ISHARES MORNINGSTAR MID-CAP

Investment objective: The iShares Morningstar Mid-Cap Growth ETF (the Fund ) seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of mid-capitalization U.S. equities that exhibit growth characteristics.

Principal investment strategies: The Fund seeks to track the investment results of the Morningstar US Mid Cap Broad Growth Index SM (the Underlying Index ), which measures the performance of U.S. stocks issued by mid-capitalization companies that have exhibited above-average growth characteristics as determined by Morningstar, Inc. ( Morningstar or the Index Provider ). Morningstar defines mid-capitalization stocks as those stocks that generally fall between the 70th and 90th percentile of the market capitalization of the stocks eligible to be included in the Morningstar US Market Extended Index SM (a diversified broad market index that represents approximately 99.5% of the market capitalization of publicly traded U.S. stocks and includes only those stocks of the top 75% of companies in the investable universe based on a liquidity score of the Index Provider). The Index Provider then designates stocks as blend, growth or value based on their style orientations. The stocks in the Underlying Index are designated as growth because they are issued by companies that typically have higher than average historical and forecasted earnings, sales, book value and cash flow growth. The stocks in the Underlying Index are weighted according to the total value of shares that are publicly owned and available for investment. As of April 30, 2025, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the industrials and technology industries or sectors. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. BFA uses an indexing approach to try to achieve the Funds investment objective. The Fund does not try to beat the index it tracks and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued. Indexing may eliminate the chance that the Fund will substantially outperform the Underlying Index but also may reduce some of the risks of active management, such as poor security selection. Indexing seeks to achieve lower costs and better after-tax performance by aiming to keep portfolio turnover low in comparison to actively managed investment companies. BFA uses a representative sampling indexing strategy to manage the Fund. Representative sampling is an indexing strategy that involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to that of an applicable underlying index. The securities selected are expected to have, in the aggregate, investment characteristics (based on factors such as market capitalization and industry weightings), fundamental characteristics (such as return variability and yield) and liquidity measures similar to those of an applicable underlying index. The Fund may or may not hold all of the securities in the Underlying Index. The Fund generally will invest at least 80% of its assets in the component securities of its Underlying Index and may invest up to 20% of its assets in certain futures, options and swap contracts, cash and cash equivalents, including shares of money market funds advised by BFA or its affiliates, as well as in securities not included in the Underlying Index, but which BFA believes will help the Fund track the Underlying Index. Cash and cash equivalent investments associated with a derivative position will be treated as part of that position for the purposes of calculating the percentage of investments included in the Underlying Index. The Fund seeks to track the investment results of the Underlying Index before fees and expenses of the Fund. The Fund may lend securities representing up to one-third of the value of the Fund's total assets (including the value of any collateral received). The Underlying Index is sponsored by Morningstar, which is ? independent of the Fund and BFA. The Index Provider determines the composition and relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index. Industry Concentration Policy. The Fund will concentrate its investments ( i.e. , hold 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. 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. Continue reading...

Source: Fund prospectus, 485BPOS, filed 2025-08-25