LOGO

  JULY 31, 2023

 

  

2023 Annual Report

 

 

iShares Trust

· iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF | EFG | Cboe BZX

· iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF | EFV | Cboe BZX


The Markets in Review

Dear Shareholder,

Despite an uncertain economic landscape during the 12-month reporting period ended July 31, 2023, the resilience of the U.S. economy in the face of ever tighter financial conditions provided an encouraging backdrop for investors. While inflation was near multi-decade highs at the beginning of the period, it declined precipitously as commodity prices dropped. Labor shortages also moderated, although wages continued to grow and unemployment rates reached the lowest levels in decades. This robust labor market powered further growth in consumer spending, backstopping the economy.

Equity returns were solid, as the durability of consumer sentiment eased investors’ concerns about the economy’s trajectory. The U.S. economy resumed growth in the third quarter of 2022 and continued to expand thereafter. Most major classes of equities advanced, including large- and small-capitalization U.S. stocks and equities from developed and emerging markets.

The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield rose during the reporting period, driving its price down, as investors reacted to elevated inflation and attempted to anticipate future interest rate changes. The corporate bond market also faced inflationary headwinds, although high-yield corporate bond prices fared significantly better than investment-grade bonds as demand from yield-seeking investors remained strong.

The U.S. Federal Reserve (the “Fed”), acknowledging that inflation has been more persistent than expected, raised interest rates seven times during the 12-month period ended July 31, 2023. Furthermore, the Fed wound down its bond-buying programs and incrementally reduced its balance sheet by not replacing securities that reach maturity. However, the Fed declined to raise interest rates at its June 2023 meeting, the first time it paused its tightening in the current cycle, before again raising rates in July 2023.

Supply constraints appear to have become an embedded feature of the new macroeconomic environment, making it difficult for developed economies to increase production without sparking higher inflation. Geopolitical fragmentation and an aging population risk further exacerbating these constraints, keeping the labor market tight and wage growth high. Although the Fed has decelerated the pace of interest rate hikes and recently opted for a pause, we believe that the new economic regime means that the Fed will need to maintain high rates for an extended period to keep inflation under control. Furthermore, ongoing structural changes may mean that the Fed will be hesitant to cut interest rates in the event of faltering economic activity lest inflation accelerate again. We believe investors should expect a period of higher volatility as markets adjust to the new economic reality and policymakers attempt to adapt.

While we favor an overweight position to developed market equities in the long term, we prefer an underweight stance in the near-term. Expectations for corporate earnings remain elevated, which seems inconsistent with macroeconomic constraints. Nevertheless, we are overweight on emerging market stocks in the near-term as growth trends for emerging markets appear brighter. We also believe that stocks with an A.I. tilt should benefit from an investment cycle that is set to support revenues and margins. We are neutral on credit overall amid tightening credit and financial conditions; however, there are selective opportunities in the near term. For fixed income investing with a six- to twelve-month horizon, we see the most attractive investments in short-term U.S. Treasuries, U.S. inflation-linked bonds, U.S. mortgage-backed securities, and hard-currency emerging market bonds.

Overall, our view is that investors need to think globally, position themselves to be prepared for a decarbonizing economy, and be nimble as market conditions change. We encourage you to talk with your financial advisor and visit iShares.com for further insight about investing in today’s markets.

 

 

LOGO

Rob Kapito

President, BlackRock, Inc.

LOGO

Rob Kapito

President, BlackRock, Inc.

 

Total Returns as of July 31, 2023  
    

 

 6-Month 

 

   

 

12-Month

 

 
   

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

    13.52%       13.02%  
   

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

    4.51         7.91    
   

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

    6.65         16.79    
   

Emerging market equities
(MSCI Emerging Markets Index)

    3.26         8.35    
   

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

    2.34         3.96    
   

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

    (2.08)        (7.56)   
   

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

    (1.02)        (3.37)   
   

Tax-exempt municipal bonds
(Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index)

    0.20         0.93    
   

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

    2.92         4.42    
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  

T H I S  P A G EI SN 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  

Annual Report:

  

Market Overview

     4  

Fund Summary

     5  

About Fund Performance

     9  

Disclosure of Expenses

     9  

Schedules of Investments

     10  

Financial Statements:

  

Statements of Assets and Liabilities

     23  

Statements of Operations

     24  

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

     25  

Financial Highlights

     26  

Notes to Financial Statements

     28  

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

     36  

Important Tax Information

     37  

Board Review and Approval of Investment Advisory Contract

     38  

Supplemental Information

     42  

Trustee and Officer Information

     43  

General Information

     46  

Glossary of Terms Used in this Report

     47  

 

 

  3


Market Overview

 

iShares Trust

Global Market Overview

Global equity markets advanced during the 12 months ended July 31, 2023 (“reporting period”), supported by continued economic growth and moderating inflation. The MSCI ACWI, a broad global equity index that includes both developed and emerging markets, returned 12.91% in U.S. dollar terms for the reporting period. Despite concerns about the impact of higher interest rates and rising prices, the global economy continued to grow, albeit at a slower pace than during the initial post-pandemic recovery. Inflation began to subside in most regions of the world, and lower energy prices reduced pressure on consumers, leading consumer and business sentiment to improve. While the Russian invasion of Ukraine continued to disrupt trade in Europe and elsewhere, market adaptation lessened the economic impact of the ongoing war. The prices of oil, natural gas, and wheat all declined during the reporting period, easing pressure on the world’s economies.

The U.S. Federal Reserve (“Fed”) tightened monetary policy rapidly, raising short-term interest rates seven times during the reporting period. The pace of tightening decelerated as the Fed twice lowered the increment of increase before pausing entirely in June 2023, the first time it declined to take action since the tightening cycle began. However, the Fed then raised interest rates again at its July 2023 meeting and stated that it would continue to monitor economic data. The Fed also continued to decrease the size of its balance sheet by reducing the store of U.S. Treasuries it had accumulated to stabilize markets in the early phases of the coronavirus pandemic.

Despite the tightening financial conditions, the U.S. economy demonstrated continued strength, and U.S. equities advanced. The economy returned to growth in the third quarter of 2022 and showed robust, if slightly slower, growth thereafter. Consumers powered the economy and increased their spending in both nominal and inflation-adjusted terms. Spending was helped by a strong labor market, as unemployment remained very low in historic terms, and the total number of employed persons reached an all-time high. Tightness in the labor market drove higher wages, although wage growth slowed as the reporting period continued.

European stocks outpaced their counterparts in most other regions of the globe, advancing strongly for the reporting period despite modest economic growth. European stocks benefited from a solid recovery following the early phases of the war in Ukraine. While the conflict disrupted critical natural gas supplies, new sources were secured and prices declined, while a warm winter helped moderate consumption. The European Central Bank (“ECB”) responded to the highest inflation since the introduction of the euro by raising interest rates eight times and beginning to reduce the size of its debt holdings.

Stocks in the Asia-Pacific region gained, albeit at a slower pace than other regions of the world. Japan returned to growth in the fourth quarter of 2022 and first quarter of 2023, as strong business investment and exports helped boost the economy and support Japanese equities. However, Chinese stocks were negatively impacted by slowing economic growth. While investors were initially optimistic following China’s lifting of several pandemic-related lockdowns in December 2022, subsequent performance disappointed, and tensions with the U.S. increased. Emerging market stocks advanced, as the improving global economic environment reassured investors. The declining value of the U.S. dollar relative to many other currencies and the slowing pace of the Fed’s interest rate increases also supported emerging market stocks.

 

 

4  

2 0 2 3I S H A R E S  A N N U A L  R E P O R T  T O  S H A R E H O L D E R S


Fund Summary as of July 31, 2023    iShares® MSCI EAFE Growth ETF

 

Investment Objective

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

Performance

 

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

Fund NAV

    12.58     5.16     5.87       12.58     28.60     76.87

Fund Market

    12.24       5.16       5.85         12.24       28.63       76.61  

Index

    13.56       5.41       6.14               13.56       30.17       81.55  

GROWTH OF $10,000 INVESTMENT

(AT NET ASSET VALUE)

 

 

LOGO

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

Expense Example

 

    

Actual

          

Hypothetical 5% Return

          
  

 

 

        

 

 

      
      

Beginning

Account Value

(02/01/23)

 

 

 

      


Ending

Account Value
(07/31/23)

 


 

      

Expenses

Paid During

the Period

 

 

(a) 

 

      

Beginning

Account Value

(02/01/23)

 

 

 

      

Ending

Account Value

(07/31/23)

 

 

 

      

Expenses

Paid During

the Period

 

 

(a) 

      

Annualized

Expense

Ratio

 

 

 

       $  1,000.00          $   1,064.80          $   1.79              $   1,000.00          $   1,023.10          $   1.76          0.35

 

  (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 “Disclosure of Expenses” for more information.

 

 

 

F U N D  S U M M A R Y

  5


Fund Summary as of July 31, 2023 (continued)    iShares® MSCI EAFE Growth ETF

 

Portfolio Management Commentary

Growth-oriented stocks in developed markets outside the U.S. and Canada advanced significantly for the reporting period, as the world economy showed resilience despite the challenges of inflation and higher interest rates. Broadly, European stocks contributed the majority of the Index’s return. While economic growth in the Eurozone was tepid, inflation declined significantly and unemployment fell to a historic low. European stocks also benefited as many governments secured more diverse energy sources following disruption due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

French stocks contributed the most to the Index’s return, driven primarily by the textiles and apparel industry in the consumer discretionary sector. Sales of luxury goods supported revenues in the industry. European sales were particularly strong, helped by an increase in tourism from North America. Additionally, rebounding sales of luxury brands in Asia during the Chinese New Year holiday drove industry revenues. The French industrials sector also gained, as a rebound in air travel drove increased orders for planes in the aerospace and defense industry. Similarly, the growing appetite for aircraft bolstered demand for engines, spare parts, and aftermarket services.

Stocks from Japan were also meaningful contributors to the Index’s performance, helped by Japan’s improving economy. After contracting in the third quarter of 2022, the Japanese economy rebounded with moderate growth in the first half of 2023. In October 2022, Japan lifted strict pandemic-related border controls, driving a significant increase in tourism and stimulating consumer spending. A series of corporate reforms also supported Japanese stocks, boosting investor confidence and reorienting focus on corporate profits. The semiconductors and semiconductor equipment industry, in the information technology sector, gained amid government efforts to increase domestic semiconductor manufacturing with subsidies and incentives.

In Germany, the information technology sector posted strong gains as automakers increased their production, leading to higher demand for specialized microchips in the semiconductors and semiconductor equipment industry. Dutch semiconductors and semiconductor equipment stocks also advanced, benefiting from strong sales of precision equipment used in the making of advanced semiconductors, despite export controls placed on sales of newer equipment to China.

Portfolio Information

 

SECTOR ALLOCATION

 

 

 
Sector  

Percent of   

Total Investments(a)

 

 

 

Industrials

    19.0%  

Health Care

    17.1     

Consumer Discretionary

    15.9     

Information Technology

    14.3     

Consumer Staples

    13.6     

Financials

    9.0     

Materials

    5.4     

Communication Services

    3.9     

Other (each representing less than 1%)

    1.8     

 

 
GEOGRAPHIC ALLOCATION

 

 

 
Country/Geographic Region  

Percent of   

Total Investments(a)

 

 

 

Japan

    21.7%  

France

    14.0     

Switzerland

    13.9     

United Kingdom

    9.8     

Australia

    7.3     

Netherlands

    7.1     

Germany

    7.0     

Denmark

    5.4     

Sweden

    3.3     

Hong Kong

    2.7     

 

 

 

  (a)

Excludes money market funds.

 

 

 

6  

2 0 2 3I S H A R E S  A N N U A L  R E P O R TT O  S H A R E H O L D E R S


Fund Summary as of July 31, 2023    iShares® MSCI EAFE Value ETF

 

Investment Objective

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

Performance

 

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

Fund NAV

    19.39     3.20     3.88       19.39     17.08     46.37

Fund Market

    19.70       3.24       3.86         19.70       17.28       46.06  

Index

    20.23       3.27       4.02           20.23       17.43       48.26  

GROWTH OF $10,000 INVESTMENT

(AT NET ASSET VALUE)

 

LOGO

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

Expense Example

 

    Actual         Hypothetical 5% Return           
                                                              

   

Beginning

Account Value

(02/01/23)

 

 

 

      

Ending

Account Value

(07/31/23)

 

 

 

      

Expenses

Paid During

the Period

 

 

(a) 

       

Beginning

Account Value

(02/01/23)

 

 

 

      

Ending

Account Value

(07/31/23)

 

 

 

      

Expenses

Paid During

the Period

 

 

(a) 

      

Annualized

Expense

Ratio

 

 

 

      $   1,000.00          $    1,055.60          $     1.73           $    1,000.00          $    1,023.10          $     1.71          0.34

 

  (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 “Disclosure of Expenses” for more information.

 

 

 

F U N D  S U M M A R Y

    7  


Fund Summary as of July 31, 2023 (continued)    iShares® MSCI EAFE Value ETF

 

Portfolio Management Commentary

Value-oriented stocks in developed markets outside the U.S. and Canada advanced strongly for the reporting period, as the world economy showed resilience despite the challenges of inflation and higher interest rates. Stocks from Japan were the largest contributors to the Index’s performance, helped by Japan’s improving economy. After contracting in the third quarter of 2022, the Japanese economy rebounded with moderate growth in the first half of 2023. In October 2022, Japan lifted strict pandemic-related border controls, driving a significant increase in tourism and stimulating consumer spending.

Among Japanese stocks, the industrials sector contributed the most to the Index’s return, as higher net fees and trading profits boosted earnings in the capital goods industry. The low value of the Japanese yen relative to the U.S. dollar benefited exporters in the industry and drove strong earnings guidance. Elevated energy prices during much of the reporting period bolstered capital goods companies that were involved in liquified natural gas projects. Japan’s financials sector also contributed, as the Bank of Japan eased its policy toward 10-year bond yields, allowing banks to keep portions of their capital in higher-yielding investments.

European stocks also contributed to the Index’s performance, particularly equities from Germany. While economic growth in the Eurozone was tepid, inflation declined significantly, and unemployment declined to a historic low. Stocks in the German industrials sector were buoyed by strong earnings guidance amid easing supply chain bottlenecks. Strong demand for products such as train equipment and software used in industrial processes bolstered revenues and orders in the industrial conglomerates industry.

U.K. stocks also contributed to the Index’s performance, despite slow economic growth during the reporting period. The financials sector was the leading source of strength, as cost cutting and high interest rates improved profitability and prompted higher dividend payouts and a stock buyback program. Similarly, the French financials sector advanced as banks reported robust earnings amid improved cost management and strong profits from corporate debt financing. In addition, higher premium prices supported profit margin growth in the French insurance industry.

Portfolio Information

 

SECTOR ALLOCATION

 

 

 
Sector         

Percent of  

Total Investments(a)

 

 

 

Financials

       28.5%  

Industrials

       13.3    

Materials

       9.8    

Consumer Discretionary

       9.1    

Health Care

       8.9    

Energy

       8.3    

Consumer Staples

       6.2    

Utilities

       6.0    

Communication Services

       4.3    

Real Estate

       3.9    

Information Technology

       1.7    

 

 

 

  (a)

Excludes money market funds.

 
GEOGRAPHIC ALLOCATION

 

 

 
Country/Geographic Region  

Percent of  

Total Investments(a)

 

 

 

Japan

    23.1%  

United Kingdom

    20.0    

France

    10.0    

Germany

    10.0    

Australia

    7.5    

Switzerland

    7.1    

Italy

    3.7    

Spain

    3.5    

Sweden

    3.1    

Hong Kong

    2.4    

 

 

 

 

8  

2 0 2 3I S H A R E S  A N N U A L  R E P O R TT 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 each Fund’s investments. As a result, current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. Performance data current to the most recent month-end is available at iShares.com. Performance results assume reinvestment of all dividends and capital gain distributions and do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the redemption or sale of fund shares. The investment return and principal value of shares will vary with changes in market conditions. Shares may be worth more or less than their original cost when they are redeemed or sold in the market. Performance for certain funds may reflect a waiver of a portion of investment advisory fees. Without such a waiver, performance would have been lower.

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

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

Disclosure of Expenses

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

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

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

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

 

 

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

    9  


Schedule of Investments

July 31, 2023

  

iShares® MSCI EAFE Growth ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  

Common Stocks

   
Australia — 7.3%            

APA Group

    947,560     $ 6,374,352  

Aristocrat Leisure Ltd.

    957,981       25,372,336  

ASX Ltd.

    201,965       8,437,825  

Brambles Ltd.

    2,218,157       20,985,472  

Cochlear Ltd.

    105,363       16,949,989  

Coles Group Ltd.

    2,147,552       26,261,543  

Commonwealth Bank of Australia

    2,701,716       192,223,743  

Computershare Ltd.

    919,916       15,514,617  

CSL Ltd.

    773,616       139,340,731  

Endeavour Group Ltd./Australia

    2,296,640       9,387,142  

Goodman Group

    2,706,586       37,424,376  

IDP Education Ltd.

    401,308       6,725,281  

IGO Ltd.

    1,094,346       10,225,858  

Insurance Australia Group Ltd.

    1,967,602       7,854,688  

James Hardie Industries PLC(a)

    714,125       20,928,780  

Lottery Corp. Ltd. (The)

    3,569,373       12,421,040  

Medibank Pvt Ltd.

    4,421,389       10,438,483  

Mineral Resources Ltd.

    273,001       13,190,528  

Newcrest Mining Ltd.

    499,922       8,967,075  

Northern Star Resources Ltd.

    1,866,384       14,569,376  

Orica Ltd.

    723,340       7,675,208  

Pilbara Minerals Ltd.(b)

    4,324,631       14,148,224  

Qantas Airways Ltd.(a)

    1,424,734       6,259,954  

QBE Insurance Group Ltd.

    2,373,899       25,203,451  

Ramsay Health Care Ltd.

    293,449       11,628,870  

REA Group Ltd.

    85,300       9,042,944  

Reece Ltd.

    363,316       4,797,539  

Rio Tinto Ltd.

    593,156       46,968,933  

SEEK Ltd.

    541,661       9,083,719  

Sonic Healthcare Ltd.

    475,204       11,228,023  

Suncorp Group Ltd.

    707,890       6,783,018  

Telstra Corp. Ltd.

    4,208,781       12,046,419  

Transurban Group

    2,457,539       23,727,647  

Treasury Wine Estates Ltd.

    1,158,004       8,764,558  

Wesfarmers Ltd.

    1,824,635       60,964,946  

WiseTech Global Ltd.

    265,810       15,350,270  

Woolworths Group Ltd.

    1,951,717       50,683,816  

Xero Ltd.(a)

    230,085       18,913,310  
   

 

 

 
       946,864,084  
Austria — 0.1%            

Verbund AG

    109,313       9,057,343  
   

 

 

 
Belgium — 1.2%            

Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV

    1,389,847       79,507,094  

Argenx SE(a)

    89,139       44,893,914  

D’ieteren Group

    34,861       6,088,341  

Elia Group SA/NV

    47,132       5,803,128  

UCB SA

    202,311       17,914,086  
   

 

 

 
      154,206,563  
Denmark — 5.4%            

AP Moller - Maersk A/S, Class A

    1,746       3,510,551  

AP Moller - Maersk A/S, Class B, NVS

    2,819       5,790,808  

Carlsberg AS, Class B

    102,711       15,404,814  

Chr Hansen Holding A/S

    169,105       12,778,187  

Coloplast A/S, Class B

    190,728       23,708,709  

Demant A/S(a)

    149,993       5,968,937  

DSV A/S

    298,110       59,663,730  

Genmab A/S(a)

    105,673       43,558,366  
Security   Shares     Value  
Denmark (continued)            

Novo Nordisk A/S, Class B

    2,656,206     $ 428,319,042  

Novozymes A/S, Class B

    327,586       16,429,514  

Orsted AS(c)

    106,267       9,247,298  

Pandora A/S

    144,941       14,498,726  

Tryg A/S

    577,240       11,396,911  

Vestas Wind Systems A/S(a)

    1,614,330       43,177,611  
   

 

 

 
      693,453,204  
Finland — 0.5%            

Elisa OYJ

    79,668       4,155,914  

Kone OYJ, Class B

    353,541       18,134,108  

Metso OYJ

    1,063,105       12,081,197  

Neste OYJ

    676,575       24,908,157  

Orion OYJ, Class B

    111,360       4,279,688  
   

 

 

 
      63,559,064  
France — 14.0%            

Accor SA

    294,665       11,118,309  

Aeroports de Paris

    47,751       6,594,031  

Air Liquide SA

    838,517       150,760,323  

Airbus SE

    950,789       140,051,232  

BioMerieux

    67,948       7,294,171  

Bureau Veritas SA

    471,174       12,940,223  

Capgemini SE

    263,279       47,711,042  

Carrefour SA

    476,896       9,533,691  

Dassault Aviation SA

    39,880       7,747,141  

Dassault Systemes SE

    1,069,337       45,702,007  

Edenred

    400,481       26,011,386  

Eiffage SA

    58,911       6,128,955  

EssilorLuxottica SA

    302,861       60,928,118  

Eurofins Scientific SE

    140,405       9,656,578  

Getlink SE

    572,143       10,056,765  

Hermes International

    50,728       112,274,494  

Ipsen SA

    21,178       2,668,996  

Kering SA

    119,212       68,447,396  

La Francaise des Jeux SAEM(c)

    170,450       6,507,332  

Legrand SA

    429,146       43,023,904  

L’Oreal SA

    385,922       179,495,954  

LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE

    443,043       411,483,950  

Pernod Ricard SA

    331,902       73,174,950  

Remy Cointreau SA

    37,331       6,408,176  

Renault SA

    107,415       4,717,842  

Safran SA

    548,113       90,993,944  

Sartorius Stedim Biotech

    44,311       13,863,643  

Schneider Electric SE

    868,835       154,975,860  

Societe Generale SA

    406,680       11,060,368  

Sodexo SA

    92,287       9,466,559  

Teleperformance

    94,998       13,778,396  

Thales SA

    168,328       25,180,149  

Valeo

    331,911       7,502,575  

Vivendi SE

    744,110       6,643,672  

Wendel SE

    21,384       2,110,911  

Worldline SA/France(a)(c)

    383,022       15,182,763  
   

 

 

 
       1,811,195,806  
Germany — 6.7%            

adidas AG

    259,057       52,299,734  

Bechtle AG

    132,001       5,809,841  

Beiersdorf AG

    161,371       20,898,407  

Brenntag SE

    247,320       19,188,227  

Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Bearer

    64,627       7,489,020  

Delivery Hero SE(a)(c)

    272,905       12,387,079  

 

 

10  

2 0 2 3I S H A R E S  A N N U A L  R E P O R T  T O  S H A R E H O L D E R S


Schedule of Investments (continued)

July 31, 2023

  

iShares® MSCI EAFE Growth ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
Germany (continued)            

Deutsche Boerse AG

    304,470     $ 58,336,916  

GEA Group AG

    242,415       10,288,532  

Hannover Rueck SE

    48,402       10,327,732  

HelloFresh SE(a)

    267,140       7,617,521  

Infineon Technologies AG

    2,100,392       92,281,697  

Knorr-Bremse AG

    57,878       4,071,017  

Merck KGaA

    207,868       36,527,591  

MTU Aero Engines AG

    43,023       10,046,364  

Muenchener Rueckversicherungs-Gesellschaft AG in Muenchen, Registered

    224,262       84,422,503  

Nemetschek SE

    93,752       6,822,239  

Puma SE

    169,369       11,446,172  

Rational AG

    8,303       6,215,276  

Rheinmetall AG

    69,742       19,754,144  

RWE AG

    360,105       15,498,428  

SAP SE

    1,675,474       228,554,016  

Scout24 SE(c)

    129,304       8,547,727  

Siemens AG, Registered

    425,030       72,443,026  

Siemens Healthineers AG(c)

    453,573       26,354,094  

Symrise AG, Class A

    213,301       23,299,240  

Zalando SE(a)(c)

    358,884       12,390,359  
   

 

 

 
       863,316,902  
Hong Kong — 2.7%            

AIA Group Ltd.

    18,659,800       186,686,367  

Budweiser Brewing Co. APAC Ltd.(c)

    2,758,900       6,729,281  

ESR Group Ltd.(c)

    3,559,800       6,242,270  

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

    96,785       5,826,457  

Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd.(a)

    2,274,000       16,599,124  

Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing Ltd.

    1,990,000       83,902,383  

Sands China Ltd.(a)

    2,545,600       9,806,955  

Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd.

    2,208,000       25,084,092  

WH Group Ltd.(c)

    6,688,500       3,650,517  
   

 

 

 
      344,527,446  
Ireland — 0.9%            

Bank of Ireland Group PLC

    854,693       9,017,700  

Flutter Entertainment PLC, Class DI(a)

    282,655       56,219,972  

Kerry Group PLC, Class A

    254,798       25,314,399  

Kingspan Group PLC

    248,855       19,973,980  
   

 

 

 
      110,526,051  
Israel — 0.6%            

Azrieli Group Ltd.

    67,540       3,843,358  

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd.(a)(b)

    154,862       20,474,305  

CyberArk Software Ltd.(a)(b)

    32,884       5,459,073  

Elbit Systems Ltd.

    42,777       9,095,929  

Monday.com Ltd.(a)

    30,490       5,511,982  

Nice Ltd.(a)

    101,706       22,138,394  

Tower Semiconductor Ltd.(a)

    175,645       6,514,190  

Wix.com Ltd.(a)

    91,991       8,676,591  
   

 

 

 
      81,713,822  
Italy — 1.2%            

Amplifon SpA

    201,989       6,833,709  

DiaSorin SpA

    40,964       4,595,838  

Ferrari NV

    202,565       64,939,635  

FinecoBank Banca Fineco SpA

    977,293       15,174,661  

Infrastrutture Wireless Italiane SpA(c)

    546,793       6,857,218  

Moncler SpA

    328,558       23,713,217  

Nexi SpA(a)(c)

    948,714       8,215,866  

Prysmian SpA

    408,034       16,270,414  

Recordati Industria Chimica e Farmaceutica SpA

    109,032       5,630,421  
Security   Shares     Value  
Italy (continued)            

Tenaris SA

    378,514     $ 6,289,965  
   

 

 

 
       158,520,944  
Japan — 21.6%            

Advantest Corp.

    307,300       42,502,617  

Aeon Co. Ltd.

    524,200       11,353,457  

Ajinomoto Co. Inc.

    730,200       28,452,162  

Asahi Intecc Co. Ltd.

    345,500       7,090,100  

Astellas Pharma Inc.

    1,028,200       15,034,698  

Azbil Corp.

    185,700       5,859,814  

Bandai Namco Holdings Inc.

    961,700       21,758,038  

BayCurrent Consulting Inc.

    209,700       6,772,204  

Capcom Co. Ltd.

    292,100       13,134,858  

Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.

    1,077,000       32,052,856  

CyberAgent Inc.

    686,600       4,340,513  

Daifuku Co. Ltd.

    487,200       10,419,817  

Daiichi Sankyo Co. Ltd.

    2,964,200       91,296,202  

Daikin Industries Ltd.

    421,700       85,267,194  

Denso Corp.

    692,300       48,203,108  

Dentsu Group Inc.

    323,000       10,808,024  

Disco Corp.

    148,700       27,952,002  

Eisai Co. Ltd.

    403,500       25,458,262  

FANUC Corp.

    768,900       23,522,512  

Fast Retailing Co. Ltd.

    281,200       70,444,177  

Fuji Electric Co. Ltd.

    71,200       3,218,922  

Fujitsu Ltd.

    283,100       36,658,553  

GLP J-Reit

    7,160       7,053,774  

GMO Payment Gateway Inc.

    67,200       5,126,612  

Hamamatsu Photonics KK

    224,700       10,826,355  

Hikari Tsushin Inc.

    32,500       4,822,580  

Hirose Electric Co. Ltd.

    46,500       5,889,579  

Hitachi Ltd.

    523,800       34,290,296  

Hoshizaki Corp.

    173,900       6,669,217  

Hoya Corp.

    575,300       66,999,047  

Ibiden Co. Ltd.

    178,300       10,836,944  

ITOCHU Corp.

    1,237,100       50,034,877  

Itochu Techno-Solutions Corp.

    100,200       2,539,483  

Japan Airlines Co. Ltd.

    113,100       2,448,685  

Japan Exchange Group Inc.

    804,600       14,018,702  

JSR Corp.

    99,900       2,865,801  

Kao Corp.

    261,100       9,919,605  

Keio Corp.

    80,011       2,659,614  

Keisei Electric Railway Co. Ltd.

    73,100       3,034,033  

Keyence Corp.

    313,548       140,702,142  

Kikkoman Corp.

    217,000       12,505,896  

Kirin Holdings Co. Ltd.

    1,244,700       18,384,764  

Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.

    79,900       4,392,208  

Kobe Bussan Co. Ltd.(b)

    238,700       6,357,913  

Koei Tecmo Holdings Co. Ltd.

    187,300       3,204,915  

Koito Manufacturing Co. Ltd.

    117,100       2,153,166  

Konami Group Corp.

    160,600       9,009,119  

Kose Corp.

    54,900       5,376,148  

Kubota Corp.

    568,300       8,584,722  

Kurita Water Industries Ltd.

    166,800       6,707,891  

Kyowa Kirin Co. Ltd.

    430,600       8,222,598  

Lasertec Corp.

    121,700       18,423,166  

M3 Inc.

    702,900       16,253,736  

Makita Corp.

    125,200       3,515,747  

MatsukiyoCocokara & Co.

    183,800       10,756,272  

McDonald’s Holdings Co. Japan Ltd.(b)

    137,800       5,424,243  

MINEBEA MITSUMI Inc.

    578,800       10,720,983  

 

 

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

    11  


Schedule of Investments (continued)

July 31, 2023

  

iShares® MSCI EAFE Growth ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
Japan (continued)            

MISUMI Group Inc.

    455,000     $ 8,323,825  

Mitsui & Co. Ltd.

    1,049,300       40,954,260  

MonotaRO Co. Ltd.

    399,000       4,869,730  

Murata Manufacturing Co. Ltd.

    920,600       54,685,202  

NEC Corp.

    416,400       21,067,926  

Nexon Co. Ltd.

    625,000       11,924,633  

Nidec Corp.

    668,900       39,950,017  

Nintendo Co. Ltd.

    1,664,500       75,293,219  

Nippon Paint Holdings Co. Ltd.

    1,519,000       13,917,470  

Nippon Prologis REIT Inc.

    1,768       3,615,398  

Nippon Sanso Holdings Corp.

    276,500       6,686,140  

Nippon Shinyaku Co. Ltd.

    76,100       3,077,455  

Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp.

    48,045,500       55,094,639  

Nissan Chemical Corp.

    202,600       9,103,966  

Nisshin Seifun Group Inc.

    316,800       3,928,639  

Nissin Foods Holdings Co. Ltd.

    99,800       8,414,692  

Nitori Holdings Co. Ltd.

    127,900       15,661,687  

Nitto Denko Corp.

    240,500       17,102,192  

Nomura Research Institute Ltd.

    632,970       17,985,789  

NTT Data Group Corp.

    1,007,100       14,009,961  

Obic Co. Ltd.

    114,800       18,785,886  

Odakyu Electric Railway Co. Ltd.

    234,300       3,423,222  

Olympus Corp.

    1,926,100       31,428,033  

Omron Corp.

    183,800       9,865,697  

Ono Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.

    620,700       11,374,526  

Open House Group Co. Ltd.

    129,500       4,927,773  

Oracle Corp. Japan

    61,800       4,332,094  

Oriental Land Co. Ltd./Japan

    874,900       33,555,507  

Osaka Gas Co. Ltd.

    388,200       6,108,265  

Otsuka Corp.

    120,100       5,001,366  

Otsuka Holdings Co. Ltd.

    624,100       22,946,474  

Pan Pacific International Holdings Corp.

    605,700       11,975,656  

Persol Holdings Co. Ltd.

    284,900       5,635,500  

Rakuten Group Inc.

    1,552,100       6,079,208  

Recruit Holdings Co. Ltd.

    2,313,000       80,112,255  

Renesas Electronics Corp.(a)

    2,038,800       39,336,253  

Rohm Co. Ltd.

    148,100       13,878,189  

SBI Holdings Inc.

    137,300       2,899,404  

SCSK Corp.

    251,200       4,176,212  

Secom Co. Ltd.

    169,700       11,387,692  

Sekisui Chemical Co. Ltd.

    381,100       5,788,719  

Seven & i Holdings Co. Ltd.

    1,208,500       50,134,719  

SG Holdings Co. Ltd.

    461,000       6,727,606  

Shimadzu Corp.

    375,900       11,416,389  

Shimano Inc.

    123,500       18,614,803  

Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd.

    2,919,200       96,172,587  

Shionogi & Co. Ltd.

    419,000       17,559,464  

Shiseido Co. Ltd.

    650,600       28,524,949  

SMC Corp.

    91,100       47,605,485  

SoftBank Group Corp.

    1,644,400       83,638,120  

Sony Group Corp.

    2,020,200        189,224,510  

Square Enix Holdings Co. Ltd.

    136,300       6,313,315  

Sumitomo Chemical Co. Ltd.

    785,300       2,421,989  

Suntory Beverage & Food Ltd.

    142,800       5,083,253  

Sysmex Corp.

    267,400       18,107,019  

T&D Holdings Inc.

    399,400       6,493,767  

TDK Corp.

    621,700       23,816,241  

Terumo Corp.(b)

    1,078,000       35,303,496  

TIS Inc.

    360,800       9,151,255  

Tobu Railway Co. Ltd.

    106,500       2,818,204  
Security   Shares     Value  
Japan (continued)            

Toho Co. Ltd./Tokyo

    113,000     $ 4,405,070  

Tokyo Electron Ltd.

    718,500       107,837,460  

Tokyu Corp.

    297,600       3,775,853  

Toshiba Corp.

    658,400       21,257,246  

TOTO Ltd.

    111,100       3,415,448  

Trend Micro Inc./Japan

    105,800       4,998,598  

Unicharm Corp.

    657,900       24,341,414  

USS Co. Ltd.

    213,200       3,696,905  

Welcia Holdings Co. Ltd.

    151,800       2,857,446  

Yakult Honsha Co. Ltd.

    204,000       11,319,110  

Yamaha Corp.

    147,500       5,715,359  

Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd.

    166,400       4,880,329  

Yamato Holdings Co. Ltd.

    458,000       8,577,410  

Yaskawa Electric Corp.

    385,000       16,736,055  

Yokogawa Electric Corp.

    183,800       3,451,561  

ZOZO Inc.

    200,400       3,912,213  
   

 

 

 
       2,801,320,342  
Netherlands — 7.1%            

Adyen NV(a)(c)

    34,746       64,489,085  

Akzo Nobel NV

    273,117       23,364,619  

ASM International NV

    74,910       35,588,267  

ASML Holding NV

    646,848       463,317,025  

Davide Campari-Milano NV

    839,346       11,288,263  

Ferrovial SE

    528,744       17,522,017  

Heineken Holding NV

    64,910       5,321,006  

Heineken NV

    414,393       40,561,394  

IMCD NV

    91,283       13,832,059  

ING Groep NV

    2,024,159       29,545,966  

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

    337,780       6,059,770  

OCI NV

    58,834       1,676,756  

Prosus NV

    1,289,112       101,978,249  

QIAGEN NV(a)

    376,835       17,681,681  

Universal Music Group NV

    1,312,440       33,663,964  

Wolters Kluwer NV

    413,884       51,973,898  
   

 

 

 
      917,864,019  
New Zealand — 0.2%            

Auckland International Airport Ltd.(a)

    703,061       3,670,153  

EBOS Group Ltd.

    169,480       4,061,462  

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corp. Ltd.

    924,940       14,121,102  

Meridian Energy Ltd.

    1,045,228       3,668,623  
   

 

 

 
      25,521,340  
Norway — 0.1%            

Adevinta ASA(a)

    469,710       3,474,466  

Gjensidige Forsikring ASA

    114,823       1,812,645  

Kongsberg Gruppen ASA

    142,656       6,190,005  
   

 

 

 
      11,477,116  
Portugal — 0.1%            

Galp Energia SGPS SA

    510,752       6,787,696  

Jeronimo Martins SGPS SA

    454,583       12,376,377  
   

 

 

 
      19,164,073  
Singapore — 1.4%            

CapitaLand Ascendas REIT

    5,372,700       11,361,243  

Capitaland Investment Ltd/Singapore

    4,172,100       10,678,405  

DBS Group Holdings Ltd.

    1,022,000       26,364,573  

Genting Singapore Ltd.

    6,293,500       4,451,553  

Grab Holdings Ltd., Class A(a)

    2,990,146       11,452,259  

Jardine Cycle & Carriage Ltd.

    157,200       4,057,305  

Keppel Corp. Ltd.

    2,328,300       12,929,595  

Mapletree Logistics Trust

    5,519,400       7,016,725  

 

 

12  

2 0 2 3I S H A R E S  A N N U A L  R E P O R T  T O  S H A R E H O L D E R S


Schedule of Investments (continued)

July 31, 2023

  

iShares® MSCI EAFE Growth ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
Singapore (continued)            

Sea Ltd., ADR(a)(b)

    580,329     $ 38,603,485  

Seatrium Ltd.(a)

    65,382,700       6,929,607  

Singapore Exchange Ltd.

    1,356,300       9,914,270  

Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd.

    2,520,100       7,075,190  

Singapore Telecommunications Ltd.

    13,219,600       26,519,378  

UOL Group Ltd.

    743,600       3,934,518  

Venture Corp. Ltd.

    443,800       5,003,364  
   

 

 

 
      186,291,470  
Spain — 1.4%            

Acciona SA

    39,731       5,955,627  

Aena SME SA(c)

    60,124       9,601,330  

Amadeus IT Group SA

    720,141       51,660,100  

Cellnex Telecom SA(c)

    906,819       37,033,652  

Corp. ACCIONA Energias Renovables SA

    106,516       3,352,672  

EDP Renovaveis SA

    206,227       3,939,121  

Grifols SA(a)

    481,340       7,071,032  

Industria de Diseno Textil SA

    1,750,373       67,000,460  
   

 

 

 
      185,613,994  
Sweden — 3.3%            

Alfa Laval AB

    462,873       17,326,967  

Assa Abloy AB, Class B

    1,612,105       38,759,653  

Atlas Copco AB, Class A

    4,299,866       61,083,402  

Atlas Copco AB, Class B

    2,510,543       31,002,486  

Beijer Ref AB, Class B

    616,701       8,386,219  

Epiroc AB, Class A

    1,054,977       21,063,278  

Epiroc AB, Class B

    625,928       10,633,937  

EQTAB

    601,311       14,363,566  

Essity AB, Class B

    974,304       24,159,116  

Evolution AB(c)

    292,397       36,056,231  

Fastighets AB Balder, Class B(a)

    677,286       3,160,535  

Getinge AB, Class B

    367,597       6,849,442  

H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB, Class B

    1,050,201       17,664,135  

Hexagon AB, Class B

    3,326,240       32,250,580  

Husqvarna AB, Class B

    670,076       6,572,480  

Industrivarden AB, Class A

    104,154       2,957,657  

Industrivarden AB, Class C

    123,939       3,511,287  

Indutrade AB

    438,699       9,206,686  

Investment AB Latour, Class B

    236,324       4,762,312  

Kinnevik AB, Class B(a)

    393,988       5,377,425  

Lifco AB, Class B

    376,790       7,596,781  

Nibe Industrier AB, Class B

    2,432,910       21,915,072  

Saab AB, Class B

    127,891       6,741,021  

Sagax AB, Class B

    307,333       6,824,531  

Sandvik AB

    854,946       17,366,111  

Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB(a)(b)

    274,499       5,372,789  
   

 

 

 
       420,963,699  
Switzerland — 13.8%            

ABB Ltd., Registered

    2,516,630       100,986,110  

Alcon Inc.

    798,372       67,934,766  

Bachem Holding AG, Class A

    53,950       4,983,422  

Barry Callebaut AG, Registered

    5,679       10,648,123  

BKWAG

    33,104       5,923,770  

Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Spruengli AG, Participation Certificates, NVS

    1,047       12,805,052  

Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Spruengli AG, Registered

    166       20,174,875  

Cie. Financiere Richemont SA, Class A, Registered

    837,311       134,834,537  

Coca-Cola HBC AG, Class DI

    176,296       5,187,145  

DSM-Firmenich AG

    182,578       20,174,830  
Security   Shares     Value  
Switzerland (continued)            

Dufry AG, Registered(a)

    78,503     $ 4,056,128  

EMS-Chemie Holding AG, Registered

    3,944       3,291,859  

Geberit AG, Registered

    35,529       20,162,777  

Givaudan SA, Registered

    14,818       50,017,720  

Kuehne + Nagel International AG, Registered

    86,404       27,035,460  

Logitech International SA, Registered

    171,280       12,109,313  

Lonza Group AG, Registered

    119,593       69,487,827  

Nestle SA, Registered

    4,409,015       540,188,670  

Partners Group Holding AG

    18,195       20,426,319  

Roche Holding AG, Bearer

    51,214       16,981,079  

Roche Holding AG, NVS

    1,125,729       349,033,786  

Schindler Holding AG, Participation Certificates, NVS

    42,295       10,269,931  

Schindler Holding AG, Registered

    24,424       5,662,988  

SGS SA

    125,585       12,193,677  

Siemens Energy AG(a)

    539,438       9,138,961  

SIG Group AG

    489,712       13,091,797  

Sika AG, Registered

    233,827       72,775,727  

Sonova Holding AG, Registered

    83,094       23,162,037  

STMicroelectronics NV

    1,092,039       58,409,186  

Straumann Holding AG

    178,444       29,527,645  

Swiss Re AG

    313,421       32,702,126  

Temenos AG, Registered

    66,351       5,706,369  

VAT Group AG(c)

    43,211       18,366,703  
   

 

 

 
       1,787,450,715  
United Kingdom — 9.8%            

Ashtead Group PLC

    705,178       52,171,740  

AstraZeneca PLC

    1,613,285       231,790,655  

Auto Trader Group PLC(c)

    1,503,646       12,470,593  

BAE Systems PLC

    1,711,479       20,467,654  

Bunzl PLC

    350,097       12,977,365  

Burberry Group PLC

    605,689       17,289,534  

Compass Group PLC

    2,797,296       72,779,007  

Croda International PLC

    223,535       16,924,544  

Diageo PLC

    3,613,085       157,683,190  

Entain PLC

    1,022,333       18,209,250  

Experian PLC

    1,471,964       56,884,878  

Haleon PLC

    5,275,215       22,770,051  

Halma PLC

    606,202       17,408,833  

Informa PLC

    2,231,288       21,710,137  

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC

    280,160       20,705,839  

Intertek Group PLC

    168,341       9,430,200  

JD Sports Fashion PLC

    4,120,924       8,347,477  

London Stock Exchange Group PLC

    648,731       70,448,779  

NMC Health PLC, NVS(d)

    50,450       1  

Ocado Group PLC(a)

    463,804       5,583,536  

Prudential PLC

    4,399,334       61,090,581  

Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC

    575,401       43,104,468  

RELX PLC

    3,050,501       102,669,817  

Rentokil Initial PLC

    4,042,609       32,964,075  

Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC(a)

    13,457,737       31,910,138  

Sage Group PLC (The)

    1,626,767       19,567,691  

Severn Trent PLC

    261,677       8,576,165  

Smith & Nephew PLC

    697,775       10,615,249  

Spirax-Sarco Engineering PLC

    117,549       16,788,318  

Unilever PLC

    1,415,853       76,077,881  

United Utilities Group PLC

    381,363       4,890,425  

 

 

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

    13  


Schedule of Investments (continued)

July 31, 2023

  

iShares® MSCI EAFE Growth ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
United Kingdom (continued)            

Wise PLC, Class A(a)

    982,387     $ 9,798,203  
   

 

 

 
      1,264,106,274  
   

 

 

 

Total Common Stocks — 99.4%
(Cost: $11,633,726,528)

      12,856,714,271  
   

 

 

 

Preferred Stocks

   
Germany — 0.3%            

Dr Ing hc F Porsche AG, Preference Shares, NVS(c)

    182,251       22,286,137  

Sartorius AG, Preference Shares, NVS(b)

    38,969       16,077,805  
   

 

 

 
      38,363,942  
   

 

 

 

Total Preferred Stocks — 0.3%
(Cost: $30,610,327)

      38,363,942  
   

 

 

 

Total Long-Term Investments — 99.7%
(Cost: $11,664,336,855)

       12,895,078,213  
   

 

 

 

Short-Term Securities

   
Money Market Funds — 0.5%            

BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional, SL Agency Shares, 5.42%(e)(f)(g)

    66,727,547       66,747,566  
Security   Shares     Value  
Money Market Funds (continued)            

BlackRock Cash Funds: Treasury, SL Agency Shares, 5.22%(e)(f)

    3,720,000     $ 3,720,000  
   

 

 

 

Total Short-Term Securities — 0.5%
(Cost: $70,449,854)

      70,467,566  
   

 

 

 

Total Investments — 100.2%
(Cost: $11,734,786,709)

      12,965,545,779  

Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets — (0.2)%

 

    (27,984,532
   

 

 

 

Net Assets — 100.0%

    $  12,937,561,247  
   

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Non-income producing security.

(b) 

All or a portion of this security is on loan.

(c) 

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

 
(d) 

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

 
(e) 

Affiliate of the Fund.

 
(f) 

Annualized 7-day yield as of period end.

 
(g) 

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

 

 

Affiliates

Investments in issuers considered to be affiliate(s) of the Fund during the year ended July 31, 2023 for purposes of Section 2(a)(3) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, were as follows:

 

 

 
Affiliated Issuer  

Value at

07/31/22

    

Purchases

at Cost

   

Proceeds

from Sale

    

Net Realized

Gain (Loss)

    

Change in

Unrealized

Appreciation

(Depreciation)

    

Value at

07/31/23

    

Shares

Held at

07/31/23

     Income    

Capital

Gain

Distributions

from

Underlying

Funds

 

 

 

BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional, SL Agency Shares

  $ 30,380,895      $ 36,310,235 (a)    $      $ 43,720      $ 12,716      $ 66,747,566        66,727,547      $ 405,525 (b)    $  

BlackRock Cash Funds: Treasury, SL Agency Shares

    2,190,000        1,530,000 (a)                            3,720,000        3,720,000        177,010       2  
         

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

 
          $ 43,720      $ 12,716      $ 70,467,566         $ 582,535     $ 2  
         

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

  (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

          

TOPIX Index

    93        09/07/23      $ 15,237      $ 629,920  

Euro STOXX 50 Index

    406        09/15/23        20,058        683,363  

FTSE 100 Index

    56        09/15/23        5,527        60,745  
          

 

 

 
           $ 1,374,028  
          

 

 

 

 

 

14  

2 0 2 3I S H A R E S  A N N U A L  R E P O R T  T O  S H A R E H O L D E R S


Schedule of Investments (continued)

July 31, 2023

   iShares® MSCI EAFE Growth ETF

 

Derivative Financial Instruments Categorized by Risk Exposure

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

 

 

 
   

Commodity

Contracts

    

Credit

Contracts

    

Equity

Contracts

    

Foreign

Currency

Exchange

Contracts

    

Interest

Rate

Contracts

    

Other

Contracts

     Total  

 

 

Assets — Derivative Financial Instruments

                   

Futures contracts

                   

Unrealized appreciation on futures contracts(a)

  $      $      $ 1,374,028      $      $      $      $ 1,374,028  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

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

 

For the period ended July 31, 2023, the effect of derivative financial instruments in the Statements of Operations was as follows:

 

 

 
   

Commodity

Contracts

    

Credit

Contracts

    

Equity

Contracts

    

Foreign

Currency

Exchange

Contracts

    

Interest

Rate

Contracts

    

Other

Contracts

     Total  

 

 

Net Realized Gain (Loss) from

                   

Futures contracts

  $      $      $ 9,409,147      $      $      $      $ 9,409,147  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) on

                   

Futures contracts

  $      $      $ 571,988      $      $      $      $ 571,988  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Average Quarterly Balances of Outstanding Derivative Financial Instruments

 

 

 

Futures contracts:

 

Average notional value of contracts — long

  $ 54,407,900   

 

 

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  

 

 

Assets

          

Investments

          

Long-Term Investments

          

Common Stocks

  $ 249,651,293      $ 12,607,062,977      $ 1      $ 12,856,714,271  

Preferred Stocks

           38,363,942               38,363,942  

Short-Term Securities

          

Money Market Funds

    70,467,566                      70,467,566  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
  $ 320,118,859      $ 12,645,426,919      $ 1      $ 12,965,545,779  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Derivative Financial Instruments(a)

          

Assets

          

Equity Contracts

  $      $ 1,374,028      $      $ 1,374,028  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

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

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

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

    15  


Schedule of Investments 

July 31, 2023

  

iShares® MSCI EAFE Value ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  

Common Stocks

   
Australia — 7.5%            

Ampol Ltd.

    505,668     $ 11,198,843  

APA Group

    1,286,424       8,653,931  

ASX Ltd.

    146,988       6,140,960  

Aurizon Holdings Ltd.

    3,953,317       10,131,614  

Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd.

    6,394,199       110,934,014  

BHP Group Ltd.

    10,781,139        335,529,169  

BlueScope Steel Ltd.

    985,513       14,533,405  

Dexus

    2,302,022       12,741,208  

Fortescue Metals Group Ltd.

    3,607,187       53,028,263  

GPT Group (The)

    4,103,949       11,995,263  

Insurance Australia Group Ltd.

    2,629,189       10,495,751  

Lendlease Corp. Ltd.

    1,485,735       8,637,423  

Macquarie Group Ltd.

    781,701       92,185,928  

Mirvac Group

    8,440,886       13,305,366  

National Australia Bank Ltd.

    6,681,726       127,995,468  

Newcrest Mining Ltd.

    1,243,179       22,298,837  

Origin Energy Ltd.

    3,698,501       21,055,679  

Santos Ltd.

    7,036,230       37,861,866  

Scentre Group

    11,116,376       21,035,425  

Sonic Healthcare Ltd.

    336,561       7,952,194  

South32 Ltd.

    9,742,003       25,652,598  

Stockland

    5,103,044       14,503,009  

Suncorp Group Ltd.

    1,768,887       16,949,517  

Telstra Corp. Ltd.

    3,045,927       8,718,085  

Transurban Group

    3,259,402       31,469,669  

Vicinity Ltd.

    8,301,843       11,038,162  

Washington H Soul Pattinson & Co. Ltd.

    502,998       11,160,330  

Westpac Banking Corp.

    7,470,801       112,292,608  

Woodside Energy Group Ltd.

    4,028,548       103,836,539  
   

 

 

 
      1,273,331,124  
Austria — 0.3%            

Erste Group Bank AG

    733,092       27,707,851  

OMV AG

    318,243       14,338,149  

voestalpine AG

    249,817       8,255,291  
   

 

 

 
      50,301,291  
Belgium — 0.7%            

Ageas SA/NV

    347,775       14,722,445  

Groupe Bruxelles Lambert NV

    213,226       17,252,611  

KBC Group NV

    532,339       40,066,381  

Sofina SA

    33,317       7,921,870  

Solvay SA

    158,053       18,981,887  

Umicore SA

    448,213       13,273,884  

Warehouses De Pauw CVA

    350,452       10,354,900  
   

 

 

 
      122,573,978  
Denmark — 0.6%            

AP Moller - Maersk A/S, Class A

    4,347       8,740,187  

AP Moller - Maersk A/S, Class B, NVS

    6,975       14,328,091  

Carlsberg AS, Class B

    73,942       11,089,978  

Danske Bank A/S

    1,467,928       34,856,041  

Orsted AS(a)

    264,239       22,993,937  

Rockwool A/S, Class B

    19,709       5,300,915  
   

 

 

 
      97,309,149  
Finland — 1.2%            

Elisa OYJ

    198,064       10,332,090  

Fortum OYJ

    965,322       13,067,800  

Kesko OYJ, Class B

    587,604       11,757,186  

Kone OYJ, Class B

    254,352       13,046,426  
Security   Shares     Value  
Finland (continued)            

Nokia OYJ

    11,402,779     $ 44,823,632  

Orion OYJ, Class B

    82,311       3,163,303  

Sampo OYJ, Class A

    979,898       43,180,800  

Stora Enso OYJ, Class R

    1,242,622       15,233,626  

UPM-Kymmene OYJ

    1,137,544       37,661,431  

Wartsila OYJ Abp

    1,014,142       12,740,510  
   

 

 

 
      205,006,804  
France — 9.9%            

Alstom SA

    692,196       21,195,213  

Amundi SA(a)

    131,842       8,090,542  

ArcelorMittal SA

    1,029,713       29,781,129  

Arkema SA

    120,504       12,995,031  

AXA SA

    3,905,483       120,050,047  

BNP Paribas SA

    2,364,716        155,947,813  

Bollore SE

    1,895,806       11,986,652  

Bouygues SA

    436,524       15,636,963  

Carrefour SA

    635,840       12,711,161  

Cie. de Saint-Gobain

    1,043,712       70,587,654  

Cie. Generale des Etablissements Michelin SCA

    1,445,413       47,333,015  

Covivio

    102,391       4,943,602  

Credit Agricole SA

    2,580,308       32,035,494  

Danone SA

    1,367,072       83,482,622  

Eiffage SA

    78,009       8,115,864  

Engie SA

    3,890,569       63,826,046  

EssilorLuxottica SA

    217,160       43,687,203  

Eurazeo SE

    93,995       5,739,310  

Eurofins Scientific SE

    102,140       7,024,842  

Euronext NV(a)

    183,247       13,947,603  

Gecina SA

    98,633       10,663,461  

Ipsen SA

    53,083       6,689,881  

Klepierre SA

    460,877       12,233,365  

Orange SA

    3,966,973       44,842,008  

Publicis Groupe SA

    487,683       39,319,627  

Renault SA

    267,875       11,765,507  

Sanofi

    2,415,087       257,652,398  

SEB SA

    53,714       6,013,061  

Societe Generale SA

    1,006,075       27,361,954  

Sodexo SA

    66,847       6,856,991  

TotalEnergies SE

    5,034,874       305,901,357  

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, New(b)

    252,098       14,284,593  

Veolia Environnement SA

    1,446,807       47,106,510  

Vinci SA

    1,129,036       132,602,326  

Vivendi SE

    549,068       4,902,269  

Wendel SE

    29,233       2,885,721  
   

 

 

 
      1,700,198,835  
Germany — 9.2%            

Allianz SE, Registered

    858,438       205,166,127  

BASF SE

    1,903,205       102,032,717  

Bayer AG, Registered

    2,091,586       122,323,111  

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG

    705,044       85,980,097  

Commerzbank AG

    2,263,523       27,075,080  

Continental AG

    236,581       18,888,544  

Covestro AG(a)(b)

    413,878       22,233,064  

Daimler Truck Holding AG

    1,051,028       39,445,386  

Deutsche Bank AG, Registered

    4,121,654       45,689,093  

Deutsche Lufthansa AG, Registered(b)

    1,279,599       12,906,367  

Deutsche Post AG, Registered

    2,142,876       110,193,564  

Deutsche Telekom AG, Registered

    6,899,840       150,425,022  

E.ON SE

    4,784,269       60,522,536  

 

 

16  

2 0 2 3I S H A R E S  A N N U A L  R E P O R T  T O  S H A R E H O L D E R S


Schedule of Investments (continued)

July 31, 2023

  

iShares® MSCI EAFE Value ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
Germany (continued)            

Evonik Industries AG

    451,503     $ 9,351,980  

Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA

    439,632       22,832,069  

Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA

    898,440       28,194,970  

Hannover Rueck SE

    64,456       13,753,239  

HeidelbergCement AG

    309,405       25,076,608  

Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

    221,944       15,509,943  

Knorr-Bremse AG

    79,013       5,557,609  

LEG Immobilien SE(b)

    159,131       11,250,970  

Mercedes-Benz Group AG

    1,822,005       145,510,631  

MTU Aero Engines AG

    57,224       13,362,460  

RWE AG

    875,925       37,698,618  

Siemens AG, Registered

    1,051,534       179,225,713  

Talanx AG(b)(c)

    136,699       8,371,425  

Telefonica Deutschland Holding AG

    1,904,394       5,131,160  

Volkswagen AG

    63,282       10,113,455  

Vonovia SE

    1,526,833       35,575,177  

Wacker Chemie AG

    39,689       6,167,187  
   

 

 

 
       1,575,563,922  
Hong Kong — 2.4%            

BOC Hong Kong Holdings Ltd.

    7,884,500       24,063,828  

CK Asset Holdings Ltd.

    4,196,500       24,302,227  

CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd.

    5,721,500       35,286,360  

CK Infrastructure Holdings Ltd.

    1,344,000       7,122,315  

CLP Holdings Ltd.

    3,511,000       28,618,622  

Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd.(b)

    1,636,000       11,942,026  

Hang Lung Properties Ltd.

    3,895,088       6,078,470  

Hang Seng Bank Ltd.

    1,632,300       24,950,614  

Henderson Land Development Co. Ltd.

    3,128,794       9,671,629  

HKT Trust & HKT Ltd., Class SS

    8,189,000       9,672,842  

Hong Kong & China Gas Co. Ltd.

    24,160,650       20,726,389  

Hongkong Land Holdings Ltd.

    2,382,900       8,491,979  

Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd.

    338,300       16,710,466  

Link REIT

    5,395,260       30,327,595  

MTR Corp. Ltd.

    3,306,000       15,235,035  

New World Development Co. Ltd.

    3,205,250       7,926,488  

Power Assets Holdings Ltd.

    2,970,000       15,566,429  

Sands China Ltd.(b)

    1,779,200       6,854,390  

Sino Land Co. Ltd.

    7,908,000       9,707,253  

SITC International Holdings Co. Ltd.

    2,795,000       6,124,280  

Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd.

    3,060,000       38,423,252  

Swire Pacific Ltd., Class A

    908,500       7,594,366  

Swire Properties Ltd.

    2,546,000       6,388,739  

WH Group Ltd.(a)

    9,019,500       4,922,753  

Wharf Real Estate Investment Co. Ltd.

    3,534,419       18,967,342  

Xinyi Glass Holdings Ltd.

    3,462,000       5,761,101  
   

 

 

 
      401,436,790  
Ireland — 0.8%            

AIB Group PLC

    2,860,106       13,452,974  

Bank of Ireland Group PLC

    1,135,040       11,975,587  

CRH PLC

    1,576,412       93,908,330  

Smurfit Kappa Group PLC

    557,112       22,045,489  
   

 

 

 
      141,382,380  
Israel — 0.7%            

Bank Hapoalim BM

    2,701,134       23,993,734  

Bank Leumi Le-Israel BM

    3,284,962       26,222,598  

CyberArk Software Ltd.(b)(c)

    44,161       7,331,168  

ICL Group Ltd.

    1,660,481       11,056,295  

Isracard Ltd.

    1       2  

Israel Discount Bank Ltd., Class A

    2,643,910       14,004,127  
Security   Shares     Value  
Israel (continued)            

Mizrahi Tefahot Bank Ltd.

    330,367     $ 11,927,874  

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., ADR(b)

    2,381,951       20,008,388  
   

 

 

 
      114,544,186  
Italy — 3.7%            

Assicurazioni Generali SpA

    2,159,441       45,997,211  

Enel SpA

    17,314,977       119,390,173  

Eni SpA

    4,933,649       75,321,365  

Intesa Sanpaolo SpA

    34,365,238       99,372,836  

Mediobanca Banca di Credito Finanziario SpA

    1,178,721       15,708,339  

Poste Italiane SpA(a)

    1,118,305       12,774,944  

Recordati Industria Chimica e Farmaceutica SpA

    80,133       4,138,074  

Snam SpA

    4,333,163       22,778,416  

Stellantis NV

    4,789,513       98,270,664  

Telecom Italia SpA/Milano(b)(c)

    19,252,825       5,550,039  

Tenaris SA

    509,615       8,468,539  

Terna - Rete Elettrica Nazionale

    3,024,073       25,550,402  

UniCredit SpA

    3,925,482       99,394,170  
   

 

 

 
       632,715,172  
Japan — 23.0%            

Aeon Co. Ltd.

    701,500       15,193,533  

AGC Inc.

    434,300       15,692,834  

Aisin Corp.

    316,900       10,297,696  

ANA Holdings Inc.(b)

    341,900       8,196,723  

Asahi Group Holdings Ltd.

    1,023,300       40,225,161  

Asahi Kasei Corp.

    2,696,900       18,378,693  

Astellas Pharma Inc.

    2,500,800       36,567,567  

Bridgestone Corp.

    1,209,100       50,172,081  

Brother Industries Ltd.

    494,600       7,709,783  

Canon Inc.

    2,133,900       55,151,462  

Central Japan Railway Co.

    309,100       39,389,609  

Chiba Bank Ltd. (The)

    1,145,400       8,053,707  

Chubu Electric Power Co. Inc.

    1,383,100       17,327,191  

Concordia Financial Group Ltd.

    2,293,300       10,489,601  

Dai Nippon Printing Co. Ltd.

    470,200       13,365,891  

Dai-ichi Life Holdings Inc.

    1,999,000       40,842,991  

Daito Trust Construction Co. Ltd.

    132,300       14,231,306  

Daiwa House Industry Co. Ltd.

    1,274,400       34,636,801  

Daiwa House REIT Investment Corp.

    4,744       9,340,135  

Daiwa Securities Group Inc.

    2,862,500       15,517,341  

East Japan Railway Co.

    646,100       36,578,384  

ENEOS Holdings Inc.

    6,183,050       22,432,962  

FANUC Corp.

    1,019,200       31,179,794  

Fuji Electric Co. Ltd.

    173,800       7,857,425  

FUJIFILM Holdings Corp.

    789,000       45,813,780  

Hakuhodo DY Holdings Inc.

    509,900       5,866,102  

Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Inc.

    488,500       16,229,376  

Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. Ltd.

    230,500       6,916,964  

Hitachi Ltd.

    1,293,900       84,704,493  

Honda Motor Co. Ltd.

    3,276,300       104,452,990  

Hulic Co. Ltd.

    825,700       7,030,178  

Idemitsu Kosan Co. Ltd.

    450,483       9,512,770  

Iida Group Holdings Co. Ltd.

    335,300       5,881,997  

Inpex Corp.

    2,072,900       26,765,736  

Isuzu Motors Ltd.

    1,249,500       16,231,936  

ITOCHU Corp.

    889,000       35,955,869  

Itochu Techno-Solutions Corp.

    73,800       1,870,397  

Japan Airlines Co. Ltd.

    200,400       4,338,784  

Japan Metropolitan Fund Invest

    15,076       10,340,587  

Japan Post Bank Co. Ltd.

    3,157,600       26,269,786  

 

 

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

    17  


Schedule of Investments (continued)

July 31, 2023

  

iShares® MSCI EAFE Value ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
Japan (continued)            

Japan Post Holdings Co. Ltd.

    4,685,200       $  34,214,074  

Japan Post Insurance Co. Ltd.

    432,400       6,987,657  

Japan Real Estate Investment Corp.

    2,690       10,819,441  

Japan Tobacco Inc.

    2,555,300       56,701,068  

JFE Holdings Inc.

    1,049,600       16,978,233  

JSR Corp.

    244,100       7,002,423  

Kajima Corp.

    902,400       14,260,133  

Kansai Electric Power Co. Inc. (The)

    1,513,100       19,878,019  

Kao Corp.

    648,200       24,626,150  

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd.

    299,400       9,028,294  

KDDI Corp.

    3,185,600       93,757,617  

Keio Corp.

    106,600       3,543,448  

Keisei Electric Railway Co. Ltd.

    176,800       7,338,127  

Kintetsu Group Holdings Co. Ltd.

    388,900       13,046,274  

Koito Manufacturing Co. Ltd.

    283,400       5,210,993  

Komatsu Ltd.

    1,972,400       55,255,663  

Kubota Corp.

    1,406,700       21,249,566  

Kyocera Corp.

    681,900       36,694,445  

Lixil Corp.

    619,700       7,919,657  

Makita Corp.

    312,700       8,780,943  

Marubeni Corp.

    3,256,900       57,663,395  

Mazda Motor Corp.

    1,224,300       12,145,655  

MEIJI Holdings Co. Ltd.

    473,000       10,928,142  

Mitsubishi Chemical Group Corp.

    2,742,300       16,403,961  

Mitsubishi Corp.

    2,634,400       134,792,911  

Mitsubishi Electric Corp.

    4,122,700       59,495,224  

Mitsubishi Estate Co. Ltd.

    2,408,100       29,512,922  

Mitsubishi HC Capital Inc.

    1,892,600       12,520,241  

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.

    681,200       32,318,872  

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc.

    24,308,000       195,734,044  

Mitsui & Co. Ltd.

    1,398,700       54,591,369  

Mitsui Chemicals Inc.

    361,300       10,388,804  

Mitsui Fudosan Co. Ltd.

    1,915,800       39,359,987  

Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd.

    733,600       18,964,888  

Mizuho Financial Group Inc.

    5,140,220       87,205,704  

MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings Inc.

    913,508       33,976,389  

NGK Insulators Ltd.

    502,300       6,160,338  

Nippon Building Fund Inc.

    3,272       13,715,607  

Nippon Express Holdings Inc.

    156,100       9,152,331  

Nippon Prologis REIT Inc.

    2,335       4,774,861  

Nippon Steel Corp.

    1,723,200       39,386,091  

Nippon Yusen KK

    1,026,700       24,975,668  

Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.

    4,987,400       21,970,226  

Nomura Holdings Inc.

    6,233,500       25,787,814  

Nomura Real Estate Holdings Inc.

    233,700       5,796,466  

Nomura Real Estate Master Fund Inc.

    9,132       10,864,685  

Obayashi Corp.

    1,395,300       12,900,710  

Odakyu Electric Railway Co. Ltd.

    316,000       4,616,893  

Oji Holdings Corp.

    1,876,900       7,410,561  

Omron Corp.

    130,900       7,026,222  

Oriental Land Co. Ltd./Japan

    1,162,800       44,597,490  

ORIX Corp.

    2,499,400       48,079,753  

Osaka Gas Co. Ltd.

    281,900       4,435,651  

Otsuka Corp.

    84,100       3,502,205  

Panasonic Holdings Corp.

    4,708,200       58,115,110  

Rakuten Group Inc.

    1,115,300       4,368,366  

Resona Holdings Inc.

    4,590,300       24,989,966  

Ricoh Co. Ltd.

    1,183,900       10,531,578  

SBI Holdings Inc.

    336,600       7,108,080  

Secom Co. Ltd.

    226,000       15,165,694  
Security   Shares     Value  
Japan (continued)            

Seiko Epson Corp.

    622,000     $ 10,214,303  

Sekisui Chemical Co. Ltd.

    267,900       4,069,268  

Sekisui House Ltd.

    1,311,000       26,746,620  

Sharp Corp./Japan(b)(c)

    492,300       2,927,294  

Shimizu Corp.

    1,178,700       8,120,695  

Shizuoka Financial Group Inc., NVS

    962,600       8,039,736  

SoftBank Corp.

    6,121,800       67,979,522  

Sompo Holdings Inc.

    666,600       29,470,880  

Subaru Corp.

    1,308,900       24,808,325  

SUMCO Corp.

    754,800       10,998,884  

Sumitomo Chemical Co. Ltd.

    1,954,500       6,027,986  

Sumitomo Corp.

    2,400,600       51,499,785  

Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd.

    1,534,100       19,670,176  

Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. Ltd.

    524,000       18,096,444  

Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc.

    2,778,200       130,163,248  

Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings Inc.

    700,705       27,258,618  

Sumitomo Realty & Development Co. Ltd.

    605,400       16,224,365  

Suntory Beverage & Food Ltd.

    101,200       3,602,417  

Suzuki Motor Corp.

    779,800       31,321,105  

T&D Holdings Inc.

    540,700       8,791,137  

Taisei Corp.

    359,300       13,616,179  

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.

    3,366,200       102,921,030  

Tobu Railway Co. Ltd.

    258,800       6,848,369  

Toho Co. Ltd./Tokyo

    83,000       3,235,583  

Tokio Marine Holdings Inc.

    3,837,700       88,247,838  

Tokyo Electric Power Co. Holdings Inc.(b)

    3,286,400       13,050,428  

Tokyo Gas Co. Ltd.

    838,300       19,009,340  

Tokyu Corp.

    747,100       9,478,964  

Toppan Inc.

    524,000       12,334,184  

Toray Industries Inc.

    2,966,500       16,610,656  

Tosoh Corp.

    554,800       7,251,605  

TOTO Ltd.

    142,600       4,383,825  

Toyota Industries Corp.

    315,100       22,771,375  

Toyota Motor Corp.

    22,568,280       379,457,387  

Toyota Tsusho Corp.

    450,700       26,368,274  

Trend Micro Inc./Japan

    145,700       6,883,703  

USS Co. Ltd.

    155,600       2,698,117  

West Japan Railway Co.

    472,400       19,408,243  

Yamaha Corp.

    102,100       3,956,191  

Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd.

    413,400       12,124,567  

Yokogawa Electric Corp.

    242,200       4,548,249  

Z Holdings Corp.

    5,732,100       15,981,139  
   

 

 

 
       3,938,953,569  
Netherlands — 2.1%            

ABN AMRO Bank NV, CVA(a)

    865,699       14,719,658  

Aegon NV

    3,615,963       19,628,462  

AerCap Holdings NV(b)

    354,992       22,652,039  

EXOR NV, NVS

    232,164       21,694,691  

Ferrovial SE

    403,023       13,355,756  

Heineken Holding NV

    160,011       13,116,923  

ING Groep NV

    5,010,182       73,131,936  

JDE Peet’s NV

    267,156       8,060,174  

Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize NV

    2,077,814       71,619,377  

Koninklijke KPN NV

    6,888,341       24,923,779  

Koninklijke Philips NV(b)

    1,983,368       41,201,765  

NN Group NV

    536,879       20,581,216  

OCI NV

    150,292       4,283,288  

Randstad NV

    235,906       13,820,666  
   

 

 

 
      362,789,730  

 

 

18  

2 0 2 3I S H A R E S  A N N U A L  R E P O R T  T O  S H A R E H O L D E R S


Schedule of Investments (continued)

July 31, 2023

  

iShares® MSCI EAFE Value ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
New Zealand — 0.2%            

Auckland International Airport Ltd.(b)

    1,728,994     $ 9,025,779  

EBOS Group Ltd.

    119,900       2,873,314  

Mercury NZ Ltd.

    1,502,216       6,151,717  

Meridian Energy Ltd.

    1,421,051       4,987,715  

Spark New Zealand Ltd.

    4,004,639       12,893,119  
   

 

 

 
      35,931,644  
Norway — 1.2%            

Aker BP ASA

    674,448       18,893,023  

DNB Bank ASA

    1,978,096       40,763,578  

Equinor ASA

    2,024,788       61,935,174  

Gjensidige Forsikring ASA

    281,188       4,438,954  

Mowi ASA

    944,355       16,601,667  

Norsk Hydro ASA

    2,884,322       18,890,632  

Orkla ASA

    1,608,140       12,689,549  

Salmar ASA

    157,056       7,255,752  

Telenor ASA

    1,505,825       16,119,769  

Yara International ASA

    354,191       14,465,860  
   

 

 

 
       212,053,958  
Portugal — 0.2%            

EDP - Energias de Portugal SA

    6,279,501       29,336,816  

Galp Energia SGPS SA

    367,284       4,881,062  
   

 

 

 
      34,217,878  
Singapore — 1.5%            

CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust

    11,399,804       17,501,937  

City Developments Ltd.

    1,086,400       6,045,042  

DBS Group Holdings Ltd.

    2,506,600       64,662,857  

Genting Singapore Ltd.

    4,649,500       3,288,710  

Mapletree Pan Asia Commercial Trust

    5,090,000       6,321,897  

Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp. Ltd.(c)

    7,209,500       72,150,881  

Singapore Airlines Ltd.

    2,880,400       16,317,531  

United Overseas Bank Ltd.

    2,690,300       61,025,371  

Wilmar International Ltd.

    4,113,200       11,951,860  
   

 

 

 
      259,266,086  
Spain — 3.5%            

ACS Actividades de Construccion y Servicios SA

    512,165       17,914,885  

Aena SME SA(a)

    88,918       14,199,506  

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA

    12,859,852       101,931,999  

Banco Santander SA

    35,034,653       141,970,267  

CaixaBank SA

    8,930,591       36,126,031  

EDP Renovaveis SA

    275,994       5,271,734  

Enagas SA

    186,158       3,303,657  

Endesa SA

    745,985       15,988,583  

Iberdrola SA

    12,693,997       158,440,515  

Naturgy Energy Group SA

    295,027       8,995,584  

Redeia Corp. SA

    396,106       6,625,134  

Repsol SA

    2,862,357       43,700,808  

Telefonica SA

    11,182,049       47,644,061  
   

 

 

 
      602,112,764  
Sweden — 3.1%            

Boliden AB

    587,061       17,265,019  

Embracer Group AB, Class B(b)(c)

    1,438,298       4,128,337  

Fastighets AB Balder, Class B(b)

    502,343       2,344,169  

Holmen AB, Class B

    202,549       7,802,335  

Industrivarden AB, Class A

    138,667       3,937,721  

Industrivarden AB, Class C

    164,795       4,668,769  

Investor AB, Class A

    931,325       18,913,723  

Investor AB, Class B

    3,685,759       75,277,893  

L E Lundbergforetagen AB, Class B

    164,321       7,241,530  

Nordea Bank Abp

    6,908,488       78,192,584  
Security   Shares     Value  
Sweden (continued)            

Sandvik AB

    1,140,174     $ 23,159,811  

Securitas AB, Class B

    1,062,285       9,041,929  

Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB, Class A

    3,443,193       41,739,178  

Skanska AB, Class B

    724,635       11,557,483  

SKF AB, Class B

    728,679       13,883,103  

Svenska Cellulosa AB SCA, Class B

    1,300,001       17,273,721  

Svenska Handelsbanken AB, Class A

    3,103,531       27,248,870  

Swedbank AB, Class A

    1,805,973       33,124,593  

Tele2 AB, Class B

    1,147,308       8,632,980  

Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson, Class B

    6,222,021       31,299,714  

Telia Co. AB

    5,250,373       11,282,954  

Volvo AB, Class A

    425,260       9,643,176  

Volvo AB, Class B

    3,213,680       70,889,333  

Volvo Car AB, Class B(b)(c)

    1,302,115       6,436,353  
   

 

 

 
      534,985,278  
Switzerland — 7.1%            

Adecco Group AG, Registered

    343,914       14,015,984  

Baloise Holding AG, Registered

    98,077       15,181,224  

Banque Cantonale Vaudoise, Registered

    65,567       7,359,331  

Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Spruengli AG, Participation Certificates, NVS

    758       9,270,515  

Clariant AG, Registered

    461,948       7,569,562  

Coca-Cola HBC AG, Class DI

    232,687       6,846,333  

DSM-Firmenich AG

    132,087       14,595,586  

Dufry AG, Registered(b)

    108,527       5,607,422  

EMS-Chemie Holding AG, Registered

    9,723       8,115,300  

Geberit AG, Registered

    25,563       14,507,052  

Helvetia Holding AG, Registered

    79,763       11,803,569  

Holcim Ltd.

    1,181,165       82,323,556  

Julius Baer Group Ltd.

    456,714       32,347,925  

Logitech International SA, Registered

    124,942       8,833,266  

Novartis AG, Registered

    4,362,583       456,749,933  

Partners Group Holding AG

    24,271       27,247,441  

Schindler Holding AG, Participation Certificates, NVS

    30,943       7,513,476  

Schindler Holding AG, Registered

    18,088       4,193,913  

SGS SA

    161,598       15,690,359  

Siemens Energy AG(b)

    392,029       6,641,611  

Swatch Group AG (The), Bearer

    61,772       19,769,538  

Swatch Group AG (The), Registered

    114,132       6,853,938  

Swiss Life Holding AG, Registered

    65,722       41,789,601  

Swiss Prime Site AG, Registered

    164,338       15,909,460  

Swiss Re AG

    226,128       23,594,036  

Swisscom AG, Registered

    55,124       35,447,794  

Temenos AG, Registered

    49,181       4,229,702  

UBS Group AG, Registered

    6,985,639       155,003,451  

Zurich Insurance Group AG

    320,334       154,881,009  
   

 

 

 
       1,213,891,887  
United Kingdom — 19.9%            

3i Group PLC

    2,066,972       52,441,472  

abrdn PLC

    4,268,727       12,703,595  

Admiral Group PLC

    452,539       12,355,672  

Anglo American PLC

    2,703,869       83,148,766  

Antofagasta PLC

    839,173       18,050,408  

Associated British Foods PLC

    745,838       19,628,221  

AstraZeneca PLC

    1,154,237       165,836,384  

Aviva PLC

    5,915,443       29,471,692  

BAE Systems PLC

    4,223,293       50,506,549  

Barclays PLC

    33,032,710       65,547,172  

 

 

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

    19  


Schedule of Investments (continued)

July 31, 2023

  

iShares® MSCI EAFE Value ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
United Kingdom (continued)            

Barratt Developments PLC

    2,100,293     $  12,294,290  

Berkeley Group Holdings PLC

    229,840       12,815,347  

BP PLC

    37,512,704       232,745,615  

British American Tobacco PLC

    4,519,855       151,994,139  

British Land Co. PLC (The)

    1,860,898       8,074,808  

BT Group PLC

    14,689,543       23,018,295  

Bunzl PLC

    249,745       9,257,526  

Centrica PLC

    12,088,241       21,422,180  

CNH Industrial NV

    2,172,431       31,376,368  

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners PLC

    438,791       27,814,962  

DCC PLC

    210,648       12,196,250  

Endeavour Mining PLC

    392,240       9,451,449  

Glencore PLC

    22,711,755       138,120,031  

GSK PLC

    8,713,429       155,109,069  

Haleon PLC

    3,783,194       16,329,859  

Hargreaves Lansdown PLC

    759,207       8,306,634  

Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC

    353,692       9,498,346  

HSBC Holdings PLC

    42,511,818        353,120,697  

Imperial Brands PLC

    1,868,044       44,133,355  

Intertek Group PLC

    119,342       6,685,353  

J Sainsbury PLC

    3,516,263       12,519,597  

Johnson Matthey PLC

    387,606       8,964,295  

Kingfisher PLC

    4,134,215       13,036,706  

Land Securities Group PLC

    1,503,252       12,484,191  

Legal & General Group PLC

    12,685,018       38,015,284  

Lloyds Banking Group PLC

    140,992,291       81,457,906  

M&G PLC

    4,756,604       12,252,532  

Mondi PLC

    1,033,272       18,124,202  

National Grid PLC

    7,824,888       103,717,426  

NatWest Group PLC, NVS

    12,202,027       38,302,627  

Next PLC

    259,237       23,445,599  

Ocado Group PLC(b)

    609,529       7,337,856  

Pearson PLC

    1,372,530       15,182,312  

Persimmon PLC

    682,133       10,141,220  

Phoenix Group Holdings PLC

    1,585,568       11,202,226  

Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC

    762,427       57,114,969  

Rio Tinto PLC

    2,395,451        158,333,842  

Schroders PLC

    1,721,705       10,157,704  

Segro PLC

    2,568,195       25,167,165  

Severn Trent PLC

    185,995       6,095,774  

Shell PLC

    14,570,909       441,611,501  

Smith & Nephew PLC

    929,683       14,143,265  

Smiths Group PLC

    749,482       16,345,936  

SSE PLC

    2,322,615       50,222,210  

St. James’s Place PLC

    1,165,541       14,069,386  

Standard Chartered PLC

    5,121,610       49,195,860  

Taylor Wimpey PLC

    7,547,212       11,078,244  

Tesco PLC

    15,572,384       51,576,838  
Security   Shares     Value  

 

 
United Kingdom (continued)            

Unilever PLC

    3,493,730     $ 187,728,228  

United Utilities Group PLC

    945,115       12,119,724  

Vodafone Group PLC

    48,820,752       46,441,213  

Whitbread PLC

    429,561       19,296,353  

WPP PLC

    2,282,106       24,917,698  
   

 

 

 
      3,395,254,393  
   

 

 

 

Total Common Stocks — 98.8%
(Cost: $16,158,787,605)

      16,903,820,818  
   

 

 

 

Preferred Stocks

   
Germany — 0.7%            

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, Preference Shares, NVS

    126,720       14,237,128  

Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Preference Shares, NVS

    360,976       27,855,194  

Porsche Automobil Holding SE, Preference Shares, NVS

    328,098       19,359,714  

Volkswagen AG, Preference Shares, NVS

    439,224       58,186,450  
   

 

 

 
      119,638,486  
   

 

 

 

Total Preferred Stocks — 0.7%
(Cost: $151,407,558)

      119,638,486  
   

 

 

 

Total Long-Term Investments — 99.5%
(Cost: $16,310,195,163)

       17,023,459,304  
   

 

 

 

Short-Term Securities

   
Money Market Funds — 0.1%            

BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional, SL Agency Shares, 5.42%(d)(e)(f)

    20,628,021       20,634,209  
   

 

 

 

Total Short-Term Securities — 0.1%
(Cost: $20,623,661)

      20,634,209  
   

 

 

 

Total Investments — 99.6%
(Cost: $16,330,818,824)

      17,044,093,513  

Other Assets Less Liabilities — 0.4%

      63,738,133  
   

 

 

 

Net Assets — 100.0%

    $ 17,107,831,646  
   

 

 

 

 

(a)

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.

 
(b)

Non-income producing security.

 
(c)

All or a portion of this security is on loan.

 
(d)

Affiliate of the Fund.

 
(e)

Annualized 7-day yield as of period end.

 
(f)

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

 

 

 

20  

2 0 2 3I S H A R E S  A N N U A L  R E P O R T  T O  S H A R E H O L D E R S


Schedule of Investments (continued)

July 31, 2023

  

iShares® MSCI EAFE Value ETF

 

Affiliates

Investments in issuers considered to be affiliate(s) of the Fund during the year ended July 31, 2023 for purposes of Section 2(a)(3) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, were as follows:

 

 

 
Affiliated Issuer  

Value at

07/31/22

    

Purchases

at Cost

    

Proceeds

from Sale

   

Net Realized

Gain (Loss)

    

Change in

Unrealized

Appreciation

(Depreciation)

    

Value at

07/31/23

    

Shares

Held at

07/31/23

     Income    

Capital

Gain

Distributions

from

Underlying

Funds

 

 

 

BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional, SL Agency Shares

  $ 57,872,151      $      $ (37,255,810 )(a)    $ 14,286      $ 3,582      $ 20,634,209        20,628,021      $ 569,088 (b)    $  

BlackRock Cash Funds: Treasury, SL Agency Shares(c)

    3,960,000               (3,960,000 )(a)                                  429,998       3  
         

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

 
          $ 14,286      $ 3,582      $ 20,634,209         $ 999,086     $ 3  
         

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

  (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.

 
  (c) 

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

 

Derivative Financial Instruments Outstanding as of Period End

Futures Contracts

 

 

 
Description  

Number of

Contracts

    

Expiration

Date

    

Notional

Amount

(000)

    

Value/

Unrealized

Appreciation

(Depreciation)

 

 

 

Long Contracts

          

TOPIX Index

    117        09/07/23      $ 19,169      $ 793,409  

Euro STOXX 50 Index

    486        09/15/23        24,010        856,976  

FTSE 100 Index

    368        09/15/23        36,324        456,627  
          

 

 

 
           $ 2,107,012  
          

 

 

 

Derivative Financial Instruments Categorized by Risk Exposure

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

 

 

 
   

Commodity

Contracts

    

Credit

Contracts

    

Equity

Contracts

    

Foreign

Currency

Exchange

Contracts

    

Interest

Rate

Contracts

    

Other

Contracts

     Total  

 

 

Assets — Derivative Financial Instruments

                   

Futures contracts

                   

Unrealized appreciation on futures contracts(a)

  $      $      $ 2,107,012      $      $      $      $ 2,107,012  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

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

 

For the period ended July 31, 2023, the effect of derivative financial instruments in the Statements of Operations was as follows:

 

 

 
   

Commodity

Contracts

    

Credit

Contracts

    

Equity

Contracts

   

Foreign

Currency

Exchange

Contracts

    

Interest

Rate

Contracts

    

Other

Contracts

     Total  

 

 

Net Realized Gain (Loss) from

                  

Futures contracts

  $      $      $ 14,051,684     $      $      $      $ 14,051,684  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) on

                  

Futures contracts

  $      $      $ (683,699   $      $      $      $ (683,699
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

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

    21  


Schedule of Investments (continued)

July 31, 2023

  

iShares® MSCI EAFE Value ETF

 

Average Quarterly Balances of Outstanding Derivative Financial Instruments

 

 

 

Futures contracts:

 

Average notional value of contracts — long

  $ 107,185,721   

 

 

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  

 

 

Assets

          

Investments

          

Long-Term Investments

          

Common Stocks

  $ 255,200,453      $ 16,648,620,365      $      $ 16,903,820,818  

Preferred Stocks

           119,638,486               119,638,486  

Short-Term Securities

          

Money Market Funds

    20,634,209                      20,634,209  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
  $ 275,834,662      $ 16,768,258,851      $      $ 17,044,093,513  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Derivative Financial Instruments(a)

          

Assets

          

Equity Contracts

  $      $ 2,107,012      $      $ 2,107,012  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

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

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

22  

2 0 2 3I S H A R E S  A N N U A L  R E P O R T  T O  S H A R E H O L D E R S


Statements of Assets and Liabilities

July 31, 2023

 

   

iShares

MSCI EAFE Growth

ETF

           

iShares

MSCI EAFE Value

ETF

 

 

 

ASSETS

         

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

    $ 12,895,078,213         $ 17,023,459,304  

Investments, at value — affiliated(c)

      70,467,566           20,634,209  

Cash

      2,828           5,598,723  

Foreign currency collateral pledged for futures contracts(d)

      2,325,340           4,403,031  

Foreign currency, at value(e)

      18,887,687           25,284,375  

Receivables:

             

Securities lending income — affiliated

      13,759           18,654  

Capital shares sold

                11,685,567  

Dividends — unaffiliated

      3,547,361           20,705,073  

Dividends — affiliated

      11,357           14,641  

Tax reclaims

      17,758,617           33,538,589  

Variation margin on futures contracts

      205,488           284,973  
   

 

 

       

 

 

 

Total assets

      13,008,298,216           17,145,627,139  
   

 

 

       

 

 

 

LIABILITIES

         

Collateral on securities loaned, at value

      66,738,645           20,631,679  

Payables:

         

Investments purchased

                12,065,552  

Investment advisory fees

      3,998,324           4,374,380  

Professional fees

                723,882  
   

 

 

       

 

 

 

Total liabilities

      70,736,969           37,795,493  
   

 

 

       

 

 

 

Commitments and contingent liabilities

         

NET ASSETS

    $ 12,937,561,247         $ 17,107,831,646  
   

 

 

       

 

 

 

NET ASSETS CONSIST OF

         

Paid-in capital

    $ 12,720,445,570         $ 17,782,005,097  

Accumulated earnings (loss)

      217,115,677           (674,173,451
   

 

 

       

 

 

 

NET ASSETS

    $ 12,937,561,247         $ 17,107,831,646  
   

 

 

       

 

 

 

NET ASSET VALUE

         

Shares outstanding

      134,000,000           336,000,000  
   

 

 

       

 

 

 

Net asset value

    $ 96.55         $ 50.92  
   

 

 

       

 

 

 

Shares authorized

      Unlimited           Unlimited  
   

 

 

       

 

 

 

Par value

      None           None  
   

 

 

       

 

 

 

(a)   Investments, at cost — unaffiliated

    $ 11,664,336,855         $ 16,310,195,163  

(b)   Securities loaned, at value

    $ 66,066,850         $ 19,580,199  

(c)   Investments, at cost — affiliated

    $ 70,449,854         $ 20,623,661  

(d)   Foreign currency collateral pledged, at cost

    $ 2,358,796         $ 4,413,025  

(e)   Foreign currency, at cost

    $ 18,739,408         $ 25,071,972  

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

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

    23  


Statements of Operations

Year Ended July 31, 2023

 

   

iShares

MSCI EAFE

Growth ETF

          

iShares

MSCI EAFE Value

ETF

 

 

 

INVESTMENT INCOME

      

Dividends — unaffiliated

  $ 229,046,424            $ 737,189,894  

Dividends — affiliated

    177,010          429,998  

Interest — unaffiliated

    60,515          164,395  

Securities lending income — affiliated — net

    405,525          569,088  

Other income — unaffiliated

    759,174          332,171  

Foreign taxes withheld

    (17,930,786        (51,856,274

Foreign withholding tax claims

    4,185,320          6,774,629  
 

 

 

      

 

 

 

Total investment income

    216,703,182          693,603,901  
 

 

 

      

 

 

 

EXPENSES

      

Investment advisory

    39,872,029          50,252,212  

Professional

    494,465          710,691  
 

 

 

      

 

 

 

Total expenses

    40,366,494          50,962,903  
 

 

 

      

 

 

 

Net investment income

    176,336,688          642,640,998  
 

 

 

      

 

 

 

REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS)

      

Net realized gain (loss) from:

      

Investments — unaffiliated

    (309,838,682        (285,926,229

Investments — affiliated

    43,720          14,286  

Capital gain distributions from underlying funds — affiliated

    2          3  

Foreign currency transactions

    277,988          (855,932

Futures contracts

    9,409,147          14,051,684  

In-kind redemptions — unaffiliated(a)

    396,555,759          323,840,554  
 

 

 

      

 

 

 
    96,447,934          51,124,366  
 

 

 

      

 

 

 

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on:

      

Investments — unaffiliated

    1,142,357,141          2,072,946,002  

Investments — affiliated

    12,716          3,582  

Foreign currency translations

    1,250,038          2,234,823  

Futures contracts

    571,988          (683,699
 

 

 

      

 

 

 
    1,144,191,883          2,074,500,708  
 

 

 

      

 

 

 

Net realized and unrealized gain

    1,240,639,817          2,125,625,074  
 

 

 

      

 

 

 

NET INCREASE IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS

  $ 1,416,976,505        $ 2,768,266,072  
 

 

 

      

 

 

 

 

(a)

See Note 2 of the Notes to Financial Statements.

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

24  

2 0 2 3I S H A R E S  A N N U A L  R E P O R TT O  S H A R E H O L D E R S


Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

   

iShares

MSCI EAFE Growth ETF

         

iShares

MSCI EAFE Value ETF

 
   

 

 

     

 

 

 
         

Year Ended

07/31/23

         

Year Ended

07/31/22

         

Year Ended

07/31/23

         

Year Ended

07/31/22

 

 

 

INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS

               

OPERATIONS

               

Net investment income

        $ 176,336,688           $ 131,085,291           $ 642,640,998           $ 638,908,964  

Net realized gain (loss)

      96,447,934         465,077,162         51,124,366         (157,544,110

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

      1,144,191,883         (2,957,163,351       2,074,500,708         (2,039,523,842
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

      1,416,976,505         (2,361,000,898       2,768,266,072         (1,558,158,988
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

 

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS(a)

               

Decrease in net assets resulting from distributions to shareholders

      (151,624,443       (185,249,184       (577,034,652       (793,319,046
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

 

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS

               

Net increase in net assets derived from capital share transactions

      1,536,591,246         566,537,999         643,286,775         2,190,485,100  
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

 

NET ASSETS

               

Total increase (decrease) in net assets

      2,801,943,308         (1,979,712,083       2,834,518,195         (160,992,934

Beginning of year

      10,135,617,939         12,115,330,022         14,273,313,451         14,434,306,385  
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

 

End of year

    $ 12,937,561,247       $ 10,135,617,939       $ 17,107,831,646       $ 14,273,313,451  
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

(a)

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

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

F I N A N C I A L  S T A T E M E N T S     25  


Financial Highlights

(For a share outstanding throughout each period)

 

    iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF  
 

 

 

 
   

Year Ended

07/31/23

   

Year Ended

07/31/22

   

Year Ended

07/31/21

   

Year Ended

07/31/20

   

Year Ended

07/31/19

 

 

 

Net asset value, beginning of year

  $ 86.78     $ 108.95     $ 86.52     $ 80.40     $ 80.65  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net investment income(a)

    1.39 (b)       1.19 (b)       1.15       1.06       1.42  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)(c)

    9.48       (21.67     22.53       6.06       (0.29
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) from investment operations

    10.87       (20.48     23.68       7.12       1.13  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Distributions from net investment income(d)

    (1.10     (1.69     (1.25     (1.00     (1.38
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net asset value, end of year

  $ 96.55     $ 86.78     $ 108.95     $ 86.52     $ 80.40  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Return(e)

         

Based on net asset value

    12.58 %(b)       (18.92 )%(b)       27.42     8.91     1.52
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Ratios to Average Net Assets(f)

         

Total expenses

    0.36     0.36     0.36     0.39     0.40
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total expenses excluding professional fees for foreign withholding tax claims

    0.35     0.36     0.36     N/A       0.40
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net investment income

    1.57 %(b)       1.19 %(b)       1.15     1.31     1.86
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Supplemental Data

         

Net assets, end of year (000)

  $ 12,937,561     $ 10,135,618     $ 12,115,330     $ 7,994,330     $ 3,955,693  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Portfolio turnover rate(g)

    19     25     24     33     22
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(a)

Based on average shares outstanding.

(b)

Reflects the positive effect of foreign withholding tax claims, net of the associated professional fees, which resulted in the following increases for the year ended July 31, 2023 and July 31, 2022 respectively:

• Net investment income per share by $0.03 and $0.01.

• Total return by 0.03% and 0.01%.

• Ratio of net investment income to average net assets by 0.03% and 0.01%.

(c)

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

(d)

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

(e)

Where applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.

(f)

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

(g)

Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions.

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

26  

2 0 2 3I S H A R E S  A N N U A L  R E P O R TT O  S H A R E H O L D E R S


Financial Highlights (continued)

(For a share outstanding throughout each period)

 

    iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF  
 

 

 

 
   

Year Ended

07/31/23

   

Year Ended

07/31/22

   

Year Ended

07/31/21

    Year Ended
07/31/20
    Year Ended
07/31/19
 

 

 

Net asset value, beginning of year

  $ 44.33     $ 51.48     $ 39.94     $ 47.08     $ 52.87  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net investment income(a)

    1.99 (b)       2.06 (b)       1.67       1.48       2.03  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)(c)

    6.45       (6.66     11.39       (7.18     (5.81
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) from investment operations

    8.44       (4.60     13.06       (5.70     (3.78
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Distributions from net investment income(d)

    (1.85     (2.55     (1.52     (1.44     (2.01
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net asset value, end of year

  $ 50.92     $ 44.33     $ 51.48     $ 39.94     $ 47.08  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Return(e)

         

Based on net asset value

    19.39 %(b)       (9.23 )%(b)       32.79     (12.48 )%      (7.05 )% 
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Ratios to Average Net Assets(f)

         

Total expenses

    0.34     0.35     0.36     0.39     0.39
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total expenses excluding professional fees for foreign withholding tax claims

    0.34     0.33     0.36     N/A       0.39
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net investment income

    4.29 %(b)       4.17 %(b)       3.42     3.36     4.17
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Supplemental Data

         

Net assets, end of year (000)

  $ 17,107,832     $ 14,273,313     $ 14,434,306     $ 5,799,502     $ 5,423,659  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Portfolio turnover rate(g)

    22     26     25     27     21
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Based on average shares outstanding.

(b)

Reflects the positive effect of foreign withholding tax claims, net of the associated professional fees, which resulted in the following increases for the year ended July 31, 2023 and July 31, 2022 respectively:

• Net investment income per share by $0.02 and $0.06.

• Total return by 0.04% and 0.12%.

• Ratio of net investment income to average net assets by 0.04% and 0.13%.

(c)

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

(d)

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

(e)

Where applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.

(f)

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

(g)

Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions.

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

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

    27  


 

Notes to Financial Statements

 

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 funds (each, a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”):

 

   
iShares ETF   

Diversification

Classification

 

MSCI EAFE Growth

     Diversified  

MSCI EAFE Value

     Diversified  

 

2.

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

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

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

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

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

Foreign Taxes: The Funds may be subject to foreign taxes (a portion of which may be reclaimable) on income, stock dividends, capital gains on investments, or certain foreign currency transactions. All foreign taxes are recorded in accordance with the applicable foreign tax regulations and rates that exist in the foreign jurisdictions in which each Fund invests. These foreign taxes, if any, are paid by each Fund and are reflected in its Statements of Operations as follows: foreign taxes withheld at source are presented as a reduction of income, foreign taxes on securities lending income are presented as a reduction of securities lending income, foreign taxes on stock dividends are presented as “Other foreign taxes”, and foreign taxes on capital gains from sales of investments and foreign taxes on foreign currency transactions are included in their respective net realized gain (loss) categories. Foreign taxes payable or deferred as of July 31, 2023, if any, are disclosed in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities.

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

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

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

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

 

 

28  

2 0 2 3I S H A R E S  A N N U A L  R E P O R TT O  S H A R E H O L D E R S


Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

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

 

3.

INVESTMENT VALUATION AND FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

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

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

 

   

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

 

   

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

 

   

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

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

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

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

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

 

   

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

 

   

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

 

   

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

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

 

 

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

  29


Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

4.

SECURITIES AND OTHER INVESTMENTS

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

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

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

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

 

 

 

iShares ETF and Counterparty

       

Securities Loaned

at Value

 

 

       

Cash Collateral

Received

 

(a)  

       

Non-Cash Collateral

Received, at Fair Value

 

(a) 

        Net Amount  

 

 

MSCI EAFE Growth

                       

Barclays Bank PLC

      $ 294,378         $ (293,411       $         $ 967 (b)  

Barclays Capital, Inc.

        341,765           (341,765                    

Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.

        5,857,164           (5,857,164                    

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

        21,959,780           (21,959,780                    

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

        1,663,653           (1,663,653                    

Jefferies LLC

        1,445           (1,440                   5 (b)  

Morgan Stanley

        13,679,623           (13,679,623                    

State Street Bank & Trust Co.

        47,236           (47,236                    

Toronto-Dominion Bank

        21,918,340           (21,418,271                   500,069 (b)  

Wells Fargo Bank N.A.

        220,461           (220,461                    

Wells Fargo Securities LLC

        83,005           (83,005                    
     

 

 

       

 

 

       

 

 

       

 

 

 
      $ 66,066,850         $ (65,565,809       $         $ 501,041  
     

 

 

       

 

 

       

 

 

       

 

 

 

MSCI EAFE Value

                       

Barclays Capital, Inc.

      $ 1,435,141         $ (1,435,141       $         $  

BofA Securities, Inc.

        1,983,449           (1,983,449                    

Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.

        1,082,700           (1,082,700                    

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

        1,461,025           (1,461,025                    

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

        7,625,886           (7,625,886                    

Morgan Stanley

        5,642,547           (5,642,547                    

Wells Fargo Bank N.A.

        349,451           (349,451                    
     

 

 

       

 

 

       

 

 

       

 

 

 
      $ 19,580,199         $ (19,580,199       $         $  
     

 

 

       

 

 

       

 

 

       

 

 

 

 

  (a)

Collateral received, if any, in excess of the market value of securities on loan is not presented in this table. The total cash collateral received by each Fund is disclosed in the Fund’s Statements of Assets and Liabilities.

 
  (b)

The market value of the loaned securities is determined as of July 31, 2023. Additional collateral is delivered to the Fund on the next business day in accordance with the MSLA. The net amount would be subject to the borrower default indemnity in the event of default by a counterparty.

 

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

 

 

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

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

 

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

For its investment advisory services to the iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF, BFA is entitled to an annual investment advisory fee, accrued daily and paid monthly by the Fund, based on the average daily net assets of the Fund as follows:

 

   
Average Daily Net Assets    Investment Advisory Fees  

First $3 billion

   0.4000%

Over $3 billion, up to and including $4.5 billion

   0.3800  

Over $4.5 billion, up to and including $6 billion

   0.3610  

Over $6 billion, up to and including $7.5 billion

   0.3430  

Over $7.5 billion, up to and including $9 billion

   0.3258  

Over $9 billion, up to and including $10.5 billion

   0.3095  

Over $10.5 billion

   0.2940  

For its investment advisory services to the iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF, BFA is entitled to an annual investment advisory fee, accrued daily and paid monthly by the Fund, based on the average daily net assets of the Fund as follows:

 

   
Average Daily Net Assets    Investment Advisory Fees  

First $3 billion

   0.4000%

Over $3 billion, up to and including $4.5 billion

   0.3800  

Over $4.5 billion, up to and including $6 billion

   0.3610  

Over $6 billion, up to and including $7.5 billion

   0.3430  

Over $7.5 billion, up to and including $9 billion

   0.3258  

Over $9 billion, up to and including $10.5 billion

   0.3096  

Over $10.5 billion, up to and including $12 billion

   0.2941  

Over $12 billion, up to and including $13.5 billion

   0.2793  

Over $13.5 billion, up to and including $15 billion

   0.2653  

Over $15 billion

   0.2520  

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

Securities Lending: The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) has issued an exemptive order which permits BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A. (“BTC”), an affiliate of BFA, to serve as securities lending agent for the Funds, subject to applicable conditions. As securities lending agent, BTC bears all operational costs directly related to securities lending, including any custodial costs. Each Fund is responsible for fees in connection with the investment of cash collateral received for securities on loan (the “collateral investment fees”). The cash collateral is invested in a money market fund, BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional or BlackRock Cash

 

 

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

  31


Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

Funds: Treasury, managed by BFA, or its affiliates. However, BTC has agreed to reduce the amount of securities lending income it receives in order to effectively limit the collateral investment fees each Fund bears to an annual rate of 0.04%. The SL Agency Shares of such money market fund will not be subject to a sales load, distribution fee or service fee. The money market fund in which the cash collateral has been invested may, under certain circumstances, impose a liquidity fee of up to 2% of the value redeemed or temporarily restrict redemptions for up to 10 business days during a 90 day period, in the event that the money market fund’s weekly liquid assets fall below certain thresholds.

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

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

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

The share of securities lending income earned by each Fund is shown as securities lending income – affiliated – net in its Statements of Operations. For the year ended July 31, 2023, the Funds paid BTC the following amounts for securities lending agent services:

 

   
iShares ETF    Amounts  

MSCI EAFE Growth

   $  111,047  

MSCI EAFE Value

     138,044  

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 year ended July 31, 2023, transactions executed by the Funds pursuant to Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act were as follows:

 

       
iShares ETF    Purchases        Sales       

Net Realized

Gain (Loss)

 

MSCI EAFE Growth

   $  1,918,078,634        $  1,833,789,838        $  (245,831,207

MSCI EAFE Value

     1,932,186,127          1,862,976,267          (74,162,163

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

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

 

7.

PURCHASES AND SALES

For the year ended July 31, 2023, purchases and sales of investments, excluding short-term securities and in-kind transactions, were as follows:

 

     
iShares ETF    Purchases        Sales  

MSCI EAFE Growth

   $  2,355,092,793        $  2,161,985,532  

MSCI EAFE Value

     3,455,961,357          3,238,778,972  

For the year ended July 31, 2023, in-kind transactions were as follows:

 

     
iShares ETF   

In-kind

Purchases

      

In-kind

Sales

 

MSCI EAFE Growth

   $  2,786,466,124        $  1,415,808,573  

MSCI EAFE Value

     2,396,551,490          1,906,290,437  

 

 

32  

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Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

8.

INCOME TAX INFORMATION

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

Management has analyzed tax laws and regulations and their application to the Funds as of July 31, 2023, inclusive of the open tax return years, and does not believe that there are any uncertain tax positions that require recognition of a tax liability in the Funds’ financial statements.

U.S. GAAP requires that certain components of net assets be adjusted to reflect permanent differences between financial and tax reporting. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or NAV per share. As of July 31, 2023, permanent differences attributable to realized gains (losses) from in-kind redemptions were reclassified to the following accounts:

 

     
iShares ETF     Paid-in Capital       

Accumulated 

Earnings (Loss) 

 

MSCI EAFE Growth

   $  391,499,550        $  (391,499,550 )  

MSCI EAFE Value

     258,087,568          (258,087,568 )  

The tax character of distributions paid was as follows:

 

     
iShares ETF   

Year Ended

07/31/23

      

Year Ended

07/31/22

 

MSCI EAFE Growth

       

Ordinary income

   $ 151,624,443        $ 185,249,184  
  

 

 

      

 

 

 

MSCI EAFE Value

       

Ordinary income

   $ 577,034,652        $ 793,319,046  
  

 

 

      

 

 

 

As of July 31, 2023, the tax components of accumulated net earnings (losses) were as follows:

 

iShares ETF

    

Undistributed

Ordinary Income

 

 

      

Non-expiring

Capital Loss

Carryforwards

 

 

(a) 

    

Net Unrealized

Gains (Losses)

 

(b) 

     Total  

MSCI EAFE Growth

   $ 47,186,019        $ (991,427,803    $ 1,161,357,461      $ 217,115,677  

MSCI EAFE Value

     122,154,073          (1,169,804,663      373,477,139        (674,173,451

 

  (a)

Amounts available to offset future realized capital gains.

 
  (b)

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

 

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

As of July 31, 2023, gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation based on cost of investments (including short positions and derivatives, if any) for U.S. federal income tax purposes were as follows:

 

         
iShares ETF    Tax Cost       

Gross Unrealized

Appreciation

      

Gross Unrealized

Depreciation

      

Net Unrealized

Appreciation

(Depreciation)

 

MSCI EAFE Growth

   $  11,805,623,392        $ 1,692,094,496        $ (531,542,189      $  1,160,552,307  

MSCI EAFE Value

     16,672,153,214          1,612,631,134          (1,239,897,426        372,733,708  

 

9.

PRINCIPAL RISKS

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

 

 

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

    33  


Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

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

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

Infectious Illness Risk: An outbreak of an infectious illness, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, may adversely impact the economies of many nations and the global economy, and may impact individual issuers and capital markets in ways that cannot be foreseen. An infectious illness outbreak may result in, among other things, closed international borders, prolonged quarantines, supply chain disruptions, market volatility or disruptions and other significant economic, social and political impacts.

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.

The price each Fund could receive upon the sale of any particular portfolio investment may differ from each Fund’s valuation of the investment, particularly for securities that trade in thin or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair valuation technique or a price provided by an independent pricing service. Changes to significant unobservable inputs and assumptions (i.e., publicly traded company multiples, growth rate, time to exit) due to the lack of observable inputs.

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

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

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

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

Certain Funds invest a significant portion of their assets in securities of issuers located in Europe or with significant exposure to European issuers or countries. The European financial markets have recently experienced volatility and adverse trends due to concerns about economic downturns in, or rising government debt levels of, several European countries as well as acts of war in the region. These events may spread to other countries in Europe and may affect the value and liquidity of certain of the Funds’ investments.

Responses to the financial problems by European governments, central banks and others, including austerity measures and reforms, may not work, may result in social unrest and may limit future growth and economic recovery or have other unintended consequences. Further defaults or restructurings by governments and others of their debt could have additional adverse effects on economies, financial markets and asset valuations around the world. The United Kingdom has withdrawn from the European Union, and one or more other countries may withdraw from the European Union and/or abandon the Euro, the common currency of the European Union. These events and actions have adversely affected, and may in the future adversely affect, the value and exchange rate of the Euro and may continue to significantly affect the economies of every country in Europe, including countries that do not use the Euro and non-European Union member states. The impact of these actions, especially if they occur in a disorderly fashion, is not clear but could be significant and far reaching. In addition, Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The extent and duration of the military action, resulting sanctions and resulting future market disruptions in the region are impossible to predict, but have been, and may continue to be significant and have a severe adverse effect on the region, including significant negative impacts on the economy and the markets for certain securities and commodities, such as oil and natural gas, as well as other sectors.

 

 

34  

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Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

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

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

 

10.

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS

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

Transactions in capital shares were as follows:

 

 

 
   

Year Ended

07/31/23

   

Year Ended

07/31/22

 
 

 

 

   

 

 

 
iShares ETF   Shares     Amount     Shares     Amount  

 

 

MSCI EAFE Growth

       

Shares sold

    32,800,000     $ 2,965,743,755       30,800,000     $ 2,944,052,063  

Shares redeemed

    (15,600,000     (1,429,152,509     (25,200,000     (2,377,514,064
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
    17,200,000     $ 1,536,591,246       5,600,000     $ 566,537,999  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

MSCI EAFE Value

       

Shares sold

    55,200,000     $ 2,579,661,094       71,600,000     $ 3,596,755,484  

Shares redeemed

    (41,200,000     (1,936,374,319     (30,000,000     (1,406,270,384
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
    14,000,000     $ 643,286,775       41,600,000     $ 2,190,485,100  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

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 Statements of Assets and Liabilities.

 

11.

FOREIGN WITHHOLDING TAX CLAIMS

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

 

12.

SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

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

 

 

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

    35  


Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

To the Board of Trustees of

iShares Trust and Shareholders of each of the two funds listed in the table below

Opinions on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying statements of assets and liabilities, including the schedules of investments, of each of the funds listed in the table below (two of the funds constituting iShares Trust, hereafter collectively referred to as the “Funds”) as of July 31, 2023, the related statements of operations for the year ended July 31, 2023, the statements of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period ended July 31, 2023, including the related notes, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period ended July 31, 2023 (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of each of the Funds as of July 31, 2023, the results of each of their operations for the year then ended, the changes in each of their net assets for each of the two years in the period ended July 31, 2023 and each of the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period ended July 31, 2023 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

 iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF

 iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF

Basis for Opinions

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

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

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of July 31, 2023 by correspondence with the custodian, transfer agent and brokers; when replies were not received from brokers, we performed other auditing procedures. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.

/s/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

September 22, 2023

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

 

 

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Important Tax Information (unaudited)

 

The following amounts, or maximum amounts allowable by law, are hereby designated as qualified dividend income for individuals for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2023:

 

   
iShares ETF   

Qualified Dividend

Income

 

MSCI EAFE Growth

     $   212,485,995  

MSCI EAFE Value

     683,782,406  

The Funds intend to pass through to their shareholders the following amounts, or maximum amounts allowable by law, of foreign source income earned and foreign taxes paid for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2023:

 

     
iShares ETF   

Foreign Source 

Income Earned 

      

Foreign

Taxes Paid

 

MSCI EAFE Growth

     $ 229,046,425           $ 12,051,814  

MSCI EAFE Value

     737,189,894           41,766,252  

 

 

I M P O R T A N T  T A X  I N F O R M A T I O N

    37  


Board Review and Approval of Investment Advisory Contract

 

iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF (the “Fund”)

Under Section 15(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”), the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”), including a majority of Board Members who are not “interested persons” of the Trust (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) (the “Independent Board Members”), is required annually to consider the approval of the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and BFA (the “Advisory Agreement”) on behalf of the Fund. The Board’s consideration entails a year-long process whereby the Board and its committees (composed solely of Independent Board Members) assess BlackRock’s services to the Fund, including investment management; fund accounting; administrative and shareholder services; oversight of the Fund’s service providers; risk management and oversight; legal and compliance services; and ability to meet applicable legal and regulatory requirements. The Independent Board Members requested, and BFA provided, such information as the Independent Board Members, with advice from independent counsel, deemed reasonably necessary to evaluate the Advisory Agreement. At meetings on May 2, 2023 and May 15, 2023, a committee composed of all of the Independent Board Members (the “15(c) Committee”), with independent counsel, met with management and reviewed and discussed information provided in response to initial requests of the 15(c) Committee and/or its independent counsel, and requested certain additional information, which management agreed to provide. At a meeting held on June 7-8, 2023, the Board, including the Independent Board Members, reviewed the additional information provided by management in response to these requests.

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

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

In addition, to the extent that any of the comparison funds included in the Peer Group, excluding iShares funds, track the same index as the Fund, Broadridge also provided, and the Board reviewed, a comparison of the Fund’s performance for the one-year, three-year, five-year, ten-year, and since inception periods, as applicable, and for the quarter ended December 31, 2022, to that of such relevant comparison fund(s) for the same periods. The Board noted that the Fund seeks to track its specified underlying index and that, during the year, the Board received periodic reports on the Fund’s short- and longer-term performance in comparison with its underlying index. Such periodic comparative performance information, including additional detailed information as requested by the Board, was also considered. The Board noted that the Fund generally performed in line with its underlying index over the relevant periods.

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

Nature, Extent and Quality of Services Provided: Based on management’s representations, including information about ongoing enhancements and initiatives with respect to the iShares business, including with respect to capital markets support and analysis, technology, portfolio management, product design and quality, compliance and risk management, global public policy and other services, the Board expected that there would be no diminution in the scope of services required of or provided by BFA under the Advisory Agreement for the coming year as compared with the scope of services provided by BFA during prior years. In reviewing the scope of these services, the Board considered BFA’s investment philosophy and experience, noting that BFA and its affiliates have committed significant resources over time, including during the past year, to support the iShares funds and their shareholders and have made significant investments into the iShares business. The Board also considered BFA’s compliance program and its compliance record with respect to the Fund, including related programs implemented pursuant to regulatory requirements. In that regard, the Board noted that BFA reports to the Board about portfolio management and compliance matters on a periodic basis in connection with regularly scheduled meetings of the Board, and on other occasions as necessary and appropriate, and has provided information and made relevant officers and other employees of BFA (and its affiliates) available as needed to provide further assistance with these matters. The Board also reviewed the background and experience of the persons responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund, as well as the resources available to them in managing the Fund. In addition to the above considerations, the Board reviewed and considered detailed presentations regarding BFA’s investment performance, investment and risk management processes and strategies provided at the May 2, 2023 meeting and throughout the year, and matters related to BFA’s portfolio compliance program and other compliance programs and services.

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

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

 

 

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Board Review and Approval of Investment Advisory Contract (continued)

 

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

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

Economies of Scale: The Board reviewed information and considered the extent to which economies of scale might be realized as the assets of the Fund increase, noting that the issue of potential economies of scale had been focused on by the 15(c) Committee and the Board during their meetings and addressed by management. The 15(c) Committee and the Board received information regarding BlackRock’s historical estimated profitability (as discussed above), including BFA’s and its affiliates’ estimated costs in providing services. The estimated cost information distinguished, among other things, between fixed and variable costs, and showed how the level and nature of fixed and variable costs may impact the existence or size of scale benefits, with the Board recognizing that potential economies of scale are difficult to measure. The 15(c) Committee and the Board reviewed information provided by BFA regarding the sharing of scale benefits with the iShares funds through various means, including, as applicable, through relatively low fee rates established at inception, breakpoints, waivers, or other fee reductions, as well as through additional investment in the iShares business and the provision of improved or additional infrastructure and services to the iShares funds and their shareholders. The Board noted that the Advisory Agreement for the Fund already provided for breakpoints in the Fund’s investment advisory fee rate as the assets of the Fund, on an aggregated basis with the assets of certain other iShares funds, increase. The Board noted that it would continue to assess the appropriateness of adding new or revised breakpoints in the future.

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

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

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

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

Other Benefits to BFA and/or its Affiliates: The Board reviewed other benefits or ancillary revenue received by BFA and/or its affiliates in connection with the services provided to the Fund by BFA, both direct and indirect, including, but not limited to, payment of revenue to BTC, the Fund’s securities lending agent, for loaning portfolio securities, as applicable (which was included in the profit margins reviewed by the Board pursuant to BFA’s estimated profitability methodology), payment of advisory fees or other fees to BFA (or its affiliates) in connection with any investments by the Fund in other funds for which BFA (or its affiliates) provides investment advisory services or other services, and BlackRock’s profile in the investment community. The Board further considered other direct benefits that might accrue to BFA, including the potential for reduction in the Fund’s expenses that are borne by BFA under the “all-inclusive” management fee arrangement, due in part to the size and scope of BFA’s investment operations servicing the Fund (and other funds in the iShares complex) as well as in response to a changing market environment. The Board also reviewed and considered information provided by BFA concerning authorized participant primary market order processing services that are provided by BlackRock Investments, LLC (“BRIL”), an affiliate of BFA, and paid for by authorized participants under the ETF Servicing Platform. The Board also noted the revenue received by BFA and/or its affiliates pursuant to an agreement that permits a service provider to use certain portions of BlackRock’s technology platform to service accounts managed by BFA and/or its affiliates, including the iShares funds. The Board noted that BFA generally does not use soft dollars or consider the value of research or other services that may be provided to BFA (including its affiliates) in selecting brokers for portfolio transactions for the Fund. The Board concluded that any such ancillary benefits would not be disadvantageous to the Fund and thus would not alter the Board’s conclusion with respect to the appropriateness of approving the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the coming year.

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

 

 

B O A R D  R E V I E WA N D  A P P R O V A LO F  I N V E S T M E N T  A D V I S O R Y  C O N T R A C T

  39


Board Review and Approval of Investment Advisory Contract (continued)

 

iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF (the “Fund”)

Under Section 15(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”), the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”), including a majority of Board Members who are not “interested persons” of the Trust (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) (the “Independent Board Members”), is required annually to consider the approval of the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and BFA (the “Advisory Agreement”) on behalf of the Fund. The Board’s consideration entails a year-long process whereby the Board and its committees (composed solely of Independent Board Members) assess BlackRock’s services to the Fund, including investment management; fund accounting; administrative and shareholder services; oversight of the Fund’s service providers; risk management and oversight; legal and compliance services; and ability to meet applicable legal and regulatory requirements. The Independent Board Members requested, and BFA provided, such information as the Independent Board Members, with advice from independent counsel, deemed reasonably necessary to evaluate the Advisory Agreement. At meetings on May 2, 2023 and May 15, 2023, a committee composed of all of the Independent Board Members (the “15(c) Committee”), with independent counsel, met with management and reviewed and discussed information provided in response to initial requests of the 15(c) Committee and/or its independent counsel, and requested certain additional information, which management agreed to provide. At a meeting held on June 7-8, 2023, the Board, including the Independent Board Members, reviewed the additional information provided by management in response to these requests.

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

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

In addition, to the extent that any of the comparison funds included in the Peer Group, excluding iShares funds, track the same index as the Fund, Broadridge also provided, and the Board reviewed, a comparison of the Fund’s performance for the one-year, three-year, five-year, ten-year, and since inception periods, as applicable, and for the quarter ended December 31, 2022, to that of such relevant comparison fund(s) for the same periods. The Board noted that the Fund seeks to track its specified underlying index and that, during the year, the Board received periodic reports on the Fund’s short- and longer-term performance in comparison with its underlying index. Such periodic comparative performance information, including additional detailed information as requested by the Board, was also considered. The Board noted that the Fund generally performed in line with its underlying index over the relevant periods.

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

Nature, Extent and Quality of Services Provided: Based on management’s representations, including information about ongoing enhancements and initiatives with respect to the iShares business, including with respect to capital markets support and analysis, technology, portfolio management, product design and quality, compliance and risk management, global public policy and other services, the Board expected that there would be no diminution in the scope of services required of or provided by BFA under the Advisory Agreement for the coming year as compared with the scope of services provided by BFA during prior years. In reviewing the scope of these services, the Board considered BFA’s investment philosophy and experience, noting that BFA and its affiliates have committed significant resources over time, including during the past year, to support the iShares funds and their shareholders and have made significant investments into the iShares business. The Board also considered BFA’s compliance program and its compliance record with respect to the Fund, including related programs implemented pursuant to regulatory requirements. In that regard, the Board noted that BFA reports to the Board about portfolio management and compliance matters on a periodic basis in connection with regularly scheduled meetings of the Board, and on other occasions as necessary and appropriate, and has provided information and made relevant officers and other employees of BFA (and its affiliates) available as needed to provide further assistance with these matters. The Board also reviewed the background and experience of the persons responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund, as well as the resources available to them in managing the Fund. In addition to the above considerations, the Board reviewed and considered detailed presentations regarding BFA’s investment performance, investment and risk management processes and strategies provided at the May 2, 2023 meeting and throughout the year, and matters related to BFA’s portfolio compliance program and other compliance programs and services.

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

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

 

 

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Board Review and Approval of Investment Advisory Contract (continued)

 

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

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

Economies of Scale: The Board reviewed information and considered the extent to which economies of scale might be realized as the assets of the Fund increase, noting that the issue of potential economies of scale had been focused on by the 15(c) Committee and the Board during their meetings and addressed by management. The 15(c) Committee and the Board received information regarding BlackRock’s historical estimated profitability (as discussed above), including BFA’s and its affiliates’ estimated costs in providing services. The estimated cost information distinguished, among other things, between fixed and variable costs, and showed how the level and nature of fixed and variable costs may impact the existence or size of scale benefits, with the Board recognizing that potential economies of scale are difficult to measure. The 15(c) Committee and the Board reviewed information provided by BFA regarding the sharing of scale benefits with the iShares funds through various means, including, as applicable, through relatively low fee rates established at inception, breakpoints, waivers, or other fee reductions, as well as through additional investment in the iShares business and the provision of improved or additional infrastructure and services to the iShares funds and their shareholders. The Board noted that the Advisory Agreement for the Fund already provided for breakpoints in the Fund’s investment advisory fee rate as the assets of the Fund, on an aggregated basis with the assets of certain other iShares funds, increase. The Board noted that it would continue to assess the appropriateness of adding new or revised breakpoints in the future.

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

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

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

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

Other Benefits to BFA and/or its Affiliates: The Board reviewed other benefits or ancillary revenue received by BFA and/or its affiliates in connection with the services provided to the Fund by BFA, both direct and indirect, including, but not limited to, payment of revenue to BTC, the Fund’s securities lending agent, for loaning portfolio securities, as applicable (which was included in the profit margins reviewed by the Board pursuant to BFA’s estimated profitability methodology), payment of advisory fees or other fees to BFA (or its affiliates) in connection with any investments by the Fund in other funds for which BFA (or its affiliates) provides investment advisory services or other services, and BlackRock’s profile in the investment community. The Board further considered other direct benefits that might accrue to BFA, including the potential for reduction in the Fund’s expenses that are borne by BFA under the “all-inclusive” management fee arrangement, due in part to the size and scope of BFA’s investment operations servicing the Fund (and other funds in the iShares complex) as well as in response to a changing market environment. The Board also reviewed and considered information provided by BFA concerning authorized participant primary market order processing services that are provided by BlackRock Investments, LLC (“BRIL”), an affiliate of BFA, and paid for by authorized participants under the ETF Servicing Platform. The Board also noted the revenue received by BFA and/or its affiliates pursuant to an agreement that permits a service provider to use certain portions of BlackRock’s technology platform to service accounts managed by BFA and/or its affiliates, including the iShares funds. The Board noted that BFA generally does not use soft dollars or consider the value of research or other services that may be provided to BFA (including its affiliates) in selecting brokers for portfolio transactions for the Fund. The Board concluded that any such ancillary benefits would not be disadvantageous to the Fund and thus would not alter the Board’s conclusion with respect to the appropriateness of approving the continuance of the Advisory Agreement for the coming year.

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

 

 

B O A R D  R E V I E WA N D  A P P R O V A LO F  I N V E S T M E N T  A D V I S O R Y  C O N T R A C T

  41


Supplemental Information (unaudited)

 

Tailored Shareholder Reports for Open-End Mutual Funds and ETFs

Effective January 24, 2023, the SEC adopted rule and form amendments to require open-end mutual funds and ETFs to transmit concise and visually engaging streamlined annual and semiannual reports to shareholders that highlight key information. Other information, including financial statements, will no longer appear in a streamlined shareholder report but must be available online, delivered free of charge upon request, and filed on a semiannual basis on Form N-CSR. The rule and form amendments have a compliance date of July 24, 2024. At this time, management is evaluating the impact of these amendments on the shareholder reports for the Funds.

Premium/Discount Information

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

 

 

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Trustee and Officer Information (unaudited) 

 

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

The registered investment companies advised by BFA or its affiliates (the “BlackRock-advised Funds”) are organized into one complex of open-end equity, multi-asset, index and money market funds and ETFs (the “BlackRock Multi-Asset Complex”), one complex of closed-end funds and open-end non-index fixed-income funds (including ETFs) (the “BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex”) and one complex of ETFs (“Exchange-Traded Fund Complex”) (each, a “BlackRock Fund Complex”). Each Fund is included in the Exchange-Traded Fund Complex. Each Trustee also serves as a Director of iShares, Inc. and a Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust and, as a result, oversees all of the funds within the Exchange-Traded Fund Complex, which consists of 387 funds as of July 31, 2023. With the exception of Robert S. Kapito, Salim Ramji and Aaron Wasserman, the address of each Trustee and officer is c/o BlackRock, Inc., 400 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94105. The address of Mr. Kapito, Mr. Ramji and Mr. Wasserman is c/o BlackRock, Inc., 50 Hudson Yards, New York, NY 10001. The Board has designated John E. Kerrigan as its Independent Board Chair. Additional information about the Funds’ Trustees and officers may be found in the Funds’ combined Statement of Additional Information, which is available without charge, upon request, by calling toll-free 1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737).

 

            Interested Trustees     
       

Name

(Year of

Birth)

     Position(s)   

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

    Other Directorships Held by Trustee 
Robert S. Kapito(a) (1957)      Trustee (since 2009).    President, BlackRock, Inc. (since 2006); Vice Chairman of BlackRock, Inc. and Head of BlackRock’s Portfolio Management Group (since its formation in 1998) and BlackRock, Inc.’s predecessor entities (since 1988); Trustee, University of Pennsylvania (since 2009); President of Board of Directors, Hope & Heroes Children’s Cancer Fund (since 2002).    Director of BlackRock, Inc. (since 2006); Director of iShares, Inc. (since 2009); Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust (since 2011).
Salim Ramji(b) (1970)      Trustee (since 2019).    Senior Managing Director, BlackRock, Inc. (since 2014); Global Head of BlackRock’s ETF and Index Investments Business (since 2019); Head of BlackRock’s U.S. Wealth Advisory Business (2015-2019); Global Head of Corporate Strategy, BlackRock, Inc. (2014-2015); Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company (2010-2014).    Director of iShares, Inc. (since 2019); Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust (since 2019).

 

(a)

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

(b)

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

 

            Independent Trustees     
       

Name

(Year of

Birth)

     Position(s)   

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

    Other Directorships Held by Trustee 
John E. Kerrigan (1955)      Trustee (since 2005); Independent Board Chair (since 2022).    Chief Investment Officer, Santa Clara University (since 2002).    Director of iShares, Inc. (since 2005); Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust (since 2011); Independent Board Chair of iShares, Inc. and iShares U.S. ETF Trust (since 2022).
Jane D. Carlin (1956)      Trustee (since 2015); Risk Committee Chair (since 2016).    Consultant (since 2012); Member of the Audit Committee (2012-2018), Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee (2017-2018) and Director of PHH Corporation (mortgage solutions) (2012-2018); Managing Director and Global Head of Financial Holding Company Governance & Assurance and the Global Head of Operational Risk Management of Morgan Stanley (2006-2012).    Director of iShares, Inc. (since 2015); Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust (since 2015); Member of the Audit Committee (since 2016), Chair of the Audit Committee (since 2020) and Director of The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (since 2016).
Richard L. Fagnani (1954)      Trustee (since 2017); Audit Committee Chair (since 2019).    Partner, KPMG LLP (2002-2016); Director of One Generation Away (since 2021).    Director of iShares, Inc. (since 2017); Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust (since 2017).

 

 

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   43


Trustee and Officer Information (unaudited) (continued)

 

Independent Trustees (continued)
       

Name

(Year of

Birth)

     Position(s)   

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

    Other Directorships Held by Trustee 

Cecilia H. Herbert

(1949)

     Trustee (since 2005); Nominating and Governance and Equity Plus Committee Chairs (since 2022).    Chair of the Finance Committee (since 2019) and Trustee and Member of the Finance, Audit and Quality Committees of Stanford Health Care (since 2016); Trustee of WNET, New York’s public media company (since 2011) and Member of the Audit Committee (since 2018), Investment Committee (since 2011) and Personnel Committee (since 2022); Member of the Wyoming State Investment Funds Committee (since 2022); Director of the Jackson Hole Center for the Arts (since 2021); Trustee of Forward Funds (14 portfolios) (2009-2018); Trustee of Salient MF Trust (4 portfolios) (2015-2018).    Director of iShares, Inc. (since 2005); Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust (since 2011).

Drew E. Lawton

(1959)

     Trustee (since 2017); 15(c) Committee Chair (since 2017).    Senior Managing Director of New York Life Insurance Company (2010-2015).    Director of iShares, Inc. (since 2017); Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust (since 2017); Director of Jackson Financial Inc. (since 2021).

John E. Martinez

(1961)

     Trustee (since 2003); Securities Lending Committee Chair (since 2019).    Director of Real Estate Equity Exchange, Inc. (since 2005); Director of Cloudera Foundation (2017-2020); and Director of Reading Partners (2012-2016).    Director of iShares, Inc. (since 2003); Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust (since 2011).

Madhav V. Rajan

(1964)

     Trustee (since 2011); Fixed-Income Plus Committee Chair (since 2019).    Dean, and George Pratt Shultz Professor of Accounting, University of Chicago Booth School of Business (since 2017); Advisory Board Member (since 2016) and Director (since 2020) of C.M. Capital Corporation; Chair of the Board for the Center for Research in Security Prices, LLC (since 2020); Robert K. Jaedicke Professor of Accounting, Stanford University Graduate School of Business (2001-2017); Professor of Law (by courtesy), Stanford Law School (2005-2017); Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Head of MBA Program, Stanford University Graduate School of Business (2010-2016).    Director of iShares, Inc. (since 2011); Trustee of iShares U.S. ETF Trust (since 2011).

 

Officers
     

Name

(Year of

Birth)

     Position(s)   

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

Dominik Rohé

(1973)

     President (since 2023).    Managing Director, BlackRock, Inc. (since 2005); Head of Americas ETF and Index Investments (since 2023); Head of Latin America (2019-2023).

Trent Walker

(1974)

     Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer (since 2020).    Managing Director, BlackRock, Inc. (since September 2019); Chief Financial Officer of iShares Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC, BlackRock Funds, BlackRock Funds II, BlackRock Funds IV, BlackRock Funds V and BlackRock Funds VI (since 2021); Executive Vice President of PIMCO (2016-2019); Senior Vice President of PIMCO (2008-2015); Treasurer (2013-2019) and Assistant Treasurer (2007-2017) of PIMCO Funds, PIMCO Variable Insurance Trust, PIMCO ETF Trust, PIMCO Equity Series, PIMCO Equity Series VIT, PIMCO Managed Accounts Trust, 2 PIMCO-sponsored interval funds and 21 PIMCO-sponsored closed-end funds.

Aaron Wasserman

(1974)

     Chief Compliance Officer (iShares, Inc. and iShares Trust, since 2023; iShares U.S. ETF Trust, since 2023).    Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. (since 2018); Chief Compliance Officer of the BlackRock Multi-Asset Complex, the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex and the Exchange-Traded Fund Complex (since 2023); Deputy Chief Compliance Officer for the BlackRock Multi-Asset Complex, the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex and the Exchange-Traded Fund Complex (2014-2023).

Marisa Rolland

(1980)

     Secretary (since 2022).    Managing Director, BlackRock, Inc. (since 2023); Director, BlackRock, Inc. (2018-2022); Vice President, BlackRock, Inc. (2010-2017).

Rachel Aguirre

(1982)

     Executive Vice President (since 2022).    Managing Director, BlackRock, Inc. (since 2018); Director, BlackRock, Inc. (2009-2018); Head of U.S. iShares Product (since 2022); Head of EII U.S. Product Engineering (since 2021); Co-Head of EII’s Americas Portfolio Engineering (2020-2021); Head of Developed Markets Portfolio Engineering (2016-2019).

 

 

 44  

2 0 2 3I S H A R E S  A N N U A L  R E P O R TT O  S H A R E H O L D E R S


Trustee and Officer Information (unaudited) (continued)

 

Officers (continued)
     

Name

(Year of

Birth)

     Position(s)   

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

Jennifer Hsui

(1976)

     Executive Vice President (since 2022).   

Managing Director, BlackRock, Inc. (since 2009); Co-Head of Index Equity (since 2022).

James Mauro

(1970)

     Executive Vice President (since 2022).   

Managing Director, BlackRock, Inc. (since 2010); Head of Fixed Income Index Investments in the Americas and Head of San Francisco Core Portfolio Management (since 2020).

 

 

 Effective March 30, 2023, Dominik Rohé replaced Armando Senra as President.

 

 Effective July 1, 2023, Aaron Wasserman replaced Charles Park as Chief Compliance Officer.

 

 

T R U S T E EA N D  O F F I C E R  I N F O R M A T I O N

   45


General Information

 

Electronic Delivery

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

To enroll in electronic delivery:

 

   

Go to icsdelivery.com.

 

   

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

Householding

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

Availability of Quarterly Schedule of Investments

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

Availability of Proxy Voting Policies and Proxy Voting Records

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

A description of the 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.

 

 

46   2 0 2 3I S H A R E S  A N N U A L  R E P O R TT O  S H A R E H O L D E R S


Glossary of Terms Used in this Report

 

Portfolio Abbreviation

 

ADR    American Depositary Receipt
NVS    Non-Voting Shares
REIT    Real Estate Investment Trust

 

 

G L O S S A R YO F  T E R M S  U S E DI NT H I S  R E P O R T

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Want to know more?

iShares.com | 1-800-474-2737

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

Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal.

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

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

©2023 BlackRock, Inc. All rights reserved. iSHARES and BLACKROCK are registered trademarks of BlackRock, Inc. or its subsidiaries. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

iS-AR-702-0723

 

 

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