ISHARES EVOLVED US CONSUMER

Investment objective: The iShares Evolved U.S. Consumer Staples ETF (the Fund) seeks to provide access to U.S. companies with consumer staples exposure, as classified using a proprietary classification system.

Principal investment strategies: The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets in U.S. listed common stock of large-, mid- and small-capitalization consumer staples companies, as defined by a proprietary classification system. The classification process, which uses data analysis tools consisting, in part, of machine learning, natural language processing (NLP) and clustering algorithms to allocate companies to one or more sectors according to a new classification system, is forward looking and evolves as companies evolve. The eligible universe of securities that are part of the classification process includes U.S. listed common stock of large-, mid- and small-capitalization companies. Based on data and information in the companys public filings ( e.g ., regulatory filings, etc.), a company is classified in one or more of the twelve defined sectors (each an Evolved Sector). Currently these public filings consist of several years of a companys 10-Ks and S-1s (if no 10-Ks are available). While the Fund is actively managed, the Fund generally allocates its investments to securities of its Evolved Sector on a market capitalization basis (based on the available free floating capitalization). The classification system allows for a company to be classified into multiple sectors rather than being assigned solely to a single sector. The market capitalization of a single company will be allocated proportionally based on the one or more Evolved Sectors in which the company is classified. This reflects the multi-dimensional nature of these companies. Sector constituents are expected to evolve dynamically over time to reflect changing business models. BFA may exercise discretion in managing the classification process in limited instances. For example, a company may be excluded (or its inclusion limited) from an Evolved Sector, in part or whole, most commonly in response to position limit restrictions, limited liquidity of a particular security or the fit of a particular company in the Fund. This is different from traditional classification systems that typically will assign a company only to one sector and tend to group companies together on the basis of backward looking metrics like revenue. The Fund will not provide the same returns as a fund that tracks the consumer staples sector as traditionally defined by other classification systems and as a result may not be appropriate for an investor seeking the same exposure as the consumer staples sector as defined by such classification systems. As of July 31, 2021, there were twelve Evolved Sectors: Consumer Staples, Discretionary Spending, Energy, Financials, Healthcare Staples, Industrials, Innovative Healthcare, Media and Entertainment, Real Estate, Technology, Telecommunications and Utilities. Sector classifications are reviewed on a quarterly basis and may evolve over time. The Fund will hold common stock of those companies that fall into the Consumer Staples Evolved Sector which have economic characteristics that have been historically correlated with companies traditionally defined as consumer staples companies. The Fund may also invest in other securities, including but not limited to, cash and cash equivalents, including shares of money market funds advised by BFA or its affiliates. The Fund is an actively managed exchange-traded fund (ETF) and does not seek to replicate the performance of a specified index and may have a higher degree of portfolio turnover than such index funds. The Fund may lend securities representing up to one-third of the value of the Fund's total assets (including the value of the collateral received). Industry Concentration Policy. The Fund will concentrate its investments ( i.e., hold 25% or more of its total assets) in an industry or group of industries that constitute the consumer staples sector. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities) and repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities are not considered to be issued by members of any industry. Industry concentration designations are based on output of the classification methodology referenced above. Continue reading...

Source: Fund prospectus, 485BPOS, filed 2021-11-19