LOGO

  SEPTEMBER 30, 2023

 

  

2023 Semi-Annual Report

(Unaudited)

 

 

iShares Trust

· iShares Russell Top 200 ETF | IWL | NYSE Arca

· iShares Russell Top 200 Growth ETF | IWY | NYSE Arca

· iShares Russell Top 200 Value ETF | IWX | NYSE Arca

 


The Markets in Review

Dear Shareholder,

The combination of continued economic growth and moderating inflation provided a supportive backdrop for investors during the 12-month reporting period ended September 30, 2023. Significantly tighter monetary policy helped to rein in inflation while the economy proved more resilient than many investors anticipated. A moderating labor market also helped ease inflationary pressure, although wages continued to grow and unemployment rates touched the lowest levels in decades. This robust labor market powered further growth in consumer spending, backstopping the economy. On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a horrific attack on Israel. The ensuing war will have a significant humanitarian impact and could lead to heightened economic and market volatility. We see geopolitics as a structural market risk going forward. See our geopolitical risk dashboard at blackrock.com for more details.

Equity returns were substantial, as the durability of consumer sentiment and spending mitigated investors’ concerns about the economy’s trajectory. The U.S. economy resumed growth in the third quarter of 2022 and continued to expand thereafter. All major classes of equities rose, although large-capitalization U.S. stocks posted significantly higher returns than small-capitalization U.S. stocks due primarily to the performance of large technology companies. International developed market equities also advanced strongly, and emerging market equities posted solid gains.

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 benefited from improving economic sentiment, 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”), attempting to manage persistent inflation, raised interest rates six times during the 12-month period. 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 two of its meetings late in the period.

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 two pauses, 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 in 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 Japanese stocks in the near term as shareholder-friendly policies generate increased investor interest. We also believe that stocks with an AI tilt should benefit from an investment cycle that is set to support revenues and margins. In credit, there are selective opportunities in the near term despite tightening credit and financial conditions. 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, euro area government bonds and gilts, 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.

Sincerely,

 

LOGO

Rob Kapito

President, BlackRock, Inc.

LOGO

Rob Kapito

President, BlackRock, Inc.

 

Total Returns as of September 30, 2023  
     
      6-Month      12-Month   
   

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

    5.18     21.62
   

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

    (0.19     8.93  
   

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

    (1.28     25.65  
   

Emerging market equities
(MSCI Emerging Markets Index)

    (2.05     11.70  
   

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

    2.50       4.47  
   

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

    (6.98     (2.90
   

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

    (4.05     0.64  
   

Tax-exempt municipal bonds
(Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index)

    (4.05     2.66  
   

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

    2.22       10.28  

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


Table of Contents

 

 

      Page

The Markets in Review

   2

Semi-Annual Report:

  

Fund Summary

   4

About Fund Performance

   7

Disclosure of Expenses

   7

Schedules of Investments

   8

Financial Statements:

  

Statements of Assets and Liabilities

   21

Statements of Operations

   22

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

   23

Financial Highlights

   25

Notes to Financial Statements

   28

Board Review and Approval of Investment Advisory Contract

   35

Supplemental Information

   42

General Information

   43

Glossary of Terms Used in this Report

   44

 

 

  3


Fund Summary as of September 30, 2023    iShares® Russell Top 200 ETF

 

Investment Objective

The iShares Russell Top 200 ETF (the “Fund) seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of large-capitalization U.S. equities, as represented by the Russell Top 200® 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  
     6-Month Total
Returns
     1 Year      5 Years      10 Years      1 Year      5 Years      10 Years  

Fund NAV

    6.90      23.72      10.63      12.46      23.72      65.69      223.48

Fund Market

    6.97        23.57        10.62        12.45        23.57        65.61        223.42  

Index

    6.98        23.89        10.79        12.63        23.89        66.91        228.52  

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
(04/01/23)
 
 
 
      

Ending
Account Value
(09/30/23)
 
 
 
      

Expenses
Paid During
the Period
 
 
(a) 
           

Beginning
Account Value
(04/01/23)
 
 
 
      

Ending
Account Value
(09/30/23)
 
 
 
      

Expenses
Paid During
the Period
 
 
(a) 
      

Annualized
Expense
Ratio
 
 
 
  $       1,000.00          $       1,069.00          $        0.78               $      1,000.00          $      1,024.25          $        0.76          0.15

 

(a) 

Expenses are equal to the annualized expense ratio, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 183/366 (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.

 

Portfolio Information

 

SECTOR ALLOCATION

 

   

Sector

   
Percent of
Total Investments
 
(a) 

Information Technology

    30.7

Health Care

    13.9  

Financials

    12.6  

Consumer Discretionary

    10.9  

Communication Services

    10.1  

Consumer Staples

    7.0  

Industrials

    6.3  

Energy

    4.4  

Materials

    1.6  

Utilities

    1.4  

Real Estate

    1.1  

TEN LARGEST HOLDINGS

 

   

Security

   
Percent of
Total Investments
 
(a) 

Apple Inc.

    8.5

Microsoft Corp.

    7.8  

Amazon.com, Inc

    3.8  

NVIDIA Corp.

    3.4  

Alphabet, Inc., Class A

    2.6  

Tesla, Inc.

    2.3  

Alphabet, Inc., Class C, NVS

    2.2  

Meta Platforms, Inc., Class A

    2.2  

Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., Class B

    2.1  

Exxon Mobil Corp.

    1.6  

 

(a)

Excludes money market funds.

 

 

 

4  

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


Fund Summary as of September 30, 2023    iShares® Russell Top 200 Growth ETF

 

Investment Objective

The iShares Russell Top 200 Growth ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of large-capitalization U.S. equities that exhibit growth characteristics, as represented by the Russell Top 200 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 representative sampling, the Fund may or may not hold all of the securities that are included in the Index.

Performance

 

           Average Annual Total Returns      Cumulative Total Returns  
     6-Month Total
Returns
     1 Year      5 Years      10 Years      1 Year      5 Years      10 Years  

Fund NAV

    11.05      29.71      13.48      15.57      29.71      88.20      324.97

Fund Market

    11.11        29.75        13.48        15.57        29.75        88.18        325.07  

Index

    11.16        29.95        13.65        15.79        29.95        89.61        333.24  

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
(04/01/23)
 
 
 
      

Ending
Account Value
(09/30/23)
 
 
 
      

Expenses
Paid During
the Period
 
 
(a) 
           

Beginning
Account Value
(04/01/23)
 
 
 
      

Ending
Account Value
(09/30/23)
 
 
 
      

Expenses
Paid During
the Period
 
 
(a) 
      

Annualized
Expense
Ratio
 
 
 
$ 1,000.00        $ 1,110.50        $ 1.06             $ 1,000.00        $ 1,024.00        $ 1.01          0.20

 

(a) 

Expenses are equal to the annualized expense ratio, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 183/366 (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.

 

Portfolio Information

 

SECTOR ALLOCATION

 

   

Sector

   
Percent of
Total Investments
 
(a) 

Information Technology

    45.1

Consumer Discretionary

    16.5  

Communication Services

    12.8  

Health Care

    9.9  

Financials

    5.9  

Consumer Staples

    4.5  

Industrials

    3.9  

Other (each representing less than 1%)

    1.4  

TEN LARGEST HOLDINGS

 

   

Security

   
Percent of
Total Investments
 
(a) 

Apple Inc.

    14.1

Microsoft Corp.

    12.9  

Amazon.com, Inc

    6.3  

NVIDIA Corp.

    5.7  

Alphabet, Inc., Class A

    4.3  

Tesla, Inc.

    3.8  

Alphabet, Inc., Class C, NVS

    3.7  

Meta Platforms, Inc., Class A

    3.7  

Eli Lilly & Co.

    2.5  

UnitedHealth Group, Inc.

    2.2  
(a) 

Excludes money market funds.

 

 

 

U N D    U M M A R Y

  5


Fund Summary as of September 30, 2023    iShares® Russell Top 200 Value ETF

 

Investment Objective

The iShares Russell Top 200 Value ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of large-capitalization U.S. equities that exhibit value characteristics, as represented by the Russell Top 200 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  
     6-Month Total
Returns
     1 Year      5 Years      10 Years      1 Year      5 Years      10 Years  

Fund NAV

    1.47      15.93      6.52      8.49      15.93      37.16      125.93

Fund Market

    1.54        15.77        6.51        8.49        15.77        37.09        125.84  

Index

    1.57        16.18        6.73        8.72        16.18        38.50        130.69  

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
(04/01/23)
 
 
 
      

Ending
Account Value
(09/30/23)
 
 
 
      

Expenses
Paid During
the Period
 
 
(a) 
           

Beginning
Account Value
(04/01/23)
 
 
 
      

Ending
Account Value
(09/30/23)
 
 
 
      

Expenses
Paid During
the Period
 
 
(a) 
      

Annualized
Expense
Ratio
 
 
 
$ 1,000.00        $ 1,014.70        $ 1.01             $ 1,000.00        $ 1,024.00        $ 1.01          0.20

 

(a) 

Expenses are equal to the annualized expense ratio, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 183/366 (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.

 

Portfolio Information

 

SECTOR ALLOCATION

 

Sector    
Percent of
Total Investments
 
(a) 

Financials

    22.7

Health Care

    20.0  

Energy

    11.0  

Consumer Staples

    10.8  

Industrials

    10.0  

Information Technology

    8.8  

Communication Services

    6.0  

Utilities

    3.4  

Materials

    3.1  

Consumer Discretionary

    2.6  

Real Estate

    1.6  

TEN LARGEST HOLDINGS

 

Security    
Percent of
Total Investments
 
(a) 

Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., Class B

    5.4

Exxon Mobil Corp.

    4.0  

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

    3.5  

Johnson & Johnson

    3.1  

Chevron Corp.

    2.5  

Procter & Gamble Co. (The)

    2.3  

Walmart, Inc.

    1.9  

Cisco Systems, Inc.

    1.8  

Merck & Co., Inc.

    1.8  

Bank of America Corp.

    1.6  

 

(a) 

Excludes money market funds.

 

 

 

6  

2 0 2 3    H A R E S    E M I - A N N U A L    E P O R T    T O    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.

 

 

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

  7


Schedule of Investments (unaudited) 

September 30, 2023

  

iShares® Russell Top 200 ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  

Common Stocks

 

Aerospace & Defense — 1.5%  

Boeing Co. (The)(a)

    16,253     $ 3,115,375  

General Dynamics Corp.

    7,118       1,572,864  

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

    5,505       958,531  

Lockheed Martin Corp.

    6,591       2,695,455  

Northrop Grumman Corp.

    4,182       1,840,875  

RTX Corp.

    42,594       3,065,490  
   

 

 

 
        13,248,590  
Air Freight & Logistics — 0.6%  

FedEx Corp.

    6,748       1,787,680  

United Parcel Service, Inc., Class B

    21,108       3,290,104  
   

 

 

 
      5,077,784  
Automobiles — 2.6%  

Ford Motor Co.

    114,239       1,418,848  

General Motors Co.

    39,999       1,318,767  

Tesla, Inc.(a)

    80,425       20,123,944  
   

 

 

 
      22,861,559  
Banks — 3.2%  

Bank of America Corp.

    203,032       5,559,016  

Citigroup, Inc.

    56,682       2,331,331  

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

    84,141       12,202,128  

PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (The)

    11,586       1,422,413  

Truist Financial Corp.

    38,597       1,104,260  

U.S. Bancorp

    44,826       1,481,948  

Wells Fargo & Co.

    106,975       4,370,998  
   

 

 

 
      28,472,094  
Beverages — 1.9%  

Coca-Cola Co. (The)

    113,524       6,355,074  

Constellation Brands, Inc., Class A

    4,710       1,183,764  

Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc.

    27,734       875,562  

Monster Beverage Corp.(a)

    21,651       1,146,420  

PepsiCo, Inc.

    40,156       6,804,033  
   

 

 

 
      16,364,853  
Biotechnology — 2.4%  

AbbVie, Inc.

    51,437       7,667,199  

Amgen, Inc.

    15,571       4,184,862  

Gilead Sciences, Inc.

    36,387       2,726,842  

Moderna, Inc.(a)

    9,685       1,000,363  

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(a)

    3,026       2,490,277  

Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(a)

    7,509       2,611,180  
   

 

 

 
      20,680,723  
Broadline Retail — 3.8%  

Amazon.com, Inc.(a)

    262,614       33,383,492  
   

 

 

 
Building Products — 0.1%  

Johnson Controls International PLC

    19,989       1,063,615  
   

 

 

 
Capital Markets — 2.5%  

BlackRock, Inc.(b)

    4,333       2,801,241  

Blackstone, Inc., Class A, NVS

    20,765       2,224,762  

Charles Schwab Corp. (The)

    43,301       2,377,225  

CME Group, Inc., Class A

    10,453       2,092,900  

Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (The)

    9,411       3,045,117  

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.

    16,537       1,819,401  

Moody’s Corp.

    4,619       1,460,389  

Morgan Stanley

    35,043       2,861,962  

S&P Global, Inc.

    9,351       3,416,949  
   

 

 

 
      22,099,946  
Chemicals — 1.3%  

Air Products & Chemicals, Inc.

    6,456       1,829,630  
Security   Shares     Value  
Chemicals (continued)            

Dow, Inc.

    20,712     $ 1,067,911  

Ecolab, Inc.

    7,248       1,227,811  

Linde PLC

    14,299       5,324,233  

Sherwin-Williams Co. (The)

    6,919       1,764,691  
   

 

 

 
        11,214,276  
Commercial Services & Supplies — 0.2%  

Waste Management, Inc.

    11,838       1,804,585  
   

 

 

 
Communications Equipment — 1.0%  

Arista Networks, Inc.(a)

    7,293       1,341,401  

Cisco Systems, Inc.

    119,518       6,425,288  

Motorola Solutions, Inc.

    4,811       1,309,747  
   

 

 

 
      9,076,436  
Consumer Finance — 0.4%  

American Express Co.

    17,281       2,578,152  

Capital One Financial Corp.

    11,032       1,070,656  
   

 

 

 
      3,648,808  
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail — 1.9%  

Costco Wholesale Corp.

    12,914       7,295,894  

Dollar General Corp.

    6,373       674,263  

Sysco Corp.

    14,763       975,096  

Target Corp.

    13,455       1,487,719  

Walmart, Inc.

    41,605       6,653,888  
   

 

 

 
      17,086,860  
Diversified Telecommunication Services — 0.8%  

AT&T Inc.

    208,681       3,134,388  

Verizon Communications, Inc.

    122,665       3,975,573  
   

 

 

 
      7,109,961  
Electric Utilities — 1.1%  

American Electric Power Co., Inc.

    14,993       1,127,773  

Duke Energy Corp.

    22,446       1,981,084  

Exelon Corp.

    29,007       1,096,175  

NextEra Energy, Inc.

    59,006       3,380,454  

Southern Co. (The)

    31,838       2,060,555  
   

 

 

 
      9,646,041  
Electrical Equipment — 0.5%  

Eaton Corp. PLC

    11,607       2,475,541  

Emerson Electric Co.

    16,598       1,602,869  
   

 

 

 
      4,078,410  
Energy Equipment & Services — 0.3%  

Schlumberger NV

    41,524       2,420,849  
   

 

 

 
Entertainment — 1.3%  

Activision Blizzard, Inc.

    21,158       1,981,024  

Netflix, Inc.(a)

    12,782       4,826,483  

Walt Disney Co. (The)(a)

    53,303       4,320,208  
   

 

 

 
      11,127,715  
Financial Services — 4.9%  

Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., Class B(a)

    53,376       18,697,613  

Fiserv, Inc.(a)

    17,687       1,997,923  

Mastercard, Inc., Class A

    24,455       9,681,979  

PayPal Holdings, Inc.(a)

    32,674       1,910,122  

Visa, Inc., Class A

    47,203       10,857,162  
   

 

 

 
      43,144,799  
Food Products — 0.8%  

Archer-Daniels-Midland Co.

    15,613       1,177,532  

General Mills, Inc.

    17,097       1,094,037  

Hershey Co. (The)

    4,287       857,743  

 

 

8  

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


Schedule of Investments (unaudited)  (continued)

September 30, 2023

  

iShares® Russell Top 200 ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
Food Products (continued)            

Kraft Heinz Co. (The)

    23,376     $ 786,369  

Mondelez International, Inc., Class A

    39,637       2,750,808  
   

 

 

 
      6,666,489  
Ground Transportation — 1.1%  

CSX Corp.

    58,318       1,793,279  

Norfolk Southern Corp.

    6,638       1,307,221  

Uber Technologies, Inc.(a)

    56,528       2,599,723  

Union Pacific Corp.

    17,767       3,617,894  
   

 

 

 
      9,318,117  
Health Care Equipment & Supplies — 2.3%  

Abbott Laboratories

    50,458       4,886,857  

Becton Dickinson & Co.

    8,245       2,131,580  

Boston Scientific Corp.(a)

    41,923       2,213,534  

Edwards Lifesciences Corp.(a)

    17,521       1,213,855  

GE HealthCare Technologies, Inc.

    11,388       774,840  

Intuitive Surgical, Inc.(a)

    10,180       2,975,512  

Medtronic PLC

    38,715       3,033,707  

Stryker Corp.

    10,354       2,829,438  
   

 

 

 
      20,059,323  
Health Care Providers & Services — 3.2%  

Centene Corp.(a)

    15,762       1,085,687  

Cigna Group (The)

    8,530       2,440,177  

CVS Health Corp.

    37,323       2,605,892  

Elevance Health, Inc.

    6,910       3,008,752  

HCA Healthcare, Inc.

    5,949       1,463,335  

Humana, Inc.

    3,639       1,770,446  

McKesson Corp.

    3,945       1,715,483  

UnitedHealth Group, Inc.

    27,095       13,661,028  
   

 

 

 
        27,750,800  
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure — 1.9%  

Airbnb, Inc., Class A(a)(c)

    11,796       1,618,529  

Booking Holdings, Inc.(a)

    1,081       3,333,750  

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.(a)

    803       1,470,959  

Las Vegas Sands Corp.

    9,624       441,164  

Marriott International, Inc., Class A

    7,248       1,424,667  

McDonald’s Corp.

    21,258       5,600,208  

Starbucks Corp.

    32,885       3,001,414  
   

 

 

 
      16,890,691  
Household Products — 1.5%  

Colgate-Palmolive Co.

    23,888       1,698,676  

Kimberly-Clark Corp.

    9,825       1,187,351  

Procter & Gamble Co. (The)

    68,623       10,009,351  
   

 

 

 
      12,895,378  
Industrial Conglomerates — 1.0%  

3M Co.

    15,997       1,497,639  

General Electric Co.

    31,600       3,493,380  

Honeywell International, Inc.

    19,406       3,585,064  
   

 

 

 
      8,576,083  
Industrial REITs — 0.3%  

Prologis, Inc.

    26,890       3,017,327  
   

 

 

 
Insurance — 1.5%  

American International Group, Inc.

    21,165       1,282,599  

Aon PLC, Class A

    5,884       1,907,711  

Chubb Ltd.

    12,002       2,498,576  

Marsh & McLennan Cos., Inc.

    14,454       2,750,596  

MetLife, Inc.

    18,825       1,184,281  

Progressive Corp. (The)

    17,018       2,370,607  

Travelers Cos., Inc. (The)

    6,714       1,096,463  
   

 

 

 
      13,090,833  
Security   Shares     Value  
Interactive Media & Services — 7.0%  

Alphabet, Inc., Class A(a)

    173,217     $ 22,667,177  

Alphabet, Inc., Class C, NVS(a)

    148,248       19,546,499  

Meta Platforms, Inc., Class A(a)

    64,474       19,355,739  
   

 

 

 
      61,569,415  
IT Services — 1.2%  

Accenture PLC, Class A

    18,418       5,656,352  

International Business Machines Corp.

    26,485       3,715,846  

Snowflake, Inc., Class A(a)

    9,056       1,383,485  
   

 

 

 
      10,755,683  
Life Sciences Tools & Services — 1.2%  

Danaher Corp.

    19,184       4,759,550  

Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.

    11,245       5,691,882  
   

 

 

 
      10,451,432  
Machinery — 1.0%  

Caterpillar, Inc.

    15,053       4,109,469  

Deere & Co.

    7,865       2,968,094  

Illinois Tool Works, Inc.

    8,826       2,032,716  
   

 

 

 
      9,110,279  
Media — 0.7%  

Charter Communications, Inc., Class A(a)

    2,982       1,311,543  

Comcast Corp., Class A

    119,266       5,288,255  
   

 

 

 
      6,599,798  
Metals & Mining — 0.3%  

Freeport-McMoRan, Inc.

    41,544       1,549,176  

Newmont Corp.

    23,276       860,048  

Southern Copper Corp.

    2,469       185,891  
   

 

 

 
      2,595,115  
Multi-Utilities — 0.3%  

Dominion Energy, Inc.

    24,457       1,092,494  

Sempra

    18,362       1,249,167  
   

 

 

 
      2,341,661  
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels — 4.1%  

Chevron Corp.

    51,574       8,696,408  

ConocoPhillips

    35,342       4,233,972  

EOG Resources, Inc.

    17,128       2,171,145  

Exxon Mobil Corp.

    116,761       13,728,758  

Kinder Morgan, Inc.

    57,064       946,121  

Marathon Petroleum Corp.

    12,345       1,868,292  

Occidental Petroleum Corp.

    20,299       1,316,999  

Pioneer Natural Resources Co.

    6,771       1,554,283  

Valero Energy Corp.

    10,297       1,459,188  
   

 

 

 
        35,975,166  
Personal Care Products — 0.2%  

Estee Lauder Cos., Inc. (The), Class A

    6,707       969,497  

Kenvue, Inc.

    50,737       1,018,799  
   

 

 

 
      1,988,296  
Pharmaceuticals — 4.9%  

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.

    61,274       3,556,343  

Eli Lilly & Co.

    24,668       13,249,923  

Johnson & Johnson

    70,248       10,941,126  

Merck & Co., Inc.

    74,039       7,622,315  

Pfizer, Inc.

    164,698       5,463,033  

Zoetis, Inc., Class A

    13,491       2,347,164  
   

 

 

 
      43,179,904  
Professional Services — 0.3%  

Automatic Data Processing, Inc.

    12,043       2,897,305  
   

 

 

 
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment — 7.9%  

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.(a)

    46,722       4,803,956  

 

 

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

  9


Schedule of Investments (unaudited)  (continued)

September 30, 2023

  

iShares® Russell Top 200 ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment (continued)  

Analog Devices, Inc.

    14,735     $ 2,579,951  

Applied Materials, Inc.

    24,605       3,406,562  

Broadcom, Inc.

    11,777       9,781,741  

Intel Corp.

    121,686       4,325,937  

KLA Corp.

    3,996       1,832,805  

Lam Research Corp.

    3,905       2,447,537  

Micron Technology, Inc.

    31,854       2,167,028  

NVIDIA Corp.

    69,261       30,127,842  

QUALCOMM, Inc.

    32,518       3,611,449  

Texas Instruments, Inc.

    26,459       4,207,246  
   

 

 

 
        69,292,054  
Software — 12.1%  

Adobe, Inc.(a)

    13,356       6,810,224  

Atlassian Corp., Class A(a)

    4,209       848,156  

Autodesk, Inc.(a)

    6,250       1,293,188  

Cadence Design Systems, Inc.(a)

    7,868       1,843,472  

Fortinet, Inc.(a)

    19,108       1,121,258  

Intuit, Inc.

    7,963       4,068,615  

Microsoft Corp.

    216,934       68,496,911  

Oracle Corp.

    44,320       4,694,374  

Palo Alto Networks, Inc.(a)(c)

    8,778       2,057,914  

Roper Technologies, Inc.

    3,092       1,497,394  

Salesforce, Inc.(a)

    27,590       5,594,700  

ServiceNow, Inc.(a)

    5,934       3,316,869  

Synopsys, Inc.(a)

    4,422       2,029,565  

VMware, Inc., Class A(a)

    6,273       1,044,329  

Workday, Inc., Class A(a)

    5,754       1,236,247  
   

 

 

 
      105,953,216  
Specialized REITs — 0.7%  

American Tower Corp.

    13,569       2,231,422  

Crown Castle, Inc.

    12,589       1,158,566  

Equinix, Inc.

    2,720       1,975,427  

Public Storage

    4,578       1,206,394  
   

 

 

 
      6,571,809  
Specialty Retail — 2.1%  

AutoZone, Inc.(a)

    526       1,336,035  

Home Depot, Inc. (The)

    29,520       8,919,763  

Lowe’s Cos., Inc.

    17,092       3,552,401  

O’Reilly Automotive, Inc.(a)

    1,742       1,583,234  

TJX Cos., Inc. (The)

    33,633       2,989,301  
   

 

 

 
      18,380,734  
Security   Shares     Value  
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals — 8.5%  

Apple Inc.

    435,005     $ 74,477,206  
   

 

 

 
Textiles, Apparel & Luxury Goods — 0.5%  

Lululemon Athletica, Inc.(a)

    3,238       1,248,605  

NIKE, Inc., Class B

    34,661       3,314,285  
   

 

 

 
      4,562,890  
Tobacco — 0.7%  

Altria Group, Inc.

    52,192       2,194,674  

Philip Morris International, Inc.

    45,235       4,187,856  
   

 

 

 
      6,382,530  
Wireless Telecommunication Services — 0.2%  

T-Mobile U.S., Inc.(a)

    15,514       2,172,736  
   

 

 

 

Total Long-Term Investments — 99.8%
(Cost: $846,818,267)

        877,133,666  
   

 

 

 

Short-Term Securities

   
Money Market Funds — 0.6%            

BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional, SL Agency Shares, 5.54%(b)(d)(e)

    186,898       186,973  

BlackRock Cash Funds: Treasury, SL Agency Shares, 5.31%(b)(d)

    4,710,637       4,710,637  
   

 

 

 

Total Short-Term Securities — 0.6%
(Cost: $4,897,574)

      4,897,610  
   

 

 

 

Total Investments — 100.4%
(Cost: $851,715,841)

 

    882,031,276  

Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets — (0.4)%

 

    (3,268,853
   

 

 

 

Net Assets — 100.0%

 

  $ 878,762,423  
   

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Non-income producing security.

 

(b) 

Affiliate of the Fund.

 

(c) 

All or a portion of this security is on loan.

 

(d) 

Annualized 7-day yield as of period end.

 

(e) 

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

 

 

10  

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


Schedule of Investments (unaudited)  (continued)

September 30, 2023

  

iShares® Russell Top 200 ETF

 

Affiliates

Investments in issuers considered to be affiliate(s) of the Fund during the six months ended September 30, 2023 for purposes of Section 2(a)(3) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, were as follows:

 

Affiliated Issuer   Value at
03/31/23
   

Purchases

at Cost

    Proceeds
from Sale
    Net
Realized
Gain (Loss)
    Change in
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
    Value at
09/30/23
   

Shares

Held at
09/30/23

    Income    

Capital

Gain
Distributions
from Underlying
Funds

 

BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional, SL
Agency Shares

  $ 1,637,124     $     $ (1,452,748 )(a)    $ 2,585     $ 12     $ 186,973       186,898     $ 5,660 (b)    $  

BlackRock Cash Funds: Treasury, SL
Agency Shares

     1,169,890       3,540,747 (a)                        4,710,637       4,710,637       37,496        

BlackRock, Inc.

    2,821,679       468,177       (396,443     52,259       (144,431     2,801,241       4,333       43,245        
       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

   

 

 

 
        $ 54,844     $ (144,419   $   7,698,851       $  86,401     $  
       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

  (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

                 

S&P 500 E-Mini Index

     7          12/15/23        $ 1,514        $ (48,595
                 

 

 

 

Derivative Financial Instruments Categorized by Risk Exposure

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

 

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

Liabilities — Derivative Financial Instruments

                    

Futures contracts

                    

Unrealized depreciation on futures contracts(a)

   $      $      $ 48,595      $      $      $      $   48,595  

 

  (a) 

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

 

For the period ended September 30, 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

   $      $      $     178,105      $      $      $      $     178,105  
Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) on:         

Futures contracts

   $      $      $ (133,612    $      $      $      $ (133,612

Average Quarterly Balances of Outstanding Derivative Financial Instruments

 

Futures contracts

        

Average notional value of contracts — long

   $ 1,430,200  

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

 

 

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

  11


Schedule of Investments (unaudited)  (continued)

September 30, 2023

  

iShares® Russell Top 200 ETF

 

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

   $ 877,133,666      $      $      $ 877,133,666  

Short-Term Securities

           

Money Market Funds

     4,897,610                      4,897,610  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $     882,031,276      $                 —      $                 —      $     882,031,276  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Derivative Financial Instruments(a)

           

Liabilities

           

Equity Contracts

   $ (48,595    $      $      $ (48,595
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

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

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

12  

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


Schedule of Investments (unaudited) 

September 30, 2023

  

iShares® Russell Top 200 Growth ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
Common Stocks  
Aerospace & Defense — 0.6%  

Boeing Co. (The)(a)(b)

    26,784     $ 5,133,957  

Lockheed Martin Corp.

    80,007       32,719,663  

Northrop Grumman Corp.

    2,908       1,280,072  
   

 

 

 
      39,133,692  
Air Freight & Logistics — 0.2%            

United Parcel Service, Inc., Class B

    70,828       11,039,960  
   

 

 

 
Automobiles — 3.8%            

Tesla, Inc.(a)

    976,448         244,326,819  
   

 

 

 
Beverages — 1.7%            

Coca-Cola Co. (The)

    683,643       38,270,335  

Constellation Brands, Inc., Class A

    5,697       1,431,827  

Monster Beverage Corp.(a)

    263,797       13,968,051  

PepsiCo, Inc.

    336,888       57,082,303  
   

 

 

 
      110,752,516  
Biotechnology — 2.5%            

AbbVie, Inc.

    624,503       93,088,417  

Amgen, Inc.

    128,551       34,549,367  

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(a)

    2,486       2,045,878  

Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(a)(b)

    83,416       29,007,080  
   

 

 

 
      158,690,742  
Broadline Retail — 6.3%            

Amazon.com, Inc.(a)

    3,188,429       405,313,095  
   

 

 

 
Capital Markets — 0.7%            

Blackstone, Inc., Class A, NVS(b)

    251,956       26,994,566  

Moody’s Corp.

    51,315       16,224,264  

S&P Global, Inc.

    9,418       3,441,431  
   

 

 

 
      46,660,261  
Chemicals — 0.6%            

Ecolab, Inc.

    68,184       11,550,369  

Linde PLC

    16,342       6,084,944  

Sherwin-Williams Co. (The)

    70,222       17,910,121  
   

 

 

 
      35,545,434  
Commercial Services & Supplies — 0.3%        

Waste Management, Inc.

    129,488       19,739,151  
   

 

 

 
Communications Equipment — 0.5%            

Arista Networks, Inc.(a)

    88,875       16,346,779  

Motorola Solutions, Inc.

    53,691       14,616,838  
   

 

 

 
      30,963,617  
Consumer Finance — 0.2%            

American Express Co.

    68,526       10,223,394  
   

 

 

 
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail — 2.0%        

Costco Wholesale Corp.

    156,789       88,579,513  

Dollar General Corp.

    77,364       8,185,111  

Sysco Corp.

    179,181       11,834,905  

Target Corp.

    162,910       18,012,959  
   

 

 

 
      126,612,488  
Entertainment — 0.9%            

Netflix, Inc.(a)

    155,184       58,597,478  
   

 

 

 
Financial Services — 4.3%            

Fiserv, Inc.(a)

    58,877       6,650,746  

Mastercard, Inc., Class A

    296,910       117,549,638  

PayPal Holdings, Inc.(a)(b)

    360,245       21,059,923  

Visa, Inc., Class A

    573,092       131,816,891  
   

 

 

 
      277,077,198  
Security   Shares     Value  
Food Products — 0.1%            

Hershey Co. (The)

    38,593     $ 7,721,687  
   

 

 

 
Ground Transportation — 0.8%            

CSX Corp.

    79,582       2,447,146  

Uber Technologies, Inc.(a)

    686,315       31,563,627  

Union Pacific Corp.

    92,216       18,777,944  
   

 

 

 
      52,788,717  
Health Care Equipment & Supplies — 1.0%            

Abbott Laboratories

    38,519       3,730,565  

Edwards Lifesciences Corp.(a)

    213,313       14,778,325  

GE HealthCare Technologies, Inc.

    10,406       708,024  

Intuitive Surgical, Inc.(a)

    123,578       36,120,614  

Stryker Corp.

    31,872       8,709,661  
   

 

 

 
      64,047,189  
Health Care Providers & Services — 2.6%            

Cigna Group (The)

    7,637       2,184,717  

Elevance Health, Inc.

    11,154       4,856,675  

HCA Healthcare, Inc.

    14,938       3,674,449  

Humana, Inc.

    19,138       9,311,020  

McKesson Corp.

    18,277       7,947,753  

UnitedHealth Group, Inc.

    276,655         139,486,684  
   

 

 

 
      167,461,298  
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure — 2.6%            

Airbnb, Inc., Class A(a)(b)

    143,634       19,708,021  

Booking Holdings, Inc.(a)(b)

    13,130       40,492,264  

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.(a)

    9,710       17,787,069  

Las Vegas Sands Corp.

    108,863       4,990,280  

Marriott International, Inc., Class A

    87,836       17,265,044  

McDonald’s Corp.

    106,593       28,080,860  

Starbucks Corp.

    399,258       36,440,278  
   

 

 

 
      164,763,816  
Household Products — 0.6%            

Kimberly-Clark Corp.

    111,927       13,526,378  

Procter & Gamble Co. (The)

    156,780       22,867,931  
   

 

 

 
      36,394,309  
Industrial Conglomerates — 0.1%            

Honeywell International, Inc.

    30,349       5,606,674  
   

 

 

 
Insurance — 0.7%            

Marsh & McLennan Cos., Inc.

    140,358       26,710,128  

Progressive Corp. (The)

    154,654       21,543,302  
   

 

 

 
      48,253,430  
Interactive Media & Services — 11.6%            

Alphabet, Inc., Class A(a)

    2,103,042       275,204,076  

Alphabet, Inc., Class C, NVS(a)

    1,799,899       237,316,683  

Meta Platforms, Inc., Class A(a)

    782,779       234,998,084  
   

 

 

 
      747,518,843  
IT Services — 1.3%            

Accenture PLC, Class A

    223,610       68,672,867  

Snowflake, Inc., Class A(a)

    109,792       16,772,924  
   

 

 

 
      85,445,791  
Life Sciences Tools & Services — 0.7%            

Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.

    84,163       42,600,786  
   

 

 

 
Machinery — 1.4%            

Caterpillar, Inc.

    137,067       37,419,291  

Deere & Co.

    89,274       33,690,222  

Illinois Tool Works, Inc.

    87,531       20,159,265  
   

 

 

 
      91,268,778  

 

 

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

  13


Schedule of Investments (unaudited)  (continued)

September 30, 2023

  

iShares® Russell Top 200 Growth ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
Media — 0.2%            

Charter Communications, Inc., Class A(a)(b)

    36,219     $ 15,929,841  
   

 

 

 
Metals & Mining — 0.0%            

Southern Copper Corp.

    30,091       2,265,551  
   

 

 

 
Personal Care Products — 0.1%            

Estee Lauder Cos., Inc. (The), Class A

    25,513       3,687,904  

Kenvue, Inc.

    208,057       4,177,785  
   

 

 

 
      7,865,689  
Pharmaceuticals — 3.2%            

Eli Lilly & Co.

    299,493         160,866,675  

Merck & Co., Inc.

    165,634       17,052,021  

Zoetis, Inc., Class A

    163,791       28,496,358  
   

 

 

 
      206,415,054  
Professional Services — 0.5%            

Automatic Data Processing, Inc.

    125,636       30,225,509  
   

 

 

 
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment — 10.3%  

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.(a)

    322,711       33,181,145  

Applied Materials, Inc.

    252,401       34,944,919  

Broadcom, Inc.

    142,983       118,758,820  

KLA Corp.

    48,593       22,287,665  

Lam Research Corp.

    44,955       28,176,445  

NVIDIA Corp.

    840,907       365,786,136  

QUALCOMM, Inc.

    344,273       38,234,959  

Texas Instruments, Inc.

    130,873       20,810,116  
   

 

 

 
      662,180,205  
Software — 18.9%            

Adobe, Inc.(a)

    162,153       82,681,815  

Atlassian Corp., Class A(a)

    51,071       10,291,317  

Autodesk, Inc.(a)

    76,165       15,759,300  

Cadence Design Systems, Inc.(a)

    95,772       22,439,380  

Fortinet, Inc.(a)

    232,795       13,660,411  

Intuit, Inc.

    96,676       49,395,635  

Microsoft Corp.

    2,633,812       831,626,139  

Oracle Corp.

    221,291       23,439,143  

Palo Alto Networks, Inc.(a)(b)

    106,528       24,974,424  

Salesforce, Inc.(a)

    252,565       51,215,131  

ServiceNow, Inc.(a)

    72,050       40,273,068  

Synopsys, Inc.(a)

    53,691       24,642,558  

VMware, Inc., Class A(a)

    75,951       12,644,322  

Workday, Inc., Class A(a)

    69,839       15,004,909  
   

 

 

 
      1,218,047,552  
Security   Shares     Value  
Specialized REITs — 0.8%            

American Tower Corp.

    164,743     $ 27,091,986  

Crown Castle, Inc.

    16,213       1,492,082  

Equinix, Inc.

    16,622       12,071,894  

Public Storage

    32,163       8,475,594  
   

 

 

 
      49,131,556  
Specialty Retail — 3.2%            

AutoZone, Inc.(a)(b)

    5,342       13,568,627  

Home Depot, Inc. (The)

    358,405       108,295,655  

Lowe’s Cos., Inc.

    152,091       31,610,593  

O’Reilly Automotive, Inc.(a)

    18,005       16,364,024  

TJX Cos., Inc. (The)

    407,574       36,225,177  
   

 

 

 
      206,064,076  
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals — 14.0%  

Apple Inc.

    5,281,433       904,234,144  
   

 

 

 
Textiles, Apparel & Luxury Goods — 0.6%        

Lululemon Athletica, Inc.(a)

    39,449       15,211,929  

NIKE, Inc., Class B

    224,458       21,462,674  
   

 

 

 
      36,674,603  
   

 

 

 

Total Long-Term Investments — 99.9%
(Cost: $5,519,698,880)

 

    6,427,580,943  
   

 

 

 

Short-Term Securities

   
Money Market Funds — 1.4%            

BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional, SL Agency Shares, 5.54%(c)(d)(e)

    69,761,005       69,788,910  

BlackRock Cash Funds: Treasury, SL Agency Shares, 5.31%(c)(d)

    20,227,183       20,227,183  
   

 

 

 

Total Short-Term Securities — 1.4%
(Cost: $90,007,158)

 

    90,016,093  
   

 

 

 

Total Investments — 101.3%
(Cost: $5,609,706,038)

      6,517,597,036  

Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets — (1.3)%

 

    (81,470,936
   

 

 

 

Net Assets — 100.0%

    $   6,436,126,100  
   

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Non-income producing security.

 

(b) 

All or a portion of this security is on loan.

 

(c) 

Affiliate of the Fund.

 

(d) 

Annualized 7-day yield as of period end.

 

(e) 

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

 

 

14  

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


Schedule of Investments (unaudited)  (continued)

September 30, 2023

  

iShares® Russell Top 200 Growth ETF

 

Affiliates

Investments in issuers considered to be affiliate(s) of the Fund during the six months ended September 30, 2023 for purposes of Section 2(a)(3) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, were as follows:

 

Affiliated Issuer   Value at
03/31/23
    Purchases
at Cost
    Proceeds
from Sale
    Net
Realized
Gain (Loss)
    Change in
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
    Value at
09/30/23
    Shares
Held at
09/30/23
    Income    

Capital

Gain
Distributions
from Underlying
Funds

 

BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional, SL Agency Shares

  $  40,094,246     $  29,682,661 (a)    $     $ 9,252     $ 2,751     $ 69,788,910       69,761,005     $ 51,221 (b)    $  

BlackRock Cash Funds: Treasury, SL Agency Shares

    7,923,181       12,304,002 (a)                        20,227,183       20,227,183       262,173        
       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

   

 

 

 
        $ 9,252     $ 2,751     $  90,016,093       $  313,394     $  
       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

  (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

                 

E-Mini Technology Select Sector Index

     2          12/15/23        $ 334        $ (18,006

NASDAQ 100 E-Mini Index

     25          12/15/23          7,433          (306,004
                 

 

 

 
                  $ (324,010
                 

 

 

 

Derivative Financial Instruments Categorized by Risk Exposure

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

 

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

Liabilities — Derivative Financial Instruments

 

  

Futures contracts

                    

Unrealized depreciation on futures contracts(a)

   $      $      $  324,010      $      $      $      $  324,010  

 

  (a) 

Net cumulative unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on futures contracts, if any, 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 September 30, 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

   $      $      $    2,034,687      $      $      $      $    2,034,687  

Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) on:

 

  

Futures contracts

   $      $      $ (1,188,142    $      $      $      $ (1,188,142

 

 

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

  15


Schedule of Investments (unaudited)  (continued)

September 30, 2023

  

iShares® Russell Top 200 Growth ETF

 

Average Quarterly Balances of Outstanding Derivative Financial Instruments

 

Futures contracts

        

Average notional value of contracts — long

   $ 9,369,915  

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

   $ 6,427,580,943      $      $      $ 6,427,580,943  

Short-Term Securities

           

Money Market Funds

     90,016,093                      90,016,093  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $     6,517,597,036      $                 —      $                 —      $     6,517,597,036  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Derivative Financial Instruments(a)

           

Liabilities

           

Equity Contracts

   $ (324,010    $      $      $ (324,010
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  (a) 

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

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

16  

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


Schedule of Investments (unaudited) 

September 30, 2023

  

iShares® Russell Top 200 Value ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  

Common Stocks

 

Aerospace & Defense — 2.9%  

Boeing Co. (The)(a)

    68,866     $ 13,200,235  

General Dynamics Corp.

    34,981       7,729,752  

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

    27,025       4,705,593  

Northrop Grumman Corp.

    19,294       8,493,026  

RTX Corp.

    208,881       15,033,165  
   

 

 

 
          49,161,771  
Air Freight & Logistics — 1.2%            

FedEx Corp.

    33,142       8,779,978  

United Parcel Service, Inc., Class B

    74,840       11,665,311  
   

 

 

 
      20,445,289  
Automobiles — 0.8%            

Ford Motor Co.

    560,767       6,964,726  

General Motors Co.

    196,157       6,467,296  
   

 

 

 
      13,432,022  
Banks — 8.2%            

Bank of America Corp.

    995,668       27,261,390  

Citigroup, Inc.

    278,005       11,434,346  

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

    412,625       59,838,877  

PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (The)

    56,916       6,987,577  

Truist Financial Corp.

    189,537       5,422,654  

U.S. Bancorp

    219,016       7,240,669  

Wells Fargo & Co.

    524,604       21,435,319  
   

 

 

 
        139,620,832  
Beverages — 2.1%            

Coca-Cola Co. (The)

    280,589       15,707,372  

Constellation Brands, Inc., Class A

    20,711       5,205,296  

Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc.

    136,187       4,299,423  

PepsiCo, Inc.

    60,850       10,310,424  
   

 

 

 
      35,522,515  
Biotechnology — 2.2%            

Amgen, Inc.

    24,435       6,567,151  

Gilead Sciences, Inc.

    178,657       13,388,556  

Moderna, Inc.(a)(b)

    47,497       4,905,965  

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(a)

    13,802       11,358,494  

Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(a)

    3,110       1,081,471  
   

 

 

 
      37,301,637  
Building Products — 0.3%            

Johnson Controls International PLC

    98,170       5,223,626  
   

 

 

 
Capital Markets — 5.2%            

BlackRock, Inc.(c)

    21,248       13,736,620  

Charles Schwab Corp. (The)

    211,850       11,630,565  

CME Group, Inc., Class A

    51,317       10,274,690  

Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (The)

    46,149       14,932,432  

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc

    80,904       8,901,058  

Moody’s Corp.

    1,985       627,597  

Morgan Stanley

    171,852       14,035,153  

S&P Global, Inc.

    42,049       15,365,125  
   

 

 

 
      89,503,240  
Chemicals — 2.4%            

Air Products & Chemicals, Inc.

    31,697       8,982,930  

Dow, Inc.

    101,120       5,213,747  

Ecolab, Inc.

    7,925       1,342,495  

Linde PLC

    63,531       23,655,768  

Sherwin-Williams Co. (The)

    5,711       1,456,590  
   

 

 

 
      40,651,530  
Commercial Services & Supplies — 0.1%            

Waste Management, Inc.

    5,830       888,725  
   

 

 

 
Security   Shares     Value  
Communications Equipment — 1.9%            

Cisco Systems, Inc.

    586,118     $ 31,509,704  

Motorola Solutions, Inc.

    1,881       512,083  
   

 

 

 
          32,021,787  
Consumer Finance — 0.8%            

American Express Co.

    56,830       8,478,468  

Capital One Financial Corp.

    54,164       5,256,616  
   

 

 

 
      13,735,084  
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail — 1.9%        

Walmart, Inc.

    204,032       32,630,838  
   

 

 

 
Diversified Telecommunication Services — 2.0%        

AT&T Inc.

    1,023,368       15,370,987  

Verizon Communications, Inc.

    601,549       19,496,203  
   

 

 

 
      34,867,190  
Electric Utilities — 2.8%            

American Electric Power Co., Inc.

    73,603       5,536,418  

Duke Energy Corp.

    110,175       9,724,046  

Exelon Corp.

    142,047       5,367,956  

NextEra Energy, Inc.

    289,367       16,577,835  

Southern Co. (The)

    155,752       10,080,269  
   

 

 

 
      47,286,524  
Electrical Equipment — 1.2%            

Eaton Corp. PLC

    56,921       12,140,111  

Emerson Electric Co.

    81,567       7,876,925  
   

 

 

 
      20,017,036  
Energy Equipment & Services — 0.7%            

Schlumberger NV

    203,633       11,871,804  
   

 

 

 
Entertainment — 1.8%            

Activision Blizzard, Inc

    103,843       9,722,820  

Walt Disney Co. (The)(a)

    261,398       21,186,308  
   

 

 

 
      30,909,128  
Financial Services — 5.8%            

Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., Class B(a)

    261,756       91,693,127  

Fiserv, Inc.(a)

    63,012       7,117,836  

PayPal Holdings, Inc.(a)

    15,266       892,450  
   

 

 

 
      99,703,413  
Food Products — 1.7%            

Archer-Daniels-Midland Co.

    76,287       5,753,565  

General Mills, Inc.

    83,942       5,371,449  

Hershey Co. (The)

    5,464       1,093,237  

Kraft Heinz Co. (The)

    114,775       3,861,031  

Mondelez International, Inc., Class A

    194,378       13,489,833  
   

 

 

 
      29,569,115  
Ground Transportation — 1.4%            

CSX Corp.

    254,549       7,827,382  

Norfolk Southern Corp.

    32,471       6,394,514  

Union Pacific Corp.

    49,838       10,148,512  
   

 

 

 
      24,370,408  
Health Care Equipment & Supplies — 4.2%            

Abbott Laboratories

    231,855       22,455,157  

Becton Dickinson & Co.

    40,507       10,472,275  

Boston Scientific Corp.(a)

    205,221       10,835,669  

GE HealthCare Technologies, Inc.

    51,378       3,495,759  

Medtronic PLC

    189,860       14,877,429  

Stryker Corp.

    37,879       10,351,194  
   

 

 

 
      72,487,483  
Health Care Providers & Services — 4.0%            

Centene Corp.(a)

    77,296       5,324,148  

 

 

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

  17


Schedule of Investments (unaudited)  (continued)

September 30, 2023

  

iShares® Russell Top 200 Value ETF

(Percentages shown are based on Net Assets)

 

Security   Shares     Value  
Health Care Providers & Services (continued)        

Cigna Group (The)

    38,644     $ 11,054,889  

CVS Health Corp.

    183,031       12,779,224  

Elevance Health, Inc.

    29,378       12,791,769  

HCA Healthcare, Inc.

    23,173       5,700,095  

Humana, Inc.

    10,106       4,916,771  

McKesson Corp.

    11,994       5,215,591  

UnitedHealth Group, Inc.

    21,126       10,651,518  
   

 

 

 
          68,434,005  
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure — 1.0%            

Las Vegas Sands Corp.

    3,193       146,367  

McDonald’s Corp.

    61,194       16,120,947  
   

 

 

 
      16,267,314  
Household Products — 2.8%            

Colgate-Palmolive Co.

    117,296       8,340,919  

Kimberly-Clark Corp

    2,818       340,555  

Procter & Gamble Co. (The)

    273,259       39,857,558  
   

 

 

 
      48,539,032  
Industrial Conglomerates — 2.3%            

3M Co.

    78,585       7,357,128  

General Electric Co.

    154,968       17,131,712  

Honeywell International, Inc.

    82,893       15,313,653  
   

 

 

 
      39,802,493  
Industrial REITs — 0.9%            

Prologis, Inc.

    131,869       14,797,021  
   

 

 

 
Insurance — 2.6%            

American International Group, Inc.

    103,412       6,266,767  

Aon PLC, Class A

    28,895       9,368,337  

Chubb Ltd.

    58,916       12,265,133  

Marsh & McLennan Cos., Inc.

    14,079       2,679,234  

MetLife, Inc.

    92,420       5,814,142  

Progressive Corp. (The)

    20,968       2,920,842  

Travelers Cos., Inc. (The)

    32,941       5,379,595  
   

 

 

 
      44,694,050  
IT Services — 1.1%            

International Business Machines Corp.

    129,881       18,222,304  
   

 

 

 
Life Sciences Tools & Services — 2.0%            

Danaher Corp.

    94,079       23,341,000  

Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.

    21,175       10,718,150  
   

 

 

 
      34,059,150  
Machinery — 0.5%            

Caterpillar, Inc.

    18,455       5,038,215  

Deere & Co.

    2,507       946,092  

Illinois Tool Works, Inc.

    8,035       1,850,541  
   

 

 

 
      7,834,848  
Media — 1.5%            

Comcast Corp., Class A

    584,880       25,933,579  
   

 

 

 
Metals & Mining — 0.7%            

Freeport-McMoRan, Inc.

    204,152       7,612,828  

Newmont Corp.

    113,696       4,201,067  
   

 

 

 
      11,813,895  
Multi-Utilities — 0.7%            

Dominion Energy, Inc.

    119,452       5,335,921  

Sempra

    90,035       6,125,081  
   

 

 

 
      11,461,002  
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels — 10.3%            

Chevron Corp.

    252,919       42,647,202  

ConocoPhillips

    173,318       20,763,496  
Security   Shares     Value  
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels (continued)            

EOG Resources, Inc.

    83,997     $ 10,647,460  

Exxon Mobil Corp.

    572,595       67,325,720  

Kinder Morgan, Inc.

    280,228       4,646,180  

Marathon Petroleum Corp.

    60,600       9,171,204  

Occidental Petroleum Corp.

    99,681       6,467,303  

Pioneer Natural Resources Co.

    33,261       7,635,063  

Valero Energy Corp.

    50,314       7,129,997  
   

 

 

 
        176,433,625  
Personal Care Products — 0.4%            

Estee Lauder Cos., Inc. (The), Class A

    22,505       3,253,098  

Kenvue, Inc.

    163,756       3,288,220  
   

 

 

 
      6,541,318  
Pharmaceuticals — 7.5%            

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.

    300,489       17,440,382  

Johnson & Johnson

    344,497       53,655,408  

Merck & Co., Inc.

    296,278       30,501,820  

Pfizer, Inc.

    807,679       26,790,712  
   

 

 

 
      128,388,322  
Professional Services — 0.1%            

Automatic Data Processing, Inc.

    8,420       2,025,684  
   

 

 

 
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment — 4.2%  

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.(a)

    98,752       10,153,681  

Analog Devices, Inc.

    72,260       12,652,003  

Applied Materials, Inc.

    18,697       2,588,600  

Intel Corp.

    596,747       21,214,356  

Lam Research Corp.

    1,010       633,038  

Micron Technology, Inc.

    156,214       10,627,238  

QUALCOMM, Inc.

    20,412       2,266,957  

Texas Instruments, Inc.

    76,815       12,214,353  
   

 

 

 
      72,350,226  
Software — 1.6%            

Oracle Corp.

    128,017       13,559,561  

Roper Technologies, Inc.

    15,105       7,315,049  

Salesforce, Inc.(a)

    33,283       6,749,127  
   

 

 

 
      27,623,737  
Specialized REITs — 0.7%            

Crown Castle, Inc.

    55,272       5,086,682  

Equinix, Inc.

    6,644       4,825,272  

Public Storage

    9,381       2,472,081  
   

 

 

 
      12,384,035  
Specialty Retail — 0.4%            

AutoZone, Inc.(a)

    431       1,094,736  

Lowe’s Cos., Inc.

    22,380       4,651,459  

O’Reilly Automotive, Inc.(a)

    1,293       1,175,156  
   

 

 

 
      6,921,351  
Textiles, Apparel & Luxury Goods — 0.5%            

NIKE, Inc., Class B

    79,379       7,590,220  
   

 

 

 
Tobacco — 1.8%            

Altria Group, Inc.

    255,307       10,735,659  

Philip Morris International, Inc.

    221,830       20,537,022  
   

 

 

 
      31,272,681  
Wireless Telecommunication Services — 0.6%  

T-Mobile U.S., Inc.(a)

    76,117       10,660,186  
   

 

 

 

Total Long-Term Investments — 99.8%
(Cost: $1,697,337,819)

 

      1,705,271,075  
   

 

 

 

 

 

18  

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

 


Schedule of Investments (unaudited)  (continued)

September 30, 2023

  

iShares® Russell Top 200 Value ETF

 

Security   Shares     Value  

Short-Term Securities

   
Money Market Funds — 0.8%            

BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional, SL Agency Shares, 5.54%(c)(d)(e)

    429,489     $ 429,661  

BlackRock Cash Funds: Treasury,
SL Agency Shares, 5.31%(c)(d)

    13,925,444       13,925,444  
   

 

 

 

Total Short-Term Securities — 0.8%
(Cost: $ 14,355,105)

 

    14,355,105  
   

 

 

 

Total Investments — 100.6%
(Cost: $ 1,711,692,924)

 

    1,719,626,180  

Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets — (0.6)%

 

    (10,081,762
   

 

 

 

Net Assets — 100.0%

 

  $   1,709,544,418  
   

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Non-income producing security.

 

(b) 

All or a portion of this security is on loan.

 

(c) 

Affiliate of the Fund.

 

(d) 

Annualized 7-day yield as of period end.

 

(e) 

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 six months ended September 30, 2023 for purposes of Section 2(a)(3) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, were as follows:

 

Affiliated Issuer   Value at
03/31/23
    Purchases
at Cost
    Proceeds
from Sale
    Net
Realized
Gain (Loss)
    Change in
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
    Value at
09/30/23
    Shares
Held at
09/30/23
    Income    

Capital

Gain
Distributions
from Underlying
Funds

 

BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional, SL Agency Shares

  $ 4,046,890     $     $ (3,615,431 )(a)    $ (2,203   $ 405     $ 429,661       429,489     $ 3,016 (b)     $  

BlackRock Cash Funds: Treasury, SL Agency Shares

    2,378,970       11,546,474 (a)                        13,925,444       13,925,444       71,892        

BlackRock, Inc.

    12,557,375       3,319,550       (1,617,825)       (187,333     (335,147     13,736,620       21,248       203,950        
       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

   

 

 

 
        $ (189,536   $ (334,742   $ 28,091,725       $  278,858     $  
       

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

  (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

                 

E-Mini Consumer Staples Select Sector Index

     13          12/15/23        $ 909        $ (33,311

E-Mini Dow Jones Industrial Average Index

     10          12/15/23          1,686          (47,874

E-Mini Financials Select Sector Index

     14          12/15/23          1,444          (50,166
                 

 

 

 
                  $ (131,351
                 

 

 

 

 

 

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

  19


Schedule of Investments (unaudited)  (continued)

September 30, 2023

  

iShares® Russell Top 200 Value 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  

Liabilities — Derivative Financial Instruments

 

  

Futures contracts

                    

Unrealized depreciation on futures contracts(a)

   $      $      $  131,351      $      $      $      $  131,351  

 

  (a) 

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

 

For the period ended September 30, 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

   $      $      $     212,745      $      $      $      $ 212,745  
Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) on:         

Futures contracts

   $      $      $ (209,616    $      $      $      $ (209,616

Average Quarterly Balances of Outstanding Derivative Financial Instruments

Futures contracts

        

Average notional value of contracts — long

   $ 4,010,243  

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

   $ 1,705,271,075      $      $      $ 1,705,271,075  

Short-Term Securities

           

Money Market Funds

     14,355,105                      14,355,105  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $     1,719,626,180      $                 —      $                 —      $     1,719,626,180  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Derivative Financial Instruments(a)

           

Liabilities

           

Equity Contracts

   $ (131,351    $      $      $ (131,351
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(a) 

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

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

20  

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


 

Statements of Assets and Liabilities (unaudited)

September 30, 2023

 

    

iShares

Russell Top

200 ETF

    

iShares

Russell Top 200

Growth ETF

    

iShares

Russell Top 200

Value ETF

 

ASSETS

       

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

  $ 874,332,425      $ 6,427,580,943      $ 1,691,534,455  

Investments, at value — affiliated(c)

    7,698,851        90,016,093        28,091,725  

Cash

    160        30        31  

Cash pledged:

       

Futures contracts

    80,000        444,000        199,000  

Receivables:

       

Investments sold

    2,789        2,484,047        3,360  

Securities lending income — affiliated

    5,356        11,472        1,716  

Dividends — unaffiliated

    470,571        1,278,980        1,765,955  

Dividends — affiliated

    7,033        46,290        15,375  

Variation margin on futures contracts

           4,455         
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total assets

    882,597,185        6,521,866,310        1,721,611,617  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

LIABILITIES

       

Collateral on securities loaned

    184,792        69,734,936        429,661  

Payables:

       

Investments purchased

    2,789        2,484,047        3,360  

Income dividend distributions

    3,530,653        12,442,884        11,323,107  

Investment advisory fees

    112,328        1,078,343        286,781  

Variation margin on futures contracts

    4,200               24,290  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total liabilities

    3,834,762        85,740,210        12,067,199  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Commitments and contingent liabilities

       

NET ASSETS

  $ 878,762,423      $ 6,436,126,100      $ 1,709,544,418  

NET ASSETS CONSIST OF:

       

Paid-in capital

  $ 854,731,373      $ 5,441,094,732      $ 1,729,961,563  

Accumulated earnings (loss)

    24,031,050        995,031,368        (20,417,145
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

NET ASSETS

  $ 878,762,423      $ 6,436,126,100      $ 1,709,544,418  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

NET ASSET VALUE

       

Shares outstanding

    8,500,000        41,850,000        26,150,000  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net asset value

  $ 103.38      $ 153.79      $ 65.37  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Shares authorized

    Unlimited        Unlimited        Unlimited  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Par value

    None        None        None  
 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

(a) Investments, at cost — unaffiliated

  $  843,738,324      $  5,519,698,880      $  1,683,017,044  

(b) Securities loaned, at value

  $ 181,063      $ 68,091,553      $ 433,818  

(c)  Investments, at cost — affiliated

  $ 7,977,517      $ 90,007,158      $ 28,675,880  

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

I N A N C I A L    T A T E M E N T  S

  21


 

Statements of Operations (unaudited)

Six Months Ended September 30, 2023

 

    

iShares

Russell Top

200 ETF

   

iShares

Russell Top 200

Growth ETF

   

iShares

Russell Top 200
Value ETF

 

INVESTMENT INCOME

     

Dividends — unaffiliated

  $ 6,587,535     $ 29,381,325     $ 20,318,772  

Dividends — affiliated

    80,741       262,173       275,842  

Securities lending income — affiliated — net

    5,660       51,221       3,016  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total investment income

    6,673,936       29,694,719       20,597,630  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

EXPENSES

     

Investment advisory

    658,428       6,634,539       1,696,857  

Interest expense

    2              
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total expenses

    658,430       6,634,539       1,696,857  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net investment income

    6,015,506       23,060,180       18,900,773  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS)

     

Net realized gain (loss) from:

     

Investments — unaffiliated

    (7,042,918     (32,768,712     (36,239,319

Investments — affiliated

    (7,628     9,252       (312,749

Futures contracts

    178,105       2,034,687       212,745  

In-kind redemptions — unaffiliated(a)

    26,966,743       414,929,652       63,946,716  

In-kind redemptions — affiliated(a)

    62,472             123,213  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
    20,156,774       384,204,879       27,730,606  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on:

     

Investments — unaffiliated

    31,004,483       276,723,961       (25,795,513

Investments — affiliated

    (144,419     2,751       (334,742

Futures contracts

    (133,612     (1,188,142     (209,616
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
    30,726,452       275,538,570       (26,339,871
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net realized and unrealized gain

    50,883,226       659,743,449       1,390,735  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

NET INCREASE IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS

  $  56,898,732     $   682,803,629     $     20,291,508  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(a) 

See Note 2 of the Notes to Financial Statements.

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

22  

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Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

     iShares Russell Top 200 ETF            iShares Russell Top 200 Growth ETF  
      Six Months Ended
09/30/23
(unaudited)
   

Year Ended

03/31/23

            Six Months Ended
09/30/23
(unaudited)
   

Year Ended

03/31/23

 

INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS

           

OPERATIONS

           

Net investment income

   $ 6,015,506     $ 13,073,805        $ 23,060,180     $ 40,265,299  

Net realized gain

     20,156,774       110,322,010          384,204,879       164,547,020  

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

     30,726,452       (214,427,844        275,538,570       (695,673,179
  

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

     56,898,732       (91,032,029        682,803,629       (490,860,860
  

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

   

 

 

 

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS(a)

           

Decrease in net assets resulting from distributions to shareholders

     (6,047,268     (12,861,101        (22,917,015     (40,613,805
  

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

   

 

 

 

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS

           

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

     24,503,742       (134,788,881        (158,311,702     1,645,653,871  
  

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

   

 

 

 

NET ASSETS

           

Total increase (decrease) in net assets

     75,355,206       (238,682,011        501,574,912       1,114,179,206  

Beginning of period

     803,407,217       1,042,089,228          5,934,551,188       4,820,371,982  
  

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

   

 

 

 

End of period

   $ 878,762,423     $ 803,407,217        $ 6,436,126,100     $  5,934,551,188  
  

 

 

   

 

 

      

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(a) 

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

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

I N A N C I A L    T A T E M E N T  S

  23


 

Statements of Changes in Net Assets  (continued)

 

    iShares Russell Top 200 Value ETF  
     Six Months Ended
09/30/23
(unaudited)
    Year Ended
03/31/23
 

INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS

   

OPERATIONS

   

Net investment income

  $ 18,900,773     $ 30,750,705  

Net realized gain

    27,730,606       76,431,473  

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

    (26,339,871     (169,370,607
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    20,291,508       (62,188,429
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS(a)

   

Decrease in net assets resulting from distributions to shareholders

    (18,951,758     (30,093,801
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS

   

Net increase in net assets derived from capital share transactions

    151,046,871       361,717,362  
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

NET ASSETS

   

Total increase in net assets

    152,386,621       269,435,132  

Beginning of period

    1,557,157,797       1,287,722,665  
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

End of period

  $   1,709,544,418     $  1,557,157,797  
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(a) 

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

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

24  

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Financial Highlights

(For a share outstanding throughout each period)

 

    iShares Russell Top 200 ETF  
    Six Months Ended
09/30/23
(unaudited)
    Year Ended
03/31/23
     Year Ended
03/31/22
     Year Ended
03/31/21
     Year Ended
03/31/20
     Year Ended
03/31/19
 
             

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 97.38     $ 107.99      $ 94.64      $ 61.54      $ 65.66      $ 60.63  
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net investment income(a)

    0.71       1.42        1.26        1.23        1.28        1.21  

Net realized and unrealized gain(b)

    6.00       (10.59      13.37        33.09        (3.94      4.97  
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net increase from investment operations

    6.71       (9.17      14.63        34.32        (2.66      6.18  
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Distributions from net investment income(c)

    (0.71     (1.44      (1.28      (1.22      (1.46      (1.15
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 103.38     $ 97.38      $ 107.99      $ 94.64      $ 61.54      $ 65.66  
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Return(d)

               

Based on net asset value

    6.90 %(e)       (8.41 )%       15.48      56.06      (4.24 )%       10.27
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Ratios to Average Net Assets(f)

               

Total expenses

    0.15 %(g)       0.15      0.15      0.15      0.15      0.15
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net investment income

    1.37 %(g)       1.51      1.20      1.48      1.82      1.91
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Supplemental Data

               

Net assets, end of period (000)

  $ 878,762     $ 803,407      $   1,042,089      $ 865,920      $ 369,243      $ 213,382  
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Portfolio turnover rate(h)

    3     5      4      5      5      5
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Based on average shares outstanding.

(b) 

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

(c) 

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

(d) 

Where applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.

(e) 

Not annualized.

(f) 

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

(g) 

Annualized.

(h) 

Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions.

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

I N A N C I A L    I G H L I G H T  S

  25


Financial Highlights  (continued)

(For a share outstanding throughout each period)

 

    iShares Russell Top 200 Growth ETF  
   

Six Months Ended
09/30/23

(unaudited)

    Year Ended
03/31/23
     Year Ended
03/31/22
    Year Ended
03/31/21
    Year Ended
03/31/20
    Year Ended
03/31/19
 
             

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 138.98     $ 158.56      $ 134.47     $ 84.14     $ 82.24     $ 73.61  
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net investment income(a)

    0.53       1.14        0.89       0.93       1.04       1.00  

Net realized and unrealized gain(b)

    14.81       (19.62      24.09       50.31       1.90       8.60  
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase from investment operations

    15.34       (18.48      24.98       51.24       2.94       9.60  
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Distributions from net investment income(c)

    (0.53     (1.10      (0.89     (0.91     (1.04     (0.97
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 153.79     $ 138.98      $ 158.56     $ 134.47     $ 84.14     $ 82.24  
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Return(d)

            

Based on net asset value

    11.05 %(e)       (11.60 )%       18.58     61.04     3.55     13.11
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Ratios to Average Net Assets(f)

            

Total expenses

    0.20 %(g)       0.20      0.20     0.20     0.20     0.20
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net investment income

    0.70 %(g)       0.87      0.57     0.77     1.16     1.27
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Supplemental Data

            

Net assets, end of period (000)

  $ 6,436,126     $  5,934,551      $  4,820,372     $  3,529,895     $  1,678,603     $  1,377,486  
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Portfolio turnover rate(h)

    12     12      10     11     20     15
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Based on average shares outstanding.

(b) 

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

(c) 

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

(d) 

Where applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.

(e) 

Not annualized.

(f) 

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

(g) 

Annualized.

(h) 

Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions.

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

26  

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Financial Highlights  (continued)

(For a share outstanding throughout each period)

 

    iShares Russell Top 200 Value ETF  
   

Six Months Ended
09/30/23

(unaudited)

    Year Ended
03/31/23
     Year Ended
03/31/22
    Year Ended
03/31/21
    Year Ended
03/31/20
    Year Ended
03/31/19
 
             

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 65.15     $ 69.61      $ 63.58     $ 44.04     $ 52.57     $ 50.39  
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net investment income(a)

    0.74       1.40        1.30       1.26       1.40       1.31  

Net realized and unrealized gain(b)

    0.21       (4.52      6.01       19.49       (8.38     2.13  
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase from investment operations

    0.95       (3.12      7.31       20.75       (6.98     3.44  
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Distributions from net investment income(c)

    (0.73     (1.34      (1.28     (1.21     (1.55     (1.26
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 65.37     $ 65.15      $ 69.61     $ 63.58     $ 44.04     $ 52.57  
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Return(d)

            

Based on net asset value

    1.47 %(e)       (4.37 )%       11.56     47.63     (13.72 )%      6.92
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Ratios to Average Net Assets(f)

            

Total expenses

    0.20 %(g)       0.20      0.20     0.20     0.20     0.20
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net investment income

    2.23 %(g)       2.17      1.91     2.31     2.56     2.54
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Supplemental Data

            

Net assets, end of period (000)

  $ 1,709,544     $  1,557,158      $  1,287,723     $  1,153,937     $  389,726     $  425,831  
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Portfolio turnover rate(h)

    13     18      15     17     17     14
 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Based on average shares outstanding.

(b) 

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

(c) 

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

(d) 

Where applicable, assumes the reinvestment of distributions.

(e)

Not annualized.

(f) 

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

(g) 

Annualized.

(h) 

Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions.

See notes to financial statements.

 

 

I N A N C I A L    I G H L I G H T  S

  27


Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) 

 

1.

ORGANIZATION

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

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

 

iShares ETF   Diversification
Classification

Russell Top 200

  Diversified

Russell Top 200 Growth(a)

  Diversified

Russell Top 200 Value

  Diversified

 

  (a) 

The Fund intends to be diversified in approximately the same proportion as its underlying index is diversified. The Fund may become non-diversified, as defined in the 1940 Act, solely as a result of a change in relative market capitalization or index weighting of one or more constituents of its underlying index. Shareholder approval will not be sought if the Fund crosses from diversified to non-diversified status due solely to a change in its relative market capitalization or index weighting of one or more constituents of its underlying index.

 

 

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. 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.

ForeignTaxes: 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 September 30, 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 include 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.

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 Fund’s 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

 

 

28  

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited)  (continued)

 

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.

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.

 

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

 

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited)  (continued)

 

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
 

Russell Top 200

         

RBC Capital Market LLC.

  $ 64,077      $ (64,077   $      $  

Wells Fargo Bank N.A.

    116,986        (116,986             
 

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 
  $ 181,063      $ (181,063   $      $  
 

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Russell Top 200 Growth

         

Barclays Bank PLC.

  $ 18,472      $ (18,472   $      $  

BofA Securities, Inc.

    45,876,057        (45,876,057             

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC.

    841,824        (841,824             

Jefferies LLC.

    1,495,282        (1,495,282             

RBC Capital Market LLC.

    69,017        (69,017             

SG Americas Securities LLC.

    3,138,829        (3,138,829             

UBS AG

    992,674        (992,674             

Virtu Americas LLC.

    616,790        (616,790             

Wells Fargo Bank N.A.

    15,042,608        (15,042,608             
 

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 
  $ 68,091,553      $ (68,091,553   $      $  
 

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Russell Top 200 Value

         

UBS AG

  $ 433,818      $ (429,661   $      $ 4,157  

 

  (a) 

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

 

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

 

5.

DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

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

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

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

 

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).

 

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited)  (continued)

 

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

 

iShares ETF   Investment Advisory Fees  

Russell Top 200

    0.15

Russell Top 200 Growth

    0.20  

Russell Top 200 Value

    0.20  

Distributor: BlackRock Investments, LLC (“BRIL”), 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.

ETF Servicing Fees: Each Fund has entered into an ETF Services Agreement with BRIL to perform certain order processing, Authorized Participant communications, and related services in connection with the issuance and redemption of Creation Units (“ETF Services”). BRIL is entitled to a transaction fee from Authorized Participants on each creation or redemption order for the ETF Services provided. Each Fund does not pay BRIL for ETF Services.

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

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

Pursuant to the current securities lending agreement, each Fund retains 81% 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 81% 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 six months ended September 30, 2023, the Funds paid BTC the following amounts for securities lending agent services:

 

iShares ETF   Amounts  

Russell Top 200

  $ 2,302  

Russell Top 200 Growth

    20,563  

Russell Top 200 Value

    1,245  

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

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

For the six months ended September 30, 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)
 

Russell Top 200

  $ 15,144,123      $ 11,251,609      $ (5,358,059

Russell Top 200 Growth

    377,820,217        416,467,370        (26,203,412

Russell Top 200 Value

    182,295,048        107,588,757        (18,767,837

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.

 

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited)  (continued)

 

7.

PURCHASES AND SALES

For the six months ended September 30, 2023, purchases and sales of investments, excluding short-term securities and in-kind transactions, were as follows:

 

iShares ETF   Purchases      Sales  

Russell Top 200

  $ 25,004,864      $ 24,866,288  

Russell Top 200 Growth

    765,190,627        763,687,769  

Russell Top 200 Value

    214,886,638        210,784,818  

For the six months ended September 30, 2023, in-kind transactions were as follows:

 

iShares ETF   In-kind
Purchases
    

In-kind

Sales

 

Russell Top 200

  $ 132,599,266      $ 108,188,363  

Russell Top 200 Growth

    737,968,814        896,083,001  

Russell Top 200 Value

    378,889,836        232,483,424  

 

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 September 30, 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.

As of March 31, 2023, the Funds had non-expiring capital loss carryforwards available to offset future realized capital gains as follows:

 

iShares ETF   Non-Expiring Capital
Loss Carryforwards
 

Russell Top 200

  $ 23,957,521  

Russell Top 200 Growth

    288,680,613  

Russell Top 200 Value

    49,966,749  

As of September 30, 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)
 

Russell Top 200

  $ 854,353,451      $ 87,973,330      $ (60,344,100   $ 27,629,230  

Russell Top 200 Growth

    5,617,044,957        1,002,326,927        (102,098,858     900,228,069  

Russell Top 200 Value

    1,718,540,606        118,137,034        (117,182,811     954,223  

 

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.

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.

 

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited)  (continued)

 

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

Counterparty Credit Risk: The 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 the United States. A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations, inflation and/or an economic recession in the United States may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy and the securities listed on U.S. exchanges. Proposed and adopted policy and legislative changes in the United States may also have a significant effect on U.S. markets generally, as well as on the value of certain securities. Governmental agencies project that the United States will continue to maintain elevated public debt levels for the foreseeable future which may constrain future economic growth. Circumstances could arise that could prevent the timely payment of interest or principal on U.S. government debt, such as reaching the legislative “debt ceiling.” Such non-payment would result in substantial negative consequences for the U.S. economy and the global financial system. If U.S. relations with certain countries deteriorate, it could adversely affect issuers that rely on the United States for trade. The United States has also experienced increased internal unrest and discord. If these trends were to continue, they may have an adverse impact on the U.S. economy and the issuers in which certain Funds invest.

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. Investment percentages in specific sectors are presented in the Schedule of Investments.

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

 

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:

 

     Six Months Ended
09/30/23
    Year Ended
03/31/23
 
iShares ETF   Shares     Amount     Shares     Amount  

Russell Top 200

       

Shares sold

    1,300,000     $     132,934,356       3,600,000     $     333,290,298  

Shares redeemed

    (1,050,000     (108,430,614     (5,000,000     (468,079,179
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
    250,000     $ 24,503,742       (1,400,000   $ (134,788,881
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited)  (continued)

 

     Six Months Ended
09/30/23
    Year Ended
03/31/23
 
iShares ETF   Shares     Amount     Shares     Amount  

Russell Top 200 Growth

       

Shares sold

    4,850,000     $     739,349,916       18,450,000     $   2,459,950,957  

Shares redeemed

    (5,700,000     (897,661,618     (6,150,000     (814,297,086
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
    (850,000   $ (158,311,702     12,300,000     $ 1,645,653,871  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Russell Top 200 Value

       

Shares sold

    5,700,000     $ 380,128,936       11,250,000     $ 736,022,834  

Shares redeemed

    (3,450,000     (229,082,065     (5,850,000     (374,305,472
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
    2,250,000     $ 151,046,871       5,400,000     $ 361,717,362  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

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 BRIL, 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.

SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

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

 

 

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Board Review and Approval of Investment Advisory Contract

 

iShares Russell Top 200 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 lower than 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 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

 

 

 

O A R D    E V I E W    A N D     P P R O V A L    O F    N V E S T M E N T    A D V I S O R Y    O N T R A C T

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Board Review and Approval of Investment Advisory Contract  (continued)

 

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 did not provide for breakpoints in the Fund’s investment advisory fee rate as the assets of the Fund increase. However, the Board noted that it would continue to assess the appropriateness of adding breakpoints in the future.

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

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

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

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

Other Benefits to BFA and/or its Affiliates: The Board reviewed other benefits or ancillary revenue received by BFA and/or its affiliates in connection with the services provided to the Fund by BFA, both direct and indirect, including, but not limited to, payment of revenue to BTC, the Fund’s securities lending agent, for loaning portfolio securities, 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.

iShares Russell Top 200 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

 

 

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Board Review and Approval of Investment Advisory Contract  (continued)

 

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 lower than 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 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.

 

 

O A R D    E V I E W    A N D     P P R O V A L    O F    N V E S T M E N T    A D V I S O R Y    O N T R A C T

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Board Review and Approval of Investment Advisory Contract  (continued)

 

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 did not provide for breakpoints in the Fund’s investment advisory fee rate as the assets of the Fund increase. However, the Board noted that it would continue to assess the appropriateness of adding breakpoints in the future.

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

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

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

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

Other Benefits to BFA and/or its Affiliates: The Board reviewed other benefits or ancillary revenue received by BFA and/or its affiliates in connection with the services provided to the Fund by BFA, both direct and indirect, including, but not limited to, payment of revenue to BTC, the Fund’s securities lending agent, for loaning portfolio securities, 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.

iShares Russell Top 200 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.

 

 

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Board Review and Approval of Investment Advisory Contract  (continued)

 

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 lower than 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 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

 

 

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Board Review and Approval of Investment Advisory Contract  (continued)

 

relatively low fee rates established at inception, breakpoints, waivers, or other fee reductions, as well as through additional investment in the iShares business and the provision of improved or additional infrastructure and services to the iShares funds and their shareholders. The Board noted that the Advisory Agreement for the Fund did not provide for breakpoints in the Fund’s investment advisory fee rate as the assets of the Fund increase. However, the Board noted that it would continue to assess the appropriateness of adding breakpoints in the future.

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

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

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

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

Other Benefits to BFA and/or its Affiliates: The Board reviewed other benefits or ancillary revenue received by BFA and/or its affiliates in connection with the services provided to the Fund by BFA, both direct and indirect, including, but not limited to, payment of revenue to BTC, the Fund’s securities lending agent, for loaning portfolio securities, 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.

 

 

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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.

 

 

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General Information

 

Electronic Delivery

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

To enroll in electronic delivery:

 

   

Go to icsdelivery.com.

   

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

Householding

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

Availability of Quarterly Schedule of Investments

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

Availability of Proxy Voting Policies and Proxy Voting Records

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

A description of the 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.

 

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

  43


Glossary of Terms Used in this Report

 

Portfolio Abbreviation
NVS    Non-Voting Shares
S&P    Standard & Poor’s

 

 

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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 FTSE Russell, nor does this company make any representation regarding the advisability of investing in the iShares Funds. BlackRock is not affiliated with the company listed above.

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

iS-SAR-305-0923

 

 

 

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