ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf process, we and/or the selling stockholders may sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we and/or the selling stockholders may offer. We will provide the terms of these securities in supplements to this prospectus. The prospectus supplement may also add, update, or change information contained in this prospectus. We urge you to read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information” on page 2.
As used in this prospectus, “BlackRock,” “the Company,” “we,” “our,” “ours,” and “us” refer to BlackRock, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries, and “our board of directors” refers to the board of directors of BlackRock, Inc., except where the context otherwise requires or as otherwise clearly indicated.
BLACKROCK
BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK) is a leading publicly traded investment management firm with $6.288 trillion of assets under management (“AUM”) at December 31, 2017. With approximately 13,900 employees in more than 30 countries who serve clients in over 100 countries across the globe, BlackRock provides a broad range of investment, risk management and technology services to institutional and retail clients worldwide.
Our diverse platform of alpha-seeking active, index and cash management investment strategies across asset classes enables the Company to tailor investment outcomes and asset allocation solutions for clients. We offer single- and multi-asset class portfolios investing in equities, fixed income, alternatives and money market instruments. Products are offered directly and through intermediaries in a variety of vehicles, includingopen-end andclosed-end mutual funds,iShares® exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), separate accounts, collective investment trusts and other pooled investment vehicles. BlackRock also offers the investment and risk management technology platform,Aladdin®, risk analytics, advisory and technology services and solutions to a broad base of institutional and wealth management clients. The Company is highly regulated and manages its clients’ assets as a fiduciary. We do not engage in proprietary trading activities that could conflict with the interests of our clients.
BlackRock serves a diverse mix of institutional and retail clients across the globe. Clients includetax-exempt institutions, such as defined benefit and defined contribution pension plans, charities, foundations and endowments; official institutions, such as central banks, sovereign wealth funds, supranationals and other government entities; taxable institutions, including insurance companies, financial institutions, corporations and third-party fund sponsors, and retail investors.
BlackRock maintains a significant global sales and marketing presence that is focused on establishing and maintaining retail and institutional investment management and technology service relationships by marketing its services to investors directly and through third-party distribution relationships, including financial professionals and pension consultants.
At December 31, 2017, The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (“PNC”) held 21.2% of BlackRock’s voting common stock and 21.7% of BlackRock’s capital stock, which includes outstanding common and nonvoting preferred stock.
RISK FACTORS
You should consider the specific risks described in our Annual Report on Form10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, the risk factors described under the caption “Risk Factors” in any applicable prospectus supplement and any risk factors set forth in our other filings with the SEC, pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14
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