497K 1 d895792d497k.htm BLACKROCK REAL ESTATE FUND BlackRock Real Estate Fund
MAY 29, 2015
Summary Prospectus
BlackRock FundsSM  |  Investor and Institutional Shares
BlackRock Real Estate Securities Fund
  Investor A: BAREX • Investor C: BCREX • Institutional: BIREX
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) and other information about the Fund, including the Fund’s statement of additional information and shareholder report, online at http://www.blackrock.com/prospectus. You can also get this information at no cost by calling (800) 441-7762 or by sending an e-mail request to prospectus.request@blackrock.com, or from your financial professional. The Fund’s prospectus and statement of additional information, both dated May 29, 2015, 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 has 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

Investment Objective

The investment objective of BlackRock Real Estate Securities Fund (the “Fund”), a series of BlackRock FundsSM (the “Trust”), is to seek total return comprised of long-term growth of capital and dividend income.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000 in the fund complex advised by BlackRock Advisors, LLC (“BlackRock”) or its affiliates. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional or your selected securities dealer, broker, investment adviser, service provider or industry professional (including BlackRock, The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. and their respective affiliates) (each a “Financial Intermediary”) and in the “Details About the Share Classes” section on page 16 of the Fund’s prospectus and in the “Purchase of Shares” section on page II-61 of Part II of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information.
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
Investor A
Shares
Investor C
Shares
Institutional
Shares
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price)
5.25% None None
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of original purchase price or redemption proceeds, whichever is lower) None 1 1.00% 2 None
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a
percentage of the value of your investment)
Investor A
Shares
Investor C
Shares
Institutional
Shares
Management Fee 0.75% 0.75% 0.75%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees 0.25% 1.00% None
Other Expenses 0.88% 0.95% 0.92%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 1.88% 2.70% 1.67%
Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements3 (0.58)% (0.65)% (0.62)%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements3 1.30% 2.05% 1.05%
  
1 A contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 1.00% is assessed on certain redemptions of Investor A Shares made within 18 months after purchase where no initial sales charge was paid at time of purchase as part of an investment of $1,000,000 or more.
2 There is no CDSC on Investor C Shares after one year.
3 As described in the “Management of the Fund” section of the Fund’s prospectus beginning on page 30, BlackRock has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse fees and/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) to 1.30% of average daily net assets (for Investor A Shares), 2.05% of average daily net assets (for Investor C Shares) and 1.05% of average daily net assets (for Institutional Shares) until June 1, 2016. The Fund may have to repay some of these waivers and/or reimbursements to BlackRock in the following two years. The 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.
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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
Investor A Shares $650 $1,032 $1,437 $2,566
Investor C Shares $308 $ 777 $1,372 $2,984
Institutional Shares $107 $ 466 $ 849 $1,924
  
You would pay the following expenses if you did not redeem your shares:
  1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
Investor C Shares $208 $777 $1,372 $2,984
  
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 example, affect the Fund’s performance. For the fiscal year ended January 31, 2015, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 74% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund

Under normal conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets plus any borrowings for investment purposes (measured at the time of purchase) in a portfolio of equity investments in issuers that are primarily engaged in or related to the real estate industry inside the United States. An issuer is primarily engaged in or related to the real estate industry if it derives at least 50% of its gross revenues or net profits from the ownership, development, construction, financing, management or sale of commercial, industrial or residential real estate or interests therein or has 50% of its assets in real estate or real estate interests. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets plus any borrowings for investment purposes (measured at the time of purchase) in a portfolio of equity investments in issuers that are primarily engaged in or related to the real estate industry outside the United States and fixed-income investments, such as government, corporate and bank debt obligations.
Real estate industry companies may include real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), REIT-like structures, or real estate operating companies whose businesses and services are related to the real estate industry. The Fund primarily buys common stock but also can invest in preferred stock and convertible securities.
The Fund concentrates its investments in securities of issuers in the real estate industry.
The Fund is classified as non-diversified under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
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 summary description of principal risks of investing in the Fund.
Concentration Risk The Fund’s strategy of concentrating in the real estate industry means that its performance will be closely tied to the performance of a particular market segment. The Fund’s concentration in these companies may present more risks than if it were broadly diversified over numerous industries and sectors of the economy. A downturn in these companies would have a larger impact on the Fund than on a mutual fund that does not concentrate in such companies. At times, the performance of these companies will lag the performance of other industries or the broader market as a whole. In addition, the real estate industry has historically experienced substantial price volatility.
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
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  securities are subject to the risk that the issuer will not be able to pay interest 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 as apply to the underlying common stock.
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.
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. 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.
Non-Diversification Risk — The Fund is a non-diversified fund. Because the Fund may invest in securities of a smaller number of issuers, it may be more exposed to the risks associated with and developments affecting an individual issuer than a fund that invests more widely.
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, 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 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.
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 are also subject to the possibilities of failing to qualify for tax free pass-through of income and failing to maintain their exemptions from investment company registration.
Small and Mid-Capitalization Company Risk — Companies with small or mid-size market capitalizations will normally have more limited product lines, markets and financial resources and will be dependent upon a more limited management group than larger capitalized companies. In addition, it is more difficult to get information on smaller companies, which tend to be less well known, have shorter operating histories, do not have significant ownership by large investors and are followed by relatively few securities analysts.
Performance Information

The information shows you how the Fund’s performance has varied for the periods since inception and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The table compares the Fund’s performance to that of the FTSE EPRA/NAREIT United States Index. 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. Sales charges are not reflected in the bar chart. If they were, returns would be less than those shown. However, the table includes all applicable fees and sales charges. 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/funds or can be obtained by phone at (800) 882-0052.
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Investor A Shares
ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS
BlackRock Real Estate Securities Fund
As of 12/31
During the period shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a quarter was 15.24% (quarter ended December 31, 2014) and the lowest return for a quarter was -3.38% (quarter ended September 30, 2014). The year-to-date return as of March 31, 2015 was 5.29%.
As of 12/31/14
Average Annual Total Returns
1 Year Since Inception
(September 28, 2012)
BlackRock Real Estate Securities Fund — Investor A Shares    
Return Before Taxes 24.29% 12.24%
Return After Taxes on Distributions 23.32% 10.95%
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares 13.85% 8.84%
BlackRock Real Estate Securities Fund — Investor C Shares    
Return Before Taxes 29.16% 14.11%
BlackRock Real Estate Securities Fund — Institutional Shares    
Return Before Taxes 31.50% 15.25%
FTSE EPRA/NAREIT United States Index
(Reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
30.43% 15.00%
  
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. After-tax returns are shown for Investor A Shares only, and the after-tax returns for Investor C and Institutional Shares will vary.
Investment Manager

The Fund’s investment manager is BlackRock Advisors, LLC (previously defined as “BlackRock”). The Fund’s sub-advisers are BlackRock International Limited and BlackRock (Singapore) Limited. Where applicable, “BlackRock” refers also to the Fund’s sub-advisers.
Portfolio Managers

Name Portfolio Manager
of the Fund Since
Title
Mark Howard-Johnson, CFA 2012 Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc.
Sherry Rexroad, CFA 2012 Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc.
  
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Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

You may purchase or redeem shares of the Fund each day the New York Stock Exchange is open. To purchase or sell shares you should contact your Financial Intermediary, or, if you hold your shares through the Fund, you should contact the Fund by phone at (800) 441-7762, by mail (c/o BlackRock Funds, P.O. Box 9819, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-8019) or by the Internet at www.blackrock.com/funds. The Fund’s initial and subsequent investment minimums generally are as follows, although the Fund may reduce or waive the minimums in some cases:
  Investor A and Investor C Shares Institutional Shares
Minimum Initial
Investment
$1,000 for all accounts except:
• $250 for certain fee-based programs.
• $100 for certain employer-sponsored retirement plans.
• $50, if establishing an Automatic Investment Plan.
$2 million for institutions and individuals.
Institutional Shares are available to clients of registered investment advisors who have $250,000 invested in the Fund.
Minimum Additional
Investment
$50 for all accounts (with the exception of certain employer-sponsored retirement plans which may have a lower minimum). No subsequent minimum.
  
Tax Information

The Fund’s dividends and distributions may be subject to Federal income taxes and may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are a tax-exempt investor or are investing through a retirement plan, in which case you may be subject to Federal income tax upon withdrawal from such tax-deferred arrangements.
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. 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
BlackRock Real Estate Securities Fund
SPRO-RESP-0515