Profile: BlackRock Inc (BLK.N)

BlackRock, Inc. (BlackRock) is an independent investment management firm. The Company provides a range of investment and risk management services. The Company serves its clients as a fiduciary, and derives all of its revenues from client business. It invests in capital markets globally. Its clients include taxable, tax-exempt and official institutions (including pension funds, endowments, insurance companies, corporations, financial institutions, central banks and sovereign wealth funds) as well as retail investors and high net worth individuals. Its product range includes single- and multi-asset class portfolios investing in equities, fixed income, alternatives and/or money market instruments. It offer its products directly and through intermediaries in a range of vehicles, including open-end and closed-end mutual funds, iShares exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and other exchange-traded products ( ETPs), collective investment funds and separate accounts. The Company also offers its BlackRock Solutions (BRS) investment systems, risk management and advisory services to institutional investors. In March 2012, it acquired Claymore Investments, Inc. from Guggenheim Partners, LLC. On February 14, 2013, BlackRock Inc sold its entire interest in Avocet Mining plc.

Equity and Fixed Income

Equity and fixed income assets under management (AUM) include a range of active and passive strategies. Merger-related outflows in equities and fixed income, respectively, due to manager concentration.

Multi-Asset Class

BlackRock’s multi-asset class team manages a range of bespoke mandates. Investment solutions include a combination of long-only portfolios and alternative investments, as well as tactical asset allocation overlays. As of December 31, 2011, institutional investors represented 63% of multi-asset class AUM, while retail and high net worth investors accounted for 37%. Flows were almost evenly split as well. During the year ended December 31, 2011, with 55% of multi-asset class AUM managed for clients based in the Americas, 38% in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and 7% in Asia-Pacific. As of December 31, 2011, asset allocation and balanced products represented 56% of multi-asset class AUM. As of December 31, 2011, fiduciary management services accounted for 22% of multi-asset class AUM. As of December 31, 2011, target date and target risk funds is 22% of multi-asset class AUM.

Alternative Investments

As of December 31, 2011, the alternative investment client base was predominantly institutional, representing 73% of alternatives AUM with retail and high net worth investors comprising an additional 9% of AUM. As of December31, 2011, iShares consisted 18% of ending AUM. The geographic mix was well diversified, with 56% of AUM managed for clients in the Americas, 22% for clients in EMEA and 22% for clients in Asia-Pacific. The BlackRock Alternative Investors (BAI) group coordinates its alternative investment efforts, including product management, business development and client service. The products offered under the BAI umbrella are: core, which includes hedge funds, funds of funds and real estate offerings, and currency and commodities. Offerings include high yield debt and core, value-added and opportunistic equity portfolios. It also offers open-end hedge funds and similar products and closed-end funds. These products include a range of active and passive products managed through institutional separate accounts.

Cash Management and Securities Lending

Cash management products include taxable and tax-exempt money market funds and customized separate accounts. Portfolios may be denominated in the United States dollar, euro or pound sterling. As of December 31, 20110, its cash management clientele is institutional, with 84% of cash AUM managed for institutions and 16% for retail and high net worth investors. The investor base was also domestic, with 70% managed for investors in the Americas and 30% for clients in other regions, almost all EMEA-based.

Active Strategies

The Company offers two types of active strategies: those that rely primarily on fundamental research and those that utilize primarily quantitative models to drive security selection and portfolio construction. As of December 31, 2011, active long-term AUM consisted of 23% equities, 52% fixed income, 18% multi-asset and 7% alternatives.

Active Equity

A range of products are offered, including global and regional portfolios; value, growth and core products; large, mid and small cap strategies, and selected sector funds. BlackRock manages active equity portfolios for a range of institutional and retail and high net worth investors globally. Approximately 48% of its active equity AUM was managed for investors based in the Americas, 38% in EMEA and 14% in Asia-Pacific.

Active Fixed Income

Fixed income mandates are tailored to client-specified liabilities, accounting, regulatory or rating agency requirements, or other investment policies. As of December 31, 2011, of BlackRock’s total active fixed income AUM, 81% was managed on behalf of institutional investors and 19% for retail and high net worth investors. The client base reflects 70% of active fixed income AUM managed for investors in the Americas, 21% for EMEA domiciled clients, and 9% for investors in the Asia-Pacific region.

Multi-Asset and Alternatives

During 2011, 97% of AUM in multi-asset class mandates, and 76% of AUM in alternative investments are managed in active strategies. As of December 31, 2011, equity products consisted 64% of institutional index AUM. Fixed income products represented 35% of institutional index AUM. Less than 1% of institutional index AUM is in alternatives or multi-asset class products.

iShares / ETPs

During 2011, the Company introduced 45 new ETPs, maintaining dual commitment innovation and responsible product structuring. Its product range offers investors the building blocks required to assemble diversified portfolios. As of December 31, 2011, its iShares product mix included 71%, in equity offerings, and 26%, in fixed income ETPs and 3%, in multi-asset class and alternative investments. In addition, the Company is an ETF manager in Mexico and has products in Chile, Peru, Brazil, Australia, Hong Kong and Japan. In addition, the Company is the ETP manager in Latin America.

BlackRock Solutions

BlackRock offers investment systems, risk management, outsourcing and advisory services under the BlackRock Solutions brand name. Its Aladdin operating platform serves as the investment system for BlackRock and institutional investors globally. BRS also offers comprehensive risk reporting through the Green Package and risk management advisory services, interactive fixed income analytics through its Web-based calculator, AnSer, middle and back office outsourcing services and investment accounting. Clients have also retained BRS’ Financial Markets Advisory (FMA) group for a range of engagements, such as valuation and risk assessment of illiquid assets, portfolio restructuring, workouts and dispositions of distressed assets and financial and balance sheet strategies.

Transition Management Services

BlackRock also offers transition management services, involving the temporary oversight of a client’s assets as they transition from one manager to another or from one strategy to another. It provides service that includes project management and implementation based on achieving execution consistent with the client’s risk management tolerances. The average transition assignment is executed within three weeks. These portfolios are not included in AUM unless BlackRock has been retained to manage the assets after the transition phase.

Risk & Quantitative Analysis

Across all asset classes, the Risk & Quantitative Analysis (RQA) group at BlackRock provides risk management advice and independent risk oversight of the investment management processes, identifies and helps manage counterparty and operational risks, coordinates standards for firm wide investment performance measurement and determines risk management-related analytical and information requirements.