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Institutional | BlackRock China A Opportunities Fund
Fund Overview Key Facts About BlackRock China A Opportunities Fund
Investment Objective
The investment objective of BlackRock China A Opportunities Fund (the “Fund”), a series of BlackRock FundsSM (the “Trust”), is to seek to maximize total return. Total return means the combination of capital appreciation and investment income.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Shares of the Fund.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
Institutional
BlackRock China A Opportunities Fund
Institutional Shares
Management Fee 0.75% [1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees none
Other Expenses 1.68% [2],[3]
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.01% [3]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 2.44% [3]
Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements (1.44%) [1],[4]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements 1.00% [1],[4]
[1] As described in the "Management of the Fund" section of the Fund's prospectus beginning on page 32, BlackRock Advisors, LLC ("BlackRock") has contractually agreed to waive the management fee with respect to any portion of the Fund's assets estimated to be attributable to investments in other equity and fixed income mutual funds and exchange-traded funds managed by BlackRock or its affiliates that have a contractual management fee, through February 28, 2021. In addition, BlackRock has contractually agreed to waive its management fees by the amount of investment advisory fees the Fund pays to BlackRock indirectly through its investment in money market funds managed by BlackRock or its affiliates, through February 28, 2021. The contractual agreements may be terminated upon 90 days' notice by a majority of the non-interested trustees of the Trust or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.
[2] Other Expenses have been restated to reflect current fees.
[3] The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses do not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets given in the Fund's most recent annual report, which does not include Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses or the restatement of Other Expenses to reflect current fees.
[4] As described in the "Management of the Fund" section of the Fund's prospectus beginning on page 32, BlackRock has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse fees or expenses in order to limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements (excluding Dividend Expense, Interest Expense, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and certain other Fund expenses) to 0.99% of average daily net assets (for Institutional Shares) through February 28, 2021. The Fund may have to repay some of these waivers and/or reimbursements to BlackRock in the following two years, and such repayment arrangement will terminate on December 27, 2025. The contractual agreement may be terminated upon 90 days' notice by a majority of the non-interested trustees of the Trust or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.
Example:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in shares of the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in shares of the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Expense Example
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
Institutional | BlackRock China A Opportunities Fund | Institutional Shares | USD ($) 102 623 1,170 2,667
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 period December 27, 2018 (commencement of operations) through October 31, 2019, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 128% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund
Under normal circumstances, the Fund seeks to invest at least 80% of its net assets plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes in equity securities of issuers domiciled in the People’s Republic of China (“China” or the “PRC” and, for the purpose of this prospectus, excluding Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) and listed in China (i.e., A-shares), and derivatives that have similar economic characteristics to such securities. “A-shares” are equity securities of companies domiciled in China that trade on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (“SSE”) and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (“SZSE”) and are quoted in renminbi (“RMB”).

The Fund primarily intends to invest in equity securities or other financial instruments that are components of, or have characteristics similar to, the securities included in the MSCI China A Onshore Index. The MSCI China A Onshore Index captures large and mid-cap representation across China securities listed on the SSE and SZSE. The index includes those securities that are accessible through the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect program (“Shanghai Connect”) or the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect program (“Shenzhen Connect” and, together with Shanghai Connect, “Stock Connect”) or the Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor (“QFII”) system. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization. The Fund primarily seeks to buy common stock and may also invest in preferred stock and convertible securities. From time to time, the Fund may invest in shares of companies through “new issues” or initial public offerings (“IPOs”).

The Fund intends to invest in A-shares primarily through Stock Connect. Trading through Stock Connect is subject to a daily quota (the “Daily Quota”), which limits the maximum net purchases under Stock Connect each day and, as such, buy orders for A-shares would be rejected once the Daily Quota is exceeded (although the Fund will be permitted to sell A-shares regardless of the Daily Quota balance).

The Fund may use derivatives, including options, futures, swaps (including, but not limited to, total return swaps, some of which may be referred to as contracts for difference) and forward contracts, both to seek to increase the return of the Fund and to hedge (or protect) the value of its assets against adverse movements in currency exchange rates, interest rates and movements in the securities markets. In order to manage cash flows into or out of the Fund effectively, the Fund may buy and sell financial futures contracts or options on such contracts. Derivatives are financial instruments whose value is derived from another security, a commodity, a currency or an index, including but not limited to the MSCI China A Onshore Index. The use of options, futures, swaps and forward contracts can be effective in protecting or enhancing the value of the Fund’s assets. The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of portfolio securities to seek to achieve its primary investment strategies.

The Fund is classified as non-diversified under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, which means that it can invest more of its assets in fewer issuers than a diversified fund.
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 the principal risks of investing in the Fund. The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor.
  • China Investments Risk — Investment in Chinese securities subjects the Fund to risks specific to China. China may be subject to considerable degrees of economic, political and social instability. China is an emerging market and demonstrates significantly higher volatility from time to time in comparison to developed markets. Over the last few decades, the Chinese government has undertaken reform of economic and market practices and has expanded the sphere of private ownership of property in China. The A-shares market has a higher propensity for trading suspensions than many other global equity markets. Trading suspensions in certain stocks could lead to greater market execution risk and costs for the Fund. The Chinese markets generally continue to experience inefficiency, volatility and pricing anomalies resulting from governmental influence, a lack of publicly available information and/or political and social instability. Internal social unrest or confrontations with other neighboring countries, including military conflicts in response to such events, may also disrupt economic development in China and result in a greater risk of currency fluctuations, currency non-convertibility, interest rate fluctuations and higher rates of inflation. China has experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations. Incidents involving China’s or the region’s security may cause uncertainty in the Chinese markets and may adversely affect the Chinese economy and the Fund’s investments. Export growth continues to be a major driver of China’s rapid economic growth. Reduction in spending on Chinese products and services, institution of tariffs or other trade barriers or a downturn in any of the economies of China’s key trading partners may have an adverse impact on the Chinese economy. The current political climate has intensified concerns about a potential trade war between China and the United States, as each country has recently imposed tariffs on the other country’s products. These actions may trigger a significant reduction in international trade, the oversupply of certain manufactured goods, substantial price reductions of goods and possible failure of individual companies and/or large segments of China’s export industry, which could have a negative impact on the Fund’s performance. Events such as these and their consequences are difficult to predict and it is unclear whether further tariffs may be imposed or other escalating actions may be taken in the future. From time to time and as recently as January 2020, China has experienced outbreaks of infectious illnesses and the country may be subject to other public health threats, infectious illnesses, diseases or similar issues in the future. Any spread of an infectious illness, public health threat or similar issue could reduce consumer demand or economic output, result in market closures, travel restrictions or quarantines, and generally have a significant impact on the Chinese economy, which in turn could adversely affect the Fund’s investments.
  • China Risk — Risk of Investing through Stock Connect — Investing in A-shares through Stock Connect is subject to trading, clearance, settlement and other procedures, which could pose risks to the Fund. Trading through Stock Connect is subject to the Daily Quota, which may restrict the Fund’s ability to invest in A-shares through Stock Connect on a timely basis and could affect the Fund’s ability to effectively pursue its investment strategy. Stock Connect will only operate on days when both the Chinese and Hong Kong markets are open for trading and when banking services are available in both markets on the corresponding settlement days. Therefore, an investment in A-shares through Stock Connect may subject the Fund to the risk of price fluctuations on days when the Chinese markets are open, but Stock Connect is not trading.
  • China Tax Risk — Withholding Income Tax Risk — Under the general taxing provision of the PRC Corporate Income Tax Law, a foreign investor, such as the Fund, is subject to a 10% withholding tax on passive income, including dividends, interest and capital gains on dispositions of PRC equity interests that are derived from the PRC, so long as the foreign investor is not considered to be a PRC tax resident, which can happen by virtue of the foreign investor being centrally managed or controlled in the PRC or by having a PRC “tax establishment.”

    Circular 79, which the PRC tax authorities released on November 14, 2014, temporarily exempts QFIIs and Renminbi Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors from the withholding tax imposed on capital gains on dispositions of PRC trading shares and other equity interests. Circular 81, released on November 14, 2014, and Circular 127, released on December 1, 2016, temporarily exempt investors from the withholding tax imposed on capital gains on dispositions of PRC equity interests in A-shares traded through Stock Connect. However, even if Circulars 79, 81 and 127 apply, a foreign investor, such as the Fund, will still be subject to a 10% withholding tax on dividend and interest derived from issuers domiciled in the PRC.

    Value Added Tax Risk — Beginning May 1, 2016, the Business Tax (“BT”) that was imposed on financial services (including the transfer of financial products) was replaced with the Value Added Tax (“VAT”). Prior to that date, capital gains derived by investors from the trading of PRC securities (including A-shares) were exempt from BT. With the expansion of VAT to financial services, the BT exemption was grandfathered and investors continue to enjoy an exemption on gains under the new VAT regime. Dividends received by investors from investments in A-shares are not subject to VAT.

    The duration of the temporary exemptions under Circulars 79, 81 and 127 is not stated in these circulars, and they are subject to termination by the PRC tax authorities without notice. Similarly, the duration of the exemption under the new VAT regime is subject to termination. If the exemptions are withdrawn or modified, the PRC tax authorities may seek to collect tax on gains realized on the Fund’s investments in A-shares or other Chinese investments, thereby subjecting the Fund to double taxation on such investments, and the resultant tax liability would adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value.
  • Convertible Securities Risk — The market value of a convertible security performs like that of a regular debt security; that is, if market interest rates rise, the value of a convertible security usually falls. In addition, convertible securities are subject to the risk that the issuer will not be able to pay interest or dividends when due, and their market value may change based on changes in the issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of the issuer’s creditworthiness. Since it derives a portion of its value from the common stock into which it may be converted, a convertible security is also subject to the same types of market and issuer risks that apply to the underlying common stock.
  • Currency Risk — The Fund’s assets will be invested primarily in domestic Chinese equities and the income received by the Fund will be primarily in RMB. Because the Fund’s net asset value is determined on the basis of the U.S. dollar, investors may lose money if the RMB depreciates against the U.S. dollar, even if the local currency values of the Fund’s holdings in Chinese securities increase. Furthermore, the Fund may incur costs in connection with conversions between U.S. dollars and RMB, as well as in connection with conversions between the two separate types of RMB, the onshore RMB (“CNY”) and the offshore RMB (“CNH”).

    In addition, there is no assurance that there will always be sufficient amounts of RMB available for the Fund to remain fully invested in Chinese equities. The Chinese government heavily regulates the domestic exchange of foreign currencies and RMB exchange rates in China, which may adversely affect the operations and financial results of the Fund’s investments in China.
  • Derivatives Risk — The Fund’s use of derivatives may increase its costs, reduce the Fund’s returns and/or increase volatility. Derivatives involve significant risks, including:

    Volatility Risk — Volatility is defined as the characteristic of a security, an index or a market to fluctuate significantly in price within a short time period. A risk of the Fund’s use of derivatives is that the fluctuations in their values may not correlate with the overall securities markets.

    Counterparty Risk — Derivatives are also subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party in the transaction will not fulfill its contractual obligation.

    Market and Illiquidity Risk — The possible lack of a liquid secondary market for derivatives and the resulting inability of the Fund to sell or otherwise close a derivatives position could expose the Fund to losses and could make derivatives more difficult for the Fund to value accurately.

    Valuation Risk — Valuation may be more difficult in times of market turmoil since many investors and market makers may be reluctant to purchase complex instruments or quote prices for them.

    Hedging Risk — Hedges are sometimes subject to imperfect matching between the derivative and the underlying security, and there can be no assurance that the Fund’s hedging transactions will be effective. The use of hedging may result in certain adverse tax consequences.

    Tax Risk — Certain aspects of the tax treatment of derivative instruments, including swap agreements and commodity-linked derivative instruments, are currently unclear and may be affected by changes in legislation, regulations or other legally binding authority. Such treatment may be less favorable than that given to a direct investment in an underlying asset and may adversely affect the timing, character and amount of income the Fund realizes from its investments.

    Regulatory Risk — Derivative contracts, including, without limitation, swaps, currency forwards and non-deliverable forwards, are subject to regulation under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) in the United States and under comparable regimes in Europe, Asia and other non-U.S. jurisdictions. Under the Dodd-Frank Act, certain derivatives are subject to margin requirements and swap dealers are required to collect margin from the Fund with respect to such derivatives. Specifically, regulations are now in effect that require swap dealers to post and collect variation margin (comprised of specified liquid instruments and subject to a required haircut) in connection with trading of over-the-counter (“OTC”) swaps with the Fund. Shares of investment companies (other than certain money market funds) may not be posted as collateral under these regulations. Requirements for posting of initial margin in connection with OTC swaps will be phased-in through at least 2021. In addition, regulations adopted by global prudential regulators that are now in effect require certain bank-regulated counterparties and certain of their affiliates to include in certain financial contracts, including many derivatives contracts, terms that delay or restrict the rights of counterparties, such as the Fund, to terminate such contracts, foreclose upon collateral, exercise other default rights or restrict transfers of credit support in the event that the counterparty and/or its affiliates are subject to certain types of resolution or insolvency proceedings. The implementation of these requirements with respect to derivatives, as well as regulations under the Dodd-Frank Act regarding clearing, mandatory trading and margining of other derivatives, may increase the costs and risks to the Fund of trading in these instruments and, as a result, may affect returns to investors in the Fund.
  • Emerging Markets Risk — Emerging markets are riskier than more developed markets because they tend to develop unevenly and may never fully develop. Investments in emerging markets may be considered speculative. Emerging markets are more likely to experience hyperinflation and currency devaluations, which adversely affect returns to U.S. investors. In addition, many emerging securities markets have far lower trading volumes and less liquidity than developed markets.
  • 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.
  • Geographic Concentration Risk — The Fund will invest primarily in securities of companies domiciled, or exercising the predominant part of their economic activity, in China. Because the Fund concentrates its investments in this manner, it assumes the risk that economic, political and social conditions in China will have a significant impact on the Fund’s investment performance which may be more volatile than the performance of more geographically diversified funds.
  • Geographic Risk — A natural or manmade disaster could occur in China. China is located in a part of the world that has historically been prone to natural disasters such as floods, droughts, earthquakes, typhoons or tsunamis, and is economically sensitive to environmental events. Any such event may adversely impact China’s economy and the value of the securities in the Fund.
  • High Portfolio Turnover Risk — The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of its portfolio securities. High portfolio turnover (more than 100%) may result in increased transaction costs to the Fund, including brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of the securities and on reinvestment in other securities. The sale of Fund portfolio securities may result in the realization and/or distribution to shareholders of higher capital gains or losses as compared to a fund with less active trading policies. These effects of higher than normal portfolio turnover may adversely affect Fund performance.
  • Investment in a Particular Geographic Region or Country Risk — Asia-Pacific Countries — In addition to the risks of investing in non-U.S. securities and the risks of investing in emerging markets, the developing market Asia-Pacific countries are subject to certain additional or specific risks. In many of these markets, there is a high concentration of market capitalization and trading volume in a small number of issuers representing a limited number of industries, as well as a high concentration of investors and financial intermediaries. Many of these markets also may be affected by developments with respect to more established markets in the region such as in Japan and Hong Kong. Brokers in developing market Asia-Pacific countries typically are fewer in number and less well capitalized than brokers in the United States.

    Many of the developing market Asia-Pacific countries may be subject to a greater degree of economic, political and social instability than is the case in the United States and Western European countries. Such instability may result from, among other things: (i) authoritarian governments or military involvement in political and economic decision-making, including changes in government through extra-constitutional means; (ii) popular unrest associated with demands for improved political, economic and social conditions; (iii) internal insurgencies; (iv) hostile relations with neighboring countries; and (v) ethnic, religious and racial disaffection. In addition, the governments of many of such countries, such as Indonesia, have a substantial role in regulating and supervising the economy.

    Another risk common to most such countries is that the economy is heavily export oriented and, accordingly, is dependent upon international trade. The existence of overburdened infrastructure and obsolete financial systems also presents risks in certain countries, as do environmental problems. Certain economies also depend to a significant degree upon exports of primary commodities and, therefore, are vulnerable to changes in commodity prices that, in turn, may be affected by a variety of factors.

    The rights of investors in developing market Asia-Pacific companies may be more limited than those of shareholders of U.S. corporations. It may be difficult or impossible to obtain and/or enforce a judgment in a developing market Asia-Pacific country.

    Some developing Asia-Pacific countries prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on investments in their capital markets, particularly their equity markets, by foreign entities. For example, certain countries may require governmental approval prior to investments by foreign persons or limit the amount of investment by foreign persons in a particular company.
  • Leverage Risk — Some transactions may give rise to a form of economic leverage. These transactions may include, among others, derivatives, and may expose the Fund to greater risk and increase its costs. The use of leverage may cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations or to meet any required asset segregation requirements. Increases and decreases in the value of the Fund’s portfolio will be magnified when the Fund uses leverage.
  • Market Risk and Selection Risk — Market risk is the risk that one or more markets in which the Fund invests will go down in value, including the possibility that the markets will go down sharply and unpredictably. 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. The Fund seeks to pursue its investment objective by using proprietary models that incorporate quantitative analysis and is subject to “Model Risk” as described below. This means you may lose money.
  • Model Risk — The Fund seeks to pursue its investment objective by using proprietary models that incorporate quantitative analysis. Investments selected using these models may perform differently than as forecasted due to the factors incorporated into the models and the weighting of each factor, changes from historical trends, and issues in the construction and implementation of the models (including, but not limited to, software issues and other technological issues). There is no guarantee that BlackRock’s use of these models will result in effective investment decisions for the Fund.

    The information and data used in the models may be supplied by third parties. Inaccurate or incomplete data may limit the effectiveness of the models. In addition, some of the data that BlackRock uses may be historical data, which may not accurately predict future market movement. There is a risk that the models will not be successful in selecting investments or in determining the weighting of investment positions that will enable the Fund to achieve its investment objective.
  • “New Issues” Risk — “New issues” are IPOs of equity securities. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile or may decline shortly after the IPO.
  • 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.
  • Preferred Securities Risk — Preferred securities may pay fixed or adjustable rates of return. Preferred securities are subject to issuer-specific and market risks applicable generally to equity securities. In addition, a company’s preferred securities generally pay dividends only after the company makes required payments to holders of its bonds and other debt. For this reason, the value of preferred securities will usually react more strongly than bonds and other debt to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects. Preferred securities of smaller companies may be more vulnerable to adverse developments than preferred securities of larger companies.
  • Small Cap and Emerging Growth Securities Risk — Small cap or emerging growth companies may have limited product lines or markets. They may be less financially secure than larger, more established companies. They may depend on a more limited management group than larger capitalized companies.
Performance Information
The information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The table compares the Fund’s performance to that of the MSCI China A Onshore 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. The table includes all applicable fees. If BlackRock and its affiliates had not waived or reimbursed certain Fund expenses during these periods, the Fund’s returns would have been lower. Updated information on the Fund’s performance, including its current net asset value, can be obtained by visiting www.blackrock.com or can be obtained by phone at (800) 882-0052.
Institutional Shares ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS BlackRock China A Opportunities Fund As of 12/31
Bar Chart
During the period shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a quarter was 31.91% (quarter ended March 31, 2019) and the lowest return for a quarter was –1.13% (quarter ended September 30, 2019).
As of 12/31/19 Average Annual Total Returns
Average Annual Total Returns - Institutional - BlackRock China A Opportunities Fund
1 Year
Since Inception
Inception Date
Institutional Shares 44.37% 45.08% Dec. 27, 2018
Institutional Shares | Return After Taxes on Distributions 38.14% 38.88% Dec. 27, 2018
Institutional Shares | Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares 26.78% 32.00% Dec. 27, 2018
MSCI China A Onshore Index (Reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 37.48% 38.02%  
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.