15.88% in U.S. dollar terms for the reporting period.

For the first third of the reporting period, economic recovery supported stocks in most regions of the world. The global economy continued to rebound from the impact of restrictions imposed at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, as mitigation and adaptation allowed most economic activity to continue. However, substantial challenges emerged at the beginning of 2022 which negatively affected stock prices. Inflation rose significantly in many countries, reducing consumers’ purchasing power and leading many central banks to tighten monetary policy. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine presented a further challenge to the global economy, disrupting important commodities markets.

The U.S. economy grew briskly over the final half of 2021, powered primarily by consumer spending. Record-high personal savings rates allowed consumers to spend at an elevated level, releasing pent-up demand for goods and services. Growth subsequently stalled in the first half of 2022, and the economy contracted amid lower inventories and faltering business investment. Despite the economic downturn, unemployment declined substantially, falling to 3.7% in August 2022 while the number of long-term unemployed dropped below the pre-pandemic level. Although high inflation negatively impacted consumer sentiment, which declined significantly, consumer spending continued to grow.

Rising inflation led to a shift in policy from the U.S. Federal Reserve (“the Fed”). As the reporting period began, the Fed was using accommodative monetary policy to stimulate the economy. Short-term interest rates were kept at near-zero levels, and the Fed used bond-buying programs to stabilize debt markets. However, rising prices led the Fed to tighten monetary policy during the reporting period in an attempt to prevent runaway inflation. The Fed slowed and then ended its bond-buying activities, finally reversing course as it began to reduce its balance sheet in June 2022. In March 2022, the Fed began to raise short-term interest rates, followed by three more increases for a total increase of 225 basis points, the most rapid rise in decades. Interest rates rose significantly in response, leading to higher borrowing costs for businesses. In that environment, the U.S. dollar significantly appreciated relative to most foreign currencies.

Stocks declined in Europe in U.S. dollar terms as economic growth stalled and the euro declined sharply relative to the U.S. dollar. Significantly higher inflation and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine negatively impacted equities. Russia is an important trading partner with many European countries, and new sanctions imposed limits on certain types of trade with Russia. Investors became concerned that the sharp rise in energy prices during the reporting period would constrain economic growth, as Europe relies on imported energy for much of its industrial and heating needs. The European Central Bank (“ECB”) responded to elevated inflation by raising interest rates in July 2022, the first such increase in over a decade.

Despite relatively low inflation by global standards, Asia-Pacific stocks declined significantly in U.S. dollar terms. Chinese stocks faced significant headwinds amid regulatory interventions by the Chinese government and strict lockdowns following COVID-19 outbreaks. Japanese stocks also declined amid an economic contraction in the first quarter of 2022 and a sharp decline in the Japanese yen relative to the U.S. dollar. Emerging market stocks declined substantially, as higher interest rates and a strengthening U.S. dollar raised the cost of borrowing in many emerging economies.

 

 

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Table of Contents
Fund Summary as of August 31, 2022      iShares® MSCI Frontier and Select EM ETF

 

Investment Objective

The iShares MSCI Frontier and Select EM ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to track the investment results of an index composed primarily of frontier market equities along with select emerging market equities, as represented by the MSCI Frontier and Emerging Markets Select Index (the “Index”). The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index. Due to the use of representative sampling, the Fund may or may not hold all of the securities that are included in the Index.

Performance

 

    Average Annual Total Returns           Cumulative Total Returns  
     1 Year      5 Years      Since
Inception
           1 Year      5 Years      Since
Inception
 

Fund NAV

    (17.26 )%       0.87      4.37       (17.26 )%       4.42      53.22

Fund Market

    (18.01      0.99        4.37         (18.01      5.06        53.13  

Index

    (14.24      2.55        6.11               (14.24      13.43        80.67  

GROWTH OF $10,000 INVESTMENT

(SINCE INCEPTION AT NET ASSET VALUE)

 

LOGO

The inception date of the Fund was September 12, 2012. The first day of secondary market trading was September 13, 2012.

Index performance through February 28, 2021 reflects the performance of the MSCI Frontier Markets 100 Index. Index performance beginning on March 1, 2021 reflects the performance of the MSCI Frontier and Emerging Markets Select Index.

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

Expense Example

 

    Actual        Hypothetical 5% Return           
 

 

 

      

 

 

      
     

Beginning    
Account Value    
(03/01/22)    
 
 
 
      

Ending
Account Value
(08/31/22)
 
 
 
      

Expenses
Paid During
the Period
 
 
(a) 
      

Beginning
Account Value
(03/01/22)
 
 
 
      

Ending
Account Value
(08/31/22)
 
 
 
      

Expenses
Paid During
the Period
 
 
(a) 
      

Annualized
Expense
Ratio
 
 
 
      $        1,000.00               $          831.10          $        3.65           $        1,000.00           $        1,021.20          $        4.02          0.79

 

  (a) 

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

 

 

 

F U N D   S U M M A R Y

  5


Table of Contents
Fund Summary as of August 31, 2022  (continued)    iShares® MSCI Frontier and Select EM ETF

 

Portfolio Management Commentary

Stocks in frontier and select emerging markets declined considerably for the reporting period amid rising inflation, slowing economic growth, and the war in Ukraine. Frontier market central banks responded to the inflation surge by raising interest rates, prompting recession concerns as overall global consumer demand declined late in the reporting period. Rising costs, particularly for food and fuel, adversely affected most frontier market economies. Inflation in many low-income countries exceeded that of developed economies; food alone accounted for 45% of consumption, almost three times the percentage for developed economies. Frontier market investors grew concerned about the risk of sovereign debt defaults as many governments sought bailouts from the International Monetary Fund (“IMF”). Investors withdrew significant assets from less-developed financial markets as many currencies declined relative to the U.S. dollar. The declining currency values of most frontier markets also diminished their equity values in U.S. dollar terms. Additionally, some frontier markets (including Kenya, Nigeria and Sri Lanka) are experiencing a shortage of USD reserves and have recently restricted or delayed repatriation of local currency.

Stocks in Vietnam, which represented approximately 27% of the Index at the end of the reporting period, fell as economic uncertainty increased. Despite a relatively healthy economy, which benefited from strong exports and industrial production, government warnings about increased inflationary pressure weighed on stocks. In addition, the real estate sector weakened as credit tightened and prices cooled despite economic stimulus and accommodative monetary policy. In Nigeria, Africa’s largest crude oil producer, economic growth slowed as declining oil prices late in the reporting period reduced revenue in the country’s energy sector. In Kazakhstan, Central Asia’s largest oil producer, stocks fell amid considerable political unrest.

In Egypt, banks posted increased earnings, but their stocks declined as the government devalued the Egyptian pound after inflation soared. Despite the devaluation, large foreign banks still regarded Egypt’s currency as overvalued. Meanwhile, the country’s government began loan negotiations with the IMF as financial conditions worsened. Bangladesh also sought IMF assistance as the country’s economy slowed amid heightened supply disruptions and soaring commodities costs due to the war in Ukraine.

Portfolio Information

 

SECTOR ALLOCATION

 

 

 
Sector   Percent of   
Total Investments(a)
 

 

 

Financials

    41.1%  

Real Estate

    12.1     

Materials

    10.3     

Consumer Staples

    9.8     

Energy

    7.3     

Industrials

    6.4     

Communication Services

    6.4     

Utilities

    2.9     

Health Care

    2.7     

Other (each representing less than 1%)

    1.0     

 

 

GEOGRAPHIC ALLOCATION

 

 

 
Country/Geographic Region   Percent of   
Total Investments(a)
 

 

 

Vietnam

    30.0%  

Nigeria

    6.9     

Bahrain

    6.7     

Bangladesh

    5.9     

Morocco

    5.9     

Romania

    5.6     

Kazakhstan

    5.4     

Egypt

    5.0     

Philippines

    5.0     

Colombia

    4.7     

 

 

 

  (a) 

Excludes money market funds.

 

 

 

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Table of Contents
Fund Summary as of August 31, 2022      iShares® MSCI World ETF

 

Investment Objective

The iShares MSCI World ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of developed market equities, as represented by the MSCI World Index (the “Index”). The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index. Due to the use of representative sampling, the Fund may or may not hold all of the securities that are included in the Index.

Performance

 

          Average Annual Total Returns                    Cumulative Total Returns  
     1 Year      5 Years      10 Years            1 Year      5 Years      10 Years  

Fund NAV

    (15.07 )%       8.07      9.66       (15.07 )%       47.43      151.44

Fund Market

    (15.07      8.07        9.60         (15.07      47.42        150.15  

Index

    (15.08      7.85        9.47               (15.08      45.95        147.05  

GROWTH OF $10,000 INVESTMENT

(AT NET ASSET VALUE)

 

LOGO

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

Expense Example

 

    Actual        Hypothetical 5% Return           
 

 

 

      

 

 

      
     

Beginning    
Account Value    
(03/01/22)    
 
 
 
      

Ending
Account Value
(08/31/22)
 
 
 
      

Expenses
Paid During
the Period
 
 
(a) 
      

Beginning
Account Value
(03/01/22)
 
 
 
      

Ending
Account Value
(08/31/22)
 
 
 
      

Expenses
Paid During
the Period
 
 
(a) 
      

Annualized
Expense
Ratio
 
 
 
      $        1,000.00               $          890.70          $        1.14            $        1,000.00            $      1,024.00          $        1.22          0.24

 

  (a)

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

 

 

 

F U N D   S U M M A R Y

  7


Table of Contents
Fund Summary as of August 31, 2022  (continued)    iShares® MSCI World ETF

 

Portfolio Management Commentary

Global developed market stocks declined substantially for the reporting period amid slowing economic growth, high inflation, rising interest rates, and volatility in commodities markets exacerbated by the war in Ukraine. U.S. stocks, which represented approximately 69% of the Index on average for the reporting period, detracted the most from the Index’s return, as the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic slowed and the nation’s economy contracted in the first half of 2022.

In the U.S., the information technology sector detracted significantly from performance. Stocks in the software industry declined as growth for cloud services remained high but fell short of expectations, and demand for office-oriented applications, which surged early in the pandemic, normalized as more typical work and leisure routines resumed. Demand for microchips and electrical components declined as purchases of personal computers decreased.

The U.S. communication services sector also detracted, driven by the interactive media and services industry. A popular mobile platform changed the way users select privacy settings. That made targeted advertising more difficult, and ad revenue fell for many companies in the industry. In addition, the consumer discretionary sector weighed on performance. Operating costs for internet and direct marketing companies, including a large online seller of consumer goods, increased. Wages rose and fuel prices surged while uncertainty grew regarding the outlook for sales as the economy contracted.

Japanese stocks further detracted from performance as the country’s economy exhibited little growth. Industrial production slowed considerably as manufacturing costs increased and supply-chain disruptions persisted amid China’s renewed pandemic shutdowns. The Japanese yen weakened substantially relative to the U.S. dollar, which also reduced the value of the country’s stocks in U.S. dollar terms. Stocks in Germany also detracted, led by weakness in the consumer discretionary, industrials, and information technology sectors. The country’s economic growth slowed as energy prices and inflation surged, consumer confidence fell, and export demand declined in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Portfolio Information

 

SECTOR ALLOCATION

 

 

 
Sector   Percent of   
Total Investments(a)
 

 

 

Information Technology

    21.7%  

Financials

    13.4     

Health Care

    13.2     

Consumer Discretionary

    11.2     

Industrials

    10.0     

Consumer Staples

    7.7     

Communication Services

    7.3     

Energy

    5.2     

Materials

    4.2     

Utilities

    3.2     

Real Estate

    2.9     

 

 

GEOGRAPHIC ALLOCATION

 

 

 
Country/Geographic Region   Percent of   
Total Investments(a)
 

 

 

United States

    69.0%  

Japan

    6.1     

United Kingdom

    4.0     

Canada

    3.6     

Switzerland

    3.0     

France

    2.9     

Australia

    2.4     

Germany

    2.0     

Netherlands

    1.3     

Sweden

    0.8     

 

 

 

  (a) 

Excludes money market funds.

 

 

 

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Table of Contents

About Fund Performance

 

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

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

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

Disclosure of Expenses

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

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

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

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

 

 

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

    9  


Table of Contents

Schedule of Investments   

August 31, 2022

  

iShares® MSCI Frontier and Select EM ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  

Common Stocks

   
Bahrain — 6.3%            

Ahli United Bank BSC

    20,548,448     $ 20,303,708  

Aluminium Bahrain BSC

    457,336       1,328,337  

Ithmaar Holding BSC, NVS

    7,341,331       407,977  
   

 

 

 
          22,040,022  
Bangladesh — 5.6%            

Bangladesh Export Import Co. Ltd.

    1,811,807       2,254,160  

Beacon Pharmaceuticals Ltd./Bangladesh

    485,171       1,318,485  

Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

    927,024       1,611,580  

BRAC Bank Ltd.

    2,400,934       974,665  

British American Tobacco Bangladesh Co. Ltd.

    314,507       1,715,677  

City Bank Ltd. (The)

    2,448,475       584,534  

Eastern Bank Ltd.

    2,368,527       804,579  

GrameenPhone Ltd.

    321,524       973,178  

International Finance Investment & Commerce Bank Ltd.(a)

    3,405,908       476,401  

Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd.

    2,477,620       862,219  

LafargeHolcim Bangladesh Ltd.

    1,390,162       1,154,996  

National Bank Ltd.(a)

    7,174,163       626,235  

Olympic Industries Ltd.

    374,936       539,000  

Renata Ltd.

    79,609       1,096,869  

Square Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

    1,830,768       4,064,522  

Summit Power Ltd.

    1,314,517       486,651  
   

 

 

 
      19,543,751  
Colombia — 3.2%            

Bancolombia SA

    355,655       2,746,309  

Cementos Argos SA

    689,562       543,211  

Corp. Financiera Colombiana SA(a)

    143,091       630,001  

Ecopetrol SA

    7,091,509       3,613,803  

Grupo Argos SA

    423,405       932,084  

Interconexion Electrica SA ESP

    621,825       2,691,439  
   

 

 

 
      11,156,847  
Egypt — 4.7%            

Commercial International Bank Egypt SAE

    7,221,039       14,301,466  

Eastern Co. SAE

    4,238,697       2,147,431  
   

 

 

 
      16,448,897  
Estonia — 0.9%            

Enefit Green AS, NVS

    191,593       871,052  

LHV Group AS, NVS

    412,737       1,448,190  

Tallink Grupp AS(a)

    1,059,686       539,741  

Tallinna Sadam AS(b)

    240,629       339,999  
   

 

 

 
      3,198,982  
Jordan — 1.9%            

Arab Bank PLC

    288,846       1,954,317  

Capital Bank of Jordan

    174,254       596,600  

Jordan Islamic Bank

    132,994       699,013  

Jordan Petroleum Refinery Co.

    209,206       1,917,704  

Jordan Phosphate Mines Co.

    26,975       1,432,459  
   

 

 

 
      6,600,093  
Kazakhstan — 5.0%            

Halyk Savings Bank of Kazakhstan JSC, GDR(a)

    249,984       2,721,864  

Kaspi.KZ JSC

    147,997       8,897,607  

NAC Kazatomprom JSC, GDR

    193,167       6,058,461  
   

 

 

 
      17,677,932  
Kenya — 3.7%            

Equity Group Holdings PLC/Kenya

    8,677,066       3,132,043  

KCB Group PLC

    7,276,516       2,232,501  
Security   Shares     Value  
Kenya (continued)            

Safaricom PLC

    36,957,905     $ 7,767,886  
   

 

 

 
      13,132,430  
Lithuania — 0.5%            

AB Ignitis Grupe

    64,576       1,223,298  

Siauliu Bankas AB

    955,030       545,631  
   

 

 

 
      1,768,929  
Malta — 0.4%            

MAS Real Estate Inc.

    1,284,262       1,523,532  
   

 

 

 
Morocco — 5.5%            

Attijariwafa Bank

    127,208       5,258,446  

Banque Centrale Populaire

    51,818       1,256,259  

Ciments du Maroc SA

    10,262       1,554,930  

Co. Sucrerie Marocaine et de Raffinage

    83,852       1,747,008  

Hightech Payment Systems SA

    1,019       579,007  

Itissalat Al-Maghrib

    524,176       6,006,496  

Label Vie

    3,358       1,471,110  

Societe d’Exploitation des Ports

    62,701       1,526,041  
   

 

 

 
          19,399,297  
Nigeria — 6.5%            

Access Bank PLC

    87,072,126       1,384,480  

Afriland Properties PLC(a)

    8,020       31  

Dangote Cement PLC

    11,938,113       5,603,137  

FBN Holdings PLC

    84,216,832       1,798,884  

Guaranty Trust Holding Co. PLC

    63,861,123       2,428,435  

MTN Nigeria Communications PLC

    11,008,838       4,196,856  

Nestle Nigeria PLC

    1,310,924       3,390,321  

United Bank for Africa PLC

    79,997,106       1,103,408  

Zenith Bank PLC

    69,373,073       2,910,480  
   

 

 

 
      22,816,032  
Oman — 1.7%            

Bank Muscat SAOG

    2,823,498       4,429,016  

National Bank of Oman SAOG

    1,167,380       818,576  

Omani Qatari Telecommunications Co. SAOG

    760,575       770,353  
   

 

 

 
      6,017,945  
Pakistan — 3.2%            

Engro Corp. Ltd./Pakistan

    875,688       953,419  

Engro Fertilizers Ltd.

    1,882,968       723,917  

Fauji Fertilizer Co. Ltd.

    1,301,089       618,087  

Habib Bank Ltd.

    1,706,182       707,201  

Hub Power Co. Ltd. (The)

    3,190,405       964,876  

Lucky Cement Ltd.(a)

    316,626       748,003  

Mari Petroleum Co. Ltd.

    80,065       617,920  

MCB Bank Ltd.

    1,193,720       657,208  

Millat Tractors Ltd.

    170,891       651,755  

Oil & Gas Development Co. Ltd.

    1,708,497       642,078  

Pakistan Oilfields Ltd.

    378,890       725,322  

Pakistan Petroleum Ltd.

    1,661,142       526,614  

Pakistan State Oil Co. Ltd.

    747,100       581,729  

Systems Ltd.

    475,388       864,403  

TRG Pakistan(a)

    1,229,064       503,927  

United Bank Ltd./Pakistan

    1,460,773       779,457  
   

 

 

 
      11,265,916  
Panama — 0.2%            

Intercorp Financial Services Inc.

    36,132       779,006  
   

 

 

 
Peru — 4.4%            

Cia. de Minas Buenaventura SAA, ADR

    236,652       1,258,989  

Credicorp Ltd.

    76,920       9,914,219  

 

 

10  

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


Table of Contents

Schedule of Investments   (continued)

August 31, 2022

  

iShares® MSCI Frontier and Select EM ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
Peru (continued)            

Southern Copper Corp.

    92,333     $ 4,346,114  
   

 

 

 
      15,519,322  
Philippines — 4.7%            

Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc.

    535,470       534,071  

ACEN Corp.

    2,856,270       380,374  

Alliance Global Group Inc.

    924,800       165,152  

Ayala Corp.

    80,740       1,006,142  

Ayala Land Inc.

    2,433,400       1,235,272  

Bank of the Philippine Islands

    572,240       966,164  

BDO Unibank Inc.

    639,280       1,461,807  

Century Pacific Food Inc.

    366,700       161,947  

Converge Information and Communications Technology Solutions Inc.(a)

    669,000       206,288  

DMCI Holdings Inc.

    848,500       143,357  

Globe Telecom Inc.

    8,920       332,819  

GT Capital Holdings Inc.

    26,870       230,139  

International Container Terminal Services Inc.

    334,780       1,078,213  

JG Summit Holdings Inc.

    935,760       850,939  

Jollibee Foods Corp.

    144,010       613,811  

Manila Electric Co.

    73,120       391,605  

Megaworld Corp.

    3,417,000       151,685  

Metro Pacific Investments Corp.

    3,414,000       226,535  

Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co.

    570,630       533,328  

Monde Nissin Corp.(a)(b)

    2,030,000       595,773  

PLDT Inc.

    28,590       852,202  

Puregold Price Club Inc.

    309,400       188,412  

RL Commercial REIT Inc.

    968,000       105,771  

Robinsons Land Corp.

    561,900       187,622  

Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc.

    130,400       139,329  

Security Bank Corp.

    140,120       223,983  

SM Prime Holdings Inc.

    3,748,800       2,520,026  

Universal Robina Corp.

    281,180       610,292  

Wilcon Depot Inc.

    455,800       243,099  
   

 

 

 
      16,336,157  
Romania — 5.2%            

Banca Transilvania SA

    1,605,993       6,626,509  

BRD-Groupe Societe Generale SA

    608,300       1,678,458  

MED Life SA(a)

    233,594       905,251  

OMV Petrom SA

    41,499,691       4,076,229  

Societatea Energetica Electrica SA

    415,749       681,457  

Societatea Nationala de Gaze Naturale ROMGAZ SA

    343,855       3,185,078  

Teraplast SA

    3,209,873       391,981  

Transgaz SA Medias

    14,368       697,577  
   

 

 

 
          18,242,540  
Slovenia — 0.2%            

Pozavarovalnica Sava dd

    22,843       525,694  
   

 

 

 
Sri Lanka — 0.6%            

Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC

    1,482,825       213,774  

Expolanka Holdings PLC

    992,043       594,459  

John Keells Holdings PLC

    2,732,474       969,490  

Sampath Bank PLC

    2,891,749       257,044  
   

 

 

 
      2,034,767  
Vietnam — 28.2%            

Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam JSC

    1,398,295       5,004,065  

Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam JSC

    598,724       1,018,713  

Bao Viet Holdings

    294,910       733,468  

Dat Xanh Group JSC(a)

    896,180       1,008,430  

Development Investment Construction(a)

    814,254       1,312,583  
Security   Shares     Value  
Vietnam (continued)            

Digiworld Corp., NVS

    229,400     $ 698,015  

Duc Giang Chemicals JSC

    540,194       2,288,718  

Gelex Group JSC

    1,253,184       1,289,911  

Ha Do Group JSC

    365,748       846,641  

Hoa Phat Group JSC

    8,486,103       8,309,064  

Hoa Sen Group(a)

    752,159       663,406  

Hoang Huy Investment Financial Services JSC

    990,900       509,034  

IDICO Corp. JSC

    480,850       1,277,374  

Khang Dien House Trading and Investment JSC(a)

    1,038,897       1,636,568  

KIDO Group Corp.

    369,272       1,055,288  

Kinh Bac City Development Share Holding Corp.(a)

    1,099,060       1,620,208  

Masan Group Corp.

    1,681,856       8,191,868  

Nam Long Investment Corp., NVS

    516,200       916,783  

National Citizen Commercial JSC, NVS(a)

    504,200       511,835  

No Va Land Investment Group Corp.(a)

    2,023,533       7,062,608  

PetroVietnam Drilling & Well Services JSC(a)

    830,434       733,019  

PetroVietnam Fertilizer & Chemicals JSC

    413,000       957,210  

PetroVietnam Gas JSC

    172,900       860,276  

PetroVietnam Power Corp.

    1,782,140       1,061,141  

PetroVietnam Technical Services Corp.

    711,798       842,894  

Phat Dat Real Estate Development Corp.(a)

    792,536       1,863,896  

Saigon - Hanoi Commercial Joint Stock Bank(a)

    2,314,844       1,536,232  

Saigon Beer Alcohol Beverage Corp.

    188,080       1,507,368  

Saigon Thuong Tin Commercial JSB(a)

    1,671,080       1,762,355  

Saigon-Hanoi Securities

    1,197,750       674,357  

SSI Securities Corp.

    3,114,141       3,177,041  

Tan Tao Investment & Industry JSC(a)

    1,195,000       355,003  

Thaiholdings JSC(a)

    505,800       1,193,036  

Thanh Thanh Cong - Bien Hoa JSC(a)

    826,490       641,668  

Van Phu - Invest Investment JSC(a)

    253,800       708,981  

Viet Capital Securities JSC

    901,070       1,418,906  

Vietjet Aviation JSC(a)

    481,190       2,494,263  

Vietnam Construction and Import-Export JSC

    581,471       535,362  

Vietnam Dairy Products JSC

    2,165,174       6,965,369  

Vincom Retail JSC(a)

    2,769,280       3,260,163  

Vingroup JSC(a)

    2,832,934       7,687,460  

Vinh Hoan Corp.

    275,000       1,093,223  

Vinhomes JSC(b)

    3,228,188       8,379,455  

VIX Securities JSC

    1,217,728       704,034  

Vndirect Securities Corp.

    2,717,240       2,505,196  
   

 

 

 
      98,872,488  
   

 

 

 

Total Common Stocks — 92.6%
(Cost: $311,605,415)

          324,900,579  
   

 

 

 

Preferred Stocks

   
Colombia — 1.3%            

Bancolombia SA, Preference Shares, NVS

    648,360       4,476,597  
   

 

 

 

Total Preferred Stocks — 1.3%
(Cost: $5,057,187)

      4,476,597  
   

 

 

 

 

 

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

  11


Table of Contents

Schedule of Investments   (continued)

August 31, 2022

  

iShares® MSCI Frontier and Select EM ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  

 

 

Rights

   
Romania — 0.1%            

OMV Petrom SA (Expires 12/31/22)

    46,703,545     $ 374,000  
   

 

 

 

Total Rights — 0.1%
(Cost: $—)

      374,000  
   

 

 

 

Total Investments in Securities — 94.0%
(Cost: $316,662,602)

      329,751,176  

Other Assets Less Liabilities — 6.0%

      20,890,456  
   

 

 

 

Net Assets — 100.0%

    $   350,641,632  
   

 

 

 

    

(a) 

Non-income producing security.

(b) 

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

 

Affiliates

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

 

 

 
Affiliated Issuer    Value at
08/31/21
     Purchases
at Cost
     Proceeds
from Sale
     Net Realized
Gain (Loss)
     Change in
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
     Value at
08/31/22
     Shares
Held at
08/31/22
     Income     

Capital

Gain
Distributions
from
Underlying
Funds

 

 

 

BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional, SL Agency Shares(a)

   $ 24,659      $      $ (24,672 )(b)     $ 16      $ (3    $             $ 730 (c)     $  
           

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

       

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

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

 
  (b) 

Represents net amount purchased (sold).

 
  (c) 

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

 

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts

 

 

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

 

 

Long Contracts

           

MSCI Emerging Markets Index

     438        09/16/22      $ 21,504      $ (401,746
           

 

 

 

Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts

 

             
  Currency Purchased             

Currency Sold

     Counterparty    Settlement Date              Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
 

USD

     271,489                            NGN        117,256,000      Citibank N.A.      10/28/22                          $ 1,196  
                       

 

 

 

USD

     11,175,041           NGN        5,253,285,718      Citibank N.A.      10/28/22           (934,596

USD

     2,983,207           NGN        1,303,000,000      Morgan Stanley & Co. International PLC      10/28/22           (20,410
                       

 

 

 
                          (955,006
                       

 

 

 
                          $(953,810
                       

 

 

 

 

 

12  

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


Table of Contents

Schedule of Investments   (continued)

August 31, 2022

   iShares® MSCI Frontier and Select EM ETF

 

Derivative Financial Instruments Categorized by Risk Exposure

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

 

 

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

 

 

Assets — Derivative Financial Instruments

                    

Forward foreign currency exchange contracts

                    

Unrealized appreciation on forward foreign currency exchange contracts

   $      $      $      $ 1,196      $      $      $ 1,196  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Liabilities — Derivative Financial Instruments

                    

Futures contracts

                    

Unrealized depreciation on futures contracts(a)

   $      $      $ 401,746      $      $      $      $ 401,746  

Forward foreign currency exchange contracts

                    

Unrealized depreciation on forward foreign currency exchange contracts

   $      $      $      $ 955,006      $      $      $ 955,006  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $      $      $ 401,746      $ 955,006      $      $      $ 1,356,752  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Net Realized Gain (Loss) from

                    

Futures contracts

   $      $      $ (3,631,677    $      $      $      $ (3,631,677

Forward foreign currency exchange contracts

                          (733,549                    (733,549
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $      $      $   (3,631,677    $  (733,549    $      $      $  (4,365,226
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) on

                    

Futures contracts

   $      $      $ 183,002      $      $      $      $ 183,002  

Forward foreign currency exchange contracts

                          (279,668                    (279,668
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $      $      $ 183,002      $ (279,668    $      $      $ (96,666
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Average Quarterly Balances of Outstanding Derivative Financial Instruments

 

   

Futures contracts

  

Average notional value of contracts — long

   $ 14,580,654    

Forward foreign currency exchange contracts

  

Average amounts sold — in USD

   $ 11,498,722    

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

Derivative Financial Instruments - Offsetting as of Period End

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

 

 

 
     Assets      Liabilities  

 

 

Derivative Financial Instruments:

     

Futures contracts

   $      $ 401,746  

Forward foreign currency exchange contracts

         1,196        955,006  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

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

     1,196         1,356,752  

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

            (401,746
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total derivative assets and liabilities subject to an MNA

     1,196        955,006  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

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

  13


Table of Contents

Schedule of Investments   (continued)

August 31, 2022

   iShares® MSCI Frontier and Select EM ETF

 

Derivative Financial Instruments - Offsetting as of Period End (continued)

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

 

 

 
    Derivative                                          
    Assets                                          
    Subject to     Derivatives     Non-Cash     Cash     Net Amount  
    an MNA by     Available     Collateral     Collateral     of Derivative  

Counterparty

    Counterparty         for Offset (a)    Received

 

  Received

 

    Assets  

 

 

Citibank N.A.

                 $ 1,196                $ (1,196     $       $                $  
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

 
                                                         

 

 
    Derivative                                              
    Liabilities                                              
    Subject to     Derivatives     Non-Cash     Cash     Net Amount  
    an MNA by     Available     Collateral     Collateral     of Derivative  

Counterparty

    Counterparty         for Offset (a)    Pledged

 

  Pledged

 

      Liabilities (b) 

 

 

Citibank N.A.

    $ 934,596       $ (1,196     $       $       $ 933,400  

Morgan Stanley & Co. International PLC

      20,410                                 20,410  
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

 
    $ 955,006       $ (1,196     $       $       $ 953,810  
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

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

 
  (b) 

Net amount represents the net amount payable due to the counterparty in the event of default.

 

Fair Value Hierarchy as of Period End

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

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

 

 

 
     Level 1      Level 2      Level 3      Total  

 

 

Investments

           

Assets

           

Common Stocks

   $ 88,743,883      $ 236,156,696      $      $ 324,900,579  

Preferred Stocks

     4,476,597                      4,476,597  

Rights

            374,000               374,000  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $   93,220,480      $ 236,530,696      $      $ 329,751,176  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Derivative financial instruments(a)

           

Assets

           

Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts

   $      $ 1,196      $      $ 1,196  

Liabilities

           

Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts

            (955,006             (955,006

Futures Contracts

     (401,746                    (401,746
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ (401,746    $ (953,810    $             —      $ (1,355,556
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

Derivative financial instruments are futures contracts and forward foreign currency exchange contracts. Futures contracts and forward foreign currency exchange contracts are valued at the unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on the instrument.

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

14  

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


Table of Contents

Schedule of Investments

August 31, 2022

  

iShares® MSCI World ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  

Common Stocks

   
Australia — 2.4%            

Ampol Ltd.

    10,020     $ 235,514  

APA Group

    49,391       372,449  

Aristocrat Leisure Ltd.

    25,096       605,728  

ASX Ltd.

    8,058       428,946  

Aurizon Holdings Ltd.

    77,702       196,519  

Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd.

    126,769       1,959,664  

BHP Group Ltd.

    213,113           5,813,723  

BlueScope Steel Ltd.

    21,115       236,907  

Brambles Ltd.

    60,188       506,556  

Cochlear Ltd.

    2,715       395,241  

Coles Group Ltd.

    55,514       664,457  

Commonwealth Bank of Australia

    71,004       4,692,101  

Computershare Ltd.

    22,748       379,384  

CSL Ltd.

    19,839       3,968,149  

Dexus

    43,474       257,148  

Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd.

    2,534       109,221  

Endeavour Group Ltd./Australia

    55,143       272,892  

Evolution Mining Ltd.

    77,237       124,124  

Fortescue Metals Group Ltd.

    71,503       888,609  

Glencore PLC

    418,055       2,285,741  

Goodman Group

    69,062       918,385  

GPT Group (The)

    78,446       223,532  

IDP Education Ltd.(a)

    8,794       173,124  

Insurance Australia Group Ltd.

    106,774       337,396  

James Hardie Industries PLC

    18,682       423,434  

Lendlease Corp. Ltd.

    28,988       202,003  

Lottery Corp. Ltd. (The)(b)

    93,021       279,592  

Macquarie Group Ltd.

    15,689       1,877,240  

Medibank Pvt Ltd.

    115,688       291,414  

Mineral Resources Ltd.

    7,115       303,152  

Mirvac Group

    161,210       229,584  

National Australia Bank Ltd.

    136,926       2,839,315  

Newcrest Mining Ltd.

    35,239       423,631  

Northern Star Resources Ltd.

    47,198       249,453  

Orica Ltd.

    17,434       182,362  

Origin Energy Ltd.

    73,825       314,425  

Qantas Airways Ltd.(b)

    39,295       141,216  

QBE Insurance Group Ltd.

    62,335       511,070  

Ramsay Health Care Ltd.

    8,144       396,905  

REA Group Ltd.

    2,198       189,552  

Reece Ltd.

    12,301       133,176  

Rio Tinto Ltd.

    15,517       985,537  

Rio Tinto PLC

    46,703       2,578,486  

Santos Ltd.

    130,803       698,263  

Scentre Group

    211,311       419,937  

SEEK Ltd.

    14,073       198,552  

Sonic Healthcare Ltd.

    18,955       438,334  

South32 Ltd.

    194,728       536,224  

Stockland

    104,701       257,550  

Suncorp Group Ltd.

    53,596       395,820  

Telstra Corp. Ltd.

    173,666       469,635  

Transurban Group

    126,652       1,201,606  

Treasury Wine Estates Ltd.

    31,468       282,276  

Vicinity Centres

    163,172       213,626  

Washington H Soul Pattinson & Co. Ltd.

    9,131       159,136  

Wesfarmers Ltd.

    47,015       1,503,960  

Westpac Banking Corp.

    147,140       2,159,650  

WiseTech Global Ltd.

    6,126       241,974  
Security   Shares     Value  
Australia (continued)            

Woodside Energy Group Ltd.

    78,588     $ 1,825,482  

Woolworths Group Ltd.

    52,578       1,296,191  
   

 

 

 
      50,895,273  
Austria — 0.1%            

Erste Group Bank AG

    14,327       322,182  

OMV AG

    6,149       247,757  

Verbund AG

    2,839       271,288  

voestalpine AG

    4,896       98,520  
   

 

 

 
      939,747  
Belgium — 0.2%            

Ageas SA/NV

    7,178       291,251  

Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV

    36,145       1,745,605  

D’ieteren Group

    974       146,832  

Elia Group SA/NV

    1,385       201,201  

Groupe Bruxelles Lambert SA

    4,700       355,302  

KBC Group NV

    10,473       499,483  

Proximus SADP

    6,489       82,599  

Sofina SA

    620       124,282  

Solvay SA

    3,095       249,848  

UCB SA

    5,240       368,198  

Umicore SA

    8,017       254,829  

Warehouses De Pauw CVA

    6,300       191,691  
   

 

 

 
      4,511,121  
Brazil — 0.1%            

MercadoLibre Inc.(a)(b)

    1,873       1,602,089  

Yara International ASA

    6,911       292,318  
   

 

 

 
          1,894,407  
Canada — 3.6%            

Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd.

    19,128       788,801  

Air Canada(b)

    7,545       101,626  

Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp.(a)

    27,594       379,027  

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.

    33,951       1,459,013  

AltaGas Ltd.

    11,870       255,955  

ARC Resources Ltd.

    29,007       400,424  

Bank of Montreal

    26,841       2,477,992  

Bank of Nova Scotia (The)

    50,413       2,787,522  

Barrick Gold Corp.

    73,779       1,095,436  

BCE Inc.

    3,151       152,062  

BlackBerry Ltd.(a)(b)

    23,422       139,103  

Brookfield Asset Management Inc., Class A

    58,542       2,816,221  

Brookfield Renewable Corp., Class A

    5,687       218,543  

BRP Inc.

    1,429       99,111  

CAE Inc.(a)(b)

    13,368       244,082  

Cameco Corp.

    16,722       487,393  

Canadian Apartment Properties REIT

    3,623       123,226  

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce

    37,325       1,765,147  

Canadian National Railway Co.

    24,778       2,946,721  

Canadian Natural Resources Ltd.

    49,169       2,695,525  

Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd.

    39,207       2,935,114  

Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd., Class A, NVS

    2,419       284,511  

Canadian Utilities Ltd., Class A, NVS

    5,467       167,255  

CCL Industries Inc., Class B, NVS

    6,402       314,019  

Cenovus Energy Inc.

    60,091       1,127,378  

CGI Inc.(b)

    9,130       722,976  

Constellation Software Inc.

    815       1,226,841  

Dollarama Inc.

    12,100       736,862  

Emera Inc.

    12,830       593,657  

Empire Co. Ltd., Class A, NVS

    7,099       202,211  

Enbridge Inc.

    86,024       3,547,462  

 

 

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

  15


Table of Contents

Schedule of Investments   (continued)

August 31, 2022

  

iShares® MSCI World ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
Canada (continued)            

Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd.

    1,139     $ 567,822  

First Quantum Minerals Ltd.

    24,572       434,807  

FirstService Corp.

    1,669       208,779  

Fortis Inc.

    19,628       865,913  

Franco-Nevada Corp.

    8,399       1,009,786  

George Weston Ltd.

    3,196       365,386  

GFL Environmental Inc.

    6,536       184,134  

Gildan Activewear Inc.

    8,993       265,952  

Great-West Lifeco Inc.

    12,605       296,086  

Hydro One Ltd.(c)

    14,034       379,982  

iA Financial Corp. Inc.

    4,518       242,696  

IGM Financial Inc.

    3,596       97,885  

Imperial Oil Ltd.

    10,348       507,886  

Intact Financial Corp.

    7,282       1,054,860  

Ivanhoe Mines Ltd., Class A(b)

    25,774       165,632  

Keyera Corp.

    9,395       231,486  

Kinross Gold Corp.

    53,392       175,216  

Lightspeed Commerce Inc.(b)

    4,582       87,673  

Loblaw Companies Ltd.

    7,241       639,938  

Lundin Mining Corp.

    28,172       146,507  

Magna International Inc.

    11,989       692,584  

Manulife Financial Corp.

    81,352           1,407,330  

Metro Inc.

    10,230       538,081  

National Bank of Canada

    14,033       928,410  

Northland Power Inc.

    9,518       325,830  

Nutrien Ltd.

    23,702       2,175,924  

Nuvei Corp.(b)(c)

    2,412       73,810  

Onex Corp.

    3,216       159,043  

Open Text Corp.

    11,220       353,425  

Pan American Silver Corp.

    8,925       132,786  

Parkland Corp.

    6,479       159,046  

Pembina Pipeline Corp.

    22,951       810,498  

Power Corp. of Canada

    22,740       584,711  

Quebecor Inc., Class B

    7,156       154,579  

Restaurant Brands International Inc.

    11,932       704,373  

RioCan REIT

    7,041       107,919  

Ritchie Bros Auctioneers Inc.

    4,650       322,120  

Rogers Communications Inc., Class B, NVS

    14,790       636,825  

Royal Bank of Canada

    59,218       5,506,753  

Saputo Inc.(a)

    10,468       265,815  

Shaw Communications Inc., Class B, NVS

    18,937       485,627  

Shopify Inc., Class A(b)

    46,760       1,480,398  

Sun Life Financial Inc.

    24,535       1,080,896  

Suncor Energy Inc.

    61,648       1,994,460  

TC Energy Corp.

    40,630       1,957,949  

Teck Resources Ltd., Class B

    19,735       668,377  

TELUS Corp.

    18,239       410,789  

TFI International Inc.

    3,485       347,691  

Thomson Reuters Corp.

    7,228       795,914  

TMX Group Ltd.

    2,339       234,906  

Toromont Industries Ltd.

    3,454       267,357  

Toronto-Dominion Bank (The)

    77,054       4,957,013  

Tourmaline Oil Corp.

    12,962       766,360  

Waste Connections Inc.

    10,799       1,503,005  

West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd.

    2,556       228,675  

Wheaton Precious Metals Corp.

    18,766       572,832  

WSP Global Inc.

    4,877       581,185  
   

 

 

 
      75,592,938  
Denmark — 0.7%            

AP Moller - Maersk A/S, Class A

    141       329,391  
Security   Shares     Value  
Denmark (continued)            

AP Moller - Maersk A/S, Class B, NVS

    226     $ 542,209  

Carlsberg A/S, Class B

    4,180       542,774  

Chr Hansen Holding A/S

    4,734       275,836  

Coloplast A/S, Class B

    4,944       564,758  

Danske Bank A/S

    28,200       376,552  

Demant A/S(b)

    4,555       140,313  

DSV A/S

    8,451       1,248,788  

Genmab A/S(b)

    2,712       965,380  

GN Store Nord AS

    5,216       147,522  

Novo Nordisk A/S, Class B

    69,932       7,476,696  

Novozymes A/S, Class B

    8,549       490,658  

Orsted A/S(c)

    7,943       775,256  

Pandora A/S

    4,167       250,339  

Rockwool A/S, Class B

    358       73,689  

Tryg A/S

    15,077       340,676  

Vestas Wind Systems A/S

    42,225       1,056,516  
   

 

 

 
          15,597,353  
Finland — 0.3%            

Elisa OYJ

    5,919       316,538  

Fortum OYJ

    18,560       190,916  

Kesko OYJ, Class B

    11,118       233,896  

Kone OYJ, Class B

    14,107       564,174  

Neste OYJ

    17,585       867,588  

Nokia OYJ

    227,613       1,147,025  

Nordea Bank Abp

    134,447       1,246,572  

Orion OYJ, Class B

    4,443       201,446  

Sampo OYJ, Class A

    20,708       936,837  

Stora Enso OYJ, Class R

    24,287       361,536  

UPM-Kymmene OYJ

    22,190       753,889  

Wartsila OYJ Abp

    20,276       167,181  
   

 

 

 
      6,987,598  
France — 2.9%            

Accor SA(b)

    7,160       170,774  

Aeroports de Paris(b)

    1,210       165,686  

Air Liquide SA

    21,584       2,704,753  

Airbus SE

    24,817       2,431,895  

Alstom SA(a)

    13,239       271,310  

Amundi SA(c)

    2,554       129,497  

ArcelorMittal SA

    23,481       557,301  

Arkema SA

    2,529       213,502  

AXA SA

    80,224       1,889,405  

BioMerieux

    1,723       157,568  

BNP Paribas SA

    46,629       2,166,858  

Bollore SE

    37,455       178,990  

Bouygues SA

    9,565       280,972  

Bureau Veritas SA

    12,291       305,061  

Capgemini SE

    6,666       1,151,738  

Carrefour SA

    26,089       435,438  

Cie. de Saint-Gobain

    21,010       846,235  

Cie. Generale des Etablissements Michelin SCA

    28,181       685,398  

Covivio

    2,191       122,318  

Credit Agricole SA

    51,778       476,547  

Danone SA

    27,185       1,430,483  

Dassault Aviation SA

    1,033       141,861  

Dassault Systemes SE

    27,595       1,064,151  

Edenred

    10,401       526,076  

Eiffage SA(a)

    3,452       303,620  

Electricite de France SA

    22,827       272,925  

Engie SA

    75,910       901,591  

 

 

16  

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


Table of Contents

Schedule of Investments   (continued)

August 31, 2022

  

iShares® MSCI World ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
France (continued)            

EssilorLuxottica SA

    11,886     $ 1,770,270  

Eurazeo SE

    1,667       99,553  

Eurofins Scientific SE

    5,690       393,681  

Gecina SA

    1,907       169,719  

Getlink SE

    18,470       347,809  

Hermes International

    1,322       1,693,172  

Ipsen SA

    1,555       149,027  

Kering SA

    3,099       1,554,931  

Klepierre SA

    8,918       182,928  

La Francaise des Jeux SAEM(c)

    4,035       130,872  

Legrand SA

    11,098       802,992  

L’Oreal SA

    10,062       3,455,736  

LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE

    11,702       7,550,912  

Orange SA

    82,958       840,147  

Pernod Ricard SA

    8,630       1,583,505  

Publicis Groupe SA

    9,505       464,084  

Remy Cointreau SA

    947       175,633  

Renault SA(b)

    8,148       232,079  

Safran SA

    14,255       1,453,361  

Sanofi

    47,153       3,854,748  

Sartorius Stedim Biotech

    1,150       420,626  

Schneider Electric SE

    22,420       2,664,782  

SEB SA

    1,148       85,027  

Societe Generale SA

    33,722       743,415  

Sodexo SA

    3,663       280,146  

Teleperformance

    2,452       698,347  

Thales SA

    4,408       531,432  

TotalEnergies SE

    104,287       5,280,018  

Ubisoft Entertainment SA(b)

    3,900       179,849  

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield(a)(b)

    5,277       271,288  

Valeo

    9,669       184,694  

Veolia Environnement SA

    27,270       607,778  

Vinci SA

    22,431       2,069,337  

Vivendi SE

    32,682       296,244  

Wendel SE

    1,124       88,315  

Worldline SA/France(b)(c)

    9,935       425,642  
   

 

 

 
          61,714,052  
Germany — 1.8%            

adidas AG

    7,219       1,070,456  

Allianz SE, Registered

    17,092       2,889,170  

Aroundtown SA(a)

    42,000       122,497  

BASF SE

    38,394       1,624,022  

Bayer AG, Registered

    40,664       2,150,637  

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG

    13,737       1,012,124  

Bechtle AG

    3,438       131,708  

Beiersdorf AG

    4,192       423,140  

Brenntag SE

    6,423       421,140  

Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Bearer

    1,685       209,713  

Commerzbank AG(b)

    42,010       279,531  

Continental AG

    4,499       259,027  

Covestro AG(c)

    7,748       233,617  

Daimler Truck Holding AG(b)

    17,447       446,100  

Deutsche Bank AG, Registered

    86,816       724,296  

Deutsche Boerse AG

    7,873       1,331,123  

Deutsche Lufthansa AG, Registered(a)(b)

    27,474       163,341  

Deutsche Post AG, Registered

    41,092       1,499,822  

Deutsche Telekom AG, Registered

    138,205       2,604,781  

E.ON SE

    93,246       795,350  

Evonik Industries AG

    8,802       164,114  

Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA

    8,535       292,233  
Security   Shares     Value  
Germany (continued)            

Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA

    16,737     $ 414,045  

GEA Group AG

    6,418       223,262  

Hannover Rueck SE

    2,497       368,023  

HeidelbergCement AG

    6,004       271,125  

HelloFresh SE(b)

    6,981       166,678  

Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

    4,328       270,670  

Infineon Technologies AG

    54,230       1,326,947  

KION Group AG

    3,023       120,790  

Knorr-Bremse AG

    3,027       146,703  

LEG Immobilien SE

    3,034       229,291  

Mercedes-Benz Group AG

    33,663       1,887,339  

Merck KGaA

    5,361       920,912  

MTU Aero Engines AG

    2,259       398,403  

Muenchener Rueckversicherungs-Gesellschaft AG in Muenchen, Registered

    5,791       1,383,590  

Nemetschek SE

    2,407       141,797  

Puma SE

    4,390       268,333  

Rational AG

    206       111,108  

Rheinmetall AG

    1,772       281,296  

RWE AG

    26,691       1,018,993  

SAP SE

    44,373       3,779,220  

Scout24 SE(c)

    3,817       219,909  

Siemens AG, Registered

    31,693       3,210,315  

Siemens Healthineers AG(c)

    11,351       554,680  

Symrise AG

    5,344       559,165  

Telefonica Deutschland Holding AG

    44,506       115,535  

Uniper SE

    3,900       21,102  

United Internet AG, Registered(d)

    4,105       92,858  

Volkswagen AG

    1,345       248,785  

Vonovia SE

    30,076       814,203  

Zalando SE(b)(c)

    9,255       214,280  
   

 

 

 
          38,627,299  
Hong Kong — 0.8%            

AIA Group Ltd.

    507,200       4,879,891  

BOC Hong Kong Holdings Ltd.

    163,500       562,734  

Budweiser Brewing Co. APAC Ltd.(c)

    76,300       224,279  

Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Ltd.

    81,000       163,029  

CK Asset Holdings Ltd.

    89,500       604,104  

CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd.

    104,000       671,596  

CK Infrastructure Holdings Ltd.

    19,500       118,580  

CLP Holdings Ltd.

    76,500       659,146  

ESR Group Ltd.(b)(c)

    85,800       240,249  

Futu Holdings Ltd., ADR(a)(b)

    2,300       112,907  

Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd.

    115,000       642,814  

Hang Lung Properties Ltd.

    59,000       98,118  

Hang Seng Bank Ltd.

    33,700       527,628  

Henderson Land Development Co. Ltd.

    48,000       160,566  

HK Electric Investments & HK Electric Investments Ltd., Class SS(a)

    105,500       88,043  

HKT Trust & HKT Ltd., Class SS

    167,000       224,044  

Hong Kong & China Gas Co. Ltd.

    440,589       434,369  

Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing Ltd.

    48,400       1,950,255  

Hongkong Land Holdings Ltd.

    51,100       247,022  

Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd.

    6,500       344,706  

Link REIT

    92,700       717,407  

MTR Corp. Ltd.

    73,500       376,417  

New World Development Co. Ltd.

    45,333       147,721  

Power Assets Holdings Ltd.

    69,000       412,703  

Sands China Ltd.(b)

    93,600       209,299  

Sino Land Co. Ltd.

    118,000       172,554  

 

 

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

  17


Table of Contents

Schedule of Investments   (continued)

August 31, 2022

  

iShares® MSCI World ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
Hong Kong (continued)            

SITC International Holdings Co. Ltd.

    42,000     $ 106,505  

Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd.

    66,500       781,257  

Swire Pacific Ltd., Class A

    14,500       100,293  

Swire Properties Ltd.

    45,400       104,634  

Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd.

    58,500       689,963  

WH Group Ltd.(c)

    373,500       254,474  

Wharf Real Estate Investment Co. Ltd.

    75,000       341,264  

Xinyi Glass Holdings Ltd.

    60,000       110,813  
   

 

 

 
          17,479,384  
Ireland — 0.6%            

CRH PLC

    32,419       1,197,156  

Flutter Entertainment PLC, Class DI(b)

    6,941       869,700  

Kerry Group PLC, Class A

    6,662       686,997  

Kingspan Group PLC

    6,505       368,305  

Linde PLC

    21,379       6,047,264  

Seagate Technology Holdings PLC

    8,570       573,847  

Smurfit Kappa Group PLC

    10,341       346,729  

STERIS PLC

    4,175       840,762  

Trane Technologies PLC

    9,856       1,518,514  
   

 

 

 
      12,449,274  
Israel — 0.2%            

Azrieli Group Ltd.

    1,752       145,339  

Bank Hapoalim BM

    46,167       478,634  

Bank Leumi Le-Israel BM

    64,449       681,305  

Bezeq The Israeli Telecommunication Corp. Ltd.

    83,069       140,389  

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd.(b)

    4,406       529,778  

CyberArk Software Ltd.(a)(b)

    1,697       244,843  

Elbit Systems Ltd.

    1,115       238,037  

ICL Group Ltd.

    29,569       282,345  

Isracard Ltd.

    1       3  

Israel Discount Bank Ltd., Class A

    48,792       298,297  

Mizrahi Tefahot Bank Ltd.

    5,896       239,794  

Nice Ltd.(b)

    2,637       563,426  

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., ADR(b)

    47,392       428,424  

Tower Semiconductor Ltd.(b)

    4,639       217,447  

Wix.com Ltd.(b)

    2,267       143,479  

ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd.

    3,412       123,139  
   

 

 

 
      4,754,679  
Italy — 0.5%            

Amplifon SpA

    5,221       136,064  

Assicurazioni Generali SpA

    45,993       674,568  

Atlantia SpA

    20,406       467,266  

DiaSorin SpA

    1,018       133,545  

Enel SpA

    337,254       1,584,781  

Eni SpA

    104,744       1,237,333  

Ferrari NV

    5,211       1,005,944  

FinecoBank Banca Fineco SpA

    22,039       238,292  

Infrastrutture Wireless Italiane SpA(c)

    14,248       132,049  

Intesa Sanpaolo SpA

    685,279       1,179,701  

Mediobanca Banca di Credito Finanziario SpA

    26,101       206,612  

Moncler SpA

    8,541       380,004  

Nexi SpA(b)(c)

    31,201       255,988  

Poste Italiane SpA(c)

    21,970       175,584  

Prysmian SpA

    10,641       326,495  

Recordati Industria Chimica e Farmaceutica SpA

    4,366       178,133  

Snam SpA

    84,114       399,786  

Telecom Italia SpA/Milano(b)

    433,435       89,400  

Tenaris SA

    19,796       270,799  

Terna - Rete Elettrica Nazionale

    58,713       417,403  
Security   Shares     Value  
Italy (continued)            

UniCredit SpA

    88,549     $ 866,530  
   

 

 

 
          10,356,277  
Japan — 6.1%            

Advantest Corp.

    7,300       413,438  

Aeon Co. Ltd.

    24,800       483,742  

AGC Inc.

    8,300       281,693  

Aisin Corp.

    4,300       127,859  

Ajinomoto Co. Inc.

    19,300       533,449  

ANA Holdings Inc.(b)

    4,800       92,286  

Asahi Group Holdings Ltd.

    19,100       640,389  

Asahi Intecc Co. Ltd.

    6,300       112,062  

Asahi Kasei Corp.

    59,300       433,352  

Astellas Pharma Inc.

    82,700       1,172,502  

Azbil Corp.

    3,600       102,576  

Bandai Namco Holdings Inc.

    7,300       547,767  

Bridgestone Corp.

    22,300       855,744  

Brother Industries Ltd.

    12,600       241,133  

Canon Inc.

    40,500       969,947  

Capcom Co. Ltd.

    5,100       139,203  

Central Japan Railway Co.

    5,200       612,196  

Chiba Bank Ltd. (The)

    21,100       113,979  

Chubu Electric Power Co. Inc.

    24,500       249,136  

Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.

    29,300       756,176  

Concordia Financial Group Ltd.

    42,100       133,509  

CyberAgent Inc.

    17,500       170,612  

Dai Nippon Printing Co. Ltd.

    6,500       136,817  

Daifuku Co. Ltd.

    3,000       175,014  

Dai-ichi Life Holdings Inc.

    40,500       699,759  

Daiichi Sankyo Co. Ltd.

    75,100       2,256,889  

Daikin Industries Ltd.

    11,100       1,937,695  

Daito Trust Construction Co. Ltd.

    1,900       186,917  

Daiwa House Industry Co. Ltd.

    22,200       496,330  

Daiwa House REIT Investment Corp.

    119       275,104  

Daiwa Securities Group Inc.

    64,900       283,303  

Denso Corp.

    18,300       998,827  

Dentsu Group Inc.

    10,600       341,373  

Disco Corp.

    1,300       315,653  

East Japan Railway Co.

    14,500       751,051  

Eisai Co. Ltd.

    12,500       509,665  

ENEOS Holdings Inc.

    140,700       531,695  

FANUC Corp.

    8,000       1,288,793  

Fast Retailing Co. Ltd.

    2,500       1,461,829  

Fuji Electric Co. Ltd.

    5,200       224,651  

FUJIFILM Holdings Corp.

    16,200       822,422  

Fujitsu Ltd.

    8,200       964,920  

GLP J-Reit

    181       220,492  

GMO Payment Gateway Inc.

    1,400       111,026  

Hakuhodo DY Holdings Inc.

    12,500       111,519  

Hamamatsu Photonics KK

    4,700       199,274  

Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Inc.

    12,400       371,858  

Hikari Tsushin Inc.

    600       75,855  

Hirose Electric Co. Ltd.

    1,100       155,867  

Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. Ltd.

    3,100       63,729  

Hitachi Ltd.

    39,600       1,978,497  

Hitachi Metals Ltd.(b)

    6,200       93,290  

Honda Motor Co. Ltd.

    70,400       1,874,207  

Hoshizaki Corp.

    3,200       95,067  

Hoya Corp.

    16,500       1,682,617  

Hulic Co. Ltd.

    16,800       127,310  

Ibiden Co. Ltd.

    3,100       98,391  

 

 

18  

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


Table of Contents

Schedule of Investments   (continued)

August 31, 2022

  

iShares® MSCI World ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
Japan (continued)            

Idemitsu Kosan Co. Ltd.

    6,100     $ 160,840  

Iida Group Holdings Co. Ltd.

    4,300       65,501  

Inpex Corp.

    41,200       473,579  

Isuzu Motors Ltd.

    22,700       281,927  

Ito En Ltd.

    1,600       70,219  

ITOCHU Corp.

    51,500           1,417,317  

Itochu Techno-Solutions Corp.

    2,800       70,664  

Japan Airlines Co. Ltd.(b)

    4,200       76,819  

Japan Exchange Group Inc.

    20,600       306,986  

Japan Metropolitan Fund Invest

    318       252,548  

Japan Post Bank Co. Ltd.(a)

    17,500       127,565  

Japan Post Holdings Co. Ltd.

    81,200       560,181  

Japan Post Insurance Co. Ltd.

    5,800       88,842  

Japan Real Estate Investment Corp.

    56       259,368  

Japan Tobacco Inc.

    52,000       881,058  

JFE Holdings Inc.

    20,000       214,871  

JSR Corp.

    5,900       131,610  

Kajima Corp.

    18,800       197,824  

Kakaku.com Inc.

    3,900       71,791  

Kansai Electric Power Co. Inc. (The)

    31,900       309,163  

Kao Corp.

    19,500       844,355  

KDDI Corp.

    69,200       2,117,598  

Keio Corp.

    3,000       114,151  

Keisei Electric Railway Co. Ltd.

    3,800       106,006  

Keyence Corp.

    8,200       3,078,885  

Kikkoman Corp.

    6,400       391,350  

Kintetsu Group Holdings Co. Ltd.

    5,000       169,783  

Kirin Holdings Co. Ltd.

    35,400       582,747  

Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.

    1,600       90,674  

Kobe Bussan Co. Ltd.

    4,000       101,862  

Koei Tecmo Holdings Co. Ltd.

    1,700       56,995  

Koito Manufacturing Co. Ltd.

    3,000       102,493  

Komatsu Ltd.

    36,900       771,901  

Konami Group Corp.

    4,400       223,299  

Kose Corp.

    1,200       113,009  

Kubota Corp.

    41,300       641,398  

Kurita Water Industries Ltd.

    2,900       112,831  

Kyocera Corp.

    15,100       839,315  

Kyowa Kirin Co. Ltd.

    13,600       304,840  

Lasertec Corp.

    2,900       401,498  

Lixil Corp.

    13,500       234,758  

M3 Inc.

    18,600       595,792  

Makita Corp.

    7,100       166,948  

Marubeni Corp.

    70,500       734,771  

Mazda Motor Corp.

    22,300       197,491  

McDonald’s Holdings Co. Japan Ltd.

    2,300       82,208  

MEIJI Holdings Co. Ltd.

    5,500       262,014  

MINEBEA MITSUMI Inc.

    16,300       280,149  

MISUMI Group Inc.

    14,000       343,646  

Mitsubishi Chemical Group Corp.

    60,100       315,522  

Mitsubishi Corp.

    53,200       1,741,801  

Mitsubishi Electric Corp.

    81,700       825,998  

Mitsubishi Estate Co. Ltd.

    57,300       771,651  

Mitsubishi HC Capital Inc.

    25,000       121,157  

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.

    15,000       578,259  

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc.

    517,700       2,683,729  

Mitsui & Co. Ltd.

    59,700       1,401,107  

Mitsui Chemicals Inc.

    5,400       121,314  

Mitsui Fudosan Co. Ltd.

    38,100       771,167  

Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd.

    14,900       388,199  
Security   Shares      Value  
Japan (continued)             

Mizuho Financial Group Inc.

    104,490      $ 1,196,450  

MonotaRO Co. Ltd.

    13,000        233,250  

MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings Inc.

    18,700        557,932  

Murata Manufacturing Co. Ltd.

    23,700        1,276,160  

NEC Corp.

    10,300        375,658  

Nexon Co. Ltd.

    20,100        400,233  

NGK Insulators Ltd.

    13,200        188,463  

Nidec Corp.

    18,700        1,242,278  

Nihon M&A Center Holdings Inc.

    14,500        179,702  

Nintendo Co. Ltd.

    4,600        1,882,995  

Nippon Building Fund Inc.

    58        288,896  

Nippon Express Holdings Inc.

    2,200        121,050  

Nippon Paint Holdings Co. Ltd.

    32,100        247,566  

Nippon Prologis REIT Inc.

    112        281,762  

Nippon Sanso Holdings Corp.

    4,400        80,023  

Nippon Shinyaku Co. Ltd.

    1,400        76,579  

Nippon Steel Corp.

    28,447        449,352  

Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp.

    54,200            1,469,051  

Nippon Yusen KK

    6,400        488,155  

Nissan Chemical Corp.

    4,800        241,836  

Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.

    101,800        400,501  

Nisshin Seifun Group Inc.

    5,800        65,273  

Nissin Foods Holdings Co. Ltd.

    1,800        128,783  

Nitori Holdings Co. Ltd.

    3,600        344,165  

Nitto Denko Corp.

    6,000        369,797  

Nomura Holdings Inc.

    140,800        509,821  

Nomura Real Estate Holdings Inc.

    3,500        85,988  

Nomura Real Estate Master Fund Inc.

    181        221,374  

Nomura Research Institute Ltd.

    15,500        417,164  

NTT Data Corp.

    24,100        339,144  

Obayashi Corp.

    24,600        170,148  

Obic Co. Ltd.

    2,900        428,908  

Odakyu Electric Railway Co. Ltd.

    14,300        195,353  

Oji Holdings Corp.

    35,100        140,045  

Olympus Corp.

    52,900        1,126,624  

Omron Corp.

    7,000        368,384  

Ono Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.

    16,500        393,858  

Open House Group Co. Ltd.

    2,400        93,931  

Oracle Corp. Japan

    1,100        65,528  

Oriental Land Co. Ltd./Japan

    8,400        1,252,335  

ORIX Corp.

    50,300        826,800  

Osaka Gas Co. Ltd.

    16,600        279,600  

Otsuka Corp.

    3,300        106,669  

Otsuka Holdings Co. Ltd.

    17,100        558,530  

Pan Pacific International Holdings Corp.

    17,700        317,814  

Panasonic Holdings Corp.

    98,500        799,267  

Persol Holdings Co. Ltd.

    5,200        104,386  

Rakuten Group Inc.

    36,700        178,115  

Recruit Holdings Co. Ltd.

    61,000        1,939,226  

Renesas Electronics Corp.(b)

    59,400        562,432  

Resona Holdings Inc.

    93,700        344,933  

Ricoh Co. Ltd.

    25,200        198,058  

Rohm Co. Ltd.

    3,000        224,454  

SBI Holdings Inc/Japan

    12,800        251,522  

SCSK Corp.

    4,600        74,903  

Secom Co. Ltd.

    8,700        554,270  

Seiko Epson Corp.

    13,800        216,851  

Sekisui Chemical Co. Ltd.

    16,700        227,676  

Sekisui House Ltd.

    23,700        403,010  

Seven & i Holdings Co. Ltd.

    33,400        1,326,831  

 

 

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

  19


Table of Contents

Schedule of Investments   (continued)

August 31, 2022

  

iShares® MSCI World ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
Japan (continued)            

SG Holdings Co. Ltd.

    15,000     $ 248,801  

Sharp Corp./Japan

    6,200       44,383  

Shimadzu Corp.

    12,600       367,996  

Shimano Inc.

    2,700       477,655  

Shimizu Corp.

    21,800       119,539  

Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd.

    16,373       1,901,441  

Shionogi & Co. Ltd.

    13,400       654,253  

Shiseido Co. Ltd.

    17,400       657,264  

Shizuoka Bank Ltd. (The)

    18,700       108,214  

SMC Corp.

    2,300       1,091,187  

SoftBank Corp.

    132,300       1,450,436  

SoftBank Group Corp.

    52,200       2,067,722  

Sompo Holdings Inc.

    14,900       638,856  

Sony Group Corp.

    53,800       4,277,277  

Square Enix Holdings Co. Ltd.

    2,500       108,553  

Subaru Corp.

    23,600       428,987  

SUMCO Corp.

    15,400       209,022  

Sumitomo Chemical Co. Ltd.

    66,200       260,585  

Sumitomo Corp.

    44,200       621,699  

Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd.

    33,400       382,583  

Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. Ltd.

    12,900       405,919  

Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc.

    56,300           1,698,192  

Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings Inc.

    15,500       482,099  

Sumitomo Realty & Development Co. Ltd.

    14,700       359,502  

Suntory Beverage & Food Ltd.

    4,100       149,759  

Suzuki Motor Corp.

    16,400       573,199  

Sysmex Corp.

    6,400       391,213  

T&D Holdings Inc.

    21,400       233,714  

Taisei Corp.

    5,600       169,789  

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.

    64,126       1,772,446  

TDK Corp.

    17,000       594,358  

Terumo Corp.

    26,800       860,325  

TIS Inc.

    10,000       284,767  

Tobu Railway Co. Ltd.

    5,500       129,944  

Toho Co. Ltd./Tokyo

    3,200       121,532  

Tokio Marine Holdings Inc.

    24,000       1,330,065  

Tokyo Electric Power Co. Holdings Inc.(b)

    75,400       294,472  

Tokyo Electron Ltd.

    6,200       1,944,549  

Tokyo Gas Co. Ltd.

    16,600       311,436  

Tokyu Corp.

    20,300       241,321  

Toppan Inc.

    13,300       208,872  

Toray Industries Inc.

    63,200       360,647  

Toshiba Corp.

    18,000       666,611  

Tosoh Corp.

    13,100       169,381  

TOTO Ltd.

    4,100       141,322  

Toyota Industries Corp.

    6,400       357,714  

Toyota Motor Corp.

    445,700       6,669,925  

Toyota Tsusho Corp.

    6,200       217,050  

Trend Micro Inc/Japan

    5,700       350,938  

Unicharm Corp.

    17,500       608,155  

USS Co. Ltd.

    6,400       112,940  

Welcia Holdings Co. Ltd.

    2,700       56,547  

West Japan Railway Co.

    10,200       396,967  

Yakult Honsha Co. Ltd.

    4,200       248,412  

Yamaha Corp.

    6,800       265,260  

Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd.

    14,400       298,430  

Yamato Holdings Co. Ltd.

    14,200       221,365  

Yaskawa Electric Corp.

    12,700       413,549  

Yokogawa Electric Corp.

    12,400       216,421  

Z Holdings Corp.

    122,700       360,722  
Security   Shares     Value  
Japan (continued)            

ZOZO Inc.

    3,600     $ 79,572  
   

 

 

 
          129,677,516  
Netherlands — 1.3%            

ABN AMRO Bank NV, CVA(c)

    18,466       177,401  

Adyen NV(b)(c)

    939       1,449,013  

Aegon NV

    82,016       366,531  

AerCap Holdings NV(b)

    5,633       248,134  

Akzo Nobel NV

    7,833       493,490  

Argenx SE(b)

    2,358       887,933  

ASM International NV

    1,969       535,350  

ASML Holding NV

    16,973       8,284,782  

Davide Campari-Milano NV

    21,959       215,436  

Euronext NV(c)

    3,675       271,593  

EXOR NV

    4,666       280,917  

Heineken Holding NV

    3,074       218,064  

Heineken NV

    11,010       989,568  

IMCD NV

    2,431       335,371  

ING Groep NV

    164,889       1,445,160  

JDE Peet’s NV

    4,426       136,477  

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

    7,902       131,453  

Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize NV

    44,449       1,222,650  

Koninklijke DSM NV

    7,415       945,529  

Koninklijke KPN NV

    144,428       459,584  

Koninklijke Philips NV

    38,763       643,776  

NN Group NV

    11,546       474,517  

NXP Semiconductors NV

    11,156       1,836,054  

OCI NV

    3,741       140,448  

Prosus NV

    35,527       2,195,904  

QIAGEN NV(b)

    9,786       443,859  

Randstad NV

    5,263       245,102  

Stellantis NV

    86,595       1,153,491  

Universal Music Group NV

    30,937       614,345  

Wolters Kluwer NV

    11,370       1,111,904  
   

 

 

 
      27,953,836  
New Zealand — 0.1%            

Auckland International Airport Ltd.(b)

    52,500       242,118  

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corp. Ltd.

    25,279       302,632  

Mercury NZ Ltd.

    29,095       102,967  

Meridian Energy Ltd.

    54,141       165,173  

Spark New Zealand Ltd.

    78,507       259,695  

Xero Ltd.(b)

    5,552       326,619  
   

 

 

 
      1,399,204  
Norway — 0.2%            

Adevinta ASA(b)

    10,535       85,235  

Aker BP ASA

    13,151       460,690  

DNB Bank ASA

    38,655       734,986  

Equinor ASA

    40,091       1,555,957  

Gjensidige Forsikring ASA

    8,414       170,741  

Kongsberg Gruppen ASA

    3,744       127,972  

Mowi ASA

    16,347       335,142  

Norsk Hydro ASA

    61,702       423,961  

Orkla ASA

    31,489       263,686  

Salmar ASA

    2,922       193,224  

Telenor ASA

    29,192       319,448  
   

 

 

 
      4,671,042  
Portugal — 0.1%            

EDP - Energias de Portugal SA

    106,361       507,937  

Galp Energia SGPS SA

    21,067       227,502  

 

 

20  

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


Table of Contents

Schedule of Investments   (continued)

August 31, 2022

  

iShares® MSCI World ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
Portugal (continued)            

Jeronimo Martins SGPS SA

    11,865     $ 263,068  
   

 

 

 
      998,507  
Singapore — 0.4%            

Ascendas Real Estate Investment Trust

    139,516       281,181  

CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust

    206,976       306,122  

Capitaland Investment Ltd./Singapore

    112,900       297,240  

City Developments Ltd.

    17,600       102,189  

DBS Group Holdings Ltd.

    76,000       1,769,545  

Genting Singapore Ltd.

    253,800       140,455  

Grab Holdings Ltd., Class A(a)(b)

    45,153       128,686  

Keppel Corp. Ltd.

    59,800       310,573  

Mapletree Logistics Trust

    132,600       158,171  

Mapletree Pan Asia Commercial Trust

    92,300       121,374  

Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp. Ltd.

    140,300       1,209,266  

Sea Ltd., ADR(a)(b)

    15,638       969,556  

Singapore Airlines Ltd.(b)

    57,000       216,421  

Singapore Exchange Ltd.

    29,800       202,223  

Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd.

    63,500       169,212  

Singapore Telecommunications Ltd.

    350,300       657,638  

United Overseas Bank Ltd.

    52,400       1,021,771  

UOL Group Ltd.

    19,200       94,998  

Venture Corp. Ltd.

    13,800       180,295  

Wilmar International Ltd.

    79,700       230,046  
   

 

 

 
          8,566,962  
South Korea — 0.0%            

Delivery Hero SE(b)(c)

    6,760       280,548  
   

 

 

 
Spain — 0.6%            

Acciona SA

    1,077       210,948  

ACS Actividades de Construccion y Servicios SA

    11,166       248,774  

Aena SME SA(b)(c)

    3,101       380,870  

Amadeus IT Group SA(b)

    18,577       980,668  

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA

    274,966       1,233,825  

Banco Santander SA

    721,662       1,746,925  

CaixaBank SA

    184,502       557,104  

Cellnex Telecom SA(c)

    23,528       916,244  

EDP Renovaveis SA

    11,071       268,496  

Enagas SA

    2,268       41,414  

Endesa SA

    13,303       228,173  

Ferrovial SA

    20,453       512,857  

Grifols SA(a)(b)

    12,531       151,481  

Iberdrola SA

    260,254       2,709,686  

Industria de Diseno Textil SA

    45,126       974,335  

Naturgy Energy Group SA

    8,184       225,671  

Red Electrica Corp. SA

    5,764       105,382  

Repsol SA

    60,316       783,389  

Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy SA(b)

    10,035       180,810  

Telefonica SA

    225,773       931,768  
   

 

 

 
      13,388,820  
Sweden — 0.8%            

Alfa Laval AB

    13,122       349,930  

Alleima AB, NVS

    9,378       37,652  

Assa Abloy AB, Class B

    41,033       831,081  

Atlas Copco AB, Class A

    112,597       1,142,975  

Atlas Copco AB, Class B

    64,883       590,811  

Boliden AB

    11,163       357,463  

Electrolux AB, Class B

    9,526       120,457  

Embracer Group AB(a)(b)

    36,886       228,858  

Epiroc AB, Class A

    27,460       420,160  
Security   Shares     Value  
Sweden (continued)            

Epiroc AB, Class B

    16,335     $ 222,382  

EQT AB

    12,238       274,105  

Essity AB, Class B

    25,988       576,499  

Evolution AB(c)

    7,155       572,423  

Fastighets AB Balder, Class B(b)

    26,322       145,356  

Getinge AB, Class B

    9,550       176,881  

H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB, Class B

    31,893       331,219  

Hexagon AB, Class B

    82,215       840,158  

Holmen AB, Class B

    3,209       137,681  

Husqvarna AB, Class B

    17,656       118,797  

Industrivarden AB, Class A

    4,795       106,266  

Industrivarden AB, Class C

    6,718       147,379  

Indutrade AB

    11,060       204,787  

Investment AB Latour, Class B

    6,234       122,805  

Investor AB, Class A

    20,796       345,644  

Investor AB, Class B

    75,573       1,191,121  

Kinnevik AB, Class B(b)

    10,157       144,544  

L E Lundbergforetagen AB, Class B

    3,196       131,999  

Lifco AB, Class B

    9,790       152,069  

Nibe Industrier AB, Class B

    59,965       561,557  

Sagax AB, Class B

    6,767       145,538  

Sandvik AB

    46,889       731,023  

Securitas AB, Class B

    13,254       116,061  

Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB, Class A

    67,683       674,711  

Skanska AB, Class B

    14,243       210,407  

SKF AB, Class B

    16,005       239,956  

Svenska Cellulosa AB SCA, Class B

    24,746       370,782  

Svenska Handelsbanken AB, Class A

    60,124       492,426  

Swedbank AB, Class A

    37,694       487,191  

Swedish Match AB

    65,929       661,870  

Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB(b)

    7,119       157,200  

Tele2 AB, Class B

    21,014       223,794  

Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson, Class B

    118,746       888,033  

Telia Co. AB

    112,364       395,491  

Volvo AB, Class A

    8,460       140,796  

Volvo AB, Class B

    66,398       1,051,764  

Volvo Car AB, Class B(a)(b)

    24,327       148,186  
   

 

 

 
          17,718,288  
Switzerland — 2.9%            

ABB Ltd., Registered

    68,433       1,886,261  

Adecco Group AG, Registered

    7,164       227,103  

Alcon Inc.

    22,077       1,453,615  

Bachem Holding AG, Class A

    1,238       85,727  

Baloise Holding AG, Registered

    2,116       305,378  

Barry Callebaut AG, Registered

    161       329,428  

Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Spruengli AG, Participation Certificates, NVS

    48       507,665  

Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Spruengli AG, Registered

    4       435,575  

Cie. Financiere Richemont SA, Class A, Registered

    22,097       2,471,073  

Clariant AG, Registered(b)

    10,029       185,169  

Coca-Cola HBC AG, Class DI

    8,308       189,583  

Credit Suisse Group AG, Registered

    107,597       555,214  

EMS-Chemie Holding AG, Registered

    318       223,311  

Geberit AG, Registered

    1,412       652,408  

Givaudan SA, Registered

    382       1,218,800  

Holcim AG

    23,139       1,025,648  

Julius Baer Group Ltd.

    10,239       494,745  

Kuehne + Nagel International AG, Registered

    2,091       483,253  

Logitech International SA, Registered

    7,987       397,401  

Lonza Group AG, Registered

    3,243       1,729,556  

 

 

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

  21


Table of Contents

Schedule of Investments   (continued)

August 31, 2022

  

iShares® MSCI World ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares      Value  
Switzerland (continued)             

Nestle SA, Registered

    118,160      $ 13,827,429  

Novartis AG, Registered

    92,136        7,452,699  

Partners Group Holding AG

    1,000        965,253  

Roche Holding AG, Bearer

    1,125        429,703  

Roche Holding AG, NVS

    29,419        9,480,018  

Schindler Holding AG, Participation Certificates, NVS

    1,889        329,076  

Schindler Holding AG, Registered

    885        149,468  

SGS SA, Registered

    232        510,907  

Siemens Energy AG(b)

    16,711        245,807  

SIG Group AG

    11,811        277,664  

Sika AG, Registered

    6,227        1,401,042  

Sonova Holding AG, Registered

    2,204        580,696  

STMicroelectronics NV

    31,594        1,101,056  

Straumann Holding AG, Registered

    4,324        473,836  

Swatch Group AG (The), Bearer

    1,326        321,549  

Swatch Group AG (The), Registered

    2,431        110,559  

Swiss Life Holding AG, Registered

    1,233        644,460  

Swiss Prime Site AG, Registered

    3,508        301,695  

Swiss Re AG

    13,317        1,035,472  

Swisscom AG, Registered

    990        511,859  

TE Connectivity Ltd

    13,617        1,718,602  

Temenos AG, Registered

    3,110        254,691  

UBS Group AG, Registered

    146,597        2,323,081  

VAT Group AG(c)

    1,236        295,536  

Zurich Insurance Group AG

    6,353        2,820,092  
    

 

 

 
           62,419,163  
United Kingdom — 4.0%             

3i Group PLC

    36,503        513,827  

abrdn PLC

    80,506        136,816  

Admiral Group PLC

    8,637        212,460  

Amcor PLC

    65,699        789,045  

Anglo American PLC

    53,988        1,734,875  

Antofagasta PLC

    16,350        208,036  

Ashtead Group PLC

    18,560        911,813  

Associated British Foods PLC

    14,761        260,694  

AstraZeneca PLC

    65,022        8,042,723  

Auto Trader Group PLC(c)

    39,759        300,207  

AVEVA Group PLC

    4,991        161,851  

Aviva PLC

    123,454        598,905  

BAE Systems PLC

    132,905        1,196,956  

Barclays PLC

    701,494        1,337,532  

Barratt Developments PLC

    42,245        209,146  

Berkeley Group Holdings PLC

    4,642        196,510  

BP PLC

    824,494        4,213,103  

British American Tobacco PLC

    90,939        3,642,357  

British Land Co. PLC (The)

    36,479        181,965  

BT Group PLC

    294,486        515,144  

Bunzl PLC

    13,981        463,668  

Burberry Group PLC

    16,762        339,073  

Clarivate PLC(a)(b)

    14,788        172,576  

CNH Industrial NV

    42,619        518,889  

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners PLC

    8,552        420,502  

Compass Group PLC

    74,551        1,603,671  

Croda International PLC

    5,775        450,132  

DCC PLC

    4,069        234,189  

Diageo PLC

    98,985        4,300,540  

Entain PLC

    25,159        370,155  

Experian PLC

    38,203        1,159,288  

Ferguson PLC

    9,212        1,066,824  

GSK PLC

    172,503        2,757,463  
Security   Shares      Value  
United Kingdom (continued)             

Haleon PLC(b)

    208,514      $ 627,015  

Halma PLC

    15,742        378,673  

Hargreaves Lansdown PLC

    14,746        139,603  

Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC

    7,175        109,352  

HSBC Holdings PLC

    849,679        5,205,850  

Imperial Brands PLC

    38,052        836,834  

Informa PLC

    62,318        394,264  

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC

    7,637        414,583  

Intertek Group PLC

    6,699        307,475  

J Sainsbury PLC

    72,445        170,996  

JD Sports Fashion PLC

    106,919        139,853  

Johnson Matthey PLC

    8,031        187,370  

Kingfisher PLC

    87,145        234,095  

Land Securities Group PLC

    29,204        220,268  

Legal & General Group PLC

    239,745        702,230  

Lloyds Banking Group PLC

    2,937,726        1,488,710  

London Stock Exchange Group PLC

    13,561        1,272,043  

M&G PLC

    107,731        244,488  

Melrose Industries PLC

    181,203        285,948  

Mondi PLC

    20,189        342,717  

National Grid PLC

    149,899        1,866,520  

NatWest Group PLC, NVS

    221,950        633,371  

Next PLC

    5,527        372,198  

Ocado Group PLC(b)

    19,816        166,536  

Pearson PLC

    31,262        312,869  

Persimmon PLC

    13,373        228,827  

Phoenix Group Holdings PLC

    29,041        202,839  

Prudential PLC

    108,854        1,142,441  

Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC

    29,587        2,282,980  

RELX PLC

    80,116        2,101,051  

Rentokil Initial PLC

    80,415        485,664  

Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC(b)

    346,389        308,708  

Royalty Pharma PLC, Class A

    14,501        606,287  

Sage Group PLC (The)

    45,725        379,000  

Schroders PLC

    5,160        160,508  

Segro PLC

    49,770        543,139  

Severn Trent PLC

    10,371        335,000  

Shell PLC

    320,646        8,486,871  

Smith & Nephew PLC

    36,445        428,693  

Smiths Group PLC

    16,452        284,222  

Spirax-Sarco Engineering PLC

    3,013        367,816  

SSE PLC

    43,255        828,883  

St. James’s Place PLC

    22,387        286,552  

Standard Chartered PLC

    109,065        755,401  

Taylor Wimpey PLC

    163,414        205,008  

Tesco PLC

    325,249        939,407  

Unilever PLC

    107,535        4,878,037  

United Utilities Group PLC

    28,258        346,338  

Vodafone Group PLC

    1,093,743        1,464,360  

Whitbread PLC

    8,387        243,083  

WPP PLC

    49,400        425,485  
    

 

 

 
           84,991,396  
United States — 68.8%             

3M Co.(a)

    24,054        2,991,115  

A O Smith Corp.

    5,723        323,063  

Abbott Laboratories

    73,562        7,551,139  

AbbVie Inc.

    74,001        9,950,174  

Abiomed Inc.(b)

    1,895        491,336  

Accenture PLC, Class A

    26,658        7,689,767  

Activision Blizzard Inc.

    32,443        2,546,451  

 

 

22  

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


Table of Contents

Schedule of Investments   (continued)

August 31, 2022

  

iShares® MSCI World ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares      Value  
United States (continued)             

Adobe Inc.(b)

    19,752      $ 7,376,187  

Advance Auto Parts Inc.

    2,656        447,908  

Advanced Micro Devices Inc.(b)

    68,053        5,775,658  

AES Corp. (The)

    28,099        715,120  

Affirm Holdings Inc.(a)(b)

    7,372        172,726  

Aflac Inc.

    26,636        1,582,712  

Agilent Technologies Inc.

    12,636        1,620,567  

Air Products and Chemicals Inc.

    9,206        2,324,055  

Airbnb Inc., Class A(b)

    15,795        1,786,730  

Akamai Technologies Inc.(b)

    6,958        628,168  

Albemarle Corp.

    4,940        1,323,722  

Alcoa Corp.

    7,678        379,907  

Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc.

    6,677        1,024,252  

Align Technology Inc.(b)

    3,103        756,201  

Alleghany Corp.(b)

    575        483,678  

Allegion PLC

    3,772        358,717  

Alliant Energy Corp.

    10,898        665,214  

Allstate Corp. (The)

    11,346        1,367,193  

Ally Financial Inc.

    15,190        504,308  

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc.(b)

    4,974        1,027,977  

Alphabet Inc., Class A(b)

    251,592        27,227,286  

Alphabet Inc., Class C, NVS(b)

    238,106        25,989,270  

Altria Group Inc.

    77,060        3,476,947  

Amazon.com Inc.(b)

    384,518        48,745,347  

AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc.,
Class A(a)(b)

    21,129        192,696  

AMERCO

    400        210,268  

Ameren Corp.

    10,827        1,002,797  

American Electric Power Co. Inc.

    21,804        2,184,761  

American Express Co.

    26,861        4,082,872  

American Financial Group Inc./OH

    3,061        390,828  

American Homes 4 Rent, Class A

    13,567        482,443  

American International Group Inc.

    31,790        1,645,132  

American Tower Corp.

    19,246        4,889,446  

American Water Works Co. Inc.

    7,580        1,125,251  

Ameriprise Financial Inc.

    4,738        1,269,831  

AmerisourceBergen Corp.

    6,529        956,890  

AMETEK Inc.

    9,676        1,162,668  

Amgen Inc.

    22,180        5,329,854  

Amphenol Corp., Class A

    24,846        1,826,926  

Analog Devices Inc.

    21,702        3,288,504  

Annaly Capital Management Inc.

    76,605        494,102  

Ansys Inc.(b)

    3,632        901,826  

Aon PLC, Class A

    8,966        2,503,845  

APA Corp.

    14,076        550,512  

Apollo Global Management Inc.

    16,830        935,411  

Apple Inc.

    679,429            106,819,827  

Applied Materials Inc.

    36,627        3,445,502  

AppLovin Corp., Class A(b)

    5,114        125,958  

Aptiv PLC(b)

    11,262        1,052,209  

Aramark

    9,918        354,172  

Arch Capital Group Ltd.(b)

    16,470        753,008  

Archer-Daniels-Midland Co.

    23,605        2,074,643  

Arista Networks Inc.(b)

    10,428        1,250,109  

Arrow Electronics Inc.(b)

    3,083        323,129  

Arthur J Gallagher & Co.

    8,618        1,564,770  

Assurant Inc.

    2,366        374,987  

AT&T Inc.

    296,507        5,200,733  

Atmos Energy Corp.

    5,562        630,620  

Autodesk Inc.(a)(b)

    9,229        1,861,858  

Automatic Data Processing Inc.

    17,566        4,293,306  
Security   Shares      Value  
United States (continued)             

AutoZone Inc.(b)

    860      $ 1,822,521  

Avalara Inc.(b)

    3,713        340,074  

AvalonBay Communities Inc.

    5,822        1,169,698  

Avantor Inc.(b)

    25,769        641,906  

Avery Dennison Corp.

    3,485        639,916  

Baker Hughes Co.

    39,940        1,008,884  

Ball Corp.

    13,879        774,587  

Bank of America Corp.

    302,384        10,163,126  

Bank of New York Mellon Corp. (The)

    31,744        1,318,328  

Bath & Body Works Inc.

    11,361        424,106  

Bausch Health Companies Inc.(b)

    13,866        83,195  

Baxter International Inc.

    20,953        1,203,959  

Becton Dickinson and Co.

    11,948        3,015,914  

Bentley Systems Inc., Class B(a)

    7,672        282,099  

Berkshire Hathaway Inc., Class B(b)

    53,922        15,141,298  

Best Buy Co. Inc.

    9,472        669,576  

Bill.com Holdings Inc.(b)

    4,044        654,643  

Biogen Inc.(b)

    6,173        1,206,081  

BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.(b)

    7,958        709,854  

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

    955        463,213  

Bio-Techne Corp.

    1,628        540,187  

Black Knight Inc.(b)

    6,868        454,387  

BlackRock Inc.(e)

    6,315        4,208,253  

Blackstone Inc., NVS

    29,629        2,783,348  

Block Inc.(b)

    21,533        1,483,839  

Boeing Co. (The)(b)

    23,203        3,718,281  

Booking Holdings Inc.(b)

    1,708        3,203,883  

Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corp.

    6,059        579,846  

BorgWarner Inc.

    10,310        388,687  

Boston Properties Inc.

    6,245        496,040  

Boston Scientific Corp.(b)

    59,618        2,403,202  

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.

    89,003        5,999,692  

Broadcom Inc.

    17,016        8,492,856  

Broadridge Financial Solutions Inc.

    4,950        847,291  

Brown & Brown Inc.

    10,127        638,406  

Brown-Forman Corp., Class B

    13,022        946,699  

Bunge Ltd.

    6,098        604,739  

Burlington Stores Inc.(a)(b)

    2,817        394,915  

Cable One Inc.

    210        238,350  

Cadence Design Systems Inc.(b)

    11,529        2,003,394  

Caesars Entertainment Inc.(a)(b)

    9,053        390,365  

Camden Property Trust

    4,150        533,316  

Campbell Soup Co.

    8,759        441,278  

Capital One Financial Corp.

    16,744        1,771,850  

Cardinal Health Inc.

    12,283        868,654  

Carlisle Companies Inc.

    1,993        589,250  

Carlyle Group Inc. (The)

    6,914        224,912  

CarMax Inc.(a)(b)

    6,828        603,868  

Carnival Corp.(b)

    35,140        332,424  

Carrier Global Corp.

    34,452        1,347,762  

Catalent Inc.(b)

    7,033        618,904  

Caterpillar Inc.

    22,294        4,117,925  

Cboe Global Markets Inc.

    4,511        532,163  

CBRE Group Inc., Class A(b)

    14,047        1,109,151  

CDW Corp./DE

    5,758        982,891  

Celanese Corp.

    4,660        516,608  

Centene Corp.(b)

    24,537            2,201,950  

CenterPoint Energy Inc.

    25,262        796,511  

Ceridian HCM Holding Inc.(b)

    5,932        353,784  

CF Industries Holdings Inc.

    9,049        936,210  

 

 

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

  23


Table of Contents

Schedule of Investments   (continued)

August 31, 2022

  

iShares® MSCI World ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares      Value  
United States (continued)             

CH Robinson Worldwide Inc.

    5,589      $ 637,984  

Charles River Laboratories International Inc.(b)

    2,066        424,047  

Charles Schwab Corp. (The)

    60,473        4,290,559  

Charter Communications Inc., Class A(b)

    5,036        2,078,005  

Cheniere Energy Inc.

    9,501        1,521,870  

Chevron Corp.

    78,658        12,432,683  

Chewy Inc., Class A(a)(b)

    3,611        123,966  

Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc.(b)

    1,161        1,853,885  

Chubb Ltd.

    17,787        3,362,632  

Church & Dwight Co. Inc.

    10,315        863,469  

Cigna Corp.

    13,371        3,790,010  

Cincinnati Financial Corp.

    6,567        636,736  

Cintas Corp.

    3,827        1,556,977  

Cisco Systems Inc.

    174,101        7,785,797  

Citigroup Inc.

    80,976        3,952,439  

Citizens Financial Group Inc.

    20,978        769,473  

Citrix Systems Inc.

    5,088        522,894  

Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.(b)

    21,134        364,984  

Clorox Co. (The)

    5,162        745,083  

Cloudflare Inc., Class A(b)

    11,395        712,985  

CME Group Inc.

    15,006        2,935,324  

CMS Energy Corp.

    12,408        838,036  

Coca-Cola Co. (The)

    171,971            10,612,330  

Cognex Corp.

    7,665        322,773  

Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp., Class A

    21,947        1,386,392  

Coinbase Global Inc., Class A(a)(b)

    4,946        330,393  

Colgate-Palmolive Co.

    33,373        2,610,102  

Comcast Corp., Class A

    187,671        6,791,813  

Conagra Brands Inc.

    20,816        715,654  

ConocoPhillips

    54,286        5,941,603  

Consolidated Edison Inc.

    14,783        1,444,890  

Constellation Brands Inc., Class A

    7,009        1,724,564  

Constellation Energy Corp.

    13,846        1,129,695  

Cooper Companies Inc. (The)

    2,076        596,725  

Copart Inc.(b)

    8,864        1,060,578  

Corning Inc.

    33,906        1,163,654  

Corteva Inc.

    30,651        1,882,891  

CoStar Group Inc.(b)

    16,557        1,153,029  

Costco Wholesale Corp.

    18,506        9,661,983  

Coterra Energy Inc.

    32,679        1,010,108  

Coupa Software Inc.(b)

    3,279        191,494  

Crowdstrike Holdings Inc., Class A(b)

    8,567        1,564,420  

Crown Castle Inc.

    18,046        3,082,798  

Crown Holdings Inc.

    5,546        502,412  

CSX Corp.

    92,368        2,923,447  

Cummins Inc.

    5,980        1,287,913  

CVS Health Corp.

    54,797        5,378,326  

Danaher Corp.

    28,982        7,822,532  

Darden Restaurants Inc.

    5,483        678,302  

Datadog Inc., Class A(b)

    10,192        1,069,650  

DaVita Inc.(b)

    2,123        181,071  

Deere & Co.

    12,226        4,465,546  

Dell Technologies Inc., Class C

    11,818        452,511  

Delta Air Lines Inc.(b)

    6,995        217,335  

DENTSPLY SIRONA Inc.

    9,358        306,662  

Devon Energy Corp.

    26,907        1,900,172  

Dexcom Inc.(b)

    16,062        1,320,457  

Diamondback Energy Inc.

    7,213        961,349  

Digital Realty Trust Inc.

    11,783        1,456,732  

Discover Financial Services

    11,444        1,150,008  
Security   Shares      Value  
United States (continued)             

DISH Network Corp., Class A(b)

    10,705      $ 185,732  

DocuSign Inc.(b)

    8,170        475,657  

Dollar General Corp.

    9,702        2,303,449  

Dollar Tree Inc.(b)

    9,391        1,274,171  

Dominion Energy Inc.

    34,671        2,836,088  

Domino’s Pizza Inc.

    1,530        568,946  

DoorDash Inc., Class A(b)

    8,224        492,618  

Dover Corp.

    6,141        767,379  

Dow Inc.

    29,940        1,526,940  

DR Horton Inc.

    14,272        1,015,453  

Dropbox Inc., Class A(b)

    13,714        293,342  

DTE Energy Co.

    8,071        1,051,974  

Duke Energy Corp.

    31,984        3,419,409  

Duke Realty Corp.

    16,015        942,483  

DuPont de Nemours Inc.

    21,858        1,216,179  

Dynatrace Inc.(b)

    8,145        310,976  

Eastman Chemical Co.

    4,927        448,357  

Eaton Corp. PLC

    16,579        2,265,355  

eBay Inc.

    24,668        1,088,599  

Ecolab Inc.

    10,748        1,760,845  

Edison International

    16,184        1,096,790  

Edwards Lifesciences Corp.(b)

    25,943        2,337,464  

Elanco Animal Health Inc.(b)

    18,196        275,305  

Electronic Arts Inc.

    11,876        1,506,708  

Elevance Health Inc.

    10,038        4,869,534  

Eli Lilly & Co.

    33,720        10,157,476  

Emerson Electric Co.

    24,919        2,036,879  

Enphase Energy Inc.(b)

    5,718        1,637,864  

Entegris Inc.

    5,710        541,765  

Entergy Corp.

    8,460        975,438  

EOG Resources Inc.

    24,304        2,948,075  

EPAM Systems Inc.(b)

    2,349        1,001,848  

EQT Corp.

    14,217        679,573  

Equifax Inc.

    5,079        958,661  

Equinix Inc.

    3,848        2,529,560  

Equitable Holdings Inc.

    15,848        471,478  

Equity LifeStyle Properties Inc.

    7,541        528,624  

Equity Residential

    15,047        1,101,139  

Erie Indemnity Co., Class A, NVS

    1,124        241,581  

Essential Utilities Inc.

    9,972        490,124  

Essex Property Trust Inc.

    2,698        715,132  

Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (The), Class A

    9,690        2,464,942  

Etsy Inc.(a)(b)

    5,336        563,535  

Everest Re Group Ltd.

    1,578        424,561  

Evergy Inc.

    9,892        677,899  

Eversource Energy

    14,557        1,305,617  

Exact Sciences Corp.(b)

    7,415        263,603  

Exelon Corp.

    41,178        1,808,126  

Expedia Group Inc.(b)

    6,102        626,370  

Expeditors International of Washington Inc.

    7,149        735,561  

Extra Space Storage Inc.

    5,594        1,111,696  

Exxon Mobil Corp.

    177,101            16,929,085  

F5 Inc.(b)

    2,547        400,032  

FactSet Research Systems Inc.

    1,570        680,344  

Fair Isaac Corp.(b)

    1,157        519,956  

Fastenal Co.

    24,057        1,210,789  

FedEx Corp.

    10,538        2,221,516  

Fidelity National Financial Inc.

    11,459        448,047  

Fidelity National Information Services Inc.

    25,718        2,349,854  

Fifth Third Bancorp.

    28,895        986,764  

 

 

24  

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


Table of Contents

Schedule of Investments   (continued)

August 31, 2022

  

iShares® MSCI World ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares      Value  
United States (continued)             

First Citizens BancShares Inc./NC, Class A

    512      $ 415,724  

First Republic Bank/CA

    7,386        1,121,416  

FirstEnergy Corp.

    23,276        920,566  

Fiserv Inc.(b)

    25,927        2,623,553  

FleetCor Technologies Inc.(b)

    3,298        700,924  

FMC Corp.

    5,594        604,600  

Ford Motor Co.

    164,509        2,507,117  

Fortinet Inc.(b)

    29,182        1,420,872  

Fortive Corp.(a)

    14,355        909,102  

Fortune Brands Home & Security Inc., NVS

    5,874        360,840  

Fox Corp., Class A, NVS

    13,690        467,924  

Fox Corp., Class B

    6,665        210,747  

Franklin Resources Inc.

    13,020        339,431  

Freeport-McMoRan Inc.

    61,661        1,825,166  

Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc.

    9,796        472,853  

Garmin Ltd.

    6,792        601,024  

Gartner Inc.(b)

    3,500        998,620  

Generac Holdings Inc.(b)

    2,640        581,882  

General Dynamics Corp.

    9,885        2,262,973  

General Electric Co.

    45,644        3,352,095  

General Mills Inc.

    25,311        1,943,885  

General Motors Co.

    57,674        2,203,724  

Genuine Parts Co.

    6,019        939,024  

Gilead Sciences Inc.

    52,164        3,310,849  

Global Payments Inc.

    11,648        1,447,031  

Globe Life Inc.

    4,139        402,269  

GoDaddy Inc., Class A(a)(b)

    7,161        542,947  

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (The)

    14,119        4,696,968  

Guidewire Software Inc.(a)(b)

    3,346        239,942  

Halliburton Co.

    37,348        1,125,295  

Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (The)

    14,587        938,090  

Hasbro Inc.

    5,570        439,027  

HCA Healthcare Inc.

    10,038        1,986,219  

Healthcare Realty Trust Inc.

    15,934        387,515  

Healthpeak Properties Inc.

    22,925        601,781  

HEICO Corp.

    1,871        284,953  

HEICO Corp., Class A

    3,130        383,675  

Henry Schein Inc.(b)

    5,935        435,688  

Hershey Co. (The)

    6,067        1,363,073  

Hess Corp.

    11,651        1,407,208  

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co.

    55,033        748,449  

Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.

    11,633        1,481,579  

Hologic Inc.(b)

    10,672        721,000  

Home Depot Inc. (The)

    42,954            12,388,793  

Honeywell International Inc.

    28,659        5,426,582  

Horizon Therapeutics PLC(b)

    8,643        511,752  

Hormel Foods Corp.

    12,645        635,791  

Host Hotels & Resorts Inc.

    30,965        550,248  

Howmet Aerospace Inc.

    17,333        614,108  

HP Inc.

    43,545        1,250,177  

HubSpot Inc.(b)

    1,871        630,602  

Humana Inc.

    5,339        2,572,223  

Huntington Bancshares Inc./OH

    62,162        832,971  

Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc.

    1,708        393,284  

IAC/InterActiveCorp.(b)

    3,412        219,289  

IDEX Corp.

    3,253        654,536  

IDEXX Laboratories Inc.(b)

    3,511        1,220,494  

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

    13,094        2,551,104  

Illumina Inc.(b)

    6,603        1,331,429  

Incyte Corp.(b)

    8,116        571,610  
Security   Shares      Value  
United States (continued)             

Ingersoll Rand Inc.(a)

    17,071      $ 808,653  

Insulet Corp.(b)

    2,885        737,031  

Intel Corp.

    171,103        5,461,608  

Intercontinental Exchange Inc.

    23,421        2,362,008  

International Business Machines Corp.

    37,227        4,781,808  

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.

    10,462        1,155,842  

International Paper Co.

    15,708        653,767  

Interpublic Group of Companies Inc. (The)

    16,731        462,445  

Intuit Inc.

    11,359        4,904,589  

Intuitive Surgical Inc.(b)

    14,828        3,050,713  

Invesco Ltd.

    15,030        247,544  

Invitation Homes Inc.

    24,236        879,282  

IQVIA Holdings Inc.(b)

    8,059        1,713,827  

Iron Mountain Inc.

    12,249        644,420  

Jack Henry & Associates Inc.

    3,228        620,422  

Jacobs Solutions Inc., NVS

    5,555        692,042  

Jazz Pharmaceuticals PLC(b)

    2,540        394,259  

JB Hunt Transport Services Inc.

    3,529        614,117  

JM Smucker Co. (The)

    4,532        634,435  

Johnson & Johnson

    109,894        17,730,298  

Johnson Controls International PLC

    29,364        1,589,767  

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

    122,933        13,981,170  

Juniper Networks Inc.

    13,915        395,464  

Kellogg Co.

    10,804        785,883  

Keurig Dr Pepper Inc.(a)

    32,608        1,243,017  

KeyCorp.

    40,308        713,049  

Keysight Technologies Inc.(b)

    7,677        1,258,184  

Kimberly-Clark Corp.

    14,034        1,789,616  

Kimco Realty Corp.

    26,109        550,378  

Kinder Morgan Inc.

    85,330        1,563,246  

KKR & Co. Inc.

    23,725        1,199,536  

KLA Corp.

    6,331        2,178,687  

Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc.

    6,796        343,266  

Kraft Heinz Co. (The)

    31,365        1,173,051  

Kroger Co. (The)

    29,659        1,421,852  

L3Harris Technologies Inc.

    7,944        1,812,741  

Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings

    4,008        902,882  

Lam Research Corp.

    5,929        2,596,368  

Las Vegas Sands Corp.(b)

    14,977        563,585  

Lear Corp.

    2,551        353,671  

Leidos Holdings Inc.

    5,831        554,237  

Lennar Corp., Class A

    10,265        795,024  

Lennox International Inc.

    1,395        334,967  

Liberty Broadband Corp., Class C (b)

    5,256        534,535  

Liberty Global PLC, Class A(b)

    6,729        135,926  

Liberty Global PLC, Class C, NVS(b)

    14,546        309,975  

Liberty Media Corp.-Liberty Formula One,
Class C, NVS(b)

    8,062        513,388  

Liberty Media Corp.-Liberty SiriusXM, Class A, NVS(a)(b)

    3,737        155,235  

Liberty Media Corp.-Liberty SiriusXM, Class C, NVS(b)

    7,313        302,466  

Lincoln National Corp.

    7,613        350,655  

Live Nation Entertainment Inc.(b)

    6,936        626,737  

LKQ Corp.

    11,832        629,699  

Lockheed Martin Corp.

    10,029            4,213,283  

Loews Corp.

    9,287        513,664  

Lowe’s Companies Inc.

    26,569        5,158,106  

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.

    3,237        716,445  

Lucid Group Inc.(a)(b)

    17,378        266,579  

Lululemon Athletica Inc.(b)

    4,930        1,478,803  

Lumen Technologies Inc.

    40,221        400,601  

 

 

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

  25


Table of Contents

Schedule of Investments   (continued)

August 31, 2022

  

iShares® MSCI World ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares      Value  
United States (continued)             

Lyft Inc., Class A(a)(b)

    11,315      $ 166,670  

LyondellBasell Industries NV, Class A

    11,070        918,810  

M&T Bank Corp.

    7,499        1,363,168  

Marathon Oil Corp.

    28,753        735,789  

Marathon Petroleum Corp.

    22,917        2,308,888  

Markel Corp.(b)

    571        681,837  

MarketAxess Holdings Inc.

    1,656        411,665  

Marriott International Inc./MD, Class A

    11,526        1,772,007  

Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc.

    21,062        3,398,775  

Martin Marietta Materials Inc.

    2,615        909,262  

Marvell Technology Inc.

    36,052        1,687,955  

Masco Corp.

    10,479        533,067  

Masimo Corp.(b)

    2,281        335,056  

Mastercard Inc., Class A

    36,607        11,874,213  

Match Group Inc.(b)

    11,013        622,565  

McCormick & Co. Inc./MD, NVS

    10,453        878,784  

McDonald’s Corp.

    31,057        7,835,060  

McKesson Corp.

    6,123        2,247,141  

Medical Properties Trust Inc.

    25,412        371,269  

Medtronic PLC

    55,823        4,907,958  

Merck & Co. Inc.

    105,732        9,025,284  

Meta Platforms Inc, Class A(b)

    96,677        15,751,584  

MetLife Inc.

    29,339        1,887,378  

Mettler-Toledo International Inc.(b)

    955        1,157,899  

MGM Resorts International

    16,331        533,044  

Microchip Technology Inc.

    22,882        1,493,050  

Micron Technology Inc.

    47,075        2,661,150  

Microsoft Corp.

    298,204        77,971,400  

Mid-America Apartment Communities Inc.

    4,889        809,961  

Moderna Inc.(b)

    14,294        1,890,667  

Mohawk Industries Inc.(b)

    2,514        277,445  

Molina Healthcare Inc.(b)

    2,442        823,858  

Molson Coors Beverage Co., Class B

    8,170        422,144  

Mondelez International Inc., Class A

    58,379        3,611,325  

MongoDB Inc.(a)(b)

    2,898        935,648  

Monolithic Power Systems Inc.

    1,794        813,005  

Monster Beverage Corp.(b)

    16,578        1,472,624  

Moody’s Corp.

    7,045        2,004,443  

Morgan Stanley

    55,881        4,762,179  

Mosaic Co. (The)

    15,607        840,749  

Motorola Solutions Inc.

    7,045        1,714,823  

MSCI Inc.

    3,427        1,539,545  

Nasdaq Inc.

    14,730        876,877  

NetApp Inc.

    9,589        691,655  

Netflix Inc.(b)

    18,742        4,189,962  

Neurocrine Biosciences Inc.(b)

    4,158        435,052  

Newell Brands Inc., NVS

    16,539        295,221  

Newmont Corp.

    33,306        1,377,536  

News Corp., Class A, NVS

    16,933        286,506  

NextEra Energy Inc.

    82,563        7,022,809  

Nike Inc., Class B

    53,057        5,647,918  

NiSource Inc.

    16,750        494,292  

Nordson Corp.

    2,156        489,779  

Norfolk Southern Corp.

    10,161        2,470,444  

Northern Trust Corp.

    8,342        793,241  

Northrop Grumman Corp.

    6,300        3,011,337  

NortonLifeLock Inc.

    25,265        570,736  

Novocure Ltd.(a)(b)

    3,840        315,379  

NRG Energy Inc.

    10,490        433,027  

Nucor Corp.

    11,221            1,491,720  
Security   Shares      Value  
United States (continued)             

Nvidia Corp.

    105,315      $ 15,896,246  

NVR Inc.(b)

    127        525,788  

Occidental Petroleum Corp.

    38,956        2,765,876  

Okta Inc.(b)

    6,219        568,417  

Old Dominion Freight Line Inc.

    4,107        1,114,681  

Omnicom Group Inc.

    8,954        599,023  

ON Semiconductor Corp.(b)

    18,070        1,242,674  

ONEOK Inc.

    18,945        1,160,002  

Oracle Corp.

    67,245        4,986,217  

O’Reilly Automotive Inc.(b)

    2,852        1,988,186  

Otis Worldwide Corp.

    16,964        1,225,140  

Owens Corning

    4,411        360,511  

PACCAR Inc.

    14,544        1,272,745  

Packaging Corp. of America

    3,565        488,120  

Palantir Technologies Inc., Class A(a)(b)

    66,845        516,043  

Palo Alto Networks Inc.(a)(b)

    4,030        2,243,944  

Paramount Global, Class B, NVS

    25,647        599,883  

Parker-Hannifin Corp.

    5,360        1,420,400  

Paychex Inc.

    13,711        1,691,115  

Paycom Software Inc.(b)

    2,170        762,104  

PayPal Holdings Inc.(b)

    46,365        4,332,346  

Pentair PLC

    6,918        307,851  

PepsiCo Inc.

    58,131        10,014,227  

PerkinElmer Inc.

    5,327        719,465  

Pfizer Inc.

    235,090        10,633,121  

PG&E Corp.(b)

    61,369        756,680  

Philip Morris International Inc.

    64,714        6,179,540  

Phillips 66

    20,072        1,795,641  

Pinterest Inc., Class A(b)

    23,587        543,444  

Pioneer Natural Resources Co.

    9,631        2,438,762  

Plug Power Inc.(a)(b)

    22,004        616,992  

PNC Financial Services Group Inc. (The)

    17,667        2,791,386  

Pool Corp.

    1,699        576,284  

PPG Industries Inc.

    10,008        1,270,816  

PPL Corp.

    29,493        857,656  

Principal Financial Group Inc.

    11,314        845,835  

Procter & Gamble Co. (The)

    100,502            13,863,246  

Progressive Corp. (The)

    24,361        2,987,877  

Prologis Inc.

    30,713        3,824,076  

Prudential Financial Inc.

    15,731        1,506,243  

PTC Inc.(b)

    4,727        543,085  

Public Service Enterprise Group Inc.

    21,138        1,360,442  

Public Storage

    6,638        2,196,050  

PulteGroup Inc.

    11,064        449,862  

Qorvo Inc.(b)

    4,698        421,786  

Qualcomm Inc.

    46,813        6,191,956  

Quanta Services Inc.

    5,741        811,203  

Quest Diagnostics Inc.

    5,144        644,595  

Raymond James Financial Inc.

    7,955        830,263  

Raytheon Technologies Corp.

    62,619        5,620,055  

Realty Income Corp.

    25,022        1,708,502  

Regency Centers Corp.

    6,529        397,224  

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.(b)

    4,497        2,613,027  

Regions Financial Corp.

    40,220        871,567  

Republic Services Inc.

    9,322        1,330,436  

ResMed Inc.

    6,128        1,347,670  

RingCentral Inc., Class A(b)

    3,351        144,227  

Rivian Automotive Inc., Class A(a)(b)

    13,550        443,220  

Robert Half International Inc.

    4,748        365,454  

ROBLOX Corp., Class A(a)(b)

    14,976        585,711  

 

 

26  

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


Table of Contents

Schedule of Investments   (continued)

August 31, 2022

  

iShares® MSCI World ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares      Value  
United States (continued)             

Rockwell Automation Inc.

    4,819      $ 1,141,814  

Roku Inc.(a)(b)

    4,874        331,432  

Rollins Inc.

    9,548        322,340  

Roper Technologies Inc.

    4,382        1,764,106  

Ross Stores Inc.

    14,922        1,287,321  

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.(b)

    9,720        397,062  

RPM International Inc.

    5,459        508,560  

S&P Global Inc.

    14,873        5,237,973  

Salesforce Inc.(b)

    41,414        6,465,554  

SBA Communications Corp.

    4,559        1,482,815  

Schlumberger NV

    58,841        2,244,784  

Seagen Inc.(b)

    5,731        884,236  

Sealed Air Corp.

    6,419        345,406  

SEI Investments Co.

    5,201        284,495  

Sempra Energy

    13,348        2,202,020  

Sensata Technologies Holding PLC

    6,835        275,314  

ServiceNow Inc.(b)

    8,434        3,665,585  

Sherwin-Williams Co. (The)

    10,413        2,416,857  

Signature Bank/New York NY

    2,390        416,720  

Simon Property Group Inc.

    13,856        1,413,035  

Sirius XM Holdings Inc.(a)

    28,055        170,855  

Skyworks Solutions Inc.

    6,941        684,036  

Snap Inc., Class A, NVS(b)

    44,415        483,235  

Snap-on Inc.

    2,331        507,832  

Snowflake Inc., Class A(b)

    9,427        1,705,816  

SolarEdge Technologies Inc.(b)

    2,101        579,813  

Southern Co. (The)

    45,206        3,484,026  

Southwest Airlines Co.(b)

    6,451        236,752  

Splunk Inc.(a)(b)

    6,889        620,217  

SS&C Technologies Holdings Inc.

    10,001        557,656  

Stanley Black & Decker Inc.

    6,825        601,282  

Starbucks Corp.

    47,728        4,012,493  

State Street Corp.

    15,181        1,037,621  

Steel Dynamics Inc.

    7,692        620,898  

Stryker Corp.

    14,156        2,904,811  

Sun Communities Inc.

    4,852        745,801  

SVB Financial Group(b)

    2,450        995,974  

Synchrony Financial

    21,125        691,844  

Synopsys Inc.(b)

    6,320        2,186,846  

Sysco Corp.

    21,574        1,773,814  

T Rowe Price Group Inc.

    9,603        1,152,360  

Take-Two Interactive Software Inc.(b)

    6,761        828,628  

Targa Resources Corp.

    8,660        590,872  

Target Corp.

    19,449        3,118,453  

Teladoc Health Inc.(a)(b)

    6,225        193,349  

Teledyne Technologies Inc.(b)

    1,926        709,461  

Teleflex Inc.

    1,980        447,995  

Teradyne Inc.

    6,824        577,583  

Tesla Inc.(b)

    110,996            30,591,608  

Texas Instruments Inc.

    38,939        6,433,112  

Texas Pacific Land Corp.

    266        489,562  

Textron Inc.

    9,401        586,434  

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

    16,341        8,911,074  

TJX Companies Inc. (The)

    50,039        3,119,932  

T-Mobile U.S. Inc.(b)

    26,087        3,755,485  

Tractor Supply Co.

    4,760        881,314  

Trade Desk Inc. (The), Class A(a)(b)

    18,094        1,134,494  

Tradeweb Markets Inc., Class A

    4,521        314,616  

TransDigm Group Inc.

    2,139        1,284,234  

TransUnion

    8,068        595,983  
Security   Shares      Value  
United States (continued)             

Travelers Companies Inc. (The)

    9,710      $ 1,569,524  

Trimble Inc.(b)

    10,602        670,576  

Truist Financial Corp.

    55,538        2,601,400  

Twilio Inc., Class A(b)

    6,992        486,503  

Twitter Inc.(b)

    27,457        1,063,959  

Tyler Technologies Inc.(b)

    1,703        632,682  

Tyson Foods Inc., Class A

    12,376        932,903  

U.S. Bancorp.

    58,491        2,667,775  

Uber Technologies Inc.(b)

    60,885        1,751,053  

UDR Inc.

    12,830        575,682  

UGI Corp.

    9,034        356,843  

Ulta Beauty, Inc.(b)

    2,135        896,422  

Union Pacific Corp.

    26,053        5,849,159  

United Parcel Service Inc., Class B

    30,793        5,989,546  

United Rentals Inc.(b)

    3,021        882,253  

UnitedHealth Group Inc.

    39,389        20,455,889  

Unity Software Inc.(b)

    8,360        357,139  

Universal Health Services Inc., Class B

    2,560        250,470  

Vail Resorts Inc.

    1,695        380,833  

Valero Energy Corp.

    16,481        1,930,255  

Veeva Systems Inc., Class A(b)

    5,753        1,146,688  

Ventas Inc.

    16,540        791,604  

VeriSign Inc.(b)

    4,226        770,062  

Verisk Analytics Inc.

    6,871        1,285,976  

Verizon Communications Inc.

    175,564        7,340,331  

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc.(b)

    10,779        3,037,091  

VF Corp.

    14,358        595,139  

Viatris Inc.

    51,433        491,185  

VICI Properties Inc.

    40,318        1,330,091  

Visa Inc., Class A

    69,514            13,813,127  

Vistra Corp.

    18,644        461,439  

VMware Inc., Class A

    8,702        1,009,693  

Vornado Realty Trust

    7,112        186,477  

Vulcan Materials Co.

    5,561        925,851  

W R Berkley Corp.

    9,048        586,310  

Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc.

    31,105        1,090,541  

Walmart Inc.

    63,938        8,474,982  

Walt Disney Co. (The)(b)

    76,363        8,558,765  

Warner Bros. Discovery Inc.(b)

    92,198        1,220,702  

Waste Management Inc.

    17,510        2,959,715  

Waters Corp.(b)

    2,571        767,701  

Wayfair Inc., Class A(a)(b)

    3,194        168,356  

Webster Financial Corp.

    7,678        361,250  

WEC Energy Group Inc.

    13,174        1,358,766  

Wells Fargo & Co.

    159,143        6,956,141  

Welltower Inc.

    18,610        1,426,456  

West Pharmaceutical Services Inc.

    3,067        909,948  

Western Digital Corp.(b)

    12,854        543,210  

Western Union Co. (The)

    17,656        261,662  

Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corp.

    7,575        663,949  

Westlake Corp.(a)

    1,275        125,753  

Westrock Co.

    11,506        467,029  

Weyerhaeuser Co.

    31,386        1,072,146  

Whirlpool Corp.

    1,976        309,442  

Williams Companies Inc. (The)

    50,787        1,728,282  

Willis Towers Watson PLC

    4,806        994,025  

Workday Inc., Class A(b)

    7,960        1,309,898  

WP Carey Inc.

    7,942        667,366  

WW Grainger Inc.

    1,884        1,045,507  

Wynn Resorts Ltd.(a)(b)

    4,595        278,411  

 

 

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

  27


Table of Contents

Schedule of Investments   (continued)

August 31, 2022

  

iShares® MSCI World ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  

 

 
United States (continued)            

Xcel Energy Inc.

    22,708     $ 1,686,069  

Xylem Inc./NY

    7,609       693,180  

Yum! Brands Inc.

    12,347       1,373,480  

Zebra Technologies Corp., Class A(b)

    2,261       682,008  

Zendesk Inc.(b)

    5,124       393,369  

Zillow Group Inc., Class C (a)(b)

    7,211       241,280  

Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc.

    8,598       914,139  

Zoetis Inc.

    19,679       3,080,354  

Zoom Video Communications Inc., Class A(b)

    9,079       729,952  

ZoomInfo Technologies Inc.(b)

    11,980       544,132  

Zscaler Inc.(b)

    3,456       550,333  
   

 

 

 
      1,462,549,920  
   

 

 

 

Total Common Stocks — 99.5%
(Cost: $2,138,858,382)

 

    2,116,414,604  
   

 

 

 

Preferred Stocks

   
Germany — 0.1%            

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, Preference Shares, NVS

    2,414       167,831  

Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Preference Shares, NVS

    7,405       477,871  

Porsche Automobil Holding SE, Preference Shares, NVS

    6,355       448,088  

Sartorius AG, Preference Shares, NVS

    1,106       460,788  

Volkswagen AG, Preference Shares, NVS

    7,687       1,093,392  
   

 

 

 
      2,647,970  
United States — 0.0%            

AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc., 0.00%(a)

    21,129       103,532  
   

 

 

 

Total Preferred Stocks — 0.1%
(Cost: $3,482,603)

 

    2,751,502  
   

 

 

 

Total Long-Term Investments — 99.6%
(Cost: $2,142,340,985)

 

        2,119,166,106  
   

 

 

 
Security   Shares     Value  

 

 

Short-Term Securities

   
Money Market Funds — 1.1%            

BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional, SL Agency Shares, 2.42%(e)(f)(g)

    21,685,778     $ 21,692,284  

BlackRock Cash Funds: Treasury, SL Agency Shares, 2.07%(e)(f)

    1,560,000       1,560,000  
   

 

 

 

Total Short-Term Securities — 1.1%
(Cost: $23,240,750)

 

    23,252,284  
   

 

 

 

Total Investments in Securities — 100.7%
(Cost: $2,165,581,735)

 

    2,142,418,390  

Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets — (0.7)%

 

    (15,718,122
   

 

 

 
Net Assets — 100.0%         $    2,126,700,268  
   

 

 

 

 

(a) 

All or a portion of this security is on loan.

(b) 

Non-income producing security.

(c) 

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

(d) 

This security may be resold to qualified foreign investors and foreign institutional buyers under Regulation S of the Securities Act of 1933.

(e) 

Affiliate of the Fund.

(f) 

Annualized 7-day yield as of period end.

(g) 

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

Affiliates

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

 

                   
Affiliated Issuer  

Value at

08/31/21

   

Purchases

at Cost

   

Proceeds

from Sale

   

Net Realized

Gain (Loss)

   

Change in

Unrealized

Appreciation

(Depreciation)

   

Value at

08/31/22

   

Shares

Held at

08/31/22

    Income    

Capital

Gain

Distributions

from

Underlying

Funds

 

BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional, SL Agency Shares

  $ 9,947,642     $ 11,743,161 (a)    $     $ (7,148   $ 8,629     $ 21,692,284       21,685,778     $ 92,244 (b)    $  

BlackRock Cash Funds: Treasury, SL Agency Shares

    810,000       750,000 (a)                        1,560,000       1,560,000       11,571        

BlackRock Inc.

    3,794,856       2,107,572       (297,284     97,815       (1,494,706     4,208,253       6,315       89,972        
       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

   

 

 

 
        $ 90,667     $ (1,486,077   $ 27,460,537       $ 193,787     $  
       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

Represents net amount purchased (sold).

 
  (b) 

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

 

 

 

28  

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


Table of Contents

Schedule of Investments   (continued)

August 31, 2022

   iShares® MSCI World ETF

 

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts

 

 

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

 

 

Long Contracts

        

TOPIX Index

     3       09/08/22     $ 424     $ (947

Euro STOXX 50 Index

     23       09/16/22       814       (30,355

FTSE 100 Index

     9       09/16/22       763       (4,324

S&P 500 E-Mini Index

     27       09/16/22       5,341       (55,914
        

 

 

 
         $ (91,540
        

 

 

 

Derivative Financial Instruments Categorized by Risk Exposure

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

 

 

 
    

Commodity

Contracts

   

Credit

Contracts

   

Equity

Contracts

   

Foreign

Currency

Exchange

Contracts

    Interest
Rate
Contracts
   

Other

Contracts

    Total  

 

 

Liabilities — Derivative Financial Instruments

              

Futures contracts

              

Unrealized depreciation on futures contracts(a)

   $     $     $ 91,540     $     $     $     $ 91,540  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Net Realized Gain (Loss) from

                    

Futures contracts

   $      $      $ (574,821    $      $      $      $ (574,821
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) on

                    

Futures contracts

   $      $      $ (220,714    $      $      $      $ (220,714
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Average Quarterly Balances of Outstanding Derivative Financial Instruments

 

 

 

Futures contracts

  

Average notional value of contracts — long

   $ 6,582,281      

 

 

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

Fair Value Hierarchy as of Period End

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

 

 

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

  29


Table of Contents

Schedule of Investments   (continued)

August 31, 2022

   iShares® MSCI World ETF

 

Fair Value Hierarchy as of Period End (continued)

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

 

                                                                                                   

 

 
     Level 1        Level 2        Level 3        Total  

 

 

Investments

                 

Assets

                 

Common Stocks

   $ 1,557,950,061        $ 558,464,543        $        $ 2,116,414,604  

Preferred Stocks

     103,532          2,647,970                   2,751,502  

Money Market Funds

     23,252,284                            23,252,284  
  

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 
   $ 1,581,305,877        $ 561,112,513        $        $ 2,142,418,390  
  

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Derivative financial instruments(a)

                 

Liabilities

                 

Futures Contracts

   $ (55,914      $ (35,626      $        $ (91,540
  

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

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

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

30  

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Table of Contents

Statements of Assets and Liabilities

August 31, 2022

 

   

iShares

MSCI

Frontier and

Select EM

ETF

          

iShares

MSCI World ETF

 

 

 

ASSETS

      

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

  $ 329,751,176        $ 2,114,957,853  

Investments, at value — affiliated(c)

             27,460,537  

Cash

    1,006,499          1,992  

Foreign currency, at value(d)

    20,805,807                   2,179,793  

Cash pledged:

      

Futures contracts

    1,037,000          312,000  

Collateral — OTC derivatives

    840,000           

Foreign currency collateral pledged for futures contracts(e)

             157,042  

Receivables:

      

Investments sold

    4,547,768          4,433,923  

Securities lending income — affiliated

             12,460  

Variation margin on futures contracts

    61,342           

Dividends — unaffiliated

    861,793          3,955,971  

Dividends — affiliated

    334          3,789  

Tax reclaims

             671,654  

Unrealized appreciation on forward foreign currency exchange contracts

    1,196           
 

 

 

      

 

 

 

Total assets

    358,912,915          2,154,147,014  
 

 

 

      

 

 

 

LIABILITIES

      

Collateral on securities loaned, at value

             21,702,886  

Deferred foreign capital gain tax

    248,696           

Payables:

      

Investments purchased

    4,836,880          5,222,057  

Variation margin on futures contracts

             62,338  

Bank borrowings

    1,600,316           

Investment advisory fees

    239,244          455,154  

Professional fees

             4,311  

Unrealized depreciation on forward foreign currency exchange contracts

    955,006           

Other liabilities

    391,141           
 

 

 

      

 

 

 

Total liabilities

    8,271,283          27,446,746  
 

 

 

      

 

 

 

NET ASSETS

  $ 350,641,632        $ 2,126,700,268  
 

 

 

      

 

 

 

NET ASSETS CONSIST OF

      

Paid-in capital

  $ 489,581,131        $ 2,194,738,875  

Accumulated loss

    (138,939,499        (68,038,607
 

 

 

      

 

 

 

NET ASSETS

  $ 350,641,632        $ 2,126,700,268  
 

 

 

      

 

 

 

NET ASSET VALUE

      

Shares outstanding

    12,850,000          19,300,000  
 

 

 

      

 

 

 

Net asset value

  $ 27.29        $ 110.19  
 

 

 

      

 

 

 

Shares authorized

    500 million          500 million  
 

 

 

      

 

 

 

Par value

  $ 0.001        $ 0.001  
 

 

 

      

 

 

 

(a) Investments, at cost — unaffiliated

  $ 316,662,602        $ 2,138,219,598  

(b) Securities loaned, at value

  $        $ 20,892,119  

(c)  Investments, at cost — affiliated

  $        $ 27,362,137  

(d) Foreign currency, at cost

  $ 22,357,399        $ 2,218,073  

(e) Foreign currency collateral pledged, at cost

  $        $ 166,446  

See notes to financial statements.

 

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

  31


Table of Contents

Statements of Operations

Year Ended August 31, 2022

 

   

iShares

MSCI

Frontier and

Select EM

ETF

    

iShares

MSCI World

ETF

 

 

 

INVESTMENT INCOME

    

Dividends — unaffiliated

  $ 17,350,959      $ 38,779,771  

Dividends — affiliated

    617        102,373  

Non-cash dividends — unaffiliated

           2,032,988  

Securities lending income — affiliated — net

    113        91,414  

Other income — unaffiliated

           811  

Foreign taxes withheld

    (1,171,299      (1,955,322

Foreign withholding tax claims

           44,918  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total investment income

    16,180,390        39,096,953  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

EXPENSES

    

Investment advisory fees

    3,629,532        4,634,281  

Commitment fees

    4,919         

Professional fees

    217        4,790  

Interest expense

    22,026         
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total expenses

    3,656,694        4,639,071  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net investment income

    12,523,696        34,457,882  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS)

    

Net realized gain (loss) from:

    

Investments — unaffiliated

    25,259,583        (21,062,449

Investments — affiliated

    16        (13,301

In-kind redemptions — unaffiliated(a)

    656,697        39,940,319  

In-kind redemptions — affiliated(a)

           103,968  

Futures contracts

    (3,631,677      (574,821

Forward foreign currency exchange contracts

    (733,549       

Foreign currency transactions

    (2,164,482      (371,739
 

 

 

    

 

 

 
    19,386,588        18,021,977  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on:

    

Investments — unaffiliated(b)

    (112,029,006      (397,335,947

Investments — affiliated

    (3      (1,486,077

Futures contracts

    183,002        (220,714

Forward foreign currency exchange contracts

    (279,668       

Foreign currency translations

    (1,149,471      (155,136
 

 

 

    

 

 

 
    (113,275,146      (399,197,874
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net realized and unrealized loss

    (93,888,558      (381,175,897
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

NET DECREASE IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS

  $ (81,364,862    $ (346,718,015
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

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

    

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

  $ 283,226      $  

See notes to financial statements.

 

32  

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Table of Contents

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

 

   

iShares

MSCI Frontier and Select EM ETF

           

iShares

MSCI World ETF

 
 

 

 

      

 

 

 
   

Year Ended

08/31/22

 

 

    

Year Ended

08/31/21

 

 

      

Year Ended

08/31/22

 

 

    
Year Ended
08/31/21
 
 

 

 

INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS

            

OPERATIONS

            

Net investment income

  $ 12,523,696      $ 9,359,354        $ 34,457,882      $ 18,847,920  

Net realized gain

    19,386,588        32,240,921          18,021,977        15,189,250  

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

    (113,275,146      86,573,585          (399,197,874      285,475,469  
 

 

 

    

 

 

      

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    (81,364,862      128,173,860          (346,718,015      319,512,639  
 

 

 

    

 

 

      

 

 

    

 

 

 

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS(a)

            

Decrease in net assets resulting from distributions to shareholders

    (11,387,380      (9,715,012        (33,669,487      (18,261,968
 

 

 

    

 

 

      

 

 

    

 

 

 

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS

            

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

    (52,705,010      3,870,773          937,249,033        320,340,634  
 

 

 

    

 

 

      

 

 

    

 

 

 

NET ASSETS

            

Total increase (decrease) in net assets

    (145,457,252      122,329,621          556,861,531        621,591,305  

Beginning of year

    496,098,884        373,769,263          1,569,838,737        948,247,432  
 

 

 

    

 

 

      

 

 

    

 

 

 

End of year

  $ 350,641,632      $ 496,098,884        $ 2,126,700,268      $ 1,569,838,737  
 

 

 

    

 

 

      

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(a) 

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

See notes to financial statements.

 

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

  33


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights

(For a share outstanding throughout each period)

 

        iShares MSCI Frontier and Select EM ETF  
   

 

 

 
   

Year Ended

08/31/22

   

Year Ended

08/31/21

   

Year Ended

08/31/20

   

Year Ended

08/31/19

   

Year Ended

08/31/18

 

 

 

Net asset value, beginning of year

    $ 33.86       $ 25.69       $ 28.97       $ 28.29       $ 30.62  
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

 

Net investment income(a)

      0.88         0.65         0.87         1.03         0.87  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)(b)

           (6.63            8.20              (3.36            0.76              (1.99
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) from investment operations

      (5.75       8.85         (2.49       1.79         (1.12
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

 

Distributions from net investment income(c)

      (0.82       (0.68       (0.79       (1.11       (1.21
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

 

Net asset value, end of year

    $ 27.29       $ 33.86       $ 25.69       $ 28.97       $ 28.29  
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

 

Total Return(d)

                   

Based on net asset value

      (17.26 )%        34.77       (8.44 )%        6.45       (3.92 )% 
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

 

Ratios to Average Net Assets(e)

                   

Total expenses

      0.80       0.79       0.79       0.79       0.81
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

 

Net investment income

      2.73       2.17       3.27       3.63       2.69
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

 

Supplemental Data

                   

Net assets, end of year (000)

    $ 350,642       $ 496,099       $ 373,769       $ 496,868       $ 523,445  
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

 

Portfolio turnover rate(f)

      34       36       25       33       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.

See notes to financial statements.

 

34  

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Table of Contents

Financial Highlights (continued)

(For a share outstanding throughout each period)

 

          iShares MSCI World ETF  
   

 

 

 
   

Year Ended

08/31/22

   

Year Ended

08/31/21

   

Year Ended

08/31/20

   

Year Ended

08/31/19

   

Year Ended

08/31/18

 

 

 

Net asset value, beginning of year

    $ 131.92       $ 103.07       $ 89.79       $ 91.33       $ 82.22  
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

 

Net investment income(a)

               2.19                1.84                1.76                1.96                1.84  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)(b)

      (21.88       28.80         13.35         (1.52       9.15  
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) from investment operations

      (19.69       30.64         15.11         0.44         10.99  
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

 

Distributions from net investment income(c)

      (2.04       (1.79       (1.83       (1.98       (1.88
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

 

Net asset value, end of year

    $ 110.19       $ 131.92       $ 103.07       $ 89.79       $ 91.33  
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

 

Total Return(d)

                   

Based on net asset value

      (15.07 )%(e)        29.94       17.04       0.61       13.46
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

 

Ratios to Average Net Assets(f)

                   

Total expenses

      0.24       0.24       0.24       0.24       0.24
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

 

Total expenses excluding professional fees for foreign withholding tax claims

      0.24       N/A         N/A         N/A         N/A  
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

 

Net investment income

      1.78       1.58       1.90       2.24       2.09
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

 

Supplemental Data

                   

Net assets, end of year (000)

    $ 2,126,700       $ 1,569,839       $ 948,247       $ 646,459       $ 566,243  
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

 

Portfolio turnover rate(g)

      5       5       7       4       3
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

(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) 

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

 

Total return by 0.01%.

 

(f) 

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

(g) 

Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions.

See notes to financial statements.

 

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

  35


Table of Contents

Notes to Financial Statements

 

1.

ORGANIZATION

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

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

 

   
iShares ETF    Diversification
Classification
 

MSCI Frontier and Select EM

     Diversified  

MSCI World

     Diversified  

 

2.

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

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

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

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

Foreign governments and their agencies may enact policies that delay or place limits on repatriation of local currency to U.S. dollars. Market quoted rates for immediate currency settlement may have access or transaction volume restrictions that are insufficient to convert a significant portion of MSCI Frontier and Select EM’s local currency denominated assets and liabilities to U.S. dollars. When these events occur, the rates utilized to translate a foreign currency to U.S. dollars will be determined by BlackRock Fund Advisors (“BFA”), MSCI Frontier and Select EM’s investment adviser, with assistance from other BlackRock pricing committees, in accordance with policies approved by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”). The translation rate is subsequently reported to the Board or a committee thereof on a quarterly basis.

Monetary policies enacted by government agencies in Kenya and Nigeria, limiting their local currency’s repatriation to safeguard U.S. dollar reserves, significantly impacts MSCI Frontier and Select EM’s ability to convert local denominated assets and liabilities amounts to U.S. dollars using quoted immediate currency settlement rates. As of August 31, 2022, MSCI Frontier and Select EM’s assets and liabilities denominated in Kenyan Shillings and Nigerian Naira is using the 6-month and 12-month non-deliverable forward rates, respectively.

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

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

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

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

 

 

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Notes to Financial Statements  (continued)

 

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

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

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

 

3.

INVESTMENT VALUATION AND FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

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

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

 

   

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

 

   

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

 

   

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

 

   

Forward foreign currency exchange contracts are valued at the mean between the bid and ask prices and are determined as of the close of trading on the NYSE based on that day’s prevailing forward exchange rate for the underlying currencies.

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

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

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

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

 

   

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

 

   

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

 

   

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

 

 

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

 

4.

SECURITIES AND OTHER INVESTMENTS

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

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

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

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

 

 

 
iShares ETF and Counterparty     

Securities Loaned

at Value

 

 

    
Cash Collateral
Received
 
(a) 
    

Non-Cash Collateral

Received, at Fair Value

 

(a) 

     Net Amount  

 

 

MSCI World

           

Barclays Bank PLC

   $ 3,238,157      $ (3,238,157    $      $  

Barclays Capital, Inc.

     407,311        (407,311              

BNP Paribas SA

     4,671,067        (4,671,067              

BofA Securities, Inc.

     580,160        (580,160              

Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.

     1,029,632        (1,029,632              

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

     390,532        (390,532              

HSBC Bank PLC

     809,473        (809,473              

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

     1,430,429        (1,430,429              

Jefferies LLC

     4,811        (4,608             203 (b) 

Morgan Stanley

     1,562,431        (1,562,431              

National Financial Services LLC

     159,339        (159,339              

RBC Capital Markets LLC

     378,373        (378,373              

Scotia Capital (USA), Inc.

     1,461,590        (1,461,590              

SG Americas Securities LLC

     3,659        (3,659              

State Street Bank & Trust Co.

     112,970        (112,970              

UBS AG

     3,040,888        (3,040,888              

UBS Securities LLC

     1,256,812        (1,256,812              

Wells Fargo Bank N.A.

     351,446        (351,446              

Wells Fargo Securities LLC

     3,039        (3,039              
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 20,892,119      $ (20,891,916    $      $ 203  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

Collateral received in excess of the market value of securities on loan is not presented in this table. The total cash collateral received by each Fund is disclosed in the Fund’s statement of assets and liabilities.

 

 

 

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Notes to Financial Statements  (continued)

 

  (b) 

The market value of the loaned securities is determined as of August 31, 2022. Additional collateral is delivered to the Fund on the next business day in accordance with the MSLA. The net amount would be subject to the borrower default indemnity in the event of default by a counterparty.

 

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

 

5.

DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

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

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

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

Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts: Forward foreign currency exchange contracts are entered into to gain or reduce exposure to foreign currencies (foreign currency exchange rate risk).

A forward foreign currency exchange contract is an agreement between two parties to buy and sell a currency at a set exchange rate on a specified date. These contracts help to manage the overall exposure to the currencies in which some of the investments held by the Funds are denominated and in some cases, may be used to obtain exposure to a particular market.The contracts are traded over-the-counter (“OTC”) and not on an organized exchange.

The contract is marked-to-market daily and the change in market value is recorded as unrealized appreciation or depreciation in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities. When the contract is closed, a realized gain or loss is recorded in the Statements of Operations equal to the difference between the value at the time it was opened and the value at the time it was closed. Non-deliverable forward foreign currency exchange contracts are settled with the counterparty in cash without the delivery of foreign currency. The use of forward foreign currency exchange contracts involves the risk that the value of a contract changes unfavorably due to movements in the value of the referenced foreign currencies, and such value may exceed the amount(s) reflected in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities. Cash amounts pledged for forward foreign currency exchange contracts are considered restricted and are included in cash pledged as collateral for OTC derivatives in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities. A fund’s risk of loss from counterparty credit risk on OTC derivatives is generally limited to the aggregate unrealized gain netted against any collateral held by the Fund.

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

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

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

 

 

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Table of Contents

Notes to Financial Statements  (continued)

 

ready to perform under the terms of their agreement with such counterparty, each Fund bears the risk of loss from a counterparty in the amount of the value of the collateral in the event the counterparty fails to return such collateral. Based on the terms of agreements, collateral may not be required for all derivative contracts.

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

 

6.

INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES

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

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

 

   
iShares ETF    Investment Advisory Fees  

MSCI Frontier and Select EM

     0.79

MSCI World

     0.24  

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

   
iShares ETF   

Fees Paid

to BTC

 

MSCI Frontier and Select EM

   $ 36  

MSCI World

     26,708  

Officers and Directors: Certain officers and/or directors of the Company are officers and/or directors of BlackRock or its affiliates.

 

 

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

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

 

       
iShares ETF    Purchases      Sales      Net Realized
Gain (Loss)
 

MSCI Frontier and Select EM

   $ 4,695,356      $ 584,204      $ 1,232  

MSCI World

     36,390,500        39,660,349        (8,638,683

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

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

 

7.

PURCHASES AND SALES

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

 

     
iShares ETF    Purchases      Sales  

MSCI Frontier and Select EM

   $ 151,524,624      $ 213,077,189  

MSCI World

     131,475,899        101,141,889  

For the year ended August 31, 2022, in-kind transactions were as follows:

 

     
iShares ETF   

In-kind

Purchases

     In-kind
Sales
 

MSCI Frontier and Select EM

   $ 586,127      $ 8,226,688  

MSCI World

     1,004,265,151        99,307,076  

 

8.

INCOME TAX INFORMATION

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

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

U.S. GAAP requires that certain components of net assets be adjusted to reflect permanent differences between financial and tax reporting. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or NAV per share. As of August 31, 2022, permanent differences attributable to realized gains (losses) from in-kind redemptions were reclassified to the following accounts:

 

     
iShares ETF    Paid-in Capital      Accumulated
Earnings (Loss)
 

MSCI Frontier and Select EM

   $ 172,510      $ (172,510

MSCI World

     39,711,687        (39,711,687

The tax character of distributions paid was as follows:

 

 

 
iShares ETF    Year Ended
08/31/22
     Year Ended
08/31/21
 

 

 

MSCI Frontier and Select EM

     

Ordinary income

   $ 11,387,380      $ 9,715,012  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

MSCI World

     

Ordinary income

   $ 33,669,487      $ 18,261,968  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

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Table of Contents

Notes to Financial Statements  (continued)

 

As of August 31, 2022, the tax components of accumulated net earnings (losses) were as follows:

 

         
iShares ETF     
Undistributed
Ordinary Income
 
 
    

Non-expiring
Capital Loss
Carryforwards
 
 
(a) 
    
Net Unrealized
Gains (Losses)
 
(b) 
     Total  

MSCI Frontier and Select EM

   $ 1,658,642      $ (140,535,997    $ (62,144    $ (138,939,499

MSCI World

     5,910,714        (46,644,023      (27,305,298      (68,038,607

 

  (a) 

Amounts available to offset future realized capital gains.

 
  (b) 

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

 

For the year ended August 31, 2022, the Funds listed below utilized the following amounts of their respective capital loss carryforwards:

 

   
iShares ETF    Utilized  

MSCI Frontier and Select EM

   $ 15,925,247  

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

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

 

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

MSCI Frontier and Select EM

   $ 327,055,277      $ 66,682,531      $ (64,940,442    $ 1,742,089  

MSCI World

     2,169,571,629        174,830,910        (201,985,094      (27,154,184

 

9.

LINE OF CREDIT

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

For the year ended August 31, 2022, the maximum amount borrowed, the average daily borrowing and the weighted average interest rate, if any, under the Syndicated Credit Agreement were as follows:

 

       
iShares ETF    Maximum
Amount
Borrowed
     Average
Borrowing
     Weighted
Average
Interest Rates
 

MSCI Frontier and Select EM

   $ 25,800,000      $ 1,676,247        1.66

 

10.

PRINCIPAL RISKS

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

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

 

 

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Notes to Financial Statements  (continued)

 

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

Market Risk: Investments in the securities of issuers domiciled in countries with emerging capital markets involve certain additional risks that do not generally apply to investments in securities of issuers in more developed capital markets, such as (i) low or nonexistent trading volume, resulting in a lack of liquidity and increased volatility in prices for such securities; (ii) uncertain national policies and social, political and economic instability, increasing the potential for expropriation of assets, confiscatory taxation, high rates of inflation or unfavorable diplomatic developments; (iii) lack of publicly available or reliable information about issuers as a result of not being subject to the same degree of regulatory requirements and accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards; and (iv) possible fluctuations in exchange rates, differing legal systems and the existence or possible imposition of exchange controls, custodial restrictions or other foreign or U.S. governmental laws or restrictions applicable to such investments.

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

Valuation Risk: The market values of equities, such as common stocks and preferred securities or equity related investments, such as futures and options, may decline due to general market conditions which are not specifically related to a particular company. They may also decline due to factors which affect a particular industry or industries. A fund may invest in illiquid investments. An illiquid investment is any investment that a fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. A fund may experience difficulty in selling illiquid investments in a timely manner at the price that it believes the investments are worth. Prices may fluctuate widely over short or extended periods in response to company, market or economic news. Markets also tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising and falling prices. This volatility may cause a fund’s NAV to experience significant increases or decreases over short periods of time. If there is a general decline in the securities and other markets, the NAV of a fund may lose value, regardless of the individual results of the securities and other instruments in which a fund invests.

Illiquid Investments Risk: An illiquid investment is any investment that a fund expects cannot be sold or disposed of in seven calendar days or less without significantly changing the market value of the investment. Each Fund may not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after acquisition, each Fund would have invested more than 15% of their net assets in illiquid investments. An investment may be illiquid due to, among other things, the reduced number and capacity of traditional market participants to make a market in securities or instruments, the lack of an active market for such securities or instruments, capital controls, delays or limits on repatriation of local currency, or insolvency of local governments. In particular, certain frontier markets in which each Fund invests are experiencing a shortage of U.S. dollar reserves (including Kenya, Nigeria and Sri Lanka) and have recently restricted or delayed repatriation of local currency, and these issues are likely to persist. Illiquid investments may reduce the returns of each Fund as each Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices. In addition, if each Fund is limited in its ability to sell illiquid investments during periods when shareholders are redeeming their shares, each Fund will need to sell liquid securities to meet redemption requests and illiquid securities will become a larger portion of each Fund’s holdings.

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

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

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

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

Certain Funds invest a significant portion of their assets in issuers located in a single country or a limited number of countries. When a fund concentrates its investments in this manner, it assumes the risk that economic, regulatory, political and social conditions in that country or those countries may have a significant impact on the fund and could affect the income from, or the value or liquidity of, the Fund’s portfolio. Unanticipated or sudden political or social developments may cause uncertainty in the markets and as a result adversely affect the Fund’s investments. Foreign issuers may not be subject to the same uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and

 

 

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Notes to Financial Statements  (continued)

 

practices as used in the United States. Foreign securities markets may also be more volatile and less liquid than U.S. securities and may be less subject to governmental supervision not typically associated with investing in U.S. securities. Investment percentages in specific countries are presented in the Schedule of Investments.

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

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

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

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

 

11.

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS

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

Transactions in capital shares were as follows:

 

 

 
    

Year Ended

08/31/22

           

Year Ended

08/31/21

 
  

 

 

       

 

 

 
iShares ETF    Shares      Amount             Shares      Amount  

 

 

MSCI Frontier and Select EM

              

Shares sold

     100,000      $ 4,004,588           400,000      $ 13,406,994  

Shares redeemed

     (1,900,000      (56,709,598         (300,000      (9,536,221
  

 

 

    

 

 

       

 

 

    

 

 

 
     (1,800,000    $ (52,705,010         100,000      $ 3,870,773  
  

 

 

    

 

 

       

 

 

    

 

 

 

MSCI World

              

Shares sold

     8,200,000      $   1,037,489,044           3,100,000      $ 365,815,188  

Shares redeemed

     (800,000      (100,240,011         (400,000      (45,474,554
  

 

 

    

 

 

       

 

 

    

 

 

 
     7,400,000      $ 937,249,033           2,700,000      $  320,340,634  
  

 

 

    

 

 

       

 

 

    

 

 

 

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

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

 

12.

FOREIGN WITHHOLDING TAX CLAIMS

The Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) has issued guidance to address U.S. income tax liabilities attributable to fund shareholders resulting from the recovery of foreign taxes withheld in prior calendar years. These withheld foreign taxes were passed through to shareholders in the form of foreign tax credits in the year the taxes were withheld. Assuming there are sufficient foreign taxes paid which the iShares MSCI World ETF is able to pass through to shareholders as a foreign tax credit in the current year, the Fund will be able to offset the prior years’ withholding taxes recovered against the foreign taxes paid in the current year. Accordingly, no federal income tax liability is recorded by the Fund.

 

 

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Notes to Financial Statements  (continued)

 

13.

SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

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

 

 

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Table of Contents

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

To the Board of Directors of

iShares, Inc. and Shareholders of each of the two funds listed in the table below

Opinions on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying statements of assets and liabilities, including the schedules of investments, of each of the funds listed in the table below (two of the funds constituting iShares, Inc., hereafter collectively referred to as the “Funds”) as of August 31, 2022, the related statements of operations for the year ended August 31, 2022, the statements of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period ended August 31, 2022, including the related notes, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period ended August 31, 2022 (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of each of the Funds as of August 31, 2022, the results of each of their operations for the year then ended, the changes in each of their net assets for each of the two years in the period ended August 31, 2022 and each of the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period ended August 31, 2022 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

  iShares MSCI Frontier and Select EM ETF

  iShares MSCI World ETF

Basis for Opinions

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

We conducted our audits of these financial statements in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud.

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of August 31, 2022 by correspondence with the custodian, transfer agent and brokers; when replies were not received from brokers, we performed other auditing procedures. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.

/s/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

October 21, 2022

We have served as the auditor of one or more BlackRock investment companies since 2000.

 

 

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Important Tax Information (unaudited)   

 

The following amounts, or maximum amounts allowable by law, are hereby designated as qualified dividend income for individuals for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2022:

 

   
iShares ETF    Qualified Dividend
Income
 

MSCI Frontier and Select EM

   $ 7,602,563  

MSCI World

     39,278,333  

The following amounts, or maximum amounts allowable by law, are hereby designated as qualified business income for individuals for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2022:

 

   
iShares ETF    Qualified Business
Income
 

MSCI World

   $ 184,764  

The Funds intend to pass through to their shareholders the following amounts, or maximum amounts allowable by law, of foreign source income earned and foreign taxes paid for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2022:

 

     
iShares ETF   

Foreign Source

Income Earned

      

Foreign

Taxes Paid

 

MSCI Frontier and Select EM

    $ 16,935,770        $ 1,955,515  

The following percentage, or maximum percentage allowable by law, of ordinary income distributions paid during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2022 qualified for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders:

 

   
iShares ETF    Dividends-Received
Deduction
 

MSCI Frontier and Select EM

     3.64

MSCI World

     52.86

 

 

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Board Review and Approval of Investment Advisory Contract

 

iShares MSCI Frontier and Select EM ETF (the “Fund”)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

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Board Review and Approval of Investment Advisory Contract  (continued)

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

iShares MSCI World ETF (the “Fund”)

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

 

 

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Board Review and Approval of Investment Advisory Contract  (continued)

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

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Board Review and Approval of Investment Advisory Contract  (continued)

 

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

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

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

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

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

The Board received detailed information regarding how the Other Accounts generally differ from the Fund, including in terms of the types of services and generally more extensive services provided to the Fund, as well as other significant differences. In that regard, the Board considered that the pricing of services to institutional clients is typically based on a number of factors beyond the nature and extent of the specific services to be provided and often depends on the overall relationship between the client and its affiliates and the adviser and its affiliates. In addition, the Board considered the relative complexity and inherent risks and challenges of managing and providing other services to the Fund, as a publicly traded investment vehicle, as compared to the Other Accounts, particularly those that are institutional clients, in light of differing regulatory requirements and client-imposed mandates. The Board noted that BFA and its affiliates manage Other Accounts with substantially the same investment objective and strategy as the Fund and that track the same index as the Fund. The Board also acknowledged management’s assertion that, for certain iShares funds, and for client segmentation purposes, BlackRock has launched an iShares fund that may provide a similar investment exposure at a lower investment advisory fee rate.

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

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

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

 

 

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Supplemental Information (unaudited)

 

Section 19(a) Notices

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

August 31, 2022

 

       
    

Total Cumulative Distributions

for the Fiscal Year

             

% Breakdown of the Total Cumulative

Distributions for the Fiscal Year

 
  

 

 

         

 

 

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

MSCI World(a)

   $ 2.005338        $        $ 0.032459        $ 2.037797                   98           2      100

 

  (a) 

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

 

Premium/Discount Information

Information on the Fund’s net asset value, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads can be found at iShares.com.

Regulation under the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive

The Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive and the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Regulations 2013 (as amended) and the “Guidelines on sound remuneration policies under the AIFMD” issued by the European Securities and Markets Authority (together the “Regulations”) impose detailed and prescriptive obligations on fund managers established in the European Union (the “EU”) and the UK. These do not currently apply to managers established outside of the EU or UK, such as BFA (the “Company”). Rather, non-EU and non-UK managers are only required to comply with certain disclosure, reporting and transparency obligations of the Regulations if such managers market a fund to EU investors.

The Company has registered the iShares MSCI Frontier and Select EM ETF (the “Fund”) to be marketed to United Kingdom and EU investors in the Netherlands, Finland and Sweden.

Report on Remuneration

The Company is required under the Regulations to make quantitative disclosures of remuneration. These disclosures are made in line with BlackRock’s interpretation of currently available regulatory guidance on quantitative remuneration disclosures. As market or regulatory practice develops BlackRock may consider it appropriate to make changes to the way in which quantitative remuneration disclosures are calculated. Where such changes are made, this may result in disclosures in relation to a fund not being comparable to the disclosures made in the prior year, or in relation to other BlackRock fund disclosures in that same year.

Disclosures are provided in relation to (a) the staff of the Company; (b) staff who are senior management; and (c) staff who have the ability to materially affect the risk profile of the Fund.

All individuals included in the aggregated figures disclosed are rewarded in line with BlackRock’s remuneration policy for their responsibilities across the relevant BlackRock business area. As all individuals have a number of areas of responsibilities, only the portion of remuneration for those individuals’ services attributable to the Fund is included in the aggregate figures disclosed.

BlackRock has a clear and well defined pay-for-performance philosophy, and compensation programmes which support that philosophy.

BlackRock operates a total compensation model for remuneration which includes a base salary, which is contractual, and a discretionary bonus scheme. Although all employees are eligible to receive a discretionary bonus, there is no contractual obligation to make a discretionary bonus award to any employees. For senior management, a significant percentage of variable remuneration is deferred over time. All employees are subject to a claw-back policy.

Remuneration decisions for employees are made once annually in January following the end of the performance year, based on BlackRock’s full-year financial results and other non-financial goals and objectives. Alongside financial performance, individual total compensation is also based on strategic and operating results and other considerations such as management and leadership capabilities. No set formulas are established and no fixed benchmarks are used in determining annual incentive awards.

Annual incentive awards are paid from a bonus pool which is reviewed throughout the year by BlackRock’s independent compensation committee, taking into account both actual and projected financial information together with information provided by the Enterprise Risk and Regulatory Compliance departments in relation to any activities, incidents or events that warrant consideration in making compensation decisions. Individuals are not involved in setting their own remuneration.

 

 

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Supplemental Information (unaudited) (continued)

 

Each of the control functions (Enterprise Risk, Legal & Compliance, and Internal Audit) each have their own organisational structures which are independent of the business units. Functional bonus pools for those control functions are determined with reference to the performance of each individual function and the remuneration of the senior members of control functions is directly overseen by BlackRock’s independent remuneration committee.

Members of staff and senior management of the Company typically provide both AIFMD and non-AIFMD related services in respect of multiple funds, clients and functions of the Company and across the broader BlackRock group. Therefore, the figures disclosed are a sum of each individual’s portion of remuneration attributable to the Fund according to an objective apportionment methodology which acknowledges the multiple-service nature of the Company. Accordingly the figures are not representative of any individual’s actual remuneration or their remuneration structure.

The amount of total & aggregate remuneration awarded by the Company to its staff which has been attributed to the Fund in respect of the Company’s financial year ending December 31, 2021 were as follows:

 

             
iShares ETF   Total
Remuneration
     Fixed
Remuneration
     Variable
Remuneration
     No. of
Beneficiaries
     Senior Management
Remuneration
     Risk Taker
Remuneration
 

MSCI Frontier and Select EM

    $45,307        $21,184        $24,123        661        $5,546        $573  

Disclosures Under the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation

The iShares MSCI Frontier and Select EM ETF (the “Fund”) is registered under the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive to be marketed to European Union (“EU”) investors, as noted above. As a result, certain disclosures are required under the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (“SFDR”).

The Fund has not been categorized under the SFDR as an “Article 8” or “Article 9” product. In addition, the Fund’s investments do not take into account the criteria for environmentally sustainable economic activities under the EU sustainable investment taxonomy regulation.

 

 

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Director and Officer Information (unaudited)

 

The Board of Directors has responsibility for the overall management and operations of the Funds, including general supervision of the duties performed by BFA and other service providers. Each Director serves until he or she resigns, is removed, dies, retires or becomes incapacitated. Each officer shall hold office until his or her successor is elected and qualifies or until his or her death, resignation or removal. Directors who are not “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Company are referred to as independent directors (“Independent Directors”).

The registered investment companies advised by BFA or its affiliates (the “BlackRock-advised Funds”) are organized into one complex of open-end equity, multi-asset, index and money market funds and ETFs (the “BlackRock Multi-Asset Complex”), one complex of closed-end funds and open-end non-index fixed-income funds (including ETFs) (the “BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex”) and one complex of ETFs (“Exchange-Traded Fund Complex”) (each, a “BlackRock Fund Complex”). Each Fund is included in the Exchange-Traded Fund Complex. Each Director also serves as a Trustee of iShares Trust and a Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust and, as a result, oversees all of the funds within the Exchange-Traded Fund Complex, which consists of 378 funds as of August 31, 2022. With the exception of Robert S. Kapito, Salim Ramji and Charles Park, the address of each Director and officer is c/o BlackRock, Inc., 400 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94105. The address of Mr. Kapito, Mr. Ramji and Mr. Park is c/o BlackRock, Inc., Park Avenue Plaza, 55 East 52nd Street, New York, NY 10055. The Board has designated John E. Kerrigan as its Independent Board Chair. Additional information about the Funds’ Directors and officers may be found in the Funds’ combined Statement of Additional Information, which is available without charge, upon request, by calling toll-free 1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737).

 

              Interested Directors
       
  Name (Age)    Position(s)   

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

   Other Directorships Held by Director
Robert S. Kapito(a) (65)    Director (since 2009).    President, BlackRock, Inc. (since 2006); Vice Chairman of BlackRock, Inc. and Head of BlackRock’s Portfolio Management Group (since its formation in 1998) and BlackRock, Inc.’s predecessor entities (since 1988); Trustee, University of Pennsylvania (since 2009); President of Board of Directors, Hope & Heroes Children’s Cancer Fund (since 2002).    Director of BlackRock, Inc. (since 2006); Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust (since 2011); Trustee of iShares Trust (since 2009).
Salim Ramji(b) (52)    Director (since 2019).    Senior Managing Director, BlackRock, Inc. (since 2014); Global Head of BlackRock’s ETF and Index Investments Business (since 2019); Head of BlackRock’s U.S. Wealth Advisory Business (2015-2019); Global Head of Corporate Strategy, BlackRock, Inc. (2014-2015); Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company (2010-2014).    Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust (since 2019); Trustee of iShares Trust (since 2019).

 

  (a) 

Robert S. Kapito is deemed to be an “interested person” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Company due to his affiliations with BlackRock, Inc. and its affiliates.

 
  (b) 

Salim Ramji is deemed to be an “interested person” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Company due to his affiliations with BlackRock, Inc. and its affiliates.

 

 

              Independent Directors
       
  Name (Age)    Position(s)   

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

   Other Directorships Held by Director
John E. Kerrigan (67)    Director (since 2005); Independent Board Chair (since 2022).    Chief Investment Officer, Santa Clara University (since 2002).    Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust (since 2011); Trustee of iShares Trust (since 2005); Independent Board Chair of iShares Trust and iShares U.S. ETF Trust (since 2022).
Jane D. Carlin (66)    Director (since 2015); Risk Committee Chair (since 2016).    Consultant (since 2012); Member of the Audit Committee (2012-2018), Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee (2017-2018) and Director of PHH Corporation (mortgage solutions) (2012-2018); Managing Director and Global Head of Financial Holding Company Governance & Assurance and the Global Head of Operational Risk Management of Morgan Stanley (2006-2012).    Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust (since 2015); Trustee of iShares Trust (since 2015); Member of the Audit Committee (since 2016), Chair of the Audit Committee (since 2020) and Director of The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (since 2016).
Richard L. Fagnani (67)    Director (since 2017); Audit Committee Chair (since 2019).    Partner, KPMG LLP (2002-2016).    Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust (since 2017); Trustee of iShares Trust (since 2017).

 

 

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Director and Officer Information (unaudited) (continued)

 

              Independent Directors (continued)
       
  Name (Age)    Position(s)   

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

   Other Directorships Held by Director
Cecilia H. Herbert (73)    Director (since 2005); Nominating and Governance and Equity Plus Committee Chairs (since 2022).    Chair of the Finance Committee (since 2019) and Trustee and Member of the Finance, Audit and Quality Committees of Stanford Health Care (since 2016); Trustee of WNET, New York’s public media company (since 2011) and Member of the Audit Committee (since 2018) and Investment Committee (since 2011); Chair (1994-2005) and Member (since 1992) of the Investment Committee, Archdiocese of San Francisco; Trustee of Forward Funds (14 portfolios) (2009-2018); Trustee of Salient MF Trust (4 portfolios) (2015-2018); Director (1998-2013) and President (2007-2011) of the Board of Directors, Catholic Charities CYO; Trustee (2002-2011) and Chair of the Finance and Investment Committee (2006-2010) of the Thacher School; Director of the Senior Center of Jackson Hole (since 2020).    Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust (since 2011); Trustee of iShares Trust (since 2005); Trustee of Thrivent Church Loan and Income Fund (since 2019).
Drew E. Lawton (63)    Director (since 2017); 15(c) Committee Chair (since 2017).    Senior Managing Director of New York Life Insurance Company (2010-2015).    Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust (since 2017); Trustee of iShares Trust (since 2017).
John E. Martinez (61)    Director (since 2003); Securities Lending Committee Chair (since 2019).    Director of Real Estate Equity Exchange, Inc. (since 2005); Director of Cloudera Foundation (2017-2020); and Director of Reading Partners (2012-2016).    Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust (since 2011); Trustee of iShares Trust (since 2003).
Madhav V. Rajan (58)    Director (since 2011); Fixed Income Plus Committee Chair (since 2019).    Dean, and George Pratt Shultz Professor of Accounting, University of Chicago Booth School of Business (since 2017); Advisory Board Member (since 2016) and Director (since 2020) of C.M. Capital Corporation; Chair of the Board for the Center for Research in Security Prices, LLC (since 2020); Robert K. Jaedicke Professor of Accounting, Stanford University Graduate School of Business (2001-2017); Professor of Law (by courtesy), Stanford Law School (2005-2017); Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Head of MBA Program, Stanford University Graduate School of Business (2010-2016).    Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust (since 2011); Trustee of iShares Trust (since 2011).

 

Officers
     
  Name (Age)    Position(s)   

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

Armando Senra (51)    President (since 2019).    Managing Director, BlackRock, Inc. (since 2007); Head of U.S., Canada and Latam iShares, BlackRock, Inc. (since 2019); Head of Latin America Region, BlackRock, Inc. (2006-2019); Managing Director, Bank of America Merrill Lynch (1994-2006).
Trent Walker (48)    Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer (since 2020).    Managing Director, BlackRock, Inc. (since September 2019); Chief Financial Officer of iShares Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC, BlackRock Funds, BlackRock Funds II, BlackRock Funds IV, BlackRock Funds V and BlackRock Funds VI (since 2021); Executive Vice President of PIMCO (2016-2019); Senior Vice President of PIMCO (2008-2015); Treasurer (2013-2019) and Assistant Treasurer (2007-2017) of PIMCO Funds, PIMCO Variable Insurance Trust, PIMCO ETF Trust, PIMCO Equity Series, PIMCO Equity Series VIT, PIMCO Managed Accounts Trust, 2 PIMCO-sponsored interval funds and 21 PIMCO-sponsored closed-end funds.
Charles Park (55)    Chief Compliance Officer (since 2006).    Chief Compliance Officer of BlackRock Advisors, LLC and the BlackRock-advised Funds in the BlackRock Multi-Asset Complex and the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex (since 2014); Chief Compliance Officer of BFA (since 2006).
Marisa Rolland (42)    Secretary (since 2022).    Director, BlackRock, Inc. (since 2018); Vice President, BlackRock, Inc. (2010-2017).
Rachel Aguirre (40)    Executive Vice President (since 2022).    Managing Director, BlackRock, Inc. (since 2018); Director, BlackRock, Inc. (2009-2018); Head of U.S. iShares Product (since 2022); Head of EII U.S. Product Engineering (since 2021); Co-Head of EII’s Americas Portfolio Engineering (2020-2021); Head of Developed Markets Portfolio Engineering (2016-2019).
Jennifer Hsui (46)    Executive Vice President (since 2022).    Managing Director, BlackRock, Inc. (since 2009); Co-Head of Index Equity (since 2022).
James Mauro (51)    Executive Vice President (since 2022).    Managing Director, BlackRock, Inc. (since 2010); Head of Fixed Income Index Investments in the Americas and Head of San Francisco Core Portfolio Management (since 2020).

 

 

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Director and Officer Information (unaudited) (continued)

 

Effective March 18, 2022, Rachel Aguirre, Jennifer Hsui, and James Mauro have replaced Scott Radell, Alan Mason, and Marybeth Leithead as Executive Vice Presidents.

Effective June 15, 2022, Marisa Rolland replaced Deepa Damre Smith as Secretary.

 

 

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General Information

 

Electronic Delivery

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

To enroll in electronic delivery:

 

   

Go to icsdelivery.com.

   

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

Householding

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

Availability of Quarterly Schedule of Investments

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

Availability of Proxy Voting Policies and Proxy Voting Records

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

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

 

 

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Glossary of Terms Used in this Report

 

Portfolio Abbreviations
ADR    American Depositary Receipt
GDR    Global Depositary Receipt
JSC    Joint Stock Company

 

Currency Abbreviations
NGN    Nigerian Naira
USD    United States Dollar
Portfolio Abbreviations (continued)
NVS    Non-Voting Shares
REIT    Real Estate Investment Trust

 

 

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Want to know more?

iShares.com     |     1-800-474-2737

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

Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal.

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

The iShares Funds are not sponsored, endorsed, issued, sold or promoted by MSCI Inc., nor does this company make any representation regarding the advisability of investing in the iShares Funds. BlackRock is not affiliated with the company listed above.

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

iS-AR-811-0822

 

 

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