2019 ANNUAL REPORT - BlackRock

2021 Annual Report

iShares Trust

? iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | SGOV | NYSE Arca ? iShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bond ETF | SHY | NASDAQ ? iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF | IEI | NASDAQ ? iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | IEF | NASDAQ ? iShares 10-20 Year Treasury Bond ETF | TLH | NYSE Arca ? iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | TLT | NASDAQ ? iShares 25+ Year Treasury STRIPS Bond ETF | GOVZ | CBOE ? iShares Short Treasury Bond ETF | SHV | NASDAQ

FEBRUARY 28, 2021

The Markets in Review

Dear Shareholder, The 12-month reporting period as of February 28, 2021 reflected a remarkable period of disruption and adaptation, as the global economy dealt with the implications of the coronavirus (or "COVID-19") pandemic. As the period began, the threat from the virus was becoming increasingly apparent, and countries around the world took economically disruptive countermeasures. Stay-at-home orders and closures of non-essential businesses became widespread, many workers were laid off, and unemployment claims spiked, causing a global recession and a sharp fall in equity prices. After markets hit their lowest point of the reporting period in late March 2020, a steady recovery ensued, as businesses began to re-open and governments learned to adapt to life with the virus. Equity prices continued to rise throughout the summer, fed by strong fiscal and monetary support and improving economic indicators. Many equity indices neared or surpassed all-time highs late in the reporting period following the implementation of mass vaccination campaigns and progress of additional stimulus through the U.S. Congress. In the United States, both large- and small-capitalization stocks posted a significant advance. International equities also gained, as both developed countries and emerging markets rebounded substantially from lows in late March 2020. During the market downturn, the performance of different types of fixed-income securities initially diverged due to a reduced investor appetite for risk. U.S. Treasuries benefited from the risk-off environment, as the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield (which is inversely related to bond prices) dropped to historic lows. However, inflation risk from a rapidly expanding economy raised yields late in the reporting period, leading to a negative overall return for most U.S. Treasuries. In the corporate bond market, support from the U.S. Federal Reserve (the "Fed") assuaged credit concerns and both investment-grade and high-yield bonds recovered to post positive returns. Following the coronavirus outbreak, the Fed instituted two emergency interest rate cuts, pushing short-term interest rates, already low as the year began, close to zero. To stabilize credit markets, the Fed also implemented a new bond-buying program, as did several other central banks around the world, including the European Central Bank and the Bank of Japan. Looking ahead, while coronavirus-related disruptions have clearly hindered worldwide economic growth, we believe that the global expansion will continue to accelerate as vaccination efforts ramp up and pent-up consumer demand leads to higher spending. In early 2021, Congress passed one of the largest economic rescue packages in U.S. history, which should provide a solid tailwind for economic growth. Inflation is likely to increase somewhat as the expansion continues, but a shift in central bank policy means that moderate inflation is less likely to be followed by interest rate hikes that could threaten the equity expansion. Overall, we favor a positive stance toward risk, with an overweight in equities. We see U.S. and Asian equities outside of Japan benefiting from structural growth trends in tech, while emerging markets should be particularly helped by a vaccine-led economic expansion. While we are neutral overall on credit, rising inflation should provide tailwinds for inflation-protected bonds, and global high-yield and Asian bonds also present attractive opportunities. We believe that international diversification and a focus on sustainability can help provide portfolio resilience, and the disruption created by the coronavirus appears to be accelerating the shift toward sustainable investments. In this environment, our view is that investors need to think globally, extend their scope across a broad array of asset classes, and be nimble as market conditions change. We encourage you to talk with your financial advisor and visit for further insight about investing in today's markets. Sincerely,

Rob Kapito President, BlackRock, Inc.

Total Returns as of February 28, 2021

6-Month 12-Month

U.S. large cap equities (S&P 500 Index)

9.74% 31.29%

U.S. small cap equities (Russell 2000 Index)

41.69

51.00

International equities (MSCI Europe, Australasia, Far East Index)

14.33

22.46

Emerging market equities (MSCI Emerging Markets Index)

22.32

36.05

3-month Treasury bills (ICE BofA 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index)

0.06

0.40

U.S. Treasury securities (ICE BofA 10-Year U.S. Treasury Index)

(6.34)

(1.96)

U.S. investment grade bonds

(Bloomberg Barclays

(1.55)

1.38

U.S. Aggregate Bond Index)

Tax-exempt municipal bonds (S&P Municipal Bond Index)

0.92

1.22

U.S. high yield bonds

(Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield 2%

6.08

9.31

Issuer Capped Index)

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Index performance is shown for illustrative purposes only. You cannot invest directly in an index.

Rob Kapito President, BlackRock, Inc.

2

THIS PAGE IS NOT PART OF YOUR FUND REPORT

Table of Contents

Page

The Markets in Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2

Market Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4

Fund Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5

About Fund Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

20

Shareholder Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

20

Schedules of Investments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

21

Financial Statements

Statements of Assets and Liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

34

Statements of Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

36

Statements of Changes in Net Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

38

Financial Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

42

Notes to Financial Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

50

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

59

Important Tax Information (Unaudited) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

60

Board Review and Approval of Investment Advisory Contract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

61

Statement Regarding Liquidity Risk Management Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

63

Supplemental Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

64

Trustee and Officer Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

66

General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

68

Glossary of Terms Used in this Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

69

Market Overview

iShares Trust

U.S. Treasury Bond Market Overview

The ICE U.S. Treasury Core Bond Index returned -0.57% for the 12 months ended February 28, 2021 ("reporting period"), behind the 1.38% return of the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index, a broad measure of U.S. taxable bond performance.

U.S. economic growth was highly volatile during the reporting period, reflecting the sudden economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent recovery. Growth was negative in the first two quarters of 2020, with annualized contractions of -5.0% and -31.4%, respectively, as the U.S. officially entered recession for the first time since the 2008 financial crisis.

Despite the continued presence of the coronavirus in the U.S., businesses and consumers adapted to the new conditions, and many states began to loosen restrictions on activity beginning May 2020. Along with a significant series of fiscal stimulus measures, easing restrictions led to a large increase in consumer spending as many commercial activities resumed, and government payments to individuals boosted household incomes. Consequently, the economy began to show signs of recovery, growing at an annualized rate of 33.4% and 4.1% in the third and fourth quarters of 2020, respectively.

In response to the pandemic and the subsequent economic downturn, the U.S. Federal Reserve ("Fed") enacted two emergency decreases to short-term interest rates in March 2020, setting interest rates near zero for only the second time in history. The Fed further acted to stabilize bond markets by implementing an unlimited, open-ended, bond buying program for U.S. Treasuries and mortgage-backed securities. The Fed later widened its program by directly purchasing corporate bonds for the first time, including high-yield bonds. In August 2020, the Fed revised its long-standing inflation policy, allowing it to exceed its 2% target in order to stimulate the economy.

In February 2021 Congress began negotiating an additional large round of stimulus to accelerate economic growth and employment. This anticipated stimulus, alongside the ongoing economic recovery and the Fed's new inflation policy, led investors to increase their expectations for inflation.

U.S. Treasury yields (which are inversely related to prices) fluctuated significantly during the reporting period, declining sharply amid the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic. While short-term yields remained low, intermediate- and long-term yields rose significantly, late in the reporting period. The three-month U.S. Treasury yield declined from 1.27% to 0.04%, while the two-year U.S. Treasury yield declined from 0.86% to 0.14%, reflecting the Fed's interest rate decreases. However, intermediateand long-term U.S. Treasury yields rose overall, as the 10-year and 30-year U.S. Treasury yields increased from 1.13% to 1.44% and from 1.65% to 2.17%, respectively.

Declining short-term interest rates and rising intermediate- and long-term interest rates meant the yield curve (a graphical representation of U.S. Treasury rates at different maturities) steepened significantly. This reflected investors' expectations for substantial improvement in growth amid record government stimulus and vaccine programs. However, because long-term U.S. Treasuries are more sensitive to interest rates, returns were lower for long-term U.S. Treasuries.

U.S. Treasury issuance was at an all-time high during the reporting period, as the federal government raised large amounts of debt to finance fiscal stimulus. Despite the increase in supply, demand for U.S. Treasuries kept pace. Early in the reporting period, economic uncertainty led many investors to shift toward highly rated bonds. Then, as inflation expectations rose late in the reporting period, rising yields supported demand, as investors accustomed to ultra-low interest rates welcomed higher yields on longer-term U.S. Treasuries.

4

2021 I S H A R E S A N N U A L R E P O RT TO S H A R E H O L D E R S

Fund Summary as of February 28, 2021

iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF

Investment Objective

The iShares 0-3 MonthTreasury Bond ETF (the "Fund") seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. Treasury bonds with remaining maturities less than or equal to three months, as represented by the ICE 0-3 Month US Treasury Securities Index (the "Index"). The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index. Due to the use of representative sampling, the Fund may or may not hold all of the securities that are included in the Index.

Performance

Fund NAV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fund Market. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Cumulative Total Returns

Since Inception

0.05% 0.05 0.07

GROWTH OF $10,000 INVESTMENT (SINCE INCEPTION AT NET ASSET VALUE)

$10,100

10,000

$10,007 $10,005

9,900

May 20 Jun 20 Jul 20 Aug 20 Sep 20 Oct 20 Nov 20 Dec 20 Jan 21 Feb 21

Fund

Index

The inception date of the Fund was 5/26/20. The first day of secondary market trading was 5/28/20.

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Performance results do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the redemption or sale of fund shares. See "About Fund Performance" on page 20 for more information.

Expense Example

Beginning Account Value

(09/01/20) $ 1,000.00

Actual

Ending Account Value

(02/28/21)

$ 1,000.20

Expenses Paid During the Period (a)

$ 0.15

Beginning Account Value

(09/01/20)

$ 1,000.00

Hypothetical 5% Return

Ending Account Value

(02/28/21)

$ 1,024.60

Expenses Paid During the Period (a)

$ 0.15

Annualized Expense Ratio

0.03%

(a) Expenses are calculated using the Fund's annualized expense ratio (as disclosed in the table), multiplied by the average account value for the period, multiplied by the number of days in the period (181 days) and divided by the number of days in the year (365 days). Other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, may be paid which are not reflected in the tables and examples above. See "Shareholder Expenses" on page 20 for more information.

FUND SUMMARY

5

Fund Summary as of February 28, 2021 (continued)

Portfolio Information

ALLOCATION BY MATURITY

Maturity 0-1 Year. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Percent of Total Investments(a)

100.0%

(a) Excludes money market funds.

iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF

FIVE LARGEST HOLDINGS

Security U.S. Treasury Note/Bond, 2.25%, 03/31/21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . U.S. Treasury Bill, 0.05%, 03/04/21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . U.S. Treasury Note/Bond, 2.38%, 03/15/21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . U.S. Treasury Note/Bond, 1.38%, 04/30/21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . U.S. Treasury Note/Bond, 2.25%, 04/30/21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Percent of Total Investments(a)

38.6% 23.3 8.8 7.0 5.8

6

2021 I S H A R E S A N N U A L R E P O RT TO S H A R E H O L D E R S

Fund Summary as of February 28, 2021

iShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bond ETF

Investment Objective

The iShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bond ETF (the "Fund") seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. Treasury bonds with remaining maturities between one and three years, as represented by the ICE U.S. Treasury 1-3 Year Bond Index (the "Index"). The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index. Due to the use of representative sampling, the Fund may or may not hold all of the securities that are included in the Index.

Performance

Fund NAV. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fund Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Average Annual Total Returns

1 Year 5 Years 10 Years

1.52% 1.51 1.60

1.62% 1.63 1.75

1.16% 1.16 1.29

Cumulative Total Returns

1 Year 5 Years 10 Years

1.52% 1.51 1.60

8.39% 8.42 9.06

12.24% 12.28 13.71

GROWTH OF $10,000 INVESTMENT (AT NET ASSET VALUE)

$11,400 11,200

$11,371 $11,224

11,000

10,800

10,600

10,400

10,200

10,000

9,800

Feb 12 Feb 13 Feb 14 Feb 15 Feb 16 Feb 17 Feb 18 Feb 19 Feb 20 Feb 21

Fund

Index

Index performance through March 31, 2016 reflects the performance of the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. 1-3 Year Treasury Bond Index. Index performance beginning on April 1, 2016 reflects the performance of the ICE U.S. Treasury 1-3 Year Bond Index.

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Performance results do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the redemption or sale of fund shares. See "About Fund Performance" on page 20 for more information.

Expense Example

Beginning Account Value

(09/01/20) $ 1,000.00

Actual

Ending Account Value

(02/28/21)

$ 999.80

Expenses Paid During the Period (a)

$ 0.74

Beginning Account Value

(09/01/20)

$ 1,000.00

Hypothetical 5% Return

Ending Account Value

(02/28/21)

$ 1,024.10

Expenses Paid During the Period (a)

$ 0.75

Annualized Expense Ratio

0.15%

(a) Expenses are calculated using the Fund's annualized expense ratio (as disclosed in the table), multiplied by the average account value for the period, multiplied by the number of days in the period (181 days) and divided by the number of days in the year (365 days). Other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, may be paid which are not reflected in the tables and examples above. See "Shareholder Expenses" on page 20 for more information.

FUND SUMMARY

7

Fund Summary as of February 28, 2021 (continued)

Portfolio Information

ALLOCATION BY MATURITY

Maturity 1-2 Years. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3 Years. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4 Years. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Percent of Total Investments(a)

59.6% 40.2 0.2

(a) Excludes money market funds.

iShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bond ETF

FIVE LARGEST HOLDINGS

Security U.S. Treasury Note/Bond, 2.13%, 05/15/22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . U.S. Treasury Note/Bond, 1.75%, 07/15/22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . U.S. Treasury Note/Bond, 1.63%, 11/15/22. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . U.S. Treasury Note/Bond, 0.13%, 02/15/24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . U.S. Treasury Note/Bond, 0.25%, 04/15/23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Percent of Total Investments(a)

6.2% 5.5 5.5 5.0 4.6

8

2021 I S H A R E S A N N U A L R E P O RT TO S H A R E H O L D E R S

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download