LOGO

  APRIL 30, 2022

 

  

2022 Semi-Annual Report

(Unaudited)

 

iShares Trust

 

·  

iShares U.S. Fixed Income Balanced Risk Factor ETF | FIBR | Cboe BZX


The Markets in Review

Dear Shareholder,

The 12-month reporting period as of April 30, 2022 saw the emergence of significant challenges that disrupted the economic recovery and strong financial markets which characterized 2021. The U.S. economy shrank in the first quarter of 2022, ending the run of robust growth which followed reopening and the development of the COVID-19 vaccines. Rapid changes in consumer spending led to supply constraints and 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 invasion has presented challenges for both investors and policymakers.

Equity prices were mixed but mostly down, as persistently high inflation drove investors’ expectations for higher interest rates, particularly weighing on relatively high valuation growth stocks and economically sensitive small-capitalization stocks. Overall, small-capitalization U.S. stocks declined, while large-capitalization U.S. stocks were nearly flat. 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 during the reporting period as increasing inflation drove investors’ expectations for higher interest rates. 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 in March 2022, the first increase of this business cycle. Furthermore, the Fed wound down its bond-buying programs and raised the prospect of reversing the flow and reducing its balance sheet. Continued high inflation and the Fed’s new tone led many analysts to anticipate that the Fed will continue to raise interest rates multiple times throughout the year.

Looking ahead, however, the horrific war in Ukraine has significantly clouded the outlook for the global economy, leading to major volatility in energy and metal markets. Sanctions on Russia, Europe’s top energy supplier, and general wartime disruption are likely to drive already-high commodity prices even higher. We believe sharp increases in energy prices will exacerbate inflationary pressure while also constraining economic growth. Combating inflation without stifling a recovery, while buffering against ongoing supply and price shocks amid the ebb and flow of the pandemic, 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 err on the side of protecting employment, even at the expense of higher inflation.

In this environment, we favor an overweight to equities, as valuations have become more attractive and inflation-adjusted interest rates remain low. Sectors that are better poised to manage the transition to a lower-carbon world, such as technology and healthcare, are particularly attractive in the long term. We favor U.S. equities due to strong earnings momentum, while Japanese equities should benefit from supportive monetary and fiscal policy. We are underweight credit overall, but inflation-protected U.S. Treasuries, Asian fixed income, and emerging market local-currency bonds offer potential opportunities for additional yield. We believe that international diversification and a focus on sustainability and quality can help provide portfolio resilience.

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.

Sincerely,

 

LOGO

Rob Kapito

President, BlackRock, Inc.

LOGO

Rob Kapito

President, BlackRock, Inc.

 

Total Returns as of April 30, 2022

 

 
     
       6-Month         12-Month    

 

U.S. large cap equities

(S&P 500® Index)

 

    (9.65)%         0.21%  

 

U.S. small cap equities

(Russell 2000® Index)

 

    (18.38)          (16.87)     

 

International equities
(MSCI Europe, Australasia,

Far East Index)

 

    (11.80)          (8.15)     

 

Emerging market equities

(MSCI Emerging Markets Index)

 

    (14.15)          (18.33)     

 

3-month Treasury bills
(ICE BofA 3-Month

U.S. Treasury Bill Index)

 

        0.07               0.08      

 

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

U.S. Treasury Index)

 

    (10.29)          (8.86)     

 

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

 

    (9.47)          (8.51)     

 

Tax-exempt municipal bonds
(Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index)

 

    (7.90)          (7.88)     

 

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

 

    (7.40)          (5.22)     
Past performance is not an indication of future results. Index performance is shown for illustrative purposes only. You cannot invest directly in an index.

 

 

 

2  

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


Table of Contents

 

      Page  

The Markets in Review

     2  

Fund Summary

     4  

About Fund Performance

     5  

Shareholder Expenses

     5  

Schedule of Investments

     6  

Financial Statements

  

Statement of Assets and Liabilities

     17  

Statement of Operations

     18  

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

     19  

Financial Highlights

     20  

Notes to Financial Statements

     21  

Statement Regarding Liquidity Risk Management Program

     28  

Supplemental Information

     29  

General Information

     30  

Glossary of Terms Used in this Report

     31  

 

 

 


Fund Summary  as of April 30, 2022

   iShares® U.S. Fixed Income Balanced Risk Factor ETF

 

Investment Objective

The iShares U.S. Fixed Income Balanced Risk Factor ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to track the investment results of an index, composed of taxable U.S. dollar-denominated bonds and U.S. Treasury futures, which targets an equal allocation between interest rate and credit spread risk, as represented by the Bloomberg U.S. Fixed Income Balanced Risk Index (the “Index”) (formerly Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Fixed Income Balanced Risk Index). The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index. Due to the use of representative sampling, the Fund may or may not hold all of the securities that are included in the Index.

Performance

 

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

Fund NAV

    (11.44 )%       (10.96 )%       0.15     1.01       (10.96 )%       0.77      7.46

Fund Market

    (11.56      (10.99      0.08       0.99         (10.99      0.39        7.30  

Index

    (11.13      (10.57      0.36       1.18               (10.57      1.79        8.81  

The inception date of the Fund was 2/24/15. The first day of secondary market trading was 2/26/15.

Index performance through February 4, 2018 reflects the performance of the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. Index performance beginning on February 5, 2018 reflects the performance of the Bloomberg U.S. Fixed Income Balanced Risk Index.

Past performance is no guarantee 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” on page 5 for more information.

Expense Example

 

Actual           Hypothetical 5% Return           
 

Beginning
Account Value
(11/01/21)
 
 
 
      

Ending
Account Value
(04/30/22)
 
 
 
      

Expenses
Paid During
the Period
 
 
 (a) 
           

Beginning
Account Value
(11/01/21)
 
 
 
      

Ending
Account Value
(04/30/22)
 
 
 
      

Expenses
Paid During
the  Period
 
 
 (a) 
      

Annualized
Expense
Ratio
 
 
 
  $      1,000.00          $      885.60          $      1.12               $      1,000.00          $      1,023.60          $      1.20          0.24

 

  (a) 

Expenses are equal to the annualized expense ratio, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 181/365 (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 “Shareholder Expenses” for more information.

 

Portfolio Information

 

ALLOCATION BY CREDIT QUALITY

 

Moody’s Credit Rating*    
Percent of
Total Investments
 
(a) 

Aaa

    27.9

Aa

    4.7  

A

    24.6  

Baa

    19.1  

Ba

    14.5  

B

    5.6  

Caa

    0.6  

Not Rated

    3.0  

ALLOCATION BY MATURITY

 

Maturity    
Percent of
Total Investments
 
(a) 

0-1 Year

    0.2

1-5 Years

    28.3  

5-10 Years

    21.9  

10-15 Years

    3.0  

15-20 Years

    5.4  

More than 20 Years

    41.2  

 

  *

Credit quality ratings shown reflect the ratings assigned by Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”), a widely used independent, nationally recognized statistical rating organization. Moody’s credit ratings are opinions of the credit quality of individual obligations or of an issuer’s general creditworthiness. Investment grade ratings are credit ratings of Baa or higher. Below investment grade ratings are credit ratings of Ba or lower. Unrated investments do not necessarily indicate low credit quality. Credit quality ratings are subject to change.

 

 

  (a) 

Excludes money market funds.

 

 

 

4  

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


About Fund Performance

 

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

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

Shareholder Expenses

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

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

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

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

 

 

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

  5


Schedule of Investments (unaudited)

April 30, 2022

  

iShares® U.S. Fixed Income Balanced Risk Factor ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Par
(000)
    Value  

Corporate Bonds & Notes

   
Advertising — 0.0%            

Interpublic Group of Companies Inc. (The), 2.40%, 03/01/31 (Call 12/01/30)(a)

  $ 5     $ 4,237  
   

 

 

 
Aerospace & Defense — 1.3%            

Boeing Co. (The)
2.20%, 02/04/26 (Call 02/04/23)

    110       100,497  

4.88%, 05/01/25 (Call 04/01/25)

    80       80,974  

General Dynamics Corp., 1.15%, 06/01/26 (Call 05/01/26)

    120       109,225  

Howmet Aerospace Inc.
5.13%, 10/01/24 (Call 07/01/24)

    100       101,739  

5.90%, 02/01/27

    100       102,714  

Lockheed Martin Corp., 3.90%, 06/15/32

    45       44,681  

Teledyne Technologies Inc., 0.95%, 04/01/24 (Call 05/31/22)

      500       476,770  

TransDigm Inc.
6.25%, 03/15/26 (Call 05/31/22)(b)

    100       100,128  

6.38%, 06/15/26 (Call 05/31/22)

    50       49,408  

7.50%, 03/15/27 (Call 05/31/22)

    50       50,373  
   

 

 

 
      1,216,509  
Agriculture — 1.5%            

Altria Group Inc.
2.35%, 05/06/25 (Call 04/06/25)

    200       191,500  

2.45%, 02/04/32 (Call 11/04/31)

    140       112,181  

4.40%, 02/14/26 (Call 12/14/25)(a)

    155       156,815  

BAT Capital Corp.
2.26%, 03/25/28 (Call 01/25/28)

    99       84,773  

4.91%, 04/02/30 (Call 01/02/30)(a)

    89       86,050  

BAT International Finance PLC, 1.67%, 03/25/26 (Call 02/25/26)

    400       359,324  

Bunge Ltd. Finance Corp.
1.63%, 08/17/25 (Call 07/17/25)

    240       223,320  

2.75%, 05/14/31 (Call 02/14/31)

    90       77,805  

Philip Morris International Inc., 1.75%, 11/01/30 (Call 08/01/30)

    230       188,133  
   

 

 

 
          1,479,901  
Airlines — 0.7%            

American Airlines Inc., 11.75%, 07/15/25(b)

    85       97,948  

American Airlines Inc./AAdvantage Loyalty IP Ltd., 5.75%, 04/20/29(b)

    158       152,600  

United Airlines Inc.
4.38%, 04/15/26 (Call 10/15/25)(b)

    75       72,270  

4.63%, 04/15/29 (Call 10/15/28)(b)

    385       353,730  
   

 

 

 
      676,548  
Apparel — 0.1%            

NIKE Inc., 2.85%, 03/27/30 (Call 12/27/29)(a)

    90       83,951  
   

 

 

 
Auto Manufacturers — 1.4%            

American Honda Finance Corp.
0.75%, 08/09/24

    50       47,256  

1.20%, 07/08/25

    150       139,541  

Ford Motor Co., 4.35%, 12/08/26 (Call 09/08/26)(a)

    120       115,190  

General Motors Co., 5.40%, 10/02/23

    35       35,977  

General Motors Financial Co. Inc.
1.70%, 08/18/23

    250       245,082  

3.80%, 04/07/25

    95       93,875  

Jaguar Land Rover Automotive PLC, 5.50%, 07/15/29 (Call 07/15/24)(b)

    285       237,958  

PACCAR Financial Corp., 0.35%, 02/02/24

    100       95,379  

Security   Par
(000)
    Value  
Auto Manufacturers (continued)            

Toyota Motor Credit Corp.
1.45%, 01/13/25

  $   115     $ 109,525  

2.50%, 03/22/24

    200       197,956  
   

 

 

 
          1,317,739  
Auto Parts & Equipment — 0.2%            

Lear Corp., 3.80%, 09/15/27 (Call 06/15/27)(a)

    33       31,854  

Titan International Inc., 7.00%, 04/30/28 (Call 04/30/24)(a)

    200       196,102  
   

 

 

 
      227,956  
Banks — 13.6%            

Banco Santander SA
0.70%, 06/30/24 (Call 06/30/23)(c)

    200       193,342  

1.72%, 09/14/27 (Call 09/14/26)(c)

    200       176,142  

1.85%, 03/25/26

    210       191,008  

Bank of America Corp.
0.52%, 06/14/24 (Call 06/14/23), (SOFR + 0.410%)(c)

    210       203,110  

0.81%, 10/24/24 (Call 10/24/23), (SOFR + 0.740%)(c)

    200       192,054  

0.98%, 04/22/25 (Call 04/22/24), (SOFR + 0.690%)(c)

    230       217,428  

0.98%, 09/25/25 (Call 09/25/24), (SOFR + 0.910%)(c)

    170       158,357  

1.32%, 06/19/26 (Call 06/19/25), (SOFR + 1.150%)(c)

    100       91,641  

2.09%, 06/14/29 (Call 06/14/28), (SOFR + 1.060%)(c)

    260       226,359  

2.50%, 02/13/31 (Call 02/13/30),
(3 mo. LIBOR US + 0.990%)(c)

    75       64,478  

2.57%, 10/20/32 (Call 10/20/31), (SOFR + 1.210%)(c)

    10       8,448  

2.82%, 07/21/23 (Call 07/21/22),
(3 mo. LIBOR US + 0.930%)(c)

    350       349,947  

3.56%, 04/23/27 (Call 04/23/26),
(3 mo. LIBOR US + 1.060%)(c)

    150       145,734  

3.84%, 04/25/25 (Call 04/25/24)(c)

    100       99,904  

4.25%, 10/22/26

    120       119,956  

Series N, 2.65%, 03/11/32 (Call 03/11/31),
(SOFR + 1.220%)(c)

    80       68,699  

Bank of Montreal
0.63%, 07/09/24

    110       103,621  

1.25%, 09/15/26

    60       53,595  

Bank of Nova Scotia (The)
0.65%, 07/31/24

    115       107,936  

1.05%, 03/02/26

    230       206,487  

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
0.45%, 06/22/23

    120       116,903  

2.25%, 01/28/25

    170       163,736  

Citigroup Inc.
0.78%, 10/30/24 (Call 10/30/23), (SOFR + 0.686%)(c)

    530       507,676  

0.98%, 05/01/25 (Call 05/01/24), (SOFR + 0.669%)(c)

    90       84,854  

1.46%, 06/09/27 (Call 06/09/26), (SOFR + 0.770%)(c)

    240       213,559  

3.35%, 04/24/25 (Call 04/24/24),
(3 mo. LIBOR US + 0.897%)(c)

    365       359,711  

4.60%, 03/09/26

    100       100,755  

Cooperatieve Rabobank U.A./New York, 1.38%, 01/10/25

    250       237,335  

Credit Suisse AG/New York NY, 0.52%, 08/09/23

    250       242,347  

Deutsche Bank AG, 4.30%, 05/24/28 (Call 05/24/23),
(5 year USD Swap + 2.248%)(c)

    200       196,256  

Deutsche Bank AG/New York NY, 2.55%, 01/07/28 (Call 01/07/27), (SOFR + 1.318%)(c)

    150       133,523  

Fifth Third Bancorp., 1.71%, 11/01/27 (Call 11/01/26), (SOFR + 0.685%)(c)

    60       54,110  

First Republic Bank/CA, 1.91%, 02/12/24 (Call 02/12/23), (SOFR + 0.620%)(c)

    250       247,320  

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (The)
0.86%, 02/12/26 (Call 02/12/25), (SOFR + 0.609%)(c)

    105       95,852  

 

 

6  

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


Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued)

April 30, 2022

  

iShares® U.S. Fixed Income Balanced Risk Factor ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Par
(000)
    Value  
Banks (continued)            

1.43%, 03/09/27 (Call 03/09/26), (SOFR + 0.798%)(c)

  $   190     $ 169,907  

2.38%, 07/21/32 (Call 07/21/31), (SOFR + 1.248%)(c)

    175       144,956  

2.60%, 02/07/30 (Call 11/07/29)

    90       78,152  

2.62%, 04/22/32 (Call 04/22/31), (SOFR + 1.281%)(c)

    45       38,101  

3.27%, 09/29/25 (Call 09/29/24),
(3 mo. LIBOR US + 1.201%)(c)

    115       113,183  

3.50%, 01/23/25 (Call 10/23/24)

    335       332,176  

3.75%, 02/25/26 (Call 11/25/25)

    194       192,648  

3.85%, 01/26/27 (Call 01/26/26)

    120       117,422  

HSBC Holdings PLC
3.00%, 03/10/26 (Call 03/10/25), (SOFR + 1.430%)(c)

    200       192,796  

4.25%, 03/14/24

    200       201,250  

4.76%, 03/29/33 (Call 03/29/32)(c)

    200       189,760  

JPMorgan Chase & Co.
1.05%, 11/19/26 (Call 11/19/25), (SOFR + 0.800%)(c)

    315       282,908  

1.56%, 12/10/25 (Call 12/10/24), (SOFR + 0.605%)(c)

    120       112,987  

1.58%, 04/22/27 (Call 04/22/26), (SOFR + 0.885%)(c)

    117       105,805  

2.95%, 10/01/26 (Call 07/01/26)(a)

    200       191,720  

3.13%, 01/23/25 (Call 10/23/24)(a)

    40       39,614  

3.22%, 03/01/25 (Call 03/01/24),
(3 mo. LIBOR US + 1.155%)(c)

    132       130,681  

3.88%, 09/10/24

    200       201,004  

Lloyds Banking Group PLC, 0.70%, 05/11/24 (Call 05/11/23),
(1 year CMT + 0.550%)(c)

    200       194,210  

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc.
0.95%, 07/19/25 (Call 07/19/24)(c)

    260       244,143  

1.64%, 10/13/27 (Call 10/13/26)(c)

    360       321,289  

2.34%, 01/19/28 (Call 01/19/27)(c)

    200       183,436  

Mizuho Financial Group Inc.
1.24%, 07/10/24 (Call 07/10/23), (SOFR + 1.252%)(c)

    280       272,922  

2.84%, 07/16/25 (Call 07/16/24), (SOFR + 1.242%)(c)

    300       293,628  

Morgan Stanley
0.53%, 01/25/24 (Call 01/25/23), (SOFR + 0.455%)(c)

    245       239,977  

1.59%, 05/04/27 (Call 05/04/26), (SOFR + 0.879%)(c)

    170       153,364  

2.19%, 04/28/26 (Call 04/28/25), (SOFR + 1.990%)(c)

    110       103,870  

2.24%, 07/21/32 (Call 07/21/31), (SOFR + 1.178%)(c)

    185       153,169  

3.13%, 07/27/26(a)

    85       81,478  

3.62%, 04/01/31 (Call 04/01/30), (SOFR + 3.120%)(c)

    30       28,117  

3.88%, 01/27/26

    100       99,286  

Series I, 0.86%, 10/21/25 (Call 10/21/24),
(SOFR + 0.745%)(c)

    195       181,036  

Royal Bank of Canada
0.75%, 10/07/24

    50       46,927  

1.20%, 04/27/26

    75       67,721  

2.05%, 01/21/27(a)

    100       92,133  

Santander Holdings USA Inc., 3.45%, 06/02/25 (Call 05/02/25)

    150       147,210  

Santander UK Group Holdings PLC, 1.09%, 03/15/25 (Call 03/15/24), (SOFR + 0.787%)(c)

    330       311,659  

Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc., 1.47%, 07/08/25

    500       463,690  

SVB Financial Group, 1.80%, 02/02/31 (Call 11/02/30)

    95       76,140  

Toronto-Dominion Bank (The), 1.25%, 09/10/26

    300       268,983  

Wells Fargo & Co.
3.53%, 03/24/28 (Call 03/24/27), (SOFR + 1.510%)(c)

    255       245,494  

3.91%, 04/25/26 (Call 04/25/25), (SOFR + 1.320%)(c)

    250       248,305  
   

 

 

 
          13,085,440  
Beverages — 0.3%            

Constellation Brands Inc., 3.70%, 12/06/26 (Call 09/06/26)

    150       148,352  

Security   Par
(000)
    Value  
Beverages (continued)            

Keurig Dr Pepper Inc.
0.75%, 03/15/24 (Call 05/31/22)

  $   100     $ 95,491  

3.95%, 04/15/29 (Call 02/15/29)

    20       19,524  
   

 

 

 
      263,367  
Biotechnology — 0.5%            

Amgen Inc., 1.90%, 02/21/25 (Call 01/21/25)

    150       143,891  

Baxalta Inc., 4.00%, 06/23/25 (Call 03/23/25)

    200       201,260  

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc., 1.75%, 09/15/30 (Call 06/15/30)

    210       170,675  
   

 

 

 
      515,826  
Building Materials — 0.3%            

Carrier Global Corp., 2.24%, 02/15/25 (Call 01/15/25)

    7       6,706  

Louisiana-Pacific Corp., 3.63%, 03/15/29 (Call 03/15/24)(b)

    300       258,681  

Martin Marietta Materials Inc., 0.65%, 07/15/23 (Call 07/15/22)

    55       53,607  
   

 

 

 
      318,994  
Chemicals — 0.6%            

Celanese U.S. Holdings LLC, 1.40%, 08/05/26 (Call 07/05/26)

    30       26,625  

Chemours Co. (The), 5.38%, 05/15/27 (Call 02/15/27)(a)

    25       24,355  

EI du Pont de Nemours and Co., 1.70%, 07/15/25 (Call 06/15/25)

    100       94,385  

Minerals Technologies Inc., 5.00%, 07/01/28 (Call 07/01/23)(b)

    200       186,316  

PPG Industries Inc., 1.20%, 03/15/26 (Call 02/15/26)

    100       90,949  

Sherwin-Williams Co. (The), 3.13%, 06/01/24 (Call 04/01/24)

    100       99,449  

Valvoline Inc., 4.25%, 02/15/30 (Call 02/15/25)(b)

    100       86,917  
   

 

 

 
      608,996  
Commercial Services — 1.7%            

Automatic Data Processing Inc., 1.70%, 05/15/28 (Call 03/15/28)

    40       36,045  

Block Financial LLC, 2.50%, 07/15/28 (Call 05/15/28)

    41       36,296  

Cintas Corp. No. 2
3.45%, 05/01/25 (Call 04/01/25)

    30       29,906  

3.70%, 04/01/27 (Call 01/01/27)

    14       13,917  

CoreCivic Inc., 8.25%, 04/15/26 (Call 04/15/24)

    200       204,814  

Equifax Inc., 2.35%, 09/15/31 (Call 06/15/31)

    10       8,359  

Gartner Inc.
3.75%, 10/01/30 (Call 10/01/25)(a)(b)

    200       178,918  

4.50%, 07/01/28 (Call 07/01/23)(b)

    200       191,876  

Quanta Services Inc.
0.95%, 10/01/24 (Call 10/01/22)

    80       74,848  

2.35%, 01/15/32 (Call 10/15/31)

    35       28,442  

S&P Global Inc.
2.45%, 03/01/27 (Call 02/01/27)(b)

    65       61,261  

2.90%, 03/01/32 (Call 12/01/31)(b)

    370       334,561  

2.95%, 01/22/27 (Call 10/22/26)(a)

    105       101,341  

Service Corp. International/U.S., 5.13%, 06/01/29 (Call 06/01/24)(a)

    40       39,453  

United Rentals North America Inc., 3.88%, 11/15/27 (Call 11/15/22)

    100       95,771  

Verisk Analytics Inc., 4.00%, 06/15/25 (Call 03/15/25)

    208       209,063  
   

 

 

 
          1,644,871  
Computers — 1.2%            

Apple Inc., 1.40%, 08/05/28 (Call 06/05/28)

    50       43,909  

Dell International LLC/EMC Corp., 6.20%, 07/15/30 (Call 04/15/30)

    180       194,229  

Fortinet Inc., 2.20%, 03/15/31 (Call 12/15/30)

    100       82,587  

 

 

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

  7


Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued)

April 30, 2022

  

iShares® U.S. Fixed Income Balanced Risk Factor ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Par
(000)
     Value  
Computers (continued)             

HP Inc.
1.45%, 06/17/26 (Call 05/17/26)

  $   710      $ 638,361  

4.00%, 04/15/29 (Call 02/15/29)

    200        190,050  

Kyndryl Holdings Inc.
2.05%, 10/15/26 (Call 09/15/26)(a)(b)

    10        8,740  

2.70%, 10/15/28 (Call 08/15/28)(b)

    10        8,263  

NetApp Inc., 1.88%, 06/22/25 (Call 05/22/25)

    30        28,293  
    

 

 

 
           1,194,432  
Cosmetics & Personal Care — 0.1%             

Procter & Gamble Co. (The), 2.30%, 02/01/32

    50        44,706  
    

 

 

 
Diversified Financial Services — 1.2%             

Air Lease Corp., 3.38%, 07/01/25 (Call 06/01/25)

    105        101,431  

Ally Financial Inc., 1.45%, 10/02/23 (Call 09/02/23)

    60        58,319  

American Express Co., 3.38%, 05/03/24

    30        29,957  

Brookfield Finance I UK PLC, 2.34%, 01/30/32 (Call 10/30/31)

    30        24,930  

Charles Schwab Corp. (The), 1.15%, 05/13/26 (Call 04/13/26)

    195        176,922  

CME Group Inc., 2.65%, 03/15/32 (Call 12/15/31)

    20        17,822  

Credit Acceptance Corp., 6.63%, 03/15/26 (Call 05/10/22)

    75        75,797  

Intercontinental Exchange Inc., 3.75%, 09/21/28 (Call 06/21/28)

    28        27,589  

LPL Holdings Inc., 4.00%, 03/15/29 (Call 03/15/24)(a)(b)

    125        113,864  

Mastercard Inc., 2.95%, 11/21/26 (Call 08/21/26)

    35        34,473  

Nomura Holdings Inc., 2.65%, 01/16/25

    350        338,586  

ORIX Corp., 2.90%, 07/18/22

    55        55,071  

StoneX Group Inc., 8.63%, 06/15/25 (Call 06/15/22)(b)

    100        104,505  
    

 

 

 
       1,159,266  
Electric — 2.7%             

AES Corp. (The), 1.38%, 01/15/26 (Call 12/15/25)

    50        44,979  

Alabama Power Co., 3.05%, 03/15/32 (Call 12/15/31)

    50        45,702  

Appalachian Power Co., 3.40%, 06/01/25 (Call 03/01/25)

    70        69,635  

Arizona Public Service Co., 2.20%, 12/15/31 (Call 09/15/31)(a)

    45        37,335  

Berkshire Hathaway Energy Co.
1.65%, 05/15/31 (Call 02/15/31)

    35        28,716  

4.05%, 04/15/25 (Call 03/15/25)

    60        60,881  

Black Hills Corp., 3.95%, 01/15/26 (Call 07/15/25)(a)

    50        49,752  

Consolidated Edison Co. of New York Inc., 2.40%, 06/15/31 (Call 03/15/31)

    85        73,686  

Dominion Energy Inc.

    

Series C, 2.25%, 08/15/31 (Call 05/15/31)

    35        29,474  

Series D, 2.85%, 08/15/26 (Call 05/15/26)

    50        48,022  

DTE Electric Co., Series A, 1.90%, 04/01/28 (Call 02/01/28)

    80        71,950  

DTE Energy Co., Series H, 0.55%, 11/01/22(a)

    25        24,786  

Duke Energy Carolinas LLC, 2.95%, 12/01/26 (Call 09/01/26)(a)

    130        126,299  

Duke Energy Florida LLC, 2.40%, 12/15/31 (Call 09/15/31)

    130        112,997  

Entergy Corp., 2.40%, 06/15/31 (Call 03/05/31)

    40        33,452  

Entergy Louisiana LLC, 5.40%, 11/01/24

    131        136,655  

Eversource Energy, 2.90%, 03/01/27 (Call 02/01/27)

    70        66,608  

Exelon Corp., 3.40%, 04/15/26 (Call 01/15/26)

    70        68,438  

FirstEnergy Corp., Series C, 7.38%, 11/15/31

    270        310,411  

Florida Power & Light Co., 2.45%, 02/03/32 (Call 11/03/31)

    10        8,808  

Interstate Power & Light Co., 3.60%, 04/01/29 (Call 01/01/29)

    35        33,697  

National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corp.
1.00%, 06/15/26 (Call 05/15/26)

    25        22,442  

3.70%, 03/15/29 (Call 12/15/28)

    40        39,110  

Security   Par
(000)
     Value  
Electric (continued)             

NextEra Energy Capital Holdings Inc.
0.65%, 03/01/23

  $ 30      $ 29,530  

1.88%, 01/15/27 (Call 12/15/26)

      150        137,163  

3.55%, 05/01/27 (Call 02/01/27)

    84        82,299  

Pacific Gas and Electric Co.
1.75%, 06/16/22 (Call 05/10/22)

    20        19,986  

2.50%, 02/01/31 (Call 11/01/30)

    20        15,843  

3.00%, 06/15/28 (Call 04/15/28)

    5        4,467  

3.15%, 01/01/26

    20        18,822  

3.25%, 06/01/31 (Call 03/01/31)

    20        16,710  

4.55%, 07/01/30 (Call 01/01/30)

    40        37,026  

PG&E Corp., 5.25%, 07/01/30 (Call 07/01/25)

    330        300,613  

Public Service Co. of New Hampshire, Series V, 2.20%, 06/15/31 (Call 03/15/31)

    20        17,199  

Public Service Co. of Oklahoma, Series J, 2.20%, 08/15/31 (Call 05/15/31)

    60        50,557  

Public Service Enterprise Group Inc., 1.60%, 08/15/30 (Call 05/15/30)

    20        16,200  

Puget Energy Inc., 2.38%, 06/15/28 (Call 04/15/28)

    10        8,898  

San Diego Gas & Electric Co., 2.50%, 05/15/26 (Call 02/15/26)

    50        47,771  

Southern California Edison Co., 2.85%, 08/01/29 (Call 05/01/29)

    25        22,582  

Southern Power Co., 4.15%, 12/01/25 (Call 09/01/25)(a)

    75        75,864  

Union Electric Co., 2.95%, 06/15/27 (Call 03/15/27)

    40        38,490  

Vistra Operations Co. LLC, 5.00%, 07/31/27 (Call 07/31/22)(a)(b)

    20        19,192  

WEC Energy Group Inc., 0.55%, 09/15/23

    40        38,675  

Xcel Energy Inc., 1.75%, 03/15/27 (Call 02/15/27)

    80        72,408  
    

 

 

 
           2,614,130  
Electrical Components & Equipment — 0.1%             

Emerson Electric Co., 2.00%, 12/21/28 (Call 10/21/28)

    140        125,289  
    

 

 

 
Electronics — 0.4%             

Agilent Technologies Inc., 2.30%, 03/12/31 (Call 12/12/30)

    45        37,785  

Allegion U.S. Holding Co. Inc., 3.20%, 10/01/24 (Call 08/01/24)

    160        156,605  

Arrow Electronics Inc., 2.95%, 02/15/32 (Call 11/15/31)

    46        39,427  

Flex Ltd., 3.75%, 02/01/26 (Call 01/01/26)

    20        19,537  

Jabil Inc., 1.70%, 04/15/26 (Call 03/15/26)

    75        67,741  

Keysight Technologies Inc., 4.60%, 04/06/27 (Call 01/06/27)

    65        66,609  

Trimble Inc., 4.90%, 06/15/28 (Call 03/15/28)

    15        15,181  
    

 

 

 
       402,885  
Engineering & Construction — 0.1%             

AECOM, 5.13%, 03/15/27 (Call 12/15/26)

    100        98,894  
    

 

 

 
Entertainment — 0.0%             

Scientific Games International Inc., 7.25%, 11/15/29 (Call 11/15/24)(a)(b)

    25        26,239  
    

 

 

 
Environmental Control — 0.6%             

GFL Environmental Inc., 5.13%, 12/15/26 (Call 12/15/22)(a)(b)

    45        44,243  

Republic Services Inc., 0.88%, 11/15/25 (Call 10/15/25)

    510        461,652  

Waste Connections Inc., 3.50%, 05/01/29 (Call 02/01/29)

    50        47,719  
    

 

 

 
       553,614  
Food — 1.0%             

Albertsons Companies Inc./Safeway Inc./New Albertsons LP/Albertsons LLC

    

4.63%, 01/15/27 (Call 01/15/23)(b)

    40        37,467  

4.88%, 02/15/30 (Call 02/15/25)(b)

    330        298,887  

 

 

8  

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


Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued)

April 30, 2022

  

iShares® U.S. Fixed Income Balanced Risk Factor ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Par
(000)
     Value  
Food (continued)             

7.50%, 03/15/26 (Call 05/31/22)(b)

  $ 173      $ 182,046  

Kraft Heinz Foods Co.
3.00%, 06/01/26 (Call 03/01/26)

      100        95,554  

3.88%, 05/15/27 (Call 02/15/27)

    75        73,438  

McCormick & Co. Inc./MD, 3.15%, 08/15/24 (Call 06/15/24)(a)

    300        298,533  
    

 

 

 
       985,925  
Forest Products & Paper — 0.3%             

Resolute Forest Products Inc., 4.88%, 03/01/26 (Call 03/01/23)(a)(b)

    250        238,038  
    

 

 

 
Gas — 0.2%             

NiSource Inc., 0.95%, 08/15/25 (Call 07/15/25)

    140        126,958  

Southern California Gas Co., 2.95%, 04/15/27 (Call 03/15/27)

    70        66,956  

Southwest Gas Corp., 4.05%, 03/15/32 (Call 12/15/31)

    35        33,057  
    

 

 

 
           226,971  
Health Care - Products — 0.4%             

DH Europe Finance II Sarl, 2.05%, 11/15/22

    145        144,930  

PerkinElmer Inc.
0.85%, 09/15/24 (Call 09/15/22)

    240        224,693  

1.90%, 09/15/28 (Call 07/15/28)

    50        43,387  
    

 

 

 
       413,010  
Health Care - Services — 2.5%             

Acadia Healthcare Co. Inc., 5.00%, 04/15/29 (Call 10/15/23)(b)

    200        189,630  

Anthem Inc., 1.50%, 03/15/26 (Call 02/15/26)

    110        101,219  

Charles River Laboratories International Inc.
4.00%, 03/15/31 (Call 03/15/26)(b)

    100        89,368  

4.25%, 05/01/28 (Call 05/01/23)(a)(b)

    200        190,886  

DaVita Inc.
3.75%, 02/15/31 (Call 02/15/26)(b)

    200        162,952  

4.63%, 06/01/30 (Call 06/01/25)(b)

    210        183,076  

HCA Inc.
4.13%, 06/15/29 (Call 03/15/29)

    80        76,725  

5.25%, 04/15/25

    230        237,295  

5.88%, 02/15/26 (Call 08/15/25)

    170        176,117  

Humana Inc., 3.70%, 03/23/29 (Call 02/23/29)

    40        38,437  

IQVIA Inc., 5.00%, 05/15/27 (Call 05/31/22)(b)

    300        297,648  

Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings, 1.55%, 06/01/26 (Call 05/01/26)

    70        63,883  

Molina Healthcare Inc., 3.88%, 05/15/32 (Call 02/15/32)(b)

    220        193,866  

Tenet Healthcare Corp.
4.63%, 07/15/24 (Call 05/31/22)

    21        20,950  

5.13%, 11/01/27 (Call 11/01/22)(b)

    150        146,319  

UnitedHealth Group Inc.
1.15%, 05/15/26 (Call 04/15/26)

    50        45,637  

2.30%, 05/15/31 (Call 02/15/31)

    80        70,043  

3.10%, 03/15/26

    135        133,198  
    

 

 

 
       2,417,249  
Holding Companies - Diversified — 1.7%             

Ares Capital Corp.
2.15%, 07/15/26 (Call 06/15/26)

    293        259,894  

2.88%, 06/15/28 (Call 04/15/28)

    125        107,939  

3.88%, 01/15/26 (Call 12/15/25)

    47        45,161  

Barings BDC Inc., 3.30%, 11/23/26 (Call 10/13/26)(b)

    61        54,786  

Blackstone Private Credit Fund, 2.70%, 01/15/25 (Call 11/15/24)(b)

    60        56,557  

FS KKR Capital Corp.
1.65%, 10/12/24(a)

    210        196,262  

2.63%, 01/15/27 (Call 12/15/26)(a)

    40        35,984  

Security   Par
(000)
     Value  
Holding Companies - Diversified (continued)             

3.25%, 07/15/27 (Call 06/15/27)

  $ 10      $ 9,063  

3.40%, 01/15/26 (Call 12/15/25)

    150        141,447  

4.63%, 07/15/24 (Call 06/15/24)

      110        109,999  

Goldman Sachs BDC Inc., 2.88%, 01/15/26 (Call 12/15/25)(a)

    37        34,983  

Golub Capital BDC Inc., 2.50%, 08/24/26 (Call 07/24/26)

    75        66,898  

Icahn Enterprises LP/Icahn Enterprises Finance Corp.
4.38%, 02/01/29 (Call 08/01/28)

    400        346,052  

6.38%, 12/15/25 (Call 05/31/22)

    100        99,752  

Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund, 4.50%, 02/11/27 (Call 01/11/27)(b)

    50        46,625  

Owl Rock Capital Corp., 3.40%, 07/15/26 (Call 06/15/26)

    10        9,236  
    

 

 

 
           1,620,638  
Home Builders — 0.3%             

LGI Homes Inc., 4.00%, 07/15/29 (Call 01/15/29)(b)

    100        82,774  

NVR Inc., 3.00%, 05/15/30 (Call 11/15/29)

    75        66,886  

Williams Scotsman International Inc., 4.63%, 08/15/28 (Call 08/15/23)(b)

    95        90,056  
    

 

 

 
       239,716  
Insurance — 1.9%             

Aflac Inc., 3.60%, 04/01/30 (Call 01/01/30)(a)

    102        99,115  

AXA SA, 8.60%, 12/15/30

    155        195,190  

Brown & Brown Inc., 4.20%, 03/17/32 (Call 12/17/31)

    35        33,532  

Chubb INA Holdings Inc., 3.35%, 05/15/24

    25        25,088  

Enstar Group Ltd., 3.10%, 09/01/31 (Call 03/01/31)

    115        96,242  

Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd., 3.38%, 03/03/31 (Call 12/03/30)(a)

    30        26,754  

Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc.
2.38%, 12/15/31 (Call 09/15/31)

    360        310,064  

3.75%, 03/14/26 (Call 12/14/25)

    490        492,127  

4.38%, 03/15/29 (Call 12/15/28)

    60        60,700  

NMI Holdings Inc., 7.38%, 06/01/25 (Call 03/30/25)(b)

    300        313,737  

Progressive Corp. (The)
2.50%, 03/15/27 (Call 02/15/27)

    50        47,390  

3.00%, 03/15/32 (Call 12/15/31)

    60        54,598  

Willis North America Inc., 2.95%, 09/15/29 (Call 06/15/29)

    65        58,033  
    

 

 

 
       1,812,570  
Internet — 0.2%             

Amazon.com Inc., 2.10%, 05/12/31 (Call 02/12/31)

    30        26,136  

Uber Technologies Inc., 7.50%, 05/15/25 (Call 05/31/22)(b)

    70        72,261  

VeriSign Inc.
2.70%, 06/15/31 (Call 03/15/31)

    35        30,043  

5.25%, 04/01/25 (Call 01/01/25)

    50        51,475  
    

 

 

 
       179,915  
Iron & Steel — 0.6%             

Nucor Corp., 3.13%, 04/01/32 (Call 01/01/32)

    40        35,987  

United States Steel Corp., 6.88%, 03/01/29 (Call 03/01/24)(a)

    300        305,121  

Vale Overseas Ltd., 6.25%, 08/10/26

    185        194,809  
    

 

 

 
       535,917  
Lodging — 0.1%             

Choice Hotels International Inc.
3.70%, 12/01/29 (Call 09/01/29)

    45        41,973  

3.70%, 01/15/31 (Call 10/15/30)

    100        91,560  
    

 

 

 
       133,533  
Machinery — 0.8%             

Caterpillar Financial Services Corp.
0.80%, 11/13/25

    90        82,305  

0.95%, 01/10/24

    120        116,160  

IDEX Corp., 3.00%, 05/01/30 (Call 02/01/30)

    100        89,358  

 

 

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

  9


Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued)

April 30, 2022

  

iShares® U.S. Fixed Income Balanced Risk Factor ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Par
(000)
    Value  
Machinery (continued)            

John Deere Capital Corp., 1.25%, 01/10/25

  $ 200     $ 190,082  

Rockwell Automation Inc., 1.75%, 08/15/31 (Call 05/15/31)

    5       4,168  

Terex Corp., 5.00%, 05/15/29 (Call 05/15/24)(b)

      100       91,932  

Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corp., 3.20%, 06/15/25 (Call 05/15/25)

    235       227,913  
   

 

 

 
      801,918  
Media — 1.1%            

Charter Communications Operating LLC/Charter Communications Operating Capital, 2.80%, 04/01/31 (Call 01/01/31)

    55       45,758  

Directv Financing LLC/Directv Financing Co-Obligor Inc., 5.88%, 08/15/27 (Call 08/15/23)(b)

    110       103,726  

DISH DBS Corp.
5.88%, 11/15/24(a)

    100       97,423  

7.75%, 07/01/26

    100       95,476  

FactSet Research Systems Inc., 2.90%, 03/01/27 (Call 02/01/27)

    225       212,794  

GCI LLC, 4.75%, 10/15/28 (Call 10/15/23)(a)(b)

    400       369,300  

Radiate Holdco LLC/Radiate Finance Inc., 4.50%, 09/15/26 (Call 09/15/23)(b)

    25       23,068  

Sirius XM Radio Inc., 5.50%, 07/01/29 (Call 07/01/24)(b)

    150       144,574  
   

 

 

 
          1,092,119  
Mining — 0.4%            

FMG Resources August 2006 Pty Ltd., 4.50%, 09/15/27 (Call 06/15/27)(a)(b)

    45       43,073  

Freeport-McMoRan Inc.
4.13%, 03/01/28 (Call 03/01/23)

    105       101,487  

4.55%, 11/14/24 (Call 08/14/24)(a)

    61       61,819  

5.45%, 03/15/43 (Call 09/15/42)

    2       1,993  

IAMGOLD Corp., 5.75%, 10/15/28 (Call 10/15/23)(b)

    165       140,339  

Southern Copper Corp., 3.88%, 04/23/25

    5       4,968  
   

 

 

 
      353,679  
Office & Business Equipment — 0.0%            

CDW LLC/CDW Finance Corp., 4.25%, 04/01/28 (Call 10/01/22)

    25       23,411  
   

 

 

 
Oil & Gas — 4.0%            

Apache Corp., 4.25%, 01/15/30 (Call 10/15/29)(a)

    160       149,274  

Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., 2.95%, 07/15/30 (Call 04/15/30)(a)

    243       216,647  

Cenovus Energy Inc., 5.38%, 07/15/25 (Call 04/15/25)

    17       17,651  

Chevron USA Inc., 3.85%, 01/15/28 (Call 10/15/27)

    90       90,827  

Civitas Resources Inc., 5.00%, 10/15/26 (Call 10/15/23)(b)

    250       238,267  

CNX Resources Corp., 7.25%, 03/14/27 (Call 05/31/22)(b)

    100       102,171  

Comstock Resources Inc., 7.50%, 05/15/25 (Call 05/15/22)(b)

    14       14,290  

Conoco Funding Co., 7.25%, 10/15/31

    11       13,690  

ConocoPhillips Co., 6.95%, 04/15/29(a)

    34       40,041  

Continental Resources Inc./OK, 4.38%, 01/15/28 (Call 10/15/27)

    75       73,466  

Devon Energy Corp.
4.50%, 01/15/30 (Call 01/15/25)

    35       34,554  

5.25%, 09/15/24 (Call 06/15/24)

    400       412,540  

7.95%, 04/15/32

    12       14,719  

Diamondback Energy Inc., 3.13%, 03/24/31 (Call 12/24/30)

    25       22,311  

Earthstone Energy Holdings LLC, 8.00%, 04/15/27

    155       154,535  

EQT Corp.
3.90%, 10/01/27 (Call 07/01/27)

    20       19,185  

6.63%, 02/01/25 (Call 01/01/25)

    25       26,037  

7.50%, 02/01/30 (Call 11/01/29)

    10       11,077  

Security   Par
(000)
    Value  
Oil & Gas (continued)            

Exxon Mobil Corp.
2.61%, 10/15/30 (Call 07/15/30)

  $ 70     $ 63,840  

2.99%, 03/19/25 (Call 02/19/25)

    150       148,682  

Hess Corp., 4.30%, 04/01/27 (Call 01/01/27)

    55       54,774  

Marathon Petroleum Corp., 4.70%, 05/01/25 (Call 04/01/25)

    100       101,486  

Matador Resources Co., 5.88%, 09/15/26 (Call 05/16/22)

    80       78,498  

Murphy Oil Corp.
5.75%, 08/15/25 (Call 05/31/22)

    25       25,075  

5.88%, 12/01/27 (Call 12/01/22)

    15       14,865  

Northern Oil and Gas Inc., 8.13%, 03/01/28 (Call 03/01/24)(b)

      295       295,189  

Occidental Petroleum Corp.
3.40%, 04/15/26 (Call 01/15/26)

    75       71,408  

6.13%, 01/01/31 (Call 07/01/30)

    150       157,882  

6.45%, 09/15/36

    50       54,219  

8.50%, 07/15/27 (Call 01/15/27)

    65       73,330  

8.88%, 07/15/30 (Call 01/15/30)

    70       84,088  

PDC Energy Inc., 5.75%, 05/15/26 (Call 05/31/22)(a)

    300       292,029  

Shell International Finance BV, 2.75%, 04/06/30 (Call 01/06/30)

    30       27,568  

SM Energy Co., 10.00%, 01/15/25 (Call 06/17/22)(b)

    38       41,146  

Sunoco LP/Sunoco Finance Corp.
4.50%, 05/15/29 (Call 05/15/24)

    100       90,104  

6.00%, 04/15/27 (Call 05/31/22)

    350       352,831  

Talos Production Inc., 12.00%, 01/15/26 (Call 01/15/23)

    185       199,138  
   

 

 

 
          3,877,434  
Oil & Gas Services — 0.4%            

Baker Hughes Holdings LLC/Baker Hughes Co-Obligor Inc.
2.06%, 12/15/26 (Call 11/15/26)

    100       92,697  

3.14%, 11/07/29 (Call 08/07/29)

    60       55,486  

USA Compression Partners LP/USA Compression Finance Corp.
6.88%, 04/01/26 (Call 05/31/22)

    55       53,992  

6.88%, 09/01/27 (Call 09/01/22)

    210       205,575  
   

 

 

 
      407,750  
Packaging & Containers — 0.3%            

Ardagh Packaging Finance PLC/Ardagh Holdings USA Inc.,
5.25%, 08/15/27 (Call 08/15/22)(b)

    200       171,424  

Berry Global Inc., 4.88%, 07/15/26 (Call 07/15/22)(b)

    100       99,460  

Sealed Air Corp., 5.50%, 09/15/25 (Call 06/15/25)(a)(b)

    50       51,411  
   

 

 

 
      322,295  
Pharmaceuticals — 1.8%            

AbbVie Inc.
3.20%, 11/21/29 (Call 08/21/29)

    60       55,933  

3.80%, 03/15/25 (Call 12/15/24)

    400       400,580  

AmerisourceBergen Corp.
3.25%, 03/01/25 (Call 12/01/24)

    100       98,791  

3.45%, 12/15/27 (Call 09/15/27)

    168       163,555  

Bausch Health Americas Inc., 8.50%, 01/31/27 (Call 07/31/22)(a)(b)

    150       142,014  

Bausch Health Companies Inc., 6.13%, 04/15/25 (Call 05/16/22)(b)

    41       41,108  

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.
0.75%, 11/13/25 (Call 10/13/25)

    100       91,217  

1.45%, 11/13/30 (Call 08/13/30)

    80       65,554  

CVS Health Corp.
1.30%, 08/21/27 (Call 06/21/27)

    90       78,806  

3.00%, 08/15/26 (Call 06/15/26)

    150       145,039  

Horizon Therapeutics USA Inc., 5.50%, 08/01/27 (Call 08/01/22)(a)(b)

    200       199,898  

 

 

10  

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


Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued)

April 30, 2022

  

iShares® U.S. Fixed Income Balanced Risk Factor ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security  

Par

(000)

    Value  

Pharmaceuticals (continued)

   

McKesson Corp., 0.90%, 12/03/25 (Call 11/03/25)

  $ 55     $ 49,833  

Merck & Co. Inc., 0.75%, 02/24/26 (Call 01/24/26)(a)

      120       109,219  

Zoetis Inc., 2.00%, 05/15/30 (Call 02/15/30)(a)

    110       94,706  
   

 

 

 
          1,736,253  

Pipelines — 3.8%

   

Cheniere Corpus Christi Holdings LLC
3.70%, 11/15/29 (Call 05/18/29)

    50       47,060  

5.13%, 06/30/27 (Call 01/01/27)

    80       82,318  

Cheniere Energy Inc., 4.63%, 10/15/28 (Call 10/15/23)(a)

    250       242,960  

Cheniere Energy Partners LP, 4.50%, 10/01/29
(Call 10/01/24)

    50       47,889  

Crestwood Midstream Partners LP/Crestwood Midstream Finance Corp.
5.63%, 05/01/27 (Call 05/16/22)(a)(b)

    100       97,287  

5.75%, 04/01/25 (Call 05/31/22)

    100       98,751  

6.00%, 02/01/29 (Call 02/01/24)(b)

    100       97,366  

Enbridge Inc., 0.55%, 10/04/23

    25       24,090  

Energy Transfer LP
3.75%, 05/15/30 (Call 02/15/30)

    40       36,923  

5.88%, 01/15/24 (Call 10/15/23)

    140       144,243  

Global Partners LP/GLP Finance Corp.
6.88%, 01/15/29 (Call 01/15/24)

    150       145,269  

7.00%, 08/01/27 (Call 08/01/22)

    250       245,360  

Hess Midstream Operations LP, 5.13%, 06/15/28
(Call 06/15/23)(b)

    50       48,524  

MPLX LP
1.75%, 03/01/26 (Call 02/01/26)

    200       182,528  

2.65%, 08/15/30 (Call 05/15/30)

    330       283,846  

4.88%, 12/01/24 (Call 09/01/24)

    185       188,695  

New Fortress Energy Inc., 6.50%, 09/30/26 (Call 03/31/23)(b)

    175       169,253  

ONEOK Inc.
2.75%, 09/01/24 (Call 08/01/24)

    190       185,144  

6.35%, 01/15/31 (Call 10/15/30)

    135       147,402  

7.50%, 09/01/23 (Call 06/01/23)(a)

    210       219,217  

Sabine Pass Liquefaction LLC, 5.75%, 05/15/24
(Call 02/15/24)

    140       144,803  

Targa Resources Corp., 4.20%, 02/01/33 (Call 11/01/32)

    30       28,408  

Targa Resources Partners LP/Targa Resources Partners Finance Corp.
4.00%, 01/15/32 (Call 07/15/26)

    50       45,431  

4.88%, 02/01/31 (Call 02/01/26)

    50       48,070  

6.50%, 07/15/27 (Call 07/15/22)(a)

    13       13,420  

6.88%, 01/15/29 (Call 01/15/24)

    121       127,426  

Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Co. LLC, 3.25%, 05/15/30
(Call 02/15/30)

    145       133,455  

Western Midstream Operating LP, 4.55%, 02/01/30
(Call 11/01/29)

    220       202,686  

Williams Companies Inc. (The), 2.60%, 03/15/31
(Call 12/15/30)

    150       129,437  
   

 

 

 
      3,607,261  

Real Estate — 0.6%

   

CBRE Services Inc., 2.50%, 04/01/31 (Call 01/01/31)

    90       76,211  

Five Point Operating Co. LP/Five Point Capital Corp., 7.88%, 11/15/25 (Call 05/31/22)(b)

    225       223,706  

Howard Hughes Corp. (The), 5.38%, 08/01/28
(Call 08/01/23)(b)

    300       291,045  
   

 

 

 
      590,962  
Security  

Par

(000)

    Value  

Real Estate Investment Trusts — 4.4%

   

American Tower Corp.
0.60%, 01/15/24

  $   300     $ 286,332  

1.45%, 09/15/26 (Call 08/15/26)

    60       53,534  

3.00%, 06/15/23

    50       49,945  

3.38%, 05/15/24 (Call 04/15/24)

    50       49,752  

3.65%, 03/15/27 (Call 02/15/27)

    70       67,537  

4.00%, 06/01/25 (Call 03/01/25)

    146       145,914  

Brixmor Operating Partnership LP
2.25%, 04/01/28 (Call 02/01/28)

    50       43,874  

4.05%, 07/01/30 (Call 04/01/30)(a)

    15       14,183  

Camden Property Trust, 2.80%, 05/15/30 (Call 02/15/30)

    20       18,147  

Crown Castle International Corp.
1.35%, 07/15/25 (Call 06/15/25)

    450       414,887  

2.50%, 07/15/31 (Call 04/15/31)

    40       33,473  

Equinix Inc., 2.63%, 11/18/24 (Call 10/18/24)

    135       131,351  

Essex Portfolio LP, 1.70%, 03/01/28 (Call 01/01/28)

    50       43,830  

Extra Space Storage LP Co., 3.90%, 04/01/29
(Call 02/01/29)

    200       192,186  

GLP Capital LP/GLP Financing II Inc., 5.25%, 06/01/25
(Call 03/01/25)

    175       178,010  

Invitation Homes Operating Partnership LP, 2.30%, 11/15/28
(Call 09/15/28)

    20       17,422  

Iron Mountain Inc.
4.50%, 02/15/31 (Call 02/15/26)(b)

    185       159,322  

5.63%, 07/15/32 (Call 07/15/26)(b)

    415       379,273  

Life Storage LP, 2.40%, 10/15/31 (Call 07/15/31)

    100       82,657  

Mid-America Apartments LP, 1.10%, 09/15/26 (Call 08/15/26)

    110       98,200  

MPT Operating Partnership LP/MPT Finance Corp., 5.00%, 10/15/27 (Call 10/15/22)(a)

    185       177,500  

Office Properties Income Trust, 3.45%, 10/15/31
(Call 07/15/31)

    51       39,529  

Public Storage
1.95%, 11/09/28 (Call 09/09/28)

    215       190,638  

3.39%, 05/01/29 (Call 02/01/29)

    190       182,643  

Rayonier LP, 2.75%, 05/17/31 (Call 02/17/31)

    90       78,032  

Simon Property Group LP, 3.50%, 09/01/25 (Call 06/01/25)

    145       143,934  

Starwood Property Trust Inc., 4.75%, 03/15/25
(Call 09/15/24)

    200       197,482  

Uniti Group LP/Uniti Group Finance Inc./CSL Capital LLC, 6.50%, 02/15/29 (Call 02/15/24)(b)

    250       215,540  

VICI Properties LP, 4.38%, 05/15/25

    100       99,878  

VICI Properties LP/VICI Note Co. Inc.
3.75%, 02/15/27 (Call 02/15/23)(a)(b)

    20       18,446  

4.25%, 12/01/26 (Call 12/01/22)(a)(b)

    50       47,502  

5.63%, 05/01/24(b)

    50       50,394  

5.75%, 02/01/27(b)

    80       80,002  

Welltower Inc., 2.05%, 01/15/29 (Call 11/15/28)

    40       34,774  

Weyerhaeuser Co., 7.38%, 03/15/32

    20       24,015  

XHR LP, 6.38%, 08/15/25 (Call 08/15/22)(a)(b)

    200       202,652  
   

 

 

 
          4,242,790  

Retail — 1.8%

   

1011778 BC ULC/New Red Finance Inc.
3.88%, 01/15/28 (Call 09/15/22)(b)

    35       32,200  

4.00%, 10/15/30 (Call 10/15/25)(b)

    253       216,414  

Bath & Body Works Inc.
7.50%, 06/15/29 (Call 06/15/24)(a)

    75       77,474  

9.38%, 07/01/25(b)

    116       130,536  

Costco Wholesale Corp., 1.60%, 04/20/30 (Call 01/20/30)

    80       68,026  

FirstCash Inc., 5.63%, 01/01/30 (Call 01/01/25)(b)

    300       279,096  

Genuine Parts Co., 1.75%, 02/01/25 (Call 02/01/23)

    355       337,413  

 

 

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

  11


Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued)

April 30, 2022

  

iShares® U.S. Fixed Income Balanced Risk Factor ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Par
(000)
    Value  

Retail (continued)

   

Home Depot Inc. (The), 2.70%, 04/15/25 (Call 03/15/25)

  $   100     $ 98,756  

KFC Holding Co./Pizza Hut Holdings LLC/Taco Bell of America LLC, 4.75%, 06/01/27 (Call 06/01/22)(b)

    107       106,748  

Lowe’s Companies Inc., 3.35%, 04/01/27 (Call 03/01/27)

    30       29,289  

McDonald’s Corp., 1.45%, 09/01/25 (Call 08/01/25)

    100       93,765  

Murphy Oil USA Inc., 4.75%, 09/15/29 (Call 09/15/24)

    100       95,187  

Yum! Brands Inc., 4.75%, 01/15/30 (Call 10/15/29)(b)

    210       199,626  
   

 

 

 
          1,764,530  

Semiconductors — 0.9%

   

Analog Devices Inc., 1.70%, 10/01/28 (Call 08/01/28)

    40       35,079  

Broadcom Inc.
3.15%, 11/15/25 (Call 10/15/25)

    350       341,166  

3.46%, 09/15/26 (Call 07/15/26)

    110       107,127  

4.00%, 04/15/29 (Call 02/15/29)(b)

    95       90,674  

4.15%, 04/15/32 (Call 01/15/32)(b)

    100       92,808  

Qorvo Inc., 1.75%, 12/15/24 (Call 12/15/22)(b)

    20       18,861  

Skyworks Solutions Inc., 0.90%, 06/01/23 (Call 06/01/22)

    100       97,550  

Texas Instruments Inc., 1.90%, 09/15/31 (Call 06/15/31)

    65       55,542  
   

 

 

 
      838,807  

Software — 0.8%

   

CDK Global Inc., 5.25%, 05/15/29 (Call 05/15/24)(b)

    10       10,075  

MSCI Inc.
3.25%, 08/15/33 (Call 08/15/27)(a)(b)

    55       46,444  

3.63%, 09/01/30 (Call 03/01/25)(a)(b)

    40       35,373  

3.63%, 11/01/31 (Call 11/01/26)(b)

    200       175,836  

4.00%, 11/15/29 (Call 11/15/24)(b)

    100       92,038  

Oracle Corp., 1.65%, 03/25/26 (Call 02/25/26)

    180       162,832  

Roper Technologies Inc., 3.85%, 12/15/25 (Call 09/15/25)

    35       35,121  

SS&C Technologies Inc., 5.50%, 09/30/27 (Call 05/31/22)(b)

    80       78,488  

Take-Two Interactive Software Inc., 3.30%, 03/28/24

    50       49,730  

VMware Inc., 4.50%, 05/15/25 (Call 04/15/25)

    30       30,417  

Ziff Davis Inc., 4.63%, 10/15/30 (Call 10/15/25)(b)

    87       77,703  
   

 

 

 
      794,057  

Telecommunications — 2.5%

   

America Movil SAB de CV, 2.88%, 05/07/30 (Call 02/07/30)

    200       179,674  

AT&T Inc.
0.90%, 03/25/24 (Call 05/10/22)

    200       192,316  

4.30%, 02/15/30 (Call 11/15/29)

    30       30,117  

Embarq Corp., 8.00%, 06/01/36

    50       45,022  

Hughes Satellite Systems Corp., 6.63%, 08/01/26(a)

    50       50,052  

Lumen Technologies Inc.
5.13%, 12/15/26 (Call 12/15/22)(a)(b)

    65       58,898  

5.38%, 06/15/29 (Call 06/15/24)(b)

    300       244,866  

5.63%, 04/01/25 (Call 01/01/25)

    100       97,465  

Motorola Solutions Inc.
2.75%, 05/24/31 (Call 02/24/31)

    160       134,341  

4.60%, 02/23/28 (Call 11/23/27)

    99       98,639  

Rogers Communications Inc.
2.95%, 03/15/25 (Call 03/15/23)(b)

    100       97,613  

3.20%, 03/15/27 (Call 02/15/27)(b)

    55       52,445  

3.80%, 03/15/32 (Call 12/15/31)(b)

    50       46,120  

Sprint Capital Corp., 8.75%, 03/15/32

    290       368,587  

Sprint Corp.
7.63%, 02/15/25 (Call 11/15/24)

    75       79,858  

7.63%, 03/01/26 (Call 11/01/25)

    50       54,432  

T-Mobile USA Inc., 3.50%, 04/15/25 (Call 03/15/25)

    100       98,780  

Verizon Communications Inc.
1.75%, 01/20/31 (Call 10/20/30)

    50       40,739  

3.00%, 03/22/27 (Call 01/22/27)

    55       52,655  
Security   Par
(000)
    Value  

Telecommunications (continued)

   

ViaSat Inc.
5.63%, 09/15/25 (Call 05/10/22)(b)

  $   100     $ 92,908  

5.63%, 04/15/27 (Call 05/10/22)(b)

    100       92,849  

Vmed O2 UK Financing I PLC, 4.75%, 07/15/31
(Call 07/15/26)(b)

    200       172,554  
   

 

 

 
      2,380,930  

Toys, Games & Hobbies — 0.1%

   

Hasbro Inc., 3.00%, 11/19/24 (Call 10/19/24)

    50       49,413  
   

 

 

 

Transportation — 0.7%

   

Altera Infrastructure LP/Teekay Offshore Finance Corp., 8.50%, 07/15/23 (Call 05/16/22)(b)

    100       55,000  

United Parcel Service Inc.
3.90%, 04/01/25 (Call 03/01/25)

    300       303,774  

4.45%, 04/01/30 (Call 01/01/30)

    220       228,571  

Walmart Inc., 1.50%, 09/22/28 (Call 07/22/28)

    75       66,338  
   

 

 

 
      653,683  
   

 

 

 

Total Corporate Bonds & Notes — 62.2%

    (Cost: $62,704,468)

          60,004,564  
   

 

 

 

U.S. Government & Agency Obligations

   

Mortgage-Backed Securities — 65.5%

   

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp.
2.50%, 01/01/33

    43       42,223  

3.00%, 03/01/46

    241       230,756  

3.00%, 07/01/46

    20       19,607  

3.00%, 08/01/46

    117       112,432  

3.00%, 10/01/46

    35       33,539  

3.00%, 12/01/46

    326       312,441  

3.00%, 01/01/47

    67       64,279  

3.00%, 06/01/47

    182       174,158  

3.00%, 10/01/47

    50       48,294  

3.50%, 07/01/33

    14       13,563  

3.50%, 06/01/34

    32       32,569  

3.50%, 07/01/43

    11       10,413  

3.50%, 09/01/44

    9       9,077  

3.50%, 01/01/46

    7       7,359  

3.50%, 03/01/46

    7       6,757  

3.50%, 09/01/46

    6       5,593  

3.50%, 08/01/47

    6       5,450  

3.50%, 05/01/49

    25       24,341  

3.50%, 06/01/49

    28       27,549  

4.00%, 04/01/46

    84       85,495  

4.00%, 07/01/46

    31       31,737  

4.00%, 06/01/48

    33       33,751  

4.00%, 01/01/49

    0       99  

4.50%, 07/01/48

    8       8,369  

5.00%, 07/01/48

    7       7,406  

5.00%, 04/01/49

    6       5,941  

Federal National Mortgage Association
1.50%, 01/01/51

    497       420,072  

2.50%, 03/01/52

    984       898,224  

3.50%, 11/01/51

    844       836,852  

4.00%, 01/01/57

    61       61,696  

4.00%, 02/01/57

    61       62,323  

Government National Mortgage Association
2.00%, 09/20/50

    786       716,928  

2.00%, 02/20/51

    957       871,801  

 

 

12  

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


Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued)

April 30, 2022

  

iShares® U.S. Fixed Income Balanced Risk Factor ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security  

Par

(000)

    Value  

Mortgage-Backed Securities (continued)

   

2.00%, 06/20/51

  $ 960     $ 872,678  

2.00%, 05/19/52(d)

      1,350           1,224,545  

2.50%, 12/20/46

    101       94,447  

2.50%, 06/20/50

    960       896,967  

2.50%, 08/20/50

    288       269,160  

2.50%, 09/20/50

    434       405,253  

2.50%, 05/19/52(d)

    2,365       2,194,354  

3.00%, 01/15/44

    26       25,527  

3.00%, 05/20/45

    133       128,989  

3.00%, 11/20/45

    1,126       1,093,897  

3.00%, 12/20/45

    12       11,184  

3.00%, 01/20/46

    6       5,957  

3.00%, 03/20/46

    8       7,596  

3.00%, 04/20/46

    74       71,803  

3.00%, 05/20/46

    7       7,111  

3.00%, 08/20/46

    31       30,389  

3.00%, 09/20/46

    71       68,613  

3.00%, 12/15/46

    69       66,548  

3.00%, 02/15/47

    242       234,472  

3.00%, 04/20/49

    618       596,880  

3.00%, 01/20/50

    154       147,699  

3.00%, 02/20/50

    84       80,388  

3.00%, 07/20/50

    1,417       1,359,914  

3.50%, 10/20/42

    92       91,339  

3.50%, 03/15/43

    68       68,280  

3.50%, 06/15/43

    57       57,781  

3.50%, 04/20/45

    28       27,883  

3.50%, 04/20/46

    43       42,767  

3.50%, 12/20/46

    52       51,322  

3.50%, 03/20/47

    86       85,204  

3.50%, 08/20/47

    94       93,435  

3.50%, 09/20/47

    83       81,786  

3.50%, 11/20/47

    75       74,005  

3.50%, 02/20/48

    51       50,281  

3.50%, 04/20/48

    558       552,171  

3.50%, 08/20/48

    75       73,989  

3.50%, 01/20/49

    34       33,413  

4.00%, 09/20/45

    14       14,259  

4.00%, 09/20/46

    5       4,971  

4.00%, 04/20/47

    39       39,199  

4.00%, 06/20/47

    145       146,121  

4.00%, 07/20/47

    218       220,429  

4.00%, 11/20/47

    40       40,585  

4.00%, 05/15/48

    33       33,609  

4.00%, 05/20/48

    29       29,010  

4.00%, 08/20/48

    33       32,784  

4.00%, 02/20/50

    64       64,549  

4.00%, 05/20/51

    196       197,416  

4.00%, 05/19/52(d)

    131       131,189  

4.50%, 10/20/46

    6       6,764  

4.50%, 06/20/48

    24       24,709  

4.50%, 07/20/48

    18       18,596  

4.50%, 08/20/48

    34       34,378  

4.50%, 10/20/48

    51       52,626  

4.50%, 05/20/51

    200       206,297  

5.00%, 11/20/48

    18       19,418  

5.00%, 12/20/48

    34       35,890  

5.00%, 01/20/49

    32       34,131  

5.00%, 05/20/49

    4       4,271  

5.00%, 05/19/52(d)

    460       474,878  
Security  

Par

(000)

    Value  

Mortgage-Backed Securities (continued)

   

Uniform Mortgage-Backed Securities
1.50%, 05/17/37(d)

  $   2,775     $     2,537,841  

1.50%, 05/01/51

    980       828,682  

1.50%, 05/12/52(d)

    875       737,803  

1.50%, 06/13/52

    200       168,280  

2.00%, 12/01/35

    85       79,506  

2.00%, 02/01/36

    803       755,726  

2.00%, 05/17/37(d)

    3,385       3,171,475  

2.00%, 09/01/50

    256       227,333  

2.00%, 12/01/50

    397       351,336  

2.00%, 01/01/51

    541       479,910  

2.00%, 02/01/51

    333       294,750  

2.00%, 03/01/51

    992       877,427  

2.00%, 04/01/51

    206       182,177  

2.00%, 11/01/51

    403       355,758  

2.00%, 02/01/52

    993       876,840  

2.00%, 03/01/52

    996       878,768  

2.00%, 05/12/52(d)

    4,982       4,394,764  

2.00%, 06/13/52(d)

    1,000       880,422  

2.50%, 04/01/32

    323       314,110  

2.50%, 10/01/32

    11       10,246  

2.50%, 01/01/33

    246       242,007  

2.50%, 07/01/35

    406       390,236  

2.50%, 05/17/37(d)

    322       308,101  

2.50%, 04/01/47

    48       44,411  

2.50%, 06/01/50

    113       103,476  

2.50%, 07/01/50

    178       163,298  

2.50%, 08/01/50

    58       53,572  

2.50%, 09/01/50

    660       606,256  

2.50%, 10/01/50

    1,202       1,101,956  

2.50%, 11/01/50

    1,738       1,593,912  

2.50%, 01/01/51

    222       203,300  

2.50%, 02/01/51

    81       74,364  

2.50%, 11/01/51

    32       29,396  

2.50%, 12/01/51

    582       531,123  

2.50%, 01/01/52

    123       112,085  

2.50%, 03/01/52

    997       910,308  

2.50%, 05/12/52(d)

    1,662       1,516,110  

2.50%, 06/13/52(d)

    1,300       1,183,470  

3.00%, 01/01/31

    155       153,662  

3.00%, 02/01/31

    292       290,683  

3.00%, 02/01/32

    65       64,038  

3.00%, 02/01/33

    54       53,429  

3.00%, 07/01/34

    22       21,715  

3.00%, 09/01/34

    249       245,032  

3.00%, 12/01/34

    237       234,015  

3.00%, 05/17/37(d)

    380       372,445  

3.00%, 10/01/44

    273       263,266  

3.00%, 07/01/46

    527       505,958  

3.00%, 10/01/46

    338       323,782  

3.00%, 11/01/46

    438       420,872  

3.00%, 12/01/46

    272       260,104  

3.00%, 12/01/47

    85       81,517  

3.00%, 11/01/48

    131       125,711  

3.00%, 09/01/49

    309       293,526  

3.00%, 04/01/50

    257       244,545  

3.00%, 07/01/50

    187       177,158  

3.00%, 08/01/50

    238       225,307  

3.50%, 03/01/33

    57       57,415  

3.50%, 04/01/33

    66       66,235  

 

 

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

  13


Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued)

April 30, 2022

  

iShares® U.S. Fixed Income Balanced Risk Factor ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security  

    

Par

(000)

    Value  

Mortgage-Backed Securities (continued)

   

3.50%, 05/01/33

  $ 32     $ 32,042  

3.50%, 07/01/34

    69       69,679  

3.50%, 08/01/34

    47       47,368  

3.50%, 05/17/37(d)

    267       267,120  

3.50%, 11/01/45

    27       26,250  

3.50%, 01/01/46

    39       38,468  

3.50%, 02/01/46

    91       89,904  

3.50%, 07/01/46

    19       18,575  

3.50%, 01/01/47

    32       31,148  

3.50%, 02/01/47

    42       41,466  

3.50%, 08/01/47

    43       42,308  

3.50%, 09/01/47

    65       63,262  

3.50%, 04/01/48

    38       37,044  

3.50%, 05/01/48

    55       54,087  

3.50%, 11/01/48

    26       25,531  

3.50%, 01/01/49

    95       92,986  

3.50%, 04/01/49

    24       23,508  

3.50%, 06/01/49

    170       166,779  

3.50%, 07/01/49

    136       132,916  

3.50%, 05/12/52(d)

      2,800           2,715,344  

3.50%, 06/13/52(d)

    925       894,726  

4.00%, 06/01/33

    27       27,868  

4.00%, 07/01/33

    11       11,246  

4.00%, 12/01/33

    50       50,795  

4.00%, 05/17/37

    80       81,322  

4.00%, 03/01/45

    16       16,685  

4.00%, 01/01/46

    22       22,299  

4.00%, 02/01/46

    15       14,708  

4.00%, 03/01/46

    6       6,300  

4.00%, 04/01/46

    23       22,852  

4.00%, 02/01/47

    12       12,221  

4.00%, 03/01/47

    16       16,264  

4.00%, 06/01/47

    6       6,238  

4.00%, 09/01/47

    27       27,294  

4.00%, 11/01/47

    7       7,396  

4.00%, 06/01/48

    971       978,968  

4.00%, 05/01/49

    81       81,954  

4.00%, 07/01/49

    32       32,117  

4.00%, 12/01/49

    31       31,131  

4.00%, 04/01/50

    534       532,823  

4.00%, 05/01/50

    60       60,143  

4.00%, 05/12/52(d)

    1,828       1,817,575  

4.00%, 06/13/52(d)

    425       421,198  

4.50%, 10/01/47

    6       6,166  

4.50%, 03/01/48

    21       21,134  

4.50%, 06/01/48

    32       33,197  

4.50%, 07/01/48

    3       3,565  

4.50%, 08/01/48

    53       54,264  

4.50%, 10/01/48

    26       26,313  

4.50%, 12/01/48

    36       36,693  

4.50%, 01/01/49

    47       47,816  

4.50%, 04/01/49

    150       153,740  

4.50%, 05/12/52(d)

    2,033       2,066,751  

5.00%, 08/01/48

    232       241,907  

5.00%, 09/01/48

    11       10,979  

5.00%, 04/01/49

    14       14,808  

5.00%, 05/13/51(d)

    217       224,429  
Security  

Par/

Shares

(000)

    Value  

Mortgage-Backed Securities (continued)

   

5.50%, 05/12/52

  $ 525     $ 547,559  

6.00%, 02/01/49

    68       74,031  
   

 

 

 
      63,169,410  

U.S. Government Obligations — 0.5%

   

U.S. Treasury Note/Bond
2.25%, 02/15/52

    300       257,578  

2.75%, 11/15/47

    300       280,312  
   

 

 

 
      537,890  
   

 

 

 

Total U.S. Government & Agency Obligations — 66.0%

   

    (Cost: $67,126,202)

      63,707,300  
   

 

 

 

Short-Term Investments

   

Money Market Funds — 7.4%

   

BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional, SL Agency Shares, 0.38%(e)(f)(g)

    6,981       6,981,057  

BlackRock Cash Funds: Treasury, SL Agency Shares,
0.34%(e)(f)

    100       100,000  
   

 

 

 
      7,081,057  
   

 

 

 

Total Short-Term Investments — 7.4%

   

    (Cost: $7,079,292)

      7,081,057  
   

 

 

 

Total Investments Before TBA Sales Commitments — 135.6%

 

    (Cost: $136,909,962)

      130,792,921  
   

 

 

 

TBA Sales Commitments(d)

   

Mortgage-Backed Securities — (2.7)%

   

Uniform Mortgage-Backed Securities
1.50%, 05/12/52

    (200     (168,641

2.00%, 05/12/52

      (1,000     (882,070

2.50%, 05/12/52

    (300     (273,666

3.50%, 05/12/52

    (925     (897,033

4.00%, 05/12/52

    (425     (422,576
   

 

 

 
      (2,643,986
   

 

 

 

Total TBA Sales Commitments — (2.7)%

   

    (Proceeds: $(2,657,183))

      (2,643,986
   

 

 

 

Total Investments, Net of TBA Sales Commitments — 132.9%

 

    (Cost: $134,252,779)

      128,148,935  

Other Assets, Less Liabilities — (32.9)%

          (31,678,133
   

 

 

 

Net Assets — 100.0%

    $ 96,470,802  
   

 

 

 

 

(a) 

All or a portion of this security is on loan.

(b) 

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

(c) 

Variable rate security. Interest rate resets periodically. The rate shown is the effective interest rate as of period end. Security description also includes the reference rate and spread if published and available.

(d) 

Represents or includes a TBA transaction.

(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.

 

 

14  

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


Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued)

April 30, 2022

  

iShares® U.S. Fixed Income Balanced Risk Factor ETF

 

Affiliates

Investments in issuers considered to be affiliate(s) of the Fund during the six months ended April 30, 2022 for purposes of Section 2(a)(3) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, were as follows:

 

Affiliated Issuer    Value at
10/31/21
    

Purchases

at Cost

   

Proceeds

from Sales

    Net Realized
Gain (Loss)
    Change in
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
    Value at
04/30/22
     Shares
Held at
04/30/22
(000)
     Income     Capital Gain
Distributions from
Underlying  Funds
 

BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional, SL Agency Shares

   $ 13,921,087      $ 2,205,581 (a)    $ (9,135,715   $ (9,462   $ (434   $ 6,981,057        6,981      $ 11,113 (b)    $  

BlackRock Cash Funds: Treasury, SL Agency Shares

     100,000        0 (a)                         100,000        100        44        
         

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

 
          $ (9,462   $ (434   $ 7,081,057         $ 11,157     $  
         

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Represents net amount purchased (sold).

(b) 

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

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts

 

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

Long Contracts

           

10-Year U.S. Treasury Note

     5        06/21/22      $ 595      $ (33

U.S. Long Bond

     7        06/21/22        984        (67,604

U.S. Ultra Bond

     3        06/21/22        479        (52,495
           

 

 

 
              (120,132
           

 

 

 

Short Contracts

           

U.S. 5 Year Treasury Note

     (16      06/30/22        (1,801      83,780  
           

 

 

 
            $ (36,352
           

 

 

 

Derivative Financial Instruments Categorized by Risk Exposure

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

 

      Interest
Rate
Contracts
 

Assets — Derivative Financial Instruments

  

Futures contracts

  

Unrealized appreciation on futures contracts(a)

   $ 83,780  
  

 

 

 

Liabilities — Derivative Financial Instruments

  

Futures contracts

  

Unrealized depreciation on futures contracts(a)

   $ 120,132  
  

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

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

 

For the period ended April 30, 2022, the effect of derivative financial instruments in the Statement of Operations was as follows:

 

      Interest
Rate
Contracts
 

Net Realized Gain (Loss) from:

  

Futures contracts

   $ (1,969,374
  

 

 

 

Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) on:

  

Futures contracts

   $ (57,980
  

 

 

 

 

 

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

  15


Schedule of Investments (unaudited) (continued)

April 30, 2022

  

iShares® U.S. Fixed Income Balanced Risk Factor ETF

 

Average Quarterly Balances of Outstanding Derivative Financial Instruments

 

Futures contracts:

        

Average notional value of contracts — long

   $ 9,974,995  

Average notional value of contracts — short

   $ 5,036,062  

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

Fair Value Hierarchy as of Period End

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

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

 

 

 
     Level 1        Level 2        Level 3        Total  

 

 

Investments

                 

Assets

                 

Corporate Bonds & Notes

   $        $ 60,004,564        $        $ 60,004,564  

U.S. Government & Agency Obligations

              63,707,300                   63,707,300  

Money Market Funds

     7,081,057                            7,081,057  
  

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 
     7,081,057          123,711,864                   130,792,921  
  

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Liabilities

                 

TBA Sales Commitments

              (2,643,986                 (2,643,986
  

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 
   $ 7,081,057        $ 121,067,878        $        $ 128,148,935  
  

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Derivative financial instruments(a)

                 

Assets

                 

Futures Contracts

   $ 83,780        $        $        $ 83,780  

Liabilities

                 

Futures Contracts

     (120,132                          (120,132
  

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 
   $ (36,352      $        $             —        $ (36,352
  

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

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

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

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Statement of Assets and Liabilities (unaudited)

April 30, 2022

 

    iShares
U.S. Fixed
Income
Balanced Risk
Factor ETF
 

 

 

ASSETS

 

Investments in securities, at value (including securities on loan)(a):

 

Unaffiliated(b)

  $ 123,711,864  

Affiliated(c)

    7,081,057  

Cash pledged:

 

Futures contracts

    424,000  

Receivables:

 

Investments sold

    19,649,449  

Securities lending income — Affiliated

    1,669  

TBA sales commitments

    2,657,183  

Dividends

    219  

Interest

    701,695  
 

 

 

 

Total assets

    154,227,136  
 

 

 

 

LIABILITIES

 

Bank overdraft

    18,601  

Collateral on securities loaned, at value

    5,361,979  

TBA sales commitments, at value(d)

    2,643,986  

Payables:

 

Investments purchased

    49,619,132  

Variation margin on futures contracts

    92,451  

Investment advisory fees

    20,185  
 

 

 

 

Total liabilities

    57,756,334  
 

 

 

 

NET ASSETS

  $ 96,470,802  
 

 

 

 

NET ASSETS CONSIST OF:

 

Paid-in capital

  $ 110,941,180  

Accumulated loss

    (14,470,378
 

 

 

 

NET ASSETS

  $ 96,470,802  
 

 

 

 

Shares outstanding

    1,100,000  
 

 

 

 

Net asset value

  $ 87.70  
 

 

 

 

Shares authorized

    Unlimited  
 

 

 

 

Par value

    None  
 

 

 

 

(a) Securities loaned, at value

  $ 5,122,232  

(b) Investments, at cost — Unaffiliated

  $ 129,830,670  

(c) Investments, at cost — Affiliated

  $ 7,079,292  

(d) Proceeds from TBA sales commitments

  $ 2,657,183  

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

I N A N C I A L   S T A T E M E N T S

  17


 

Statement of Operations (unaudited)

Six Months Ended April 30, 2022

 

    iShares
U.S. Fixed
Income
Balanced Risk
Factor ETF
 

 

 

INVESTMENT INCOME

 

Dividends — Affiliated

  $ 5,510  

Interest — Unaffiliated

    1,218,913  

Securities lending income — Affiliated — net

    5,647  

Other income — Unaffiliated

    700  
 

 

 

 

Total investment income

    1,230,770  
 

 

 

 

EXPENSES

 

Investment advisory fees

    135,153  

Professional fees

    217  
 

 

 

 

Total expenses

    135,370  

Less:

 

Investment advisory fees waived

    (4,325
 

 

 

 

Total expenses after fees waived

    131,045  
 

 

 

 

Net investment income

    1,099,725  
 

 

 

 

REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS)

 

Net realized gain (loss) from:

 

Investments — Unaffiliated

    (4,469,695

Investments — Affiliated

    (9,462

In-kind redemptions — Unaffiliated

    (2,694

Futures contracts

    (1,969,374
 

 

 

 

Net realized loss

    (6,451,225
 

 

 

 

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on:

 

Investments — Unaffiliated

    (7,401,103

Investments — Affiliated

    (434

Futures contracts

    (57,980
 

 

 

 

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

    (7,459,517
 

 

 

 

Net realized and unrealized loss

    (13,910,742
 

 

 

 

NET DECREASE IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS

  $ (12,811,017
 

 

 

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

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Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

    iShares
U.S. Fixed Income Balanced Risk
Factor ETF
 
    Six Months
Ended
04/30/22
(unaudited)
     Year Ended
10/31/21
 

 

 

INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS

    

OPERATIONS

    

Net investment income

  $ 1,099,725      $ 2,153,472  

Net realized gain (loss)

    (6,451,225      295,619  

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

    (7,459,517      (1,664,661
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    (12,811,017      784,430  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS(a)

    

Decrease in net assets resulting from distributions to shareholders

    (958,595      (2,338,575
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS

    

Net decrease in net assets derived from capital share transactions

    (4,758,153      (15,239,332
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

NET ASSETS

    

Total decrease in net assets

    (18,527,765      (16,793,477

Beginning of period

    114,998,567        131,792,044  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

End of period

  $ 96,470,802      $ 114,998,567  
 

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(a)

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

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

I N A N C I A L   S T A T E M E N T S

  19


Financial Highlights

(For a share outstanding throughout each period)

 

   

iShares U.S. Fixed Income Balanced Risk Factor ETF

 

Six Months Ended
04/30/22

(unaudited)

 

 

 


 

Year Ended
10/31/21


 

 


 

Year Ended
10/31/20


 

 


 

Year Ended
10/31/19


 

 


 

Year Ended
10/31/18


 

 


 

Year Ended
10/31/17


 

 

 

Net asset value, beginning of period

               $ 100.00       $ 101.38        $ 101.55        $ 95.83        $ 100.57        $ 100.60  
   

 

 

     

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Net investment income(a)

      0.97         1.81          2.67          3.51          3.15          2.66  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)(b)

      (12.43       (1.22        0.11          5.73          (4.88        0.09  
   

 

 

     

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) from investment operations

      (11.46       0.59          2.78          9.24          (1.73        2.75  
   

 

 

     

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Distributions(c)

                           

From net investment income

      (0.84       (1.97        (2.87        (3.52        (3.01        (2.70

From net realized gain

                                                  (0.05

Return of capital

                       (0.08                          (0.03
   

 

 

     

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Total distributions

      (0.84       (1.97        (2.95        (3.52        (3.01        (2.78
   

 

 

     

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Net asset value, end of period

    $ 87.70       $ 100.00        $ 101.38        $ 101.55        $ 95.83        $ 100.57  
   

 

 

     

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Total Return(d)

                           

Based on net asset value

      (11.44 )%(e)        0.57        2.79        9.82        (1.73 )%         2.79
   

 

 

     

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Ratios to Average Net Assets(f)

                           

Total expenses

      0.25 %(g)        0.25        0.25        0.25        0.25        0.25
   

 

 

     

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Total expenses after fees waived

      0.24 %(g)        0.25        0.24        0.25        0.24        0.24
   

 

 

     

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Net investment income

      2.03 %(g)        1.79        2.65        3.55        3.22        2.66
   

 

 

     

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Supplemental Data

                           

Net assets, end of period (000)

    $ 96,471       $ 114,999        $ 131,792        $ 142,173        $ 110,203        $ 130,741  
   

 

 

     

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

Portfolio turnover rate(h)(i)

      299 %(e)         546        703        504        633        683
   

 

 

     

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

      

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Based on average shares outstanding.

(b) 

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

(c) 

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

(d) 

Where applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.

(e) 

Not annualized.

(f) 

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

(g) 

Annualized.

(h) 

Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions.

(i) 

Includes mortgage dollar roll transactions (“MDRs”).

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) 

 

1.

ORGANIZATION

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

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

 

iShares ETF   Diversification
Classification
 

U.S. Fixed Income Balanced Risk Factor

    Diversified  

 

2.

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

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

Investment Transactions and Income Recognition: For financial reporting purposes, investment transactions are recorded on the dates the transactions are executed (the “trade dates”). 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. Interest income, including amortization and accretion of premiums and discounts on debt securities, and payment-in-kind interest are recognized daily on an accrual basis.

Segregation and Collateralization: In cases where the Fund enters into certain investments (e.g., dollar rolls, TBA sale commitments and futures contracts) that would be treated as “senior securities” for 1940 Act purposes, the Fund may segregate or designate on its books and record cash or liquid assets having a market value at least equal to the amount of its future obligations under such investments. Doing so allows the investment to be excluded from treatment as a “senior security.” Furthermore, if required by an exchange or counterparty agreement, the Fund may be required to deliver/deposit cash and/or securities to/with an exchange, or broker-dealer or custodian as collateral for certain investments or obligations.

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

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

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

 

3.

INVESTMENT VALUATION AND FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

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

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

   

Fixed-income investments for which market quotations are readily available are generally valued using the last available bid price or current market quotations provided by independent dealers or third-party pricing services. Pricing services generally value fixed income securities assuming orderly transactions of an institutional round lot size, but a fund may hold or transact in such securities in smaller, odd lot sizes. Odd lots may trade at lower prices than institutional round lots. The pricing services may use matrix pricing or valuation models that utilize certain inputs and assumptions to derive values, including transaction data (e.g., recent representative bids and offers), market data, credit quality information, perceived market movements, news, and other relevant information. Certain fixed-income securities, including asset-backed and mortgage related securities may be valued based on valuation models that consider the estimated cash flows of each tranche

 

 

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

  21


Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

 

 

of the entity, establish a benchmark yield and develop an estimated tranche specific spread to the benchmark yield based on the unique attributes of the tranche. The amortized cost method of valuation may be used with respect to debt obligations with sixty days or less remaining to maturity unless the Manager determines such method does not represent fair value.

   

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.

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 Global Valuation Committee, in accordance with a policy approved by the Board as reflecting fair value (“Fair Valued Investments”). The fair valuation approaches that may be used by the Global Valuation Committee include market approach, income approach and cost approach. Valuation techniques such as discounted cash flow, use of market comparables and matrix pricing are types of valuation approaches and are typically used in determining fair value. When determining the price for Fair Valued Investments, the Global Valuation Committee, or its delegate, seeks to determine the price that the Fund might reasonably expect to receive or pay from the current sale or purchase of that asset or liability in an arm’s-length transaction. Fair value determinations shall be based upon all available factors that the Global Valuation Committee, or its delegate, deems relevant and consistent with the principles of fair value measurement. The pricing of all Fair Valued Investments is subsequently reported to the Board or a committee thereof on a quarterly basis.

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

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

   

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

   

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

   

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

The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised in determining fair value is greatest for instruments categorized in Level 3. The inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, for disclosure purposes, the fair value hierarchy classification is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. Investments classified within Level 3 have significant unobservable inputs used by the Global Valuation Committee in determining the price for Fair Valued Investments. Level 3 investments include equity or debt issued by privately held companies or funds 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

Asset-Backed and Mortgage-Backed Securities: Asset-backed securities are generally issued as pass-through certificates or as debt instruments. Asset-backed securities issued as pass-through certificates represent undivided fractional ownership interests in an underlying pool of assets. Asset-backed securities issued as debt instruments, which are also known as collateralized obligations, are typically issued as the debt of a special purpose entity organized solely for the purpose of owning such assets and issuing such debt. Asset-backed securities are often backed by a pool of assets representing the obligations of a number of different parties. The yield characteristics of certain asset-backed securities may differ from traditional debt securities. One such major difference is that all or a principal part of the obligations may be prepaid at any time because the underlying assets (i.e., loans) may be prepaid at any time. As a result, a decrease in interest rates in the market may result in increases in the level of prepayments as borrowers, particularly mortgagors, refinance and repay their loans. An increased prepayment rate with respect to an asset-backed security will have the effect of shortening the maturity of the security. In addition, a fund may subsequently have to reinvest the proceeds at lower interest rates. If a fund has purchased such an asset-backed security at a premium, a faster than anticipated prepayment rate could result in a loss of principal to the extent of the premium paid.

For mortgage pass-through securities (the “Mortgage Assets”) there are a number of important differences among the agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government that issue mortgage-related securities and among the securities that they issue. For example, mortgage-related securities guaranteed by Ginnie Mae are guaranteed as to the timely payment of principal and interest by Ginnie Mae and such guarantee is backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. However, mortgage-related securities issued by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, including Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae guaranteed mortgage pass-through certificates, which are solely the obligations of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, are not backed by or entitled to the full faith and credit of the United States, but are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury.

Non-agency mortgage-backed securities are securities issued by non-governmental issuers and have no direct or indirect government guarantees of payment and are subject to various risks. Non-agency mortgage loans are obligations of the borrowers thereunder only and are not typically insured or guaranteed by any other person or entity. The ability of a borrower to repay a loan is dependent upon the income or assets of the borrower. A number of factors, including a general economic downturn, acts of God, terrorism, social unrest and civil disturbances, may impair a borrower’s ability to repay its loans.

TBA Commitments: TBA commitments are forward agreements for the purchase or sale of securities, including mortgage-backed securities for a fixed price, with payment and delivery on an agreed upon future settlement date. The specific securities to be delivered are not identified at the trade date. However, delivered securities must meet

 

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

 

specified terms, including issuer, rate and mortgage terms. When entering into TBA commitments, a fund may take possession of or deliver the underlying mortgage-backed securities but can extend the settlement or roll the transaction. TBA commitments involve a risk of loss if the value of the security to be purchased or sold declines or increases, respectively, prior to settlement date, if there are expenses or delays in connection with the TBA transactions, or if the counterparty fails to complete the transaction.

Mortgage Dollar Roll Transactions: The Fund may sell TBA mortgage-backed securities and simultaneously contract to repurchase substantially similar (i.e., same type, coupon and maturity) securities on a specific future date at an agreed upon price. During the period between the sale and repurchase, a fund is not entitled to receive interest and principal payments on the securities sold. Mortgage dollar roll transactions are treated as purchases and sales and a fund realizes gains and losses on these transactions. Mortgage dollar rolls involve the risk that the market value of the securities that a fund is required to purchase may decline below the agreed upon repurchase price of those securities.

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

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

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

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

 

         
iShares ETF and Counterparty    
Market Value of
Securities on Loan
 
 
    
Cash Collateral
Received
 
(a)  
    
Non-Cash Collateral
Received
 
 
     Net Amount  

 

 

U.S. Fixed Income Balanced Risk Factor

          

Barclays Bank PLC

  $ 140,594      $ 140,594      $      $  

Barclays Capital, Inc.

    14,554        14,554                

BMO Capital Markets Corp.

    91,212        91,212                

BNP Paribas SA

    2,037,362        2,037,362                

BofA Securities, Inc.

    571,488        571,488                

Citadel Clearing LLC

    166,117        166,117                

Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.

    42,304        42,304                

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

    382,105        382,105                

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

    1,179,781        1,179,781                

Nomura Securities International, Inc.

    162,962        162,962                

Wells Fargo Securities LLC

    333,753        333,753                
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
  $ 5,122,232      $ 5,122,232      $      $  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

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

 

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

 

 

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  23


Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

 

5.

DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

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

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

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

 

6.

INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES

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

For its investment advisory services to the Fund, BFA is entitled to an annual investment advisory fee of 0.25%, accrued daily and paid monthly by the Fund, based on the average daily net assets of the Fund.

Expense Waivers: A fund may incur its pro rata share of fees and expenses attributable to its investments in other investment companies (“acquired fund fees and expenses”). The total of the investment advisory fee and acquired fund fees and expenses, if any, is a fund’s total annual operating expenses. Total expenses as shown in the Statement of Operations does not include acquired fund fees and expenses.

BFA has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its investment advisory fee for the Fund through February 29, 2024 in an amount equal to the acquired fund fees and expenses, if any, attributable to the Fund’s investments in other registered investment companies advised by BFA or its affiliates.

This amount is included in investment advisory fees waived in the Statements of Operations. For the six months ended April 30, 2022, the amounts waived in investment advisory fees pursuant to this arrangement were as follows:

 

iShares ETF   Amounts waived  

U.S. Fixed Income Balanced Risk Factor

  $ 4,325  

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

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

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

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

In addition, commencing the business day following the date that the aggregate securities lending income plus the collateral investment fees generated across all 1940 Act iShares exchange-traded funds (the “iShares ETF Complex”) in that calendar year exceeds a specified threshold, the Fund, pursuant to the securities lending agreement,

 

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

 

will retain for the remainder of that calendar year 85% of securities lending income (which excludes collateral investment fees) and the amount retained can never be less than 70% of the total of securities lending income plus the collateral investment fees.

The share of securities lending income earned by the Fund is shown as securities lending income – affiliated – net in its Statement of Operations. For the six months ended April 30, 2022, the Fund paid BTC $2,078 for securities lending agent services.

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

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

For the six months ended April 30, 2022, transactions executed by the Fund pursuant to Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act were as follows:

 

iShares ETF   Purchases      Sales      Net Realized
Gain (Loss)
 

U.S. Fixed Income Balanced Risk Factor

  $      $ 55,624      $ 3,600  

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

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

 

7.

PURCHASES AND SALES

For the six months ended April 30, 2022, purchases and sales of investments, including mortgage dollar rolls and excluding short-term investments and in-kind transactions, were as follows:

 

     U.S. Government Securities      Other Securities  
iShares ETF   Purchases      Sales      Purchases      Sales  

U.S. Fixed Income Balanced Risk Factor

  $ 380,073,446      $ 398,710,522      $ 26,729,568      $ 17,604,055  

For the six months ended April 30, 2022, in-kind transactions were as follows:

 

iShares ETF   In-kind
Purchases
    

In-kind

Sales

 

U.S. Fixed Income Balanced Risk Factor

  $ 1,912,707      $ 4,688,597  

 

8.

INCOME TAX INFORMATION

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

Management has analyzed tax laws and regulations and their application to the Fund as of April 30, 2022, inclusive of the open tax return years, and does not believe that there are any uncertain tax positions that require recognition of a tax liability in the Fund’s financial statements.

As of October 31, 2021, the Fund had non-expiring capital loss carryforwards available to offset future realized capital gains of $1,876,384.

As of April 30, 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)
 

U.S. Fixed Income Balanced Risk Factor

  $ 137,025,004      $ 159,084      $ (6,414,322   $ (6,255,238

 

 

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

  25


Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

 

9.

PRINCIPAL RISKS

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

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

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

Market Risk: The Fund may be exposed to prepayment risk, which is the risk that borrowers may exercise their option to prepay principal earlier than scheduled during periods of declining interest rates, which would force the Fund to reinvest in lower yielding securities. The Fund may also be exposed to reinvestment risk, which is the risk that income from the Fund’s portfolio will decline if the Fund invests the proceeds from matured, traded or called fixed-income securities at market interest rates that are below the Fund portfolio’s current earnings rate.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Certain Funds a significant portion of its assets in fixed-income securities and/or use derivatives tied to the fixed-income markets. Changes in market interest rates or economic conditions may affect the value and/or liquidity of such investments. Interest rate risk is the risk that prices of bonds and other fixed-income securities will increase as interest rates fall and decrease as interest rates rise. The Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates due to the current period of historically low rates.

The Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in securities backed by commercial or residential mortgage loans or in issuers that hold mortgage and other asset-backed securities. When a Fund concentrates its investments in this manner, it assumes a greater risk of prepayment or payment extension by securities issuers. Changes in

 

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

 

economic conditions, including delinquencies and/or defaults on assets underlying these securities, can affect the value, income and/or liquidity of such positions. Investment percentages in these securities are presented in the Schedule of Investments.

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

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

 

10.

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS

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

Transactions in capital shares were as follows:

 

     Six Months Ended
04/30/22
    Year Ended
10/31/21
 
iShares ETF   Shares     Amount     Shares     Amount  

U.S. Fixed Income Balanced Risk Factor

       

Shares sold

    50,000     $ 4,967,504       100,000     $ 10,005,380  

Shares redeemed

    (100,000     (9,725,657     (250,000     (25,244,712
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net decrease

    (50,000   $ (4,758,153     (150,000   $ (15,239,332
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

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

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

 

11.

SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

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

 

 

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  27


Statement Regarding Liquidity Risk Management Program (unaudited)

 

In compliance with Rule 22e-4 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Liquidity Rule”), iShares Trust (the “Trust”) has adopted and implemented a liquidity risk management program (the “Program”) for iShares U.S. Fixed Income Balanced Risk Factor ETF (the “Fund” or “ETF”), a series of the Trust, which is reasonably designed to assess and manage the Fund’s liquidity risk.

The Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, met on December 9, 2021 (the “Meeting”) to review the Program. The Board previously appointed BlackRock Fund Advisors (“BlackRock”), the investment adviser to the Fund, as the program administrator for the Fund’s Program. BlackRock also previously delegated oversight of the Program to the 40 Act Liquidity Risk Management Committee (the “Committee”). At the Meeting, the Committee, on behalf of BlackRock, provided the Board with a report that addressed the operation of the Program and assessed its adequacy and effectiveness of implementation, including the management of the Fund’s Highly Liquid Investment Minimum (“HLIM”) where applicable, and any material changes to the Program (the “Report”). The Report covered the period from October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021 (the “Program Reporting Period”).

The Report described the Program’s liquidity classification methodology for categorizing the Fund’s investments (including derivative transactions) into one of four liquidity buckets. It also referenced the methodology used by BlackRock to establish the Fund’s HLIM and noted that the Committee reviews and ratifies the HLIM assigned to the Fund no less frequently than annually. The Report also discussed notable events affecting liquidity over the Program Reporting Period, including extended market holidays and the imposition of capital controls in certain non-U.S. countries.

The Report noted that the Program complied with the key factors for consideration under the Liquidity Rule for assessing, managing and periodically reviewing the Fund’s liquidity risk, as follows:

 

  a)

The Fund’s investment strategy and liquidity of portfolio investments during both normal and reasonably foreseeable stressed conditions. During the Program Reporting Period, the Committee reviewed whether the Fund’s strategy is appropriate for an open-end fund structure, with a focus on funds with more significant and consistent holdings of less liquid and illiquid assets. The Committee also factored a fund’s concentration in an issuer into the liquidity classification methodology by taking issuer position sizes into account. Derivative exposure was also considered in the calculation of a fund’s liquidity bucketing. Finally, a factor for consideration under the Liquidity Rule is a Fund’s use of borrowings for investment purposes. However, the Funds do not borrow for investment purposes.

 

  b)

Short-term and long-term cash flow projections during both normal and reasonably foreseeable stressed conditions. During the Program Reporting Period, the Committee reviewed historical redemption activity and used this information as a component to establish each ETF’s reasonably anticipated trading size (“RATS”). The Committee may also take into consideration a fund’s shareholder ownership concentration (which, depending on product type and distribution channel, may or may not be available), a fund’s distribution channels, and the degree of certainty associated with a fund’s short-term and long-term cash flow projections.

 

  c)

Holdings of cash and cash equivalents, as well as borrowing arrangements. The Committee considered that ETFs generally do not hold more than de minimis amounts of cash. While the ETFs generally do not engage in borrowing, certain of the ETFs have the flexibility to draw on a line of credit to meet redemption requests or facilitate settlements.

 

  d)

The relationship between an ETF’s portfolio liquidity and the way in which, and the prices and spreads at which, ETF shares trade, including the efficiency of the arbitrage function and the level of active participation by market participants, including authorized participants. The Committee monitored the prevailing bid/ask spread and the ETF price premium (or discount) to NAV for all ETFs and reviewed any persistent deviations from long-term averages.

 

  e)

The effect of the composition of baskets on the overall liquidity of an ETF’s portfolio. In reviewing the linkage between the composition of custom baskets accepted by an ETF and any significant change in the liquidity profile of such ETF, the Committee reviewed changes in the proportion of each ETF’s portfolio comprised of less liquid and illiquid holdings to determine if applicable thresholds were met requiring enhanced review.

As part of BlackRock’s continuous review of the effectiveness of the Program, the Committee made the following material changes to the Program: (1) updates to certain model components in the Program’s methodology; and (2) certain iShares Funds entered into a $800 million credit agreement with a group of lenders that replaced a previous liquidity facility. The Report provided to the Board stated that the Committee concluded that based on the operation of the functions, as described in the Report, the Program is operating as intended and is effective in implementing the requirements of the Liquidity Rule.

 

 

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Supplemental Information (unaudited)

 

Regulation Regarding Derivatives

On October 28, 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) adopted regulations governing the use of derivatives by registered investment companies (“Rule 18f-4”). The Fund will be required to implement and comply with Rule 18f-4 by August 19, 2022. Once implemented, Rule 18f-4 will impose limits on the amount of derivatives a fund can enter into, eliminate the asset segregation framework currently used by funds to comply with Section 18 of the 1940 Act, treat derivatives as senior securities and require funds whose use of derivatives is more than a limited specified exposure amount to establish and maintain a comprehensive derivatives risk management program and appoint a derivatives risk manager.

Section 19(a) Notices

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

April 30, 2022

 

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

U.S. Fixed Income Balanced Risk Factor(a)

  $ 0.812338     $     $ 0.030151     $ 0.842489       96         4     100

 

  (a) 

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

 

 

 

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

  29


General Information

 

Electronic Delivery

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

To enroll in electronic delivery:

 

   

Go to icsdelivery.com.

   

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

Householding

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

Availability of Quarterly Schedule of Investments

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

Availability of Proxy Voting Policies and Proxy Voting Records

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

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

 

 

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Glossary of Terms Used in this Report

 

Portfolio Abbreviations - Fixed Income
CMT   Constant Maturity Treasury
LIBOR       London Interbank Offered Rate
SOFR   Secured Overnight Financing Rate
TBA   To-Be-Announced

 

 

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

  31


 

 

 

 

Want to know more?

iShares.com    |     1-800-474-2737

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

Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal.

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

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

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

iS-SAR-1013-0422

 

 

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