Blackrock Funds

08/30/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/30/2024 14:58

Summary Prospectus by Investment Company - Form 497K

BlackRock Tactical Opportunities Fund - K
AUGUST 28, 2024
Summary Prospectus
BlackRock FundsSM|Class K Shares
BlackRock Tactical Opportunities Fund
Class K: PBAKX
Before you invest, you may want to review the Fund's prospectus, which contains more information about the Fund and its risks. You can find the Fund's prospectus (including amendments and supplements), reports to shareholders and other information about the Fund, including the Fund's statement of additional information, online at https://www.blackrock.com/prospectus. You can also get this information at no cost by calling (800) 537-4942 or by sending an e-mail request to [email protected], or from your financial professional. The Fund's prospectus and statement of additional information, both dated August 28, 2024, as amended and supplemented from time to time, are incorporated by reference into (legally made a part of) this Summary Prospectus.
This Summary Prospectus contains information you should know before investing, including information about risks. Please read it before you invest and keep it for future reference.
The Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission have not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this Summary Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Not FDIC Insured ● May Lose Value ● No Bank Guarantee
Summary Prospectus
Key Facts About BlackRock Tactical Opportunities Fund
Investment Objective
The investment objective of BlackRock Tactical Opportunities Fund (the "Fund"), a series of BlackRock FundsSM (the "Trust"), is to seek total return.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell Class K Shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to your financial professional or your selected securities dealer, broker, investment adviser, service provider or industry professional (including BlackRock Advisors, LLC ("BlackRock") and its affiliates) (each, a "Financial Intermediary"), which are not reflected in the table and example below.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a
percentage of the value of your investment)
Class K
Shares
Management Fee1
0.53%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees
None
Other Expenses
0.15%
Miscellaneous Other Expenses
0.14%
Interest Expense
0.01%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses2
0.01%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2
0.69%
Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements1,3
-
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements1,3
0.69%
1
As described in the "Management of the Fund" section of the Fund's prospectus beginning on page 46, BlackRock has contractually agreed to waive the management fee with respect to any portion of the Fund's assets estimated to be attributable to investments in other equity and fixed-income mutual funds and exchange-traded funds ("ETFs") managed by BlackRock or its affiliates that have a contractual management fee, through June 30, 2026. In addition, BlackRock has contractually agreed to waive its management fees by the amount of investment advisory fees the Fund pays to BlackRock indirectly through its investment in money market funds managed by BlackRock or its affiliates, through June 30, 2026. The contractual agreements may be terminated upon 90 days' notice by a majority of the non-interested trustees of the Trust or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.
2
The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses does not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets given in the Fund's most recent annual report, which does not include Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses.
3
As described in the "Management of the Fund" section of the Fund's prospectus beginning on page 46, BlackRock has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse fees or expenses in order to limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements (excluding Dividend Expense, Interest Expense, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and certain other Fund expenses) as a percentage of average daily net assets to 0.84% of average daily net assets through June 30, 2026. The contractual agreement may be terminated upon 90 days' notice by a majority of the non-interested trustees of the Trust or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.
Example:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
Class K Shares
$70
$221
$384
$859
Portfolio Turnover:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the
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Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 146% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund
The Fund uses a macro asset allocation strategy, investing varying percentages of its portfolio in global stocks, bonds, money market instruments, foreign currencies and cash. The Fund has wide flexibility in the relative weightings given to each category. The Fund takes both long and short positions within and across each category, which the Fund expects to result in a lower correlation to the equity or fixed-income markets than if the Fund invested in either such market in its entirety.
In selecting investments, the Fund management team will identify global macro opportunities and position the Fund using a combination of individual securities and derivatives.
The Fund uses a combination of a systematic (i.e. rule-based) investment process and a discretionary investment process to allocate assets. The systematic process compares data across similar assets to rank expected return opportunities and to appropriately scale the Fund's exposure. The discretionary process derives investment themes based on research and analysis of macro-economic data and seeks exposures to these themes.
With respect to its equity investments, the Fund may invest in individual equity securities to an unlimited extent. The Fund may invest in common stock, preferred stock, securities convertible into common stock, non-convertible preferred stock and depositary receipts. The Fund may invest in securities of both U.S. and non-U.S. issuers without limit, which can be U.S. dollar-based or non-U.S. dollar-based and may be currency hedged or unhedged. The Fund may invest in securities of companies of any market capitalization.
With respect to its fixed-income investments, the Fund may invest in individual fixed-income securities to an unlimited extent. The Fund may invest in a portfolio of fixed-income securities such as corporate bonds and notes, commercial and residential mortgage-backed securities (bonds that are backed by a mortgage loan or pools of loans secured either by commercial property or residential mortgages, as applicable), collateralized mortgage obligations (bonds that are backed by cash flows from pools of mortgages and may have multiple classes with different payment rights and protections), collateralized debt obligations ("CDOs"), asset-backed securities, convertible securities, debt obligations of governments and their sub-divisions (including those of non-U.S. governments), other floating or variable rate obligations, municipal obligations and zero coupon debt securities. The Fund may also invest a significant portion of its assets in non-investment grade bonds ("junk" bonds or distressed securities), non-investment grade bank loans, foreign bonds (both U.S. dollar- and non-U.S. dollar-denominated) and bonds of emerging market issuers. The Fund may invest in non-U.S. dollar-denominated bonds on a currency hedged or unhedged basis.
With respect to its cash investments, the Fund may hold high quality money market securities, including short term U.S. Government securities, U.S. Government agency securities, securities issued by U.S. Government-sponsored enterprises and U.S. Government instrumentalities, bank obligations, commercial paper, including asset-backed commercial paper, corporate notes and repurchase agreements. The Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in money market funds, including those advised by BlackRock or its affiliates.
The Fund may invest in derivatives, including, but not limited to, interest rate, total return and credit default swaps, options, futures, options on futures and swaps and foreign currency transactions (including swaps), for hedging purposes, as well as to increase the return on its portfolio investments. The Fund may seek to obtain market exposure to the securities in which it primarily invests by entering into a series of purchase and sale contracts or by using other investment techniques (such as reverse repurchase agreements or dollar rolls). The Fund may also use forward foreign currency exchange contracts (obligations to buy or sell a currency at a set rate in the future) to hedge against movement in the value of non-U.S. currencies.
The Fund may also invest in indexed and inverse floating rate securities.
The Fund may invest in U.S. and non-U.S. real estate investment trusts ("REITs"), structured products (including, but not limited to, structured notes, credit linked notes and participation notes, or other instruments evidencing interests in special purpose vehicles, trusts, or other entities that hold or represent interests in fixed-income securities) and floating rate securities (such as bank loans).
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
Risk is inherent in all investing. The value of your investment in the Fund, as well as the amount of return you receive on your investment, may fluctuate significantly from day to day and over time. You may lose part or all of your investment in the Fund or your investment may not perform as well as other similar investments. The following is a
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summary description of the principal risks of investing in the Fund. The relative significance of each risk factor below may change over time and you should review each risk factor carefully.
Derivatives Risk - The Fund's use of derivatives may increase its costs, reduce the Fund's returns and/or increase volatility. Derivatives involve significant risks, including:
Leverage Risk - The Fund's use of derivatives 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 - Some derivatives are more sensitive to interest rate changes and market price fluctuations than other securities. The Fund could also suffer losses related to its derivatives positions as a result of unanticipated market movements, which losses are potentially unlimited. Finally, BlackRock may not be able to predict correctly the direction of securities prices, interest rates and other economic factors, which could cause the Fund's derivatives positions to lose value.
Counterparty Risk - Derivatives are also subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party in the transaction will be unable or unwilling to fulfill its contractual obligation, and the related risks of having concentrated exposure to such a counterparty.
Illiquidity Risk - The possible lack of a liquid secondary market for derivatives and the resulting inability of the Fund to sell or otherwise close a derivatives position could expose the Fund to losses and could make derivatives more difficult for the Fund to value accurately.
Operational Risk - The use of derivatives includes the risk of potential operational issues, including documentation issues, settlement issues, systems failures, inadequate controls and human error.
Legal Risk - The risk of insufficient documentation, insufficient capacity or authority of counterparty, or legality or enforceability of a contract.
Volatility and Correlation Risk - Volatility is defined as the characteristic of a security, an index or a market to fluctuate significantly in price within a short time period. A risk of the Fund's use of derivatives is that the fluctuations in their values may not correlate with the overall securities markets.
Valuation Risk - Valuation for derivatives may not be readily available in the market. Valuation may be more difficult in times of market turmoil since many investors and market makers may be reluctant to purchase complex instruments or quote prices for them.
Hedging Risk - Hedges are sometimes subject to imperfect matching between the derivative and the underlying security, and there can be no assurance that the Fund's hedging transactions will be effective. The use of hedging may result in certain adverse tax consequences.
Tax Risk - Certain aspects of the tax treatment of derivative instruments, including swap agreements and commodity-linked derivative instruments, are currently unclear and may be affected by changes in legislation, regulations or other legally binding authority. Such treatment may be less favorable than that given to a direct investment in an underlying asset and may adversely affect the timing, character and amount of income the Fund realizes from its investments.
Equity Securities Risk - Stock markets are volatile. The price of equity securities fluctuates based on changes in a company's financial condition and overall market and economic conditions.
Debt Securities Risk - Debt securities, such as bonds, involve risks, such as credit risk, interest rate risk, extension risk, and prepayment risk, each of which are described in further detail below:
Credit Risk - Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of a debt security (i.e., the borrower) will not be able to make payments of interest and principal when due. Changes in an issuer's credit rating or the market's perception of an issuer's creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund's investment in that issuer. The degree of credit risk depends on both the financial condition of the issuer and the terms of the obligation.
Interest Rate Risk - The market value of bonds and other fixed-income securities changes in response to interest rate changes and other factors. Interest rate risk is the risk that prices of bonds and other fixed-income securities will increase as interest rates fall and decrease as interest rates rise.
The Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates during a period of historically low interest rates. For example, if interest rates increase by 1%, assuming a current portfolio duration of ten years, and all other factors being equal, the value of the Fund's investments would be expected to decrease by 10%. (Duration is a measure of the price sensitivity of a debt security or portfolio of debt securities to relative changes in interest rates.) The magnitude of these fluctuations in the market price of bonds and other fixed-income securities is generally greater for those securities with longer maturities. Fluctuations in the market price of the Fund's investments will not affect interest income derived from instruments already owned by the Fund, but will be reflected in the Fund's net asset
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value. The Fund may lose money if short-term or long-term interest rates rise sharply in a manner not anticipated by Fund management.
To the extent the Fund invests in debt securities that may be prepaid at the option of the obligor (such as mortgage-backed securities), the sensitivity of such securities to changes in interest rates may increase (to the detriment of the Fund) when interest rates rise. Moreover, because rates on certain floating rate debt securities typically reset only periodically, changes in prevailing interest rates (and particularly sudden and significant changes) can be expected to cause some fluctuations in the net asset value of the Fund to the extent that it invests in floating rate debt securities.
These basic principles of bond prices also apply to U.S. Government securities. A security backed by the "full faith and credit" of the U.S. Government is guaranteed only as to its stated interest rate and face value at maturity, not its current market price. Just like other fixed-income securities, government-guaranteed securities will fluctuate in value when interest rates change.
A general rise in interest rates has the potential to cause investors to move out of fixed-income securities on a large scale, which may increase redemptions from funds that hold large amounts of fixed-income securities. Heavy redemptions could cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times or at a loss or depressed value and could hurt the Fund's performance.
Extension Risk - When interest rates rise, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more slowly than anticipated, causing the value of these obligations to fall.
Prepayment Risk - When interest rates fall, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more quickly than originally anticipated, and the Fund may have to invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields.
Allocation Risk - The Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective depends upon BlackRock's skill in determining the Fund's strategic asset class allocation and in selecting the best mix of underlying funds and direct investments. There is a risk that BlackRock's evaluations and assumptions regarding asset classes or underlying funds may be incorrect in view of actual market conditions.
Collateralized Debt Obligations Risk - In addition to the typical risks associated with fixed-income securities and asset-backed securities, CDOs, including collateralized loan obligations, 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 risk that the collateral may default or decline in value or be downgraded, if rated by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization; (iii) the 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 perform poorly.
Convertible Securities Risk - The market value of a convertible security performs like that of a regular debt security; that is, if market interest rates rise, the value of a convertible security usually falls. In addition, convertible securities are subject to the risk that the issuer will not be able to pay interest, principal or dividends when due, and their market value may change based on changes in the issuer's credit rating or the market's perception of the issuer's creditworthiness. Since it derives a portion of its value from the common stock into which it may be converted, a convertible security is also subject to the same types of market and issuer risks that apply to the underlying common stock, including the potential for increased volatility in the price of the convertible security.
Corporate Loans Risk - Commercial banks and other financial institutions or institutional investors make corporate loans to companies that need capital to grow or restructure. Borrowers generally pay interest on corporate loans at rates that change in response to changes in market interest rates such as the Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR") or the prime rates of U.S. banks. As a result, the value of corporate loan investments is generally less exposed to the adverse effects of shifts in market interest rates than investments that pay a fixed rate of interest. The market for corporate loans may be subject to irregular trading activity and wide bid/ask spreads. In addition, 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 the Fund's redemption obligations. To the extent the extended settlement process gives rise to short-term liquidity needs, the Fund may hold additional cash, sell investments or temporarily borrow from banks and other lenders. The corporate loans in which the Fund invests are usually rated below investment grade.
Counterparty Risk - The counterparty to an over-the-counter derivatives contract or a borrower of the Fund's securities may be unable or unwilling to make timely principal, interest or settlement payments, or otherwise to honor its obligations. Any such failure to honor its obligations may cause significant losses to the Fund.
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Depositary Receipts Risk - Depositary receipts are generally subject to the same risks as the foreign securities that they evidence or into which they may be converted. In addition to investment risks associated with the underlying issuer, depositary receipts expose the 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 parties with whom the depository bank establishes the programs, currency risk and the risk of an illiquid market for depositary receipts. The issuers of unsponsored depositary receipts are not obligated to disclose information that is, in the United States, considered material. Therefore, there may be less information available regarding these issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the depositary receipts. While depositary receipts provide an alternative to directly purchasing underlying foreign securities in their respective markets and currencies, they continue to be subject to many of the risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities, including political, economic, and currency risk.
Distressed Securities Risk - Distressed securities are speculative and involve substantial risks in addition to the risks of investing in junk bonds. The Fund will generally not receive interest payments on the distressed securities and may incur costs to protect its investment. In addition, distressed securities involve the substantial risk that principal will not be repaid. These securities may present a substantial risk of default or may be in default at the time of investment. The Fund may incur additional expenses to the extent it is required to seek recovery upon a default in the payment of principal of or interest on its portfolio holdings. In any reorganization or liquidation proceeding relating to a portfolio company, the Fund may lose its entire investment or may be required to accept cash or securities with a value less than its original investment. Distressed securities and any securities received in an exchange for such securities may be subject to restrictions on resale.
Dollar Rolls Risk - Dollar rolls involve the risk that the market value of the securities that the Fund is committed to buy may decline below the price of the securities the Fund has sold. These transactions may involve leverage.
Emerging Markets Risk - Emerging markets are riskier than more developed markets because they tend to develop unevenly and may never fully develop. Investments in emerging markets may be considered speculative. Emerging markets are more likely to experience hyperinflation and currency devaluations, which adversely affect returns to U.S. investors. In addition, many emerging securities markets have far lower trading volumes and less liquidity than developed markets.
Foreign Securities Risk - Foreign investments often involve special risks not present in U.S. investments that can increase the chances that the Fund will lose money. These risks include:
The Fund generally holds its foreign securities and cash in foreign banks and securities depositories, which may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business and may be subject to only limited or no regulatory oversight.
Changes in foreign currency exchange rates can affect the value of the Fund's portfolio.
The economies of certain foreign markets may not compare favorably with the economy of the United States with respect to such issues as growth of gross national product, reinvestment of capital, resources and balance of payments position.
The governments of certain countries, or the U.S. Government with respect to certain countries, may prohibit or impose substantial restrictions through capital controls and/or sanctions on foreign investments in the capital markets or certain industries in those countries, which may prohibit or restrict the ability to own or transfer currency, securities, derivatives or other assets.
Many foreign governments do not supervise and regulate stock exchanges, brokers and the sale of securities to the same extent as does the United States and may not have laws to protect investors that are comparable to U.S. securities laws.
Settlement and clearance procedures in certain foreign markets may result in delays in payment for or delivery of securities not typically associated with settlement and clearance of U.S. investments.
The Fund's claims to recover foreign withholding taxes may not be successful, and if the likelihood of recovery of foreign withholding taxes materially decreases, due to, for example, a change in tax regulation or approach in the foreign country, accruals in the Fund's net asset value for such refunds may be written down partially or in full, which will adversely affect the Fund's net asset value.
The European financial markets have recently experienced volatility and adverse trends due to concerns about economic downturns in, or rising government debt levels of, several European countries as well as acts of war in the region. These events may spread to other countries in Europe and may affect the value and liquidity of certain of the Fund's investments.
High Portfolio Turnover Risk - The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of its portfolio securities. High portfolio turnover (more than 100%) may result in increased transaction costs to the Fund, including brokerage
6
commissions, dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of the securities and on reinvestment in other securities. The sale of Fund portfolio securities may result in the realization and/or distribution to shareholders of higher capital gains or losses as compared to a fund with less active trading policies. These effects of higher than normal portfolio turnover may adversely affect Fund performance.
High Yield Bonds Risk - Although junk bonds generally pay higher rates of interest than investment grade bonds, junk bonds are high risk investments that are considered speculative and may cause income and principal losses for the Fund.
Illiquid Investments Risk - The Fund may not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments. An illiquid investment is any investment that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. Liquid investments may become illiquid after purchase by the Fund, particularly during periods of market turmoil. There can be no assurance that a security or instrument that is deemed to be liquid when purchased will continue to be liquid for as long as it is held by the Fund, and any security or instrument held by the Fund may be deemed an illiquid investment pursuant to the Fund's liquidity risk management program. The Fund's illiquid investments may reduce the returns of the Fund because it may be difficult to sell the illiquid investments at an advantageous time or price. In addition, if the Fund is limited in its ability to sell illiquid investments during periods when shareholders are redeeming their shares, the Fund will need to sell liquid securities to meet redemption requests and illiquid securities will become a larger portion of the Fund's holdings. An investment may be illiquid due to, among other things, the reduced number and capacity of traditional market participants to make a market in fixed-income securities or the lack of an active trading market. To the extent that the Fund's principal investment strategies involve derivatives or securities with substantial market and/or credit risk, the Fund will tend to have the greatest exposure to the risks associated with illiquid investments. Illiquid investments may be harder to value, especially in changing markets, and if the Fund is forced to sell these investments to meet redemption requests or for other cash needs, the Fund may suffer a loss.This may be magnified in a rising interest rate environment or other circumstances where investor redemptions from fixed-income mutual funds may be higher than normal. In addition, when there is illiquidity in the market for certain securities, the Fund, due to limitations on illiquid investments, may be subject to purchase and sale restrictions.
Inflation-Indexed Bonds Risk - The principal value of an investment is not protected or otherwise guaranteed by virtue of the Fund's investments in inflation-indexed bonds.
Inflation-indexed bonds are fixed-income securities whose principal value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. If the index 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. For bonds that do not provide a similar guarantee, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal value.
The value of inflation-indexed bonds is expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. If nominal interest rates increase at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates may rise, leading to a decrease in value of inflation-indexed bonds. Short-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in value. 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.
Periodic adjustments for inflation to the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond may give rise to original issue discount, which will be includable in the Fund's gross income. Due to original issue discount, the Fund may be required to make annual distributions to shareholders that exceed the cash received, which may cause the Fund to liquidate certain investments when it is not advantageous to do so. Also, if the principal value of an inflation-indexed bond is adjusted downward due to deflation, amounts previously distributed in the taxable year may be characterized in some circumstances as a return of capital.
Investment Style Risk - Under certain market conditions, growth investments have performed better during the later stages of economic expansion and value investments have performed better during periods of economic recovery. Therefore, these investment styles may over time go in and out of favor. At times when the investment style used by the Fund is out of favor, the Fund may underperform other equity funds that use different investment styles.
Leverage Risk - Some transactions may give rise to a form of economic leverage. These transactions may include, among others, derivatives, and may expose the Fund to greater risk and increase its costs. The use of leverage may cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations or
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to meet the applicable requirements of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act") and the rules thereunder. Increases and decreases in the value of the Fund's portfolio will be magnified when the Fund uses leverage.
Market Risk and Selection Risk - Market risk is the risk that one or more markets in which the Fund invests will go down in value, including the possibility that the markets will go down sharply and unpredictably. The value of a security or other asset may decline due to changes in general market conditions, economic trends or events that are not specifically related to the issuer of the security or other asset, or factors that affect a particular issuer or issuers, exchange, country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class. Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues like pandemics or epidemics, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments. Selection risk is the risk that the securities selected by Fund management will underperform the markets, the relevant indices or the securities selected by other funds with similar investment objectives and investment strategies. This means you may lose money.
An outbreak of an infectious coronavirus (COVID-19) that was first detected in December 2019 developed into a global pandemic that has resulted in numerous disruptions in the market and has had significant economic impact leaving general concern and uncertainty. Although vaccines have been developed and approved for use by various governments, the duration of the pandemic and its effects cannot be predicted with certainty. The impact of this coronavirus, and other epidemics and pandemics that may arise in the future, could affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the market in general ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time.
Mid Cap Securities Risk - The securities of mid cap companies generally trade in lower volumes and are generally subject to greater and less predictable price changes than the securities of larger capitalization companies.
Money Market Securities Risk - If market conditions improve while the Fund has invested some or all of its assets in high quality money market securities, this strategy could result in reducing the potential gain from the market upswing, thus reducing the Fund's opportunity to achieve its investment objective.
Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities Risks - Mortgage- and asset-backed securities represent interests in "pools" of mortgages or other assets, including consumer loans or receivables held in trust. Mortgage- and asset-backed securities are subject to credit, interest rate, prepayment and extension risks. These securities also are subject to risk of default on the underlying mortgage or asset, particularly during periods of economic downturn. Small movements in interest rates (both increases and decreases) may quickly and significantly reduce the value of certain mortgage-backed securities.
Municipal Securities Risks - Municipal securities risks include the ability of the issuer to repay the obligation, the relative lack of information about certain issuers of municipal securities, and the possibility of future legislative changes which could affect the market for and value of municipal securities. Budgetary constraints of local, state, and federal governments upon which the issuers may be relying for funding may also impact municipal securities. These risks include:
General Obligation Bonds Risks - Timely payments depend on the issuer's credit quality, ability to raise tax revenues and ability to maintain an adequate tax base.
Revenue Bonds Risks - These payments depend on the money earned by the particular facility or class of facilities, or the amount of revenues derived from another source.
Private Activity Bonds Risks - Municipalities and other public authorities issue private activity bonds to finance development of industrial facilities for use by a private enterprise. The private enterprise pays the principal and interest on the bond, and the issuer does not pledge its full faith, credit and taxing power for repayment.
Moral Obligation Bonds Risks - Moral obligation bonds are generally issued by special purpose public authorities of a state or municipality. If the issuer is unable to meet its obligations, repayment of these bonds becomes a moral commitment, but not a legal obligation, of the state or municipality.
Municipal Notes Risks - Municipal notes are shorter term municipal debt obligations. If there is a shortfall in the anticipated proceeds, the notes may not be fully repaid and the Fund may lose money.
Municipal Lease Obligations Risks - In a municipal lease obligation, the issuer agrees to make payments when due on the lease obligation. Although the issuer does not pledge its unlimited taxing power for payment of the lease obligation, the lease obligation is secured by the leased property.
Tax-Exempt Status Risk - The Fund and its investment manager will rely on the opinion of issuers' bond counsel and, in the case of derivative securities, sponsors' counsel, on the tax-exempt status of interest on municipal bonds and payments under derivative securities. Neither the Fund nor its investment manager will independently review the
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bases for those tax opinions, which may ultimately be determined to be incorrect and subject the Fund and its shareholders to substantial tax liabilities.
Preferred Securities Risk - Preferred securities may pay fixed or adjustable rates of return. Preferred securities are subject to issuer-specific and market risks applicable generally to equity securities. In addition, a company's preferred securities generally pay dividends only after the company makes required payments to holders of its bonds and other debt. For this reason, the value of preferred securities will usually react more strongly than bonds and other debt to actual or perceived changes in the company's financial condition or prospects. Preferred securities of smaller companies may be more vulnerable to adverse developments than preferred securities of larger companies.
Real Estate-Related Securities Risk - The main risk of real estate-related securities is that the value of the underlying real estate may go down. Many factors may affect real estate values. These factors include both the general and local economies, vacancy rates, changes in rent schedules, tenant bankruptcies, the ability to re-lease space under expiring leases on attractive terms, the amount of new construction in a particular area, the laws and regulations (including zoning, environmental and tax laws) affecting real estate and the costs of owning, maintaining and improving real estate. The availability of mortgage financing and changes in interest rates may also affect real estate values. If the Fund's real estate-related investments are concentrated in one geographic area or in one property type, the Fund will be particularly subject to the risks associated with that area or property type. Many issuers of real estate-related securities are highly leveraged, which increases the risk to holders of such securities. The value of the securities the Fund buys will not necessarily track the value of the underlying investments of the issuers of such securities. In addition, certain issuers of real estate-related securities may have developed or commenced development on properties and may develop additional properties in the future. Real estate development involves significant risks in addition to those involved in the ownership and operation of established properties. Real estate securities may have limited diversification and are, therefore, subject to risks inherent in operating and financing a limited number of projects. Real estate securities are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency and defaults by borrowers or tenants.
REIT Investment Risk - Investments in REITs involve unique risks. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in limited volume, may engage in dilutive offerings of securities and may be more volatile than other securities. REIT issuers may also fail to maintain their exemptions from investment company registration or fail to qualify for the "dividends paid deduction" under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Internal Revenue Code"), which allows REITs to reduce their corporate taxable income for dividends paid to their shareholders.
Repurchase Agreements and Purchase and Sale Contracts Risk - If the other party to a repurchase agreement or purchase and sale contract defaults on its obligation under the agreement, the Fund may suffer delays and incur costs or lose money in exercising its rights under the agreement. If the seller fails to repurchase the security in either situation and the market value of the security declines, the Fund may lose money.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements Risk - Reverse repurchase agreements involve the sale of securities held by the Fund with an agreement to repurchase the securities at an agreed-upon price, date and interest payment. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the other party may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. The Fund could lose money if it is unable to recover the securities and the value of the collateral held by the Fund, including the value of the investments made with cash collateral, is less than the value of the securities. These events could also trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund. In addition, reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the interest income earned in the investment of the proceeds will be less than the interest expense.
Risk of Investing in the United States - Certain changes in the U.S. economy, such as when the U.S. economy weakens or when its financial markets decline, may have an adverse effect on the securities to which the Fund has exposure.
Risks of Loan Assignments and Participations - As the purchaser of an assignment, the Fund typically succeeds to all the rights and obligations of the assigning institution and becomes a lender under the credit agreement with respect to the debt obligation; however, the Fund may not be able unilaterally to enforce all rights and remedies under the loan and with regard to any associated collateral. Because assignments may be arranged through private negotiations between potential assignees and potential assignors, the rights and obligations acquired by the Fund as the purchaser of an assignment may differ from, and be more limited than, those held by the assigning lender. In addition, if the loan is foreclosed, the Fund could become part owner of any collateral and could bear the costs and liabilities of owning and disposing of the collateral. The Fund may be required to pass along to a purchaser that buys a loan from the Fund by way of assignment a portion of any fees to which the Fund is entitled under the loan. In connection with purchasing participations, the Fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement relating to the loan, nor any rights of set-off against the borrower,
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and the Fund may not directly benefit from any collateral supporting the loan in which it has purchased the participation. As a result, the Fund will be subject to the credit risk of both the borrower and the lender that is selling the participation. In the event of the insolvency of the lender selling a participation, 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.
Second Lien Loans Risk - Second lien loans generally are subject to similar risks as those associated with investments in senior loans. Because second lien loans are subordinated or unsecured and thus lower in priority of payment to senior loans, they are subject to the additional risk that the cash flow of the borrower and property securing the loan or debt, if any, may be insufficient to meet scheduled payments after giving effect to the senior secured obligations of the borrower.
Senior Loans Risk - There is less readily available, reliable information about most senior loans than is the case for many other types of securities. An economic downturn generally leads to a higher non-payment rate, and a senior loan may lose significant value before a default occurs. Moreover, any specific collateral used to secure a senior loan may decline in value or become illiquid, which would adversely affect the senior loan's value. No active trading market may exist for certain senior loans, which may impair the ability of the Fund to realize full value in the event of the need to sell a senior loan and which may make it difficult to value senior loans. Although senior loans in which the Fund will invest generally will be secured by specific collateral, there can be no assurance that liquidation of such collateral would satisfy the borrower's obligation in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal or that such collateral could be readily liquidated. To the extent that a senior loan is collateralized by stock in the borrower or its subsidiaries, such stock may lose all of its value in the event of the bankruptcy of the borrower. Uncollateralized senior loans involve a greater risk of loss. The senior loans in which the Fund invests are usually rated below investment grade.
Small Cap and Emerging Growth Securities Risk - Small cap or emerging growth companies may have limited product lines or markets. They may be less financially secure than larger, more established companies. They may depend on a more limited management group than larger capitalized companies.
Sovereign Debt Risk - Sovereign debt instruments are subject to the risk that a governmental entity may delay or refuse to pay interest or repay principal on its sovereign debt, due, for example, to cash flow problems, insufficient foreign currency reserves, political considerations, the relative size of the governmental entity's debt position in relation to the economy or the failure to put in place economic reforms required by the International Monetary Fund or other multilateral agencies.
Structured Notes Risk - Structured notes and other related instruments purchased by the Fund are generally privately negotiated debt obligations where the principal and/or interest is determined by reference to the performance of a specific asset, benchmark asset, market or interest rate ("reference measure"). The purchase of structured notes exposes the Fund to the credit risk of the issuer of the structured product. Structured notes may be leveraged, increasing the volatility of each structured note's value relative to the change in the reference measure. Structured notes may also be less liquid and more difficult to price accurately than less complex securities and instruments or more traditional debt securities.
Structured Securities Risk - Because structured securities of the type in which the Fund may invest typically involve no credit enhancement, their credit risk generally will be equivalent to that of the underlying instruments, index or reference obligation and will also be subject to counterparty risk. The Fund may have the right to receive payments only from the structured security, and generally does not have direct rights against the issuer or the entity that sold the assets to be securitized. In addition to the general risks associated with debt securities discussed herein, structured securities carry additional risks, including, but not limited to: the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; and the possibility that the structured securities are subordinate to other classes. The Fund is permitted to invest in a class of structured securities that is either subordinated or unsubordinated to the right of payment of another class. Subordinated structured securities typically have higher yields and present greater risks than unsubordinated structured securities. Structured securities are typically sold in private placement transactions, and there currently is no active trading market for structured securities. Structured securities are based upon the movement of one or more factors, including currency exchange rates, interest rates, reference bonds and stock indices, and changes in interest rates and impact of these factors may cause significant price fluctuations. Additionally, changes in the reference instrument or security may cause the interest rate on the structured security to be reduced to zero. Certain issuers of such structured securities may be deemed to be "investment companies" as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act"). As a result, the Fund's investment in such securities may be limited by certain investment restrictions contained in the Investment Company Act.
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Supranational Entities Risk - The Fund may invest in obligations issued or guaranteed by the World Bank. The government members, or "stockholders," usually make initial capital contributions to the World Bank and in many cases are committed to make additional capital contributions if the World Bank is unable to repay its borrowings. There is no guarantee that one or more stockholders of the World Bank 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 the Fund may lose money on such investments.
Tender Option Bonds and Related Securities Risk - The Fund's participation in tender option bond transactions may reduce the Fund's returns and/or increase volatility. Investments in tender option bond transactions expose the Fund to counterparty risk and leverage risk. An investment in a tender option bond transaction typically will involve greater risk than an investment in a municipal fixed rate security, including the risk of loss of principal. Distributions on residual inverse floating rate interests ("TOB Residuals") will bear an inverse relationship to short-term municipal security interest rates. Distributions on TOB Residuals paid to the Fund will be reduced or, in the extreme, eliminated as short-term municipal interest rates rise and will increase when short-term municipal interest rates fall. TOB Residuals generally will underperform the market for fixed rate municipal securities in a rising interest rate environment. The Fund may invest in special purpose entities ("TOB Trusts") on either a non-recourse or recourse basis. If the Fund invests in a TOB Trust on a recourse basis, it could suffer losses in excess of the value of its TOB Residuals.
U.S. Government Mortgage-Related Securities Risk - There are a number of important differences among the agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government that issue mortgage-related securities and among the securities that they issue. Mortgage-related securities guaranteed by the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA" or "Ginnie Mae") are guaranteed as to the timely payment of principal and interest by GNMA and such guarantee is backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. GNMA securities also are supported by the right of GNMA to borrow funds from the U.S. Treasury to make payments under its guarantee. Mortgage-related securities issued by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac are solely the obligations of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, as the case may be, and are not backed by or entitled to the full faith and credit of the United States but are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the Treasury.
U.S. Government Obligations Risk - Certain securities in which the Fund may invest, including securities issued by certain U.S. Government agencies and U.S. Government sponsored enterprises, are not guaranteed by the U.S. Government or supported by the full faith and credit of the United States. In addition, circumstances could arise that could prevent the timely payment of interest or principal on U.S. Government obligations, such as reaching the
legislative "debt ceiling." Such non-payment could result in losses to the Fund and substantial negative consequences for the U.S. economy and the global financial system.
Variable and Floating Rate Instrument Risk - Variable and floating rate securities provide for periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the securities. These securities may be subject to greater illiquidity risk than other fixed income securities, meaning the absence of an active market for these securities could make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of them at any given time.
Warrants Risk - If the price of the underlying stock does not rise above the exercise price before the warrant expires, the warrant generally expires without any value and the Fund will lose any amount it paid for the warrant. Thus, investments in warrants may involve substantially more risk than investments in common stock. Warrants may trade in the same markets as their underlying stock; however, the price of the warrant does not necessarily move with the price of the underlying stock.
Zero Coupon Securities Risk - While interest payments are not made on such securities, holders of such securities are deemed to have received income ("phantom income") annually, notwithstanding that cash may not be received currently. The effect of owning instruments that do not make current interest payments is that a fixed yield is earned not only on the original investment but also, in effect, on all discount accretion during the life of the obligations. This implicit reinvestment of earnings at a fixed rate eliminates the risk of being unable to invest distributions at a rate as high as the implicit yield on the zero coupon bond, but at the same time eliminates the holder's ability to reinvest at higher rates in the future. For this reason, some of these securities may be subject to substantially greater price fluctuations during periods of changing market interest rates than are comparable securities that pay interest currently. Longer term zero coupon bonds are more exposed to interest rate risk than shorter term zero coupon bonds. These investments benefit the issuer by mitigating its need for cash to meet debt service, but also require a higher rate of return to attract investors who are willing to defer receipt of cash.
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Performance Information
Effective May 15, 2012 through January 28, 2016, the Fund changed its investment strategy to invest a significant portion of its assets in other investment companies and directly in securities. Performance shown below for this time period is based on the investment strategy utilized by the Fund during the time period.
The information shows you how the Fund's performance has varied year by year and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. Class K Shares commenced operations on August 1, 2016. As a result, the returns in the table shown below for Class K Shares prior to August 1, 2016 are those of the Fund's Investor A Shares, which are not offered in this prospectus, excluding any Investor A Shares front-end sales charges, which are not applicable to Class K Shares. The performance of Class K Shares would be substantially similar to Investor A Shares because Class K Shares and Investor A Shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and performance would differ only to the extent that Class K Shares and Investor A Shares have different expenses. The actual returns of Class K Shares would have been higher than those of Investor A Shares because Class K Shares have lower expenses than Investor A Shares. The table compares the Fund's performance to that of the MSCI All Country World Index. The table also compares the Fund's performance to the Bloomberg 1-3 Year Treasury Bond Index, the ICE BofA 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index and a customized weighted index comprised of 25% MSCI All Country World Index/75% Bloomberg 1-3 Year Treasury Bond Index, each of which is relevant to the Fund because it has characteristics similar to the Fund's investment strategy. To the extent that dividends and distributions have been paid by the Fund, the performance information for the Fund in the chart and table assumes reinvestment of the dividends and distributions. As with all such investments, past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future results. The table includes all applicable fees. If BlackRock and its affiliates had not waived or reimbursed certain Fund expenses during these periods, the Fund's returns would have been lower. Updated information on the Fund's performance, including its current net asset value, can be obtained by visiting www.blackrock.com or can be obtained by phone at (800) 882-0052.
Class K Shares
ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS
BlackRock Tactical Opportunities Fund
As of 12/31
During the ten-year period shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a quarter was 5.91% (quarter ended December 31, 2022) and the lowest return for a quarter was -4.27% (quarter ended September 30, 2015). The year-to-date return as of June 30, 2024 was 7.52%.
For the periods ended 12/31/23
Average Annual Total Returns
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
BlackRock Tactical Opportunities Fund - Class K Shares
Return Before Taxes
3.19
%
3.76
%
3.26
%
Return After Taxes on Distributions
(1.34
)%
2.08
%
1.57
%
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
1.93
%
2.22
%
1.87
%
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For the periods ended 12/31/23
Average Annual Total Returns
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
MSCI All Country World Index
(Reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
22.20
%
11.72
%
7.93
%
Bloomberg 1-3 Year Treasury Bond Index
(Reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
4.29
%
1.28
%
1.04
%
ICE BofA 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index1
(Reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
5.02
%
1.88
%
1.25
%
25% MSCI All Country World Index/75% Bloomberg 1-3 Year Treasury Bond
Index
(Reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
8.72
%
4.10
%
2.93
%
1
On December 1, 2023, the Fund began to compare its performance to the standard pricing time of the ICE BofA 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index (the "Index"). Index data prior to March 1, 2021 is for the Index's standard pricing time of 3pm. Index data from March 1, 2021 through November 30, 2023 is for a custom 4pm pricing variant of the Index. Index returns beginning on December 1, 2023 reflect the Index's new standard pricing time of 4pm. The change of the Index's standard pricing time from 3pm to 4pm resulted in the discontinuation of the custom 4pm pricing variant used from March 1, 2021 through November 30, 2023.
After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Investment Manager
The Fund's investment manager is BlackRock Advisors, LLC (previously defined as "BlackRock"). The Fund's sub-advisers are BlackRock Asset Management North Asia Limited and BlackRock (Singapore) Limited. Where applicable, "BlackRock" refers also to the Fund's sub-advisers.
Portfolio Managers
Portfolio Manager
Portfolio Manager
of the Fund Since
Title
Philip Green
2006
Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc.
Thomas Becker
2016
Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc.
Michael Pensky
2016
Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc.
Richard Murrall
2017
Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Class K Shares of the Fund are available only to (i) certain employee benefit plans, such as health savings accounts, and certain employer-sponsored retirement plans (not including SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs and SARSEPs) (collectively, "Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans"), (ii) collective trust funds, investment companies and other pooled investment vehicles, each of which may purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary that has entered into an agreement with the Fund's distributor to purchase such shares, (iii) "Institutional Investors," which include, but are not limited to, endowments, foundations, family offices, banks and bank trusts, local, city, and state governmental institutions, corporations and insurance company separate accounts, each of which may purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary that has entered into an agreement with the Fund's distributor to purchase such shares, (iv) clients of private banks that purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary that has entered into an agreement with the Fund's distributor to sell such shares; (v) fee-based advisory platforms of a Financial Intermediary that (a) has specifically acknowledged in a written agreement with the Fund's distributor and/or its affiliate(s) that the Financial Intermediary shall offer such shares to fee-based advisory clients through an omnibus account held at the Fund or (b) transacts in the Fund's shares through another intermediary that has executed such an agreement and (vi) any other investors who met the eligibility criteria for BlackRock Shares or Class K Shares prior to August 15, 2016 and have continually held Class K Shares of the Fund in the same account since August 15, 2016.
You may purchase or redeem shares of the Fund each day the New York Stock Exchange is open. Purchase orders may also be placed by calling (800) 537-4942, by mail (c/o BlackRock, P.O. Box 534429, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15253-4429), or online at www.blackrock.com. Institutional Investors are subject to a $5 million minimum initial investment
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requirement. Other investors, including Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans, have no minimum initial investment requirement. There is no minimum investment amount for additional purchases.
Tax Information
Different income tax rules apply depending on whether you are invested through a qualified tax-exempt plan described in section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. If you are invested through such a plan (and Fund shares are not "debt-financed property" to the plan), then the dividends paid by the Fund and the gain realized from a redemption or exchange of Fund shares will generally not be subject to U.S. federal income taxes until you withdraw or receive distributions from the plan. If you are not invested through such a plan, then the Fund's dividends and gain from a redemption or exchange may be subject to U.S. federal income taxes and may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are a tax-exempt investor.
Payments to Broker/Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary, the Fund and BlackRock Investments, LLC, the Fund's distributor, or its affiliates may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your individual financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment.
Class K Shares are only available through a Financial Intermediary if the Financial Intermediary will not receive from Fund assets, or the Fund's distributor's or an affiliate's resources, any commission payments, shareholder servicing fees (including sub-transfer agent and networking fees), or distribution fees (including Rule 12b-1 fees) with respect to assets invested in Class K Shares.
Ask your individual financial professional or visit your Financial Intermediary's website for more information.
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INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT FILE # 811-05742
SPRO-TO-K-0824