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oef:AfterTaxesOnDistributionsAndSalesMember 2016-01-01 2025-12-31 0001062806 brs:ClassKMember brs:C000198221Member oef:AfterTaxesOnDistributionsMember 2016-01-01 2025-12-31 0001062806 brs:ClassKMember brs:MSCIACWIExUSAIndexNetMember 2016-01-01 2025-12-31 0001062806 brs:InvestorACInstitutionalAndClassRMember brs:MSCIACWIExUSAIndexNetMember 2016-01-01 2025-12-31 iso4217:USD pure 0001062806 false 485BPOS 2026-05-31 0.0022 0.1529 0.0033 0.3132 -0.2165 0.3146 0.2147 0.0911 -0.2443 0.1938 -0.2422 0.1980 0.0047 0.1566 0.0066 0.3187 -0.2135 0.3182 0.2188 0.0941 N-1A BLACKROCK SERIES, INC. 2026-09-28 Fund Overview Key Facts About BlackRock International Fund Investment Objective <div style="margin-top: 6pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">The investment objective of BlackRock International Fund (the “Fund”), a series of BlackRock Series, Inc. (the </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">“</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">Corporation</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">”</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">), is to seek long-term capital growth through investments primarily in a diversified portfolio of equity </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">securities of companies located outside the United States.</span></div> Fees and Expenses of the Fund <div style="margin-top: 6pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. Amounts in </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">the table are rounded to the nearest basis point, which in some cases may be </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">“</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">0.00.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">”</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-weight: bold;">You may pay other fees, such </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-weight: bold;">as brokerage commissions and other fees to your financial professional or your selected securities dealer, broker, </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-weight: bold;">investment adviser, service provider or industry professional (including BlackRock Advisors, LLC (</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-weight: bold;">“</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-weight: bold;">BlackRock</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-weight: bold;">”</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-weight: bold;">) and </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-weight: bold;">its affiliates) (each, a </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-weight: bold;">“</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-weight: bold;">Financial Intermediary</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-weight: bold;">”</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-weight: bold;">), which are not reflected in the table and example below.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> You may </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000 in the </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">fund complex advised by BlackRock or its affiliates. More information about these and other discounts is available </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">from your Financial Intermediary and in the “Details About the Share Classes” and the “Intermediary-Defined Sales </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">Charge Waiver Policies” sections on pages </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">31</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> and </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">A-1</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">, respectively, of the Fund’s prospectus and in the “Purchase of </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">Shares” section on page </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">II-97</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> of Part II of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information.</span> <br/><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> 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 or its affiliates. 25000 Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) 0.0525 0 0 0 0 0.0100 0 0 Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) 0.0059 0.0059 0.0059 0.0059 0.0025 0.0100 0 0.0050 0.0023 0.0029 0.0018 0.0028 0.0107 0.0188 0.0077 0.0137 -0.0017 -0.0023 -0.0012 -0.0022 0.0090 0.0165 0.0065 0.0115 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 the time of purchase as part of an investment of $1,000,000 or more. June 30, 2028 Example: <div style="line-height: 10.695pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 1pt; line-height: 0.93pt;"> </span></div> 612 831 1069 1748 268 569 995 1970 66 234 416 943 117 412 729 1627 You would pay the following expenses if you did not redeem your shares:  168 569 995 1970 Portfolio Turnover: <div style="line-height: 10.695pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">66</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">% of the average value of its portfolio.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> 0.66 Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund <div style="margin-top: 6pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">The Fund invests primarily in stocks of companies located outside the United States. The Fund may purchase common </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">stock, preferred stock, convertible securities and other instruments.</span></div> <div style="margin-top: 6pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">The Fund will invest at least 75% of its total assets in global equity securities of any market capitalization, selected for </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">their above average return potential. The Fund may invest in securities issued by companies of all sizes but will focus </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">mainly on medium and large capitalization companies. Companies will be located in developed countries of Europe and </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">the Far East, and in countries with emerging capital markets anywhere in the world. The Fund may invest up to 25% of </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">its total assets in global fixed income securities, including corporate bonds, U.S. Government debt securities, non-U.S. </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">Government and supranational debt securities, asset-backed securities, mortgage-backed securities, emerging market </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">debt securities and non-investment grade debt securities (high yield or junk bonds).</span></div> <div style="margin-top: 6pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">The portfolio management team’s investment process seeks to identify and benefit from diverse sources of </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">inefficiency by applying a combination of stock-specific analysis, and top-down economic research, across the equity </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">universe and macro-economic environment. The Fund’s allocations to particular countries are based on Fund </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">management’s evaluation of individual companies.</span></div> <div style="margin-top: 6pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">Under normal circumstances, the Fund will allocate a substantial amount (approximately 40% or more — unless </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">market conditions are not deemed favorable by Fund management, in which case the Fund would invest at least 30%) </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">of its total assets in securities (i) of foreign government issuers, (ii) of issuers organized or located outside the United </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">States, (iii) of issuers which primarily trade in a market located outside the United States, or (iv) of issuers doing a </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">substantial amount of business outside the United States, which the Fund considers to be companies that derive at </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">least 50% of their revenue or profits from business outside the United States or have at least 50% of their sales or </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">assets outside the United States. The Fund will allocate its assets among various regions and countries, including the </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">United States (but in no less than three different countries). For temporary defensive purposes the Fund may deviate </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">very substantially from the allocation described above.</span></div> <div style="margin-top: 6pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">Fund management may, when consistent with the Fund’s investment objective, buy or sell options or futures on a </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">security or an index of securities, or enter into interest rate or foreign currency transactions, including swaps </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">(collectively, commonly known as derivatives).</span></div> You may lose part or all of your investment in the Fund or your investment may not perform as well as other similar investments. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit in any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or by any bank or governmental agency. <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Equity Securities Risk </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">— Stock markets are volatile. The price of equity securities fluctuates based on changes in a </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">company’s financial condition and overall market and economic conditions.</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.0pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Foreign Securities Risk </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">— Foreign investments often involve special risks not present in U.S. investments that can </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">increase the chances that the Fund will lose money. These risks include:</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; margin-left: 12pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 493.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">The Fund generally holds its foreign securities and cash in foreign banks and securities depositories, which may </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business and may be subject to only limited or no regulatory </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">oversight.</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; margin-left: 12pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 493.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">Changes in foreign currency exchange rates can affect the value of the Fund’s portfolio.</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; margin-left: 12pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 493.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">The economies of certain foreign markets may not compare favorably with the economy of the United States with </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">respect to such issues as growth of gross national product, reinvestment of capital, resources and balance of </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">payments position.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; margin-left: 12pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 493.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">The governments of certain countries, or the U.S. Government with respect to certain countries, may prohibit or </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">impose substantial restrictions through capital controls and/or sanctions on foreign investments in the capital </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">markets or certain industries in those countries, which may prohibit or restrict the ability to own or transfer </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">currency, securities, derivatives or other assets.</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; margin-left: 12pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 493.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">Many foreign governments do not supervise and regulate stock exchanges, brokers and the sale of securities to </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">the same extent as does the United States and may not have laws to protect investors that are comparable to </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">U.S. securities laws.</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; margin-left: 12pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 493.0pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">Settlement and clearance procedures in certain foreign markets may result in delays in payment for or delivery of </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">securities not typically associated with settlement and clearance of U.S. investments.</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; margin-left: 12pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 493.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">The Fund’s claims to recover foreign withholding taxes may not be successful, and if the likelihood of recovery of </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">foreign withholding taxes materially decreases, due to, for example, a change in tax regulation or approach in the </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">foreign country, accruals in the Fund’s net asset value for such refunds may be written down partially or in full, </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">which will adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Emerging Markets Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — Emerging markets are riskier than more developed markets because they tend to </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">develop unevenly and may never fully develop. Investments in emerging markets may be considered speculative. </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">Emerging markets are more likely to experience hyperinflation and currency devaluations, which adversely affect </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">returns to U.S. investors. In addition, many emerging financial markets have far lower trading volumes and less </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">liquidity than developed markets.</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Geographic Concentration Risk </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">— From time to time the Fund may invest a substantial amount of its assets in </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">issuers located in a single country or a limited number of countries. If the Fund concentrates its investments in this </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">manner, it assumes the risk that economic, political and social conditions in those countries will have a significant </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">impact on its investment performance. The Fund’s investment performance may also be more volatile if it </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">concentrates its investments in certain countries, especially emerging market countries.</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Convertible Securities Risk </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">— The market value of a convertible security performs like that of a regular debt </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">security; that is, if market interest rates rise, the value of a convertible security usually falls. In addition, convertible </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">securities are subject to the risk that the issuer will not be able to pay interest, principal or dividends when due, and </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">their market value may change based on changes in the issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of the </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">issuer’s creditworthiness. Since it derives a portion of its value from the common stock into which it may be </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">converted, a convertible security is also subject to the same types of market and issuer risks that apply to the </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">underlying common stock, including the potential for increased volatility in the price of the convertible security.</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Corporate Loans Risk </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">— Commercial banks and other financial institutions or institutional investors make corporate </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">loans to companies that need capital to grow or restructure. Borrowers generally pay interest on corporate loans at </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">rates that change in response to changes in market interest rates such as the Secured Overnight Financing Rate </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">(</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">“</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">SOFR</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">”</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">) or the prime rates of U.S. banks. As a result, the value of corporate loan investments is generally less </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">exposed to the adverse effects of shifts in market interest rates than investments that pay a fixed rate of interest. </span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div style="line-height: 10.695pt; margin-left: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">The market for corporate loans may be subject to irregular trading activity and wide bid/ask spreads. In addition, </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">transactions in corporate loans may settle on a delayed basis. As a result, the proceeds from the sale of corporate </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">loans may not be readily available to make additional investments or to meet the Fund’s redemption obligations. To </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">the extent the extended settlement process gives rise to short-term liquidity needs, the Fund may hold additional </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">cash, sell investments or temporarily borrow from banks and other lenders.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Debt Securities Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — Debt securities, such as bonds, involve risks, such as credit risk, interest rate risk, </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">extension risk, and prepayment risk, each of which are described in further detail below:</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic;">Credit Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of a debt security (i.e., the borrower) will not be </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">able to make payments of interest and principal when due. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the market’s </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in that issuer. The </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">degree of credit risk depends on both the financial condition of the issuer and the terms of the obligation.</span></div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic;">Interest Rate Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — The market value of bonds and other fixed-income securities changes in response to interest </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">rate changes and other factors. Interest rate risk is the risk that prices of bonds and other fixed-income securities </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">will increase as interest rates fall and decrease as interest rates rise.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">The Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates during a period of low interest rates. For example, </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">if interest rates increase by 1%, assuming a current portfolio duration of ten years, and all other factors being </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">equal, the value of the Fund’s investments would be expected to decrease by 10%. (Duration is a measure of the </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">price sensitivity of a debt security or portfolio of debt securities to relative changes in interest rates.) The magnitude </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">of these fluctuations in the market price of bonds and other fixed-income securities is generally greater for those </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">securities with longer maturities. Fluctuations in the market price of the Fund’s investments will not affect interest </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">income derived from instruments already owned by the Fund, but will be reflected in the Fund’s net asset value. The </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">Fund may lose money if short-term or long-term interest rates rise sharply in a manner not anticipated by Fund </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">management.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">To the extent the Fund invests in debt securities that may be prepaid at the option of the obligor (such as mortgage-backed</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> securities), the sensitivity of such securities to changes in interest rates may increase (to the detriment of </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">the Fund) when interest rates rise. Moreover, because rates on certain floating rate debt securities typically reset </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">only periodically, changes in prevailing interest rates (and particularly sudden and significant changes) can be </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">expected to cause some fluctuations in the net asset value of the Fund to the extent that it invests in floating rate </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">debt securities.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">These basic principles of bond prices also apply to U.S. Government securities. A security backed by the “full faith </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">and credit” of the U.S. Government is guaranteed only as to its stated interest rate and face value at maturity, not </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">its current market price. Just like other fixed-income securities, government-guaranteed securities will fluctuate in </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">value when interest rates change.</span></div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">A general rise in interest rates has the potential to cause investors to move out of fixed-income securities on a large </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">scale, which may increase redemptions from funds that hold large amounts of fixed-income securities. Heavy </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">redemptions could cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times or at a loss or depressed value and could </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">hurt the Fund’s performance.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic;">Extension Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — When interest rates rise, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more slowly than </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">anticipated, causing the value of these obligations to fall.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic;">Prepayment Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — When interest rates fall, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more quickly than </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">originally anticipated, and the Fund may have to invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.0pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Derivatives Risk </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">— The Fund’s use of derivatives may increase its costs, reduce the Fund’s returns and/or </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">increase volatility. Derivatives involve significant risks, including:</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic;">Leverage Risk </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">— The Fund’s use of derivatives can magnify the Fund’s gains and losses. Relatively small market </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">movements may result in large changes in the value of a derivatives position and can result in losses that greatly </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">exceed the amount originally invested.</span></div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic;">Market Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — Some derivatives are more sensitive to interest rate changes and market price fluctuations than </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">other securities. The Fund could also suffer losses related to its derivatives positions as a result of unanticipated </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">market movements, which losses are potentially unlimited. Finally, BlackRock may not be able to predict correctly </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">the direction of securities prices, interest rates and other economic factors, which could cause the Fund’s </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">derivatives positions to lose value.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic;">Counterparty Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — Derivatives are also subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party in the </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">transaction will be unable or unwilling to fulfill its contractual obligation, and the related risks of having concentrated </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">exposure to such a counterparty.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> <div style="line-height: 10.695pt; margin-left: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic;">Illiquidity Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — The possible lack of a liquid secondary market for derivatives and the resulting inability of the Fund </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">to sell or otherwise close a derivatives position could expose the Fund to losses and could make derivatives more </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">difficult for the Fund to value accurately.</span></div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic;">Operational Risk </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">— The use of derivatives includes the risk of potential operational issues, including documentation </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">issues, settlement issues, systems failures, inadequate controls and human error.</span></div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic;">Legal Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — The risk of insufficient documentation, insufficient capacity or authority of counterparty, or legality or </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">enforceability of a contract.</span></div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic;">Volatility and Correlation Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — Volatility is defined as the characteristic of a security, an index or a market to </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">fluctuate significantly in price within a short time period. A risk of the Fund’s use of derivatives is that the </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">fluctuations in their values may not correlate with the overall securities markets.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic;">Valuation Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — Valuation for derivatives may not be readily available in the market. Valuation may be more difficult </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">in times of market turmoil since many investors and market makers may be reluctant to purchase complex </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">instruments or quote prices for them.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic;">Hedging Risk </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">— Hedges are sometimes subject to imperfect matching between the derivative and the underlying </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">security, and there can be no assurance that the Fund’s hedging transactions will be effective. The use of hedging </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">may result in certain adverse tax consequences.</span></div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic;">Tax Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — Certain aspects of the tax treatment of derivative instruments, including swap agreements and </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">commodity-linked derivative instruments, are currently unclear and may be affected by changes in legislation, </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">regulations or other legally binding authority. Such treatment may be less favorable than that given to a direct </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">investment in an underlying asset and may adversely affect the timing, character and amount of income the Fund </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">realizes from its investments.</span></div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Focus Risk </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">— Under normal circumstances, the Fund focuses its investments in the securities of a limited number </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">of issuers. This may subject the Fund to greater issuer-specific risk and potential losses than a fund that invests in </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">the securities of a greater number of issuers.</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">High Yield Bonds Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — Although junk bonds generally pay higher rates of interest than investment grade bonds, </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">junk bonds are high risk investments that are considered speculative and may cause income and principal losses </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">for the Fund.</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Leverage Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — Some transactions may give rise to a form of economic leverage. These transactions may include, </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">among others, derivatives, and may expose the Fund to greater risk and increase its costs. The use of leverage may </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations or </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">to meet the applicable requirements of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">thereunder. Increases and decreases in the value of the Fund’s portfolio will be magnified when the Fund uses </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">leverage.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Large-Capitalization Companies Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — Large-capitalization companies may be less able than smaller-capitalization </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">companies to adapt to changing market conditions and competitive challenges. Large-capitalization companies may </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">be more mature and subject to more limited growth potential compared with smaller-capitalization companies. The </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">performance of large-capitalization companies could trail the overall performance of the broader securities markets.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.0pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Market Risk and Selection Risk </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">— Market risk is the risk that one or more markets in which the Fund invests will </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">go down in value, including the possibility that the markets will go down sharply and unpredictably. An investor could </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">lose money over short periods due to fluctuation in the Fund’s net asset value in response to short-term market </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">movements and over longer periods during market downturns. Securities or other investments held by the Fund may </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">underperform the markets, the relevant indices or benchmarks, or the securities selected by other funds with </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">similar investment objectives and investment strategies, or may otherwise fail to perform as intended. The value of </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">a security or other asset may decline due to changes in general market conditions, economic trends or events that </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">are not specifically related to the issuer of the security or other asset, or factors that affect a particular issuer or </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">issuers, exchange, country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class. </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">The success of a Fund’s activities could be affected by interest rates, availability of credit, inflation rates, economic </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">uncertainty, changes in laws, tariffs and trade barriers, supply chain disruptions, economic sanctions, currency </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">exchange controls, and local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, natural and environmental </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">disasters, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, recessions, or other events.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">Recent policy initiatives undertaken by the U.S. government have the potential to impact international relations, </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">trade agreements and the overall regulatory environment in ways that could create uncertainty and instability in </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">domestic and global markets, and could adversely affect the investment performance of the Fund. In particular, </span></div> <div style="line-height: 10.695pt; margin-left: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">actions taken by the U.S. government in respect of international trade relations could lead to trade wars, increased </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">costs for imported goods, disruptions in supply chains, reduced foreign investment, and instability in regions where </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">the Fund invests.</span></div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities Risks </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">— Mortgage- and asset-backed securities represent interests in </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">“pools” of mortgages or other assets, including consumer loans or receivables held in trust. Mortgage- and asset-</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">backed securities are subject to credit, interest rate, prepayment and extension risks. These securities also are </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">subject to risk of default on the underlying mortgage or asset, particularly during periods of economic downturn. </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">Small movements in interest rates (both increases and decreases) may quickly and significantly reduce the value of </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">certain mortgage-backed securities.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Operational and Technology Risks </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">— The Fund is directly and indirectly susceptible to operational and technology </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">risks, including those related to human errors, processing errors, communication errors, systems failures, </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">cybersecurity incidents, and the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning (</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">“</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">AI</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">”</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">), which may result in losses </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">for the Fund and its shareholders or may impair the Fund’s operations. While the Fund’s service providers are </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">required to have appropriate operational, information security and cybersecurity risk management policies and </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">procedures, their methods of risk management may differ from those of the Fund. Operational and technology risks </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">for the issuers in which the Fund invests could also result in material adverse consequences for such issuers and </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">may cause the Fund’s investments in such issuers to lose value.</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.0pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Preferred Securities Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — Preferred securities may pay fixed or adjustable rates of return. Preferred securities </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">are subject to issuer-specific and market risks applicable generally to equity securities. In addition, a company’s </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">preferred securities generally pay dividends only after the company makes required payments to holders of its </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">bonds and other debt. For this reason, the value of preferred securities will usually react more strongly than bonds </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">and other debt to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects. Preferred </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">securities of smaller companies may be more vulnerable to adverse developments than preferred securities of </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">larger companies.</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Small and Mid-Capitalization Company Risk </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">— Companies with small or mid-size market capitalizations will </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">normally have more limited product lines, markets and financial resources and will be dependent upon a more </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">limited management group than larger capitalized companies. In addition, it is more difficult to get information on </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">smaller companies, which tend to be less well known, have shorter operating histories, do not have significant </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">ownership by large investors and are followed by relatively few securities analysts.</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Supranational Entities Risk </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">— The Fund may invest in obligations issued or guaranteed by the World Bank. The </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">government members, or </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">“</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">stockholders,</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">”</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> usually make initial capital contributions to the World Bank and in many </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">cases are committed to make additional capital contributions if the World Bank is unable to repay its borrowings. </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">There is no guarantee that one or more stockholders of the World Bank will continue to make any necessary </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">additional capital contributions. If such contributions are not made, the entity may be unable to pay interest or repay </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">principal on its debt securities, and the Fund may lose money on such investments.</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.0pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-weight: bold;">U.S. Government Issuer Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — Treasury obligations may differ in their interest rates, maturities, times of issuance </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">and other characteristics. Obligations of U.S. Government agencies and authorities are supported by varying </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">degrees of credit but generally are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. No assurance can </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">be given that the U.S. Government will provide financial support to its agencies and authorities if it is not obligated </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">by law to do so.</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> Performance Information <div style="margin-top: 6pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">The information shows you how the Fund’s performance has varied year by year and provides some indication of the </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">risks of investing in the Fund. The table compares the Fund’s performance to that of the MSCI ACWI ex USA Index </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">(Net). To the extent that dividends and distributions have been paid by the Fund, the performance information for the </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">Fund in the chart and table assumes reinvestment of the dividends and distributions. As with all such investments, </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future results. Sales charges are not reflected in the </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">bar chart. If they were, returns would be less than those shown. However, the table includes all applicable fees and </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">sales charges. If BlackRock and its affiliates had not waived or reimbursed certain Fund expenses during these </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">periods, the Fund’s returns would have been lower. Updated information on the Fund’s performance, including its </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">current net asset value, can be obtained by visiting www.blackrock.com or can be obtained by phone at </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">(800) 882-0052</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">.</span></div> The information shows you how the Fund’s performance has varied year by year and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. 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. www.blackrock.com (800) 882-0052 Investor A Shares ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS BlackRock International Fund As of 12/31 <div style="margin-top: 6pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">During the ten-year period shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a quarter was 26.78% (quarter ended </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">June 30, 2020) and the lowest return for a quarter was -25.19% (quarter ended March 31, 2020). The year-to-date return<span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> as of June 30, 2026 was 10.32%.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 1pt; line-height: 0.93pt;"> </span></span></div> highest return 0.2678 2020-06-30 lowest return -0.2519 2020-03-31 year-to-date return 2026-06-30 0.1032 For the periods ended 12/31/25Average Annual Total Returns 0.0923 0.0150 0.0591 0.0885 0.0099 0.0561 0.0579 0.0113 0.0480 0.1347 0.0185 0.0581 0.1560 0.0286 0.0678 0.1498 0.0235 0.0621 0.3239 0.0791 0.0841 <div style="margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">differ from those shown, and the after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their shares through </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown for </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">Investor A Shares only, and the after-tax returns for Investor C, Institutional and Class R Shares will vary.</span></div> 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, Institutional and Class R Shares will vary. Fund Overview Key Facts About BlackRock International Fund Investment Objective <div style="margin-top: 6pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">The investment objective of BlackRock International Fund (the “Fund”), a series of BlackRock Series, Inc. (the </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">“</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">Corporation</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">”</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">), is to seek long-term capital growth through investments primarily in a diversified portfolio of equity </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">securities of companies located outside the United States.</span></div> Fees and Expenses of the Fund <div style="margin-top: 6pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell Class K Shares of the Fund. </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">Amounts in the table are rounded to the nearest basis point, which in some cases may be </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">“</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">0.00.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">”</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-weight: bold;">You may pay other </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-weight: bold;">fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to your financial professional or your selected securities </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-weight: bold;">dealer, broker, investment adviser, service provider or industry professional (including BlackRock Advisors, LLC </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-weight: bold;">(“BlackRock”) and its affiliates) (each, a “Financial Intermediary”), which are not reflected in the table and </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-weight: bold;">example below.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 1pt; line-height: 0.93pt;"> </span></div> Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) 0.0059 0 0.0006 0.0065 -0.0005 0.0060 June 30, 2028 Example: <div style="line-height: 10.695pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 1pt; line-height: 0.93pt;"> </span></div> 61 203 357 806 Portfolio Turnover: <div style="line-height: 10.695pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the </span></div> <div style="line-height: 10.695pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">66</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">% of the average value of its portfolio.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> 0.66 Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund <div style="margin-top: 6pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">The Fund invests primarily in stocks of companies located outside the United States. The Fund may purchase common </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">stock, preferred stock, convertible securities and other instruments.</span></div> <div style="margin-top: 6pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">The Fund will invest at least 75% of its total assets in global equity securities of any market capitalization, selected for </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">their above average return potential. The Fund may invest in securities issued by companies of all sizes but will focus </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">mainly on medium and large capitalization companies. Companies will be located in developed countries of Europe and </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">the Far East, and in countries with emerging capital markets anywhere in the world. The Fund may invest up to 25% of </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">its total assets in global fixed income securities, including corporate bonds, U.S. Government debt securities, non-U.S. </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">Government and supranational debt securities, asset-backed securities, mortgage-backed securities, emerging market </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">debt securities and non-investment grade debt securities (high yield or junk bonds).</span></div> <div style="margin-top: 6pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">The portfolio management team’s investment process seeks to identify and benefit from diverse sources of </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">inefficiency by applying a combination of stock-specific analysis, and top-down economic research, across the equity </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">universe and macro-economic environment. The Fund’s allocations to particular countries are based on Fund </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">management’s evaluation of individual companies.</span></div> <div style="margin-top: 6pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">Under normal circumstances, the Fund will allocate a substantial amount (approximately 40% or more — unless </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">market conditions are not deemed favorable by Fund management, in which case the Fund would invest at least 30%) </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">of its total assets in securities (i) of foreign government issuers, (ii) of issuers organized or located outside the United </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">States, (iii) of issuers which primarily trade in a market located outside the United States, or (iv) of issuers doing a </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">substantial amount of business outside the United States, which the Fund considers to be companies that derive at </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">least 50% of their revenue or profits from business outside the United States or have at least 50% of their sales or </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">assets outside the United States. The Fund will allocate its assets among various regions and countries, including the </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">United States (but in no less than three different countries). For temporary defensive purposes the Fund may deviate </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">very substantially from the allocation described above.</span></div> <div style="margin-top: 6pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">Fund management may, when consistent with the Fund’s investment objective, buy or sell options or futures on a </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">security or an index of securities, or enter into interest rate or foreign currency transactions, including swaps </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">(collectively, commonly known as derivatives).</span></div> You may lose part or all of your investment in the Fund or your investment may not perform as well as other similar investments. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit in any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or by any bank or governmental agency. <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Equity Securities Risk </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">— Stock markets are volatile. The price of equity securities fluctuates based on changes in a </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">company’s financial condition and overall market and economic conditions.</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.0pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Foreign Securities Risk </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">— Foreign investments often involve special risks not present in U.S. investments that can </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">increase the chances that the Fund will lose money. These risks include:</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; margin-left: 12pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 493.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">The Fund generally holds its foreign securities and cash in foreign banks and securities depositories, which may </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business and may be subject to only limited or no regulatory </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">oversight.</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; margin-left: 12pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 493.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">Changes in foreign currency exchange rates can affect the value of the Fund’s portfolio.</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; margin-left: 12pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 493.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">The economies of certain foreign markets may not compare favorably with the economy of the United States with </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">respect to such issues as growth of gross national product, reinvestment of capital, resources and balance of </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">payments position.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; margin-left: 12pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 493.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">The governments of certain countries, or the U.S. Government with respect to certain countries, may prohibit or </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">impose substantial restrictions through capital controls and/or sanctions on foreign investments in the capital </span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div style="line-height: 10.695pt; margin-left: 24pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">markets or certain industries in those countries, which may prohibit or restrict the ability to own or transfer </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">currency, securities, derivatives or other assets.</span></div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; margin-left: 12pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 493.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">Many foreign governments do not supervise and regulate stock exchanges, brokers and the sale of securities to </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">the same extent as does the United States and may not have laws to protect investors that are comparable to </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">U.S. securities laws.</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; margin-left: 12pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 493.0pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">Settlement and clearance procedures in certain foreign markets may result in delays in payment for or delivery of </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">securities not typically associated with settlement and clearance of U.S. investments.</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; margin-left: 12pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 493.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">The Fund’s claims to recover foreign withholding taxes may not be successful, and if the likelihood of recovery of </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">foreign withholding taxes materially decreases, due to, for example, a change in tax regulation or approach in the </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">foreign country, accruals in the Fund’s net asset value for such refunds may be written down partially or in full, </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">which will adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Emerging Markets Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — Emerging markets are riskier than more developed markets because they tend to </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">develop unevenly and may never fully develop. Investments in emerging markets may be considered speculative. </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">Emerging markets are more likely to experience hyperinflation and currency devaluations, which adversely affect </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">returns to U.S. investors. In addition, many emerging financial markets have far lower trading volumes and less </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">liquidity than developed markets.</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Geographic Concentration Risk </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">— From time to time the Fund may invest a substantial amount of its assets in </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">issuers located in a single country or a limited number of countries. If the Fund concentrates its investments in this </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">manner, it assumes the risk that economic, political and social conditions in those countries will have a significant </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">impact on its investment performance. The Fund’s investment performance may also be more volatile if it </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">concentrates its investments in certain countries, especially emerging market countries.</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Convertible Securities Risk </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">— The market value of a convertible security performs like that of a regular debt </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">security; that is, if market interest rates rise, the value of a convertible security usually falls. In addition, convertible </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">securities are subject to the risk that the issuer will not be able to pay interest, principal or dividends when due, and </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">their market value may change based on changes in the issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of the </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">issuer’s creditworthiness. Since it derives a portion of its value from the common stock into which it may be </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">converted, a convertible security is also subject to the same types of market and issuer risks that apply to the </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">underlying common stock, including the potential for increased volatility in the price of the convertible security.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Corporate Loans Risk </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">— Commercial banks and other financial institutions or institutional investors make corporate </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">loans to companies that need capital to grow or restructure. Borrowers generally pay interest on corporate loans at </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">rates that change in response to changes in market interest rates such as the Secured Overnight Financing Rate </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">(</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">“</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">SOFR</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">”</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">) or the prime rates of U.S. banks. As a result, the value of corporate loan investments is generally less </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">exposed to the adverse effects of shifts in market interest rates than investments that pay a fixed rate of interest. </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">The market for corporate loans may be subject to irregular trading activity and wide bid/ask spreads. In addition, </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">transactions in corporate loans may settle on a delayed basis. As a result, the proceeds from the sale of corporate </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">loans may not be readily available to make additional investments or to meet the Fund’s redemption obligations. To </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">the extent the extended settlement process gives rise to short-term liquidity needs, the Fund may hold additional </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">cash, sell investments or temporarily borrow from banks and other lenders.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Debt Securities Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — Debt securities, such as bonds, involve risks, such as credit risk, interest rate risk, </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">extension risk, and prepayment risk, each of which are described in further detail below:</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic;">Credit Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of a debt security (i.e., the borrower) will not be </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">able to make payments of interest and principal when due. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the market’s </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in that issuer. The </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">degree of credit risk depends on both the financial condition of the issuer and the terms of the obligation.</span></div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic;">Interest Rate Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — The market value of bonds and other fixed-income securities changes in response to interest </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">rate changes and other factors. Interest rate risk is the risk that prices of bonds and other fixed-income securities </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">will increase as interest rates fall and decrease as interest rates rise.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">The Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates during a period of low interest rates. For example, </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">if interest rates increase by 1%, assuming a current portfolio duration of ten years, and all other factors being </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">equal, the value of the Fund’s investments would be expected to decrease by 10%. (Duration is a measure of the </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">price sensitivity of a debt security or portfolio of debt securities to relative changes in interest rates.) The magnitude </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">of these fluctuations in the market price of bonds and other fixed-income securities is generally greater for those </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">securities with longer maturities. Fluctuations in the market price of the Fund’s investments will not affect interest </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">income derived from instruments already owned by the Fund, but will be reflected in the Fund’s net asset value. The </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">Fund may lose money if short-term or long-term interest rates rise sharply in a manner not anticipated by Fund </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">management.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> <div style="line-height: 10.695pt; margin-left: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">To the extent the Fund invests in debt securities that may be prepaid at the option of the obligor (such as mortgage-backed</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> securities), the sensitivity of such securities to changes in interest rates may increase (to the detriment of </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">the Fund) when interest rates rise. Moreover, because rates on certain floating rate debt securities typically reset </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">only periodically, changes in prevailing interest rates (and particularly sudden and significant changes) can be </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">expected to cause some fluctuations in the net asset value of the Fund to the extent that it invests in floating rate </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">debt securities.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">These basic principles of bond prices also apply to U.S. Government securities. A security backed by the “full faith </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">and credit” of the U.S. Government is guaranteed only as to its stated interest rate and face value at maturity, not </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">its current market price. Just like other fixed-income securities, government-guaranteed securities will fluctuate in </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">value when interest rates change.</span></div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">A general rise in interest rates has the potential to cause investors to move out of fixed-income securities on a large </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">scale, which may increase redemptions from funds that hold large amounts of fixed-income securities. Heavy </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">redemptions could cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times or at a loss or depressed value and could </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">hurt the Fund’s performance.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic;">Extension Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — When interest rates rise, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more slowly than </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">anticipated, causing the value of these obligations to fall.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic;">Prepayment Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — When interest rates fall, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more quickly than </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">originally anticipated, and the Fund may have to invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.0pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Derivatives Risk </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">— The Fund’s use of derivatives may increase its costs, reduce the Fund’s returns and/or </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">increase volatility. Derivatives involve significant risks, including:</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic;">Leverage Risk </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">— The Fund’s use of derivatives can magnify the Fund’s gains and losses. Relatively small market </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">movements may result in large changes in the value of a derivatives position and can result in losses that greatly </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">exceed the amount originally invested.</span></div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic;">Market Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — Some derivatives are more sensitive to interest rate changes and market price fluctuations than </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">other securities. The Fund could also suffer losses related to its derivatives positions as a result of unanticipated </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">market movements, which losses are potentially unlimited. Finally, BlackRock may not be able to predict correctly </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">the direction of securities prices, interest rates and other economic factors, which could cause the Fund’s </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">derivatives positions to lose value.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic;">Counterparty Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — Derivatives are also subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party in the </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">transaction will be unable or unwilling to fulfill its contractual obligation, and the related risks of having concentrated </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">exposure to such a counterparty.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic;">Illiquidity Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — The possible lack of a liquid secondary market for derivatives and the resulting inability of the Fund </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">to sell or otherwise close a derivatives position could expose the Fund to losses and could make derivatives more </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">difficult for the Fund to value accurately.</span></div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic;">Operational Risk </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">— The use of derivatives includes the risk of potential operational issues, including documentation </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">issues, settlement issues, systems failures, inadequate controls and human error.</span></div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic;">Legal Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — The risk of insufficient documentation, insufficient capacity or authority of counterparty, or legality or </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">enforceability of a contract.</span></div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic;">Volatility and Correlation Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — Volatility is defined as the characteristic of a security, an index or a market to </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">fluctuate significantly in price within a short time period. A risk of the Fund’s use of derivatives is that the </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">fluctuations in their values may not correlate with the overall securities markets.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic;">Valuation Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — Valuation for derivatives may not be readily available in the market. Valuation may be more difficult </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">in times of market turmoil since many investors and market makers may be reluctant to purchase complex </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">instruments or quote prices for them.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic;">Hedging Risk </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">— Hedges are sometimes subject to imperfect matching between the derivative and the underlying </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">security, and there can be no assurance that the Fund’s hedging transactions will be effective. The use of hedging </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">may result in certain adverse tax consequences.</span></div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic;">Tax Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — Certain aspects of the tax treatment of derivative instruments, including swap agreements and </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">commodity-linked derivative instruments, are currently unclear and may be affected by changes in legislation, </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">regulations or other legally binding authority. Such treatment may be less favorable than that given to a direct </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">investment in an underlying asset and may adversely affect the timing, character and amount of income the Fund </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">realizes from its investments.</span></div> <div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Focus Risk </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">— Under normal circumstances, the Fund focuses its investments in the securities of a limited number </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">of issuers. This may subject the Fund to greater issuer-specific risk and potential losses than a fund that invests in </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">the securities of a greater number of issuers.</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">High Yield Bonds Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — Although junk bonds generally pay higher rates of interest than investment grade bonds, </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">junk bonds are high risk investments that are considered speculative and may cause income and principal losses </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">for the Fund.</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Large-Capitalization Companies Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — Large-capitalization companies may be less able than smaller-capitalization </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">companies to adapt to changing market conditions and competitive challenges. Large-capitalization companies may </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">be more mature and subject to more limited growth potential compared with smaller-capitalization companies. The </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">performance of large-capitalization companies could trail the overall performance of the broader securities markets.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Leverage Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — Some transactions may give rise to a form of economic leverage. These transactions may include, </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">among others, derivatives, and may expose the Fund to greater risk and increase its costs. The use of leverage may </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations or </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">to meet the applicable requirements of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">thereunder. Increases and decreases in the value of the Fund’s portfolio will be magnified when the Fund uses </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">leverage.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.0pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Market Risk and Selection Risk </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">— Market risk is the risk that one or more markets in which the Fund invests will </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">go down in value, including the possibility that the markets will go down sharply and unpredictably. An investor could </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">lose money over short periods due to fluctuation in the Fund’s net asset value in response to short-term market </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">movements and over longer periods during market downturns. Securities or other investments held by the Fund may </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">underperform the markets, the relevant indices or benchmarks, or the securities selected by other funds with </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">similar investment objectives and investment strategies, or may otherwise fail to perform as intended. The value of </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">a security or other asset may decline due to changes in general market conditions, economic trends or events that </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">are not specifically related to the issuer of the security or other asset, or factors that affect a particular issuer or </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">issuers, exchange, country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class. </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">The success of a Fund’s activities could be affected by interest rates, availability of credit, inflation rates, economic </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">uncertainty, changes in laws, tariffs and trade barriers, supply chain disruptions, economic sanctions, currency </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">exchange controls, and local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, natural and environmental </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">disasters, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, recessions, or other events.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">Recent policy initiatives undertaken by the U.S. government have the potential to impact international relations, </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">trade agreements and the overall regulatory environment in ways that could create uncertainty and instability in </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">domestic and global markets, and could adversely affect the investment performance of the Fund. In particular, </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">actions taken by the U.S. government in respect of international trade relations could lead to trade wars, increased </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">costs for imported goods, disruptions in supply chains, reduced foreign investment, and instability in regions where </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">the Fund invests.</span></div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities Risks </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">— Mortgage- and asset-backed securities represent interests in </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">“pools” of mortgages or other assets, including consumer loans or receivables held in trust. Mortgage- and asset-</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">backed securities are subject to credit, interest rate, prepayment and extension risks. These securities also are </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">subject to risk of default on the underlying mortgage or asset, particularly during periods of economic downturn. </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">Small movements in interest rates (both increases and decreases) may quickly and significantly reduce the value of </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">certain mortgage-backed securities.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Operational and Technology Risks </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">— The Fund is directly and indirectly susceptible to operational and technology </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">risks, including those related to human errors, processing errors, communication errors, systems failures, </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">cybersecurity incidents, and the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning (</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">“</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">AI</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">”</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">), which may result in losses </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">for the Fund and its shareholders or may impair the Fund’s operations. While the Fund’s service providers are </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">required to have appropriate operational, information security and cybersecurity risk management policies and </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">procedures, their methods of risk management may differ from those of the Fund. Operational and technology risks </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">for the issuers in which the Fund invests could also result in material adverse consequences for such issuers and </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">may cause the Fund’s investments in such issuers to lose value.</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.0pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Preferred Securities Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> — Preferred securities may pay fixed or adjustable rates of return. Preferred securities </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">are subject to issuer-specific and market risks applicable generally to equity securities. In addition, a company’s </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">preferred securities generally pay dividends only after the company makes required payments to holders of its </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">bonds and other debt. For this reason, the value of preferred securities will usually react more strongly than bonds </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">and other debt to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects. Preferred </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">securities of smaller companies may be more vulnerable to adverse developments than preferred securities of </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">larger companies.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Small and Mid-Capitalization Company Risk </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">— Companies with small or mid-size market capitalizations will </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">normally have more limited product lines, markets and financial resources and will be dependent upon a more </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">limited management group than larger capitalized companies. In addition, it is more difficult to get information on </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">smaller companies, which tend to be less well known, have shorter operating histories, do not have significant </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">ownership by large investors and are followed by relatively few securities analysts.</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.00pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Supranational Entities Risk </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">— The Fund may invest in obligations issued or guaranteed by the World Bank. The </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">government members, or </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">“</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">stockholders,</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">”</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> usually make initial capital contributions to the World Bank and in many </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">cases are committed to make additional capital contributions if the World Bank is unable to repay its borrowings. </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">There is no guarantee that one or more stockholders of the World Bank will continue to make any necessary </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">additional capital contributions. If such contributions are not made, the entity may be unable to pay interest or repay </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">principal on its debt securities, and the Fund may lose money on such investments.</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> <div> <div style="clear: both; margin-top: 4.805pt; position: relative; width: 100%;"> <div style="float: left; line-height: 9.87pt; text-align: left; width: 8pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 8.37pt; position: relative; top: -0.5pt;">◼</span></div> <div style="float: left; line-height: 10.80pt; margin-left: 4pt; text-align: left; width: 505.0pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">U.S. Government Issuer Risk</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; font-style: italic;">—</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> Treasury obligations may differ in their interest rates, maturities, times of issuance </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">and other characteristics. Obligations of U.S. Government agencies and authorities are supported by varying </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">degrees of credit but generally are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. No assurance can </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">be given that the U.S. Government will provide financial support to its agencies and authorities if it is not obligated </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">by law to do so.</span></div> </div> <div style="clear: both; position: relative;"> </div> </div> Performance Information <div style="margin-top: 6pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">The information shows you how the Fund’s performance has varied year by year and provides some indication of the </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">risks of investing in the Fund. Class K Shares commenced operations on January 25, 2018. As a result, the returns </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">shown below for Class K Shares prior to January 25, 2018 are those of the Fund’s Institutional Shares, which are not </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">offered in this prospectus. The performance of Class K Shares would be substantially similar to Institutional Shares </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">because Class K Shares and Institutional Shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and performance </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">would differ only to the extent that Institutional Shares and Class K Shares have different expenses. The actual </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">returns of Class K Shares would have been higher than those of the Institutional Shares because Class K Shares have </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">lower expenses than the Institutional Shares. The table compares the Fund’s performance to that of the MSCI ACWI ex </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">USA Index (Net). To the extent that dividends and distributions have been paid by the Fund, the performance </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">information for the Fund in the chart and table assumes reinvestment of the dividends and distributions. As with all </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">such investments, past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future results. The table includes </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">all applicable fees. If BlackRock and its affiliates had not waived or reimbursed certain Fund expenses during these </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">periods, the Fund’s returns would have been lower. Updated information on the Fund’s performance, including its </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">current net asset value, can be obtained by visiting www.blackrock.com or can be obtained by phone at </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">(800) 882-0052</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">.</span></div> The information shows you how the Fund’s performance has varied year by year and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. As with all such investments, past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future results. www.blackrock.com (800) 882-0052 Class K Shares ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS BlackRock International Fund As of 12/31 <div style="margin-top: 6pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">During the ten-year period shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a quarter was 26.76% (quarter ended </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">June 30, 2020) and the lowest return for a quarter was -25.08% (quarter ended March 31, 2020). The year-to-date return</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;"> as of June 30, 2026 was 10.47%.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 1pt; line-height: 0.93pt;"> </span></div> highest return 0.2676 2020-06-30 lowest return -0.2508 2020-03-31 year-to-date return 2026-06-30 0.1047 For the periods ended 12/31/25Average Annual Total Returns 0.1566 0.0291 0.0683 0.1518 0.0232 0.0646 0.0966 0.0220 0.0555 0.3239 0.0791 0.0841 <div style="margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">differ from those shown, and the after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their shares through </span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt;">tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.</span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.30pt; line-height: 10.695pt;"> </span></div> 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. Returns for net indices generally assume the reinvestment of dividends after the deduction of the maximum withholding tax in each country applicable to non-residents of the country as determined by the index provider. Such indices use withholding tax rates that are often at a higher rate than the rates to which the Fund is subject in each country, including for countries where the Fund is not subject to withholding taxes. When this is the case, index performance will be lower than if the index used the Fund’s applicable withholding tax rates, if any. As described in the “Management of the Fund” section of the Fund’s prospectus beginning on page 46, 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 June 30, 2028. 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 June 30, 2028. The contractual agreements may be terminated upon 90 days’ notice by a majority of the non-interested directors of the Corporation or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. As described in the “Management of the Fund” section of the Fund’s prospectus beginning on page 46, 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 0.90% (for Investor A Shares), 1.65% (for Investor C Shares), 0.65% (for Institutional Shares) and 1.15% (for Class R Shares) of average daily net assets through June 30, 2028. The contractual agreement may be terminated upon 90 days’ notice by a majority of the non-interested directors of the Corporation or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. 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 the time of purchase as part of an investment of $1,000,000 or more. Returns for net indices generally assume the reinvestment of dividends after the deduction of the maximum withholding tax in each country applicable to non-residents of the country as determined by the index provider. Such indices use withholding tax rates that are often at a higher rate than the rates to which the Fund is subject in each country, including for countries where the Fund is not subject to withholding taxes. When this is the case, index performance will be lower than if the index used the Fund’s applicable withholding tax rates, if any. As described in the “Management of the Fund” section of the Fund’s prospectus beginning on page 34, 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 June 30, 2028. 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 June 30, 2028. The contractual agreements may be terminated upon 90 days’ notice by a majority of the non-interested directors of the Corporation or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. There is no CDSC on Investor C Shares after one year. As described in the “Management of the Fund” section of the Fund’s prospectus beginning on page 34, 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) as a percentage of average daily net assets to 0.60% of average daily net assets through June 30, 2028. The contractual agreement may be terminated upon 90 days’ notice by a majority of the non-interested directors of the Corporation or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.