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BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc. BlackRock Advantage SMID Cap Fund, Inc. BlackRock Allocation Target Shares BlackRock Balanced Fund, Inc. BlackRock Bond Fund, Inc. BlackRock California Municipal Series Trust BlackRock Capital Appreciation Fund, Inc. BlackRock Emerging Markets Fund, Inc. BlackRock Equity Dividend Fund BlackRock Financial Institutions Series Trust BlackRock Funds SM BlackRock Funds II BlackRock Funds III BlackRock Funds IV BlackRock Funds V BlackRock Funds VI BlackRock Global Allocation Fund, Inc. BlackRock Index Funds, Inc.
BlackRock International Select Equity Fund BlackRock Large Cap Focus Growth Fund, Inc. BlackRock Large Cap Focus Value Fund, Inc. BlackRock Large Cap Series Funds, Inc. BlackRock Liquidity Funds BlackRock Mid-Cap Value Series, Inc. BlackRock Multi-State Municipal Series Trust BlackRock Municipal Bond Fund, Inc. BlackRock Municipal Series Trust BlackRock Natural Resources Trust BlackRock Series Fund, Inc. BlackRock Series Fund II, Inc. BlackRock Series, Inc. BlackRock Strategic Global Bond Fund, Inc. BlackRock Unconstrained Equity Fund BlackRock Variable Series Funds, Inc. BlackRock Variable Series Funds II, Inc.
Supplement dated October 16, 2026 to the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) of each of the funds listed in Appendix A (each, a “Fund”), as amended from time to time.
Each Fund’s SAI is amended as follows:
The list in the section entitled “Purchase of Shares - Additional Payments by BlackRock - D. Service Organizations Receiving Additional Payments” in Part II, or in the section entitled “Miscellaneous Additional Payments by BlackRock - D. Service Organizations Receiving Additional Payments,” “Investment Advisory Arrangements - Additional Payments by BlackRock - D. Service Organizations Receiving Additional Payments” or “Investment Adviser and Other Service Providers - Additional Payments by BlackRock - D. Service Organizations Receiving Additional Payments,” as applicable, of each Fund’s current SAI, is deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:
&Partners AccuTech Systems Corporation ADP Broker-Dealer, Inc. Advisor Credit Exchange, LLC Advisor Group, Inc. AE Wealth Management, LLC Alight Solutions LLC Allianz Life Financial Services, LLC Allianz Life Insurance Company of New York Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America Altruist Financial LLC American Enterprise Investment Services, Inc. American General Life Insurance Company American United Life Insurance Company Annuity Investors Life Insurance Company Anthem Securities LLC Argent Institutional Trust Company Ascensus Broker Dealer Services, Inc. Ascensus, Inc. Atomic Brokerage LLC Avantax Investment Services, LLC Bancroft Capital LLC
Bank of America, N.A. Bank of New York Mellon Barclays Capital Inc. Benefit Plans Administrative Services, Inc. Benefit Trust Company Beta Capital Securities LLC bfinance US Ltd. BlackRock Advisors, LLC BMO Capital Markets Corp. BNP Paribas BNP Paribas Investment Partners UK Limited BNY Mellon, N.A. BofA Securities, Inc. BOKF, N.A. Brighthouse Life Insurance Company Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY Broadridge Business Process Outsourcing, LLC Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. Cabrera Capital Markets, LLC Capital One, N.A. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC Cetera Advisors LLC
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Cetera Financial Group Cetera Financial Specialists LLC Cetera Investment Services LLC CF Secured, LLC Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Charles Schwab Trust Bank Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. CIM Investment Management, Inc. Citco Securities, LLC CitiBank, National Association Citigroup Global Markets, Inc. Citizens Bank Citizens Business Bank CME Shareholder Servicing LLC CMFG Life Insurance Company Comerica Bank Commonwealth Financial Network Computershare Trust Company Conduent HR Services, LLC Delaware Life Insurance Company Delaware Trust Company Deutsche Bank AG Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas Digital Retirement Solutions, Inc. Dunham & Associates Investment Counsel, Inc. Dynasty Financial Partners LLC Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P. Empire Fidelity Investments Life Insurance Company Empower Annuity Insurance Company of America Empower Financial Services, Inc. Empower Life & Annuity Insurance Company of New York Empower Plan Services, LLC Envestnet Asset Management, Inc. Equitable Advisors, LLC Equitable Life Insurance Company E*trade Savings Bank Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC Fidelity Investments Institutional Operations Company, Inc. Fidelity Investments Life Insurance Company Fifth Third Securities, Inc. First Allied Securities, Inc. First Command Financial Planning, Inc. First Hawaiian Bank First Republic Bank First Security Benefit Life Insurance and Annuity Company of New York First Symetra National Life Insurance Company of New York First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company FIS Brokerage & Securities Services LLC
FNEX Capital, LLC Forethought Life Insurance Company FSC Securities Corporation Genworth Life and Annuity Insurance Company Genworth Life Insurance Company of New York Global Atlantic Distributors, LLC Goldman Sachs & Co. Great Pacific Securities, LLC Guardian Insurance & Annuity Co., Inc. Hancock Whitney Bank Hartford Funds Management Company Hartford Securities Distribution Company, Inc. Hazeltree Fund Services, Inc. Hightower Securities, Inc. Hilltop Securities Inc. HSBC Bank USA, N.A. Huntington Securities, Inc. Institutional Cash Distributors, LLC Integrity Life Insurance Company Interactive Brokers, LLC Investment Trust of California J.P. Morgan Institutional Investments Inc. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC Jefferies LLC Jefferson National Life Insurance Company Jefferson National Life Insurance Company of New York John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.) John Hancock Life Insurance Company of New York John Hancock Trust Company JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Kestra Investment Services, LLC Lincoln Financial Advisors Corporation Lincoln Financial Securities Corporation Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York Lincoln National Life Insurance Company Lincoln Retirement Services LLC Lombard International Life Assurance Company LPL Financial LLC M&T Securities Inc. Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company Members Life Insurance Company Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated Metavante Corporation Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Mid Atlantic Clearing & Settlement Corporation Midland Life Insurance Company Minnesota Life Insurance Company Mischler Financial Group Mizuho Securities USA Inc. MML Distributors, LLC MML Investors Services, LLC Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
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Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC MUFG Union Bank, National Association Nassau Life Insurance Company National Financial Services LLC National Integrity Life Insurance Company National Life Insurance Company Nationwide Financial Services, Inc. Nationwide Fund Distributors LLC Nationwide Retirement Solutions NCB Federal Savings Bank New England Pension Plan Systems, LLC New York Life Insurance and Annuity Corporation Newport Retirement Services, Inc. Northbrook Bank & Trust Company Northern Trust Company Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company NYLife Distributors LLC Oppenheimer & Co., Inc. Orion Advisor Services, LLC Osaic Wealth, Inc. Pacific Life & Annuity Company Pacific Life Insurance Company Pacific Select Distributors, LLC Park Avenue Securities LLC Penserra Securities LLC Pershing LLC PFPC Inc. Piper Jaffray & Co. PNC Bank, National Association PNC Capital Markets LLC PNC Investments LLC Principal Bank Principal Life Insurance Company Protective Life and Annuity Insurance Company Protective Life Insurance Company Pruco Life Insurance Company Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey Prudential Annuities Distributors, Inc. Prudential Insurance Company of America Raymond James & Associates, Inc. Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. RBC Capital Markets, LLC Regions Bank Reliance Trust Company Reliastar Life Insurance Company Reliastar Life Insurance Company of New York RiverSource Distributors, Inc. RiverSource Life Insurance Co. of New York RiverSource Life Insurance Company SagePoint Financial, Inc. Sammons Retirement Solutions, Inc. Sanctuary Wealth Group, LLC
Santander Bank, N.A. Saturna Trust Company Securities America, Inc. Securities Finance Trust Company Security Benefit Life Insurance Company Security Financial Resources, Inc. Security Life of Denver Insurance Company SEI Private Trust Company SG Americas Securities, LLC Silicon Valley Bank Standard Insurance Company Standard Retirement Services, Inc. State Farm Life and Accident Assurance Company State Farm Life Insurance Company State Farm VP Management Corp. State Street Bank and Trust Company State Street Global Markets, LLC Stern Brothers & Co. Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated Summit Brokerage Services, Inc. SVB Asset Management Symetra Life Insurance Company Syntal Capital Partners, LLC T. Rowe Price Retirement Plan Services, Inc. Talcott Resolution Life and Annuity Insurance Company Talcott Resolution Life Insurance Company TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc. TD Ameritrade, Inc. TD Prime Services (US) LLC Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America Tigress Financial Partners, LLC Transamerica Financial Life Insurance Company Transamerica Life Insurance Company Treasury Brokerage Triad Advisors, LLC Truist Bank U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. U.S. Bank, National Association UBATCO & Co. UBS Financial Services, Inc. UBS Securities LLC Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC UMB Bank, National Association United States Life Insurance Company in the City of New York VALIC Retirement Services Company Vanguard Group, Inc. Vanguard Marketing Corporation Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. Voya Financial Partners, LLC Voya Institutional Plan Services, LLC Voya Insurance and Annuity Company
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Voya Investments Distributor, LLC Voya Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company Waddell & Reed, Inc. Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC Wells Fargo Investments, LLC Wells Fargo Securities, LLC Wilmington Trust, National Association Woodbury Financial Services, Inc. ZB, National Association
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Appendix A
BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Advantage SMID Cap Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Allocation Target Shares BATS: Securitized Total Return Series BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series BATS: High Income Municipal Series BATS: High Income Taxable Series BATS: Mortgage Total Return Series BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series BATS: Short Duration Taxable Total Return Series BATS: Short Term Municipal Income Series
BlackRock Balanced Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Bond Fund, Inc. BlackRock Total Return Fund
BlackRock California Municipal Series Trust BlackRock California Municipal Opportunities Fund
BlackRock Capital Appreciation Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Emerging Markets Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Equity Dividend Fund
BlackRock Financial Institutions Series Trust BlackRock Summit Cash Reserves Fund
BlackRock Funds SM BlackRock Advantage Emerging Markets Fund BlackRock Advantage International Fund BlackRock Advantage Large Cap Growth Fund BlackRock Advantage Small Cap Core Fund BlackRock Advantage Small Cap Growth Fund BlackRock China A Opportunities Fund BlackRock Commodity Strategies Fund BlackRock Daily Reinvestment Stablecoin Reserve Vehicle BlackRock Defensive Advantage Emerging Markets Fund BlackRock Emerging Markets ex-China Fund BlackRock Energy Opportunities Fund BlackRock Exchange Portfolio BlackRock Global Equity Market Neutral Fund BlackRock Health Sciences Opportunities Portfolio BlackRock High Equity Income Fund
BlackRock Mid-Cap Growth Equity Portfolio BlackRock Real Estate Securities Fund BlackRock Short Obligations Fund BlackRock Sustainable Aware Advantage Emerging Markets Equity Fund BlackRock Sustainable Aware Advantage Large Cap Core Fund BlackRock Tactical Opportunities Fund BlackRock Technology Opportunities Fund BlackRock Wealth Liquid Environmentally Aware Fund Circle Reserve Fund iShares Developed Real Estate Index Fund iShares Enhanced Roll Yield Index Fund iShares FTSE NAREIT All Equity REIT Index Fund iShares Municipal Bond Index Fund iShares Russell Mid-Cap Index Fund iShares Russell Small/Mid-Cap Index Fund iShares Short-Term TIPS Bond Index Fund iShares Total U.S. Stock Market Index Fund iShares U.S. Intermediate Credit Bond Index Fund iShares U.S. Intermediate Government Bond Index Fund iShares U.S. Long Credit Bond Index Fund iShares U.S. Long Government Bond Index Fund iShares U.S. Securitized Bond Index Fund
BlackRock Funds II BlackRock 20/80 Target Allocation Fund BlackRock 40/60 Target Allocation Fund BlackRock 60/40 Target Allocation Fund BlackRock 80/20 Target Allocation Fund BlackRock Dynamic High Income Portfolio BlackRock Global Dividend Portfolio BlackRock Managed Income Fund BlackRock Multi-Asset Income Portfolio BlackRock Retirement Income 2030 Fund
BlackRock Funds III BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional BlackRock Cash Funds: Treasury BlackRock Diversified Equity Alpha Fund BlackRock Diversified Fixed Income Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Dynamic Retirement Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Dynamic 2030 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Dynamic 2035 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Dynamic 2040 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Dynamic 2045 Fund
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BlackRock LifePath ® Dynamic 2050 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Dynamic 2055 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Dynamic 2060 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Dynamic 2065 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Dynamic 2070 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Index Retirement Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Index 2030 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Index 2035 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Index 2040 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Index 2045 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Index 2050 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Index 2055 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Index 2060 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Index 2065 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Index 2070 Fund iShares MSCI Total International Index Fund iShares Russell 1000 Large-Cap Index Fund iShares S&P 500 Index Fund iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index Fund
BlackRock Funds IV BlackRock Credit Relative Value Fund BlackRock Systematic Multi-Strategy Fund
BlackRock Funds V BlackRock Core Bond Portfolio BlackRock Floating Rate Income Portfolio BlackRock High Yield Portfolio BlackRock Income Fund BlackRock Inflation Protected Bond Portfolio BlackRock Low Duration Bond Portfolio BlackRock Strategic Income Opportunities Portfolio
BlackRock Funds VI BlackRock Advantage CoreAlpha Bond Fund
BlackRock Global Allocation Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Index Funds, Inc. iShares MSCI EAFE International Index Fund iShares Russell 2000 Small-Cap Index Fund
BlackRock International Select Equity Fund
BlackRock Large Cap Focus Growth Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Large Cap Focus Value Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Large Cap Series Funds, Inc. BlackRock Advantage Large Cap Core Fund BlackRock Advantage Large Cap Value Fund BlackRock Event Driven Equity Fund
BlackRock Liquidity Funds FedFund MuniCash TempCash BlackRock Select Treasury Based Liquidity Fund T-Fund Treasury Trust Fund
BlackRock Mid-Cap Value Series, Inc. BlackRock Mid-Cap Value Fund
BlackRock Multi-State Municipal Series Trust BlackRock New Jersey Municipal Bond Fund BlackRock New York Municipal Opportunities Fund BlackRock Pennsylvania Municipal Bond Fund
BlackRock Municipal Bond Fund, Inc. BlackRock National Municipal Fund BlackRock Short Duration Muni Fund
BlackRock Municipal Series Trust BlackRock Strategic Municipal Opportunities Fund
BlackRock Natural Resources Trust
BlackRock Series Fund, Inc. BlackRock Advantage Large Cap Core Portfolio BlackRock Balanced Portfolio BlackRock Capital Appreciation Portfolio BlackRock Global Allocation Portfolio BlackRock Government Money Market Portfolio
BlackRock Series Fund II, Inc. BlackRock High Yield Portfolio
BlackRock Series, Inc. BlackRock International Fund
BlackRock Strategic Global Bond Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Unconstrained Equity Fund
BlackRock Variable Series Funds, Inc. BlackRock 60/40 Target Allocation ETF V.I. Fund BlackRock Advantage Large Cap Core V.I. Fund BlackRock Advantage Large Cap Value V.I. Fund BlackRock Advantage SMID Cap V.I. Fund
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BlackRock Basic Value V.I. Fund BlackRock Capital Appreciation V.I. Fund BlackRock Equity Dividend V.I. Fund BlackRock Global Allocation V.I. Fund BlackRock Government Money Market V.I. Fund BlackRock International Index V.I. Fund BlackRock International V.I. Fund
BlackRock Large Cap Focus Growth V.I. Fund BlackRock Managed Volatility V.I. Fund BlackRock S&P 500 Index V.I. Fund BlackRock Small Cap Index V.I. Fund
BlackRock Variable Series Funds II, Inc. BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund
Shareholders should retain this Supplement for future reference.
SAI-GLOBAL-1026SUP
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BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc. BlackRock Advantage SMID Cap Fund, Inc. BlackRock Allocation Target Shares BlackRock Balanced Fund, Inc. BlackRock Bond Fund, Inc. BlackRock California Municipal Series Trust BlackRock Capital Appreciation Fund, Inc. BlackRock Emerging Markets Fund, Inc. BlackRock Equity Dividend Fund BlackRock Financial Institutions Series Trust BlackRock Funds SM BlackRock Funds II BlackRock Funds III BlackRock Funds IV BlackRock Funds V BlackRock Funds VI BlackRock Global Allocation Fund, Inc. BlackRock Index Funds, Inc.
BlackRock International Select Equity Fund BlackRock Large Cap Focus Growth Fund, Inc. BlackRock Large Cap Focus Value Fund, Inc. BlackRock Large Cap Series Funds, Inc. BlackRock Liquidity Funds BlackRock Mid-Cap Value Series, Inc. BlackRock Multi-State Municipal Series Trust BlackRock Municipal Bond Fund, Inc. BlackRock Municipal Series Trust BlackRock Natural Resources Trust BlackRock Series Fund, Inc. BlackRock Series Fund II, Inc. BlackRock Series, Inc. BlackRock Strategic Global Bond Fund, Inc. BlackRock Unconstrained Equity Fund BlackRock Variable Series Funds, Inc. BlackRock Variable Series Funds II, Inc.
Supplement dated September 11, 2026 to the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) of each of the funds listed in Appendix A (each, a “Fund”), as amended from time to time.
Each Fund’s SAI is amended as follows:
The list in the section entitled “Purchase of Shares - Additional Payments by BlackRock - D. Service Organizations Receiving Additional Payments” in Part II, or in the section entitled “Miscellaneous Additional Payments by BlackRock - D. Service Organizations Receiving Additional Payments,” “Investment Advisory Arrangements - Additional Payments by BlackRock - D. Service Organizations Receiving Additional Payments” or “Investment Adviser and Other Service Providers - Additional Payments by BlackRock - D. Service Organizations Receiving Additional Payments,” as applicable, of each Fund’s current SAI, is deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:
&Partners AccuTech Systems Corporation ADP Broker-Dealer, Inc. Advisor Credit Exchange, LLC Advisor Group, Inc. AE Wealth Management, LLC Alight Solutions LLC Allianz Life Financial Services, LLC Allianz Life Insurance Company of New York Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America Altruist Financial LLC American Enterprise Investment Services, Inc. American General Life Insurance Company American United Life Insurance Company Annuity Investors Life Insurance Company Anthem Securities LLC Argent Institutional Trust Company Ascensus Broker Dealer Services, Inc. Ascensus, Inc. Atomic Brokerage LLC Avantax Investment Services, LLC
Bancroft Capital LLC Bank of America, N.A. Bank of New York Mellon Barclays Capital Inc. Benefit Plans Administrative Services, Inc. Benefit Trust Company Beta Capital Securities LLC bfinance US Ltd. BlackRock Advisors, LLC BMO Capital Markets Corp. BNP Paribas BNP Paribas Investment Partners UK Limited BNY Mellon, N.A. BofA Securities, Inc. BOKF, N.A. Brighthouse Life Insurance Company Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY Broadridge Business Process Outsourcing, LLC Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. Cabrera Capital Markets, LLC Capital One, N.A.
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Cetera Advisor Networks LLC Cetera Advisors LLC Cetera Financial Group Cetera Financial Specialists LLC Cetera Investment Services LLC CF Secured, LLC Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Charles Schwab Trust Bank Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. CIM Investment Management, Inc. Citco Securities, LLC CitiBank, National Association Citigroup Global Markets, Inc. Citizens Bank Citizens Business Bank CME Shareholder Servicing LLC CMFG Life Insurance Company Comerica Bank Commonwealth Financial Network Computershare Trust Company Conduent HR Services, LLC Delaware Life Insurance Company Delaware Trust Company Deutsche Bank AG Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas Digital Retirement Solutions, Inc. Dunham & Associates Investment Counsel, Inc. Dynasty Financial Partners LLC Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P. Empire Fidelity Investments Life Insurance Company Empower Annuity Insurance Company of America Empower Financial Services, Inc. Empower Life & Annuity Insurance Company of New York Empower Plan Services, LLC Envestnet Asset Management, Inc. Equitable Advisors, LLC Equitable Life Insurance Company E*trade Savings Bank Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC Fidelity Investments Institutional Operations Company, Inc. Fidelity Investments Life Insurance Company Fifth Third Securities, Inc. First Allied Securities, Inc. First Command Financial Planning, Inc. First Hawaiian Bank First Republic Bank First Security Benefit Life Insurance and Annuity Company of New York
First Symetra National Life Insurance Company of New York First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company FIS Brokerage & Securities Services LLC FNEX Capital, LLC Forethought Life Insurance Company FSC Securities Corporation Genworth Life and Annuity Insurance Company Genworth Life Insurance Company of New York Global Atlantic Distributors, LLC Goldman Sachs & Co. Great Pacific Securities, LLC Guardian Insurance & Annuity Co., Inc. Hancock Whitney Bank Hartford Funds Management Company Hartford Securities Distribution Company, Inc. Hazeltree Fund Services, Inc. Hightower Securities, Inc. Hilltop Securities Inc. HSBC Bank USA, N.A. Huntington Securities, Inc. Institutional Cash Distributors, LLC Integrity Life Insurance Company Interactive Brokers, LLC Investment Trust of California J.P. Morgan Institutional Investments Inc. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC Jefferies LLC Jefferson National Life Insurance Company Jefferson National Life Insurance Company of New York John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.) John Hancock Life Insurance Company of New York John Hancock Trust Company JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Kestra Investment Services, LLC Lincoln Financial Advisors Corporation Lincoln Financial Securities Corporation Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York Lincoln National Life Insurance Company Lincoln Retirement Services LLC Lombard International Life Assurance Company LPL Financial LLC M&T Securities Inc. Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company Members Life Insurance Company Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated Metavante Corporation Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Mid Atlantic Clearing & Settlement Corporation Midland Life Insurance Company
2
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Minnesota Life Insurance Company Mischler Financial Group Mizuho Securities USA Inc. MML Distributors, LLC MML Investors Services, LLC Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC MUFG Union Bank, National Association Nassau Life Insurance Company National Financial Services LLC National Integrity Life Insurance Company National Life Insurance Company Nationwide Financial Services, Inc. Nationwide Fund Distributors LLC Nationwide Retirement Solutions NCB Federal Savings Bank New England Pension Plan Systems, LLC New York Life Insurance and Annuity Corporation Newport Retirement Services, Inc. Northbrook Bank & Trust Company Northern Trust Company Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company NYLife Distributors LLC Oppenheimer & Co., Inc. Orion Advisor Services, LLC Osaic Wealth, Inc. Pacific Life & Annuity Company Pacific Life Insurance Company Pacific Select Distributors, LLC Park Avenue Securities LLC Penserra Securities LLC Pershing LLC PFPC Inc. Piper Jaffray & Co. PNC Bank, National Association PNC Capital Markets LLC PNC Investments LLC Principal Bank Principal Life Insurance Company Protective Life and Annuity Insurance Company Protective Life Insurance Company Pruco Life Insurance Company Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey Prudential Annuities Distributors, Inc. Prudential Insurance Company of America Raymond James & Associates, Inc. Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. RBC Capital Markets, LLC Regions Bank Reliance Trust Company
Reliastar Life Insurance Company Reliastar Life Insurance Company of New York RiverSource Distributors, Inc. RiverSource Life Insurance Co. of New York RiverSource Life Insurance Company SagePoint Financial, Inc. Sammons Retirement Solutions, Inc. Sanctuary Wealth Group, LLC Santander Bank, N.A. Saturna Trust Company Securities America, Inc. Securities Finance Trust Company Security Benefit Life Insurance Company Security Financial Resources, Inc. Security Life of Denver Insurance Company SEI Private Trust Company SG Americas Securities, LLC Silicon Valley Bank Standard Insurance Company State Farm Life and Accident Assurance Company State Farm Life Insurance Company State Farm VP Management Corp. State Street Bank and Trust Company State Street Global Markets, LLC Stern Brothers & Co. Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated Summit Brokerage Services, Inc. SVB Asset Management Symetra Life Insurance Company Syntal Capital Partners, LLC T. Rowe Price Retirement Plan Services, Inc. Talcott Resolution Life and Annuity Insurance Company Talcott Resolution Life Insurance Company TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc. TD Ameritrade, Inc. TD Prime Services (US) LLC Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America Tigress Financial Partners, LLC Transamerica Financial Life Insurance Company Transamerica Life Insurance Company Treasury Brokerage Triad Advisors, LLC Truist Bank U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. U.S. Bank, National Association UBATCO & Co. UBS Financial Services, Inc. UBS Securities LLC Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC UMB Bank, National Association
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United States Life Insurance Company in the City of New York VALIC Retirement Services Company Vanguard Group, Inc. Vanguard Marketing Corporation Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. Voya Financial Partners, LLC Voya Institutional Plan Services, LLC Voya Insurance and Annuity Company Voya Investments Distributor, LLC Voya Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company
Waddell & Reed, Inc. Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC Wells Fargo Investments, LLC Wells Fargo Securities, LLC Wilmington Trust, National Association Woodbury Financial Services, Inc. ZB, National Association
4
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Appendix A
BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Advantage SMID Cap Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Allocation Target Shares BATS: Securitized Total Return Series BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series BATS: High Income Municipal Series BATS: High Income Taxable Series BATS: Mortgage Total Return Series BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series BATS: Short Duration Taxable Total Return Series BATS: Short Term Municipal Income Series
BlackRock Balanced Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Bond Fund, Inc. BlackRock Total Return Fund
BlackRock California Municipal Series Trust BlackRock California Municipal Opportunities Fund
BlackRock Capital Appreciation Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Emerging Markets Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Equity Dividend Fund
BlackRock Financial Institutions Series Trust BlackRock Summit Cash Reserves Fund
BlackRock Funds SM BlackRock Advantage Emerging Markets Fund BlackRock Advantage International Fund BlackRock Advantage Large Cap Growth Fund BlackRock Advantage Small Cap Core Fund BlackRock Advantage Small Cap Growth Fund BlackRock China A Opportunities Fund BlackRock Commodity Strategies Fund BlackRock Daily Reinvestment Stablecoin Reserve Vehicle BlackRock Defensive Advantage Emerging Markets Fund BlackRock Emerging Markets ex-China Fund BlackRock Energy Opportunities Fund BlackRock Exchange Portfolio BlackRock Global Equity Market Neutral Fund BlackRock Health Sciences Opportunities Portfolio
BlackRock High Equity Income Fund BlackRock Mid-Cap Growth Equity Portfolio BlackRock Real Estate Securities Fund BlackRock Short Obligations Fund BlackRock Sustainable Aware Advantage Emerging Markets Equity Fund BlackRock Sustainable Aware Advantage Large Cap Core Fund BlackRock Tactical Opportunities Fund BlackRock Technology Opportunities Fund BlackRock Wealth Liquid Environmentally Aware Fund Circle Reserve Fund iShares Developed Real Estate Index Fund iShares Enhanced Roll Yield Index Fund iShares FTSE NAREIT All Equity REIT Index Fund iShares Municipal Bond Index Fund iShares Russell Mid-Cap Index Fund iShares Russell Small/Mid-Cap Index Fund iShares Short-Term TIPS Bond Index Fund iShares Total U.S. Stock Market Index Fund iShares U.S. Intermediate Credit Bond Index Fund iShares U.S. Intermediate Government Bond Index Fund iShares U.S. Long Credit Bond Index Fund iShares U.S. Long Government Bond Index Fund iShares U.S. Securitized Bond Index Fund
BlackRock Funds II BlackRock 20/80 Target Allocation Fund BlackRock 40/60 Target Allocation Fund BlackRock 60/40 Target Allocation Fund BlackRock 80/20 Target Allocation Fund BlackRock Dynamic High Income Portfolio BlackRock Global Dividend Portfolio BlackRock Managed Income Fund BlackRock Multi-Asset Income Portfolio BlackRock Retirement Income 2030 Fund
BlackRock Funds III BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional BlackRock Cash Funds: Treasury BlackRock Diversified Equity Alpha Fund BlackRock Diversified Fixed Income Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Dynamic Retirement Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Dynamic 2030 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Dynamic 2035 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Dynamic 2040 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Dynamic 2045 Fund
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BlackRock LifePath ® Dynamic 2050 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Dynamic 2055 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Dynamic 2060 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Dynamic 2065 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Dynamic 2070 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® ESG Index Retirement Fund BlackRock LifePath ® ESG Index 2030 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® ESG Index 2035 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® ESG Index 2040 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® ESG Index 2045 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® ESG Index 2050 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® ESG Index 2055 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® ESG Index 2060 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® ESG Index 2065 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® ESG Index 2070 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Index Retirement Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Index 2030 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Index 2035 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Index 2040 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Index 2045 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Index 2050 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Index 2055 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Index 2060 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Index 2065 Fund BlackRock LifePath ® Index 2070 Fund iShares MSCI Total International Index Fund iShares Russell 1000 Large-Cap Index Fund iShares S&P 500 Index Fund iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index Fund
BlackRock Funds IV BlackRock Credit Relative Value Fund BlackRock Systematic Multi-Strategy Fund
BlackRock Funds V BlackRock Core Bond Portfolio BlackRock Floating Rate Income Portfolio BlackRock High Yield Portfolio BlackRock Income Fund BlackRock Inflation Protected Bond Portfolio BlackRock Low Duration Bond Portfolio BlackRock Strategic Income Opportunities Portfolio
BlackRock Funds VI BlackRock Advantage CoreAlpha Bond Fund
BlackRock Global Allocation Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Index Funds, Inc. iShares MSCI EAFE International Index Fund iShares Russell 2000 Small-Cap Index Fund
BlackRock International Select Equity Fund
BlackRock Large Cap Focus Growth Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Large Cap Focus Value Fund, Inc.
BlackRock Large Cap Series Funds, Inc. BlackRock Advantage Large Cap Core Fund BlackRock Advantage Large Cap Value Fund BlackRock Event Driven Equity Fund
BlackRock Liquidity Funds FedFund MuniCash TempCash BlackRock Select Treasury Based Liquidity Fund T-Fund Treasury Trust Fund
BlackRock Mid-Cap Value Series, Inc. BlackRock Mid-Cap Value Fund
BlackRock Multi-State Municipal Series Trust BlackRock New Jersey Municipal Bond Fund BlackRock New York Municipal Opportunities Fund BlackRock Pennsylvania Municipal Bond Fund
BlackRock Municipal Bond Fund, Inc. BlackRock National Municipal Fund BlackRock Short Duration Muni Fund
BlackRock Municipal Series Trust BlackRock Strategic Municipal Opportunities Fund
BlackRock Natural Resources Trust
BlackRock Series Fund, Inc. BlackRock Advantage Large Cap Core Portfolio BlackRock Balanced Portfolio BlackRock Capital Appreciation Portfolio BlackRock Global Allocation Portfolio BlackRock Government Money Market Portfolio
BlackRock Series Fund II, Inc. BlackRock High Yield Portfolio
BlackRock Series, Inc. BlackRock International Fund
BlackRock Strategic Global Bond Fund, Inc.
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BlackRock Unconstrained Equity Fund
BlackRock Variable Series Funds, Inc. BlackRock 60/40 Target Allocation ETF V.I. Fund BlackRock Advantage Large Cap Core V.I. Fund BlackRock Advantage Large Cap Value V.I. Fund BlackRock Advantage SMID Cap V.I. Fund BlackRock Basic Value V.I. Fund BlackRock Capital Appreciation V.I. Fund BlackRock Equity Dividend V.I. Fund BlackRock Global Allocation V.I. Fund
BlackRock Government Money Market V.I. Fund BlackRock International Index V.I. Fund BlackRock International V.I. Fund BlackRock Large Cap Focus Growth V.I. Fund BlackRock Managed Volatility V.I. Fund BlackRock S&P 500 Index V.I. Fund BlackRock Small Cap Index V.I. Fund
BlackRock Variable Series Funds II, Inc. BlackRock High Yield V.I. Fund BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund
Shareholders should retain this Supplement for future reference.
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STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
100 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19809 • Phone No. (800) 882-0052
This Statement of Additional Information of BATS: Securitized Total Return Series, BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series, BATS: High Income Municipal Series, BATS: Mortgage Total Return Series, BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series, BATS: Short Duration Taxable Total Return Series and BATS: Short Term Municipal Income Series (formerly known as “BATS: Series A Portfolio”, “BATS: Series C Portfolio”, “BATS: Series E Portfolio”, “BATS: Series M Portfolio”, “BATS: Series P Portfolio”, “BATS: Series S Portfolio” and “BATS: Series V Portfolio”, respectively) (collectively the “Funds” and each a “Fund”), each a series of BlackRock Allocation Target Shares (the “Trust”), is not a prospectus and should be read in conjunction with the Prospectuses of the Funds, dated July 29, 2026, as they may be amended or supplemented from time to time (collectively the “Prospectuses” and each a “Prospectus”), which have been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission” or the “SEC”) and can be obtained, without charge, by calling (800) 882-0052 or by writing to the Funds at the above address. The Funds’ Prospectuses are incorporated by reference into this Statement of Additional Information and Part I of this Statement of Additional Information and the portions of Part II of this Statement of Additional Information that relate to the Funds have been incorporated by reference into the Funds’ Prospectuses. The portions of Part II of this Statement of Additional Information that do not relate to the Funds do not form a part of the Funds’ Statement of Additional Information, have not been incorporated by reference into the Funds’ Prospectuses and should not be relied upon by investors in the Funds. The audited financial statements of the Funds are incorporated into this Statement of Additional Information by reference to the Funds’ Annual Financial Statements and Additional Information for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026, as filed with the SEC on Form N-CSR (the “2026 Annual Financial Statements”). You may request a copy of the 2026 Annual Financial Statements at no charge by calling (800) 882-0052 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Eastern time on any business day. References to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act” or the “1940 Act”), or other applicable law, will include any rules promulgated thereunder and any guidance, interpretations or modifications by the Commission, Commission staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, including court interpretations, and exemptive, no-action or other relief or permission from the Commission, Commission staff or other authority.
Fund Ticker Symbol BATS: Securitized Total Return Series (formerly known as “BATS: Series A Por tfolio”) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BATAX BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series (formerly known as “BATS: Series C Por tfolio”) . .......... BRACX BATS: High Income Municipal Series (formerly known as “BATS: Series E Por tfolio”). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BATEX BATS: Mor tgage Total Return Series (formerly known as “BATS: Series M Por tfolio”) . . . . . . . . ........ BRAMX BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series (formerly known as “BATS: Series P Por tfolio”) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BATPX BATS: Shor t Duration Taxable Total Return Series (formerly known as “BATS: Series S Por tfolio”) ..... BRASX BATS: Shor t Term Municipal Income Series (formerly known as “BATS: Series V Por tfolio”) . . . . . . . . . . . BATVX
BlackRock Advisors, LLC — Manager
BlackRock Investments, LLC — Distributor
The date of this Statement of Additional Information is July 29, 2026.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page PART I Investment Objectives and Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I-1 Investment Restrictions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I-8 Information on Trustees and Officers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I-11 Management, Advisory and Other Service Arrangements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I-21 Information on Distribution Related Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I-30 Computation of Offering Price Per Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I-30 Por tfolio Transactions and Brokerage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I-30 Additional Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I-33 Financial Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I-37
PART II Investment Risks and Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . II-1 Management and Other Service Arrangements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . II-82 Selective Disclosure of Por tfolio Holdings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . II-84 Purchase of Shares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . II-97 Redemption of Shares . . ........................................................................... I I-114 Shareholder Services . . ............................................................................ I I-118 Pricing of Shares .................................................................................. I I-122 Por tfolio Transactions and Brokerage . . .............................................................. I I-124 Dividends and Taxes . . ............................................................................. I I-129 Per formance Data ................................................................................. I I-137 Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........................................... I I-139 General Information ............................................................................... I I-139 Appendix A — Description of Bond Ratings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1 Appendix B — Proxy Voting Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-1
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PART I: INFORMATION ABOUT BLACKROCK ALLOCATION TARGET SHARES
Par t I of this Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) sets for th information about the Funds. It includes information about the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board” or the “Board of Trustees”), the management services provided to and the management fees paid by the Funds and information about other fees applicable to and services provided to the Funds. This Par t I of this SAI should be read in conjunction with the Funds’ Prospectuses and those por tions of Par t II of this SAI that per tain to the Funds.
I. Investment Objectives and Policies In implementing each Fund’s investment strategy, from time to time, BlackRock Advisors, LLC (“BlackRock” or the “Manager”), each Fund’s investment manager, may consider and employ techniques and strategies designed to minimize and defer the U.S. federal income taxes which may be incurred by shareholders in connection with their investment in such Fund. Should the Board of Trustees determine that the investment objective of a Fund should be changed, shareholders will be given at least 60 days’ notice before any such change is made. However, such change can be effected without shareholder approval. Set for th below is a listing of some of the types of investments and investment strategies that the Funds may use, and the risks and considerations associated with those investments and investment strategies. Also set for th below is a listing of the proxy voting policy and related guidelines applicable to the Fund. Please see “Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures“ in Par t II of this SAI for fur ther information about these policies. A copy of each policy is included in Appendix B. Please see Par t II of this SAI for fur ther information on these investments and investment strategies. Only information that is clearly identified as applicable to a Fund is considered to form a par t of the Fund’s SAI.
BATS: Securitized Total Return Series
BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series
BATS: High Income Municipal Series
BATS: Mortgage Total Return Series
BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series
BATS: Short Duration Taxable Total Return Series
BATS: Short Term Municipal Income Series Asset-Backed Securities X X X XX Asset-Based Securities Precious Metal Related Securities Borrowing and Leverage X X X X XX X Cash Management X X X X XX X Collateralized Debt Obligations X XX Collateralized Bond Obligations X X X Collateralized Loan Obligations X X X X X
Commercial Paper X X XX Commodity-Linked Derivative Instruments and Hybrid Instruments X XX Qualifying Hybrid Instruments X Hybrid Instruments Without Principal Protection X Limitations on Leverage Counterpar ty Risk X Convertible Securities X X X XX
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BATS: Securitized Total Return Series
BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series
BATS: High Income Municipal Series
BATS: Mortgage Total Return Series
BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series
BATS: Short Duration Taxable Total Return Series
BATS: Short Term Municipal Income Series Corporate Loans XX X Direct Lending X Credit Linked Securities X X XX Cyber Security Issues X X X X XX X Debt Securities X X X X XX X Floating and Variable Rate Securities X X X X X X X Inflation-Indexed Bonds X X X X X Investment Grade Debt Obligations X X X X X X X
High Yield Investments (“Junk Bonds”) X XX Mezzanine Investments X X X Pay-in-kind Bonds X X X X X X Supranational Entities X X X X X Depositary Receipts (ADRs, EDRs and GDRs) X X XX Derivatives X X X X XX Hedging X X X X X X Speculation X X X X X X
Risk Factors in Derivatives X X X X XX Correlation Risk X X X X X X Counterpar ty Risk X X X X X X Credit Risk X X X X X X Currency Risk X X X X X
Illiquidity Risk X X X X X X Index Risk X X X X X X Legal Risk X X X X X X Leverage Risk X X X X X X Market Risk X X X X X X Operational Risk X X X X X X
Valuation Risk X X X X X X Volatility Risk X X X X X X Futures X X X X X X Swap Agreements X X X X XX Credit Default Swaps and Similar Instruments X X X X X X
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BATS: Securitized Total Return Series
BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series
BATS: High Income Municipal Series
BATS: Mortgage Total Return Series
BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series
BATS: Short Duration Taxable Total Return Series
BATS: Short Term Municipal Income Series Interest Rate Swaps, Floors and Caps X X X X X X Total Return Swaps X X X X X X Options X X X X XX Options on Securities and Securities Indices X X X X X X Call Options X X X X X X
Put Options X X X X X X Options on Government National Mor tgage Association (“GNMA”) Cer tificates X X
Options on Swaps (“Swaptions”) X X X X X X FLEX Options Foreign Exchange Transactions X XX Spot Transactions and FX Forwards X X X X Currency Futures X X Currency Options X X
Currency Swaps X Distressed Securities XX Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) Integration X X X X XX X Equity Securities X XX Real Estate-Related Securities X Securities of Smaller or Emerging Growth Companies Tracking Stocks Exchange-Traded Notes (“ETNs”) Foreign Investments X X X XX X
Foreign Investment Risks X X X X X Foreign Market Risk X X X Foreign Economy Risk X X X X Currency Risk and Exchange Risk XX
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BATS: Securitized Total Return Series
BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series
BATS: High Income Municipal Series
BATS: Mortgage Total Return Series
BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series
BATS: Short Duration Taxable Total Return Series
BATS: Short Term Municipal Income Series Governmental Supervision and Regulation/ Accounting Standards X X X Cer tain Risks of Holding Fund Assets Outside the United States XX Publicly Available Information
Settlement Risk XX Sovereign Debt X X X X X Withholding Tax Reclaims Risk X X X X U.S. Economic Trading Par tners Risk Funding Agreements Guarantees X X X X XX X Illiquid Investments X X X X XX X Index Funds
Cash Flows; Expenses Tracking Error Risk S&P 500 Index Russell Indexes MSCI Indexes FTSE Indexes
Bloomberg Indexes ICE BofA Indexes
Indexed and Inverse Securities X X X X XX Inflation Risk X X X X XX X Initial Public Offering (“IPO”) Risk Investment in Emerging Markets X XX Brady Bonds X China Investments Risk X X Investment in Other Investment Companies X X X X XX X
Exchange-Traded Funds X X X X X X Issuer Insolvency Risk Lease Obligations X X X X XX X
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BATS: Securitized Total Return Series
BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series
BATS: High Income Municipal Series
BATS: Mortgage Total Return Series
BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series
BATS: Short Duration Taxable Total Return Series
BATS: Short Term Municipal Income Series Life Settlement Investments Liquidity Risk Management X X X X XX X Master Limited Partnerships XX Merger Transaction Risk X
Money Market Obligations of Domestic Banks, Foreign Banks and Foreign Branches of U.S. Banks X X X X XX X Money Market Securities X X X X XX X Mortgage-Related Securities X X X X XX Mor tgage-Backed Securities X X X X X Collateralized Mor tgage Obligations (“CMOs”) X X X X X
Adjustable Rate Mor tgage Securities X X X X X CMO Residuals X X X Stripped Mor tgage Backed Securities X X X X X Tiered Index Bonds X X TBA Commitments X X X X X Mor tgage Dollar Rolls X X X X X Net Interest Margin (NIM) Securities Municipal Investments X X X XX X Risk Factors and Special Considerations Relating to Municipal Bonds X X X X X X Description of Municipal Bonds X X X XX X General Obligation Bonds X X X X X X
Revenue Bonds X X X X Private Activity Bonds (“PABs”) X X X Moral Obligation Bonds X X X
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BATS: Securitized Total Return Series
BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series
BATS: High Income Municipal Series
BATS: Mortgage Total Return Series
BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series
BATS: Short Duration Taxable Total Return Series
BATS: Short Term Municipal Income Series Municipal Notes X X X Municipal Commercial Paper X X X Municipal Lease Obligations X X X
Tender Option Bonds X X X X X Yields X X X Variable Rate Demand Obligations (“VRDOs”) X X X Transactions in Financial Futures Contracts on Municipal Indexes X X X Call Rights X X X Municipal Interest Rate Swap Transactions X X Insured Municipal Bonds X X X Build America Bonds X X X Tax-Exempt Municipal Investments X X X Operational and Technology Risks X X X X XX X Participation Notes XX Portfolio Turnover Rates X X X X XX X Preferred Stock X X XX Tax-Exempt Preferred Shares X Trust Preferred Securities X X X X Proxy Voting Policies Open-End Active and Fixed Income Index Fund Proxy Voting Policy X X X X X X X BlackRock Active Investment Stewardship Climate and Decarbonization Stewardship Guidelines Index Equity Fund Proxy Voting Policy BlackRock Investment Stewardship Climate and Decarbonization Stewardship Guidelines
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BATS: Securitized Total Return Series
BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series
BATS: High Income Municipal Series
BATS: Mortgage Total Return Series
BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series
BATS: Short Duration Taxable Total Return Series
BATS: Short Term Municipal Income Series Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”) XX X Recent Market Events X X X X XX X Reference Rate Replacement Risk X X X X XX X
Repurchase Agreements and Purchase and Sale Contracts X X X X XX Restricted Securities X X X X XX X Reverse Repurchase Agreements X X X X XX Rights Offerings and Warrants to Purchase X X X XX Rule 144A Securities X X X X XX X Securities Lending
Short Sales X X X XX Special Purpose Acquisition Companies
Standby Commitment Agreements X Stripped Securities XX X X Structured Notes X XX Taxability Risk XX Temporary Defensive Measures X X X X XX X U.S. Government Obligations X X X X XX X U.S. Treasury Obligations X X X X X X X
U.S. Treasury Rolls X X XX Utility Industries X X XX X When-Issued Securities, Delayed Delivery Securities and Forward Commitments X X X X XX X
Yields and Ratings X XX X Zero Coupon Securities X X X X XX X
Regulation Regarding Derivatives. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) subjects advisers to registered investment companies to regulation by the CFTC if a fund that is advised by the investment adviser either (i) invests, directly or indirectly, more than a prescribed level of its liquidation value in CFTC-regulated futures, options
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and swaps (“CFTC Derivatives”), or (ii) markets itself as providing investment exposure to such instruments. The CFTC also subjects advisers to registered investment companies to regulation by the CFTC if the registered investment company invests in one or more commodity pools. To the extent each of BATS: Securitized Total Return Series, BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series, BATS: High Income Municipal Series, BATS: Mor tgage Total Return Series, BATS: Shor t Term Municipal Income Series and BATS: Shor t Duration Taxable Total Return Series uses CFTC Derivatives, it intends to do so below such prescribed levels and will not market itself as a “commodity pool” or a vehicle for trading such instruments.
BlackRock has claimed an exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” under the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”) pursuant to Rule 4.5 under the CEA with respect to BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series, BATS: High Income Municipal Series and BATS: Shor t Term Municipal Income Series. BlackRock is not, therefore, subject to registration or regulation as a “commodity pool operator” under the CEA in respect of such Funds.
BATS: Securitized Total Return Series, BATS: Mor tgage Total Return Series and BATS: Shor t Duration Taxable Total Return Series may also have investments in “underlying funds” (and such underlying funds themselves may invest in underlying funds) not advised by BlackRock (which for purposes of the no-action letter referenced below may include cer tain securitized vehicles, mor tgage real estate investment trusts and/or investment companies that may invest in CFTC Derivatives), and therefore may be viewed by the CFTC as commodity pools. BlackRock has no transparency into the holdings of these underlying funds because they are not advised by BlackRock. To address this issue of lack of transparency, the CFTC staff issued a no-action letter on November 29, 2012 permitting the adviser of a fund that invests in such underlying funds and that would otherwise have filed a claim of exclusion pursuant to Rule 4.5 to delay registration as a “commodity pool operator” until six months from the date on which the CFTC issues additional guidance on the treatment of CFTC Derivatives held by underlying funds. BlackRock, the adviser of BATS: Securitized Total Return Series, BATS: Mor tgage Total Return Series and BATS: Shor t Duration Taxable Total Return Series, has filed a claim with the CFTC for such Funds to rely on this no-action relief. Accordingly, BlackRock is not subject to registration or regulation as a “commodity pool operator” under the CEA in respect of such Funds.
Due to BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series’s potential use of CFTC Derivatives above the prescribed levels, however, the Fund will be considered a “commodity pool” under the CEA. Accordingly, BlackRock, BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series’s investment adviser, has registered as a “commodity pool operator” and is subject to CFTC regulation in respect of such Fund.
II. Investment Restrictions
Fundamental Investment Restrictions
The investment restrictions set for th below are fundamental policies of each of the Funds and may not be changed with respect to any of the Funds without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities (which for this purpose and under the Investment Company Act means the lesser of (i) 67% of the shares represented at a meeting at which more than 50% of the outstanding shares are represented or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding shares).
Under these fundamental investment restrictions, none of the Funds may:
(1) Concentrate its investments in a par ticular industry, as that term is used in the Investment Company Act; provided that, for BATS: Securitized Total Return Series only, the Fund will invest at least 25% of its total assets in mor tgage related securities, which for purposes of this investment restriction the Fund will treat as an industry or group of industries.
(2) Borrow money, except as permitted under the Investment Company Act.
(3) Issue senior securities to the extent such issuance would violate the Investment Company Act.
(4) Purchase or hold real estate, except the Fund may purchase and hold securities or other instruments that are secured by, or linked to, real estate or interests therein, securities of real estate investment trusts, mor tgage-related securities and securities of issuers engaged in the real estate business, and the Fund may purchase and hold real estate as a result of the ownership of securities or other instruments.
(5) Underwrite securities issued by others, except to the extent that the sale of por tfolio securities by the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriting or as otherwise permitted by applicable law.
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(6) Purchase or sell commodities or commodity contracts, except as permitted by the Investment Company Act.
(7) Make loans to the extent prohibited by the Investment Company Act.
(8) (For BATS: High Income Municipal Series and BATS: Shor t Term Municipal Income Series only) Make any investment inconsistent with the Fund’s classification as a diversified company under the Investment Company Act.
Notations Regarding each Fund’s Fundamental Investment Restrictions
The following notations are not considered to be par t of a Fund’s fundamental investment restrictions and are subject to change without shareholder approval.
With respect to the fundamental policy relating to concentration set for th in (1) above, the Investment Company Act does not define what constitutes “concentration” in an industry. The Commission staff has taken the position that investment of 25% or more of a fund’s total assets in one or more issuers conducting their principal activities in the same industry or group of industries constitutes concentration. It is possible that interpretations of concentration could change in the future. The policy in (1) above will be interpreted to refer to concentration as that term may be interpreted from time to time. The policy also will be interpreted to permit investment without limit in the following: securities of the U.S. government and its agencies or instrumentalities; securities of state, territory, possession or municipal governments and their authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions; and repurchase agreements collateralized by any such obligations. Accordingly, issuers of the foregoing securities will not be considered to be members of any industry (except that, for BATS: Securitized Total Return Series only, mor tgage related securities, which include mor tgage-backed securities issued by private entities and mor tgage-backed securities issued or guaranteed by U.S. federal agencies or government-related guarantors, will be treated by the Fund as an industry or group of industries as set for th in (1) above). There also will be no limit on investment in issuers domiciled in a single jurisdiction or country. Finance companies will be considered to be in the industries of their parents if their activities are primarily related to financing the activities of the parents. Each foreign government will be considered to be a member of a separate industry. With respect to the Fund’s industry classifications, the Fund currently utilizes any one or more of the industry sub-classifications used by one or more widely recognized market indexes or rating group indexes, and/or as defined by Fund management. The policy also will be interpreted to give broad authority to the Fund as to how to classify issuers within or among industries.
With respect to the fundamental policy relating to borrowing money set for th in (2) above, the Investment Company Act permits the Fund to borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the Fund’s total assets from banks for any purpose, and to borrow up to 5% of the Fund’s total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes. (The Fund’s total assets include the amounts being borrowed.) To limit the risks attendant to borrowing, the Investment Company Act requires the Fund to maintain at all times an “asset coverage” of at least 300% of the amount of its borrowings. Asset coverage means the ratio that the value of the Fund’s total assets (including amounts borrowed), minus liabilities other than borrowings, bears to the aggregate amount of all borrowings. Borrowing money to increase por tfolio holdings is known as “leveraging.” Cer tain trading practices and investments, such as reverse repurchase agreements, may be considered to be borrowings or involve leverage and thus are subject to the Investment Company Act restrictions. In accordance with Rule 18f-4 under the Investment Company Act, when the Fund engages in reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions, the Fund may either (i) maintain asset coverage of at least 300% with respect to such transactions and any other borrowings in the aggregate, or (ii) treat such transactions as “derivatives transactions” and comply with Rule 18f-4 with respect to such transactions. Shor t-term credits necessary for the settlement of securities transactions and arrangements with respect to securities lending will not be considered to be borrowings under the policy. Practices and investments that may involve leverage but are not considered to be borrowings are not subject to the policy.
With respect to the fundamental policy relating to underwriting set for th in (5) above, the Investment Company Act does not prohibit the Fund from engaging in the underwriting business or from underwriting the securities of other issuers; in fact, in the case of diversified funds, the Investment Company Act permits the Fund to have underwriting commitments of up to 25% of its assets under cer tain circumstances. Those circumstances currently are that the amount of the Fund’s underwriting commitments, when added to the value of the Fund’s investments in issuers where the Fund owns more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of those issuers, cannot exceed the 25% cap. A fund engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of por tfolio securities may be considered to be an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Although it is not believed that the application of the Securities Act provisions described above would cause the Fund to be engaged in the business of underwriting, the policy in (5) above will be interpreted not to prevent the Fund from engaging in
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transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of por tfolio securities, regardless of whether the Fund may be considered to be an underwriter under the Securities Act or is otherwise engaged in the underwriting business to the extent permitted by applicable law.
With respect to the fundamental policy relating to lending set for th in (7) above, the Investment Company Act does not prohibit the Fund from making loans (including lending its securities); however, Commission staff interpretations currently prohibit funds from lending more than one-third of their total assets (including lending its securities), except through the purchase of debt obligations or the use of repurchase agreements. In addition, collateral arrangements with respect to options, forward currency and futures transactions and other derivative instruments (as applicable), as well as delays in the settlement of securities transactions, will not be considered loans.
(For BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series, BATS: High Income Municipal Series, BATS: Mor tgage Total Return Series, BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series and BATS: Shor t Duration Taxable Total Return Series only) The Fund is currently classified as a diversified fund under the Investment Company Act. This means that the Fund may not purchase securities of an issuer (other than (i) obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities and (ii) securities of other investment companies) if, with respect to 75% of its total assets, (a) more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets would be invested in securities of that issuer or (b) the Fund would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer. With respect to the remaining 25% of its total assets, the Fund can invest more than 5% of its assets in one issuer. Under the Investment Company Act, the Fund cannot change its classification from diversified to non-diversified without shareholder approval.
Non-Fundamental Investment Objective and Restrictions (each Fund except for BATS: Securitized Total Return Series, BATS: High Income Municipal Series, BATS: Short Term Municipal Income Series and BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series)
The investment objective of each Fund is not fundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval. Each Fund is also subject to the following non-fundamental restrictions (which may be changed without shareholder approval) and, unless otherwise indicated, may not:
(a) Purchase securities of other investment companies, except to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act. As a matter of policy, however, the Fund will not purchase shares of any registered open-end investment company or registered unit investment trust, in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F) or (G) (the “fund of funds” provisions) of the Investment Company Act, at any time the Fund has knowledge that its shares are purchased by another investment company investor in reliance on the provisions of subparagraph (G) of Section 12(d)(1).
Unless otherwise indicated or with respect to policies adopted pursuant to Rule 35d-1 under the Investment Company Act, all limitations applicable to a Fund’s investments apply only at the time a transaction is entered into. Any subsequent change in a rating assigned by any rating service to a security, or change in the percentage of a Fund’s assets invested in cer tain securities or other instruments resulting from market fluctuations or other changes in a Fund’s total assets, will not require the Fund to dispose of an investment. In the event that ratings services assign different ratings to the same security, the investment adviser will determine which rating it believes best reflects the security’s quality and risk at that time, which may be the higher of the several assigned ratings.
To comply with U.S. Federal tax requirements for qualification as a “regulated investment company,” each Fund’s investments will be limited in manner such that at the close of each quar ter of each tax year, subject to cer tain exceptions and cure periods, (a) no more than 25% of the value of a Fund’s total assets are invested in the securities (other than U.S. Government securities or securities of other regulated investment companies) of a single issuer, any two or more issuers controlled by the Fund and engaged in the same, similar or related trade or businesses or cer tain publicly traded par tnerships and (b) with regard to at least 50% of the Fund’s total assets, no more than 5% of its total assets are invested in the securities (other than U.S. Government securities or securities of other regulated companies) of a single issuer and no investment will consist of 10% or more of the voting stock of such issuer. These tax-related limitations may be changed by the Trustees to the extent appropriate in light of changes to applicable tax requirements.
Non-Fundamental Investment Restrictions (BATS: Securitized Total Return Series and BATS: Short Term Municipal Income Series)
Under its non-fundamental investment restrictions, which may be changed by the board without shareholder approval, the Fund may not:
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a. Purchase securities of other investment companies, except to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act. As a matter of policy, however, the Fund will not purchase shares of any registered open-end investment company or registered unit investment trust, in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F) or (G) (the “fund of funds” provisions) of the Investment Company Act, at any time the Fund has knowledge that its shares are purchased by another investment company investor in reliance on the provisions of subparagraph (G) of Section 12(d)(1).
b. Make shor t sales of securities or maintain a shor t position, except to the extent permitted by the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information, as amended from time to time, and applicable law.
The Fund is currently classified as a diversified fund under the Investment Company Act. This means that the Fund may not purchase securities of an issuer (other than (i) obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities and (ii) securities of other investment companies) if, with respect to 75% of its total assets, (a) more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets would be invested in securities of that issuer or (b) the Fund would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer. With respect to the remaining 25% of its total assets, the Fund can invest more than 5% of its assets in one issuer. Under the Investment Company Act, a fund cannot change its classification from diversified to non-diversified without shareholder approval.
Unless otherwise indicated, all limitations under the Fund’s fundamental or non-fundamental investment restrictions apply only at the time that a transaction is under taken. Any change in the percentage of the Fund’s assets invested in cer tain securities or other instruments resulting from market fluctuations or other changes in the Fund’s total assets will not require the Fund to dispose of an investment until BlackRock determines that it is practicable to sell or close out the investment without undue market or tax consequences.
Non-Fundamental Investment Restrictions (BATS: High Income Municipal Series and BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series)
Under its non-fundamental investment restrictions, which may be changed by the board without shareholder approval, the Fund may not:
(a) Purchase securities of other investment companies, except to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act. As a matter of policy, however, the Fund will not purchase shares of any registered open-end investment company or registered unit investment trust, in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F) or (G) (the “fund of funds” provisions) of the Investment Company Act, at any time the Fund has knowledge that its shares are purchased by another investment company investor in reliance on the provisions of subparagraph (G) of Section 12(d)(1).
(b) Make shor t sales of securities or maintain a shor t position, except to the extent permitted by the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information, as amended from time to time, and applicable law.
Unless otherwise indicated, all limitations under the Fund’s fundamental or non-fundamental investment restrictions apply only at the time that a transaction is under taken. Any change in the percentage of the Fund’s assets invested in cer tain securities or other instruments resulting from market fluctuations or other changes in the Fund’s total assets will not require the Fund to dispose of an investment until BlackRock determines that it is practicable to sell or close out the investment without undue market or tax consequences.
III. Information on Trustees and Officers
The Board consists of nine individuals (each a “Trustee”), seven of whom are not “interested persons” of the Trust as defined in the Investment Company Act (the “Independent Trustees”). The registered investment companies advised by the Manager or its affiliates (the “BlackRock-advised Funds”) are organized into the BlackRock Multi-Asset Complex, the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex, and the iShares Complex (each, a “BlackRock Fund Complex”). The Funds are included in the BlackRock Fund Complex referred to as the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex. The Trustees also oversee as board members the operations of the other open-end and closed-end registered investment companies included in the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex.
The Board has overall responsibility for the oversight of the Trust and the Funds. The Chair of the Board and the Chief Executive Officer are different people. Not only is the Chair of the Board an Independent Trustee, but also the Chair of each Board committee (each, a “Committee”) is an Independent Trustee. The Board has seven standing Committees: an Audit Committee, a Governance and Nominating Committee, a Compliance Committee, a Per formance Oversight Committee, a Securities Lending Committee, an Executive Committee and a Private Assets Committee. The role of the Chair of the Board is to preside over all meetings of the Board and to act as a liaison with
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service providers, officers, attorneys, and other Trustees between meetings. The Chair of each Committee per forms a similar role with respect to the Committee. The Chair of the Board or a Committee may also per form such other functions as may be delegated by the Board or the Committee from time to time. The Independent Trustees meet regularly outside the presence of Fund management, in executive sessions or with other service providers to the Funds. The Board has regular meetings five times a year, including a meeting to consider the approval of the Funds’ investment management agreement, and, if necessary, may hold special meetings before its next regular meeting. The Audit Committee, the Governance and Nominating Committee, the Compliance Committee, the Per formance Oversight Committee, the Securities Lending Committee, and the Private Assets Committee each meets regularly and the Executive Committee meets on an ad hoc basis to conduct the oversight functions delegated to that Committee by the Board and repor ts its findings to the Board. The Board and each standing Committee conduct annual assessments of their oversight function and structure. The Board has determined that the Board’s leadership structure is appropriate because it allows the Board to exercise independent judgment over management and to allocate areas of responsibility among Committees and the Board to enhance oversight.
The Board decided to separate the roles of Chief Executive Officer from the Chair because it believes that having an independent Chair:
• increases the independent oversight of the Funds and enhances the Board’s objective evaluation of the Chief Executive Officer;
• allows the Chief Executive Officer to focus on the Funds’ operations instead of Board administration;
• provides greater oppor tunities for direct and independent communication between shareholders and the Board; and
• provides an independent spokesman for the Funds.
The Board has engaged the Manager to manage the Funds on a day-to-day basis. The Board is responsible for overseeing the Manager, other service providers, the operations of the Funds and associated risks in accordance with the provisions of the Investment Company Act, state law, other applicable laws, the Funds’ char ter, and the Funds’ investment objectives and strategies. The Board reviews, on an ongoing basis, the Funds’ per formance, operations, and investment strategies and techniques. The Board also conducts reviews of the Manager and its role in running the operations of the Funds.
Day-to-day risk management with respect to the Funds is the responsibility of the Manager, sub-advisers or other service providers (depending on the nature of the risk), subject to the supervision of the Manager. Each Fund is subject to a number of risks, including investment, compliance, operational and valuation risks, among others. While there are a number of risk management functions per formed by the Manager, sub-advisers or other service providers, as applicable, it is not possible to eliminate all of the risks applicable to the Funds. Risk oversight is par t of the Board’s general oversight of the Funds and is addressed as par t of various Board and Committee activities. The Board, directly or through Committees, also reviews repor ts from, among others, management, the independent registered public accounting firm for the Funds, the Manager, sub-advisers and internal auditors for the Manager or its affiliates, as appropriate, regarding risks faced by the Funds and management’s or the service provider’s risk functions. The Committee system facilitates the timely and efficient consideration of matters by the Trustees and facilitates effective oversight of compliance with legal and regulatory requirements and of the Funds’ activities and associated risks. The Board has approved the appointment of a Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”), who oversees the implementation and testing of the Funds’ compliance program and repor ts regularly to the Board regarding compliance matters for the Funds and their service providers. The Independent Trustees have engaged independent legal counsel to assist them in per forming their oversight responsibilities.
Audit Committee. The Board has a standing Audit Committee composed of Lorenzo A. Flores (Chair), J. Phillip Holloman and Ar thur P. Steinmetz, all of whom are Independent Trustees. The principal responsibilities of the Audit Committee are to assist the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities relating to the accounting and financial repor ting policies and practices of the Funds. The Audit Committee’s responsibilities include, without limitation: (i) approving, and recommending to the full Board for approval, the selection, retention, termination and compensation of the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm (the “Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm”) and evaluating the independence and objectivity of the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm; (ii) approving all audit engagement terms and fees for the Funds; (iii) reviewing the conduct and results of each audit; (iv) reviewing any issues raised by the Funds’ Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm or management regarding the accounting or financial repor ting policies and practices of the Funds, their internal controls, and, as appropriate, the internal controls of cer tain service providers and management’s response to any such issues; (v) reviewing and discussing the Funds’ audited and unaudited financial statements and disclosure in the Funds’ shareholder repor ts relating to the Funds’ per formance; (vi) assisting the Board’s responsibilities with respect to the
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internal controls of the Funds and their service providers with respect to accounting and financial matters; and (vii) resolving any disagreements between the Funds’ management and the Funds’ Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm regarding financial repor ting. The Board has adopted a written char ter for the Board’s Audit Committee. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026, the Audit Committee met four times.
Governance and Nominating Committee. The Board has a standing Governance and Nominating Committee composed of W. Carl Kester (Chair), Cynthia L. Egan, J. Phillip Holloman and R. Glenn Hubbard, all of whom are Independent Trustees. The principal responsibilities of the Governance and Nominating Committee are: (i) identifying individuals qualified to serve as Independent Trustees and recommending Board nominees that are not “interested persons” of the Funds (as defined in the Investment Company Act) for election by shareholders or appointment by the Board; (ii) advising the Board with respect to Board composition, procedures and Committees of the Board (other than the Audit Committee); (iii) overseeing periodic self-assessments of the Board and Committees of the Board (other than the Audit Committee); (iv) reviewing and making recommendations in respect to Independent Trustee compensation; (v) monitoring corporate governance matters and making recommendations in respect thereof to the Board; (vi) acting as the administrative committee with respect to Board policies and procedures, committee policies and procedures (other than the Audit Committee) and codes of ethics as they relate to the Independent Trustees; and (vii) reviewing and making recommendations to the Board in respect of Fund share ownership by the Independent Trustees. The Board has adopted a written char ter for the Board’s Governance and Nominating Committee. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026, the Governance and Nominating Committee met four times.
The Governance and Nominating Committee of the Board seeks to identify individuals to serve on the Board who have a diverse range of viewpoints, qualifications, experiences, backgrounds and skill sets so that the Board will be better suited to fulfill its responsibility of overseeing the Funds’ activities. In so doing, the Governance and Nominating Committee reviews the size of the Board, the ages of the current Trustees and their tenure on the Board, and the skills, background and experiences of the Trustees in light of the issues facing the Funds in determining whether one or more new trustees should be added to the Board. The Board as a group strives to achieve diversity in terms of gender, race and geographic location. The Governance and Nominating Committee believes that the Trustees as a group possess the array of skills, experiences and backgrounds necessary to guide the Funds. The Trustees’ biographies included herein highlight the diversity and breadth of skills, qualifications and exper tise that the Trustees bring to the Funds.
The Governance and Nominating Committee may consider nominations for Trustees made by the Funds’ shareholders as it deems appropriate. Under the Trust’s Bylaws, shareholders must follow cer tain procedures to nominate a person for election as a Trustee at a shareholder meeting at which Trustees are to be elected. Under these advance notice procedures, shareholders must submit the proposed nominee by delivering a notice to the Secretary of the Funds at its principal executive offices no later than the close of business on the fifth (5th) day following the day on which notice of the date of the meeting was mailed or public disclosure of the date of the meeting was made, whichever first occurs.
The Trust’s Bylaws provide that notice of a proposed nomination must include cer tain information about the shareholder and the nominee, as well as cer tain other information, including a written consent of the proposed nominee to serve if elected. Reference is made to the Trust’s Bylaws for more details.
Compliance Committee. The Board has a Compliance Committee composed of Cynthia L. Egan (Chair), Stayce D. Harris, R. Glenn Hubbard and W. Carl Kester, all of whom are Independent Trustees. The Compliance Committee’s purpose is to assist the Board in fulfilling its responsibility with respect to the oversight of regulatory and fiduciary compliance matters involving the Trust, the fund-related activities of BlackRock, and any sub-adviser and the Trust’s other third par ty service providers. The Compliance Committee’s responsibilities include, without limitation: (i) overseeing the compliance policies and procedures of the Trust and its service providers and recommending changes or additions to such policies and procedures; (ii) reviewing information on and, where appropriate, recommending policies concerning the Trust’s compliance with applicable law; (iii) reviewing information on any significant correspondence with or other actions by regulators or governmental agencies with respect to the Trust and any employee complaints or published repor ts that raise concerns regarding compliance matters; and (iv) reviewing repor ts from, overseeing the annual per formance review of, and making cer tain recommendations in respect of, the Trust’s CCO, including, without limitation, determining the amount and structure of the CCO’s compensation. The Board has adopted a written char ter for the Board’s Compliance Committee. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026, the Compliance Committee met four times.
Per formance Oversight Committee. The Board has a Per formance Oversight Committee composed of Ar thur P. Steinmetz (Chair), Cynthia L. Egan, Lorenzo A. Flores, Stayce D. Harris, J. Phillip Holloman, R. Glenn Hubbard and W. Carl Kester, all of whom are Independent Trustees. The Per formance Oversight Committee’s purpose is to assist the
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Board in fulfilling its responsibility to oversee the Funds’ investment per formance relative to the Funds’ investment objective, policies and practices. The Per formance Oversight Committee’s responsibilities include, without limitation: (i) reviewing the Funds’ investment objective, policies and practices; (ii) recommending to the Board any required action in respect of changes in fundamental and non-fundamental investment restrictions; (iii) reviewing information on appropriate benchmarks and competitive universes; (iv) reviewing the Funds’ investment per formance relative to such benchmarks; (v) reviewing information on unusual or exceptional investment matters; (vi) reviewing whether the Funds have complied with their investment policies and restrictions; and (vii) overseeing policies, procedures and controls regarding valuation of the Funds’ investments. The Board has adopted a written char ter for the Board’s Per formance Oversight Committee. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026, the Per formance Oversight Committee met four times.
Securities Lending Committee. The Board has a Securities Lending Committee composed of Ar thur P. Steinmetz (Chair), Cynthia L. Egan and W. Carl Kester, both of whom are Independent Trustees. The principal responsibilities of the Securities Lending Committee include, without limitation: (i) suppor ting, overseeing and organizing on behalf of the Board the process for oversight of the Fund’s securities lending activities; and (ii) providing a recommendation to the Board regarding the annual approval of the Fund’s Securities Lending Guidelines and the Fund’s agreement with the lending agent. The Board has adopted a written char ter for the Board’s Securities Lending Committee. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026, the Securities Lending Committee met two times.
Executive Committee. The Board has an Executive Committee composed of R. Glenn Hubbard (Chair) and W. Carl Kester, both of whom are Independent Trustees, and John M. Perlowski, who serves as an interested Trustee. The principal responsibilities of the Executive Committee include, without limitation: (i) acting on routine matters between meetings of the Board; (ii) acting on such matters as may require urgent action between meetings of the Board; and (iii) exercising such other authority as may from time to time be delegated to the Executive Committee by the Board. The Board has adopted a written char ter for the Board’s Executive Committee. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026, the Executive Committee did not meet.
Private Assets Committee . The Board has a Private Assets Committee composed of W. Carl Kester (Chair), Cynthia L. Egan and Ar thur P. Steinmetz, all of whom are Independent Trustees. The principal responsibilities of the Private Assets Committee include, without limitation: (i) monitoring, on behalf of the Board, through reviews of periodic repor ts from BlackRock, cer tain categories or types of private assets held by the Fund that have been identified by the Committee (“subject private assets”); (ii) assisting the Board and its other Committees to oversee the actions of the Fund’s valuation designee and liquidity risk manager in respect of the valuation and liquidity, respectively, of subject private assets held by the Fund; (iii) engaging with BlackRock on the oversight of subject private assets; (iv) reviewing and making recommendations to the Board and/or its Committees regarding the Board’s oversight of subject private assets; and (v) addressing such other matters relating to subject private assets held by the Fund as the Committee deems appropriate, including assisting the Board’s consideration of subject private assets in conjunction with the annual consideration of the Fund’s investment advisory agreement. The Board has adopted a written char ter for the Board’s Private Assets Committee. As the Private Assets Committee was established in July 2026, during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026, the Private Assets Committee did not meet.
The Independent Trustees have adopted a statement of policy that describes the experiences, qualifications, skills and attributes that are necessary and desirable for potential Independent Trustee candidates (the “Statement of Policy”). The Board believes that each Independent Trustee satisfied, at the time he or she was initially elected or appointed a Trustee, and continues to satisfy, the standards contemplated by the Statement of Policy as well as the standards set for th in the Trust’s Bylaws. Fur thermore, in determining that a par ticular Trustee was and continues to be qualified to serve as a Trustee, the Board has considered a variety of criteria, none of which, in isolation, was controlling. The Board believes that, collectively, the Trustees have balanced and diverse experiences, skills, attributes and qualifications, which allow the Board to operate effectively in governing the Funds and protecting the interests of shareholders. Among the attributes common to all Trustees is their ability to review critically, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, to interact effectively with the Manager, sub-advisers, other service providers, counsel and independent auditors, and to exercise effective business judgment in the per formance of their duties as Trustees. Each Trustee’s ability to per form his or her duties effectively is evidenced by his or her educational background or professional training; business, consulting, public service or academic positions; experience from service as a board member of the Trust or the other funds in the BlackRock Fund Complexes (and any predecessor funds), other investment funds, public companies, or not-for-profit entities or other organizations; ongoing commitment and par ticipation in Board and Committee meetings, as well as his or her leadership of standing and other committees throughout the years; or other relevant life experiences.
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The table below discusses some of the experiences, qualifications and skills of each Trustee that suppor t the conclusion that he or she should serve on the Board.
Trustees Experience, Qualifications and Skills Independent Trustees R. Glenn Hubbard R. Glenn Hubbard has served in numerous roles in the field of economics, including as the Chairman of the U.S. Council of Economic Advisers of the President of the United States. Dr. Hubbard has served as the Dean of Columbia Business School, as a member of the Columbia Faculty and as a Visiting Professor at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, the Harvard Business School and the University of Chicago. Dr. Hubbard’s experience as an adviser to the President of the United States adds a dimension of balance to the Funds’ governance and provides perspective on economic issues. Dr. Hubbard’s service on the boards of ADP and Metropolitan Life Insurance Company provides the the Board with the benefit of his experience with the management practices of other financial companies. Dr. Hubbard’s long-standing service on the boards of directors/trustees of the closed-end funds in the BlackRock Fixed Income Complex also provides him with a specific understanding of the Funds, their operations, and the business and regulatory issues facing the Funds. Dr. Hubbard’s independence from the Funds and the Manager enhances his service as Chair of the Board, Chair of the Executive Committee and a member of the Governance and Nominating Committee, the the Compliance Committee and the the Per formance Oversight Committee.
W. Carl Kester The the Board benefits from W. Carl Kester’s experiences as a professor and author in finance, and his experience as the George Fisher Baker Jr. Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School and as Deputy Dean of Academic Affairs at Harvard Business School from 2006 through 2010 adds to the Board a wealth of exper tise in corporate finance and corporate governance. Dr. Kester has authored and edited numerous books and research papers on both subject matters, including co-editing a leading volume of finance case studies used worldwide. Dr. Kester’s long-standing service on the boards of directors/trustees of the closed-end funds in the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex also provides him with a specific understanding of the Funds, their operations, and the business and regulatory issues facing the Funds. Dr. Kester’s independence from the Funds and the Manager enhances his service as Vice Chair of the Board, Chair of the Governance and Nominating Committee, Chair of the Private Assets Committee and a member of the the Executive Committee, the Compliance Committee, the Per formance Oversight Committee and the Securities Lending Committee.
Cynthia L. Egan Cynthia L. Egan brings to the the Board a broad and diverse knowledge of investment companies and the retirement industry as a result of her many years of experience as President, Retirement Plan Services, for T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. and her various senior operating officer positions at Fidelity Investments, including her service as Executive Vice President of FMR Co., President of Fidelity Institutional Services Company and President of the Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund. Ms. Egan has also served as an advisor to the U.S. Depar tment of Treasury as an exper t in domestic retirement security. Ms. Egan began her professional career at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Ms. Egan is also a director of UNUM Corporation, a publicly traded insurance company providing personal risk reinsurance, and a director and Chair of the Board of The Hanover Group, a public proper ty casualty insurance company. Ms. Egan is also the lead independent director and non-executive Vice Chair of the Board of Huntsman Corporation, a publicly traded manufacturer and marketer of chemical products. Ms. Egan’s independence from the Funds and the Manager enhances her service as Chair of the the Compliance Committee and a member of the Governance and Nominating Committee, the Per formance Oversight Committee, and the Securities Lending Committee and a member of the Private Assets Committee.
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Trustees Experience, Qualifications and Skills Lorenzo A. Flores The Board benefits from Lorenzo A. Flores’s many years of business, leadership and financial experience in his roles at various public and private companies. In par ticular, Mr. Flores’s service as Chief Financial Officer of Lattice Semiconductor Corporation, a semiconductor company that designs, develops, and markets programmable logic products and related software, Chief Financial Officer of Intel Foundry, a semiconductor manufacturing unit of Intel Corporation, Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Controller of Xilinx, Inc., a technology and semiconductor company that supplies programmable logic devices, and Vice Chairman of Kioxia, Inc., a manufacturer and supplier of flash memory and solid state drives, and his long experience in the technology industry allow him to provide insight into financial, business and technology trends. Mr. Flores’s knowledge of financial and accounting matters qualifies him to serve as Chair of the Audit Committee. Mr. Flores’s independence from the Funds and the Manager enhances his service as a member of the Per formance Oversight Committee.
Stayce D. Harris The Board benefits from Stayce D. Harris’s leadership and governance experience gained during her extensive military career, including as a three-star Lieutenant General of the United States Air Force. In her most recent role, Ms. Harris repor ted to the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force on matters concerning Air Force effectiveness, efficiency and the military discipline of active duty, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard forces. Ms. Harris’s experience on governance matters includes oversight of inspection policy and the inspection and evaluation system for all Air Force nuclear and conventional forces; oversight of Air Force counterintelligence operations and service on the Air Force Intelligence Oversight Panel; investigation of fraud, waste and abuse; and oversight of criminal investigations and complaints resolution programs. Ms. Harris is also a director of The Boeing Company. Ms. Harris’s independence from the Funds and the Manager enhances her service as a member of the Compliance Committee and the Per formance Oversight Committee.
J. Phillip Holloman The Board benefits from J. Phillip Holloman’s many years of business and leadership experience as an executive, director and advisory board member of various public and private companies. In par ticular, Mr. Holloman’s service as Board Chairman, Vestis Corporation since 2023; Interim Executive Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Vestis Corporation, from April 2025 to July 2025; President and Chief Operating Officer of Cintas Corporation allows him to provide insight into business trends and conditions. Mr. Holloman’s knowledge of financial and accounting matters qualifies him to serve as a member of the Audit Committee. Mr. Holloman’s independence from the Funds and the Manager enhances his service as a member of the Governance and Nominating Committee and the Per formance Oversight Committee.
Ar thur P. Steinmetz The Board benefits from Ar thur P. Steinmetz’s many years of business and leadership experience as an executive, chairman and director of various companies in the financial industry. Mr. Steinmetz’s service as Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of the OppenheimerFunds, Inc. and as Trustee, President and Principal Executive Officer of cer tain OppenheimerFunds funds provides insight into the asset management industry. He has also served as a Director of ScotiaBank (U.S.). Mr. Steinmetz’s knowledge of financial and accounting matters qualifies him to serve as a member of the Audit Committee. Mr. Steinmetz’s independence from the Fund and the Manager enhances his service as Chair of the Per formance Oversight Committee and Chair of the Securities Lending Committee.
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Trustees Experience, Qualifications and Skills Interested Trustees Rober t Fairbairn Rober t Fairbairn has more than 25 years of experience with BlackRock, Inc. and over 30 years of experience in finance and asset management. In par ticular, Mr. Fairbairn’s positions as Vice Chairman of BlackRock, Inc., Member of BlackRock’s Global Operating Committee and Co-Chair of BlackRock’s Human Capital Committee provide the the Board with a wealth of practical business knowledge and leadership. In addition, Mr. Fairbairn has global investment management and oversight experience through his former positions as Member of BlackRock’s Global Executive Committee, Global Head of BlackRock’s Retail and iShares ® businesses, Head of BlackRock’s Global Client Group, Chairman of BlackRock’s international businesses and his previous oversight over BlackRock’s Strategic Par tner Program and Strategic Product Management Group. Mr. Fairbairn also serves as a board member for the funds in the BlackRock Multi-Asset Complex.
John M. Perlowski John M. Perlowski’s experience as Senior Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2026, Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. from 2009 to 2025, as the Head of BlackRock Global Business Operations Services since 2009, and as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Funds provides him with a strong understanding of the Funds, their operations, and the business and regulatory issues facing the Funds. Mr. Perlowski’s prior position as Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of the Global Product Group at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, and his former service as Treasurer and Senior Vice President of the Goldman Sachs Mutual Funds and as Director of the Goldman Sachs Offshore Funds provides the Board with the benefit of his experience with the management practices of other financial companies. Mr. Perlowski also serves as a board member for the funds in the BlackRock Multi-Asset Complex. Mr. Perlowski is a member of BlackRock’s Global Executive Committee. Mr. Perlowski’s experience with BlackRock enhances his service as a member of the Executive Committee.
Biographical Information
Cer tain biographical and other information relating to the Trustees is set for th below, including their address and year of bir th, principal occupations for at least the last five years, length of time served, total number of registered investment companies and investment por tfolios overseen in the BlackRock-advised Funds and any currently held public company and other investment company directorships.
Name and Year of Birth 1,2
Position(s) Held (Length of Service) 3 Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years
Number of BlackRock Advised Registered Investment Companies (“RICs”) Consisting of Investment Portfolios (“Portfolios”) Overseen
Public Company and Other Investment Company Directorships Held During Past Five Years Independent Trustees R. Glenn Hubbard 1958
Chair of the Board (Since 2022) and Trustee (Since 2019)
Dean, Columbia Business School from 2004 to 2019; Faculty member, Columbia Business School since 1988.
50 RICs consisting of 83 Portfolios
ADP (data and information services) from 2004 to 2020; Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (insurance); TotalEnergies SE (multi-energy)
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Name and Year of Birth 1,2
Position(s) Held (Length of Service) 3 Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years
Number of BlackRock Advised Registered Investment Companies (“RICs”) Consisting of Investment Portfolios (“Portfolios”) Overseen
Public Company and Other Investment Company Directorships Held During Past Five Years W. Carl Kester 1951
Vice Chair of the Board (Since 2022) and Trustee (Since 2019)
Baker Foundation Professor and George Fisher Baker Jr. Professor of Business Administration, Emeritus, Harvard Business School since 2022; George Fisher Baker Jr. Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School from 2008 to 2022; Deputy Dean for Academic Affairs from 2006 to 2010; Chairman of the Finance Unit, from 2005 to 2006; Senior Associate Dean and Chairman of the MBA Program from 1999 to 2005; Member of the faculty of Harvard Business School since 1981.
52 RICs consisting of 85 Portfolios
None
Cynthia L. Egan 1955
Trustee (Since 2019)
Advisor, U.S. Department of the Treasury from 2014 to 2015; President, Retirement Plan Services, for T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. from 2007 to 2012; executive positions within Fidelity Investments from 1989 to 2007.
52 RICs consisting of 85 Portfolios
Unum (insurance); The Hanover Insurance Group (Board Chair); Huntsman Corporation (Lead Independent Director and non Executive Vice Chair of the Board) (chemical products) Lorenzo A. Flores 1964
Trustee (Since 2021)
Chief Financial Officer, Lattice Semiconductor Corporation (LSCC) since 2025; Chief Financial Officer, Intel Foundry from 2024 to 2025; Vice Chairman, Kioxia, Inc. from 2019 to 2024; Chief Financial Officer, Xilinx, Inc. from 2016 to 2019; Corporate Controller, Xilinx, Inc. from 2008 to 2016.
50 RICs consisting of 83 Portfolios
None
Stayce D. Harris 1959
Trustee (Since 2021)
Lieutenant General, Inspector General of the United States Air Force from 2017 to 2019; Lieutenant General, Assistant Vice Chief of Staff and Director, Air Staff, United States Air Force from 2016 to 2017; Major General, Commander, 22nd Air Force, AFRC, Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia from 2014 to 2016; Pilot, United Airlines from 1990 to 2020.
50 RICs consisting of 83 Portfolios
KULR Technology Group, Inc. in 2021; The Boeing Company (airplane manufacturer)
J. Phillip Holloman 1955
Trustee (Since 2021)
Board Chairman, Vestis Corporation since 2023; Interim Executive Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Vestis Corporation from April 2025 to July 2025; President and Chief Operating Officer, Cintas Corporation from 2008 to 2018.
50 RICs consisting of 83 Portfolios
Vestis Corporation (uniforms and facilities services)
Arthur P. Steinmetz 4 1958
Trustee (Since 2023)
Trustee of Denison University since 2020; Consultant, Posit PBC (enterprise data science) since 2020; Director, ScotiaBank (U.S.) from 2020 to 2023; Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of OppenheimerFunds, Inc. from 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively to 2019; Trustee, President and Principal Executive Officer of 104 OppenheimerFunds funds from 2014 to 2019; Portfolio manager of various OppenheimerFunds fixed income mutual funds from 1986 to 2014.
52 RICs consisting of 85 Portfolios
None
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Name and Year of Birth 1,2
Position(s) Held (Length of Service) 3 Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years
Number of BlackRock Advised Registered Investment Companies (“RICs”) Consisting of Investment Portfolios (“Portfolios”) Overseen
Public Company and Other Investment Company Directorships Held During Past Five Years Interested Trustees 5 Robert Fairbairn 1965
Trustee (Since 2015)
Vice Chairman of BlackRock, Inc. since 2019; Member of BlackRock’s Global Operating Committee; Co-Chair of BlackRock’s Human Capital Committee; Senior Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. from 2010 to 2019; oversaw BlackRock’s Strategic Partner Program and Strategic Product Management Group from 2012 to 2019; Member of the Board of Managers of BlackRock Investments, LLC from 2011 to 2018; Global Head of BlackRock’s Retail and iShares ® businesses from 2012 to 2016.
76 RICs consisting of 254 Portfolios
None
John M. Perlowski 4 1964
Trustee (Since 2015) President and Chief Executive Officer (Since 2010)
Senior Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2026; Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. from 2009 to 2025; Member of BlackRock’s Global Executive Committee since 2025; Head of BlackRock Global Business Operations Services since 2009; Advisory Director of Family Resource Network (charitable foundation) since 2009.
78 RICs consisting of 256 Portfolios
None
1 The address of each Trustee is c/o BlackRock, Inc., 50 Hudson Yards, New York, New York 10001. 2 Each Independent Trustee holds office until his or her successor is duly elected and qualifies or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal as provided by the Trust’s by-laws or char ter or statute, or until December 31 of the year in which he or she turns 75. Trustees who are “interested persons,” as defined in the Investment Company Act (each, an ”Interested Trustee“), serve until their successor is duly elected and qualifies or until their earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal as provided by the Trust’s by-laws or statute, or until December 31 of the year in which they turn 72. The Board may determine to extend the terms of Independent Trustees on a case-by-case basis, as appropriate. 3 Following the combination of MLIM and BlackRock, Inc. in September 2006, the various legacy MLIM and legacy BlackRock fund boards were realigned and consolidated into three new fund boards in 2007. Cer tain Independent Trustees first became members of the boards of other legacy MLIM or legacy BlackRock funds as follows: R. Glenn Hubbard, 2004; and W. Carl Kester, 1995. Cer tain other Independent Trustees first became members of the boards of the closed-end funds in the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex as follows: Cynthia L. Egan, 2016. 4 Mr. Fairbairn and Mr. Perlowski are both “interested persons,” as defined in the Investment Company Act, of the Trust based on their positions with BlackRock, Inc. and its affiliates. Mr. Fairbairn and Mr. Perlowski are also board members of the BlackRock Multi-Asset Complex.
Cer tain biographical and other information relating to the officers of the Trust who are not Trustees is set for th below, including their address and year of bir th, principal occupations for at least the last five years and length of time served.
Name and Year of Birth 1,2 Position(s) Held (Length of Service) Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years Officers Who Are Not Trustees Jennifer McGovern 1977
Vice President (Since 2014)
Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2016.
Trent Walker 1974
Chief Financial Officer (Since 2021)
Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2019; Executive Vice President of PIMCO from 2016 to 2019.
Jay M. Fife 1970
Treasurer (Since 2007)
Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2007.
Aaron Wasserman 1974
Chief Compliance Officer (2023-2026) 3
Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2018; Chief Compliance Officer of the BlackRock-advised funds in the BlackRock Multi-Asset Complex, the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex and the iShares Complex since 2023; Deputy Chief Compliance Officer for the BlackRock-advised funds in the BlackRock Multi-Asset Complex, the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex and the iShares Complex from 2014 to 2023.
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Name and Year of Birth 1,2 Position(s) Held (Length of Service) Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years Charles Park 1967
Chief Compliance Officer Since 2026 4
Chief Compliance Officer of BlackRock Advisors, LLC and other BlackRock US-registered investment advisers since 2014; Principal of and Chief Compliance Officer for iShares® Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC since 2012 and BlackRock Fund Advisors (“BFA”) since 2006; Chief Compliance Officer for BlackRock Asset Management International Inc. since 2012; Chief Compliance Officer of the Fund from 2018 to February 2024; Chief Compliance Officer of the BlackRock-advised Funds in the BlackRock Multi-Asset Complex and the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex from 2014 to 2023; Chief Compliance Officer for the BFA-advised iShares® exchange traded funds from 2006 to 2023. Lisa Belle 1968
Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer (Since 2019)
Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2019; Global Financial Crime Head for Asset and Wealth Management of JP Morgan from 2013 to 2019. Janey Ahn 1975
Secretary (Since 2019)
Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2018.
1 The address of each Officer is c/o BlackRock, Inc., 50 Hudson Yards, New York, New York 10001. 2 Officers of the Trust serve at the pleasure of the Board. 3 Mr. Wasserman resigned as Chief Compliance Officer of the Trust, to be effective as of August 1, 2026. 4 Mr. Park serves as Chief Compliance Officer of the Trust, to be effective as of August 1, 2026.
Share Ownership
Information relating to each Trustee’s share ownership in the Funds and in all BlackRock-advised Funds that are currently overseen by the respective Trustee (”Supervised Funds“) as of December 31, 2025, except as otherwise noted, is set for th in the char t below. Amounts shown may include shares as to which a Trustee has indirect beneficial ownership, such as through par ticipation in cer tain family accounts, 529 college savings plan interests, or similar arrangements where the Trustee has beneficial economic interest but not a direct ownership interest.
Name Dollar Range in the Funds Aggregate Dollar Range in Supervised Funds* Independent Trustees: Cynthia L. Egan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . None Over $100,000 Lorenzo A. Flores . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . None Over $100,000 Stayce D. Harris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . None Over $100,000 J. Phillip Holloman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . None Over $100,000 R. Glenn Hubbard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . None Over $100,000 W. Carl Kester . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . None Over $100,000 Ar thur P. Steinmetz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . None Over $100,000 Interested Trustees: Rober t Fairbairn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . None Over $100,000 John M. Perlowski . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . None Over $100,000
* Includes share equivalents owned under the deferred compensation plan in the Supervised Funds by cer tain Independent Trustees who have par ticipated in the deferred compensation plan of the Supervised Funds. As of July 2, 2026, the Trustees and officers of the Trust as a group directly or indirectly beneficially owned an aggregate of less than 1% of any class of the outstanding shares of each Fund. As of December 31, 2025, none of the Independent Trustees of the Trust or their immediate family members owned beneficially or of record any securities of the Funds’ investment adviser, principal underwriter, or any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with such entities.
Compensation of Trustees
Each Independent Trustee is paid an annual retainer of $370,000 per year for his or her services as a Board member of the BlackRock-advised Funds, including the Funds, together with out-of-pocket expenses in accordance with a Board policy on travel and other business expenses relating to attendance at meetings. In addition, the Chair of the Board and the Vice Chair of the Board are paid an additional annual retainer of $140,000 and $84,000, respectively. The Chairs of the Audit Committee, Private Assets Committee, Per formance Oversight Committee, Compliance Committee, Governance and Nominating Committee, and Securities Lending Committee are paid an additional annual retainer of $55,000, $55,000, $42,500, $50,000, $42,500 and $5,000, respectively, in addition
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to the retainers that they each receive as a member of such committee. Each member (including the Chair) of the Audit Committee, Private Assets Committee, Compliance Committee, Governance and Nominating Committee, and Securities Lending Committee are paid an additional annual retainer of $30,000, $30,000 $25,000, $25,000 and $15,000, respectively, for his or her service on such committee. An Independent Trustee may receive additional compensation for his or her service as a member or Chair, as applicable, of one or more ad hoc committees of the Board. The Fund will pay a pro rata por tion quar terly (based on relative net assets) of the foregoing Trustee fees paid by the funds in the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex.
The Independent Trustees have agreed that a maximum of 50% of each Independent Trustee’s total compensation paid by funds in the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex may be deferred pursuant to the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex’s deferred compensation plan. Under the deferred compensation plan, deferred amounts earn a return for the Independent Trustees as though equivalent dollar amounts had been invested in shares of cer tain funds in the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex selected by the Independent Trustees. This has approximately the same economic effect for the Independent Trustees as if they had invested the deferred amounts in such funds in the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex. The deferred compensation plan is not funded and obligations thereunder represent general unsecured claims against the general assets of a fund and are recorded as a liability for accounting purposes.
The following table sets for th the compensation paid to the Trustees by the Trust, on behalf of the Funds, for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026 and the aggregate compensation, including deferred compensation amounts, paid to them by all BlackRock-advised Funds for the calendar year ended December 31, 2025.
Name
Compensation from BATS: Securitized Total Return Series
Compensation from BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series
Compensation from BATS: High Income Municipal Series
Compensation from BATS: Mortgage Total Return Series
Compensation from BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series
Compensation from BATS: Short Duration Taxable Total Return Series
Compensation from BATS: Short Term Municipal Income Series
Estimated Annual Benefits Upon Retirement
Aggregate Compensation from the Trust and other BlackRock Advised Funds 2,3 Independent Trustees Cynthia L. Egan . . . . . . . . . . . . . $6,058 $852 $952 $2,169 $187 $739 $355 None $580,000 Lorenzo A. Flores 4 . . . . . . . . . . . $4,880 $719 $798 $1,770 $188 $628 $321 None $400,000 Stayce D. Harris . . . . . . . . . . . . $4,893 $718 $795 $1,770 $188 $628 $321 None $395,000 J. Phillip Holloman . . . . . . . . . . . $5,268 $761 $844 $1,896 $188 $663 $332 None $425,000 R. Glenn Hubbard . . . . . . . . . . . $6,879 $944 $1,057 $2,443 $188 $815 $378 None $560,000 W. Carl Kester. . . . . . . . . . . . . . $7,014 $960 $1,076 $2,490 $188 $829 $382 None $671,500 Catherine A. Lynch 5 . . . . . . . . . . $6,274 $877 $981 $2,242 $188 $760 $361 None $610,000 Ar thur P. Steinmetz 6 . . . . . . . . . . $5,602 $799 $889 $2,011 $188 $695 $342 None $537,506
Interested Trustees Rober t Fairbairn . . . . . . . ..... None None None None None None None None None John M. Perlowski . . . . . . . . . . . None None None None None None None None None
1 For the number of BlackRock-advised Funds from which each Trustee receives compensation see the Biographical Information Char t beginning on page I-17. 2 For the Independent Trustees, this amount represents the aggregate compensation earned from the funds in the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex during the calendar year ended December 31, 2025. Of this amount, Mr. Flores, Ms. Harris, Mr. Holloman, Dr. Hubbard, Dr. Kester, Ms. Lynch and Mr. Steinmetz deferred $200,000, $197,500, $212,500, $280,000, $546,859, $603,900 and $268,750, respectively, pursuant to the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex’s deferred compensation plan. 3 Total amount of deferred compensation payable by the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex to Mr. Flores, Ms. Harris, Mr. Holloman, Dr. Hubbard, Dr. Kester, Ms. Lynch and Mr. Steinmetz is $1,055,218, $1,032,387, $1,101,752, $5,907,215, $2,544,830, $720,927 and $603,379, respectively, as of December 31, 2025. Ms. Egan did not par ticipate in the deferred compensation plan as of December 31, 2025. 4 Mr. Flores became Chair of the Audit Committee effective as of March 9, 2026. 5 Ms. Lynch resigned as a Trustee of the Trust effective as of March 9, 2026. 6 Mr. Steinmetz became Chair of the Securities Lending Committee effective as of May 20, 2026.
IV. Management, Advisory and Other Service Arrangements
Management Contract. The management services provided by the Manager, an indirect majority-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc., pursuant to the Management Contract (the “Management Contract”) is described in the Prospectuses.
With respect to BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series, BATS: High Income Municipal Series, BATS: Mor tgage Total Return Series, BATS: Shor t Term Municipal Income Series, BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series and BATS: Shor t Duration Taxable Total Return Series, the Manager does not charge the Funds a management fee,
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although investors in the Funds will pay a fee to BlackRock Investment Management, LLC (“BIM LLC”) or their managed account program sponsor. With respect to BATS: Securitized Total Return Series, the Manager does not charge the Fund a management fee, although investors in the Fund that are (i) retail and institutional separately managed account clients of BIM LLC will pay a fee to BIM LLC or their managed account program sponsor, (ii) par ticipants in the collective trust funds managed by BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A. (“BTC”) that invest in the Fund will pay a fee to BTC, and (iii) mutual funds that are advised by the Manager or its affiliates will pay the Manager or its affiliate a management fee pursuant to a management agreement between each such fund and the Manager or its affiliate.
BIM LLC and its affiliates receive compensation from managed account clients or program sponsors in connection with their management of client accounts and par ticipation in investment programs through which shares of the Funds are made available.
Pursuant to the Management Contract, the Manager has contractually agreed to waive all fees and pay or reimburse all fees and expenses of the Funds, except extraordinary expenses, indefinitely. Extraordinary expenses may include (i) interest, taxes, dividends tied to shor t sales; (ii) expenses incurred directly or indirectly by the Funds as a result of investments in other investment companies and pooled investment vehicles; (iii) expenses attributable to, and incurred as a result of, a Fund’s investments; and (iv) other extraordinary expenses (including litigation expenses) not incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business, if any. Items (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) in the preceding sentence are referred to in the Prospectuses as “Dividend Expense, Interest Expense, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and cer tain other Fund expenses,” respectively. The Management Contract may be terminated by the Trust upon 60 days’ notice to the Manager by a majority of the Trustees of the Trust or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of a Fund, or by the Manager upon 60 days’ notice to the Trust. The Management Contract can be continued annually for successive one-year periods if such continuance is specifically approved by a majority of the Independent Trustees of the Trust or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of a Fund.
Pursuant to the Management Contract, the Manager may from time to time, in its sole discretion to the extent permitted by applicable law, appoint one or more sub-advisers, including, without limitation, affiliates of the Manager, to per form management services with respect to the Funds. In addition, the Manager may delegate cer tain of its management functions under the Management Contract to one or more of its affiliates to the extent permitted by applicable law. The Manager may terminate any or all sub-advisers or such delegation arrangements in its sole discretion at any time to the extent permitted by applicable law.
The Manager entered into sub-advisory agreements (the “Sub-Advisory Agreements”) with BlackRock International Limited (the “Sub-Adviser”) with respect to each of BATS: Securitized Total Return Series, BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series, BATS: Mor tgage Total Return Series, BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series, and BATS: Shor t Duration Taxable Total Return Series pursuant to which the Sub-Adviser receives for the services it provides for that por tion of BATS: Securitized Total Return Series, BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series, BATS: Mor tgage Total Return Series, BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series and BATS: Shor t Duration Taxable Total Return Series for which the Sub-Adviser served as sub-adviser a monthly fee at an annual rate equal to a percentage of the management fee paid to the Manager under the Management Contract with respect to BATS: Securitized Total Return Series, BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series, BATS: Mor tgage Total Return Series, BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series, and BATS: Shor t Duration Taxable Total Return Series, as applicable.
Administration Agreement. Pursuant to the Administration Agreement, BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (the “Administrator”) provides general accounting services. Among other things, the Administrator par ticipates, to the extent requested by the Trust and its counsel, in the periodic updating of the Trust’s Registration Statement; compiles data and accumulates information for and coordinates with the Trust’s Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer in connection with the preparation of repor ts to shareholders of record and the Commission ( e.g. , Annual and Semi-Annual Repor ts on Form N-CSR); and files with the Commission and other federal and state agencies, subject to the approval of the Trust’s Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer, repor ts and documents. The Administrator maintains all financial accounts, records, journals, ledgers and schedules for each Fund (other than those maintained by the Trust’s transfer agent and custodian), and computes each Fund’s net asset value, net income and net capital gains and losses.
For the services provided by the Administrator under the Administration Agreement, the Trust pays the Administrator a monthly variable fee, based on each Fund’s monthly average net assets, and an annual fixed rate fee, based upon the Funds’ aggregate monthly net assets, together with out-of-pocket expenses and cer tain annual tax services and total return calculations, as applicable. As mentioned above, BlackRock will reimburse the Trust for all such expenses.
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The table below sets for th the fees paid by the Trust, on behalf of the Funds, to the Administrator under the Administration Agreement for the periods indicated:
Fees Paid to the Administrator Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2026 . . . ...................................................... $608,835 Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2025 . . . ...................................................... $532,842 Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2024 . . . ...................................................... $484,588
Information Regarding the Portfolio Managers
Other Funds and Accounts Managed
The following table sets for th information about funds and accounts other than the BATS: Securitized Total Return Series for which the por tfolio managers are primarily responsible for the day-to-day por tfolio management as of March 31, 2026.
Number of Other Accounts Managed and Assets by Account Type
Number of Other Accounts and Assets for Which Advisory Fee is Performance-Based
Name of Portfolio Manager
Other Registered Investment Companies
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles Other Accounts
Other Registered Investment Companies
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles Other Accounts Ibrahim Incoglu 8 6 23 0 0 0 $2.87 Billion $888.74 Million $8.39 Billion $0 $0 $0 Samir Lakhani 10 11 20 0 0 0 $19.83 Billion $5.11 Billion $11.82 Billion $0 $0 $0
The following table sets for th information about funds and accounts other than the BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series for which the por tfolio managers are primarily responsible for the day-to-day por tfolio management as of March 31, 2026.
Number of Other Accounts Managed and Assets by Account Type Number of Other Accounts and Assets for Which Advisory Fee is Performance-Based
Name of Portfolio Manager
Other Registered Investment Companies
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles Other Accounts
Other Registered Investment Companies
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles Other Accounts David Benelli, CFA 2 11 64 0 0 6 $941.95 Million $5.60 Billion $37.87 Billion $0 $0 $2.50 Billion Michael Heilbronn 3 0 17 0 0 0 $1.89 Billion $0 $665.48 Million $0 $0 $0 Nathaniel Toothaker 7 11 53 0 0 3 $1.05 Billion $3.80 Billion $34.11 Billion $0 $0 $575.12 Million Matthew Wang 3 0 0 0 0 0 $1.89 Billion $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
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The following table sets for th information about funds and accounts other than the BATS: High Income Municipal Series for which the por tfolio managers are primarily responsible for the day-to-day por tfolio management as of March 31, 2026.
Number of Other Accounts Managed and Assets by Account Type Number of Other Accounts and Assets for Which Advisory Fee is Performance-Based
Name of Portfolio Manager
Other Registered Investment Companies
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles Other Accounts
Other Registered Investment Companies
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles Other Accounts Kevin Maloney, CFA 29 0 0 0 0 0 $40.77 Billion $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Ryan McDonald, CFA 7 0 0 0 0 0 $10.05 Billion $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Phillip Soccio, CFA 21 0 0 0 0 0 $25.12 Billion $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
The following table sets for th information about funds and accounts other than the BATS: Mor tgage Total Return Series for which the por tfolio managers are primarily responsible for the day-to-day por tfolio management as of March 31, 2026.
Number of Other Accounts Managed and Assets by Account Type Number of Other Accounts and Assets for Which Advisory Fee is Performance-Based
Name of Portfolio Manager
Other Registered Investment Companies
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles Other Accounts
Other Registered Investment Companies
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles Other Accounts Michael Heilbronn 3 0 17 0 0 0 $901.38 Million $0 $665.48 Million $0 $0 $0 Matthew Kraeger 6 2 18 0 0 3 $977.68 Million $1.94 Billion $18.05 Billion $0 $0 $5.65 Billion Nicholas Kramvis 3 0 1 0 0 0 $489.61 Million $0 $753.50 Million $0 $0 $0 Matthew Wang 3 0 0 0 0 0 $901.38 Million $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
The following table sets for th information about funds and accounts other than the BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series for which the por tfolio manager is primarily responsible for the day-to-day por tfolio management as of March 31, 2026.
Number of Other Accounts Managed and Assets by Account Type Number of Other Accounts and Assets for Which Advisory Fee is Performance-Based
Name of Portfolio Manager
Other Registered Investment Companies
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles Other Accounts
Other Registered Investment Companies
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles Other Accounts Scott MacLellan, CFA, CMT 8 12 100 0 0 2 $11.40 Billion $3.04 Billion $38.53 Billion $0 $0 $726.88 Million Michael Heilbronn 3 0 17 0 0 0 $2.40 Billion $0 $665.48 Million $0 $0 $0 Matthew Wang 3 0 0 0 0 0 $2.40 Billion $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
The following table sets for th information about funds and accounts other than the BATS: Shor t Duration Taxable Total Return Series for which the por tfolio managers are primarily responsible for the day-to-day por tfolio management as of March 31, 2026.
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Number of Other Accounts Managed and Assets by Account Type Number of Other Accounts and Assets for Which Advisory Fee is Performance-Based
Name of Portfolio Manager
Other Registered Investment Companies
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles Other Accounts
Other Registered Investment Companies
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles Other Accounts Scott MacLellan, CFA, CMT 8 12 100 0 0 2 $11.01 Billion $3.04 Billion $38.53 Billion $0 $0 $726.88 Million Michael Heilbronn 3 0 17 0 0 0 $2.00 Billion $0 $665.48 Million $0 $0 $0 Amanda Liu, CFA 9 17 168 0 0 2 $13.49 Billion $8.10 Billion $72.09 Billion $0 $0 $726.88 Million Matthew Wang 3 0 0 0 0 0 $2.00 Billion $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
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The following table sets for th information about funds and accounts other than the BATS: Shor t Term Municipal Income Series for which the por tfolio managers are primarily responsible for the day-to-day por tfolio management as of March 31, 2026.
Number of Other Accounts Managed and Assets by Account Type Number of Other Accounts and Assets for Which Advisory Fee is Performance-Based
Name of Portfolio Manager
Other Registered Investment Companies
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles Other Accounts
Other Registered Investment Companies
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles Other Accounts Alicia De Lorenzo 5 0 0 0 0 0 $6.54 Billion $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Kevin Maloney, CFA 29 0 0 0 0 0 $41.29 Billion $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Kristi Manidis 21 0 2 0 0 0 $25.53 Billion $0 $661.55 Million $0 $0 $0
Por tfolio Manager Compensation Overview
The discussion below describes the por tfolio managers’ compensation as of March 31, 2026.
BlackRock’s financial arrangements with its por tfolio managers, its competitive compensation and its career path emphasis at all levels reflect the value senior management places on key resources. Compensation may include a variety of components and may vary from year to year based on a number of factors. The principal components of compensation include a base salary, a per formance-based discretionary bonus, par ticipation in various benefits programs and one or more of the incentive compensation programs established by BlackRock.
Base Compensation. Generally, por tfolio managers receive base compensation based on their position with the firm.
Discretionary Incentive Compensation
Discretionary incentive compensation is a function of several components: the per formance of BlackRock, Inc., the per formance of the por tfolio manager’s group within BlackRock, the investment per formance, including risk adjusted returns, of the firm’s assets under management or supervision by that por tfolio manager relative to predetermined benchmarks, and the individual’s per formance and contribution to the overall per formance of these por tfolios and BlackRock. In most cases, these benchmarks are the same as the benchmark or benchmarks against which the per formance of the Funds or other accounts managed by the por tfolio managers are measured. Among other things, BlackRock’s Chief Investment Officers make a subjective determination with respect to each por tfolio manager’s compensation based on the per formance of the Funds and other accounts managed by each por tfolio manager relative to the various benchmarks. Per formance of fixed income funds is measured on a pre-tax and/or after-tax basis over various time periods including 1-, 3- and 5-year periods, as applicable. With respect to these por tfolio managers, such benchmarks for the Funds and other accounts are:
Portfolio Manager Fund(s) Managed Benchmarks Michael Heilbronn BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series; BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series; BATS: Shor t Duration Taxable Total Return Series; BATS: Mor tgage Total Return Series
A combination of market-based indices ( e.g. , Bank of America Merrill Lynch U.S. Corporate & Government Index, 1-3 Years), cer tain customized indices and cer tain fund industry peer groups.
Matthew Kraeger BATS: Mor tgage Total Return Series A combination of market-based indices (e.g. FTSE Mor tgage Index, Bloomberg GNMA MBS Index), cer tain customized indices and cer tain fund industry peer groups.
David Benelli, CFA Nathaniel Toothaker
BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series Bloomberg U.S. Credit Index.
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Portfolio Manager Fund(s) Managed Benchmarks Scott MacLellan, CFA BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series; BATS: Shor t Duration Taxable Total Return Series
A combination of market-based indices ( e.g. , Bank of America Merrill Lynch U.S. Corporate & Government Index, 1-3 Years), cer tain customized indices and cer tain fund industry peer groups.
Phillip Soccio, CFA Ryan McDonald, CFA
BATS: High Income Municipal Series A combination of market-based indices (e.g., Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index), cer tain customized indices and cer tain fund industry peer groups.
Samir Lakhani BATS: Securitized Total Return Series A combination of market-based CMBS indices, cer tain customized indices and cer tain fund industry peer groups.
Ibrahim Incoglu BATS: Securitized Total Return Series No Benchmarks.
Kristi Manidis Alicia De Lorenzo
BATS: Shor t Term Municipal Income Series A combination of market-based indices (e.g., Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index), cer tain customized indices and cer tain fund industry peer groups.
Kevin Maloney, CFA BATS: High Income Municipal Series; BATS: Shor t Term Municipal Income Series
A combination of market-based indices (e.g., Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index), cer tain customized indices and cer tain fund industry peer groups.
Matthew Wang BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series; BATS: Mor tgage Total Return Series; BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series; BATS: Shor t Duration Taxable Total Return Series
A combination of market-based indices (e.g. Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Index, Bloomberg U.S. Universal Index and Bloomberg Intermediate Aggregate Index), cer tain customized indices and cer tain fund industry peer groups.
Nicholas Kramvis BATS: Mor tgage Total Return Series FTSE Mor tgage Index
Amanda Liu, CFA BATS: Shor t Duration Taxable Total Return Series
A combination of market-based indices (e.g., Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index), cer tain customized indices and cer tain fund industry peer groups.
Distribution of Discretionary Incentive Compensation. Discretionary incentive compensation is distributed to por tfolio managers in a combination of cash, deferred BlackRock, Inc. stock awards, and/or deferred cash awards that notionally track the return of cer tain BlackRock investment products.
Por tfolio managers receive their annual discretionary incentive compensation in the form of cash. Por tfolio managers whose total compensation is above a specified threshold also receive deferred BlackRock, Inc. stock awards annually as par t of their discretionary incentive compensation. Paying a por tion of discretionary incentive compensation in the form of deferred BlackRock, Inc. stock puts compensation earned by a por tfolio manager for a given year “at risk” based on BlackRock’s ability to sustain and improve its per formance over future periods. In some cases, additional deferred BlackRock, Inc. stock may be granted to cer tain key employees as par t of a long-term incentive award to aid in retention, align interests with long-term shareholders and motivate per formance. Deferred BlackRock, Inc. stock awards are generally granted in the form of BlackRock, Inc. restricted stock units that vest pursuant to the terms of the applicable plan and, once vested, settle in BlackRock, Inc. common stock. The por tfolio managers of these Funds have deferred BlackRock, Inc. stock awards.
For cer tain por tfolio managers, a por tion of the discretionary incentive compensation is also distributed in the form of deferred cash awards that notionally track the returns of select BlackRock investment products they manage, which provides direct alignment of por tfolio manager discretionary incentive compensation with investment product results. Deferred cash awards vest ratably over a number of years and, once vested, settle in the form of cash. Only por tfolio managers who manage specified products and whose total compensation is above a specified threshold are eligible to par ticipate in the deferred cash award program.
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Other Compensation Benefits. In addition to base salary and discretionary incentive compensation, por tfolio managers may be eligible to receive or par ticipate in one or more of the following:
Incentive Savings Plans — BlackRock, Inc. has created a variety of incentive savings plans in which BlackRock employees are eligible to par ticipate, including a 401(k) plan, the BlackRock Retirement Savings Plan (RSP), and the BlackRock Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP). The employer contribution components of the RSP include a company match equal to 50% of the first 8% of eligible pay contributed to the plan capped at $5,000 per year, and a company retirement contribution equal to 3-5% of eligible compensation up to the Internal Revenue Service limit ($360,000 for 2026). The RSP offers a range of investment options, including registered investment companies and collective investment funds managed by the firm. BlackRock contributions follow the investment direction set by par ticipants for their own contributions or, absent par ticipant investment direction, are invested into a target date fund that corresponds to, or is closest to, the year in which the par ticipant attains age 65. The ESPP allows for investment in BlackRock common stock at a 5% discount on the fair market value of the stock on the purchase date. Annual par ticipation in the ESPP is limited to the purchase of 1,000 shares of common stock or a dollar value of $25,000 based on its fair market value on the purchase date. All of the eligible por tfolio managers are eligible to par ticipate in these plans.
Por tfolio Manager Beneficial Holdings
As of March 31, 2026, the Fund’s most recently completed fiscal year end, the dollar range of securities beneficially owned by the por tfolio managers in the Fund is shown below:
Portfolio Manager Fund Managed Dollar Range of Equity Securities Beneficially Owned Samir Lakhani BATS: Securitized Total Return Series None
Ibrahim Incoglu BATS: Securitized Total Return Series None
David Benelli, CFA BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series None
Matthew Kraeger BATS: Mor tgage Total Return Series None
Michael Heilbronn BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series BATS: Mor tgage Total Return Series BATS: Shor t Duration Taxable Total Return Series BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series
None None None None
Scott MacLellan, CFA BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series BATS: Shor t Duration Taxable Total Return Series
None None
Phillip Soccio, CFA BATS: High Income Municipal Series None
Ryan McDonald, CFA BATS: High Income Municipal Series None
Kristi Manidis BATS: Shor t Term Municipal Income Series None
Kevin Maloney, CFA BATS: High Income Municipal Series BATS: Shor t Term Municipal Income Series
None None
Alicia De Lorenzo BATS: Shor t Term Municipal Income Series None
Nathaniel Toothaker BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series None
Matthew Wang BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series BATS: Mor tgage Total Return Series BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series BATS: Shor t Duration Taxable Total Return Series
None None None None
Nicholas Kramvis BATS: Mor tgage Total Return Series None
Amanda Liu, CFA BATS: Shor t Duration Taxable Total Return Series None
Por tfolio Manager Potential Material Conflicts of Interest
BlackRock has built a professional working environment, firm-wide compliance culture and compliance procedures and systems designed to protect against potential incentives that may favor one account over another. BlackRock has adopted policies and procedures that address the allocation of investment oppor tunities, execution of
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por tfolio transactions, personal trading by employees and other potential conflicts of interest that are designed to ensure that all client accounts are treated equitably over time. Never theless, BlackRock furnishes investment management and advisory services to numerous clients in addition to the Funds, and BlackRock may, consistent with applicable law, make investment recommendations to other clients or accounts (including accounts which are hedge funds or have per formance or higher fees paid to BlackRock, or in which por tfolio managers have a personal interest in the receipt of such fees), which may be the same as or different from those made to the Funds. In addition, BlackRock, its affiliates and significant shareholders and any officer, director, shareholder or employee may or may not have an interest in the securities whose purchase and sale BlackRock recommends to the Funds. BlackRock, or any of its affiliates or significant shareholders, or any officer, director, shareholder, employee or any member of their families may take different actions than those recommended to the Funds by BlackRock with respect to the same securities. Moreover, BlackRock may refrain from rendering any advice or services concerning securities of companies of which any of BlackRock’s (or its affiliates’ or significant shareholders’) officers, directors or employees are directors or officers, or companies as to which BlackRock or any of its affiliates or significant shareholders or the officers, directors and employees of any of them has any substantial economic interest or possesses material non public information. Cer tain por tfolio managers also may manage accounts whose investment strategies may at times be opposed to the strategy utilized for a Fund. It should also be noted that Messrs. Benelli, Incoglu, Kraeger, Lakhani, Kramvis, Maclellan, Toothaker and Wang and Ms. Liu may be managing hedge fund and/or long only accounts, or may be par t of a team managing hedge fund and/or long only accounts, subject to incentive fees. Messrs. Benelli, Incoglu, Kraeger, Lakhani, Kramvis, Maclellan, Toothaker and Wang and Ms. Liu may therefore be entitled to receive a por tion of any incentive fees earned on such accounts.
As a fiduciary, BlackRock owes a duty of loyalty to its clients and must treat each client fairly. When BlackRock purchases or sells securities for more than one account, the trades must be allocated in a manner consistent with its fiduciary duties. BlackRock attempts to allocate investments in a fair and equitable manner among client accounts, with no account receiving preferential treatment. To this end, BlackRock has adopted policies that are intended to ensure reasonable efficiency in client transactions and provide BlackRock with sufficient flexibility to allocate investments in a manner that is consistent with the par ticular investment discipline and client base, as appropriate.
Custodian and Transfer Agency Agreements
The Trust, on behalf of the Funds, has entered into custodian agreements (the “Custodian Agreements”) with The Bank of New York Mellon (the “Custodian”). Pursuant to the terms of the Custodian Agreements, the Custodian or a sub-custodian, among other things, (i) maintains a separate account or accounts in the name of each Fund, (ii) holds and transfers por tfolio securities on account of each Fund, (iii) accepts receipts and makes disbursements of money on behalf of each Fund, and (iv) collects and receives all income and other payments and distributions on account of each Fund’s securities. The Custodian is authorized to select one or more banks, trust companies or financial institutions, as applicable, to serve as sub-custodian on behalf of the Trust.
BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (the “Transfer Agent”), which has its principal place of business at 301 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19809, serves as the transfer and dividend disbursement agent for the Funds.
Credit Agreement
The Trust, on behalf of the Funds, along with cer tain other funds managed by the Manager and its affiliates (“Par ticipating Funds”), is a par ty to a 364-day, $2.4 billion credit agreement with a group of lenders, which facility terminates on April 9, 2026 unless otherwise extended or renewed (the “Credit Agreement”). Excluding commitments designated for a cer tain Par ticipating Fund, the Par ticipating Funds, including the Funds, can borrow up to an aggregate commitment amount of $1.75 billion at any time outstanding, subject to asset coverage and other limitations as specified in the Credit Agreement. Each Fund may borrow under the Credit Agreement to meet shareholder redemptions and for other lawful purposes. However, the Funds may not borrow under the Credit Agreement for leverage. Each Fund may borrow up to the maximum amount allowable under its current prospectuses and SAI, subject to various other legal, regulatory or contractual limits. Borrowing results in interest expense and other fees and expenses for the Funds which may impact the Funds’ net expenses. The costs of borrowing may reduce the Funds’ returns. The Funds are charged their pro rata share of upfront fees and commitment fees on the aggregate commitment amount based on their net assets. If the Funds borrow pursuant to the Credit Agreement, the Funds are charged interest at a variable rate.
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V. Information on Distribution Related Expenses
The Trust has entered into a distribution agreement with BlackRock Investments, LLC (“BRIL”, or the “Distributor”) under which BRIL, as agent, offers shares of the Funds on a continuous basis. BRIL has agreed to use appropriate effor ts to effect sales of the shares, but it is not obligated to sell any par ticular amount of shares. BRIL’s principal business address is 50 Hudson Yards, New York, New York 10001. BRIL is an affiliate of BlackRock.
The following table sets for th the fees paid by the Trust to BRIL for the periods indicated:
Fees Paid to Distributor Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2026 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $0 Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2025 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $0 Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2024 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $0
VI. Computation of Offering Price Per Share
The offering price for a Fund’s shares is equal to the net asset value computed by dividing the value of the Fund’s net assets by the number of shares outstanding.
For more information on the purchasing and valuation of shares, please see “Purchase of Shares” and “Pricing of Shares” in Par t II of this SAI.
VII. Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage
Information about the brokerage commissions paid by each Fund,including commissions paid to affiliates of the Manager, is set for th in the following table:
Brokerage Commissions
During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026, the following Funds paid brokerage commissions and commissions to affiliates as follows:
Fund Name Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid Brokerage Commissions Paid to Affiliates BATS: Securitized Total Return Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 0 $0 BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $38,447 $0 BATS: High Income Municipal Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 0 $0 BATS: Mor tgage Total Return Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ......... $40,311 $0 BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 504 $0 BATS: Shor t Duration Taxable Total Return Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $26,541 $0 BATS: Shor t Term Municipal Income Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 0 $0
During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025, the following Funds paid brokerage commissions and commissions to affiliates as follows:
Fund Name Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid Brokerage Commissions Paid to Affiliates BATS: Securitized Total Return Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 0 $0 BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $43,766 $0 BATS: High Income Municipal Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 0 $0 BATS: Mor tgage Total Return Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ......... $44,759 $0 BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 2,075 $0 BATS: Shor t Duration Taxable Total Return Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $29,406 $0 BATS: Shor t Term Municipal Income Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 0 $0
During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, the following Funds paid brokerage commissions and commissions to affiliates as follows:
Fund Name Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid Brokerage Commissions Paid to Affiliates BATS: Securitized Total Return Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 0 $0 BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $38,609 $0
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Fund Name Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid Brokerage Commissions Paid to Affiliates BATS: High Income Municipal Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 110 $0 BATS: Mor tgage Total Return Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ......... $38,489 $0 BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 3,404 $0 BATS: Shor t Duration Taxable Total Return Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $31,009 $0 BATS: Shor t Term Municipal Income Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 0 $0
For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026, the brokerage commissions paid to affiliates represented 0% of the aggregate brokerage commissions paid and involved 0% of each Fund’s dollar amount of transactions involving payments of brokerage commissions during the year.
The provision of research services was not necessarily a factor in the placement of all brokerage business with such brokers and no payments were made as of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026.
As of March 31, 2026, the value of each Fund’s holdings of the securities of its regular brokers or dealers (as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the 1940 Act), if any por tion of such holdings were purchased during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026, is as follows:
Fund Name Regular Broker/Dealer Debt (D)/Equity (E) Aggregate Holdings (000s) BATS: Securitized Total Return Series
Barclays Capital, Inc. D $350,109
Dreyfus AMT-Free Tax Exempt Cash Management D $349,571
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC D $87,796
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC D $47,276
Wells Fargo & Co. D $23,445
Bank of America Corp. D $22,756
Citigroup Global Markets, Inc. D $18,965
BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. D $9,604
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. E $376
Morgan Stanley D $9,533
Bank of America Corp. D $8,054
Bank of America Corp. E $288
Dreyfus AMT-Free Tax Exempt Cash Management D $3,409
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC D $5,452
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC E $126
Deutsche Bank AG D $4,299
Citigroup Global Markets, Inc D $3,200
Citigroup Global Markets, Inc E $4,187
BNP PARIBAS SECURITIES CORP. D $2,328
BNP PARIBAS SECURITIES CORP. E $1,832
Barclays Capital, Inc. D $1,340
Barclays Capital, Inc. E $374
UBS SECURITIES LLC D $211
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Fund Name Regular Broker/Dealer Debt (D)/Equity (E) Aggregate Holdings (000s) UBS SECURITIES LLC E $1,604
BATS: High Income Municipal Series
Held No Such Securities
BATS: Mor tgage Total Return Series
Dreyfus AMT-Free Tax Exempt Cash Management D $10,151
Wells Fargo & Co. D $7,323
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC. D $3,588
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC D $2,229
Citigroup Global Markets, Inc. D $1,396
BMO NESBITT BURNS SECURITIES LTD. D $914
BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series
Dreyfus AMT-Free Tax Exempt Cash Management D $1,842
BATS: Shor t Duration Taxable Total Return Series
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC D $11,478
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC.. D $10,379
Citigroup Global Markets, Inc D $6,568
Wells Fargo & Co. D $5,652
Bank of America Corp. D $4,782
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. D $8,458
Dreyfus AMT-Free Tax Exempt Cash Management D $3,294
BMO NESBITT BURNS SECURITIES LTD. D $914
Barclays Capital, Inc. D $412
Deutsche Bank AG D $340
BATS: Shor t Term Municipal Income Series
Held No Such Securities
Portfolio Turnover
With respect to BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series, for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025 and March 31, 2026, the Fund’s por tfolio turnover was 446% and 158%, respectively. The decrease in por tfolio turnover rate from March 31, 2025 to March 31, 2026 was due to a reduction in the usage of cer tain derivatives during the period.
With respect to BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series, for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2024 and March 31, 2025, the Fund’s por tfolio turnover was 0% and 134%, respectively. The increase in por tfolio turnover for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025 was due to increased net flows into the Fund during the period, resulting in increased trading activity. For the fiscal years ended March 31, 2025 and March 31, 2026, the Fund’s por tfolio turnover was 134% and 0%, respectively. The subsequent decrease in por tfolio turnover rate for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026 was due to the absence of comparable net flows into the Fund during the period.
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Securities Lending
To the extent that a Fund engages in securities lending, each Fund conducts its securities lending pursuant to an exemptive order from the Commission permitting it to lend por tfolio securities to borrowers affiliated with the Fund and to retain an affiliate of the Fund as securities lending agent. To the extent that a Fund engages in securities lending, BIM LLC acts as securities lending agent for the Funds, subject to the overall supervision of the Manager, pursuant to a written agreement (the ”Securities Lending Agency Agreement“), BIM LLC administers the lending program in accordance with guidelines approved by the Board.
To the extent the Funds engage in securities lending, the Funds retain a por tion of the securities lending income and remit the remaining por tion to BIM LLC as compensation for its services as securities lending agent. Securities lending income is generally equal to the total of income earned from the reinvestment of cash collateral (and excludes collateral investment fees as defined below), and any fees or other payments to and from borrowers of securities. As securities lending agent, BIM LLC bears all operational costs directly related to securities lending. Each Fund is responsible for fees in connection with the investment of cash collateral received for securities on loan in a money market fund managed by BlackRock (the “collateral investment fees”); however, the securities lending agent has agreed to reduce the amount of securities lending income it receives in order to effectively limit the collateral investment fees a Fund bears to an annual rate of 0.04%. Such money market fund shares will not be subject to a sales load, distribution fee or service fee.
To the extent that a Fund invests cash collateral in a non-government money market fund, the Fund may be subject to a discretionary liquidity fee of up to 2% on all redemptions. Discretionary liquidity fees may be imposed or terminated at any time at the discretion of the board of directors of the money market fund, or its delegate, if it is determined that such fee would be, or would not be, respectively, in the best interest of the money market fund. Additionally, a Fund will be subject to a mandatory liquidity fee if the money market fund’s total net redemptions on a single day exceed 5% of the money market fund’s net assets, unless the liquidity costs are de minimis (i.e., less than one basis point (0.01%)). The money market fund will determine the size of the mandatory liquidity fee by making a good faith estimate of cer tain costs the money market fund would incur if it were to sell a pro rata amount of each security in the por tfolio to satisfy the amount of net redemptions on that day. There is no limit to the size of a mandatory liquidity fee. If the money market fund cannot estimate the costs of selling a pro rata amount of each por tfolio security in good faith and suppor ted by data, it is required to apply a default liquidity fee of 1% on the value of shares redeemed on that day. The imposition of any such discretionary or mandatory liquidity fee would reduce the Fund’s returns on securities lending.
Under the securities lending program, the Funds are categorized into one of several specific asset classes. The determination of a Fund’s asset class category (fixed income, domestic equity, international equity, or fund of funds), each of which may be subject to a different fee arrangement, is based on a methodology agreed to by the Trust and BIM LLC.
Pursuant to the current securities lending agreement: (i) if the Funds were to engage in securities lending, the Funds would retain 82% (81% with respect to BATS: High Income Municipal Series) of securities lending income (which excludes collateral investment expenses), and (ii) this amount could never be less than 70% of the sum of securities lending income plus collateral investment expenses.
In addition, commencing the business day following the date that the aggregate securities lending income earned across the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex in a calendar year exceeds a specified threshold, each Fund, pursuant to the current securities lending agreement, will receive for the remainder of that calendar year securities lending income as follows: (i) If the Funds were to engage in securities lending, 85% (84% with respect to BATS: High Income Municipal Series) of securities lending income (which excludes collateral investment expenses); and (ii) this amount can never be less than 70% of the sum of securities lending income plus collateral investment expenses.
Each Fund had no income and fees/compensation related to its securities lending activities during its most recent fiscal year ended March 31, 2026.
VIII. Additional Information
Each share of each Fund has a par value of $.001, represents an interest only in the assets of that Fund, and is entitled solely to the dividends and distributions earned on that Fund’s assets that are declared in the discretion of the Board. The Trust’s shareholders are entitled to one vote for each full share held and propor tionate fractional votes for fractional shares held, and will vote in the aggregate and not by Fund, except where otherwise required by law or as determined by the Board.
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Shares of the Trust have noncumulative voting rights and, accordingly, the holders of more than 50% of the Trust’s outstanding shares may elect all of the Trustees. Shares have no preemptive rights and only such conversion and exchange rights as the Board may grant in its discretion. When issued for payment, shares will be fully paid and non-assessable by the Trust.
There will normally be no meetings of shareholders for the purpose of electing Trustees or for any other purpose unless and until such time as required by law or called by the Board. At that time, the Trustees then in office will call a shareholders’ meeting to elect Trustees. Except as set for th above, the Trustees shall continue to hold office and may appoint successor Trustees. The Trust’s Declaration of Trust provides that meetings of the shareholders of the Trust shall be called by the Trustees upon the written request of shareholders owning at least 51% of the outstanding shares entitled to vote.
Shares normally will be redeemed for cash upon receipt of a request in proper form, although each Fund retains the right to redeem some or all of its shares in-kind under unusual circumstances, in order to protect the interests of remaining shareholders, or to accommodate a request by a par ticular shareholder that does not adversely affect the interest of the remaining shareholders, by delivery of securities selected from the Fund’s assets at its discretion. In-kind payment means payment will be made in por tfolio securities rather than cash. If this occurs, the redeeming shareholder might incur brokerage or other transaction costs to conver t the securities to cash. Each Fund has elected to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the 1940 Act so that each Fund is obligated to redeem its shares solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of its net asset value during any 90-day period for any shareholder of the Fund. The redemption price is the net asset value per share next determined after the initial receipt of proper notice of redemption.
There will be no redemption charge if your redemption request is sent directly to the Transfer Agent. If you are liquidating your holdings you will receive all dividends reinvested through the date of redemption.
The right to redeem shares may be suspended or payment upon redemption may be delayed for more than seven days only (i) for any period during which trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is restricted as determined by the Commission or during which the NYSE is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings), (ii) for any period during which an emergency exists, as defined by the Commission, as a result of which disposal of por tfolio securities or determination of the net asset value of a Fund is not reasonably practicable, and (iii) for such other periods as the Commission may by order permit for the protection of shareholders of the Fund.
Each Fund, with other investment companies advised by BlackRock, has entered into a joint committed line of credit with a syndicate of banks that is intended to provide the Fund with a temporary source of cash to be used to meet redemption requests from shareholders in extraordinary or emergency circumstances.
Rule 18f-2 under the Investment Company Act provides that any matter required by the provisions of the Investment Company Act or applicable state law, or otherwise, to be submitted to the holders of the outstanding voting securities of an investment company such as the Trust shall not be deemed to have been effectively acted upon unless approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of each investment por tfolio affected by such matter. Rule 18f-2 fur ther provides that an investment por tfolio shall be deemed to be affected by a matter unless the interests of each investment por tfolio in the matter are substantially identical or the matter does not affect any interest of the investment por tfolio. Under Rule 18f-2, the approval of a management agreement, a distribution plan subject to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act or any change in a fundamental investment policy would be effectively acted upon with respect to an investment por tfolio only if approved by a majority of the outstanding shares of such investment por tfolio. However, Rule 18f-2 also provides that the ratification of the appointment of independent accountants, the approval of principal underwriting contracts and the election of Trustees may be effectively acted upon by shareholders of the Trust voting together in the aggregate without regard to a par ticular investment por tfolio.
Miscellaneous
The Trust. The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on March 5, 2003 and is registered under the 1940 Act as an open-end management investment company. The Second Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust authorizes the Board to classify and reclassify any unissued shares into one or more classes of shares. Pursuant to this authority, the Trustees have authorized the issuance of an unlimited number of shares in seven investment por tfolios. The Trust amended its Cer tificate of Trust to change its name from “BlackRock Bond Allocation Target Shares” to “BlackRock Allocation Target Shares” effective March 14, 2013.
Counsel. Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019, serves as the Trust’s counsel.
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Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. Deloitte & Touche LLP, with offices located at 115 Federal Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, serves as the Trust’s independent registered public accounting firm.
Principal Shareholders
To the knowledge of the Trust, the following entities owned of record or beneficially 5% or more of a class of each Fund’s shares as of July 1, 2026:
BATS: Securitized Total Return Series
Name Address Percentage BlackRock Institutional Trust Co. 400 Howard Street San Francisco, CA 94105-2618
78.53%
BATS: Corporate Credit Total Return Series
Name Address Percentage Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith Incorporated 4800 E. Deer Lake Drive 3rd Floor Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484
58.54%
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 1 New York Plaza Floor 12 New York, NY 10004-1901
32.95%
Charles Schwab & Co. Inc. 101 Montgomery Street San Francisco, CA 94104-4122
7.71%
BATS: High Income Municipal Series
Name Address Percentage Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith Incorporated 4800 E. Deer Lake Drive 3rd Floor Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484
51.46%
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 1 New York Plaza Floor 12 New York, NY 10004-1901
36.72%
Charles Schwab & Co. Inc. 101 Montgomery Street San Francisco, CA 94104-4122
7.38%
BATS: Mor tgage Total Return Series
Name Address Percentage Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith Incorporated 4800 E. Deer Lake Drive 3rd Floor Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484
56.51%
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 1 New York Plaza Floor 12 New York, NY 10004-1901
37.18%
BATS: Interest Rate Hedge Series
Name Address Percentage Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith Incorporated 4800 E. Deer Lake Drive 3rd Floor Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484
84.24%
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Name Address Percentage Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 1 New York Plaza Floor 12 New York, NY 10004-1901
15.76%
BATS: Shor t Duration Taxable Total Return Series
Name Address Percentage Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith Incorporated 4800 E. Deer Lake Drive 3rd Floor Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484
65.54%
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 1 New York Plaza Floor 12 New York, NY 10004-1901
30.69%
BATS: Shor t Term Municipal Income Series
Name Address Percentage Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 1 New York Plaza Floor 12 New York, NY 10004-1901
54.86%
Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith Incorporated 4800 E. Deer Lake Drive 3rd Floor Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484
42.81%
Shareholder Approvals. As used in this SAI and in a Fund’s Prospectus, a “majority of the outstanding shares” of a Fund means, with respect to the approval of a management contract, a distribution plan or a change in a fundamental investment policy, the lesser of (1) 67% of the shares of the par ticular Fund represented at a meeting at which the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund are present in person or by proxy, or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of such Fund.
The proceeds received by a Fund for each issue or sale of its shares, and all net investment income, realized and unrealized gain and proceeds thereof will be specifically allocated to and constitute the underlying assets solely of that Fund. The underlying assets of the Fund will be segregated on the books of account, and will be charged with the liabilities in respect to that Fund and with its allocable share of any general liabilities.
Shareholders have no power to vote on any matter except matters on which a shareholder vote is required by applicable law, the Trust’s Declaration of Trust or resolution of the Trustees. In par ticular, no amendment of the Trust’s Declaration of Trust, merger, consolidation, share exchange or sale of assets of the Trust or any series thereof, conversion of the Trust to any other form of organization or any other action of the Trust or series thereof requires any vote or other approval of any of the shareholders except as provided by the foregoing sentence. Except to the extent required by the 1940 Act, a separate class vote on the election or removal of Trustees or the selection of auditors for the Trust and its series is not required. The Trust may be dissolved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Trustees without any vote of the shareholders except as may be required by the 1940 Act. In connection with such a dissolution, after paying or adequately providing for the payment of all liabilities, the Trustees may distribute the remaining proper ty owned or held by or for account of a par ticular series to the shareholders of that series according to their respective rights. The Trust or any series may merge or consolidate with any other corporation, association, trust or other organization or any series, sub-trust or other designated por tion thereof, or may sell, lease, or exchange all or substantially all of the proper ty of the Trust or any proper ty of any series thereof, including its goodwill, or may acquire all or substantially all of the proper ty of any other corporation, association, trust or other organization or any series, sub-trust or other designated por tion thereof, when and as authorized by two thirds of the Trustees and without any vote by shareholders of the Trust or any series or class except as may be required by the 1940 Act. The Declaration of Trust may be amended when and as authorized by two-thirds of the Trustees and without any vote by shareholders of the Trust or any series or class except as may be required by the 1940 Act.
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Privacy Principles of BlackRock Allocation Target Shares
The Trust is committed to maintaining the privacy of shareholders and to safeguarding their non-public personal information. The following information is provided to help you understand what personal information The Trust collects, how we protect that information, and why in cer tain cases we may share such information with select other par ties.
The Trust does not receive any non-public personal information relating to its shareholders who purchase shares through their broker-dealers. In the case of shareholders who are record holders of the Trust, the Trust receives personal non-public information on account applications or other forms. With respect to these shareholders, the Trust also has access to specific information regarding their transactions in the Trust.
The Trust does not disclose any non-public personal information about its shareholders or former shareholders to anyone, except as permitted by law or as is necessary in order to service our shareholders’ accounts (for example, to a transfer agent).
The Trust restricts access to non-public personal information about its shareholders to BlackRock employees with a legitimate business need for the information. The Trust maintains physical, electronic and procedural safeguards designed to protect the non-public personal information of our shareholders.
IX. Financial Statements
The audited financial statements, financial highlights and notes thereto in the Funds’ Annual Financial Statements and Additional Information for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026, as filed with the SEC on Form N CSR (the “2025 Annual Financial Statements”), are incorporated in this SAI by reference. No other par ts of the 2025 Annual Financial Statements are incorporated by reference herein. The 2025 Annual Financial Statements have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP. The repor t of Deloitte & Touche LLP is incorporated herein by reference. Such 2025 Annual Financial Statements have been incorporated herein in reliance upon the repor t of such firm given their authority as exper ts in accounting and auditing. Additional copies of each Fund’s annual and semi-annual repor ts to shareholders and each Fund’s Annual and Semi-Annual Financial Statements and Additional Information may be obtained at no charge by telephoning the Distributor at the telephone number appearing on the front page of this SAI.
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PART II
Throughout this Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”), each BlackRock-advised fund may be referred to as a “Fund” or collectively with others as the “Funds.” Cer tain Funds may also be referred to as “Municipal Funds” if they invest cer tain of their assets in municipal investments described below.
Each Fund is organized either as a Maryland corporation, a Massachusetts business trust or a Delaware statutory trust. In each jurisdiction, nomenclature varies. For ease and clarity of presentation, shares of common stock and shares of beneficial interest are referred to herein as “shares” or “Common Stock,” holders of shares of Common Stock are referred to as “shareholders,” the trustees or directors of each Fund are referred to as “Directors,” the boards of trustees/directors of each Fund are referred to as the “Board of Directors” or the “Board,” BlackRock Advisors, LLC, BlackRock Fund Advisors or their respective affiliates is the investment adviser or manager of each Fund and is referred to herein as the “Manager” or “BlackRock,” and the investment advisory agreement or management agreement applicable to each Fund is referred to as the “Management Agreement.” Each Fund’s Ar ticles of Incorporation or Declaration of Trust, together with all amendments thereto, is referred to as its “char ter.” The Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, is referred to herein as the “Investment Company Act.” The Securities Act of 1933, as amended, is referred to herein as the “Securities Act.” The Securities and Exchange Commission is referred to herein as the “Commission” or the “SEC.”
Cer tain Funds are “feeder” funds (each, a “Feeder Fund”) that invest all or a por tion of their assets in a corresponding “master” por tfolio (each, a “Master Por tfolio”) of a master limited liability company (each, a “Master LLC”), a mutual fund that has the same objective and strategies as the Feeder Fund. All investments are generally made at the level of the Master Por tfolio. This structure is sometimes called a “master/feeder” structure. A Feeder Fund’s investment results will correspond directly to the investment results of the underlying Master Por tfolio in which it invests. For simplicity, this SAI uses the term “Fund” to include both a Feeder Fund and its Master Por tfolio.
In addition to containing information about the Funds, Par t II of this SAI contains general information about all funds in the BlackRock-advised fund complex. Cer tain information contained herein may not be relevant to a par ticular Fund.
INVESTMENT RISKS AND CONSIDERATIONS
Set for th below are descriptions of some of the types of investments and investment strategies that one or more of the Funds may use, and the risks and considerations associated with those investments and investment strategies. Please see each Fund’s prospectuses (the “Prospectus”) and the “Investment Objective and Policies,” “Investment Objectives and Policies” or “Investment Strategies and Risks of the Fund” section, as applicable, of Par t I of this SAI for fur ther information on each Fund’s investment policies and risks. Information contained in this section about the risks and considerations associated with a Fund’s investments and/or investment strategies applies only to those Funds specifically identified in Par t I of this SAI as making each type of investment or using each investment strategy (each, a “Covered Fund”). Information that does not apply to a Covered Fund does not form a par t of that Covered Fund’s SAI and should not be relied on by investors in that Covered Fund. Only information that is clearly identified as applicable to a Covered Fund is considered to form a par t of that Covered Fund’s SAI.
Asset-Backed Securities. Asset-backed securities are securities backed by home equity loans, installment sale contracts, credit card receivables or other assets. Asset-backed securities are “pass-through” securities, meaning that principal and interest payments — net of expenses — made by the borrower on the underlying assets (such as credit card receivables) are passed through to a Fund. The value of asset-backed securities, like that of traditional fixed-income securities, typically increases when interest rates fall and decreases when interest rates rise. However, asset-backed securities differ from traditional fixed-income securities because of their potential for prepayment. The price paid by a Fund for its asset-backed securities, the yield the Fund expects to receive from such securities and the average life of the securities are based on a number of factors, including the anticipated rate of prepayment of the underlying assets. In a period of declining interest rates, borrowers may prepay the underlying assets more quickly than anticipated, thereby reducing the yield to maturity and the average life of the asset-backed securities. Moreover, when a Fund reinvests the proceeds of a prepayment in these circumstances, it will likely receive a rate of interest that is lower than the rate on the security that was prepaid. To the extent that a Fund purchases asset backed securities at a premium, prepayments may result in a loss to the extent of the premium paid. If a Fund buys such securities at a discount, both scheduled payments and unscheduled prepayments will increase current and total returns and unscheduled prepayments will also accelerate the recognition of income which, when distributed to shareholders, will be taxable as ordinary income. In a period of rising interest rates, prepayments of the underlying assets may occur at a slower than expected rate, creating maturity extension risk. This par ticular risk may effectively change a security that was considered shor t- or intermediate-term at the time of purchase into a longer term security.
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Since the value of longer-term securities generally fluctuates more widely in response to changes in interest rates than does the value of shor ter-term securities, maturity extension risk could increase the volatility of the Fund. When interest rates decline, the value of an asset-backed security with prepayment features may not increase as much as that of other fixed-income securities, and, as noted above, changes in market rates of interest may accelerate or retard prepayments and thus affect maturities.
Asset-Based Securities. Cer tain Funds may invest in debt, preferred or conver tible securities, the principal amount, redemption terms or conversion terms of which are related to the market price of some natural resource asset such as gold bullion. These securities are referred to as “asset-based securities.” A Fund will purchase only asset-based securities that are rated, or are issued by issuers that have outstanding debt obligations rated, investment grade (for example, AAA, AA, A or BBB by S&P Global Ratings (“S&P”) or Fitch Ratings (“Fitch”), or Baa by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) or commercial paper rated A-1 by S&P or Prime-1 by Moody’s) or by issuers that the Manager has determined to be of similar creditwor thiness. Obligations ranked in the four th highest rating category, while considered “investment grade,” may have cer tain speculative characteristics and may be more likely to be downgraded than securities rated in the three highest rating categories. If an asset-based security is backed by a bank letter of credit or other similar facility, the Manager may take such backing into account in determining the creditwor thiness of the issuer. While the market prices for an asset-based security and the related natural resource asset generally are expected to move in the same direction, there may not be per fect correlation in the two price movements. Asset-based securities may not be secured by a security interest in or claim on the underlying natural resource asset. The asset-based securities in which a Fund may invest may bear interest or pay preferred dividends at below market (or even relatively nominal) rates. Cer tain asset-based securities may be payable at maturity in cash at the stated principal amount or, at the option of the holder, directly in a stated amount of the asset to which it is related. In such instance, because no Fund presently intends to invest directly in natural resource assets, a Fund would sell the asset-based security in the secondary market, to the extent one exists, prior to maturity if the value of the stated amount of the asset exceeds the stated principal amount and thereby realize the appreciation in the underlying asset.
Precious Metal-Related Securities. A Fund may invest in the equity and other securities of companies that explore for, extract, process or deal in precious metals ( e.g. , gold, silver and platinum), and in asset-based securities indexed to the value of such metals. Such securities may be purchased when they are believed to be attractively priced in relation to the value of a company’s precious metal-related assets or when the values of precious metals are expected to benefit from inflationary pressure or other economic, political or financial uncer tainty or instability. Based on historical experience, during periods of economic or financial instability the securities of companies involved in precious metals may be subject to extreme price fluctuations, reflecting the high volatility of precious metal prices during such periods. In addition, the instability of precious metal prices may result in volatile earnings of precious metal-related companies, which may, in turn, adversely affect the financial condition of such companies. The major producers of gold include the Republic of South Africa, Russia, Canada, the United States, Brazil and Australia. Sales of gold by Russia are largely unpredictable and often relate to political and economic considerations rather than to market forces. Economic, financial, social and political factors within South Africa may significantly affect South African gold production.
Borrowing and Leverage. Each Fund may borrow as a temporary measure for extraordinary or emergency purposes, including to meet redemptions or to settle securities transactions. Cer tain Funds will not purchase securities at any time when borrowings exceed 5% of their total assets, except (a) to honor prior commitments or (b) to exercise subscription rights when outstanding borrowings have been obtained exclusively for settlements of other securities transactions.
Cer tain Funds may also borrow in order to make investments, to the extent disclosed in such Fund’s Prospectus. The purchase of securities while borrowings are outstanding will have the effect of leveraging the Fund. Such leveraging increases the Fund’s exposure to capital risk, and borrowed funds are subject to interest costs that will reduce net income. The use of leverage by a Fund creates an oppor tunity for greater total return, but, at the same time, creates special risks. For example, leveraging may exaggerate changes in the net asset value (“NAV”) of Fund shares and in the yield on the Fund’s por tfolio. Although the principal of such borrowings will be fixed, the Fund’s assets may change in value during the time the borrowings are outstanding. Borrowings will create interest expenses for the Fund that can exceed the income from the assets purchased with the borrowings. To the extent the income or capital appreciation derived from securities purchased with borrowed funds exceeds the interest the Fund will have to pay on the borrowings, the Fund’s return will be greater than if leverage had not been used. Conversely, if the income or capital appreciation from the securities purchased with such borrowed funds is not sufficient to cover the cost of borrowing, the return to the Fund will be less than if leverage had not been used and, therefore, the amount available for distribution to shareholders as dividends will be reduced. In the latter case, the Manager in its best judgment
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never theless may determine to maintain the Fund’s leveraged position if it expects that the benefits to the Fund’s shareholders of maintaining the leveraged position will outweigh the current reduced return.
Cer tain types of borrowings by a Fund may result in the Fund being subject to covenants in credit agreements relating to asset coverage, por tfolio composition requirements and other matters. It is not anticipated that observance of such covenants would impede the Manager from managing a Fund’s por tfolio in accordance with the Fund’s investment objectives and policies. However, a breach of any such covenants not cured within the specified cure period may result in acceleration of outstanding indebtedness and require the Fund to dispose of por tfolio investments at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so.
Each Fund may at times borrow from affiliates of the Manager, provided that the terms of such borrowings are no less favorable than those available from comparable sources of funds in the marketplace.
Cash Management. Generally, the Manager will employ futures and options on futures to provide liquidity necessary to meet anticipated redemptions or for day-to-day operating purposes. However, if considered appropriate in the opinion of the Manager, a por tion of a Fund’s assets may be invested in cer tain types of instruments with remaining maturities of 397 days or less for liquidity purposes. Such instruments would consist of: (i) obligations of the U.S. Government, its agencies, instrumentalities, authorities or political subdivisions (“U.S. Government Securities”); (ii) other fixed-income securities rated Aa or higher by Moody’s or AA or higher by S&P or, if unrated, of comparable quality in the opinion of the Manager; (iii) commercial paper; (iv) bank obligations, including negotiable cer tificates of deposit, time deposits and bankers’ acceptances; and (v) repurchase agreements. At the time the Fund invests in commercial paper, bank obligations or repurchase agreements, the issuer or the issuer’s parent must have outstanding debt rated Aa or higher by Moody’s or AA or higher by S&P or outstanding commercial paper, bank obligations or other shor t-term obligations rated Prime-1 by Moody’s or A-1 by S&P; or, if no such ratings are available, the instrument must be of comparable quality in the opinion of the Manager. For more information on money market instruments, see “Money Market Securities” below.
Collateralized Debt Obligations. Cer tain Funds may invest in collateralized debt obligations (“CDOs”), which include collateralized bond obligations (“CBOs”), collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”) and other similarly structured securities. CDOs are types of asset-backed securities. A CBO is ordinarily issued by a trust or other special purpose entity (“SPE”) and is typically backed by a diversified pool of fixed-income securities (which may include high risk, below investment grade securities) held by such issuer. A CLO is ordinarily issued by a trust or other SPE and is typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and non-U.S. senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans, held by such issuer. Investments in a CLO organized outside of the United States may not be deemed to be foreign securities if the CLO is collateralized by a pool of loans, a substantial por tion of which are U.S. loans. Although cer tain CDOs may benefit from credit enhancement in the form of a senior-subordinate structure, over-collateralization or bond insurance, such enhancement may not always be present, and may fail to protect a Fund against the risk of loss on default of the collateral. Cer tain CDO issuers may use derivatives contracts to create “synthetic” exposure to assets rather than holding such assets directly, which entails the risks of derivative instruments described elsewhere in this SAI. CDOs may charge management fees and administrative expenses, which are in addition to those of a Fund.
For both CBOs and CLOs, the cash flows from the SPE are split into two or more por tions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. The riskiest por tion is the “equity” tranche, which bears the first loss from defaults from the bonds or loans in the SPE and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default (though such protection is not complete). Since it is par tially protected from defaults, a senior tranche from a CBO or CLO typically has higher ratings and lower yields than its underlying securities, and may be rated investment grade. Despite the protection from the equity tranche, CBO or CLO tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults, downgrades of the underlying collateral by rating agencies, forced liquidation of the collateral pool due to a failure of coverage tests, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults as well as investor aversion to CBO or CLO securities as a class. Interest on cer tain tranches of a CDO may be paid in kind or deferred and capitalized (paid in the form of obligations of the same type rather than cash), which involves continued exposure to default risk with respect to such payments.
The risks of an investment in a CDO depend largely on the type of the collateral securities and the class of the CDO in which a Fund invests. Normally, CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs are privately offered and sold, and thus are not registered under the securities laws. However, an active dealer market may exist for CDOs, allowing a CDO to qualify for Rule 144A transactions. In addition to the normal risks associated with fixed-income securities and asset-backed securities generally discussed elsewhere in this SAI, CDOs carry additional risks including, but not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the
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risk that the collateral may default or decline in value or be downgraded, if rated by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (“NRSRO”); (iii) a Fund may invest in tranches of CDOs that are subordinate to other tranches; (iv) the structure and complexity of the transaction and the legal documents could lead to disputes among investors regarding the characterization of proceeds; (v) the investment return achieved by the Fund could be significantly different than those predicted by financial models; (vi) the lack of a readily available secondary market for CDOs; (vii) the risk of forced “fire sale” liquidation due to technical defaults such as coverage test failures; and (viii) the CDO’s manager may per form poorly.
Commercial Paper. Cer tain Funds may purchase commercial paper. Commercial paper purchasable by each Fund includes “Section 4(a)(2) paper,” a term that includes debt obligations issued in reliance on the “private placement” exemption from registration afforded by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act. Section 4(a)(2) paper is restricted as to disposition under the Federal securities laws, and is frequently sold (and resold) to institutional investors such as the Fund through or with the assistance of investment dealers who make a market in the Section 4(a)(2) paper, thereby providing liquidity. Cer tain transactions in Section 4(a)(2) paper may qualify for the registration exemption provided in Rule 144A under the Securities Act. Most Funds can purchase commercial paper rated (at the time of purchase) “A-1” by S&P or “Prime-1” by Moody’s or when deemed advisable by a Fund’s Manager or sub adviser, “high quality” issues rated “A-2”, “Prime-2” or “F-2” by S&P, Moody’s or Fitch, respectively.
Commercial paper is generally considered to be shor t-term unsecured debt of corporations. Like all fixed income securities, commercial paper prices are susceptible to fluctuations in interest rates. If interest rates rise, commercial paper prices will decline and vice versa. However, the shor t-term nature of a commercial paper investment generally makes it less susceptible to volatility than many other fixed income securities because interest rate risk typically increases as maturity lengths increase. Commercial paper tends to yield smaller returns than longer-term corporate debt because securities with shor ter maturities typically have lower effective yields than those with longer maturities.
Commodity-Linked Derivative Instruments and Hybrid Instruments. Cer tain Funds seek to gain exposure to the commodities markets primarily through investments in hybrid instruments. Hybrid instruments are either equity or debt derivative securities with one or more commodity-dependent components that have payment features similar to a commodity futures contract, a commodity option contract, or a combination of both. Therefore, these instruments are “commodity-linked.” They are considered “hybrid” instruments because they have both commodity-like and security-like characteristics. Hybrid instruments are derivative instruments because at least par t of their value is derived from the value of an underlying commodity, futures contract, index or other readily measurable economic variable.
The prices of commodity-linked derivative instruments may move in different directions than investments in traditional equity and debt securities when the value of those traditional securities is declining due to adverse economic conditions. As an example, during periods of rising inflation, debt securities have historically tended to decline in value due to the general increase in prevailing interest rates. Conversely, during those same periods of rising inflation, the prices of cer tain commodities, such as oil and metals, have historically tended to increase. Of course, there cannot be any guarantee that these investments will per form in that manner in the future, and at cer tain times the price movements of commodity-linked instruments have been parallel to those of debt and equity securities. Commodities have historically tended to increase and decrease in value during different par ts of the business cycle than financial assets. Never theless, at various times, commodities prices may move in tandem with the prices of financial assets and thus may not provide overall por tfolio diversification benefits. Under favorable economic conditions, the Fund’s investments may be expected to under-per form an investment in traditional securities. Over the long term, the returns on the Fund’s investments are expected to exhibit low or negative correlation with stocks and bonds.
Qualifying Hybrid Instruments. Cer tain Funds may invest in hybrid instruments that qualify for exclusion from regulation under the Commodity Exchange Act and the regulations adopted thereunder. A hybrid instrument that qualifies for this exclusion from regulation must be “predominantly a security.” A hybrid instrument is considered to be predominantly a security if (a) the issuer of the hybrid instrument receives payment in full of the purchase price of the hybrid instrument, substantially contemporaneously with delivery of the hybrid instrument; (b) the purchaser or holder of the hybrid instrument is not required to make any payment to the issuer in addition to the purchase price paid under subparagraph (a), whether as margin, settlement payment, or otherwise, during the life of the hybrid instrument or at maturity; (c) the issuer of the hybrid instrument is not subject by the terms of the instrument to mark-to-market margining requirements; and (d) the hybrid instrument is not marketed as a contract of sale of a commodity for future delivery (or option on such a contract) subject to applicable provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act. Hybrid instruments may be principal protected, par tially protected, or offer no principal protection. A principal protected hybrid instrument means that the issuer will pay, at a minimum, the par value of the note at
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maturity. Therefore, if the commodity value to which the hybrid instrument is linked declines over the life of the note, the Fund will receive at maturity the face or stated value of the note. With a principal protected hybrid instrument, the Fund will receive at maturity the greater of the par value of the note or the increase in its value based on the underlying commodity or index. This protection is, in effect, an option whose value is subject to the volatility and price level of the underlying commodity. The Manager’s decision whether to use principal protection depends in par t on the cost of the protection. In addition, the protection feature depends upon the ability of the issuer to meet its obligation to buy back the security, and, therefore, depends on the creditwor thiness of the issuer. With full principal protection, the Fund will receive at maturity of the hybrid instrument either the stated par value of the hybrid instrument, or potentially, an amount greater than the stated par value if the underlying commodity, index, futures contract or economic variable to which the hybrid instrument is linked has increased in value. Par tially protected hybrid instruments may suffer some loss of principal if the underlying commodity, index, futures contract or economic variable to which the hybrid instrument is linked declines in value during the term of the hybrid instrument. However, par tially protected hybrid instruments have a specified limit as to the amount of principal that they may lose.
Hybrid Instruments Without Principal Protection. Cer tain Funds may invest in hybrid instruments that offer no principal protection. At maturity, there is a risk that the underlying commodity price, futures contract, index or other economic variable may have declined sufficiently in value such that some or all of the face value of the hybrid instrument might not be returned. The Manager, at its discretion, may invest in a par tially protected principal structured note or a note without principal protection. In deciding to purchase a note without principal protection, the Manager may consider, among other things, the expected per formance of the underlying commodity futures contract, index or other economic variable over the term of the note, the cost of the note, and any other economic factors that the Manager believes are relevant.
Limitations on Leverage. Some of the hybrid instruments in which a Fund may invest may involve leverage. To avoid being subject to undue leverage risk, a Fund will seek to limit the amount of economic leverage it has under any one hybrid instrument that it buys and the leverage of the Fund’s overall por tfolio. A Fund will not invest in a hybrid instrument if, at the time of purchase: (i) that instrument’s “leverage ratio” exceeds 300% of the price increase in the underlying commodity, futures contract, index or other economic variable or (ii) the Fund’s “por tfolio leverage ratio” exceeds 150%, measured at the time of purchase. “Leverage ratio” is the expected increase in the value of a hybrid instrument, assuming a one percent price increase in the underlying commodity, futures contract, index or other economic factor. In other words, for a hybrid instrument with a leverage factor of 150%, a 1% gain in the underlying economic variable would be expected to result in a 1.5% gain in value for the hybrid instrument. Conversely, a hybrid instrument with a leverage factor of 150% would suffer a 1.5% loss if the underlying economic variable lost 1% of its value. “Por tfolio leverage ratio” is defined as the average (mean) leverage ratio of all instruments in a Fund’s por tfolio, weighted by the market values of such instruments or, in the case of futures contracts, their notional values. A Fund may at times or from time to time decide not to use leverage in its investments or use less leverage than may otherwise be allowable.
Counterpar ty Risk. A significant risk of hybrid instruments is counterpar ty risk. Unlike exchange-traded futures and options, which are standard contracts, hybrid instruments are customized securities, tailor-made by a specific issuer. With a listed futures or options contract, an investor’s counterpar ty is the exchange clearinghouse. Exchange clearinghouses are capitalized by the exchange members and typically have high investment grade ratings ( e.g. , ratings of AAA or AA by S&P). Therefore, the risk is small that an exchange clearinghouse might be unable to meet its obligations at maturity. However, with a hybrid instrument, a Fund will take on the counterpar ty credit risk of the issuer. That is, at maturity of the hybrid instrument, there is a risk that the issuer may be unable to per form its obligations under the structured note.
Convertible Securities. A conver tible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock or other security that may be conver ted into or exchanged for a prescribed amount of common stock or other equity security of the same or a different issuer within a par ticular period of time at a specified price or formula. A conver tible security entitles the holder to receive interest paid or accrued on debt or the dividend paid on preferred stock until the conver tible security matures or is redeemed, conver ted or exchanged. Before conversion, conver tible securities have characteristics similar to nonconver tible income securities in that they ordinarily provide a stable stream of income with generally higher yields than those of common stocks of the same or similar issuers, but lower yields than comparable nonconver tible securities. The value of a conver tible security is influenced by changes in interest rates, with investment value declining as interest rates increase and increasing as interest rates decline. The credit standing of the issuer and other factors also may have an effect on the conver tible security’s investment value. Conver tible securities rank senior to common stock in a corporation’s capital structure but are usually subordinated to comparable nonconver tible securities. Conver tible securities may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a price established in the conver tible security’s governing instrument.
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The characteristics of conver tible securities make them potentially attractive investments for an investment company seeking a high total return from capital appreciation and investment income. These characteristics include the potential for capital appreciation as the value of the underlying common stock increases, the relatively high yield received from dividend or interest payments as compared to common stock dividends and decreased risks of decline in value relative to the underlying common stock due to their fixed-income nature. As a result of the conversion feature, however, the interest rate or dividend preference on a conver tible security is generally less than would be the case if the securities were issued in nonconver tible form.
In analyzing conver tible securities, the Manager will consider both the yield on the conver tible security relative to its credit quality and the potential capital appreciation that is offered by the underlying common stock, among other things.
Conver tible securities are issued and traded in a number of securities markets. Even in cases where a substantial por tion of the conver tible securities held by a Fund are denominated in U.S. dollars, the underlying equity securities may be quoted in the currency of the country where the issuer is domiciled. As a result, fluctuations in the exchange rate between the currency in which the debt security is denominated and the currency in which the share price is quoted will affect the value of the conver tible security. With respect to conver tible securities denominated in a currency different from that of the underlying equity securities, the conversion price may be based on a fixed exchange rate established at the time the security is issued, which may increase the effects of currency risk. As described below, a Fund is authorized to enter into foreign currency hedging transactions in which it may seek to reduce the effect of exchange rate fluctuations.
Apar t from currency considerations, the value of conver tible securities is influenced by both the yield on nonconver tible securities of comparable issuers and by the value of the underlying common stock. The value of a conver tible security viewed without regard to its conversion feature ( i.e. , strictly on the basis of its yield) is sometimes referred to as its “investment value.” To the extent interest rates change, the investment value of the conver tible security typically will fluctuate. At the same time, however, the value of the conver tible security will be influenced by its “conversion value,” which is the market value of the underlying common stock that would be obtained if the conver tible security were conver ted. Conversion value fluctuates directly with the price of the underlying common stock. If the conversion value of a conver tible security is substantially below its investment value, the price of the conver tible security is governed principally by its investment value. To the extent the conversion value of a conver tible security increases to a point that approximates or exceeds its investment value, the price of the conver tible security will be influenced principally by its conversion value. A conver tible security will sell at a premium over the conversion value to the extent investors place value on the right to acquire the underlying common stock while holding a fixed-income security. The yield and conversion premium of conver tible securities issued in Japan and the Euromarket are frequently determined at levels that cause the conversion value to affect their market value more than the securities’ investment value.
Holders of conver tible securities generally have a claim on the assets of the issuer prior to the common stockholders but may be subordinated to other debt securities of the same issuer. A conver tible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a price established in a char ter provision, indenture or other governing instrument pursuant to which the conver tible security was issued. If a conver tible security held by a Fund is called for redemption, the Fund will be required to redeem the security, conver t it into the underlying common stock or sell it to a third par ty. Cer tain conver tible debt securities may provide a put option to the holder, which entitles the holder to cause the security to be redeemed by the issuer at a premium over the stated principal amount of the debt security under cer tain circumstances.
A Fund may also invest in synthetic conver tible securities. Synthetic conver tible securities may include either Cash-Settled Conver tibles or Manufactured Conver tibles. “Cash-Settled Conver tibles” are instruments that are created by the issuer and have the economic characteristics of traditional conver tible securities but may not actually permit conversion into the underlying equity securities in all circumstances. As an example, a private company may issue a Cash-Settled Conver tible that is conver tible into common stock only if the company successfully completes a public offering of its common stock prior to maturity and otherwise pays a cash amount to reflect any equity appreciation. “Manufactured Conver tibles” are created by the Manager or another par ty by combining separate securities that possess one of the two principal characteristics of a conver tible security, i.e. , fixed-income (“fixed income component”) or a right to acquire equity securities (“conver tibility component”). The fixed-income component is achieved by investing in nonconver tible fixed-income securities, such as nonconver tible bonds, preferred stocks and money market instruments. The conver tibility component is achieved by investing in call options, warrants, or other securities with equity conversion features (“equity features”) granting the holder the right to purchase a
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specified quantity of the underlying stocks within a specified period of time at a specified price or, in the case of a stock index option, the right to receive a cash payment based on the value of the underlying stock index.
A Manufactured Conver tible differs from traditional conver tible securities in several respects. Unlike a traditional conver tible security, which is a single security that has a unitary market value, a Manufactured Conver tible is comprised of two or more separate securities, each with its own market value. Therefore, the total “market value” of such a Manufactured Conver tible is the sum of the values of its fixed-income component and its conver tibility component.
More flexibility is possible in the creation of a Manufactured Conver tible than in the purchase of a traditional conver tible security. Because many corporations have not issued conver tible securities, the Manager may combine a fixed-income instrument and an equity feature with respect to the stock of the issuer of the fixed-income instrument to create a synthetic conver tible security otherwise unavailable in the market. The Manager may also combine a fixed-income instrument of an issuer with an equity feature with respect to the stock of a different issuer when the Manager believes such a Manufactured Conver tible would better promote a Fund’s objective than alternative investments. For example, the Manager may combine an equity feature with respect to an issuer’s stock with a fixed income security of a different issuer in the same industry to diversify the Fund’s credit exposure, or with a U.S. Treasury instrument to create a Manufactured Conver tible with a higher credit profile than a traditional conver tible security issued by that issuer. A Manufactured Conver tible also is a more flexible investment in that its two components may be purchased separately and, upon purchasing the separate securities, “combined” to create a Manufactured Conver tible. For example, the Fund may purchase a warrant for eventual inclusion in a Manufactured Conver tible while postponing the purchase of a suitable bond to pair with the warrant pending development of more favorable market conditions.
The value of a Manufactured Conver tible may respond to cer tain market fluctuations differently from a traditional conver tible security with similar characteristics. For example, in the event a Fund created a Manufactured Conver tible by combining a shor t-term U.S. Treasury instrument and a call option on a stock, the Manufactured Conver tible would be expected to outper form a traditional conver tible of similar maturity that is conver tible into that stock during periods when Treasury instruments outper form corporate fixed-income securities and underper form during periods when corporate fixed-income securities outper form Treasury instruments.
Corporate Loans. Cer tain Funds may invest in corporate loans. Corporate loans are generally non-investment grade floating rate instruments. Usually, they are freely callable at the issuer’s option. Cer tain Funds may invest in fixed and floating rate loans (“Loans”) arranged through private negotiations between a corporate borrower or a foreign sovereign entity and one or more financial institutions or institutional investors (“Lenders”). A Fund may invest in such Loans in the form of par ticipations in Loans (“Par ticipations”) and assignments of all or a por tion of Loans from third par ties (“Assignments”). A Fund considers these investments to be investments in debt securities for purposes of its investment policies. Par ticipations typically will result in the Fund having a contractual relationship only with the Lender, not with the borrower. The Fund will have the right to receive payments of principal, interest and any fees to which it is entitled only from the Lender selling the Par ticipation and only upon receipt by the Lender of the payments from the borrower. In connection with purchasing Par ticipations, the Fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement relating to the Loans, nor any rights of set off against the borrower, and the Fund may not benefit directly from any collateral suppor ting the Loan in which it has purchased the Par ticipation. As a result, the Fund will assume the credit risk of both the borrower and the Lender that is selling the Par ticipation. In the event of the insolvency of the Lender selling the Par ticipation, the Fund may be treated as a general creditor of the Lender and may not benefit from any set-off between the Lender and the borrower. The Fund will acquire Par ticipations only if the Lender interpositioned between the Fund and the borrower is determined by the Fund’s manager to be creditwor thy. When the Fund purchases Assignments from Lenders, the Fund will acquire direct rights against the borrower on the Loan, and will not have exposure to a counterpar ty’s credit risk. The Funds may enter into Par ticipations and Assignments on a forward commitment or “when-issued” basis, whereby a Fund would agree to purchase a Par ticipation or Assignment at set terms in the future. For more information on forward commitments and when-issued securities, see “When-Issued Securities, Delayed Delivery Securities and Forward Commitments” below.
A Fund may have difficulty disposing of Assignments and Par ticipations. In cer tain cases, the market for such instruments may lack sufficient liquidity, and therefore the Fund anticipates that in such cases such instruments could be sold only to a limited number of institutional investors. The lack of a sufficiently liquid secondary market may have an adverse impact on the value of such instruments and on the Fund’s ability to dispose of par ticular Assignments or Par ticipations in response to a specific economic event, such as deterioration in the creditwor thiness of the borrower.
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Leading financial institutions often act as agent for a broader group of Lenders, generally referred to as a syndicate. The syndicate’s agent arranges the loans, holds collateral and accepts payments of principal and interest. Failure by the syndicate agent to fulfill its obligations may delay or adversely affect receipt of payment by the Fund.
The Loans in which the Fund may invest are subject to the risk of loss of principal and income. Although borrowers frequently provide collateral to secure repayment of these obligations they do not always do so. If they do provide collateral, the value of the collateral may not completely cover the borrower’s obligations at the time of a default. If a borrower files for protection from its creditors under the U.S. bankruptcy laws, these laws may limit a Fund’s rights to its collateral. In addition, the value of collateral may erode during a bankruptcy case. In the event of a bankruptcy, the holder of a Loan may not recover its principal, may experience a long delay in recovering its investment and may not receive interest during the delay.
Transactions in corporate loans may settle on a delayed basis. As a result, the proceeds from the sale of corporate loans may not be readily available to make additional investments or to meet a Fund’s redemption obligations. To the extent the extended settlement process gives rise to shor t-term liquidity needs, a Fund may hold additional cash, sell investments or temporarily borrow from banks and other lenders.
In cer tain circumstances, Loans may not be deemed to be securities under cer tain federal securities laws. Therefore, in the event of fraud or misrepresentation by a borrower or an arranger, Lenders and purchasers of interests in Loans, such as the Funds, may not have the protection of the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws as would otherwise be available for bonds or stocks. Instead, in such cases, par ties generally would rely on the contractual provisions in the Loan agreement itself and common-law fraud protections under applicable state law.
Direct Lending. The Fund may act as the originator for direct loans and engage in direct lending. Direct loans between the Fund and a borrower may not be administered by an underwriter or agent bank. The Fund may provide financing to commercial borrowers directly or through companies acquired (or created) and owned by or otherwise affiliated with the Fund. The terms of the direct loans are negotiated with borrowers in private transactions. Fur thermore, a direct loan may be secured or unsecured.
In determining whether to make a direct loan, the Fund will rely primarily upon the creditwor thiness of the borrower and/or any collateral for payment of interest and repayment of principal. The risks associated with direct loans are substantially similar to those associated with investing in corporate loans. In making a direct loan, the Fund is exposed to the risk that the borrower may default or become insolvent and, consequently, that the Fund will lose money on the loan. Fur thermore, direct loans may subject the Fund to liquidity and interest rate risk and cer tain direct loans may be deemed illiquid. Direct loans are not publicly traded and may not have a secondary market. The lack of a secondary market for direct loans may have an adverse impact on the ability of the Fund to dispose of a direct loan and/or to value the direct loan.
When engaging in direct lending, the Fund’s per formance may depend, in par t, on the ability of the Fund to originate loans on advantageous terms. In originating loans, the Fund will compete with a broad spectrum of lenders. Increased competition for, or a diminishment in the available supply of, qualifying loans could result in lower yields on such loans, which could reduce Fund per formance.
As par t of its lending activities, the Fund may originate loans to companies that are experiencing significant financial or business difficulties, including companies involved in bankruptcy or other reorganization and liquidation proceedings. Although the terms of such financing may result in significant financial returns to the Fund, they involve a substantial degree of risk. The level of analytical sophistication, both financial and legal, necessary for successful financing to companies experiencing significant business and financial difficulties is unusually high.
Credit Linked Securities. Among the income producing securities in which a Fund may invest are credit linked securities, which are issued by a limited purpose trust or other vehicle that, in turn, invests in a derivative instrument or basket of derivative instruments, such as credit default swaps, interest rate swaps and other securities, in order to provide exposure to cer tain fixed-income markets. For instance, a Fund may invest in credit linked securities as a cash management tool in order to gain exposure to a cer tain market and/or to remain fully invested when more traditional income producing securities are not available.
Like an investment in a bond, investments in these credit linked securities represent the right to receive periodic income payments (in the form of distributions) and payment of principal at the end of the term of the security.
However, these payments are conditioned on the issuer’s receipt of payments from, and the issuer’s potential obligations to, the counterpar ties to the derivative instruments and other securities in which the issuer invests. For instance, the issuer may sell one or more credit default swaps, under which the issuer would receive a stream of
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payments over the term of the swap agreements provided that no event of default has occurred with respect to the referenced debt obligation upon which the swap is based. If a default occurs, the stream of payments may stop and the issuer would be obligated to pay the counterpar ty the par (or other agreed upon value) of the referenced debt obligation. This, in turn, would reduce the amount of income and principal that a Fund would receive. A Fund’s investments in these instruments are indirectly subject to the risks associated with derivative instruments, including, among others, credit risk, default or similar event risk, counterpar ty risk, interest rate risk, leverage risk and management risk. It is also expected that the securities will be exempt from registration under the Securities Act. Accordingly, there may be no established trading market for the securities and they may constitute illiquid investments.
Debt Securities. Debt securities, such as bonds, involve credit risk. This is the risk that the issuer will not make timely payments of principal and interest. The degree of credit risk depends on the issuer’s financial condition and on the terms of the debt securities. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditwor thiness may also affect the value of a Fund’s investment in that issuer. Credit risk is reduced to the extent a Fund limits its debt investments to U.S. Government Securities.
All debt securities, however, are subject to interest rate risk. This is the risk that the value of the security may fall when interest rates rise. If interest rates move sharply in a manner not anticipated by Fund management, a Fund’s investments in debt securities could be adversely affected and the Fund could lose money. In general, the market price of debt securities with longer maturities will go up or down more in response to changes in interest rates than will the market price of shor ter-term debt securities.
During periods of rising interest rates, the average life of cer tain fixed-income securities is extended because of slower than expected principal payments. This may lock in a below-market interest rate and extend the duration of these fixed-income securities, especially mor tgage-related securities, making them more sensitive to changes in interest rates. As a result, in a period of rising interest rates, these securities may exhibit additional volatility and lose value. This is known as extension risk.
The value of fixed-income securities in the Funds can be expected to vary inversely with changes in prevailing interest rates. Fixed-income securities with longer maturities, which tend to produce higher yields, are subject to potentially greater capital appreciation and depreciation than securities with shor ter maturities. The Funds are not restricted to any maximum or minimum time to maturity in purchasing individual por tfolio securities, and the average maturity of a Fund’s assets will vary.
Floating and Variable Rate Securities . Cer tain Funds may invest in debt instruments that pay a variable coupon rate. Securities with floating or variable interest rates can be less sensitive to interest rate changes than securities with fixed interest rates, but may decline in value if their interest rates do not rise as much, or as quickly, as interest rates in general. Conversely, floating rate securities will not generally increase in value if interest rates decline. The impact of interest rate changes on floating rate investments is typically mitigated by the periodic interest rate reset of the investments. Benchmark interest rates used for floating and variable rate securities may not accurately track market interest rates.
Inflation-Indexed Bonds. Cer tain Funds may invest in inflation-indexed bonds, which are fixed-income securities or other instruments whose principal value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. Two structures are common. The U.S. Treasury and some other issuers use a structure that accrues inflation into the principal value of the bond. Most other issuers pay out the Consumer Price Index (“CPI”) accruals as par t of a semi-annual coupon.
Inflation-indexed securities issued by the U.S. Treasury have maturities of five, ten or thir ty years, although it is possible that securities with other maturities will be issued in the future. The U.S. Treasury securities pay interest on a semi-annual basis, equal to a fixed percentage of the inflation-adjusted principal amount. For example, if a Fund purchased an inflation-indexed bond with a par value of $1,000 and a 3% real rate of return coupon (payable 1.5% semi-annually), and inflation over the first six months was 1%, the mid-year par value of the bond would be $1,010 and the first semi-annual interest payment would be $15.15 ($1,010 times 1.5%). If inflation during the second half of the year resulted in the whole year’s inflation equaling 3%, the end-of-year par value of the bond would be $1,030 and the second semi-annual interest payment would be $15.45 ($1,030 times 1.5%).
If the periodic adjustment rate measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted downward, and, consequently, the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of U.S. Treasury inflation-indexed bonds, even during a period of deflation. However, the current market value of the bonds is not guaranteed, and will fluctuate. Cer tain Funds may also invest in other inflation related bonds which may or may not provide a similar guarantee. If a guarantee of principal is not provided,
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the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal. In addition, if the Fund purchases inflation-indexed bonds offered by foreign issuers, the rate of inflation measured by the foreign inflation index may not be correlated to the rate of inflation in the United States.
The value of inflation-indexed bonds is expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates, in turn, are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. Therefore, if inflation were to rise at a faster rate than nominal interest rates, real interest rates might decline, leading to an increase in value of inflation-indexed bonds. In contrast, if nominal interest rates increased at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates might rise, leading to a decrease in value of inflation-indexed bonds. There can be no assurance, however, that the value of inflation-indexed bonds will be directly correlated to changes in interest rates.
While these securities are expected to be protected from long-term inflationary trends, shor t-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in value. If interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to changes in currency exchange rates), investors in these securities may not be protected to the extent that the increase is not reflected in the bond’s inflation measure.
In general, the measure used to determine the periodic adjustment of U.S. inflation-indexed bonds is the Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers (“CPI-U”), which is calculated monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The CPI-U is a measurement of changes in the cost of living, made up of components such as housing, food, transpor tation and energy. Inflation-indexed bonds issued by a foreign government are generally adjusted to reflect a comparable inflation index, calculated by that government. There can be no assurance that the CPI-U or any foreign inflation index will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services. Moreover, there can be no assurance that the rate of inflation in a foreign country will be correlated to the rate of inflation in the United States.
Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond will be considered taxable ordinary income, even though investors do not receive their principal until maturity.
Investment Grade Debt Obligations. Cer tain Funds may invest in “investment grade securities,” which are securities rated in the four highest rating categories of an NRSRO or deemed to be of equivalent quality by a Fund’s Manager. Cer tain Funds may invest in debt securities rated Aaa by Moody’s or AAA by S&P. It should be noted that debt obligations rated in the lowest of the top four ratings ( i.e. , “Baa” by Moody’s or “BBB” by S&P) are considered to have some speculative characteristics and are more sensitive to economic change than higher rated securities. If an investment grade security of a Fund is subsequently downgraded below investment grade, the Fund’s Manager will consider such an event in determining whether the Fund should continue to hold the security. Subject to its investment strategies, there is no limit on the amount of such downgraded securities a Fund may hold.
See Appendix A to this SAI for a description of applicable securities ratings.
High Yield Investments (“Junk Bonds”).
Non-investment grade or “high yield” fixed-income or conver tible securities commonly known to investors as “junk bonds” are debt securities that are rated below investment grade by the major rating agencies or are securities that Fund management believes are of comparable quality. While generally providing greater income and oppor tunity for gain, non-investment grade debt securities may be subject to greater risks than securities which have higher credit ratings, including a high risk of default, and their yields will fluctuate over time. High yield securities will generally be in the lower rating categories of recognized rating agencies (rated “Ba” or lower by Moody’s or “BB” or lower by S&P) or will be non-rated. The credit rating of a high yield security does not necessarily address its market value risk, and ratings may from time to time change, positively or negatively, to reflect developments regarding the issuer’s financial condition. High yield securities are considered to be speculative with respect to the capacity of the issuer to timely repay principal and pay interest or dividends in accordance with the terms of the obligation and may have more credit risk than higher rated securities.
The major risks in junk bond investments include the following:
• Junk bonds may be issued by less creditwor thy companies. These securities are vulnerable to adverse changes in the issuer’s industry and to general economic conditions. Issuers of junk bonds may be unable to meet their interest or principal payment obligations because of an economic downturn, specific issuer developments or the unavailability of additional financing.
• The issuers of junk bonds may have a larger amount of outstanding debt relative to their assets than issuers of investment grade bonds. If the issuer experiences financial stress, it may be unable to meet its debt obligations. The issuer’s ability to pay its debt obligations also may be lessened by specific issuer developments, or the
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unavailability of additional financing. Issuers of high yield securities are often in the growth stage of their development and/or involved in a reorganization or takeover.
• Junk bonds are frequently ranked junior to claims by other creditors. If the issuer cannot meet its obligations, the senior obligations are generally paid off before the junior obligations, which will potentially limit a Fund’s ability to fully recover principal or to receive interest payments when senior securities are in default. Thus, investors in high yield securities have a lower degree of protection with respect to principal and interest payments than do investors in higher rated securities.
• Junk bonds frequently have redemption features that permit an issuer to repurchase the security from a Fund before it matures. If an issuer redeems the junk bonds, a Fund may have to invest the proceeds in bonds with lower yields and may lose income.
• Prices of junk bonds are subject to extreme price fluctuations. Negative economic developments may have a greater impact on the prices of junk bonds than on those of other higher rated fixed-income securities.
• Junk bonds may be less liquid than higher rated fixed-income securities even under normal economic conditions. Under cer tain economic and/or market conditions, a Fund may have difficulty disposing of cer tain high yield securities due to the limited number of investors in that sector of the market. There are fewer dealers in the junk bond market, and there may be significant differences in the prices quoted for junk bonds by the dealers, and such quotations may not be the actual prices available for a purchase or sale. Because junk bonds are less liquid than higher rated bonds, judgment may play a greater role in valuing cer tain of a Fund’s por tfolio securities than in the case of securities trading in a more liquid market.
• The secondary markets for high yield securities are not as liquid as the secondary markets for higher rated securities. The secondary markets for high yield securities are concentrated in relatively few market makers and par ticipants in the markets are mostly institutional investors, including insurance companies, banks, other financial institutions and mutual funds. In addition, the trading volume for high yield securities is generally lower than that for higher rated securities and the secondary markets could contract under adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the condition of a par ticular issuer. Under cer tain economic and/or market conditions, a Fund may have difficulty disposing of cer tain high yield securities due to the limited number of investors in that sector of the market. An illiquid secondary market may adversely affect the market price of the high yield security, which may result in increased difficulty selling the par ticular issue and obtaining accurate market quotations on the issue when valuing a Fund’s assets. Market quotations on high yield securities are available only from a limited number of dealers, and such quotations may not be the actual prices available for a purchase or sale. When the secondary market for high yield securities becomes more illiquid, or in the absence of readily available market quotations for such securities, the relative lack of reliable objective data makes it more difficult to value a Fund’s securities, and judgment plays a more impor tant role in determining such valuations.
• A Fund may incur expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon default or to negotiate new terms with a defaulting issuer.
• The junk bond markets may react strongly to adverse news about an issuer or the economy, or to the perception or expectation of adverse news, whether or not it is based on fundamental analysis. Additionally, prices for high yield securities may be affected by legislative and regulatory developments. These developments could adversely affect a Fund’s NAV and investment practices, the secondary market for high yield securities, the financial condition of issuers of these securities and the value and liquidity of outstanding high yield securities, especially in a thinly traded market. For example, federal legislation requiring the divestiture by federally insured savings and loan associations of their investments in high yield bonds and limiting the deductibility of interest by cer tain corporate issuers of high yield bonds adversely affected the market in the past.
• The rating assigned by a rating agency evaluates the issuing agency’s assessment of the safety of a non investment grade security’s principal and interest payments, but does not address market value risk. Because such ratings of the ratings agencies may not always reflect current conditions and events, in addition to using recognized rating agencies and other sources, the Manager or sub-adviser per forms its own analysis of the issuers whose non-investment grade securities a Fund holds. Because of this, the Fund’s per formance may depend more on the Manager’s or sub-adviser’s own credit analysis than in the case of mutual funds investing in higher-rated securities.
In selecting non-investment grade securities, the Manager or sub-adviser considers factors such as those relating to the creditwor thiness of issuers, the ratings and per formance of the securities, the protections afforded the securities and the diversity of the Fund. The Manager or sub-adviser continuously monitors the issuers of non investment grade securities held by the Fund for their ability to make required principal and interest payments, as
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well as in an effor t to control the liquidity of the Fund so that it can meet redemption requests. If a security’s rating is reduced below the minimum credit rating that is permitted for a Fund, the Fund’s adviser or sub-adviser will consider whether the Fund should continue to hold the security.
In the event that a Fund investing in high yield securities experiences an unexpected level of net redemptions, the Fund could be forced to sell its holdings without regard to the investment merits, thereby decreasing the assets upon which the Fund’s rate of return is based.
The costs attributable to investing in the junk bond markets are usually higher for several reasons, such as higher investment research costs and higher commission costs.
Mezzanine Investments. Cer tain Funds, consistent with their restrictions on investing in securities of a specific credit quality, may invest in cer tain high yield securities known as mezzanine investments, which are subordinated debt securities which are generally issued in private placements in connection with an equity security ( e.g. , with attached warrants). Such mezzanine investments may be issued with or without registration rights. Similar to other high yield securities, maturities of mezzanine investments are typically seven to ten years, but the expected average life is significantly shor ter at three to five years. Mezzanine investments are usually unsecured and subordinate to other obligations of the issuer.
Pay-in-kind Bonds. Cer tain Funds may invest in pay-in-kind, or PIK, bonds. PIK bonds are bonds which pay interest through the issuance of additional debt or equity securities. Similar to zero coupon obligations, pay-in-kind bonds also carry additional risk as holders of these types of securities realize no cash until the cash payment date unless a por tion of such securities is sold and, if the issuer defaults, a Fund may obtain no return at all on its investment. The market price of pay-in-kind bonds is affected by interest rate changes to a greater extent, and therefore tends to be more volatile, than that of securities which pay interest in cash. Additionally, current U.S. federal tax law requires the holder of pay-in-kind bonds to accrue income with respect to these securities prior to the receipt of cash payments. To maintain its qualification as a regulated investment company and avoid liability for U.S. federal income and excise taxes, each Fund may be required to distribute income accrued with respect to these securities and may have to dispose of por tfolio securities under disadvantageous circumstances in order to generate cash to satisfy these distribution requirements.
Supranational Entities. A Fund may invest in debt securities of supranational entities. Examples of such entities include the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the World Bank), the European Steel and Coal Community, the Asian Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. The government members, or “stockholders,” usually make initial capital contributions to the supranational entity and in many cases are committed to make additional capital contributions if the supranational entity is unable to repay its borrowings. There is no guarantee that one or more stockholders of a supranational entity will continue to make any necessary additional capital contributions. If such contributions are not made, the entity may be unable to pay interest or repay principal on its debt securities, and a Fund may lose money on such investments.
Depositary Receipts (ADRs, EDRs and GDRs). Cer tain Funds may invest in the securities of foreign issuers in the form of Depositary Receipts or other securities conver tible into securities of foreign issuers. Depositary Receipts may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the underlying securities into which they may be conver ted. The Fund may invest in both sponsored and unsponsored American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”), Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”) and other similar global instruments. ADRs typically are issued by an American bank or trust company and evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. EDRs, which are sometimes referred to as Continental Depositary Receipts, are receipts issued in Europe, typically by foreign banks and trust companies, that evidence ownership of either foreign or domestic underlying securities. GDRs are depositary receipts structured like global debt issues to facilitate trading on an international basis. In addition to investment risks associated with the underlying issuer, Depositary Receipts expose a Fund to additional risks associated with the non-uniform terms that apply to Depositary Receipt programs, credit exposure to the depository bank and to the sponsors and other par ties with whom the depository bank establishes the programs, currency risk and the risk of an illiquid market for Depositary Receipts. Unsponsored ADR, EDR and GDR programs are organized independently and without the cooperation of the issuer of the underlying securities. Unsponsored programs generally expose investors to greater risks than sponsored programs and do not provide holders with many of the shareholder benefits that come from investing in a sponsored Depositary Receipt. Available information concerning the issuer may not be as current as for sponsored ADRs, EDRs and GDRs, and the prices of unsponsored ADRs, EDRs and GDRs may be more volatile than if such instruments were sponsored by the issuer. Depositary Receipts are generally subject to the same risks as the foreign securities that they evidence or into which they may be conver ted. Investments in ADRs, EDRs and GDRs present additional investment considerations as described under “Foreign Investment Risks.”
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Derivatives.
General. Each Fund may use instruments referred to as derivatives, which are financial instruments that derive their value from one or more securities, commodities (such as gold or oil), currencies, interest rates, credit events or indices (a measure of value or rates, such as the S&P 500 Index or the prime lending rate) or other reference asset. Derivatives may allow a Fund to increase or decrease the level of risk to which the Fund is exposed more quickly and efficiently than with other transactions. Cer tain Funds may use derivatives to maintain a por tion of their long and shor t positions. Unless otherwise permitted, no Fund may use derivatives to gain exposure to an asset or asset class it is prohibited by its investment restrictions from purchasing directly. As described below, derivatives can be used for hedging or speculative purposes. Funds will engage in transaction-level payment netting, i.e. , the payment obligations of derivatives contracts are netted against one another with the Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payment streams.
Hedging. Each Fund may use derivatives for hedging purposes, in which a derivative is used to offset the risks associated with other Fund holdings. Losses on other investments may be substantially reduced by gains on a derivative that reacts in an opposite manner to market movements. Although hedging may reduce losses, it may also reduce or eliminate gains. In addition, hedging may cause losses if the market moves in an unanticipated manner, or if the cost of the derivative outweighs the benefit of the hedge. The effectiveness of hedging may be reduced by correlation risk, i.e. , the risk that changes in the value of the derivative will not match those of the holdings being hedged as expected by a Fund, which may result in additional losses to the Fund. The inability to close or offset derivatives could also reduce the effectiveness of a Fund’s hedging. There is no assurance that a Fund’s hedging will be effective. No Fund is required to use derivatives to hedge.
Speculation. Cer tain Funds may also use derivatives for speculative purposes to seek to enhance returns. The use of a derivative is speculative if the Fund is primarily seeking to achieve gains, rather than offset the risk of other positions. To the extent a Fund invests in a derivative for speculative purposes, the Fund will be fully exposed to the risks of loss of that derivative, which may sometimes be greater than the derivative’s cost, and the potential for loss in cer tain cases may be unlimited.
Regulation of Derivatives.
Rule 18f-4 Under the Investment Company Act. Rule 18f-4 under the Investment Company Act permits a Fund to enter into Derivatives Transactions (as defined below) and cer tain other transactions notwithstanding the restrictions on the issuance of “senior securities” under Section 18 of the Investment Company Act. Section 18 of the Investment Company Act, among other things, prohibits open-end funds, including the Funds, from issuing or selling any “senior security,” other than borrowing from a bank (subject to a requirement to maintain 300% “asset coverage”).
Under Rule 18f-4, “Derivatives Transactions” include the following: (1) any swap, security-based swap (including a contract for differences), futures contract, forward contract, option (excluding purchased options), any combination of the foregoing, or any similar instrument, under which a Fund is or may be required to make any payment or delivery of cash or other assets during the life of the instrument or at maturity or early termination, whether as margin or settlement payment or otherwise; (2) any shor t sale borrowing; (3) reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions ( e.g. , recourse and non-recourse tender option bonds, and borrowed bonds), if a Fund elects to treat all of these transactions as Derivatives Transactions under Rule 18f-4; and (4) when-issued or forward-settling securities ( e.g. , firm and standby commitments, including to-be-announced (“TBA”) commitments, and dollar rolls) and non-standard settlement cycle securities, unless such transactions meet the Delayed-Settlement Securities Provision (as defined below under “—When-Issued Securities, Delayed Delivery Securities and Forward Commitments”).
Unless a Fund is relying on the Limited Derivatives User Exception (as defined below), the Fund must comply with Rule 18f-4 with respect to its Derivatives Transactions. Rule 18f-4, among other things, requires a Fund to adopt and implement a comprehensive written derivatives risk management program (“DRMP”) and comply with a relative or absolute limit on Fund leverage risk calculated based on value-at-risk (“VaR”). The DRMP is administered by a “derivatives risk manager,” who is appointed by the Fund’s Board, including a majority of the independent Directors, and periodically reviews the DRMP and repor ts to the Fund’s Board.
Rule 18f-4 provides an exception from the DRMP, VaR limit and cer tain other requirements if a Fund’s “derivatives exposure” is limited to 10% of its net assets (as calculated in accordance with Rule 18f-4) and the Fund adopts and implements written policies and procedures reasonably designed to manage its derivatives risks (the “Limited Derivatives User Exception”).
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Dodd-Frank Regulations. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (“Dodd-Frank”), enacted in July 2010, includes provisions that comprehensively regulate the over-the-counter (“OTC”) derivatives markets for the first time. While the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) and other U.S. regulators have adopted many of the required Dodd-Frank regulations, cer tain regulations have only recently become effective and other regulations remain to be adopted. The full impact of Dodd-Frank on the Funds remains uncer tain.
Many OTC derivatives dealers are required to register with the CFTC as “swap dealers” and/or with the SEC as “security-based swap dealers”. Registered swap dealers and security-based swap dealers are subject to various regulatory requirements, including, but not limited to, margin, recordkeeping, repor ting, transparency, position limits, limitations on conflicts of interest, business conduct standards, minimum capital requirements and other regulatory requirements, which indirectly impact the Funds that enter into transactions with them.
The CFTC requires that cer tain interest rate swaps and cer tain credit default swaps must be executed in regulated markets and be submitted for clearing to regulated clearinghouses. The SEC is also expected to impose similar requirements on cer tain security-based derivatives in the future. OTC derivatives trades submitted for clearing are subject to minimum initial and variation margin requirements set by the relevant clearinghouse, as well as margin requirements mandated by the CFTC, SEC and/or federal prudential regulators. In addition, futures commission merchants (“FCMs”), who act as clearing members on behalf of customers for cleared OTC derivatives and futures contracts, also have discretion to increase a Fund’s margin requirements for these transactions beyond any regulatory and clearinghouse minimums subject to any restrictions on such discretion in the documentation between the FCM and the customer. These regulatory requirements may make it more difficult and costly for the Funds to enter into highly tailored or customized transactions, potentially rendering cer tain investment strategies impossible or not economically feasible. If a Fund decides to execute and clear cleared OTC derivatives and/or futures contracts through execution facilities, exchanges or clearinghouses, either indirectly through an executing broker, clearing member FCM or as a direct member, a Fund would be required to comply with the rules of the execution facility, exchange or clearinghouse and other applicable law.
With respect to cleared OTC derivatives and futures contracts and options on futures, a Fund will not face a clearinghouse directly but rather will do so through a FCM that is registered with the CFTC and/or SEC and that acts as a clearing member. A Fund may face the indirect risk of the failure of another clearing member customer to meet its obligations to its clearing member. Such scenario could arise due to a default by the clearing member on its obligations to the clearinghouse simultaneously with a customer’s failure to meet its obligations to the clearing member.
Clearing member FCMs are required to post initial margin to the clearinghouses through which they clear their customers’ cleared OTC derivatives and futures contracts, instead of using such initial margin in their businesses, as was widely permitted for OTC derivatives before Dodd-Frank. While an FCM may require its customer to post initial margin in excess of clearinghouse requirements, and cer tain clearinghouses may share a por tion of their earnings on initial margin with their clearing members, some por tion of the initial margin that is passed through to the clearinghouse does not generate earnings for the FCM. The inability of FCMs to earn the same levels of returns on initial margin for cleared OTC derivatives as they could earn with respect to non-cleared OTC derivatives may cause FCMs to charge higher fees, or provide less favorable pricing on cleared OTC derivatives than swap dealers will provide for non-cleared OTC derivatives. Fur thermore, customers, including the Funds, are subject to additional fees payable to FCMs with respect to cleared OTC derivatives, which may raise the cost to Funds of clearing as compared to trading non-cleared OTC derivatives bilaterally.
With respect to uncleared swaps, registered swap dealers and security-based swap dealers are required to exchange variation margin with a Fund and may be required by applicable regulations to collect (and in some cases exchange) initial margin with a Fund. Both initial and variation margin may be comprised of cash and/or securities, subject to applicable regulatory haircuts and other restrictions. Shares of investment companies (other than cer tain money market funds) may not be posted as collateral under applicable regulations.
The CFTC, cer tain foreign regulators, and many futures exchanges have established (and continue to evaluate and monitor) speculative position limits (“position limits”) on the maximum speculative position which any person, or group of persons acting in concer t, may hold or control in par ticular contracts. In addition, U.S. federal position limits apply to swaps that are economically equivalent to futures contracts on cer tain agricultural, metals and energy commodities. All positions owned or controlled by the same person or entity, even if in different accounts, must be aggregated for purposes of complying with the speculative limits. Thus, even if a Fund does not intend to exceed applicable position limits, it is possible that different clients managed by the Manager and its affiliates may be aggregated for this purpose. Therefore, the trading decisions of the Manager may have to be modified and positions held by a Fund liquidated in order to avoid exceeding such limits. The modification of investment decisions or the
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elimination of open positions, if it occurs, may adversely affect the profitability of a Fund. A violation of position limits could also lead to regulatory action materially adverse to a Fund’s investment strategy. A Fund may also be affected by other regimes, including those of the European Union and United Kingdom, and trading venues that impose position limits on commodity derivative contracts.
Additional Regulation of Derivatives. Regulatory bodies outside the U.S. have also passed, proposed, or may propose in the future, legislation similar to Dodd-Frank or other legislation that could increase the costs of par ticipating in, or otherwise adversely impact the liquidity of, par ticipating in the commodities markets. For example, the European Market Infrastructure Regulation (Regulation (EU) No 648/2012) (“EMIR”) introduced cer tain requirements in respect of OTC derivatives including: (i) the mandatory clearing of OTC derivative contracts declared subject to the clearing obligation; (ii) risk mitigation techniques in respect of uncleared OTC derivative contracts, including the mandatory margining of uncleared OTC derivative contracts; and (iii) repor ting and recordkeeping requirements in respect of all derivatives contracts. By way of fur ther example, the European Union Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (Directive 2014/65/EU) and Markets in Financial Instruments Regulation (Regulation (EU) No 600/2014) (together “MiFID II”), which have applied since January 3, 2018, govern the provision of investment services and activities in relation to, as well as the organized trading of, financial instruments such as shares, bonds, units in collective investment schemes and derivatives. In par ticular, MiFID II requires European Union Member States to apply position limits to the size of a net position a person can hold at any time in commodity derivatives traded on European Union trading venues and in “economically equivalent” OTC contracts. If the requirements of EMIR and MiFID II apply, the cost of derivatives transactions is expected to increase.
In addition, regulations adopted by global prudential regulators that are now in effect require cer tain prudentially regulated entities and cer tain of their affiliates and subsidiaries (including swap dealers) to include in their derivatives contracts and cer tain other financial contracts, terms that delay or restrict the rights of counterpar ties (such as the Funds) to terminate such contracts, foreclose upon collateral, exercise other default rights or restrict transfers of credit suppor t in the event that the prudentially regulated entity and/or its affiliates are subject to cer tain types of resolution or insolvency proceedings. Similar regulations and laws have been adopted in non-U.S. jurisdictions that may apply to a Fund’s counterpar ties located in those jurisdictions. In par ticular, in the United Kingdom and the European Union, governmental authorities could reduce, eliminate or conver t to equity the liabilities to a Fund of a counterpar ty experiencing financial difficulties (sometimes referred to as a “bail in”). It is possible that these requirements, as well as potential additional related government regulation, could adversely affect a Fund’s ability to terminate existing derivatives contracts, exercise default rights or satisfy obligations owed to it with collateral received under such contracts.
Risk Factors in Derivatives.
There are significant risks that apply generally to derivatives transactions, including:
Correlation Risk — the risk that changes in the value of a derivative will not match the changes in the value of the por tfolio holdings that are being hedged or of the par ticular market or security to which the Fund seeks exposure. There are a number of factors which may prevent a derivative instrument from achieving the desired correlation (or inverse correlation) with an underlying asset, rate or index, such as the impact of fees, expenses and transaction costs, the timing of pricing, and disruptions or illiquidity in the markets for such derivative instrument.
Counterpar ty Risk — the risk that a derivatives transaction counterpar ty will be unable or unwilling to make payments or otherwise honor its obligations to a Fund and the related risks of having concentrated exposure to such a counterpar ty. In par ticular, derivatives traded in OTC markets often are not guaranteed by an exchange or clearing corporation and often do not require payment of margin, and to the extent that the Fund has unrealized gains in such instruments or has deposited collateral with its counterpar ties the Fund is at risk that its counterpar ties will become bankrupt or otherwise fail to honor their obligations. A Fund will typically attempt to minimize counterpar ty risk by engaging in OTC derivatives transactions only with creditwor thy entities that have substantial capital or that have provided the Fund with a third-par ty guaranty or other credit suppor t. When a Fund enters into a derivatives transaction that is centrally cleared (whether mandatorily or voluntarily), the Fund is subject to the credit risk of the clearing house and the clearing member through which it holds its cleared position. Credit risk of market par ticipants with respect to derivatives that are centrally cleared is concentrated in a few clearing houses and increasingly fewer clearing members. It is not clear how an insolvency proceeding of a clearing house would be conducted and what impact an insolvency of a clearing house would have on the financial system. Also, a Fund will not be fully protected in the event of the bankruptcy of a Fund’s clearing member because the Fund would be limited to recovering only a pro rata share of the funds held by the clearing member on behalf of customers by account class for cleared derivatives. Although a clearing member is required to segregate assets from customers with respect to cleared derivatives positions from the clearing member’s proprietary assets, if a clearing member does not comply with the
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applicable regulations, or in the event of fraud or misappropriation of customer assets by a clearing member, a Fund could have only an unsecured creditor claim in an insolvency of the clearing member with respect to the assets held by the clearing member.
Credit Risk — the risk that the reference entity in a credit default swap or similar derivative will not be able to honor its financial obligations.
Currency Risk — the risk that changes in the exchange rate between two currencies will adversely affect the value (in U.S. dollar terms) of a derivative.
Illiquidity Risk — the risk that cer tain securities or instruments may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time or at the price desired by a Fund in connection with payments of margin, collateral, or settlement payments. There can be no assurance that a Fund will be able to unwind or offset a derivative at its desired price, in a secondary market or otherwise. It may, therefore, not be possible for the Fund to unwind its position in a derivative without incurring substantial losses (if at all). Cer tain OTC derivatives, including swaps and OTC options, involve substantial illiquidity risk. Illiquidity may also make it more difficult for a Fund to ascer tain a market value for such derivatives. A Fund will, therefore, acquire illiquid OTC derivatives (i) if the agreement pursuant to which the instrument is purchased contains a formula price at which the instrument may be terminated or sold, or (ii) for which the Manager anticipates the Fund can receive on each business day at least two independent bids or offers, unless a quotation from only one dealer is available, in which case that dealer’s quotation may be used. The illiquidity of the derivatives markets may be due to various factors, including congestion, disorderly markets, limitations on deliverable supplies, the par ticipation of speculators, government regulation and intervention, and technical and operational or system failures. In addition, the liquidity of a market in an exchange-traded derivative contract may be adversely affected by “daily price fluctuation limits” established by the exchanges which limit the amount of fluctuation in an exchange traded contract price during a single trading day. Once the daily limit has been reached in the contract, no trades may be entered into at a price beyond the limit, thus preventing the liquidation of open positions. Prices have in the past moved to the daily limit on a number of consecutive trading days with little to no trading. If it is not possible to close an open derivative position entered into by the Fund, the Fund would continue to be required to make daily cash payments of variation margin in the event of adverse price movements. In such a situation, if the Fund has insufficient cash, it may have to sell por tfolio securities to meet daily variation margin requirements at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so.
Index Risk — if the derivative is linked to the per formance of an index, it will be subject to the risks associated with changes in that index. If the index changes, the Fund could receive lower interest payments or experience a reduction in the value of the derivative to below the price that the Fund paid for such derivative.
Legal Risk — the risk of insufficient documentation, insufficient capacity or authority of counterpar ty, or legality or enforceability of a contract.
Leverage Risk — the risk that a Fund’s derivatives transactions can magnify the Fund’s gains and losses. Relatively small market movements may result in large changes in the value of a derivatives position and can result in losses that greatly exceed the amount originally invested.
Market Risk — the risk that changes in the value of one or more markets or changes with respect to the value of the underlying asset will adversely affect the value of a derivative. In the event of an adverse movement, a Fund may be required to pay substantial additional margin to maintain its position or the Fund’s returns may be adversely affected.
Operational Risk — the risk related to potential operational issues, including documentation issues, settlement issues, systems failures, inadequate controls and human error.
Valuation Risk — the risk that valuation sources for a derivative will not be readily available in the market. This is possible especially in times of market distress, since many market par ticipants may be reluctant to purchase complex instruments or quote prices for them.
Volatility Risk — the risk that the value of derivatives will fluctuate significantly within a shor t time period.
Types of Derivatives Transactions.
A Fund may enter into derivatives transactions in accordance with its investment guidelines and restrictions, including the following:
Futures.
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A Fund may enter into futures contracts (“futures”) and options on futures contracts. Futures are standardized, exchange-traded contracts that require a purchaser to take delivery, and a seller to make delivery, of a specified amount of an asset at a specified future date and price. Upon purchasing or selling a futures contract, a Fund is required to deposit initial margin equal to a percentage of the contract value. Futures contracts are marked to market daily for the duration of the contract, and the Fund will either post additional margin or be entitled to a payment, as applicable, based on the mark-to-market movement of the contract.
A Fund may sell a futures contract prior to the completion of its term to limit its risk of loss from a decline in the market value of por tfolio holdings correlated with the futures contract. However, in the event the market value of the por tfolio holdings correlated with the futures contract increases rather than decreases, a Fund will realize a loss on the futures position and a lower return on the por tfolio holdings than would have been realized without the purchase of the futures contract.
The purchase of a futures contract may provide a Fund a lower cost alternative to purchasing securities or commodities directly. In the event that such securities or commodities decline in value or a Fund determines not to complete an anticipatory hedge transaction relating to a futures contract, however, the Fund may realize a loss relating to the futures position.
Futures contracts are also subject to position limits. In order to comply with position limits, a Fund may be required to liquidate positions or may not be able to fully implement trading instructions. Any such liquidation or limited implementation could result in substantial costs to a Fund. See “—Regulation of Derivatives — Dodd-Frank Regulations” above.
A Fund is also permitted to purchase or sell call and put options on futures contracts, including financial futures and stock indices. Generally, these strategies would be used under the same market and market sector conditions ( i.e. , conditions relating to specific types of investments) in which the Fund entered into futures transactions. A Fund may purchase put options or write call options on futures contracts and stock indices in lieu of selling the underlying futures contract in anticipation of a decrease in the market value of its securities. Similarly, a Fund can purchase call options, or write put options on futures contracts and stock indices, as a substitute for the purchase of such futures contracts to hedge against the increased cost resulting from an increase in the market value of securities which the Fund intends to purchase.
To maintain greater flexibility, a Fund may invest in instruments which have characteristics similar to futures contracts. These instruments may take a variety of forms, such as debt securities with interest or principal payments determined by reference to the value of a security, an index of securities or a commodity at a future point in time. The risks of such investments could reflect the risks of investing in futures and securities, including volatility and illiquidity.
Futures contracts and options on futures contracts are subject to significant correlation risk, leverage risk, illiquidity risk, market risk and counterpar ty risk with respect to a Fund’s futures broker or the clearinghouse. See “—Risk Factors in Derivatives” above.
Cer tain Funds may invest in futures based on carbon “allowances.” Under cer tain regulatory regimes, a limit is set by a regulator, such as a government entity, on the total amount of specific greenhouse gases, such as CO2, that can be emitted by regulated entities, such as manufacturers or energy producers. The regulator then may issue or sell individual “emission allowances” to regulated entities, which can then be traded on the open market. Commodity futures contracts linked to the value of emission allowances are known as “carbon futures.”
The price for carbon futures contracts is based on a number of factors, including the supply of and the demand for carbon futures contracts. Changes in law, market conditions and expectations, position limits, collateral requirements, and other factors each can impact the supply of and demand for carbon futures contracts. The market for carbon futures contracts is still developing and may be subject to periods of illiquidity. During such times it may be difficult or impossible to buy or sell a position at the desired price. Market disruptions or volatility can also make it difficult to find a counterpar ty willing to transact at a reasonable price and sufficient size.
Swap Agreements.
A Fund may enter into swap agreements for hedging purposes or speculative purposes. Swap agreements are OTC contracts entered into primarily by financial institutions and institutional investors which may or may not be cleared by a central clearinghouse. In a standard “swap” transaction, two par ties agree to exchange the returns earned or realized from one or more underlying assets or rates of return, which may be adjusted for an interest factor. The gross returns to be exchanged or “swapped” between the par ties are generally calculated with respect to a “notional amount,” e.g. , the return or increase in value of a par ticular dollar amount invested at a par ticular
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interest rate, in a par ticular foreign currency, or in a “basket” of securities representing a par ticular index. The notional amount of the swap agreement is only used to calculate the obligations that the par ties to a swap agreement have agreed to exchange. A Fund’s obligations (or rights) under a swap agreement will generally be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the positions held by each par ty to the agreement. Swaps that are not cleared involve substantial counterpar ty risk. A Fund will typically attempt to mitigate this counterpar ty risk by entering into swap agreements only with creditwor thy entities that have substantial capital or that have provided the Fund with a third-par ty guaranty or other credit suppor t. A Fund’s ability to use swap agreements may be restricted by the tax rules applicable to registered investment companies.
Credit Default Swaps and Similar Instruments. Cer tain Funds may enter into credit default swaps and similar instruments. Credit default swaps are standardized agreements in which the protection “buyer” pays the protection “seller” an up-front payment, or a periodic stream of payments, over the term of the contract, provided generally that no credit event on a reference obligation has occurred. If a credit event occurs, the seller generally must pay the buyer the difference between the notional amount of the contract and the value of a por tfolio of securities issued by the reference entity. A Fund may be either the buyer or seller in the transaction. The Funds may enter into credit default swaps that reference the obligations of a single entity (“single-name CDS”) or the obligations of entities that make up an index (“index CDS”). References to “credit default swaps” shall collectively refer to single-name CDS and index CDS.
Credit default swaps have as reference obligations one or more securities or loans that are not currently held by a Fund. In circumstances in which a Fund does not own the securities or loans that are deliverable under a credit default swap, the Fund is exposed to the risk that deliverable securities will not be available in the market, or will be available only at unfavorable prices, as would be the case in a so-called “shor t squeeze.” In cer tain instances of issuer defaults or restructurings, it has been unclear under the standard industry documentation for credit default swaps whether or not a “credit event” triggering the seller’s payment obligation had occurred. Cer tain initiatives adopted by derivatives market par ticipants, including the International Swaps and Derivatives Association (“ISDA”), are designed to implement uniform settlement terms into standard credit default swap documentation, as well as refine the practices for the transparent conduct of the credit default swap market generally. Among these initiatives are the ISDA Credit Derivatives Determination Committee and the implementation of market-wide cash settlement protocols applicable to all market-standard credit default swaps. These initiatives are intended to reduce both the uncer tainty as to the occurrence of credit events and the risk of a “shor t squeeze” by providing that the ISDA Credit Derivatives Determinations Committee will make determinations as to whether a credit event has occurred, establish an auction to determine a settlement price and identify the deliverable securities for purposes of the auction, although the ISDA Credit Derivatives Determinations Committee may in cer tain limited circumstances refrain from doing so. In the event the ISDA Credit Derivatives Determinations Committee cannot reach a timely resolution with respect to a “credit event” or otherwise does not establish a cash settlement auction, a Fund may not be able to realize the full value of the credit default swap upon a default by the reference entity. Fur thermore, a Fund may enter into cer tain credit default swaps or similar instruments that may not be covered by these initiatives.
If a Fund is a buyer, it will lose the payments made under the terms of the credit default swap and recover nothing should no credit event occur. If a Fund is a seller and a credit event occurs, the value of any deliverable obligation received by the Fund or the amount of cash settlement received by the Fund pursuant to the relevant cash settlement auction, together with the up-front or periodic payments previously received, may be less than the amount it pays to the buyer, resulting in a loss of value to the Fund. A Fund that sells credit default swaps incurs leveraged exposure to the credit of one or more reference entities and is subject to many of the same risks it would incur if it were holding debt securities issued by the relevant reference entity. However, a Fund will not have any legal recourse against any reference entity and will not benefit from any collateral securing the reference entity’s debt obligations. In the event the ISDA Credit Derivatives Determinations Committee does not establish a cash settlement auction and identify the relevant deliverable securities or loans, the credit default swap buyer will have broad discretion to select which of the reference entity’s debt obligations to deliver to the Fund following a credit event and will likely choose the obligations with the lowest market value in order to maximize the payment obligations of the Fund. In addition, credit default swaps generally trade on the basis of theoretical pricing and valuation models, which may not accurately value such swap positions when established or when subsequently traded or unwound under actual market conditions.
Dodd-Frank requires that cer tain index CDS be executed in regulated markets and submitted for clearing to regulated clearinghouses. See “—Derivatives — Regulation of Derivatives — Dodd-Frank Regulations” above. Other single-name CDS and index CDS are permitted, although not required, to be cleared through regulated clearinghouses. The Funds clear all credit default swaps that are subject to mandatory clearing and may voluntarily clear some, but not all, of the other credit default swaps not subject to mandatory clearing. The Funds face
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counterpar ty risk with respect to the clearinghouse when entering into cleared single-name CDS and cleared index CDS. The Funds face significant counterpar ty risk with respect to their counterpar ties to non-cleared credit default swaps and similar instruments. A Fund typically will enter into non-cleared credit default swaps and similar instruments with swap dealers and creditwor thy entities that have substantial capital or that have provided the Fund with a third-par ty guaranty or other credit suppor t.
In cer tain instances, a Fund may enter into bespoke credit default swaps or similar instruments either as protection buyer or protection seller. While these contracts are similar in their operation to the market-standard credit default swaps described above, they are less standardized and instead have bespoke or tailored features. For example, as compared to market-standard credit defaults, the range of “credit events” triggering settlement of such bespoke contracts may be narrower or broader, any such triggered contracts are settled by physical delivery of the underlying security or loan to or by the Fund rather than by way of cash settlement, and there may be a wider range of securities as the reference obligations and/or deliverable obligations.
In addition, credit default swaps and similar instruments generally involve greater risks than if a Fund had invested in the reference obligation directly and are subject to significant credit risk, correlation risk, leverage risk, illiquidity risk and market risk. See “—Risk Factors in Derivatives” above.
Interest Rate Swaps, Floors and Caps. Cer tain Funds may enter into OTC derivatives in the form of interest rate swaps and interest rate caps and floors. As described in fur ther detail below, a Fund may enter into these transactions primarily to preserve a return or spread on a par ticular investment or por tion of its holdings, as a duration management technique, to protect against an increase in the price of securities a Fund anticipates purchasing at a later date, or for speculation to increase returns.
Dodd-Frank requires that cer tain interest rate swaps be executed in regulated markets and submitted for clearing to regulated clearinghouses. See “—Regulation of Derivatives — Dodd-Frank Regulations” above. Other interest rate swaps are permitted, although not required, to be cleared. Most of the interest rate swaps entered into by the Funds are cleared. The Funds face counterpar ty risk with respect to the clearinghouse when entering into cleared interest rate swaps.
The Funds face significant counterpar ty risk with respect to their counterpar ties to non-cleared interest rate swaps and interest rate caps and floors. The typical counterpar ties for a Fund’s non-cleared interest rate derivatives transactions are swap dealers and other creditwor thy entities that have substantial capital or that have provided the Fund with a third-par ty guaranty or other credit suppor t. If the Fund’s counterpar ty defaults on such a transaction, a Fund will have contractual remedies with respect to the transaction but there can be no guarantee that the Fund will be successful in enforcing such remedies. The market for interest rate swaps is relatively liquid in comparison with other similar instruments traded in the interbank market. A Fund may be limited in its ability to enter into cer tain interest rate derivatives due to applicable income tax requirements.
Interest rate swaps are transactions in which each par ty makes periodic interest payments based on a fixed or variable interest rate, index or asset in return for periodic payments from its counterpar ty based on a different fixed or variable interest rate, index or asset.
The purchase of an interest rate floor entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a specified index falls below a predetermined interest rate, to receive payments of interest on a notional principal amount from the par ty selling such interest rate floor.
The purchase of an interest rate cap entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a specified index rises above a predetermined interest rate, to receive payments of interest on a notional principal amount from the par ty selling such interest rate cap.
A Fund may enter into an interest rate swap to effectively exchange with another par ty their respective commitments to pay or receive interest, e.g. , an exchange of fixed rate payments for floating rate payments. For example, if a Fund holds a mor tgage-backed security with an interest rate that is reset only once each year, it may swap the right to receive interest at this fixed rate for the right to receive interest at a rate that is reset every week. This would enable a Fund to offset a decline in the value of the mor tgage-backed security due to rising interest rates but would also limit its ability to benefit from falling interest rates. Conversely, if a Fund holds a mor tgage-backed security with an interest rate that is reset every week and it would like to lock in what it believes to be a high interest rate for one year, it may swap the right to receive interest at this variable weekly rate for the right to receive interest at a rate that is fixed for one year. Such a swap would protect the Fund from a reduction in yield due to falling interest rates and may permit the Fund to enhance its income through the positive differential between one week and one year interest rates, but would preclude it from taking full advantage of rising interest rates.
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Gains from transactions in interest rate swaps distributed to shareholders will be taxable as ordinary income or, in cer tain circumstances, as long term capital gains to shareholders.
Interest rate swaps and interest rate caps and floors may be subject to correlation risk, leverage risk, illiquidity risk and market risk. See “—Risk Factors in Derivatives” above.
Total Return Swaps. Total return swaps are contracts in which one par ty agrees to make periodic payments to the other par ty based on the return of the assets underlying the contract in exchange for periodic payments based on a fixed or variable interest rate or the total return from different underlying assets. The return of the assets underlying the contract includes both the income generated by the asset and the change in market value of the asset. The asset underlying the contract may include a specified security, basket of securities or securities indices. Total return swaps on a specified security, basket of securities or securities indices may sometimes be referred to as “contracts for difference.”
Total return swaps may be used to obtain exposure to a security or market without owning or taking physical custody of such security or investing directly in such market. Upon entering into a total return swap, a Fund is required to deposit initial margin but the par ties do not exchange the notional amount. As a result, total return swaps may effectively add leverage to the Fund’s por tfolio because the Fund would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap.
Total return swaps are subject to significant correlation risk, leverage risk, illiquidity risk, market risk and counterpar ty risk. See “—Risk Factors in Derivatives” above.
Options.
Options on Securities and Securities Indices. A Fund may engage in transactions in options on individual securities, baskets of securities or securities indices, or par ticular measurements of value or rates, such as an index of the price of treasury securities or an index representative of shor t-term interest rates. Such investments may be made on exchanges and in the OTC markets. In general, exchange-traded options have standardized exercise prices and expiration dates and require the par ties to post margin against their obligations, and the per formance of the par ties’ obligations in connection with such options is guaranteed by the exchange or a related clearing corporation. OTC options have more flexible terms negotiated between the buyer and the seller, but are subject to greater credit risk. OTC options also involve greater illiquidity risk.
A Fund may also engage in transactions in options which have additional features that result in different payment structures and/or expirations (commonly referred to as exotic options). For example, barrier options are exotic options that can only be exercised (or automatically expire) if the price of the underlying asset reaches one or more predetermined levels on or before expiration. Binary options are another example of exotic options which have a fixed all-or-nothing payout if one or more predetermined conditions are met. Exotic options are typically traded in OTC markets.
There are several risks associated with transactions in options on securities and indexes. For example, there are significant differences between the securities and options markets that could result in an imper fect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objectives. In addition, a liquid market for par ticular options, whether traded OTC or on a national securities exchange (“Exchange”) may be absent for reasons which include the following: there may be insufficient trading interest in cer tain options; restrictions may be imposed by an Exchange on opening transactions or closing transactions or both; trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions may be imposed with respect to par ticular classes or series of options or underlying securities; unusual or unforeseen circumstances may interrupt normal operations on an Exchange; the facilities of an Exchange or the Options Clearing Corporation may not at all times be adequate to handle current trading volume; or one or more Exchanges could, for economic or other reasons, decide or be compelled at some future date to discontinue the trading of options (or a par ticular class or series of options), in which event the market on that Exchange (or in that class or series of options) would cease to exist, although outstanding options that had been issued by the Options Clearing Corporation as a result of trades on that Exchange would continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms.
Each of the options exchanges has established limitations governing the maximum number of call or put options on the same asset that may be bought or written by a single investor, whether acting alone or in concer t with others (regardless of whether such options are written on the same or different exchanges or are held or written on one or more accounts or through one or more brokers). Under these limitations, option positions of all investment companies advised by the Manager are combined for purposes of these limits. Pursuant to these limitations, an
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exchange may order the liquidation of positions and may impose other sanctions or restrictions. These position limits may restrict the number of listed options that a Fund may buy or sell.
Call Options. A Fund may purchase call options on any of the types of securities or instruments in which it may invest. A purchased call option gives a Fund the right to buy, and obligates the seller to sell, the underlying security at the exercise price at any time during the option period. A Fund also may purchase and sell call options on indices. Index options are similar to options on securities except that, rather than taking or making delivery of securities underlying the option at a specified price upon exercise, an index option gives the holder the right to receive cash upon exercise of the option if the level of the index upon which the option is based is greater than the exercise price of the option.
A written call option is covered if a Fund holds a call on the same security or index as the call written where the exercise price of the call held is (i) equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written, or (ii) greater than the exercise price of the call written provided the difference is maintained by the Fund in assets which are not considered illiquid investments under the Funds’ Liquidity Program (as defined below) (“liquid assets”) designated on the Manager’s or the sub-adviser’s books and records to the extent required by Commission guidelines.
A Fund may write ( i.e. , sell) covered call options on the securities or instruments in which it may invest and to enter into closing purchase transactions with respect to cer tain of such options. A covered call option is an option in which a Fund, in return for a premium, gives another par ty a right to buy specified securities owned by the Fund at a specified future date and price set at the time of the contract. The principal reason for writing call options is the attempt to realize, through the receipt of premiums, a greater return than would be realized on the securities alone. By writing covered call options, a Fund gives up the oppor tunity, while the option is in effect, to profit from any price increase in the underlying security above the option exercise price. In addition, a Fund’s ability to sell the underlying security will be limited while the option is in effect unless the Fund enters into a closing purchase transaction. A closing purchase transaction cancels out a Fund’s position as the writer of an option by means of an offsetting purchase of an identical option prior to the expiration of the option it has written. Covered call options also serve as a par tial hedge to the extent of the premium received against the price of the underlying security declining.
A Fund may write (i.e. , sell) uncovered call options on securities or instruments in which it may invest but that are not currently held by the Fund. The principal reason for writing uncovered call options is to realize income without committing capital to the ownership of the underlying securities or instruments. When writing uncovered call options, a Fund must deposit and maintain sufficient margin with the broker-dealer through which it made the uncovered call option as collateral to ensure that the securities can be purchased for delivery if and when the option is exercised. During periods of declining securities prices or when prices are stable, writing uncovered calls can be a profitable strategy to increase a Fund’s income with minimal capital risk. Uncovered calls are riskier than covered calls because there is no underlying security held by a Fund that can act as a par tial hedge. Uncovered calls have speculative characteristics and the potential for loss is unlimited. When an uncovered call is exercised, a Fund must purchase the underlying security to meet its call obligation. There is also a risk, especially with preferred and debt securities that lack sufficient liquidity, that the securities may not be available for purchase. If the purchase price exceeds the exercise price, a Fund will lose the difference.
Put Options. A Fund may purchase put options to seek to hedge against a decline in the value of its securities or to enhance its return. By buying a put option, a Fund acquires a right to sell the underlying securities or instruments at the exercise price, thus limiting the Fund’s risk of loss through a decline in the market value of the securities or instruments until the put option expires. The amount of any appreciation in the value of the underlying securities or instruments will be par tially offset by the amount of the premium paid for the put option and any related transaction costs. Prior to its expiration, a put option may be sold in a closing sale transaction and profit or loss from the sale will depend on whether the amount received is more or less than the premium paid for the put option plus the related transaction costs. A closing sale transaction cancels out a Fund’s position as the purchaser of an option by means of an offsetting sale of an identical option prior to the expiration of the option it has purchased. A Fund also may purchase uncovered put options.
A Fund also may write ( i.e. , sell) put options on the types of securities or instruments that may be held by the Fund. A Fund will receive a premium for writing a put option, which increases the Fund’s return.
A Fund also may write ( i.e. , sell) uncovered put options on securities or instruments in which it may invest but with respect to which the Fund does not currently have a corresponding shor t position or has not deposited as collateral cash equal to the exercise value of the put option with the broker-dealer through which it made the uncovered put option. The principal reason for writing uncovered put options is to receive premium income and to acquire such securities or instruments at a net cost below the current market value. A Fund has the obligation to buy
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the securities or instruments at an agreed upon price if the price of the securities or instruments decreases below the exercise price. If the price of the securities or instruments increases during the option period, the option will expire wor thless and a Fund will retain the premium and will not have to purchase the securities or instruments at the exercise price.
Options on Government National Mor tgage Association (“GNMA”) Cer tificates. The following information relates to the unique characteristics of options on GNMA Cer tificates. Since the remaining principal balance of GNMA Cer tificates declines each month as a result of mor tgage payments, a Fund, as a writer of a GNMA call holding GNMA Cer tificates as “cover” to satisfy its delivery obligation in the event of exercise, may find that the GNMA Cer tificates it holds no longer have a sufficient remaining principal balance for this purpose. Should this occur, a Fund will purchase additional GNMA Cer tificates from the same pool (if obtainable) or other GNMA Cer tificates in the cash market in order to maintain its “cover.”
A GNMA Cer tificate held by a Fund to cover an option position in any but the nearest expiration month may cease to represent cover for the option in the event of a decline in the GNMA coupon rate at which new pools are originated under the FHA/VA loan ceiling in effect at any given time. If this should occur, a Fund will no longer be covered, and the Fund will either enter into a closing purchase transaction or replace such Cer tificate with a cer tificate that represents cover. When a Fund closes its position or replaces such Cer tificate, it may realize an unanticipated loss and incur transaction costs.
Options on Swaps (“Swaptions”). A swaption gives a counterpar ty the option (but not the obligation) to enter into a new swap agreement or to shor ten, extend, cancel or otherwise modify an existing swap agreement, at a designated future time on specified terms. A Fund may write ( i.e. , sell) and purchase put and call swaptions. Depending on the terms of the par ticular option agreement, a Fund will generally incur a greater degree of risk when it writes a swaption than it will incur when it purchases a swaption. When a Fund purchases a swaption, it risks losing only the amount of the premium it has paid should it decide to let the option expire unexercised. However, when a Fund writes a swaption, upon exercise of the option the Fund will become obligated according to the terms of the underlying agreement and the potential for loss may be unlimited. Cer tain swaptions are permitted, although not required, to be cleared.
A Fund will likely enter into these transactions to preserve a return or spread on a par ticular investment or por tion of its por tfolio or to protect against any increase in the price of securities the Fund anticipates purchasing at a later date. A Fund generally will use these transactions for hedging purposes, not for speculation.
Swaptions may be subject to correlation risk, leverage risk, illiquidity risk and market risk. See “—Risk Factors in Derivatives” above.
FLEX Options. FLEX Options are customized option contracts available through national securities exchanges that are guaranteed for settlement by the Options Clearing Corporation (“OCC”). FLEX Options are listed on a U.S. national securities exchange. FLEX Options provide investors with the ability to customize assets referenced by the options, exercise prices, exercise styles ( i.e. , American-style, exercisable any time prior to the expiration date, or European style, exercisable only on the option expiration date) and expiration dates, while achieving price discovery in competitive, transparent auctions markets and avoiding the counterpar ty exposure of OTC options positions. Each option contract entitles the holder thereof to purchase (for the call options) or sell (for the put options) shares of the reference asset at the strike price. A Fund’s por tfolio may include several types of FLEX Options, including both purchased and written put and call options (as fur ther described below). The FLEX Options are all European style options, which means that they are exercisable at a predetermined specified price (the “strike price”) only on the FLEX Option’s expiration date.
The OCC guarantees per formance by each of the counterpar ties to the FLEX Options, becoming the “buyer for every seller and the seller for every buyer”, reducing counterpar ty risk for clearing members and options traders. Although guaranteed for settlement by the OCC, FLEX Options are still subject to counterpar ty risk with the OCC and subject to the risk that the OCC may fail to per form the settlement of the FLEX Options due to bankruptcy or other adverse reasons. A Fund bears the risk that the OCC will be unable or unwilling to per form its obligations under the FLEX Options contracts.
Subject to determination by the Securities Committee of the OCC, adjustments may be made to the FLEX Options for cer tain events (collectively, “Corporate Actions”) specified in the OCC’s by-laws and rules: cer tain stock dividends or distributions, stock splits, reverse stock splits, rights offerings, distributions, reorganizations, recapitalizations, or reclassifications with respect to an underlying security, or a merger, consolidation, dissolution or liquidation of the issuer of the underlying security. According to the OCC’s by-laws, the nature and extent of any such adjustment is to be determined by the OCC’s Securities Committee, in light of the circumstances known to it at the
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time such determination is made, based on its judgment as to what is appropriate for the protection of investors and the public interest, taking into account such factors as fairness to holders and writers (or purchasers and sellers) of the affected options, the maintenance of a fair and orderly market in the affected options, consistency of
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"text": "Supplement dated October 16, 2026"
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"text": "to the Statement of Additional Information (\u201cSAI\u201d) of each of the funds listed"
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"text": "in Appendix A (each, a \u201cFund\u201d), as amended from time to time."
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"text": "The list in the section entitled \u201cPurchase of Shares - Additional Payments by BlackRock - D. Service"
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