Significant Accounting Policies	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Significant Accounting Policies	2. Significant Accounting Policies Basis of Presentation These consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) and include the accounts of the Company and its controlled subsidiaries. Noncontrolling interests (“NCI”) on the consolidated statements of financial condition represent the portion of consolidated sponsored investment products (“CIPs”) and a consolidated affiliate (collectively, “consolidated entities”) in which the Company does not have direct equity ownership. Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated upon consolidation. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expense during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Certain prior period presentations and disclosures, while not required to be recast, may be reclassified to ensure comparability with current period classifications. Accounting Developments Segment Reporting. In November 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2023-07, Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures (“ASU 2023-07”), which requires incremental disclosures about reportable segments but does not change the definition of a segment or the guidance for determining reportable segments. The new guidance requires disclosure of significant segment expenses that are (1) regularly provided to (or easily computed from information regularly provided to) the chief operating decision maker ("CODM") and (2) included in the reported measure of segment profit or loss. The new standard also requires companies to disclose the title and position of the individual (or the name of the committee) identified as the CODM, allows companies to disclose multiple measures of segment profit or loss if those measures are used to assess performance and allocate resources, and is applicable to companies with a single reportable segment. The requirements are effective for annual reporting periods beginning on January 1, 2024, and are required to be applied retrospectively. Early adoption is permitted. The Company does not expect the additional disclosure requirements under ASU 2023-07 to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements. Income Tax Disclosure Requirements. In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09, Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures (“ASU 2023-09”), which enhances interim and annual income tax disclosures. The two primary enhancements disaggregate existing income tax disclosures related to the effective tax rate reconciliation and income taxes paid. The additional disclosure requirements under ASU 2023-09 are required to be applied prospectively and are effective for the Company on January 1, 2025. The Company does not expect the additional disclosure requirements under ASU 2023-09 to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements. Cash and Cash Equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents primarily consists of cash, money market funds and short-term, highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less. Cash and cash equivalent balances that are legally restricted from use by the Company are recorded in other assets on the consolidated statements of financial condition. Cash balances maintained by consolidated VIEs and voting rights entities (“VREs”) are not considered legally restricted and are included in cash and cash equivalents on the consolidated statements of financial condition. Investments Investments in Debt Securities. The Company classifies debt investments as held-to-maturity or trading based on the Company’s intent and ability to hold the debt security to maturity or its intent to sell the security. Held-to-maturity securities are purchased with the positive intent and ability to be held to maturity and are recorded at amortized cost on the consolidated statements of financial condition. Trading securities are those investments that are purchased principally for the purpose of selling them in the near term. Trading securities are carried at fair value on the consolidated statements of financial condition with changes in the fair value recorded through net income (“FVTNI”) within nonoperating income (expense). Trading securities include certain investments in collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”) for which the fair value option is elected in order to reduce operational complexity of bifurcating embedded derivatives. Investments in Equity Securities. Equity securities are generally carried at fair value on the consolidated statements of financial condition with changes in the FVTNI within nonoperating income (expense). For nonmarketable equity securities, the Company generally elects to apply the practicality exception to fair value measurement, under which such securities will be measured at cost, less impairment, plus or minus observable price changes for identical or similar securities of the same issuer with such changes recorded through net income within nonoperating income (expense). Dividends received are recorded as dividend income within nonoperating income (expense). Equity Method. The Company applies the equity method of accounting for equity investments where the Company does not consolidate the investee, but can exert significant influence over the financial and operating policies of the investee. The evaluation of whether the Company exerts control or significant influence over the financial and operational policies of its investees is based on the facts and circumstances surrounding each individual investment. Factors considered in these evaluations may include the type of investment, the legal structure of the investee, the terms of BlackRock's contractual agreements, including investor voting or other rights, any influence BlackRock may have on the governing board of the investee, the legal rights of other investors in the entity pursuant to the entity’s operating documents and the relationship between BlackRock and other investors in the entity. The Company’s share of the investee’s underlying net income or loss is recorded as net gain (loss) on investments within nonoperating income (expense) and as other revenue for certain strategic minority investments since such investees are considered to be an extension of the Company’s core business. The Company’s share of net income of the investee is recorded based upon the most current information available at the time, which may precede the date of the consolidated statement of financial condition. Distributions received reduce the Company’s carrying value of the investment and the cost basis if deemed to be a return of capital. The Company classifies distributions in the consolidated statements of cash flows as either distributions of earnings (operating) or distributions of capital (investing) based on the nature of the distribution. Impairments of Investments. Management periodically assesses equity method, nonmarketable investments, and held-to-maturity investments for impairment. If impairment exists, an impairment charge would be recorded for the excess of the carrying amount of the investment over its estimated fair value in the consolidated statements of income. For equity method investments and nonmarketable investments, impairment evaluation considers qualitative factors, including the financial conditions and specific events related to an investee, that may indicate the fair value of the investment is less than its carrying value. For held-to-maturity investments, impairment is evaluated using market values, where available, or the expected future cash flows of the investment. For the Company’s investments in CLOs, the Company reviews cash flow estimates over the life of each CLO investment. On a quarterly basis, if the present value of the estimated future cash flows is lower than the carrying value of the investment and there is an adverse change in estimated cash flows, an impairment is considered to be other-than-temporary. Consolidation. The Company performs an analysis for investment products to determine if the product is a VIE or a VRE. Factors considered in this analysis include the entity’s legal organization, the entity’s capital structure, the rights of equity investment holders and the Company’s contractual involvement with, and economic interest in, the entity and any related party or de facto agent implications of the Company’s involvement with the entity. Entities that are determined to be VIEs are consolidated if the Company is the primary beneficiary (“PB”) of the entity. VREs are typically consolidated if the Company holds the majority voting interest. Upon the occurrence of certain events (such as contributions and redemptions, either by the Company, or third parties, or amendments to an entity’s governing documents), management reviews and reconsiders its previous conclusion regarding the status of an entity as a VIE or a VRE. Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities. Certain investment products for which a controlling financial interest is achieved through arrangements that do not involve or are not directly linked to voting interests are deemed consolidated VIEs. BlackRock reviews factors, including whether or not (1) the entity has equity at risk that is sufficient to permit the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated support from other parties and (2) the equity holders at risk have the obligation to absorb losses, the right to receive residual returns, and the right to direct the activities of the entity that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance, to determine if the investment product is a VIE. The PB of a VIE is defined as the variable interest holder that has a controlling financial interest in the VIE. A controlling financial interest is defined as (1) the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact its economic performance and (2) the obligation to absorb losses of the entity or the right to receive benefits from the entity that potentially could be significant to the VIE. The Company generally consolidates VIEs in which it holds an economic interest of 10% or greater and deconsolidates such VIEs once economic interest falls below 10%. Management continually reconsiders whether the Company is deemed to be a VIE’s PB. Consolidation of Voting Rights Entities. BlackRock is required to consolidate an investee to the extent that BlackRock can exert absolute control over the financial and operating policies of the investee, which generally exists if there is a greater than 50% voting equity interest. Retention of Specialized Investment Company Accounting Principles. Upon consolidation of sponsored investment products, the Company retains the specialized investment company accounting principles of the underlying funds. All of the underlying investments held by such CIPs are carried at fair value with corresponding changes in the investments’ fair values reflected in net income within nonoperating income (expense). When the Company no longer controls these funds due to reduced ownership percentage or other reasons, the funds are deconsolidated and accounted for as an equity method investment or equity securities FVTNI. Separate Account Assets and Liabilities. Separate account assets are maintained by BlackRock Life Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, which is a registered life insurance company in the United Kingdom ("UK"), and represent segregated assets held for purposes of funding individual and group pension contracts. The life insurance company does not underwrite any insurance contracts that involve any insurance risk transfer from the insured to the life insurance company. The separate account assets primarily include equity securities, debt securities, money market funds and derivatives. The separate account assets are not subject to general claims of the creditors of BlackRock. These separate account assets and the related equal and offsetting liabilities are recorded as separate account assets and separate account liabilities on the consolidated statements of financial condition. The net investment income attributable to separate account assets supporting individual and group pension contracts accrues directly to the contract owner and is not reported on the consolidated statements of income. While BlackRock has no economic interest in these separate account assets and liabilities, BlackRock earns policy administration and management fees associated with these products, which are included in investment advisory, administration fees and securities lending revenue on the consolidated statements of income. Separate Account Collateral Assets Held and Liabilities Under Securities Lending Agreements. The Company facilitates securities lending arrangements whereby securities held by separate accounts maintained by BlackRock Life Limited are lent to third parties under global master securities lending agreements. In exchange, the Company receives collateral by obtaining either (1) legal title or (2) first ranking priority security interest. The minimum collateral values generally range from approximately 102% to 112% of the value of the securities lent in order to reduce counterparty risk. The required collateral value is calculated on a daily basis. The global master securities lending agreements provide the Company the right to request additional collateral or, in the event of borrower default, the right to liquidate collateral. The securities lending transactions entered into by the Company are accompanied by an agreement that entitles the Company to request the borrower to return the securities at any time; therefore, these transactions are not reported as sales. In situations where the Company receives the legal title to collateral under these securities lending arrangements, the Company records an asset on the consolidated statements of financial condition and an equal collateral liability for the obligation to return the collateral. Additionally, in situations where the Company obtains a first ranking priority security interest in the collateral, the Company does not have the ability to pledge or resell the collateral and therefore does not record the collateral on the consolidated statements of financial condition. At December 31, 2023 and 2022, the fair value of loaned securities held by separate accounts was approximately $9.3 billion and $10.2 billion, respectively, and the fair value of the collateral under these securities lending agreements was approximately $10.1 billion and $11.0 billion, respectively, of which approximately $4.6 billion as of 2023 and $5.8 billion as of 2022 was recognized on the consolidated statements of financial condition. During 2023 and 2022, the Company had not resold or repledged any of the collateral received under these arrangements. The securities lending revenue earned from lending securities held by the separate accounts is included in investment advisory, administration fees and securities lending revenue on the consolidated statements of income. Property and Equipment. Property and equipment are recorded at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is generally determined by cost less any estimated residual value using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the various classes of property and equipment. Leasehold improvements are amortized using the straight-line method over the shorter of the estimated useful life or the remaining lease term. The Company capitalizes certain costs incurred in connection with developing or obtaining software within property and equipment. Capitalized software costs are amortized, beginning when the software product is ready for its intended use, over the estimated useful life of the software of approximately three years. Goodwill and Intangible Assets. Goodwill represents the cost of a business acquisition in excess of the fair value of the net assets acquired. The Company has determined that it has one reporting unit for goodwill impairment testing purposes, the consolidated BlackRock single operating segment, which is consistent with internal management reporting and management's oversight of operations. The Company performs an impairment assessment of its goodwill at least annually, as of July 31st. In its assessment of goodwill for impairment, the Company considers such factors as the book value and market capitalization of the Company. Intangible assets are comprised of indefinite-lived intangible assets and finite-lived intangible assets acquired in a business acquisition. The value of contracts to manage assets in proprietary open-end funds and collective trust funds and certain other commingled products without a specified termination date is generally classified as indefinite-lived intangible assets. In addition, trade names/trademarks are considered indefinite-lived intangible assets when they are expected to generate cash flows indefinitely. Indefinite-lived intangible assets and goodwill are not amortized. Finite-lived investor/customer relationships, technology-related assets, and management contracts, which relate to acquired separate accounts and funds, that are expected to contribute to the future cash flows of the Company for a specified period of time, are amortized over their estimated useful lives. On a quarterly basis, the Company considers whether the indefinite-lived and finite-lived classifications are still appropriate. The Company performs assessments to determine if any intangible assets are potentially impaired at least annually, as of July 31st. The carrying value of finite-lived assets and their remaining useful lives are reviewed to determine if circumstances exist which may indicate a potential impairment or revisions to the amortization period. In evaluating whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of indefinite-lived intangibles is less than its carrying value, BlackRock assesses various significant quantitative factors, including assets under management (“AUM”), revenue basis points, projected AUM growth rates, operating margins, tax rates and discount rates. If an indefinite-lived intangible is determined to be more likely than not impaired, then the fair value of the asset is compared with its carrying value and any excess of the carrying value over the fair value would be recognized as an expense in the period in which the impairment occurs. For finite-lived intangible assets, if potential impairment circumstances are considered to exist, the Company will perform a recoverability test using an undiscounted cash flow analysis. If the carrying value of the asset is determined not to be recoverable based on the undiscounted cash flow test, the difference between the carrying value of the asset and its current fair value would be recognized as an expense in the period in which the impairment occurs. Consolidated Affiliate. The Company owns 50.1% of an asset management company in China - BlackRock CCB Wealth Management Company Ltd. (“WMC”). The Company consolidates WMC, which it deems to be a VRE, because it exerts control over the financial and operating policies of the entity, based on the Company’s 50.1% ownership and voting rights. Noncontrolling Interests. NCI consist of third-party investments in the Company’s CIPs (“NCI – CIPs”) and the WMC. The Company reports NCI in stockholders’ equity, separate from the parent’s equity, on the consolidated statements of financial condition. NCI that are redeemable at the option of the holders are classified as temporary equity at estimated redemption value and nonredeemable NCI are classified as a component of permanent equity in the consolidated statements of financial condition. In addition, the Company reports net income (loss) attributable to redeemable and nonredeemable NCI holders in net income (loss) attributable to NCI in the consolidated statements of income. Treasury Stock. The Company records common stock purchased for treasury at cost. At the date of subsequent reissuance, the treasury stock account is reduced by the cost of such stock using the average cost method. Revenue Recognition. Revenue is recognized upon transfer of control of promised services to customers in an amount to which the Company expects to be entitled in exchange for those services. The Company enters into contracts that can include multiple services, which are accounted for separately if they are determined to be distinct. Consideration for the Company’s services is generally in the form of variable consideration because the amount of fees is subject to market conditions that are outside of the Company’s influence. The Company includes variable consideration in revenue when it is no longer probable of significant reversal, i.e. when the associated uncertainty is resolved. For some contracts with customers, the Company has discretion to involve a third party in providing services to the customer. Generally, the Company is deemed to be the principal in these arrangements because the Company controls the promised services before they are transferred to customers, and accordingly presents the revenue gross of related costs. Investment Advisory, Administration Fees and Securities Lending Revenue. Investment advisory and administration fees are recognized as the services are performed over time because the customer is receiving and consuming the benefits as they are provided by the Company. Fees are primarily based on agreed-upon percentages of AUM and recognized for services provided during the period, which are distinct from services provided in other periods. Such fees are affected by changes in AUM, including market appreciation or depreciation, foreign exchange translation and net inflows or outflows. Investment advisory and administration fees for investment funds are shown net of fee waivers. In addition, the Company may contract with third parties to provide sub-advisory services on its behalf. The Company presents the investment advisory fees and associated costs to such third-party advisors on a gross basis where it is deemed to be the principal and on a net basis where it is deemed to be the agent. Management judgment involved in making these assessments is focused on ascertaining whether the Company is primarily responsible for fulfilling the promised service. The Company also earns revenue by lending securities on behalf of clients, primarily to highly rated banks and broker-dealers. The securities loaned are collateralized by either cash or securities, generally ranging from 102% to 112% of the value of the loaned securities. Securities lending fees are based on (1) a percentage of the notional value of the loaned securities and (2) a spread between the interest earned on the reinvested cash collateral and the amount rebated to the borrower. Revenue is recognized over time as services are performed. Generally, the securities lending fees are shared between the Company and the funds or other third-party accounts managed by the Company from which the securities are borrowed. For 2023, 2022 and 2021, securities lending revenue earned by the Company totaled $675 million, $599 million and $555 million, respectively, and is recorded in investment advisory, administration and securities lending revenue on the consolidated statements of income. Investment advisory, administration fees and securities lending revenue are reported together as the fees for these services often are agreed upon with clients as a bundled fee. Money Market Fee Waivers. The Company may voluntarily waive a portion of its management fees on certain money market funds to ensure that they maintain a targeted level of daily net investment income (the “Yield Support waivers”). There were no Yield Support waivers during 2023. During 2022 and 2021, these waivers resulted in a reduction of management fees of approximately $72 million, and $500 million respectively, which was partially offset by a reduction of BlackRock’s distribution and servicing costs paid to financial intermediaries. The Company may increase or decrease the level of Yield Support waivers in future periods. Investment Advisory Performance Fees / Carried Interest. The Company receives investment advisory performance fees, including incentive allocations (carried interest) from certain actively managed investment funds and certain separately managed accounts. These performance fees are dependent upon exceeding specified relative or absolute investment return thresholds, which vary by product or account, and include monthly, quarterly, annual or longer measurement periods. Performance fees, including carried interest, are generated on certain management contracts when performance hurdles are achieved. Such performance fees are recognized when the contractual performance criteria have been met and when it is determined that they are no longer probable of significant reversal. Given the unique nature of each fee arrangement, contracts with customers are evaluated on an individual basis to determine the timing of revenue recognition. Significant judgment is involved in making such determination. Performance fees typically arise from investment management services that began in prior reporting periods. Consequently, a portion of the fees the Company recognizes may be partially related to the services performed in prior periods that meet the recognition criteria in the current period. At each reporting date, the Company considers various factors in estimating performance fees to be recognized, including carried interest. The Company is allocated carried interest from certain alternative investment products upon exceeding performance thresholds. The Company may be required to reverse/return all, or part, of such carried interest allocations/distributions depending upon future performance of these funds. Carried interest subject to such clawback provisions is recorded in investments or cash and cash equivalents to the extent that it is distributed, on its consolidated statements of financial condition. The Company records a liability for deferred carried interest to the extent it receives cash or capital allocations related to carried interest prior to meeting the revenue recognition criteria. A portion of the deferred carried interest may also be paid to certain employees. The ultimate timing of the recognition of performance fee revenue and related compensation expense, if any, is unknown. Technology services revenue. The Company offers investment management technology systems, risk management services, wealth management and digital distribution tools, all on a fee basis. Clients include banks, insurance companies, official institutions, pension funds, asset managers, retail distributors and other investors. Fees earned for technology services are primarily recorded as services are performed over time and are generally determined using the value of positions on the Aladdin platform, or on a fixed-rate basis. Revenue derived from the sale of software licenses is recognized upon the granting of access rights. Distribution Fees. The Company earns distribution and service fees related to distributing investment products and shareholder support services for investment portfolios. Distribution fees are passed-through to third-party distributors, which perform various fund distribution services and shareholder servicing of certain funds on the Company’s behalf, and are recognized as distribution and servicing costs. The Company presents distribution fees and related distribution and servicing costs incurred on a gross basis. Distribution fees primarily consist of ongoing distribution fees, shareholder servicing fees and upfront sales commissions for serving as the principal underwriter and/or distributor for certain managed mutual funds. The service of distribution is satisfied at the point in time when an investor makes an investment in a share class of the managed mutual funds. Fees are generally considered variable consideration because they are based on the value of AUM and are uncertain on trade date. Accordingly, the Company recognizes distribution fees when the amounts become known and the portion recognized in the current period may relate to distribution services performed in prior periods. Upfront sales commissions are recognized on a trade date basis. Shareholder servicing fees are based on AUM and recognized in revenue as the services are performed. Advisory and other revenue. Advisory and other revenue primarily includes fees earned for advisory services, fees earned for transition management services primarily comprised of commissions recognized in connection with buying and selling securities on behalf of customers, and equity method investment earnings related to certain strategic minority investments. Advisory services fees are determined using fixed-rate fees and are recognized over time as the related services are completed. Commissions related to transition management services are recorded on a trade-date basis as transactions occur. Stock-based Compensation. The Company recognizes compensation cost for equity classified awards based on the grant-date fair value of the award. The compensation cost is recognized over the period during which an employee is required to provide service (usually the vesting period) in exchange for the stock-based award. The Company measures the grant-date fair value of restricted stock units (“RSUs”) using the Company’s stock price on the date of grant. Stock-based awards may have performance, market and/or service conditions. For employee stock options and awards with market conditions, the Company uses pricing models. Compensation cost for awards containing performance conditions is recognized if it is probable that the conditions will be achieved. The probability of achievement is assessed on a quarterly basis. If a stock-based award is modified after the grant-date, incremental compensation cost is recognized for an amount equal to the excess of the fair value of the modified award over the fair value of the original award immediately before the modification. Awards under the Company’s stock-based compensation plans vest over various periods. Compensation cost is recorded by the Company on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period for each separate vesting portion of the award as if the award is, in-substance, multiple awards and is adjusted for actual forfeitures as they occur. The Company amortizes the grant-date fair value of stock-based compensation awards made to retirement-eligible employees over the requisite service period. Upon notification of retirement, the Company accelerates the unamortized portion of the award over the contractually required retirement notification period. The Company recognizes all excess tax benefits and deficiencies in income tax expense on the consolidated statements of income, which results in volatility of income tax expense as a result of fluctuations in the Company’s stock price. Accordingly, the Company recorded a discrete income tax benefit of $41 million, $87 million and $43 million during 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively, for vested RSUs where the grant date stock price was lower than the vesting date stock price. Distribution and Servicing Costs. Distribution and servicing costs include payments to third parties, primarily associated with distribution and servicing of client investments in certain BlackRock products. Distribution and servicing costs are expensed as incurred. Direct Fund Expense. Direct fund expense, which is expensed as incurred, primarily consists of third-party nonadvisory expense incurred by BlackRock related to certain investment products for the use of certain index trademarks, reference data for certain indices, custodial services, fund administration, fund accounting, transfer agent services, shareholder reporting services, audit and tax services as well as other fund-related expense directly attributable to the nonadvisory operations of the fund. Leases. The Company determines if a contract is a lease or contains a lease at inception. The Company accounts for its office facility leases as operating leases, which may include escalation clauses that are based on an index or market rate. The Company accounts for lease and non-lease components, including common areas maintenance charges, as a single component for its leases. The Company elected the short-term lease exception for leases with an initial term of 12 months or less. Consequently, such leases are not recorded on the consolidated statements of financial condition. The Company’s lease terms include options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain they will be exercised or not. The Company recognizes operating right-of-use (“ROU”) assets and operating lease liabilities on the consolidated statements of financial condition based on the present value of future lease payments over the lease term at the commencement date discounted using an incremental borrowing rate (“IBR”). The IBR for individual leases is estimated considering the Company’s or a subsidiary’s credit rating using various financial metrics, such as revenue, operating margin and revenue growth, and, as appropriate, performing market analysis of yields on publicly traded bonds (secured or unsecured) with similar terms of comparable companies in a similar economic environment. ROU assets are tested for impairment when there is an indication that the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable. Fixed lease payments made over the lease term are recorded as lease expense on a straight-line basis. Variable lease payments based on usage, changes in an index or market rate are expensed as incurred. Foreign Exchange. Foreign currency transactions are recorded at the exchange rates prevailing on the dates of the transactions. Monetary assets and liabilities that are denominated in foreign currencies are subsequently remeasured into the functional currencies of the Company's subsidiaries at the rates prevailing at each statement of financial condition date. Gains and losses arising on remeasurement are included in general and administration expense on the consolidated statements of income. Revenue and expenses are translated at average exchange rates during the period. Gains or losses resulting from translating foreign currency financial statements into United States ("US") dollars are included in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (“AOCI”), a separate component of stockholders’ equity, on the consolidated statements of financial condition. Income Taxes. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to temporary differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases using currently enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred income tax assets and liabilities is recognized on the consolidated statements of income in the period that includes the enactment date. Management periodically assesses the recoverability of its deferred income tax assets based upon expected future earnings, taxable income in prior carryback years, future deductibility of the asset, changes in applicable tax laws and other factors. If management determines that it is not more likely than not that the deferred tax asset will be fully recoverable in the future, a valuation allowance will be established for the difference between the asset balance and the amount expected to be recoverable in the future. This allowance will result in additional income tax expense. Further, the Company records its income taxes receivable and payable based upon its estimated income tax position. Earnings per Share (“EPS”). Basic EPS is calculated by dividing net income applicable to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of shares outstanding during the period. Diluted EPS includes the determinants of basic EPS and common stock equivalents outstanding during the period. Diluted EPS is computed using the treasury stock method. Business Segments. The Company’s management directs BlackRock’s operations as one business, the asset management business. The Company utilizes a consolidated approach to assess performance and allocate resources. As such, the Company operates in one business segment. Fair Value Measurements Hierarchy of Fair Value Inputs. The Company uses a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes inputs to valuation approaches used to measure fair value. The fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs. Assets and liabilities measured and reported at fair value are classified and disclosed in one of the following categories: Level 1 Inputs: Quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities at the reporting date. • Level 1 assets may include listed mutual funds, ETFs, listed equities, commodities and certain exchange-traded derivatives. Level 2 Inputs: Quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities that are not active; quotes from pricing services or brokers for which the Company can determine that orderly transactions took place at the quoted price or that the inputs used to arrive at the price are observable; and inputs other than quoted prices that are observable, such as models or other valuation methodologies. • Level 2 assets may include debt securities, loans held within consolidated CLOs, short-term floating-rate notes, asset-backed securities, as well as over-the-counter derivatives, including interest rate swaps and foreign currency exchange contracts that have inputs to the valuations that generally can be corroborated by observable market data. Level 3 Inputs: Unobservable inputs for the valuation of the asset or liability, which may include nonbinding broker quotes. Level 3 assets include investments for which there is little, if any, market activity. These inputs require significant management judgment or estimation. • Level 3 assets may include direct private equity investments, including those held within CIPs, investments in CLOs and loans held within consolidated CLOs and CIPs. • Level 3 liabilities may include borrowings of consolidated CLOs and contingent liabilities related to acquisitions valued based upon discounted cash flow analyses using unobservable market data, or other valuation techniques. Significance of Inputs. The Company’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment and considers factors specific to the financial instrument. Valuation Approaches. The fair values of certain Level 3 assets and liabilities were determined using various valuation approaches as appropriate, including third-party pricing vendors, broker quotes and market and income approaches. A significant number of inputs used to value equity, debt securities, and loans held within CLOs and CIPs are sourced from third-party pricing vendors. Generally, prices obtained from pricing vendors are categorized as Level 1 inputs for identical securities traded in active markets and as Level 2 for other similar securities if the vendor uses observable inputs in determining the price. In addition, quotes obtained from brokers generally are nonbinding and categorized as Level 3 inputs. However, if the Company is able to determine that market participants have transacted for the asset in an orderly manner near the quoted price or if the Company can determine that the inputs used by the broker are observable, the quote is classified as a Level 2 input. Investments Measured at Net Asset Values. As a practical expedient, the Company uses net asset value (“NAV”) as the fair value for certain investments. The inputs to value these investments may include the Company’s capital accounts for its partnership interests in various alternative investments, including hedge funds, real assets and private equity funds, which may be adjusted by using the returns of certain market indices. The various partnerships are investment companies, which record their underlying investments at fair value based on fair value policies established by management of the underlying fund. Fair value policies at the underlying fund generally require the fund to utilize pricing/valuation information from third-party sources, including independent appraisals. However, in some instances, current valuation information for illiquid securities or securities in markets that are not active may not be available from any third-party source or fund management may conclude that the valuations that are available from third-party sources are not reliable. In these instances, fund management may perform model-based analytical valuations that could be used as an input to value these investments. Fair Value Assets and Liabilities of Consolidated CLO. The Company applies the fair value option provisions for eligible assets, including loans, held by a consolidated CLO. As the fair value of the financial assets of the consolidated CLO is more observable than the fair value of the borrowings of the consolidated CLO, the Company measures the fair value of the borrowings of the consolidated CLO equal to the fair value of the assets of the consolidated CLO less the fair value of the Company’s economic interest in the CLO. Derivatives and Hedging Activities. The Company does not use derivative financial instruments for trading or speculative purposes. The Company uses derivative financial instruments primarily for purposes of hedging exposures to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates of certain assets and liabilities, and market price and interest rate exposures with respect to its total portfolio of seed investments in sponsored investment products. Certain CIPs also utilize derivatives as a part of their investment strategy. In addition, during 2023, the Company acquired both investments and derivatives to economically hedge market valuation changes on certain deferred cash compensation plans, for which the final value of the deferred amount distributed to employees in cash upon vesting is determined based on the returns of specified investment funds. The Company recognizes compensation expense for the appreciation (depreciation) of the deferred cash compensation liability in proportion to the vested amount of the award during a respective period, while the gain (loss) to economically hedge these plans is immediately recognized in nonoperating income (expense). See Note 4, Investments, and Note 8, Derivatives and Hedging, for further information on the Company’s investments and derivatives, respectively, used to economically hedge these deferred cash compensation plans. The Company records all derivative financial instruments as either assets or liabilities at fair value on a gross basis in the consolidated statements of financial condition. Credit risks are managed through master netting and collateral support agreements. The amounts related to the right to reclaim or the obligation to return cash collateral may not be used to offset amounts due under the derivative instruments in the normal course of settlement. Therefore, such amounts are not offset against fair value amounts recognized for derivative instruments with the same counterparty and are included in other assets and other liabilities. Changes in the fair value of the Company’s derivative financial instruments are recognized in earnings and, where applicable, are offset by the corresponding gain or loss on the related foreign-denominated or hedged assets or liabilities, on the consolidated statements of income. The Company may also use financial instruments designated as net investment hedges for accounting purposes to hedge net investments in international subsidiaries whose functional currency is not US dollars. The gain or loss from revaluing net investment hedges at the spot rate is deferred and reported within AOCI on the consolidated statements of financial condition. The Company reassesses the effectiveness of its net investment hedge at least quarterly.

Significant Accounting Policies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

2. Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

These consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) and include the accounts of the Company and its controlled subsidiaries. Noncontrolling interests (“NCI”) on the consolidated statements of financial condition represent the portion of consolidated sponsored investment products (“CIPs”) and a consolidated affiliate (collectively, “consolidated entities”) in which the Company does not have direct equity ownership. Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated upon consolidation.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expense during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Certain prior period presentations and disclosures, while not required to be recast, may be reclassified to ensure comparability with current period classifications.

Accounting Developments

Segment Reporting. In November 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2023-07, Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures (“ASU 2023-07”), which requires incremental disclosures about reportable segments but does not change the definition of a segment or the guidance for determining reportable segments. The new guidance requires disclosure of significant segment expenses that are (1) regularly provided to (or easily computed from information regularly provided to) the chief operating decision maker ("CODM") and (2) included in the reported measure of segment profit or loss. The new standard also requires companies to disclose the title and position of the individual (or the name of the committee) identified as the CODM, allows companies to disclose multiple measures of segment profit or loss if those measures are used to assess performance and allocate resources, and is applicable to companies with a single reportable segment. The requirements are effective for annual reporting periods beginning on January 1, 2024, and are required to be applied retrospectively. Early adoption is permitted. The Company does not expect the additional disclosure requirements under ASU 2023-07 to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

Income Tax Disclosure Requirements. In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09, Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures (“ASU 2023-09”), which enhances interim and annual income tax disclosures. The two primary enhancements disaggregate existing income tax disclosures related to the effective tax rate reconciliation and income taxes paid. The additional disclosure requirements under ASU 2023-09 are required to be applied prospectively and are effective for the Company on January 1, 2025. The Company does not expect the additional disclosure requirements under ASU 2023-09 to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

Cash and Cash Equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents primarily consists of cash, money market funds and short-term, highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less. Cash and cash equivalent balances that are legally restricted from use by the Company are recorded in other assets on the consolidated statements of financial condition. Cash balances maintained by consolidated VIEs and voting rights entities (“VREs”) are not considered legally restricted and are included in cash and cash equivalents on the consolidated statements of financial condition.

Investments

Investments in Debt Securities. The Company classifies debt investments as held-to-maturity or trading based on the Company’s intent and ability to hold the debt security to maturity or its intent to sell the security.

Held-to-maturity securities are purchased with the positive intent and ability to be held to maturity and are recorded at amortized cost on the consolidated statements of financial condition.

Trading securities are those investments that are purchased principally for the purpose of selling them in the near term. Trading securities are carried at fair value on the consolidated statements of financial condition with changes in the fair value recorded through net income (“FVTNI”) within nonoperating income (expense). Trading securities include certain investments in collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”) for which the fair value option is elected in order to reduce operational complexity of bifurcating embedded derivatives.

Investments in Equity Securities. Equity securities are generally carried at fair value on the consolidated statements of financial condition with changes in the FVTNI within nonoperating income (expense). For nonmarketable equity securities, the Company generally elects to apply the practicality exception to fair value measurement, under which such securities will be measured at cost, less impairment, plus or minus observable price changes for identical or similar securities of the same issuer with such changes recorded through net income within nonoperating income (expense). Dividends received are recorded as dividend income within nonoperating income (expense).

Equity Method. The Company applies the equity method of accounting for equity investments where the Company does not consolidate the investee, but can exert significant influence over the financial and operating policies of the investee. The evaluation of whether the Company exerts control or significant influence over the financial and operational policies of its investees is based on the facts and circumstances surrounding each individual investment. Factors considered in these evaluations may include the type of investment, the legal structure of the investee, the terms of BlackRock's contractual agreements, including investor voting or other rights, any influence BlackRock may have on the governing board of the investee, the legal rights of other investors in the entity pursuant to the entity’s operating documents and the relationship between BlackRock and other investors in the entity. The Company’s share of the investee’s underlying net income or loss is recorded as net gain (loss) on investments within nonoperating income (expense) and as other revenue for certain strategic minority investments since such investees are considered to be an extension of the Company’s core business. The Company’s share of net income of the investee is recorded based upon the most current information available at the time, which may precede the date of the consolidated statement of financial condition. Distributions received reduce the Company’s carrying value of the investment and the cost basis if deemed to be a return of capital. The Company classifies distributions in the consolidated statements of cash flows as either distributions of earnings (operating) or distributions of capital (investing) based on the nature of the distribution.

Impairments of Investments. Management periodically assesses equity method, nonmarketable investments, and held-to-maturity investments for impairment. If impairment exists, an impairment charge would be recorded for the excess of the carrying amount of the investment over its estimated fair value in the consolidated statements of income.

For equity method investments and nonmarketable investments, impairment evaluation considers qualitative factors, including the financial conditions and specific events related to an investee, that may indicate the fair value of the investment is less than its carrying value. For held-to-maturity investments, impairment is evaluated using market values, where available, or the expected future cash flows of the investment.

For the Company’s investments in CLOs, the Company reviews cash flow estimates over the life of each CLO investment. On a quarterly basis, if the present value of the estimated future cash flows is lower than the carrying value of the investment and there is an adverse change in estimated cash flows, an impairment is considered to be other-than-temporary.

Consolidation. The Company performs an analysis for investment products to determine if the product is a VIE or a VRE. Factors considered in this analysis include the entity’s legal organization, the entity’s capital structure, the rights of equity investment holders and the Company’s contractual involvement with, and economic interest in, the entity and any related party or de facto agent implications of the Company’s involvement with the entity. Entities that are determined to be VIEs are consolidated if the Company is the primary beneficiary (“PB”) of the entity. VREs are typically consolidated if the Company holds the majority voting interest. Upon the occurrence of certain events (such as contributions and redemptions, either by the Company, or third parties, or amendments to an entity’s governing documents), management reviews and reconsiders its previous conclusion regarding the status of an entity as a VIE or a VRE.

Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities. Certain investment products for which a controlling financial interest is achieved through arrangements that do not involve or are not directly linked to voting interests are deemed consolidated VIEs. BlackRock reviews factors, including whether or not (1) the entity has equity at risk that is sufficient to permit the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated support from other parties and (2) the equity holders at risk have the obligation to absorb losses, the right to receive residual returns, and the right to direct the activities of the entity that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance, to determine if the investment product is a VIE.

The PB of a VIE is defined as the variable interest holder that has a controlling financial interest in the VIE. A controlling financial interest is defined as (1) the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact its economic performance and (2) the obligation to absorb losses of the entity or the right to receive benefits from the entity that potentially could be significant to the VIE. The Company generally consolidates VIEs in which it holds an economic interest of 10% or greater and deconsolidates such VIEs once economic interest falls below 10%.

Management continually reconsiders whether the Company is deemed to be a VIE’s PB.

Consolidation of Voting Rights Entities. BlackRock is required to consolidate an investee to the extent that BlackRock can exert absolute control over the financial and operating policies of the investee, which generally exists if there is a greater than 50% voting equity interest.

Retention of Specialized Investment Company Accounting Principles. Upon consolidation of sponsored investment products, the Company retains the specialized investment company accounting principles of the underlying funds. All of the underlying investments held by such CIPs are carried at fair value with corresponding changes in the investments’ fair values reflected in net income within nonoperating income (expense). When the Company no longer controls these funds due to reduced ownership percentage or other reasons, the funds are deconsolidated and accounted for as an equity method investment or equity securities FVTNI.

Separate Account Assets and Liabilities. Separate account assets are maintained by BlackRock Life Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, which is a registered life insurance company in the United Kingdom ("UK"), and represent segregated assets held for purposes of funding individual and group pension contracts. The life insurance company does not underwrite any insurance contracts that involve any insurance risk transfer from the insured to the life insurance company. The separate account assets primarily include equity securities, debt securities, money market funds and derivatives. The separate account assets are not subject to general claims of the creditors of BlackRock. These separate account assets and the related equal and offsetting liabilities are recorded as separate account assets and separate account liabilities on the consolidated statements of financial condition.

The net investment income attributable to separate account assets supporting individual and group pension contracts accrues directly to the contract owner and is not reported on the consolidated statements of income. While BlackRock has no economic interest in these separate account assets and liabilities, BlackRock earns policy administration and management fees associated with these products, which are included in investment advisory, administration fees and securities lending revenue on the consolidated statements of income.

Separate Account Collateral Assets Held and Liabilities Under Securities Lending Agreements. The Company facilitates securities lending arrangements whereby securities held by separate accounts maintained by BlackRock Life Limited are lent to third parties under global master securities lending agreements. In exchange, the Company receives collateral by obtaining either (1) legal title or (2) first ranking priority security interest. The minimum collateral values generally range from approximately 102% to 112% of the value of the securities lent in order to reduce counterparty risk. The required collateral value is calculated on a daily basis. The global master securities lending agreements provide the Company the right to request additional collateral or, in the event of borrower default, the right to liquidate collateral. The securities lending transactions entered into by the Company are accompanied by an agreement that entitles the Company to request the borrower to return the securities at any time; therefore, these transactions are not reported as sales.

In situations where the Company receives the legal title to collateral under these securities lending arrangements, the Company records an asset on the consolidated statements of financial condition and an equal collateral liability for the obligation to return the collateral. Additionally, in situations where the Company obtains a first ranking priority security interest in the collateral, the Company does not have the ability to pledge or resell the collateral and therefore does not record the collateral on the consolidated statements of financial condition. At December 31, 2023 and 2022, the fair value of loaned securities held by separate accounts was approximately $9.3 billion and $10.2 billion, respectively, and the fair value of the collateral under these securities lending agreements was approximately $10.1 billion and $11.0 billion, respectively, of which approximately $4.6 billion as of 2023 and $5.8 billion as of 2022 was recognized on the consolidated statements of financial condition. During 2023 and 2022, the Company had not resold or repledged any of the collateral received under these arrangements. The securities lending revenue earned from lending securities held by the separate accounts is included in investment advisory, administration fees and securities lending revenue on the consolidated statements of income.

Property and Equipment. Property and equipment are recorded at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is generally determined by cost less any estimated residual value using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the various classes of property and equipment. Leasehold improvements are amortized using the straight-line method over the shorter of the estimated useful life or the remaining lease term.

The Company capitalizes certain costs incurred in connection with developing or obtaining software within property and equipment. Capitalized software costs are amortized, beginning when the software product is ready for its intended use, over the estimated useful life of the software of approximately three years.

Goodwill and Intangible Assets. Goodwill represents the cost of a business acquisition in excess of the fair value of the net assets acquired. The Company has determined that it has one reporting unit for goodwill impairment testing purposes, the consolidated BlackRock single operating segment, which is consistent with internal management reporting and management's oversight of operations. The Company performs an impairment assessment of its goodwill at least annually, as of July 31st. In its assessment of goodwill for impairment, the Company considers such factors as the book value and market capitalization of the Company.

Intangible assets are comprised of indefinite-lived intangible assets and finite-lived intangible assets acquired in a business acquisition. The value of contracts to manage assets in proprietary open-end funds and collective trust funds and certain other commingled products without a specified termination date is generally classified as indefinite-lived intangible assets. In addition, trade names/trademarks are considered indefinite-lived intangible assets when they are expected to generate cash flows indefinitely.

Indefinite-lived intangible assets and goodwill are not amortized. Finite-lived investor/customer relationships, technology-related assets, and management contracts, which relate to acquired separate accounts and funds, that are expected to contribute to the future cash flows of the Company for a specified period of time, are amortized over their estimated useful lives. On a quarterly basis, the Company considers whether the indefinite-lived and finite-lived classifications are still appropriate.

The Company performs assessments to determine if any intangible assets are potentially impaired at least annually, as of July 31st. The carrying value of finite-lived assets and their remaining useful lives are reviewed to determine if circumstances exist which may indicate a potential impairment or revisions to the amortization period.

In evaluating whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of indefinite-lived intangibles is less than its carrying value, BlackRock assesses various significant quantitative factors, including assets under management (“AUM”), revenue basis points, projected AUM growth rates, operating margins, tax rates and discount rates. If an indefinite-lived intangible is determined to be more likely than not impaired, then the fair value of the asset is compared with its carrying value and any excess of the carrying value over the fair value would be recognized as an expense in the period in which the impairment occurs.

For finite-lived intangible assets, if potential impairment circumstances are considered to exist, the Company will perform a recoverability test using an undiscounted cash flow analysis. If the carrying value of the asset is determined not to be recoverable based on the undiscounted cash flow test, the difference between the carrying value of the asset and its current fair value would be recognized as an expense in the period in which the impairment occurs.

Consolidated Affiliate. The Company owns 50.1% of an asset management company in China - BlackRock CCB Wealth Management Company Ltd. (“WMC”). The Company consolidates WMC, which it deems to be a VRE, because it exerts control over the financial and operating policies of the entity, based on the Company’s 50.1% ownership and voting rights.

Noncontrolling Interests. NCI consist of third-party investments in the Company’s CIPs (“NCI – CIPs”) and the WMC. The Company reports NCI in stockholders’ equity, separate from the parent’s equity, on the consolidated statements of financial condition. NCI that are redeemable at the option of the holders are classified as temporary equity at estimated redemption value and nonredeemable NCI are classified as a component of permanent equity in the consolidated statements of financial condition. In addition, the Company reports net income (loss) attributable to redeemable and nonredeemable NCI holders in net income (loss) attributable to NCI in the consolidated statements of income.

Treasury Stock. The Company records common stock purchased for treasury at cost. At the date of subsequent reissuance, the treasury stock account is reduced by the cost of such stock using the average cost method.

Revenue Recognition. Revenue is recognized upon transfer of control of promised services to customers in an amount to which the Company expects to be entitled in exchange for those services. The Company enters into contracts that can include multiple services, which are accounted for separately if they are determined to be distinct. Consideration for the Company’s services is generally in the form of variable consideration because the amount of fees is subject to market conditions that are outside of the Company’s influence. The Company includes variable consideration in revenue when it is no longer probable of significant reversal, i.e. when the associated uncertainty is resolved. For some contracts with customers, the Company has discretion to involve a third party in providing services to the customer. Generally, the Company is deemed to be the principal in these arrangements because the Company controls the promised services before they are transferred to customers, and accordingly presents the revenue gross of related costs.

Investment Advisory, Administration Fees and Securities Lending Revenue. Investment advisory and administration fees are recognized as the services are performed over time because the customer is receiving and consuming the benefits as they are provided by the Company. Fees are primarily based on agreed-upon percentages of AUM and recognized for services provided during the period, which are distinct from services provided in other periods. Such fees are affected by changes in AUM, including market appreciation or depreciation, foreign exchange translation and net inflows or outflows. Investment advisory and administration fees for investment funds are shown net of fee waivers. In addition, the Company may contract with third parties to provide sub-advisory services on its behalf. The Company presents the investment advisory fees and associated costs to such third-party advisors on a gross basis where it is deemed to be the principal and on a net basis where it is deemed to be the agent. Management judgment involved in making these assessments is focused on ascertaining whether the Company is primarily responsible for fulfilling the promised service.

The Company also earns revenue by lending securities on behalf of clients, primarily to highly rated banks and broker-dealers. The securities loaned are collateralized by either cash or securities, generally ranging from 102% to 112% of the value of the loaned securities. Securities lending fees are based on (1) a percentage of the notional value of the loaned securities and (2) a spread between the interest earned on the reinvested cash collateral and the amount rebated to the borrower. Revenue is recognized over time as services are performed. Generally, the securities lending fees are shared between the Company and the funds or other third-party accounts managed by the Company from which the securities are borrowed. For 2023, 2022 and 2021, securities lending revenue earned by the Company totaled $675 million, $599 million and $555 million, respectively, and is recorded in investment advisory, administration and securities lending revenue on the consolidated statements of income. Investment advisory, administration fees and securities lending revenue are reported together as the fees for these services often are agreed upon with clients as a bundled fee.

Money Market Fee Waivers. The Company may voluntarily waive a portion of its management fees on certain money market funds to ensure that they maintain a targeted level of daily net investment income (the “Yield Support waivers”). There were no Yield Support waivers during 2023. During 2022 and 2021, these waivers resulted in a reduction of management fees of approximately $72 million, and $500 million respectively, which was partially offset by a reduction of BlackRock’s distribution and servicing costs paid to financial intermediaries. The Company may increase or decrease the level of Yield Support waivers in future periods.

Investment Advisory Performance Fees / Carried Interest. The Company receives investment advisory performance fees, including incentive allocations (carried interest) from certain actively managed investment funds and certain separately managed accounts. These performance fees are dependent upon exceeding specified relative or absolute investment return thresholds, which vary by product or account, and include monthly, quarterly, annual or longer measurement periods.

Performance fees, including carried interest, are generated on certain management contracts when performance hurdles are achieved. Such performance fees are recognized when the contractual performance criteria have been met and when it is determined that they are no longer probable of significant reversal. Given the unique nature of each fee arrangement, contracts with customers are evaluated on an individual basis to determine the timing of revenue recognition. Significant judgment is involved in making such determination. Performance fees typically arise from investment management services that began in prior reporting periods. Consequently, a portion of the fees the Company recognizes may be partially related to the services performed in prior periods that meet the recognition criteria in the current period. At each reporting date, the Company considers various factors in estimating performance fees to be recognized, including carried interest.

The Company is allocated carried interest from certain alternative investment products upon exceeding performance thresholds. The Company may be required to reverse/return all, or part, of such carried interest allocations/distributions depending upon future performance of these funds. Carried interest subject to such clawback provisions is recorded in investments or cash and cash equivalents to the extent that it is distributed, on its consolidated statements of financial condition.

The Company records a liability for deferred carried interest to the extent it receives cash or capital allocations related to carried interest prior to meeting the revenue recognition criteria. A portion of the deferred carried interest may also be paid to certain employees. The ultimate timing of the recognition of performance fee revenue and related compensation expense, if any, is unknown.

Technology services revenue. The Company offers investment management technology systems, risk management services, wealth management and digital distribution tools, all on a fee basis. Clients include banks, insurance companies, official institutions, pension funds, asset managers, retail distributors and other investors. Fees earned for technology services are primarily recorded as services are performed over time and are generally determined using the value of positions on the Aladdin platform, or on a fixed-rate basis. Revenue derived from the sale of software licenses is recognized upon the granting of access rights.

Distribution Fees. The Company earns distribution and service fees related to distributing investment products and shareholder support services for investment portfolios. Distribution fees are passed-through to third-party distributors, which perform various fund distribution services and shareholder servicing of certain funds on the Company’s behalf, and are recognized as distribution and servicing costs. The Company presents distribution fees and related distribution and servicing costs incurred on a gross basis.

Distribution fees primarily consist of ongoing distribution fees, shareholder servicing fees and upfront sales commissions for serving as the principal underwriter and/or distributor for certain managed mutual funds. The service of distribution is satisfied at the point in time when an investor makes an investment in a share class of the managed mutual funds. Fees are generally considered variable consideration because they are based on the value of AUM and are uncertain on trade date. Accordingly, the Company recognizes distribution fees when the amounts become known and the portion recognized in the current period may relate to distribution services performed in prior periods. Upfront sales commissions are recognized on a trade date basis. Shareholder servicing fees are based on AUM and recognized in revenue as the services are performed.

Advisory and other revenue. Advisory and other revenue primarily includes fees earned for advisory services, fees earned for transition management services primarily comprised of commissions recognized in connection with buying and selling securities on behalf of customers, and equity method investment earnings related to certain strategic minority investments.

Advisory services fees are determined using fixed-rate fees and are recognized over time as the related services are completed.

Commissions related to transition management services are recorded on a trade-date basis as transactions occur.

Stock-based Compensation. The Company recognizes compensation cost for equity classified awards based on the grant-date fair value of the award. The compensation cost is recognized over the period during which an employee is required to provide service (usually the vesting period) in exchange for the stock-based award.

The Company measures the grant-date fair value of restricted stock units (“RSUs”) using the Company’s stock price on the date of grant. Stock-based awards may have performance, market and/or service conditions. For employee stock options and awards with market conditions, the Company uses pricing models. Compensation cost for awards containing performance conditions is recognized if it is probable that the conditions will be achieved. The probability of achievement is assessed on a quarterly basis. If a stock-based award is modified after the grant-date, incremental compensation cost is recognized for an amount equal to the excess of the fair value of the modified award over the fair value of the original award immediately before the modification. Awards under the Company’s stock-based compensation plans vest over various periods. Compensation cost is recorded by the Company on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period for each separate vesting portion of the award as if the award is, in-substance, multiple awards and is adjusted for actual forfeitures as they occur.

The Company amortizes the grant-date fair value of stock-based compensation awards made to retirement-eligible employees over the requisite service period. Upon notification of retirement, the Company accelerates the unamortized portion of the award over the contractually required retirement notification period.

The Company recognizes all excess tax benefits and deficiencies in income tax expense on the consolidated statements of income, which results in volatility of income tax expense as a result of fluctuations in the Company’s stock price. Accordingly, the Company recorded a discrete income tax benefit of $41 million, $87 million and $43 million during 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively, for vested RSUs where the grant date stock price was lower than the vesting date stock price.

Distribution and Servicing Costs. Distribution and servicing costs include payments to third parties, primarily associated with distribution and servicing of client investments in certain BlackRock products. Distribution and servicing costs are expensed as incurred.

Direct Fund Expense. Direct fund expense, which is expensed as incurred, primarily consists of third-party nonadvisory expense incurred by BlackRock related to certain investment products for the use of certain index trademarks, reference data for certain indices, custodial services, fund administration, fund accounting, transfer agent services, shareholder reporting services, audit and tax services as well as other fund-related expense directly attributable to the nonadvisory operations of the fund.

Leases. The Company determines if a contract is a lease or contains a lease at inception. The Company accounts for its office facility leases as operating leases, which may include escalation clauses that are based on an index or market rate. The Company accounts for lease and non-lease components, including common areas maintenance charges, as a single component for its leases. The Company elected the short-term lease exception for leases with an initial term of 12 months or less. Consequently, such leases are not recorded on the consolidated statements of financial condition. The Company’s lease terms include options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain they will be exercised or not.

The Company recognizes operating right-of-use (“ROU”) assets and operating lease liabilities on the consolidated statements of financial condition based on the present value of future lease payments over the lease term at the commencement date discounted using an incremental borrowing rate (“IBR”). The IBR for individual leases is estimated considering the Company’s or a subsidiary’s credit rating using various financial metrics, such as revenue, operating margin and revenue growth, and, as appropriate, performing market analysis of yields on publicly traded bonds (secured or unsecured) with similar terms of comparable companies in a similar economic environment. ROU assets are tested for impairment when there is an indication that the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable. Fixed lease payments made over the lease term are recorded as lease expense on a straight-line basis. Variable lease payments based on usage, changes in an index or market rate are expensed as incurred.

Foreign Exchange. Foreign currency transactions are recorded at the exchange rates prevailing on the dates of the transactions. Monetary assets and liabilities that are denominated in foreign currencies are subsequently remeasured into the functional currencies of the Company's subsidiaries at the rates prevailing at each statement of financial condition date. Gains and losses arising on remeasurement are included in general and administration expense on the consolidated statements of income. Revenue and expenses are translated at average exchange rates during the period. Gains or losses resulting from translating foreign currency financial statements into United States ("US") dollars are included in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (“AOCI”), a separate component of stockholders’ equity, on the consolidated statements of financial condition.

Income Taxes. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to temporary differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases using currently enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred income tax assets and liabilities is recognized on the consolidated statements of income in the period that includes the enactment date.

Management periodically assesses the recoverability of its deferred income tax assets based upon expected future earnings, taxable income in prior carryback years, future deductibility of the asset, changes in applicable tax laws and other factors. If management determines that it is not more likely than not that the deferred tax asset will be fully recoverable in the future, a valuation allowance will be established for the difference between the asset balance and the amount expected to be recoverable in the future. This allowance will result in additional income tax expense. Further, the Company records its income taxes receivable and payable based upon its estimated income tax position.

Earnings per Share (“EPS”). Basic EPS is calculated by dividing net income applicable to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of shares outstanding during the period. Diluted EPS includes the determinants of basic EPS and common stock equivalents outstanding during the period. Diluted EPS is computed using the treasury stock method.

Business Segments. The Company’s management directs BlackRock’s operations as one business, the asset management business. The Company utilizes a consolidated approach to assess performance and allocate resources. As such, the Company operates in one business segment.

Fair Value Measurements

Hierarchy of Fair Value Inputs. The Company uses a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes inputs to valuation approaches used to measure fair value. The fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs. Assets and liabilities measured and reported at fair value are classified and disclosed in one of the following categories:

Level 1 Inputs:

Quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities at the reporting date.

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Level 1 assets may include listed mutual funds, ETFs, listed equities, commodities and certain exchange-traded derivatives.

Level 2 Inputs:

Quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities that are not active; quotes from pricing services or brokers for which the Company can determine that orderly transactions took place at the quoted price or that the inputs used to arrive at the price are observable; and inputs other than quoted prices that are observable, such as models or other valuation methodologies.

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Level 2 assets may include debt securities, loans held within consolidated CLOs, short-term floating-rate notes, asset-backed securities, as well as over-the-counter derivatives, including interest rate swaps and foreign currency exchange contracts that have inputs to the valuations that generally can be corroborated by observable market data.

Level 3 Inputs:

Unobservable inputs for the valuation of the asset or liability, which may include nonbinding broker quotes. Level 3 assets include investments for which there is little, if any, market activity. These inputs require significant management judgment or estimation.

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Level 3 assets may include direct private equity investments, including those held within CIPs, investments in CLOs and loans held within consolidated CLOs and CIPs.

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Level 3 liabilities may include borrowings of consolidated CLOs and contingent liabilities related to acquisitions valued based upon discounted cash flow analyses using unobservable market data, or other valuation techniques.

Significance of Inputs. The Company’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment and considers factors specific to the financial instrument.

Valuation Approaches. The fair values of certain Level 3 assets and liabilities were determined using various valuation approaches as appropriate, including third-party pricing vendors, broker quotes and market and income approaches.

A significant number of inputs used to value equity, debt securities, and loans held within CLOs and CIPs are sourced from third-party pricing vendors. Generally, prices obtained from pricing vendors are categorized as Level 1 inputs for identical securities traded in active markets and as Level 2 for other similar securities if the vendor uses observable inputs in determining the price.

In addition, quotes obtained from brokers generally are nonbinding and categorized as Level 3 inputs. However, if the Company is able to determine that market participants have transacted for the asset in an orderly manner near the quoted price or if the Company can determine that the inputs used by the broker are observable, the quote is classified as a Level 2 input.

Investments Measured at Net Asset Values. As a practical expedient, the Company uses net asset value (“NAV”) as the fair value for certain investments. The inputs to value these investments may include the Company’s capital accounts for its partnership interests in various alternative investments, including hedge funds, real assets and private equity funds, which may be adjusted by using the returns of certain market indices. The various partnerships are investment companies, which record their underlying investments at fair value based on fair value policies established by management of the underlying fund. Fair value policies at the underlying fund generally require the fund to utilize pricing/valuation information from third-party sources, including independent appraisals. However, in some instances, current valuation information for illiquid securities or securities in markets that are not active may not be available from any third-party source or fund management may conclude that the valuations that are available from third-party sources are not reliable. In these instances, fund management may perform model-based analytical valuations that could be used as an input to value these investments.

Fair Value Assets and Liabilities of Consolidated CLO. The Company applies the fair value option provisions for eligible assets, including loans, held by a consolidated CLO. As the fair value of the financial assets of the consolidated CLO is more observable than the fair value of the borrowings of the consolidated CLO, the Company measures the fair value of the borrowings of the consolidated CLO equal to the fair value of the assets of the consolidated CLO less the fair value of the Company’s economic interest in the CLO.

Derivatives and Hedging Activities. The Company does not use derivative financial instruments for trading or speculative purposes. The Company uses derivative financial instruments primarily for purposes of hedging exposures to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates of certain assets and liabilities, and market price and interest rate exposures with respect to its total portfolio of seed investments in sponsored investment products. Certain CIPs also utilize derivatives as a part of their investment strategy.

In addition, during 2023, the Company acquired both investments and derivatives to economically hedge market valuation changes on certain deferred cash compensation plans, for which the final value of the deferred amount distributed to employees in cash upon vesting is determined based on the returns of specified investment funds. The Company recognizes compensation expense for the appreciation (depreciation) of the deferred cash compensation liability in proportion to the vested amount of the award during a respective period, while the gain (loss) to economically hedge these plans is immediately recognized in nonoperating income (expense). See Note 4, Investments, and Note 8, Derivatives and Hedging, for further information on the Company’s investments and derivatives, respectively, used to economically hedge these deferred cash compensation plans.

The Company records all derivative financial instruments as either assets or liabilities at fair value on a gross basis in the consolidated statements of financial condition. Credit risks are managed through master netting and collateral support agreements. The amounts related to the right to reclaim or the obligation to return cash collateral may not be used to offset amounts due under the derivative instruments in the normal course of settlement. Therefore, such amounts are not offset against fair value amounts recognized for derivative instruments with the same counterparty and are included in other assets and other liabilities. Changes in the fair value of the Company’s derivative financial instruments are recognized in earnings and, where applicable, are offset by the corresponding gain or loss on the related foreign-denominated or hedged assets or liabilities, on the consolidated statements of income.

The Company may also use financial instruments designated as net investment hedges for accounting purposes to hedge net investments in international subsidiaries whose functional currency is not US dollars. The gain or loss from revaluing net investment hedges at the spot rate is deferred and reported within AOCI on the consolidated statements of financial condition. The Company reassesses the effectiveness of its net investment hedge at least quarterly.